Dave Russell is an American Baptist Pastor in Ames, Iowa. He publishes his sermons regularly on Geocities at the following address: http://www.geocities.com/fbcames/ I look at them regularly because he typically follows the Lectionary which my own Pastor does not. I'm not sure he even knows that there is one.
For the 1st Sunday in Lent Russell calls our attention to Jesus' temptation in the wilderness for 40 days. He points out a fact of interest that it is the Devil who tempts Jesus. The middle temptation is for power. It is suggested that we Americans often fall short here because we think of our selves as a powerful nation. Jesus, of course, turned the Devil down. He would not be the "decider" and at the same time worshp at the shrine of evil. Makes one wonder as to what temptations to power our own President has.
Another thing Russell said of particular interest to me was that Jesus never told his Disciples "what to believe". He simply asked them to "follow me!" Our newly proposed by-laws at First Baptist talk at length about what to do with those whose beliefs may differ greatly from the majority. I can accept the fact that my own beliefs (for example about "gay unions" and "abortion") probably differ from the majority, but I'm not going to get in a big fight about it in the congregation. But I can't see "churching" a person because his or her beliefs are outside the main stream.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!
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I would be interested in reading a copy of those by-laws.
When I told my new pastor that "My American Baptist Dad considers me a missionary," he laughed. Sounded to me like did not see profound differences between the UMC and the ABC.
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