Photo from Chris Henry’s Facebook page
The following story is fictional. The reason I have posted it is to illustrate that today’s churches are not nearly sensitive enough to the needs of the poor and others.
CR
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Pastor Jeremiah Steepek 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 fill…ing 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.
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I would like to thank Chris Henry, a former student of mine, for sharing this with his Facebook friends. Unfortunately, I think the majority of “Christian” churches in America would do the same.
CR
Wings of the Wind 
Great article with greater truth.
Thanks, Manny.
Luke 1:53 states:
“He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.”
It would be good for those who have plenty to remember this verse.
God’s blessings my friend…
This story has been all over FB the last week or so and it has been debunked as not true.
Nevertheless, it contains a painful assessment about the state of the lukewarm church today. I am afraid this may happen in the vast majority of churches today and is is a symptom of our pride.
Hi Delight.
A Facebook friend let me know that this story is fiction after I posted it. It is not a true story and yet, as you have written, it is an agonizing appraisal of the majority of the “Church” today.
May God have mercy on us.
God’s blessings…
Point well made, Chris. We must see the face of Jesus in the poor and the marginalized.
Thanks, Kassey.
We could easily be the one pushing the shopping cart around and looking for our next meal. God places no less value on the poor than He does on anyone else. Shame on anyone who treats the poor as defective because of their net worth. We are all equal in the eyes of God.
Blessings…
Been to the place where my next meal was nowhere in sight.
I have never been to that place, Manny.
I am particularly sensitive to this subject because of Jesus’ admonition to assist the poor.
“But for the grace of God go I.”
The way things are going, I think there is a possibility I will experience true hunger.
And I know that God will never leave me nor forsake me. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God.
I hope that you and your family have a great weekend, Manny.
We did and thank you for the kind wish and the same to you and yours.