Connecting man to man to God
For week of November 23, 2008
Issue 232


“Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually!” 1 Chronicles 16:11


CONSIDER
"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." C. S. Lewis


'THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS': MOVIE REVIEW
This is an excellent, thought-provoking movie that every Christian should see; well written and acted. The Mercury News says, “With ‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,’ writer-director Mark Herman attempts to do on film what John Boyne did on the printed page in his 2006 novel: Confront the horror of the Holocaust in a story aimed primarily at older children. The film's PG-13 rating is a good indicator of the appropriate age for younger audiences, although older viewers should brace themselves, too. Even though it unfolds almost entirely through a child's eyes and contains no on-screen violence, ‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ packs as devastating a punch as an adult-oriented drama about the subject. Its concluding five minutes are almost impossible to watch. But that, of course, is the point of the story”.... Read this in full at
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10975615

See the movie website at
http://boyinthestripedpajamas.com/


THE G-20 AND THE POOR
by Bret Kincaid
The G-20 summit came to my neighborhood. You could tell from all the limousines loitering outside the grand National Building Museum in downtown DC, as well as the motorcades meandering through posh Georgetown. My hope is that the snarled traffic was worth the effort.

The event was a bit embarrassing to me. It was like a rich man hosting a meeting of homeowners in a mixed-income neighborhood to talk about what to do after he had mistakenly set his house on fire, causing a conflagration engulfing the others’ homes and then asking them what are they going to do to put out the fire and rebuild. It certainly was clear (though unstated) from the summit’s concluding communiqué that the US is the primary source of the contagious economic crisis. Among other things, the communiqué blamed “weak underwriting standards, unsound risk-management practices, increasingly complex and opaque financial products, and consequent excessive leverage.” This looks a lot like our national headlines and news themes of the past many months.... Read this in full at
http://www.esa-online.org/Article.asp?RecordKey=D604388E-FE37-486E-AF3E-0D97065DB4EE


ZONDERVAN ACQUIRES MEGACHURCH'S COMMUNITY-BUILDING PROGRAM
In keeping with its vision for digital growth, Christian communications company Zondervan has acquired The City, a proprietary online community-building software program created by one of America’s most recognized megachurches.

"The City is an essential part of the way our members and our staff communicate every day," explained Mark Driscoll, founding and preaching pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. "Thanks to Zondervan, churches and organizations around the world will have access to this resource to help people meet Jesus and build community."

Developed over the past two years by Mars Hill's pastor of technology, Zack Hubert, The City was created in response to the megachurch's need to improve communication, better engage with members, support small groups, build a stronger church community, and free up administrative resources.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081119/zondervan-acquires-megachurch-s-community-building-program.htm


ANTIQUITIES OFFICIAL: ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH 8TH CENTURY CHURCH IN CENTRAL SYRIA
Archaeologists in central Syria have unearthed the remnants of an 8th century church, according to an antiquities official. A Syrian-Polish archaeological team recently discovered the church in the ancient city of Palmyra, said Walid al-Assaad, the head of the Palmyra Antiquities and Museums Department. He did not say specifically when the church was discovered or the exact date the church was built. He said the church is the fourth and largest discovered so far in Palmyra -- an ancient trade center that is now an archaeological treasure trove.... Read this in full at
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/34387049.html


HEROD MAY HAVE BEEN BURIED AMONG LAVISH ARTWORK
King Herod may have been buried in a crypt with lavish Roman-style wall paintings of a kind previously unseen in the Middle East, according to Israeli archaeologists. The scientists found such paintings and signs of a regal two-story mausoleum, bolstering their conviction that the ancient Jewish monarch was buried there.

Ehud Netzer, head of Jerusalem's Hebrew University excavation team, which uncovered the site of the king's winter palace in the Judean desert in 2007, said the latest finds show work and funding fit for a king. "What we found here, spread all around, are architectural fragments that enable us to restore a monument of 25 meters high, 75 feet high, very elegant, which fits Herod's taste and status," he told The Associated Press in an interview at the hillside dig in an Israeli-controlled part of the West Bank, south of Jerusalem.

