Today's Quote

"Why are Christians the ones who like to hover around the Tree of Knowledge, baiting the serpent and battling each other, rather than being the people who like to play in the garden?" John Baker-Batsel

How To Forgive

Forgiveness is a skill. As with any skill, it requires practice to learn. Use these techniques to master forgiving…

> Change the channel. First, take responsibility for how you feel. Even though you are hurt, try to appreciate the good in your life. Rather than rehashing your grievances, focus on gratitude, love and appreciation of beauty.

Imagine that what you see in your mind is being viewed on a TV screen. Perhaps you are stuck on the Grievance Channel. Reprogram your remote control to…

- Gratitude Channel. As you wake up in the morning, give thanks for your breath and the gift of your life.
- Love Channel. Look for people who are in love, and smile at their happiness. Call up a few close friends, and tell them you care about them.
- Beauty Channel. Find a favorite spot in nature. In times of stress, remember what that spot looks and feels like.

> Calm down. Learn to maintain your sense of peace in any situation, no matter how upsetting. A 45-second technique called Positive Emotion Refocusing Technique can calm you whenever you feel angry, hurt, depressed or bitter about an unresolved grievance or a relationship problem…

1. Bring your attention fully to your stomach as you slowly inhale and exhale for two deep breaths. As you inhale, allow the air to gently push your belly out. As you exhale, consciously relax your belly so that it feels soft.
2. On the third deep inhalation, bring to your mind’s eye an image of someone you love or a beautiful nature scene that fills you with awe or wonder.
3. Focus on the image and the resulting warm feelings, and notice that your belly is still slowly moving in and out.
4. When you feel relaxed, see if the part of you that is calm can allow you to see the situation differently.

Forgiving someone who has wronged you could end up being the greatest gift you can give to yourself. Give yourself the chance to try these steps, and enjoy the freedom you'll receive.

[from John Tesh]

Is The U.S. Open to Global Currency?

Last night, President Barack Obama expressed confidence in the dollar and declared: "I don't believe that there's a need for a global currency."

Normally, that would settle the issue. But in the past 24 hours two of Obama's top economic advisers have signaled an openness to such a new global currency -- in one form or another. What's going on?

Politico's Ben Smith reports that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said this morning that he was open to a new global currency to replace the dollar, as proposed by a Chinese central banker. Geithner, according to Smith, said that the proposal -- which he has not yet read -- is less transformative that headlines have suggested. "We’re actually quite open to that suggestion – you should see it as rather evolutionary rather building on the current architecture rather than moving us to global monetary union," Geithner said.

Later, the moderator, per Smith "apparently sensing a gaffe," asked Geithner to clarify his remarks. Geithner walked back his earlier comments and said he does not see the dollar being sidelined by a new currency.

But Geithner wasn't the only top Obama adviser who refused to rule out a transition to a global currency. White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee said much the same thing yesterday afternoon in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. Although he characterized such a change as "unlikely," Goolsbee twice declined to rule out such a global currency despite being pressed by Blitzer. "I haven't seen the details of the proposal," Goolsbee said. The entire exchange follows:

BLITZER: The Chinese suggesting today, this dollar, U.S. dollar, should be replaced as international currency, because they are beginning to have concerns that you are printing, the U.S. government is simply printing too many of these dollars and will lose its value as an international currency.

What's your reaction?

GOOLSBEE: It strikes me as probably unlikely.

Different people have in the past argued for world currencies or new -- new currencies before. I believe the U.S. at this point is the safest place to invest in the world. And it's likely to remain that the dollar is a critical currency in the years ahead.

BLITZER: So, you -- you don't like some new international currency that some Chinese are proposing?

GOOLSBEE: Well, look...

BLITZER: I assume that's right, right?

GOOLSBEE: I haven't seen the details of what they are proposing.

I mean, the dollar is the dollar. If people don't want to buy it, they don't buy it. But I think you have seen sort of a flight to the dollar in -- in times of trouble.

