MSM CONNECTIONS
For the week of 05/29/05
The Men’s Ministry e-mail
newsletter of
New
Our mission: Our mission is to lead
men to
Jesus Christ and provide
opportunity for
Christian men to grow in their
faith
===== /\ =====
"All over the world this gospel is
bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day
you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth." Colossians 1:6b (NIV)
CONSIDER
"The gods we worship write their
names on our faces, be sure of that. And
a man will worship something -- have no doubt about that, either. He may think that his tribute is paid in
secret in the dark recesses of his heart -- but it will out. That which dominates will determine his life
and character. Therefore, it behooves us
to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are
becoming." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memorial Day
http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/memorial/
Graduation
http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/graduation/
MEMORIAL DAY PROCLAIMED
A DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE
Since May 11, 1950, the Congress has
annually requested the president to issue a proclamation calling on the people
of the
Read the proclamation at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050520-9.html
THE DASH BETWEEN THE
DATES by Lucille Britt
"Memorial Day was over now.
All had left and I was alone.
I began to read the names and dates
Chiseled there on every stone.
The dates which showed whether it was Mom
or Dad
Or daughter or baby son.
The dates were different but the amount
the same,
There were two on every one.
"It was then I noticed something,
It was but a simple line;
It was the dash between the dates
Placed there, it stood for time.
All at once it dawned on me
How important that little line.
The dates placed there belonged to God,
But that line is yours and mine.
"It's God who gives this precious
life
And God who takes away;
But that line between He gives to us
To do with what we may.
We know God's written the first date down
Of each and every one,
And we know those hands will write again,
For the last date has to come.
"We know He'll write the last date
down,
And soon, we know, for some.
But upon the line between my dates
I hope He'll write 'well done.'"
THREE CREATIVE GRILLING
TECHNIQUES
*
Steaming. Place delicate fish or
vegetables inside a sealed square of aluminum foil. Make sure to leave some space for air to
allow for proper steaming. Instead of putting the packet directly over the hot
coals, place it on the cooler side of the grill for slow cooking. This method of cooking will seal in juices
and natural flavors, so heavy seasoning is not necessary.
*
Rotisserie. While this method requires
more complicated equipment and longer cooking times, it can be a real
crowd-pleaser. Rotisserie cooking allows
you to evenly cook an entire bird or large piece of meat while retaining most
of the natural juices. Place a
well-seasoned whole chicken or leg of lamb on a rotating spit directly over the
flames. The key to good rotisserie is to
keep what you're cooking well-balanced on the spit. An unbalanced rotisserie means uneven
cooking.
*
Smoking. You don't need a fancy
contraption to impart a smoky flavor to your food. "Flavored" wood chips or an
assortment of fresh herbs work just as well. Wood chips come in a variety of
flavors, including mesquite and hickory.
Soak them in water for about an hour before using to prevent burning,
and place them over the coals just before you begin to cook your foods. Likewise, you can soak a bunch of fresh herbs
- like sage, thyme, and rosemary - and sprinkle them on the coals before
cooking.
*
http://www.southbeachdiet.com/
ABC'S 20/20 SAYS JESUS'
TOMB WAS EMPTY
It's a sign that the times really have
changed when the ABC producer who put together the 20/20 episode, "The
Resurrection: Searching for Answers," says that in her reporting she
talked to "even the liberal Christians." Indeed, evangelical Protestants got the most
attention in the broadcast: William Lane Craig, Paul Meier, Lee Strobel, and
Ben Witherington. Notably absent: N.T.
Wright, whose The Resurrection of the Son of God is the current must-read scholarly
work on the subject. Producer Elizabeth
Vargas tells Beliefnet (an ABC News partner) that she was surprised to find so
much agreement. "I didn't know that
for centuries historians could actually verify that there was this really
dramatic change in the disciples' behavior and nobody can really explain
that," she said. "And that
nobody did argue that really the tomb was full, they all agreed the tomb was
empty, even nonbelievers. It's true that
at the end of the day faith is a leap that you must make or not make. But I appreciate and really enjoy the
intellectual investigation into everything....."
Read this article in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/120/51.0.html
* The Beliefnet Interview with Lee Strobel
"...My definition of faith is a step
of trust we take in the same direction the evidence is pointing. It's important that our trust is based on a
rational understanding of what the evidence is in support of what we
believe. Christianity is a very
historical religion -- it makes specific claims that are open to
testing...."
