Are we a Christian Nation?

There has been a lot of talk lately after President Obama said we are not a Christian Nation during a speech in Turkey. Personally, I think he was trying to say something quite different than what some on the "right" are making it out to be. He is speaking in a country which does not tolerate any other religion other than Muslim. I believe the point he was trying to make is that in the United States a person has the freedom to whatever religion. He just said it poorly.

Regardless, it has made me think about the United States being a Christian Nation. I am not sure I want the world to look at us as a Christian Nation. Think about the consequences of being known as a Christian Nation by the world.

The world sees what comes out of the United States from leaders, media and Hollywood that are not of the highest moral standard. Then the world hears us call the United States a Christian Nation. The perception of Christianity the world gets from the U.S. is a false description of what Jesus calls us to be.

The perception of Christianity may look like this to the rest of the world based on what they see coming out of the United States:

Christians Pursue wealth at any cost allowing greed to drive them to the point of corruption and enormous dept. Christians are pro-homosexuality, pro-choice and pro-sexual promiscuity. Christians are arrogant and self-seeking. Christianity has no boundaries-"believe what you want to believe because there are no absolute truths." Christianity is about power and prestige and very self-promoting.

So, do we really want to be known as a Christian Nation?

Only if it looks like Jesus. Being a Christian or Christian Nation is more than just making that proclamation. The first time the word "Christian" was used it carried a lot of meaning. It described people who followed the way of Jesus. It did not describe a religion or people who went to church. It was descriptive of the people who made up the church.

Instead of self-proclaiming ourselves or our nation as Christian, let's start living like Jesus and the description will follow.

I'm Not Worthy

When going to Kentucky Christian College I grew to dislike Ohio State Football. It had nothing to do with them not being good, it was the fans. The arogance was unbearable. I got tired of hearing that Ohio State was the "Mecca" of College Football.

My dislike grew into a dislike for Ohio. I remember making the statement that I would never live in in Ohio nor marry anyone from Ohio. Now look at me. I not only married someone from Ohio, I live in Ohio and my children have all been born in Ohio. Is this some sick joke from God, me being sentenced to Ohio? Or is Ohio in such a desperate situation it needs missionaries?

Now, I have crossed the threshold that I have lived in Ohio longer than any other state. Great.

Last Saturday I got to experience something every true Ohio State fan would love to experience. I would say I am sorry, but I'm not because it was awesome! As a true college football fan, I was like me in a Krispy Kreme donut shop.

A friend of mine, Greg G. is a recruiter for OSU Football. I have come to a conclusion he is trying to convert me to become an Ohio State Football fan. I have to admit, it is much easier with a coaches like Tressel and Greg who have a tremendous ammount of integrity and a strong belief in God. I actully will cheer for OSU against most teams. Growing up in Virginia, I will always stay loyal to the Hookies of VT.

The things I saw and experienced were incredible. I got my picture taken with my hand on one of the Heisman Trophies Archie Griffin recieved. I got to see the team rooms where the teams meet with the coaches. I got to go into the locker room both in the Woody Hayes center and at the Horseshoe. One of the most amazing things I got to see was a chalk board that Woody Hayes was outlining a book that was never written. I got to see the weight room, the players lounge and spend some time throwing football at the Horseshoe with my boys.

If I was a recruit-- I would have to say, "I'm going to Ohio State!" What a place with such a rich tradition. A place that honors the acheivements of its players in such a way they are never forgotten. A place that does not need the approval of others, a place that stands on it's own accomplishments. This was one of my top three sports experiences and I never saw a game played. I walked on hallowed ground. I am not Worthy.

Loving Dennis Rodman

Don't laugh or judge me, but I got hooked on Celebrity Apprentice a couple weeks ago. I even DVR it (I can't believe I just said that). This past week Dennis Rodman was the project manager. A lot of you are turned off by Dennis Rodman because of his radical look and take on life ( I am not a fan either). I have to admit, he is different, but he is still a person, a child of God.

I know a lot of the reality shows are edited to get the story they are looking for and I know they did the same with this episode, but it got really intense in the board room. Jesse James, confronted Dennis Rodman about his drinking problem.

The show took a turn, it became less about the show and more about a person who has a serious problem. It became as Joan Rivers said an intervention. The women's team agreed with everything that was said about Rodman.

His defense turned to the fact that he was a great athlete and had won five championships. Herschel Walker said that is the past, what matters is today. Who are you today is all that matters.

