Men, Macho and Ministry-Dr. Pete Alwinson

I love the Socratic method. It’s part of what makes me a
curmudgeon. It went out of style a long time ago as the premier
didactic tool of education, but I had the good fortune of having
some professors who didn’t drink the cool-aid of modern
educationalese and still taught that way. One had to come to
class prepared knowing the professor would likely
challenge their knowledge and arguments for or against the
issue under discussion.


“What do you think about that Mr. Bash?” might come out of the
professor’s mouth at any moment, making daydreaming quite a
perilous activity.


I snuck in late to a special event one time which was featuring
one of those aforementioned professors. You knew him, Pete. His
name was R.C. Sproul and hundreds of people were in attendance.
As he was apt to do he broke into a Latin phrase to make a fine
point which always got people’s attention wondering if he had
lost his mind. Like quoting Latin is going to make something
clearer, right?


In dramatic fashion he turned his back on the audience and walked
toward the blackboard he would use long after they went out of
style, raising his hands in the air he said, “What does that
mean, BASH?”


This wasn’t my church. I was a stranger there. So much for my
trying to sneak in late inconspicuously. Immediately turning 50
shades of red I responded with the right answer from the middle
of the crowd, wanting to sink through the floor only to have my
professor say, “No! It means…” and then he went on to say loudly
with the microphone exactly what I had said. He was such a
turkey.


What does that have to do with today? Men, Macho & Ministry?
I want to do a bit of that Socratic method with our guest, even
play the devil’s advocate, if you will.


Really? In this day and age to focus on men? Doesn’t this guy
know that’s as out of fashion as the Socratic Method?


Dr. Pete Alwinson, California native, but has made Orlando home
for decades, has a ministry to men that keeps growing. Talk about
bucking the trend. Doesn’t he know that there’s not much
difference between men and women? It’s the 21st century. And in
church too? Bet he believes only men should be leaders in the
church and the Bible ought to keep its sexist language and that
God has a beard like a grandFATHER.


Why in the world would someone focus on men and church in this
day and age?


Welcome Dr. Alwinson to Church Hurts And.