I heard a great sermon at church yesterday. It had to do with the time Jesus healed the guy who had been blind from birth. Part of the jest was how the Pharisees, (the religious leaders) tried to put Jesus in a box. The passage, John Chapter 9 can be quite humorous depending on how you look at it. Here is this guy Jesus heals and the religious leaders just keep trying to put Jesus down, and find the man Jesus healed in some kind of lie. Their beliefs of what and who God is, how he works, is torn all to pieces.
At The Virtual Pew, we often have people trying to tell us what they think is the appropriate way to share about Jesus. They put him in a box and with little exception of what their expectations include. It is really pretty sad. I still get judgmental hate mail for various things I have posted despite the fact that lives have been changed and the methods have worked. I get criticized for respecting the genius of Rob Zombie. I recently did an article that was a repost of a song, sung by Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. (notice the above links can also be found with much more comment at MySpace) How dare I share a song from someone like Ozzy? How dare I turn people on to the evil Ozzy, no matter how much the song talked about God and recognizing the sacrifice and love provided by Jesus? Ozzy would never do anything like that! Or could he?
My Bible tells a story of how God used a donkey to speak. It tells a story where Jesus made it clear that if he wasn’t going to be praised, the rocks would stand up and start praising him. It talks about dry bones that come to life and some kind of strange flying wheel in the sky and I could go on, and on, and on. I don’t see a limited God; I see and know an unlimited God.
Now why do I say these things? Simple, if some Christians get upset that I admire, respect and appreciate Rob Zombie, Ozzy Osbourne, various movies, or any other media that shares spiritual truth, they are going to hate the video I am posting today. After all, what good thing could come out of South Park and the mouth of Cartman?
Jesus made it clear, if one states that Jesus is the Son of God, who loves us enough to die for us, and provide a life that brings meaning and purpose, if we recognize we can’t do it on our own, and need his love, forgiveness, and leadership, and as a result, people come to know Jesus, how can we be against him? That said, I have been called a tool of the devil, a unbeliever and more. At this point, I like to go back to my old ascertation, let’s compare fruit! Don’t tell me what you have done, show me what you have done, and we can look at the lives changed from ministries like The Virtual Pew.
For several thousand years, God was in this box called the Ark of the Covenant. Then Jesus was born, was crucified, and the curtain that protected the ark was ripped a part and the box was busted wide open, thus allowing God to be among the people. I know a little allegorical but an allegory and concept presented in the Bible. Yet, even though all people can now go to God, it is amazing at how many of us are trying to stick him back in that box. I say, let God operate, let him use the donkey, the bones, the stones, or the movies if it means he can provide hope and salvation to people not being reached by the “traditional” church or their methods. I say that when we get to wanting the big picture of sharing Jesus with people, at all cost, and are willing to become all things to all people in order that some may get to know Jesus, we won’t be as concerned about the methods we use as we are the people we are trying to reach.
Now don’t get me wrong, not all things work for all people, but I challenge you, think out of the box, don’t put God back in the box, and then, maybe just maybe, we can all be more effective at finding ways to get others to understand and accept the message of love and salvation provided by Christ. Until then, see if you can get anything out of this one segment from South Park. There will be other South Park messages coming, and I assure you about this one, and the others, there are some things this show gets right on the money.
Click on the video below to see the video. If the video don’t appear, just click on this link:
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
Check out the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew
As I write this I sit in a nice cozy chair next to a fire place. I sit in a large home that will hopefully be full with boys who have come from tough backgrounds needing a lift up and a helping, loving hand in the very near future. The agency I am blessed to be a part of for the moment is Youth Horizons. I am blessed because the wonderful organization which I can support, has also blessed me. For 3 or 4 nights a week, normally 3, I will be here caring for the boys, while at the same time getting paid to do my work for The Virtual Pew. For at least 6-7 hours at a pop during each shift I will be able to do some work for The Virtual Pew. That does two things for me, it gives me a reminder of the people The Virtual Pew is here to minister to, plus it provides a unique way for my family, and ministry to get additional funds to support our ministry. I won’t be getting rich, in fact, I will draw a salary of $375 per week before taxes which comes from a combination of income from The Virtual Pew and Youth Horizons. The rest of the income will go to The Virtual Pew to provide ministry needs to those we come into contact with. The prayer and hope is that we will still someday have enough income from donations, writing, speaking and so forth to allow me to do the work of The Virtual Pew full-time.
Tonight is a reminder of that The Virtual Pew provides ministry to. Just after leaving the house to come in tonight I received a phone call from a dear friend and former elder of the church I was pastor at before it closed down. He had read that one of our former youth at the church was killed while trying to break up a fight amongst neighbors who were involved in a gang dispute. This young man was not a part of the gang, but was trying to be a Good Samaritan. While I no longer pastor the church, I still provide ministry to many who were a part of that church, and numerous others I come into contact with either face to face or over the internet. Tonight for example, I have already been involved in one to one conversations with 5 people. It is normally much more than that, but it is late night as I write this.
