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Blog entries for the category Word of Life
Pastor Ray’s Circumcision Talk
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 9
This morning I give the final two lectures on the book of Galatians. I started this journey on Tuesday morning with 300 very eager students at Word of Life Bible Institute in Pottersville, New York. I’ve been teaching Galatians for ten years, and each time I face the same challenge. Even though Galatians is amazingly contemporary, I have sp...
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Weekend Update
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 17
On Saturday morning we leave for a week of ministry at Word of Life Florida. This marks the 19th year that I’ve spoken at the conference center. When we first went there, the center was at the end of a gravel road in the middle of nowhere. I remember speaking to 19 people one morning that first year. Now hundreds come for each session. The pr...
Why I Teach at the BI
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, November 18, 2011
This picture tells you all you need to know.I’m in there somewhere, along with about 175 students. We took the picture after the final session on Daniel this morning. Since Tuesday I’ve had the privilege of teaching these students for 10 hours.Someday soon they will be pastors and missionaries. Someday soon they will be youth pastors.So...
Day 8: The Students Say Thank You
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 28, 2011
The students take center stage in the final video from Jeju Island....
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Day 7: A New Stove for the BI
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 27, 2011
Here’s the video from Day 7, in which a gift that started in California ended up heating a tent in Korea....
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Day 5: Betsy’s Story
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Here’s the video from Day 5 in which you get a glimpse of our first session with the students and also we share a testimony from Betsy, a student from Taiwan....
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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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How to Pray for Those Who Travel
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
This morning Marlene and I are driving to Dallas for what will be our longest trip of the year–17 days in all. On Thursday Mark and I are flying from Dallas to Seoul, South Korea and then on to Jeju Island where we will team-teach 1 Peter next week at Word of Life Bible Institute. On October 29 we’ll fly to Dalian, China to spend a few ...
A Week With James at the BI
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, September 16, 2011
Word of Life Florida Hudson, Florida I’m writing this note, hurriedly, with about 30 minutes left before it’s time to leave for the airport. In a few minutes Stu Page will pick me up and I’ll start my journey home.Earlier today I gave my final two lectures on James to the 170 students at Word of Life Bible Institute, Florida c...
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Getting Ready to Teach James
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, September 8, 2011
For the last several weeks I’ve been immersed in the little book of James in preparation for teaching it next week at Word of Life Bible Institute in Florida. It’s been a new adventure for me since I last taught the book on Wednesday nights in the Pastor’s Class that met in the Dining Room at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Pa...
A Rudder, Not An Anchor
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, August 21, 2011
“May the past be a rudder, not an anchor."That’s what Joe Jordan said to Don Lough, Jr. as Don became the new Executive Director of Word of Life last Friday night.It was an apt metaphor.Leaders in every organization struggle to find the right balance between holding on to the past while moving into the future.Not long ago I heard ...
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Harry and Millie’s Incredible Journey
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, August 1, 2011
Pictured above is a brand-new book that you can’t buy online.And you can’t order it in a bookstore.You can’t order it anywhere. Yet.You have to buy it in person at Word of Life when Harry Bollback speaks.With that said, I hope every person reading these words will find a way to buy a copy of Our Incredible Journey, the Harry and M...
Great Days at Word of Life
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, July 28, 2011
I can still remember the first time I ever heard of Word of Life. While I was a student at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga forty years ago, a man named Jack Wyrtzen came through town for a chapel service. I don’t remember what he said, but I do remember his electrifying impact. That summer I ventured north with a group of friends f...
A Week With Daniel at the BI
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, November 19, 2010
I’m writing this note in the Business Center across from Gate 64 at the Tampa airport. In about an hour, I’ll board a plane to fly home, thus ending my final trip of the year. This week I’ve had the privilege of spending four days teaching the book of Daniel to 200 eager students at Word of Life Bible Institute in Hudson, Flor...
“Journey to Africa” – New Video
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 28, 2010
In April a team from Keep Believing Ministries spent two weeks in Uganda and Kenya. One of our team members, MaryAnn Spiegel, came back home with over 300 video clips. Josh took the clips and combined them with still photos to produce a short video. The music you hear in the background comes from Krystin Ndela, one of Africa’s most popular Ch...
