Category Archives: Witnessing

by Anthony Baker | October 4, 2015 · 1:12 am

Preparing for an Encounter

Like many pastors, whether they’d admit it or not, I’m still in my little study/office with an open Bible, a note pad, some colored pencils, coffee that’s no longer hot, and a deep, yearning desire to hear from God.

It’s after midnight, and while many folk are already in bed, still partying, or watching another increasingly perverted installment of Saturday Night Live, I’m wiping away tears as I beg for the souls of lost young men and women, boys and girls, and adults who think there’s nothing left to hear that will change their minds about Jesus.

I know that I’m only human, but the task before me is inhuman; it is more than I can accomplish in my own strength with my own words. But I must try. I must depend on God’s endless grace and mercy. He called me, but He will empower me, speak through me, for I am but a vessel.

Nevertheless, I struggle, for the words I choose to say must adhere to a universal Truth, the gospel that transcends cultures and circumstance. It can’t – it MUST NOT! – be a message relevant only to those here in America, but a message of Truth that could fit right in to whatever culture in which it’s shared. Otherwise, instead of a universal Gospel, all I have is my opinion on an Americanized gospel which will be irelevant to some who may attend and hear nothing more than me pontificate.

The eleven o’clock hour at church, for many, is just another box on a list that must be checked off in order to earn a few religious brownie points. Rarely does one come, so it seems, expecting an encounter with the Living, Holy, Creator God. If I stand and preach in my own strength, with my own words, there’s no reason for any expectation.

But if I’m broken, humble, obedient, and yielding, not to mention passionate for the heart of my Saviour, and faithfully expound the Word of God, the universally applicable gospel of Jesus Christ, the Hope that is the same no matter where in the world a person is from, will be preached and, should the Spirit move, lives will be changed. That is my prayer.

There’s never enough study and preparation time, so for many like me, the dark and quiet loneliness of Sunday morning is the time to wrap things up, settle my heart with God, and pray, if nothing else, that I’m not a hindrance to the glorious work set before me.

Dear Father, may we experience an encounter with you. Where we will gather, please be in our midst. May we as Saul, as Ananias, as little Samuel, hear You call our names. May we also, with obedient and submissive hearts, say, “Here I am, Lord…what would you have me to do?”

May it happen around the world!

3 Comments

Filed under Countries, Culture Wars, God, ministry, Prayer, Theology, Witnessing, World View

Tagged as Christianity, Church, Gospel, preaching, spirituality, Sunday, Universal truths

by Anthony Baker | June 2, 2015 · 7:35 am

Arrest the Finger

If I Robbed a Bank

If, if, if, (please understand) IF I robbed a bank, I can imagine how things would turn out. Aside from being sad, it would probably be comical.

Personality. I don’t have the personality to rob a bank. I don’t like making people angry. It really hurts my feelings when people think poorly of me. I want people to like me, not want to hunt me down. If I were to rob a bank, my request for money from the teller would start with a “Hi, how are you today?”

The Note. What kind of note would I give the teller? It would have to be crafted in such a way as not to embarrass me if read in public. What if I misspelled a word? What if I used poor grammar? What if I used a preposition to end a sentence with? It would stress me too much to think that I committed a crime for which I would forever be ridiculed for a poor choice of criminal words.

The Getaway Car. That’s a joke. Just as soon as the deed was done, my car would either die, or not even start. We have the worst luck with automobiles. And besides, what kind of bank robber drives a mini-van?

The Defense Attorney. Considering that I could not keep the money I would have stolen, I would not be able to afford a good lawyer. From my experience, most defense attorneys I have met probably buy shares in Orange Suits R Us.

If I were to rob a bank, I would get caught, convicted, and sent to prison for life. My name and reputation would be permanently ruined. The name of Anthony Charles Baker would forever be associated with the seedy, felonious, arch villains of history.

If My Finger Robbed a Bank

Suppose I never walked into one of those cool, new banks that have complimentary cappuccino machines and free back rubs. Suppose I just stayed at home with my little dog and a computer, but let one finger on my right hand rob the bank? All my finger would need would be the correct access codes, false identities, foreign bank account numbers, and an expertly manicured nail with a healthy cuticle.

Eventually, as these things usually turn out, my finger would get arrested. No, wait…I would get arrested, correct? Maybe it would take a few years to track me down. Maybe I would slip up and get caught while spending holiday (as the Brits say it) in Mont Carlo on my 90 foot yacht.

