Part III, Jesus & the Pink Bike: Love Matters.

"Jesus, I think I know what you mean about not pimping the Gospel. Just a few years ago my youth pastor Bud, he’s now 37 and doesn’t like to be called Pastor anymore, got in an argument with Pastor Chuck over that movie that Mel Gibson made about you. BTW, Pastor likes when the youth calls him PC. A bunch of the local pastors were really stoked about the movie and thought that tons on people would see it feel guilty about what happened and come join our church. So the senior pastors wanted the church to organize a huge event and rent the theatre for the night to take the youth group. Each person in the youth group was supposed to bring a friend and then do a sleepover at the church afterwards where PC, Bud and some other local pastors would explain the truth of the movie to them. PC knew a friend from bible-college who actually met Mel Gibson and did this at his church; he doubled the size of the youth group in one weekend ‘cause like 168 kids got saved that night."

"Anyhow Bud and the youth group wanted to use the money throw a huge party in the parking lot and invite all the folks from the nearby farming community or something where we could make connections with people. Pastor Chuck accused Bud of not being a mature Christian and claimed that Bud must not have learned anything at the leadership conference in Colorado. Bud made a comment about Pastor Chuck’s Hawaiian shirt being out of style and the next thing you know Bud left to start his own church or ‘gathering’ as he refers to it, so that he could get back to your original ideas. I guess this was all because Bud thought Pastor Chuck was pimping the gospel."

Jesus, at near a loss for words asked, "What do you think about this, Josh?"

"Honestly, it seems that everyone is sorta missing the point. My friends who hang out with Bud think that he is in pimp mode now. It reminds me of the stories that PC told about when he was getting his start. The newspaper did an article on Bud’s gathering (he doesn’t like to use the word church)‘cause kids sit on beach blankets, play African drums and light candles in the basement of The Coffee Bean. It seems that some of my friends put Bud on a pedastal and it has ‘caused Bud to think he is a rock star."

"How’s that make you feel." Jesus asked.

"Bud and PC fight over who controls God just like my cousins Ralphie and Rocco fought over their new X-BOX on Christmas morning. It seems that folks would be happy about the gift, but instead they fight over it, which makes the gift seem not so special. PC is always talking about getting into the Word and getting right with God and never about loving our neighbor. Isn’t one way we get right with God by loving our neighbor? It seems like Bud and PC need a conference how to love our neighbor-- like feeding the hungry and caring for the poor and not church leadership."

Jesus amazed by Josh’s conclusions commented, "You know Josh, PC and Bud think they are doing the right thing. Remember my friend Peter? God gave him special insight into who I was and yet later, I had to verbally spank him by calling him Satan and then tell him to get behind me for he became a stumbling block to what I was doing. He thought he was helping by defending me, but he was in my way. I don’t need defended I need folks following me into what I set out to do changing the world through awakening to God's presence and by love in action."

Jesus continued, "I make people right with God. Wanna get in the Word? Get into me. Go learn what this means. God is Mystery that doesn’t need to be solved, but lived into and experienced. PC and Bud feel like they are supposed to have answers instead of helping folks explore the question and embrace the Mystery. The need for having all the answers is fear-based and actually requires very little faith. I want people to trust God, not trust their answers about God. As soon as folks attempt to defend me, they actually get caught-up in defending their beliefs about me which makes it all about them and then the fights break out. Meanwhile the world is watching and hurting. Like I said, I don’t need defended. I did not tell people to defend God. I told folks to love God, themselves and others. Fighting is easy; love cost something. Those are not easy to do, for it requires letting go of ourselves and our ego-driven need to be right and in control."

Just then Jesus pulled over to the curb and asked Josh if he'd like to peddle for a while.