How do ministers, pastors, lay preachers handle a hostile congregant after a sermon?

[Luce NDs]

If everything is God (a compound form none-the-less) for those that believe they know God ... is there anything you could possibly relate to that person with such a dark belief? It seems an unknown sense of awareness to me ... or perhaps an awareness of a sense of what's unknown ... something the greatest believers will deny and eliminate at all costs!

I just don't know what to make of that hoard ... yet they pull down the veil at night ... so we can rest in it ... a sense of lost consciousness? Thus God rest too ... in part!

So much blarney? That would push the questions additionally ... hard bread ...

 

[PilgrimsProgress]

Pilgrim, I hope you're feeling more relaxed now that you have had more time to put this unpleasant incident behind you.
Are you leading worship at the same place this weekend? If so do you think that same individual will be there? And will it bother you?
Don't change, unless you feel called to change. Don't do it just to try to please somebody else. Continue to speak your truth.
I will be thinking about you.

No - I'll be spending this week-end at the theology college as part of my lay preacher training. And not to worry, I won't be bullied into accepting a type of faith that doesn't make sense to me.

On reflection, maybe the spirit has played a part in making me see that as well as talking the talk I have to walk the walk?

If I can't continue to relate to her it means I've failed my own point of the sermon - minimising conflict by empathy - trying to understand why she thinks the way she does by attempting to walk in her shoes.

 

[PilgrimsProgress]

Okay, now you definitely have to forward her complaints to me. That would be so much fun.

Ha Ha - that would be like getting a fish to ride a bicycle - it couldn't possibly succeed. You have a sense of humour, fundies don't!

 

[Luce NDs]

Ha Ha - that would be like getting a fish to ride a bicycle - it couldn't possibly succeed. You have a sense of humour, fundies don't!

That's immutable ...

 

[chansen]

Ha Ha - that would be like getting a fish to ride a bicycle - it couldn't possibly succeed. You have a sense of humour, fundies don't!

My purpose as a complaints department supervisor would not be to make the complainer laugh. My purpose would be to make everyone else laugh and make the complainer wish they had never complained in the first place.

 

[Luce NDs]

My purpose as a complaints department supervisor would not be to make the complainer laugh. My purpose would be to make everyone else laugh and make the complainer wish they had never complained in the first place.

Authorities hate laughter as they are insecure as to what it is directed at ... be odd ... know where it is going!

 

[chansen]

Authority hates laughter *when* it is insecure in the face of criticism. That insecurity makes it even better.

 

[Luce NDs]

Authority hates laughter *when* it is insecure in the face of criticism. That insecurity makes it even better.

Leaves me with shimmering giggles ... parallel to santa clause 's jiggles?

 

[JRT]

Most of the time I get compliments on my sermons - but, last Sunday, a "born again" Pentecostal Christian was annoyed with my sermon. (Not happy about me saying something critical about Jesus).

How do others who preach handle this tricky situation?

I'll see if I can attach the sermon here......

I enjoyed your sermon and found nothing whatsoever offensive about it. Many years ago I delivered a sermon on the possibility of Jesus being married. This is a small extract:

"Here is an interesting take on the story of Mary and her sister Martha. Martha is scurrying around preparing a meal and is getting a little overheated because Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to him teach. Martha comes to Jesus and asks him to tell Mary to get up and help her.

"The fact that she asked Jesus rather than going directly to her sister says something in and of itself. In that culture a married woman could be directed only by her husband. To go to the wife directly when her husband is present would be an insult to the husband in that very patriarchal society. We can draw each of us our own conclusions here. And yes I do believe that Mary the Magdalene and Mary of Bethany are the same person."

The Pentecostal Christian probably wasn't there for my sermon or he would have been even more enraged.

 

[Luce NDs]

Is marriage more spiritual/emotional and in essence of mind more than physical as bodies tend to drift off in the urge to crank the other ... capriciously!

