MN • Nov 11 by Selah Media Group

pages 16-19

Formerly the Minnesota Christian Chronicle

Vol. 33, No. 11

November 2011

www.christianexaminer.com

Community

Book Review

Should Christians be involved in politics?

Your guide to the 6th annual Christian Community Fair

Author wants to help readers gain a transformed prayer life

pages 3, 12-15

page 26

page 7

FREE

Brad Brandon / Greg Boyd

Mega-churches: Are they here to stay? Decades-long phenomena shows no signs of declining By Scott Noble TWIN CITIES — The church experience worldwide is as varied as the individuals who make up each worship community. House churches litter the globe, with very little accouterments and oftentimes very few members. On the other side of the spectrum, the mega-church— mainly a Western phenomenon— reaches thousands of people and relies on the latest in technology to enhance the worship experience.

The mega-church experience, however, is a relatively recent development in the American Protestant religious landscape. Typically, a mega-church is defined as having more than 2,000 attendees. According to Barney Warf and Morton Winsberg in the “Journal of Cultural Geography,” there were only 50 churches in the U.S. that met that distinction in 1970. That number gradually rose each decade See MEGA-CHURCHES, page 8

Campaign Finance Board ‘acting illegally,’ says marriage organization Issue centers upon disclosing names of donors Christian Examiner staff report TWIN CITIES — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) recently criticized a decision by the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board that NOM believes would force it and other pro-family groups to disclose the names of those who contribute to the marriage amendment issue. The constitutional issue is slated to be voted on in Nov. 2012. NOM claims that Minnesota law does not require nonprofit organizations to disclose their members regarding ballot question committees.

“NOM does not object to its donations to the Minnesota for Marriage campaign being publicly disclosed,” said Brian Brown, NOM’s president, via a media release. “What we do object to is the attempt of Campaign Finance Board (CFB) bureaucrats to illegally force us to report information the law does not require. The CFB does not have the legal authority to impose such requirements. Only the Legislature can enact laws, and they have repeatedly refused to do so.” At issue is the Minnesota Mar-

Don’t Wipe Out ‘Wipeout’ star Molly Sanborn often carries with her a cheese ball dispenser, ‘bringing joy to the world one cheese ball at a time.’ The ‘Cheese Ball Chick’ speaks to small and large groups, encouraging teenagers to wait until marriage before they have sex.

‘Cheese Ball Chick’ tells teenagers to keep Jesus their number one priority By Scott Noble MINNEAPOLIS — When people ask Molly Sanborn if being on the popular television show Wipeout is as painful as it looks, she responds, “No, it’s worse.” She had to sign more than 45 pages of paperwork, describing “every possible thing that could happen to your body.” After the qualifying round, where contestants have to navigate several obstacles while trying

to remain out of the water, Sanborn said: “I was bleeding. The water was freezing. [I had] bruises all over my body, and I felt like I was in a 10-car pileup.” When her husband, Craig, picked her up after filming, she told him, “I don’t think that should be legal.” By being on the show, Sanborn hoped to get the message out about her abstinence speaking ministry. She prayed that her appearance would be a tool for God

to use. While being on Wipeout might have been physically exhausting and intimidating, talking to teenagers about sex and abstinence can be even more challenging. Raised in a Christian family and having attended a Christian school, Sanborn said: “I’m totally seeing how being raised in the environment of being saturated with God’s Word is priceless. The See SANBORN, page 27

See DONORS, page 22

INDEX

Editorial .......................... 6-7 Guide to Twin Cities Christian Community Fair ............ 12-15

Northwestern College opens Graham Commons Building named after Billy Graham and was more than six years in the works By Scott Noble

Guide to Christian Higher Education.......... 16-19 Calendar .......................... 20 Community Briefs.............. 21 Music & Entertainment ....... 23 Professional Service Directory .......................... 23 Classifieds ....................... 24 Book Review ..................... 26

Northwestern College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Graham Commons. From left to right: Drew Elrick, NWC student body president; Dan Roe, mayor of Roseville; the Rev. William F. Graham IV; Alan S. Cureton, president of NWC; and Grover Sayre II, chair of the NWC Board of Trustees.

SAINT PAUL — Northwestern College celebrated the grand opening of the new Billy Graham Community Life Commons (Graham Commons) in early October. The event was planned in coordination with the school’s homecoming activities. The building was named in honor of Northwestern’s second president, the Rev. Billy Graham, who served from 1948 to 1952. Graham also founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association that was headquartered in the Twin Cities in 1950, and the ministry remained in the area for more than 50 years. At 70,000 square feet, the Gra-

ham Commons includes two levels and serves as a “family room” for students, faculty, staff and guests. The structure will also accommodate a dining center, student lounges, study areas, office and meeting space, a campus store and a prayer chapel. “More than six years ago when we began planning for the addition of the Graham Commons, our intention was to build a facility that would be transformational, and we did,” said Alan S. Cureton, president of Northwestern College, via a media release. “The building’s design, coupled with the redesign of the campus See BUILDING, page 4

2 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

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Passionate about purity By Laura Roesler TWIN CITIES — A movement is afoot that approaches dating in a counter-cultural way. More than one million copies of Joshua Harris’ book, “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” have sold since its publication in 1997. Not long after that, Christian recording artist Rebecca St. James started crusading for purity in her concerts and is presently on a crosscountry “Purity and Worship Tour,” which comes to the Twin Cities on Saturday, Nov.19. The tour is enjoying sold-out tickets wherever it goes, according to Lee Michaels, operations manager of KKMS radio, which is sponsoring the St. James event. In October, a Radiant Purity conference, led by Sarah Mally and her father Harold at Straight Gate Church in Minneapolis, attracted nearly 500 people. Mally’s Bright Lights purity Bible studies meet in about 400 locations around the U.S. The movement teaches that

dating is not a time for selfgratification but a time to treat the other person as valuable and decide if this is the one to marry. It goes back to the 1940s when a couple of college students were deeply in love. While he waited to see whether it was God’s will for them to marry, she suffered with longing and doubts. But Betty, as her friends called her, made great use of her singleness. She developed a closer relationship with Christ, moved to Ecuador, learned Spanish and started mission work among Colorado Native Americans. By the time the young man married her, God had prepared them for lives that affected an entire nation. They were Jim and Elisabeth Elliot. His death at the hands of the Auca Indians, whom he was evangelizing, inspired many to dedicate themselves to missions. Her writing and radio ministry have drawn thousands closer to the Lord. Decades later, Harris read Elisabeth Elliot’s “Passion and Purity.”

Hundreds gathered at a recent Radiant Purity conference led by Sarah Mally and her father Harold in Minneapolis.

In the preface, she notes that the Christian’s pre-marital relationships are a battle front where “… it will be determined as to who is Lord: the world, the self and the devil or the Lord Christ. My chief concern is that readers consider the authority of Christ over human passion and set their hearts on purity.” Harris read Elliot’s book twice before the value of it really soaked in. He realized “… its message was exactly what I needed to hear in the midst of my … dating relationship. God used this book to radically change my attitude toward romantic relationships.” Pursuing God and bringing Him glory, seeing singleness as an opportunity to serve and not as something miserable; not imitating the low moral standards of the our culture; and avoiding selfishness in romantic relationships— these are the themes repeated in conferences, writings and Bible studies today and that Elliot wrote about in the past. The October Radiant Purity Conference included these ideas, using lectures, young ladies’ small groups, humorous skits and chalk talks. Separate sessions for parents included one for fathers led by Harold Mally, titled “Talking to Young Men Who Express Interest in Your Daughter.” In the session “Forty Ways to Protect Your Daughters’ Hearts,” he pointed out that parents should have a loving, affectionate relationship with each other, teach the Bible, be humble and gracious when correcting and protective about what daughters are exposed to. Sarah Mally encouraged girls to keep no secrets from their parents and be open about any interest they have in a young man. She

reminded girls to “marry God’s choice. Use the years of your youth to serve the Lord.” She refused to define the word “courtship,” made popular in “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” because “every story is different.” She said, “Avoid a list of rules. It’s not how little [of my physical and emotional self] I can save for my future husband but how much.” She also spoke to girls who have sinned in this area. “God loves to heal and restore,” she said. “There are many examples in Scripture of women who fell, and God used them. Say, ‘From this day forward, I’m going to follow the Lord.’” Staying sexually pure in a climate of impurity is difficult. Michaels said they are presenting St. James’ “Purity and Worship Tour” because our society is “in moral decline, and [we] want to help [youth] understand the importance of waiting for marriage.” Turning away from the selfishness of secular dating prepares singles for the selflessness that makes a godly marriage delightful. The present purity movement gives a boost to Christians who want to follow Christ and not their own physical passions.

For more information about Joshua Harris, visit www.joshharris. com. For more information on the Radiant Purity conferences, visit www.radiantpurity.com. The Rebecca St. James “Purity and Worship” tour is Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m., with special guest Lacey Canfield, at Brooklyn Park Evangelical Free Church. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.kkms.com or by calling (800) 965-9324. The cost is $9.80 for daughters and $15 for mothers.

A perfect book for Christians who share their faith with non-Christians.

Also a great gif t for th non-Chr e istian

View details about this book and its 41 essays and/or purchase this book (hard copy) or individual essays (PDF ﬁle) at:

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November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 3

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Interactive exhibits will be highlight of sixth annual Christian Community Fair Up to 10,000 expected By Scott Noble What: Twin Cities Christian Community Fair When: November 11 & 12 Fri 4-9pm, Sat 10am-6pm Where: Minneapolis Convention Center, Exhibit Hall E What: 200+ business and ministry exhibits, petting zoo, kids crafts and activities, inflatables, live music, teen zone with laser tag and video games Also: World Vision Poverty Simulator Cost: Free admission Info: christianfair.com

MINNEAPOLIS — Christian Community Fair co-founders Rich and Lana Branham, along with their planning team, wanted to add something to this year’s event that would make it even more memorable than past years. The annual free event, held Nov. 11-12 this year at the Minneapolis Convention Center, attracts more than 10,000 people and more than 200 exhibitors. After brainstorming, the group determined that being “involved” in some way at an event is what often makes it special and powerful. “What we always came back to was not just seeing and hearing things but actually being ‘involved’ in what we were attending,” Rich Branham said. “Whether it is catching a foul ball at a baseball game, eating cheese curds at a certain state fair or singing along at a concert, it is ‘doing’ that is memorable. A perfect example is from one of our main sponsors each year. The Salvation Army starts it bell ringing campaign off each year as part of the Christian Community Fair. This is a great way for your small group or family to get involved in the community.” As part of that “doing” emphasis, the international Christian humanitarian organization World Vision will host a poverty simulation at this year’s Fair for companies, churches and youth groups. “The poverty simulation is designed to open an individual’s mind to the realities faced by children and families living in poverty,” Branham said. “During the simulation, participants will role play the lives of low-income families dealing with unemployment, disability and financial hardship, among other struggles. The participants must try to provide the basic necessities for their ‘families’ during four, 15-minute ‘weeks.’ Each family interacts with a mock community composed of various businesses and community services.” Organizers hope that those who

participate in the poverty simulation will someday help the fight against it. “The simulation helps people understand the frustrations and complexities children and families in poverty face every day,” said Sheila Ford, Twin Cities community engagement specialist with World Vision. “One day, experiencing the hardships of living in poverty can lead to a lifetime dedicated to fighting against it.” The sixth annual Fair will also include many of the popular attractions from past years, including the petting zoo, inflatables, Radio Disney, mascots and the opportunity to visit the more than 200 vendor exhibits. The booths will feature everything from large ministries in the Twin Cities to smaller, boutique-like organizations. Schools and universities will be present, as well as various musicians and other artists. “New and very special this year, we are helping celebrate Veterans Day (the Friday of the event) by having everyone sign Minnesota’s Largest Christmas Card,” Branham said. “When the Fair is over, we are sending it to our 2,400 Minnesota troops that are stationed in Kuwait. The card is over 100 feet long!”

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Saving Lives, Changing Lives since 1992!

RWC Ministry Expansion A remarkable opportunity to save even more lives! We have recently afďŹ liated with ICU, the global pioneer and leader of mobile pregnancy help centers. We will GO TO rather than wait for women who are experiencing an unwanted pregnancy. We will park near schools, malls, parks, abortion providers, etc. The mobile unit is a brand new, 31-foot retro-ďŹ tted RV, complete with ultrasound, exam table and ďŹ&#x201A;at screen TV for viewing ultrasounds.

This presents a great opportunity for you to invest in this life-saving venture with us! You can donate online at www.RWCinfo.org or mail your contribution to: Robbinsdale Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center, 3826 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55422.

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The new Graham Commons was six years in the making and will be a place for students and faculty to connect.

BUILDINGâ&#x20AC;Ś Continued from page 1 green, captures the beauty of our location while providing space for physical, spiritual and personal renewal.â&#x20AC;? Special guests at the grand opening included the Rev. William Graham IV, grandson of Billy Graham; Wayne Pederson, president of HCJB Global; Grover Sayre, chair of the Northwestern College Board of Trustees; Dan Roe, mayor of the city of Roseville; David Grant, mayor of Arden

Hills; and Dave Adolfson from Adolfson and Peterson Construction, among others. NWCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan was for the Graham Commons to provide space for â&#x20AC;&#x153;people to connect, build relationships and stimulate spiritual and intellectual growth as the campus lives out its mission of providing Christ-centered higher education.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Graham Commons is a sanctuary of rest, renewal, refreshment, relaxation and reinvigoration,â&#x20AC;? said Cureton. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Northwestern is truly blessed by the generosity of our Lord for

this incredible gift. Our prayer is that the Graham Commons will be used by the Lord to bless the lives of faculty, staff and students for generations to come.â&#x20AC;? Northwestern College was founded in 1902 and provides more than 50 undergraduate programs and two Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree programs. The school currently serves more than 3,000 students from 31 states and 28 countries.

For more information about Northwestern College, visit www.nwc.edu.

Church uses reverse offering as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;spiritual stimulusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; MORRISTOWN, N.J. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A New Jersey church offered a â&#x20AC;&#x153;spiritual stimulusâ&#x20AC;? package to 2,100 people attending its Sept. 25 services. Dubbed the â&#x20AC;&#x153;reverse offering,â&#x20AC;? the church passed around its offering baskets filled with envelopes boasting the words â&#x20AC;&#x153;God Trusts Youâ&#x20AC;? on them. Each envelope contained a $10, $20 or $50 bill, which the parishioners could spend however they saw fit. One woman, a baker, told ABC

News she was going to use the money to purchase supplies for a cake, which she intended to sell for $500. All proceeds would be returned to the church for its homeless ministry. Another woman told the network she needed the money for gas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Washington is broke, people are broke, and folks have lost faith that government can provide a lasting solution to economic issues,â&#x20AC;? Tim Lucas, lead pastor of the 2,000-member church, said in

a statement. â&#x20AC;?Every dollar in our economy is printed with the words â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;In God We Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;... but we want to challenge people with the idea that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;God Trusts Them.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; We believe our current economic crisis is a spiritual issue, which is why we are moving forward with Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recovery plan.â&#x20AC;? In addition the church earmarked an additional $60,000 for three local recovery projects in Morristown, New Brunswick and Nutley.

