Home
Stromberg Has Pastors Laughing All Evening
By Stan Friedman
CHICAGO, IL (January 31, 2006) - Standing in front of a giant banner that bore
the theme of this week's Midwinter Pastors Conference – "Great is the
Lord who delights in the welfare of his people" – comedian Bob Stromberg
had more than 1,000 ministers whistling the theme to The Andy
Griffith Show during Monday evening's opening worship service.
Accompanying the gathering on guitar, he asked them, "When was the last
time you did this in church?"
In introducing Stromberg, David Kersten, executive minister of the
Department of the Ordered Ministry, told the gathering the importance of
pastoral health and the value of laughter. And laugh they did –
throughout the evening performance - with many people wiping tears from
their eyes during the hour-long routine that was part of the opening
night's worship service.
Stromberg regaled the crowd with stories such as living with an
overprotective mother obsessed with the probability that her son would
catch pneumonia. "Pneumonia was a constant threat in my house," he said.
A lifelong Covenanter who grew up in the Alleghany Mountains of northern
Pennsylvania, he told of accepting Jesus as his savior at age five with
a prayer that included, "I want to be your boy." He said he once was
asked by officials of another denomination not to share that story
during a performance – seems there was a debate among people of that
denomination whether a child that age could make such a decision.
Stromberg told Monday night's crowd that "God speaks to whoever he wants
to, whenever he wants to."
The comedian also told the story of his music teacher who had
accidentally tucked her skirt into her girdle before walking on stage
for the town's elementary school Christmas program. There, before
hundreds of people, she revealed what should not be revealed. He spoke
of her humiliation and how no one spoke of the event for more than a
decade. He then went on to note that some day, all that we have ever
said or done will be revealed to everyone. "So if you're interested,
just be patient," he quipped.
We can walk confidently, he suggested, knowing that God will not hold
those sins against us, but will remove them "as far as the east is from
the west." He ended with everyone singing the song, "As the East is from
the West."
Aleese Moore-Orbih will speak at Tuesday night's worship service on how
pastors can encourage their congregations to be advocates for the abused.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
