Weekend Round-Up

A few links that may be of interest:

1. Our church will be relocating later this year. This is a tremendous answer to prayer and the culmination of years of effort. We are purchasing an existing church building that is currently owned by East Lansing Public Schools. The building is a mile up the road. The MSU Community School of Music, which currently leases more than half the space in the facility we are purchasing, will be moving into our building. The school district will find a place to relocate by next summer. It has been good to work with East Lansing and MSU on this move. The outcome should be good for all three of us. And we’ll be able to double our facilities and triple our parking without going into debt. God is good.

2. Should Elders Ever Walk Away? The folks at 9Marks respond:

In my own experience, there have been times when, in the course of a counseling relationship, it has become increasingly clear to me that I was interacting with—I hate to say it—a fool. Yes, yes, I can be foolish, too! In all seriousness, ask my wife. But that’s just the point: God has given her to me, in part, to help me learn how to recognize my folly, so that I can repent and be wise. I pray that I would have ears to hear. A fool, according to Proverbs, is unwilling to recognize his or her folly. Or, even if he or she verbally acknowledges it, he/she is unwilling to change: “A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool” (Prov. 17:10). It would be worthwhile to read through Proverbs and come up with “a pastor’s guide for how to spot a fool.” But let me sum up some of what I’ve seen in my own words.

3. Come Help Build the Church on the Arabian Peninsula. John Folmar is a superb pastor and his congregation in Dubai is wonderful. I saw both firsthand. Read this brief article about the opportunities for the gospel in the Gulf.

4. Manny Pacquiao comes out against gay marriage and steps into controversy. The world famous boxer and beloved Filipino is a Christian and believes in biblical marriage. Damian Goddard writes about Pacquiao’s controversial (and seemingly misconstrued) remarks. Goddard is a Canadian sportscaster who was fired from his job a year ago for tweeting something in opposition to same-sex marriage.