Police Officer, Medal of Valor recipient, Sharpshooter Medal, Community Relations Detective, all of this ended in 1970 when I began preaching for the Sahuara Avenue Church of Christ in Tucson, Arizona.
The transition was made easier by my former education at a Christian college, and time spent giving speeches for the Tampa Florida Police Department. What I wasn’t prepared for was the division and fighting among the churches.
My background had been rigid, I was a lawman in life and as I’ve discovered, spiritually. It took years of study, along with hard lessons from the doctrinal inconsistencies that dogged my heels. I finally decided to be true to myself in order to be true to the Lord.
After over 40 years of preaching and studying, watching brethren bite and devour one another, I put my foot down and said “No more!” Jesus prayed for unity, I’m going to share a path to unity among a divided brotherhood.
Spiritual Viewpoints expresses my thoughts on growing closer to God and my brethren. I have no other agenda, no other hope. I will not patty-cake through problems, have hardening of the categories, or be contentious for the faith. I intend to be one voice expressing Good News that has taken me too long to grasp.
I’m thankful to my wife, Betty, of 53 years, my four children, ten grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and you, for the patience and love you’ve shown while I worked through a ton of legalistic baggage to be free in Christ. I speak for no denomination, and feel sure that most are thankful for that. If you are courageous, read on, and comment when you feel the urge.
Blessings,
Rick