Vision New England President to speak on evangelism that works

Rev. David Midwood, President of Vision New England, will be speaking on Saturday, May 12 from 9:00am to 12:00 noon at the Advent Christian Church, 217 New Harwinton Road, in Torrington.

In this meeting Rev. Midwood will

A. Share the results of an extensive study on evangelism that works in New England.
B. Explain how Vision New England intends to help local churches mobilize for evangelism.
C. Address the issue of breaking church growth barriers.

This is a great opportunity for clergy, lay people & church evangelism committees interested in building the Kingdom and the local church. Registration is free but please do RSVP at ron4sqch@worldnet.att.net if interested. Light refreshments will be served.

Christian Events in Connecticut This Week

The following events are coming up this week... for more details please visit the Connecticut Christian Events Calendar!

Wednesday, May 9:
Intercessory Prayer (Colchester)
Fairfield County Pastors' Luncheon (TBD)

Thursday, May 10:
Regional Prayer Meeting (New Haven)
Living Free in Christ Seminar with Neil Anderson (West Haven)

Friday, May 11:
Living Free in Christ Seminar with Neil Anderson (West Haven)

Saturday, May 12:
Living Free in Christ Seminar with Neil Anderson (West Haven)
Statewide Intercessors Gathering (Kensington)
David Midwood (Torrington)
House of Grace Community Coffeehouse (Milford)

What is happening to the bees?

I've resisted talking about this because one shouldn't jump on every blogging bandwagon, but scientists are growing alarmed about a drop in the number of honeybees. This isn't National Enquirer-type stuff, but something to frighten the folks at CNN:

Honeybees do not just make honey; they pollinate more than 90 of the tastiest flowering crops the country has.

Among them: apples, nuts, avocados, soybeans, asparagus, broccoli, celery, squash and cucumbers. And lots of the really sweet and tart stuff, too, including citrus fruit, peaches, kiwi, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, cantaloupe and other melons.

In fact, about one-third of the human diet comes from insect-pollinated plants, and the honeybee is responsible for 80 percent of that pollination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Even cattle, which feed on alfalfa, depend on bees. So if the collapse worsens, Americans could end up being "stuck with grains and water," said Kevin Hackett, the national program leader for USDA's bee and pollination program.

"This is the biggest general threat to our food supply," Hackett said.

While not all scientists foresee a food crisis, noting that large-scale bee die-offs have happened before, this one seems particularly baffling and alarming.

U.S. beekeepers in the past few months have lost one-quarter of their colonies -- or about five times the normal winter losses -- because of what scientists have dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder.

Not much in the way of colony collapse yet in Connecticut, according to the Courant. And perhaps this was inevitable: some Christians are connecting this to end-time prophecies of famine in the Book of Revelation.

Something to pray about...

National Day of Prayer a great success

Although one town which I won't mention by name reportedly refused to let attendees use any municipal electricity, on the whole it seemed that public officials were glad to join Connecticut residents in asking God's blessing on our State and nation yesterday during the National Day of Prayer.

I heard Danbury's Mayor Boughton on the radio this morning speaking of the virtues of the NDOP. This was a blessing.

Literally scores of Connecticut towns and cities held observances:

This report from todays' Norwich Bulletin:

Tom Girard, 44, of Voluntown attended for the first time.

"We desperately need prayer. Without prayer, we cannot create a relationship with our lord, Jesus Christ," said Girard, a computer technician at Connecticut College.

Barb Young, 57, Les Young's wife, said she comes every year.

"It's important to gather publicly and pray for our nation's leaders and for all our governments," Young said.

In the city of Groton, Mayor Dennis Popp said the lawn of the City Municipal Building is made available to churches on National Day of Prayer.

"They have used our front lawn for many years. If needed, we have a small tent they can use," Popp said. "This year, six churches were represented. It began at noon and lasted an hour. I was able to attend for 20 minutes or so."

The Plainfield Area Churches' Ecumenical Ministry put on its sixth annual National Day of Prayer breakfast at Plainfield Congregational Church.

About 35 to 40 people attended, according to First Selectman Kevin Cunningham.

"Different ministers from the Plainfield area were there. The people gathered and talked on this day of reflection," Cunningham said. "This was a nice way to communicate with the community."