I struggle knowing that many within the “traditional” church don’t see value in ministries like The Virtual Pew, or in the work we have done. It is easy to turn a closed eye to those needing love, support, and a helping hand. Sometimes I realize I have been blessed to be a part of the hand that God chooses to use to reach The Lost, The Last, and The Least. Then there are other times, I realize there is much work to be done, and little help, whether practical physical, spiritual, or even financial. I realize it when I hear about a young man God blessed me with to know and speak to about his relationship with the Lord. This young man died way too young. I have to wonder, was his love for Christ, his love for people what drove him to try and break up a gang fight? I have to wonder, what was the cost of his faith? I think it was these things, his faith, and his love for others that caused him to get involved. That is sad, it is sad because some live life as if nothing else outside of their immediate situation matters, it is sad because in reality, it does matter.
I have to be honest, since the church closed down, about a year and a half ago now, I hadn’t seen this young man more than a couple of times. I was always blessed to hear a joyful, “Hey Pastor Mike” from him as I received a big hug. I was just talking to my wife about him last week, wondering how he was doing, realizing I needed to see him. It is too late now; I won’t see him again until I get to Heaven. I can hope though, I can hope and pray that God will give me more opportunity to see more, influence more, disciple more young men and troubled individuals from the circles I call The Lost, The Last, and The Least. I can pray and hope that I can do better, overlooking the people and things that get in the way, overlook them to better provide a servants heart that God desires us all to show. I only hope that along the way, I can do the things I need to do. It is one of the things that make your support of this ministry, whether in prayer or finance so important. The people God has blessed me to get to know, aren’t just names in a newspaper article, they are faces, voices, hands, and friends. I am the one that is blessed, in situations like tonight, I cry and shed tears for a young man I loved and cared for.
In closing I have to say something else though about some of those who call the church family, but keep to their own circles, forgetting or not caring about those who have been a part of touching lives. I mention this because there are those who knew about this young mans death and didn’t bother to let me, and/or a whole host of others who loved this kid about his death. To those individuals, I would say, let the Jesus you say you love, show through your life. I will admit, there is some anger now, anger towards some who call themselves brother and sister. I am not the only one who didn’t find out about this death too late, I have spoken to several who had no idea, who were a part of giving love, passion, money and support to see this young man have a chance, yet others who knew that didn’t bother to share this tragedy.
I guess sometimes people expect Christians to never get angry, never get hurt, and never feel passion. I live in the real world, see real people, and continue to try and serve them in such a way as to see a real difference in lives. It is one of the things this ministry has done, and will continue to do. It is one of those things that continue to show me, the church, and those who call themselves Christian are still fallible. May we all be held to a higher standard of love, not just for those who have died, but for those who continue to live.
Tonight, or whenever you read this, I ask you to say a prayer, say a prayer that will call to an end the tragedy perpetuated upon the streets of America we call gang violence. Pray a prayer of thanks for a young man called Fritter that he will have not died in vain. Say a prayer of thanks that he came to know the Lord. Pray that I can have the strength to forgive those who knew, but didn’t bother to let me and others who loved this young man know. Pray a prayer of concern, not just for Wichita which is riddled with gang violence, but for every city in America that faces these issues. Then I ask you to pray a prayer that will allow the church to provide the love, family, and companionship that so many gang members seek, thrive for, and seek after. How do I know, because I was one of those people, I know there is a redeemer, and I know he is the only one who can provide the answers to all of those things I just asked you to pray for.
Keith "Fritter" Peters Jr.
A Child of God
Killed by Sensless Gang Violence
Fritter loved Kj-5-2. Here is one of the songs he loved, I know because I sat in my office with him listening and playing around with it.
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
I have a series of teachings using video clips I want to post on The Virtual Pew. This is the first of that series. I am using Fair Use Copyright Laws to present the short clips. The first is using a clip from George Romero’s Land of the Dead. In it we take a look at the church. Is it like a zombie? Is the music dead? Is the church dead? We also look at individuals. Are people dead in their spiritual lives? Do they have a purpose? Then again, we look at who can fill that spot in the life of each individual. There are good zombies, there are bad zombies, which kind of zombie are you.
Double Click on the video for the teaching, if the video don't appear, just click on the following link:
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
Special thanks to my friend Mark Hollingsworth who posted the lyrics to this song, and the song on his MySpace page. I responded that I had a grin on my face and a giggle in my throat as I read the lyric. I wonder why? Well the why is really quite simple, it is simple because the song shows that people from all walks are searching, that God is reaching out to them, and that there is light to be found in the strangest of places. By the way, the band is Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne is on vocals. The song is After Forever.
