Letter We Received From an Atheist

Photo credit: Alshepmcr

We did not personally receive the below letter, it is a post on Jesus-is-Savior.com (we are not even sure they received this directly or if they conjured it up but, either way, the message is devastatingly true). If you just clicked on the site link, you might think, “Whoa! These people are those weird, Evangelical nuts who preach hate messages…I’m not reading anything that was published on their site!” If you did not initially click the link, no doubt you will now! But before you click away from this post (if you are going to look at the other site, at least right-click and open it in a new tab *smile*), please read this short, three paragraph letter from an atheist addressed to all Christians.

You are really convinced that you've got all the answers. You've really got yourself tricked into believing that you're 100% right. Well, let me tell you just one thing. Do you consider yourself to be compassionate of other humans? If you're right, as you say you are, and you believe that, then how can you sleep at night? When you speak with me, you are speaking with someone who you believe is walking directly into eternal damnation, into an endless onslaught of horrendous pain which your 'loving' god created, yet you stand by and do nothing.  

If you believed one bit that thousands every day were falling into an eternal and unchangeable fate, you should be running the streets mad with rage at their blindness. That's equivalent to standing on a street corner and watching every person that passes you walk blindly directly into the path of a bus and die, yet you stand idly by and do nothing. You're just twiddling your thumbs, happy in the knowledge that one day that 'walk' signal will shine your way across the road.  

Think about it. Imagine the horrors Hell must have in store if the Bible is true. You're just going to allow that to happen and not care about saving anyone but yourself? If you're right then you're an uncaring, unemotional and purely selfish (expletive) that has no right to talk about subjects such as love and caring. 

It is true. We all claim to believe the Bible and we claim to have a heart for “the lost” but are we really making a valid effort to help them? We believe that God prepares people’s hearts to receive His words and that he will give us the words to speak to people (Matthew 10:19, Luke 12:11). How simple is that?! We do not even have to do the work—we just have to be willing and available to be used by God!

How can we do better?! 

1. Remain in the vine: John 15:4-5 says,“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” We need to stay connected to God if we want to do His work. How does one stay connected to God? Regular Bible reading and prayer.

2. Build relationships: People ask their friends for help and advice during uncertain or difficult times. If you have friends who do not know the peace, love, and acceptance that is found when they live for God, you can use these situations as opportunities to share your story and what it would mean for them to be saved.

3. Step out on faith: Sometimes, a little voice tells us, “Go tell that man that it will be okay,” or “Ask that woman if there is anything she would like to pray about.” Do we listen? Almost never! This is sad. God is trying to steer us into His will and instead of just letting Him drive, we step on the brake and but the car in park! Not cool.

This journey called Christianity that we are supposed to be walking requires more than just going to church, reading the Bible, and praying—it requires ACTION. Faith without works is dead, according to James 2:14-26, meaning that we can read and pray all day long but if we are not going to do anything with what we receive from the Bible or through prayer, we might as well not even put in the extra effort to read and pray. Instead of waking up those 15 minutes early to study the Bible, we might as well just finish that good dream we were having and sleep in a little longer. Instead of praying for guidance, discernment, and wisdom, we might as well just flip a coin or read our daily horoscope. Instead of attending a church service, we might as well just use that day to run errands (the stores are less busy—most people are at a church somewhere!).


What do you think about the letter? Will you do anything differently in daily life? Leave a comment below!

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Doing Something in the Name of God

“The Devil is a motherf*@&!#$ liar!” or “I come in the name of Christ, B!%(#!” are not common statements you would expect to come out of a preacher’s mouth but that does not stop the “Angry Black Preacher” who I saw on You Tube. After watching several of his videos, I was convinced that he is either drunk, high, mentally “disadvantaged”…or all of the above!

Along with several other things that have transpired in the last few weeks (this post is actually based more on the other things than Angry Black Pastor's rants), him doing the crip-walk and berating callers with an onslaught of obscenities got the little gears in my brain working: Before we do something in the name of God, what questions should we ask ourselves?

1. What is my motive? Do I want to gain popularity? Do I just want to make money? Is my purpose really to help others?

2. Did I prayerfully seek God’s guidance and do I believe this is what He wants?

3. Who or what will I be glorifying? Is my goal, honestly, to bring glory to myself, God, or something that can be idolized (like possessions)?

4. Does what I plan to do line up with Biblical teaching? Some may say that life is full of gray areas--that most situations allow a follower of Christ to make one of several decisions. I, for one, have a differing opinion but, for the sake of argument, let’s say that this is correct. Wouldn’t you agree, however, that the Bible gives us many clear-cut, black-and-white instructions or standards? If we are doing something as a representative of Christ, we should try to live up to those standards to the best of our ability (which we all know is impossible but we have to give it a go!).