18 Hours and Counting
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 7, 2010
We leave in less than 18 hours.After months of prayer and planning, it’s finally time for us to travel to Korea and China. On Friday morning Marlene and I fly to Detroit where we will meet KBM board member Skip Olson who is going with us.This particular trip really started three years ago when our friends at Word of Life Korea asked if I...
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“Arise, to Nineveh We Go . . .”
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, July 31, 2010
This week at Word of Life I preached through the book of Jonah using the theme “Outrageous Grace.” God seems to have used the messages to touch many hearts. Just this morning as I was walking back from breakfast, a woman stopped me and said that the messages had given her a lot to think about. “I never realized how much I’m ...
A Week at Pinebook Bible Conference
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Seventy-seven years ago a young man named Percy Crawford started a camp on land just east of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. In the years that followed Pinebrook Bible Conference became one of the major stops on the Bible conference circuit in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Jack Wyrtzen preached here. Billy Graham met Cliff Barrows here. George Beverly Shea sa...
Miracle at Kwale Prison
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, April 21, 2010
On Tuesday Peter took us to Kwale Prison to minister there. On this particular day 100-150 men voluntarily came to the meeting while many others who could not come listened from a nearby building. We brought soap and toilet paper, two items the prisoners desperately need. After Peter introduced our team, Jim King gave a spirited testimony. Then Pet...
Safari Pictures
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, April 20, 2010
On Monday we spent the entire day on a safari to the Tsavo East National Park in southern Kenya. To get there we drove about 2 1/2 hours from Mombasa. The park itself is larger than the entire country of Wales.Our genial guide Archie is also a member of Word of Life Fellowship Church. As a professional tour guide, he knows the many red dirt roads t…
Kenya Pictures
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 18, 2010
Here are the first pictures from Kenya. On Monday we’re going on a safari so stayed tuned for more pictures on Tuesday....
Monkey Business in Mombasa
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 17, 2010
It’s late Saturday afternoon here in Mombasa. We got here in the middle of the night, after a long day sitting in the Kampala airport. We arrived in Mombasa at 11 PM, took a ferry across the inland passage, then rode across the island, arriving at Word of Life around 1 AM. We got to bed at 1:30 AM, totally fried. Up at 7:30 AM for 8 AM breakf…
Uganda Pastors Conference
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 15, 2010
“Pastor Ray, do you mind if I ask you a question?""Not at all.""What should we do if a Muslim man with four wives converts to Christianity and wants to join our church? We know what the Bible says about marriage, but we want to minister to all his wives and his children too. How do we do that and still be true to the B...
Uganda Picture Gallery
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 12, 2010
Here are the first pictures from our trip to Uganda.
Helping a Christian School in Uganda
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, April 7, 2010
In just 24 hours our team leaves for Africa. We’ll be gone 16 days, half of that time in Uganda and half of that time in Kenya. In both countries we’ll be working with Word of Life, the international youth ministry headquartered in Schroon Lake, New York.Several weeks ago Thomas Obunde who heads up Word of Life Uganda asked if we could ...
Pastor Ray’s Circumcision Talk
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Today I gave my first three lectures on the book of Galatians to 350 very attentive students at Word of Life Bible Institute in Pottersville, New York. Even though Galatians is amazingly contemporary, I face a huge challenge in making it seem relevant today because the major issue in the book deals with something we hardly ever talk about in church…
Quickie Quiz on Galatians
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, February 1, 2010
This morning I am on the road again. Last week I was in sunny southern Florida, enjoying the weather and the warm fellowship of the retired missionaries at the SIM Missionary Village in Sebring. Today I’m going in the opposite direction, first to Atlanta, then to Albany, New York, and then 75 miles north, to Word of Life Bible Institute, high...
Terrific Time in Florida
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, November 19, 2009
I hope you’ll take a good look at this photo because these are your Christian leaders of tomorrow. I know because I’ve spent this week with them at Word of Life Bible Institute in Hudson, Florida. For ten hours this week I’ve been teaching them the Book of Daniel. And I must say they are a studious bunch. We meet each day in the G...
