The ECS Gossip Train is Rolling

I received an e-mail this morning telling me that a couple of moms, continue to "stir up" other mom's with bad information about supposed changes to class sizes at Emmanuel Christian School for next year. This year, we accommodated parents and over-filled classes. That wasn't fair to our teachers, nor to the other students. In 2012-13, we will be keeping all of our classes within the DSS ratios, rather than over-filling and hiring additional aides. This is a very positive thing for our teachers and school families. That information was recently shared with our ECS teachers, so they could encourage parents to register early.

This very positive change, has been misunderstood by a couple of moms, so let me set the record straight. The rumors about large classes at ECS are false. The fact is that we will be limiting our class sizes -- not increasing them. We don't want to repeat in 2012-13 what we are already doing in 2011-12. If you are an ECS parent reading this blog, please forward it to your ECS friends so they don't get confused by the gossip.

In light of this silly misunderstanding and the rash reactions by some, it is a probably a great time to refer you to a blog post by Perry Nobles. Just click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser. http://www.perrynoble.com/2011/11/23/my-wife-had-a-bad-experience-at-chic-fil-a/

Christmas 2011

We just returned from visiting family in South Florida for Christmas. It was a warm (80 degrees) and wonderful time. We sat outside by the pool for Christmas dinner, played golf at Biltmore in Miami, and I even cut the grass at my parents' house (in shorts)! While some dream of a white Christmas, my family dreams of a warm one.

Our travel plans were changed by the homegoing of 0ur dear friend Hope. She was one of the strongest people I've ever met and finally lost her battle with cancer after five years. Hope served as the secretary at EBC for many years. She loved people and they truly loved her. This year, she joined her mother and siblings in celebrating Jesus' birthday in His presence.

We left last Friday night and arrived in FL on Saturday morning. It was nice to be able to leave and not have to worry about anything. We have a great ministry team. David and Joey led our Christmas Eve service with several hundred in attendance, and Justin and Joey led our Christmas morning service. I've already heard so many positive comments! Many pastors worry when they leave town, but I'm blessed with some great friends and co-workers who are very capable leaders and faithful ministers.

We drove through the night last night and arrived home at approx. 4:30am. A few hours sleep and we squeezed in another day to enjoy and serve! Without a doubt, we realize that our family is so blessed and we thank God that all of our "needs" and most of our "wants" are met. We are thankful that our family got to spend Christmas together. BUT, most of all, we are thankful for the gift of a Savior!

Why are anti-Christian bigots so eager to prey on Tim Tebow?

You have got to read this commentary by Todd Starnes. He points out that we would never be permitted to treat a Muslim, or a minority, the way that people are treating Tim Tebow due to his Christian faith. Click on the following link to read the post http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/?s=tebow&x=3&y=4

Holy Land - 11.23

The trip home was long, so I'll spare you all of the details. Our flight left Tel Aviv on-time and took approximately 12 hours. Flora, Zack, and I had the emergency row with room to stretch out! Upon arriving at JFK, there had been a medical emergency on the plane, so they would not permit us to unload. It turned out to be dehydration; but rather than move the passenger to the front of the plane so that paramedics could get to him quickly, Delta chose to leave him at the very back of the plane. This was a slight delay, but caused us to almost miss our connecting flight.

Allow me to summarize: Leave the plane, claim our baggage, proceed through customs, go recheck our luggage, go through another security check, and of course the terminal we had to get to was literally on the other side of the airport. I'm not kidding... we walked and walked, got the the terminal and had to go down an elevator, literally had to leave the buildings,we crossed a street, entered another building, walked some more, and heard them saying "last call for passengers on Delta flight ____" while we were still six gates away. I left Flora to help the Frazier's and I ran ahead to tell them we had more coming. In the end we DID make our flight and arrived safely in Atlanta.

