How Many Texas Churches Have Burned Down?
WE'RE GETTING THE MESSAGE "Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. They said to themselves, We will utterly subdue them; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land." Psalm 74:4-8 ANOTHER FIRE This morning, we awoke to news that another Texas church was ...
What Hope Do Christians Have For The Local Church?
The beginning of the new year witnessed a streak of church arson that culminated with the Body of Christ in East Texas gathering together for corporate prayer at Bergfeld Park in Tyler, Texas at 1pm on January 24th, 2010. Below you will find a few highlights from the prayer rally that should both bless you and inspire you to unity of hope & purpose. HIGHLIGHTS Toward the end of the service, Pastor Joe Canal, of Tyler Christian Fellowship, led the 300 plus participants at the Prayer Rally in a period of silent prayer. After closing the silent prayer with a plea ...
DIG A GOOD DEVO? TRY FAITHBOOK OF JESUS
Are you feeling wrong? Foul? Do you struggle with the same old junk everyday and can't seem to dig your way out? Got a habitual favorite sin you've been nursing but want to dump? You know that maybe prayer and Bible reading are just what the Dr. ordered but you either fall asleep or it doesn't make any sense? Well, you're not alone. You and I know that daily spending time in some sort of prayer and/or Bible study is a great way to develop a character that is more like Jesus; assuming you want to be more like Jesus. ...
Hope & Faith During Troubled Times
As seen in the picture above, the devastation in Haiti seems nearly incalculable. While watching the almost endless news coverage of the Haitian earthquake, I caught a stunning moment on live television that shocked even Anderson Cooper, a seasoned reporter. In the midst of overbearing human suffering and unrelenting emotional pain, Haitians spontaneously gathered together to march in unison while singing a song of hope. Hope and faith seemed alive in the midst of despair. Take a moment to watch CNN replay that clip... Can't see video? Click here. The video made me think... The video convicted me... It also encouraged me... ...
Modern Day Slavery: Pt 2 – A Christian Response
Examples of Modern Day Slavery Today’s slave trade, comprised of over 27 million souls worldwide, is active in many industries. A few specific examples of the forced or coerced labor endured by cheap slaves (or those born or tricked into slavery) include work in the kilns of southeast Asia used for brick production, the harvesting of cane fields in the Dominican Republic famous for sugar exports around the world, and finally the savage child soldiers of Uganda fighting wars for ruthless governments whose wicked policies they are unable to fully comprehend. These few examples serve as indicators of the width and ...
The False God of Politics
Once upon a time, I was a hard-core Republican. Now I try my best to love people. If you are a knee-jerk Christian conservative who affiliates with the Republican party, you probably take offense at the above statement. And conversely, if you are a knee-jerk Democrat you probably swelled with pride. Welcome to the true nature of politics, that honestly at the core, thinks like this, "I'm right, you're wrong, and I'm going to try my best to destroy your influence because your ideas are destroying the United States." These sorts of sentiments are the exact opposite of what is required of ...
Slavery, A Modern Day Injustice – Part 1
"to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke" Isaiah 58:6 LARGER, MORE PROFITABLE, & MORE PROLIFIC The modern day slave trade is an obscure, worldwide criminal enterprise larger, more profitable, and more prolific than at any other time in history. Its traces are easily evident to governments committed to the rule of law, informed activists, conscientious consumers, and recently the Church. Prime-time news media documentaries and Hollywood movie released in the last few years have taken advantage of the ratings-boosting, ticket-selling topic of the global sex trafficking market. ...
90 Minutes w/ Donald Miller
Most likely, Donald Miller's tour bus has passed a city very near you. If you missed the tour or would like to listen to his soul-refreshing, mind-enlightening, theologically-challenging talk one more time, then you've come to the right blog! Don has given us the A-OK to copy, pirate, and otherwise spread his 90-minute laid back story with the whole wide world. So sit back, tune in, and enjoy the show folks. [podcast]http://www.davidgeorge.tv/mp3/A_Million_Miles.mp3[/podcast] Can't see player? [ Download Here ] So what did you think? Start a conversation, we'd love to get your input. Love it or hate it and why. Discuss.
Why I Joined A Cult – Part 2 – The Indoctrination
Continued from my previous post... My frustration level maxed out when I took my Bible to school to ask my favorite teacher all the questions that I had been thinking about. She was the smartest person on earth as far as I was concerned; surely she could help me figure out some stuff. But as it turned out, maybe she didn’t know what I was asking, maybe she didn’t get why I was asking, maybe she didn’t have any answers, maybe she didn’t want to bother with me, whatever it was, it was clear, I was on my own. Frustrated. Alone. Confused. ...
Why I Joined A Cult – Part 1 – The Stage
I am not sure quite what overcame me as a pre-teen. I lived what I thought was a very normal life. My fun doting marijuana/coke-addicted alcoholic step-father was around enough to make me feel cared for (when he wasn’t hanging out with his drug-dealing buddy named Flipper). My overstressed super-sensitive mother was left to deal with the emotional baggage accompanied with marrying a jacked-up man who was frequently followed home by city police and state troopers. Needless to say, she wasn’t always the most pleasant person to be around. How could she be, considering the hand she’d been dealt? My ...
How Many Texas Churches Have Burned Down?
WE’RE GETTING THE MESSAGE “Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. They said to themselves, We... [Read more]
What Hope Do Christians Have For The Local Church?
