Thursday, March 27, 2008

Just be a Follower

In the broadcast industry, the time in between news shows is usually slow. The studio lights are off, the cameras have been pushed to the back wall, and the buzz of the people in the newsroom has dulled to a low hum. You can still hear a phone or two ringing, but the operation speed of the newsroom has declined by a great deal.


It is during these times that I have the opportunity to read e-mail, surf the Internet for fun mini-vacation ideas, check bank account statements, watch TV, or call family and friends to catch up on life and their little corner of the world. I also like to take these few hours to think, meditate on and read God's Word (via the Internet), and pray...not nearly as much as I should, however.


Several months ago I was sitting at my desk in between the 6 and 11 o'clock shows; I believe it was a Saturday evening. I was recalling a conversation I had with a dear friend of mine on benevolence. The simple act of giving. I remember discussing how different churches use the offering and which of these practices made no sense. For example, continuing to pay a youth minister when the vast majority of the congregation wasn't happy with the quality of his work. To dish out more and more of your congregants money like this is maddening! There are much more productive ways to use weekly contributions than that!


I'm not sure why, but after recounting that conversation my mind took flight. I began a series of thoughts along the lines of "If I Could Just be a Christian". My brain raced with all sorts of ideas of how Amy and I could spend our time if all we had to be concerned with was simply being Christ's followers. Of all the possibilities, my mind and heart came together solidly on one.


If I Could Just be a Christian I would work to bring the Bible, appropriately translated, to every nation in the world. That's it! If we didn't have to worry about providing money, health, security, safety, and a future to our families this is what I would do.


It sounds daunting. It sounds insurmountable. It sounds impossible. I know.



I once heard a joke that went, "You wanna make God laugh...tell Him your plans". I must have had the Almighty Creator of the Cosmos rolling out of His desk chair and on to the golden street outside of Heaven's Gates when he heard me think like that.


But what a mission that would be! The hours spent tracking down translators of rare languages, planning and coordinating with a church body in the host country, building relationships with its people, praying over the work and letting God have full control. Knowing that all the while you toil it is only God's grace and mercy that will give the increase.


That is truly living!


Imagine accompanying each and every delivery of God's saving Word to the people of a land controlled by tyrannical governments. Seeing the faces of those who are, at that very moment, braving pain of death just to have the chance to read their own copy of the New Testament would be almost too much to witness. Knowing not a single word of their native tongue but speaking Christs' love just by holding the hands of these brothers and sisters in Christ as ear-to-ear smiles go unceasing... talk about having a purpose!


I will likely never get that chance but...


If I Could Just be a Christian, I would take a translated Bible to every nation in the world.


What would you do?

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Kwestions by Kenny Part II

Kenny Simpson, over at his blog, FootBaskTrack Coach has asked for opinions on whether or not the words of Rev. Wright have hurt Barack Obama's campaign. I responded on his site with only minor changes from what you'll read below. Join in on the discussion if you like.

____________________________________________________


Yes, Wright hurt him. I also think that Obama hurt himself.

While Obama did try and distance himself from Wright's comments somewhat, he did concede that "the anger is still there"...meaning the black community is still angry. In my view, this comment has done just as much damage do his campaign as the comments from Rev. Wright and I'll tell you why.

There is one key demographic that outshines all others in voter turnout and that is the white male. This article carefully and dutifully points out that this demographic is not racist but

"annoyed and disappointed when people of certain backgrounds exhibit behavior
that typifies the worst stereotypes of their race".


Let me point out that I do not think Obama typifies the worst stereotype of a black American. However, what you will find is the "Angry White Man" will be immediately turned off when he hears a rich, educated, accomplished black man say that "the anger is still there".

The "Angry White Man" will sit steaming red-faced as these words roll off the tongue of an affluent, Chicago-area lawyer who threw his maternal Grandmother under the bus last week when he said that in essence "white women are bred to be scared of young black men". Here is the full quote:


"... .. The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any
racial animosity. She doesn't. But she is a typical white person who, uh, if she
sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know there's a reaction that's been
been bred into our experiences that don't go away and that sometimes come out in
the wrong way and that's just the nature of race in our society. We have to
break through it..."

- Senator Barack Obama


I wished that race would not have been an issue in this campaign season (because it's not an issue) but the Democrats have let it be such.

I openly welcome the rebuttal of anyone who disagrees with me. I hope that, by listening to each other's point of view, we as Americans will learn to respect one another... which will bring us closer to true unity.

I will leave you with one final thought.

I hope you, dear reader, will check out http://www.tucc.org/ and look at the "About Us" section. Please read their 10-point vision for the black value system, read about their unconditional commitment to a black worship service, and read the words that say "black religious experience".

Then ask yourself...

Would this website be viewed in the same light if it was for a "white" church?

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