“Lessons Learned from Dealing with Dirt”
-Reverend A. LaMar Torrence, Pastor of Cross of Life Lutheran Church
True disciples of Christ are constantly in a state of learning what it means to be more like Christ. Even as pastors, preachers, and leaders, we are always learning more about the multi-dimensions and dynamics of the kingdom of God. And just when we think we have an understanding, we are reminded that knowledge is too wonderful for me, his knowledge is too lofty for us to attain- his thoughts are not our thoughts nor his ways or ways. So we are always learning what it is to be more like Christ loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind. We are on a continual search for truth and application in our daily lives. Our search for truth is motivating factor in our worship. In fact what makes worship ‘a good’ worship experience is not the shape and genre of our worship (how we worship), but is it is the character of those who worship-their desire to worship in spirit and in truth. It is our desire for clean hearts and renewed spirits. It is our continual reformation through our encounters with God and gaining divine revelation. It is our desire not only to become the image of Christ but in fact to be the body of Christ manifested in our communities. The disciple wants to be ‘bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh”. The disciple wants to be that bride without spot or wrinkle. The disciple wants a true encounter with Christ.
And this is a difficult task for those of us living “real lives” in the world outside of these four walls. We have a desire to be in the world yet not of the world. And it is difficult because our world is filled with complex issues that are not black and white. But the truth is our world is becoming filled with grey areas of uncertainty, fear, and doubt.
i. The truth is that we are now cloning animals for produce. The fried chicken you eat today may be a clone of the chicken you ate last week.
ii. The truth is that stem cell research is moving to the forefront of medical and political debates.
iii. The truth is that although many churches preach and advocate abstinence, there are more cases of “immaculate conception” appearing everyday in the community of the church. Teenagers as well as some pre-teens are having sex.
iv. The truth is I have yet to officiate a marriage whereby both parties where virgins.
v. And while on the subject of marriage our state Supreme Court has stated that gay and lesbians are entitled to marry under our current legislation. Furthermore NJ is granting civil unions.
And it is easy for us, to say that these issues have do not have any bearing on our daily lives but the truth is that would be an ignorant misconception. It does affect us as directly, especially in the areas of ministry. The church is being challenged to offer voice and take position. We are in fact apart of what Bill O’ Reilly calls a ‘culture war between traditionalists and secular progressives whereby there is no middle ground. And I agree that there is a culture war going on; but the war actually exist between truth and what Frank Rich of the NY Times calls “truthiness"; that is what is authentic versus what is an “image of moral correctness”. And we in the church know what putting on an image of moral correctness; a form of godliness but our hearts are far from him”. Some of us put it on authentically every Sunday. Oh yes, we know how to dress it up and tone it down, when we have to. But God is not pleased. I believe that he does want us to live truthful authentic lives. But that can only be done if we begin to embrace truth.
Frank Rich, in this book The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The decline and fall of Truth contends that we have become a society that rarely questions what we are told. There has been a rise in "truthiness" and a decline in truth". The truth is remixed into a 24/7 "infotainment" culture has made us into a people that has stopped thinking critically. We are more interested in what’s going on with Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, Whitney and Bobby, Madonna and Angelina and their adoption issues or “who is the real father of Anna Nicoles baby”. And the real issues like the crisis in Darfur, the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans, or the gang wars in our own back yards go ignored. Because of our desire to be entertained with by the dirt exposed on the rich and famous and the notorious and infamous, we allow the truth to be distorted and either we don’t see it or we simply don’t care.
And it is a challenge for those of us who are called to take the truth and preach it to those who are surrounded by all this dirt and smut, living in dirt and smut, and then come to church and want to be entertained with more dirt and smut. It’s a challenge because it’s a dirty job; yet the preacher has to do it. That is his call - dealing with dirt. William Shakespeare had it all wrong when he wrote that “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” He did not have the task of a preacher in mind. The preacher has to confront the bad, the ugly, the low-down and the down-low. The preacher has to be willing to roll-up his sleeve, dig into grimy crevices of everyday dirt, plant seeds of truth, and then hope for some growth.
Regardless of the conditions of the dirt, its size, and local, the preacher has to deal with it. I’ve learned that dirt can be dressed to the nines wearing Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, and Gucci, or it can simply hangout in Sean Johns, ROCAwear and/or Baby Phat. It can adorn itself in Bulova, Rolex, and/or Tiffany or slitter in a pair of Jimmy Choo, Stacey Adams, or Timberlands; but regardless of how much it may shine or what parts of it may glitter… dirt is dirt: Isaiah says “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;” from ashes we’ve come to ashes we shall return. We are dirt and it is the preacher’s task to dig into the depths of our earthliness, plant the gospel.
