DEAR PASTOR

Dear Pastor,

             I was so excited to go to church yesterday. When the singing was over and the congregation was encouraged to take their sits, my eyes were so bright that I was expecting showers of blessings from the Scriptures. As you took the microphone from the pulpit and began by opening the sermon in a prayer, I asked the Holy Spirit to guide me as I dive into the truths of God’s Word.

             When you started reading the Scripture text on the multimedia screen, I tried to check it in my Bible but it was different. I thought maybe you just misquoted it so it didn’t really bother me at first. You said it was in the book of Exodus but I checked my Bible and found it in Genesis. After reading the Scriptures, you began to share your experience the past week about how difficult your life has been. I looked at my watch and wondered when we are going back to the Bible story because you already spent 20 minutes grumbling about how life has been tough on you and your family.

             Alas! You said, “Let’s open our Bibles to the book of…Luke.” Okay, I thought. Maybe you’re going to tie it up with the narrative in Genesis. Oh yes, you did try but it didn’t work. The passage you quoted in Luke was far from being connected with the story in Genesis. I tried to hide my discontent. I looked around and saw my mother patiently cheering you while looking at the big clock on the side of the pulpit. My friends we’re yawning at my back. I tried to look at the people in front of me and they looked listless and blank.

             Then you continued your own story for another ten minutes. Finally, you asked everyone to continue reading Genesis and you will tell them what they can learn from it the following week. You said sorry to the congregation for not being prepared enough. I wasn’t shocked at all. From the moment you misquoted the passage in the Bible, I knew that there was something wrong. But I never thought that it’s going to be a mess.  

             Dear Pastor, you also said that you were wondering why the people are not coming back to the church on Sundays. Well, let me just say that they’re not coming for your story. They are going to the church to listen to “the story”. My friend’s mom said that your sermons are a big joke. I understood what she said because you’ve been consistently topping your preaching mess every week. I wanted to give you another week to prove that God really has called you for this as you claimed. Or else, I’m going to another church to listen to God’s story for me. Oh, hours before the service started, you told me not to sleep while you are preaching. Well Pastor, I did not. The whole sermon time, I was confused, discontented, and shocked. How could I fall asleep?  I was so much alive that I wanted to run away from where I was sitting. I hope you can read this letter. I’m doing this not to feed your ego but to “enlighten” you that if you will not change, everything will go downhill from here.

With much respect,

Your Son

P.S.

             Please stop doing a marathon of your favorite television series every Saturday late night. I tell you dad, it’s not helping…