Last Impressions

I have been trying to catch up on one of my favorite television shows, America’s Got Talent, (AGT).  I saw an episode this morning that got me to thinking. A performer was singing, and he shared about his last words with his wife, and her last words to him. She was killed in the same helicopter crash that killed Koby Bryant. The words shared between the two before she was killed, was, “I love you.”

 

I have lived a life, as has many that hungers and thirsts to be loved. Unfortunately, it seems that for many in this world, it seems to be okay to exhibit hate, to display superiority, to let others know, we are better than you. The last thing it seems we do is to tell or show others, they are loved.

 

I have had reminders of this way too much lately. From Bible studies, to just scrolling through on Facebook, there are reminders all around. Is it any wonder that the suicide rate is drastically up in the United States?  We live in a world that seems to have forgotten the importance of telling and showing others love. God help us.

 

What will be the last words others will remember you for, or you will remember others?  Truth is, none of us are guaranteed of tomorrow, another truth is, that this world is so depressing, that for many, there is no desire to go on and so they end it. While we like to blame them, say things like, “I told them I loved them,” or things like, “I never knew,” or any other myriad of things, do we practice the two things we need to display via words and actions that we love? 

 

Today, I’m heartbroken because of the reminder of the lack of love in our world. Frankly, it may be a reason I get depressed in a time of life I should constantly be in joy.  I don’t know, the negativity has an impact, yet I try to survive, focus on the positive, but it isn’t easy. If it’s that way for me, I know it’s that way for others. Unfortunately, I don’t know if society cares anymore. I wish that weren’t so, but it is what it is.  The studies, the statistics, and the reality is proof that this is a problem with epidemic proportions.  What can we do to change this problem?  We can start with us, and for me, that means, telling you, I love you.

To Donate via Pay Pal, donate at paypal at mike@furches.org

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You can also always donate to The Virtual Pew at 1249 North Saint Francis, Wichita Kansas 67214

Click here to follow The Virtual Pew on Twitter

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Click to subscribe to my blog

You can also check out Mike's Musical ventures by searching for Mike Furches and Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band. Mary Jane's album is available online and by contacting Mike and the Pastor Mike and Demon Slayer Blues Band album is available on over 150 download formats.

There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives on The Virtual Pew and Mike Furches Reviews. You can also contact me for a free audio book link of The Keystone Kid at mike@furches.org You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/.

Hopefully, you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

You can donate via paypal at mike@furches.org or cash app at $MichaelFurches

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
1249 N. St. Francis
Wichita Kansas, 67214
Email: mike@furches.org

To follow Mike's Band, Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band, click the following link:

 

The Pastor Mike and Demon Slayer Blues Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5lrkdvEZGg

https://www.facebook.com/TheDemonSlayers 

The Movie Guys

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

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The Virtual Pew News

 

Why Can't We Be Friends

All through the Bible we see the concept of friendship presented. Even in today’s world, the concept of friend has been popularized by such things as having “friends” at Facebook.  Unfortunately, that word friend because of things like Facebook has in my opinion been bastardized. That is, it has strayed so far from it’s original meaning that it essentially has lost its meaning.

 

Using the Biblical definition, what is a friend? From the Bible Dictionary we have the following: “In both Testaments the ideas of friend and friendship involve three components: association, loyalty, and affection. There are also three levels of meaning: friendship as association only; friendship as association plus loyalty; and friendship as association plus loyalty plus affection.”

 

With the above definition I can’t help but wonder, have we and people lost the meaning of things like loyalty and affection?  It seems to me as if the word friend is just a word for someone we know, better fitting with the concept of an associate or acquaintance, but certainly, not someone we are loyal and/or are faithful to.

 

Some know I share my emotions on my sleeves, or tattooed arms if you will. I am not afraid to share my feelings and emotions with others. It is one of the things that makes me unique I guess, it is a way of me dealing with life as well as an understanding that sometimes it is a way to help others deal with the same thoughts, they may have that I either am, or have experienced. So here goes.