The lyrics follow, and then a video, but I encourage you to check out the lyrics. Where is Black Sabbath coming from? What are they looking for? What is the purpose of the song? Who do you think they are performing it for? Now to the lyrics.
Have you ever thought about your soul - can it be saved? Or perhaps you think that when you're dead you just stay in your grave Is God just a thought within your head or is he a part of you? Is Christ just a name that you read in a book when you were in school?
When you think about death do you lose your breath or do you keep your cool? Would you like to see the Pope on the end of a rope - do you think he's a fool? Well I have seen the truth, yes I've seen the light and I've changed my ways And I'll be prepared when you're lonely and scared at the end of our days
Could it be you're afraid of what your friends might say If they knew you believe in God above? They should realize before they criticize that God is the only way to love
Is your mind so small that you have to fall In with the pack wherever they run? Will you still sneer when death is near And say they may as well worship the sun?
I think it was true it was people like you that crucified Christ I think it is sad the opinion you had was the only one voiced Will you be so sure when your day is near, say you don't believe? You had the chance but you turned it down, now you can't retrieve
Perhaps you'll think before you say that God is dead and gone Open your eyes, just realize that he's the one The only one who can save you now from all this sin and hate Or will you still jeer at all you hear? Yes! I think it's too late.
(Black Sabbath, "After Forever" from Master of Reality,1972)
Click on the video below to watch and listen, if the video don’t show up, just click on the link.
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
One of the things I hear about on occasion is how some people think I am critical of the Church. I try to be careful about this, why may you ask? Simple, where I come from, you talk about a man’s wife or girlfriend, you are libel to get your nose busted. The Church, according to the Bible, is called the Bride of Jesus. When talking about the bride of the son of God I think you have to be careful.
It is annoying at times; people confuse the church, those who love and follow after Jesus, with an organization, denomination, or building we call church. The truth is, like it or not, what we call church is nothing like the church we see in the New Testament. Unfortunately many Christians have become so involved with politics they end up spinning everything to support their positions, even when those positions are wrong.
It is sad when a ministry like The Virtual Pew tries to hold the church accountable to be the church we see in Acts and ends up getting criticized by some who call themselves Christians, and even beyond that, some which call themselves, The Church. It is sad for a variety of reasons, let me touch on a few of those.
One of the concerns I have is that those who call themselves Christians find excuses to not do what the Bible tells them, and even finds excuses to keep on having what they call church, not resemble, follow, or be anything like the church in the New Testament. Some will say the culture is much different, or the early church did things because of persecution, or any number of issues. While there are certainly cultural issues we should take into account, we have to be careful when picking and choosing.
In the book of Acts we see the church described in specific ways. We see those ways being supported from a historical position. They pretty much existed this way until Constantine, around 270 AD provided a mixed political, and religious culture that changed the way the world viewed Christianity. I challenge, Constantine, his decisions, and the marriage of the geopolitical religious system, may have done more harm to the church as Christ desired, than many give credit to.
There are many passages we can look at in the Bible regarding the early church, I like looking specifically at Acts 2:43-47:
(43) Everyone was amazed by the many miracles and wonders that the apostles worked. (44) All the Lord's followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. (45) They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever needed it. (46) Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, (47) while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.
I could go into a great deal of detail here. Many make the association that the early followers of Jesus, the Church, were communal. While there is some truth to this, notice in verse 44, there was certainly a level of individualism, and certainly a concept that some did not live together in the sense we may think. We also see this in other passages. There are other things to notice though. Notice their unconditional love for each other, their view and concept of ownership, possessions and so forth. There was a genuine concern and measure of love to the point they went out of their way to help and show love to each other. In fact, they wanted to be together, each day, unlike our desire in churches to see each other once a week, if that.
It is sad, my experience, even recent experience, continues to show me, that most of the time, many in the church have forgotten about this concept of sharing in each others lives. For example, my family is in the process of again looking for a church. Several people are encouraging me to start a new church and we are contemplating that option. Recently, we decided the church we were attending was not meeting our needs. There was a need for more relationship building and it just wasn’t happening. We also felt strongly about finding something for my wife and son to become involved in. To be honest, I could care less about going to church; I want my family to be a part of a church that encourages us to be the church, at the same time, showing that love, that passion, that vision as explained in Acts and other places.
