Wednesday Open Forum Live Blog

*More Recent Comments Appear First*

- Forum is over for the day. It's amazing to me the amount of questions about the LS on Sunday nights and our brotherhoods constant attempts to not address the subject. I will blog about the LS on Sunday nights when I get back to Ripon. I would give today a 5 out of 10.

- Mac Lyon makes a showing at the MIC. He tells a story about when he was preaching and he and the elders wanted to address the low attendance. So they elders told Mac they would take out a full page article in the newspaper to advertise a series of lessons on Sunday nights by him. Mac asked what they wanted him to speak on. They said they wanted him to speak on what the Bible says about the death penalty. Long story short Sunday night the audience was packed with lawyers from all around. He said they knew more about the law than he did. What they wanted to know is what the Bible says. He said millions of people in this world want to hear what the Bible says and they are going to Sunday evening services and leaving with their buckets empty. Go Mac Go!

-Had to make an unexpected bathroom run for Caleb Jr. Alex filled in for me while I was gone.

-Question/statement about giving unexpected tax returns to the Lord. Ralph says it's a wonderful point.

- Question then goes to the LS on Sunday evening. Ralph says we need to be careful not to make an expedience into a command. What if a guy can’t make it for both because of shift work? Another asks is it necessary to offer the LS (Lord’s Supper) on Sunday nights. Ralph says some do it all together. He says it’s a matter of expediency. Ralph has completely dodge the question.

- A guy gets to the mic and says some of the reasons their members give is they don’t want to “rassel” (that’s wrestling to those of us in the West) with their kids again. He then asks if on Sunday evenings we can do something different and Ralph quickly says NO.

I think Ralph’s response was too quick. I don’t believe the brother was saying we need to change worship. Why can’t be have Bible class? Why can’t we do a Bible chart together? We have already met for the assembly on the first day of the week question. I will try to add more thoughts on this later

- One MIC comment is that we need to give them something worth coming back for. Not treat it like it’s a not that important.

- BTW… Alex Aguirre is wearing a black T-Shirt, Hurley pants and black Pumas. I think he is going to audition for the next spot as Johnny Cash.

- How can we get people back on Sunday night? Ralph calls it the “half-back” position; you get half the members back. He asks for help from the mics. Not really getting any apropos feedback.

- Ralph is wearing a shiny jacket. I think it’s a leather jacket or one of those flashy suits. I’m hoping it’s one of those out of date flashy suits. If so he is a courageous dude.

- Why do good things happen to bad people? Ralph is talking fast going through Scriptures. He mentions the usual providence stuff etc…. He says that we don’t know why things happen today because we don’t have the reason revealed to us. We don’t know why things happen. It could be the hand of God or it could just be the natural result of a fallen world.

My comments - Where people get into trouble is when they try to attribute something to God when they don’t know. We are in trouble when we say God doesn’t work – He does! We get in trouble when we try to label what is and what is not a work of God – We don’t know. He works, He is alive, but we don’t know exactly what He is doing and what are the natural consequences of a fallen world. God taught this to Job. When Job wanted to know God told Job that as soon as he can explain how nature works in detail then I will tell you. He shut the mouth of job and that’s where our mouths should be on these matters.

- Question is about how much we can help the Baptist at Union (the place hit by the tornado yesterday). Ralph says the school has already offered housing assistance to Union. He says we need to show the love of Christ to them. I don’t think he really answered the question. I told my brother-in-law Joe Wells last night that it was the wrath of God on the Baptists (it's a joke people).

- Ralph delivers on the cheesy joke

- Listening to Lipe’s canned introduction of “Ralph”

- Opening announcements. My prediction is a cheesy Gilmore joke to start it off.

- Now they are passing the baskets. They want $$$$$. Audience seems more sparse today than previous days. They must have got a memo that there was going to be a call for money that I missed.