categories: church
96 comments (+ Add)
Unsolicited Feedback
Every once in a while we get a little bit of feedback that could be categorized as…unique. Check this out and see if you can relate:
How about you? Can you share similar feedback your church has received?
Visit 
that is hilarious. Maybe you can make a re-mix with it and play it at church.
Maybe you guys just got your next teaching series. It will truly be a real practical teaching series on real life stuff: How to be human and not inconvenience anyone else.
Week One:How to pump gas and get out fast!
Week Two:How to use a credit card and not hold up the line.
Week Three:How to send an email and not waste the readers time.
funny call.
This is too good! Well, I’m sure the leadership at LifeChurch is stopping everything they are doing so they can make sure people who drive “litte red piece of junk cars” who don’t leave the gas station the instant they are done can stop representing LifeChurch. Can we get some volunteers to stand watch at all the gas stations?
This is the voicemail equivalent of an anonymous blog comment. No name, no accountability, no option for conversation. I agree with boyd, awesome teaching series on how to not be inconvenient EVER. :)
I think the caller makes a great point. We should constantly consider others and put them ahead of ourselves, and when we’re selfish (even in little things) it reflects poorly on ourselves, the Church, and God. Yes, the caller is being petty. But he’s also right.
my feedback: this is funny. people should relax and get a good laugh at it.
What do you do with that? being a pastor i have heard and seen a lot but this takes the cake! I can’t stop laughing. . . . . thanks for the post
Oh yeah. . . and, this judgmental child of God needs Jesus!
As believers we miss the little opportunities to represent Christ in the community. A question I posed to our church this week, “What is one thing you can do to show Jesus to your community?” So often we are looking to do the big things, in reality we build bridges to the lost one step at a time.
Now let’s admit, we have all been zoned out at times and not realized we are being in considerate. All the more reason to be ready always to give people a reason for the hope that you proclaim through Jesus. So if we put a bumper sticker on our car, let’s take extra care to act/drive in a way that points people to Jesus. Otherwise leave the bumper sticker off and look for others ways to show Christ:-)
It should also be noted, that we all have bad days…so let’s pile the grace on this dear lady.
ok…..? mmmmm-He just may need some Jesus…..just a thought
all i have to say….wow!
You have to wonder if possibly she dropped her keys in her purse while filling up and when she got back in her car she could not find them. Maybe she lost a contact or maybe….
You wonder who the caller was incoviencing or delaying while he made the phone call to Life Church…
Kinda makes ya wonder!
You know, I have never put an Icthus on my car for that very reason.
jejeje… is in “this” kind of ocassions that the world “care” about our “testimony”. In stuff like this we SHOULD be christians, but in other stuff… come on, don’t be soy fanatic, jeje.
Play the remix!
:)
i think he needs a happy pill. just sayin’. come on!!!!
And of course he does need Jesus, but under this kind of scrutiny who could stand?? We’ve all inadvertantly ticked someone off in our life.
It is funny but….it reminds me of a conference at Willow Creek when Bill Hybels asked us to please tip the servers well when we ate out in Chicago or PLEASE TAKE OFF OUR WILLOW CREEK NAME TAGS!!!!
Here is a prime example of the impatientce of a person that thinks that their time or thoughts are the only ones that counts. The church is made up of people who are not as perfect as he wants one to be. I agree that a person that names the name of Jesus as saviour needs to live like it and consider others. The unanswered questions that arises are thess: Why was the lady doing what she was doing? Was there a problem? Was there a physical reason that she had a difficult time getting things going after the gas was pumped? There are always people who carp and complain no matter what. I do wish that everyone was perfect in every way but people are people everywhere.
Blessings on ya!
that’s great!
reminds me of a voicemail we go when we were planting a church in Massachusetts. After sending out a series of 4 postcards introducing the church, we got a voicemail from a lady who was very angry we had sent the cards. The best line was at the end when she said “So stop sending me that G#* d@#% garbage…I’ve got my own church.” And when you say it with a New England accent, it’s even funnier!!!
Judy said it best…
OH yeah - I’ve had lots! My favorite was probably 10 years ago or more at my previous church. I was checking the voice mail and there was a brief one informing me that our church didn’t have the Holy Spirit!
Naturally the woman leaving the message didn’t identify herself!
I’ve always wondered how she knew that - and if she told the Holy Spirit since His presence sure seemed evident to me and lots of other people!
