BY The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE -- The first worship service in Southeast Christian Church's new $78 million complex was interrupted by a heckler, whom ushers escorted from the building.
More than 4,000 people were on hand as the Rev. Bob Russell was explaining why the Christmas story of Jesus' birth is the greatest story of all. Then the man began shouting.
"That's crazy!" the heckler yelled from a balcony. "Jesus was humble. That's exactly what you are not."
The Rev. Dave Stone, the preaching associate at Southeast, told the congregation that a church as big as Southeast could hardly expect to open "without any ripples." The Rev. Mr. Stone urged the congregation to live "according to God's truth and what God's word has to say," not what men tell them. Then the Rev. Mr. Stone thanked the heckler for providing a perfect segue: The sermon's next point was that the lead character in a great story needs a worthy antagonist.
Southeast Christian is one of the 10 largest churches in the country, drawing an average of 10,000 a weekend.
Greg McCarty of Louisville attended the first of four Christmas Eve services. "This wasn't built just to build, it was built for people to come and worship," he said. "So if you want to take a cynical attitude, you can. If you take the right attitude, this is wonderful." Susan Hogan of Louisville, who had visited the new building during an open house, said: "The first time I came in and saw this, I was overwhelmed, and I can't say it was completely in a good way. . . . It was huge and cold." But when she came for the Christmas service and saw the sanctuary teeming with people, that "put warmth in the place," Mrs. Hogan said. "And the overwhelming (feeling) is . . . now a sense of awe."
