My Pastor told me something a while back that really struck a cord with me. He told of the time he preached his first sermon and how he set out to wow the congregation. While preparing for his sermon he made sure he researched all of the Greek and Latin translations and added a ton of large theological words. When the big day finally came, he preached his heart out and was sure that it would go down in history as the greatest demonstration of preaching ever pontificated! For reassurance, he later asked his Senior Pastor for his opinion on how he had done. The Senior Pastor told him "From now on, I want you to remember one thing: Fried chicken and potato salad". In other words, keep things simple and don't try to be something you're not.
So, remember no matter how smart you think you are, no matter what you accomplish in life, no matter how many great deeds you do, no matter how many monuments they erect in your honor or statues they chisel into your likeness, an hour after they bury you in the ground, everyone at the funeral will be eating fried chicken and potato salad!!!!
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Fried Chicken and Potato Salad
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5 COMMENTS...:
Great point, and "pontificated" - wow, I don't know many big words like that :)
And I wonder if I scratch and sniff that plate of fried chicken I could smell it. You made me hungry!
Isn't that the truth....
Go on tell like it needs to be said and don't be ashamed.
I try to keep everything simple so even a liberal can be saved. :)
God bless you brother!
This reminds me of a Men's conference that I went to with a friend. It was an all day thing. The guy preaching was really smart and new what he was talking about. He was right on 'Theologically' (my big word for the day) but as the day went on (and on and on and on) I looked around. He had lost most of the men there and even the ones who wanted to learn what he was teaching were struggling to keep listening. Out of maybe 80 men I saw at least 5 sleeping.
Now I am not at all a person that thinks the church should entertain people but as I sat there I saw men who maybe do not go to church regularly or not at all. They were invited by a fellow man who wanted to see his friend saved.
All I could think was that this preacher was driving unbelievers farther away from the church. I could picture guys thinking 'if this is church count me out!'
This pastor was preaching as if he was preaching to fellow pastors looking for some in depth teaching on a few chapters in the bible. The men sitting out in front of him needed to hear how they need to be the man, father, husband that God wanted them to be (it was a men's conference) and show them how to do that. He needed to put some fire in their belly and all he was doing is spraying them with a fire hose.
I came away from that day very discouraged.
Those men needed fried chicken and potato salad; they were getting lobster and escargot.
Great post Donny!
All of you are so right! Keep it simple should be everyone's motto, especially in the church. I was listening to a story about the great John Wesley today that hits home this point. He had a young servant girl in his home that had no education. Every sermon he ever gave, he gave to her first and told her "whenever i say something you do not understand, stop me". Wesley was a master at coonnecting with all people. We can learn alot from him.
As for now, Fried Chicken and Potato Salad!
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