question about approaching my pastor

[satman]

I am the senior board member of a rather small church. This past sunday, our pastor in his message quoted what is a parody to the "Footprints in the Sand" poem, entitled "Buttprints in the Sand". It goes like this...

"One night I had a wondrous dream,. One set of footprints there were seen,. The footprints of my precious Lord,. But mine were not along the shore.
But then some stranger prints appeared,. And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?". Those prints are large and round and neat,. "But Lord, they are too big for feet."
"My child," He said in somber tones,. "For miles I carried you alone.. I challenged you to walk in faith,. But you refused and made me wait."
"You disobeyed, you would not grow,. The walk of faith, you would not know,. So I got tired, I got fed up,. And there I dropped you on your butt."
"Because in life, there comes a time,. When one must fight, and one must climb,. When one must rise and take a stand,. Or leave their butt prints in the sand."

Author Unknown

I almost fell out of my seat when I heard this. I couldn't remember it word for word so when I got home, I looked it up on the internet and about the only sights I could find it at were sights of mysticism, withcraft and paganism. His message was about we need to be working and not sitting back, we need to stop whining, , the "tough need to get going", we need to "fight, not flight", there will be problems but we shouldn't run. Although I'm sure this was more geared towards the possible move of the church rather than the "trials and tribulations" in our walk. My question, should I approach him on this, considering it's source and meaning?
I appreciate any input you would have.
God Bless....In HIS Service....Dan

 

[Wakeup2god]

Dear Satman,

If you have an issue with anyting you hear from the pulpit you should be able to approach your pastor. The word tells us to 'test all things by the spirit'. If you have any concerns take them to the pastor and try to descern the spirit in which this message was delivered. You're probably not the only one who is unsure about the motive or origin of the message. I personally see no harm in it. After all the Disciples weren't called that for their lack of discipline. There is a time for us to make an effort. To press on in the race, 'setting our faces like flint'. It is this lack of discipline and this 'God carry me' all the time attitude that leaves us lost when the trials come, for they surely will.

God wants us to grow out of the little baby stage, to put away the childish things (to mature). Unfortunatley there are many overgrown spiritual babies in our churches. I found the message both humerous and very true.

 

[herev]

I, too, have no problems with the message (may use it myself as a pastor), but if you feel troubled in ANY way, you should approach him with love, compassion, and humility.

 

[Talie]

you should talk to your pastor - without a doubt, but sadly, don't expect him to necessarily accept anything you might say, based on my own experience in pointing out that what my pastor and youth leader was doing was not only illegal, but showing children in the youth group that it was ok to do illegal things (riding in a car without a seatbelt when there weren't enough seats for a youth trip - it's illegal here to not wear a seatbelt and I guess I don't need to say it's also dangerous). Though I approached the subject with him respectfully he laughed at me and said there was nothing wrong with what he had done. Of course, it goes without saying that not all pastors (and hopefully not MOST) wouldn't react this way - but you do need to realise he may dismiss your concerns without good reason.

I would suggest you show him some of the websites you've found the parody on - and suggest to him WHY you think it inappropriate.

Personally, i don't like the tone of if - and I'm sure some people - particularly of the older generation (though there are young people out there too who hold to more traditional values) talking about "butts" in church propably isn't respectful.

More importantly, God NEVER tires of trying to return His children to His will...

 

[Wakeup2god]

Maybe we should remove the story of God speaking through an Ass from the bible as some young folk may get the wrong idea!

To me this message speaks in the tongues of men. If we were to worry about how we speak we'd still be speaking in King James English. What was a swear word fifty years ago is now part of common language to some folk.

 

[Talie]

it's not an issue of language, it's an issue of respect

 

[Wakeup2god]

Im sure that when some of the 'older people' were younger thay must have pushed back a few boundaries and challenged a few traditions. Maybe unwittingly caused offence to a few old people of their generation. The church can get so religeous and stuck in it's ways at times that it's a wonder it doesn't just grow old and die.

This footprints think isn't scripture so we shouldn't treat it as such. If scripture was changed to contain common expletives then even I would worry but I'm sure at some point in history the mere thought of our Lord carrying one of us unworthy sinners would have been blasphemous.

