Keeping things real

the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church - Tertullian

To those in recent days who've asked about "keeping things real", might consider the Voice of the Martyrs weekly email newsletter a good way to start. To hear of blood being shed around the world, the tears that fall, and yet the continuing hope that is present seems a good antidote to the mentality of "fun" present in so many North American churches.

VOTM is an organizations to whom I fork out a chunk of change on a monthly basis. I have to admit that sometimes some of the beliefs of those being persecuted makes me cringe. Yet, at the same time, I'm happy to admit to a common core and disagree over non-core issues. For a person to stand as a Christian when this means that they face the possibility of getting arrested/stabbed/bombed/etc. makes their faith in many ways more credible than the faith of those who may hold closer views on some points to myself.