Erasing Hell

In his latest book, Erasing Hell, Francis Chan tackles one of the Bible's most difficult doctrines with sensitivity and humility. In the introduction of the book, Mr. Chan writes,

"The saddest day of my life was the day I watched my grandmother die. When the EKG monitor flatlined, I freaked out. I absolutely lost it! According to what I knew of the Bible, she was headed for a life of never-ending suffering. I thought I would go crazy. I have never cried harder, and I don't ever want to feel like that again. Since that day, I have tried not to think about it. It has been over twenty years" (pages 13-14).

The author understands the gravity of the doctrine of hell. He understands that the fate of people depends on our understanding of hell. If there is no hell and he warns people about it, he could waste his life scaring people about a destiny that does not exist. If there is a hell and he tells people to not be concerned about it, he could lead many people to a horrible ending.

In this book, Francis Chan defends a biblically orthodox view of hell. He rejects all forms of universalism. He describes hell as a reality of the future. He teaches that hell is a place of punishment, not a place of purification. He warns that it is eternal. (Mr. Chan, however, does recognize some degree of ambiguity concerning Jesus' statements about whether a soul is annihilated or whether it suffers forever in hell. He sides with the traditional view that a soul suffers forever, but admits that the other side makes arguments worth considering. In either case, hell is a horrible place.) He acknowledges that degrees of punishment exist in hell, although the details about those degrees are vague. He teaches that faith in Christ is essential to being saved from hell.

Perhaps the best part of the book came in the fifth chapter, where Mr. Chan detailed some of the implications of the biblical doctrine of hell. Here are a few quotes from Chapter 5:

"Jesus threatens hell to those who curse their brother (Matt. 5:22). He's not warning drinkers or smokers or murderers. Jesus preaches hellfire against those who have the audacity to attack a fellow human being with harsh words. It's ironic--frightening, actually--that some people have written books, preached sermons, or written blog posts about hell and missed this point completely...Whoever calls his brother a fool may find himself guilty of hell. Have you called your brother a fool lately? On a blog? On Facebook? Have you tweeted anything of the sort?" (page 118).

"And how about Matthew 7, probably the scariest passage on hell in the entire Bible?...The most frightening word is many. Jesus says, 'Many will say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?" (Matt. 7:22 NASB)...How will Jesus respond to your laundry list of Christian activities--your Easter services, tithe, Bible studies, church potlucks, and summer-camp conversions? Are you sure you're on the right side? What evidence do you have that you know Jesus?" (pages 118-119).

"Or take racism. The Christian church in many ages and in many places has stood on the wrong side of this issue, and it's damnable--literally. What's racism got to do with hell? you may ask. According to Jesus, it's got everything to do with it. In Matthew 8, Jesus smuggles a warning about hell into the context of racism and ethnocentrism (the belief that your ethnicity is superior)...We need to see the glaring contradiction in saying we believe in hell while making no effort to tear down the walls of racism and ethnic superiority" (pages 120-121).

"And what about the poor? While Jesus is ambiguous at times about the nature and duration of hell, He's crystal clear about the necessity of reaching the poor. Yet many hellfire preachers are overfed and overpaid, living in luxury while doing nothing for the majority of Christians who live on less than two dollars a day. Contrast that with Jesus, who in His longest sermon about judgment made helping the poor a vital criterion of who goes where...There's a literal hell, and helping the poor is essential. Not only did Jesus teach both of these truths, He saw them as necessary and interrelated" (pages 121-122).

Erasing Hell is a challenging book. It's a short book with numerous footnotes. It will motivate the serious Christian to believe the warnings of Jesus and the apostles and to live differently because of what they have said and written. It's very much worth reading.

John Piper on Interracial Marriage

I tried to embed the video of John Piper's sermon on this topic earlier today, but I could not get it to start at the beginning. So I'm linking to the video and the sermon notes. Hopefully, this will work better. The link is below:

Racial Harmony and Interracial Marriage

Conservative, Liberal or Christian?

Evangelical Christian author Randy Alcorn says,

"I get tired of being told I have to choose between conservatism’s emphasis on truth and liberalism’s emphasis on compassion. Why can’t we oppose injustice to minorities and to the unborn? Why can’t we embrace biblical stewardship of creation and the primacy of human beings over the rest of creation? Why can’t we oppose the greedy destruction of the environment by some businesses and the anti-industry excesses of New Age environmentalism?

