looks can be deceiving...

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I've read about pastors who have done this... it surely puts a spotlight on how people *really* treat others.... Here's another experiment:

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 filling 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 in 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.

Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ should be more than just talk. It ought to be a lifestyle that others around you can love about you and share in.

source

[Gregory Matthews]

I lived in New York City once for three months and once for six months. During those times, I would visit the various SDA congregations and ask myself if on the basis of what I experienced why would I come back. Sometimes I would be dressed as a person who had just walked in from off of the street. Sometimes I would be mistaken as a Conference officer.

I visited small congregations and congregations with several hundred attending. I would see how I was greeted, or not greeted. I would ask myself if I would understand the service if I were experiencing a SDA service for the first time. I would ask whether or not my potential basic spiritual needs were being met and whether or not I would come back. I would ask whether or not the congregation came across as a live, vibrant congregation meeting spiritual needs. Sometimes I was the only Caucasian face in a congregation of hundreds on a different culture.

What I experienced, I have worked into sermons that I sometimes preach.

My basic question remains: If a visitor, who had no experience with Adventism, attended your congregation this next Sabbath, what would they potentially want from that experience and why would they come back, or not return?

[bonnie]

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek Hoax? Viral Story Of 'Homeless' Pastor Is Heartwarming But Probably Fake

The Huffington Post | By Meredith Bennett-Smith

Posted: 07/26/2013 6:59 am EDT | Updated: 07/26/2013 8:02 am EDT

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek Hoax

Jeremiah Steepek Viral Story, Religion News, Religion News

A very heartwarming, poignant and apparently fake story has been making the rounds on social media and religious blogs this week.

The anecdote, which has been shared more tens of thousands on Facebook, features a preacher identified as Pastor Jeremiah Steepek, an individual pictured as a haggard, homeless man with a straggly beard.

In the posts, Steepek is described as a leader at an unnamed, 10,000-member church who transformed himself into a homeless man on the day he was to be introduced to his new congregation.

Walking around the church, the disguised pastor was shunned by his future flock and asked to sit in the back of the building, according to the narrative. When the moment came to introduce the new pastor, Steepek stunned parishioners by stepping forward in his decidedly un-churchly garb. He then recited a passage from the Bible that urges Christians to help the unfortunate as they would Jesus Christ himself:

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. I'ts something you live by and share with others.

But who is this mysterious pastor, and where is this church he so righteously humbled?

Internet hoax expert Snopes.com recently took up the case of the undercover pastor and found the anecdote contains echoes of several others, including a Princeton University psychology experiment from 1970, the true story of a Tennessee Methodist pastor who lived as a homeless man for four days before delivering a sermon on the experience and a best-selling book published in the late 19th century.

Perhaps more tellingly, Snopes, as well as Hoax-Slayer.com, revealed the stirring image of Steepek was in fact a picture of an English homeless man taken by photographer Brad Gerrard and readily available on Flikr and Tumblr.

Gerrard describes the photo, originally uploaded to Flikr in 2010, in a Tumblr post:

I was walking down the street in Richmond, saw this man talking to someone, could see he was quite a picture in the making. On the way back, when he was free I had a short conversation with the gentleman and he agreed to let me photograph him. I liked the result. He was very friendly.

Although sites such as The Blaze and The Examiner have also voiced doubt over the veracity of the Pastor Jeremiah Steepek parable, the story is still being shared on the Internet.

The Huffington Post, too, failed to turn up any evidence of a Pastor Jeremiah Steepek independent of the parable, but if he does exist, we would love to hear from him.

[Gregory Matthews]

True story, and one that happened in another metro area outside of New York City.

The central issue in this story: To what extent do we in our services use language and otherwise engage in paractices that will be misunderstood by people not informed of Adventist culture and religious practices?

I am sitting in a large congregation in a Metro area. I am probably the only Caucasian face in the Sanctuary.

There is a well-dressed, couple sitting near me.

The offering plates are given to me and I am to pass them on to the couple sitting on my right. One plate is silver colored and the other plate is gold colored.

No explainaiton is given for this difference.

As I hand the plates to the woman on my right I say to her: I see you have a seperate plate for the Caucasians to use for thier offerings.

She gracioiusly explains to me the purpose of the two plates. All the while she is struggling to keep from bursting into laughter.

Folks, all to often we do things in our services which will confuse visitors who do not understand our culture.

To really welcome people, we need to make them comfortable. We do not make them comfortable when they are confused as to what we are doing.

[Tom Wetmore]

Often when the offering is taken up in the church where I attend the person doing the announcements at that point of the service specifically tells visitors that the offering is for members to contribute and that visitors should just let the offering plate pass by without feeling any obligation to give. This is important since typically about half of those attending are visitors that should feel welcome as guests but not be under any pressure or obligation.

