Snow-nami

Are you prepared for the snow-pocalypse? If you have been watching the news, then you are aware that there is a winter storm headed our way. Of course, our sensational media make it sound like the world is coming to an end on Tuesday. The sky is falling! Well, at least some white stuff will be falling from the sky. And we wonder why people respond with irrational fear.

I haven’t ventured to the store yet, but I can guess that they are already running low on basic supplies after the ensuing mad dash to get ready for the coming storm. People are planning to hunker down at home for several days. This is generally an appropriate response to the news that has been shared. What strikes me as odd is that we know how to respond and prepare when we hear about the weather. We generally even know how to respond to other current news stories. But how are we at responding to the Good News?

Jesus even said that we are good at reading the signs in the sky, understanding weather patterns, and yet we can’t read the signs of the times. We do alright getting ready for snow, but how are we doing at preparing for eternity? How are we practicing for the coming Kingdom of God? We won’t find those supplies at the store. It is only as we let go and die to self, daily take up our cross and follow Him that we participate in what God is doing and prepare for that coming day. No turning back… no turning back.

Wisdom from fellow Christ-followers - Marcella of Rome (325 – 410 AD):
Marcella had an enviable life as the daughter of a prominent Roman family who married a wealthy man. But less than a year after her wedding, her husband died. She was given the chance to continue living in wealth when she was proposed to by the wealthy consul Cerealis. She chose instead to convert her mansion into one of the earliest communities of women, where she and other noble women used their riches to help the poor. Marcella said she preferred to “store her money in the stomachs of the needy than to hide it in a purse.” In 410, when the Goths invaded Rome, they broke into Marcella’s home. When they demanded money, she calmly responded that she had no riches because she had given all to the poor. Though she was an elderly woman, they beat and tortured her mercilessly. Her attackers were eventually shamed by her piety and she was released, but she died within a short time.

Marcella of Rome wrote, “By heaven’s grace, captivity has found me a poor woman, not made me one. Now I shall go in want of daily bread, but I shall not feel hunger since I am full of Christ.”

One in the Spirit

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ~ Ephesians 4:4-6

Today we honor the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. I believe that his dream is not only rooted in the American dream, but is also rooted in God’s vision for His world. We were made for each other. We need each other. And it is my prayer that all God’s children will come together in unity in the Spirit. Let us remember King’s dream:

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Watch an online documentary about King here.

Heart Menders TV

Check out an interview that I recently did about ROC Ministries for a local webcast. You can watch the interview here.

Welcoming Angels

¹ Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. ² Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

~ Hebrews 13:1-2

I had one of those experiences on Sunday that made me so proud to be a pastor at the ROC. I just had to take a moment this morning to brag on my ROC Flock.

Early Sunday morning, as people began to trickle in for Sunday School, one of our members found me and said, "We have a special guest and she needs some help." It is not an uncommon occurrence to encounter people seeking some kind of help at the ROC. It is a blessing to give, to be sure, but I have to admit that being known in the area as a giving place can sometimes drain one's energy and resources. There is so much need. And yet, as the Body of Christ, we didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give our lives away for Him - as Jesus modeled for us. And as we step out, He sustains us.

I simply said of course... where is she. As I approached Teresa, it was obvious that she lived in poverty. Suffering and hardship had taken its toll, leaving their marks all over her face, hands, feet, and clothes. Her downcast demeanor and broken body were clear witnesses of the oppression and brokenness of this world. My heart began to break for her.

I introduced myself and talked to her for a moment. It was obvious that she had a gentle and sweet spirit, in spite of her suffering... maybe it was because of all she had been through and not in spite of it. She told me that her family was moving to another part of the city and they wouldn't have heat for some time this winter, and they needed some blankets to keep warm. She has several grandchildren living with her and didn't want them to get sick over the brutal winter months.

I thought to myself, "I can't believe that we don't keep any blankets around here, but how can we say 'no' to such an honest, humble request." I said, "Let me see what we can do." As I asked around, I found out that Pastor Beckie had recently purchased about 7 or 8 new blankets to give away. Every year, as the weather changes and it starts to get cold over night, Beckie and a few others from our fellowship buy blankets to hand out to the homeless. It just happened that they had not gone out to give them away yet, and they were still in the trunk of her car. Coincidence?