 

At this point in my life, I have had very few real friends. A lot of acquaintances but few friends. Obviously, my late wife was more than a lover, she was a friend. Then, with a real blessing of God. I now have someone I can talk to about anything like no one I have ever been able to talk to. I don’t mean this as a slam in any way on anyone, but at this point, I can talk to my fiancé Sheila about things like I have never been able to talk to another about except for the Lord. That, my “friends,” is a real and true friendship. I have a question though, what if we could experience that level of friendship and love for each other, as I do believe that love does exist in a brotherly and sisterly way with real friends?  How much easier would it be to deal with life’s issues, it’s difficulties?

I have PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  It is a horrible condition. If you don’t know what it is I encourage you to look it up. It can be debilitating and is often influenced by triggers or events that bring back memories.  I recently went through a bout of depression because of some triggers that are and have been going on. I needed friends, friendship, the feeling of love that only friends can bring about. I prayed, I asked others to pray for me, and thankfully they did and even more thankfully, God heard those prayers.

 

In short, God answered those prayers by allowing me to spend time with an old friend from Tennessee who was taking his new bride to be back to Tennessee from Washington State. That day, reflecting on old times, just hearing the voice and dialect of “home”, (I am originally from Upper East Tennessee but haven’t lived there in over 40 years) was so healing. To talk about old memories, good times, hard times, it was healing. But there was a kicker that God also provided. Besides my best friend Jesus, God provided me time with my best earthly friend, the person I have come to love with my all, by far the person I can talk to like no other on this earth, God provided me time with my Sheila. 

 

Sheila works a tough schedule, often with mixed hours and long hours that prevents us from spending the time together that I am so hungry and thirsty for. So, I’ve learned to cherish those times together, even if just for moments. While we talk online when we can, it just isn’t like being there, to caress her arm, or to experience a passionate kiss, and then, to also just talk. To talk about things that are important, to talk about things we can’t talk to any other about. To know that the person is listening, and that they care. That is what real friends do. With Sheila and I/we experience all facets of love, a Godly Love, a Brotherly Sister Love, and beyond that an Erotic Passionate love meant for a married couple. That is the ultimate friend but unfortunately, we can’t all meet, nor should we, all those facets of friendship. I do believe that the last one mentioned, Erotic or Eros Love is intended for two people God has brought together to partner in life and to essentially as the Bible states, to go to the place where the two become one. The question is, how do we get to the place where we can be real friends with others in the appropriate ways we can? We all know, we need real friendship, but it is unfortunately lacking.

 

I don’t have all the answers but the thing I do know is we have to be careful. One reason it is so hard to develop real friendships is because of issues related to trust. We all fail here, let that be clear, but it is something we must work at. It isn’t an issue of if we can be trustworthy, it becomes an issue of will we be trustworthy and then, be willing to perfect that character trait.  Then and only then, do I think we can trust enough to be willing to be open and share in the important things of life, be it emotions or experiences with others. It’s not easy, I know. I am often asked to trust people. My general response is that I’ve learned to only trust myself and God and half of the time I don’t trust myself. Believe me, I know, it isn’t easy, but I know, it’s necessary.  For me, let me make something clear, I can for example speak to Sheila like no other, my truest friend because she opened up to me about herself. She took the first step which enabled me to trust her more. It is because she was willing to take that step, that my life is so much better because now, well, now I have someone I can talk to about anything. Of course, the Lord is and has always been there, but there is definitely something about us as human beings carrying out that concept of love, trust, that the Lord expects us to have in Him.

 

Here is my challenge today, work at being a friend, not an acquaintance, not just a social media friend, but a real friend. Here is the crazy thing about it, when we work on this, not only does it improve our life, but it also improves the life of the one we have chosen to be friends with.  So, in that regard, I challenge, work to make life better not just for you, but those friends, even if they be few that surround you and share in life with you. 

For some reason, it seems like this song is appropriate, after all, I wonder, Why Can't We Be Friends.

WAR - Why Can't We Be Friends? W/ Lyrics - YouTube

 To Donate via Pay Pal, donate at paypal at mike@furches.org

To Donate via Cash App, donate at $MichaelFurches

You can also always donate to The Virtual Pew at 1249 North Saint Francis, Wichita Kansas 67214

Click here to follow The Virtual Pew on Twitter

Mike Furches on Faceboook.

Click to subscribe to my blog

You can also check out Mike's Musical ventures by searching for Mike Furches and Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band. Mary Jane's album is available online and by contacting Mike and the Pastor Mike and Demon Slayer Blues Band album is available on over 150 download formats.

