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Blog entries for the category Churches
Random Notes
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, May 7
A few thoughts on a variety of topics:1. The China broadcasts continue three times a week (M-W-F) at 6 AM CDT (7 PM China time). Check out our Chinese website and the iPhone and Android apps.2. We have just posted the Spring 2012 KBM Newsletter with the headline “We Need More Anchors.” Later this month we expect delivery of 100,000 copi...
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Stay
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, May 1
New England has a reputation as a difficult place to do ministry. One pastor from Massachusetts called it a “cold” region for gospel ministry. But almost everyone senses that a “quiet revival” is underway. No, it’s not like the South where megachurches sprout up like dandelions in the spring. But churches are growing i...
New England Notes
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 23
Southbridge, MAI’m writing this update from the lobby of the Southbridge Conference Center, a vast convention center built on the site of the former American Optical Company building. We arrived on Friday after a longish trip from Tupelo via Memphis, Detroit, and Hartford. Someone welcomed us on Facebook by saying that, “No one ever come...
Sunday at All Saints
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, February 5
When you travel, things don’t always work out as you had planned.I’m writing this note from my hotel room in India at the very moment when I had planned to be finishing my sermon at the pastor’s conference. But our plans were waylaid when we discovered that this is a Muslim holiday of some sort, and they have planned a huge rally ...
The Future of the Chinese Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, November 4, 2011
This little boy represents the future of the Chinese church.Earlier this week his mother put him down for a nap in the apartment where we stayed in Dalian. His grandfather serves as a church worker in a Chinese city with very few Christians. He and his mother and father and grandfather came to Dalian to spend two days with us. I was very pleased wh...
Church of KFC
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, November 2, 2011
If you want one picture that will explain one part of modern China, this will do as well as anything else we saw. If the picture looks like a church, that’s because this building was once a church. After the 1949 Revolution the church was closed and the building taken over by the government. In recent years some savvy businessmen bought the b...
Day 3: Young Nak Presbyterian Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 23, 2011
Here’s the video from Day 3 of our Korea-China trip featuring our visit to the Jeju Young Nak Presbyterian Church....
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When Should a Pastor Leave a Church?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 21, 2011
The question came from a young man pastoring his first church. I don’t know much about the congregation he serves except that it is small and filled with mostly older folks who don’t want to change.At least that’s how the young pastor sees it. Both he and his wife have been feeling discouraged. After three difficult years, here is…
Three Days at Mt. Sinai
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, September 23, 2011
A few years ago–about eight years ago, I suppose–I received an email out of the blue from a man named H. B. Charles, Jr. who wrote to ask me a question about something I had written about preaching. I didn’t know him or the church he pastored, Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Through an email correspondence we b...
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Nick’s Story
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, September 5, 2011
“I stole soap from Walgreen’s so I could wash myself at a fire hydrant.""I lived in my car near Humboldt Park until I was arrested.""I don’t remember much about my 20s because I was on drugs the whole time."When the police arrested him, he was put in jail for 30 days. Sometime during that period he fo...
Wrapping Up a Great Visit to Reno
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Yesterday at 4 PM I met for an hour Here are the different messages I preached at Reno:When You are Falsely Accused Did I Make a Mistake? The Whole Bible in Thirty Minutes Overcoming Self-Importance How Much Sin Will God Forgive? ...
Reno, Here We Come
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, May 14, 2011
This morning Marlene and I are flying to Reno, Nevada for the Spring Bible Conference at Sierra Bible Church. This is our fourth time to visit this fine congregation. It all started almost ten years ago when I spoke for the Dallas Seminary Week at Mt. Hermon Bible Conference in California. Someone from the church in Reno heard me and invited me to ...
Report from Rochester
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 5, 2011
This morning we wrapped up the John 17 conference in Rochester, New York. Church leaders from all over the region gathered for three days of fellowship and biblical teaching. Pastor Ray Viola of Koinonia Fellowship was on a missions trip to India two years ago when after preaching on Jesus’ prayer in John 17, especially the prayer that &ldquo...
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Questions for a Pulpit Committee
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, January 4, 2011
I have a friend who will soon be interviewed by a pulpit committee for the position of pastor. He wrote to a few friends asking for some “killer questions.” Here are a few of the suggested questions:1. What’s the elephant in the room that no one wants to address?2. When people in this community hear the name of this church, what d...
Preach Less, Pray More
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 20, 2010
On Sunday morning we attended a house church in Dalian. They moved to the apartment after the authorities forced them out of the rented facilities where they had been meeting. Since then some believers have left but the core remains strong and committed.The first people arrive at 8:30 AM to pray. Following Chinese cust...
Monday Morning Miracle
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Yesterday Peter took us on a ride outside of Dalian. It’s hard to explain the nature of Chinese cities because they consist of massive apartment buildings that sprawl out in every direction. The vast majority of people live in those high-rise buildings. You don’t see very many single-family homes. There are a few but not so many. So the...
Preaching at Youngnak Presbyterian Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 10, 2010
On Sunday morning we worshiped with the English-speaking congregation at Youngnak Presbyterian Church in Jeju City. This growing congregation is one of hundreds of churches planted by the mother church in Seoul. It currently attracts around 1600 worshipers every Sunday, making it the largest church on Jeju Island. Until recently the church did not ...
Pray for Pastor Peter
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, September 11, 2010
Many of you know that Pastor Peter is our “Keep Believing” man in China. He pastors a house church in a large Chinese city. Last Tuesday the authorities came and without explanation began to harass him and the people of his congregation. Here is the story (edited for security reasons):Without knowing why, our church has been under inter...
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Sunday at a Satellite Campus
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, September 5, 2010
This morning we went the Northway Campus of the Village Church in Dallas. This is a satellite campus of the main campus in Flower Mound, north of Dallas-Forth Worth Airport. There is another satellite campus in Denton. Together three locations offer 11 services each week, drawing somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-9,000 people every Sunday. We chos...
Q and A video – Should Christians Be Involved in Politics?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, August 30, 2010
The last election was mean-spirited and it was hard to discern between truth and lies. Should Christians separate from political activism and focus on “Christian work” instead?
Anne Rice Quits Christianity
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, August 2, 2010
A few days ago bestselling author Anne Rice announced on her Facebook page that she is quitting Christianity. She started the ball rolling with this announcement:For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or t...
Cannon Beach Q and A, Part 2
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, July 10, 2010
I’m a modest person and I don’t even like undressing at the doctor’s office. If God is always watching us, and angels are always with us, does this mean when my spouse and I are having sex that we have an audience?The short answer is yes. This is part of the doctrine of God’s omnipresence. Read Psalm 139 and you will see how...
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I’m Unhappy With My New Church. What Should I Do?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, June 16, 2010
We received a fascinating question the other day from someone who said she had moved to a new area and found a new church. But things are not going well. She sees “rampant sin” (which she did not specify) going on the congregation and even among the leaders. Others have tried to address these problems to no avail. What should she do? He...
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The Best Local Church Video I’ve Ever Seen
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 28, 2010
I believe this is the best local church video I’ve ever seen. I love it because it doesn’t start by talking the church. It starts with the gospel. Watch it and see for yourself. You may find yourself saying, “I’d love to be part of a church like this.”...
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The Church at Brook Hills
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Last Sunday we attended a fast-growing church in Birmingham called The Church at Brook Hills. Located at the southeastern edge of the city, the church attracts 5-6,000 attenders each Sunday in three identical services. They come in large part because of the earnest preaching of the senior pastor, Dr. David Platt. Although he is only 30 years old, h...
We had Church Tonight
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, September 16, 2009
I am finally back in my hotel room after the most amazing Wednesday night service I’ve ever attended. Earlier this evening I spoke to about 150 people at the Couples Class at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. As soon as we were finished, Pastor H. B. Charles, Jr (you should check out his blog) hustled me upstairs so...
