I have a habit of rereading some books, mostly fiction, especially when I need a break. Every day my mind is spent studying and reading books that challenge my thinking, add to my learning, or for use in sermon prep. So every once in awhile I like to read something totally not associated with my “serious” mindset. So I will often pick up a fiction book and read it again. I did that early this week. I picked up The Dancing Priest by Glynn Young. Glynn blogs at Fact, Fiction, Friends and I cannot tell you how long we have been reading each other’s blogs. The Dancing Priest is #1 in a 5-part series.
It is the story of Michael Kent, who through a series of events finds himself on the front page of TIME magazine and a Tour de France hero. He is also ordained into the Anglican Church as a priest. Glynn has weaved together a wonderful story that even a non-religious person would enjoy. Even though Michael is a fictional character, one begins to admire this young man and his passion for life. Grounded without being preachy, The Dancing Priest is a wonderful story of faith, hope, caring for others, putting other’s interests before your own, and being sensitive to those around us. Following his ordination, Michael finds our where his pastoral assignment is to be. (I will not tell you because that would be unfair if you have never read the book and decide you want to). Let me just say his heart is in Malawi, Africa and working with kids in an orphanage.
The day he learns his assignment, Michael was speaking with the archbishop of York. (I plead my ignorance on how this denomination works since it is foreign to me. But it really is irrelevant to this story). Anyway, the archbishop tells Michael something that is relevant for all churches. He says, “Michael, the future of our church is in grave doubt. If there is a future, then you and others like you are that future. It will be better for you to be on the periphery than at the center because the center is rotting and collapsing. The future of the church is at the edges, and there you’ll find a willingness to abandon what’s dead, to meet the spiritual needs, to fearlessly preach the gospel-that is our way of survival.” (p.163). A little later in the conversation Michael is told, “You are a remarkable young man. You will do great things, Michael. not as the world defines them, but great in the way God defines them.” (p.164)
The church is one generation away from extinction. If I was a younger pastor (and not 72 years old), I would “fight” to be part of the solution, not the problem. I would not want to be part of the collapse and rot but part of the building up and preservation of the truth. Yes, the story is about Michael Kent. But it is also about me…and you. Let’s be part of the resurgence not the decay of the church.
