For week of July 10, 2011
Issue 364
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.
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"The Lord isn't slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he
is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their
hearts and lives."
2 Peter 3:9 (CEB)
CONSIDER
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience
is only an adventure wrongly considered."
G.K. Chesterton
POLL: RELIGION, FAITH STILL IMPORTANT TO MOST PEOPLE
A new Ipsos MORI poll has found that religion still matters to most people
in the world. The global survey looked at the views of over 18,000 people
across 24 countries, including the UK and US.
Seven in 10 of those surveyed said they had a religion but there was a
marked difference between Christians and Muslims when it came to the
importance they placed on their faith.
In Muslim-majority countries, 94% of those with a religion agreed that their
faith was important in their lives, compared to 66% in Christian-majority
countries.
Muslims were far more likely to believe that their religion was the only
true path to salvation, liberation or paradise - 61% compared to 19% in
Christian-majority countries. In the US, 32% said their faith or religion
was the only true path.
They were also more likely to say that their faith or religion was a key
motivator in giving time and money to people in need - 61% compared to 24%
in primarily Christian societies.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/poll-religion-faith-still-important-to-most-people-51897/
Also see "How much does religion matter?"
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/newsevents/latestnews/810/How-much-does-religion-matter.aspx
2011 STATE OF THE FUTURE ANTICIPATES MORE WEALTH, CRIME, CORRUPTION
A report to be released August 1 by a globalized think tank predicts that
although the world of tomorrow will be richer, healthier and better
educated, it will also be a more violent and corrupt unless action is taken
to curb terror-related crime.
The Millennium Project's 2011 State of the Future reports the world's future
will include improved access to water, food, health care and schooling. The
report projects the number of physicians per 1,000 people will grow to over
20% by 2020. Infant mortality is also projected to drop from over 40% last
year to under 30% in the next decade. Both malnutrition and problems
accessing water is expected to shrink to less than 15%.
Global school enrollment will rise to 70% in the next decade and the number
of women in government is expected to exceed 300% from under 20% in the
previous decade, the report predicts.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/2011-state-of-the-future-anticipates-more-wealth-crime-corruption-51878/
LEADING SOCIOLOGIST REVEALS SURPRISING INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUE STATE
OF THE WORLD
Many people have an impending sense of doom about our country and the world.
But are their fears based on reality or twisted information?
Bradley Wright, author of the critically acclaimed book "Christians Are
Hate-Filled Hypocrites...and Other Lies You've Been Told," is back to stir
up the waters.
A leading academic sociologist, Wright says that things are not as bad as
people think -- or as bad as the media makes it out to be. Using the best
available data, along with a quick wit and a wry sense of humor, he reveals
surprisingly good facts about the state of global poverty, sickness, the
environment, and more.
For instance, you might be surprised to know:
* Global poverty has been cut in half over the last several decades.
* Infant deaths have decreased dramatically in recent years.
* Crime rates have been dropping since the early 1990s.
* Literacy rates have soared from 25% to over 80% in the last 100 years.
* Divorce rates have been dropping steadily over the last 30 years.
* Christianity is a fast-growing and influential force in Asia and
Africa.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/4859317317.html
REFOCUSING ON THE FAMILY
by Sarah Pulliam Bailey
A chunky silver bracelet flopped around the Ichthus tattoo on Yvette Maher's
wrist as she told me about her work at Focus on the Family.
Initially, the senior communications specialist said, she covered up the
tattoo, inked right after a change in the company's dress code. The shift
meant that men could go without a tie, women didn't have to wear dresses or
skirts and pantyhose, and employees could display tattoos. Eventually, the
tattoo came out, as did her story: She and her two daughters had gotten the
tattoos to show solidarity before an intervention for her two nephews, who
were addicted to black tar heroin.
At the time, founder James Dobson was slowly moving out of his leadership
role. Less than two weeks after Focus's board meeting where Dobson was asked
to resign, his new radio program, Family Talk, was incorporated in
California. This raised questions about whether constituents would remain
more loyal to Focus on the Family or its dynamic founder.... Read this in
full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/focus-on-the-family.html
Also see "Family Talk, Family Business"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/family-talk-dobson.html
TEENS' RELIGIOUS IDENTITY REMAINS THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
Adolescents from Asian, Latin American and European backgrounds retain their
religious identity throughout high school, U.S. researchers say. Andrew J.
Fuligni, a University of California, Los Angeles, professor of psychiatry
and colleagues found that teens, regardless of their ethnic background,
retained their religious identity even as their participation in religious
activities, such as attending services, declined. The study, published in
the journal Child Development, found that adolescents' ethnic background
shaped their religious identity and participation.... Read this in full at
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/07/02/Religious-identity-remains-through-HS/UPI-86081309581436/
CASEY ANTHONY VERDICT REFLECTS HIGH BIBLICAL STANDARD FOR DEATH PENALTY
by Mark Ellis
Amid the anger and outrage over a verdict that seems unjust, it bears noting
that the Bible sets a very high bar for convicting any person for the crime
of murder and sentencing them to death.
Several jurors who sat on the Anthony case maintain the government failed to
prove its case "beyond a reasonable doubt." Arguably, this standard reflects
the Bible's value of seeking justice for the victim, while avoiding a rush
to judgment against the accused.
In the book of Numbers, Moses sets forth the principle that "Anyone who
kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of
witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one
witness." (Numbers 35:30).... Read this in full at
http://blog.godreports.com/2011/07/casey-anthony-verdict-reflects-high-biblical-standard-for-death-penalty/
KNOW WHAT SIN IS
"Sin... is always an act of wrong judgment. To commit a sin a man must for
the moment believe that things are different from what they really are; he
must confound values; he must see the moral universe out of focus; he must
accept a lie as truth and see truth as a lie; he must ignore the signs on
the highway and drive with his eyes shut; he must act as if he had no soul,
and was not accountable for his moral choices. Sin is never a thing to be
proud of. No act is wise that ignores remote consequences, and sin always
does. Sin sees only today, or at most tomorrow; never the day after
tomorrow, next month or next year. Death and judgment are pushed aside as if
they did not exist, and the sinner becomes for the time a practical atheist
who by his act denies not only the existence of God but the concept of life
after death."
A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), Man: The Dwelling Place of God, Harrisburg, Penn.: Christian Publications, Inc., 1966, p. 47
CHURCH IS WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL WEAPON AGAINST AIDS
by Rick Warren
On June 5, 1981, my wife Kay was late into her second pregnancy, just weeks
away from giving birth. Absorbed in caring for our 2-year-old and preparing
for a newborn, the farthest thing on our minds was news that day of a
cluster of men in Los Angeles with a mysterious, devastating disease.