And in Middletown, the Press reported:

Mayor Sebastian N. Giuliano declared Thursday Day of Prayer in the city of Middletown. A ceremony, titled "America, Unite in Prayer," was held in front of City Hall around the flagpole that afternoon.

"In the city of Middletown and that this day signifies that prayer is as important to our nation today as it was in the beginning," the proclamation read.

Let's work together to make NDOP grow year by year!

Connecticut towns fight the SOBs!

I admit that's probably not a headline you'd expect to see here on an average day... but read on!

People in the Hartford area are constantly being exposed to those billboards - you know the ones. The ones you shouldn't be looking at...

Unfortunately, Connecticut moms are having to become experts at diverting their little ones' attention to what's on the other side of the road. Now Channel 30 (NBC) is reporting on the trouble faced by the good people at Bethany Covenant Church in Berlin.

We need to continue to pray and work against SOBs - that's the cute new name being given to "sexually oriented businesses."

We're happy that recently Attorney General Blumenthal received approval from a Federal Court to intervene as a friend of the Court in the Town of Berlin's fight against the company called VIP:

Very Intimate Pleasures, a sexually oriented chain store that Berlin officials are fighting to keep out of the town, objected Blumenthal's request.

"The court recognizes the ramifications this single case has beyond Berlin's borders for the entire state," Blumenthal said. "The state will be at Berlin's side in court -- protecting the right of every city and town in Connecticut to protect citizens from sexually oriented businesses.

The town has filed two lawsuits against VIP in federal court, hoping to keep it from opening a store on the Berlin Turnpike.

In November, the town's zoning board rejected VIP's plan to open a store and, more recently, town officials issued a cease-and-desist order against it after a VIP sign was placed outside the building into which it planned to locate....

"These businesses are proliferating across our state -- adult book and video stores, massage parlors and facilities featuring live nude entertainment -- opening shop on our Main Streets and near homes," Blumenthal said.

The New Britain Herald gives additional background:

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal joined Mayor Adam Salina and citizens of Berlin on Monday in the battle of municipalities to uphold their right to regulate sexually oriented businesses within their borders....

The attorney general thanked the people of Berlin for standing up and speaking out against "a statewide problem," the proliferation of sexually oriented businesses.

"What Berlin has done, and quite rightly, is restrict those stores and set limits on them," Blumenthal said. "The state is siding with Berlin. This fight goes way beyond Berlin's boundaries; it encompasses every town and municipality in the state. We will continue to fight at Berlin's side."

Under its Sexually Oriented Business Ordinance, Berlin prohibits such stores from operating within 250 feet from any residentially zoned land, as VIP is proposing. Blumenthal called the case significant because it threatens not only Berlin, but also towns and cities throughout the state that have enacted similar ordinances involving sexually oriented businesses. These municipalities include Ansonia, Branford, Bristol, Cromwell, Ellington, Enfield, Fairfield, Griswold, Hartford, Mansfield, Meriden, Rocky Hill, Seymour, Southington, South Windsor, West Hartford and Wethersfield.

Courts across the nation, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have upheld ordinances regulating sexually oriented businesses based on evidence of their adverse secondary effects. The attorney general said the harms of sexually oriented businesses are well documented. "(They) show increased crime, especially sex-related crime, reduced property values, the deterioration of neighboring businesses and a lower quality of life for residents in the surrounding area," he said.

Continue to pray for the Attorney General and the Town of Berlin as they fight for the rights of towns and cities to maintain a decent quality of life and shield their children from unwanted influences. If you have a chance, drop Mr. Blumenthal a note and tell him you appreciate these kinds of efforts.

Stamford man pleads guilty to tampering with juice

A Stamford man has pled guilty to tampering with grape juice by mixing it with dishwashing detergent - an act which ended up sickening some 40 people at Calvary Baptist Church in Darien who were taking Communion. According to Channel 8,

Court records show that 44 people, half of them senior citizens, reported burning sensations in their throat, vomiting and nausea after drinking the juice.

Prayer for our Nation, 2007

This is the 2007 Prayer for our Nation, written by Dr. Charles Swindoll, the 2007 National Day of Prayer Honorary Chairman:

Almighty God, we pause to reflect on Your character as we seek wisdom for such a time as this.

In these unsafe days, You remain all-powerful and able to protect;

In these uncertain times, You remain all-knowing, leading us aright;

In the unprecedented events we're facing, You remain absolutely sovereign.

