Elect Larry Cain

As I drove up to the preacher’s peer meeting that was scheduled at the Peachtree Lane Church of Christ facilities I took a double take. Parked so that it was visible to passing traffic was Larry Cain’s automobile with a sign that touted in patriotic colors: Elect Larry Cain for District Commissioner. Now, if you are not aware of it… Larry Cain is the minister for the congregation there in Yuba City. When we asked Larry about his political aspirations and when did he make the plunge into the dark side he responded as only Larry Cain can. With a glint of mischief in his eyes and a coy lifting of the cheeks to an all knowing smile he informed us that we would have to go to Alabama where he had just visited his parents, so we could register to vote. That is, this Larry Cain was not our Larry Cain but rather Alabama’s Larry Cain. Larry’s aunt had had great fun supplying her nephew with some rather coincidental political posting. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if it had read: Elect Larry Cain for Dog Catcher.

I don’t want to ruin Larry’s great fun but I have thought that I would like to make a slight alteration to his sign. With white out and marker in hand I would like to change the sign to read: Elect: Larry Cain. You see, one thing I know about Larry Cain the minister for the Peachtree Lane Church of Christ is that he is one of God’s elect. Now, I mean this not only in its theological context of one of the redeemed immersed in the blood of Jesus, led by the promised Spirit and secure in the grace of the cross… but I proudly testify that Larry Cain is one of God’s chosen in vocation and demonstration. Let me explain… Larry like many who have gone before and will in the future, heeded the call to give his life to preaching the gospel. Yes, I have a soft spot in my heart for those who take up that cross in service and solemnity. But Larry is a saint among saints. Larry not only accepted the call to preach by making it his vocation but also embraced the meaning of the cross by becoming a servant to all. At every gathering you will see Larry making every effort not to be the preacher but a servant. Larry truly has the heart of a servant… the heart of our Lord!

Now, I said all of that, not so we might elect Larry Cain as preacher of the year but that Larry and those like him might remind us how precious… how honorable… how important is the kingdom of God in proclamation and in manifestation. In him we were also chosen… in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:11,12). -DAN

Dancing Dinosaurs

In Vermilion Cliffs National Monument along the Southern Utah/Arizona border geologists have determined that what was formerly thought to be potholes formed by erosion are in fact highly concentrated dinosaur footprints and rare tail drag markings. The site seems to indicate that a much sought after oasis roused a certain excitable activity from these prehistoric giants which produced some dinosaur dancing. I’m not sure if we’re talking square or disco dancing but the geologist seem to think these behemoths were bust’n a move Paleolithic style. Now, I don’t know about you but I don’t doubt prehistoric bounce parties existed I’m just a little cynical of science sleuthing that turns potholes into dance floors.

It somewhat reminds me of my oldest sister’s enthusiasm with her first born. My nephew Kenny would take sheets of paper and tear them up and proclaim he had made an airplane or car, or cow, or pig, or house, or you name it… the only problem was that all his paper scraps looked the same. However, my sister thought he was the Da Vinci of paper tearing! She just knew his potholes were dancing dinosaurs! Don’t get me wrong, Kenny was creative and his imagination entertaining but scientist in the next millennium will not dig up his paper creations and label them airplanes or pigs or dancing dinosaurs.

Now, I said all that to say I’m not interested in bashing modern science or pouncing on paleontologists but rather want to heed the personal warning not to engage in my own theological sleuthing that turns my think so into a thus saith the Lord. I long for the wisdom that comes from heaven that is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). I want to see with eyes that are fresh and unfettered by prejudice or preconceived notions of how I think it ought to be. I want to hear God’s word so that I am uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom I must give account (Hebrews 4:13). I don’t want to be dancing with dinosaurs when I should be marching to Zion. And I desire to be free from the noise of the crowd so that I only hear Jesus! That’s the tune I want to dance to! -DAN

One of These Things Does Not Belong With the Others

Embedded in my memory are random clips and tattered tales from Sesame Street. It is the result of many hours of TV prison while raising my children with Bert and Ernie. One of these Sesame Streetisms that finds its way to my lips from time to time is “One of these does not belong with the others.” Recently, these words found their way home when I witnessed a young man walking down the street. Typical of what I often see in the South area this young man was sporting a wave cap topped with a Raiders baseball cap turned sideways. He had an oversized bright red leather jacket over what had to be a triple X tee-shirt that draped over his slender frame. This ensemble was accessorized with the suitable bling of oversized chains and emblems. And of course, it was enhanced with sagged pants and tongue flapping sneakers. So, what doesn’t belong with the others you may ask? Not one item… except this young man was walking a dog –a prancing little Pekinese! Need I say more?

Now, before you accuse me of canine profiling or even worse of left-handed racism… let me explain. Yes, I think anyone should be able to walk the dog of their own choosing and that really is my point here! We have expectations of how things group together and what is to be expected but because we all have been created in the image of God we often chose the unexpected. That is… I know grandmothers with tattoos and NFL linebackers that knit. Life is full of this doesn’t seem to belong with the others! Which leads me to what I really wanted to talk about –Sacred Ink?

Okay, you’ve got my attention… what is Sacred Ink? Sacred Ink is the ministry of Patrick Mead of the Rochester Church of Christ. His web site explains: A Tattoo ministry for people who don’t quite “fit in” with other church folks. I grew up in a household where we weren’t allowed to even put bubblegum wipe on tattoos on our bodies… tattoos weren’t exactly an abomination but they weren’t Christian! Now, Patrick and his team are winning souls for Christ through Sacred Ink. Because after all… it’s the Antioch Effect (The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. Acts 11:26). That is, the church took on the name Christian when it became a body that made no distinctions between Jew and Gentile, bond and free, or male and female but became one man in Christ Jesus (cf. Galatians 3:26-28). In the kingdom of God it’s what is written on the heart that matters, even if it finds its way there through a tattoo! -DAN

That's No Glove

Recently, at the Budget rental location near Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Airport employees servicing a returned vehicle were cast in the sequel to “Snakes on a Plane.” To their surprise and ophidian affliction they opened the glove box to discover a four-foot red-tail boa constrictor staring them in the face (the opening scene to “Snakes in a Car”). The man who returned the car said he was glad he didn’t know the snake was there or he might have passed out! My wife who told me this story was delighted with the serendipity and prospect of finding a friend in the usually cluttered catch-all of a car. Certainly a silky affable pet is a better discovery than broken sunglasses, hairy lifesavers, crumpled maps and assorted receipts from fast food runs? Well, at least if you are under the impression that snakes in car is a happy fortunate turn of events… in Pam’s defense she did say she wouldn’t just try to pick up red without a proper introduction (snakes do bite you know).

As I have confessed many times before I suffer from ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) and though I have held snakes it has only been with fear and trembling and considerable consternation. I respect Pam’s love of all God’s creatures but I still maintain that Satan’s first and lasting form was not a ruddy complexion, nor a pointy goatee or tail but rather the form of a snake! So I feel the bible backs me up on this one… but that’s not really the important lesson in this story. What strikes me as spiritually challenging and eye opening is that one never knows what is on the other side until the door opens. My Dad was fond of saying, “Never, say never.” That is, we can never know what is possible and should expect that life will have a few surprises for us.

Jesus is kind of bold in this area…Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you…Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? ...your Father in heaven gives good gifts to those who ask him (Matthew 7:7-11). You don’t know… I don’t know… WE don’t know what will be on the other side of the doors of life but WE will pray that the God of good gifts will bless us with whatever we find –even if at first we think it’s a snake only to find out it’s a pet… even if it looks like trouble and turns out to be a blessing! -DAN