tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912713685435271892024-02-28T11:17:10.681-05:00Catchin' Some WavesNo telling what I may write about. But, hopefully whatever it is will be beneficial to those reading.Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.comBlogger947125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-32892174762704770542023-06-19T15:13:00.000-04:002023-06-19T15:13:16.217-04:00Love Song: Where Are They Now?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeMfLPlPqq1mubG_ORhbqCnlv1v70FK1qxS3yDkjpjPjhD0D1uvEEPYSwYYtbKEipQGBan1CEWkal26vpDzCpdNbeMdf2auRPOXIra3XdynKR8oPsRy-o3XU8z5dV-t7cCblKgoM8fRfWqnuHXo_oIlWfPl7I3nzOrARgdMzc4v6qHxwtVLm8n5oKsyJ9/s827/Love%20Song%20Documentary.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="827" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeMfLPlPqq1mubG_ORhbqCnlv1v70FK1qxS3yDkjpjPjhD0D1uvEEPYSwYYtbKEipQGBan1CEWkal26vpDzCpdNbeMdf2auRPOXIra3XdynKR8oPsRy-o3XU8z5dV-t7cCblKgoM8fRfWqnuHXo_oIlWfPl7I3nzOrARgdMzc4v6qHxwtVLm8n5oKsyJ9/s320/Love%20Song%20Documentary.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Following up my earlier series on the Jesus Revolution (<a href="https://www.huckabee.tv/guests/love-song" target="_blank">it starts here</a>) I found that the pivotal Jesus music band "<a href="https://www.lovesongtheband.com/" target="_blank">Love Song</a>" is still together. They're actually working on finishing a documentary about their band and the role it played in the Jesus Movement. Recently, they were featured on Mike Huckabee's show. He interviewed them and then they sang a couple of their songs.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I found it worth the watch! And I look forward to the coming documentary. <a href="https://www.huckabee.tv/guests/love-song" target="_blank">Here's the link</a> to their interview/singing on Huckabee's show. These guys have to be approaching 80, yet they can still sing!<br /></span><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-39488592347843935142023-02-27T09:31:00.002-05:002023-02-27T09:35:33.592-05:00A Second Chapter: the Lynchburg Revival of '73<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">In the fall of 1973 a supernatural awakening took place on the campus of Thomas Road Baptist Church, which also housed Lynchburg Christian Academy and Lynchburg Baptist College (now Liberty Christian Academy and Liberty University). I was a freshman student </span><span style="font-size: medium;">there </span><span style="font-size: medium;">in college that semester. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlKHAU4IgJxYNK-Q0rg39B3lXz7agUiA6P3e0UyWSb-UdpZDRIJXp64rSXzbaj1hNVwxeARQBlXiqpR84JYU7-CrROLoQv0Jco5CTL2dmOg955SY9Ij_GXLfpvhmDfQrRikJ1DFTYHRFpcbOs6majQb8X1Fxl2wjkzdTIIpD1eFm5kVuHdmt78GBRBA/s1562/Nightly-student-prayer-meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1562" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlKHAU4IgJxYNK-Q0rg39B3lXz7agUiA6P3e0UyWSb-UdpZDRIJXp64rSXzbaj1hNVwxeARQBlXiqpR84JYU7-CrROLoQv0Jco5CTL2dmOg955SY9Ij_GXLfpvhmDfQrRikJ1DFTYHRFpcbOs6majQb8X1Fxl2wjkzdTIIpD1eFm5kVuHdmt78GBRBA/s320/Nightly-student-prayer-meeting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In my opinion what took place in Lynchburg was a continuation of what had been happening across the country for the past 3 years. Like the Jesus Revolution, it was both an awakening with Christ becoming the Savior of many, and a revival with Christians repenting of sin in their lives. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I find myself fortunate to have been in both places, in Southern California as the Jesus Movement exploded and in Lynchburg as a college campus and church were radically changed by the Holy Spirit. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By the way, this Lynchburg revival started with high school students!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://romans1015.com/lynchburg-revival/" target="_blank">Here</a> is an account of that revival. May God do it again!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-2811600448047056702023-02-25T14:01:00.003-05:002023-02-25T14:22:02.890-05:00My Thoughts on Jesus Revolution - the Movie<p><i> </i><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Post #9 on the Jesus Movement as I remember it in Southern California. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i> </i> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As the movie trailers for "Jesus Revolution" began to pop up in my FB feed a month ago or so, old 50+ year old memories came flooding back. And they continue to "pop up" in my head. Since I enjoy writing, it seemed a good use of those memories to catalog them in my rarely used blog. After all, I'm retired and have the time! All the while I was hoping that the movie would not only be true to the story, but would be well done in acting, directing, photography and overall production. The anticipation of the film's release grew within me. I wanted it to be that good.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm no Siskel or Ebert, so this isn't going to be a critique as much as a subjective review, not of the "movement" but of the film's narrative. I wasn't sure what to expect. Would it be a drama? Would it be more documentary? It's both, really. <br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8HIwnu8oI1h92RN7BMCDdh8SjSriX5kX8C5RJVu9Y_k3ybzNEQNG8UXBuaax3OlLrxHEqJs55fZH1X1NSTNqZUmR-A8GIPeHgxsuMIFe1MjMH12HnKmjekXFCvjocDvZ1r6lRLG1gSM-QorPH8b2jbPIsEAvW2uybYaBZyOYcc3k3DBmIOUTCozvuA/s465/Jesus_Revolution_PA_2x3_27_1676871155828_7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8HIwnu8oI1h92RN7BMCDdh8SjSriX5kX8C5RJVu9Y_k3ybzNEQNG8UXBuaax3OlLrxHEqJs55fZH1X1NSTNqZUmR-A8GIPeHgxsuMIFe1MjMH12HnKmjekXFCvjocDvZ1r6lRLG1gSM-QorPH8b2jbPIsEAvW2uybYaBZyOYcc3k3DBmIOUTCozvuA/s320/Jesus_Revolution_PA_2x3_27_1676871155828_7.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is not an over-arching documentary on the Jesus Movement as a whole. The Movement actually had its start among the hippies in San Francisco in the late '60's. But it focuses simply on what took place in Orange County - mostly Costa Mesa where Calvary Chapel is located - and "Pirates' Cove" - an indentation in the rocks on the channel between Balboa (Newport Harbor) and the Pacific at Corona Del Mar State Park. For those who know, that location is directly south of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wedge_(surfing)" target="_blank">The Wedge</a> and the former home of John Wayne. But, back to the movie.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The story begins sort of where it ends, at the Cove with Chuck Smith answering a question from a reporter. At the end young Greg Laurie is about to set off on his future gig as a Calvary pastor in Riverside, but not before one more baptism scene. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are essentially three story lines in the drama. One is the dilemma of Pastor Chuck Smith, dealing with an aging, traditional and self-centered flock who want nothing to do with hippies coming to their church services. The second is tied to that and is the story of hippie preacher and self-proclaimed prophet Lonnie Frisbee. Lonnie challenges Pastor Chuck to welcome the hippies and watch what God will do. The third story line is of wannabe hippie high schoolers Greg Laurie and Cathe Martin and their search for truth that eventually leads them to Jesus. All three stories are skillfully interwoven, including the use of flashbacks in Greg's story.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a theme of acceptance throughout the movie and that the doors of the church should be open to all seeking truth. There is the theme of rejection, especially in Greg's struggles from being abandoned by his father and Lonnie's battles with ego. All three of the main characters, Chuck, Lonnie and Greg demonstrate that Christians are not perfect and all have flaws, yet even so can be greatly used by God.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was asked a lot of questions by other movie-goers at the theater.</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Was it accurate?</b> As best I know (and I've read a lot to go along with what I knew and heard back in the day0, it was very accurate. Not perfect, but the minute inaccuracies did not alter the story. I've seen lots of footage from those days, and the film portrays it well. Even the scene with Kathryn Kuhlman was scripted right from the real moment.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>What did I think?</b> I thought it was great! Easily it was the best Christian film I've seen in the last 50+ years. Remember "A Thief in the Night"? "Jesus Revolution" was well done. If I had more thumbs I would give it that many thumbs up. Go see it.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Did I see myself in any of the pictures? </b> That's funny. No. I didn't attend Calvary Chapel and wasn't baptized in the ocean. But I have friends who did and who were. But I have gone through the cave at Pirates Cove and Gail and I rode the ferry from Balboa Island to the beach. I don't remember any kissing, however.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Was I a hippie or a "square"? </b> Again, I'm laughing. I lived in the home of a Marine gunnery sergeant and went to an independent fundamental Baptist church. What do you think?</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Disappointments? The band Love Song in the movie looked nothing like the real guys. I wish they had lip-synced their music. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Early scenes at a "happening" at Laguna Beach might not compute with the younger generation. LSD being dropped from a plane; Janis Joplin; Timothy Leary. That might need to be explained to younger viewers. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What most impressed me was it was well-written and acted. Really well. Kelsey Grammer should get an Oscar nomination from this. Jonathan Roumie as well. Why not? He was a convincing hippie. "<i>This house has a great vibe</i>". And then, although it wasn't preachy, I think the Gospel was presented clearly enough for non-believers to get it. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Lastly, I wondered if I would get emotional. That was a life-changing period of my life. My wife will tell you I only cry in movies about dogs. But, at my first viewing I was choking up just listening to the producers talk about it before it started! At my second viewing it got me at the very end. Oh, to see it happen again. One way!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p></div>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-23567134025565381722023-02-24T15:07:00.002-05:002023-02-24T15:14:38.299-05:00A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <i>This is part 8 of my series on the Jesus Movement as it manifested itself as a spiritual awakening in Orange County, CA. These are my memories, motivated partly by the movie "The Jesus Revolution" about those days.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H3ZD6QMfoESJ8l2iIY-DOcCah37y8QS74WMIDPpTyCYECm0ljf-a_kTAvjPGRL6TMp5TefcqNNE8ZaqxnaYoY9oamZCXmqwi4wBW2cdCYdEytstT-frQZn706Sr_KejSgvZNcSVpeZ3dFm41Sn3niZN9-y4140VUTlQz62NLX2itJ0abwk37ZWeEXQ/s400/Calvarytent.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="400" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H3ZD6QMfoESJ8l2iIY-DOcCah37y8QS74WMIDPpTyCYECm0ljf-a_kTAvjPGRL6TMp5TefcqNNE8ZaqxnaYoY9oamZCXmqwi4wBW2cdCYdEytstT-frQZn706Sr_KejSgvZNcSVpeZ3dFm41Sn3niZN9-y4140VUTlQz62NLX2itJ0abwk37ZWeEXQ/s320/Calvarytent.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> In Orange County, CA in '71-'73 (when I was there) God was at work in an unusual, and for our generation (and our parents' and grandparents' for that matter) unprecedented way. Suddenly it seemed "Jesus" was more popular than the Beatles, with thousands of young people turning to Him as their Savior. I read that in the first 7 or 8 years of the '70's that Calvary Chapel baptized an average of 500 per month. Just one church. But what was happening wasn't confined to one church. It was a spiritual awakening that spread to other churches. And that included mine...reluctantly, I must say.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiv85KvolOZY_TDOeIg3k83CKUTeVsrBde_0tNhABGBzbnyueNYYNvsNH2FlKKSi4HvHE6EGyVIludZbkWeZ677Jz9fYZASAJ0if3ddttszvnhbGTilcjCMeNAiW3SQSjvHlZtDETkgEjGnwtminXkS4xUFq1vPwGLhykc235xzHIfIQZbgLfNafV34Q/s1072/Berean.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiv85KvolOZY_TDOeIg3k83CKUTeVsrBde_0tNhABGBzbnyueNYYNvsNH2FlKKSi4HvHE6EGyVIludZbkWeZ677Jz9fYZASAJ0if3ddttszvnhbGTilcjCMeNAiW3SQSjvHlZtDETkgEjGnwtminXkS4xUFq1vPwGLhykc235xzHIfIQZbgLfNafV34Q/s320/Berean.