Just finished my review of political thriller by Ralph Reed -- remember him? Jack Abramoff Indian casino affair? Ex-director of the Christian Coalition? Yes, he's turned author now. And who better to write a take-it-all-off story of corrupt politics? He's got the experience for sure.
While written as a political novel -- fiction, right? -- there is more truth to this book than any of us would like to admit. It's down and dirty, and downright embarrassing.
Let's look at the scenario. One of the candidates for the US president is the first black man. The only difference is, he's the Republican. Oh, there's a female veep candidate who hasn't got a clue on national TV. We have an independent in Reed's race. Don't we see this coming in our real life? We also have an evangelical, mega-church pastor with great influence in Washington.
Yes, I remind you again, this is fiction. I kept telling myself that as I turned the pages of this book. You can see my review at http://www.bellaonline.com/site/christianliterature.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
A Forgotten Gospel
Introducing a new, radical book that answers a relevant question: How do I tell others about the greatest thing I've ever known without stepping on their toes or making them angry
, coming on too strong and losing them or not strong enough to make it work?
This new book by Mark McGrath is an awesome resource. A must read. I'm so excited to introduce this author and his book to you because I see doors opening more easily to the people I want to touch with the Gospel of Christ.
Note: You can win a free copy of this book if you go to my Bella Christian Lit website and leave an email or post in the forum the reason you'd like to have this book.
A Radical, Compassionate Approach to Evangelism
Just hearing the word “evangelism” conjures up images of Bible-toters going door-to-door spreading the Good News. Most non-believers avoid answering the door, or feel strong-armed if they do get caught in the net called “witnessing.” Even most Christians become nervous at the thought of evangelism. Why? Because they have been guilted into believing they are somehow “less than” if they do not follow a specific pattern of what some call soul-winning. The thing is, the Good News sounds an awful lot like bad news, starting with, “You must acknowledge you are a sinner.” This is off-putting for the one witnessing as well as the non-believer.
Today’s culture presents challenges to sharing the gospel that were not present 20 to 30 years ago. Why create an antagonistic atmosphere that can be perceived as judgmental? It only shuts the door to the opportunity for future conversations.
Isn’t there a better way? A Forgotten Gospel presents a pattern that ordinary Christians can use to share Christ without alienating friends, loved ones and co-workers. Author Mark McGrath studied every instance a Christ-follower shared the gospel to a non-believer in Acts, and found some common denominators. Interesting, these factors are not found in most patterns for evangelism. A Forgotten Gospel shows believers how to present the gospel using a relevant biblical pattern with a flexible, conversational approach. The old models don’t hold up in today’s fast-paced, post-modern society.
About the Author:
Building on 25 years of church-planting experience—with churches started in New York, New Jersey and Great Britain—Mark McGrath, President of McGrath Communications Group, brings a unique blend of professional communications skills training and passionate commitment to developing effective church leaders. Mark conducts evangelism training with several national Campus ministries at Rutgers University in New Jersey and has launched an updated version of both the weekend and small group evangelism seminars he developed. These seminars are available to churches across the U.S.
Mark's Practical Thoughts on Evangelism
Most of us are surrounded by people we care about, people we'd love to see respond to the gospel. We can readily picture the faces of immediate and extended family members, neighbors, friends and coworkers as we pray.
Sadly, studies show that a large percentage of us are not actively sharing their faith with these loved ones. We've become the silent victims of a widespread outbreak of Evangelism Avoidance.
Evangelism Avoidance can be traced to a number of causes:
§ We feel inadequate. While most of us know we have a responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission, the thought of sharing their faith makes most of us feel inadequate, unprepared and just plain nervous. And public speaking - even to an audience of two - just compounds the problem.
§ We don't want to mess things up. We know the stakes are high and that many of the people we care about have some pretty negative ideas about Christianity and some negative experiences with pushy bible-bashing Christians. We don't want add to the problem and we don't want to alienate our friends and family.
