Muslims Now Outnumber Catholics

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Islam has surpassed Roman Catholicism as the world's largest religion, the Vatican newspaper said Sunday.

"For the first time in history, we are no longer at the top: Muslims have overtaken us," Monsignor Vittorio Formenti said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. Formenti compiles the Vatican's yearbook.

He said that Catholics accounted for 17.4 percent of the world population — a stable percentage — while Muslims were at 19.2 percent.

"It is true that while Muslim families, as is well known, continue to make a lot of children, Christian ones on the contrary tend to have fewer and fewer," the monsignor said.

Formenti said that the data refer to 2006. The figures on Muslims were put together by Muslim countries and then provided to the United Nations, he said, adding that the Vatican could only vouch for its own data.

When considering all Christians and not just Catholics, Christians make up 33 percent of the world population, Formenti said.

Spokesmen for the Vatican and the United Nations did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Sunday.

[Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved.]

End of Sabbatical

Recently, Perry Noble listed a bunch of questions that he is wrestling with. They are very similar to the questions I have pondered during my sabbatical.

#1 - Is there anything in my life that I need to stop doing?
#2 - Is there anything in my life that I should start doing?
#4 - How can I be more efficient in the way I use my time?
#5 - How can I be a better husband?
#6 - How can I be a better father?
#7 - How can I best assist people in taking their next step with Jesus Christ?

What do you think? What question have you been asking yourself or wrestling with lately?

Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar Say "No" to Probe

Two television ministries are still refusing to comply fully with a U.S. Senate committee’s probe into their financial records.

Televangelists Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar failed to provide the requested information by the March 31 deadline, according to a written release from Sen. Charles Grassley, R.-Iowa, the minority leader on the Finance Committee. Sen. Max Baucus, D.-Mont., the committee’s chairman, and Grassley had asked Copeland and Dollar, plus fellow televangelist Eddie Long, to submit the documentation they are seeking by the end of March.Long and three other televangelists have either complied, have begun doing so or have committed to fulfill the request, the written release from Grassley said.

SOURCE

Grady R. Kent's Son Dies

The Rev. Cecil Grady Kent, a resident of Augusta, Ga., departed this life on Saturday, March 29, 2008, in Augusta.

He grew up in Cleveland, TN and was a resident of Bradley County for many years prior to traveling and serving in various ministerial capacities in numerous states.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bishop Grady R. Kent and Eunice Moate Kent; three sisters: Mary Lois Kent, Betty Pharr and Dorothy Webb; and two brothers: Melvin Ray Kent and Clarence Daniel Kent.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Kent; two sons: Cecil James Kent of Augusta and Jeffrey Turner of Woodstock, Ga.; one daughter, Shawn M. Hall of Dallas, Ga.; grandchildren: Matthew and Brian Vernon, Lindsey Turner and Thomas Hall; two brothers: Alvy David Kent of Rossville, Ga., and James M. Kent of Cleveland; and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, 2008, and a memorial service celebrating his life and 50 years of ministry will immediately follow at United Christian Church on Peerless Road.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 4, 2008, at Fort Hill Cemetery.

Frank Howard Funeral Arrangements

Funeral arrangements for Brother Howard will be as follows:

Friday, April 4, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Viewing, Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy

Saturday, April 5, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Lie in State, Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy

Saturday, April 5, 11:00 AM - Funeral Service, Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy with Interment following at Sunset Memorial Gardens

All functions will be held at:

Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy (click here for directions)
3301 Peerless Road NW
Cleveland, Tennessee

Contributions in memory of Brother Howard may be made to:

International Children's Ministries of the Church of God of Prophecy
PO Box 2910
Cleveland, TN 37320-2910

Peerless Road Church Building Fund
3301 Peerless Road NW
Cleveland, TN 37312

An online condolence book is available should you wish to send a greeting or message in tribute to Brother Frank E. Howard. The online condolence book may be accessed by visiting http://webapps.cogopmedia.com/memorial/Frank_Howard.html . Tributes will be compiled and presented to the family.

Tribute to Deacon Frank Howard

Deacon Frank Howard escaped the prison bars of his body this morning, and took his One-Way Flight to Heaven! Brother Howard was a true original. He was one of the kindest, and most gracious men I ever knew.

His wife, Elva Howard, was the Director of Women's Ministries for the Church of God of Prophecy for more than thirty years, and a powerful, powerful preacher/minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, the "stability" and "rock" in their home was her husband, and she gladly acknowledged his wonderful, wonderful leadership.

Frank Howard was a true spiritual GIANT -- a man who stood tall in life, yet lived and served with humility that is beyond description.

He was a faithful deacon in the Peerless Road Church for many, many years. My father served with him as a deacon at the Wildwood Avenue/Peerless Road church. Frank Howard was his mentor.

Frank Howard was a true prayer warrior. This gentle saint of God knew how to "bombard" Heaven with his prayers, and how to believe God for the answers to all he petitioned.

He knew how to live in the humility and kindness that seems all but forgotten in contemporary society.

His wonderful wife Elva, his precious children Kathy Creasy and Randy Howard, are his great legacy to this world who desperately needs "heroes worthy emulating." Frank Howard was such a hero.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." And this one was precious to God.

COGOP General Overseer's Father Passes Away

Brother Frank Howard (Elva Howard’s husband, and General Overseer R. E. Howard's father) passed away this morning (around 9:15 a.m.).

The family is gathered together this morning to make notifications and arrangements.

We will post this information as soon as it is known.

Please keep the family in your prayers.

What's In Your Trunk?

Keep the necessary survival items.

According to BePrepared.com, the essential items you need when stranded in a mechanical 911 are water, food and warmth.