The fact is that I would get caught, and the reality would be that the whole body of Anthony C. Baker would be imprisoned, not just the finger. In other words, you can’t give the FBI the finger and walk away.

A Sinning Member

The finger is part of the body. And just like my finger is part of my body, I am part of the Body of Christ, the Church. The apostle Paul made it very clear that every believer is more than just an individual, but a “member” of the whole. Some, as he put it, are eyes; some are feet; and some are fingers (Romans 12:4,5; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 5:30). Each one of us has a particular function, but each one in particular is a part of a whole.

So often we think that we can act with total independence and bear the consequences for our own sins by ourselves. Many, when questioned about unwise choices will respond with, “This is my life, so don’t judge me…I’ll accept the responsibility.” What they fail to realize is that their sins affect more than one individual member – they affect the whole Body.

If my finger robbed a bank, I could argue, to no avail, that my body was innocent, that my reputation should not be harmed, and that my finger should be held accountable. I could say, “Arrest the finger, not me!” How silly would that be?

The Body and the Name

When the world sees us, they see Jesus. Christians, by definition, are “little Christs.” We, by design, are the hands and feet, the Body of Jesus Christ on the earth. By our actions the world should see that Jesus is loving and compassionate, but also holy and obedient to His Father’s will. What, then, do they think of our Savior when we live in open sin?

If I robbed a bank with my finger, the authorities would condemn me, Anthony Baker. If I treat my neighbor poorly, am unfaithful to my spouse, or harm my children, what does that say about Jesus? The eyes of the watching world will say, “If that’s a Christian…”

As part of the Body of Christ, we are responsible for the name of Christ. In “the name of Jesus” we pray, but “in the name of Jesus” we also live our lives in front of the lost. They have a hard time disassociating the “finger” from the Body. The reputation of the Body (the Church) and the name it bears can be stained by the actions of only one member.

Something to Consider

It is not a pleasant thing to consider, but if Jesus is concerned about His reputation, would it be wrong for Him to remove a “member” for causing the rest of the Body, including the name of Jesus, to suffer reproach? That’s what He did in the book of Acts with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1)?

Do you claim the name of Christ? Do you call yourself a Christian? If you do, are you living in open, blatant sin, such as fornication or adultery? What about constant lying, or gossiping? These are things from which we are told to “flee.” Why? Because you are telling others that the Person attached to the “finger” approves of those things.

If Jesus takes His reputation seriously, to live in rebellion and unrighteousness would seem awfully dangerous. But I’m not pointing any fingers.

(Originally published in 2012, but still very applicable. Wouldn’t you agree?)

Pre-Salvation Counseling?

Pre-Marital Counseling

Have you ever given pre-marital advice? Have you ever sat down with a young couple, stars in their eyes, and tried to break them up? No? Then maybe you don’t know what real marriage counseling is all about.

Honestly, one of the things I try to do before I marry a couple is to break them up. OK, no, I don’t go into a counselling session with the intent on making them run out of the room crying and screaming at each other. But what I do try to do is bring to the surface issues that might cause problems down the road which will ultimately lead to major problems, even divorce. Believe me, a lot of people could have been spared a lot pain and heartache had they been asked some serious questions before they tied the knot.

So, if you want me to conduct your wedding, you must endure at least four hours of me trying to find out if you are aware of what’s ahead.

Salvation Counseling

Much like the syrupy-sweet lovers who want to jump into marriage without even considering what comes after the honeymoon phase, many are led into believing that becoming a Christian is the answer to all their problems. Because of many one-stop, Vegas-like “wedding chapels” we call “worship centers,” scores of people have been drawn into a relationship with Jesus – but without the “pre-marital” counseling.

Reality check: Following Jesus will not be easy. As a matter of fact, it might even result in a life of pain and suffering, of hunger and want. This relationship may even cost you your life.

And when [Jesus] had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Oh, make no mistake about it, entering into an eternity-long relationship with Jesus is totally worth it! Just make sure you know what you’re getting into.

See the Movie

This Friday (March 20) Do You Believe? will come out in theaters. Please, take my advice, go see this movie! It may prove to be the best spiritual “marriage counseling” you’ve had in a while. Oh, and take someone with you who is lost; you won’t regret it.

