We are our own worst enemies
Several things are stirring in my mind that lead to the title of this post. The first two are news reports that came out this week.
The first is out of Nelson County KY where a 13 year-old died in a car crash because his youth minister let him drive his car. Click here for full report. The only response I have is what was he thinking? And while he is not a Baptist youth minister I am sure there are some of us that have done similar if not the same sort of thing.
The second is from the Leaf Chronicle in Clarksville TN where a youth minister had inappropriate relations with 3 teen girls in his youth ministry. Again the only response I have is, what was he thinking?
These are not isolated cases, and stories like this are in the news way too much. They will be sensationalized on every news media in the area and we will get a well deserved black eye for the actions of a couple of individuals. These two events should make us angry, embarrassed and call us to pray for the families of all parties involved.
The third is a reflection of the events surrounding the SBC that met in Louisville earlier this week. And it has absolutely nothing to do with motions, or direction or visions or votes. But it has everything to do with what happened after we left the meetings. The reports of how we behaved in Louisville restaurants are appalling. SBC Messengers (with tags still around their neck so there wasn't any doubt) STIFFING the wait staff and leaving no tips. Some wait staff at restaurant asking to be taking off the schedule until "the Baptist" leave town and saying, "they hoped they (the Baptist) never came back to Louisville and that they would never go to a Baptist church if that was the way Baptist acted". There was even a report of one group who stayed at a restaurant for over an hour, had a meal and dessert and then didn't want to pay full price for their meal or leave a tip because they were offended at the shortness of the waitress’s skirt. Where was the offense when she first started waiting on you?
Similar complaints were heard by hotel staff.
And while we were busy leaving and eating there, who was left to clean up the mounds of liter we threw all over the floors and the parking lots at the Exposition Center? It was amazing to watch one young man, a convention attendee, consistently go behind other convention attendees and pick up the paper and trash they would drop. When ask about it his reply was a simple "The employees here all know we are Christian’s right? So shouldn't we leave this place better than we found it"?
And maybe that should have been our mantra for the Convention. Let’s LOVE out LOUD, and while we're at it, let's leave Louisville a better place than we found it.
June 25th, 2009
15 Comments
1. Dave Levee | 6/25/2009 2:57:16 PM
Joe, I am outraged to hear about the thoughtless actions of our denomination. I guess none of them analyzed what it means to be Christian, after hearing Francis Chan Monday morning. We are so focused on what we think we "deserve" from people just because we say we are ministers or messengers for our churches. Maybe we need to start putting a price on what it means to be a Christian in America, then maybe we will start living our faith n stop lying about it.
2. Ed Goodman | 6/25/2009 2:58:58 PM
I agree wholeheartedly, Bro. Joe, that we should've left Louisville better than we found it. It's amazing how self-righteous and pharisaical Southern Baptists can be! Perhaps when our love shouts louder than our condemnation, the Great Commission will become a resurgence by default due to our obedience of Scripture and concern for the lost. Nevertheless, I love being a Southern Baptist... though I certainly grieve when I hear reports such as these. Thanks for the post!
I'll be following you henceforth.
3. Brandon | 6/25/2009 3:25:03 PM
Unfortunately none of this is anything new. I worked in a resturant for a number of years as a server. The rudest, loudest, and worst tippers are Christians!!!! The running joke among those I worked with was that they left all their money in the plate. WELL we know that isn't true either. I quit working on Sunday not because of I wanted to be in church but because I couldn't make any money in an 8 hour shift on Sunday. I'm not going to say all Christians but a good majority, Southern Baptist included, should remember whom gives them that money. It isn't by any work they do but by God's blessing. Instead of hoarding that blessing why not be a blessing and pass it on. This described behavior is craziness and another reason why the younger generations strives so hard to pull away from the old "Baptist" stigma.
4. cb scott | 6/25/2009 3:56:47 PM
Not everyone stiffed the wait staffs of restaurants, or hotel employees. And some of us never have, not in over thirty-five years.
SBC folks do not hold the corner on that distinction.
Frankly, some of us may have fed the families of wait staff for the next couple of day with one single tip. And maybe some of us helped wait staff and hotel employees for all eternity.
cb
5. | 6/25/2009 3:58:42 PM
cb,
I know that and for those that did I am grateful. Just like in the first two examples, we are all not guilty, but we all live with the consequences.
