Test Your Knowledge of Easter

Are you pretty up on things surrounding the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ? Let's find out (answers below and page links to where answers were gained)...

1. Each Easter Americans buy the following amount of Marshmallow Peeps shaped like chicks, bunnies and eggs (of which yellow is the #1 color chosen): (a) 7 million; (b) 70 million; (c) 700 million; (d) 80 million.

2. The day of Easter varies from year to year. How is the date determined?(a) mark 12 weeks from Christmas, multiply that by 3, then divide by 2; (b) 7 possible dates are taped to a wall. The Pope then plays pin the tail on the donkey; (c) it is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the blue moon that takes place on or after the vernal equinox of March 21; (d) it is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon that takes place on or after the vernal equinox of March 21.

3. What percentage of Americans believe that Jesus rose from the grave after having died? (a) 100%; (b) 75%; (c) 50%; (d) 25%.

4. Among other things, the use of eggs on Easter stands for: (a) the start of Spring; (b) new life; (c) an empty tomb; (d) fruitfulness.

5. The bunny as a symbol of Easter is believed to have it's origins in: (a) Germany; (b) Italy; (c) Israel; (d) America.

6. In its infancy Easter was celebrated on changing days of the week. Which political figure ruled that Easter must fall only on a Sunday? (a) Henry the VIII; (b) Julius Caesar; (c) Constantine; (d) Cleopatra.

7. The first one to see Jesus alive on Easter Sunday was: (a) an angel; (b) Pontius Pilate; (c) the Virgin Mary; (d) Mary Magdalene.

Answers: 1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (c) 7. (d)

(This test was developed and based on information from the following websites: The Christian Post, Easter - 123Holiday.net, Easter Candy Facts, Easter Egg - Wikipedia, Easter Bunny History, and Bible Gateway and The History of Easter.)

Marriage Made in Heaven

This is now the second post in a series entitled: "Lessons from the Holy Family." (Read the first post by clicking here: A "God" Thing.) And the second lesson we learn from the holy family (Mary, Joseph and Jesus) is this: Marriage is between a man and a man or a woman and a woman like we found out a couple of years ago in England was okay. No! Marriage isn't between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. And I don't care if Elton John disagrees! (His celebrity status was used to promote the England thing.) Instead, marriage is to be between a man and a woman. The Scripture (and Christmas story, too!) can't be clearer on this. Matthew 1:24 reads: "After Joseph woke up, he and Mary (not Larry!) were soon married, just as the Lord's angel had told him to do." This is God's prescription for a man and a woman to be joined together in holy matrimony: "For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). Marriage truly was made in heaven (not England!). Watch for Part 3 in the "Lessons from the Holy Family" series to come soon.

A "God" Thing

This is the first post in a series over the next four weeks leading up to Christmas entitled: "Lessons from the Holy Family." The holy family I'm talking about is none other than the holy family of old: the Virgin named Mary, Joseph her husband and the Christ child. And the first lesson from the holy family is this. Be careful. That thing you're being critical of just might be a "God" thing. And when you really think about it, the Christmas story really is a "family affair." No pun intended. I'll talk about the "affair" part in just a moment. But the Incarnation and the advent of Christ is all about a "family," first of all. Is it not? A "family" is at the middle of it. A "family" is at the middle of the Christmas story. Families play an important part in the Lord's scheme of things. It's the primary unit to communicate the gospel and the things of God. The church and pastor is a complement to the family, not the other way around. Did I say that too fast so you missed it? The church and pastor should not be the sole means that children learn about God and the things of God. God never meant it to be that way. But on now to the "affair" part of the Christmas story. Right? The "affair" part of the Christmas story: Mary gets pregnant out-of-wedlock prior to her marrying Joseph. ******* And can you just imagine the looks she got and what the ladies said amongst themselves - the conversations that took place as Mary's belly grew and continued to expand over the course of a period of time? And then when Mary was there standing with Joseph to be married? Can you just imagine the thoughts and thinking on the part of some? ******* Again, be careful. That thing you're being critical of just might be a "God" thing. We can be so critical even as Christians. I mean, if it isn't "the way we used to do it." Have you ever heard anyone say that? Or if it's not according to our opinions or our tastes. Or if it's a chorus instead of a hymn - fill in the blank! - then, well . . . . And I'm even convinced of this, my friends - for those who really aren't so open to God like they portray themselves to be believers, but are they really? - God just might choose to do something in the very way that would be offensive to them. I mean, the Messiah who is to save Israel is born in a manger in a cave? That can't possibly be a "God" thing. Oh, yes it is! ******* What is it in your life that's a "God" thing that you need to be more open to? ******* Watch for Part 2 in the "Lessons from the Holy Family" series to come soon.