We claimed our luggage, and as soon as we walked outside, we caught the shuttle to the hotel. Not long after, we were on the road again. A Chic-fil-et lunch gave us some energy for our five hour drive home. It was a long day, but the thoughts of Thanksgiving dinner the next day kept us going. It was a GREAT trip and I would recommend it to everyone! Thanks to those who made this trip possible!

Holy Land - 11.22 (Part 2)

From Caiaphas' house, we learned much about the Old City of Jerusalem on the southern side and saw the Ophel leading "up" to the Temple Mount. From this vantage point, we could also see the layout of the Western Wall and the close proximity to where they believed the Holy of Holies to have been. This view gave great understanding as to "why" the Jews go to that particular place to pray.

Upon leaving Caiaphas' house, we went to lunch at the Ambassador Hotel, where we enjoyed hamburgers and French fries. This was the most "American" meal that we encountered while in Israel. In the lobby, "Juan Dollar" (the merchant at whose store we shopped on the previous night) met us with prayer shawls. The story and understanding of the prayer shawl is quite interesting and I purchased one to use as an object lesson with our church at some point.

After lunch, we walked the Via Dolorosa, the road that Jesus walked from His trial at Pilate's to the place of the crucifixion. Click here for pictures http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/ViaDolorosa.html
Due to our tour guides' contacts, we were able to get into a section of the real Via Dolorosa which is located below the modern streets of Jerusalem. We ended our journey at the Damascus Gate and then loaded on the buses for a ride to Gordon's Calvary. Click here for pictures of Gordon's Calvary http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-garden-tomb

Was Gordon's Calvary the actual place of the crucifixion and burial? There is some conflicting viewpoints, but either way, it has been the traditionally accepted site. There is now a modern Arab bus station in front of Calvary, and the tomb was modified during the Byzantine period. In spite of the changes and the varying opinions, the more important FACT is that -- Jesus was not on the cross and the tomb was empty! We enjoyed communion together (the pastors in the group served) and this was a very special and very humbling time together.

As we gathered together at the hotel, someone asked about clarification on the Bar Mitzvah. The occur for Jewish boys at age 12, which is the accepted age at which the boys are old enough to carry the Torah. The Scriptures are bound on their hand and forehead. A leather strap wraps around the left arm, as a symbol of binding the Scriptures close to the heart. The prayer shawl (Talit) is pulled over the head and closed as a personal tent for privacy during prayer. Only the men have the prayer shawls and this is what Deut. 22:5 refers to when it says that a "a woman shall not wear that which pertaineth to a man..." From this verse, some have devised that women should not wear pants, but even the men in Bible times didn't wear pants. A full understanding of the Jewish culture, reveals that this passage is clearly making reference to the prayer shawl. The Bar Mitzvah is a celebration complete with a entry parade, family cheering, and women throwing candy. The candy is symbolic to remind us that the Scriptures are sweet. This celebration is full of meaning and we were blessed to be able to see these celebrations during our visit to the Temple.

During this meeting, we were given the instructions for our departure times, luggage checks, etc. We would have time to eat, shower, rest, and load up to begin our journey back to Hartsville.

Holy Land - 11.22 (Part 1)

This would be our last day of "touring" in the Holy Land, so our tour guides really packed it in. They rearranged the route to beat the 50 busses of tourists coming off the cruise ships. We started at the Garden of Gethsemane where we saw eight olive trees, five of which are dated to be over 2,300 years old. That means that Jesus walked among these trees, and so did we! Most of the olive trees were cut from the Mount of Olives by the Muslims, in an effort to eliminate the possibility of a new King (Jesus) to be anointed with oil from the Olive trees on the Mt. of Olives, as is required by Jewish law. This was another Muslim attempt to stop Jesus from returning as King -- even though they say they don't believe in Him!

Not far from these olive trees is the Stone of Agony, where Jesus prayed and sweat drops of blood. The Rock of Agony is directly in front of the pulpit at the Catholic "Church of All Nations" with an iron fence shaped as thorns surrounding it. Interestingly, this Catholic church has no religious symbols, is open 24/7, and has widows made of Alabaster. These windows are symbolic of the Alabaster vials that contain the olive oil with which the new King (Jesus) will be anointed.

