The real St. Eutychus?

Was Paul truly boring? I've got a new theory. Perhaps he was a bit more like Driscoll. In fact, perhaps he was better! Maybe he was really funny and interesting. I mean, why else would people listen to him preach all night? I bet he had heaps of hilarious stories from the baths that would keep the gentiles entertained for hours.

All things to all men, does that sound like someone who doesn't know how to hold an audience to you? Chris Rock has nothing on old St. Paul.

How can you reconcile this now-proven reality with the data contained in Acts 20:9 where Eutychus 'fell asleep' while Paul was preaching? Did he have no sense of humour? Was he just a really young 'young man' and needed a nap? Was he narcoleptic?

I would like to suggest that perhaps a psychosynopticising reading of the text may provide the answer. And so, I present to you my alternative reading of Acts 20:9:

lachschlaganfall
n. a condition in which a person falls unconscious due to violent laughter

Known unconvictions

There are many things that I've heard before. Particularly the kinds of things that preachers say. Even the kinds of things that theological lecturers say. And, dare I say it, things that principals of theological colleges say.

Am I the only one who switches off when I hear something that I've heard before?

I think in the context of theological education there's a problem with my attitude. I'm pretty sure that there's a reason that Bruce keeps banging on about the same things and it's not because he's getting old and has forgotten that he's just said the same thing 5 minutes ago.

What ends up happening is that by the time I get really frustrated enough with Bruce for repeating the same things so many times over, I actually start to think about it. And I can tell that he's not repeating it so that I know it. It's because he wants me to be convicted by it. So convinced, that it will shape my life and ministry in ways that will keep me faithful and protect God's people.

In the times that I get to that point, it's a little easier to listen. Even with a fuzzy head.