What the American church should know

More from the e-mail files:

Ask yourself: Why are we less intentional about the gospel than our missionary friends overseas?

Does your first answer sound like excuse making? Mine sure does.

What do you think a group of missionaries would say if you asked them the question, “What 3 things do you think the churches in America need to know about missionary work?” Pastor Dave Hegg of Corona Evangelical Free Church in southern California asked this question to a group of American missionaries in Europe. Here’s the first thing these missionaries wanted the American church to know (and by “know,” they meant “understand” and “be devoted to” and “live”):

#1: We wish churches in America would do “church” the way we do missions.

Here’s what they meant: As missionaries, their focus is actually fairly simply. They plan their days, invest their energy, and focus their lives on this simple strategy. Make contact with unbelievers in the course of your everyday lives; invest time in turning contacts into friends; labor through the Word and prayer to see God transform friends into believers; teach and mold believers into disciples, who then start the cycle all over again, making contact with unbelievers in their world.”

Conservatives losing on same-sex marriage ban

From the e-mail files:

“The US Senate’s failure to pass the Marriage Protection Amendment this week is gutless and appalling.”
RealClearPolitics – Articles – Conservatives Are Losing on Gay Rights:

“After the Senate’s rejection of the Marriage Protection Amendment Wednesday, supporters tried to portray it as nothing more than a temporary setback. “We are making progress,” announced Kansas Republican Sam Brownback, noting that since the last vote two years ago, 14 states have approved bans on same-sex marriage.”

So here is my question, which several people have asked me recently and I think deserves an answer – if the ban on same sex marriages is to promote the sanctity of marriage, why are we not passing congressional ammendments making divorce illegal.
I would say that the fact that 50% of American weddings (Christian and non-Christian) does more to damage the sanctity of marriage than letting some dude marry another dude. I don’t agree with their actions, but what good will a constitutional ammendment really do?
I guess if it’s passed, tomorrow we won’t have to worry about sodomy any more. People will just give it up and change their ways… just like they’ve done with illegal drugs, alcohol during prohibition, abortion and every other time we’ve tried to legislate morality.

Mexico vs Iran vs GOP

In a fatal three-way matchup, Pink Dome has an interesting take on the World Cup and GOP politics:

One could look to the World Cup as a corrollary to the Republican campaign machine of 2006. Republicans, desperate to energize their base, were torn between which fear to exploit, xenophobia of Middle Easterns or xenophobia of Mexicans.
Seeing as how the 9/11 thing is sooooo 2001, they opted to exploit people’s fear of Mexicans. This battle took to the soccer fields yesterday, in an evil on evil matchup between Mexico and Iran. This base voter excitement fest ultimately ended with Mexico prevailing, just as we saw with last week’s Republican convention.

America’s World Cup team plays at noon (EST) today. Too bad I can’t stay home and watch it.

Strayhorn campaigning with state funds?

Blogger’s been acting up but hopefully it will let me get this message posted and let me get everyone’s opinion on this…

Section 556.004 of the Government Code:
§ 556.004. PROHIBITED ACTS OF AGENCIES AND
INDIVIDUALS. (a) A state agency may not use any money under its
control, including appropriated money, to finance or otherwise
support the candidacy of a person for an office in the legislative,
executive, or judicial branch of state government or of the
government of the United States. This prohibition extends to the
direct or indirect employment of a person to perform an action
described by this subsection.
(b) A state officer or employee may not use a state-owned or
state-leased motor vehicle for a purpose described by Subsection
(a).
(c) A state officer or employee may not use official
authority or influence or permit the use of a program administered
by the state agency of which the person is an officer or employee to
interfere with or affect the result of an election or nomination of
a candidate or to achieve any other political purpose.
(d) A state employee may not coerce, attempt to coerce,
command, restrict, attempt to restrict, or prevent the payment,
loan, or contribution of any thing of value to a person or political
organization for a political purpose.
(e) For purposes of Subsection (c), a state officer or
employee does not interfere with or affect the results of an
election or nomination if the individual’s conduct is permitted by
a law relating to the individual’s office or employment and is not
otherwise unlawful.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1498, § 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1999.

Now look at the Comptrollers (state funded) website.
Is it just me or is she promoting her campaign on the website?
http://www.window.state.tx.us/clips/