Issue 311
The Men’s Ministry newsletter of Path Of Life Ministries.
Our mission is to lead men to Jesus Christ and provide opportunity for Christian men to grow in their faith and minister to others.
Today's issue is going out to 2,064 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
or subscribe via rss feed here:http://www.connectionsnews.wordpress.com/feed
“I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.”
Psalm 89:1-2
CONSIDER
“Your home can be a place for dying or living, for wilting or blooming, for anxiety or peace, for discouragement or affirmation, for criticism or approval, for profane disregard or reverence, for suspicion or trust, for blame or forgiveness, for alienation or closeness, for violation or respect, for carelessness or caring. By your daily choices, you will make your home what you want it to be.”
Carole Sanderson Streeter
THE AUTHENTIC BONHOEFFER
Authenticity appears to be the virtue du jour for many Christians. But Dietrich Bonhoeffer wasn't just talking about authenticity; he was actually living it. The Lutheran pastor-theologian was eventually hanged for conspiring to kill Adolf Hitler. In Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Thomas Nelson), author Eric Metaxas uncovers the person behind such Christian classics as The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together. Christianity Today editor at large Collin Hansen spoke with Metaxas about Bonhoeffer's life and legacy:
Q: What inspired you to begin studying Bonhoeffer?
A: My mother grew up in Nazi Germany, losing her father during the war. He was one of many reluctant German soldiers forced to participate in a war he was against. The history of this painful period has always haunted me. When I first heard in 1988 about Bonhoeffer and his death at the hands of the Nazis, I was staggered. I couldn't believe I had never heard about it before. The idea that a man, because of his Christian faith, would stand up to Hitler and would give his life just astonished me.
Q: Would you describe Bonhoeffer as an evangelical? What distinguished his views from the prevailing liberal theology of his professors, including Adolf von Harnack?
A: That is what's so amazing. Bonhoeffer is more like a theologically conservative evangelical than anything else. He was as orthodox as Saint Paul or Isaiah, from his teen years all the way to his last day on earth. But it seems that theological liberals have somehow made Bonhoeffer in their own image, mainly based on the fact that he studied at Union Theological Seminary in New York, and that he wanted to visit Mahatma Gandhi, and that he used the phrase "religionless Christianity" in a letter.
But if you look deeper, you'll see that this view is somewhat misleading. For example, by the phrase "religionless Christianity" Bonhoeffer meant only that the dead religion that was passing for Lutheran Christianity in Germany before the war had failed [his generation]. Bonhoeffer knew that for Christianity to be more than religion—more than a fig leaf—it had to declare Jesus as Lord over everything, not just the religious sphere.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/july/7.54.html
UPHEAVALS IN BOOK PUBLISHING LEAD INDUSTRY EXECS TO LAUNCH 'SOMERSAULT'
The ways people buy and read books have undergone revolutionary change in the last half decade. Book publishing is the latest major media to transition to the digital age. As a result of this shifting landscape, five publishing executives with more than 125 years of collective experience are teaming with international branding and marketing firm Grey Matter Group(tm), Grand Rapids, MI, in launching Somersault Group(tm), doing business as Somersault(tm).
"For Somersault, the unprecedented changes in the publishing world aren't a crisis; they're a playground of possibilities," says John Topliff, General Manager. "Somersault will help clients embrace change and leverage it to fulfill their mission." Topliff comes to Somersault from Zondervan, a HarperCollins company (a division of News Corp.), where he was Vice President of Strategic Product Integration.
Somersault research has compiled some statistics about the current state of publishing.
Due to rapidly churning communication technology and seismic shifts in the book market distribution landscape -- from the Internet to eReaders and the iPad to individual book print-on-demand capability -- publishers expect authors to take more responsibility for the development, promotion, and sales of their books. Somersault will help publishers, agents, ministry partners, and Christian authors adapt to these changes with dexterity. It combines the experience and vision of Somersault publishing executives with the integrated marketing and technology expertise of Grey Matter Group digital natives. Somersault will provide authors with brand counseling, editorial direction, research capabilities, marketing strategy, Internet and social media presence, and a comprehensive portfolio of publishing assistance.
