EDITOR’S NOTE CONTENTS Since the launch of our first issue of unite this past February, we have seen a great response from churches, advertisers and readers. I would like to thank you for reading and sharing unite with your friends and family and encouraging us that indeed the Church in Western New York needs this. We are encouraged to see churches welcoming copies of unite into their churches and people responding to the mission of working together as the Body of Christ for the purpose of reaching our region with the Gospel. Unite exists to equip, strengthen and serve the Church of Western New York with timely news, edifying articles and inspirational teaching. Our heart is that what God is doing will be documented for generations to come through the medium of print, online and digitally. I also recommend the additional articles, pictures, video, blogs and interviews we are posting weekly at www.unitemagazine.us and on our Facebook page. I personally invite you to send me your news and press releases from your church or ministry, helping us and our readers stay up to date on what God is doing in your neighborhood and encourage the rest of the Church in our region. Secondly we are looking for a variety of contributors including full length print contributions, online bloggers and commenters as well as photos and feature story ideas. Lastly, we are in need of volunteer drivers to help us distribute unite across our region including Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Batavia and Rochester. We break down our distribution into five to ten stops all within a seven mile radius so if you are interested in getting involved in any of these ways I welcome you to contact me.
FEB/MARCH 2011
Cover photos by Jennifer Santora
PUBLISHER Kyle Patterson kyle@thrivebuffalo.org
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Editor in Chief……...…………………….Kyle Patterson kyle@thrivebuffalo.org
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Operations Director…………………..Julianna Patterson
7 News Day to Pray, Impact 2011, Gospel Jam, Kari Jobe, more... Education
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11 Cover Story CMS @ The Chapel ...
14 Columns Mission
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The Power of One….Robert Stearns A Mighty Fortress.Joni Eareckson Tada
17 Resource Review
I would like to thank all of our church partners for their faithful support, our advertisers, contributors and photographers who literally make this publication possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
….Bender’s Parable Christian Photos
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WORSHIP APRIL 1ST - APRIL 21ST
april/may 2011 www.unitemagazine.us
4 Partners World of Girls
@ BUFFALO
A CITY WIDE WORSHIP OFFERING TO JESUS. 21 DIFFERENT CHURCHES OVER 21 DAYS RELEASING THE SOUND OF PRAISE. HTTP://WORSHIPATBUFFALO.TUMBLR.COM
unite
Contributors…………………………….Jennifer Santora Deborah White Ryan Kozey Tunya Griffin Robert Stearns Annie McCune Joni Eareckson Tada Photography………………….....Matt and Angela Brown Jennifer Santora Daniel F. Hutchens Amy Lynn Thomson unite is published bi-monthly, December/January, February/March, April/May, June/July, August/ September, October/November. The entire contents of unite is copyrighted by THRiVE! Media Group and may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or part without written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. Display advertising and rates may be obtained by emailing info@thrivebuffalo.org or calling (716)771-1632.The publisher does not take responsibility for the accuracy or legitimacy of the advertising message or any aspect of the business operation or conduct of the advertisers in the paper. Advertisements placed in unite do not constitute an endorsement by the publisher.
April 1 7-9pm Full Gospel Tabernacle April 2 7-9pm Solomon‘s Porch Ministries April 3 Worshiping in Home Churches April 4 7-9 PM Hamburg Assembly of God April 5 7-9pm Tree of Life Fellowship April 6 6:30-8:30pm Southtowns Christian Center April 7 6:30-8:30 My Father‘s House April 8 7-9pm NorthGate Christian Community April 9 8am-10am & 7-9pm Edison Street Baptist Church and Vanguard Christian Church 7pm-9pm April 10 Worshiping in Home Churches April 11 7-9pm Tabernacle Prayer Tower April 12 7-9pm Pilgrim - St. Luke UCC April 13 7-9pm Steps Ministry April 14 6:30-8:30pm The Chapel April 15 7-9pm Wesleyan Church of Hamburg April 16 10am-Noon & 7-9pm Buffalo Niagara Healing Rooms 10amNoon and His Dwelling Place 7-9pm April 17 Worship In Home Churches April 18 7-9pm Church in the Wind April 19 7-9pm Covenant Community Church April 20 6:30-8:30pm Southtowns Christian Center April 21 7-9pm Finale Full Gospel Tabernacle
PARTNERS CLARENCE CENTER UMC Pastors Chuck and Kim Smith 716-741-2410 www.thewayonline.net
PENTECOSTAL TEMPLE Pastor Matthew L. Brown 716-852-5502 www.pentecostaltemplechurch.com
ZION DOMINION GLOBAL MINISTRIES Pastor Roderick L. Hennings 716-250-7040 www.ziondominion.org
BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH Rev. Kevin L. Wright 716-688-8668 www.bethel-nab.org
THE CHAPEL AT CROSSPOINT Pastor Jerry Gillis 716-631-2636 www.thechapel.com
MY FATHER’S HOUSE Pastor Randall Smith 716-655-1389 www.myfathershouseministry.net
ELIM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Bishop Troy Bronner 716-832-7698 www.elim-world.org
EAGLES’ WINGS MINISTRY Dr. Robert Stearns 716-759-1058 www.eagleswings.to
GRACE FELLOWSHIP Pastor Richard Giano 716-681-2059 www.gracefic.org
NEW BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH Pastors William and Toni Clark 716-835-8300 www.newbethelonline.com
LOVE JOY GOSPEL CHURCH Pastor Ron and Judy Burgio 716-651-0400 www.lovejoy.org WESLEYAN CHURCH OF HAMBURG Pastor Greg McClain 716-649-6335 www.wchamburg.org
Become a partner, email kyle@thrivebuffalo.org for more info.
EVENTS APRIL 2011 Worship at Buffalo kicks off 21 days of prayer and worship at churches across Western New York. New churches and times each night at posted at http:// worshipatbuffalo.tumbler.com.
WBLK is hosting Gospel Jam, April 16 at the Buffalo Convention Center. Featuring music by Marvin Sapp and others, the event is expected to draw close to 5,000 people for a night of praise and worship.
Thriving in a Step Family at The Chapel at Crosspoint with guest speaker Laura Petherbridge. www.thrivewomen.com
Final night of Worship @ Buffalo. Hosted at The Tabernacle in Orchard Park this will serve as the finale to a 21 day prayer initiative at different churches through the region.
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Athletes in Action is hosting its annual Call to Courage award breakfast, April 9 at the Hyatt Regency in Buffalo. The cost is $40 per person or a table of 10 for $350.
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Amherst Christian Academy announces an open house Thursday, April 14th 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM. For more details visit www.amherstchristian.org Or call (716) 689-9944
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Full Gospel Baptist Convention takes place Thursday, April 14th at 7 pm with Inspirational Speaker Rudy Carlson and Bishop Albert Jamison; Friday, April 15th Bishop Kenneth Robinson, 7 pm Tyrone Sellers and Bishop Paul S. Morton; Friday Night Young Adult Explosive Worship Service 10 pm. On Saturday, April 16th 8:30 am - 11:30 am. Sheriton Hotel By the Falls (formerly Crowne Plaza) 716.285.3361.
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Walking in Kingdom Confidence. April 15-16 at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora. Speakers include Pastor Ted Howard, Pastor Carl Clark, Co-Pastor Joyce Badger, and 1st Lady Antoinette Singleton. Featuring numerous seminars, open discussions, work sessions, fellowship and men and women‘s breakout sessions. Cost $85 includes registration, lodging, meals and seminars.