We went to a private area of the garden for a service. On the way, several in our group noticed the clovers with red spots on the leaves. The red spots are symbolic of the drops of blood that Christ shed as He prayed in the garden. The Garden of Gethsemane is the only place in the world where these clovers can be found. Is that just a coincidence?

The next stop was a children's hospital at which we distributed toys and Randy presented the Gospel using object lessons with a basketball. The hospital also contained a school. The children were in their uniforms, well behaved, and learning on their laptops. It was exciting to see the educational opportunities for these children.

We continued to the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest. This was the place where Jesus was tried, scourged, and Peter denied Christ. We saw the scourging area and how they tied and stretched those who were being scourged. We saw the salt pools into which they dipped the sponges to mop over the open wounds and increase the pain. We saw the Roman scourge with its leather straps and metal barbs. We saw the pit into which Jesus was thrown (approx. 12 feet deep hole) and the rocks against which He leaned to cool His back after the scourging.

We went outside for a brief lesson and heard a rooster crowing! We saw the Jericho Rd. We looked across to the Mt. of Scandal, and could see the close proximity of Caiaphas' house to Jerusalem, the Kidron Valley, and the Mt. of Olives. It was only about a 12 minute walk from Caiaphas' house to where the soldiers apprehended Jesus and He could see them coming the whole way. This was an amazing place!

Holy Land - 11.21

This day started by standing in a security line and waiting to enter the Temple Mount through the Tanner's Gate, located next to the Dung Gate. We learned much in the line as the conversations and teaching focused on the Islamic belief in eternal reward for deception in this lifetime. The more they deceive, the greater the reward. For the first time, we also saw Jews begging for alms outside the temple.

Once inside, we saw the Eastern Gate, which the Muslims sealed to keep Jesus from returning to Jerusalem as He said He would. Question: Why would you seal a gate to keep out someone you say you don't believe in? Why would you install a cemetery in front of the gate to keep out Jesus, the Jewish Rabbi? Why would you cut down the olive trees so this King could not be anointed? Answer: Because deep down, you really do believe! Actions speak much louder than words!

While at the temple, we also saw the Dome of the Rock that covers the place where Abraham offered Isaac - the son of promise. This event was a picture of salvation revealing that God would offer His promised Son, Jesus. (Muslims believe Abraham offered Ishmael - the son outside the promise.) We saw the "Place of the Spirits," which many believe is the location of the Holy of Holies. We sat on the steps of the South Gate looking over the old city. As we walked, we sampled Pomegranate juice. We saw the great wall that Herod built as a retaining wall and saw the stones that were still present from the time when the temple was destroyed. We saw the area where the place of the money changers and where sacrifices were sold. We saw the old road around the city and the narrow road used by those who had already cleansed themselves. There was so much history and so many light bulbs coming on as we walked, saw, touched, and learned about the temple. Click on either or both of the following links for some great pictures and much information about the temple: 1) http://www.bibleplaces.com/templemount.htm 2) http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-temple-mount

One of my favorite spots to visit was the Western Wall. After seeing and understanding the layout of the temple and the surrounding areas, "why" the Jews choose to pray in this place now makes sense. This is the closest point to where they believe the Holy of Holies was. The men in our group had to cover our heads with a hat or a one of the yarmulkes or kippahs they provided. The prayer areas were divided with men praying on one side of the fence and the ladies on the other. There were many Bar Mitzvahs in progress during our visit. These are held at the temple on Mondays and have great meaning in the various ritualistic components.

Our next stop was the Old City for lunch, shopping, and puddle jumping (it was raining). The Old City is interesting with so many shops and all of them packed so together tightly. Each street looks almost identical and it did take us some effort to find our way back to "the Fountain," which was in close proximity to our meeting place. Everyone was soaked (especially the lady who was standing on the sidewalk when the car hit the puddle beside her), so we went back to the hotel to dry off and take hot showers.