But what began in Africa and was first observed in this small California
group became an epidemic, then swelled to a pandemic - touching lives in
every country on every continent
Though late to the fight, in 2003 Kay and I heard God calling us to care for
those infected and affected, to raise our voices on their behalf, and to
figure out practical ways for local churches to serve them.... Read this in
full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/03/my-take-church-is-worlds-most-powerful-weapon-against-hivaids/
IS YOUR CHURCH TOO COOL?
by Rachel Held Evans
People sometimes assume that because I'm a progressive 30-year-old who
enjoys Mumford and Sons and has no children, I must want a super-hip church
- you know, the kind that's called "Thrive" or "Be," and which boasts "an
awesome worship experience," a fair-trade coffee bar, its own iPhone app and
a pastor who looks like a Jonas brother.
While none of these features are inherently wrong (and can of course be used
by good people to do good things), these days I find myself longing for a
church with a cool factor of about 0.
That's right. I want a church that includes fussy kids, old liturgy, bad
sound, weird congregants and-brace yourself - painfully amateur "special
music" now and then.
Why? Well, for one thing, when the gospel story is accompanied by a fog
machine and light show, I always get this creeped-out feeling like someone's
trying to sell me something. It's as though we're all compensating for the
fact that Christianity's not good enough to stand on its own so we're adding
snacks.... Read this in full at
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/features/26050-is-your-church-too-cool
JOE GIBBS SETS FORTH 'GAME PLAN FOR LIFE'
Joe Gibbs, a three-time Super Bowl champion coach and owner of a three-time
NASCAR champion team, relates to men's innate desire to win.
"What men want to know, everywhere I go, is how they can succeed too," Gibbs
writes in "Game Plan for Life: Your Personal Playbook for Success."
"And they're not just talking about becoming rich and famous or winning
trophies. They want to be happy. They want to be good husbands and fathers,
good people. They want to find true success and relevance in their lives."
Gibbs has been in the company of other men his entire life. He has played
sports almost from the moment he could walk. He had a brother and, with his
wife Pat, has two sons. He coached the Washington Redskins for 12 seasons,
leading the team to eight playoff appearances, four NFC Championship titles
en route to his three Super Bowl rings. In 2010, he was named NASCAR
Illustrated magazine's Person of the Year reflecting the respect he also has
earned in motor sports.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35700
BIBLE'S DIFFERENT AUTHORS REVEALED BY NEW LANGUAGE SOFTWARE
Software developed by an Israeli team is giving intriguing new hints about
what researchers believe to be the multiple hands that wrote the Bible.
The new software analyzes style and word choices to distinguish parts of a
single text written by different authors, and when applied to the Bible its
algorithm teased out distinct writer voices in the holy book.
The program, part of a sub-field of artificial intelligence studies known as
authorship attribution, has a range of potential applications - from helping
law enforcement to developing new computer programs for writers. But the
Bible provided a tempting test case for the algorithm's creators.... Read
this in full at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/29/an-israeli-algorithm-shed_n_886996.html
READING BIBLE TIED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES
What daily practice may help American Christians become more concerned about
issues of poverty, conservation and civil liberties? Reading the Bible.
The answer may come as a surprise to those locked into viewing religious
practices in ideological boxes. However, a new study by Baylor University
researcher Aaron Franzen found frequent Bible reading predicted greater
support for issues ranging from the compatibility of science and religion to
more humane treatment of criminals.
The study, one of the first to examine the social consequences of reading
Scripture, reveals the effects of Bible reading appear to transcend
conservative-liberal boundaries.
Thus, even as opposition to same-sex marriage and legalized abortion tends
to increase with more time spent with the Bible, so does the number of
people who say it is important to actively seek social and economic justice,
Franzen found.... Read this in full at
http://blogs.thearda.com/trend/featured/give-us-our-daily-passage-reading-bible-tied-to-social-justice-issues/
Q&A: FRANCIS CHAN ON ROB BELL AND HELL
Few books have generated as much theological conversation as Rob Bell's Love
Wins-and fewer still have sparked several response books within months of
their appearance. Francis Chan, whose books Crazy Love and Forgotten God are
still on bestseller lists, is a somewhat surprising addition to the pack
with Erasing Hell. (Chan's coauthor, Preston Sprinkle, is associate
professor of biblical studies at Chan's Eternity Bible College.)
Christianity Today senior managing editor Mark Galli is the author of
another of the response books, God Wins, and interviewed Chan:
Q: I think.Rob is a little disingenuous. He claims that he's not a
controversialist, but when it comes to his critique of fundamentalist and
legalistic Christianity, he spares no sarcasm.
A: That was the hard part for me. I didn't see love toward those
people-among whom I would be included. In some of those respects it seemed
like a mockery of what I believe and the God that I believe in.... Read this
in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/francis-chan-hell.html
USS ENTERPRISE CHAPLAIN WANTS SHIPMATES 'TO SEE GOD IN ME'
Southern Baptist chaplain Fred Holcombe Jr. pastors a flock numbering
3,500-5,800 people -- the population of a small town. But this "town" is
more than 18 stories high, 1,123 feet long, 200 feet wide and takes up 4 1/2
acres. When fully loaded, this town weighs in at 95,000 tons -- yet it
floats.
It is the USS Enterprise, the "Big E" -- the world's first nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier and, when launched in 1962, the longest naval vessel in the
world. Its home port is Norfolk, Va., where the Big E has left for one of
her final six-month deployments before she is scheduled to be decommissioned
-- after 51 years of service -- in 2013.
But until then, Lt. Cmdr. Holcombe, 47, has a full-time job to do.
Fortunately, he's not the only chaplain on the Big E. There are three others
-- the command chaplain who is Presbyterian, a Catholic priest, and another
Southern Baptist chaplain.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35693
CHAPLAINS FACE STRESS LIKE THE SOLDIERS THEY MINISTER TO
A recent doctoral dissertation by Vance P. Theodore at Kansas State
University, based on a survey of 408 chaplains, calculated that about 20%
showed signs of depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. One
evocative umbrella term for chaplains is "compassion fatigue."
During the Vietnam War, a chaplain typically deployed once, for six months.
Of the approximately 1,650 active-duty chaplains now, more than one-third
have had multiple deployments, according to statistics from the Army's
Office of the Chief of Chaplains. And the average deployment has lasted 13
months.
"Coming back from a year, 15 months, even 20 months, you have reintegration
issues," said Col. Michael Dugal, the director of the Center for Spiritual
Leadership at Fort Jackson, which helps chaplains deal with the strains.
"And there's the whole issue of 'How do I prevent burnout as I constantly
provide for the spiritual needs of so many soldiers?'" .... Read this in
full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/02/us/02religion.html
BELIEF, PRAYER AND OUR PRESIDENTS
by Bill Ellis
We celebrated nationally on Independence Day with parades, music, fireworks,
reunions, visits with friends and family.
