Connecting
man to man to God
For
week of September 27, 2009
Issue 271
The
Men’s Ministry 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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“But God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
CONSIDER
“Someone has pointed out that the mere knowledge of
religious truth without an honest attempt at translating it into
action and putting it into practice, will not profit a person very
much. Medicine left in a bottle, unused, will not help anybody.
Machinery stored in a shed and never used will be of small value
to anyone. Books that are kept on a shelf and never read will help
nobody.”
Abraham Feldman
ONE
IN 5 AMERICANS MAY BE SECULAR BY 2030
The number of American adults who do not identify with a
particular religion is growing and may comprise more than 20% of
the population in two decades, according to a new study.
Conducted by researchers at Trinity College, the study,
titled "American Nones: The Profile of the No Religion
Population," showed that people who profess no religion, or
"Nones," are similar to the general public in marital
status, education, racial and ethnic makeup and income.
According to the study, it is possible that one in five
Americans
will put themselves in the "None" category
by 2030.
"We are here. We are like everybody else. We
are part of the community." said Jesse Galef, communications
associate at the Secular Coalition for America.
Galef
hopes that this trend will dispel stereotypes that Nones have no
morals because of their lack of religion and help them gain a
political voice.... Read this in full at
http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=18769
CAMPUS ATHEIST
GROUPS DOUBLE IN SIZE IN TWO YEARS
The number of atheist or agnostic student groups on U.S.
campuses has more than doubled in the past two years -- from 80 to
162 -- according to the Secular Student Alliance (SSA), the
national organization for the secular student movement.
PZ
Myers, an outspoken atheist and associate professor of biology at
the University of Minnesota, Morris, suggested the growth could be
related to authors saying that it is okay to be "godless."
Myers, who last year angered Catholics when he publicly
tried to desecrate consecrated Communion wafers, writes a blog and
often speaks at SSA affiliate group meetings, where he urges
students to go public about their unbelief and foster a positive
image.
Although SSA has four high school affiliates, most
of the groups are on college campuses. Lyz Liddell, the alliance's
senior campus organizer, noted that college is a time when many
people question their beliefs and break away from their religious
background.... Read this in full at
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11608655/
PROF: WHEATON
COLLEGE WAS UNDERGROUND RAILROAD STOP
An entry buried in a 120-year-old manuscript has confirmed
what local historians long have believed: Wheaton College was a
stop on the Underground Railroad. Officials said they knew the
college was founded and led by abolitionists. But it was difficult
to substantiate the claim that the school -- called Illinois
Institute at the time -- was directly involved with the network of
stops and routes that aided escaping slaves. "We never had
the hard evidence that strict historians want to see," said
David Malone, the college's head of archives and special
collections. That changed earlier this year when Wheaton College
history professor David Maas was doing research for a book....
Read this in full at
http://dailyherald.com/story/?id=324236
HELP ME OVERCOME
MY UNBELIEF
"‘I
do believe; help me overcome my unbelief’ (Mark 9:24).
Recently, I've been thinking this should be my life verse. I do
believe, yet I have so much unbelief in my life. I walk in faith,
yet my faith is often more in the things I see than in the things
I don't see. I follow God, yet I repeatedly find myself stumbling
down a path of my own choosing.
“Oswald Chambers
says, ‘Living a life of faith means never knowing where you
are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is
leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and
reason -- a life of knowing him who calls us to go.’
“I
believe. God, help me overcome my unbelief. Help me to live like I
deeply believe you are trustworthy. Help me to abandon my
mythology where I believe I am more trustworthy than you, where I
live with more faith in my own efforts than in your ability to
create the universe.” from Growing with Purpose: Connecting
with God Every Day by Jon Walker
TIME Q&A:
RELIGIOUS LEADER CHUCK COLSON
Chuck Colson has spent a lifetime atoning for his involvement
in the Watergate cover-up. The founder of Prison Fellowship has
spent more than three decades working with prisoners in more than
100 countries, and he has mentored generations of conservative
Evangelical leaders. This month he launched the Chuck Colson
Center, an online research and education center that he calls "the
Lexis-Nexis of resources on the Christian worldview." The
last of the original religious-right leaders still actively
engaged with the movement, Colson spoke with TIME about his latest
endeavor, why he thinks churches have failed society, and the
biggest mistake the religious right made.