"Why can’t we affirm the biblical right to the ownership of property (along with the command “thou shalt not steal”) and emphasize God’s call to his people to voluntarily and sacrificially share their wealth with the truly needy?

"Why can’t we uphold the truth of God’s condemnation of sexual immorality—including homosexual practices—and reach out in love and compassion to those imprisoned in this degrading lifestyle, as well as those dying from AIDS?"

Please read his thoughtful article on this topic at the link below:

Conservative, Liberal or Christian? - Resources - Eternal Perspective Ministries

People Who Inspire Me: George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was born a slave shortly before the end of the American Civil War. Since his mother was kidnapped a week after his birth, he and his brother were raised as sons by their slave owners after slavery ended in the United States. Intellectually brilliant, Carver grew up to become one of the best-known and respected scientists of his era.

Why does George Washington Carver inspire me?

1. He used his gifts to benefit the poor. He spent his life helping poor farmers in the South. After centuries of raising nothing but cotton on much of the land of the South, the soil was depleted of nutrients. Carver spent his career teaching poor Southern farmers to raise peanuts and sweet potatoes. He also spent his time developing products from peanuts so that a larger market for peanut products would make it easier for the farmers to sell their crops.

2. He gave the credit for his scientific achievements to the Lord. Carver placed his faith in Jesus Christ at 10 years of age. From that time forward, he lived to bring God glory. Throughout his years of teaching botany at the Tuskegee Institute, he taught a Sunday morning Bible class at the request of the students. Even though the New York Times criticized him for crediting God for his scientific breakthroughs, claiming that scientists should not speak in such a manner, he never backed away from acknowledging the Creator for his accomplishments.

3. He was kind in an unkind world. Carver was born a slave and lived the rest of his life under legalized racial segregation in the United States. As a young man, he witnessed a group of white men murder another young black man. However, his environment never extinguished his kindness. His faith in Christ and understanding of the Bible protected his heart from hatred and bitterness. He once explained his outlook on life in this way: "How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life, you will have been all of these."

Our son Christopher is outside the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri, in the top picture. We visited the national monument and museum last spring. Mr. Carver was born and raised on that land in the 1860s.

Christianity's Influence on the Civil Rights Movement

I've been reading Timothy Keller's
The Reason for God. In Chapter 4, Mr. Keller makes several interesting points about Christianity's self-correcting apparatus, it's ability to correct itself by pointing Christians to biblically orthodox doctrine. In a section on how biblical ethics have challenged and changed societies, the author writes about the impact of Christian abolitionists during the 18th and 19th centuries, the South African Commission for Truth and Reconciliation in the 1990s, the resistance to Communism in Poland during the 1980s, Oscar Romero's outspoken opposition to the government of El Salvador's corruption in the 1970s and 1980s, and the German Confessing Church's opposition to Hitler's reign of terror and injustice in the 1930s and 1940s.

I found this excerpt about the American Civil Rights Movement to be the most fascinating:

"Another classic case of this is the Civil Rights Movement in the United States in the mid-twentieth century. In an important history of the movement, David L. Chappell demonstrates that it was not a political but primarily a religious and spiritual movement. White Northern liberals who were the allies of the African-American civil rights leaders were not proponents of civil disobedience or of a direct attack on segregation. Because of their secular belief in the goodness of human nature, they thought that education and enlightenment would bring about inevitable social and racial progress. Chappell argues that black leaders were much more rooted in the Biblical understanding of the sinfulness of the human heart and in the denunciations of injustice that they read in the Hebrew prophets. Chappell also shows how it was the vibrant faith of rank-and-file African-Americans that empowered them to insist on justice despite the violent opposition to their demands. Thus Chappell says there is no way to understand what happened until you see the Civil Rights movement as a religious revival.