[from CNN]

GreenRidge Civitans Honor Clergy

The GreenRidge Tennessee Civitan Club honored area clergy. Civitan clubs around the world honor clergy for their service to others. A special dinner was held at Highland Chapel in Ridgetop with Rev. Michael Davenport from the Nashville Rescue Mission as the guest speaker.

Guests included Brother John Blackwell and Lois, Dave Macy from Ridgetop First Baptist, Brother Craig Geesaman and Lisa from Metro Baptist, Brother Richard Lovvorn and Jonnie from Church of God of Prophecy, Greenbrier Chapel, Brother Jack Evans and Dianne from Ebenezer Baptist Church, Brother David Coulter and Wanda from Fellowship Baptist Church, Rev. Jeff Fryer and Naomi and Dr. Jeff Keyes representing Highland Chapel Union Church.

Club President Paulette White said the Clergy Appreciation Week began as a commemoration of the death of four military chaplains during World War II who were aboard the troopship USS Dorchester that was torpedoed in the North Atlantic. The chaplains helped to quiet the soldiers, finally giving their lives when they gave their live jackets to other soldiers.

[from The Tennessean]

Church Planting Conference

The Church of God National Church Planting Office (NCPO) is partnering with the America Ablaze church planting initiative to produce the first conference based on the mother/daughter church planting model.

The two entities have planned the conference for May 18-21, 2009 in Madisonville, Ky., in conjunction with a scheduled national church planting lab.

“Jesus charged His disciples with the Great Commission just before he ascended into Heaven,” stated Timothy M. Hill, assistant general overseer for the Church of God. “Matthew 28:19 says to, ‘Go and make disciples for all nations.’ The disciples obeyed His command by going from town to town leading people to faith in Christ and planting churches. Acts was the first church planting book ever written.”

Speakers for the Mothering/Daughtering Lab will include Paul Becker , author of The Dynamic Daughter Church Planting Handbook and director of Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI); Dr. Owen Weston, director of the Church Planting Revitalization (CPR) Institute; and Dr. Ed Stetzer, director of Church Planting for the Southern Baptist denomination.

A special track for certification training will take place on May 17 from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. open to state evangelism and home missions directors, administrative leaders and pastors. All participants will receive a complimentary copy of the newest book from DCPI on Mother/Daughtering churches. In addition every pastor who registers will receive a 232-page manual from DCPI that covers every aspect of the mother/daughter church planting concept.

Costs for the Lab is $99.00 per person and an additional $50.00 for those attending the May 17 special track training. Space is limited and registration is available by calling 270-825-3513 or on line at http://www.cogplanting.com/. Additional information can alos be obtained by calling the America Ablaze office at (423) 478-7079.

Obama Reduces Charitable Deductions

For the 5% of Americans whose household income exceeds $250,000 a year, those families can currently save $350 in taxes for every $1,000 donated to charity.

Under the new Obama plan, that amount would drop to $280 per $1,000 donation.

“By doing this, you raise the cost of giving” said Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at The Tax Policy Center, a liberal Washington think tank.

By Williams’ calculations, the change will result in a 10% drop in charitable giving by wealthy Americans, who typically contribute about 20% of all charitable dollars. In real dollars, Williams projects a decline of about $6 billion in charitable donations because of the change.

Emanuel Humes Sr. Obituary

Emanuel I. Humes Sr., a former businessman, church leader and columnist, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 81.

Mr. Humes was born in Miami but spent his youth in New York City, where he was a Golden Gloves champion and leader of a street gang until he joined the Church of God of Prophecy in 1948. He met his wife, the former Lillie Melvin, at the church. They were married in 1951 and moved to Buffalo, NY.

After serving in the Army during the Korean War, Mr. Humes returned to Buffalo and began work as a labor foreman at Bethlehem Steel. He left the plant in 1969.

In 1963, he and his wife opened a beauty salon, Humes’ Styles in Beauty, which they operated for 30 years. Mr. Humes also established Humes Construction and Sullivan-Humes Painting on Jefferson Avenue. The company was hired to perform the masonry work on the City Mission, among other commercial construction projects throughout the area.

In 1972, Black Enterprise magazine recognized Humes Construction as one the top 100 minority businesses. Mr. Humes also operated a bookstore and wrote a history column for the Buffalo Challenger called “Tell Us More, Dad.”

