Pastor Jeremiah Steepek (pictured below) transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service, only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food - NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit n the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.
As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation. "We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek." The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation. The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle. The clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him. He walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment then he recited,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
'The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame. He then said, "Today I see a gathering of people, not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples. When will YOU decide to become disciples?"
He then dismissed service until next week.
Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It's something you live by and share with others.
9 comments:
It's a great post. The thing I wonder about is whether it's true. One thing that bothered me was that he was introduced without anyone having verified that he was present. I Googled the name, and this is the first, and only, link that I went to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/pastor-jeremiah-steepek-hoax-homeless-fake_n_3654742.html
Well Snow, I also read that it was a hoax, but posted it anyway for its content and the questions it raises. As a Buddhist, we are taught acceptance first and foremost and to try not to judge others, especially by the way they are dressed... yet on the few occasions I now go to Christian churches, I hear critiques from the time I go in until I leave as no one seems safe from the panel of clothing experts that tend to sit in front of me, wherever I am. Basically, it makes me sad, and I wonder at the need to pick everyone apart.
Regardless of whether or not this is in fact a true story or an urban legend, there are people so very like those "Christians" described in the post.
Saw this post on facebook... wondered how people would have acted at our church... I've never seen anyone treated differently... even once had a couple of really drunk people come in and wanted to start to argue with the pastor when he started to preach... he asked them to come with him and they would discuss what they wanted to know.. those two and a few men in the church went into the fellowship hall next door... the rest of us sat and prayed silently... In a few minutes the preacher said they were taking those men home... they just lived down the road... they did, came back to church and finished up our service...
It's probably not true but then again regardless there is a lot of truth in the story....
Truth or not in this particular story, it certainly happens more often than not; I've been on the receiving end and also heard of a few instances it happening. 'Nuf reason to stay behind closed door, contemplate the marvels of the navel and nature's wonders I behold. Brings to mind: "you can't judge a book by its cover", can you?
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