Dave Matthews, presiding as High Priest over the Temple of the American College Experience, quoted Bob Marley, the Arch-Bishop of the International Church for the Enjoyment of Humanity, who in turn was relaying a message from three little birdies upon his doorstep who told him not to worry about a thing. Why? Because, they said, every little thing’s gonna be alright.

Hmmm. Who are these birds and how do they know?

As we sang together with Dave and Bob and the birds that night, how many of us honestly felt that saying that “every little thing was going to be alright” made it thus? If not the first several times, maybe after a dozen, maybe a cappella, maybe with hands raised, maybe with eyes closed? Are Dave and Bob and the birds, accomplished as they are in their respective fields of music, capable of giving such assurance? If not, then who can?

As much as I enjoyed that night, and Kati can attest that I was jumping out of my gourd with excitement, that moment soon became hollow. Something substantial was missing. I began to contrast it with the moment on Sunday April 22 when we enthusiastically sang the words:

I can see a light that is shining for the heart that holds on.
There will be an end to these troubles, but until that day comes,
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You!

Indeed the birds, just like the lilies, have a message for us to not worry about a thing (and it is likely that Bob wrote this from his extensive reading of the scripture) yet we are left hopelessly short if we don’t listen to them continue to inform us about their ultimate source of provision.

Hope in hope is no hope at all.

Today is the official release date for Jim Pace’s book, Should We Fire God? In the face of recent arguments against faith from atheists Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion) and Christopher Hitchens (God Is Not Great), and in light of the serious pain and problems of our world, is there any reason for hoping in God? As Jim Pace says in his book, if he did his job the way God sometimes seems to be running the world, he’d be looking for a new job; the church he pastors would fire him. Should we, therefore, fire God?

This book is going to help a lot of people. Want to help spread the word about it? Here are some ways …

Most Helpful

If you’ll be in the Blacksburg, VA, area on Tuesday evening, April 27, buy Should We Fire God? at Books-a-Million between 7:00 and 9:00pm. Jim Pace will be there for a book signing. We’re hoping for 200-plus people at this event to send a strong message to area store managers that they need this book on their shelves.

Second Most Helpful

If you can’t make it to the book signing, buy Should We Fire God? in a bookstore of your choice. Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and most Christian chains are carrying the book. The more people who buy the book in a store, the longer that store managers will want to keep it on the shelf. The longer it stays on the shelf, the more people who will run across it when browsing.

Still Really Helpful

If money is an issue or you don’t have a bookstore nearby, you can find Should We Fire God? online at a great price. Yes, buying it in a store is more helpful, but hey, every sale is a sale!

Tell your friends about the book. Tell them it has a rocking cover. Tell them Rick Warren wrote the foreword because he liked the book so much. And when you’re done telling the world, join the facebook fan page for Should We Fire God?

If you are in town this weekend, we hope you will join us for a celebration of the joy of Easter!!! We look forward to celebrating together.

Don’t forget…
– We have corporate prayer on Mon. night at 7 pm & Fri. at 8:30am in Jackson St.
– Jim’s book, “Should We Fire God” comes out officially Thursday, April 8th.
– You can still sign up for Leadership Training (www.gcmlt.org) as well as our summer mission trip to the Ukraine. (Contact [email protected]) We have lots of women signed up for both. MEN, time to step up!!!