What About The Faithful Who've Died?

There are three things that are true about believing loved ones that have gone on. The first thing that's true is: They’re with the Lord. They go to heaven. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, the Apostle Paul writes (and I paraphrase) in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, the second part of v. 8. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And so when a believer in Jesus Christ dies, they are no longer there in their body. But they're some where. At the exact moment after their last breath, these go directly to Jesus. It’s the first thing that’s true about believing loved ones that have gone on: They’re with the Lord. They go to heaven. It's that quick, my friends. And now the second thing that’s true about believing loved ones that have gone on: They’re made whole. They get new bodies. ******* And when Jesus first reappeared after rising from the dead – have you ever read it? – the disciples were “startled and frightened,” the Bible says, “and thought that they were seeing a spirit” (Lk. 24:37). But then Jesus said to His startled and frightened disciples – He spoke and said, “‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have’” (Lk. 24:38). The fact is Jesus had a restored body after having died and come back to life. Jesus had a restored body. And then He even went on to ask for something to eat to give further proof. I just love that story. Have you ever read it? ******* “For this perishabl[e, my brothers and sisters] (that is, these frail and very temporary bodies of ours) - For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting’” (1 Cor. 15:53-55). It’s the second thing that’s true about believing loved ones that have gone on: They’re made whole. They go to heaven. They get new and restored bodies, too! And now on to the third and final thing that’s true about believing loved ones that have gone on: We’ll see them again. They will be at the reunion. Will you? ******* What reunion? ******* “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:16-18). The church at Thessalonica worried about believing loved ones who’d gone on and what would happen to them? And so the Apostle Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 16-18 that I just read so that they would feel at ease. Those who’d gone on were to be a part of the reunion – that grand and glorious reunion when Jesus comes back for His people. Those who’d died wouldn’t be left out of it. Actually, they were the first ones who’d participate. It’s the third and final thing that’s true about believing loved ones that have gone on: We’ll see them again. They go to heaven. They get new and restored bodies, too! They will be at the reunion. Will you? “[I]f you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved” (Rom. 10:9). “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed” (Rom. 10: 11bc).

Meant For Worship - Part 2

The Bible declares without contradiction that God and God alone is to be the One whom we worship. We were indeed meant for worship like we saw the woman in the first post of this series worships Elvis. But it's the God who created heaven and earth (and human beings, too) that's to be the focus of our worship, not a person! In Psalm 2:11 the Scriptures say, "Worship the Lord with reverence." In Psalm 29:2 we read, "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in holy array." And in Matthew 4:10 Jesus Himself confirms that God is to be our worship focus. In response to the devil's demand for worship Christ declares, "'Begone, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only"'" (Mt. 4:10). And the fact that the God we are to worship is Jesus Himself is also made evident through the Scriptures. Our Savior is to be worshiped because He is God. This is important to realize because other religions direct their followers to worship their so-called "gods" which are not really gods at all. Jesus Christ is the one and only true God (Titus 2:13). Speaking of Him Hebrews 1:6 states, "And let all the angels of God worship Him (Christ)" (Heb. 1:6; Ps. 97:7). And in Matthew 2:11 it says, "...[The Magi (wisemen)] came into the house and saw the Child [Jesus] with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him (Christ)..." (Mt. 2:11). While on earth Jesus actually received worship without remark and didn't deny His Godhood. He did so because He is God and God alone is to be the focus of our worship. In John 10:38 the man born blind and healed by Jesus says to Him, "..."Lord, I believe [in You]." And [the formerly blind man] worshiped Him (Christ) (the verse closes)" (Jn. 10:38). And in Matthew 28:17 we read of the disciples' reaction to our Savior's appearance after the resurrection. There it says that, "...[When] they saw [Jesus], they worshiped Him (Christ); but some were doubtful" (Mt. 28:17). Again, my friends, we were meant for worship. Our worship focus is to be God and God alone. And because Jesus is God, when we worship Him, we are fulfilling our privilege.

