For week of October 9, 2011
Issue 377
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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Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."
John 14:23
CONSIDER
“A man that does not know how to be angry does not know how to be good.”
Henry Ward Beecher
STEVE JOBS AND THE GREAT COMMISSION
by Dr. Michael A. Milton, chancellor-elect of Reformed Theological Seminary
Steve Jobs is now being eulogized as part P.T. Barnum and part Walt Disney. We might even add part Thomas Edison. There will be more comparisons but few will accurately portray the fullness of the man's creative genius. There is a biography of him coming out soon and we will learn more about this rather secretive icon of our age. But it is doubtful that we will learn that he was a devout Christian. I do not know his final moments and therefore I make no judgments, commending this man and his family to a God whose grace and love is greater and wider than we could ever imagine.
Yet, in God's common grace, He used this man's innovation and creativity to build a new Roman Road to the world -- a pathway through the extremities of a world still held in the tyranny of despots and dictators, poverty, and radical religious fetters.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7732617964.html
Also see “The Gospel of Steve Jobs”
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/januaryweb-only/gospelstevejobs.html
DISCOVERING THE "MISSING JEWEL" OF THE CHURCH
by Charles R. Swindoll
What exactly is worship? And is it all that rare? In 1961, while he was speaking to the pastors of the Associated Gospel Churches of Canada, the late A. W. Tozer said that worship “is the missing jewel in modern evangelicalism.” I think he was a prophet ahead of his time.
Let me ask you: Do you worship where you go to church? “Yes,” you say, “I just love the Bible teaching at our church.” That’s not my question. “Oh, yes, the singing is wonderful.” That’s not my question either. I know you love the Bible. You wouldn’t support this ministry if you didn’t. And you probably love to sing. I’m not asking about those things. I’m asking, Do you worship?
My great concern is that we tend to play the game of “church.” We learn how to dress, learn how to sit, and learn how to look. We even learn the words of the songs. But what about our focus as we sing them? While we sing, “A mighty fortress is our God,” we’re thinking, Why did she wear a dress like that? “A bulwark never failing.” Did I turn the lights off on my car? We can do that and not even change our expression. That’s not worship — that’s playing the church game. When I am truly lost in wonder, love, and praise, I have to tell you, there are times I don’t even know my name.... Read this in full at
http://www.insight.org/library/articles/christian-living/missing-jewel.html
THE WORSHIPFUL ATTITUDE
“As the genuine religious impulse becomes dominant, adoration more and more takes charge. "I come to seek God because I need Him," may be an adequate formula for prayer. "I come to adore His splendour, and fling myself and all that I have at His feet," is the only possible formula for worship.”
Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), Worship, London: Nisbet & Co., Ltd., 1951, p. 9
THE MOST MISUSED BIBLICAL TERM
by Scot McKnight
The most misused biblical term today is “Kingdom.”
One of my college students told me her sister was not working in the Church but was doing “Kingdom” work and “justice” work at a social service. Another student explained to me she was joining hands with a local inter-faith group to further peace. She called it “Kingdom” work and added, “It has nothing to do with the Church.” There’s a common theme here: the “Kingdom” is bigger and better than the “Church.”
We are using this word, “Kingdom,” both to cut out things we don’t like — evangelism and church — and to cast a vision for what we do like — justice and compassion. But it’s time to give this word “Kingdom” a fresh look, because we’re misusing it.... Read this in full at
http://neuemagazine.com/blog/6-main-slideshow/1327-the-most-misused-biblical-term
ROB BELL, TV STAR? PASTOR WRITING ABC DRAMA BASED ON HIS LIFE, REPORTS SAY
Rob Bell is working on a spiritual television drama called "Stronger," loosely based on his life, told through a character named Tom Stronger, according to reports from TV entertainment writers.
