Connecting
man to man to God
For week of June 14, 2009
Issue 256
The
Men’s Ministry newsletter of Path Of Life Ministries.
Our
mission is to lead men to Jesus Christ and provide opportunity for
Christian men to grow in their faith and minister to others.
Today's issue is going out to 1,890 weekly subscribers.
Thank you in advance for forwarding this issue to friends, family
and associates! To have a friend start their own Free subscription
to CONNECTIONS, please have them visit:
http://geocities.com/frankcoleman/page33.html
or
subscribe via rss feed
here:
http://www.connectionsnews.wordpress.com/feed
“
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the
Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and
everything in them- the Lord, who remains faithful forever.”
Psalm 146:5-6
CONSIDER
“Love slays what we have been that we may be what we
were not.” Augustine of Hippo
SURVEY EXAMINES
AMERICA'S MEGACHURCHGOERS
Compared to attendees of a typical Protestant church, people
who attend megachurches are more likely to be young, single, more
educated, and wealthier, a new survey reveals. The majority of
megachurch attendees (62%) are under the age of 45 whereas less
than half (35%) of those in a typical congregation fall in the
18-44 age group, according to a megachurch report by Scott Thumma
of Hartford Institute for Religion Research and Warren Bird of
Leadership Network.
The report -- "Not Who You Think
They Are: The Real Story of People Who Attend America's
Megachurches" -- is based on data from a national survey that
drew 24,900 responses from 12 selected megachurches across the
country. It is claimed to be the largest national representative
study of megachurch attendees conducted by any researchers to
date.
With more than 5 million people worshipping at
megachurches -- Protestant churches of 2,000 or more weekly
attendees -- in a typical week, Thumma and Bird sought to provide
a look at who these worshippers are, why they come, and why some
stay.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090609/survey-examines-america-s-megachurchgoers/index.html
FOUNDER OF
CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL HANDS OVER LEADERSHIP TO HIS DAUGHTER
The
Rev. Robert H. Schuller, founder of the Crystal Cathedral
(http://www.crystalcathedral.org) and a pioneer of the megachurch
movement, is passing his leadership role to his eldest daughter, a
spokesman said June 10.
Schuller announced during the June
7 Sunday service in Garden Grove that Sheila Schuller Coleman will
take over leadership of the entire ministry, effective
immediately, said spokesman Mike Nason.
Coleman, 58, will
also appear on the weekly televangelist show "The Hour of
Power" every Sunday, but it hasn't been decided how much she
will preach, Nason said.
In his remarks, the 82-year-old
Schuller described the father-daughter pair as "co-leaders"
of the 10,000-member megachurch, which was founded more than a
half-century ago in Orange County. The weekly broadcast also
attracts millions of viewers worldwide.
"I think he's
the visionary and she's going to be the implementer," Nason
said of the transition.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-schuller11-2009jun11,0,2690433.story
SOMETHING WE NEED
TO DO
“I
believe the closer we get to the heart of God, the greater the
desire we will have to reach out to those who are hurting. Serving
people is not just something we want to do; it's something we need
to do. People discover personal healing through helping others.
When tragedy strikes, serving helps to ease our pain, gets our
focus off of our own problems, and brings healing to our souls. It
is so important that we don't always just send a check; whenever
possible, we also need to engage with those who are hurting. When
you do this, not only do you help the people who are in need, but
you also strengthen those who join you in serving.” from
Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution through Serving by Dino
Rizzo
ALWAYS
BE AN EXAMPLE
Watch this video ad for Gatorade in which basketball coach
Hall-of-Famer John Wooden recites this inspiring poem that every
man should take to heart:
A careful man I must always be;
A
little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray
For
fear he'll go the self same way.
I cannot once escape his
eyes,
Whate'er he sees me do, he tries.
Like me he says
he's going to be;
This little chap who follows me.
He
thinks that I am good and fine,
Believes in every word of
mine.
The base in me he must not see;
This little chap who
follows me.
I must be careful as I go
Through summer's
sun and winter's snow,
Because I'm building for the years to
be;
This little chap who follows me.
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/gatorade_john_wooden
RECENT VIOLENCE
IN CHURCHES EXPOSES LACK OF SECURITY, EXPERTS SAY
Dr.
George Tiller wore a bulletproof vest as he handed out bulletins
in his church's lobby on May 31. But it wasn't enough to save the
abortion provider when a man aimed a gun at his head and pulled
the trigger. Fortunately for the other members of Reformation
Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kan., the gunman turned and walked
away instead of carrying out his vendetta on the congregation.