Now I have to be careful, I am not intending to slam a church, either the one we attended or the ones we are looking at. Yet the facts are the facts, we have not heard a single word from the churches we have attended and are searching out, or the one we just left. Sharing in each others life is still lacking in my opinion with what I call “the modern” church. I could go into detail here, but that is not the intent of this piece. Let me ask, if we who read our bibles daily, pray daily, spend time in service, and make the commitment to try and be as much like Jesus as possible experience this, have difficulty with this, how much more difficulty does one face who is weak in these areas? Let me make it clear, the early church was about relationship, and love towards one another, why do churches today talk about this, but not do it? I am even disheartened, that those churches who are trying to be different, have become the very things they hated. I challenge that most churches have failed. Attendance don’t increase, and there are far more churches dying than there are being born, and far more followers of Jesus, otherwise known as Christians, who are not attending church than there are who are. Studies show that within 10 years, as many as 75% of those who read their bibles, see it as Gods’ word, believe in and have made Jesus their Lord and Savior or as I like to call it their Forgiver and Leader, who believe they should live their faith out on a daily bases, pray on a regular basis and so forth, will not be attending a church service on a regular basis, and will in fact, not be involved with what we call an organized church. Today it is estimated that 55% of all Christians fall into this category.
Many times, when I say what I say above, there are those (facts supported by the Barna Research Group, and by Gallup) who are inclined to put those Christians not in church down, stating that they are immature, can’t be Christians or followers of Jesus, or they aren’t Christians. The sad thing is studies also show, these individuals are practicing their faith, doing more, than many who are in church. Often time, Christians who are critical, do nothing about trying to reach these people.
The great mistake many make when they hear me comment on this, or read my words is they assume I am tearing down the church. It is not my intent to tear down the church, but to challenge her to be the bride that Jesus desires. The unfortunate truth is, often times the church resembles the whore of Hosea in the Old Testament, as opposed to the Bride of Christ in the New Testament. While God is calling out people to confront the church with truth, many times, just as in the Old Testament and New Testament, the religious leaders, and religious practitioners are so caught up in their individual beliefs and pride they don’t see the reality of what they are being confronted with. The end result is the church is dying and followers of Jesus are leaving what could be a wonderful and good thing, not the building, but the fellowship that could exist if what we call the church chooses to practice church as we are given directions to in the Bible. While there are numerous passages, I strongly encourage a study of the book of Acts, and Ephesians to start off with.
It is the hope, and the desire of The Virtual Pew, that we help those who can, to plug into a local body of believers, but we want to make sure those churches are being Christ to their communities, but even more importantly, to the individuals who are needing the love. We want to see a passion, love, concern, and objective to share the love of Jesus with those needing it, at all costs, becoming all things to all people, in order that they may win some. We want to see people also become disciples, dedicated followers of Jesus, not just “Christians.”
Here are a few tips to help churches that I have learned and am convinced of.
Love each other first. I don’t want to imply that you pretend to love each other, but really love each other. It becomes obvious to outsiders when you do. But this means doing what it says in Acts 2. If you can’t do that, don’t expect to be effective. Loving and caring for each other in fact should be the first responsibility to each other. I will share a brief story of a lady I was speaking to who lived in the projects who did not attend church. She indicated to me that she had gone to a popular church in Wichita and when it was her husbands’ birthday, who had not been in church, the church said it would take too much time to recognize his birthday in any way. How does this show love? At United at the Cross, we always sang happy birthday or happy anniversary to everyone who was celebrating one of these two days. I can honestly say, it never took that much time, and was always worth it. Loving in each others life, means sharing in each others life, the good, the bad, the sad, and the happy, without excuse.
Churches should see the souls you are trying to reach as people loved deeply by Christ, don’t view them as projects. I know of no one who likes being a project. I have made this mistake and am doing my best to not replicate it. The last time I did this was in the year 2000. I still regret it and wonder if me doing that has anything to do with that person still not accepting Christ. Luke 15 is clear, when that which was lost is found, all of the angels in Heaven above rejoice. We should join in the celebration not because we want to party, or pat ourselves on the back, but because we love the people we know and come into contact with. Relationships are always more important than projects. Churches talk about how important people are, but have so many projects the people, their needs, their hurts, wants and desires are never addressed.
Understand the value of reaching out to the non churched. I love Spurgeons’ quote, “God forbid that one would die within the shadow of the steeple of the church not knowing the love of Christ.” On this I love the Catholic Parish concept. Start in your neighborhood. I really think we have made a terrible mistake in developing commuter churches where we never get to know our neighbors and never serve our communities. Thankfully we now have the means to communicate better; things like blogs, email, and so forth have helped. As much as they have helped though, there is still no replacement for a hug, a real conversation, and a face to go with the person you are sharing in life with.
Don’t compromise the integrity of the Gospel, or the salvation provided through Jesus Christ. In this process neither should we ignore the sin nature, and the need for forgiveness. While I believe it in the concept of grace, I receive grace, even though it is my sin which separates me from God. The mistake some make is they assume that just because one may focus on grace, they forget about sin. This is a serious mistake, just as serious as a constant focus on sin without ever explaining the grace provided by Christ.