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November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 5

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Planning underway for 2012 CCDA conference in Minneapolis Minnesota native serves as conference director for national organization By Scott Noble MINNEAPOLIS — Protests on Wall Street and around the country, communities being negatively transformed by foreclosures, neighborhoods and individuals continually having to adapt to changing economic conditions. All these realities allow for the possibility of a fractured society and nation. However, some organizations and individuals have not given up on the possibility of restoring things to the way they should be. That’s the organizing mission of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA), a network of Christians and Christian organizations that endeavor to see people and communities holistically restored. The group advocates living and working in under-resourced communities to help restore a sense of unity. The philosophy behind their efforts can be summed up by the three Rs: Relocation, Reconciliation and Redistribution. CCDA’s roots stretch back to 1960 when John Perkins, along with his wife, Vera Mae, relocated to Mendenhall, Miss., to work with that community. They spent the next 35 years working in Mississippi and California based on the principles of Christian Community Development. Minnesota native Erin Schultz, who is CCDA’s conference

director, said those involved with CCDA come from a variety of positions. “Some of our people actually are what we would call direct practitioners,” she said. “They are the people doing direct service in the community, and others are people who support those direct practitioners, maybe academics who support them with great research and new methods, maybe people who fund them and support them with money, maybe volunteers who have a full-time job but then would come into the community for some service hours during the week or something like that.” CCDA holds an annual conference where participants from around the country gather to learn more about how to effectively impact their communities. Minneapolis was chosen as the 2012 site for its annual conference, mainly because there is a lot of Christian community development work taking place in the Twin Cities and the group has yet to visit this area for a conference. The on-site planning has already begun for the Sept. 2630, 2012, event, but Schultz said they could still use some help. “We started having our first organizing meetings over a year ago,” she said. “Only a couple of months ago did we actually take commitments from people. Most of those teams could use additional help. Each of those

teams is going to be reaching out into the community for further support.” Since the work of CCDA encompasses so many different areas, those who typically attend the annual conference come from a variety of perspectives. “[Participants] work for a community development corporation as a program director or they are a lay person in the community who simply wants to know more and get involved more,” she said. “We do have a lot of church people, not necessarily pastors, who come. We also have a lot of people who are in a secular profession but care so deeply about this—so educators, government workers, people who do lobbying or activism on a larger scale. We’ve got people who run the whole spectrum of being in a very localized, communitybased ministry all the way up to people who are serving in Washington, D.C., trying to change policies.” Regardless of the seemingly fractured elements of society, Schultz said that she senses a real sense of unity among CCDA people. “One of the things that I heard a lot this year at the [2011] conference [in Indianapolis]—from new people especially—was ‘it’s remarkable how much a sense of unity and united purpose there is among the people at the conference given the diversity of political

opinion, of theological perspective and just all the other diversity that exists with age, with gender, with ethnicity, with type of community being served and location and all those things,’” she said. “If we have a strength in this divided climate, it is that we do remain united. In some way, the Spirit of God is the only

thing that we can attribute to being so deeply united …”

For more information about CCDA, visit www.ccda.org. For more information about local CCDA efforts to organize next year’s conference and to volunteer, visit www. ccdatwincities.org.

A peaceful setting in Southern Minnesota Great meeting space options for groups large and small

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6 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

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What Christ can provide that Wall Street—or its protesters—can’t As the nation remains immersed in one of the worst economic downturns in the country’s history, some have taken out their frustrations by protesting Wall Street. Not with hopes for what the nation’s topnotch corporations, banks or financial representatives can do to turn things around, but as a target for the current economic malaise. The Occupy Wall Street protests began in September at Liberty Square in Manhattan and have since spread to more than 100 cities in the United States and many more around the world. According to the group’s website: “[Occupy Wall Street] is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations.” While many are sympathetic to the group’s frustrations, some question if their efforts and their tar-

gets are misguided. Most everyone agrees, however, that the nation’s current economic conditions are difficult and leaders must do more to help right the ship of the American economy. One of the most revealing things to come out of this most recent crisis is how dependent most of us have become on Wall Street and the nation’s banking system. Nearly everyone has a 401(k), an IRA or some other retirement account— not to mention checking and savings accounts. The nation’s interest rates determine how much some individuals and companies can borrow—oftentimes affecting job growth and sustainability. The strength of our dollar impacts prices and affects international business. In some way, whether we like it or not, Wall Street—the all-encompassing term for the nation’s financial leadership—plays a substantial role in our lives. And in many ways,

the confidence we have about our personal lives and future. It can be difficult to feel confident about the future when you have little money left in your retirement account or when you were just laid off because your small business couldn’t secure the loans it needed to continue operating. Our lives to a large degree are affected by Wall Street and other leading financial entities. Nevertheless, I think one of the important lessons to emerge from this crisis is where we, as Christians, place our confidence. Our bank accounts and investment portfolios can easily supply us with a measure of economic security. If we have $100,000 in the bank, it’s much easier to look to the future with a measure of confidence than if we have $1,000 in the bank. However, that results in misplaced confidence. In the Beatitudes, Jesus talked about treasures on earth. He said:

Editor’s Note: Scott Noble “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

I think that implies where we place our confidence. Do we place our confidence in today, tomorrow or 20 years from now, on our bank account or in the One who uniquely created us and promises always to take care of us? That’s certainly much easier said than done. Who doesn’t feel better when their bank account registers four or five digits as opposed to two or three digits? As we continue to move through this economic downturn—with its protests, foreclosures, unemployment and dwindling bank accounts—it’s easy for us to focus exclusively on the financial side of things. However, Christ taught a radically different message. Trust in Him—alone—for our todays, our tomorrows and our forever. Be sure to check us out on Facebook and on Twitter (www.twitter. com/cenewsmn) for breaking news, upcoming events and contests.

From Martin Luther King to Rodney King We are living in a time of complete dysfunction as pertains to our nation’s immigration policy. Racism continues to rear its ugly head even in, and maybe especially because, we live in the Age of Obama. Remember the Rodney King incident and the riots that ensued in Los Angeles in 1992? We had 400 years of white racism against blacks and when black people exploded in anger at the white police brutality finally caught on videotape for all the world to see, it ended up being blacks and Koreans fighting it out in South Central L.A. How did this happen? Koreans started coming to this country in the late 1960s, after the passage of the Civil Rights Act. How did Korean immigrants get caught up in the middle of the racial fear and hatred between blacks and whites that goes back to the time when Europeans first stepped foot on this continent in the early 1600s? However, I am not at all suggesting that we Korean people are not culpable in this great American tragedy. Like all immigrants before us, we used the same strategy to “get ahead.” In the mid 1800s, millions of Irish were escaping the great potato famine ravaging their land. American nativists considered them European refuse dirtying up America. They were greeted by angry mobs who shouted, “Go back to Ireland!” and “They’re here to steal our jobs!” Sound familiar? But the Irish immigrants’ response was essentially: “We know we’re starving, diseased, uneducated ‘European scum,’

Jin Kim as you say, but at least we’re not black.” After the second generation lost their Irish brogue, they were accepted as “white” and became part of the great American melting pot. Of course, we are well aware that this melting pot only worked for European immigrants and had always intentionally excluded darker skinned Americans. A few decades later after the Irish, the Italians started coming. They were a little darker, a little hairier, but they made the same case: “Hey, we know we’re not as white as the Anglo-Saxons here. And we know we’re from southern Europe and Catholic and not as ‘American, baseball and apple pie’ as you people who have been here before us. We’re not even as ‘white’ as the Irish, but at least we’re not black.” And so in America, the Irish and Italians got to be “white people.” This is no small feat considering the historic bias against new immigrants from the earliest days of our republic. Benjamin Franklin, one of our most

illustrious founding fathers, said about the Germans, “Why should the Palatine boors be suffered to swarm into our settlements and, by herding together, establish their language and manners to the exclusion of ours? Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a colony of aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us, instead of our Anglifying them?” He claimed that the non-English immigrants were not “purely white” and that the Germans, Russians and Swedes were of a “swarthy complexion.” However many generations it took, Germans, Swedes, Norwegians, Irish, Italians and Jews all got to be part of melting pot whiteness in America because there was a common target of hatred called blackness. Now what do we do with the middle-colored people, like Latinos and Asians? With racist laws forbidding interracial marriage, third generation Asian Americans looked just as Asian as the first generation. We could lose the accent, but we couldn’t lose our non-European looks. For instance, my Korean wife was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and our children are third generation Korean Americans, but they look just as Korean as their grandparents who came from Korea in 1975. Now here’s the sickening clincher: Even though we Koreans can’t get rid of our Asian-ness enough to enter fully into whiteness in this country, “At least we’re not black” became the godless thought in our heads. So the deal we middle-colored people made with the white power structure of this nation is: “Let us enter into your elite educational institutions, let us work in your corporations, let us

live in your neighborhoods. We know you flee when black people move into your neighborhoods, but hey, slow down. We’re Asians; we’re not black.” And so we Asian immigrants used the same strategy as every immigrant group before us, stepping on the backs of black people to enter into white privilege. As Asian people who have been offered the crumbs of white privilege in exchange for silence and invisibility, we’ve traded in our birthright of dignity for the petty crumbs of empire. We have chosen the path of least resistance rather than the narrow path of solidarity with the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed of society. O Lord, how now do we recover our humanity and our prophetic imagination? I think it’s tragic that the Rodney King incident incited such violence between the African American community and the Korean immigrant community … but I understand. The 1970s, ’80s and ’90s was the time when many Korean immigrants got their start in low-cost, urban neighborhoods. Now if you go to South Central L.A., there are hardly any Korean-owned businesses there as newer immigrants have taken over. You see what I’m saying? Korean immigrants have been here long enough now not to need to be in the poorest neighborhoods. “Well, we’re movin’ on up, to the east side, to a deluxe apartment in the sky …” From a Korean perspective, it was tragic that the Rodney King incident exploded just in that brief moment of immigration history when Koreans owned businesses in South Central L.A. The dream of

Martin King seemed to turn into the nightmare of Rodney King. On the other hand, it’s not just a historical accident. It’s a historical pattern that my people were a part of. That it happened to us might be tragic, but that this sort of ethnic conflict occurred at all in the 1990s is indicative of how hidden the structures of racism are on a day-to-day basis. Is this how a new immigrant group becomes “American?” And what does that say about whether we are Christian or not? Are we genuinely Christian when we ourselves participate in this historic pattern of injustice in this country? Given the brutal reality of our history, I pray that we can walk humbly with God and with one another. On behalf of all Korean immigrants in this country, I apologize to my African American sisters and brothers and ask their forgiveness. On behalf of all Korean immigrants, I also apologize to our Native American sisters and brothers for benefitting from the land that was stolen from them. I also apologize to my white American sisters and brothers, for when we as Asians gladly exploit the “model minority” myth for our own advantage, we are complicit in perpetuating racial divisions and the dehumanization of us all. I humbly ask: Please forgive me and my people, by the grace of God. And may that same grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Jin S. Kim is pastor of Church of All Nations in Columbia Heights.

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November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 7

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Should Christians be involved in politics? YES, it’s our ‘moral’ obligation NO, we can make more of an to be involved as Christians impact through Kingdom work When someone says the word “politics,” it conjures up images of campaigns, government and a divisive climate between Democrats and Republicans. Surely, at one point in our country, political issues were relegated to these confines, but let me assure you those days are long gone. Issues such as marriage, Brad Brandon human life and a host of other moral issues are now being considered “political.” It really is amazing how the moral issues are being swallowed up by the American political machine. Then, Christians are told they should not get involved in politics. It’s as if marriage and life were never issues before American politics. Or, worse yet, maybe there are those who believe the politicians are the moral gatekeepers. I mean, really, they have done such a good job with everything else, right? God’s word defines these issues, not American politics. It is the job of Christians to get involved in the issues of our day and our culture. I would even go as far as to say it’s our moral obligation to be the “salt”; and as we all know, salt changes everything it comes in contact with (Matthew 5:13). Let’s first look at the examples that are laid before us in Scripture. In the Old Testament, we have Joseph who was the second in command under Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. Joseph, being a man of God, was able to influence the government of Egypt for good. Even looking at the New Testament, we find John the Baptist standing as an outspoken critic of Governor Herod, because he was having an immoral relationship with his brother’s wife. He was such a loud critic of this immoral behavior in the life of a ruling official that John lost his head because of it. In the Book of Acts, we find the Apostle Paul reasoning with Felix (the governor) about “righteousness, temperance and judgment to come.” Therefore, from Old Testament to New Testament, we find men and women who are called by God to get involved in govern-

our country, many of whom were trained members of the clergy, who decided to get involved in the political system. In turn, they gave birth to a nation that has raised the standard of living for the entire world. How about the abolitionists of the Civil War? Two-thirds of the abolitionists in America were pastors who regularly preached from their pulpits the evils of slavery. And of course there is Martin Luther King. He was a Baptist pastor who used his pulpit and his position to bring about equality and civil rights. I know there are many more I could list, but time and paper prohibit me. But let me challenge you to ask yourself: What would our world look like if we, as Christians, would have abandoned the political system of history and turned a blind eye to these issues? One further example that may be worth noting is Nazi Germany. While the Jews were being carted off to the gas chambers, the church was largely silent. Even those who were speaking out, like Dietrich Bonheoffer, were being pressured by the rest of the clergy in Nazi Germany to not get involved. The following is a personal testimony of a man who was there: “I lived in Germany during the Nazi Holocaust. I considered myself a Christian … A railroad track ran behind our small church, and each Sunday morning we could hear the whistle in the distance and then the wheels coming over the tracks. We became disturbed when we heard the cries coming from the train as it passed by … We knew the time the train was coming, and when we heard the whistle blow, we began singing hymns. By the time the train came past our church, we were singing at the top of our voices. If we heard the screams, we sang more loudly and soon we heard them no more … God forgive me; forgive all of us who called ourselves Christians and yet did nothing to intervene.” Ultimately, the issue really is not should Christians be involved in politics, but rather should the government be involved in our pulpits by telling pastors what they can and cannot say? Every Christian has to make the decision for themselves whether or not they want to get involved. I know Pastor Greg Boyd advocates the Johnson Amendment, which has silenced and intimidated pastors since 1954. It has unconstitutionally taken away our freedom to speak freely from the pulpit, the things we are led to say. I prefer freedom. I would never advocate a law that would force Pastor Boyd to get involved in political issues. If he feels he is not led to do that, then he should have the freedom to make that choice of his own convictions. So, why then would Pastor Boyd advocate a law that would take away my freedom to do what I feel God has called me to do? Romans 14:5 says, “… letting each be fully convinced in his own mind.”

