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Politics, Religion, & Your Vote

April 26, 2012 in Religion with 25 Comments

I read THIS article in The Christian Post last night regarding the religious and where their votes are going. Not too many surprises here, but still interesting information. The article stated…

Voters with high levels of religiosity favor Mitt Romney, while voters who are moderately religious or nonreligious favor President Barack Obama, according to a new Gallup poll.

Fifty-four percent of registered voters categorized as “very religious” said they are currently supporting Romney, while 37 percent said they would vote for Obama, in the presidential race. Among the “moderately religious,” 54 percent support Obama and 40 percent support Romney. Among the “nonreligious” Obama’s support is even greater, 61 percent, while Romney gets only 30 percent.

Voters are more closely split when comparing Catholics and Protestants. Protestants favor Romney, a Latter-day Saint, 48 to 43 percent. Catholics favor Obama, a Protestant, 51 to 45 percent.

Among “very religious” Catholics, though, the advantage tilts to Romney, 50 to 46 percent. The gap is even wider among “very religious” Protestants, who favor Romney 54 to 35 percent. When factoring in race and ethnicity, the gap becomes wider still. Romney has a 41 percentage point advantage (64 to 23 percent) among very religious non-Hispanic white Protestants.

Religiosity has been a reliable predictor of vote choice in presidential elections at least since the 2000 election. Those with high levels of religiosity have favored Republicans while those with low levels of religiosity have favored Democrats. This “God gap” has been a stronger predictor of vote choice than the much ballyhooed “gender gap,” in which females favor Democrats and males favor Republicans.

So what do you say? Will your faith have a big impact on who you’re voting for in the upcoming election?

Monday Morning Mega Letdown

April 1, 2012 in Spiritual Growth with 33 Comments

Friday’s record-breaking $656 million Mega Millions lottery prize went to three exceedingly lucky winners in three different states and just about everyone else is back to work today.

The odds weren’t too good. In fact they were about one in 176 million.

USA Today reported…

By Friday night, after it’d grown for more than nine weeks, Americans had spent nearly $1.5 billion on Mega Millions tickets — the equivalent of nearly $5 for every man, woman and child in the USA. They spent more than $429 million on Friday alone.

When a lottery is getting a lot of press, for some reason, I often get asked on twitter or via email about my personal stance on the lottery. People will ask if Cross Point would receive a donation from someone who had won the lottery.

Now, please keep in mind that I’ve only bought one lottery ticket in my whole life (it was on my honeymoon 15 years ago). I don’t think it’s a good personal investment, but I want to make it extremely clear that I would absolutely receive a donation from someone who won. So…..if you happen to be one of the three that won…you know how to get a hold of me.

So I was wondering, do you think a church, shelter, or any ministry driven non-profit organization, should accept the money? Why or why not?

If you won, what is the first thing you would do with your money?

Defeat and Hypocrisy

February 26, 2010 in Spiritual Growth with 38 Comments

I continue to be amazed at how it always seems that religion complicates what God has made simple. I was reading last night in Matthew and reminded at how often Jesus tried to expose the complexities of religion.

Matt 23: ¹ Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ² “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. ³ So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. ⁴ They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

I grew up in a system of religion that was very similar to this. The “demands” often left me feeling crushed and wondering if God could ever accept and love me.

I discovered over time that religion and the rules that accompanied it really only produced two things: defeat, if you were honest, and hypocrisy, if you were not.

I spent years in hypocrisy which was fueled by my fear that I wasn’t “good enough.” I’ll be forever grateful that I eventually exchanged that system of religion in for a story of redemption. I’ll be forever grateful for discovering the meaning behind these beautiful words of Jesus…

Matthew 11:²⁸ “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Tired of trying? Need some Rest?

God Bless America?

June 26, 2008 in Church Leadership, Church Planting, Cross Point Church, God, Leadership, Missions, Religion with 87 Comments

I saw this bumper sticker the other day when I was walking into Blockbuster. It says, “My Pastor Says God Bless America.” Since seeing the bumper sticker I’ve discovered it’s linked to a political movement.

I want to be clear that I’m neither condemning nor endorsing this organization. I know nothing about it, but this bumper sticker just prompted the following thoughts.

I’m tired of praying “God Bless America.” Now, before you try to stone me at the county courthouse, let me clearly state, “I’m proud of our country.” I’m indebted to people who have served her to give me the freedoms I have. So we’re cool. I shoot fireworks off on the 4th and everything.

