Resources 4 His Generation

Light A Milllion Candles

2006-09-25T14:35:00.000+08:00

There are more than 100,000 child pornography sites on the Internet.

19% of online pornography images are of children three years-of-age or younger

Up to 20,000 children are being abused online everyday.

Online child pornography generated over US$20 billion last year – 7 times more than the entire online music industry

5 new children are abused online every week
http://www.lightamillioncandles.com

It started with an email I got few days ago, then I caught the ad.

It's great that we are starting this awareness on child pornography, which have been around way too long. But let us not forget and be distracted by affect pornography industry as a whole to our society. Child pornography was stemmed from never satisfying hunger for sexual entertainment. Is the industry going to stop here? Are we going to stop here?

As we come together with compassion for these children, it's an encouragement to read:-

[Jesus] said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these ... And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Mark 10:14,16 [NIV]

God Himself loves these children, every single one of them, and even more than us. And He Himself wants us to come to Him as His little child. He longs for every one of us to receive His forgiveness, grace and blessings. Every one of us who had in one way or another satisfied our own desires through pornography, everyone who is directly and indirectly involved in this industry. I had my journey and am living in His grace daily.

We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don't participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy. But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don't think of ways to indulge your evil desires.

Romans 13:13-14 [NLT]

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17 [NIV]

Light A Milllion Candles

Some brutal facts...
There are more than 100,000 child pornography sites on the Internet.

19% of online pornography images are of children three years-of-age or younger

Up to 20,000 children are being abused online everyday.

Online child pornography generated over US$20 billion last year – 7 times more than the entire online music industry

5 new children are abused online every week

Light a candle and help end the sexual abuse of children online.
The innocent victims of Internet child abuse cannot speak for themselves.

But you can. With one simple action, you have the power to get them to take action....Please light your candle at:

http://www.lightamillioncandles.com

With your support, we can eradicate this evil trade.

We do not need your money. We need you to light a candle of support.

We're aiming to light at least one million Candles by December 31, 2006.

Governments, politicians, financial institutions, payment organizations, Internet service providers, technology companies and law enforcement agencies have the power to work together to eradicate the commercial viability of this abuse.

Together, we can destroy the commercial viability of Internet child abuse sites that are destroying the lives of innocent children.

Kindly forward this email to your friends, relatives and work colleagues so that they too can light a candle.

Thank you for your support.

kuancheen|kuala.lumpur|20060925.1405
... "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"
Matthew 25:37-40 [NIV]

Awesome Creator Is He

2006-09-05T17:23:00.000+08:00

"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing. "
Isaiah 40:26 (NIV)

Got this dropped into my mailbox few weeks ago.
mouseover (IE only) or click for larger image

It really does help to put things into perspective doesn't it?

kuancheen|kuala.lumpur|20060905.1700

The cry of this GENERATION is too loud to IGNORE

2006-08-03T01:30:00.000+08:00

"The statistics are astounding. If current trends continue, only 4% of your friends and peers will be Bible-believing Christians by the time they are 18. "
www.battlecry.com

I just received through email, a video promo for a youth leadership summit, depicting the current alarming situation faced by the American youths. The video shows youths holding placard depicting the following statistics.

1/3 of us have been DRUNK in the last month
1 in 4 of us use ILLEGAL DRUGS
8,000 of us contract an STD every day
1 million of us are PREGNANT
340,000 of us get ABORTIONS each year
1 in 10 of us has been RAPED
I will see 14,000 SEXUAL references on TV this year
9 out of 10 of us have seen PORN online
1/2 of us are NO longer VIRGINS
1 in 5 of us has contemplated SUICIDE
Over 1,500 of us KILL ourselves each year
53% of us believe Jesus SINNED
83% of us believe TRUTH IS RELATIVE
ALL OF US need to be REACHED

Something needs to be done to RESCUE this generation. The cry of this GENERATION is too loud to IGNORE.

The statistics are astounding. If current trends continue, researchers say only 4% of this current teen generation will be bible believing CHRISTIANS.

"... begins with [us] ensuring that there are more than just fun and games for kids who are in youth groups in church. [We] need to be equipped to defend the truth."

MAGNITUDE OF THE CRISIS
extracted from the Battle Cry website

ATTACK ON A GENERATION
Today's teens are being attacked by popular culture like no other generation. Hollywood, the music industry, advertisers, and even the mainstream media are using their arsenal of tools to win the battle for our teens' hearts- and so far they are winning! In order to defeat our enemy, we must know how it thinks and understand the weapons it uses. It is critical that we realize how far-reaching the crisis is- and then we must work together to stop it.

TELEVISION
This generation views 16 to 17 hours of television each week and sees on average 14,000 sexual scenes and references each year. That's more than 38 references every day.

INTERNET
This generation spends three hours a day online and is the first to grow up with point-and-click pornography. Almost 90 percent of teens have viewed pornography online at one of the 300,000 adult websites, most while doing homework.

MUSIC
More than 25 percent of teen-targeted radio segments contain sexual content; 42 percent of the top selling CDs contain sexual content

ADVERTISING
With more than $128 billion dollars in their pockets, this generation has been targeted by corporate America, who does everything it can to grow brands and profits without any regard to the moral decay of a generation.

kuancheen|singapore|20060803.0132

Manufacturer's Recall Notice

2006-07-28T11:29:00.000+08:00

"Regardless of Make or Year ... all units ... are being recalled by the Manufacturer. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units ... "

off an email

Regardless of Make or Year or Tithe Amount, all units known as "human beings" are being recalled by the Manufacturer. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named "Adam" and "Eve," resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect is technically termed "Serious Internal Non-morality," but more commonly known as "SIN".

Symptoms of the SIN defect include, but are not limited to:

A) Loss of direction
B) Lack of peace and joy
C) Depression
D) Foul vocal emissions
E) Selfishness
F) Ingratitude
G) Fearfulness
H) Rebellion
I) Jealousy

The Manufacturer is providing factory authorized repair service FREE of charge to correct the SIN defect. The Repair Technician, Jesus Christ, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs.

To repeat... There is no fee required. It is FREE.

