Take a ride on the Holy Spirit

John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center, 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive, Fayetteville, Georgia 30215. 770-719-0303

By JOHN HATCHER
Contributing Writer

“Soar to new heights on the South’s only flying roller-coaster, Superman — Ultimate Flight. Defy the laws of gravity as you dive head first through high banked curves, spirals and a first ever pretzel-shaped inverted loop at speeds up to 60 mph.” That’s how the promotional folks at Six Flags Over Georgia describe one of 30 or so rides they feature every day this summer to kids and adults alike. The “Superman” ride lasts for three minutes, but folks will stand in line much longer just for the thrill of it.

Can the church compete with “Superman” at Six Flags?

“When the Trade Federation invades Naboo, two Jedi knights, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, help its queen escape. On the way to Coruscant, home of the Galactic Senate, they stop on the desert planet of Tatooine to repair their ship. The Jedi discover the presence of the Sith, masters of the dark side, who were thought to be extinct.”

Again, this is Hollywood’s attempt to entice us into their cool rooms with a view to see the latest flick which has about as much import on our lives as the price of spit in China. But does the church stand a chance of competing with the dark side especially in a dark theatre? Really?

“Park your car, and take a deep breath. Now let it out, along with the tensions of everyday life. Relax. You’re at The Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa — the beach paradise you’ve been looking for. This award-winning Destin resort hotel combines spacious accommodations and endless recreation against a sparkling backdrop of sugar-white sand and emerald waters. Here in this luxurious haven, productivity and pleasure coexist in perfect harmony. So go ahead — get away from it all. Discover the long list of exhilarating features of our luxurious Destin resort, which start with a blissful setting located along one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.”

What warm-blooded men and women would not take off a month of Sundays from church in exchange for the sugar white beaches of the Gulf? I mean, does the church have half a chance? Is there any competition?

We try to compete. We buy as much high technology as our treasuries allow, saying to the kids, “We’re relevant.” Since we can’t build massive roller-coasters, we rent out those forced air-filled balloons that allow the kids to jump up and down until they are worn out. We even buy those disgusting smoke machines to give our plays and performances a sense of Hollywood. Asthma sufferers, beware! We try to compete with the world, but fall short for two big reasons: we don’t have the big bucks necessary and our leaders don’t have the calling of Hollywood or Times Square.

Many churches will host Vacation Bible Schools this summer. Usually the week carries a theme. Here are a few: “Serengeti Trek: Where Kids are Wild about God’s Love,” “Ramblin’ Road Trip: Which Way Do I Go?” and “Safari Adventure,” to name three. Bet you can detect that these themes are attempts to capture the imagination of the children.

All Vacation Bible Schools promise to be exciting and fun. But can we compete with the excitement of Six Flags or the fun of Destin’s beach? Hardly. So, why are we trying?

When I was a child of primary age (that’s four and five years old, I believe), we kids glued sticks together and called it something. But the real exciting time came when we were served a cup of Kool-Aid and two Ritz crackers. That was the big moment every day for us. We little kids looked forward to the day when we would get to carve little Bibles out of a bar of Ivory soap, with a knife and everything. But we had to wait to be trusted. But, boy, we could hardly wait. Those were exciting days for us little kids.

Today, the church feels it must razzle dazzle the children just to get their attention. And most of us — although not all of us — are failures at mimicking Hollywood. We just can’t compete on Hollywood’s terms. My hat’s off to the skilled ministers and laymen who can give the devil a run for the souls of men, women, boys, and girls and win!

But, perhaps we have something the world does not have. Perhaps we have something within our inventory that can help out folks when their lives become a roller-coaster. Maybe we have something in the church that doesn’t cost $45 for admission, but comes free as water used to be. And what would that be?

First, we have the Holy Spirit. And he is more powerful that a speeding bullet or superman. We have prayer. And prayer connects us with the heart of God who made all the beautiful beaches like Destin, Panama City, and the likes.

We also have a mission that calls on all of us to be witnesses, constantly saying “no” to self and “yes” to the call of spreading the Good News that there is a really exciting ride and it’s forever.

Want to ride? It’s the greatest ride of your life if you want it.