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Well, I did it again! Yesterday, Thursday June 24th, I was a part of the frenzy at the Apple Store, lined up to acquire the latest technological item – the iPhone4. Along with scores of others, I had pre-reserved my new iPhone for pickup. Apple stores across America opened early – at 7 am – where people had already lined up by the hundreds – even thousands in many locations – to eagerly receive their new smartphone. It is projected by those who know these things that Apple will sell over one million of the new iPhone4 – in just the first three days.

Back in April, I stood in line in much the same way, at the same location, waiting to get the iPad. Similar lines. And Apple announced today that in eighty days, with sales only in America, they had sold over three million iPads.

Now, I know that many of you have different impressions and thoughts regarding these electronic gadgets. But, if we can forget about that for a moment, let me ask this most important question -

What does Apple know that the church doesn't?

I mean, think about this for a minute. People have lined up, literally by the millions, waiting for hours in lines, in order to voluntarily part with their monies, in exchange for a small electronic item. Meanwhile, no one is waiting in lines to enter the church, where we offer not an electronic gadget, but eternal life. And it doesn't cost them anything in the way of money – salvation is free.

Here are a few random thoughts I want to share about this.

1. People are more than willing to pay for what they value. And, if they don't value something, they won't even bother with it, even if it is offered for free. Until we are able to demonstrate the value and need of a relationship with Christ, we will never fulfill the Great Commission.

2. Apple brilliantly markets their product. They do things new and creative. Meanwhile, the church attempts meagerly to share the most important message of all time to today's people with methods and technologies from a previous century.

3. While standing in line – for over two hours – Apple employees were pleasantly greeting folks, and handing out free bottles of water. Folks come to church and their first encounter is often a haphazard mixture of indifference and judgmental stares.

4. The Apple Store at the Christiana Mall was nice. But, they recently moved to a different location in the mall, more than doubling their size, and with a look that is extremely bright, attractive, and inviting. How many churches look like a left-over run down facility that is going out of business?

5. Personally, I make it a point to meet people and give them a friendly greeting. Because of that, I know a number of the workers at the Apple Store on a first name basis. But, that set aside, I have never entered an Apple Store when they haven't greeted me, with a smile on their face, and asked how they could help me. Today, I met Heidi. Mind you, I was already there to make a purchase. And, I was already being taken care of by our own Joe Harrell. But, Heidi personally came up to me, and thanked me for being there, and asked how my experience was in the line, and if she could help me. I want a thousand "Heidi's" at the front door of my church. Oh, and yes, in case you wondered – I did invite Heidi to come to WFA this week, and gave her my contact information and directions to WFA. I pray that she will come, and that she will receive the same kind of welcome at WFA that she and her co-workers extended to me and the hundreds of others at the Apple store.

You may or may not care at all about the iPhone, the iPad, or Apple. But, if we truly care about reaching the people in this world with the most important message they will ever hear, then we need to take a lesson from Apple in outreach!

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 10.26. Live for God, on purpose, as we reach the world around us with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Get Ready for a High Seas Expedition!

Beginning this Sunday here at WFA, we will encounter a High Seas Expedition! That's the title and the theme for this year's VBS, where kids will explore the Mighty love of God! It will be a swashbuckling adventure through God's Word, and discovering that God shows his powerful love throughout Scripture.

On Sunday morning, we will have a special "preview" of the "High Seas Expedition," led by Pastor Trish Gunn, our children's pastor. You won't want to miss this great presentation!

Then, every night from 6 to 8:30, beginning Sunday and continuing through till Friday, will be awash with fun for all kids, from age 4 through those just completing 6th grade. Each night, kids will participate in small groups, called Crews, and dive into the Bible! Not only will they experience amazing Bible adventures but they'll also watch for God in everyday life through something called "God Sightings." All the kids will discover that God is active in their lives and that His fingerprints are everywhere!

High Seas Expedition is filled with incredible Bible-learning experiences kids will see, hear, touch, and even taste! Bible Point crafts, team-building games, cool Bible songs, and tasty treats are just a few of the High Seas Expedition activities that help faith flow into real life. Get ready to embark on a journey that will change you forever!

If you haven't registered your children yet, don't wait another second – do it online now! Just go to www.wfa.org/vbs and complete the registration form.

A Piece of Cake

A little boy was telling his Grandma how everything is going wrong. School, family problems, severe health problems, etc. Meanwhile, Grandma was baking a cake. She asked her grandson if he would like a snack, which, of course, he does.

"Here, have some cooking oil."

"Yuck" says the boy.

"How about a couple raw eggs? "

"Gross, Grandma!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"

"Grandma, those are all yucky!"

To which Grandma replied, "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! God works the same way.

Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!"

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

Hope your day is a "piece of cake"!

If Paul Had a Twitter Account

We are living in the Information Age... or should it be called the Useless Information Age...

The three giant social networking Web sites – Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter – allow their users to share their thoughts with friends and strangers. If you want to let people half way around the world know that you just saved $8 at Kroger, you can. You can share your deepest thoughts and your shallowest feelings. You can air your political views or cheer your favorite team. Whether or not people actually care your opinions is beside the point. It is all about sharing what is on your mind.

Twitter's concept is the simplest of all the social sites. Users can give 140-character opinions on any and every issue. These updates are called "tweets." The author's subscribers are known as "followers."

I wonder what the apostle Paul would have tweeted to his followers when he was writing his thirteen preserved epistles. He might have tweeted these thoughts:

Romans: "All have sinned. All deserve death. But there is no condemnation in Christ."