He's reportedly teaming up with Carlton Cuse, executive producer and screenwriter of 'Lost,' to write the spiritual-themed show for ABC, according to reports from deadline.com and New York magazine.... Read this in full at
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/09/rob_bell_tv_star_pastor_writin.html
WORLD'S DESPERATE NEED FOR CLEAN WATER INSPIRES CANADIAN COUPLE
A few years after Barry Hart and his wife Heather Alloway retired from teaching they heard a statistic which Hart says "went straight from our heads into our hearts." Almost one billion people worldwide don't have access to clean water.
The couple decided to fly to Guatemala with Living Water International to help install a well in a small community. A year later, they formed Living Water International Canada, now known as Water Ambassadors Canada.
More than 200 Canadians have gone on Water Ambassador trips since 2003. They have drilled and repaired wells, installed purifier units and distributed water filters in communities in Central America, the Caribbean, and Eastern Africa. Teams also teach about hygiene.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianweek.org/stories.php?id=1707
ARE YOU EXCITED TO BECOME UNNECESSARY?
“Few people would have considered John a ‘successful’ person. He was a man from the wilderness, uncultured and unaccustomed to the norms of society. He called people to repent. He baptized them in the River Jordan. Eventually, he called out the public sin of a powerful leader. He got his head cut off. Even though he died young, John maintained the focus of his calling: lifting Christ up, pointing to him, and putting God's purposes before himself.
“In his own words, John's calling in life was to eventually become irrelevant, fading from the scene. God's definition of success for John's life was for him to become unnecessary. In his own words, John makes this clear to the crowds that followed him: ‘You yourselves know how plainly I told you, “I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.” It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less’ [John 3:28-30].
“He is like the best man at a wedding. Though the best man plays an important part in the ceremony, it's not his wedding day. He's not the focus of attention. Instead, he fades so that the bride and the groom can shine. John's life was defined by the pursuit of irrelevance: ‘He must become greater ... and I must become less.’
“By worldly standards, John was a failure from the beginning. He lacked personal ambition. John deferred to a younger teacher, the new guy on the scene — Jesus of Nazareth. He used his own platform to promote another. He gave his own glory away. He faded into the background. Yet John was loved and respected by Jesus Christ. He did not pursue honor or glory. When Jesus spoke of John, he said, ‘I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John’ [Luke 7:28].
“I was sharing some of this with one of our young leaders in Thailand. I could tell that he had finally caught the idea of fading into the background. Just prior to returning to the States, I met one last time with this group of young revolutionaries and asked them, ‘Are you guys ready to lead the way?’ They shouted, ‘Yes!’ At that moment, I was so proud of them. I knew they would take the things I had shared with them to a new level after I had left, so I said to them, ‘It feels so good to be unnecessary.’ At this, one of the young Thai leaders — feeling the weight of responsibility — said, ‘I can't wait to be unnecessary too.’”
Dave Gibbons in Xealots: Defying the Gravity of Normality
BILLY GRAHAM’S NEW BOOK ON AGING NOT JUST FOR ELDERLY
Billy Graham’s new book, Nearing Home, will be released this month, and it not only guides the elderly on how to age with grace but also carries lessons for younger folks.
Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well, Graham's 30th book, is scheduled to hit stands Oct. 18, less than three weeks before the author, who has appeared many times on Gallup’s list of most admired people, turns 93.
“I can’t truthfully say that I have liked growing older,” Graham writes in his fearless book, but that’s just part of the “realities of life as we grow older.” More importantly, he invites the readers “to explore with me … also the hope and fulfillment – and even joy – that can be ours once we learn to look at these years from God’s point of view and discover His strength to sustain us every day.”
