ROGERS — Here is a conversation that took place between two of my favorite TV characters.

Marge Simpson: "Sermons about 'constancy' and 'prudissitude' are all very well and good, but the church could be doing so much more to reach out to people."

Rev. Lovejoy: "Oh? I don't see you volunteering to make things better."

Marge Simpson: "Well, okay. I volunteer."

Rev. Lovejoy: "I wasn't prepared for that."

Reverend Lovejoy has my sympathy. Pastoring a local church can be a real challenge. Believe it or not, winning sinners from the clutches of the devil is the least part of a pastor's struggle. The greater part of a pastor's effort goes into moving saints off of dead center.

I am not surprised that Rev. Lovejoy was startled by Marge's quick and easy response. It usually doesn't work that way. Normally Rev. Lovejoy has to use a volatile mixture of sweettalk, guilt, cajoling, complimenting, bribery and sermonizing to motivate the people of his congregation. Even then he seldom enjoys the fruits of his labor.

Now, notice the subject of their exchange. I am not sure I know what prudissitude is, but I do know what it is to reach out to people and make things better. The truth of the matter is that when we need someone to sew Christmas costumes or to set up tables for a potluck, the average church has many willing hands. But, if immigrant workers need tutoring in English or troubled teens need mentoring or shut-ins need companionship, "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few."

Rev. Lovejoy was caught flatfooted because most of his people are not willing to lend a hand to that kind of person to person, face to face outreach. So, when someone said I'll do it, he was stunned. The same thing has happened to me.

The staff here at our church has heard me joke more than once that I just hate it when someone pays attention to one of my sermons. That is because when they come to me afterwards they have such intensity and resolve that it can be intimidating. Suddenly I must be able to shift my role from motivator to facilitator. Suddenly I too am caught up in the need and call to think outside the boundaries of this congregation. What can we do to reach out to other people?

If you are one of those people who likes putting your preacher on the spot, try this. Try responding to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You know, where it says love your neighbor as yourself and do unto others as you would have them do unto you? Then tell the preacher "I believe this. I want to do it. How do we get started?" That, by the way, is how you move a pastor off of dead center.

David B. Bentley is the pastor at First United Methodist Church of Rogers and can be contact at 631-7997 or by e-mail at rogersrev@sbcglobal.net.

In the Spirit, Pages 5 on 10/07/2009

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