I received a copy of Margaret A. Blincoe’s book — Message In A Word (2010, Self Published)– from my editor friend Lillie Ammann, not realizing that she was Margaret’s editor. I’ve gotten to know Lillie through her A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye blog, enjoying her insight particularly from a Christian perspective.

Message In A Word is a devotional, offering 52 one- or two-page expositions on a divinely-rendered acrostic. Acrostics are words where each letter in that word represents another word or statement. One example is DOUBT which Margaret renders as Disbelief  Of Unerring Biblical Truths.  Acrostics are fun, easy to remember, but they’re also an excellent way to impart truth.

Given that Margaret’s book has 52 messages, one for each week of the year, I’ve saved some of my reading for the weeks and months ahead. But, through the half dozen or more stories I have read, I can tell you that Margaret’s “Inspired Succinct Sermons Uniquely Expressed” are just that — inspired.

God has given Margaret a gift for using words — in this case acrostics — to tell a story. Those Godward stories are meant to inspire and uplift the reader, drawing him or her closer to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Following each devotional a “Notes of Reflection” page is set aside to allow the reader to share his own thoughts about the reading. This can be a good place to add commentary about Margaret’s lesson, by including a practical application of the acrostic in the life of the reader.

Margaret says that the book’s idea came as a result of several recurrent dreams, spanning a number of years where God spoke to her about certain “issues” He had with her.

At first, Margaret thought that God was mad, believing that He had some sort of a dispute with her. Upon much prayer and reflection Margaret realized that God had another meaning of the word in mind — a proclamation or an announcement — which turned her thinking around.

An encounter with a pastor’s wife revealed to Margaret what God was telling her and from that point on the acrostics began to flow freely. I was encouraged to learn what Margaret went through to arrive at that point in her journey to understand what the word “issues” meant, demonstrating the patience of a loving Father who wants to impart wisdom and understanding to all who worship Him “in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24)

Yes, wisdom is what Solomon desired, something we who follow Jesus Christ need if we are to walk uprightly before God. Perhaps God has an “issue” with you too!

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to many American Christians that the country which has long upheld religious freedom has made it difficult for people to freely practice what they believe.

Certainly, we can still attend church, pray, vote and take part in a host of other activities enjoyed by all Americans, but when it comes to the workplace, the government isn’t always as accommodating, particularly for organizations such as Christian ministries.

World Vision

Earlier this week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that World Vision, the Christian aid organization, had a right to terminate two employees who said that they did not agree with World Vision doctrinal beliefs. Those employees sued for religious discrimination, but the court decided in favor of World Vision 2-1.

By law, private companies cannot discriminate based on religion. However, the law includes an accommodation for “a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society,” as noted by the Heritage Foundation. Though not a church, the judges ruling in favor of World Vision agreed that the exception applies to them too.

Court Cases

A couple of cases ruled earlier this year dismayed believers including one involving Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C. That nonprofit organization was forced to stop providing adoption services and benefits to spouses because they refused to compromise on their belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Another court also ruled against recognizing a Christian group at a public university who refused admittance to someone who didn’t agree with their religious beliefs. There have been other cases in recent years, but these two are among the most visible.

Letter to Congress

On Wednesday, a letter was delivered to the U.S. Congress asking members to reject legislation aimed at forcing religious organizations to not prohibit hiring based on religious grounds. The U.S. conference of Catholic Bishops, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and others signed on, representing more than 100 groups according to The Christian Post.

HR 5466, introduced by Rep. Patrick Kennedy, would reauthorize federal substance abuse treatment funding that is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. That bill also contains a provision that would ban faith-based groups from receiving federal funding if religious considerations are part of their hiring process.

World Vision receives $300 million in federal funding as part of their aid efforts. Most of the signatory parties don’t receive funding, but they believe that such a law could thwart their efforts to hire people of their own choosing.

Please note that WordJourney is interested in your news, especially as it pertains to the Body of Jesus Christ and the work of the Lord. While we can’t publish your local church news — unless it has a much broader impact beyond your area — we’re always interested in news that builds up the church universal.

