A Mongo for Christ

Yesterday when I was worship leading, the worst thing that could happen to a Wleader occured - major stoning in the congregation. A sea of blank faces throughout the first set. Now, I know all the reasons; maybe there was sin in me, or my team, maybe we had too much pride, maybe we put the congregation's reaction over God's approval, maybe...

Then I stopped rationalising.

When I teach in the gym, I can be one of the most theoretical and patient teachers. I care that you learn. I want you to learn. Nothing gives me more pleasure as a teacher when I see that you 'get it.' But if you've seen me fight; you see a different side. You see a brutal, aggressive attempt to rip you apart. But oddly, there's no malice. It's just that I'm direct and efficient

And it was that side that came out yesterday before the closing song. I berated the congregation for that lack of response. And questioned their commitment to want to be at church, to worship, to whatever. I was direct and brutal; in short, I was a mongo, a lumbering thuggish guy with a club as my mediuim of oration

We live in a society that can be too nice and politically correct. And that has affected the church as well. As a consequence, we sometimes refrain from saying things that should be said for fear of giving offence.

The Old Testament prophets never cared about this. They called a spade a spade. Ezra pulled his own hair out at his people's lack of repentance. Jeremiah said in effect, "I'm not going to pull MY own hair out!", and pulled others instead. Jesus frequently offended...well, just about anyone. The gospel of Christ is an offence to some; remember that

In boxing, I have to hit you sometimes. And you will have to learn how to take a hit. It's the same for me. I can be molly-coddled by the darn nicest coach in town but someday, if he really cares for me - he will have to hit me. That's boxing

And that's the way of Christ. You are not meant to sit in your nice chairs rolling through five songs. It's my job to lead you to worship - but I can't make you drink the water. And my responsiblity is to take you there, point it out to you, shout at you if I have to because I love Christ first and his followers second. But I have to do it because I now see why God made me a mongo. A mongo for Christ