Connecting man to man to God
For week of September 21, 2008
Issue 223


“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 (NIV)


CONSIDER
“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs, jolted by every pebble in the road.” Henry Ward Beecher


MILITARY CHAPLAINS UNDERGO UNIQUE BOOT CAMP
For chaplains to become effective ministers to troops in the field, they undergo specific training about the rules and customs of Army life. Saul Gonzalez reports on how Army chaplains are prepared to provide religious guidance in war zones and the guidelines of their ministries....
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/religion/july-dec08/religionranks_09-11.html


LISTEN FOR THE LIVING VOICE OF GOD
Through its posture of silent, attentive listening, the meditative approach to Scripture opens the reader up to the quiet voice of God. It sets a tone of humility and receptivity, rather than one of assertiveness and control. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German martyr, like many others, commended this approach. He claimed that it was the best way to wait for the Word to address us personally. In Life Together , his little classic on Christian community, Bonhoeffer warned against neglecting to listen for the living voice of God. The obscene alternative is just to prattle on in God's neglected presence. The Bible is a repository of God's past communication, and where God has already spoken is a logical place to look for him to continue to speak.” Glen G. Scorgie, A Little Guide to Christian Spirituality: Three Dimensions of Life with God


FAITH-BASED CONDESCENSION
by Michael Gerson
The media treatment of Pentecostalism (Sarah Palin's main religious background) and Bible church evangelicalism (her current affiliation) has had the quality of a National Geographic special on a newly discovered Amazon tribe....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091102842.html


EVANGELICAL DROPOUTS
By now we know that evangelical Protestants -- generally supportive of Republican candidates but eagerly courted by Democrats this year -- are a crucial voting bloc in the November election ... According to Julia Duin, a religion reporter for the Washington Times, more and more evangelicals are ... fleeing their churches ... Duin regards church-quitting, at least among evangelicals, as nothing less than an epidemic. The problem, in her view, is not in the souls of the church quitters but in the character of the churches they choose to leave. 'Something,' she observes, 'is not right with ... evangelical church life.' Read this in full at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122031237268288821.html


ONLY GOD
“It's the only phrase I intentionally overuse, but it's for good reason. When God accomplishes activity that no human being could possibly orchestrate, you have to respond somehow. And the simple phrase I've landed on in recent years is "Only God." It's more than an axiom. It is a theology that has been alive and well at Willow Creek Community Church since the beginning. We watch for our heavenly Father to move and stir and act and call. And when he does, we humbly thank him with the only two words that could even begin to give credit to the one to whom alone credit is due: ‘Only God.’" Bill Hybels, Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs


WHAT AMERICANS REALLY BELIEVE
The 2008 Baylor Religion Survey finds that megachurches surprisingly are more intimate communities than small congregations of less than 100 members. Researchers find that megachurch growth is mostly due to their members, who tend to witness to their friends, bringing them into the group, and who witness to strangers much more often than members of small churches. When compared to small congregations, the survey finds that megachurch members display a higher level of personal commitment by attending services, tithing and attending a Bible study group, are more likely to accept that heaven "absolutely" exists and that God rewards the faithful with major successes, are more convinced of the reality of evil, are far more given to having religious and mystical experiences, are significantly younger in age and are remarkably active in volunteer work (as much or more so than tiny churches).

Also researchers find an increasing number of Americans (11%) who claim no religious affiliation, but they also delved into the actual religiousness of those who report having no religion. The Baylor Survey shows that a majority of Americans who claim to be irreligious pray and are not atheists. What they mean about having no religion is that they have no church. During the past 63 years, polls show the percentage of atheists has not changed at all, holding steady at only 4% of Americans who say they do not believe in God. Not only is atheism not growing in the United States, the majority of Europeans are not atheists. Russia, once controlled by the atheist Soviet Bloc, now claims 96% of its population believes in God, while a recent poll of China showed that atheists are hugely outnumbered by those who believe in God(s). So why do books by angry atheists become bestsellers, thus fueling the assumption that America has been overcome by atheism? Because 4% of Americans -- the percentage of atheists in America -- amounts to more than 12 million people, a majority of them potential book buyers.... Read this in full at
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1369324.htm


PROMISE KEEPERS BRINGS COACH BILL MCCARTNEY OUT OF RETIREMENT
Former University of Colorado football coach, and co-founder of the national Christian men's ministry Promise Keepers (PK), Bill McCartney has returned to the helm of the organization five years after resigning. McCartney, 68, will assume his new role effective immediately and has brought back former Promise Keepers executive and current PK board member Raleigh Washington to serve as president.

Promise Keepers was birthed in 1990 following a discussion between McCartney and friend Dave Wardell, PhD, in which McCartney dreamed about filling the University of Colorado's Folsom Field with 50,000 men for teaching on what it means to be a godly man. That summer the two men convened 72 men to pray about a national Christian men's conference. The following year 4,200 men gathered at the University of Colorado Events Center for the organization's first conference.

The number grew to 22,000 when men representing every state in the nation gathered in Folsom Field in July 1992. McCartney's initial dream was fulfilled in 1993 when 50,000 men packed Folsom Field and the ministry of Promise Keepers was up and running. Attendance at multiple stadium events grew to 278,000 in 1994, 738,000 in 1995 and more than a million in 1996. In 1997 more than one million men gathered on the National Mall in Washington for "Stand in the Gap."

