I woke up to this sad news this morning: “Richard Roberts, former president of Oral Roberts University, is in Tulsa County Jail charged with DUI.” He was originally pulled over by a highway patrolman for driving in excess of 90 mph in a 65 mph zone. The smell of alcohol on Mr. Roberts led to sobriety tests on the spot which he failed. After being taken into custody, a breathalyzer test registered .11% alcohol; .08% is considered drunk in Oklahoma; .10% is considered drunk in every state. Just after midnight last night he was booked into Tulsa County Jail.
As an ORU graduate, I am very thankful for the education I received there. Of course, I remember taking the required course on “Being filled with the spirits and testing God’s protection by racing your car around town”. That is a joke, of course; no such course exists. Not even a hint of such teaching could be found at the university. I do fear that many will use Richard’s failure as a reason to attack the university. And some of those attacks will probably be as ridiculous as suggesting that such a course is part of the ORU curriculum.
Richard Roberts has his problems – legal and otherwise. He has had problems in the past; hence, he is the past president of ORU. This need not, however, become an occasion to attack the Roberts family, the university, Christians in general, or Charismatic Christians in particular. It really ought not be an occasion to attack Richard Roberts either. He obviously has problems and needs prayer. For the record, he and his family have mine.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Courageous- A Movie Recommendation
I didn't wait till it played the dollar theater on purpose. I've been busy. When I saw the first trailer for Courageous, I intended to see the movie. I expected it to be good, just not quite this good.
Yesterday, my wife and I went to see this movie. It easily gets a place among the best movies I have ever seen. In a day when families fall apart more often than they stay together, in a day when too many children grow up without the benefit of an involved, loving father, the message of this movie is so needed.
I want to publicly thank the people responsible for creating this movie. God bless you. And I want to encourage every man to go watch this movie - if for no other reason than you can passionately encourage other men to see it. And if you are a father still raising your kids, please make watching this movie a priority. I can't imagine that something in this movie wouldn't speak to your heart - powerfully speak to your heart. I plan to include this DVD in my library to loan.
Yesterday, my wife and I went to see this movie. It easily gets a place among the best movies I have ever seen. In a day when families fall apart more often than they stay together, in a day when too many children grow up without the benefit of an involved, loving father, the message of this movie is so needed.
I want to publicly thank the people responsible for creating this movie. God bless you. And I want to encourage every man to go watch this movie - if for no other reason than you can passionately encourage other men to see it. And if you are a father still raising your kids, please make watching this movie a priority. I can't imagine that something in this movie wouldn't speak to your heart - powerfully speak to your heart. I plan to include this DVD in my library to loan.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Are You a Teacher?
This morning, as our lead pastor (Brian Jennings) preached his New Year message, he asked us this question: "How many of you here are teachers?" Several of us raised our hands immediately. Now, before I go on, let me ask you, "Would you have raised your hand?"
Brian assessed the relatively low number of hands in response to his question. Then he said he thought we must not have understood him; so he asked again how many of us were teachers. Several more hands went up this time. Stating again that we must not be understanding him, he asked once more, "How many of you are teachers?" Most hands in the auditorium went up this time. Then Brian affirmed the truth that all of us are teachers; we all are teaching other people by our words or by our actions. Even children are teachers. They do learn from one another, and not always good and right things.
We would all do well to remember that all education does not take place in a formal pedagogical setting. Actually, most education does not take place in these settings. We are potentially learning from others constantly. We see someone do something and conclude that that is the way to handle a given situation. We reason "that is what everyone else is doing", so it is acceptable for me to do.
I need to remember that someone may be watching me, listening to me, when I don't even realize it. And, as they watch and listen, they may be learning lessons that are detrimental to them and a shame to me that I was their teacher. It is worth contemplating your role as a teacher. May we all be better learners and better teachers in 2012.
Brian assessed the relatively low number of hands in response to his question. Then he said he thought we must not have understood him; so he asked again how many of us were teachers. Several more hands went up this time. Stating again that we must not be understanding him, he asked once more, "How many of you are teachers?" Most hands in the auditorium went up this time. Then Brian affirmed the truth that all of us are teachers; we all are teaching other people by our words or by our actions. Even children are teachers. They do learn from one another, and not always good and right things.
We would all do well to remember that all education does not take place in a formal pedagogical setting. Actually, most education does not take place in these settings. We are potentially learning from others constantly. We see someone do something and conclude that that is the way to handle a given situation. We reason "that is what everyone else is doing", so it is acceptable for me to do.
I need to remember that someone may be watching me, listening to me, when I don't even realize it. And, as they watch and listen, they may be learning lessons that are detrimental to them and a shame to me that I was their teacher. It is worth contemplating your role as a teacher. May we all be better learners and better teachers in 2012.
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