ChosenRebel's Blog

I was introduced to the “Dumb Tax” at a Pastor’s Retreat. Some 50 pastors of churches between 500 and 1000 attendance gathered together to talk about best practices, issues of care for the congregation, prayer for one another, some commiserating and a lot of just caring for and encouraging one another in the work. The facilitators of the retreat at one point place a chair in the circle of 50 pastors, and invited anyone who wanted to be vulnerable to sit in the chair and tell of a “dumb tax” we had paid in ministry–some time when we made a decision that was less than smart and what we learned from the price we paid.

Here’s one of mine.

Year’s ago, by which I mean when I was about 35, half a life-time ago, I was on my way to teach a class at Trinity Seminary. a Christian radio station was in between songs and a “commercial” for a local church came on. They were about to start a new Saturday service and were advertising it to the radio community, which of course was almost exclusively Christian. It was short, crisp, well written and sounded like a great experience of worship and learning. So, here’s how my thought process.

“Great production values, well crafted and the wrong audience. All they are going to do is potentially take people from other churches.”

What was my dumb tax? Otherwise known as the “Stupid Tax” or the “Tax for Being Stupid”

The church behind the radio spot was identified as “College Church”. “I know that church”, I said. So I sat down and wrote an email to the pastor. It went something like this:

“I heard your radio spot today on  W___ advertising your new Saturday night service and it was really quite good. Great production values, and it should be a great opportunity to reach a whole new audience for the gospel. I hope and pray it is a great success and glory for the King. 

At the same time, I question the adds placement. By placing it on a Christian radio station, all it is likely to do is undercut the churches around you who are also doing a work for God. I’m not concerned for my church, we are far to far away from yours for us to lose people to this new work, but my concern is for the brothers near you who have been laboring in the Lord’s vineyard with perhaps less resources that God has blessed you with. Wouldn’t it be better to take the resources you are investing in this new service and do this spot on a local secular station and invite those who are outside the church to come and explore the gospel in the healthy atmosphere of College Church.

Again, I praying for you. I’m for you. Just my two cents on what might be a better investment for the Kingdom.

Serving the King with you,

Pastor Marty Schoenleber
New Song Church, Bolingbrook

I hit send with a brief prayer.

Two days later I got a response. The pastor of College Church called me.

He was very gracious but  told me he agreed with my assessment but that it was not his “College Church” but another “College Church” in another college town some 80 miles away that  had done the advertisement. I apologized, asked for forgiveness. We laughed and prayed together and that was how I met Dr. Kent Hughes of College Church in Wheaton for the first time.

Lessons Learned from my Dumb Tax

1. Get your facts straight before you march out in righteous indignation about what another church is doing!
2. Pray before you write, not after.
3. Maybe there is a time keep your mouth shut(or pen, or computer screen, or email send button, or phone).
4. The Scripture is always accurate:
   • Proverbs 17:28
     Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
     When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
   • Proverbs 13:16
     Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
     But a fool displays folly.

The unfortunate reality is I could probably write about another dumb tax every month for the rest of my life for all the different dumb things I have done in ministry. I am so thankful for the grace of God on this very lowly servant.