“I pray that you and I may learn what it means not only to grow older, but, with God’s help, to grow older with grace,” writes Graham, who has spent personal time with 12 US presidents, including Barack Obama.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/billy-grahams-new-book-on-aging-not-just-for-elderly-57036/
Also see “In sunset of life, Billy Graham reflects on growing old”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/in-sunset-of-life-billy-graham-reflects-on-growing-old/2011/10/04/gIQAjDVQLL_story.html
REVIEW OF THE MOVIE COURAGEOUS
by Steven D. Greydanus
Coming on the heels of Fireproof, Courageous is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, and it's another step forward for the church-based film company. Director Alex Kendrick and his brother Stephen Kendrick, both pastors at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, have co-written and produced all of Sherwood's films. With each outing, the brothers not only enjoy a bigger budget and better production values, but become more adept in their handling of characters, relationships, and the difficult theme underlying all their films: conversion. While the film's church-based roots and the tendency toward didactic, schematic storytelling are still in evidence, Courageous is their most ambitious and watchable film to date.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/reviews/2011/courageous.html
RETAIL'S AFTERLIFE: THE MALL-IFICATION OF THE AMERICAN CHURCH
From a city planning perspective, churches that occupy dead mall space are godsends.
As malls across the country empty out, it's no wonder their remains are being scavenged. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, a third of America's indoor malls are currently in "financial distress." Retailers are leaving indoor and strip malls for popular outdoor "lifestyle centers," those cutesy, mixed-use developments that resemble the Main Streets their predecessors helped destroy.
Meanwhile, it is no news that Protestant churches in the American suburbs are growing and franchising. The Hartford Institute for Religious Research defines a megachurch as a Protestant congregation with more than 2,000 members, and estimates that their numbers have grown from 350 to more than 1,200 since since 1993.
Most of the churches DailyFinance identified that reside in malls or former malls fit the Institute's description. According to its 2008 survey, which got responses from about a third of the nation's megachurches, most practice a generic form of evangelism, view themselves as contemporary, and regularly adjust worship styles to meet demand. While individual church practices vary, many are "seeker friendly" in that they use technology, pop music, and relatable sermon topics to reach non-churchgoers.... Read this in full at
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/03/retails-afterlife-the-mall-ification-of-the-american-church/
TIM TEBOW AND CHRISTOPHOBIA
by George Weigel
Two weeks into the NFL season, ESPN ran a Sunday morning special exploring why the third-string quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow, had become the most polarizing figure in American sports—more polarizing than trash-talking NBA behemoths; more polarizing than foul-mouthed Serena Williams; more polarizing than NFL all-stars who father numerous children by numerous women, all out of wedlock. Why does Tebow, and Tebow alone, arouse such passions? Why is Tebow the one whom “comedians” say they would like to shoot?
It has nothing to do with Tim Tebow’s prospects as a pro quarterback. No, Tim Tebow is a target of irrational hatred, not because he’s an iffy quarterback at the NFL level, or a creep personally, or an obnoxious, in-your-face, self-righteous proselytizer. He draws hatred because he is an unabashed Christian, whose calmness and decency in the face of his Christophobic detractors drives them crazy. Tim Tebow, in other words, is a prime example of why Christophobia — a neologism first coined by a world-class comparative constitutional law scholar, J.H.H. Weiler, himself an Orthodox Jew — is a serious cultural problem in these United States.... Read this in full at
http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/6919?CFID=40952581&CFTOKEN=93789992
COLLEGE FOOTBALL GREAT’S FAITH HELPS IN BATTLING RARE DISEASE
Former NFL quarterback and college football great Danny Wuerffel faced epic battles on the football field, but now he is facing the toughest in his life, and he is relying on his faith to get him through.
Wuerffel recently announced he was hospitalized and diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system, according to the National Institute’s of Health website.
GBS, as it’s more commonly called, can be life-threatening. In some cases it can interfere with breathing and is considered a medical emergency, according to the NIH website. There is no known cure for Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Wuerffel starred as quarterback for the University of Florida from 1993 to 1996.... Read this in full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/30/college-football-great%e2%80%99s-faith-helps-in-battling-rare-disease/
THE DOG WHO WALKS ME
by Saralee Perel
It's been 8 short years since my spinal cord injury. Since year one, I've needed more than my husband, Bob, as my caregiver. I didn't choose my second helper. She chose me.
