Friday, October 24, 2003

5:24 PM Henry Morris explains the mathematical impossibility of evolution. 2:15 PM George Barna reports on the latest research regarding what Americans believe about life after death. Summary: Most Americans think they are going to heaven, only 1/2 of 1% think they are going to hell. Comment: Those percentages need to be adjusted (see Matthew 7:13-14). 12:59 PM To help prepare us for Reformation Sunday, here is a fine sermon on justification by faith by Charles Spurgeon. 10:36 AM A very nice thing just happened. Every Friday the pastors meet at 9 AM to discuss the Sunday services and to talk about future plans. Today we spent a long time talking about various issues relating to starting a new worship service in the renovated gym—presumably sometime in the first four months of 2004. This isn’t a new idea, by the way; we’ve been talking about it for the last three or months, and the elders have been discussing it as well. Any change you make on Sunday morning always involves other programs—the dominoes fall one way or the other. So we were wading through various problems and all the pastors were offering their ideas—plus there was quite a bit of humor going back and forth. At one point, after we’d been talking for 35-40 minutes, I leaned over to Bob Boerman and said, “I wish I had some peanuts.” “You mean, like dry-roasted peanuts?” he replied. “No, I wish I had peanuts in the shell, the kind you buy at a ballgame, where you break them open, eat the peanut, and throw the shell on the floor.” Bob chuckled when I said that. The discussion about the new service continued for 15 more minutes. Finally we broke up and I went to my computer to go back to work. Just now Bob walked in with a cold can of Coke and a bag of unshelled peanuts. He poured a big mound of peanuts on my desk and put the Coke beside it. He had gone to the grocery store across the street after the meeting to buy the peanuts. I’m smiling as I write this because I’m feasting on the peanuts (and making a mess on my desk in the process—which makes it even better) and drinking my cold Coke. As Bob would say, “I know how to keep the Boss happy.” Indeed he does, which is one reason he’s been on staff here longer than anyone else. You can trust a man who gives you peanuts and Coke in the middle of the morning. 8:23 AM Red Alert: Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday morning. Turn your clocks BACK one hour on Saturday night. 8:15 AM News and notes … Renovation update: Excellent progress on the gym and new classrooms/offices. The gym should be available for use by Thanksgiving. The portico renovation has been pushed back because of various construction issues. It won’t be finished until mid-January… . Mary Gaskill reports that over 300 children are attending Awana every Wednesday night. Our highest total ever. Amazing considering all the changes caused by the renovation… . The Men’s Ministry is sponsoring a Men’s Night Out tomorrow night at the Wheaton Sports Center. Over 100 men have purchased tickets. 6:41 AM This Sunday is Reformation Sunday—marking the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany on October 31, 1517. Though Luther intended only to stir up theological discussion, his courageous act sparked a theological revolution that spread across Europe and eventually changed the shape of Christianity. We give thanks to God for Martin Luther and stand with him in proclaiming “Grace alone, Christ alone, faith alone, to God alone be the glory.” Click here to read the 95 Theses in English. Note especially numbers 1, 27, 53, 54, 62, 79, 92-95. 6:40 AM Here’s something new I learned this week: Never buy orange-flavored toothpaste.