"Dear friends, stand your ground.  And don't hold back.  Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort."  1 Corinthians 15:58 (Msg)

     CONSIDER

"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."  Thomas Paine

     CONFUSED OR CONNECTED

Christians are confused about their beliefs" relates a current study as reported by Religion Journal.  The Barna Group, a Christian research organization, reveals recent trends in morality choices and absolute moral truth in light of a biblical worldview.  Barna says, "Very few adults base their moral decisions on the Bible, and surprisingly few believe that absolute moral truth exists.  Read more at

http://www.religionjournal.com/showarticle.asp?id=3035

     DISCIPLE DEVELOPMENT

"Spiritual growth begins with commitment, is a gradual process, involves developing habits, is measured by five factors, is stimulated by relationships, and requires participation in all five purposes of the church."  Rick Warren

"The mature Christians I have met along the way are those who have failed and have learned to live gracefully with their failure.  Faithfulness requires the courage to risk everything on Jesus, the willingness to keep growing, and the readiness to risk failure throughout our lives."  Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel

"Central to orthodox, historic Christian faith has been an awareness that God acts in history redemptively, through people, to redeem the institutions they create and the society around them.  God is about being a father to the fatherless, is about the oppressed, those who have been marginalized, forgotten, neglected.  If this faith doesn't lead to more compassion, more justice, more love, then it has veered dangerously off course.  If what we're exploring doesn't continue this beautiful, captivating, compelling historical redemptive movement then we're in trouble.  We have lost the plot somewhere along the way."  Rob Bell speaking to Mary A. Jacobs of the Dallas Morning News

"I like to use an example from sailing to illustrate how we can grow even in times of temptation.  In theory, sailboats should only be able to go one direction: the way the wind blows.  But modern boats and sails take advantage of the same laws of aerodynamics that allow airplanes to fly.  No boat can sail directly upwind, but most can come within 45 degrees of doing that.  To reach a destination upwind, a boat sails a zigzag course.  If the sailboat maintains the right attitude to the wind, the very thing that should have pushed it backward propels it forward."  Rob Devens in Discipleship Journal

     TELL ME THE STORY OF JESUS

Bible Heritage Foundation, Inc., presents The Story of Jesus, a new Christian evangelistic Web site that recounts the story of Jesus, based on the Gospels.  The site is for both the pre-Christian and the Christian believer.  Find a reverent presentation of the Gospel linked to related info on the Web.  Access a Holy Land map; listen to a sermon by Dr. R. Kent Hughes, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois (USA); and enjoy the stories in print or audio.  Dr. Hughes comments, "'The Story of Jesus' with its straightforward unadorned simplicity, without comment or spin, is of singular beauty and power."

http://www.thestoryofjesus.com/

     BASEBALL DATES

October 4 - Division Series begin

October 11 - League Championship Series begin

October 22 - World Series begins

http://www.mlb.com

+++++AND NOW, A PAID ADVERTISEMENT…+++++

     JOB AND CAREER CHANNEL

ChristianityToday.com offers extensive resources for those seeking employment.  Visit the Jobs and Careers Channel [1] to find job openings in churches, education, general ministry at CT and elsewhere.  Other job opportunities include service, education, travel and drama.  Read articles such as "The Legal Implications of Witnessing at Work" and subscribe to a free newsletter.  You'll also enjoy a visit to the Christian Career Center [2], another job opportunity resource available on the Web where you can also find many career-related features and articles.  Related books and resources are available.

[1] http://www.christianitytoday.com/career/

[2] http://www.christiancareercenter.com/

     CHRISTIAN HELP FOR SINGLES, COUPLES, AND FAMILIES

At FamilyLife [1], listen to Dennis Rainey's radio broadcast and find online channels for marriage, parenting, singles and life issues, each with related articles.  Read Rainey's daily devotional, Moments Together for Couples [2], learn romantic and parenting tips, and enjoy articles from The Family Room [3], a monthly e-magazine.  Sample the "HomeBuilders Couples and Parenting Series," find e-cards, access conference info, participate in forums and subscribe to various newsletters.