[Naomi]

...........

I visited small congregations and congregations with several hundred attending. I would see how I was greeted, or not greeted. I would ask myself if I would understand the service if I were experiencing a SDA service for the first time. I would ask whether or not my potential basic spiritual needs were being met and whether or not I would come back. I would ask whether or not the congregation came across as a live, vibrant congregation meeting spiritual needs. Sometimes I was the only Caucasian face in a congregation of hundreds on a different culture.

....................................

My basic question remains: If a visitor, who had no experience with Adventism, attended your congregation this next Sabbath, what would they potentially want from that experience and why would they come back, or not return?

I also traveled for quite a few years and visited many churches. I must say that I not always a good experience. And, the worst is if you should sit in someone's pew ... it can at times create total confusion. I finally learned a good lesson ... if you are visiting, wait in the rear of the church until people are seated and then find an empty seat.

Hope this is not too far

[LifeHiscost]

Often when the offering is taken up in the church where I attend the person doing the announcements at that point of the service specifically tells visitors that the offering is for members to contribute and that visitors should just let the offering plate pass by without feeling any obligation to give. This is important since typically about half of those attending are visitors that should feel welcome as guests but not be under any pressure or obligation.

When one gives as a disciple of Christ, it would seem only fitting that the gift be given as a gift to the glory of God, as opposed to our own aggrandizement or benefit. OTOH, to give incognito, without ever enabling those that surround you as friends and members of the body of Christ, be aware of what one is doing, would be to me as bearing false witness.

It is so easy to step to one side or the other of fruitfull ministry, unless one is led of the Holy Spirit, and when we are led of the Holy Spirit, we can be sure the prince of darkness will assault us through whoever or whatever means he finds able to influence. That seems to me to be a good reason to place one's life in the hands of the Master, so nothing can touch us save that which is allowed for our best good.

God cares!/Jesus saves!

[LifeHiscost]

I was blest by the story told. I'm hoping you meant it for that reason.

God cares!/Jesus saves!

[M. T. Cross]

True or not true, doesn't really matter, its a great story that makes a wonderful point.

Thanks for sharing that Pam.

[phkrause]

True or not true, doesn't really matter, its a great story that makes a wonderful point.

Thanks for sharing that Pam.

Exactly

[ClubV12]

I would not give someone money at Church who was "pan handling", that is, asking for money. I would get his information and followup with the appropriate channels to establish his/her needs and take appropriate action.

There are a LOT of needy in my area and my Church is very active in helping them. We apply basic common sense, we consider the needs of the "worthy poor". Not all who ask for help, get help. Some are shown the door. That is true at the Gospel Mission downtown as well. You need to be sensitive, not stupid.

In our Church we have, from time to time, true homeless who on occasion have caused disruptions to the service. Sometimes, they sit in the very front pew. Where the deacon needs to sit to prepare to collect the offering. There have been occasions where they have either been asked to move or were counseled following the service to get a better idea of their particular needs.

The thread makes some interesting points that are worthy of consideration, but there is another side to this story as well.

[Kevin H]

I read in a psychology book that there was a study at Princeton University Theological Seminary. I forgot all the results, but they sent a fairly large number of Theology majors over to a building to preach. One half of them had a sermon on the good Samaritan, the other half had different topics. Between the two buildings they had someone who clearly needed help. They found that the topic did not make a difference, but what made a big difference was the time they felt. Those who they set up to be rushing and behind on time went and most of them did not even notice the person who needed the help. Of those who were set up to not be in a rush, pretty much everyone stopped and helped the man.

[bonnie]

I would not give someone money at Church who was "pan handling", that is, asking for money. I would get his information and followup with the appropriate channels to establish his/her needs and take appropriate action.

There are a LOT of needy in my area and my Church is very active in helping them. We apply basic common sense, we consider the needs of the "worthy poor". Not all who ask for help, get help. Some are shown the door. That is true at the Gospel Mission downtown as well. You need to be sensitive, not stupid.

In our Church we have, from time to time, true homeless who on occasion have caused disruptions to the service. Sometimes, they sit in the very front pew. Where the deacon needs to sit to prepare to collect the offering. There have been occasions where they have either been asked to move or were counseled following the service to get a better idea of their particular needs.

The thread makes some interesting points that are worthy of consideration, but there is another side to this story as well.

If something has to be made up to prove a point,what is the point? Especially one that is taken to this extreme. This story has been around for quite awhile.

The fact this is a hoax is not a reflection on those reposting it,rather on the party that is responsible for starting the lie and pretending it was true.