Pray for Luke

I asked Mike Jones at church last Sunday to forward me this photo of Steve and Chuck in their colorful threads to post on the blog here as a "funny." (Mike suggested the caption, "So who's the real "cool" church?" But now the photo of Steve comes with a real prayer request attached.

On Monday the Johnson family were at Annette's grandparent's home in Thatcher, and while playing near the fire pit in the back yard, Luke fell into some hot coals and burned his hand pretty badly. The emergency room in Thatcher decided to send him to the Burn Center in Phoenix, giving him pain killers to sustain him for the trip. Annette says he did well on the trip and the nurses at the Burn Center all commented on his brave behavior. All his fingers were blistered, but the thumb,palm,and forefinger were most severe. As of Annette's Facebook posting on Tuesday, they were being held over at the center on Tuesday night and surgery was being discussed.

Here are a few sentences from Annette's story (if you're on Facebook, you can read the whole story from Steve's page, under "Notes.")

"We are praying that no surgery will be necessary. Thank you all so much for the prayers. Our continued prayer request would be that he not require surgery and that he not get any kind of infection.

Thank you so much to everyone for your help and prayers. We can definitely see God's hand in all of this. Luke's injury could have been much worse, but because of the quick reaction by all my family they were not. Sherri has been a lifesaver by watching Andrew in the waiting room for hours while we tended to Luke and opening her home to us as a homebase. My mom and aunt/uncle/cousin kept Hannah for us. My in-laws have gotten the city of Tucson praying and are picking Hannah up in Clifton tonight. My mom is coming to help us with Andrew in the morning. My grandparents sent us off with some money for the expenses. Friends are offering left and right to help. We are truly blessed in so many ways. Thank you all so much."

Psalm 62

Back on August 5 I commented in this blog on the good song selections on the part of the Dove Mountain worship team. I included the words for Psalm 62, below. When my sons were home for Christmas they showed me how to embed you tube videos instead of merely providing a link to them, so here is my first attempt. Enjoy!

Psalm 62

My soul finds rest in God alone
My rock and my salvation
A fortress strong against my foes
And I will not be shaken
Though lips may bless and hearts may curse
And lies like arrows pierce me
I'll fix my heart on righteousness
I'll look to Him who hears me

Find rest my soul in God alone
Amid the world's temptations
When evil seeks to take a hold
I'll cling to my salvation
Though riches come and riches go
Don't set your heart upon them
The fields of hope in which I sow
Are harvested in heaven

(And) O praise Him hallelujah
My Delight and my Reward
Everlasting never failing
My Redeemer my God

I'll set my gaze on God alone
And trust in Him completely
With ev'ry day pour out my soul
And He will prove His mercy
Though life is but a fleeting breath
A sigh too deep to measure
My King has crushed the curse of death
And I am His forever

O praise Him O praise Him
Hallelujah hallelujah
O praise Him O praise Him
Hallelujah Hallelujah
O praise Him O praise Him
Hallelujah hallelujah

Thoughts from the Waiting Room

I spent parts of yesterday in three different waiting rooms: auto repair shop, insurance office, and the Department of Motor Vehicles. It seems that many people have given some thought to making waiting rooms accommodating and pleasant. I normally carry a book with me to pass the time, but without one, I had plenty of time to study the surroundings.

The most comfortable and aesthetically pleasing was the insurance office. A couple of displays provided me with some knowledge of that company's history and some of the sort of trivia I enjoy knowing (a 1925 Cadillac retailed at $3100, but careful buyers could get one as low as $1450). The only magazine offerings were People and Rachel Ray. I opted for food and read several delicious-sounding recipes from Rachel.

The most technologically advanced room was the DMV. There, a flat screen on nearly every wall offers a running menu of news headlines, safety tips, health warnings, and celebrity gossip. Each item stays on the screen about ten seconds, which matches most people's attention span, I suppose. There were no print offerings to read, but I did see one man reading his well-worn Bible.

In the tiny auto shop waiting room was a collection of toy cars, a television tuned to an inspirational station, and a rack full of gospel tracts (twelve titles to choose from). The room was tiny and not particularly comfortable, but the people behind the counter all had smiles, and there was pleasant conversation.

These waiting areas tell me that Americans are a mixed bag. We are interested in things glittery, carnal, and transitory, but feel obligated to pay attention to temporal welfare concerns and current events(even though I'm sure most of the people staring at the screen in the DMV could not locate the countries in the news clips on a globe). Most of us are afraid of offending by putting out reading matter that would appear to be sectarian, and we all ascribe enormous authority (with implied wisdom) to the state. Some of us would be horrified to see a Bible verse intermingled with the Tiger Woods and Tyra Banks stories, but no one seems to mind seeing gospel tracts in a humble room on a back street in the dirty part of town. And, apparently, very few are expected to do serious reading or thinking.

Those of us who have seen the light of the gospel need to ask ourselves how we are to speak redemptively into the marketplaces of our world. The marketplace reveals the lost and mindless condition of our world.

And thank God for Christian mechanics like Dave Williams!

Another (almost) movie recommendation

At least Pastor Allen didn't recommend that we NOT watch this one (and I do!). Used to illustrate spiritual blindness, we have an American newsman blind to the fact that he is consorting wiht a princess, and a princess who has been blind to the wonders of the world around her until it is seen through the the eyes of the American newsman. Great fun!

Simeon's Song

Today Pastor Allen preached on Simeon's recognition of the Messiah when Jesus was brought to the temple for circumcision. There are many choral versions of his prayer, but my favorite is by Michael Card, which you can listen to here.

