HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!


"YANKEE DOODLE DANDY" is one of my favorite 4th of July movies. Click and enjoy this clip.
***
And please pray for our nation.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land._ 2 Chronicles 7:14
The Holy BIBLE, NIV

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Age makes the hair go blonde."
- Bette Midler speaking on "The View" Friday. I totally agree. But I still consider myself a BRUNETTE!

DO YOU BELIEVE?
I believe.

NEWS OF NOTE: (Interesting religion news I've compiled from stuff sent to me.) This is the down & dirty posting. Will make it look better and include more links over weekend if I get a break from CLEANING!I love cleaning (she says with heavy sarcasm).

Gospels Approved for China Olympics
The Christian Post reports that although Chinese authorities had earlier said Olympic tourists would not be allowed to bring Bibles for "distribution or propaganda," officials are allowing the printing of 50,000 Gospel booklets for athletes, printers recently announced. In addition to the booklets, Amity Printing Press in Nanjing - the world's largest Bible production factory - is working in conjunction with the Bible Society to publish 30,000 Chinese-English New Testaments and 10,000 Chinese-English entire Bibles. "This great sporting event presents a unique opportunity to make the life-changing message of the Bible available to thousands of athletes and visitors from all over China -- and all over the world," said James Catford, chief executive of Bible Society, in a statement. An estimated two million visitors and 16,000 athletes and officials will attend the Beijing Olympics, which begin Aug. 8.

Record Fuel Prices Slam Charities

Record fuel prices have hit Christian ministry and charity organizations doubly hard this summer, reports the Christian Post. "We're finding the price of food is going up due to transportation costs, and production costs are going up as well. When those two things are put together, then all of a sudden the amount of money you had available for food is strained even more. There's just less available," Gary Zander, communications coordinator for Food for the Hungry, told Mission News Network. "We could serve 100,000 people two years ago, now we're only able to help 66,000 people," said Bruce Whitmire of Living Water International, whose organization supplies clean water for thousands of people around the globe. Higher fuel costs make it more difficult to conduct daily operations, he said. At the same time, many look to the current situation as an opportunity to trust God. "God still supplies our needs according to His riches and not according to ours," said Al Joslyn of Bible Pathway Ministries.

Vatican Bans 'Da Vinci' Prequel from Churches

According to the London Times, filmmakers for a prequel to the 'Da Vinci Code" must recreate several churches in the Vatican and Rome after the Vatican forbid them from filming crucial scenes on church grounds. 'Angels and Demons,' a Dan Brown novel turned movie, has been called "an offense against God" by the Vatican. Archbishop Velasio De Paolis, the head of the Vatican's Prefecture for Economic Affairs, said that Brown had "turned the gospels upside down to poison the faith". He continued, "It would be unacceptable to transform churches into film sets so that his blasphemous novels can be made into films in the name of business." Father Marco Fibbi, a spokesman for the Diocese of Rome, said: "Normally we read the script but this time it was not necessary. The name Dan Brown was enough."

More than 1,400 Churches Aim for Becoming 'One Church'
According to the Christian Post, Life Church pastor Craig Groeschel has launched a month-long series called "One Prayer" in partnership with more than 1,400 churches with more than 800,000 attendees around the world, all sharing sermons via video and a prayer to "make us one." "I wonder if God ever looks at all of His churches, all the Christian churches all over the world, and asks, 'Why can't you guys come together? Why are you so divided when my Son Jesus prayed 'Father, make them one,'" said Groeschel. The series was born more out of repentance than a passion for unity, Groeschel explained. It was his desire not to be competitive against other believers and to instead be united. Unity depends on recognizing the real "one enemy" - Satan - and not other churches, he continued.

Teens Flocking to Summer Missions

The Modesto Bee reports that thousands of teens will participate in short-term mission trips in the next weeks, and religion scholars estimate that about three million 13- to 17-year-old young Christians nationwide will serve on mission team this year. Youth mission trips have only become common in the last 10-20 years. While some are encouraged by this new phenomenon, however, others question the true impact of these trips. Lakewood Church youth pastor Tom Elmore, who will lead a group of about 50 to Honduras, says, "That's where they get their first taste" of evangelism and being the hands and feet of Jesus. In contrast, David Livermore, author of "Serving with Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-Term Missions with Cultural Intelligence," say these trips have become a rite of passage, benefiting team members more than the community they're supposed to be serving.

Christian Groups Respond to Midwest Flooding

After weekend downpours of up to 10 inches, severe flooding in several Midwest states has crippled many communities as relief begins to trickle in, the Christian Post reports. Bob Babcock, the South Indiana Annual (regional) Conference's disaster response coordinator, told the United Methodist News Service on Tuesday that by his estimates only five percent of residents affected had flood insurance. The United Methodists in Indiana have received $10,000 in emergency grants from the United Methodist Committee on Relief this week to help residents, and other Indiana churches have volunteered to serve as a clothing site and an emergency responder post, and many are working closely with the Red Cross. Christian relief group Feed the Hungry sent a semi truck full of canned food, dry soup cups, noodles, crackers, cookies, and other eatable items.

Gospel for Asia Touches Burma

Even as U.S. Navy ships were forced to leave without delivering tons of aid, Gospel for Asia is succeeding in bringing relief - and hope - to cyclone survivors in Myanmar, according to the Christian Post. Up to 2.4 million people are still struggling to rebuild their lives without homes or an adequate supply of basics, including food, water and medicine. GFA said that aid workers in its Compassion Services have found "incredible openness" to the Gospel in the largely Buddhist country. One aid worker quoted a survivor as saying, "Buddha might be sleeping, for he is doing nothing for us, but Christians are everywhere, sharing from whatever they have." The worker continued, "Our providing food and supplying drinking water to different affected areas was a tremendous testimony among both Christians and unbelievers."

Environmental Campaign Launches with Goal to be Biblical, Factual

Through a new "We Get It!" campaign, the Southern Baptist Convention's ethics entity is partnering with other organizations to demonstrate that evangelical Christians support what they describe as a more biblical, fact-based approach to global warming, Baptist Press reports. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) was among the supporting organizations introduced at a May 15 news conference in Washington to unveil the campaign -- an effort to gain the endorsement of a million evangelicals to a brief document that espouses biblical responsibility for the environment and the poor. The effort, spearheaded by the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, serves as a further response to the efforts of the Evangelical Climate Initiative. ECI contends that human beings are the primary cause of global warming, which it says will have the greatest impact on those in poverty. The declaration may be found online at www.wegetit.org.

NEA's Cizik among Time's 100 Most Influential People
The Rev. Richard Cizik, the face of the green evangelical movement, was named among Time magazine's top 100 most influential people in the world for 2008, ASSIST News Service reports. Cizik, an ordained Evangelical Presbyterian minister and head of the Office of Government Affairs for the US National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), was honored alongside environmental partner Dr. Eric Chivian, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "The bringing together of the scientists and the Evangelical Christians is a rather unusual event, since these two groups have really been at odds for a very long time," Chivian said. Cizik commented: "Science without religion loses its ethical guide, and religion without science lacks the means and resources to understand the world. Science enables us to better understand what creation is telling us about itself and its Maker. You can't separate either these principles... taking care of the earth and the sanctity of life -- they overlap."

"Evangelical Manifesto" Calls for Reform

According to a report on the World on the Web website, 80 evangelical leaders are signing an "Evangelical Manifesto" that rebukes both liberal and conservative evangelicals for diminishing the Gospel to fight the culture wars. The Manifesto, due out Wednesday May 7, encourages political engagement, but says evangelicals have sometimes spoken "truth without love" and calls on evangelicals to "reform our own behavior." It's not without its critics. Warner Todd Huston calls the manifesto "another attempt by the political left to undermine the devotion of Christians to the political right," and asks why the project "studiously excluded so many prominent conservative Christians." Names known to be attached to the Manifesto include: Os Guinness, academic and author; Richard Mouw, the president of Fuller Theological Seminary; Timothy George, founding dean of Beeson Divinity School; and Rick Warren.

Bible College Housing Cyclone Survivors in Myanmar

According to Christian Newswire, a Gospel for Asia Bible college in Yangon, Myanmar is now a makeshift shelter for those devastated by Cyclone Nargis. "One of our correspondents was at the Bible college in Rangoon when the storm hit. He was able to obtain information and get on one of the only flights out of the country to deliver a report and photos of the devastation," said GFA President K.P. Yohannan. "The people in Burma live in clusters of small communities in simple bamboo structures. These villages are not made of concrete. I imagine that literally hundreds of these simple structures were just blown away." More than 80 people -- along with 70 children from a nearby orphanage -- made their way to the Bible college campus. Buddhist monks are also at the college, seeking assistance.