The point of me blogging about this today is that some times we have to look past our initial judgements of a person to love them. We have to see people where theymay be struggling and have the courageous love to tell them the truth about themselves.

Sometimes we have to realize that what we are doing at the moment, needs to be redirected in order to love people (looking past the show, to a person who has a problem).

I am going to embed the last 9 minutes of the episode. I hesitated doing so because there is some language that may offend some. I am asking you to look past it to learn a valuable lesson on loving people. Then let me know what you think.

What a great time of Year!

It's started! The NCAA Mens basketball Tournament! I love it!

My Final Four: Lousiville, UConn, Carolina and Duke.

Finals: Carolina over Louisville in one of the best finals of all time!

What's your picks?

The Biggest Enemy

I am reading a book right now called "Righteous: Dispatches from the Evangelical Youth Movement." It is written by a Jewish atheist who travels around the country spending time with various Christian Movements. As a secularist, the author, Lauren Sandler tries to expose a movement, made up of many movements, that is threat to the secularist movement.

I think she tries to reveal what is wrong with Christianity, pointing to some pretty messed up versions of Christianity. There are times I have cringed while reading her descriptions of some Christian movements. Then there are times, she has been really moved by the authenticity of some of the people she has met. Like Sandler, the thing I am finding out is that authenticity makes the difference when living as a representative of Jesus.

One of the groups she spends time with is a Christian Hip Hop band named Goodside. One of the guys involved with Goodside is Gaudscent. He told Sandler this, "The biggest enemy to Christianity is the misrepresentation of Christianity."

Think about that statement for a while and ask yourself this question, "How do I misrepresent Jesus as a follower and what are the consequneces of that misrepresentation?"

Wandering Sheep

Staying with the idea of the lost sheep of Israel, I want look at Matthew 18. Everyone tries to position themselves to be in a place of power and influence. We see it in our government, we see it in our families and we see it in the church. So it is not unusual to see it among Jesus' disciples.

Jesus' disciples ask him this question, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" I am not sure what answer they were really looking for, but I think they were surprised by the eventual answer. Maybe they looked at the religious system with all its prestige and thought that was normal. Those closes to Jesus would be considered the greatest. Maybe they were jockeying for position amongst themselves.

Regardless of what they were looking for Jesus called to a child and had him stand among the disciples. Jesus then said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

I don't believe this story is about children.

Place yourself in that childs position. The child comes and stands among thirteen adult men. It would be a pretty intimidating position. Mature men standing over a small child. And Jesus then says, you need to be like this child. You need to put yourself in a place of humility, not thinking to highly of yourself.

When a child is standing in a crowd of adults, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle. When I take Seth, my soon to be nine year old to a Cavs game, it has to be intimidating walking through the crowd. He can not see over everybody, people can not see him very well and it is hard for him to discern where we are headed. When we are at that game, Seth, Cole or Eli get the greatest attention in my kingdom.

In the church, we sometimes carry an attitude about us. We see ourselves as spiritually mature, having this great knowledge. When a person who is not as mature as us, physically and spiritually, we often times stand over them like the twelve who stood over this child. We get caught up in our mature conversations, talking about the business of the church. As we talk, we show our biblical knowledge, posturing for the highest position, because that is what it is all about. Sometimes this posturing has to do with the longevity of being a member of this particular institution.

I mean, that's what it is all about isn't it?

Church Planting: Zimbabwe Style

Last summer our family invested $100 in a new bike. The bike has been delivered to Zimbabwe! I am so pumped to see this picture! This bike will be used to start a new church in the Chiremwaremwa (I can't pronounce it either) area of Zimbabwe. An initial investment $100 will go a long way in this part of the world. There are people who long for the gospel and the story of Jesus. In such a hopeless part of the world, this bike will bring hope to people who desperately need hope.


This is a picture of Solomon who is the lead planter. He will use it to travel to the Chiremwaremwa area teaching people about Jesus. People who have been asking to know more about Jesus. As Derek (my friend from Zimbabwe) said in an email, "As you can see he is overjoyed." He is not overjoyed because he has a new bike, he is overjoyed because now he gets to experience the joy of seeing people know Jesus.
Please pray for Solomon and the Chiremwaremwa area. You know the enemy will do all he can to discourage this servant of God.

If you want to know how you can get involved in supporting this church plant in Zimbabwe let me know in a comment. It will take about $60-80 a month to support Solomon and his mission to tell people about Jesus.