The Skro

This past Monday, Blake Brodien preached. Brodien, known affectionately as “flake,” “Skrodien,” or “Brodizzle” is a seminary student who works with the youth here at the church. He is looking hard at his call to preach. He is one of the folks who moved into the neighborhood and toughed it out. It’s a hard place to be. But he’s there for the kids. And whenever I need his truck. Don’t sell a Toyota to keep a Chrysler, dude. You have like 6 days before the Chrysler starts burning oil. I’ve seen it a hundred times.

Anyway, he asked over a year ago if he could preach. I told him if he let me hear him first. Seminary students tend to think they can just come in and preach. I was once one. Well, he finally screwed up the guts to meet me in the chapel at high noon, and he rocked.

Here’s how it went. He preached on the transforming power of grace.

My response: “You had me convinced you were going to suck.”

Blake: “huh? Wha?”

He needed to preach with boldness, and he did, but it was not what he expected, I don’t think. He was ready to go. So we set a Monday, this past Monday, and he dropped the Word on the people. It took me and Roz to help him handle the altar call. Krikey, I’ll be out of a job. He spent the rest of the evening ministering to the people.

He’s almost ready for Sunday. I don’t say that to say Monday night is not important. Au contraire; Monday night, if you can preach there, you’re ok. They heckle, the fuss, they ask questions. How I knew Brodien was really ready, even before he preached: One of our tattooed brethren took offense to me saying that peace would be a result of the Spirit in our lives. Barb Foster – yes, Barb!—about lost it! The guy said I did not know real life and about fighting and fussing. Turn the other cheek and all that. Look at my nose. Whatever. Anyway, he got upset with me when I said, “Jesus didn’t say, “You get two free shots and then it’s your tail…” He walked out fussing about real life and Barb was muttering “Jesus is real life, buddy!”

Well, Brodien went out with him and talked him down. Wow. Went to the rough dude and talked him down. Pray for Brodien. Pray that he will keep his confidence in preaching and pick up the call we see in him. Pray that the Rock doesn’t ruin us all. The previous pastor, Wes Olds, said, “Welcome to your last appointment in Knetucky.” He meant that there may not be anywhere else to send us, anywhere else that would have us. We preach the full Gospel, hard and edgy, full of grace and truth. We get heckled. We got called white motherf#$%ers a few days ago. And we thanked God for it! What will we do if we settle down?