But experts say that as congregations offer shelter for
victims of domestic violence, protest gun laws or take
controversial stands on abortion, gay rights and the Middle East
conflict, houses of worship have become battlegrounds and targets
for attack. The prevailing false sense of security only adds to
the danger, they say.... Read this in full at
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-church-safety-08-jun08,0,5828362.story
A NEW WAY OF LIFE
“Shortly after the young Francis of Assisi embraced a
faith that would help color the face of Christianity for centuries
to come, he sensed God telling him, ‘Francis, all those
things that you have loved in the flesh you must now despise, and
from those things that you formerly loathed you will drink great
sweetness and immeasurable delight.’
“ As the
young Christian rode his horse out of town, he saw what he once
most despised -- a leper. Exuberant in his newfound faith and with
joy flooding his soul, Francis chose not to run from the leper, as
he would have done earlier in his life. Instead, he leaped from
his horse, knelt in front of the leper, and proceeded to kiss the
diseased white hand.
“ Francis's initial conversion
was invisible, exhibited only in the changed expression on his
face. That's as far as many of us ever go -- a superficial change
of mind in response to a compelling argument for faith. This act
was astonishingly explicit -- a grotesquely gorgeous parable of a
radically changed man. The very instant Francis's lips touched the
leper, what could have been merely a religion crumbled under the
weight of a new way of life.” from Holy Available: What If
Holiness Is about More Than What We Don't Do? by Gary Thomas
ELCA
SURVEY REVEALS INFLUENCES ON CONGREGATION LEADERS
A survey conducted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) reveals how the personal theological views of its
lay leaders are influenced by contemporary religious thought in
the United States. It evaluated the church's work in the Middle
East and an initiative on reading the Bible.
The tabulated
responses show how "a major popular focus of American
religion" shapes the views of Lutheran leaders, said Dr.
Kenneth W. Inskeep, executive for ELCA Research and Evaluation.
The 16-book "Left Behind" series of Tim LaHaye and Jerry
B. Jenkins has made talk of "the end times," rapture,
the Antichrist, and the battle of Armageddon part of US culture.
"Lutherans don't talk about those issues very much,"
Inskeep said. "That leaves many of the members open to
drawing their own conclusions."
US society has come
to a "generic, conservative, evangelical, popular
understanding of the Christian faith" that's different from
Lutheran tradition, Inskeep said. "It's hard for our members
to articulate (that difference) because we don't see ourselves as
a distinctive kind of Christian, which isn't true at all."
Answers to survey questions about "accepting Jesus as
one's personal Savior" showed that many Lutheran leaders
embraced salvation as the result of a personal decision. "It's
important for Lutherans to challenge that perspective as a part of
historical Lutheran theological thinking," Inskeep said.
"Luther was fairly specific about God giving faith to
people.” .... Read this in full at
http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4153
LIVE BOLDLY
“Apprenticeship is not about half-measures. It involves
perseverance, practice, dedication and the readiness to learn. It
means investing our passion, our talents and our whole selves. But
the rewards are beyond price. And the resultant journey is the
most thrilling adventure we will ever experience.
“
As the poet Ted Hughes wrote in a letter to his son, Nicholas,
'The only calibration that counts is how much heart people invest,
how much they ignore their fears of being hurt or caught out or
humiliated. And the only thing people regret is that they didn't
live boldly enough, that they didn't invest enough heart, didn't
love enough.' Live boldly.” from Apprentice: Walking the Way
of Christ by Steve Chalke
GINGRICH'S FIRST
ADVICE FOR GOP: FIGHT FOR AMERICA’S RELIGIOUS HERITAGE
When's the last time you saw a Republican say that the GOP's
first step back to power relies on it fighting to recover the
nation's religious heritage? Check out this clip from Newt
Gingrich's keynote speech at June 8th's Republican Senate-House
Dinner. He discusses the need to restore America's religious
heritage ahead of economic and national security issues.... See
this video clip at
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/god-and-country/2009/06/09/gingrichs-first-advice-for-gop-fight-for-nations-religious-heritage.html
VERSE TO PONDER
“O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye
people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the
truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.”
Psalm 117
CONSIDER
“Suddenly I heard the words of Christ and understood
them, and life and death ceased to seem to me evil, and instead of
despair I experienced happiness and the joy of life undisturbed by
death.”
Leo Tolstoy
RELIGIOUS LEADERS
SAY TIME RUNNING OUT FOR PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS
Religious leaders are warning President Obama that continuing
strife between Palestinians and Israelis threatens to wipe out a
Christian presence in the Holy Land.
