November 29, 2007
PBC - Dancing with the Stars
Check out our smooth dance moves!
Thanks to Maxine for elfing us!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/29 at 11:59 AM •
(3) Comments
November 26, 2007
Lepers, Big Chickens, Black Friday, Wheel Barrows, The First Flakes, and a Princess in Central Park
What a whirlwind of a week!
Wednesday night I shared a dramatic presentation of Luke 17:11-19 entitled “Leo the Lucky Leper.” I posted the video that Josh took that night. It was great to see so many people come out and many people shared, through tears, how important Pontiac Bible Church has been to them.
Thursday was Thanksgiving and we shared the day with the Andersons and some of their family. Maxine cooked a “capon” which is a really ginormous chicken and all the fixins’. It was a great day of food and fellowship. It’s hard being so far away from all our family but Becky and Mike and the kids are like second family to us.
Friday morning, at 3:30 AM, Maxine, the Anderson girls, and Susie D, headed to Bloomington to shop. Several stores opened at 4:00 AM and they were there picking up the bargains. Maxine got a CD player that hangs below a cabinet for $10! (It was $60). They had a great time together and are talking about making it a tradition. I will support that tradition by sleeping right through it! 
The Anderson boys spent the night and there were movies to be made and paper airplanes to be flown.
Sunday morning I had the honor of preaching from Matthew 16:13-17. God was good to me because I was still working on it Sat afternoon. It all came together and God gets the glory. Dick did a great job with the corporate worship. James brought me a wheel barrow that I used as a prop. And Jessie and Alli Leacock and Lena Grimes did a fantastic job closing our service with their song, “Who do you say that I am?” I am thankful when I get the chance to preach in “big church.”
After church, I had a great talk with one of our college students home from school in the church parking lot. As we talked, Alli yelled, “It’s snowing.” The first flakes of the season. Of course it snowed more over the course of the afternoon and there is more this morning. Even after living here eight years I still get excited about the early snows. Growing up in the south, snow is something you see on TV. By March, I will be completely sick of it. That’s why we are planning another spring break trip to Texas to see Maxine’s dad. (Last year it was in the 80s!)
Sunday afternoon, I took the family to see “Enchanted.” This is the new Disney movie in which a cartoon princess ends up in real NY. Plugged online gave it 4 out 5 stars and that’s pretty unusual. It was a great family friendly film. No profanity at all. One of the great things was seeing all the New York locations that we were at this summer on the mission trip. There’s scenes in Times Square, Central Park, The Brooklyn Bridge, and the Empire State Building. I was right there! One thing I do not understand, after being there, is how in the world do you film there? There is a mass of humanity everywhere you go. Another really cool thing about the movie is the cameos. Jodi Benson, the voice of Airel, was the secretary. The voice of Belle lives in the building. And the voice of Pocahontas was in the film too. I love stuff like that. The entire movie was a send up to Disney films of the past. Our boys liked the film, (Josh was fascinated with the “movie magic”) but I think little girls would like it more because of all the “princess-true love’s kiss-singing” scenes.
Sunday night I watched the Bears make an exciting comeback and played Backgammon with Josh. It is pretty unusual for me to be home on a Sunday night so it was just good to sit and play games with Josh. I also attempted to help Austin beat a level on Guitar Hero. I couldn’t do it! Austin is incredible at that game.
There is so much to be thankful for this week. On Wednesday, Maxine and I will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. I can’t believe she has put up with me that long!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/26 at 10:30 AM •
(2) Comments
November 25, 2007
Reality - Who Do You Say That I am?
This morning I preached from Matthew 16:13-17. Jesus asked his disciples “Who do you say that I am?” This was the theme of our fall retreat as well. The three girls a song about this “most important question ever” and sang it to end the sermon today.
Enjoy!
Thanks to Josh for being our video go-to-guy.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/25 at 05:40 PM •
(2) Comments
November 24, 2007
Leo the Lucky Leper
If you were not at the Thanksgiving Eve Service, here is “Leo the Lucky Leper,” a drama based on Luke 17:11-19.
Thanks to my son Josh for his video expertise!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/24 at 10:10 PM •
(0) Comments
November 24, 2007
How Moral are you?
Go through this morality test and see how you do. Post your results. How moral are you? We’ll see!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/24 at 04:41 PM •
(2) Comments
November 22, 2007
Life Without Limbs
Last night we had a great Thanksgiving Eve Service and there were more people there than we expected. Many people were in tears as they talked about the influence of the community of caring they have encountered here at PBC.
