$1.50
FORGIVEN RISEN!
Now in our 10th Year! • April 2014
because He is
Now, how should you respond? It’s probably not what you think!
articles by John G. Sacoulas and Steve Murrell on page 3
Bad Moon Rising? page 8 by John Hagee Pastor John Hagee to appear live at Morningside Thursday, May 1st on the Jim Bakker Show! See page 9 for details!
April 2014 continued from front cover
So you are saved... now what? by John G. Sacoulas Is the physical, visible church the enemy? It so often can be. Religious spirits have found a comfortable home in the brick and mortar of the organized church. Are you a member of one?
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com feet as Jesus holds the man up. A poignant representation of Christ’s love and forgiveness freely extended to them that believe, this breathtaking canvas print speaks to the soul and reminds us of the enormity of Christ’s sacrifice.
God's Grace Is Supposed to Change Us by Steve Murrell
Here are a few characteristics of a religious church:
Religion
1. There is an expectation that you have to continue to earn your salvation. 2. There are particular doctrines that although they may be true overshadow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 3. The sermon each week focuses on a set of rules and regulations that are required for a believer in Jesus to practice as a litmus test for salvation.
Has God's grace changed you? 4. It is an accepted practice to judge other people. (Both believers and unbelievers) 5. You believe that your church or denomination are the only ones that know “the Truth”. Although God chooses to allow a flawed visible church to represent His invisible church for an apparent number of reasons (my perspective) we have to be careful to challenge all teachings that come from each one of them. Ask God through Christ to have the Holy Spirit guide you in all truth; both in Grace and Christian service. Purchase cover art at your local: Family Christian Stores or online at: www.familychristian.com Forgiven by Thomas Blackshear II Mounted Canvas Print Price:$45.00 One of artist Thomas Blackshear’s most celebrated images, Forgiven depicts Christ supporting an anguished contemporary man as he clutches a nail and mallet. Lilies are scattered at their
It seems like the doctrine of God’s grace is being preached, taught, blogged and tweeted more than ever. That’s a good thing. But sometimes what is being preached, taught, blogged and tweeted about grace is misunderstood, misapplied and misinterpreted. That is not a good thing. Recently Victory hosted its second Every Nation Worship Writers’ Workshop with 25 worship writers from Singapore, India, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, Guam and the Philippines. Don’t worry, I was not singing or writing. I was teaching the Bible in order to give our writers ideas for worship songs.
transformational grace. I tried to communicate that grace not only forgives us, but it also transforms us from the inside out. I challenged our writers to compose worship songs about the power of God’s grace to change us. They wrote some great songs that I am sure you will sing in your church and in Every Nation conferences over the next few years.
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View the YouTube video: Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus the one man, Jesus Christ!" (Rom. 5:17).
Why write songs about God’s transformational grace? It has become common to hear a grace preached and sung today that has little resemblance to biblical grace. Modern grace erases the guilt of sin but does not break the power of sin. Biblical grace forgives and transforms.
In this passage, Paul is teaching the Romans that they can “reign in life” not by human effort and religious affiliation, but by receiving “God’s abundant provision of grace.” God’s grace is abundant, and it empowers us to reign, to overcome, to be victorious.
Here are a couple of verses about God’s transformational grace:
Grace is supposed to change us. Is His grace changing you?
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:11-12, NIV).
Steve and Deborah Murrell went to the Philippines in 1984 for a one-month summer mission trip that never ended. They are the founding pastors of Victory Manila, one church that meets in 14 locations in Metro Manila and has planted churches in 60 Philippine cities and 20 nations. Currently, Victory has more than 6,000 discipleship groups that meet in coffee shops, offices, dormitories and homes in Metro Manila. Steve is cofounder and president of Every Nation Churches and Ministries, a family of churches focused on church planting, campus ministry and world missions.
According to Paul, grace not only forgives sin; it teaches us to say no to sin. It also teaches us to live self-controlled and godly lives. Grace is not a license to continue in sin but a license to arrest sin. "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through
For the original article, visit
stevemurrell.com.
One topic I talked about was God’s
Salvation is when God takes our place. Sin is when we try to return the favor. (Thus, the Human Condition) - Scott Sauls
The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
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April 2014
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.YAK BAK Feed Back from our readers Appreciated the article in the March issue on the aspects of legalizing marijuana. The information seemed to largely ignore the idea of more youth having easier access to pot and thus trapping millions more in the process. And by the way, as a former stoner, the word “Sinsemilla” means “without seed” not “without bud” as you erroneously suggested. Having said that, you still for produce a quality paper! Ben Lorel, West Plains, MO Dear Ben, thanks for the correction. I actually knew that but wrote it wrong. My proofers trust my research and only look for typos. Also, extensive research shows that marijuana can be currently obtained (or arranged) within 15 minutes from a fellow student in most high schools. -ed __________________ Thanks for the informative article on marijuana. I remember a time when carpets hardly ever wore out. That was because of the backing of a jute based hemp product. When my kids try to play the “God created the plant so it’s okay to smoke pot” card, I can inform them that the pot they’re smoking was made by evil men taking a good gift from the Creator and altering it by raising the THC level higher for drug abusers. Ron Seabay, Fayetteville, Arkansas _______________________ The Pope's comments on gays, abortion indicate change in tone, not teachings of church. Tammy, C. Springfield, MO _______________________ Since my time on active duty in Iraq, I've suffered badly from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I'm haunted by nightmares and flashbacks, remembering the improvised explosive device that nearly took my arm. My PTSD got so bad that I became prone to outbursts of anger and violence. I tried therapy, different kinds of medication, but it just kept getting worse -- until I began using medical marijuana.
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com After I registered as a patient in my home state of Maine, where medical marijuana is legal, I finally felt like myself again. I stopped having so many nightmares when I was asleep, so many outbursts when I was awake. For years researchers have been trying to study if marijuana can help veterans and others with PTSD. But the DEA has been blocking the research. The DEA would rather force veterans like me to go untreated than allow research to prove whether medical marijuana can help. I started a petition on Change.org asking the Drug Enforcement Administration to allow a study on the medical benefits of marijuana for PTSD. The Food and Drug Administration has already approved protocols for the proposed study on marijuana and PTSD. And just last week, the National Institute on Drug Abuse gave the study their approval as well. The DEA is now the one and only agency blocking this potentially revolutionary study. PTSD is the second-most common illness facing today’s veterans. Tens of thousands of service members suffer from stress rooted in their time overseas. And while many are able to find some relief from traditional medical treatments, others are left seeking something that will work for them -- and scientists think that medical marijuana may be the answer. I know firsthand how devastating PTSD can be and I would be dead or in prison without medical marijuana. Thank you for helping me and other veterans like me to find some relief.
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The Classic Motor Inn is a family owned and operated Branson hotel that is conveniently located at 2384 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway so we have easy access to all of the best Branson attractions. Opened in 1993 by the Carter family, the tradition continues with the Morin family. The Classic Motor Inn is Branson's premiere hotel for the classic car enthusiast. A clean, comfortable, family atmosphere make the Classic Motor Inn the hotel you will return to again, and again, while staying in Branson Missouri.
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April 2014
Barbara Fairchild appearing in the Golden Corral Showroom
Everyone deserves a good meal
3551 Shepherd of the Hills in Branson, MO
Thank you, Sergeant Ryan Begin, United States Marine Corps (Ret). Belfast, Maine _____________________ Thanks for helping explain to my kids that the pot people smoke for recreational use was not the God given plant of cannabis by altering it to such high THC levels. Suzanne B., Branson, MO _____________________
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www.OzarksChristianVoice.com your spouse that you really want to know and that you’re interested in what he or she is going to say.
I
don’t think it’s a coincidence that the word LISTEN contains the same letters as the word SILENT. God created the human ear to catch and transmit sound to the brain, enabling us to receive and interpret messages. Unfortunately, the Bible tells us that all too often human ears become like those of heathen gods: “Having ears, they hear not…” (Psalm 135:17) God is a great listener. He listens because He loves us. When you come to Him with something on your heart, He not only receives you, but you have His full, undivided attention. You have the total interest and awareness of the God of the Universe concerning your problem. Listening is an important part of showing someone that you love him or her. Love listens. You can say over and over and over again, “I love you,” but the best way you can show your spouse that you love them is by listening to them. I’m talking about turning off the television and looking them in the eyes when they are talking to you. I’m talking about not answering your cell phone when it rings in the middle of your conversation. I’m talking about not flipping through a magazine while you ask, “How was your day?” If you really care you’ll put the magazine away before you ask that question, showing
Recently, I read about a coffee house in San Francisco with soundproof booths, where for an hourly fee, a patron will be provided with someone who will listen to them. Business has been good.
People want to be listened to so badly that they’re willing to pay a complete stranger just to have someone with whom they can share their thoughts, feelings, and problems. The sense of being listened to is something everyone desperately needs. Maybe you’re thinking, “I’m the one
who needs to be heard.” If you are, I’ve got great news: The Bible says that you will reap what you sow. So start listening!
Ken & Trudi’s Testimony With over 30 years of proven ministry under their belts, Ken and Trudi Blount have a passion to see families healed, equipped, and empowered by Jesus Christ to walk victoriously and make a difference in the darkness of our day. The gospel is the answer to all the problems of society, but if we are going to bring the gospel to the world, it must first be alive in our homes.
"The human spirit needs to accomplish, to achieve, to triumph in order to be happy." - Ben Stein
Ken and Trudi’s lives were dramatically transformed in 1971, when Trudi met Jesus Christ and was healed from an incurable eye problem. Her eyes had been crossed and her vision was seriously impaired from an accident she experienced at age 4. As she was prayed for and instantly healed, Trudi was able to throw away her glasses and contact lenses and she received perfect 20/20 vision. This miracle greatly impacted Ken, and he received Christ and was delivered from alcoholism.
April 2014 of resources and teachings, including their monthly CD partner resource, Relative, all of which are available for purchase and download on their website and new smart phone app. Although family, marriage, and parenting is their ministry focus, Ken hasn’t left his original roots and mandate to teach children the Word of God and how to worship Jesus.
With his rich history as a singer and songwriter, Ken is now partnering with his son, Joshua, in their music Their adventure project for kids called, Love Out in ministry Loud (LOL). The vision is to began as Ken produce relevant, fun music for kids worked with that teaches them to sing and Willie George worship Jesus “out loud.” on The Gospel Available on CD and DVD, Bill Show the music has a two-fold during the 80′s application. While being and 90’s. Ken great for home use, the played the DVDs are also designed to character, use in a children’s “Nicodemus” on classroom for church the program. He Ken and Trudi Blount services. LOL is an acted, wrote and ongoing music franchise directed episodes, and wrote and producing new music that is a performed the music for the show. Ken tremendous resource for churches was one of the first artists to film around the globe. Christian music videos at that time, and his songs became wildly popular. He Ken will be speaking at the was a part of over 200 episodes that ICFM Convention at the were broadcast worldwide, reaching millions of kids with the gospel. These Chateau On The Lake episodes live on in rerun broadcasts Monday, April 21. See next today.
page for more information.
During the 90′s Ken and Trudi were music directors at Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a church plant that grew to over 8,000 people in weekly attendance while they were there. In 2002 the Lord directed Ken and Trudi to begin their own ministry with an emphasis on family relationships. Since that time they have traveled extensively to churches around the world preaching, teaching, and training Christians about how to connect in their marriages and raise their children to become champions for Christ. The Blounts have produced a multitude
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Divine Sign for Israel? Hagee Explains Blood Moons by Eric Stakelbeck/ CBN News Terrorism Analyst
A
s it was in Genesis, God will try to communicate with us supernaturally through entities like the moon. The book of Genesis says God uses the sun, moon and stars for signs and seasons. Examples can be found throughout the Bible.
through the atmosphere of the Earth and casts up on the moon a red shadow. And so the moon appears to be red.” Such moons appear several times in scripture. In the book of Joel, God says there will be “wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire ... the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and
April 2014
In the past, the rare appearance of four blood moons on these feast days has coincided with major events for Israel and the Jewish people.
“The only reason that Iran will not acquire a nuclear bomb will be that Israel chooses a military solution to that crisis,” Hagee told CBN News.
In 1492, Spain expelled the Jews. Columbus also discovered America, which became a safe haven for the Jewish people.
“I believe that if that happens, it will start a series of events that will change the course of world history,” he said. “If Israel does not, then it will still change the course of world history.”
“In each of these blood moons, you have something that begins in tragedy and ends
Think of how a star led the wise men to Jesus or how the sun stood still as Joshua led Israel to victory over its enemies. According to pastor John Hagee, God is getting ready to speak this way once again.
Hagee has been warning of the Iranian nuclear threat through his work with Christians United for Israel, which he founded in 2006. It is now the largest proIsrael organization in America, with some 1.3 million members. He holds nights to honor Israel across the country and at San Antonio’s Cornerstone Church, where he serves as senior pastor. The first event, in 1981, drew bomb threats and vandalism
“There’s a sense in the world that things are changing and God is trying to communicate with us in a supernatural way,” Hagee told CBN News. “I believe that in these next two years, we’re going to see something dramatic happen in the Middle East involving Israel that will change the course of history in the Middle East and impact the whole world,” he predicted.
Four Blood Moons In his latest book, Four Blood Moons: Something Is About to Change, Hagee lays out what he calls celestial signals. He describes how a series of blood moons in 2014 and 2015 will have great significance for Israel. Although single blood moons happen fairly regularly, four appearing so closely together is extremely rare. There have only been a series of blood moons a handful of times over the past 500 years. So what exactly is a blood moon and what is the biblical significance? “A blood moon is when the Earth comes between the sun and the moon,” Hagee explained. “And the sun is shining
dreadful day of the Lord.”
in triumph,” Hagee explained.
from anti-Semites.
In Acts, the Apostle Peter repeats that verse from Joel. And the book of Revelation says that during the Great Tribulation, “the moon will become like blood.”
For instance, in 1948, Israel was reborn as a nation.
Yet Hagee continues his mission.
Blood moons are set to appear in April 2014, on Passover, and then again in September 2014 during the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot. The timing is the same for 2015—a total of four blood moons, all appearing on Jewish feast days. “The sun and the moon and the Earth are controlled by God almighty,” Hagee said. “He is the one that is getting them in a direct alignment on a certain day at a certain time—but each time, it’s a Passover or Sukkot.
Historic Significance
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“After 2,000 years, God supernaturally brought them from 66 nations and a nation was born in a day,” Hagee noted. “That again was a supernatural something that happened following the tragedy of the Holocaust.” In 1967, Israel won the Six-Day War and recaptured Jerusalem. “For the first time in 2,000 years, Jerusalem and the State of Israel were together again,” Hagee said.
