If this doesn't remind of someone you've seen and heard, WELL

This may well be the sickest thing I know and if it doesn't turn your stomach, you have a problem.


Ignatius from travis hawkins on Vimeo.

I know some of these guys. They need to be run out of town.

Man Fishing - or a Church without Balls

A friend of mine sent me a link to a site that is dedicated to bringing men back into the church.

It's pretty good. Particularly this video of 2 minutes that defines the problem we have in the church with men.

Do we want a church to reach all men or just women and children?

What Religious Bigotry Looks Like

No one will come out directly against Christianity. Oh a few. But not mainstream. The focus will be to come out against things they are taught in the family and in particular by home schoolers.

This persecution comes in the form of anti creationism or consideration for the events of creation as outlined in the Bible. You can't teach that because we don't believe it. So, we are going to deal with your kids. Take them away from you in this parental imperative.

One mom after a divorce has been forced to put her kids in Public School so they can be indoctrinated with evolution theory like everyone else.

This is celebrated by right and left political alike. Like this is a good thing. I mean we don't want those poor kids taught THAT do we?

We want kids taught that they are no better than a bear or a spider. Just another animal. Certainly not marvelously and wondrously made by a gracious creator God. You wouldn't want them to believe God cares about them because he made them like the writer of Psalm 8:

⁴What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

⁵Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and splendour.

⁶Thou hast made him to rule over the works of thy hands; thou hast put everything under his feet:

⁷Sheep and oxen, all of them, and also the beasts of the field;

⁸The fowl of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, [whatever] passeth through the paths of the seas.

While it seems right and good even to many who are on the political right that such "False" teaching of children must be controlled or even abolished, let's slide down that slippery slope a bit further. IF THEN: If it's OK to use thought control in this case, what about:

• Teaching young people to handle firearms
• Instructing young people about the value of Human Life and being Pro Life
• Teaching young people about the birds and the bees and Homosexuality as an aberration.

Sure, those are conventional right wing values and left winger are all up in arms saying, yeah, that should be regulated along with teaching kids about creation over evolution.

If a RIGHT WING regime should come to power, should impose thought control at the same level, what precious free thought would you be controlled in. This is truly a goose and gander issue. If we allow the imposition of the thought police to stand we will have them at the back of every church, political meeting and board meeting making sure no one utters a name or idea not acceptable to the state.

Is that what you want? I don't think right wing anti creationists want that. I think they haven't thought it thru. Do we want to start engaging in thought control in America?

Seems like we haven't thought this one thru. Be careful, the beast could get loose and come back to devour YOU.

Living Free in an Unfree world

I live in Illinois. Soon to be land of double taxes. It has been a relative tax haven compared to North Dakota up till now. Guess that's about to end.

Some professor type have conducted research to determine the relative freedom of every state in the union. Very interesting. In every measure North Dakota beats Illinois.

You can find the whole study here. And the introductory overview here.

This map shows the relative freedom measurement.

I guess moving to Alaska is out.

An important correction - Misled without intention to be misleading

I earlier posted a story posted on World Net Daily that had to do with David Wilkerson's Church making sandwiches the day before 9-11.

Turns out that is false. In checking this story out it appears it's wrong.

That doesn't mean that Wilkerson's reputation or prophetic utterances are false. He's willing to go out in the open with what the Lord has given him.

That I respect.

So, I wish the story had been true. It was a good story. It just wasn't so.

I make no apologies for posting the story. God moves in wonderful ways even if he has this habit of telling us just enough and no more. Let's see what happens.

That's what faith is all about.

UPDATE UNRELATED
In a post I told the story of a little boy from Africa that died of Malaria. I have received condolence. The story is not my own. It is from a writer from Iowa. Iowahawk. It's clearly linked. But, missed. I will pass your condolences on to him.

A Pastor's Response to the Wilkerson Warning

The Warning by David Wilkerson that has rumbled across the Christian Community is causing Pastor's to ask, what am I supposed to do with this.

The answer is pretty clear. David Wilkerson's own son gave an outline.

If we do this, we will have done what we are called to.

Have Faith in God.

Self Righteous Buffoon V Smarter Buffoon

I don't watch Jon Stewart. I find him to be a terrible bore. Not funny. Condescending. Arrogant. Worse than all Jon Stewart is School Marmishly Ignorant.