The beginning of the new year witnessed a streak of church arson that culminated with the Body of Christ in East Texas gathering together for corporate prayer at Bergfeld Park in Tyler, Texas at 1pm on January 24th, 2010. Below you will find a few highlights from the prayer rally that should both bless you and inspire you to unity of hope & purpose. HIGHLIGHTS Toward the end of the service,... [Read more]
DIG A GOOD DEVO? TRY FAITHBOOK OF JESUS
Are you feeling wrong? Foul? Do you struggle with the same old junk everyday and can’t seem to dig your way out? Got a habitual favorite sin you’ve been nursing but want to dump? You know that maybe prayer and Bible reading are just what the Dr. ordered but you either fall asleep or it doesn’t make any sense? Well, you’re not alone. You and I know that daily spending time... [Read more]
Hope & Faith During Troubled Times
As seen in the picture above, the devastation in Haiti seems nearly incalculable. While watching the almost endless news coverage of the Haitian earthquake, I caught a stunning moment on live television that shocked even Anderson Cooper, a seasoned reporter. In the midst of overbearing human suffering and unrelenting emotional pain, Haitians spontaneously gathered together to march in unison while... [Read more]
Modern Day Slavery: Pt 2 – A Christian Response
Examples of Modern Day Slavery Today’s slave trade, comprised of over 27 million souls worldwide, is active in many industries. A few specific examples of the forced or coerced labor endured by cheap slaves (or those born or tricked into slavery) include work in the kilns of southeast Asia used for brick production, the harvesting of cane fields in the Dominican Republic famous for sugar exports... [Read more]
The False God of Politics
Once upon a time, I was a hard-core Republican. Now I try my best to love people. If you are a knee-jerk Christian conservative who affiliates with the Republican party, you probably take offense at the above statement. And conversely, if you are a knee-jerk Democrat you probably swelled with pride. Welcome to the true nature of politics, that honestly at the core, thinks like this, “I’m... [Read more]
Slavery, A Modern Day Injustice – Part 1
“to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke” Isaiah 58:6 LARGER, MORE PROFITABLE, & MORE PROLIFIC The modern day slave trade is an obscure, worldwide criminal enterprise larger, more profitable, and more prolific than at any other time in history. Its traces are easily evident to governments committed to the rule... [Read more]
90 Minutes w/ Donald Miller
Most likely, Donald Miller’s tour bus has passed a city very near you. If you missed the tour or would like to listen to his soul-refreshing, mind-enlightening, theologically-challenging talk one more time, then you’ve come to the right blog! Don has given us the A-OK to copy, pirate, and otherwise spread his 90-minute laid back story with the whole wide world. So sit back, tune in, and... [Read more]
Why I Joined A Cult – Part 2 – The Indoctrination
Continued from my previous post… My frustration level maxed out when I took my Bible to school to ask my favorite teacher all the questions that I had been thinking about. She was the smartest person on earth as far as I was concerned; surely she could help me figure out some stuff. But as it turned out, maybe she didn’t know what I was asking, maybe she didn’t get why I was asking, maybe... [Read more]
Why I Joined A Cult – Part 1 – The Stage
I am not sure quite what overcame me as a pre-teen. I lived what I thought was a very normal life. My fun doting marijuana/coke-addicted alcoholic step-father was around enough to make me feel cared for (when he wasn’t hanging out with his drug-dealing buddy named Flipper). My overstressed super-sensitive mother was left to deal with the emotional baggage accompanied with marrying a jacked-up man... [Read more]
I Don’t Identify With The “Brand” CHRISTIANITY
“Don’t lump me in with the crazies! Those guys are nuts. I am not like them.” That is the sentiment that stood out to me while reading the below note. Something else really caught my attention. Having worked in advertising/marketing since my early twenties, from account exec to production, art director to communications director, and everywhere in between, the phrase “I Don’t... [Read more]
Don’t Enrich Greedy TV Evangelists
Grrrr, I am mad! While channel surfing this morning, I witnessed a woman preaching about The Day of Atonement. She literally asked each of us to write a check for TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS (and lesser sums starting at $70-80) and send it to her as our offering to God. For being completely clueless about the intent of that scripture for Christians, boy was she gutsy (or criminal). Here’s the scripture... [Read more]
PRETEXT FOR GREED
So we’re back into The Book of 1st Thessalonians. Today’s reading finds the Apostle Paul laying down a comparison between his ministry and that of others. His ministry was clearly given to him by Jesus and was evidenced by the character change evident in the lives he touched. But others, their ministries produced error, impurity, and deception. “For our appeal does not spring from... [Read more]
Is The Gospel At Work In Your Life?
The opening paragraphs of The Book of 1 Thessalonians provides an excellent glimpse into what a life looks like that is a product of the hand of God. The book begins by recounting how the church planter Paul felt when thinking of the church at Thessalonica. While Paul’s feelings are not exhaustive or all-inclusive, his overarching recollection of the church can be used as a standard to help... [Read more]
Cycle of Violence – Episode #4 – Rated NC-17
ADVISORY: The NC-17 rating has been given to this podcast due to coverage of violence & abuse that most parents would consider too strong and therefore off-limits for listening by their children. Violence. It’s cyclical. If you witnessed it as a child, chances are you’ll abuse or be abused. Many abusers don’t abuse often, they cycle through a long process of repentance, tension... [Read more]
Proudly serving on staff @Grace_Community Church, in Tyler, TX as the Director of Communications. In addition to being a friend of God, I'm also a problem solver & Fuller Theological Seminary student. Some also think I have ninja design skillz! If you know what a DISC Assessment is, I am a lion, adaptive persuading conductor (11), and core implimenting conductor (10). Watch out!
