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For this month’s blog I want to do something a little different. I want to celebrate the life of Roy McArthur Locklear, Jr. also known more affectionately as Bro. Mack or Pastor Mack. I’m sure many of you have read his obituary or maybe even saw or attended his memorial service this past Saturday. I have also read many testimonies about how Bro. Mack impacted so many lives. Today I want to give my brief story with Mack and some of the legacy he left behind at Noah’s Ark. Most of you know the story better than I do of how Mack and Marilyn came to Jamaica in their 60’s and began the ministry here that resulted in Riverside Baptist Church and Noah’s Ark Children’s Home. I only know the story as they told it to us the first time we met almost 3 years ago. If I get any of these facts wrong feel free to correct them on the NACH Facebook page. But as you know some 25 years ago the Locklears decided to move to Jamaica to begin a ministry there at an age when most people just decided to retire. They were first in Montego Bay for several years while looking for a place to plant a church. Finally they came upon the property in Martha Brae and began the process of planting a church. The property was at the bottom of the hill and at the end of what was described as a road, down by the Martha Brae river. In reality it was just a plot of land that was somewhat of a dump. They had to haul away trash and rocks for weeks just to clear the land. It was hard labor that both Mack and Marilyn, again … in their 60’s, took on without complaint. Eventually a church was built and Pastor Mack began to preach. The church was named Riverside Baptist Church and the chapel is named “Locklear Chapel.”  A mission house followed the church building and mission teams began to come to Jamaica to minister in this area about a mile and a half from Falmouth and the coast. My understanding is that Mack was always the one who had the vision of what God wanted them to do and then Ms. Mack (Marilyn) had to figure out how they were going to get it done (ha). In their mid-70’s Mack decided the Lord was calling them to build a children’s home. Marilyn reminded him of their age and what a huge undertaking that was but when God said to do it Mack was obedient … and so was Marilyn. The children’s home was finally completed in 2012 and was named Noah’s Ark Children’s Home. They started with 4 boys from the same family. The Pringles, Damien, Anthony, Dave/Damari, and Bobby/Danny. They are all still at NACH but obviously they have grown up. Damien turns 21 soon and actually works at the home. There are still just boys at the home and they all have been greatly impacted by “Pastor Mack” as they lovingly refer to him. Mack was always generous with the boys and anyone he met, sometimes to a fault. We asked the boys to write some brief memories of Pastor Mack and every single one of them talked about their love for him. Of course, being disadvantaged children they primarily remember all the things Mack did for them like taking them to KFC, or Burger King, or Tastees or do you sense a pattern here? Mostly it was about food. But he would bring them gifts when he came back to the states. They remember those and often remind us of his generosity. Many of them thought of him as a father to them and though they haven’t seen him in over two years they still miss him. One of the boys described him as “loving, caring, kind, smart, brave, intelligent and brilliant.” They later went on to say, “even when I’ve done wrong things he always encourage me to do the right thing and I will never forget how much he care for me and I love him so so much.” One of the other boys said, “Pastor Mack was a good man. He was so special in many ways. He was kind, loving helpful. He taught me so many things. He always support me in every thing.” I could go on but that is the kind of impact Mack had on everyone. People never forgot Mack. And I tend to think they won’t. I can still remember when Jennifer and I first met Mack and Marilyn at Henry Baptist Church in McDonough, GA. We heard their story and I was struck by one word then and now when it comes to describing them … Obedience. They were obedient to whatever God called them to do, throughout their whole life. I can’t claim to know the Locklears like many of you do. We only had a handful of times together plus phone conversations and emails. Added to that was one week in the summer of 2019 when Bro. Mack came to Jamaica for what turned out to be his last time. Marilyn was sick and had to stay home but Mack came and we hosted Houschton Baptist Church in July of 2019. By that time we had agreed that God was calling us there and Mack was on that trip as much to help us as he was to help Houschton. Mack took us from place to place and I asked every question I could imagine and he was so kind and gracious and patient with us. I remember standing in line at the tax office to get our TRN number and he waited patiently outside for the hour or two it took. Same thing at the police station in MoBay and on and on. He took us around to everywhere he could think of and took us to lunch in MoBay and sent us with Merrimac and her family to Negril for a day off and he wouldn’t let us pay for anything. It was a great week just getting to know him a little and he couldn’t have been kinder and more helpful. He did his best to give us godly advice and even then warned me about trying to help everyone, saying that was a mistake he made. But that was Mack. He was generous to his core and in Jamaica, like anywhere, people sometimes take advantage of that. But above it all I still think of that word … obedience. He was obedient to the end and God was honored because of his sacrifice. When I think about trying to take the place of Mack and Marilyn in Jamaica it has quickly become clear that is impossible. We can never take their place. There is only one Mack and only one Marilyn and they are extremely unique and wonderful people. There is no way Jennifer and I can become them or take their place. That has been tough. Bro. Mack casts a large shadow. Even after almost 2 years there the boys still compare us to Pastor Mack. “But Pastor Mack used to buy us KFC when he went home” and I always have to remind them I’m not Pastor Mack. And usually I add something like “I’m not rich like Pastor Mack,” haha, but you can imagine how much KFC for everyone costs so we have to do things differently sometimes. People still see the NACH van and sometimes mistake me for Pastor Mack. We run into people at the tax office or other businesses who ask about Pastor Mack on a regular basis. He is known and much-loved and impossible to exactly emulate. Jennifer and I share some similarities with Mack and Marilyn. We came to Jamaica at a similar age as they did after serving in the local church for decades and we truly believe God called us there. I