Our times are in Your hands.

Therefore, our dependence on You, is total, not partial . . .

our need for Your forgiveness is constant . . .

our gratitude for Your grace is profound. . . our love for You is deep.

We ask that You guard and guide our President and all who serve the people of these United States. May uncompromising integrity mark their lives.

We also ask that You unite us as truly "one nation, under God." May genuine humility return to our ranks.

And may that blend of integrity and humility heal our land.

In our Lord's name we pray, Amen.

Photo by JimmyOK

Find a National Day of Prayer event near you!

Here's a commercial from Coach Tony Dungy about prayer and the National Day of Prayer which is coming up tomorrow.

Find Connecticut events here!

Governor Rell's National Day of Prayer Proclamation

I haven't been able to find the Governor's proclamation on the State website, but here it is from the National Day of Prayer site. It reads:

By Her Excellency M. Jodi Rell, Governor: an Official Statement

Whereas, May 3, 2007 marks the 56th annual observance of the National Day of Prayer, and the theme of this year's nationwide celebration is "America, Unite in Prayer;" and,

Whereas, in 1988 legislation was unanimously ratified by both houses of Congress, and signed by President Ronald Reagan, stating that the National Day of Prayer was to be observed on the first Thursday of every May; and,

Whereas, it is fitting that we should give thanks for the freedom and prosperity enjoyed by this State and our Nation and to pray for continued guidance and comfort, which has graciously been bestowed upon this Nation since its inception; and,

Whereas, as caring citizens of this great State, we recognize prayer to be both powerful and peaceful; now

Therefore, I, M. Jodi Rell, Governor of the State of Connecticut, do hereby proclaim May 3, 2007 as the

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

in the State of Connecticut, and urge all citizens to observe this day in ways appropriate to its importance and significance.

s/s M. Jodi Rell
Governor

We thank the Governor for issuing this proclamation and may God bless our State tomorrow and always.

The DaVinci Code is nonsense - mysterious carvings are probably musical notes

Mysterious church carvings in that spooky church in Rosslyn, Scotland? They must reveal the secret truth about the children of Jesus and Mary Magdalene! Or perhaps a medieval Scottish UFO crash!

Ummm, no... turns out it's probably just musical notes, actually. The wire services are buzzing today with the news that mysterious carvings in Rosslyn Chapel are actually musical notation. Britain's Sunday Mail says:

Music teacher Thomas Mitchell, 75, strived for 27 years before he and pianist son Stuart, 41, deciphered symbols in the chapel which featured in the Da Vinci Code book and film....

Thomas, of Edinburgh, said: "The music is the result of years of painstaking research, recreating secret notes hidden for almost 600 years in carvings on the arches within the chapel itself.

"We believe this is the Holy Grail of music and, unlike the Da Vinci Code, it is absolutely factual...."

Using skills learned as an RAF code-breaker during the Korean War and his lifetime knowledge of classical music, he finally realised they depicted the vibrations of musical notes. He said: "It was a Eureka moment to end all Eureka moments.

"Many angels were carrying musical instruments and some were even grouped as if they were a choir.

"But one angel gave me the biggest problem. He was carrying something and at first I thought it was musical instrument which had been lost in the mists of time.

"It was only when I realised that he was carrying a musical stave, the blueprint for all musical composition, that I knew I was looking at a secretly coded piece of music.

"By recreating the patterns on each of the carved cubes, with Stuart's help, we unlocked the notes to find a haunting piece of music had been hidden in the arches for centuries.

"For the choral sections, we've used the words from the hymns to St John the Baptist taken from Matthew in the Old Testament which is fitting because the chapel itself is dedicated to St Matthew."

Stuart, a classical composer and pianist, used computers to decipher the carvings' secret music.

He has named the mediaeval music the Rosslyn Motet.

He said: "I also used authentic mediaeval instruments to recreate the music exactly and it truly is a masterpiece.

You can hear a snippet of the music here. Interesting stuff, and quite haunting actually (mp3 file about 45 seconds long).

To me, the discovery of music hidden for many centuries is more interesting than the Da Vinci Code because the Da Vinci Code is fictional and this is quite possibly very real.

Internet Evangelism Day

I dropped the ball on this one even though I had every good intention of talking about it. Internet Evangelism Day was this past Sunday and although it's still not on many folks' radar, the concept seems to be taking off.

