This Sunday, September 7 (9am, 10:45am), we will have a special guest speaker for our Genesis series, Dr. Terry Mortenson of Answers in Genesis.
Dr. Mortenson has a Ph.D. in the history of geology from Coventry University in the UK. He has taught on creation and evolution issues for over 50 years in 37 different countries. It will be an encouragement to have Dr. Mortenson with us this coming weekend to address some of the controversies surrounding the book of Genesis and how science supports the Bible.
This Sunday morning, Dr. Mortenson will be speaking in both worship services on the topic, Creation vs Evolution: Does It Matter?
Dr. Mortenson will have six more sessions while he is here at CBC. Here is the schedule for this coming Sunday and Monday (September 7-8).
Origin of Species: Was Darwin Right? (Sunday, 6pm)
Ape-Men, Adam, and the Gospel (Sunday, 7:30pm)
Seven C's of History (for children, Monday, 9am)
How to Think about Origins (for teens, Monday, 10:30am)
Millions of Years: The Idea's Unscientific Origin and Its Catastrophic Consequences (Monday, 6pm)
Noah's Flood: Washing Away Millions of Years (Monday, 7:30pm)
The Monday morning sessions are open to all children, teens, and adults who are able to attend.
We are not sure of the number of people who may be coming to CBC for these sessions. Please be patient with our limited space and, if you are able, please park towards the rear of our property or on the other side of our youth building to allow some of our visitors to park toward the front. We plan to have overflow seating in our CBC Cafe area if needed.
May God fill our hearts with awe as we consider the reality, majesty, and beauty of His creation!

This week we will explore Genesis 33 together, Reconciliation According to God.

Here are four basic truths that I have learned in life:
Relationships are essential.
Conflict is inevitable.
Ongoing conflict is miserable.
Reconciliation is beautiful.
Let's face it...relationships are hard! It is nice to talk about love, fellowship, forgiveness, and reconciliation but they are so hard to live out in our daily relationships.

We can irritate one another, disagree with one another, argue with one another, and even hurt one another.

Jacob and Esau have been fighting since they were in the womb. They were different personalities with different interests going in different directions. And, unfortunately, their parents took sides which made their conflict with each other even more magnified.

For twenty years, Jacob and Esau never talked with each other. They lived separate lives. They pursued different goals.

But as Jacob heads back to Canaan, he is motivated to seek peace with Esau. Perhaps he is motivated primarily by fear...but he is also changing in his character and he knows that this ongoing conflict with Esau needs to be resolved. Especially since Esau at one point had wanted to kill him!

Things are tense. Jacob sends a message of peace. He receives the news that Esau is coming with 400 men. Jacob is tied down with a large company of women, children, and flocks. There is no escape. They are going to face each other face-to-face again.

What will happen? Will Esau execute his plan of vengeance? Will Jacob try to run? Will there be a cold reception? Will there be a fight? Will there be a war? Will there be a slaughter?

What happens is not necessarily what anyone expected, particularly Jacob.

Esau runs full speed to Jacob and embraces him with the love of a brother.

They both break down in tears.

It is a beautiful scene of restitution, restoration, and reconciliation.

But, at the same time, is not the movie type ending. Esau and Jacob still have their issues. They still have their differences. They are still headed in different directions. And Jacob has to navigate a precarious situation with every step with his brother.

There are so many principles to learn in this passage about relationships, about forgiveness, about reconciliation, about practical wisdom. We will explore these principles on Sunday.

May God fill our hearts with His grace, wisdom, and peace so that we can relate to one another with the unity of the Spirit and the love of Jesus Christ!