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Third Time a Charm? Another Review of the Amtrak USA Rail Pass

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For the third time in the past four years, I’ve utilized an Amtrak USA Rail Pass . This pass grants a passenger the privilege of embarking on ten train journeys within a 30-day timeframe at an affordable price. Typically, the pass costs $499. However, during the past four Januarys, the pass was on sale. This year, it was briefly reduced to half-price at $250, likely in celebration of the United States Semiquincentennial. I promptly purchased one and meticulously booked segments weeks in advance to minimize the risk of being stranded. A limited number of seats are available for rail pass users. My latest train pass was activated on February 7th in Tampa. From there, I embarked on a journey along the Floridian route to Richmond, Virginia. The conductor initially assigned me an aisle seat. Fortunately, the man occupying the window seat next to mine offered to switch seats. That made it easier for me to catch some sleep during the lengthy train ride. However, the train arrived in Richmond...
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Ministering to a Gay Youth

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While I grew up in Moorhead, Minnesota, homosexuality was something my classmates in school joked about. Back then, I couldn’t believe anyone would seriously want a sexual relationship with a person of the same gender. Since becoming an evangelist, I’ve been mindful to  speak the truth in love  when  encountering individuals who identify as LGBT. This past Tuesday while sightseeing in Tucson, Arizona, I noticed a young couple goofing around at the streetcar station where I waited for a ride. The boy kept singing the old Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive.” I told him that was a favorite of mine, and I was around his age when that song was a hit. (This young man happened to be 14 years old - I was 14 when “Stayin’ Alive” was the #1 song in the nation). Toby and Lily eventually prayed with me to receive salvation. After giving them gospels of John, I played on my iPhone an ApologetiX parody of “Stayin’ Alive” called “ Stay in the Light .” Just before the streetcar arrived, Tob...
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Oneness vs. Trinity

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Two Pentecostal preachers were arguing over Oneness vs. The Trinity. The first preacher insisted, “God is only One Person. His name is Jesus.”  The other preacher said, “No, there’s the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I can prove it with Scripture. Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. What are you going to say about that?” The Oneness preacher thought for a minute and then replied, “Well, if you’d been hit in the head with rocks, you’d see double, too.” The triune nature of God is a topic that sparks debates within parts of the Body of Christ. Some contest the word "Trinity" isn’t found in Scripture. The word “Bible” is not part of God’s word either, but can be found on the cover and added notes by the publisher.  Others argue, “How can three things be one?” What is one times one times one? It’s not three, but one! That equation has three numbers of equal value. I’ve also compared the Trinity to man which is also a three-part being: spirit, soul, a...
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A Meeting with a Masked Muslim

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I’m currently using an Amtrak USA Rail Pass for the third time. It’s an excellent way to travel across the United States at a significantly reduced cost, provided you’re willing to ride in coach and tolerate trains that are not always punctual. During a recent trip from Chicago to Austin, I encountered a rather challenging witnessing opportunity. At the beginning of the ride, I chatted and shared stories with a fellow Christian in the observation car. When I returned to my window seat, a darker-skinned man wearing a face mask had taken the aisle seat next to mine. He asked, “How are you doing?”  I gave my usual answer, “Saved and going to heaven. How about you?”  He replied, “So am I.” I asked, “You know Jesus?” “I know Jesus. I’m a Muslim.” It’s uncommon for someone who isn’t a believer to respond positively to my question about being “saved and going to heaven.” When I asked if he was from India or Pakistan, he became defensive, as if I was stereotyping him. He t...
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Why I Don’t Agree With “Evandalism”

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Over the last few days, controversial billboards have appeared in California and other states claiming: “THE BIBLE SAYS…JESUS IS NOT GOD.” The billboards were paid for by World’s Last Chance. This organization promotes other heretical ideas, including the belief in a flat earth . One man in Los Angeles responded by covering the “NOT” on one billboard with black paint, so it read: “THE BIBLE SAYS…JESUS IS GOD.” Many Christians have applauded what some label “evandalism.”  I certainly don’t agree with the billboard’s original message. However, defacing them will likely lead to vandals doing the same to billboards advertising churches and evangelistic crusades. A better response would be to display counter billboards proclaiming the truth about Jesus. During my recent seasonal stay in the Tampa Bay area, I briefly ministered with another street preacher who frequently pasted Christian stickers on various surfaces, including road signs, light poles, public toilets, and other propert...
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Turning Telemarketers to Jesus

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Back in December 2016 after flying into Florida for my annual stay at Alcance Misionero (a missionary house in Tampa), I noticed a highway sign from Chick-fil-A stating: “Feed our herd or we’ll give yer number to telemarketers.” The next day, I answered three phone calls to the house landline. All I heard were prerecorded sales pitches. I hung up on all of them. Calls from telemarketers can be annoying when you’re trying to relax at home or about to eat dinner. Years ago, I worked a few jobs like that (including one for  Billy Graham ). The rejection rate can be discouraging, especially when people respond with  profanity  and other rude remarks. After becoming an evangelist, I started looking forward to sales calls on my landline. Instead of reacting to them as inconveniences, they became witnessing opportunities.  One day I got a call from a telemarketer named Michael. After he gave me his sales pitch, I asked Michael to take part in a “survey.” Michael eventually ...
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Divine Disruptions?

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Last Sunday, Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota had their morning service interrupted because one of the pastors is also an ICE agent. Protesters came in chanting Renee Good ’s name and using foul language . One of them claimed their disruption was something Jesus would have done. Chauntyll Allen compared it to the Lord chasing the money changers out of the temple. I doubt Allen even knows Him. She is the leader of Black Lives Matter Twin Cities and “married” to a woman. Allen and two other protesters were later arrested but have since been released. Cities Church issued this statement: “Invading a church service to disrupt the worship of Jesus - or any other act of worship - is protected by neither the Christian Scriptures nor the laws of this nation.” Still, their situation had me thinking about other meetings where preachers faced opposition from the congregation. Even if one disagrees with what’s said from the pulpit, it’s rude to interrupt the speaker. One can choose to keep q...
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