Somersault's mission statement is: To change lives by connecting inspirational content creators with readers using exceptional creativity, right-now technology, and old-fashioned personal care.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/2483614259.html
SEMINARY PROF SAYS GULF OIL SPILL COULD BE WAKEUP CALL FOR EVANGELICALS
The head of a committee that drafted a recent Southern Baptist Convention resolution on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill said on National Public Radio that the ecological disaster could be a "defining moment" for evangelicals and the environment.
"I remember once an evangelical figure spoke of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision as the Pearl Harbor of the evangelical pro-life movement," Russell Moore, dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., said on NPR's Weekend Sunday Edition June 27.
"What he meant by that was that prior to Roe, most evangelicals really thought of those issues of life and protecting the unborn as being a Roman Catholic issue -- somebody else's issue," Moore said. "But then after Roe v. Wade, suddenly evangelicals saw what was at stake and became involved. I think that this catastrophe in the Gulf could be that kind of defining moment." .... Read this in full at
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5287/53/
‘SON OF HAMAS’ CAN STAY
Mosab Hassan Yousef, author of the best-selling, “Son of Hamas” has won the right to stay in the Unites States after a huge campaign by both Christians and Jews had called for him to be granted US asylum.
With his friends in court to support him, Yousef got the news during a 15-minute deportation hearing June 30, 2010, in San Diego, California, after a US Department of Homeland Security attorney said the government was dropping its objections.
Yousef is the eldest son of Hamas founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef, and became a Christian some time back after being given a Gospel tract in Jerusalem by a London taxi driver who was on vacation in the Holy Land.
After his conversion, he later became a spy for Israel’s Shin Bet agency and their leadership had praised his courage.
The battle to keep Yousef in American began when the DHS denied his asylum request in February 2009, claiming that he had been involved in terrorism and was a threat to the United States. .... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10060159.htm
A SOURCE OF COMFORT
“Our nation is facing uncertainty like many of us have never experienced in our lifetimes, which makes the Bible the perfect place to turn. The Bible is full of stories that took place in the midst of uncertainty. If you have a favorite Bible story, verse, psalm, or proverb, it probably unfolded during a time of incredible uncertainty. The Bible is not a compilation of stories about wrinkle-free lives. Not everyone lived happily ever after. Each narrative, every passage, the things we draw hope and security from -- all of those came from troubled times in the lives of people who discovered that, in the midst of uncertainty, God is still certain.
“In [many Bible] stories, it seems like things had spun out of control, like all the momentum was backward, like all of God's activity had ceased, like the bad guys -- the evil kings, the gods of the pagans -- had won. But if you read them closely, you'll discover that in the midst of that extraordinary uncertainty, God was there. Every time. If ever there was a time for us to pick up the Bible and read it, it's now.”
Craig Groeschel, from the book What is God Really Like?
A MONASTIC REVOLUTION
Shane Claiborne is a leading spirit in a gathering movement of young people known as the New Monastics. Emerging from the edges of Evangelical Christianity, they’re patterning their lives in response to the needs of the poor -- and the detachment they see in our culture's vision of adulthood. With virtues like simplicity and imagination, Shane Claiborne and his community, The Simple Way, are taking on the gap between the churches they were raised in and in what they perceive as the essence of Christianity. Listen to an interview with Shane on Speaking of Faith at
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2010/monastic-revolution/
MORE AMERICANS SAY THEY ATTEND CHURCH, MOSQUE, SYNAGOGUE
Church attendance crept up slightly in the United States this year, according to new Gallup research -- but not everyone is buying the findings.
Slightly more than 43% of Americans told Gallup they attend church, synagogue or mosque weekly or almost every week, up from just under 43% in 2009, and about 42% in 2008. The results are within the poll's margin of error, but still "statistically significant," Gallup said in announcing the results June 28.
