Thursday, December 06, 2007

In ?? We Trust

Agnostics and atheists want to expunge God from America's motto and pledge. Yes, Mr. Newdow is back in court. He thinks that the name of God has no place in America's life. He would have us remove God from public life.

Much like his predecessor, Ms. Murray-"O"Hairy," Mr. Newdow suffers from the delusion that the courts will give him control over America's implicit trust in God. Given that he is working through those infamous Californian federal courts, that may happen on a temporary basis. Then wiser minds will prevail and things will revert to its historical normalcy once again.

Mr. Newdow reminds me of my daughters when they were around 18 months old. We would play hide and seek. My daughters would cover their eyes and, to them, they disappeared from our sight. No one could see them! Then suddenly they would uncover their eyes and there they would be once again. Mr. Newdow's fallacy is not unlike that. He believes he can expunge God from American life by hiding the motto, by removing the name of God from the pledge, by attempting the silence the voice of Christians and Jews who happen to believe those words. Cover his name and God disappears. God was here before the motto and pledge, and God will be here long after, should it ever be removed.

Or perhaps we should only replace it. With what would we replace the name of God, Mr. Newdow? Allah? Self? Buddha? Krishni? With what?

If the likes of Michael Newdow, whose right to protest is protected under this nation's constitution, do not wish to tolerate my belief in God, then may they find an island and start their own nation.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Telling the Story

It's December. For many, many Christian denominations, that means missions offerings. Some churches have their own system for collecting missions offerings; but many churches still wait until December to make their push for international missions.

I spoke in one of those churches last week, and in another one this morning. My wife Pam spoke in a different one this morning. Tonight, we will speak together in a church that emphasizes their international missions in December. In fact, we will be busy the rest of the month doing just that.

And we love doing it.

We love sharing the story about what God is doing in South America. It's a great thing. It's a joy to share our story, especially if it motivates someone to dig into their pockets and give so others can hear the great story of salvation in the Lord Jesus.

Southern Baptists are challenged to give 165 million dollars this year. The truth is we could give it and never miss it. We could give 300 million and not miss it. We ought to. If we give 165 million dollars this year, we will be able to maintain (thanks to the falling dollar), and grow a little bit. If we were to give 300 million, we could send out twice as many men and women, which would mean that many others would hear the gospel.

Whatever your affiliation, don't be afraid to give a generous offering this Christmas. Put the salvation of others ahead of that new HD flatscreen (yes, that is one thing that I would get if I could). Give so we can continue to tell the story of Jesus!