The number to call for repair in all areas is P-R-A-Y-E-R once connected, please upload the burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Christ, into the SOUL component of the human unit. No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Christ will replace it with:

A) Love
B) Joy
C) Peace
D) Kindness
E) Goodness
F) Faithfulness
G) Gentleness
H) Patience
I) Self-Control
J) Everything He Has Is Yours

Please see the Operating Manual, HOLY BIBLE, for further details on the use of these fixes. As an added upgrade, the Manufacturer has made available to all repaired units a facility enabling direct monitoring assistance from the resident Maintenance Technician, THE HOLY SPIRIT. Repaired units need only make Him welcome and accept his Word and He will take up residence on the premises.

WARNING: Continuing to operate a human being unit without these corrections voids the Manufacturer's Warranty, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and may ultimately result in the destruction of the human unit.

kuancheen|kuala.lumpur|20060728.1120

The Rain Is Like Sin

2006-07-27T19:42:00.000+08:00

"The rain is like sin ... "

off an email

One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick.

Suddenly, my daughter, Aspen, spoke up from her relaxed position in her seat. "Dad, I'm thinking of something."

This announcement usually meant she had been pondering some fact for a while, and was now ready to expound all that her six-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear.

"What are you thinking?" I asked. "The rain!" she began, "is like sin, and the windshield wipers are like God wiping our sins away."

After the chill bumps raced up my arms I was able to respond. "That's really good, Aspen."

Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little girl take this revelation? So I asked, "Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?"

Aspen didn't hesitate one moment with her answer: "We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us."

I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on.

In order to see the Rainbow, you must first endure some Rain.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

In Happy moments, praise God.
In Difficult moments, seek God.
In Quiet moments, worship God.
In Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

kuancheen|kuala.lumpur|20060727.1930

You actually believe that the Devil exists?

2006-07-07T14:47:00.000+08:00

"¹⁹You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. "
James 2:19

Over heard this over K-Life. (32kbps | 96kbps)

A man asked another, "You believe in the Devil? You mean, you actually believes he exist? Just like me and you exist?"

The other man replied, "Well, yes. Try opposing him and you will find out."

kuancheen|singapore|20060706.1311

Ten Things I Learned From My Dad

2006-06-03T00:19:00.000+08:00

"Looking back, I'm beginning to realize how much he taught us not only by his strengths but also by the way he responded to his weaknesses "
Mart De Haan

Been Thinking About: Ten Things I Learned From My Dad

"Been Thinking About" is a monthly article by RBC Ministries President Mart De Haan.

In the memories that come with a parent's passing, I've been reminded of what my dad taught those of us who lived and worked with him.

In many ways, Dad didn't have an easy life. Long before his problems with a detached retina, heart surgery, and Parkinson's disease, he lived in the shadow of his own father's colorful and commanding personality. While most people knew Dad as a strong-voiced, caring, and faithful teacher of the Bible, those of us who were close to him know that along the way Dad also wrestled with serious and deep questions about his own abilities and self-worth.

Looking back, I'm beginning to realize how much he taught us not only by his strengths but also by the way he responded to his weaknesses. I know my three brothers would agree that Dad showed us how to:

1. Admit when we are wrong. We all remember Dad's willingness to admit his faults. I'm not sure why that seems important enough to mention first. It could be that I've heard my wife Di talk about how that quality impressed her. When visiting in our home before we were married, she saw Dad come to the dinner table and, before sitting down, apologize to the family for his irritability toward Mom. Or, maybe I just can't think of anything that continues to be more necessary for me than to admit my own wrongs.

2. Don't try to be someone else. Dad knew what it was like to be compared to his gifted and much-loved father. Some told him he didn't have what it would take to lead the ministry his father founded. The comparisons were hard on him. But over time he used the experience to show us how to be the person God made us to be. And as a result of what he found in the trenches of his own battle for self-respect, he gave the rest of us the freedom we needed to be ourselves as well.

3. Think small while dreaming big. Dad showed us the importance of being honest in little things. He'd go back to a restaurant to return change if he found he'd been given too much at the cash register. What others called "white lies" were big issues to him. He didn't even like to exaggerate to make a point. For him, issues of urgency or cost were no excuse to forget the principle that "he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much" (Luke 16:10). Attention to detail, however, didn't keep him from dreaming. His vision for outreach through television and multiple teachers resulted in years of growth of RBC Ministries.

4. Be careful what we say about others. Dad wasn't part of "the grapevine" that circulates news of other people's failures. I don't remember hearing him talk about other leaders' mistakes. Maybe it was because he himself had felt the sting of unkind rumors and remarks. He simply took to heart the Scriptures that call us to love one another. The 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians was one of Dad's favorite Scripture passages, and he read it often to his staff.

5. Read biographies with a grain of salt. Dad's reluctance to be unnecessarily critical of others came with an interesting footnote. He didn't put a lot of stock in biographies. Although he saw the value of "stories of great people," he took them with a grain of salt. He knew that the real story of a person's life is seldom published.

6. Relax with those who are important to you. Dad worked hard. While taking his leadership responsibilities seriously, he wrote, edited, and rewrote his messages and devotionals until they had the simplicity and clarity he was looking for. But he also knew how to put his work aside and relax. He loved walks on the beach or going for a drive in the country with Mom. He looked forward to spending time on the golf course with friends. I remember how much he enjoyed showing my brothers and me how to use a fly rod to work an orange spider into the lily pads of a quiet lake as we hunted for bluegill or largemouth bass. We also have plenty of memories of him at home with a bowl of popcorn and a board game like Monopoly or Scrabble.

7. Cultivate balance. Dad learned by experience to listen to both sides of an argument. In his later years he told us how, as a young manager, he'd listen to one side of an employee conflict and think he understood the problem. Then he'd talk to the other side and hear a completely different perspective. The balance and fairness he cultivated in employee relationships showed up in other ways too. In so many ways he taught us to avoid one-sided extremes in thinking or behavior.

8. Avoid irreverent jokes. Over the years we saw in Dad a healthy fear of the Lord. Jokes about the Scripture were out of bounds as far as he was concerned. It wasn't that he didn't have a sense of humor. He loved a good laugh. But he drew the line when it came to talking lightly about God or the Bible.

