By DAVID EPPS
Pastor

Three years ago, about three months after we had helped to plant a new church, my wife Cindy asked me why I didn't resume writing a newspaper column.

It had been years since I had penned an article on a regular basis, although I had previously written a religion column for several newspapers. Over the years, my articles appeared in nearly two dozen publications, primarily magazines, but I wasn't the least bit interested in doing a religion column for any newspaper.

“To be honest,” I replied, “I don't want to. I never enjoyed writing a religion column.”

Cindy was surprised and asked, “Why not?”

“Well,” I replied, “for one thing, I'm not sure anybody reads them. For another thing, some editors require religion columns to be written in such a way that no one is ever offended. I don't want to write a weak `feel good' column and I'm long past weary with attempting to placate whining, complaining church people.”

Besides, I reasoned, the best columns are often those that inspire, inform, humor, and, once in a while, stir up people... maybe even make them angry. So, she dropped the matter.

Two weeks later, I was in the offices of The Citizen newspapers in Fayetteville, paying for our church advertising. As I was about to leave, Cal Beverly, the editor and the driving force behind The Citizen, came out of his office and, to my great surprise, asked if I would be interested in being a local columnist.

As we talked, he made it clear that he would allow me the freedom to write on any issue (even religious issues!) and submit articles that might fit into any genre.

I was excited and my first column for The Citizen went to press just before Christmas 1996.

It has been interesting, in these three years, to see the results of my experiment to write on any subject that comes to mind. Early on, we lost a church member who objected to the pro-life stance in one of my articles.

When I supported capital punishment for the vilest offenders, the e-mail was clogged with people who didn't understand how a “man of the cloth” could advocate such a... well... Old Testament concept.

One county commissioner refused to speak to me in public after I wrote a biting tongue-in-cheek article about the commission's efforts to protect the Fayette County citizenry from the dangers of “fortress mailboxes.”

One waitress, who read my column on “the look” that women give men (my wife holds a black belt in “the look”), whispered to me at lunch, “I'm surprised you're still alive!”

Democrats took me to task when I wrote that I could not vote for bona fide war hero Senator Max Cleland because of his endorsement of the pro-abortion Democratic platform.

Others were disturbed when I pounded on the “character issue” when referring to President Clinton. Republicans were equally riled when I expressed profound disgust and disappointment with Newt Gingrich's betrayal of both his wife's trust and of his wedding vows.

After my article on Mother Teresa, some Romaphobes complained that I was too “pro-Catholic” while, at other times, especially when I wrote about the liberal heresies of some mainline denominations, some from the historic liturgical churches blasted me for being “too evangelical and not a real Catholic (or Episcopalian).”

Oh, well. At least people are reading.

Yet, only a small minority of the articles have dealt with controversy. I have had the honor of introducing in my column hard-working Americans like the man and wife team who founded The Big Orange Salvage Company, beginning with just a pickup truck.

I have written about the heroics of individual police officers and emergency services personnel and the tragedy of those, like Lt. Chip Williams, who die suddenly and violently.

I have penned columns to honor several of those brave men, like Marine Joe Meade, who have fallen in battle in far off lands in service to their country.

I have written about local honorable and godly men like Pastors Chuck Griffith, John Weber, Harold Allen, John Holloway and others who have faithfully and loyally served their flocks without the slightest trace of scandal or selfishness.

I have introduced you to members of my own family and shared a few of our triumphs and highlights and have pulled the curtain back and exposed some of our heartaches.

The greatest satisfaction, however, is in receiving feedback from those who read the column, even if the reader doesn't agree with the article. Intelligent people will differ on important issues and the readers of The Citizen are intelligent.

Over the last three years, hundreds of you have stopped me in the post office, in the supermarket, at a restaurant, or at the gas station to tell me your are reading (if not enjoying) the columns. Some have posted the columns on the fridge or even on the bulletin board at work.

One poor pastor received a truck load of criticism because he posted several of the columns on the bulletin board at church. I only hope that didn't hasten his untimely departure from the church.

A few articles, to my surprise, have been reprinted in church newsletters and a couple, unbeknownst to me, have even been submitted to and reprinted in other newspapers.

One pastor in another town, a reader related to me, even retold one of the articles in a sermon, substituting himself in the story in my place, as though the event involved him (which, of course, it didn't!). Where he got the article, I have no idea. I'm just glad he found the story useful.

A number of people in the community have visited our church (some have even become members!), perhaps expecting the sermons to be like the articles: short and entertaining. Oops! My sermons aren't that short (30 minutes is the norm) and I don't preach to entertain. Challenge, inform, motivate, encourage, and enlighten, maybe (hopefully). But not to entertain. Been there, done that.

But I have said all that to say this: Thank you for sharing these three years with me. Thank you for sharing your stories (some of which have appeared in the articles) your comments, your encouragement, and your criticisms. Thank you for allowing me into your home each week. Thank you for reading.

May God bless you and your families as this century winds to a close and may you have a very Merry Christmas and a joy-filled and prosperous New Year! Non nobis Domine.

[David Epps is rector of Christ the King Church. He may be contacted online at FatherDavidEpps@aol.com or at P. O. Box 2192, Peachtree City, GA 30269.

Back to Opinion Home Page | Back to the top of the page