Issues such as marriage, human life and a host of other moral issues are now being considered “political.” ments, try to influence officials and to take a stand for the righteous side of the issues of their day. Even looking at history, we can see how Christians have always worked to bring about changes in the societies in which they lived. They would even use the political process to accomplish these great feats. Take the example of Christians in 1829, using the legal system in India to stop the live burning of widows under the horrible caste system. Also, in the United Kingdom, William Wilberforce was an evangelical Christian and politician in the late 18th century. He is singlehandedly responsible for outlawing the slave trade and eventually slavery altogether, after 40 years of battling in the political system of England. Let’s not forget the founding fathers of

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As Christians, we’re called to follow Jesus and display God’s beautiful Kingdom of self-sacrificial love that is “not of this world” (John 18:36). But in my opinion, we can’t fulfill that calling if we don’t clearly distinguish the Kingdom of God from the increasingly divisive politics of our culture. It’s natural for all of us Greg Boyd to have political opinions, but I believe we should spend our limited time and energy advancing the Kingdom of God, not getting bogged down in politics. Here are six reasons why: 1. When asked by Pilate if He was king of the Jews, Jesus responded, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest …” (John 18:36). Jesus didn’t come to give us a new and improved version of a kingdom of this world. He rather came to inaugurate a Kingdom that is holy, which means “set apart” or “consecrated.” The main way God’s Kingdom differs from all kingdoms of the world is that it’s comprised of people who are called and empowered to humbly love and serve all people the way Jesus did—including our enemies. The beauty of that Kingdom is shown by how we live, not by enforcing our smarter and/or morally superior ideas through the government. 2. Paul says we are “ambassadors” of the Kingdom of God in a foreign country (2 Corinthians 5:20). The job of an ambassador is not to participate in the affairs of the country they are sent to. Their only job is to faithfully represent their King. As ambassadors, we’re called to show the world an alternative, beautiful Kingdom, not to compromise and get sucked into the ugliness of political systems. 3. The Jewish environment into which Jesus was born was deeply divided over political issues. That’s why people continually tried to get Jesus to weigh in on their political questions. But Jesus never did. He rather turned their questions into opportunities to teach about the Kingdom. For example, He used an issue about an inheritance law to warn a person about greed (Luke 12:13-15) and used a debate about how much tax is owed to Caesar to remind people about what is owed to God (Matthew 22:17-21). Jesus didn’t supply people with the “right” political views about Caesar. Instead of legislating behaviors, He invited them into a Kingdom that focuses on transforming hearts and lives. 4. Matthew, a tax collector, and Simon, a zealot, were among Jesus’ disciples. Politically speaking, these two were further apart than, say, a Tea Party activist and a Communist. Yet Jesus never commented on their different opinions. When we have Christ in common, our political differences, however great, are irrelevant—so long as we remember that we’re united under Jesus to advance a Kingdom that is not of this world. But when we equate our political opinions with the “Christian” position, we invite

the divisiveness of the political arena into the Church. 5. Along the same lines, when we identify our political opinions as “Christian” opinions, we give unbelievers who disagree with us reason to dismiss the Gospel. People stay away from the church because they have (in the minds of some Christians) the wrong political views! 6. The New Testament teaches that Satan is the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “ruler of the world” (John 12:31; 14:30) who “controls the entire world” (1 John 5:19). He tempted Jesus by offering Him all the power of the kingdoms of the world, saying this power “has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want” (Luke 4:6). Jesus did not dispute this claim; He simply refused to submit to Satan to gain power. He will eventually acquire all the kingdoms of the world, but He does it by sacrificially loving and dying for people. As disciples who are called to imitate Christ in all things, we must view the urge to control others as a temptation and instead focus on furthering

The beauty of that Kingdom is shown by how we live, not by enforcing our … morally superior ideas through the government. God’s Kingdom through love and sacrifice. A common fear about disengagement with politics is that it limits our impact on the world. After all, followers of Jesus have helped change society for the good (for example, the ending of slavery in the 19th century and the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s). I wholeheartedly agree we need to be changing the world, but we don’t have to get dragged into politics to do it. For example, Jesus tells us to care for the poor. We may have different opinions about the best way for government to fight poverty. Will a candidate who wants to make our economic system friendly to businesses in order to create more jobs be most effective, or do we need to better fund programs that provide assistance to homeless families? Or perhaps the best solution is to focus on better education? These are all viable political opinions, but there’s nothing uniquely Kingdom about any of them. A uniquely Kingdom approach to poverty doesn’t focus on what government should do; it instead focuses on what we who follow Jesus can do. How can we imitate Jesus’ self-sacrificial love to help people find jobs? Or share our resources to help homeless families get back on their feet? Or dedicate our time and energy to education? These are Kingdom strategies that glorify Christ and notice: We don’t need to agree on politics to implement them! Let’s not tarnish God’s beautiful Kingdom by mixing it with the ugly, divisive, compromising politics of the world. For Christ’s sake, let us keep God’s Kingdom holy! Greg Boyd is senior pastor of Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul.

8 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

MEGA-CHURCHES… Continued from page 1 until 1990, when slightly more than 300 churches could be classified as mega-churches. Shortly after 1990, the number of mega-churches in the U.S. rose dramatically, with more than 1,300 recorded in 2005. According to the Rev. Dr. John Mayer, executive director of City Vision, there are currently approximately 25 Protestant churches in the Twin Cities that regularly see 2,000 attendees each week. That includes the largest mega-church in the Twin Cities—Eagle Brook Church—with 16,000 attendees, followed by Living Word Church, Wooddale Church, Hosanna Lutheran Church and North Heights Lutheran Church, among numerous others. The Twin Cities is also home to eight of the 10 largest Lutheran churches, according to Mayer, the four largest Baptist General Conference/Converge Worldwide churches and the third largest Presbyterian Church in America, Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina.

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While the number of megachurches and attendees has continued to increase, some have recently speculated that the mega-church in America would ultimately serve as a trend, slowly running out of steam and essentially dying out. Since that doesn’t appear to be the case currently, one of the possible reasons for this could be related to the unique set and amount of resources mega-churches provide. “I think a key strength of the mega-church model is that it is resource rich,” said Sue Payne, assistant professor of Church Ministries at Northwestern College in St. Paul. “It has the best of preachers/teachers, it has gifted worship/music leaders and musicians. It has a program for almost anyone; it has the comfort of good coffee, nice décor and an on-site bookstore.” With a plentiful supply of resources, these large church communities also have the potential to accomplish things smaller churches cannot. “[Mega-churches] build amazing facilities for children and youth,” Payne continued. “They have the latest in technology. The gathered community can do ‘big’ things together—like run

a food pantry, sponsor thousands of children in a third world community, supply mentors or tutors for an entire school or raise a million dollars for disaster relief.” While immense resources and numerous ministry possibilities attract many believers—and nonbelievers—some criticize the megachurch for its focus on what they perceive as entertainment over community, an environment where the group is emphasized to the detriment of the individual and the possibility of “getting lost in the shuffle” of a church that can often function like a small city. Nevertheless, Payne believes that the mega-church will survive as long as the Baby Boomers and Generation X-ers, the generations who essentially developed the model, are still alive and still attend these churches. Yet she believes that younger generations may miss the “sense of relationship and community” that smaller congregations can impart. The idea is this: “If I am not there, it will be noticed, and I will be missed—the desire to build deep relationships with a few and the willingness to sacrifice my desires

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in order to do that.” While the mega-church phenomenon has continued to grow in America, there are challenges and changes ahead. Mayer believes that as we move into the future, there will be fewer one-site mega-churches and more multi-site congregations. “I think we will see less traditional big-building, one site-type megachurches and more multi-site mega-churches,” he said. “Multi-sites create more flexibility in structure than traditional church plants. You get the same budgets, can share staff more easily, and you get the same DNA. So it is much riskier than a traditional church planting situation. You can also have some sites that are part of a mega-church multi-site that aren’t mega-churches and are smaller in size and so you get the best of both worlds in this case: a big church in a smaller setting.” Currently, Mayer said there are 70 multi-site churches in the Twin Cities; 24 of them are mega-churches. Each culture around the world approaches worship with its own particular emphases. In the U.S.,

the focus on individualism will continue to make the mega-church an attractive option for many, according to Payne. “I think the current mega-church folks will continue to like them,” Payne said. “I also think the American culture, with an emphasis on individualism and ‘what I like’ will make the resources available in the large churches continue to be attractive for a church choice.” However, Payne wonders if technology, a strong attractional point for some mega-church attendees, will have a negative impact on these congregations down the road. “It will be interesting to see how the more recent (last five years’) easy availability of podcasts, live video, etc. will change whether more people turn to a computer screen instead of making the drive to church,” she said. “The mega-church has always known they had to figure out the community piece—so those who attend only for the top-notch teacher may download their teaching but find a community for fellowship somewhere else.” For more information about City Vision and for a variety of church data, visit www.cityvisiontc.org.

‘The Cross and the Switchblade’ ghostwriter will hold writing clinic in Minneapolis Christian Examiner staff report MINNEAPOLIS — The list of books Elizabeth Sherrill has written, co-written or ghost written with her husband, John, is impressive. Among the list are such classics of the Christian faith as “The Hiding Place,” the story of Corrie Ten Boom and her family’s resistance to the Nazis during World War II; “The Cross and the Switchblade,” how a young preacher confronted some of New York’s toughest street gangs; and “God’s Smuggler,” how Brother Andrew went “undercover” for God. More than 30 books total, with sales of $50 million. The 83-year-old has spent her life crafting stories of how God intervened in the lives of ordinary people. She got her start, along with John, in writing not with books, however, but with “Guideposts” magazine in 1951. Even though the couple was writing for “Guideposts,” a magazine with a strong faith component, they were not in fact believers at first. “I think it was six years or seven years before we became Christians ourselves,” Elizabeth Sherrill said. “We were doing Christian writing, telling other people and never thinking that the stories we were writing weren’t true.” Nevertheless, the couple never considered connecting themselves with the stories they were writing. That changed eventually, beginning with a long cross-country road trip with the couple’s children. “We had decided on a long trip with the children—a three-month car trip crisscrossing the country interviewing people and getting stories,” she said. “On the way back, the children would fall asleep in the car and we would talk about things. Finally, when we ran out of interesting topics, we got around to religion. We thought that maybe it would be a good idea that the children should go to Sunday school, so that they would have some concept to make up their own minds when they reached a certain age.” Those conversations led to what she called “an experiment,” where they would attend a particular

Elizabeth Sherrill, ghostwriter for many significant Christian books, will be in Minneapolis this month for a writer’s conference.

church in town for an agreed-upon length of time. They also agreed not to talk about their experience, both being verbal people who could easily talk things to death. That “experiment” eventually led to their coming to faith and the writing that would touch millions of people around the world for the next several decades. Sherrill will be in Minneapolis on Monday, Nov. 14 at North Central University for a writer’s conference. The event will be held in the university’s small chapel and will begin at 9:00 a.m. and run until 6:00 p.m. The cost for the conference is $55. The conference will cover practical tips for writers and how to communicate effectively. “I’m a very practical speaker,” she said. “I’m not going to talk about how inspiring writing can be, what good it can do for the world and all that. My advice is to be the best writer you can [be]. There isn’t anything different about Christian writing from any other kind of writing. There’s good writing and there’s bad writing. Christian writers should be the best writers because it’s the most important thing to communicate and so often it’s not well done.”

For more information on the writer’s conference and to register, visit www.writersconferencemn.com.

November 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER â&#x20AC;˘ 9

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Supreme Court hears arguments in important church-state case By Bob Allen WASHINGTON (ABP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Oct. 5 in a closely watched case involving a churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to hire or fire ministers for reasons like religious doctrine that in other settings would be job discrimination. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The churches do not set the criteria for selecting or removing the officers of government, and government does not set the criteria for selecting and removing officers of the church,â&#x20AC;? attorney Douglas Laycock argued on behalf of petitioners in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC, et al. The case involves a former fourth grade teacher and commissioned minister who tried to get her job back under the American with Disabilities Act. In a lawsuit filed on her behalf by the Equal Employment Occupation Commission (EEOC), a district court said she could not be reinstated because of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;ministerial exceptionâ&#x20AC;? to the law. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, finding the teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;primary dutiesâ&#x20AC;? were secular and not religious, so the ministerial exception did not apply. The Baptist Joint Committee (BJC) for Religious Liberty, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief, said the case has â&#x20AC;&#x153;clear and crucial implication of religious liberty, church autonomy and the separation of church and state.â&#x20AC;? The brief, which was also joined by the Christian Legal Society, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and the National Association of Evangelicals,

said courts should not be second guessing a churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision about who is fit to teach in a religious school. It says that even if a Christian school teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subject is secular, like biology or math, her job is to help pass on a particular set of morals and religious beliefs to a rising generation. Though widely accepted by lower courts as a necessary safeguard for religious liberty, the ministerial exception doctrine has never been tested by the Supreme Court. Other courts have differed in how to apply it. The BJC advocates the broader application used by the district court instead of the narrow interpretation used by the appellate court. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In defining the ministerial exception, an approach that is too simplistic will undermine religious liberty,â&#x20AC;? said BJC General Counsel Hollyn Hollman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Court should put a premium on both the religious organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designation of ministry personnel as its religious representatives and the employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; responsibility for performing important religious functions.â&#x20AC;? Leondra Kruger, the attorney representing the EEOC, claimed the teacher in the case was fired unjustly in retaliation for exercising her legal rights and should be reinstated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The freedom of religious communities to come together to express and share religious belief is a fundamental constitutional right,â&#x20AC;? Kruger said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a right that must also accommodate important governmental interests in securing the public welfare.â&#x20AC;?

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New â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;180â&#x20AC;&#x2122; video documentary prompts turnabout on abortion Christian Examiner staff report DALLAS, Texas â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The dramatic new documentary â&#x20AC;&#x153;180â&#x20AC;? is gaining national attention. The documentary uses the history of the Jewish holocaust as a backdrop to challenge pro-choice positions on abortion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;180,â&#x20AC;? produced by evangelist and Christian apologist Ray Comfort, features the filmmaker posing the question, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What would you do if...?â&#x20AC;? in a series of sidewalk interviews. Comfort begins by asking morally charged questions to a variety of people, most of them college age. He offered several different scenarios about when it was OK to kill. Eventually he leads to the topic to abortion. While several of those filmed got defensive, over the course of the 33-minute video, eight pro-choice advocates appeared to have changed their stand on abortion. Comfort, who released the video online on Sept. 26, is hoping the documentary will go viral. The video received more than one million views online in the first thirty days while thousands of DVDs are making rounds on college campuses nationwide. After viewing the DVD, Francis Chan, best-selling author and founding pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Extremely convicting. It made me question my courage. I pray it causes many to evaluate their silence.â&#x20AC;? Ironically, the film itself completed its own 180 degree turnaround as the filmmaker was focused on Hitler and the holocaust to create a companion DVD to go along with Comfortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new

A woman named Alysea was one of several young people interviewed in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;180â&#x20AC;&#x2122; a new documentary from Christian apologist Ray Comfort.

book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hitler, God, and the Bible.â&#x20AC;? In the course of the interviews for that project, Comfort offered up a variety of questions about life as it pertained to the holocaust and ultimately linked the discussion to abortion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It began with two male university students completely changing their minds about abortion when we asked them this one question,â&#x20AC;? Comfort said in a news release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We realized it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be convincing to have only males speaking on the subject, so we took to the streets, asking that one particular question, and found that six women changed their minds from pro-abortion to pro-life in a matter of seconds. It was amazing!â&#x20AC;? Comfort said he quickly recognized the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential to open the doors of discussion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have held up pro-life signs. I have printed pro-life literature and spoken against abortion in pulpits and in my books, but I have felt that all my efforts

were almost futileâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that is, up until now,â&#x20AC;? Comfort said of the documentary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;180â&#x20AC;&#x2122; we have a nation changer.â&#x20AC;? He said the short film could become a vital tool in altering Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prevalent pro-choice view, particularly among young people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of us know that we should be doing something to stop this horror, but the thought of protesting is a little unnerving, especially with the demonization of those who do so,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But here is something each of us can easily doâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we can give this DVD out. We can pass them out on the streets, leave copies on park benches or on seats in malls or give it to the checkout lady at the supermarket. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hard to do, and it will save livesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;perhaps millions of lives.â&#x20AC;?