§ People don't understand what we are saying. Using words like "God," "sin" and "saved" in conversations produces quizzical looks or outright laughter. There might have been a shared understanding of these concepts twenty to thirty years ago, but they've been abandoned by today's diverse culture.
§ We don't know what to say. And although times have changed, the popular approaches to sharing the Gospel have not. We find ourselves still trying to convince listeners of their sinfulness, creating an antagonistic, counterproductive atmosphere that's perceived as judgmental and prevents on-going conversations.
But even a quick reading of the Book of Acts shows that New Testament believers didn't share this struggle. What was their secret? A Forgotten Gospel explores that secret.
§ While preparing to teach his own church the basics of evangelism, church-planting pastor Mark McGrath noticed that the popular evangelism methods he'd learned were very different from those used in the Book of Acts.
§ Digging further, he saw that our modern gospel-presentation methods are largely based on explanations from the New Testament epistles, which are written to those who already believe.
§ Continuing his inventory of New Testament encounters revealed a pattern: Every gospel presentation delivered in the Book of Acts contained the same essential elements and emphasized one central theme.
§ Furthermore, he discovered that by following the example of the New Testament believers and sharing the Gospel with the same elements and the same theme, new doors were opened and people were much more willing to engage in honest conversations about their faith.
Over the years, Christians have done a lot of thinking and re-thinking about evangelism. We've moved away from the more confrontational approaches, moved away from the crusade type of evangelism and the "drive-by gospel shooting" approaches where we blitz an area with the 'gospel' and then go home. We've discovered we need to practice what we preach, care about people before preaching at them. We've learned to serve the world around us and be friends with them in the hope of having a chance to see them come to faith. But something is still missing!
"Faith comes by hearing..." No one can catch faith, like the flu. Someone has to share the Gospel with him or her. Hearing requires someone to do the speaking! And that is what makes us nervous all over again. No matter how much we care, how much we serve, what type of friend we've become, we will need to share the Gospel with our friends, and we are back at square one again. There is a better way.
Today, Mark McGrath is teaching this easily remembered, New Testament method of evangelism to students on university campuses, as well as to churches in the U.S. and England. In A Forgotten Gospel, he shows believers how to use this same flexible approach to effectively communicate the gospel to their friends.
No longer will caring believers wonder what to say or how to say it. By following the conversational approach explained in A Forgotten Gospel, they'll be cured of Evangelism Avoidance. And they'll be ready to clearly and confidently share the Gospel without alienating friends and loved ones.
What Others are Saying
In A Forgotten Gospel, Mark McGrath has taken the truth of the Gospel that "everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus Christ" and made it simple for today's contemporary world. Many others died on a cross, but none of them are alive today! Jesus Christ is the king, and he wants our friends to know Him and let Him lead their lives. McGrath gives a new, fresh and yet scriptural approach to the Gospel that makes it easy to share our faith in Christ with our friends and family and then still have meaningful conversations afterwards. Presenting his material has started to encourage my students that they too can share Jesus with the people they live with while still calling them close friends.
Tony Yuhas
Campus Staff for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Rutgers University
Over twenty years ago we embraced the radical change Mark describes here in A Forgotten Gospel and it has completely altered both the approach to and the effect of our outreach. Because this approach coaches people to know how to engage in meaningful conversations with unbelievers, and how to keep the door open for future dialogue, the number of meaningful conversations with non-believers has increased, the level of our relationships with them has deepened, and the church is extremely confident when interacting with those outside the family of God. On top of that, the people who are now beginning to follow Jesus are coming with a genuine faith and real commitment! Whether you have a heart for evangelism or a fear of evangelism, this book is a must read.
John Singleton
Director of LifeLine Network International
I like this! And I'll tell you why.
It's clear and simple. It's positive, like the gospel. It's full of hope. It's free of religious jargon.
McGrath's desire to make the resurrection of Jesus the central aspect of our communication of the gospel to those who need it is right on! Sounds a lot like the book of Acts.
