Wrestling with Tolerance
Tolerance has become a buzzword. It is an assumed virtue of our culture. Much is packed into this word. The new definition of tolerance is to celebrate and embrace the choices, decisions, and lifestyles of others. This definition leaves out room for disagreement. So how do you lovingly and compassionately disagree with another person who does not share the same virtues and convictions?
We live in a culture that neither loves Jesus nor believes the Bible is true. It can be a real struggle. For many of us this is an issue that hits close to home. It affects our relationships with family, friends, and co-workers. There are no easy answers, but this coming Sunday we will look at what Jesus had to say about tolerance and compassion as we continue our study of Revelation. Join us at Lord of Life on Sunday at either 8:30am or 10am.
Vacation Bible School
Lord of Life’s Vacation Bible School starts on Monday. This is a big deal. We will have many kids and families at Lord of Life during the week. This is our opportunity to serve them. It is an all hands on deck of moment whether you have kids or not. This is about serving the families and there are plenty of opportunities to be involved. If you have not registered yet, go to our website at lolchurch.net.
Keep up the Good Work
Someone once asked me the question if the Church closed its doors would anyone notice. The answer I would share is an overwhelming yes. This past week I had tea with Anand Thandu of Children of Faith Orphanage. They have more than 100 kids in that orphanage and the only reason that is possible is because Lord of Life supports him. Ernst Mesidor in Haiti runs his orphanage with no other support than the support he gets from us. I think about the new Comfort Dog Ministry and the love and joy Chloe has brought to so many people in so many different places. There is rarely a day where she is not visiting and meeting people allowing them to open their hearts and to share their needs. I think about the Ready to Go Summer of Serving and the work that is being done at Feed my Starving Children, St. Matthew’s, Marklund, Restoration House, and more. Then there are all the amazing individual acts of love and kindness that you do which are not necessarily coordinated by the church, but you do it because you love Jesus. It is amazing to see the love in action. Keep it up.
Learn the Bible
On August 24-25 we will have a two day Crossways Seminar called “See Through the Scriptures.” Whether you are new to the Bible or want a refresher, this seminar is designed for you. We are going to work our way through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation to learn and discover what it is all about, how it all fits together and what it means for us. It will run from 6pm-9pm on Friday and from 8am-12pm. Cost is $20 and we will be setting up registration in the church lobby on Sunday morning. If you would like to help volunteer to serve at this event, let me know.
Re: message about “intolerance”- “tolerance” : I found a little book ( at Goodwil Indus.) titled, “Be Intolerant”, by Ryan Dobson, publ. by Multnomah Press. He says “our generation is being destroyed by manic tolerance”. He states, truthfully, “…sitting on the fence won’t get you–or the people you love–anywhere”. The recent news discourse about ChikFila (sp?) is an example of how ‘”tolerance” and “intolerance” has become a devilish distortion. Loving people as Christ loved them , and as He taught them and us, does not mean we have to be safely “neutral” about everything. h.a.h.