The documentary is available for online viewing at http:// christianexaminer.blogspot.com.

10 â&#x20AC;˘ MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER â&#x20AC;˘ November 2011

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NAE delegation meets with President Obama to discuss issues important to evangelicals By Scott Noble WASHINGTON, D.C. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A 20-person delegation of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) met with President Barack Obama in mid October to express to the president issues of concern to evangelicals. The delegation included Carl Nelson, president of Transform Minnesota (formerly the Greater Minnesota Association of Evangelicals). According to a report of the meeting by Nelson, Leith Anderson, president of the NAE and pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn., led the group and thanked the president and the State Department for their efforts in the case of Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who has been sentenced to death because of his conversion to Christianity. George Wood, general superin-

tendent of the Assemblies of God spoke about religious minorities in countries like Iran and Egypt. Wood told the president that three of the four most recent Christian martyrs in Iran were pastors of Assemblies of God congregations. The president told the group, according to Nelson, that he â&#x20AC;&#x153;frequently applies pressureâ&#x20AC;? on the issue of religious persecution when meeting with foreign leaders. In addition, the discussion focused on religious freedom, protection of religious hiring rights, immigration reform, traditional marriage definitions and how to care for the poor. John Jenkins, pastor of First Baptist Church in Glennarden, Md., expressed concern on the part of the NAE that the Justice Department has not sought to uphold the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

The NAE supports marriage as between one man and one woman and believes it provides the â&#x20AC;&#x153;fundamental guarantee of societal survival and thrivingâ&#x20AC;? and also for the successful procreation of the next generation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We expressed concern about [Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s] evolving views on marriage and that we believe changing the definition has serious consequences for our society,â&#x20AC;? Nelson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was pointed out that many chaplains in the military are concerned that changes to DADT [â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tellâ&#x20AC;?] and DOMA may require them to violate their faith.â&#x20AC;? Immigration reform was also an important issue discussed by the religious delegation and the president. According to Nelson, the president thanked the NAE for its support for comprehensive immigration reform and for

its biblical and moral approach to the issue. The president also acknowledged that a majority of Americans want to enact immigration reform. Jo Ann Lyon, general superintendent for the Wesleyan Church encouraged the president to continue to make immigration reform a top priority. Anderson concluded the meeting by praying for the president. Nelson said the president concluded the meeting by thanking the group for being gracious on issues of disagreement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that we dialogue with public leaders in a civil manner,â&#x20AC;? Nelson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are issues that evangelicals and the president donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree upon (i.e. marriage), but he thanked us for being gracious in our discussion of those things we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree upon, and I think that it is important for us as

leaders to help reclaim a tone of civility in our nation.â&#x20AC;? Meeting with the president was a bit of a surreal experience for Nelson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It felt a bit anti-climatic,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to say it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t significant or impressive; it was, but the staff who welcomed us were personable and friendly like anyone else. Shaking the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand and looking at him across the table was a bit surreal. The president seems familiar to all of us because we see him on TV and in photos constantly, but looking him in the eyes and listening to him talk from across the table is a much different experience.â&#x20AC;? For more information about the NAE, visit www.nae.net. For more information about Transform Minnesota, visit www.transformmn.org.

Nearly 500 churches challenge IRS with Pulpit Freedom sermons By Lori Arnold PHOENIX, Ariz. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Four Minnesota churches participated in the national Pulpit Freedom Sunday campaign challenging IRS restrictions on what pastors can say from the pulpit. In all, more than 475 churches nationwide registered for the event, held Oct. 2. The showing was nearly a five-fold increase from the previous year. The pastors represented

46 states and Puerto Rico. Jim Garlow, chairman of the national Renewing American Leadership and one of the supporters of the event, said pastors â&#x20AC;&#x153;were really pumped upâ&#x20AC;? on a post-event conference call. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The response of the congregations was really encouraging,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pastors reported being interrupted with applause and in some cases they had standing ovations. We just didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t anticipate that.â&#x20AC;? He said a poll of the pastors indicated that 98 percent of them said they would participate again. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 57 years, no church has lost its tax exemption by whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been in the pulpit,â&#x20AC;? Garlow, the pastor of Skyline Church in La Mesa, Calif., said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The law creates fear in pastors and muzzles them.â&#x20AC;? Pulpit Freedom Sunday, a project of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), targets an IRS regulation known as the Johnson Amendment. The rule prohibits pastors from endorsing or opposing candidates from the pulpit, although they are free to discuss political is-

sues. The law was created in 1954 by then-Sen. Lyndon Johnson, who was upset with two businessmen who used their nonprofit status to campaign against the representative. As is common practice today, the amendment was slipped into another bill and passed as part of that legislative package with no comment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 2,500 attorneys of the ADF believe that it is unconstitutional,â&#x20AC;? Garlow said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The IRS has been very skillful at keeping it out of the courts.â&#x20AC;? In an effort to bring the law under court review, the ADF has been soliciting pastors willing to challenge the IRS by preaching sermons â&#x20AC;&#x153;that present biblical perspectives on the positions of electoral candidates.â&#x20AC;? The pastors are also sending audio and hard copies of their sermons directly to the IRS. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are not saying that every pastor needs to endorse from the pulpit, but they all have the right to do so if we are going to have an authentic separation of church and state,â&#x20AC;? Garlow said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for all pas-

tors, not conservatives or evangelicals. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree with what Pastor Jeremiah Wright believes, but he has a right to say it.â&#x20AC;? Garlow was referring to President Barack Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former minister who espouses liberation theology. His views garnered national attention during the 2008 presidential election, prompting Obama to distance himself by leaving the church after 20 years. The increase in participation has garnered the attention of the mainstream media, with coverage by â&#x20AC;&#x153;The New York Times,â&#x20AC;? MSNBC, CNN and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Forbes.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become a national conversation,â&#x20AC;? Garlow said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know there are 29 categories for nonprofits and the 501c3 is the only category with this restriction.â&#x20AC;? Garlow said it has been widely reported that several former Johnson staffers said the senator never intended the law to impact churches but was designed instead for nonprofit lobby groups. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a 57-year-old cultural

myth,â&#x20AC;? the pastor said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When government taxes, the government controls and when the government controls, government has the power to destroy.â&#x20AC;? ADF Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley said the annual Pulpit event is a necessary step in getting the government out of American pulpits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pastors and churches shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live in fear of being punished or penalized by the government,â&#x20AC;? Stanley said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Churches should be allowed to decide for themselves what they want to talk about. The IRS should not be the one making the decision by threatening to revoke a churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tax-exempt status. No government-recognized status can be conditioned upon the surrender of a constitutionally protected right.â&#x20AC;? The churches in Minnesota who participated in Pulpit Freedom Sunday included Faith Baptist Church in Brainerd, Hill City Baptist Church in Hill City, Landmark Baptist Church in Red Wing and South Troy Wesleyan Church in Zumbro Falls.

They knock on your door! *EHOVAH S 7ITNESSES -ORMONS OR ANOTHER CULT What do you do? ! FRIEND HAS BECOME INVOLVED IN A RELIGIOUS GROUP THAT CONCERNS YOU Where can you turn for help?

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Jan Markellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program will help you understand the times, contend for the faith, and be a watchman on the wall! It presents the â&#x20AC;&#x153;inconvenient truthâ&#x20AC;? and is biblically correct, not politically correct.

For more information or to order Janâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free newsletter, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Understanding the Times,â&#x20AC;? call 763-559-4444 www.olivetreeviews.org

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He lived in a closet! (As seen on the 700 Club)

Come hear Billy Lindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing story of victory in Jesus Christ! Billy ran away at 12 years of age. He lived on the cold streets ďŹ lled with sorrow and pain. He succumbed to his circumstances and became a drug addict and a sex slave. Billy said that his soul was so damaged that he lived in a constant state of numbness. At the very end, it got so bad that he started to live in a closetâ&#x20AC;Ś cutting himself, smoking cocaine.

All he wanted was to dieâ&#x20AC;Ś Until Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love came and rescued him. Sunday, Dec. 11, 10am Tuesday, Dec. 13, 7pm Love Divine Embassy of God Church 3405 Kilmer Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441 694/94 to 169 So., to 36th Ave. go Right, 1/2 blk. turn Left on Kilmer Ln., 2 blks. down on Right

Call Pastors Carolyn or Dave Hagen for more info.

(763) 497-9820 or (612) 250-1462 7EB WWW LOVEDIVINECHURCH COM s % MAIL INFO LOVEDIVINECHURCH COM Billy will also appear at LovePower Church for one night only! Wednesday, Dec. 14, 7pm 1407 Washington Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55454 )NFO OR JANETGULLICKSON HOTMAIL COM

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12 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

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November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 13

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Music Stage Day Friday

Time 4:30 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM

Saturday 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM

Variety Stage

Artist/Group

Day

Time

Northwestern College Worship Team Cody James Lars Carlson and The Coat Tales Tru Serva

Friday

5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM

New Song Kids Choir The Radio Disney Road Show Brian Bates Heart of the City Ryan Daniel Homebound Theatre North Central University’s ONE ACCORD

Saturday 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM

Artist/Group Christa Krussow La Poema Jeffo the Magician

Christa Krussow TBA Ginger Ewing (Ameriprise) Dave Anderson (Famous Dave’s) Phil Dommer (Prelude Senior Living) La Poema Jeffo the Magician

Cody James, a former songwriter for Loretta Lynn’s publishing company, Coal Miner Music, takes the gospel message of Christ into the world with the combination of original music and the power of personal testimony.

Ryan Daniel is a dynamic Reggae/Holy Hip Hop artist who uses his God-inspired music to bring transformation to people’s lives.

The New Song Kids Choir is a spirited praise team of young believers who have decided to make worshiping God ~ through music, dance and drama ~ a priority in their lives. These dynamic musicians, ages 10-17, are an interdenominational choir who perform regularly in the greater Mpls./St. Paul metro area and throughout Minnesota.

Heart of the City seeks to unite Christians and break patterns of racial and denominational division by the power of God through music, education and gatherings of worship and prayer.

One Accord hails from Minneapolisbased North Central University and is the University’s premiere performance touring group. Composed of current students under the direction of worship leader/songwriter Jeff Deyo, the group combines the unique styles of the singer/ songwriter and its members.

Homeward Bound Theatre Company is a professional performing arts organization, committed to providing theatrical productions, drama sketches, and workshops for youth through adults. The focus of HBTC is a vision of bringing a performing arts experience that encourages family values and positive relationships.

TRU SERVA is a Hip Hop artist that is passionate about spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. This Minneapolis based artist travels globally with a message of hope, grace and new life.

Lars Carlson & The Coat Tales craft music

According to Christianity Today, Brian Bates has “strong vocals and thoughtful production... all with a potent sense of mission. Bates is proof yet again that there is value in each of our stories.”

experiences that blend contemporary, roots, blue-eyed soul, and grace. Lars also operates Dreamcoat Coffee, a Salvation Army-owned coffee shop/boutique in Oakdale, MN.

The Radio Disney Road Show is an interactive performance involving games, prizes and of course – dancing!

14 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

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12 Seeds

Family Innovations, Inc.

Northwestern College

A Beka Academy

Family Quest

Norwex

A Touch of Heart

Favorable Treats

Nourishing the Root

A Touch of This N’ That, LLC-IT WORKS

Fishing for Life

Nystrom and Associates

Aaberg Ministries

Focused Investments Inc.

Operation Christmas Child

ACR HealthCare Group

Fort Snelling

Pacem in Terris

Adventure Partners LLC

Fuel Direct

Praise FM

AFLAC

Genesis Distributing, Ltd

Prayer area

AM 980KKMS

Get It In Your Soul, Inc.

Prelude Senior Living

Amazing Jeffo

Gift Book Plus

Prudential

Amazing-Finds-by-Julie

Global Media Outreach

Pulse Outreach

Ameriprise Financial

Golden Eagle Travel &Tours

Radio Bendicion

Answer in Jesus Ministries

Gospel Assoc of India

Raptor Center

Aspire Chiropractic

Handbags By Miche

Refine Laser & Electrolysis

Audio Logic

Hands of Freedom

River City Press, Inc

Awana

Healing Center Int’l

Robin Center Chiropractic

Bachmann & Associates Christian Counseling

Herbalife

Salvation Army

Heritage Christian Academy

Scentsy Wickless Candles

BestFit Assessments Bethany Christian Services Bethany College of Missions Bethany International Big Sandy Camp & Retreat Center Blue Cross Blue Shield MN Bluebird Screen Printing BOB 106 Bridging the Gap Calvin Christian School Camp JIM Inc Camp Victory

Homeward Bound Theatre Company Ingham Okoboji Bible Camps Insurance Brokers Of Mn ITG Travel Koronis Ministries KTIS AM KTIS FM Lake Geneva Christian Center Large Games Production Legacy Christian Academy Liberty Classical Academy

Seek the Truth Counseling Servanteers Shoutlife.com Silent No More Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries Sonshine Festival Southwest Christian High School Sparkling Properties, Inc Spirit of Hope Counseling Center Sylvan Learning TC Biblical Languages

Celebrating Home

Lifeforce Family Chiropractic

Chapel Hill Academy

LifeWay Book Stores

Child Evangelism Fellowship

Luther Point Bible Camp

Christian Bus. Leadership Peer Groups

Lutheran Island Camp

Christian Community Coach

Macaroni Kid/Macaroni Deals

Christian Examiner

Make-A-Wish

Christian Student Fellowship at the U of M

Marriage/Engaged Encounter

Christmas Card signing

Mary Kay

Cimarron Graphics

MGB Printing

Citizens Against Gambling Expansion

Michael Thompson Photography

Cody James

Midwest Challenge

Collaborative Solutions Minnesota

Minneapolis Recreation Development, Inc.

Ukrainian Children’s Home

Concordia Academy-Roseville

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life

Union Gospel Mission

Cornerstone Automotive

Minnesota for Marriage

US Gold and Silver Advisors

CPR Professionals

Minnesota Teen Challenge

Vertical Endeavors

Craftmasters Remodeling

Minnesota Timberwolves

Voice of Truth Ministries-Voz da Verdade

Cristo Vive International

Minnesota Virtual Academy

W.O.W. Ministries International

Crossroads College

Miracles of Mitch Foundation

Water Park of America

Crown College

MN Center of Online Learning

Webb Financial Group

Delve

MN Christian Chamber of Commerce

Weddings By Cathie

DeMars Signs

MN Community Services

Weins Ministries

Direct TV

MN Herpetological Soc.