I do watch Jim Cramer. It's a circus. A circus for people interested in the market. I find him wrong a lot. I don't agree with him much of the time. He is very short term in his thinking. He gets fooled by twists and turns. But every one in the market is allowed to have an opinion and take a position. There must be an equal number of longs and shorts, two opinions, at all times.

That's what makes a horse race. So,when Cramer is wrong it's OK. Those that follow his opinion and bet his way provide for the other side of the market the one thing we all need.....Liquidity. I hope he doesn't change a thing. He's very entertaining.

I don't think Jon Stewart has a clue about any of this. Particularly when I read his "Pounding" of Jim Cramer.

Jon Stewart is sickening in his down the nose attitude he has towards people smarter than him.

The show on CNBC I really like is Fast Money. Those are sharp people with real positions in the market and they get it. And, the reporters they have of the female persuasion during the day, hmmmm. Let's just say, it makes hearing about a down market easier to take.

Maybe after the economic collapse we can once more say, Rise up and Walk

Thomas Aquinas once called on Pope Innocent II when the later was counting out a large sum of money.

"You see, Thomas," said the Pope, "the church can no longer say, 'Silver and gold have I none.'"

"True, holy father," was the reply, "neither can she now say, 'Rise and walk.'"

[Quoted in F.F. Bruce "Acts"]

What Earth lovers who love Earth more than Man bring you.. This boy is dead thanks to them

This Post Brought to You By the Green Movement

This is Bakouma Kpatekatola, a young man from the West African nation of Togo. In 2003, when Bakouma was 9 years old, my family became his sponsor through the Childreach-Plan USA organization. In the years since we became occasional pen pals; a few times a year we'd get a letter from him, in his native French, along with an English translation from his caseworker. Sometimes he spoke of coming to America. At Christmas the letters would contain a photo, which we ritually magnetted up on the fridge to chronicle his growth. We reciprocated with our family pictures. I sometimes wondered if he wondered about us like we wondered about him. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I didn't really notice when we didn't receive his annual Christmas letter last year. Yesterday we received a letter from his caseworker explaining why: Bakouma died in December of malaria. He was 14 years old.

Bakouma was one of approximately one million people who died of malaria last year. Almost all of them were like him: poor, young, and African. And almost all of those deaths could have been prevented through vaccines, insecticide-treated netting, and (gasp) DDT spraying. Empirical research supports the indoor residual spraying (IRS) of DDT as not only safe, but the most economical and effective method for malaria prevention. For example, a 1996 DDT ban in South Africa, pushed by environmental groups, led to a malaria epidemic with over 60,000 cases reported in 2000. After DDT spraying resumed in 2001, infections dropped 80% in one year. Facing a mounting death toll across Africa the World Heath Organization and USAID have recently lent support to IRS using DDT, but its adoption continues to be opposed by environmental extremists relying on shoddy science and fearmongering.

Togo, incidentally, is one of the countries where IRS/DDT is not yet implemented. Would it have saved Bakouma Kpatekatola? Maybe, possibly, probably. The grim calculus involved in that what-if is, at this point, strictly academic. But it's not too late to tip the odds in favor of the millions of other kids in Africa at risk. In memory of Bakouma, please join me in supporting Africa Fighting Malaria which advocates the use of all tools for malaria eradication, including DDT. Sponsor a kid through Childreach-Plan USA. Write your congressmen and President Obama and encourage them to continue the USAID policy of support for IRS/DDT. Finally, if you're so inclined, please remember Bakouma tonight in your prayers. Thanks.

Heed Wilkerson's warning

Exclusive: Janet Porter notes pastor made sandwiches for 9/11 workers – before attack

---

Posted: March 10, 2009
3:02 pm Eastern

By Janet Porter

---

When I was a kid, I read about David Wilkerson who took to Gospel to the gangs of New York. I even saw the movie "The Cross and the Switchblade" that was made about him. Many know about that, but most don't know what happened in his church just eight years ago.

In the fall of 2001, Pastor David Wilkerson, of Times Square Church in New York City, was warned by God that a calamity was coming. For six weeks they felt an intense burden and enormous heaviness. A critical need for intercession was so profound that Pastor Wilkerson canceled everything on the church calendar – mission's conferences, youth events and every guest speaker.

