Back to blogging stuff

• Thank you to everyone at the Sharpsburg campus and the gracious way you hosted our world religion panel last week.  Your love and spirit was not lost on our guests and their families.
• Thanks to everyone for the cards, the emails and the words of encouragement over the last week.  We have a great church and I have some great friends.  Thank you for your love as we went to Mississippi to celebrate my mother's life and to return her body to the earth.
• This Sunday as we close out the "God for dummies" series I'm going to have a chance to talk about a very hot topic that has to do with God's nature.  It should be fun.
• This past Sunday both the Madras and Sharpsburg campuses had their largest attendance since Easter.  Great job inviting people to the world religions panel.
• Tonight is the final night of my small group for this year.  I have very much enjoyed the group with whom I've done this season.  We've learned a lot and boy have we had fun.

NOTE ABOUT THE PANEL: Okay this is a special note for those who have e-mailed me to complain or to correct me and our church about the panel for last week.  I decided to put this on the blog so I can just send the link to you when you write.

• It was not a debate so that's why we didn't point out where they are wrong.  I know many of you had things that you would have loved us to ask to show how off track they are.  That was not the purpose. You are certainly right that it could have been done different.  When you have your panel discussion I'll come watch how you do it.
• I did not misspeak when I said that we wanted to work with people of different religions.  I did not mean that I thought we should start one world religion or that I believe we are the same.   REMINDER - the purpose of the panel was to let people see that we aren't the same.  None of the panelist believe we are the same.  BUT that being said we can work with anyone to bring about positive change in our world even if we believe they are wrong about the biggest issues of life.  THAT IS WHAT I MEANT.
• Yes I believe it was an appropriate discussion to have in a church on Sunday morning.  If our faith is true - AND IT IS.  Then we need not fear any other religion or philosophy.  In the arena of truth the message of Jesus will stand because God said it would.
• Finally let's be clear as much as I disagree with our panelist on some of their ideas about God, I disagree with some of you on methods to connect people to God.  Just as I love them in spite of our differences I will love you in ours.