I shared a drama about “Leo the Lucky Leper” and how he must have wondered why God allowed what happened in his life and how he forgot to go back and say thank you to Jesus for his healing.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving today, take ten minutes and gather the family around the computer and watch this video. If you want to know more about Nick go to the Life Without Limbs website.
Be prepared to laugh, cry, and feel incredibly blessed by what God has giving you!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/22 at 12:50 PM •
(0) Comments
November 21, 2007
The Greatest Turkey Day Show of all Time!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/21 at 05:49 PM •
(1) Comments
November 21, 2007
Thankful for our children’s ministry
I am thankful for an absolutely wonderful children’s ministry at our church! Kudos to Kathy Carroll and her team of volunteers for helping PBC’s youngest to learn to lift up God’s name in praise.
(Thanks also to my son Josh for taking this video)
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/21 at 08:02 AM •
(2) Comments
November 20, 2007
Sesame Street
This article in the NY Times about how “dangerous” Sesame Street was says it all. As someone who watched Sesame Street every day of my toddler-hood, I don’t know I turned out as normal as I did!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/20 at 03:00 PM •
(1) Comments
November 19, 2007
What in the Heaven is Hell?
Last night at NEXT, I taught a lesson about hell. In seven years I don’t think I’ve ever taught on the doctrine of hell at PBC. The outline was simple:
* Heaven and Hell are Real places.
* Heaven is a place of Rewards. Hell is a place of eternal punishment.
* Heaven is a place of Relationships. Hell is a place of isolation.
* Heaven is the destiny of all who put their faith in Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross. Hell is a place of weeping, waling, gnashing of teeth, darkness, flames, and eternal torment for those who reject God’s offer of a “Get out of hell free” card in Jesus.
I had an aunt die at the age of 32 from cancer. As she was dying my mother begged her to talk to a pastor. Dianne said, “I lived without God and I will die without God.” That’s what hell is all about. It’s man saying to God, “Leave me alone” and God granting him his wish.
I ended my talk with video. Several of the students were crying afterwards and it lead to some really good small group discussion.
Warning…this is not for the faint of heart!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/19 at 10:58 AM •
(4) Comments
November 19, 2007
What if you could interview God?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/19 at 10:58 AM •
(1) Comments
November 18, 2007
A big thanks to the Ws and the Es
A big thanks to the Watsons and the Eggenbergers for hosting the junior high bonfire last night. We had about 40 junior high students there! It was a great night of Capture the Flag, Scavenger Hunt, lots of food, “Chaos,” and a great fire. Josh took lots of pictures and I’m hoping to get them of Flickr soon. Thanks to the junior high leaders that were there for all or part of the time - Kat, Shiann, Gideon, Jenn and Joe, and Marti S. It was a great night!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/18 at 08:19 AM •
(0) Comments
November 18, 2007
Name it, Claim it, Explain it!
What do you think of the Senator’s plans to dig into the finances of some of the nation’s “prosperity gospel” tele-evangelists?
I mean really, who doesn’t need a $23,000 toilet?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/18 at 08:15 AM •
(0) Comments
November 16, 2007
All Hail the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
If put on the spot, how would you respond to the Flying Spaghetti Monster controversy?
Seriously, no Sunday school answers allowed!
How do we engage in a real conversation with people who put out this stuff?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/16 at 04:53 PM •
(1) Comments
November 16, 2007
Are you average?
It’s funny, I’ve never been accused of being normal or average. In fact, as I read about the “Average American”, I didn’t see a lot of common ground.
I thought the fact the the average American lives 13 years longer than celebrities and that 10% of Americans think Joan of Ark was Noah’s wife were telling!
Read the article and see how “normal” you really here. By the way, the Average PBC member or attender has not taken the Spiritual Life Survey. We have had 181 people take the survey. We would like to see at least 225 total. If you have not taken the survey, please click on the link, take 20-40 minutes and fill it out. Time is running out. Only 9 more days!
If you are a Christian, I hope you realize you are not normal. David Crowder says it beautifully in his new song, “Everything Glorious” - “You make everything glorious…and I am Yours…what does that make me?”
Watch the video and remember, as Christians, we do not serve an average God!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/16 at 08:38 AM •
(3) Comments