Often, I'm not in good spirits but I know someone who is. Someone who never gets frustrated with me; who never gets in a bad mood because I need more and more of her help. Someone who will never, ever let me down whether we're hobbling along together in a downpour, or through mud, and no matter the time of day; my 15-year-old dog, Gracie.
I believe there is something even deeper than we've already discovered about human/pet communication that has yet to be fully embraced. I don't think I'm crazy when I say that there is a look in Gracie's eyes, as a friend recently said, that tells me she can read me like a book.
Gracie has selflessly cared for me all along. If I ever allowed it, she would go without eating for days if I was in bed. Anywhere – on the uneven ground of the backyard, on the sidewalk of our street, on what has become a treacherous walk from my bed to the bathroom, it has always been because of her that I rarely fall. She would rather fall herself than allow me to trip on any object in my path.... Read this in full (and see a photo of Gracie) at
http://www.mikeysfunnies.com/archive/20110603/
THE PARADOX OF FORGIVENESS
by Clare De Graaf
Tell me if this isn’t true in your life: We want forgiveness and mercy from Christ for ourselves, but justice for those who have hurt us.
Like you, there have been times I’ve been deeply hurt or offended by people in my life: I say I’ve forgiven them, but I’m occasionally reluctant to let a few of those hurt memories go. I enjoy fondling them. There’s something both sad, and satisfying about re-living certain hurts. I understand I’m commanded to forgive and forget, but I don’t always want to. I think memories of other people’s sin comforts my own self-righteousness.
So, I replay this little fantasy in my mind of what I should have said, or done at the moment of the offense, or what I’m going to say the next time I meet them. I’m so clever in this little drama, so spiritual, so right, so logical, that I completely destroy their position and they finally see the error of their ways. They tearfully ask for my forgiveness, which I generously grant, of course and my friends admire me even more.... Read this in full at
http://www.claredegraaf.com/2011/10/03/the-paradox-of-forgiveness/
Q & A: MITCH DANIELS, GOVERNOR OF INDIANA, ON THE ECONOMY, HIS QUIET FAITH, AND A SOCIAL ISSUES TRUCE
In his new book, Keeping the Republic (Sentinel HC), Indiana governor Mitch Daniels argues that the United States thrives most when the government cuts taxes and empowers people. On a more private level, Daniels, who serves as an elder at Tabernacle Presbyterian (USA) Church in Indianapolis, acknowledges that his faith is quieter. On a public level, he was involved in helping found the Oaks Academy, an inner-city Christian school. "As a believer, I always felt that the God I know was larger than politics," Daniels said before the 2008 election. "I'm always happy when people of faith decide that they want to be involved in public activity, but it should never distract us from what's primary, from the mission of saving souls." Online editor Sarah Pulliam Bailey spoke with Daniels about fiscal responsibility, whether he had a conversion experience, and how faith played a role in his decision not to run for president.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/octoberweb-only/mitch-daniels-economy-faith.html
A LEADING FIGURE IN THE NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION
A new charismatic Christian movement that seeks to take dominion over politics, business, and culture in preparation for the end times and Jesus' return is becoming more of a presence in American politics. The leaders are considered apostles and prophets, gifted by God for this role. Several apostles affiliated with the movement helped organize or spoke at Rick Perry's August prayer rally, The Response.
The international "apostolic and prophetic" movement has been dubbed the New Apostolic Reformation by C. Peter Wagner, who has become one of its leaders. He describes himself as the first person who noticed the movement, gave a name to it, and started writing books about it. He was, until recently retiring, the president of Global Harvest Ministries. For 30 years, he was a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary School of World Missions.
On Fresh Air, Wagner joins Terry Gross for a discussion about NAR and its mission.... Read & hear this in full at
http://www.npr.org/2011/10/03/140946482/apostolic-leader-weighs-religions-role-in-politics?ft=1&f=1016
5 WAYS TABLETS WILL CHANGE CHURCH & MINISTRY
by Aaron Linne
Windows 8, iPad, Kindle Fire. Technology is advancing at breakneck speed. Microsoft used to have the goal of a computer on every desktop. Now the industry is racing to have a tablet in every pair of hands. Let's look at 5 ways tablets are going to be changing your church and ministry in the coming years.
