Monday, January 26, 2004

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 that says, “I must have God or I die.”

7:12 PM Al Mohler pays tribute to Francis Schaeffer on the 25th anniversary of Whatever Happened to the Human Race?, co-authored with C. Everett Koop. 7:05 PM Enjoyed my quick trip to Florida on Friday and Saturday. Spoke twice on Saturday AM to a Word of Life Midyear conference for Bible club leaders. Met Andy Anderson, Chris Fincham, and a number of other area missionaries. Tom Phillips drove me back to the Tampa airport. I’ll be back in Florida March 6-11 to speak at the Word of Life conference center in Hudson. George Sweeting and I will be sharing the speaking duties that week. Side note: The thought occurred to me that people who think that flying places every week is glamorous have never done it. I travel a few times during the year. Lots of business people travel every week—and the glamour fades quickly. 6:00 PM Renovation update: We’re in the homestretch of the project. Finishing the portico area is the only major work left to do. This includes installing the door from the sanctuary to the portico, the new ABF room, the storage room, and the area along the portico where we will have book and tape sales. They are also working through the “punch list” of items that need tweaking in the west wing. We have moved the Open House from February 15 to March 14 to ensure that the portico will be finished and the west parking lot will be open. 5:46 PM Several people have asked if I have seen Mel Gibson’s The Passion of Jesus Christ, and what I think about it, and what (if anything) we plan to do regarding the movie at Calvary. The answer is, I was invited to attend the screening last week at Willowcreek but could not attend because of the Pastors’ Retreat. But I have read many articles about the movie, and I plan to see it when it is released. I believe this film will likely be remembered as the most realistic portrayal of the crucifixion of Jesus ever filmed. We don’t plan any churchwide emphasis, but I will be writing and speaking about the film to the congregation, and I hope many of our classes and small groups go to see the film together. Because the movie has attracted so much attention, many unchurched people will be curious to see it. I think this is a God-sent “teachable moment” for Christians to invite their unsaved friends to go to the movie with them, and then go to a home or to a restaurant for dessert to talk about it afterwards. The film opens nationwide on February 25. EXTRA NOTE: This is what Billy Graham says about the movie:

I have often wondered what it must have been like to be a bystander during those last hours before Jesus’ death. After watching ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ I feel as if I have actually been there. I was moved to tears. I doubt if there has ever been a more graphic and moving presentation of Jesus’ death and resurrection – which Christians believe are the most important events in human history. The film is faithful to the Bible’s teaching that we are all responsible for Jesus’ death, because we have all sinned. It is our sins that caused His death, not any particular group. No one who views this film’s compelling imagery will ever be the same.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about this post?