I read an email early this morning that mentioned this website in it.
HowObamaGotElected.com
You might want to check it out at HowObamaGotElected.com. There is a video there that has been viewed over 1.4 M times on YouTube to watch, then links to all the data and backup on the video including:
It’s all very interesting.
Debbie Birkey tutoring at Breakthrough Urban Ministries
Yesterday, our local Oak Park paper, The Wednesday Journal, contained an article about my family’s involvement at Breakthrough Urban Ministries, in Chicago’s west side Garfield Park neighborhood [Link to Pouring Love, Breaking Through article].
The article was very well written by Abigail Cramton, who reported the topic with balance, intelligence and clarity. It featured many quotes by my wife, Deb, as well as Josh Hawkins photos of her and our son Noel tutoring some kids from the neighborhood. Kathryn, myself and our other sons are mentioned, as well as other friends (Cindy and Mo Russo) who also serve and volunteer in this ministry.
This kind of service is not a big deal for us Christians to be doing! Most of our neighbors would never do something like this… and they don’t. Yet, Christians do these things regularly and often, and are still too often perceived as being uncaring, separate, uninvolved, hate-filled and politically conservative. The same paper that featured this article often portrays us that way.
“Modeling and teaching service to others is one of our responsibilities as parents. The same way we are servant leaders to our kids, we want them to be servant leaders in their own worlds.” – Debbie Birkey
What I am most proud of is that we can be a part of breaking down the stereotypes that many in Oak Park have toward evangelical Christians who attend our church – Calvary Memorial. I think that this article more accurately and clearly communicates the worldview that we hold to and practice. I am all for breaking down and challenging those myths and barriers that many of our Oak Park neighbors have. I am for clearly presenting and modeling the teachings and example of Jesus by serving others, caring for the poor and oppressed, freeing slaves and prisoners, and declaring the good news that we can be reconciled with God.
Yes indeed, I am very proud of my family!
Arloa Sutter also commented on this article yesterday in her blog [Link to Blog Post].
I reviewed a book by Frank Viola and George Barna called “Pagan Christianity” some months ago. There is a companion book to it that is out now called “Reimagining Church,” by Frank Viola.
Some great reviews of the book can be found at http://www.ReimaginingChurch.org – including Relevant, The Ooze, Kingdom Grace, Len Sweet, Internet Monk, and others.
You need to know that “Pagan Christianity” isn’t complete without reading this book also.
I will be reviewing the book here as soon as I complete it myself!
As you know if you read this blog, I was not a supporter of Barack Obama. However, he won fair and square and will become the next President of the United States of America. I admire him, and wish him well. I will pray for him and support him as far as my conscience will allow.
My thoughts the last few days have been more along the lines of how will life, work and the living out of an orthodox Christian faith be affected in the next four years? I don’t have lots of answers yet, but here are a few others who have been thinking along the same lines, and coming up with some good early thoughts that I appreciate and find helpful.
Michael Hyatt - President of Thomas Nelson Publishers – My Four Commitments to Barack Obama
Cal Thomas – syndicated writer and columnist – Transforming Culture
Ajith Fernando – National Director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka – Thoughts After the US Elections
Christianity Today – The Evangelical Electoral Map (This is interesting)