Nuclear Threat The blood moons of 2014 and 2015 are poised to appear as Iran works toward nuclear weapons and Israel’s neighbors, Egypt and Syria, are in chaos.
“If there was ever a time for the Christians of America to stiffen their spine and stand up and speak up, it’s now,” Hagee admonished. “To see evil and not call it evil is evil. Not to speak is to speak. We cannot be silent and receive God’s approval at a time like this.” He said it’s still unclear what the coming blood moons will bring, but he is certain of one thing. “When all is said and done, the flag of Israel will be flying over the walls of the city of Jerusalem when Messiah comes, and it’s going to be forever,” he said. “And every nation that rises up in judgment against Israel God will punish and punish severely.” For the original article, visit
cbnnews.com If the Arabs layed down their arms today, there would be peace in the Middle East. If Israel layed down their arms today, there would be no more Israel. -Benjamin Netanyahu
April 2014
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Not that we believe in the next day, the girls would put them back. Finally the Karma...
Contact: Virgil Peck Call Now: (417) 2302665 no obligation
Crossword Answers from Page 27
According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington recently was faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and
principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror. There are teachers, and then there are educators...
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OCV Mission Statement: The Ozarks Christian Voice is published under the direction of the Ozarks Christian Foundation, a 501(c)3 non profit agency. Its primary purpose is to edify the body of Christ through inspirational articles of Christian faith and courage, educate the body of Christ through informative articles promoting the cultivation of a Christian world view, and encourage the body of Christ to support one another. Our focus is on, and to, the invisible church which Jesus Christ said, “The gates of hell would not prevail against.” We announce the current events of the visible church, and we believe the Body of Christ is made up of people who have found salvation by faith in Jesus Christ evidenced by the good works they are doing and have done. We report the good as well as the bad within our church family as a testament for the necessity of a Savior. Our observations are made from a fairly moderate to conservative viewpoint. We encourage our readers to
The Simple Truth About True Love by Joyce Meyer
T
he Bible teaches us that it’s God’s will for us to help hurting people. In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]” (AMP). Matthew 22:37-38 says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the ... first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself” (AMP). The love message is the power of the gospel. It’s so simple: Love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself. We often think we need someone to love us, but what we really need is someone to love. And the world is desperate for real love, so it isn’t hard to find someone
April 2014 eschew religion and persue relationship with God through Jesus Christ thus allowing an open mindedness to differing opinions on non-essential matters. We strive not to be the fire alarm, but the fire extinguisher Be advised that the contents of this publication often do not represent the positions held by many of the sponsors of the Ozarks Christian Voice (or for that matter, the publishers). Please remember to favor the advertisers here in the OCV. It would not exist without them!
John & Lorri Sacoulas Publishers, OCV
who needs to be loved. We live in a society that drives people to selfishness. So much of the advertising we see and hear influences us to want more and more and to never be satisfied with what we have. But the more selfish and self-centered we are, the less power we have to do good and help others. The good news is we have what we need in Christ to overcome a selfish, “What about me?!” mindset and lifestyle. We have the power of God’s love! It’s the answer to every dilemma and problem in our society today. And as Christians, our goal is to represent Christ in the world and show His love. Before you can love others, you have to experience God’s love in your own life, because you can’t give away something you don’t have. Then you have to be willing to ask God to teach you to love the way He loves. When you do this, God will enable you to reach out and help someone else. I know this works because I’ve lived it.
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Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.-Billy Graham
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Christ not only died for all: He died for each. Don’t ever hesitate to take to [God] whatever is on your heart. He already knows it anyway, but He doesn’t want you to bear its pain or celebrate its joy alone. -Billy Graham
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Pastor David Betzer Bill Brooks
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Grace Community Assembly 440 State Hwy 248 Branson, MO (417) 336-2422
Pastor Allen Asbury
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(according to the unique IDs as reported by Constant Contact) Spirit-filled Davidic style Praise and Worship Annoited Bible-based teaching Fellowship after each service Nursery & Children’s Shabbat School
Meeting at Branson Hills Ministry Center 256 Church Road, Branson, MO 65616 417.334.7373, www.TheTabernacleinBranson.com Discover the Hebrew roots of your Christian faith!
Join us for weekly services: Erev Shabbat (Friday) 7:30 pm Shabbat (Saturday) 11 am • (417) 334-7373
Page 12
GOD'S PROMISE by Pat Davis God didn't promise days without pain, Laughter without sorrow, nor sun without rain. But He did promise strength for the day, Comfort for tears and light for the way. -Unknown
T
hanksgiving of 2003 is still a blur for me. That week I sat at my desk at work for 3 days with the worst migrain headache I have ever had. Not any amount of drugs would stop it. I was sick with a sinus infection that kept getting worse. My head felt like it was in a cloud, and I couldn't get out or see out. I kept working. Driving myself to work, and finally not knowing how I got there. One day my co-worker showed me an invoice to check for correctness. I looked at it and then at her with puzzlement, and said --"You have to write something on the piece of paper for me to see. There's nothing there." Frantically she called another co-worker to my desk to relay what I could not see. They decided to call my husband to come get me. He came immediately. My husband turned towards the hospital to take me to the emergency room. I said no, please just take me home. I've already been to the doctor twice, and I have another appointment tomorrow. I just need to go home and go to bed. My appointment day came. I could hardly walk into the office. They shuffled me into a room quickly so I didn't fall down. The doctor checked me and immediately left the room. When she returned, she said we had to go to the emergency room immediately. They were expecting me. She had ordered a kidney ultra sound and an EKG. I don't remember a whole lot about the emergency room except for a doctor I thought was an idiot. He kept firing questions at me and not giving me time to answer. I was in slow motion. He would ask, I would mull it over in my mind, send the response to my tongue -and he was on the third or fourth question. The determination of my problem was kidney failure and later decided it was
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com caused by Vioxx, the arthritis drug I had been on for several years. I also now had a heart murmur. For 2 weeks the doctors worked to save my kidneys. I was so frightened, because my mother had had kidney failure and was on dialysis the last 6 years of her life. I'd had everything else my mother had, so why not! After almost 2 weeks hospitalization, doctors dancing around to save my kidneys and diminish the effects of the heart murmur, they still could not get me well. I had pains in the belly area so they decided it must be my gallbladder. Surgery was scheduled to remove my gallbladder, but the doctor decided to also biopsy my liver, pancreas, and lymph node. They found cancer. The oncologist from Springfield's Mercy Hospital came to check me, and immediately ordered an ambulance to take me to Springfield. He told my husband to call in the family. He did not think I would survive the trip but would try everything he possibly could to save me. MERRY CHRISTMAS. This was my present on December 23, 2003. I don't remember anything about the first week I spent in the cancer isolation ward. The diagnosis? Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma peripheral T Cell with leukemia overtones -- cancer of the blood and the bone marrow. Stage 4, very aggressive, very deadly. For 4 1/2 weeks I was in the isolation ward. Mentally I was in and out. Physically I was racked with pain, bloated from the kidney issue, and barely hanging on. Fortunately for me I don't remember a lot about it. My husband stayed by my side daily feeding me, because I couldn't hold utensils. He read to me, because I couldn't see the words. For 2 days I received chemotherapy until my blood numbers dropped to zero. Then I was told not to move. I could bleed to death if scratched or nicked. I had over 30 blood transfusions of whole blood or platelets. It was a problem though because of the holidays. People don't have time to donate blood. It's easier to write a check. Many days the nurse would come in to tell me they were waiting on blood for me. They just had to wait for someone to come in to the Community Blood Bank or the Red Cross to donate. What a horrible thought. I wasn't the only one who needed blood.
What about a car wreck victim or a child hit by a car while riding his or her bike. Others needed blood also. Finally I was released from the hospital and sent to another doctor in the Cox Hospital system where my insurance was. That doctor said he was amazed that I could have survived such a cancer -especially without it returning with a vengence. He said "You are in precarious remission right now, but you will be back in disease very soon. We have to be intentional and aggressive in your treatment." But, my blood numbers wouldn't allow that. What should have taken me 3 months to complete the chemo took me 6 months. Then the decision was for me to go to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for a stem cell transplant. So, my husband and I drove to St. Louis. WOW! What a huge hospital. I was pretty overwhelmed, but ready to do whatever it took to insure freedom from cancer. I went for the evaluation. The specialist, Dr. John DiPersio, said he was really surprised that I was not back in disease. He said, "With your disease our experience has been that it returns very quickly. So, we must hurry." I don't have any immediate family members living who could possibly be a matching donor, so my stem cells would have to be harvested. It was decided that I was a good candidate for a study drug. I had to harvest 6 million stem cells in 2 days after receiving the injections of the drug. My first day of harvest we got 500,000 stem cells which to them is dust -- nothing! My nurse advocate was encouraging saying sometime the 2nd day knocked it out of the park. For me it didn't! I was taken off the team. I was devastated and for the first time really fell apart. My husband came into the hotel room to find me curled up in the corner crying my eyes out. He immediately called our minister in Branson to tell him we were in trouble and needed prayers. The second try at harvesting was to use Neupagen shots at $7,000 per shot -twice a day for 14 days. $156,000 later we still had dust -- nothing. A search for a donor somewhere in the world was launched. Finally it was decided to try the
Dear Father, Forgive me when I lose sight of what is really important in life. Help me to keep my eyes focused on your truth. Enable me to show others that you are the real treasure in life.
April 2014 study drug again if the pharmaceutical company would allow it. It wasn't the best option, but we had no other. For 13 months I travelled to St. Louis for harvesting. Finally we had 2.5 million stem cells which is the least amount for a transplant. Now the doctors didn't want to do the transplant since I had stayed in remission. They didn't want to touch me, so 25 bags of stem cells are frozen and kept at Barnes Jewish Hospital. I could not have endured this whole ordeal without the prayers, cards, calls, and visits of so many -- some I knew, some I didn't. What I did not tell you at the very beginning was this; As I was lying on the bed, coiled up, a soft light shone in my eyes. The light became brighter and closer with a figure of a man coming into view. In a very loving voice he said to me -- It will be okay. It will be okay. I didn't know if he meant it would be ok I will be going with him, or it would be okay I will come through this ordeal. I reached out for him as he walked away. My husband saw me reaching and asked what did I need. I said, "I need him. Please tell him to stay." My husband said, "There is no one here but me. Who or what do you need? I'll get it for you." I drifted back into the clouds, but I clung to that vision and still do to this day. I have many residual problems because of the cancer and treatment, but praise God I am alive. I'm able to contribute. AND, I am still in remission to this day -- 10 years. I collect money for and support the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. The Hope Lodge in St. Louis where I stayed throughout the 13 months is offered free of charge to patients because of the generosity of people donating to Relay for Life. Study drugs come and go assisting people in survival. My favorite word is BELIEVE. AND, I do. Have faith in God. Miracles happen. Just believe it! Praise God.
Pat Davis
Pat Davis and her husband have lived in the Branson area for 15 years after moving here from the Tulsa, Ok. area. They have been visiting the area for about 42 years to trout fish and relax. Pat had a wonderful career as a travel agent for 21 years before retiring due to health reasons. She and her husband have had the privilege of travelling extensively. Pat currently is the Executive Director of Christian Action Ministries Food Pantry.
April 2014
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com
Ozark, MO
(417) 581-9192
Page 13
Next Showing: The End Came in Spring
by Mike Upshaw Performing April 24 through May 24, 2014 Stained Glass Theatre: Scott has just returned home from two years overseas. Dad wants him to take over the family business, but Scott wants to be a full-time writer. To make matters worse, “Serving Christ Through his brother is pushing him to get into a serious relationship. The End Came in Spring the Arts”www.sgtheatre.comwill take you on Scott’s journey to discovering himself and God’s will for his life.
LEAVES ON THE VINE Agape Life Fellowship • Pastor Twila Bridges • 6185 W. State Hwy 266 Springfield, MO • (417) 831-2333 www.agapelifefellowship.org Calvary Chapel 2418 N Gregg Ave Fayetteville, AR • (479) 301-2313 www.calvaryfayar.com Faith & Wisdom Church 3950 Green Mountain Drive Branson, MO • (417) 335-9991 www.fwcbranson.com Gateway Branson Located in the Vista Plaza Shopping Center on the backside 2005 West Highway 76 • Suite 106 Branson, MO • (417) 335-9915 www.gatewaybranson.org Grace Community Assembly 440 State Highway 248 Branson, MO • (417) 336-2422 www.gracecommunityassembly.com
Morningside Church • Pastor Kevin Shorey • 180 Grace Chapel Rd Blue Eye, MO • (417) 779-9000 www.jimbakkershow.com/morningside/ church-services/ Peace Lutheran Church (ELCA) 350 State Drive Hollister, MO • (417) 334-1499 www.peacelutheranchurchhollister.com Springfield Church of God (7th Day) 1521 East 24th Street North Springfield, MO • (417) 831-6721 www.springfieldcog7.org Still Waters International Ministries 124 Deer Mountain Road Walnut Shade, MO • (417) 598-1231 www.stillwatersintlministries.com The Tabernacle in Branson 256 Church Road Branson, MO • (417) 334-7373 www.thetabernacleinbranson.com
CAM Announces Food Drops Branson, MO…Aside from maintaining Branson and Forsyth food pantry operations and a monthly mobile outreach to eastern Taney County, Christian Action Ministries also sponsors semi-truck load food drops as well. The food drops begin two years ago in the Forsyth area and expanded to Branson in 2013. Each food drop consists of approximately twenty pallets of food ordered from Ozarks Food Harvest, the regional food bank. CAM’s executive director Pat Davis has announced the food drop schedule for 2014. In Branson, the food drops will take place at the United Methodist Church parking lot on Highway 76 on April 15th, June 17th, August 19th, and October 21st. The First Baptist Church on Highway
76 in Forsyth will be the site for Forsyth food drops on May 6th, June 19th, August 14th, and October 23rd. According to Davis, “Participants must register in advance for the food drops at our pantries in either Branson or Forsyth. These drops are over and above the normal distributions available to our clients, but we do require the advance registration to make sure the distribution is equitable for everyone. And, above all, I want to thank our supporters, such as the City of Branson, for making these drops possible.” The demands for assistance from CAM reached record levels in 2013 and have continued to grow in the early months of 2014, as winter unemployment too effect, coupled with a harsh winter and continuing increases in the costs of gasoline and utilities. Anyone wishing to donate cash, food, or time, can call Pat Davis at 334-1157 or visit the CAM website at
christianactionministries.org
For a donation as little as $10.00 per month your church can be listed in Leaves on a Vine. What a great gift you can make to your fellowship! Call John at 417-3363636 or 417-353-7598 I'm sure anyone who's had kids will appreciate this one...