"When Martin Luther King, Jr., confronted racism in the white church in the South, he did not call on Southern churches to become more secular. Read his sermons and 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' and see how he argued. He invoked God's moral law and the Scripture. He called white Christians to be more true to their own beliefs and to realize what the Bible really teaches. He did not say 'Truth is relative and everyone is free to determine what is right or wrong for them.' If everything is relative, there would have been no incentive for white people in the South to give up their power. Rather, Dr. King invoked the prophet Amos, who said, 'Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream' (Amos 5:24). The greatest champion of justice in our era knew the antidote to racism was not less Christianity, but a deeper and truer Christianity" (pages 66-67).

The Day Rosa Parks Changed the Nation

Fifty-five years ago today, Rosa Parks resisted injustice and sparked a movement that changed the United States of America. Justin Taylor recounts her story in the link below.

55 Years Ago Today: Rosa Parks Refuses to Move and Sparks a Movement

Don't Live a Stereotypical Life

You know the stereotypes:

Pro-lifers care about babies before they are born, but couldn't care less afterwards.

If you didn't vote for President Obama, you must be a racist.

If you are theologically conservative, you are apathetic about the poor and the environment.

Spread a little confusion. Defy the stereotypes by the way you live.

"And (Jesus) said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 22:37-39).

The Power of Love to Change a Life

This is an excerpt from Joseph Stowell's excellent book Loving Christ (pages 13-16):

"Ruth McBride Jordan lives in a cozy home in a lovely part of New Jersey, near Trenton. At the ripe age of seventy-six, she graduated from Temple University with a degree in social work administration. She travels widely, serves in the homeless shelter of Jerusalem Baptist Church, and runs a reading program at the local library.

"With a sense of appropriate pride, her son James tells her story in his best-selling book, The Color of Water. He relates that not only is she the mother of twelve grown children and the grandmother of twenty, but all of her children have earned college and graduate degrees and have distinguished themselves in their professions. That is an unusual track record for any parent, but it is all the more unusual because Ruth had reared her children during the tough years of the sixties in New York City, a time when racial unrest and lack of clear identity led many children to the streets and to far less stellar outcomes. Beyond that, the most amazing fact is that Ruth raised her children alone as a white Jewish woman in Harlem. Her husband, a black Baptist pastor, died early, leaving her with nothing but the resolve and motivation to do the best that she could in the midst of impossible circumstances.

"Against the backdrop of her childhood, her story becomes even more amazing.

"Ruth's father, a Polish immigrant, was an itinerant orthodox Jewish rabbi in Virginia. Her mother was a shy invalid who spoke little English and was often physically abused by her husband. Leaving the itinerant ministry, Tateh, as Ruth called her father, opened a general store in which Ruth was forced to work long hours. He treated her as a contribution to his economic success, and he also abused her sexually. Although she loved her mother deeply, she found little solace in her mother's frail and intimidated spirit.

"As a result, Ruth spent most of her adolescent years looking for love outside her family....She fell in love with a neighboring African-American boy who often shopped in the store. For the first time in her life she felt as though someone cared for her...She became pregnant and risked the wrath of the small town in which her dad's store was located. Her mom sent her to New York City to spend some time with her aunt so the problem could be 'dealt with.'

"Returning home, Ruth found that life would never again be the same. As soon as she finished high school, she ran back to New York...There she met Rocky and once again felt loved. She reveled in the warmth and affection of someone who cared for her--only to discover that he was a pimp, wooing her to become part of his harem.

"...Ruth met Dennis McBride. There was something authentic about his affections. This time she was wonderfully loved and was confident of it. Ruth felt safe and valued as he transferred a sense of dignity and worth to her lost and lonely soul.

"But the secret to her dramatic recovery from a disastrous history did not come from her husband's love, as wonderful as it was. He died, leaving her a penniless widow in a Harlem flat, overcrowded with kids.

"Her strength and resolve came from another man, a man Dennis had introduced her to.

"Years later, Ruth told her son James the secret--the secret that enabled her to rise like a phoenix out of the ashes of her dad's abuse. 'I was afraid of Tateh and had no love for him at all...It affected me in a lot of ways, what he did to me. I had very low self-esteem as a child, which I kept with me for many, many years; and even now I don't want to be around anyone who is domineering or pushing me around, because it makes me nervous.'

