Wednesday Link List

Not new, but too good just to link; you have to watch this…

• Edith Shaeffer, wife of the late Christian philosopher Francis Shaeffer, has died at age 98. 
• A member of The Church on the Way in Valencia,CA — and grandson of Jack Hayford, the church’s founder — is now back home uninjured after being kidnapped last week in Mexico.
• Singer Carrie Underwood and NHL hockey player Mike Fisher discuss their shared faith in Jesus.
• Know the song “‘Tis a Gift To Be Simple”?  Terry Mattingly says that definitely applies to the new Pope.
• Yes the Easter story really happened in a real place, and if you want, you can even get the GPS coordinates.
• And did they play that “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s a-Coming” video at your church this week? Here’s the text for all you aspiring preachers to give it your best shot.
• And don’t miss this story about church pyrotechnics gone awry. This could have ended very badly.
  
• Also at Parchment Pen: Did the author of the Gospel of Mark sleep in the nude?  The public wants to know.
• Sandy Patti is headlining at Carnegie Hall with the Manhattan Pops Orchestra and the pianist formerly (and still) known simply as Dino.
• For 32 years, Rick Warren said ‘no’ to the idea of doing a radio show. But then a year ago…
• A friend of ours, Rick Webster, pastor of The Third Space church in Peterborough has written Introducing Jesus — but he doesn’t use the word pastor, preferring Spiritual Wilderness Guide and Community Architect. We don’t normally do this here, but you can order the book online. 
• From the artist who brought us the Reimagine song, a cover of Larry Norman’s UFO song.
  
• Canadian author and blogger Sheila Wray-Gregoire says that if you are concerned for someone, you need to ask yourself three questions before you say anything.
• Another Elevation Church high-tech year end summary. Does your church’s annual report look like this?
  
• Maybe some cartoonists can illustrate complex issues, but Dave Walker finds himself somewhat lost for ideas in Uganda. 
• Okay, Doug Wilson, curiosity was killing me when you wrote Good Friday and the Death of Same Sex Envy. (And then he also discusses pattern recognition, too.)
  
• Shauna Niequist is the wife of a Christian musician and daughter of a world famous pastor. And a published author.  But she still deals with jealousy.
• Money Where Your Mouth Is Department: Michael Kelley offers us two things we can learn from the Veronica Mars movie campaign on Kickstarter.
  
• How about another 30-or-so links, all on the subject of apologetics? And don’t miss the first comment. 
• Blog flashback — one year ago: James MacDonald’s holiness test.
  
• The latest addition to our “lost song” collection at YouTube is this original version of God and Man at Table by Craig Smith. 
• And I didn’t realize until today how much this song and this song sound alike. Guess some classic gospel music or CCM just flies under the copyright radar.
  

Crystal Cathedral Sale Proceeding

Right now, the Crystal Cathedral itself is in need of prayer

While several Crystal Cathedral insiders believe that the church can raise $50M (US) between now and the American Thanksgiving holiday, the courts are moving in the direction of allowing the sale of the land and buildings to happen sooner than later, to satisfy creditors.  The Orange County Register reports: “Nanette Sanders, an attorney representing the creditors, said the next step will be to mail out the plan, which calls for the sale of the 40-acre campus to the highest and best bidder, and the ballots to more than 400 creditors by Sept. 24 and a buyer will be picked on Oct. 31. ” I added the italics because the offers include considerations that go beyond just dollar amounts.

The church has several pending offers to consider. The highest is now from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange for $53.6 million in cash – up from $50 million.

Chapman University, which originally offered $46 million, is now ready to pay $50 million. My Father’s House International Church in Norco is also offering $50 million. Chapman’s plan includes a leaseback and buyback option as does Oklahoma-based arts and crafts retailer Hobby Lobby’s $47.5-million offer. Greenlaw Partners’ $46-million offer, which was the church’s preferred plan in May, was not even listed as a bidder in the creditors’ plan.

Sanders said Wednesday that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and Chapman University seem the strongest of the bidders.

[Continue Reading the story here]

The story goes on to say that Robert H. Schuller and his wife held hands during the court hearing.  See… that’s what makes for good reporting; I would have missed that detail.

The offer from Hobby Lobby is such that the property would then be leased to King’s College for $1.00 per year. [Source] While there are several schools known as King’s College, this is a reference to The King’s College and Seminary, founded by charismatic pastor Jack Hayford, currently located north of Los Angeles adjacent to Church on the Way in Van Nuys.

Nothing Matters But The Weekend… Some blogs pretty well shut down on the weekend, but weekends can be a rather quiet time for those who miss the pace of work or school; so Thinking Out Loud frequently ramps it up with extra posts on Saturdays or Sundays. You can be a part of doing something similar. Find a need that’s not being met. Find a group of people who need connection. Find a place where every sign says ‘closed.’ And then step up. Make a difference. Swim upstream. You can have a part in changing lives.