Jury Duty
I had an experience during jury duty this past Monday.
I was assigned to a panel, and along with about 35 others, went into the courtroom to undergo the questioning of each lawyer for jury selection (which is actually jury de-selection, since they are deciding who they don’t want serving).
I was way back on the 3rd row, so I went through about 2 hours of questioning without having to speak. But then the defense attorney asked a general question: “Do any of you know any law enforcement officers?” I was among those who raised their hands. His eyes landed on me first, I guess, and he says, “Okay, Mr. Mashburn. And you are Church of Christ preacher, right?”
Why was my knee-jerk reaction to feel like I had just been busted for something bad? Why was I feeling some emotional mixture of fear and defensiveness?
Now outwardly, I handled this just fine. I think I just calmly said, “Yes, sir, I am”.
Inwardly, however, I wanted to say, “Yes, but the Church of Christ I serve with is not what some of you might be thinking! And I am probably not like the Church of Christ minister that is popping into your head right now! And I do not believe or preach or focus on what some of you might have experienced from some of the Church of Christ people in your life!”
Outwardly, this whole thing just lasted a few seconds.
But inwardly, I had left the courtroom, trying to examine what this reaction in me was, where it has come from, if it is necessary or useful.
Pause.
Certainly, part of this has to do with me and my stuff. It has to do with me being confident about who and Whose I am, needing nothing (properly understood) from any man, and thereby settling into a sort of invulnerability against the judgments of people. This is all absolutely true and has been and continues to be my work.
But I also know that there is another part of this. A historical part based in reality. A part that has to do with a “Christian religion” replacing relationship with Christ, an “institutionalized legalism” replacing Christlike life, and “Church practices” replacing Church family. Yes, indeed, part of this has to do with the Church of Christ and her stuff.
So, back in the courtroom: I wasn’t the only one who reacted to the lawyer’s “outing” of me. Not everyone, but many in the courtroom (some with an urgent snap of the head and others nonchalantly acting as if they just happened to be looking in my direction anyway) turned their heads to get a look at me once the pronouncement was made.
Like they all wanted to know…what does one of those look like?
I can’t be sure what was going on in them, of course. Not everyone (maybe anyone) in that room was having a negative reaction to the news. But, because of far too many experiences, I am sensitive the fact that some may have.
Now, part of my sensitivity was from the lawyer identifying me as a “minister.” That title can carry it’s own generic baggage for some people these days. Maybe I get linked with the crazy guy in Florida who thinks burning a Koran is an effective way to represent Christ. Maybe I get associated with a Catholic priest who’s vow of celibacy was broken in the some of the worst ways. Maybe I get connected to some questionable TV evangelist.
But the major part of my defensiveness was the lawyer indentifying me with the Church of Christ.
- Was that scowling woman going back to the time her Church of Christ minister or elder told her she could not leave her physically abusive husband unless he committed adultery?
- Was that guy’s friendly smile because he’s a “Church of Christer” just glad to have a “brother” from the “Lord’s church” on the panel with him?
- Were any of these folks Baptists, Pentecostals, or Catholics remembering how condemned they felt by zealous Church of Christers in the past for their “flawed beliefs” about baptism, prayers, the raising of hands, or the use of musical instruments in worship services?
I wish this was all in the far distant past, and pray that before too long it will be, but I know an older woman right here in my town who told me that her husband had stopped attending church due to physical limitations as she kept going faithfully. One Sunday, she approached an elder in their Church of Christ and asked if he would come over sometime and read the Bible to her husband (“Oh, how he loves that,” she told me). This elder angrily said that they at the church don’t owe her husband a thing since he didn’t bother to attend their church services.
Seriously?
I wonder if someone like her was in that jury pool? We were there to potentially judge some evidence and declare someone guilty or not guilty based on that evidence about drug possession. All of a sudden, with just a “title” thrown out there without some disclaimers, I felt like this jury was out on me and the group that I am a part of.
Hear me…I’m beyond grateful that I am a part of a Church of Christ family that humbly works to live up to the name on our building outside, trying to be a church that is actually “of Christ”. This stellar group of people is journeying together, transforming more and more into Christ’s image, imitating (by God’s grace) Christ’s heart, character, mission, and priorities.
I’m proud to be a minister at the Southwest Church of Christ.
But am I right to be sensitive about this? Is this concern outdated in your circle of influence? In your own heart?
