I remember going to a worship service, one of the most powerful services I’ve ever attended. There were thousands of Christians from all over the Middle East gathered just before Easter. We sang “Amazing Grace” in Arabic. We said the Lord’s Prayer together in all kinds of different tongues. Then the bishops read a statement addressed to Muslims, which read: “We believe that you are created in the image of God and we love you.” It was pregnant with hope. Afterward I confessed to one of the bishops that I was surprised to see so many Christians in Iraq. He looked at me blankly and said gently, “Yes, my friend. This is where Christianity began. You did not invent it in America. You have only domesticated it. Go back and tell the church in America that we are praying for them … to be the body of Christ, to embody the gospel of Jesus.” His words still echo in my soul.
May we remember this Easter season — that it may be Friday, but Sunday is coming. Death may be all around us, but in the end resurrection triumphs. Another little one clinging to Jesus.
If that’s heresy, then sign me up.
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I don’t know much about the man…but I bought his book so I could read it.
Anytime the ODM’s spend so much time blasting someone…I figure that person might have something good to say.
I wish we kept track everytime somebody has said that on this site and on the internet. I just think it’s hilarious that the ODM’s have so greatly contributed to the purchase and reading of the books and authors they so despise.
Keep it up ODM’s. I need to know what books to read next.
When I was in college, I went to the movies a lot. I faithfully read the reviews in the paper each week. The main reviewer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution back then was Eleanor Ringel. If Eleanor hated a movie, I knew that it was a must-see. She only let me down once in about 50 applications of that rule.
The ODMs not only provide this same service, but they kick it up a notch. I didn’t even know who Mark Driscoll or Shane Claiborne were until the ODM’s gave them free publicity.
sort of like Gene Shalit vis a vis my enjoyment of films…
or Michael Medved vis a vis my enjoyment of absolutely anything in the entire world ever…
Yeah I agree, I’ve found most of my favorite authors, many of my favorite speakers and even a few musicians and artists, who I greatly enjoy, who challenge me on a regular basis and who drive me to the scriptures and into prayer and worship….from all the people the ODM’s warned me about
It’s like an opposite day, if they say to stay away it’s usually a strong sign that you should check them out. T
hat’s why as much as I hope each ODM site is eventually convicted of a lot of the damage they’ve done and garbage they’ve spouted and either change their site to build up the Body or end their site to spend that time in other ways, but even then it’ll be bittersweet because I won’t have this trove of great authors, speakers and artists recommended by their warnings!