MSM CONNECTIONS
For the week of 07/11
The Men’s Ministry e-mail newsletter of
Our mission: 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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MSM CONNECTIONS is the opt-in newsletter for the men of New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church. It's a periodic service that helps connect you with God and with other men at NJD. If you'd like its delivery to your email address stopped, scroll down and follow the instructions at the end of this message. Also let me know if you change your email address and want to keep subscribing to MSM CONNECTIONS.
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"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
CONSIDER
"Jesus consistently focused on people's center, asking two questions: are they moving toward the center of spiritual life (love of God and people), or, are they moving away from it?" Paraphrase of John Ortberg
RELEVANT CHRISTIAN
FAITH
Rob Bell will tell you his style is unorthodox. He planted a church by preaching through Leviticus. His teaching is a mix of images and personal stories and exegesis and some perspectives you probably haven't heard in church before. The message, however, is orthodox, biblical, and well informed by history. The whole package, Bell says, is subversive. Like Jesus.
Whatever it is, it works. It connects with crowds totaling 10,000 most weekends at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, the church 33-year-old Bell founded five years ago. It connects, we've seen, with students at his alma mater, Wheaton College, and emerging church leaders at national conferences, where Bell is likely to teach using a big chair, Jewish prayer shawl, or a live goat. "Animals, whatever. Whatever it takes," he says. "No rules." These days he's talking a lot about the rabbis.
Q: Your ministry is very contemporary, but you really value history.
A: Despite a tradition that prides itself on being Bible based, the Christian community knows very little of what's going on historically in the Bible. And there are massive, amazing things. But some fear using anything other than the Bible to explain the Bible. I've been told, "We can't use history. History is fallible."
"A preacher recently said to me that you cannot use history, because the more you learn about history, the more it will affect how you interpret the Scriptures. Yep. I hope so. N.T. Wright says it this way, "Most people want to wake up in the morning with a general at the foot of their bed saying 'Go do this.' The problem is there's somebody at the foot of their bed saying, 'Once upon a time. . .'"
"The "timeless truths" of Scripture emerge from real people in real places and a God who has all authority working in real time. So the more I know about the places and times, the more I understand God's authority...."
Read this interview in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2004/002/1.24.html
<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2004/002/1.24.html"> Or click here</a>
Also see
<a href="https://www.nooma.com/"> Or click here</a>
DO EVANGELICAL FATHERS
REALLY KNOW BEST?
Religious men, especially evangelical Protestants, are more involved and attentive husbands and fathers than men who are not religious, new research shows. Though they favor a patriarchal family structure, evangelical Protestant men who attend church regularly scored higher on several national surveys that evaluated levels of family involvement and affection than did men from other religious groups and men who consider themselves religiously unaffiliated....
Read this article in full at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2004-06-16-church-dads_x.htm
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2004-06-16-church-dads_x.htm"> Or click here</a>
JULY HAPPENINGS
July 3-25 - Tour de France
http://www.letour.fr/2004/us/index.html
<a href="http://www.letour.fr/2004/us/index.html"> Or click here</a>
July 9-18 - U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Track & Field (Sacramento, CA)
http://www.usatf.org/events/2004/OlympicTrials-TF/
<a href="http://www.usatf.org/events/2004/OlympicTrials-TF/"> Or click here</a>
July 15-18 - British Open golf tournament
<a href="http://www.opengolf.com/"> Or click here</a>
HOPE FOR THE SINGLE GUY
by Robert G. DeMoss Jr.
"You would have to see it to believe it. The aging Volkswagen Rabbit was parked in a spot nobody could possibly miss in downtown Reno, Nevada. With white poster boards taped on each side, the car conveyed an urgent plea. In bold type, Randy, the owner of this eyesore-on-wheels, hand-printed the message: WIFE WANTED. Complete with a phone number, the car's signs actually included a photocopy of Randy's paycheck with a note saying: "I would like to provide for you. I will work and pay rent." He assured potential candidates this was "not a joke." His photograph -- which resembled a picture taken from a police lineup -- was affixed to the side and rear car window.