Those celebrations and prayers of gratitude came in the midst of national
unrest, the worst economic times millions of us have ever faced, climbing
national debt, escalating prices, drastic decrease in buying power, natural
disasters, threatening international problems, and political unrest at home
and abroad.
What have we been doing to help solve the dilemma we face? I would suggest
that it is time we begin to follow the examples set by presidents and
national leaders.
Dynamic speaker and researcher of American history, William J. Federer,
released another major publication in 2010, titled Prayers and Presidents.
You may learn more about this book by going to www.amerisearch.net or email
wjfederer@gmail.com.
George Washington, at his first inaugural, April 30, 1789, said, "It would
be peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official act, my fervent
supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who
presides in the councils of nations and whose providential aids can supply
every human defect." .... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11070042.htm
2011 BEST CHRISTIAN WORKPLACES
Over the past year, the following organizations have qualified as Best
Christian Workplaces (http://www.bcwinstitute.com/) by obtaining a high
score in the anonymous BCW employee engagement survey. The BCW survey has
been conducted in the US and Canada for the past 9 years and made its debut
in Australia this year -- surveying over 100,000 employees to date. Each
participating organization has a stated Christian mission and/or values.
The 2011 Best Christian Workplaces in the US include:
**Most recent additions
American Bible Society
Apartment Life
Appalachian Bible College
Briarcrest Christian School
Camp Eagle**
CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach)
Concordia Publishing House**
Christian Heritage Academy
CRISTA Ministries
English Language Institute/China
InterVarsity Press
Joni & Friends
Knox Area Rescue Ministries
KSBJ Houston area
Lake Ann Camp
Lancaster Bible College
Lincoln Christian University
Logos Research Systems, Inc.**
MOPS International
Mt. Sylvan United Methodist Church
Olivet Nazarene University
Phoenix Seminary
Samaritan Ministries International
Southland Christian Church
Upward Sports (formerly Upward Unlimited)
Wheaton Academy
World Harvest Mission
The 2011 Best Christian Workplaces in Canada include:
Bethany Community Church**
Beulah Alliance Church
Bill Prankard Evangelistic Association**
Focus on the Family (Canada)**
The Scott Mission**
.... Read this in full at
http://christiannewswire.com/news/4026417322.html
VERSE TO PONDER
The mountains may shift, and the hills may be shaken, but my faithful love
won't shift from you, and my covenant of peace won't be shaken, says the
LORD, the one who pities you.
Isaiah 54:10 (CEB)
CONSIDER
"Anyone can devise a plan by which good people may go to Heaven. Only God
can devise a plan whereby sinners, who are His enemies, can go to Heaven."
Lewis Sperry Chafer
MARTIAL ARTS YIELDS TO EVANGELISTIC PASSION
As a child, Ron Wilson dreamed about one day growing up to be a martial arts
instructor. It began as a simple interest in defending himself against
bullies and later became a passion. Now, God has given Wilson a still-deeper
passion for telling others about Jesus Christ.
It initially was God's vehicle to carry Wilson and his wife Angela from city
to city before landing them in Mountville, Pa., as church planters. Martial
arts remain a huge aspect of their ministry at their church plant, The
Connection.
"People come in to take Kung Fu classes, and we start building this
relationship, this trust," said Wilson, a Mission Service Corps missionary
with the North American Mission Board. "After a period of time, they're
willing to listen to what you have to say, and as time goes on, I'll invite
them to church. And that is basically what church planting really is. It's
building relationships with people."
Although he had wanted to be a martial arts teacher, Wilson never thought it
would be possible. "I went back and forth with my parents, and it was always
the same thing: I needed to get a real job." .... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35702
WALKING IN JESUS'S FOOTSTEPS ALONG THE GALILEE'S GOSPEL TRAIL
Eduward has been in Israel for three months, living in Jerusalem and
volunteering for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, before he
made his first trip to the Galilee.
Like many tourists, the Galilee was not at the top of Eduward's list of
things to do. However, after an invitation to walk the newly redeveloped
Gospel Trail prompted him to visit, Eduward quickly realized that the
Galilee offers much more than he had ever anticipated.
Walking where Jesus walked was an emotional trip and the high point of
Eduward's visit to Israel.
"I'm recommending the Gospel Trail to everyone - Christian and even Jewish
people as well, so they can experience where Jesus walked, see the scenery
and hike the trail," Eduward told www.Travelujah.com.... Read this in full
at
http://www.travelujah.com/blogs/entry/Walking-in-Jesus-s-Footsteps-along-the-Galilee-s-Gospel-Trail
C.J. MAHANEY: "WHY I'M TAKING A LEAVE OF ABSENCE"
C.J. Mahaney writes:
"Over the last few years some former pastors and leaders in Sovereign Grace
have made charges against me and informed me about offenses they have with
me as well as other leaders in Sovereign Grace. These charges are serious
and they have been very grieving to read. These charges are not related to
any immorality or financial impropriety, but this doesn't minimize their
serious nature, which include various expressions of pride,
unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgment, and hypocrisy.
"I believe God is kindly disciplining me through this. I believe I have by
the grace of God perceived a degree of my sin, and I have been grieved by my
sin and its effects on others. I have had the opportunity to confess my sin
to some of those affected in various ways by my sin. And I am so very
grateful for their forgiveness. But I want to perceive and confess any and
all sin I have committed. Although my experience of conviction has already
started-and this is an evidence of God's mercy-I'm sure there is more for me
to perceive and acknowledge. Even with the charges I disagree with it has
been beneficial to examine my soul and ask for the observation of others.
And I am resolved to take responsibility for my sin and every way my
leadership has been deficient, and this would include making any appropriate
confessions, public or private. Most importantly I want to please God during
this season of examination and evaluation".... Read this in full at
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2011/07/07/c-j-mahaney-why-im-taking-a-leave-of-absence/
NEW MONASTICS SHARE COMMUNITY, OFFER HOPE
They aren't a commune, but they live in community. They are motivated by
faith, but they attend different churches. They want to help the homeless,
so they bought an apartment complex.
They are new monastics, dedicated to helping the poor, sharing resources and
caring for creation. Known as Castanea, meaning chestnut tree in Latin,
these young Christians are working to transform a run-down apartment complex
into a place of reconciliation.
Castanea's members moved to Chestnut Hill, Tenn., in South Nashville two
years ago, planning to live in close proximity to one another, fulfilling
their vision of Christian community and helping others.
