Randy Heacock

I cannot recall the last time I heard someone suggest this formula for prayer. I cannot ever remember seeing this type of request on a prayer chain.

… even I, a pastor of more than 35 years, am tempted to join those walking out the church doors.

When we learn to live exposed, transparent lives, then – and only then – will we experience genuine relationships as God intended.    

Sometimes shame arises from the inability to admit our needs, desires, or failures. Ironically, often our struggle is obvious to others … just like my dad knew we needed help with our bed but didn’t offer to help until we asked for it. What transformations might happen in our lives, families, churches, and institutions if we begin to trust God with our needs, weaknesses, and failures?

When it came to questions of justice, I found it easy, due to my training, to dismiss people whose tone had any sense of anger. It took years of unlearning and gaining a realistic understanding of Jesus’ own anger before I could see how anger can fuel an appropriate Christian response. The apostle Paul certainly teaches and models this very approach.

[January 6] was perhaps the most disturbing day in my life as a citizen of the United States.