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There was a television show that began in 1956 entitled: To Tell the Truth. It wasan American television panel game show that continued for 25 seasons.
For those of you who are too young to remember this program let me tell you how it went. The show featured a panel of four celebrities attempting to correctly identify a described contestant who has an unusual occupation or experience. This central character was accompanied by two impostors who pretend to be the central character. The celebrity panelists question the three contestants; the impostors are allowed to lie but the central character is sworn "to tell the truth". After questioning, the panel attempts to identify which of the three challengers was telling the truth.
After the questioning was complete, each member of the panel votes on which of the challengers they believe to be the central character, either by writing the number on a card or holding up a card with the number of their choice, without consulting the other panelists.
Once the votes are cast, the host asks, "Will the real [person's name] please stand up?" The central character then stands, often after some brief playful feinting and false starts among all three challengers. The two impostors then reveal their real names and their actual occupations. Prize money was awarded to the challengers based on the number of incorrect votes the impostors draw.
Humorist, writer, and lecturer Mark Twain said, “If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”
As Jesus was standing before the Roman official Pilate engaged in a serious and revealing conversation Pilate asked the penetrating question, “What is truth?”
Jesusmade the absolute statement of Himself in regard to the subject of truth when He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Jesusalso said, “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free,” (John 8:32)
Why this talk about TRUTH?...Well... we as a church and congregation will be introduced to and experience a workshop/program that leads us on a pathway of vitality known as Veritas.
Veritasmeans “truth” in Latin. Churches throughout the United State and world have experienced some erosion. The program of Veritas helps churches to confront their current reality with faith, honesty and hope.
As the verse from the Gospel of John states – “You shall know the truth”...that’s reality, “and the truth will set free,”...that’s vitality. Jesus desires that our church be fully awake and alive in the Spirit.
As we progress through the assessment and understanding of our own church we can be well assured that no matter what the current state of health and vitality, Jesus loves our church. It is His desire that we be a healthy missional church. By “healthy” we mean pursuing Christ, and by “missional” we mean pursing Christ’s priorities in the world.
Veritasis a workshop designed for pastors, church leaders, and congregation members.We will discover together the marks of a healthy missional church and the four types of established churches in the Evangelical Covenant Church. This workshop is a great way to get the conversation going and/or to take it to the next level. The purpose of the workshop is to again remind us that God is in the resurrection business and that He is pulling for us and our church to overcome.
Rev. Peter Sjoblom will come from our Central Conference office in Chicago to direct the workshop – Friday Evening June 08, 2012 and Saturday Morning June 09, 2012.He will also be preaching in the Sunday morning service June 10.
You are receiving added information each Sunday via the church bulletin and there is also a display in the glass display boards in the church narthex. If you would like to personally inquire about this event you can see me or anyone of our church board members.
In Christ – Pastor Nathan |