WestRidge Senior Retirement

Discover Chiropractic

Moms in Touch

Wings Outreach

Distant Shores Media

MomsOnTheRun

Wood Lake Bible Camp

Eternal Thanks

National Center for Fathering

World Vision Twin Cities

Extreme Life Media

News Service 2000

YMCA Camp St. Croix

Face Painting

Newsong Kids Choir

Young Living Essential Oils

wFaithSearch

North Central University

Youth With A Mission Minneapolis

Team Jamaica The Angel Hunter The Association Retreat Center The Navigators Thinke Thirty-One Transform Minnesota Travel Leaders Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Twinfinity Creations

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November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 15

16 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

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Exclusive faith Young adults struggle with what to believe in a post-modern world By Kate Beecken World News Service MINNEAPOLIS — Young Christians, who have grown up in a culture that denies absolute truth, struggle with the exclusive nature of their faith and the way they’ve seen their parents’ generation communicate with an unbelieving world. According to a research study recently released by the Barna Group, 59 percent of young adults disconnect from the church in their teen years. Many study participants told researchers that they stopped attending church because they wanted to find common ground with their peers, not build walls in areas where they disagreed. Twenty-nine percent of study participants, all between 18 and 29 years old, said the church was afraid of the beliefs of other faiths. The same number said they felt like the church forced them to choose between their faith and their friends. Young adults who grow up in a pluralistic, post-modern society have a hard time claiming that Christ is the only way, said Mark Mellen, the assistant pastor at Substance Church in St. Paul, Minn. “This post-modern generation thinks that what’s true for you is not necessarily true for me,” Mellen said. Matt Runion, the associate campus pastor at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., said that the prob-

lem of exclusivity is complicated by hypocrisy when the church does not live up to its claims. “As a general blanket statement, the exclusive claims of Christianity, while they are true, have not always been communicated, whether by words or lifestyle, in ways that are compelling for young people entering into this diverse world with lots of different perspectives,” he said. The struggle of students to support Christianity’s claims is complicated by churches that say they are different than the rest of the world but lack any fruit to prove it, Runion said. If churches emphasized action and living out Biblical mandates in practical ways, church would be more attractive to young people, he said. Not only do students wrestle with Christianity’s claims compared to other religions but also with how narrowly some churches define their own theology. Mellen said that Substance Church responds to these differences through a concentric circles approach. Absolute truths, like acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God, are in the center, with surrounding circles making room for interpretations, deductions and cultural questions about which the Bible is less clear and there is more debate. “We allow for the diversity of belief to exist inside our church,” Mellen said. Only people on the Substance leadership team must agree to the church’s statement of faith.

59 percent of young adults disconnect from the church in their teen years. Researchers say that they stopped attending church because they wanted to find common ground with their peers, not build walls in areas where they disagreed.

Some respondents to the Barna study also equated the church to a country club, open only to the “right” kind of people. Young adults may perceive that church is only for those who already believe and act a certain way. “What I hear students saying is ‘We don’t have space. In the churches we grew up in, there isn’t a lot of space for the people who

believe other things or don’t believe what we believe,’” Runion said Perhaps in response to those concerns, Runion sees a trend in churches nationwide that have begun marketing as ‘a place to belong’ and opening the door to people with various backgrounds. Robert Shell, a Biblical and Theological Studies major at Bethel, said

when he worked in a church youth program, he watched the country club mentality alienate students who felt they didn’t fit in. “They didn’t feel like they were welcome, that their opinion could be shared or that they could express their faith as they wanted to See FAITH, page 19

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ACTS International Bible College 804 131st Ave. NE Blaine, MN 55434 (763) 755-4800, x114 lancewonders@actscollege.org www.actscollege.org ACTS Bible College has been helping all ages, cultural backgrounds, and denominations lay biblical foundations for life and calling since 1986. With an emphasis on both Word and Spirit, ACTS’ variety of teachers and practical degrees may well be God’s answer for you. Affordable, personal, flexible—equipping from a One New Man perspective; a ministry of Way of the Lord Congregation.

Bethel University 3900 Bethel Drive St. Paul, MN 55112 (651) 638-6242 buadmissions-cas@bethel.edu www.bethel.edu Bethel University is a leader in Christ-centered higher education with approximately 6,600 students from 48 states and 25 countries enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs. Based in St. Paul, Minn., with additional seminary locations on both coasts, Bethel offers rigorous bachelor’s and advanced degrees in nearly 100 relevant fields. Programs equip women and men for culturally sensitive leadership, scholarship, and service around the world.

Collegium Bible Institute 410 Dakota Street W. Cannon Falls, MN 55009 (507) 263-2777 registrar@collegiumbibleinstitute.com www.CollegiumBibleInstitute.com CBI is a four year degree program in biblical studies. Our focus is on building the person for ministry rather than merely imparting information. Our program emphasizes understanding biblical text to prepare Christians with a narrative that will carry them into any field of ministry. We use five Hebraic methods of learning which are character, gifting, knowledge, mentoring, and life coaching.

Crossroads College 920 Mayowood Road SW Rochester, MN 55902 1-800-456-7651 Undergraduate Admissions www.crossroadscollege.edu/apply Adult Studies/Degree Completion www.crossroadscollege.edu/Compass Excellent Christian Community, Core Biblical Foundation. Crossroads College is an affordable private Christian college that has been "Impacting the world for Christ" since 1913. Crossroads’ attractive campus is located in Rochester, MN and specializes in preparing students and adults for vocational ministry. Our Adult Studies/Degree Completion program is Onsite, Online, On-Purpose. Flexible Class Schedule at a great value.

November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 17

18 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

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Crown College

3OUND "IBLE TEACHING s 3TRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL CHURCHES 3TUDY FUNDAMENTALS OF THE FAITH "IBLE AND MINISTRY Register online: nwc.edu/nbi #LASSES OFFERED IN %NGLISH AND 3PANISH #ONTINUING %DUCATION 5NITS #%5 AND COLLEGE CREDIT AVAILABLE

8700 College View Drive St. Bonifacius, MN 55375 www.crown.edu Undergraduate Admissions (952) 446-4100 • admissions@crown.edu Adult and Graduate Studies Admissions (952) 446-4300 • ags@crown.edu Crown College is an affordable, accredited private Christian college just west of Minneapolis, that prepares students—online and on-campus—to serve and influence the world by placing a high value on being Christcentered, academically excellent and globally connected. Ranked among the Best Midwest Regional Colleges, Crown is also a member of the CCCU.

Northwestern College 3003 Snelling Avenue N. Saint Paul, MN 55113 (651) 631-5100 admissions@nwc.edu www.nwc.edu Founded in 1902, Northwestern College is a Christian liberal arts college in Roseville, Minn., offering more than 70 areas of study, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Early College and PSEO, plus associate degree and certificate programs. Enrolling more than 3,000 students in all programs, Northwestern is home to 1,800 traditional undergraduate students who are developing their minds and their faith within a Christ-centered community.

Northwestern College Bible Institute • South Minneapolis • St. Paul (Spanish) • South Metro Area (651) 286-7557 figlesia@nwc.edu www.nwc.edu/nbi The Northwestern College Bible Institute (NBI) is an innovative program strategically partnering with local churches to provide sound Bible teaching. Under the oversight of Northwestern College’s Department of Biblical & Theological Studies, the NBI gives you the opportunity to pursue a diploma in three different areas: fundamentals of the faith, Bible, and ministry.

Oak Hills Christian College 1600 Oak Hills Road SW Bemidji, MN 56601 1-866-307-OHCC admissions@oakhills.edu www.oakhills.edu Oak Hills Christian College is an interdenominational, accredited four-year college that offers 9 Bachelor degrees, 2 AA degrees, and a one-year Certificate in Biblical Studies. Students at OHCC receive a Bible-based education that promotes a Christ-centered worldview and a heart for loving God and serving others.

November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 19

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Patrick Henry College 10 Patrick Henry Circle Purcellville, VA 20132 1-888-338-1776 admissions@phc.edu www.phc.edu Patrick Henry College seeks to recreate the American collegiate ideal: education for truth, truth for leadership, all for Christ. We equip young leaders in a Christian classical tradition with our comprehensive core curriculum, centering all truth on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Hands-on apprenticeships cement classroom instruction in the areas of Government, Journalism, Literature, History, or Classical Liberal Arts.

Rivendell Sanctuary 6820 Auto Club Road; Suite T Bloomington, MN 55438 (952) 996-1451 info@rivendellsanctuary.com www.rivendellsanctuary.com Rivendell Sanctuary is a New Kind of College, recognizing that true education is more than mastering content and receiving passing grades. Each component of our 18-month Associate of Arts program contributes to our holistic approach to education. By reintroducing the ancient principles of apprenticeship-based learning, we do not seek to develop honor students. We seek to develop students of honor.

Christian college counselors stress faith, perseverance in stingy job market By Leigh Jones World News Service CHICAGO, Ill. — Students graduating from college in the next few years face the worst job market since World War II, according to census data released in September. Just slightly more than half of young adults under 30—55.3 percent—have jobs, a drop of 12 percent during the last decade. And economists don’t expect the job market to improve dramatically for several years. Despite the dismal outlook, career counselors at Christian colleges insist their students have no reason to despair. Ita Fischer, director of career services at Wheaton College, tells her students that persistence and faith are key to finding a job. “It’s not going to be instantaneous, which is really a head twister for this

Twin Cities Biblical Languages 944 Redwell Lane Apple Valley, MN 55124 (952) 236-9578 gustafcj@mailcity.com www.letsreadgreek.com/msbl We specialize in the original languages of the Bible: the Koine Greek and the Massoretic Hebrew. Our curriculum consists of courses (mid September to mid May) in Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Koine Greek and Massoretic Hebrew, taught by Rev. Chuck Gustafson and seven associates at a variety of churches. Cost: students purchase their own textbooks. 25 years in service. Brochure available.

FAITH…

generation,” she said. “But we tell them, you’re in this for a long marathon. This is not a sprint.” Fischer also reminds her students to consider the promise in Jeremiah 29:11, that God has plans to give you hope and a future. Although graduates might suffer as they wait longer than they would like to find a job, the struggle is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it teaches them to rely on God, Fischer said. Students at Baylor University know they’ll face a tough time when they graduate, but they don’t seem too worried about it, said Kevin Nall, the school’s associate director for career services. “I just don’t see the doom and gloom with these guys,” Nall said. When Nall asks students what they know about the job market, they tell him they’ve heard it’s terrible. Some even say they plan to go to graduate school because they don’t think they’ll be able to get a job. But few seem to be really alarmed, he said. The challenge for career counselors is to convince the students they do

have some control over what happens to them after graduation. Nall tells students they have to be more assertive and competitive as they prepare to meet with prospective employers. “You can no longer just show up and expect to get a job just because you can fog a mirror,” he said. In the past, students would wait until their last semester to start looking for a job. That process now needs to start at the beginning of their junior year, Nall said. Students need to start thinking about what they want to do and then start preparing to answer the question every employer is going to ask: What benefit are you going to bring to my company? Both Fischer and Nall said coming of age in a tough economy had the advantage of teaching today’s students what their immediate predecessors forgot: they’re not entitled to anything. The lesson is paying off, Fischer said. “Students are hungrier and willing to work faster and harder than in previous years,” she said.

Continued from page 16

Journalism scholarships offered

express their faith,” he said. Shell suggested church leaders emphasize inter-generational dialogue to help make young believers feel like they are part of the community, rather than outsiders. “I think the pastor has to be the main person to do this, because if it’s not spoken from the pulpit, I don’t see how it’s ever going to get worked in,” he said.

The Evangelical Press Association awards scholarships each year to students preparing for a career in print journalism. The amount varies from year to year but grants generally range from $500 to $2,500. Candidates must be majoring or minoring in journalism or communications. Recipients must be third- or fourth-year undergraduates or graduate students with at least one year of

full-time study remaining when they receive the awards (meaning that most applicants are sophomores or juniors). Students must be enrolled at an accredited Christian or secular college or university in the U.S. or Canada. The deadline for scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year is March 31, 2012. Email director@apassoc.org for information and an application.

20 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

Have your event listed FREE! Send us your Christian activity/event for next month, and we’ll list it in THE CALENDAR at no charge. The deadline is the 18th of the prior month. E-mail to calendar@christianexaminer.com or fax to 1-888-305-4947. Or you can mail it to the Minnesota Christian Chronicle, P.O. Box 131030, St. Paul, MN 55113. We regret we cannot list Sunday morning services.

THRU NOV 10

NOV 9 • WEDNESDAY

Gospel Art Exhibit. Mon-Wed 11am-2pm & Sun 3-5pm, The Oakridge Gallery, Oakridge Community Church, 610 County Rd. 5, Stillwater • (651) 439-4882

Fellowship of Christian Business & Professional Women luncheon. 11:30am, The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis, $25 • (952) 252-8096

NOV 4 • FRIDAY The National Lutheran Choir, “Kyrie: Journey to Light.” 7:30pm, St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church, 630 E Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata, $10-30 • (612) 722-2301, nlca.com

NOV 4-5 • FRI-SAT Mom Revolution 2011 Conference. Mayo Civic Center, 30 Civic Center Drive S. E., Rochester. Presented by Hearts at Home • hearts-at-home.org Prayer Ventures Fall Conference, “Healing Wounds of the Heart,” with Paul Singh. Fri 6:30-10pm & Sat 9am-4:30pm, Eden Prairie Presbyterian Church, 9145 Eden Prairie Rd., Eden Prairie, $45-49 • (952) 942-9016

NOV 5 • SATURDAY

NOV 10 • THURSDAY The 2011 Leading Men Summit, with Gordon MacDonald. 9am-12:30pm, Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Dr., St. Paul, $49 • (651) 638-6301

NOV 11 • FRIDAY 11:11:11 – A Line in the Sand global gathering. 11am-9pm, Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA • rosebowlgathering.info

NOV 11-12 • FRI-SAT Fall Bazaar, hosted by MOPS. 9am-5pm, First Baptist Church of Anoka, 1235 Park St., Anoka • fbcanoka.org, (763) 421-5808 6th annual Christian Community Fair, Minneapolis Convention Center (new location). Fri. 4-9pm, Sat. 10am-6pm. Petting Zoo, Inflatables, Dodge Ball Tournament, up to 200 Christian business and ministry vendors, live music, more. Free admission • christianfair.com

NOV 12 • SATURDAY

Film Screening of “58: The Film.” 7:159pm, Bethlehem Baptist Church, 720 13th Ave. S, Minneapolis, free • (612) 229-8206

Holiday Craft Boutique. 9am-3pm, Bethesda Lutheran Church, 2855 E 47th St., Inver Grove Heights • (651) 451-1355

The National Lutheran Choir, “Kyrie: Journey to Light.” 4pm,St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Rd., Mahtomedi, $10-30 • (612) 722-2301, nlca.com

NOV 7 • MONDAY Presentation of “Depression & Spirituality,” with Rev. Jerry Storm. 7pm, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Rd., Apple Valley • (952) 432-6351

NOV 8 • TUESDAY Artist Talk with Carolyn Swiszcz. 5pm, The Johnson Gallery, Bethel University, St. Paul • (651) 638-6527, bethel.edu/ galleries

9th Annual Champions for Justice Benefit. 5pm, Embassy Suites Hotel Ballroom, Bloomington, $30-40. Held by Peace & Hope Int’l • peaceandhopeinternational. org, (612) 825-6864

NOV 20 • SUNDAY

The Lundstrom’s Country Christmas Celebration. Fri. 7:30pm; Sat. 12pm, 3:30pm, 7:30pm; Sun. 3pm, 6:30pm. Celebration Church, 16655 Kenyon Ave., Lakeville. $18-$25 • celebrationtickets. com, (952) 898-7200

Pop Wagner & Dakota Dave Hull, in concert. 6pm, Hope Christian Church, 4911 Hodgson Rd., Shoreview , $5-7 • hopemn.com

NOV 14 • MONDAY Understanding Grief Seminars. Mondays, 7-9pm, Coon Rapids Evangelical Free Church, 2650 128th Ave. NW, Coon Rapids • (763) 421-8080

