THEBUZZ

GLEANINGS (October 28, 2106):

  • MANDAN, USA – Be neighbourhood carriers of the light this Halloween
  • GROVE, Oklahoma – Let your light shine!
  • ERBIL, NORTHERN IRAQ – Run over by a tank, this monk now ministers to refugees
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MANDAN, ND
Halloween – Light a candle or curse the darkness!

Becky FischerBecky Fisher challenges: ‘Halloween – do you ‘sanitise it? Hide from it? Or confront it?’

For years I was one of those Christians who hid in the basement and turned off my lights to avoid participating. Or I joined my church with sanitised ‘Christian alternatives’ … ‘Halloween’ became Harvest Parties.

In a brief post like this, it’s hard to say everything I believe about Halloween. Just be assured I despise it. I have done several blogs on the topic and have come out strong against Christians participating with it. (Go to my website and search for ‘Halloween’ to see them.)

Time to shatter the darkness!
So, while some Christians still may not agree, a few years ago I thought why do we let the world spit out its demonic messages unchallenged to our kids? Why are we not telling the truth to kids in an age-appropriate way that they can grasp – both Christian kids and unsaved kids? I’m not looking for a ‘sticky lolly’ way to participate to be ‘religiously politically correct.’ I wanted to shatter the darkness and get in the face of evil with the truth! (more…)

EVERYDAY FAITH? – IT’S EVERYDAY TRUST!

dr-robert-and-maureen-092016(October 28, 2016) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share …

Chatting to a friend recently it was a delight to hear him share what was a fresh revelation to him: ‘At last I know what faith is really all about – it’s about trusting, really trusting Jesus. I know you guys have been telling me that for years – but I didn’t get it! I never realised that I had to let go and let God! Now I am… no matter even if something I need God to do, have prayed about in humble faith, doesn’t seem to be working out, I can still trust him, knowing that Jeremiah 29:11 scripture you keep reminding me about is for real, for me!’

Good news revelation indeed. And something we all need to get a grip of… after all, any new day can bring forth some storm clouds out of the blue, something unexpected can eventuate, something can go wrong. And that’s life! (more…)

WORDS OF LIFE (#3) – PEACE (SHALOM)

Jim McClure(September 15, 2016) Dr Jim McClure, respected theologian, continues his series on some scripture words…

The Hebrew word shalom is familiar to many people apart from Jews.  Most people would say that it means ‘peace,’ and they would be right – up to a point! However, to consider shalom only in terms of the absence of war is to put severe limitations on this great word. For example, two nations may not be dropping missiles on each other, but they may still vent such hostility towards each other that the citizens of both nations may live constantly under the sense of threat and uncertainty.  This would not be a definition of shalom.   ‘Shalom’ means so much more than that.

When we examine how the word shalom is used in the Bible, we discover that ‘peace’ is a widely embracing word which has a plethora of meanings.  It is a word of interaction – with God, between people and, indeed, with all of life. It has to do with harmonious totality.  This study explores some of the depth and breadth of this most positive of Hebrew words. (more…)

WHAT’S THE BEST ENGLISH BIBLE TRANSLATION?

Jim McClure(October 13, 2016) Dr Jim McClure, esteemed theologian, responds to the following often asked question…

‘Can you please tell me which is the best English version of the Bible?  A friend told me that the best is the KJV (King James Version), but I find it difficult to read.  Is it okay if I read a more modern version?’

Firstly, all the earliest manuscripts we have today are copies of the originals – we do not have one original handwritten copy – or even a small portion – of any of the books of the Old or New Testaments.  (more…)

THEBUZZ

GLEANINGS (October 13, 2106):

  • PENNSYLVANIA – The cross… dangerous to so many
  • MORDIALLOC, Victoria – More Trinity Products
  • UGANDA – Holocaust miracle
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PENNSYLVANIA
Is the cross dangerous?

HopeAuthor Hope Flinchbaugh asks a challenging question…

Well… is the cross of Christ dangerous?