You know Brian, I’m sorry you had that feeling. I’m a lot further back than you are, but I can say one thing, we knew what we stood for and what we believed in Christ. I’ve had people tell me that “Church of Christers” know their Bibles, have the most wonderful voices that they lift up to God and do not need instruments to worship. I find it a little sad that people keep referring to those days as the legalistic days. We would have gospel meetings that lasted all week and members would come from all the smaller towns to hear God word and add to our numbers. We don’t do that anymore. I’m sad that I don’t think we know who we are any more. It seems we just want to be like everyone else. That’s what I find sad. I’m proud to say I’m a member of Christ’s church or a “church of Christer.”
Thanks for representing the good things about our common heritage, Harriett. I, too, am so grateful for many of the things that growing up in the Church of Christ has given me.
Being firmly grounded in scripture is at the top of the list.
But I have compassion for those who refer to “those days” as legalistic days. Sadly, there are some good reasons.
And I don’t know who you mean when you say “we just want to be like everyone else”. I sure don’t.
I just want to be like Christ.
Peerfct answer! That really gets to the heart of it!
Probably your name, address, and school affiliation. You might be able to use a different address and credit card, but if you’re attending the same school under the same name you used for your other discount, you probably won’t get it this time around.
scrive:Bella domanda dario. Purtroppo ancora non si è ben capito chi sia davvero Jacob. Penso che in ogni caso non sia Christian. :/
Whoa, things just got a whole lot earsie.
Aécio é o cara…. tem carisma, bem articulado, seu governo saiu consagrado em Minas vai ter essa administração pra mostrar aos brasileiros. Virá com um discurso forte pode apostar. Sairá da mesmice de ser um candidato paulista.Talvez seja este o problema da maioria paulista que comenta aqui.
Mdr bellemorte je te rejoint la dessus, au lieu de se rejouir de voir une guilde francaise dans le haut du ta bleau on devient tatillon …. .Et pour répondre à ta question , ce classement a été fait par attribution de point en fonction de la rapidité du down des boss et de leur difficulté donc aucune guilde n’a été avantagée hormis celle ayant eu accès au pts avant les autres
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I know where you’re coming from, but more and more lately, I have been met by people who are just glad to see Christians in a jury pool, no matter what “kind” they may be. If someone was frowning because you were ID’ed as a “Church of Christ minister,” then I’d probably think they have a bad prejudice towards ministers of all kinds. Although there’s always a handful of exceptions in every town, sometimes seems like in every congregation, it seems to me that more and more churches of Christ are overcoming the negative history some have left behind. Remember, it wasn’t usually a whole congregation who acted hatefully someone “outside the church,” so it’s been a matter of showing that not everyone’s a nut in the fudge 😉
Mash,
First of all, I love your transparency and vulnerability. Also, I can see why these sorts of thoughts would pass through your mind as you are called out in that manner. I think ALL people who have ever stepped foot in any church no matter what the denomination or heritage is in that building has been burned at some point by someone or something. The reason so many people have hurt feelings is because of the hurt from people in those buildings. It’s a sad day when petty things like music/ no music, “Church of Christ” or not are the things that really grab people’s focus instead of focusing on Christ. I can only pray that our “churches” become one body and center themselves on Christ in every way however that may look within the walls and outside of them.
I also think Christ had to battle internally every time people gave him crazy looks as they realized who he was, he was human and had emotions too. I would have loved to see the looks on people’s face when “Jesus” (this mystical guy they never saw before but only heard crazy stories about) showed up in their city.
I find it curious that a minster would get (or would feel the need to defend again) such a bad rap for the religious baggages of Chrstianity. A scientist would not get a bad rap for the baggae of science. Science is implicated in pretty much all the weapons used in wars, racist experimentation methods, rampant sexism, and all sorts of things.
I do not want to diminish the wrongs done in the name of God, but if honest and good ministers could be treated with the same regard as honest and good scientists, I think we’d all be in a better place.
I’ve had a very similar sinking in the gut when spotlighted as a church of Christ member. A flood of apprehension washes over; wondering what connections are being drawn in the mind of the person who brings it up. I hope this reputation is changing.
I live on the very edge of the Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic states (North Carolina) and I find that many, many people have never even heard of the ‘church of Christ’. To be honest, it was a little humbling at times, and probably something all should get to experience, as I was used to everyone knowing or having heard of the c of C growing up in the Mid-South.
I completely empathize with you on this one. However, I’m more and more convinced that say, a Baptist, is just as semi-embarassed from time to time because they grew up in a legalistic Baptist church compared to the one they’re in now. I think from time to time we probably focus on it too much.
Philippians 3:13-15