Since 1990, Promise Keepers has drawn more than 6 million men to some 250 conferences in stadiums and arenas across North America. In 2003, Bill McCartney resigned as president of the organization he helped start. He has since launched a ministry called "Road to Jerusalem," whose vision is to mobilize the Body of Christ to partner with Jewish believers.

Having spoken at PK's Atlanta conference last month, McCartney is excited about the future of the Promise Keepers ministry and will begin unveiling plans for 2009 and beyond after he and Washington have had an opportunity to meet with the ministry's staff in the coming days.
http://www.promisekeepers.org/


VERSE TO PONDER
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 (NIV)


CONSIDER
“My life helps to paint my neighbor’s picture of God.” Peter Holmes


WHAT DO CHRISTIANS BELIEVE
While the spiritual beliefs of the current political candidates are being heavily scrutinized, bestselling authors Stephen Arterburn and John Shore bring a comprehensive guide to the core truths of Christian faith. In an easy-to-use question-and-answer format, Stephen Arterburn and John Shore address the most pressing questions and faith concerns for new and veteran believers as well as seekers and outside observers in the book "Being Christian" (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group).

Among the nearly 100 topics and questions explored in "Being Christian" are:
- God
- the Bible
- the church
- sin
- what it means to be saved by grace
- how to discern God's voice
- how to deal with guilt
- what is a fundamentalist Christian
- what is a non-denominational church
- what should be a Christian's attitude toward nonbelievers
- why God allows suffering
An excerpt can be read at
http://is.gd/35Ni


BILLY: THE EARLY YEARS
Everyone Knows Who He Is -- Now Find Out How He Got There
Billy Graham is one of the most influential figures of 20th century Christianity. Over the course of his life, Graham has preached to over 2 billion people, in person, through television and radio. His early life has now been made into a movie. Watch the trailer at
http://is.gd/35ND


WALK IN THE LIGHT
“God directs his children to "walk in the light, as he is in the light" (1 John 1:7). This does not equate to moral perfection. But it does mean being willing to be transparent and sincere. It also means repenting when God points out disobedience, as he did to the nation [of Israel] at Gilgal (see Joshua 5:2-9 ). If we choose to persist in sin, we have no assurance that God will bless us. He is not our puppet. His grace does not give us license to live however we want. He expects from us devotion and submission to his Word.” Jim Cymbala, You Were Made for More: The Life You Have, the Life God Wants You to Have


HOW TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT GOD
A new study finds that 57% of randomly surveyed adults said God's intervention could save a deathly ill family member even if physicians said treatment would be futile. However, just under 20% of doctors and other medical workers said God could reverse a helpless outcome. The study was published in Archives of Surgery and is one of many to show a "faith gap" between doctors and patients.... Read this in full at
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/09/11/ep.faith.medicine/index.html


MANNING UP: THE DAD FAD
What do you get when you take a youngish father, add pre-programmed generational perspectives on life and toss in a "modern" working woman partner? In one particular high profile case, the answer might be mooseburgers for dinner. What you don't seem to get, oddly, are a bunch of brands that hop on a pop bandwagon to reach this new breed of dad.... Read this in full at Brandweek
http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/current-issue/e3ibd93dba87a9330a35769a6e5fa12f98c


CONSIDER
“The Gospels cannot explain the Resurrection; it is the Resurrection which alone explains the Gospels.” John S. Whale (1896-1997), Christian Doctrine [1966]


VERSE TO PONDER
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35 (NIV)


THIS WEEK'S HYMN: BREAD OF HEAVEN, ON THEE WE FEED
Words: Josiah Conder, 1824
Music: Paul Heinlein, 1676

Bread of Heav’n on Thee we feed,
For Thy flesh is meat indeed:
Ever may our souls be fed
With this true and living Bread;
Day by day with strength supplied,
Through the life of Him Who died.

Vine of Heav’n, Thy blood supplies
This blest cup of sacrifice,
Lord, Thy wounds our healing give,
To Thy cross we look and live:
Jesus, may we ever be
Grafted, rooted, built in Thee.
>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/h/bhonthee.htm


ON PRAYER
“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther King, Jr.


PRAY FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS TODAY
http://christiansincrisis.net/


DAILY BLESSING PACT
Use the following list as your daily prayer guide. Think of a brother or situation that applies and lift them up in prayer.

I am agreeing in prayer with you for God’s blessings to overtake you!

PERSONAL
Marital harmony
Family unity
Children saved
Faithful pastor
Spirit-filled church
Real friendships
Relatives redeemed
Educational benefits
Recreational time
Fulfilling career
Favor with God and man
Be in God’s will

FINANCIAL
Better Jobs
Raises or bonuses
Benefits
Sales & commissions
Business Growth
Settlements
Estates & inheritances
Investment increase
Rebates & returns
Checks in the mail
Gifts & surprises
Money to be found
Bills decrease while blessings increase

"And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God" (Deut. 28:2).

[As you travel on business or vacation, let me know if you'd like the church guys to pray for your safety and spiritual effectiveness. I'll add your name to the list for the time you'll be away.]


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Confidence is the feeling you have before you really understand the problem.
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
[email protected]


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