If You Can Find A Better Deal, Take It!

As a followup to a previous post about Britt Hume's remarks concerning Christianity and Tiger Woods I share this item

This item is well put by Rocky Henriques, who compiles The Timothy Report, which is a source of information and illustrations for preachers. Here is his article verbatim:

It is so rare these days to find a public figure taking a stand for Christ, that when it happens, it is worth noting. You may have heard that Brit Hume recommended that Tiger Woods try Christianity if he really wants forgiveness for his misdeeds. This was his exact quote:

"The extent to which he can recover, it seems to me, depends on his faith. He is said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So, my message to Tiger would be, 'Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."

As you would expect, not everyone appreciated his comment. Tom Shales, writing in The Washington Post, demanded that Hume apologize, saying he had "dissed about half a billion Buddhists on the planet."

Regardless of what you may feel about Ann Coulter, you need to read her reaction. I don’t usually follow her, and would not have seen this had not one of my church members brought it to me. Currently on her website, http://www.anncoulter.com/, you can read her article entitled, “If You Can Find A Better Deal, Take It!” I heartily recommend that you read this for yourself. You certainly won’t agree with everything she wrote—I didn’t. But please read the entire article before you click off to somewhere else. You will find that she makes some very good points—pretty good for someone who does not claim to be a Christian apologist—even quoting some very pertinent Scriptures along the way.

She concludes her article:

“Christianity is also the hardest religion in the world because, if you believe Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead, you have no choice but to give your life entirely over to Him. No more sexual promiscuity, no lying, no cheating, no stealing, no killing inconvenient old people or unborn babies -- no doing what all the other kids do.

“And no more caring what the world thinks of you -- because, as Jesus warned in a prophecy constantly fulfilled by liberals: The world will hate you.

“With Christianity, your sins are forgiven, the slate is wiped clean and your eternal life is guaranteed through nothing you did yourself, even though you don't deserve it. It's the best deal in the universe.”
--Rocky Henriques, www.timothyreport.com

There's Good News Tonight

My father once recalled a old time radio newsman named Gabriel Heatter. Heatter's news career spanned World War II. He was known for his trademark phrase, "There's good news tonight!" During the War, the news, particularly during the early days of America's involvement, was anything but good. But Heatter had a way of pointing out the good even in the bad.

Interestingly, Heatter did this, in part, for his own benefit. He was a very melancholy, insecure, and fearful man. In his broadcast efforts to pick others up, he was trying to cheer himself up as well.

But this post is not about Gabriel Heatter. It is however, about good news for the state of Louisiana. After all, this blog is about "LIfe and Ministry in Southwest LOUISIANA."

Yes, Virginia, there is good news tonight in Louisiana.

It was recently reported that the state of Louisiana came in at number one in something. Not in crime, corruption, or Cajuns.

But in happiness.

Louisiana has been deemed the "happiest state in the nation." Since my time here, I would have to agree. These Cajuns really know how to have a good time. So our state now leads the nation in happiness. There's good news tonight.

And that makes me very happy.

How Often Do You Hear Something Like This In Media?

Yesterday, Britt Hume made some comments on Fox News about Tiger Woods, even offering his counsel:



Hume is absolutely right. Buddaism has no theology of forgiveness. But Christianity does. Good advice from a place one doesn't normally hear it.

The one thing I would add is not that Tiger would come to the "Christian faith." I pray he comes to Christ. That's the only way he can rebuild his life.

Forever.

Jumpin' Jelly Jars

For some time, I have been a promoter of, disk jockey for, and a lover of, Southern Gospel music. Over the years, I have had the privilege to meet and listen to some of the finest quartets and singers in the business.

As I have promoted concerts, I have seen a number of items for sale on artist's tables. The items can range from CD's to magazines, to t-shirts and other promotional items. But this is the first time I've seen this item on an artist's table.

McCray says that his jelly is selling like, er, hotcakes, to mix metaphors. I like jelly myself, but this is new to me. Maybe the Doves can come up with their own label. "Dove Jelly?" Nah, it doesn't have a ring to it.

Speaking of concerts, we will be hosting the Doves in concert in DeRidder LA at the Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, January 16. Come by and say hello.

Now they say that they are offering muscadine jelly on their table as well. I hear it has some healthy benefits.

Healing for the body and soul at Dove Brothers' concerts?

Time will tell.

Meanwhile, pass the bread.

He Rode In From The Past, Final Chapter

He was left alone with his daughter that night. She began to be upset and agitated. She said, "Daddy, I don't want to be away from you."

"How's that?" He asked.

"Daddy, when I die, I'm going to heaven and you're going to Hell. We will be forever separated."

That was the turning point. My friend decided to attend church that night and join his wife in the pew. Soon he turned his life over to Jesus Christ and became a changed man.

He was changed in life direction and changed in his calling.

Gary soon became a worker and minister at his church. Over time, the church allowed him to go out and start a "Biker church" to reach people just like himself. This ecclectic gathering reaches people that many in the "established churches" don't want to mess with. They are located in a crack neighborhood. Many of the attenders have addiction issues as well as other hangups. The neat thing is that they don't know what a traditional church is. They don't even know how to act.

Pastor Gary tells me that he sometimes has to go to people and say, "No, we don't do that here." His wife suggested he write these incidents down for future book. Gary says, "I really don't want to remember!"

I became pastor of the more established and traditional churches. But our paths crossed again a little over a week ago. It sure was good to catch up on old times and acquaintances. Some of the people we grew up with now go to his church. One has come out of prison and is leading their addiction recovery ministry.

God uses broken people. Really, though, that's the only kind of people he has to use. We are all broken in some way.

Some just are more broken than others.

But it takes all of the same amazing grace to save and change us all.

I'm so glad to have caught up with this brother in the ministry again. I look forward to preaching at his church on a Tuesday night soon.

Look for me there.

Just don't look for me to ride in on a 'cycle.

Now, that's another story....

He Rode In From The Past, part 2

We both married a year out of high school. He was living down in southeast Texas. I was still in my hometown. After that, our lives took different turns but resulted in our sharing a common calling.

Gary got involved in motorcycle gangs and the whole lifestyle, eventually becoming a national officer. He was injured in an industrial accident and returned to his hometown.

A couple of years after I married, I felt called to ministry. Deborah and I quit our jobs, sold our home, and moved to Marshall, TX for me to attend East Texas Baptist College. (Now University.)

Gary's daughter and later his wife began to attend church, mainly because Gary wanted his daughter to have some morals. He wanted this for his daughter though he admits that he had no morals himself.

I graduated from college, later seminary and began to pastor churches. My wife and I began to raise our two sons. She continued her education which will soon result in a Ed.D in nursing education.

Gary's wife is a visiting nurse.

As Gary's daughter attended church, later his wife did so as well, he wanted no part of "church." That was fine for them, but not for him.

Over time, his daughter gave her life to Jesus Christ, then his wife did as well.

Then one night it happened...

(To be continued...)

He Rode In From The Past

A friend from my past surfaced yesterday. In fact, it has been 35 years since I had seen him eyeball-to-eyeball. Over the years, we had gone our separate ways. Very separate.

His name is Gary Sandlin and he pastors the First Biker Church of Texarkana, Texas. Gary and I went to Elementary and Jr. High School together. We were in Scouts together. Somewhere in the High School years, his life and mine took very different turns...

(Part 2 continues tomorrow)