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Our church on Cambridge in Orange, was just ten miles and less than 20 minutes from "the tent" on W. Sunflower and Fairview in Costa Mesa. The tent, of course, was the temporary home of Calvary Chapel, which had rapidly outgrown its "little country church" building. So, what was happening there wasn't in a vacuum. It was the talk of the town, and the young people who were going there were joyfully spreading the news, both about Jesus and about the home of their new found faith. It couldn't be ignored, even if our church leadership sort of hoped it would be.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I remember asking. I don't remember who exactly I asked, but it was a church leader. And my question was something like, "What about Calvary Chapel?" I knew what I was seeing at school. I knew my first day at school I had been witnessed to by a Jesus freak from Calvary. I knew my high school had no shortage of born again Christians, and mostly the products of the Jesus movement and Calvary. I knew it was different, yet in so many ways the same. So, what of it? I genuinely wanted to know.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Even though the answer was essentially "look but don't touch", the impact of the awakening taking place filtered through our Independent, Fundamental Baptist safeguards to the teenagers at our church. Honestly, telling a teenage me "don't" was a challenge to "do". Our family visited the church on our first Sunday in Orange, and my parents settled on it right away. And why not? And incredibly gifted preacher. A vibrant worship service and a big, growing youth group. Those are indeed, healthy signs. In the short time we were there the church building was expanded twice as it grew.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And this is only my opinion. I'm no expert on "revivals" or "awakenings". But there was a spiritual hunger and fervor in Orange County during those years and it benefited churches all around. Frankly, in my previous five years as a believer I never saw the kind of spiritual passion among the youth in the two IFB churches I attended prior to moving to California that I found there. Nothing close. I don't mean this in some mystical way, but there was "something in the air" in the OC. (I don't think anyone from there uses that term - the OC, btw.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">While the epicenter of the quake was at Calvary Chapel, the shaking was felt far beyond. Seeing other kids excited about their relationship with Christ and about their church - even about their middle-aged pastor (!) emboldened others of us to seek the same passions and excitement. One of our young adult youth leaders taught a series of classes on sharing our faith and then we did just that. On the streets of Orange, in Eisenhower and Hart Parks and even in downtown Santa Ana at night we could be found talking to total strangers about the salvation found in Christ. And we did so with enthusiasm and boldness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A Friday night youth evangelism service was started at our pastor's urging. The service was totally led by teenagers. We invited our friends. We still sang hymns from the hymnals - but for us that was all we knew. And the Gospel was preached, although feebly. And somehow lost teenagers were saved. It's where I cut my preaching teeth as a 16 year old.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I had been to youth camps in the mountains of Virginia for the previous two summers. They were fun, mostly. But the summer of '71 someone in the church paid for my sister and I to go with our church youth to a camp in the Sequoia National Park. And that week for me was life-changing. It was then and there I put down my stake and said to Jesus that my life was His. And I can't imagine that didn't have something to do - a lot to do with the Jesus Movement.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">God was at work in that decade of the '70's and America's youth were more open to Him than ever before. Take a look at <a href="https://www.cru.org/us/en/about/what-we-do/what-really-happened-at-explo-72.html" target="_blank">Explo '72</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In Chesapeake, VA in the fall of '71 my then high school senior/cheerleader future wife heard the Gospel, and convicted of her need for Jesus' forgiveness and life accepted Him as her Savior. Prior to that, Jesus wasn't on her radar. ('71 was a great year for both of us, a continent apart.) It happened to be in one of those churches that would never have acknowledged the Jesus Movement as being a spiritual awakening. Yet God has this ability to overcome even our skepticism to accomplish His will. That boat was, I believe, lifted by the tide. Sometimes He works His best stuff in spite of us.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For that, I am eternally grateful. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Up next will be my thoughts on the movie.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-34232569048714701022023-02-20T10:41:00.005-05:002023-02-22T22:07:40.587-05:00Signs of the Times<p> <i><span style="font-size: medium;">This is the 7th part of my remembrances of the spiritual awakening that happened in the US in the late 1960's and early '70's. My memories come from the years '71-'73 as a high school student in Orange, CA, just about ten miles from the epicenter at Costa Mesa's Calvary Chapel.</span></i></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It seems it was in the early 70's (maybe a few years earlier) that bumper stickers became a thing in America. Of course, they weren't caused by an avalanche of Christianity upon the country, but soon bumper stickers, posters and new art were proclaiming Jesus. Here are some I recall.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IybExQhBVRGu0lds-qKEr_s1SbZnXVzmrLd7Jkvgx3r09GhU9up1zJ3j3SR4aB892eKkL7Y7jqWwhaEz00vMYC-OOSw0g6-xukvfljmdPWa4qJU518FsGHzl3t7VCYXbsnEZjOBKQu1x05ff88rT6Tm7BZJYvLDAPzmfboDXohGHz7T5f9heOBXcfA/s943/ichthus_symbol.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="943" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IybExQhBVRGu0lds-qKEr_s1SbZnXVzmrLd7Jkvgx3r09GhU9up1zJ3j3SR4aB892eKkL7Y7jqWwhaEz00vMYC-OOSw0g6-xukvfljmdPWa4qJU518FsGHzl3t7VCYXbsnEZjOBKQu1x05ff88rT6Tm7BZJYvLDAPzmfboDXohGHz7T5f9heOBXcfA/s320/ichthus_symbol.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> <b>The Ubiquitous Fish</b>. <br />The one pictured was very cool for a couple reasons. First, who knew what those Greek letters meant? Then, there was history behind the usage of the fish symbol by 1st century Roman Christians during persecution. Third, it looked like chrome and had an adhesive backing, allowing it to be affixed to your car. Better ask Dad first.</span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The fish sometimes had "JESUS" instead of the Greek "<i>ichthus</i>" inside, sometimes just the outline of the fish. But it quickly became the hot Jesus people symbol. You could find it on t-shirts and bumper stickers. It seemed to be everywhere. In fact, it is still being used a great deal by the Christian community as an identifier. The Greek letters, by the way, stand for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Bumper Stickers</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">While I'm thinking of it, there were lots of them proclaiming faith in Jesus. "<i>Hooked on Jesus</i>" - for those coming out of drugs that was a natural. That one particularly rubbed my mom the wrong way. "<i>Smile, Jesus Loves You</i>" and "<i>Honk if you love Jesus</i>". There was lots of honking in Orange County, but it was different than I've experienced on the streets of Manhattan!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYRzVCCSIxaEV8O11UF3nLlfIkajTMROxCsFxFBU_AuX6qaRMMw58netS-yA6LnCd9XTZLVkZp-wy0WY7tlimyBKNoKMjBjtXHdZsm2Clyj9wD05LmEjKE9N8aseUd0b35i6MVvIgNurkg5A_TSUz1IBSuZ09G6bIWBabyNHKt50lCDM7eBVnJFT-Vw/s1000/1969-Baptism.4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="1000" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYRzVCCSIxaEV8O11UF3nLlfIkajTMROxCsFxFBU_AuX6qaRMMw58netS-yA6LnCd9XTZLVkZp-wy0WY7tlimyBKNoKMjBjtXHdZsm2Clyj9wD05LmEjKE9N8aseUd0b35i6MVvIgNurkg5A_TSUz1IBSuZ09G6bIWBabyNHKt50lCDM7eBVnJFT-Vw/s320/1969-Baptism.4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>One Way</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My first encounter with the index finger pointed upward is told in part one of this series. To me, it was my first inkling of something happening among the youth culture in my new home. It was contrasted to the hippie/war protest "peace symbol" of the two-fingered V...which had also been Winston Churchill's symbol for Victory in the waning days of WWII. The "one way" sign was seen in large gatherings, like worship and concerts, and in passing greetings on the streets. It was derived from Jesus' words to Thomas in John 14:6, where He declared <i>"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." </i>Always an orthodox Christian belief that there is no other means to eternal life, it was elevated in the Jesus' people's evangelistic efforts. It's why they were called "Jesus people". It was all about Jesus.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i> </i></span><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Cross</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I could always remember ladies and girls wearing dainty gold crosses on gold chains. But with the advent of the movement the cross became more than a piece of jewelry barely visible. It was being worn larger and shown on the bumper stickers and posters. I had one - wooden and on leather it hung around my neck. In my senior year of high school I attended a Bible study in a home, and the young son of the hosts admired my cross so much that I gave it to him. Wearing it was another way of saying, "I'm not ashamed to be a Christian."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Way version of The Living Bible</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLptACbjxFESukIpbtnzPsRXQ2Qa25-ceSS4b0BiRzExkpOjjzl6T8em9XRlEltlMqxKXOKHC3gUfSK77C-7-Fw7fV9GGL1k2R7pR_XdcrMQyseVtGxTQOUOR6LVaotSFEXeVIZUFFIQqmbX-5iPMt_Nsqc2X_-QFj70OwIl4WwsgzYE_Pw6lvHU6XA/s499/TheWayBible.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLptACbjxFESukIpbtnzPsRXQ2Qa25-ceSS4b0BiRzExkpOjjzl6T8em9XRlEltlMqxKXOKHC3gUfSK77C-7-Fw7fV9GGL1k2R7pR_XdcrMQyseVtGxTQOUOR6LVaotSFEXeVIZUFFIQqmbX-5iPMt_Nsqc2X_-QFj70OwIl4WwsgzYE_Pw6lvHU6XA/s320/TheWayBible.jpg" width="231" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /> </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Living Bible came out in 1971 and was quickly accepted by the Jesus people due to it's simplicity in language. No "thee's or thou's", it was actually a paraphrase (meaning not a translation from the original Hebrew and Greek) written by Ken Taylor for his children. Soon after, Zondervan publishers put the LB in a different soft-cover, making it more appealing and affordable to young people. For me, it was the Bible I carried with my books in my senior year of high school. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The name "The Way" was appealing to the Jesus people because it was one of the first names attached to the earliest Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 9:2).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">New Jesus Art<br /></span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi--H11UM3Bk01VagCinODKI65S9LxLSPpLJ6_Fo0ZYzNvC-FYcyFnPmdWWfyPHRoKbkm0DY8dVXJxTOPqnTPoVlwbMwjyI-gTxFx_c2xg-X8a3Bhg0K-ub3CJBOZusDCRXNH5JwbqRVmdTlB481ymF3DW5DVJoAJCutHyB1ZnM9atBj2uaTeujmUw7gQ/s408/Jesusgraphic.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="408" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi--H11UM3Bk01VagCinODKI65S9LxLSPpLJ6_Fo0ZYzNvC-FYcyFnPmdWWfyPHRoKbkm0DY8dVXJxTOPqnTPoVlwbMwjyI-gTxFx_c2xg-X8a3Bhg0K-ub3CJBOZusDCRXNH5JwbqRVmdTlB481ymF3DW5DVJoAJCutHyB1ZnM9atBj2uaTeujmUw7gQ/s320/Jesusgraphic.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Suddenly it seemed that new renderings of what Jesus looked like were appearing everywhere. And instead of looking sad and gaunt, He was looking happy, welcoming and friendly. It was a reflection of how this new generation saw their Savior. He was like them.</span><p></p><p>(This photo is from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explo_%2772" target="_blank">Explo '72</a>, sometimes called "the Christian Woodstock".)<br /><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Publications</b><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yXXwHWirgOYK8ThYM5i2s3LC47FNVs3_uk1CaRNGv0k8Yv1VfhX9-WMIZxUphTcc3GFrk6Kp7CSmKzlQb4l5dTKBxMdlIkB1nnxax72IuhTpgW0JbQkL8NvK3d57SyaKdfis1R8E4xCNnjz53OGM2RJV2HCR2HhQAL2luv5eVXYcLshS-yqXsA15Eg/s480/HollywoodFreePaper.