But when they found an apartment complex condemned by the city, they decided
to buy it. Castanea has since completed the initial cleanup, and the group
hopes to begin construction in the next few months, installing new windows,
doors and a roof. It still needs $600,000 to complete renovations on the
building.... Read this in full at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-06-27-monastics_n.htm
THE SURPRISING HISTORY OF PRAYER IN SPACE
by Thom Patterson, CNN
Here are just a few of the religious highlights surrounding human space
travel: .... Read this in full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/07/the-surprising-history-of-prayer-in-space/
AIRPORT CHAPELS: 'FLYING ON A WING AND A PRAYER'
The first airport chapel opened 60 years ago in Boston. Today, there are
hundreds in airports around the world, and they continue to attract fliers -
some are nervous about air travel, some face personal crises or loss, some
just need a place to pray. Wall Street Journal columnist and blogger Scott
McCartney discusses what brings so many people into airport chapels.... Read
this in full at
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/04/137607072/airport-chapels-flying-on-a-wing-and-a-prayer
VATICAN OPENS ARCHIVES FOR UNPRECEDENTED EXHIBIT
The Vatican will display 100 select documents from its Secret Archives at an
unprecedented exhibit next year that includes previously unpublished papers
from its World War II papacy.
"Lux in Arcana: The Vatican Secret Archives Revealed" opens in February at
Rome's Capitoline Museums and marks the first time such precious documents,
manuscripts, and parchments have been allowed out of the Vatican vaults for
view by the general public.
The occasion is the archive's 400th anniversary. On view will be the acts of
Galileo's trial for heresy as well as the letter from members of the British
Parliament asking Pope Clement XII to annul the marriage of Henry VIII and
Catherine of Aragon - one of the key events that led to England's break with
the Roman Catholic Church.... Read this in full at
http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-opens-archives-unprecedented-exhibit-113656776.html
LAUSANNE MOVEMENT SETS OUT ITS ROADMAP
At its leadership meeting in Boston in June, The Lausanne Movement
(http://www.lausanne.org/) adopted The Cape Town Commitment, issuing from
The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, as its "roadmap for the
next ten years."
Doug Birdsall, Lausanne Movement Chief Executive, said, "We trust The Cape
Town Commitment will prove to be of global significance and of eternal
consequence. We sense a burden of spiritual responsibility as we now work to
implement it."
The Lausanne Movement aspires to be Christ-centred, biblically-orientated
and missiologically-focused. "Its purpose," said Lindsay Brown,
International Director, "is to strengthen the evangelical Church to bear
witness to Christ in every area of the world. To do this, we must engage
with every region geographically, with every sphere of society, and, too,
with the realm of ideas." He said The Cape Town Commitment captured this
spirit and intent, describing it as "profoundly elegant, and panoramic in
its Biblicism." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/987417333.html
WHY THE NEW RULES FOR CHRISTIAN WITNESS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF
PERSECUTION
by Elizabeth Kendal
The church is slowly waking up to the reality that we are living in days of
escalating persecution. Global trends such as booming population growth,
rapid urbanization and mass migrations are converging, producing fierce
competition for land, resources and power; creating societies that are
increasingly difficult to govern, especially where institutions of
governance were not already established. Add to this volatile mix the trend
of escalating religious tension -- the result of converging religious trends
-- and we have an incendiary environment.
This reality provides the context for the document:
Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World
Recommendations for Conduct
World Council of Churches
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
World Evangelical Alliance
28 June 2011
The WEA press release states: "This historic document is in part a response
to criticisms leveled at Christians by some religious communities in what
they perceived to be a use of unethical methods. In some case these
objections have led to anti-conversion laws and violence."
Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue (PCID), said the text "will help us reduce unnecessary tensions and
present the truth of God in a credible way to the world around us".
However, it is highly unlikely that the "Recommendations for Conduct" -- a
document which provides Christians with principles to follow "as they seek
to fulfill Christ's commission in an appropriate manner, particularly within
interreligious contexts" -- will have their desired effect. While the
document might be a handy tool in the hands of those engaged in "quiet
diplomacy", it will not change the reality on the ground because the church
and her accusers are speaking totally different languages. As such,
interpretations will continue to differ, and accusations will continue to
fly. In fact the ve ry existence of this document might lead to the
situation where the Church will be expected to hold Christian evangelists,
missionaries and humanitarians accountable for violent persecution.
The reality is: the intense hostility the church is facing in the early 21st
Century has been building for decades. A mighty flood is upon us for which
there is no quick fix and only one real solution.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11070032.htm
LIFE AFTER PROSTATE SURGERY WORSE THAN MEN EXPECT
Nearly half of men who undergo surgery to treat prostate cancer find
themselves with greater incontinence problems and less sexual function than
they had anticipated, according to a new poll.
Before the surgery, some men in the study had expected to get better urinary
and sexual function a year after the procedure -- a misbelief that the
researchers say is out of step with the reality of prostate cancer
surgery.... Read this in full at
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/30/us-prostate-surgery-idUSTRE75T6SB20110630
CONSIDER
"Have your heart right with Christ, and He will visit you often, and so turn
weekdays into Sundays, meals into sacraments, homes into temples and earth
into heaven."
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
VERSE TO PONDER
"The start of a quarrel is like letting out water, so drop the dispute
before it breaks out."
Proverbs 17:14 (CEB)
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: FOUNDED ON THEE
Words: Samuel F. Smith, 1894
Music: Ralph Harrison, 1784
Founded on Thee, our only Lord,
On Thee, the everlasting Rock,
Thy Church shall stand, as stands Thy Word,
Nor fear the storm, nor dread the shock.
For Thee our waiting spirits yearn,
For Thee this house of praise we rear;
To Thee with longing hearts we turn:
Come, fix Thy glorious presence here.
Come, with Thy Spirit and Thy power,
The Conqueror, once the Crucified;
Our God, our Strength, our King, our Tower,
Here plant Thy throne, and here abide.
Accept the work our hands have wrought;
Accept, O God, this earthly shrine;
Be Thou our Rock, our life, our thought,
And we, as living temples, Thine.
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/f/o/u/foundont.htm
ON PRAYER
"Oh, that I may be a man of prayer!" Henry Martyn
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
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It's as easy as 1-2-3!
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Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Yippy Search Engine
http://yippy.com/
Cracking the Credit Card Code
http://www.mint.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/CrackingCreditCode11.jpg
Shapeshifting Octopus, amazing camouflage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmDTtkZlMwM
Cute photo of horse
http://amolife.com/image/images/stories/Animals/Fun/animal_moments_8_(6).jpg
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.)
Statistically speaking, six out of seven dwarfs aren't Happy.
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!
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Issue 364
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.
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"The Lord isn't slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he
is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their
hearts and lives."
2 Peter 3:9 (CEB)
CONSIDER
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience
is only an adventure wrongly considered."
