October 2020 Thread

[joecool]

Personally, I've never been a fan of Halloween. So I was okay when our church decided not to host a Trunk 'r Treat event this year. Too many COVID restrictions. Outreach to our community is one thing, but in all the years we've done it, not one person/family has come back to try out the church.

These days, we need different ways to engage with the un-churched. They are very unlikely to come on their own, and just as unlikely to turn to the Lord when they are in need. They just don't have much, if any, basic knowledge of the Bible and what if offers. So my church is going to try the following. Imagine a book cover that looks like a Ripley's Believe It Or Not layout. Inside will be true stories of our members' testimonies, divided into sections like Healing, Deliverance, Love, etc. There will also be an introduction from our pastor and info about our church. Our ladies will go door to door giving them away, in the hope that the stories will be read and speak into their lives and needs.

[Claymore]

It seems like, 63 years ago, Halloween was just kids dressing up like Policemen, Puppy-Dogs, and Soldiers, going door-to-door to get candy. It looks like society has really warped it.

I know that there has always been a "Satanic Fringe", but the fringe is now becoming Mainstream.

It would be nice if we could just walk out of Dodge, and let God rain down Fire & Brimstone and start over --- but I really don't see that coming.

(But if He DOES, we need to tell our wives to keep their noses out of God's Business, and not look back.)

[joecool]

Times have certainly changed. The married Democratic candidate for US Senate in North Carolina has been caught in an ongoing adulterous relationship with a married woman. And he refuses to drop out of the race. We'll see if the citizens of NC have anything to say about that. Although activities of this kind seem to be a resume enhancer for Democrats. (Hunter Biden, Bill Clinton. et al)

[joecool]

I was asked to give a devotion at the men's breakfast this morning. I spoke about how old classic movies were being "re-mastered" and shown to new audiences. They look better, but it's just a little post-processing magic for sharpness and color. The resolution of old celluloid film movies is actually far superior to today's digital movies.

I then asked them to think about great ministries from the past that today's audience has never seen. How could they be re-mastered? The gospel is timeless. We just need a little help from the Holy Spirit in order to catch the attention of the under-40 crowd. Great discussion afterwards.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Democrat governor Wolf was caught on a hot microphone today, admitting that masks were "political theater." Kind of like (D) Senator Feinstein saying that masks needed to be mandatory at airports. And then being photographed in one this weekend while not wearing a mask. And of course, Pelosi (D) not wearing one while in her hairdresser's salon. It's all fake. We've been lied to for 6 months in a bid to depress the economy and cause more reliance on the government.

I saw a recording of Dr Fauci saying during a Pandemic only medical professionals should wear a mask not regular people. Check out how dems are backing off embracing a vaccine made under Trump if it releases before the election. Vaccine means game over.

[RRCmdrBennett]

(But if He DOES, we need to tell our wives to keep their noses out of God's Business, and not look back.)

Good luck with telling wives not to do something.

[Claymore]

(But if He DOES, we need to tell our wives to keep their noses out of God's Business, and not look back.)

Good luck with telling wives not to do something.

Nah.

I’ve been shot at, and my wife is not a lot scarier than THAT.

JoeCool can probably testify the same about when that 30MM Round flew past his Coconut.

[joecool]

JoeCool can probably testify the same about when that 30MM Round flew past his Coconut.

It was 40MM, but who's counting?

[Claymore]

JoeCool can probably testify the same about when that 30MM Round flew past his Coconut.

It was 40MM, but who's counting?  

If you REALLY think that you would have come back and noticed the difference, then you are one BAD dude.

-------

It's like when I tell my students in Defense Class, to imagine a button-down shirt on the silhouette target, and aim at the (imaginary) Third Button.

If you are off by two inches, the bad guy won't say, "No, No, No. You aimed at the THIRD Button, and you hit me on the SECOND Button. I'm not going down for That".

[joecool]

The other day, I was thinking about my church's small groups, vastly reduced because of our membership loss, but still around. I imagine I've taught/led more than half of them the last few years. Need to get others involved. Need to take this burden off the pastor's shoulders, too. In the back of my mind, I've known that our small groups haven't been intentional. More like "whatever we can throw together, just in time." I'd like to change that.

Anybody out there remember the AG's "baseball diamond" 4-step discipleship plan? It takes people from membership to ministry. Well, my church has a 3-part vision statement, so I'm working on how to identify and plan our small groups to match the statement. If I can get it to work, we would go through the 3 parts in 3 years, and then repeat. New resources are being created all the time, so it should stay fresh.

My biggest challenge is finding things that the under-40 crowd would show up for. They're pretty much Sunday mornings only. Anybody out there have insight on this?

[joecool]

And it's officially winter.

Seven inches.
My grandson has a playoff game in 3 hours...I think.

[Claymore]

Ah, Snow-Hockey.

Der Great Canadian Sport, there...….eh?

[joecool]

The game was called early, due to the 33-0 score. My boy was a Tasmanian Devil on defense.

[joecool]

Grandson's championship game was delayed by a week. We had 19" of snow overnight. A reality check for all the blue state/big city folks that moved to Montana this year. (Grin)

[joecool]

The US sent yet another message to those who would harm us. The son of a missionary who was abducted in Nigeria was rescued by US troops after 4 days in captivity. Ooo-rah!

Obama fiddled for years over what to do with American hostages. Trump picks up a big stick and hits the drum.

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