The best way to contact Matt Keegan, the administrator of this site, is to fill out the easy to use contact form. Easy, in that you only need to share with us your name, email address, subject and a few paragraphs about your request.

Once done, correctly complete the Captcha code and hit the submit button. That code keeps spammers at bay, so be careful to repeat the four digit code as shown.

The contact form doesn’t allow you to attach your news, but you can include a link to a web page or site. WordJourney isn’t interested in republishing news verbatim, but if you have a press release we’ll review your information to see if it can lead to a story.

Matt will contact you within 1-2 business days after receiving your request. If you haven’t heard back from him after that time, please try again. Sorry, obvious commercial tie-ins will be ignored.

Some examples of articles we’ll consider:

Ministry spotlight — Give us an overview of a particular ministry and the work that they do. It would help if you are affiliated with that ministry — we like “inside” news! We’re not interested in personalities, rather the work being done to share the gospel primarily and helping people secondarily. Yes, these two matters usually go hand in hand.

Event news — If there is a special event that will be taking place, let our readers know about it. One example of this was “Cry of the Orphan” an adoption event headlined by Stephen Curtis Chapman in November 2009. We featured that story on WordJourney and are interested in similar news.

Global stories — We’re always interested in sharing with Christians what God is doing in the world. This can be a tremendous source of encouragement for believers who see that their prayers are, indeed, being answered.

National news — WordJourney does not make a point to cover general national news unless it impacts the church. Even then, we’ll only add that information if it has an element where you can take positive action such as praying and informing others. For news from a Christian perspective, check out The Christian Post.

Artistic Reviews – On occasion, we’ll review a book or CD and post that review here. Let us know what you have and we’ll see if it is something that we want to review. If accepted, expect to send a review copy to the address we’ll provide for you.

If we agree to share your news please submit your work in English, adhering close to AP Stylebook guidelines, and with photos (optional) that are released or attributed to the source. It may seem odd to say, but we do run everything through Copyscape, rejecting anything that has been clearly plagiarized.

Thank you for following WordJourney; we are blessed through your participation and prayers.

Continuing with our ministry spotlight, WordJourney turns its focus to Prison Fellowship Ministries, a Christian outreach to the incarcerated and their families.

Founded: In 1976 by chuck Colson, a former aide to President Nixon who himself was involved in the Watergate cover-up and was imprisoned. Prison Fellowship International (PFI), the global umbrella organization for Prison Fellowship groups, is headed by Ron Nikkel. Today, there are more than 100 Prison Fellowship ministries reporting to PFI.

Mission: “To seek the transformation of prisoners and their reconciliation to God, family, and community through the power and truth of Jesus Christ.”

Projects: The main thrust of Prison Fellowship is to minister to men and women who are in prison. Prison Fellowship gains access to prisons around the world, by holding Bible studies and prayer groups for those who are seeking God. Through their work Prison Fellowship says that they are able to restore broken lives, bring crime statistics down and make communities safer. Additionally, Prison Fellowship runs Angel Tree — a program to provide Christmas gifts and year round help for children of prisoners — and Justice Fellowship — a faith-based training program for prisoners and a reentry program in Iowa. You can hear Chuck Colson on his Breakpoint program where he discusses faith matters as related to current news.

Budget: $40 million for its U.S. operations alone

Notables: In the U.S., 8,000 churches and more than 11,000 volunteers partner with Prison Fellowship. Group claims that recidivism rates drop by 66 percent for people who participate in their programs. Prison Fellowship is active in all 50 states and is in more than 1,400 correctional facilities.

National Headquarters:

Prison Fellowship Ministries
44180 Riverside Parkway
Leesburg, VA 20176-0176
877-478-0100
pfm.org

World Headquarters:

Prison Fellowship International
PO Box 17434
Washington, DC 20041
703-554-8664
pfi.org

Resources

Angel Tree: Prison Fellowship

Breakpoint with Chuck Colson

Dallas Observer: Prisoner Re-Entry Supporters Tie Into National Faith-Based Out4Life Network

WHSV.com: Working to Keep Former Inmates “Out4Life”

Religious freedom clashes with 9/11 sensitivity

There is common theme running through the general community today: who can trust the news?

