Archway into God's futureA diffused glow spreads across the sky, as if someone is shining a light beyond the horizon and just below it. "Diffused," I say, because this glow is neither direct nor clear. Not a typical sunrise, to be sure. Fog, perhaps, or haze. I am not wearing a watch on this early morning walk, but I judge the time to be about 6:45 a.m.
Encountering God in the cathedralI can scarcely imagine a cathedral more magnificent, or one more conducive to fellowship with the Maker of heaven and earth. Fiery-red sumacs form a natural vestibule into this holy place. Their branches, thick and low-lying, rightly compel a pilgrim to bow when entering. Inside, white-barked birches and crimson-leafed maples spire upward, directing the mortal gaze heavenward in thanksgiving and adoration.
Mystery of the windWe welcomed recent days of steady rain in these west Houston suburbs. Now I welcome this break in the rain for a neighborhood hike. Scattered rain-clouds, flung in a wide sweep across the sky, hide the evening sun on this Texas Gulf Coast. Developers planted our Katy prairie land with trees two and three decades ago, and they now form a trekker's pleasant canopy overhead. Around and below me, the gentle wind rustles through the grass and flowers and trees. Overhead it moves the clouds across the half-darkened sky.
What God told me beside a lake in MaineAround me, red, orange and yellow leaves flutter silently to the ground, contributing their variegated tones to the multicolored October carpet. The blue sky and white clouds appear twice this morning, first in the sky and then in the mirror stillness of the lake. I hear a splash. A fish breaks the water's surface to snatch some breakfast morsel. A wild goose circles in majestic observation overhead. From the small island in the center of the lake comes the unmistakable cry of a loon.
Rocky Mountain highCedar logs crackle in the stone fireplace as their unmistakable scent wafts throughout the cabin. Firelight shadows dance on the ceiling and walls. . . . We step onto the front deck and gaze upward. Millions of stars bespeckle the heavens, bearing silent witness to the Creator's power and presence. From the distance comes the wind's soft whisper, increasing in volume as it crosses the mountain forests. . . . Aspen leaves, already turning yellow and orange, shimmer in the night breeze under the starlit sky.
Early morning SpringNow that Springtime 1997 has come to Houston, I am trying a new exercise regimen. Rather than walking in the evening, I like to face the outdoors head-on at about 6:00 a.m. My neighborhood trek takes about an hour and covers three miles. The first mile is thoroughly residential. The next passes a couple of schools separated by soccer fields and baseball diamonds, then fades into open road surrounded by the Gulf Coast version of woods. The final mile completes an approximate circle through a different residential area and back home.
Reflections from the cockpitI pull the seatbelt snugly in place and adjust the earphones. Spread before me are 30 gauges and dials, 50 toggle switches and a dozen other electrical controls. I am sitting in the co-pilot's seat of a nine-passenger Mitsubishi twin-engine turbo-prop on a business trip. My only job is to keep my arms and legs out of the way while Earl, the pilot, takes care of the flying. I am impressed with his skills -- and am reminded of several spiritual truths as well.
Trip to Peru (three gracEmails)Imagine three Californias and you visualize the size of Peru, where people already lived busy lives when Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees. The Incas were its best-known inhabitants, ruling and thriving from approximately 1,200 A.D. until the Spaniards slaughtered Tupac Amaru, the last Inca ruler, in 1572. This is the land of Machu Picchu ("ancient peak"), the lost city of the Incas, and Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake at 12,725 feet. Peru, like Roman Gaul, is divided into three parts.
Home folksThose who know first-hand the joy and assurance of salvation through trusting in Jesus Christ also experience the family love of fellow believers as spiritual brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. This weekend my own heart filled to overflowing with pleasure and with love as I worshiped, ate, visited and studied the Bible with "home folks" in both a physical and a spiritual sense.
ministry in Athens, Ala. 1996We returned safely about 11 pm Sunday night from ministry in Athens, Alabama, my hometown, where God moved mightily through his Spirit at "Seven Mile Post Road Church (a church of Christ)." By his provision, I spoke seven times (Friday p.m. through Sunday) through most of the Book of Romans to assemblies who came ready to receive from God. Also preached 30 minutes via radio from Hebrews 10, and we had a men's prayer breakfast and a booksigning as guests of a Methodist brother and sister who own a local Christian bookstore.