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The Buffalo Christian Center presents, ―Going Beyond Charity Together‖ Friday and Saturday April 29-30 at their facility in Buffalo, NY. Keynote speaker Dr. John Perkins will be speaking on both Friday night (open to the public) and Saturday morning. Whether you are just thinking about serving those in need or you are already involved in ministry to the poor, mark your calendar now to attend this conference.
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B & W AD Space Available 1/2 ($350), 1/4 ($175) or 1/8 ($75)
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Releasing Kings Marketplace Ministry Conference with John Garfield takes place April 29-30 at The Tabernacle in Orchard Park. 'When 80% of the Christian community find out they carry an anointing for ministry in the marketplace, there will be a revival of ―jail-break proportions‖ that will exceed the historic impact of the reformation. The gospel will be taken to the ends of the earth… through the marketplace.' -John Garfield. Rugburn on Your Nose Women‘s Conference takes place April 29-30 at Beaver Hollow Conference Center in Java Center, NY. Hosted by Just Joy Ministries the cost is: single occupancy: $215.00 or double occupancy: $165.00 Call 716-512-8646 for more information.
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Don‘t see your event? email kyle@thrivebuffalo.org to get listed. Space is limited. Advertisers receive priority listings.
February/March 2011
www.unitemagazine.us
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EVENTS MAY 2011 National Day of Prayer. Prayer in the Square is happening May 5 at Buffalo City Hall where hundreds will gather in honor of the annual observance of the National Day of Prayer. The annual event takes place this year from 12-1:00PM. If your church, organization or ministry has a regularly scheduled time of prayer, or is holding a regional prayer event you would like listed contact WNYPrays. To list a regularly scheduled prayer event visit wnyprays.com.
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Celebrating 50 Years!
May 6-8 Sword of the Spirit‘s Prophetic Conference, Impact 2011. Prophetic Explosion conference is May 6-8 at 300 Kensington Avenue. Special guests this year are Greg and Julie Bailey from Brisbane, Australia.
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Women of Destiny Breakfast takes place May 7 at the Holiday Inn on Niagara Falls Blvd in Amherst. Hosted by Barbara Burkholder and Sword of the Spirit Ministries.
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CMS @ The Chapel’s Songwriter Bootcamp featuring Rick Cua, Laura Story, John Mark McMillan and others. The Songwriter Boot Camp is an intensive day of workshops and critiques for serious songwriters as well as folks who desire to improve their craft by learning from the best in the industry.
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Day 1 of CMS @ The Chapel including seminars, workshops, exhibits and more all day and concert with John Mark McMillan, Paul Baloche and Norm Stockton Group at 7:00PM. Tickets are $10.
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Day 2 of CMS @ The Chapel with seminars, workshops, exhibits and more all day and concert with Gungor, Kari Jobe and Benji and Jenna Cowart at 7:00PM. Tickets are $10.
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Lawyers for Life present Abby Johnson May 18 at Luccarelli‘s Banquet facility in Lackawanna. Abby is a former Planned Parenthood clinic director whose dramatic 2009 conversion to pro-life work was just published in her book: UnPLANNED. Johnson now serves as Chief Research Strategist for Live Action and works on projects with the national 40 Days for Life campaign. The event is the 15th annual pregnancy care center benefit banquet. Donation is $35 per person or $65 per couple, $25 per student. ―Together, we can help young mothers CHOOSE LIFE! I hope to see you on May 18!‖ Laurence D. Behr, President, WNY Lawyers for Life.
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FOCUS, Elim Fellowship Leadership Conference takes place at Elim Gospel Church in Lima, NY May 24-26 featuring speakers including Robert Morris, Lisa Bevere and music by Kim Walker-Smith.
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Holy Yoga happens weekly at Renovation Church on Mondays at 9:30am and Tuesday evenings at 7:00pm (candle light class). The meetings are in Renovation Station in the power zone room. Renovation Church is located at 567 Hertel Ave. in Buffalo. Holy Yoga is a donation based class and 10% will always go back to the church. Make some space in your life for God, and experience Him- heart, soul, mind and strength- as we do Holy Yoga together. Classes continue weekly, contact cheriec@holyyoga.net
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Amherst Christian Academy, ACA, will be hosting its third annual Spring Festival fund raiser from 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Bring your family for an afternoon of entertainment, food, and an auction! ACA is located at 2625 Tonawanda Creek Road , Amherst , NY 14228 , between Campbell Boulevard and Hopkins Road , approximately 5 minutes from the 990 – North French Road exit. Tickets will be sold in advance and at the door. For more information call 689-9944.
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NEWS Kari Jobe is coming to town for CMS @ The Chapel May 13-14. She is performing live in concert May 14 along with Gungor and Benji and Jenna Cowart. Jobe is known for worship that inspires people around the world to respond to the love of God with abandoned worship. For Kari, the work of ministry always comes back to people. ―I am moved by people‘s lives and stories, and I am amazed by who God is and who He says that we are. Music becomes a way to minister to people in times of trouble, to lead them to the feet of Jesus who can bring peace, life, hope and healing.‖ Lawyers for Life has announced that Abby Johnson will speak at the 15th Annual Pregnancy Care Center Fundraiser Dinner May 18 at Lucarelli‘s Banquet Center in Lackawanna. Abby is a former Planned Parenthood clinic director whose dramatic 2009 conversion to pro-life work was just published in her book: UnPLANNED. She was sued by Planned Parenthood to keep her from telling her full story, but she won the lawsuit and is now telling everything about the heartless business of exploiting pregnant women and killing their unborn children. Kim Walker-Smith of Jesus Culture band will be performing live at Elim Gospel Church in Lima, NY May 23 as part of Elim Fellowship‘s annual leadership conference. This year‘s conference features speakers including Pastor Robert Morris and Lisa Bevere among others. Kim Walker-Smith has quickly become one of the strongest voices in revival worship. She has many interests and at the core of them all is a heart for justice, love, and God‘s presence. Mantime Men‘s Conference attracted over 400 men to the Adam‘s Mark Hotel April 25-26 calling forth men into their God ordained destiny. Keynote speakers included former NBA basketball player Allan Houston, Dr. Ron Burgio, Tommy Reid and conference founder Dr. Gary Kellner. Plans are underway for another Mantime conference in 2012. Minister Nathan Salter has been running his summer Youth Music Camp for nearly a decade now, helping Buffalo-area teens understand how their talent can be used to bless God and bless others. This year, the Spirit-filled camp will take place Monday, June 27 through Friday, July 1, at Christ the King Seminary, 711 Knox Road, in East Aurora. ―I encourage students to lend their musical talents toward building the Kingdom of God as church musicians/directors, music producers, and/or recording artists,‖ Salter says. See www.nathansalter.org for more info. Prayer in the Square is happening May 5 at Buffalo City Hall where hundreds will gather in honor of the annual observance of the National Day of Prayer. The annual event takes place this year from 121:30PM.