A top expert on religion in America dismissed the numbers out of hand, but said there may be something to the trend. "Those numbers are just wrong," Trinity College Professor Mark Silk said June29. He puts the percentage of Americans who actually attend weekly services somewhere in the mid-20s, pointing out that people tend to exaggerate when pollsters ask if they do something regarded as "good."
"The problem with (the) Gallup (poll) is that self-reported behavior that is good, you tend to overestimate your behavior. When people are asked how often they vote, they tend to be, let's say, optimistic," he said, pointing out that there are good independent measures of both voting and religious attendance.... Read this in full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/30/more-americans-say-they-attend-church-mosque-synagogue/
CHURCHES TORN ON WHETHER TO ALLOW MOLESTERS IN PEWS
“All are welcome” is a common phrase on many a church sign and website. But what happens when a convicted sex offender takes those words literally?
Church officials and legal advocates are grappling with how -- and if -- people who’ve been convicted of sex crimes should be included in US congregations, especially when children are present:
-- June 23, a lawyer argued in the New Hampshire Supreme Court for a convicted sex offender who wants to attend a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation with a chaperone.
“What we argued is that the right to worship is a fundamental right, and the state can only burden it if it has compelling interest to do so, and then only in a way that is narrowly constructed,” said Barbara Keshen, an attorney with the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union who represented Jonathan Perfetto, who pleaded guilty in 2002 to 61 counts of possessing child pornography.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/churches_torn_on_allowing_child_molesters_in_pews/
PRESBYTERIAN DECLINE WORSENS
The Presbyterian Church (USA) lost nearly 3% of members in 2009 and passed a grim milestone in the process -- becoming less than half the church it once was at its peak membership in 1965
The Louisville-based denomination lost 63,027 members and now has 2,077,138 on its rolls, according to statistics released June 29 by its Office of the General Assembly.
The denomination has suffered especially large losses in recent years – 3% in 2008, 2.5% in 2007, 2% the previous two years -- partly due to wholesale losses of congregations. It has lost members every year since 1965, and this year's results put it below 50% of that year's total of 4.25 million.... Read this in full at
http://faith.courier-journal.com/2010/06/presbyterian-decline-worsens.html
ARCHEOLOGISTS FIND EVIDENCE OF ST PETER'S PRISON
The Mamertine Prison, a dingy complex of cells which now lies beneath a Renaissance church, has long been venerated as the place where the apostle was shackled before he was killed on the spot on which the Vatican now stands. It’s been a place of Christian worship since medieval times, but after months of excavations, Italian archaeologists have found frescoes and other evidence which indicate that it was associated with St Peter as early as the 7th century.
Dr Patrizia Fortini, of Rome's department of archaeology for Rome, said: "It was converted from being a prison into a focus of cult-like worship of St Peter by the 7th century at the latest, maybe earlier. It was a very rapid transformation. We think that by the 8th century, it was being used as a church. It would have been wonderful to find a document with his [St Peter's] name on it, but of course that was always going to be extremely unlikely."
St. Peter and St. Paul are said to have been incarcerated in the jail by the Emperor Nero. The two apostles are said to have caused an underground spring to miraculously rise up from the ground so that they could baptize their guards and their fellow prisoners. Peter was then crucified, upside down, in AD64. He was buried on a low hill on which, 250 years later, the Emperor Constantine built the first Basilica of St Peter.... Read this in full at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/7852507/Archeologists-find-evidence-of-St-Peters-prison.html
WHY A .XXX TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN WON'T WORK
On June 25, ICANN, the nonprofit corporation that coordinates the Internet naming system, voted to allow ICM Registry's application for the .XXX top-level domain "to move forward." In 2007, ICANN had rejected the application.
Robert Peters, President of Morality in Media had these comments: There are many reasons why a new ".XXX top-level domain" will not succeed in protecting children from online exposure to hardcore adult pornography.
