A Great Week

Well, after a great week on the rolling prairie of Oklahoma, I am
back where I get an internet connection and can update my blog. We
spent the week with Rhonda's parents at their ranch in SoonerLand. We
even enjoyed our Thanksgiving Dinner at the Golden Corral in Ada (by
the way, not nearly as good as the burger at the Hamburger King!).
All in all, relaxing and appreciated.

Back when I was in high school, I read a book called "God's Kingdom
is a Party!" by a man named Tony Campolo. This guy was a sociology
professor in California and a Baptist minister. I was intrigued
because the anchor of the book was a story about Campolo sitting at a
Denny's late one night and in comes a prostitute with her prostitute
friends. He discovers it's her birthday and he teams with the wait
staff to throw this hooker a party. His point is that God throws
parties for the most unlikely people. The story is much better
written by this man, but it has always stuck with me. He has become
widely recognized as what some call a leader in the "evangelical left"
movement. I have posted an interview he did with Stephen Colbert that
helps explain this a little. In the interview he indicates that he
prefers the term "red-letter Christian," meaning that he is part of a
church that takes the words of Jesus literally and is intentionally
about living out the things taught by Jesus every day.

That's what I want to be! I think. Following Jesus is not always
easy. Some might even say it is impossible. His morality is lofty
and his ethics are spotless. His compassion makes Mother Theresa
appear self-centered. He is continually looking out for the poor and
the most vulnerable. He's a vagrant missionary who owns nothing. He
speaks out against the religious fanatics of his day. He is
persecuted and killed.

Do I really want this? What sacrifices will I have to make to
follow? I don't have to do anything to get his approval, but I must
do something if I am to follow. I don't want to be Christian...I want
to follow Christ. And I do not believe that the two are the same.