Connecting
man to man to God
For
week of January 24, 2010
Issue 288
The
Men’s Ministry newsletter of Path Of Life Ministries.
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“O
the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are [God's] judgments and how inscrutable [God's]
ways!”
Romans 11:33
CONSIDER
“Joy
is not gush: joy is not jolliness. Joy is simply perfect
acquiescence in God's will, because the soul delights itself in
God Himself... Rejoice in the will of God, and in nothing else.
Bow down your heads and your hearts before God, and let the will,
the blessed will of God, be done.” Hanmer William
Webb-Peploe (1837-1923), included in Springs in the Valley, ed.
Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997, p. 163
2010
CHRISTIANITY TODAY BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCED
For
two decades, the annual Christianity Today Book Awards have
recognized outstanding volumes that shed light on people, events,
and ideas that shape evangelical life, thought, and mission. This
year, the judging process began with 472 titles submitted by 72
publishers. CT editors selected finalists in each category, and
then expert judges sorted out the best of the bunch from 2009.
Here are the 12 winners (including two ties) and 11 notables that
best shed light on the people, events, and ideas that shape
evangelical life, thought, and mission.
Apologetics/Evangelism
GOD
IS GREAT, GOD IS GOOD: Why Believing in God Is Reasonable and
Responsible
William
Lane Craig and Chad Meister, Editors (InterVarsity)
Biblical
Studies
SIN:
A History
Gary
A. Anderson (Yale University Press)
Christianity
and Culture
SOULS
IN TRANSITION: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging
Adults
Christian
Smith with Patricia Snell (Oxford University Press)
Christian
Living
I
TOLD ME SO: Self-Deception and the Christian Life
Gregg
A. Ten Elshof (Eerdmans)
The
Church/Pastoral Leadership (tie)
DEEP
CHURCH: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional
Jim
Belcher (InterVarsity)
WHY
WE LOVE THE CHURCH: In Praise of Institutions and Organized
Religion
Kevin
DeYoung and Ted Kluck (Moody)
Fiction
NOTES
FROM UNDERGROUND
Fyodor
Dostoevsky; Boris Jakim, translator (Eerdmans)
History/Biography
PREDESTINATION:
The American Career of a Contentious Doctrine
Peter
J. Thuesen (Oxford University Press)
Missions/Global
Affairs
THE
NEW SHAPE OF WORLD CHRISTIANITY: How American Experience Reflects
Global Faith
Mark
A. Noll (InterVarsity Academic)
Spirituality
LONGING
FOR GOD: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion
Richard
J. Foster and Gayle D. Beebe (InterVarsity)
Theology/Ethics
(tie)
DESIRING
THE KINGDOM: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation
James
K. A. Smith (Baker Academic)
THE
GOD I DON'T UNDERSTAND: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith
Christopher
J. H. Wright (Zondervan)
THE
2010 CT AWARDS OF MERIT
Apologetics/Evangelism
FAITH
AT THE EDGE: A Book for Doubters
Robert
N. Wennberg (Eerdmans)
Biblical
Studies
THE
NEW INTERNATIONAL COMMENTARY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT: The First and
Second Letters to the Thessalonians
Gordon
D. Fee (Eerdmans)
Christianity
and Culture
AMERICAN
BABYLON: Notes of a Christian Exile
Richard
John Neuhaus (Basic)
Christian
Living
SINGLED
OUT: Why Celibacy Must Be Reinvented in Today's Church
Christine
A. Colón and Bonnie E. Field (Brazos)
The
Church/Pastoral Leadership
THE
MONKEY AND THE FISH: Liquid Leadership for a Third-Culture Church
Dave
Gibbons (Zondervan)
Fiction
ANGEL
TIME
Anne
Rice (Knopf)
History/Biography
THE
SISTERS OF SINAI: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden
Gospels
Janet
Soskice (Knopf)
Missions/Global
Affairs (tie)
THE
HOLE IN OUR GOSPEL: What Does God Expect of Us?
Richard
Stearns (Thomas Nelson)
THE
WORLD MISSIONARY CONFERENCE, EDINBURGH 1910
Brian
Stanley (Eerdmans)
Spirituality
THE
END OF SUFFERING: Finding Purpose in Pain
Scott
Cairns (Paraclete)
Theology/Ethics
KNOWING
CHRIST TODAY: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge
Dallas
Willard (HarperOne)
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/february/1.28.html
SUPER
BOWL XLIV (44)
Feb.
7, 2010; Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
http://www.superbowl.com
CBS
television and radio
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/superbowl
http://www.cbsradio.com/stations/index.html
http://www.cbsradio.com/streaming/index.html
http://www.westwoodone.com/
TEBOW
TO APPEAR IN SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL
Tim
Tebow is taking his star power to sport’s biggest stage. The
former Florida quarterback and his mother will appear in a
30-second commercial during the Super Bowl next month. The
Christian group Focus on the Family says the Tebows will share a
personal story centering on the theme “Celebrate Family,
Celebrate Life.”