[1] http://www.familylife.com/

[2] http://www.familylife.com/devotionals/default.asp

[3] http://www.familylife.com/familyroom/

     UK CHRISTIAN MEDICAL FELLOWSHIP PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR ALL

Christian Medical Fellowship provides valuable resources and commentary relating to the medical profession and today's cultural issues.  Along with fellowship for the medical community, find a tremendous library of material on ethics (including a CMF ethics course), missions, literature, outreach and more.  Read Living with Disability [2], find material on addiction, care for the elderly, cloning, depression and much more. Read medical news on hot issues: assisted dying, suicide, homosexuality, late abortion and much more.  The site also includes Christian apologetics, evangelism, evolution, faith in practice and global issues.

http://www.cmf.org.uk/

     THE RED CROSS MONEY PIT(an excerpt)

by Richard M. Walden, Los Angeles Times, September 25, 2005

[Richard M. Walden is president and CEO of Operation USA, a 26-year-old international disaster relief agency based in Los Angeles.  Website: http://www.opusa.org.]

With hurricane Rita now making news, it's time for Americans to take a more disciplined look at their tremendous generosity.  As of last week, the American Red Cross reported that it had raised $826 million in private funds for Hurricane Katrina victims.  The Chronicle of Philanthropy has the total figure at more than $1.2 billion for all relief groups reporting.  So the Red Cross received about 70% of all giving.

This percentage was no doubt bloated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's mystifying release to the media of the names of 19 faith-based charities (plus the Red Cross, Humane Society and three lesser-known groups) to which the public should donate -- rather than the much wider group of established relief agencies.

This skewed giving to Red Cross would be justified if the organization had to pay the cost of the 300,000 people it has sheltered.  But FEMA and the affected states are reimbursing the Red Cross under preexisting contracts for emergency shelter and other disaster services.  The existence of these contracts is no secret to anyone but the American public.  The Red Cross carefully says it functions only by the grace of the American people -- but "people" includes government, national and local.  What we've now come to expect from a major disaster is a Red Cross media blitz..... Giving so high a percentage of all donations to one agency that defines itself only as a first-responder and not a rebuilder is not the wisest choice.  Americans ought to give a much larger share of their generous charity to community foundations, grass-roots nonprofit groups based in the affected communities and a large number of international "brand name" relief agencies with decades of expertise in rebuilding communities after disasters....

For the complete opinion column, go to

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-redcross25sep25,0,6478083.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

     BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINE

The Doctrine of the Church (continued)

B. A local church purpose statement

-   A local church is responsible to carry out, among its people and in areas of influence, the purposes that God has for the universal church.   Baptizing is one part of that responsibility (to be discussed).   The rest of the church's purpose involves teaching the Word of God to accomplish various goals.  The following is a suggested purpose statement of a local church.

STATEMENT: To Glorify God by Reaching people with the gospel, Building them in their relationship with God and Involving them in God's plan (RBI).

    To "Glorify God" is the overall purpose.  The Bible says " Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).  In other words, any effort of a church must serve not to promote itself but God's greatness.

    However, a local church should seek to glorify God in the following ways:

1. Reaching (Acts 11:19-21; Ephesians 4:11)

    God has provided the way so that a person can go to heaven and know it. Christ died to pay for our sin. We can go to heaven if we place our trust in Christ's death for us (John 3:16). That truth is central to why a church exists. A church must effectively present the Gospel in various ministries and train others to do so personally. Part of the task includes taking that message around the world through missionaries.

    But once a person is reached with the Gospel, God obviously has more in mind for their life...

2. Building (Acts 11:22-26; Ephesians 4:11-16)

    "Building" refers to the spiritual process of God bringing the growth and change that we need in our lives.  How can a church help to encourage that work of God?