And here are the lyrics:

That old man in the temple
Waiting in the court
Waiting for the answer to a promise
And all at once he sees them
In the morning sunshine
A couple come and carry in a baby...

Chorus

Now that I've held Him in my arms
My life can come to an end
Let Your servant now depart in peace
Cause I've seen Your salvation
He's the Light of the Gentiles
And the glory of His people Israel!

Mary and the baby come
And in her hand five shekels
The price to redeem her baby boy
The baby softly cooing
Nestled in her arms
Simeon takes the boy and starts to sing:

Chorus

Now's the time to take Him in your arms
Your life will never come to an end
He's the only way that you'll find peace
He'll give you salvation cause
He's the Light of the Gentiles
And the glory of His people Israel!

Happy Boxing Day!

Because Pastor Allen spent part of his childhood in Australia, it seems fitting to recognize Boxing Day here on Dove Mountaineers. I was also exposed to this uniquely British holiday when I lived in the Crown Colony of Hong Kong.

Boxing Day was traditionally a day when gifts were given by the upper class to members of the lower class on the day after Christmas. By the twentieth century, the custom was extended to all classes giving gifts of cash to those in service occupations: milkman, paper carrier, sanitation workers, and so on.

Somewhat lesser known is that December 26th is also St. Stephen's Day. You may remember from Acts 6 that Stephen was a deacon in the early church, as well as the first Christian martyr. Stephen's stoning was overseen by Saul of Tarsus before Christ met him on the Jericho road, transforming him into the Apostle Paul.

The song "Good King Wenceslas" mentions the "Feast of Stephen." Although this is always thought of as a "Christmas" carol, it really refers to the day after Christmas. And now you know...the rest of the story!

Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath'ring winter fuel.

"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:
Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;
Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, good my page. Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Bells
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The Carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
‘For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!’

It's Christmas Eve!

Long time ago in Bethlehem, so the Holy Bible say
Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.

Hark now, hear the angels sing: A king was born today!
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.

While shepherds watch their flocks by night,
they see a bright new shining star,
they hear a choir sing a song, the music seemed to come from afar.

Hark now, hear the angels sing: A king was born today!
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.

Now Joseph and his wife, Mary, came to Bethlehem that night;
they found no place to bear her child, not a single room was in sight.

And then they found a little nook in a stable all forlorn,
and in a manger cold and dark, Mary's little boy was born.

Hark now, hear the angels sing: A king was born today!
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.

Oh my Lord...
You sent your son to save us
Oh my Lord...
Your very self you gave us
Oh my Lord...
That sin may not enslave us
and love may reign once more!

Marlene is coming!

For those who may not have heard, our Marlene Luartes will be back for Christmas! I agree with a recent posting on her blog that the time has flown by since we sent her off to Africa in September!

Her last event in Africa was a safari with some folks from Samaritan's Purse. Let's hope she shares some photos of that experience!

Not a movie recommendation...

...but still a great sermon illustration. Pastor Allen was quick to add after his use of this movie to illustrate the state of searching he was in before he came to Christ, that he does not endorse the whole movie (maybe he has noticed that I pass on all of his movie comments in this blog!).

Subtitled "The Story of One Man's Search for Himself," the movie was based on the Somset Maugham book of the same title. The first movie version was made in 1946, starring Tyrone Power. The version Pastor Allen saw, starring Bill Murray, was released in 1984.

In the book, Maugham takes the universal theme of "search for meaning," which Pastor Allen discussed at length in the message, and shows one man's search ending in the spirituality of Hinduism. Unfortunately, the only Christian he met during his search was a Benedictine monk, who did not persuade the lead character, Larry, to embrace that answer for man's search for meaning.

It should not discourage us that great writers like Somerset Maugham have not seen the answer that we have found in Christ. The simplicity and profundity of the cross has often escaped sophisticated and worldly minds. Nevertheless, we should be fully persuaded by the gospel we have received, that man's serch for meaning should lead directly to Calvary.

1 Corinthians 1:23
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
2 Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

More re-connections

An unexpected e mail came into my box last week, and the photo above was attached.

In the fall of 1971 I was stationed at Fort Hamilton, NY for three months for training as a chaplain's assistant. The first Sunday there, I took the subway to Chinatown and wandered the streets until I heard a hymn I recognized, went up the the second floor flat from whence the sounds came, and instantly was welcomed into the fellowship of the Chinese Conservative Baptist Church of New York City.

I immediately became a regular attender, not only of the Sunday services but also the youth meetings for both their English youth group and the Cantonese youth group. The English group called themselves the JYP (Junior Young People), and the above photo was taken at one of their week end retreats in upstate New York. The gentleman in the white shirt on the right is Pastor Wong. I am on the back row.

A few years ago I wondered what had become of some of these young people, so I left a message on the church's web site. My message was eventually forwarded to one of the young men, King Louie (second from the right, arms crossed, in the back). The message was forwarded by Dexter Yee (far right, white shirt, black rimmed glasses). Both of these young men are actively serving the Lord in other Chinese churches in the NYC area. Of those in the photo, five are still attending the original church.

A day after receiving this photo, I also go an e mail from one of he girls in the photo, Barbara (Lee) Herron (middle of second row, glasses). She is now on faculty at Northland University, a Christian College in Wisconsin.

To look at this photo again after all these years is not only good for my "nostalgia" bone, but refreshment to my soul: to know that so many are still faithful to the Lord.

