Tonight Jim Smyrl preached the Wednesday night sermon without a tie. He had slacks, a sport coat, and a white collared shirt. He looked very handsome and most would consider him to be very neatly dressed, more so than 90% of the congregation there to hear him.
I don't care if Jim Smyrl preaches without a tie. I really don't. In fact, I don't know anyone at FBC Jax that would be upset that the preacher didn't wear a tie. Especially on a Wednesday night. Whether he wears a tie is up to him, and to his pastor for whom he works.
But to show you how out of touch these guys (our pastors and staff) are with their congregation, Jim Smyrl commented in his sermon that there were probably many people present in the congregation who would be more concerned about him not wearing a tie, than they would the lost man at their office. Now I don't doubt for a minute there's someone in a congregation of several thousand that might be offended that the preacher didn't have a tie. But the numbers are so small why bother mentioning it? And is my spiritual maturity defined by whether or not I prefer the pastor to have a tie or not have a tie?
Go ahead Mac and Jim Smyrl and believe that your congregation is stuck on things like ties, colors of carpets, and other items of "tradition". We're not. Believe me, we're not. We are a more traditional church, but we've never been afraid of change if change means reaching the lost.
Gentlemen, if you are sensing resistance from your congregation in the direction you feel the Lord leading the church, its not because of ties on Wedesday. Its much more serious matters than that, things we've discussed here on this blog.