Be ready for next year or just pick up useful hints on how to make your church website more evangelistic and less "churchy" all year around by visiting Gospelcom's Internet Evangelism homepage.

Anyone who hasn't yet appreciated the potential of this medium to reach those who need a relationship with God needs to re-think a lot of things. All Christian webmasters and bloggers know, or should know, that their product is read by all sorts of people in all sorts of places. I can't explain why our humble blog, which mostly focuses on Connecticut, is well-read in Australia and New Zealand relative to our total numbers, nor why we've picked up a reader or two in Kansas. But it shows the power of the Web for good as well as for ill.

One suggestion for our friends at Gospelcom: they need to call it something other than IE Day. There is a famous product in the computer world which I used to use and which is often referred to as "IE." They're up to IE7 at the moment. :)

Christian Events in Connecticut This Week

The following events are coming up this week... for more details please visit the Connecticut Christian Events Calendar!

Wednesday, May 2:
Intercessory Prayer (Colchester)

Thursday, May 3:
The National Day of Prayer - visit the Events page here for a full listing!

Saturday, May 5:
Meme Stephens in concert (Windsor)

Sunday, May 6:
Arise Spring 2007 Regional Gathering (Waterbury)

Connecticut needs to repent

One famous Connecticut preacher, Jonathan Edwards, is definitely spinning in his grave tonight.

A Courant poll finds that Connecticut residents are of two minds on same-sex marriage, and also that we are fairly evenly split about whether marriage is something religious or secular. Polls ae funny things, but it certainly seems that same-sex marriage is becoming more acceptable. The incessant drumbeat of the political Left and their use of guilt-inducing rhetoric is paying off. The Courant article even admits that Connecticut is more liberal than most other places on this issue, which I find interesting.

Brian Brown, the executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, dismissed the poll results, saying the questions were skewed to draw a favorable response. Brown and other opponents of gay marriage want the issue to be put directly to the state's voters in the form of a referendum.

"Every state that's been able to vote directly on this has been with us," Brown said. Gay marriage isn't a civil rights issue, he said. "This isn't about rights and benefits. It's about redefining marriage...."

Legal and political experts who track national public opinion on same-sex marriage say they are not surprised by the intensity of the support in Connecticut.

The poll found 31 percent of the state's residents strongly support same-sex marriage. In national polls, the percentage of respondents who express strong support generally hovers between 10 percent and 15 percent.

"There is no question that Connecticut is at the liberal end of the spectrum when it comes to attitudes toward homosexuality, same-sex marriage and civil unions," said Nathaniel Persily, a professor of law and political science at the University of Pennsylvania. "Same-sex marriage will come first to the blue states and later to the red states."

Brian Brown is right. This is about redefining marriage and nothing else.

What gives them the right to overturn 4,000 years of human experience? Nothing at all. What society has ever sanctioned homosexual marriage and taught its goodness to elementary school children? None.

But as Dostoevsky said, if there is no God, everything is permitted.

Whether anyone likes it or not, the United States is at present the leading nation in the Western world. Therefore the legitimization of same-sex marriage in the United States will clearly mark the end of the Judeo-Christian worldview as the guiding principle in the Western World. It also marks the rebirth of paganism as the organizing force in Western society - not the paganism of dilettantes dancing in the moonlight, but the intolerant paganism of ancient history, cruel to the unborn, the weak, the poor and the elderly alike. And as in ancient times, it will act on its aggressive intolerance of traditionally minded Christians and Jews, this time using the modern weapons of lawsuits and hate crimes legislation.

The National Day of Prayer is this Thursday, May 3. Please pray that God will grant us repentance.

Is anyone praying about the war?

By today's frenetic standards and with reduced attention spans, it's been quite a long time since 9/11. Many were the calls in those days to pray for our nation and for protection in particular, but those calls have grown fainter and fewer. In contrast to prior generations, Americans of today seem reluctant to pray against their enemies' war plans.

Oddly, others here and in Europe even seem to be bending over backwards to accommodate the very principles of those who would destroy were they able - even stopping the teaching of the Holocaust in schools as it may offend the sensibilities of radical Muslims. We cannot imagine FDR indulging the demands of American Nazis in 1942.

