Prisoners

Dr. John 3:16 Marshall, Pastor
Second Baptist Church
3111 E. Battlefield Road
Springfield MO 65804
417-887-3111 x110

Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshallThe Ralston Purina building in St Louis sits on the location of the Gratiot Street Civil War prison, where Ruth's great great grandfather, Shadrick Jones, was incarcerated.

The Confederate prisoners dug the sewer system still in use beneath this site. Ruth's ancestor died while here. A brother-in-law retrieved his body, and brought it to Kelso MO for burial.

Rocking My World

I feel a tremor beneath my feet. Andy Stanley's book "Deep and Wide" is shaking me up.

Do I agree with everything in it? No. But what I do agree with is changing me. The purpose of the book is to convince us we should be striving to create churches unchurched people love to attend.

I can't shake his opening premise. Sinners loved hanging out with Jesus. They should thus enjoy hanging out with the Church, His current body on Earth. I'm having trouble breaking free from that thought.

I'm reading every word on every page. It's making me wish I could meet its author. Maybe someday. I hope the book has made me a more effective Pastor.

Twitter @john316marshall
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Washington DC

I am almost home. Be it ever so humble . . .

I miss Ruth.

Rich Miller, Vince Blubaugh, Matthew Creath, and I are returning from a three day discovery trip to meet three church planters in the DC area.

The first contact was with a Pastor whose church plans to start churches near Marine Corp bases across the USA.

The second planter works underground in the midst of a group hostile to Christianity. He reminds me of the Apostle Paul. No fear.

The third is making inroads into hip-hop culture, having great success with Hispanics and others who brace this kind of music.

If you like eclectic groups, you're going to love our efforts in the DC area.

Twitter @john316marshall
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Tea and Me

Dr. John 3:16 Marshall, Pastor
Second Baptist Church
3111 E. Battlefield Road
Springfield MO 65804
417-887-3111 x110

Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshallThe picture of my tea left on top of the van has brought a lot of razzing my way. I laughed at it myself.

It seems tea is a part of my every day life. That's appropriate. Mom taught me well. One of my earliest memories is Mom standing over the floor furnace, with her dress puffed out like an umbrella, drinking her ice tea.

I didn't catch the tea habit early in life. Caffeine free diet Coke was my drink of choice for many years. But finally, Mom's DNA caught up with me. Decaf tea has become the beverage for me. I can't imagine a day without it.

A Billy Goat Curse?

Today is a happy day for Cardinals fans, but Cubs fans are again bemoaning the failure of their team to make the postseason. I have a special place in my heart for the Cubs. Surely, when they make it to the World Series again, everyone will, at least secretly, hope they win it. A century is long enough to suffer.

My interest in this today was caused by reading something I had never heard of before. On this date in 1945, Billy Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, was thrown out of a World Series game at Wrigley Field because the odor of his accompanying pet goat was bothering other fans. Sianis telegrammed team owner Philip Wrigley, "You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat." They never have won one since.

I don't for one second believe a goat has anything to do with the Cubs' fortunes, but I did find the story absolutely fascinating. It reminds me how stupid we baseball fans can act sometimes. "Lord, help be reasonable in my sports loyalties."

Twitter & FB john316marshall