soul talk: Psalm25:5

I’m sure someone will correct me, but I believe that Jesus talked more about the “Kingdom of God” than he did anything else. What is the most visible expression of the KINGDOM OF GOD that you have witnessed recently?

Years ago, while I was serving a church in the DC suburbs, a member of my  church insisted I attend the “March for Life.”  The March is an annual on the mall in Washington that demonstrates against abortion. I marched, but little has changed.

Here are my most recent thoughts about how to effectively battle abortion.

Let’s make adoption so attractive that abortion will loose credibility as an option in the public’s mind.

It seems to me, all pro-life, anti-abortion, advocates, should be even more passionate about adoption and foster care.

My perception, which may be false, says that adoption is seen as the less desirable option for the woman, or couple, considering abortion. Somehow abortion is favored. Could someone figure out how to make adoption so desirable, and so attractive, and so successful and common, that abortion lost all favor?

One significant step is for churches to fully embrace foster care and adoption. I’m glad to see the beginnings of this at my church, but we have so long to go. WOuld you partner with me to pray for churches, and for Christians, to fully embrace adoption/foster care?

I am not an expert at anything, least of all parenting. Still, there are moments when I am impressed with a significant truth, usually from scripture, or from a great Christian communicator, and these impressions are worth passing on.  Here is one:

1. Stop having “church” conversations and start having “God” conversations.

I’m BIG on church. So please understand thatI am not demeaning the church in any way. In my parenting of our daughters I can recall dozens of times that I’ve picked them up after an event at church and asked something like, “How did it go?” or “How was the meeting?” or “How was the event?” You’ve probably done the same. The problem that I see is that the conversation that followed the question was often centered around the event. I wish I had intentionally led the conversation more toward God. Here are some questions I wish I had asked more often:

a. What did God teach you through the time there?

b. Do you feel closer to God, or more distant from him as a result?

c. Where do you sense God may be leading you as a result of this experience?

I know, these are deep questions, and I’m sure they could be phrased in better ways, but I will leave them as is, for the purpose of asking you to think about it…how can you lead your children to understand that life is ALL about loving God, and too often we fall SO short of this by just talking church.

Here’s something to ponder, “Stop thinking about evangelism as something we do. Start thinking about evangelism as the result of how we live.”

Our local newspaper picked up this great story of two young Westsider’s taking the initiative to “be the church” in our community. I read this and want to stand up a cheer! Do you know of more examples like this?

Scott McNight’s book “The Jesus Creed” says that it is morally dangerous to live by Jesus’ commands “love God, love others.”  There are 613 laws (commands and prohibitions) in the Old Testament. I have always thought that 613 was way too many and represented an example of religion gone wrong.  It occurred to me today that if I really live by Jesus’ two commands then 613 is not nearly enough. To really love God and others will effect every decision I make for every day of my life.

613 – is that all!