Do You Believe? YES!

Last night I was privileged to see the new Pure Flix movie Do You Believe, which will be released in theaters on March 20. Wow!

Yes, I got to see it before the rest of you because I am uber-special and have connections. No, seriously, because I’m a pastor, I was invited by email to a screening. The purpose, of course, was to see the movie ourselves before we start encouraging others to buy tickets and flood the theaters.

Buy tickets and flood the theaters. It’s that good.

Seriously, Do You Believe fires on all 8 cylinders (that’s non-hybrid car talk). It is dramatic, well-produced, and unwilling to pull punches. Look at it this way, if you liked God’s Not Dead, you’re gonna love Do You Believe. On the other hand, if you thought God’s Not Dead was Christian propaganda, you’re gonna have an aneurysm before this movie is half-over. Do You Believe is all about the Cross and faith in Jesus Christ – no apologies.

If I could explain this movie to you in another way, I’d say it must have been derived from the classic book In His Steps. If you remember, those who believed in Jesus were challenged to walk “in His steps,” to live as He would if walking in their shoes. In this movie, those who truly believe are challenged to “carry the cross,” regardless the cost.

When God’s Not Dead was over, people were taking out their cell phones and texting “God’s not dead!” to all their contacts. When you see this movie, which I hope you do, the first thing you’ll probably do is stand and sing along with music playing during the closing credits. If you’re like some people I saw, you’ll sing with hands raised as you praise God. Others, like me, will stand shivering with tears in your eyes, realizing you’ve just been kicked in the gut by the Holy Spirit. The next thing you’ll do is go out and “do something” with what you believe.

After the movie was over, we took a little girl whom we took with us to the movie as a guest back to her home. There, for the first time, we got to sit and talk with the girl’s mother about the Gospel, about God’s love for us manifested on the Cross. It was like we were still in the theater, ’cause I even found myself, a preacher, using some the lines I’d just heard in the movie. So, what does that tell you?

Go see Do You Believe, and take the unbelievers with you. I guarantee you this: some will believe.

2 Comments

Filed under Apologetics, current events, salvation, Witnessing

Tagged as Do You Believe, faith, Lee Majors, Movies, Pure Flix

by Anthony Baker | September 16, 2014 · 1:30 pm

A Witness to War and Grace

Meeting a Vet

There are not many men left who actually saw combat in WWII, especially those who participated in some of the more well-known battles. Many were transported to the beaches by an LST, much like the one which is visiting for a few days in Chattanooga (it leaves 9/18).

When I went down to the river to take a picture of LST 325, the last of its kind, it wasn’t hard to spot the older veterans. If they weren’t walking slowly, supported by a walking stick, they were riding in wheelchairs, or holding on to a younger loved one’s arm. Each of them, no matter what age, exhibited a nostalgic look, one that hinted at a smile, yet betrayed a sense of loss and pain.

One elementary teacher I talked to said after touring the ship, “You know, after going through that thing, I don’t know how any of them survived to make it back.”

Well, yesterday, after attending an executive board meeting with our local Baptist association, I got to meet an extraordinary veteran who actually rode one of those LST’s to the beaches of Iwo Jima to fight the Japanese, Mr. Paul George.

Mr. George, like so many others, risked his life not only to preserve our freedoms, but to liberate others. Fortunately, he survived; many others did not. To all of them we owe an incalculable debt.

Waiting for His Time

But here’s the thing: odds are none of us are going to make it out of this life alive. And as a matter of fact, some of our loved ones have already gone on home and are now waiting for our tour of duty to end. I believe that’s what Mr. George was sorta getting at when he wrote the following note to be sent to his friends and loved ones, those who were concerned about him after his wife’s departure.

“Just a note to let you know that I am doing quite well even though Martha left me June 17, 2013 (eight days short of our 70th anniversary) to be with Jesus. I do miss her but I know she is much better off and is waiting for me.

My life now is like it was when I was in the Pacific during WWII. Her picture is ever before me and now I wait for life to be over as I was waiting for the war to be over and we would be together again. The difference is that I am not in a hurry for our reunion as I was before, I want The Lord to use me as a witness of His Grace. The Lord’s timing is Right and I will wait.” – Paul George

They call men like Mr. George “the greatest generation.” This is just one more reason why.

God bless you, dear brother, for your desire has been granted: you certainly are a witness of God’s grace.