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/166/story_16690_1.html
* The Beliefnet Interview with Elizabeth
Vargas
"...As a person who was raised
Catholic and sat in Mass every Sunday and listened to homilies and scripture
readings, I learned so much in doing this project. It's brought the whole story of Jesus' life,
death and the story of his resurrection... it's all in Technicolor now where it
was before in black and white...."
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/166/story_16681.html
EVANGELICAL STRATEGY
STATEMENT GAINS APPROVAL
Almost 90 evangelical leaders have given
their approval to a document that calls conservative Christians to go beyond
their usual issues, like abortion and homosexual rights, and involve themselves
in such matters as poverty, justice, and human rights. Titled "For the Health of the Nation: An
Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility," the work was crafted under the
auspices of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).
The project was commissioned by the NAE at
its 2001 convention, and nearly two dozen leading scholars drafted the
document. The NAE says it represents 30
million people in 45,000 churches and 52 denominations in the
"Evangelical Christians in
For the Health of the Nation lays out 7
principles it says should guide Christian political engagement:
*
protect religious freedom and liberty of
conscience
*
nurture family life and protect children
*
protect the sanctity of human life and to
safeguard its nature
*
seek justice and compassion for the poor
and vulnerable
*
protect human rights
*
seek peace and work to restrain violence
*
protect God's creation.
The full text is available on the National
Association of Evangelicals website.
President Bush's commencement speech at
"...First, we must understand that
the character of our citizens is essential to society. In a free and compassionate society, the
public good depends on private character.
That character is formed and shaped in institutions like family, faith,
and the many civil and -- social and civic organizations, from the Boy Scouts
to the local Rotary Clubs. The future
success of our nation depends on our ability to understand the difference
between right and wrong and to have the strength of character to make the right
choices. Government cannot create
character, but it can and should respect and support the institutions that
do...."
See the video of the speech at
http://woodtv.triton.net/video.woodtv.com/index.php?video_id=703
Read the transcript at
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=47772
THE DICTIONARY OF
RELIGION
The Dictionary of Religion is an online
dictionary of over 10,000 religious phrases, names, places, and ideas compiled
from a number of different public domain sources. You can search the dictionary by keyword or
browse alphabetically.
http://dictionary.gospelcom.net/
CHRISTIANITY IS THE
SUBJECT OF FRESH AIR INTERVIEW
Journalist David Kirkpatrick covers
Congress for The New York Times. As part
of a series on class issues for the paper, he co-authored a story on the
increase of evangelical Christians on Ivy League campuses. The article was published in the Sunday, May
22, edition.
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=05-23-2005&view=storyview
GLOBALIZATION AND THE
'RISE' OF RELIGION
Experts once predicted that as the world
grew more modern, religion would decline.
Precisely the opposite has proven true; religious movements are surging
and driving "alternative globalizations" across the world. Two leading thinkers --
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/globalization/index.shtml
HOME SCHOOLER WINS
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE
A 13-year-old home schooler from
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/
NO FAITH IN THIS FORCE
by Orson Scott Card
Memo to would-be Jedis: in the new movie,
the knights are elitist, dictatorial, and unconvinced that good is an absolute.
As a religion, the Force is just the sort
of thing you'd expect a liberal-minded teenage kid to invent. There's no God and there are no rules other
than a vague insistence on unselfishness and oath-keeping. Power comes from the sum of all life in the
universe, and it is manichaean, not Christian -- evil is simply another way of
using the Force. Only not as nice.
Good and evil are in a constant and nearly
equipoised tug-of-war in the Star Wars series.
But in the more recent movies, it seems that the goal of good people is
not to wipe out evil, but rather for there to be a balance between the Light
and Dark sides of the Force.
The new movie itself asserts a kind of
equivalence. When the evil Palpatine
says, "Good is a point of view -- the Sith and the Jedi are almost the
same," we can dismiss this moral relativism as part of the deception of
the dark side.
But in a pivotal scene, Obi-Wan says what
amounts to the same thing: "Only a Sith deals in absolutes." Isn't that odd? The only thing both sides agree on is that
people who believe in absolute good and evil are bad!
