http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php en israel@adaircreative.com Copyright 2010 2010-07-02T02:13:00-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/top_ten/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/top_ten/#When:02:13:00Z This morning before I came to the office, my son stopped and said, “Watch, it’s the top ten plays.”  This is an important daily ritual at my house with ESPN.  It is really important stuff, because it would be devastating to miss any awesome play that might make ESPN’s daily top ten.  You now have some insight as to what is important with the Palmer men.  In our culture, we are definitely into lists.  We follow the leader board in golf, the rankings in football, the points in Nascar and the percentages in baseball.  We look for the top ten books, top grossing movies, and most visited websites and then many people can’t wait for David Letterman to give us his top ten list before we go to bed.  I read that there is actually a book that was published in the 1970’s called The Book Of Lists and it became a number one bestseller.  It sold over 8 million copes, and it came out in a new, revised edition within the last couple of years because people are still buying it. 2010-07-02T02:13:00-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/easter_2010/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/easter_2010/#When:19:44:00Z Can you believe it?  We are only a few days away from celebrating Easter.  It is going to be a great time of celebration for the Olivet family.  I wanted to let you know about the exciting events the week of Easter.   First, the Passion Play at CPHS April 2-4.  As usual, it will be a powerful presentation of the gospel of Christ through music and drama.  This year all of the performances will be at 7:00 p.m.  Make plans to come and bring a friend, our people do an awesome job of presenting the last week in the life of Christ.   Second, Easter Sunday.  I am looking forward to the Resurrection Celebration we have planned for you and the friends you’ll bring with you this year.  I want to encourage you to make plans to come and bring your friends to Sunday School on Easter.  It will be a great time of fellowship and celebration.   Let me give you some things you can do as we prepare to celebrate the wonderful things that God has done. 2010-03-21T19:44:00-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/read_the_bible_in_one_year/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/read_the_bible_in_one_year/#When:18:46:01Z It has really been exciting to see how many people are starting the Journey through the bible together this year.  We have run out of copies of our bible reading plan the last two weeks and we are making more copies so you can get one this week.  Also, there have been many people tell me how their journey is going whether they are reading with the hard copy or online.  I want to encourage you to keep at it and find a partner who can keep you accountable to stay with it.  I know that God will bless your commitment.  I have discovered that often when I least feel like having my time with God is actually when I need it the most. 2010-01-10T18:46:01-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/new_year_new_beginning/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/new_year_new_beginning/#When:19:18:00Z I love the beginning of a new year because it is a time to get a fresh start.  I want to encourage you to get a fresh start on spiritual growth in 2010.  As a church family I pray that this year will be a year of spiritual growth and maturity.  One of the things I encourage you to do this year is to read the bible through this year.  I mean make a commitment to read it cover to cover over the next 12 months. 2010-01-03T19:18:00-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/40_days_of_love/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/40_days_of_love/#When:02:06:00Z Wow!  40 Days of love has been an awesome experience for our church family.  I have heard stories of many people who made some first time steps of growth.  Some began a daily time with God over the last six weeks, some have discovered the power of being in a small group Sunday school class, or the difference it makes to memorize God’s word.  There have been many who have shared the joy of serving our community together through fall fest.  It made an impact in the lives of over 2500 people in our community.  The past few weeks have been a blessing.  Basically, we have been working on the habits that are essential for spiritual growth and health.  It really is the purpose that God has called us to as a family of faith, helping people KNOW GOD, SEEK HIM, SERVE HIM AND SHARE HIS LOVE. 2009-11-16T02:06:00-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/when_is_something_the_church/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/when_is_something_the_church/#When:19:50:00Z James White said that he recently sat in a board room with a prominent Christian businessman who proclaimed that his business was just a much the “church” as any other enterprise.   Here was White’s answer.  “I thought to myself, ‘Um, no, it’s not.’"   2009-09-23T19:50:00-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/why_do_bad_things_happen/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/why_do_bad_things_happen/#When:00:46:00Z Over the centuries and especially in the mind of the 21c person, probably the most often asked question is “If God is all powerful, why do bad things happen?”  The why question is something that probably all of us have dealt with in one way or another.  I recently came across this video by Voddie Baucham who gives a biblical perspective on the subject that you don’t hear much today.  I encourage you to watch and think… (To view the video visit http://www.Tangle.com click on the video under Dr. Voddie Baucham Jr., called If God is all powerful, why do bad things happen?) 2009-09-07T00:46:00-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/how_to_take_the_bible_literally/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/how_to_take_the_bible_literally/#When:14:23:00Z As I begin this blogging adventure I wanted to deal with a subject that should be important to every believer. How to interpret the Bible correctly?   I read a fellow pastors blog and he referred to a recent article by a professor at IIiff School of Theology.  “No one reads or interprets the Bible literally—regardless as to what they profess.  To do so is simplistic, if not dangerous.  All of us read our bias, our theology, and our social location into the text.  There is no such thing as an objective reading; all readings are subjective.”   But wait, it gets worse. 2009-08-30T14:23:00-06:00 http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/why_i_decided_to_create_a_blog/ http://www.olivetonline.com/index.php/blog/why_i_decided_to_create_a_blog/#When:16:59:00Z There are really two reasons I wanted to post a blog from time to time.  First of all I wanted to share news about what is happening at Olivet.  There are certain opportunities or ministries or events that we don’t really have time to thoroughly discuss the value or hear about the great things that God is doing.  Our schedule just does not allow us enough time.  So I hope the blog can be a way to communicate to our church family and those not in our church families about the great things that God is doing at Olivet. 2009-08-23T16:59:00-06:00