There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives on The Virtual Pew and Mike Furches Reviews. You can also contact me for a free audio book link of The Keystone Kid at mike@furches.org You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/.

Hopefully, you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

You can donate via paypal at mike@furches.org or cash app at $MichaelFurches

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
1249 N. St. Francis
Wichita Kansas, 67214
Email: mike@furches.org

To follow Mike's Band, Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band, click the following link:

 

The Pastor Mike and Demon Slayer Blues Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5lrkdvEZGg

https://www.facebook.com/TheDemonSlayers 

The Movie Guys

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

Reviews With Mike

The Virtual Pew Sermons

The Virtual Pew News

 

Urgent Call for Support

Every now and then I send out a request for support. It's been awhile but the need now is actually greater than it's ever been. Let me be clear, I don't like doing it, there is always one like William who recently talked about how I needed to get a real job, needed to quit being an underachiever and "quit playing music for drunks" among numerous other attacks. This despite the ministry that takes place among some of those "drunks" aka as regular folks who need to know Jesus and that Jesus loves.

A few things about the last year. Regular donations over the last few years have gone from at one time $600 a month to now, $0. Covid was a huge part of this. As you know, if you have followed my work, the people I have been blessed to provide ministry to often times don't have money. So it involves me doing things like the following, just within the last three months:

• providing online counseling services to persons contemplating suicide which involves being online with them, or on the phone while at the same time in immediate need cases online with local authorities.  My knowledge in this area gets immediate attention from Law Enforcement. As a result in the last 3 months, numerous individuals talked down, 3 individuals where the authorities went and stopped a "serious" attempt and one case unfortunately, where the authorities did not get there in time and the person committed suicide. Believe me, it pains me to this day knowing the efforts I made to save and help this person, even offering to drive to Wyoming to be with them.
• Since December I have housed 3 homeless people, although I said I wouldn't do it again. It costs approximately $300 a month to house a homeless person here.  None of the 3 paid anything and in one instance I had one steal a bunch of stuff some of them that belonged to Mary Jane. In all of these cases I supplemented and paid out of pocket the cost of keeping them here. That will be changing as I am not so certain if I can do this again. I certainly can't afford it without major financial help.
• There are homeless persons on the street I have helped and assisted, be it with musical counseling and assistance or just being a friend and thanks to FEMA giving advice and masks related to COVID, so far some 1,200 masks.
• There are things like hospital visits to individuals who have followed me online and consider me their "pastor" even though I still have a hard time considering myself a pastor.
• Then as of late the writing and reviews have started again. I know some will not see this as a ministry, but if you ever take the time to read those reviews you will see points of discussion that points to Christ, yet isn't preachy. Some would be amazed at the doors of conversation this has brought about. To the point of praying in a smoking area at a local bar with people on several occasions and even those in the arts community who call me Pastor Mike and tells me how much they appreciate me because I am not like other "preachers" I am "real." 
•  There is much more that goes on, on a daily basis, sharing my faith in a real, but honestly broken way, (believe me, I am the first to admit my shortcomings and failures.
• I am also so grateful that the continued work with my band Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band continues. While I am receiving some royalties for world wide air-play it amounts to less than $20 a month. As musicians will tell you, for playing purposes, this is really good but not enough to live on.
• The video On My Knees has now been seen close to 1 Million times world wide on various formats, the gospel message on that video is abundantly clear.
• My music has been played in approximately 48 States and now in over 115 countries. While there are no "hits" and work to be done for live performances, rest assured, as my band will tell you or anyone who has seen us. In the bars and clubs we have played, the love of God is always mentioned, displayed and clearly presented. Yet because I am seen as "Real", it is received.
• There is much more from individual spiritual counseling, videos and more that is taking place on a daily basis.

Now here is the reality. Currently I have monthly expenses at around $2,200 a month. That is with no medical benefits or salary or anything of the sort. I currently get $1,800 a month from Spousal Death Benefits, a bit of retirement, and a little outside earnings. As you can tell, the math don't add up. Currently, for the first time in 3 years, the bank account has less than $1,000 in it.   

