Signs and warnings

[Anna Marta]

Just read this today and found it refreshing.

"File this under "Things one thinks about after eating a bad piece of meat": We've seen a handful of athletes grounded this summer because of suspicions regarding performance-enhancing drugs (steroids, testosterone, etc.). It occurred to me that this may be why there are any number of preachers and leaders in the church today who are so much better than the rest of us: It has to be performance-enhancing drugs! An executive pastor (speaking off the record) told me that these drugs come from a secret clinic in the Swiss Alps. Here in New England we have never heard about this. I think you have to live in Illinois, California, or the Deep South.

I smell scandal, and I am proposing that we establish an Evangelical Performance Enhancing Drug Accountability Agency (EPEDAA), whose agents would periodically tap e-mail and phone conversations and take surprise on-site samples of you-know-what (just before Sunday services—even better just before the offering). I know these are questionable activities, legally speaking, but these are dangerous times, and we've got to level the playing field.

Anyway, by doing this we'd really know who is being truly anointed by the Holy Spirit and who should get an asterisk beside their *attendance figures.

The only bumper sticker that has caught my attention recently: Don't believe everything you think.

Pastor and author Gordon MacDonald is chair of World Relief and editor at large for Leadership.

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September 1, 2006

I am not all that familiar with Gordon MacDonald except the things he has written on this website. But this article seemed to be a healthy sign that not all clergy are to be distrusted. The entire article is quite good.

There are days I don't know that I should believe anything I think!

Warm hugs,
Anna Marta