"Ruth reflected on the harsh and insensitive slurs of those who decried her marrying a black man. 'Well, I don't care. Your father changed my life. He taught me about God, who lifted me up and forgave me and made me new. I was lucky to meet him or I would've been a prostitute or dead. Who knows what would've happened to me? I was reborn in Christ. Had to be, after all I went through.'

"James writes that during one of her most difficult times, 'Ma was utterly confused about all but one thing: Jesus...Jesus gave Mommy hope. Jesus was Mommy's salvation. Jesus pressed her forward. Each and every Sunday, no matter how tired, depressed or broke, she got up early, dressed in her best, and headed for church...

"How do the Ruths of this world manage to come through with hands held high in victory? What is the secret to rising above the debilitating effects of brokenness, burdens, bondage, temptation, and all the other things that life so often inflicts upon us?...

"The answer is clear...and the answer holds our only hope. It is a love for Christ so compelling that it drives and defines all that we do--a love that is defined by the life-changing goodness that Christ brings to our existence. When our love for Christ moves beyond a mere mental assent to a living reality, it motivates us to deal with life in unique and powerful ways, regardless of our circumstances."

Is It Racist to Disagree with President Obama?

Last winter, someone told me that people did not vote for Barack Obama simply because they are racists. He said, "They try to say that it's because of other issues, but you know it's just because he is black." I replied, "Um...I didn't vote for President Obama because I'm pro-life."

It may be hard to believe, but it is possible to disagree with President Obama without considering his race.

"...whoever spreads slander is a fool" (Proverbs 10:18).

Creation and Evolution

"For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy" (Exodus 20:11, English Standard Version).

As our son grows older, he will become more aware of the philosophical battles between creationists and evolutionists. With that in mind, I would like to teach him a few principles that have guided me as a Christian.

1. The Bible can be trusted. "All Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV). It has come from the God "who never lies" (Titus 1:2, ESV). When it states that God created the universe in 6 days, you can rely on it.

2. Theories of evolution cannot explain the origins of life. While lifeforms change due to breeding and mutation, inanimate objects do not evolve into living beings. The simplest lifeforms are too complex to come into existence without the help of intelligent guidance. The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel explains this point very well.

3. Do not apply Darwinian theories to the social realm. Social Darwinism teaches people to live by the values of "the survival of the fittest." It can lead people to embrace genocide, eugenics, infanticide, abortion, racism, the oppression of the poor, and apathy toward the disabled. Christ teaches his followers to care for the people whom a social Darwinist might be willing to eliminate.

Reasons to Love Jesus: #2 He Challenges Racism

"When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink?' (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

"The Samaritan woman said to him, 'You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?' (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)" (John 4:7-9).

Jesus did not mind violating cultural standards. He did not mind breaking stereotypes. He was more concerned about people than meeting social expectations.

Last week, I heard about a family trying to adopt a boy from Belarus, a part of the former Soviet Union known as "white Russia." When the judge presiding over the case learned that the family already had children from Africa, he denied the adoption. He would not allow a boy from his country to join a family with children of different races. His attitude was the antithesis of Christ's attitude. The judge was more concerned about his cultural norms than the child's needs.

Jesus challenges racism. In doing so, he adds to the reasons to love him.

The Express

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10, New King James Version).

We saw The Express this weekend. The movie tells the story of Ernie Davis, the first black Heisman trophy winner. It is a story of how a man of character overcame significant obstacles to achieve success, and in the end, quietly strike a blow against institutional social injustice.

Although growing up in a broken home, a racist society, and with a speech impediment, Ernie Davis overcame his circumstances and became a hero to his generation. Much of his success came from a wise grandfather ("Pops") who imparted patience, wisdom, strength, and respect for the Scriptures to his young grandson. In the end, we see a young man who faced his challenges with dignity and grace.

Although nearly forgotten by football fans today, Ernie Davis should be honored as a heroic figure in the history of college football. This movie helps.

Racism

(After my last post, my blogging buddy Mitchell Skelton asked me to write an article about racism and the church. The following post is my attempt to provide the article for him. Thanks for the request, Mitchell!)

Across millennia, the people of God have faced the problem of racism in their midst. Moses dealt with racial prejudice within his family "because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married" (Numbers 12:1, New King James Version). When the apostle Peter began to practice racial segregation because of peer pressure, the apostle Paul "opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong" (Galatians 2:11). In American society, a racially integrated church has been the exception, rather than the rule, throughout our history.

