Anyone that has been married longer than a few minutes becomes a target. It’s like having a giant bull’s eye painted on you with long range missiles being sent to you. The attack starts off small but it is steady. It begins as jokes, quips and anecdotes. You receive friendly jabs and condolences for joining together in Holy Matrimony. I believe it is the word holy that does it actually. If you are not a Christian, then this doesn’t apply. The more holy you try to live the greater the attack. So it is with the people that go to church. That includes the casual congregant all the way to the fiery preacher that should have it going on. Well, they do have it going on; they have a full scale assault on their spiritual life. Too many fail to remember their vulnerability and appeal to the enemy.
I’m praying for all married Christians right now to understand that what is going on in their lives is not unique. One of the best tactics in warfare is to divide and conquer. The family that is broken can’t grow. The couple that is fighting does more damage than they know. There is an African proverb that says, “when elephants fight, it is the grass the suffers.” We are all connected.
The man of God that is not right towards his wife will have his prayers hindered. Preachers, that is like taking the bullets out of your weapon. You can’t shoot the enemy without ammunition. It’s a sword that you can’t take out of the scabbard. It’s a dog without teeth. How are you going to win a fight without a weapon?
I’m praying for the wife that has internalized everything and is ceasing to function. I am praying for the husband that doesn’t know how to communicate his pain, his shortcomings, or his mistakes and allows it to build a wall around him. It’s like plaque in his arteries and its choking his soul. I’m praying for the man that seeks release from his guilt and instead goes deeper into darkness. I am praying for the woman that seeks release from her hurt in the same place. The dark places can be the bed or a bottle. It can be a pill or a person. It can be complicated or computer connected, wherever it is outside of Christ it is dark.
Speaking of darkness, the devil is good at his job. He has been using the same tricks effectively since the world began. You are never tempted with something you don’t like. The old girlfriend always says the best stuff. The old boyfriend looks better now and is more secure. The new office mate is hotter than Georgia asphalt. The other married person has seemingly great advice. Whatever your thing is, it’s out there waiting for you. There is nothing new under the sun. Our struggles are not new and not unique. Though we have landed on the moon, have satellites in the sky, have DVD’s, CD’s and MP3’s we haven’t improved mankind. We still crash and burn. We still make mistakes. We still do dumb things even though we might be wealthier than any of our family before us, more educated than our peers or accomplished some thing. When you add children, ex’s, parents, money, and sex or the lack thereof to it; tada! Give your mate a break, again. Don’t surrender.
Married people are supposed to be two separate people that God is trying to blend into one. The Bible calls it, one flesh. Scientifically it could be called one organism. We should no longer be two struggling but one with Christ as our head. It is not an automatic or an overnight event. And sometimes, you have to pass the test of fire. This might be it for you. Don’t quit. Losers never win. Pray, repent; seek to hear from God, repeat…
I’m praying for myself, for my friends, and you if you want me to.
kvb
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Church CommUNITY Day 2008
On September 20th, 2008, the Historic Berean Baptist Church enjoyed near perfect weather at their first Community Picnic under the leadership of the congregations new pastor Reverend Kenneth Blanchard, Sr. The event that was purposed to introduce the church to the neighborhood and raise money for the children of incarcerated parents through the Angel Tree Prison Ministry Fellowship Foundation was a success. Church members contributed to the bounty of food and served over 200+ of our neighbors.
The DC Fire Department supplied a fire truck for the kids to explore and learn about safety. The rented “moon bounce” helped expel some of the abundant energy of some of the children. Associate minister from First Baptist of Fairmont Heights, Rev. Hall bought out a professional grill and Deacon McGee of Food for the Soul catering, fried fish, flipped burgers and hotdogs all day. The food table was spread out as people from around Brentwood and Brookland sampled the potato and pasta salad, the desserts, drank the homemade lemonade and sweet tea.
Though advertised through several radio stations and neighborhoods, the response was nonexistent until I made a personal appeal. Walking through the apartment complexes, alleys and down the block alone that morning, I was able to meet some key children and young men that were out that morning. Each one that I met spread the news and brought families to the church grounds for the feast.
I was classified as an “associate” minister for a couple of years before being called as pastor. In that realm, I had little control over the direction of the church, often I had to stand patiently under the leadership of an infamous Chairman of deacons. I was told repeatedly during my time there that though admittedly very spiritual, I was unorthodox and unseasoned to be a pastor of this once affluent congregation. Thought some would have heart attacks when I rode my Harley Davidson motorcycle to Wednesday night bible study one summer evening. And then there is the issue of guns. I am an internationally known firearms instructor, an avid outdoorsman and fisherman that speaks Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.