New Messianic Jewish Center in Jerusalem Drawing Angry Protests

ASSIST News Service reports that a story from ICEJ News indicates Jerusalem planning authorities have approved the renovation of a house in the capital's secular Rehavia neighborhood to serve as a worship and activity center for the Messianic Jewish organization Netiviah. But some religious elements have vowed to stop the building project even if it means rioting or appealing the High Court of Justice. "This center will be erected over our dead bodies," declared one opponent of the project. Another threatened "an all-out war" if the renovations start as planned. "We don't care if a mosque or a church [is] built here, but we won't tolerate the presence of missionary Messianic Jews," he said, reported Ynetnews.

Colson Diagnoses 'Heart' of Church Problem at Preaching Conference

The Christian Post reports that during Tuesday's session of the 19th Annual National Conference on Preaching, Prison Fellowship founder Chuck Colson said that while healthy churches breed a healthy culture, church problems can lead to social woes. Colson sought to identify the root of current church problems during his address on "Preaching and the Public Square." "Of course we care about the world. Of course we care about everything happening in society, including politics, but we better get our own house in order because what we see in the cultural collapse of America around us today and in the Western world is exactly on our doorstep," argued Colson. "I think that is at the heart of the problem of the church -- we replaced truth with therapy. Most people are basically ignorant." The three-day conference in Washington D.C., running under the theme "Where Do Pulpit and Culture Meet?" has been exploring the role of preaching in addressing cultural, social, and political issues. It concludes Wednesday.

Poll: Bible is America's Favorite Book

According to the results of a new survey reported by Reuters, when it comes to literary pursuits in the U.S., most people agree on at least one thing: the most popular book is the Bible. A Harris Poll of nearly 2,513 adults ranked the Bible number one, but the second choice was not as clear. "The Bible is number one among each of the different demographic groups," Harris said in a statement. The following demographics ranked these different books as their No. 2 favorite behind the Bible: men - J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings;" women - Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind;" 18-31-year-olds - J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series; 32-43-year-olds - Stephen King's "The Stand" and Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons."

Conference Emphasizes 'Renewal' for Christian Doctors

OneNewsNow reports that physicians will get help with "Balancing Faith, Family, and Practice" at a three-day conference in Colorado Springs that begins Thursday. Focus on the Family, which is sponsoring the conference, says it hopes to provide a spiritual retreat. The idea is that doctors of faith live a lifestyle filled with pressure without an outlet among their peers, neighbors, or even fellow churchgoers. "It is a valuable conference because it gives doctors a chance to come together with colleagues who have like interests, like stresses," says Dr. Gene Rudd, senior vice president of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. Rudd says because of their situation in the community and the need to keep certain things confidential, doctors tend not to open up as much. "We need to come out from the world's paradigm right now in terms of how healthcare is given," Rudd emphasizes. "It's moving very much into just a business."

HOME FREE

Renee O'Connor is featured in a new article in NEXT, a magazine from New Zealand. You can read about the former star of "Xena: Warrior Princess," at this wonderful fan site.

ADVENTURECON

I'm back from AdventureCon in Knoxville. Had a blast and will be writing more about it later but right now I want to rest a bit and veg out in front of Stephen King's "The Stand," although I started in the middle and I haven't a clue what this is all about.

Among the highlights was meeting and talking with Brian Harnois of "Ghosthunters" on the Scifi Channel, soon to be seen (later this summer) on the new "Ghosthunters International." He told me about his scariest encounters -- one with a 90-year-old possessed woman and encountering a true demon in a New York brownstone.

I also enjoyed talking with the young woman who was the speaking voice for "Jem" in the cartoon, "Jem & The Holograms." Yes, I was too young to be watching cartoons when Jem came on the scene but I loved it anyway!

AND, got my photo made with Michael Biehn of "The Terminator," and many other scifi movies and TV shows, along with others. We also chatted briefly.

My pal Scott was there, too, so I will have cool photos, too.

More later ....

PASSING ALONG A TREASURE

Lifeway.com offers the following suggestions for using leftover or extra Sunday School or Bible study literature. It's an excellent idea.
Carry it on to other Bible-related literature you may have at home, even the kind you'd normally dispose of after reading, such as monthly or quarterly devotionals or publications you receive from different ministries.
For awhile, we at church gave our leftover SS literature to a woman in our church whose son was a Baptist missionary in Utah.
I know a few times I dropped off some of my end-of-quarter SS books into a "free books" bin at the local used bookstore. I knew I usually checked the bin when I left the store or just walked by the bin on the way to the other stores, looking for a free "treasure," so I imagined other people did also.
Just make sure that you're passing along information that you know is true.
After all there's no greater "treasure" than the story of Jesus and what He offers us.

GREAT BOOK


I've just finished reading a great book, "The Yada Yada Prayer Group," by Neta Jackson.

It was so good I had to go to a used bookstore the following day and try and find Book 2 in the seven-part series (so far). I did! What's the best thing about reading a good book and finding a new series of books or a new author to read? Finding it cheap!
"Yada Yada" tells the story of a diverse group of women who meet at a Christian women's conference. They are different races and socio-economic groups. They have different jobs, ages, and family make-ups. And, they have different styles of worship. But a sudden near-tragedy unites them and the prayer group extends long past the conclusion of the conference.

I AM Jodi Baxter, one of the women. I don't have kids or a husband. I don't live in the Chicago area. I'm not a teacher. But I see so much of her in me. That's including her not-so-good characteristics. I pray that I also start changing the way I see her starting to change in this book, hopefully without some of the things she goes through.

For years I've used the phrase "yada, yada" almost as an etc.-type comment. Think of mindless, fill-in-the-blank type chatter; a term I probably picked up from the "Seinfeld" show, although I never watched it much.

But that's far from the truth.

I'll let "Ruth" from the book tell what she found out about the word "yada" in the book:

"So who's the brilliant person who came up with the name Yada Yada? I knew it meant something. I looked it up in my Hebrew dictionary. 'Yada: to perceive, understand, acquire knowledge, know, discern.' And a whole lot more. Here's one I like: 'To be known, make oneself known, to be familiar.' And another: 'To distinguish (yada) between right and wrong.'"

"If we add an 'h' it gets even bettter. 'Yadah: to speak out, to confess; to praise; to sing; to give thanks.' Later it says Yadah 'essentially means to acknowledge ... the nature and work of God.'

"How about those jewels, Yada Yada sisters?"


Yeah, how about that?

Bobby Williams who used to attend my church writes about Jeff Calloway, who was pastor at our church at the time. It's something I think is worth sharing so I thought I'd link to it here.

Jeff's a wonderful preacher and I miss him and his family. I was his daughter Sarah's Sunday School teacher and now she's a beautiful young lady in college. It's amazing to me that so much time has passed. Not that I'm getting old or anything.

At this time my church is undergoing a "transition" and I'd appreciate prayers for our church and its members and that we would do what God wants. After all, it's all about God and Jesus, right?

Today is the National Day of Prayer...
Please pray for our nation and our world. We all need it.

MOST IMPORTANT NEWS OF THE DAY ...Apparently everyone is talking about the photos of Miley Cyrus in Vanity Fair, at least that's the word on People and just about every entertainment show I can view during my vacation.

Puh-leze.

Although I haven't seen but a couple of the photos shown on those said mentioned entertainment TV shows, I didn't see anything so horrible. I frankly thought Cyrus looked like a girl playing dress-up in the photo of her with the supposedly come hither look, back bare, and too bright red lipstick.

Am I thrilled at the sexualization of our young people? No, but I can point to a lot of other more horrible instances. However, I again remind you I haven't seen the whole photo layout.

Are there still food riots going on in other nations? People starving? People dying by the thousands in places such as Darfur?

The 700 Club did a story on Tim Gill Wednesday. It was interesting. If you do a search of his name on Google, particularly Google News, you'll find his name all over the place.
Tell me what you think.

New Renee O'Connor interview. She played "Gabrielle" in "Xena: Warrior Princess," but then you already knew that.

Ausxip has scans of the SFX article looking back at Xena: Warrior Princess. It includes a comment about shows on religion including the rise of Christianity.

I don't think I've introduced you all to a great site. At least women who have had hysterectomies or contemplating them, or are enduring menopause or cancer issues would find it interesting. Women there offer a lot oof good support. It's called Hystersisters.

Miley Cyrus & Jesus: Here's a neat little story. I'm a little old to be a Miley fan but she seems like a nice young lady and I have watched "Hannah Montana" a few times and it's cute. I'd let my cats watch it since there's no objectionable material. LOL

Watched "The Final Inquiry" last night. I enjoyed it. Jerusalem and the time immediately after the resurrection of Christ is the backdrop for a Roman general's quest on behalf of the emperor to find out why there was an earthquake and eclipse all across the known world at the same time. The emperor has found a connection -- that it's linked to the death on a cross of a man from Nazareth. Now there's a cult sprung up around that man's death and what the believers say is his resurrection. Is it true? The emperor wants to find out and sends this Roman general.