I suspect that Lucas realized, after
writing "Good is a point of view," that all his friends actually
believed that. So he had to make it
clear that moral relativism was the right way after all -- so he had Obi-Wan
say that absolutism was a Sith thing, even though in the actual story, the best
of the Jedis show an unbending commitment to absolute Good....
Revenge of the Sith gives us our first
chance to see the Jedi council as anything more than an incredibly boring
business conference that we were forced to attend between action scenes. Not as if the Jedi masters discussed ideas --
it was still a business meeting, in which they told each other obvious things
and then made decisions by a sort of instant consensus that is never achieved
in the real world except in really scary dictatorships. Clearly they were modeled after an adolescent
view of the Knights of the Round Table.
But they aren't a political or military
group, despite the talk of government, of war and peace. They are also monks of a martial order, who
have trained each other and who live under a strict religious discipline.
The Jedi may claim to be in favor of
democracy, but in fact they function as a ruling elite, making their decisions
among themselves. They occasionally
submit to the authority of the legislature, and they seem to respect the rule
of law, though whose law it's hard to say.
By and large, however, they decide among themselves what they're going
to do and when it's OK to break the law and defy the civilian authority....
Read this commentary in full at
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/167/story_16700_1.html
EVANGELICALS WARY OF
JOINT ANGLICAN-CATHOLIC DOCUMENT ON MARY
The Anglican-Roman Catholic International
Commission has just released Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ, a joint document seeking
to clarify points of unity and disagreement in the two churches' doctrines of
Mary. If the dialogue had been a
baseball game, the
Specifically, the document says that the
doctrine of the immaculate conception -- that Mary was "preserved from all
stain of original sin" -- is "not contrary to the teaching of
Scripture." The dogma of Mary's
bodily assumption, that she "fell asleep" and was immediately
resurrected and ascended to heaven, is called "consonant with
Scripture." Likewise, the
commission approved praying to Mary, and says that devotions inspired by Marian
apparitions are "acceptable."
"Affirming together unambiguously Christ's unique mediation, which
bears fruit in the life of the church, we do not consider the practice of
asking Mary and the saints to pray for us as communion dividing," the
document states. "We believe that
there is no continuing theological reason for ecclesial division on these
matters."
Read this report in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/120/21.0.html
PROMISE KEEPERS TO HOST
ETHICS CONFERENCE FOR CEOs
This year, Promise Keepers (PK) celebrates
15 years of ministry. Since 1990, the
international organization has directly reached more than 5.5 million men. In an effort to address workplace issues, PK
and the
"The current business climate
indicates a lack of moral clarity," says Tom Fortson, Ph.D., president and
CEO of Promise Keepers.
"Influencing the marketplace can go no further than the ethical
practices of those who lead industry and commerce. The time is right for this conference and the
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05050071.htm
WHAT IS A
PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE TO AMERICANS?
Religious books have become a publishing
phenomenon in the past decade, and no religious book (other than the Bible) has
generated more attention -- or sales -- than Rick Warren's bestseller, The
Purpose-Driven Life. More than 20 million
copies of the book have been sold, and millions of people have been exposed to
Purpose-Driven church programs, classes and resources. After all the reading, teaching, and
conversation on the topic, exactly what do Americans perceive their purpose in
life to be? According to George Barna
research, more than four out of every ten adults -- 44% -- said their top
priority in life is having a satisfying family life. The second-most common life priority, listed
by 18% of all adults, was that of understanding and carrying out the principles
of their faith. Read this report at
BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINE
The Holy Spirit's role in the Church Age
A. He is central in
salvation (How people are saved).
1. He directs and enables
evangelistic efforts (Philip/Ethiopian - Acts 8:26,29;
Great Commission - Acts 1:8).
2. He convicts the
unbeliever of sin (John 16:8-11).
3. He regenerates (saves)
the person.
a. He cleanses the person
from sin and gives them the new nature (Titus 3:5).
b. As He performs this
spiritual "new birth," the person enters "the
4. He seals (eternally
secures) the person. The presence of the Holy Spirit is the "seal" or
guarantee that a person is saved and will remain saved (Eph.1:13).
5. He baptizes (places) the
person into the body of Christ.
a. What is the baptism of
the Holy Spirit?