Sunday at Metropolitan
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Before the week gets too far gone, I want to say thank you to Randy Faulkner and the congregation of Metropolitan Baptist Church for their hospitality during my whirlwind visit over the weekend. I use the word advisedly because I more or less blew in (along with the rain that came on Saturday), preached four times on Sunday, and then flew home yest...
How to Spot a Healthy Church—Quickly (2009 update)
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Two years ago, more or less on the spur of the moment, I wrote a blog entry called How to Spot a Healthy Church–Quickly. That entry turned out to be popular or least noteworthy because it eventually drew 98 comments, which I think is the record so far for any of my blog entries.I hadn’t thought about that entry until Crosswalk decided t...
We Joined the Church Today
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, December 28, 2008
This morning Marlene and I joined Harrisburg Baptist Church in Tupelo. To say that we waited a long time would be true, given that we moved to Tupelo in October 2005 and started attending Harrisburg more or less on a regular basis sometime in 2006.In the last three years we have seen the other side of church life—the view from the pew, ...
Excellent Article on the Chinese Bible Church of Oak Park
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Wednesday Journal ran a nice article on the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Bible Church of Oak Park. The church has a long legacy of faithful ministry and now is a multicultural congregation with services in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. ...
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Dr. Todd Wilson
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, August 24, 2008
This afternoon the members of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL voted overwhelmingly to call Dr. Todd Wilson as their next pastor. He comes to the church with a wealth of experience—Wheaton College undergrad, Wheaton Graduate School, a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in England, and two years on staff at Bethlehem Baptist Church ...
Put Marriage in Your Church Constitution
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, June 3, 2008
How should evangelical churches respond to the growing movement toward same-sex marriage? Here’s one answer. Put a statement about marriage in your church constitution.
Sunday at Sugar Grove
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 14, 2008
Here’s a slideshow of our visit to Village Bible Church yesterday. If the slideshow doesn’t start automatically, hold down the Crtl button while clicking on Refresh. You can click on each picture to see my comments and then click on Resume Show to go the next picture.Flickr Photo GalleryYesterday we spent most o ...
Moody Radio Interview 10 AM Today
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 14, 2008
I am doing an hour-long interview with Nancy Turner on WMBI-FM at 10 AM (Central Time) this morning. We are going to do an Open Line conversation with listeners so I hope you will tune in and then call in with your questions and comments. You can hear the program over the Internet by clicking on WMBI-FM and then going to “ ...
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Looking for a Pastor to Start a New Church?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, April 1, 2008
William Willimon offers some thoughts on the qualities a pastor needs who wants to start a new church. It’s not what I expected, but I agree 100%.
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Kosher for Passover Caffeine Free Pepsi
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Steve Tanner reviews Kosher for Passover Caffeine Free Pepsi and it’s not an April Fool’s joke. I don’t think they sell this in Tupelo.
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What Are You Fanatical About?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 29, 2007
Before leaving Grand Ledge this morning, I had breakfast with Andrew, Brian and John—the three staff pastors at Grand Ledge Baptist Church. Andrew I have known for 17 years but I just met Brian and John this weekend. The church recently voted to go to a unique three-way co-pastor system in which the three pastors will toge ...
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Grand Ledge Baptist Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 28, 2007
Tonight I preached my final message at Grand Ledge Baptist Church. This was the closing weekend of a month-long emphasis on missions. This evening we began with a live video interview via the Internet with a missionary couple serving in Bolivia. This is an example of how technology has made the world smaller. Not many years ...
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Hello from Grand Ledge, Michigan
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, October 27, 2007
Tonight I am in Grand Ledge, Michigan (just west of Lansing) where I am speaking this weekend at Grand Ledge Baptist Church. Almost seventeen years ago I met Andrew Ford when he was a student at Moody Bible Institute. He and his wife Jill attended Calvary Memorial Church during their student days in the early 90s. After gra ...
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Sermons at Sierra Bible Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 17, 2007
In my last message at Reno, I promised the congregation that I would post the text of my five messages on knowing God’s will. Here they are:How Can I Discover God’s Will For My Life?Sense and Nonsense About God’s WillThe Hardest Prayer You Will Ever PrayDon’t You Believe in Miracles? When You Nee ...
If You’re Going to Die By Hanging, You’ll Never Drown
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Tonight after the final service at Sierra Bible Church in Reno, a woman came by the book table. While she was writing a check, she said, “If you’re going to die by hanging, you’ll never drown.” I looked up and said, “What was that?” She smiled and said that that was a favorite saying of her father. She hated whe ...
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All In For Jesus
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 15, 2007
On Saturday Marlene and I flew to Reno, Nevada to speak at the Fall Conference at Sierra Bible Church. This is the second year in a row that we have come to Reno for the conference. Last year when I preached on doubt, I used the illustration of poker players going “all in” in order to win the game. That’s what we have ...
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The Christian and the Pharisee
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 14, 2007
I think it is a bit of divine serendipity that I just discovered this interview between R.T. Kendall and Rabbi David Rosen. Kendall served for 25 years as pastor of Westminster Chapel in London, and Rosen is the former chief rabbi of Ireland. Rosen calls himself a Pharisee in the sense of being a righteous Jew who seeks to ...
Five Down, Five to Go
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, October 9, 2007
A few random thoughts on why we do what we do . . .1) We are the middle of ten straight Sundays when I will be away from Tupelo. So far on consecutive Sundays I’ve been in Chicago, Normal, IL, Durango, CO, Thailand (two Sundays), and Los Angeles. Starting this Sunday it will be Reno, NV, Schroon Lake, NY, Grand Ledge, ...
Men As Trees Walking
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 7, 2007
We have justed a new sermon on the website: Men As Trees Walking. Here’s an excerpt:We don’t get better at the same rate or in the same way.This is a good word for all of us who are praying for our loved ones who are away from the Lord. How often have we done what these neighbors and friends did for this blind m ...
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Pastor’s Seminar in Los Angeles
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, October 6, 2007
This morning I met with these men at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. After eating breakfast together, we spent 2 1/2 hours talking about preaching. In the photograph the man to my immediate right (in the striped shirt) is Pastor H. B. Charles, Jr. It was at his invitation that I came to Los Angeles this ...
Check Out Biblos.com
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 5, 2007
I just found a helpful Bible study website called Biblos.com that offers a simple way for you to compare many different Bible translations of a particular verse. This morning I’m working on a sermon on Mark 8:22-26. Just type in, say, Mark 8:23, and the verse pops up in 13 different translations. Plus it offers numero ...
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Preaching This Sunday in Los Angeles
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 4, 2007
This Sunday I’m preaching at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California where H. B. Charles, Jr. is the pastor. He is one of my favorite pastors in America and has been for several years. I say that even though we have never met in person. Back when I was pastoring in Oak Park, he somehow found me ...
Oops! No WBCL Radio Interview This Morning
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 4, 2007
At 6:30 AM I posted the following announcement: “I’m doing a radio interview on WBCL in Ft. Wayne, Indiana from 8-9 AM CDT. Click here to listen live.” We were supposed to be talking about Stealth Attack, my book on spiritual warfare.But when the time came, I didn’t get a call from the radio station. When I pick ...
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Calvary Baptist Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, September 16, 2007
Today we are at Calvary Baptist Church in Normal, IL, a city in central Illinois on Interstate 55 between Springfield and Chicago. Normal is next to Bloomington, home of Illinois State University. We came at the invitation of Pastor Ralph Wingate, a good friend I met a few years ago. Several times we had lunch in Oak Park w ...
Trouble in the Church!
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, September 15, 2007
We have just posted a new sermon called Trouble in the Church! Here’s an excerpt:Churches sometimes have difficulty getting enough members together to make up a quorum for a business meeting. But there’s one easy way to get far more than a quorum: Announce a moral scandal, a doctrinal controversy or an impending ...
