Going where the fish are

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

In a recent meeting with the Standing Committee, a couple of people mentioned a few of their parishioners who were puzzled and even angered

that I would appear on The Daily Show with John Stewart on the night of the inauguration – and wondered why I would do such a thing. The Standing Committee thought my response would be good to share with the diocese.

From time to time, I accept media requests for interviews, accept an award from a group outside the diocese, or speak in a college or school venue.

Some of you might wonder about my reasons for doing so. Some charge it’s because I am feeding my own ego. Others think I would be better to

spend my time only in New Hampshire, and only in our churches. Still others wonder if I couldn’t be spending my time in better ways. Let me tell you why I do it.

Among the promises made and responsibilities given to me at my consecration, are these words: “A bishop in God’s holy Church is called to be one with the apostles in proclaiming Christ’s resurrection and interpreting the Gospel.” “Will you boldly proclaim and interpret the Gospel of Christ, enlightening the minds and stirring up the conscience of your people?”

It seems fair to say that I get to talk to more unchurched and formerly-churched people than any other bishop in The Episcopal Church. I am

invited to preach not only to the “choir,” but to those who have left the religious communities of their upbringing. Many have been hurt by the Church, made to feel unworthy of God’s love and the Church’s care. Others have simply become bored with the irrelevance to their lives they experience in the Church, many of them young people.

In accepting these invitations and making these appearances, I get to make the case for their giving God and the Church another chance. They may

have come out to see me because I’m newsworthy or a curiosity – but what they get from me is a proclamation of the Gospel. I get to make the case that God has never stopped loving them, that the Living God wants a relationship with them, and that although the Church has often gotten it wrong (supporting slavery, subjugating women, condemning homosexuals), the Church has changed and IS changing as we speak. “Come home,” I tell them, “to God and to God’s Church!”

For me, this is not about feeding my ego, but about proclaiming the Good News to those who are hungry to hear it. It’s about winning souls for Christ! I know that sounds terribly evangelical, even fundamentalist, but that’s what I’m out there doing. And I am constantly astounded at how people want to BELIEVE again!

Most of the people I get to reach are young people, for whom the Church seems hopelessly irrelevant to their lives. For many young people, the Church is the very source of the most un-Christian behavior. (There are days when I agree with them!) My consecration raises the hope they have that the Church might be changing, and my words to them are always encouraging them to give God and the Church another try.

In the past few months, I have had the opportunity to interact with high schoolers all over New Hampshire (ConVal HS, Peterborough; Cardigan Mountain School; Kimball Union Academy; Tilton Academy; St. Paul’s, Concord; Goffstown HS) and college students (UC Berkeley; Duke University; Dartmouth College; Colby Sawyer College; Emory

University). I love these opportunities to try to put ancient religious truths in language understandable and accessible to 21st century young people. They are hungry and thirsty for a faith that makes sense to them and the world they live in. This is not preaching to the choir, but to a post-Christian youth culture that sees little reason to be involved in the Church. If we do not effectively reach this generation of young people, who will be sitting in our pews fifty years from now?! If it takes going on The Daily Show (which young people watch in droves!), then so be it.

One of the things I have always observed about Jesus’ ministry is that he went where the people were. He rarely spent time with “religious” people, but rather went out to the non-religious, where the spiritually hungry were, calling them back to a relationship with the Living God. In my imperfect and flawed way, that is what I am trying to do.

It occurs to me that Episcopalians’ way of doing evangelism is much like a fisherman who takes his boat out onto the lake, and sits there waiting for the fish to jump in the boat! On the other hand, a successful fisherman goes where the fish are, dangles attractive bait, changes bait if the first is not working, is patient, is not discouraged by dry spells and persistently keeps going out there in hopes of catching something. I think that’s what we need to do. We are, like the disciples, called to be fishers of men, and women and children, in Christ’s name.

I hope you will share with me in my ministry of evangelism. Pray for me. When you are tempted to wonder why I’m “out there” with non-church groups, whether in New Hampshire or beyond, I hope you’ll remember that I’m “out there” to win souls for Christ. That is EVERY Christian’s duty.

The joy I know in my own life, because I know Jesus, is a joy and an opportunity I cannot keep to myself. I will continue to go where the (unbelieving) people are, and I will continue to “sing the Lord’s song” as best I can. Please join me!

Your Brother in Christ,

+Gene