I especially appreciate his emphasis on learning to listen to others and showing real concern for them and their thoughts. His insistence on being sensitive to the voice of God is extremely important. His whole approach is well-balanced and he writes from a broad experience. Very encouraging, indeed!
Orville Swindoll
Missionary in Argentina for 32 years. Author of several books in Spanish and English. Founder and director of two Spanish-language magazines for Christians. Fifty-seven years of Gospel ministry, and married to the same woman for over 55 years. Four children. Nineteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Pastor of a Hispanic church in Miami, Florida.
, coming on too strong and losing them or not strong enough to make it work?This new book by Mark McGrath is an awesome resource. A must read. I'm so excited to introduce this author and his book to you because I see doors opening more easily to the people I want to touch with the Gospel of Christ.
Note: You can win a free copy of this book if you go to my Bella Christian Lit website and leave an email or post in the forum the reason you'd like to have this book.
A Radical, Compassionate Approach to Evangelism
Just hearing the word “evangelism” conjures up images of Bible-toters going door-to-door spreading the Good News. Most non-believers avoid answering the door, or feel strong-armed if they do get caught in the net called “witnessing.” Even most Christians become nervous at the thought of evangelism. Why? Because they have been guilted into believing they are somehow “less than” if they do not follow a specific pattern of what some call soul-winning. The thing is, the Good News sounds an awful lot like bad news, starting with, “You must acknowledge you are a sinner.” This is off-putting for the one witnessing as well as the non-believer.
Today’s culture presents challenges to sharing the gospel that were not present 20 to 30 years ago. Why create an antagonistic atmosphere that can be perceived as judgmental? It only shuts the door to the opportunity for future conversations.
Isn’t there a better way? A Forgotten Gospel presents a pattern that ordinary Christians can use to share Christ without alienating friends, loved ones and co-workers. Author Mark McGrath studied every instance a Christ-follower shared the gospel to a non-believer in Acts, and found some common denominators. Interesting, these factors are not found in most patterns for evangelism. A Forgotten Gospel shows believers how to present the gospel using a relevant biblical pattern with a flexible, conversational approach. The old models don’t hold up in today’s fast-paced, post-modern society.
About the Author:
Building on 25 years of church-planting experience—with churches started in New York, New Jersey and Great Britain—Mark McGrath, President of McGrath Communications Group, brings a unique blend of professional communications skills training and passionate commitment to developing effective church leaders. Mark conducts evangelism training with several national Campus ministries at Rutgers University in New Jersey and has launched an updated version of both the weekend and small group evangelism seminars he developed. These seminars are available to churches across the U.S.
Mark's Practical Thoughts on Evangelism
Most of us are surrounded by people we care about, people we'd love to see respond to the gospel. We can readily picture the faces of immediate and extended family members, neighbors, friends and coworkers as we pray.
Sadly, studies show that a large percentage of us are not actively sharing their faith with these loved ones. We've become the silent victims of a widespread outbreak of Evangelism Avoidance.
Evangelism Avoidance can be traced to a number of causes:
§ We feel inadequate. While most of us know we have a responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission, the thought of sharing their faith makes most of us feel inadequate, unprepared and just plain nervous. And public speaking - even to an audience of two - just compounds the problem.
§ We don't want to mess things up. We know the stakes are high and that many of the people we care about have some pretty negative ideas about Christianity and some negative experiences with pushy bible-bashing Christians. We don't want add to the problem and we don't want to alienate our friends and family.
§ People don't understand what we are saying. Using words like "God," "sin" and "saved" in conversations produces quizzical looks or outright laughter. There might have been a shared understanding of these concepts twenty to thirty years ago, but they've been abandoned by today's diverse culture.
§ We don't know what to say. And although times have changed, the popular approaches to sharing the Gospel have not. We find ourselves still trying to convince listeners of their sinfulness, creating an antagonistic, counterproductive atmosphere that's perceived as judgmental and prevents on-going conversations.