Just watched, "Facing the Giants."
All I can say is AWESOME MOVIE!

A new interview with Renee O'Connor about her "Boogeyman 2" role, her divorce, writing, and future plans.

Ruth Stafford Peale has gone home to be with Jesus

I'm sorry, but I didn't find out about this until today.
Pawling, NY — Ruth Stafford Peale, chairman of the board emeritus and co-founder of Guideposts, died Wednesday, February 6, 2008, at her home in Pawling, NY. She was 101.

"The Book and the Rose"

Just watched this short flick (30 minutes) on TBN. Pretty great. Based upon a Max Lucado short story.

Churches vital after deadly storms

LAFAYETTE, Tenn. - On the way to this storm-ravaged community, a billboard bubbling with fresh paste rises over a rural road with a message from the Gospel of Matthew: "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
MORE ...

The Associated Press & CNN are reporting that Mitt Romney is suspending his campaign for Republican nominee for the presidency.

Please help my fellow Tennesseans devasted by the flooding. If you can give, please do. One place I suggest is Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief. I'm sure there will be other organizations providing relief, I watched a television broadcast of Operation Blessing helping them this morning.

It's not only Tennessee hurting, but several states in the South. I'll post some other articles dealing with this shortly.

"SNOW BUDDIES"

The newspaper where I work got this letter yesterday. Thought I'd pass it along.

February 5, 2008
Dear Editor: People who care about animals should bypass Disney’s straight-to-video movie Snow Buddies. Not only is the story line trite and stale, at least 25 puppy “actors” were removed from the set during filming when many of them fell ill. Three of the puppies had to be euthanized. These weeks-old puppies were taken from their nursing mothers to be used like disposable props. The producers of this movie exploited these babies specifically to target the lucrative children’s movie audience. Kids love puppies, but animals should not suffer and die so that studios can sell tickets. In addition, movies that use purebred dogs often cause people who see the film to impulsively run out and buy a dog of that breed. When the novelty quickly fades, animal shelters become flooded with dogs who were “stars” one day and inconveniences the next. Parents can use this opportunity to explain to their puppy-loving children what happens to the animals when a movie like Snow Buddies wraps.
Sincerely, Kristie PhelpsAnimals in Film, TV, and Advertising SpecialistPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals501 Front St.Norfolk, VA 23510757-763-0626 (cell)

'XENA' Star

New Renee O'Connor interview! If you don't know who she is -- shame on you -- she is most widely known as "Gabrielle" in "Xena: Warrior Princess."

WHY GOD'S PEOPLE NEED TO VOTE!

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Evangelicals have a pitiful record when it comes to voting. Over the last 30 years, on average only half of eligible evangelicals took the time and made the effort to go to vote in a general election for a president, and far fewer bothered to vote in the primaries.
It's fair to ask, "So what?" Does this really matter to God? Is He really concerned about the primaries?
MORE ....

GET OUT AND VOTE
I know you've all been waiting anxiously to find out who the Newscat is going to cast her vote for on Super Tuesday.
Well, drum roll please, it's ...........
Hillary Clinton. Click the link to learn more about her views.

Archeological find linked to another obscure O.T. figure

JERUSALEM (BP)--A 2,500-year-old stone seal unearthed during a Jerusalem archeological dig in early January isn't tied to the obscure Old Testament family initially thought, but instead possibly to an equally obscure and completely different biblical family.In mid-January, archeologist Eilat Mazar told the Jerusalem Post she had found a seal -- designed to make impressions in soft clay -- engraved with the name of the "Temech" family, the same family found in the list of Jewish families in Nehemiah 7 that returned to Jerusalem after being taken into exile by the Babylonians.But as it turns out, Mazar was misreading the inscription. Because the seal is designed to make an impression, the letters are written in mirror-image form, similar to how the word "ambulance" is written on the front of such a vehicle. Following critiques from scholars such as the ones associated with the Biblical Archeology Society, Mazar now acknowledges the letters should read Sh-l-m-t. (Hebrew had no vowels.) If that's the case, then scholars believe it could refer to Shelomith, a man mentioned in Ezra 8:10 who also returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, or to Shelomith, the daughter of Zerubbabel mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3:19. MORE HERE ....

My friend Jeff Calloway's first book has been published. Check out VisionalLife.
It's also available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

Hi all,
It's a new year and a new chance to make a nice looking, interesting blog.
This is just the start. Let me know what you think.

LUCY LAWLESS -- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actress Lucy Lawless is good with a sword. Now, she’ll take a stab at singing.
The 38-year-old actress, best known for her role as “Xena: Warrior Princess,” will make her rock concert debut at a sold-out show Saturday night at the Roxy Theatre in Hollywood.
Lawless recently appeared on Fox’s “Celebrity Duets” and performed with music icons Smokey Robinson and Dionne Warwick. The appearances left her inspired to start her own singing career.
“I’ve become a junkie for live performance,” she said in a statement. “I can’t get enough and I can’t give enough.”
Lawless plans to sing some of her own songs as well as those of Etta James, Nina Simone and Melissa Etheridge.

PRAY FOR STUDENTS — Bathe Schools, Students in Prayer, Says Christian Educator
The recent spate of school shootings in the U.S. have parents worried about the safety of their children -- and that's how it should be, according to a Christian educator. AgapePress reports that Finn Laursen, president of Christian Educators Association International, says the recent shootings -- and the Amish school tragedy, in particular -- should be a wake-up call to those parents who are not concerned. "We need to be aware that as over 50 million students are sent off to school every day, there is no such thing as a place or a school classroom that is totally safe," says Laursen. The CEAI leader believes that all schools need a crisis plan of operation in which everyone knows just what action to take. "And even more importantly, we need to be sure that every single school is covered in prayer," he adds. "And we need to be sure that every single child is prayed over."

COAL CREEK HISTORY -- This is one of my favorite Web sites, http://www.coalcreekaml.com/. It includes information on history of my area, including the Fraterville Mining Explosion of 1902, the Cross Mountain Mine Explosion of 1911, and the Coal Creek Rebellion of 1891 and 1892.

Solomon-era Fortifications Revealed in Israel Excavation -- More than 30 years have passed since a major expedition has attempted to reveal the history of Tel Gezer, the ancient city of King Solomon fame located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Baptist Press reports that this summer the biblical site has been re-excavated by a joint expedition of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and the Israel Antiquities Authority. The expedition is led by co-directors Steven M. Ortiz of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Sam Wolff of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Some secular archaeologists doubt the reality of many people and places named in the Bible, but the current work at the Tel Gezer location may prove useful in verifying various biblical accounts. This year's excavations have revealed more than 40 meters of a massive fortification system associated with the six-chambered gate common in the building projects of King Solomon. Solomon’s extensive building projects are recorded in the biblical account of his activities throughout his kingdom and at his capital city of Jerusalem (1 Kings 9:15-17).

DUDLEYTOWN? -- Los Angeles-based multimedia company Good News Holdings and Wheaton, Illinois-based Tyndale House Publishers have announced their intent to work together on THE ATTICUS PROJECT, a partnership designed to leverage the power of print media with the magic of film. Religion News Service states the project was announced this week by George Barna, Chairman of Good News, and Doug Knox, Senior VP at Tyndale House. One of their first projects together will be a horror series designed for release both in film and book-form called DUDLEYTOWN, based on a true story concerning the legendary evil that has held Dudleytown, Connecticut in its grip for hundreds of years. Dudleytown has been pronounced by some, including film star Dan Aykroyd, to be "the scariest place on earth." This venture is expected to yield seven projects targeting a teen audience. "Our objective is to be the forerunner in a new genre of multimedia we are calling spiritainment," says Barna. "Our research has shown that people -- especially young people -- absorb an amazing degree of their values, beliefs and lifestyle practices from the media content to which they are exposed. Our desire is to raise spiritual questions and draw people closer to God and His truths."

JESUS AS 'BRAVEHEART?'

Move To Make Churches More Attractive To Men

Is Jesus more like Mother Teresa or William Wallace? That is the question asked by John Eldredge in Wild at Heart, his popular book for men. Eldredge suggests that the answer depends on what you need from Jesus right now. If you’re a leper, an outcast, a pariah of society whom no-one will touch, then you’d probably want Jesus to be like the saintly nun who ministered in the streets of Calcutta. However, if you’re more concerned with how we tackle the moral challenges of society and advance the values of the kingdom of God, then he suggests we need Jesus to be more like the liberator of Scotland, made famous by Mel Gibson in the movie Braveheart. At the heart of this question is how the Church ministers to men. One organization that has successfully turned the spotlight on men’s issues in the church is Promise Keepers. After 12 years of running large Events for Men, Promise Keepers is sharpening its focus on ministry with men at a local church level. National director of Promise Keepers, Paul Subritzky, says “We are convinced that if men are to be reached in ever-increasing numbers, we have to do all we can to support the churches."