He was active in local Democratic politics and was a life member of both the NAACP and the Urban League.

Known to many as Rev. Humes, he served as an assistant pastor, then pastor at Bethel Tabernacle and was a leader in the Church of God of Prophecy, establishing churches in Buffalo, Rochester and Olean.

He retired and moved to Los Angeles in 1996.

In addition to his wife of 58 years, Mr. Humes is survived by four daughters, Theresa Jordan, Belinda Mullen, Dyan Nispel and Denisha; three sons, Emanuel Jr., Lemuel and James; two brothers, Louis Starr and Robert; and a sister, Gloria Woods.

[from The Buffalo News]

Charles B. Holt Arrangements

Charles B. Holt, father of Bishop Paul Holt, went to be with the Lord Sunday evening about 8:00 PM. Bishop Paul Holt is the International Director of Heritage Ministries for the Church of God of Prophecy.

The family will be receiving friends on Tuesday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM CST at the Pine Grove Church of God of Prophecy in Crossville, Alabama.

He will lie in state on Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:00 PM CST. The funeral will be at 1:00 PM Wednesday at the Pine Grove COGOP with Bishop E.C. McKinley, State Overseer of Tennessee officiating. Burial will follow in the Crossville City Cemetery.

Hood Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Recent Pastor Survey

On Friday, Biblical Seminary hosted the first "Pastoring though Church Challenges” conference for pastors. Pastors gathered to hear plenaries and breakouts regarding specific church challenges and opportunities/challenges to their spiritual and emotional lives.

At the end, an anonymous survey was taken. Here’s what we learned from the pastors present:

1. Over half of the respondents are facing high levels of chronic stress.
2. Most report they are “managing with struggles” (opposed to managing either “poorly” or “satisfactorily”, or “well”).
3. When asked to write in the top 2 sources of their stress, they gave answers that fit in several categories. The categories receiving the most “hits” were personal issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, sinful habits, no passion) and marital distress. Financial stress and church conflict got the next highest level of “hits.
4. 43% did not have regular contact with someone who really knew them and their personal issues.
5. Interestingly, respondents were rather wary of joining face-to-face or web-supported support groups of peers. Most rated their interest (theoretical) as maybe to unlikely. Web supported groups (video/discussion) received the least interest.

How would you respond? (Click Comments below.)

Church Planting in America

There’s a theory behind church planting. It rejects the idea of trying to fill up existing churches before building new ones. Old churches are often “closed clubs” that don’t attract new residents or young people or “the lost,” says the Rev. Johnny Kurcina, an assistant pastor of The Falls Church.

Besides, population increase far exceeds church growth in America. This is especially true in cities. As an Episcopal Church rector, Mr. Yates began thinking about planting churches 20 years ago. But the bishop of Virginia “wouldn’t allow us to discuss it,” he says, fearing that new Episcopal churches would lure people from older ones. In 2001, he was allowed to plant a church, but only a county away in a distant exurb.

Mr. Yates was strongly influenced by the Rev. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan. Mr. Keller has led in creating new churches — Redeemer has planted more than 100 churches in New York and other cities around the world. Innovative new churches, he has written, are “the research and development department” for Christianity, attract “venturesome people” as fresh leaders, and have the spillover effect of challenging existing churches to revitalize their ministry.

Leaving the Episcopal denomination (while remaining in the Anglican Communion) has given Mr. Yates the freedom to plant churches in urban areas amid many Episcopal churches. (One is next door to Christ the King.) His goal is to plant 20 churches in northern Virginia before retiring. Christ the King was the third, and a fourth was recently planted in Arlington. Mr. Kurcina, 33, who is my son-in-law, is preparing to plant a fifth in Fairfax County.

For a growing number of young preachers like Christ the King’s Mr. Glade, planting and then leading a new church is an ideal option. As orthodox Anglicans, they didn’t feel welcome in the Episcopal church. And they felt a strong calling to lead their own parish. Mr. Glade grew up as an Episcopalian in Jacksonville, Fla. After graduation from Florida State, he came to The Falls Church as an intern and spent four years as a youth leader before attending Trinity Seminary outside Pittsburgh. He returned to The Falls Church eager to lead a theologically conservative Anglican congregation. “In order to do that, you had to go out and do it yourself,” he told me.

