Friday, April 16, 2004

KATY, Texas (BP)--A Houston-area congregation that pledged its entire Easter morning offering to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions gave more than $77,000 in an effort "put its money where its mouth is," the church's pastor, Randy White, said.

The offering was a 700 percent increase from the church's $11,103 offering last year. The congregation voted unanimously March 28 to contribute the morning's gifts to the offering, which funds missions efforts of the North American Mission Board in the United States and Canada.

Robert E. "Bob" Reccord, president of the North American Mission Board, praised the church's unprecedented commitment to impacting the continent with the Gospel.

"In these extraordinary days, keeping missions and evangelism in the forefront of Southern Baptist life takes extraordinary measures," he said. "Randy White and the members of First Baptist Church have sacrificially set a new pace for partnership in North American missions in their gift to the Annie Armstrong Offering -- while not flinching from their strong support of other vital missions offerings including the Cooperative Program.

"Creative, out-of-the-box thinking and bold faith-filled initiatives like this are the sign of visionary leadership and sacrificial followship, and a faith absolutely dependent on God," he continued. "On behalf of our missionaries and mission partners across North America, we are thankful."

The offering was collected from among the church's 2,000 attendees on Easter Sunday. More...

Thursday, April 15, 2004

(AgapePress) - A new Bible for youth designed to look like a magazine for teenage boys is now on the shelves.

Last year, U.S. retailers reported that their biggest-selling Bible was Revolve: The Complete New Testament, which contained the scriptures in a fashion magazine format designed to appeal to young girls. Now Thomas Nelson Publishers is releasing Refuel: The Complete New Testament, in a similar magazine style format -- this time geared for teen boys.

Refuel features the New Century Version of the New Testament, along with relevant articles for teenagers, on issues like sex, drugs, self-image, and hazing.

Laurie Whaley, a spokesperson for Thomas Nelson Publishers, says the format fills a real need in the Christian marketplace, and she describes Refuel as "a complete Bible," with added sidebars that help teens understand how God's Word is relevant and applicable to their daily life.

Whaley feels the format helps resolve two very different and difficult challenges. "You have the teen, for whom you want to make sure what you're writing is relevant, and you have the scripture, which you want to make sure is understandable," she says.

Still, the publisher's spokesperson expects some criticism of the new format, the likes of which the publisher has heard before, such as when Revolve debuted. "The most frequent criticism that we receive is that perhaps we are trivializing scripture, putting the Word of God next to pages of teen images," she says. More...

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

(AgapePress) - A noted Christian radio personality is trying to help believers become better equipped when it comes to biblical truth, and to have a better understanding of God's Word and its relevance for today.

Hank Hanegraaff is host of the popular live radio call-in show Bible Answer Man as well as president and chairman of the Christian Research Institute International (CRI), which is based in Southern California. He has authored several best-selling books, including The Prayer of Jesus and Resurrection, which won the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's 2001 Gold Medallion for excellence in Christian literature.

Hanegraaff's latest book, The Bible Answer Book, covers 80 of the top questions he has received on his radio program. The CRI president says one of the most popular questions concerns the practice of Christians becoming "slain in the spirit" -- which he says cannot be found anywhere in the ministry of Jesus Christ or any of the apostles.

"In fact, if you listen to the apostles, they will tell you [as in 1 Peter 5:8] to be ... 'alert and sober-minded because your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour,'" Hanegraaff says. "So we are to be alert -- not to be in an altered state of consciousness."

The author says people who are in an altered state of consciousness become "hyper-suggestible" and are "willing to believe virtually anything that enters [their] mind, no matter how mundane or outlandish."

The book also tackles the issue of God's perspective on wealth -- which, according to Hanegraaff, involves far more than just money. More...

Sunday, April 11, 2004

(AgapePress) - A few weeks ago I wrote an article describing Ronald Reagan's views on Jesus Christ and the crucifixion. While most of the response was positive, I did receive some negative e-mail. One writer complained that I rekindled the same "divisive" issues that split many Jews and Christians over Mel Gibson's film. And yet, insisted my e-mailer, "Reagan was very tolerant of Jews. Why don't you focus on that?"

Point taken. And indeed, with Easter approaching, Reagan's mutual embrace of both the Christian holy day and Jewish people serves as a helpful example of Jewish-Christian unity.

Ronald Reagan always loved Easter. On Easter Sunday 1926, the 15-year-old kicked off the Annual Sunrise Prayer Meeting at 7:00 a.m. at the First Christian Church in little Dixon, Illinois. His saintly mother taught him that Easter Sunday was a joyous occasion -- a time to replace the pain of the crucifixion. As president, he called Easter "Christ's victory over death." "We will remember," heralded Reagan in April 1981, "that He gave His body and His blood -- washing clean the faults and the shortcomings of the world. In our rejoicing, we renew the hope that is ours through the risen Lord."

Notably, in his first official presidential statement on Easter, Reagan devoted equal time to Easter and to Passover -- exactly four sentences on each.

Reagan learned to respect the Jewish faith at the Dixon church and at home. On November 11, 1928, his church's mission committee -- chaired by his mother -- brought in a Russian Jew named B.E. Kertchman, who provided an eye-opening modern history of Jews and their experiences. Reagan's hatred of prejudice was also derived from his faith. "The commandment given us is clear and simple," he said. "‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'" In the Evil Empire speech, he said that bigotry was a "sin" and "evil" which Christians had a responsibility to oppose "with all our might." More...