Tony Campolo - PG-13

This weekend I'm going to be talking about Dr. Tony Campolo during worship. (With any technological luck I'm going to show a brief video of Tony telling his best story.) A college professor, author, and lecturer, Tony is a colorful and vibrant follower of Jesus. He believes passionately in the saving and transforming power of Jesus the Christ. Tony is evangelical to the core. He steadfastly refuses to fit any preconceived mold, and receives regular criticism from both the right and the left. His faith leads him to believe that the gift of sexuality is for the covenant of a man and a woman in marriage, thus angering liberals. His faith leads him to oppose capital punishment, which angers conservatives. Tony doesn't care, as long as he is faithful to the Gospel and living his faith not just in word and speech, but in deed and in truth.

Tonight a friend reminded me of one of the great stories about Tony. (What follows is tame by current secular standards, but may be somewhat PG-13 for some ears and eyes.) Speaking to a Christian group in a big city somewhere, he expressed his dismay about the number of people within walking distance of the auditorium who were dying - physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually - even as he was speaking. Tony said, "And none of us give a sh** that they're dying." There was an audible collective gasp of shock in the crowd. Tony continued. "But the worst part," he said, "is that most of you are more upset about the fact that I said 'sh**' than you are upset about the people who are dying around us!"

That's Tony. Sometimes God's truth isn't pretty. More on Tony on Wednesday...I'll see you around the next bend in the river.