Thought for today - 06/29/2011

"This is what the Lord says, 'Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.'"
     ~Isaiah 43:16, 18, 19

Thought for today - 06/28/2011

A stitch in time would have confused Einstein.

Thought for today - 06/27/2011

"I've seen prayers answered. But often, in my experience, if you get what you pray for, you've really shortchanged yourself."
     ~Anne Lamott

To The People In The Pews - Frank's Desk - 06/26/2011

To The People In The Pews

Let's do a sort of spiritual inventory.

How is your life in Christ going? Is it fulfilling? Are you pleased with your service in the Lord's work? Does it consist of merely being "a faithful member of the church"? What has happened to your personal and individual responsibility? Do you handle it yourself, making your own decisions about what you will do; or have you given it away to the institution or body corporate called "the local church"? More and more the organization, through its duly constituted officials, has taken responsibility for the total "service to Christ" of its members. It plans and directs all you do in spiritual activities.

What about decisions in your individual service to Christ? Do you decide what you will do, when, how, where, and with whom, if others are to be involved? Perhaps you are like most "church" members today, the decisions are all made for you. Everything is planned and organized for you and you are told what, where, when, how and with whom you will do it. The "leadership" and "the local church" organization, which definitely includes "The Pulpit Minister" as the "spark-plug" for things, decides when and where to meet, sets the number of times you are required to be at the appointed place, to do the appointed things; that is, "attend the services" as we call it. It is all planned and structured for you.

Therefore, you can occupy your place in the pew as a spectator at the "church service," to do the things you are allowed to do. Everything must go according to schedule, very formal, cut and dried! The rituals are performed in proper style.

One vital thing you are required to do is to make your proper financial contribution, meaning you drop it in the basket or plate, to be used or spent by the "rulers" at their discretion. You turn it over to the "leadership" for them to use as the Board of Directors of the corporation. They manage the business of the organization. And it takes money to operate an organization. Hence, you have no voice nor vote in such matters; and likely really do not know what use is made of it, except in a general way. You do not make the decision about the use made of your financial contribution! You have been trained to forfeit your responsibility in making your own decisions in serving the Lord. They tell you, "the church" will take care of you; your role is to (1) obey and (2) pay!

Your income and finances are yours. They are but an extension of yourself. You are personally responsible for the use of such the same as you are responsible before God for your entire life and abilities. This includes the use of your money. There isn't any such thing in the New Testament as "the Lord's money" or "the Lord's treasury." The pooled or collected money from the disciples of Christ is not sacred or holy money. Where does the New Testament set forth any such superstitious idea as that?

Your money is yours and you are responsible to God, as an individual, for its use the same as you are for any other ability or resource you have. In the Scriptures, the early disciples understood this. They did not have a "corporate treasury," because there was no corporation. Indeed they did, as each one determined to do, pool their financial resources for a specific purpose. They did not contribute money into "the church treasury" to be used at the discretion of the organization and/or its officials.

There is no instance in the New Testament of disciples giving into a general fund for general purposes. In every case the disciples knew the exact purpose for which funds were raised. They always gave to and for specific needs; and each one decided for himself or herself that he/she could/would do so. Every contribution was earmarked for some specific cause; and each disciple determined whether he would contribute for that specific need.

Look at Acts 11:28: "And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea." This was an individual decision on the part of each one. They contributed to a specific cause. It was earmarked for that purpose. The disciples, each one of them, decided what they would contribute to; and whether they would contribute or not. This is the exercise of personal responsibility! This is what the Lord requires of us.

In Acts 11:29 we read that "this they did, sending it by Barnabas and Saul to the elders." It was sent to "the elders" for distribution, not to decide what would be done with it! If "the elders" used it for any other purpose than that designated, they would have misappropriated the funds! It was sent to them because they were true "shepherds of the sheep" not corporate managers of a business operation. They knew the needs of the disciples in Judea better than anyone else because they were doing what Peter instructed elders to do, "shepherd the flock of God among you."

In Acts 2:45, the contribution of the disciples was for a specific purpose. There was a need to be met. In Acts 4:32, 34-35 (turn and read the passages in your Bible!), the purpose is specific and known to all. In Acts 6:1-7, "the multitude of the disciples," somehow, in some manner, selected seven men who were "put in charge of this task" of daily ministration for those in need. In I Cor. 16:1-2, Paul talks of "the collection for the saints," the needy saints in Judea. Verse 2 says, "On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come." (NASV) This is a plan for each person to budget or save on a regular basis for this great need. The teaching is that it was to be put aside at home on a regular basis, so it would be in place when Paul came. It has no reference to putting something into a common fund or treasury. Certainly there isn't the slightest indication that he had in mind making a contribution each first day of the week into "the corporate treasury" as our people are trained to do today. Yet our preachers drive hard with this passage to line up the members to dutifully drop their contribution into "the corporate treasury" each Sunday. This is even now taught to be "an act of worship!" I guess that means the more you give the more you worship! It is obvious that an abundant "corporate treasury" is necessary to an upward and onward local church corporation. The corporation has to pay for a building (perhaps a bigger one or remodeling job), properly equip it with comfortable pews, air conditioning, classrooms, playrooms, kitchen, recreation hall, Family Life Center, barbeque grills, ball field, places to eat and play!

In addition, the preachers have a strong vested interest in "the corporate treasury" because that is the source of their livelihood! As an employee of "the corporate church", their wages, Social Security, hospitalization insurance, house payment, living expenses, car expenses, and vacation come from this source! Every really successful "Minister" deserves a really first-class "Compensation Package;" as it is now called! One can understand why they are so concerned with a large, and increasingly larger, financial income for "the corporate church." True, in our day, this is a mark of success in the ministry of The Pulpit Minister, but of greater importance, it is his source of income.

The "corporate treasury," "the church treasury," as we have it today in "the local church" organization, is a source of great trouble and evil among the people of God. It is a concentration of power; and power often corrupts. It is a vital part of the organization or institution we have formed called "the corporate body" or "the local church." It is the funding source for the operation of our institution, with its highly paid staff, its massive buildings, its recreation program, and all the necessary expenses of a big business. The operational budget must be bigger and bigger. The largest part of it is spent on ourselves, while the world remains lost in sin and bound for hell! How terrible.

My brother and sister, you alone are responsible for the decision for the use of your "contribution" in the service of Christ. You dare not give away this responsibility. You will be held accountable before God. It is easy to merely drop our contribution in the plate and let the organization decide its use according to the operational budget. But it is a cop-out on your part! It is a shirking of responsibility. We had better back off and take a long, hard look at this practice and all the other practices now in place that make up "the local church" organization. It is not from God, but borrowed from the wisdom of men.

Is it any wonder that the "church" is losing members and losing respect? We are engaged in a big business venture, largely having to do with this world! We have "sold our souls" to the "company store," the institution. Individual responsibility is largely gone; surrendered to our "formal organization" that we are required to "join" and "therein serve under the control of the organization." Do you wonder why you are dissatisfied and unfulfilled in your relationship to Christ? Why are we losing the young people in spite of all our efforts to hold them with recreation, parties, fun, foolishness and frolic? There may be a lot of activity, but it is empty and of no spiritual value. We try to feed ourselves on the "husks" of this world. The "preaching" is usually designed to "build the church" not save souls. Much of the preaching today is about what you could get anywhere else; from positive mental attitude proponents like Joel Osteen or Zig Ziglar. The power of the Gospel is rarely ever heard.