Theresa stayed for Bible Study and worship. She was able to gather some bread that we offer for the community to take home for her family. And after the service, she spoke to me. She was in tears and simply said, "I wish I had found this place sooner. Everyone treated me so special here. They were kind and loving. I have been to churches where I was looked down on and treated poorly because of my appearance. This is a beautiful place." She asked if there was a church like this where she was moving. I gave her the contact information of a church like us that will be near her - I'm friends with their pastor and I know they will treat her well.

I believe that she found more than blankets and bread that day - I think she encountered the Bread of Life who can cover her and her family with the warmth of His presence. I can't think of anything that touches a pastor's heart more than a story like this.

Our fellowship truly embodied the beautiful prayer that I heard while working at a homeless shelter in Kansas City. We had different church groups come through to serve dinner each night. I would usually have someone from the group pray before we prepared to serve the meal. One evening an elderly African American lady offered a prayer that I will never forget. She simply said, "Lord, we know You'll be comin' through the line today. Help us treat you well. Amen." I try to remember that pray every day. "Lord, I know that I'm going to encounter you today. Help me treat you well." I wish I could say that I live up to that all the time... but I don't. And, yet I know that He hasn't given up on me... as we sang on Sunday - You never let go.

I absolutely love leading people who "get it"... who understand that we learn to love God by loving others... that whatever we do for the least and lost, we do for Him. And as we pour ourselves out, living as expressions as His love, His grace and His peace... we receive the Kingdom of God.

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

~ Matthew 25:37-40

Thank you ROC Flock! I'm proud of you! Let us continue to love one another for God is love!

Justice in the Morning

Bart Campolo (founder of Mission Year and son of one of my favorite writers and speakers, Tony Campolo) shared this story. It moved me and reminded me why we are here. I thought I would pass it along:

Dear Friends,

It was late when Karen came over from next door with her cell phone. On the line was Emily, a young school teacher who moved here with her husband to be part of our fellowship, and who has been especially good to Jamilla, an against-the-odds teenager on her block. Karen put Emily on speaker, and suddenly we were all together in the middle of a post-modern teenage nightmare.

With part of her disability check, Jamilla had gotten herself a high-status cell phone that connects with internet, and recently she had been experimenting with ‘Urban Chat,’ a sleazy local website where teenagers flirt with each other online. A few hours earlier, an attractive guy from that site had convinced her to send him a nude photograph. Now he was telling her that unless she paid him $60, he was going to forward that photo to every kid he knew at her school. According to Emily, Jamilla was frantic, embarrassed, and very much afraid.

The ensuing conversation ranged from the new dangers of technology to the old vulnerabilities of adolescent insecurity to the unique blind spots of kids in poverty, but it kept coming back to the problem at hand: What should Emily tell Jamilla to do? For good reasons, Jamilla was terrified to tell her family, and it didn’t take much research to discover she could get into big trouble for sending the photo in the first place. In the end, we told her to agree to pay off her blackmailer the next morning, in person, on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Of course, we had another plan in mind.

Jamilla and I parked near the meeting place early. She walked there alone, while I stood across the street, pretending to talk on my cell phone. Both of us nervously scanned the face of every young man on the sidewalk, looking for the bad guy. When he finally showed up, he walked towards Jamilla with a confident smile. Before he could say a word, I stepped between them.

“My name is Bart Campolo and I’m Jamilla’s pastor,” I said calmly, as his smile disappeared. “I’ve spoken with our lawyer and also with a police officer in our fellowship, and both of them tell me you’re not in any real trouble yet.” I paused for a moment, hoping he wouldn’t run, but he was frozen in place. “Now first of all, I need to watch you delete that photograph from your cell phone.” Wordlessly, he complied.