The
group isn’t releasing details, but the commercial is likely
to be an anti-abortion message chronicling Pam Tebow’s 1987
pregnancy. After getting sick during a mission trip to the
Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her
fifth child and gave birth to Tim.
The
2007 Heisman Trophy winner ended his college career with several
NCAA, Southeastern Conference and school records, and two national
championships. Tebow also has been very involved in his family’s
Christian-based ministry.
Jim
Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, said the
commercial comes at a time when “families need to be
inspired.” .... Read this in full at
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-tebow-superbowlad&prov=ap&type=lgns
FACE
TO FACE
“The
Bible tells us that no one can see God's face and live. Moses,
whose relationship with God was one of extraordinary intimacy,
begged God to show him his glory. But God replied, "You
cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live ... You will
see my back; but my face must not be seen" (Exodus 33:20,
23). Even so, when Moses talked with God, his own face shone so
brilliantly that he had to cover it in the presence of others. His
fellow Israelites could not bear even the reflected glory of God.
“We
can only imagine what it must be like to see God's face - to
perceive his beauty, his power, his holiness, and his love. Though
we differ in our capacity to see God, none of us yet have the
ability to know him as he knows us. It's as though God is telling
us that it's still too dangerous, like trying to pour Niagara
Falls into a thimble. We would be utterly crushed and destroyed.
“Yet
Jesus tells us that angels in heaven continually enjoy
face-to-face communion with God. Maybe that's why they make such
great guardians. They know how overwhelmingly attractive God is,
and they are not seduced, as we are, into making idols out of
lesser desires. Unlike the fallen angels, they know the
foolishness of choosing less when you can have more.”
Ann
Spangler, When You Need a Miracle
RELIGIOUS
HAITIANS SEE HAND OF GOD IN EARTHQUAKE
Deeply
religious Haitians see the hand of God in the destruction of
biblical proportions visited on their benighted country. The
quake, religious leaders say, is evidence that He wants change.
Exactly what change He wants depends on the faith: Some Christians
say it’s a sign that Haitians must deepen their faith, while
some Voodoo followers see God’s judgment on corruption among
the country’s mostly light-skinned elite.... Read this in
full at
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100118/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_hand_of_god
AMID
RUBBLE, SEEKING A REFUGE IN FAITH
With
many of their churches flattened and their priests and pastors
killed, Haitians desperate for aid and comfort beseeched God to
ease their grief. Carrying Bibles, they traversed the dusty,
rubble-filled streets searching for solace at scattered prayer
gatherings. The churches, usually filled with passionate
parishioners on a Sunday morning, stood empty if they stood at
all.
In
a sign of the importance of churches here, President René
Préval gathered religious leaders along with political and
business leaders at the police station that has become his
headquarters. He asked the churches in particular to focus on
feeding people, but he gave little guidance on what the government
would do to help.... Read this in full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/world/americas/18church.html
URBAN
LEGEND EXPERT DEBUNKS HAITIAN ‘PACT WITH THE DEVIL‘
A
veteran Christian radio broadcaster, who is also an expert on
Urban Legends, is seeking to set the record straight regarding
televangelist Pat Robertson's comment that Haiti's problems are
caused by a pact the country allegedly made with the Devil 200
years ago.
Rich
Buhler is the host of “Talk from the Heart” on KBRT-AM
740 in Los Angeles, heard daily from 3:00 to 5:00 Pacific Time.
Regarded by many as the father of modern Christian talk radio, he
also is the creator of www.truthorfiction.com , a website that
researches Internet stories, hoaxes, and urban legends.
In
the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January,
2010, Christian television broadcaster Pat Robertson made
headlines by saying that Haiti had been “cursed by one thing
after another” ever since the Haitian revolution of the late
1700’s when the Haitians “swore a pact to the devil.”
Robertson
said, “They were under the heel of the French, you know
Napoleon III and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact
to the devil. They said ‘We will serve you if you will get
us free from the prince.’ True story. And so the devil said,
‘OK it’s a deal’. And they kicked the French
out.”
In
a piece he wrote for www.truthorfiction.com, which seeks to debunk
the legend, Buhler says there are several problems, however, with
Robertson’s statement.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/STORIES/2010/s10010104.htm
VOODOO
BRINGS SOLACE TO GRIEVING HAITIANS
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122770590&ft=1&f=1016
CHURCHES
OFFER SOLACE, HOPE IN HAITI
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-01-17-haiti-uschurches_N.htm
QUAKE
SHAKES, BUT DOESN'T TUMBLE, FAITH OF HAITIANS
http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=19518
AUDIO
BIBLES TO MINISTER HOPE IN HAITI
Standing
on a pile of concrete and tin metal rubble, a 20-something Haitian
man points over his shoulder. "This was my father's house,"
he said, matter-of-factly. Then the reality rolls over him like a
wave, and his voice breaks, "My mother was in there. My
family was..." He is interrupted by another man who yells, "I
can hear them in there. But we can't get to them. Without a
loader, we can't move this."
