I LOVE THIS SONG.
I know it is from 1999 and all that but I love this song and it accurately tells people what I would say if I had ONE SHOT to let them know the character of Christ.
I know the church is not reliable and that we are prone to being full of ourselves and driven by politics, power, money while saying “To hell with those on the outside” but Jesus is an entirely different story. Jesus is a real friend who will not leave us.
I’m turning 41 and starting my 6th year as a full time comedian. Undoubtedly I started later in life than a lot of others who perform comedy. It is overwhelmingly a young persons game.
When I was 25, 26, 27 I was weighing heavily going into the ministry in the role of Pastor or Evangelist. I was encouraged to pursue this by several around me until they “discovered” that I didn’t have a college degree. When they found that our I was told that I would simply be “too old” to start in ministry by the time I got my bachelors degree and seminary credentials.
If I would have started back to college studies at 28 and followed the usual path of studies I would have finished seminary by the time I was 34.
But I always wondered why all of that stuff qualified you for ministry. Does Christianity require those who pastor and teach about Christ to have a college degree? Is it a prerequisite for me to have a college degree to be able to understand and read God’s word and then share it?
I don’t know. My gut says no.
I do know that there is NOTHING of demerit to having a college degree at all. Academic study gives you the ability to have exposure too and dig into volumes of historical documents to sort out the twists and turns of the faith since the first century. But does it give you a key to seeing more truth? Does it allow you more common sense to understand what is being said?
I still wrestle with this and can see both sides of the coin, here is an example.
A Preacher at a church I recently performed at gave a message on the “Six Essential Steps of Being a Good Christian”.
These six steps included reading the Bible, prayer, tithing, Wednesday night attendance, Sunday School attendance and telling others about Jesus.
This man was seminary trained with a Doctorate in Theology. In my not so humble opinion, that list is primarily, nonsense as it is heavy on “works” and light to nondescript on faith and legitimate substance. Certainly prayer and bible study are important in the life of a Christian but none of the “Six Essential Steps” listed will automatically make someone a “Good Christian”.
Christianity cannot and must not be reduced to a list of activities.
Also, if there are “Good Christians” are there then also “Bad Christians”? Those who will just barely limp through because they didn’t get the same amount of grace from the blood of Christ that has been portioned out to those people who are “Good Christians”?
The Christian faith is built on and sustained through nothing that you or I can do but simply on the one act of unselfishness by the one who has the right to be called “Good”.
Why is it then that we as followers of Christ put so much effort into being perceived as “Good” when we know that at the end of the day nothing we DO will make us “More Christian” than simply Loving God and Loving our neighbor as ourselves.
If that means we simply buy a cup of coffee or open a door or encourage someone, then so be it. If that means we help a neighbor with their roof or shovel snow off the sidewalk, fantastic. Christ is in all of that as much as and potentially more than He is in the routine of being someplace just to convince others and ourselves what a “Good Christian” we are.
Am I off base on this? Would a couple of degree’s correct me? Would I be more godly with a degree?
Maybe. What do you think?
My wife and I just celebrated our 20th Anniversary and while I would like to tell everyone it has been a “cake walk”, I don’t want to lie. It hasn’t been. I also don’t want to paint the picture that our marriage has been without “challenges” or as I like to call them, “REALITIES” because it has been full of those.
On January 9th, 1988 my wife and I made public our decision to live the rest of our life as “ONE”. This is the way the Bible describes a marriage, that Two shall become One till death.
Today, divorce is not a popular issue but a very, very prominent one. And I wonder sometimes without judging the people in the divorce, if all of these marriages should have ended. Were the problems SO BIG that they couldn’t be overcome?
I don’t know.
I enjoy encouraging people to PRESS on in their marriages. A good marriage doesn’t just happen. You have to work for it and sometimes even FIGHT for it.
One of the real joys I get each year is to take part in Valentines Dinners and Marriage Conferences. Please look for me at an event near you.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at marty(@)martydaniels.com. Be sure to remove the ( and the ) around the @ to send the email.
Be sure to visit Marty’s website at http://www.MartyDaniels.com
Just got a new another High School newspaper asked me for an interview. Here are the questions they sent me to answer for the article and my responses.
You were in radio for several years, what made you want to get in to radio and when and how did you make the transition to comedy?
Well, as a kid I was always “very funny” with my friends and family but with a group at large I was a bit shy so I probably would have gone into stand up right after high school if I would have had a little more guts. Radio, I LOVE IT but when it became so formulated and boring I decided to head to the stage.
Steak or hamburgers?
HAMBURGERS! Nothing beats a good hamburger except for the fact that I don’t actually eat a lot of beef…truth be known, I’d rather have Salmon.
What’s the worst job you ever had?
Door to door photo sales. Yeah, I did that and not in the good neighborhoods either. One are I went to was nicknamed “Machine Gun Ally”. I worked that job along with my very first job in radio which I loved!
What’s the first job you ever had?
Outside of delivering papers my first job was working for Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers on W. Broad Street across from Westland Mall. I started on my 16th birthday.
When you’re alone, and its midnight… what’s your favorite thing to do?
I’m never alone at midnight. I have a wife and the rest of it is none of your business. LOL!!!
What’s your favorite movie?
Tommy Boy!
If you weren’t a comedian what would you be doing for a living?
I’d more than likely still be in radio, and loving it! Or I would be a chef and loving it!
What’s in your CD player right now?
I don’t have a CD player, I have a Zune which has everything from Mark Heard to Bob Dylan to the Gershwin to Bach to The Cardigans on it.
What’s in your wallet?
My Starbucks card, Gas card, Drivers ID with a GREAT picture of me on it and my Columbus Public Library Card.
If you’re on a deserted island, name the 3 foods and one person you can’t survive without?
Foods…Water, Cashew Butter and Crackers.
Person…My wife.
Favorite reality TV show?
Hell’s Kitchen.
How bout your 3 Favorite Movies of all time
Seems like a throw in question too me, I mean you already asked me for my favorite movie a few questions back but to be the peace maker I will answer this redundant inquiry…just busting your chops.
I would say my three favorite movies of all time are
1) Tommy Boy
2) Ratatouille
3) Nacho Libre
What’s the one thing that you do to have a happy marriage?
Well, I make her laugh. I listen to her and I do stuff for her, like cooking, cleaning, simple stuff and then at least once every couple of weeks I take her out for a dinner and movie.
Can you cook? If so, what’s your best dish?
Yes, and to brag a bit I am pretty good. Nothing spectacular but the simple stuff.
I am very good at cooking any sort of fish. I am also very good at comfort foods like Fried Chicken and Mac and Cheese but the best stuff I make are salads usually with spinach, strawberries, blue cheese, walnuts or pecans, scallions, tomato, cucumber and home made croûtons.
Smurfs or Gummi Bears?
Neither.
What’s your sign? Do you think it fits you?
Aquarius. I have no clue, I’ve never paid any attention to that stuff.
What message do you want to share?
God loves you right where you’re at just the way you are.
Marty Daniels is a Comedian from Columbus, OH. check out his entire website by going to http://www.MartyDaniels.com.
Do you have a website that is targeted to Christians or Business Leaders?
Would you like your website to generate more cash?
I am creating a program that will have a limited enrollment that could help you generate hundreds and perhaps even thousands of dollars from my comedy.
I know, you are probably surprised that I even make that much from my comedy but the opportunity is here and to get details all you have to do is email me at marty(@)martydaniels.com you want to make sure to remove the ( and the ) before sending that email.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Marty Daniels is a Comedian from Columbus, OH. check out his entire website by going to http://www.MartyDaniels.com.