Walking in Kingdom Confidence conference is taking place April 15-16 at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora. Speakers include Pastor Ted Howard, Pastor Carl Clark, Co-Pastor Joyce Badger, and 1st Lady Antoinette Singleton. Featuring numerous seminars, open discussions, work sessions. WBLK is hosting Gospel Jam at the Buffalo Convention Center April 16 featuring the music of Marvin Sapp, Tye Tribbet Sapp and Smokey Norful. The doors open at 5, concert starts at 6. Tickets are available at tickets.com for $25. John Garfield is coming to town as part of the Releasing Kings Marketplace Ministry conference this April 29 and 30th hosted at The Tabernacle in Orchard Park. John and Barbara Burkholder of Sword of the Spirit Ministries are hosting their annual Prophetic Explosion conference this May 6-8 at 300 Kensington Avenue. Special guests this year are Greg and Julie Bailey from Brisbane, Australia. Barbara Burkholder Worship @ Buffalo is happening now daily across Western New York April 1-21 in churches around the region. According to organizer Kathy Cole, ―This is just a grass roots effort connecting any church interested in hosting 2 hours of worship crossing over denominational lines. It really stems from back in November of 2009 River Conference when Barbra Yoder declared to our region its time to worship, worship, worship. God did some stirring in me and couple other folks, a couple months back, so I've been coordinating a big part of the effort.‖
Read more news at www.unitemagazine.us Have news to share? Email info@thrivebuffalo.org (space is limited)
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INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS WITH >> Dr. Mark Virkler President Communion with God Ministries Co-author of over 50 books Co-founder Love Story Library President CLU
The Communion with God books and resources you developed have been read and taught worldwide through your ministry, what is the biggest hindrance you encounter to Christians understanding prayer can be a two way dialogue? Probably two issues: 1) The belief that God stopped speaking after He finished writing the New Testament, and 2) The fact that many Christians just do not know how to recognize God‘s voice within them. How have you seen the teaching affect individual‘s and church‘s prayer life once they begin hearing God‘s voice in prayer? Thousands have testified that this is the most life-transforming experience of their entire Christian lives. Spiritual intimacy with God brings His unconditional love directly into their lives, as God tells us over and over how beautiful and special we are and how He has an amazing plan for our lives. Many believe, and begin to radiate a newfound glow in the Spirit. Some say this is too good to be true and back away, returning to legalism and separation, which is a terrible tragedy. Can everyone experience the flow of the Holy Spirit you speak of? Jesus guaranteed that all Christians can hear His voice. In John 10:27 Jesus says, ―My sheep hear My Voice….‖ So yes, every Christian can hear God‘s voice. It is sensed as flowing or spontaneous thoughts. Jesus said there is a river within us and this river is the Holy Spirit, and it flows. This is not just theory. It is not just a nice verse to memorize. It is the reality of life. There is a flow within each of us. So we teach people to quiet themselves down, fix their eyes on Jesus, tune to flow and record the flowing thoughts and flowing pictures that come to them! This is the voice and vision of God, which is coming through the Holy Spirit. Why is it key to journal and write down what we sense God speaking to us? Before I knew enough to write down what I was receiving, I would judge and evaluate the flow of thoughts while they were coming to me. I would be asking myself, ―Are they coming from God?‖ I would be doubting, judging, testing and evaluating as they came into my mind. This causes the flow to stop! The Bible tells us that when we come to God we must come in faith, believing (Heb. 11:1-6). Before journaling, I would believe for five seconds and hear one sentence from God, then shift from faith into a testing/doubting mode. This cut off any remaining flow that God was sending to me. The value of journaling is that I can stay in faith for as long as I want and simply write in faith, because I know that when the flow is done, then I can go back and test and judge and evaluate the flowing thoughts and pictures. In terms of evaluating or judging the word for accuracy...how do you suggest we do that? There are several things we do: 1) It must line up with the words and principles of the Bible; 2) It must line up with the names of Jesus and the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22), as these reveal His character and Jesus‘ words always align with His character; and 3) We submit our two-way journaling to our two or three spiritual advisors, asking them if their heart bears witness that the journaling came from Jesus (Matt. 18:16). April/May 2011
www.unitemagazine.us
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PICTURES By Matt Brown
ZionQuest Christian Fellowship moved their congregation to Faith Wesleyan‘s old building in Cheektowaga.
Former professional NBA Basketball player Allan Houston speaks at Mantime Conference April 26.
XCEL Leadership Center announced its grand opening to over a hundred community leaders. Pastor Jerry Gillis speaks while Pastor Brek Cockrell looks on. XCEL is based out of Renovation Church on Hertel Avennue.
Tunya Griffin and Sherrie Anderson at Revive Women‘s Conference March 18 and 19th in Lima.
Dr. Gary Kellner of ICCL successfully launched Mantime Men‘s Conference April 25-26 at the Adam‘s Mark Hotel in downtown Buffalo drawing over four hundred men. Zion Dominion enjoys a Saturday night service at their Rochester location. 8 www.unitemagazine.us
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Superchick played March 23 at the Hub at The Wesleyan Church of Hamburg. Photo by Amy Lynn Thomson Submit your pictures by emailing info@thrivebuffalo.org
Western New York National Day of Prayer 2011
PRAYER IN THE SQUARE Niagara Square in front of Buffalo City Hall
THURSDAY MAY 5TH NOON to 1:00 PM WNYPrays.com NationalDayofPrayer.org
PEOPLE
Pictured: World of Girl’s Debutante Pageant of Divinity Winner
TC Coplin:
A World of Girls By Tunya Griffin
Terrie Ann Williams Coplin, better known as Pastor TC, is in the business of enhancing and empowering the lives of young ladies. TC, an experienced counselor and youth worker for over 19 years, has helped countless young ladies by instilling into them hope, confidence, courage and a realignment of dignity and integrity. As accomplished as her current life may appear; her life growing up was quite challenging, yet one that uniquely qualifies her to make such a profound impact on our teen girls today. This past August, I sat down with TC to hear about her journey working with young ladies and how she started World of Girls, an organization dedicated to enhancing young women‘s lives. As I arrived at the office for World of Girls at 651 Delaware Avenue, TC welcomed me, escorted me to her office, and offered me a seat. I could not help but stare at 10 www.unitemagazine.us
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this poised, well-dressed, beautiful woman. Adorning the walls were newspaper articles, pictures, awards and various certificates from young ladies who are a part of her business. TC told me her story, how she was a Buffalo native and middle child of six sisters and one brother and how she had lived a ―very risky life,‖ during her teenage years. In fact, during her teenage years she found herself expelled from junior high school, faced numerous suspensions due to fighting, was insubordinate towards teachers, became pregnant at the age of 14, smoked marijuana, wanted to start her own gang to help those who were being bullied by others, and also struggled academically. ―I lived a very risky life, and even ran away TC TOLD ME HER STORY, from home on one occasion,‖ explained TC. ―My mother threatened to place me in HOW SHE WAS A BUFFALO the East Ferry Detention Juvenile Prison at NATIVE AND MIDDLE CHILD one point,‖ she continued. As a result of OF SIX SISTERS AND ONE her behavior she was labeled by her family and society as an ―at-risk teenage girl.‖ BROTHER AND HOW SHE However this former at-risk teenage girl HAD LIVED A ―VERY RISKY beat the odds in an extraordinary way. LIFE,‖ DURING HER TEENAt the age of 16, TC‘s mother took her to a church called Holy Presence Church AGE YEARS. ACCORDING TO of God in Christ for a revival. It was there TC, ―DURING THE REVIVAL I that her journey of change began. AccordDECIDED TO ACCEPT THE ing to TC, ―During the revival I decided to accept the invitation to allow Jesus to beINVITATION TO ALLOW Lord in my life.‖ It was there, under JESUS TO BECOME LORD IN come the leadership of her Pastor, Willie Woods MY LIFE.