All I want to do is God’s Will and try to take the church out of the mindset of just surviving, to doing the work of the Gospel. This was my second attempt to reach out to the community, and make the positive traditions of his congregation anew.
The Historic Berean Baptist Church originates from the historical Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, DC. In 1877, twenty-two members from the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church formed the Berean Baptist Church in Washington, DC. From there, members of the Berean Baptist Church formed the Historic Berean Baptist Church on August 13, 1997 and officially incorporated it in DC on August 21, 1997. The church purchased the former United National Bank property on 1400 Montana Avenue, NE, Washington, DC and converted it into a church in 1999. It has plenty of off street parking. We are on the corners of 14th St., Montana and Rhode Island Avenue.
The name "Berean" comes from the book of Acts 17:11-12, where the Apostle Paul met a noble people from Berea that had a readiness of mind and that searched the Scriptures daily. It is “historic” because the founding members are connected to the original church.
The former bank building converted into a church is enjoying a newly renovated sanctuary and looking forward to finally growing and serving the community. The church celebrated its eleventh year anniversary in August 2008.
We have worship service on Sundays at 10:00 AM and an engaging biblical discussion, prayer and praise service on Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM. Our website is http://www.historicbereanbaptistchurch.org/.
The DC Fire Department supplied a fire truck for the kids to explore and learn about safety. The rented “moon bounce” helped expel some of the abundant energy of some of the children. Associate minister from First Baptist of Fairmont Heights, Rev. Hall bought out a professional grill and Deacon McGee of Food for the Soul catering, fried fish, flipped burgers and hotdogs all day. The food table was spread out as people from around Brentwood and Brookland sampled the potato and pasta salad, the desserts, drank the homemade lemonade and sweet tea.
Though advertised through several radio stations and neighborhoods, the response was nonexistent until I made a personal appeal. Walking through the apartment complexes, alleys and down the block alone that morning, I was able to meet some key children and young men that were out that morning. Each one that I met spread the news and brought families to the church grounds for the feast.
I was classified as an “associate” minister for a couple of years before being called as pastor. In that realm, I had little control over the direction of the church, often I had to stand patiently under the leadership of an infamous Chairman of deacons. I was told repeatedly during my time there that though admittedly very spiritual, I was unorthodox and unseasoned to be a pastor of this once affluent congregation. Thought some would have heart attacks when I rode my Harley Davidson motorcycle to Wednesday night bible study one summer evening. And then there is the issue of guns. I am an internationally known firearms instructor, an avid outdoorsman and fisherman that speaks Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.
All I want to do is God’s Will and try to take the church out of the mindset of just surviving, to doing the work of the Gospel. This was my second attempt to reach out to the community, and make the positive traditions of his congregation anew.
The Historic Berean Baptist Church originates from the historical Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, DC. In 1877, twenty-two members from the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church formed the Berean Baptist Church in Washington, DC. From there, members of the Berean Baptist Church formed the Historic Berean Baptist Church on August 13, 1997 and officially incorporated it in DC on August 21, 1997. The church purchased the former United National Bank property on 1400 Montana Avenue, NE, Washington, DC and converted it into a church in 1999. It has plenty of off street parking. We are on the corners of 14th St., Montana and Rhode Island Avenue.
The name "Berean" comes from the book of Acts 17:11-12, where the Apostle Paul met a noble people from Berea that had a readiness of mind and that searched the Scriptures daily. It is “historic” because the founding members are connected to the original church.
The former bank building converted into a church is enjoying a newly renovated sanctuary and looking forward to finally growing and serving the community. The church celebrated its eleventh year anniversary in August 2008.
We have worship service on Sundays at 10:00 AM and an engaging biblical discussion, prayer and praise service on Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM. Our website is http://www.historicbereanbaptistchurch.org/.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Take Me Out To the Ball Game
I got a chance to watch the Nationals beat the Meets last night at the new and amazingly clean Nationals stadium in DC. I sat in the “J” section of 115 and it was so close to the field I thought I was going to get beaned by a ball on a couple of times when I was text messaged by my son. It was a great date night with the Mrs.. I do have one caveat for you though. You should save some money for the event. It was as expensive an evening as going out to dinner at one of DC’s many upscale restaurants. And be careful if you take the subway system we call the Metro. It’s a jungle down there.