Best phone call came right before the launch of our church. We had just sent out postcards announcing our first Sunday. I get a call from a guy who identifies himself as a Christian and goes on to say the following, “I want to go to a church where the pastor preaches hard and makes me feel guilty, I want to leave feeling guilty.” To which I said, we leave that up to the Holy Spirit. His response, “Oh”. As if to say, that’s a novel idea.
The only thing that would have made this more hilarious is if Craig would have been driving the car.
Man, the theology and wisdom that can be learned from those who wait for us at the gas pump could revolutionize our churches! Craig’s new book, “Spiritual secrets from the 7 Eleven”
What about the LC guy who didn’t get a new plate at the pizza buffet? (This could go on and on…)
Thanks for the laugh.
That is great!
They that wait apon the lord shall renew their strength.
I’ve always gotten so jacked up when I felt people are inconveniencing me (still do quite often) but lately the Spirit has been prompting me to see 1) they might be dealing/thinking something I don’t know and 2) I am guilty of the same AND 3) don’t be so petty. The end result is my heart goes out to them, I don’t get all “I shouldn’t have to deal with YOUR bad driving…” and I find a pray for them in me.
Awesome! Did he also call Ford since they made her car or JCPenney who made her purse?
It’s hilarious that people would actually call to make a complaint like this as though it’s the church’s responsibility. What will we check next? Do our people sort their recycling properly? If not, call the church to complain - we’ll take care of it! ;)
When we wait apon others we have to remember that Patience is a virtue and we also may some day be elderly and could need some one to have PATIENCE FOR US.Like the lord waiited for us. We should wait on others.
That is hilarious!
I don’t think it’s about the life church sticker. I think he is just lonely. And needs somebody to talk to. He sounds elderly and most elderly do, so he is picking on the poor girl and calling you guys. He just needs some attention.
Some of our comments scare me. This is accurate for how the Body of Christ is viewed by much of society. We drive pieces of crap (we are all broke), we get in their way (instead of being helpful we’re consumed with ourselves and our agenda), and we have wonderful bumper stickers declaring where we’re from (we claim Jesus in name but have little other evidence). I thought it was a rather convicting call myself.
#25 Noel - great thoughts. Something I struggle with as well. Who knows what this poor caller was / has been dealing with at the time. Grace.
That is awesome…that’s why I don’t have license plate covers or bumper stickers!!! Thanks for the chuckle.
20 odd Years ago we set up a telephone line where people could ring up and listen to a small thought each day. We recorded a different message each day. Once the message had played through the caller could leave a message. We rather unimaginatively called it “Dial a Message”. We had 1000s of flyers distributed with the invitation to Dial a Message. One morning we listened back to a voice mail left by a caller. After having listened to some message about Jesus he said: Ah..Err..I thought it was dial a MASSAGE!
Billy
That is funny!
This is rather intriguing. It’s always good to hear what those outside of the body want to have taught in church based on their interpretation of what it means to be a Christian. I’m also looking forward to Craig’s series, “If You Have A Bumper Sticker You’re Always A Witness” including #2 on how Jesus wouldn’t linger at the pump.
The greater point I take from this is that when we place a target on our backs saying we represent Christ then our example had better be flawless cause the enemy of your souls will surely try and provoke others to find reason to criticize which has happened here. There are obviously two sides to this story, one yet to be told but without the license plate frame this man would never have called… he needed an out to express his impatience and the lady gave it to him through her license plate frame.
I commend the leaders here for not hiding this call and allowing it the scrutiny it draws good or bad. That’s being real and I appreciate that.
Bobby, I had no idea when I left the message that you would rebroadcast it to the world…lol.
Yeah come on Bobby! I’m with this guy!!! Sort your people out!!!!
HAHAHAHA!!!! Just kidding… the joys of church leadership :)
Yeah that is funny. But at the same time, if people are going to have stuff that shows their faith (Jesus fish on the car for example) they need to be good examples. If you have a Jesus fish on your car at least try to drive respectfully. One of my friends that is a radical driver decided to take hers off because she didn’t think that she was being a good example of Christ’s love when driving 100 mph down the freeway swerving between cars.
SO GREAT…I am still laughing!!!! Man…do I see this ALL too much living in the bible belt… Joel said it best….”This is the voicemail equivalent of an anonymous blog comment”…Those Anon..blog comments and opinions are so annoying…how does the saying go…If you spot IT you’ve GOT IT! Man people take junk like this WAY too far…how about helping others in need with your valuable time dude…hmmmm :)
[...] Posted on January 21, 2009 by gracedependent It appears that the folks at Lifechurch.tv got some unsolicited feedback from their community. Take a listen and then let me know how you’d respond if that message [...]