4 Comments

Filed under America, Christian Maturity, Future, Life Lessons, Struggles and Trials, Witnessing

Tagged as Chattanooga, hope, Iwo Jima, LST, LST 325, Marriage, Navy, Paul George., ships, veterans, WWII

by Anthony Baker | June 4, 2014 · 6:00 am

The Answer to a Jailer’s Question

The Philippian jailer trembling before Paul and Silas

Credit: Holman Bible Handbook

A jailer in the ancient city of Philippi once asked the Paul and Silas a question that is still being asked today: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30)

Have you ever asked that question? Maybe the following post will provide you with an answer.

“Now is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It won’t last forever. We must take it or leave it.” – C. S. Lewis

My Story

One day, when I was a boy, I took the chance. I placed all my eggs in one basket. The fate of my eternal soul, as much as I could grasp the idea, was place in the control of a Man I had never seen in person, nor had heard with my ear, but I believed loved me and died for me.

Today, as a man, I can use words I never knew back then, such as justification, atonement, and propitiation. But the simple truth that led me to surrender my heart and soul to this Man can still be explained with simple words…words written thousands of years ago… “For God so love the world, that He gave…”

What did God give?

Do you know what a gift is? Sure you do. It is something you give to another when you care. It is something you give with no expectation of payment in return. It is best when it is something that required some sacrifice, but it was a joy to purchase. It means even more when you know the gift was something needed, but unexpected.

A gift is something that is received. I have a friend that has no more family, so for Christmas he goes out and buys things for his self, wraps them, and places them under a Christmas tree. On Christmas morning, all alone, he opens them. How sad is that? Those are not real gifts – he bought them!

According to God, as written in His Word, the Bible, eternal life is a gift. That’s right, a gift. In the letter to the Romans we read that the “gift of God is eternal life…” (Romans 6:23). God is offering it to you for the taking. He is offering it to you for free! But it wasn’t cheep; it cost him his Son.

“God loved the world so much, that He gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). Why did God give his Son? Well, so that you and I could be rescued from the eternal penalty we owe for our sins – our breaking of God’s laws. Our lies, our lusts, our broken promises, you name it: all of these things are sins. Each one deserved separation from a holy God. But God “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever [puts his whole faith] in Him, would not perish (be separated from God), but have eternal life.”

Why did He give it?

All men and women have broken God’s laws. And even though you may have not actually committed murder, or robbed a bank, or abused a child, James 2:10 (RSV) says, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” So, you see, we need a Savior. We need the Gift that God is offering. Won’t you accept it?

The whole verse in Romans (6:23) goes like this: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This is why C.S. Lewis said those words above. Eternal life is a gift, but it will not be offered indefinitely. You see, all of us will die, one day. Hebrews 9:27 says that it “is appointed unto man once to die; but after this, the judgment.” One day we must either give an account for our lawbreaking, or rest in the fact that our account has already been settled by putting our faith in Jesus.

“From death to life”

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).

Jesus also said, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36 NIV). And to those that put their faith in Jesus, he said, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28 NIV).

The apostle John wrote, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12 NIV).

The Invitation

What can I say about the greatest gift ever, especially in a thousand words, or so? I can’t cover all the bases, answer every question, or defend every point – but I can offer you Jesus.

Have you been searching for meaning, for hope, for unconditional love, for eternal life? Give your heart to Jesus, confess your sins to Him, repent of the things that caused Him to have to die so that you could have life, and cross over “from death to life.”

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [Jesus] shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

You could even pray a prayer, in your own words, similar to this: “Dear Jesus, I believe you are God’s Son, and that you died for me, and rose again, that I might have eternal life. I know I have sinned, and I confess. I also confess that I cannot earn heaven on my own. I need You! Please take my life. I give freely give it to you. Be my Lord, and my God. Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer, honestly, and from your heart, then I would love to hear about it! I am sure many others would love to hear about it, too! If you accepted God’s gift of eternal life, let the world know in the comment section below.

If you would like to talk with someone, there is a phone line open 24 hours a day. Call 1-800-NEED-HIM (1-800-633-3446). Someone will be happy to show you how to be sure you have eternal life. Don’t wait.