MOMM! HEY, MOM!
CALVIN, STOP YELLING ACROSS THE HOUSE! IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO ME, WALK OVER TO THE LIVING ROOM, WHERE I AM!
I STEPPED IN DOG POOP. WHERE'S THE HOSE?
Pastor: Andy Hassen
Springfield Church of God (7th Day)
1521 E. 24th Street N. Springfield, MO 65803
"Sharing Freedom in Christ"
(417) 831-6721
Sabbath School: 9:45 am Worship: 11:00 am Wednesday night: 6:30 pm
www.springfieldcog7.org
A week without a Sabbath is perpetual bondage.
Page 14
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CoMPuTEr tIPs & sTUfF
We can also sponsored by Mobile Mike’s PC Service & Repair scare the Hey, Mike, What is your gremlins out of your system and Remote Service all about? clean up all the Mike: This is a program that is an economical way (Typically $40.00) for you to get service on your computer by having me work on your unit from a remote location (meaning from my Lazy Boy recliner in my office). Example: You have annoying pop ups or messages that plague you and can’t get them to fly south. You would call our service and schedule a time where we can gain access to your computer online with your permission.
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April 2014
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We would remove it cheaper and clean house on these cyber terrorists normally for $100.00. Most local companies charge $150.00 and up for this service and you have to bring your computer to them causing you downtime you can’t afford. Mention this article in the Ozarks Christian Voice and we will give you a FREE remote tuneup. If there are any situations that require a charge we will give you 15% off your bill and buy your lunch at McFarlain’s to boot!
Mention this ad with any service call and receive a $10.00 gift certificate to McFarlain’s Restaurant in Branson’s IMAX Center! offer expires May 15, 2014 Send your questions to Ask Mike at:MobileMikesPCRepair@gmail.com
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April 2014
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com Home for sale: The house has 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, jetted tub in master bedroom, 2 big walk-in master closets. The building is 32' by 56' with 21' side shed. I like the overhead view the best. It has 5 acr. paved rd. nice neighbors. The address is 325 Julep Lane, Highlandville, MO. $194,500.00 9 years old. Call Bob (501) 337-3044.
ADOPTION MBCH Children & Family Min. Adoption & foster care services 1837 E. Cherry St. Springfield • (417) 831-2342
Residential work program 824 W Commercial St. Springfield • (417) 864-2244
FOOD
ASSISTANCE Christian Action Ministries (CAM) Food assistance program 610 South Sixth Street, Ste 102 Branson • (417) 334-1157
Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) is a movement of Christian churches working together to show God’s love to the poor and needy. 7347 W. Hwy. 76 Branson • (417)-336-7056 Toll Free: (866) 568-3462 Emails: Anita Pugh, Executive Director: apugh@omcloveinc.com Jenifer Maupin, Office Administrator, jmaupin@omcloveinc.com AWARENESS Ozarks Christian Foundation Raising awareness for charities (417) 336-3636 EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE Jobs for Life Work training program 5004 West Hwy 76 Branson • (417) 335-9915
DISASTER ASSISTANCE Convoy of Hope Assisting those in need 330 S. Patterson Ave. Springfield • (417) 823-8998
PRISON Bill Glass Ministries Prison visitations 1101 S. Cedar Ridge Drive Duncanville, TX • (972) 298-1101
Smart Choice Foods Discount food program To find a local host: www.smartchoicefood.com National Office (866) 643-0877
WOMEN Caring People Single mothers assistance 164 Corporate Pl. Branson • (417) 334-0131
GREIF COUNSELING Grace Community Assembly Ask about Divorce Care Tuesday night meetings held at 440 State Hwy 248 Branson • (417) 336-2422
Concerned Women for America (CWA) Conservative political women ministries 1015 Fifteenth St. NW, Ste 1100 Washington, D.C. • (202) 488-7000 Options Pregnancy Center Crisis pregnancy center 192 Expressway Ln. Branson • (417) 336-5483
Grief Share Grief recovery support group If you’ve lost someone close to you, or know someone who has, please call us to find out more information about our weekly seminar/support groups. We know it hurts, and we want to help! Branson/Forsyth • (417) 544-4177 HEALTH YMCA Fitness for families 175 Industrial Park Dr. Hollister • (417) 337-9622 Ozarks Regional YMCA Julie Eaton, Director of Marketing, jeaton@orymca.org 417 S. Jefferson Springfield • (417) 862-8962 ext2117 HOMELESSNESS Victory Mission
PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA)
Pregnancy Life Line Crisis pregnancy center 15765 Missouri 13 Branson West • (417) 272-5210 YOUTH Bridges For Youth Youth ministries 834 N National Ave. Springfield • (417) 864-8430 Teen Harvest Youth Ranch Christian, Bible-centered ministry To boys mainly between ages 12-17 who need assistance in a good home to establish a proper environment in which to grow and learn. Located at County Road 402, Ava, MO 6560. Call Pastor Paul Neighbour at (417) 683-1080 For more info or visit web site:
www.teenharvest.com
For Subscription Information See Page 38
WORSHIP SERVICES: Praise & Worship Sun. @ 8:30 a.m.
AAA agent receives awards Mary-Ann Dailey, an AAA sales agent in AAA’s Branson office has received AAA’s President’s Circle Award for 2013. Recognized for her consistent and superior standards of performance in property and casualty insurance services, Dailey also had to meet goals in auto insurance sales, loss ratios and policyholder services. In addition, Dailey received AAA’s Accuracy Award and a President’s Circle Diamond ring. which recognizes AAA’s top 12 sales agents. Dailey has been an AAA sales agent since 2010.
Affordable health care is at the forefront of the minds of U.S. citizens and it is a comfort to know that Faith Community Health Branson is available no matter what.
Page 15 AAA has more than 53 million members and provides motoring, travel and a variety of insurance services.
Mary-Ann Dailey, AAA sales agent in Branson
Steve Berkstresser PAC, and Tracy Brannon RMA, have been a dedicated medical team in Branson for 10 years, Berkstresser PAC, has been with Cox Health for over 30 years, he explains the importance of “Consistent health care to be monitored on a regular basis and not only when acute illness takes hold. If patients don’t have a primary physician, they can overlook changes in their health and well-being. By taking the time to see a medical provider once or twice a year, it is a vital and proactive approach to avoiding unnecessary damage from undetected illness and disease.”
To see a medical provider for your health care, you may simply make an appointment by calling Faith Community Health at 417-3369355. FCH does not accept insurance plans, but offers medical care immediately, Faith Community Health is no matter what located at 610 South 6th Street, insurance plan Branson, Missouri 65616. that a patient The clinic opened their has. Health Care doors to the medical clinic There is no for the uninsured. reason to put www.FaithCommunity Health.org in 2010 with medical off that (417) 336-WELL( important visit to a doctor because costs are too volunteers seeing patients one to high. two days a week. The office visit for a non-registered As the clinic to patient is $40. After a patient is continued expand, the word registered in the system, their income bracket may fall into a category that of this clinic has will enable them to see a medical spread, so has the available clinic provider for $25. Steve Berkstresser hours. PAC Education Hour - 9:15 a.m. Liturgy &Traditional Service - 10:30 a.m. HIGHWAY #165 AND STATE DRIVE
350 State Dr. • Hollister
VISITORS WELCOME
(417) 334-1499 Pastor Emil Bartos peacelutheranchurchhollister.com
Page 16
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The ‘Incredible’ Thing an 8Year-Old Boy Did for a Soldier Will Be Remembered For a ‘Lifetime’ by Oliver Darcy/The
himself, Eckert did something very
Blaze photos/CBS News Like most 8-year-olds, Myles Eckert was already dreaming up ways he could spend a $20 bill he had just discovered laying in a Cracker Barrel parking lot earlier this month.
April 2014
like to pay it forward in my family. It’s your lucky day! Thank you for your service. Myles Eckert, a gold star kid.”
son visiting his father’s grave. Dailey, touched by the Eckert’s gesture, said he looks at the note he received each day.
Eckert’s father, Army Sgt. Andy Eckert, had been killed in Iraq when he was only a Sgt. Andy Eckert few weeks old. The 8-year-old can only think of what he was like. “a lifetime of direction.”
Myles Eckert
“I imagine him as a really nice person and somebody that would be really fun,” he told CBS News.
“It’s incredible being recognized in such a manner,” he said, adding that the child’s simple gift has provided him
Myles hugging father’s tomb stone
That February day, Eckert even asked his mother to go visit his father. “He wanted to go see his dad,” said his mother Tiffany. “And he wanted to go by himself that day.”
Actual note that Myles wrote to soldier She took a photograph of her “I kind of wanted to get a video game, but then I decided not to,” the child recounted to CBS News.
different on Feb. 7. Something Dailey says he will remember for “a lifetime.”
That’s because Eckert saw Lt. Col. Frank Dailey enter the restaurant. The man in uniform changed his mind. Why?
The 8year-old boy wrapped the $20 bill in a note he had authored to the solider.
Lt. Col. Frank Dailey
“Because he was a soldier, and soldiers remind me of my dad,” Eckert explained to CBS. So, instead of purchasing something for
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“Dear Soldier — my dad was a soldier. He’s in heaven now,” the note said. “I found this 20 dollars in the parking lot when we got here. We
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Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened. -Billy Graham
April 2014
Natural childbirth IV: the hormones of birth by Chris Kresser, 7 part series
B
efore we discuss how modern medical interventions like epidurals and synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) can interfere with undisturbed birth, we need to understand the hormones of birth. The natural regulation of hormone balance is an exceedingly sophisticated and complex process. And although we know the basics of how hormone regulation works, there is still much we don’t understand. I’ve argued against using supplemental hormones to as a first step in treating hormone imbalances for exactly this reason. Whenever we take hormones, we run the risk of disrupting the delicate negative feedback system that regulates our own internal production of these hormones. The image that comes to mind is a monkey in the cockpit of the space shuttle pushing a bunch of buttons. Perhaps that’s an exaggeration, but the point is that any intervention that risks disrupting natural hormone balance and regulation is apt to cause problems. And there’s no time that’s more true than during pregnancy and childbirth. The hormones of birth The hormones of birth include estrogen and progesterone, oxytocin, betaendorphins, prolactin and catecholamines (epinephrine/adrenaline and norepinephrine/noradrenaline). Estrogen and progesterone Estrogen and progesterone are the main hormones involved in “setting the scene” for birth, including activating, inhibiting and reorganizing other hormone systems. They both play a crucial role in the initiation of labor. For example, the placental production of estriol increases by more than 1,000 times close to the onset of labor, and progesterone production increases 10-18 times higher. Estrogen has also been shown to increase the number of uterine oxytocin receptors and gap junctions in late pregnancy, which is thought to prepare the uterus for contractions in labor. Oxytocin Oxytocin is the hormone associated with the contractions of labor and birth in all mammalian species. It has also been referred to as the hormone of love because of its involvement with sexual activity,
Pick up your copy of the OCV at:
the Shrine of the Holy Spirit for sale in the gift shop
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com orgasm, birth and breastfeeding. In the context of undisturbed birth, oxytocin is referred to as the hormone of “forgetting oneself”. This is crucial because a fundamental aspect of an undisturbed birth is the sensation of an altered state of consciousness: “being transported” or “going to another world”. Oxytocin is stored in the anterior pituitary and released in pulses every 3-5 minutes during early labor, becoming more frequent as labor progresses. Keep this in mind when we discuss the differences between natural oxytocin and synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) used to induce labor in hospitals. Current research suggests that oxytocin is the initiator of the rhythmic contractions of early labor, while prostaglandins produced locally in the uterus assume that role later in labor. Some recent studies have found that oxytocin produced by the fetus may directly stimulate the mother’s uterine muscle, suggesting that the baby may be responsible for initiating labor. Finally, oxytocin plays several important roles after birth. High levels of oxytocin produced as the baby stimulates the mother’s breast help keep the uterus contracted and prevent postpartum hemorrhage. Oxytocin mediates the “milk ejection reflex” which allows for successful breastfeeding. And, as the hormone of love, oxytocin promotes the development of a strong bond between mother and baby. Beta-endorphin Beta-endorphin is a naturally occurring opiate that acts to restore homeostasis (internal balance). It is secreted by the pituitary gland in times of pain and stress. It activates the mesocorticolimbic dopamine reward system and produces pleasure in association with sex, birth and breastfeeding.