1) Face to face conversations.
2) Easier access to text resources.
3) Owning your church's app.
4) No more guest cards?
5) Your pastor may not need an office.
.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=36223
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PANEL GETS EXTENSION
The congressionally approved watchdog for global religious liberty is still alive. The House of Representatives passed Oct. 4 a continuing spending resolution for the second time in a week that maintains the existence of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The latest appropriations measure, approved by the House and Senate and signed into law Oct. 5 by President Obama, contains a provision extending authorization of USCIRF through Nov. 18. The commission's authorization initially had been set to end Sept. 30. The spending bill continues to fund the federal government until Nov. 18.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=36271
VERSE TO PONDER
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20
CONSIDER
“What we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
Mother Teresa
A LETTER’S JOURNEY, FROM FOUNDING FATHER TO RELIGIOUS QUESTION
Standing over the letter, one would never know its unique story. Worth millions at auction, reading it unveils that it stands as a testament to religious freedom in America. But as it stares up, idly sitting there, the stories of twisted ownership and historic encounters are lost on those lucky enough to see it.
The primary spirit of the letter is clear – the United States government will assure religious freedom, giving “to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”
George Washington wrote those words in a 1790 letter to the the congregation of a synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island. He was hoping to reassure the congregation that the budding government of the United States would allow free expression to all religions. Since then, Jews in America have flourished.... Read this in full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/30/a-letters-journey-from-founding-father-to-religious-question/
QUOTE JOHN 3:16 FOR AN OIL CHANGE
"For God so loved the world, He gave a giant discount on an oil change," is not exactly how John 3:16 goes in the New Testament, but that is the interpretation one Texas businessman is using. CNN affiliate KTVT reports customers can get a steep discount if they recite John 3:16. KTVT reports the idea comes from Plano, Texas businessman Charlie Whittington, who owns Kwik Kar.
There has been some push back from some customers but Whittington is sticking by his religiously minded discount. “If I’m standing for what I believe, so be it,” he told KTVT. “Bring it on.” One Dallas attorney who spoke to the station said the discount appears to be within the law.... Read this in full at
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/01/quote-john-316-for-an-oil-change/
WISDOM & WONDER: COMMON GRACE IN SCIENCE & ART
"There is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'," Abraham Kuyper, the Dutch Reformed theologian and politician, famously exclaimed.
Kuyper has long been admired for his intelligent and practical insights into the mysteries of God and how they relate to culture. Throughout his lifetime, Kuyper elaborated extensively on the doctrine of common grace, a theology of public service and cultural engagement of Christians' shared humanity with the rest of the world.
In November, Christian's Library Press is publishing Wisdom & Wonder: Common Grace in Science & Art, a new and complete translation of two sections that were inadvertently omitted from the first edition of Kuyper's larger three-volume work on common grace. These sections were first published separately and then added in later editions of the three volume set. Kuyper's timeless work shows us that God is not absent from the non-church areas of our common life and bestows his gifts and favor to all people.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7110417943.html
BETWEEN HEAVEN AND MIRTH: CAN YOU LAUGH WITH GOD?
by Rev. James Martin, S.J.
One of the best ways of thinking about our relationship with God is as a close personal relationship or an intimate friendship. It's not a perfect analogy, but thinking about our relationship to God as paralleling a human relationship can be quite helpful.
