I've Been Collared

In all the years I have worked in Ministry, as a pastor, as a minister under another pastor, as a leader of a house church or even as a house prophet I never ever worn any of the following:

• A Collar
• A Cassock
• A Robe

Or any other accouterments. In fact I am of the Rick Warren School of Pastoral Dress. Hawaiian Shirts are God's plan.

So, when I got a call this week from our denominational area Church Planter that he wants me to wear a collar when I minister in the new Church (Because there are a lot of traditional people there) I laughed. He assured me this was no joke.

So I went out and bought a collar.

But, I'm not well today. Cold and all. Feeling peek-ed. I may go nowhere tomorrow.

We'll see.

About traditional people. I met one last Sunday. He is a Unitarian who never goes to church. His name was John. His first question of me and Pastor Aaron was, "Where did you go to seminary?" "Where did the Pastor go"? My answer was I went to the same seminary the Apostle Paul went to (That went right over his head) and that Aaron has his Masters in Divinity and soon PHD from ORU.

That seemed to satisfy.

During the service Pastor Aaron played a pretty moving review of the Crucifixion on the Video Screen. John looked away from it the whole time. Then when we did Communion he was an abstainer. I guess his beef wasn't with seminarian training but with Jesus.

I don't think a collar will solve that problem.

I am obedient to a Sr Pastor, if he wants that, I'll do it.

I've been collared.