Monday Morning Insights

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    And you thought you had detractors…

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    You can see the actual writings here at Kem’s blog… but here’s the transcript:

    Please take my name OFF YOUR MAILING LIST INSTANTANEOUSLY! I am 84 and dying, so you are wasting money. I have nothing to do with the Internet [which made it safe for me to post this] or any new-fashioned technology, which I loathe. Hate anything liberal, particularly the homosexual agenda [what in the world??] and all electronic media. I cannot appreciate uncombed hair [Mark] and ‘eggheads’ [Tim] or earrings or necklaces on men [me]. Thank you kindly. R.L.”

    FOR DISCUSSION: This could be interesting:  What is the most irate person you’ve ever had to deal with in ministry?

    "And you thought YOU had detractors... Kem Meyer recently shared an example of someone who wanted to be taken off the mailing list at WiredChurches.com. You'll love this one...

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    1. Jan on Tue, April 03, 2007

      The woman SCREAMING in the sanctuary at me, after just apologizing for doing that elsewhere. And then her husband joined in.  Let’s see my mere existence bugged her.  She hated my children.  And she had a 5 year run list of everything thing I’d ever done to her that she took offense at.  Many of these things she had aplogized for in those instances too.


      Really sad and out of control.

    2. Camey on Tue, April 03, 2007

      Read Kem’s blog fairly regularly now thanks to some list. Detractor? That’s what you call that person? hmmmmm


      I have a someone who watches me like a hawk inside the walls as well as outside. This individual lets me know every opportunity possible when they do not agree with something I’ve said or done. This happens quite often too. Here’s the current list running:


      1.  I don’t dress appropriately. I wear pants or capris almost every Sunday.


      2. The church shouldn’t have ANY THING to do with THOSE people, (read: homeless, pregnant teens, and etc.)


      3. I raise my hands some times during worship. GASP! Hey… when you’ve been paralyzed and not able to use your hands - you learn a thing or two. This person stopped me one time coming out of a convenience store. Apparently, I was singing while driving and up went a hand. Not only was I raising my hand but was doing so while driving - clearly a safety hazard.


      4. Our sons wear shorts some times. Since my hubby has to be at church long before I do - clearly this a mothering issue.


      5. When I speak at various events - I always present The Gospel. “You should know by now that everyone who attends these kinds of events are already a Christian.”


      The Lord has increased my love for this individual over the past few months. It has to be the Lord. I no longer turn the other direction when they are walking towards me. I just listen and say “thank you.”

    3. Chris Surratt on Tue, April 03, 2007

      Our first direct mailer in Greenville said something about our services being a little less organ and a little more guitar. I then started getting several phone calls and mail from an irate local pipe organist who felt that we were trying to drive him out of a job. He ended one phone call with “I hope that you and your church fail miserably and end up in hell!” Such a sweet guy.

    4. Andy McAdams on Wed, April 04, 2007

      Wow…that’s a toss up.  In 30 years of ministry I’ve had so many.  There was the lady that yelled at me on front of the church when I had announced that we will “no longer be having a mid-week prayer meeting at the church and would be meeting in homes.”  I almost laughed when I made out the words, “It’s unbiblical to not have prayer meeting at the church, and don’t you care what will happen to the three of us that attend?.” 


      Then there was a guy that stood in the parking lot of the churched and cursed at me while telling me that any music that would cause people to clap their hands and tap their toes was fleshly.  When I reminded him that it couldn’t be as fleshly as his attitude and language at the moment he walked away yelling, “What do you %#*$@ preachers know about the Bible and worship anyway?”


      Then there was the lady that protested in at least a dozen different ways because we were having a Super Bowl party and women were not invited (Ah…hello it was a men’s ministry outreach idea!), there was the man that complained during a board meeting that I spent too much time in the community compared to my office, (I coached baseball, umpired youth and adult sports, was a member of a community business club as an example to be involved in people’s lives because the church had a poor image in town that needed changing) of course I wasn’t earning my money.  Huh? 


      But the topper of them all was a nice little couple that slowly stood in the annual church business meeting (they should ban those forever), and made a motion that the pastor should start wearing a tie again and be required to do so every Sunday according to God’s will.   Thank the Lord that she never got a second.

    5. Camey on Wed, April 04, 2007

      Andy: Sounds like you could write a book! yowza!

    6. Andy McAdams on Wed, April 04, 2007

      Camey:


      Yes I’m sure I could write a book.  I forgot to tell about the people that complained about us having close friends.  Her reasoning was that I should treat everyone the same.  I guess pastors should never have “best friends” or “close friends?” 


      Those same people would gossip and remark on how their pastor was probably being paid too much because he purchased a new car.   It can go on and on and on for anyone that is in the pastorate.  


      I use to be involved with interviews of pastors that wanted to be ordained.  After they were approved I would say this to them.  “When you get on your knees and other pastors gather around you to pray and lay hand on you…be aware that one of them will place a target on your back.”  They would laugh about that, but often would contact me to tell me that it’s true.  Sad…but true.

    7. James on Thu, April 05, 2007

      How about the lady I offended with something I did and wouldn’t accept my aplology because I didn’t do it in the right manner?!

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