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="480" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yXXwHWirgOYK8ThYM5i2s3LC47FNVs3_uk1CaRNGv0k8Yv1VfhX9-WMIZxUphTcc3GFrk6Kp7CSmKzlQb4l5dTKBxMdlIkB1nnxax72IuhTpgW0JbQkL8NvK3d57SyaKdfis1R8E4xCNnjz53OGM2RJV2HCR2HhQAL2luv5eVXYcLshS-yqXsA15Eg/s320/HollywoodFreePaper.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Two that I recall floating around the campus at Orange High were the "Living Water" tract, written and drawn by teenage Jesus freak <a href="https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrEbc0FjvNjMCUs0WcPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1676934789/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fharvest.org%2fabout-greg-laurie%2f/RK=2/RS=q21TsT_qItULp7LBYyqA.BRxNjQ-" target="_blank">Greg Laurie </a>and the "underground" <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llJNUr1w6M0" target="_blank">Hollywood Free Paper</a>, (short video you should watch) produced by Duane Pederson, who by the way is credited with coining the terms "Jesus people" and "Jesus movement". Pictured below are Pat Boone (a friend of the Jesus people) and Pederson with a copy of THFP.<br /></span><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In my next post I'd like to talk about the Jesus' movement's reception or lack of it by the churches and the college I attended. Not every Bible banger was happy with what was going on.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">More to come, including the Jesus Movement's impact on me personally and a review of the movie "The Jesus Revolution" (after I've seen it a second time). </span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-37255490247050940162023-02-18T13:03:00.009-05:002023-02-18T16:04:55.619-05:00More About the Jesus Music: Pioneers<p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6jDdGBO5vKymjyYRhCCAlJTbpO_2FkS5GN9S-lsEfS5cA5dykuAeH3n6oV8X2z1DRaeNbzWAorbmByrJJNXaK6B8goyEsAILOHKCWbX4Gk721jz8zLUm2SjkoOgmqxUCJZ4fkpRUMMWGBhqEYX-vvquZfDiZW4JnE8Kzkhj10t3CC0pEPu4MkdWPQQ/s600/OnlyVisiting.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6jDdGBO5vKymjyYRhCCAlJTbpO_2FkS5GN9S-lsEfS5cA5dykuAeH3n6oV8X2z1DRaeNbzWAorbmByrJJNXaK6B8goyEsAILOHKCWbX4Gk721jz8zLUm2SjkoOgmqxUCJZ4fkpRUMMWGBhqEYX-vvquZfDiZW4JnE8Kzkhj10t3CC0pEPu4MkdWPQQ/s320/OnlyVisiting.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p> <i><span style="font-size: medium;">Part 6 of my series on the Jesus Movement as I experienced it in the early 70's in Southern California. It's in anticipation of the release of the movie, "The Jesus Revolution".</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></i><br /></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span>Little did the bands and solo artists that emerged from the early days of the Jesus Movement realize that they were the start of something that has lasted more than 50 years. While much of the evangelistic fervor and zealousness for the return of Christ has lessened, the music grew. Today CCM (the eventual result of the Revolution's musical expression) is what must be a multi-billion dollar business. Frankly, some of that is good news, some not so much. But, that's my opinion. I remember a simpler time when money, record labels, contracts and celebrity were not a motivators. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And in the beginnings of the movement not all music came from unknown kids practicing in garages. That's not at all to say what they did was inferior. But, there were some leaders of the movement's music who had previously been successful in the secular world of rock and folk music. So successful that they had "charted" before turning to Christ and devoting their talents to spreading the Gospel. Here are three examples.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Girard" target="_blank">Chuck Girard </a>(whose story, along with the other members of Love Song is told in the movie) had been a member of the quartet "The Castells", who in 1961 charted with the love song "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr1zwMg2YIo" target="_blank">Sacred</a>". Then in 1964 he joined a new group called "The Hondells" and again charted with the hit "Little Honda" (written by Beach Boys Mike Love and Brian Wilson). <a href="https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrE_hVI.PBjMIoU7zgPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Nj?p=The+Hondells+Chuck+Girard&type=Y193_F163_204687_031121&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=trp&grd=1&ei=UTF-8&fr=yhs-trp-001&turl=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOVP.TEHo4htfAqJjSsfzf4iRpQHgFo%26pid%3DApi%26w%3D296%26h%3D156%26c%3D7%26p%3D0&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWwWaPOlzWnI&tit=The+Hondells+-+Little+Honda+%28Shindig%29&pos=3&vid=a1e43f6e92d17b6ee4e5f7c66d751f9b&sigr=.cwJt9XA4fss&sigt=S9NyaXY_H9XI&sigi=eUtVH9sMOpfI" target="_blank">Here they are on the TV show Shindig</a> - I remember watching this! Chuck's conversion came at Calvary Chapel in 1970.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_McGuire" target="_blank">Barry McGuire</a> was a member of the popular mid-60's folk group "The New Christy Minstrels". He sang lead on their biggest hit song "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfxgbsXeTdE" target="_blank">Green, Green</a>" (1963). And then he went solo with a huge hit "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdWGp3HQVjU" target="_blank">The Eve of Destruction</a>" (1965). Later he performed for a year in the Broadway musical "Hair". Then, in 1971 Barry met Jesus and everything changed for him. My kids' generation will remember his album "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM_NNxx3yFE" target="_blank">Bullfrogs and Butterflies</a>". And in 1980 I sang Barry's part of Peter in the Jimmy and Carol Owens' musical "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kODAQojdfkY" target="_blank">The Witness</a>" in our Tulsa church.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrEbc1T8PBjlFIUVgYPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1676763348/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fLarry_Norman/RK=2/RS=73jeO40IwwdHsQCtZ_McZ05nZ.Y-" target="_blank">Larry Norman</a>, with the psychedelic band "People!" scored a major hit song with "I Love You", <a href="https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFcrbw9fBjyjEUp3kPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzQEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1676764785/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dp80BEHcTnxk/RK=2/RS=Z2k8MVoIOhFqyUeIzgSKBFexCCA-" target="_blank">shown here </a>on American Bandstand in 1968. A Christian since childhood (in a Southern Baptist home!) he became fed up with the rock culture and devoted himself to spreading the Gospel with music, not without controversy! Larry's style and lyrics were more confrontational than winsome, and he endured plenty of criticism. Yet, by most he is considered the "father of Christian rock music", putting out his first Christian album, "Upon This Rock" (on a secular label) in 1969. Here's a great example of his lyrical style in "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7qMxV1u39Y" target="_blank">Only Visiting this Planet</a>". </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The music of the early days of the Jesus Movement reflected a much simpler time, sans managers, arenas, light shows, marketing and for the most part radio play. They mostly played in churches (that would allow them) and coffee houses without contracts, maybe getting a few bucks in "love offerings". But the little they received would get them on to their next gig, often in broken down old vans! Nancy Honeytree, another Jesus people musician wrote a great song about those days called "<a href="https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-trp-001&ei=UTF-8&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=trp&p=nancy+honeytree+pioneer&type=Y193_F163_204687_031121#id=1&vid=b941bbfb949178bca250c8783a5f1486&action=view" target="_blank">Pioneer</a>". Then I found <a href="https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-trp-001&ei=UTF-8&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=trp&p=nancy+honeytree+pioneer&type=Y193_F163_204687_031121#id=4&vid=5344e546a9e19f2cbbc855fcfcae3cd7&action=view" target="_blank">this video</a> of part of her story that I found so telling of the idea of simplicity in representing the Lord. We could use a revival of that spirit. They truly were trailblazers. And today so many of our churches' music (including mine) is indebted to what they started.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-57497667363939670732023-02-13T13:55:00.004-05:002023-02-13T13:55:57.470-05:00Maranatha - Our Lord Cometh<p> <i><span style="font-size: medium;">This is the 5th part of a series on my personal recollections of the Jesus Movement, a revival that swept like wildfire across the nation, and nowhere more fervently than in Southern California where I found myself at age 15 in 1971. </span></i></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Part and parcel to the vibe of the Jesus Movement was the belief that Jesus Christ was returning and that His return was both imminent and likely soon. It was easy to believe that in the early 1970's the world was indeed in "the last days" spoken of in the New Testament. The war in Viet Nam was still dragging on, racial tensions wrought violence in riots across the country, students were shot down demonstrating against the war on the campus of Kent State University. And the ever present Cold War threat of nuclear mutually assured mass destruction only grew stronger. And then there was Israel.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">On a personal note, it was our pastor's sermons on the return of Christ in 1966 that convinced me of my need to accept Jesus as my Savior. So, that doctrine played a great part in who I would be in the years to come. And as I met the Jesus Revolution face to face in '71 I had already been a believer for nearly five years. But, until that time without the passion I saw in these kids in California.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Preachers and authors were able to tie current events to both Old Testament and New Testament writing and teachings from the prophets, Jesus and the Apostles Peter and Paul. They found Russia and China in the Old Testament prophecies. Armageddon was a real place in Israel. and much of what was happening was determined to be "signs of the times" - things Jesus warned would come prior to His descent from Heaven. Along with their new found faith in Christ, the idea that Jesus was coming back (and soon) only served as gasoline to the Jesus People's fire, giving greater urgency for evangelizing the world.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel's preaching seemed to center on the 2nd Coming. That resulted in songs being written and sung about the same. The earliest in my memory were Larry Norman's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPJpZdEOILQ" target="_blank">I Wish We'd All Been Ready</a>" and "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upwDGp2TXQA" target="_blank">Unidentified Flying Object</a>" along with Love Song's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX7Jmn2EBW8" target="_blank">Maranatha</a>"(with its haunting violin) and the guitar driven "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-3x0UXwv7s" target="_blank">Cossack Song</a>" about Armageddon. Adding to the flame were books like Hal Lindsey's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Late_Great_Planet_Earth" target="_blank"><u>The Late, Great Planet Earth</u></a> and Salem Kirban's fictional novel <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/666-Salem-Kirban/dp/B0049O2SSU" target="_blank">666</a>.</u> I read both as a teen. I wanted to be ready!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The eschatology (the doctrine of things to come) of the "people' was strongly a pre-tribulational- rapture of the church view. That made their passions strong and acceptable on that count to most evangelicals. Not only was it exciting to know Jesus loved them and gave them eternal life, but to know He was literally returning was just "far out"! In 1973 the Christian movie "<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070795/" target="_blank">A Thief in the Night</a>" came out and lent itself to church youth group evangelism throughout the '70's. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaG8I-qVV4hjOKAun-M-o1QqIQg_lzCtV6UOEXoBw_9lVEZzi-XJZNZBOIwK0uTBAT51d6OG2_b7w2__GR94eBsjbc3iu0gbIWtlenXLGXog8CO0b88BfKc-NxLWzx_bZbSPJpTfyPqoqEguZ3ES3O1tTy3tYT100L0Zj9FLY2yjAMdJyDV6foQy_Yg/s640/DanielAmos-ShotgunAngel_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="633" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaG8I-qVV4hjOKAun-M-o1QqIQg_lzCtV6UOEXoBw_9lVEZzi-XJZNZBOIwK0uTBAT51d6OG2_b7w2__GR94eBsjbc3iu0gbIWtlenXLGXog8CO0b88BfKc-NxLWzx_bZbSPJpTfyPqoqEguZ3ES3O1tTy3tYT100L0Zj9FLY2yjAMdJyDV6foQy_Yg/s320/DanielAmos-ShotgunAngel_0.jpg" width="317" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1977 country/rock Daniel Amos (at that time a band on the Maranatha! label) composed a rock opera style telling of the Tribulation on side 2 of their "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_Angel" target="_blank">Shotgun Angel</a>" album. Definitely one of my favorite albums ever, by the way. Super-creative, with songs like "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZiDL9WnUMY" target="_blank">He's Gonna Do a Number On You</a>" ("<i>Can you choose the place, my hand or my face</i>") and the Eagle-esque "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjQ5yG7y2TQ" target="_blank">Posse in the Sky</a>" continued the 2nd Coming theme into the later part of the decade as the movement had slowed down from its early years.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And me? I'm still looking up! I'm really not far from the movement. Even so, come Lord Jesus. </span><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-13384409886777573122023-02-09T22:36:00.003-05:002023-02-09T22:41:48.268-05:00With a Brand New Song<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i> Part 4 in my series on the Jesus Revolution (not the movie but what happened in the early 1970's. But I do have tickets to see the movie! Sorry for all the ads on the links.</i><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGGiAq6G7Or-rmFRxFxIe6NyzO7qmaZVusNllnxfj4CxoUM7dgxLlpOxpOj2HMzuYfYFcvEHLXBvmoLikuHIC4ty7kZpIHgJhdVO22qFYpy_okBIR7pLCXgsvveTrSAYlIAUV_hwbCAcHGL5Km3xnLRYh4jA66XRlwX0WPjIfYtW-qDMJ8Pdu6HstcQ/s400/Maranatha!%20Music-The%20Everlasting'%20Living%20Jesus%20Music%20Concert-.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="395" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGGiAq6G7Or-rmFRxFxIe6NyzO7qmaZVusNllnxfj4CxoUM7dgxLlpOxpOj2HMzuYfYFcvEHLXBvmoLikuHIC4ty7kZpIHgJhdVO22qFYpy_okBIR7pLCXgsvveTrSAYlIAUV_hwbCAcHGL5Km3xnLRYh4jA66XRlwX0WPjIfYtW-qDMJ8Pdu6HstcQ/s320/Maranatha!%20Music-The%20Everlasting'%20Living%20Jesus%20Music%20Concert-.jpg" width="316" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Of the three primary themes I've suggested that punctuated the Jesus Movement, perhaps none has had a longer impact on the church than the music. It is generally accepted that today's Contemporary Christian Music started with those new converts who wanted to sing to God about their love for Him. They had no idea what they started!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My first introduction to the music part of the revolution actually began not in California, but in a little Baptist church in Alexandria, Virginia. A young college aged guy in the church - a talented singer - put together a little combo of bass guitar, organ and piano and somehow got the pastor (who was also his girlfriend's dad) to let them come to an evening service and play and sing. This must have been about 1969. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Nothing but traditional hymns out of the hymnal had been sung in that church prior. Sure, we learned some good ol' camp choruses (that had been around for decades), but nothing really new. Until that night when we heard "Amazing Grace" sung to the tune of "The House of the Rising Sun"! I loved it. But I don't remember that group singing at church again... More than a few people apparently were offended! But something was happening in embryonic form and happening across the nation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the late '60's a long-haired rock and roller who had grown up in church then found some success in secular rock music decided it was time to change gears and sing about his faith in Christ. He boldly asked the question in one of his songs, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVyNnKsmdok" target="_blank">Why should the devil have all the good music?</a>" And said, "Jesus is the Rock and He rolled my blues away." Larry Norman became the pied-piper of singing about Jesus with the music these hippies and young people knew. And it not only drew crowds, but the kids listened to the Gospel as it was sung and preached by these "rock and roll preachers". </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There in Orange County, especially at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa young people with guitars were writing and singing, forming bands and playing wherever they got the chance. And in those days there was no commercialism. The Second Chapter of Acts, a trio of two sisters and little brother - who wrote some of the last generation's best known music (I'll bet you've heard "</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-hLSR5F4Y0" target="_blank">The Easter Song</a>") began to travel and in their 15 or so years of doing so only charged a dollar per person to pay for the venues, depending on love offerings to meet their needs and get them to the next gig.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One mark of these groups and singers was that they placed themselves under pastoral leadership in the local church. With rare exception they weren't renegades and mavericks. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I learned about the myriad of musical groups coming out of nearby Calvary Chapel when I was at the home of some friends (1971) and they pulled out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUYZdA5I01w" target="_blank">"The Everlasting Jesus Music Concert"</a> (also known as Maranatha 1) and put it on the stereo. I was hooked. The new Christian music wasn't being sung at our church, but all of us in the youth group were into it. Soon I began showing up at Teen Challenge on the Circle in Orange where on Monday nights different groups played their songs. Soon the band stand at Hart Park was opened to these Christian bands one night a week - and I was often there. All free. All so they could share their faith in Jesus.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One night a group from our church were out going around neighborhoods inviting people to come to church and maybe get a chance to share the Gospel. We got near one house and could hear music coming from the garage (that was open). Found out it was one of the new bands called "The Way", playing at band member John Wickham's house. John was a student at Orange High where I went. (He's got a son named Phil. Maybe you've heard of him.) When their album came out, I was sure to get it, along with those by Love Song and The Children of the Day, whose anthem "For Those Tears I Died" was soon being sung by church youth groups across the country. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The music spread across the nation. Bands like Petra in Indiana, Resurrection Band in Milwaukee and an already successful guitarist named Phil Keaggy in Ohio were singing about Jesus. In 1972-73, back in Virginia I heard a band called The Sons of Thunder a couple of times. And the California groups began touring everywhere. Marantha! Music began producing albums of praise songs, some of which you can find in the Southern Baptist Hymnal!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, the music wasn't without controversy. Most evangelical/fundamentalist churches stayed away from it - some even declaring it was devil music. Electric guitars and drums, you know. It's interesting to hear those musicians tell their stories of showing up to sing and play only to be told that unless they cut their hair they could not. Newness is frightening to many. That was true in Jesus' day - He was certainly doing some "new things" and it's still true today. I could easily start preaching here, but I'll refrain! But gradually over time what began in coffee houses, Bible studies and some churches has caught on to those who have the ears to hear.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I still have a bunch of those old albums. Since I don't have a phonograph I resort to a play list on Spotify to hear them or find them on Youtube. When I retired from pastoring a wonderful church in the Spring of 2021 Gail and I were given tickets to a Phil Keaggy concert. I've been fortunate to not only hear so many of these artists but to meet many. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are far too many artists from those days to mention here. But back in the late '90's a producer got the idea to bring a bunch of them together at a retreat and record them singing and sharing their stories. If you're really interested in the beginnings of modern Christian music you should watch "<a href="https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrC4StoseVjZlYAVQcPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Nj?p=first+love+jesus+music+pioneers&type=Y193_F163_204687_031121&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=trp&grd=1&ei=UTF-8&fr=yhs-trp-001&turl=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOVP.AJQDuCUNojVeuIQbbHzF5wHgFo%26pid%3DApi%26w%3D296%26h%3D156%26c%3D7%26p%3D0&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D07Hd5nwXbnI&tit=First+Love+-+A+Historic+Gathering+of+Jesus+Music+Pioneers+Trailer+HD&pos=1&vid=d6e64134cb0922557304241049bb475b&sigr=f8HeCgGZRBW9&sigt=Eqy_UpXbKNFC&sigi=DO3pkf_leo2j" target="_blank">First Love</a>". It's a two part video and takes a while to watch in its entirety, but is so good at telling the origins of the music that changed the church and reached a generation. And the music is great! <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-12537109729666575842023-02-06T10:07:00.003-05:002023-02-06T11:09:06.326-05:00Bring a Friend<span style="font-size: medium;"> In my <a href="https://nagsheader.blogspot.com/2023/02/three-themes-that-identified-jesus.html" target="_blank">last post</a> I outlined three main themes of the revival being portrayed in the movie "The Jesus Revolution". In the next days I want to elaborate a bit on each. </span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Evangelism</b> is the telling of the Good News. It comes from the Greek word for "Good News", <i>euangel </i>(or something like that). And of course, the Good News is that God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. That's how <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A1-17&version=HCSB" target="_blank">Jesus explained it</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Suddenly, young people were hearing the Gospel and believing in Jesus Christ. And their lives were being radically changed. And in a natural, or perhaps better said, supernatural response to their new lives they wanted to share it with their friends. No, not just their friends. With anyone who would listen. The result being hundreds if not thousands of young evangelists went to their homes, their schools, their jobs, their neighborhoods telling the Gospel in a simplistic manner. One of the evidences of a genuine revival must be the natural sharing of the Gospel.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I say "simplistic" because these kids were not theologians (although many, like <a href="https://harvest.org/about-greg-laurie/" target="_blank">Greg Laurie</a> would become pastors) and had little if any training on how to share their faith. Yet without the training and grounding in doctrine, God used the simple Gospel mightily. It was as though their sharing of Jesus' love and sacrificial death for mankind was irresistible. So many being caught up in the fervor couldn't be ignored, so others listened, wondering if this was real. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A teenage artist and newly saved boy there in Orange County, Laurie used his talents and what he understood about the Good News to write/draw a cartoon styled pamphlet called "Living Water". Someone saw it and decided to publish it, and soon it was all over the place. I can't tell you how many copies I saw floating around at school, and surely I must have given a few away myself.