On
Jan. 12, Haiti, the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, was
struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake near its capital city,
Port-au-Prince. People set up makeshift shelters, refugee camps
and hospitals as others dug through concrete mounds that once held
their children, spouses, family, friends and neighbors. Faith
Comes By Hearing, the world's foremost Audio Bible ministry, is
responding to this crisis by providing faith, hope, and love
through God's Word in audio.... Read this in full at
http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/audio-bibles-minister-hope-haiti
also
see “MAF Disaster Team Ramps Up Relief Efforts in Haiti”
http://www.maf.org/news/maf-news/maf-disaster-team-ramps-up-relief-efforts-in-haiti
and
Lutheran
World Relief – Haiti Earthquake
http://www.lwr.org/Haiti/
and
Billy
Graham Evangelistic Association – Haiti Updates
http://www.billygraham.org/News_Article.asp?ArticleID=770
and
Christianity
Today – Haiti Earthquake Coverage
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/special/haiti.html
and
http://www.radiolumiere.org/
A
LIST OF CHRISTIAN RELIEF GROUPS IN HAITI, VETTED BY THE ECFA
http://www.ecfa.org/ServantMatch.aspx?Type=Haiti
THE
ECONOMY’S IMPACT ON CHURCHES: CONGREGATIONAL BUDGETS
The
economic crisis of the last year foiled the plans of many
businesses and hit millions of consumers hard. How has the
downturn affected churches and congregations? A new Barna Group
study, conducted in the fourth quarter of 2009 among a nationwide
sample of 1,114 Protestant leaders, explores how the nation’s
faith-driven organizations are faring in the new economy.
Like
many other sectors, pastors and church executives admit that
churches are feeling the results of the economic pinch, though for
most congregations it has not been severe so far. Overall, 57% of
pastors said the economy has negatively impacted their church over
the last year. Still, only 8% of leaders said the effect was “very
negative.” About one-third of leaders (35%) describe their
churches as unaffected by the economy, while one of 11 churches
(9%) defied the odds and described the last year as financially
positive.
Across
all Protestant churches, budgets are down about 7% from a year
ago, though that indicator masks extremes. The typical “down”
church has lost, on average, 14% of its budget. Among those
churches with contracting income, smaller churches were the
hardest hit: churches of 100 or fewer adults who had
shrinking revenue had lost 16%; those with 100 to 250 adults were
off by 13%; churches with 251-999 adults were down 11%; and
churches of 1,000 or more adults were down 9%.
Some
churches have been even more significantly hurt by the economy
than others: one out of every 11 churches (9%) has lost 20%
or more of their budget from 12 months ago. Within that proportion
are 2% of churches with incomes off by 35% or more. Among the rare
churches that have grown financially, the average annual budget
increase was 10%.... Read this in full at
http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/18-congregations/327-the-economys-impact-on-churches-congregational-budgets-part-1-of-3
MIM
PAPER SHOWS THAT ONLINE EXPOSURE TO ADULT PORNOGRAPHY ADVERSELY
AFFECTS CHILDREN'S SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES
Morality
in Media has published a 10-page paper reporting evidence that
exposure to hardcore adult pornography on the Internet can
adversely affect children's sexual behavior and attitudes about
sex. The evidence includes published observations of clinical
psychologists, police and prosecutors, educators, rape crisis
professionals, social workers and others, as well as social
science research.
The
paper is the second MIM publication in recent months exposing the
connection between adult pornography and harm to children. The
paper is a complement to "How Adult Pornography Contributes
to Sexual Exploitation of Children," a 215-page report
published in September 2009. Both the paper and report are posted
at www.obscenitycrimes.org ("Porn Problem & Solutions"
and "Help for Parents" pages).
The
January paper, "Harm to Children from Online Exposure to
Hardcore Adult Pornography," asserts that when it comes to
the Internet in the United States there are "at present NO
legal safeguards to protect children from exposure to pornography,
and in large measure we can thank the Supreme Court itself for
this tragic state of affairs." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7246212678.html
1 IN
3 PRESBYTERIANS AFFIRM JESUS AS ONLY WAY TO SALVATION
Less
than half of Christians in the largest Presbyterian denomination
in the country believe Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation,
a new survey reveals. The latest "Religious and Demographic
Profile of Presbyterians" report, released by the
Presbyterian Church (USA), shows that two in five (39%) members
agree or strongly agree that "only followers of Jesus Christ
can be saved." Fewer pastors (35%) agree or strongly agree.
Meanwhile, 45% of elders at least agree.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100113/1-in-3-presbyterians-affirm-jesus-as-only-way-to-salvation/index.html
DISABLED
WORSHIPPERS STRUGGLE TO FIND HOME IN PEWS
Among
the most humbling moments being confined to an electric wheelchair
came when Shawana Bulloch realized it could prevent her from
attending services at her Savannah church.
"The
one place you should be able to go is in the church without
assistance, you should be able to walk in - or roll in," said
Bulloch, who recently convinced her Full Gospel congregation to
get a portable ramp.
