Signs & Wonders Blog

Even before committing my life to the Lord, I knew homosexuality was wrong. The thought of same-sex couples having intimate relations repulsed me. Nevertheless, I grew up around at least two guys who I discovered years later were homosexuals. One was a neighbor who lived two houses away from   my childhood home   in Moorhead, Minnesota. David was a bit eccentric. He had tall plants growing in his front yard that looked like a jungle. A year after I moved to Minneapolis, David died of AIDS. My parents told me he had admitted to them of being gay. Another was a junior high classmate whose locker was next to mine. Thomas seemed popular with the girls and even became class president. So it surprised me when I eventually learned of him becoming a homosexual. In 2011, Thomas died unexpectedly of a heart attack at 46. Although he wasn’t friendly toward me at school, I still hate to think of this guy being in hell. Three years before his death, Thomas got “married” to his long-time partner. Pr

Dear Amy, I’m an evangelist who appreciates your contributions to Contemporary Christian Music. When I used to program an Internet radio station , your songs were on my playlist. I also saw you perform at a Billy Graham crusade in Minneapolis. Years before, your music planted seeds that later resulted in my salvation. In 1984, my sister bought a copy of “Straight Ahead” after seeing you in concert. I wrote a mostly positive review of your album for my college newspaper and predicted you would hit the Top 40 in a couple of years. The following year, I got excited when “Find a Way” debuted on “ American Top 40 .” Six years after that, I found The Way (John 14:6). It’s sad when religious folk become judgmental of us. I remember you got criticized when you started recording more secular songs such as “Baby Baby” (which hit #1 a month after I got saved). I can also relate to the flak you received for getting divorced and remarried. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of going through

The fast food chain Chick-fil-A is known for being closed on Sundays and promoting Christian values. Back in 2012, founder and then-CEO Truett Cathy spoke out against same-sex marriage. Threats of protests by gay activists prompted politician/minister Mike Huckabee to spearhead a Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. Long lines of customers arrived to show their support. Since then, Chick-fil-A continues to be assaulted for their “anti-LGBT” stance. New restaurants opening up in certain cities have faced protesters. What’s ironic is hours after the 2016 gay nightclub massacre in Orlando occurred, the local Chick-fil-A opened that Sunday to provide free meals to first responders, blood donors and victims’ families. Last month, Chick-fil-A announced they will stop giving donations to the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Many Christians interpret this as Chick-fil-A cowering to the homosexual agenda. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council stated, “Many peo

The first time I heard of someone having a sex change was while listening to “American Top 40” in 1979. Casey Kasem talked about a musician named Walter Carlos who was a pioneer in electronic music (his 1968 album “Switched-On Bach” was one of the first successful recordings to feature a synthesizer). Walter dropped out of the public eye for a number of years and had gender reassignment surgery before emerging as “Wendy Carlos.” I was shocked when Casey wished “her” luck and looked forward to “her” upcoming work. At 15 years old, I couldn’t believe someone changing their sex was something to be taken seriously.  Fast forward forty years later. We now live in a society of gender fluidity. Individuals of all ages can suddenly change their sexual identity at the drop of a hat. Facebook now offers users 58 different ways to identify their gender. The proofreading app Grammarly recently published a blog article about “how to use gender pronouns respectfully” because “it’s Pride Mont

During my childhood, I was never a Boy Scout partially because of my lack of interest in camping and other outdoor activities. Nevertheless, I believe in the ideas the Boy Scouts of America have promoted for over 100 years. Their well-known motto is “be prepared.” Sadly, the BSA didn’t prepare for what Christina Hoff Sommers calls “ The War on Boys .” Five years ago, singer Carly Rae Jepsen and the band Train were scheduled to perform at that year’s National Scout Jamboree. Both backed out because of then-BSA policies forbidding homosexuals. Jepsen stated, “As an artist who believes in equality for all people, I will not be participating in the Boy Scouts of America Jamboree this summer.” If I was attending that jamboree, I’d rather hear Fred Flintstone sing “ Old MacDonald Had a Farm .” The Boy Scouts of America have since amended their policies. First, they allowed “openly gay youths” to join at the beginning of 2014. Then in July 2015, the BSA ended their blanket ban on h

Although I prayed God would intervene somehow, I wasn’t totally surprised with what happened two days ago. The U. S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that homosexual couples have a constitutional right to marry. This decision overrides same-sex marriage bans passed by voters in various states. What really disturbs me is the rationale some people use to justify homosexuality. A popular slogan used by gay advocates is “love is love.” What does that prove? That’s like saying, “Blue is blue” or “4=4.” Minnesota Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson tweeted the following statement: “Love is love? So what will we say when the 30yr old loves YOUR 10 year old. When the dad loves HIS 6 year old?” During the past two years the Human Rights Campaign has encouraged people to use the above symbol to promote “marriage equality.” The Human Rights Campaign should be more accurately named the Homosexual Rights Campaign. Their only focus is helping those who choose to live alternative lifestyles. The HRC h

For years I’ve enjoyed watching NFL games on TV especially when the Minnesota Vikings are playing well. This fall I will be watching fewer (if any) games if a particular player makes it through training camp and continues receiving massive publicity. Last weekend, a University of Missouri defensive end named Michael Sam was drafted in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams. A homosexual who “came out” this past February, Michael reacted to the news of being drafted by kissing his boyfriend. That incident was broadcast all over national TV and the Internet.  Not everyone in the NFL was pleased with Michael Sam’s kiss. Miami Dolphins strong safety Don Jones tweeted “OMG” and “horrible” but later deleted those politically incorrect words and offered an apology. Nevertheless, the Dolphins fined and suspended Jones who is now required to attend “sensitivity training.” This kind of training actually desensitizes people of sinful behavior. It’s ridiculous for Michael Sam’s entry into