179 Expressway Lane • Branson, MO Mon - Sat • 9 am - 5 pm Sunday hours vary Tel: 417.337.7888 www.shrineoftheholyspirit.com
Studies suggest beta-endorphin increases tolerance to pain and suppresses the immune system, both of which are important during birth. Beta-endorphin is similar to the addictive opiates morphine and heroin in that it induces feelings of pleasure, euphoria and dependency. Beta-endorphin levels during labor reach similar levels to those found in male endurance athletes during maximal exercise on a treadmill. High levels of beta-endorphin help the mother to tolerate the pain of labor and nudge the her into the altered state of consciousness that characterizes an undisturbed birth. After the baby has been born, beta-endorphin (like oxytocin) reinforces the mother-infant bond and contributes to ecstatic feelings for both. Finally, beta-endorphin promotes the release of prolactin during labor, which prepares the mother’s breast for lactation and aids in lung maturation for the baby. Prolactin Prolactin is known as the mothering hormone. It’s released by the pituitary during pregnancy and lactation, and it prepares a pregnant woman’s breasts for lactation. During breastfeeding, prolactin levels influence sucking intensity, duration and frequency. Researchers believe prolactin (together with oxytocin) is responsible for the elevation of mood and feeling of calm mothers experience after breastfeeding. Prolactin is also believed to play an important role in maternal behavior after birth via its effect on the nursing mother’s brain. It has been referred to as the hormone of “submission” or “surrender”. In the breastfeeding relationship, it may encourage the mother to put her baby’s needs before her own. According to Sarah Buckley, M.D.: “There are more than three hundred known bodily effects of prolactin, including induction of maternal behavior, increase in appetite and food intake, suppression of fertility, stimulation of motor and grooming activity, reduction of the stress response, stimulation of oxytocin secretion and opioid activity, alteration of the sleep-wake cycle and increase in REM sleep, reduction of
Page 17 body temperature, and pain relief. Prolactin, along with growth hormone, is one of the hormones of growth and lactation and as such has a crucial influence in the development and function of the immune system.” And those are just the functions we know about! Catecholamines (CA) These are the “fight or flight” hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). They’re produced in response to hunger, fear and cold as well as excitement. During labor, maternal CA levels gradually rise, peaking right before transition (the contractions which finish dilating the cervix in the first stage of labor). This tells us the stress hormones are an important part of a healthy birth. However, if a woman’s epinephrine levels are too high (reflecting activation of her “fight or flight” response) early in labor, uterine contractions will be inhibited and labor will be slowed or even stopped completely. High levels of CA can stimulate uterine contractions, which contribute to what Michel Odent calls the “Fetus Ejection Reflex”. According to Odent this reflex occurs at transition and almost always follows an undisturbed birth, probably because CA levels must be low early in labor for it to happen optimally. On the other hand, high levels of CA too early in labor (which would be triggered by activation of the woman’s “fight or flight” system in response to fear or perceived danger) have been shown to inhibit uterine contractions. This is yet another example of the exquisite regulation of hormones by the body and the danger of interfering with this natural process. CA levels must be just right at all stages for an undisturbed birth. If the mother is afraid or feels she is threatened or in danger early on, labor will be inhibited. I suspect this happens fairly often in the hospital setting. On the other hand, if the natural increase of CA levels that should occur later in labor is blocked (by painkillers or other drugs), then the fetal ejection reflex will not be stimulated and delivery may be more difficult. Now that we have a better understanding of the hormones involved in birth, we can move on to exploring how modern medical interventions disrupt the natural regulation of these hormones and interfere with “undisturbed birth”.
www.chriskresser.com
Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength. -Billy Graham
Page 18
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April 2014
OZARKS HEBREW HERITAGE ASSOCIATION (OHHA) explores the Hebrew Roots of our Christian Faith monthly at the Comfort Inn, 3370 E. Battlefield (just East of Hwy 65), Springfield, MO For more info: 888-265-1837 or email: ohhatorah@yahoo.com
Lunchroom Supervisor Rebukes 5-Year-Old for Praying Over Meal by Gregg Wooding/Charisma Magazine An official at Carillon Elementary School told a 5-year-old girl she couldn't bow her head to pray over her lunch. (Carillon Elementary School) Liberty Institute attorneys on Tuesday sent a demand letter, on behalf of clients Marcos Perez and his daughter, to school administrators at Carillon Elementary School in Oviedo, Fla., requesting that school officials cease engaging in religious discrimination in violation of federal and state law. Last month, a school lunchroom supervisor told Perez's 5-year-old daughter that it was wrong to bow her head in prayer before she ate her lunch. Click here to view the demand letter. When the young girl replied, “But it’s good to pray,” she was told, “It is not good.” When she attempted to do so anyway, she was again restrained from
bowing her head, folding her hands and silently saying grace, the letter explains. “This is a violation of the federal law and we expect the school district to apologize to the Perezes and the community as well as take steps to ensure this does not happen again,” the letter states. “Of course students can pray at school!” says Liberty Institute senior counsel Jeremy Dys. “As the Supreme Court held over half a century ago: Students do not ‘shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.’ The school is in violation of Department of Education guidelines that specifically protect this type of prayer, and thus could jeopardize its federal funding.” The Perez family cites this offense to their daughter’s religious liberty as the most immediate reason to remove their daughter from the public education system. “Mainly because of this incident, we have exercised our option as parents to teach our daughter at home,” Perez says.
April 5, 2014 • Monthly Meeting John Holmes Teaching We are featuring John Holmes teaching on the prophetic significance of Elijah’s message and its relevance within the Believing World today. Elijah’s message rings loud and clear today just as it did when he originally faced the Priests of Baal at Mt. Carmel. www.ozarkshebrewheritage.com
“We live in a very good school district, but we cannot, in good conscience, send our daughter to a school where her religious liberty has been compromised.” Liberty Institute continues to investigate this situation on behalf of its clients and other students who experience unnecessary censoring of their religious liberty while at school. Last fall, Liberty Institute represented 10-year-old Erin Shead, whose teacher informed her that she could not write an
essay about Jesus as her hero. That situation led to the Tennessee General Assembly passing a bill with overwhelming bipartisan support to expand student religious liberty. Similarly, Liberty Institute is still investigating claims by a mother in South Carolina who was told that her 8-year-old daughter could not complete a similar school assignment for fear of violating the so-called “separation of church and state.” We're Makin' Dolls in Branson 1120 W Hwy 76 Branson, MO Mon-Sat: 9am-7pm Sun: 12pm-7pm (417) 239-3655
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Going on a Mission at Home MBCH Children and Family Ministries (an affiliate of Missouri Baptist Children’s Home) is seeking Christians willing to serve God by supplying foster care for teens. The Therapeutic Foster Care ministry provides a daily rate of pay that allows one foster parent to remain at home and care for the child. Training and licensing is provided for the foster parents at no cost. You can make a difference in the life of a hurting child by “Going on Mission at Home”. For more information about becoming a licensed foster parent, call:
(417) 831-2342 or visit:
Fame may come in a moment, but greatness comes with longevity.-Doug Stringer
The OCV is for sale at: P. Graham Dunn 3500 N Gretna Rd • Branson, MO Inspirational Gifts • (417) 334-9801 www.pgrahamdunn.com
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April 2014
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2520 State Hwy. 165 Branson (1 Block South of Welk Resort) (417) 334-4931
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What is Replacement Theology? Replacement theology teaches that God abandoned the Jewish people, has broken His promises to them and has chosen a new people, the church. The danger with this theology is that it implies the Jewish people have been rejected and discarded due to their sin and failures. It is fertile ground for the proliferation of anti-Semitism and should be guarded against. The apostle Paul said in Romans 11 that God is not finished with the Jewish people and that their calling is irrevocable. In Hebrews 6, the writer cites God’s faithfulness to the Abrahamic covenant to encourage beleaguered Christians to keep their faith, knowing they serve a faithful God. -Susan Michael
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Failure is one of the best tools for success by Mike Jones Al
We buy Gold in any Condition, we buy Vintage Musical Instruments! Family Owned &Operated for over 23 years 202 S. Commercial, Downtown Branson (417) 335-5017
Steve Jobs was 30 years old, successful, wealthy and a global celebrity when he was fired from Apple, the billion-dollar empire he had founded. But as Jobs told a group of Stanford graduates in his 2005 commencement speech, getting fired from Apple was "the best thing that could have happened" to him. Failure, he explained, ultimately freed him from the pressure of having to succeed, allowing a period of creativity that became pivotal for Apple's success. Jobs isn't alone. The career paths of countless other top busi ness leaders suggest that failure and adversity are instrumental to success. The key? Using failure as a "wake-up call" -- an opportunity to learn how to do something better -- because if you're not making mistakes, the thinking goes, you're probably not trying very hard.
This is the driver’s side door for the new delivery vehicle for the OCV. The graphic is from our sponsor the Branson Insider. Next issue you will see the whole thing!
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A Minute with a Man Should biblical principles form the basis of our national policy today in the United States? Is Christianity a part of our common law, that is, the foundation on which all of our laws are based? Here the words of the United States Supreme Court in the case of City of Charleston v Benjamin in 1846: “Christianity is part of the common law of the land. It has always been so recognized. The U.S. Constitution allows it as a part of the common law. In the courts over which we preside, we daily acknowledge Christianity as the most solemn part of our administration. A witness places his hand upon the books of the New Testament which testify to our Savior’s birth, life, death, and resurrection; this is so common a matter that it is little thought of as an evidence on the part which Christianity has in the common law.” Now you know what our founding fathers really said. Dee is the author of “The Myth of Separation of Church and State.” and “The Trial of Christ: A 21st Century Lawyer Defends Jesus.” Springfield, MO Attorney Dee Wampler has 50 years trial experience as a Greene County prosecutor and defense attorney.
13149 US Hwy 160 in Forsyth, MO
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An opinion based on medical science is a prediction, not truth; direction, not a destination. Medicine never deals with the root issue. The American school of modern medicine teaches doctors to think alike. A second opinion may weed out incompetence but rarely if ever does it increase options. - John Lindsay
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Grace Community Assembly
SWIM
The Tabernacle
Still Waters International Ministries 124 Deer Mountain Road Walnut Shade, MO • (417) 598-1231 7 miles north of Branson on Hwy 160, one quarter mile west of 65. First property on left.
256 Church Road • Branson, MO (417) 334-7373 www.thetabernacleinbranson.com
Gateway Branson
Faith &Wisdom Church
440 State Highway 248 Branson, MO (417) 336-2422 www.gracecommunityassembly.com ARISE Easter Musical Sunday Morning Gatherings • 10:00 am Sunday April 20th 9am – 10am www.stillwatersintlministries.com ARISE Easter Musical Sunday April 20th 11am – 1pm see ad on page 31 see ad on page 11
Calvary Chapel Fayetteville 2418 N Gregg Ave • Fayetteville, AR (479) 301-2313 www.calvaryfayar.com Easter Celebration Service: Sunday April 20th 10 am – 11 am
April 2014
Enjoy a traditional Passover Seder. It will be led by Rabbi Jeremy Storch of The Tabernacle and held at Sanctuary of Hope on Monday, April 14th at 6:30 PM. Reservations only: (417) 334-7373 see ad on page 11 see article on page 25
Located in the Vista Plaza Shopping Center 3950 Green Mountain Dr • Branson, MO (417) 335-9991 on the backside 2005 West Highway 76 • Suite 106 www.fwcbranson.com Branson, MO • (417) 335-9915 Service Times: www.gatewaybranson.org Sunday at 10 am Services: Breakfast 10:30 – 11:00 am Sunday Service 11:00 – 11:59 am
Faith And Wisdom Church in Branson will have a free showing of The Passion of the Christ on Sunday April 13th. see ad on page 23 see ad on page 10
Morningside Church Peace Lutheran Pastor Kevin Shorey Church (ELCA) 180 Grace Chapel Rd • Blue Eye, MO
Springfield COG 7
Carpenter’s House
Faith Center Church
•
www.OzarksChr
The following and fellowship invite you to a Resurrection and Passover with them.
Lord's Supper Service (communion) Sunday April 13th at 7:30pm We observe the traditional emblems of the 350 State Drive • Hollister, MO (417) 779-9000 breaking of bread representing the Lord's (417) 334-1499 www.jimbakkershow.com/morningside/ body and the wine (in our case unfermented www.peacelutheranchurchhollister.com church-services/ grape juice) to symbolize His shed blood. Sunday Worship Schedule: Service Times Sunday: We have a footwashing service, where in a 8:30 am Praise & Worship Service 9:30 am Bible Study (in Grace Chapel) act of humility we wash each others feet as 9:30 am Adult Bible Class/Sun School 10:30 am Worship Service Christ did His disciples. Every believer in 10:30 am Traditional Service (on Grace Street) Christ as their savior and Lord is welcome see ad on page 15 see ad on page 9 to join us. see more infoon page 13
Turkey Creek Junction • Hollister, MO (417) 239-4555 Resurrection Sunday 8:00 am Service • 8:45 am Breakfast 9:45 am Sunday School 11:00 am Worship & Services
First Presbyterian Church Branson 420 West Main Street • Branson, MO (417) 334-3468 www.fpcbranson.org Resurrection Sunday 2014 April 20th – Plans are underway for the wonderful event See website for update
Agape Life Fellowship
United Methodist Church Branson
Pastor Twila N. Bridges 6185 W. St. Hwy 266 • Springfield, MO (417) 831-2333 www.agapelifefellowship.org
1208 W 76 Country Blvd • Branson, MO (417) 334-3423 www.bransonumc.org
Service Times: Sunday 10 am & 6 pm see ad on page 31
Sunday Services: 8 am Traditional 9:30 am Contemporary 11 am Traditional
8537 State Hwy. 76 • Branson West, MO (417) 338-8537 www.faith-center-church.org Resurrection Sunday • He’s Alive! Sunday April 20th 10:30 am We invite you to join with us as we worship ‘Jesus’ the Risen King! see ad on page 10
El Shaddai Ministries Rabbi Michael Zeitler, special speaker 4501 Quail Court • Harrison, AR (870) 365-0004 www.elshaddaiministries.net Passover Praise Night • Saturday Seder Fri April 18th 7 pm (El Shaddai Chapel) Sat April 19th 11 am (Hotel Seville, Harrison, AR) Call for Meal Reservation see ad for prices on page 23
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Jesus Is Never Shocked By John Burke
D
o you realize that Jesus is not shocked by the shocking things people do? Jesus knew Zacchaeus had robbed people blind and profited off much unethical behavior, yet Jesus was not shocked. He did not offer Zach correction, but relationship: “Come down, Zacchaeus. I’m staying at your house tonight.” (See Luke 19:5.) That shocked everyone! Yet relationship changed Zacchaeus. Jesus knew that the Samaritan woman at the well had been married and divorced five times. He knew about her current “hookup” and how sexually entangled she was with the guy she was living with. (See John 4.) Jesus was not repulsed. (Samaritans of Jesus’ day were treated by the religious community like gay people often get treated by some of today’s Christian community.) None of this kept Jesus away or kept Him from offering her living water. Maybe Jesus wants Christfollowers who will be less like the Pharisees and more like Him—unshockable. Luke tells of a time Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to dinner. Jesus and His disciples went and “reclined at the table” (Luke 7:36) along with Simon’s religious friends, who were skeptical about Jesus’ true identity—mainly because He showed more love for “sinners” than love for the Law of Moses. (Jesus had just made it clear this wasn’t true; He came to fulfill the intent of the Law of Moses.) They invited Jesus there to judge Him, not learn from Him. Middle Eastern dining style consisted of a 1-foot-high table with pillows on the floor for seating, with people sitting usually with feet stretched out to the side or behind them. As the meal proceeded, an immoral woman crashed the party. She sheepishly made her way over to stand behind Jesus. Luke makes sure we know she had “lived a
www.twitter.com/OCVeditor sinful life” (v. 37). She did not just have a few slip-ups, but rather had made a life out of her sexual deviancies, and everyone knew it! Her mud was public knowledge. Her whole life, she had felt judged and condemned by the religious establishment, so to go into the house of her tormentors took enormous courage. Yet there she stood ... because Jesus was there! Somehow word on the street had traveled to her through the crowd she hung out with—there’s hope in Jesus for the muddiest human. Hearing He had come near, an unstoppable force welling up from within had drawn her to His feet. As she stood in His presence, hope burst through the dam of all that pain that had driven her mudslinging behavior—she started to cry. Her tears accidentally landed on Jesus’ dirty feet (that His host had not shown the common courtesy to wash).The tension in the room mounted; everyone’s shoulders tightened as she fell to her knees behind Jesus, bent down and wiped His wet, dirty feet with her hair. She took out a bottle of oil mixed with perfume, took the oil in her hands and gently stroked His feet with the oil—kissing them as she anointed Him with the perfume. Jesus just sat there, never flinching, eyes fixed on the Pharisees, watching them react in shock and disbelief—flames of contempt shooting out of their merciless eyes.Simon could stand it no more. This outrageous scene had proven his point. He muttered to himself and his “more respectable” guests, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner” (v. 39).In other words, if Jesus were truly a prophet, He would know about her scandalous sexual sin, and He would be shocked. But Jesus did know and was not shocked!
