Which Type of Christian are You?

a Capella . . . Instrumental.

Traditional . . . Contemporary.

Evangelical . . . Emerging.

Premillinial . . . Postmillinial.

There are so many different kinds of churches today you need a printed program to keep it all straight. While I can’t help you understand every distinctive, I have found one method for discerning which generation of church-goer you are. . . and it’s probably hanging on your hallway wall right now.

Are you an Olan-Christian or a Post-Olan-Christian?

You’re a good-old-fashioned Olan-Christian if you have an Olan Mills portrait hanging in your hallway or tucked away in a photo album. Take a look at this website and see if it brings back any nightmares memories for you.

History in the Making

I just read an e-mail by Rick Warren that got me to thinking.

Today is an amazing day in lots of different ways.

An amazingly peaceful transition of power is taking placc in our nation’s capital. Few countries have experienced the power and blessings that America has enjoyed.

The transition is even more significant since these are such tumultuous times in our world and in our economy.

The transition is even more historic since this will be our first black president.

The world is watching. This will be the largest, most elaborate inauguration day in history.

But, this also happens to be a significant day for another reason. No historian will mark this event as important. No one, other than my wife and I, will ever remember this day’s other historic meaning. It happened eight years ago today. While all eyes were watching Washington as George W. Bush was sworn in as President of the United States, Mimi and I arrived at our new home.

Today marks our eighth year anniversary in Corpus Christi. I remember listening to President-elect George Bush take the oath of office as we drove toward our new home. The day we loaded up in New Mexico was 20 degrees, the day we unloaded in Corpus Christi was 80 degrees. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Mimi thought she had arrived in hell.

So, what’s my point in all this? Do I dare compare our inauguration as a minister at South Church of Christ with that of the inauguration of a President of the United States?

Well, yes, actually, I do.

Oh, the world will never remember our arrival or work in Corpus Christi as it will remember the work of any president of the United States. But Kingdom work is FAR more important than earthly politics. One saved soul is FAR more important than any bill or law or command decision given from Capitol Hill.

For all those who toil in obscurity. . . for all those who minister in a thankless position. . . for everyone who works for the Lord behind the scenes, please know that what you do for The Kingdom will FAR outlast anything done for any earthly kingdom.

No matter what the world (or “well-meaning” Christians) may tell you, you are making an ETERNAL difference. When the battle gets hard, when you’re no longer sure if it’s worth the price, when you just want to quit; remember that a reward awaits you and your work. You may need to occasionally retreat. You may even need to occasionally change battle fields. But. . .

Never, never, never give up.

Presidential Perspective

Great Day

What a great day God gave us Sunday.

It’s awesome when God does His thing and touches people’s hearts. Any Sunday when four people decide to meet Christ in the waters of baptism is a great day. That never get’s old!

Thanks, God, for letting me be part of what you’re doing in people’s lives.

$600 Worth of Free Software

I just ran across a give-a-way for free Bible software. I think it happens to be the best Bible software available. It normally costs over $600 and contains over $6000 worth of electronic Bibles, reference works, devotional books, study tools, and more.

There are only a few days left to register for the drawing so  you need to hurry.  All you have to do is go to the FlowerDust.net blog and post your favorite Bible verse in the comments section of the post. Be sure to briefly explain why that verse is your favorite.

If you win, you have to share with me!!!

The Shack

Awhile back, within a single week, three different people recommended the same book to me. I figured that if three different people recommended the same book to me in the same week I should read it. And, WOW, am I glad I did!

If you haven’t read The Shack you are missing out on a GREAT book. It’s a simple story of a man (Mack) who becomes bitter when his young daughter is killed by a serial killer. One day a note from God arrives in his mailbox. The note is an invitation from the Trinity to meet them at the very shack where his daughter was murdered.

One side note. . . the book almost seems to have been written by two authors. The first part is awkward and poorly written. I almost gave up reading it a few times. Eventually, however, the grammar and sentence structure improved and the book become immensely more readable.

The rest of the book is a series of conversations that range from the nature of evil to the nature of God’s love. The writing is such that you can speed read the book but I urge you to take your time. Savor the conversations and experiences at the shack. Reflect on the dialogue. You will find your own questions about God being raised and answered in an enlightening way.

You won’t agree with everything that is said, but you will be inspired. Many of your theological assumptions (some that you didn’t even know you had) will be challenged. More than anything else, you will come away with a profound sense of God’s love.

God Doesn’t Forget

I was reading Hebrews 6 this morning and was blown away by 2 verses.

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.

How cool. God notices every good deed we do and he remembers each one.

When no one else notices, he does. When you don’t get a “thank you,” he gives you one. When you get tired and don’t think you can do another thing for another person, God is right there saying, “Keep going. I’m with you.” When you wonder if what you’re doing matters, God says, “It matters to me.” When you wonder if it’s really worth it, God says, “Yes, it is.”

Keep going. Make your hope sure.

Random People Thoughts

People are funny (myself included). Here are a few of the people I encountered during the last two weeks.

The other day I overheard four janitors talking about the space-time continuum. Apparently, they had first-hand information about secret government test programs where scientist were on the verge of breaking the light-speed barrier. They reasoned that once this is accomplished it will be a simple matter to traverse the stars. Of course, according to these janitorial experts, people will need to get used to having their bodies disfigured during such journeys (an obvious side effect of travel at such speeds). They shouldn’t worry, however, because once travelers return to regular space-time their bodies will return to normal. Unfortunately, as proved by the theory of relativity, travelers will experience time differently than non-travelers. This will cause emotional struggles as the world they return to will undoubtedly be different than the one they left.

I didn’t know they taught such things in janitor school. Go figure.

I met a man in passing today who must be very sad. As he walked by me we made eye contact. To be polite I asked, “How are you doing?” His reply has stuck with me all day: “Oh… I suppose things could be worse, but I’m not sure how.”

I wish I could sit down and talk with him about what makes him so sad.

Today, I was gossiped about by someone I respect. Yesterday, I gossiped about someone who respects me.

Someone saw me reading, “The Shack”. They asked about the book. I told them about what I had read so far. . . a guy’s daughter gets kidnapped and murdered, he lives with the pain for years before getting an invitation in the mail from God to meet him at the shack where his daughter was killed. Once there, he meets God. . . who happens to remind me of Aunt Jemima.

From the look on her face, I gathered the woman was sorry she asked about the book.

My father-in-law, my daughter, and I went to a museum. My father-in-law spent part of the tour correcting our tour-guide.

Poor tour-guide.