For six weeks, there wasn't a sermon. Instead, there was intercession for our nation with weeping and repentance. They knew something was coming and that something was bad. And that something was soon. So they prayed. And prayed … and prayed.

Then Wilkerson felt God telling him something that seemed rather bizarre. He felt God telling him to make sandwiches – lots of sandwiches. What were they for? Who would eat them? That part wasn't clear, but his church did what they believed God was telling them anyway.

And on the 10th of September they stayed up all night making hundreds and hundreds of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. By morning they had about 2,000 sandwiches. At 8:46 a.m. the first plane hit the World Trade Center and Times Square Church was ready to feed and minister to rescue workers and victims of our nation's worst attack.

Making sandwiches all night is a strange thing to do. If someone told me to stay up all night making sandwiches, I'd probably tell them they were crazy. But if David Wilkerson says he's heard something from God today, I think we'd be crazy not to listen.

He now says he feels the same thing he felt leading up to the attack by radical Islam. In an "URGENT MESSAGE" dated March 7, 2009, Wilkerson said:

AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE – EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.

For 10 years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires – such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago.

There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting – including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God's wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written:

… God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.

The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, "God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds. But they will say, It's hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart" (Jeremiah 18:11-12).

In Psalm 11:6, David warns, "Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire) … fire … burning wind … will be the portion of their cup." Why? David answered, "Because the Lord is righteous" (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment – just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah's generation.

WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD'S PEOPLE?

First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction. If possible lay in store a 30-day supply of non-perishable food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster.

… I will behold our Lord on his throne, with his eye of tender, loving kindness watching over every step I take – trusting that he will deliver his people even through floods, fires, calamities, tests, trials of all kinds.

Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.

Warren Buffett has said that our economy has "fallen off a cliff." With the election of the most pro-abortion president (and Congress) in history, there's no question that we deserve God's judgment.

Just yesterday, Barack Obama signed an executive order to use children for spare parts. So much for defending the "least of these," as he so often quoted during his campaign. Cannibalizing the weak to help the strong. And by the way, don't believe everything you hear in the news – Obama didn't say he was against cloning. He said he was against "reproductive" cloning. Killing a new life after cloning one is another matter entirely: the cowardice of Obama's "Brave New World."

The bottom line is that we are economically and morally bankrupt. And it's reported that Iran now has all they need to build nukes.

So, when the guy who made the 2,000 sandwiches on Sept. 10 warns us: "AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN," I think we would do well to heed it. And follow the words Wilkerson quotes from the prophet Jeremiah and "turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds."

Barry and Timmy get an F in Economics (guess they don't teach that in Community Organizing School)

People who know anal openings from earth depressions have now officially declared the economic policies of Barack Obama and Timothy Geithner to be failures. The problem is when they fail we all fail. But never fear, there is a Nigerian Exiled Prince who will save our sorry butts. This video from Saturday Night Live explains the whole thing. It’s a hoot.



And YES, I now officially think I could do better than either of them. Where's my $420 Billion?

I Resemble this

Because I'm A Man . . .

• Because I'm a man, when I lock my keys in the car I will fiddle with a wire clothes hanger and ignore your suggestions that we call a road service until long after hypothermia has set in.
  
  
• Because I'm a man, when the car isn't running very well, I will pop the bonnet and stare at the engine as if I know what I'm looking at. If another man shows up, one of us will say to the other, "I used to be able to fix these things, but now with all these computers and everything, I wouldn't know where to start." We will then drink beer.
  
  
• Because I'm a man, when I catch a cold I need someone to bring me soup and take care of me while I lie in bed and moan. You never get as sick as I do, so for you this isn't an issue.
  
  
• Because I'm a man, I can be relied upon to purchase basic groceries at the store, like milk or bread. I cannot be expected to find exotic items like "Cumin" or "Tofu" For all I know these are the same thing. And never, under any circumstances, expect me to pick up anything for which "feminine hygiene product" is a euphemism.
  
  
• Because I'm a man, when one of our appliances stops working I will insist on taking it apart, despite evidence that this will just cost me twice as much once the repair person gets here and has to put it back together.
  
  
• Because I'm a man, I must hold the television remote control in my hand while I watch TV. If the thing has been misplaced, I may miss a whole show looking for it (though one time I was able to survive by holding a calculator).
  
