wfn.org | God uses rednecks, comedian Foxworthy says

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

June 19, 2000  News media contact: Tim Tanton·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-21-71B{280}

By Alice M. Smith*	

ATHENS, Ga. (UMNS) -- Rednecks have a special place in the Bible's unfolding
message of God's hope and love, the king of redneck comedy, Jeff Foxworthy,
told some 4,000 United Methodist worshippers June 14.
	
"God used rednecks ... unsophisticated people ...  in mighty ways,"
Foxworthy said.  "The people Christ trusted to share his message were guys
that fished. He didn't go into the temple looking for people, he went to the
fishing docks."
	
God even chose to come to earth as a redneck, Foxworthy said, describing
Jesus' birth in a manger as "a step down from a barn. He could have come any
way; he could have come to the most grand palace and lived as a king of
kings with riches, and yet he didn't. He came in the lowest possible form to
a peasant girl."
	
Foxworthy's message capped off a night of worship and celebration that
reverberated throughout the Athens Classic Center and had United Methodists
dancing, swaying and clapping to the beat of praise music.
	
That kind of activity would have resulted in a "couple of folks being toted
off to jail where I grew up," quipped Foxworthy - who was raised in a
Southern Baptist church -- as he came onstage to begin his talk.
	
Before turning serious, he had United Methodists howling with his comparison
of rednecks with their sophisticated counterparts. For example,
sophisticated people have stock portfolios and retirement plans while
rednecks have commemorative NASCAR plates and play the lottery, he said.
	
"Sophisticated people hide their money," he said, "while rednecks like to
show ours off and put everything we own in the front yard."
	
The top-selling comedy-recording artist grew up in Hapeville, Ga., and lives
in the metro area with his wife, Gregg, and two daughters in a house next
door to his brother and his family.  He is the author of 11 books, including
his best-known, You Might be a Redneck if ... .
	
In his introduction, the Rev. Terry Walton, pastor of Cannon United
Methodist Church in Snellville, described Foxworthy's Christian commitment
and his readiness to share his testimony "in many places where they would
never consider inviting a preacher." 
	
Although his mother regularly took him and his siblings to church, Foxworthy
fell away from the church in his teen years when he became disillusioned by
the judgmental attitude he witnessed among some church members.
	
He urged United Methodists to remember the two most important biblical
commandments, to love God and to love one another, and reminded them that no
one in their own right is deserving of God's grace. 

"As you look out at people, try not to judge them," he said. "Try to trust
the fact God will complete the good work he started in them."
	
If United Methodists are to fulfill their stated mission of making
disciples, love must be their core, Foxworthy said, quoting John 13:34: "By
this all men will know you are my disciples."

In an evening of high moments, soul-raising music played a key part. The
song leader for the evening was the Rev. Cynthia Wilson, minister of worship
and music at Ben Hill United Methodist Church in Atlanta.  

Other musical highlights were performances by the Ben Hill choir and the
North Georgia Conference youth choir Cantemos under the direction of the
Rev. Barbara Day Miller.  The youth choir will leave next week for a concert
tour in Jamaica.

The theme for the night was "Pentecost 2000," a celebration of the 2,000th
birthday of the Christian church. The Scripture from Acts detailing the
moment when the Holy Spirit filled the disciples and the first believers
were converted was read in three languages (English, Korean and Hispanic)
and proclaimed in American Sign Language as well.

The New Testament passage in the different languages was presented first by
readers individually and then together, symbolizing the fact that at the
first Pentecost people who spoke different languages were all able to hear
and discern the gospel message.

Video greetings were brought by three prominent Georgia United Methodists -
Gov. Roy Barnes, Beverly Harvard, chief of police for the city of Atlanta,
and Dan Reeves, coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

They were followed on screen by young Bo Higgins, who proudly proclaimed, "I
am not the future of the church. I am the church." He is the son of the Rev.
James Higgins, pastor of Haygood United Methodist Church in Atlanta, and Pam
Higgins, a member of the council on ministries staff.

The service culminated the Vision 2000 program, which Walton chaired. Vision
2000 was begun several years ago to encourage individual United Methodists
churches to look closely at their communities and then move intentionally to
meet the needs around them. 

In a pledge to continue God's work in the world, United Methodists in the
packed and darkened room held up tiny flashlights that had been placed in
their chairs.

"There's a lot of darkness in the world," said North Georgia Bishop Lindsey
Davis.  "Because of the awesome power of God, we're called to be the light.
... We will be a witness as we live our lives for Jesus Christ."

# # #

*Smith is executive director of the Georgia United Methodist Communications
Council.

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United Methodist News Service
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