The
disabled faithful say such experiences remain common in houses of
worship, stoked by ignorance of their needs and doctrines that
paint disability as proof of sin.
Years
after federal law required accommodations for the disabled,
separation of church and state means houses of worship remain
largely beyond the law's reach. State laws and denominational
measures meant to take up the slack are tricky to enforce and face
resistance from churches who call them both costly and
impractical.... Read this in full at
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_REL_RELIGION_TODAY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-01-13-11-40-30
PARISHIONERS
FLOCK TO MICROCHURCHES FOR WORSHIP
Microchurches
have been around since New Testament days but have become more
popular in the past decade. Though the groups differ widely in
their practices, the majority serve less than 100 members,
typically don't own the building where they meet, often practice
nondenominational evangelism and intentionally offer believers a
worship atmosphere unlike that of established churches. Many of
the groups wish to remain small and will plant a new congregation
if numbers grow too large.
"People
are yearning for a more intimate type of fellowship that they, in
many cases, did not find in the very large church," said
Carol Childress, founder of FrameWorks, a church consulting firm
based in Texas. "In the course of one generation, as a
culture here in the United States, we made a 180-degree turn --
from valuing strong individuals to searching for a sense of
community.".... Read this in full at
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-exchange-iowamicr,0,1066040.story
ART
CLOKEY, CREATOR OF 'DAVEY & GOLIATH,' 'GUMBY' DIES AT 88
“Davey
and Goliath” was spiritual by design. Underwritten by what
is now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the series was
meant to teach values like charity and tolerance.... Read this in
full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/arts/television/11clokey.html
HOLLYWOOD'S
'THE BOOK OF ELI' CASTS BIBLE, CHRISTIAN CHARACTER AS CENTRAL
The
Bible plays a starring role in "The Book of Eli," a
post-apocalyptic action film starring Denzel Washington that
opened in theaters Jan. 15.
Washington,
a two-time Academy Award winner widely known in Hollywood for his
Christian beliefs, portrays a lone warrior making his way across a
desolate American landscape defending the world's last remaining
copy of the King James Version of holy writ.
"This
is a story about a man named Eli, who's been sent a message, who
hears voices from God that told him to take this book, the Bible,
across the country and to deliver it out West," Washington
says in a movie trailer posted on ScreenVue.com, which provides
movie clips for churches and ministries to use in their teachings.
Though
in the vein of recent films like "2012," a blockbuster
about the end of the world as predicted by the Mayan calendar,
evangelical movie buffs are touting "The Book of Eli" as
a rare major studio release where the protagonist is unabashedly a
Christian.
"How
far are we willing to go in response to God's call?" Craig
Detweiler, director of Pepperdine University's Center for
Entertainment, Media, and Culture, writes in a study guide written
for Christian viewers of the film. "What kind of sacrifices
would we make to defend the Word of God?".... Read this in
full at
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/4713/53/
STUDY
GUIDE FOR “THE BOOK OF ELI” MOVIE
http://www.screenvue.com/eli/
KEEPING
THE FAITH
Denzel
Washington is one of Hollywood's most successful and respected
actors. But the two-time Academy Award winner (for 1989's Glory
and 2001's Training Day) is also one of Hollywood's highest
profile Christians.
The
son of a Pentecostal preacher from Mount Vernon, New York,
Washington, 55, has been an active member of West Angeles Church
of God in Christ for nearly 30 years, reads his Bible every
morning, and always chooses roles that he can "bend" in
the direction of a positive message or a reflection of his deep
personal faith.
Faith
is everywhere in Washington's new post-apocalyptic film, The Book
of Eli, is being marketed with "B-ELI-EVE" and
"D-ELI-VER US" billboards. In the movie, Washington
plays a mysterious machete-wielding traveler named Eli, directed
by God to protect the earth's last remaining copy of the Bible --
that's right, the Bible -- and to take it "out West" for
safekeeping while villains seek to take it by force and use it as
a "weapon" of control.
Washington's
character in the film is intensely violent -- severing the limbs
of bad guys at every turn -- but begins to soften when he meets an
innocent girl (Mila Kunis) who reminds him that we can get so
caught up in protecting God's Word that we sometimes forget to
live by it.
For
Washington, "living by it" is chiefly characterized by
love and sacrifice. The ultimate message of Eli, he says, is "Do
more for others than you would do for yourself." It's a
message Washington was surrounded by as a boy.... Read this in
full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/interviews/2010/denzelwashington-jan10.html
EXACTLY
WHAT IS A SPIRITUAL REVIVAL AND AWAKENING?
by
Patrick Morley, PhD
Everywhere
you turn today, you can find pastor and lay groups and individuals
praying for our gracious and loving God to send spiritual revival,
renewal, and awakening to their families, churches, cities,
seminaries, nations, and world.
When
we pray for revival and awakening, just exacting what is it that
we're praying for?