5. Will my method of delivery be a stumbling block for someone else? In an attempt to be better received, many times Christians try to appeal to the masses in their delivery methods. While I think that we need to show the world that being a Christian is not all about rules and is not stuffy and boring, I do not think we should look exactly like everyone else; remember we are supposed to be “in the world but not of it.” (Romans 12:2 and 1 John 2:15)

There is no way to know every event that will place a stumbling block in someone else’s life. Heck, one person could wear sandals in the summer and a second person, having a foot fetish, could start fantasizing about nibbling on toe jam and fall into lust. We just never know. I believe, though, there are several well-known, hard-to-resist circumstances that can place a small pebble or a large boulder in a person’s path who is trying to walk with God. Here are three that stand out in my mind:

• Others initiating gossip
• The opposite sex revealing skin and/or being sexually suggestive
• Christians portraying that there is no necessary change in lifestyle (behaviors, language, activities, etc) when you become a follower of Christ (new Christians will stay "lukewarm")

**

Really, before we decide to do something in the name of God we must remember that we do not save people, God does. We can lower our standards and “go to people’s level” all day long but, in the end, I think that it is counter-productive. No matter what we do, if God has not called someone to Him and readied his/her heart, that person will not be saved. We just need to concern ourselves with honoring God’s word and bringing glory to Him.

What do you think about these five questions? Am I missing something? Leave a comment below!

How to GO and Make Disciples: A Few Simple Ideas That Don't Involve a Church

For the last few months at church, we have been discussing how we can actually reach the people who God wants us to reach; how we can burst our nice, shiny “Christian” bubbles and be disciples.

God has called us to make disciples. Sometimes it seems that the call is too great. It is so easy to go to church, let the pastor preach, listen, then go home. Is that what God has asked of us? Not so much. I’m pretty sure in Matthew 28:16 Jesus did not say, “Therefore go and be good church attendees, make sure you wear the right outfit, say “hey, how you doing” to at least one person, and always be in attendance on Easter.” This may seem a little crazy but, here goes: God actually wants us to DO some things during this life.

I found a few sites that give a few easy examples of how to be what we call “missional.” It is basically just living a regular life but being intentional about it. The point is: it is more likely to turn people to God if you have a relationship with them. The below situations will help to foster relationships. If you are not a church-goer, that is cool--it is not a requirement.

These first eight ideas I got from Church Planting Novice blog.

1.    Eat with Non-Christians. We all eat three meals a day. Why not make a habit of sharing one of those meals with a non-Christian or with a family of non-Christians? Go to lunch with a co-worker, not by yourself. Invite the neighbors over for family dinner. If it’s too much work to cook a big dinner, just order pizza and put the focus on conversation. When you go out for a meal, invite a non-Christian friend. Or take your family to family-style restaurants where you can sit at the table with strangers and strike up conversations (Mighty Fine Burgers, Buca di Peppo, The Blue Dahlia, etc). Have cookouts and invite Christians and non-Christians. Flee the Christian subculture.

2.    Walk, Don’t Drive. If you live in a walkable area, make a practice of getting out and walking around your neighborhood, apartment complex, or campus. Instead of driving to the mailbox, convenience store, or apartment office, walk to get mail, groceries, and stuff. Be deliberate in your walk. Say hello to people you don’t know. Strike up conversations. Attract attention by walking the dog, taking a 6-pack (and share), bringing the kids. Make friends. Get out of your house! Last night I spend an hour outside gardening with my family. We had good conversations with 3-4 neighbors. Take interest in your neighbors. Ask questions. Engage. Pray as you go. Save some gas, the planet.

3.    Be a Regular. Instead of hopping all over the city for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out, and coffee, go to the same places. Get to know the staff. Go to the same places at the same times. Smile. Ask questions. Be a regular. I have friends at coffee shops all over the city. My friends at Starbucks donate a ton of left over pastries to our church 2-3 times a week. We use for church gatherings and occasionally give to the homeless. Build relationships. Be a Regular.

4.    Hobby with Non-Christians. Pick a hobby that you can share. Get out and do something you enjoy with others. Try City League sports. Local rowing and cycling teams. Share your hobby by teaching lessons. Teach sewing lessons, piano lessons, violin, guitar, knitting, tennis lessons. Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be winsome. Have fun. Be yourself.

5.    Talk to Your Co-workers. How hard is that? Take your breaks with intentionality. Go out with your team or task force after work. Show interest in your co-workers. Pick four and pray for them. Form mom’s groups in your neighborhood and don’t make them exclusively non-Christian. Schedule play dates with the neighbors’ kids. Work on mission.

6.    Volunteer with Non-Profits. Find a non-profit in your part of the city and take Saturday a month to serve your city. Bring your neighbors, your friends, or your small group. Spend time with your church serving your city. Once a month. You can do it!

7.    Participate in City Events. Instead of playing X-Box, watching TV, or surfing the net, participate in city events. Go to fundraisers, festivals, clean-ups, summer shows, and concerts. Participate missionally. Strike up conversation. Study the culture. Reflect on what you see and hear. Pray for the city. Love the city. Participate with the city.