I’m saying this because oftentimes what we hear or read isn’t entirely correct although journalists are supposed to be dispassionate when it comes to presenting the news. Yes, I prefer to watch Fox News, but I’ve caught them more than once leaving out important information when a story is presented. Fair and balanced? Well, not entirely. Then again, can we trust MSNBC to be objective?

Divine help is needed when sifting thru the news.

Islamic Center

The latest issue causing people a lot of angst is the building of a mosque or Islamic cultural center in downtown Manhattan not far from where the Twin Towers once stood. Honestly, I haven’t been paying a lot of attention to the matter although I did recently pray that the Lord would stop the mosque from being built.

Today, I learned something else: what may be built on the site isn’t a mosque, rather a cultural center. Okay, before you get your knickers twisted in a wad, I realize that there may not be much difference between the two as far as some people are concerned.

Ground Zero

The “Ground Zero Mosque” story has been unfolding for several months with the Cordoba Initiative—a Muslim organization whose whole tagline says that they are for “Healing the Relationship Between the Islamic World and the West”–announcing plans to build near Ground Zero. Cordoba states that they oppose radical Islam, just the sort of moderate Muslim group many Americans have been saying they wish would speak out against jihad.

The Cordoba House, or what some people are calling the Ground Zero Mosque, seems to offer little in the way of being a religious center, rather it will offer “…a world-class facility that promotes tolerance, reflecting the rich diversity of New York City. The center will be community-driven, serving as a platform for inter-community gatherings and cooperation at all levels, providing a space for all New Yorkers to enjoy.” That’s how the Cordoba Initiative explains what they are proposing.

Instead of a mosque, the building will house “a 500-seat auditorium, swimming pool, art exhibition spaces, bookstores, restaurants….” Do I buy this assertion? Yes, because those plans are before the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission who approved the tearing down of a 152 year old building on the property to make room for the center.

Legal Opposition

Opposition to the cultural center is coming from several quarters including from the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), a conservative version of the ACLU, who filed a lawsuit this week with the Supreme Court of the State of New York challenging the Landmarks Preservation Commission decision.

Jay Sekulow, the ACLJ’s chief counsel issued a statement followning the filing of his lawsuit, choosing to use the word mosque instead of cultural center. “This legal challenge clearly points out the fact that the city did not follow its own rules and procedures in this case. The deliberative process was tainted and violated procedural safeguards that have been in place for years. We’re hopeful that the court will nullify the Commission’s vote and conclude what most New Yorkers and Americans understand – this site is sacred ground and not the place to build a mosque.”

Sekulow may be able to have the commission’s decision overturned on procedural grounds which would then halt the cultural center from being built. Or, the Cordoba Initiative could choose to gut the building and repurpose it for their needs.

First Amendment

Aside from what the Cordoba Initiative claims will be built and what the city has approved and what opponents are saying, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows for the building, whether it be a mosque or a cultural center:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Wounded Survivors

Barring that, there is an overriding reason why the Cordoba Iniatitive may want to back down from their plans: the building is too close to Ground Zero and is, as Susan Jacoby stated in “The Washington Post,” still salt in a wound. Jacoby contends that Mayor Bloomberg demonstrated “political ineptness” by publicly supporting its construction. Instead, Bloomberg should have privately met with Cordoba representatives and pushed for another location.

So, what does this have to do with what I usually write about here on Word Journey? Two things, actually. For one, much of the information we come across throughout our days is not entirely accurate. We need the Holy Spirit to help us sift through stuff and base our thinking on how God sees things.

We also need to know that people are not our enemies. Ephesians 6:12 clearly states that our battle isn’t against people, but against spiritual forces. It is easy to have strong feelings about what happened on September 11, 2001, and forget that Muslims need Jesus too. At the same time thinking that an Islamic cultural center located in an area where thousands of people died is going to bring about healing is naïve. Jesus is the balm of Gilead…there is no other.