Q: You say
you've been wanting to create this center for decades. What first
prompted the project?
A: “It goes back to the earliest
days of our prison ministry. At the end of the first year, we'd
gotten to all 42 federal prisons. But in that time, they'd built
10 more. As fast as we would get a Bible study started, they'd
build a new prison. I realized that we could be working in the
prisons forever and doing good work, but it wouldn't matter if we
didn't address the bigger cultural questions, the things that were
causing crime. So many of these kids in prison came from broken
families. They were products of a failed worldview -- that
modernity would make everything better.” .... Read this in
full
at
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1925795,00.html
JOHN T. ELSON,
EDITOR WHO ASKED ‘IS GOD DEAD?’ AT TIME, DIES AT 78
All journalists want to write a story that makes a big splash.
John T. Elson, the religion editor at Time magazine, was no
exception. But in 1966 he got more than he bargained for.
For
more than a year, Mr. Elson had labored over an article examining
radical new approaches to thinking about God that were gaining
currency in seminaries and universities and spilling over to the
public at large. When finally completed, it became the cover story
for the issue of April 8, as Easter and Passover approached. The
cover itself was eye-catching, the first one in Time’s
43-year history to appear without a photograph or an illustration.
Giant blood-red letters against a black background spelled out the
question “Is God Dead?”
The issue caused an
uproar, equaled only by John Lennon’s offhand remark,
published in a magazine for teenagers a few months later, that the
Beatles were more popular than Jesus. The “Is God Dead?”
issue gave Time its biggest newsstand sales in more than 20 years
and elicited 3,500 letters to the editor, the most in its history
to that point. It remains a signpost of the 1960s, testimony to
the wrenching social changes transforming the United States....
Read this in full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/business/media/18elson.html
BLASPHEMY DAY
EVENTS SET FOR SEPT. 30
The Center for Inquiry will draw attention in several major
cities across the continent with its “robust”
participation in International Blasphemy Day. Events are scheduled
for Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Indianapolis, Washington, DC,
Austin, Tucson, Tampa Bay, and Amherst, NY.
Sept. 30 is
the anniversary of the original 2005 publication of the Danish
cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad. The fury which arose
within the Islamic community following this publication led to
massive riots, attacks on foreign embassies and deaths. Four of
the cartoons were reprinted in Free Inquiry magazine in support of
the public's right to free expression and criticism.
Participation in Blasphemy Day is part of the Center for
Inquiry's larger Campaign for Free Expression, an effort to focus
attention on one of the most crucial components of freethought:
the right of individuals to express their viewpoints, opinions,
and beliefs about all subjects--especially religion. "Placing
religion off limits in social discourse is just another, gentler
way of prohibiting examination and criticism of religion,"
CFI President and CEO Ronald A. Lindsay said. "In my view,
all subjects of human interest should be open to examination and
criticism by humans." .... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/pressreleases/blasphemy_day_events_set_for_sept_30/
PASTOR
APPRECIATION MONTH OBSERVED IN OCTOBER EVERY YEAR
by Bill Ellis
Most churches in the United States, Canada
and other countries take time during October each year to express
their deep gratitude for their pastor and pastoral associates.
Different classifications are included such as pastor emeritus,
retired and associate pastors.
The entire month becomes a
time when congregational members pause, deliberately take the
time, and expend the effort to let pastors know they are deeply
appreciated. Pastors are on call twenty-four-seven that means they
are called upon for service 24 hours per day and seven days each
week.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2009/s09090140.htm
BARNA SURVEY:
WOMEN PASTORS GAINING GROUND IN UNITED STATES
The percentage of churches in the United States employing a
woman as senior pastor has doubled during the past decade,
according to a new survey by the Barna Group.
The
evangelical pollster said one church in 10 now employs a female
pastor. From the early 1990s through 1999, just 5% of pastors of
Protestant churches were women. Barna called it a "substantial"
gain.