can’t imagine God leaving us there for 20+ years which makes their journey even more amazing. But I say all the time I could never do what they did. To build this amazing ministry there from nothing is something that is beyond me. I struggle most days just to keep things running between the constant repairs and the boys who are now quickly becoming young men to the non-stop struggle with government demands, I quickly feel overwhelmed. I do often wonder what Mack would do. I know he would be obedient to his call and that is what we try to do as well. We desperately want to continue the legacy that Bro. Mack left in Jamaica. But we need your help as well. Prayers are the biggest part as we deal with the government and their demands … and as we still struggle with the land situation. Finances and giving are always important and needed in any mission effort but especially during a pandemic and with no groups being able to come for almost 2 years … it has made things difficult. As soon as Covid restrictions lift we want ALL of you to come back and HELP!! Our goal is to expand the outreach of the ministry but we need HELP!! The Locklears will always be the heart and soul of what goes on at Noah’s Ark and Riverside Baptist. I pray we will do them proud as we follow God’s call. God bless you Pastor Mack. We truly miss you!! We are thankful that you are celebrating with the Lord even now and we are grateful for the legacy you left behind!! May we ALL seek to live in such a way as to leave behind a legacy of a life well-lived in service to the King!!

Faithfulness “The glory of God's faithfulness is that no sin of ours has ever made Him unfaithful.” - Charles Spurgeon “Man in Black: Faithfulness he talked of, madam, your enduring faithfulness! Now, tell me truly. When you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your prince that same hour, or did you wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?” Ha. I couldn’t resist throwing in a line from my favorite movie, “The Princess Bride.” I have many lines I could use here but today I want to talk about faithfulness. According to Dictionary.com “faithfulness” means “the fact or quality of being true to one’s word or commitments, as to what one has pledged to do, professes to believe, etc.: In the Bible, the psalmist David reports God's faithfulness in keeping promises.” Just so we are clear here … God is always faithful. Faithfulness is one of His key attributes. Let’s think about that for a moment. Like many things in the Bible we understand and even agree with the idea that God is always faithful but when it comes to the life we live each day we sometimes live as if we don’t really believe it to be true. “Scripture speaks often of God’s faithfulness. Over and over we learn that when God says He will do something, He does it (even when it seems impossible). When He says something will happen, it happens. This is true for the past, the present and the future. If this were not the case—if God were unfaithful even once—He would not be God, and we could not rely on any of His promises. But as it is, “Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave” (1 Kings 8:56). God is eternally reliable, steadfast, and unwavering because faithfulness is one of His inherent attributes. God does not have to work at being faithful; He is faithful. Faithfulness is an essential part of who He is (Psalm 89:8; Hebrews 13:8). In His faithfulness, God protects us from evil (2 Thessalonians 3:3), sets limits on our temptations (1 Corinthians 10:13), forgives us of sin (1 John 1:9), and sanctifies us (1 Corinthians 1:9; Philippians 1:6).” So what about our faithfulness to Him. Undoubtedly we are called to be faithful. One of the fruits of the Spirit is faithfulness: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) So we know it is not just something we are called to do but it is also evidence of the Spirit living in us. “When a person walks consistently with God, in humble service to Him, he or she can be called “faithful.” When Nehemiah had to leave Jerusalem to return to Persia, he put Hanani and Hananiah in charge. The reason for his choice of these men was that they were “more faithful and God-fearing . . . than many” (Nehemiah 7:2, ESV). Nehemiah needed men of character whom he could trust. Men who would not take bribes, who were committed to the welfare of the people, and who would uphold the integrity of the office. Notice, also, that faithfulness is associated with fearing God. The better we truly know God, the more we will want to imitate Him (Ephesians 5:1). Other examples of faithfulness include Silas (1 Peter 5:8), Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21), Epaphras (Colossians 1:7), Onesimus (Colossians 4:9), and Moses (Hebrews 3:2).” God desires and most uses faithful people. We need people around us who are faithful and trustworthy. Where we are in Jamaica one of the key things we are always looking for is relationships with people we can trust, people who exhibit faithfulness in their walk with God and in their relationships with men. It is vital to carrying out the work that God has given us. “The Bible also warns us of the consequences of unfaithfulness. These warnings are necessary because, as the old hymn says, we are “prone to wander . . . prone to leave the God I love.” Our hearts are too often found fickle, despite our best intentions (Proverbs 20:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 26:75).” We must constantly guard against being unfaithful. We do this by making sure our relationship with Him is an ever-growing experience. It must remain fresh and vibrant and alive. It requires time and effort and a desire that comes from a deep love. “Faithfulness affects every relationship we have. The Bible says it is a gift from God. When we receive Christ as Lord, the Holy Spirit indwells us and brings the blessings of love, joy, peace and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22). The fullness of these blessings depends on walking with God and yielding to His Spirit. We should be faithful to read and abide by God’s Word and to seek the Lord in prayer (Psalm 1:1-2; Ephesians 6:18).” Faithfulness … remaining true and committed to what we say we believe. I praise God for His faithfulness to me. There have been many times where I could see his faithfulness towards me in action. I pray my faithfulness to Him will be evident to those who look to me and my example. But it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that I am able to walk in faithfulness. The same is true for each of us. Here is a good challenge for each of us … “Think about the ways you show your faithfulness to God. Are there things that are getting in the way of your faithfulness? What areas of your life have you not given over to Him? Through spending time in prayer, ask God to make these things clear to you, so that He can grow you in your faithfulness.”