9. Question our own use of Scripture. Because of Dad's reverence for the Word of God, he also taught us to second guess the way we quote the Bible. When critiquing manuscripts written by his staff, he would repeatedly write in the margin, "Does the Bible really say that? Really?" He showed us that if we really want to trust or teach what God has said, we need to be willing to doubt our own interpretations and motives.

10. Trust in God and do the right. Since Dad's passing many of his friends, co-workers, and family members have agreed on one central focus that seems to best represent his life. Much of the legacy he left us can be summed up in the words, "Trust in God and do the right." We remember those words as they are repeated in a poem written by Norman Macleod that Dad often read to his staff.

Trust In God
by Norman Macleod

Courage, Brother, do not stumble,
Though your path be dark as night;
There's a star to guide the humble,
Trust in God and do the right.

Let the road be rough and dreary,
And its end far out of sight,
Foot it bravely, strong or weary;
Trust in God and do the right.

Perish policy and cunning,
Perish all that fears the light;
Whether losing, whether winning,
Trust in God and do the right.

Trust no party, sect or faction,
Trust no leaders in the fight;
But in every word and action
Trust in God and do the right.

Simple rule and safest guiding,
Inward peace and inward might,
Star upon our path abiding;
Trust in God and do the right.

Some will hate you, some will love you,
Some will flatter, some will slight;
Cease from man, and look above you,
Trust in God and do the right.

What do you think of the life lessons Mart learned from his father? Did this article prompt you to think of your own father and the lessons he taught you? Let Mart know. He'll try to read all responses, but may not have time to respond to everyone. Reply to this e-mail to send Mart your comments. martsarticle@rbc.org

Please feel free to share this article with a friend.

© RBC Ministries - Grand Rapids, Michigan

kuancheen|singapore|20060603.0021

Your Reason For Living

2006-06-01T00:06:00.000+08:00

"The way you live reveals your real reason for living "

Read this today on the printed March - May 2006 edition of Our Daily Bread.

kuancheen|singapore|20050531.2345

Your Reason For Living
The way you live reveals your real reason for living. Actions really do speak louder than words. Take a look at your life and evaluate where your energies are being spent. Are you living to have fun? Get smart? Work hard? Love people? Please God?

Do your responses to the following questions support your answers above?
How do you spend your time?

Do you know God's Word?

Are you living in obedience to God? If not, why not?

To what are you looking for satisfaction?

What are you doing that has eternal benefits?

If these questions make you uncomfortable, maybe you need to recognize the waste of living for anything less than God's intended purpose.

If you've never taken the first crucial step of trusting Christ to rescue you from God's judgment against disobedience, accept His offer of forgiveness right now. He will forgive, and He will give you new purpose and power for living (John 3:16^[1]; Romans 5:8^[2]). Ask Him to help you make the most of the new life He's given you. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10^[3])

Adapted from Why In The World Am I Here? © 1987, 2001 RBC Ministries.
Read it on the Web at www.discoveryseries.org/q0502

Bible References:
John 3:16 [back to top]
¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 [back to top]
⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 10:10 [back to top]
¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

For the Least of You

2006-05-20T23:31:00.000+08:00

"Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me "

Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.

She read the letter:

Dear Ruth:

I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and would like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets." Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner." She reached for her purse and counted out its contents.

Five dollars and forty cents. " Well,I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least." She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk ... leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday.

Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm. "Hey lady, can you help us, lady?" Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway.

A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags "Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we'd really appreciate it."

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. "Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"I understand. Thanks anyway." The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley. As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.

"Sir, wait!" The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.

"Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest." She handed the man her grocery bag. "Thank you lady. Thank you very much!"

"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering. "You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one." Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street ... without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.

"Thank you lady! Thank you very much!" Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. "That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day."

She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

Dear Ruth:

It was so good to see you again.

Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat

Love Always,
Jesus

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.

At the end of life, We will NOT be judged by :
" How many diplomas/degrees we have received "
" How much money we have made "
" How many great things we have done "

BUT

We WILL be judged by :

" I was hungry and you gave me bread to eat "
" I was naked and you clothed me "
" I was homeless and you took me in."

* Hungry not only for bread - but hungry for love. *
* Naked not only for clothing - but naked for human dignity *
* Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks - but homeless because of rejection.*

Matthew 25:31-46

Personality Test - Mixing Pot

2006-05-18T01:34:00.000+08:00

Note: Now works with Firefox® 1.5 and (hopefully) above

In each of then following rows of four words across, click the one word that most often apply to you. Continue through all forty lines. If you are not sure which word 'most applies', ask a spouse or a friend, and think of what your answer would have been when you were a child - your natural personality. You can skip a line if you are really not sure.

P.S. Do share your results in the comment section, mine is there. ^^

Strengths
1	Adventurous	Adaptable	Animated	Analytical
2	Persistent	Playful	Persuasive	Peaceful
3	Submissive	Self-sacrificing	Sociable	Strong-willed
4	Considerate	Controlled	Competitive	Convincing
5	Refreshing	Respectful	Reserved	Resourceful

6	Satisfied	Sensitive	Self-reliant	Spirited
7	Planner	Patient	Positive	Promoter
8	Sure	Spontaneous	Scheduled	Shy
9	Orderly	Obliging	Outspoken	Optimistic
10	Friendly	Faithful	Funny	Forceful

11	Daring	Delightful	Diplomatic	Detailed
12	Cheerful	Consistent	Cultured	Confident
13	Idealistic	Independent	Inoffensive	Inspiring
14	Demonstrative	Decisive	Dry humour	Deep
15	Mediator	Musical	Mover	Mixes easily

16	Thoughtful	Tenacious	Talker	Tolerant
17	Listener	Loyal	Leader	Lively
18	Contended	Chief	Chartmaker	Cute
19	Perfectionist	Pleasant	Productive	Popular
20	Bouncy	Bold	Behaved	Balanced

Weaknesses
21	Blank	Bashful	Brassy	Bossy
22	Undisciplined	Unsympathetic	Unenthusiastic	Unforgiving
23	Reticent	Resentful	Resistant	Repetitious
24	Fussy	Fearful	Forgetful	Frank
25	Impatient	Insecure	Indecisive	Interrupts

26	Unpopular	Uninvolved	Unpredictable	Unaffectionate
27	Headstrong	Haphazard	Hard to please	Hesitant
28	Plain	Pessimistic	Proud	Permissive
29	Angered easily	Aimless	Argumentative	Alienated
30	Naive	Negative attitude	Nervy	Nonchalant