G.K. Chesterton
POLL: RELIGION, FAITH STILL IMPORTANT TO MOST PEOPLE
A new Ipsos MORI poll has found that religion still matters to most people
in the world. The global survey looked at the views of over 18,000 people
across 24 countries, including the UK and US.
Seven in 10 of those surveyed said they had a religion but there was a
marked difference between Christians and Muslims when it came to the
importance they placed on their faith.
In Muslim-majority countries, 94% of those with a religion agreed that their
faith was important in their lives, compared to 66% in Christian-majority
countries.
Muslims were far more likely to believe that their religion was the only
true path to salvation, liberation or paradise - 61% compared to 19% in
Christian-majority countries. In the US, 32% said their faith or religion
was the only true path.
They were also more likely to say that their faith or religion was a key
motivator in giving time and money to people in need - 61% compared to 24%
in primarily Christian societies.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/poll-religion-faith-still-important-to-most-people-51897/
Also see "How much does religion matter?"
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/newsevents/latestnews/810/How-much-does-religion-matter.aspx
2011 STATE OF THE FUTURE ANTICIPATES MORE WEALTH, CRIME, CORRUPTION
A report to be released August 1 by a globalized think tank predicts that
although the world of tomorrow will be richer, healthier and better
educated, it will also be a more violent and corrupt unless action is taken
to curb terror-related crime.
The Millennium Project's 2011 State of the Future reports the world's future
will include improved access to water, food, health care and schooling. The
report projects the number of physicians per 1,000 people will grow to over
20% by 2020. Infant mortality is also projected to drop from over 40% last
year to under 30% in the next decade. Both malnutrition and problems
accessing water is expected to shrink to less than 15%.
Global school enrollment will rise to 70% in the next decade and the number
of women in government is expected to exceed 300% from under 20% in the
previous decade, the report predicts.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/2011-state-of-the-future-anticipates-more-wealth-crime-corruption-51878/
LEADING SOCIOLOGIST REVEALS SURPRISING INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUE STATE
OF THE WORLD
Many people have an impending sense of doom about our country and the world.
But are their fears based on reality or twisted information?
Bradley Wright, author of the critically acclaimed book "Christians Are
Hate-Filled Hypocrites...and Other Lies You've Been Told," is back to stir
up the waters.
A leading academic sociologist, Wright says that things are not as bad as
people think -- or as bad as the media makes it out to be. Using the best
available data, along with a quick wit and a wry sense of humor, he reveals
surprisingly good facts about the state of global poverty, sickness, the
environment, and more.
For instance, you might be surprised to know:
* Global poverty has been cut in half over the last several decades.
* Infant deaths have decreased dramatically in recent years.
* Crime rates have been dropping since the early 1990s.
* Literacy rates have soared from 25% to over 80% in the last 100 years.
* Divorce rates have been dropping steadily over the last 30 years.
* Christianity is a fast-growing and influential force in Asia and
Africa.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/4859317317.html
REFOCUSING ON THE FAMILY
by Sarah Pulliam Bailey
A chunky silver bracelet flopped around the Ichthus tattoo on Yvette Maher's
wrist as she told me about her work at Focus on the Family.
Initially, the senior communications specialist said, she covered up the
tattoo, inked right after a change in the company's dress code. The shift
meant that men could go without a tie, women didn't have to wear dresses or
skirts and pantyhose, and employees could display tattoos. Eventually, the
tattoo came out, as did her story: She and her two daughters had gotten the
tattoos to show solidarity before an intervention for her two nephews, who
were addicted to black tar heroin.
At the time, founder James Dobson was slowly moving out of his leadership
role. Less than two weeks after Focus's board meeting where Dobson was asked
to resign, his new radio program, Family Talk, was incorporated in
California. This raised questions about whether constituents would remain
more loyal to Focus on the Family or its dynamic founder.... Read this in
full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/focus-on-the-family.html
Also see "Family Talk, Family Business"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/family-talk-dobson.html
TEENS' RELIGIOUS IDENTITY REMAINS THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
Adolescents from Asian, Latin American and European backgrounds retain their
religious identity throughout high school, U.S. researchers say. Andrew J.
Fuligni, a University of California, Los Angeles, professor of psychiatry
and colleagues found that teens, regardless of their ethnic background,
retained their religious identity even as their participation in religious
activities, such as attending services, declined. The study, published in
the journal Child Development, found that adolescents' ethnic background
shaped their religious identity and participation.... Read this in full at
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/07/02/Religious-identity-remains-through-HS/UPI-86081309581436/
CASEY ANTHONY VERDICT REFLECTS HIGH BIBLICAL STANDARD FOR DEATH PENALTY
by Mark Ellis
Amid the anger and outrage over a verdict that seems unjust, it bears noting
that the Bible sets a very high bar for convicting any person for the crime
of murder and sentencing them to death.
Several jurors who sat on the Anthony case maintain the government failed to
prove its case "beyond a reasonable doubt." Arguably, this standard reflects
the Bible's value of seeking justice for the victim, while avoiding a rush
to judgment against the accused.
In the book of Numbers, Moses sets forth the principle that "Anyone who
kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of
witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one
witness." (Numbers 35:30).... Read this in full at
http://blog.godreports.com/2011/07/casey-anthony-verdict-reflects-high-biblical-standard-for-death-penalty/
KNOW WHAT SIN IS
"Sin... is always an act of wrong judgment. To commit a sin a man must for
the moment believe that things are different from what they really are; he
must confound values; he must see the moral universe out of focus; he must
accept a lie as truth and see truth as a lie; he must ignore the signs on
the highway and drive with his eyes shut; he must act as if he had no soul,
and was not accountable for his moral choices. Sin is never a thing to be
proud of. No act is wise that ignores remote consequences, and sin always
does. Sin sees only today, or at most tomorrow; never the day after
tomorrow, next month or next year. Death and judgment are pushed aside as if
they did not exist, and the sinner becomes for the time a practical atheist
who by his act denies not only the existence of God but the concept of life
after death."
A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), Man: The Dwelling Place of God, Harrisburg, Penn.: Christian Publications, Inc., 1966, p. 47
CHURCH IS WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL WEAPON AGAINST AIDS
by Rick Warren
On June 5, 1981, my wife Kay was late into her second pregnancy, just weeks
away from giving birth. Absorbed in caring for our 2-year-old and preparing
for a newborn, the farthest thing on our minds was news that day of a
cluster of men in Los Angeles with a mysterious, devastating disease.
