Urban Legends in the Pulpit

Christians believe they worship the God who is truth. So why is it that they often play fast and loose with the truth? "Fast and loose with the truth?" you say. "What are you talking about O Tentative Apologist?"

Well let me put it this way: I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard an urban legend in the pulpit. If I did, I'd probably have enough to take my wife out for dinner and a movie. In case you're wondering, yes, that's too many (especially considering the price of movies these days).

Perhaps you've heard this illustration of the power of prayer:

A missionary returned to report at his home church in Michigan. In the service he told them that he had been traveling through the jungle in Africa alone when a young man came up to him. This young man informed the missionary that his gang had been planning on robbing the missionary the previous night when he was camping alone in the woods.

However, they called off the attack when they came upon his campsite and saw him surrounded by twenty six large body guards. Since he was travelling alone, this testimony left the missionary stunned and confused. But not the Michigan church. Suddenly a man in the congregation stood up and asked the missionary what day this event had happened. When the missionary told him, the church realized that it was the same day that twenty-six members of the congregation had gathered to pray for the missionary's safety.

Here's the obvious lesson: prayer has the power to change things. Well sure, I believe it does. But I also know that this is a documented urban legend with no basis in reality (though I have heard it used in two different sermon illustrations). Here is what the well-respected urban legend website "Snopes" says about the case: "it's sadly ironic that so many tales contrived to display a particular belief system as The One True Way include fabrications tossed in to better carry the message." (http://www.snopes.com/glurge/26guards.asp)

Sadly ironic indeed. I believe there are many powerful examples of the power of prayer. I have experienced some myself. So why do pastors not draw upon some of these real cases instead of cases that could be spotted a mile away by any moderately trained folklorist? Why are pastors and congregants alike often so credulous?

I suspect some Christians will not appreciate this reprimand. Why don't I shut up and cheer for the home team? But I am. We must keep in mind that the home team is always truth and our fidelity to it. And how can we claim to be disciples of truth in the big things when we are unfaithful to truth in the small things?