Many times, when believers are asked to sum up their purpose in life, I have heard them quote this verse from Micah. Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (KJV)” The ESV translates it this way: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” The NLT says: “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Sometimes when I hear people quote Micah 6:8 I think but wait shouldn’t our life verse have something to do with the gospel found in the New Testament? I still think that, but this verse has a lot of powerful principles for living out our lives and we would do well to follow these. Act Justly The first step, God says, is to act justly. Acting justly, or doing justice, is “the quality of being impartial or fair.” God tells us to “do justice.” Perhaps you struggle to know what it means to do justice. How did I do justice this past week? What does it look like? We have often defined justice by placing it primarily in a political, economic, or judicial realm. These definitions make it difficult to identify that we are doing justice on a regular basis. Within each of us God has planted a sense of justice. I often see this play out in weird and unusual ways. Jennifer chides me sometimes for my driving habits while I implore to her the value of justice. But more importantly how does that play out in our daily lives? I do believe it is more than just acting justly but when we talk about doing justice it means seeking to right wrongs. It means acting in such a way that we take up for those who are being treated poorly. It means seeing injustice all around us and doing our best to bring justice to those who cannot do it themselves. Maybe this means feeding the poor or bringing hope to those without hope. “In our daily lives, we all have the opportunity to do justice with actions that help people help themselves. In this, we are creating an environment where people can thrive and achieve their full potential.” Love Mercy The next command offered by God in Micah 6:8 is “to love mercy.” According to the Encyclopedia of the Bible, mercy requires both an inward disposition and an outward action. “It is evident that mercy combines a strong emotional element, usually identified as pity, compassion, or love, with some practical demonstration of kindness in response to the condition or needs of the object of mercy.” – Encyclopedia of the Bible It is easy for our hearts to harden and our minds to judge. These people are being both foolish and manipulative. They are taking advantage of our care. And we need to hear God say once again, “As one of my people, I hope you love mercy—for that is what you have received.” Mercy is more than just an attitude. Mercy requires action. When we love mercy we have a heart of compassion for people that God loves. We show we love mercy when we actually do acts of mercy. This could mean feeding the poor or providing housing for the homeless or providing for widows and orphans. In Jamaica we see needs all around us. Many of these are physical needs as people struggle often to just put food on their table. We have changed from our initial policy of not giving to beggars to one where we try to give in small amounts but to anyone who is in need. And we have provided for other more substantial needs as we can but certainly we don’t possess the resources to meet all the needs around us each day (though some Jamaicans think we surely must be rich). But we also have to be careful as giving too much can actually hurt. It can create a culture of dependence and often people will keep asking until you ultimately have to say no. Sometimes showing mercy means knowing when to say No. It also means going beyond the physical to the spiritual which is far more important. Walk Humbly The third command in Micah 6:8 is “to walk humbly with your God.” “Walking humbly with God is of key importance when working with people living in poverty. Too often, people think that the poor have nothing to teach or to share. In contrast, walking humbly with God recognizes the poverty of mind, soul, spirit and body that we all possess without the grace of God.” “To “walk humbly with God” is the basis for loving mercy and doing justice. Because of what God has done, we fully invest in healing the world around us through mercy and justice. Cultivating our walk with God provides the power and passion for us to fully engage—it grounds everything else we do.” The “walk” metaphor is used often in Scripture to describe the overall direction one’s life is heading. It is often used to describe a daily endeavor. It is something that implies an ongoing relationship with God. “The adverb “humbly” moves us away from arrogance and the egocentric need to always be better than others, to the simple acceptance of the gifts that God has placed within us. The hymn “Trust and Obey” might come to mind: “When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word, what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.”” Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly This is what God requires of us. May it be our goal and ambition today!!

