Fire and brimstone...

In my persuasion and propaganda class, my instructor likes to show us how different organizations use persuasion tactics to sell their product. Today he started talking about how the church used fear as one of their tactics to "sell Jesus."

"If you voted for Obama or you will go to hell."

"If you eat meat on Friday's you will be subject to God's wrath."

"If you support homosexuals, then you are evil."

The worst part of these statements are the fact that they are not ambiguous. These statements are not his own but rather statements from other church officials. The author of these statements meant what they said and that is that.

My professor went on to say the Protestant church (he had been picking on the Catholics for awhile to this point and noticed that some students where getting uneasy) had ruled with "fire and brimstone."

Where is the love?

Have we fallen so far from his Grace that people cannot see the counterfeits of our faith?

As I have mentioned before this class takes on a project that is supposed to persuade our school to do something. Right now some of my class mates are throwing out ideas but I am sitting still, waiting for my turn. One idea was to start a "reading movement" across our campus but I think we can do something bigger. As noble of a cause that is, I think we can do something bigger.

Everyone on our campus can read, that is why we go to college but nearly a billion people world wide entered the 21st century not able to read. Poverty is at its highest and we expire to get people to read a book? People are dying in our own backyards but the best my class can offer is to help those who are not in need? Do we not have the decency to think of those who truly need our help or will we smother those same needy people with our greed as our forefathers did?

I think not and I promise you that before this semester is over my class will see fire! No, not the flaming glow of hell but the flaming chariots of God! I will present my Savior to them in all his glory. They will see why I believe in who I believe and hopeful they will pick up their cross and follow Him, not me.

I am truly excited to be able to share my faith in action, rather than word!

I tell you the truth...

I decided to re-read the gospels today. You know I just applied to four bible colleges so I thought it would be a good idea to know what I am getting into. I read up and through Mathew chapter seven and had to stop. There was just so much I had to digest, some of it was overwhelming. Go ahead, I dare you to read Mathew four through seven!

Anyway the one thing that really stuck out to me is a simply phrase Jesus used.

I tell you the truth...

It may not seem like a big deal to you but to me it is everything. My Saviour, my Creator, the one whose sandal I am not worthy to carry, tells me the truth. Lets not cheapen God for a second, if he wanted he could completely ignore me. He does not need me to survive, I need him. He sustains me, not the other way around. Jesus does not need to give me any time at all but he does. To make it all the better he is telling me the truth.

That may not seem to be a lot to you but I have been lied to, a lot. When my mother was diagnosed with cancer, it was all hush hush. My parents did not want to answer my sisters or my own questions. It was hard to cope with the idea of my mom being sick but I did not know what was going on. That is hard.

I am just glad to know when the world is lying and hurting me, Jesus will tell me the truth...

My Eastern Essay...

So I had to write an essay for all my college applications and this one I like a lot. The question was something to the extent of why do you agree with Eastern's Mission Statement. Enjoy.

Since the time I have been sixteen I have been looking and researching colleges that I felt to be appropriate for myself. In that time I have probably dreamt of attending twenty different colleges or so but my reasoning for wanting to attend those colleges were immature and childish. I wanted to go that college because my friend was there, that school because she was there and that university because they had a good football team. My reasoning for wanting to attend a certain college was not based on the integrity of that college but rather how much fun I could have there. Today I want attend a university that will be able to prepare me for life by instilling me with knowledge and ethics.

Recently I have been feeling a huge call to help the needy, especially the homeless. Somehow in popular Christianity we have seemed to forgotten about the poor, at least in our own neighborhoods. I have noticed that a lot of Christians would rather send a check to someone across the world than help their neighbor in need. Do not misunderstand me, it is wonderful to help those around the world by sending money to them but Jesus did not say I was broke and you wrote me a check. He said…

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Mathew 25:35-36

Too many of our theologies on serving are pay, pray and get out of the way. Give the church money to help the needy, pray that we are successful in helping the needy and get out of the way. I think if we are going to be successful in serving the poor we need to get our hands dirty. That is why I like the Mission Statement of Eastern University. The sections covering Justice and Community scream that you want your students to be active in helping the needy. “We particularly seek to work with and for poor” and “…desire a campus community…that embodies values of Christian witness, caring and compassion, justice and integrity, competence and affirmation.” This speaks to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to how I feel called to serve Him.