But what began in Africa and was first observed in this small California
group became an epidemic, then swelled to a pandemic - touching lives in
every country on every continent
Though late to the fight, in 2003 Kay and I heard God calling us to care for
those infected and affected, to raise our voices on their behalf, and to
figure out practical ways for local churches to serve them.... Read this in
full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/03/my-take-church-is-worlds-most-powerful-weapon-against-hivaids/
IS YOUR CHURCH TOO COOL?
by Rachel Held Evans
People sometimes assume that because I'm a progressive 30-year-old who
enjoys Mumford and Sons and has no children, I must want a super-hip church
- you know, the kind that's called "Thrive" or "Be," and which boasts "an
awesome worship experience," a fair-trade coffee bar, its own iPhone app and
a pastor who looks like a Jonas brother.
While none of these features are inherently wrong (and can of course be used
by good people to do good things), these days I find myself longing for a
church with a cool factor of about 0.
That's right. I want a church that includes fussy kids, old liturgy, bad
sound, weird congregants and-brace yourself - painfully amateur "special
music" now and then.
Why? Well, for one thing, when the gospel story is accompanied by a fog
machine and light show, I always get this creeped-out feeling like someone's
trying to sell me something. It's as though we're all compensating for the
fact that Christianity's not good enough to stand on its own so we're adding
snacks.... Read this in full at
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/features/26050-is-your-church-too-cool
JOE GIBBS SETS FORTH 'GAME PLAN FOR LIFE'
Joe Gibbs, a three-time Super Bowl champion coach and owner of a three-time
NASCAR champion team, relates to men's innate desire to win.
"What men want to know, everywhere I go, is how they can succeed too," Gibbs
writes in "Game Plan for Life: Your Personal Playbook for Success."
"And they're not just talking about becoming rich and famous or winning
trophies. They want to be happy. They want to be good husbands and fathers,
good people. They want to find true success and relevance in their lives."
Gibbs has been in the company of other men his entire life. He has played
sports almost from the moment he could walk. He had a brother and, with his
wife Pat, has two sons. He coached the Washington Redskins for 12 seasons,
leading the team to eight playoff appearances, four NFC Championship titles
en route to his three Super Bowl rings. In 2010, he was named NASCAR
Illustrated magazine's Person of the Year reflecting the respect he also has
earned in motor sports.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35700
BIBLE'S DIFFERENT AUTHORS REVEALED BY NEW LANGUAGE SOFTWARE
Software developed by an Israeli team is giving intriguing new hints about
what researchers believe to be the multiple hands that wrote the Bible.
The new software analyzes style and word choices to distinguish parts of a
single text written by different authors, and when applied to the Bible its
algorithm teased out distinct writer voices in the holy book.
The program, part of a sub-field of artificial intelligence studies known as
authorship attribution, has a range of potential applications - from helping
law enforcement to developing new computer programs for writers. But the
Bible provided a tempting test case for the algorithm's creators.... Read
this in full at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/29/an-israeli-algorithm-shed_n_886996.html
READING BIBLE TIED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES
What daily practice may help American Christians become more concerned about
issues of poverty, conservation and civil liberties? Reading the Bible.
The answer may come as a surprise to those locked into viewing religious
practices in ideological boxes. However, a new study by Baylor University
researcher Aaron Franzen found frequent Bible reading predicted greater
support for issues ranging from the compatibility of science and religion to
more humane treatment of criminals.
The study, one of the first to examine the social consequences of reading
Scripture, reveals the effects of Bible reading appear to transcend
conservative-liberal boundaries.
Thus, even as opposition to same-sex marriage and legalized abortion tends
to increase with more time spent with the Bible, so does the number of
people who say it is important to actively seek social and economic justice,
Franzen found.... Read this in full at
http://blogs.thearda.com/trend/featured/give-us-our-daily-passage-reading-bible-tied-to-social-justice-issues/
Q&A: FRANCIS CHAN ON ROB BELL AND HELL
Few books have generated as much theological conversation as Rob Bell's Love
Wins-and fewer still have sparked several response books within months of
their appearance. Francis Chan, whose books Crazy Love and Forgotten God are
still on bestseller lists, is a somewhat surprising addition to the pack
with Erasing Hell. (Chan's coauthor, Preston Sprinkle, is associate
professor of biblical studies at Chan's Eternity Bible College.)
Christianity Today senior managing editor Mark Galli is the author of
another of the response books, God Wins, and interviewed Chan:
Q: I think.Rob is a little disingenuous. He claims that he's not a
controversialist, but when it comes to his critique of fundamentalist and
legalistic Christianity, he spares no sarcasm.
A: That was the hard part for me. I didn't see love toward those
people-among whom I would be included. In some of those respects it seemed
like a mockery of what I believe and the God that I believe in.... Read this
in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/francis-chan-hell.html
USS ENTERPRISE CHAPLAIN WANTS SHIPMATES 'TO SEE GOD IN ME'
Southern Baptist chaplain Fred Holcombe Jr. pastors a flock numbering
3,500-5,800 people -- the population of a small town. But this "town" is
more than 18 stories high, 1,123 feet long, 200 feet wide and takes up 4 1/2
acres. When fully loaded, this town weighs in at 95,000 tons -- yet it
floats.
It is the USS Enterprise, the "Big E" -- the world's first nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier and, when launched in 1962, the longest naval vessel in the
world. Its home port is Norfolk, Va., where the Big E has left for one of
her final six-month deployments before she is scheduled to be decommissioned
-- after 51 years of service -- in 2013.
But until then, Lt. Cmdr. Holcombe, 47, has a full-time job to do.
Fortunately, he's not the only chaplain on the Big E. There are three others
-- the command chaplain who is Presbyterian, a Catholic priest, and another
Southern Baptist chaplain.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35693
CHAPLAINS FACE STRESS LIKE THE SOLDIERS THEY MINISTER TO
A recent doctoral dissertation by Vance P. Theodore at Kansas State
University, based on a survey of 408 chaplains, calculated that about 20%
showed signs of depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. One
evocative umbrella term for chaplains is "compassion fatigue."
During the Vietnam War, a chaplain typically deployed once, for six months.
Of the approximately 1,650 active-duty chaplains now, more than one-third
have had multiple deployments, according to statistics from the Army's
Office of the Chief of Chaplains. And the average deployment has lasted 13
months.
"Coming back from a year, 15 months, even 20 months, you have reintegration
issues," said Col. Michael Dugal, the director of the Center for Spiritual
Leadership at Fort Jackson, which helps chaplains deal with the strains.
"And there's the whole issue of 'How do I prevent burnout as I constantly
provide for the spiritual needs of so many soldiers?'" .... Read this in
full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/02/us/02religion.html
BELIEF, PRAYER AND OUR PRESIDENTS
by Bill Ellis
We celebrated nationally on Independence Day with parades, music, fireworks,
reunions, visits with friends and family.
Those celebrations and prayers of gratitude came in the midst of national
unrest, the worst economic times millions of us have ever faced, climbing
national debt, escalating prices, drastic decrease in buying power, natural
disasters, threatening international problems, and political unrest at home
and abroad.