Now, you have to realize this was a controversial situation. Imagine a known prostitute coming up to your pastor, kissing his feet and rubbing oil on them after the Sunday service. It would be his last Sunday at most churches if he didn’t put an end to it fast! What was Jesus thinking? Why didn’t this shock Jesus like it would all of us? Jesus looks at the heart. It’s about the heart. Jesus confronted the unloving hearts of His host and friends while this woman demonstrated a heart overflowing with love. Jesus said, “Simon, I have something to tell you” (v. 40).“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii [a whole lot of money], and the other fifty [one tenth as much]. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. (The only thing Simon had judged correctly that day!)Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she
Page 21 has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:41–47)
It’s all about love! Don’t miss this very critical point Jesus makes to us all: If you truly recognize how much it cost God to forgive you, it will flood your heart with love for God and others who need more of the same. It’s all about love! Not a love that ignores the mud and the damage that destroys God’s Masterpiece, but a love that recognizes how much loving mercy God has given a messedup person like me!That great love brings grace and truth together to give hope to a broken world in need of forgiveness and restoration. Note: Excerpted from John Burke, The Mud and the Masterpiece, Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2013. Used by permission. John Burke is lead pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas, and author of No Perfect People Allowed (Zondervan). Visit John at:johnburkonline.com See entire article at: ministrytodaymag.com
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10 Men Christian Women Should Never Marry by J. Lee Grady Men and women don't be impatient when choosing a helpmate. God has the right one for you. My wife and I raised four daughters— without shotguns in the house!—and three of them have already married. We love our sons-in-law, and it’s obvious God handpicked each of them to match our daughters’ temperaments and personality. I have always believed God is in the matchmaking business. If He can do it for my daughters, He can do it for you. Today I have several single female friends who would very much like to find the right guy. Some tell me the pickings are slim at their church, so they have ventured into the world of online dating. Others have thrown up their hands in despair, wondering if there are any decent Christian guys left anywhere. They’ve begun to wonder if they should lower their standards in order to find a mate. My advice stands: Don't settle for less than God's best. Too many Christian women today have ended up with an Ishmael because impatience pushed them into an unhappy marriage. Please take my fatherly advice: You are much better off single than with the wrong guy! Speaking of “wrong guys,” here are the top 10 men you should avoid when looking for a husband: 1. The unbeliever. Please write 2 Corinthians 6:14 on a Post-it note and tack it on your computer at work. It says,
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (NASB). This is not an outdated religious rule. It is the Word of God for you today. Don’t allow a man’s charm, looks or financial success (or his willingness to go to church with you) push you to compromise what you know is right. “Missionary dating” is never a wise strategy. If the guy is not a bornagain Christian, scratch him off your list. He’s not right for you. I’ve yet to meet a Christian woman who didn’t regret marrying an unbeliever. 2. The liar. If you discover that the man you are dating has lied to you about his past or that he’s always covering his tracks to hide his secrets from you, run for the nearest exit. Marriage must be built on a foundation of trust. If he can’t be truthful, break up now before he bamboozles you with an even bigger deception. 3. The playboy. I wish I could say that if you meet a nice guy at church, you can assume he’s living in sexual purity. But that’s not the case today. I’ve heard horror stories about single guys who serve on the worship team on Sunday but act like Casanovas during the week. If you marry a guy who was sleeping around before your wedding, you can be sure he will be sleeping around after your wedding. 4. The deadbeat. There are many solid Christian men who experienced marital failure years ago. Since their divorce, they have experienced the Holy
April 2014
Spirit’s restoration, and now they want to remarry. Second marriages can be very happy. But if you find out that the man you are dating hasn’t been caring for his children from a previous marriage, you have just exposed a fatal flaw. Any man who will not pay for his past mistakes or support children from a previous marriage is not going to treat you responsibly. 5. The addict. Churchgoing men who have addictions to alcohol or drugs have learned to hide their problems— but you don’t want to wait until your honeymoon to find out that he’s a boozer. Never marry a man who refuses to get help for his addiction. Insist that he get professional help and walk away. And don’t get into a codependent relationship in which he claims he needs you to stay sober. You can’t fix him. 6. The bum. I have a female friend who realized after she married her boyfriend that he had no plans to find steady work. He had devised a great strategy: He stayed home all day and played video games while his professional wife worked and paid all the bills. The apostle Paul told the Thessalonians, “If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either” (2 Thess. 3:10). The same rule applies here: If a man is not willing to work, he doesn’t deserve to marry you. 7. The narcissist. I sincerely hope you can find a guy who is handsome. But be careful: If your boyfriend spends six hours a day at the gym and regularly posts closeups of his biceps on Facebook, you have a problem. Do not fall for a selfabsorbed guy. He might be cute, but a man who is infatuated with his appearance and his own needs will never be able to love you sacrificially, like Christ loves the church (Eph. 5:25). The
man who is always looking at himself in the mirror will never notice you. 8. The abuser. Men with abusive tendencies can’t control their anger when it boils over. If the guy you are dating has a tendency to fly off the handle, either at you or others, don’t be tempted to rationalize his behavior. He has a problem, and if you marry him you will have to navigate his minefield every day to avoid triggering another outburst. Angry men hurt women—verbally and sometimes physically. Find a man who is gentle. 9. The man-child. Call me old-fashioned, but I’m suspicious of a guy who still lives with his parents at age 35. If his mother is still doing his cooking, cleaning and ironing at that age, you can be sure he’s stuck in an emotional time warp. You are asking for trouble if you think you can be a wife to a guy who hasn’t grown up. Back away and, as a friend, encourage him to find a mentor who can help him mature. 10. The control freak. Some Christian guys today believe marriage is about male superiority. They may quote Scripture and sound super-spiritual, but behind the façade of husbandly authority is deep insecurity and pride that can morph into spiritual abuse. First Peter 3:7 commands husbands to treat their wives as equals. If the man you are dating talks down to you, makes demeaning comments about women or seems to squelch your spiritual gifts, back away now. He is on a power trip. Women who marry religious control freaks often end up in a nightmare of depression. If you are a woman of God, don’t sell your spiritual birthright by marrying a guy who doesn’t deserve you. Your smartest decision in life is to wait for a man who is sold out to Jesus. J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma and the director of the Mordecai Project (themordecaiproject.org). You can follow him on Twitter at @leegrady. He is the author of 10 Lies Men Believe and other books.
The OCV is available at: the Branson Price Chopper
April 2014
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com
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This year marks the 10-year salvation cost... the life of an innocent, Gift to buy our salvation that we could never purchase on our own.” Everyone is anniversary of the movie “The sinless man named Jesus Christ.” When The Passion Of The Christ was welcome to come. Passion Of The Christ” Faith And Wisdom Church in Branson will have a free showing of the movie on Sunday April 13th. This Resurrection Sunday Christians all over the world will gather to celebrate the crucifixion of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The holiday also marks the 10-year anniversary of a movie that depicts the crucifixion in gory detail, “The Passion Of The Christ” by Mel Gibson. The movie made film-making history in 2004 because it was the highest grossing R-rated film in the United States, pulling in more than $600-million during its theatrical release. It was also the highest grossing non-English film of all time. Pastor Gary McSpadden at Faith And Wisdom Church in Branson, remembers seeing it his first time. “I was struck by the horror and the cruelty of the event.” He says the “graphic portrayal in this movie also brought into focus that this violent experience really did happen in this way.” McSpadden says it helped him “On a personal level to see how much my
first released it was heavily criticized because of the graphic violence it portrayed. Famous film critic Roger Ebert said it was "the most violent film I have ever seen", though he still gave it 4 stars. Two years after the initial release the movie still made headlines. Entertainment Weekly named it “the most controversial film of all time” in June 2006. Pastor McSpadden says he thinks the controversy is “more about the violence than the story.” “If people would study history they would see that the violence, as portrayed in the movie, was part of the normal procedures of Roman rule.” Pastor McSpadden says Faith And Wisdom Church has a special showing of The Passion Of The Christ at their church on Palm Sunday, April 13th. He says “we should all see this film as a reminder of God's love through Christ's sacrifice. God sent His most precious
There is no charge to see the movie and there will be free popcorn, drinks will be available for purchase. The church is located on 3950 Green Mountain Drive in Branson, just behind the Olive Garden.
• Highest grossing foreign language film, cited at Wikipedia. • Highest-grossing rated R film in US box office history, cited at Wikipedia • Most controversial movie of all time, cited by Entertainment Weekly by Today.com
What would your prayer life be if you were perfect, holy, righteous and without sin?... Would we be bolder and confident in our petitions? In fact, that is how God sees us. Most people are familiar with the expression, looking “rose through colored glasses”. Everything looks good through them. In our heavenly father’s case the rose color is the blood of His son. He sees us perfect through Christ ALREADY. Righteousness is living in God’s love, becoming like God by loving like Him. This very fact is what drives us to love others with wild abandon to the point that we are accused of being blind to the sins of others. To the extent that by not judging others they are drawn to us like a moth to a flame. What makes this kind of nonjudgment so winsome is (that unlike the world where sinners don’t judge others who live like them) even though we have values we don’t impose them on the lost. We just love them.
-John G. Sacoulas, editor MCV
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One of the main ways that people become and stay poor is to be intoxicated. It is impossible for any but the rarest of humans to work productively or to learn anything useful without sobriety. -Ben Stein
Socialism: A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. -George Bernard Shaw
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The World’s Largest Walkthrough Cross
'God's Not Dead' Star Speaks Out Against Hollywood's Christian Stigma by Gina Meeks Actor Kevin Sorbo has some harsh words for comedian Bill Maher, who recently called God a “psychotic mass murderer” while discussing the film Noah.
Kevin Sorbo We are getting worse and worse, and everything is OK, according to half the population of this country. Not everything is OK.” Sorbo, who plays an atheist professor in God’s Not Dead, has also spoken out about the stigma Christians face in Hollywood. “There’s a negativity towards Christians in Hollywood,” ChristianHeadlines.com reports him saying. “And a negativity towards people who believe in God.”
“All I can do is feel sad for the guy because I think he’s a very angry, lonely man,” Sorbo said in an interview with Newsmax to promote his new film, God’s Not Dead, “There’s no reason to try and talk to a guy like that because he has so much hate." “I wonder what happened to him in his lifetime,” the actor added. “The atheists I’ve met—not all of them are angry. I’ve got some very good friends who are atheists. They just don’t believe. They simply don’t believe. We’ve had great debates. ... [Maher just] has so much hate.” The actor continued, “Morals are declining, the country is going under.
April 2014
The actor who once played Hercules says he has noticed a difference in how he is treated in Hollywood since he publicly came out as a Christian. He says he has not been offered as many roles as he was in the past, and he doesn’t understand why his faith should affect his work. “I don’t begrudge them—why do they begrudge me?” he asked. Sorbo believes Hollywood will stop treating Christians negatively when believers stand up for their beliefs. “The silent majority is starting to get annoyed with what’s going on,” he says. “I think more people need to start speaking about it instead of just sitting there and taking it. ... It’s happening; you’re getting attacked; you need to stand up for yourself and your beliefs.”
God is more interested in your future and your relationships than you are.Billy Graham
• 20 stories tall with a 30’x30’ base • Twin elevators to take people to the horizontal crossbeam • Atop the second tallest of Missouri’s Ozark mountains • Northern Gateway to Branson with 8 million people driving past on US 65 each year • A Family Venue with Free Admission I’m very excited about where I see the Lord positioning us for spring 2014. You see, the general construction professional who builds multimillion dollar church facilities across the US, (the one who told us that what we had conservatively believed to be a $15 million project, was actually a $3-5 million project) shared one last thing with me. He indicated that when we reached a particular point, we can start working on the foundation of the World’s Largest Walkthrough Cross. With the addition of the charitable matching fund and its potential to help us
raise funds, I believe the Lord has positioned us within striking distance of beginning the foundation work as soon as weather permits in 2014. We need your continued prayers and especially your financial support to make this happen. Every dollar you donate will be doubled because of the matching fund and then multiplied even further by the selfless acts of our many volunteers that have helped save on many labor costs. Images and the Legacy your contribution leaves behind will continue leading the lost to Christ long after we have left the planet. Please join in and help us reach our next $100,000.00 goal now. Here is how you can help today: Online donation at our website at:
www.imagesatthecross.org Very truly yours, Kerry Brown, Executive Director, Images at the Cross
A Minute with a Man Did you ever wonder about the Christian beliefs of our Founding Fathers? One way to know for sure is to examine their declarations and their last wills and testaments to see if it provides any convincing evidence of their strong religious beliefs. Robert Paine, original signer of the Declaration of Independence wrote: “I am constrained to express my adoration of the Supreme Being, the author of my existence, in full belief of His providential goodness and His forgiving mercy revealed to the world through Jesus Christ, through whom I hope for never ending happiness in a future estate.” Now you know what our founding fathers really said. Dee is the author of “The Myth of Separation of Church and State.” and “The Trial of Christ: A 21st Century Lawyer Defends Jesus.” Springfield, MO Attorney Dee Wampler has 50 years trial experience as a Greene County prosecutor and defense attorney.
Dear Lord, Help me not despise the things I do not know or understand. ~William Penn
April 2014
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White River Trading Company located next to the post office in Rockaway Beach, has just expanded the shop to take in the space next door. The expanded store now showcases Rick Pickren's Front Row Seats collection of custom musically inspired furniture in addition to antiques and vintage items of all kinds. From rusty to rare, there is something for everyone. “We enjoy repurposing things, old farmhouse stuff, shabby chic treasures, and anything that is just cool,” says Pickren. In the store you will find primitives, glassware, tools, furniture, kitchen items, home decor, books, coins, Indian artifacts, collectibles, sports cards and memorabilia, vintage hunting and fishing accessories and much more. “We bring in new items each week to give our customers a large variety to choose from. We try to price things right so people can afford them. We don't want to stare at the same stuff, we want to sell it!”
