All I Want To Do Is Pump Some Gas!

I don't know if you have noticed lately but the gas station is getting awfully personal.

It all starts innocently enough as you pull up to the pump to get a little gas.  As you slide your credit card into the reader to pay...it begins.

Question 1: Welcome to Fill-r-Up!  Is this credit or debit?

    Me:        Debit

Question 2:  What is your PIN number?

    Me:        (you'd like that wouldn't you...jerks :))

Question 3:  Are you a preferred card member?

    Me:        No

Question 4:  Would you like to be?

    Me:        No, but I would like some gas.

Question 5:  Would you like this all on this card?

    Me:        Wait, what?  Can I use that guys over there? 

Question 6:  Would you like to save $1 and get a Car Wash?

    Me:        No!?  Gas, gas, gas

Question 7:  No seriously, have you seen your car it is terrible.  Would you like wash?

    Me:        Seriously? Don't make me go Binary Code all over you here.

Question 8:  Would you like to donate $1 to the gas station owner's 401k?

    Me:        I'd like to set this station on fire right now, but I need gas in order to do that.

Question 9:  Would you be interested in hearing about a Time Share opportunity in Muncie, IN?

    Me:        Oh my goodness, where is my 7 iron?

Question 10:  Knock, Knock

    Me:        Who's there?

Question 11:  Olive

    Me:        Olive who?

Question 12:  Olive you!

    Me:        You love me?  You better text your family good-bye because I'm going to...  All I want do to is pumps some Gas!!!!!!!!!!

Please select your grade and begin pumping. :)

Maybe I'm alone, but I'm sure there is a few people out there that said "AMEN" in a couple spots.  For crying out loud all I want is to get some gas.  That is the whole reason I came!

Sadly that is how many people feel about church.  They come wanting to find out more about Christ and are actively seeking out their spiritual walk and more times than not they run into people who act like Gas Pump computers. 

They are full of questions to ask them before they come in the door as if they were the bridge troll like in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  

Question 1: How are you dressed?

Question 2:  What kind of music do you listen to?

Question 3: What is your view on R-rated movies?

Question 4: Do you have a husband to go along with the child?

Question 5: What are your views on limited atonement, abortion, the death penalty, and Democrats?

Question 6: What is your favorite color?

And on and on they go assuming that they are somehow "protecting" the church from all the messed up people of the world.  As if the church was made for perfect people only and they are one of them.  

News Flash:  Gate keeper dude, you may want to do a quick LOGOS study and find out about what the Bible says about pride and arrogance before you finish asking your clipboard of questions.  

In the greatest sermon ever preached, Jesus tells us who He came for and therefore who His church was established.  Here is the the highlight real; poor in spirit, those in mourning, the meek, the spiritually malnourished, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted, the insulted, and the recipients of evil for unjust reasons. 

To me, that makes it sound like Jesus has an open door policy and since it's HIS party He can make the guest list.   

So all of us need to check ourselves from time to time and ask "How am I keeping people from seeking a relationship with God?"  Yes there is a transformation that needs to take place in people's lives.   Yes they need to turn from their sin.  Yes apart from Christ death is not a good thing, but don't they have to know about Jesus in order to know about all of that? 

They can't hear the Truth if they are stuck in the lobby talking to you and your clipboard.  Just realize that as you are talking, their soul is screaming this question, "Can't I just come in and hear about Jesus!"   

Question 13:  Would you like a receipt?

    Me:        Oh come on.

Comments

[m kundrat]

regular guy

[Bama]

Thats why there is Parkview and why I miss it so much. It's not come as you are it's just show up. I dread looking for a new church here in southern alabama. Gonna try one sunday but I have this feeling that it will be such a high bar that Parkview set other churches just won't make par.