Jews For Jesus to Launch Its Largest Outreach

New York City will be met with the most intensive evangelistic outreach to Jews in July, The Christian Post reports. "This will be one of the largest and most strategic outreaches to Jewish people in the history of the Jews For Jesus ministry," said Susan Perlman, associate executive director for Jews For Jesus. This summer's outreach is "unique" to all preceding ones, Perlman stated. "Jews for Jesus made a commitment... to have an evangelistic outreach that had an intensive evangelistic outreach with a follow-up component in every city in the world that had a Jewish population of 25,000 or more."

Plea from Inside Gaza

Dr. Hanna Massad pastors Gaza Baptist Church - the only evangelical church in the Gaza Strip - while his wife, Suhad, runs the Palestinian Bible Society Bookstore. The church is located in the heart of several terrorist group headquarters as it carries out its Christian Mission to Gaza. Via ASSIST News Service, Pastor Massad sends an urgent message: “Many people in Gaza are without water and electricity. The food supply is limited, and there is no gas... This time we are going through is a very tough time. It is one of the worst times we have had in Gaza. We continue to hear the noise of bombing almost 24 hours a day... This has caused damage in many homes. Even the ceiling inside our church fell down. We are very concerned about our children. It is causing psychological problems, not only for children but for many adults as well. Sometimes, we are not able to meet, and we have to cancel our meetings, especially the children’s ministry. The last few days have been very difficult for me, where I felt the spirit of fear and desperation. But yesterday and today, I felt more of the presence of God in the midst of darkness. I need more and more of His presence and power in order to minister to my people the message of hope and peace. We have only one way. We chose to live for Him and reflect his love to the Palestinian people."

Christian, Jewish Women Promote Biblical Women's Rights -- CNSNews reports that American Christians are teaming up with Israeli parliamentarians to advance the status of women worldwide by stressing Judeo-Christian values. The project is part of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus (KCAC), which was established in 2004 to promote Jewish-Christian relations. Those relations have strengthened considerably during more than five years of violent Palestinian uprising. Evangelical Christians have proved to be some of Israel's most faithful allies during the last few years, advocating on behalf of Israel and boosting tourism to the country. At a meeting at the Knesset on Tuesday, the KCAC launched an International Women's Council, which will be chaired by American Evangelist Kay Arthur. Arthur said the group's mission is three-fold: to advance the status of women on the basis of Judeo-Christian values; to establish communication and cooperation between women of all backgrounds and ethnicities; and to make Jerusalem the focal point for change and "the spread of biblical values around the world."

WHAT DO YOU SERVE YOUR MIND?

Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8 NLT

No one would allow garbage at his table, but many allow it served into their minds.
Fulton John Sheen


Watch your diet



What would we expect of someone who feeds only on fast food and unhealthy snacks filled with sugar and fats? A healthy body? Long life? No, we would expect physical health to be largely the product of physical intake. Is it any different in the spirit?

Modern culture is saturated with unhealthy spiritual food—from the lusts of the flesh and the eyes, to the human pride of the self-life, to elaborate and deceptive worldviews and philosophies. Hundreds of television channels, dozens of newspapers and magazines, unlimited cyberspace images, and a number of other media compete for our attention. We let many of them actually win our attention. And much of what we feed on is unhealthy. In our pursuit of wisdom, our minds often hunger for genuine nutrition.

"You are what you eat" applies not only in the physical world, but also in the spiritual. There's no way to take in junk without becoming junky.

God calls us to watch our diets. It pleases Him when we care for His temple, our bodies. But it pleases HIm much more when we care for our minds. Our thought life is where His Spirit most prefers to work, shaping uncluttered hearts and imparting wisdom to uncluttered minds. Even so, we do not make a smooth highway for Him into our souls. Through our entertainment, we let ourselves be bombarded by an incessant PR campaign for the ways of the world. Find a balance. Watch what goes into your mind. Without hindrance, let His thoughts nourish you.

Adapted from The One Year® Walk with God Devotional by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale House Publishers (2004), entry for April 4.


Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Bush Calls U.S. a Nation of Prayer Yahoo News

DOES HOLLYWOOD GET RELIGION RIGHT? -- Does Hollywood get religion right when it makes movies? Catholic News Service reports the answers are diverse as cinematic fare. "Some people do their homework and get it right; other people exploit it," said Paulist Father Frank Desiderio. "If you mean the studios, then no they don't," said Barbara Nicolosi, who runs the Act One screenwriting program for Christians. "Studios are not in the habit of hiring people of faith to either write, direct or be in any creative capacity for projects that involve religion." Harry Forbes, director of the U.S. bishops' Office for Film & Broadcasting, said, "In the old days, Hollywood would bend over backward not to offend." While that era may have been inaccurate by portraying "an overly idealized view of religious types," Forbes added, "that is preferable to a disparaging view of religion, as you often get today." Nicolosi commented on several recent releases, including ABC's miniseries The Ten Commandments ("[They] missed "the entire theological heart of the Moses story"), blockbuster movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (" [It] didn't pack the punch it could have" because the screenwriters "didn't get Aslan"), and the forthcoming The Da Vinci Code (she dreads the May 19 release, and is advocating an "othercott," exhorting moviegoers to see the animated feature Over the Hedge that weekend instead).

LONGER LIVES FOR THOSE WHO GO TO CHURCH? -- According to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, regular church attendance is an effective way to increase life expectancy. Specifically, people who attend a religious service on a weekly basis tend to prolong their life 1.8 to 3.1 years. In comparison, regular physical exercise prolongs life 3.0 to 5.1 years, while proven therapeutic regimens add 2.1 to 3.7 years to a person's life. Since the study is a review of existing research, it does not explain the link between faith and health. But Daniel Hall, leader of the study and a resident in general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, speculates that the social aspect of religion may have something to do with the results. "There is something about being knit into the type of community that religious communities embody that has a way of mediating a positive health effect," Hall said. Therefore, being religiously active may decrease your stress level or increase your ability to cope with stress. "Being in a religious community helps you make meaning out of your life," he added. In addition to health data, Hall also examined the annual cost of these typical life-gaining activities. He found that people spend about $4,000 a year on physical exercise, $10,000 a year on therapy and $7,000 a year per household on contributions to religious institutions. "[Yet] there is no evidence that changing religious attendance causes a change in health outcomes," Hall warned.
-- AgapePress

DA VINCI CODE POLL -- Despite sensational reports to the contrary, most Americans are not buying the key theological premises of The Da Vinci Code says a poll commissioned by the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Baptist Press reports that NAMB commissioned Zogby International to conduct the poll, which involved a sample of 1,200 adults surveyed by telephone in March. 23% of Americans have read the novel, while 43% said they were familiar with the content. Among those who had read it, more than 60% believed that the Bible is closer to the truth, while only 10% believed Dan Brown's novel is more truthful. Among the entire sample, 72% believed that the Bible was closer to the truth. "The most striking result from the survey is that after either reading or hearing about The Da Vinci Code, 44% of respondents were more likely to seek the truth by studying the Bible, while only 20% were less likely to study the Bible," said Ed Stetzer, missiologist and director of NAMB's Center for Missional Research.

MARY MAGDALENE, THE TRUTH -- The fictions in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code are not the only errors about Mary Magdalene that modern scholars are seeking to correct. Catholic News Service reports that historians are also trying to set straight centuries of erroneous Christian tradition regarding her that evolved over time in the West. While Greek Orthodox tradition always held that Mary Magdalene, the unnamed repentant sinner who cried on Jesus' feet, and Mary of Bethany were three distinct women, a sermon by Pope St. Gregory in 591 identified the three figures as one woman, creating the notion of Mary Magdalene as a repentant sinful woman, possibly a prostitute. Sister Elizabeth A. Johnson, a theologian at Fordham University, said the version of Mary as "the prostitute to whom Jesus forgave much and who loved him... took on a profound Christian ideal of a sinner who repents and therefore is a model for Christians in that way. But what got lost in the process was her actual role as a leader of witnessing to the Resurrection in the early church." Sister Elizabeth said that when one looks at Mary being the one the risen Christ appears to and commissions to announce the good news to the others, it has "many implications for how we tell the story... There is the typical story where Jesus chose the 12 and put Peter in charge, and the women were accessories. When you put Mary Magdalene into the picture, you can't tell the story that way so simply anymore."