“The Elephant in the Living Room,” with Bruce Malone. Northwestern College, 3003 N Snelling, Roseville • tccsa.tc

Faith Community Nurse Workshop, with Dr. TJ Addington. 9am-12:30pm, Wayzata Evangelical Free Church, 705 County Rd. 101 N, Plymouth, $10 • (952) 259-4461

Bob & Jane Nienaber, recital. 2pm, Centennial UMC, 1524 West County Rd. C-2, Roseville • (651) 633-7644

16th Annual Alternative Gift Market. Sat 10am-4pm & Sun 9am-1pm, First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater, 6201 Osgood Ave. N, Stillwater, free • (651) 439-4380

Godspell. Thu-Sat 7pm & Sun 3pm, North Central University, 910 Elliot Ave., Minneapolis • northcentral.edu

The National Lutheran Choir, “Kyrie: Journey to Light.” 7pm, Gustavus Adolpus College, 800 W College Ave., St. Peter, $10-30 • (612) 722-2301, nlca.com

NOV 6 • SUNDAY

The 2nd Annual Science & Bible: 21st Century Understanding event. St. Lucas Community Church, Lake Elmo • stlucascc.org

NOV 15 • TUESDAY

“Love in Action,” fundraising dinner for Christian Recovery Counseling, featuring Mike Yankoski, Doubletree Hotel, St. Louis Park • christianrecoverycounseling.com, (763) 566-0088

Louis Zamperini, key note speaker. 7pm, Grace Church, 9301 Eden Prairie Rd., Eden Prairie, free • atgrace.com/events

DEC 9-11 • FRI-SUN

NOV 10-20

‘Keeping it Real So We Can heal,’ with Dr. Dorie McKnight. 9am-3pm, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1901 Portland Ave. S, Minneapolis, free • (952) 239-7939

Foundations of HOPE 3rd Annual Banquet. 6pm, Steeple Center, 14375 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, $50 • (952) 233-4075

NOV 19-20 • SAT-SUN

The Minnesota Christian Writers’ Guild, “Solutions for Writers”. 7-9pm, Fireside Room, Christ Presbyterian, 6901 Normandale Blvd., Edina • (763) 315-1014

Larissa Lundstrom CD Release Concert. 7pm, 25500 Zachery Ave., Elko • Larissa.com

Fair Trade Sale. 10am-5pm, St. John Neumann Church, 4030 Pilot Knob Rd, Eagon • (651) 681-9575

NOV 13 • SUNDAY (cont.)

Career Transition Connection. 7-8:30pm, Woodbury Lutheran Church, 7380 Afton Rd., Woodbury • (651) 739-5144

Refined Women, with Dr. Roberta Morrison. 9am-12pm, Sheraton West Hotel, 12201 Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka • refinedwomen.org

2nd Annual Benefit Breakfast. 10am, The Great Hall, St. Paul. Hosted by Breaking Free • breakingfree.net

www.christianexaminer.com

Theologies of Religion & Inter faith Practices. 9:30-3:30pm, Pilgrim Congregational Church, Duluth, $190 • (651) 255-6138 ‘Bringing America Back to God.’ 4-6:30pm, Hutchinson Event Center, 1005 Hwy 15, Hutchinson, freewill offering • info@babtg.org

NOV 12-13 • SAT-SUN 19th Annual Alternative Christmas Market. 9am-3pm, Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, 13501 Sunset Trail, Plymouth • (763) 544-3632

NOV 13 • SUNDAY Science & Bible: 21st Century Understanding. 12:30-6pm, St. Lucas Community Church, Lake Elmo • tccsa.tc Christian Songwriters Meeting. 2pm, Christ Lutheran Church, 105 W University Ave., St. Paul, free

Parent Education Night, “Strategies for Setting Up Children to Be Successful” with Priscilla Weigel. 5:15-8pm, Calvary Lutheran Church, 7520 Golden Valley Rd., Golden Valley, free • (763) 545-9042

‘Festival Evensong for Christ the King,’ presented by the choir of St. George’s Episcopal Church. 4pm, St. George’s Episcopal Church, St. Louis Park, free-will offering • (952) 926-1646

NOV 23 • WEDNESDAY

Christian Songwriters Meeting. 2pm, Christ Lutheran Church, 105 W University Ave., St. Paul, free

NOV 26 • SATURDAY

DEC 12 • MONDAY

The 19th Annual Holiday Arts/Crafts & Bake Sale, and Kaffestuga. 9am-4pm, Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, 1669 N Arcade St., St. Paul • (651) 774-5954

The Minnesota Christian Writers’ Guild, “Crafting Words into Hope”. 7-9pm, Fireside Room, Christ Presbyterian, 6901 Normandale Blvd., Edina • (763) 315-1014

Harp & Bowl Worship & Prayer. 7pm12am, Abundant Grace Fellowship, 1055 109th Ave. NE, Blaine • (612) 839-2064

DEC 13 • TUESDAY

DEC 1-JAN 26 Gospel Art Exhibit. Mon-Wed 11am-2pm & Sun 3-5pm, The Oakridge Gallery, Oakridge Community Church, 610 County Rd. 5, Stillwater • (651) 439-4882

DEC 2-3 • FRI-SAT

Triple Espresso. The Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis • tripleespresso.com, (612) 874-1100

NOV 17 • THURSDAY

DEC 2-4 • FRI-SUN

Seniors Unleashed, 55+, Special Guest concert. 11am, Edinbrook Church, 4300 Edinbrook Parkway N, Brooklyn Park • graceunleashed.org (763) 424-7744

Songs of the Season. Fri-Sat 7pm & Sun 3pm, North Central University, 910 Elliot Ave., Minneapolis • northcentral.edu

MACFM Monthly Meeting, Panel Discussion/Nomination of candidates for Executive Officers. Riverside Church, 20314 Co Rd. 14, Big Lake • macfm.org The Wing & a Prayer Comedy Club, with Bob Stromberg. Elim Baptist Church, 503 Polk St., Anoka, $12-16. To benefit Compassion • elimanoka.org, (763) 421-8124

NOV 18 • FRIDAY The Single Parent Christian Fellowship potluck supper. 6:30pm, West Medicine Lake Park, Plymouth • (612) 866-8970 The First Century Temple & The Worship of God, 12-week studies. 7pm, Kehilat Sar Shalom, 225 Cleveland Ave. S, St. Paul • kehilatsarshalom.net, (651) 690-2941 Hillsong Live, featuring Reuben Morgan & Ben Fielding. 7:30pm, Grace Church, Eden Prairie, $18-35 • 1-800-965-9324

NOV 18-20 • FRI-SUN “Children’s Letters to God,” a musical comedy. Fri 7pm; Sat-Sun 2pm & 7pm, Normandale Hylands United Methodist Church, 9920 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, $15 • (763) 391-3754

NOV 19 • SATURDAY Holiday Bazaar. 9am-2pm, Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2120 17th Ave. S, Minneapolis • (612) 724-3693 Source/Annex Banquet Seminar (on Sex Trafficking) • sourceannex.org, (612) 822-5200 Norm Stockton Bass Clinic. 1pm, Plymouth Covenant Church, 4300 Vicksburg Ln, Plymouth, $5-10 • (612) 720-2329 Hmong Christian Music & Talent Festival. 3-11pm, Shoreview Community Center, 4580 Victoria St. N, Shoreview, $7/ person • (612) 203-3321 Life After Yeshua’s Ascension, the Early Believers. 12-week studies. 5pm, Kehilat Sar Shalom, 225 Cleveland Ave. S, St. Paul • kehilatsarshalom.net, (651) 690-2941 Adoption/Foster Care Worship Service. 6:30pm, Calvary Lutheran Church, 7520 Golden Valley Rd., Golden Valley, free • (763) 533-0661 Rebecca St. James with Lacey Canfield, The Purity & Worship Tour. Brooklyn Park Church, Brooklyn Park • itickets.com

DEC 11 • SUNDAY

Ecumenical Thanksgiving worship service. 7:30pm, King of Kings Lutheran Church, 1583 Radio Dr., Woodbury • kingofkingswoodburymn.org

“Interstice(s) – Intervening Space: A Conversation on Christianity and the Arts.” 5pm, Hennes Art Company, 1607 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. Hosted by MacLaurinCSF • (612) 378-1935

NOV 16-JAN 8

“The Walter Bell Variety Show” Christmas Celebration Performances. Fri-Sat 7:30pm & Sun 4pm, Cedar Valley Church, 8600 Bloomington Ave S, Bloomington • cvchurch.org, (952) 854-1100

DEC 3 • SATURDAY Refined Women, with Dr. Roberta Morrison. 9am-12pm, Sheraton West Hotel, 12201 Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka • refinedwomen.org Marriage & Ministry, one day seminar. 9am-4pm, Cornerstone Church, Crystal, $125. Sponsored by Youth Leadership • youthleadership.org

DEC 4 • SUNDAY “Sounds of the Season,” a Christmas concert featuring the Encore Wind Ensemble. 4pm, King of Kings Lutheran Church, Woodbury, free-will offering • kingofkingswoodburymn.org BarlowGirl, in concert, with Ross Turner. Maranatha Assembly of God, Forest Lake • itickets.com

DEC 9 • FRIDAY ‘Rejoice! A Celebration of Christmas.’ Mary Beth Carlson’s Annual Christmas Celebration, with Patty Peterson, Kenni Holmen & more. 7:30pm, St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 9201 Normandale Bvd., Bloomington, $8-15 • (952) 934-2319

DEC 9-10 • FRI-SAT The National Lutheran Choir, “Gloria: And on Earth, Peace.” Fri 4:30pm & 8pm; Sat 8pm, Basilica of St. Mary, 528 Hennepin Ave., Ste. 302, Minneapolis, $10-30 • nlca.com

Christmas Pageant with Family Force 5, Hawk Nelson & Manafest. 7pm, Northwestern College, Maranatha Hall, 3003 Snelling Ave. N, St. Paul, $12-20 • (612) 253-5151

DEC 14 • WEDNESDAY Interfaith Prayer Network Concert of Healing. 7pm, Best Western Kelly Inn, 161 St. Anthony, St. Paul, free • (651) 644-8013

DEC 15 • THURSDAY MACFM Monthly Meeting, Annual Business Meeting. Diamond Lake Lutheran, 5760 Portland Ave. S, Minneapolis • macfm.org Rivendell Sanctuar y Lectures, with Dr. William Lane Craig, “Theology.” 7-8:30pm, Bethany Church, 6900 Auto Club Rd., Bloomington • rivendellsanctuary.com, (952) 996-1451

DEC 16-18 • FRI-SUN The Lundstrom’s Country Christmas Celebration. Fri. 7:30pm; Sat. 12pm, 3:30pm, 7:30pm; Sun. 3pm, 6:30pm. Celebration Church, 16655 Kenyon Ave., Lakeville. $18-$25 • celebrationtickets. com, (952) 898-7200

DEC 17 • SATURDAY The Story Tour, with Steven Curtis Chapman, Francesca Battistelli, Natalie Grant, Newsboys & more. 7pm, Grace Church, Eden Prairie, $20-75 • ktis.fm

DEC 18 • SUNDAY 4th Annual Christmas Concert, MN Teen Challenge featuring Mac Powell. 4pm & 7pm, Grace Church, 9301 Eden Prairie Rd., Eden Prairie, $10-15 • mntc.org/ Christmas, (612) 238-6184

JAN 20 • FRIDAY New Life Family Life Services presents “Laugh for Life” with Anita Renfroe. 7pm, Autumn Ridge Church, Rochester, $1012 • nlfs.org

JAN 21 • SATURDAY New Life Family Life Services presents “Laugh for Life” Anita Renfroe. 7pm, Grace Church, Eden Prairie, $10-12 • nlfs.org

FEB 18-25 Sandi Patty & Friends Cruise, with Natalie Grant, Mark Shultz, Wayne Watson & more. Eastern Caribbean • 1-800-2884778, cruisewithsandipatty.com

MORE EVENTS online now at

• Future events for the Twin Cities not listed in this issue. • Weekly and monthly ongoing meetings: Bible Studies, Evangelism, Fellowships (Men, Women, Seniors, Singles, Youth, MOPS), Motorcycle Ministries, Music/Entertainment, Prayer Groups, Recovery and Support groups (Alcohol, Divorce, Domestic Violence/Abuse, Food, Sexual, Grandparenting, Grief, Celebrate Recovery, The Most Excellent Way, and many more), Seminars/Classes, Health/Fitness.

November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 21

www.christianexaminer.com

Alternative Christmas Market to be held in November PLYMOUTH — The 19th annual Alternative Christmas Market will be held Nov. 12-13 at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church (CMLC) in Plymouth. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 3:00 p.m. both days. The event is a mission activity of CMLC and St. Mary of the Lake Church and is sponsored in part by Thrivent West Hennepin County Chapter 30105. Organizers encourage buyers to purchase “life-giving” gifts instead of traditional ones that do not have long-term value. “The Alternative Gift Market will offer a wide selection of meaningful, life-giving gifts that can change the world,” said Market Coordinator Kathy Weber, via a media release. “Shoppers can provide education and mobilization for disabled children in the [Democratic Republic of] Congo or supply groceries for families facing chronic hunger in the United States.” Visitors will also be able to purchase hand-crafted items from around the world. For more information on this free event, call (763) 544-3632 or (763) 476-6654.

Organization collecting supplies for Zambia SAINT PAUL — Shomeka Outreach, an organization that aims to empower the families of Kazungula, Zambia, for the glory of God, is collecting supplies the entire month of November. Organizers are looking for unused medical supplies and equipment, baby items, maternity clothes and other items that will be shipped to the people of Kazungula on Dec. 1. The items will be shipped in 55-gallon barrels and will arrive in time for Christmas. Drop offs are by appointment throughout the metro area. For those in the north metro, contact Naomi at (651) 485-2970; in St. Paul, contact Mike at (651) 491-9577; and in the south metro, contact Sarah at (612) 246-2185. For more information about Shomeka Outreach, visit www. shomeka.org.

Ministry adds sixth meal-packing site MINNEAPOLIS — Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) recently added its sixth permanent mealpacking site in Tempe, Ariz. FMSC has three existing sites in the Twin Cities and two in the Chicago area. The new site is expected to pack more than three million meals by the end of Feb. 2012, the organization’s fiscal year end. “We are thrilled to join the FMSC permanent site family,” said Janine Skinner, site supervisor in Tempe, via a press release. “Our supporters here are passionate about feeding starving children around the world and have invested so much time and energy to support this ministry. The credit goes to the people of the Phoenix area, along with my gratitude.” For more information about FMSC, visit www.fmsc.org.

Triple Espresso returns for two months of performances MINNEAPOLIS — The popular Triple Espresso comedy show will return to the Twin Cities Nov. 16 to

Jan. 8. This year, the show will move to The Southern Theater at 1420 Washington Avenue South in Minneapolis. For ticket information, call (612) 874-1100. For groups of 12 or more, call (612) 874-9000.

Champions for Justice Benefit to be held in November BLOOMINGTON — Peace and Hope International will hold the Ninth Annual Champions for Justice Benefit on Sunday, Nov. 13 at the Embassy Suites Hotel Ballroom in Bloomington. A silent auction will begin at 5:00 p.m., followed by dinner and a program. Keynote speaker for the event is Matthew Soerens, co-author of “Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion and Truth in the Immigration Debate.” Tickets are $40 for adults and $30 for students or low income attendees. For more information, visit www. peaceandhopeinternational.org or call (612) 825-6864 ext. 510.