Wake up, brother and sister, before it is too late! We are not likely to stop the big church organization movement among us. The "on the march" leadership is well entrenched and in control of the organizations. But, thank God, the organizations are not important; they are a hindrance, not a help. The hope lies with the individual -- you and me! It always has been this way. Individuals must be awakened and aroused to the dangers of what has happened to us. This is a purpose of the blogs we administer. We hope you will consider seriously, and with prayer, the things presented therein. Please search the Scriptures daily to determine if the things are true or not. Our eternal destiny is at stake.

May God bless you, one and all, with an honest and good heart to know and do His will.

Frank Coleman
http://www.EkklesiaChicago.org
http://www.PathOfLifeMinistries.org


All comments and links in this publication reflect the sole opinion of Frank Coleman

Weekly Prayer Focus - 06/26/2011

Waiting on God. It seems right before dinner is the time you get the hungriest, and you feel you just can't wait. It's tempting to eat a cheap snack and then have your appetite spoiled for the great meal awaiting. That's how it can be in life too. We are hungry for things—a job, a spouse, healing—and it feels like we just can't wait, not even for God. You see, if you have a promise from God for something, it can be tempting at times to make it happen yourself.

 

A lady named Sarah in the Bible did this—and greatly regretted it. God had told her husband that they would have a son, even though she was old and infertile. But she just couldn't wait any longer, and so she told her personal maid to sleep with her husband so she could adopt the child as her own. But this wasn't God's plan and it caused great heartache for all involved. The Bible says over and over, "Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD" (Psalm 27:14).

 

Sometimes God's timing may seem a little…slow. He does this on purpose. When would we have time to grow faith and trust in Him if we got everything we wanted the second we asked? No, the Bible says instead, "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time" (Psalm 145:15). At the proper time is the key phrase here. What are you waiting for? Don't do it in your own strength; let God make it happen for you. That doesn't mean that you have no part in it; it just means you don't act and do something when you know it isn't what He wants for you.

 

You've got to know that His plan is way better than yours. God did indeed bless Sarah with her own son, Isaac, and he brought her great joy and laughter to see God do such a miraculous thing. But she didn't have to make the mistake of not trusting Him. Take a moment right now to ask God to help you be patient and direct your paths. You can trust His perfect plan for your life.

 

So, this week, let us pray and ask God to:

• Help us wait for His perfect divine will in our lives
• Trust Him to accomplish His purposes in the lives of those we love
• Help each of us to live Godly lives pleasing to Him

THANK YOU so much for your prayers. Can we pray for you? Go to our Prayer & Praise page. We would love to pray for you! May God bless you.

 

Source: Global Media Outreach

Thought for today - 06/26/2011

"[Jesus said,] 'I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.'"
     ~John 16:33

CONNECTIONS News - 06/26/2011

For week of June 26, 2011
Issue 362

The weekly 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 2,096 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://www.pathoflifeministries.net/page33.html
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"I'm sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus."
Phil 1:6 (CEB)


     CONSIDER
"We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount."
Omar N. Bradley, American general (1893-1981)


     NEW PEW FORUM SURVEY EXPLORES VIEWS OF EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD
In a new survey by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, most evangelical Protestant leaders who live in the Global South (58%) say that evangelical Christians are gaining influence on life in their countries. By contrast, most leaders who live in the Global North (66%) say that, in the societies in which they live, evangelicals are losing influence. U.S. evangelical leaders are especially downbeat about the prospects for evangelical Christianity in their society; 82% say evangelicals are losing influence in the United States today, while only 17% think evangelicals are gaining influence.

In general, evangelical leaders who live in the Global South (sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East/North Africa, Latin America and most of Asia) are optimistic about the prospects for evangelicalism in their countries, while those who live in the Global North (Europe, North America, Japan, Australia and New Zealand) tend to be more pessimistic. Seven-in-ten evangelical leaders who live in the Global South (71%) expect that five years from now the state of evangelicalism in their countries will be better than it is today. But a majority of evangelical leaders in the Global North expect that the state of evangelicalism in their countries will either stay about the same (21%) or worsen (33%) over the next five years.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/pressreleases/new_pew_forum_survey_explores_views_of_evangelical_protestant_leaders_aroun/


     THE REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION RAISED FROM ROB BELL'S 'LOVE WINS'
by Mark Galli
There are questions, and then there are questions. In the book Love Wins, there are lots of questions — 86 in the first chapter alone.

Questions driven by faith and questions driven by self-justification can sound very similar. Sometimes they can be identical in their wording, but they are not identical in their motives. A question can be grounded in trust in God's goodness — or it can be a demand for a sign. God is pleased with the former, but not so pleased with the latter.

As Jesus put it, "Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign" (Matthew 16:4). The demand for signs is a demand for proof. It's a clue that the heart is not right. It's putting God on trial. We don the judge's robes and climb into the judicial bench, looking down at the accused.

The problem with requests for signs is that they mask unbelief — and ultimately they become an attempt to justify a lack of faith. Such is the case with the theologian described in Luke 10, whose questions prompt Jesus to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan. Asked how one gains eternal life, Jesus answers clearly, but the theologian only asks another question because, as Luke notes, "the man wanted to justify his actions" (verse 29).

Questions driven by a demand for signs never cease — and they never satisfy. The unfortunate conclusion in the Gospel of John is, "Despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him" (John 12:37).
The point is that questions are not just questions. There is no such thing as a neutral inquiry when it comes to questions about God.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/juneweb-only/godwins.html


     THE GOD-SHAPED GAP
"What does this desire and this inability of ours proclaim to us but that there was once in man a genuine happiness, of which nothing now survives but the mark and the empty outline; and this he vainly tries to fill from everything that lies around him, seeking from things that are not there the help that he does not get from those that are present? Yet they are quite incapable of filling the gap, because this infinite gulf can only be filled by an infinite and immutable object -- that is, God, Himself. He alone is man's veritable good, and since man has deserted Him it is a strange thing that there is nothing in nature that has not been capable of taking His place for man: stars, sky, earth, elements, plants, cabbages, leeks, animals, insects, calves, serpents, fever, plague, war, famine, vices, adultery, incest. And since he has lost the true good, everything can equally appear to him as such -- even his own destruction, though that is so contrary at once to God, to reason, and to nature."
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), Pensees (Thoughts) [1660], P.F. Collier & Son, 1910, #425, p. 138-139


     TAMING THE IMAGE
by Read Mercer Schuchardt
The band is rockin', arms are swayin', and your pastor is about to come on screen in high definition with such stunning visual clarity that even people in the nosebleed seats can see your perfect smile.

Is this a rock concert? A beer commercial? Or just a typical Sunday morning?

These days, it could be any of the above.

Whether you're a questioning congregant, a concerned pastor, or a perplexed professor studying the effects of media on religious practice (like me), the use of technology in the worship setting is worth considering.

Media are not neutral. Like ideas, they have consequences, especially in the church. And some of these consequences should give us pause. In Technopoly media theorist Neil Postman writes, "A preacher who confines himself to considering how a medium can increase his audience will miss the significant question: In what sense do new media alter what is meant by religion, by church, even by God?" .... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2011/spring/tamingimage.html


     GRACE AND COMMUNION
"Don't let anyone tell you that you have been somehow cut out of your Father's will, or for some reason have been disinherited. Don't let some moral failure in your life wag an accusatory finger at you, telling you that you do not qualify.

"[When Jesus] instituted the covenant meal and introduced his disciples to the 'new covenant in My blood' (Luke 22:20), Jesus declared the transition in their relationship from servant-master to one of covenant friendship. As friends, they were now in a position to possess as their very own whatever he had received from the Father.

"The wonder of the new covenant is that God cut a covenant with himself! He became man in his son, Jesus Christ. Then, as man, he fully satisfied his own demands for righteousness, shed his own blood as a sacrifice for man's failure to live up to those righteous demands, and by that same blood he cut a covenant with himself on man's behalf.