But even a quick reading of the Book of Acts shows that New Testament believers didn't share this struggle. What was their secret? A Forgotten Gospel explores that secret.
§ While preparing to teach his own church the basics of evangelism, church-planting pastor Mark McGrath noticed that the popular evangelism methods he'd learned were very different from those used in the Book of Acts.
§ Digging further, he saw that our modern gospel-presentation methods are largely based on explanations from the New Testament epistles, which are written to those who already believe.
§ Continuing his inventory of New Testament encounters revealed a pattern: Every gospel presentation delivered in the Book of Acts contained the same essential elements and emphasized one central theme.
§ Furthermore, he discovered that by following the example of the New Testament believers and sharing the Gospel with the same elements and the same theme, new doors were opened and people were much more willing to engage in honest conversations about their faith.
Over the years, Christians have done a lot of thinking and re-thinking about evangelism. We've moved away from the more confrontational approaches, moved away from the crusade type of evangelism and the "drive-by gospel shooting" approaches where we blitz an area with the 'gospel' and then go home. We've discovered we need to practice what we preach, care about people before preaching at them. We've learned to serve the world around us and be friends with them in the hope of having a chance to see them come to faith. But something is still missing!
"Faith comes by hearing..." No one can catch faith, like the flu. Someone has to share the Gospel with him or her. Hearing requires someone to do the speaking! And that is what makes us nervous all over again. No matter how much we care, how much we serve, what type of friend we've become, we will need to share the Gospel with our friends, and we are back at square one again. There is a better way.
Today, Mark McGrath is teaching this easily remembered, New Testament method of evangelism to students on university campuses, as well as to churches in the U.S. and England. In A Forgotten Gospel, he shows believers how to use this same flexible approach to effectively communicate the gospel to their friends.
No longer will caring believers wonder what to say or how to say it. By following the conversational approach explained in A Forgotten Gospel, they'll be cured of Evangelism Avoidance. And they'll be ready to clearly and confidently share the Gospel without alienating friends and loved ones.
What Others are Saying
In A Forgotten Gospel, Mark McGrath has taken the truth of the Gospel that "everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus Christ" and made it simple for today's contemporary world. Many others died on a cross, but none of them are alive today! Jesus Christ is the king, and he wants our friends to know Him and let Him lead their lives. McGrath gives a new, fresh and yet scriptural approach to the Gospel that makes it easy to share our faith in Christ with our friends and family and then still have meaningful conversations afterwards. Presenting his material has started to encourage my students that they too can share Jesus with the people they live with while still calling them close friends.
Tony Yuhas
Campus Staff for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Rutgers University
Over twenty years ago we embraced the radical change Mark describes here in A Forgotten Gospel and it has completely altered both the approach to and the effect of our outreach. Because this approach coaches people to know how to engage in meaningful conversations with unbelievers, and how to keep the door open for future dialogue, the number of meaningful conversations with non-believers has increased, the level of our relationships with them has deepened, and the church is extremely confident when interacting with those outside the family of God. On top of that, the people who are now beginning to follow Jesus are coming with a genuine faith and real commitment! Whether you have a heart for evangelism or a fear of evangelism, this book is a must read.
John Singleton
Director of LifeLine Network International
I like this! And I'll tell you why.
It's clear and simple. It's positive, like the gospel. It's full of hope. It's free of religious jargon.
McGrath's desire to make the resurrection of Jesus the central aspect of our communication of the gospel to those who need it is right on! Sounds a lot like the book of Acts.
I especially appreciate his emphasis on learning to listen to others and showing real concern for them and their thoughts. His insistence on being sensitive to the voice of God is extremely important. His whole approach is well-balanced and he writes from a broad experience. Very encouraging, indeed!
Orville Swindoll
Missionary in Argentina for 32 years. Author of several books in Spanish and English. Founder and director of two Spanish-language magazines for Christians. Fifty-seven years of Gospel ministry, and married to the same woman for over 55 years. Four children. Nineteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Pastor of a Hispanic church in Miami, Florida.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Creativity
In my last post, I talked about making the goodie bag items for the October ScrapShare Retreat, and I promised to share some of what I found cruising the net.
