WHY STOCKMAN REPEATS HIMSELF - TOMORROW IN FITZROY 20.2.22

I always feel jealous of the singer. He or she get to do all their hits... again and again... and again.

We preachers cannot get away with that. Stockman repeats himself they would say if I did it. I can't shout tomorrow morning - "have you any favourites". I am always under the pressure of something new and original. Week in week out.

Having said that, as I often suggest, who am I to have an ego so big as to think that anyone remembers what I preached even a week ago?

Anyway, as I decided to preach an old favourite tomorrow, let me explain why I see it as an artistic act.

There is nothing more encouraging for me than when someone in the congregation uses a well repeated Stockman line during a prayer, or talk or worship session. When a line of mine becomes common currency my hope is that something has seeped through. 

I am always saying that no one sings the sermon on the way home. That is why the hymns are so theologically important. 

Repetitive lines can maybe have the same impact.

I hear Fitzers saying about "tumbling and stumbling after Jesus" or being "particles of light across the city" or "living 10:10 lives". Something has sneaked inside. I pray that they might dig deep.

Speaking of deep that is the word, as February would have it. I never set out to repeat week in week out the DEEP word but that is what has been consuming us. That to be authentic followers of Jesus always means digging deep. Nice or good livin' wasn't what Jesus was after. It was something far deeper, more courageous and revolutionary.

So, tomorrow morning I will bring out an old Rich Mullins' phrase. He used to sign his autographs 'Be God's... Rich Mullins'. That wasn't some new agey heresy that we could be divine. The apostrophe gives it away. Be God's property, ambassador, witness, servant, child. 

When asked why  he signed 'Be God's' Rich always said because he always thought that being good was easy. Anyone can make a good job at being good. Being God's? Well that changes the world.

My students when I was in Chaplaincy would have 'Be God's' as phrase as on what they called a bingo card; the lines that Stockman might say every week. They maybe thought may receptiveness was lazy. Instead it was a calculated creative way for phrases to stay with them long after they had left Chaplaincy.

When they repeat one back to me I am not embarrassed but thrilled. It worked!

So tomorrow morning it will be 'Be God's' again as Luke 6: 27-36 calls us to go deeper than nice!

 

Fitzroy meets at 11am and will stream live on Fitzroy TV. A recording is available from Monday morning.