Here’s the article I read a part of on the air during Weekend Worship.
Archive for the ‘Mission’ Category
Encouraing article for rough times
Friday, April 3rd, 2009President Obama and Christians
Monday, February 2nd, 2009I’ve gotten some feedback from my Chaplain’s Minute about the inauguration. I figured I’d write out more of my thoughts. This comes from an email I sent a listener who responded to me. I don’t suspect that my feelings will be completely accepted and agreed upon – however, I believe this issue is deeply important.
Christianity MUST think about their relation to government. I deeply believe that we have become innefective at communicating the gospel because we’ve forgotten the One Big Thing.
Every person and organization has the ONE BIG THING. The One over-riding thing that is super important that all other things take secondary position to.
You’re one thing may be a clean house; having friends; being organized; being spontaenous…. Your life lives out throught that paradigm.
What is the One Thing for God?
Very simply put – it’s lost people. The heart of God is passionate about YOU! His ONE thing is seeing humanity saved for eternity.
If I were an unbeliever looking in at Christians, I’d think that the One Thing for them was one of the following: The Republican Party; Being against Abortion; Being Against Homosexual Marriage – and for a few Christians right now – hating Obama.
What does this mean? It means that in our concern to protect our culture and way of life we’ve gone into a cultural war. And once we’re in a cultural war, we can no longer connect or communicate – we are simply fighting. And we’re NOT fighting for the ONE THING that is important to God.
It has been said that my spot made the impression that we are now to support and pray for him. And that is very true. The question may be, what does it mean to support Obama? Does it mean that I agree with everything he stands for? Absolutely not – I don’t agree with everything he’s said and has done. However, I should still stand behind the man, and be an encourager, not a distractor. Put it through this filter – would what I have say about his politics open the door for me to share my faith with him, or distract from it? Would Obama be more inclined to dialoge with me about faith or less likely? Because the BIG THING is the BIG THING no matter the person’s position – president or pauper.
The other part of this conversation that I differ with many is that I don’t see this world as our home; nor do I see this nation or government as the bastian of morality or the hope of the world.
This nation and culture are not the answer, nor are they our future. As that old song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through….” So, I should not be amazed when things happen in this government that I don’t agree with. I should not be THAT worried about making it home now – it’s just a temporary place.
I’d love to hear your thoughts… Join in the conversation below!
This is my first post…. I’m discontented tonight
Friday, December 14th, 2007Well, it’s been a long week. It all started last weekend… Saturday morning kicked off with my wife getting sick. Which led to me being sick Saturday afternoon. Monday I didn’t feel that great in the afternoon, and we had a party to go to Monday night. So, I bailed and stayed with my middle daughter.
And then I had the brilliant idea to re-format my hard drive. That’s full on stupid. So, I went to bed REALLY LATE! More like in the morning. Tuesday night my daughters had a piano recital. Last night was a Christmas party I needed to go to. Tonight was the school Christmas party and my wife’s birthday. And this isn’t filling in the other stuff of life and work and such.
And now it’s 10:37 pm and I’m writing a blog. “Brian, you have a blog up and there’s nothing there. You should blog.” So, I’m blogging.
And tonight I’m discontented. I love my life. I like the stuff I’ve done this week. I love that I got the present that actually surprised my wife; I’m proud of my kids… And sometimes I love computers.
But, there’s gotta be something more. And when I say that, I’m not talking about – yeah, God and all that stuff. I’m a little tired of Christianity tonight. Maybe it’s the endless cycle of craziness I’m in right now. Maybe it’ s that I’ve done “ministry” since high school. But, sometimes it seems that we are more and more involved with day to day life. The to do list is never done (garage to be cleaned; never stained the fence, cleaning up stairs, etc)…
Could we as a Christian – KTSY listener society caught up in the rat race of the ordinary -when God has called us to be something extra ordinary? Could it be that we are the light bearers of hope that shows a way off the treadmill to other humans who are running like we are? Could it be that it’s time to cut back, to say no, to quit and do something real – make a new friendship; impact someone else’s life; share the reality life with someone we don’t go to church with? Could it be we need to do something? God has called us to a radical life.
I’m discontented with the church, with our preoccupation with our own lives – oh for a people who are truly excited about Jesus; in love with Jesus more than the treadmill!
Join me, fellow spiritual journeyers to explore life outside the treadmill – committed to doing what Jesus did – changing lives. Change a life…. Do something different….