Email Circular Past Editions

---- 1999 ----

December 25, 1999	Eastern Star
December 18, 1999	Spillers of Encouragement
December 11, 1999	Reason for the Season
December 4, 1999	Labor for the Lord
November 27, 1999	Calming Fears About Y2K
November 20, 1999	Giving Thanks
November 13, 1999	Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
November 6, 1999	Jonah's Message
October 30, 1999	HALLOWEEN GODDESS
October 23, 1999	Church Football
October 16, 1999	Pentecost and Fire
October 9, 1999	India Christian Partnership
October 2, 1999	Bow Down
September 25, 1999	The Pursuit of God
September 18, 1999	A Kingdom Divided
September 11, 1999	The Cocoon
September 4, 1999	Endurance
August 28, 1999	Church Unity
August 21, 1999	Same Ole Same Ole
August 14, 1999	Song of the Bird
August 7, 1999	Spiritual Growth
July 31, 1999	The world didn't end in year 1000
July 24, 1999	Chasing the Wind
July 17, 1999	Negative Messages
July 10, 1999	Schubert's Unfinished Symphony
July 3, 1999	Managing Criticism and Complaints
June 25, 1999	Christian Excellence
June 17, 1999	Save a Marriage
June 12, 1999	Persecution
June 8, 1999	Answering the Question
June 5, 1999	Mistaken E-mail
May 29, 1999	The Blessing
May 22, 1999	Did You Waste the Day?
May 15, 1999	Pluralism in Worship
May 8, 1999	Mothers
May 1, 1999	Quotes from a Speech by Rev. David Wilkerson
April 26, 1999	Two More Students
April 24, 1999	One Died, One Wounded, One Spared
April 17, 1999	The Wrath of God
April 12, 1999	A Sense of a Goose
April 3, 1999	The Crucifision of Jesus
March 27, 1999	Church Fights
March 20, 1999	People who don't come to church
March 13, 1999	Pastor's Job Description
March 6, 1999	Are You OK For Y2K?
February 27, 1999	Forgiveness and Friends
February 20, 1999	Trust in the Lord
February 13, 1999	Seeking God
February 6, 1999	What if God Had an Answering Machine?
January 30, 1999	The Perfect Church
January 23, 1999	Culture of Haste
January 16, 1999	He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
January 9, 1999	Humility
January 2, 1999	Two Babes in a Manger

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - December 25, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Eastern Star ``There came wise men from the East. ... The star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stopped over where the young child was.'' -- Matthew 2:9 Biblical scholars and astronomers say there are a variety of possible scientific explanations for such a sustained and glowing light in the heavens. 1. Halley's comet, which returns every 75 or 76 years, would have been visible in the night skies around 10 B.C., with a trailing tail that could have appeared to point in the direction of Bethlehem. The comet theory is bolstered by a reference in Matthew to the wise men seeing the star twice. Halley's comet is visible for several weeks, then passes behind the sun and reappears. 2. Given less credence is the possibility of a nova, or a new star, which would appear initially brilliant and then fade within a few months. One was documented by Chinese astronomers around 5 B.C. 3. Other astronomical occurrences during the reign of King Herod merit attention. Astronomers found that in 7 B.C., Jupiter and Saturn would have appeared very close together, casting a bright combined glow similar to that of a single large star. The following year, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were also closely aligned. A similar alignment of Jupiter and Saturn occurred in October of 1991, affording modern-day stargazers with a biblical bent a chance to imagine how the journey could have unfolded. Because of the way the road rises, then takes a turn just outside town, the light actually appears moving over Bethlehem. Whatever may be the explanation of the star's appearance from our human point of view, this much is for sure, the Magi did well to obey the evil king's command, "Go and search dilegently." On this Christmas day, may we vow to do the same. Have a blessed celebration of the coming of Jesus. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - December 18, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Spillers of Encouragement For many people, the goal of existence seems to be to reduce the pressures of life and achieve a state of comfortability. The "Good Life" then, is a stress - free existence. So we've developed such tools as Hot Tubs, Water Therapy and Water Beds to help us achieve this goal. But Jesus said it straight: "In the world you will have tribulation; be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." We face varying forms and degrees of pressures: afflictions, problems, anxieties, troubles, deadlines and demands. For students with tests coming up: there's too much information squeezed into a small brain. For many, there' are financial pressures: too many bills to be squeezed out of such a small pay check. There are social expectations: the pressure is always on to do the right thing in a particular group - for a new pastor, it may be the past pastor's performance. Everyone has problems: and too little energy to solve them. We have righteous desires: in the midst of a world filled with evil influences. There are relational breakdowns: with apparently too little wisdom to solve them. There's too much noise, hot weather or cold weather, and hyper - activity. So, when feeling under pressure, do this: Acknowldege the hardship, even be willing to share it with others. Go to the source, the Lord Himself. Get with people who "spill" encouragement, soon you'll be spilling and looking for someone to spill on, they in turn will do the same, and on and on it goes. Soon everyone in the church will be spilled on, and begin looking outside the church for some "spillees". The ultimate result? "many will give thanks", and will "Praise God". +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Spillers of Encouragement +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - December 11, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Reason for the Season Why do we need to keep reminding ourselves that "Jesus is the Reason" for Christmas? In part, because there are many other good reasons which are in competition. CHRISTMAS COMPETITION #1. Christmas is a festival of lights, as in most other religions. In India for example, the Hindus observe a holiday associated with lights, it's called "Divali". There are actually two nights of celebration, the first is for "Little Lights", and the next night is when the fire crackers and rockets are set off to commemorate "Big Lights". The Jewish religion has Chanukah, which is also a festival of lights. If we're not careful, Christmas will become just a time to enjoy lights. We do it in many ways, on trees, houses, shops and city squares. In one town where we lived, the custom was to place candles at the bottom of small brown paper sacks and line the driveways and sidewalks leading up to the homes. But is that the meaning of Christmas? The beauty of lighted decorations? CHRISTMAS COMPETITION #2. Christmas is an opportunity to express love through giving. For many people, there could be no Christmas if there were no exchange of gifts. But first, if we get this idea from the "Persians Kings" who brought gifts to the new-born Christ child, why is it that we give gifts to each other, and not to Him? Also, why do we do this only for Christmas? Isn't gift giving a regular feature of all loving relationships? And why all the attention on toys? Is that the meaning of Christmas - dolls, trucks, ice skates, electric trains and video games? CHRISTMAS COMPETITION #3. Christmas is for family gatherings and lots of food. Family members who don't have time for each other all year suddenly feel a need to gather at the parent's home, or the home of one of the grown children. But if "family" is the Reason for the Season", then what about those who are alienated from their families, or whose families are far away, or no longer living? Closely related to this is the idea that Christmas is a celebration of children - but what if you have none, or have bad memories of your own? CHRISTMAS COMPETITION #4. Then there's the interpretation that Christmas is nothing more than our way of celebrating the winter solstice, a celebration of the turn of the season, when the days begin getting longer again. Patterned after the old Roman holiday, Saturnalia, it gives us a much needed time to rest and celebrate during the darkest days of the year. Perhaps this is why so many have bought into the idea that you can't have a legitimate Christmas without snow! But none of these really satisfy: Lights, Gifts, Family, Winter - these have all become associated with Christmas, but none of them represent the true "Reason for the Season." There's only one satisfactory answer - "Jesus is the Reason for the Season". +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Jesus is the Reason for the Season +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - December 4, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Labor for the Lord 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. In this one verse of Scripture there is a wonderful word of encouragement for all those who would be involved in the Lord's work. Let's examine at some of the individual words: "STEADFAST" - derived from a word meaning "to sit", it means: "sitting, sedentary, or by extension: firm, immovable, and steadfast." Usually when we put the words "work" and "sit" together, we have a negative idea. The boss complains, "Every time I see you, you're sitting down on the job." Someone once commented, "I love work so much I can sit all day long and watch you do it." But in this verse, the word is not used to convey lack of activity, but rather taking a strong stance so as not to be knocked off our feet. "UNMOVEABLE" - means "not to be moved from its place, to be unmoved"; metaphorically: "to be firmly persistent." Again, being "unmoved" has some different connotations. The song "I shall not be, I shall not be moved" sometimes refers to the pew a person sits in. Or it could have to do with a kind of emotional deadness; a person may come to church and be "unmoved" by the worship, or the invitation to salvation. But here, the meaning is clear. To be unmoved means that nothing can move us out of the job we have been assigned by the Lord. It means refusing to be a quitter. "ALWAYS ABOUNDING" literally means "to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure". Furthermore, it means "to exist or be at hand in abundance, to abound, to overflow, or to be abundantly furnished with, to have in abundance, to be in affluence, to excel or exceed." This is the word used in the story concerning the feeding of the multitude - after everyone was miraculously fed, there was an abundance, there were "left-overs" (John 6:12). It also is used to do with "wealth"; Jesus said, "...a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15) So in our text, the message is that we should strive to be wealthy in doing the Lord's work, to excel in the Lord's work. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Labor for the Lord +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - November 27, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Religious Leaders Calm Fears About Y2K By John Boyle Curious but not panicky. Concerned but secure in the knowledge that God will take care of you. That seems to be the feeling Christian counselors and pastors are picking up from people worried about the Y2K computer glitch and the coming new millennium. "Right now everybody seems to have faith that the same God who's taken care of his people through the ages will continue to provide for his people," says the Rev. Charles Mosley, pastor of the Nazareth First Missionary Baptist Church in Asheville, N.C. "There's no idea, no feeling that it's going to be the end of the world or the end of time. Even Jesus said he didn't know when that was coming." Jay Liner is the pastor of Gateway Christian Community in Woodfin, N.C., a nondenominational church of about 100 members. He's also a partner in a computer software company, so he's well aware of the potential for computer glitches. Liner hasn't discerned panic among the faithful yet. "I think there's a healthy balance of respect for the situation," he says. "I think we've got people who are making preparations for the short term and temporary things like a power glitch, but nothing on the order of being freaked out about it." At Silent Cry Ministries in Asheville, counselor Shelby Jeffcoat says she is not being flooded with people worried about the apocalypse. But concerns about the Y2K glitch and associated societal problems are adding to clients' stress levels. "I think it's adding to their stress because they're already loaded with problems," says Jeffcoat. "I don't think Y2K is related to the Scriptures in any way," says the Rev. Billy Cline of Asheville's Merrimon Avenue Baptist Church. "I don't think anyone can use the Bible to predict what's going to happen with Y2K." Rather than panic, he says, most people haven't paid much attention to the potential computer problem. Cline preaches to congregations to arm themselves with knowledge. For his own part, Cline has gathered information from the American Red Cross and the office of Rep. Charles Taylor, R-N.C. "The Red Cross is saying to treat Y2K like a big storm and make the proper preparations," Cline says. But he mainly urges believers to keep their faith. "The Christian attitude should be don't panic, don't have fear," he says. "Do some preparation, then know that if you belong to God, he's going to take care of you." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Religious Leaders Calm Fears +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - November 20, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Giving Thanks ALMOST EVERY YEAR, AT THIS TIME, I RECALL MY FIRST TRIP TO INDIA. IT HAPPENED THAT I FOUND MYSELF IN CALCUTTA, ALONE IN A RUN DOWN HOTEL IN THE CENTER OF THIS GREAT CITY THAT SOME HAVE CALLED THE "BLACK HOLE" OF INDIA. THE YEAR WAS 1988, AND MY BIRTHDAY LUNCH CONSISTED OF A COUPLE PIECES OF FRUIT WHICH I HAD BOUGHT ON THE STREET. I CAREFULLY PEELED THEM, AND THEN SAT EATING THEM WHILE LEANING OVER THE COFFEE TABLE, FEELING SORRY FOR MY LONELINESS, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY, BUT ALSO BECAUSE I WOULD ALSO MISS MY DAUGHTER'S 5TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. LATER THAT DAY, I WENT TO THE FRIDAY NIGHT SERVICE AT THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH WHERE MARK BUNTAIN WAS PASTOR. IT WAS ON MY WAY BACK TO THE HOTEL THAT THE LORD BLESSED ME WITH A SPECIAL TREAT. THE DRIVER OF THE MISSION JEEP SAID THAT HE WOULD BE DROPPING OFF A FEW OTHER PEOPLE ON HIS WAY, WOULD I MIND? OF COURSE NOT. AS I SAT IN THE FRONT SEAT, BOUNCING ALONG THE ROUGH ROADS CHARACTERISTIC OF INDIA, I SUDDENLY BECAME AWARE THAT THERE WAS, SITTING RIGHT BEHIND ME, A SMALL GIRL. SHE MUST HAVE BEEN THE SAME AGE AS MY DAUGHTER. THIS LITTLE GIRL HAD JUST BEEN TO A CHILDREN'S SERVICE, AND SHE WAS HAPPILY SINGING AS WE RODE ALONG. THE SONG SHE SANG WAS, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"! SUDDENLY I REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT ALONE AFTER ALL. THE LORD KNEW I WAS THERE, AND PLANTED A LITTLE REMINDER FOR ME TO ENJOY. AFTER ARRIVING BACK AT THE HOTEL, I WENT TO THE LITTLE DINING ROOM ACROSS THE HALL FOR MY LATE SUPPER. IT APPEARED THAT THIS "BENGAL CHAMBERS' WAS TRYING HARD TO RETAIN THE FLAVOR OF PRE- INDEPENDENCE DAYS WHEN INDIA WAS UNDER BRITISH INFLUENCE. THERE WERE WHITE TABLE CLOTHS AND REAL "SILVER" WARE. I NOTICED THAT CANDLES WERE STORED ALL AROUND THE ROOM IN CASE OF AN ELECTRICAL BLACK-OUT. AT THE CLOSE OF MY MEAL, WHEN THE SERVANT BROUGHT A PUDDING DESERT, I ASKED FOR ONE OF THOSE CANDLES TO BE BROUGHT SO I COULD HAVE A LIT CANDLE TO HELP ME CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY. FOR EVEN THOUGH I WAS ALONE IN A STRANGE LAND, I WAS THANKFUL FOR HIS ABUNDANT BLESSINGS. TO TOP IT OFF, AS I LEFT THE DINING ROOM, A STEREO SYSTEM DOWN THE HALL WHICH EARLIER HAD BEEN BLARING ROCK MUSIC, WAS NOW PLAYING ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS, "I'D RATHER HAVE JESUS THAN ANYTHING THIS WORLD AFFORDS TODAY." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Giving Thanks +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - November 13, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Post Traumatic Stress Disorder According to an ex-Buddhist priest an entire sect of Vietnamese Buddhist monks spent years heaping specific curses upon all Americans that came to fight in their country. These specific curses were: That the American soldiers would become wandering men for the rest of their lives. That they would never find peace. That they would be angry men and women for the rest of their lives. Anyone who has served in Vietnam has been changed by that experience. There are scars, and scars are proof that there was pain. The emotional wounds can also be healed. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? Proverbs 18:14 The steps involved in this need to be taken in order. If things are taken out of order there will be no foundation. Like the foolish man who built his house on the sand, when the wind and rain came (and they will come!) his house collapsed because there was no foundation. STEP 1: RESOLVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD STEP 2: RESTORE YOUR VIEW OF YOURSELF STEP 3: HEALING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND CHILDREN STEP 4: GAIN A PROPER PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - November 6, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Jonah's Message Unfortunately, whenever we think of the name Jonah, we usually have only one thing in mind - the story of "Jonah and the Whale". A lot of attention has been given to this miraculous event: a man is swallowed whole by this great fish, and lives to tell the story! When he repents of his disobedience, and prays to God, his prayer is answered and he is delivered by being vomited up unto the beach. The deeper messages of this account often get lost in the argument over whether of not this could be possible, many people willing to believe that this was a mere legend rather than an accurate historical account. So the defenders of the faith rise up and offer proof by citing other examples of men in history who have survived similar fish stories. We clap our hands in glee because the skeptics have once again been proven false, and rush off to other matters before taking the time to understand what it was that God wanted to teach us by including "Jonah" in the sacred texts. Here's the simple message, "God is concerned about the wickedness of Nineveh, and sends a preacher to give fair warning of the judgment to come." God's compassion for the 120,000 children (or morally undeveloped), and even His concern for the animals is sharply contrasted to Jonah's concern for his own reputation and comfort. Jonah thought that his prophetic ministry was on the line here. A Prophet's credential was simply this, if he predicted an event which then came to pass, he was a true Prophet - if the event did not occur, he would be declared to be a False Prophet. He had publicly predicted the destruction of Nineveh, and now he is finding out that this is not going to happen. Look at Jonah 3:10 and 4:1 - "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry." Perhaps Jonah was only too happy to preach this pending destruction; after all, Nineveh did not represent a nation friendly with the Israelite nation. He was getting some satisfaction with the prospects of God destroying an enemy! But Jonah was also upset because the little bit of shade he had found was taken away as this plant withered and as the sun beat upon his head. Let's pause long enough to say that a judgmental attitude toward others is never appropriate. God's compassion and mercy are such that He may even forgive and redeem the worst of sinners. I can just imagine the outcry when Jesus, from the cross, declared that the criminal dying next to Him would be with Him in Paradise. Certainly, if the Pharisees heard that, they would angrily shout out, "What right does this man have to be invited into the presence of God? He's a thief!" But do you know what happens to those who identify with God's judgment but refuse to acknowledge His compassion and forgiveness? They wither and die just like that vine. Lack of love for those who now sit under the threat of judgment becomes like that little worm, eating away at the spirit, causing it to whither and die. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Jonah +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - October 30, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ THE HALLOWEEN GODDESS By Thomas R. Horn. Editor@RaidersNewsUpdate.com On 31 October, spooky beings and superheroes, cartoon characters and rubberized celebrities will line the streets and mall hallways of America anticipating sugary rewards. Compelled by shouts of "TRICK OR TREAT," children of all ages will once again tote receptacles of various size and weight harboring the result of the nights hunt. It is called Halloween. And while for most of us it is a harmless annual activity, its roots run deep into ancient paganism. ALL HALLOWS' EVE, or Halloween, originated in the 7th century AD. It was celebrated on 13 May and was a night to remember deceased saints and martyrs. The date was later changed to November 1 in order to Christianize the pagan holidays Beltane and Samhain--festivals of summer, winter, fire, and of the powers of darkness. James Frazer said in The Golden Bough that "throughout Europe, Hallowe'en, the night which marks the transition from autumn to winter, seems to have been of old the time of year when the souls of the departed were supposed to revisit their old homes in order to warm themselves by the fire." Such ghosts walked the countryside retrieving offerings of food and drink (the treat) supplied by living family members. Other darker forces roamed the night as well. Demons, hobgoblins, and witches on broomstick, haunted the night with acts of mischief (the trick). Real witches were also known to revel on Halloween night. According to "Man, Myth & Magic", the witches of Aberdeen danced "round an old grey stone at the foot of the hill at Craigleuch, the Devil himself playing music before them." Modern witches and Wiccans practice a similar skyclad (nude) Halloween tradition, calling on earth spirits and goddesses to visit their knife drawn circles of power. The connection between ancient paganism and the modern customs and costumes of Halloween is easy to trace. The Hecatian myths adopted by Celtic occultists continue in pop culture, in symbolism and tradition in the following ways: * People visiting neighborhood homes on Halloween night represent the dead in search of food (the treat). * Masks of devils and hobgoblins represent evil spirits seeking mischief (the trick). * Those who pass out candy represent the homes visited by the dead, or may also represent worried individuals seeking to appease Hecate and other nighttime terrors. * The Jack-O-Lantern (will-o-the-wisp, fox fire, fairy fire, etc.) is, according to some histories, a wandering soul stuck between heaven and hell. Others claim the Druids left Jack-O-Lanterns on doorsteps to ward off evil spirits. Another legend about a drunk named Jack who made a deal with the devil claims to be the true origin of the Jack-O-Lantern myth. The list goes on but I'm afraid the bottom line is this: Whatever you make of such history, most children who wear masks and pursue sweets on Halloween night do not understand, or care about, the symbolism. It is, for the most part, a lonely matter of interest to history lovers and students of human behavior like me. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from The Halloween Goddess +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - October 23, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ A Bit of Humor and Make Surfing Count Church Football Quarterback Sneak - Church members quietly leaving during the invitation. Draw Play - What many children do with the bulletin during worship. Halftime - The period between Sunday School and worship when many choose to leave. Benchwarmer - Those who do not sing, pray, work, or apparently do anything but sit. Backfield-in-Motion - Making a trip to the back (restroom or water fountain) during the service. Staying in the Pocket - What happens to a lot of money that should be given to the Lord's work. Two-minute Warning - The point at which you realize the sermon is almost over and begin to gather up your children and belongings. Instant Replay - The preacher loses his notes and falls back on last week's illustrations. Sudden Death - What happens to the attention span of the congregation if the preacher goes "overtime". Trap - You're called on to pray and are asleep. End Run - Getting out of church quick, without speaking to any guest or fellow member. Flex Defense - The ability to allow absolutely nothing said during the sermon to affect your life. Halfback Option - The decision of 50% of the congregation not to return for the evening service. Blitz - The rush for the restaurants following the closing prayer. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from A Bit of Humor Make Surfing Count The other day I received the following email letter from a former student of mine. Here's a copy of his letter: "I thought some of you might benefit from this and as a youth pastor, I can, too. It's a great deal. Sorry for the mass mailing, but it's the only way I know of to let everyone know. If it wasn't something worthwhile, I wouldn't be sending this out. Listen to this... "I found a great new Internet company (alladvantage.com). They pay you to surf the Web. You just go on-line like you always do, only they will pay you for that. They even pay you when your friends are surfing the Web (if they sign up and say you referred them). They pay $.50 per hour for you and $.10 per hour for those you refer and $.05 per hour for those that the people you referred to refer. This company has been paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars to their members for two months now. The average check for the month of August was $47.77! "Hit the link now. Sign up (less than a minute - NO SURVEY) and then go tell your friends. http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=EDZ-357 "Thanks for listening and hope it works out for you. "P.S. If you are already spending time on the Internet, you might as well get paid a little. It may pay for your monthly access fee." (End of letter) I'm forwarding this letter hoping that you will consider joining now and start getting paid as you surf the Web, and at the same time provide funds for the India Christian Partnership. Please use my referral ID number EDZ-357, and be sure to tell all your friends and family who use the Internet - the more referrals you get, the more money you can earn. Read more details below, and let me know how you like it. Thank you, Neil - Member ID# EDZ-357 To join, go to this URL: http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=EDZ-357 **************************************************** How AllAdvantage.com membership works: Get Paid to Surf the Web. As a member using the Viewbar, "AllAdvantage.com" will pay you while you surf the Web. Eligible members download the AllAdvantage.com Viewbar on a first-come, first-served basis. The bar is standard ad height, about one-half inch on most screens. The bar can be minimized with a single click to eliminate it from the screen at any time. ************************************************** If you yourself do not intend to join (perhaps you seldom use the Internet) it would be great if you would forward this letter to the people on your mailing list. http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=EDZ-357 ************************************************** +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - October 16, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Pentecost and Fire "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8) The word "power" is related to our word "dynamite". But this is not explosives for destruction, but more like the internal combustion engine, continuous, harnessed explosions. (Cement trucks with 6 axle drive make it through areas that the rest of us can't go; they have tremendous power.) Here's a motto for you "when the going gets tough the tough get tougher!" There is a power available to very Christian, the power of the Holy Spirit within. If the church wimps out, or becomes content in apathy, it has lost the fire. We can blame it on "burn out", or on those who have failed by not setting forth a worthy example - the real reason is, we have lost the energy source, we have lost the fire. The power promised, is that the disciples would be witnesses ("martyrs") in the face of persecution. We probably won't face a firing squad; perhaps only the ridicule of the so called "politically correct". Think of Jeremiah - "I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, 'I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." (Jeremiah 20:7-9) Those who are truly filled with the Holy Spirit speak of the Lord, not out of duty, not to get stars in their eternal crown, or because they fear of being ashamed when they stand before the Lord. They do so simply because they have the fire. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Pentecost and Fire +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - October 9, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ India Christian Partnership A little over 10 years ago, Dr. Neil Chadwick made his first missions trip to India and Bangladesh. Since then, three additional trips have been made for this one reason - to provide encouragement and training for Pastors and other Christian leaders. During these trips, he has conducted Seminars designed to bring together leaders from a variety of denominational backgrounds for two and three day "times of refreshing". In all, he has ministered to over 3,000 Pastors who otherwise may not have had an opportunity for this kind of fellowship, encouragement and training. The rationale for this Missions Ministry is quite simple. India represents one of the greatest remaining Missions Fields in the world. As the world's population passes the 6 billion mark, India's population is surpassing one billion, and only 7% have received the message of the Gospel. Recent projections have indicated that in just 15 years, India will pass the combined populations of all of the Industrialized Nations, i.e., the U.S., all of Europe (including Russia), Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. The numbers are astounding: If 10,000 Pastors from America were to be sent to India, and if each of them built a church to disciple 2,000 converts each year, the church in India would only be keeping up with the population growth! The task at times seems overwhelming. So what can be done? The obvious answer is this: develop and support the Pastors and other leders who are already on site doing the job. Most American Christians believe that our task is to go or send Missionaries to other countries to spread the Gospel. But in India, as well as in other developing countries, there already are dedicated, godly men and women who are faithfully doing the job - the good thing is, they know the language and understand the culture. What they need is for their brothers and sisters to come along side to support them, encourage them, and provide a little continuing Biblical teaching and Pastoral training. This is exactly what Dr. Chadwick has been called to do. For over 30 years he has served as Pastor and Bible College teacher, and has received ministerial training from three different Theology schools, earning advanced degrees from two of them. The Lord has placed this burden on his heart, and he is looking for people to partner with him to do this important "Barnabas" work. What now is needed is the development of financial resources. Every India Christian Partnership Seminar brings together an average of 200 Pastors for two days and nights. The teaching sessions are held mornings and afternoons - in the evening there may be more teaching or a Gospel meeting. Under the capable leadership of local Pastors, arrangements are made for lodging and food, and a site for teaching sessions. Pastors pay a small registration fee and their own transportation to the Seminar. While there, they are totally provided for, and they receive reimbursement for one-way of their travel cost. What a wonderful "Ministry to the Ministers"! However, the cost to provide scholarships for this many church leaders adds up. During the next trip (early February), Dr. Chadwick will conduct five seminars, ministering to more than 1,000 Pastors. There are several ways Churches, Pastors and Members can become involved. 1. Pray for the success of this mission. 2. Provide a monthly donation to the India Christian Partnership so that this can become an on-going ministry. (Donations are tax-deductible.) 3. Provide a one time donation to sponsor one or several Pastors who will be invited to attend a Seminar. (A sponsorship for one Pastor is only $15.00, and provides lodging, food, and one-way travel money.) 4. Sign up for the special long distance telephone offer and receive a very low flat rate for long distance calls; this plan is available to Churches, Pastors and Members. (Churches that receive the benefit of this plan may appoint a representative to facilitate Pastors and Members so they too may sign up.) Enrollment is simple at: http://unitelagent.com/?neilchadwick Those who do not have access, may submit a written application. 5. Volunteer to assist with raising funds for this project. 6. Any one who would like to accompany Dr. Chadwick on this missions trip may apply, but they will need to raise their own fare. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - October 2, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ Bow Down Do you remember the story of the little boy who was told to sit down? After repeated commands, pleas and even threats, the boy finally sat down. And then he said, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but on the inside, I'm still standing up." We need to say, "I may be sitting down (or standing) on the outside, but on the inside, I'm still kneeling down." So what does this mean, to kneel before the Lord? To "bow down" is to recognize God as the Sovereign, the King, and we are His subjects. Of course we don't have this system of government called "Monarchy", so for us this may sound strange. In fact, we've gone to the other extreme to say that we ourselves are kings. The Great Reformation brought in by Martin Luther emphasized the point that we are all priests, and even royalty. This was based on two Scriptures. The first is 1 Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." The second is even more explicit, Revelation 1:6 - "(He) hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." In Martin Luther's time this corrective was needed, because even as they had during Jesus' day, the common people had been left out of meaningful participation in the Kingdom of God. But now we may have taken it too far. We now have a doctrine of equality. But notice that 1 Peter 2:13 goes on to say, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme. . . ." If we are to recognize that there are differences between men, some rule while others obey, how much more should we recognize the distinction between us and God? The problem is that if we are all kings, then we easily forget that He is King, and if we're all priests, we forget that Jesus alone is the High Priest. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Bow Down +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++ - - - September 25, 1999--> - - - ++++++++ QUOTES FROM "THE PURSUIT OF GOD", by A. W. Tozer The self-sins are self-righteousness, self-pity, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love and a host of others like them. They dwell too deep within us and are too much a part of our natures to come to our attention till the light of God is focused upon them. The grosser manifestations of these sins--egotism, exhibitionism, self-promotion--are strangely tolerated in Christian leaders, even in circles of impeccable orthodoxy. They are so much in evidence as actually, for many people, to become identified with the gospel. I trust it is not a cynical observation to say that they appear these days to be a requisite for popularity in some sections of the church visible. Promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as to excite little notice. One should suppose that proper instruction in . . .justification through the righteousness of Christ alone would deliver us from the power of the self-sins, but it does not work that way. Self can live unrebuked at the very altar. It can watch the bleeding Victim die and not be in the least affected by what it sees. It can fight for the faith of the reformers and preach eloquently the creed of salvation by grace, and gain strength by its efforts. To tell the truth, it seems actually to feed upon orthodoxy and is more at home in a Bible conference than in a tavern. We must confess, forsake, repudiate the self-life, and then reckon it crucified. We must prepare ourselves for an ordeal of suffering in some measure like that through which our Savior passed when He suffered under Pontius Pilate. To rip through the dear and tender stuff of which life is made can never be anything but deeply painful. Yet that is what the cross did to Jesus and it is what the cross would do to every man to set him free. Self is the opaque veil that hides the face of God from us. It can be removed only in spiritual experience, never by mere