I'm a Saint

I hope you like the new look.  I really liked the idea of making my own banner for the site, so I made one.  It's right up there, yep above this.  I hope you like it!

I'm a saint.  There, I said it. Saint Nate is my name and well, my game is pretty lame.  Sometimes rhyming gets on my nerves so I'll stop for the sake of you as well.  If I had to choose my saint name though, it would definitely be Saint Liechtensteiner or something cool like that.  Nate will suffice though.  So I know I talk a lot on here about Christian hip-hop, but I am very impressed with these men and their influence on urban culture.  The subject of this is really based off a song by Christian artist Tedashii titled "I'm a Saint". These guys have recently released an album entitled Man Up.  This album by a group of these guys called the 116 Clique is a great charge to urban men and even includes a Bible study and ways for men to "Man Up".

Back to the scheduled program, I am a saint.  No, sainthood has not been granted to me by a church, religious organization or country, but by Christ who gave His life for me.  When He came to earth for me, he saved me from my filth.  It doesn't stop there, and that act wasn't a free ticket to heaven and eternal cloud surfing.  I had to reach a place in my life where I realized that without Christ's forgiveness, I would be eternally doomed.   When I reached that place, I had no idea about the work but joy that came next.  A lot of people and even pastors think that saying a little prayer will get you riding the clouds.  Wrong!  The key to salvation, which is a far cry from cloud surfing, is repentance.  When Christ died, He became an atonement for our sins.  What is atonement you might ask?  The best way I've ever heard it defined is like this: at|one|ment.  When we turn away (repent) of our sins, filth, bad habits, etc. we become at one with God.  We don't become God, but Children of God.  The key there is we have to die, yes die.  We have to die to all our wants, dreams and selfishness and totally give ourselves to God.  We have to want His will and we have to give up sin.  That's the only way to go to heaven and eternally give praise to God who sacrificed paradise to come down to earth and suffer, be beaten, mocked, humiliated and die to raise from the dead and defeat death for our sins.  So, being a child of God, this has put me into the status of sainthood.  Not so I can boast, but that Christ can get all of the glory and praise.  I am second...

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Business vs Ministry

I think I'll take on the area of churches operating as businesses. I've seen a lot of things that even my own church has done that, while making perfect sense as a business practice, have absolutely no logic to it ministry-wise. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should be bad stewards of what we have been given, or that we shouldn't try to bring money in. I'm saying that the money we bring in as a church, should go back out and invested in the eternal lives of people.

When we look at our church finances and begin to make cuts because we are worried that the money may not come, we have essentially taken God out of the picture. There isn't any faith in that, so what are we teaching our congregations? Again, great business decision and a poor ministry decision.

I recently read an article about a band who were beginning to set up a live recording of one of their concerts live. I love live recordings, they are artistry at their best. However, when creating a set list they were faced with omitting a song that their church worshipped to in a remarkable way because it wasn't really a record selling song. They had to ask themselves if their purpose was to sell records or facilitate worship. They chose to worship, but how easy would it have been to sell more and essentially make more abandoning their call and purpose? How easy is it for us as believers to forget our call and purpose?

I was taught as a child to never question your elders, pastors, or church staff. I didn't listen very well and I will do my best to never teach that. Even in the Bible we are told to have discernment, and to test spirits. So, I encourage you to test everything. Your pastor, Sunday school teacher, myself, the bands you listen to, everything. If nothing else, you will learn more about God's word and additionally, your own faith.