just some randomness.. maybe i am wrong?

just some things i am wondering if my initial reactions are wrong

• proper etiquette for a pastor wife who endures their husbands sermon. anna plays with that stereotype of what the proper pastor wife should be like. my pastor's wife gave me a great compliment a year or two ago when i spoke at one of the church retreat sessions. it was something like "it was really nice to not have to hear his old stories over again"... maybe that wasn't such a compliment?..
• i am reminded of my one time participation in a "hell house" experience. mine was more a haunted woods thing, with some dramatic reenactment of Christ's crucifixion, with all the modern sins of drinking, drugs, sex, etc. visitors were then led into the barn to "make a decision." i was super uncomfortable with the event (i hate scare tactics at all levels, especially in the spiritual life), but i had told a friend i would help so i helped the two or three days i said i would. i never went into the 'decision' room (which my brother said they mostly showed a video), but i heard they got some decisions. also got some pissed off people. me, i got some blistered burn on my hand when i had to chase some tractor, and hay trailer, that someone forgot to put the brake on. maybe that was my punishment for thinking ilk of such a practice?..
• i heard my morning radio talk show host talk very well of joel osteen yesterday. his take, was that the academia folks who put him down get on his case cause they are too irrelevant. i'm not the only one that does not care for mister joel & i am far from academic. i think when you watch his show they always show the same row of people who are all poised perfectly with their bibles on their lap in such a way you can see six or seven bibles in a row (and they all stare smiling and nodding, see bullet point one). strange part, there is no reading of the bible during this sermon. i don't know about you, but unless you tell people "go to book of the bible chapter number" they generally don't open up their bibles. maybe i am just in the wrong church?..

update: ben witherington3 has some expanded thoughts on what is wrong with osteen's prosperity gospel. you want to give yourself sometime to read all of this.

Comments

[Mary Beth]

I thought the rules for pastors' spouses were funny. I know I always got really worried when Jay wrinkled his brow or looked confused, even though he'd already read through my sermons.

I've watched Joel a few times. I've not been impressed.

[gavin]

mb, i liked the list, thus the link.. the only times i talk are more informal than a sanctuary setting worship service. i know people ask erin questions, like "does it seem weird seeing him up there?" i'll have to ask if she feels the need to actually listen to me. it has to be painful.

[John]

I really like the first one.

Katherine now beams at me during my sermons in order to give me confidence. But I remember several weeks ago when I looked at her and she had this horrified expression on her face. I was a bit thrown off my game. But she had that expression because of what one increasingly senile elderly woman barked out in the middle of the sermon (which I didn't hear).

One of the strange things about being a pastor is now, my wife doesn't have a pastor. I can't really serve in that role; she knows me too well. So she is presently pastorless.