Scrapbook Crazy has some mini-album tutorials including quotations to put in them. Be sure to clink on the "Star Album." I made some of those last spring. They're gorgeous, depending on the paper designs you use. The "Acrylic" Albums enchanted me, and I almost went with one of those for my project. Keep in mind, I have to make 30 of whatever I decide on. Thirty! Time plus cost is an issue, so I kept looking for something easier and less costly.
Next stop was Paperclipping, and this is where I met "Fred!" I'm still trying to figure out how to make one of these myself--or have my dh make one for me, since he's talented in that kind of stuff. You can watch free video workshops on Paperclipping, so you can see how awesome Fred is, among other great topics. Once again, I'm intrigued by "acrylic" and see-through. On the main site, under "Categories," click on Album Covers or just click on what I just typed for you as a link. What a unique idea for using one of those cheap (or not-so-cheap) 4 x 6 photo books! I have several of those laying around somewhere. Noell says she found her album at the Goodwill store. It appears, by the two holes, to be a binder type, and she has beautiful ribbon threaded through and tied in a bow. All I have are those little flat ones, but I see definite possibilities. Keep your eyes open for albums you can alter creatively.
On Chia's Rubber Stamp Art, you'll find a handy-dandy Small File Folder Template. This has so many possibilities! I was intrigued here for quite a while. From this template page, go to her home page or to the template index to see so many more goodies.
Moving on, getting pumped with ideas, I found the Split Coast Stampers File Folder Card Tutorial. I think you can see where I'm heading here. Kind of, sort of.
I then found my way (somehow) to a site I lingered on for a l-o-n-g time, QuinnCreative - Making Journals! And other cool stuff. Oh, what a temptress site this is. I am so addicted to journals and journaling, and here you will find lots of how-to's for journaling.
Then I found GoScrapping and got my idea. Fortunately, I saved the image of the project I fell in love with to my desktop so I could refer to it. I say "fortunately" because when I went back to the site this morning, I couldn't find the project. If any of my ScrapShare friends are reading this blog, they will just have to wait to see what I picked. Even if they found it, I changed it around a lot to make it more cost effective and faster to manufacture 30 of them.
Oh, by the way, my project involves monthly calendars, and I ended up finding the perfect ones at Calendars Quick.
So, after the retreat the weekend of October 16th, I'll post pictures of my project. By then you might be in the market for cheap and awesome Christmas Gifts!
Scrapbook Crazy has some mini-album tutorials including quotations to put in them. Be sure to clink on the "Star Album." I made some of those last spring. They're gorgeous, depending on the paper designs you use. The "Acrylic" Albums enchanted me, and I almost went with one of those for my project. Keep in mind, I have to make 30 of whatever I decide on. Thirty! Time plus cost is an issue, so I kept looking for something easier and less costly.
Next stop was Paperclipping, and this is where I met "Fred!" I'm still trying to figure out how to make one of these myself--or have my dh make one for me, since he's talented in that kind of stuff. You can watch free video workshops on Paperclipping, so you can see how awesome Fred is, among other great topics. Once again, I'm intrigued by "acrylic" and see-through. On the main site, under "Categories," click on Album Covers or just click on what I just typed for you as a link. What a unique idea for using one of those cheap (or not-so-cheap) 4 x 6 photo books! I have several of those laying around somewhere. Noell says she found her album at the Goodwill store. It appears, by the two holes, to be a binder type, and she has beautiful ribbon threaded through and tied in a bow. All I have are those little flat ones, but I see definite possibilities. Keep your eyes open for albums you can alter creatively.
On Chia's Rubber Stamp Art, you'll find a handy-dandy Small File Folder Template. This has so many possibilities! I was intrigued here for quite a while. From this template page, go to her home page or to the template index to see so many more goodies.