How to Leave a Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, September 14, 2007
This week I received an email from someone I do not know asking for some advice. Recently they left the church they had attended for more than eight years. It wasn’t anything doctrinal and it apparently didn’t have anything to do with worship styles or mode or baptism or a new building program. They left because ...
Podcasting in a Closet
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, September 13, 2007
Today I’ve been working on recording the introduction and the closing segments for our brand-new Keep Believing podcast. Even though the total recording time is only 30 seconds for the opening and a little over a minute for the closing, it hasn’t gone as smoothly as you might think.For one thing, I’ve been ...
Why Churches Change So Slowly
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, September 4, 2007
During lunch with a friend, the conversation drifted to the question of why churches get stuck in a rut and never seem to change. Eventually one key insight emerged. Every organization is perfectly calibrated to produce exactly the results it is producing. That “calibration” is mostly invisible, but it is there, and it is h ...
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Happy Labor Day!
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, September 3, 2007
Happy Labor Day!This morning Marlene and I celebrated Labor Day by painting one wall in our living room. When we bought our home in June, we discovered that the previous owner had hung a very heavy picture on one of the walls using anchor bolts that left two big holes. So this morning we borrowed Linda Hale’s pickup t ...
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Village Bible Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, August 12, 2007
This morning I preached at Village Bible Church in Sugar Grove, IL, a suburb on the far western edge of Chicago. After the service I stayed and spoke at a leaders’ luncheon at the request of Pastor Tim Badal. Marlene and I both thought this was one of the most exciting churches we’ve visited in a long time.When ...
God at Work in China
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, August 11, 2007
Check out this article called Christianity Finds a Fulcrum in Asia. The author puts forth a number of stunning claims and predictions, including . . .10,000 Chinese become Christians every day.Chinese may comprise the world’s largest concentration of Christians by 2050.China feels an enormous spiritual hunger caused i ...
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Jim and Casper Go to Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, July 19, 2007
What would happen if a pastor and an atheist decided to visit some of America’s largest churches together? That simple question led to a book called Jim and Casper Go to Church. Over a period of several months in 2006, Jim Henderson (the pastor) and Matt Casper (the atheist) dropped in unannounced on Willowcreek, Sadd ...
Did you go to an “ecclesial community” last Sunday?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, July 18, 2007
A few days ago the Vatican issued a document that has stirred up a bit of theological controversy about an argument that has been around for 2000 years—Which church is the “real” church? Admittedly, in these days of ecumenical give-and-take, this is not a Politically Correct question. We aren’t supposed to think like ...
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Speaking This Sunday in Lombard, IL
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, July 9, 2007
We have just made a late addition to my schedule. This Sunday (July 15) I will be speaking at the Fountain of Life Church in Lombard, IL at 10 AM. We invite our friends in the Chicago area to come to the service. Rich Raad serves as the pastor of this dynamic, growing congregation.
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Life International
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, July 8, 2007
Each week during the Gull Lake summer conference season, a different missionary organization shares its ministry. This week the missions focus is Life International, a relatively new organization in Grand Rapids, MI, that reaches out to what they call the largest and most unreached people group in the world—the unborn. The ...
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72 Hours of Service
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, June 11, 2007
This week the members of Harrisburg Baptist Church in Tupelo, Mississippi are “taking it to the streets” in an effort to serve those who need their help in tangible ways. Basically the church is setting aside 72 hours this week—Thursday, Friday and Saturday—to serve the community in a wide variety of hands-on services. I ...
A Father Who Did It Right
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, June 11, 2007
(This is the first in a week-long series of entries on fathers in the Bible. Some turn out to be good role models; others offer us examples of fathers who messed up badly. I offer this series as a lead-up to Father’s Day this Sunday.) The assignment seemed simple. Find a biblical father who did it right.Sounds simpl ...
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Thought for the Day
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, May 16, 2007
“You can be right about everything all the time or you can have friends. But you can’t do both."That thought comes from this column by John Armstrong.
Cleaning House or Redecorating?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, May 14, 2007
Recently I met someone who is a bit discouraged because his church has gone through several staff changes. Pastors who had been in that church for years have announced that they will soon be moving to other ministries. The person said, “I think God is cleaning house."To which I replied, “Perhaps he’s just redecorating ...
God’s Multicultural Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, May 13, 2007
We have just posted a new sermon called God’s Multicultural Church. Here’s an excerpt:We have some young friends in their early 20s who serve as pioneer missionaries to an unreached people group on the other side of the world. When I say “unreached,” I mean that in the literal sense. They are so far away from Am ...
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Another Way to Spot a Healthy Church—Quickly
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, May 10, 2007
A few weeks ago I wrote an article called How to Spot a Healthy Church—Quickly. To my surprise, it has drawn the most comments of anything I’ve ever written on the weblog. At the moment there are 89 comments attached to that entry. They are all enlightening because they allow us a glimpse into how people evaluate loc ...
The Man from Zimbabwe
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Just received this note from a missionary serving in South Africa: I just want to let you know that I gave An Anchor for the Soul to a waiter I met at a restaurant. He is from Zimbabwe but working here in South Africa. That is a tough county to be from right now needless to say. Almost 2000% interest from what a pastor fro ...
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Speaking in Arlington Heights This Sunday
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, May 2, 2007
This Sunday I’m speaking at Arlington Heights Evangelical Free Church, 1330 N. Douglas Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60004. Phone: 847-392-4840. I will be speaking in all three morning services—8, 9:30 and 11 AM. If you are in the Chicago area, I hope you will join us for one of the services.
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Wednesday Shout-Out
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, May 2, 2007
It’s been a while since my last shout-out. So here we go. A big Wednesday morning shout-out to Barry and Linda Beebe and to Keith and Beth McMahon of New Brunswick Bible Institute. Thank you for making us feel so welcome. And a big shout out to Mickey Aldy, Mike Ferris, Ken Pickens, Mike and Matt Thorn, Mike Maynard, ...
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A Prayer for Every Day
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 23, 2007
Currently Marlene and I are reading through Isaiah together. Our practice is that one of us reads a chapter and the other prays. Today Marlene read Isaiah 42 and I prayed. As she read the chapter, verse 8 caught my attenion. “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else.” There are many simi ...
Woodward Avenue Baptist Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 16, 2007
Yesterday Marlene and I had a wonderful time at Woodward Avenue Baptist Church in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. I grew up in that area so it was a sort of homecoming for me even though I didn’t know most of the people in the congregation. Pastor Ron Ethridge is a personal friend so we felt enormously welcomed from the momen ...
How to Spot a Healthy Church—Quickly
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 15, 2007
In the last 18 months I have come to a few conclusions about how to quickly gauge the health of the churches we visit—either to preach or simply to participate in a worship service. The Lord has allowed us to travel from coast to coast and to visit country cities, city churches and suburban churches—some large, some small ...
“I Remember Dr. Pritchard”
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 14, 2007
Tomorrow morning I am preaching at Woodward Avenue Baptist Church in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This is a special treat for a number of reasons. Muscle Shoals is only a few miles from Russellville, the small town in northwest Alabama where I grew up. Back in the late 60s, when we wanted to take our dates to “the big city,” we ...
Pontiac Bible Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 25, 2007
Here are some pictures from our visit to Pontiac (IL) Bible Church. I first met Brian Bill in May 1989 when I was a visiting preacher at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park. After I became the senior pastor, we served together on staff for three years and developed a friendship that has continued to this day. Seven-and-a-ha ...
O’Hare Airport, 4:52 AM
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 20, 2007
I am writing these words at 4:52 AM at Gate L9 in Terminal 3 of O’Hare Airport in Chicago. Last night, which really hasn’t ended yet, we had a Keep Believing Ministries board meeting that finally wrapped up sometime after 11 PM. We did our final packing and got to bed about 12:30 AM. That was OK except that we c ...