Worship - We exist not for our benefit, but God's glory.  So worship must please God by giving God the credit He deserves for His greatness.  God cannot "grow" us without an intimate relationship with us.  Personal and group worship encourages us to develop that relationship with God.

Instruction - The food we need to grow spiritually is God's Word the Bible (I Peter 2:2).  That's why Bible teaching must be central in a local church.  A church must provide biblical truth that each person needs and even more importantly to encourage people to study God's Word themselves.

Fellowship - Real spiritual growth requires more than just information. It requires relationships.  God has designed that believers need one another to grow.  It is through the frustration and diversity of relationships with people that God can best bring us to maturity.  So it is essential to have ministries that go beyond a worship service.  Personal interaction lets us in on the struggles, joys of other Christians and gives us an opportunity to support each other.

3. Involvement (Acts 11:27-30; Ephesians 4:11,12)

    Sometimes people in churches assume that ministry is the job of paid professionals -- the pastors and staff.  It's not.  God has called every believer to be involved in ministry.  He has given every person certain "spiritual gifts" -- supernatural abilities to serve/help others in some way.  Instead of leaders doing most of the ministry, their real role is to equip people for ministry (Ephesians 4:11, 12).  Ministry is not an issue of mere duty.  It's a matter of gratefully using the gifts/abilities God gives us.

http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=424

     LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)

We all think of him as "The Michelin Man," (http://marcussharpe.com/michelin.shtml) but in fact "his official name is Bibendum, the Latin gerundive meaning 'drinking to be done'," reports Roger Parloff in Fortune (9/19/05).  Incredibly, the "first series of posters featuring him ... bore the Latin legend Nunc est bibendum -- 'Now is the time to drink' -- and depicted the tire man hoisting a champagne goblet filled with nails and broken glass, sometimes garnished with a horseshoe."  The year was 1898 -- making Bibendum (http://www.michelin.com/corporate/front/templates/affich.jsp?codeRubrique=99&lang=EN) the third-oldest American brand mascot after the Quaker Oats Pilgrim (1877) and Aunt Jemima (1893).  But of course that doesn't explain why a tire company would involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages in its advertising.  At the time Bibendum was even known as the "road drunkard."  What were they thinking?

Well, "as the ad copy spelled out," the idea was that "Michelin tires drink up obstacles" and "wouldn't puncture easily."  It might seem equally astonishing that "a company would base an advertising campaign on a Latin motto, but the thing was, Michelin wasn't "wooing the masses.  Both motoring and bicycling were rich men's avocations," and so "Bibendum was, like his customers, quite upper crust, smoking a fat Havana cigar and wearing a lorgnette."  Another thing that might surprise is that Bibendum was voted "the greatest logo in history" by an international jury of designers in 2000.  One of the jurists, MoMa curator Paola Antonelli, comments: "It's so funny how they picked logos in the past ... he came from piling up tires, and his name from the fact that he could swallow obstacles ... It really sticks in your mind."

However, some think he's become a bit bland over the years: "He's shed all the characteristics that made him endearing," says Scott Goodson of StrawberryFrog.  Indeed Bibendum, like other successful mascots has gone through an evolution known as "neoteny," or the development of "increasingly juvenile physical characteristics, because those are the ones that we consider the most lovable and unthreatening."  But that doesn't explain why Bibendum is white (not black, like tires). That's because "tires weren't black until 1912, "when makers began adding carbon black as a preservative.  Until then they were either a gray-white or a light, translucent beige."  For whatever reason, Michelin didn't update that part.  But Eduoard Michelin, ceo, still thinks his mascot holds a very special place: "He has lived through the whole history of the automobile," he says, adding: "That gives him a status beyond any other type of corporate logo."

http://www.reveries.com/

+++++AND NOW, A PAID ADVERTISEMENT…+++++

     MEET WORLDWIDE CHRISTIAN ATHLETES

TheGoal.com[1], "heart and soul of the world of sports," presents positive, life-changing testimonies of Christian athletes in the sports world -- from auto racing, baseball, and basketball to rugby, running, tennis and volleyball, representing countries ranging from Australia, Barbados and Brazil to the Netherlands, South Africa and the USA. Discover a featured athlete (this month: Diallo Burks, football hero), subscribe to e-news updates and enjoy The Story of Seth Franco, First Caucasian Harlem Globetrotter in Over 50 years [2].  Be inspired by What a Joy [3] and read a story about Gold Medalist Leah O'Brien-Amico.  A parallel Brazilian site [4] is also available.

