beginning the conversation...

Every conversation has a beginning, a middle and an end. Personally, I have always struggled with beginnings. Middles and ends come more easily for me. In the beginning, I usually either say too much, or I stumble or fumble my way through the introduction and have trouble getting to the "heart" of the conversation. I'm not really very good with formalities. Don't mistake me, I love conversations. Just ask my friend (and fellow poster) John, we talk about everything and anything. But it's the starting of the conversation that's the challenge. Especially a conversation that is truly important.

I am reminded of a song that talks about the beginning of one such conversation:

We've had every conversation in the world
about what is right and what has all gone
bad, but have I mentioned to you that
this is all I am, this is all that I have ...
Somewhere somehow this subject became
taboo. I have no other way to communicate to you.
This is all that I am. This is all that I have

So here goes...

Hi, my name is Chris, and I would like to talk with you about truly important things. Things that are life-altering and dangerous. Things that are true. Things that bring comfort and security and hope for the hopeless. And so would my friend John. That's why we started this blog. We're certainly not know-it-alls, what we do know is that we have alot to learn. In fact, we're actually pretty weak in many ways and areas. But we have been given truth and strength and that's what we want to talk to you about. We want to tell you about this truth and how it brings power in weakness, hope for the hopeless and help for the helpless.

...well, it was a bit awkward, and I'm sure one of my old teachers would point out that I made the mistake of starting a sentence with a conjunction, but for now it gets us started.

So what are these important things? Well, if you meet us on the streets of Asheville, it will soon be apparent that we are interested in talking with you about some good news. That's what the word "Gospel" means. What is this Gospel Good News? Maybe you've heard it a hundred times, maybe this is only the first or second time, but it's the heart of what this blog is about, and, really it's at the heart of what John and I have to offer. This is all that we are, and all that we have.

Jesus, the Son of God, put it really simply when he said: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (The Bible, John 11:25,26) If you want to read the whole chapter, type it into the search bar in the sidebar (to your right on this page).

Everyone has to die, but no one likes to talk about it. Jesus, in the context of this chapter raises a man who was dead to life. By doing so He foreshadows what He had come to do - to conquer death and sin. Everyone has sinned, and, according to God's word, deserves to die. And we will. There is nothing more certain than death. BUT, (and that's a Gospel conjunction so it's ok to start a sentence with it) Jesus through His death on the cross removed the curse of the sins of all who will believe in Him; "Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." That's the heart of the Good News, that's the heart of the Gospel.

So, the question is... "Do you believe this?"