The majority of women in the pastorate – 58%
-- are affiliated with a mainline Protestant denomination such as
the American Baptist Churches USA, United Church of Christ,
Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, United
Methodist Church, or Presbyterian Church.
http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4431&Itemid=53
VERSE TO PONDER
[The Lord says,] “Even to your old age and gray hairs, I
am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will
carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
Isaiah 46:4
CONSIDER
“Almost all men are affected with the disease of
desiring to obtain useless knowledge.”
John Calvin
TENS
OF THOUSANDS PRAY IN NYC'S TIMES SQUARE
As many as 60,000 people representing over 300 churches and 65
youth organizations gathered Sept. 20 for an hour of prayer in New
York City’s Times Square. On the day that New York Mayor
Michael Bloomberg proclaimed to be “Prayer in the Square
Day,” the thousands who gathered for “Prayer in the
Square” prayed for the nation in three-minute intervals with
songs performed by a 180-voice gospel choir between each prayer
segment. "Since its establishment, this event has encouraged
the faith of all those in attendance, celebrating their beliefs
through praise and worship,” commented Bloomberg, who is
Jewish by faith.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090922/tens-of-thousands-pray-in-nyc-s-time-square/index.html
CORAL RIDGE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH VOTES TO KEEP BILLY GRAHAM’S GRANDSON AS
ITS PASTOR
Members of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church on Sunday,
September 20, 2009, turned back an attempt to fire Pastor Tullian
Tchividjian, voting in his favor by a two-thirds margin.
According to a story by James D. Davis for the online
version of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, after a contentious,
two-hour congregational meeting closed to non-members, Tchividjian
won 940 of 1,362 ballots cast at the Fort Lauderdale church.
The
Sun-Sentinel reported that the vote climaxed a months-long
conflict in the church, long known for its conservative
evangelical stance and politics. With 2,678 members, the church
has championed evangelism, Bible-based faith and education. It
also has hosted rallies called Reclaiming America for Christ,
spurring thousands for grass roots activism on issues like
abortion, homosexuality, evolution, and school prayers.... Read
this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/STORIES/2009/s09090129.htm
IS CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC KEY TO CHURCH GROWTH?
When a congregation moves from a traditional to a contemporary
style of worship, the change can often lead to painful conflict in
the pews but also, according to a new study, higher attendance.
Almost two-thirds – 64% -- of congregations that
switched to contemporary worship in the last five years saw an
increase in worship attendance of 2% or more, the latest Faith
Communities Today survey shows.
David A. Roozen, author of
"Faith Communities Today 2008: A First Look," said the
findings on contemporary worship held true regardless of the
congregation's denominational affiliation (or lack of one).
"What it seems to suggest is that if you make the
change, you're going to get an immediate impact, positive impact,"
said Roozen, director of the Hartford Institute for Religion
Research and professor of religion and society at Hartford
Seminary in Connecticut, in an interview.... Read this in full at
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11608758/
MEGACHURCHES
OFFER RELATIONAL APPROACH WITH MULTIPLE SITES
Rick Moore and his growing church hope to implement their big
plans in a small way. The pastor and his congregation are part of
an emerging shift away from single-location megachurches toward
multiple site churches that hope to bring a best-of-both-worlds
approach to ministry.
These multi-site churches, also
known as campus or satellite churches, typically consist of a
central worship service from which the sermon is transmitted or
streamed to smaller congregations that can be right next door or
on the other side of the world.
The core concept is to
provide as many people as possible with a strong sermon message
while moving away from the impersonal, humongous single-site
church - such as Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, where
44,000 people meet each Sunday in a former NBA arena.... Read this
in full at
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11608930/
ABC NEWS PROBES
'THE TEN COMMANDMENTS' IN NEW SERIES
ABC News has produced a new special series that examines how
the Ten Commandments are being applied in today’s world.