Proverbs 25:25
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Watchword for the Week

God has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly.
Luke 1:52

He will have compassion on the poor and needy, and the lives of the needy he
will save. Psalm 72:13 (NASB)

Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of
the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? James 2:5

Keep us sensitive, O loving One, to the plight of our brothers and sisters who
suffer because of tangible needs. Use us to feed them with the bread of life.
Amen.

Randy Alcorn on heaven

Some of those great quotes in Pastor Allen's sermons just zip by so fast that I like to reprint them, so we can reread and meditate on them during the week. This is one form this past Sunday's sermon. It comes from Randy Alcorn's book, Heaven. Alcorn is pictured above with his grandchildren.

"We will see God's face - we will look into God's eyes and we will see what we've always longed to see: the person who made us and for whom we were made. We will see him in the place he made for us, and for which we were made. Seeing God will be like seeing everything else for the first time. We will discover that seeing God is our greatest joy, and life itself. Every other joy of Heaven will be derivative, flowing from the fountain of our relationship with God."

What can I give Him?

As soon as Pastor Allen began the phrase "What can I give Him?" is his message Sunday, my dear kindergarten teacher wife began reciting along with him under her breath. This poem has long been a favorite of Christians everywhere, but nowhere is it memorized more often than in Christian schools!

I thought you might like to read the full text of the poem here:

In the Bleak Midwinter - Christina Rosetti, 1872.

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshiped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

Happy birthday, Ethan!

Today is my oldest son's birthday. It has been a joy to watch him grow up into manhood. He has always fit Kevin Leman's descrition of the "highly responsible first-born." His love language is "acts of service;" he loves helping others and making them happy. One of his spiritual convictions is that one should tithe time as well as money, and he has done that consistently throughout his life.

When Linda and I became Dove Mountaineers, Ethan remained at Catalina Foothills Church, where he now works in the audio ministry as well as serving as night security person. His hobby has always been Egyptology (and science fiction), and the above photo was taken last year when he was in Dallas visiting his brother Michael, and had the opportunity to see the traveling King Tut display.

Linda and I give thanks to God for Ethan!

The doomed canoe trip

What a colorful life Pastor Allen has had, to keep coming up with all these great sermon illustrations. "The doomed canoe trip" will always be one of my favorites! There's got to be another message here, about mistaking a farmer's drainage ditch for the Mississippi River!

But the real message, that of the gracious farmer's wife and her hospitality, reminded me a a phrase from one of Pastor Allen's other favorite sources, Tolkien: "the last homely house" of Tom Bombadil (illustration on right, above)!

Pastor Allen's twelve day challenge

For those who may have missed it, Pastor Allen issued a challenge at the end of Sunday's sermon for Dove Mountain members to live each of the days between now and the Sunday after Christmas (December 27) as though they are our last days. On that Sunday he will give a time for sharing insights God may have given us through this experience.

Since Pastor Allen quoted Jonathan Edwards in his message Sunday, I thought it might be good to provide a couple of his quotes here to bolster this challenge:

"Resolved, never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life."
— Jonathan Edwards

"Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die."
— Jonathan Edwards

Become a fan of International Dental Ministries

I hope you enjoyed Jill Hauschildt's report about the recent dental mission trip to Peru as much as I did. I especially liked her proposal that Dove Mountain become a long term partner with the pastors' group among the Quechua!

You can see more photos of their recent trip by becoming a "fan" on the International Dental Minsitries page on Facebook. I did!

Psalm 133:1

Recently I had the privilege of having lunch with Pastor Mark Roessler of Catalina Foothills Church, the mother church of Dove Mountain. We had a delightful time of catching up about Catalina Foothills, Dove Mountain, issues of interest to both churches, and issues of interest to the larger Christian world. Of course, there was some mention of football, as well.

During the course of the conversation I mentioned the Dove Mountaineers blog, and he suggested I refer to our luncheon in a future blog posting. Impulsively, I snapped a photo of him right there with my cell phone. Pastor Mark, if you're reading this, the lesson from this is that not all cell phone photos are able to be enhanced well enough to look great, no matter how good looking the subject matter is or was!

Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!

I'm back, sort of...

Actually, I've been back for over a week, but it's been hard to get "back in the groove" of writing for the blog. In fact, I may be publishing less frequently than I have in the past; hence the "sort of.." in the title above.

In the photo, I am standing at the door of one of the classrooms I taught in during my two years in Hong Kong, 1968-1970. Many times in the intervening years I wondered if I would ever have the opportunity to ever see this place again. Now that the "ice has been broken," I hold out hope that I may be blessed to visit again in this lifetime.

I have always appreciated the emphasis we have on missions at Dove Mountain, as illustrated with the report on the Peru dental mission we heard in yesterday's service. While I could say much about my trip to Hong Kong, all I will say here is that the persistence of this school, founded by Southern Baptist missionaries in Canton in 1889, is a wonderful testimony to the faithfulness of God. It has responded to many upheavals and political changes with amazing resilience, and continues to be a light for the gospel in east Asia. Soli Deo Gloria!

Back in time, off in space

This blog will be going on hiatus for about two weeks. I will indulge in a brief personal history to explain why.

From 1968 through 1970 I served with the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in Hong Kong as a missionary teacher. My primary assignment was teaching English and Bible at Pui Ching Middle School, a school which had been founded by Baptists in Canton, but was relocated to Hong Kong when the communists overran China. Incidentally "Middle school" in the Chinese system refers primarily to high school ("Little school" is elementary and "Big school" is university). However, Pui Ching was a K-12 school with about 5000 students at the time.