"Now, through the new birth, we are united with Christ in that sacrificial death and are raised with him to enter into the enjoyment of communion with God and participation in the Son's inheritance of all that belonged to the Father. By that same death and birth we have died to the law and been born into a new relationship with Christ... The law has no jurisdiction or influence on a dead man. Instead, by his union with Christ, he now lives in the freedom of no longer being under law but under grace (see Rom. 6:14).
In Christ we are in covenant with God.
In Christ we become his children and therefore his heirs."
Excerpt from The Birthright: Out of the Servants' Quarters, Into the Father's House, by John Sheasby with Ken Gire


     CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS CARVER LOOKS BEYOND 'RETIREMENT'
When Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Douglas Carver retires from the Army in July, the US Army's Chief of Chaplains will take with him experiences with the armed forces' men and women that have helped form and transform him.

The first Southern Baptist in more than 50 years to assume the role of Army Chief of Chaplains in 2007, the two-star general will retire after more than 38 years of service.

"I don't use the word retirement," he notes. "This is a transition. God has ordered up something special beyond the Army. I don't know what it is, but it's something exciting."

In his final weeks of duty, Carver has "little white space on my calendar." He returned from an April base circulation in Afghanistan to an array of stateside visits and appearances -- among them the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix.

The busyness has done little to quell the emotion or distract him from the swell of memories..... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35608


     CAN THIS WAIT?
"Thomas Lynch is a mortician-poet who has written a surprisingly witty book called The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Trade. He tells how often people instruct him about what kind of funerals they want, and his response is always the same: 'The dead don't care.' One of them is a wealthy, worldly Irish priest who rides in a big car and has his eye on the cardinal's job. 'No bronze coffin for me,' he tells Lynch at the cemetery one day. 'No orchids or roses or limousines. The plain pine box is the one I want, a quiet Low Mass and the pauper's grave. No pomp and circumstance.'

"The priest pictures his corpse as a model of piety and simplicity. He is actually moved at the thought of having chosen such a humble and austere send-off. Lynch points out that he doesn't have to wait till he dies; he could actually give simplicity a go today. Quit the country club and do his hacking at the public links; trade in his brougham for a used Chevy; give away his Florsheims and cashmeres and prime ribs.

"Lynch offers to help him with this, to distribute his savings and credit cards among the worthy poor of the parish, and then, when the sad duty called, bury him for free in the manner to which he would by then have become accustomed. This suggestion is not met with enthusiasm. 'What I was trying to tell the fellow was, of course, that being a dead saint is no more worthwhile than being a dead angelfish. Living is the run, and always has been. This is the central fact of my business - there is nothing, once you are dead, that can be done to you or with you that will do you any good or harm. The dead don't care.'

"Ask yourself, 'If I were to die, would I have any regrets about my stuff?' The time to start giving is today."
John Ortberg in When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box


     MISSION NETWORK NEWS CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY BY ISSUING A CHALLENGE FOR CHANGE
Mission Network News (MNN), a service of Cornerstone University, has issued a challenge to change the world. To celebrate their 20 years of international radio ministry, MNN is sponsoring Challenge for Change, a month-long initiative to get people involved in short term missions this summer.

"As people begin planning their vacations and activities Challenge for Change is a call to action to include sharing their faith as part of those plans," says Greg Yoder, Executive Director.

MNN is partnering with radio affiliates in the month of July, 2011, to focus attention on local and international mission agencies and service opportunities. "We have found that many people are interested in missions, but they either don't have the information needed to motivate them to get involved or the information they do have is overwhelming and they feel as if their efforts won't have a significant impact," continues Yoder. "Challenge for Change is about demystifying mission work and showing thousands of people the power of one." .... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11060094.htm


     NARCISSISM, THERAPY, AND US
by Chuck Colson
What is the case of Anthony Weiner really all about? Well, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat has an insightful and profound take on the whole sorry affair.

Douthat writes, "In the sad case of Rep. Anthony Weiner's virtual adultery, the Internet era's defining vice has been thrown into sharp relief. It isn't lust or smut or infidelity, though online life encourages all three. It's a desperate, adolescent narcissism."

Douthat is absolutely right. Weiner wasn't out for sexual thrills. Opportunities for that kind of misbehavior stalk the halls of Congress.

No, Weiner, according to Douthat, was on a "pathetic quest for quasi-public validation." Weiner's Tweets and emails don't reveal a man who wanted a relationship with women other than his wife. He simply wanted to show off. "Whether the congressman was tweeting photos of his upper body or bragging" about some other body part, Douthat observes, Weiner's focus was "squarely on himself." .... Read this in full at
http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/17285


     SCRIPTURE APPLIED
"'The Bible,' we are told sometimes, 'gives us such a beautiful picture of what we should be.' Nonsense! It gives us no picture at all. It reveals to us a fact; it tells us what we really are; it says, This is the form in which God created you, to which He has restored you; this is the work which the Eternal Son, the God of Truth and Love, is continually carrying on within you."
Frederick Denison Maurice (1805-1872), The Prayer-Book and the Lord's Prayer, London: Macmillan, 1880, p. 221


     WHY ALL THE FUSS OVER KING JAMES BIBLE?
by Larry Stone
2011 is the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible. This year books have been published about the translation, about the KJV's influence, and even about the bi-numeral King James himself -- he was King James VI of Scotland and King James I of England and Ireland. There are conferences and exhibits. Lionsgate released an excellent movie with John Rhys-Davies presenting "The amazing tale of the birth of the King James Bible." And the National Mall in Washington, D.C., hosted a two-day King James Bible Expo.

Why all the fuss about a 400-year-old Bible translation? Over the last 60 years an incredible number of new Bible translations have been published. And with each one, the publisher has tried to convince us that the KJV is difficult to understand, told us it is inaccurate in parts, and has explained why we need that publisher's new translation. And we have tended to believe the advertising rhetoric.

But there has never been a book as important as the King James Bible to our language, to our culture, and to our faith.... Read this in full at
http://www.realclearreligion.org/articles/2011/06/17/why_all_the_fuss_over_king_james_bible_106271.html


     UNPRECEDENTED INITIATIVE LAUNCHED TO END EXTREME POVERTY BY 2035
Ten leading Christian anti-poverty organizations have announced the launch of "58:" (http://www.live58.org/) — an unprecedented alliance of global Christians, churches and faith-based poverty-fighting organizations working together to end extreme, global poverty by 2035. To achieve this ambitious goal, 58: aspires to become the largest, most unified effort ever by the global Church to help the 1.4 billion people living on less than $1.25 a day — a revolutionary, worldwide response to the call of Isaiah 58.

The ten international organizations collectively represent more than $800 million in annual operations and provide a conduit to support thousands of local organizations and churches doing work in more than 50 developing countries.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/pressreleases/unprecedented_initiative_launched_to_end_extreme_poverty_by_2035/


     VERSE TO PONDER
"I will make the blind walk a road they don't know, and I will guide them in paths they don't know."
Isa. 42:16a (CEB)


     CONSIDER
"To do his work God does not send a book of metaphysics or a sacred book of Gnostic revelations or a complete epistemological system or a perfected wisdom. He sends a man."
Jacques Ellul (1912-1994), The Subversion of Christianity, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1986, p. 24


     GENERATION WANDERING
by Martin E. Marty
Backlash against the hyper-institutionalism of religious organizations in the 1950s led first to revolt ("the sixties") and the birth of a lifestyle summarized in the mantra, "I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual." Today some returnees are nervy enough to lash back with an opposite mantra: "I'm not spiritual, but I'm religious." Neither pole is a bargain. "Spiritual" often comes across as pridefully individualistic. Other believers and seekers don't live up to their standards. But "religious?" Brought up on Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth—who wrote a section on "Religion als Unglaube," ("Religion as Unbelief") —newer generations have not tried to acquire bragging rights about "organized religion." Between and beyond them is another cohort who simply don't care for either. Most of them tend to be young post-believers, who have the reputation of shrugging a shrug in the apathetic mode.... Read this in full at
http://divinity.uchicago.edu/martycenter/publications/sightings/archive_2011/0620.shtml


     VAM IMPE LEAVES TBN OVER 'CHRISLAM' REMARKS
Jack Van Impe, a popular End Times broadcaster, has ended his decades-long run on Trinity Broadcasting Network after a dispute over naming ministers that he accuses of mixing Christian and Muslim beliefs.

