That One Article (click for article)

Well, you may be here because of a certain article, today. If you are, I need to set a thing or two straight.

First:
that picture made me look like clergy. I'm not. I mean I am, technically, able to marry people because of some paper I got when I presented some papers I got to some people in Columbus and paid a modest fee... eeew. i am a "pastor" and a "preacher"--somethign that's easy to misunderstand for many of the very people for whom Jesus came.

I'm not different from anybody. I am the same as you... except maybe that I bear the stigmatizing name "Christian" in a generation whose image of that consists mostly of the waste of Millions of dollars in building funds, and scandals involving drugs, sex and money. I am a Christian. I'm not a "Christ Follower". You may hear that term around town. if that term is chosen because of shame at the term "Christian", I'm not one of those. I do want to follow Christ, and in my better moments, that's going on... But I am a Christian: someone who believes in Jesus and tries to obey Him. That obedience is the least I can do, in view of the great price of His cross...

I'm ashamed to have held a Bible like that for a picture... The Bible's not for holding, or even just for reading. It's for Listening to, and believing. Listen to the story of Jesus. Listen to what He taught. listen to who he Is! Go away from it changed.

Second:
The furnace is on "last legs" and is old. It could give out any minute, or last another few years. It DOES tend to leak Carbon Monoxide, but the house is drafty enough to keep that from killing us (kind of a joke, but actually true). We are keeping it way warmer than 52. Come over and see. We did keep it at 52 one winter, because of the problems and the potential of a boiler failure, and the very very high heating bill, but we aren't doin that now. Now, we keep it about 60. So pleaase understand that if you come over on a cold day and its 60 in here, we didn't intend to mislead... We trust that if the boiler fails, something will be provided in God's time to remedy that.

Third:
I guess we are open to help people all the time, but it isn't like that isn't something that Jesus taught ALL his Christians to do. In fact, the very point of our mission is to impart to believers that Jesus has taught and commanded us to live in a very different, generous way as a matter of course. It is nothing other than basic Christian obedience to welcome the poor and stranger in love. We don't run a household that's any different from the way that All Christian household's ought to run. I was ashamed that it seems rare for Christians to do this.

Fourth: Thanks!
I appreciate the intentions and efforts of all the people who have intended to help us here, in Northside. Thanks to John and Leigh for the article and the photos. Thanks to Cathy and Erwin and all you guys around us who think well of us. All of us who use this house hope to... well all we want to do is please Jesus. There are so many Christians in this city who are more courageous and more obedient, and more clear examples than I am or we are. But still, we only want to please Jesus.

That's right. Its all about Him. jesus is real. He really did come, live and die on the cross for us. All who take shelter in Him are spared judgment. All who come to Him, He will in no wise turn away. I'm just a preacher, trying to convince people not to go to hell. I had no idea when I started that it'd be so difficult a job.

So please forget about me with my sanctimonious Bible-holding, and the vain immodesty of my silly beard. Think about Jesus. Think about the Cross. He really really does love you.

We hope you can come and see... That's so much better than hearing and reading.