PEACE CELLS INSTEAD OF TERROR CELLS -- According to a Catholic News Service story, a group of parishioners at St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln Park, NJ is trying to turn the term "terror cell" inside out by forming a "peace cell" and using prayer to promote peace. Led by four Franciscan Sisters of Peace, about 20 parishioners meet on Sundays to spend 24 minutes praying for an end to violence around the world and close to home. Franciscan Sister Ellen Byrnes said, "We want to counter the terror cells, which people are concerned about. Our focus is to pray for peace and to trust in the power of prayer. In this time of fear and terror, the sisters believe that prayer is an untapped source needed in our world." Father Philip LeBeau, St. Joseph's pastor, called the peace cell "a great idea. To get 20 people out on a Sunday is great. It's short, and people come when they can. They get together and pray for peace the way they want to." Originally, the Sisters had planned to devote themselves by praying in their convent. Instead, they decided to extend an invitation to the parish.

Boom in African Christianity Spills over to America: The Redeemed Christian Church of God was founded in Lagos, Nigeria by men and women who were once the target of missionary work themselves, according to an Associated Press report. Now, Redeemed Church has become one of the most aggressive evangelizers to emerge from the advance of Christianity across Africa. Jacob Olupona, a professor at the University of California-Davis, has found hundreds of examples in cities large and small. "Anyone who writes about Christianity in America in the 21st century," Olupona said, "will have to write about African churches." Over the last century, Christians in Nigeria have swelled from a tiny minority to nearly half the population, and Nigerian pastors have shown an exceptional talent for winning believers abroad. In the U.S., the Redeemed Church has opened more than 200 parishes in just over a decade, and is training pastors of all ethnicities to reach beyond the church's base in the African immigrant community. One of its largest congregations, Victory Temple in Bowie, Md., claims 2,000 members. Fifty miles north of Dallas, the church is building a multimillion-dollar national headquarters and conference complex on more than 600 acres of farm land. The Redeemed Church is Pentecostal and, through evangelism, has become the fastest-growing wing of Christianity worldwide.

Survey Reveals Significant Growth in Born Again Population: In The Barna Group's latest study, in which 1003 lower-48 American adults were interviewed, the proportion of adults who can be classified as "born again Christians" based upon their beliefs was the highest ever measured in the quarter century that Barna has been tracking that measure. The new research found that 45% of all adults meet the criteria that The Barna Group uses to classify people as "born again." That number is up from 31% in 1983. The increase is largely attributable to a 16-point rise among Baby Boomers since the beginning of the 1990s. With 53% of Boomers currently meeting the born again criteria used by The Barna Group, that generation has now surpassed the percentage of born again adults within the preceding pair of generations. Slightly more than one-third of the younger generations - the Baby Busters and Mosaics - fit the criteria. Other demographic comparisons: women are 16% more likely than men to be born again; African-Americans are the ethnic group most likely to be born again (59%); Hispanics the least likely (32%). The South is 57% born again, while the West (33%) and Northeast (37%) have fewer born again Christians.

Study Suggests Weekly Worship May Add 2-3 Years to Life: Could weekly religious attendance extend your life as much as regular exercise? The Washington Post reports that's one way to view new research by University of Pittsburgh physician Daniel Hall, who also happens to be an Episcopal priest. The study compares numbers from life expectancy tables and mortality studies to suggest that weekly worship may add 2-3 years to life, versus 3-5 years for regular exercise and 2.5-3.5 years for cholesterol-lowering drugs. Hall even compares the costs/benefits of tithing, gym membership and cholesterol medications. The study is not without its critics. Tom Denberg of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center said the study does not account for other behaviors - such as religious people being less likely to be smokers - that may explain churchgoers' relative longevity. Denberg went on to label the study "part of a larger, troubling movement in American society to enhance the scientific credibility of [religious] concepts."

Open Doors Urges Participation In North Korea Freedom Week: During North Korea Freedom Week April 22-30, Open Doors USA is partnering with North Korea Freedom Coalition members to focus on atrocities and raise up prayers. For Soon Ok Lee, a Christian survivor of political prison camps and author of "Eyes of the Tailless Animals," North Korea is the world's No. 1 "Evil Empire." Lee still bears physical scars from her prison camp experience where: "According to North Korean law... a criminal's seed must be scorched up to its third generation, [so] they abort the baby. If somehow the baby survives and is born, they strangle the baby by stepping on them in front of its own mother. I also witnessed many human experiments. They said it was pointless to test weapons and chemicals on animals because they were created to target their enemies - other human beings. I also saw many Christians in the camp... they were stepped on until death. If they didn't deny God, they were often times burned to death from boiling hot liquid metal. And these weren't rare sights for me. Because I went through many physical tortures... the right side of my face is still a little distorted, the left half of my mouth is crooked and the whole left half of my teeth were crushed. I live with a lot of physical pain on my body and it's difficult to get through each day. But there are still many people going through tortures and human experiments even at this very moment." Lee says we as Christians need to speak out about these abuses. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) adds: "In North Korea, we hear reports of religious believers being tortured, imprisoned and even executed for their beliefs."

PRAY FOR GENOCIDE TO END IN DARFUR: Prayer Week for Darfur


April 2-9 is the Week of Prayer and Action for Darfur, reports Family News in Focus. Gloria White-Hammond is with the Save Darfur Coalition. "The history of genocide reveals that for the most part, genocides were not stopped, they petered-out and it's not been the case that people have stood up and intervened to actually stop that action. We're inviting communities of all faiths to participate and certainly looking for people to come together in whatever venue; in their prayer meetings, their phone prayers, but to pray that God's will would be done in Darfur." As part in the Million Voices for Darfur campaign, Richard Cizik with the National Association of Evangelicals is hoping President Bush will get one-million post cards asking him to make peace in Darfur a priority. You can send a postcard to President Bush through www.savedarfur.org. The postcards will be delivered to Washington D.C. during the "Save Darfur Rally to Stop Genocide" on April 30th.

MYPOINTS.COM ... Thought I'd let y'all know about one of my favorite sites. I receive a few emails in the mail each day from Mypoints. Just by clicking them I get points and I redeem those points for gift cards. It's that simple. My favorite gift cards: Wal-Mart, and bookstores. Oh, free dining at my favorite restaurants are good, too. No catch. It's seriously free. Just follow the link.

Interesting interview with Creation Entertainment guy on "fandoms." If you're into scifi/fantasy shows and movies you should enjoy this.

Anthony Walker, a Godly Son

So sad, but also so uplifting. If we can all forgive like this ...

Christian T-Shirts More Popular Than NBA or Abercrombie
Religion News Service

Christian t-shirts are a more popular choice among young adults than either NBA-themed or Abercrombie & Fitch logo tees, according to a new nationwide survey by Internet retailer DATOmana.
419 adults aged 18 - 34 from across the country were surveyed about their tastes in tees. When presented with a variety of t-shirts, including an Abercrombie & Fitch logo tee, a NBA-licensed tee and a Christian tee, 40 percent chose the religious tee, versus 16 percent for the NBA tee and 30 percent for the Abercrombie tee. When asked what would motivate them to wear a t-shirt with a religious message on it, most said simply that they would do so if they liked the message on the shirt. Only 6 percent said they would only wear one "as a joke."
"America's love of religious t-shirts shouldn't really come as a surprise," says Tom Biggs, president of DATOmana. "Research has shown that almost three-quarters of Americans consider their faith to be a very important part of their life, and younger Americans are more likely than any previous generation to feel comfortable wearing clothing that not only reflects their personal attitude, but their beliefs, as well."

Most Americans Feel Religion Is 'Under Attack,' Poll Shows
Melanie Hunter, CNSNews.com
A new survey shows the majority of Americans think religion is "under attack" and "losing its influence" in American life.
According to the poll, American Attitudes Toward Religion In the Public Square, 64 percent (out of 800 adults polled) agreed with the statement that "religion is under attack" in America, and 80 percent of those who identify themselves as evangelical Christians were in agreement.
"The findings suggest that American public opinion is starkly divided when it comes to the role of religion in the public square, and that our nation's proud tradition of church-state separation is threatened as never before," said Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham H. Foxman. "Unfortunately, too many people believe that religion is under attack in America, when in fact religion is stronger in the United States than in any other Western country."
The poll also found 53 percent of respondents believe that religion is "losing" influence in American life, while 35 percent said it is "increasing influence." Among those who think religion is "losing" influence, 60 percent are evangelical Christians, while 33 percent of that same group said religion is "increasing" in influence.
The poll also covered questions regarding public displays of the Ten Commandments, and the creation/evolution debate.

Believers flock to 'crying' virgin Mary in California.

I find this fascinating. No, I'm not Catholic. But I believe this is possible -- there are many things that happen in this world that aren't explanable by earthly means.

