So we decided to see how many things we could cram into one 3 day period. On Friday, I (Chad) took off for the day so we could host a table for the Gate at the Baptist Student Ministry. We were there for about 2 hours or so, and gave away a lot of goody bags (with scantrons, a popular thing around test time here). We met some fun people, and continued to build the buzz of 'the church in the bar' as one girl called us, after remembering us from Breakaway.
We left with little wiggle room to make it to the next event, Homecoming Parade in Mart, my hometown. Luckily ( said with THICK sarcasm) we made it just as the obscenely obnoxious train horn was let loose, repeatedly. I hate train horns on trains, and they are worse on purple golfcarts.
After that, we went to Mom's (or Gammana, as the girls call her. Its a combo of Gamma and Nana.) house for BBQ from my childhood church. Then there was the game, which was good for the seeing of some old friends, and the rare opportunity to spot a slight celebrity in the form of the local guy now starring on Friday Night Lights.
Saturday was my 10 year reunion. Kristin had worried she wouldn't know anyone, but soon found she had met almost half the people there, which was about half my class, or 20 ish of 40 ish. I loved seeing how everyone initially greeted everyone, then soon fell back to the groups they hung with High School. Its funny how people change, one guy was married with a kid, and I had thought just the night before how he might have been the guy knocking off the bank on the news the night before. Everyone was more grown up looking, yet still who they were back then.
Sunday was the Gate's second service at Harry's, and we gathered with the expectation of possibly less people than the first night. We were right, but not by much, and we were surprised to meet 3 new faces. One came with one of our regulars, the other two remembered us from Breakaway, a month before. They had to call friends who went clubbing to find us, as we neglected to put up an address for the bar. It was exciting to see that some things were really starting to get going, and we are hopeful for the next meeting on the 2 of November.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
"Who are you voting for?"
Its on everyone's mind. Most people have an opinion, and its usually pretty strong. And it seems in the last few years, people of faith have increasingly been vocal about their view of politics. I think its great. And I think its terrible.
Its great because we are in a democracy and we have every right to speak out and vote for and support whoever we want. Recently, as people rallied to oppose- or support- the bailout, we saw a great picture of democracy at work. It also exposed how far from a true democracy we are when despite nearly half the nation opposed to it, many of our 'representatives' still pressed on with it. Aren't they supposed to listen? And kudos to those who did vote based on their constituents opinion, whether it was for or against. Christians, along withother Americans, spoke out, and were heard.
But its also terrible. Its terrible because it often seems to me that we are more concerned, or dare I say worried, about who will be president than about the cause of Christ. And we so vehemently support who we think should win, that we often feel a personal stake in it. When someone says they support the other guy, we have an immediate pause, 'How can they vote for________?' It works the other way. So many people assume that when they are talking to a Christian, they are talking to a Republican, and for a lost world that may not be Republicans, thats an immediate conversation ender. No chance to talk about Jesus there.
Now, I'm not saying don't be political. But maybe lets not frame everything by it. I remember when we used to frame things by the teachings of Jesus, not the policies of Washington. In the grand scheme of things, no matter who wins, the president will succeed at some things and fail at others. You will disagree with their stance sometimes, and support them at others. But whoever wins, I believe God has ALLOWED them to. Some will say we could end up a fascist state, or a socialist state, if we don't vote right. To that I say, "God has seen worse." The thing is, while this election is maybe the most important in our lifetime (at least since four years ago, when it was last said to be the most important of our lifetime), it is still a lesser thing when compared to the movement of God.
So if you have to choose between a political rally and serving your lost neighbor, I hope you choose to serve. If its money to the campaign or money to the missionary, I hope its the missionary. If its arguing with a person over politics or telling them of God's love, which one is of true eternal value?
Their campaigns may hold them as 'saviors' but they are just men. So when you ask me who I'm voting for, I probably won't tell you. It is a 'secret ballot' afterall.
Oh, and to the ministers who last week decided to endorse a candidate and violate their tax exempt status, please stop talking. You have ignored not only that tax law, you have ignored the command of God to respect your authority. The government didn't say to not speak of God ( a holy and Biblical reason to ignore the law), but your actions have opened the door for that option to someday be possible.
The heart of all this is that I feel we are not abiding by Matthew 6:25-34. God will take care of us, or He will take us. Trust me, as a recovering worrier, I need to hear that as much as anyone else these days.
Its great because we are in a democracy and we have every right to speak out and vote for and support whoever we want. Recently, as people rallied to oppose- or support- the bailout, we saw a great picture of democracy at work. It also exposed how far from a true democracy we are when despite nearly half the nation opposed to it, many of our 'representatives' still pressed on with it. Aren't they supposed to listen? And kudos to those who did vote based on their constituents opinion, whether it was for or against. Christians, along withother Americans, spoke out, and were heard.
But its also terrible. Its terrible because it often seems to me that we are more concerned, or dare I say worried, about who will be president than about the cause of Christ. And we so vehemently support who we think should win, that we often feel a personal stake in it. When someone says they support the other guy, we have an immediate pause, 'How can they vote for________?' It works the other way. So many people assume that when they are talking to a Christian, they are talking to a Republican, and for a lost world that may not be Republicans, thats an immediate conversation ender. No chance to talk about Jesus there.
Now, I'm not saying don't be political. But maybe lets not frame everything by it. I remember when we used to frame things by the teachings of Jesus, not the policies of Washington. In the grand scheme of things, no matter who wins, the president will succeed at some things and fail at others. You will disagree with their stance sometimes, and support them at others. But whoever wins, I believe God has ALLOWED them to. Some will say we could end up a fascist state, or a socialist state, if we don't vote right. To that I say, "God has seen worse." The thing is, while this election is maybe the most important in our lifetime (at least since four years ago, when it was last said to be the most important of our lifetime), it is still a lesser thing when compared to the movement of God.
So if you have to choose between a political rally and serving your lost neighbor, I hope you choose to serve. If its money to the campaign or money to the missionary, I hope its the missionary. If its arguing with a person over politics or telling them of God's love, which one is of true eternal value?
Their campaigns may hold them as 'saviors' but they are just men. So when you ask me who I'm voting for, I probably won't tell you. It is a 'secret ballot' afterall.
Oh, and to the ministers who last week decided to endorse a candidate and violate their tax exempt status, please stop talking. You have ignored not only that tax law, you have ignored the command of God to respect your authority. The government didn't say to not speak of God ( a holy and Biblical reason to ignore the law), but your actions have opened the door for that option to someday be possible.
The heart of all this is that I feel we are not abiding by Matthew 6:25-34. God will take care of us, or He will take us. Trust me, as a recovering worrier, I need to hear that as much as anyone else these days.
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