Acts 29 Pastor Suffers Well with Cancer
by Scott Thomas
Matt and Lauren Chandler walk with their three kids in their Flower Mound Texas neighborhood. AP Photo
When I got an early morning phone call on Thanksgiving while I was still in bed and looking forward to a lazy morning, I was stunned but hopeful. My friend Yancey called me to say that Matt Chandler, an Acts 29 board member and my personal friend, passed out that morning and was rushed to the hospital. Matt was diagnosed with a tumor on the right side of his brain. My normal optimism and my affection for Matt as a person and my deep respect for him as an infectiously charismatic Christian leader dragged me into believing it was going to be okay. But something inside me kept telling me that this wasn't the story ...
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How Can a Loving God Allow Devastation in Haiti (and in my life)?
Pat Robertson doesn't get it:
Shortly after a devastating earthquake rocked Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, potentially killing half a million people, Pat Robertson said Haitians had made a "pact with the devil" and have been "cursed" ever since. A statement almost apologizing was made by CNN for Robertson's current faux pas that seems to occur every time a disaster hits. Someone on his staff should figure this out.
Unfortunately, we have either Robertson or a worldview that excludes eternity and God to inform us how we can understand a tragedy or a pain point in our own life. We believe either that God is judging me and that is why I am suffering or there is no God or else he would not allow sufering. ...
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As we look over the endless videos and pictures streaming in from Haiti, we can easily see the gospel story. Like the ravaged, demolished city of Port au Prince, our lives are in a heap of rubble thorough our sin. We were homeless, destitute, broken and hopeless until Jesus came to save us, heal us, adopt us into His family and fill us with His peace. Without help from other countries and churches, Haiti may never recover. Without Jesus in our life, we were destined for a life of devastation and eventual ruin.
Mark Driscoll writes the following to help us relate this gospel story with a sobering story of a hurting nation that needs our redemptive help.
“On Sunday, January 24, I had the great honor of sharing a lot of photos, videos, and stories of the church in ...
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One thing we have never done at Mars Hill Church is take a special offering. However, that will change this Sunday when we take a second offering for the mission of Churches Helping Churches in Haiti.
Many pastors have been contacting us, saying that they too want to take a special offering this Sunday. We rejoice in your willingness to help those who are suffering so greatly. I would like to specifically invite my brothers in Acts 29 and our pastor friends at The Resurgence to do the same.
For those of you who, like us at Mars Hill, have not ever taken a special offering, the following tips were coaching points Pastor James MacDonald gave me on our return flight from Haiti.
Why You Should Take a Special Offering
It is biblical. Galatians 6:10 says, ...
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Mark Driscoll just returned from a trip to Haiti and wrote a letter to the people of Mars Hill Church - asking them to participate in helping the devastated churches down there. Churches Helping Churches is a new, unique organization that seeks to obey Galatians 6:10.
Acts 29 - we are privileged churches and we have an opportunity to help our brothers and sisters who are mourning their dead, trapped in crumpled church buildings, and to love them. Will you help?
GIVE NOW TO HELP CHURCHES IN HAITI
From Mark's letter:
"... I am asking you to give over and above your regular giving to support Churches Helping Churches. Our mission is to help rebuild destroyed churches in Haiti, and help plant new churches in Haiti.
The devastation there is more horrendous than you can ...
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