Fireproof Growth Group to be Offered This Summer

Announcing...

A GROWTH GROUP for couples
FIREPROOF
Your Marriage

Based on the award-winning movie “Fireproof”
This innovative marriage building GROWTH GROUP for couples will meet Tuesdays starting June 2 through July 21. Register by calling (626) 286-3125 x 11 or by emailing glenn@templecitybaptist.org.

This includes 6 sessions of study plus a movie night and a practical service experience.

NEVER LEAVE YOUR PARTNER BEHIND

Dim Bulbs?

Every now and then, something like this crosses my email desk. With apologies to almost everybody,

CHANGING A LIGHT BULB THE CHRISTIAN WAY:

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Charismatic: Only 1. Hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal: 10. One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians: None. Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic: None - Candles only.

Baptists: At least 15. One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.

Episcopalians: Three. One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was.

Mormons : Five. One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.

Unitarians/New Agers: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

Methodists: Unimportant. Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.

Nazarene: Six. One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.

Lutherans: None. Lutherans don't believe in change.

Amish: What's a light bulb?

For the record: my sister-in-law is a Lutheran, my nephew is a Methodist minister, my late Uncle Ira was a Nazarene and my dad was--his words--an apostate Episcopalian.

Almost Last Chance(s)

For two events Thursday at FBC:

ACTIVATE SEMINAR with Kerrick Thomas, a seminar on small groups. This is simply the best training on small groups--and I'm a veteran of many. 9 AM-Noon, Pacesetter Room. Register here.

TOWN HALL FOR HOPE with Dave Ramsey (via webcast), 5 PM-6:30 PM, Sanctuary. For more info and registration, go here (though walk-ins are welcome).

We are up to 37 registered for this event.

Town Hall for Hope Draws Interest; Back from Arkansas; Activate Seminar

FBC is a host location of the nationwide Town Hall for Hope with Dave Ramsey this Thursday 5 PM till 6:30 PM.

As of this writing, 29 people have registered to come to FBC via web sign-up.

My offer still stands: free dinner for the first 20 FBC-based registrants. Email me directly (glenn@templecitybaptist.org) to get on that list. (Dinner will follow at 6:30.)

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On a different subject, we're back in Temple City after a quick trip to Springdale, AR, for my neice's wedding. (She's now Mrs. Larry Brammel). On Sunday morning, we worshipped at FBC Springdale, a megachurch (15,000 attendance).

Good message. But do you know what? Even this megachurch had a microphone squeal of feedback and a misspelling on a slide.

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A third topic: last call to register for the Activate Seminar this Thursday, 9 AM-Noon. Use this link.

If you would like to come but $49 is too much, email me directly; I MAY (not for sure!) be able to get you in gratis. (Right now it looks like a cozier group of 50 or so.)

See you soon!

---Pastor Glenn

Easter Surge!

Sending out 14,000 cards to invite people to Easter? Are you crazy? Well, like a fox!

We had the biggest surge of first timers for Easter that I can remember in 10 years at FBC! Several of these cited the cards as the reason for being here. The "fields are white for harvest"--Sam Hodson and I just met to go over the data from the new guests. Emails have already gone out and snail mail will be zipping out of here like made! (Phone calls too!)

Hey church, keep all these new folks in your prayers!

And next Sunday, come back to hear "The Stone of Doubt" with Chris Watkins speaking. (I'll be in Arkansas for my neice's wedding.)

Journey to the Cross Sets Stage for Resurrection Celebration

A tale of two gardens: this is the Garden of Gethsemene. This was set aside as a place for prayer. We had to add a lot of chairs to this area. There was also a Garden of Eden area.

Moving the mountain: Mt. Sinai arrives Thursday. The fabricated mountain was made by an associate of Worship Pastor Matt Cooper at Isolated Ground.

Welcoming worshippers was the prophet Isaiah, who turned 2,780 recently!

Jill Vago at the cross--covered with slips of paper with the words MY SIN. Participants nailed them to the cross.

Above: the Prophet's Room--a place to examine Messianic prophecies.

Here are some photos from the assembly and the experience THE JOURNEY TO THE CROSS last night at First Baptist. Special thanks to LUIS VASQUEZ, JOHN ERNEST, SCOTT LEAR, BOB RANDALL, BRENDON and KAREN FLANNIGAN, ROBIN GIAMMALVA, and especially DON BUCHANAN aka ISAIAH.