In early June, Van Impe named California megachurch founders Rick Warren and Robert H. Schuller as proponents of "Chrislam," which he defined as "a uniting of Christianity with Islam." TBN pulled the episode before a repeat broadcast could air.

Michigan-based Jack Van Impe Ministries said its board of directors decided unanimously June 17 to no longer work with TBN.

"We would not be able to minister effectively if we had to look over our shoulder wondering if a program was going to be censored because of mentioning a name," said Ken Vancil, executive director of the ministry, in a statement.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-06/vam-impe-leaves-tbn-over-chrislam-remarks


     DISCIPLINE
"People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated."
D. A. Carson (b. 1946), For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God's Word, v. II [1999], reprint, Good News Publishers, 2006, Jan. 23


     "HOW'S YOUR CHURCH DOING?"
by John Ortberg
Somebody asked me recently: "How's the church going?" How do you answer that? Is it going well if you make the budget? Or fill a building? Or beat last year's average attendance? Is it determined by comparing your congregation to how other churches are doing? Of course the tricky part is figuring out how God thinks we're doing. What does he want of us?

I can think of three possible gauges that might guide our response.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/currenttrendscolumns/leadershipweekly/churchdoing.html


     OUTREACH MAGAZINE CELEBRATES SMALL CHURCH AMERICA
It's an irony of American culture: The vast majority of churches nationwide are small, but society measures success most often by ever-increasing numerical growth.

However, in the pages of its July/August 2011 issue, Outreach magazine celebrates Small Church America with profiles of five smaller churches that are redefining success -- and changing lives -- by focusing on the number that matters most: 1. Influencing one life at a time with God's love, these churches and others like them are overcoming social divides and making a difference in their communities.

"I think this was one of Outreach magazine's best issues ever -- and a very important one," says Dan Kimball, teaching pastor at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, Calif., and an Outreach columnist.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/2097517242.html


     TIGER DADS VS. SEXUALIZED DAUGHTERS
by Owen Strachan
The first and most basic of parental duties is to protect one's children in a physical and especially a spiritual sense (Eph. 6:4). This involves training little girls to be modest and chaste, and to exude Christocentric virtue, not to be forward and promiscuous. If these ideals sound Victorian, antiquated to modern ears, they are actually much more historical (see 1 Tim. 2:9-10).... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/juneweb-only/tigerdads.html


     THY WILL BE DONE
"Thy will be done means more than thy will be borne. No matter what sorrow invades our life, we are still to do God's will. We shall see afterwards that the sorrow rightly accepted fitted us to do some new duty, or to do our old duty more effectively. 'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth,' is the right cry in the hour of bewildering grief."
Maltbie D. Babcock (1858-1901), Thoughts for Every-day Living, New York: C. Scribner's sons, 1901, p. 122


     AUTHOR SAYS TALE OF PISTOL-PACKING PREACHER HOLDS LASTING LESSONS
When the pastor of one of the nation's largest churches shot and killed an unarmed man who entered his study threatening him, the whole nation took notice.

J. Frank Norris, the controversial pastor of First Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, who earlier had been indicted but acquitted on arson and perjury charges after his church burned, stood trial for first-degree capital murder—and beat the rap.

The courtroom drama drew page-one attention in newspapers across the country in the mid-1920s. But today, more people know Norris for his part in denominational schisms than for his role as defendant in a high-profile murder trial.

Nearly 40 years ago, David Stokes first heard about how Norris shot and killed D.E. Chipps, a wealthy Fort Worth lumberman and close friend of Mayor Henry Clay Meacham -- whom Norris defamed both in the pulpit and in print. Stokes found the story captivating, and he began to collect material related to the event. "It had all the elements of a powerful drama," he said.... Read this in full at
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/6502/53/


     HOLY ROLLERS: CHURCHGOING, FRIENDSHIPS MAY DETER PROBLEM GAMBLING
by David Briggs
A Hollywood evangelist carrying a 12-foot wooden cross led some 200 Southern Baptists down the heart of the nation's gambling capital in 1989, handing out gospel tracts during the denomination's annual meeting in Las Vegas.

The decision to meet in Sin City evoked controversy, with some Southern Baptists deciding to stay home rather than bring their families to a city built on the vices they oppose. Church leaders presented it as an opportunity to emphasize evangelism in a growing region.

Thus, the march down the center of The Strip in 109-degree heat. "We're on the way to Ceasar's Palace. We've got another place. That is God's palace. Let's take people there," encouraged the evangelist, Arthur Blessitt.

More than two decades later, the multibillion dollar gambling industry continues to grow as states expand lotteries and make way for casinos in the hopes of raising revenue that do not require tax hikes.

Still, efforts to oppose the personal and social ills of gambling by a broad range of religious groups, from Southern Baptists to United Methodists, have not been in vain, according to a developing body of research.... Read this in full at
http://blogs.thearda.com/trend/featured/holy-rollers-churchgoing-friendships-may-deter-problem-gambling/


     LEARN TO PRAY
by Patrick Morley
Here is the logical starting point for prayer: There is nothing for which we cannot pray, and there is nothing God cannot do. This opens up "everything" as subjects for prayer.

Prayer is the "language" God has made available for us to communicate with Him. It is the "voice" He hears. Prayer allows us to engage God in meaningful conversation.

Prayer is God's designated means of pouring our hearts out to Him, of personal relationship, of communion, of praising and worshiping Him, of getting our needs met or interceding for others, of ushering the kingdom of God into human affairs.

Prayer is our means to seek and receive forgiveness, pledge allegiance to Jesus, express gratitude for his "goodness and unfailing love that will pursue me all the days of my life" (Psalm 23:6 NLT). Prayer is the means of healing, of mercy, of grace, of wisdom and guidance, and of filling by the Holy Spirit.

Though God doesn't answer audibly, the Bible says He does answer when we pray according to His will: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us -- whatever we ask -- we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15). Suggest men ask themselves, "Who would know better if a prayer should be answered the way you want -- you or God?" Teach your men to trust that God has their best interests in mind.

Pray regularly with your wife (if married) or an accountability partner. Try praying with your wife every day. Take "The Marriage Prayer Challenge" at http://www.themarriageprayer.com.

Prayer is hard work, but it is the only work that releases the power of the kingdom of God into our human actions.


