Brother Fire

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.” Matthew 5:38-42 This is pretty self explanatory. If someone asks for a dollar....give them two. Or do we think Jesus is just kidding? Why do we think it's okay to refuse aid to others? Why do we justify our withholding by categorizing people into two categories: the deserving and undeserving? Jesus doesn't qualify about giving to those who ask. He just says, "Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow." Plain and simple. Yet I know...

I am so tired. Tired of Christians who seem to have lost the meaning of what it is to be Christian. I know -- I'm opening up a can of worms here (who am I to make such judgments as to who is and who isn't Christian?), but it's getting very old to watch folks who call themselves Christians acting in a way that is so un-Christ like, AND doing it in the name of Jesus. It is simply disheartening. I've been so dismayed by others who claim to love Jesus yet have forgotten how forgiving and loving Jesus is with all of us, and that Christ calls us to behave like Him. They seem not to know how to forgive or to tolerate others. They may call themselves sinners seeking forgiveness, yet forget that their brothers and sisters are also sinners deserving forgiveness. I'm sure many of my Christian friends -- conservative and progressive alike -- have experienced this frustration. As it happens with many of us in the Social Networking world, my list of 'friends' on Face...

This is probably one of the best lessons on "what is missional" that I've seen. You will find it to be a gift. It's worth the hour view.

Yesterday Pat Robertson stated that the earthquake in Haiti was the result of Haiti making a pact with the devil during their revolution. It became clear long ago that Robertson does not speak for Christians, yet the media often presents him as a leader in the Church. Pat Robertson has become a source of ridicule for non-believers, and justifiably so. I believe that he is flirting with peril every time he makes such statements -- especially when he speaks in the name of Jesus Christ. I will pray for him and for those who give Pat Robertson the vehicle to be heard in such a big way.

I came to Charlotte, NC to build ministry -- I am called to bring flesh to the Word. However, it seems that I've spent most of my time contributing to empire building. I'm not sure how I got here -- yeah, yeah...I know...I got here by U-Haul truck. But how did I get so focused on earning a dollar? I give myself some credit though: my focus has not been making a dollar for wealth but rather making a dollar for survival. But I'd be lying through omission if I didn't confess that I have considered taking steps to advance in the retail business so that I could earn big dollars. But I remain sober knowing that Jesus has other plans for me. I've spent the last six weeks working 70-85 hours a week managing an electronics retailer and wondering why it has been so easy? I'm not talking about the lazy kind of easy where one sits back with little effort and watches things fall into place. It's been quite the opposite; this job has been hard work and very consu...

We've made friends with the band My Epic the past few months. They volunteered to take over Christ the King Chapel's summer program...and this is the end result. No doubt that Jesus was there!