First, the proposed system is voluntary, which means commercial pornographers will be able to maintain sites both within the .XXX domain and without, which would be to their advantage.
Second, many commercial pornographers are opposed to the voluntary.XXX domain, fearing it will lead to government regulation.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7889014242.html
WHY WE ARE TEMPTED TO EMBELLISH CONVERSION STORIES
"He has a great story," Christian blogger Jason Smathers told The Tennessean about Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary president Ergun Caner. "I wished he'd tell that story and stop where the facts end."
Smathers is one of several bloggers who raised doubts about Caner's testimony about leaving Islam for Jesus.
On June 25, an investigation by Liberty University trustees found “no evidence to suggest that Dr. Caner was not a Muslim who converted to Christianity as a teenager,” but said he “made factual statements that are self-contradictory.” The school announced that it would not renew Caner's contract as seminary dean (which expired at the end of June), but would let him stay on as a faculty member.
Few critics had doubted that Caner had some sort of Muslim faith or background in his youth. But at issue were details, especially his description of his faith as devout and militant.
"Until I was 15 years old, I was in the Islamic youth jihad," Caner told a Florida congregation in November 2001. "Until I came to America, until I found Jesus Christ as Lord, I was trained to do that which was done on 11 September." But divorce documents say Caner was born in Sweden, moved to the United States at age 4, and was raised by his non-Muslim mother.
Caner isn't the only prominent convert from Islam under the microscope. Christians and others have been uncovering problems in the testimonies of prominent "former terrorist" speakers Kamal Saleem, Walid Shoebat, and Zachariah Anani.
Caner blamed a few misplaced words. In late February, Caner said, "I would be surprised if no discrepancies were discovered, given the hundreds of messages I have given. Every minister has made pulpit mistakes …. I am sure I will make some in the future. For those times where I misspoke, said it wrong, scrambled words, or was just outright confusing, I apologize and will strive to do better."
Caner is right that every minister makes pulpit mistakes. But embellishing or exaggerating one's testimony is very different from misattributing a quote or other frequent preaching blunders. As Bruce Hindmarsh detailed in his landmark 2005 book, The Evangelical Conversion Narrative, our testimonies and spiritual autobiographies both describe and shape our core identity: they tell how Jesus rescued us as individuals and brought us into his communion of saints. They form us, and they form the communities we belong to. Since the 18th century, most evangelical churches have required some kind of testimony for membership. (As Hindmarsh puts it, "No narrative, no admittance.") We are a conversion-focused people who love stories.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/july/4.45.html
4 IN 10 AMERICANS EXPECT JESUS TO RETURN BY 2050
About four in ten Americans say they expect Jesus Christ to return within the next 40 years, according to a recent national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Although many Americans (41%) believe the Second Coming will happen soon, slightly more people (46%) say Jesus will definitely or probably not return.
The prediction is divided along religious lines with 58% of white evangelical Protestants saying it will definitely or probably happen in the next 40 years. By contrast, only 27% of white mainline Protestants, about a third (32%) of Catholics and a fifth (20%) of religiously unaffiliated say Jesus Christ will return to Earth in this period.
Pew notes the figure for those who believe Jesus is returning is not surprising. Forty-four percent expressed the same belief in 1999.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100625/4-in-10-americans-expect-jesus-to-return-by-2050/index.html
WHO IS ACTIVE IN “GROUP” EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH?
With the increase in megachurches, the prominence of “parachurch” leaders and organizations, and the presence of hundreds of thousands of Americans who serve as clergy and church staff, one often overlooked group is the laity -- or the unpaid, unheralded people who comprise the Christian community in America.
A new study from the Barna Group explores the profile of Americans who actively participate in faith. The study examined various expressions of “group” faith, such as: church attendance, small groups, adult Sunday school programs, church volunteering, and house churches.