‖ Jr., with the encouragement of her father that her life, at the tender age of 17 began to take a very different turn. She began working toward a calling into full time ministry, starting with her appointment to a deaconess missionary, then a licensed evangelist, and now a licensed ordained minister. At the age of 23, TC, following her passion in life, began working with young ladies to help them out of the life she was once a part of. ―It‘s all about the girls, I wanted to reach out and help. World of Girls is about empowering young ladies to take a leadership role in our communities,‖ TC explained. This leadership role includes everything from serving in their neighborhoods, communities, humanitarian services to senior citizens, blind associations, events, empowerment classes‘ business development and more. TC explained, ―World of Girls also provides assistance in helping support young ladies coming off the streets through financial stipends that allow them to get food and shelter; with a requirement of them attending a daily homeless recovery workshop. ―I take the young ladies to meetings with me so that they can learn and grow as individuals, overcoming those patterns that have kept them from achieving in life,‖ said TC. In 1987 she launched her first Debutante Pageant of Divinity, a pageant designed to enhance the lives of our young ladies 12-19 years of age. The pageant serves as an annual Gala event that helps to refine the talents, character development, poise, social graces, public speaking skills, community service, spiritual enrichment, a God consciousness and education for young ladies. In 1992, she started a Young Ladies Development and Character Building Workshop in Buffalo Public Schools. In 1993 she then expanded into a Young Ladies Leadership Conference followed in 2001 with a Young Ladies Sisters United Block Club Fellowship; in 2003 a Young Ladies Radio Show which is being heard on 1270 AM every Saturday at 1 p.m. and the list goes on. In 2006, she added a Counseling service for young ladies as part of the World of Girls Empowerment Center. The services that she offers cover three main categories: education, mental health, and emotional health. TC explained that her transparency about her own journey helps women open up about their own, ―I am transparent. I share my own journey so that they know that I can relate, and they then feel safe to share their challenges. They can feel that I care for them; and I will not be judgmental,‖ she added. ―In my counseling services they have the opportunity to be raw, right-to-the-point. They have autonomy with me. As a result, they are able to be themselves.‖ Today this former at risk teenage girl, Terrie Ann Coplin, holds a Bachelor‘s Degree in Psychology and Biblical studies from Houghton College; a Master‘s Degree from Canisus College in Education/Counseling and Mental Health training, along with a Master‘s Degree from Jacksonville Theological Seminary in Christian Counseling, and is presently preparing to obtain her PhD. at the University of Buffalo. She is the wife of Rev. Eugene Coplin Jr.; and together they have six children. Together they established Project L.E.E. Ministries ―Attitude‖ Development Organization, where she is presently a community outreach Pastor for young ladies. Her husband also acknowledged the anointing of God upon her life to empower young ladies, and has been an inspiration for her in establishing the World of Girls Empowerment Center. In addition, her weekly spiritual enrichment comes from the MacAlpine Presbyterian Church, under the direction of Pastor Lee Clark and his wife Ms. Candice, located right in the heart of the Buffalo. As TC stated, ―The information is out, the foundation has been laid in the urban area, and now our plan is to expand to the rural and suburban areas, this is not just an urban area empowerment, it is now extended into our rural, and suburban areas, it‘s all about the world of girls.‖
FEATURES
Music:
CMS @ The Chapel Featuring an Impressive Lineup By Kyle Patterson
Kingdom Bound Ministries continues to attract the top talent and leaders in the Christian music industry to Western New York with this year‘s Christian Musician Summit hosted annually at The Chapel at Crosspoint. This year‘s event, May 13-14, features headliners Paul Baloche, John Mark McMillan, Kari Jobe, Gungor and Laura Story along with local favorites Benji and Jenna Cowart and Brothers McClurg (formerly Relevant Worship). Matt Kees, co-founder of the CMS events said, ―The conferences are really designed for the whole worship team to participate in. We offer over 90 workshops for beginners to advanced musicians.‖ The musical lineup includes concerts Friday and Saturday night featuring Paul Baloche, John Mark McMillan, and the Norm Stockton Group on Friday with Gungor, Kari Jobe, and Benji and Jenna Cowart on Saturday night. Both Gungor and McMillan are making first time appearances as featured musicians in the now annual event at The Chapel and are considered emerging
artists in Christian circles helping to redefine worship with a new sound in Christian music today. ―The story of God has gotten bigger to me,‖ relates Gungor, who is perhaps best known for co-writing distinguished songs like ―Friend of God‖ and the Dove Award-winning ―Say So.‖ ―We had become ‗professional‘ Christians. We got to the point where we needed to figure out how to be the church in a more honest way for us.‖ This bigger story of God shows up on their new album, Beautiful Things in songs born of an honest journey of faith and a struggle with what should result from worship. ―If leading worship is just about bringing a group of people into a room so we can get goose bumps and sing songs together, there‘s not much value in that. But if leading worship is a means to an end, that we leave this place as a different kind of people, as part of a new humanity that God wants to create – the people that are caring for the widows and orphans, that aren‘t bound by the systems of this world but becoming free, becoming fully engaged in our world – then that matters.‖ For McMillan who is best known for his hit single, ―How He Loves‖, has generated a following among younger believers who enjoy McMillan‘s organic style sound. The song was successful despite the album's independent release, and has been covered by several well-known artists within the Christian music industry (David Crowder Band, Kim Walker, Todd Agnew, New Breed, Flyleaf, The Glorious Unseen). The song has sentimental meaning for McMillan, who according to a video interview published on Vimeo wrote the song following the death of a dear friend who, during a church staff meeting, prayed "If it would shake the youth of a nation, I will give my life today." McMillan was awakened in the middle of the same night by a phone call; the friend had been killed in a car crash. He wrote How He Loves the next morning as, "a celebration of a God who would want to hang with us...despite who we are.‖ The song took more than a year to surface in the Christian mainstream, but has gone on to become a commonly played worship song on Christian radio and throughout church organizations. The two day event features over 90 workshops in the following tracks, Leaders (Worship/Pastoral), Teams, Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums/Percussion, keyboards, winds, songwriters/indie artists, audio, video, lighting and new for this year are seminar for the arts featuring presentations by Ben Pearson on Photography/Film, Mike Overlin on photography, Allison Allen on drama, Jimmy Abegg on painting, Matt Gould on film/video, Holt Vaughn and team are covering Graphic Design.
Prayer:
Makes a Difference
By Annie McCune
Does prayer really make a difference....in my life, in the lives of those I pray for, in our nation's welfare? That question comes into my mind this time of year when I spend lots of energy planning National Day of Prayer events. And the only way I have found to answer the question is...to Pray! Prayer is two-way conversation with our Loving God. The answer is always YES-prayer does make a difference! Proof that prayer makes a difference comes by way of a still small voice speaking to my heart. It comes by believing the written word of God. It comes in the very real peace that floods my entire being. It comes by the answers I see in the world around me. God listens. He hears. He speaks. He answers. My daughter is currently living and working in the Central American country of Honduras teaching at and administering a Christian school. She and I communicate in a variety of ways depending on what is operational at the time: Blackberry Messenger, Skype, E-mail, Facebook, her Blog, and occasionally the telephone. I am so grateful for the technology that allows me to stay in close touch with her over such a distance. Our love for each other compels us to take the time and effort to communicate on a frequent basis. When I don't hear from her for a few days because the internet and phone service is out, my heart aches to connect again. I would never give up trying to reach her, nor she me. Our communication with God through prayer is very similar. There may be days when you don't feel that your prayers are getting through. Please don't give up. God is always there. He is always waiting to hear from us, to speak to us. If we persist, we will find the connection. When I feel blocked in prayer, I often go to Scripture, where I learn so much about God through the written word. Recently my daughter and I spent several hours on Skype discussing future plans and events. When I read her blog from the same week, I learned there had been riots going on in the city where she lives, and that the president had visited her school! I was reminded of how much more I can learn about my daughter by reading what she writes on her blog. In the same fashion, I can learn about God by reading the Bible. Read God's Word. It is one clear way He speaks! We hear his heart on issues other than the ones we bring to him each day. It deepens our understanding and relationship with him. This year's National Day of Prayer theme is "A Mighty Fortress is our God," taken from Ps 91:2, "I will say of the the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust." There is so much uncertainty and turmoil in our nation, not to mention the whole world. We need to be communicating with God, and praying about the issues and problems our Nation faces. I encourage you to take time on May 5, and every day, to bring the needs of our nation before our God. Hear his heart through prayer and meditating on His Word. Listen for what He calls you to do. Feel the protection of being found in "his fortress" with other believers. In the conclusion of Psalm 91, vs.15 certifies" When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them." What a promise from God! Come be part of the "they"as we pray together in one accord on behalf of our nation. Please consider joining us for Prayer in the Square at noon in Niagara Square on the National Day of Prayer. Pray...and watch how it makes a difference.