Just before supper, the group met to ask questions, share testimonies, and to discuss our plans for tomorrow. This was a special time, and I especially enjoyed the answers that explained how much we get "wrong" when trying to teach Jewish tradition from an American viewpoint. Many will give an account for teaching American preferences as Bible doctrine!

Holy Land - 11.20

We finally reached Jerusalem! It was Sunday morning, and we were sitting on the Mt. of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. The view was breathtaking as we enjoyed our Sunday morning service and observed communion together. As we were leaving the Mt. of Olives, some rode the camel; but there was not time for all. Vendors surrounded us on every side and it would continue as such until we left on our final day.

We went to the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man in John 5. The ruins were well preserved and you could easily picture the various pool and patio areas as they once stood. The Church of St. Anne is in close proximity to the pool, so we were able to tour it. The church was built in approx. 1129 by the Crusaders. The Muslims conquered the Crusaders and turned the church into an Islamic school for girls. Our group sang (our guide was a trained vocalist) and the priest thanked our people for bringing the rains of blessing to their land.

We drove past and overlooked the Valley of Gehenna, where babies were sacrificed to the god Molech (II Kings 23:10; Jer. 32:35); and continued on toward Bethlehem. It was only about five miles and we sang Christmas carols on the way! Bethlehem is located in the West Bank, so we had to have our passports ready and armed guards walked through the bus for a quick sweep. Evidently none of us looked too suspicious.

We ate lunch at "The Tent Restaurant," which had a great ambiance with long tables, bench seating, and burlap roofing. The food was great. As we left, we saw a shepherd with his flock of sheep and almost lost one of our group members (from another church) as she stepped out in front of a speeding car. Her guardian angel almost lost his job that day!

After lunch, we made our way to the Shepherd's Field, where it is traditionally believed that the angels announced Jesus' birth to the shepherds. We were able to wander through the caves where the shepherds and the sheep slept. This was a very neat site and offered a great view of Bethlehem, which was in very close proximity.

Next was the Church of the Nativity -- the place observed as the birthplace of Christ. We waited in line for approx. 1 hour. The church constructed over the site was huge! It was built by the Byzantines, had a Crusader mosaic of gold on the wall, a mosaic floor over 1500 years old, ornate oil lamps hanging, chandeliers, priest saying "quiet," and candles being sold. (Our guide stated, "Nothing has changed." They sell candles for $12 each, but you can buy the same ones outside for only $1 each.) This place was "cold," "empty," and a symbol of "dead" religion! It reminded me of Matt 7:22.

We eventually made our way into the small cave, where an elaborate and ornate structure was built over the birthplace. A 14 point star marked the spot. People were bending over touching it, kissing it, etc. There was pushing, shoving, priests bringing people in the wrong way if they paid them on the side, etc. This site was my least favorite of all and opened my eyes as to "why" God has not revealed things like Noah's Ark, the Ark of the Covenant, etc. When these items or places are found, people begin to worship the items more than God.

We left the church, went shopping in Bethlehem, and then returned to the hotel for supper and bed.

Sunday Summary - 12.04.11

Today was the first Sunday that we focused on Christmas for 2011. The AM message was about the difference Jesus made in the lives of individuals and also the world. He was well received by some, and rejected by others. It was a reminder that each of us must choose "what will we do with Jesus?" We had a lady pray to receive Christ today! PTL. We were also supposed to have 3 baptisms this morning, but had to reschedule them due to the set for the Christmas program. It is huge and covers the baptistery and the screens. The program is next Saturday and Sunday at 6:00pm, so we should be back to normal soon, and a special "thanks" to everyone who is working so hard to get the set completed.

