Another religious-themed attraction for Gatlinburg

Officials in Gatlinburg, Tennessee have announced plans to open a religious-themed attraction at the site of the old Christus Gardens, which closed in January 2008 after nearly 50 years.

Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens, backed by local businessmen, is to open next spring.

Christus Gardens portrayed the life and death of Christ. Millions of people had visited it, just off the main parkway through the Smoky Mountain resort town.

In a news release Monday, officials said the developers have been acquiring items from around the country for the new exhibition.

The site was to have been developed for condominiums, but those plans fell through.
Renovations at the site are already under way.

[The Associated Press.]

Faith & Risks

Taking a huge risk without patiently gathering the facts, seeking wise counsel, keeping in alignment with our life’s purpose, and lots of prayer is simply unwise. Faith is not an excuse to be lazy and irresponsible.

After patiently gathering as many facts as you can, seeking wise counsel, striving to keep in alignment with your life’s purpose, and lots of prayer, big risks still require faith. There remains that "stepping into the unknown," "jumping off the ledge," "entering the point of no return," that requires faith.

There are times when we may need to stand down and not take that risk in the name of faith. There are times when we may need to step out and take that risk because God has prepared us and the time has come.

Where are you? Is it time to "stand down" or "step out?"

[from LifeChurch.tv : swerve by Guest Blogger]

Paula White Goes Back to Pastor

Charismatic preacher Paula White is stepping in as senior pastor of the Florida megachurch that she and her now ex-husband founded nearly two decades ago.

On Sunday, White was expected to officially mark the start of a new chapter in the history of Without Walls International Church, which once attracted 23,000 worshippers and was heralded as one of the nation’s fastest-growing congregations.

“It will be my first Sunday to officially preach and to minister to you as the mandate and the mantle that I’ve received for the great assignment for this city, for this ministry, and for our lives collectively as your new senior pastor,” White reported in an eBlast to the Tampa-based congregation.

Since her divorce from Bishop Randy White in 2007, White has been ministering in New York, Texas, and abroad, making only periodic visits to Without Walls.

The church, meanwhile, has shrunk drastically and found itself having faced foreclosure, with their bank demanding immediate repayment of a $12 million loan on the property last November.

Though the church and its lender, the Calif.-based Evangelical Christian Credit Union, later agreed to a modified loan agreement this past March, Bishop White, as recently as last month, reported that the church was in great need for a “financial blessing.”

“We’re at a very critical juncture in our life right now with the church where we must have financial blessing,” he said on June 23 in urging his congregation to donate.

“God is faithful, and He spoke to me at the beginning of this year and said that 2009 would be our greatest year. And isn’t it like the devil ... to cause confusion, to bring a discouragement just before our biggest breakthrough?” the 51-year-old preacher added.

In an interview with the St. Petersburg Times on Friday, White said he was stepping aside as senior pastor because of health concerns and that he has been in and out of the hospital for much of the last seven months.

"I have some serious health issues right now," the bishop said. "I've had six different doctors say that I had to take the stress, the pressure out of my life."

As a result, Bishop White called up his ex-wife about two months ago to inform her of his health situation and to ask her to consider returning to lead the congregation they once pastored together.

After much prayer and counsel, Paula White decided accept the mandate and mantle of senior pastor of Without Walls International Church and the entire ministry organization, according to Paula White Ministries.

“Pastor Paula is very excited about this wonderful assignment and opportunity from the Lord,” her ministry reported. “We know this is the divine plan of God and that great things are in store!”

As for Bishop White, the ailing minister said he is staying town and will still be connected to Without Walls – just in a different position.

“It’s not something that we’re losing. You’re actually gaining,” he told his congregation last week. “And we’re going to gain momentum as we go forward to build the Kingdom of God.”

On Sunday, Without Walls was expected to honor Bishop White “for the leadership and the legacy and richness that he has brought to Without Walls.”

“And we look forward to our future as God has big things for all of us,” Paula White added. “God has big things for us.”

[By Eric Young, Christian Post Reporter]

Today's Quote

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscaglia

One Nation, Under God

Will America hold to the idea of Christianity? Or, is God being removed from the public square (secularization)? President Obama seems to be a secular leader and that message has been well received in Washington.

For example, for more than 40 years the Air Force has flown over the "God and Country Festival" in Idaho. But not this year! The Pentagon says it cannot supply planes because the festival endorses religion. To diminish spirituality by denying the people of Idaho a flyover is another example of secularists being disrespectful to people of faith. It's not a religious event, it's a "God and Country Festival." "God" is on our money. There's no reason on earth that the Air Force shouldn't fly over the festival.

Also, the president didn't attend any events at the National Day of Prayer.

And, when Mr. Obama spoke at Georgetown University, a religious symbol behind him was covered.

But the truth is, the USA has become the strongest, most prosperous country on this earth largely because of its Judeo-Christian traditions. Will we now abandon them, or stand up for our faith?