"Some people will do anything to find a mate.
"After the smile faded from my face, I reflected that, in some ways, I was no different than Randy. I may never have been driven to plaster signs on my car soliciting a wife. But, like this desperate man, I had felt an intense longing to find that special someone. If you're single, you've likely been there too...."
Read this article in full at
http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=530&mode=thread&order=0
<a href="http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=530&mode=thread&order=0"> Or click here</a>
STATS
* 9% of 18- to 34-year-olds believe the Bible is relevant to their lives.
* 53% of this age group reads the Bible less than once a year, or never.
* About 8 million people who were active churchgoers in their teens will no longer be active by age 30.
* 31% of 20- to 29-year-olds attend church in a typical week, vs. only 22% of those 25 to 29.
* 80% say that their faith is very important, but only 34% say they are absolutely committed to Christianity.
(Sources: Zondervan/ Harris Interactive poll of 2,148 adults May 25-27; Barna Research Group study of 2,660 adults 20 to 29, September 2003) as reported by USA TODAY
THE FIRST ROCK 'N' ROLL
RECORD?
On July 5, 1954, Elvis Presley recorded "That's All Right," long hyped as the first rock 'n' roll record. It's not. By 1954, quite a number of records had been released that would qualify as rock 'n' roll. Even at Sun Studios, where Elvis recorded, the sound was nothing new. If you're interested in the history of the musical genre, listen to this NPR report at
http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_3063011.html
<a href="http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_3063011.html"> Or click here</a>
VERSE TO PONDER
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 (TNIV)
CONSIDER
"Quiet minds that rest in God cannot be perplexed or frightened, but go on in fortune or misfortune at their private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm." Robert Louis Stevenson
OLYMPICS START IN A
MONTH
Olympic Games: August 13-29, 2004
Paralympic Games: September 17-28, 2004
http://www.christianitytoday.com/sports/features/athletes/olympics-athletes.html
<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/sports/features/athletes/olympics-athletes.html"> Or click here</a>
http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/
<a href="http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/"> Or click here</a>
http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp
<a href="http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp"> Or click here</a>
http://www.nbcolympics.com/index.html
<a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/index.html"> Or click here</a>
SAND WORLD
This year Sand World invites you on a journey around Olympia starting at the time of the ancient world until today. At Travemünde´s (Germany) beach, a unique landscape consisting of sagas, myths, famous participants of the Olympic Games and Olympic cities of today from 1896 to 2004 has been created. See photos of these spectacular sand sculptures at
<a href="http://www.sandworld.de/eng/"> Or click here</a>
DOING WHAT MATTERS
"Jesus... did not finish all the urgent tasks in Palestine or all the things He would have liked to do, but He did finish the work which God gave Him to do. The only alternative to frustration is to be sure that we are doing what God wants. Nothing substitutes for knowing that this day, this hour, in this place, we are doing the will of the Father. Then and only then can we think of all the other unfinished tasks with equanimity, and leave them with God." Charles E. Hummel (1923- ), The Tyranny of the Urgent [1997]
* VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL!!! Come join us for a week of fun and knowledge. Monday through Friday July 12 – 16 at 6:30 pm. The week will culminate with a picnic on July 17th. Click here for details.
* Get prepared for the Christian Marriage Enrichment Ministry’s (CME) Las Vegas outing! July 18–21, 2004. See Minister Shonnette Collier for details. Download flyer <here> (Acrobat ReaderTM needed).
* Invite your family and friends to join us on July 25, 2004. Awards and prizes for such activities as: Most Family Members Present, Family Member Present That Traveled The Farthest, Family With The Most Guests Present, etc… Come join the fun and get the Word “to boot.”
STOCKS MAY BE GOOD FOR
YOU
by Gary Moore
"What does it mean to be a good steward of the finances God has given to your care? Some Christians believe it means investing only in no-risk ultra-conservative ways. But I challenge that notion.
"Successful investing can be boiled down to one essential principle -- prudently setting aside money over an extended number of years. But prudent investing does not necessarily mean no-risk investing. Many of us, for example, still think it is prudent to put our money in "safe" investments like Treasury bills. But historically, T-bills have yielded only one-third as much as stocks.