Last month, there was approximately $500 in support that came in from individuals. One specifically requested that their $300 gift go to me, which I appreciated and as hard as it was, respected, the other individuals $200 went right into the bank for the ministry. 

On top of all of this, also please consider that none of this includes the now close to $500,000 of medical bills I have due to the quadruple bypass heart surgery where the doctors assured me that with those arteries being blocked 100% I had very little time to live. I am paying about 6 medical facilities between $10 and $25 a month for a total of $150 a month that I didn't expect to be paying.  This is above and beyond the operational expenses for The Virtual Pew / Mosaic including living expenses. Neither is included though that my lawnmower and weed eater among other things was stolen and I had to purchase new ones this last month. 

I don't like asking for help it makes me feel like a moocher and is something not in my nature. I have had many people tell me that there are many ministries who does much less but brings in thousands a month because they are good at it. Well, I'm not good at it and I am not worried about having things for myself. I do have a few subscriptions like my $20 a month which allows me to do up to 3 movie reviews a week, my streaming subscriptions at about $30 a month and my car wash subscription at $19 a month. Outside of that, there really isn't anything else for my self other than getting with my band mates and playing music, but, I recognize, without help, I am in trouble.

Here is what I am asking you to consider: Would you consider supporting this ministry on a monthly basis?  Any monthly donation would be huge and of great benefit. I am also asking that you make that donation not to me but to either The Virtual Pew or Mosaic, preferably, to Mosaic. That gift is tax-deductable and goes to the immediate needs and operational expenses of ministry.

If not able to do a monthly gift in any amount, can you consider a one time gift in any amount?  Again, we praise and thank God for any donations that come in. They are so much appreciated as it allows me to do the ministry God has called me to do.

You can make contributions in several ways. I would ask first and foremost to make sure that if making a gift online that you specify that it is for The Virtual Pew / Mosaic.  That way it is easier to manage funds.   

If mailing a gift the address is: Mosaic / The Virtual Pew, 1249 North Saint Francis, Wichita Kansas 67214 

You can also give online via pay pal to - The Virtual Pew - mike@furches.org or Mosaic - mikefurches@yahoo.com

You can also give via cash app at $MichaelFurches

As a side bar, my health outside of allergies right now is doing great, my blood sugars over the last 2 years have gone from averaging 300 to now averaging 100 and I've lost some 50+ pounds and still losing weight.  I feel good and look forward to hopefully at the end of May seeing my daughter and grandson in Ohio for the first time since Mary Jane went to be with the Lord. My son Nathan has come through and I see him on a regular basis but have not seen my granddaughter now in over a year because the mother refuses to let me or my son see her even though he has joint custody and has been paying child support. That will be going to court in the near future as my son has already contacted an attorney.  I am also still waiting on 2 cases before the courts, one the contractors that robbed us and did the poor job on the renovations and the other a Grand Theft Felony case against the person stealing things here from the house. While I can forgive, it does not mean that people aren't held responsible.

The band continues to improve and we are also currently looking for a vehicle to travel and tour in. I continue to be excited about bringing the message of Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band to folks and we are open to playing wherever. The band and radio show I do weekly at KFH are among the highlights of my week as they are some me and enjoyable time while at the same time sharing Good News and happy moments.

Thank you again for your time, I very much do appreciate it and God bless you.

Mike Furches

To Donate via Pay Pal, donate at paypal at mike@furches.org

To Donate via Cash App, donate at $MichaelFurches

You can also always donate to The Virtual Pew at 1249 North Saint Francis, Wichita Kansas 67214

Click here to follow The Virtual Pew on Twitter

Mike Furches on Faceboook.

Click to subscribe to my blog

You can also check out Mike's Musical ventures by searching for Mike Furches and Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band.  Mary Jane's album will be out in September of 2020 and the Pastor Mike and Demon Slayer Blues Band album will be released in October of 2020

There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free audio book link of The Keystone Kid at mike@furches.org You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/.

Hopefully, you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

You can donate via paypal at mike@furches.org or cash app at $MichaelFurches

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
1249 N. St. Francis
Wichita Kansas, 67214
Email: mike@furches.org

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

To follow Mike's Band, Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band, click the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/TheDemonSlayers 

The Movie Guys

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

Reviews With Mike

The Virtual Pew Sermons

The Virtual Pew News 

Social Media Religious Posts and Fishing

I often wonder: How many followers of Jesus actually think about the totality and complexity of the teachings in the Bible? For example a few things always get me  thinking. There are the references to "become like a child," "the body of Christ," "running the race," "wrestling...," then the one that got me thinking this morning, "fishers of men."