Dealing with the Unexpected. Life is full of unexpected events. Sometimes it feels like the unexpected becomes almost the norm. And yet, for most people, when there is too much “unexpected” it leads to turmoil and stress. It seems we are built to handle a certain amount of the unexpected but we all have a point where the unexpected overwhelms us. Some people fall into depression and a dark place. But the unexpected isn’t always bad. Sometimes it can be good ... very good. Of course, it is easier to respond to the good than it is the bad. We don’t really need a guide on what to do when a check for a $1000 shows up in our mailbox. We don’t need someone to counsel with us when we meet the “love of our life.” We can usually figure out what to do when God blesses us beyond all that we can dream or imagine. But what do we do when the unexpected is bad? Unexpected … “unforeseen or surprising.” There are lots of guides online for how to deal with the unexpected. One I saw recently suggested six things: 1) Accept that unexpected events happen 2) Think before you act 3) Have a positive attitude 4) Expect and plan for a great outcome 5) Talk to someone you trust 6) Make it a learning opportunity. Not terrible guidelines but does God’s Word give us any help? “Fear of the unexpected often paralyzes us and stops us from stepping into the fullness of the life that God has for us.” Psalm 119:68 reminds us that “You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.” 2 Timothy 1:7 is one we quote a lot around our house, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” And John 10:10 tells us that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Some people live “waiting for the other shoe to drop” but scripture reminds us that God is a good God and wants good for us so we don’t need to live a life of fearing the unexpected … EVEN THOUGH we all know the unexpected will come. God is still in control and has a plan for that. Some of you are saying right now … but David what about the unexpected death of a loved one or a terminal diagnosis. As most of you know NACH recently lost one of our boys due to an illness. It has been devastating and definitely unexpected. Some of us imagined what a great testimony it would be when God healed him and yet it didn’t happen. Jennifer and I have a friend, a young woman, who has a terminal disease. We have been brought to our knees with tears because of this but the testimony of her and her husband has been beyond the ordinary. Their ability to praise God in the midst of the most heartbreaking time in anyone’s life is awe-inspiring. I don’t think I could do it. But the unexpected comes for us all. Today, I was hit by an unexpected event. I accidentally backed my vehicle into a post. Then I found out our insurance deductible is $995 (what were we thinking??) and though I didn’t scream and wail I still am mourning the loss of the money and time and trouble that is to come. Unexpected events happen for me and you all the time. And even though we ALL have unexpected events we are called not to fear them. I also know we were never called to live an ordinary life but instead to pursue a supernatural life of faith in Him. Acts 3:1-10 tells the story of a beggar who was lame from birth who encountered the unexpected. “The man in this story had a limitation that got in the way of him fully expecting God to work in a powerful and personal way.” What situation or condition do we have that keeps us from fully trusting God and expecting His best? God doesn’t always respond with healing like he did with this man, but God still moves in supernatural ways in our lives. Are we looking for God to move when the unexpected comes into our lives? Maybe God will be more glorified through NOT healing. I think of the two boys at NACH who have recently prayed to receive Christ. We and they, because of Jaheel’s death, sensed the urgency of life and the greater need in their own lives. Would that have happened with the healing of Jaheel? I don’t know. But our prayer is that God will continue to use His death to bring others to Himself. There is a story in the Old Testament about a time when Israel faced an unexpected attack. This is such an important incident in Israel’s history that it appears three times in the Bible (2 Kings 18; 2 Chronicles 32). Sennacherib, King of Assyria, was attacking Jerusalem with a huge army. They were taunting the people, ‘On what are you basing this confidence of yours?’ (Isaiah 36:4). The Israelites were being taunted and ridiculed for their faith in God. It must have seemed like an impossible situation – no one else had ever been delivered out of the ‘hand of the king of Assyria’ (v.18). But they did not answer the taunting. Hezekiah asked Isaiah to pray (v.4). Isaiah responded by saying that God’s message was: ‘Don’t be upset by what you’ve heard... I personally will take care of him’ (vv.6–7, MSG). King Hezekiah got on his face before God and prayed like he had never prayed before. And this is what God did in that unexpected situation. Isaiah sent him a message, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me… I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!’ (vv.21,35) God heard the prayer of Hezekiah and Isaiah and he rescued and delivered his people (vv.36–38). God still answers prayer today!! Hebrews 12:1-3 reminds us that we are to fix our eyes on Jesus and expect the unexpected. How do we fix our eyes on Him? In today’s world it is exceptionally easy to get distracted and fix our eyes somewhere else. Temptation is all around us. Things we shouldn’t look at or listen to are easily available. But what about seemingly good things that distract us from Jesus? What about good causes that take our passion somewhere away from Him? I am often reminded as we minister to the boys at the home that even though it is a good thing it must never be so all-encompassing that I lose sight of Jesus. Maybe its your family or children or spouse or job that get your sight off Him. Maybe its politics or Covid or the craziness in the world right now. And when those unexpected things come, we are not ready because we have taken our eyes off Him. Maybe He even allows those unexpected things into our lives to remind us where we need to be looking. And I think too often we depend on what other people can do and we lose faith in God. God can move in your (and my) unexpected moments in ways that people cannot. Put your faith and trust in Him and watch Him move.

