These poems describe the character, trials, and faith of the neighborhood churches that deeply affected the lives of children, teenagers, and adults on the American scene. The changing experience is described in poems on the Beatitudes and American life as parents unknowingly invite strangers into their homes who instill the secular views of television, the Internet, and public school text books. The sheer weight of indoctrination dismisses the Spiritual from childhood experience and conviction. The book concludes with the trials of the martyrs who pursued the poet throughout his life. They...

POEMS OF THE BRIDGE presents incidents and insights from experiences that the author found enlightening during a lifetime of service as a pastor and family man. The use of poetry allows presentation in brief form and helps reveal the amazing acts of God in everyday life. A simple factual statement would only invite attempts to explain away the unexplainable. And so they are presented as faith experiences that simply arise among believers inspired by the promises of Christ and the Scriptures. The poems also question who this amazing martyr is who enters our confusing and modern world to bring...

We in contemporary times live in an era of imposing messages on TV, The Internet, billboards, and in periodicals. They proclaim that what is important is what assaults us with repeated messages of great buys, lucrative employment, and dollar materialism. Whatever is boldly proclaimed is assumed to be value. Reports of war and violence command our constant attention. Aren t we missing something? The real treasures are those attained through quiet thought and willing sacrifice; as we make daily decisions, the whispers speak to us. They are the voice of faith, conviction, and of God. The prophet...