ministry in Florence-Tuscumbia, Alabama 1997With praise and thanksgiving to God, I report on a full and fruitful weekend of ministry in North
Alabama during Saturday-Sunday just past. Saturday morning the preachers and elders of the three sponsoring
congregations in the Florence/Tuscumbia area met at 7 a.m. at an area restaurant for breakfast, fellowship and a time
of prayer. I was privileged to join that meeting. Then, for four hours on Saturday, we examined many Scriptures from
both Old and New Testaments regarding five truths.
ministry in Malibu and San Leandro, Calif. 1997Our English word "poem" comes directly from the Greek poema which means "a piece of work," whether an act, deed or -- as in this instance -- a literary product. Paul uses this Greek word twice in the New Testament to describe God's workmanship. God's first "poem" is Creation itself (Rom. 1:20). His second "poem" is the redeemed life of women and men who constitute God's new creation in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10).
ministry in North Florida 1997We didn't have a time machine or a magic carpet, but we did take a whirlwind tour of 2,000 years of church history during four full hours this past Saturday in a seminar titled "Putting the Puzzle Together -- Together." My hosts were two Advent Christian churches in north-central Florida, where I also spoke three times on Sunday. Their gracious Christian hospitality sent me home Sunday night invigorated in spirit even if exhausted in body. I wish to thank Pastors Joe Currens and Butch Nelson in particular, for their hard work in planning, announcing and facilitating these meetings. It was also wonderful to meet several gracEmail family-members in person.
ministry in Huntsville, Ala. 1997August 1997 -- Sara Faye and I enjoyed 30 hours in a car together this past weekend, driving from our home in Houston to attend niece Leslie's wedding in Huntsville, Alabama, then back again to Texas. Three of my five siblings were there, plus Mom and stepfather Joe from Ohio, and we spent some fine time catching up all around. Sunday morning, I preached at Winchester Road Church of Christ as guest of my brother Henry, father of the bride, whose pulpit ministry God has blessed ....
ministry in Longview, Tex. 1997This weekend I had the privilege of ministering the Word as guest of the Northside Church of Christ in Longview, Texas. Located southeast of Dallas and southwest of Texarkana, this spread-out town of approximately 70,000 is pleasantly situated among green rolling hills reminiscent of Middle Tennessee, which I consider the epitome of "God's country."
ministry in Montana 1997It is 6:30 a.m. and the camp bell announces wake-up in the Rockies. Three hundred feet from my cabin window, the cold waters of Pine Creek sing their unending song. This crisp Montana morning the thermometer indicates high 40's. I step outside to take in the view. The steep mountain peaks, dressed in fir, protect us in a tight circle. Elk roam these forests, and deer. Bears as well, and wildcats, along with raccoons and squirrels and other smaller creatures. Humans are the interlopers in this ancient and venerable scene.
ministry in Athens, Ala. 1998The crepe myrtle is blooming in Limestone County, Alabama, and so are the plantings of God's spiritual garden. This was the land of my birth and youth, the home of my Fudge ancestors since about 1805. Nestled midway between Birmingham and Nashville, the fertile Appalachian plain is nourished by the Tennessee and Elk Rivers, by Big Creek and a multitude of sparkling streams. But God's Holy Spirit watered our souls this weekend, as the River of Life flowed out from the heavenly throne, growing deeper as it went, bringing life to all that it touched (Ezek. 48:1-12).
ministry in Birmingham, Ala. 1998When I visualize the New Heavens and New Earth, part of it looks a lot like Birmingham, Alabama in the Spring. Verdant mountains covered with old growth hardwood trees and adorned with luxuriant azaleas have it all over golden streets in this man's imagination. Then there are the people. These are special people, to be sure -- disciples of Jesus who make up the Campus Church of Christ where I was privileged to speak four times on Saturday and again on Sunday morning.
ministry in Athens, Ala. 1999One can hardly imagine a venue more conducive to spiritual "recharge" than the picturesque Doublehead Resort, located alongside Wilson Lake amidst 1100 acres of towering pines and hardwoods between Decatur and Florence, Ala. A gentle and much-needed rain throughout the weekend highlighted the comfort of the 5,000 square foot central lodge and lakeside log cabins, where I joined about 30 men from the Seven Mile Post Road Church of Christ (7MPRC) in my hometown of Athens, Ala. for 15 waking hours of Bible teaching, worship, testimonies and prayer.
ministry in Malibu and Long Beach, Calif. 1999Sara Faye and I returned home to Houston on Monday evening following a week of physical and spiritual refreshment that included the Annual Bible Lectures at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, weekend visits with several relatives, and Sunday ministry with the Church of Christ in Long Beach. These were six days of praise and worship, Bible study and some of the richest Christian fellowship to be found on this earth.
