Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[NY Times]

Jason Russell, a fitness buff, had long found it difficult to combine his Christian faith with his job as a gym manager, which required him to be around women in spandex and men concerned only with how macho they are.

“Me being a single guy and trying to walk the Christian line, it was difficult,” said Mr. Russell, 30. “I needed not only to protect myself, but as a leader, to help others with their spiritual journey.”

Mr. Russell had been planning to open a gym of his own. Then he discovered Lord’s Gym, a 10,000-square-foot fitness center here that meshes prayer and push-ups. Its goal, says its owner, Paul Sorchy, a chiropractor, is to provide a modest setting where members can feel comfortable exercising. Mr. Russell is now its manager.

The gym offers classes including “Yogod,” its take on yoga, and “Chariots of Fire,” a spinning class. Spaghetti-strap tank tops and short shorts are not allowed, and women’s tops must cover their bottoms.

“Many people want to have a quality atmosphere that’s not involved in the meat-market setting, that’s serious about workouts,” Dr. Sorchy said. “People want something truly family-friendly, and want to have a team of folks they can trust.”

The first Lord’s Gym was started in 1994 in Roseville, Calif., as a nonprofit community center for teenagers. Its founder, Doug Bird, is a former drug dealer who is now the pastor of Abundant Life Fellowship Church in Roseville, about 20 miles northeast of Sacramento.

Read more here.

[From me]

I had hoped this was a Lark News story.  Sadly it is not.  I’ve got a novel concept.  Why don’t Christians join secular gyms and build relationships with the unchurched?  

What do you think?

[From Christian Post]

A graduating senior at Higley High School in Gilbert, AZ discovered this week that his reference to “God” had been edited from his yearbook profile. Anthony Sciubba, 18, approached the school Wednesday about why the yearbook had taken out ”God,” who he felt was essential to his bio page, and was told that it was to avoid problems with the separation between church and state.

Read about it here.

[From me]

I don’t get this one at all. It is a student, not a teacher who is telling his fellow students that God transformed his life. What is the problem?

What do you think?

[From Christian Post]

The “Dr. Phil of Prayer” has issued a challenge to outspoken television star Rosie O’Donnell to defend her “anti-Christian hate speech,” surprisingly by the invitation of radio talk show host Howard Stern. This would be the third time Bill Keller, host of Live Prayer with Bill Keller, has spoken on the popular “shock jock’s” daily program, and he is willing to appear again to debate with O’Donnell, who he felt has had no direct challenge from Christians against her anti-religion remarks.

Read about it here.

[From me]

What Rosie does in her personal life is between her and God. But the woman has major anger issues. Ever since she had gone on the View she has spewed hate towards the President and mostly towards Christians. Elisabeth Hasselbeck has done her best to debate Rosie but she is just too nice. I checked out Rosie’s blog and man is she angry.

Sometimes the only way to defeat a bully is to take them head on. So I hope Bill Keller gets to take on Rosie in person. I doubt Rosie will agree to it but it could be interesting.

I also welcome Rosie to visit here too. I have no problem with you as a person. I’m sorry that you are hurting so much that you want to take it out on Christians. We’re not all that bad. I pray you find God’s Grace.

What do you think?

[From Bos News Life]

The wife of a senior Chinese House Church leader was sentenced to ten days administrative detention in Henan.  50-year-old Ms. Li Huage was arrested and sentenced to ten days for allegedly “disturbing public order”. When the arrest occurred, Ms. Li was in the Wancheng District PSB office seeking the return of her cell phone, computer, and bibles which were illegally confiscated on March 6 from her home. She is now detained in Ying An Lu Detention Center, Wancheng district, Nanyang city, Henan province.

Her husband pastor Dong Quanyu was released March 16 after serving a ten day sentence for an “illegal religious gathering”. Ms. Li was beaten heavily by the PSB officers on March 16 outside the detention center before she met with her released husband. Pastor Dong is the Vice-President of the Chinese House Church Alliance. Along with some Chinese House Church leaders and three South Korean Pastors, Dong and his wife Ms. Li were hosting a Bible study at their home in Wancheng District, Nanyang city, Henan province on March 6, 2007.  They were raided and taken to the police station for interrogation. The PSB officers also searched the house and took away personal properties including cell phones, a computer, and Christian books without giving any receipt as required by law. Most of the pastors were released the following day after intensive international pressure.

Read about it here.

[From me]

We complain about petty things here in the US and Christians in other parts of the world are being persecuted for their faith.  People are being beat for worshiping in a home and we complain because the air isn’t working right, the music was too loud or not loud enough.  Maybe the message was too long or too short, etc… Kind of puts things in perspective.
Why don’t the mainstream media outlets pick up these stories?  I need to pray more for our missionaries.

What do you think?