CWRC Anthology

THE LUKEWARM PASTOR.

© 2022 by  Janet Abraham.

Brought to you by the Christian Writers and Readers Club.

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I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:15 - 16. (KJV)

George was a Lime Street, OEC, youth pastor. Every morning, he went out to preach on street corners.

Aamir, a devout Muslim from Allali, approached him and introduced himself. Aamir felt remorse after receiving the message of the cross, after much deliberation.

George prayed for him while presenting him with a Bible. He invited him to church and urged him to attend the weekly Bible study.

After 6 months of internal strife, Aamir finally made the decision to attend church.

He was fighting against Christianity because he did not want it to be true. Even if that were true, apostasy laws in Islam were not lenient, therefore he would not survive long after that. He went in and prayed, “Jesus if you are God, prove it!"

In Islam, Jesus was only known as a prophet, he was known as the prophet Issa (peace be upon him). There was no way the Christians could be correct. Jesus was not God, there was just no way. And unless proven otherwise, he would not believe.

A week later, Aamir was strolling down one of the streets in his neighborhood when he saw something or rather, someone familiar. He squinted his eyes and upon inspection,  He recognised the preacher, but something about him had changed since the last time he saw him. Aamir was undecided, so he brushed it aside.

In the evening of the same day, he decided to go to the preacher's church. But Aamir didn't have much of a spiritual encounter after the service, so he quietly exited the church. He was smoking by the footpath that evening, reminiscing about what had occurred earlier in the day. He happened to spot someone who looked somewhat similar walking inside a booze store. Because alcohol is forbidden in Islam, Aamir ignored him.

Pastor George was exiting the liquor store with an open bottle in his hand, and he couldn't help but notice. He sauntered down the street, the alcohol dancing in his veins dashing everyone who passed him. This enraged a number of people, particularly women, who assaulted him before the cops arrived. Aamir sneaked into the crowd and drew George away, claiming he was psychologically ill.

As George gulped down the rest of the booze in the bottle, he sat him down the footpath. What happened to the man I saw a few months ago? Aamir stared at him the entire time. George quickly started getting back on his feet, his head spinning in the process.

“Where are you going?” Aamir asked softly

“What bothers you mister?” George interjected with the tone that was as hard as steel.

"Are you acting like a Christian?" You are a liar! What's the difference between preaching on the street in the morning and getting drunk at night? Because of people like you, Christianity is doomed to fail. We believe in Jesus, but not in the same way that you do!" Aamir exploded, accusing George with his finger.

"Who are you to teach me?" The now enraged George thundered back. "So because I'm a youth pastor and an evangelist, I'm not free to do whatever I want? You have no idea what I am going through, so how dare you judge me?"

“What was your sermon this morning?... Perseverance huh?” Aamir scoffed “A pastor who preaches but doesn’t practice?” He teased.

“You son of a... !” The drunk preacher screamed angrily, swinging his bottle from side to side in a show of violence. 

A large throng gathered around George and Amir as they argued. They disputed over their religions and spirituality until George began to vomit.

This made the large throng begin to disperse but not before eyeing George with the look of disgust.

Aamir walked out, cursing under his breath, and George's relative who had received the news of the debacle finally arrived at the said location and  drove him home.

They each have a dream that night.

George’s dream

A large multitude of people of various ethnicities assembled in front of a vast white throne, which George observed. He peered around but didn't recognize anyone's face. From the throne, there was a mighty thunderous voice that said, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.”                            

The people around him answered, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?”

Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“I will send you to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

George's entire body shuddered. "I'm going to hell?.. Forever?"

Then he saw Aamir, who was crowned and dressed in his finest white robe. The giant creatures surrounding the throne, Jesus, who crowned Aamir, and everyone else in the room all stared at George, and that's when he awoke.

Aamir’s dream

There was a large banquet, and people from all over the world sat at the table, representing many ethnicities, colors, and creeds. Aamir tried but failed to open the glass door. Inside, he recognised George, who was seated with a crown on his head and dressed in the finest robes. Aamir sobbed, unable to enter since no one noticed him. "You have to believe and obey me, Aamir!" said a loud, clear voice.

Aamir woke up with a cold sweat.

Aamir raced to the Church the next morning to discover the right person seated with his head hung by the doorstep. He stood there awkwardly until George became aware of his presence. His face flushed with embarrassment, and he pretended to be preoccupied with his phone. But he felt bad, and that guilt overcame his ego to speak to him.

“I don’t know if you will believe what I am about to tell you,” George said, breaking the silence.

“You appeared in my dream last night, and it was out of the norm."

Aamir was taken aback. "I'm in the same boat." He admitted to seeing George's face as well.

"I'm truly sorry, brother; I'm a complete failure!" I ruined my marriage, and I'm about to get tossed out of church as well." George was in tears.

Aamir rubbed his shoulder as he sat next to him.

"Do you recall what you said to me on our first meeting?"

"Have we met?" George appeared befuddled.

"When you were evangelizing, yes."

“Oh! "Did I say something?"

"Repent and confess your sins to God, since He cares for you.I wanted Him to show me that he was God, and I didn't expect it to happen this way." With a smile, Aamir clarified.

George was infected by the contagious smile. He bowed his head and prayed earnestly.

"Are you praying?" Teach me as well!" Aamir made a request.

They both chuckled and prayed together.

"Won't you share your dream with me?" Aamir asked after the prayers.

With a knowing gaze, he reassured him, and they both narrated their dreams, and thanked God afterwards for his gift of salvation upon their lives.

The end.

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Disclaimer - The characters and the places in this chapter are fictional.

Get in touch with Janet on her social media handles to see more of her works.

Wattpad: JF_Abraham. Instagram: - represent_messiah7