Where Were You at 6 PM Last Saturday Night?---The Rapture Unraveled

If you were still with us on Saturday night after 6 pm, you were not
caught up in the "Rapture" and so you are among the sinful who will be
destroyed in 6 months time when Jesus returns to earth for the final
day of judgment. But wait a minute. None of those who expected the
Rapture were caught up by it either. The Rapture didn't happen. So why
did a small fringe element of Christians think Saturday, May 21, 2011
was so important? Are they nuts? Well, in a word, yes. At least
according to Dr. Barbara Rossing, a graduate of Carlton College, Yale
Divinity School and Harvard Divinity School. Dr Rossing is the author
of "The Rapture Exposed" and argues persuasively that "The Rapture is
a racket." This Sunday at 9:45 in the last class of Good Shepherd and
the World, Charles, Rick and Karl lead a talk on the origin of the
Rapture and why believers in the Rapture are not just wrong but
perhaps even dangerous.

The Daunting Challenge of Forgiveness

Jesus tells us that if we want to release ourselves from pain we must
forgive those who cause us pain. How many times? An infinite number of
times. But how do you forgive someone who has caused the death of your
own child? Patricia Nuckles was the daughter of Hector and Susie
Black. In the year 2000 Patricia was raped and murdered in Atlanta by
a man searching for money and drugs. Hector and Susie chose to travel
the painful and difficult road towards forgiving Ivan Simpson, the man
who murdered Patricia.
At the age of 83, Hector has been interviewed on NPR, featured by
Krista Tippett, the host of "On Being" and depicted in the recent
book "Field Notes on the Compassionate Life." This Sunday at 9:45
Hector has agreed to visit Good Shepherd, traveling from the
Cookeville area to be with us. His story is gripping. Please invite
your friends to meet and listen to Hector as this remarkable man tells
us about forgiving the killer of your own child.

Hinduism

There are over one billion Hindus, yet most Americans know little
about Hinduism. With its origins in the Iron Age in what is now India,
Hinduism is almost certainly the oldest surviving religion in the
world. With a belief in one divinity but many sub gods, karma,
reincarnation and duty, Hinduism has a bewildering number of aspects.
Indeed some authorities say that Hinduism is not a religion but an
umbrella. Unlike Christianity or Islam, or Buddhism, Hinduism has no
single founder. Because Hinduism is so all-embracing, Hindus cannot be
labeled as heretics. In the words of one noted Hindu theologian,
Hinduism cannot be defined. It can only be experienced. This Sunday at
9:45 Shivam Zaveri comes from the University of Tennessee to tell us
about Hinduism and his own beliefs and experience as a Hindu. Come
join us.

Hinduism

There are over one billion Hindus, yet most Americans know little
about Hinduism. With its origins in the Iron Age in what is now India,
Hinduism is almost certainly the oldest surviving religion in the
world. With a belief in one divinity but many sub gods, karma and
reincarnation, Hinduism has a bewildering number of aspects. Indeed
some authorities say that Hinduism is not a religion but an umbrella.
Unlike Christianity or Islam, or Buddhism, Hinduism has no single
founder. Because Hinduism is all embracing, Hindus cannot be labeled
as heretics. In the words of one noted Hindu theologian, Hinduism
cannot be defined. It can only be experienced. This Sunday at 9:45
Shivam Zaveri comes from the University of Tennessee to tell us about
Hinduism and his own beliefs as a Hindu. Come join us.