No human remains or inscriptions have been found to prove conclusively that the tomb was Herod's, but excavation continues. Herod is known for extensive building throughout the Holy Land.... Read this in full at
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081120/ap_on_sc/ml_israel_herod_s_tomb


REMEMBER
“God really is there. He really does exist, and He made us for Himself. Knowing that He is there, and therefore that we do not live in a silent universe, changes everything. To know that we can speak and there is Someone who will answer fills the vacuum of life that would otherwise be present. And then, when we realize His love for us as individuals -- that Christ really did die for us as individuals, for us personally -- life is entirely different.” Francis A. Schaeffer


BOOK REVIEW: FRANCIS SCHAEFFER AND THE SHAPING OF EVANGELICAL AMERICA
Evangelist Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984) awakened a generation of evangelicals and helped turn the movement decisively toward cultural engagement. Legions of baby boomers, from wild-eyed hippies to disaffected preachers' kids, came to faith at his L'Abri study center in Switzerland. Along with C. Everett Koop, Schaeffer was instrumental in moving evangelicals into the pro-life camp. He was called the "missionary to the intellectuals" and, in one Christianity Today piece, hailed "Our Saint Francis."

But several young scholars inspired by Schaeffer soon came to see chinks in his approach. They judged his historical analysis profoundly flawed and his apologetic strategy too much a product of Enlightenment rationalism. And when he turned more to social activism in his later years, many admirers questioned his alliance with factions like the Moral Majority. The compassionate mentor who saw the wounded soul beyond a young person's anger seemed to have become a cranky polemicist.

Barry Hankins's Francis Schaeffer and the Shaping of Evangelical America (Eerdmans) is a skillful biography written with both fondness and a keen eye that discerns the underlying consistency of Schaeffer's outlook.... Read this review in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/november/29.73.html


GARRISON KEILLOR AT THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL
Excerpts from an evening with Garrison Keillor. The bard of Lake Wobegon and “A Prairie Home Companion” was recently at the Washington National Cathedral, talking about poetry, singing old hymns, and telling stories about the strict fundamentalists who raised him. Watch the video at
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/episode-no-1211/feature-garrison-keillor-at-the-washington-national-cathedral/1347/


GOD AND THE GENOME
A long, threadlike molecule carries within its coil the map of all human existence. DNA, the human blueprint, is the complete set of instructions for our growth, operation and maintenance. For renowned scientist and former director of the Human Genome Project Francis Collins, this intricate ribbon of life is also a window into God’s miraculous design.

Until he was 27, Collins was a non-believer, a typical scientist who saw reason and religion as incompatible. When in medical school he first witnessed the power of his patients’ faith, he began to contemplate God. Now, Collins is both a rigorous and intellectually honest scientist, and a devout Christian seeking proof for the awesome mysteries of God’s Creation. “The God of the Bible,” says Collins, “is also the God of the genome. He can be worshipped in the cathedral or in the laboratory.”

With each discovery under the microscope, Collins appreciates more God the creator. In his thoughtful analysis of evolution and faith, Collins contends that God is the source of all life and that life expresses the will of God. Collins spoke last year at the National Cathedral about his belief in a perfect synthesis of science and faith, an enriching perspective in which both God and the gene can coexist. Watch the lecture at
http://video1.cathedral.org/wmv/fc070427.wmv


LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)
No Time to Cower
by Gordon MacDonald
General Ferdinand Foch, regarded as a World War I hero, sent the following dispatch to his superiors at a time when his army was in deep trouble: “Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent. I attack.”

Foch's words illustrate courage instead of fear, faith instead of capitulation, and resolve instead of paralysis. And his counter-intuitive counter-attack successfully thwarted a strategic enemy advance. Could these be useful words for men and women of spiritual influence in these days of economic meltdown?

When things get scary (and they are) the instinct of most leaders is to circle the wagons, cut back, and wait out the difficult times. That is the business way, and it usually makes sense.

But Ferdinand-Foch-type leaders also use crises; they recognize that bad times can produce fresh ideas and new ways to pursue the mission of "making and growing disciples," something the Christian movement hasn't been doing very well lately.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/currenttrendscolumns/leadershipweekly/notimetocower.html


VERSE TO PONDER
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.”
Psalm 34:18-19


CONSIDER
“We are ever being born, or dying, and the thrill of choosing which is ours. Only once must we be born without our own consent. Only once must we die without our own permission.”
Calvin Miller


THE DOOR INTERVIEW: CALVIN MILLER
Calvin Miller: “People don't talk much about the cross anymore. This was front and center in the life of Dietrich Bonhoffer. It was very central, the theology of agony, of things gone wrong in the world, and how only Jesus could make them right. I don't think there's enough concern about that right now. Megachurches are theologically walking away from a great heritage. For many contemporary Christians in America, Christianity just started when their church formed in the suburbs. They have no martyrs, no traditions, no way their forebears said anything-they don't have any forebears!” Read this interview in full at
http://archives.wittenburgdoor.com/archives/calvin_miller.html


FINDING ROCK-SOLID GRACE IN LIFE'S HARD PLACES
from L.L. Barkat's new book, Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places, (InterVarsity Press, 2008):

* Grace for conversion: God will give you all the grace you need for every part of your spiritual journey. His grace can redeem your past, challenge your present, and shape your vision for the future.

