We sat for a minute watching the group of teens attempt to share the "good news" of freedom in the gospel through miming, and had a familiar conversation of how we had wished that our understanding of "church" was more holistic. Perhaps church could be more than just the collective worshiping happening inside sanctuaries all over the world that morning, and perhaps it could be more than the few people out "serving" in the community. "Why can't church be defined equally as sitting here sharing coffee and maybe even a cigarette?"
"HERETICS!" we joked. "If you don't have your MDiv, or preach inside a sanctuary you better dare not joke that you could be spreading the gospel!"
Not that our life-long struggle of redefining our understanding of G-d hadn't brought us to this place before, but it was a good reminder of the necessity to continue to question these stereotypes.
But obviously G-d decided that this message needed to be reiterated this morning because the story kept going.
A few minutes later a 52 year old black guy came up to us and asked us if we wanted some pizza.
"Maybe in a minute, but thanks," we replied.
"It's alright. We all just out here sharing, you know."
"Alright."
"You know I'm just a street poet and a creekside preacher, and I'm just tryin to share the wealth. Everyday I walk from here to Denver, and down to Pueblo, preaching the good news."
"Can we hear one of your pieces?"
"Sure! Hold on just a sec."
He went and grabbed his bag of belongings, along with the jacket and pants he had just received from the Mimes. And pulled out a notebook.
"This is my friends Eulogy. He died from a heroin overdose a little while ago. And while this is about addiction, it doesn't matter if it's heroin or peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches, you'll get this." He went on to share.
When he finished we took a minute to take it in and thanked him for sharing.
"You know," he replied,"the reason this is the good news, is because it reaches you where you're at. That how everything we preach should be. It should reach people where they're at. Don't share down. Don't share up. Share with people on their level."
Preach it!
"I share the good news through everything I do. Even if those guys I drank a fifth with last night down by the creek, don't remember a single word I read to them from the bible, the truth is they all got up this morning and thanked me for sharing with them. That's the Gospel. That's the good news."
For some reason I guess my friend and I were supposed to listen to this guy that morning instead of being there for the first few minutes of church. It was good to be in the presence of someone speaking on my level.
He left us saying his name was Ghost. And if we ever encountered a Ghost, that we wouldn't have to be afraid anymore, because we had just met one and understood him.
more to come soon
