Travis Johnson

Great Notes on Ministry in Homestead

There has never been a better time to be involved in praying and working for the Kingdom of God to come to Homestead.  The people of Homestead need now more than ever, life giving communities of Christ to share love, hope, and faith.  Check this out:

• According to the Miami Herald, Homestead, FL is the fastest growing city with a population over 50,000.
• Over half of our population was born outside of the USA.  So, as Eric Geiger says: "Reach Miami and you reach the world." (I also liked what he had to say about Life Pointe...thanks, Eric)
• While things have become much more expensive, there has never been so much opportunity for the Church to reinvent itself here. 
• Doing ministry the way it has always been done is unacceptable.  This is the time to harness the power of the Church with people stepping up to serve and being the Body of Christ in this city.
• With so many people new and moving in, there are many lives that are fresh and open to the voice of God and to relational communities.  One of the best things the Church in Homestead can do is to open the doors of our homes and show the ancient art of hospitality.
• Miami is fully religious and fully cynical.  But, I've seen that the power of Christ and authenticity  in sharing it breaks through so many barriers that have been erected by years of religious noise.

Miami #1 Road Rage City Again

According to AP, Miami is the #1 Road Rage city in the USA for the second year in a row.  Erik Pinto from South Miami said:

"You don't want to know what I've seen.  I've seen everything. I'm from L.A., and we don't see the crazy drivers that you see here."

The article went on to say, "The most frequent cause of road rage cited in the survey was impatient motorists. Drivers also cited poor driving in fast lanes and driving while stressed, frustrated or angry." 

Guys, repeat after me..."the left lane is for passing."  Again, "the left lane is for passing."  I know you have a Sun Pass so you don't have to stop at toll booths.  But, 50 mph in the left lane may get you killed around here...seriously.

I will say that I am going to do my part to alleviate suffering on the roads by:

• never driving too slow in the left lane. 
• changing lanes for the idiot tailgating me. 
• when someone gives me a south florida salute, I will smile and wave back.
• leaving a few minutes early to avoid speeding.
• avoiding I-95 whenever possible.

Now, I just need to figure out what to do with the guys in red BMW's passing everyone on the shoulder.  I used to think it was a good idea to get over and block them.  At least then, they have to offroad it to pass everyone waiting their turn.  That was a good idea until I did it to a City of Miami cop in a red BMW.

P.T. Barnum Was a Wise Sage

You may remember this cat from a previous post.  We'll he's now taking it to the streets via YouTube.  I think that the fact that this hack is making it is a bigger testimony to the sage words of P.T. Barnum than to his ability to convince people that he is Christ.  Truly, there is a sucker born every minute.  Thank you, Neil for the vid.

tagged: miranda - cult - miami - creciendo en gracia - religion and philosophy

God is Puerto Rican?

José Luis De Jesus Miranda.  He's Puerto Rican.  He's 59.  He pastors and leads a "global ministry" with world headquarters in a Miami warehouse.  He runs a massage parlor and a Brazilian restaurant at Dolphin Mall.  His ministry boasts a 24 hour spanish language satelitte channel, 300 congregations, and 32 education centers.  And, he also happens to be God.  What?!!?!? 

The people following this dude must be smoking crack.  This Jesus Christ wannabe has cast aside his white horse in favor of an armored 7 series BMW.  Rather than chilling with his twelve disciple, Miami Herald says, he is surrounded by bullet-proof vest wearing bouncers.

Apparently, his revelation that he is Jesus Cristo did not happen all at once.  In 1988, he claimed to be the reincarnated Apostle Paul.  In the 90's, he announced that he was the "Other," some kind of super-spiritual being.  And, for the past several years, he has announced himself as God.  Miranda says he does "not need to go into a prayer room to pray," afterall he says, "who am I going to pray to?"

The people that answer the phones at Creciendo en Gracia seem nice and well meaning as they will repeat the standard cultish mantras regarding the deity of Miranda.  According to the Miami New Times article, his people "pump their fists in the air and chant, "Dad-dy, Dad-dy" as De Jesus ambles onto the stage."

So, what are the benefits of following this Puerto Rican Jesus?!  Sin is abolished.  You are free to live however you like.  I guess that's an atractive religous dogma to espouse. I could write and laugh (have already done plenty of laughing) all day.  But, I'll spare you all.  I just had to share a little bit of lunacy from my part of the world.  Now, hopefully, I won't attract any protests by their goon squads that have recently been deployed to disrupt church gatherings in the area.

 
Technorati Tags: Miranda - Cults - Creciendo en Gracia - Growing in Grace - Miami Herald - Miami New Times

Related aricle:
Why Apostle Jose Luis De Jesús Miranda can't be Jesus Christ
Miami: Meet the Brown Jesus