On the above point I realize many read this not knowing the “Christian” lingo. Essentially what I am speaking of is we all do wrong, have done wrong, and will do wrong, that is the sin nature. God is so perfect, loving, holy, and good, that he can’t stand to be in the presence of sin. Grace is simply getting something good that we don’t deserve. None of us deserve the salvation offered by Jesus, yet God, when we were still doing wrong, loved us so much that he made this gift available to each us. Don’t let the religious zealots convince you that you have to be perfect and holy to come to God. We come as we are, and Christ provides salvation when we believe and follow him.
I could go on and say there are other critical things to understand but these are the places for the church to start if it wants to break the cycle. Unfortunately, I don’t see much hope for the “church”. Many in the church have forgotten the church is not, never was, and never will be a building, it is a people. Most all followers of Jesus say so; they just don’t act like it. Then again, they keep loosing people and don’t understand why. There is a wonderful line spoken by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the movie The Fighting Temptations. His character is changing the choir of the local church, people are coming to church for the first time, the church is growing, but one of the older choir members challenges that things are changing in the church. The character played by Gooding Jr. responds essentially, “yes the church will change when there is change.” If the church wants to see change, it has to change. Let me challenge you, if you church is dying what do you have to loose. It is for this reason that I do consultation to churches on growth and evangelism. I have learned from experience. Between providing consultations to programs in the real world that resembled churches, and then doing that with churches for over 20 years now, I am confident that I know what works; it is why I challenge people to compare fruit with me when they doubt the reality of this. Now on this point, also realize, Mega Churches are another breed. While some of those churches are growing, there is no doubt; most of them (not all) are doing so at the expense and deaths of smaller churches where those churches are “stealing the sheep of smaller churches.” The research is conclusive, while mega churches may be growing, there is less Christians involved in church, and more Christians or followers of Jesus leaving the church. This can not, nor should it ever be acceptable. Any church, who is satisfied with growing their congregations on the backs of small churches, will have to answer to God for that. I know hard words, but I believe totally true. It is time to be a part of the solution, as opposed to a part of the problem.
In closing, I always get tons of email on articles like this. It usually comes from two groups, those in churches, denominations, buildings and so forth, who blast away and try to argue every point. They are critical, and in return don’t do much to go out of their way to change the status quo. To those, keep on killing the bride of Christ, because the truth is, either you are the church Christ desires, or you are not! Continue being effective at doing nothing, and reaching no one, you will die, if you aren’t already, and you will keep on getting what you are likely getting now, nothing. Then there are those who understand exactly what I am saying because they have been hurt, abandoned, left out, not understood and so much more. It is to those people that I say, you are the reason The Virtual Pew exists. Anything I can do to help out, let me know. Thankfully I have some friends who agree with the process, and between them and me, we will do what we can to be different. Heck, if living in the Wichita area, we are even open to exploring the possibility of starting a group that will do and become exactly what I am talking about. We are real and I promise, thankfully at this point, haven’t become the very thing that kept us out of church. I promise, we will eat with you, share in your difficulties, share in all things, and you will never have to ask first because I realize our responsibility to be there for you. I think we all want that, I just pray we all get there. If in another part of the country, we will do what we can on line, and if possible, at least recommend you to other churches we know about. While I can’t guarantee any church, I can guarantee that we will try to show love, not just talk about it, even if that means putting you in touch with people who will love, care, and be as much like the church in Acts as possible.
I would like to say one last thing, to those like myself, who either have, or still do fall into the category of what I call, The Last, The Lost and The Least. I know what it is like to be an outcast, to feel that no one understands or cares. This can be because of being homeless, having family issues, drugs, broken homes, abuse and so much more. I am tired of people talking about showing us love, and in reality backhanding us on their way to their social clubs they often call church. There is no excuse for people to say they follow Jesus and act like this. The truth is, some of us know that many do act like this, and in fact, our experience tells us that most act like this. To you I say come on along with The Virtual Pew and be an instrument of change, an instrument of change to do things the way we are called to, but more importantly, be ultimately, when we can, an instrument of change to those organizations who call themselves church but in reality look nothing like the Bride of Christ. We have access to a world wide web now where you don’t have to be alone. Whether in Australia or the backwoods of Kentucky, we can come together, help each other, love each other. I say this, not because you need it, although you may, but because I know I need it and we can share in life together.