RACISM . One of the hottest topics of discussion in the United States and in the world right now. Is it getting worse? Has it improved over the last 50+ years? And for us what does it look like in Jamaica compared to the US? This blog will not adequately cover the full topic or necessarily provide answers but hopefully will add some depth to the discussion. As I’m sure you can guess, in Jamaica we are a racial minority. We are surrounded by people with different skin color than us and on most days we don’t encounter anyone who has the same skin tone. We are indeed treated differently because we are white. We are surely viewed wherever we go as most likely having money, even to the point of being considered “rich.” We are seen sometimes as not being as smart because we aren’t from Jamaica. We are also sometimes seen as being more likely to have Covid. All these and more are silly things based on the color of our skin. In the US we often judge people of another color through equally silly lenses. In Jamaica many times Asian people are discriminated against based on their racial and ethnic background. They are often viewed in a negative light. It would be easy for us to judge in reverse. But when the majority of people have the same skin color you begin to realize that often we judge based on other factors as well. Things like clothing and hair and posture all become subtle ways to evaluate/judge people. I grew up as a child in the Texas-Oklahoma-Kansas area. My grade-school years were spent in a small little town in central Kansas. I can still remember moving to Eastern Oklahoma before my 7th grade year and going to school with kids who didn’t look like me for the very first time. I remember playing football with many black kids and being more curious than fearful. In fact, through sports I quickly developed many black friends. I can still remember the first day of school and seeing a racial fight for the first time and on top of that seeing girls fight for the first time. Race is one of those things that impacts all people in all cultures. Anyone different than us is perceived in a different way and race is a part of that equation. There are many influences in our lives in how we handle that and how we treat those different than us. In the Bible we see clear condemnation of the idea of racism. Two key passages include Galatians 3:26–28 which reminds us that “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” There is no room for treating people differently based on their race if we are in Christ. Also, we see Paul appealed to Philemon to see his slave, Onesimus, “no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother” (Philemon 16). One good resource for this discussion is found in Jim Denison’s article called “ What Does the Bible Say about Racism? ” You might not agree 100% with every assertion he makes but some good knowledge and even wisdom can be found by reading that article. A few of the challenges he gives are worth repeating here. He first says we need to Search Our Hearts : One reason racial discrimination is such a perennial problem is that it appeals to the core of our sin nature. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent promised the woman that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, “you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). From then to now, our desire to be our own god is at the root of all our sin. As Friedrich Nietzsche noted, the “will to power” is the basic drive in human nature. Here’s my point: Racism is a way to feel superior to others on the basis of immutable realities. If I’m White and you’re Black, I will always be White and you will always be Black. If I delude myself into believing that being White is superior to being Black, I will therefore always feel superior to you. This temptation is alluring on levels we often don’t recognize. In fact, I think Satan wants us not to acknowledge our discriminatory inclinations, lest we admit and repent of them. Secondly, he talks about Taking the Initiative . That change has to start with us. We must be proactive rather than reactive. Christians are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13, 14). If food lacks salt, the fault is not with the food. If a dark room lacks light, the fault is not with the room. You and I must set the standard in our churches, communities, and families. We must be the change we want to see. We must take proactive, positive, initiatory steps to model the inclusive love of Jesus. Lastly, he calls for us to Be The Church . In other words, the closer we draw to our Father, the closer we draw to each other. That’s why the gospel of God’s reconciling love is the only transforming answer to the challenges we face. Legislation and the civil rights movement were essential to improving the lives of those who faced legalized discrimination. But laws cannot change people. Only the Spirit can do that. As a result, Christians are on the front lines of this spiritual battle for the soul and future of our nation. Writing for The Washington Post, Dr. Evans traced our racial challenges “directly to ineffective Christians” and stated, “One of the real tragedies today is that the Church as a whole has not furthered God’s light … in order to be a positive influence and impact for good in the midst of darkness, fear and hate.” Racism may look a little different in Jamaica than it does in the US. But all of us are called to be the hands and feet of Christ. That means reaching out to human beings no matter their skin color or ethnicity. No one chooses their race or gender or where they are born. We should be judged not on what we look like but on how we act. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." May that be the standard for all of us whether we live in Jamaica or the US or Africa or Scandinavia. God created all of us and we are all in need of the one and same Savior, Jesus Christ

As we minister in Jamaica, we still see what is going on in America. I was in a store in Montego Bay last week and there was the impeachment trial playing on the TV. As I stood in line I was almost forced to watch and listen . . . even though I didn’t really want to. Ha. I was more wondering what Jamaicans were thinking about it, and about America and us by extension. In many ways how we respond to culture in America is very different than the way we respond when in a Jamaican environment. We sometimes forget that we are in a different country and culture. It is easy to think, “Oh I’m just in a poor inner-city neighborhood.” They speak the same language (sort of – ha) and we do have utilities and cars and streets and lights and so on. But there are very real differences here and it is taking us time to adjust and figure those out. But there are also many ways that the gospel message is still the same. Relating to our culture is important but some principles transcend culture. The gospel message is the same in Jamaica as it is in the USA. I recently was reminded this week about