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpQuvVKAzctA6QTtl04C_vZKvNjFClVsnIL40r9KPLeL4DEbNIm2ZRn71X3vmYm_fkSAPXRZ5Pgx7c2hkJRuQe35aIn9JK105J0cMAk86cMttaPuqFlJEuEHOsusAAXPzkDq_Aj0hsfm0Qjkvb2lSKl6snL6YI3zS_yQSEWA5EGm8WGA9-CEi7hnoOTQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="147" data-original-width="289" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpQuvVKAzctA6QTtl04C_vZKvNjFClVsnIL40r9KPLeL4DEbNIm2ZRn71X3vmYm_fkSAPXRZ5Pgx7c2hkJRuQe35aIn9JK105J0cMAk86cMttaPuqFlJEuEHOsusAAXPzkDq_Aj0hsfm0Qjkvb2lSKl6snL6YI3zS_yQSEWA5EGm8WGA9-CEi7hnoOTQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">These new evangelists not only told their stories, but in the "<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A43-46&version=MSG" target="_blank">Philip style</a>" invited their friends to check out what was happening in their churches, in Bible studies that sprang up, in free concerts by new Jesus music groups. Most of all I think it was their overflowing joy that caught the attention of others to learn more about Jesus. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As I shared in my first post in this series, I was "evangelized" by a Jesus freak (I use that phrase because that's what they were called) on my first day of school at Orange High. "Rick, do you know Jesus?" And it blew me away. Someone came up to me, a stranger and dared to ask me such a thing. And like Nathanael in the story in John 1 I marveled at his boldness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">That urge to go and tell caught fire in me. A Christian for 5 years at this point I had never shared my faith with someone outside of my church group. That was too scary a thought. But when I saw it happening by kids much younger in their faith than me and with so much boldness it moved me to take a big step of faith. And before long I was witnessing to a friend at lunch, walking a circuit on Tuesday nights just to stop and share the Gospel with others on the sidewalks of Orange, carrying my Bible to school and sharing my faith story in my public speaking class at school. Truly I was caught up in this revolution. And when I preached my first "sermon" to about 40 teens on a Friday night two guys who had been invited by their friends put their faith in Christ. Trust me, it wasn't because of the preacher. It was part of something bigger.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the new songs that came out in those early days of the Jesus people was called "Two Hands". I first heard it sung by The Children of the Day, a sort of folk quartet. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=segquIqNhxg" target="_blank">Here</a> it is as recorded by Love Song in 1972. It says it well. Bring a friend.<br /></span></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-90197251382293341852023-02-04T14:25:00.004-05:002023-02-04T14:39:47.216-05:00Three Themes that Identified the Jesus Movement<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">As I recall there were at least these 3 major themes of the revival called the Jesus Revolution or Movement.</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Evangelism.</b> Although most revivals are an awakening of the church, this one was more about reaching the unchurched with the Gospel - the Good News that Jesus came to die and pardon those who receive Him as Savior, giving them the gift of eternal life. True, it greatly impacted believers. But by and large it swept over Orange County, CA, the West Coast and across America as an evangelistic movement. </span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And it was pretty simple actually. Young people who heard that God loved them and accepted His love through Jesus simply shared it with their friends and anyone who would listen. The baptisms of new believers at Corona Del Mar by Calvary Chapel illustrate that evangelistic emphasis. Thousands, just in that region of Southern California were professing faith in Christ. My guesstimate is that 25% of the student body at my high school were born again believers, and most of them new in their faith.*</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZWbMBmrYR6EGpmMO8ImI5Lg8WOciIwa2ND-8zPu253ofuzwasuyZLybj0m22GaZqzj17AdU8dHgtZahVPvu0mQ-SfGquujGnKhvcZv8OiCISP5cNa0GZaOd2KVIZqRZYOIo2bpaAUc9FwwcoAjN6KDl2PmfUKmgCKA-XNCWxeNB9Az51qH9gGeetCQ/s770/5498_baptism-JPM_galleryfull.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="770" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZWbMBmrYR6EGpmMO8ImI5Lg8WOciIwa2ND-8zPu253ofuzwasuyZLybj0m22GaZqzj17AdU8dHgtZahVPvu0mQ-SfGquujGnKhvcZv8OiCISP5cNa0GZaOd2KVIZqRZYOIo2bpaAUc9FwwcoAjN6KDl2PmfUKmgCKA-XNCWxeNB9Az51qH9gGeetCQ/s320/5498_baptism-JPM_galleryfull.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">A second theme that arose was in <b>music</b> that declared their faith. Most of the new converts to Jesus had little or no church background, so the old hymns were mostly unknown to them. So from their cultural context new songs were being written. Bands and musicians now Christian weren't putting down their guitars and drums, but now writing songs that declared their faith using their music and instruments. To this mid-teen boy it was so refreshing! </span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;">Let me quote from just a couple of those composers in the very early days...well before something called CCM came to be. "Sing unto the heavens with a brand new song" (if I'm not mistaken that's pretty much a quote from the Bible). And a piercing question from another, "Why should the devil have all the good music?". </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The third theme would have been <b>a fascination with the end times</b>. And I would say it was a healthy fascination. The Jesus Freaks not only heard that Jesus had come to save them, they were also hearing that He was coming back for them. And that was exciting Good News. Their conversation was abuzz with words like "rapture", "2nd coming", "tribulation" and "anti-christ". </span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;">As I recall Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel - ground zero in SoCal for the movement - preached long during these days on the return of Christ. Books like Hal Lindsey's <u>The Late, Great Planet Earth</u> and Salem Kirban's <u>666</u> flew off the shelves. Larry Norman (whom I consider the father of Jesus Music) had a haunting song that lamented, "I wish we'd all been ready".</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Evangelism and a fascination with Christ's return put the Jesus People in the company with other evangelicals - even fundamentalist Christians. If it were just those two I suspect the evangelical/fundamentalist churches might have more easily supported the revival. But, the music! There was a dividing line that some, even today 50+ years later refuse to accept or cross. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">More on these themes coming. And if you have an recollection of those days, feel free to comment here. If you're simply a troll or a negative Nancy, just know that Jesus loves you!<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Listen to Chuck Girard's song "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BD8jw1av6M" target="_blank">Full Immersion Baptism By the Sea</a>".<br /></span></div>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-52240835276972109952023-02-03T13:03:00.005-05:002023-02-04T13:18:19.018-05:00One Way. The Mantra of a Revolution.<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Daily I see trailers for the movie "The Jesus Revolution". From what I gather it is a re-telling of a spiritual awakening that came in the days of great social unrest that was boiling in the baby boomer generation in the late '60's and early '70's. Hey! That was my time! Out of the Viet Nam protests, free love, the hippies and Woodstock a hunger was growing among the boomers for truth. Lots of songs sang about love, but it seemed hard to find and define.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Then God intervened in a big way, not at first in churches so much, but among the hippies, college students and high schoolers. I'm greatly interested in the movie because I saw it happen all around me as a high school student in Orange, CA. At first I was like the Israelites when they woke up and saw <i>manna</i> - bread from heaven - sent by God to feed them in the wilderness. Like them I thought "what is it?", which is what <i>manna</i> means. As a fifteen year old sophomore I was suddenly and unexpectedly seeing and hearing things that caught me off guard, even as a Christian - the born again kind. (Is there any other?)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With the trailers popping up, my memories of living in the epicenter of that spiritual earthquake are floating to the forefront of my mind. So, before they vanish (those my age will understand) I thought I should write them down. This is as good a platform as I have.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It started for me on that first day at OHS (Orange High School) as the second semester started. Our family had just moved to Southern California from Northern Virginia (two very different cultures, for sure) due to my Marine dad's orders. So, I went to a school where I knew no one in a town where I had never before been. I didn't know how much my life was about to change. But, something was very different here.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid53xkTv7JVjdSFoYSqs1n2DedqLDB1Gs3B1cQjAEpyfMpfIvpxtFYLTe8b1BcR2R_smI-n0eUmxX-xTCPP3B1EM63FQNRgDZc4gt4YnO758Fmuh6GuCFKNKmBokQR72w3iDgphSCe5YV31fnz6__tZ5a40uGZkRUsyOFcyHJ8UoB8vbrJBqKPv0BTIA/s560/OneWay.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="438" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid53xkTv7JVjdSFoYSqs1n2DedqLDB1Gs3B1cQjAEpyfMpfIvpxtFYLTe8b1BcR2R_smI-n0eUmxX-xTCPP3B1EM63FQNRgDZc4gt4YnO758Fmuh6GuCFKNKmBokQR72w3iDgphSCe5YV31fnz6__tZ5a40uGZkRUsyOFcyHJ8UoB8vbrJBqKPv0BTIA/s320/OneWay.gif" width="250" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are three distinct memories - well four now that I think about it - that I carry from that first mid-January day. First, outside around the amphitheater before classes began I saw what must have been a dozen or so students in a huddle, arms around each other's shoulders. And they had their heads bowed. Honestly I thought, "This is California. Must be some kind of a cult gathering." But on the back of one of the guys' jean jackets was an unmistakable graphic that made me wonder. In the center of the graphic was a fist with the index finger pointed up. And around it were these words: "One way to God. Jesus".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What the heck was this? I believed that too, but NEVER had I seen an open display of faith like that on a school campus. That was my first clue. And I had to find out more. But, I had to find out where my classes were, so the second memory (and the least important as I look back at it), was being taken around the campus to all of my classrooms by a stunning blonde girl - a senior at that. And she was nice to me! I was going to like this school.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The third memory was during lunch, which was also outside. (I hear there was a tiny cafeteria, but never ventured there.) Seems it never rains in southern California, so much of the day is outside. All the classrooms opened to the outdoors. What I saw at lunch were several gatherings of students, sitting cross-legged on the ground in groups of maybe ten to fifteen, eating their lunches with Bibles in their laps. in each group one of the students seemed to be leading. Bible studies at lunch! I had never seen anything like that before! What is going on here?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And the fourth perhaps most profound memory from that first day was in band class. Again, I knew nobody, and for whatever reason the band wasn't practicing or playing anything that day, so we just sat and talked. Seated by myself on a folding metal chair, minding my own business a guy comes over and sits beside me, and introduced himself. Everyone else had to notice there was a new guy, but only Jim bothered at first to meet me. "Hi. I'm Jim." "Hi, I'm Rick". Innocent enough. But then the next question out of his mouth shocked me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"Hey Rick. Do you know Jesus?" I'm sure my jaw dropped.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course I did. I had been saved when I was ten and I knew what that meant. But NEVER had anyone outside of the preacher at church asked me that question, and NEVER EVER anyone at school. Yet it was so natural for Jim to ask.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"Yes, I do. Do you?" My question surely revealed my surprise. And his answer was just as surprising. "I do, too. And there are lots of us here who do." </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I didn't know about a revolution or movement and had never heard the phrase "Jesus freaks", but I was about to be introduced to something that still impacts me today, 52 years later.