Fifty-six
representatives of various Protestant and Catholic faiths --
including several Baptists -- wrote a letter June 4 applauding the
president for making peace in the Holy Land a top priority, but
warning that time is running out for a viable and peaceful
two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
While
also concerned about Jews and Muslims, the leaders said they are
particularly worried about the plight of the Palestinian Christian
community.
"In the birthplace of our faith, one of
the world's oldest Christian communities is dwindling rapidly, and
with them the possibility of a day when three thriving faith
communities live in shared peace in Jerusalem," the letter
said.... Read this in full at
http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4137&Itemid=53
I WILL DO SO
“‘Preacher,’ the Hindu man continued, ‘these
... seven [children] have no one who will take care of them. They
have no clothes, no food, no home, and certainly no money. Tonight
you said that we need to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and
care for those who have nothing.... Will you take care of them?
Will you live the words you asked us to live?’
“
John Douglas had come to India to preach, not be a nanny. Yet as
if he were looking into the face of God, the American nodded. ‘I
will do so.’
“ Falling back on his business
experience, Douglas formed a nonprofit organization to expand
orphan care beyond those initial seven children. In 1957, with the
backing of just a handful of people, World Missionary Evangelism
was founded. Two decades after his death, World Missionary
Evangelism is still supporting the work John E. Douglas began and
is heavily involved in what he had longed to do on the day he
died. Through the organization he started, African AIDS orphans
are being cared for, educated, and given the same kind of devotion
Douglas gave those first seven Indian orphans brought to him by a
Hindu man intent on challenging the preacher's faith.” from
Stories behind Men of Faith by Ace Collins
TAMING TWEEN
DIVAS
by
Mark Earley
Georgie loves looking through fashion magazines
and can’t pass a mirror without checking to see if she’s
put on weight. She’s got 20 kinds of lip gloss and a closet
chock full of expensive clothes, shoes, and handbags. In fact,
she’s already saving up for enhancement surgery, reports
Diana Appleyard of the Daily Mail. But here’s the catch:
Georgie is just 10 years old.
Newsweek calls girls like
Georgie “Generation Diva.” They are tween girls who
are becoming obsessed with hair, make-up, clothing, and body image
at earlier and earlier ages. “Forget having mom trim your
bangs, fourth graders are in the market for lush $50 haircuts,”
writes Newsweek columnist Jessica Bennett....Whatever its roots,
this trend among young girls points to the fact that we moderns
have forgotten one of the cardinal virtues: temperance.... Read
this in full at
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=11790
DISQUIET
CHRISTIANITY
“
What Jesus was about was starting a revolution. He called this
revolution ‘the Kingdom of God.’ This revolution isn't
centered on getting people to believe particular religious beliefs
and engage in particular religious behaviors, though these may be
important, true, and helpful. Nor is it centered on trying to fix
the world by advocating the ‘right’ political causes
or advancing the ‘right’ national agendas, though
these may be noble, righteous, and effective. No, the Kingdom of
God that Jesus established is centered on one thing, and one thing
only: manifesting the beauty of God's character and thus revolting
against everything that is inconsistent with this beauty.”
from The Myth of a Christian Religion by Gregory A. Boyd,
DRUGS, ALCOHOL
CARRY HEFTY SOCIAL COST, STUDIES SHOW
The social cost of drug use has been analyzed in two federal
studies released recently, including one that says half of the men
arrested in 10 major US cities tested positive for at least one
illegal drug.
A second study finds that substance abuse
and addiction cost federal, state, and local governments at least
$468 billion in 2005, accounting for more than one-tenth of
combined government expenditures for all purposes.
According
to the first report, from the White House Office of National Drug
Control Policy, a survey of drug use among booked male arrestees
in metropolitan areas across the country found that as many as 87%
tested positive for an illegal drug.
Drug use among the
arrestee population is much higher than in the general population,
the study, released May 28, said. The percentage of arrestees
testing positive for at least one illicit drug ranged from 49% in
Washington, DC, to 87% in Chicago.
The most common
substances present during tests, in descending order, were
marijuana, cocaine, opiates, and methamphetamine, the report said.
Many men tested positive for more than one illegal drug within 48
hours of their booking.... Read this in full at
http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30653
CHILD FROM TOGO,
WEST AFRICA, NAMED COMPASSION'S MILLIONTH SPONSORED CHILD
Compassion International, a leading child development and
sponsorship organization, has reached a major milestone as it
celebrates the sponsorship of its 1 millionth child, an 8-year-old
boy from the country of Togo in West Africa.
