Godblog

The Charity Divide

Chuck Colson:

Arthur Brooks, professor at Syracuse University, writes in his new book, titled Who Really Cares, that he grew up in a liberal home and accepted one of the liberal political nostrums: that the political left “is compassionate and charitable toward the less fortunate, but the political right is oblivious to suffering.”

“If you had asked me a few years ago to sum up the character of American conservatives,” he writes, “I would have said they were hard-headed pragmatists who were willing to throw your grandmother out into the snow to preserve some weird ideal of self-reliance.”

But his own research forced him to change his mind. Religious conservatives give more, and do more, for the poor than anyone else. By contrast, liberals, who tend both to be irreligious and to believe that government can and should redistribute income, tend to be far stingier.

Brooks invites us to consider two people: one who goes to church every week and rejects the idea that it’s the government’s job to redistribute income. The second person never attends church and believes the government should reduce income differences. “Knowing only these [two] things,” Brooks writes, “the data tell us that the first person will be roughly twice as likely as the second to give money to charities in a given year, and will give away more than one hundred times as much money per year”—that’s right, one hundred times—and give it to both religious and non-religious causes.

My initial reaction to reading this was, “Well, duh!” Our failth compels us to help others, and we’re glad to do so because we know it’s pleasing to God.

‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’

The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

—Matthew 25:35-40, NASB

Derek Webb

On September 25th this year, our church hosted a concert by Derek Webb, of Caedmon’s Call fame, along with his wife, Sandra McCracken.

Derek Webb, accompanied by his wife, Sandra McCracken.

I had a good seat (thanks, Samantha!), and took a few shots of the couple as they performed, plus of the good-sized crowd before the concert, and in between sets.

Beyond his lyrical abilities, one of the things I admire about Derek is his desire to simply get the message of God’s love out there. At one point during his set, he remarked how he was going to freak out all the lawyers and record executives by telling all of us to share his music with whomever we wanted to. Earlier this year, he had even gone so far as to put his latest album, Mockingbird, online as a free download. He says it was a very successful experiment.

Feed the Children

I mentioned Feed the Children over on the other blog, and thought to post about it here as well. Hunger is still a problem even in the United States, and it’s especially important for children to get proper nourishment so they develop normally. Please consider a donation to Feed the Children as part of your end-of-the-year giving.

Compassion's AIDS Initiative

As we enter the holiday season, please consider a donation to Compassion International’s AIDS Initiative. More than 12 million kids have been left orphans in sub-Saharan Africa, and Compassion’s efforts are among many trying to stem the flood. Donations to the AIDS Initiative provide food, shelter and basic care for AIDS orphans, as well as medical treatments, including AIDS-inhibiting antiretroviral therapy, and HIV/AIDS awareness education for surviving adults and children.

You can make a one-time donation, choose to donate monthly, or, better still, choose to sponsor a child on a monthly basis in the affected areas. Sponsorship is certainly worth the time and effort; we look so forward to the letters, photos, and drawings from the child we sponsor in Tanzania.

This season is big on gift-giving, and here is an opportunity to give the gift of live in a land where survival is beyond anything most of us can imagine. Please consider a donation today.

You really have to admire his enthusiasm

It doesn’t matter how many times I watch it, it cracks me up every time.

[Via Mike and Katie.]

March of Dimes + MasterCard

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, and the March of Dimes has teamed up with MasterCard to raise awareness and double fund-raising efforts. If you use your MasterCard to make a donation to the March of Dimes, MasterCard will double it!

As parents of a preemie (though you’d never know it to see him now!), the March of Dimes is a charity near and dear to our hearts. Please consider using your MasterCard to double your donation this month. Thanks!

GodBlogCon '06 under way

GodBlogCon 2006 launched yesterday, with what sounds like an awesome opening address delivered by John Mark Reynolds. Matthew has in-depth coverage at Mere Orthodoxy.

Shouldn't everyone have access to clean water?

Jeff lays in to Richard Branson for donating billions to “blue-sky research” on alternative fuels, when for a fraction of that, he could be helping people survive by having access to potable water. I’m all for alternative fuels, but I have to agree with Jeff that priorities seem to be a bit skewed, and it’s not just Branson who’s doing the skewing. (Hey, that’s actually a verb. Wow.)

Jeff notes Dean Kamen’s latest venture, which sounds fascinating, and it reminded me of Blood:Water Mission.

Blood:Water Mission was started by Jars of Clay, as a result of a visit Dan Haseltine, the group’s lead singer, made to Africa. Its mission is to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS by providing clean blood and clean water, digging 1,000 wells, and providing medical facilities to treat the sick. All Blood:Water Mission is asking for is a simple, one-dollar donation per person.

The new technology Dean Kamen is working on will help untold thousands, perhaps millions, but it’s not available yet, and won’t be on a massive scale for a while. In the mean time, please consider a donation to Blood:Water Mission or a potable-water charity of your choice.

Will the real "religion of peace" please stand up?

Joel C. Rosenberg highlights a key difference between Islam and Christianity:

Rosie O’Donnell declared this week that “radical Christians” are as dangerous as “radical Muslims.” The Pope, meanwhile, declared this week that radical Islam is “evil” for trying to force people to follow Mohammed or be killed by the sword. Christians were understandably disappointed by Rosie, yet no violent protests have resulted so far as I know. Radical Muslims, on the other hand, are on a rampage, rioting throughout the Islamic world and even burning the Pope in effigy.