Fall Foliage Weekend
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 12, 2009
We had a fantastic weekend at the Fall Foliage Conference at Word of Life in Schroon Lake, New York. The weather could not have been more perfect, and the fall colors were at their peak.Yesterday I happened to meet Drs. Gabriel and Bose Toma, physicians from Jos, Nigeria. When I mentioned that we had visited the ECWA Hospital in Jos and that we kne...
Flashpoint Canada
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, September 28, 2009
This weekend I flew to Ontario, Canada to speak at a “Flashpoint” conference sponsored by Word of Life. On Saturday local church leaders from across the province met at the First Baptist Church of Waterloo for the conference. After speaking three times and leading a question-and-answer session, I came away impressed with the dedication...
We’re Excited About Equipping the Next Generation
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Here’s the sixth important fact you need to know about KBM . . . 6. We’re excited about equipping the next generation.That means we want to do whatever we can to help train the next generation of rising Christian leaders in America and around the world. The future always belongs to the young. Once you reach the ripe old age of 56 (...
I Was Feeling Well Until . . .
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, August 14, 2009
I opened my email yesterday and received this from my good friend Tom Davis, Academic Dean of Word of Life Bible Institute.He titled his email “Thinking of you!” which made me smile. Always glad when my friends see my name on a tombstone and think of me. Then there was that part about “Hope all is well!” Ah yes, all is well ...
Word of Life Pictures
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, July 27, 2009
Here are a few pictures from Word of Life in Schroon Lake, NY, taken with my iPhone: ...
Nimbleness
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, July 26, 2009
This morning I spoke to 200+ high school and college students at Word of Life Island. The high schoolers are part of the STC program in which they spend the summer serving at one of Word of Life’s campgrounds–Island, Inn, Family Campground, Ranch. Most of the college students are students at Word of Life Bible Institute. Each Sunday mor...
Pictures from Florida
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, July 13, 2009
Here are a few pictures I took at Word of Life Florida today with my iPhone....
Who Ministers to You?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, January 25, 2009
Several weeks ago Paul Bubar asked if I would speak last Wednesday night at a church about an hour north of Word of Life. During the drive to the church, Paul and I talked about his fifty years of service with Word of Life. At one point he mentioned that in the early 70s, he had invited Dr. Lee Roberson, noted pastor and founder of Tennessee Temple...
When We Are Wrong About the Gospel
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, January 23, 2009
All week long, at the beginning of every class session on Galatians, I haev been repeating this statement:When we are wrong about the gospel, two terrible things happen:Sinners are not saved, andGod is not glorified.That’s the heart of the message of Galatians. We can’t afford to be wrong about the gospel.Today when I finished my final ...
Moses in the Hood
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, January 23, 2009
Yesterday during the second hour I recruited two students to help me explain the difference between the law and the promise in Galatians 3:17-18 because it’s not the easiest concept to understand. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the p...
Father Abraham Had Many Sons
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Today I taught through Galatians 2:11-3:14 to my very enthusiastic class of students at Word of Life Bible Institute in New York. Besides all the obvious benefits of teaching students, I enjoy going through Galatians year after year because this little book (only six chapters—you can read it in 30 minutes or less) is filled with spiritu...
Lots of Energy at the BI
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, January 20, 2009
We finished a great first day at Word of Life Bible Institute . . . This morning I taught from 10 AM-1 PM, covering Galatians 1:1-2:10 in three fifty-minute sessions . . . To me it feels bitterly cold here . . . At the moment the temperature is around 5 degrees . . . But the students pointed out that it was -31 last Thursday night . . . We are in P...
New York, Here We Come
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, January 19, 2009
By the time you read this we will be on the road again, this time to upstate New York. Our trip takes us from Tupelo to Columbus, Mississippi where we fly to Atlanta, change planes, and then fly to Albany, New York. Someone will pick us up and drive us 75 miles north to Pottersville, home of Word of Life Bible Institute. Tomorrow I start my first o...
Good Times at the BI
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
This week I’m teaching the book of Daniel at the Florida campus of Word of Life Bible Institute. For the last six or seven years I’ve taught Galatians at the New York campus, but this is my first time to teach Daniel in a classroom setting. So far I think things have gone pretty well. I planned to use some PowerPoint, but that never wor...