[from the Wall Street Journal]

Bishop Paul Holt's Father Passes

Bishop Paul Holt, International Director of Heritage Ministries for the Church of God of Prophecy, lost his father in death this evening about 8:00 PM.

Charles Holt had been ill for some time and was hospitalized in the Cumberland County Medical Center in Crossville, Tennessee.

We will post the arrangements as soon as we know them.

STDs a growing trend among America's youth

A government report reveals a strong need for more attention to abstinence education.

Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America has seen the report on sexually transmitted diseases which comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It's just very appalling because the sexually transmitted diseases syphilis and Chlamydia now are continuing to rise," she notes. "And Chlamydia is at an all-time high, an historical high, with over a million new cases a year, which is an increase over last year of some seven percent." Since many of the new reports involve young people, Crouse says the figures suggest comprehensive sex education -- which she believes encourages young people to be intimate -- is not working. "We have said to a whole generation, almost two generations now, of young people, 'Just be careful and use a condom,' and that's the only advice we are giving them," she adds, "and I think that's so unfair and it's so misleading for our young people because we're downplaying the consequences of casual sex." The only way to prevent STDs and pregnancy, says Crouse, is abstinence.

[from One News Now]

Church Member Burns His Own Church

DIXON MILLS, Ala.-- Authorities have arrested and charged 50-year-old Ronnie Lee Watkins with arson in a blaze that heavily damaged a rural Marengo County church.

State Fire Marshal Ed Paulk says the March 15 fire was discovered in the Angel Temple Church on Magnolia Church Road in Dixon Mills.

In a statement, Paulk says Watkins of Magnolia is a member of the church.

He was charged Friday with second-degree arson and held in the Marengo County Jail. It was not immediately known if he had an attorney.

[from the Associated Press]

Today's Quote

"If your gospel isn't touching others, it hasn't touched you." -- Curry R. Blake

Biblical Counseling is Like Preaching

Some have had difficulty in equating the two. But let’s take a look at the situation. There are similarities and differences. Here are a few of each.

1. Both preacher and counselor seek to bring a message from God to those who listen.
2. Both use the very same Source from which to gather that message — the Bible.
3. Both confront those to whom they minister with truth that is intended to change their lives.
4. Both give examples of what the Bible is talking about to show
a. What they are talking about.
b. How truth can be applied in life.
c. Ways in which it may be implemented.
5. Both are interested in bringing about change through the Spirit using His Word, and not through psychological means.
6. Both are committed to one end in all they do — the glory of God.
7. Both use the Scriptures to direct, rebuke, urge, persuade, inform and convince their listeners.
8. Both speak differently when addressing believers and unbelievers.
9. Both are interested in one end for those to whom the minister — that their lives may please God.
10. Both avoid using gimmicks to bring about the desired results.

How do they differ?

1. One speaks in a louder volume than the other (ordinarily).
2. One addresses a wide variety of people at the same time, whereas the other addresses a specific person or persons at one time.
3. One speaks, but does not receive, verbal feedback as the other does.
4. One does not discuss matters, while the other must do so.
5. One is more general in what he says that the other who can be more specific and personal.
6. One is concerned with the same basic issues over a period of time, while the other takes up a variety of topics during the period.
7. One involves written assignments while the other usually does not.
8. One speaks as a part of a worship service, while the other deals only with the problems presented in a less formal setting.
9. One acts more as a herald while the other as a coach.
10. One may seek immediate interaction among those present while the other expects eventual change of that sort.

These items are only a few of the similarities and the differences between the two. But you can see from them that they are very much alike in goals and methods, and that the differences are due largely to the distinct settings in which the communication of God’s truth takes place. Clearly, the two supplement, support and complement each other, each supplying a dimension that the other cannot. The two, in tandem, approximate each other and each is deficient apart from the other.

[from Institute for Nouthetic Studies by Jay Adams]