Vladimir Lenin thought so
In November 1917, when he seized power in Russia, Lenin’s soldiers climbed steeples and pinnacles of churches and tore down the cross and replaced it with the red star of the new soviet state. Clergy were denounced as enemies of Russia and summarily executed. (more…)

MORGUE RESURRECTION LEADS TO OTHER MUSLIMS FINDING JESUS

steve-rees(October 14) Steve Rees shares a good news story (Note: Not real names mentioned hereunder) …

After laying naked and cold in a morgue for two days, Sabina (not real name) saw herself hopelessly stuck at the bottom of a deep well.

Surrounded by corpses covered with linen sheets, Sabina had a vision of a tree growing at the top of the well. From its trunk, a branch moved toward her as she lay on a hospital gurney. Close enough to reach, the branch changed into flesh as Sabina heard the words, ‘If you grab onto my hand, I will bring you back to life.’

Taking hold of it with her cold, lifeless hand, Sabina woke to find her body covered from the neck down with a white sheet like other corpses around her. (more…)

MISSIONS – WHAT’S NEXT?

George Forbes 2010(October 12, 2016) Missionary statesman Dr George Forbes shares on a  modern missions’ trend…

The history of modern Christian mission can be helpfully described by trends in given eras of missionary enterprise. Dr Ralph Winter in his classic article on the Three Eras of Protestant Mission defines modern mission as the period since the resurgence of missionary activity in the 19th and 20th century portrays trends of great difference.

Significant eras  and appeals

There was the era of …

  • Coastal Missions
  • Inland Missions era came next and
  • People Group Missions

Each era had its own distinctives and advocates. (more…)

GENUINE FRIENDSHIP

dr-robert-and-maureen-092016(October 12, 2016) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share some observations…

Every now and then someone’s blog runs photos of groups of people (supposedly in company with each other!) looking intently at their mobile phone screens but not at each other! Young people – particularly in restaurants, kids – even in church, lovers on a date, even seniors are depicted.

The one thing they have in common is that they’re ignoring one another and are oblivious to their surroundings. And these pics are usually accompanied with a quotation credited to Albert Einstein: ‘I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.’

Reality
Although there is no substantive evidence that Einstein made this statement (For example, there’s no mention of it in the comprehensive collection highlighted in The Ultimate Quotable Einstein (Princeton University Press 1), nevertheless such depictions are a reality today! (more…)

GO ON… DARE TO MOVE IN THE SPIRIT!

dr-robert-and-maureen-092016(September 30, 2016) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share …

A sincere young person asked us last night, ‘I want to serve the Lord and want to be led and used by the Holy Spirit. I know I have to trust that I am actually being led by him, that it’s not my imagination. Can you share something that’ll help me?’

It’s October tomorrow – Grand Final Day, a special footie celebration time in Oz. Our thoughts immediately went back to another Thursday night one October some years ago.

Late at night we had an unexpected call. The caller didn’t apologise for the lateness of the hour but quickly requested: ‘We’ve learned you’re the speakers at a church leaders’ camp Saturday, but … when finished would you come over and speak to the Russians. They meet Saturdays but would you also minister to them tomorrow, Friday night?’

Speak to the Russians? Intriguing request to a westerner’s ears as we’d never ministered to Russians before and didn’t know what to expect. (more…)

THEBUZZ

GLEANINGS (September 27, 2016):

  • CLIFTON BEACH, Queensland – Maximising follow-up effectiveness
  • MORDIALLOC, Victoria – What are Christian leaders thinking?
  • CHINA/PENNSYLVANIA – Chinese leaders and churches need urgent prayer
  • GROVE, Oklahoma – Renewing our daily strength encouragement

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QUEENSLAND
Sound assistance in retaining new Christians in churches

harry-jackie-leesmentHarry and Jackie Leesment (left) send this good news report…

Our new books, Christian Life Coach Training Manual and Discover! Discipleship by Discussions, are about maximising effective follow up of new Christians.  We trace the key steps that led to a breakthrough after which we kept up to 65% of new converts. (more…)