Lessons from a Dumb, Poor, Street Kid

Today’s article is going to be a little different. I am going to be showing a video that some may have taken the time to watch in the past, and others, maybe not. This is actually based on my first message at Mosaic and was an attempt to not only let the congregation get to know me, where I come from, and my personal make up, but also a challenge that if God can change the life of someone like Anthony, He can change individual lives within a community, within a home, and within a church. I will post the video from my presentation at Third Day in Fresno California, and then some objective lessons for folks to consider. It is best to watch the video first, then read the commentary after the video.

Please, if you have not seen the video on The Story of Anthony, take the time to watch. Simply double click on the video, and if the video don’t appear, just click on the link. After watching the video and listening to the story come back and read my thoughts as presented to Mosaic. While this will take some time, I am confident it will be worth while.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpZbGbNWU10



One of the first things I want people to become aware of from a Biblical perspective, after listening to the story of Anthony, is that according to Galatians 2:20 that once we come to have a relationship with Jesus, we become new people. I still have the name Michael Anthony Furches but I am no longer the same person. I have become completely new. It is just like the verse says:

Galatians 2:20 - I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. (Contemporary English Version)

The person I was has realized that Jesus is bigger than my problems. He is with me every day and the problems I had as Anthony no longer exist in the way they did before. I have realized something else from this passage though, something what we can all learn, whether individuals, organizations, or churches. These are what I believe to be lessons we can learn from the story of Anthony.

First, God loves the undesirable. You may think you have done things that prevent God from loving you. That just isn’t true; God loves you no matter what you have done. There may be things you have done that he don’t appreciate or like, but as a person, he loves you and wants to change you, no matter if rich or poor, black or white, abused or an abuser, a saint or a criminal, or any other number of conditions you want to place on your life. It is one of the things I think the church needs to do a better job of, that is letting those who society considers undesirable know that Christ loves them and wants to have a relationship with them that will ultimately provide love and compassion to those needing it and wanting it most. I also understand that sometimes the hardest person to love us is ourselves. God can, and wants to change that. We can become people who are lovable, even in our own minds.

Second, God changes things whether situations, people, or churches. God wants your situation to see new light, to see and have hope. In my life, I experienced this; it has changed everything about me, no matter where I am, or what I am doing. I know for a fact, that God still works miracles.

Third, people change when they allow God to change them. I had to make the decision to let God change my life. I was sick of the things I had experienced in life; even after becoming a Christian I didn’t realize my need to let God change me. It wasn’t my fault, I didn’t know, but ultimately I had to experience the consequences of my actions. I believe that when individuals, organizations, families and yes, churches allow God to work in them, they will see and experience change like Anthony. The bottom line is they have to want it. If you don’t want it, you won’t experience it.

Fourth, when one gets back to the basics God Works. It is like sports, the basics, the fundamentals are key to the development of a team and the skills and talents of an individual. I learned the basics and fundamentals are the keys to spiritual growth, not just for me, but any individual, group, organization, or church. Those basics include the following.

Bible Study: The Bible to be the ultimate love letter and instruction manual from the creator of the universe. It is designed to help one understand God, fall in love with the person of Jesus Christ, seek the forgiveness of the things we have done wrong and at the same time, give us instructions on how to live meaningful and productive lives.

We have to allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us. We all receive the Holy Spirit in our lives at the point we come into relationship with Jesus. The problem is we don’t understand what the purpose of the Holy Spirit is. He is there to guide us, help us in our decisions, helps us decipher right from wrong, help us understand the Bible, and much more. We are told in the Bible that the Holy Spirit gives us power. Unfortunately we don’t understand how to realize that power.

We have to be willing to share our faith with others. I know that when this happens, people often say things about us or criticize us, even calling us hypocrites. I believe that sharing our faith is good for at least 2 reasons. One it allows us the opportunity to share our faith with others in a way we may see them come to faith. Secondly, it has others hold us accountable. I write in my book The Keystone Kid a story about a friend confronting me about my faith after I had been saved a short time. He confronted me about smoking dope in his room with several others. I’ll never forget Darrell telling me that if being a Christian was about being able to smoke dope he was good with becoming a Christian. If I hadn’t told Darrell that I was a Christian, he would have never been able to say something to me. That confrontation helped open my eyes that I needed to stop smoking dope. No church was there to help me with this, but God used my willingness to share my faith, to have non Christians confront me about areas that I knew wasn’t quite right in my life.