Church to host ‘Festival Evensong’ SAINT LOUIS PARK — The choir of St. George’s Episcopal Church will present “Festival Evensong for Christ the King” on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 4:00 p.m. The event will also feature the Twin Cities premiere of “The Harvard Canticles” by Charles Callahan. In addition, the event will include a short cantata by Dietrich Buxtehude, anthems by Richard Proulx, Gerard Bales and Thomas Matthews and organ works by Healey Willan and J. S. Bach. The event is free and open to the public. A free-will offering will be taken. For more information, call (952) 926-1646.

Don Bierle to speak at single parent group PLYMOUTH — The Single Parent Christian Fellowship will hold its monthly social potluck supper on Friday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at West Medicine Lake Park in Plymouth. Guests are encouraged to bring a dish to pass. Adults, children and alumni are welcome. Dr. Don Bierle will be the guest speaker. He is the president of FaithSearch International and the author of “Surprised by Faith.” Following the potluck, those gathered will have an opportunity to play volleyball. For more information on the group or the monthly potluck, call (612) 866-8970.

Gallery to display ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ exhibit STILLWATER — Oakridge Gallery of Gospel Art will display visual, artistic representations of the biblical theme “Fruit of the Spirit” through Nov. 9. The Gallery is part of Oakridge Community Church in Stillwater, located at 610 County Road 5. The exhibit includes oil paintings, fiber art, ceramic and mixed media by several artists. The gallery is also planning the exhibit “Names of God” that will be on display from Dec.1, 2011 to Jan. 26, 2012. For additional information on the Oakridge Gallery of Gospel Art, including exhibit hours and ap-

plication deadlines, visit www.agapearts.net or email info@agapearts. net.

Robbinsdale Women’s Center to raise money for mobile RV ROBBINSDALE — Robbinsdale Women’s Center recently held an open house for supporters to view a mobile RV. The group hopes to raise $130,000 to purchase its own unit. The 31-foot retro fitted RV will include an ultrasound, exam table and flat screen TV for viewing ultrasounds and will allow the ministry to park near schools, malls and parks. Founded in 1992, Robbinsdale Women’s Center has served more than 17,000 women and families. For more information about Robbinsdale Women’s Center, visit www.robbinsdalewomen.org.

Women’s Center celebrates 21 years of ministry CRYSTAL — Metro Women’s Center in Crystal recently celebrated 21 years of ministry in the community. The Center, which is a Baptists for Life Pregnancy Care Center, hosted a silent auction aimed toward raising funds for the Amazing Grace Maternity Home. For more information on Metro Women’s Center and its effort to build a maternity home, visit www. metrowomenscenter.org.

Youth Leadership to hold marriage and ministry class ARDEN HILLS — Youth Leadership will sponsor Marriage and Ministry, a one-day seminar that will focus on marriage for those in the ministry. The event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Cornerstone Church in Crystal and will be led by Dr. Dan Rotach, who is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Limited childcare is available, and registration is required. The cost is $125 for each couple. For more information, visit www. youthleadership.org.

Crown College ranks high in national survey SAINT BONIFACIUS — Crown College was recently named among the Best Midwest Regional Colleges by “U.S. News and World Report.” Crown students can choose from more than 40 degree programs, and its undergraduate, international and adult and graduate studies programs continue to see enrollment increases. In addition, the school was also recently named a “Military Friendly School” by the magazine “G. I. Jobs.” The designation includes col-

leges, universities and trade schools that are making a noted effort to welcome the country’s military service members and veterans as students. For more information about Crown College, visit www.crown. edu.

Christmas concert to benefit Union Gospel Mission of St. Paul WOODBURY — King of Kings Lutheran Church in Woodbury will host “Sounds of the Season,” a Christmas concert featuring the Encore Wind Ensemble. The concert will take place Sunday, Dec. 4 at 4:00 p.m. and will benefit the Union Gospel Mission of St. Paul. A free-will offering will be taken. Some of the songs to be featured during the concert include “A Christmas Festival,” “Salvation Is Creation” and “The Christmas Song.” The Encore Wind Ensemble is a collection of instrumentalists dedicated to performing traditional and contemporary masterworks for band. For additional information about “Sounds of the Season,” visit www. kingofkingswoodburymn.org. In addition, King of Kings will host an ecumenical Thanksgiving worship service on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. The Rev. Basil Owen from the Woodbury Care Center will give the message, and the Rev. John Keller from Resurrection Lutheran Church will give a children’s message. The offering and non-perishable food items collected will go toward the Woodbury Christian Cupboard.

Gordon MacDonald to hold leadership seminars SAINT PAUL — Pastor and author Gordon MacDonald will hold two leadership sessions on Thursday, Nov. 10 at Bethel University. The sessions are designed for church leaders and pastors. The morning session is titled “Going Deep” and will explore “becoming a person of influence.” The afternoon session, titled “Who Stole My Church?” will look at the church and its entry into the 21st century. Cost for both sessions is $64, and lunch is included. For more information on this event, visit www.bethel.edu/ church-ministries.

Lincoln Brewster bassist to hold music clinic PLYMOUTH — Norm Stockton, internationally acclaimed bassist who has toured with worship artist Lincoln Brewster, will hold a bass clinic on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 1:00 p.m. at Plymouth Covenant

Church. Admission is $10 or $5 for students with ID. The clinic is presented by Plymouth Covenant Church, GallienKrueger and MTD Bass. Stockton has toured throughout North America, Europe and Japan, holding his “Grooving for Heaven” clinics. He has also produced the “Grooving for Heaven” DVD series. For more information about the clinic or to register, visit www.plymouthcovenant.org and click on the “Bass Clinic” link. For more information about Stockton, visit www. normstockton.com.

New book helps Christians share faith LAKEVILLE — Local author John Watobe Hisserv recently published the book “Last Call?” as a way to help Christians share their faith with unbelievers. Bailey also believes the book can serve as a gift from a believer to a non-Christian. For more information about “Last Call?” or to order a copy, visit www.b-fenterprises.com.

Christian ministry to hold arts event MINNEAPOLIS — MacLaurinCSF (formerly the MacLaurin Institute and Christian Student Fellowship) will host “Interstice(s) – Intervening Space: A Conversation on Christianity and the Arts” on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2-3. The event “will explore the role of both artists and believers in producing creative disruptions, while touching on broader questions of beauty, truth and goodness,” according to a description from the group. The symposium will take place at Hennes Art Company at 1607 Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. The gallery opening on Dec. 2 will begin at 5:00 p.m. For additional information on the symposium, call (612) 3781935.

Marriage Encounter moves to new location FARMINGTON — Marriage Encounter, a non-denominational couples retreat program, will move to the Mt. Olivet Conference and Retreat Center in Eureka Township in early December. Since 1972, organizers say the Minnesota Marriage Encounter has helped more than 23,000 couples. The weekend retreat is “designed for couples who are experiencing stressful times, couples who feel they don’t know each other anymore, for couples whose homes and lives make it difficult to spend time alone together” and for happily married couples, according to a media release from the group. For more information on Marriage Encounter, visit www.marriages.org.

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Evangelist has been sharing faith since he was a young boy Nick Hall now leads Pulse, a growing evangelistic organization By Scott Noble MINNEAPOLIS — Nick Hall began sharing his faith when he was a young kid. Since his mother helped lead him to Christ when he was a toddler, evangelism has “always been something I’ve done,” he said. Now some 20-odd years later, Hall is still sharing his faith—but the venue has become larger and his impact has become greater. He grew up in North Dakota, his family moving back and forth from Grand Forks to Fargo because of employment changes. As a young kid, Hall’s youth pastor began “to pour into my life and challenge me,” Hall said, and during his sophomore year in high school, someone told Hall for the first time that they thought he had the gifting of an evangelist. Nevertheless, in today’s highly developed and advanced society, the gifting of evangelism is often neglected for other gifts, including leadership, teaching and discipling. Despite the current cultural and theological lack of emphasis on evangelism, Hall surrendered to God’s calling when he was a freshman in college. “I picked up Billy Graham’s biography and read it,” he said. “He was the only evangelist I really knew of.” It’s that lack of emphasis on evangelism that Hall believes can be detrimental to the Church. “I read a recent statistic from [George] Barna that said … in the age of statistics being used in the church, that the gifting in evangelism has never been as low as it is today,” Hall said. “It’s like one percent of the church lists evangelism as one of their gifts or activity that they are a part of. When you couple that with an age when this is the least churched, most biblically illiterate generation in America’s history, it’s kind of a recipe for disaster.”

Nick Hall has presented the Gospel to tens of thousands of students during the last several years.

Yet Hall believes that God still calls people to evangelism. “I really believe that God calls people to different gifts,” he said. “I believe that God has always called these different gifts and one of those gifts is the evangelist. It’s not any more important of a gift than any other. But the Church as a whole has kind of stopped talking about the gift [of evangelism].” Since surrendering to God’s call, Hall has traveled around the country, preaching the Gospel in small and large venues alike. He’s had a chance to travel with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for the past decade—visiting 30 to 40 cities with the ministry. Upcoming events for Hall include stops in Minneapolis, Mankato, Winona and Milwaukee. What began as one student evangelistic event in North Dakota— which was organized by Hall and a couple of his friends—has become an evangelistic ministry with more than a dozen staff and a budget in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. While Hall doesn’t specifically focus on evangelistic efforts with students, many of his larger events and initiatives have focused on this demographic. Last year, as part of the National Day of Prayer, Hall organized the Unite prayer event at the University of Minnesota’s Mariucci Arena, where several thousand

students gathered to pray, worship and celebrate their faith. In addition to the more than 2,500 students who attended Unite—where Hall spoke several times—more than 300 indicated commitments to Christ and 1,400 students completed response cards indicating their desire for additional involvement. Also, more than 1,500 people watched the live webcast online. As Hall spends time with the nation’s young people, he believes the nation is close to revival. “I really believe that as I study revival … as I study these things and look at these things and I hear the testimonies and then I compare them to what’s happening today, I really believe we’re either on the doorstep of revival and awakening in this next generation or it’s already begun and many of us just haven’t got the memo yet,” Hall said. He believes that the coming revival will be widespread and cross denominational lines. “I think today the Spirit of God is just doing something that’s across denominational lines; it’s not any-

thing a ministry can take credit for,” he said. “I hear from students all over America like just this similar burning and similar stories of God just kind of calling them individually and corporately to go after Him.” Oftentimes, revival takes place during difficult times. The U.S.— and many parts of the world—are currently immersed in a prolonged economic downturn. Violence and war are constant threats, and many people have noted spiritual decline. “It wasn’t that long ago—60 or 70 years ago—when the situation was almost identical to what it is today … slightly different,” Hall said. “You think of generations past— maybe two generations past—you talk about economic collapse, you talk about global war, you talk about widespread panic and massive spiritual decline. That was the state of America in the1930s and 1940s.” Yet out of that “widespread panic and massive spiritual decline,” Hall said God raised a generation that “reached more people for the Gospel than any generation before or since.” That generation also includ-

ed leaders such as Billy Graham, Bill Bright, Luis Palau and many others. Some of the leaders from that generation utilized mass evangelism techniques, including large event crusades. In the last decade or two, this technique has received its fair share of criticism for being outdated or not sensitive to the needs of the time. Hall responds, however, that the Gospel should be preached in any way possible. “The question isn’t for me … it’s not ‘should we do it this way or should we do it this way,’” he said. “I mean … we should do it every way. We need to get the Gospel out there. We need to use every medium possible to communicate Jesus. In a world where one percent of the church is actively involved in evangelism, we have to use big ways because if we’re relying on peer to peer, we’re not getting to them.”

DONORS…

people that actually didn’t contribute to the campaign at all,” he said. For example, Darrell said if a church decides to contribute to the marriage campaign, donors who gave to the mission fund or some other church-related project would possibly have their names disclosed, even though they didn’t specifically contribute to the marriage campaign. John Helmberger, chairman of Minnesota for Marriage, said the group would disclose all donations and expenditures. “Minnesota for Marriage will disclose all donations we receive, as well as all expenditures that we make, consistent with longstanding Minnesota law,” he said via a media release. “However, what CFB bureaucrats are attempting to do goes

well beyond what the law requires, substituting themselves for the Legislature in an illegal attempt to compel disclosure of information not required by law. We oppose such illegal regulations.”’ Similar disputes in California and in Washington state have resulted in legal challenges and claims of harassment by those whose names have been released to the public.

Continued from page 1 riage Amendment, in which voters will have a chance to decide if the state should recognize same-sex marriage. Chuck Darrell, communications director for Minnesota for Marriage, a group that supports traditional marriage definitions, believes the Finance Board’s decision would mislead the public. “I think fundamentally nobody disagrees that voters should be entitled to know who contributes to a marriage campaign, but the changes that the Campaign Finance Board proposed aren’t authorized by law and they would mislead the public, resulting in disclosure of

For more information about Nick Hall, Pulse and upcoming events, visit www.pulsemovement.com.

For more information about NOM, visit www.nationformarriage. org. For more information about Minnesota for Marriage, visit www. minnesotaformarriage.com. To read the Campaign Finance Board decision, visit www.cfboard.state. mn.us.

November 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER â&#x20AC;˘ 23

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Hillsong to launch U.S. tour at Grace Church Eden Prairie was one of the original members of Group 1 Crew, where he had the opportunity to produce and write for five songs on their selftitled freshman project with Word/Warner Records, which won a Dove Award.

By Lori Arnold The popular worship band Hillsong will launch its â&#x20AC;&#x153;God Is Ableâ&#x20AC;? U.S tour at Grace Church in Eden Prairie on Friday, Nov. 18. The tour will visit 13 cities, including Chicago, Orlando and Dallas. The group is known for such worships anthems as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mighty To Save,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;My Hope,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shout to the Lordâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hosanna.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are continually reminded just how true those words are: God is ableâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;able to save, able to heal, able to rescue from the fiercest storms and highest floods,â&#x20AC;? said Hillsongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reuben Morgan, co-writer of the song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mighty To Save,â&#x20AC;? via a media release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are so many times when we are in situations beyond our control, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something revolutionary about being able to say or sing, our God is able, in His name we overcome, for the Lord our God is able.â&#x20AC;? In addition to numbers from its latest album, â&#x20AC;&#x153;God Is Able,â&#x20AC;? the band is expected to showcase some of the songs from its Christmas EP, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Born Is the King,â&#x20AC;? which was set for release Nov. 8. This studio recording includes two new songs, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Born Is the King (Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas),â&#x20AC;? written by Matt Crocker and Scott Ligertwood, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Emmanuel,â&#x20AC;? written by Reuben Morgan. The album also includes â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Westward Procession,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Joy to The World,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Three Kings,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come Let Us Adore Him,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holy Nightâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Silent Night.â&#x20AC;? For more information about the group and the tour, visit www.live. hillsong.com. Living legend AndraĂŠ Crouch continues journey with 18th album After 17 albums, Gospel legend and Grammy-Award winner AndraĂŠ Crouch is still going strong with the release of yet another project, aptly named â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Journey.â&#x20AC;? The album is produced by Luther â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manoâ&#x20AC;? Hanes, president and CEO of Riverphlo Entertainment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am playing music today because of him,â&#x20AC;? Hanes said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I learned how to play piano by imitating him when I was six years old. I studied all of his records, all day long.â&#x20AC;? The 15-song disc includes â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Promise,â&#x20AC;? written by Crouch and Hanes, an award-winning producer. Although impressed with Crouchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progressive approach to music, Hanes said the musicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success runs much deeper than solid air time or strong record sales. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What made him great was how his songs exploded and took deep root inside the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;no matter what color or denomination,â&#x20AC;? the producer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His songs were made great by the churches all over the world.â&#x20AC;? Hanes, who signed Crouch to his

Prolific singer and songwriter Andre Crouch has released his 18th album, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Journey.â&#x20AC;? Crouch also pastors a Southern California church.