Early Morning Wake-Up Call
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 16, 2007
Our day started unexpectedly at 3:14 AM with a phone call that jarred me out of a very deep sleep. Looking back, I was so fast asleep that when I woke up, I couldn’t quite figure out what was happening. It turned out to be Delta Airlines telling us that our 11 AM flight to Atlanta had been cancelled for mechanical rea ...
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Do Pastors Exaggerate Attendance Figures?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, February 12, 2007
A recent survey on One News Now asks, “Do Evangelical Pastors exaggerate attendance and conversion numbers?” According to 63% of those who responded to the online survey, the answer is yes, pastors do sometimes exaggerate attendance figures. The non-scientific survey was occasioned by an article called Body-Count Evangelism ...
Da Colts! Da Colts!
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 10, 2007
So we arrive back home late last night, dead tired from a week of ministry at Word of Life Florida. Besides speaking 11 times, I had lunch and supper meetings, meetings between the services, people to talk to, books to sign, people who wanted me to pray with them, and so on. It was a good week, always is when I go to a conf ...
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Calling a Pastor
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, January 14, 2007
Today I preached in the morning and evening services at the First Baptist Church of Tupelo. When I arrived, I learned that they were voting on calling a new pastor in both morning services. As we waited for the 8:30 AM service to start, there seemed to be a noticeable spirit of anticipation that was somewhat different from ...
Lipping Your Prayers
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, January 13, 2007
This week I’ve been reading a fine new book by J. I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom called Praying: Finding Your Way From Duty to Delight, and along the way I’ve been thinking about the challenge of writing about prayer. Or preaching about prayer. It’s easy to fall into one of two traps. Either you make the re ...
Christmas on the Redneck Riviera
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, December 23, 2006
I am writing this note from a condo a few yards from the beach in Gulf Shores, AL. This particular area, a region that starts here and goes east into Florida—to Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Destin and then on to Panama City, is affectionately known at the Redneck Riviera. The beaches here are sparkling white, and outside ...
What God Wants for Christmas
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, December 23, 2006
I received this note from Brent Finchum, a missionary serving with Word of Life in Birmingham, AL: Just wanted to tell you that I preached from an outline you prepared this last Sunday. It was called What God Wants for Christmas from Micah 6:6-8. Thank you for putting these tools on the KBM website. It was a great starting ...
Jay Bakker’s Strange Religion
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Until last week I had never paid any attention to Jay Bakker, the son of Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Messner. Then someone sent me a link to a CNN article called What the Hell Happened to Christianity? It turns out that Jay is the pastor/founder of a church called the Revolution, with branches in Atlanta, New York and Charlot ...
China Tidbits
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, December 19, 2006
1) Do they celebrate Christmas in China? The answer is yes and no. The Chinese (especially in the larger cities) recognize the holiday and enjoy the bright lights, gift-giving and the part about Santa Claus but do not understand the message of the birth of Jesus. 2) Mark has posted some new pictures from his recent birthday ...
Who is the Most Influential Pastor in America?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, December 3, 2006
I have been pondering this question ever since my meeting with four pastors in Birmingham last Sunday night. Although this topic didn’t come up specifically, something was said that made me start wondering who is the most influential pastor in America. It’s a fun exercise if you are into that sort of thing (and ...
Just Do It
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, December 3, 2006
“Nothing would be done at all if a man waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault with it.” Cardinal John Henry Newman
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Ted Haggard Removed as Pastor of New Life Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, November 5, 2006
Kudos to the leaders at New Life Church for acting quickly to remove Ted Haggard from his position as senior pastor. Here is their letter to the congregation explaining the decision. When the facts are clear, as they evidently were to those doing the investigation, nothing is gained (and much is lost) by delaying the final ...
Good, Pleasing Perfect
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, November 4, 2006
Here is the newest sermon in the series “The Transformed Life” from Romans 12-16: Good, Pleasing, Perfect
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Where Have All the Pastors Gone?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, November 3, 2006
The email began very simply: “I am so discouraged.” The day before her pastor had resigned. Twelve years ago she had been brought back to the Lord by a pastor who seemed to be a godly man. Later he left his wife to enter the homosexual lifestyle. Then came a good pastor who was falsely accused of financial wrongdoing. Thoug ...
Welcome WCRF Listeners
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, November 3, 2006
This morning WCRF in Cleveland broadcast an interview I did on the subject of repentance. Here’s a link to the message we discussed:Repent! The Forgotten Doctrine of Salvation
High-Tech Church Fights
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, October 21, 2006
I ran across these two articles about local church conflicts that became so bitter that they spilled out onto the Internet:Church Fights Turn High-Tech Bellvue Conflict Bleeds Onto InternetWhat should we say about this?1) Church fights are nothing new. Go all the way back to the New Testament and you discover that Christian ...
88 Days, 20 Hours, 31 Minutes, 2 Seconds
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 20, 2006
According to Mark’s China Blog, we leave for the Holy Land tour in 88 Days, 20 Hours, 31 Minutes, 2 Seconds. We still have room on the tour for others to join us. Here are a few of the sites we will visit: Masada Caesarea Beit She’an Nazareth Bethlehem Capernaum Mount of Olives Jordan River Gethsemane The Golde ...
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One Year Later
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Today is the one-year anniversary of our move from Oak Park to Tupelo. At this moment a year ago, I was sitting in the front seat of a rented truck with Craig Hammond and his son Cuyler as we tooled down I-57. Marlene and Megan drove behind us in our car. As I look back on that morning, I realize that I didn’t feel an ...
Pastors and the Struggle of Prayer
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Phil Miglioratti has just posted an interview I did with him on Pastors and the Struggle of Prayer. Here is the heart of the interview:All of us as pastors struggle with prayer. And that struggle itself is not sinful. It is a reminder that we are made of flesh and that something in us will fight against prayer because praye ...
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Married Couples Now a Minority
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 16, 2006
Here’s a significant statistic every church leader should know about . . . Married couples are now a minority in the U.S. For the first time ever, less than 50% of American households are made up of married couples. Here is the money quote:The numbers by no means suggest marriage is dead or necessarily that a tipping ...
Another Perspective on the Perfect Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 16, 2006
A friend sent this in an email and I thought it was so good that it ought to be shared with everyone. My friend hopes for . . .1) A church that prays for and supports their Pastor and Board (not because they are perfect)…but in obedience to God.2) A church where forgiveness is more important than being right.3) A ch ...
In Search of the Early Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 15, 2006
Over the weekend a received a question from a friend in Atlanta asking me about the role of elders in the local church. That led me to revisit a series of sermons I first preached in 1992 called In Search of the Early Church when our congregation in Oak Park was considering a new constitution that would establish a board of ...
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Swimming Upstream
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 15, 2006
Here is the newest sermon in the series The Transformed Life:Swimming Upstream
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My Perfect Church Is . . . A Singing Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, October 14, 2006
Consider this a follow-up to my earlier entry on My Perfect Church. After thinking about that list some more, I wanted to pare it down to a few succinct principles that could be easily memorized, I was surprised by the first thing that came to mind, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind so I left it in first place. My ...
Executed
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 13, 2006
Yesterday I asked you to pray for a brother on an Asian island who was facing eternity for his Christian beliefs. I just received word that he was executed by firing squad a few hours ago. Here is one Christian’s reaction:My brother met eternity earlier today. His thirst for righteousness was filled. He was maltreated ...
My Perfect Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 12, 2006
Not long ago some friends traveled from another state to visit us in Tupelo. During supper the wife asked me a question that seemed to come out of the blue: “What would your perfect church look like?” She caught me completely by surprise, and I realized that a) no one had ever asked me that before, and b) I had never given ...
Urgent Prayer Request
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 12, 2006
12:17 PM CDT I just received the following request for prayer:Please pray for a brother on an Asian island who is facing eternity in the next few hours for his faith. For security reasons, I cannot give more details but there is no doubt that this is true. When I asked my contact how we should pray, this was the answer I wa ...
