I'm not opposed to the death penalty per se--though I think that it should be used only sparingly. But even if you favor capital punishment: firing squad?

I've said it before, and I think it bears repeating~~We need heroes. We need to have people that pave the way for us, that we look up to, and that we can emulate as we trek along this earth. I've introduced you to a couple of my heroes in the past. Today I got to rub elbows with another of my heroes because I'm at the RHMA Small Town Pastors' Conference, and Calvin Miller has been the keynote speaker as well as a session leader.

Why is Miller one of my heroes? Because he has done most of the things that I'd like to do. He has planted churches, has served those churches as pastor, has written books (make that, books that others want to buy), and he has remained real in all of this.

I also owe a lot in my life--not just my ministry--to Miller. Indirectly, he is responsible for the circumstances through which I met the blushing bride. He was the inspirational speaker over ten years ago at the missions emphasis week at Glorietta Baptist Conference Center in New Mexico where I decided to become an international missionary. Had I not made that decision, I would never have met my beautiful wife on the second day of missionary orientation two years later.

So, get you a hero. Don't worship them, but do be grateful for their presence in your life.