There is a part of me that dreads and has avoided writing an opinion blog on immigration. As it stands currently, it is a convoluted and twisted mess of a crisis that has become politicized within American culture and polarizing within the ranks of Christendom. No one argues the fact that our southern borders are being pressured in significant ways by untold thousands (and millions) of people seeking entrance into the United States. The pressure by these migrating aliens has revealed in several ways the weaknesses of our national policies regarding the entrance to our nation by the foreigner. This is not a new problem in American history, but there is no doubt that currently it is a focal point of national debate and discussion.
Continue ReadingContemporary Church Issues
Trump: Constantine or Cyrus?
This blog has been stirring and twirling around inside of me since the 2016 presidential election. I realize that any stipulations or caveats to introduce what I am about to say will never appease either side of the Trump phenomena. Our President has this ability (along with his adversaries) to push people into two camps. You are either “for him” or “against him” and there is little to no gray zone to simply make observations and factual evaluations. The “always-Trump” sycophants who support the President no matter what he does will probably take this article as an attack on the man whom God has anointed; while those “never-Trump” critics will say it has not gone far enough and compromises Biblical Christianity. I guess I will navigate the middle way which will probably get me hit from both sides, but I think the analogy which I want to share has a timeliness which needs to be released as we enter the 2020 election cycle.
Continue ReadingTardy to Worship, Early to Leave
My spiritual journey began at what most refer to as a “mainline, liturgical, denominational” church. There were certain things you could count on (right or wrong) if one attended there. The entire worship service would be one hour and it would start and end “on time”. I can’t ever remember a lesson, sermon, or announcement made about being in your seat when the service began, but I can tell you that our household and just about everyone else’s household who attended that church were in their seats at least 5 minutes before the choir entered and the first note was played. It was the culture of that church and denomination for everyone to be ready when the service officially started. Candidly, it was almost unthinkable to be late for church. In fact, if you were late, ushers would hold you at the back door until an appropriate, designated time arrived where late-comers could be seated and even then you were ushered to a designated area in order to minimize any potential distractions. My parents would have been mortified to have been chronically late. I suppose the special times and seating sections underscored the lesson that this church culture was “be on time”.
Continue ReadingThe Addictions of the American Church
I love the Church. Perhaps the greatest reason I can say that is because it was a local church that God used to reach me and bring me to a saving and transformational knowledge of Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I love the Church because Jesus loves His Church and stated unequivocally in Matthew 16:18, that He was building it to prevail against the very gates of Hell itself. Jesus will get what He wants. You can count on it.
Continue ReadingWhat do you do with an Alexander?
“Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.” ~ 2 Timothy 4:14-15
Somewhere along the way in my decades of pastoring I embraced an unwritten code or unspoken rule that if I became the target of illegitimate criticism, mischaracterizations, lies, or slander, that the expectation would be that I would keep my mouth shut about that scurrilous person disseminating such things and simply endure the slopping of my character. I’m not sure what class that was in seminary which taught the principle, but I know numbers of other pastors have embraced that unspoken rule as well. When you are attacked, so the rule states, pray about it, smile, speak well of the person slandering you, and let the Lord shake it all out. Just act like it isn’t happening. Rise above the reproach. It doesn’t matter if people who look to you for spiritual guidance and help are only hearing one side of the story (theirs), you must not dignify the attack with any response.
Hmmm…
Apparently Paul missed that class in his training…
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