Pastor Brad Braxton Resigns

The Rev. Brad Braxton, pastor of New York City's Riverside Church, resigned last week after being installed only a few months earlier.

He has been criticized for his $600,000-plus salary package which included a $250,000 annual salary and $11,500 living allowance (see earlier post of this Blog). The package was approved by church members. Dissidents unsuccessfully tried to block his installation by going to court charging that the package strained the church's budget.

After considerable prayer, Braxton concluded that because of consistent discord, it was impossible to establish a fruitful covenant between him and the congregation. Therefore, his resignation would be the right thing to do for the congregation, his family and for himself.

[Christianpost.com]

When the Leader is Attacked Unjustly ...

Leaders MUST be willing to make unpopular decisions at times …and when that happens you can bet on the fact that arrows are going to fly in your direction. So … when the arrows fly … what are your options?

1. You Can Cry - the problem is – people can’t stand to hear other people cry! Seriously … no one has ever been inspired to do anything great from the whining of another person. Trust me, I’ve done my share of crying. And while it may bring some brief apathy and sympathy, it never accomplishes anything significant for the Kingdom!

2. You Can Die - I know people who have allowed the attacks of others to literally kill the joy inside of them. If you are a leader, then you are mistaken if you actually think that everyone is always going to embrace you and/or your ideas. Do not allow the voice of those who know you the least to shape you the most – to do so means certain death to the fire inside of your soul!

3. You Can Fry - I remember once several years ago having an incredibly difficult time with some things that others were saying about me, and it was stealing my joy. I would read the blog site around 10 times a day and steaming over the comments … until a mentor told me, “I call what you are doing 'verbal pornography!' Reading that site is not helping you. It is only damaging you!" BAM! I was allowing to voice of the enemy to focus all of my attention in the wrong place … thus ignoring my wife, my daughter and my church. Yes, we will get angry when attacked unjustly. But, to dwell in and feed that anger does nothing but give the enemy a foothold into our lives. (Ephesians 4:26-27)

4. You Can Lie - We can say things don’t hurt us and try to laugh it off … but reality is when we do that we are lying! Attacks by the people in the cheap seats always sting. So, the best thing you can do is honestly admit to a group of people you trust how you honestly feel! The sooner you admit the truth the more people will be able to help you walk through this. (And trust me, God doesn’t intend for you to be on the battlefield alone!)

5. You Can Try - (BEST option!) When knocked down we can get back up! When attacked we can stay focused and keep doing what God has called us to do. We are NOT called to quit, but rather KEEP trying! If you are a leader, then you cannot afford to waste time defending yourself and making sure the opinion polls are always in your favor. We’ve GOT to be passionately obsessed with listening to God and then doing EXACTLY as He says … EVERY SINGLE DAY. We can never allow the voice of the enemy take the calling that the MOST HIGH GOD put into our lives! Don't give up. What we do is SO worth it! Keep trying your best to desperately run after Jesus and the vision HE gives … and don’t allow the snakes to scare you … Jesus CRUSHED the head of the serpent … and in HIM we can do the same! WALK IN VICTORY!

[from Perry Noble dot com by perry]

Happy 4th of July

Today's Quote

"Our country is not the only thing to which we owe our allegiance. It is also owed to justice and to humanity. Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong." - James Bryce

United Methodist Members Dying Faster than Americans

Offering a new perspective on the reality of aging denominations, The United Methodist Church studied the death rates of Methodists and the general American population and found that the church is dying faster.

The death rates for members of the nearly 8 million-member denomination are about a third higher than the national average, according to the "Pockets of 'Youthfulness' in an Aging Denomination" report.

In 2005, the United Methodist death rate was 134 percent of the U.S. death rate among those 15 years and older.

Among UMC's 62 annual conferences, or regional bodies, in the United States, 34 of them (representing 41 percent of UMC membership) reported death rates 20 percent or higher than their general population.

"There is no future for The United Methodist Church in the United States unless we can learn to reach more people, younger people and more diverse people,” said the Rev. Lovett Weems, director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, which compiled the report, as reported by the United Methodist News Service.

The graying and declining membership has led to numerous multi-million dollar ad campaigns in an effort to reach more people, particularly young ones.

"Rethink Church" is the United Methodist Church's newest campaign targeting 19- to 34-year-olds who may not be familiar with the church or who are seeking to make their lives more meaningful.

More than $20 million in ads are being launched over the next four years.

"Reaching new populations – which tend to be younger and more diverse than traditional United Methodist constituents – needs to be a high priority," Weems told UMNS.

According to the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, members in mainline denominations were younger than the general U.S. population in the 1960s. But over the last several decades, membership has continuously grown older.

While death rates may not be exact indicators of age, the Center – which set out to examine age trends in the United Methodist Church – pointed out that they do help show patterns that should correspond generally to age, considering that 75 percent of deaths in recent years occurred among people aged 65 and older.

