Fair Game

Spirituality Column #62
January 15, 2008
Curren in Carmel (IN) newspaper

Fair Game
By Bob Walters

This random but good question popped up recently when Carmel resident Derek Duncan, senior minister at East 91st Street Christian Church in Castleton, was addressing a Bible study group about building plans and ministry priorities:

“What are the three greatest barriers (that prevent people from) believing in Christ?”

Off the cuff Duncan came up with these:

1. People don’t see the need. Life is good. Kids are good. Career is good. Money is good. Health is good. I’m a good person … who needs a “savior?”

2. They had a bad experience in church, see that the church doesn’t always change people, and think “Why would I want to be one of those hypocrites?”

3. People (who do believe in Christ) are not passionate about talking about Christ.

True, true and true.

We all need to have that kind of clear understanding of what other people see when they look at us as Christians. Add your own items to the list. It helps us to understand our own individual ministries.

In my case, I’d add:

- We may not have the courage to openly identify ourself as a Christian.

- I’m too smart to believe all that Jesus stuff.

- We know it’s not, but we want life to be fair, and God seems so eminently unfair when earthly things go haywire – sickness, disaster, war, horrid relationships, etc. – that we ask “where is God’s goodness?” instead of truly trusting God.

Think about what you would add to the list.

The Christian walk is about having a close, personal and trusting relationship with God. The Bible is a book of relationships, none more important than the one Jesus invites us to have with God, through the Holy Spirit that lives (yes, it really does) in each of us.

Asking God to be fair based on what we want or understand rarely reveals satisfying answers and always creates barriers. How about just asking God to help us trust Him in all things (Psalm 119:86, John 14:1) and to show us how to be bold for Christ?

That’s fair.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) long ago was a decent professional tennis umpire and tried to be fair, but usually got yelled at anyway.

Returning a Gift, Part 4

Spirituality Column #58
December 18, 2007
Current in Carmel (IN) newspaper

Returning a Gift, Part 4
By Bob Walters

Certainly the gift of "salvation and eternal life with God" is the greatest gift on record.

This is a gift we get – if we want to receive it – because of Jesus Christ, not a gift another human can give to us. So as I write about the greatest and best gift I ever got from a person, it’s not the gift of salvation. We have that gift because of Christ on the Cross.

Russ Blowers, my good buddy who died in November, was a dear friend and giver of great gifts to many people. Whether in finding one’s faith, finding Christ, walking with Christ, persevering in Christ or abiding in this life amid both wonder and horror, so many of us have Russ or some other wonderful pastor, minister, priest or spiritual mentor to thank for facilitating that direct, personal and eternal connection through Christ and the Holy Spirit with God Almighty.

So the gift I got from Russ wasn’t religion in general, Christianity in particular, or specifically the incredible church home – independent East 91st Street Christian Church in Castleton – that Russ shepherded through 55 years of ministry. He retired as senior pastor in 1996, but he never quit the ministry. His impact on Indianapolis, the nation, and the global body of Christ was enormous.

His impact on me – his gift – was specific, powerful, and critical to everything that has happened in my faith journey.

I only just met Russ in September 2001, and he died last month, November 2007 … the youngest 83-year-old I’ve ever known. I won’t go into the details of meeting and befriending Russ, although it involved his inviting me – a quite imperfect stranger at church – to lunch, which also isn’t the gift I’m talking about.

The gift Russ gave me (and probably to many, many others) – without me recognizing it at the time or him knowing it until I told him later when I finally figured it out – was that in his demeanor, assuredness, intellect, grace, faith and resolve, he had given me the gift of courage to go and find Christ, and to become a Christian.

He communicated all that by simply praying over lunch, something I'd never ever done before in a public restaurant.

The courage to find Christ. Starting with a prayer.  It was the greatest and most important gift another person has ever given me.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) will conclude this five-part series next week, and discuss returning this gift. May you and yours have a merry and meaningful Christmas. John 1:14.