OLDER BUT WILDER, I just finished this book by Effie Leland Wilder. CUTE! I read another of her books, ONE MORE TIME: JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT! I love this lady and her books. They were bought for my Mom but I like them better than she does, I think.

Adrian Rogers, former Southern Baptist president, dies at age 74
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Dr. Adrian Rogers of Memphis, a three-time president of the Southern Baptist Convention and leader of a conservative takeover of the faith, died early Tuesday in Memphis. He was 74.
His death was announced at the Baptist Press News Web site and at Rogers’ own Web site. Officials with the Nashville based Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee didn’t immediately return calls seeking comment.
Rogers was hospitalized earlier this month with pneumonia and cancer, his Web site said.
Rogers as pastor of the 28,000-member Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis in March 2005, saying during his farewell sermon, “I am what I am by the grace of God.”
Rogers was elected president in 1979 as part of the conservative takeover of the SBC.
Rogers’ election turned out to a be a watershed moment for the denomination, and the 16 million member group shifted dramatically to the right politically and theologically.
In the years that followed, conservative leaders pushed hard against abortion rights, homosexuality and women pastors.
Rogers also was elected president of the SBC in 1986 and 1987.
He was pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church for 32 years.
“There’s no one in this country I respect more than Adrian Rogers,” said Focus on the Family’s Dr. James Dobson on Rogers’ last day as pastor. “You draw me to Christ. When I’m with you, I feel closer to the Lord.”
Among those who attended his final sermon were Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.; U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn.; Dr. Richard Land, president of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; and Dr. Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and former SBC president.
During his career, Rogers preached crusades in Taiwan, South Korea, Israel, Russia, Romania, and in Central and South America.
In 2003 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the National Religious Broadcasters.

Dog to receive memorial award at cat show

Pal Jeff Calloway's posts last two days have been awesome.

Ancient church found -- perhaps oldest -- near Armageddon (Megiddo)

Reuters version of above AP story

"In God We Trust" on "Dateline" Friday night:
Dateline

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28 - 8:00 PM ET
It's a movement sweeping the nation 70-million strong: But for Evangelicals, it's also about the fight over abortion and gay marriage. And politics. Do Evangelicals have too much influence? Some fellow Christians think "yes." Who are today's Evangelicals? And what is their vision for America?Tom Brokaw reports.

Lucy Lawless tackles “Vampire Bats”

By BRIDGET BYRNE
For The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — For someone used to confronting vengeful gods, vampire bats must seem like chicken feed.
In the CBS movie “Vampire Bats,” Lucy Lawless — forever famous as the scantily clad, weapon-wielding superwoman in the syndicated action series “Xena: Warrior Princess” — plays Dr. Maddy Rierdon, “an everywoman,” as Lawless calls her.
Lawless, 37, first appeared as Rierdon in April, taking on a plague of bioengineered insects in “Locusts.” That movie’s appeal to a younger demographic (so vital now that the CBS Sunday night movie is up against the ABC hit “Desperate Housewives”) has spawned this sequel, which airs Sunday at 9 p.m Eastern. Dylan Neal reprises his role as Rierdon’s husband, and Timothy Bottoms and Brett Butler co-star.
Lawless has no pretensions about “Vampire Bats” having a serious message, although the two-hour tale does indicate industrial pollution mutated the bats into little monsters.
“It’s really fun and the people who make it are fun. They don’t take themselves too seriously,” says Lawless, explaining why she again signed on to play a character, who is — bats aside — closer to her own reality as a working mother of three.
She’s usually more interested in roles that provide escapism from her daily norm.
Producer Frank von Zerneck says Lawless was an apt pick to play “a smart, headstrong woman, very well-trained, with connections in Washington, who really takes charge.”
“Lucy’s got two feet on the ground; she’s very, very strong and yet has a wonderful soft side that she reveals here. She’s a dream to work with — and talk about tricky circumstances,” he adds, referring to Hurricane Katrina, which forced the production to move out of New Orleans.
Lawless spent hours in a car with “dramatic weather rolling over us,” en route to Baton Rouge, where she stayed with other crew members for a few days.
Luckily, no real bats had to travel with them because the creatures are computer-generated. “Live bats are very hard to wrangle,” quips the New Zealand-born actress.
But one oversized animatronic bat was created. “Its mouth opens. Its tongue comes out. Its eyes bulge. Its head moves side to side. All those delicious things,” von Zerneck says, laughing.
Even before “Xena” ended production in 2001 after six seasons, Lawless started displaying her versatility. In 1997 she appeared on Broadway as Rizzo in the musical “Grease.” Earlier this year in Seattle, she performed in a production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”
Those experiences reminded her that being a musical star was her dream back in Mount Albert, Auckland, where she grew up as Lucille Ryan — possibly a “throwback” to her great-grandmother, a vaudevillian.
———
On the Net:
www.cbs.com
http://www.lucylawlessfanclub.com

Christians are here for 'such a time as this'

