WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IN?
by Bob Wickizer
Scripture: Jonah 3:1-5, Psalms 62:6-12, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20
Title: What Do You Believe In?
Author: Bob Wickizer
Text: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:6-14; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20
What do you believe in?
When I first arrived in Muskogee in 2010, I met many people from the community as well as members of my church. That first year probably involved four or five lunch or dinner invitations a week. Curious people wanted to know who this strange person was who would move from Washington, D.C., and the National Cathedral to little 'ole Grace Church in a poor town in the Midwest. There was genuine excitement and curiosity.
One wealthy matron invited me to lunch at the local watering hole which, sadly, is now closed. As we chatted, she popped the question. She looked at me in earnest and asked, "Do you believe in global warming?" Of course, the question was a political litmus test designed to learn whether I was a hated liberal or one of the faithful. I smiled at her as I mulled over the opportunity to tell the truth and put myself in the forever banned from Oklahoma political party. I was also amused that her question had acquired a religious tone to it.
I replied, "Martha, I believe in God. Climate change is not a matter of belief. It is a scientific issue. And as a scientist who has studied the data and the models, I agree with most of the findings and theories about this topic, that burning fossil fuels has led to the large scale, global changes in climate that we are now observing. We could talk about the science, or what we believe in." She quickly changed subjects and we went on with lunch. She continued to attend my church and gave generously even though she was a member of the big Methodist church down the street.
After John was arrested and thrown in prison, Jesus walked all through the region of Galilee proclaiming, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
The word "good news" appears hundreds of times in the bible. What "good ...
Author: Bob Wickizer
Text: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:6-14; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20
What do you believe in?
When I first arrived in Muskogee in 2010, I met many people from the community as well as members of my church. That first year probably involved four or five lunch or dinner invitations a week. Curious people wanted to know who this strange person was who would move from Washington, D.C., and the National Cathedral to little 'ole Grace Church in a poor town in the Midwest. There was genuine excitement and curiosity.
One wealthy matron invited me to lunch at the local watering hole which, sadly, is now closed. As we chatted, she popped the question. She looked at me in earnest and asked, "Do you believe in global warming?" Of course, the question was a political litmus test designed to learn whether I was a hated liberal or one of the faithful. I smiled at her as I mulled over the opportunity to tell the truth and put myself in the forever banned from Oklahoma political party. I was also amused that her question had acquired a religious tone to it.
I replied, "Martha, I believe in God. Climate change is not a matter of belief. It is a scientific issue. And as a scientist who has studied the data and the models, I agree with most of the findings and theories about this topic, that burning fossil fuels has led to the large scale, global changes in climate that we are now observing. We could talk about the science, or what we believe in." She quickly changed subjects and we went on with lunch. She continued to attend my church and gave generously even though she was a member of the big Methodist church down the street.
After John was arrested and thrown in prison, Jesus walked all through the region of Galilee proclaiming, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
The word "good news" appears hundreds of times in the bible. What "good ...
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