What have we been doing to help solve the dilemma we face? I would suggest
that it is time we begin to follow the examples set by presidents and
national leaders.
Dynamic speaker and researcher of American history, William J. Federer,
released another major publication in 2010, titled Prayers and Presidents.
You may learn more about this book by going to www.amerisearch.net or email
wjfederer@gmail.com.
George Washington, at his first inaugural, April 30, 1789, said, "It would
be peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official act, my fervent
supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who
presides in the councils of nations and whose providential aids can supply
every human defect." .... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11070042.htm
2011 BEST CHRISTIAN WORKPLACES
Over the past year, the following organizations have qualified as Best
Christian Workplaces (http://www.bcwinstitute.com/) by obtaining a high
score in the anonymous BCW employee engagement survey. The BCW survey has
been conducted in the US and Canada for the past 9 years and made its debut
in Australia this year -- surveying over 100,000 employees to date. Each
participating organization has a stated Christian mission and/or values.
The 2011 Best Christian Workplaces in the US include:
**Most recent additions
American Bible Society
Apartment Life
Appalachian Bible College
Briarcrest Christian School
Camp Eagle**
CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach)
Concordia Publishing House**
Christian Heritage Academy
CRISTA Ministries
English Language Institute/China
InterVarsity Press
Joni & Friends
Knox Area Rescue Ministries
KSBJ Houston area
Lake Ann Camp
Lancaster Bible College
Lincoln Christian University
Logos Research Systems, Inc.**
MOPS International
Mt. Sylvan United Methodist Church
Olivet Nazarene University
Phoenix Seminary
Samaritan Ministries International
Southland Christian Church
Upward Sports (formerly Upward Unlimited)
Wheaton Academy
World Harvest Mission
The 2011 Best Christian Workplaces in Canada include:
Bethany Community Church**
Beulah Alliance Church
Bill Prankard Evangelistic Association**
Focus on the Family (Canada)**
The Scott Mission**
.... Read this in full at
http://christiannewswire.com/news/4026417322.html
VERSE TO PONDER
The mountains may shift, and the hills may be shaken, but my faithful love
won't shift from you, and my covenant of peace won't be shaken, says the
LORD, the one who pities you.
Isaiah 54:10 (CEB)
CONSIDER
"Anyone can devise a plan by which good people may go to Heaven. Only God
can devise a plan whereby sinners, who are His enemies, can go to Heaven."
Lewis Sperry Chafer
MARTIAL ARTS YIELDS TO EVANGELISTIC PASSION
As a child, Ron Wilson dreamed about one day growing up to be a martial arts
instructor. It began as a simple interest in defending himself against
bullies and later became a passion. Now, God has given Wilson a still-deeper
passion for telling others about Jesus Christ.
It initially was God's vehicle to carry Wilson and his wife Angela from city
to city before landing them in Mountville, Pa., as church planters. Martial
arts remain a huge aspect of their ministry at their church plant, The
Connection.
"People come in to take Kung Fu classes, and we start building this
relationship, this trust," said Wilson, a Mission Service Corps missionary
with the North American Mission Board. "After a period of time, they're
willing to listen to what you have to say, and as time goes on, I'll invite
them to church. And that is basically what church planting really is. It's
building relationships with people."
Although he had wanted to be a martial arts teacher, Wilson never thought it
would be possible. "I went back and forth with my parents, and it was always
the same thing: I needed to get a real job." .... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35702
WALKING IN JESUS'S FOOTSTEPS ALONG THE GALILEE'S GOSPEL TRAIL
Eduward has been in Israel for three months, living in Jerusalem and
volunteering for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, before he
made his first trip to the Galilee.
Like many tourists, the Galilee was not at the top of Eduward's list of
things to do. However, after an invitation to walk the newly redeveloped
Gospel Trail prompted him to visit, Eduward quickly realized that the
Galilee offers much more than he had ever anticipated.
Walking where Jesus walked was an emotional trip and the high point of
Eduward's visit to Israel.
"I'm recommending the Gospel Trail to everyone - Christian and even Jewish
people as well, so they can experience where Jesus walked, see the scenery
and hike the trail," Eduward told www.Travelujah.com.... Read this in full
at
http://www.travelujah.com/blogs/entry/Walking-in-Jesus-s-Footsteps-along-the-Galilee-s-Gospel-Trail
C.J. MAHANEY: "WHY I'M TAKING A LEAVE OF ABSENCE"
C.J. Mahaney writes:
"Over the last few years some former pastors and leaders in Sovereign Grace
have made charges against me and informed me about offenses they have with
me as well as other leaders in Sovereign Grace. These charges are serious
and they have been very grieving to read. These charges are not related to
any immorality or financial impropriety, but this doesn't minimize their
serious nature, which include various expressions of pride,
unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgment, and hypocrisy.
"I believe God is kindly disciplining me through this. I believe I have by
the grace of God perceived a degree of my sin, and I have been grieved by my
sin and its effects on others. I have had the opportunity to confess my sin
to some of those affected in various ways by my sin. And I am so very
grateful for their forgiveness. But I want to perceive and confess any and
all sin I have committed. Although my experience of conviction has already
started-and this is an evidence of God's mercy-I'm sure there is more for me
to perceive and acknowledge. Even with the charges I disagree with it has
been beneficial to examine my soul and ask for the observation of others.
And I am resolved to take responsibility for my sin and every way my
leadership has been deficient, and this would include making any appropriate
confessions, public or private. Most importantly I want to please God during
this season of examination and evaluation".... Read this in full at
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2011/07/07/c-j-mahaney-why-im-taking-a-leave-of-absence/
NEW MONASTICS SHARE COMMUNITY, OFFER HOPE
They aren't a commune, but they live in community. They are motivated by
faith, but they attend different churches. They want to help the homeless,
so they bought an apartment complex.
They are new monastics, dedicated to helping the poor, sharing resources and
caring for creation. Known as Castanea, meaning chestnut tree in Latin,
these young Christians are working to transform a run-down apartment complex
into a place of reconciliation.
Castanea's members moved to Chestnut Hill, Tenn., in South Nashville two
years ago, planning to live in close proximity to one another, fulfilling
their vision of Christian community and helping others.