America
has a deep, rich history of revivals and awakenings. In December,
1734, the first American revival of historic significance broke
out in Northampton, Massachusetts, where a young Jonathan Edwards
was pastor of the colony's second most influential church.
After
months of fruitless labor, he reported five or six people had been
converted. He was particularly surprised at the conversion of a
young woman. He wrote, "(She) had been one of the greatest
company-keepers in the whole town." In fact, he was afraid
her conversion would douse the flame, but quite the opposite
happened.
The
news about her, as Edwards put it, "seemed almost like a
flash of lightning, upon the hearts of young people, all over the
town, and upon many others." A revival and awakening broke
out. 300 souls converted in six months-in a town of only 1,100
people! The news spread like wildfire throughout the Colonies, and
similar revivals broke out in over 100 towns. The First Great
Awakening was under way.... Read this in full at
http://www.maninthemirror.org/weeklybriefing/wb356.htm
CONGRESSMAN
COMMENDS BIBLICA ON 200 YEARS OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO USA
US
Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado entered a proclamation into the US
Congressional Record Dec. 16 commending Biblica for its 200 years
of "contributions ... made to our country." Biblica
celebrated 200 years of Bible ministry Dec. 4, 2009. Read the
proclamation at
http://www.biblica.com/press_release/news.php?news_id=93
RELIGION
IN PUBLIC LIFE: FINDING A CONSENSUS
A
diverse, 28-member drafting committee has issued a description of
current law regarding religious expression in the United States
that it says is unprecedented in scope.
The
document is the most thorough statement of the status of the law
on American church-state issues to be produced so far, according
to its sponsor, the Wake Forest University Divinity School's
Center for Religion and Public Affairs. While there have been
joint statements on religion in the public schools, this is the
first one to address religion in American public life so
expansively, said Melissa Rogers, the center's director.
The
statement, Religious Expression in American Public Life, from
drafters at different points along the left-right policy spectrum,
acknowledges some of them frequently disagree on how courts should
rule on issues of religion and government but they were able to
reach consensus on the present status of the law. "However
much we differ about what the law should be, we agree in many
cases on what the law is today," they say in the document....
Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=32039
RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM DAY
Jan.
16 was Religious Freedom Day in the USA
(http://www.religiousfreedomday.com/),
commemorating the anniversary of the passage of Thomas Jefferson's
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786, which laid the
foundation for the First Amendment's guarantee of religious
freedom. A recent Pew Forum study finds that although 76% of
countries worldwide provide for freedom of religion in their
constitutions or basic laws, many of these countries still
infringe on religious beliefs and practices in a number of ways.
See a flow chart measuring “social hostilities”
against “government restrictions” at
http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=496
REFLECTIONS
OF A FORMER ISLAMIST EXTREMIST
British
activist Ed Husain was seduced, at the age of 16, by revolutionary
Islamist ideals that flourished at the heart of educated British
culture. Yet he later shrank back from radicalism after coming
close to a murder and watching people he loved become suicide
bombers. He dug deeper into Islamic spirituality, and now offers a
fresh and daring perspective on the way forward.
In
its fervor to deter terrorist acts, Ed Husain says, the West is
failing to understand the long-term threat -- a spreading mindset
that makes him and others susceptible to radicalization in the
first place. Husain's personal story illuminates some of the most
dangerous territory of modern life. He challenges some of the
West's most pervasive, instinctive reactions to it. Here this
radio interview on Speaking of Faith at
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2010/former-islamist-extremist/
VERSE
TO PONDER
“As
for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be
haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but
rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our
enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works,
generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the
treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may
take hold of the life that really is life.”
1 Timothy
6:17-19
CONSIDER
“The
church is the place where we learn not how self-sufficient we are,
but where we learn what sin really is. The church is the place
where the Pharisee learns to say with the Publican: Lord, have
mercy on me, a sinner.”
Sir Edwyn C. Hoskyns
(1884-1937), We are the Pharisees, London: SPCK, 1960, p. 19
MICHIGAN
DEFENSE CONTRACTOR HAS GOD IN ITS SIGHTS
Army
officials say they’ll investigate whether a Michigan defense
contractor violated federal procurement rules by stamping
references to Bible verses on combat rifle sights used by American
forces to kill enemy fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The
inscriptions are subtle and appear in raised lettering at the end
of the stock number. Trijicon's rifle sights use tritium, a
radioactive form of hydrogen, to create light and help shooters
hit what they're aiming for.
Markings
on the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight, which is standard issue
to US special operations forces, include "JN8:12," a
reference to John 8:12: "Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, 'I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life,'"
according to the King James version of the Bible.
The
Trijicon Reflex sight is stamped with 2COR4:6, a reference to part
of the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians: "For God,
who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in
our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ," the King James version
reads.... Read this in full at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011901812.html
also
http://detnews.com/article/20100120/POLITICS03/1200356/Wixom-company-defends-Biblical-references-on-rifle-sights
FINDING
MEANING IN THE PENTATEUCH
Christianity
Today editor at large Collin Hansen interviewed John Sailhamer,
Old Testament professor at Golden Gate Baptist Theological
Seminary, about his newest book, The Meaning of the Pentateuch
(IVP Academic, 2009), biblical criticism, and finding meaning in
the text of Scripture.