And what I like about this parable-this teaching of Jesus is that it puts the job of the preacher in perspective. He basically tells his disciples that if you get involve with this thing called preaching… here is what you should expect.
First, know that a real preacher –a sower goes out because that is simply because that is where the dirt is-out there. “But there is dirt inside too.” No this is just dust and residue” which is dealt with through Pastoring. But evangelism 101 dictates that we are go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Secondly, know the kind of dirt (I mean people) you will encounter:
1. People on the Path- Hard headed and hard hearts ( Just won’t change and just don’t get it. You can explain it till you are blue in the face and they still just won’t get it. These are people who "see, but to not see; hear, but do not hear". In these folks the word is left exposed; does not penetrate
Paul says of them, "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Corinthians 4:4
2. People on Rocky Ground –Immature, ‘Wishy-Washy’ people. "Have no root in themselves, no substance, usually emotionally driven. They get excite initially then fade away. You only see them in church when the devil is raising hell in their lives. But as soon as Satan stops shooting his arrows at them… they vanish.
3. And then there is just the opposite. Two-faced people;(thorny ground) The word has to compete with the other things occupying their lives. When hell arises in their lives that tend to take a break from the church.
a. This is pray for me group because I’m going through…that’s why you having seen me in church lately.
b. This is group that understands the word, but too many things pulling at them. So they have to make choices and usually the word loses. "No one can serve two masters, either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
i. No, they are not coming out to Bible Study-That’s American Idol night.
ii. No they are not coming out Wednesday for mid-week services. That’s American Next Top Model.
So know the type of people you will encounter, and thirdly don’t get discouraged by your success/failure rate. Because the truth is based on this Jesus is telling only a fourth of what you do will return anything. Although you are faithful to go out every day sowing the word, ¼ of your day will be productive. Although you may have hundreds even thousands listening to you every Sunday. Only a fourth of that will open their hearts and gladly receive a word. It’s a sad reality and enough to discourage any preacher. It can even frustrate you to point of depression and resignation…
1. Like Elijah who took up refuge in a cave wanting to die.
2. Or Jeremiah, who wanted to give up preaching.
3. Or Jonah who ran away from preaching.
Dealing with dirt can leave you discourage especially if all you have at the end of the day after all that sowing is still an field of empty dreams. So if dealing with dirt is so arduous, then why do it? Preacher, if you are telling us that the job is not a glamorous as it seems, that my chances of being the next TD Jakes, Billy Graham, or even J. Sanders are slim to none then why do it? Why do you show every Sunday ready to preach a word, regardless of weather conditions, regardless of your emotionally state, whether its in sickness or health, whether the church has money or don’t have money, whether half the people are not speaking to you…why so up in the pulpit consistently with a word ready to confront my issues?
Simply because of this last point, the good news is that in spite of all those challenges, there is still a harvest. It is every Sower of the gospel desire to see the harvest. Although we may sow in tears the very gospel promises that we will eventually reap in joy. The good news is that there are some folks that will allow us as preachers to dig into their mess, plant this word, and know that by Christ’s word they are made clean.
The good news is that God will allow a remnant to take root and bear fruit – The good new is that one in a while you will come across good soil and they will yield harvest. And the ultimate goal of every sowers of is to get a harvest. And I’m not talking about money, and mansions, and megachurches. I’m talking about a real harvest of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Those are the things that are on a preacher’s heart. Those are the things that a pastor desire to see.
And for years I didn’t realize why I was doing what I was doing until my prayer for a pastor’s heart came to maturation.
• I use to think what was on the Pastor heart was to have 100% attendance at bible study because that mean you were doing well. And if it happens that would be a good thing… But that wasn’t it.
• I thought what was on a pastor’s heart was to preach was to preach the one good sermon like Peter and have 3000 souls come to Christ at once and grow all of that into a mega church. And if it happens that would be a good thing…But that wasn’t it.
• I thought what was on a pastor’s heart was to have the people giving loads of money until the treasury said enough, “stop giving” we got to much. And if it happens that would be a good thing… But that ain’t it.
• I even thought that what was on a pastor’s heart was to have the church give you a Mercedes, buy you some property, or even a private plane. And if that happens, I’ll take it all.. but that ain’t it.
No I learned to really be on a pastor heart it to see that couple that was once talking about divorce and going their separate ways still together celebrating their ten, twentieth, and even thirtieth anniversary because they decided to a chance on the word you gave them in counseling or across the pulpit
No I learned that the real harvest is to see those who were racked with pain from chemo-treatments and dialyses testify to how god renewed their strength and healed their bodies.
No I learned from messing with dirt that the real harvest is to see the sons of members who were thought lost to dealing drug and gang banging finally telling Jesus… I surrender all.
No I learned that what brings us joy is hear the saints talking about how they put our message to the test… how they held their peace and allowed God to fight their battles.