Preaching from 1 Corinthians 13
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, July 2, 2008
We are having a busy, productive week at Word of Life in upstate New York. During my morning sessions I decided to preach from 1 Corinthians 13. It has been personally challenging to meditate on phrases such as love “does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, is not rude, does not seek its own, and is not easily provoked.” On Monday I...
Lie Low and Exalt Christ
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, June 30, 2008
After the service tonight, we attended a get-together at the home of Wayne & Ruthie Lewis. Near the end Wayne asked Don Lough to share his vision for the future of Word of Life. In three years Don will become the new Executive Director of the worldwide ministry of Word of Life. During his talk Don shared that when he was named to succeed J…
Tuesday Morning Scattershooting
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Various, mostly unrelated notes from hither and yon . . .William McGurn has some nice words about Wheaton College in the Wall Street Journal.Speaking of Wheaton, Eric Rubio had a great freshman year there.Several people have called or written to ask about Josh and Leah who teach English in Nanchang, China. After the devasta ...
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We Shall Behold Him
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, May 12, 2008
Legendary gospel singer and songwriter Dottie Rambo died yesterday morning when her tour bus ran off a road in southwest Missouri and struck an embankment. She was 74 years old. She had more than 2500 published songs, among them a song of great hope called “We Shall Behold Him.” When I woke up this morning, I thought about ...
Pictures from the BI
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 13, 2008
I am writing this note from a rocking chair on Concourse A at Midway Airport in Chicago. Seventy-two hours ago we had just landed in Albany. During that time I gave ten lectures on Galatians, spoke on two other occasions, and we had dinner with Wayne and Ruthie Lewis and lunch with Mike and Betsi Calhoun. Plus it was col ...
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Teaching Galatians at the BI
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 12, 2008
This week I’ve been teaching Galatians to 250 first-year students at Word of Life Bible Institute in New York. So far I have given seven lectures covering chapters 1-4. I also spoke at staff devos yesterday and in the Chancellor’s Chapel this morning. So it’s been a busy week. Judging from the response of ...
Why You Need Your Enemies and Your Enemies Need You—Part 2
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 11, 2008
We have just posted a new sermon called Why You Need Your Enemies and Your Enemies Need You—Part 2. Here’s an excerpt:When faced with someone who has mistreated you, ask God to do for them what you want God to do for you. Seek the blessing for them that you want God to do for you. Think of it this way: The greater th ...
Galatians Remixed
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 10, 2008
Jeff Williams is in the process of writing a series of creative blogs called Galatians Remixed. It’s not a commentary in the usual sense. It’s a dramatic retelling of the story behind Galatians based on conversations between Paul and a young man named Scribus to whom Paul dictated the latter. Through the convers ...
On the Road to New York
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 10, 2008
This morning—in about 18 minutes, in fact—Marlene and I are driving to Birmingham where we will catch a Southwest flight to Albany, NY where someone will pick us up and drive us 75 miles north to Pottersville, in the Adirondack Mountains, on the south end of Schroon Lake, where I will be teaching Galatians Tuesday-Thursda ...
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Crisis Weekend
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 9, 2008
I am writing these words on Sunday night at the end of a stressful weekend. On Friday night Vanessa was in an accident when another driver suddenly swerved into her lane and hit her car head-on. It was snowing in Tupelo (a rare occurrence), the roads were slick, and visibility was poor. The person who hit her was driving an ...
Shanghai in 35 Hours
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 15, 2008
We should land in Shanghai in 35 hours. At the moment we are at the Tampa airport preparing to fly home to Tupelo. We arrive at 8:30 PM, unpack, wash clothes, repack, adding the big bundle of thing we are carrying over for Josh and Leah, go to bed, get up at 2:30 AM, drive to Memphis, check in for our 6 AM flight to Chicago ...
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Shanghai in 72 Hours
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, February 14, 2008
Marlene figured out that we will be in Shanghai in 72 hours. That’s startling to think about given that at this moment, we’re in our room at Word of Life Florida where the Bible conference won’t wrap up until tomorrow morning.Today we’re in sunny Florida. By Sunday we’ll be in China.We do live ...
