Following Jesus Into the Unknown
In less than sixty days, I plan to be back to the United States after spending five years in the United Kingdom (UK) as an independent missionary and I have no plans to return to my previous life as a lifetime, died-in-the-wool Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) loyalist. I'm not going back as a church planting strategist…not as an SBC pastor or church planter…and not even as a member of an SBC church. And it has nothing to do with my previous employment and experience in denominational life, in spite of what some may think. Yes, I have been hurt and disappointed ...
Christian Boycotts :: Sitting in Judgment Against Unbelievers
In our recent trip to visit friends and family in the United States, we found ourselves neck-deep in a heated conversation about whether Christians should patronize businesses that support equal rights for gays and lesbians in the marketplace. Particular emphasis was placed on Wal-Mart's decision to join the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce several years ago. My friends also refuse to purchase automobiles from Ford Motor Company and gasoline from Texaco because those companies have adopted policies that certain right-wing Christian organizations have deemed a threat to traditional Judeo-Christian family values. They receive irregular "Action Alerts" from the ...
We didn’t know we were poor
Mississippi is my home state. When Mississippians admit their roots, they often hear stereotypical responses that drip with mockery, innuendo and misunderstanding. So we develop certain coping mechanisms, like the self-effacing joke I've used for years: "Yeah, I didn't start wearing shoes until I got married!" It provides comic relief, gives my friends something to laugh about, and allows the awkward moment to pass. Maybe that's why our state bird is called the "Mockingbird" (just kidding). When most people think about Mississippi, three subjects usually come to mind: poverty, ignorance, and racism. When I looked up the most recent (2006) statistical ...
More Featured Posts
Back in the saddle again!
Some of my subscribers and regular readers may be wondering, “What happened to the guy who once wrote this blog?” It’s been more than a little crazy since we returned to the states in late May 2009. I started working really long hours at an AT&T call center, then they decided after five weeks of training and five weeks of OJT that I didn’t have the right kind of statistics... [Read more]
Coloring Outside the Lines
For those readers with children and those who have worked closely with toddlers, I’m sure you know what happens when a child is given his/her first coloring book and a box of wax crayons. Without any apparent (to us) logic or forethought, the child quickly launches their art career and randomly scribbles across the pages without consideration of the obvious black lines that everyone knows—except... [Read more]
The frenetic pace of American culture
There’s been a massive shift in our lifestyle over the past six weeks! We left a relatively quiet Welsh town and the typical 37.5 hour work week with five weeks of vacation each year. We walked almost everywhere—to work, to the doctor’s office, to church, to the Chinese takeaway, and to local shops—and if we wanted to travel further, we often used public transportation (bus,... [Read more]
Seeking that elusive relationship with God
I’ve just finished reading The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning, where he states: The seldom-stated truth is that many of us have a longing for God and an aversion to God. Some of us seek Him and flee Him at the same time. We may scrupulously observe the Ten Commandments and rarely miss church on a Sunday morning, but a love affair with Jesus is just not our cup of tea. This is my first... [Read more]
Grandpa Elliott & Susan Boyle: The Gobsmacked Effect
Until this week, I had never heard of Grandpa Elliott or Susan Boyle, but their names are quickly becoming well known through the internet’s social networking sites like YouTube and Facebook. The two musicians are unrelated: Grandpa Elliott is a jazz/blues street musician from New Orleans and Susan Boyle is a native of Scotland and a participant in Britain’s Got Talent, a reality television... [Read more]
Christian Historical Fiction: Used Books for Sale in UK
Just a quick notice that my wife has decided to sell much of her personal library, primarily consisting of historical fiction written by Christian authors like Gilbert Morris, Catherine Palmer, Lori Wick, Beverly Lewis and others. We’re trying to lighten our load of personal belongings before moving back to the USA within the next 60 days or so. I once poked fun at the idea of “Christian... [Read more]
Following Jesus Into the Unknown
In less than sixty days, I plan to be back to the United States after spending five years in the United Kingdom (UK) as an independent missionary and I have no plans to return to my previous life as a lifetime, died-in-the-wool Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) loyalist. I’m not going back as a church planting strategist…not as an SBC pastor or church planter…and not even as a member... [Read more]
September 11: The Continuing Nightmare
Last night we watched a documentary on Sky AnytimeTV (on demand) entitled, 102 Minutes That Changed America, that was assembled from video footage from over 100 people who experienced the horrors of September 11, 2001, in New York City. Without any narration, the events unfolded from the perspective of the eyewitnesses who captured an amazing sense of the emotion and drama and disbelief. You can watch... [Read more]
New diesel smart car gets 85 mpg in UK
smart fortwo cdi coupe begins shipping in March 2009 I saw a television ad last night, while watching Jack Bauer save the world, about a new diesel smart car being offered that gets an estimated 85.6 mpg combined city/highway driving. That’s incredible! You can check the details on smart’s UK site for this vehicle that has begun shipping this month (March 2009). Strange thing, though. The... [Read more]
Reformed evangelical books for sale
Just a quick note to my friends and readers in the United Kingdom or the European Union. Since we are moving back to the United States within the next 90 days, I have decided to liquidate most of the books—nearly 1,000 volumes—in my ministry library. Some are already listed in my Amazon Marketplace Storefront (2manygoodbooks) and I hope to get hundreds more listed by the weekend. I would... [Read more]