By the time I taught there, Pui Ching had established itself as the most academically superior school in Hong Kong among those teaching primarily in the Chinese language. At that time, because Hong Kong was still a British colony, most schools wishing to seem prestigious taught primarily in English. Of the two hundred seniors I taught each year, nearly eighty per cent continued their education in U.S. colleges and universities. It was significant that for many of them, I was the first American they ever knew; yet most of them were only one year away from freshman year in the U.S., and their English was not very good.

Although Pui Ching students attended weekly chapels and mandatory Bible class, less than ten per cent were Christians. But the seeds did not fall on hard soil in all cases, and I am happy to report that perhaps as many as twenty-five per cent or more of those students are now believers. And at least one is now a pastor of a Chinese church in New Zealand.

I happen to know this because, through the wonders of the internet, I have reconnected with many of those former students. In fact, I read e mails almost daily from many of them through a common listserve which they use. In the early years of my return from Hong Kong, I saw quite a few of them while they were in college, and in recent years have attended several of their reunions in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Two have visited me here in Tucson within the past five years, and one actually lives here, a pharmacy professor at U of A.

Even so, I was not prepared for the wonderful surprise I received last spring when one of them wrote to me saying that the Class of 1969 has invited Linda and me, at their expense, to attend their fortieth reunion in Hong Kong next week. It is timed to coincide with the schools's celebration of its 120th anniversary. It's hard to believe that I was actually teaching there during the 80th anniversary!

Chinese students are, by nature, very respectful to their teachers, but the bonds in this school are remarkably tight. Their worldwide alumni assocation numbers in the tens of thousands. Most have been quite successful as entrepreneurs, college professors, doctors, programmers, scientists, and so on. There is even a Nobel Prize physicist among the alumni of this school (although he graduated several years before I was there).

I should mention that Linda was serving in the same mission program during the same two years in Peru, teaching missionary children for several different families. I often say we were never on the same continent long enough to get married during our first seven years out of college!

At any rate, preparations for the trip, the trip itself, and recovery from the trip, along with the fact that this is my busy tax credit season, will keep me from posting for probably about two weeks. Please pray for our journey (we don't travel much nowadays) and for the wonderful contacts we will make during this time.

The Mission

A film that Pastor Allen has referred to several times in his messages, the British movie The Mission was made in 1986, loosely based on Father Roque, of whom I wrote in this blog on October 15.

I finally had a chance to watch the film this past week end and I strongly recommend it for the sake of one particular scene, if nothing else. It is the scene in which the character played by Robert de Niro, Rodrigo Mendoza, is forgiven by the Guarani whom he had previously been kidnapping and selling as slaves. The Guarani themselve would not have been able to forgive him had they not already been converted to Christ through the efforts of Father Roque.

Inciedentally, the reviewer who wrote the movie's description on Wikipedia refers to Mendoza's conversion as him being "symbolically relieved of his violent past." When I read this I wanted to tell the writer, "This is no mere symbol; this is life-changing transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit." But, pearls before swine....

At any rate, you will recognize what Mendoza's conversion looks like when you watch the well-depicted transition from grief and despair to tears of gratitude, and finally, to shared laughter with his Guarani brothers in Christ. It is rare in a major movie to find forgiveness and faith so beautfully depicted. It is a cinematic jewel that any Christian would be thrilled to see, as I was.

Filmed on location in South America, the scenery is also breath-taking, especially the waterfalls. As with many movies, the violence may not be appropriate for children. While many would say the movie has a depressing ending, which I won't give away, I felt the actual (and dreadful) history of what happened to the Jesuit missions was sensitively and artistically portrayed. And to the movie-makers' credit, the last image on the screen is the text of John 1:5 - "The Light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

Anna's baptism

Many of you will remember Anna Oliver, who was Margaret Cole's foster child for over a year. She has now been adopted by Mark and Sharon Summerville of Marana, joining her birth brother, Robert, as a member of the Summerville family. Last Saturday was Pima County Adoption Celebration, with a huge number of adopting families at Udall Park, where Anna and Robert officially became Anna and Robert Summerville.

The next morning both Anna and her brother were baptised by their father, Mark, at Desert Son Community Church on Cortaro Farms Road. Above you can see the photos of Anna joining the family of God in holy baptism. Glory to God!

In a future blog I will tell more of Margaret's story and the story of her adopted daughter, Elizabeth (whom we get to see with Margaret every Sunday at Dove Mountain Church).

More news from Marlene

Dove Mountaineer Marlene Luartes recently e-mailed "Moments with Marlene," a November newsletter about her work in Kenya, with lots of photos and other news. Here is a brief excerpt:

"I can’t believe that I’ve been here a month already! Time has been flying by! I lived in a guest apartment at the East Africa Bible Translation Center for the first 11 days, then moved into a condo managed by AIM Intl. It’s in a small, mostly African, gated community, but there’s an AIM family on every short street. They have all been so gracious, inviting me into their homes for dinner, or to go along to church or shopping centers, or out for a meal.

I work on the top floor of the hangar, which means climbing three flights of stairs several times a day. I do get my exercise! My boss is a hard-working but fun-loving guy. He’s the head of the Maintenance Dept and also oversees the financial workings of all of AIM AIR. We’re doing account and cost analysis for the department...sound like fun? My desk is in the scheduling office and it’s delightful to hear Lydia talking to folks, scheduling their flights. She often speaks in Kiswahili, with just a phrase of English thrown in here and there. She’s really good at her job...and such a delightful person!"

