Walking Through Walls

They were terrified.

Eleven men huddled together in a room with the brutal murder of their leader still fresh in their minds. The door was double-bolted. They couldn’t take any chances. What if they were next?

Then Jesus showed up.

The locked door didn’t stop Him. "When the disciples were together, with the doors locked … Jesus came and stood among them" (John 20:19, NIV). In other words, in a jaw-dropping feat of post-resurrection power, He walked right through the wall. Wild.

Nearly as remarkable is what happened to those disciples. The appearance did something to them. It turned trembling wimps into stalwart soldiers. And they started walking through some walls of their own. Walls of pettiness. Walls of fear. Emboldened by the sight of the risen Lord, this small band of tradesmen traveled the dusty roads of the Roman Empire preaching to anyone who would listen. The world would never be the same.

Fast-forward about 2000 years.

Now we’re the agents of Christ. We’re the ones called to carry His message to the world. But like the disciples discovered, following Jesus doesn’t come without challenges. It requires defying convention. It demands facing your fears. It means walking through walls.

As we approach Christmas and the New Year I want to challenge you to walk through the walls in your own life—those invisible barriers that prevent you from being a bold and faithful witness of Jesus Christ where you live and work.

At New Man we’re dedicated to equip you to be a better husband, a better father and an all around more effective Christian. Make this year the time when you overcome the obstacles that prevent you from reaching those goals.

But my deepest prayer for the coming year is that you will spend more timing doing what the disciples did, before they turned the world upside down—spend time in the presence of Christ. Hear the words He spoke to them uttered afresh to you. "'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you'" (John 20:21). Then, empowered by His presence, go walk through the walls in your life. Remember, Jesus leads you. To Him walls are nothing.

The Confession You Never Hear

I've heard a lot of confessions in my life. Shocking confessions. Sobbing confessions. Quiet confessions. You name it. No, I’m not a priest—I just grew up in the evangelical world. After particularly convicting sermons we had altar calls. When leaders stumbled they repented from the church platform.

In a way I’m grateful for this heritage. Confessing sins is biblical, and as the old saying goes, it’s "good for the soul." But looking back I realize that we had selective consciences. We tended to confess only certain types of sins.

Most confessions seemed to involve sexual transgression. I remember a man confessing homosexual behavior. I recall another lamenting unfaithfulness to his wife. At that same church, years after we had left, a teenaged girl was forced up to the front to repent for the sin that had resulted in her pregnancy. I wondered how many of those folding their arms in the audience that morning were guilty of their own less-visible indiscretions.

All this came to mind the other day when a colleague offhandedly asked, "Why do you never hear someone confess the sin of materialism?"

Good question, I thought—especially for Christians who inhabit the wealthiest nation on earth.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting we become desert-dwelling monks. Jesus was not ascetic. He ate and drank and went to parties. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying life’s wholesome pleasures. But how often have we pursued the American dream to the point of sin? How often have we opted to gratify our own desires for more money and possessions while giving little or nothing to the work of the Lord? How many times have we traded intimacy with God for the material enticements of this world?

Do you know what I’d like to see? A full-blown, tear-filled, Jimmy Swaggart-like confession from a Christian leader guilty of squandering resources on lavish living. I think that would be a good sign that we are moving in the right direction.

Did Pat Robertson compromise his values by endorsing Rudy Giuliani for president?

Chuck Norris' Choice for President

Like most of you, over the summer and into the fall, I've been watching, listening, studying and praying about who could lead this country as our next president.

I won't leave you in suspense. Though Giuliani might be savvy enough to lead people, Fred Thompson wise enough to wade through the tides of politics, McCain tough enough to fight terrorism and Romney business-minded enough to grow our economy, I believe the only one who has all of the characteristics to lead America forward into the future is ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Newt Gingrich called Mike "very effective … if Huckabee can find money, he will be dramatically competitive almost overnight." Bill Clinton called Huckabee the "only dark horse that's got any kind of chance … He's the best speaker they've got." There is even a pro-Huckabee swell rising among the younger generation.

Who he is (before what he can do)
More than anything he has done or can do, however, it is first who Mike is that impresses me most.

Part of our backward culture is reflected in the fact that we measure and value people by what they do, instead of first who they are. As a result, we nominate charisma, cast votes for articulation and repeatedly elect too many paper-thin corrupt politicians. Of course, I want a president who gets things done, but I first want one who has lived a life of integrity, commitment, truthfulness and respect. Mike is that man.