COVER STORY
Christian Education: Knowing Your Options Choosing the right school for your child is no easy task. From homeschooling to private Christian education to public schools, Montessori schools, boarding schools, and everything in between, this single decision will affect your child the rest of his or her life, and the options are plenteous. Choosing the right school will determine the friends they will have, their world view, their God-consciousness and faith for years to come. From elementary school up into college, children will spend as much or more time within and around the people at their school, as they will with their parents. Of course as parents, we want our children‘s personalities and character influenced by those who will draw them closer to Christ; after all it is our mandate as parents to train them in godliness. While I think we could all agree that ultimately the responsibility to train our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord falls on the parents, would any of us disagree that friends and teachers certainly play an important role? Research by the Barna Group cites staggering statistics that over 70% of our youth are losing faith when sent away to college. It looks bad when we are trying to win the world for Christ but can‘t win our own family for him. This truly is a topic that deserves further examination and prayer. From my observation, Christian parents primarily reside in one of three camps, and all have Biblical and practical wisdom behind them. We talked with those living this out on a daily basis to glean from their wisdom and experience. While the goal of this article is not to endorse one view above another it is an opportunity to take a look at what is out there and make an informed, prayerful and wise decision on the matter. After reading, I would love to hear your thoughts online at www.unitemagazine.us. Homeschooling by Jennifer Santora Among the many educational options available to parents in the Western New York area, homeschooling is one that is rapidly gaining in both popularity and acceptance. Citing a gain of 74% since 1999, the modern homeschooling movement is growing at an astounding rate. As homeschooling continues to gain momentum, many of the old stereotypes and stigmas attached to homeschooling are being put to rest as well. A recent study revealed that not only do home schooled students (K - 12) on average score 37 points above the national average on standardized achievement tests (HSLDA, 2009), they are also more likely to be politically active within their communities as compared to their traditionally schooled peers. Home schooled children are well developed both socially and emotionally, and are excelling in their occupations. Colleges are actively seeking out home schooled children and cite that the home school student's tendency to be independent and creative learners, as incentive for recruitment. The decision to homeschool is never made lightly. Homeschooling is, first and foremost, a commitment. It is a commitment of your time, your money, your patience and occasionally even your sanity but the benefits and rewards greatly overshadow those occasional moments of frustration and fear. Families venture down the path of homeschooling for a wide variety of reasons. Every parent has the desire for their child to have the best education possible. Every family needs to find which educational pathway is right for them. For some families homeschooling is a strong conviction of their faith, for some it's the desire to offer their child the benefits that come from one on one teaching, for many there are few and/or poor local school options available to them, and for others it is the desire to offer an education that is somehow divergent from what is being offered at the local public school. Continued on page 16
Students pictured attend Christian Central Academy in Williamsville, NY. Christian Central Academy enrolls over 420 students from 27 different school districts across three counties. They represent about 90 different churches. Photos by Jennifer Santora 12 www.unitemagazine.us
April/May 2011
By Deborah White, Carol McLeod, Jennifer Santora, Erik Ticen and Traci Drake
COLUMNS
What the World Needs Now This next generation will be intentional in reconciliation. It will embrace the strengths found in other cultures and seek to honor others and learn from them.
BY ROBERT STEARNS
There was a song in the seventies that said that love is what the world needs now. This is definitely true! We have only to look at the global tensions to see how desperate we are for peace: Israel vs. Hamas, Fatah, Hezbollah, Syria, Iran; Hindus vs. Muslims in India; Islamofascism vs. civilization in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the Americas; and racial strife throughout the United States. It seems that the more we talk about multiculturalism and acceptance, the less tolerance we have toward one another. In the midst of this cultural war zone, Jesus has called believers to be the peacemakers. He has called us to become a force for justice and peace in the midst of troubled times. ―Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God‖ (Matt. 5:9). If you study this word peacemaker in the Greek, it carries the idea of action behind it. In other words, it is not saying blessed are those who simply keep to themselves and hope everyone else does the same. To the contrary, the idea expressed here is that we will be called the sons of God if we actively seek to bring about peace in situations where there is strife and division. This verse carries with it the call to intentionality. The classic Adam Clarke Commentary describes the activity required of peacemakers. A peace-maker is a man who, being endowed with a generous public spirit, labours for the public good, and feels his own interest promoted in promoting that of others: therefore, instead of fanning the fire of strife, he uses his influence and wisdom to reconcile the contending parties, adjust their differences, and restore them to a state of unity. As all men are represented to be in a state of hostility to God and each other, the Gospel is called the Gospel of peace, because it tends to reconcile men to God and to each other.1 Throughout the Body of Christ, we are being called to reconciliation. Dividing walls are being broken down—Jew and Gentile, black and white, Hispanic and Asian, old and young, male and female, rich and poor. The Body is beginning to understand how desperately all parts are needed. We cannot be complete until each portion and each member of the Body is released into the fullness of their divine purpose. How may we hasten this process? How do we become peacemakers? REPENTANCE Part of the answer is personal repentance. Personal repentance is honestly acknowledging whatever strongholds, or negative ―houses of thought‖ (thought patterns), we have harbored. Have we secretly thought less of those from a culture different from our own? Have we thought them lazy? Elitist? Irresponsible? Self-centered? Do we harbor fear about those who are different from us? Have we entertained stereotypes and generalizations and reinforced them to our families and friends? Have we actively sought out those different from us—white, black, Asian, Hispanic, Jew, rich, poor, less-educated, more-educated? Have we reached out with a hand of friendship, offering acceptance and relationship? If we are simply content to declare our innocence —―I am not a racist!‖—but put no action to our words, then our statements, without works, are dead. (See James 2:20.)
AT THE BUFFALO CHRISTIAN CENTER WITH DR. JOHN CHAMBERS Whether you are just thinking about serving those in need or you are already involved in ministry to the poor, mark your calendar to attend this conference. Dr. Perkins, founder of the Christian Community Development Association, will be the keynote speaker on Friday night and Saturday morning. The Friday evening session is free and open to all. For more information or to volunteer at the conference, contact: KJ Swearingen City Vision 614-309-1549 www.city-vision.org
Ask yourself these questions: Am I actively pursuing relationship with anyone whose background is very different from my own? Am I seeking to understand them—their background, their frame of reference? Am I providing opportunities for real dialogue to occur? If not, commit to it now. Commit to growing in relationship with someone from a background very different from your own. Far from the heart of the self-righteous Pharisee, who thanked God that he was not like other sinners (Luke 18:9-14), there is a cry rising up deep in our souls that says we are indeed sinners and that we who are of the household of faith are all the more responsible because of the great measure of grace that has been poured out upon us. This selection was taken from Prepare the Way (or Get Out of the Way!) by Robert Stearns, available on www.kairosresourcecenter.com. 1
Adam Clarke Commentary, cited in PC Study Bible (Seattle, WA: Biblesoft), ver. 2.1.