I am convinced there are many great churches, that are doing all they can to follow the process and be a loving bride, we just don’t hear about them. They exist within many denominations and many non denominational churches. They realize it is Christ who is a loving husband, a loving forgiver of sins and a loving leader who is there for us, to love us, hold us, and comfort us. We are always looking for those types of churches as well to refer people to. To those of you who are trying to be the church we read about in Acts and other parts of the New Testament, I say congratulations and may God’s Spirit bless you. If there is anything we can do to help, let me know as well. I would love to know enough about you to use you as a reference to the people who come to The Virtual Pew and are looking for a local body of believers to worship with. Whether a small home church or a large mega church who attempts to grow based on new followers of Jesus or reaching out to others I call The Lost, The Last, or The Least, we desire communication with you as well. Visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ to learn more about our ministry, or feel free to contact me via email at mike@thevirtualpew.com I can think of nothing I would love doing more, than growing, and assisting the Church as Christ desired the church to be.
When the Church loves, and is the church Christ desires, we can see the power of love. Check out the video below for an old classic with a ton of metaphor and allegory, listen to the words. Just double click on the video below, if that don't work, just try the link.
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
Awhile back I did an article regarding the political system and the upcoming elections. I have been following the elections and decided to post an article regarding candidates I am looking at. On this topic, I am not one who says we shouldn’t be involved in the political system. What I say is that for people of faith who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, or any other religious system, don’t compromise your beliefs. Your service and commitment to your faith is far more important in my opinion than your commitment to country.
For me, to measure an individual involved in the political system to my faith, or my God, always has the individual falling short. It will become obvious that I am picking a wide diversity of people, two Republicans, and 2 Democrats. This gets me away from the “endorsement” of any candidate, although I am not opposed to that.
Now I love politics, and have been involved in the political process since I came of age to vote. I have come full circle in my political beliefs, and suspect they will change between now and the next election. I have been extremely liberal, actually a delegate for Jesse Jackson back in the 1980’s, a supporter and delegate of Al Gore, a presenter at the Greenville County, SC Democratic Convention in the 1990’s, I voted for George W. Bush, (the only presidential candidate vote I ever “won”) and I was a Democratic candidate for a house seat in South Carolina, where I lost 52% to 46% against a retired postman. I was endorsed by the National Right to Life, The State Educators Association, The State Nurses Association, and the NAACP. In recent years I have voted more for Republicans, but as of this election, I am not certain who I will vote for. Now to the political system and especially this upcoming election:
Let me say here and now, from the get go, I am disappointed not in the candidates, but in some of the candidates, and certainly both political parties. I know from personal experience, both parties, on a national level are out of touch with the American public. I will touch on part of that in my mention of the candidates.
In the early process, on my My Space page, I had all political candidates that had a My Space page. I subscribed to all of their blogs and followed those blogs, comments, and policies. It is from a lot of reading that I have come to my conclusions.
Let’s start first with the two candidates that are in my final two that I am considering from the Democratic Party.
The first is a dark horse, a candidate who doesn’t have much of a chance, but I will admit, I like this guy. I like the majority of his policies, and he is a candidate I would consider voting for if in the general election. That candidate is Dennis Kucinich.
I honestly think Dennis Kucinich is right on target on a number of key issues. I especially like his position on a National Center for Peace, and believe he has a good grasp on what I would call Christian responsibility on issues such as social justice. I wish he were more consistent on certain issues regarding what I would consider Christian Worldview issues. While he is solid on several social justice positions, I disagree with his positions on other areas like abortion. While using Biblical supports to support certain views and positions, I don’t think he does that on all positions. That doesn’t take away from my view of Senator Kucinich. I respect him, and believe him to be a solid individual. One I would say, if you haven’t looked at up to this point, look at him, check out his web page, subscribe to his articles, and blogs, then let our conscious help you decide about the validity of this candidate.
The next Democratic candidate I like is Barack Obama. In a political world where there has been a lot of hatred expressed by the opposing parties, Democrats of Republicans, and Republicans of Democrats, I think that Senator Obama has an ability to bring people together. He is balanced on a majority of positions and I find myself agreeing with much of what he has said. Of course, me being the pro life individual I am, I am concerned about his or any candidates’ position on this issue. I have to say though, I feel as if in the last few elections I was duped by the Republican Party to do something about this issue.
I believe Obama is the most electable candidate among the Democrats; one I could vote for and one who could draw in votes from other middle of the road voters, especially if the Republican nominee is a candidate who is not a strong pro life candidate.
I believe Senator Obama has been misrepresented by not only Republicans but many Democrats. He is a candidate I decided to do a lot of research on and was a candidate I would not have considered voting for. After doing my research, after checking the facts, I found Obama to be a man of character, and one who could do this country good.
Now to the Republican side of the candidates. Let me state clearly, right off the bat, I am very disappointed with the political efforts of the Republican Party in this election. Their willingness to redefine what is, and is not a Republican is sickening. At one time the party that preached inclusion is now practicing exclusion. That will be obvious in my two finalists in the Republican Party.