You may be able to make it without food for a few days, but your body will dehydrate without water. Water is also good for washing wounds, sanitation and for an overheating vehicle.

Since food spoils in extreme hot or cold temperatures, Calorie Food Bars are the best thing to store in your car. These bars leave you feeling full and provide you the necessary energy.

What if you’re marooned in the winter cold? According to BePrepared.com, to stay warm you may need 6 to 20 hour warm packs or emergency blankets. Place the warm packs in your gloves, shoes and pockets. Emergency blankets are made of a reflective material can reproduce up to 80% of your body heat.

Create Your Own Emergency Car Kit.

Here’s a tool kit you can put together containing items prescribed in the March/April issue of Westways Magazine: pliers, an adjustable wrench, a utility knife, Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers, work gloves, a quart of engine oil, antifreeze, a weatherproof flashlight, a Swiss Army knife, wire cutters, bottle opener, an ice scraper, duct tape to make a temporary patch on a leaky water hose and a dry fire extinguisher.

Familiarize yourself with these items before you run into a mechanical emergency.

Have a supply of flares or triangles. The downside of using flares is that they only burn for a short time and can create a fire hazard where there’s a spillage of fuel.


Reflective triangles last forever and are easy to see by oncoming cars especially at night. Be sure you purchase the ones with sides at least 17 inches long and reflective strips that are two inches wide.

Always keep a flashlight with fully charged batteries in your emergency car kit.

Keep jumper cables stashed in the trunk. Don’t skimp on jumper cables. The longer the cables, the less you need to position the cars together.

If you don’t know how to do a jump-start properly, you can do serious damage to your car’s electronics and yourself.

Take care of yourself as well. A cell phone is a must. Store a list of emergency contacts (ICE) in your cell phone.

Packed away in your trunk, you should also carry a first-aid kit containing bandages and dressings, instant ice and heat compresses, scissors, waterproof tape, pain relieving medicine such as Tylenol or Advil, antiseptic wipes, wound ointment and a set of instructions on basic first aid.

Invest in an up-to-date Thomas Guide to help you navigate when you’re totally lost.

Having a roadside emergency kit for mechanical breakdowns and unusual weather conditions can make the difference between getting back on the road or being stuck.

March Winds

Don Brock

A New Perspective

Yvonne Brock

Yes, Yvonne is with me on sabbatical.

Footprints In The Sand

A private walk on my very private beach with the church-dog.

The View Outside My Window

On sabbatical, alone with the Lord.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, If you be for me, who can be against me? You spared not your own Son, but delivered him up for me, for us all. How shall you not with him also freely give me all things? (Romans 8:31-32).

The things you give are nothing like the things of the world. While the things of the world may entice and look pretty, they are temporary and cannot give true and lasting fulfillment. The things of the spirit are eternal and bring meaningful and lasting fulfillment.

Thank you for your many, many blessings. Thank you for my family both biological and adoptive through the church of the living Christ. Thank you for your encouraging touches and miracles in the midst of pain and suffering. Thank you for teaching me through life's circumstances and for giving me strength to endure and peace for the journey.

Thank you for all things, for every need you meet, and for Jesus Christ in whose name I pray. Amen.

Have you told your pastor lately ...?

[From Voice of Hope by Dr. E.C. McKinley]

The phone rings at 4:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning ... one of the members of the congregation is near death. The pastor answers the phone and within moments is on the way to the hospital.

After realizing the church member is stable, the pastor notices its almost 9:30 a.m. Just enough time to get to the church.

Standing at the front door, the pastor welcomes everyone as they enter, while looking out the door to see where everyone else is at.

The services get started and the deacon pulls the pastor aside to share that something must be wrong with the heat/air unit, there have been complaints about the temperature.

As the pastor goes to check on the heat/air unit, the treasurer hands the pastor a note to remind the moderator of the service that the insurance payment is going to be due next month, and the church really needs to take up a good offering today.

Just as the worship service is ready to start, one of the older members catches the pastor in the aisle of the sanctuary to complain about an error in the bulletin. Even though the pastor didn't catch the small error, an apology is extended ... though the pastor feels like it would never be appreciated.

After all of this, the pastor walks to the pulpit, opens the Bible and the notes prepared for this morning's message, and the pastor is exhausted ... yes, even before it begins. Yes, the physical exhaustion is because the pastor was up late on Saturday night preparing for Sunday, but the mental/emotional exhaustion is even more of a burden. Yet, the pastor declares the "whole counsel of God," gives an altar call, and even though no one responds (in fact several were slipping their winter coats on while the pastor was finishing the sermon), the pastor walks diligently to the door of the church and extends the same, warm and friendly handshake.

And yes, this goes on week after week.

I can tell you about this pastor, because I have been there, but more importantly because I personally know hundreds of pastors by first name, and I see, hear and feel their struggle. You might ask, "well, what does that have to do with me? What's with the title "Have you told your pastor lately...?" I would think the answer is obvious. Have you stopped and told your pastor lately that you appreciate the labor of love, that you appreciate the sacrifice of family time, and the all of ministry your pastor has accomplished around you.

The truth is that only once per year is NOT enough ... we should have a regular habit of telling our pastor how much we love, appreciate and care for their ministry. It can be done with a simple thank you, or a card, or you might even want to bless your pastor with a gift. How could that be wrong?

You say, "well does my pastor deserve that?" The answer is a resounding "yes!" God trusted your pastor enough to call him/her into the ministry, and I know that you will be blessed as you bless your pastor.

Why not take that opportunity today ... you don't know how long it might have been since your pastor heard those words.

God bless each of you.