Mike hasn't lived an isolated, out-of-touch life like so many politicians. He was raised in Hope, Ark., with a dad who was a firefighter and always had a second job. Mike and his sister grew up poor, not privileged. He was the first person in his family to graduate from high school. And he worked two jobs in college and graduated in two-and-a-half years. He is an outdoorsman too – an avid fisherman, hunter and a long-term member of the NRA.

Mike is a committed husband and father. He has always prioritized his family before politics. His wife, two sons and daughter speak his highest praise.

Mike has also faced unique adversity, from helping a young wife endure the trials of spinal cancer to aiding the victims of hurricane Katrina as the governor of Arkansas. He has a heart for helping and will fight for the causes of average citizens. He is known for having a compassionate heart, genuinely caring for all people.

Mike is also a respected and fearless leader, and he does not cower to the cries of any majority or minority. He doesn't abandon his values for what's expedient. Like our Founding Fathers, he's not afraid to stand up for a Creator and against secularist beliefs.

A track record toward the presidency
Mike Huckabee has already proven his ability to lead our citizens as a lieutenant governor for three years in 1993 and governor of Arkansas for the following 10 years. Time magazine called him one of the best governors in America.

As governor, Mike led the citizens of Arkansas through difficult conditions. He balanced the budget each year, enhanced technology in commerce, was tough on crime, used tobacco lawsuit monies to better health care, initiated a toll-free hotline to report tips on government corruption and 16 times had to endure the long nights of the soul before he gave permission for executions to proceed. He also initiated the ARKids First program, cutting the number of uninsured children in half.

It's not a coincidence that four out of the last five presidents we've had were governors because they proved their abilities, perseverance and heart for running our country by serving in those state capacities. As New Man men's magazine (July/August 2007) said, "His proven ability to cast a compelling vision, as he did while governor, that transcends party, ideology and class might enable America to unite and begin to heal, an especially important goal at this point in our history."

Where he stands, and what he will do
Mike Huckabee will fight for the issues that lead us safely, and with prosperity, into the future. Here are several of his positions in his own words (to read or watch Mike speak about the issues, click the title)

Reviving healthcare – "The health care system in this country is irrevocably broken. … As president, I will work with the private sector, Congress, health care providers and other concerned parties to lead a complete overhaul of our health care system."

Implementing a FairTax – "I support the FairTax. As governor of Arkansas, I cut taxes and fees almost 100 times, saving the taxpayers almost $380 million. I left a surplus of nearly $850 million, which I urged should go back to the people. Our massive deficit is not due to Americans being under-taxed, but to the government's over-spending."

Creating more choices for education – "I believe that every child should have the opportunity for a quality education that teaches the fundamental skills needed to compete in a global economy. … Test scores rose dramatically when I was governor of Arkansas because of my education reforms."

Stopping illegal immigration –"My number one priority is to secure America's border."

Winning the war on terror – "I believe that we are currently engaged in a world war. This war is not a conventional war, and these terrorists are not a conventional enemy. … With a focus on renewed diplomacy and inclusion, we can accomplish the goals of our nation without having to go it alone."

Saving marriage – "I support, and have consistently supported, passage of a federal constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. … As governor of Arkansas, I led the successful effort to pass a similar state constitutional amendment in 2002."

Protecting the right to life – "I support, and have always supported, passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life."

Achieving energy independence –"The first thing I will do as president is send Congress my comprehensive plan for energy independence. We will achieve energy independence by the end of my second term."

An ordained minister as president?
Does the fact that Mike Huckabee served as an ordained minister create a disadvantage to his election or presidency? Not if one knows Huckabee and history.

First, many may not realize there was an active clergy (Presbyterian minister John Witherspoon) among the signers of the Declaration of Independence – and that two others had been previously ministers. Others were sons of clergy. Virtually all were Protestant Christians.

Signers of the Constitution even included Abraham Baldwin, a minister. "Williamson, Madison, and possibly others, had studied in this field but had never been ordained." And again, most signers of the Constitution were also Protestant Christians, except two, Carroll and Fitzsimons, who were Roman Catholics.

Being honored to share this bi-vocational duty as minister and politician with some of those early patriots, Huckabee has advanced and fine tuned his people and oratory skills. And most of all, it has taught him to put others first. Isn't that what we want in a leader?
Mike is a compassionate Christian conservative. Though solid in his faith and standing for traditional family values, he's not an uncaring extremist. He lives what he believes, and respects others' beliefs even when they disagree with him, committed to a republic that was founded upon the free exercise of religion. In all respects, Huckabee meets our Founders' recommendations for president.