Ask the Rabbi...
with Rabbi Jeremy Storch
Passover Today many Christians are seeking the biblical Jewish roots of their faith in Yeshua (Jesus). One of the primary ways in which Yeshua is revealed in the Old Covenant (Hebrew “Tenach”) Seder plate scriptures is through the biblical feasts of the Lord. According to Exodus 12, God instructed the Israelites to take the “blood of a lamb” and put it on the doorposts of their houses – and that when He saw the blood, He would “pass over” their houses, and spare them the plague that was coming upon Egypt – God was also now preparing to deliver the children of Israel from 400 years of slavery and bondage to Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
Page 25 This has great application for believers in Yeshua today, whether Jew or Gentile, because Yeshua (Jesus) is our Passover Lamb, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! Also in Exodus 12:17 & 18 and Numbers 9:14 God commanded for future generations that any Gentiles living amongst the Israelites should celebrate the Feast of Passover with the Jewish people, a picture of unity in the Messiah between Jew and Gentile. This year enjoy a traditional Passover Seder conducted accordingly to traditions followed since the redemption of our Jewish people from Egypt in the time of Moses. The Seder will be led by Rabbi Jeremy Storch of The Tabernacle and held at Sanctuary of Hope on Monday, April 14th at 6:30 PM. Worship and rejoice as we celebrate our spiritual redemption through the Messiah, our Passover Lamb with 2 hours of Biblical rituals and teaching, singing, dancing, blessings and with a 1 hour, full course, delicious chicken and beef dinner. Reservations only - no walk ins. For more information contact The Tabernacle at (417) 334-7373 or find us on the web at:
www.TheTabernacleInBranson.com Don’t miss this special night of celebrationdifferent from all other nights! Rabbi Jeremy Storch is the Rabbi, Cantor and Worship leader of The Tabernacle, Branson, Missouri’s Messianic Jewish congregation. For more information please see our monthly newsletter in its entirety at the website above.
At White River Trading Company patrons can buy, sell, or trade merchandise. The shop is open most weekdays from around 9:30 a.m. to 4 pm. If you have any questions you can contact Rick at (417) 294-0624.
Editor’s Note: If you come out to Rockaway Beach and see the White River Trading Company I promise you will not be disappointed. It has the coolest collection of antiques and other unique items I have ever seen anywhere!
Sudoku Answers to Page 27
For Subscription
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Information See Page 38
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Owners: Doug & Julie Smart Email: SmartBuyTireInc@sbcglobal.net Business started: September 1, 2001 Location: 1045 S. Campbell Avenue, Springfield, MO
Pick up your copy of the OCV at: The Copper Coin Unique & Inspirational Gifts (417) 551-1208 109 N. Commercial Street • Branson, MO
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Chick-fil-A CEO Regrets Making Chain a Symbol in Same-Sex Marriage Debate by Gina Meeks The debate about same-sex marriage in our culture isn’t likely to end soon, but the president and CEO of Chick-fil-A won’t be chiming in again. Dan Cathy, who made headlines nearly two years ago when he publicly supported traditional marriage, hasn’t changed his mind. But he says Chick-fil-A has no place in the culture wars and that he regrets “making the company a symbol in the marriage debate,” reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Every leader goes through different phases of maturity, growth and development and it helps by [recognizing] the mistakes that you make,” Cathy says. “And you learn from those mistakes. If not, you’re just a fool. I’m thankful that I lived through it and I learned a lot from it.” Cathy became CEO in November when his 92year-old father, Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, stepped down. The chicken chain is the only major fast-food chain that isn’t open Sundays—due to the family’s Christian convictions—and Dan Cathy says that is
Do you like this magazine?..... Can you do us a big favor? The Ozarks Christian Foundation (The ministry that produces the Ozarks Christian Voice) needs you to tell the sponsors you appreciate them for their support of the area’s only independent Christian magazine! When you are done reading this will you leave it in a waiting room so that someone else can enjoy it?
April 2014
something he won’t change.
opinion on social issues.”
clear, however, that his opinion hasn’t changed.
In summer 2012, Cathy said he was “guilty as charged” in his religion-based opposition to gay marriage. His comments set off a firestorm; same-sex marriage proponents boycotted the restaurant while thousands showed their support by showing up in droves, setting records for sales.
But the CEO added fuel to the fire when he tweeted his disappointment last June over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act and to decline to rule on Proposition 8.
“I think the time of truths and principles are captured and codified in God’s Word, and I’m just personally committed to that,” he says. “I know others feel very different from that and I respect their opinion and I hope that they would be respectful of mine.” Many Americans still consider dining at Chickfil-A to be a political statement. Pasadena City College in California recently opposed a new location near campus because of concerns it contributes to “anti-gay” groups.
The company did its best to remove itself from the controversy by repeatedly stating it does not discriminate against homosexual customers or employees. “Probably the elements that were stressful for me most is from our internal staff and from operators and how this may be affecting them,” Cathy says. “The bottom line is we have a responsibility here to keep the whole of the organization in mind and it has to take precedence over the personal expression and
Cathy says the lingering identity is troubling. “Consumers want to do business with brands that they can interface with, that they can relate with,” he explains. “And it’s probably very wise from our standpoint to make sure that we present our brand in a compelling way that the consumer can relate to.” “Sad day for our nation; founding fathers would be ashamed of our gen. to abandon wisdom of the ages re: cornerstone of strong societies,” he wrote in a post that was quickly removed. After prayer and conversations with co-workers and friends, Cathy says he decided to step away from the gay marriage debate. He has made it
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Despite the controversy, Chick-fil-A remains one of the most successful chains in the fastfood industry, with 2012 sales of $4.6 billion. The company is looking to expand beyond its base in the Bible Belt into Northeast and Midwest cities such as New York, Boston and Chicago in order to maintain growth.
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Self-centered indulgence, pride and a lack of shame over sin are now emblems of the American lifestyle. Billy Graham
This Easter, you can use Billy Graham’s powerful video The Cross to share the Gospel message oneon-one, with a small group or youth group, or with a packed church. Last November, thousands of Christians in the U.S. shared this program with others through My Hope America with Billy Graham, and they saw God move in amazing ways. Let’s ask Him to do it again! Watch a trailer of The Cross, order your DVD, or get promotional materials for your church at MyHopeWithBillyGraham.org.
April 2014
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Page 27
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Answers to Crossword Puzzle on Page 9
Answers to Sudoku Puzzle on Page 25
Exercise program for folks over 60
CROSS-WORDS
ACROSS 1 Christmas mo. 4 Type of partnership 7 Midwest time 10 Fall behind 13 Gone by 14 French "yes" 15 Time period 16 Employ 17 A spiritual gift 19 Supernatural event
21 Failure 22 Prompt 24 Samuel's mentor 25 Object 27 No room for them in the __ 28 Uncertain 31 Male sheep 32 Malice 34 Bard's before 35 Any main bolt 38 River of Mesopotamia 41 Assistant 42 Scat! 43 Remain loyal (2 wds.) 46 Mixing 50 Vane direction 51 Shiny balloon material 53 South by east
54 Agents 56 Long, long time 57 Talk 58 Lip 60 Feign 61 Youngest son of Noah 62 Queen of beasts 65 Place alone 69 Aurora 70 Time zone 71 Pristine 72 Hearing organ 73 Gal's pal 74 Lock's partner 75 Young lady 76 Licensed practical nurse DOWN 1 Digital audio tape 2 Self-esteem 3 Doom
4 Roaring 5 Day of the wk. 6 Follower of Jesus 7 Adhesive 8 __ Lanka 9 Biblical weed 10 Morning star 11 Sign language 12 "To the right!" 18 Sticky stuff 20 Boxer Muhammad 23 Dimension 25 Annoy 26 Thai 29 Day of the week (abbr.) 30 Aye 32 City destroyed by fire 33 Anesthetic 36 Tribe of Israel
37 Binary digit 39 Charged particle 40 The Creator 42 Leaning 43 That woman 44 Single 45 Biblical disease 46 Group of nations 47 Son of Hagar 48 BB association 49 Obtain 52 Frothy 55 Transgression 57 California (abbr.) 59 Blessed are the __ 61 Dog wail 62 Limb 63 Promissory note 64 Compass point 66 Body of water 67 Spigot 68 White-tailed sea eagle
Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax. Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags. Then try 50-lb potato bags and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level). After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.
Cadillac Ranch on Route 66
Route 66 crosses 8 states and 3 time zones. The states that the Mother Road runs through are: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Are you old enough to remember using those fantastic AAA maps on the journey? Call Mary-Anne Dailey to get your new AAA Membership! They make a very thoughtful gift for high school grads. Towing, flat tire repair, lock-outs and out of gas problems are solved safely and quickly! Mary-Ann Dailey • AAA Insurance • 500 W. Main Street • Branson, MO • (417) 334-3222
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A Change is Gonna Come By Joshua Clark Branson Tri-Lakes News Excerpts used with permission
F
or the first time in more than a decade, “Pierce Arrow” will feature a season without comedian Jarrett Dougherty, who departed the show after last season to spend more time with his family. “Jarrett came to me at the end of (last) year and to my surprise, he told me, ‘Buddy, I’m hanging it up,’” said Dan Britton, owner, producer and general manager of Pierce Arrow. “I was kind of shocked. I certainly wasn’t expecting it, and you could have knocked me over with a feather.” For 12 seasons, Dougherty was the featured comedian and eventual marketing face of the show. It has been a little more than two years since Dougherty’s wife, Dena, passed away Feb. 12 2012, and Dougherty told Britton he wanted to spend more time with his family.
“He told me he wanted to be a stay-at-home dad and didn’t want to miss any of the kids’ ball games,” Britton said. “I told him I understood because I missed my boys’ ball games too, so when he decided to leave, it was very amicable.” Britton said the two discussed the possibility of Dougherty having second thoughts due to his love of people and performing. “I told him as much as he loved people and making them laugh, I thought he’d miss it,” Britton said. “He just said, ‘I’m
just going to hang it up, I’m done entertaining.’ I told him I loved him, understood and respected his decision, then I said, ‘God bless you’ and gave him a hug, and that’s the last time I saw him.”
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(March 20 excerpt from Branson This Weekend) “I do believe in change.” Britton said. “We aren’t (a family-run) business (like other shows in town) but I pride myself on being a business that is stable as well as a Branson staple. “I prefer to stay more with the modern times while still recognizing what Branson is, which is family-friendly and wholesome entertainment, and I like to make my show a clash between Las Vegas and Branson, so this year we’ve brought in some new knock-your-socks-off entertainers.” The first is a performer named Law Washington, who goes by the stage name of Law. According to Britton, Law was a standup comedian in California before embarking on a spiritual journey. “He traveled the U.S. for a couple of years with nothing besides a backpack, a bicycle and his Bible,” Britton said. “He slept underneath bridges while witnessing to people about Christ.” With his journey complete, Law returned to performing, this time in Texas, before Britton brought him to Branson. “Now, he will be the new lead singer
April 2014 and emcee for Pierce Arrow,” he said. “He really is the gentleman I’ve been looking for the past 10 years to put in this group ... God finally sent him my way.” Scott Fraker, who sang bass with groups such as Chosen Few and the Wingtips, will move from baritone to bass. Jimmy Fulbright, longtime member of the Oak Ridge Boys, will move down to
baritone while
American Idol Top 10 finisher Luke Menard will continue singing tenor, “Law is the character who will take over the lead position in Pierce Arrow,” Britton said. “He is such a wonderful and talented guy we’re going to have a hard time keeping him out of the audience because he’s a lover of people, he’s very humorous and he can sing like nobody’s business.” Britton could hardly contain his excitement as he gushed over his new cast, saying he “couldn’t be any more excited about the new quartet.” Law is only the first of the four new cast members. Last week, Britton’s search for a new comedian ended when he hired longtime entertainer Mike Bliss to serve as the shows comic relief. “I went to comedy clubs and cruises and even brought people in to audition, and I just couldn’t find anything that was natural for the show,” Britton said. “Knowing I wanted the show to be radically different, we brought Mike in and I finally got to experience what he does. “I just fell in love with what I knew was a perfect match right from the get-go.” “My Associate Producer Bobby Blackburn and I both feel that this is, hands down, the best musical show we have ever put together and with all those moves, the quartet has a whole new sound, so when you read the work ‘new’ this year in front of the ‘Pierce Arrow’ show, it truly is new. “We’ve always been unique and done our own thing over here, which is something we’re very proud of and the good Lord willing, we’ll continue to do that.”
God never takes away something from your life without replacing it with something better.
OCV is for sale at: Heavenly Wear
-Billy Graham
112 W Main Street • Branson (417) 544-9071
For more information, visit:
piercearrowtheater.com
www.heavenlywear.net
April 2014
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com
Page 29
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Page 30
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DOG FOR SALE :
April 2014
'Talking Dog For Sale' He rings the bell and the owner appears and tells him the dog is in the backyard.
discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA.
The guy goes into the backyard and sees a nice looking Labrador retriever sitting there.
'In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping.
'You talk?' he asks. 'Yep,' the Lab replies.
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A guy is driving around the back woods of Montana and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house:
After the guy recovers from the shock of hearing a dog talk, he says 'So, what's your story?' The Lab looks up and says, 'Well, I
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'I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running... 'But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near
The Faces of Victory... Tami’s Chiropractic Story…Part Two See Part One online in the New Year issue 2014 Part 2 – The Rest of the Story… The continuation of my Chiropractic Story that originally began in 2003, which I shared with you all a couple months ago. Now, I would like to share with you the often hidden & often overlooked differences I saw through regular chiropractic care. My mom says I was a very colicky baby that cried frequently unless I was held. My poor mom…she often says if she knew the difference chiropractic could make on a child’s life, she would’ve taken me right away! Fast forward several years and you would have met a child that was often sick with whatever was “going around” that developed into a teenager who had strep throat and/or tonsillitis at least 2-3 times a year. I also developed Mononucleosis, also called "mono." It’s an illness that left me feeling tired & weak for months, which came about due to my weakened immune system. I missed several weeks of school due to what many people think is just “routine” sickness. After the bout with mono, I was sick even more often. On top of that, I had what many people refer to as “seasonal” allergies. I thought all of this was just “normal.” I grew into an adult that still got sick frequently. That is, until I was introduced to Principled Chiropractic Care.
suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. 'I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired.' The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog. 'Ten dollars,' the guy says. 'Ten dollars? This dog is amazing! Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?' 'Because he's an incorrigible liar. He's never been out of the yard!'
see this chiropractor…I made the appointment because I could not walk after injuring my low back in the gym. Boy was I in for a big surprise! I learned about the amazing power God placed within each one of us, and if that power is inhibited/interfered with, the body cannot heal or function properly. I know it sounds so simple, but I have found the most powerful truths are quite simple! To this day, I am certain my body is expressing life to 100%. If I ever feel under the weather, which is quite rare, my body fights it off much quicker. Over the years, as I’ve learned and experienced firsthand more about Principled Chiropractic, I see the value far beyond what I ever expected. I live each day knowing that my body is fully connected to the innate power (aka life source) that God placed within me. You see, we live in a fallen world that constantly bombards us with outside stresses, but I have found that getting adjusted regularly reconnects my body to the Source and allows full expression of LIFE. I dare say that if you don’t get adjusted, you aren’t fully living.