31	Worrier	Withdrawn	Workaholic	Wants credit
32	Too sensitive	Tactless	Timid	Talkative
33	Doubtful	Disorganised	Domineering	Depressed
34	Inconsistent	Introvert	Intolerant	Indifferent
35	Messy	Moody	Mumbles	Manipulative

36	Slow	Stubborn	Show-off	Skeptical
37	Loner	Lord over others	Lazy	Loud
38	Sluggish	Suspicious	Short-tempered	Scatterbrained
39	Revengeful	Restless	Reluctant	Rash
40	Compromising	Critical	Crafty	Changeable

[reset all]

[show]

Results:

Sanguine The Extrovert \| The Talker \| The Optimist
Strengths	Weaknesses
The Sanguine's Emotions
Appealing personality Talkative, Storyteller Life of the Party Good sense of humor Memory for color Physically holds on to listener Emotional and demonstrative Enthusiastic and expressive Cheerful and bubbling over Curious Good on stage Wide-eyed and innocent Lives in the present Changeable disposition Sincere at heart Always a child	Compulsive talker Exaggerates and elaborates Dwells on trivia Can't remember names Scares others off Too happy for some Has restless energy Egotistical Blusters and complains Naive, gets taken in Has loud voice and laugh Controlled by circumstances Gets angry easily Seems phony to some Never Grows Up
The Sanguine At Work
Volunteers for Jobs thinks up new activities Looks great on the Surface Creative and colorful Has energy and enthusiasm Starts in a flashy way Inspires others to join charms others to work	Would rather talk forgets obligations Doesn't follow through Confidence fades fast Undisciplined Priorities out of order Decides by feelings Easily distracted Wastes time talking
The Sanguine As A Parent
Makes Home Fun Is liked by children's friends Turns disaster into humor Is the circus master	Keeps home in a frenzy Forgets children's appointments disorganized Doesn't listen to the whole story
The Sanguine As a Friend
Makes friends easily Loves People Thrives on compliments Seems exciting envied by others Doesn't hold grudges apologizes quickly Prevents dull moments Likes spontaneous activities	Hates to be alone Needs to be center stage Wants to be popular Looks for credit dominates conversations Interrupts and doesn't listen answers for others Fickle and forgetful Makes excuses Repeats stories
source: www.oneishy.com	source: www.oneishy.com

Over Coming the "Quitter's Mentality"

2006-04-24T23:46:00.000+08:00

" Peter was so disappointed he decided to return to fishing - not men, but fishes - abandoning God's big dreams for his own small dreams. "

This time the Lord has brought me to one of my former youth. She has been blessed by the Lord to further her studies in Singapore on a scholarship.

To see her grow spiritually from the girl that she used to be is a blessing. I can't imagine how proud her Sunday school teachers and her parents will be.

It's a long road ahead for her. But I pray that she will be strengthen and rooted in Him. I'm sure that He has great plans for her.

I pray that she will continue to walk close with the Lord.
And no matter what comes along, storms or wave or even drought, I pray that she will hang on to Him as He will always hold her in her arms.

Praise the Lord that she managed to find a church for her to settle down and begin to serve. May she be surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ, and that she may be a blessing to them too.

The following article was picked up from the church bulletin, from the section title "Pastor's Pen" for the 22 & 23 April 2006 edition.

Over Coming the "Quitter's Mentality"

Have you ever felt like quitting?
Have you ever felt disappointed and disillusioned?
Disappointed with others, with yourself and even with God?

In John 21, we see Peter as a disappointed man:
Disappointed with himself that he will be the first to deny Christ;

Disappointed that his dream of ruling with Christ was crashed;

Disappointed even with God!
Peter was so disappointed he decided to return to fishing - not men, but fishes - abandoning God's big dreams for his own small dreams.

In John 21, we see that the disciples fished all night but caught nothing. In the morning, they saw a man standing on the shores. This man told then to throw their net down on the right side of the boat. When they did, they caught so many fishes that they could not haul them in the net. At that, they realised that the man on the beach was Jesus!

Why did this cause them to recognise Jesus?

Remember a similar incident about three years ago when they fished all night but caught nothing (Luke 5:4-11)? It was then that Jesus called them to be "fishers of men".

This miracle in John 21 reminded Peter that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
He is still the God of miracles!

He is still the God who calls us - to be fishers of men!

He is still the God who gives us big dreams!

He is still the God who fulfills those dreams!
So come to God today...
Let Him resurrect any dreams that have died

Let Him restore your sense of calling and confidence - knowing that God has made you the head and not the tail!
Come let us abandon our small dreams and pursue God's big dreams for our lives!
www.trinity.net

kuancheen|singapore|20060424.2330

Names of God in the Old Testament

2006-03-07T19:30:00.000+08:00

"For unto us a child is born
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace. "
Isaiah 9:6

Found the following this bookmark cut-out while searching for the Names of God after being inspired by this image:-

Lion of the tribe of Judah - Adonai - Our Lord and Coming King - Jeschua - Mighty One - The True Light - The Word - Advocate - Counselor - Teacher - Morning Star - The Way - Son of Man - The Righteous One - The Resurrection and The Life - Man of Sorrows - Prince of Peace - Head of the Church - My King - The Alpha and the Omega - Blessed and the Only Potentate (Sovereign) - God with us - Our Passover - The Beginning and the End - Only Begotten Son - Messiah - Light of the World - Jesus Christ - Faithful Witness - Y'hoshua - Mediator - The Lamb of God - Redeemer - Lord of all - The Life - Jesus the Nazareth - Saviour - Immanuel - Holy One - Great High Priest - First and Last - The Christ - The Son of the Living God - Servant - Bread of Life - Wonderful - Author and Finisher of our faith - The Last Adam - Amen
|original image source|

To print the bookmark, click on the title link to pop up the original page. The credits to Evangel High School Class is intentionally included.

