Authenticity vs. Sincerity

Hey Guys,

I won't see you this Friday morning, but I wanted to share a question with you and get your thoughts:

Authenticity vs. Sincerity - Is there a difference?

-Archie

Did You Stand Up on Sunday?

Hey Guys,

Lance did an in-place altar call of sorts this Sunday, asking wayward/backsliding/apathetic/pick-a-term Christians and new believers to stand and declare their desire to recommit themselves to/begin following the Lord. Everyone else, who were on good terms with God, was asked to just stay seated. Lance wasn't being manipulative (unless you think asking someone to do something is manipulative, which I don't), and I know I fall into the first category (or else I fall into the unmentioned category of "not a Christian, but thinks he is", which I dont' think I do - but by definition I would think that, right?), but I didn't stand up.

Maybe I felt manipulated, maybe it was my pride, maybe it was my contrarian streak, or maybe it was a combination of those things that lead me to stay seated. And maybe this post is my way of standing up after the fact. (Weak, I know).

Anyway, did any of you have similar or different thoughts/feelings about this?

-Archie

Third Temple Anyone?

So Jeff and I had a nice long conversation last nite about the idea of the Third Temple being built to reinstitute sacrifices, temple worship, etc. The Dispensationalists need this because in their viewpoint, this brings Antichrist into the picture, which by default would mean the Rapture prior to that. The question really is: Is it likely that it will happen? Will God allow it, knowing that it's the wrong way? Or did Jesus, Stephen in Acts 7, Paul in Galatians 3, or the author of Hebrews all say back then, "you've got it all wrong! All these things leading up to Jesus were but a shadow and a type of things to come."

I also don't need to explain that the prosperity gospel loves the Left Behind idea, because God doesn't want any of us to suffer. He wants us to have our BMWs and be whisked away, right?