 

[ub4me]

I think this poem is quite funny, and don't think it is disrepectful at all. The just of it is that we shouldn't always be carried like a child but learn to walk on our own, but not of our own. We need to be strong, and not be like little children, except in our faith. what have we, if we the need for someone else to carry us, it is Christ in us that makes us strong.
The ony way I would think it disrespectful is if God wrote that poem himself.

And because you could only find that version of the poem on those websites, dosen't mean that is where he found it.

We all need to relax just a bit, there is a lesson here that most Pastors could appreciate.

And if it really bothers you, there is nothing wrong with discussing this with your Pastor, he should always be available to ease your concerns.

 

[satman]

Thank you all for your input and for the reassurance. I have already called him to set a time alone to speak with him. True, it was just a little humor with some truth to it. Thus, the basis of my concern. Not the wording, I certainly have no objection to "butt" , being that Balaam had
an "A..." (donkey) speak to him and the bible does use the aforementioned word. My concern is the "some truth" part. and I quote....[[" So I got tired, I got fed up, and there I dropped you on your butt."]] I just feel as though it is saying that there IS a limit to the Lords love and that he is NOT longsuffering and when he's lost his patience with us, is going to drop us on our butt and stomp off. Oh yes, the "some truth" part is indeed that we should mature enough to stand on our own, but we will always, always, always fall, and our Lord will always, always, always be there. The Israelites turned away from the Lord and spent 40 years in the desert, but the Lord was still with them, every step of the way providing for them. But it was also "some" truth, by the serpent's deception, [["and you shall be as Gods knowing good and evil"]], that got Adam and Eve "evicted". I am certainly not saying that my pastor is being deceptive or teaching false doctrine, I am just questioning whether I am reading this wrong and if I should approach him as I have here. And indeed the responces have helped me to rethink my approach and I thank you all again.
God Bless....In HIS Service....Dan

 

[porcupine]

Thank you all for your input and for the reassurance. I have already called him to set a time alone to speak with him. True, it was just a little humor with some truth to it. Thus, the basis of my concern. Not the wording, I certainly have no objection to "butt" , being that Balaam had
an "A..." (donkey) speak to him and the bible does use the aforementioned word. My concern is the "some truth" part. and I quote....[[" So I got tired, I got fed up, and there I dropped you on your butt."]] I just feel as though it is saying that there IS a limit to the Lords love and that he is NOT longsuffering and when he's lost his patience with us, is going to drop us on our butt and stomp off. Oh yes, the "some truth" part is indeed that we should mature enough to stand on our own, but we will always, always, always fall, and our Lord will always, always, always be there. The Israelites turned away from the Lord and spent 40 years in the desert, but the Lord was still with them, every step of the way providing for them. But it was also "some" truth, by the serpent's deception, [["and you shall be as Gods knowing good and evil"]], that got Adam and Eve "evicted". I am certainly not saying that my pastor is being deceptive or teaching false doctrine, I am just questioning whether I am reading this wrong and if I should approach him as I have here. And indeed the responces have helped me to rethink my approach and I thank you all again.
God Bless....In HIS Service....Dan

Before you do that try rereading Stephen's sermon to his accusers. The point of that was the same: "God wants to move and you guys are always dragging your butts! In the past, God has simply dragged you along, but no longer. Now He insists that you get up and make the choice to follow Him." That about sums up Stephen's words to GOD'S PEOPLE. Sounds like your pastor did the same sermon with humor instead of Stephen's harshness. I suspect if your pastor had given it to the congregation "Stephen Style" people would complain about that too.

 

[HumbleBee]

satman,

Think you wise to approach your pastor, as somtin about his delivery seems like he was more reproachful than edifying. In my humble opinion, that poem is disrespectful. It would be very discouraging to read for someone who is really having a tough time and may already think God to be some hard, impatient schoolmaster...as this poem seems erroneously to depict. God is obviously full of mercy and won't ever give up on anyone.

 

[porcupine]

God's instruction to pastors:

2 Timothy 4:2
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Edification includes these things.

(BTW, God DOES sometimes give up on people. What do you think "reprobate" means?)

 

[Sam Gamgee]

I bet your pastor would welcome the discussion/debate.

He got you off your butt, didn't he.