We’re a big bunch of self-righteous back-slappers, aren’t we? We assume the best motives of the woman in the car and the worst motives of the guy calling. I guess that’s an easy way to not have to look in the mirror and change our own behavior.
Maybe this guy should think of the minute of my life I’d like to have back that I used to listen to his whining. Before me there were about 40 posts so that means he’s wasted 40 minutes of other people’s time listening to this plus the 5 minutes or so it had to have taken to look up the LC number, call and be transfered and leave the voicemail. That means he’s wasted a total of at least 45 minutes in order to complain about this woman wasting 5 of his.
Maybe the answer is to rethink our church bumper stickers, then.
“I’m imperfect and I go to [church name].”
“Ya, I’m not the best driver, but [church name] loves me anyway.”
“Sorry if I made you mad, please don’t take it out on [church name].”
“How am I driving? Don’t call [church name].”
Oh - I know who this guy is - he’s Brother Better Than You. Judge not dear brother - lest YOU be judged. What ever happened to “forgive others as we forgive those who trespass against us?” Where is the LOVE? When did Jesus start requiring background checks for potential church-goers? I certainly wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance of making it in the club - my car’s not a piece of junk - but it does need to be cleaned…
I can top this. A couple of weeks ago one of my fellow church staffers stopped on the side of the road to help a poor lady in her 60s whose car was stalled on the street. In the pouring rain he did his best to help her, pouring gas in her car and helping to push the car to a level driveway so they could start the motor. All the while people were honking their horns and screaming obscenities at them because they were inconvenienced. Later my friend is standing in the grocery store, sopping wet from being out in the rain helping that lady, when a man he doesn’t know pushes his cart in front of him and stares at him. Then he says, “You made us wait; now I’ll make you wait.” Then he walked off!
ha
This is TOO funny… but brings up a valid point. I AM NOT A GOOD ENOUGH DRIVER TO ADVERTISE FOR JESUS ON MY BUMPER.
HINT: Neither are you. which is why Christian bumper stickers are the worst advertising God could hope for.
I think Brandon Duff said it best in #9.
This is definitely a scenario we ourselves encounter everyday. But, consider these same principles within the church itself. How many times have any of you ever stereotyped a person and acted accordingly based on the church they attend or their publicly displayed beliefs either being different from our own home church, or associated with something that has harmed you in the past?
The point is, is that, being Christ followers we are easy targets. But, being self critical how often do we ourselves take offensive? Who become our easy targets?
I wonder how many times this car has been sold since the LC bling?
flippin’ hilarious!
that sounds like a call I would make as a prank to another pastor friend of mine… what a great call!
Stinkin’ Hilarious….
He is right….that really “hags me off” too…;P
Sadly… those “outside” of Christ often hold the “church” to a standard that no one could live up to…
I think the call is insightful, (and yes silly)… and shows that the eyes of the world are watching followers of Christ to see how they behave…
Sadly… if it isn’t a joke… and he saw how some of you reacted in this post, you may have turned him off to Christ forever…think about that on deeper levels…
Reaching out to people includes the grumpy, judgmental, gas guys… I am surprised at the high school mentality and lack of maturity on a “leadership blog”… but at least you guys know Christ right?
You could also totally use the call as an outreach…
Play it in church and then have groups of people who have done that apologize…by the masses to anyone ho has ever felt like that guy…
That is taking a negative, and turning it into an outreach opportunity…
I for one have fiddled around in my car and made someone else wait… Ill do my best to be more conscientious of others!!! Sorry for being so selfish!
Let me tell you about Jesus!
Criag, thanks for making me laugh so hard before I have even finished my first cup of coffee. You know this would be a great intro into a new series. Certainly could use this in a sketch! Loved it.
Just one more reason why I won’t put any “religious” sign on my car. The guy is petty but he makes a point. Zoned out or not she needs to be aware of her impact. Just a thought from someone who tends to give the “evil eye” to dumb drivers and sometimes honks when a doofus turns. I bet that really shows jesus! I do know it embarrasses my wife. :)
this is yet another reason I won’t put a bumper sticker/fish magnet/church ID on my car.