INTERNET FOR CHRISTIANSDigest from October 15, 2005 to October 21, 2005Internet for Christians reviews and recommends websites, email lists,news items, and other Internet points of interest to Christians. ThisIFC digest email collects the stories that we've posted on our websitein the past week. You can keep up with the stories as they're postedat: http://ifc.gospelcom.net/.IFC is published by Gospelcom.net http://www.gospelcom.net/ andsponsored by GospelDirect.com http://www.gospeldirect.com/. You canfind subscription information at the end of this email, or on the IFCwebsite.____________________________________________________** SECTIONS AND ARTICLES IN THIS DIGEST **SPIRITUAL GROWTH * Contemplating Katrina * Travel Back to the Bible and the ReformationNEW & NOTABLE * Announcing the First Annual Faith-Based Marketing Summit * Appreciating Your PastorMINISTRY * First Christian Church in Hundreds of Years to be Built in QatarENTERTAINMENT * Mourning, Tragedy, and Gospel Music * Third "Left Behind" Film to Show at Over 3,000 ChurchesFAMILY * Drugs, Suicide and Teen Sex: Crises in the Family * Eclectic Homeschool Online: Resources for Christian ParentsSOCIETY * Scripture Quotes, Coming to a Coffee Cup Near You * Christian Resources for the World Community * An Atheist Selling Jesus?JUST FOR FUN * A Pastor's Halloween Alternatives!?!___________________________________________________** SPIRITUAL GROWTH **CONTEMPLATING KATRINA - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- "Can I really expect God to protect me?" It's oneof those deep-thought questions and the subject of a recent article[1]at ChristianityToday.com. And the answer? Nancy Guthrie, author, talksabout "divine promises in the midst of suffering" and asks difficultquestions we too, in our distress and difficulties, want to ask. Sheconcludes, "So can I expect God to protect me, and anyone devastated bya tragedy as big as Katrina? Absolutely! I've come to see that his'protection plan' is more vast and far-reaching than my shallowexpectations once defined. I see now that God's promises for protectiongo much deeper than protecting my body or my agenda or my plan for mylife. I can rest easy. I'm protected." Note: For additional thought, read Katrina Aid Continues as StandardPublishing Releases 'Where’s God? Hanging on When You Can’tSee His Plan[2],' an ASSIST News Service story, and learn how to obtaina free copy.-- Links in this story --http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/010/26.56.html
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05100086.htm
TRAVEL BACK TO THE BIBLE AND THE REFORMATION - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- Learn about the history of the modern Church andthe lives of the giants of the Christian faith[1] (Charles Wesley, JohnWycliffe, Martin Luther and more) from two Back to the Bible video andCD-ROM resources. In "After the Darkness...Light," Woodrow Kroll,senior Bible teacher and BTTB president, visits the ancient cities ofEurope to explain the people, places and events God used to reconstructthe Christian Church and to restore the light of His truth. "Giants ofthe Faith," a CD-ROM for Windows and Macintosh, presents the inspiringtrue stories of 16 Reformation movers and shakers, including CharlesWesley, David Livingstone and John Wycliffe, while also touring theGreat Britain landscape. Purchase both resources together at anaffordable sale price.-- Links in this story --[1] http://www.backtothebible.org/resources/faith_giants.htm
___________________________________________________** NEW & NOTABLE **ANNOUNCING THE FIRST ANNUAL FAITH-BASED MARKETING SUMMIT - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- The First Annual Faith-Based Marketing Summit willbe held on November 4 in Dallas, Texas. Faith-Based Marketing[1]"explores the role the faith-based community can play in the success ofmarketing Christian products and events." The conference covers avariety of topics including "Creative uses of telemarketing - whatworks and what doesn't" and "Email vs. snail mail - current trends andcomparisons for the faith-based consumers/donors." Featured speakersinclude Larry Ross, Billy Graham's PR representative for the past 20years and other top Christian professionals in Christian marketing.Greg Stielstra, former senior marketing director for the book group atZondervan[2] will be a special guest speaker.-- Links in this story --[1] http://www.faithbasedmarketing.com/
[2] http://www.zondervan.com/
APPRECIATING YOUR PASTOR - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- "Caring for a pastor goes beyond baking himcookies," says Jane Rubietta, the wife of a pastor in Illinois (USA).In her book, "How to Keep the Pastor You Love," Rubietta sets out toeducate congregations and church leaders on issues pastors face, suchas frequent moves and expectations of the church, the pastor'sspiritual life, care for the pastor's spouse, a place for the pastor'schildren and financial compensation. Rubietta breaks down the largelyunexamined myth of the superhuman pastor. Read more about Rubietta'sbook at InterVarsity Press[1] and visit Abounding Ministries[2] tolearn more about Jane Rubietta and her unique perspective on pastorappreciation. In addition, read Pastors Serve Others Across theWorld[3], an ASSIST News Service story; then enjoy a Pastor'sAppreciation page[4] with devos and poetry honoring pastors.-- Links in this story --[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=2319
[2] http://www.abounding.org/
[3] http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05090125.htm
[4] http://www.peggiesplace.com/pastorappreciation.htm
___________________________________________________** MINISTRY **FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO BE BUILT IN QATAR - posted by Andy RauOctober 21, 2005 -- The country of Qatar is getting a church--but notjust any old church. The planned Anglican church will be the firstChristian church built in the country since the arrival of Islam in the7th century! An AP article[1] at Beliefnet takes a thorough look atthe church plans, and at the controversy and resistance generated bythe church's construction amidst the nation's primarily Muslimpopulace. The church should provide an official place of worship forsome of the country's approximately 70,000 Christians, most of whomhave come to the country since the early 20th century. According tothe article, a handful of other Christian churches catering to otherChristian denominations may follow the Anglican church.-- Links in this story --[1] http://www.beliefnet.com/story/177/story_17746_1.html
___________________________________________________** ENTERTAINMENT **MOURNING, TRAGEDY, AND GOSPEL MUSIC - posted by Andy RauOctober 21, 2005 -- What place does mourning have in the modernChristian life? Do we glamorize the ideal Christian life as one thatisn't touched by sadness or tragedy? The always-interesting Gospel Galblog muses about the place of mourning and grief[1] in our lives, andwonders if Gospel music might have something to say in this regard:"Does gospel music, in its present contemporary form, provide music formourning? Prophetic music that serves as a much-needed jeremiad for theconditions in which we find ourselves, or as the timeless music thatreminds us that we have tribulation in the world?"-- Links in this story --[1] http://gospelgal.blogspot.com/2005/09/music-to-mourn-to.html
THIRD "LEFT BEHIND" FILM TO SHOW AT OVER 3,000 CHURCHES - posted by Andy RauOctober 21, 2005 -- The third installment in the "Left Behind" movieseries[1] arrives this weekend, although it won't be showing at yourlocal movie theater--try your local church! The franchise, which hasbeen well-received by Christians audiences but largely dismissed bymainstream film critics, has since its inception focused its marketingcampaign on churches, and "Left Behind: World at War" is noexception--it will be showing at over 3,000 churches (see the officialpress release[2] for details). A recent Christianity Today interviewwith the director Peter Lalonde[3] talks more about the strategy (andsee also their review[4] of the film). Opinions may vary within theChristian community about the "Left Behind" films, but "World at War's"church-focused release could point at new ways that Christian-interestor independent films might be distributed outside the traditional moviesystem.-- Links in this story --[1] http://imdb.com/title/tt0443567/
[2] http://www.cloudtenpictures.com/index.php?object=RecentNews
[3] http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/interviews/peterlalonde.html
[4] http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/reviews/leftbehind3.html
___________________________________________________** FAMILY **DRUGS, SUICIDE AND TEEN SEX: CRISES IN THE FAMILY - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- Facts and figures don't lie--drugs, suicide andteen sex are catastrophic even within the Christian family. What arethe warning signs of suicide? Visit Parenting & Family Life[1] (Baptist Memorial Health Care) that addresses issues such as drugs,sex, HIV, discipline, rules, single parenting and more. Then see TeenChallenge International for A Parent's Guide on Drug Abuse[2], warningsigns, drug-proofing your child, marijuana and alcohol use, preventiontips and more. The Christian Youth Ministry Association in New Zealandoffers youth ministry resources also applicable for the family. SeeYouth Suicide[3], as well as Difficult Behaviors[4] and Sexuality[5]. -- Links in this story --[1] http://www.baptistonline.org/health/library/parent.asp
[2] http://www.teenchallenge.com/socal/index.cfm?articleID=1&centerID=1024
[3] http://www.youthministry.org.nz/?sid=15
[4] http://www.youthministry.org.nz/?sid=7
[5] http://www.youthministry.org.nz/?sid=9
ECLECTIC HOMESCHOOL ONLINE: RESOURCES FOR CHRISTIAN PARENTS - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- Eclectic Homeschool Online[1], "a magazine forcreative homeschoolers...published from a Christian perspective,"offers multi-resources for homeschooling families. Find supportresources (legal, military, organizations), product reviews, family funand educational development (math, critical thinking, science, socialstudies, special needs, the arts, crafts, Bible and more). Readhomeschooling articles and enjoy community with other homeschoolingparents (forums, news, email lists and more). A shopping area forcurriculum, educational toys, software, DVDs and more is alsoavailable.-- Links in this story --[1] http://eclectichomeschool.org/
___________________________________________________** SOCIETY **SCRIPTURE QUOTES, COMING TO A COFFEE CUP NEAR YOU - posted by Andy RauOctober 21, 2005 -- Have you ever spotted a Bible verse stealthilyprinted on the bottom of a coffee cup, or on a shopping bag? You mightwant to keep an eye out for such quotes--according to a recent USAToday article[1], a surprising number of retailers and companies, fromStarbucks to a California burger chain to Hobby Lobby--have made use offaith-based messages, quotes, or music in their everyday business. Thereasons for doing so range from piety to wanting to simply do somethingunique and interesting. Whatever the reasons, it's interesting to seebits of Christianity cropping up not just at your weekly churchservice, but along with your burger and fries during your weekday lunchbreak!-- Links in this story --[1] http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2005-10-19-starbucks-quote_x.htm
CHRISTIAN RESOURCES FOR THE WORLD COMMUNITY - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- ChristianityToday.com, in cooperation with theGlobal Christian Internet Alliance[1] provides a resource channel[2]for the international Christian and non-Christian communities. Find anextensive collection of multi-language resources, be informed withupdated news and discover affiliates worldwide. Read World Reports fromChristianity Today[3] magazine; find international news for Africa,Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America. Multi-languageresources include Bible Gateway, Evangelism Toolbox and ChristianAnswers Web sites in 19 languages; a non-believer can also read Who isJesus?[4] in his native language. -- Links in this story --[1] http://www.christianitytoday.com/international/features/info.html
[2] http://www.christianitytoday.com/international/
[3] http://www.christianitytoday.com/ctmag/
[4] http://www.whoisjesus.org/
AN ATHEIST SELLING JESUS? - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- A coalition of evangelical churches led by theBible Society of Australia[1] has recently run a media campaign inAdelaide, spending about $AUS 250,000 on the most intense andbroad-based religious campaign in this country to try to reclaim lostground. The slogan is Jesus. All about life[2] and the plan is to rollit out across the country in the next couple of years, with Canberradue next April. And an atheist has been advising[3]! The strategy isfor 90 per cent of the population to see the television ads 10 times,with billboards across the city, radio spots, an Internet site[4] and amail-out of 250,000 postcards. (Courtesy of Web EvangelismBulletin[5].)-- Links in this story --[1] http://www.biblesociety.com.au/
[2] http://www.jesusallaboutlife.com.au/
[3] http://guide.gospelcom.net/rd?b05sept-australian
[4] http://allaboutlife.com.au/
[5] http://guide.gospelcom.net/resources/bulletin.php
___________________________________________________** JUST FOR FUN **A PASTOR'S HALLOWEEN ALTERNATIVES!?! - posted by Peggie BohanonOctober 19, 2005 -- Canadian Pastor Grant MacDonald humorouslyaddresses the Halloween dilemma in his Top Ten Suggestions forChristian Halloween Costumes[1] and his hilarious Top Ten Things to Dowith Your Youth Group on Halloween[2]. Pastor MacDonald also offerssome great ideas for serious Halloween Alternatives[3] such asBible-character costume parties and "Light the Night," a neighborhoodtract distribution. Readers will also enjoy a Halloween-relatedtestimony, Take Jesus Along[4].-- Links in this story --[1] http://graceland.gentle.org/topten/topoct98.html
[2] http://graceland.gentle.org/topten/0510top.html
[3] http://graceland.gentle.org/topten/ween.html
[4] http://graceland.gentle.org/whatcha/takejes.html
____________________________________________________Peggie Bohanon, Executive EditorAndy Rau, Managing EditorDavid Sanford, Contributing WriterPeggie Bohanon, executive editor, is webmaster of Peggie's Place(http://www.peggiesplace.com/).Internet for Christians content may be posted and distributed withoutcharge for non-profit use. Non-profit organizations must give credit tothe newsletter and to Gospelcom.net. Commercial media may quote from itwith proper attribution to both the newsletter and GospelCommunications. (Copyright 2003 Gospel Communications International,Inc., (http://gci.gospelcom.net/
).The Web version of IFC (http://ifc.gospelcom.net/
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IFC features a wide variety of websites that we feel are interestingand noteworthy for Christians. That said, we encourage you to exercisediscretion while browsing the sites we feature. IFC makes reasonableefforts to determine that the material we reference is interesting andreliable, but we neither operate nor control the sites in question, andthus don't assume responsibility for them. Please use discretion whilebrowsing.PAST STORIES: Do you remember seeing a post in a past IFC digest thatyou'd like to find again? We archive a full year's worth of content at<
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'God Bloggers' Head to National Conference
By GILLIAN FLACCUS
The Associated Press
LA MIRADA, Calif. (AP) - What would Jesus blog? That and other pressing questions drew 135 Christians to Southern California this weekend for a national conference billed as the first-ever for "God bloggers," a growing community of online writers who exchange information and analyze current events from a Christian perspective.
The three-day conference at Biola University marked an important benchmark for Christian bloggers, who have worked behind the scenes for years to spread the Gospel and infuse politics with religion.
Topics included God bloggers' relationship with the traditional church, their growing influence on mainstream politics and how to manage outsiders' perceptions.
Some predicted bloggers could play a role in reforming the modern church by keeping televangelists and other high-profile Christian leaders honest.
Joe Carter, author of evangelicaloutpost.com., compared blogging to the 95 Theses posted by Martin Luther nearly 500 years ago that launched the Protestant Reformation.
"It's like putting 95 blogs out there," said Carter, who previously said God bloggers offer an "uncensored and unadulterated" view of contemporary Christian thought on politics and organized religion.
Many bloggers are now writing about religious oppression, poverty and world hunger, instead of hot-button issues such as abortion, homosexuality and assisted suicide, said the Rev. Andrew Jackson, a seminary professor and pastor at the Word of Grace Church in Mesa, Ariz.
"With blogging you tend to break out of those circles and you see other points of view," Carter said. "There's a bigger world out there than gay marriage and abortion."
At one well-attended workshop - "When Non-Christians Read Your Blog" - Biola University professor Timothy Muehlhoff gave instructions on writing about faith without alienating nonbelievers.
He stressed that God blogging has the potential to be a "train wreck" because done wrong it can reinforce stereotypes of evangelical Christians as angry and close-minded "pit bulls of the culture wars."
"As Christians today we are embroiled in the argument culture and we have forgotten this one thing: 'Blessed are the peacemakers.'," he said. "Wouldn't it be nice if we could say we brought a level of civility back to the conversation?"
Jackson, who blogs at smartchristian.com, said he wasn't as sure what long-term influence blogging would have on evangelical Christians - but he knew it would be important.
"We are just at the beginning of what is going on," he said. "We need to start thinking about how we can harness and focus the Christian blogosphere for greater impact."
---
On the Net:
GodBlogCon 2005: http://www.godblogcon.com
Biola University: http://www.biola.edu

