Nobody but Jesus

When I was in Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) in the summer of 1957 in Fresno, California, I lived dormitory style with 7 other young volunteers. Someone put on a Mahalia record every morning and cranked it. I'd never heard Gospel, only traditional hymns. It was a great way to start the day.

Social Injustice

Jesus didn't come to liberate you or a group defined by gender, race or income from social, political or economic injustice. His mission was to liberate all people, rich or poor, brown or black, male or female, CEOs or slaves, educated or dropouts, hedonists or stoics, philosphers or farmers from the bondage of sin. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. . ." Bring that message to people regardless of their circumstances, and the church will grow as it has in China the last 60 years. From 700,000 when it was outlawed and persecuted by Mao to 150,000,000 today.

You can be a lost beggar living in a $10 million home in a pristine suburb with acres of land without Jesus.

Speaking civility out of the left side of his mouth--Jim Wallis

Chuck Colson and Jim Wallis have co-authored an appeal for civility in Christianity Today. In 2007, Wallis didn't mind ripping people in government from limb to limb.

“I believe that Dick Cheney is a liar; that Donald Rumsfeld is also a liar; and that George W. Bush was, and is, clueless about how to be the president of the United States. They have shamed our beloved nation in the world by this [Iraq] war and the shameful way they have fought it.”

Americans and Iraqis died “because of their lies, incompetence, and corruption.” Wallis went on to say he favors investigations of the top officials of the Bush administration on “official deception, war crimes, and corruption charges.” And if they were found guilty of these “high crimes,” Wallis wrote, “I believe they should spend the rest of their lives in prison. … Deliberately lying about going to war should not be forgiven.”

Peter Wehner