[1] http://www.thegoal.com/

[2] http://www.thegoal.com/events/franco/franco.html

[3] http://www.thegoal.com/events/whatajoy/whatajoy.html

[4] http://www.thegoal.com/brasil/

     BLENDING FAITH AND FEAR

The director of 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' is a devout Christian for whom creating horror films is an expression of faith.  "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" features the mainstays of horror movies -- guttural demonic threats, religious symbolism, and prolonged suspense that magnifies shocking revelations.  But Derrickson also aimed to make it the thinking person's scare fest.  Based on a true story, the movie is a hybrid, a horror flick crossed with a courtroom drama.  It uses disquieting demonic activity as a foundation to provoke viewers to examine their assumptions about belief and unbelief, faith and doubt, and God and the devil.  The movie received a standing ovation at the prestigious Venice Film Festival.  More at

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/174/story_17445_1.html

     VERSE TO PONDER

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety."  Psalm 4:8

     CONSIDER

"To pass from estrangement from God to be a son of God is the basic fact of conversion.  That altered relationship with God gives you an altered relationship with yourself, with your brother man, with nature, with the universe.  You are no longer working against the grain of the universe; you're working with it... You have been forgiven by God and now you can forgive yourself.  All self hate, self-despising, self-rejection, drop away, and you accept yourself in God, respect yourself, and love yourself... You cease to move into yourself, away from others.  You give up your antagonism.  You begin to move toward others in love.  God moved toward you in gracious, outgoing love, and you move toward others in that same outgoing love."  E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973), Conversion [1959]

     TAKE A TOUR OF LAMBERT'S LIBRARY

Lambert Dolphin Research Library [1], award-winning website created by Lambert Dolphin, author, physicist and committed Christian layman, offers a wealth of scientific and biblical study resources. Read of Dolphin's personal search for faith, browse through extensive links [2] and then take a tour of Lambert's Library [3].  Topics include Bible basics, biblical essays, prophecy, s*xual wholeness, science and the Bible and much more. Enjoy favorite quotations [4] from C. S. Lewis, A. W. Tozer and others. Find the library's newest articles [5] and be sure to take the Dolphin Stress Test [6].  This amazing collection of scientific and biblical resources will give Web visitors hours of reading pleasure, information and inspiration.

[1] http://www.ldolphin.org/

[2] http://www.ldolphin.org/URLres.shtml

[3] http://www.ldolphin.org/asstbib.shtml

[4] http://www.ldolphin.org/quotes.shtml

[5] http://www.ldolphin.org/asstbib.shtml#anchor286212

[6] http://webpages.charter.net/hkirtley/stress/

     AN ILLUSTRATION OF SIN

A tarantula was being attacked by a huge insect known as a tarantula wasp.  This wasp kept diving at the tarantula, and the tarantula kept fighting back in an attempt to catch it and get at it with its fangs.  This went on for several minutes, until finally the tarantula wasp swooped down, flipped the tarantula onto its back, and stung it right in its abdomen.  But this allowed the tarantula to grab the wasp and sink its fangs into it, injecting it with its venom.  For a few moments, they both lay still.  Then the tarantula turned itself over, shaking off the dead wasp, and crawled slowly away.  Did the tarantula win?

That's the way it would seem.  But when that tarantula wasp was stinging the tarantula, she was also depositing her eggs in his stomach.  So where it seems as if he's won, those eggs will begin to grow inside of him until they eventually kill him, and out of him will hatch his enemy.