Sermons at Sierra Bible Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 11, 2006
I am writing this note late on Tuesday night after the final service of the Bible conference at Sierra Bible Church in Reno, Nevada. God met us in an unusual way during these days. I think it would be the unanimous sense of the congregation that this was far more than a Bible conference. It was a time in which the Lord reve ...
Is Limbo in Limbo?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, October 10, 2006
According to this article, the Pope may be about to abolish the Catholic doctrine of limbo, a centuries-old teaching that answers the question, “What happens to unbaptized babies that die in their infancy?” The medieval doctrine of limbo taught that they go to limbo, a sort of halfway house between heaven and hell. Why abol ...
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Monday in Reno
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 9, 2006
5:21 PM Just got back from our visit to Lake Tahoe. Hard to find the right adjectives to describe the sheer, overwhelming beauty. Awe-inspiring. Our hosts for the trip were Greg Kuehn, pastor of Sierra Bible Church, his wife Debbie, and Dave Smith, executive pastor. Dave and Greg have worked together for 17 years, and they ...
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Nev-ADD-uh
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 8, 2006
This morning we started the Bible conference at Sierra Bible Church in Reno, Nevada. I was informed later (by my sweet wife) that I had mispronounced the name of the state. I called it Nev-ODD-da. It’s supposed to be pronounced Nev-ADD-uh. I guess it’s sort of like outsiders pronouncing Illinois with an “s” on t ...
Vegas, Baby!
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, October 7, 2006
I’m writing this note from the Las Vegas airport while we wait for a flight to take us to Reno where I will be speaking at a Bible conference at Sierra Bible Church Sunday through Tuesday. In case I somehow forget where I am, I only have to look up and see the slot machines in the gate area. I can hear the incessant ...
Mark Driscoll Explains the Mainline
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, October 7, 2006
Mark Driscoll explains why the mainline denominations are in such a mess. He then offers these ten steps to destroying a denomination:1) Have a low view of Scripture and, consequently, the deity of Jesus. 2) Deny that we were made male and female by God, equal but with distinct roles in the home and church. 3) Ordain libera ...
Repent!
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 6, 2006
I just posted the sermon from last week: Repent! The Forgotten Doctrine of Salvation. This particular message has drawn more comments than any sermon in the last month.
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If You’re Looking For a Sign From God . . .
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 6, 2006
I saw this on the sign for the Eggville Free Will Baptist Church: “If you’re looking for a sign from God, this is it.”
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Doubter Your Doubters
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 6, 2006
A friend sent an email that ended this way: “We are thinking of and praying for you. Remember – doubt your doubters.” The reference is to a sermon on dealing with doubt that includes this application: “Doubt Your Doubts, Not Your Faith.” My friend changed it (unintentionally, I think) to “Doubt your doubters.” That strikes ...
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Switching to the ESV
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Starting this week, I am switching to the English Standard Version in my preaching ministry. I’m making the move partly out of the necessity to get a new Bible. For almost ten years, I’ve used a large-print NIV, but it is so worn and torn that it needs to be replaced. I had been thinking about making the switch ...
Seven, Seven, Seven, Yes, Yes
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Several months ago a group of college students came to visit us. Around the breakfast table we started talking about spiritual warfare. That led to a long discussion about how Satan attacks us in multiple ways, that he rarely hits us head on, that he attacks from many directions at once, with the ultimate goal of discouragi ...
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New Pictures From China
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Mark has posted some new pictures from China.
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NewSong Fellowship Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 2, 2006
I am writing this note in the Atlanta airport on our way back home from NewSong Fellowship Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Most people know that Lancaster is the center of a large Amish community. However, we didn’t see a single horse and buggy. I learned that Lancaster County is home to over 600,000 people. That s ...
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Barnstormers Win It All
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 2, 2006
Last night Jamie and Kris Mitchell took us to see the Lancaster Barnstormers play what turned out to the deciding game in the Atlantic League playoffs. Several years ago some farsighted businessmen banded together to bring minor league baseball to Lancaster. With help from the state and funding from private sources, they bu ...
An Article and a Blog
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Brian Bill sent along two very helpful links:1) China’s New Legal Eagles. Evangelical leaders spur the civil rights movement as believers begin to speak out in order to nudge China toward freedom and true civil liberty. 2) Seth Godin’s Blog. Cutting edge marketing ideas from a leader in the field. Written for bu ...
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The World in the Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Phil Newton, pastor of South Woods Baptist Church in Memphis, TN is preaching through Revelation 1-5. Last Sunday he preached from Revelation 2:18-19, Christ’s message to the church at Thyatira. I found his message very challenging. He called it The World in the Church.
Korean Version of “Beyond All You Could Ask or Think”
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Several years ago I wrote a book based on the prayers of Paul called Beyond All you Could Ask or Think. The Korean version has just been released by DMI Press in Seoul, Korea.
What We’ll Eat in Heaven
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Two other notes from my visit to Hawthorne Gospel Church. Every service the pastor commented that I live in Tupelo, MS. At one point he said, “I just like saying that name.” I don’t think they get a lot of Mississippi preachers up in New Jersey—even though I’m originally from Alabama and have spent nearly all o ...
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Hawthorne Gospel Church
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, August 28, 2006
I had a great time preaching yesterday at Hawthorne Gospel Church in Hawthorne, New Jersey. My head is spinning a little bit because I flew in on Saturday, had supper with Kevin McCullough and his family, and preached three times on Sunday morning. Pastor Russell Huizing took me out for lunch, then I preached again on Sund ...
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Josh and Leah’s Wedding Pictures
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, August 26, 2006
Here are the pictures (taken by Nick Borton) of Josh and Leah’s wedding, July 22, 2006, at the First Congregational Church in Bennington, Vermont.
100 Things Learned the Hard Way
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, August 25, 2006
Jim Jackson has written 100 Things I’ve Learned the Hard Way as a Senior Pastor That I’ve Never Read in a Book. Pastors who read this list will nod in agreement. Church members will understand their pastor better. The following items caught my attention4. Choose your battles carefully; ask yourself, “Is th ...
Sinners in the Hands of a Merciful God
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, August 25, 2006
We have just posted the latest sermon in the series “Understanding God’s Plan (Romans 9-11)":Sinners in the Hands of a Merciful God
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Looking for Dudley
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, August 21, 2006
This is the story of my day . . . 1) Got up and put Dudley outside so he could do his business and play with Jake. For those who don’t know, Dudley is our nine-month-old basset hound and Jake is Alan’s chocolate lab. We’re keeping Jake this week while Alan is on a medical missions trip to Ecuador. 2) Jake ...
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Blogger is Not a Bad Word
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, August 20, 2006
I am writing this note about 4:20 PM on Sunday afternoon. In about an hour Marlene and I will be drive to Parkway Baptist Church in Tupelo for the final service of the Summer Harvest Revival. Last night and this morning Pastor Paul Brashier told the congregation that I am a “writer, speaker and blogger.” He said that when h ...
Revival Time
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, August 19, 2006
The following ad appeared in the Tupelo newspaper today:We start in a few hours with a hamburger supper followed by the “Pack-a-Pew” Saturday night service with a special emphasis on youth. I’ll be speaking on the topic, “Who Really Killed Jesus?"I think it’s been 25 years, at least, since I spoke at a revival m ...
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Last-Minute Revival
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, August 14, 2006
On Saturday I got a call from the pastor of Parkway Baptist Church in Tupelo. Although I have never met him in person, Paul Brashier and I exchanged emails last spring when he invited me to speak for him. We never found a date that worked until now. It happened that Parkway had scheduled revival services on August 19-20 wit ...