If the Cordoba Initiative wants to demonstrate goodwill and Muslim sensitivity, then they’ll cancel their plans and build elsewhere. If not, they’ll only add fuel to a fire that isn’t always being accurately reported, but is a conflagration just the same.

From time to time WordJourney focuses on some of the ministries doing the work of the Lord, large and small. Beginning today, we’re rolling out a new feature–Ministry Spotlight–to give our readers a concise overview of their operation.

Founded: 1970 by Bob Pierce. Today, the organization is run by Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham.

Mission: Based on the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). In the name of Jesus Christ, Samaritan’s Purse seeks to go to the “…aid of the world’s poor, sick, and suffering,” by providing food, shelter and other needs. Through their work, the organization believes that it gives them the opportunity to share the gospel message.

Projects: Organization is active in more than 100 countries, providing assistance to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine, and persecution. Samaritan’s Purse is active throughout the U.S. wherever disaster strikes. Globally, they have responded to recent disasters including the Haitian earthquake, Myanamar cyclone and wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Organization has a number of outreaches including Operation Christmas Child, World Medical Mission, Children’s Heart Project and Turn on the Tap, the latter a water purification program.

Budget: $319 million (projected income for 2010)

Notables: Since 2000, Samaritan’s Purse has been recognized by SmartMoney magazine as the most efficient religious charity.

World Headquarters:

Samaritan’s Purse
P.O. Box 3000
Boone, NC 28607
828-262-1980
samaritanspurse.org

Resources

FEMA Success Stories: State, FEMA and Volunteers Work Together to Help Re-Build Eagle

MLive.com: Spring Arbor University senior seeks donation to help provide clean water in Sudan

Wheaton College — Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals: Robert “Bob” Pierce

Sometimes God puts the right people directly in your path. Or in my case the big blue and white Ford Expedition SUV with the Fishmouse.com logo pasted on its body.

Earlier this week, while sitting at the Hope Cafe in Raleigh, NC, I looked up and saw the truck. No, the heavens did not open up nor did a dove descend, but my interest was piqued nonetheless.

Social Media

Immediately, I headed over to Fishmouse.com website to see what it was all about. I also kept my eye on the truck to see who its driver was and located his Twitter account (getFishmouse) to send a tweet and join up.

Within the hour I met Glenn Steers, the “brains” behind Fishmouse and asked him about his website. I learned that Fishmouse is being touted as a way for Christian small groups to stay connected. Perfect! My Monday morning men’s group could use it to keep track of our studies, share prayer requests and other related matters.

Special Invitation

Soon, I received an invite from Glenn and began to check out the site which is in alpha testing at the moment. In August 2010 Fishmouse will be open for public beta and will likely remain in that mode throughout 2011. New features will be added over time, current features tweaked, but you’ll be able to use Fishmouse just as you would Facebook.

FYI, Fishmouse isn’t trying to be the Christian version of Facebook — thank God! Your privacy will be protected and your small group will be limited to 30 members. In addition, you can only join five groups, thus the emphasis is on small group connectivity.

Interview Forthcoming

I’ve barely touched on all of the details because I’m just beginning to use the site myself. Glenn has promised to give WordJourney an interview, therefore I’ll save the meaty matters for that time.

In the meantime, enjoy the video supplied by Fishmouse and get ready to join what could be a blessing for the church universal.

One of my favorite ministries, Samaritan’s Purse, has put out the call for volunteers to help it distribute shoe box gifts through its annual Operation Christmas Child program.

Millions Helped

Since the early 1990s, children around the world have benefited from receiving boxes filled with toys, personal items and a gospel tract, thanks to millions of people in nearly one dozen countries who take part in the annual appeal.

National Collection Week this year will be November 15-22, 2010, in the United States; other countries including Canada and the United Kingdom set their own times.

Processing Centers

But, well before boxes can be collected, volunteers aged 13 and over are needed at processing centers in Atlanta, Georgia; Boone, North Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Denver, Colorado; Honolulu, Hawaii; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Orange County, California to help make it happen.

Yes, Honolulu is the newest processing center, demonstrating the care Hawaiians have for children in need.