Prayer is another basic of the faith. Simply put, prayer is talking with God in the way we would talk to friends. We can talk to God about the person giving us a hard time in traffic, or about our bills, disagreements with our spouse, a test in school, a disagreement on a message board, or anything. We don’t have to use special language or anything like that when speaking with God. I compare this to a husband and wife talking with each other. Unless they are willing to spend time talking together, they simply won’t get to know each other. God wants to spend time talking to us, and listening to us.

Another basic to our faith is the need to spend time with other followers of Jesus. I realize many associated with The Virtual Pew may not be involved in a church for whatever reason. That does not negate the need to spend time with other believers though, whether that be finding a local church to be a part of, or attending Christian events. Many towns may have a coffeehouse where you can go listen to bands. There may be speakers or worship events in your community. I personally love small groups or small gatherings in homes where you can talk about faith and at the same time worship God. I have a deep passion and love for the church, but we need to remember, the church isn’t a building but a people, to experience church with a people is ultimately important, and while it is great if you can ultimately plug into a gathering of people which meets in a building, the relationships with each other is the thing I am talking about. I have found that a single person in a large gathering of Christians can get lost if they want. Meaningful relationships with friends, where you can hold each other accountable to right wrong, love, and so forth, is something we all need and can find, even in small settings.

The above are ingredients of getting back to the basics. There are other things to learn from the story of Anthony though. Another is people and Churches can come back to a place where God will work in their lives. The truth is, all people, individuals, groups, organizations and yes, even churches get to the place were we become the focus instead of God. God, his worship, his love for humanity, his love for us, has to always be the primary message. That message of love and salvation through Jesus Christ is critical. While we may stray from that at times, we can always go back home. God is a loving father who will receive us back with wide open, loving arms. We can keep on the same path, going the same direction, seeing little or no effectiveness in our spiritual lives. We don’t have to though; we can experience the power, love and life offered by God through his son Jesus if we just go back home.

While we can learn more with the story of Anthony, I want to close with the concept that with God all things are possible. We read about this in the Bible in the book of Philippians.

Philippians 4:13 - Christ gives me the strength to face anything. (CEV)

I have learned in my experiences that this is true. I realize my strength is in the person of Jesus Christ. I can face difficulties, hard times, yet I can also joy and find myself doing things I can only do because Christ has blessed me.

I still consider myself a dumb ol’ street kid from Tennessee. I should have never experienced the things in life I have, from working with many of the top bands in the world, to calling certain great Christian leaders friends, and having the blessing to meet many individuals some consider stars. There has been more though, nothing compares to performing a wedding ceremony for your daughter or baptizing your son. Nothing compares to having a wonderful wife, or a ministry that has touched the lives of thousands. Those things should have never happened to me, yet they did. I am confident that my God is so big that they can happen with you as well. That is whether you are an individual, a part of an organization, or a part of a church in need of change. The question isn’t what God will do, but will you allow him to do what he wants to? If so, you will learn that the hopes and changes that occurred in my life, can also occur in yours, and for me, that would be a incredible miracle to see happen. Anything I can do to help in the process, don’t hesitate letting me know.

Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.com

You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew

P.O. Box 17731

Wichita, KS 67217

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew Blog
Personal Furches Web Site
Mike Furches MySpace Page
Mike Furches MySpace Blog
Hollywood Jesus
Reviews With Mike
The Virtual Pew Sermons
The Virtual Pew News
MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group
MySpace The Virtual Pew Group
The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page
To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

Phone Number to Call During The Virtual Pew Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8587

Phone Number to Call During The HJ Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8853

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/thevirtualpew

To Subscribe to HJ Live Live Feed – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/hollywoodjesus

Building The Artistic Community In The Church

I recently got this from a friend of mine Chris Taylor down Texas way. It is one of the best things on worship I have read in a long time. You can check out Chris’s MySpace page by clicking here. It will be interesting to get your thoughts and comments from the article, especially if you are involved in worship, enjoy worship, or are a musician of any sort. I don’t normally post blogs or articles from other people that should say something about the quality of this one. Enjoy! Also special thanks to Chris for granting permission to repost this.