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Prime Time America Interview Today at 4:15 PM CDT
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, August 14, 2006
I am being interviewed today on Prime Time America on the Moody Broadcasting Network at 4:15 PM CDT regarding the situation in the Middle East from a biblical perspective. We’ll be discussing my message Does Israel Have a Future?, which has just been added to the Pastor Resource Page on the Crosswalk website.
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Waffle House
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, June 27, 2006
I am writing these words about 2 PM on Tuesday afternoon. That means it is 3 AM Wednesday in Beijing, China, which means that Mark is in the air, on the first leg of his long trip home. He and his teammates fly to Los Angeles where they will say goodbye after spending a year teaching English in China. At some point tomorrow ...
Gracia Burnham
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, June 19, 2006
On Man 27, 2001 Martin and Gracia Burnham were celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary at a resort in the Philippines. They came to the island for a few days of R&R during a break in their schedule as missionaries with New Tribes Mission. Martin was a jungle pilot who delivered mail to other missionaries in remote lo ...
The Love INC Messages
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 30, 2006
I welcome all the new visitors to the Keep Believing website. Marlene and I had a wonderful time at the Love INC conference this weekend. After the very moving concert and communion service last night, a woman came up and said, “You’re part of the family.” That’s exactly how we feel—like we’re part of the ...
Fred Most
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 27, 2006
It is late at night and I am looking intently at a picture. A group of men has gathered round a man and a woman to pray for them. They are following a tradition that goes back thousands of years, back to the days of the Old Testament when blessings were conferred by the laying on of hands. On the left side of the picture, a ...
“But Do It Soon”
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 21, 2006
(While perusing my archives, I came across this column written almost two years ago. Our son Nick is now 21 and continues to be in excellent health. The little girl in the piece died about a year ago. I reprint it here because the message is timeless. Whatever you’re going to do, do it soon.)Last night my wife started ...
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Cold and Rainy
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 20, 2006
8:53 AM We have just posted two new sermons on the website:Who Do Men Say That I Am? Singing Your Way to Victory8:48 AM This weekend another team from Pontiac (IL) Bible Church is heading to Biloxi to help with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. I’m planning on driving from Tupelo to Batesville on Saturday to deliver ...
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Flying to Dallas
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 18, 2006
My trip to Dallas for the NRB convention started in the Tupelo airport when Marvin Sanders from American Family Radio came up and said hello. He was heading to NRB also. During the flight from Memphis to Dallas, I noticed a young man sitting across the aisle who looked vaguely familiar. Marvin (who was sitting behind me) le ...
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Dog Quotes
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 10, 2006
10:44 AM Judy Bowles sent along a link to Steve Staint’s website promoting “micro-enterprises” for indigenous people groups that have been reached by the gospel become economically independent. This site also provides links for people who want to know what God has done in the Waodani tribe since the five missionaries ...
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Does God Hear Hindu Prayers?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, January 7, 2006
I have a friend whose mother has recently been diagnosed with cancer. My friend has an acquaintance who said she would offer prayers for her mother. There is only one problem. The acquaintance is Hindu. She is going to go to the Hindu temple to offer prayers to one of the Hindu gods (there are hundreds of thousands, maybe m ...
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Sunday, August 1, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, August 1, 2004
4:01 PM I'm writing this update from the "docking station" in the lobby of the Administration Building at Mount Hermon Conference Center. Behind me I can hear families coming and going as they check-in for Dallas Week, which begins with supper tonight. This morning I preached on "You Can Stumble But You Won't Fall" ...
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Friday, July 9, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, July 9, 2004
7:42 PM Another nice note—this one from the Philippines:Dear Pastor Ray, Thank you very much for the availability of your free download sermons, I'm happy that this will help me easier when given a time to speak and share the word of God. I am Emmanuel B. Badulis, a civil engineering graduate and working as a college ...
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Monday, May 17, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, May 17, 2004
10:23 PM Tonight's OPCA Spring Concert featured the students in their finest musical presentation ever. Nancy Kamm brought out the music that was in the heart and soul of those children. At the end Terri Benno, chair of the OPCA board, presented Marlene with two scrapbooks of letters and pictures from present and former stu...
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Sunday, April 4, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 4, 2004
4:27 PM Sign of the times … When I mentioned the Scofield Reference Bible in the sermon this morning, a majority of the younger crowd didn't seem to recognize the name. A generation ago almost everyone brought a Scofield Bible to church. Nowadays there are so many study Bibles and "speciality" Bibles and so many ...
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Thursday, April 1, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 1, 2004
10:38 PM Kim Jahns sent an e-mail from missionaries in the Middle East with further insight into the impact of "The Passion of the Christ" in Muslim countries. In just a few short days, more Arab Muslims have been able to clearly hear (and see) the Gospel in their own language than we would be able to reach in a lifetim...
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Friday, March 19, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 19, 2004
12:21 PM I just sent the free book offer to 1667 people on the weekly sermon e-mail list. The responses are pouring in fast. If you want one of the 250 copies, you'd better respond now because I think they'll all be gone by the end of the day. 12:18 PM I'm doing an interview at 5 PM on Prime Time America on the Moody Broadc...
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Thursday, March 11, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 11, 2004
10:15 PM If you live in the Chicago area, don’t forget that Open House Sunday is only three days away. We’ll be dedicating our renovations in all four services and we’re inviting the entire congregation to walk through the new portico, the new nursery, the renovated gym, plus the two stories of classrooms and...
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Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 10, 2004
11:47 AM Another gorgeous Florida day—blue skies, clear air, not much wind, temps in the mid-60s. Great golfing, biking, hiking, walking, shopping weather. Marlene is currently taking the last option, I'm going to ride my bike this afternoon. 11:43 AM Lynette Hoy has written an excellent response to the "gay marriag...
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Tuesday, March 9, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 9, 2004
9:51 PM Jeff Eaton weighs with a rebuttal of sorts to my essay on barbecue. He makes a strong case that the best barbecue in America comes from Kentucky. Here’s part of what he wrote: I was surfing your blog this morning, and was shocked to see a discussion about barbecue that did not pay homage to my hometown, Owensb...
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Sunday, March 7, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 7, 2004
9:23 AM Finished my final bike ride before our trip. Marlene is packed already—naturally I've not really started yet. We leave for the airport in a little over an hour. We're flying ATA to St. Petersburg where someone from Word of Life will pick us up and drive us to the conference center in Hudson—about an hour...
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Saturday, March 6, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 6, 2004
11:31 PM Just about ready to go to Florida. 11:29 PM Last Thursday I did several tapings for WMBI—five "Soul Food" devotionals that will run later this month, an endorsement for the crisis pregnancy centers of Chicago, and an interview about how the gay marriage issue impacts the church. The interview will air Mon...
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Wednesday, March 3, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 3, 2004
10:42 PM Today's edition of the Oak Leaves carried two stories about "The Passion of Christ." The first is an interview with several local religious leaders (including me) about the movie. The second is my review of the movie—which is posted below in the entry for Friday, February 27. The Wednesday Journal also pr...
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Monday, March 1, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 1, 2004
8:13 AM Later today I plan to post a few further thoughts about "The Passion of the Christ." We filled the theater for the special Calvary showing on Saturday afternoon. Afterwards 175 people joined us for the fellowship/discussion time at the church. Between Saturday night and Sunday morning, we gave away 500 copies of...
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Thursday, February 26, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, February 26, 2004
9:50 PM Okay, I've got my answer to the question Seth raised below. This just in from Pastor Bob Boerman in Costa Rica:Hey Ray, The guys and I are having a terrific time in Costa Rica. A great Band of Brothers time. Much laughter. Much prayer. Much growing with Christ and each other. It´s Thursday night and the work is don...
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Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 24, 2004
3:46 PM Just received a note from Amy Baker in preparation for my "Ask the Pastor" time with the 20/20 group tonight. They usually have around 70 people for their meetings. They sit in a huge circle, I'll sit in one of the chairs and field questions on any topic from the group. Lots of questions on the Bible, doctrinal ...