But when they found an apartment complex condemned by the city, they decided
to buy it. Castanea has since completed the initial cleanup, and the group
hopes to begin construction in the next few months, installing new windows,
doors and a roof. It still needs $600,000 to complete renovations on the
building.... Read this in full at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-06-27-monastics_n.htm
THE SURPRISING HISTORY OF PRAYER IN SPACE
by Thom Patterson, CNN
Here are just a few of the religious highlights surrounding human space
travel: .... Read this in full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/07/the-surprising-history-of-prayer-in-space/
AIRPORT CHAPELS: 'FLYING ON A WING AND A PRAYER'
The first airport chapel opened 60 years ago in Boston. Today, there are
hundreds in airports around the world, and they continue to attract fliers -
some are nervous about air travel, some face personal crises or loss, some
just need a place to pray. Wall Street Journal columnist and blogger Scott
McCartney discusses what brings so many people into airport chapels.... Read
this in full at
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/04/137607072/airport-chapels-flying-on-a-wing-and-a-prayer
VATICAN OPENS ARCHIVES FOR UNPRECEDENTED EXHIBIT
The Vatican will display 100 select documents from its Secret Archives at an
unprecedented exhibit next year that includes previously unpublished papers
from its World War II papacy.
"Lux in Arcana: The Vatican Secret Archives Revealed" opens in February at
Rome's Capitoline Museums and marks the first time such precious documents,
manuscripts, and parchments have been allowed out of the Vatican vaults for
view by the general public.
The occasion is the archive's 400th anniversary. On view will be the acts of
Galileo's trial for heresy as well as the letter from members of the British
Parliament asking Pope Clement XII to annul the marriage of Henry VIII and
Catherine of Aragon - one of the key events that led to England's break with
the Roman Catholic Church.... Read this in full at
http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-opens-archives-unprecedented-exhibit-113656776.html
LAUSANNE MOVEMENT SETS OUT ITS ROADMAP
At its leadership meeting in Boston in June, The Lausanne Movement
(http://www.lausanne.org/) adopted The Cape Town Commitment, issuing from
The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, as its "roadmap for the
next ten years."
Doug Birdsall, Lausanne Movement Chief Executive, said, "We trust The Cape
Town Commitment will prove to be of global significance and of eternal
consequence. We sense a burden of spiritual responsibility as we now work to
implement it."
The Lausanne Movement aspires to be Christ-centred, biblically-orientated
and missiologically-focused. "Its purpose," said Lindsay Brown,
International Director, "is to strengthen the evangelical Church to bear
witness to Christ in every area of the world. To do this, we must engage
with every region geographically, with every sphere of society, and, too,
with the realm of ideas." He said The Cape Town Commitment captured this
spirit and intent, describing it as "profoundly elegant, and panoramic in
its Biblicism." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/987417333.html
WHY THE NEW RULES FOR CHRISTIAN WITNESS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF
PERSECUTION
by Elizabeth Kendal
The church is slowly waking up to the reality that we are living in days of
escalating persecution. Global trends such as booming population growth,
rapid urbanization and mass migrations are converging, producing fierce
competition for land, resources and power; creating societies that are
increasingly difficult to govern, especially where institutions of
governance were not already established. Add to this volatile mix the trend
of escalating religious tension -- the result of converging religious trends
-- and we have an incendiary environment.
This reality provides the context for the document:
Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World
Recommendations for Conduct
World Council of Churches
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
World Evangelical Alliance
28 June 2011
The WEA press release states: "This historic document is in part a response
to criticisms leveled at Christians by some religious communities in what
they perceived to be a use of unethical methods. In some case these
objections have led to anti-conversion laws and violence."
Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue (PCID), said the text "will help us reduce unnecessary tensions and
present the truth of God in a credible way to the world around us".
However, it is highly unlikely that the "Recommendations for Conduct" -- a
document which provides Christians with principles to follow "as they seek
to fulfill Christ's commission in an appropriate manner, particularly within
interreligious contexts" -- will have their desired effect. While the
document might be a handy tool in the hands of those engaged in "quiet
diplomacy", it will not change the reality on the ground because the church
and her accusers are speaking totally different languages. As such,
interpretations will continue to differ, and accusations will continue to
fly. In fact the ve ry existence of this document might lead to the
situation where the Church will be expected to hold Christian evangelists,
missionaries and humanitarians accountable for violent persecution.
The reality is: the intense hostility the church is facing in the early 21st
Century has been building for decades. A mighty flood is upon us for which
there is no quick fix and only one real solution.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11070032.htm
LIFE AFTER PROSTATE SURGERY WORSE THAN MEN EXPECT
Nearly half of men who undergo surgery to treat prostate cancer find
themselves with greater incontinence problems and less sexual function than
they had anticipated, according to a new poll.
Before the surgery, some men in the study had expected to get better urinary
and sexual function a year after the procedure -- a misbelief that the
researchers say is out of step with the reality of prostate cancer
surgery.... Read this in full at
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/30/us-prostate-surgery-idUSTRE75T6SB20110630
CONSIDER
"Have your heart right with Christ, and He will visit you often, and so turn
weekdays into Sundays, meals into sacraments, homes into temples and earth
into heaven."
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
VERSE TO PONDER
"The start of a quarrel is like letting out water, so drop the dispute
before it breaks out."
Proverbs 17:14 (CEB)
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: FOUNDED ON THEE
Words: Samuel F. Smith, 1894
Music: Ralph Harrison, 1784
Founded on Thee, our only Lord,
On Thee, the everlasting Rock,
Thy Church shall stand, as stands Thy Word,
Nor fear the storm, nor dread the shock.
For Thee our waiting spirits yearn,
For Thee this house of praise we rear;
To Thee with longing hearts we turn:
Come, fix Thy glorious presence here.
Come, with Thy Spirit and Thy power,
The Conqueror, once the Crucified;
Our God, our Strength, our King, our Tower,
Here plant Thy throne, and here abide.
Accept the work our hands have wrought;
Accept, O God, this earthly shrine;
Be Thou our Rock, our life, our thought,
And we, as living temples, Thine.
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/f/o/u/foundont.htm
ON PRAYER
"Oh, that I may be a man of prayer!" Henry Martyn
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
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Book your next vacation with us!
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Books, Music & More!
http://www.ChristianConnectionBooks.com
Get your domain name here!
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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.
Yippy Search Engine
http://yippy.com/
Cracking the Credit Card Code
http://www.mint.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/CrackingCreditCode11.jpg
Shapeshifting Octopus, amazing camouflage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmDTtkZlMwM
Cute photo of horse
http://amolife.com/image/images/stories/Animals/Fun/animal_moments_8_(6).jpg
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.)
Statistically speaking, six out of seven dwarfs aren't Happy.
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
Rev.frank@gmail.com
Thanks for welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of announcements, news, recommendations, articles, and other information helpful to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks for welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
The CONNECTIONS Team offers a variety of activities for men to interact with other men on our journey of faith in Christ together. Large group, small group, and one-to-one events encourage relationship building and spiritual strengthening that result in maximizing the potential we all have in Christ.
Contact Min. Frank Coleman, 773-410-1483, frank@frankcoleman.com if you'd like to participate in a men's discipleship program.
Path Of Life Ministries is located in Chicago, IL.
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