“Of course,” I continued, “you might have a copy of that photo on your computer, but I’m here to tell you that if it goes anywhere, I will personally see to it that you go to jail for at least a year and that your family pays out a great deal of money. Do you understand me?” He nodded, as I held up my camera and pushed the button. “Now I have your photograph and your telephone number and I know where you go to school. Son, what you did to Jamilla was ugly and cruel, but I’m going to let you walk away from it. But I promise you, if we ever hear from you again, the wrath of God will come down on you. Again, do you understand me?” He looked me in the eye for the first time. “Yes sir,” he said. I stepped back. “All right then. You may go.”

As he walked away, I put my arm around Jamilla, who still looked very afraid. Honestly, I was a little bit weak in the knees myself. I’m not a natural tough guy, after all. “Do you really think it’s over?” she asked quietly.

“Yes I do,” I replied. “That boy is terrified, and he ought to be. Do you know why?”

“No.”

“Because I wasn’t bluffing. I meant every word I said.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

On our way to her high school, I gave Jamilla just the kind of fatherly talking to you would expect, about trust and men and self-respect, and Jamilla gave me just the kind of relieved, grateful attention you would expect after an ordeal like that. Over and over, I tried to communicate to her just how precious she is to us. Jamilla teared up, and told me how much it meant to have a caring grown-up friend on her block. Without Emily, she said, she didn’t know where she would be.

After I dropped her off, I called Emily and Karen and Marty, so they could stop worrying. Then I gave thanks for women like them, who live out their love in the most natural ways, and make safe havens for girls in trouble. And then I treated myself to a greasy diner breakfast, during which I reflected at some length on the peculiar exhilaration of utterly overpowering a mean, abusive person in the name of Jesus.

It doesn’t happen nearly often enough, but I do love the smell of justice in the morning!

Keep the faith,

Bart



You can see the original post here

A Psalm & Reflection

Psalm 139

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

It has been my observation that all great praying men are simple, relaxed men. Mrs. Thomas A. Edison once said to me, "Mr. Edison's methods are just like yours. He is always perfectly natural and always perfectly relaxed. He feels that all his discoveries have 'come through him,' that he is but a channel for forces greater than himself."

Always natural, and always relaxed! I do not like to see men work too hard at their prayers. Beware lest the zeal of thy house eat thee up. When one strains and labors over his dream he is too often carving ivory and not polishing horn. Don't cut too deeply, don't carve too hard, don't paint the picture too much yourself. Get still awhile, and let God paint it through you. Wrote Gutzon Borglum, "When I carve a statue, it is very simple. I merely cut away the pieces that don't belong there and the statue itself presently comes into view. It was there all the time."
~ From I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes by Glenn Clark

Get still a while, and let God paint through you.

Another Letter

Evil is a word used to describe the absence of good, just as we use the word darkness to describe the absence of light or death to describe the absence of life. Both evil and darkness can be understood only in relation to light and good; they do not have any actual existence. I am light and I am good. I am love and there is no darkness in me. Light and Good actually exist. So, removing yourself from me will plunge you into darkness. Declaring independence will result in evil because, apart from me, you can draw only upon yourself. That is death because you have separated yourself from me: Life. ~ The Shack

Man bro, I read that and was like WOW! In fact, I said the exact same thing as the man God was speaking with. I just hadn’t read far enough to know his response.

How are you? I’m well bro for real. God is good and I praise His Holy Name for everything He’s done. Grace and Peace indeed! We’ll get to a few of those things here in a minute, first things first.

How’s Sara and your son? Miss you guys, man. Been a while since I’ve had people like you two around. Two of a kind I’m sure of it. Lil guy is getting big huh? I’ll meet him soon. God’s got something planned for me.

How’s the church family? Can’t wait to come home man. Feel like this is training camp or something. Been burying myself in books and different things to give me a better understanding of my Father. I actually started VBC – Victory Bible College – last Sunday. 30, 16 hour courses, nothing major but I will get and use the opportunity to further my growth in Christ.

Man bro, I can’t shut up about God! I’m on the yard talking about God. I thank my Father for his grace. Bro, I’m actually happy! Been a long time since I’ve been happy. So many tears, frowns and painful nights. I feel as if I’ve seen a portion of hell, but through the dark, Abba Father got me and held me close. No more darkness. I was witnessing to a brother today. Showing my battle wounds and scars. I know where I’ve been, I know where God’s brought me from. And through it all, He still loves me. Everyone needs to know about this Love.