The newly
sponsored child lives with his father outside Togo's capital city
of Lomé. Togo, a country whose population is seriously
affected by the devastation of AIDS, is the most recent country to
join the growing list of nations where Compassion works.
The
child's sponsor is from South Korea, the country in which
Compassion began its mission 57 years earlier. The sponsor is most
recently noted for a gold medal she won at last year's Beijing
Olympics.... Read this in full at
http://www.compassion.com/sponsordonor/features/compassionstories/compassion-one-millionth-sponsored-child
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
PANEL MEETS WITH CLINTON
Members of a religious freedom watchdog panel met June 8 with
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who noted their concerns
without promising specific actions, one of the panel's members
said.
Nina Shea, a member of the US Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), said Clinton was
agreeable and took notes on their 40-minute discussion, but did
not commit to take public action on the panel's proposed agenda.
Shea said the commissioners of the bipartisan panel
insisted in the meeting that the administration oppose a proposed
United Nations resolution that would ban the defamation of
religion. Pakistan and other Middle Eastern nations support the
ban, which would bar public criticism of religions.
They
also urged the administration to secure the release of all
Arabic-language textbooks used at a Saudi-funded private school in
Northern Virginia that critics say teaches a militant form of
Islam. Moreover, commissioners asked the administration to support
the rights of Egyptian Muslims who convert to Christianity in
Egypt; and, to designate Vietnam as a "country of particular
concern" for its religious freedom record.... Read this in
full at
http://ncronline.org/news/religious-freedom-panel-meets-clinton
A WINDOW INTO THE
FAITH OF RELIGION REPORTERS
Faith celebrated. Faith lost. Faith inspected and detected,
from neurological research to relics of saints venerated in exotic
shrines. USA TODAY religion reporter Cathy Lynn Grossman talks to
four journalists who, drawn to write about religion, make their
explorations personal in their new books.
.... Read this in
full at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-06-03-faith-journalists_N.htm
STUDY: RELIGIOUS
COLLEGES HAVE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATES
Religiously affiliated universities rank the highest
nationwide in graduating their students, while hundreds of public
and private universities fall far below the devastatingly low
average of graduated students, according to a recent report based
on data from the US Department of Education.
From Catholic
to Jewish and Baptist to Methodist, religious colleges and
universities topped the charts in the American Enterprise
Institute's (AEI) survey, which found an average of just 53% of
entering students at four-year colleges graduate within six
years.... Read this in full at
http://www.headlinebistro.com/en/news/religious_colleges_grad_rates.html
NEWS QUIZ: YOU
WANT ME TO BRING WHAT TO CHURCH?
A pastor wants his congregation to show and tell, Harvard
graduates sign a new pledge, and other questions from the religion
news headlines. Take the quiz at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/quiz/?id=ALGAC
'MINDFULNESS'
MEDITATION GAINING MEDICAL ACCEPTANCE
Once thought of as an esoteric, mystical pursuit, meditation
is going mainstream. A government survey in 2007 found that about
1 out of 11 Americans, more than 20 million, meditated in the past
year. And a growing number of medical centers are teaching
meditation to patients for relief of pain and stress.
More
than 240 programs in clinics and hospitals teach the same type of
meditation that Ryan learned, says Jon Kabat-Zinn, who developed
mindfulness-based stress reduction 30 years ago at the University
of Massachusetts Medical Center. Other types, such as
transcendental meditation, use a mantra or repeated phrase....
Read this in full at
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2009/06/mindfulness-meditation-gaining.php
A WORD PUZZLE
What is a 9-letter word where you can remove one letter at a
time and still be left with a word?
Answer:
There are
actually several words in the English language that can be broken
down character by character into smaller words. The most common
answer to this question is the word, "Startling."
Original word: Startling
Take away the....
L- Starting
T- Staring
A- String
R- Sting
T- Sing
G- Sin
S- In
N- I
If one can rearrange the letters
occasionally....