     SCIENTISTS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CURED PROSTATE CANCER IN MICE
A human vaccine has successfully been used to cure prostate cancer in mice, according to a report published in the journal Nature Medicine. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic and the UK assembled DNA libraries which included some healthy prostate DNA, put them in virus shells and injected them into the mice.... Read this in full at
http://www.businessinsider.com/cancer-vaccine-works-2011-6


     CONSIDER
"If we are to love our enemies, we must make our common life a visible exercise and demonstration of that love. If content and thankfulness, if the patient bearing of evil be duties to God, they are the duties of every day, and in every circumstance of our life."
William Law (1686-1761), A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life [1728], London: Methuen, 1899, p. 10


     VERSE TO PONDER
"Consider everyone as equal and don't think that you're better than anyone else. Instead associate with people with no status."
Rom. 12:16a (CEB)


     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: I'M GLAD I'M ONE OF THEM
Words & Music: Isaiah G. Martin, 1906

There are people almost everywhere
Whose hearts are all aflame
With the fire that fell at Pentecost,
Which made them all acclaim;
It is burning now within my heart—
All glory to His Name!—
And I'm glad that I can say I'm one of them.

Refrain
One of them (one of them), one of them (one of them),
I am glad that I can say I'm one of them;
One of them (one of them), one of them (one of them),
I am glad that I can say I'm one of them.

Though the people may not learnèd be,
Nor boast of worldly fame,
They have all received their Pentecost,
Through faith in Jesus' Name;
And are telling now, both far and wide,
His power is yet the same,
And I'm glad that I can say I'm one of them.
Refrain

They were gathered in the upper room,
All praying in His Name,
They were baptized in the Holy Ghost,
And power for service came;
Now what He did for them that day
He'll do for you the same,
And I'm glad that I can say I'm one of them.
Refrain

Come, my brother seek this blessing
That will cleanse your heart from sin,
That will start the joy bells ringing
And will keep the soul aflame;
It is burning now within my heart—
All glory to His Name!—
And I'm glad that I can say I'm one of them.
Refrain

>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/i/g/igiothem.htm


     ON PRAYER
"Unless in the first waking moment of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God."
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 us to add you to our prayer chain 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.

Harvard Business Review blogs
http://blogs.hbr.org/

The Best Place to Store Condiments
http://www.rd.com/slideshows/ending-the-debate-the-best-place-to-store-condiments/?trkid=ERDI22938

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.)


Change is good as long as I don't have to do anything differently.
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.org/ 


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Thought for today - 06/21/2011

TIME WITH GOD

Lord, what a change within us one short hour
Spent in Thy presence will prevail to make!
What heavy burdens from our bosoms take,
What parched ground refresh as with a shower!
We kneel, and all around us seems to lower;
We rise, and all, the distant and the near,
Stands forth in sunny outline brave and clear;
We kneel, how weak! we rise, how full of power!
Why, therefore, should we do ourselves this wrong,
Or other, that we are not always strong,
That we are ever overborne with care,
That we should ever weak or heartless be,
Anxious or troubled, when with us is prayer,
And joy and strength and courage are with Thee!
     ~Richard Chevenix Trench (1807-1886)

Thought for today - 06/19/2011

"Teach us to number our days right, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
     ~Psalm 90:12

CONNECTIONS News - 06/19/2011

For week of June 19, 2011
Issue 361

The weekly 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 2,096 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://www.pathoflifeministries.net/page33.html
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"Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and a good hope. May he encourage your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do or say."
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (CEB)


     CONSIDER
"Only those who try to live near God and have formed the habit of faithfulness to Him in the small things of our daily life, can hope in times of need for that special light which shows us our path. To do as well as we can the job immediately before us, is the way to learn what we ought to do next."
Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941)


     CHRISTIAN GOALKEEPER SHUTS DOWN CANUCKS IN GAME 7 OF STANLEY CUP FINALS
It can't be easy being your team's last line of defense against an onslaught of shots from the Vancouver Canucks' offense, especially with the pressure of knowing the Stanley Cup trophy is on the line. Boston Bruins goalkeeper Tim Thomas, though, has a little extra motivation when he takes his place on the ice: his faith.

"Our church family has really enjoyed Tim's success in hockey," wrote Tony Thompson as part of an interview for The Christian Chronicle. Thompson is the preaching pastor for Thomas' church in Massachusetts, Burlington Church of Christ.

Thomas played an integral role in helping his team win the Stanley Cup this year, yet he was at the receiving end of some sharp criticism by opposing goalie Roberto Luongo earlier in the series.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-goalkeeper-shuts-down-canucks-in-game-7-of-stanley-cup-finals-51239/


     ANTHONY WEINER AND SPIRITUAL SCHIZOPHRENIA
by Jim Denison
"Sexting" is just another symptom of the belief that our personal behavior can be held to a different standard than our public actions, but as Rep. Anthony Weiner's scandal proves, private sin never stays private.... Read this in full at
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/6481/9/

Also see "Rep. Weiner Needs Jesus? Albert Mohler Explains Why"
http://www.christianpost.com/news/rep-weiner-needs-jesus-albert-mohler-explains-why-51142/

and

"Theology, Therapy, Twitter, and the Scandal of the Gospel"
http://www.christianpost.com/news/theology-therapy-twitter-and-the-scandal-of-the-gospel-51155/


     COMPLETE COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE RELEASED DIGITALLY BEFORE PRINT
In a nod to the revolutionary changes occurring in publishing, the new complete Common English Bible (http://twitter.com/CommonEngBible & http://twitter.com/VersesForToday) is now debuting in 20 digital platforms, almost two months before print editions will be available in stores. It's currently online at http://CommonEnglishBible.com along with a search widget users can download to their blogs and websites (http://CommonEnglishBible.com/CEB/LookupWidget).

The digital editions of the Common English Bible are Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Nook, Sony, Olivetree, Logos, BibleWorks, Accordance Software, ChristianBook, Kobo, OverDrive, Blio, Copia, Lightning Source, and YouVersion. The introductory suggested retail price of all electronic versions is $5.95 and will increase to the regular suggested retail price of $9.95 September 1. The new translation will also be searchable through Bible Gateway (http://BibleGateway.com), and Bible Study Tools (http://BibleStudyTools.com).

This is the first time the Common English Bible is available in its complete form including the Old Testament, and available with the Apocrypha. The New Testament was released August 2010.

"The Common English Bible is a brand-new, bold translation designed to meet the needs of people in all stages of their spiritual journey and study," says Paul Franklyn, associate publisher for the Common English Bible. "We're excited to make this translation available as soon as possible through the Internet and other digital resources."

The Common English Bible is unlike any other translation. It's uncommon in that it's the newest translation by the largest number of biblical scholars & church leaders in words 21st century readers use every day, aligning academic rigor with modern understandability, proven through extensive field-testing with, and acting on feedback from, hundreds of readers. The new Common English Bible is the only translation to combine and balance highly respected ecumenical biblical scholarship necessary for serious study with responsiveness to 21st century clear communication requirements for comprehensive clarity. It was approved in May by Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA, for official use in biblical studies courses.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/pressreleases/complete_common_english_bible_released_digitally_before_print/

Also see "New Common English Bible in 21st Century Language Available Digitally"
http://www.christianpost.com/news/new-common-english-bible-in-21st-century-language-available-digitally-51257/


     SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS WORK
by Tullian Tchividjian
It may come as a shock to some that "let go and let God" is not biblical. The truth is that the Christian life is not effortless.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianity.com/Home/Christian%20Living%20Features/11651707/


     BREAKING THE MOLD
by Jon Tyson
As a Christian leader, I am grieved by statistics indicating that believers and non-believers live almost identical lives: similar sexual ethics, spending patterns, and lifestyle choices. Despite spending millions of dollars on transformation campaigns, conferences, books, curricula, worship music, small groups, multimedia, Internet churches, and all forms of relevance and engagement, Christians are remarkably like the world.

This is compounded by real confusion about how to healthily engage the culture around us. So we end up, sadly, "of the world but not in it." Why do our best efforts seem to make so little difference? And how can we help our people grow into actual Christ-likeness?