On Sunday night, I preached on the journey of Jesus. Interesting that it was the first time that the Creator became as the creation, that eternity was restricted to time, that God was "born," and that God "died." These are some deep thoughts! Following the evening service, our church family gathered outside for the lighting of the new nativity set that our Keenagers initiated. A special thanks to Leslie Odom for all of the coordinating efforts, and to Debra Carmona for making the figures look "life-like." May all who see it be reminded of the simple birth and Gift of the Savior; while forgetting about the symbol of personal greed and commercialism that Christmas has become.

Holy Land - 11.19 (Part 2)

During our drive, we learned another interesting fact about Jewish culture. It is traditional for Jews to consume pomegranates on Rosh Hashana because the 613 seeds, which correspond with the 613 mitsvot or commandments of the Torah. Of the 613, 2/3 refer to "don'ts" while 1/3 refer to "do's."

We finally arrived at Mt. Carmel, where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and called fire down from Heaven (1 Kings 18). The "mountain" is really not a mountain at all, but rather a mountain ridge of approx. 30 miles long, with the highest point reaching 2,200' above sea level. We stopped at a picturesque overlook, from which we could seek everything around us, including the Valley of Megiddo. The view was breathtaking, and the cold winds also took your breath away! People were huddling together, and really getting to know those around them.

From that site on Mt. Carmel, we went to have a Druid lunch nearby. The primary meat was chicken, but there were also many other things to sample. The single shot restrooms made for long lines on both the men's and women's sides, but no one was getting back on that bus without making the pit stop. (Our driver didn't stop very often!)

The next stop was Caesarea by the Sea. This was the place of Herod's palace on the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the Hippodrome, the remains of the temple of Roma & Augustus, and the theater that had been excavated. The theater faces west, and we sat in the theater for our service. We saw and stood where the Apostle Paul was chained as he testified before Herod. We saw the remains of Herod's fresh-water swimming pool that extended off the back of his palace and protruded over the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the amphitheater where games were played and Christians lost their lives. The site was closing for the day, so we didn't get to stay very long. We left, then drove a short distance to the twin high-level aqua ducts that were 12 miles in length and carried fresh water to Caesarea by the Sea. One side was cold water, and the other had been modified to produce sun-heated hot water. Herod was a master builder!

As we were leaving, our guide stopped by some native thorn bushes to show us the thorns used to make the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus' head. The thorns were literally 2-3 inches long, and not the small sand spur style thorns that so many people refer to. These thorns, once dry, had been proven to penetrate into bone! I brought a 12" piece of the branch home with me, so people could see just what these thorns were like.

We made our way to the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem, which would become our base for the remainder of the trip. The hotel was beautiful, but the rooms were a little small. The half doors on the shower stall kept half the water from splashing on the floor. On the flip side, the food was delicious! They had a buffet at every meal with much variety, and delicious desserts. After supper, most of our group went out for a walk on the town, only there isn't much nightlife in Jerusalem. We walked a few blocks in two different directions only to find nothing. At this point, most chose to call it a night. Justin and Zack continued exploring and found their way to a section of the Old City. They told us about it the next morning...but there wasn't much to tell, as I think we actually found a place with fewer things open at night than Hartsville. :-)

Holy Land - 11.19 (Part 1)

This morning the weather was beautiful and we started our day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. You can watch a generic video of the boat ride at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbkWW6ekG4o The waters were calm as we set sail, but became increasingly rougher during our ride. We saw rain in the distance, but the sun rays were bursting through the clouds as though to pinpoint the very place where Jesus walked. It was amazing!

During the ride, they reminded us that the lands on the east side of the lake is Gentile and on the west side is Jewish. When Jesus cast the demons out of the man and into the swine, the pigs ran off the cliff on the east side of the lake, since there would be no pigs in Israel. The guide also pointed out an interesting fact about the two multiplication miracles that Jesus performed. He fed 5,000 men on the west side and there were 12 baskets left over, representative of the 12 tribes of Israel. He fed 4,000 on the east side and there were 7 baskets left over, representative of the 7 Gentile churches in Revelation. Through these miracles, Jesus provided an object lesson that salvation was open to everyone!

