Posts

A Monastery Mentality

Image
Every October I see many social media posts advising Christians not to have anything to do with Halloween. Certainly, I don’t celebrate the holiday, but I look at trick-or-treaters as a mission field . Two years ago, I took part in a Halloween outreach at a church in Buffalo, New York. A few of us spent time praying in the sanctuary before the doors opened. Trick-or-treaters and their parents walked in to receive free candy, hot dogs, popcorn, and apple cider. More importantly, they were offered prayer and the gift of eternal life. I got to lead 29 people to receive salvation that night. Another time while living in the Washington, DC area, I dressed up as Jesus and gave out bags of candy with mini-Bibles my then-girlfriend put together. I also witnessed to kids who stayed at my girlfriend’s door long enough to listen. Three of them prayed to get saved. Other years on Halloween night, I simply walked the streets handing out gospel tracts. Still, some Christians prefer hiding in t...
Post a Comment
Read more

ID Required

Image
This past week I did some evangelistic outreaches with a friend originally from Cuba. Milco regularly attends services at the missionary house I reside at when in Tampa, Florida. The two of us went to a couple of Home Depots. Many Hispanics gather by the store’s parking lot in hopes of finding work. Previously, I’ve witnessed at the Home Depot closest to the missionary house. Since Milco has a car, I requested going to different locations for a change of scenery.  Milco’s translating resulted in us leading many Hispanics to Jesus. However, one man we approached was very critical of churches. He specifically complained about a fellowship that wouldn’t let him attend a toy giveaway because he didn’t have an ID. I figured he was talking about The River at Tampa Bay Church. Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne started requiring IDs after receiving death threats for keeping his church open during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Some may think needing identification to get into a church is a bit ex...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fake Facebook Friends

Image
Facebook can be an awesome tool to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. I’ve also seen the social media platform abused . One thing I won’t tolerate is people being deceptive with me online .  Three days ago, it appeared I received a friend request from the son of a female missionary. In the past, I had issues with this woman but opted to accept her son’s request. Then I received a friend request from the woman, plus a message explaining she sent the friend request through her son’s account. It turns out he hates Facebook and no longer uses it. After waiting a couple of days to decide what to do, I deleted her friend request and disconnect from her son’s account. Scammers have set up fake social media accounts of well-known ministers in hopes of receiving money from undiscerning donors . Once I received a friend request from someone impersonating Bill Winston, a megachurch pastor in the Chicago area. What really raised red flags in my mind was the account “liking” four ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Digital Dangers

Image
I consider myself a techie and enjoy the benefits of using electronic equipment. For years, I’ve mostly read God’s word on my smartphone, tablet, and laptop. I can quickly look up verses in different translations, plus enlarge the font to make them easier to read. The small printing in some Bibles almost require a magnifying glass. At night, I often fall asleep to an audio Bible playing on one of my devices.  Living out of a suitcase and limited to the amount of things I can pack, I strive to be as paperless as possible. I primarily communicate online to reduce the amount of snail mail that arrives at my post office box . Using apps on my iPhone, I conveniently use public transportation and make financial transactions. However, I still carry some cash in case of emergencies. One morning, I visited McDonald’s to order a coffee and breakfast burrito, but unfortunately, their computer system was down, preventing me from using my debit card. Fortunately, a woman behind me, who was a ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Second Coming Slip-Ups

Image
Jesus warned in the last days, “…many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” (Matthew 24:11) Among them are individuals who persist in setting dates for the Lord’s return. If only they would learn from the mistakes of others. 1n 1844, a Baptist preacher named William Miller predicted Christ would return on  October 22nd of that year. He based that on calculations from the Book of Daniel. Thousands of Millerites sold their possessions expecting to be removed from the earth, but nothing happened. That became known as the Great Disappointment and led to the formation of Adventist denominations. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a history of unfulfilled prophecies. Watchtower founder Charles Taze Russell declared Christ returned invisibly in 1874 and the world would end in 1914. His successor Joseph Rutherford falsely predicted the Second Coming would occur in 1918 and then in 1925. The Watchtower later told their followers that 1975 would be the year of the Lord’s return. Again...
Post a Comment
Read more

“Light of the World” - A Review

Image
When Christian movies hit the silver screen nationwide, I make it a priority to go see them as soon as possible (but usually opt for matinees when ticket prices are lower). “Light of the World” premiered in theaters on September 5th. At the time, I was staying with a pastor and his family in the Buffalo area. Unfortunately, the movie wasn’t showing at the nearest theater there. Earlier this week, I took a train to Northern Virginia to spend a few days with my friend Jim . Since he’s a movie buff, we both went to see “Light of the World” this past Thursday. This animated story of Jesus is told through the apostle John. At the beginning of the movie, John, a young boy, is eager to assist his family’s fishing business. However, his father, Zebedee, faces the threat of being enslaved due to unpaid taxes. In his quest to bring the fish to market and raise the required funds, John inadvertently encounters the Messiah, whom his mother had spoken of. Eventually, John and his brother James dec...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Modern Martyr

Image
One reason I’m thankful for being an American is religious liberty. The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees our freedom of speech and to peaceably assemble. In recent years, there have been increasing threats to those freedoms. Some individuals resort to violence against those they disagree with. This past Wednesday, 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a public debate on the Utah Valley University campus. I hadn’t closely followed Charlie, but I now have a greater appreciation for his Turning Point USA organization. Their founder has become a martyr like Stephen in the book of Acts. The word  martyr  comes from the Greek word mártys, meaning “witness.” Since the resurrection of Jesus, many other believers died for their faith in Him. All the original twelve apostles were martyred except for John. The book of Revelation mentions Antipas in chapter 2, a group of martyrs in chapter 6, and the two witnesses in chapter 11. Protestants who were tor...
Post a Comment
Read more