1 Comment

Filed under God, salvation, Witnessing

Tagged as C. S. Lewis, Christianity, Epistle to the Romans, Eternal Life, faith, John 3:16, paul and silas, Religion

by Anthony Baker | March 24, 2014 · 1:42 pm

A Dream of Prayer

I Had a Dream

Last night, maybe because I went to bed early, maybe because I was sickly (still am), or maybe because I ate home-made salsa, I had a lengthy, detailed dream.

We all dream to some degree or another, don’t we? How often to you have dreams that cause you to sit up and take notes so you won’t forget it? Well, last night was one of those times.

A Stressful Start

Have you ever had times when you are so stressed about something, like a term paper or work project, that you dream about it? Last night’s dream started with me doing something I need to more often: prospecting.

I have been doing some work in the credit card processing area for about a year. However, I haven’t been very successful (made a lot of money) because I haven’t been seeing enough people. In other words, I could be more successful and bring in more income if I would only knock on a lot more doors, so to speak. But, as with most sales careers, prospecting is the worst part. So, I’ve been stressing.

Anyway, the last night’s dream started out with a guy I work with and myself going into a business to talk about their credit card processing options. That’s when things got interesting.

The Prayer

There in the main office area of what seemed to be a print shop, an advertising firm, or something like that, we walked up to the counter and begin talking to a lady. My friend asked, “How have you been doing, lately?” (as if there had been some kind of previous relationship). The dark-haired, middle-aged business woman solemnly replied, “I was diagnosed with cancer this week.”

Normally, if it were any other time, I would let my partner (the more experienced one) continue with the conversation. But this time I said, “Excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt, but would you mind if I pray for you?” The lady looked puzzled that I would even ask such a question, and sort of recoiled. I said, “It’s OK, I’m not asking you to do anything…I’m not talking about anything crazy…I just want to pray for you.”

Sensing I was sincere, not kooky, the lady complied with my request and said, “OK, sure, I would appreciate that.” At that moment, I turned around and faced the other people in the office to ask if they would like to join us. As soon as I turned, there was a man standing beside me, reaching to put his hand on my shoulder. Others got up from their desks and came to the the counter, each holding hands or placing arms upon shoulders. “We would like to pray with you,” they said.

I started praying for the lady, but here’s where things got weird. I started asking God to bless or heal those with certain needs, but as soon as I did, anytime I would mention the type of need, someone in the office would speak out a specific name! For example, I would pray something like, “Lord, there may be someone here that is discouraged,” and that’s when a man on his knees would speak out “JIM!” I would then continue with the prayer, saying, “Lord, encourage Jim with your grace and mercy. Let Jim know You love him.”

This went on and on until my partner, along with other people that were with us (I didn’t know there were more than two of us), left me alone and went out to the car. I don’t know how much time went by, but I finally had to say, “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

What started out as a business visit ended in a prayer meeting.

The Point

I don’t know what to think, but trying to interpret dreams can be dangerous, if not simply an exercise in foolish hypothesizing. However, there was something about this dream that pointed to a truth worth pursuing: people need prayer.

Bi-vocational pastors praying for each other at a conference in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Not long ago I felt the Lord leading our church in a slightly different direction. Instead of going out and knocking on doors, asking the usual questions, or smacking anyone in the head with a 2-pound Bible, I feel He wants us to take prayer to the streets, prayer-walking a different street each week. As we meet people, the simple goal is to ask if we can pray with them about anything, letting the Holy Spirit set the pace and direction. Praying for someone let’s them know we care.

Believe me, a lot can happen when you begin with prayer. Maybe the dream I had was the result of too much jalapeno and habenero salsa. Maybe, as my wife suggested, I’m missing opportunities to minister by not prospecting. But, on the other hand, maybe the dream I had was simply a confirmation to my spirit of what the Holy Spirit wants to do through those of us who are willing to simply ask…

“Could I pray for you?“

3 Comments

Filed under America, Christian Unity, Faith, God, ministry, Witnessing

Tagged as Church, community, Evangelism, faith, outreach, prayer, prayer walking

by Anthony Baker | August 23, 2013 · 8:55 am

The Story I Love

It’s been a while since I first posted this video, but I think it’s time for a repeat.

A lot of you are new to this blog. You may not be aware that I periodically post videos on Mondays with a puppet monkey, just for fun. This video, however, is one of my favorites, and for good reason: it’s about the story I love to tell.