Names of God in the Old Testament

Elohim (God)

Jehovah/Yahweh (the self-existent one: I AM)

Jehovah-jireh (the Lord will provide)

Jehovah-rapha (the Lord who heals)

Jehovah-nissi (the Lord our banner)

Jehovah-Shalom (the Lord our peace)

Jehovah-ra-ah (the Lord my shepherd)

Jehovah-tsidkenu (the Lord our righteousness)

Jehovah-shammad (the Lord is present)

Jehovah-Elohim (the Lord God)

Jehovah Sabaoth (the Lord of hosts)

El Elyon (the most high God)

Adonai (our master)

El Shaddai (Almighty God, the strength giver)

El Olam (everlasting God)

Jesus said, "I am . .

the resurrection

the way

the truth

the life

the light of the world

the bread of life

the good shepherd

the door of the sheep

the true vine."

"Before Abraham was, I AM."

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

Evangel High School Class
Houghton, MI

kuancheen|kuala.lumpur|20060307.2110
... Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life" John 14:6

Of Squares, Preps, Skater Punks, Goths, Techno-Ravers and the Tattooed Kids with Colored Hair

2005-10-10T23:35:00.000+08:00

"Tears rolled down ... as I continue[d] to read on how the Lord have shown Himself to the group which people in general will call the 'difficult' types, the 'squares, preps, and skater punks, Goths and techno-ravers and the tattooed kids with colored hair' youth ... "

I caught this song 'Gift of Cool' by 'Rock ‘n’ Roll Worship Circus' song today on K-Life, and was attracted by they blend of fresh music. I went over to google for the song, just like wat i always do to look for the song that I never heard of. K-Live was playing the song but I did not catch the song title. Then I googled part of the lyrics that I could make out [lyrics "we will run and never stop" "taking everything we are" "praising him forever"] and was lead to this article.

Tears rolled down my cheek as I continue to read on how the Lord have shown Himself to the group which people in general will call the 'difficult' types, the "squares, preps, and skater punks, Goths and techno-ravers and the tattooed kids with colored hair" youth. Then it continue to share about how this youth came to know the Lord and how the Lord let them out of drugs and pornography. And how the Lord uses this bunch of talented youth to instead channel it to secular things but for His Glory!

It reminded me on how much the youth nowadays needs the Lord and how much He cares for each one of them and how He wants to reach out to them.

My prayer is that this small article will be an encouragement to all and youth workers specifically to continue to reach out to those individual eventhough some times the tendency to label them creeps in.

Jesus never gave up on them, why should we?

Worship Circus Recounts When God's Love 'Landed in Our Town'
Kelli Cottrell
Baptist Press
source: http://new.crosswalk.com/fun/music/1255996.html

LONGVIEW, Wash. — "I remember the day when the love of God landed in our town / He took all the silent and broken hearts, fixed them up and gave them a sound / You had almost every different kind of kid from every different kind of social background / Taking all the cool they had and praising God, as He spun them around / When God came to town."

The lyrics by Gabriel Wilson, lead singer of a Christian band named the “Rock 'N' Roll Worship Circus,” recount a time when the Holy Spirit swept into the lives of teens in his hometown of Longview, Wash.

While doing a sound check prior to a performance in Las Vegas, Wilson began talking out loud to the band: "Remember back in the day ... when God came to town...." Although the song – “Gift of Cool” – was birthed in a matter of minutes, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter said it had been “brewing in me for awhile.”

Justin Rossetti, then a teen in high school, was one of many teens who lived the lyrics of the song, which is part of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Worship Circus’ latest CD, "A Beautiful Glow".

"I was brought up Catholic but when I turned 16 years old I wanted to be extreme," Rossetti, a local Starbucks employee, said. He tried hardcore drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine and crystal meth before he started “mixing combos.”

Sporting “messy hair” and a T-shirt, he also hung out at “rave parties” where teens used drugs while listening to punk bands.

Meanwhile, a small group of area youth pastors, in praying for their youth, began to catch a vision for holding their own version of "raves" two to three times a month.

"We used our worship raves as an option for the teens to come to," said Greg Sanders, who served as youth pastor at Abundant Life Apostolic Church in Olympia, Wash., and is currently a worship leader in Colorado.

"We [the youth pastors] decided we needed to get outside our walls and we wanted to make a genuine impact on our youth.... We loved on those kids ... some guys came stoned out of their mind ... some had pink mohawks. But the churched youth would love on them. The [Gift of Cool] talks about the so-called freaks who got saved ... [as they] started to fall in love with the Lord."

“... And the people in our churches,” Wilson’s lyrics recount, “they were constantly amazed at the kids kneeling at the altar with their different fashion flavors / You had squares, preps, and skater punks, Goths and techno-ravers and the tattooed kids with colored hair / And they were all getting saved.”

"God was doing something really unique," said Sanders, who saw the lives of a couple hundred teens change. "A lot of lines were crossed." At the worship raves, football players, cheerleaders and golfers stood worshiping God in song next to punk rockers and graffiti artists.

"It brought tears to my eyes," said Todd Anderson, youth pastor at Longview’s Shekinah Christian Fellowship. "They didn't care what their friends thought of them."

Rossetti's curiosity and love of raves prompted him to attend one of the worship raves in February 2000.

"One night my friends invited me to go to hear the Rock N Roll Worship Circus with one of the best headliner punk bands, so I went," said Rossetti, now 22. "There were tons of people my age that I had seen around town. Then the Worship Circus got up and prayed and started [singing] worship songs and everyone was raising their hands ... something inside me broke open."

A few days later, Rossetti met with a friend from school who asked if he was saved.

"She put it so simply. If I believed there was a God and He forgave me of my sins, I should ask Him to be in charge of my life,” he said.

That night, Rossetti asked God to make Himself real as he went to bed.

"If Jesus was real, I wanted to believe in Him," Rossetti said. "I asked Him to show Himself to me. I told Him I wanted to believe in Him but I didn't. I asked Him to forgive me of my sins and wash me clean. I asked Him to come into my heart."

Rossetti’s prayer was answered. As if on a film projector, he could see his life crashing before him with smoke and fire. "I was freaked out,” but then he heard a calming voice speak the words of John 1:1, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me."

The next day Rossetti met with Sanders at Starbucks. After asking a number of questions, he gave his life to Christ wholeheartedly.

"I went home and threw away all the drugs and alcohol in my room," Rossetti said. "I threw away a stack of pornography and from then on served God."