Q:
How do you explain the meaning of the Pentateuch to evangelicals
who revere these foundational books but do not see their
relevance?
A:
Experience has taught me that we really have to want to understand
the meaning of the Pentateuch before we see its relevance for our
lives. I've been fortunate to have students who have kept me
looking for answers about the meaning and relevance of this book.
The old theologians used to speak of "the love for Scripture"
as a sign of true faith in Christ. They would say, "We should
read the Old Testament as if it were written with the blood of
Christ." For them, the Old Testament and the Pentateuch in
particular was a Christian book, a book about Christ. For most
evangelical Christians today it is a book about archaeology and
ancient history.
Here
we have to be careful because, to be sure, the Old Testament is
about ancient history. But that is not its meaning. Its meaning is
Christ. Saying that also calls for a great deal of caution. In my
book, I take the view that the whole of the Pentateuch is about
Christ, but that doesn't mean that Christ is in the whole
Pentateuch. Finding Christ in the Pentateuch means learning to see
him when he is there rather than trying to see when he is not
there. I like to tell my students that we don't need to
spiritualize the Old Testament to find Christ, but we do need to
read it with spiritual eyes.
I
have a good friend who likes to chide me by saying you don't need
"exegesis" to find Christ in the Old Testament. All we
need is some "extra Jesus." I wrote my book in part to
show my friend and others like him that serious scholarship leads
one to find Christ in the Old Testament because he is really
there. The author of the Pentateuch put him there when he wrote
the book. I've found that if you show someone that Christ is
really there in the Pentateuch and the Old Testament, they will
come back to see more -- not merely because they have come to
revere the Pentateuch as a foundational book, but more importantly
because they want to see more of Jesus.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/januaryweb-only/12-11.0.html
THEOLOGIAN:
BRIT HUME IS RIGHT ON CHRISTIANITY, BUDDHISM DIFFERENCE
Journalist
Brit Hume who urged Tiger Woods to “turn to the Christian
faith” was right when he drew distinction between Buddhism
and Christianity in terms of the concept of forgiveness and
redemption, said a prominent evangelical theologian.
“I
admire Brit Hume for saying something that was at the risk of
bringing on this controversy because it really puts on the table
the fundamental distinction of worldview: worldview A being
Buddhism, worldview B being Christianity,” said Albert
Mohler, Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary in Louisville, Ky., on his eponymous radio program.
Mohler,
a commentator who has appeared on CNN’s “Larry King
Live” and ABC’s “Good Morning America,”
noted that while other major religions in the world believe in a
god or gods, Buddhism is a non-theistic faith.
Buddhist
teachings say that existence itself is the problem and the major
goal in life is to achieve nirvana, or total absence of existence.
To live is to suffer, adherents are taught, and the way to end
suffering is to detach oneself from life by following the Noble
Eightfold Path.
“That
is not what Christianity is about at all. There is a dramatic
distinction,” declared Mohler, who highlighted that
nirvana’s non-existence goal is about “emptiness
rather than filling.” .... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100111/theologian-brit-hume-is-right-on-christianity-buddhism-difference/index.html
CHURCHES
ATTACKED AMID FUROR IN MALAYSIA
An
uproar among Muslims in Malaysia over the use of the word Allah by
Christians spread Jan. 8-10 with the firebombing and vandalizing
of several churches, increasing tensions at a time of political
turbulence.
Arsonists
struck three churches and a convent school early Sunday, and black
paint was splashed on another church. This followed the
firebombing of four churches on Friday and Saturday. No injuries
were reported, and only one church, Metro Tabernacle in the
capital, Kuala Lumpur, had extensive damage.
The
attacks, unlike anything Malaysia has experienced before, have
shaken the country, where many Muslims are angry over a Dec. 31
court ruling that overturned a government ban on the use of the
word Allah to denote the Christian God.
Though
that usage is common in many countries, where Arabic- and
Malay-language Bibles describe Jesus as the “son of Allah,”
many Muslims here insist that the word belongs exclusively to them
and say that its use by other faiths could confuse Muslim
worshipers.... Read this in full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/world/asia/11malaysia.html
PERSECUTED
by
Martin E. Marty
Christians,
who through the centuries have often been persecutors, in our time
often are persecutees. Those of us who try to keep an eye on and
have a heart for suffering Christians have to log horror stories
weekly. In just a few January days we were made mindful of three
Christian churches bombed in Malaysia; eight Coptic Christians
shot dead in Egypt; persecution of house-church Christians in
China; and Christians suffering even unto death in some Indian
provinces. What, then, do we make of commentator Brit Hume,
journalist Andree Seu, and columnist Cal Thomas complaining of
persecutions inflicted on them and fellow Christians in the United
States?