From Tupelo to Florida to China—and My New Favorite Soft Drink
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 9, 2008
At the moment it is 5:36 AM and I am (mostly) wide awake. In 24 minutes we leave for the Tupelo airport where we will fly to Memphis and then on to Tampa for a week of ministry at Word of Life Florida in Hudson, about 40 minutes north of Tampa. I have lost track of how many times we’ve made this trip, but I know I&rsq ...
Korean Edition of “Credo” Now Available
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 8, 2008
The Korean version of Credo: Believing in Something to Die For, a treatment of the Apostles’ Creed for the twentysomething generation, has just been released. It is available from DMI Press1443-26 Seocho-1dongSeocho-guSeoul, 137-865Korea
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Cold in Columbus
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, January 18, 2008
Tonight we had the opening service for the Word of Life Mid-Year conference in Columbus, Ohio. Although I usually stay in hotels when I do a conference like this, this weekend I’m staying with Bill and Mary Jo Price. They are dear friends whom I met through Word of Life a few years ago. Bill picked me up at the airpor ...
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Columbus Next, Then Indio
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, January 17, 2008
This morning I got up early with a very long to-do list. It’s already the middle of the morning and I’ve only finished one thing on my list. But some things I have to get done because I’m about to hit the road again. Tomorrow morning I’m flying to Columbus, OH where I’ll be speaking for a Word ...
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“Souls Are Expensive”
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, October 26, 2007
Peter Odanga handing out An Anchor for the Soul at a prison in KenyaLast night I received a phone call from my friend Peter Odanga, who serves on staff with Word of Life Kenya. I first met Peter about five years ago at the Word of Life Campground in New York. Since then he has married and moved back to his native Kenya. He ...
China Update
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 25, 2007
Here are some recent articles on China:Anthony Bollback has posted the latest edition of China Clippings.The Christian Post reports on the rising generation of young Chinese worship leaders.Josh and Leah recently visited the Wal-Mart in Nanchang, China. Check out these pictures. It looks like it’s a lot more crowded t ...
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Word of Life Couples Conference
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Here are two pictures from the Couples Conference at Word of Life last weekend. It was a first for us in several ways: our first time to speak at a couples conference, and our first time to teach in a side-by-side dialogue fashion. Marlene told me not to worry, that it would go well, and she was right as she almost always i ...
Welcome, KLFC Listeners
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, October 23, 2007
This morning I did an interview with Charlie Engram & Keith O’Neil on KLFC in Branson, Missouri. The program is called “Good Morning, Ozarks.” We were talking about my book Stealth Attack. We started by discussing spiritual warfare in an age of terror and the importance of Christians being ready for the attacks of the ...
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Word of Life, Day 1
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, June 24, 2007
I am writing this note from Word of Life Inn in Schroon Lake, New York, high in the Adirondack Mountains. I arrived here last night for the opening week of the summer camp season. This morning was picture postcard perfect—blue skies, emerald green forests, a few wispy clouds, light breeze, and calm water on the lake. It is ...
Hold Lightly What You Value Greatly
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, June 23, 2007
We have just posted a new sermon on the website: Hold Lightly What You Value GreatlyHere’s an excerpt:The rich farmer did well in so many ways. He worked hard, he played by the rules, he spent his money wisely, he found good land, he worked it in the hot sun, he planted and he irrigated and when the harvest came in, h ...
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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 ...
Albany Airport—3:45 PM
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 2, 2007
Last night we had six or eight inches of snow at the BI, and this morning when I tried to get my car out of the driveway, it just kept slipping and sliding and finally got totally stuck. That meant I missed eating breakfast with Mike and Betsi Calhoun. When I called them at 7 AM to report the bad news, Betsi told me she had ...
Day 14
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 1, 2007
I am writing this note from my cabin on the campus of Word of Life Bible Institute in Pottersville, New York. As Jack Wyrtzen used to say, Word of Life is “high in the Adirondack Mountains.” Tonight we have no doubt about that because a massive winter storm has this region squarely in its cross hairs. I just checked the wea ...
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You Can’t Help a Liar
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Recently I spent time with someone involved in ministry to students. Occasionally he is faced with difficult disciplinary decisions when the young people break the rules of the group. “I’ve dealt with everything you can imagine. Every sort of sexual sin. Cheating. Breaking the law. You name it, I’ve seen it,” he ...
