Dr. King: The Most Segregated Hour-- Sunday, 11 A.M.

In honor of the U.S. observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday, I want to call attention to something Dr. King said after a 1963 speech at Western Michigan University: During a question and answer session with the University President, Miller, Dr. King was asked, "Don't you feel that integration can only be started and realized in the Christian church...?"

Dr. King's response in part was,

"We must face the fact that in America, the church is still the most segregated major institution in America. At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing and Christ has no east or west, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation. This is tragic. Nobody of honesty can overlook this."

I believe Dr. King's statement rings true over 40 years later.

I was reminded of this fact while watching a story ABC News ran on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, about a small, predominently Black church, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Coshocton, Ohio, that decided to close its doors at once a month or so and visit a majority white church.

I applaud ABC News for doing a story on this topic and I especially praise Pastor Cliff Biggers and his flock at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church for leading the way with this effort.

Rev. Biggers is calling for a nationwide effort for at least 1,000 churches to visit each other on June 29, 2008.

You can view this ABC News story at: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4163537&affil=wjla

A story about Rev. Biggers and Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church can
also be found online with the ZanesvilleTimesRecorder.com

There are a vast number of sites where you can read more about Dr. King. I like
the biographical sketch and timeline of Dr. King's life posted by the Louisiana State University Library.

MLKDay.gov is also a good site to visit for more information on ways one can honor Dr. King's legacy.

Be blessed day by learning more about Dr. King and telling others about Jesus.

Your Brother in Christ,

Steven Kendall

Congrats to Huckabee and Obama

I was happy to see that both Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama won their respective Republican and Democratic Iowa Caucuses on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008.

I like them both as they are professed Christians.

E.J. Dionne, Jr., wrote a great article in the Washington Post about Obama's faith. Obama
gave a speech about his faith that you can read on his Senate site.

Huckabee, being a former Baptist preacher, is close to my heart as I'm a baptist and love what he once said about the fact that he's pastored people of all walks of life. To paraphrase, he knows the problems of a variety of people and can relate as he's pastored these folks for over a decade.

I also like the fact that Huckabee is honest when he makes a mistake and admits it. I would never vote for Mitt Romney, for reasons I've detailed in earlier blog entries at this location and my BibleStudyCafe blog.

A number of fiscal conservatives don't like him as he wants to totally eliminate the IRS in favor of a basic Fair Tax (consumption/sales tax only on things we buy). I have to read more about his idea on taxes as I don't fully understand his position.

I've never voted for a Republican for President, but would be willing to vote for
Huckabee, if...Obama is not the nominee of the Democrats.

If John Edwards is the nominee, I would consider voting for him, but I not Hillary Clinton as I question her motives for being President. I don't see a sincere desire on her part to be President. It seems more like a selfish career move with Mrs. Clinton, instead of a real passion for wanting to make a difference, like her husband. I like her as a person, but not as my President.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Be blessed by telling someone about Jesus today!

Your Brother in Christ,

Steve Kendall