I just wanted to take a minute to update you on things at Children’s Homes. We have had some exciting things happen in recent days. On April 12th, we had our house-raising. About 100 people from five states and about twenty churches came to campus to help construct another new cottage. We were very pleased with the outcome, and I think we got farther on this one than we did on the one we raised in 2001.
Right now, the Sojourners are working at the youth camp and the Smith farm. They are such a big help to our work.
The kids are anxiously awaiting the last day of school, which will be May 30th. Some are not happy that they are having to go on Saturdays, but the snow we had in the winter really caused a lot of missed days.
Camp sessions will be cranking up the first full week in June. We’ll have about seven summer sessions for kids of all ages. We’ve added a lot of activities to our camp program, including horseback riding and fishing. I also wasn’t sure if anyone had sent a thank you letter for the gift cards we gave the kids at Christmas. We appreciate so much what the Mabelvale congregation does for the children each year. You help in so many ways, food, thrift items, Christmas gifts, etc. Your generosity is such a blessing to all the children and to the staff. We value so much your continued efforts to help us reach children in order to help them have a better life.

VOLUME 40 NUMBER 18 MAY 5, 2003

OUR SICK

Marie Rogers had surgery on Wednesday.
Larry May, father of Kellie Golden, had surgery at UAMS on Friday.
Mildred Eakin, mother of Michele Smith, continues to battle lung cancer.
Frances Crow, mother of Betty Tollett, is seriously ill with liver cancer.
These are all at home, please remember them in prayers.
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THANK YOU

Your kindness meant a lot in this trying time. Thank you for the phone calls and prayers in remembering Deedry. He went home on Tuesday. Darrell & Millie Lynn.
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BIBLE BOWL

There will be a Parent/Student competition and Pizza Supper on Friday, May 9th, at 7:00 PM. The Bible Bowl will be Saturday, May 10th at Lorance Drive. The van will leave at 9:00 AM on Saturday and return about 2:00 PM.
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LOCK-IN

There will be a lock-in for the youth on Friday, May 16th, from 8:00 PM until 8:00 AM on Saturday, May 17th.
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Ladies Food Team for May is Lou Sullivan, Edwina McClurkan, Lisa Lowe, Linda Minor

SERMONS FOR MAY 11

Morning
The Old Testament And The Christian (1 Corinthians 10:11-12)
Evening
The Community Church Movement (Scott Perry)
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Graham & Elizabeth McDonald (missionary in Scotland) have a new son, Elijah James Glenn McDonald, born May 2nd, weight 8 lb. 9 oz.

Mr. & Mrs. Harry L. Walsh, Jr.
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Kimberly Michelle
to
Shawn James Wallace
On Saturday, the thirty-first of May
Two thousand and three
at six o’clock in the evening
Mabelvale Church of Christ
10820 Mabelvale West Road
Mabelvale, Arkansas

Reception Following
EVENTS OF INTEREST

May 10………………….Bible Bowl
May 11………………...Sing S’More
May 16………………Youth Lock In
May 25…………..Ice Cream Supper
May 31…...Walsh/Wallace Wedding

A Man of Sin Revealed

Scott Perry

The Monday, April 28th edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, page 2A stated, “Pope pushes 6 Italians toward sainthood.” Writer Frances D’Emilio (Associated Press) reported, “Pope John Paul II put more faithful on the path to possible sainthood Sunday [April 27th]. . . In all the Pontiff beatified six people. . .” “Tens of thousands of faithful turned out for the two-hour ceremony led by the pontiff on St. Peter‘s Square. The ailing John Paul. . .used a special chair which allows him to sit at the altar. .” “Beatification,” said D’Emilio, “is the last formal step before possible canonization and requires evidence of one miracle after the person’s death. Evidence of a second miracle is required for sainthood.” “He [Pope John Paul] has given the church far more saints and beatified faithful than any other pontiff. . . John Paul has made 464 saints. . .”

(2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 8): “Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day [Second Coming] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God . . . And then shall that wicked [person] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

When one compares the criteria of what the Bible reveals about the “man of sin” (2 Thess. 2:3-4, 8) and the aforementioned newspaper article concerning the present day Vicar of Rome, the resemblance is truly uncanny. While, I do not believe it applies only to John Paul, one cannot help but admit that the behaviors set forth by inspiration match the present day pontiff and his followers remarkably. In Volume 2 of his frequently recommended and monumental work, Questions and Answers (Freed-Hardeman College Lectures), Guy N. Woods equates Paul’s “man of sin” with John’s “anti-Christ” (pp. 229-30). He adds further a defense if someone opposed him with John’s comments that the anti-Christ(s) were present in the first century. He writes: “While the great anti-christ predicted by John and described by Paul had not yet appeared, many were evidencing and exhibiting the same spirit (emph. mine, s.p.) which would be his when he did come, and these could properly be styled anti-christs” (p. 230). Whether the inspired comments of Paul and John refer to the Pope of Rome specifically or simply to anyone who exhibits the same characteristics, John Paul II certainly qualifies as a “man of sin” revealed.

OUR RECORD MAY 4, 2003

A.M. WORSHIP 245
SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 179
P.M. WORSHIP 180
WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 146

CONTRIBUTION 6673
BUDGET 6351
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MEN TO SERVE
May 11, 2003

Nicolas Lowe Devin Long
Nathan Moore Mike Moore
Jim Mauldin Dale Morris
Robert Overbey Darrell Orick

Evening Waymon Minor
Doug Parker
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WEDNESDAY SONG DIRECTOR

May 14 Bill Boyd
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USHERS FOR MAY

Morning Roger Horton & Phil DePriest
Evening Ken Bittle & Jim Henson
Wednesday Jim Mauldin & Waymon Minor
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GREETERS FOR MAY

Mike & Joanna Moore
Nathan Moore
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ELDER CHAIRMAN

May Dale Morris
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