Dave Andrews

The role of the Auditor is ‘to study a script for a play, audit the performance of the script (and) ensure the intended meaning of the script is accurately communicated. They are the ones who step in to the middle of a theatrical production and say “This is not what the author of this script intended to be conveyed in this scene”.’

I can remember one Sunday morning when I found my self, playing this role, almost exactly as described. I was invited to speak at a large regional charismatic church. The service started with a typical contemporary ‘worship’ time. Singing songs of praise over and over again for almost an hour. When I was eventually asked to speak I began by asking the crowd to reflect on the songs they had been singing.

I wanted to open positively.

So I picked a phrase from one of the songs that I liked, and said:

‘Isn’t that a great line – “Let the weak say I am strong in the strength of the Lord!”

‘Amen’ the crowd cried affirmatively.

Then I asked: ‘Do you love your times of “worship”?’

‘Yes.’ They called out appreciatively.

‘I’m interested to know how many time did Jesus call us to worship him?’

They looked at me hesitantly.

‘Twenty times? Ten times? Five times?’

Then one lone voice shouted –‘Never! Not once!’

I said, ‘That’s right. He received worship from Thomas, when the disciple offered it. But Jesus himself never ever asked anyone to worship him. Never! Not once!’

Then I said, ‘If Jesus didn’t ask us to worship him, what did he ask us to do?’

Then a few brave souls hollered – ‘Follow him.’

I said, ‘That’s right. He never called us to worship him. Because he didn’t want us to bow down to him like an idol, saying ‘’You’re so awesome, I can never be like you.’’ He called us to follow him. Because he wanted us to treat him as a role model, saying ‘’I so admire you, I really want to be like you’ and follow in his footsteps.’’

Then I concluded by stepping ‘in to the middle of (the) theatrical production’, as an Auditor, saying ‘How heart-breaking it must be for Jesus, whom we say we serve, that every week we gather to focus on doing something he never asked us to, and throughout the week we forget to do the one thing that he asked us to do!’

There was awkward silence. Then the band played a favourite ‘worship’ song, the congregation joined in singing, and they moved on from the embarrassing moment.