Bobby Lepinay

Weight Gain

I stepped on the scale early this morning, and to my horror......I was weighing in at _______ pounds!!!!

Trust me:  You won't be getting that info from me right now.  Here's what I can't figure out though.  I go to Chicago and eat Chicago Deep Dish pizza for 2 nights.  I get on the scale Monday morning, no change.  I eat very light all week, get on the scale Thursday morning......

....HELLO!!!!  4 pounds heavier!!!?????

It doesn't make sense.  I am miserable right now.  Seriously, its amazing what 4 pounds can make in how you feel.  Sluggish, swollen, puffy......ughh!!!  Too much sitting and no excercise I am sure has maybe just a LITTLE to do with it.

Back to the road and running next week....:(

See you guys Sunday morning, IF I can find some jeans that fit me..! :)

PB

Why Men Don't Ask Women For Directions

Today has been a LONG day and to be honest, my brain is too fried to think! :)  I am just needing a good, dependable comedy movie.....one of those tried and true ones...."What About Bob?"....to make me laugh.

...Hey, the Bible does say that "a merry heart does one good like medicine", right?? :)

On that, I was at a seminar today where the speaker, during a break, showed some funny videos.  This one was hilarious...at least to me!

Why Men Dont Ask for Directions and other Commercials Videos on StupidVideos.com

Tommorow...

PB

Interesting...VERY interesting....

Senator plans crackdown on televangelists -- Could the SEC follow?

Posted Nov 6th 2007 6:46PM by Zac Bissonnette

Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa is taking a hard look at some of the best-known televangelists in America, and wants to know whether it's right that they avoid paying any taxes while their ministries contribute immensely to their personal wealth.

According to The Wall Street Journal(subscription required), "Mr. Grassley said his investigation was prompted by complaints from watchdog groups and others that the ministers live in multimillion-dollar homes, travel on private jets and engage in profit-making ventures from their ministries. He said the complaints raised suspicions, "but I would not make a final judgment until I get the story from the ministries."

Among the ministries that Grassley is seeking investigation from are faith-healer Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, and Kenneth Copeland.

Hinn may be the least defensible. According to an interview with Florida Magazine in 1991, Hinn replied to a question about his ostentatious display of wealth this way: "What's the big deal, for goodness sake? What am I supposed to do, drive a Honda? ...That's not in the Bible. ... I'm sick and tired about hearing about streets of gold in heaven. I don't need gold in heaven. I got to have it now!"
For an in-depth profile of Mr. Hinn, check out this article from D Magazine.

But having watched a few of these late night ministrimercials, I wonder if the SEC should be taking a look to. Many of these ministers who preach the prosperity doctrine urge viewers to send in money, and promise that they will be rewarded. According to the Associated Baptist Press, "The most manipulative TV evangelists present a simple formula as well, saying God will multiply and return to the giver whatever amount is given to a particular ministry."

Isn't that kind of like selling an unregistered security? Is there any material difference between that and a boiler room broker telling someone an obscure penny stock is going "to da moon"?

In 1982, the Supreme Court stated in Marine Bank v. Weaver, 455 U.S. 551, that a security could be a stock, bond, option, etc., "along with the countless and variable schemes devised by those who seek the use of the money of others on the promise of profits."

Based on that, a strong a case could be made that some of these televangelists really are selling a security when they ask viewers to "plant a seed of faith".

And if these donors (I would argue they're really investors, if they're sending money based on the promise of a return -- Isn't that what an investor is?) don't receive the promised "return", are they victims of investment fraud?

I'd like to see the SEC take a look at some of these infomercials -- It might be a new way to crack down on these charlatans who prey on desperate people.

Tags: Evangelists, SEC, Televangelists, television

Weekend Review 10/3

As most of you know, I brought Roger, Jacob and Will up to the same church Craig and I were at last month, Community Christian Church in Napierville, IL.  These guys run about 5000 and have become a great 'model' for us at Harvest, as they have opened up everything for us to learn.

