Pastor
Jeremiah Steepek (pictured below) 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 7,000-10,000 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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