If you would like to receive Marlene's newsletters directly to your e mail box, just let her know at Marlene_luartes@wycliffe.org

Another Movie Recommendation from Pastor Allen

Pastor Allen used this film as an illustration of the power of one person "standing for justice" against popular opinion. For those who aren't aware, a great place to rent the old classics like this is Casa Video at 2905 E. Speedway.

Loose change to loosen chains

A Dove Mountaineers salute to Steve Johnson for taking on the "Loose Change to Loosen Chains" project with Dove Mountain children and youth! You can read more about this project and the International Justice Mission here.

Here is a short description of this program in their own words:

"Loose Change to Loosen Chains (LC2LC) is a student-led campaign for elementary to college students to combat modern-day slavery while learning about the reality of injustices today. According to Real Simple magazine there is $10.5 billion in loose change lying around American households. Imagine what you could do if you were to collect even just a fraction of this amount and use it for a good cause!"

Pure Religion in Thailand

James 1:
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

In the 1980's, when I was administrator of Shiloh Christian School in Sierra Vista, one of the teachers, Ron Miller was restless to do more for Jesus. A veteran of Viet Nam, he remembered with compassion the "thrown away" children he had seen in Southeast Asia during his years there. Eventually God led him to return to the "golden triangle" area of Northern Thailand, near the borders of Laos and Myanmar (Burma). This is an area ripe with drug traffic; the indigenous people there are very poor. Thousands of children end up with fates similar to the story Pastor Allen told in his message of Bo Pa, a child kidnapped and forced into prostitution.

Ron arrived in Chiang Rai, Thailand in 1991 with about $2 in his his pocket, speaking no Thai, and knowing no one. From the beginning, his work there has been an act of faith, relying on God's provision for all his needs. Ron started his first orphanage there with four children who would have inevitably ended up in the sex trade, in a building so dilapidated that eventually the local government required it to be demolished. Undaunted and undismayed by challenges that would have overcome most of us, Ron persevered in his faith that God would enable to rescure more and more children from a life of enslavement and despair. Today all four of those original children are healthy adult Christians, two of them serving as leaders of his current five orphanages.

Here is Ron's update to those humble beginnings, told in his own words:

"Today we have around 120 of us: 22 staff members and one hundred plus children in five orphanages. One of our works is located in Chiang Mai for disabled children. The others are all located in Chiang Rai province. This is a testimony of God’s grace and faithfulness. We have seen over 12,000 Hmong come to faith through our little work here in the 'outer' reaches. We are involved in over 40 Hmong churches in Northern Thailand and Laos. By the way, many of these men working amongst the Hmong are a product of Baan Immanuel.

This year we opened our fifth orphanage in the mountains of Huey Lou (in the Doi Tung Mountain Range) for Red Lahu. Batha, our first boy with the ministry, is the overseer of this work. We have seen around 350 Red Lahu come to faith since the New Year. Last year we opened an orphanage for the Yao children. Ardizone, one of our Yao boys, and his wife are the leaders of this ministry. He arrived at Baan Immanuel with our second group of children.

The work in Chiang Khong for Hmong children is under the care of two young Hmong men, Somsaat and Kraigklay. They arrived at Baan Immanuel with Ardizone’s group...14 years ago! During those 14 years I have experienced many blessings, but of the many blessings I am most grateful for is this: All our orphanages and works are run by our own children, and each is working with the tribal group from which they are a member. It is not that we necessarily planned it this way – it was just the Lord’s will and wisdom. These kids, well, I guess now they are young men and women now, just have a heart for God. My blessing is to see my spiritual children doing the work of ministry. And they are raising their children to do the same."

You can read more about the work of Baan Immanuel here.

Voice of the Martyrs

Dove Mountaineer Jack Hauschildt has been a faithful supporter and promoter of Voice of the Martyrs for many years. As a teacher at Cornerstone Christian Academy, he has always dedicated a bulletin board in his sixth grade classroom to making his students aware of their persecuted brethren in Christ around the world, as well as encouraging them (through his own leadership and example) to pray for the persecuted church. This past Sunday his information table on Voice of the Martyrs was the perfect complement to Pastor Alllen's massage on justice ministry.

After the service, Dove Mountaineer Diana Robinson and I both found ourselves back at the information table, and she was wondering how to learn more about this wonderful work among our suffering brothers and sister in Christ around the world. For her and all other Dove Mountaineers, here is a link to the VOM web site.

From the web site, here is a brief summary of their vision and work:

"The Voice of the Martyrs is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian organization dedicated to assisting the persecuted church worldwide. VOM was founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was imprisoned 14 years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ. His wife, Sabina, was imprisoned for three years. In the 1960s, Richard, Sabina, and their son, Mihai, were ransomed out of Romania and came to the United States. Through their travels, the Wurmbrands spread the message of the atrocities that Christians face in restricted nations, while establishing a network of offices dedicated to assisting the persecuted church. The Voice of the Martyrs continues in this mission around the world today through the following main purposes:

To encourage and empower Christians to fulfill the Great Commission in areas of the world where they are persecuted for their involvement in propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ. We accomplish this by providing Bibles, literature, radio broadcasts, medical assistance, and other forms of aid.

To give relief to the families of Christian martyrs in these areas of the world.
To equip local Christians to love and win to Christ their enemies who are opposed to the gospel in countries where believers are actively persecuted for their Christian witness.

To undertake projects of encouragement, helping believers rebuild their lives and Christian witness in countries that have formerly suffered Communist oppression.
To emphasize the fellowship of all believers by informing the world of atrocities committed against Christians and by remembering their courage and faith."

Pleading their cause...