Of all the times I’ve gone out evangelizing, I’ve met very few people who admitted they were homosexual.   With more of them nowadays “coming out of the closet”, I’ve considered witnessing at gay pride events but haven’t done so yet.   One reason is I rather spend time talking with people who are receptive to the gospel.   I’ve had homosexuals contact me through the Internet that wouldn’t receive the truth of God’s word.   They simply wanted to defend their chosen lifestyles. Still we should always be ready to minister to whomever the Lord puts across our path.   Last weekend I joined a Hispanic church in reaching out to the homeless at a park in Tampa, Florida.   While other people from this church gave away food and toiletries, I handed out tracts plus the gospel of John to those who didn’t have a Bible.   During this outreach I had a lengthy discussion with a backslidden lesbian.   “Latoya” (not her real name) had gotten saved when she was twelve years old.   Five yea

During my teens and early twenties, I was a regular listener of Casey Kasem’s radio show “American Top 40.”   That inspired me to subscribe to Billboard magazine whose record charts Casey based his weekly countdown on. Nowadays I avoid listening to most of today’s hits because of the increased amount of profanity and sexual content in the lyrics.   Still, I occasionally log onto Billboard’s website to find out what’s happening with the pop music scene.   T here's now a song in the Top 20 by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis called “Same Love” that openly endorses same-sex marriage.   Some of the song’s lyrics attempt to discredit the Bible’s prohibition of homosexuality… The right wing conservatives think it's a decision And you can be cured with some treatment and religion Man-made rewiring of a predisposition Playing God, aw nah here we go God loves all his children, is somehow forgotten But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five hundred years ago

This past Tuesday in front of the State Capitol in St. Paul, Governor Mark Dayton signed a bill making same-sex marriage legal in Minnesota effective August 1, 2013.   This so-called “history-making” event was attended by thousands of people.   I happened to be in St. Paul that evening but was evangelizing by a lake five miles from the Capitol. A few hours before the bill was signed, an old childhood friend who I reconnected with through Facebook posted the music video for “Love is the Law.”   This song by the Suburbs was a regional hit thirty years ago.   I used to like this song but was saddened to learn the Minneapolis-based group had donated use of it for the cause of “marriage equality.” The Bible has a few things to say about the law of love… “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” - Romans 13:8 “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” - Romans 13:10 “

Ever since I was a kid, the Minnesota Vikings have always been my favorite football team.   However, actions by one of its players have somewhat dampened my enthusiasm for them. Punter Chris Kluwe (pronounced “Clue-ee”) has spoken out publicly in favor of same-sex marriage in response to a marriage amendment that’s on the Minnesota ballot for this Tuesday’s election.   Chris even posed shirtless for the homosexual magazine “Out” despite claims not to be gay himself (he has a wife and two daughters). Kluwe and other same-sex marriage advocates have campaigned for “marriage equality.”   If homosexual marriages do become legal throughout the United States, it’s possible polygamous and incestuous marriages will be as well.   When one university professor was arrested for a three-year, consensual affair with his adult daughter, his attorney noted, “It’s OK for homosexuals to do whatever they want in their own home.   How is this so different?” I will continue r

Since I’ve worked as a disc jockey and keyboard salesman plus owned my own recording studio, I still have an interest in what’s going on with the secular music industry. During last night’s Grammy Awards, Lady Gaga hatched out of a giant egg as she performed her new release, “Born This Way.” The song’s lyrics (inspired by the old Whitney Houston hit “Greatest Love of All”) promote a message of loving one self. Sorry to say, “Born This Way” also endorses homosexuality and people who live a “transgendered life.” Surely God wants everyone to have a positive sense of worth and not live in condemnation. But apart from the lordship of Jesus Christ, self-esteem can take people down a destructive path. 2 Timothy 3 says that in the last days “…men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Psalm 139:14 does say that we are all “…fearfully and wonderfully made.” However, we live in a fallen world resulting in some individuals

Three days before Christmas, President Obama signed into law a bill repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” This action now paves the way for outspoken homosexuals to serve in America’s military. Shortly after the bill was signed, I logged onto the White House’s YouTube channel expecting to see a video about that. Instead, the featured clip was called “It Gets Better” in which “several LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender] White House staffers share their messages of hope and support for LGBT youth who are struggling with being bullied.” As a Christian and as someone who was severely picked on as a child, I certainly don’t approve of bullying anyone. Jesus told us to turn the other cheek and to “love your enemies.” (Matthew 5:44) Every human being is created in the image and likeness of God. Every person deserves to be treated with love and respect even if we don’t agree with his or her behavior. But while homosexual activists campaign for “equal rights”, many of them threa

Dear Mr. President, I’m a Christian missionary who has previously lived and worked in Washington, DC. I write this letter out of concern for the great nation that you currently lead. Yesterday you held a “Gay Pride” reception at the White House. I first found out about this after discovering a lesbian teenager was invited to attend. Constance McMillen, a Mississippi high school student, had her senior prom canceled because she couldn’t take her “girlfriend” to the prom. In an interview two years ago at Saddleback Church in California, Pastor Rick Warren asked you to define marriage. You replied, “I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian...it’s also a sacred union. You know, God’s in the mix.” As a Christian, Mr. President, why are you publicly endorsing lifestyles that clearly go against God’s word? As a brother in Christ, I strongly advise you to read Romans 1:18-32 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. By encouragi