* Grace for shame: You can come to God just as you are, no matter what you’ve done. There’s no need to wait until you try to make things right in your life or feel better about yourself. Approach God now, and He will make things right in your life and shower you with love.

* Grace for messiness: Life in this fallen world is bound to be messy for everyone. Accept the circumstances you can’t change, and look beyond them to God. Place your hope in God and move forward trusting Him to transform your messes into beauty. Invite God to use the messes in your life to accomplish good purposes for you.

* Read this in full at
http://www.christianity.com/Home/Christian%20Living%20Features/11595544/


YOUTH AROUND THE WORLD SEE SPIRITUALITY AS IMPORTANT, WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT
A two-year global research project reveals that today's youth view spirituality as an important part of their lives, though most rarely talk to others about it. Respondents to the far-reaching study, led by Search Institute's Center for Spiritual Development, included young people from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds, spanning 17 countries and six continents. The study was sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation.

"We have spent two years listening to youth ages 12 to 25 from many countries and traditions talk about spiritual development and its role in their lives," said Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, co-director of the Center for Spiritual Development. "Many young people are keenly interested in these issues, but relatively few have opportunities to talk with others about the things that really matter to them."

The young people surveyed are most likely to say they are both spiritual and religious (34%), with 23% indicating that they are spiritual, but not religious. They are also most likely to see both religion and spirituality positively.... Read more about this at
http://www.spiritualdevelopmentcenter.org/


STUDENTS & THE FAITH LOCKBOX
Research by the Fuller Youth Institute shows that 70% of youth group graduates do not find college a place where professors and peers reject their faith outright. On the other hand, it also shows that students are not nearly as "spiritual" as we like to think.

For the majority of students, college is a time when many personal and religious connections are stored in an identity "lockbox," tucked away for the collegiate years; unexamined and protected until reclaimed at a later time. This compartmentalization explains why so many youth group kids join the cultural mainstream of campus life, seemingly "walking away" from their faith. The report explains, "emerging adults seem to care more about fitting into society than about exploring who they might be."

Certainly, there are some who engage their minds and look into the box. These are often Christian and non-Christian students seeking to know more about and grow more deeply as people and in faith. The article encourages religious workers to pursue those who are looking into the box and help them grow. In addition, youth ministers would do well to help students prepare for a faith that grows and changes as they mature and encounter new ideas and people. This will help them continue to look into the box and press on in their walk with Christ.... Read the article and interview with Tony Jones here
http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/2008/10/the-lockbox-theory%e2%80%99s-implications-for-your-students/


FOCUS ON THE FAMILY ELIMINATING 202 JOBS
Because of a weak economy and cash-strapped donors, Focus on the Family said it is eliminating 202 jobs, the deepest cuts in the 32-year history of the Colorado Springs-based Christian nonprofit. The ministry laid off 149 workers, and cut another 53 vacant positions. The cuts slash Focus' local workforce by nearly 18% -- from about 1,150 to 950. Twenty percent of the cuts are in management. The layoffs come just weeks after Focus announced it was outsourcing 46 jobs from its distribution department. Focus also laid off 30 workers and reassigned 15 more in September 2007. The organization also cut its the budget from $160 million in fiscal 2008 to $138 million for fiscal 2009 in anticipation of tough times.... Read this in full at
http://www.gazette.com/news/focus_43586___article.html/lays_eliminationg.html


ATHEISTS REACH OUT -- JUST DON'T CALL IT PROSELYTIZING
In December, atheists, humanists, freethinkers, secularists -- in short, nonbelievers of every description -- will gather in dozens of cities to mark the holiday they call HumanLight. Whether by singing from a Humanist Hymnal, decorating a winter wreath, or lighting candles dedicated to personal heroes, they'll celebrate what has been an exhilarating ride for the faithless -- a surge in recognition that has many convinced they're on the brink of making a mark on mainstream America.