I agree with James Wilhoit, author of Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: "Spiritual formation is the task of the church. Period. Spiritual formation is at the heart of its whole purpose for existence. The church was formed to form. Our charge, given by Jesus himself, is to make disciples, baptize them, and teach these new disciples to obey his commands." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2011/spring/breakingmold.html


     LOVING LIFE VS. SEIZING LIFE
"Death holds the power of great fear over us, so it is paradoxical that Jesus used his own death to set men free from the one who had the power of death. Having given his own life for our freedom, he issues us a sacred invitation to die to all iniquity so we can enjoy the gifts of life he has reserved for us in his name.

"Loving life and seizing life are two very different operations. When Jesus asks a man to receive life God's way - that is, to embrace the death of his own crud and to bear his own cross in order to live - he is asking him to make a choice to live in relationship with God while giving up and giving back what he has seized for himself. This is the choice that marks the fork in the road for all men, a choice that leads a man into meaningful relationships with others or reinforces a forlorn determination to go it alone.

"The good news is [Jesus] cares supremely about relationships, including those with scoundrels, prostitutes, addicts, hypocrites, commoners, keepers of dark and hidden secrets, and cheats and losers of every stripe - even traitors who betray him with a kiss of friendship... What is extraordinary is that the death Jesus invites us to embrace somehow makes it possible to receive, quite literally, everything we need to actually be alive. Jesus guarantees he will make our hearts live. In fact, King David's prophetic description of the suffering liberator [see Psalm 22] transitions from the mockery of onlookers, the dividing of his garments, and the piercing of his hands and feet to a victorious canticle of praise that contains one of the greatest celebratory blessings ever written. That blessing, 'May your hearts live forever!' has become the frequent and favorite toast around our dinner table, and it is fitting around the table of the bread and the wine, as we remember Jesus and speak his name to our brothers."
Wes Yoder in Bond of Brothers: Connecting with Other Men Beyond Work, Weather, and Sports


     K.J. CHOI IS A GOLF GOD WHO GIVES BACK
Golf is how K.J. Choi makes his money. Donations are how he likes to spend a lot of it. "I believe in sharing," says Choi, a pro golfer from South Korea who gave away over $300,000 that he earned on this year's PGA Tour. "A lot of people make money but we all live in a society where we need to share."

He has pledged $200,000 of the $1.71 million that he won at last month's Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida to victims of the deadly tornadoes that recently struck the American South.

Choi has a reputation for being a devout Christian. He and his family are members of the Dallas Korean United Methodist Church in Texas.... Read this in full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/17/k-j-choi-is-a-golf-god-who-gives-back/


     ARCHAEOLOGISTS DISCOVER FOR FIRST TIME ANCIENT CHURCH IN ACRE, ISRAEL
Archaeologists unearthed a 1,500-year-old structure, believed to be a church, in the northern city of Acre, Israel. It's the first time the Israel Antiquities Authority has found solid proof that the city of Acre played a role in early Christianity.

"This is an important discovery for the study of Acre," said Nurit Page, head of the excavation, according to Israel's Haaretz Daily Newspaper. Page noted that this discovery is particularly important because "no remnants from the Byzantine Period had been found other than living quarters near the [Mediterranean] Sea." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/archaeologists-discover-for-first-time-ancient-church-in-acre-israel-51130/


     REVIVING CHRISTIAN HISTORY
The magazine Christian History (http://www.christianhistorymagazine.org/), formerly owned by Christianity Today International, ceased publication in 2008 due to recessionary pressures. But Christian History is now being published again thanks in part to Chris Armstrong, Bethel Seminary St. Paul's professor of church history.

Before arriving at Bethel in 2005, Armstrong served for several years as managing editor for the magazine. So when invited last fall by Christian History's founding company, the Christian History Institute (http://www.chitorch.org/), to take the role once again, he jumped at the chance. By winter he had gathered a team of writers, editors, and designers, and in March the "re-inaugural" issue, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible's first printing, was rolling off the presses.

Armstrong is excited to be editing the magazine once again. "Writing and editing for a popular audience meshes well with teaching," he explains. "Both involve scholarly research, and both require taking complex information and presenting it in a clear, compelling, exciting way." .... Read this in full at
http://www.bethel.edu/news-events/news/2011/june/reviving-christian-history


     SUPER NATURAL: JOSH HAMILTON'S COMEBACK
Rock bottom for baseball superstar Josh Hamilton came one night in the fall of 2005, when he woke up in a trailer surrounded by strangers. Confused, lost, and with nowhere to turn, he showed up at his grandmother's door at 2 a.m.

She didn't recognize him. Mary Holt's grandson had been a chiseled athlete, 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, who could hit the ball a mile and run like a gazelle. That night he was down to 180, cheeks sunken, eyes glazed over, his rail-thin body a complete mess.

Josh Hamilton was a junkie. He was bingeing on crack, downing a bottle of whisky every day, and burning through a $4 million signing bonus. Add a few recent suicide attempts, and there really was no tomorrow. Holt began nursing her strung-out grandson back to health, but with an ultimatum: Quit the drugs or move out.

Hamilton, now an All-Star outfielder for the Texas Rangers, has been clean ever since (he must submit to urine tests three times a week), and is arguably the best player in professional baseball.

"It's amazing I'm still alive after all I've done to my body," Hamilton told Christianity Today. "My granny told me during those days that God had something special planned for me, otherwise I would have died." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/june/supernatural.html


     "MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST"
by Doug Koop
Since the late 1920s, generations of Christians have been spiritually nourished by a collection of daily devotional readings by Oswald Chambers, a Scottish Bible teacher who died while serving as a chaplain to British Commonwealth troops in Egypt during World War 1.

My Utmost for His Highest is the best known and loved of nearly 30 titles that bear the name of a man who died in 1917 at the age of 43. Today literally millions of people around the world read his work each day. And a decade ago, My Utmost placed in the top 10 on Christianity Today's list of the best religious books of the 20th century.

"It is a treasury of daily devotional readings that has fed the souls of millions of Christians in the twentieth century," wrote Fuller Seminary president Richard Mouw at the time. "Future generations of Christians must continue to draw from this treasury." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christianweek.org/blog.php?id=40


     STAYING AFLOAT AMID INFORMATION OVERLOAD
by Edie Gross
The flow of information never stops for the Rev. Dr. Todd Adams, the associate general minister and vice president in the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He fields up to 150 emails a day. He spends afternoons trading text messages about the church's strategic plans. And he once tuned in to a conference call via cellphone while cutting the grass.

On a recent night, he and his wife had climbed into bed to watch TV when he heard the telltale ping of his cellphone from across the room. He hopped out of bed, retrieved an email, fired up his laptop, and went to work responding. It was past 9:30 p.m. "It's like an addiction," Adams said. "I'm so driven by the customer service component of what our office is supposed to provide that I want them to have an immediate response. "I am a digital media boundary failure," he added, with a laugh.

His experience isn't unique, and it raises questions for leaders of Christian institutions: Is it possible to serve the church's mission and still give your mind, body and soul a much-needed break from the seemingly unending flow of information? .... Read this in full at
http://faithandleadership.com/features/articles/staying-afloat-amid-information-overload


     REVIVING SISTER AIMEE
The radio program On Being takes a look back at the closest thing the early 20th century may have had to Oprah Winfrey. The flamboyant Pentecostal preacher Aimee Semple McPherson was a multimedia sensation and a powerful female religious leader long before most of Christianity considered such a thing. She also fed a million people in Depression-era Los Angeles. The contradictions and passions of her life are a window into the world of global Pentecostalism that touches as many as half a billion lives today.... Listen to this program in full at
http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/reviving-sister-aimee/


     160 MILLION MISSING GIRLS
'Sex selection' is creating a new endangered species: women. A journalist investigates the countries with too many men.... Read this in full at
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/06/05/160_million_missing_girls/?page=full


     POLL: MOST AMERICANS NO LONGER WANT GOVERNMENT PROMOTING 'TRADITIONAL VALUES'
A new CNN-Opinion Research poll finds that a majority of Americans think government should not promote "traditional values," the first time in the past two decades that support for promotion of traditional values has been below 50%. The June poll finds that more Americans now believe that the government should stay out of the values business.