Baptists providing aid to quake victims

Hudson Leick, who portrayed Callisto on Xena: Warrior Princess, will appear in "CSI" at 9 p.m. EDT on CBS Thursday (Oct. 6)

HELEN OF TROY: Classical historian Bettany Hughes travels across the eastern Mediterranean to find out the truth about the woman whose face “launched a thousand ships” more than 3,000 years ago. On the PBS special “Helen of Troy,” Hughes separates reality from centuries of romantic myths told about Helen. Hughes travels from the city where Helen is said to have been born — Sparta in the mountains of Greece — to the archaeological site in modern Turkey that forever will be linked with the war fought in her name: Troy. “The drama starts with a messy love affair and it ends up in a bloody and disastrous conflict,” says Hughes. The two-hour special airs 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 (check local listings).

Evangelist Franklin Graham sees ’revival’ for New Orleans in Katrina’s aftermath

By STEVE SZKOTAK
Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Evangelist Franklin Graham said Tuesday that Hurricane Katrina could lead to a spiritual rebirth of a sinful New Orleans.
Graham, the son and designated successor of the Rev. Billy Graham, said he doesn’t believe the devastating storm was a punishment from God for what he sees as the city’s ties to satanic worship and sexual perversion.
“I’m not saying that God used this storm as a judgment,” Graham said.
But he said the city’s Mardi Gras revelry and ties to voodoo were adverse to Christian beliefs.
“New Orleans has been known for years as a party town,” Graham said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from his office in Boone, N.C. “It is a city that has strong ties to the gay and lesbian movement, and these types of things.”
On Monday, Graham delivered a similar message in an appearance in Lynchburg: “There’s been satanic worship. There’s been sexual perversion. God is going to use that storm to bring revival. God has a plan. God has a purpose.”
Graham’s comments, reported by The News & Advance of Lynchburg, were made at Thomas Road Baptist Church’s Super Conference 2005 at Liberty University. Both the church and the university were founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell.
“The good news is that God loves sinners,” said Graham.
Graham said he has prayed with clergy in New Orleans for deliverance from “this dark spiritual cloud,” and he sees signs of promise as churches “black and white work hand in hand” to restore the city.
His Samaritan’s Purse organization is working in five communities in Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana, including New Orleans. He said volunteers were distributing 200 trailer homes in Louisiana. The organization has been criticized for delivering gift bags to displaced children that include Christian tracts and a stuffed lamb that plays “Jesus Loves You.”
On Sunday, New Orleans’ historic St. Louis Cathedral held its first Sunday Mass since the hurricane, and Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes suggested the city would rebuild as a community with a stronger moral thread, free of racial tension and rampant self-indulgence. The Roman Catholic leader reassured the congregation that God did not cause the hurricane to punish evildoers.

Just read a bit about The Noah Alliance. It sounds like a worthwhile group.

Pretty cool.

TOM BROKAW ON EVANGELICALS FRIDAY NIGHT ...

Brokaw looks at power of religion

By Frazier Moore
Associated Press

September 6, 2005
 
"While attendance at traditional churches has been declining for decades," Tom Brokaw says, "the evangelical movement is growing, and it is changing the way America worships."
Consider New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo., which marks the Easter holiday with a full-scale staging of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ -- with a cast and crew of 750 mostly coming from the church's membership of 11,000.
The phenomenon of such an evangelical "mega-church" is part of Brokaw's focus on "In God They Trust," a one-hour NBC News special airing at 8 p.m. Friday.
Brokaw notes that evangelical Christians have become a powerful force in American culture, politics and the economy, and that, propelled by their faith, they're determined to spread the word.
But he also explores why so many Americans are turning to this expression of faith, and whether some evangelicals are going too far: imposing on others their spiritual beliefs not only for personal reasons but also for political reasons.
Brokaw talks with families at New Life as well as cadets at the nearby U.S. Air Force Academy. And he interviews Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals (which represents 45,000 churches) and New Life's pastor.
Haggard "believes that America is entering a new period of religious intensity that will alter both souls and society," reports Brokaw.
Attempting to explain the growth of the evangelical moment, Haggard says, "It's not political -- it's authentically spiritual renewal."
But Haggard, who speaks regularly with the White House, also declares that, although Americans live in a pluralistic society, "all of us have a responsibility to advance God's will through government."

1 Cent Shipping and Give Free Donation to a Charities:Pardon the commercial, but I think these shops help people and the shipping is only 1 cent now. Won't last for long.

http://shop.thehungersite.com/store is the link and it's for:

The Hunger Site Store

The Animal Rescue Site Store

The Breast Cancer Site Store

The Literacy Site Store

and
The Rainforest Site Store

Lucy Lawless and crew safe from Katrina:

Message from Sharon (forwarded from the Flawless List)

Lucy, cast and crew safely away from New Orleans

Talked to Lucy just a couple hours ago and she wanted everyone to know
all the cast and crew of the movie are safely out of New Orleans.
They're staying with friends of the production company.  It was a
long, slow ride out of town, but they made it.  Their thoughts are
with those still in the city and the surrounding area and everyone is
praying that the storm weakens.  She's grateful for the offers of help
that were received as they were readying the troupe to move out.  I'll
be keeping in touch with her and passing along word when I get it.

Sharon
outback@creationent.com
Official Xena Fan Club

Message from flawless list via Mary D's list.