A Word of Thanks

Before we move on to all the issues facing us in the future, allow me to once again express my sincere thanks to two men without whom the recent conference and debate simply could not have taken place. You will soon begin to see video clips, and soon be able to listen to, and watch, the debates, and I believe those with a knowledge of the subject at hand will see just how valuable and useful these debates will be for years to come. I prepared long and hard, but things of this size cannot be done alone. It takes teamwork.
   
Here you see a picture of myself along with Steve Camp (on the left of the picture…and yes, he’s standing on a step) and Mike O’Fallon (to my right). Yes, we were the three who engaged in a competition to lose the most weight, percentage wise, between June 14th and August 23rd. And yes, Steve Camp won by 0.1% over Mike O’Fallon, and I was a lowly third. However, unless I’m missing my guess, neither of my brothers lost another two pounds during the cruise, as I did. We will see whose methodology has longer lasting impact! Anyway, when I last saw Mike last evening, late, in Anchorage, he was looking pretty tired. He had worked so very hard during the entire conference and cruise to make things “work” for us all. He was the one who arranged the debate with Dr. Crossan (and with Doug Wilson and with Greg Stafford, for that matter). He makes the cruises work. He and his wife Sau do far more than anyone knows. Keep that in mind when you get a chance to start hearing the debates and the conference presentations.
   
But of course, as all of you know who listen to the Dividing Line, the day-in, day-out workhorse of the ministry is Rich Pierce. I looked through all the pictures I have from the conference and could not find one of Rich and I together, which makes sense, I guess. If I am up front, he’s in the back making sure the cameras are rolling and the sound is being recorded, etc. That’s what he was doing here (and my son Josh is doing the “don’t take that picture” look, it seems). But this seems a fitting picture, because Rich is doing what Rich does: working with his “stuff,” his tools, here, cameras and sound boards and connections and cables and the like. And that is why you will get to listen to the debate or watch it or, eventually, all the Conference presentations as well.
   
So surely this past adventure proved once again the appropriateness of Paul’s analogy of the Body: each with different gifts. I may be the “out front” guy doing the debate, engaging in the cross-examination, asking the questions, but we have a place to hold the debate, and it is being recorded, and will be distributed, because of believers like Mike O’Fallon and Rich Pierce and the many others who work with them who do not insist upon being “out front.” That is the attitude of servanthood.