Robert Stearns is the founder and executive director of Eagles' Wings, an international relational network of believers, churches, and ministries committed to the lifestyle of biblical spirituality, the unity of the Body of Christ, and God’s enduring covenant with Israel. Robert also serves as co-chairman of the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, and is the Publisher of KAIROS Magazine.
A Mighty Fortress The Bible spends a great deal of time talking about how mighty and magnificent God is. On almost every page, the writers of the Bible extol God as high and lifted up, great and powerful. First Chronicles 29:11 is typical, “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” You can‘t miss it. God is in a class completely by Himself.
BY JONI EARECKSON TADA
Some read I Chronicles and assume that God is on some kind of divine ego trip – but far from it! Biblical descriptions of God's power and majesty are intended to underscore how weak we are and how much we need Him. He is great… we are not. He is utterly self-sufficient... we are far from it. All those biblical descriptions of the glories of God simply underscore how desperately we need Him. And, oh, America needs Him as never before! The United States may be a superpower on the global stage, but its citizens are, for the most part, faltering in spirit and feeble in faith. Our country today is in urgent need of help from our mighty God -- it's one reason why "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was chosen as the theme for the 2011 National Day of Prayer. To liken God to a mighty fortress is to show weak, frail human beings that their only hope for safety and security is God. “The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10 TLB). Ask anyone. The moral seams of our Republic are ripping and unraveling. As a result, our country is in the midst of great turmoil and distress. Just a few decades ago, the American public shared a moral consensus, but today, everyone "does what is right in his own eyes” (Proverbs 21:2). Our schools, courts and communities grope blindly for lack of a moral compass, while ignoring the true Source of all wisdom and righteousness. Although the United States was founded on solid biblical moorings and shaped by great Christian leaders, our nation bears little resemblance to the America of our founding fathers. Not long ago while visiting the US Capitol in Washington DC, I admired the paintings hanging in the Rotunda -- one depicts the baptism of Pocahontas; another, the signers of the Declaration of Independence gathering around an open Bible; the Pilgrims praying before sailing the Atlantic; and other paintings depict explorers planting Christian flags and crosses firmly on American soil. Each painting represents a remarkable, historic connection between the Christian faith and the United States of America. And should any organization seek to remove those paintings from the US Capitol or even eradicate ―In God We Trust‖ from our currency or federal buildings, it can be easily argued that such Christian icons are completely consistent within the historical tradition of the United States. We are a nation founded on Christian principles. But how far we‘ve fallen! Last weekend I heard Burl Cain, warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, give a message about the various prison ministries in which his inmates are free to participate. At last count, there were more than 30 small church groups in which prisoners could take part. Warden Cain observed, ―We‘re free to pray in our prisons, but not in our public schools. You have to come to prison to pray on government property!‖ Americans have forgotten what made this country great over the last two centuries. But we can change that. Prayer not only changes things, prayer changes people. And as honorary chairman of the National Day of Prayer for 2011, I ask you to join me in bringing the needs of our country before the Throne of God's grace. Join me in using the theme for the 2011 National Day of Prayer as fodder for faithful praying; Psalm 91:1- 2 says, "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" Envision the time when every American will respect our historic Christian traditions; look to the time when we will gladly acknowledge that God is our refuge and fortress; may every US citizen and alien within our borders place their trust in God! The first Thursday in May is traditionally set aside for the people of this land to reflect upon the religious foundations of our country and to pray for our national and community leaders, our courts and schools, the brave men and women in our Armed Services, and for our churches and our families. I encourage you to join the National Day of Prayer efforts being planned in your own community, or gather a group and initiate an event which will welcome and provide an opportunity for the people in your community to gather on May 5 th and pray for America. Thank you for being a part of the growing swell of citizens who are deeply committed to pray for our great country and its people!
Joni Eareckson Tada, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, is an international advocate for people with disabilities. Her best-selling autobiography “Joni” and the feature film of the same name have been translated into many languages, introducing her to people around the world. She also has visited more than 45 countries.
thriving mommies.com Mothering and loving it!
Just as the motivations for families to choose homeschooling are wide and varied, so are the curriculum choices currently available to home schooled children. From traditional workbook based, to literature rich to classical to relaxed, the choices seem unlimited. For many home schooled children, the opportunity to choose a curriculum which interweaves their faith and beliefs directly into their child's core education is invaluable as is the ability to tailor a curriculum to their child's individual learning style, strengths and interests. If your child excels in math you can allow them to accelerate at their own pace without having to wait while their classmates catch up. If they're struggling with writing you can take the time to give them the extra instruction they need. If they have a passion for ancient China or anteaters you have the liberty and freedom to take a week off from your regularly scheduled instruction to delve deeply into an area of interest. Often times when people find out we homeschool they are supportive and encouraging, but adamant that they themselves could never homeschool their own children. I always tell them that if I can homeschool, anyone can. I'm far from the most qualified, organized or patient parent; yet when I look at my son, a happy and social child who is thriving academically and well-rounded with a variety of interests, I'm reaffirmed and encouraged in our decision to embark on the homeschool journey.
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Why I Homeschooled by Carol McLeod There were several reasons why we felt that the Lord was leading us to homeschool our children in 1986 - back when the movement was just beginning. First of all, we were committed to being the primary influencer in our children's lives. We believed, and still do believe, that the reason God places a child with a mom and a dad is because that child needs the wisdom and guidance that only parents can give. We were not ready to give our children to another man or woman, i.e. teacher, for 5-8 hours a day. We did, however, explore all of our options and went to the orientation that our local public school had for kindergarteners, and investigated local Christian schools. We immediately knew that the public school was not going to be a "fit" for our style of parenting. We were committed to giving our children a Christian world-view
which they were not going to be given in the public schools. From celebrating Halloween, to teaching evolution to liberal sex-education policies, we did not feel comfortable with exposing our child to much of anything that the public school had to offer. When we were in a conversation with the principle of the highly respected public primary school in our district, he said to me, "You have to remember that the local school system is an institution." I was not willing to "institutionalize" my 5 year old son. We read a book by the Moore's, who were early homeschool pioneers, entitled, "Better Late than Early" and so at first we embraced the mindset that we would send our children to a Christian school in about the third grade but would take it a year at a time. After reading several of the Moore's books, I realized that I, as a mom, could do as good as, if not a better job, educating my children than a classroom experience could do. I certainly had their best interest at heart and could easily become acquainted with their learning styles. Also, there was this innate mothering feeling that caused me to think, "Why give him to another woman to enjoy when he is such a joy to me?!" Also, I will admit that I had a real vision for educating my children well. I loved teaching them new vocabulary words and encouraging them to use them appropriately; I loved doing Science experiments as a part of every day life; I desired to raise patriotic children who were fascinated by the leaders who had blazed a trail for America; I loved classic literature and reading aloud to each one. Although we were very impressed with several of our Christian school options, we were not able to afford the tuition. And so our 23 year homeschool journey began. Private Christian Education by Deborah White My advocacy for Christ-centered education is based upon both an outgrowth of long Scripture study, and my own and my husband‘s personal experience in answering this question: If we are followers of Jesus Christ, then how does that commitment, in the light of His Word, impact how we allow the pattern of our thinking - or our ―worldview‖ to develop? My husband, Dave and I have always believed in, experienced, and been committed to ―the integration of faith and learning‖ and the imperative to do all we can in all areas of our life to promote a Biblical,