  
• Because I'm a man, I don't think we're all that lost, and no, I don't think we should stop and ask someone. Why would you listen to a complete stranger. I mean, how the hell could he know where we're going?
  
  
• Because I'm a man, there is no need to ask me what I'm thinking about. The answer is always either sex or beer, though I have to make up something else when you ask, so don't.
  
  
• Because I'm a man, I do not want to visit your mother, or have your mother come visit us, or talk to her when she calls, or think about her anymore than I have to. Whatever you got her for mother's day is okay, I don't need to see it. And don't forget to pick up something for my Mom, too!
  
  
• Because I'm a man, I am capable of announcing, "One more beer and I really have to go", and mean it every single time I say it, even when it gets to the point that the one bar closes and my buddies and I have to go hunt down another. I will find it increasingly hilarious to have my pals call you to tell you I'll be home soon, and no, I don't understand why you threw all my clothes into the front yard. Like, what's the connection?
  
  
• Because I'm a man, you don't have to ask me if I liked the movie. Chances are, if you're crying at the end of it, I didn't.
  
  
• Because I'm a man, yes, I have to turn up the radio when Bruce Springsteen or The Doors comes on, and then, yes, I have to tell you every single time about how Bruce had his picture on the cover of Time and Newsweek the same day, or how Jim Morrison is buried in Paris and everyone visits his grave. Please do not behave as if you do not find this fascinating.
  
  
• Because I'm a man, I think what you're wearing is fine. I thought what you were wearing five minutes ago was fine, too. Either pair of shoes is fine. With the belt or without it looks fine. Your hair is fine. You look fine. Can we just go now?
  
  
• Because I'm a man, and this is, after all, the 90's, I will share equally in the housework. You just do the laundry, the cooking, the gardening, the cleaning, and the dishes. I'll do the rest.

---

Wombat

Chicago Style Gangsters and Thugs - Friends of Obama Threaten Businessmen

You know what a protection racket is, "It would be a crime if a fire started in a nice place like this". But for a fee, I'll see to it nothing bad happens to you. Gangsters.

Park your car and some kid comes up to you and says, "I'll watch your car for ya, twenty bucks". If you don't pay your tires are flat and the paint is keyed when you get back. That's how it is in Chicago some places. Extortionists.

The most ominous is you speak up and some thug shows up at the door. "If you know what's good for you, you'll keep your mouth shut".

That's what the administration's gangster friends are doing. Threatening Banks speaking up about Card Check Union Thuggery that TARP funds will be withheld.
I told you before the election that if Obama was elected the USA would look like the South Side of Chicago.

Welcome to Obama's United States of Corruption Chicago Style.

“It is what it is.” - That's the devil trying to get you to accept defeat

“It is what it is.”

Ever heard that one? You haven’t sinned if you have said it or thought it; but it's a mentality that needs to be eliminated. “You just have to accept IT the way IT is.” NO, NO, NO.

Let’s Change It Today:

1. Remember the scripture promise: Ezekiel 21:26 AMP - “Things will not remain, as they have been.”

2. Embrace “IT” as God’s Word says it is. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith IS the substance of things hoped for...”

3. Prophesy to “IT.” When the mother’s child died in Elisha’s day, she DEFINED what ‘it’ is. When the prophet asked her, “Is it well with the lad?”, she responded, “IT IS WELL.” Notice she said, "IT IS WELL", when it wasn’t quite well. But “IT” took on flesh and bone, when she spoke “IT” as she believed.

4. Think like a mountain mover. That’s what you are! “Whosoever will say to this mountain ‘be uprooted and cast into the sea’, IT will obey you.” (Mark 11:23) Expect IT to obey you.

5. Expect it to get BETTER than you can imagine! Ephesians 3:20 says, "He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond what we can ask or imagine."

THINK IT & SAY IT:
It is what God says it is! I declare that things will not remain as they have been. I prophesy to “IT” in my life and declare that IT IS WELL—no matter what. I am a mountain mover, and I expect the mountains to obey me. IT will get better than what I can imagine, in Jesus’ Name.

From Gregory Dickow by email

What a multi-cultural Society Gets you. It's not pretty

I'll just allow you to see what awaits a country that doesn't know who it is.

Great Britain (not so great any more) doesn't. In the name of tolerance and freedom the country has been stolen from them. IS THIS what we want here??