“I love that man”
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, February 25, 2007
It’s 5:54 PM and I’ve been sitting in the San Jose airport for almost four hours. Marlene left on a flight for Phoenix and then on to Memphis three hours ago. Mark and Vanessa at this moment are somewhere over the Pacific Ocean on their way back to China. In about an hour I fly to Los Angeles, then have almost f ...
Ballistic Christianity
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, February 25, 2007
We have just posted the sermon I preached last Sunday at Elmhurst (IL) Christian Reformed Church:Ballistic ChristianityHere’s an excerpt:Jesus saw the multitudes. That’s hard to do. In the last year, I’ve been traveling a lot, preaching in different places. I’ve been in and out of so many airports th ...
A Warning to Wine-Drinkers
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, February 14, 2007
We have just posted the newest sermon in the “Transformed Life” series:A Warning to Wine-DrinkersHere’s an excerpt:Thirteen years ago I met an Israeli tour guide named Zvi. He was remarkable in many ways, but most of all because he is a born again Jewish Christian believer in Jesus Christ. One morning he told the amaz ...
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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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Word of Life Alaskan Cruise
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, February 8, 2007
Last summer I was invited by Word of Life to be the Bible teacher on an Alaskan cruise. This will be a unique vacation opportunity because it is actually a combination train excursion through the Denali National Park followed by a cruise starting in Anchorage and ending in Vancouver. You can sign up for the train excursion ...
That Doritos Commercial
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, February 5, 2007
Did you see that Doritos ad that aired in the first quarter of the Super Bowl? In fact, it aired during the first commercial break after the kickoff. The ad featured a young man eating a bag of Doritos while driving a car. He is distracted by an attractive young woman walking by, also eating Doritos. As one commentator put ...
What Harry Ironside Told Jack Wyrtzen
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, February 5, 2007
Tonight at Word of Life Florida Harry Bollback preached for the Monday night missionary service. For those who don’t know him, Harry is 83 years old and has been with Word of Life for 66 years, which if you do the math means that he started as Jack Wyrtzen’s piano player in 1941. He is full of energy, enthusiasm ...
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Watch “100 Huntley Street” online
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 3, 2007
Yesterday I appeared on “100 Huntley Street” in Toronto, Canada to talk about my book The Healing Power of Forgiveness. If you would like to watch the broadcast, click here and then go to the broadcast for Friday, February 2.
John Piper’s Remarkable Sermon
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, January 10, 2007
At the Passion 07 conference in Atlanta last week, John Piper preached a remarkable message with a remarkable title: How to Deal With the Guilt of Sexual Failure for the Glory of Christ and His Global Cause. The title brings together several themes that at first glance seem unrelated—guilt, sexual sin, the glory of Christ ...
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 ...
Out of Egypt
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, December 22, 2006
I have just posted the online version of this week’s sermon:Out of EgyptI included a link to some online paintings of the flight to Egypt that I forgot to include when I sent out the email sermon yesterday.
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Dudley and Tom
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, December 18, 2006
This weekend Tom and Fay Phillips came through Tupelo on their way to Arkansas. When they arrived late Saturday afternoon, Tom and Dudley immediately became lifetime friends, so much so that Dudley decided Tom’s lap was the ideal place for a nap. They both seemed to enjoy it. We told Fay that they need a basset hound ...
Preparing Expository Sermons
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, December 18, 2006
Yesterday I read Preparing Expository Sermons by Ramesh Richard, a professor at Dallas Seminary and the leader of Ramesh Richard Evangelism and Church Helps (RREACH). This book has many virtues, foremost among them brevity and a crystal-clear structure. Dr. Richard proposes a seven-step method he calls Sermon Sculpture. The ...
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Saint Harry
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, December 11, 2006
Tonight I got a call from a man whose voice I did not recognize. The Caller ID said he was calling from somewhere in Ohio, but I didn’t recognize the number or the location. “Is this Saint Ray?” I hesitated for a moment and then said yes. “Do you know who this is?” Having no idea, I suggested that it was President Bus ...
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Doing Fine
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, December 11, 2006
The colonoscopy went well today. The doctor removed a few polyps, which he said were almost certainly benign but will be sent off for examination to be sure. The doctor said that I’m doing fine and told me to have the test again in two years. Thanks to everyone who prayed. Onward.