From Chris Taylor

Building the Artistic Community in the Church

I have a strong, unshakable belief that genuine musicians and singers and artists should dream up the kind of church they want to be a part of. I believe that these "dreamers" should be dreaming up the future in the songs we sing, the sounds we hear and the art we see and feel. Psalm 96:1 ~ Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth

So often, the "Local Church" falls behind the times in the style or presentation of music and artistic...if any at all) and we settle for less than excellent in many areas of our worship. At the least, we are guilty of not recognizing modern forms of communication, musically and otherwise. Psalm 98:1 ~ [A psalm.] Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

My dream as a church music director or worship leader is that I can go outside the box of the traditional "worship team" format. I want to combine faith and doubt on the same stage. I want to see a church strong enough to embrace musicians and artists who are seekers, doubters and people struggling to believe in a God who loves them unconditionally. I would love to see them side by side with strong believers and passionate God-Chasers. Psalm 149:1 ~ Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.

As a church, I hope we would want these kinds of people fill the seats on Sunday. I know we want them to eventually start becoming followers of Christ, tithing and integrating their families into the church. But are we willing to give them a safe place to use their gifts and talents and skills to create a tapestry of artistic expression that is unique, passionate and honest before God? Psalm 139 ~ Give God the biggest part of your life… because He knows every part of your life

It’s my belief to reveal all aspects of the human condition in the church’s artistic expression of our faith – or our lack of faith at times. Ultimately, God is glorified and his praise will resound. But rarely do we find a church bold enough to ask the questions about our journey toward faith as we are about praising our Savior for the good work He’s done in our lives. John 4:23 ~ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

Imagine a place… a community of artists working side by side; hand in hand to present the Good News of the Gospel meets the State of the Human Condition through music, drama, visual art and any other kind of communication we can dream up! Imagine a place where believers don’t judge people who doubt, questions lead to answers and God’s strength abounds in our weakness. Isaiah 42:10 [ Song of Praise to the Lord ] Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.

So many of San Antonio’s great musicians are playing their music in venues all over town. Most of them are playing in bars, clubs and coffee houses – trying to get their "soul music" or music from their soul – heard by others who can relate. Is anyone from the church listening? Is anyone from the church willing to hear their soul music, their own journey through life? How can the church reach out to these musicians where they are?

I believe one way to reach them is to develop the kind of relationship where there is mutual love and respect for each other’s musical expression. If these "secular" musicians accept our invitation to share their gifts in the Local Church, how amazing is it that they would say, "Yes" and give their time and energy to the Church Community? Under the leadership of the Church Worship Leader – they could be an effective tool in presenting the thoughts of many people in the community who have always felt that church is no place for people with questions – rather people who have already found the answers. John 4:23 Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.

'…we cannot imagine that the church gathers for worship on Sunday morning if by this we mean that we then engage in something that we have not been engaging in the rest of the week.’

D.A. Carson, in D.A. Carson (ed.), Worship by the Book

(Zondervan, 2002), 24.

Isaiah 58:6-8

I’ll tell you what it REALLY means to worship the Lord:
Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly.
Free those who are abused.
Share your food with everyone who is hungry.
Share your home with the poor and homeless.
Give clothes to those in need.
Don’t turn away your relatives.
Then your light will shine like the dawning sun
And you will be quickly healed…
Your honesty will protect you as you advance…
And the glory of the Lord will defend you from behind

It is then - and only then - we as the church will have the desired effect on the community around us.

I looked for various worship songs to fit Chris's words here. I don't know if this is the best one, but it is a pretty good one. If you see the video below, just double click on it. Otherwise, just click on the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMT_kAD6cOg


Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.com

You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
P.O. Box 17731
Wichita, KS 67217

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew Blog
Personal Furches Web Site
Mike Furches MySpace Page
Mike Furches MySpace Blog
Hollywood Jesus
Reviews With Mike
The Virtual Pew Sermons
The Virtual Pew News
MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group
MySpace The Virtual Pew Group
The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page
To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

Phone Number to Call During The Virtual Pew Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8587

Phone Number to Call During The HJ Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8853

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/thevirtualpew

To Subscribe to HJ Live Live Feed – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/hollywoodjesus

New Pastor at Mosaic Wichita Church

The following is a copy of an email I just sent out regarding recent news regarding myself, The Virtual Pew, and a church in Wichita, Mosaic Wichita.

