The Good Guys Don’t Always Win

An article and response illustrating the right and left political tug of war in America in 2024. We might understand one another better if we discussed our assumptions. We might understand each other better if we wanted to understand each other. As Christians, we must be involved, but we must put Christ first and politics later.

Initial article by J. Damon Cain columnist, Beckley Register-Herald

Apr 19, 2024

Bob Dylan’s third studio album, “The Times They Are a-Changing,” was released in February of 1964. A departure from his first two efforts, the disc featured only original compositions, stark and sparsely arranged ballads that offered a critical if not searing examination of the myriad issues in that decade of seismic change so long ago. Racism, poverty and social change primarily dominated the headlines and the discussion, big issues those. The storm clouds of the counterculture movement and the protests over our nation’s involvement in Vietnam were just forming on a distant horizon. Lightning was flashing.

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Praying for the USA – National Day of Prayer, 2 May 2024

On America’s National Day of Prayer, Christians’ thoughts and prayers turn to our nation. We see a mighty and beautiful nation with a heroic history, high ideals, and trouble living up to those ideals. Few other peoples have matched our hopes for goodness, and no peoples with such hopes have ever perfectly met them. Christians lament our national sins and our personal sins, and by the grace of God, strive to improve. In this time of self-doubt, weakness, confusion, and division, how do we pray for the USA?

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How Should I Vote?

Christians must render unto God what is God’s, but also render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. In our representative democracy, that means that every Christian must vote, and be informed and prayerful. Many will be called to be poll workers, a few activists, and a tiny minority…candidates.

By Mark D. Harris

Primary elections are fast approaching, and the political storms are surging in this presidential election year. West Virginia’s primary elections are on May 14th. Many people are just now beginning to pay attention to the races, and many do not know who they should vote for. National races, like Trump and Biden, swallow up media time and space, and local candidates rarely gain publicity.

For Christians, the question of who to vote for is secondary to the question of why and how to vote. Christ-followers are first citizens of heaven and only second citizens of our earthly nation. Our allegiance lies first with Jesus and only second with the United States (in our case). The direction of believers’ allegiance is not new. Followers of Jesus refused to worship Roman emperors and perform religious duties that would put Rome above God. Often, these Christians were killed for their “disloyalty.” Killing Christians was a bad move for Rome.  Christianity was spreading like wildfire through the Empire regardless of the persecution. Further, the sterile and abortive Romans needed to have their failure to make more Romans offset by the fecund Christians.

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Fundraising for Performing Arts Organizations

The arts are a vital part of life, and music is the most widely used art of all. Rural areas sometimes lack the people or the funds for art and music programs, so locals fill in the gaps. This article presents a sound course of action for organizations interested in improving their fundraising.

By Mark D. Harris

The arts are shrinking in America. Schools are limiting or canceling art and music programs due to budget constraints. Ordinary men and women are visiting performances and art displays less and less.[1] Yet the arts have powerful positive effects on those who experience them. Arts organizations across America seek to reverse these trends, but they must have money and other resources to do it.

The foundation of fundraising in any organization is to be good at what you do. Just as an artist must make beautiful art and a musician beautiful sound, an organization must have its own kind of beauty. Top leadership in musical organizations must have a clear and compelling mission and vision and communicate well. Lower levels of leadership must direct their teams to recruit fine performers and produce excellent shows. Team members must perform their tasks, however large or small, with aplomb. Donors will not donate to, and concertgoers will not patronize, an organization unworthy of support. Administrative excellence is paramount to make the magic of music and other performing arts.

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