A sense of unreality has taken hold in which we can no longer even admit the existence of our enemies. Obvious facts and clear connections are being glossed over or never even being reported if they do not match the political orthodoxy.

A case in point is this story from the Times of London:

The al-Qaeda leader who is thought to have devised the plan for the July 7 suicide bombings in London and an array of terrorist plots against Britain has been captured by the Americans.

Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, a former major in Saddam Hussein’s army, was apprehended as he tried to enter Iraq from Iran and was transferred this week to the “high-value detainee programme” at Guantanamo Bay.

Were you able to connect the dots? Glenn Reynolds points out,

Hey, wait -- an "al-Qaeda leader" who's also a "former major in Saddam Hussein's army"? But I thought there was no connection between Saddam and Al Qaeda. Or between Al Qaeda and Iran . . . .

You get the picture. Or at least I hope you do, because the public doesn't seem to be reading too closely any more. We need to begin seriously praying again about the war and praying for our leaders, whether we like them or not.

Is Taxation Killing Connecticut?

Maybe not, but it's certainly killing you, right? Don Pesci at Connecticut Commentary compares our State very unfavorably to some European countries whose economies are booming since adopting a flat tax:

Both the flat tax and its ugly twin sister, the progressive tax, have measurable consequences. Since the flat tax permits people to keep more of their own income, that income is returned into the general economic pool in the form of investments. Every time a consumer purchases a product, he is investing in the product; that is to say, he is sending a message to the producer to hire more people to increase production.

These kinds of investments increase business activity, create jobs and – though it seems counterintuitive – result in increased tax revenues by nurturing more tax producers. Capital formation is the pool of money available to industry to expand, create jobs and produce more goods. Connecticut is near bottom in capital formation.

I'm old enough to remember that our State income tax was going to be temporary, but that seems to be have been forgotten by most everyone else. What would be wrong with reducing taxes, seeing as we have nice surpluses, and then asking government to live within its means?

National Day of Prayer Events in Connecticut

This coming Thursday, May 3, is the National Day of Prayer. Please join Christians around the State in asking the Lord's favor and blessing on our nation and our public officials.

Find Connecticut National Day of Prayer events here.

President Bush's Proclamation of the day is as follows:

A prayerful spirit has always been an important part of our national character, and it is a force that has guided the American people, given us strength, and sustained us in moments of joy and in times of challenge. On this National Day of Prayer, we acknowledge God's grace and ask for His continued guidance in the life of our Nation.

Americans of many faiths and traditions share a common belief that God hears the prayers of His children and shows grace to those who seek Him. Following the tragedy at Virginia Tech, in towns all across America, in houses of worship from every faith, Americans have joined together to pray for the lives that were lost and for their families, friends, and loved ones. We hold the victims in our hearts and pray for those who suffer and grieve. There is a power in these prayers, and we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God.

At this important time in our history, we also pray for the brave members of our Armed Forces and their families. We pray for their safety, for the recovery of the wounded, and for the peace we all seek.

The Congress, by Public Law 100 307, as amended, has called on our Nation to reaffirm the role of prayer in our society and to respect the freedom of religion by recognizing each year a "National Day of Prayer."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 3, 2007, as a National Day of Prayer. I ask the citizens of our Nation to give thanks, each according to his or her own faith, for the freedoms and blessings we have received and for God's continued guidance, comfort, and protection. I invite all Americans to join in observing this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Hispanics Changing American Christianity

Here's an interesting profile piece on religious trends among Hispanics in the U.S., based on a recent survey of 4,600 people. A casual observer would probably have to say that these trends are at work in Connecticut as well:

'Evangelicalism as we know it in this country is fast disappearing in many places,'' said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, which conducted 4,600 interviews for the survey with the Pew Hispanic Center. ``Not surprisingly, we're beginning to see some of that in the immigrants who are coming to this country. They're helping to transform American Christianity.''

In South Florida, Pentecostal and evangelical worship is growing among Hispanics as storefront churches multiply and megachurches draw thousands of Hispanic worshipers with lively worship and extensive social programs.

Calvary Chapel, a 20,000-member church in Fort Lauderdale, has about 4,000 Hispanic congregants, said Guillermo Novoa, Calvary's Spanish ministry assistant. The church's Hispanic outreach includes English classes, live Spanish translation of services and Bible study, discipleship and marriage counseling in Spanish.