6. Larry | 6/25/2009 4:08:43 PM
Well said!
7. cb scott | 6/25/2009 8:03:23 PM
Just remember, We are not all a bunch of pigs. And a few good stories would be of great value. Search out a few of those. And remember htis also; Age is only a number, but living out Christ is eternal.
Larry, don't you think that is also "Well said!"
cb
8. Benjie | 6/25/2009 9:13:44 PM
Joe,
I've noticed that Christians in general, evangelicals in particular, and Baptists specifically have a tendency to wear their faith on their sleeve, and then wipe their mouth on it. Regardless of the masses being tainted by the few, we all still suffer.
Perhaps you might repeat this post shortly before the 2010 meeting in Orlando and maybe we can have a better reputation in that city. I can agree that eternal matters are much more important than temporal ones, if we can't be polite and trustworthy in the temporal matters, we'll never get a hearing for the other.
Blessings.
9. Tim Ashley | 6/26/2009 1:25:23 AM
Honestly, I think that part of the problem that Christians in our country have is some sort of elitist attitude. It's because we see ourselves as having some special annointing to serve God, and therefore everything becomes some sort of ministry. We become martyrs for God in whatever situation is present, and like to function as if people should respect us as we "bare our burden" of daily living for Christ. The real truth is walking with Jesus is a tremendous privilege, and one that should become a natural part of our everyday lives, instead of an extra feature that we add on and use as a crutch, or an excuse for being drained enough to be disrespectful, judgmental or harsh. If more people could see that living for Christ doesn't mean that you have to adopt some goofy jargon, wear stupid looking clothes (or hair) and no longer know how to relate to normal people, then maybe there's more hope for us to make an impact. In general, we tend to set the bar real high for others' expectations of us, and then we slither be painfully lower than what we have convinced others (and ourselves) as what should be expected.
I get really tired of seeing believers that feel the need to express disdain at things that they sense are unGodly or sinful. I know that we are supposed to hate sin, but we are not the Holy Spirit. Since when has it ever been a Christians job to run around and qualify all things with statements of how wrong or sinful they are. A typical scenario is when a Christian hears about something that has happened, and instead of showing compassion or interest, they have to qualify their statement with numerous adjectives about how God hates sin and how much He must be so terribly disappointed. It's as if they can't even be a human until they throw in some sort of judgmental statement, but all in the name of loving Jesus.
I can't believe the audacity of someone to proclaim that they were "offended" at the shortness of the waitress' skirt. Again, they were "bearing their burden" by having enough "heart" to blast her and then short her tip, thereby showing the hope that is in Christ... but only for those with long skirts. "We'd really like to tip this brazen hussy, but she offended us (Christians, those that should understand how to be more compassionate than anyone else) with her trap-trash skirt. And because she's probably lost and going to hell, we're going to be insensitive to the restaurant's schedule, whine about our service and short her on her tip, because we are the Children of God. God bless you."
10. Joe | 6/26/2009 10:00:44 AM
I tried to include a good story in the blog. The lone attendee picking up the trash of others is a good story. The servant attitude He displayed was tremendous. And I know that their are 100's of stories about good deeds and positive witnesses for Christ that occured during the convention.
I also know that the beams in my eyes are as hideous to others as the actions of these few are to me.
Thanks everyone for posting
11. Dave Samples | 6/27/2009 9:16:47 PM
I observed a car in front of me that was headed into the parking area at the KEC give the worker in the booth lunch from Taco Bell.
There were three of us in my party--one of which is currently a waitor at "On The Border". Generous tips were left each time we ate.
12. Joe | 6/29/2009 11:09:57 AM
dave
thanks for sharing good news. I am sure there are more good news stories than "what we we thinking" stories".
13. Scott Douglas | 6/29/2009 8:07:14 PM
Joe, this was a very convicting and humbling post. I purposely tried to be gracious, friendly, but above that generous when we went out to eat during convention. My sister and her fiance, both restaurant veterans, talked about how much we are hated in their circles.
It made me sad to see such a widespread response like that, maybe in Orlando our act will be somewhat better
14. KJ | 7/1/2009 1:42:11 PM
15. KJ | 7/1/2009 2:02:38 PM
Thanks Joe for the good reminder to all of us. Hopefully, we have time to learn before Orlando.