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">If you have a personal Jesus Movement experience, feel free to share it in the comments!<br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-59579218929966829282022-09-12T14:03:00.004-04:002022-09-12T14:15:01.951-04:00Some of my Heroes<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Early in my ministry God took us to serve in Tulsa, OK at the Tulsa Baptist Temple, a large church led by Clifford Clark. Pastor Clark was a champion for world missions like none other I've ever known. And while I received a great indoctrination into the priority of world evangelization at the churches I grew up in and served, TBT took that up a notch. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It was in this church in 1965 that youth pastor Roscoe Brewer took a large group of American teens to Mexico to distribute Bible in a program he called SMITE - Summer Missions Intern Training for Evangelism. Brewer would take SMITE with him to Lynchburg Baptist College (now Liberty University) in the '70's and it became the world missions arm of the young college.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Each January the church hosted a world missions conference, and missionaries from all over the world were brought in to share what God was doing where they served. At those conferences I was privileged to sit and converse with and mostly listen to "hall of fame" missionaries like <a href="https://www.lulu.com/shop/manuel-arenas/i-am-manuel-not-moses-the-thoughts-of-an-indigenous-leader-finding-a-way-forward-for-his-people/paperback/product-23042167.html?page=1&pageSize=4" target="_blank">Manuel Arenas</a>, <a href="https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,858508,00.html" target="_blank">Granny Holdeman</a> and <a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/evangelical-history/this-is-your-life-rachel-saint-june-5-1957/" target="_blank">Rachel Saint</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the picture, from a Tulsa Baptist Temple newsletter, Rachel Saint is center front row and Granny Holdeman is on the right front row, standing next to Pastor Clifford Clark. I'm there, too, on the far right of the third row. The guy with no tie...can you believe that? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My days at this church ('78-'80) were instrumental in forming my own missions strategy which I put into practice in my 30 years at Nags Head Church.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">(Click on the picture to see all of it.) <br /></span></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMDYOAWj93iyaqC36sPGH3vivgLl3U42grJWngMQhCTNhWtM7C__nZbYGtruAD6IQsq1g6k7MqaXfeKJxpX4eD5c77dmN-qs9sqBiJd_q2CYKThKrqFoA0RXNb4Jhc02vmaQPJkF4OSuZq9MdRDrfwptU3XI1Kk-SCA3qwzMcPiPH834j9xX49wzORg/s1892/TBT79MissionsConf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="1892" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMDYOAWj93iyaqC36sPGH3vivgLl3U42grJWngMQhCTNhWtM7C__nZbYGtruAD6IQsq1g6k7MqaXfeKJxpX4eD5c77dmN-qs9sqBiJd_q2CYKThKrqFoA0RXNb4Jhc02vmaQPJkF4OSuZq9MdRDrfwptU3XI1Kk-SCA3qwzMcPiPH834j9xX49wzORg/w611-h442/TBT79MissionsConf.jpg" width="611" /></a></div> <p></p><br /><br /><p></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-56446006456662193262022-04-04T12:58:00.004-04:002022-04-04T14:35:27.018-04:00Still Doing Some Preaching!<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EH3vVj1BPR4QbzqgeWUlqPNqOHfFWA1Lp6t_4Ocz9nVqOm1zWrkQNsWXiJOHh8id4zS9GiN_pG_hsqnwuR8-aTTv6QziLco0iAeTH2zklslH829jPEtxLDw2aVu4SkfVVnev2DvHPET0RipsNHdMKyDCOoBZnyb4qjntGMn3YrxL5Di-bb--a5YbcQ/s2809/IMG_6436.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2618" data-original-width="2809" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EH3vVj1BPR4QbzqgeWUlqPNqOHfFWA1Lp6t_4Ocz9nVqOm1zWrkQNsWXiJOHh8id4zS9GiN_pG_hsqnwuR8-aTTv6QziLco0iAeTH2zklslH829jPEtxLDw2aVu4SkfVVnev2DvHPET0RipsNHdMKyDCOoBZnyb4qjntGMn3YrxL5Di-bb--a5YbcQ/s320/IMG_6436.heic" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Yesterday I had the privilege of filling in for my friend Russ Howard at Cape Hatteras Baptist Church. Doing it since I was 16, I still love teaching the Word whenever and whenever I get the chance. Here is <a href="https://fb.watch/caSG5-HUIO/">the link to the service</a>. (I start around the 14 minute mark.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsf6xWRcj71YYrq50DlKzsEUEQ0A43JMBxHdwdhpRA0a3kpSwQsGNu6DcOLyTyYikT-_T8zL3Hza7Zr5_d-RdYqbwtEGGDF1f6sogpzKKKjET5l0l7-csodchP4HUkyKUyt9l_kbJlSwGHSfVn6jGijAxvxcArbLYMNvVnMksbQjW7WgLubJ2TAn-46A/s3292/AdrienneCrum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3292" data-original-width="2474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsf6xWRcj71YYrq50DlKzsEUEQ0A43JMBxHdwdhpRA0a3kpSwQsGNu6DcOLyTyYikT-_T8zL3Hza7Zr5_d-RdYqbwtEGGDF1f6sogpzKKKjET5l0l7-csodchP4HUkyKUyt9l_kbJlSwGHSfVn6jGijAxvxcArbLYMNvVnMksbQjW7WgLubJ2TAn-46A/s320/AdrienneCrum.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Also got a picture with my friend Adrienne. She's a member of the church and we are both alumni of the same high school in Orange, California. Truth be told, she wasn't even born when I went to Orange High 50 years ago!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br /><br /><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-88627340756518003342022-03-28T15:50:00.003-04:002022-03-28T15:55:53.646-04:00Nothing Could Be Finer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQ08caFsh4fGIQ7ygDNlA79cHCgh3jSZlnVJp8WB-xkWj8_v0oJhB6zcCw8CqXUp0BGVU5HpWWl9CxmaLGhMV0rEi434R46NKsPM7tmtSfU6hn6ztbtDlMBiL-XhIExorB8UnUnYigVSbDtapk1XEChpMgC-UmXCxd4MxtdmocaIAI96nLw6Q2ES5Vw/s750/FinalFour.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="750" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQ08caFsh4fGIQ7ygDNlA79cHCgh3jSZlnVJp8WB-xkWj8_v0oJhB6zcCw8CqXUp0BGVU5HpWWl9CxmaLGhMV0rEi434R46NKsPM7tmtSfU6hn6ztbtDlMBiL-XhIExorB8UnUnYigVSbDtapk1XEChpMgC-UmXCxd4MxtdmocaIAI96nLw6Q2ES5Vw/s320/FinalFour.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">After the dust settled this past Sunday evening with the Men's Elite Eight tournament, the Final Four have been determined. What a great tournament so far! Who wasn't pulling for little St. Peter's University, the number 15 seed (that's one up from the bottom in their region) to get so record-setting far? But, they ran into a Tar Heel team playing like they should and it was more than the Peacocks could handle.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Now two of the four headed into this weekend's tournament are from the Old North State. And amazingly, for the first time ever the two huge rivals will meet in the NCAA Tournament, much less the Final Four. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Tar Heels are led by their first-year coach Hubert Davis, himself a former Tar Heel player with Final Four experience. The Blue Devils are led by legendary coach Mike Krezyzewski, who retires at the end of the season...which will either be their next loss or their national championship. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is being pegged as <a href="https://www.sportscasting.com/jay-williams-declares-duke-unc-final-four-biggest-game-college-basketball-history/" target="_blank">“the biggest game in college basketball history.”</a>. It well may be.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Either way my state wins and gets into the championship game on Monday. (By the way...NC State's team is in the Women's Final Four.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And who says the ACC is in demise? Tobacco Road is hopping.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">More on Coach K and why I am a Duke fan later.<br /></span></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-22298039272498911572022-03-24T11:42:00.001-04:002022-03-24T11:42:27.695-04:00A Year of Transition<div><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjloZffyyvoCJGM5hgWwICLLEL6VnCm8FmhoCWQ4q_dmpYaVe4jJ3vgDzPLsFp9f4FaWZRaj0EZIolo-O3x4iScKPQuHTsxyrHgcTdSkF2SWRPkAdN0sWmk2gd8VOw6ZqeGutD7-jMvHT66AFDcjcJpfchETmvoT7JY0DXmiLBghMg7-36AiUNkBNH7kg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjloZffyyvoCJGM5hgWwICLLEL6VnCm8FmhoCWQ4q_dmpYaVe4jJ3vgDzPLsFp9f4FaWZRaj0EZIolo-O3x4iScKPQuHTsxyrHgcTdSkF2SWRPkAdN0sWmk2gd8VOw6ZqeGutD7-jMvHT66AFDcjcJpfchETmvoT7JY0DXmiLBghMg7-36AiUNkBNH7kg=w453-h340" width="453" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />I did not realize that it has been a year since my last blog post! How did that happen???</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So here's a bullet point list of the last year...</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Thus far Gail and I have avoided COVID in any form. A year ago we got our first vaccines and then followed up with a booster. (Please take a debate elsewhere.)</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">On April 18 I preached <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzMRdMxgaCk&list=PLTf-a-PjVUvHhr86wohzD_AGVs_cvqjVl" target="_blank">my final sermon</a> as Lead Pastor of <a href="http://nagsheadchurch.org" target="_blank">Nags Head Church</a> and officially "retired" on April 30 after nearly 40 years of full-time ministry and 30 at NHC. Our new Lead Pastor, Nathanael Stevens came aboard six months earlier and we teamed up for that time of transition. Check him out! He's great!! </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">In mid-June Gail and I flew to Juneau, AK and Glacier Valley Baptist Church, where I filled in as interim pastor until mid-October. If you've never been to Alaska you just gotta go! Beauty beyond description. Alaska in the summer is paradise. And we made some great friends there. Gail also (after a 40 year break) got back into quilting while we were there, and is going strong with it now.</span></li></ul></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQyyHaYdDlbT-_TET9Ozy2WC7psrncfMTNo-Jzb7esXd0sKYK8wkBMrh2mrm0Of49c3pxL92NqnUMwnw5ekk5tfvhGaNE4fkLEwnPCNGl0ahtvgK-3HaNx5Xh3GRdpKqhQGLw9OG_FukKLBQrd9BMWKFMH28QBqPcN9qK9qONRfQDGardUhT_mREKOAA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQyyHaYdDlbT-_TET9Ozy2WC7psrncfMTNo-Jzb7esXd0sKYK8wkBMrh2mrm0Of49c3pxL92NqnUMwnw5ekk5tfvhGaNE4fkLEwnPCNGl0ahtvgK-3HaNx5Xh3GRdpKqhQGLw9OG_FukKLBQrd9BMWKFMH28QBqPcN9qK9qONRfQDGardUhT_mREKOAA" width="180" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">My first Social Security check arrived in November!! WooHoo! </span></li></ul></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">It was great to be back with our family for the holidays! </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">We spent 3 days in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC that included a <a href="https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?hspart=trp&hsimp=yhs-001&grd=1&type=Y193_F163_204687_031121&p=phil+keaggy+youtube&guccounter=1">Phil Keaggy</a> concert! <br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">In December I had <a href="https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrCwDN7cztiC2oA.SUPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1648092155/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.skincancer.org%2ftreatment-resources%2fmohs-surgery%2f/RK=2/RS=utWap7yNfARgbrhJtzfdl7Hlz2o-" target="_blank">MOHS surgery</a> on my nose that I had put off while in AK. With my shaggy hair and full beard I indeed looked rough.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzvKG5rza_4ep8OsSwCQ1GROPlgE-XTM1UgZX1yp1Rzjt9yT-nno9Gz6eeNy8WnMyXHPYNIGo3TuRWdKxf-wjswJkBqqRfrB7uqeNrmOewKN9RUXdWtP1UYOjLUIdB9sLYQcWkhl4UBRZ1oslrd0IASOeWhffxsmRMqJVWqXuDFxlDw3Fg6qPiN7Pcg/s3088/IMG_0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzvKG5rza_4ep8OsSwCQ1GROPlgE-XTM1UgZX1yp1Rzjt9yT-nno9Gz6eeNy8WnMyXHPYNIGo3TuRWdKxf-wjswJkBqqRfrB7uqeNrmOewKN9RUXdWtP1UYOjLUIdB9sLYQcWkhl4UBRZ1oslrd0IASOeWhffxsmRMqJVWqXuDFxlDw3Fg6qPiN7Pcg/w174-h232/IMG_0315.JPG" width="174" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Since being home I've had several invitations to preach at churches in the northeast NC area. One even had me back for a second time! I hope to be able to continue that kind of ministry as long as I'm able.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"> After a year's absence Gail and I will be back regularly next month at Nags Head Church to do whatever we can to serve there. She plans to rejoin the Milepost 13 Band and I'll be joining the parking team! </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">In the meantime we're staying busy around the house and yard, spending time with the grandkids, reading (me) and quilting (Gail). Oh, and I'm loving naps.