I told you that I’ve hooked up with a few other men of Christ. We do our best to keep each other’s spirits up and help each other out. I’m kind of a solo individual though. But these are my bro’s, nonetheless. Four of my favorite guys to be around are Tapia – he looks like a Mexican Doug from the show “King of Queens.” Only short. Strong in faith. The guy is a blessing to anyone he comes in contact with.


Then you have Pollywood – at first glance, you’d see ‘all business, no nonsense strait to the point type of guy.’ And at times he is, but Pollywood is a blast to be around. He has an I’ll tell you the truth, so if you can’t handle it don’t ask’ type of character about him.


Man of God. ‘Papa’ – Bobby Sanders – He’s the one who is about mid-50’s, but beams as if he’s 10 years old all the time. Keeps us all laughing and has so much knowledge and wisdom, Richard. This guy is amazing and such a blessing to be around. His testimony is amazing bro. All these guys have extraordinary testimonies, but ‘Papa’ sticks out the most to me. This guy shines so bright with the Holy Spirit bro. I touch him every day to get a piece of his happiness to go along with my own. You’d never think he had all the time he has. God is evident in El Reno Federal Correctional Institution.


Last is Santiago, as much as I’d like to consider myself a soldier, this would be the guy who has been in and out of battle so many times he lost count of all the victories. My brother, man. He reminds me of me so much. He’s done and been through enough to realize that he’s truly blessed to be alive and still have an out date one day. And now, he is a warrior of the Father and pushes the line on Satan, helping us all with our walk as we do him. Powerful soldier of God and you know what? He reminds me of you. He helped me take those first few steps back in the faith. And showed me how to really trust God. Like I said, God is here bro. We are holding it down and leading by example. Pray for us man and know that the Squad is strong as ever here at El Reno. I’ll send you pictures soon.

I’ve talked to my sister, she’s doing better. Man, I wish I were there with her. Miss her and want better for her. Thank you for hooking her up with Nancy. True blessing. Our Father moves, doesn’t he?

I wanted to ask you about John Chapman. Did he ever become a pastor? And how is he? Good man, right there, Richard. And Nathan Holloway and Chris? Let me know how they are and to be honest I’d like email addresses to put on my mailing lists. It’d be cool to speak to those guys again. Let me know about that.

I have my mother’s picture sitting up on my bed. She’s smiling at me. I know she’s proud and really smiling at her son now. Took a while but I’m not running from my responsibility any longer. “Son of a Soldier.” Miss her, but I’ll see her again one of these days. God has some things He wants me to do. I believe those things are great.

Oh year, before I forget, these guys at church don’t know ‘Shout to the Lord.’ You think someone could send me the music and lyrics for the praise team band? Get with me on that. Please let them know I appreciate any other songs they would like to send as well. Just try and send the music as well.

Well, it’s getting late big bro. I gotta get some sleep. Up early breakfast is the best of the week on Wednesday morning. Love you bro and please tell Sara I’m happy to be an uncle. Stay up Richard and since everyday is a struggle, pray for us as I pray for you and my church family. Kind of don’t want to end the letter, feel as if I’m talking directly to you over a cup of coffee. Soon enough, right? God already told me, I’ll be home sooner than what these people say. Pray for my family and sister. And pray that the Judge finds it in his heart to grant me another chance.

To my brother and Pastor
With love of a younger brother
And solider in Christ!
~ Tori

P.S. Most birds were created to fly. Being grounded for them is a limitation within their ability to fly, not the other way around. You, on the other hand, were created to be loved. So for you to live as if you were un-loved is a limitation, not the other way around. Living unloved is like clipping a bird’s wings and removing its ability to fly. Not something I want for you. ~ The Shack

Sometimes we hurt so bad, all we see is our pain. Sometimes we lose sight of God. But I know now, my Father never left me. Was there the whole time. Go in love, grace and peace Bro.