The Barna study uncovered 9 insights:
1. Women drive most faith participation, with the exception of home churches or house churches. A majority of weekly churchgoers are women (53%). Small groups that meet for prayer or Bible study (60%) and Sunday school programs for adults (59%) are also more likely to be attended by women. Similarly, a majority of church volunteers (57%) are females. Home churches are the only type of participatory religious involvement in which most attenders are men (56%).... Read this in full at
http://www.barna.org/faith-spirituality/400-who-is-active-in-group-expressions-of-faith-barna-study-examines-small-groups-sunday-school-and-house-churches
STUDY: DEVOUT ARE LESS STRESSED THAN NON-BELIEVERS
Religion may provide a "buffer" allowing the devout to feel less anxiety when they make mistakes, compared with non-believers, according to new scientific research. Religion News Service reports that researchers at the University of Toronto measured "error-related negativity" -- people's defensive response to errors -- and compared it to religious belief. In the experiments, participants had electrodes measuring their brain activity as they performed cognitive tests. They were then asked to quantify their belief in God on a scale of zero to seven. The study found that those who were religious or claimed belief in God "showed low levels of distress-related neural activity" when they learned of their test errors, compared with nonbelievers. By contrast, atheists demonstrated a "heightened neural response" and reacted more defensively when they learned of their errors, wrote the study's lead author, Michael Inzlicht, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto.... Read this in full at
http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Study-Devout-are-less-stressed-than-non-believers.aspx
SOCCER PLAYERS FIND A DEEPER MOTIVATION
A key question often was posed to South African players during an Athletes in Action training camp in Pretoria held in conjunction with the World Cup competition. "What motivates you?"
For Simphiwe Dludlu, a Christian South African athlete who is vice captain of her squad, "I couldn't answer that" at the beginning of the training sessions provided by the AIA team from North America. Although she is a Christian, she explained that she had never played for Christ before.
The AIA trainers often halted the scrimmages to ask the question to the players, causing many of them to stop and consider what, and more importantly, who they were playing for.
Dludlu searched for an answer, explaining that in South African soccer, "It is just you and the ball." But she noticed that with the AIA players, "It is God first, then you and the ball." .... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33243
Also see: World Soccer Journeys
http://worldsoccerjourneys.com/
VERSE TO PONDER
“Better be poor and honest than rich and dishonest.”
Proverbs 19:1 ( The Living Bible)
CONSIDER
“To be always relevant, you have to say things which are eternal.”
Simone Weil (1909-1943), Simone Weil: Utopian Pessimist, David McLellan, Macmillan, 1989, p. 2
BELIEFNET SOLD TO VIRGINIA MEDIA COMPANY
A small Virginia-based media company that specializes in channeling a small portion of consumer spending to charity has acquired Beliefnet, a leading online website devoted to multi-faith news, commentary and content.
BN Media LLC focuses on the “vast online market for spirituality and inspiration” by “bringing audio-visual and written content to the masses while helping people make a difference for their favorite nonprofit organization,” according to a news release.
Over the past seven weeks, BN Media participated in what CEO Steve Halliday called a “whirlwind romance” of purchasing Beliefnet from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation.
With the acquisition of Beliefnet, BN Media builds on its existing relationship between Beliefnet and its subsidiaries, Affinity4 and Cross Bridge, which provides spirituality-based video and media.... Read this in full at
http://www.ethicsdaily.com/news.php?viewStory=16291
RUNNING FOR WATER -- CROSS-COUNTRY WATER ADVOCATE FINISHES IN ATLANTIC CITY
Abe Clark completed an unsupported coast-to-coast run ending in Atlantic City at 5:45 PM on June 30. Abe's motivation? He was concerned about the world water crisis. He wanted to take action, but at twenty-four he didn't have a lot of experience with world crises. He was a gifted runner, though, so one February day in Oceanside, California Abe Clark decided to grab Ruby and run. One foot in the Pacific Ocean, the two set out on a 2,860-mile run across America to help some of the world's 883 million people who lack access to safe drinking water.