"Why do so many people stay away from higher-risk investments like stocks? I think the fear factor is one reason. Another reason is that people do not stay committed to a long-term financial plan.
"A common mistake investors make is getting discouraged by the small sum they accumulate in a few years and yanking their money out for a down payment on a new car. But the value of long-term investing is illustrated by an old riddle: 'Which would you choose, $1 million or a penny that doubles each day for a month?'..."
Read this article in full at
http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=539&mode=thread&order=0
<a href="http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=539&mode=thread&order=0"> Or click here</a>
CONSIDER
"At the earlier Methodist class meetings, members were expected every week to answer some extremely personal questions, such as the following: Have you experienced any particular temptations during the past week? How did you react or respond to those temptations? Is there anything you are trying to keep secret, and, if so, what? At this point, the modern Christian swallows hard! We are often coated with a thick layer of reserve and modesty which covers "a multitude of sins" -- usually our own. Significantly, James 5:16-20, the original context of that phrase, is the passage which urges, "Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed." Michael Griffiths (1928- ), Cinderella with Amnesia [1975]
TOP FORECASTS FROM
FUTURE SURVEY
The following forecasts are from the January, February, and March issues of Future Survey:
* World population, now 6.3 billion, will grow to an estimated 8.9 billion by 2050. Nearly all of the 2.6 billion increase will be in developing countries. This new projection for 2050 is lower by 400 million than the one made in 2000, due to an increase in AIDS-related deaths (278 million by 2050).
-UNFPA State of World Population 2003 (FS 26:1/014)
* "China is likely to overtake and India to equal the US economy in size by mid-century. And, as the world's economic center of gravity shifts to Asia, US preeminence will inevitably diminish."
-Jeffrey D. Sachs of the Columbia University Earth Institute, "Welcome to the Asian Century" (FS 26:1/021)
* "The number of urban dwellers will equal the number of rural dwellers in the world by 2007." By 2030, urban population will be 60% of the world total, up from 47% in 2000 and 30% in 1950.
-World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (FS 26:2/060)
* "The world's energy use is at an epochal crossroads. The new century cannot be an energetic replica of the old one, and reshaping the old practices and putting in place new energy foundations is bound to redefine our connection to the universe."
-Vaclav Smil in Energy at the Crossroads (FS 26:2/052)
* "No drug, no medical device will appear after 2010 without having been customized for a class of users with similar genetic information."
-Glenn McGee in Beyond Genetics (FS 26:3/108)
* "The prospect of enhancing normal brain function is real. And with it will come a host of ethical issues concerning who has access to what."
-Better Brains, Scientific American Special Issue (FS 26:3/112)
* "Preliminary evidence suggests that expanded school choice options, even a voucher system, will not lead to a mass exodus from public schools."
-Lance D. Fusarelli in The Political Dynamics of School Choice (FS 26:1/035)
http://www.wfs.org/fstop10.htm#trends
<a href="http://www.wfs.org/fstop10.htm#trends"> Or click here</a>
VERSE TO PONDER
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27 (TNIV)
Mark your calendars for the weekend of August 27-29, 2004 at the Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle Illinois where we will have our annual Men’s Conference. Theme: “The Fruit Of The Spirit.” Come and be blessed during this time of fellowship and ministry. Contact Minister Maurice Collier or Minister Frank Coleman. Visit the church’s web site: www.newjoydivine.org, go to the Men’s ministry page [>>Ministries>>Men Servants Ministry (MSM)] for details or download a registration form <here>.
THIS WEEK'S HYMN:
BROTHERS, JOINING HAND TO HAND
Words: John A. Warner, 1900
Brothers, joining hand to hand,
In one bond united,
Pressing onward to that land
Where all wrongs are righted:
Let your words and actions be
Worthy your vocation;
Chosen of the Lord, and free,
Heirs of Christ's salvation.
