Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Suddenly everyone is shy

Occasionally, like this afternoon, I'll get a phone call from someone asking if I'd be willing to chat a little bit on the radio about some topic or another, or to just be interviewed for a piece in a local paper. Today the call came from Southern Ontario, (quite near the old stomping grounds as a matter of fact, but I digress.)

He wanted to include me in a short chat on the radio and his program started at 1 pm. I started doing the time zone math in my head and realized that's about exactly when we get started here in the field. Churchwise.

So I had to decline, but I offered to call around to some other pastors who might be willing to help him out. I started in Ontario, the same time zone as the show, to make it easier on the mornings expectations on the pastor. 

Nope, nobody free or willing there.

So I moved over to Manitoba, one hour back. Still no go, no one comfortable or willing.

Ok then, back out here in Alberta. Maybe some churches are not meeting at 11 am, and I did find some who were free at that time, but just not comfortable with the idea.

Ok.

Back to Saskatchewan then. I still know some pastors there.

Bingo. Some old Anglican friends who are free around 12 on Sunday and would have no problem doing that.

 

Now, I know my own initial response inside my head was a fearful NO, but I quickly got past that. Then I thought, why so afraid?

I know how it goes sometimes, I've been misquoted enough in print to not want to talk to reporters again. 

But still, an opportunity to engage culture, just a wee bit?

Is it worth the risk of embarrassment? Of messing up?

Or is it better to play it safe?

 

I'm just asking, myself as well.

Why is the first word out of our mouths a NO?

1 comment:

  1. I suppose it has something to do with ease of verbal speech and feeling comfortable with the subject matter. I have been asked to give radio interviews(in French no less)and it makes me darned uncomfortable trying to retrieve the information from the deep recesses of my brain and then put it into coherent speech so that I actually say something about the question asked. Scary. But it all seems to work out well in the end if the reporter is sympathetic and a bit on the patient side. Not my cup of tea really though.

    I suspect most pastors feel a bit the same.

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