Like any relationship, for example, our relationship with God often starts with infatuation (as when everything about the spiritual life seems easy and wonderful), it goes through exciting times (when prayer and worship are satisfying) and sometimes dry periods (when your spiritual life seems at a standstill). Like any friendship, your relationship with God requires the ability to devote time, it requires a willingness to listen, it requires a tolerance for silence and it requires a desire for real honesty. All the things that you say about friendship you can say, by analogy, about prayer.... Read this in full at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-james-martin-sj/between-heaven-and-mirth-can-you-laugh-with-god_b_994344.html
DAYS OF AWE
by R.R. Reno
Rosh Hashanah began the evening of Sept. 29. For Jews, this two-day holiday celebrates the beginning of a new year, evoking the creation of the world and the dawn of time. It is a holiday of new beginnings, and for this reason fittingly opens ten Days of Awe or High Holy Days, a season of repentance that allows one to make a new beginning in the eyes of God.
By one way of thinking (and among the rabbis there is never only one way of thinking), Rosh Hashanah marks the opening of the books of life. God writes our names (or at least the names of his chosen people) into these books: some to live, others to die, some to live good lives, others to live bad lives. During the next ten days fasting, prayer, petitions, and good deeds can change these divine decrees. Then, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement that brings the High Holy Days to a close, the books of life are shut.... Read this in full at
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/10/days-of-awe
VETERAN ACTOR MARTIN SHEEN DISCUSSES THE MAKING OF 'THE WAY,' WHICH OPENED LAST WEEK
When Charlie Sheen had his drugs-and-alcohol-fueled meltdown earlier this year, his father could relate. Martin Sheen had battled his own demons as a younger man, as booze and anger issues nearly cost him his family — and his life. In 1976, at just 36 years old, he had a heart attack while filming Apocalypse Now; a priest even began delivering last rites before Sheen unexpectedly recovered.
The elder Sheen eventually overcame his alcoholism — but he still attends AA meetings — and returned to his Catholic roots. Sheen, who celebrates his 50th anniversary with wife Janet this year, says his faith, and his own life experience, enable him to extend grace and patience to his struggling son.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/interviews/2011/fatherbecomesson.html
58: THE FILM PORTRAYS ONE OF LIFE’S MOST DESTRUCTIVE FORCES — POVERTY
Poverty destroys lives and hope. It can cause poor health, malnutrition, illiteracy, despair.
Yet all the Christians in the USA alone have the ability to eradicate poverty by sharing their lives and their resources as stipulated in Isaiah 58 — the inspiration behind the film’s title: “If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness…” (Isaiah 58:11).
58: The Film (http://live58.org/thefilm/), in theaters mid-October, highlights families and individuals caught in poverty and forced to make drastic choices that cost their freedom. Some of them have to work day and night to provide for their families. Yet the children go to sleep hungry.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11100023.htm
'NOAH' COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN
by Mark Moring
What had been rumored for years became official Oct. 3 when Paramount Pictures and New Regency Productions announced that Academy Award nominee Darren Aronofsky will direct the feature film Noah.
"Since I was a kid, I have been moved and inspired by the story of Noah and his family's journey," Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Wrestler) said in a press release. "The imagination of countless generations have sparked to this epic story of faith. It's my hope that I can present a window into Noah's passion and perseverance for the silver screen." .... Read this in full at
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctentertainment/2011/10/aronofsky-to-bring-noah-to-the-1.html
ROME’S CHRISTIAN PAST REVEALED BY 3-D IMAGING
A remarkable Vatican-Swedish project is providing a new 3-D insight into Christian Rome’s architectural history. “It’s what we call building archaeology,” Olof Brandt of the Pontifical Institute for Christian Archaeology explained to CNA. He is currently working on a 3-D study of Rome’s Lateran Baptistery, situated next to the Cathedral of St. John Lateran. “That’s the archeology of existing structures, which is about reading the traces of the past in the existing walls of a building.”
Brandt points out the tell-tale signs as to how and when the baptistery evolved – from the 4th century foundations to the later 16th-century windows. “So, there, with just a brief look at this building, you immediately understand that this building has had a history. It has been reconstructed and rebuilt in different designs and different periods and that's what we are here to study.” .... Read this in full at
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/romes-christian-past-revealed-by-3-d-imaging/
WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL TO REOPEN ON NOVEMBER 12, 2011
Washington National Cathedral announced today its plans to reopen on Saturday, November 12, 2011, for the first time since August’s earthquake. That day, the Rev. Dr. Mariann Edgar Budde will be consecrated as the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington at the Cathedral. The reopening will include a week of events providing the Cathedral with the opportunity to welcome back and thank the community for its support during this difficult time.
