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the most inspirational speech of last year!

Well, thank you, thank you Mr. President, First Lady, King Abdullah of Jordan, Norm [Coleman], distinguished guests. Please join me in praying that I don’t say something we’ll all regret.

That was for the FCC.

If you’re wondering what I’m doing here, at a prayer breakfast, well so am I. I’m certainly not here as a man of the cloth, unless that cloth is — is leather. I’m certainly not here because I’m a rock star — which leaves only one possible explanation: I’ve got a messianic complex. It’s true. And anyone who knows me, it’s hardly a revelation.

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check out this link to one of my favorite videos from a great video series from last year … (Sure to be offensive to some)

Or, to be a bit more PC ‘Why our current evangelism strategies do not work in Canada’

The greatest evangelism strategy of our time. A booklet in every home in Canada, well bound, full-colour, clearly explaining the plan of salvation. The four spiritual laws in the hands of every person on campus. A Brand New Colourful Sign. The addition of guitar-driven, free worship on a Sunday, or better yet – Saturday Night! The renovation of the facility where you meet ‘oh that carpet?!’ The addition of power-point and video-clips to the message. The dressing down of the congregants at the meeting. The light green notice in the mail for the free drama production at the church on the corner. Each a carefully planned, well orchestrated, focused attempt to bring the gospel to as many as quickly as possible with the least amount of fuss and effort. All have combined to grow our churches to an incredible 5% of every man, woman and child in Canada.

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My wife Supriya and I just finished the orientation and informational training sessions at AIDS Calgary. I have often been in countries where this disease is the predominant killer, and thought that I should become more informed about the disease. Did you know that you can have HIV but not AIDS … but not the other way around – sort of like all puppies are dogs, not all dogs are puppies.

HIV/AIDS must be one of the most feared and stereotyped diseases out there … I was amazed at the subtlety of ways in which I categorised and prejudged people with it.

Something that I found sad, was that as a Christian, while training in that room, I did not personally feel that I was with a group of other believers … yet the incredible volunteers in the room were actually following Christ’s example to care for those who need the most. Why is it my experience that Christians are too seldom found in places where they really are needed, why are we most often found in our clubs?

I know that I am speaking with the zeal of the newly converted, and frankly as I just went to AIDS Calgary myself for the first time … self-righteousness is prbably crawling all over my words. I am not even planning on volunteering with them, I simply wanted to discover more information in order to help me internationally. But please take one minute before dismissing my words outright. Truthfully, where would/do we find Jesus today? Are we there with him?

I recently read an entry on a friends website, and came across this paragraph:

I emptied my folder on holiness. I still believe in holiness, perhaps more now than ever. But something about that file wasn’t holy at all – maybe I could have transferred everything over to a new folder and call it ‘moralism’. One of the articles had the picture of a famous preacher from times past who preached holiness but lived a reprobate life, as we came later to know. This is discouraging of course, but maybe it is better to see this development as enlightening. Everything in that old file I labeled ‘holiness’ seemed to preach perfection, and the things it enjoined were already passe. I did not close the folder but left it open for something more refreshingly Biblical – the work of God for sinners like me. I believe in holiness. I didn’t open a new file on moralism.

I thought it was a great thought … I know that I have been wrestling with this thought. So much of what we consider holiness unfortunately often simply serves to keep us away from getting involved in the world that Jesus loves so much … and no, I am not writing this thought because I am ‘struggling with some sort of holiness issue’ myself at the moment, and tryng to justify it …

Does our struggle to remain holy simply serve to give us a list of ‘do not’ behaviours … sounds a lot like legalism, rather than the freedom of Christ that asks us to ‘do’ things. Anyways, these are my quick thoughts, I always love to know yours. Feedback makes me happy!

Anyways, here is the link to Bob check out his thoughts.