Wonderful Inspiring Story

This is a refreshing story in the midst of world and country filled with hate and animosity. I hope you are indeed blessed by reading it. www.preachermike.com/2010/09/22/praying-for-my-friend

Driving for Jesus

Driving for Jesus...I know silly title and this might seem like such a ridiculous topic but I find it to be extremely important for followers of Jesus. I drove around Nashville for 14+ years and the saying was always "those Nashvillians are a bunch of idiots, they drive with no concern for others who are on the road." (this included me for 10 of those 14+ years). Since moving to Bradenton I have found that it isn't just Nashvillians that have driving issues, it is all around us, no matter where we go. And if the stats are correct about the Christian population in America (70-76% depending on where you get your info) the vast majority of drivers in Nashville and Bradenton and all of America for that matter claim Jesus as Lord, yet do we drive like it? This sounds absurd, it types absurd as well, but if Christians are going make an impact in the world it has to start with our day to day activities, which includes how we drive.

The old Alabama song which includes this phrase "I'm in a hurry to get things done I rush and rush until life is no fun" fits drivers in America perfectly, it fits Christian drivers in America perfectly. We are all guilty of it, staring someone down when they do something on the road we consider foolish. We stare them down as if we are going to jump out of our car rush over and attack them, knowing that we will in no way do something that stupid, but we stare them down anyways and think such lovely thoughts about them. And all for what? Someone got in front of you? Someone ALMOST hit you, supposedly? Someone did something intentional or by mistake and you are going to release your wrath on them. And if the Christian population is close 70-76% we are more than likely acting this way/ thinking this way towards another brother or sister in Christ.

Think about that...not all Christians have the fish symbol or any type of Christian symbol on their car...but some do and we all have seen them  (and we are at times them) do something on the road that is out of character for a Christian or even act out while driving that is out of character for a Christian...and people do notice these things. Non-believers notice how church going folk act in the world and it is safe to say they have at times more negative examples of us to tell than positive.

No doubt there are some not to intelligent drivers out there on the road and some days those people are us. We all make silly mistakes while driving and we want people to be compassionate towards us when we make those mistakes, why do we not extend that compassion towards others?

Last point...Jesus calls his followers to live out a radical type of love (agape) that includes loving those who mistreat us and loving (agaping) those we consider to be our so called enemies (Sermon on the Mount stuff)...how will we ever get to that point when we struggle to simply be kind and compassionate towards others driving along beside us?

Hipster Faith | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Hipster Faith Christianity Today A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Interesting article I received from one of my professors. This movement has as many good and relevant attributes about it as it has negative and non-Christ like.

Difficult but worth it read

I read this article from a blog I frequent. This topic is not so cut and dry and is extrememly difficult and painful to not only experience but to discuss as well. Read the comments that follow as well.
http://www.patheos.com/community/jesuscreed. Article is Dads in Divorce Court.

Break the Doors Down

If you have not read anything from Will Campbell I strongly recommend reading him. A book of his I am currently reading is titled Up To Our Steeples In Politics. With this book in mind I offer the following:

 I am currently and have been for quite some time struggling with the apparent disease of mixing politics and Christianity (or any faith for that matter). My fear is that this tension has been highly overlooked by many followers of Jesus, but I now begin to ask why? Why has love for a particular political party overshadowed one's love for neighbor (especially a neighbor who thinks differently)? Why and how has political allegiance intermarried with allegiance to our Lord? Why has one particular political party been considered pro-Christian and the other(s) anti-Christian? Why have we as the people of God living in this country sold ourselves to Americanism? Can this be changed? Should it be changed? And if so, where do we begin?

The more I come to understand more and more about Jesus (I know the song more and more about Jesus just came to your mind) the more I see a tension between what ALL political parties say is right and true and what our Lord says is right and true. Is it enough in this day and age to pay our taxes, obey the driving laws, take care of your loved ones AND others as well (I think Jesus meant what he said in Matt. 5:46-47) as best you can, and with all that commit ourselves to the life and teachings of Jesus without selling ourselves to a particular political party? Is this oversimplifying life here in America? Or am I missing something?

Measure of a man/woman

I have a quote in my office by Martin Luther King that reads..."The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." I read this every day and I wonder if I could live this out. There have been moments where I can say yes to that and there are moments where I can honestly say no.

Underneath the quote I have copied a picture of a cross. At the cross Jesus experienced much controversy and the challenge of a lifetime, yet on the cross he lived out what he taught. He held on to what he believed. His character of who He was and is can be seen most clearly on the day when it looked like all was lost, yet it was only the beginning. Jesus says it so eloquently in John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." The cross was not the end, but the beginning. May we all take courage in the fact that if we are His disciples and follow in His Way we will face controversy, we will face challenges. But take heart, He has overcome the world! 

This should be interesting...

Well I never would have imagined that I would ever create a blog, but low and behold here we go. This should be interesting. To my friends back in Nashville Carrie and I miss and love each one of you. Bradenton is a beautiful small city that has everything (except the GOO) one could ask for in a city. The people here at 43rd have welcomed us and really made this transition easy. Dylon is doing great and will start school soon. We hope he will do well at his new school. Our God is faithful and we are excited about the opportunities that await us here. Blessings to all.