Proverbs 31:
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Thank you, Pastor Allen, for the challenge to care about God's justice in today's world. Other scriptures that were cited to support the main passage from Proverbs included...

Amos 5:
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Micah 6:
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Proverbs 14:
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Isaiah 61:
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

Issues Facing Christians Today

If you're like me, I pay a lot of attention to books that Pastor Allen quotes from in his sermons. I've even ended up ordering many of them to read myself (I usually order used copies for a very low price from Amazon.com). We have all observed that John Stott is one of his favorite authors, but I must admit I had never heard of this particular book until this past Sunday, and it seems (based on his quotes from it) that this may be a very important book.

Here are some notes from the product description on the back of the book:

"Terrorism...Same-Sex Marriage...Debt Cancellation...The AIDS Pandemic...These are just some of the critical contemporary issues addressed in this book. Issues Facing Christians Today helps thinking Christians sift through and respond to a sweeping array of complex and pressing topics.

Thoroughly revised and updated by Roy McCloughry and fully endorsed by John Stott, this fourth edition continues a two-decades-plus legacy of bringing important current issues under the lens of biblically informed thinking. Combining a keen global awareness with a gift for penetrating analysis, the authors examine such vital topics as:

Pluralism and Christian witness
Cohabitation
Environmentalism and ecological stewardship
War and peace
Abortion and euthanasia … and much more

An entirely new chapter on bio-engineering has been contributed by Professor John Wyatt of University College London.

Including a study guide, Issues Facing Christians Today is essential reading for Christians who wish to engage our culture with insight, passion, and faith, knowing that the gospel is as relevant and deeply needed today as at any time in history. As the culture wars continue, this book will remain a critical contribution, helping to define Christian social and ethical thinking in the years ahead."

Perverting Scripture

It was gratifying to hear the audible gasp of disbelief and dismay from the congregation last Sunday when Pastor Allen quoted a self-help guru as having said, "I can do all things through my subconscious, which strenghens me." This shows that our congregation is Biblically literate, and are not fooled by substitutes. I'm afraid some Christians would not even be familiar enough with Scriptures to recognize that this is a direct perversion of Philippians 4:13.

This is important for us in our day, because all sorts of counterfeits abound, and some of the elect may even be taken in by them. I have been in social situations where people come out with some of these unBiblical paraphrases, and am astonished that I am expected to nod my head in agreement with something that sounds "so harmless." In the spirit of Pastor Allen's "Five Smooth Stones" challenge (see Monday's post), we should be ready to "bear witness of the Truth" and "protest."

Curious to know who may have said such a thing, I found this quote from a book entitled The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, originally published in the 1970s:

"Never use the terms, “I can’t afford it” or “I can’t do this.” Your subconscious mind takes you at your word and sees to it that you do not have the money or the ability to do what you want to do. Affirm, “I can do all things through the power of my subconscious mind.”

It was not surprising to find that the author, Joseph Murphy, was an active practioner of Divine Science, and a world-renowned authority on mysticism and mind dynamics. He also taught that the mind is "totally neutral in a moral sense." But the Bible says "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).

A Little Bit of History

In setting the stage for his lesson on the armor of God, Pastor Allen quoted from two speeches by Winston Churchill. The first was on the occasion of his speech to the House of Commons after becoming Prime Minister. Although Churchill received only lukewarm applause upon his entrance that day, the stirring speech evoked a tumultuous ovation from Parliament at its conclusion. Popularly referred to as the "Blood, sweat, and tears" speech, you will note below, in the original, that the phrase was actually "blood, toil, tears, and sweat."

May 13, 1940

"I say to the House as I said to ministers who have joined this government, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering.

You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.

You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs - Victory in spite of all terrors - Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.

Let that be realized. No survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge, the impulse of the ages, that mankind shall move forward toward his goal.

I take up my task in buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. I feel entitled at this juncture, at this time, to claim the aid of all and to say, "Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength."

June 4, 1940

Less than a month later, Churchill delivered a much longer and more strategically detailed speech following the heroic evacuation of Allied troops from France to Dunkirk by a flotilla composed primarily of private British citizens. Reprinted here is the last paragraph of that speech.

"I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

More on Ephesians 6

Like some of you, I suppose, I do a bit of blog-browsing. One site I enjoy is that of Emmanuel Covenant Church in Phoenix, where former Tucsonan and Cornerstone assistant headmaster Brian McKinley is now worshipping. It just so happens one of their teaching elders, Richard Klaus, recently spoke on the same passage Pastor Allen used last Sunday. I asked him for permission to reproduce his notes on this blog, and he graciously consented. Here they are, for our further enrichment on this great passage of Scripture:

Ephesians 6.10-17: Some Sermon Notes

This past Sunday (9-6-09) I was able to preach on Ephesians 6.10-17. I went over a number of scripture texts and someone asked if I would post these on the website. So here are a few of my notes from the sermon (with a few additions as well!):

Three main points: 1) The Reality of the conflict, 2) Our Responsibility in the conflict, and 3) The Resources for the conflict.

1. The Reality of the Conflict (6. 11, 12, 16). Other references to the devil or the demonic in Ephesians: 1.21; 2.2; 3.10; 4.27.

"There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them." C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

*The Reformed community’s tendency is toward disbelief; not unhealthy interest.

