The Criminal Within

Posted on April 10th, 2009 by Mo Leverett.
Categories: ministry updates.

I used to live in New Orleans.  I now live in Tallahassee.  The two towns couldn’t be any more dissimilar.  Tallahassee is such a slower paced place. EVEN the criminals are different.

For instance, yesterday there was someone who broke into our new church facility.  When I drove up I noticed the front door pried open and thought the worst.  I was sure that the new sound equipment we had purchased was gone.  I figured that the thousands of dollars of microphones and amps and speakers and other stuff would be missing.

When I walked into the building the scent of cigarette tobacco was pervasive.  To my surprise though, I found everything intact, nothing missing.  When I walked toward the stage, I noticed cigarette butts on the stairs and thought - Man, even the criminals in Tallahassee are laid back!

And trust me, a New Orleans burglar would have made more of the opportunity.

I wondered what this guy’s thought processes were while he was sitting in the sanctuary with his cigarette.  Was he cursing God?  Was he crying out for Him?  Was he looking for warmth from the cold?  I couldn’t help but laugh at that thought  - he must not yet know how cold it gets on the inside of a good Presbyterian church.

One thing’s for sure though, He’s not the worst criminal ever to stand on that stage.  Just the day before, I was there.  And despite the fact that I didn’t break a lock to get in - God knows my heart and I know the truth.  And even though they call me Pastor - I know better.  In the church of Jesus Christ it is not so much the criminals outside of the church that concern me…rather it’s the criminal within.

Sometimes the pace in Tallahassee is too much for my restless soul.  Sometimes the lack of intense need makes me wonder why God has me here.  I sometimes think up a program to address a particular community need and discover the city has already erected a well-funded program, making my idea pointless.

Nevertheless, I know that God called me here.  I have no doubt about that.  God has me in this location for a purpose.  And I believe that Centerpoint, the church that I pastor, is about to turn a corner toward significant growth and ministry development.  My children are prospering and we are in the process of considering building a home - and putting down our roots.

I continue to press the gospel inward - and discover the ongoing need for grace and healing in my life.  And perhaps that is what God mostly called me here to do.  For all the problems that the Lord in His grace allows me to confront - the greatest of all by far is that unique challenge I face in the mirror every day.

So God save the criminals without - and even more so, the more insidious one within.

2 comments.

Lori

Comment on April 11th, 2009.

I’m wondering if this criminal was just a kid who thought it would be “cool” to break into a church and smoke a few. (Kinda reminds me of a story I read once about a boy who broke into his school and did quite a bit of damage.)

As for the criminal within, I think if more preachers and christians in general would be more open about their own failures and struggles, the church would see more people coming to Christ. As it stands, the world sees Christians as either hypocrites, or living a standard that they feel they cannot reach. When a preacher stands and tells the world, “I am a sinner, I am not perfect, I still fail and I still struggle”, then the world has something to relate to instead of being pushed away because they feel they are and can never be “good enough”.

As for you, Mo, being in a slower-paced city that seems to have things taken care of…..maybe God is telling you that you have done plenty of work already, you have been through so much…take a breather, relax. Not that being a pastor is easy by any means, but slow down some…maybe work on the “Book of Mo”.

Fouad

Comment on June 6th, 2009.

I can just imagine you standing in the sanctuary and having that famous Mo laugh or smile when you were thinking of the criminal not knowing how cold it could get on that sanctuary. I admit that my criminal heart. I face that criminal everyday and feel so helpless at times, then I remember those versus in Romans where Paul says “there is therefore no condemnations for those who are in Christ….” I am then relived but then I bow my head and say Lord I can’t do this on my own wish you could take this pain, problem, away so I could get on w/ my ” WALK” with you and instantly I am again reminded that this is where He wants me to be… I guess part of being who we are in Christ is to know that He will accomplish His work despite us and make Himself known to others even w/ our criminal rap sheet.

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