Whether private Christian education, home school or public school, God can and will use all three to accomplish his purposes. Photos by Jennifer Santora
Christ-centered worldview, first in us individually and then in our children. We are committed to the position that God‘s Word is the final authority for our faith and practice. Therefore, we could not escape the fact that the imperative of developing a Biblical worldview in our children must include and be reflected in their school environment. We knew that the criteria for such a choice had to include more than a school having committed and talented teachers, good principals, great facilities and good rankings. It was a matter of our children being able to learn, and be taught truth, whether it is the truth about the principles of literature, or the fact that God thought communication was important so He had his authors write His Word, and therefore, He, not just society, values the importance of phonics, reading with comprehension (Acts 8:30-31) and writing, that He designed the beauty and order of geometry and trigonometry to reflect other aspects of His character. The applications for music and art are limitless. It is to see His logic reflected in biology, to probe the yet-unanswered questions of earth science, to know that it is okay to question and wonder and know that God is not afraid of our questions and even doubt. It‘s to be able to see that ―spiritual things‖ are not, and should not just be thought of as separate and apart from what we, in our woefully limited human understanding, consider to be ―academic,‖ but that the pursuit of rigorous academic study and scholarship can be as much an act of worship as singing praise choruses. It can be an amazingly freeing environment. Perhaps Colossians 1:16-17 captures for me the incredible majesty of why the educational environment is God‘s rightful domain, over which His sovereignty should be proclaimed. 16 ―For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.‖ (NIV) - again, the implications of this statement for education are staggering! Where else can a student have the freedom to be taught all this truth but in a school equally committed to the Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ? How can a student truly have the biggest questions of life answered but in such an environment? I have been privileged to serve Christ and share this passion about Christ-centered education at Christian Central Academy since we enrolled our oldest child, Dan, in 1993, first as a parent volunteer and then as a staff member beginning in 1998. Both Dan and our daughter, Laura attended CCA all 13 years and graduated in 2006 and 2009 respectively. We all fully realize no school is a perfect place. But over the years as I continue to follow Christian and other private schools in our area, I remain convinced that God is doing something unique and powerful at Christian Central Academy. Praise Him. Understanding the Cost of Private Christian Education by Deborah White and Nurline A. Lawrence of Christian Central Academy Much of this decision comes down to what is the parents‘ perspective of the imperative of Christ-centered education for their child(ren). Is it viewed as a
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RESOURCE REVIEW
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Brought to you by:
From the beginning, the church has had an uneasy relationship with grace. The gravitational pull is always toward graceless religion. The odd thing is that when you read the New Testament, the only thing Jesus stood against consistently was graceless religion. The only group he attacked relentlessly was graceless religious leaders. Even now as you think about grace, there might be a little voice in your head whispering, "It can't be that easy!", "What about obedience?" "What about disobedience?" "What about repeated misbehavior?" "What about bad habits?" "What about justice?" "What about repentance?" It's this tension that makes grace so slippery. But that's the beauty and the truth of grace. We don't deserve it. We can't earn it. It can't be qualified. But God gives it to us anyway because he loves us unconditionally. The story of grace is your story. And as you are about to discover grace plays a larger role than you imagine.
Michael Oher is the young man at the center of the true story depicted in The Blind Side movie (and book) that swept up awards and accolades. Though the odds were heavily stacked against him, Michael had a burning desire deep within his soul to break out of the Memphis inner-city ghetto and into a world of opportunity. While many people are now familiar with Oher's amazing journey, this is the first time he shares his account of his story in his own words, revealing his thoughts and feelings with details that only he knows, and offering his point of view on how anyone can achieve a better life. Looking back on how he went from being a homeless child in Memphis to playing in the NFL, Michael talks about the goals he had for himself in order to break out of the cycle of poverty, addiction, and hopelessness that trapped his family for so long.
Today we have an abundance of options when it comes to the food we eat. But all foods are not created equal. In fact, some food should not even be labeled food but rather ―consumable product‖ or ―edible, but void of nourishment.‖ In Eat This and Live! Dr. Don Colbert provides a road map to help you navigate this often treacherous territory. Based on the key principles for healthy eating in Dr. Colbert‘s New York Times best seller, The Seven Pillars of Health, this practical guidebook to food includes ―Dr. Colbert Approved‖ foods and restaurant menu choices, along with helpful tips, charts, and nutrition information that will make it easier for you to stay healthy and lose weight.
book
The Bailey Flanigan series begins with Bailey leaving Bloomington for the adventure of a lifetime. She has won an audition for the ensemble of a Broadway musical in New York City. Bailey is determined to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but is she really ready to leave family and friends for the loneliness of the city? And what of Cody? His disappearance has her worried about their future and praying that their love can survive. Love, loneliness, big opportunities, and even bigger decisions highlight the first book in the new Bailey Flanigan series that features members of the popular Baxter family and finally completes the Bailey Flanigan/Cody Coleman story.
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In Hawk Nelson‘s fifth studio album, Crazy Love, the band continues the call for action heard on the band‘s last studio album Live Life Loud. Inspired by Francis Chan‘s book Crazy Love, Dunn and producer Ian Eskelin wrote the title track and debut radio single as a greater wake-up call to love. Passion: Here For You was recorded live at the Passion 2011 conference with more than 20,000 university-aged students in Atlanta, GA January 1-4, 2011. The much-anticipated collection of new songs will feature sixstepsrecords artists Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, Charlie Hall, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels and Kristian Stanfill. The album and new song offerings reflects the desire of a generation to lay down their lives to live for the renown of Christ. The reigning GMA/Dove 'Female Vocalist of the Year' returns with a follow-up to her best-selling debut, My Paper Heart. Hundred More Years embodies Francesca's signature sound fans have come to love, while exploring topics of family, friendship and life's joys and frustrations. What if..., tells the story of Ben Walker (Kevin Sorbo), who fifteen years ago left his college sweetheart Wendy (Kristy Swanson), and his calling to be a preacher, in order to pursue a business opportunity. Now with a high-paying executive gig, a trophy fiancé, and a new Mercedes, he hasn‘t considered a family nor felt the need to set foot in a church in fifteen years. But God has other plans. What if… is a story of finding your true purpose in life and getting a second chance. The Imposter deals with the lifestyle and subsequent breakdown of a Christian rock singer, Johnny C, lead singer of the popular band, Grand Design. As much as an inside look into the Christian music industry, it is also a story of redemption and self-discovery. In The Wager, Nominated for an Academy Award, Michael T. Steele (Randy Travis) has reached a pinnacle that no other Christian has. Unaware he has now been cast as the lead in a supernatural drama, as the center focus of a wager between God and Satan. Like the Old Testament accounting of Job, it is up to Michael Steele to determine the winner.