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My eyes were opened in 2003 when I had my first chiropractic appointment with a principled wellness doctor. But the reason I got sick often is not what compelled me to
I encourage you, at any age, whether you have health concerns or not, to find out how chiropractic can help you FULLY LIVE. What a happier world we would live in if everyone stayed clear & connected. I firmly believe everyone on the planet needs to get adjusted regularly. True, principled Chiropractic is so much more than we have been lead to believe. What is standing between you and your God-given health?
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April 2014
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BRANSON FRONTLINE
Benny Hinn was holding healing services.
by Veeda Smith
Although both Rick and Cheryl were Christians, the idea of divine healing was still foreign to them. Upon entering the church, they saw people being prayed for at the end of the first service. “Some were falling over backwards and this was a little too strange for us, said Rick. “We wanted to leave but God had another plan.”
I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. Psalm 108:3
S
inger, songwriter, and author, Pastor Rick Pinette, his wife Cheryl and daughter Olivia, have just completed the first draft of their newest book called Freedom from Abuse, Anger and Anxiety. With his newest music CD Heal My Heart released only a few months ago, the Pinettes have also launched their own internet television ministry Good News at www.rickpinettetv.com. Originally from Florida, he Pinettes moved to the Ozarks, a few months ago. “Being in the mountains will be a great place to worship and write, think and teach, read and record, and most importantly to laugh, learn, love and hopefully leave a legacy for Jesus Christ,” said Rick.
An usher rushed Rick to the front and people began to lay hands on him and praying for God's intervention to help him with his inability to walk. At the end of the service, Rick was miraculously healed. With this experience behind them, Rick and Cheryl believed God was now calling them to stay in Florida. Within a short time, God had opened the door for Rick to speak and sing at over one hundred schools a year for the next seven years. He was known as Mr. Rick teaching Character Education to kids as well as doing Appreciation Programs for teachers.
While in Florida, Rick and Cheryl started a church in a movie theater with over one “Cheryl and I have been hundred and eighty people in married for over 40 years attendance. Now after because Cheryl understood moving to the area, the multithe Gospel of Grace,” said talented couple lead praise Rick. and worship at Morningside Church in Blue Eye, Through fervent prayer and Rick and Cheryl Pinette Missouri, and recently unconditional love, his life opened a recording studio with daughter Olivia took a turn that would where several gospel artists deepen their beliefs forever. have recorded music. “Only God knows what is next,” said Rick. Rick Pinette was a recording artist in the early 1980’s with Mercury Records and soared to national For more information on Rick Pinette Ministries, fame with songs like King of the Hill, This is Love, contact by e-mail at info@RickPinetteTV.com or and Set the Night on Fire. call 407-304-8245. After stepping out of his tour bus, one winter night, he slipped and fell on an icy step, confining him to a wheelchair. Being restrained to bed rest and a wheel chair, took its toll on Rick. With his hit songs and records now off the charts, he fell into a deep depression. Rick and Cheryl's new Pastor advised them to take some time off and visit the Orlando Christian Center where Pastor
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Still Waters International Ministry (S.W.I.M.) 124 Deer Mountain Road Walnut Shade, MO • (417) 598-1231 Sunday Morning Gatherings • 10:00 AM 7 miles north of Branson on Hwy 160 one quarter mile west of 65. First property on left.
Agape Life Fellowship
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Sun. Services 10 am & 6 pm Wed. Bible Study 6:30 pm
Listen online Branson News & Weather anywhere 417-334-5532 in the now available on your I-Phone as an app! Look in the Apple app store and world at:
Pastor Twila N. Bridges
www.klfcradio.com
A Word of Faith Church (non-denominational) 6185 W. St. Hwy 266 Springfield, MO
(417) 831-2333
When visiting Branson, Missouri be sure to pick up the newspaper that all the locals read!
www.Branson TriLakes News.com
search “KLFC”
Therefore I live for today - certain of finding at sunrise guidance and strength for the way, power for each moment of weakness, hope for each moment of pain, comfort for every sorrow, sunshine and joy after rain! -Billy Graham
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The Right to Bear Arms & Religious Freedom by Tim Davis
T
he right to bear arms is the backstop of religious liberty; it has been for more than four hundred years. The right was famously codified in the English Bill of Rights of 1689, but its entry into the common law came much earlier. Because England had no standing army, not till the seventeenth century, private citizens were expected to possess weapons, and to be trained in their use, for times of national defense and to check crime. The Assize of Arms by King Henry II in the twelfth century obligated freemen to possess weapons and armor. Henry III required every subject between the ages of 15 and 50 to own a weapon other than a knife. A statute of Henry VIII even recommended shooting practice on "holy days". The English populace was thus armed from the middle ages as a matter of course.
The religious significance of having weapons became clear with the Protestant Reformation. It is no accident that the English Bill of Rights stipulates: "That the Subjects which are Protestants may have Arms for their defense suitable to their Conditions and as allowed by Law." After Queen Mary burned alive the Archbishop of Canterbury, together with about 300 other people, it created a conviction that religious liberty could not be trusted to anything less than force of arms.
from there, to the Tower and its humiliations. Charles II made a concerted effort to disarm the republican army. With the help of Parliament, he decommissioned republican regiments and banned veterans from London. The Militia Acts of 1661 and 1662 authorized seizing private arms on the vague pretext of keeping weapons from persons "dangerous to the Peace".
The Game Act of 1671 extended a Protestants were not the only ones who weapons ban to all but the landed gentry: suffered. Elizabeth I tried to disarm anyone not qualified to hunt by sufficient Catholics. Once disarmed, Catholic wealth was prohibited from having guns. families became Mere possession was criminalized in the vulnerable. It was a name of protecting wildlife. squadron of soldiers that surrounded Lyford Things came to a head in 1686/88 as Grange to capture James attempted to shift military power Edmund Campion. Had from Parliament to his personal control. the household been armed, they might Whigs and Tories united in have effected opposition; and James fled. Campion's Before a new monarch was escape. crowned, Parliament took As it was, precautions to formalize the Campion was right to bear arms. Seventh discovered, among the Declaration of and, without Rights, presented to William a shot, turned and Mary, is the right of over to the Protestants to "have Arms for priesttheir Defense". Tim Davis hunters, and,
Patsy Cline Remembered
Come see C.J. Newsom and her live band! Tuesday through Saturday in the Hamners' Variety Theater at 3 PM. For more information, call: 417-334-4363 or visit at:
Religion has been helping with sin consciousness for years, trying to tell you you’re all messed up. But here’s the thing, Jesus set us free from the condemnation, not just the sin but the condemnation that comes from it.
www.PatsyClineRemembered.com
-Pastor Larry Green
Celebrate Patsy Cline's greatest hits and discover her life beyond the music!
Patsy Cline Remembered is the tribute show that celebrates the life and songs of legendary vocalist Patsy Cline. Get up close and personal as the critically acclaimed C.J. Newsom and the Re-Cliners band share Patsy's hits and unique stories. Learn about the stars who influenced Patsy and who were influenced by her including Judy Garland, Loretta Lynn, and Reba McEntire. Join us on the trip down memory lane at Patsy Cline Remembered, the journey through the music that made Patsy famous.
April 2014 The religious liberty assumed in the West is extraordinary; it is limited to a sliver of time and handful of countries. Religious oppression is the norm. That said, no government ever stole the religious freedom of an armed population. And the link between such freedom and the private right to keep weapons should not be overlooked. Biography: Tim Davis is a native of Taney County. He has a doctorate in economics and a law degree from Oxford. Cambridge publishes his research worldwide. Tim returned to Branson to practice law after working as a corporate attorney in New York City.
It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love. -Billy Graham
April 2014
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Exhibit Overview “Passages provides the casual visitor and the intellectually curious—those of faith and those of no faith at all—with a one-of-akind opportunity to go behind the scenes of the most influential work that humankind has ever labored to capture, preserve, translate and study,” said Dr. Jerry Pattengale, executive director of the Green Scholars Initiative, which is overseeing advanced research on items in the collection. Senior group tours, student field trips, homeschool days and church small-group excursions are encouraged. Guests at Passages experience the Bible's story through contextual settings such as an ancient Jewish synagogue, King James' chamber at Westminster Abbey and Israel's Qumran Caves. Historical figures who played an integral role in the Bible's preservation and translation, hands-on activities, digital technologies and livinghistory presentations are also featured. Artifacts and texts that chronicle the evolution of the Bible's format from early cuneiform tablets to today's digital Scriptures are on display throughout. Docents, guides throughout the exhibit, are available to answer questions and help your experience come alive. Guests in Springfield will experience: • A working replica of the Gutenberg printing press, “The Wilde World of the Bible” kids’ adventure, featuring a special Noah’s Ark experience and multimedia
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developed by VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer • iPod Touch audio tour for laymen and scholars alike • St. Jerome’s Cave, where guests imitate 4th-century monks transcribing the Bible by candlelight • Holograms and video screens that re-enact historical scenes related to the Bible • A kids’ scavenger hunt guided by iPod Touch and led by Louie the Lion • Animatronics of historical figures like Queen Anne Boleyn and William Tyndale, who played major roles in preserving and translating the Scriptures over the centuries Springfield is the fifth U.S. city to host Passages, which features around 400 items from the Jewish, Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox faith traditions. Highlights in the exhibit is located across the street from Sam’s Club at 3534 E Sunshine St, Springfield, MO will include: • First-century BC Dead Sea Scroll fragments • First editions of the King James Bible • Codex Climaci Rescriptus, containing the most-extensive early biblical texts in Palestinian Aramaic, similar to Jesus’ household language • Torah scrolls that survived the Nazi Holocaust • Cuneiform tablets dating to the time of Abraham • Early and first editions of the DouayRheims Catholic Old and New Testaments • Rare letters and Bibles from Martin Luther, John Wycliffe and William Tyndale • The world’s smallest Bible—and the largest, containing more than 8,000 pages and weighing more than 1,000 pounds • The original, handwritten manuscript of the biblically inspired Battle Hymn of the Republic
www.explorepassages.com Phone: (888) 297-8011
Jonah at Sight & Sound Theatres! Now playing in Branson, MO Jonah was enjoyed by more than 800,000 guests in its opening season in
Through it all, God reveals His extreme mercy and love not only for Jonah but His love for all.
Lancaster County, PA, Jonah is the epic adventure that has delighted audiences young and old. An uplifting, powerful show full of surprises set 700 years before the birth of Christ, Jonah delivers a powerful and timely message that resonates no more clearly than today. The journey of Jonah, a faithful, righteous prophet
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of God, begins when he disobeys God and runs away from the Lord. His adventure takes him through a terrible storm, an encounter with an enormous fish, his new life in a wicked empire and the struggles he faces through what becomes the greatest revival in history. Jonah is a story of extremes we face as we trust in the Lord.
With spectacular staging, immersive special effects, beautiful original music and a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Sight & Sound brings the action front and center to each visitor in our majestic theatre in Branson, MO. See the show that visitors call "aweinspiring," "uplifting" and "amazing."
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April 2014
She filed two complaints before being told she would be receiving something in the mail. Clawson now has a different mother shopping at the Victoria's perspective on the Secret store at the Domain says she company. "The posters and was denied the right to breastfeed. Ashley Clawson everything are just Instead, she was told to go to an alley. Under Texas law, "a mother is entitled to women showing their breasts and breast-feed her baby in any location in obviously to Victoria's Secret in my eyes, it's looked at as a play toy. Not which the mother is authorized to be." But that wasn't the case for one necessarily, means for you know nursing mother who came to us in disbelief. Now your child, which is why we have breasts she's hoping other women don't have to to begin with," Clawson said. go "She said no, you cannot nurse your son She is hoping this through in our fitting room but you can go outside situation can be used as an example for change. what to the alley and nurse him there, no one "I do think that she had usually goes there," Clawson said. Victoria's Secret needs to. Ashley Clawson had just finished to train their employee's better on the spending $150 at Victoria's Secret. But breastfeeding policy and know the laws she left with more than she bargained for. on it," Clawson said. "I was humiliated by the whole thing, Victoria's Secret issued the following I immediately called my husband," statement: Clawson said. It began when she asked "We take this issue very seriously. We an employee behind the counter if she have a longstanding policy permitting could nurse her 4-month-old son in the mothers to nurse their children in our fitting room. It was the response she got stores and we are sorry that it was not followed in this case. We have apologized that came as a shock. "Said no, you cannot nurse your son to Ms. Clawson, and we are taking in our fitting room but you can go outside actions to ensure all associates to the alley and nurse him there, no one understand our policy that welcomes usually goes there," Clawson said. After mothers to breastfeed in our stores." clarifying with the employee what was said, she knew it was no misunderstanding. "I don't even know what alley she was talking about. I didn't explore it because my son. Obviously if you've been around a baby... once they start crying there is no going back," Clawson said. Once she got home, she posted what had happened on Facebook, getting more support than she could have ever imagined. "Some of these people I've been getting friend requests from I have no clue who they are and people who have shared it on their page, their friends have shared it, and they've tagged certain groups that I never even knew existed," Clawson said.