We next visited Gideon's spring, the place where God whittled away at Gideon's army. The spring was actually dried up now, but site has been well preserved and you could almost picture the soldiers kneeling to drink. There were two turtledoves in the rocks just above the spring, serving as a reminder of God's goodness and blessings. Gideon's spring is located in the Valley of Megiddo (or Valley of Jezreel), where the battle of Armageddon will take place. I got a strange feeling as I looked across that valley, and saw a playground with swings and a swimming pool. Oh how this place will change! See a picture and some additional commentary at this link http://www.biblestudy.org/biblepic/megiddo.html

From there we went to Nazareth. In Jesus' day, the population of Nazareth was approx. 180; but today, there are almost 70,000 - and all Arabs. The city was very crowded, busy, and dirty. Many houses were left looking incomplete, because they pay less in taxes while building (no matter how long it takes to finish). We saw Mary's house, and surprisingly... another Catholic church built on the site. You really have to look past what they have done to "preserve" the sites. I think in reality, there is often more worship of the site, than there is of the Savior. We also saw Mary's well as we passed through.

From here, we were off to Mt. Carmel. I'll tell you more about that soon. On our way, we saw Mt. Tabor, which many believe was the Mt of Ascension.

Holy Land - 11.18

Another beautiful morning following our normal routine of up at 6am, breakfast buffet at 7am, and scheduled to leave by 7:45am. That was a good plan, until one person (out of 90) overslept and another left something in his room. It was nice NOT to have to repack our luggage, since we would finally be staying for a second night in this same hotel. The only thing to pack was a swimsuit for those desiring to be baptized in the Jordan River.

We drove through the city of Tiberias and along the Sea of Galilee. It was a little overcast, but absolutely beautiful! Our first stop would be the city of Caesaria Philippi, also known as Banias (Paneas). The city was the location of the temple to Pan, the half man - half goat god. Pan was known for his vile sexual perversions and the area was an example of the great wickedness found in the heart of man.

At this site, there is a cave known as the "Gates of Hell" containing a pit and a river flowing from it. It was believed this was the river Styx, the passage way to the underworld. An earthquake resulted in the pit being filled in. There is still a river flowing through Banias. This river is the source for the Jordan River. See pictures and read more on this link: http://www.bibleistrue.com/qna/pqna45.htm

It was at the "Gates of Hell" or near this location that Jesus said in Matt 16:18, "...I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He was implying that all the wickedness of the world, could not stop God's plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ! This was an object lesson to His disciples, and a promise to mankind!

As we were leaving Caesaria Philippi, we saw Mt. Hermon upon which it snowed during our visit and set a record for the earliest snowfall on record for that location. We passed through the Golan Heights, the area belonging to the tribes of Dan and Mannaseh. This area borders Lebanon, and in biblical times, Golan was a city of refuge.

We continued to the Mt. of Beattitudes at which we had a service in an outdoor theater located near the site of the feeding of the 5,000, and the traditionally accepted location where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. This site offered a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee and (as it is with so many sites) it housed a Catholic church and school.

We enjoyed lunch at a Lebanese restaurant, where some enjoyed whole Talapia (fish) with the eyes looking at them as they picked the meat off the bones. The meal also included French Fries, and bread & hummus.

Due to the time and overcast weather, we postponed the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and went to the Jordan River for the baptisms. The baptisms were only symbolic and allowed people to be baptized in the same river where Jesus was baptized. For $10, you got a robe, towel, and certificate.

All was well, until we got into the water -- It was FREEZING, but the Muskrats and the large catfish we shared the water with didn't mind the temperature at all. This was a very special time as I was able to baptize those in our group, then Justin baptized Flora and I. This was a memory we will never forget.

From there, it was back to the hotel for a warm shower, followed by supper and a group meeting.