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Hello St. John’s Family,
Late Tuesday evening, as we were sitting on the sofa trying to wind down after a long day, my wife saw that Tony Campolo had died. Some may recognize that name (I think Tony spoke here at St. John’s once, perhaps at the 50th Anniversary Celebration); others may not. Tony was a pastor, professor, and influential leader who dedicated his life to living as if Christ meant what he said. All of what he said… including the difficult, potentially dangerous teachings. Tony’s deep commitment to that premise often put him at odds with other prominent leaders. It also enabled him to positively influence, shape and encourage multiple generations of people – including me – seeking to follow Christ faithfully, despite the world’s efforts to place labels and categories on what it means to be “Christian.”
Anyone who had the opportunity to hear Tony speak or preach quickly discovered he was one-of-a-kind. Raised in the evangelical tradition, Tony was not shy about extending the hope and good news of Christ. His delivery was part charismatic revival preacher, part deadpan comedian – with anecdotes and one-liners flowing in a Henny Youngman-esque way. You never knew what Tony might say next. Every word, though, brought home a point. Some of his classics include:
“Putting religion and politics together is like mixing ice cream with horse manure. It doesn’t hurt the horse manure; it ruins the ice cream. And I think that this merger of church and state has done great harm to religion.”
“There's nothing wrong with making a lot of money; there's something wrong with keeping it.”
"Nothing is more dangerous than to live out the will of God in today's contemporary world. It changes your whole monetary lifestyle...Let me put it quite simply: If Jesus had $40,000 and knew about the kids who are suffering and dying in Haiti, what kind of car would he buy?"
"Because I am not yet living up to what Jesus expects me to be in those red letters in the Bible, I always define myself as somebody who is saved by God's grace and is on his way to becoming a Christian. Being saved is trusting in what Christ did for us, but being Christian is dependent on the way we respond to what he did for us."
Tony’s emphasis on Jesus’ “red letter” teachings led to the formation of a movement called Red Letter Christians, which encourages all who follow Christ to read the gospels with fresh eyes and ask “What if Jesus really meant the stuff he said?” A dangerous question that just might change your life.
Yet of all the efforts; all the quotes and stories and anecdotes, one of the greatest gifts I received from Tony Campolo was encouragement. Tony didn’t just believe what he taught and shared; he lived it with vibrancy and joy, always ready to share how Christ’s hope is at work in this world. In 2019, Tony spoke at a small meeting of tired and borderline burned-out pastors who were frustrated by the decline and numerous challenges faced by the Church. Tony shared how, years back, he came across historical records from the New Berean Baptist Church in Philadelphia. This was the church Tony was raised in; it closed shortly after he was baptized at age 9. One of the last entries stated “It has not been a good year for our church. We have lost 27 members. Three joined, and they were only children.” Tony looked at the names: One was Dick White, who was a missionary for many years; one was Bert Newman, who served for decades as professor of theology at an African seminary. The third… was me. His point: a struggling yet faithful congregation on the verge of closure, with “only” 3 kids who joined, formed those 3 kids into faithful people whose impact extended exponentially farther than anyone could have imagined.
Those words encouraged my heart at a time I was struggling. They remained with me through Covid and the many challenges that continue to follow. I thank God for the bold, authentic witness for Christ that Rev. Dr. Tony Campolo offered, and I pray the Church will continue in his steps, genuinely seeking to live out the “stuff Jesus said.”
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Brad
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