Starting with “Though Shalt Not Commit Adultery,” ABC
News’ Nightline program tackles each commandment during its
“The Ten Commandments” series, looking at what they
mean, and how they apply to life in the 21st century.... Read this
in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090923/abc-to-probe-the-ten-commandments-in-new-series/index.html
See
the series’ site at
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/10Commandments/
LIFE AFTER L'ABRI
Frank (then Franky) Schaeffer, youngest son of Francis and
Edith Schaeffer, grew up hearing his father's lectures and his
mother's prayers and witnessing the passionate searching by young
people like me. But as his new book’s subtitle suggests
(Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found
the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It
Back), Frank's book is not another homage to the Schaeffer and
L'Abri legacy. It is his mea culpa for his part in taking his
father away from theological work and into the world of American
religious-right politics.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=7825
DAN BROWN:
‘SCIENCE MAKES MORE SENSE TO ME’
Author Dan Brown is a friendly, normal guy -- not the type
you'd expect to have created the dark world of "The Da Vinci
Code." The book, published in 2003, has sold more than 80
million copies worldwide, and the 2006 movie starring Tom Hanks
grossed over $758 million. His new book is The Lost Symbol.
Q:
Are you religious?
A: I was raised Episcopalian, and I was
very religious as a kid. Then, in eighth or ninth grade, I studied
astronomy, cosmology, and the origins of the universe. I remember
saying to a minister, "I don't get it. I read a book that
said there was an explosion known as the Big Bang, but here it
says God created heaven and Earth and the animals in seven days.
Which is right?" Unfortunately, the response I got was, "Nice
boys don't ask that question." A light went off, and I said,
"The Bible doesn't make sense. Science makes much more sense
to me." And I just gravitated away from religion.... Read
this in full at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32801010/ns/today-today_books/
NATIONAL
RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS MARKS 65-YEAR MILESTONE
Sept. 21 the nation’s largest association of Christian
media professionals marked 65 years since the face of religious
broadcasting was “forever changed.” It was on that
date in 1944, that a committee of evangelical broadcasters held a
constitutional convention in the Moody Memorial Church in Chicago
after first coming to together the year before to discuss the
challenges they faced in purchasing airtime - something that was
virtually impossible for them.
“NRB’s
founders came together to face a great challenge, yet they
experienced a surprising blessing, as the unity forged out of
those early trials continued in bonds of fellowship that have
extended from generation to generation down to this day,”
remarked Dr. Frank Wright, president and CEO of the National
Religious Broadcasters, whose member organizations today represent
millions of listeners, viewers, and readers worldwide.
“NRB
was birthed in the fires of adversity and these many years later
the fires burn hotter than ever,” he added, noting that
challenges still exist today, including proposed legislation that
could potentially influence their content and hiring policies....
Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090923/national-religious-broadcasters-marks-65-year-milestone/index.html
CONSIDER
“I have never heard anything about the resolutions of
the apostles, but a great deal about their acts.”
Horace Mann
VERSE
TO PONDER
“I
lift up my eyes to the hills -– where does my help come
from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2
ON PRAYER
“Our
desires must not only be offered up to God, but they must all
terminate in him, desiring nothing more than God, but still more
and more of him.”
Matthew Henry
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!
Http://www.ChristianConnectionTravel.com
Books,
Music & More!
http://www.ChristianConnectionBooks.com
Get
your domain name here!
http://www.GoGlobalDomains.com
Let
me show you how to earn money as you
travel!
http://www.earnGlobalVacations.com/
It's
as easy as 1-2-3!
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE
WEBSITES
Tell
us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Photos
of amazing natural formations
http://www.officeofstrategicinfluence.com/gates//
Cool
clock
http://www.leogeo.com/28_timebeat.htm/
the
drawings of Leonardo da Vinci
http://www.drawingsofleonardo.org/
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.)
Q.
What do you give someone who has everything?
A. Antibiotics.
Min. Frank
Coleman, Editor
[email protected]
Thanks
for welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
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CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of
announcements, news, recommendations, articles, and other
information helpful to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks for
welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
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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, [email protected]
if you'd like to participate in a men's discipleship program.
Path Of Life Ministries is located at 6459 S. Campbell Ave.
Chicago, IL 60629.
Visit our website at:
http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/
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