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Monday, January 26, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, January 26, 2004
8:27 PM What is prayer all about? Ponder this answer from Imago Veritatis:Prayer is not primarily a means of getting things done. It should never be a pragmatic exercise. Prayer is our means of meeting God - of entering into deep intimacy with Him. The life of prayer is born out of an overwhelming hunger for God - a desire ...
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Sunday, January 4, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, January 4, 2004
11:39 PM Hard for me to believe anyone still thinks Jason White is a better quarterback than Eli Manning. 11:36 PM For some reason, I thought I could go for a bike ride this afternoon—in the snowstorm. My new road bike thought this was a very bad idea and won the argument after exactly one block. I used to go riding i...
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Saturday, January 3, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, January 3, 2004
2:34 PM I just took the blogaholic test and scored 60 out of 100. Explanation: "You are a dedicated weblogger. You post frequently because you enjoy weblogging a lot, yet you still manage to have a social life. You're the best kind of weblogger. Way to go." 2:12 PM Mark Glaser says that weblogs are here to stay. Linda K...
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Monday, December 29, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, December 29, 2003
11:20 PM Among the visitors Sunday morning, I met Jim and Sue Nicodem and their children Emily, Rachel and Andrew. Jim is the pastor of Christ Community Church in St. Charles, one of the most dynamic churches in the Midwest. Jim told me that he and Pastor Bob Boerman go back a long way together. 11:15 PM Quick Renovation Up...
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Monday, December 15, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, December 15, 2003
11:22 PM Didn’t get around to doing my shopping after all. Got tied up in church affairs almost all day. Maybe tomorrow. 11:21 PM Dennis Byrne exposes the absurdity of the bestselling Da Vinci Code. 10:26 AM Monday greetings to Vita Loredo, Wayne Benfield in Jacksonville, Florida, Bernie Schuck in Indiana, to Paul and Becky...
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Friday, December 12, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, December 12, 2003
10:05 PM Big renovation news I forgot to mention earlier: The permanent surface for the gym was delivered today. Right now it's stacked in boxes right on the subfloor. The workers should begin installing it next week. 9:39 PM Fun time with the junior highers tonight. The girls were all dressed up and the guys were wearing s...
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Monday, November 24, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, November 24, 2003
10:44 PM More good news: A few minutes ago I came home from a meeting at church and Marlene told me that Nick and John Mark Edwards decided to drive home from Samford tonight instead of tomorrow afternoon. They left Birmingham about 9 PM so they should arrive in Oak Park by 7 AM. That put a smile on my face. When I called N...
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Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, August 27, 2003
8:32 PM Marlene, Josh and I are watching the White Sox-Yankees game right now. But we’re also watching little bits of the Bears preseason game and also the Cubs-Cards game. A sports feast. After supper Josh asked if we had any more cookies like we had the other day. When Marlene said we didn’t have any more, I said, “Your...
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Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, August 26, 2003
9:31 PM Another excellent column by David Limbaugh on why Judge Roy Moore is both right and wrong. In my opinion, he correctly frames the issue when he asks, “Is the hill you want to die on?” For me, at the present time, the answer is no. He’s also quite correct when he says the problem is not an activist judiciary but ...
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Sunday, August 24, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, August 24, 2003
8:41 PM No news on Dixie. Yesterday and today I rode my bike and found myself looking down every alley. Marlene said this AM, “I didn’t think I would miss her as much as I do.” Tomorrow we’re going to check with Animal Control in Oak Park. 8:32 PM Four wonderful services this AM. We baptized 12 people, Proclaim rocked t...
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Sunday, August 17, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, August 17, 2003
5:27 PM Here’s the Legacy Campaign prayer request for today: “Praise God that nothing is impossible with him (Luke 1:37).” Yesterday AM I met with a group of leaders for The Legacy Campaign. We toured the building, discussed the project in depth, and then gave the leaders a chance to make advance commitments to the camp...
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Friday, August 15, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, August 15, 2003
3:01 PM Just now the staff surprised me with a small party in the Dining Room in honor of my 14th anniversary. We had chocolate silk pie and told a few stories. Bob Boerman said he knew he was going to like me when, at an early pastoral staff meeting, I stuck a pencil in my ear—the eraser end—and said, “I just wanted to see what w…
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Thursday, August 14, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, August 14, 2003
6:00 PM News and notes … Just back from a 24.5 mile bike ride along the Prairie Path through Maywood, Bellwood, Hillside, through Elmhurst, Villa Park, and into Lombard. Pretty hot and humid—great biking weather… Came back and found that Nick and Mark had gone golfing at Columbus Park… . On Tuesday we leave to take Nick …
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Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, August 12, 2003
7:49 PM Happy to report that 54,000 copies of An Anchor for the Soul were delivered to Oak Park last week and are now safely in storage. Just today we received a note from a retired Chicago firefighter who writes: I send a quarterly mailing to 85 retired Chicago firemen, mostly non-believers. I sometimes include a book in w...
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Sunday, August 10, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, August 10, 2003
11:16 PM Nice note from a friend who attended the 11:45 service today: As I was leaving the church, I heard several people continuing to sing “The B-I-B-L-E.” Heading for the train as I was walking in front of the post office, two or three young ladies whom sounded like teenagers but were probably older, were skipping ...
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Friday, August 1, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, August 1, 2003
3:08 PM Just received copies of my newest book from Broadman & Holman Publishers. He’s God and You’re Not: The Seven Laws of the Spiritual Life has just been released, which means you can order it but it’s probably not in the bookstores just yet. This is the most important book I’ve written, or at least it’s the one that ma...
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July 31, 2003, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, July 31, 2003
1:58 PM Just received good news (via Seth in Colorado) that 100,000 copies of An Anchor for the Soul have been delivered to Good News Jail and Prison Ministry in Richmond, Virginia. They will begin shipping the books to their chaplains around the country next week. By God’s grace, these books will lead to thousands of priso...
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Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, July 30, 2003
7:48 PM President Bush gave a wise and compassionate answer to a question about “gay marriage” at his press conference today: Q Thank you, sir. Mr. President, many of your supporters believe that homosexuality is immoral. They believe that it’s been given too much acceptance in policy terms and culturally. As someone wh...
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Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, July 29, 2003
10:24 PM Just back from a lively Ask Pastor Ray night with the 20/20 singles group. I meet with them about twice a year, and always enjoy my time immensely. The 20/20 group is filled with energy and vision. Tonight I answered questions ranging from “How did you propose to your wife?” to “What about speaking in tongues...
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Monday, July 28, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, July 28, 2003
8:08 PM It looks like the Costa Rica will arrive at O’Hare around 10 PM. 3:25 PM The Allied Force Costa Rica team is en route home today. 3:19 PM Speaking of Bean-hole beans, I just got an e-mail from Judy Cleaves who runs the First Settler’s Lodge in Weston, Maine. She reports that the Bean-hole beans were a great success ...
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Saturday, July 26, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, July 26, 2003
8:22 PM The sermon e-mail list now has 1417 names, up nearly 80 in the last two weeks because of many sign-ups from Word of Life and Living Waters ... Went for a bike ride this afternoon, my first in two weeks. That’s one of the best parts about being home. 6:02 PM Toured the church and was amazed by how much construct...
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Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, July 22, 2003
5:37 PM Here are the few websites related to our trip to Maine. We’re ministering this week at Living Waters Bible Conference in Danforth, Maine. Our good friends Billy and Paul Speer along with their son BJ are leading the music. We’re staying at the First Settler’s Lodge because the camp is full. 2:53 PM A cold front has ...
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Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, July 15, 2003
10:00 PM Before I forget, here’s the Legacy Campaign prayer request for today: “Pray for the safety of the work crews during construction.” Brian Bill, pastor of Pontiac Bible Church, will be our guest preacher this Sunday. Brian and Beth attended Calvary during their student days at Moody and Brian later joined the st...