ministry in Madisonville, Tex. 1999This past Sunday I had the pleasure of presenting three Bible lessons to the North Madison Church of Christ in Madisonville, Texas, located about halfway between Houston and Dallas on Interstate 45. Lanier Stevens has ministered to the congregation for many years, while making a living as a postal carrier. He knows and loves most of the people in his county, who also know and love him in return. Lanier is also a member of the "Sounds of Glory" gospel quartet, which has touched the lives of many in person and via tapes around the world.
ministry in New Zealand 2000 (three gracEmails) New Zealand is an extraordinarily beautiful Pacific country composed of two major islands, situated 1200 miles southeast of Australia. Explorers launch out from NZ to Antarctica and the South Pole. If you imagine England and Scotland 125% larger, inverted in the South Pacific, you won't be far wrong. Or think of California, reduced by 25%, then stretched thinner to extend from Mexico to Canada.
ministry in Lubbock, Tex. 2000Joyful praises ascended to God in songs and prayers from the Texas plains this weekend as some 90-100 men from Broadway and Vandelia Churches of Christ, St. Luke's and Aldersgate Methodist Churches, a Bible church, an Hispanic Baptist church and a Worldwide Church of God -- all in Lubbock, Texas -- joined in a spiritual feast of worship, fellowship and ministry of the Word.
ministry in Regina, Sask. 2001Outdoors the sun reflects off snowbanks as the Canadian Spring temperature dances inthe 40's (F). Inside the Regina Church of Christ building, however, hearts warmed by the gospel glow in God's presence, and sweet harmony of worship rises as a sacrifice before the throne of God in heaven. The Holy Spirit hovers over God's new creation in an atmosphere of manifest reverence and celebratory joy.
ministry in Malibu, Calif. 2001This year, the theme at Pepperdine Lectures was "Shaped by the Cross," with a focus on First Corinthians. As many as 6,000 persons packed the University Fieldhouse for worship and key addresses. Hearts raised, many hands raised, and the roof practically raised as well with old-time, four-part harmony, a cappella singing of traditional hymns and contemporary praise and worship songs.
ministry in Portland, Ore. 2001For three days this week, I had the pleasure, along with my co-author Dr. Robert A. Peterson of Covenant Theological Seminary, of presenting the Bueerman-Champion Lectureship at Western Theological Seminary in Portland, Oregon on the theme "Two Views of Hell." Dr. Peterson argued that hell will involve unending conscious torment. I argued that hell will culminate in the everlasting extinction of the entire person, body and soul. We both appealed to the Scriptures as primary and final authority on the subject.
ministry in Phoenix, Ariz. 2001It doesn't rain often in Phoenix, Arizona, but the desert city received some downpours this past Saturday, as well as reminders in lightning and thunder of power greater than our own. The physical phenomena were fitting accompaniments to our seminar at Tatum Boulevard Church of Christ, in which we looked afresh at Scripture teaching concerning God's presence with us, his guidance for us and his voice to us today
ministry in Birmingham, Ala. 2003I write this in the Birmingham airport, waiting several hours for a plane stalled in the Northeast by inclement weather. Outside, the North Alabama skies also are dark and stormy, lightning flashing, peals of thunder reverberating across the heavens. But no thunderstorm can dampen the joy I feel following a full weekend with Disciples Fellowship in this city of rolling hills, luxuriant foliage and stately tree-lined streets.
ministry in Malibu, Calif. 2003 The springtime sun rises over the California coast, gradually warming the invigorating morning breeze. A rainbow of flowers adorns this mountainside that slopes gracefully down to the Pacific Ocean, on which is nestled Pepperdine University. Halfway up the mountain, a tall white stone cross signifies to all who see it the faith commitment and purpose of this distinguished institution of higher learning. This past week (April 29-May 2, 2003) the university hosted its 60th Annual Bible Lectures and Sara Faye and I were among the 4,000-5,000 believers who gathered to share four days of fellowship, worship and Bible teaching at the Malibu campus not many miles from Los Angeles.
ministry in Nashville, Tenn. 2003This past weekend I enjoyed a blessed Spring weekend in Nashville in the beautiful hill country of Middle Tennessee, where I was privileged to speak at a two-night gospel conference sponsored by Engedi Ministries. The name comes from an oasis in the desert near the Dead Sea where a beautiful waterfall provides clear, cool, clean, refreshing water for weary travelers through the desert. Dr. David Lawrence is the principal teacher for Engedi Ministries.