First I would ask you to consider the candidate, Ron Paul. I have to admit, a lot of what Ron Paul speaks about appeals and challenges me. I admire this man; I admire his willingness to be the preverbal black sheep in this election. While I agree with much of what Ron Paul stands for, many of his followers, the 9/11 Truthers for example, scare me. There is no doubt; there is a massive ground swelling of individuals who has brought about an impressive grass roots movement. From raising millions, to getting conservatives, and liberals together, Paul has hit a nerve in the Republican Party. Their efforts to keep him out of the debate process, their continued attacks on him as a person, offend me.
The willingness to attack Senator Paul isn’t the only thing that has molded my recent views of the Republican Party, I see the attack happening with another candidate I like.
The other Republican Party candidate that I find myself liking more and more is Mike Huckabee. Governor Huckabee, to listen to all of the higher ups within the Republican Party is no where near qualified to be the Republican Candidate for President of the United States. To hear the attacks from the conservative talk shows, and the pundits within the party, of Governor Huckabee, and Senator Paul, is at the point of being obvious. I am now willing to vote for anyone, other than a candidate from the “establishment” of the party.
Regarding Governor Huckabee, I see what I, as a Christian would consider to be a “Compassionate Conservative.” We have all heard the term before, one only has to associate that with the last two elections, but Governor Huckabee has a track record that seems to show a side of compassion for the poor, plus a solid position on various issues that people of faith will be concerned about. While some are concerned that Governor Huckabee is a former pastor, I am not. I don’t know how he would blend the concepts of politician and Christian, but I do believe he will act on his convictions as opposed to a political party agenda.
I know many will have issues with my top 4, that is okay, but at least think about the candidates and their positions. Check out their positions on various issues, but beyond that, check their track record. I am frankly tired of being promised the moon and getting nothing more than a moon pie. On the other hand, I am tired of being told who to vote for by the suits who have been involved in the political system for many years. I look at our world, at our willingness to care for and help those in need, and then wonder, why I would listen to any of these people with the world being in the state of affairs it is in.
During the last election, it was rather hard to come up with 4 candidates I could support in an election. This time, there are about 6 I could support. If I was to add another Democrat, it would be John Edwards, and the other Republican would be John McCain. I don’t know who I will vote for as of yet. I can tell you 4 or 5 I won’t vote for; hopefully two of those aren’t running against each other. Not only Americans, but the rest of the world deserves better than an election where we elect the lesser of two evils. We all have a responsibility, at least those of us in America have a responsibility to be informed and educated in this process. Hopefully we take that responsibility seriously in the next days, weeks, and months ahead. Realize during that time frame, your responsibility and allegiance is not to The United States of America, but to the Kingdom of God, that is if you are a Christian. If not, then at least become as informed as possible on the issues. The truth is, our next President will have a strong influence on the world, either good or bad, the decision needs to be made by the people, not some political party who has their own agenda that may, or may not really care about the people they are commissioned to serve.
Check out this great commercial, if you don't see the video, just click the link.
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
I don’t know what I would change, what I would complain about, even if I could. Let me explain. Recently life has been kind of hectic, difficult, hard to explain, and seemingly impossible. For some strange reason, to make much of a deal over all of these things don’t make much sense to me, even though I likely could.
Let me explain:
I recently took a job that is eventually supposed to be 3 evenings a week, which will allow me to work on The Virtual Pew and supplement some of my families’ income.
Unfortunately, for the last month, and at least the next 3 weeks I have been putting in long hours, through the day, 5, 6, and in some weeks even 7 days a week, and unable to get most of my obligations taken care of related to The Virtual Pew. I have had to put on hold the radio programs The Virtual Pew Live and HJ Live until the schedule gets worked out. Thankfully that appears to be in the near future and I will start working on the new schedule this next week. I have also had to cancel officiating several, actually 5 wrestling tournaments, I have at least 2 more I will have to cancel, and that is at a loss of $125 to $150 per tournament. Unfortunately some of these have come at a notice of less than 2 days.
On top of this, income and needed promotion of The Virtual Pew has been slacking due to my commitments to my new job. The reality is, The Virtual Pew still needs all of the donations and support we can get. Ministry has to continue, and the ultimate dream and desire is that this ministry is a full-time, self supporting ministry that continues to provide the ministry it does to The Lost, The Last, and The Least. We can’t do that without the support, plus there are the other outreach events, that require money. Even if I could complain though, I wouldn’t. The reality is my new position with Youth Horizons is a wonderful opportunity provided by God to provide some income, plus allow me to work with troubled boys. In a few weeks I will be able to give a large portion of that time from Youth Horizons, to The Virtual Pew. While the contributions and gifts are needed, God works in his time. I know people will continue to contribute and support this ministry, I also know that the additional time will discipline me to get things done, plus provide opportunity to work on other things I have been wanting to like the possible publication of The Keystone Kid as I work to submit it to an agent for consideration.