some of these principles from a book I read many years ago by Richard Niebuhr called “Christ and Culture.” It is really a classic and one that I imagine most seminarians have read at some point in their education. In this book the author points out five ways that we can respond to our culture. In light of where we are as Americans and even Jamaicans, I think it is important to be reminded of these principles. Here are those five ways to respond: Christ of culture: Some will modify their beliefs in alignment with the shifting cultural tide. We are already seeing many pastors and theologians developing a different viewpoint on things like biblical sexual morality. Many are no longer willing to call homosexuality a sin. Many will not stand up against culture when it comes to fornication or even abortion. This approach abandons foundational biblical truth in a never-ending quest for cultural relevance. Culture dictates and shapes our beliefs more than the bible and traditional biblical theology. This is a dangerous path which we find more and more people falling into. They want to “fit in” so they change their theology to align more closely with the prevailing culture. Christ against culture: Some will demonize those who disagree with them and characterize the “other side” as the enemy. They view anything in the culture as evil. Others will withdraw from social engagement into communities where they can practice their faith without opposition. They fear almost a spiritual infection from the culture. They will keep the “light” of the gospel under their “basket” while repelling those who might be attracted to it (Matthew 5:14–16). These people are so worried about being influenced BY culture that they no longer are making any effort to influence the culture with the good news of the gospel. Evangelism is no longer a priority when we fall into this category. Christ above culture: In this model culture is seen as basically good. Some will adhere to biblical morality when in community with fellow Christians but make culturally required concessions in their secular lives and work. We might call these people “Sunday Christians.” We see them all around us. They exhibit a faith that seems real, but they allow culture to drag them back down. They may be able to avoid the consequences of their private beliefs, but their public compromises will invalidate their witness and grieve their Lord. They simply have lost the idea of being salt and light in their culture. Christ and culture in paradox: Some will engage secular society in order to defend religious liberty, working to secure a minority position for evangelicals in culture. This is a valuable and urgent mission, but we must do more than seek the ‘right to be wrong.’ “There is a tension that is ever-present between the Christian and their interaction with culture. Christians are forced to simultaneously live between the kingdom of this world and the Kingdom of Heaven by accepting some aspects of culture and rejecting others. Niebuhr points to Martin Luther as an example of this view. The tenants of this model, while more accurate in its description of how Christian’s experience the world, can lead to a more conservative engagement with culture.” Christ transforming culture: Some will speak biblical truth with courageous compassion. They will declare and defend biblical morality because they know that its truth is best for all people. They will view those who reject God’s word as those who most need God’s word. “Speaking the truth in love” will be their mantra and their mission (Ephesians 4:15). “The Christian is seen as a conversionist, a person who seeks to transform the values and objectives of culture to the service and glory of God. Christ came to redeem all of creation, and as Christians, we are to participate in this redemptive work now, while awaiting his coming Kingdom.” This is clearly the most biblical and effective way to respond to rising cultural opposition. My prayer for you in America and us here in Jamaica is that we will be about the business of seeing Christ as transforming culture. It can be difficult. The temptation is there to withdraw into our Christian bubble or to get sucked in by our culture because we want people to like us. May God challenge each of us to be salt and light in whatever culture He has placed us. Pray that we will be that here and we pray God will challenge you there!!

What now? I hesitate to jump into the middle of where we are in America because some of it will be political. As a pastor I usually steered clear of political issues and how much more I want to avoid that as a missionary living in a foreign country. And yet here we are. In less than a week Joe Biden will be sworn in as the next president of the United States. Both houses of the congress will be controlled by a very left-leaning Democrat party. I know some who read this will disagree with me. That’s OK too. I hope you will give me some grace to share what I believe God is having me say here (I try to keep many of my thoughts off social media) and I will give you grace if you disagree. Just today I read Dr. James Dobson’s monthly newsletter called “ Where Do We Go From Here? ” In that article he articulates what he believes to be some of the challenges we will now face as a country under the new leadership of President Biden. Let me share some of that here: We can infer from what they have told us that the years ahead will bring more regulation, less freedom, more taxation, less religious liberty, more socialism, less democracy, more funds for abortion, less support for the sanctity of human life, less funding for the military, more illegal immigration, more restrictions on speech, less patriotism, more wasteful spending, less support for families, more regulations on business, more appeasement of China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea, less support for the electoral college, trillions more dollars for climate nonsense, more LGBTQ propaganda, less moral compunction, more governmental corruption, less oversight of elections, more "cancel culture," fewer police officers, more gun control, and less government of the people, by the people and for the people. We can also anticipate quick passage of the horrendous "Equality Act." I could probably add a few more things to the list. You might think some of these are ridiculous, but then again did you ever think you would see a sitting president impeached twice and silenced by big tech? We live in unprecedented times with unpredictable final outcomes. All we can do is guess on what is to come based on the desires previously expressed by members of the new regime. I believe tough days are ahead, but we have never been promised the easy road. We have been fortunate to live for so many years in a country where we have been free to express our opinions, provide for our families, and worship how we see fit. The problem is that we have grown soft and comfortable and have come to believe that this is how