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You’re the pastor of a fast growing church. One Sunday afternoon a young couple approaches you.
We’ve seen the good that your church is doing both here and in our community. We want to help! The thing is, though, we’re not completely sold on this whole God idea. Quite honestly, we don’t even know if we believe!
After talking for a bit longer, you find out that the couple has very interesting professions: he is a drug dealer and she is a stripper.
Here’s the question: Do you let this couple volunteer at your church?
Crazy idea? Not for this guy!
Popularity: 3% [?]
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Bill I’m not seeing anything on that site about drug dealers and strippers - maybe it’s just me…can you give a link or quote from there relating directly to your question?
I’d say that, if you were to follow the example of Jesus, then you would have to let them volunteer. Actually you don’t allow them, you welcome them. I assume you take the lesson of helping a prostitute in the story of Jesus and Mary Magdalene as precedence here.
In practice I’m not so sure that most churches would even want them coming through the front door.
I would want them there! I’ve heard it said that we need to get out of the burbs and back into the city. I agree, we need to be doers, not readers, judges, hypocrits, etc. Hover is right, Jesus is our example, and though not excepting of these lifestyles, he loved them (still does!). The sins of my heart and being a drug dealer are no different anyhow.
Quick history lesson:
People are quick to talk about the 3 parables that Jeus shares in Luke 15, but often miss the context of the actual event. It says
“tax collectors and sinners.” Tax collectors at the time were people (in this case Jews) who paid the Romans to allow them to tax their own people. Where did this money go? It went to supply the massive armies of Rome. In the 1st century, the Roman empire went from England to India. In order to control the empire, massive armies had to exist. These armies would conquer a region, put up a statue of ceaser and have the people bow to him and call him god. If not, the people would be murdered, and they were - by the thousands! How do you think this went over with Jews, who believed in one God who promised them a nation?
So that day, Jesus is not only chilling with these collectors who were taxing their own people (some accoutns say up to 90%) in order to allow the Romans to continue killing and oppressing there fellow Jews, but having dinner at their house! Additionally, sinners were a part of a class system. They would have been the prostitutes, the diseased, etc. The Pharisees believed that these people did not deserve saving. In fact, they were put into this class because of “their sins or the sins of their fathers.” Sound familiar? Scary.
So, it is no wonder the Pharisees wanted Jesus dead. He loved the sinners and tax collectors and told parables of how “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons (Pharisees) who do not need to repent.”
Should we except a drug dealer, prostitute, etc? YES! I am accepted, and I am no different … I need this Jesus.
:d/
Absolutely! I was both at one time in my life and I teach in the church, I like to think I am one of HIS favorite kinds to show HIS strength and power and willingness to change a heart!
I would suggest however, that they be hooked up with someone that is not a drug dealer or stripper, just to make sure that they really are here to help. :)>-
@-) hey my little face did not come out..whoops wrong one..lol yes and Jesus loves even me!
@Helen…
No, I can’t unfortunately. This was a story this Craig used in a message that I listened to a while back. If you want I can try to track it down and provide a link.
It would depend upon the task being volunteered for. Youth pastor might need to stay a tad out of reach, as well as liturgical dancing. (On second thought most of the liturgical dance I’ve seen could use a little spicing up.)
Bill, that’s ok…I was just wondering what the specific connection was and if you had a page or quote you could share. No need to spend time searching for which message it was in.
Well, to be a little contrarian, I think you have to be a little wary of the drug dealer. There might be a nefarious motive there - whether looking to find new clients or try and lessen a sentence if he got arrested or looking to get person info on a church member who owes him money or something.
Why the heck is being a stripper even an issue? Nevermind, don’t answer that, I don’t want to hear it.
I guess my answer is I would definitely let the stripper volunteer and probably not let the drug dealer, depending on my best judgment. Or at least severely limit the drug dealer’s activities.
I would say what matters is: are they able to do the role they’re volunteering for? A church needs to be able to say no if they aren’t.
Whether a church invites them in is a different issue.
“Drug dealer” is a pretty vague term. It could be a guy who smokes a little dope and sells to a few friends (technically dealing) or it could be a street corner pusher surrounded by his crack whores (if you want to follow the Hollywood stereotype). That’s just the conventional range. Tobacco and wine contain drugs (nicotine and alcohol) that are quite addictive. If you want to deliberately misrepresent someone who provides wine as a drug dealer (as I am prone to) then the figure of Jesus falls into that category.
It’s a stretch but not a great one. Consider the Temperance movement for example or the Salvation Army at it’s height. Excessive drinking is arguably responsible for more crime and abuse that any other drug use in the western world.
As for stripping there are also degrees there. A stripper is someone who takes off their clothes for money. A kissagram could easily fall into this category, as could a lap dancer. A person could be more inclined to accept a kissogram as an assistant that a lap dancer even though the difference is small.
I suspect that the church that Bill mentioned is taking the example of mild drug reseller and mild stripping and heightening it for emphasis. The church can then be seen as progressive and accepting while explaining to those who take offense that it isn’t as serious as they thought. Overall an excellent marketing ploy.
FYI… The stripper in the story went on to found a Christian-based organization that helps women get out of stripping and find other work.
I think I would let them both volunteer, in limited capacities. Maybe in the soup kitchen, or helping out with different tasks around the church. I wouldn’t put them in a leadership role, but I’d definitely welcome their presence!http://www.friendlychristian.com/smilies/yahoo_bigsmile.gif
Yes, let them volunteer.
Im too lazy to read the article and all your guys comments, but heres my take on it.
The best way to help somebody is to help them help themselves. The best way for them to help themselves is to help others.
Id tell them to keep their professions to themselves, but talk to the members a lot. After so long in that setting, who knows, they might realize theyre more happy at church than at their jobs and wonder why, and one thing leads to another, badabing badaboom, baptism!
Either that or they make a few of the members lustful drug addicts. I dont know, Id have to sleep on it.