ministry in Springdale, Ark. 2004Pleasant Street Church of Christ was the venue and the weekend just ended matched well the name. It was pleasant for the natural surroundings in Springdale, Arkansas, a family-oriented city of 58,000 adjacent to Fayetteville (home of University of Arkansas) near both Oklahoma and Missouri. It was especially pleasant for the loving church family hosting the Saturday seminar
holiday in N.C. and Calif. 2004The last two weekends have found wife Sara Faye and myself flying on Thursday to Nashville, Tennessee then driving for the weekend to Asheville, North Carolina. There in the forest-covered Appalachians we toured the Biltmore Estate . . . This past weekend we flew the other direction to California, where our nephew Aaron Fudge was taking himself a wife in Dana Point
ministry in Searcy, Ark. 2006Great joy, human brokenness and divine renewal marked our seminar on gifts of the Holy Spirit last weekend in Searcy, Arkansas. Sponsored by Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) and hosted on Saturday by First United Methodist Church (FUMC), both of Searcy, the seminar included two teaching sessions followed by a question-and-answer session on Saturday morning and a healing prayer service on Saturday evening.
holiday in Alaska 2006Surely some of the grandest of God's creation yet unspoiled by the hand of man! That was Alaska's Inside Passage as we experienced it aboard and ashore from The Dawn Princess, sailing from picturesque Seattle, Washington on Saturday, August 26, 2006 and returning on Saturday, September 2. The cruise ship itself is a floating village 856 feet long, 13 stories high and home for a week to more than 2,000 passengers of all ages and stations in life hailing from six continents and islands of the seas.
holiday through the South 2006Sara Faye and I returned safely on Monday evening from a whirlwind driving trip of about 1,350 miles through parts of Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.... The whole trip was lovely, we enjoyed the opportunity to just be together, and the colorful Autumn leaves in Middle Tennessee made us think we had somehow bypassed death and come to the new heavens and new earth
law firm retreat - Guatemala 2006White clouds sparkled in the sunshine as the Boeing 800 aircraft descended from five miles high and Guatemala City came into view. This city of one million souls, some very rich and most very poor, spread over the lush green mountains and valleys below in this homeland of the ancient Mayans.
law firm retreat - Guatemala 2007It is 5:00 a.m. in Antigua, Guatemala and the town has not yet woken. The security watchman at my hotel lifts two boards that he had wedged earlier against the courtyard doors to prevent night-time entry from the street. "Gracias," I say, as he opens the heavy wooden doors for me, and step through the opening to the narrow sidewalk outside. I look in all directions down empty cobblestone streets.... Stone walls border the streets on both sides, now richly textured after many coats of limestone-based paints in a rainbow of colors.
This doctor's sword is charity 2007A Guatemalan native who for the past third of a century has known the life of a world-renowned surgeon at the DeBakey Heart Center and at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, is leaving all that behind in hopes of serving his homeland.... He is Dr. Rafael Espada, 63, and he is committed to improve the lives of his fellow Guatemalans through improved healthcare, education and economic growth. Immersed in a culture of violence, Espada is confident that a spirit of Christian charity can ultimately prevail.
divine commission - Guatemala 2007The first rays of morning gradually illumined the volcanic mountains before me, and the cobblestone streets of Antigua glowed softly beneath my feet. It was August 2007, and I was in this picturesque Guatemalan village on professional retreat with my employer, the Lanier Law Firm of Houston, Texas. During this early morning walk, I was asking God for a new assignment -- something he would enable me to do to bless others and to bring him honor.
ministry in Hamilton, Ont. 2007It began with the humbling announcement to these two Houstonians that Ontario Province alone is more than half again larger than all of Texas. Even bigger, however, were the hearts of believers at Stoney Creek Church of Christ in Hamilton, Ontario who hosted this past weekend of ministry, surrounded by two days of sightseeing in their magnificent land of lakes and vineyards, farmlands and cities.
ministry in Tempe, Ariz. 2008Residents of Tempe, Arizona expect 300 days of sunshine each year, but for those who know the Lord Jesus the Son shines every new day that comes. This past weekend I was privileged to share in the divine warmth and glow with approximately 240 believers and children of all ages at the Tempe Church of Christ and to meet gracEmail subscribers both local and visiting.