Questions from the Weekend
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 29, 2006
During the Q&A times at the conference, we answered common questions about prayer plus we took specific questions from the audience. Here are some of the questions with my comments in bold type:1) If God is sovereign, why pray? We pray to express our complete dependence on our Heavenly Father. We pray because God comman ...
Wrapping Up the Weekend Conference
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, October 29, 2006
We just finished the “Why Did This Happen to Me"? conference at Word of Life Inn in Schroon Lake, New York. It turned out to be a powerful time of sharing and encouragement. Marlene and I did our first-ever team teaching during the conference, and it seemed to be a big hit. There is something very helpful about hearing a hu ...
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Jessica and Friends Community
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, October 26, 2006
The last three days at Lancaster Bible College have been eye-opening and deeply moving in ways we didn’t expect. For one thing, we stayed in the guest suite in the Presidential Manse where we got to know Peter and Paulette Teague. It’s always eye-opening to get up close and personal with the leader of a major Ch ...
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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 ...
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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Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, September 7, 2006
Tomorrow morning starts a very busy period for us. I’m flying to Indianapolis and then driving to Kokomo for a two-day Word of Life leadership conference. I speak once tomorrow night and three times on Saturday. Then on Sunday morning I fly from Indianapolis to Columbus, OH by way of Chicago. At the same time Marlene ...
More Good News From China
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, September 7, 2006
Anthony Bollback has just posted the September edition of China Clippings. As always, the news from the Middle Kingdom is a mixed bag. Along with open doors, repression seems to be on the increase. (See Behind China’s Big Chill for details.) But here’s some good news about reaching Chinese students who have come ...
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Learning How to Fly
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, June 3, 2006
The entire Keep Believing Ministries (KBM) board, more or less, has assembled in Tupelo for our first-ever board retreat. MaryAnn Spiegel and Dave Hoy arrived at the Tupelo airport mid-afternoon yesterday. Cliff and Phyllis Raad drove 625 miles from Chicago to get here. Because we live out in the country, I sent Cliff an em ...
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“Help Me Preach the Sermon I Need to Hear”
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Tonight I spoke to some young men who are studying my book Man of Honor, which is based on the character qualities of a godly leader from 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Tom Phillips asked me to talk about the chapter based on the requirement that a leader be “able to teach.” I reminded the men that the title for Christ most often ...
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When Henry Morris Slept at Our House
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, February 27, 2006
Henry Morris, widely regarded as the founder of the modern creationist movement, died Saturday at the age of 87. He and John Whitcomb co-authored The Genesis Flood, a groundbreaking work that argued for a universal flood in Noah’s day as the key to understanding both the Bible and geology. Widely quoted, hotly debated ...
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The Grumpy 10%
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, February 23, 2006
Churches that teach on giving end up with more money in their offering plates, according to a “Money Management” survey sponsored by Kingdom Bank. The more churches teach about giving, the more people give—an extra 26%, compared to members in churches that don’t teach about giving. (Religious Market Update)I thought ...
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Two Interviews Today
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 7, 2006
4:51 PM 189 miles.7:04 AM I doing two radio interviews today that you can hear live over the Internet:11:30-12 Noon CDT: KFUO (St. Louis) 1:20-2 PM CDT: WMCA (New York)
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Two Quick Notes
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, February 5, 2006
1) Kudos to Dave Burchett for a stellar first week as the newest Crosswalk blogger. Dave is an accomplished author, an award winning sports TV director, and an extremely trenchant commentator on the issues of the day. Dave is an old friend, and I’ve always wanted to use the word “trenchant,” and now I’ve done it ...
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My Fundamentalist Education
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 4, 2006
Last Tuesday I mentioned to the students at Word of Life Bible Institute that on the flight to New York, I had finished reading My Fundamentalist Education by Christine Rosen. The book recounts Rosen’s years as a student at Keswick Christian School, a large evangelical Christian school in St. Petersburg, Florida. Unli ...
Friday, July 30, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, July 30, 2004
11:06 AM Later today 48 men from Calvary will travel to Indianapolis for the Promise Keepers conference. This year's theme is "Uprising: The Revolution of a Man's Soul."...