Also today, the Cathedral confirmed that early estimates of total restoration costs would rise to the tens of millions of dollars. The Cathedral hopes to continue an aggressive fundraising effort to raise at least $25 million to offset the costs of the early restoration work and to help support its operations through the end of 2012. The short-term priorities are around stabilizing the building, re-opening the Cathedral, and continuing its operations and mission. The overall restoration of the Cathedral is expected to take numerous years, and the effort will seek contributions large and small from across the country.... Read this in full at
http://www.nationalcathedral.org/press/PR-5CHSB-DB001I.shtml
DESTINATIONS
I have been to a lot of places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.
I've also never been in Cognito, either. I hear no one recognizes you there.
I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump.
I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips, thanks to my friends and family.
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
BALLISTIC BURIALS: ALABAMA CONSERVATION OFFICERS SELL AMMUNITION FILLED WITH THE ASHES OF YOUR LOVED ONE
Thad Holmes and Clem Parnell are Alabama conservation enforcement officers . . . and part-time human ballistic burial experts. Holmes and Parnell have founded Holy Smoke, LLC, a company that loads the ashes of your friend or loved one in shotgun shells, and rifle and pistol cartridges to be used in one last hunting trip or just target practice.... Read this in full at
http://jonathanturley.org/2011/10/03/ballistic-burials-alabama-conservation-officers-sell-ammunition-filled-with-the-ashes-of-your-loved-one/
CONSIDER
“All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.”
C. S. Lewis
VERSE TO PONDER
“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”
2 Timothy 1:13-14
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: THE RADIANT MORN HATH PASSED AWAY
Words: Godfrey Thring, 1864
Music: Charles F. Gounod, 1872
The radiant morn hath passed away,
And spent too soon her golden store;
The shadows of departing day
Creep on once more.
Our life is but an autumn sun,
Its glorious noon how quickly past!
Lead us, O Christ, our life work done,
Safe home at last.
O by Thy soul inspiring grace
Uplift our hearts to realms on high;
Help us to look to that bright place
Beyond the sky.
Where light, and life, and joy, and peace
In undivided empire reign,
And thronging angels never cease
Their deathless strain.
Where saints are clothed in spotless white,
And evening shadows never fall;
Where Thou, eternal Light of light,
Art Lord of all.
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/r/a/radiantm.htm
ON PRAYER
“The devil enjoys hearing a prayer that is addressed to an audience.”
Author Unknown
PRAY FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS TODAY
http://christiansincrisis.net/
DAILY BLESSING PACT
Use the following list as your daily prayer guide. Think of a brother or situation that applies and lift them up in prayer.
I am agreeing in prayer with you for God’s blessings to overtake you!
PERSONAL
Marital harmony
Family unity
Children saved
Faithful pastor
Spirit-filled church
Real friendships
Relatives redeemed
Educational benefits
Recreational time
Fulfilling career
Favor with God and man
Be in God’s will
FINANCIAL
Better Jobs
Raises or bonuses
Benefits
Sales & commissions
Business Growth
Settlements
Estates & inheritances
Investment increase
Rebates & returns
Checks in the mail
Gifts & surprises
Money to be found
Bills decrease while blessings increase
"And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God" (Deut. 28:2).
[As you travel on business or vacation, let me know if you'd like us to add you to our prayer chain to pray for your safety and spiritual effectiveness. I'll add your name to the list for the time you'll be away.]
CLASSIFIEDS
Are you looking for something or do you have something to sell? Let me know and I'll put it in this newsletter.
Book your next vacation with us!
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SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Human Body
http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/
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.)
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail and not his tongue.
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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