Hi, my name is Mike Furches and it is an honor to introduce myself to you. Some know me from various walks, maybe as former pastor of United at the Cross Community Church in Southwest Wichita, possibly through my on line ministry The Virtual Pew at http://www.thevirtualpew.com/, an old friend, association through Wichita’s Youth Horizons, MySpace, Hollywood Jesus, or any variety of areas.

I am sending this special announcement as the new Interim Pastor at Mosaic Church in Wichita. There is the possibility this could turn into the Senior Pastor position, but currently Mosaic Wichita and I are seeking God’s direction and wisdom in this process. While my life is active, I am also pleased to say that these ministries are able to blend together in such a way as to not require much more time than I am currently spending in work.

For those familiar with my ministry over the years, you have nothing to worry about, while I have taken a short break to get things in order, things will be getting back to normal in the very near future. I will continue three nights a week at Youth Horizons where I can be involved in the lives of fatherless children through this wonderful ministry plus spend time doing study, research, and writing. The Virtual Pew will also continue, albeit with a few minor changes.

The changes at The Virtual Pew will involve blending some of the messages, research, and ministry of Mosaic Church. Using the unique effectiveness of The Virtual Pew with that of the unique ministry of Mosaic Church many attributes will cross and carry over. Also, Hollywood Jesus will pick up, and I will be scheduling two to three radio shows weekly. These areas of ministry will compliment each other.

Many of you reading this may be hearing about me for the first time. I likely obtained your information from the Mosaic archives, and visitors’ cards. For each of those, greetings and I hope to get to know you better, whether a regular of Mosaic, or if you have visited in the past. I realize some of you have church homes, if so, please accept these emails and those from The Virtual Pew as information emails, and requests to pray for us. If you don’t have a church home, I ask you to reconsider Mosaic, give us a shot. I am working diligently and want you to know, I strongly believe in the vision given this church by former pastor Matt Lowe. I have the desire to reach those who have been hurt and don’t feel they have a place to fit in. Mosaic is for you. To learn more about Mosaic Wichita, if having internet access you can visit http://www.mosaicwichit.org/ or Mosaic’s MySpace Page at www.myspace.com/mosaicwichita While there, if a member of MySpace send us a friends request.

I believe strongly in Mosaic’s vision, you can see and learn that by visiting a number of web sites and learning about me, from http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ or http://www.furches.org/ and www.myspace.com/mikefurches You can check these web sites, or simply Google my name, Mike Furches. You can see my testimony on video, or request an e-book of my life. I forewarn you, the book has over 700 pages, but many will relate, and quickly see why I have the passions I do. I have been a part of national ministries, Hollywood Jesus (HJ), and The Virtual Pew (TVP) for a number of years. HJ has been on the forefront of discovering spiritual truths in the arts. HJ’s website receives millions of hits a day, and our resources have lead many to faith in Jesus Christ. To be blunt, reaching those I call The Lost, The Last, and The Least has been a critical part of my life.

Through the work at HJ we begin to see people, either come to faith in Jesus Christ or take their relationship with him to the next level. I recognized the need to assist them in their walk with God. In the process, with the help of David Bruce from HJ, and George Barna from the Barna Research Group, we also realized there are many Christians, or followers of Christ who were not attending church; thus the start of TVP, an online ministry seeking to use the web to share Jesus with all people in a new and unique way. TVP is also designed to where, and when possible, plug people back into a local church. While the methods and articles with TVP have at times been controversial, there is no doubt as to the effectiveness of reaching those we sought to reach. TVP receives thousands of hits each day. There is no doubt; many aspects of these ministries will be blended with Mosaic. For those familiar with TVP, those who have been blessed by this ministry, expect that to continue in a new and unique way. You can subscribe to the articles that come out by either a Google Subscription, RSS Feeds, or by going to my MySpace page or The Virtual Pew website. You can also subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live and HJ Live radio programs via RSS Feeds made available through links on the articles of The Virtual Pew.

I am excited about the future of Mosaic. God has great things in store, and while the church is young, and in transition, I want people to know I value concepts rooted in Biblical truth, prayer, support of each other, and relationship. These are foundation blocks that will allow Mosaic to be all it desires to be. While a pastor in a physical church in the past, I learned things such as how to reach others in our internet savvy world. That said, while I value the technological world we live in, nothing replaces the face to face relationship that can and should be found in church, nor can anything replace the real prayers and real love for each other in real, personal contact.