“... Suddenly almost every kid in town had finally / Found the way to take all the gifts and talents and beauty they had and worship God every day,” Wilson wrote. “Man, you had all the high school parties, and / They were turning into worship raves / And the sounds of the underground in town had turned into praise.”

With the term "gift of cool," Wilson said he means any type of influence a teen has, whether he or she is a skater, punk rocker or a golfer. “It was amazing to see that all these different stereotypes were using their gift of cool to influence their peers to worship" and “to bring others to Christ.”

Popular kids also were among those getting saved, he said. “The very best musicians in the town were getting saved, and going to a drinking party was uncool.... [The] raves were packed with worshiping teens."

"It was exciting, but scary," said Anderson, who experienced the revival in his 50-member youth group. "We have an amazing talent pool in our small town and all of a sudden all the kids who wanted to be rock stars now wanted to be worship leaders. They came crying to the altar. All of a sudden Jesus was the ‘cool’ thing."

“... You think the 60’s had good vibrations? / Well, check out my generation,” Wilson wrote in leading into a chorus. “We will run and never stop / Yeah, we all will stand together / Taking everything we are / And then praising Him forever / Well, anyone and everyone, come and join us for a good time / We are breaking all the rules by praising God / With your Gift of Cool ... / When your people sing, all of heaven sings ... So sing! Is that cool?”

On their CD, the group describes the song as “Inspired by a move of God in our hometown of Longview, Wash. Lord, please use this song to encourage people of all ages to take their gifts and use them for the glory of Your name.”

Wilson said he hopes to begin a mentoring program with area youth pastors to help raise up the next generation of worship leaders in Longview, a town of 35,000 people.

"The talent pool here is scary," Wilson said. "We hope to meet with potential worship leaders once a month and mentor them. We don't want to be selfish about the talents God has given us."

In addition to Wilson, the band, which records for INO Records/Epic Records, includes Wilson's wife, Blurr, who plays keyboard; drummer Zurn Praxair; and guitarist Eric Lemeire, nicknamed "E." They are currently on a national tour with Delirious.

Jesus Died and Rose on the 3rd day

2005-08-31T05:32:00.000+08:00

"Not much has been said on what happened in between His death on the cross and His raising for death on the third day. We need to be reminded what happened in between. "

I have been reading an article this week and it kind of open up my mind and to even feel the magnitude of what our Lord of done for us.

We often talked about what the Lord have done one the cross, from the movie The Passion, we are shown how much he suffered physically when he was whipped, nailed, spit, pierced, mocked. How he endured the pain? We were moved, some broke down watching this vivid images on how the Lord suffered.

We talked about how the Lord took all our sins on His shoulder on the cross how He redeemed all our sins. How he died and rose again on the third day. Victoriously??

Not much has been said on what happened in between His death on the cross and His raising for death on the third day. We need to be reminded what happened in between.

When the Lord cry out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", He was not crying out for the physical abuse He had to endured but for what He was going to face next. It was because of the sins He bore for each one of us. That He felt the separation from God. Some will interpret, God have turned His face away from Jesus. It was not just death He was going to face, but the damnation in Hell, the eternal damnation that we were to face in Hell. He took our place and took it all upon Himself.

The Lord overcame it and defeated Hell itself. He rose victoriously from the grave. What a victory! What a joy!

So, let us not just be reminded of the sufferings He endured while He was on earth, up to the moment He drew his last breath on the cross, but also the suffering He endured for us in Hell, taking the very punishments meant for us, the punishment and the wrath of God of not just my sin, or your sin but for ALL mankind! I can’t even begin to imagine how severe it is for one soul but for ALL the souls?!

We can’t express enough our gratitude for what the Lord have done for us, for there is no greater love that the Love that our Lord have demonstrated to us not just on the cross but when He was down below.

Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.

kuancheen|munich|20050830.2333

Set Yourself Aflame!

2005-08-31T05:16:00.000+08:00

" Want to get noticed? Set yourself on fire! "

Some one once asked a pastor who is a great communicator, the secret to communicate, sharing the gospel effectively and turning people attention to Christ. The pastor simply answered, "First, you need to douse yourself in kerosene and then set yourself on fire. That will surely get the attention from people that you seek."

To get others to listen to us about what we are going to share about Christ, we first need to set ourselves on fire for Christ. If we are burning for Him, people will notice the change in us, He likeness on us, the joy, the peace and all the fruits. The hotter the fire the faster it spreads. Therefore, seek to be on fire for Him, and sharing will just come naturally.

Torch yourself in God's flame, be the light to the world!

first posted at http://mywalkwithchrist.blogdrive.com/

Is CHRISTianity a Hobby?

2005-08-17T06:06:00.000+08:00

"What being a Christian means to you? Is Christianity just another hobby or a past time, something to do on Sundays and a social gathering to meet friends and a group to feel belonged to that you feel good about? "
fm103.2

This was aired sometimes back in October 2004 on FM103.2: The Heart of Sydney. I caught it when I was on an assignment there.

I shared it with my church's youth and young adults and decided to paste it here. Hope you all will be blessed by it as much as it has blessed me. Do feel free to share it with you friends.

For most of us, the first point is kinda obvious, but do read on the next four points. How do you fare in the test?

kuancheen|munich|20050817.0005

What being a Christian means to you? Is Christianity just another hobby or a past time, something to do on Sundays and a social gathering to meet friends and a group to feel belonged to that you feel good about?

Being a Christian it’s a lot more than just that, the reality is that being a Christian is being committed.

The following will hopefully gives you an insight to what this commitment means. If you think you’re a Christian, but are unsure – this examination of Christian commitment will make it clear to you just where you stand. If you not a Christian, but are curious as to what it feels like to be a Christian this examination of Christian commitment will show you.

There are five key elements of genuine Christian commitment.

1. Believing in Jesus Christ

First, it means believing in Jesus Christ. Someone asked Sardu Sundar Singh, the great Indian Christian, why he was a Christian and what he found in Christianity that he couldn’t find in the other religions of India. He answered with these two words: "Jesus Christ." There is no other One who died for the sins of the world. There is no other One who rose from the dead. There is no other One who gives the hope that He is going to return and set up His Kingdom.