instruction. We may as well try to instruct leprosy out of our system. There must be a work of God in destruction before we are free. We dare not rest content with a neat doctrine of self- crucifixion. That is to imitate Saul and spare the best of the sheep and the oxen. The cross is rough and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victim hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies. After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual spiritual experience the presence of the living God. Lord, show us how to die, that we may rise again to newness of life. Rend the veil of our self-life from the top down as You did rend the veil of the Temple. We would draw near in full assurance of faith. Camp Hill: Christian Publications, Inc., l982 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - September 18, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ "A Kingdom Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand." This is a general principle, here applied to Satan, but it can be applied to any organization: a family, the church, even the nation. Is "unity" the absence of disagreement? No, but rather "a willingness to subject personal opinions, needs, goals to those of the body, and the purposes for which it stands." Here's an example: The family is cleaning up for Grandma's visit. Mom really wants to visit her sister; Dad wants to ice fish; the son wants to play video games; the daughter wants to talk on the phone; the dog wants to sleep on the rug; and the cat wants to play with the knitting yarn. But they all agree it's important to have the house looking great for Grandma. Mom tackles the kitchen, Dad gets out the vacuum, and cleans the toilets, the son cleans the rugs and takes out the trash, the daughter dusts and cleans the sink. When it comes to our work for the Lord, someone might say, "Jesus told me I should preach the sermon today." And another says, "but Jesus told me I'm the one to preach." So, who's to preach? Obviously, that's why the Lord ordained leadership for the church. But does that mean we should follow leadership blindly, mindlessly? No, that's how cults operate. But we willingly decide to follow godly, reasonable, considerate leadership, so there may be "unity.". Note: when people have disagreements in church, they too quickly see the other person as enemy, but let's never forget, we are brothers and sisters in the family of God. Terrible things happen when there are disagreements: there's gossip, judging, carrying others' offenses, false accusations, rumoring, even Christian workers quitting their God ordained ministries because they're upset because someone else is upset. I want to call out, "Wait, I'm your brother, don't punish me. And these are your brothers and your sisters. Do they always treat you well? No. But that's what forgiveness is all about." The reality about family is that you don't get to choose who your brothers or sisters will be. We are born into His family. Of greater concern about how we handle differences is the known affect it has on the children. A child asks, "where's my teacher?" "He got mad about something and quit." It's not unlike the abandonment of a parent. Do you want that on your spiritual resume? On judgement day, do you want a crown or a "mill stone"? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Jesus In His Home Town +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - September 11, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ The Cocoon One day a man found a cocoon of a butterfly. When a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the tiny hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It had gotten as far as it could and could go no farther. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly now emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shrivelled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand, to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shrivelled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was, that the restricting cocoon, and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were allowed to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been. And we would never be able to fly. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - September 4, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Endurance When my son was a teenager, he once ran in a "Triathlon" race. He trained for months, and finally the day came. I drove him to Lake Winnapasauke, New Hampshire, and waited for him while he swam 2/3 of a mile, rode his bike for 19 miles, and than ran for 6. At the end of the afternoon, I could hardly hold back the tears as I proudly watched Ted come jogging to the finish line for the third time. No, he wasn't the winner of the race, but he had completed the race. Jesus said, ". . . he that endures to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 10:22) The idea that success is "completion" can be applied to many areas of our lives. In school, for example, there's a special virtue in finishing, staying with the program until the end when we receive the diploma or the degree. It's evident in the world of music, the awards go to those who stay with the schedule - they practice, practice, practice. It's especially true in the marriage relationship. Often when I'm talking with couples who are planning for their wedding, I remind them, the wedding service lasts 35 minutes, it takes a life-time to make a marriage. A few years ago, a study was made of 351 marriages which had lasted for at least 15 years. The question was asked, "What are the most important ingredients in your experience of marriage?" See the results of the surveyWhatever the reasons, most of us would agree that longevity in marriage is a very important goal, so "stay with the program", or as the saying goes, "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." But go back to the area of athletics. The New Testament often refers to this analogy of the Christian life. (I Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:13,14; II Timothy 2:5; II Timothy 4:7,8; Hebrews 12:1) Who is the supreme example of perseverance? Jesus. Let me ask you, what if Jesus had quit the race? Instead of crying out from the cross, "It is finished", what would have happened if He had yelled, "I quit!" In America today, it appears that there are many who are not willing to stay with the program. As long as it makes me feel good, I'll keep living for God. As long as my needs are being met, or as long as I like the way things are going, as long as I agree with the way things are done, then I will stay with the program. The theme song is "I'll have it my way". Our business world is built around the premise, "the customer is always right". "What Lola wants, Lola gets." Just this week I heard what was, for me, a new expression - the "infantiling" of America. We demand what we want, and we want it now - nothing short of instant gratification will be acceptable. However, in the Christian life, while there are blessings along the way, the prize comes at the end of the race. Take another look at the passage in Philippians 3 - in verse 15 it says, "All of us who are mature should take such a view of things." Maturity is characterized by the determination to remain faithful, to run the race to the finish. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Endurance +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - August 28, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Church Unity How many of us would want to go to the concert hall and listen to the orchestra play when we knew before hand that the strings would be playing what they wanted to play, and the horns would play what ever they wanted to play? Or what would it be like if in the middle of the concert the percussionist decided to play by his own beat, not according to the directions provided by the conductor? How far along in the play-offs would the basketball team get if individual players decided they didn't like the plays called by the coach or team captain? And do you think Detroit would be able to turn out a new car every few minutes without the full cooperation of all the technicians and workers? Common sense dictates that the church must learn to work together in order to accomplish the mandate given by the Lord Himself. Ours is a purpose more lofty than creating a harmonious sound, winning the play-offs, or creating a safe and well running all-wheel vehicle. Our work, when done well, will result in the saving of lives for eternity, and making it possible for people here and now to live successfully. The time has come for every member of the church to demonstrate a willingness to lay aside personal opinion and take up divine purpose, to submit individual wants to God's will. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Unity In The Church +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - August 21, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ "Same Ole Same Ole" Don't you get tired of the "same old, same old"? Like going to work, leaving the house at the same time, taking the same route, stopping for coffee and a paper at the same convenience store. Hitting the same traffic lights. "BOOORING!" We just get tired of the "same ole same ole". Like going to church. "We're tired of having it the same. We want something new, exciting; new hoppin' poppin' music, new dramas, new technologies. We'd like to see something new and exciting, like people being tossed about, yelling and screaming, laughing and crying - 'Now you're talking.' Forget about the 'ole time religion.' Maybe it was good enough for Paul and Silas, but it's not good enough for us. We want something new." "How many times do you expect us to come and listen to the same old story; read from the same old, out-dated Book? After all there's lots of new stuff being written. Didn't you know we're in the new 'information age'? New ideas, new economy, new world order, new philosophies, new religions. So let's get on with it!" But if we throw out the old to embrace the new, we will be the losers. Why? Because some things haven't changed. Like human nature. We may be discovering things that we didn't know before, like DNA and genes. But essentially mankind is the "same ole, same ole". And we still have the same basic make up: same needs and wants, desires and longings. Left alone, mankind is still selfish, greedy, rebellious, murderous, unloving. That's why we need the "same ole, same ole" message of God's love and forgiveness. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - August 14, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Song of the Bird, By Anthony DeMello A man found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet in the air. Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings. The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked. "That's the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbor. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth - we're chickens." So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that's what he thought he was. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - August 7, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Spiritual Growth - what a strange set of words! It seems, by very definition, that these words are contradictory to each other. "Spirit" cannot be seen. Jesus said it to Nicodemus in John 3:8: "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." On the other hand, "growth" is something which must be seen - to know that there is growth, there must be a measurement. Like plants, for example, or like a youngster who stands with his back to the ruler on the door jam, or like stocks and bonds and other financial instruments - they can be measured. When associated with the church, the word "growth" most often relates with the visible and measurable aspects - the size of the building, or size of the congregation. And in fact, in most cases, when the church is well, and when the church is healthy, it grows. Sheep beget sheep, and you can count them. And the Bible speaks about this kind of growth, numerical growth. At the very beginning of the church, Acts 2:47 recounts, "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." There are several other places where growth is noted, but it's interesting to note that most of the time this kind of growth is described as "Growth in God's Word", which really is referring to the spreading of the Gospel: Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20. Jesus often talked in parables, and in many of the parables He used the term "Kingdom of God", or "Kingdom of Heaven" (Mark 4:26-32). "Kingdom of God" is just another way of saying "Spiritual Life", and it is expected that this "Spiritual Life" be growing. In fact, this is the very reason why the Lord provided leaders in His Church: Ephesians 4:11-16. So what does it mean to "Spiritually Grow"? It includes growth in these five areas: A. Growth in Wisdom - Luke 2:52; II Peter 3:18. B. Growth in Righteousness - 2 Corinthians 9:10. C. Growth in Faith - Luke 17:5 D. Growth in Love - 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:9,10. E. Growth in Witness - Acts 9:22. "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall." (II Peter 1:5-10) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Spiritual Growth +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - July 31, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ The world didn't end in the year 1000 A lesson for the new millennium, By JUDY TARJANYI With no computers around to wreak havoc on daily life, there was no Y1K crisis back in the year 999, nor was there mass panic about the end of the world or the return of Christ. ``The incorrect notion has been very deeply planted in everybody's mind that everybody went crazy in the year 1000,'' said Reston, who researched the history of Europe around the time of the year 1000 for his book, ``The Last Apocalypse'' (Doubleday). ``There's absolutely no evidence whatever of that. If I had found a whit of evidence, I certainly would have milked it for all it was worth, but it doesn't exist and there were some good reasons.'' First, Reston said in a recent interview, the world of 1000 was basically illiterate and had little sense of the passage of time. ``There were no calendars, no clocks on the wall, no education, so you can't very well have millennial terror if you don't know what day it is.'' Through events like the Battle of Maldon, the 991 conflict between the barbarian Vikings and the English memorialized in the poem of the same name, and personalities like the Norwegian King Olaf Trygvesson and King Stephen of Hungary, Reston paints a vivid picture of Europe at the turn of the millennium. In that year, he writes in his book, there was no great battle, no atmosphere of terror, no frightened mobs in the streets. Rather, the apocalypse of 999 was more a process of the forces of history than cataclysmic event. Reston allows for the possibility that God might have been at work in those forces, but offers no definitive answer. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from The World Didn't End In The Year 1,000 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - July 24, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Chasing the Wind Reflecting on the death of the mother of a church member, my thoughts quickly turned to the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. There was a man that was said to be the wisest man that ever lived. He was the son of the great king David and his famous stolen wife, Bathsheba. His name was Solomon, and he is credited with having written three of the books found in the Bible - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. It has been said that these three books represented the three major stages of Solomon's life: the Song of Solomon was a sensual love song written to the wife of his youth; Proverbs was written as the collection of wisdom representing the peak of Solomon's creativity in middle age; and Ecclesaiastes sounds like the pessimistic grumblings of an old man. If you take the time to read this book, you will quickly see what I mean. The theme seems to be, "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity." Or to put it more in our language, "Everything in this life is meaningless." That was the very human perspective of a man looking back at the end of his life. What struck me as I reviewed this book was the number of times a particular phrase is repeated. At least 8 times Solomon included this phrase as he tried to convey this human sense of meaningless. The phrase I'm referring to is "Chasing the Wind". Listen to what Solomon says in chapter 2:16, 17 - "For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die! So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Chasing the wind - can you imagine anything more futile? If you manage to catch it, what will you have? Can you put your arms around it? Can you take it home and make something out of it? Is there any market for wind? In the New Testament, Paul put it another way, he said ". . . so fight I, not as one that beateth the air." (1 Corinthians 9:26) What a silly picture, a boxer in the ring swinging his fists at nothing but air. The simple truth is this, if you leave God out of your life, it will be like chasing the wind, or beating the air. Don't you feel that way some times? Every day, get up pull on your clothes, wolf down a cup of coffee, grab a bagel and run, run all day, just to sink down into bed at the end of the day wondering what it's all about. This sense of meaninglessness comes out in our music: do you remember Tennessee Ernie Ford's song, "Another Day Older And Deeper In Debt"? Solomon, this great man of wisdom ended his discourse with this exhortation, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth . . . here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man." (12:1,13) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Chasing the Wind +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - July 17, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Negative Messages How are we to deal with the repeated negative messages that we were nursed on as young children? "You'll never amount to anything." "If brains were dynamite, you wouldn't have enough to blow your nose." For me it helped when my college teacher leaked the information that my sister's and my IQ were the highest in the school. And when I finished a 96 hour Masters program in 3 1/2 years while holding down a full time job, fathering three children, and leading the Greater Philadelphia youth program, and graduating "Cum Laud" - I was finally able to refute those repeated negative messages. Whatever it takes, being an adult means that you have taken responsibility to refute those lies. Merely getting mad at the people who fed you them isn't going to solve the problem. Be aware of who you are in Christ, created in God's image, endowed with unique and valuable gifts, commissioned to serve the world with love. Sometimes "religion" makes it harder to do this. We think self put-downs makes us more humble, and thus more spiritual. Besides, the opposite of self-put-down is to think well of yourself, and that might lead to pride, and we all know the Bible verse, "pride comes before the fall." So we gloat in our ignorance, our poverty of mental acumen, our wretchedness. It's not in the Bible, and it violates the King's English, but Corrie Ten Boom had it right, "God don't make no junk." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Watch Out For Leaven +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - July 10, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Schubert's Unfinished Symphony There's a story going the rounds that a manager who couldn't use his concert tickets for Schubert's Unfinished Symphony gave them to his work study management executive - in nonjargon, the efficiency expert - and received the following report after the performance. 1. For considerable periods, the four oboe players had nothing to do. Their number should be reduced, and their work spread over the whole orchestra. 2. Forty violins were playing identical notes. This seems unnecessary duplication, and this section should be drastically cut. If a larger volume of sound is required, this could be achieved through an electronic amplifier. 3. Much effort was absorbed in the playing of demi-semi-quavers. This seems an excessive refinement, and it is recommended that all notes be rounded to the nearest semi-quaver. If this were done, it should be possible to use trainees and lower-grade operators. 4. No useful purpose is served by repeating with horns the passage that has already been handled by the strings. If all such redundant passages were eliminated, the concert could be reduced to twenty minutes. If Schubert had attended to these matters, he probably would have been able to finish this symphony after all. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - July 3, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Managing Criticism and Complaints By Jim Sparks Why Do Criticism and Complaints Come in Ministry? 1. It has been, for centuries, the Sunday dinner pass-time of choice. otherwise known as "Roast Pastor". Too often people prefer to complain rather than solve the problems. 2. Men and women make mistakes, so there's always something to talk about. 3. Complaints often come in response to life's stresses. 4. In the church, people care deeply. Unfortunately this often means that they want everything to remain the same. 5. For some, criticisms come as a result of the "pursuit of closeness". Some parishioners want to be close to their Pastor but don't know how. 6. The consumer mentality is all around us. We live in a service oriented society where people have expectations that their own needs and wants will be fulfilled. When There Is Criticism of the Pastor, remember: 1. The Pastor draws criticism like a lightening rod on the roof. 2. Criticism expresses unmet needs rather than failure of the Pastor. 3. Responding to criticism should be a shared ministry. 4. We should practice in church what is done in business - take complaints seriously. 5. Never give or receive an unsigned criticism. 6. When handling indirect criticism ("This isn't just my complaint, I've heard several people say this"), understand that the person coming with the complaint is really coming with their own message. Listen, but do not ask who the others are. Ask for clarification, seek understanding, and soon the person will let you know what is their own, real complaint. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Criticism and Complaints +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - June 25, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Christian Excellence (With Post Script) A number of years ago, Tom Peters and Robert Waterman undertook a significant study of a number of business institutions. Following this research, they published a book identifying eight attributes of excellence for corporations. Among them were the following: action oriented, interaction with the customer, their own people respected - not used, simplicity of organizational structure, and running a loose/tight organization. The book was called "In Search of Excellence". What does it mean? "Excel" is to "out-do", to "go beyond", to "surpass in good quality"; and "excellent" means "extremely good of its kind, first class." What we want to do is to stir up the desire for Christian Excellence! We could call it "In Search of Christian Excellence." Remember this, Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to "be perfect, even as our Father in heaven is perfect." This was His call to maturity - yes, a call to excellence. As an aside, we note that the Bible makes it clear that this is not about materialistic pursuits - life does not consist of the abundance of things (Luke 12:15). Neither is this about how well we keep the religious rituals. Paul made this clear when he wrote, "food does not bring us near to God, we're no worse if we do eat, and no better." What then should we seek in our "Search for Christian Excellence"? Paul's letter to the young church at Thessalonica gives us some clues. In the middle of his first letter, Paul identifies four areas for excellence: Loving Others, Pleasing God, Hope, and Encouragement. An "Excellent Christian" will be outstanding in these four ways. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from In Search of Christian Excellence +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ POST SCRIPT: The following letter came in response to last week's article, "Save a Marriage - Save a Child - Save a Family - Save a Nation": v"I appreciated the basic message of the recent circular regarding the importance of a father to a child's life and sense of self-worth. "I do have one critique which may seem to be only a matter of semantics to most people, but to an adoptive father like myself, it jumps out in the first sentence. The term 'biological'father is a commonly used term in adoptive circles to differentiate between the man who caused a child to be conceived, and the man who is legally recognized as a child's father. "As the infertility rate keeps rising in our country, and adoption becomes a much more common means for both fertile and infertile couples to have children, there will be an increase in the percentage of children who are not being raised by 'biological' parents of either gender. However, studies indicate that children who are raised in adoptive families actually demonstrate a slightly higher ratio of emotional and physical health. "I realize that the mailing was addressing a different issue, but I thought that readers would appreciate some feedback from someone that has a different reaction to the term 'biological' father. There are probably other adoptive parents (and children) on the e-mail list who feel that it is sometimes better not to have been raised by a 'biological' father." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - June 17, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Save a Marriage - Save a Child - Save a Family - Save a Nation More than virtually any other factor, a biological father's presence in the family will determine a child's success and happiness. The children of divorce and those born outside marriage struggle through life at a measurable disadvantage, according to a growing chorus of social thinkers. An astonishing 38 percent of all kids now live without their biological fathers - up from just 17.5 percent in 1960. More than half of today's children will spend at least part of childhood without a father. The revised thinking is that it's the breakdown of families that feeds social ills. Fatherlessness is the most destructive trend of our generation. The absence of fathers is linked to most social nightmares - from boys with guns to girls with babies. No welfare reform plan can cut poverty as thoroughly as a two-parent family. Some 46 percent of families with children headed by single mothers live below the poverty line, compared with 8 percent of those with two parents. Raising marriage rates will do far more to fight crime than building prisons or putting more cops on the streets. "Divorce can increase an adult's happiness, but it is devastating to a child. One third report moderate or severe depression five years after a divorce. The hurt may remain hidden for years. They often grow up wary of love, marriage and family, and over a third have little or no ambition 10 years after their parents part. Being a loving father and a good husband is the best part of being a man. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Quoted from Total Quality Marriage +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - June 12, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Persecution Paul, in his training of Timothy reminds him, "Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." II Timothy 3:12 The reality is, persecution is happening now at a more intense level than ever in history. The persecution of Christians, especially in Islamic and communist countries, gained a much higher profile beginning in early 1996. It is estimated that more followers of Christ have died for their faith in the 20th century than in all the 19 previous centuries combined. In his Focus on the Family Newsletter, James Dobson wrote, "More than an estimated 160,000 believers were martyred in 1996, and countless others were subjected to unimaginable horrors. And the persecution appears to be escalating exponentially." Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA) serves on the Helsinki Committee, which monitors human rights abuses in Eastern Europe and the former states of the soviet Union. He said, "There is undeniable evidence now of widespread torture, killing, raping, and imprisonment of believers in dozens of countries. They include China, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Pakistan, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Cuba and several countries in the Soviet Union. What is happening in the blood-stained nations, and elsewhere, is unconscionable. In some places it amounts to mass murder." They face torture, rape, community disintegration, imprisonment, slavery, beatings, and death. Some 200 million face this as a reality daily, and 400 million face severe to moderate forms of discrimination simply because they believe in Jesus Christ. Here's one report coming out of China, Shaanxi Province: "The officers stripped three brethren naked from the waist and forced the women to stand with them..... The three men were beaten until they were totally covered with blood and had gaping wounds and injuries all over their bodies. As if such violent beating wasn't enough, the officers then hung them up and began to hit them with rods on their backs. They did this until the three men were unconscious and barely breathing." The victims were Protestants. Their crime was communicating with foreigners. So then, what should be our response? First, the same as it was in the days of the first persecution - prayer. And secondly, according to Proverbs 31:8, we need to "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and for the rights of all those who are destitute." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from The Persecution of the Church +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - June 8, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Answering the Question About two weeks ago, the following question was sent in: "I'm looking for any books you might be aware of (other than the Bible) that offer historical proof of the resurrection - people hearing and writing about it from outside. My boyfriend was recently saved and his family is Jewish. We are hoping to give them more proof! Thank you, and God bless you! This letter was put out to readers of "Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular", and a number of subsrcibers wrote back. Some of their responses have been edited and included here. In addition, three relavant articles have been posted as follows: How Do You Explain Yeshua? http://www.webedelic.com/church/explain.htm The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: Did It Really Happen? http://www.webedelic.com/church/happen.htm Historic References to Jesus http://www.webedelic.com/church/jchist.htm A copy of this letter is being forwared to all of the members of the "Email Circular". "There is a wonderful book I'd like to recommend called 'Evidence that Demands a Verdict' by Josh McDowell. I believe it has Part I and Part II. It is filled with scriptural as well as artifacts, secular history sources etc. that all give evidence to bible events and people etc. But then there is also the element of faith and Romans 10:17 tells us: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Continue to witness to them and plant the seeds of God's word and He will cause it to grow and prosper." "Josh McDowell a great writer on apologetics (defense of the gospels). He wrote a a small book 'More Than A Carpenter'. It is about 90 pages and is filled with logic and wisdom regarding why the Bible is accurate. I found it very helpful in creating a foundational faith for believing that Christianity is TRUTH. He covers topics such as the inerrancy of scripture, Jesus, Lord? Liar? or Lunatic? and much more. It is easy to read and not so lengthy as to turn off non-believers. I usually keep several copies around to share with new converts and seekers. McDowell wrote several others that deal with proof ('The Ressurection Factor'; 'He Walked Among Us'). He address the disciples as eye witnesses and how they went from hiding to great preachers as a result of the resurrection. In his idea would anybody go this far to continue a lie if the resurrection was false. "But don't get your hopes up, to my knowledge there is no writing that speaks about the resurrrection. I believe God made it that way so we will have to take it on faith. What these books do is go about how you would prove any other book as historically true. For example, there are only one or two copies of the greek stories "The Odessey" but we never question the validity of the writer but by the same token there are thousands of ancient copies of the gospels." "I do not believe anyone is converted from secular 'proof'. Conversion comes only through hearing (or reading) testimony (scripture) and receiving the confirmation of its truth from the Holy Ghost." "There is a book written called 'Who Moved the Stone' by a Jewish lawyer,Frank Morison, a former unbeliever. He set about to disprove the resurrection and became a believer in Jesus, when he became convinced the resurrection is real." "The only book I know of that really offers proof is 'Letters From a Skeptic'. The book is really good." "We accept Christ by faith--faith opens the door to the Kingdom and everything else. If we have to have proof of the death, burial, and resurrection, then we will have trouble receiving anything else from God after we are saved, since we receive it all by faith. (See Galatians 3:1-5) Anyway, it seems that we should go to the Old Testament (which they believe and which foretells/prophesies Christ) for the answers." "May I suggest the cable TV show on A&E called "Mysteries of the Bible". This is a show about a group of archaeologists looking to prove or disprove the Bible, from a totally objective (senses wise) point of view. I have watched this show for years, and I have never seen them disprove anything in the Bible in all that time. I have seen them prove things to be true and I have seen them have inconclusive results, but I have never seen them prove anything false. There is also an excellent one about the execution of Jesus (which addresses those very questions). Also, A&E had a great show they had on called "Christianity, the first 1000 years", which went over how Christianity started and what evidence(s) exist for it, as well as testimonies recorded in history. If they want to purchase it instead of waiting until it is on again(or they don't have A&E), tell them to go to A&E's website, http://store.aetv.com/aetvstore/, and type in Christian or Christianity in the search. They can then look through the videos available." "In the library, many books can be found that will give the evidentiary facts about Jesus Christ. Whether or not Jesus Christ existed is not and has never been in doubt, it is an established fact ("The Outline of History" by HG Wells comes to mind), but they can't make you believe. What really comes to my mind in this situation is that if people are really seeking the Lord, they will find Him. Why don't they try that? What is that saying? If a man does not believe, no explanation is good enough, but if a man believes, no explanation is required." "How about the works of Flavius Josephus. (Jewish historian) Josephus was not a Christian, but in his book he seems to have more respect for 'the Christ' than some Christians. He has 20 books, but they are all contained in one volume." "I think that the Institute for Creation Research has a good booklet by Dr. Henry Morris on the resurrection. Here is the link to their site: http://www.icr.org/idx-txt.htm "Please see the Jews for Jesus website. Their link is: http://www.jews-for-jesus.org This is what their ministry is all about, helping Jewish people to find Jesus Christ and salvation in and through Him." "Dr. D. James Kennedy has a 4 tape series 'Why I Believe' (probably in book form too). In it he addresses issues like 'Why I believe the Bible', and 'Why I believe in the resurrection'. He sites numerous references such as Tacitus, Jerome, Josephus and others from that period. I highly recommend it." "I would suggest you to call 'Hear,O Israel' Ministries at 1-800-424-0408 and ask for the literature,they cary a lot of books, tapes and videos to help Jewish people in finding Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). I would strongly recomend you to get hold of them." "I really liked Hans Kung's book, 'Does God exist?' It addresses the weakness of atheism's arguments." "The best book of all, of course, is the Bible! The prophecies of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ written hundreds of years before it occurred are more effective than all the other books above, particularly in light of the Dead Sea scrolls confirmation of the antiquity of these prophecies. I particularly like Psalm 22's description of crucifixion, Isaiah 53's description of atonement, Daniel 9's prophecy that the Messiah would be arrive, be killed, Jerusalem would be destroyed and then the temple destroyed, and also the prophecies in Zechariah about the Messiah being pierced "like an only son." Daniel 9 is the most convincing to me, given that the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, meaning the Messiah had tocome before that. There is little other choice than Jesus!" (A list of 18 Old Testament Messianic prophecies fulfilled in the New Testament can be found at http://www.webedelic.com/church/otmess.htm) "If looking for books by pagans written during the first century, there are a few that mention Jesus lived. Go to http://www.xenos.org/classes/papers/doubt.htm I am not aware of any confirming His resurrection. It seems that people who realized the truth of His resurrection became Christians. There are books by early Christians collected at the web site http://ccel.wheaton.edu/fathers2/ " "The parents may respond much better to alternative approaches. Showing love, changed lives, praying and asking God to reveal Himself to them, etc. If one of their parents was healed after prayers to Jesus, this is likely to make a big impression." "God, I thank you for these people and if their in their heart they truly want to know You, open their spiritual eyes to the truth that you are the one and only Messiah, and the way, the truth, and the life. In the wonderful name of Jesus Christ, Amen." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - June 5, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Mistaken E-mail It is wise to remember how easily this wonderful e-mail technology can be misused, sometimes unintentionally, with serious consequences. Consider the case of the Illinois man who left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her e-mail address, he did his best to type it in from memory. Unfortunately, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher's wife, whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her e-mail, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen: Dearest Wife, Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow. P.S. Sure is hot down here! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from A Bit of Humor +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - May 29, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ The Blessing A small group of men from our church were attending the Promise Keeper's Rally at the Pontiac Silver Dome. During one break, a friend and I went to the concession area to get something to drink. As we stood waiting in line, I informed my friend that I would like to pay for the lemonade. He said, "No, no, that's all right - let me pay for yours." After this argument went on for a moment or two, the man waiting in the line in front of us turned around. Actually, he was sitting in a wheel chair, and just twisted his chair enough so he could look at my friend and say, "Don't rob him of his blessing." Then he turned back to place his order. My friend and I thought that was an unusual interruption, but went on talking. A few minutes later, I noticed that the man in the wheel chair was taking out his money to pay for the three large glasses of lemonade he had bought. Just as I was about to offer to help him carry the three glasses, he took one in his hand and started rolling away. Calling over his shoulder, and nodding his head toward the two remaining lemonade glasses sitting on the counter, he said, "And don't rob me of my blessing." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - May 22, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Is anybody happier Because you passed his way? Does anyone remember That you spoke to him today? This day is almost over And its toiling time is through; Is there anyone to utter now A friendly word for you? Can you say tonight in passing With the day that slipped so fast, That you helped a single person Of the many that you passed? Is a single heart rejoicing Over what you did or said? Does one whose hopes were fading Now with courage look ahead? Did you waste the day or lose it? Was it well or poorly spent? Did you leave a trail of kindness Or a scar of discontent? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - May 15, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Kefa Sempangi came to the United States for training at Westminster Seminary, where he was not only well educated with orthodox theology, but also with conservative, Western evangelical culture. When Sempangi returned to his own country after several years, he was horrified to see Ugandan Christians dancing in the streets, hands upraised, chanting in unknown tongues...... At Westminster, at that time, the young pastor had learned that worship was solemn and reverent. Charismatic expression was distrusted. As he sat in his room one night watching his exuberant countrymen dancing in the streets, it suddenly struck him: These people could never identify with what I learned at Westminster. There's nothing unorthodox here. This is simply their natural means of expression, and they can use it to worship God just as I do. Cultures may differ and individual expressions may vary, but the intent of the heart is the same. Ecuadorians may present in drama or dance the same biblical truth that conservative Scottish preachers exposit from the pulpit. I have beloved friends who, whenever they attend my church, feel uncomfortable over the hand-clapping informality. That's fine; they love the Lord no less because they choose a more somber mode of worship. Some individuals are drawn to liturgical services, others to those which emphasize teaching, still others to music. Pluralism about the form of worship, as distinguished from who we worship, is healthy; it broadens the outreach of the church. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from Excerpts From "The Body" by Chuck Colson +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - May 8, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Mothers provide faithful and caring supervision. Why is it that in our society, when parents separate, we most often place the children with the mother? Obviously, it's because mothers almost always seem more concerned about the welfare of their children. We accuse them of "worrying" too much, but would we have it any other way? Mothers are concerned about foods and vitamins, wet feet and hats, homework and friends and flute practice and bed time. They want to know when you have to leave, when you're coming home, where you are, where you've been, who you're with and who you've been with and where do they live and who are their parents, and what are you going to do when you're there, who else is going to be there, and how are you going to get there and how you'll get home. They want to be sure your underwear is clean in case you get into an accident; that you have on deodorant and that you've brushed your teeth and combed your hair and cleaned the corners of your mouth. And this is not bad. In fact, if there is a father in the home, he is wise to let the mother take the lead here, and provide full support for her leadership. A lady once asked me, "Why is it that my husband always has to be the expert in everything?" Fathers, let me tell you, you're not the expert in child care, your child's mother is, so let her lead. And when "Junior" comes whining to Dad, "Mommy says I have to wear my boots outside", Dad says, "Then wear your boots!" But to mothers comes this challenge - don't let anyone talk you out of, or hinder you from providing constant, caring supervision for your children. The world will tell you that you can do better, there's a more important job waiting for you. Besides, other people can supervise your kids, and aren't TV and videos wonderful? Don't you believe it. And furthermore be sure you're learning how to do supervision better and better. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from "Jesus and His Mother" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - May 1, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Quotes from a Speech by Rev. David Wilkerson Because of the Cross, we are living in a day of rest when God commands us not to bear our burdens. Don't you know you're in the Sabbath? Don't you know you're not supposed to carry any burdens? The Lord will not share your burden. If you want to carry it, He'll let you carry it until you get down with it. It will bring you right to the ground. Then the Lord will take it. He will not take one end of your burden; He has to have it all or nothing! I almost died from carrying burdens. I developed colitis and almost died over it. Until the Lord said, 'You've got it all wrong. You go that way and it's going to kill you.' If I'm going to obey His Word, I'm going to believe that every burden that comes upon me, immediately I am to lay hold of this--I am in His Sabbath. I will not carry this burden. If He can't handle it, what am I going to do with it? I serve a God who says, 'You don't have to worry about the economy. You don't have to worry about your family. You don't have to worry about your church or your health or anything else.' Every burden that comes at you from the enemy to try to keep you from having a clear mind and a simple, childlike faith in Jesus, lay it down! Take control of it and say, 'Lord, I'm living in the Sabbath. I'm living in Jubilee. I'm going to walk in my life free!' +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from "Quotes from a Speech by Rev. David Wilkerson" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - April 26, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Two More Students Two of our Email Circular Members responded to the recent mailing by sending me these items, which I have edited in the interest of brevity. As details come forth of that fateful Tuesday in Littleton, the world will not soon forget high school student, Cassie Bernall. Cassie will be remembered for saying only one word -- a word that will be used forever to illustrate the courage and compassion of a young girl confronted with a choice between love and hate, good and evil. When the gunman asked her, "Do you believe in God?" A frightened Cassie said, "Yes." .... And then she was murdered. Cassie Bernall, an innocent teenage girl who never imagined being caught in such a horrific circumstance, will be remembered in history as a modern day martyr who heroically told the truth, at the moment of truth -- a young girl who will forever after be held as a model and beacon of hope for those who may doubt their faith or convictions. Maybe there is something we have learned from this tragedy... If Cassie can stand for her beliefs, how easy it must be for the rest of us to follow her lead, stand with her, and echo her one word refrain -- "Yes." ********************************************* Then there was John Tomlin, who loved sports and never left home without jamming a baseball cap over his eyes. Some students said they were not surprised to learn that Tomlin, 16, a junior, was among those killed in the attack. Tomlin was the kind of teenager at Columbine the shooters apparently loved to hate: He liked lifting weights at school, adored the old and unreliable Chevy pickup truck that he had saved to buy, and constantly wore caps. "He had a good ole boy veneer - a Chevy man, always in his caps," said Boyd Evans, a minister at a Baptist church in suburban Denver where Tomlin came twice a week to participate in a youth ministry. "He did not have a dark side, he was just a kid who was definitely high on life." Tomlin moved to Littleton with his family four years ago from Wisconsin. They attended church together every Sunday. Last year, he and his father, also named John, traveled to a small town in Mexico as part of a church ministry. They helped build a house for a poor family who had been living in a shack. "He was a hard worker, and was never the type to give people trouble," said Jacob Youngblood, a teenager who worked with him at a plant nursery and spent free time playing laser tag and hitting golf balls. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - April 24, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ One Died, One Wounded, One Spared at Columbine High Orchard Road Christian Center released the following information on the death of Rachel Scott: "Rachel Scott, one of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre, was a member of our Breakthrough Youth Ministry. "Rachel, a high school junior, was 17 years old, and had been involved in leading a weekly prayer and Bible study group of fellow teens for the past year and a half. "The youth Pastor, an alumna of Columbine High School herself, described Rachel as 'a remarkable, committed Christian girl, who had a passion for God and for people. She was fun loving, and gifted in drama and public speaking. Although we are all stunned by the news of Rachel's death, and all the aspects of this terrible tragedy in our city, we draw comfort in knowing that Rachel was a born-again Christian; therefore, the Scriptures assure us that she is in heaven. We have been to visit Rachel's grieving parents, two sisters and two brothers, offering our prayers and ongoing support during this very difficult time.'" Mark Taylor of Church of the Highlands is recovering from four gunshot wounds. "Mark did get hit four times," his Pastor said. "Nothing, though, that struck any vitals." The Pastor said his church has been holding up the family in prayer. He believes those prayers are being answered in Mark's recovery. "Last night at around 10:00 we really had a breakthrough. I was at the hospital till about midnight and he's now moving his arms and talking. They've taken out the throat tube. It's like night and day." The Pastor also emphasized that all of the families involved still need prayer support. "We're just trying to rally to touch different families and students and those who have lost family in this. But Mark and his family are doing wonderful and we've got a lot of troops around them praying for them and making sure their needs are met." Alana Lawson will never forget the most harrowing 20 minutes from Tuesday, April 20, 1999. Her son, Aaron, had just called the house to report a shooting at Columbine High School in suburban Denver, Colo. Aaron was safely away from the school, but his brother, Terry, was in the cafeteria. "My husband, Steve, went to see if he could find Terry. I turned on the TV. It was about 20 minutes before I spotted him walking across one of the TV cameras. I'll tell you, that 20 minutes of not knowing was probably one of the worst things I've ever experienced." Even in the middle of not knowing, Alana never lost a deeper sense of peace. "If it had not been for the grace of God," she says, "I probably would have lost it. But I knew that we had pled the blood of Jesus over our children from birth, and I just said a real quick prayer that God would protect him and his friends." "I was so relieved, but yet I was still grieving because I knew that there were going to be a lot of people that were hurt and I knew that my children had lost their innocence. This was a time when they should be carefree and be enjoying life. They were going to be robbed of that. There was an exhilaration of knowing my children were okay, but yet the dread of the things that were to come." Someone had come running into the cafeteria screaming about the shooting outside and telling everyone to get down. Students jumped under tables. Terry remembered thinking, This is stupid. If they come in here, we're dead." "When he stood up," Alana says, "he looked out the window and Dylan [one of the suspects] was standing there. And he turned and he looked right at Terry through the glass. He was less than 10 feet away from him." The young man turned and looked at Terry, then lifted either a shotgun or rifle he was carrying. He looked at Terry, then shook his head, and turned around and shot several other students who were running away. Terry told the other students in the cafeteria that they needed to get out of there. They left the building and ran down the street to a neighboring house. Steve Lawson found his son there. Terry will never forget how close he came to death. He will never forget the other students he saw shot. The young man who was shot twice in the leg while running away. Another student shot in the back. A girl who was hit. "He saw it all in a matter of seconds," Alana says. "It was a pretty harrowing experience for him and it will take him a long time to get over it. I told him God has a purpose for why he was saved and he has a definite purpose in life." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - April 17, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ The Wrath of God The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Proverbs 20:2. "The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul." The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke 12:4,5. "And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, fear him." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - April 12, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ A Sense of a Goose - Author Unknown When you see geese flying along in "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone - and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are headed the same way we are. When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south. Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What messages do we give when we honk from behind? Finally - and this is important - when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group. If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - April 3, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS (As Seen by a Doctor) BY C. TRUMAN DAVIS, M.D., M.S. The crucifixion begins, Jesus is offered wine mixed with Myrrh, a mild analgesic mixture. He refuses to drink. Simon is ordered to place the patibulum on the ground and Jesus is quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The patibulum is then lifted in place at the top of the stipes and the titulus reading "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" is nailed in place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The victim is now crucified. As He slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain - the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As He pushes Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He places His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet. At this point, another phenomenon occurs. As the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by His arms, the pectoral muscles are paralyzed and the intercostal muscles are unable to act. Air can be drawn into the lungs, but cannot be exhaled. Jesus fights to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, He is able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen. A sponge soaked in Posca, the cheap, sour wine which is the staple drink of the Roman legionnaires, is lifted to His lips. He apparently does not take any of the liquid. The body of Jesus in now in extremis, and He can feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues. This realization brings out His sixth words - possible little more than a tortured whisper. "It is finished." His mission of atonement has been completed. Finally He can allow His body to die. With one last surge of strength, He once again presses His torn feet against the nail, straightens His legs, takes a deeper breath, and utters His seventh and last cry, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from "The Crucifixion" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - March 20, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Church Fights Often in the church, we tend to romanticize the churches of Bible days. We see them as ideal models, we look up to them as mature representatives as to what a church should be like. In so doing, we glamorize the goodness of these churches, and overlook the references to problems that may be noted. For example, most of the time when we read Paul's little letter to the church he had founded at Philippi, we immediately think of the predominant theme, "joy". After all, Paul, in the four short chapters of this book, makes over a dozen references to "joy" and "rejoicing." It is also in this book that we have such encouraging messages such as: "My God shall supply all your needs", and "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." However, tucked away in the folds of this letter are two acknowledgments that everything is not perfect in this Early Church fellowship. Problems, difficulties between people, conflicts - these are present from the beginning. This may be disconcerting to those who have forgotten that even Christians are fallen creatures in need of God's grace. So what does this message have to do with us? Acknowledge that the church of Jesus Christ is not exempt from problems, conflicts and differences that occur between people. Resolve that we will do everything in our power to resolve these conflicts, and to do so without bringing harm to the cause of the Gospel. Determine to abide by Biblical instructions when handling problems within the church. Continue to earnestly seek the Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace and Gentleness - bringing everything to the Lord in Prayer. Philippians 1:4-8; Philippians 4:1-9 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from "Church Fights" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - March 20, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Who are the people who don't come to church? (1) Those who say, "I don't have to go to church to be a Christian" - 8 of 10 unchurched feel that a person can be a good Christian without going to church. In spite of this, however, 75% of unchurched say they want their children to receive religious training. (2) Those who say, "I disagree with what's going on there" - the "hypocrisy" claim. (3) The burned out. (4) The drop-outs, the apathetic. (5) The happy hedonists. (6) Those who feel they're not wanted. (7) The Nomads and Seekers. (8) But the bottom line is, there are many who do not think when coming to church they will meet Jesus. And the reality is, for many, the church has not addressed their spiritual needs. Every church, even our church, is constantly in danger of merely providing an answer to a social need, rather than the spiritual one. However, we need to make a more positive assumption connected with inviting people to church. A few years ago the Princeton Religion Research Center conducted an extensive study of the "unchurched" (1) When church attenders were asked why they went ot church, their answer was, "I was invited to this church by a member." (2) Over 50% of the unchurched said they "would be open to an invitation from the church community." (3) "One of the key reasons given by those who joined a church is that someone invited them to do so." (4) "What is the reason you do not attend church?" "I've never been invited!" Let's get busy inviting people to church, to meet Jesus! If the "Body of Christ" means anything at all, it means that gathered together, we represent Christ, we are His Body. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from "Blind Man Healed" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - March 13, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE PASTOR As nearly everyone knows, the Pastor has practically nothing to do except: Decide what is to be done; Tell somebody to do it; Listen to reasons why it should not be done; Listen to reasons why it should be done by someone else; Listen to reasons why it should be done in a different way; Follow up to see if the thing has been done; Discover that it has not; Inquire why; Listen to excuses from the person who should have done it; Follow up again to see if the thing has been done, only to discover that it has been done incorrectly; Point out how it should have been done; Conclude that as long as it has been done, though incorrectly, it may as well be left as it is; Wonder if it is not time to get rid of the person who cannot do a thing right; Reflect that certainly any successor would be just as bad, or even maybe worse; Consider how much simpler and better the thing would have been done if one had done it himself in the first place; Reflect sadly that one could have done it right in twenty minutes, and as things turned out, one has to spend two days to find out why it has taken three weeks for somebody else to do it wrong. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Taken from "A Bit of Humor" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ - - Dr. Chadwick's Email Circular - - ++++++ Brief comments to encourage faithful Christian living. ++++++++++ - - - March 6, 1999 - - - ++++++++++ Are You OK For Y2K? If computers were to suddenly malfunction, almost everything we do would be impacted immediately. So the question to ask is, are we truly being threatened by a colossal collapse of our entire technologically oriented way of life? At the outset, it's important for people of faith to declare that they will not be driven to a panic response, even when religious leaders join the ranks of the doomsayers. (Read Matthew 6:25-34) However, not only our faith, but also our common sense tells us that panic-driven activities such as hoarding food, fortifying our homes, storing ammunition, turning all of our assets into gold or silver - these reactionary strategies are not necessary. A more moderate response makes much more sense. Certainly it may be prudent for modest preparations to be made, similar to those related to any possib