1 Corinthians: "A divided church is a poor representative of Christ."

2 Corinthians: "My apostleship and your benevolence are genuine."

Galatians: "Moses‘ law served its purpose. We now live by faith and walk by the Spirit."

Philippians: "Don't let circumstances dictate your faith. Live with joy. Be content."

Colossians: "Human philosophy distorts the gospel. Live for Jesus."

1 and 2 Thessalonians: "Jesus will return and many people will not be ready. Be prepared for that day."

1 and 2 Timothy: "Ministry should protect the gospel and serve the needy. There is no better work."

Titus: "The grace of God teaches us to live godly lives."

Philemon: "People from all backgrounds can be useful in the church."

If the Horse is Dead, Dismount

In the Phillips paraphrase, Hebrews 8:13 reads this way – "When a thing grows weak and out of date, it is obviously soon going to disappear."

I recall vividly what a good friend said about her church after she had been away for almost a year because of ill health. She was older so I could understand why she reacted the way she did regarding the new-style music in her church. She was very upset and said that the new group "just couldn't quite make it in Las Vegas." Unfortunately my friend died soon after from cancer. But the conflict regarding music in the church hasn't quite died – yet!

Today, however, I'm not talking about church music. What I am addressing is the need to change when change is necessary. According to Rick Warren, pastor of the Saddleback Community church and author of the book, "The Purpose Driven Church," the reason that 95% of all churches in the world never grow past 300 members is because their structure keeps them from growing beyond that point. Quoting today's scripture, he said, "When a thing grows weak and out of date, it is obviously soon going to disappear. That's true of churches, too. If a church cannot change, it will eventually die."

This same principle applies to many areas of life. No, we don't want to make changes where change is not to our advantage, but there are times when we do need to make changes. When it comes to communicating the gospel, while the message itself never changes, our way and means of communicating it have to change in order to communicate effectively to the particular group we are addressing. One size doesn't fit all!

Also, whether we approve or disapprove, many things around us change and if we don't adapt, we get left behind. For instance, marriage partner roles have changed drastically from the days of our parents and grandparents. If a husband still interprets being the head of the home as being the family dictator, he will be doomed for failure (at least here in America and other parts of the world as well). Those old ways (which, by the way, were a misinterpretation of the Bible), have "gone with the wind."

A few years back, Moody Monthly, the highly respected Christian magazine, discontinued its publication after its 103-year history. Why? Because of the economy, the proliferation of Christian magazines, and because of technology. Moody Monthly, like so many other ministries, has had to turn from printed hard copy to electronic means of communication, not only to become more effective in their ministry, but also to survive.

So whether it is in our professional or personal life, let's be open to and willing to change where change is both essential and necessary.

Learn to Laugh

If you're constantly negative in your outlook, something's wrong. "There is... a time to laugh..." (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 NKJV) You say, "Right now I can't find anything to laugh about." Then observe how the Psalmist opens Psalms 124, 125, and 126: "...If the Lord had not been on our side... they would have swallowed us alive..." (Psalm 124:1-3 NIV) "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken..." (Psalm 125:1 NIV) " When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion... Our mouths were filled with laughter... Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them."‘ (Psalm 126:1-2 NIV)

When you can rejoice in the midst of trouble, people want to know what your secret is. And you can always find a reason to rejoice when you remember Who is on your side.

Doctors have confirmed what the Bible teaches: laughter de-stresses you and strengthens your immune system; "A cheerful heart is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22) plus, a positive attitude will bring you favor and cooperation.

When you keep adding to the heat and confusion of a crisis, people lose respect for your ability to handle things under pressure. But if you stay cool and maintain your sense of humor when things are falling apart, they'll show their appreciation in better work and increased loyalty. Sure, some problems are serious, but you gain nothing by dwelling on the bleak side. Put the problem into God's hands and watch the results!

"He will... fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouts of joy." (Job 8:21 NRS) Now, if Job could agree with that, surely you can!

Good Ol‘ Will Rogers

Will Rogers, who died in a 1935 plane crash with his best friend, Wylie Post, was probably the greatest political sage this country ever has known.

Enjoy the following:

1. Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.

2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.

3. There are two theories to arguing with a woman...
Neither works.

4. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

5. Always drink upstream from the herd.

6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back into your pocket.

8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.

9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

10. If you're riding‘ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.

11. Lettin‘ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin‘ it back.

12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

About growing older...

First – Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.

Second – The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Third – Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me; I want people to know ‘why‘ I look this way. I've traveled a long way, and some of the roads weren't paved.

Fourth – When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.

Fifth – You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

Sixth – I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

Seventh – One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.

Eighth – One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

Ninth – Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

Tenth – Long ago, when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today it's called golf.

And, finally – If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you are old.

The Last Impression

A college professor had the mysterious habit of removing a tennis ball from his jacket pocket as he walked into the lecture hall each morning. He would set it on the corner of the podium. After giving the lecture for the day, he would once again pick up the tennis ball, place it into his jacket pocket, and leave the room.

No one ever understood why he did this, until one day...

A student fell asleep during the lecture. The professor didn't miss a word of his lecture while he walked over to the podium, picked up the tennis ball, and threw it, hitting the sleeping student squarely on the top of the head.

The next day, the professor walked into the room, reached into his jacket, removed a baseball...

No one ever fell asleep in his class the rest of the semester!

And then there is the story of the pastor who set a tennis ball on his pulpit... but that's a different story!

The sanctuary here at WFA now has a very "nautical" look to it, as the platform has been transformed into an ocean going schooner ship! It's all good, as things are ready to go for the High Seas Expedition that our children will be experiencing this coming week! This Sunday, we're going to have a great adult-sized preview that you will not want to miss! Be sure to join us this Sunday morning at WFA!