"I am certain that one of the main causes of the ill state of the church today is the fact that the devil is being forgotten. All is attributed to us; we have all become so psychological in our attitude and thinking. We are ignorant of this great objective fact, the being, the existence of the devil, the adversary, the accuser, and his ‘fiery darts.’" Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The Ephesian church had no such problem. They lived in a magic, spirit-infested culture. See Acts 19. 11-20 for biblical background. See Ephesians, Power and Magic: The Concept of Power in Ephesians in Light of Its Historical Setting by Clinton E. Arnold for the historical background. Ephesians 6.12 would make perfect sense to the Ephesian church. It also makes perfect sense to vast stretches of the church in the non-Western world (i.e., “the global South”). Phillip Jenkins’ work The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South is crucial reading in this regard.

Ephesians 6.10 and its call to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might must be read in light of the rest of the letter to the Ephesians. Two contextual points to consider: 1) The power of God revealed in Christ in the salvation of his people (1.3-14) and 2) The power of Christ ruling and reigning over the powers (1.19-22).

Already/Not Yet Tension must be kept in mind and maintained. Already the powers are subject to Christ (1.19-22) and still there is the Not Yet of the struggle we face we the powers (6.12).

"Already" texts: John 12.31-32; Colossians 2.13-15; Hebrews 2.14-15; 1 John 3.8; 4.4; 5.8; Matthew 12.28-29; Luke 10.17-19. Notice especially the cross-focused theme of many of these passages.

"Not Yet" texts: 1 Thessalonians 2.18; 2 Corinthians 12.7; 1 Corinthians 7.5; 1 Thessalonians 3.5; 2 Timothy 2.26; 2 Corinthians 4.4; 11.13-15; 1 Timothy 4.1; 1 Timothy 3.6-7; 5.14-15; 2 Corinthians 2.5-11.

Christ is the victor and yet the battle is real.

2. Our Responsibility in the Conflict. Verses 11, 13, and 14a all bring out this need to engage ourselves in the battle. The language of “stand firm” is used three times as well as the language of “struggle” and “resist.” The exhortation to stand firm is given in the face of the enemies who are 1. Powerful, 2. Wicked, and 3. Cunning (vv. 11-12).

3. The Resources for the Conflict. It is the Lord’s strength but we must put it on. Two times the exhortation comes: “Put on/take up the full armor of God” (vv. 11, 13).

Armor of God: Old Testament roots–Isaiah 11.4-5; 59.17.

Truth: See Ephesians 1.13; 4.21, 24-25; 5.9.

Righteousness: Ephesians 4.24; 5.9. We are taking up the virtues that flow from the gospel of grace and applying them to the warfare we are involved in with the powers.
Readiness for the gospel: This is readiness to share the gospel. Context: Isaiah 52.7 and Ephesians 6.19. Gospel of peace: Peace with God (Eph 2.16) and peace with men (2.14-15; 4.3). Unity in the body is essential for the successful proclamation of the gospel and the defeat of the devil.

Shield of Faith: Ephesians 1.13, 15, 19; 2.8; 3.12, 17. Faith in Christ: what he has done and who we are in him. This faith protects against: temptation, heresy, and despair in persecution (cf. 1 Peter 5.8-9).

Helmet of Salvation: Ephesians 2 states we are “saved by grace” (vv. 5,8). Salvation in Ephesians 2 consists in 1) Being made alive with Christ, 2) Being raised up with Christ, and 3) Being seated in the heavenly places in Christ. How do we take up the helmet of salvation? Rehearse the reality of God’s grace and its effects in our lives. Pray for sustained faith.

Sword of the Spirit: This the word of God, the gospel (cf. Romans 10.8). We go on the offense with the gospel!

The armor of God is gospel-centered. In the beginning of Ephesians the gospel moves Paul to blessing and praise (1.3-14). At the end of the letter it is still gospel centered but now it is set in the context of battle.

For Christ and His Kingdom,

Richard Klaus

Wearing the Armor

In my humble opinion, Steve's object lesson Sunday on the armor of God was much more effective for having the members of the congregation supply the "homemade" armor items than it would have been if he had used the cheesy plastic pieces of "armor" that are sold in Christian supply stores. Not that an Easter basket helmet isn't pretty cheesy itself!

On a serious note, it did undergird the "body" principle that we all work together to "watch each other's back."

Thanks to Steve, Jessica Williams, and all the other "armor suppliers" for memorable object lesson!

Frodo's lament

For those of us who don't mind Pastor Allen's quotes from Lord of the Rings (but with thanks to him for making the disclaimer on Sunday anyway!) here is the text of the conversation he quoted in his sermon on Sunday:

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. And already, Frodo, our time is beginning to look black. The Enemy is fast becoming very strong. His plans are far from ripe, I think, but they are ripening. We shall be hard put to it. We should be very hard put to it, even if it were not for this dreadful chance."

Five Smooth Stones

From yesterday's Town Hall Meeting with Pastor Allen, it is important that all Dove Mountaineers remember the Five Smooth Stones! I suggest that we each make a copy and meditate on how they apply in our individual lives and corporate life as a church.


1. Prayer
2. Evangelism
3. Bearing witness to the Truth
4. Protesting and resisting
5. Demonstrating

I will have more to say in future postings!

Miles Hendon's pledge to the Prince of Wales

Here is the full context of the quotation Pastor Allen gave from The Prince and the Pauper in Sunday's message:

"A smile twinkled in Hendon's eye, and he said to himself--

'By the mass, the little beggar takes to one's quarters and usurps one's bed with as natural and easy a grace as if he owned them--with never a by-your-leave or so-please-it-you, or anything of the sort. In his diseased ravings he called himself the Prince of Wales, and bravely doth he keep up the character. Poor little friendless rat, doubtless his mind has been disordered with ill-usage. Well, I will be his friend; I have saved him, and it draweth me strongly to him; already I love the bold-tongued little rascal. How soldier-like he faced the smutty rabble and flung back his high defiance! And what a comely, sweet and gentle face he hath, now that sleep hath conjured away its troubles and its griefs. I will teach him; I will cure his malady; yea, I will be his elder brother, and care for him and watch over him; and whoso would shame him or do him hurt may order his shroud, for though I be burnt for it he shall need it!'"