During the past three years, membership has grown in local and national associations of nonbelievers. Books attacking faith as a delusion shot up bestseller lists. For the first time, the faithless even raised enough funds to hire a congressional lobbyist.

Building on that momentum, nonbelievers have begun a very public campaign to win broad acceptance. On billboards and bus ads, radio commercials and the Internet, atheists are coming forward to declare, quite simply: We're here. And we're just like you.... Read this article in full at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122696699813835335.html


NFL THANKSGIVING DAY CLASSIC
Nov. 27, 2008
Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions (CBS TV, 12:30 ET)
Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys (FOX TV, 4:15 ET)
Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles (NFL Network, 8:15 ET)
http://www.nfl.com/thanksgiving


TOP TEN SIGNS YOU'VE EATEN TOO MUCH AT THANKSGIVING DINNER

10. Hundreds of volunteers have started to stack sandbags around you.
9. Doctor tells you your weight would be perfect for a man 17 feet tall.
8. You are responsible for a slight but measurable shift in the earth's axis.
7. Right this minute you're laughing up pie on the carpet.
6. You decide to take a little nap and wake up in mid-July.
5. World's fattest man sends you a telegram, warning you to "back off!"
4. CBS tells you to lose weight or else.
3. Getting off your couch requires help from the fire department.
2. Every escalator you step on immediately grinds to a halt.
1. You're sweatin' gravy.

BONUS PUN:
He ate so much over the holidays that he decided to quit cold turkey.
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com


THE 12 DAYS OF THANKSGIVING
On the First Day of Thanksgiving...
We give thanks for the fresh turkey feast and its hot trimmings.

On the Second Day of Thanksgiving...
We bless the cold turkey sandwiches, sloshy cranberry sauce, and hard rolls.

On the Third Day of Thanksgiving...
We praise the turkey pie and vintage mixed veggies.

On the Fourth Day of Thanksgiving...
We thank the pilgrims for not serving bison that first time, or we'd be celebrating Thanksgiving until April.

On the Fifth Day of Thanksgiving...
We gobble up cubed bird casserole and pray for a glimpse of a naked turkey carcass.

On the Sixth Day of Thanksgiving...
We show gratitude (sort of) to the creative cook who slings cashews at the turkey and calls it Oriental.

On the Seventh Day of Thanksgiving...
We forgive our forefathers and pass the turkey-nugget pizza.

On the Eighth Day of Thanksgiving...
The word "vegetarian" keeps popping into our heads.

On the Ninth Day of Thanksgiving...
We check our hair to make sure we're not beginning to sprout feathers.

On the Tenth Day of Thanksgiving...
We hope that the wing meat kabobs catch fire under the broiler.

On the Eleventh Day of Thanksgiving...
We smile over the creamed gizzard because the thigh bones are in sight.

On the Twelfth Day of Thanksgiving...
We apologize for running out of turkey leftovers -- but everybody cheers.


CONSIDER
“Christianity is called a spiritual walk. It’s not a run and it’s not a jog. It’s a walk you do from day to day and that makes you stable.” Orel Hershiser


VERSE TO PONDER
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105


THIS WEEK'S HYMN: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
Words: William Williams, 1745
Music: John Hughes, 1907

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of old;
Thou deliver’st Thine from thralldom,
Who for naught themselves had sold:
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer,
Sin, and Satan and the grave,
Sin, and Satan and the grave.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.

Musing on my habitation,
Musing on my heav’nly home,
Fills my soul with holy longings:
Come, my Jesus, quickly come;
Vanity is all I see;
Lord, I long to be with Thee!
Lord, I long to be with Thee!

>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/u/guideme.htm


ON PRAYER
"Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" Corrie Ten Boom


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


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

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

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

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

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

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


CLASSIFIEDS
Are you looking for something or do you have something to sell? Let me know and I'll put it in this newsletter.

Book your next vacation with us!
ChristianConnectionTravel.com

Books, Music & More!
ChristianConnectionBooks.com

Get your domain name here!
GoGlobalDomains.com

Let me show you how to earn money as you travel!
http://FrankColeman.WorldVentures.biz/
It's as easy as 1-2-3!

SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.

This is NOW
http://now.sprint.com/widget/

American Rhetoric: Online Speech Bank
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

The Voice (a new Bible paraphrase)
http://www.hearthevoice.com/

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.)


Did you ever stop to think and forget to start again?
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
[email protected]


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