The Sacred Sandwich

November14th

15 Comments

Church officials for Jerusalem’s Bus Stop, a gathering of Christ-followers in Boise, Idaho have reported that Pastor/Head Facilitator Tucker Wynn has taken a leave of absence in the wake of what they describe as Wynn “hitting a major pothole in his faith journey” when he told several people during his sermon to “shut up and read your Bible.”

Jacob Mason, the church’s Supervisor of Holistic Meditation, witnessed the shocking event. “Tuck was facilitating our usual sermon-dialogue time on Sunday when Karen, our director of pottery, tried to express her inner feelings on what God was saying to her. Before she could share her feelings, however, Tuck said that he had a feeling to share, too. He said he felt like she needed to shut up and focus on God’s word instead of her feelings. Needless to say, Karen’s feelings were hurt, so she told him how she felt about his feelings toward her. Then we opened up the discussion for others to express how they felt.”

According to several eyewitnesses, Pastor Wynn then screamed, “What is WRONG with you people!” and fled the building.

Sadly, this was not the first time Wynn had exhibited a drift toward fundamentalism and biblical certainty. Two months earlier, church leaders became concerned when Wynn became noticeably excited about ordering the new ESV Study Bible. “Things just didn’t seem right with Tuck after that,” said tattoo and piercing minister Leslie Moore. “First he started using big words like hermeneutics, exegesis, and perpiscuity. Then he started hammering us on doctrine, of all things. Before we knew it, he was blowing out our candles and turning up the dimmer switch in the sanctuary so we could read the Bible during worship. Talk about a buzz kill. We could barely see the Nooma videos with all the lights on.”

During his leave of absence, Pastor Wynn will be under medical supervision at Intermountain Hospital on a voluntary basis. “This break will be good for me,” Wynn confided from his bed. “The doctors have made me understand that I’m powerless to make people focus on the clear teachings of Scripture instead of their feelings. Obviously I can’t compete with their feelings, so I need to take a deep breath and stay calm. But it’s hard, you know?  Talking to them is like banging my head against a wall over and over and over again. Bam! Bam! Bam! I mean, what is with these people?! Why do they do this? Why?! Tell me, why?! WHY?!!— Um, can you excuse me a minute?… Nurse! I think I need another pill!”

While Wynn remains in padded wrist restraints, the church will continue their Sunday gatherings under the leadership of Associate Pastor Justin Hanna, who is confident of Wynn’s future return. “Everyone at Jerusalem’s Bus Stop has had a chance to share their feelings about what happened, and we’ve decided that our diverse faith community is tolerant enough to include rabid fundamentalists like Tuck who are hung up on the centrality of the Bible,” Hanna explained. “Of course, if he keeps trying to shove scripture down our throats all the time, we might have to share our feelings with him again.”

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15 Comments

  • Comment by Manfred — November 14, 2008 @ 8:22 pm

    “Sadly, this was not the first time Wynn had exhibited a drift toward fundamentalism and biblical certainty.” Oh, the horrors! Having confidence in what the Lord has said? What will the fellowship of Christ come to next?

    “First he started using big words like hermeneutics, exegesis, and perpiscuity. Then he started hammering us on doctrine, of all things. Before we knew it, he was blowing out our candles and turning up the dimmer switch in the sanctuary so we could read the Bible during worship. Talk about a buzz kill. We could barely see the Nooma videos with all the lights on.”

    That answers it! Feelings being thrown under the bus, so to speak. No more Nooma? Will we be able to keep the self-praise choruses that testify how much I love God and how far I would swim, hike, walk, and ride my motorcycle to make it easier for Him to save and keep me?

    Things look dark – in a very good coming-out-of-the-darkness way. If only Pastor Wynn doesn’t succumb to the meds. If only there was Someone Who could help!

  • Comment by Michael — November 15, 2008 @ 12:13 am

    Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Um…except when I came to Jesus, the one man who took the time to really talk to me about Scripture was committed to an insane asylum by his own mother, because he talked too much about the Bible.

  • Comment by Angus — November 15, 2008 @ 1:42 am

    Wow, I’m sorry to hear that. I’m thankful that the Lord used him in your life, however.

  • Comment by D.L. Kane — November 15, 2008 @ 10:51 am

    I can’t tell you how God used your wit and cleverness to bring some joy to my soul. Timing was perfect! Based on how I was feeling last night, I would have probably had to admit myself for treatment by Monday or Tuesday, if for no other reason but to have the doctors MRI my head. The wall is holding up a great deal better than my head. Bam! Bam! Bam!

    If I end up with a full blown “break down” I hope to share a room with Pastor Wynn! Thanks again – laughing out loud is good medicine – well at least it alters brain chemistry enough to get through the day.

    Glad I found you guys,
    D.L. Kane

  • Comment by Lisa Nunley — November 17, 2008 @ 7:10 pm

    Okay… HILARIOUS and sadly true at the same time. Today on my Facebook before I was lead to your site from Rebeccawrites blog, my update said “Lisa finds it grievous that if you have epistamologic confidence you are labeled as arrogant; more grievous that doubt is the new “humility”…

  • Comment by Carol — November 20, 2008 @ 10:01 pm

    Imagine that, he wanted to share the Word of God and they had him “committed”. This reminds me of when I was attending “church” and they looked at me strangely when I suggest a Bible study….They didn’t have time for their Bibles, but they sure spent time on the phones gossiping about people….

    Sad that the fundamentalists are treated like the lunatics.

  • Comment by Jim Burgoon — November 21, 2008 @ 4:37 pm

    Try this one on feelings:

    Go to http://www.biblelimericks.com, Archives, “John 20: 31, Feelings, Faith or Facts”:

    Of this group which is first? One, two, three?
    Many folks think it’s faith, don’t you see?
    But dear friend, faith in what?
    In the facts, I rebut.
    Next comes faith and then feelings. Agree?

  • Comment by Andrew Lacey — November 22, 2008 @ 4:29 pm

    I read this and I thought it’s probably not far from the truth, except most pastors won’t get in to this position to begin with.

    It’s the people in the congregation who need to flee churches like this and there are many.

    Usually they are made to feel obligated to the ‘church’ rather than to God’s word and either intimidation/giving them a stack of responsibilities are used to tie people down

  • Comment by Eddie Eddings — December 2, 2008 @ 5:10 pm

    Michael Ssid:

    …”the one man who took the time to really talk to me about Scripture was committed to an insane asylum by his own mother, because he talked too much about the Bible.”

    …well, I’m out now.

  • Comment by Tracye — December 10, 2008 @ 9:56 am

    New American Standard Bible (©1995)

    “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

  • Comment by Joanna — January 12, 2009 @ 1:04 am

    Sadly it wouldn’t surprise me if it actually happened.

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