The effort is mostly Abe's. Ruby is the name he has given to his red jogging stroller. Clark is only the 15th person ever to accomplish the coast-to-coast run unsupported (with no support vehicle and no crew, just Ruby, loaded with 80 pounds of supplies).... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/9270314262.html
Also see: http://www.water.cc/running
OFFICERS OF NEW GLOBAL REFORMED ORGANIZATION ELECTED
The Rev. Jerry Pillay of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, was elected the first president of the fledgling World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) June 24.
Delegates to the WCRC's Uniting General Council also elected four regional vice-presidents, a general treasurer and 16 members to its Executive Committee. Included among them was the Rev. Gradye Parsons, General Assembly stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
More than 300 delegates from 108 countries met here June 18-26 for the founding meeting of the new organization, which represents 80 million Christians from Presbyterian, Uniting and United, Reformed and Waldensian churches worldwide.... Read this in full at
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2010/10534.htm
'I DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD,' SAYS AUSTRALIA'S FIRST FEMALE PM
Australia’s new Prime Minister has revealed she does not believe in God. Julia Gillard told ABC radio in Melbourne that she was not prepared to go through religious rituals for the sake of appearances.
Ms Gillard added: “I am, of course, a great respecter of religious beliefs, but they are not my beliefs. For people of faith, I think the greatest compliment I could pay them is to respect their genuinely-held beliefs and not to engage in some pretence about mine.”
Ms Gillard’s views are in contrast with those of former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who was a regular at Canberra church services and opposition leader Tony Abbot, who is a devout Catholic.
Ms Gillard, who was born in the Welsh town of Barry, revealed she had been raised as a Baptist, before converting to Atheism.... Read this in full at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1290872/Julia-Gillard-I-dont-believe-God-says-Australias-female-PM.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
SUMMER CAMP CATERS TO KIDS OF ATHEISTS, AGNOSTICS
Camp Quest in Clarksville, Ohio is a sleep-away camp for the children of atheists, agnostics, humanists and other nonbelievers, though kids from religious families are welcome, too. Most of the time, the kids do normal camp stuff such as hike, compete in relay races, sit around campfires. But the overarching philosophy is that life without religion is a perfectly healthy, viable option.
Started in 1996, Camp Quest emphasizes critical thinking and the scientific method. Counselors lead philosophical discussions about topics such as the nature of happiness. Consideration for others is a key component of the "Rational Rules for Living," posted on the wall of the dining hall at the 4-H camp where Camp Quest Ohio rented space. Rule No. 1: "Remember that everybody is here to have a good time. Respect all people, whatever their beliefs, which you encounter while you are here." .... Read this in full at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-06-30-no-religion-camp_N.htm
THE TROUBLE WITH TWILIGHT AND ECLIPSE
The new movie Eclipse based on Stephenie Meyer's Twilight novels will suck millions of dollars at box offices worldwide from the pockets of young and old alike -- especially teenage girls. When the evil vampiress Victoria seeks revenge for the death of her lover James, romantic rivals Edward Cullen and Jacob Black unite the forces of vampire and werewolf to defeat her, and to protect Bella.
It's a wholesome love story, right? Wrong! warns occult researcher and bestselling author of 24 books Steve Wohlberg in The Trouble with Twilight: Why Today's Vampire Craze is Hazardous to Your Health (Destiny Image, July 2010). "Twilight has positive features," notes Wohlberg, "but it is laced with occultism, contains mixed moral messages, and is now fueling the dangerous practice of sipping real blood among teens and adults." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7318714228.html
WARNINGS ABOUT SEX, VIOLENCE COME TO CHRISTIAN MOVIES
To get to the movie section at Lifeway Christian Store in Bridgeton, MO, customers pass by shelves of books, CDs, and greeting cards. The rack of Christian DVDs isn't huge, but it's twice as big as it was a year ago and "growing all the time," said manager Francine Evans.
Some of the Christian titles these days, she said, tackle "touchy subjects" such as drugs or domestic violence. Two on the shelf at Lifeway, "Sarah's Choice" and "Bella," are about abortion.
