Hat tip to Mir for this AP piece about a pastor's unique challenge to his congregation after preaching on the Parable of the Talents. What'd he do? He gave each of them $50 and challenged them to find a way to double it in seven weeks with all the money going to several charity causes.I loved a lot of things about this story, especially the multiple layers of revelation among those who participated, how people's gifts flourished, how putting into practice a simple discipline yeilded a harvest of Kingdom life, and how folks not only transformed individually but their community transformed, too. And I particularly loved the pastor's wise response to this question:
Throckmorton is asked all the time if the talent challenge will become an annual event, but he is doubtful. It was a special time and a special idea, he says, and he is not sure it could be re-created or relived.
I really resonate with this. One thing I'm discovering these days is how the Kingdom expresses itself through we people of God--how its eternal Life and Love puts on and then bursts skins, how its Right-ness and Grace and Glory is always moving and changing its expression to each time and place. One of the weaknesses of current church culture is our tendency to take an expression of the Kingdom like this and try to contain and recreate it. Sometimes it works (for awhile) but often the explosion of Kingdom life can't be recreated or contained--it's meant for place and time.
Anyway, I thought a wonderful piece--I hope you enjoy it.
Anyway, I thought a wonderful piece--I hope you enjoy it.
(Image: Woodcut from Historiae celebriores Veteris Testamenti Iconibus representatae. 1712 via Wikipedia)