holiday - Athens, Ala. 2008To the person blessed with an idyllic childhood, there is something almost holy about one's hometown. I am still enjoying in memory a brief return to mine -- Athens, Alabama -- last Friday through Sunday. The occasion was my mother's 85th birthday.
ministry in Tulsa, Okla. 2008I am thanking God today for his blessings received in Tulsa, Oklahoma this past week at the Tulsa International Soul-Winning Workshop (ISWW), where ... I was privileged to meet dozens of gracEmail subscribers from across the USA and elsewhere, to hear powerful, Christ-minded speakers ..., to worship with the Zoe Group singers and to share three well-received presentations from my own heart....
ministry in Louisville, Ky. 2008God was present and gracious at the Kentucky/Indiana Christian Fellowship Week the final week of July 2008, during which I was privileged to speak once on grace-gifts (charismata) generally and one time each on healing and prophecy in particular. This is an annual event hosted by the premillennial Churches of Christ. It was a pleasure finally to meet many of these brothers and sisters, gospel-loving, mission-minded and enthusiastic hymn-singing people.
ministry in Springfield, Va. (D.C. Area) 2008Our spirits were filled to overflowing with joy and praise last weekend in worship, fellowship and study at the Springfield Church of Christ in Virginia, where I was privileged to make five presentations on Saturday and Sunday, then field an hour of Q&A discussion on Sunday night. Our topic was spiritual leadership, which included a study of the ministry of women in the New Testament.
Christianity in Hawaii 2009Curious about the origins of Christianity in Hawai`i, I researched via internet and found confusing and sometimes-contradictory information. After sifting for attempted accuracy, the following account seems to be generally reliable history.
members working together 2009We arrived at the Kahului airport on Maui last Wednesday evening where retiree and associate minister Bob Harp met us warmly, wished us "Aloha," placed leis around our necks and led us to "the cottage" (parsonage) that is our home this month of September. At Bible study that night, Tim Shiroma led us in singing before I led our discussion. On Thursday, the primary window unit A/C in the cottage began leaking water inside the house, and Tom Hickox "jerry-rigged" it on Friday to get us through the weekend.
breadfruit - Oahu 2009Two of our new friends at the Maui Church of Christ are Akira and Carlyna Tosie, natives of Micronesia and long-time residents of Hawaii. Earlier this month we were honored to join their extended family of 16 for a Micronesian home cookout, to celebrate Akira's 71st birthday and grandson Steven's fifth.... Yesterday after work, Akira presented us with a green-colored, melon-shaped breadfruit, explaining that Carlyna would teach Sara Faye how to cook it.
the shadow of sectarianismChurches in Hawaii and other exotic locations regularly see a considerable number of visitors, often outnumbering the local residents. One Sunday this month, our Maui assembly included vacationers from Churches of Christ in Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, and California, holding doctrinal opinions as diverse as the places they called home. It is a joyful thing to receive fellow-believers because they love and follow Christ, without having to apply some creedal litmus test to determine their worthiness. Unfortunately, not everyone yet experiences that particular joy, as a visitor at an evening meeting recently brought to mind.
ministry in Massachusetts 2009I praise God for the privilege of presenting the gospel message last week in Boston, Massachusetts, in the course of seven sermons/lessons from Hebrews in two separate venues. Thursday through Saturday, I had the honor of extolling the accomplishments of Jesus Christ our Savior four times to pastors, delegates and spouses of the Eastern Regional Association of the Advent Christian Church, meeting in annual convention in Peabody, Mass. On Sunday, I was privileged to do the same thing three times at the Church of Christ in Burlington, Mass.
ministry in Tulsa, Oklahoma 2010(03/28/2010) Today, God willing, I am speaking twice at South Brooke Church of Christ in Tulsa, Oklahoma, talking about Jesus our great high priest, the Son of God who became a man to make men and women children of God.This weekend follows three full days of The Tulsa Workshop....
ministry in Searcy, Arkansas 2010The deadness of Winter has given way to
the greening of new life in the fields and forests of Arkansas, now lavishly adorned in a
living palette of jonquils, firepinks and wisteria, and complemented by redbuds, dogwoods
and flowering trees of all kinds. Contributing to all this splendor, robins, bluebirds and
martins cheerfully announce the arrival of Spring. Meanwhile, the Grand Artist is also
moving among the community of rescued humans, in whose lives he is working a rebirth
and transformation fully as awesome as his work in nature. Sara Faye and I were
privileged to enjoy God's work in both arenas this past weekend, as we shared in the
body-life of the nondenominational Covenant Fellowship in Searcy, Arkansas.