If I move to Nigeria and immigrate, I will become Nigerian. Not here I guess.

When Oprah Becomes the Pope-ette

From the Anchoress:

I have no doubt that there will be a “schism” within the next few decades that will find an “American Catholic Church” formed (Cardinal Mahoney will probably be its titular head) which will look quite a lot like the Church of England or the Anglican church - rites, rituals, “sacraments” etc, and it will even have the imprimatur of the government insofar as it may - and it will be a church that the majority flock to; it will be seen by many as the “victory” over that stuffy old, stubborn Church of Rome. People will go on Oprah and say “I always loved God but I never felt accepted, but this enlightened American Catholic Church tells me what I need to hear, that God loves me and that divorce, abortion and all that stuff doesn’t matter as long as I am a good person, and I AM a good person, Oprah, I AM, and now I am accepted, and (weep, weep) I feel like God finally makes sense in the world!”

“That’s right,” Oprah will declare, “there is no sin, except the sinfulness of not loving the self! God doesn’t make junk!”

Applause, applause. The only ideal that matters is the one that makes you happy and doesn’t challenge the status quo.

This Lines up exactly with the Internet Monk's article Barry Kolb posted today.

People think that folks want the traditions and the liturgical expressions of the Catholic church and that's why people are moving that direction from evangelicalism to Catholicism. NO, they want FAITH. They want to believe.

We have stripped all the Faith out of Most Denominational Churches

We have become prisoners of Reason. Luther said Reason is the Enemy of Faith. It still is.

Future Past

How Come I have a sinking feeling we are entering into a future past? There was a seedy decay that came over America in the period 1973-1985. Back then, the great cities of the American Northeast had collapsed economically and socially due to the accumulation of decades of socialist policies.

Are we headed there once more?

I’m afraid we are in for a long decade and a quarter. Welcome back Carter.


If I knew how to do that morphing thing I would take Obama’s poster and….well you know.

Help Wanted from a Homeless Chicagoan Down on her Luck

Barack Obama get's letters asking for help. This one is posted by Iowahawk. The letter asks for Gift Giving advice since Barry has done such a good job as is evidenced by his gifting in Great Britain and so has his secretary of State in Russia.

Here's the letter:

Dear Barry:

I’ve had a bit of a bad luck patch over the last month (losing my job, watching my 401k completely disintegrate, etc., etc.) and ended up relocating from a high rise in Lincoln Park to a new neighborhood along the Fullerton underpass on the Kennedy Expressway. I was a bit worried about the move at first, but my new neighbors have been great. In fact on move-in day they greeted me with a grocery cart “welcome wagon” containing some lovely and practical gifts like cans of Sterno, cardboard, fortified wine, and a hypo-allergenic harmonica. I would like to show my appreciation with thoughtful “thank you” gifts. Can you recommend something nice that won’t break my budget ($3.00 total for 6 gifts)? Please help!

Barbara in Chicago

You will want to know what the Gift Giver in Chief has to say.

A Plebescite on the "Great Job" Junior not in charge is doing

This is a poll conducted by the all Obama Channel, the home of Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman and Mr Tingle up the Pants himself.

MSNBC

I haven't looked but since MSM engages in censorship when it doesn't go as they had hoped, they pull these things down.

Note, 84,0000 MSNBC watchers (which wouldn't include me) voted on this.

Not good for Obama - He's doing a lousy job and deserves the ridicule. I can honestly say that I had higher hopes for him. They are now dashed. He's just another dummy politician from the south side of Chicago. We have lots of them running the state of Illinois. How's that going so far?

Update, the poll is still up on MSNBC. If you still believe in Obama maybe you can save his sorry behind.

The "Good" Impression the Junior Acheiver occupying the White House made on the British

WOW.

They are not amused.

I guess inexperience has it's rewards.

This from a British observer of the Obama Visit. He says this in part: You made GW Bush look like a God of the spoken word on his worse day.

Yowsers.

If you are suffering because of the Depression (it's not an economic downturn) it's not YOUR FAULT!

The twin towers were bombed on September 11, 2001. Thousands were killed.

What sin did those people who died that day commit? What Righteousness did those who survived exhibit? Why were some people even in Manhattan spared completely? Many lost their jobs. Some even went bankrupt. I almost did. It was a very hard time.

