31 Flavors of preaching....

So what does Ice cream, Batman, and James Bone all have in common?  Well there are many different flavors of each for your choosing.  I have always been a fan of secret agent movies and at the top of the list I would say James Bond  reigns supreme right over mission impossible.  Likewise I am a hugemongeous (yes i know made up word) fan of Batman.  Over the years these two movies have gone through some drastic and yet dramatic changes.  Lets check it out.

The new James Bond Daniel Craig is quite entertaining but to me he is very much the soldier and or lone ranger so to speak.  This got me thinking about which Bond I do like; since there are so many different "Bonds".  James Bond spy movies seem to come in as many flavors as the ice cream company Baskin Robins 31 Flavors.  A list of the Bonds are as follow:

Sir Sean Connery - played Bond 7 times
George Lazenby -   played Bond 1 time
Roger Moore -       played Bond 7 times
Timothy Dalton -   played Bond 2 times
Pierce Bronson -    played Bond 4 times
Daniel Craig -        played Bond 3 times but is scheduled to play 5

Now with the caped crusader (yes I am getting excited just typing about batman lol) has been a childhood favorite of mine for....ahem....decades and will most likely always have a special place in my heart.  Like Bond, the bats has also had quite a few face changes take place.  A list of Batman are as follows:

Lewis G Wilson -      was the youngest to don on the caped crusader
Robert Lowery -       was the next to try on the cape
Adam West -            Breathed life into the slightly corny side...side fact (he declined to play Bond)
Michael Keaton  -     donned the suit after 20 years of Mr. West superiority for 2 movies
Val Kilmer  -            A one term batman cape wearer
George Clooney -     Also a one time caped crusader
Christian Bale -        Gave the Bats Rebirth and respect once again for 3 movies

So after typing all that what do these two franchises have in common?
1.  They each went through changes, some good and some bad

2.  They both had their causes that they fought for.  Bond was Queen and country and Bats was       Gotham City.

3.  No two Bonds and no two Batman characters are alike.  They each handled the situations they came across differently and with their own style.

You know what else comes in 31 flavors like these two characters and also has a vast array of choices?  Preachers and ministers; that's right preachers and ministers come in many different flavors and all of them you may not like.  If you take the Pastor from each church in your city that you have visited with several different people and had  round table discussion about them; I bet you that discussion will be going on for days if not weeks.  Reason why?  We all are individuals with different taste...Thank God for that huh?!

Like James Bond and Batman we too have our cause and that is the Kingdom of Heaven and to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Yes it can be a dirty job and demanding and depending on the geographical location it could also be dangerous, but look at what God has done.  He gave us 31+ flavors of preacher/minister.  There are some that go to the roughest areas of the world and preach the gospel and the Lord equips them for ministry.  There are some that preachers/ministers that have been thieves, murderers, pimps, crooks, abusers, drunks, drug users, divorcees, liars, teachers, lawyers, college students, professors, bums, tax collectors, fishermen, and a whole slew of other professions and characters.  And you know what?......God still used them for His purpose.

You may not like this preacher or that preacher, just like you may not like this Bond or this particular Batman but they have their purpose and cause and they do it because they love who they serve.  Bond serves Queen and country, Batman serves Gotham City and we preachers and ministers serve God Almighty the creator of all that is seen and even unseen.  You may not like the tactics, you may not even understand why in the world God chose them, but know that nothing in this world is not done without the hand of God (1 Corinthians 10:26).  

Because of Christ we have choices and flavors that help speak to us.  These preachers and ministers go where the Lord tells them and minister to his people.  a Big name preacher who is used to say upper class folk may not be able to minister to someone who is probably in middle class or maybe even lower class, but thank God there is a minister that is in that class.  God loves us enough that instead of just one flavor of preacher/minister he gives us many flavors.  Street preachers, pulpit preachers, evangelist, missionaries, Pastors and many others out there to do God's work.

It is an honor and a gracious opportunity to preach God's word and minister to his people.  To be called to speak his word and be used as a vessel for his purpose are sometimes beyond words to express.  it can be taxing and tiring and frustrating, but it is also very rewarding and enriching.  So please give thanks for preachers and ministers alike.  Even the ones that are not of Christ have their place and also help teach us what to watch out for.  Thank God for 31 Flavors huh??!!!