Causes storms in the Eire ...

 

[Mendalla]

Many years ago I delivered a sermon on the possibility of Jesus being married.

I have always found this thesis fascinating. I am not convinced of it myself, though I am also not unconvinced, but the reactions it gets show just how much people are hung up on the inherent sinfulness of any kind of human romantic relationship.

 

[Luce NDs]

I have always found this thesis fascinating. I am not convinced of it myself, though I am also not unconvinced, but the reactions it gets show just how much people are hung up on the inherent sinfulness of any kind of human romantic relationship.

Beyond such stringent orders you can still be screwed by brute tyranny ...

 

[PilgrimsProgress]

The Pentecostal Christian probably wasn't there for my sermon or he would have been even more enraged.

"He" in my case was a "she".......

Jesus married? He was such a loving person he would have a sexual desire and thus I'm open to the possibility he was married. (Um, in view of last week's sermon reaction I'll refrain from preaching that!)

As an aside, no matter if Pentecostal or Progressive, warning bells go off or me if the believer is strident and hostile.......

 

[Mendalla]

As an aside, no matter if Pentecostal or Progressive, warning bells go off or me if the believer is strident and hostile.

I think this is a key idea here. I have met conservative Christians that I got along with perfectly well and progressive Christians and atheists who were total s***s. It's how the person behaves and responds, not what they believe, that matters in the end. Though some forms of belief do seem more likely to bring about strident hostility.

 

[Waterfall]

Never preached, BUT wouldn't Paul suggest for us to begin by focusing on what you and she found in common about the story in order to neutralize the tension?....a rather philosophical approach that opens hearts to receive additional messages.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Your key word there is "us". Clearly, the "them" in this case is very convinced of the "other"'s viewpoint, i.e. Jesus as perhaps less than perfect, as "wrong". When you've got "wrong" in mind, you're going to have a hard time merging/reconciling us and them.

 

[PilgrimsProgress]

I've just spent the week-end at our Uniting Church of Australia college.......
We are the only church in Australia that allows for same sex marriage, and already there are divisions. We agreed to have two marriage services - one traditional, and one same sex. Each congregation could decide for themselves what their position is.
We emphasise consensus, but state that ultimately God wants unity. Unity is ongoing - something to be aimed for.

But, because we are a broad church, this unity may well take a long time.......

But, back to the thread, I notice many have commented on how the situation is best handled between me and the congregant, and I thank you for your comments.

Now for the subject matter....
Is it okay to be a Follower of the Way, and still think that Jesus doesn't have to be perfect? According to the congregant you cannot call yourself a Christian "if you don't understand that Jesus was perfect".

What are your thoughts on this matter?

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

Luke 18:19?

 

[Seeler]

I call myself a Christian, a follower of the Way of Jesus. I believe that Jesus was wholly human. I also believe in one God – and that Jesus was so attuned to this to God the Spirit of God shone through him. A human being filled with the Spirit – the same spirit that can flow through us uniting us in love with all of creation.

 

[Luce NDs]

Christ is the light and some darkness must prevail to ensure the devilish unseen essences gather ...

Then there is the enigma of our experiencing the other side so as to combine what they don't know to diminish the outcome of our disturbing thoughts ... integrally there is the small point of rest as the darkness descends as near dead condition ... somewhat Dai SET ... daisey?

Brainstorms may beset those unable to accept rest ... the onset of the dark thing with the silver lining! (Beasley Smith and words by Haven Gillespie) ... gills-Pi may resemble Cod Cheeks ... the big unseen fish? Metaphors implode ...

These enigma exist to allow those that don't wish to know to enjoy their sense of absence free of cognizance ... you do know the Latin expression for "black" ... is the Reos A Grand vacancy of Christianity? The impacts there are unspeakable ... altruistically occult as jumping the broom ... a cleaner sweep off fete? Passions do it ... and then there is the rebound ... the hairpin turn about ...