So, tell me, who's fault is it that my friend Steve is out of a Job. That in the last week 3 very dear christian friends have told me that they are on the edge of Bankruptcy. Many are in fear. Who sinned?

A bomb just went off in Baghdad. Car bomb. At least 33 are dead. What did those that are now dead do? How could they have avoided it? They were living their lives, doing business, and suddenly BOOM things changed even for those near, injured and still alive.

So, tell me, who's fault was it? The injured? Or was it an event, external, caused by others.

I tell you, no one sinned. If a bomb goes off there is going to be collateral damage. That's why they bomb. It's indiscriminate.

A bomb has gone off in the Global Economy. Who caused it? I'm not here to point fingers. It's just a bomb, a huge bomb has gone off. I don't agree with the statement I heard from a minister the other night on TBN. He said, "In our congregation we are not participating in the depression". That's foolish. It's like saying when a bomb goes off next to us we will be uafffected, live life like nothing happened. That's like Spirit shirts. Magical thinking. In ancient Israel when famine came, everyone suffered. This is no different.

If you are going thru hard times, if you can't pay your bills, if your job is gone, if you are in debt and can't get out, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. Get past the guilt. Start picking up the pieces and start fixing the problem the best way you know how. Trust Jesus and tell that accuser of you, my brother and sister, to shut up.

We have all just been subject to a huge global economic bomb, now it's time to pick up whatever pieces you can and try to get back to living once more.

It's wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything to cause this, you didn't deserve this. Sure, you could have stayed home in a bomb shelter wearing a flack jacket hiding from the world. A lot of Good you would have been there. Yet some who have lived overcautious lives and not suffered from the bomb blast would tisk tisk you about your injuries.

Jesus wants you out among them and if you get blown away by a Bomb, SO BE IT. Be bold, be Strong, for the Lord Thy God is with thee!

Our Hobby is Church - Christianity in America

It's True, most Christians treat Church attendance and so called Christianity as a hobby, not something they practice every day, just on weekends. Once in a while at night. But nothing more or less than a hobby and they gather at the hobby clubhouse weekly (weakly). This article says much:

Looking at data taken from a massive survey taken in 1990, Barry Kosmin argued that many Americans saw religious beliefs as "a personal hobby." Now, with fresh data in hand, he asserts that contemporary Americans increasingly see religious faith as "more like a fashion statement, not a deep personal commitment."

Barry Kosmin is director of the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. His study, known as the American Religious Identification Study [ARIS], is one of the largest and most significant surveys of the American religious scene ever conducted. The bottom line? "The American population still self-identifies as predominantly Christian but Americans are slowly becoming less Christian."

By any measure, the study reveals an increasing secularization of the society. The percentage of Americans identifying as unaffiliated with any religious group or denomination has risen sharply (from 8% in 1990 to 15% in 2008). In fact, the unaffiliated now outnumber all but Catholics and Baptists.

WCWJJ (Would Jesus BE a Christian?)

What Church Would Jesus Join?

Suppose Jesus came back to earth as a man somewhat incognito to accomplish his mission here. He's fully Jesus the Man incarnate. Once again on earth. I know this isn't biblical. It's out of the realm. But, go with it for a minute. If Jesus once again walked among men as a man what church would he join.

Baptist, Lutheran (which Synod?), Assembly of God, Methodist, Pentecostal...............Which.

And, how would he Vote? Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, Communist or would Jesus even vote?

And where would he live? Washington? New York? Chicago? London? Jerusalem? Mumbai? Shanghai?

I have a more difficult question:
If Jesus once again walked among men would he even be a Christian? Like we see the Church in America? If you asked Jesus, (remember he's incognito) are you a Christian? what would He say?

If Jesus walked among us incognito I'm not convinced he would even be a Christian as we know and express it. He certainly wouldn't be a Church Member. He would say to us,

"This isn't it. This isn't the dream I had for the Church. This isn't what I hoped it would look like. It's all wrong".

"I wanted You, the Church, to look like ME. You don't".

You see, Jesus does walk the earth incognito. He's all around us in flesh. Flawed human flesh. You, me, flawed, human.

Then we develop these institutions, traditions and structures that don't look a bit like HIM. I know I don't look like Him. I want to. I don't. Jesus probably wouldn't be a rock hard Conservative. I don't think he would be a liberal either. I don't know for sure.