Since 1993, Gallup, CNN, and USA Today have occasionally asked whether people think "the government should promote traditional values in our society" or "the government should not favor any particular set of values." Just three years ago, only four-in-ten polled said government should not support any one set of values. In this month's poll, 50% said this. For the first time, a minority (46%) wanted government to push traditional values.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/juneweb-only/traditionalvalues.html


     VERSE TO PONDER
"Jesus said to everyone, 'All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me. All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me will save them.'"
Luke 9:23-24 (CEB)


     CONSIDER
"To possess money is very well; it may be a most valuable servant. To be possessed by it is to be possessed by a devil, and one of the meanest and worst kinds of devils."
Tryon Edwards


     FINDING FAITH: WHEN JOURNALISTS COVER RELIGION
On the first day of Ari Goldman's "Covering Religion" class at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he likes to begin with a question. "How many of you have ever been to a mosque?" About two of the 16 students typically raise their hands. "How many of you have been to a synagogue?" About half raise their hands. "To a church?" Almost all hands go up. "In the last 10 years?" Hands go down again.

Goldman's first goal is to bring his students up to a level of religious literacy. "Before I can teach (students) how to write about religion, I have to teach (them) some religion," Goldman said. "I'm not just training religion writers, I'm training reporters who can see a religion angle in a bigger story and not just dismiss it as superstition or fear." .... Read this in full at
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700143216/Finding-faith-When-journalists-cover-religion.html


     HEIRS TO THE KING
"The devil will use intimidation, weariness, discouragement, and disappointment to stop our confession of what God has said. You can readily understand why the enemy tries to keep our focus on ourselves. As long as we are coming to God based on who we are in ourselves and what we have done, we will slink out of his presence, crawling out in shame and unworthiness. But when we grasp that our rights and privileges are in the name of the one who made covenant with God the Father on our behalf, we will come boldly and expectantly, speaking the name: 'Jesus!'

"In Galatians 4:7, Paul said: 'Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.' Reading the New Testament is like reading the last will and testament of a wealthy benefactor, where the riches of his estate are enumerated. Here is what is bequeathed us. We are:
• heirs of eternal life (Matt. 19:29)
• heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14)
• heirs of the promise (Heb. 6:17)
• heirs of the kingdom (James 2:5)
• heirs of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7)
• heirs of the blessing (1 Peter 3:9)
• heirs of all things (Rev. 21:7)

"And that is the short list. Here is the full accounting of the assets:
• The estate of a king has been willed to us.
• We are heirs of all that belongs to the Father.
• By right of birth, every spiritual blessing is ours.

"Imagine that for a moment. Imagine having resources like that to draw upon. Now imagine how secure you would feel if you believed that. I mean, really believed that."
Excerpt from The Birthright: Out of the Servants' Quarters, Into the Father's House, by John Sheasby with Ken Gire


     KING JAMES GOES TO THE MOVIES
by David Neff
If you like swashbucklers, Norman Stone's 90-minute KJB: The Book that Changed the World, new on DVD, may be the best way for you to observe the 400th anniversary of the publication of the 1611 Authorized Version of the Bible. There are plenty of men in tights, not to mention clerical robes. They whisper political intrigues, plans to (literally) undermine the government, ride horseback through muddy fields, clang swords, and meet in solemn assemblies. Veteran actor John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Lord of the Rings) "presents" (in the British sense) the story with theatrical flair that teeters on the brink of self-parody.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/commentaries/2011/kingjamesmovies.html


     AFTER CONTROVERSY, BAPTISTS AFFIRM BELIEF IN `ETERNAL, CONSCIOUS' HELL
Southern Baptists on June 14 called hell an "eternal, conscious punishment" for those who do not accept Jesus, rebutting a controversial book from Michigan pastor Rob Bell that questions traditional views of hell.

Citing Bell's book "Love Wins," the resolution urges Southern Baptists "to proclaim faithfully the depth and gravity of sin against a holy God, the reality of hell, and the salvation of sinners by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, to the glory of God alone."

Several leaders during the Baptists' 2-day meeting in Phoenix coupled warnings about hell with pleas for evangelism -- especially in areas where there are no churches or missionaries.... Read this in full at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/16/baptist-belief-in-hell_n_877815.html


     A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY
by Lucy Bryan Green
When last September's issue of Harper's landed on my coffee table, I hardly expected to find my past within its glossy pages -- least of all in an article about Uganda's persecution of homosexuals. But right there, in Jeff Sharlet's "Straight Man's Burden," was an indictment of the organization that had shaped my college years.

The article transported me to the beginning of my involvement with the Family, also called the Fellowship and sometimes the Christian Mafia (pejoratively by outsiders, playfully by insiders). This loose global network, based out of Washington, D.C., has no organizational structure, no formal leadership, and no mission statement. Its collective purpose is to "live by the principles of Jesus": servant leadership, reconciliation, commitment to a small group of brothers (or sisters), and obedience to God and authority.

I came to the Family the way everyone else does. I was chosen. Someone on the inside -- a former neighbor -- recommended me, and I was offered a summer internship on Capitol Hill.... Read this in full at
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&issue=soj1106&article=a-friend-of-the-family&cookies_enabled=false


     LEADING FROM THE LIONS' DEN: LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES FROM EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE
While most new leadership books proudly promote themselves as the antidote to previous thinking, Leading from the Lions' Den takes pride in drawing its wisdom from ideas that have been available for a very long time in the unchanging Word of God. Here, author Tom R. Harper expounds upon one surprising principle from each of the Bible's sixty-six books. Each concept goes toward explaining human nature, which, when understood, is the foundation of business success.

Among the lessons that will work for leaders regardless of culture, time, or place are: "Lead, Inspire and Motivate with Plain Facts" (Deuteronomy), "Defrag Your Organization by Discovering its Weak Forces" (1 Chronicles), "Fight Superior Force with Superior Character" (Nahum), "Purify Your PR by Avoiding the Spotlight" (Mark), "Help the Competition" (Romans), "Soak Your Shield Before Battle" (Ephesians), and "Obliterate Fear with a Single Weapon" (1 John).
http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/books/products.asp?p=9780805444421&cid=LeadingLion-CC120x120


     REFUGEES: CHRISTIANS TAKE FLIGHT
by Elizabeth Kendal
According to the angel, the birth of Jesus -- 'a Saviour who is Christ the Lord' -- was an event of 'good news of great joy that will be for all the people' (Luke 2:8-14). Despite this, it would not be long before 'an angel of the Lord' would appear to Joseph to warn him of the threat to the child's life, and instruct him to gather up his family and flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13,14). And so Jesus became a refugee.

This Jesus, however, has become our great high priest, and '[not] a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin'. And so the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews exhorts us, 'Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.' (Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV excerpts)

The number of Christians fleeing for their lives is skyrocketing. Those with financial means may emigrate or fly out and apply for refugee status in the West, an arduous enough process. However, poorer Christians must risk death traversing deserts, oceans and dangerous cities, while dodging bandits and people-traffickers just to seek refuge in a neighbouring state. Lately, finding refuge is becoming increasingly difficult.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11060065.htm


     AMERICANS SEE ROOM TO DISAGREE BUT REMAIN FAITHFUL TO RELIGION
Significant majorities of Americans say it's possible to disagree with their religion's teachings on abortion and homosexuality and still remain in good standing with their faith.