Why is racism wrong? Fundamentally, racism is wrong because it's an insult against God.

"God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

As a descendant of Adam, Eve, Noah, and his wife, every person on earth enjoys the family heritage of being made in the image of God. Each person is special to God. Everyone is valuable to him. When we devalue a person based on race, we are insulting and devaluing the Creator.

In addition, racism interferes with Christ's mission in the world. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God does not leave out white people, black people, American Indians, Hispanics, Asians, or any other racial group. His Son died for all kinds of people. When Jesus sent his church into the world with his message of eternal life, he commissioned his people to "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). Literally, he told us to "make disciples of all ethnic groups". Racism stands in the way as a major obstacle to fulfilling the will of God among our neighbors.

What can Christians do about racism? First, we must become aware of the problem. Few white Christians may realize that racial minorities carry a social burden unknown to the majority. Minorities will be suspected of causing problems and committing crimes simply because of their race. A young black man will be more likely to face disciplinary problems in school because of his race. He will be more likely to be pulled over by the highway patrol. He may be innocent, but he will be suspected of wrongdoing. Few minority Christians may realize that white Christians are unaware of this stress-inducing aspect of their lives.

Next Christians need to stand with the person who is being treated unjustly due to his or her race. Speak out. Defend the innocent. Comfort the victim. Minorities are rightfully bewildered and repulsed at the silence of white Christians in the face of obvious injustice.

Christians must make friends with people from a variety of ethnic groups. Loosen up and enjoy being with people of different backgrounds. Have a sense of humor. Purposefully mispronounce Spanish words so that your Hispanic co-workers can tease you. Tease them back. Good-natured humor builds bridges and cuts tension.

If single, date Christians of other races. If married, adopt a child of a different race. Allow your children to date Christians of different races, and be prepared to have grandchildren of a different race.

Finally, churches need to seek both members and leaders from a variety of races. Use church buses and vans to pick up children, parents, and others from minority neighborhoods and bring them to church services. If a ministry position opens, intentionally look for candidates of different races to fill the position. Christian universities and Bible colleges should be able to help. Seek racially diverse Sunday school teachers, small group leaders, deacons, and elders. A racially diverse leadership can build a racially diverse membership more easily.

The early church mystified its world through the reconciliation of ethnic enemies (Ephesians 3:6). Our society would be just as amazed today if it were to see true racial reconciliation within God's church. Let's rise to the challenge.

The Anniversary of the Birmingham Church Bombing

"...mourn with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15).

Yesterday marked the 45th anniversary of the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Four young black girls were murdered in a hateful, racist attack.

John Piper shares hits thoughts about the bombing at http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1389_the_birmingham_church_bombing/.

Mart De Haan raises the question of whether it is appropriate to forgive the unrepentant murderers at http://www.beenthinking.org/2008/09/16/to-forgive-or-not/.

A Challenge for Labor Day

"'So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,' says the LORD Almighty" (Malachi 3:5).

I had intended to write an encouraging post about Labor Day for this weekend. I was searching the Internet, looking for a good story about Christians who had made a positive difference for people who were laboring under oppressive conditions. When I stumbled across the historical documents at http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/race/haymes41.html, I was disturbed by what I read.

I discovered the story of a white minister who had married a Hispanic woman in the 1960s. They were serving a community of Hispanic farm workers in south Texas when the young minister became aware of the injustices faced by his fellow Christians on the job. Trying to make a difference for the people he was seeing mistreated, he joined a labor union's march to increase wages for the farm workers. Leaders from a church that supported his outreach to the Spanish-speaking world were upset that he would participate in an event organized by a labor union. As a result, he was ordered to stop trying to help improve the living conditions of the Hispanic workers. He perceived it to be his duty as a human being to help the people who were struggling. Eventually, he lost the support of the large and influential congregation; his wife was driven to suicide; and he became a skeptic who rejected the miraculous accounts found in the Bible.