Meant For Worship - Part 1

Worship. We hear the term used often. Sometimes the church building is called a house of worship. Sometimes the Sunday morning church gathering is called a worship service. But I don't want to talk so much about buildings and/or services. What I want to talk about instead is personal worship. A good way of determining who or what a person worships would be by asking the following questions: "How much time is he or she devoting to it?," "Does his or her lifestyle revolve around it?," "Is it central to him or her?," and, "Could he or she live without it?" A street was named "Elvis Place" (after Elvis Presley) being the ultimate victory of one woman's tireless efforts to bring it to pass. The young (at the time) and excited Miss Frazer's response would be to go and see, of all things, an Elvis movie. The question was, "Which one?" You see, she'd seen them all. And some more than once. For example, Miss Frazer had seen the movies, Love Me Tender, 107 times, Loving You, 110 times, King Creole, 91 times, and Jailhouse Rock, 91 times. When you add to this that Miss Frazer moved from New Orleans to Memphis to be near Elvis (his mansion is at Graceland), has twelve scrapbooks full of Elvis memorabilia - along with 40,000 pictures of him and a life-size cardboard replica of Elvis propped up overlooking her bed! - I guess you might have just a slight inkling as regards who this young lady has as a focus? You and I were meant for worship. But the worship we were meant for wasn't the worship of Elvis or any other person (or anything else). I'll talk more about who we were meant to worship in Part 2 of this blog post series. To come soon.

Christ's Love For You

The "Luck" of Barabbas

Barabbas. Do you remember him? He was the guy when Jesus was before Pilate who was offering for someone to be let go - it was Barabbas who got to go. You talk about "luck." That's what many in our society would call it. While as believers--how many of you know we don't live life with that kind of "chance" mentality? Rather, we know things happen for a reason. We know there's a God behind it all that causes this and that to take place and allows this and that or disallows this and that. We, as believers, don't live thinking it's by chance that things happen. Barabbas wasn't chosen to be in the running for freedom in Pilate's court that day long ago by chance. Uh uh. Instead, it was by design. It was God's "design" that Barabbas was chosen. It was because God wanted Barabbas there that he was there. It was because God wanted Barabbas set free. ******* And isn't that what God's favor and grace is all about? "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). God's favor and grace. It's all about people being chosen for freedom (from sin) not based on who they are or what they've done in the past, but rather based on because God's love has decided for it to happen (Rom. 5:8). God had decided that Barabbas should go free though he was a "notorious prisoner" (Mt. 27:16) and though he had insurrection in his blood. (Barabbas had robbed and murdered the Bible says.) Despite Barabbas' wickedness, God decided that Jesus should be held and killed and Barabbas be let go (when it should have been the other way around). Isn't that amazing? And it's all the more amazing when you understand the story of Barabbas is really a story about you and a story about me. We are all prisoners of sin with no hope of release (just like Barabbas!). And yet God's design is that Jesus take our place and die that we might be set free. O the depths of the riches of God's favor and grace! It's enough to make a person shout, "Hallelujah!"

All You Need is Love - Part 2

In Part 1 of this blog post series I spoke of the Beatles' song: "All You Need is Love," and how many couples believe that's what it takes to stay together: l-o-v-e, love. Yet I suggested that the kind of l-o-v-e, love, that it takes to stay together is different than what many people understand. Many people's understanding of love is that it's based on feelings. And so when the feelings are gone, that's when they're ready to throw in the towel and give up. But the love that makes a marriage go the distance ('til death do us part!) is much different than a feelings-based kind of love. This other love is an unselfish kind. It's a love that's based aside from feelings. And so when the feelings are gone, this love remains. And this love, it says, "You know, I don't care if the toilet paper isn't put on the right way like mom used to do it. I don't care if the toothpaste tube is squeezed from the middle. I don't care if she only wears make-up in public and not around the house. I don't care if I have to search to find his other sock for the umpteenth time." This is the kind of love that enables a marriage to go the distance. It's the love of commitment to your spouse no matter how you feel. "And even if your health is failing. And even if I have to get you in and out of a wheelchair because you're getting older, I'll do it. I'll do it! Because my love for you, honey, has nothing to do with how I feel or if I'm inconvenienced or anything else." This is the kind of love that enables a marriage to go the distance. Those of you who've been married a while know it's true. And it's surprising when you love somebody aside from your feelings - it's surprising how, oftentimes, the feelings, if they've gone, they come back and they're much deeper than before. The Beatles were right. "All You Need is Love" is really all you need in a marriage. We husbands and wives just gotta make sure it's the right kind of love.