life has always been and always will be. If we look at history, we realize the time we live in is extraordinary in its ease and comfort and safety. These things (and more) were largely absent for the average person for most all of history. So, it will be very tough to go backwards, but (without trying to sound too gloom and doom) I believe that is where we are headed. Dr. Dobson goes on to quote scripture that is extremely important for us today: Isaiah 40:28-31 gives us comfort. It says, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." In the newsletter Dr. Dobson also refers to a letter he received from James Gottry, vice president of public policy at JDFI. He says: On the other hand, we have lost nothing that we need because His Word tells us in 2 Peter 1:2-4 that grace and peace are ours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus, and that His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life! It also says that through His great and precious promises, we may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world [which we are certainly witnessing!] caused by evil desires. He goes on: And even as the world around us grows darker, I rejoice that His light—which the world may see in us—grows brighter by contrast. Because of that, I have hope that this earthly loss may yet result in a great eternal gain! And for that reason, I feel invigorated. Because in dark days like these, we have no chariots or horses to trust in; the only place where we can place our trust is in the name of the Lord our God. He is always the only One who can deliver. And the final words which stuck with me: We can't preserve righteousness in the culture (as 2 Timothy reminds us, evil men will proceed from bad to worse). But we can bring Jesus to the culture, and we can pray for that spiritual awakening. In this time when it seems for many that hope is lost, let us continue to put our trust in God. Though the days ahead may be dark we indeed are called to be light in the darkness. I saw a video recently where someone built a small room that was totally sealed. And then he painted the entire room with this special black paint that is 99.4% saturated. The light was almost totally absorbed by the darkness. When a light was turned on in the room the only thing that was lit was whatever was facing directly at the light. Everything else was extinguished and in total darkness. The corners of the small room could not be identified visually. Nothing. Only what was directly facing the light. May that be a lesson for us. As darkness surrounds us, the only light others will see is what we reflect as we keep our face pointing towards the One True Light, Jesus. This is our calling in the midst of darkness. Missionaries around the world have experienced this darkness for decades and centuries. It most likely is coming to America as well. I pray we as believers are ready!! Let me add here at the end a caveat. Even if you believe what the left is proposing will be good for the country and disagree with me, you still need to be ready for the inevitable change that is coming. The call to be light in a dark world hasn’t changed. The world has always been and always will be essentially a spiritually dark place. The challenge remains! Are you ready to be light? “What brings us to tears, will lead us to grace. Our pain is never wasted.” – Bob Goff

Thankful? Definition: feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative. It sure seems difficult in 2020 to be thankful. I think it’s easier to be anxious than it is to be thankful. Who isn’t a little anxious right now? Anxious about the election that keeps on going? Anxious about COVID and will it never end? I know we are anxious about groups being able to come back to Jamaica. We are a little anxious about finances and money for our personal expenses and for the home. The list could go on and on for all of us. Ultimately it does go back to trusting God. I always wonder why we aren’t thankful every single day. When times get tough it is more difficult to truly appreciate all that God has done for us. I am thankful that we have Thanksgiving. We need to be reminded of just how important it is to be thankful. We are reminded to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Billy Graham said, “Thanksgiving—the giving of thanks—to God for all His blessings should be one of the most distinctive marks of the believer in Jesus Christ. We must not allow a spirit of ingratitude to harden our heart and chill our relationship with God and with others. Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. And nothing will do more to restore contentment and the joy of our salvation than a true spirit of thankfulness.” He goes on to say, “From one end of the Bible to the other, we are commanded to be thankful. In fact, thankfulness is the natural outflowing of a heart that is attuned to God. The psalmist declared, “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving” (Psalm 147:7, NIV). Paul wrote, “Be thankful” (Colossians 3:15, NIV). A spirit of thanksgiving is always the mark of a joyous Christian.” I noticed a lot of people on social media posting different versions of the idea that “God is in control” to remind us that no matter what happens, whether our candidate lost an election, or our team lost a game or maybe someone dear to us has passed away, we should remember that God is still in control of the world. I like this idea a little better, “I wonder if we should change the default line from “God is in control” to; “God is always good. He is always able to bring good from any situation as we trust him.”” Here’s another piece of advice that people throw my way when it seems I am more anxious than thankful … “It could always be worse.” Ha. When things are going bad I have never really understood how that helps. Of course it can always be worse but telling me that doesn’t help me gain any perspective, which I understand is the intent. I think we make a lot of cliché statements that don’t really help because often we don’t know what to say. We want to help. We want to say something that will inspire and elevate others but sometimes we would be better to say, “I’m here. I care. God cares. Is there anything I can do to help?” “Paul declared, “You will even be able to thank God in the midst of pain and distress because you are privileged to share the lot of those who are living in the light” (Colossians 1:12, Phillips). I don’t know what trials you may be facing right now, but God does, and He loves you and is with you by His Holy Spirit. Cultivate a spirit of thankfulness even in the midst of trials and heartaches. “God has given us the greatest Gift of all—His Son, who died on the cross and rose again so that we can know Him personally and spend eternity with Him in heaven.”” And let me remind each of you … we are deeply thankful for each of you who are supporting us in many different ways. We would not be able to do what we are doing without you and we are indeed grateful!!

