What is the D'Vinci Code? The phenomena surrounding the book and movie is interesting to say the least. I wonder how many books have been written to combat, dispute, explain the so-called D'Vinci Code.
Certainly the story has taken on a life of its own. But what is it anyway? Is it some new found manuscript? Is it new evidence just discovered? Is it even someone's theory? Nope. None of the above. "The" D'Vinci Code is a story...a work of fiction...made up by a clever author. No doubt it will cause skeptics to nod their head in an "I told you so" acknowledgement. The story has obviously caused a tremendous amount of reaction in the Christian community.(ipso facto this writing) But is the reaction justified? Perhaps, in the vein of reminding us that we, as believers, ought to know more about our beliefs and the reasons for them...that there are good sound reasons for our faith. But to "combat" the book or movie? Why? What are we "combatting"? a made up work of fiction.Does it deserve all the attention? I'll leave that for others to decide, but we would do well to let it be only an evidence that many are always anxious to find some way to discredit truth, even if by fiction.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Monday, May 22, 2006
Baptism at Orosi Valley
Last Sunday we had the pleasure of attending a baptismal service in beautiful Orosi Valley. It's one of the prettiest places I've seen...a green valley probably a half mile across with a winding river running through it. Lush mountains rise up on all sides enclosing the valley and making it seem like a protected lost paradise. But the most beautiful thing was watching 5 new believers being baptized. The baptism didn't save them, but it remains a wonderful symbol of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and the new life we receive in Him.
The baptism took place in a river, but a river with a quirk. At the edge of the river, cordoned by rocks, is a thermal pool. It was in this pool that the baptism took place. About 30 people went on a bus to the river and had a worship service, including the baptism, and then a picnic.
Along with this account is a story. Earlier in the month a volunteer team from the states had been in the area of Cot,in Cartago, a very strongly Catholic area.They at first attempted to go door to door passing out copies of the gospel of John, however they were not received well. People were not friendly at all and it was clear they resented them being there. (This actually is unusual in Costa Rica.) They decided to stop because they didn't want to hurt the future ministry of the church in the area. They then began talking to some children at the school, but the teachers asked them to stop, being afraid they would get into trouble.Naturally, the volunteers honored that request. They then decided to just walk/drive around the village 7 times praying, which they did.
Soon after that, there was a very bad car wreck in the village. Two people were killed and one man lost part of his leg. The pastor of the little church in the village had been befriending and witnessing to one of the men involved for a long time, so he visited him in the hospital. He accepted the Lord and so did several of his family members. They were some of the ones baptized at the river. Only God knows the course of things, but the pastor is convinced that all of this is connected and God used the prayers and the wreck to bring the people to Christ. Who can say? But He does work in mysterious ways.
The baptism took place in a river, but a river with a quirk. At the edge of the river, cordoned by rocks, is a thermal pool. It was in this pool that the baptism took place. About 30 people went on a bus to the river and had a worship service, including the baptism, and then a picnic.
Along with this account is a story. Earlier in the month a volunteer team from the states had been in the area of Cot,in Cartago, a very strongly Catholic area.They at first attempted to go door to door passing out copies of the gospel of John, however they were not received well. People were not friendly at all and it was clear they resented them being there. (This actually is unusual in Costa Rica.) They decided to stop because they didn't want to hurt the future ministry of the church in the area. They then began talking to some children at the school, but the teachers asked them to stop, being afraid they would get into trouble.Naturally, the volunteers honored that request. They then decided to just walk/drive around the village 7 times praying, which they did.
Soon after that, there was a very bad car wreck in the village. Two people were killed and one man lost part of his leg. The pastor of the little church in the village had been befriending and witnessing to one of the men involved for a long time, so he visited him in the hospital. He accepted the Lord and so did several of his family members. They were some of the ones baptized at the river. Only God knows the course of things, but the pastor is convinced that all of this is connected and God used the prayers and the wreck to bring the people to Christ. Who can say? But He does work in mysterious ways.
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