Dear Crosswalkers,
There were a lot of comments generated about last Sunday's sermon, "Mothers with a Message." However, here is my big regret: I was so proud of myself for coming up with a great tag line for that message, and then I totally forgot to use it... in both services! I can't let the line go to waste, so here it is (if you heard the message it will make more sense than if you didn't, but it's true nonetheless): "Just because you have a history doesn't mean you can't have a hope!"
CLASSES TONIGHT
Wednesday classes resume tonight. Angel Hernandez will be facilitating “How Far do you want to Go? A Travel App for Today’s World.” This is a practical Bible Study that got off to a great start last week with a fresh application of the journey of Elijah and Elisha. They will meet in the youth room. A second class for tonight only is "A Kiss in the Dark: Marriage in the Light." This is facilitated by Leanna and me and we will wrap it up tonight. Starting next week, the class on Spiritual Parenting will begin. Why not join us for dinner between 5:30 - 6:15, and then classes start at 6:30. We have a great program for kids as well as nursery care.
Wednesday classes resume tonight. Angel Hernandez will be facilitating “How Far do you want to Go? A Travel App for Today’s World.” This is a practical Bible Study that got off to a great start last week with a fresh application of the journey of Elijah and Elisha. They will meet in the youth room. A second class for tonight only is "A Kiss in the Dark: Marriage in the Light." This is facilitated by Leanna and me and we will wrap it up tonight. Starting next week, the class on Spiritual Parenting will begin. Why not join us for dinner between 5:30 - 6:15, and then classes start at 6:30. We have a great program for kids as well as nursery care.
MOVIES
A few weeks ago the movie Soul Surfer opened at theaters across the U.S. It depicts the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a courageous young surfer who survived a shark attack and then went back to surfing. Leanna and I saw this film and enjoyed it very much. It is well acted, has great music and some fantastic surfing scenes, as well a great true story! But the interesting back-story to the film is that Hollywood wanted to ban the "J" word! As a committed Christian, Bethany and her family naturally wanted to tell the story of her faith in Christ. It is a crucial part of the story! The producers at Sony resisted including explicit Bible verses (they wanted to leave the references out) and mentioning the name of Jesus (God was less controversial). In the end, one Bible reference was allowed (Jeremiah 29:11), and two references to Jesus made the movie's final cut!
A few weeks ago the movie Soul Surfer opened at theaters across the U.S. It depicts the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a courageous young surfer who survived a shark attack and then went back to surfing. Leanna and I saw this film and enjoyed it very much. It is well acted, has great music and some fantastic surfing scenes, as well a great true story! But the interesting back-story to the film is that Hollywood wanted to ban the "J" word! As a committed Christian, Bethany and her family naturally wanted to tell the story of her faith in Christ. It is a crucial part of the story! The producers at Sony resisted including explicit Bible verses (they wanted to leave the references out) and mentioning the name of Jesus (God was less controversial). In the end, one Bible reference was allowed (Jeremiah 29:11), and two references to Jesus made the movie's final cut!
I hesitate to recommend films I haven't see yet, but Jumping the Broom was produced in part by African-American pastor T.D. Jakes, and it is getting great reviews. It is not marketed as a "Christian movie", which is probably a good thing. But reviewers say it is an entertaining, value packed and faith affirming film (rated PG-13 for some slightly raunchy humor). In CinemaScore Friday-night exit polls, the film earned a rare A rating, and one reviewer wrote: "It addresses abstinence, and with no profanity or nudity (but it) still manages to be the nation’s no. 1 comedy—superceding its opening-weekend competition in that genre."
NE INDIA AND BHUTAN!!
As many of you know, Crosswalk church will be blessing the region of Assam in NE India and the people of Bhutan with a weeklong National ILI (International Leadership Training) Conference! The last conference we sponsored in India was in Calcutta, where we had some brothers from the Assam region in attendance. They were so blessed by the training they invited us to come to Assam where they could invite some Bhutanese church leaders to come across the border to get this training which in unavailable in their home country. Here is what the latest edition of Operation World has to say about Bhutan:
As many of you know, Crosswalk church will be blessing the region of Assam in NE India and the people of Bhutan with a weeklong National ILI (International Leadership Training) Conference! The last conference we sponsored in India was in Calcutta, where we had some brothers from the Assam region in attendance. They were so blessed by the training they invited us to come to Assam where they could invite some Bhutanese church leaders to come across the border to get this training which in unavailable in their home country. Here is what the latest edition of Operation World has to say about Bhutan:
Bhutan is one of the world’s least evangelized nations. The continued isolationist policies of the government combined with the highly significant role of the Buddhist monarchy further reinforce the hold of tantric Vajrayana Buddhism, complete with the strong occultic/demonic influence of pre-Buddhist Bon animism. Pray for true spiritual liberation for this land of the Dragon (Druk Yul). Pray for King Wangchuk and his salvation.
The Tibetan/Himalayan peoples comprise the majority population, with the Bhutanese people cluster numbering 50% of the population. They are strongly Buddhist, and Christians among them number only a few hundred. These scattered believers are limited to small fellowships at best; most have faced varying degrees of persecution or social ostracism. Among the five largest peoples (Dzongkha, Tshangla, Lepcha, Kheng, Gurung), only the Lepcha have any significant Christian population. Pray for the emergence of a vital witnessing fellowship in every ethnic group of the Bhutanese.
The Tibetan/Himalayan peoples comprise the majority population, with the Bhutanese people cluster numbering 50% of the population. They are strongly Buddhist, and Christians among them number only a few hundred. These scattered believers are limited to small fellowships at best; most have faced varying degrees of persecution or social ostracism. Among the five largest peoples (Dzongkha, Tshangla, Lepcha, Kheng, Gurung), only the Lepcha have any significant Christian population. Pray for the emergence of a vital witnessing fellowship in every ethnic group of the Bhutanese.
Christian missionaries are not allowed in Bhutan. Lord willing, Peter Pereira and I will go to Guwahati in NE India and train leaders from Bhutan and the Assam region. The conference is scheduled for May 16-21. Please pray for this mission! Pray especially that God will make it possible for the Bhutanese brothers to join us!
Lord willing, I will also spend Saturday with Pastor Daniel Beedilla and his church! Daniel was here a couple years ago to visit his daughter, and he shared his powerful testimony with us at Crosswalk. Thank you for praying!!
Love in the Lord,
Pastor John
Pastor John
No comments:
Post a Comment