Getting to the stadium via the metro was not as fun. I parked my car in the place where you need the “Smart Card” to exonerate yourself from. I must have looked lost because a homeless guy jumped in behind me quick enough not having to pay and made onto the next train before the metro attendant could get out of the booth. When I got onto the train that was full of trash it looked like an old bus station. I grabbed a seat to meet the Mrs. who was waiting for me downtown. The other riders were mostly young women wearing less clothing than my wife does around the house, also unabashedly showing more fat than should be allowed. The prettiest rider among us was actually a dude whose makeup was flawless. Yeah, he had that “Crying Game” thing going on. Lawd, help me to hold out! It was a long ride from the suburbs. As I got closer to the transfer point of Metro, it became a madhouse. Nationals’ fans were easy to spot; they all had baseball regalia and had something red on. They added to the mayhem which is rush hour. Transit police did their best to keep the disgruntled moving. I couldn’t wait to get above ground. Once you do make it up the very long escalator from the subterranean caverns people push and move with abandon. Some I am sure are pickpockets that take advantage of the movement to shop.
The stadium itself is beautiful. It’s lit up so brightly that you feel like you are in the Emerald City. Hard to believe that this used to be the part of town where Trax night club, a chop shop, some really bad Chinese restaurants, a limousine company and former mayor of DC the honorable Marion S. Barry was busted once at Buzzards Point.
There is so much going on before you sit down that you really don’t have to. You could just meander around all night. But we had great seats. I am a people watcher more than a sports fan and believe me, there was a lot to see. Memorable people included the “Heineken Man.” He was the guy that sold beer with a Heineken can on his head. What I thought was cool about him was he had an electric can opener hooked to his hand with a cable wrapped around his arm that could open two beer cans in a few seconds allowing him to pour the usually frothy beverage smoothly two at a time. It was like a Borg invention (a la Star Trek) and I wondered if he had created it or was “assimilated” for the task.
We sat in the Visiting team section meaning I was surrounded by New Yorkers like my wife which added to the colorfulness of the game. Mets fans talked to the players entering and exiting the dugout like they were cousins. I got caught up too. They really poured it on when “Fernando” the outfielder hurt himself during the game. I was hollering too by the end of it.
Near third base when the Met’s were on the field, there was the Dancing Umpire. He danced as low key as he could the meringue whenever Latin music played. He was probably Cuban or Dominican born but whatever he was he looked like a happy man. That made me happy.
The weather was perfect and fall is on its way here in the Nations Capital. I feel like dancing a little myself.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Face Book
Want to thank you for checking out my facebook page. You are more active on it than I am obviously. I have been using (TWITTER) and been pretty active on my podcast, The Urban Shooter. It’s a fun experiment for me to practice my skills in broadcasting. I hope to develop a really unique new Christian show called “Live From DC” in the coming weeks. There are a couple of shows there now but it is nothing like I envision it to become. It’s going to be comedy, Bible Study, encouragement and a Message. Unfortunately, life gets in the way of my hobbies.
As I approach middle age, I recognize that there is more to life than just existing; I am working toward making what I love to do, into a paying gig. In the meantime, I push the envelope and squeeze as much as I can into twenty four hours while everyone else complains.
I am pretty blessed.
I am also working on memoir that I hope launches my exodus from my day job. This will be my third book and will talk about all the challenges, mistakes being a Christian man, a father, a husband, a government agent, and a pastor also known as the black man with a gun.
It’s a daily struggle because the Obama backing gentry hold me in contempt. I ride a Harley, I am pro-rights, yet consider myself a Christian conservative. I believe in the sovereignty of God and that I under that authority cannot judge anyone other than myself. I am critical though of those that hurt others in any capacity. Whether it be verbally to lift themselves up, physically, abusively or monetarily for their own gain. I am allergic to arrogance, elitism and racism. I hate when I am culpable of it as well.
To be continued…
As I approach middle age, I recognize that there is more to life than just existing; I am working toward making what I love to do, into a paying gig. In the meantime, I push the envelope and squeeze as much as I can into twenty four hours while everyone else complains.
I am pretty blessed.
“What every man needs, regardless of his job or the kind of work he is doing, is
a vision of what his place is and may be. He needs an objective and a purpose.
He needs a feeling and a belief that he has some worthwhile thing to do. What
this is no one can tell him. It must be his own creation. Its success will be
measured by the nature of his vision, what he has done to equip himself, and how
well he has performed along the line of its development.” -Joseph Morrell
Dodge
“The greatest achievements were at first and for a time
dreams. The oak sleeps in the acorn. “--James Allen
I am also working on memoir that I hope launches my exodus from my day job. This will be my third book and will talk about all the challenges, mistakes being a Christian man, a father, a husband, a government agent, and a pastor also known as the black man with a gun.
It’s a daily struggle because the Obama backing gentry hold me in contempt. I ride a Harley, I am pro-rights, yet consider myself a Christian conservative. I believe in the sovereignty of God and that I under that authority cannot judge anyone other than myself. I am critical though of those that hurt others in any capacity. Whether it be verbally to lift themselves up, physically, abusively or monetarily for their own gain. I am allergic to arrogance, elitism and racism. I hate when I am culpable of it as well.
To be continued…
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