All You Need is Love - Part 1

"All You Need is Love." It's the Beatle's song long ago in the 60s. Wasn't it? - those of you who are getting old like me? (Yes, I was around in the 60s!) It's the Beatle's song: "All You Need is Love." And it's true in marriage. All you need is love. And men and women enter into marriage realizing how important love is to making marriage work. And these are "in love." And they know they're "in love." And how do they know they're "in love"? Well, they know it because they feel it. They feel "in love." And when you get around Mr. or Mrs. Right, isn't it true? There are all those goosebumps and chills and light-headedness for some and the hormones start running wild. Amen? And it's love. It's love. It really is! "And I just know it because I have these feelings of love." And then the wedding comes. And the honeymoon. And Hawaii or wherever you're going. And laying on the beach and snorkeling and candlelight dinners. And the Beatle's song, "All You Need is Love." And everything's just going so smoothly. And you're both getting along so well. But then, lo and behold, something happens that you didn't see coming. The first shoe drops, so to speak, as, how many of you know, it always seems to? And the first shoe drops. And you see it. What do you see? You see the toilet paper isn't put on the right way like how mom used to do it back at home when you were growing up. After all, it's supposed to be rolled and coming over the top - right? - and not from under. "Whoever does it from under? Doesn't my wife know anything?" And the feelings of love are fading just a bit after only 24 hours. It happens with some. (How long was it that Britney Spears' marriages have lasted?) But you get back on track despite the toilet paper thing and the feelings of love fading just a bit. You get back on track. And a little while longer passes by in your marriage. And you're living together. And it was the first shoe that dropped a long, long time ago. And now it's another shoe that drops. The difference with this one as opposed to the first one, is this shoe happens to now be the 12,876th shoe that drops. "And you know, I could put up with the previous 12,875 irritations," some husbands and wives have been known to say, "but this is where I draw the line." "And just what's such a big deal with him and - and squeezing the toothpaste tube from the middle? I mean, no one in their right mind ever does it like that." Right? Or ladies, maybe in your house - maybe in your house it's - it's the toilet seat your husband just can't seem to remember to put it down. And, quite frankly, that's the last time you're going for a swim (skinny dipping?), thank you. And the feelings of love again - they're all but gone now after 5 years or 10 or however long it is. "After all, I just don't feel like I'm 'in love' anymore," some husbands and wives have also been known to say. And it's what happens to many marriages that start out so promising and with high expectations. And the problem really isn't that love disappears in these marriages after the many shoes that inevitably drop. The problem, rather, I'm convinced, is that husbands and wives don't have it in mind the kind of love that enables a marriage to go the distance. I'll talk more about it in "All You Need is Love - Part 2" to come soon.

Test Your Knowledge of the Old Testament

Do you know your Bible? Well, let's just find out if you do with a quiz. How 'bout it? This is now the second in a series entitled: "Test Your Knowledge of the Bible." The first test was on the New Testament. This second test will focus on the Old Testament. When you're finished you'll be able to check how well you did below. So let's go...

1. How many different books make up the Old Testament (according to the Protestant tradition)? (a) 39; (b) 66; (c) 28; (d) 27.

2. The Old Testament relates to the New Testament in the following way: (a) the Old Testament takes back seat to the teaching of the New Testament; (b) the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed while the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed; (c) the Old Testament should be taken as a separate body of writing with little or no relationship to the New Testament; (d) the Old Testament is the Jewish Scriptures while the New Testament is the Christian Scriptures.

3. The Hebrew Old Testament accepts the following books as unified texts versus being split up in to two (more than one answer): (a) 1 and 2 Kings; (b) 1 and 2 Samuel; (c) Ezra and Nehemiah; (d) 1 and 2 Chronicles.

4. Proof of the inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures (that is, that they were given divinely by God and they are without error) is the fact that: (a) many of the authors began their writings with or used the phrase: "Thus saith the Lord," and "Hear the word of the Lord"; (b) the New Testament includes verses that speak of the Old Testament, too - verses like: "All Scripture is inspired by God" (2 Tim. 3:16a) and "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (1 Pet. 1:20-21; (c) predictions made by the Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel have come to pass (for example, Isaiah predicted the Messiah would be born of a virgin, Jeremiah predicted the fall of Judah, the exile to Babylon and Israel's return to her land, Daniel predicted the rise and fall of empires including Babylon, Persia and Greece) (d) all of the above.

5. The central and unifying theme of the Old Testament is: (a) the people of Israel and their establishment in the Promised Land and as a nation; (b) the giving of the Law/Ten Commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai and his subsequent communication of that Law to the Israelites; (c) Abraham, who was to become the father of many nations and in his Seed would the peoples of the world be blessed; (d) the Person and work of Christ.

6. The books of the Old Testament are broken down as follows: (a) 5 of law, 12 of history, 5 of poetry, 5 of major prophets, 12 of minor prophets; (b) 5 of law, 12 of history, 5 of poetry, 6 of major prophets, 11 of minor prophets; (c) 5 of law, 12 of history, 5 of poetry, 4 of major prophets, 13 of minor prophets; (d) 5 of law, 12 of history, 5 of poetry, 7 of major prophets, 10 of minor prophets.

