Nick’s Walk

This video has gone viral. As of yesterday it has 18,765,830 hits. Not everyone loves it. It has 309,971 likes and 47,389 dislikes.  I decided it was time to check it out. I don’t disagree with a word of it. In fact, you can find the lyrics here. I’m not a fan of rap and I think this “white rap” is just silly. But it’s hard to argue with the words. Jesus didn’t come to establish a religion. Religion has started wars. Religion doesn’t equal Christianity.  I’m reminded of Keith Green a Christian radical from years ago who once said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to MacDonald’s makes you a hamburger.” So why has this video become so popular and why so controversial? I think it shows the dissatisfaction of much of this generation with religion and with what passes for the church. So for those who have turned away from “church” it provides a justification. For those of us who live in “church” it provides some discomfort. Now clearly many in the church are really Christian and churches do great works. But too many identify their salvation with their church. They […]

In the early morning hours I often sift through the news apps on my IPad looking for inspiration for this blog. This morning it seems I was staring in the face of atheism and it wasn’t pretty. There seem to be article after article about atheists or written from an atheist’s point of view. It was depressing. Perhaps I am prejudiced by my first introduction to atheists. While a clerk for Judge Tom Clark on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, we had a case in which Madelyn Murray O’Hare was a party. She showed up with a party of her atheist buddies. They were not an impressive lot. The one word that best described the group was “unhappy.” Ms. O’Hare had an engaging enough personality, but she seemed so angry. As did all of her buddies. Maybe it was that history that worked my mind this  morning as I perused the atheist articles. There was one which was topped with a photo of an attractive woman smiling and holding a sign which read “Be happy. There is no hell.” To me the smile seemed pretty shallow. Maybe because I realized that if the woman was right and that […]

  I have considered myself to be an involved person.  After all I do a blog almost every day. Until I read today that writing stuff and sending out emails isn’t enough. You know what? It isn’t. Do you know what the Manhattan Declaration is? Are you prepared to disobey the laws  of the United States if a law violates your conscience? These are no longer hypothetical questions. In our country today some of our fellow Christians are being told they have to violate their conscience or violate the law. This kind of thing happened in Nazi Germany. It’s now happening in America. Let’s not make the mistake of thinking it doesn’t concern us yet. My good friend, Ron Anson, has been sounding the call for years. I haven’t taken him seriously enough. Sorry my brother.    Please watch this video and then go to this web site.  Read the Declaration. It isn’t short. But it is powerful. Then, if you agree with it, sign it.  This blog is a personal blog produced solely by me. I am solely responsible for it’s content. If you’re with the government you know where I live. It’s time to get serious. Be blessed. […]

I didn’t submit a blog entry today because I had nothing to say. I so wish others would also not say anything when they have nothing to say, like politicians for example, or TV preachers, or guests of The View, or the hosts of the The View for that matter.  My wife thinks I’m  fan of The View because sometimes she walks in the living room and I have it on. It’s just because I watch Good Morning Acadiana and forget to turn the channel or turn off the television when it’s over. She would probably think I’m a fan of Good Morning America, because that comes on immediately after Good Morning Acadiana and the television stays on. Lucky for me she doesn’t get up early enough to see the television on that show. It would break her Fox News watching heart. In fact, I wonder why she hasn’t commented about The View being on. I have noticed her shaking her head sometimes. Well, like I said. I really don’t have anything to say today so I’ve decided to say nothing. I just wish others would be so wise. Pray I have a good thought to share tomorrow. I […]

Yesterday I heard a sermon which suggested that men are responsible for the spiritual life of their family and church. This morning I read an article with some practical ways to do that. 11 Practical Ways for Men to Lead a Family.  When the Spirit nudges me twice in 24 hours on the same subject, I try to pay attention. Look around guys. The sad truth is that women are running our families and our churches. Sure most of our churches have male pastors, but women are still in charge. They are in charge, not because they have a title, but because they do most of the work. Look around on Sunday morning and see who is doing what. The women are probably doing most everything other than ushering. Guess what. I can find my own seat. I sit in the same place every week. Most of our homes are the same way. I would like to believe this is a vast feminine conspiracy, but I suspect this has happened because women have stepped up to fill roles that we men have failed to fill. It’s time we do something about this. But let me warn you. It won’t be […]

In the Jewish tradition, Passover night is very special. A special meal is held and ceremoniously executed. As part of the ceremony, the youngest child asks a series of questions designed to point out that on this special night, things are different. I think we should have a similar tradition in Christianity for Sunday Mornings. Isn’t it true in your house that Sunday mornings are different. During the week, the family has a routine which requires everyone to be up and at it by a certain time, breakfast is done, kids are dressed and everyone has to be out the door, on a bus or headed to work. It all works like an army on maneuvers. But on Sunday morning it’s chaos. Even though church starts much later. It seems impossible to get everyone up, dressed and out the door on time. Why on this morning are there more arguments, excuses to stay in bed and just generally dragged out feelings than on other mornings? Why do we run into more red lights, long freight trains and every other kind of barrier on Sunday mornings that don’t pop up during the week. I guess we could argue that the routine […]

Tomorrow Pastor Kerry will present his first sermon as Interim Pastor. It will be a significant day in the life of Amana. I don’t have a draft of the sermon like the news agencies seem to get in advance of the State of the Union Address. I don’t know what Pastor Kerry plans to say; but I do have some advice on listening. The toughest job  in any arena is a job as the “interim” anything. An “interim” has the burden of moving an organization forward, but not forever. An “interim” faces the problem that if he proposes something unpopular, folks will just wait for the “permanent” pastor to show up. An “interim” often has all the responsibility but none of the authority. It’s tough to be an “interim.” I always felt bad for the guy who coached the Alabama football team after “Bear” Bryant. I don’t even remember his name. I once served in a church that never was quite the same when the founding pastor moved on. Every pastor after the first got compared to the “original.” Following a superstar is tough. Amana has more ex-pastors than any church I’ve ever been involved in. That’s a tremendous […]

My church is going through a leadership transition so focus is on the church . But every church is in need of some help. Yesterday I saw this article: Five Ways You Can Help Your Church My thoughts follow:  If you believe your church could be better, the mirror is a good place to look for improvement. It’s easy to criticize leadership, but you’re not likely to directly affect that, even if it is the problem. That doesn’t matter because the real health of a church is best measured by the condition of those in the pews. Another potential area of improvement is in “theology.” Most of us believe that the church we belong to could sharpen it’s “theology.” Usually that means my brothers and sisters could and, in fact, should, believe a bit more like me. That’s not happening any time soon either, so let’s put that aside. Of course it would be great if we served as a one person admissions committee that could decide who got to attend our church. That’s not happening either. So what are we left with? Basically, what can I do better. These are factors we can change, so the potential for improvement is […]