Matthew 4:19 ~  And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Over the years I have loved the opportunities I have had to fish, especially when having the rare chance to go deep sea fishing. I loved fishing on a regular basis when we owned our home on Lake Oolagah in Oklahoma. I learned quickly in my fishing experiences in life, if I wanted to catch fish, I needed to learn to fish, you see, fishing entails far more than putting bait on a hook and throwing that bait into the water. I never liked waiting as opposed to fishing, I liked catching fish, so instead of quitting, I learned how to fish.

I have become a decent fisherman. I have learned a lot about fishing and about becoming a fisher of men. There are often those, who no offense taken, really haven't learned how to fish. They throw a big line with a big floater and a super heavy sinker on it into the water, often splashing it with the tip of their pole, talking away, making all kinds of noise and using the wrong kind of bait. They would be better off dropping a line into a goldfish pond. You see when fishing, to have the best chance of catching fish, you have to know what kind of line to use, the best kind of pole, unless casting a net, (dynamite fishing excluded,) You have to know the kind of fish you are fishing for, the habits of that fish, are they bottom dwellers, scavengers, top fish, etc..., what are the best times of day to catch the fish, what are the best water temperatures and conditions and far more. Bottom line is, if you want to be effective in being fishers of men and women. One needs to make the efforts to learn the appropriate ways to fish.

In the passage above it is important to remember who Jesus was speaking to. He was speaking to experienced fishermen who understood how to fish. What Jesus said was appealing enough that they threw their nets down right away followed Him. They had if you will, a head start in understanding what it meant to fish.

The thing that got me to thinking about this was the number of posts on social media by people with religious connotations. I couldn't help but think, what was the purpose of the posts? It seemed to me that many were taking on the role of prophet, pastor teacher and preaching to the choir, or talking to the church about what the church needed to do. That is what it seemed like except when looking to see the posters comments outside of the quoted passages were specifically directed towards those that didn't know Jesus or were followers of Jesus. It is one of those things that always confounds me, that is Christians who expect non Christians to already be acting like Jesus. Then there is that thing where it looks like people are trying to clean the fish before they catch them but that is a whole other topic.

It seems to me, that posting and talking about faith related things should fall under really only one of a few categories for followers of Jesus on social media. By the way, while this can be effective, I know because of the time I have been doing ministry on social media and my research on the topic, there is still no replacement for face to face, or at the very least conversation to conversation, (and I don't mean texting, pictures or anything, I mean at least picking up the phone and conversing.) Anyway, the categories of which I think one can safely assume as to why discuss faith related issues on social media.

1) To educate, train, and equip individuals who are followers of Jesus on how to better carry out the work of God as illustrated and directed through the Bible. This is first of all, a perfectly acceptable reason. I do think one should make sure that they fall under the Biblical expectations of leadership and teaching as outlined in the Bible, (a simple Google of Biblical leadership will turn up an abundance of material.) Now this isn't to say lay persons shouldn't teach. May that never be! Many a great teachers are lay people, (those not actually pastors, preachers or those credentialed by the church.) Remember the greatest qualification for Biblical teaching isn't Seminary, it is that you have been to Calvary. However, the Biblical expectations, of studying the Bible, how we teach and so forth are to be practiced. Here is the sad truth, we as followers of Jesus are directed to test the teachings we receive, we should be qualified to give an answer and so forth. This does not mean that the teachings we don't like are bad, maybe it is our individual theology that needs work. 

In college I learned an incredibly important task that unfortunately many seem to not practice, that is understanding the points of and practice of logic and reason. We especially as followers of Jesus need not throw out these principles. I studied these concepts in my philosophy courses at East Tennessee State University and at Tabor College, as well as over the years, on my own. Understanding the process of logic and reason is a tool that will greatly benefit those who teach and debate. There is a process of doing this, it is one I believe, if being a great or even just an effective fisherman (or woman) will enable us to exceed our wildest expectations in catching fish.

