What is your natural response when things don't work out quite the way you planned? Where do your turn when things go seriously wrong?

We showed this video Monday at Alive.  This video made me (and many others) weep.  It wasn't the first 3 minutes, it was the last 2.  Please watch it.  And thank God that He is not distant nor absent, but is very near and present.  Find more videos like it on www.godtube.com  Pastor Mike.

Are you in for the Gospel Challenge?  As part of our series "Imago Dei, In The Image of God", we at Alive are reading through the Gospel of John in one week.  That's 3 chapters a day for 7 days, wrapping up Monday April 14^th.  We'd love to have you join in, and then share your thoughts, discoveries, ahaa moments in this blog.  May God speak to all of us through His living and active word!  Pastor Mike.

Tuesday April 8 - John 1-3

Wednesday April 9 - John 4-6

Thursday April 10 - John 7-9

Is the story of the virgin birth just that, a nice story we share at Christmas?  Are there reasons to believe it actually happened?  And does it really matter if it did or not?  Join Pastor Mike as he presents a message entitled "The Birth That Changed Everything", looking at how the virgin birth is really a pivotal part of the salvation story.  More than that, the baby in the manger came to change life as you know it.  Listen to this message presented at Willow Park Christmas 2007.

Wondering what makes Jesus stand out among the world's religions?  This master's paper by Pastor Mike looks at the similarities and differences of the world's biggest religions, and discovers why Jesus is so different.

 

 The Uniqueness Of Christ In A World Full Of Religion

Not sure how many of you are aware of a pastor in Seattle named Mark Driscoll.  He has quite a ministry at Mars Hill Church, and I just happened to find out that he preached a sermon this week on The Trinity that would be worth watching (as we work through Imago Dei - In The Image of God).  You can find it online here http://media.marshillchurch.org/.  Also, I've added some helpful notes he wrote on The Trinity in this blog.  Pastor Mike.

 

I have come to really appreciate George on CBC's The Hour (weeknights at 11pm)  George is very sharp and tackles important issues, like faith and religion.  Here is another great interview from him. 

Best-selling author and award-winning journalist Chris Hedges wades into the debate over the existence of God with his new book, "I Don't Believe In Atheists". The book is a sharp rejoinder to the likes of Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris - the "new atheists" who Hedges sees as dangerously close to the religious fundamentalists they seek to oppose.

The discussion is bound to be an eye-opening one, particularly as Hedges himself has been deeply critical of organized religion in the past - particularly in his book about the Christian right, "American Fascists".

 

A kindergarten teacher walked over to the desk of a little boy who was drawing a picture, and asked him, What are you drawing?

To which the boy responded, ‘A picture of God"

The teacher smiled and said, "but nobody knows what God looks like?"

The boy looked at her and said confidently, "They will when I get through"

Have you ever wondered what God actually looks like?  Our culture likes to paint him as this grandfatherly figure with long beard and an angry expression.   Is that accurate?  Or are we missing something?

A.W. Tozer said "The most important thing about us is what we think about when we think about God."

What do you picture when you picture God?  I'd love to get your feedback here, so drop me a line, and put in words your understanding of God!

Pastor Mike.

Alive is starting a new series March 31st entitled "Imago Dei - In The Image of God".  The series comes out of a verse in Genesis 1:26-27 where God says "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness".  It really got me thinking, what does it mean to be made in the image of God?  That's a pretty cool statement, a pretty amazing truth.  If God fashioned me according to His image, then there is something inherently special and unique about me.  We are going to spend three weeks unpacking what it means to be made in the image of God, and in the process, we're going to come face to face with who God really is, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The tag line for this entire series is, "You will never know who you are until you know who's you are."  If you're struggling with identity and self-worth, if you've always wondered where you've come from and where you're going, then you're going to want to join Alive for this series, March 31st, April 7th and April 14th, 7 - 9pm in the auditorium at Willow Park on Hwy 33. 

In the meantime, there's a great online article about what it means to be made in God's image, and you'll find it here:

If you'd like to get your head around the whole idea of the Trinity, download this booklet from Radio Bible Class - Do Christians Believe in 3 Gods?

 

            Drawing a line in the sand. Making a stand. Choosing whose team you are on. All those things bring to mind a similar sort of picture. A picture of deciding and not turning back from it.