faithrunner

One of my beefs with the coverage of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was that no one , I mean no one , that I heard or watched ever mentioned he was a pastor of a local church long before he led a national movement for civil rights. Why is that important? He was a preacher , not a public speaker. He was a pastor , not a community organizer. He preached Sunday after Sunday from the Bible that dealt with real issues in his congregation's life , and from addressing those needs in a biblical-theological way, the message from the local church touched the community, state, nation and then the world . Mervyn A. Warren in his book King Came Preaching wrote that King believed God and his people, not governments and community organizations would change the world. "In the sermons of King, then, God is the sustaining power in the universe whose presence assures the ultimate triumph of good over evil. As the One who provides human beings with inner resources to meet life's pr...

I have to jump into the Tim Tebow debate of whether or not the NFL is the place for the Denver QB's PDA (public display of adoration) . You can find opinions that believe faith should stay in the church (from the Jerusalem Post) to those who think he's doing is what we all should be doing. Whatever your opinion, USA TODAY sums it up , " Denver QB inspires nation ." (Check out the search hits and Twitter post numbers. Astonishing!) I'm on the Tebow bandwagon. Part of the greatness of his witness is that it is who he is! He's Tim Tebow, an over-the-top, extravert football player who inspires teammates and is a Christ-follower. He's not trying to be someone else or build a platform for his witness. He's who he is, where he is, displaying his love for the Lord. He'll be Tim Tebow the Christian if he has a career-ending injury this Sunday against the Patriots. I respect him and wish I had a little more of his expressive flair in my witness. L...

There is a (very long) blog in the Dallas Morning News that asked several theologians if we need a "Steve Jobs of Religion".  This question is based upon a NYT article titled "Americans Undecided about God?" by Eric Weiner who is a self proclaimed "None" (people who chose None under Religious affiliations when surveyed). Weiner writes: "We need a Steve Jobs of religion. Someone (or ones) who can invent not a new religion but, rather, a new way of being religious. Like Mr. Jobs's creations, this new way would be straightforward and unencumbered and absolutely intuitive. Most important, it would be highly interactive. I imagine a religious space that celebrates doubt, encourages experimentation and allows one to utter the word God without embarrassment. A religious operating system for the Nones among us. And for all of us ." Cynthia Rigby , W. C. Brown Professor of Theology, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, suggests...

Baptism is the ancient, Christ-modeled act of associating with the person and movement of Jesus, who is the Christ. For centuries follower-apprentices of Jesus have been baptized before friends and family to witness their allegiance to Jesus as their Rescuer and Leader . From the Ethiopian eunuch to the Philippian jailer, God's people have baptized those who trusted Jesus wherever there was water and witnesses . Over time, that practice was brought inside buildings with baptismal fonts and pools built into the architecture and leadership limited to credentialed, professional clergy . We know, however, that in oppressed countries Christ followers have found bathtubs, streams, and drinking troughs for animals suitable for the rite. I still witness this act in streams, homes, and lakes around the world today. But, here we usually stick to the indoor, ordained clergy rendition of the act. I love Legacy Church because several years ago we released followers of Jesus to baptize...

I had dinner a couple of months ago with some friends to compare notes on our Mt Rainier climbs . In the middle of our conversation the most experienced climber said, "I just like to walk." I'm not sure why, but that remark sank deep into my psyche. On the way home I thought, "I like to walk too" so why do I only walk/hike/run when I go somewhere? Why do I change into special clothes to do what I like to do? I walk when I am in China, Lao, Vietnam, and when I travel. What's different at home? Walking was what I thought I'd do when I could no longer run. I left that dinner committed to walk when I could. That was in October. Since then I have made the 7-mile round trip to my office half a dozen times, the 2-mile round trip to one of my weekly small groups 3 times, and several shorter walks from the office and home to meetings at nearby Starbucks. I'm learning to walk again , which is a challenge at times in a culture that demands speed and a su...

Hanukkah Menorah Jesus was a Jew, and he most likely observed Hanukkah. Shocked? From what we know about Jesus' parents from the stories about his birth and infancy, they were pious, practicing members of Israel. And, as their earthly son, Jesus was raised a pious Son of Israel . Here are some examples. Eight days into his life his parents had him circumcised and named according to the Jewish Law. ( Luke 2:21 ; Leviticus 12:3 ) Forty days after his birth, his mother and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem to complete God's instructions for purification and presentation of a male son to God . ( Luke 2:22-24 ; Leviticus 12 ) Luke also tells us that the family made the annual trip to Jerusalem for the Festival of Passover . ( Luke 2:41 ; Exodus 12 ; which we know mostly by the Seder .) What was unique about Jesus' early life were the people's unsolicited confession as to who he was. (Read Luke 2:22-52 to read some of those.) In the middle of his parent's faithful...

RG III My wife and I are Baylor Bears . ('75) My youngest daughter, her husband, and my oldest daughter's husband are Bears. (My oldest daughter is an Aggie, of whom we are equally proud.) The buzz in Baylor world -- as you know unless you have been hiking in the Himalayas the last three months -- is that the Baylor quarterback, Robert Griffin III was chosen as the 77th Heisman Trophy winner . You can only imagine how excited we are as a family and alumni of BU. A small, private Baptist school in Central Texas usually lives under the shadow of schools like the University of Texas and seldom gets any national recognition. Waco is mostly known nationally for the Branch Davidian debacle , and most sports commentators can't pronounce the school's name like we do. Oh well, they are learning now. I am pleased RG III received the most votes for the coveted trophy , not because I want to be associated with it and him, but because he and his family clearly give God credi...