What a graphic picture of the devastating effects of sin.  There are some who seem to wallow in their sin, cherishing what they see as the freedom to "enjoy life."  They operate under the assumption that they're in control of their own destiny, that they can "handle it," that they've won.  What they fail to realize is that their sin is a malignancy which is gradually eating them up from inside.  James 1:14; 15 says: "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death" (NIV).  Toying with, and embracing sin, allows for its cancerous advance in our souls.  Flee from sin!  (From The Journey to Spiritual Maturity by Joel Hunter)

     CONSIDER

"If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster."  Stephan Covey

     VERSE TO PONDER

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

     COMPANY MAN: FAMILY MAN

The last thing I ever wanted my kids to say was, 'It was as if he never existed.'

by Gary Thomas

"It was as if he never existed."  As we drove down the highway one evening, I looked at Ernie as he spoke these words and saw the gentle grace of a life well-lived.  He had worked hard to support his family, and now in retirement he was focusing his energy on building the men's ministry of his church.

One reason why Ernie chose early retirement was an event that happened a few years before he left his career.  He worked for one of the most stable and famous companies in the United States. Until just a few years ago, if a person landed a job with this company, he had a job for life. They paid well, but demanded a lot from their workers.

"We gave our lives to the company," Ernie said. "They took care of us, but they expected us to organize our lives around our work. If we said no even once, we'd be taken off the track of promotion and kept in a vocational eddy for the rest of our careers.  So we got to work early and stayed late."

One of Ernie's co-workers was a younger man in his late 40s.  He had worked side by side with Ernie for years.  One morning he was late for work. Ernie assumed he was sick until a call came in from his wife at 8:30 a.m....

Read this in full at

http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=607

     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: O BLESSÈD HOME WHERE MAN AND WIFE

Words: Magnus B. Landstad, 1861

Music: German melody, circa 1400

O blessèd home where man and wife

Together lead a godly life

By deeds their faith confessing!

There many a happy day is spent,

There Jesus gladly will consent

To tarry with His blessing.

If they have given Him their heart,

The place of honor set apart

For Him each night and morrow,

Then He the storms of life will calm,

Will bring for every wound a balm,

And change to joy their sorrow.

And if their home be dark and drear,

The cruse be empty, hunger near,

All hope within them dying,

Let them despair not in distress;

Lo, Christ is there the bread to bless,

The fragments multiplying.

O Lord, we come before Thy face;

In every home bestow Thy grace

On children, father, mother,

Relieve their wants, their burdens ease,

Let them together dwell in peace

And love to one another.

>from CyberHymnal at

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/b/h/obhwmawi.htm

     GOD FAQ

Question 40: Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person?

Answer: It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us, and relied on by us, as the works of the whole person.

http://www.shortercatechism.com/

     ON PRAYER

"God is at work in response to our prayers, whether we see something happening or not. If we are truly praying, 'Thy will be done,' forces are at work beyond our comprehension--and often, beyond our vision.  But they are working just the same."  David Jeremiah

     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).

 [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.

What Happened On This Day In Church History

http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/daily.php

Collective Magnetic Fridge

http://isnoop.net/toys/magwords.php

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.)

Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

Min. Frank Coleman, Editor

[email protected]

===== /\ =====

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 New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church is to be a Christ-centered, Bible based, Spirit guided church meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of its members and the community it serves.

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 Joy Divine Full Gospel Church is located at 7625 S. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60620.

Tel: 773-224-5683. Founded & Pastored by Apostle Aaron L. Royster & Prophetess Mable L. Royster.

Visit our website at: http://www.newjoydivine.org/

===== /\ =====

To subscribe to MSM CONNECTIONS, send a message to [email protected] with "subscribe MSM" in the subject line.

To unsubscribe, send a message to [email protected] with "unsubscribe MSM" in the subject line.

THANK YOU FOR READING

MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!

It is my prayer that, “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” Ephesians 1:18

© 2004, 2005 Frank Coleman