Criticize
the latter three, and one of them, Mr. Thomas, will label you a
member of “the secular left” or a “self-described
Christian.” I am a self-described Bible-believing, born
again (daily) Christian, so Thomas’s deliberate
mischaracterization amounts to persecution of me. (“Me”
and “I,” here, are stand-ins for millions.) Thomas
complains that Hume is criticized for his “hubris” on
television for “presuming the Christian faith is superior to
other faiths.” Andree Seu assumes that Hume’s critics
“sound like they would prefer his beheading,” and that
his “e-mail is dripping with venom” but, adds Seu, he
will find that “there is life after persecution.” Here
come the personal pronouns by Seu: Thanks to Hume’s witness,
“the rest of us are made braver. We see that persecution is
survivable. We find ourselves envying...a man who has done the
thing, and is free.” .... Read this in full at
http://divinity.uchicago.edu/martycenter/publications/sightings/archive_2010/0111.shtml
THE
REBIRTH OF VIRTUE: AN INTERVIEW WITH N.T. WRIGHT
Q:
Why is it wrong to think of “virtue” as simply “good
behavior”?
A:
The point about the word “virtue” -- if we can
recapture it in its strong sense – is that it refers, not so
much to “doing the right things”, but to the forming
of habits and hence of moral character.
I
remember Rowan Williams describing the difference between a
soldier who has a stiff drink and charges off into battle waving a
sword and shouting a battle-cry, and the soldier who calmly makes
1000 small decisions to place someone else’s safety ahead of
his or her own and then, on the 1001st time, when it really is a
life-or-death situation, “instinctively” making the
right decision. That, rather than the first, is the virtue of
“courage”.
In
the book I use, as a “secular” example, the lifetime
forming of habits exemplified by Chesley Sullenberger III, the
pilot who, last January, brought the US Airbus down safely in the
Hudson River after a flock of geese got into the engines after
take-off from La Guardia. All his instincts had been trained so
that when the moment came he didn’t have to stop to think
what to do; it just “came naturally.” .... Read this
interview in full at
http://trevinwax.com/2010/01/05/the-rebirth-of-virtue-an-interview-with-n-t-wright/
GOD
BLESS THIS LAPTOP: LONDON VICAR WELCOMES TECHIES
venerable
British church has done what e-mail addicts and workaholics have
been doing for years — invoking the Almighty's blessing on
their high-tech gadgets. The Rev. Canon David Parrott blessed a
symbolic heap of laptops and smart phones on the altar of London's
17th-century St. Lawrence Jewry church Monday. An effort, he said,
to remind the capital's busy office workers that God's grace can
reach them in many ways. "It's the technology that is our
daily working tool, and it's a technology we should bless,"
Parrott said.... Read this interview in full at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-01-16-blessing-gadgets_N.htm
FIRST
EVER ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT CONNECTS CHRISTIAN LEADERS
IN BUSINESS, NONPROFITS AND CHURCHES
PHOENIX,
Ariz.—The first ever Entrepreneurial Leadership Summit for
Christian leaders in business, nonprofit organizations and
churches will be Feb. 21-24 in Phoenix, Ariz., in partnership with
the Walker Center for Global Entrepreneurship at Thunderbird
School of Global Management, the world's leading school of global
business.
The
Summit is the first ever gathering of Christian entrepreneurs who
want to reflect, refuel and re-ignite the passion of their
Christian calling—while networking and learning from the
entrepreneurial expertise of every participant. The Summit will
also create a safe place for entrepreneurs to dialogue about the
unfortunate walls that often separate business entrepreneurs from
their pastors and nonprofit ministry leaders.
http://www.breakthrusummits.com/pages/
THE
‘7 DWARFS’ BUSINESS GUIDE
by
Jim Gum
Every
month we get a Human Resources report on terminations. When they
are asked to put a reason why they were terminated, the reasons
vary from resigned, got a better job, getting married, moving,
sexual misconduct, etc. What I've found is that there isn't a
standard list. So, I decided to come up with one based on Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In
order to standardize our Human Resources forms we now use just 7
reasons for termination:
~
Happy: Had trouble putting nose to the grindstone. Too much time
spent telling jokes at the water cooler.
~
Doc: Left to pursue further schooling, in particular, Ph.D. work.
~
Sleepy: Chronically late for work. Caused many project delays.
~
Grumpy: Poor attitude toward work. Not a team player. Trouble with
early mornings.
~
Dopey: Made several critical errors at work costing the company
money, e.g., misappropriated company funds.
~
Sneezy: Recurrent, chronic illness has made it difficult for the
employee to complete work in a timely fashion.
~
Bashful: Lack of initiative. Not willing to make cold calls. Too
often let workplace disagreements simmer.
OTHERS
~
Jealous Queen: Heavy involvement in the occult not congruent with
organizational policies.
~
Snow White: Sexual misconduct, e.g., kissing strange men while
under some kind of trance.
~
Huntsman: Couldn't stand to be cooped up in the office all day.
Pursuing work with the National Forest Service.
Copyright
2000 Jim Gum. Permission is granted to send this to others, but
not for commercial purposes.