In my previous two posts, I called on Christians to respect the poor, the unhealthy, and the uneducated because it reflects the heart of God. In this story, I discovered a principle I did not expect to find: If we disrespect the poor and turn away from them when they are mistreated, we are harming people emotionally and spiritually. In significant ways, Christians (and especially Christian leaders) represent God to the world around them. When people are expecting God to be a God of compassion and justice, but they see uncaring Christians who either side with injustice or are blind to injustice, they can be devastated. Emotional barriers can be erected which may never come down.

If believers can be men and women of compassion and justice, God will be honored. Barriers to faith will not be built. Perhaps they will even be removed. Perhaps healing will begin in the lives of the oppressed, and in the lives of other decent people who have witnessed wrongdoing but who have never seen the people of God help in any meaningful way. Let's honor God by caring for people who are hurting and disrespected.

Dinner with the Contact Church's Supporters

"All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do" (Galatians 2:10, NIV).

The Contact Church of Christ started as an urban ministry. Before we were a church, we were a network of volunteers from area Churches of Christ who were working together to help the urban poor of Tulsa come to know Jesus Christ.

A little over 6 years ago, the church building at 49th and Tacoma in west Tulsa became available. At that point, the Tulsa Urban Ministry planted its first church, the Contact Church. We are a congregation specifically established to reach the urban poor with the good news of Christ.

Last night, we had a dinner to show appreciation to our supporters and volunteers from other churches. Janet, Christopher, and I sat at the table with Bob, Sarah, and Miriam Logsdon. Another man who looked somewhat familiar sat with us. He turned out to be the guest speaker for the evening, Anthony Wood. Anthony works with River City Ministries and the River City Church in Little Rock. Until a few years ago, he led Memphis Urban Ministry. He also happens to be a co-author of one of my favorite books: Up Close and Personal: Embracing the Poor. So it was nice to be able to get to know Anthony a little better and to hear him speak about becoming everything God wants us to be.

In closing this post, I would like to share this excerpt from his book:

"I (Anthony) grew up in a racist culture. My grandpa served as Deputy Sheriff of Boliver County, Mississippi, and later as Patrolman for the Clarksdale, Mississippi, Police Department during the fifties and sixties. He died when I was two years old. My basic memory of Grandpa centers on a dresser drawer full of guns, knives, billy clubs, and other weapons taken from criminals. After his death, Grandma would fascinate me by allowing me a peek into that drawer. Once I found an oddly shaped bullet. Grandma explained, 'Oh, that's the bullet from the only man your Grandpa ever shot.' Noticing the look of surprise on my face, she hurriedly added, 'But he shot him in the leg.' Struggling to satisfy a young boy's puzzlement, Grandma said, 'Oh, don't worry, he was only a n----r.'...

"I sat behind Cindy Minor in eleventh grade English. I kept our conversations to a minimum, unless no one else was in the room. As we talked before class one day, she offered me half her Snickers bar. As I silently reached out to break off a piece, someone walked into the room and groaned, 'Ugh.' You're gonna take that from her?'

"With my hands suspended in midair, I weighed Gene's comment. Should I eat a piece of candy touched by a black person or offend Cindy? My fingers never touched the chocolate. Cindy mumbled something like, 'I see.' Those two words were the last we ever exchanged...

"While in Alaska I met my wife, Candi. After our marriage, Candi got her first dose of bigotry in a most unexpected place one Wednesday night. Arriving late for Bible class one cool March evening (in Mississippi), we hurried into the worship service at a local church. We were greeted warmly by a brother at the door.

"A few moments later, a black couple arrived. We overheard them apologize for arriving late, but express their joy at finding a church. The same brother smiled and said, 'There's a church across town where you would feel more comfortable.' Their faces fell. They weren't welcome.

"That night, the Bible class studied the Great Commission. When the teacher, the same brother, got to the part about preaching the gospel to 'every creature,' he affirmed that we shouldn't be selective about the people we share the gospel with. The teacher smiled, looked directly at me and my wife, and explained, 'And blacks are creatures, too.' Their inconsistency between theology and practice reminded me of my own racist past and hardened my own commitment to see that multicolored Jesus.

"As I've come to understand the cross, I've become more aware of my own guilt with regard to racism and my own need to reconcile. The cross has freed me from my past. I no longer choose friends or work based on race. With Paul I say, 'We look at people no longer from a worldly point of view' (2 Cor 5:16)" (Up Close and Personal, pp. 68-70).

