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Chuck Norris and the Gospel

I grew up watching "Walker: Texas Ranger" probably because I have a father who, I believe secretly, wants to be a cowboy. I watched Chuck Norris solve the world's problems in an hour every week. Granted there were worse things to watch but I'm sure hoping there were better things too. But I'm disturbed that this picture was used as a sermon illustration. I believe that the point that the pastor was trying to make was that people and communities of faith need to have vision and a plan on how to make that vision a reality. Somehow this picture of Chuck Norris exemplifies this? I'm all for people of faith and congregations having vision and goals. But I have issues with this picture. First machine guns???? Who are we going to go kill in order to bring about this vision or goals? We're to be militant and use violence? Then the theme of patriotic loyalty. Vision is only for the United States? We're the only group of people that God blesses? It's okay to promote violence as long as it's in the name of a nation? There are just so many issues I see with this picture. I'm not against Chuck Norris, I'm not against being patriotic. What I do take issue with is using this picture of a person to highlight the idea of going out and working towards your vision and goals when there are plenty of others available of him that are not with guns pointing and in front of flags. This image carries so many more thoughts and meanings then I think the pastor intended that I believe that it diminished the point of the sermon. This is a clear example that just because you can Google an image and that it might be seen as funny (lets face it who hasn't laughed at a Chuck Norris joke lately???) that as leaders we need to think through things a little more clearly then others. God have mercy.
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