Woman denied right to breastfeed at Victoria’s Secret store KTCB FOX - Austin, TX
A
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April 2014
Dear Dave, My husband and I are debt-free, and we have several hundred thousand dollars in savings. We pay for our children and grandchildren to visit during Christmas each year, but my mother thinks this is foolish spending. What do you think? Linda Dear Linda, I’m sure your mom loves you guys a lot, but she’s wrong twice on this one. First, she should mind her own business. Second, you guys have obviously worked hard and been extremely smart and disciplined with your finances. For someone in your situation, bringing your family together for one of the most important days of the year isn’t foolish on any level. I think it’s awful that you’re even having this conversation with her. One of my great dreams years ago was to have the ability to do things like that for my family. When I was 22, I worked for a real estate guy who would bring his entire family in from all over the country once a year to go skiing for a week. He and his wife would pay for everything. They would rent a nice chalet, and spend that time having fun as a family and growing closer together. I sort of borrowed that idea a while back. Once a year we’ll take all our
www.OzarksChristianVoice.com kids and their spouses on a nice vacation. We pay for everything, and it’s just one of our gifts to them because we love them. So, I think your mom is completely wrong. There are three things you can do with money: spend, save and give. Trust me, giving is the most fun of all! —Dave Dear Dave, Is it possible to book a hotel room without a credit card? James Dear James, Absolutely, it is. Just use a debit card. I don’t have a credit card. When it comes to finances, the only pieces of plastic you’ll find in my wallet are two debit cards—one for my business, and the other for my personal account. A Visa or Mastercard-branded debit card can be used anywhere credit cards are accepted. And the best part is that you’re not borrowing money when you use one. The funds come directly from your checking account. Some hotels might put a temporary hold on your account for the amount in question, so you need to make sure you actually have the money in the bank. But that just makes sense, doesn’t it? You shouldn’t be traveling without money in the first place. If you’re too broke to travel, then you need to stay home. Pretty simple! —Dave
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Who Should Invest With Us This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial advisor. We know we can't be all things to all investors. And we're OK with that. Edward Jones has a distinct set of guiding principles and investment philosophy. For decades, we've believed in the same basic strategy of buying quality investments that have proved themselves over time. Our financial advisors also meet with you and talk with you regularly to make sure we’re best able to meet your financial needs. If you want to trade options and commodities online, there are plenty of firms and websites that can help you do that. For us, it's about getting to know you and what you want to achieve. Then we'll work together to build a strategy to help you get you there. This is our approach, and we're sticking with it. Most of our clients share some common investing preferences. See if any of these sound like you.
Branson’s Christian Businessmen’s Committee (CBMC) will once again present the Ozark Mountain Prayer Breakfast in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer, Thursday, May 1, but this year hundreds of area athletes will participate along with nearly 700 business and church leaders. Keynote speaker, Coach Bobby Bowden, the second winningest coach in NCAA Division 1 college football history, is still an active participant in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, encouraging high school and college athletes of today to live their faith along with their sport. Each year, The Bobby Bowden Athlete of the Year Award is presented to the Division I FBS football player who epitomizes the student-athlete. This athlete conducts himself as a faith model in the community, in the classroom and on the field, according to Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “We want to make sure our athletes have the opportunity to hear from a man of faith such as Coach Bowden,” said prayer breakfast committee chair, Bill Budnick. Budnick was impacted greatly by the life of Coach Bowden when he played for the Mountaineers during Bowden’s term at West Virginia University. Retired school superintendent Dr. Bill Wheeler, Youth Chairman of the prayer breakfast committee, was charged with finding sponsorships from churches and businesses so that area athletes could attend.
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“The community support has been just great." Area athletes and students will attend the prayer Breakfast which includes a hot breakfast, inspirational music, presentation of the Kingdom Builder Award, prayers for local, state and national leaders led by area pastors, Old and New Testament Readings, as well as Bowden’s challenging address. Bobby Bowden is one of the most elite college football coaches of all time. He is also a “devout Christian who is totally reliant upon God.” He led a dominating dynasty over the course of 34 seasons at Florida State University amassing 377 career victories, the second most ever by a NCAA Division 1 coach. He is The patriarch of the Bowden family and was 80 years old when he retired after the 2009 season. He says the defining moment in his life wasn’t winning championships, but when he rededicated his life to Jesus Christ. “Faith is the most important thing in the world to me. It’s the greatest strength I’ve had. It’s helped me get through the hard times. You’re not going to win every one of your football games. I’ve always said I’m not going to make football my God. A lot of coaches put so much into coaching football games that they have nothing left. I’ve never made football my priority. My priorities are my faith and my family,” said Bowden. The 13th annual Ozark Mountain Prayer Breakfast™ will be held from 6:45-8:30 a.m. at the Branson Convention Center, Thursday, May 1. Tickets are $35 per person on tables of 8 may be reserved for $250. A downloadable ticket order form may be found at www.ozarkmountainprayerbreakfast.com.
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Forgotten Grace breeds unforgiving living.
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April 2014
do we let that same lie rob us of what God wants us to have? (Mat.13-19). In a barren desert, a reflection of the curse on earth, Jesus stopped Satan's lies—also with three words. It is written. He never got into the realm of reason. He simply focused on God's word. We can do the same. When the tempter suggests, “God didn't really mean that he forgives all your iniquity and heals all your diseases, because you're still sick,” we can answer, “It is written in Psalm 103, He forgives all our iniquity and heals all our diseases.”
When the liar reasons, “You've prayed and got no answer, so God must be correcting you with this trial,” we can say, “It is written, God's word is for instruction and correction (II Tim. 3:16). If suffering could correct or perfect us, the Church would have been perfect long ago.” We can refuse to bow to Satan's lies. Instead we trust God's word. When we are discouraged, ill, or feeling defeated, and don't know what else to do, we can speak as Jesus did on the mount of temptation, “It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God,” (Mat. 4:20) bow our knees
and worship God. Speaking the written word, which is the sword of the Spirit, (Eph.6:17) defeats the enemy every time.
Ben Carson: It's Time to Stand Up to Politically Correct Bullies
asked if he misses practicing medicine, but he said he does not miss what it has become.
claimed he said Obamacare is the worst thing since slavery.
anybody else?"
by Sandy Fitzgerald
"The most important thing people have is their healthcare," Carson said. "We need to fight to see that that stays in their hands and not in the hands of the government."
HATH GOD SAID . . .? Gen. 3: 1-5 KJV by Harriet Ford All suffering, disease, and destruction arrived in the world because Eve listened to three words. Hath God said (Gen. 3:1). Tempting the first pair in a beautiful garden, Satan questioned and distorted the Truth. “God didn't really mean what He said. You won't die if you eat the fruit. You'll be even better, because you'll be like God.” Gen. 3:1-5. How many times
American people are too afraid, in this time of political correctness, to stand up and speak for what they believe, says Dr. Ben Carson, the renowned neurosurgeon and conservative commentator. "It's time for people to stand up and proclaim for what they believe and stop being bullied," said Carson, a potential contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, at the recent CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference.) Carson, the former director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, said that most people in this country have common sense, but "the problem is, they have been beaten into submission" by the "PC police," and are afraid to speak up for what they believe. "I thought last year when I retired that I would learn to play the organ, and learn some new languages and play golf," said Carson. "I think the good Lord had a different plan. I'm not sure what the culmination of that plan is, but I am having a good time as I go all all over the country. Enormous crowds coming out, like they're saying 'finally, there is someone with common sense.' But I'm not the only one."
But being a doctor did prepare him for "out-of-the-box" thinking and controversy. "The difference in medicine was, we talked about it," said Carson. "When the facts were shown, people made adjustments. That does not happen in the political world because you are dealing with ideologues." But Carson told the enthusiastic audience members — some of whom were waving "Run Ben Run" signs — that he hates political correctness and he will continue to defy the "PC police" who try to shut him up, saying he finds them "pretty amusing." "I still believe marriage is between a man and a woman," said Carson. "They said 'Carson said gay marriage and bestiality are the same thing.' That's preposterous, and anybody who says that is a dummy, and anybody who believes someone who said someone said that is a dummy." "Of course gay people should have the same rights as everybody else," he said. "But they shouldn't get extra rights."
He said he's often Carson also took offense to reports that
"Of course they're not the same thing. Slavery was much worse. But bear in mind, what happens with Obamacare is that we the people have shifted the power of the government," said Carson. "This is the most massive shift of power that has ever occurred. We need to put the power back in the hands of the people and make sure it stays there." Carson said that it's important for the American people to understand where such accusations come from, "the rule book for radicals, to never have a conversation with your enemies because it humanizes them." The retired doctor noted that he's been invited by another physician, Dr. Melanie Cooper, to speak at her banquet in Atlanta, and organizations are calling for a boycott because Carson is coming to it, and "they say they don't want him spreading his poison.
Or, "would that be the poison of talking about how education is the key, and you don't have to be the victim. And that the most important person in your future is you." Maybe, though, Carson said, it could be the "poison of putting what God says in front of what any man says." In addition to fighting political correctness, people need to fight against the constantly rising national debt. "We have a $17.5 trillion national debt," said Carson, noting that even if the debt was paid off at $10 million a day, it would take 4,700 years to pay it off. "We are killing the next generation," said Carson. "We have to know who our reps are and the ones who are voting to keep raising that debt ceiling vote and keep them out of office."
"Would that be the poison of self reliance and self respect that people should have?" said Carson. "Would that be the poison of telling people in minority communities that they need to learn how to turn over the dollar a few times, and they should reach back and pull others up with you … they won't have to depend on
Health care is one-sixth of our economy. If the government can control that, they can control just about everything. We need to understand what is going on, because there are much more economic models that can be used to give us good health care than what we have now. - Dr. Benjamin Carson
April 2014
4 Things Kids Hate About Your Teaching Written by Brandon Early
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re the teens in your youth group bored some of the time? How do you rectify that?
I have been teaching and speaking for a couple decades now, and I am still growing. While I have not figured out how to give a perfect talk week after week, I do have a list of misses to avoid when teaching. Here are four areas that might seem obvious but aren’t. We might get caught in the moment, rely too heavily on our skills or think we are doing a better job than we are. A sad truth is, students don’t often complain about these things—they just vote with their feet. How are you doing in these four areas? 1. Too long. Here’s one piece of teaching advice I received years ago: “Brandon, if you end early, it doesn’t matter how bad your message was, they will love you.” While I don’t think this is a teaching rule to live by, I understand what the person who told me this was trying to communicate: I am trying to build trust with parents, and getting out 10 to 20 minutes late works against that. I would rather have students get one or two points they understand than sit through a long talk and remember nothing. Short attention spans. Enough said. We are gathering to make Jesus known, not to show off amazing speaking skills. Suggestion: Get an app like SpeakerClock or T-Zero. You could also have a clock visible to the speaker. 2. Too boring. I am not one who pushes entertainment of edification, but let’s not use discipleship as an excuse to communicate without creativity. I have heard too many teachers say something to the effect of, “It is God’s Word; that should be enough.” I know God’s Word does not need my creative touch to be better at communicating its truth. Jesus was perfect and gave the best illustrations. That being said, I do not expect teens to love God’s Word as much as I do. In a college class on teaching, we were discussing the “learning pyramid” and how lecture style was the least popular and least effective form of communication for learning and retention. A classmate abruptly said to the professor, “If it’s the least helpful, why is it the only way you teach?” The teacher responded, “This is not a class
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of practice. It is a class of delivering information.” (That professor is no longer there.) Suggestion: If you have a hard time coming up with interesting stories and illustrations, get help. Read more books, blogs and news. Start collecting compelling stories in an app like Evernote, and tag each story. Try illustration books, videos and websites like these. 3. Too much rambling. Ever go off on a rabbit trail? You’re talking, and you feel like you are saying something, but you have left your message for another topic. Maybe you are just talking, and you don’t know why or what you are saying. I often write out my talks. This does two main things: It keeps me focused (no rambling), and it helps with time. If I only say what is on my script, I am not going to turn a 30-minute message into a 50-minute talk. Suggestion: I like writing my talk with MS Word on my Mac, saving it to Dropbox, and opening it on my iPad with iAnnotate. Play with the font size on your document before you send it to your iPad, as you want to be able to see it without squinting and losing your place. Be careful, though. The downside to a script is that you are tempted to read it. Know your message well enough that you are not tethered to your iPad and that you are not awkwardly reading it word for word.
Brandon Early has been serving in youth ministry for nearly 20 years and is the director of student ministries at Valley Church in Des Moines, Iowa.
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4. Too unconnected. "What does this have to do with my life?" Here is a blurb from the article "The Problem With Youth Talks" by Rick Lawrence (read the whole post here): “Learning loses its value the farther away it gets from practical life application. My least favorite (but often used) teaching strategy is when speakers pelt people with broad imperatives ('We all should be praying more') that are divorced from the practical 'hooks' that would help people take the first steps toward change and growth. You are the bridge between 'what/why' and 'how.'” Whether our talks are applicable or not is determined by the people we’re leading, not by us. Lots of times we assume what we’re offering is applicable because it’s applicable to us. The question to ask is, "What’s applicable to the people I’m leading?”
"To portray the Pope as a kind of superman, a type of star, strikes me as offensive. The Pope is a man who laughs, weeps, sleeps soundly, and has friends like everybody else. A normal person," -Pope Francis
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. - Bertrand Russell
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from the editor...
Hey, buddy, can you spare a buck and a half?
Y
ou may have noticed that The Ozarks Christian Voice has undergone many chhanges in the past few months. These changes are necessary inorder to ensure the survival of this publication. The manner in which people get their news coupled with a bad economy led us to steer away from breaking news features and instead offer opinions and research on topics that have a longer shelf life. Upgrading to a magazine format allows distribution to places that were unavailable as a newspaper tabloid. Charging a modest cover price per issue takes away the burden and quite frankly unatainable ad driven support. The name change reflects our expanding distribution area. You, the reader, can now participate in the minstry of this magazine to the body of Christ as a kingdom unifier. We pray the contents will help us all grow in our journey of faith and wisdom.
being inclusive to other world religions and not supported by a particular denomination. We have served the Christian community to the best of our ability, trying to be fair and balanced to more than one position on the non-essential matters. Of course, it is the human, religious nature to make twigs into trunks. You can imagine the difficult task we have to try to educate and spiritually mature the believer without creating a great offense in the process. If this publication took a left-wing, flaming liberal position or a stinking, right-wing, conservative position (extreme opinions either way), folks on both sides of that spectrum would get pretty generous to support their own ignorant bias. Having a Christian magazine be moderate to conservative usually generates moderate to conservative financial support because it doesn’t get us all fired up. However, we believe a moderate approach to the majority of hot topics is the most prudent and, dare we say, Christian approach?
ink!
The Body of Christ is extremely diverse because it mysteriously serves God’s purpose to be that way. The OCV is a Kingdom paper. We know a $36.00 yearly subscription in this economy is a huge amount. If that is not possible, could you please try to get the the OCV at your favorite vendor? They are mentioned at the bottom of the pages. That’s only $15.00 a year. If it’s more
April 2014
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