Will's Wonderings
Fairfield Glade United Methodist Church
Wes Seliger is a pastor who loves motorcycles. He tells about being in a
motorcycle shop one day, drooling over a huge Honda 750 and wishing
that he could buy it. A salesman came over and began to talk about his
product. He talked about speed, acceleration, excitement, the
attention-getting growl of the pipes, racing, risk. He talked about how the
good-looking girls would be attracted to anyone riding on such a cycle.
Then he discovered that Wes was a minister. Immediately the salesman
changed his language and even the tone of his voice. He spoke quietly
and talked about good mileage and visibility. It was indeed a "practical"
vehicle.
Wes observed: "Lawnmower salespersons are not surprised to find
clergypersons looking at their merchandise; motorcycle salespersons
are. Why? Does this tell us something about clergypersons and about the
church? Lawnmowers are slow, safe, sane, practical, and middle-class.
Motorcycles are fast, dangerous, wild, thrilling." Then Wes asks a
question: "Is being a Christian more like mowing a lawn or like riding a
motorcycle? Is the Christian life safe and sound or dangerous and
exciting?"
He concludes, "The common image of the church is pure
lawnmower--slow, deliberate, plodding. Our task is to take the church out
on the open road, give it the gas, and see what the old baby will do!"
Is our church a lawnmower church or a motorcycle church? Maybe it's
time we took more risks for God.
Shalom,
Will
motorcycle shop one day, drooling over a huge Honda 750 and wishing
that he could buy it. A salesman came over and began to talk about his
product. He talked about speed, acceleration, excitement, the
attention-getting growl of the pipes, racing, risk. He talked about how the
good-looking girls would be attracted to anyone riding on such a cycle.
Then he discovered that Wes was a minister. Immediately the salesman
changed his language and even the tone of his voice. He spoke quietly
and talked about good mileage and visibility. It was indeed a "practical"
vehicle.
Wes observed: "Lawnmower salespersons are not surprised to find
clergypersons looking at their merchandise; motorcycle salespersons
are. Why? Does this tell us something about clergypersons and about the
church? Lawnmowers are slow, safe, sane, practical, and middle-class.
Motorcycles are fast, dangerous, wild, thrilling." Then Wes asks a
question: "Is being a Christian more like mowing a lawn or like riding a
motorcycle? Is the Christian life safe and sound or dangerous and
exciting?"
He concludes, "The common image of the church is pure
lawnmower--slow, deliberate, plodding. Our task is to take the church out
on the open road, give it the gas, and see what the old baby will do!"
Is our church a lawnmower church or a motorcycle church? Maybe it's
time we took more risks for God.
Shalom,
Will
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