- It is the Spirit's work
of uniting us with Christ - spiritually identifying us with Christ's death,
burial and resurrection (Rom.6:3-5).
- It is the Spirit's work
of incorporating us into the universal church (=the "body of Christ"
- all church age believers - 1 Cor.12:13).
b. When is the baptism of
the Spirit?
- In each believer it
occurs once and for all at their conversion (1 Cor.12:13; Gal.3:26-28).
- In history it is
limited to church age believers (predicted - Acts 1:5; accomplished - 1
Cor.12:13).
- Note: Exceptions - On
the Day of Pentecost when the church age began, both new and existing believers
were baptized by the Spirit (Acts 1:5; 11:15,16). Also in 2 other cases in the early church it
seems the Spirit was not given to believers until an apostle was present (Acts
8:14-17; 19:1-6).
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=392
LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)
"It is amazing what you can
accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." (President Harry S
Truman)
http://www.alanchapman.com/leadership.htm
VERSE TO PONDER
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the
truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me." John
14:6 (NIV)
CONSIDER
"It isn't hard to be good from time
to time. What's tough is being good
every day." Willie Mays
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: COME,
LET OUR SOULS ADORE THE LORD
Words: Anne Steele, 1757
Music: William Wheale, circa 1723
Come, let our souls adore the Lord
Whose judgments yet delay;
Who yet suspends the lifted sword,
And gives us time to pray.
Great is our guilt, our fears are great,
But let us not despair;
Still open is the mercy seat
To penitence and prayer.
Kind Intercessor, to Thy love
This blessèd hope we owe;
O let Thy mercies plead above,
While we implore below!
Though justice near Thy awful throne
Attends Thy dread command,
Lord, hear Thy servants, hear Thy Son,
And save a guilty land.
>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/l/o/closalor.htm
GOD FAQ
Question 22: Did all mankind fall in that
first transgression?
Answer: The covenant being made with Adam
as a public person, not for himself only, but for his posterity, all mankind
descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in
that first transgression.
http://www.shortercatechism.com/
ON PRAYER
"To the extent that we allow God's
love to be manifest in us we are obeying Christ's command. To that extent we are remaining in Him and
His words are remaining in us. And to
that extent we can expect to have our prayers answered. 'If you remain in Me and My words remain in
you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.' (John 15:7)" Wentworth Pike, contemporary author and Bible
teacher
PRAY FOR A COUNTRY
TODAY
http://www.gmi.org/ow/index.html
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
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).
PRAY FOR
THESE BROTHERS
*
Bro. Raymond Jones
*
Minister Aaron Royster, Jr.
*
Bro. Darnell Kennedy
*
Pastor Leonard Royster
*
Minister Corey “Keyz” Martin
*
Apostle Meredeth Shackleford
*
Bishop Chester McLaurin
*
Bro. Fred Simms
*
Bro. Danielle Metcalf
*
Min Lamont Smith
[As you
travel on business or vacation, let me know if you'd like the church guys to
pray for your safety and spiritual effectiveness. I'll add your name to the list for the time
you'll be away.]
CLASSIFIEDS
Are you
looking for something or do you have something to sell? Let me know and I'll put it in this
newsletter.
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE
WEBSITES
Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and
why.
God's "Yellow Pages"
http://web2.airmail.net/dpelc/yellow/
A Primer on Summer Safety
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/summersafety/summersafety.htm
Enjoy reading how little kids interpret Bible stories
http://www.sunfyre.com/fridayfunnies/20050318.htm
All links to Websites are provided as a
service, and do not imply endorsement by our church.
(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.)
Your life may be all that some know of
God.
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MSM
CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of announcements, news, recommendations,
articles, and other information helpful to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks
for welcoming MSM CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
Who to
contact:
Minister
Frank Coleman, Men Servants Ministry Chairman, 773-410-1483,
Minister
Arnold Whitehead, Men Servants Ministry Vice-Chairman, 773-846-6090
===== /\ =====
The
mission of
The Men
Servants Ministry (MSM) 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, [email protected] if you'd
like to participate in a men's discipleship program.
New
Tel: 773-224-5683. Founded &
Pastored by Apostle Aaron L. Royster & Prophetess Mable L. Royster.
Visit our
website at: http://www.newjoydivine.org/
===== /\ =====
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