Signs & Wonders Blog

Jon is the former mayor of Fargo, ND  and an outspoken critic of religion. Dear Jon, I’m a Christian missionary who has read many of your articles published in The Forum and in your blog. My motive for writing this letter is not to stir up a debate but inspire you to think about a few things since you call yourself a “freethinker.” First, let me point out that I once thought of myself as an atheist but was really more of an agnostic. While growing up in the Fargo-Moorhead area, my parents made me attend a traditional Lutheran church that gave me wrong perceptions of Christianity. For years, I questioned God’s existence until hearing a motivational speaker point out how the order of our universe is evidence of a Creator. Not long afterward, I prayed to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. My life hasn’t been the same since. I read that you once considered yourself a believer but had walked away from the faith. Throughout my 24 years of doing street minis...

Sometimes when evangelizing, I meet individuals who have the audacity to claim they are God Almighty. This morning during a prayer walk, I stopped to witness to a man smoking a cigar and carrying a skateboard. While handing him a gospel tract, I noticed a cross around his neck and made reference to that. A couple of times he called me an angel. I replied that I’m simply a minister. The rest of the conversation went something like this… Me: ”Do you know for sure you’re going to heaven when your life ends?” Him: “I’m in heaven right now.” Me: “Why do you say that?” Him: “I see angels all around me.” Me: “Do you see demons also?” Him: “Yes.” Me: “What do you know about Jesus Christ?” Him: “I am.” Me: “What do you mean, ‘I am’?” Him: “I am God.” Me: “The Bible says the hairs on our head are numbered. So if you’re God, will you please tell me the exact number of hairs on my head? After pausing a few seconds, he answered: “1,200” (I later re...

Recently while walking through Ashland, Virginia, I saw this sign posted in front of somebody’s yard. It reminded me of another sign (with the same phrases but stylized differently) seen days before outside the entrance of a Universalist church near Washington, DC. Many churches have a statement of faith. Unfortunately, some of them promote beliefs contrary to Scripture. To anyone reading this who believes in the tenets of “Here We Believe”, I offer this response to each one… “Love is Love” - What does that prove? That’s like saying “blue is blue” or “4=4.” Often what people call love is really lust. What would you say if a 40-year-old wants to “love” your underage child? “No Human is Illegal” - Every human is precious in God’s sight. However, individuals get in trouble with the law if they choose to do illegal things such as sneaking into a country without going through customs or overstaying their visas. “Black Lives Matter” - I agree…but so do the lives of whites,...

As a missionary, I’ve traveled across America and other countries through various means of transportation. Obviously, flying is a more attractive option for longer distances. Because I usually don’t sleep well in moving vehicles, I try to avoid overnight trips. Nevertheless, I’ll sometimes take the long bus or train rides depending on logistical issues and fare costs. Train travel can be an enjoyable experience especially when there’s beautiful scenery to look at. Last year, I used Amtrak to go from Portland, Oregon to my birthplace of Fargo, North Dakota. That route allowed me to see Glacier National Park for the first time. However, the only Amtrak routes going through Fargo arrive in the middle of the night. That presented problems when I wanted a friend or family member to take me to the train station or pick me up there. There are other reasons why train travel is not so great in America. Some cities such as Nashville, Montgomery, Columbus, Des Moines, and Tulsa don’t h...