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I recently signed up at Crosswalk.com to receive their "Evangelism Weekly" eMail newsletter. Of course I'm not looking for doctrinal information from them, but sometimes good ideas (that I can tweak, or write about) for reaching out to others can come from places that you might not expect. This morning's subject line caught my attention for obvious reasons:
"Social Media: The Latest Evangelism Tool"

Here's an excerpt from the article, written by Robert Wayne (available here):

How to (Really) Preach from an iPad (or Other Tablet) [T3]

Ever since Apple introduced the iPad a few years ago, people have been trying to find new ways to integrate it into their lives and work. This is certainly true for preachers. Many of us like new "toys," especially when those "toys" make us more efficient.

In the last few months I have had a lot of preachers ask me about how to go about preaching from a tablet. They all share one common emotion; fear. I too was initially scared about using something with batteries and a microprocessor to preach from. What if it crashed? But the benefits far outweighed the potential problems,

The Black Sheep of the Family

Every family has a "black sheep."
You know him (or her). He might be the crazy uncle who makes everyone nervous because they don't know what he's going to do next (and neither does he). She might be the sister who has no problem sharing what she's thinking with the rest of the world, because she seems to have no "filter" on her speech. Every family has that person. Every family has felt embarrassment at some point because of that person's actions.

Maybe they are also the person who, when you meet new people, you never really tell others about. It's better if you don't get on "that subject." Maybe when you find out they are coming to visit you for the weekend, you have to take a deep breath and remind yourself that "it's only for a few days," and then they will be gone. Maybe you even talk to other people about how that person is the "black sheep," and you excuse them by using words very similar to the ones I started with: "You know, every family has one."

And they do. They are inconvenient to have to deal with. They just aren't like the rest of us.

In the Bible, we read about a family who had a "black sheep," and he was completely out of their control. It had started when he was a little boy, with him separating himself from the rest of the family (1). He was always hanging out with the wrong people (2). Eventually he started attracting crowds because of the things he was saying and doing (3). That must have been REALLY embarrassing to the family. After all, no one in their right mind would do such things to call attention to himself. He always seemed to be making a scene.

Finally, they decide that enough is enough. They set out to grab him, to have an intervention (4). They want to bring him back to his senses. He's just gone too far. But it doesn't work (5). Eventually, the relationship becomes strained, and they try to shame him into being more like them (6). Sadly, his antics would cost him his life (7).

Who was the man? Maybe you've already guessed.

Jesus.

Of course, Jesus wasn't really a "black sheep." He was far from it. Actually, as lambs go, he was white, spotless and pure (cf. 1 Peter 1:19). Unfortunately, his family didn't treat him that way. If anything, they were ashamed of him.

How are you treating Christ in your life? How do you present him to others? Is he the family member you are proud of, and want to talk about? Or his he the "black sheep" you try to avoid bringing up?

Think about it.

-Daniel

Scripture Footnotes:
(1) Luke 2:41-45; (2) Mark 2:15; (3) Mark 3:7-8; (4) Mark 3:21; (5) Mark 3:33-35; (6) John 7:3-5; (7) John 11:47-53

"Digitally mixed soda, anyone?" [T3]

It's no secret that I "love" technology. Any time a silicon chip can make my lifestyle more efficient, fast, or just plain better, I'm up for it.
But a soda fountain? Really?

While traveling for a Gospel meeting, I stopped into a sub restaurant to get a sandwich. After placing my order, I took the cup that was a part of my combo meal, and proceeded to the fountain machine to fill it. But I couldn't find the fountain machine. Or at least I couldn't find what looked like a fountain machine.

Instead, what I saw was

Airport Breakfast

Airports are confusing places.
There are rules about checking luggage, going through the security checkpoint, and boarding the plane. There are passengers of all nationalities and backgrounds. There are employees from all different nationalities and backgrounds. The constant chatter and background noise can be disorienting. Clear communication can be a struggle.

