Signs & Wonders Blog

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...

At the time of this writing, I’m living with another missionary at his house in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Although he has a coffee maker, I still like going out for my morning cup of Joe . In recent years, I’ve mostly gone to Panera Bread because of my Sip Club membership. One can pay a low monthly subscription fee and enjoy unlimited drinks. Another place I’ve occasionally bought coffee is McDonald’s. With their app, I often got a large one for 99 cents plus tax. There’s a Golden Arches located a few blocks from the house in Saint Paul. However, I’ve rarely stopped in there because they no longer have a public dining area. More McDonald’s franchises are switching to drive-thru and carry-out only. I prefer sitting down while eating my food, plus getting refills of coffee. McDonald’s may not have the most nutritious food (which has become a bit pricey). Still, I occasionally eat there if I like other specials on their app. Often I go there when in Tampa, Florida because of no Wi-Fi acce...

This Saturday is Veterans Day (federal buildings will observe it by closing on Friday). Many Americans take their freedoms for granted. That includes celebrities making empty threats of leaving the country if Donald Trump becomes President again. Over the years, countless U. S. soldiers shed their blood so we can enjoy this prosperous nation God blessed us with. It’s tragic to see veterans begging on street corners. I go out of my way to minister to them as well as others wearing caps indicating they fought in specific wars. First, I approach these men by thanking them for their service. Then I mention my having spent time in the Army National Guard . If they’re hungry, I offer these veterans a snack and then a gospel tract explaining I’m now a soldier in the army of the Lord. One memorable encounter happened during a Living Word City Blitz in Brainerd, Minnesota. My team went shopping for souls at a Walmart in the nearby town of Baxter. One man I prayed with was a 99-year-old sur...

Gospel Life Center in Munich, Germany When I’m evangelizing and find out someone is already saved, often I’ll ask where they go to church. Some reply, “I used to go to such and such church.” Others will say, “I have church at home” or “church is in my heart.” Sadly, many who give answers like that tend to act very unChristlike.  One time at the Florida State Fair, I saw two men handing out brochures. I offered one of them a gospel tract in exchange and discovered they were Christians. When I asked this man which church he went to, he defiantly replied, “I am the church!” I then knew there was going to be trouble. He then tried giving me another brochure about all the “corruption” going on in various churches. Not wanting to read stuff like that, I responded by quoting 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Acting like a spoiled child, this man returned my tract saying he didn’t want to read it. A friend once sh...

Psalm 100:1 (KJV) says,  “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”  Even if Christians cannot sing well (I admit to being one of them), God is pleased when we do it for Him. However, worship leaders should at least be competent musicians. Some churches are better off using recorded music from YouTube or Spotify. I’d be embarrassed to bring someone to a meeting where the musicians played their instruments poorly, and the singers could not carry a tune. Last weekend I attended a church service where a visiting evangelist led the praise and worship. His singing was okay, but I didn’t care for his guitar playing. It sounded like he hadn’t practiced enough even though he recorded CDs of his music. This evangelist had a woman singing with him. They were out of sync much of the time. One song performed was a favorite of mine: “We Will Dance.” This David Ruis classic has a waltz rhythm. The evangelist and the woman attempted to sing the verses in 4/4 time.  Many of the other songs...

Because of the unseasonably cold weather in Tampa last Sunday, I considered skipping church. I didn’t want to freeze sitting in a chilly pavilion where The River often has services. Then again, diehard football fans go to games in much colder weather. So I bundled up and obeyed Hebrews 10:25,  “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…”  After I wrote about that on my Facebook page, one friend complained about churches that closed on Christmas Day. He thought they ignored their first love (Revelation 2:4) by putting their families ahead of God. My former home church in Minnesota has a Saturday night service in addition to two Sunday morning services. If I remember correctly, the pastor canceled Sunday services on one Christmas Day. He felt it was important for families to spend that time together. Another church I used to attend usually meets on Sunday morning and evening. Their pastor sometimes cancels the evening service when it’s a holiday such as Easter or Fat...

As a minister of the gospel, it saddens me when I hear Christians give excuses not to attend church. Nevertheless, there have been instances when I opted to watch services online as opposed to sitting inside religious institutions. During the mid-2010s, I was hosted a few times at a house in Shelby, Iowa, a town of just over 600 people. The homeowner lived 40 miles away in Omaha, Nebraska. Because of not having access to a car, I only had three churches to choose from in Shelby: Catholic, Lutheran, and Presbyterian. I looked up info on these churches and perceived it wouldn’t be beneficial to sit through their meetings. As a child, I endured many boring services at the traditional church my parents took me to. The last time I was in Shelby,  the homeowner drove us to a house meeting in Omaha where the gifts of the Spirit manifested. I’d be open to going there again. There’s also a place I occasionally stay at in Casselton, North Dakota. Unless I have a ride into Fargo (which ...

This coming Saturday, the United States of America will observe Veteran’s Day in honor of those who served in our armed forces. In recent years, I’ve gone out of my way to thank veterans who helped preserve liberties we often take for granted…especially the freedom to preach the gospel. A s a teenager, I cringed when a friend suggested the idea of reinstating the draft. I dreaded the thought of going to boot camp and having some drill sergeant yelling at me. But at 21, I became dissatisfied with my life and enlisted in the Army National Guard. The military taught me much needed discipline and respect for authority. Today there are national anthem protestors who I believe should spend time in the armed forces. Perhaps they would develop a greater appreciation for this country. A young minister I knew once wrote on her Facebook page, “I will not bow to a country nor will I pledge to a flag. This country is not my home. My home is in heaven as is yours if you know Jesus.” Exc...