I also want to share my thoughts regarding church. Church is not a building or location, but a group of people who have a shared value and purpose. The shared value of Mosaic is that God loves all people, Goths, the Homeless, Drug Addicts, Street People, Prostitutes, Gay, Straight, Wiccans, Atheist, and more. The Bible is clear, “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” God desires to show his love to all people. As followers of Jesus we are to love, care for, help, and in the process, share our love of Jesus with those around us. The Holy Spirit takes care of the rest.

With the above said, I believe many have gotten it wrong, church is not about us. Church is about God. We are taught in church so we can better serve, and worship God. It is also about discovering our journey in life to find pleasure, joy, and relationship with God. Jesus made it clear, there are no greater commandments than to love God, and love people, or simply put, Love Him, Love Them!

For those in the Wichita area and not involved in a church, I hope you will give Mosaic a chance. If you are part of a sister church please pray for Mosaic on a regular basis. For those in sister churches receiving this, I cherish the opportunity to meet with you to talk about ways to partner to insure the success of Mosaic. We welcome those who see the missional value of Mosaic, and are interested in becoming a part of that mission. If you are among those who have tried Mosaic in the past, haven’t been in a while, give us another chance, I would love to meet you.

My first Sunday as pastor will be April 27, 2008 the last Sunday of the month. If you are in the Wichita area and don’t have a church home, have never visited Mosaic, I ask you to visit, and consider becoming a part of a wonderful ministry. I would also love to see new and old friends for this service celebrating the work that God is going to be doing at Mosaic. Currently Mosaic meets at Truesdale Middle School in Southwest Wichita and directions can be found on the church web site at http://www.mosaicwichita.org/

For those who have been receiving The Virtual Pew Newsletter, if you want to receive further newsletters and updates regarding Mosaic Wichita, you need to do one of two things, you can go to http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ follow the free newsletter links, and while there, click to subscribe to the Mosaic newsletter. You can also email me and indicate you would like to get the Mosaic Updates.

I am excited about this new venture. I desire your prayers and thank you for them in advance. God has great things in store for each of us, may he grant Mosaic the blessing of touching the lives of those we come into contact with.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate getting back in touch with me.

Now for those familiar with the tradition of The Virtual Pew, here is a video specific to Mosaic. I love the song, and while thought of as a love song, the message is something we can all hear, especially Mosaic. It is a different video but again, one that I think can remind us of The Little Engine That Could. Enjoy the video by clicking on it, if you don't see it, just click on the link. Until then, remember, Nothing is Going To Stop Us Now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jWrn_FbyAg



Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.com

You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
P.O. Box 17731
Wichita, KS 67217

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew Blog
Personal Furches Web Site
Mike Furches MySpace Page
Mike Furches MySpace Blog
Hollywood Jesus
Reviews With Mike
The Virtual Pew Sermons
The Virtual Pew News
MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group
MySpace The Virtual Pew Group
The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page
To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

Phone Number to Call During The Virtual Pew Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8587

Phone Number to Call During The HJ Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8853

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/thevirtualpew

To Subscribe to HJ Live Live Feed – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/hollywoodjesus

What Did You Say About Movies? What Good Could Come Out Of Hollywood?

Recently I have been involved in some discussion as to the appropriateness of what I do for Hollywood Jesus. Is there value in all movies? Can you find spiritual truth in any movie? And the list goes on and on. As is often the case, some people don’t seem to understand, want to question worthiness, and even make confrontation as to the things I and others at Hollywood Jesus do.

I can’t speak for every person at Hollywood Jesus that reviews film. I can speak for the integrity and effectiveness of the web site. I can also speak of my own intent, my own reasoning, and my perspectives.

I am going to make a challenging comment, truth is truth, no matter what the source. God is also God and can use anything he chooses to get his point across. Thankfully, and fortunately, God hasn’t given up on making effort to find ways to reach others with his love, even if that means finding a point of spiritual truth that one can relate to in a movie, song, book, television show, or what ever method God chooses to use.

I review movies with this intent; I understand that millions of people see movies on weekends, whether Christians like it, support it or not. I also realize that millions of people, don’t believe the Bible, and have virtually no respect for Christians. In many cases this is for nothing more than the hypocrisy and lack of love shown from those who call themselves followers of Jesus. While a true follower of Jesus can be the best testimony there is to the existence of God, a weak or judgmental Christian can also be the greatest hindrance there is to the reality of Jesus Christ. I challenge, it begins and ends with love. While judgment is certainly involved, that judgment is offered after the offer and desire for the acceptance of love. It is also offered and given by God.