</span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;"> Hopefully I'll do better with the blogging and find a useful purpose for it, using my teaching gift to benefit others. </span><br /></div>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-67859218347751988932021-03-02T14:41:00.000-05:002021-03-02T14:41:20.619-05:00Seuss and Huck<p> </p><p> <span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa fgxwclzu a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJCM-KLIBeKyq8tPE3RmPVrPtMojxGl1x2WESVDy7-JIqxBxQX2_G3AGeNsMHMtLwbZ9pWVu0l048jWFKDHhu53hSgOhVb16bcz9MY7IzrG5UNFrloJsMPAGqElLzDXzzO2Kj2R3JRVkd/s1200/5c70b930afa58.preview.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJCM-KLIBeKyq8tPE3RmPVrPtMojxGl1x2WESVDy7-JIqxBxQX2_G3AGeNsMHMtLwbZ9pWVu0l048jWFKDHhu53hSgOhVb16bcz9MY7IzrG5UNFrloJsMPAGqElLzDXzzO2Kj2R3JRVkd/w177-h177/5c70b930afa58.preview.jpg" width="177" /></a></span></p><p> </p><p>Been reading about Dr. Seuss becoming a victim of the cancel culture.</p><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc e5nlhep0 dati1w0a" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_p5"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa fgxwclzu a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">It reminded me of literature I read in my youth.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I recently found a very old (early 20th century) edition of Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn". I read this book over 50 years ago (along with Tom Sawyer) and understood then the times were different, and that the racist language and imagery reflected those times, not that the times made racism right. </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">But reading them was very educational for me, a jr. high boy in the mid-60's... a time <br />when we were learning to move away from those past injustices.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Context is everything. We can teach our children a lot by remembering, not canceling history.<br /></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-66681541364304905732021-01-25T08:35:00.010-05:002021-01-26T11:54:37.132-05:00Finding the line between conspiracy and truth<p>Recently I was challenged on social media to expose and condemn a group known as QAnon. I had no idea who or what that was, partly because I don't spend time reading conspiracy theory claims that pop up, often from my Christian friends. And those theories, as you know, abound. Then I saw where some of the arrestees from the recent mayhem at the Capitol were identified with this group, so my curiosity was peaked.<br /></p><p> </p><p>My personal philosophy is to emulate the words of Paul, the Apostle. He wrote, "<span class="text Phil-4-8" id="en-HCSB-29449">Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.</span>" (Philippians 4:8) If I'm going to be balanced and well-focused, those are the things with which I need to fill my mind.</p><p><br />Today this showed up on my news feed. It's an article from a trusted source about QAnon. Since I was challenged to expose/condemn them, I felt it wise to learn about it. And I realized not only did I have no idea about it, I think I have many friends who have swallowed this particular flavor of Kool Aid. And I am sure that such conspiracy nonsense and mindless biases lacking reason are on both sides of the spectrum.</p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, <a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/august-web-only/qanon-is-wolf-in-wolfs-clothing.html" target="_blank">here is the link</a> to the article. And remember, "there is none so blind as he who will not see". Beware of false prophets.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-55832378204910335182021-01-22T11:16:00.005-05:002021-01-22T11:16:34.030-05:00Fist Shaking is Not the Answer<p> <span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa fgxwclzu a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"></span></p><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">While watching current events unfold (and reactions to them)...</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">American
evangelicals have (for generations) had a "worldview" that supposes
God treats us as His favorite children. We watch horrible persecution
of Christians in other countries and we pray for them. But, when a
little persecution begins to percolate on our shores we proclaim the
Rapture is almost here, as though hard times for the American Christian
are more than God can bear, so He must act now.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">We're
so full of ourselves. Rather than shake our fists at the world acting
like the world, perhaps it is time to repent and become full of Christ.</div><p></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-59872141731045734112020-12-24T08:06:00.004-05:002020-12-24T08:06:43.840-05:00Just Who Was He?<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Some years ago my son Nathan and I sang a song together in our Christmas Eve service. I can only remember one other time just the two of us sang a duet and that was in South Africa! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is not a Christmas song, but it addresses the question of just who Jesus was and is. Christian songwriter/musician Larry Norman first recorded this about 50 years ago. Larry is now with the Lord, but during his life did much to rattle the doors of the church, and I have been appreciative of him, his music and his stand since I was a teen. I encourage you to check him out online if you don't know his work.<br /><br />Anyway, the link to the video is below of "The Outlaw" we did. Not the best recording, so pardon that and my attempt to sing and play. (It was the last time I did such a public thing!).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> If you wonder who Jesus was/is, I'd love for you to come to know Him. As the last verse says, "It's time for us to leave", referring to His soon return. Are you ready? I hope so!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Merry Christmas!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://vimeo.com/34182253">https://vimeo.com/34182253</a></span><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-50318317589268286092020-12-14T13:29:00.004-05:002020-12-14T16:15:01.944-05:00Monday Rant: Stop Using The Lord's Name in Vain<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Immediately, with some seeing the title the thought is, "He must be talking about cussing." Not at all.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've seen this being posted lately. Have you? (It's spreading like James 3:5 wildfire.) Maybe you've shared it... I quote:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"After hearing Mark Zuckerberg saying that posting the Lord’s Prayer goes against their policies, I’m asking all Christians to please follow my example Jesus said; Everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:33</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is the best challenge I've ever seen on Facebook. So if you love Him and you're not ashamed, please join me in this challenge of faith!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">AMEN</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our Father who art in heaven,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hallowed be thy name.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thy kingdom come,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thy will be done</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On earth, as it is in heaven.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Give us this day our daily bread,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And forgive us our debts,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As we forgive our debtors,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And lead us not into temptation,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.<span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu"><img alt="🙏" height="16" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/td9/1.5/16/1f64f.png" width="16" /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then it ends with "Can I get an Amen?"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;">But, Rick! Is that taking the Lord's name in vain? Absolutely. Here's why.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;">1. Did anyone actually hear Zuckerberg say something like that, and if so, where is the evidence? Post a link, please.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;">2. The original poster says that the owner of Facebook said posting "The Lord's Prayer" goes against Facebook's policies, implying they will remove it. Yet, behold, there it is in living black and white. Maybe someone at FB is asleep at the wheel? Not likely. They've shown themselves to be highly sensitive to anything that goes against their "community standards". So, the post itself disproves itself.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;">3. Knowing that this can't be true, yet using Jesus' words to falsely prove something that isn't provable is using His name in vain. If anything (and I believe He's a whole lot more) Jesus is truth. So, why propagate a lie, or at the least something you don't know to be truth by attaching perhaps His best-known words to it? </span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;">My years on social media have made it clear that there are none in our culture more gullible than Christians who post things that are either inaccurate, have no evidence behind them or are outright falsehoods. And God help us...we tend to go even farther with political conspiracies. By the way, God included such in a prohibition in His Ten Commandments.<br /><br />So, as a pastor, may I say, "Cut it out!" This copy and paste stuff, especially if it paints a picture of some kind of persecution (even it is dubious) does nothing to elevate the Gospel. If you KNOW something to be false (not due to hearsay or because your most trusted BFF posted it), then by all means share that information.<br /><br />Otherwise stick to pictures of cherub angels and unicorns.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="font-size: medium;">Rant over.<br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu"><br /></span></div><p></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-91704309768837165302020-12-04T08:06:00.002-05:002020-12-04T08:08:17.935-05:00Vaccination? Yes, I will.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittm1cRezZuXu4VNRRe0iGxTm1o6Ljx1vvm7QHSpKObpr9wZTloAYXqFXglvz25pfOvEHaulYyZFd_KMx6aBo-UrobcM7Ri1lvvSNyw9e01E_OvQYYCJJg0DTW_MW17HX76pr2vK6-zt6S/s2048/1497c6ffd374850a9917da030ccd655e.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittm1cRezZuXu4VNRRe0iGxTm1o6Ljx1vvm7QHSpKObpr9wZTloAYXqFXglvz25pfOvEHaulYyZFd_KMx6aBo-UrobcM7Ri1lvvSNyw9e01E_OvQYYCJJg0DTW_MW17HX76pr2vK6-zt6S/s320/1497c6ffd374850a9917da030ccd655e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My
rationale for getting the vaccine is simple. <br /><br />First, I'm not a
conspiracy theorist. I pay no attention to hype that has no factual
basis. Really, who thinks big pharma or the government or some mega rich guy really wants to wipe out the population of the world. I've read ahead about the world's future, and we're not ready for something like that.<br /><p></p><div class="ecm0bbzt e5nlhep0 a8c37x1j"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa fgxwclzu a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Second,
since I was a child I've gotten vaccines - small pox (remember those?),
polio (remember the sugar cubes), flu, and so on. I grew up in an era
before many vaccines were available, so I contracted the measles and
mumps. No fun! But, I've never had polio, small pox, whooping cough,
diptheria, flu - all those things for which I was vaccinated. Heck, I just got shots for pneumonia and shingles because neither illness is attractive to me.<br /></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Third,
since I really don't want to get sick with COVID-19 I'll take the
chance on this new vaccine. Some ask, "What if the vaccine gives you
the virus?". Looking at the testing of tens of thousands, that's not
likely. And if it does, so be it. Without the vaccine I probably would
have gotten the virus at some point, so I'll go with the possibility
(and minimal risk) that the vaccine will give me immunity.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">And
fourth, if I get the virus and die from it, I'm ready for what comes
after that. Death has no sting for those in Christ. I'm covered by the
most amazing insurance policy: the death of Christ who forgave me of
my sin when I believed in Him. </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">So,
look for me in line. I'm 65. I have an underlying medical condition. I
have a daughter-in-law who I can't risk catching something from me.