7. The Apostle Paul wrote most of the books of the New Testament. Who was it that wrote most of the books in the Old Testament? (a) Jeremiah; (b) David; (c) Samuel; (d) Moses.

Answers: 1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (a) & (c) 4. (d) 5. (d) 6. (a) 7. toss up between (c) and (d).

(This test was developed from the Unger's Bible Dictionary, the Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary and the following website: Wikipedia - Old Testament.)

Test Your Knowledge of the New Testament

This is the first in a series entitled: "Test Your Knowledge of the Bible." This first test has to do with the New Testament. What do you know about it? Let's find out with the following questions (you'll be able to check how many you get right below):

1. How many different books make up the New Testament? (a) 39; (b) 66; (c) 38; (d) 27.

2. How many different authors combined to write the New Testament? (a) 9; (b) 2; (c) 10; (d) 8.

3. Can you name the different authors who combined to write the New Testament? (a) Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, James, Jude, Philemon; (b) God the Father and the Holy Spirit; (c) Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, James, Jude; (d) Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, James, Jude, Jesus.

4. Of the four gospels contained in the New Testament, it is believed that one of them was really produced at the dictation of which person? (a) Mary Magdalene dictated to Matthew; (b) Peter dictated to Mark; (c) Paul dictated to Luke; (d) Jesus dictated to John.

5. Which is believed to be the earliest written New Testament epistle (excluding the Gospels)? (a) 1 Thessalonians; (b) James; (c) 1 Corinthians; (d) 1 Timothy.

6. The New Testament was mostly written in what language? (a) King James English; (b) Aramaic; (c) Egyptian; (d) Greek.

7. There is one New Testament book that is considered to have a sequel. Which is it and what is the sequel? (a) Romans and Hebrews; (b) 1st & 2nd Peter; (c) John's Gospel and Revelation; (d) Luke's Gospel and Acts.

Answers: 1. (d) 2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (b) 6. (d) 7. (d)

(This test was developed mostly from the New American Standard Bible, Open Bible Version. For more information on the New Testament, take some time to visit: Wikipedia - New Testament.)

How Men Would Have Chosen Jesus's Followers

Then he chose twelve of them to be his apostles.... Simon was one of the twelve, and Jesus named him Peter. There were also James and John, the two sons of Zebedee. Jesus called them Boanerges, which means "Thunderbolts." Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus were also apostles. The others were Simon, known as the Eager One, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus. (Mark 3:14a, 16-19; CEV)

Christ’s choosing of the 12 disciples in Mark chapter 3 wasn't much like we would have done it. And that fact alone is a reminder of how our thinking can be totally different than God’s. Jesus would choose Peter and James and John and Andrew, etc., but if we were in charge we would have done better. Right? And yet they were the right ones for the job! And consider this as you read the following piece called “If Men Had Chosen The Apostles” - consider that it just might be the relationships God has for you that you've been trying to wriggle out of are the very ones that are the best for you to help you grow up to become what God wants you to be.

TO: Jesus, Son of Joseph, Woodcrafters Carpenter Shop, Nazareth
FROM: Jordan Management Consultants, Jerusalem

Dear Sir:

Thank you for submitting the résumés of the twelve men you have picked for management positions in your new organization. All of them have taken our battery of tests; and we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant. The profiles of all tests are included, and you will want to study each of them carefully. As part of our service and for your guidance, we make some general comments, much as an auditor will include some general statements. This is given as a result of staff consultation and comes without any additional fee.

It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have a team concept. We recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability. Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau. James, the son of Alpheaus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale. One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your comptroller and right-hand man. All the other profiles are self-explanatory.

We wish you every success in your new venture.

Sincerely Yours.
Jordan Management Commitee

Change Comes Easy?

"Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." (Matthew 9:17)

Change comes easy for Christians? If you think it does I have some land to sell you in Jupiter, Tuolumne County, California. (You need to live here.) The following funny really says it all about how welcoming believers/church-goers are to something being different...

"How many church members does it take to change a light bulb?"

Whaddaya mean CHANGE??? That light bulb was given in memory of my Grandmother! My father installed it with his bare hands! He donated his time AND the use of his ladder to do it, too! My family's been members of this church for four generations! And if you think you're gonna come in here and make a bunch of changes all of a sudden, Pastor, you've got another thing coming! (from Clean Christian Jokes)