I’m just thinking this. It kind of looks like God has already blessed America. I kind of feel like maybe I should be praying “God thanks for already blessing America, so now I’m going to bless you.” Or maybe “God, thanks for already blessing America, so help me use your blessing to bless some others.” Or maybe just simply, “God bless Uganda.” I think they need it a little more than we do.

Around the world, some 26,500 children die every day (source: global issues.com)

That is equivalent to:

* 1 child dying every 3 seconds

* 18 children dying every minute

* A 2004 Asian Tsunami occurring every week* An Iraq-scale death toll every 15–36 days

* Almost 10 million children dying every year

* Some 60 million children dying between 2000 and 2006 Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day.

A friend sent me a video link yesterday from CNN. I dare you to CLICK HERE and watch this disturbing video where the parents walk away from their 11 year old boy leaving him in the custody of the government because they can’ afford to feed him. When I watched that little boys chin start to quiver as his mom walked away I just LOST IT.

So, I’m sorry if today I just can’t pray “God bless America”. But, make no mistake about it, I’m praying for Ahri and his family. I’m praying for the families of the almost 40 kids who have died in the time you’ve been reading this post.

Does this wreck you like it wrecks me?

my chaos,

Pete

What Is Your Current State of Deception?

April 25, 2008 in Church Leadership, God, Leadership, Religion with 26 Comments

I met with Stephen Brewster, this week in downtown Nashville. Stephen is in town for the GMA’s in his official capacity as the Senior Director of Marketing for Integrity Music. Stephen and I have gotten to know each other a little over the last couple of months. If you don’t regularly read his blog then CLICK HERE for a little taste. I bet you’ll go back for more! He’s off the charts creative and inspired me in all kinds of ways yesterday. But here was the one thing that stood out.

He said, “Pete, you need to know your present state of deception. We are all deceived by something.”

That statement bounced around in my head all day yesterday. I thought about verses like Proverbs 14:12 which remind me that we all have the unbelievable capacity for self deception. And while the stakes are high for everyone, for those of you that are leaders, you really have to tune in to your deception. Leading from your state of deception can do a lot of damage to your organization and the people under your leadership.

I think my present state of deception has to do with the attitude, “If I don’t, it won’t.” Sometimes I buy into the idea that I have to do it, and if I don’t do it, it’s not going to be done or it’s not going to be done right. It’s birthed from control and/or trust issues that I know I need to keep in check on a regular basis. The real down side to this deception is that I don’t end up empowering the people that God has entrusted to my life.

You’re next. What is your current state of deception?

Hint: If you can’t think of one you should ask someone close to you. They will probably be able to answer it without even thinking!

I Stink At Prayer

April 7, 2008 in God with 29 Comments

I’ll be the first to say I stink at prayer. I know, I know… you’re going to say “how can you stink at prayer, you’re a pastor?” I understand. I know it seems weird. I’m not saying I don’t pray, or I don’t enjoy prayer. I’m not saying I don’t understand it or I need help understanding why we pray. I’m just saying I stink at prayer.

Over the weekend I read an interesting article in LeadershipJournal.net by Greg Boyd entitled “Learning Imaginative Prayer”. In the article he said…

I first encourage people to make a date with Jesus simply to enjoy the beauty of Christ. Intercession is important, but so is resting in Christ. While in a space conducive for prayer, I have them ask the Holy Spirit to help them experience Jesus; to make him become real to them.

Now, I’m not saying I buy into everything the guy was saying, but he got me thinking. The idea of “Imaginative Prayer” is something that I’m willing to try. I know I need to spend more time just resting in Christ and I can see how it could help someone who is easily distracted, like myself, stay more focused. Here are a few other things I’ve been doing over the past few years to help me focus while I pray.

1) Keep a “to do” list next to me as I pray. Often, while I’m praying, little things pop into my head that need to get done in the course of the day. Pausing to write it down allows me to get it out of my head so I can get on with my prayer.

2) Praying Outside. God has wired me so I feel closest to Him when I’m out in nature. Some of the most meaningful times of prayer come for me when I’m out hiking or just spending time in God’s creation.

3) Short Prayers. I used to think if you were really spiritual you could stay in one place and pray for hours. While I’m sure this is a good thing, it’s not the way it works in my life. I have learned to pray throughout my day. I try to live out 1 Thess. 5:17 “pray without ceasing”. When God brings something to my mind I need to pray about in that moment, I pray. It’s not now I’m typing, now I’m praying, and now I’m typing again. It just becomes a continuous stream in my life.

So how does this work for you? How’s your prayer life?