2) Now there is another reason to do these things online or within social media, that is to reach those  who do not have a relationship with Jesus, or catching fish. Unfortunately, when Jesus says we should draw people to him, we more times than not chase them away. I recently saw a great example of this on the television show The Amazing Race where the contestants were charged with corralling sheep. Most did what we do in our social media and personal habits, we chase people away, (remember the Bible calls us sheep) and remember what I said in that first paragraph about the complexity of the illustrations in the Bible. We seemingly condemn, say we speak love but it really mirrors hate, and wonder why we are not effective in developing relationships with people where they are asking us about the person of Jesus instead of us having to preach to them. A point of fact here is that we see approximately 11 one on one conversations with non disciples or followers in the Bible between individuals and Jesus. In 9 of those conversations, the other person started the conversation. The unfortunate truth is, while we may want to catch fish, our lack of knowledge on fishing prevents us from catching them and instead we chase them away, scare them, even give them cause to stay away from the messenger of the love of God as far as possible, often times, us.

There may be instances where a person has a sincere desire and has learned some things about fishing, for example what kind of line to use, how to cast, how to bait a line but they haven't learned how to fish for a trout as opposed to a catfish, or even worse, fishing for a Snapper in a fresh water stream. (now if you don't know what that means, look it up, it is about time to learn something about fishing.) We should learn how to catch specific fish. This is an area I get criticized for within many in the church. I fish specifically for those who have been hurting and have experienced hurts and hardships in their lives in an extreme way. I use specific tools to plant seeds the Holy Spirit can work with, it may be a movie, music or other forms but I doesn't always use the niceties that some followers of Jesus are so accustomed to. It is the bait, the realities those I fish for understand though. The sad part of this to me is that many write off the hurting, the abused, the homosexual, the biker, the drug addict, the prostitute and others, they not only don't like the methods of fishing God has instructed me with, the truth is, they don't like those I fish for. They have a taste for trout while I fish for catfish. Here is the sad truth, just like Paul and Peter as we read about in Acts and Galatians among other places, they reached out to different crowds and understood the call of God on their lives, it was those on the outside looking in that had the issues. They both supported the work of the other yet so many still judge without looking at the need to reach the lost. They want to judge the method of fishing, (of which they really know little) and never look at the streamer line with the fish you have caught and God has used to touch and provide healing and knowledge. Often those telling you how to cast has never actually cast themselves.

I am sure there are other reasons for sharing religious things on social media but I believe  these are the primary two reasons we should be sharing. Do we take seriously what we share? Do we understand what we are sharing and take seriously how we share it. I want to be the best fisherman I can be and I will tell you, I am at times honored that I am critiqued in the same way at times by the same types of people who critiqued Jesus, that is the religious community who had more of a focus on the law, (which Paul calls "The False Gospel") than they do the grace, liberty and freedom given to us by Christ to reach those he died on a cross to have relationship with. Despite the sin, despite the type of fish, or sheep for that matter. Christ wants to have a relationship with each us, the whosoever's if you will, hopefully, more of us consider these two things, our purpose and methods so that we will in fact become fishers of the very people Jesus loved and died for.

Now that letting you know stuff:  

The Virtual Pew and our other work is supported solely by the kind contributions of others. You can click on the donate button below to give any amount to this work that does so much more than just post articles on the net; I draw no ongoing salary from the church I pastor, Mosaic Wichita which is predominantly a homeless church; I am grateful for any small amount you can contribute to help with this ministry.  Believe me there is much more going on than most realize. I will also provide information to verify the ministry and income that comes into this ministry and work.  Thanks and feel free to share any material from The Virtual Pew, I only ask that appropriate credit is given and a link to the original site with the materials provided.


Click here to read about, and order the book, The Keystone Kid 

You can also order the book at all major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and so forth. It is available via e-book for .99 Cents or if having a way to download, can download the full audio book at soundcloud.com and simply going to Mike Furches / The Keystone Kid. The audio version of the book is available for a free download.


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There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free audio book link of The Keystone Kid at mike@furches.org You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/.

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
1249 N. St. Francis
Wichita Kansas, 67214
Email: mike@furches.org

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

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

Personal Furches Web Site

Hollywood Jesus

Reviews With Mike

The Virtual Pew Sermons

The Virtual Pew News