1. i
2. it
3. sit
4. site
5.
tires
6. insert
7. tinders
8. inserted
9.
president
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_9-letter_word_where_you_can_remove_one_letter_at_a_time_and_still_be_left_with_a_word
DOWN THE BABY
BOOMER'S MEMORY LANE
~ 45 rpm spindles
~ Metal ice cubes trays with levers
~ Beanie and Cecil
~ Roller-skate keys
~
Cork pop guns
~ Marlin Perkins
~ Drive-in movies
~ Drive in restaurants (LONG before Sonic)
~ Car
hops
~ Studebakers
~ Topo Gigio
~ Washtub
wringers
~ The Fuller Brush Man
~ Sky King
~
Reel-to-reel tape recorders
~ Tinkertoys
~ Erector
sets
~ Lincoln Logs
~ 15 cent McDonalds hamburgers
~ 5 cent packs of baseball cards
~ Penny candy
~
25 cents a gallon gasoline
~ Jiffy Pop popcorn
~ 5
cent postage stamps
~ Green stamps
~ Gum wrapper
chains
~ Chatty Cathy dolls
~ 5 cent Cokes
~
Speedy Alka-Seltzer (Plop-Plop Fizz-Fizz oh what a relief it is)
~ Burma Shave signs
~ Brownie camera
~
Flash bulbs
~ TV test patterns
~ Old Yeller
~
Chef Boy-Ar-Dee
~ Fire escape tubes
~ Timmy and
Lassie
~ Ding Dong! Avon calling
~ Brylcreem
~
Aluminum Christmas trees
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
CONSIDER
“Cheerfulness and content are great beautifiers, and are
famous preservers of good looks.”
Charles Dickens
VERSE
TO PONDER
“We
know how much God loves us because we have felt his love and
because we believe him when he tells us that he loves us dearly.
God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and
God is living in him.”
1 John 4:16-19 (The Living Bible)
ON
PRAYER
“Devote
yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Colossians 4:2
PRAY FOR PERSECUTED
CHRISTIANS TODAY
http://christiansincrisis.net/
DAILY BLESSING
PACT
Use
the following list as your daily prayer guide. Think of a brother
or situation that applies and lift them up in prayer.
I am
agreeing in prayer with you for God’s blessings to overtake
you!
PERSONAL
Marital harmony
Family unity
Children
saved
Faithful pastor
Spirit-filled church
Real
friendships
Relatives redeemed
Educational
benefits
Recreational time
Fulfilling career
Favor with
God and man
Be in God’s will
FINANCIAL
Better
Jobs
Raises or bonuses
Benefits
Sales &
commissions
Business Growth
Settlements
Estates &
inheritances
Investment increase
Rebates &
returns
Checks in the mail
Gifts & surprises
Money to
be found
Bills decrease while blessings increase
"And
all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou
shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God" (Deut.
28:2).
[As you travel on business or vacation, let me know
if you'd like the church guys to pray for your safety and
spiritual effectiveness. I'll add your name to the list for the
time you'll be away.]
CLASSIFIEDS
Are
you looking for something or do you have something to sell? Let me
know and I'll put it in this newsletter.
Book your next
vacation with us!
Http://www.ChristianConnectionTravel.com
Books,
Music & More!
http://www.ChristianConnectionBooks.com
Get
your domain name here!
http://www.GoGlobalDomains.com
Let
me show you how to earn money as you
travel!
http://www.earnGlobalVacations.com/
It's
as easy as 1-2-3!
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE
WEBSITES
Tell
us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Bing:
New Search (“decision”) Engine
http://www.bing.com/
100
Ways to Save The Environment
http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm
Fun
photo of a dog on a bike
http://blog-imgs-41.fc2.com/m/o/u/mousouteki/A_dog_riding_the_bicycle.jpg
Medieval
Castles
http://www.medieval-castle.com/
All
links to websites are provided as a service, and do not imply
endorsement by this ministry.
(BTW: whenever the URLs in
this newsletter are too long to turn into links on your e-mail
program, just copy the entire URL (two lines or more) and paste it
into a temporary email message. Then delete the return in the
middle of it and copy it again. Then paste it into your web
browser and hit enter.)
I
find television very educational. Every time somebody turns on the
set, I go into the other room and read a book.
Min.
Frank Coleman, Editor
Rev.frank@gmail.com
Thanks
for welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
----------
CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of
announcements, news, recommendations, articles, and other
information helpful to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks for
welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
-----------
The
CONNECTIONS Team offers a variety of activities for men to
interact with other men on our journey of faith in Christ
together. Large group, small group, and one-to-one events
encourage relationship building and spiritual strengthening that
result in maximizing the potential we all have in Christ.
Contact
Min. Frank Coleman, 773-410-1483, frank@frankcoleman.com
if you'd like to participate in a men's discipleship program.
Path Of Life Ministries is located at 6459 S. Campbell Ave.
Chicago, IL 60629.
Visit our website at:
http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/
----------
Subscribe!
Subscribe
to CONNECTIONS here
Get Archives of all past issues
here:
http://www.geocities.com/frankcoleman/connections/archives_all.html
Check
out my blog