This believing is also called faith. The Bible says, "Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1). Faith carries with it the idea of accompanying assurance – of absolute certainty.

And that word "believe" carries with it the idea of total surrender, putting total trust in what Jesus did on the cross – not trusting your good works, or your good character, not trusting your money, your friends, not trusting anything, not even church membership, but trusting in the Person of Jesus Christ.

2. Changed Attitude Toward Sin

Second, Christians must have a changed attitude toward sin – towards any and all wrongdoing. What does that mean? Well, 1 John 5:18 says: "We are sure that God’s children do not keep on sinning."

"Oh, but," you say, "certainly Christians – real Christians – do sometimes sin?" That’s true, but the expression here is that they do not "keep on sinning". That means that they "don’t practice sin." Christians don’t practice wrongdoing. Wrongdoing is no longer a habit in the lives of Christians.

But suppose Christians do sin. Suppose Christians slip and fall. Suppose Christians yield to temptation for a moment. What happens? What is needed then is confession to Jesus. Admit it and say to Jesus, "Lord, I have sinned." The Bible says: "if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away." And, the Bible adds, "if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away." (1 John 1:9).

Not only are Christians to confess their failures and wrongdoings to Jesus, but also to forsake them. There’s no use repenting of sin and saying, "I’m sorry, Lord, I’ve sinned," and then going back and repeating it. That’s not repentance. Repentance carries with it the idea of not repeating it. In other words, sin is no longer a practice in the lives of Christians. Christians may slip and fall from time to time, but it’s not a practice. It’s not deliberately pursued and done.

That’s the reason the Bible teaches that the Christian life is a daily life. The Bible says: "You must encourage one another each day." (Hebrews 3:13) The Bible also says deny self daily. It’s hard. We are living in an age when the pressures are greater, perhaps, than on any other generation in history.

3. Desire to Obey God

Third, Christians must have a desire to obey God. The Bible says: "When we obey God, we are sure that we know him." (1 John 2:3). That doesn’t mean that Christians can obey him all the time, but that they have a desire to obey him. They want to. They try to, with God’s help.

Jesus commanded: "Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world." (Mark 16:15). The message to be shared is that Christ is the Answer, that Christ died to save the world, that Christ rose again, that He’s coming back.

4. Separated From the World

Fourth, Christians must try to be separated from the world – clearly distinguishable from the world. The Bible says (in 1 John 2:15): "Don’t love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you can’t love the Father."

What does "the world" mean? That word in Greek is kosmos, and it means the world system that’s dominated by evil. The Bible says: "Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father. The world and the desires it causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever." (1 John 2:16-17).

That means the order, the behaviour, the fashion, the entertainment, whatever is dominated by evil. Satan is called "the god of this world" and "the prince of this world." The Bible teaches the Christians are to live in the world, but are not to partake of the evils of the world.

Christians are to be separated from the world of evil. "Don’t touch anything that isn’t clean," says the Bible (2 Corinthians 6:17). When a Christian faces something in the world, he or she must ask: "does it violate any principle of Scripture? Does it take the keen edge off my Christian life? Can I ask God’s blessing on it? Will it be a stumbling block to others? Would I like to be there, or be reading that, or be watching that, if Christ should return at that time?"

Worldliness does not fall like an avalanche upon a person and sweep him or her away. It’s the steady drip, drip, drip of the water that wears away the stone. And the world is always exerting a steady pressure on everyone (Christian and non-Christian alike) every day. Most Christians would crumble under the pressure if it weren’t for the Holy Spirit who lives inside each Christian and holds them up and keeps them.

5. Bear the Fruit of The Spirit

Fifth, Christians must be filled with the Spirit. The first fruit of the Spirit is love. The Bible says: "Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life. But if you don’t love each other, you are still under the power of death." (1 John 3:14). Do you love? Does love dominate your life?

What about you? Where do you stand? If you think of yourself as a Christian, did you recognise yourself and your commitment in that description? If not, then it is time that you ended the doubt and took a firm step of commitment.

And if you’re clear in your own mind that you’re outside of Christianity: are you willing to stay there? Or will you change? Will you turn from your way to God’s way? Will you step across the line? Will you close the deal with God?

I’m asking you tonight to make a clear commitment and to be quite sure that you belong to Jesus Christ.

You do that by speaking to him. A short simple prayer is the key; something along these lines:

Lord Jesus, please forgive me, please change me, and please take over the running of my life both now and forever. Amen.

That is how it begins. The key to this commitment can be summed up in three words: turn, trust and travel –

TURN from your way to God’s way;
TRUST your life to the powerful, loving hands of Jesus Christ; and
TRAVEL down his road, according to his directions, under his instructions, led by him, following him.

Turn, trust and travel – that is the way of commitment.

How did you fare? Did you pass the test? Are you committed?

What is CHRISTianity?

2005-08-17T05:00:00.000+08:00

"A WHOLE NEW PLANET. THAT MAKES A WHOLE NEW YOU. Take 2 seconds to forget the stereotypes, hype, and double talk. This page could be the most important thing you ever read. "
fm103.2

Jesus is:
The Son of God
Jesus is the only Son of the one true and everlasting God. Jesus lived, walked, and talked with His own creation (you and me - humanity). Because He was also a man, He understands our hurts, our grief, our pain, and our loneliness.
"While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
Matthew 17:5

Our Salvation
God loves humanity so much that He sent Jesus with a plan. That plan was fulfilled as Jesus suffered and died at the hands of his own creation in order that we might be forgiven for the sins we (His creation) commit against God in our words, thoughts, and actions. Jesus also died that we might come to recognize Him for who He is- the holy Son of God. Jesus' work of coming to dwell among humanity and die for them gives everyone who believes what He says is true, and who repents from their own sin COMPLETE FORGIVENESS, FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM, AND ETERNAL LIFE! God validates eternal life for us and ALL of Jesus' words and actions by miraculously raising Him from the dead. By believing in Jesus and what He has done by dying for your sins, you also can have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with God!

Our Healer
When Jesus lived among us, he healed people in many ways - spiritually (in order that we may have fellowship with God our Father), physically, and even mentally. He gives us peace in our minds from sorrow and mental anguish.