On my latest flying experience (which was a 6:20 A.M. flight) I found the most confusing place of all: The breakfast line at the Whitt’s Barbecue in concourse C, Nashville International Airport.

I'm a Southern boy. I know what a Southern breakfast is. I've had my share of biscuits. Therefore, when I approach a smorgasbord of eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits, potatoes, and gravy, I'm not the least bit confused about what to do: I eat!

This is where airports get confusing for other folks, though. It was taking a while for the line to move, and I was eavesdropping on the orders of the people in front of me. It quickly became apparent why the line was stationary; Some of these folks had never seen a biscuit and gravy!

If you've never noticed, ”breakfast food” selections vary dramatically from region to region, and certainly from country to country. Some eat biscuits, others eat bagels. Some eat toast, others eat muffins. Some have gravy, others have butter, and some have both!

As I listened to the unsure voices of those ordering their fare (in various accents), I was struck by the thought of just how different some people’s lives are from mine. Even a good ’ole country breakfast (that we might take for granted) is foreign to them. I noticed how hard it was for me to keep from thinking unnecessarily judgmental thoughts about how ”silly” they are because they don't know what a sausage and biscuit is.

I also considered this: Despite our differing backgrounds, The same God I love and serve will be the same God we will both answer to on the day of judgment (Romans 14:11-12). The truth is that no matter how different we may be on this earth, we both have one thing eternally in common; We both have a soul.

God shows no partiality to any group of people (Acts 10:34), and neither should I when it comes to the Gospel. No matter how different I am from a person, I have no right to ”judge” them unworthy of the Gospel of Christ (cf. Titus 2:11).

You see, God intended to break down social, economic, and cultural barriers in Christ. Paul wrote,

"Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11, ESV).

While we may put walls up in the context of society, God doesn't when it comes to the truth, and even to the Church. We sometimes go about looking for people who are ”like” us to share the Gospel with. It is a lot more comfortable to share God’s word with someone who is ”like” you, and who you identify with than it is to do the same with a stranger.

The bottom line, though, is this: It may make you uncomfortable, but you and I have a God given responsibility to share the saving message with all - even if they aren't just ”like” you and me. Will you?

-Daniel

My Lame Broom

My broom must be lame. It only sweeps. I can't get it to stand up like everyone else's brooms. Why would I try to make my broom stand up? Well, I saw it on Facebook (of course).
This past Friday I saw picture after picture of brooms standing up on their bristles. Word must have gotten out that with the storms coming through, the atmospheric conditions were favorable for broom standing. So I tried to make my broom stand up, too. But something was wrong. I had no success. Obviously, many others did. The fact that their brooms stood unassisted was confirmed by the overwhelming photographic evidence.

The biggest question in all of this is “Why?” why did they stand? Was it the magnetic field of the earth? Was it the atmospheric pressure? Were the planets aligned just right? Was it the moon’s gravitational force? Was it supernatural?

Allow me to make one simple observation. My broom is old, ragged, and used. The brooms I saw standing up were “new” looking. Could it be that instead of some force causing them to stand, that it was simply the clean, even, soft bristles spreading out to support a modern broom, i.e., a balancing act?

I think so. Sorry!

I can't help but make note of how quickly this phenomenon spread through social media. I also can't help but notice the blind eye to reason that many had, simply because they were “wowed” by a parlor trick. It's harmless when it comes to fun and games (barring the “supernatural” reasons some gave).

It's deadly when it comes to religion.

Many will unsuspectingly jump into a religious fad without even giving a second to reasonable, rational thought. Superstition and mysticism blind the eyes of many, keeping them from seeing the truth (cf. Ephesians 4:17-19). Sadly, many spend their entire lives trapped in Satan's lies, simply because they didn't take even a moment to examine their beliefs (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:5). They failed to ask  the single most dangerous yet liberating question anyone can ask his or herself about their beliefs: Why?

On the other hand, truth is reasonable, and rational (cf. Hebrews 11:1). Consider Paul's words in Acts 26:25:

   “(25) But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.”

(Acts 26:25, ESV)

How about you?

-Daniel