The David among them
The one question that remains is: Can Huckabee win the nomination? The presidency?
As with the other candidates, Huckabee has, and will continue to have, his hecklers: "He hasn't raised enough money." "He'll never beat Hillary." "Our society is too prejudice and paranoid to vote for a once Baptist minister." "He'll never out-race the top four Republican candidates."

I was thinking about these types of comments the other day when I recalled another leader in ancient times that didn't match up in the line up: King David. Seven men were poised and paraded for the position of king, but David was left in the field shepherding because he wasn't "a frontrunner in the polls." They overlooked the best because they were too busy judging by outward appearance. But God appointed David king.

It's time to quit choosing our leaders based solely upon charisma or one strong suit, and move back to being a culture which esteems and elects its leaders because of character and qualifications. It's substance, not pizzazz, we should want in a leader. Mike Huckabee is the real deal.

Huckabee in '08!
Friends, it's time for people to get off the bench and onto the playing field. If we are going to see a man like Mike Huckabee elected, it's time to rally behind him, support him financially, pray for him daily and spread the word of his character, platform and experience.

So can a man who was raised in a poor background from Hope, Ark., become governor then president? As Mike says, "Our country has already proven that!" What I would ask is: Give Hope another chance! This time, they want to send in the real cavalry. Keep Hope alive! Join my wife Gena and me by electing Mike Huckabee in '08!

(If this editorial leads you to support Huckabee, please use donation code 128)

This article originally appeared on World Net Daily

Click here to read more of Norris’ articles at World Net Daily.

Funeral Demonstrators Got What They Deserve

"Thank God for dead soldiers"--that's one of the hateful messages regularly held up on placards by members of Westboro Baptist Church at the funerals of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But the church finally messed with the wrong marine’s father. On October 31 a federal jury in Baltimore, Maryland ordered the church to pay $10.9 million to the father of deceased soldier Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder who was killed in Iraq in 2006. The church had held one of their protests at the soldier’s funeral.

I have to admit—this is the kind of story that makes my blood boil. Imagine placing your 20-year-old son into the ground while trying to block out the taunts of people who are thanking God for his death? Whatever you believe about the Iraq war, these actions are inexcusable. The Westboro Baptist Church claims that the deaths of soldiers are God’s judgment for America’s acceptance of homosexuality.

What really makes me cringe is when these kinds of things are done in the name of our God. When tactless lunatics muddy the name of Christ, we Christians need to be the most vocal in decrying their actions.

Thank God for dead soldiers? Thank God for a hefty court-ordered penalty that just might shut these folks up!

Thoughts on the Campolo Exchange

Over the last few weeks, we've had a lively debate on the New Man Web site. As many of you know, the debate started when I wrote an open letter to Tony Campolo questioning his stances on homosexuality and Muslims.

Campolo was kind enough to respond to the letter and a passionate online dialogue ensued. I have received multiple e-mails and more than 50 of you have commented on our blog. For the most part, the comments were insightful and constructive. Thank you for engaging in this discussion! It was heated at times, but I believe we’re all better for it.

I want to make a few final comments on Campolo’s letter. First, I disagree with Campolo that my letter was a violation of Matthew 18. The instructions of that passage are clearly defined. They are to be followed “when a brother sins against you.” That was not the case with Campolo’s statements. They were not a personal offense against me. Rather I merely wanted to challenge him to clarify—and if necessary change—his theology. Since his statements were made publicly and published in a secular newspaper I thought it was appropriate to challenge him publicly.

Second, I was grateful that he made a strong statement regarding salvation: “I have always made clear that there is no salvation apart from the grace of God given through Jesus Christ and his sacrificial work on the cross” Unfortunately, he failed to explain how he reconciles this profession with his comments about the eternal plight of Muslims that he made in his earlier interview.

On the topic of homosexuality, I’m afraid we may be at an impasse. Campolo seems resigned to believing that homosexuals cannot change. “I have strongly pointed out that sexual orientation does not normatively change even for those who have had deep spiritual experiences and who have had extensive counseling.” I completely disagree. Not only is there empirical evidence that homosexuals can change, I believe that the grace of God can uproot any sin, no matter how deeply planted it may be. Homosexuality is no exception.

Though we disagree on some important points, I regard Campolo as a brother in Christ. In fact that is part of the reason I chose to challenge him. Some saw the debate as destructive. I believe just the opposite. As men of God we build each other up when we hash out our beliefs together. Of course we should do so in love—never resorting to character assassinations and name-calling. But we must engage in rigorous dialogue, forcing each other to examine and defend our beliefs and behavior. What wounds we suffer are the wounds of a friend. I’ll take those scars any day.