Volunteer Registration

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. EDT on Monday, August 2—and Samaritan’s Purse says that spaces will fill quickly. If your family, church, or group would like to participate in this mission opportunity, you can call Samaritan’s Purse at 1-800-442-9120 to request a reservation.

So, how many people will be needed to make OCC work this year? Samaritan’s Purse says that number is 65,000 in the United States alone!

More Information

For more information about Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child, or to order your project materials, please call 1-800-353-5949 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ. Together, we can touch millions of hearts with Christmas joy and the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Source: Samaritan’s Purse

See Also — The Article Writer: A Shoebox Full of Love: Operation Christmas Child

Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind. — C.S. Lewis

It may be summer, but the work of the Lord continues unabated.  My work load remains heavy, but I’m still keeping tabs on what is happening on various websites, through a number of ministries, and elsewhere around the world including:

• WordJourney was mentioned in Christian Carnival 335, a feature of the Other Food website. Other Food spotlighted a recent article published here about college students not being fully prepared to head off to college and what one Christian organization is doing to make a difference in the lives of college-bound Christian youth. Among the other articles featured in the carnival include: a look at happiness, an examination of accountability and two kinds of success.

• Nearly six months have passed since a violent earthquake shook Haiti, collapsing buildings and killing tens of thousands of people. The country has battled poverty for hundreds of years and this temblor has only exacerbated conditions on the ground. Thankfully, the response has been encouraging with Samaritan’s Purse working to build temporary housing for 7,500 families.

• Abortion mill Planned Parenthood is in trouble as its affiliates in California are being accused of massive fraud. The American Center for Law and Justice has filed a brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth District, on behalf of a whistleblower, the state of California, and the federal government. The ACLJ contends that Planned Parenthood, “…illegally marked up the supposed cost of various birth control drugs when seeking government reimbursement, resulting in tens of millions of dollars of overbilling-at taxpayer expense.”

• 180 college students are making good use of their summer break by helping out inner city children this summer. WordJourney has mentioned the work of Here’s Life Inner City previously; this summer college students are working with poor youth by providing them life skills, career development aid and food. HLIC is an outreach of Campus Crusade for Christ.

Summertime Devotions

How is your summer going? Are you spending time with the Lord or are you finding yourself busy pursuing unrelated activities?

No, I’m not looking to dispense guilt. Rather, I am exhorting you to value your personal time with God. That’s a challenge I’m facing this summer, but am managing to keep up my reading (Hebrews 11) and have enrolled our children in Vacation Bible School once again.

Spiritual warfare and the college experience.

Millions of college-bound freshmen will be leaving for school in August and September, with many marking their very first extended time away from home. High school is over and the college years beckon, but are students really prepared for college and all that this setting has to offer?

Quitting College

That question is being asked by educators, parents and students alike, as the drop out rate for college freshmen hits 25 percent. That means one in four college bound freshmen may soon decide that pursuing higher education isn’t for them, leaving school and taking their chances in a weak job market.

Teaching pastor and national speaker John Bryson believes that this upward trend of dropping out of college can be reversed and is teaming up with Men’s Fraternity founder Robert Lewis in a bid to help students leave for college prepared.

College Prep

Specifically, Bryson and Lewis have launched a six-week study aimed at helping high school seniors and college freshmen make the most of their college experience. The two men have developed College Ready, a six-week program with study videos and a student guide based on six key principles:

• Acquiring vision
• Empowering friendships
• Excelling academically
• Dating right
• Having fun
• Growing spiritually

According to Bryson and Lewis, the program is adaptable to a variety of group settings and is ideal for youth pastors, teachers, homeschool groups and college freshman group leaders.

Family Life

College Ready is part of a much larger initiative of FamilyLife called Life Ready, a biblical strategy for churches to provide proactive marriage and family training through video resources. FamilyLife is focused on the mission of using biblical principles to build healthier marriages and families.

I am not endorsing this program as I have not reviewed the materials. That being said, I believe that adequately preparing students as they head off to college is essential and can go a long way toward reversing the drop out trend.  Therefore, a program such as College Ready seems to provide the tools needed to equip college-bound students.