The findings, released June 9 in a detailed survey by Public Religion Research Institute, held true for major religious groups, including Catholics and white evangelical Protestants.

The findings reflect the complicated tasks faced by Catholic bishops to discipline politicians who stray from church teaching, or evangelical groups that try to toe a traditional line as cultural values shift around them.

In fact, the survey found that six in 10 Americans chafe at the idea of religious leaders publicly pressuring politicians on the issue of abortion, as has happened to several high-profile Catholic Democrats in recent years.

Overall, 72% of Americans say it's permissible to disagree with church teaching on abortion, and 63% say the same for homosexuality.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/americans_see_room_to_disagree_but_remain_faithful_to_religion/


     THERAPISTS WHO HELP PEOPLE STAY IN THE CLOSET
Many people who are openly gay or straight and secular can't grasp how desperately evangelicals do not want to be gay or the lengths to which they will go to try to change.... Read this in full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/magazine/therapists-who-help-people-stay-in-the-closet.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&hp


     SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF WASHINGTON'S FAMOUS LETTER
It started as a mystery. During a lecture in England last December, Jonathan Sarna, America's foremost scholar of American Jewish history, said he did not know the whereabouts of one of American Jewry's most important documents: George Washington's letter to the Hebrew Congregation, in Newport, R.I.

Upon this yellowed piece of 18th-century rag paper is a short but powerful statement from the first president of the United States reassuring one of the original colonial congregations that his nascent government guaranteed religious liberty for all.... Read this in full at
http://www.forward.com/articles/138689/


     CYBERMISSIONS: USING COMPUTER AND INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPACT LIVES FOR CHRIST
by Mark Ellis
Imagine packing 500 hours of Bible college training on a $13 chip that plays from a cell phone. Add speakers to the cell phone for only $20 and a group of pastors can be trained in places far-removed or unreachable by conventional means.

"I don't need a visa to get into these countries," says John Edmiston, founder of Cybermissions. (www.cybermissions.org) "We tunnel in and then we blast away."

Edmiston started Cybermissions in 2001 to serve the church in Southeast Asia, especially pastors who had no training. Now their reach is global, with more than a million people each year making use of training materials they provide.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11060078.htm


     RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ENVOY CONDEMNS RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE
The Obama administration's new envoy for international religious freedom told a UN commission on June 14 that government, political, religious and business leaders must stand ready to condemn hateful ideology.

Borrowing from recent headlines, Ambassador-at-Large Suzan Johnson Cook cited a Florida pastor who had been so "publicly reviled and rebuked" for threatening to burn a Quran that he has virtually no followers left.

The appearance before the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was the first for Cook, a New York pastor who was recently sworn in after a long nomination battle during which critics questioned her credentials.

"Leaders who remain silent are contributing to the problem and should be held politically accountable," Cook said at a forum on "Combating Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief." .... Read this in full at
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/06/religious-freedom-envoy-condemns-religious-intolerance.php


     GLOBAL RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGION
For more than half a century, the United Nations and numerous international organizations have affirmed the principle of religious freedom.1 For just as many decades, journalists and human rights groups have reported on persecution of minority faiths, outbreaks of sectarian violence and other pressures on religious individuals and communities in many countries. But until now, there has been no quantitative study that reviews an extensive number of sources to measure how governments and private actors infringe on religious beliefs and practices around the world.

Global Restrictions on Religion, a new study by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, finds that 64 nations - about one-third of the countries in the world - have high or very high restrictions on religion. But because some of the most restrictive countries are very populous, nearly 70% of the world's 6.8 billion people live in countries with high restrictions on religion, the brunt of which often falls on religious minorities.... Read this in full at
http://pewforum.org/Government/Global-Restrictions-on-Religion.aspx


     ONLY ONE IN 20 SWISS ATTENDS CHURCH BECAUSE OF FAITH
Most people go to church in Switzerland simply because it's something they have always done – only a few do so because they believe in God, a survey has found.
The poll, carried out by the research institute gfs-zürich for the Reformed Press weekly Protestant church newspaper, also reveals that around 1 in 5 younger members, aged 18 to 39, of Catholic and Protestant churches is considering leaving.

In all, 62% of those asked said they belonged to their church out of habit and had no special reason. The older the person, the higher the percentage.

Around 28% enjoy church services, but only 5% said that was because they believed in God. Seven percent said they were concerned about what would happen when they die.
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_news/Only_one_in_20_attends_church_because_of_faith.html?cid=30433668


     CHURCHES IN COMMUNITIES RALLY TOGETHER FOR NATIONAL BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY, SEPT. 18
Drawing whole communities into church -- that is the goal of many church leaders for National Back To Church Sunday, Sept. 18. In preparation, citywide coordinators will be working to get churches across denominational lines to join together to invite family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to the special Sunday.

This year, National Back To Church Sunday, the single largest community outreach in the nation, is expected to draw the participation of more than 10,000 churches. There are approximately 340,000 churches and about 155 million regular churchgoers across the country.

"The desired goal of National Back To Church citywide initiatives is that a citywide coordinator leads the movement in every community in America," said Eric Abel, vice president of marketing for Outreach, Inc., a Southern California-based marketing company supporting the event. More than 120 church leaders already have expressed interest in becoming citywide coordinators. (outr.ch/cityinitatives)
"This year, National Back To Church Sunday citywide initiatives are multiplying the event's effectiveness," said Philip Nation, ministry development director of LifeWay Research and spokesperson of the nationwide initiative. "Local churches are encouraged to partner with one another to increase the scope of their reach. We support these grassroots movements and anticipate the number of personal invitations will skyrocket." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/2569117185.html


     CONSIDER
"Could a mariner sit idle if he heard the drowning cry?
Could a doctor sit in comfort and just let his patients die?
Could a fireman sit idle, let men burn and give no hand?
Can you sit at ease in Zion with the world around you damned?"
Leonard Ravenhill


     VERSE TO PONDER
"While we were still weak, at the right moment, Christ died for ungodly people. It isn't often that someone will die for a righteous person, though maybe someone might dare to die for a good person. But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us."
Romans 5:6-8 (CEB)


     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: PENTECOSTAL POWER
Words & Music: Charles H. Gabriel, 1912

Lord, as of old, at Pentecost,
Thou didst Thy power display,
With cleansing, purifying flame,
Descend on us today.

Refrain
Lord, send the old-time power, the Pentecostal power!
Thy floodgates of blessing, on us throw open wide!
Lord, send the old-time power, the Pentecostal power!
That sinners be converted and Thy Name glorified!

For mighty works for Thee, prepare
And strengthen every heart;
Come, take possession of Thine own,
And never more depart.
Refrain

All self consume, all sin destroy!
With earnest zeal endue
Each waiting heart to work for Thee;
O Lord, our faith renew!
Refrain

Speak, Lord! before Thy throne we wait,
Thy promise we believe,
And will not let Thee go until
The blessing we receive.
Refrain

>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/p/e/pentecop.htm


     ON PRAYER
"God, we pray for economic stability, health care for all, equal opportunities, and decent living wages. May you protect the workers amongst us and ensure they receive what they have earned. Amen."


     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 us to add you to our prayer chain 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.

Take Pride in America
http://www.takepride.gov/index.html

National Park Service
http://www.nps.gov/index.htm

Roman Numeral Converter
http://www.novaroma.org/via_romana/numbers.html

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.)


My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
Rev.frank@gmail.com


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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.org/ 


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