Benny Berry sang at our church one Sunday. That afternoon I asked if he felt like he could sing for a monkey. He raised an eyebrow, but agreed. The result was genuinely beautiful.

4 Comments

Filed under Faith, Monday Monkey, music, salvation, Witnessing, worship

Tagged as Animals, Church, faith, Guitar, Monday Monkey, Music

by Anthony Baker | June 22, 2013 · 8:38 pm

Global Influence of “Playing” On the Computer

Thanks to Rob Stroud’s post on Mere Inkling, I had an idea…

They say,

“I don’t know why you do that blogging stuff. It seems like such a waste of time.”
“Don’t you have anything better to do than play on your computer?”
“Don’t call that ministry; knocking on doors is the way to get out the word.”
“Nonsense! I haven’t got any use for computers. They should just take ’em all out and burn ’em.”
“Why do you spend so much time on that silly blog? Who reads it, anyway?”

I say,

At the time of this writing, The Recovering Legalist has nearly 900 subscribers. That’s more regular attendees than 90% of churches have total members. Numbers aren’t everything, but every number represents a soul.
If the computer was created for anything, reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ should be the ultimate goal.
Real people in real need sit in front of computer screens, so every time a person reads my blog it’s like I was invited into his or her home.
This blog has been up and going for over three years. But since February of 2012, not even a year and a half, The Recovering Legalist has been read in at least 135 countries. Some of those countries would never let a Christian missionary cross their borders.

Global influence of The Recovering Legalist

“And [Jesus] said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15 KJV

Christian bloggers are media missionaries. That is why I spend so much time “playing on the computer.”

5 Comments

Filed under Countries, ministry, Preaching, Witnessing

by Anthony Baker | May 17, 2013 · 11:26 am

Big Tippers

The Big One

CeCe is a server at a Steak n’ Shake in Indianapolis. CeCe is evidently an excellent server, too. Either that, or someone was just tremendously generous.

Watch the video.

Actually, CeCe got a huge tip from a regular customer. And when I say huge, we’re not talking a few dollars – try $446 on a $6 bill! That’s like a 7000% tip!!

Why did CeCe receive such a large gratuity? It seems that CeCe was having a hard time a table, yet she was able to keep her composure and maintain a sweet smile. An older lady who frequents the Steak n’ Shake saw what was going on, then proceeded to leave her a tip which was probably more than CeCe makes in a week.

Tip Bait Guide

In reality, large tips like the one CeCe got are extremely rare. As a matter of fact, few people regularly tip more than 20%. However, I have come up with 10 ways for servers to “bait” their customers into leaving much larger tips than usual. If they work, just send me a small percentage of the take and we’ll call it even.

Make sure your customer’s glasses are never less than 3/4 full.
Make sure your customer’s glasses are clean, even if you have to take them off his face.
Offer to tuck the napkin into your customer’s shirt collar.
Offer to crawl under the table to pick up your customer’s children’s crayons, and while you’re at it, offer to polish their shoes.
Offer to cut up your customer’s food into fun shapes.
If Pepsi is the only drink being served, offer to go around the block to buy a 2-liter of Coke.
Sprinkle every sentence with words like honey, sweetie, sugar, love, darlin’, and baby (unless the wife is present). Otherwise, use words like sir, your honor, etc.
Take your customer’s order while kneeling beside the table, but wince when you bow down. When they ask if you are OK, just say, “Oh, I’m fine! It’s just all the praying I’ve been doing lately…you know how scary those test results can be.”
Tell your customers that having the chance to serve them was worth missing your birthday party.
Offer to burp every one at the table.

Seriously, Though

Servers at restaurants work harder than most anyone else in the world. The tips they make are usually not that much in comparison to the work they do, and tips are usually all they make.

As Christians, we should always, always tip a server at a restaurant regardless of service they render. As a matter of fact, one of the best times to leave a large tip is when you receive the worst service. You don’t know what the lady serving you has gone through that day. You don’t know how she has been treated, or what news she has just learned.

Be an example, not a hindrance.

One of saddest things I’ve come to learn is that Sundays are the worst days for tips. Believe it or not, I have talked to many servers who have turned away from God all because of the way they are treated on Sundays by “Christians” after church.

Wouldn’t it be great if more stories aired on the news about big tippers? Wouldn’t it be great, instead of increasing one’s “faith in humanity,” news of our generosity caused people to want to know more about Christ?