Social Media. You know what I’m talking about. Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. SnapChat. TikTok. The list goes on and on. Have you ever checked your phone to see how much time you spend on social media every day? You know there is a way to check that right? You might be surprised. Most people underestimate dramatically how much time they spend on social media. It is addictive and it is designed by very smart people to be that way. If you haven’t canceled your Netflix account yet you might want to check out an excellent documentary on there called “the Social Dilemma.” This is a series of interviews with many people in the tech industry who previously had major jobs at Facebook and Instagram and Google, etc. They are all speaking up to let people know how all these programs are designed to keep you online and to keep you engaged. They use very sophisticated AI to lure you in and keep you coming back. This artificial intelligence is running all the time and evaluating everything you do when you are online. It is constantly calculating and directing and nudging you to spend more time online. The interface of your social media program is designed to influence your brain in ways you don’t even realize. You may have heard about the endorphins that your brain generates and these are prime motivators for constantly picking up your phone. You feel uneasy if you don’t check it every few minutes or seconds. It is a chemical reaction in your brain that gives you somewhat of a mild “high” when you pick up your phone, maybe like I do just to check the time since I don’t wear a watch. So what can or should we be doing about social media? Some people go cold turkey. They just say “nope, I’m done” and they opt out of social media altogether. This is not a bad choice but for many people it might not be the best choice. I am reminded (as a point of comparison) when I went to a church years ago that had a gymnasium. But this church did not allow anyone to wear shorts in the gym, only sweats and jeans and long pants. I asked why? I was told because if they let people wear shorts then some people would wear shorts that were too short and who was going to tell them to change? I said, “I will.” And that began the change to allowing appropriate length shorts in the gym. I think, for most, the same is true in social media. BUT, I will admit it is tougher to use social media appropriately than it is to only allow certain length shorts in a gym. I try to be wise about social media usage, but I will admit that sometimes it gets the best of me. I enjoy the pictures on Instagram but I don’t really do much on there. On Facebook I use it primarily to keep up with family and friends and obviously we love keeping people up-to-date on what is going on in Jamaica. I can’t imagine NOT using Facebook. On one hand I would lose so much in relationships with family and friends. I wouldn’t keep up with as many people as I do now. I feel like my life would be less rich because my circle of friends would be much smaller or I would simply not know what is going on with my friends and family. And when it comes to our ministry at Noah’s Ark it would be 100x harder without Facebook. There are things we can accomplish via email and our web site and our newsletter but none of them hits as many people as quickly. My biggest problem is not Facebook but Twitter. Twitter is instantaneous news. Something big happens or someone famous dies (like I “need” to know that) it shows up almost immediately. I am on Twitter primarily for three things. News. Sports. Religion. I follow people and organizations and news sites that I feel will keep me better informed. In Jamaica, for me, it is somewhat of a lifeline to what is going on back in the US. I can keep up. I can stay informed much like a newspaper that keeps updating every minute of every day. At its best Twitter is an amazing thing. At its worst it is destructive and divisive and a cesspool of ignorance and bad language and bad thinking. I just saw this poll on Twitter today: Agree or Disagree?? Twitter (Social Media) is an awful place? Agree 82.2% Disagree 17.8% 10,771 votes · 22 hours left Yes, this poll was ON Twitter and even people ON Twitter agree it is an awful place and yet there we are, voting about how bad it is while using it. Twitter is the most addictive for me but it’s also the one I have to watch myself or it will dominate my day. And not only that but it can also have a very negative impact on my thinking and my mood. Right now, it seems no matter whether it is sports or religion or news, everyone is talking politics and the election. It is too much. I either get mad at people I disagree with or I get frustrated by the news which never seems to get it right. And what can I do? Nothing. But still it frustrates me. Then there are the endless comments no matter where you stand on anything. So much hate and ignorance that it becomes oppressive. I could go on, but you can see the problem with Twitter and to some degree every social media platform. One, they are highly addictive and two, they can be a dark and hateful place. So, we can’t just say all social media is okay. There have to be limits. There has to be accountability. And we haven’t even talked about children and teens. That is a whole other conversation. My very most favorite verse in scripture (besides John 3:16) is probably Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” We need to use this as a guide to guard our hearts and minds. We cannot fill our minds with garbage and expect to be able to live a Christlike life. The old computer saying of “garbage in, garbage out” (GIGO) is absolutely true and applies to our minds. When you find yourself reading or watching trash then just stop and quote Philippians 4:8 to yourself. Sometimes Jennifer wants to read me a story, a tragic story or a horrendous accounting of someone and what happened to them and I just have to say STOP!! I can’t do it. Not that I don’t have empathy for them, but I cannot at that moment allow my mind to be filled with something that will bring me to a dark place. I have to do this daily with Twitter and even sometimes Facebook. Especially with the election I just cannot allow my mind to dwell on unlovely and false things. And social media and the internet in general has created a place where we no longer know what news is true and what is false. When I was a kid and Walter Cronkite said something virtually everyone believed him. Now? We don’t know who or what to believe and it leads to frustration and anger and divisiveness. Let’s promise to fight against that. One of the ways we can do that is to limit our usage. We can read our Bible, or we can pray, or we can even watch some good TV (sounds weird suggesting TV but depending on the program it can be much better for our brains) to keep us from becoming addicted to social media. It’s not too late. And do yourself a favor, go watch “the Social Dilemma.”