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Thursday, July 10, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, July 10, 2003
3:24 PM Bob Boerman just came in and told me to be at the church tonight at 7 PM for a special taping for Summer Breakaway. Since Marlene and I won’t there this year (our first time to miss in ten years), I’m taping a special message for those who will be there. The theme this year has something to do with knights and kings and castles …
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Tuesday, July 8, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, July 8, 2003
8:45 PM I’m scheduled to be on WYLL with Kevin McCullough tomorrow from 3:15-4 PM. On the homefront tonight, Josh and Nick had a boxing match in the front yard. The boxing thing started several weeks ago when Nick and John Mark Edwards bought some boxing gloves and headgear and started knocking each other around (all in goo...
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Monday, July 7, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, July 7, 2003
2:20 PM Here’s the Legacy Campaign prayer request for today: “Pray for the buildings and grounds staff and their extra workload during construction.” 1:28 PM This is “Get ready to travel” week in our household. On Saturday Marlene and I leave for a two-week trip to the Northeast. We fly to Albany, New York, where we...
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Friday, July 4, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, July 4, 2003
12:37 PM Marlene and I marched in our first 4th of July parade this AM. We were part of the Oak Park Christian Academy crew that marched about a half-mile or so up Ridgeland Avenue. OPCA was # 49 out of about 80 local entries. We had a big banner and waved American flags at the crowds gathered on the sidewalks. Ronbo and Ja...
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Tuesday, July 1, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, July 1, 2003
7:25 PM Writing this from the Itunes Store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Marlene and I are here on a two-day vacation. We’re staying at one of the hotels downtown as part of a package we won at the OPCA auction in November. Ate supper at Heaven on Seven and then walked the “Magnificent Mile.” Tomorrow we take a boat cr...
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Monday, June 30, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, June 30, 2003
1:27 PM Had lunch today with Roy Patterson and Bruce Everhart of WMBI. They came to Oak Park and we had a fine time walking down Lake Street and talking together about Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway and how Calvary has made the commitment not to relocate but to stay in the village where we have had a ministry presence for 88 years. 1:22 PM…
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Sunday, June 29, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, June 29, 2003
Groundbreaking Sunday has arrived! 4:22 PM The service is over, the picnic is done, and we are back home again. A great day in every respect. I was told that the attendance was almost 1500, our largest-ever summer attendance. We used every chair we had and the big tent was packed to overflowing. Baptism was a great success ...
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Saturday, June 28, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, June 28, 2003
Only 1 more day till Groundbreaking Sunday! 10:03 PM Just back from a visit to the big tent. Lots of our people were in and out tonight checking on things: Mari Burda and Mary Mattucci were setting up for the picnic in Austin Gardens. Mary Brooks, Donnie, Tom and Gail Tornow were watching the tent until 9 PM. Dwight and Betty Nelson came by, also P…
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Friday, June 27, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, June 27, 2003
Only 2 more days till Groundbreaking Sunday! 10:26 AM At pastoral staff meeting this AM we went over the final details for Groundbreaking Sunday. We received the permit from the village to put up the big tent, which will be erected in the west parking lot starting at 7 AM Saturday ... Pan’s Food Center on Oak Park Aven...
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Monday, June 23, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, June 23, 2003
Only 6 more days till Groundbreaking Sunday! I am writing this update from a motel in Joliet, Illinois, about 35 miles south of Chicago. This is Day 1 of a four-day writing retreat. I’m here working on a book project for Moody Publishers. To be more precise, they have asked me to turn the “Prayers of Paul” series into a small boo…
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Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Only 12 more days till Groundbreaking Sunday! Big News: After months of trying, suddenly the door is open once again to reprint An Anchor for the Soul for free distribution in prisons across America. Through a series of providential events, we were able to make a connection with Good News Jail and Prison Ministry in Richmond, Virginia. They provid…
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Monday, June 16, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, June 16, 2003
Only 13 more days until Groundbreaking Sunday! Here’s the Reader’s Digest version of that day: one service ... 10:30 AM, under a big tent in the west parking lot... All money given that day goes to the building fund ... Our goal: 100% participation ... Service includes outdoor baptism, music by VBS choir...
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Thursday, June 12, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, June 12, 2003
Congrats to Kevin McCullough who has been a fixture in Chicago Christian radio (and a part of our church family) for more than a decade. He’s moving to New York City where he will host programs on two stations in the nation’s #1 media market. Read about it here Comings and goings at Calvary ... The Allied Force High Sc...
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Wednesday, June 11, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, June 11, 2003
Groundbreaking Sunday is only 18 days away! The tent is on order and will be set up on Saturday the 28th. We’re borrowing a portable baptistry from the Rock Church to baptize 12 people that day. Lots of people will be bringing special offerings, including several folks who are bringing their piggie banks and loose change jars that day. Does t…
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Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Up early so I could ride my bike at 5:30 AM. Nice to ride when there aren’t many cars on the road. Only 19 more days until Groundbreaking Sunday (June 29). Our goal is 100% participation by the congregation. We’re asking each person who attends to do three things ... 1) Bring an offering with you 2) Bring a picnic bask...
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Saturday, June 7, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, June 7, 2003
Took a long bike ride today, starting about 6:30 AM. Went east on Lake Street from Oak Park into the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. Rode past the Rock Church and Circle Urban Ministries and thanked the Lord for the good work being done there. Followed the el tracks east past Cicero, Kostner, Pulaski, eventually got all the...
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Wednesday, June 4, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, June 4, 2003
This is the last day of classes at Oak Park Christian Academy. The school wraps up its 8th year with graduation ceremonies tonight at 7 PM. If you wonder whether its worth it to speak out on behalf of the unborn when America is legally pro-abortion, read this article about Senator Rick Santorum’s late-night speech on C-SPAN...
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Monday, June 2, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, June 2, 2003
Nice article in the May/June Chicago edition of School Sports on Caleb Fields, who attends Allied Force (the Calvary high school ministry) and just graduated from Fenwick High School. He plans to attend Northwestern University on a baseball scholarship, but that could change depending on the major league baseball draft, whi...
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Satuday, April 26, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 26, 2003
Saturday, April 26 A gorgeous day in Minneapolis. Finished my speaking at the Love INC conference a few minutes ago. I spoke this morning on “The Mystery of Unanswered Prayer,” and the Lord seemed to touch many hearts. God willing, I’ll be back home in a few hours. Friday, April 25 I’m writing this from my hotel room in...
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Monday, March 31, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 31, 2003
Tonight I fly to Winnipeg, Manitoba for two TV interviews tomorrow. Then I fly back to Chicago, change planes, and fly on Pittsburgh for three TV interviews on Wednesday. All of this is in connection with my book “The God You Can Trust” (Harvest House). God willing, I’ll return to Oak Park on Thursday morning. We had a ...
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Thursday, March 20, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 20, 2003
Thursday, March 20 Wonderful prayer service night. Well attended, deeply moving. One person told me afterwards, “I didn’t know how much I needed this service until it was over.” I was touched by how many people stood to share Scripture verses. Special thanks to WMAQ TV (NBC 5) for broadcasting live from our sanctuary at...
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Monday, March 17, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 17, 2003
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to one and all. This has always been one of my favorite holidays. Bought some Irish Soda Bread to go with the big Irish meal (corned beef and cabbage) that Marlene is preparing for tonight. Exciting Biannual Business Meeting last night. Jane Jacob elected Deaconess of Hospitality. Ed Enstrom shared a...
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Friday, Feburary 28, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 28, 2003
Friday, February 28 We arrived back in Oak Park late this evening, a little weary from the travel but glad for the time spent at Word of Life Florida. I ended up riding 102 miles on the bike I bought, then I turned it over to the conference center today. Last night I spoke at 10:30 PM to the students at the Bible Institute ...
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