All Books, Bibles, Music, Gifts, and Stationery are available at: Bender’s Parable Christian Store, located at 8550 Sheridan Drive in Williamsville, NY. Open Monday-Friday from 10:00am-9:00pm; Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm. Shop online at: www.ShopBenders.com April/May 2011
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FINAL THOUGHT
Mission:
Every Man, Woman, and Child Hear and See the Gospel. By Ryan S Kozey, PhD. Two years ago, I had just finished a series of interviews for a tenure-track faculty position at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. I was finished with my doctoral work at the University of Buffalo and was working on my postdoctoral appointment. In a series of events transpiring afterward, I found myself in a ministry position in Buffalo, with the hope of cultivating church partnerships and who knows, maybe even some church plants (something that had already gotten underway over a year-and-a-half earlier). Ultimately, the goal that was set out, was to give every man, woman, and child a repeated opportunity to hear, to see, and to respond to the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. From that, what is now known as the Renovation Network was birthed, with particular emphasis on the Northeast and the Midwest (more particularly, The Rust Belt). Such geographic intentionality has stemmed from that, because Buffalo represents a city that straddles both domains of influence. It possesses Northeast composition along with blue collar living. It‘s part of why I love this town so much. What has transpired since that time has been encouraging, but it has also provided me with a stark reminder, that the journey that we are on is not in the 3-5 year timeframe. Granted, we have seen some great wins along the way, and we have been encouraged during that time. But what we are truly looking at, in my belief as a social scientist, is the next 30 years of our lives. The United States has Europe in its foresights if something does not happen with the church in the west. Sometimes, followers of Christ are overrun with the reality of what we are facing here domestically, and it slips their mind that God is doing amazing things all throughout the world. Africa, Latin America, Asia—the Gospel continues to move forward in ways that leave many of us pining for that to happen here. However, after the overwhelming feeling of the task ahead of us sets in, there are a couple of things that we can do. First, we can evoke myopic thinking. In essence, we can pretend that it‘s not all that bad, keep our head in the sand, and go about doing things methodologically the way that we‘ve always done them. Or, second, we can awaken to the challenge ahead of us. We can start to look at our view of Christology, Missiology, and Ecclesiology (see Hirsch, Forgotten Ways) 1, and examine them under the guise of where culture situates us today. It is my opinion, that the second approach would suit us well. But here is where the rub lies. We have to methodologi18 www.unitemagazine.us April/May 2011
cally examine where it is that we should start. Missiologist Dr. Dwight Smith 2 proposes two questions that have been the foundation for Renovation Network: 1) What does God want? and; 2) What would it look like if God did what He wanted? These two questions have driven the desire for churches to partner and work with one another, primarily because, they have helped us to arrive at two key answers to the proposed questions. First, God wants relationship with His creation—more specifically, He wants to give every man, woman, and child, the repeated opportunity to hear, see, and respond to the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Second, it likely is going to take multiple expressions of the bride to make that happen (e.g., high church, low church, seeker church, etc.). Given that being the case, what could happen if churches started working together to fulfill the mission of giving every man, woman, and child in Niagara and Erie County, that repeated opportunity for a relationship with Christ? Transitioning from theoretical to practical, this journey has been fun, but difficult as well. Working with other churches on a variety of initiatives has been incredibly exciting for our churches within the Network. While it is simply not just about planting, God has allowed some church plants to be birthed, and the stamp on some of these churches has been that they were planted by multiple expressions of the local church in Buffalo (e.g., Northgate Church— approximately 15 churches representing seven different denominations planted this particular expression of the bride). While that has certainly generated pause for excitement and enthusiasm, it is also clear that we have so much
to learn about working together with one another. There are clearly things that challenge us as we partner: geography, methodology, denominationalism, prior and/or existent ecclesiology, to name a few. That being said, what has been encouraging to me in particular, has been that churches have remained open to the idea that, even though we may not know how to work together well as of current, we‘re willing to dialogue and not give up on the key hope that drives us in Renovation Network—saturation of our geography. Certainly, we want to see men, women, and children come to know Christ. But that is not the exclusive mark that we‘re working toward. In addition to that, we want to see representatives of the local church (lay people) building intentional relationships with unbelievers (what we would identify as presence). We want for those people to also be available to share their grace story as well, talking about how God brought them to faith in Christ (past) and how that decision has continued to shape them day-byday, and in future days to come (what we would identify as proclamation). As our people do these very things, we then begin to saturate our geography with the Gospel and opportunities for a response to it. As we focus on saturation, a natural by-product is that some of those very people will come to know Jesus Christ. Yes, this is a 30 year venture. But even in writing this and reflecting upon what has been happening, I‘m thankful for what God has been doing in and through this conscious
effort to partner with other churches within the Church at Buffalo. I can only hope for more and pray that God would continue to develop and cultivate partnerships around the mission of every man, woman, and child.
Ryan Kozey, PhD is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for The Renovation Network. In addition, he is an adjunct professor of Organizational Communication for Canisius College. He and his wife and children reside in Buffalo, NY.
Continued from page 16 luxury or as a necessity? The worldview of the educational system in which one places one‘s child or children is the worldview one‘s child will be steeped in. At what grade level has a child had enough education that aims to develop the mind of Christ? After kindergarten? After 6th grade? 8th grade? High school? Any kind of education – whether it is homeschool, public school, secular private school, parochial school, church-related school or independent private Christian school – is going to incur costs to operate. At any school, teachers and staff must be paid. Heat and light are expected and so utilities are paid. Textbooks, supplies and equipment must be purchased. Facilities must be maintained. Funds for any school are provided either through property taxes, state and/or federal aid (taxes), church/denominational support, endowment, and/or tuition. For many private schools, other kinds of fundraising activities also come into play that contribute significantly to each school‘s resources. We continue to pray that the Lord will move those who are able to give generously to grasp the vision of Christ-centered education for the next generation and come alongside us through their financial support. If a private school like CCA is going to be able to offer the level of education and preparation for their children that parents have come to expect, then it cannot be done in a financial vacuum. Third, when the “cost” is the most important consideration, the inherent value of a Christian education in shaping the life of a child is considerably diminished. It must be regarded as a gift – in the same way that a young lover invests sacrificially in a ring for the beloved – as an expression of worth. There will always be an expense in obtaining that which one does not yet possess – in this case, a Christ-centered education. Lastly, the word “private” can conjure in the minds of some the idea of exclusivity or elitism. This is not our desire, aim or objective. For a school to define itself as ―private‖ simply conveys that it operates under the governance of an entity other than the government. In our case, that takes the form of an independent board of directors which bears the mantle of assuring the school‘s fiscal and operational integrity, academic strength and growth, and spiritual guidance and vitality. Being a private school allows us the freedom to proclaim the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and to be Biblically-integrative in all aspects of the curriculum and life of the school. This we will never compromise. Public Schools by Erik Ticen Home schooling, private Christian school, public school - I think there are strengths to all these options. In fact, my wife and I know many loving parents who have raised unbelievable Christian kids in each model. We have wrestled with the pros and cons of each. But we feel strongly that God has chosen our entire family to be salt and light in our community. We are forming meaningful relationships with parents and teachers constantly: at PTO meetings, rec leagues, neighborhood parties, etc. Our children have banded together with other Christian kids in their classrooms and we see God working through them every day at school. We bump into our non-Christian friends out in the community and have had several important discussions with them about the Lord. Every week we are presented with opportunities to teach our children how to make the right decisions and model for them how to share the Gospel. We are amazed how bold they are to bring Christ to the classroom. I ask, what would happen to our culture if every Christian family abandoned public education? Are we not commanded to be "in the world but not of it"? Was David, Jeremiah or the young disciples too fragile to engage? Our three kids are still very young and I can't say we are the experts in this area. We are not naive to the dangers out there. There will be issues to be faced as they get older. Yet we have complete faith that God is with us as we go out. Public Schools Continued by Traci Drake For the most part public school has been good. My children attend youth group, scouts, and sports where I have control over who they spend their time with. The education they receive for the most part has been as good as they would have received at a Christian school, maybe better in that I have a child who has learning disabilities. The public school has helped him to overcome his difficulties with learning. I am confident in this as my son is a senior who has excellent grades; he doesn't do anything he doesn't feel is right, has no problem telling people no, and has very conservative values. My younger two, (12 and 15) seem to be headed in that direction. Both Christian and public schools can be tools in a parent‘s arsenal in educating their children, but ultimately, it is the responsibility of the parent to direct their children in the way they should go. To know their children very well, to study them and assist them in becoming the person that God wants them to be. If homeschooling had been possible for us and we didn't need two incomes homeschooling would have been my first choice through middle school. We would love to hear from you regarding your views. Visit unitemagazine.us and tell us your opinion or find us on Facebook or Twitter. April/May 2011
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