Archive for December, 2009

31 Dec

Goodbye 2009; Welcome 2010!

In just a couple of hours we’ll gather at CLC-TP for the last time in 2009, and, personally, I’m glad to say ‘goodbye’.  This year has been the most challenging year I ever recall, not only from a ministry standpoint, but certainly for my family.  The good news is that we survived!
And to be honest, [...]

27 Dec

Sunday reflections

The last Sunday of a decade – that’s hard to imagine, isn’t it.  But we’re sending 2009 out with a bang:

Our very own CLCer, retired NFL linebacker Levar Fisher was our guest speaker for all 3 services in Tinley Park, and he had me from his opening story!  I think all of us will remember [...]

25 Dec

Ask the Pastor

One of our Shorewood members writes,  “Can you please explain the difference of the Gift of tongues and the tongues that take place at the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I was taught at salvation one gets their spiritual gifts, but not all get the same gift and not all get the gift of tongues. [...]

21 Dec

Christmas offering!

We don’t have all the final totals yet, but already we know that CLCers gave over $20,000 yesterday to bless people in need this Christmas season!
As you recall, those funds are going to provide clean water wells in Peru, where children often go blind by age 9 or 10 from drinking parasites in the water [...]

20 Dec

Sunday reflections

I’m vegging on the couch after another disappointing Bears game (at one point it was so bad that I started alternating between the game & Fox News, and Fox News was actually more interesting to watch).  But I digress…..it was another good day at CLC:

Pastors Doug & Shanna Neal reported a good day in South [...]

18 Dec

Ask the Pastor

My favorite questioner writes: Matthew 23:8-10 states that we should call no man Rabbi, Father, or Master. It goes on to state that we have only One Father, which is in heaven.  Can you break this down for me? I’ve read the KJV, The Amplified Version, and the NLT, and they all seem to give the [...]

17 Dec

Opportunities to be seized NOW!

Someone has said that “opportunity only knocks once”.  I don’t know about that, but I’ve heard my pastor say that “the opportunity of a lifetime must be seized in the lifetime of the opportunity”, and I’ve got 3 different opportunities that must be seized now, lest we miss them completely:
1.  This Sunday at CLC-TP is [...]

16 Dec

This is OUR day!

I’ve heard that from numerous preachers as they exhorted us to win the world for Christ or some other such lofty aspiration.  And I believe it – this is the greatest hour for the Church to shine.
But I mean it a little more selfishly today.
I’m writing this post for my wife.  It’s our day.

And I’m [...]

15 Dec

Thank you!

I’ve literally been overwhelmed by the deluge of thoughtfulness in the form of gifts, cards, songs, food & more from SO MANY on the 57th anniversary of my birth yesterday!
Even though most of the day was spent in a pastors seminar, I honestly think it was the BEST birthday of my life, because of the [...]

14 Dec

Primal

That’s the title of Mark Batterson’s newest book, and I gotta say: I love it!  

I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy from WaterBrook Multnomah for my review, and it arrived just before my flight to Las Vegas week before last.  I grabbed it from my briefcase shortly after take-off, and then Primal [...]