I could complain about Christmas, in fact, it is the first Christmas that I can ever recall where I was actually sick. I got sick on Christmas morning, and was in bed most of the day, was sick the next day. I went to work yesterday, still a little sick, but nonetheless, still sick.
I could complain, but while I was sick God honored my family and I to provide a wonderful Christmas to a new, dear friend. I will be careful about saying too much but will say that for around 26 of my 28 years of marriage, my wife and I have had people spend Christmas with us who would have no place to go otherwise. This last Christmas was no exception. A former gang member from the area spent Christmas with us, in fact, he spent 4 days with us. Complete with all of the gang tattoos, and numerous gun shot wounds, this person told us Christmas morning that this Christmas was the best he had ever had in 32 years of life. To hear things like this, even when you are sick, have ways of making one have a great Christmas.
I could complain about how I would really be at HJAG (Hollywood Jesus Annual Gathering) this year in Seattle. I was there for the first one and Hollywood Jesus is a ministry I am honored to be a part of. I was looking forward to it this year, but with the new job, lack of finances, it just isn’t possible.
I am okay with that though, I am spending some time with my family that I wouldn’t get to otherwise. I also know that God has something good for me this weekend. Don’t ask me how I know that, I just know that. I will call the folks at HJAG on Saturday morning, sending my love, encouragement and more to the folks attending. Maybe in some way, God will use this, I can only imagine.
On Christmas night, I got the hardest news though, I got word from my wife, who had spoken to my mother when I was in bed sick that my sisters former husband went to the ATM and just fell over dead. This is a former brother in law I had had numerous discussions about regarding faith, most not good because of his attempt to keep any area of faith discussions away from my sister, who was instrumental in getting me involved in church. This person at the time denied God, and saw no value in religion at all. This is a former brother in law who showed up at the funeral of my Aunt Ruth who was murdered, intoxicated, and was asked to leave the funeral. I’ll be honest, I didn’t like the guy much, but I had my reasons, that didn’t mean I didn’t pray for him, and I don’t hurt for my sister who is hurting. For those having issues with thoughts like this, I guess I will only say, walk a half a mile in my shoes. It isn’t always easy but there is far more that went on here than many realize, even I. Only my sister knows, and I know she isn’t willing yet to talk about it all.
On this one, I have to admit, I struggle because I realize my sister was the smart one in the family, she was the one who should have gone to college, she is the one who should have never experienced the abuse she did for the duration of time she did. I have always struggled with that, I guess brothers kind of do that.
I could complain, but, my sister is back in church now, she is growing in her faith and getting stabilized. I firmly believe she is around others who will help her through this difficult time. I certainly hope so as there is no way I can visit and be there with her, even though I would love to do so. I am confident that God is still good, and I am confident my sister knows she played a significant part in my life, and a part of the blessings I have seen belong to her.
I could go on and on about things I could complain about. I know I come from a background where drugs, death, difficulty, gangs, and all are still, in many ways, a part of my life. I have come to the conclusion those things will always be a part of my life because that is a part of who I was, and in some ways, who I still am. That is with the exception of having Jesus in my life now.
Some say faith and religion is nothing more than a crutch. I consider myself an intellectual but I have to admit, I think sometimes religion and faith are a crutch. I don’t see that as a bad thing though. I see that as a need for those who need it. A crutch don’t make a broken leg any less broken, it don’t make a sprained ankle any less sprained. Neither does a person having a need for faith or religion make that person any less of a person. In fact, I think it makes them whole, especially when they need it. The benefit is that a crutch can be temporary; it can be a short term need to help one get through the rough and tough times. During that process, they heal, get better, and are able to move on, often times in a stronger faster way than ever before. I have also learned that my faith in Jesus is something I enjoy, and desire, some may say, even hunger and thirst after it. Why, because I know the process works, I know it works because while I could complain, I don’t, in fact, I am at peace because I know the Prince of Peace.
Here is a song by Thousand Foot Krutch (Notice the Pun) called Falls Apart. Double Click on the Video Below if you don't see the video, just click on the link. Listen to the words, you will see how it applies to this article.
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
I heard a great sermon at church yesterday. It had to do with the time Jesus healed the guy who had been blind from birth. Part of the jest was how the Pharisees, (the religious leaders) tried to put Jesus in a box. The passage, John Chapter 9 can be quite humorous depending on how you look at it. Here is this guy Jesus heals and the religious leaders just keep trying to put Jesus down, and find the man Jesus healed in some kind of lie. Their beliefs of what and who God is, how he works, is torn all to pieces.
Now why do I say these things? Simple, if some Christians get upset that I admire, respect and appreciate Rob Zombie, Ozzy Osbourne, various movies, or any other media that shares spiritual truth, they are going to hate the video I am posting today. After all, what good thing could come out of South Park and the mouth of Cartman?