Ethnic Violence in Kenya

Since its presidential election a few days ago, Kenya has been in turmoil. Ethnic violence has been compared to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. People are losing their lives because they belong to the "wrong" ethnic group.

The Christian Chronicle has an online story about the violence. I am proud of the members of the Churches of Christ who are risking their lives to protect fellow citizens from the violence, despite ethnic differences. However, we need to pray for the peace of Kenya. The situation could get worse before it gets better. Please pray for Kenya.

The report may be read at http://www.christianchronicle.org/article887~Kenyan_church_members_injured,_displaced_after_post-election_violence

Mike Huckabee

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men" (Titus 3:1-2, NIV).

I have decided to vote for Mike Huckabee in Oklahoma's presidential primary. A former Baptist preacher and Arkansas governor, Mr. Huckabee impresses me as a man of good character, wisdom, and experience who would surround himself with excellent advisers to form a very good administration.

I have included two quotes that demonstrate the character of Mike Huckabee. The first is from an article in Newsweek magazine describing how he has dealt with racism. The second is from his web site describing his pro-life views. After reading both, I think you will understand why I intend to vote for Mike Huckabee for president of the United States.

"Huckabee took the pulpit of a small but growing church in Pine Bluff, Ark., and started a Christian radio and TV station, which aired his Sunday sermons. One day a listener contacted him. He was a black teenager and was interested in attending services at Huckabee's church, but worried he wouldn't be welcome; Immanuel Baptist Church had been all white since its inception in the 1890s. 'Of course you can come, I told him,' Huckabee recalls.

"The minister prepared his flock. 'I hope that nobody has anything except warm feelings,' he recalls telling them. 'In fact, if he is not welcome, I don't want to be here either.' The speech didn't go over well among some church elders, who threatened to fire him. Several members quit in protest. But most of his parishioners stood with him, and in the years that followed, the church slowly integrated. 'I grew up with a lot of people who really resisted integration,' Huckabee tells NEWSWEEK. 'The more I listened to them, the more I became convinced that racism was an incredible evil.' Rex Nelson, who worked for Huckabee when he was governor, says his racial awareness 'comes from being raised poor...He knew what is was like to look up at other people who were looking down on him.' (Huckabee later carried these lessons to the statehouse, where he pushed to end racial disparity in drug sentencing and urged compassion for the children of illegal immigrants---a position that put him at odds with some in his party.)" See http://www.newsweek.com/id/67931/output/print for the full article.

"No candidate has a stronger record on the sanctity of life than I do. I have always been actively and aggressively pro-life. I first became politically active when I helped pass Arkansas' Unborn Child Amendment, which requires the state to do whatever it can to protect life...To me, life doesn't begin at conception and end at birth. Every child deserves a quality education, first-rate health care, decent housing in a safe neighborhood, and clean air and drinking water. Every child deserves the opportunity to discover and use his God-given gifts and talents." See http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=11 for more details about his pro-life convictions.

The Partial Birth Abortion Decision

"For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139:13, NASB).

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Congress could outlaw partial birth abortions. For the first time since 1973, a method of killing pre-born children has been banned. I appreciate the courage of the 5 Justices who ruled in favor of protecting children from unnecessary abortions performed as the children were being born.

I look forward to the time when unnecessary abortions will be as socially unacceptable as racism. Someday, I would like to see the laws of our country changed to protect pre-born children from death, just as they were changed to protect minorities from discrimination. I would like to see pro-abortion politicians find it as difficult to be elected as segregationists find it. I would like to see advertisers pull their ads from radio programs that support unrestricted abortions, just as they pull such ads today from programs that use racist language. I would like to see a massive change in societal attitudes toward aborting children.

It may seem impossible, but it's not. Consider the changes that have taken place over the last 50 years in the area of racism. Has it been eliminated? No, but it does not retain the respect that it had 50 years ago. Will unnecessary abortions be eliminated? No, but significant changes can occur. This injustice can be fought successfully. Lives can be saved. The Supreme Court's decision was a step in the correct direction.

For a good article by John Piper on this issue, go to: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2007/2159_Let_the_Python_Eat_Its_Tail_Amen/