5:06 PM Don’t forget the special praise service this Sunday night at 6 PM. 5:05 PM Two more days until Commitment Sunday. 5:01 PM The conference is going well. Had a good time this AM with my first two messages on Nehemiah—”Open Your Eyes and Learn to Pray” and “Take a Step and See What Happens.” The folks san…
11:03 PM We arrived at the spectacular Saddlebrook Resort around 4 PM. The resort sits on 480 acres 30 miles north of Tampa. They specialize in world-class golf and tennis. Pete Sampras trained here, Jennifer Capriati and Martina Hingis live here, and there is a school (2nd-12th grade) where super-gifted kids can take all t…
2:28 PM Happy birthday to Steve Meyer who will be 48 this Friday and who just got a good report from his latest checkup… . Just spoke to Paul Shackley who is doing well and recovering from his accident. Paul, we love you. Please wear a seat belt next time! … Talked with Frank Catrambone who is at home and rega…
12:27 PM Ben Witherington III writes on the Top Ten New Testament Archaeological Finds of the Past 150 Years. Very encouraging report. 12:11 PM Nice surprise today—a double birthday party at church. Tomorrow is Bob Boerman’s birthday and Friday is mine. Since Bob will be gone tomorrow and I’ll be in Tampa Thursday-Sat…
7:04 PM Can you name the top ten hymns of all time? Hint: “Blessed Assurance” is # 2 and “Just as I am” is # 5. 7:00 PM Steve Boisse makes a sobering point: Without giving too much power to TV, I think we have new evidence that our moral thermometer is going downhill here in America. Evidence: TV titles over the las…
9:16 AM After the first service this morning, I met a man who said he had been painting his house this weekend. He did it to save the $1600 it would cost to have it done professionally. He plans to give the money he saved to the Legacy Campaign. God bless that man, and may God reward his creativity by making that paint job …
MOVING THE ELEPHANT by Ray Pritchard Recently I had breakfast with a friend who told me that working in the church is like “moving the elephant.” He explained that moving an elephant can be quite difficult, especially if the elephant doesn’t want to be moved. You can get in front and pull on the trunk or you can s…
Sermon Series: Ponder This - 200310:47 PM Tonight Marlene and I did something unusual for us: We went to see a movie. I don’t think we actually go to a movie theater more than once a year (although that may change a bit now that we are nearly empty-nesters). We saw the movie “Matchstick Men” at the Lake Theater in Oak Park. The movie has received rave …
9:56 PM Ryan is an inmate in a county jail in MN who received a copy of “An Anchor for the Soul.” He writes that he is in jail for the second time. “The first time I was here I told myself, I will never do anything to come back to such an undesirable place. This time I realize I need help. Now I am accepting Jesus Chr…
6:32 PM Several days ago we received a request for 1000 copies of “An Anchor for the Soul” to be given to those who complete the Sailors for Christ course at the Great Lakes Naval Station. Today a request came in for 150 copies for a women’s prison in Massachusetts. Here’s an excerpt from someone in the District of Colu…