Attendance in the Spanish-language services has grown to 300 people, up from 40 people when the church launched its Hispanic outreach seven years ago.

''The majority of them are Latin American immigrants who are Roman Catholic when they come here,'' Novoa said. ``They see it's a huge difference to be a Christian in this country.''

At El Rey Jesus, a 7,000-member church in West Kendall, worship services are punctuated with Pentecostal practices such as casting out demons and hands-on healing.

Some Spanish-speaking Pentecostal megachurches -- such as Alpha and Omega Church in south Miami-Dade County -- are offering live English translations of their services for second-generation Hispanics who prefer English.

Connecticut has a new Chief Justice

Congratulations to the Hon. Chase Rogers, who has been confirmed as Connecticut's new Chief Justice. (It's always nice when there's something the Senate and House can agree upon unanimously!) Bio here.

At the young age of 50, Chief Justice Rogers is positioned to lead the State Judiciary for the next two decades. Please keep her and all Connecticut's judges in your prayers.

What's the best outreach and evangelism resource for churches?

We're not sure... it depends on the DNA of your church and your location, among other things.



However, Outreach Magazine has named Bill Hybels' book Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith as the "Best Outreach Resource of 2006."

With more than 100,000 copies sold since its August 2006 debut, Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith by popular Christian author and megachurch pastor Bill Hybels continues to affect its readers and transform the way churches approach evangelism.

The book, and its related resources, center on the power of Christians to fulfill the Great Commission through intentional friendships, faithful prayer and the ability to share the Gospel by telling their own spiritual stories. Hybels writes: “When you communicate your personal faith story with sincerity, you will see supernatural sparks fly as God uses it for His glory and your listener’s good....”

Building off the book’s foundation, Hybels and co-author Ashley Wiersma created a four-week churchwide evangelism campaign by the same name, which more than 1,000 churches have already completed. The “Just Walk Across the Room Experience” has allowed church members to learn and respond to Hybels’ teaching through a small group DVD curriculum or through 90-minute satellite broadcast events held in October 2006 and January 2007—with more simulcast events planned for this fall.

Hat tip: Christian Post.

Is Jesus still Lord?

They succeeded in getting many people to stop calling God Father... now there's more - apparently we shouldn't call Him, or Jesus "Lord."

An Arizona Episcopal Church thinks it's inappropriate and unseemly:

"Lord" has become a loaded word conveying hierarchical power over things, "which in what we have recorded in our sacred texts, is not who Jesus understood himself to be," St. Philip's associate rector Susan Anderson-Smith said.

"The way our service reads, the theology is that God is love, period," St. Philip's deacon Thomas Lindell added. "Our service has done everything it can to get rid of power imagery. We do not pray as though we expect the big guy in the sky to come and fix everything."

St. Philip's isn't the only local church to re-examine its language. Other local religious leaders already are eschewing the use of "Lord" for similar reasons.

First Congregational United Church of Christ in Midtown even has a different name for The Lord's Prayer. They call it "The Prayer of Our Creator."

"We do still use the word 'Lord' on occasion, but we are suspicious of it," First Congregational pastor Briget Nicholson said. "Inclusive language is important. Our United Church of Christ hymnal does have hymns that will say 'Father' and 'God.' but the next verse will always then say 'Mother' and 'God.' It's gender-balanced."

Hierarchical power? If Jesus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," isn't that enough hierarchical power for you? As far as I can understand the New Testament,

...God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

The Episcopal priest has her own interpretation of the New Testament, too:

"Jesus was for an egalitarian community. He did not have room for titles or status. And it is recorded that many of the disciples called him Lord. But they had a different idea about worshipping him," she said. "Jesus was a rabbi and teacher. It was a relationship of mentoring, looking up to him for that kind of companionship."

Umm, yeah. When will these people have the intellectual honesty to drop the pretense and acknowledge that they are not Christians? Imagine my relief to discover that the Christian faith still exists in pockets of Arizona:

"We call him 'Lord' because he is Lord," said the Rev. Joe Bettridge, senior pastor at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on Tucson's Northwest Side. The church is part of the mainline Presbyterian Church U.S.A. "If you read the Bible, he — God — created everything from nothing. That's pretty powerful to me."

Amen and amen, Pastor Joe.

More here from the Arizona Daily Star. Hat tip to Titus 1:9.