"These are movies that deal with issues that real people deal with," Evans said. "Sometimes that's what's necessary to reach people for God. But the seals are needed. They're a good idea."
The seals Evans anticipates are part of a new system to gauge the Christian values in films that contain sex, violence, and drugs -- a system developed by the Dove Foundation, a nonprofit based in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The organization is introducing a purple "Faith-Based" seal that warns of raw images or language in otherwise Christian-themed movies and a gold "Faith-Friendly" seal, indicating a Christian-themed movie that's safe for a family audience.... Read this in full at
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/article_a57216ea-eb27-54d9-b6d8-820f6999ee06.html
STUDY: EVERYONE IN THE WORLD RELATES MONEY TO HAPPINESS
You may think the deep psychological link between money and the pursuit of happiness is strictly the burden of a free-market society, but it turns out it isn’t just a capitalist’s conundrum. An extensive Gallup study of over 136,000 people in 132 different countries, meant to represent about 96 percent of the world’s population, found that when asked, “Are you happy?”, the first measuring stick people use is income. The poll is considered pivotal in happiness research for its in-depth look into how positive and negative emotions play into the definition. .... Read this in full at
http://www.publicradio.org/columns/marketplace/business-news-briefs/2010/07/study_everyone_in_the_world_re.html
COMPUTER FUNNIES
What is a computer's first sign of old age?
Loss of memory
What does a baby computer call his father?
Data
What is an astronaut's favorite key on a computer keyboard?
The space bar
What happened when the computer fell on the floor?
It slipped a disk
Why was there a bug in the computer?
It was looking for a byte to eat
What is a computer virus?
A terminal illness
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
CONSIDER
“The proof of who we are in Christ isn't how many folks have come to the Lord through us. It isn't how much we've contributed to the Lord's work. It isn't how sweetly we've sung his praises. It is, pure and simple, how we have loved each other.”
Gayle Roper
VERSE TO PONDER
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: HEAVENLY SUNLIGHT
Words: Henry J. Zelley, in Gospel Praise, by William Kirkpatrick and Henry Gilmour (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Hall-Mack Co., 1899).
Music: George H. Cook (MIDI, score).
If you have access to a photo of Henry Zelley or George Cook that we could put online, please click here.
Walking in sunlight all of my journey;
Over the mountains, through the deep vale;
Jesus has said, “I’ll never forsake thee,”
Promise divine that never can fail.
Refrain
Heavenly sunlight, heavenly sunlight,
Flooding my soul with glory divine:
Hallelujah, I am rejoicing,
Singing His praises, Jesus is mine.
Shadows around me, shadows above me,
Never conceal my Savior and Guide;
He is the Light, in Him is no darkness;
Ever I’m walking close to His side.
Refrain
In the bright sunlight, ever rejoicing,
Pressing my way to mansions above;
Singing His praises gladly I’m walking,
Walking in sunlight, sunlight of love.
Refrain
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/h/e/heavenly.htm
ON PRAYER
“There are times when we cannot pray in words, or pray as we ought; but our inarticulate longings for a better life are the Spirit's intercessions on our behalf, audible to God who searches all hearts, and intelligible and acceptable to Him since they are the voice of His Spirit, and it is according to His will that the Spirit should intercede for the members of His Son.”
Henry Barclay Swete (1835-1917), The Holy Spirit in the New Testament, London: Macmillan, 1909, p. 221
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.
Tickling Slow Loris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9f-6jygRJk
Infinity captured
http://www.clublaugh.com/es-items/712.swf
How to tie knots
http://www.iwillknot.com/
List of common misconceptions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_misconceptions
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.)
A clean house is a sure sign of a broken computer. Min. Frank Coleman, EditorRev.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/
----------
Subscribe!Subscribe to CONNECTIONS here
Get Archives of all past issues here:http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/connections/archives_all.html
Check out my blog
No comments:
Post a Comment