When I’m an idiot I’d rather people just take it out on me…
that is the funniest/dumbest thing i have ever heard! :)
Not too long ago I put a bumper sticker for my local Christian radio station on my car. A non-Christian friend told me I needed to take it off, which I did not do. However, after listening to the v-mail and reading the comments I think I will probably do just that.
OK… I remember that guy and he’s way wrong. First of all, I’m not a woman, I was just having a bad hair day. Second, it wasn’t five minutes it was only 3. I know this because I was listing to the last two versus of “Hotel California” on the radio, which is my favorite song and that only lasts 3 minutes. Third, I wasn’t fiddling my purse - it’s a man’s attache and I was looking for my tissues because “Hotel California” was bringing back highschool memories and I was getting a little choked up. Finally, my car is a classic not a piece of junk and the coat hanger on the trunk is only temporary and also the LifeChurch.tv bumper sticker keeps the rain from leaking in the hole where the lock used to be. So, please, give me a break.
So one guy makes a stupid phone call and we all run out and put a bushel over our candle. Unbelievable!
Tom, I agree, let’s walk the walk AND talk the talk. That doesn’t mean we have to be perfect. Those that see us and expect perfection have bigger issues to deal with. We just have to laugh it off.
If this guy was as upset as he sounds, why wasn’t he more proactive while in the situation? Why not honk, knock on the window, or better yet move to another pump?? :)
I do think we have to be aware of our surroundings as Christ followers, but this is kinda extreme in my opinion. This guy just sounds like someone that will find something wrong with a beautiful sunny day.
I think this guys twin brother goes to our church.
I want to meet this man.
Brad #48 has a great point. I will never display any logo regarding Christianity on my car, because I am flawed just like the next person. Thank God for HIS GRACE!
Did anyone call this guy back and invite him to church?
Too bad he didn’t leave his phone number. You could have invited him to church, where he could have demonstrated for everyone to see what a “real” and “considerate” believer looks like.
The very idea, that this is the pastors job - to teach people how to be considerate at the gas pump. This guy needs to get a life!
I wonder if he spoke to her, perhaps her car was malfunctioning and she was “fiddling through her purse” for her cell. Perhaps it was one person being inconsiderate. Perhaps the caller is enveloped in the American attitude of entitlement, it would be a shame if this poor man had to wait five minutes to fuel his car, or if his pizza took over 30 minutes arrive… If this does motivate you to do a lecture series, that would be a great one- the american dream: “I want it my way, right away, and don’t care who I have to walk over to get what i want”
[...] A nice web master placed an interesting blog post on Unsolicited Feedback - LifeChurch.tv : swerveHere’s a brief overviewJan 21, 2009 at 12:17 pm. When we wait apon others we have to remember that Patience is a virtue and we also may some day be elderly and could need some one to have PATIENCE FOR US.Like the lord waiited for us. We should wait on others. … [...]
Some of the comments here surprise me. You give so much grace to the “poor guy” who had to wait while assuming this woman is a “bad witness” because she made the guy wait. Why not give BOTH of them grace? As a woman on a tight budget, I sometimes fiddle in my car because I’m writing down how much the gas cost right then and there (so I don’t forget). Give them both grace and lighten up :) The poor guy is probably living in a pattern of offense and needs to be set free. I pity him. And that poor woman was probably doing something important to her unknowingly making the guy wait. Good grief, sometimes we as Christians take ourselves way too seriously :)
I’d have to admit that I loved that Bible passage that he quoted…
“Part of being a Christian is to not be a hindrance, an encumberment, and a burden to others…”
Just too bad I can’t remember what book it’s in.
I can feel the love… you Christian leaders ought to know better …
When is it ever okay to react like that from leaders of the church in America from all over the country?
I hope you are having a great time… because it seems as if the man was right about at least the spirit that seems to be emanating from some of you… so the phone call seems a revealing prophecy…
With some it seems he hit the nail on the head…
Its okay for him… becuse he seems to be an outsider… and it is those outside we need to reach…
You are supposed to be insiders… and you ought to know better… 1Corinthians 9:12
What if it were you whose mind was ensnared and twisted by the devil?
What if it were you who made the phone call in a moment of frustration?
What if it were you who saw how “leaders” from all over the country reacted like some have…?
Though the blog is private… the Lord is watching, and He hears you…
And you might be wondering why your church isn’t growing….
That is supposed to be 1Cor 5:12 by the way…
Pastor,
I think he is RIGHT. you really should do a WHOLE series called “How would Jesus pump gas”.