So, give me the shot and soon.</div></div></span></div>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-34621509460490087862020-08-23T13:07:00.004-04:002020-08-23T13:14:20.986-04:00What's Next?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> In my previous post I wrote about my upcoming retirement from pastoring Nags Head Church. The timetable looks like that will happen sometime in the first half of 2021.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So, what's next?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm not ready for the rocking chair, and my goal for "retiring" now is so I am still "young enough" (I know, that's a relative term) to do some other things. When God called me into "vocational" (and I don't like that term) ministry as a 15 year old I felt then as I do now that it was a life-long calling. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So for all those who have tried to convince me not to "retire", please know I'm really not...unless God is finished with me. But, I believe when that takes place, and I've done all I'm supposed to do in this life I'll graduate to the next. That could take place today, couldn't it? But, not knowing when that will be I want to prepare for hanging around a while longer to do other things.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Really I have no plans other than to be open to whatever. There are a few things I would like to do (or at least try to do) while I'm able. But, I'd like to hear from you - <b>especially those of you who know me</b> - what you think I might do in the coming years. I'm not looking for hobbies or ways to "spend my time", like "more golf" or "more pickle ball", but ways to do ministry and/or mission. I do plan to dust off my guitars, put some new strings on them, maybe take a lesson or two and become a rock star. So, don't say that.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Gail and I plan to keep our permanent residence right here in Kitty Hawk near our family. But, we're open to some short term assignments, or even long-term if we can commute. So, feel free to comment below! </span><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-83055783927437149682020-08-16T12:29:00.005-04:002020-08-16T12:35:09.758-04:00It's (almost) time<p> I've been thinking a lot lately about retirement. Friday I got to use my Medicare card for the first time! That fat check from Uncle Sam will appear in my checking account in about 14 months! That time is drawing near. </p><p><br /></p><p>Actually, I started thinking about it about ten years ago when I hit "double nickels" in age. It's at about that age when you realize that you've reached (or passed) the top of the hill and are starting down the other side. If all works out as I'm hoping and praying it will, I'll preach my last sermon as Lead Pastor of Nags Head Church sometime in the Spring of 2021. It's coming fast!</p><p><br />While the news of my retirement has been made known in recent weeks, our pastors and staff, along with my wife and family have known for a while. We just kept it quiet. And as the word got out there have been mixed reactions. Everything from "Good for you!", and "You deserve it!" to "You're too young to retire!". </p><p> </p><p>I don't know that I'm deserving of it, and I hope it's "good" for me, but way back a decade ago I truly hoped to retire from my lead pastor role at NHC while I was still young enough to do some other things - other things that I hope that Lord has prepared for me. So, how do I know the time is right?</p><p>In January I will have been the lead pastor of this one church for 30 years! That's a long time, and in my heart I know it's time for someone new to take the reigns and lead a great church to become greater. </p><p> </p><p>Frankly, I'm tired. Not so much a physical kind of tired (although I do enjoy a good nap!) or the kind of tired an extended vacation would relieve, but anyone who has been a pastor understands the tiredness that comes with the job. And at 65 I don't bounce back as quickly as I did at 35, 45 or even 55.<br /><br />Our culture has changed drastically in the years since I started pastoral ministry in the late 1970's. Most of those changes have not been for our spiritual good, but for our detriment. And so much of what is going on simply frustrates me as a Bible believing, Bible teaching Christian. Paul was so right as he described the latter days to Timothy. Confronting those changes needs energy that I no longer have. So, my hope is for a younger man to take the baton and lead our church to overcome the things that work against us.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p>Leading change is hard work, and we have cultivated an environment ready for change here. The changes took place - to God be the glory for that - and a dying church came to life. More changes will come, I'm sure as our church finds new ways to reach our world with the Gospel. I'm excited about where the Lord is taking us online, and thankful to have gotten in on the ground floor of it. So, I think we're poised right now for greater things ahead with new leadership.</p><p> </p><p>Bottom line (for me, anyway) is that it's time. While I'm sure that it will take a bit for me to get used to not preaching to eager parishioners every Sunday, I know it's time. Maybe God is using this pandemic to prepare me! I honestly never imagined my last year of full-time pastoral ministry would include not preaching to a live congregation for months. </p><p> </p><p></p><p>The final date has not yet been set. But it's getting nearer. My confidence is that God sets our seasons (Ecclesiastes 3). He is in control. And I'm good with that. It's time!</p><p><br /></p><p>What will I do? Maybe that will be the subject of another post. But, I honestly don't yet know!<br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-92144024959251788522020-07-22T13:32:00.002-04:002020-07-22T13:34:18.205-04:00Kindness and Generosity: Things God Loves in Us<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Did you see or hear <a href="https://www.nbc12.com/2020/07/21/struggling-single-mother-donates-lottery-winnings-mo-officer-shot-line-duty/?fbclid=IwAR3szhtbr1Nz6UMhp-z-1ZLGNjrmxQxNpyHPmithVS0xNqgHe7ztM461Ang" target="_blank">the story of Shetara Sims</a>, the single mother in Missouri who gave the $100 she won from a
scratch off lottery ticket to the family if a police officer who had been shot
in the line of duty?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a genuine feel
good story that I believe illustrates a few valid biblical principles.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">No, that principle isn’t for
us all to go out and buy lottery tickets!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t believe gambling is practicing good stewardship of what we
have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, who hasn’t dreamed of what you
would do with the money if you won the lottery, especially if it was one of
those mega jackpot winnings of hundreds of thousands of dollars?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the result of my dream is that I pat myself on the back because of
how I would give most of it away to further the Gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And then I say something to
God like, “See God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you would let me
win a lottery look how much ahead you would be financially”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I realize how dumb that thought is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Anyway, this single mom had a
daughter murdered in 2012, and the police supported them with daily messages,
family visits and more.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“The detectives were really
there for us. They were there for us more than anyone I can imagine. They did
things they didn’t have to do,” Sims said. “They came to see my kids. They did
a lot. They were fathers, therapists. They were everything.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Then one day she picked up a
dollar she found in a parking lot and spent it on a lottery ticket, and won
$100.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her daughter suggested that she
give it to the family of the wounded cop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She sent it anonymously to the police department to go to the
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being cops, they wanted to know
where the $100 came from, so they did some detective work and somehow found her
to thank her.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But there’s more to the
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, after learning she was a
struggling single mom, they started a GoFundMe for her and quickly raised
$12,000 as of yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What’s the biblical
principle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not to spend your money
on lottery tickets hoping God will make you rich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t work that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are three lessons here.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Be kind to those who are
hurting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The police were kind beyond the
call of duty to Shetara when her daughter was killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shetara was then kind to the family of the
wounded officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for ways to
express kindness to your neighbors and people you don’t even know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If God blesses you with some extra, share
that blessing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be kind, especially when
you don’t have to be.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2. You will reap what you
sow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God says so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And here is a story of someone who sowed
kindness (the police) and then reaped kindness and generosity when they
received that $100.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some of us $100
is not a lot of money, and to sow it wouldn’t be a big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for a struggling single mom $100 of
groceries or gas or new shoes for her girl to wear to school was a big amount.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, she sowed it because of the kindness she
had received earlier.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3. Give and it will be given
to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember the story of the widow’s
meager amount of flour and oil that she gave to Elijah?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember the widow who gave her last two
pennies to the Lord?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God honors that
kind of generosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can you give to
someone in need?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus promised that
generosity doesn’t go unnoticed by the Lord, and He promises to take care of
your needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We’re coming up on a time in
our community when there are going to be some opportunities for us to
give.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Working parents are scrambling
now, wondering how they’re going to work and homeschool their kids, even for 5
weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can you or I do to
help?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can we be generous?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Be kind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">You’ll reap what you sow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Give and it will be given to
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style>Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891271368543527189.post-20653210927381369662020-03-23T14:46:00.003-04:002020-03-23T14:46:45.431-04:00We're All in This TogetherI was asked to write a piece for the local Outer Banks Voice.<br /><a href="https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2020/03/23/were-all-in-this-together/?fbclid=IwAR0diAaIBhYa9Z4acMolvYcqUwB2zpCnhdAIAqUvntC5iehxP1bdByZGKxs" target="_blank">Here</a> it is.Rick Lawrensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04472532417528025895noreply@blogger.com2