Reuben Morgan and the Hillsong band are heading to the U.S. after touring Europe. Their tour dates include a stop in the Twin Cities.

new label last year, said he believes the timing of the project, especially the lead song, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Somebody Told Me About Jesus,â&#x20AC;? will minister to society at a time of immense need. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I thought of this project, it was very important that we start off with a song that spoke to the state of the world today, the times we are living in and how we really need to hear from God,â&#x20AC;? Hanes said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The body of Christ needs to be reassured of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promise to His people. I felt this song was the perfect song for the body of Christ in this hour.â&#x20AC;? When Crouch is not in the studio, he spends most of his time in Southern California, where he serves as senior pastor at New Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ in San Fernando, the church founded by his parents. A prolific songwriter, Crouch said he pens 20 to 30 songs each week. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Storyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bible releases musical narrative â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Story,â&#x20AC;? the best-selling Bible from Max Lucado and Randy Frazee, is taking on another dimension with a two-album companion work featuring 18 new songs from some of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular Christian artists. Like its namesake (Music Inspired by), â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Storyâ&#x20AC;? is a retelling of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in a musical narrative. Dove Award winners Nichole Nordeman and Bernie Herms penned the musical version. The line-up includes Matthew West, Leigh Nash, Mark Hall and Megan Garrett, Brandon Heath, Bart Millard, Michael Tait, Blanca Callahan, Lecrae, Nichole Nordeman, Amy Grant, Chris Tomlin, Peter Furler, Mandisa, Todd Smith, Francesca Battistelli, Mac Powell, Steven Curtis Chapman, Natalie Grant, Dan Haseltine, Matt Hammitt, Jeremy Camp, Michael W. Smith and Darlene Zschech. Kevin Davis, of New Release Tuesday, said the 18 featured songs were â&#x20AC;&#x153;soul-piercing.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a five-star compilation that needs to be heard and experienced until He comes back,â&#x20AC;? Davis said. To promote the project, The Story Tour, featuring Chapman, the Newsboys, Battistelli, Grant, Selah, Anthem Lights, with special guests Lucado and Frazee, begins in December. The show will make a stopover Dec. 17 at Grace Church in Eden Prairie.

Breaking up sin in song Benjamin â&#x20AC;&#x153;Benjahâ&#x20AC;? Thom, who was nominated for a Grammy Award for his co-producing skills on Lecraeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest album, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rehab,â&#x20AC;? continues to make a name for himself with the release of his second album, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Break Up.â&#x20AC;? The newest album boasts Benjahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature pop and reggae sound, complimented by his Scripture-infused lyrics. According to his record label, the album, released in September, uses a relationship metaphor to paint a picture of the Christianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fight against the flesh, adding that it feels like love at first sight but when the deception of sin is revealed, a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Break-upâ&#x20AC;? is essential. The albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song list includes â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sinking Ship,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jezebel,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;On Grace,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Read Meâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Orphan.â&#x20AC;? One track, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not Alone,â&#x20AC;? features Rachel Lampa. Benjah is also part of this fallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural Music with a Mission tour, a new annual concert series that will promote various Christian organizations in an effort to expand giving opportunities for those missions groups. In addition to his production work and solo career, Benjah

Nash singing a different tune Leigh Nash, lead singer of platinum-selling pop group Sixpence None the Leigh Nash, lead singer of platinum-selling Richer, is going back to her pop group Sixpence None the Richer, returns roots as she releases her to her church roots with a new album first solo album in five years highlighting hymns. with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hymns & Sacred punches.â&#x20AC;? Songsâ&#x20AC;? on Nov. 15. Described as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;full rock worship â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was really excited by the idea of making a record of hymns,â&#x20AC;? experience,â&#x20AC;? the songs take flight, Nash said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I grew up loving sing- rooted in good measure from the ing in the congregation at my personal trials of the band, includchurch, always wishing to have ing Rojas, who has openly discussed the courage to sing solos in the his own struggles with substance church choir. I finally got my so- abuse that led to a â&#x20AC;&#x153;cocaine-fueled suicide attempt.â&#x20AC;? Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also shared los in the form of this record!â&#x20AC;? The album is the first of three the victories, including his â&#x20AC;&#x153;miracuto be produced by Kingsway and lous salvation in the back of an amwill include the timeless lyrics of bulance.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve struggled in my own life hymns by Charles Wesley, Fanny with feeling like I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hear the Crosby and others. Derri Daugherty, who worked voice of God clearly, especially in on the 2008 Sixpence reunion the middle of stressful situations,â&#x20AC;? holiday album â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dawn of Grace,â&#x20AC;? Rojas said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You may not be able to provided his recording and mix- hear God as clearly as you would like to at times, but you should take ing expertise. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The songs were basically cho- confidence in the fact that your sen because of their lyrics,â&#x20AC;? said God is always in control!â&#x20AC;? The single, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love Came Down,â&#x20AC;? Nash. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These words are so poetic and beautiful, the perfect inspi- for instance, was written about trusting God even in the middle ration to write new melodies.â&#x20AC;? In addition to the old hymns, of overwhelming circumstances. the album offers several newly The group is currently on the written songs by Nash, Graham road with their â&#x20AC;&#x153;Small Town Kendrick, Keith Getty, Stuart America Tour.â&#x20AC;? Townend, Aaron Keyes and Katie Gustafson. Hearing Slumbering angels Seventh Day Slumber, which has tackled such tough topics as suicide, is not holding back as they release their eighth studio album, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Anthem of Angels,â&#x20AC;? on Nov. 15. The groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s front man, Joseph Rojas, calls the BEC Recording product one of the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most honest records. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve opened ourselves up more and been vulnerable,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On this record, we pull no

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Survey says most pastors feel privileged TWIN CITIES — A new study by LifeWay Research found that nearly all pastors feel privileged to be in ministry. However, many of them also say they experience loneliness and discouragement. More than 90 percent of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I feel privileged to be a pastor,” while less than one percent disagreed with the statement. “Many oft-quoted statistics speak of miserable and unhappy pastors, but that’s not what we see when we actually ask them,” said Ed Stetzer, vice president of research and ministry development at LifeWay Christian Resources, via a media release. “There is discouragement and loneliness, but when 98 percent agree it is a privilege to be a pastor, we also

know there is a great honor to being a pastor.” More than half of the respondents, however, also noted that they find it easy to get discouraged and lonely. The survey also looked at how age affected results. Pastors 65 and older are least discouraged and also least lonely. Those who lead larger churches (250 or more) are lonelier than those who lead smaller churches. “Pastors feel privileged, but clearly the reality of constant service can take its toll,” Stetzer said. “There is discouragement and loneliness in ministry. It appears that the larger the church the more present the loneliness.” Geographical location and type of church also played a role in a pastor’s reported contentment. Pastors in the Northeast reported they had fewer friends

in the church than those in the South or West, and Evangelicals have more reported friends than those who identified themselves as being part of a Mainline denomination. “Relationships matter, and it appears that pastors value those friendships—particularly as they get older,” Stetzer said. “Older pastors (and I would add, younger pastors with wisdom) have developed more close friendships within their church and are less likely to be discouraged or lonely. This combination mirrors workplace studies that have shown that more friendships at work correspond with higher satisfaction with a person’s job and life.”

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Is there room in your heart and home to make a difference in a waiting child’s life? Two New Studies at Kehilat Sar Shalom

The First Century Temple & The Worship of God Begins November 18th, 2011 - 7 PM Fridays - Will run 12 weeks. Seventy-ﬁve percent of the Gospel accounts are written in and around the Temple! Understanding the Temple will revolutionize your understanding of those writings and the Messiah Yeshua. Come for Praise and Worship - Study with Messianic Rabbi Stan Farr

Life After Yeshua’s Ascension - The Early Believers There are approximately 400 kids waiting in the Minnesota foster care system in need of a forever family. At Bethany Christian Services of MN, we believe that all children deserve a safe, loving, and nurturing family. There are no agency fees for families who wish to adopt children from the State of Minnesota through this program.

Begins November 19th, 2011 - 5 PM Saturdays - Will run 12 weeks. The First Century Congregations of Yeshua have fascinated and given believers pause for centuries. One has to ask; what happened to those congregations? Why don’t our modern congregations resemble those congregations? This study focuses on the worship, beliefs, development and loss of those amazing communities. Come for Praise and Worship - Study with Messianic Rabbi Stan Farr

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26 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011

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Author wants to help readers gain a transformed prayer life Review by Scott Noble “Transforming Prayer: How Everything Changes When You Seek God’s Face” By Daniel Henderson Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis, Minnesota, © 2011, 236 pages, $13.99

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Most Christians would eagerly embrace the idea of deepening their prayer life in order to experience more of who God is and what He has planned for our lives. The problem, however, is exactly how to accomplish that. Do we spend more time in prayer, pray in a new or different manner or speak less and thus open up spaces for God to communicate with us? The answer to all of those questions—to some degree—is yes. Daniel Henderson, however, who has spent many years in ministry, including prayer-focused efforts, believes that our prayer lives can be transformed by approaching God in a more worship-minded manner. He lays out this approach in “Transforming Prayer: How Everything Changes When You Seek God’s Face.” Henderson is president of Strategic Renewal, an organization that helps churches and individuals renew their passion for Jesus Christ. In addition, Henderson teaches part-time at Liberty University and is pastor of prayer and renewal at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Virginia. He also served for more than three years as senior pastor of Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minn. Henderson now describes his passion as a “spiritual pyromaniac, traveling to churches and conferences, demonstrating the power of seeking God’s face and leading prayer experiences that establish a fresh, life-transforming approach to prayer.” In our fast-paced society, many Christians cite lack of time for prayer or an unprepared heart, as our minds race to the next thing we have to accomplish on our to-do list. Many times prayer becomes an afterthought, something uttered as we walk out the door or

spoken during times of crises. Henderson writes: “Sadly, too many times we engage in prayer with little thought for the reality that we are in the presence of the Almighty and that we are invited, even commanded, to seek His face.” Yet instead of seeking His face, Henderson wonders if we concentrate too much on composing and uttering our prayer lists. He sees “little evidence” in Scripture for prayer lists that focus nearly exclusively on temporal concerns. He writes: “I am not suggesting that everyone stop using prayer lists. But we must recognize the possibility that our prayer lists are replacing the Scriptures and the Spirit as the primary content providers for our prayer times.” With that in mind, Henderson gets to the heart of “Transforming Prayer”: encouraging believers to respond to the invitation to spend devoted time with the Creator of the universe in a worship-minded manner—and then see our lives transformed. Henderson encourages believers to adopt worship-based prayer by being committed to starting our prayers from the Bible, praying with the Scriptures open and keeping our focus on (abiding in) Christ. The last half of the book forms the foundation for what Henderson believes is worship-based prayer, including tips and ideas for adopting this approach—both for individuals and for groups. It’s a very thorough effort at laying out his vision for worship-based prayer, and every reader will find something challenging and helpful in these chapters. “Transforming Prayer” also includes five appendixes, which offer additional help and information on the idea of transforming your prayer life. The appendixes are filled with examples from the Old and New Testament and attempt to buttress Henderson’s points. “Transforming Prayer” can be purchased at LifeWay Christian Stores in the Twin Cities or online.

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November 2011 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • 27

www.christianexaminer.com tive. “Kids saying to me, ‘Thank you so much for sharing this because no one else does,’” she said. “They feel alone. I feel really blessed. I’m very well received by the students, and I think what Craig and I have heard a lot too … it’s refreshing to hear a success story. We’re excited to be able to tell kids, ‘Yeah, it really is worth it.’” While teenagers regularly experience sexual temptations, Sanborn encourages them to keep their eyes on Jesus. “The one message honestly [that I would like to leave with kids] would be [to] make your relationship with Jesus your number one priority and everything else will fall into place,” she said. “It doesn’t mean life will be easy, it doesn’t mean you won’t be tempted, it doesn’t mean you won’t feel pressure. But He has got all that you need. Only He will complete you.”

For more information about Molly Sanborn and her ministry, visit www. mollysanborn.com.

Molly Sanborn, also known as ‘Jolly Molly,’ is passionate about promoting abstinence to young people.

SANBORN… Continued from page 1 verses are coming back to me.” After high school, Sanborn spent a year doing mission work with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). That year was foundational for Sanborn, and she thought God might be calling her to overseas work. “I actually thought for a season God was calling me into foreign missions,” she said. “I knew from a young age—I think probably seventh grade at camp—that I really did feel God’s prompting or I said ‘Yes, I’ll do full-time ministry, whatever that is, whatever you want me to do.’” However, what form that ministry would take did not come into perspective until she began attending North Central University (NCU). During her first or second year there, Sanborn’s mother was volunteering at New Life Family Services and became aware of the Abstinence Resource Center (ARC), a ministry that at one time was associated with New Life. Her mother encouraged her to become involved. After visiting with some of the ARC leaders, Sanborn said they helped her develop an abstinence talk. “My first speaking engagement [outside of testimonies at church] was at St. Anthony High School to tenth graders … I absolutely loved it,” she said. That first experience grew into a passion for speaking about abstinence to teenagers. She found herself getting more speaking opportunities and began to arrange her college class schedule to accommodate her speaking engagements. Most of these early opportunities were at camps, churches and youth groups—and most were volunteer based. After graduation, Sanborn entered what she refers to as the “most stretching period of her life.” Her dad proposed to her the idea of running a coffee shop—

as a way to help pay off her college loans. Sanborn would help develop and design Overflow Espresso Café on University Avenue in Minneapolis. She would then hire someone to run it. Even though developing the business took her away from abstinence speaking, her passion for it remained. So when she got the opportunity to move away from the coffee business, her ministry began to take off. Today she speaks at small and large venues and is oftentimes joined by her husband. Sometimes her audience is Christian school students, sometimes students in public health classes. “Whether they are in a public school and they don’t know the Lord or we’re talking to kids at a church who have grown up in the church, they all really seem to appreciate being challenged,” she said. “Because what I find is that so many adults in our society just say, ‘Oh, kids will be kids, and they are going to do it anyway and they don’t have self control’—especially about boys; it’s really sad. “So when I go in there and I tell them, ‘Listen, I waited.’ And my husband and I also had our first kiss together on our wedding day … I have had girls come up to me after—whether it’s a school or a church—and literally like collapse in my arms crying and saying, ‘Thank you so much for telling me that I don’t have to do those things, that I don’t have to have sex’ … and then giving them, helping them be proud of their choice.” The media and popular culture often portray a narrative that nearly all teenagers are engaging in sex, Sanborn believes. “What I’m finding is that statistics of teenagers who are sexually active are really less than what the kids themselves think,” she said. “By the time you graduate high school in Minnesota—seventh to twelfth grade—it’s still less than half [who have had sex].” Many of the kids who hear the abstinence messages are apprecia-

28 • MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011