Your right pastor…
Or maybe a series on “How would Jesus respond to the sinners that the Pharisees condemned, overlooked, and made fun of behind the scenes, and the leaders who thought it was funny…”
Now that would be funny… wouldn’t it?
I agree that the caller would seem petty to us, but if it was me behind that lady I cant say that I wouldn’t feel the same way. Before I was saved, things like this really affected my view of Christians. Just goes to show that the most important ministry any church has doesn’t happen on Sunday (or Saturday for LC.tv)…it happens Monday thru Saturday. Like Craig has said (and I agree) the church is not here for us, but we are the church and we are here for the world. We are all ministers whether we like it or not. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the lady in the red car was intentional in hindering this man. Just saying we have to look at it from his perspective. I saw a survey that said one of the top five things non-Christians think about Christians is that we are too judgmental. Something to think about before we post our blogs. I’m glad LC.tv shared this with everyone because it reminds us what it was like before we were Christ followers. How can we reach them if we cannot relate to them?
Well said Jason. I have had people flip me off for pulling into the pump in front of the one they we’re parked at, I guess they didn’t want to have to turn their steering wheel to pull out? People are sinful, emotion and a bit crazy christian and non-christian alike. This is hilarious and a sad statement about america all rolled into one.
Amen Jason…
Your the type of leader I look up to… and hope with all my heart God builds more of..
Thanks for leading… in the right direction…inwards and upwards…
You HAVE to play this in the middle of a sermon, right?!
It’d be a sweet teaching moment re: how those outside of the church view those on the “inside”… right?
It’s all about the value of branding. The brand was objective. The experience was subjective. Which carries more weight?
[...] Bobby Gruenewalk posted an interesting voicemail that LifeChurch.tv received recently. You can listen to it by clicking here. [...]
Maybe you should start selling HWJPG bracelets to go with the LifeChurch.tv t-shirts and bumper stickers. HWJPG: “How Would Jesus Pump Gas?” Maybe this is why Jesus came to the Earth long before answering machines and gas stations were invented!
[...] post directs you to this site to listen to the voice mail left by a driver who was peeved by a woman who was thinking more about her appearance than the [...]
I am with the caller. Its an opportunity to judge ourselves (all of us as christians) and not judge others.
(now this is where I contradict my own advice and critique some of the comments I have read).
It seems some people dont like some constructive feedback (any feedback is good feedback). If we were a small for profit mom and pop store we would certainly take it on board. Or are we a non-caring bureaucracy?
It seems that those who “work in ministry” are the ones who can laugh it off as “ha ha just part of the life of working in ministry”. Do we get so closed minded?
hey - after all this critiquing I just want to say that you guys ROCK and keep up the good work (and the geek in me really liked the way you embedded that audio file in the web page)
Tried to listen and didn’t work. Used firefox and safari.
OMG… This is awesome.
Makes me wanna buy a “red piece of junk car” LOL
What a hoot.
The same could be said in crowded parking lots at Christmas time — get in and take 5 minutes to adjust the stereo volume, wait for the heater, and check your voice mail.. .
Chris
If you’re a christian, everything you do is being judged by someone else. Every interaction we have with someone is an opportunity to reflect who God is, or reflect what the world is. The problem is we all screw up and look like hypocrites. There’s nothing we can do about that. But we can start to realize that if we’re wearing a Christian shirt, sporting a bumper sticker, or talking about God - what we do reflects on God. And for some our bad behavior may be the final reason they are looking for to walk away permanently from God.
[...] we seek to live out a life of faith, don’t put makeup on at a gas pump, don’t drive like a lunatic if you have a Christian bumper sticker, and don’t stiff the [...]
Listen To The Take 40 Australia…
You have got to be kidding!…
Everyone is ripping on the guy who left this message, and perhaps with warrant.
However, this should be a great example of how the world has the expectation that we are perfect, and that is likely as a result of judging others as if we’re in a place to judge.
The reality is that this is how people view Christians, and the impression we give. Maybe we should do a better job at showing that we’re human (and not God) and then people won’t expect us to be God.
I agree with Brandon Duff #9. How many opportunities do Christians miss to show the love of Jesus?
Sometimes people are not aware they are being rude, so we must use discernment.
When you have a full basket in the grocery store, look behind you and if the person behind you has just a few items, let him check out first. There are many opportunities in the community to reach out to others which are sometimes overlooked.
When I’m an idiot I’d rather people just take it out on me…