I know this, he would love irrationally. I don't. He does. He would do radical and unusual things. I'm pretty conventional. He would be far more accepting than I am.

So, the net question, when you look at what we have as a cultural church made to be "Christian" in America, would Jesus even BE a Christian?

I don't think so.

Graham Cooke asked this question of the Women at Aglow. It's on at 10AM Central Time on God TV. Check Your Schedule.

How to get out of a Financial Crisis

This guy has it all figured out. Who knew it could be so simple.

An Open Offer to Those "Christians" Who Believe I am in Deep Error

I get reports. I'm mostly prone to ignore them. I'm pretty thick skinned and maybe thick headed.

I get comments that tell me that among some "Christians" who read my blog, they find what I say offensive or a problem for them.

I would like to put this to bed once and for all. I offer to meet face to face with all you accusers. We will do this in the presence of anyone who you might want as a witness to the discussion. I will bring a few myself if you choose to accept this challenge.

Bring your whole notebook of terrible things I have said. We can talk about it.

This is not about politics. My politics are not in question here. That's a different bunch. It's my Spiritual Positions that seem to cause anger. If you have the courage to face me, I'm willing.

I think it's waste of time. You won't change your mind. I'm not going to change mine. But if it would make you feel better I'm ready to meet.

Let me know. My Email address is posted on this blog. Feel free to use but not abuse it. If you abuse it I know how to put a stop to it. Just like I know how to delete bitter comments as I do and will when I get them.

I won't hold my breath. Most accusers are cowards and just like to snipe from the sidelines, so I expect no response. But if you choose to, I'm ready.

I'll wait right here.

A Dire Warning - A Reason to Pray

I don't know what to make of this. But I have a sense that it's time for the Body of Christ to intercede with all it's might for the safety of Barack Obama. Something is amiss in the spirit.

Read what David Wilkerson says and consider what could trigger this to come to pass.

Pray for America and Pray for Safety for the President.

One Year and Success at Lord of Life

Last Night Peggy and I with some friends attended the Lord of Life Silent Auction dinner dance. It was a huge success. I was staggered.

The Church has had some pretty successful events in the past few months. It seems like these events have taken on a life of their own. An energy and unity I don't know that I have seen anywhere. I have been part of some very big churches, Churches with thousands of people. A couple of these events have eclipsed anything I had seen in quality and execution at any of those churches.

This doesn't happen without good planning and well thought out oversight. Pastor Phil after a solo year at the Helm has become a first class Helmsman and steers the ship better than I think anyone could have. It's astounding. I tip my hat to him.

The events have been:

A conference on the reality of the book of Genesis and creation. Several hundred people came out and it was a consequential gathering of people from the area who normally do not come to these things. I was amazed people came in this magnitude to see the speakers argument.

A Movie and Marriage event around Valentines week showing the Movie Fireproof. I had no confidence in this. Was I ever wrong. A couple hundred people, many of them first time in the door at Lord of Life came out. It was a huge success.

Last night's event which I have already mentioned. A first class dinner served on fine china, with real silverware, with tablecloths and I know many thousands of dollars were raised by the silent auction. I had such a sense of unity.

The event that was the first of this four part trifecta was the Anniversary Celebration. That really worked. And, it led us to find our new worship Leader who played that night. Billy Croft.

All these events have happened in the less than the last 60 days. They have been huge. It has infected the whole place. I think of the good turnout we had at Men of God. And so many other things. Seeing the Meeting Hall full on Sunday mornings.

WOW.

One thing that is most interesting in all this, Pastor Phil seems to always be in the background. He gives plenty of sunshine to those doing what they do. He never hogs the spotlight nor dominates the scene. He truly allows others to serve and receive the approbation they deserve. He just watches to see that it works. Maybe that's the secret. When he began listing the names of everyone who is serving at anything every Sunday it began to demonstrate to the Congregation that you have a place. It's not about him. In fact other than the fact that he prayed a prayer, had a few welcoming remarks and took some pictures last night you would not have known he was there.

All in all it's working. A year of seasoning has made him grow and the church.

I suppose we will have to wait for his book on Church Growth Strategies next. I'm kidding. But he seems to have captured a secret I don't know many have figured out. I didn't.

Good on you Sir. Lead on.