The Lewis Center recommends that United Methodist churches not only reach new populations, but also begin new congregations as they tend to reach younger people at a higher rate than existing churches.

[By Audrey Barrick, Christian Post Reporter]

Obit - Betty Ann Stockdale Hayes Sexton

Funeral services for Betty Ann Stockdale Hayes Sexton, of Mount Olive, Ala., formerly of Camden, age 64, were held Tuesday, June 9 at 10 a.m. in the chapel of Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home with Gene Weakley, Wayne Hall and Bro. Bryant officiating.

Bob and Ronnie Stockdale delivered the eulogy. Burial followed at Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South, in Hoover, Ala. Currie- Jefferson Funeral Home of Hoover. was in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Sexton passed away Saturday, June 6. She was born Nov. 2, 1944 in Old Hickory to the late R. W. and Anna Stockdale. She was the former owner of Betty’s Sweet Shop, in Paris, formerly worked in dietary at Henry Co. Medical Center, and was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy, also in Paris.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by husbands, Richard Hayes and Eldon Sexton. She is survived by a daughter, Anna Lorene “Lori” (Tim) Naramore, and a granddaughter, Anna Elizabeth Naramore, all of Birmingham, Ala.; a sister, Jean Wheeler, of White Bluff; and three brothers, Buddy (Pat) Stockdale, of Somerville, James M. “Bob” (Virginia) Stockdale, of Big Sandy, and Ronnie (Debby) Stockdale, of Bartlett.

Dr. Mark Rutland Takes The Helm at ORU

The former president of Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla., officially stepped in Wednesday to take charge of Oral Roberts University, marking another new start for the historically charismatic institution.

Dr. Mark Rutland, who was elected in January following a 14-month search, marked his first official day Wednesday as ORU’s third president and the first without the Roberts name.

And unlike the previous president, Richard Roberts, Rutland will not be leading an institution more than $50 million in debt.

Following a highly-active clean-up campaign spurred by the resignation of its second president, ORU today finds itself with less than $700,000 in debt.

"I am incredibly excited about the debt being reduced by such a significant amount," said Mart Green, chair of the ORU Board of Trustees. "Debt is one of the dragons that ORU needed to slay to ensure economic sustainability, and we are almost there."

According to Green, the reduction of the school’s debt has been strengthening the new ORU and paving a “clear path” for it as the new president.

For the past nearly two years, the Tulsa, Okla.-based school has been working to recover from the financial scandal that stemmed from a lawsuit filed in October 2007 by former ORU professors who claimed they were forced out after uncovering financial and ethical wrongdoing by the school's former president and family.

Roberts, son of the school’s namesake founder, televangelist Oral Roberts, and his wife were accused of using university money for shopping sprees, home improvements and a stable of horses for their daughters at a time when ORU was more than $50 million in debt.

The suit was finally settled late October 2008 after a court-ordered mediation session, bringing to a close the scandal that engulfed the charismatic school.

Regarding the selection of ORU's new president, Green said he was excited and expressed confidence in Rutland’s ability to lead the school. “He brings great wisdom and experience to this role and will strengthen the university’s mission to provide an excellent, whole person education to our students," Green said.

At Southeastern University, Rutland is credited with engineering a turnaround after he became president in 1999. He also founded Global Servants, which has a church-planting ministry in West Africa and a large girls’ home in Thailand.

"Much prayer, time, and thought was put into the presidential search process and I am excited that Dr. Rutland was chosen as ORU’s third president,” commented Green.

According to ORU, Rutland will begin his service to ORU with many tasks on his agenda. With a new school year to begin in August, Rutland will be busy developing short-term and long-range plans for the university.

[By Eric Young, Christian Post Reporter]

Do People Still Respond to Door to Door Visitation?

Now more than ever, we need to look toward new methods to get the unchurched into our churches. Some people will be reached through door-to-door methods. Others will not.

While more than half of Americans would listen cordially as a stranger at their door invited them to church, more than 60 percent of the unchurched might tune us out before the invitation left our mouths. Now, the cross is always a stumbling block, but we also want to be sure that our methods are less so.

The message of the gospel is too important to be spread through just one strategy—and if God leads you and your church to a certain strategy, you should use it. Door-to-door methods can be and are used to reach people. This method can still be an important part of our evangelism strategies, but our study shows that not everyone is open to such an approach. Let us ask God to show us additional ways to reach the unchurched—through relationships, service, ministry, and invitations to visit.

Remember, God wants to see the unchurched connected to a family of faith even more than we do.

(Click on image to enlarge it.) Read the article ...

Today's Quote

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela

Today's Quote

“Life is tough. Every weekend at church I look into the faces of thousands of people who have been beaten up by the world all week. They arrive with their spiritual and emotional batteries depleted. My job is to reconnect them with spiritual jumper cables to the restorative power of Christ." - Rick Warren