Our Comforter
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Our Lord and Master
As God's Son, Jesus has authority over everything that exists, including US. Jesus allowed Himself to be subjected to humanity's cruelty and rebellion to the point of allowing Himself to be nailed upon a cross by the very hands of those He created. He took upon Himself the sins of the entire world to free us from the fix we got our own selves into with sin and death.

"All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Matthew 11:27

What Is A Christian?
It starts with an ordinary person, yet something is very different about this person once they become "a Christian." THE DIFFERENCE STARTS when this person believes in, professes, and follows Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God made this way for you even when you didn't acknowledge or love Him - "But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!" Romans 5:8

A Christian has been given a new life here on earth and eternal life after this one through what Jesus has done for them. A Christian lives the rest of their life seeking to be in closer fellowship with Jesus and looks forward to the day when they will be reunited with Him -

"For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below—there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

How Can YOU Be A Christian?
Take a minute out. Pray to Jesus. Forget any scripts or formulas. Talk to Him like a real person who's right there with you. HE IS. Tell Him you believe Him - that He is the Son of God; that He died for your sins; that He still lives. Tell Him you are sorry for your sins. Ask Him to forgive you - HE WILL. A clean slate. Your life will be new. MOVE FORWARD WITH JESUS EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF EVERY SINGLE DAY AND NEVER LOOK BACK!

What Now?
HEAR IT
Get in a Church that teaches the Bible.

READ IT
Read God's Word every day. A great place to begin is the Gospel of John in the New Testament.

PRAY IT
Spend time in prayer with God and give to Him your cares, fears, and problems. Like in any relationship, God wants to hear from you!

LIVE IT
Commit every day to Jesus.

http://www.fm1032.com.au | 10/6/2005

The Friendship Factor

2005-08-14T21:32:00.000+08:00

"First impressions are vitally important. Within 11 minutes of entering a building, people generally decide if they will ever come back again. That means we have 11 minutes to sweep them off their feet! "
www.battlecry.com

Following is an article published on www.battlecry.com which stresses the importance of first impression in today's youth ministry. Today, people make that assessment the minute they stepped into the church ground even before entering the doors.

In my own personal experience, when I am church visiting on my travels, the most important thing to me is how friendly a church is. How quick the church members notice you and how they welcome the visitors. These receptions varies from the extreme end of you-seems-to-be-a-shadow-that-no-one-noticed to overwhelming you-are-greeted-by-everyone-and-announced-to-the-whole-church responses, but nothing like a friendly smile and a genuine greeting of "Hi, welcome to our church", being shown to your seat, and a warm fellowship after the service, genuinely trying to see whether a visitor need help to settle down.

The keyword here is be genuine; willing to face rejection and courage to open up our mouths to welcome. We need to ask the Lord for a heart of compassion, to see His people coming to church, to grow in one a another, not to see them turned away. We should welcome everyone just like the Father in "The Parable of the Lost Son" welcomes His ran-away son; with thanksgivings and open arms.

kuancheen|munich|20050815.1040

Friendship Factor
The key ingredient to church (and youth group!) growth
July 24, 2005
source: http://www.battlecry.com

A recent Gallup survey found that those who attend church with a best friend are more likely to be spiritually committed and satisfied with their church body. What does this “Friendship Factor” mean for youth ministry?

Survey results found that those who have a best friend in their congregation had better attendance, felt closer to and personally cared for by their pastor and other church members, and spent more time in worship and prayer everyday. It’s common knowledge that this generation places a very high priority on friendships. Therefore Gallup’s findings must be even more true for teenagers!

Studies show that 80% of Christians came to Christ through a friend. Relationships are the most effective form of evangelism and are vitally important to teens. Group Magazine reported that a friendly atmosphere was the #1 deciding factor in choosing a youth group. Having high tech equipment was #9.

It is important to provide an environment in your youth ministry where deep friendships can easily be formed. What practical steps can you take to see this happen and keep young people coming back?

Create opportunities for fellowship by providing fun, gateway activities.
When people of like interests get together to do what they love, common bonds are formed and solid friendships are quickly built. All it takes is an activity and a date. It’s easier than you think—if you’re not an expert on the activity, just work with someone else who is!

After determining dates and details, be sure to publicize the event as a “gateway activity” and cast the vision to your youth to use it as an outreach. Encourage them to invite new people, not just the same old kids that are at your meetings every week. Some ideas you could try include BBQs or free pizza dinners, scrap-booking parties, ski trips, working on cars, hiking, bowling, going to amusement parks or organizing sports tournaments.

Make visitors feel like part of the family by warmly greeting them as they arrive.
First impressions are vitally important. Within 11 minutes of entering a building, people generally decide if they will ever come back again. That means we have 11 minutes to sweep them off their feet!

Visiting a new youth group can be very intimidating, but you can ease the awkwardness with a greeting team. Select a group of outgoing and energetic teens to stay by the door and welcome people as they arrive with big smiles and lots of enthusiasm.

The key is to not just to greet newcomers, but to start a relationship with them. Train your youth leadership team to remember names, sit by new people, and ask questions, and encourage everyone to invite the people they meet to hang out after the meeting.

Another way to bless newcomers is to give away special gifts such as free snacks or merchandise. Also, try adding a “meet someone new” break during your meetings.

If you and your teens will make a conscious effort to notice, appreciate, value and love the people who come to your church, visitors will notice—and come back..

Help strong friendships develop by breaking into small groups.
On a regular basis, break your group into small groups to go over discussion questions prepared ahead of time. This provides a less intimidating environment for people to open up and be real with each other. This also prevents visitors from slipping through the cracks. Many youth ministries also form “cell groups” or small group Bible studies on various nights of the week for continued discipleship.

Get everyone involved!
It’s the youth pastor’s job to provide opportunities, but it’s the teens’ job to take the initiative and build solid friendships. Train your teens to constantly be on the look out for new people and to sit by them, welcome them, and invite them to hang out after youth group events. If your youth’s focus is making new people feel loved and comfortable, no one will ever leave unnoticed.

By strategically providing gateway activities, going out of the way to bless newcomers, providing opportunities for small group fellowship, and getting your youth involved, your ministry will thrive as personal relationships flourish. Strangers will develop into friends and your teens will become more committed to a passionate pursuit of God.

When making plans for this upcoming school year, don’t forget “The Friendship Factor.”

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