In my reviews of movies I have two specific purposes, to show Christians who may or may not see the movie to help recognize any spiritual truth that may be in the movie, no matter how small. Why do I do this? I do it because of the need to find ways to share Jesus love with the world. Unfortunately, many make excuses to not do this, I am grateful to be a part of a ministry that makes the sacrifice to find ways to share this. I also review movies so that those who are not followers of Jesus can be pointed to spiritual nuggets of truth in the reviews. I have been blessed and frankly surprised at the number of people who have responded in a positive way here. Whether a son of a Baptist preacher brought back to faith, an abused daughter who had given up on God, or a Wiccan discovering the real Jesus, I have been blessed on many occasions to be a part of a life changing ministry that makes a difference. The Bible is rather clear, we can judge who is and who is not a follower of Jesus on several concepts, including their fruit, their love, and their response as to who Jesus Christ is. On these points, I again challenge, I have been blessed to be a part of this ministry.

Today I had a friend and fellow reviewer from Hollywood Jesus send me and the other reviewers at Hollywood Jesus a video he had put together. I am asking you to watch that video today. See how spiritual truths are addressed in movies, television shows and so forth. I ask you to watch, I ask you to respond with your thoughts.

The friend sending the video was Ken Priebe. I am posting his message and then posting he video. Just click on the video to watch, if the video don’t appear, just click on the link,

Greetings to All at HollywoodJesus!

Recently I was inspired by seeing various movie images in my head while listening to my iPod at the bus-stop and just had to take advantage of my time off over Easter Weekend to get this creative impulse out of my system.

I present to you a music video I edited together, inspired by lyrics which I realized reflect the experience of the Hero's Journey and the spiritual thread that runs through so many epic movies. Soak in how the stories weave with the words and your own journey!

This is dedicated to all of you who "dare to move" for Hollywood Jesus!

Blessings,
Ken Priebe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oavhdsGu4Hg



Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.com

You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
P.O. Box 17731
Wichita, KS 67217

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew Blog
Personal Furches Web Site
Mike Furches MySpace Page
Mike Furches MySpace Blog
Hollywood Jesus
Reviews With Mike
The Virtual Pew Sermons
The Virtual Pew News
MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group
MySpace The Virtual Pew Group
The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page
To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

Phone Number to Call During The Virtual Pew Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8587

Phone Number to Call During The HJ Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8853

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/thevirtualpew

To Subscribe to HJ Live Live Feed – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/hollywoodjesus

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!

You know we make all kinds of excuses to not learn for ourselves, or teach our children certain aspects we may consider too difficult. We don’t have the time, and think they don’t have the ability. What a sad place to be especially when confronted with the reality that children likely have more ability to understand and learn than we give them credit for, and we should be making the time to continue learning and improving our own lives.

I recently had a friend, Rebecca Lowe send me the following video to consider using for a sermon illustration. Those who know me know I can be long winded at times. Well this is a time that isn’t going to happen. Just think about the challenge I have given above, and watch the videos below.

Click on the video below to see the amazing ability of a small child, listen to the words, and realize, if she can learn this, what more can we either learn for ourselves, or teach others. If the video don't appear, click on the links. Make sure to read the few comments related to this I make after the videos.

The Lords Prayer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR4PQ30VkBk


Amazing Grace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS93Q4jQAO0


For God So Loved The World In Mandarin Chinese
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JidvoGMj4BY


I realize some may see more in this then we should, for me, I just see a little girl, being taken to church, and learning some songs that will stick with her for the rest of her life. If we could all do the same, go to church, learn some songs, and Biblical concepts that will stick with us for the rest of our life.

Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.com

You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

Here is our contact information


The Virtual Pew
P.O. Box 17731
Wichita, KS 67217

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew Blog
Personal Furches Web Site
Mike Furches MySpace Page
Mike Furches MySpace Blog
Hollywood Jesus
Reviews With Mike
The Virtual Pew Sermons
The Virtual Pew News
MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group
MySpace The Virtual Pew Group
The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page
To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

Phone Number to Call During The Virtual Pew Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8587

Phone Number to Call During The HJ Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8853

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/thevirtualpew

To Subscribe to HJ Live Live Feed – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/feeds/hollywoodjesus