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
CHRISTIANBIBLESTUDIES.COM
ANNOUNCES MOST POPULAR BIBLE STUDIES OF 2009
With
over 800 downloadable Bible Studies in a multitude of formats,
ChristianBibleStudies.com has the largest selection of
downloadable studies on the Internet. The not-for-profit ministry
has compiled 2009's most downloaded studies that give a glimpse at
what was important for Bible study leaders, small group leaders,
and Sunday school classes throughout the year.
Editor
JoHannah Reardon, says, "The New Year brings exciting
opportunities and challenges with it, but it's important to
reflect on what God has done in the year we just passed." The
most popular Bible Studies on the site are as follows:
10.
The Gospel, a Napkin, and Four Circles
9.
Missional Evangelism
8.
I Want to Change ... So Help Me God
7.
Theology 101
6.
Seeing Christ in the Jewish Feasts
5.
Going Deeper in Prayer
4.
Spiritual Disciplines Assessment
3.
Expectant Prayer
2.
1 Peter--Walk the Talk
1.
Easter Week: Sacrifice & Salvation.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1694712665.html
20TH
ANNUAL WORLDWIDE WEEKEND OF PRAYER FOR THE ADDICTED
The
weekend of April 10-11, 2010 is designated the 20th Annual "Just
Pray NO!" to drugs Worldwide Weekend of Prayer and Fasting.
Since April 7th, 1991 "Just Pray NO!" Ltd. has sought to
unite Christians from around the world in intercessory prayer on
behalf of the addicted and their families. The devastation of
alcoholism and other drug addiction has impacted families and
communities worldwide. Substance abuse has been directly linked to
violence and sexual immorality and is a major source of income for
organized crime and terrorist activities. The "War on Drugs"
directly impacts the "War on Crime" and the "War on
Terrorism!" .... Read this in full at
http://justprayno.org/
HOW
THE EARLY CHURCH READ THE BIBLE
by
David Neff
The
late theologian Robert Webber had been taught to mine the Bible
for doctrinal facts.
This
intellectual spirituality colored every aspect of Bob's
Christianity, including his way of reading the Bible. He
eventually came to realize that "an intellectual spirituality
is situated not in God's story, but in my knowledge about God's
story …. This quest to know God through the mind was just
another self-focused spirituality." When he realized that
narcissistic potential, Bob headed in a different direction: to
the early church and its typological way of understanding
Scripture.
The
early church was as thoroughly convinced of the Bible's historical
reliability as modern evangelicals are. Yet, thought Bob, those
Christians were in better tune with the way the Bible tells its
own story: focusing on images that reveal the repeated patterns of
God's activity.
The
more that Bob concentrated on the grammatical, cultural, and
historical facts connected to the text, the more remote God became
for him. "When the cognitive aspect of the person dominates
the symbolic side, a vital part of humanity is neglected and the
human spirit is squelched." We need to recover the use of
image, symbol, and metaphor in the church, but that doesn't mean
that we must start from scratch with only ourselves as reference
points. The images are there. And the church fathers can open our
eyes to them.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/january/22.64.html
'EXPLAIN
CHRISTIAN NATION DECLARATION'
Zambian
President Rupiah Banda has challenged the church to unveil and
explain clearly what the declaration of Zambia as a Christian
nation entails so that the general populace can clearly understand
it.... Read this in full at
http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=4&id=1262162607
CONSIDER
“To
really know a man, observe his behavior with a woman, a flat tire
and a child.”
Unknown Author
VERSE
TO PONDER
"Live
by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful
nature."
Galatians 5:16
THIS
WEEK'S HYMN: COME, LET US ANEW OUR JOURNEY PURSUE
Words:Charles
Wesley, 1749
Music:James
Lucas (1820-?)
Come,
let us anew our journey pursue,
Roll
round with the year,
And
never stand still till the Master appear,
His
adorable will let us gladly fulfill,
And
our talents improve,
By
the patience of hope, and the labor of love,
By
the patience of hope, and the labor of love.
Our
life is a dream; our time, as a stream,
Glides
swiftly away,
And
the fugitive moment refuses to stay,
The
arrow is flown, the moment is gone;
The
millennial year
Rushes
on to our view, and eternity’s here,
Rushes
on to our view, and eternity’s here.
O
that each in the day of His coming may say,
“I
have fought my way through;
I
have finished the work Thou didst give me to do!”
O
that each from his Lord may receive the glad word,
“Well
and faithfully done!
Enter
into My joy, and sit down on My throne!”
“Enter
into My joy, and sit down on My throne!”
>from
NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/c/l/cletusan.htm
ON PRAYER
“We
have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.”
Oswald Chambers
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.
Mapping of the
Cat Brain :)
http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/mapping.htm
The
Final 3 - Amazing Math Card Trick
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8yxw6_the-final-3-amazing-math-card-trick_lifestyl
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.)
All I ask is a chance to prove
money can't make me happy.
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 in Chicago, IL.
Visit
our website at: http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/
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