The submission of Uncle Tom

Pastor Allen read part of the passage below to us in his sermon illustrating the attitude of a Christian slave. I have included a slighter larger context here for us for reread for private contemplation or consideration:

Legree drew in a long breath; and, suppressing his rage, took Tom by the arm, and, approaching his face almost to his, said, in a terrible voice, "Hark 'e, Tom! -- ye think, 'cause I've let you off before, I don't mean what I say; but, this time, I've made up my mind, and counted the cost. You've always stood it out again' me: now, I'll conquer ye, or kill ye! -- one or t' other. I'll count every drop of blood there is in you, and take 'em, one by one, till ye give up!"

Tom looked up to his master, and answered, "Mas'r, if you was sick, or in trouble, or dying, and I could save ye, I'd give ye my heart's blood; and, if taking every drop of blood in this poor old body would save your precious soul, I'd give 'em freely, as the Lord gave his for me. O, Mas'r! don't bring this great sin on your soul! It will hurt you more than 't will me! Do the worst you can, my troubles'll be over soon; but, if ye don't repent, yours won't never end!"

Like a strange snatch of heavenly music, heard in the lull of a tempest, this burst of feeling made a moment's blank pause. Legree stood aghast, and looked at Tom; and there was such a silence, that the tick of the old clock could be heard, measuring, with silent touch, the last moments of mercy and probation to that hardened heart.

It was but a moment. There was one hesitating pause, -- one irresolute, relenting thrill, -- and the spirit of evil came back, with seven-fold vehemence; and Legree, foaming with rage, smote his victim to the ground.

While many will say that applying sentiments such as those expressed above by Tom in today's context of employer and employee would seem oddly inappropriate (since the employer seldom has life-or-death power over the employee), there is nevertheless, an applicable principle. In Tom's words "...dont bring this great sin on your soul," I am reminded of a Christian teacher who once said that, in our submission as Christian employees, we should have more concern for the good name and reputation of our emplyers (thereby exercising ourselves in preserving and protecting it)than we have for our own. While this may seem hard to do, it was incomparably harder for Tom to lay down his life in order to try to save his master.

Detectives in Togas

Pastor Allen's reference to the conditions of slavery in Roman times provided a useful historical frame of reference for his exposition of Ephesians 6:5-9 for us this past Sunday. While he was correct in transposing this into "employers and employees" for our own contemporary application, it is good for us to realize that Paul had a particular challenge in interpreting the gospel to his own world and time.

As a defender of classical Christian education, I am often asked why we would have children learn so much about the Roman and Greek world. These two great civilizations and cultures still impact much of what we know and practice even today. They are particularly relevant to Christians in helping us understand the world to which the New Testament writers were speaking.

The book depicted here, Detectives in Togas, is a standard curriculum item in most classical Christian schools. Besides being a ripping good adventure yarn for pre-adolescents, it provides invaluable insights into the role of slavery (Allen's theme in the message), the geography of Rome, upper, occupations and life styles of Romans in the various social classes, and hosts of details about daily life in those times. As one student put it after reading the book, "I ended up never minding to learn Latin at school; after all it was the language of Caius, Rufus, and the rest of the gang." (Charlotte Esser, Germany).

Brother Lawrence's Practice

"It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God." Brother Lawrence

When Pastor Allen quoted from this little book, The Practice of the Presence of God, I realized, almost for the first time, how much I have internalized its message for the past thirty-plus years of my life. I read it not long after graduating from college, and it made eminently good sense to me. It was particularly applicable to my time in the military, since much of that work was unfamiliar, unnatural, and not especially pleasant for me (cleaning details, kitchen police work, motor pool maintenance, etc.). Thinking of doing those jobs to the glory of God was a large part of my mental and spiritual health in those years.

Brother Lawrence's message having become second nature to me, I have often had a hard time, especially in recent years, hearing fellow believers grousing over conditions in their work life, when they should be honoring God with the hands and their heart (attitude). So, like Allen, I recommend a renewed familiarity with this little book, especially to our fellow Dove Mountaineers.

Catechetical Reminder: Holy Trinity

Q. 6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

The icon above has been a favorite of mine since I discovered it in Germany while visiting the Brotherhood of Jesus. Below is my favorite Trinity hymn, also discovered during that time period, while worhshipping in army chapels.

God Father, praise and glory Thy children bring to thee.
Thy grace and peace to mankind Shall now forever be.

Chorus: O most holy Trinity, Undivided Unity;
Holy God, mighty God, God immortal, be adored.

And thou, Lord coeternal, God's sole begotten Son,
O Jesus, King anointed, Who hast redemption won.

O Holy Ghost, Creator, Thou gift of God most high;
Life, love and holy wisdom, Our weakness now supply.

Icarus and Daedelus: critical obedience

Pastor Allen's use of the classic myth of Icarus and Daedelus is a great illustration of the critical nature of obedience, one that any parent should want to establish in a child's heart from an early age. There are hundreds of great works of art depicting this anicent tale, and I have reproduced just a few of my favorites above. From left to right, they are by Elias, Rubens, Van Dyck, and Breughel.