I have been deeply moved by these words of tribute and support for Fox. Especially from Lamar, who expressed the core of my sentiments. And from Wilkey who, like Pastor Morgan in Collinsville, has been serving, preaching to, enduring, loving, and being endured / loved by
, a single small-town congregation for more than 25 years. That's remarkable to THIS preacher's kid named Mark, and a tribute to both pastor and people, along with their families.
Joshua, likewise, is right on target in this case. I share his bafflement that good people will, every Sunday, cough up 10% of their hard-earned money for the work of God and their local church, only to have anywhere from 5 to 25% of that weekly "tithe" be earmarked for state and national denominational bureaucracies they'd prefer not to be bothered having to learn about, or to even know if it's the same organization they once supported.
Later in the day, many of these same good people will quibble over whether or not they've overtipped a minimum wage-earning restaurant sever by twenty cents.
More to the point: As evidenced over the past two days at BL.Com, I sometimes get as frustrated as anyone with our friend Mr. Fox. I'm not even among those folks in Collinsville who live around him every day. (Which must surely be anything except
dull. ) In no way do I want that point to be forgotten or minimized.
But I also know, as Lamar stated so perfectly, those who have been given a gift of prophecy are often - no, usually - abrasive. Impatient. Controversial. Unconventional. Brilliant. Crazy. Obsessed with justice and fairness. John the Baptist. Amos. Cecil Sherman. These, I'm absolutely convinced, were/are prophets of God.
Are there others around here... Fox, Jane-the-pain, Wilkey, J.Villines... who have the gift of prophecy? I don't know for sure. Sometimes it seems they do. Having these folks around here sometimes makes life frustrating and complicated; but more often I've been blessed, enriched, and provoked to live a Christian life that reflects greater service and integrity.
Bottom line: What happens at Collinsville Baptist Church, or what it does or decides, is none of my business. But if you're willing to consider one outsider's observation: I suspect Collinsville would have had, and would still have, a 75% quieter S.Fox (okay... 50% is probably more realistic) to the extent equal consideration, equal freedom is/was extended to those who prefer options and alterntives in financing Baptist mission work and in choosing the best literature to help Baptists study the Bible. In such an environment, no one has to feel "second class" or ignored.
To the best of my knowledge, Fox has been asking his church for no extra privleges beyond that currently granted to members of First Baptist Huntsville (Alabama's oldest congregation); or in nearby Georgia, First Baptist Athens (where your own Jon Appleton was pastor), and First Baptist Augusta (birthplace of the SBC).
With malice toward none, I extend my prayers and best wishes to all involved.