Christ, the Way, the Truth, the Life,
Who hath gone before you
Through the turmoil and the strife,
Holds His banner o'er you;
All who see the sacred sign
Press towards Heav'ns portal,
Fired by hope that is divine,
Love that is immortal.
They who follow fear no foe,
Care not who assail them;
Where the Master leads, they go,
He will never fail them;
Courage, brothers! we are one,
In the love that sought us;
Soon the warfare shall be done,
Through the grace He brought us.
>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/j/bjhanhan.htm
<a href="http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/j/bjhanhan.htm"> Or click here</a>
HOME LOAN FRAUD
If you're a homeowner looking for a home equity loan to pay down debts or finance home improvements, get the best deal and protect yourself with helpful publications from the Federal Citizen Information Center.
Start with "Putting Your Home on the Loan Line is Risky Business" from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Reserve Board. It has tips on finding the best loans, including comparing interest rates, points, fees and penalties. Find out the warning signs of loan fraud, such as suggesting a larger loan than you can realistically pay off, asking you to sign blank forms, or changing the loan rate or terms at the last minute.
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/risky-hloan/risky.htm
<a href="http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/risky-hloan/risky.htm"> Or click here</a>
When buying or refinancing your home, use tips in "Don't Be a Victim of Loan Fraud" from HUD to learn more about the tactics that predatory lenders use. If you are being pressured to use a specific lender or encouraged to overstate your income, you may be a victim. Even if you're on a fixed income or have credit issues, you should still apply to local banks or credit unions and compare their rates with other lenders.
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/loanfraud/loanfraud.htm
<a href="http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/loanfraud/loanfraud.htm"> Or click here</a>
ON PRAYER
"I throw myself down in my chamber, and I call in and invite God and His Angels thither; and when they are there, I neglect God and His Angels for the noise of a fly, for the rattling of a coach, for the whining of a door." John Donne (1573-1631)
CRITICAL PRAYER
REQUESTS FOR STRATEGIC NATIONS
We're praying for our fellow believers in a different nation each week.
Please pray for...IRAN
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html
<a href="http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html"> Or click here</a>
Despite tragedy and persecution, a vibrant underground church is growing in Iran. After an earthquake devastated Bam, Western churches sent relief to the Iranian city. With the situation in Bam opening doors previously shut, missions leaders believe the compassionate response of the worldwide church to the disaster could be a catalyst for the nation's explosive church growth. Today, the church in Iran is growing. Missions experts estimate 20,000-30,000 indigenous evangelical and Pentecostal believers today, most of them from Muslim backgrounds. Some experts -- citing an unknown number of "secret" believers -- claim the true figure could be much higher. "In the last 20 years, more Iranians have come to Christ compared to the last 14 centuries," Lazarus Yeghnazar, an Iranian-born evangelist, said. "They are hungry to learn, eager to discuss the Bible and, in particular, Jesus. They're searching for the truth," explained Tom White, director of The Voice of the Martyrs. He noted that the courage and spiritual passion of Iranian believers is a key factor in the "spontaneous growth" of Iran's house-church movement. Driven underground by persecution, thousands of Iranian Christians – as many as 30,000 -- meet in homes. They switch locations to avoid detection. Although violent persecution has subsided, conversion to Christianity during the last decade has resulted in beating, imprisonment, torture and even execution.
http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=9346
<a href="http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=9346"> Or click here</a>
PRAY
* Min. Tony Hampton & Family as they travel
* Bro. Travis Collins
* Bro. Joe Ross
* Parker Family
* Champion Family
[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.
Eye Injury Prevention
http://www.aao.org/aao/patients/eyemd/injury.cfm
<a href="http://www.aao.org/aao/patients/eyemd/injury.cfm"> Or click here</a>
Amazing church building made out of Legos!
http://www.amyhughes.org/lego/church/photos001.html
<a href="http://www.amyhughes.org/lego/church/photos001.html"> Or click here</a>
GIMPSY is a new search engine
<a href="http://www.gimpsy.com/dir/"> Or click here</a>
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.)
It's easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
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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
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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 www.newjoydivine.org
<a href="http://www.newjoydivine.org"> AOL users click here</a>
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