Moving on, getting pumped with ideas, I found the Split Coast Stampers File Folder Card Tutorial. I think you can see where I'm heading here. Kind of, sort of.
I then found my way (somehow) to a site I lingered on for a l-o-n-g time, QuinnCreative - Making Journals! And other cool stuff. Oh, what a temptress site this is. I am so addicted to journals and journaling, and here you will find lots of how-to's for journaling.
Then I found GoScrapping and got my idea. Fortunately, I saved the image of the project I fell in love with to my desktop so I could refer to it. I say "fortunately" because when I went back to the site this morning, I couldn't find the project. If any of my ScrapShare friends are reading this blog, they will just have to wait to see what I picked. Even if they found it, I changed it around a lot to make it more cost effective and faster to manufacture 30 of them.
Oh, by the way, my project involves monthly calendars, and I ended up finding the perfect ones at Calendars Quick.
So, after the retreat the weekend of October 16th, I'll post pictures of my project. By then you might be in the market for cheap and awesome Christmas Gifts!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Fall Scrapbook Retreat!
This is my 8x8 album page for the Fall ScrapShare Retreat in Alabama. Everybody makes a page, and we all get an album of the group. I look often at my Spring Retreat Album and remembering all the fun and the great new friends I made. I miss everyone and counting down the days until October 16!
We all make a gift for the goodie bags, and some are really, really creative. I'm working on mine this week and have come across some outrageously awesome projects online. See my next post for a list of the best!
By the way the picture of the sunset over the water is Anna Maria Island, Florida. We visited my sister in July, and she lives about an hour or so away from this beautiful beach. I'd never heard of it before. Oddly enough, the last book I reviewed for my Bella site, All Over But the Shoutin', Ray Bragg, the author, makes mention of Anna Maria Island. He thought it was as good as we did.
The big attraction, of course, is the sunset. Located on the west side of the gulf, it's a nightly event. Perhaps not as big as Key West, but glorious for sure.
We ate at the Waterfront Restaurant right on the beach. The Oyster Po Boys are too good!
There is also a free trolley that travels the island. You can grab your gear and hop from one beach to another, or even into town to the library or shopping.
I call it Paradise!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
An Unforgettable Memoir
I posted my review of All Over But the Shoutin' on my Bella Online Christian Lit site yesterday. It written by Rick Bragg, a Pulitzer winner and New York Times reporter. One of the descriptions on the back cover is "unforgettable." That exactly sums it up. I'll never forget it.
Bragg's life as the son of a cotton picker and a drunk Korean War veteran in rural Alabama during the '50s is mesmerizing. I thought my family was poor, but this is way different from anything I've experienced. My father drank, was undoubtedly an alcoholic, but he stayed and supported us, all six of his children, and I have good memories along with the bad that a lot of us probably have.
But Ray Bragg's story is outstanding. Pulling himself up from the dirt-poor lifestyle, remembering riding on the back of the white bag his Momma pulled behind her as she picked cotton, he became a respected genius of a writer.
This is a story that will change your life. You'll respect what's really important in your life as you read it. You'll see some history through the eyes of a fearless reporter who writes truth.
It's also a great read for anyone writing their own memoir or life story. I got inspired!
Bragg's life as the son of a cotton picker and a drunk Korean War veteran in rural Alabama during the '50s is mesmerizing. I thought my family was poor, but this is way different from anything I've experienced. My father drank, was undoubtedly an alcoholic, but he stayed and supported us, all six of his children, and I have good memories along with the bad that a lot of us probably have.
But Ray Bragg's story is outstanding. Pulling himself up from the dirt-poor lifestyle, remembering riding on the back of the white bag his Momma pulled behind her as she picked cotton, he became a respected genius of a writer.
This is a story that will change your life. You'll respect what's really important in your life as you read it. You'll see some history through the eyes of a fearless reporter who writes truth.
It's also a great read for anyone writing their own memoir or life story. I got inspired!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Women's Memoirs
Women's Memoirs