8.    Serve your Neighbors. Help a neighbor by weeding, mowing, building a cabinet, fixing a car. Stop by the neighborhood association or apartment office and ask if there is anything you can do to help improve things. Ask your local Police and Fire Stations if there is anything you can do to help them. Get creative. Just serve!

These next ten ideas I found on Youth Ministry 360 blog.  Some of the items are similar (not exactly the same, but similar) to the above ideas but read them anyway! If you are part of a youth ministry, these will be great for you. If you, however, cannot say you have the joy of dealing with the dramas of today’s youth in the capacity of a ministry, you may not think the below ideas will apply to you. Try to think of ways you can use them in your own life—sans teens.

9.    Make time to eat with students. Most people eat three meals a day. (Well, students usually eat at least four!) That’s over 21 opportunities a week for you to sit and engage in listening to and conversing with students. Eating a meal with someone is a great way to build  friendships and grow deeper relationships.

10.    Work in public places. If your pastor allows some flexibility, hold your meetings or prepare messages in coffee shops and restaurants. You may see a student working or find a parent. You may even hear conversations of parents talking about their teenagers. Working in public on a regular basis allows you to learn what is going on in the life of your community.

11.    Find out where God is at work and join Him. Churches are notorious for thinking they have to start ministries from scratch (many do so because they want their name attached to it). Find out where other ministries and churches are at work and join them. Help students get a healthy perspective on the Kingdom of God. When students see you are not territorial, not only will they learn from you, but they may just model the same spirit of cooperation.

12.    Don’t always be a homebody in the evenings. Take your family to a movie, out to eat, or to the park. Go eat dinner with a neighborhood family who has teenagers. Be out where you can meet your students’ friends who you may never see at church.

13.    Turn your garage into a front porch. Front porches use to be where neighborhoods came together and conversed. Clean out your garage, fill it with drinks, snacks, music, and games. Then, invite people who walk by in the neighborhood to grab a drink and chat. It’s a great way to share life with your neighbors. Or, plan a night to invite groups of students to just hang out with your family. No agenda . . . Just you letting missional relationships happen naturally.

14.    Have a consistent night of the week where your house has an open door policy. If married, make sure to talk with the wife first, okay guys. If you or your wife have the gift of hospitality, it’s a no brainer. Open up your home on a consistent night of each week for your students to invite seekers to hang out. Make it an intentional place for your students to bring those on the fringe. Eat, play, and have fun.

15.    Prayer walk. Take your students prayer walking around their school. Use what you see as cues for prayer (football field, classrooms, etc.). Ask God to fill your heart with a love for students and a desire to see revival break out in students’ hearts.

16.    Be a better listener. If anyone is known for storytelling and talking, it is youth ministers. Be a listener rather than often thinking how you have a funny story to tell. Listen with gospel ears. Just as the Bible is the story of creation, fall, and redemption, every person has these categories in their story. Where do they find purpose (creation)? What are their struggles (fall)? Where are the looking for fulfillment and satisfaction (redemption)?

17.    Adopt a local school. Get your entire church on board with pouring their time and resources into serving a local school. Build a better relationship with the principal and teachers. Find out the needs of the school.

18.    Pray with the restaurant’s server. One of my former pastors would always say to his server, “We are about to pray over the food, is there anything we can pray for you about?” Sometimes you get a smirk and a simple “no” but other times, you will hear the story of someone broken and in desperate need. It is a great way to be an example to your students.



There are so many GREAT ideas from these two blogs. One thing to remember:

Even if you just focus on ONE of the above activities, you will probably be doing more than you are doing now and will surely make God smile.

TELL US: What other things have you done (or heard of other people doing) that you think are good ways to be missional?

When You Die, Will You be Considered a Saint?

A friend of mine, Leavale Hicks, died yesterday.

His death was a shock to many as no one expected it or saw any signs that death was around the corner. He died from "natural causes"; he was not the victim of any violent crime. He was only 30. Not one of knows when our day (or hour, minute, or second) will come. If somehow you were fortunate enough (or unfortunate, depending on how you look at it) to know when your last moment would be, how would you spend it? What will be your departing words? I am not sure what the last words Leavale spoke were but his last Facebook post was inspiring: "...don't stop giving just because people are ungrateful.... God Rewards you, not them...". What a great message to leave with the world!

Will you die being a fisher of men? Will you die keeping your faith to yourself? I guess the best question is: Will you die knowing without a doubt that you are going to heaven? I am in no place to say who's going to heaven and who's going to hell. I am not permitted to judge anyone. I, as my good friend J'yhneyce Mcguire would say, have no heaven or hell to put anyone in. So please read this post and understand that I'm just asking.

Actually I am just going to ask one question.

I believe it is one of the most important questions you can ever answer. Really think about it--don't just assume you know the answer. Many of you may be confused when you think about your answer and that's okay. What's not okay is not getting to an answer. If your answer is not "yes" and you want it to be, please send me a message via Facebook, twitter or simply email me so we can work together to turn things in the right direction.

The QUESTION: Would God call you one of his Saints?