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Friday, July 2, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, July 2, 2004
11:00 AM Attention, Men! Did you know that 40 men from Calvary have already signed up to attend Promise Keepers in Indianapolis, July 30-31? We have 55 free tickets (regular cost: $79 apiece) for this weekend event. The Men’s Ministry has made arrangements for travel and lodging. Your cost should be about $100 for the ...
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Sunday, May 30, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, May 30, 2004
7:01 AM A Prayer for Sunday Morning Here are excerpts of a prayer by Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910), one of Great Britain's most famous preachers. A contemporary of Charles Spurgeon, MacLaren pastored Union Chapel in Manchester for many years. His multi-volume Bible expositions are still in print almost a century after his ...
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Sunday, March 28, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 28, 2004
3:59 PM Wedding bells will soon be ringing for Mary Jane Slocum and Hans Svebakken. Mary Jane told me the happy news this morning. She and Hans plan to be married in June. 3:42 PM Fascinating article in today's Chicago Sun-Times about the "under God" phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance. Last week the Supreme Court heard ...
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Saturday, March 27, 2004
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 27, 2004
12:19 PM Catching up on noteworthy articles: Hugh Hewitt explains why we need the Federal Marriage Amendment. Travis K. McSherley explains what is behind the assault on the "Under God" phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance. It is really an assault on the public recognition of God in American life. Bill Murchison points out...
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Monday, October 20, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, October 20, 2003
8:54 PM Bruce Thorn called tonight and we talked for 25 minutes. Our friendship goes back almost forty years, to the days when we grew up together in Russellville, Alabama. He and Anna and Elliot live in Sheffield, Alabama. Every time Bruce calls, he shares insights about the Lord that I don't get anywhere else. We talked a...
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Saturday, July 19, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, July 19, 2003
5:48 AM This morning we begin our journey to Maine. We will cross Lake Champlain, drive to Burlington, Vermont, then head east on Route 2 into New Hampshire, we’ll pass through the White Mountains, ending up in Bangor late this afternoon. Tomorrow we’ll drive on Danforth and Living Waters Bible Camp. We’ve never spent any t...
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Friday, July 18, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, July 18, 2003
3:56 PM We’re down the last few hours of our week at Word of Life. Right now Marlene is at the coin-operated laundry washing our clothes. I preached twice this AM and was deeply moved by the spontaneous response of the congregation both times. George Theis told me months ago that people are hungry to hear about the importan...
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Thursday, July 17, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, July 17, 2003
10:17 PM Just back from Word of Life Island. Around 600 teens and counselors crowded into Pine Pavilion for the service—which was loud and raucous, high-energy, incredibly exciting. Scott Foreman, Mike Laymon and Larry Bollback did a super job of keeping order amid the noise, cheers, clapping, singing, swaying, laught...
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Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, July 16, 2003
9:08 AM Getting ready for the two AM services. Rain seems to have stopped. Marlene told me she has read four books so far and is now reading through “The Zion Legacy,” a series by Brock and Bodie Thoene. Breakfast for me this AM was a Payday candy bar and half a Hershey’s chocolate bar. That’s all I need till lunch. 6:5...
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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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Monday, July 14, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, July 14, 2003
3:48 PM Had two very good services this AM. The crowd at the Inn listened very intently as I spoke. The Campground (as the name implies) is a much more informal setting—outdoor, open-air tabernacle, lots of families, sort of a cross between a county fair and a tent revival. During the school year Wayne Lewis is the As...
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Sunday, July 13, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, July 13, 2003
11:57 AM Just back from speaking twice to the summer staff. At the first meeting, I think everyone was pretty sleepy—long weekend for most of the students. The Antichrist is a tough topic when you are sleepy. Much different on the Island. We rode over on a speedboat—I loved it and Marlene grinned and held on to ...
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Saturday, July 12, 2003
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, July 12, 2003
8:45 PM Greetings from Word of Life Inn in beautiful Schroon Lake, high in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York (about 50 miles south of Lake Placid where the Winter Olympics were held in 1980). We had an excellent flight from Chicago to Albany on an American Eagle jet, then rented a car for the 80 mile trip up Int...
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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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