An Unlikely Ambassador: Aimee Semple McPherson
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ”
I’ve been reading about influential religious individuals and their impact on the world. One fascinating religious figure I would like to share with you is Aimee Semple McPherson. She was one of the first women to be a widely famous Christian evangelist. She was unique in that she shared her Christian message by performing plays and pageants. Her sermons’ turn-of-phrase were also creative enough to be followed on national radio.
She got her start in Los Angeles in 1918, with an affirming message of salvation and the coming Apocalypse. She and her followers built a 5,300 seat temple, which included a radio station. She also traveled, holding tent revivals around the country. She wore elaborate costumes to enhance her self-authored morality plays.
What sets McPherson apart and keeps her story relevant, is her commitment to crossing the color line. She was one of the first white preachers to reach out to both white and African-American followers. Yet, she had her demons to overcome. After her third marriage ended in divorce, she went to Mexico, faking her kidnapping. Legal charges were filed against her. She was found not guilty due to “insufficient evidence.” Not long after, she died in an accidental prescription drug overdose in 1944.
Aimee Semple McPherson’s story reminds us that ambassadors for Christ are not perfect. She was creative, seemed to have a legitimate commitment to God, but struggled with the fame and some interpersonal aspects of her life. Our prayer is that we can remember that God can still use us, even in our imperfect way.
(The book I used to provide this information was entitled, Spiritual Leaders Who Changed the World, by Ira Rifkin)
