The Preacher As Hero Project
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskin, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. (Hebrews 11.32-38, NASB)
hough I may walk out of churches from time to time and express my frustrations with ministers who schlep through their ministry, I hold Gospel preachers as the real heroes of the age. For instance, next week I am packing up the car and doing a long road trip to hear a fellow Bible school alumnus who spent over ten years in the swamps in the Philippines establishing a church. When he first went to the Philippines, he had no funding, no friends, and no experience whatsoever. But he stuck with it because he dared to declare that God had sent him there and today he pastors a large church that influences the whole nation. He is not the greatest orator and sometimes he stumbles on the text, but he is a superhero in my book. And there are many preachers much like him.
In our American Christian culture, we tend to do the very same thing that US magazine readers get ribbed about - living our lives on the coattails of the latest celebrity goings-on. In turn, we cut our checks to national preachers who boast about Bentleys and million-dollar parsonages by the sea while forgetting the local preacherman who must count the pennies every Sunday to keep his children fed. Frankly, these men (and women) are the real heroes. While God does bless, he also takes account of those who willingly bear the brunt of the evil day in order to proclaim the Gospel to the poor (in spirit).
A Photographic Project
In addition to practicing law, I’m a photographer. I have just finished a series called, “Down and Out in Texas,” that you can view on my photography site:
[We are taking the site live this weekend. If this temporary address doesn’t work, then take a look at petersmythe.com]
With that series, I’m talking with another minister about using the work for an artbook that may be used for fundraising for his ministry to the homeless (that’d be great, wouldn’t it?).
As that project is winding down, I’m interested in doing a project on those Gospel preachers that you don’t see when you turn on your television; those, as I say are bearing the brunt of the evil day while proclaiming the Gospel. Those men (and women) who possess the Christian strength of character:
Christianity had character in it. To be a Christian meant to the early Christians that they were ready to live, and they were ready to die, and they were ready to suffer and to endure all that could be imposed on them, even unto death. That was their consecration. That was the kind of Christians they were. That is the reason that they left such an everlasting stamp of character in the world. (John Lake, Water Baptism sermon)
If you know of such a preacher, whether he be a pastor, itinerant, Cowboy pastor, or what have you, please send me a private email and let me know about him. He doesn’t have to be in Texas (where I live), but anywhere in the States.
An offshoot of this project is church and Holy Ghost meetings. We have photographs from the early days of Pentecost that show us the likes of Jack Coe, A.A. Allen, Smith Wigglesworth, and many others. Those photographs provide us a sense of foundation for the modern Pentecostal movement.
These days, however, photographs are used for ministry marketing instead of telling a story or causing reflection. In my own research, I’ve come across just two photo essays of modern Pentecostal meetings and, ironically, the photographers were not Christians.
If you are aware of any old-time Pentecostal meetings, healing meetings, worship meetings, tent meetings, or just about anything short of snake-handling meetings, occurring anywhere, please let me know. While video cameras may their have a place in today’s ministry world, still photographs speak with a different voice and that voice should be heard.
[Note: If you are a preacher yourself and you’d be interested in the project, please email me (don’t be shy about it).]
[Note: I haven’t forgotten the tithing podcast series. The next episode should come out next week (it has been an extremely busy time).]
[Last Note: On the photography site, almost all of the kids’ black and white pictures were taken during Sunday school or the kids’ worship service.]