Let's Make A Deal

Yes, Sondra and I dressed up to go to the game show "Let's Make A Deal" in Hollywood last Saturday.  I really am not one to do such a thing, but it was a church event that paid money.  By that, I mean that the show paid us (The Vision Plus Church) $15 per person to come and attend the taping.

We ended up being a part of two shows being taped back to back.  They will be aired next year, one in January and the other in February.  No, none of us were chosen to come up and make a deal with Wayne Brady, the host.  But it really was a great time of fellowship and fun with church members.  It was a long day, however, meeting at the church at 8 am and not returning home until 6 pm that evening.

As you can see, I was the Big Bad Wolf, and Sondra was Little Red Riding Hood.

Sunday was a very full day.  In the morning worship hour, one of the ladies in the church had prepared "thank you" cards for all the pastors of the church.  We have ordained several in the life of the church in the past years and they have served faithfully in various areas of ministry - homeless feeding, evangelism, Mexico missions, visitation, church planting, youth and music.  All of us are volunteers as partners in the ministry.  No one gets paid on staff here.  All the finances go to paying the necessary bills of the church.  So, in recognition of this month (October) being Pastor Appreciation Month, thank-you notes and gift cards for nearby restaurants were presented.  It was very touching.

For the sermon time, I briefly preached on the commissioning of the twelve disciples to go forth to build the Kingdom by spreading the Good News of God's love and redemption, as well as the commissioning of Paul and Barnabas by the early church to go forth with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We then took time to "commission" two of our own, Ken and Beifei Edwards, as they venture on a mission trip to China for several weeks.  It was a very moving time.

Then, that afternoon, we went to Chatsworth (in the Los Angeles area) for the One Year Anniversary of The Vision Plus Church2 of Chatsworth pastored by George Nelson.  George has been a part of our church for several years and felt God's call to start a church.  He was led to plant a congregation in Chatsworth, which is one of the most difficult areas to evangelize and talk to people about Jesus.  It is the capital of pornography production in America.  Many have tried to start  a church there and quit within a year.  George has stuck it out, being threatened and harrassed and made fun of.  But he has been faithful and God has shown favor.  At the celebration service, there were wonderful testimonies from those who had come to faith in Christ because of George's ministry there.  What a great service.

Yesterday, I did many errands for the church and then did some home visitations.  One of the older ladies in our church is dying of cancer.  Hospice care has come to the home and set up a bed and all things necessary for her to live out her last days in as much comfort as possible.  Sondra and I shared what God has been doing and she was glad to listen.  Her daughter told us that she doesn't want to watch any preachers on TV, she only wants to watch my sermons on her computer that we tape at church!  She is such a sweetheart.  We love her so much, and pray that God protects her from pain in these days.  She is such a role model for others.