Have enemies? - Stay the course!

In living his life of faith that God called him to - Clarence had many that loved him - but many did not. Some of those went to church. He was even ex-communicated from a church. Even in this 'Christian' nation sometimes following Christ has had its cost. Was Clarence a 'divisive brother'? As a NT Greek scholar he differed with the current trend of 'Christianity' in his time - love of wealth, love of militarism, love of segregation.

When he and some others started a 'demonstration plot' for the Kingdom of God - Clarence loved his neighbors - and for that some hated him.

This is how Clarence Jordan handled 93 car loads of enemies coming to the farm.

One time about 93 carloads of Ku Klux Klansmen came out to Koinonia and suggested to us that we find a climate a little bit more conducive to our health. We declined it and word got out that I was about to be lynched and some very dear ones came to me and suggested that I find refuge north of the Mason-Dixon line.

I said, "Well, we came here because of the will of God and, if we leave, it will have to be because of the will of God."

They said, "Now, wait a minute here, you been a preacher too long. You get your head out of them theological clouds and face up to reality. That Klan is about to lynch you and you might as well face up to it."

Well, I hadn't been sitting there being shot at and machine gunned and all like that for three years without being aware of the fact that I was in danger. But I said to them, "Now, what do you mean 'face up to reality?"

They said, "Be practical. It's all right to discuss theology at the seminary, but you got to face up to the cold stark facts of life."

I said to them, "Now listen. I think I'm the one that's being realistic and you're the one that's being unrealistic. You're facing up to the demands of the Klan which is temporal and transient and I'm facing up to the demands of God who is eternal. Now who's being realistic? I think God was here before the Klan and I he'll be here after the Klan is gone. And I think God is more real in this universe than the Ku Klux Klan."

* From "The Substance of Faith- Cotton Patch Sermons by Clarence Jordan

I pray for more Cotton Patch Christians. Humble servants of a mighty God. Creating 'demonstration plots' - areas that reflect Kingdom living in a fallen world. Some of the 'world' will love them and we hope they are drawn to Christ because of his servant heart. Some (either of the world or the 'church') will hate them - a Cotton Patch Christian will answer with a humble heart and bent knee.