We went on the 'Hitch-hikers Guide to Multisite', Multisite Church Revolution.  It was a flat out homerun for us and without question the most practical thing we have ever done toward equipping us to get to the next level.

This church has 27 services scattered over 8 locations each weekend.  We were part of a group of 20 from other churches that went in 2 vans from site to site to site, studying, learning.  We did not stop the whole weekend, but thankfully, we came in Friday early enough to get a few hours of fun time in Chicago before we got started going Saturday morning.

What did we do with the little down time we had?  2 things that were hands down SPECTACULAR: 

1. We saw the musical "Wicked".  Home @ Wicked the Musical .  This is the story of what happened BEFORE the Wizard of Oz.  Utterly brilliant..... 

2.  We ate at Lou Malnati's Pizza.  Lou Malnati's Pizzerias .::. Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza!  Seriously ya'll.......beyond Ruth's Chris fillet, this is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth!  We ordered the Lou's Special, added pepperoni, black olives and sausage......none of us wanted it to end.

From there, it was nonstop Saturday early am until it was finished, Sunday at 3pm.  We arrived back in Pcola at 10pm last night, exausted, but ready to make immediate changes for the good, starting this very week. 

I am a firm believer in always getting EQUIPPED for the next level, whether as a church, as getting ready for marriage, kids, .....whatever....

......we need to never stop learning, never stop striving to grow past our limitations!

Have a great week!

PB

UnChristian

  Last month, I heard Dave Kinnamen, the writer of the new book, "UnChristian", speak.  It was fantastic, a real, true, hard look at what non-Christians REALLY see when they see church and Christians.

Click here to see it: Amazon.com: unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters: Books: David Kinnaman,...

I urge you to buy the book and read it, as without question, America is now firmly a Post-Christian nation.  The average non-Christian has no idea who Moses is, who Paul is, who David is, ......even who JESUS is. 

If we are going to reach these who Jesus died for, we absolutely have to relook at EVERYTHING we do!

At Harvest, over the period of the past 2 years, we have torn apart everything we were doing and chunked all that was not in keeping with our MISSION of 'turning spiritual seekers into Spirit-empowered servants of Jesus Christ."  Our Rave service is tightly focused on speaking to the seeker, without any apology. 

Because of this, since we started in May, we have baptized at least 20 who had no previous church experience.  All are involved in the life of the church now.

That is not to pat us on the back.  Its just to say that if you REALLY care about reaching those far from God, you will make whatever changes are necessary.  For instance, we are giving our tv show to unbelievers that some of our people work with, asking them to give us honest feedback. 

That has been an eye-opener! :) 

But....... we are changing it as we speak....!

Beyond that, every single week, because we are EXPECTING unchurched people to be there, everyone who comes to the platform introduces themselves for the millionth time.  Why?? 

Because we EXPECT there to be non-Christian 'guests' and we want to be the best Host we can be!

I could go further, but I am sure you get the point.  See, we can pray and pray for revival, but if WE don't change, facing the 'brutal facts', we pray in vain. 

And the biggest 'brutal fact' is that IF you go this way, you will for sure have 'churched people' come in who won't get it.  They are good and godly people, but they are looking for a church that is just about feeding them, a church that has the best programs for their kids, teens, etc..  We get some of these like everyone else. 

But they quickly come to a crossroads: Join in the 'mission' and serve or you will become deeply unhappy here! :) 

We at Harvest aren't going back.  And every single one of our CORE would never go back to church as we did it for years, church that is all about US, feeding us better and more than the churches we came from. No, we are all 'self-feeders', joined together to do the cause of Jesus, which is leaving the 99 to go after the 1 lost sheep!

I wax wordy....but as you can tell, this is my PASSION, folks...! :)

Hey, while on a different note,.....Remember to set your clocks BACK one hour Saturday night. 

Have a great weekend!

PB