Countdown to the End

Word of the little church in the migrant labor camp had been circulating through the Christian community for some time. Mathematics being what it is, every member that Camp Eden, the old Methodist Church or, now, Green Valley Church picked up, some other church lost. As more churches lost members to the strange new church that encouraged people to ask questions, more churches became concerned with loss of membership. Each week, there were several people “visiting” from other churches. To Danny and Davy they were obvious. They asked too many questions, not after the scripture reading or the sermon, but after church and questions were always about the “mechanics” of the church, not theology. Yet, Danny and Davy welcomed them. If what was being done at Camp Eden was bringing people to God, they were more than willing to share their new way of conducting services. They were elated.
Danny had been away and when he returned he noticed a strange car in front of Davy’s cabin. He paid it little mind, but as he headed for his cabin, he heard a whistle. It was Davy and he was motioning Danny to come over.
“Father Danny West, this is Reverend Wright and Deacon Palmer from Jones Chapel Baptist Church.”
Danny shook the men’s hands as Davy pointed to the chairs. Davy offered everyone a Coke and after they were settled, Davy began. “Reverend Wright and Deacon Palmer have visited both here and Green Valley. And, they have some interesting questions. Reverend, if you don’t mind.”
“Please, first, it’s Tom and Bill. And as Davy said, we have visited two of your churches and find what you are doing just absolutely fascinating.”
“Good,” smiled Danny. “Then, what are your questions?”
“To be honest with you, Father West–“
”Please, Danny.”
“Okay Danny, your question and answer period. I have seen enough of your services to know the questions aren’t planned. You don’t know what’s coming. You don’t know what questions will be asked.”
“That’s right.”
“This may come out wrong, and I’m not poor mouthing, but I’m assuming both of you went to seminary.”
Danny nodded.
“I didn’t, and I... I. . . what if a question is asked that I just can’t answer?”
“I’m going to ask you a stupid question, Tom. So what?”
The man’s expression went blank.
“What if someone asks you a question you can’t answer, so what? There’s not one thing wrong with saying you don’t know and you will look for the answer and get back to the person. Carry a small pad with you and get their name and phone number. This will let them know that you feel their question is important, which it is, and you’ll get back with them. You cannot believe how much the people appreciate it. A few weeks back, someone asked what happened to Joseph after Jesus’ childhood. I had absolutely no idea. But I told the man I would look it up and see what I could find. There was next to nothing. I phoned the man and told him. Then, the next week, I told the congregation about the question and what I had found. The man has been back every week since.”
“So, it has happened?”
“Oh yes, not often, but it does happen. It’s no big deal.”
“I didn’t know, not being seminary educated–“
”Tom, most of the questions can be answered by anyone half-knowing their bible stories and little common logic. The seminary doesn’t give you all the answers. Don’t worry about it.”
“I just didn’t want to look stupid in front of–“
”Tom, don’t worry, if you do it enough, you will.”
Reverend Wright smiled and looked relieved.
“Now, what else have you got?”
“I was told, but I find it hard to believe that it’s true, that the first time you started the question and answer thing, one of you told the congregation that it would take a bit longer than usual and if they had something to do, leave when they needed to. That’s not true, is it.”
“Yes, I made the announcement in English, Davy did it in Spanish. We also try to repeat it ever few weeks. It makes people more comfortable. It is true.”
“And people don’t walk out early?”
“Occasionally someone has to, but it’s not been a problem.”
“I just don’t–“
”Tom, I guess you could say that in a way we copy the black churches. The blacks honor their God. They worship their God. Most people want to give God the minimum amount of time they feel they can get by with. We don’t have anything for those people. There’s plenty of churches out there that are glad to have them, let them have them.”
“So, you don’t go out looking for members?”
“No, never have. If we have ever have to, we have failed and we’ll fold our tent.”
Reverend Wright looked shocked and looked at Davy. “Is he serious?”
“He’s dead serious,” said Davy.
Wright looked at Deacon Palmer. Neither man said a word. Both were in shock.
“You don’t do Thursday night visitations?”
“No, there’s no reason. Reverend Wright, ours is a little bit different. We try to teach people a little something about their Bible and try to explain it in a way they probably haven’t seen before. We encourage questions and answers. Above all, there’s no rush.”
“May I ask, what’s the difference between what you do and Sunday school?”
“You mean that thing where someone who doesn’t want to do it get’s up in front of a class to go over something he’s spent five minutes reading and hoping the forty-five minutes will hurry up and end?”
 Wright looked at Deacon Palmer. They smiled at each other.
 “Reverend Wright, our services are planned. The scripture reading could almost win an Academy Award. We try to make it come alive. We try to make it real. Our sermon coordinates with the scripture. It’s not a ‘If you don’t do this you’re going to hell’. It’s a ‘this will make God feel good, this will make you feel good’. When they leave our church, we don’t care if they have put the first penny in the collection, we don’t want them to fear God and his wrath, we want them to love God and wrap themselves in his glory.”
Both Wright and Palmer stared at Danny.
“What would happen if we announced that next week we would be conducting a new form of service and that it would go well past the normal hour? Well, hour and twenty minutes. We do have the altar calls.”
“You would have about half of your people not show up.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“But, if you announce that next week you will be having a new form of service. That the subject would be a certain Bible scripture and they need to read it and bring a question about the scripture or the Bible or Jesus and it would be answered. And, this is very important, announce that there will be no altar calls. If you do, you will give the half that does show up the best service Jones chapel has ever had.”
“No altar calls?”
“No altar calls.”
“I’ll be honest, I would still be scared of answering the questions.”
“What if Davy and I did the service for you?”
“Wright turned white as a sheet and looked at Palmer.”
“You would do that for us?” Wright said in disbelief. “Why?”
“Why not?” asked Danny. “Can you make the announcement next week?”
“If you will come.”
Danny looked at Davy for a moment then said, “Make the announcement.”
The two men from Jones Chapel Baptist Church were all over themselves thanking Danny and Davy. They shook hands and smiled and made every conceivable motion to let them know how much they appreciated what the two were willing to do. The thank you’s and accolades continued well until Wright and Palmer returned to their car.
After the two visitors left, Davy looked at Danny. “What do you think?”
“I think we can help.”
“For some reason, I do too.”
“It’ll be new territory for us,” said Danny.
“Yep.”
“It’s a country church.”
“Right.”
“A country Baptist church.”
“Right,” smiled Davy.
“They are going to be old-line Baptists.”
“Right again. We knew that when Wright hesitated on the altar calls.”
“They’re going to be Bible thumping, foot washing Baptists.”
“I have no idea how they’re going to take to a used Episcopalian and well, you’ll be okay. You’re a Baptist.”
“I hope so, but they’re country and you know what we used to say about Rednecks?”
“What? That all Baptists aren’t Rednecks, but that all Rednecks are Baptist. You still remember that?”
“It’s only haunted me for about fifteen years.”
“Oh.”
“Any thoughts on what you want to do?”
“Have you still got your notes on the Lord’s supper?” asked Danny with a smile.
“I don’t need them. As far as I’m concerned it was our best service ever. I know it by heart. But, yes, I have my notes.”
“You figure they have communion at Jones Chapel?”
“I assume they do. I’m sure it’s grape juice and a cracker, but I imagine they have communion.”
“Think they’re ready for a real communion?”
“With real wine and flatbread? Absolutely not.”
“Good, let’s do it.”