January 26, 2006: "It's not over till its over" and it's not over yet!

Well, the two teams are set for the Superbowl and the Colts aren't there!

I saw an old Sports Illustrated while doing a hospital visit from earlier this season detailing how the Colts were undefeated and indicating they may go completely undefeated and win everything ... I thought, no one would've believed they'd lose their first playoff game!

I guess one lesson can be learned from this...it's not over till its over.

And another: its not how you start the race, but how you finish.

All everyone remembers now about the Colts this season is that final loss.

I hope in my life I don't end up like the Colts...falter down the stretch. The apostle Paul was aware of that danger, and that's why he said, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it...But I discipline my body and bring it in to subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified (I Co. 9: 24,27)."

Because he had that attitude, he was able to end his life by saying, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing."
(II Ti. 4:7,8).

Oh, that I might be able someday to say that! In your spiritual life, please don't imitate the Indianapolis Colts! And, being a true Colts fan, I have to add, "maybe next year..."

~Pastor Brian

January 15, 2006: THANK YOU!

I just wanted to send a big thank you to all of you that worked so hard to make the Dr. Jason Lisle/Answers in Genesis event a huge success.

First, the numbers: For morning lifegroups, we had 260 people. For am worship, we had 344, and for our Sunday night service, 280.

Second, the complaints: I received no complaints from anyone about how things went on Sunday.

Third the comments: I was approached by several different visitors, who sought me out (since I wasn't at a convenient location) to express their gratitude for us hosting this event. It meant a lot that they looked for me to let me know how much they appreciated this. Yet another visitor commented that he had been to several events like this, and ours was by far the best organized he had ever attended. That is credit to all of you for doing your job so well. Finally, Dr. Lisle said that this was a really positive experience for him, and he really enjoyed the day.

Finally, the fruit:
1) We were challenged to believe the Bible first and let it determine our thinking in every area, even in things we don't understand. If our church family takes that attitude, where they trust God's Word instead of man's fallible opinions, we will have a church with a faith that can move mountains!
2) We were armed so that we can confidently give biblical answers to questions critics ask us.
3) We were shown that we don't need to be afraid of science, since science, rightly understood, confirms (and it was stressed--does not prove, since the Bible is superior to science and thus cannot be proven or disproved by inferior things, since it is the Word of God) or agrees with the Bible, and where it seems to disagree, scientists are in error and should modify their views, the Bible should never be compromised on, but taken to mean exactly what it says by faith.
4) No doubt some skeptics were given food for thought, especially by the last lecture which showed by several illustrations that the Bible is always ahead of science, sometimes by thousands of years.
5) Perhaps someone will come to know Christ since the gospel was clearly presented in each lecture.
6) Perhaps some unchurched Christians will become plugged in with our church or another local church as a result of being moved by their day with us.
7) Perhaps some Christians who attend compromising churches will challenge their pastor and fellow lay people to be true to God's Word over man's theories.
8) We all gained a greater appreciation for the greatness of our God and His handiwork. (Psalm 8: "When I consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man, that you are mindful of Him?)
9) and finally, some of our young people will not be intimidated when professors attack Christianity as not in touch with reality...instead they'll know that we have a real faith, that cogently explains reality and is from the one, real God who made all real things. (As opposed to worldly, mystical religions).

You all have a part in this fruit. Thank you!

~Pastor Brian

January 17, 2006: The Importance of Truth

When I was a kid, there was a show on TV I really liked called "The Man from Atlantis." This super hero had the ability to swim and breathe underwater just like a fish. For a while one summer, I wore a yellow pair of swim trunks around the house and pretended that I was the man from Atlantis. That was all well and good until one day I found myself in a swimming pool, floating face down in the water. The water felt so comfortable, and I felt so relaxed, that I thought, "I bet I can breathe water, just like the man from Atlantis." And so, unlike our former President, I did inhale. You can imagine what happened next.

The mythology today in America is that we each need to find our own truth: what's true for you may not be true for me, and vice-versa. Nothing could be further from the truth! Friend, if something is true, its true for everybody. And if something is a lie, its a lie for everyone. My flirtation with my own "truth" when I was a kid could've cost me my life.

When we think something is true, we better be sure of it. For more than our lives may be at stake...our eternal souls are on the line!

This is why I reject the kind of tolerance being enforced in America today. Basically, it says that we should accept everyone ideas and beliefs as being of equal value. Hogwash! (As the old timers used to say)! Originally, tolerance simply meant I will tolerate you believing what you want, without using force to try to change your opinion. Tolerance meant I'd even let you say what you want about your belief. But that original kind of tolerance also said that I don't have to listen to, respect, or value your opinion. If your opinion is out of synch with truth, then I am at liberty to discredit it, to bash it, to expose it for the error it is.

Sound harsh? Well, do me a favor. The next time a kid tells you he can breathe underwater, have no respect at all for his opinion. You may save his life. And the next time someone challenges God's Word with their own scurrilous opinion, do the same. You may just save his soul! 

~Pastor Brian

January 9, 2006: Outer Space from a Biblical Perspective

Hey everybody!

I feel like its been forever since I last wrote here.

Don't get me wrong: I love the Christmas holidays--but I also very much like it when things finally return to normal!

I just want to use this space this week to encourage you to come to our church this Sunday, if you are anywhere within driving distance, to hear Astrophysicist Dr. Jason Lisle speak on the subject of science and the Bible. You can read more details on this website.

On a personal note, since this is my blog, I want to talk about how absolutely cool this is that we're having this kind of person at our church.

I have always loved space, ever since I was very, very little! Do you remember "Lost in Space" (by the way, did you know that the man who composed that theme song went on to later compose the music for "Star Wars"?) I also remember a movie about a kid that stowed away aboard a moon shot ( a fantasy of mine as a kid).

In our basement there was an old, ugly, striped cushion chair that became the pilot seat for my own spaceship, Aurora 7 (incidentally named after an actual Mercury space shot). In it I had many adventures as I journeyed to and explored distant, make believe worlds (aka: our backyard).

Then, of course, there were all six star wars movies, Battlestar Galactica (the original series), all the Star Treks, and assorted other movies and shows thrown in (even Buck Rogers).

And, of course, real, nonfiction books. As a little kid I remember going to the Bookmobile (this traveling library that came into our neighborhood) and checking out everything I could find about stars, planets, and the space program.

The only problem was that everything was written from a naturalistic viewpoint. I remember as an 8 year old when a trip to the local planetarium at the University of Louisville was the highlight of the weekend for me and my two geeky friends, Mike Rupe and Brian MacHarg. Of course, every week while there, we'd be instructed how everything that is came from this explosion of matter/time/space called the Big Bang...but even then I couldn't help but think, "where did that cosmic egg come from?" (Of course, science's answer is from a "cosmic chicken" ha ha).

But despite all the fanciful theories of physicists like Stephen Hawking (matter and time fluxing in and out of existence) I still believe science is unable to answer that question.

But the Bible does.

That's why I'm so thrilled that Dr. Lisle will be here talking about God's beautiful creation of outer space from a biblical perspective.

I hope you'll join us this week...who knows, you might even see me launching off on another fanciful trip aboard Aurora 7.

~Pastor Brian

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