Joel’s best line, however, is this:

That said, I think the world would be best served not by papal pronouncements about Islam but by the Pope — and all followers of Christ — staying focused on the message of the gospel, preaching about how much Jesus loves all the people of the Middle East.

That’s what called “staying on message”, folks.

What OS Would Jesus Use?

What OS Would Jesus Use?. Far be it for me to assume Jesus—should He even need an operating system—would go for my preferred OS, or roll with something open source, but the latter is a reality: Ubuntu Christian Edition.

It’s just your usual Ubuntu Linux distro, with an Internet parental control system (viz: porn blocker), and open-source Bible software, based on the Sword Project. I use MacSword, the Macintosh version of the Sword client, among other Bible software, and it’s a great reading and study aid. Now if we could just convince Zondervan to release a NIV Sword module…

[Via Tom via IM.]

The Joshua Fund

Author Joel C. Rosenberg and his wife, Lynn, have formed The Joshua Fund, with the mission statement, “Helping Christians bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, according to Genesis 12:1-3.” You can read more about their mission, as well as other aspects of the new non-profit, charitable organization, at their web site.

How are we living in our culture?

In the podcast from July 13, 2006, “What Do You Live For? (Part 1)”, Greg Laurie closes with this:

The first-century Christians did not out-argue the pagans, they out-lived them. And it’s worth noting that Christianity of the first century made no attempts to conquer paganism, and dead Judaism, by reacting blow-by-blow. Instead, the early believers out-thought, out-prayed, and out-lived the non-believers. Their weapons were positive, not negative.

They did not conduct protests or organize boycotts. They did not put on campaigns to try to unseat the Roman emperors. But instead they out-prayed, they out-preached, and they proclaimed the message of Christ, and to a large degree won a good portion of their culture over. Because they, like Paul, could say, “To live is Christ.”

And I suggest to you if we would say the same thing, we could impact our culture today as well, in a much more effective way. To live is Christ.

Getting it done

So after reading a bit, I’ve gone ahead and added Hollywood’s blog to my feed reader:

My summary: As a group, 21st century Christians aren’t getting it done. An elite group of progressives/academics are narcisitically writing about what makes us different as a culture. A large segment of spoiled, rich American Christians are unwilling to move out of their comfort zone. Another group thinks that if I make friends with enough non-Christians, and insert myself in a pagan culture, maybe one of those pagans will ask me about my faith - and that seems like wrong logic too. And a different group thinks that if I hand a gospel tract to a cashier or toll booth attendant they will graciously read it and wonder what they’ve always been missing. The Gospel is very clear that we are to love people, both lost and saved, and through loving them earn the right to share a Gospel with them that is real in our lives and affects noticeable change.

GodBlogCon moving to the fall

This is what happens when you fall behind by more than a week on your blog reading…

It appears GodBlogCon 2006 will not be held later this week, but is moving to some time in the fall, probably in the October time frame.

I don’t believe I normally have anything of significance going on in October. Hrmmmmmm. I wonder how many frequent flyer miles I need to get to southern California…

GodBlogCon 2006

Speaking of GodBlogCon, the second meeting of Godbloggers is taking place next month, August 3-5. As with the inaugural event last year, I will be unable to attend this year’s convention. The Godbloggers need to find another weekend to meet; this is my son’s birthday weekend, and I have family beginning to arrive on the 4th. Maybe next year!

I don’t know who was responsible for the GodBlogCon site redesign, but they did a fantastic job. Well done! (Any similarities between the color schemes of it and my own, still-in-beta redesign is purely coincidental. I didn’t see the new GodBlogCon site until yesterday.)

Earthquake survivor assistance still needed

Associated Press:

Many of the nearly 650,000 displaced by Indonesia’s earthquake are living with deteriorating sanitary conditions, forced to wash with dirty water that infects wounds and spreads skin disease, doctors said Sunday.

Please consider donating to any of the many organizations providing relief assistance. We like the package and plan from World Vision, which has put together individual kits for survivors.

God and baseball in Colorado

Christianity Today posted an article about the Colorado Rockies, on how Christian values are driving the team’s ownership, management, and some of the players. You can read more in the USA Today piece the article references.

Earthquake relief

World Vision is one of many non-government organizations (NGOs) providing emergency survival kits in Indonesia, as a result of the recent earthquake there. World Vision’s kits include blankets, temporary shelter, medicine and clothing. If you’re seeking to help out with relief efforts there, please consider a donation to World Vision.

Randomposters.com

Aaron and Shaun, the fellows behind Randomshirts.com—I have both the red and blue falcon, and want either of the Save the Jonah shirts—have launched Randomposters.com.

Really good-looking work, especially the montage posters. My favorite so far is Isaiah. (Part of that is, no doubt, because of the affinity I have for the song “The Word Stands Forever” by ’80s Christian rock band, Ruscha.)

I have no affiliation with Randomshirts/posters, other than as a happy customer.

Lunch with the GraceHead

Trent and I got together for lunch today. (Again, Trent, very sorry for my tardiness.)

Among the enlightened discussion of teenage concert-going and ’80s Christian rock, we determined we need to meet up for some frisbee golf, especially before it gets scorching hot before 8 AM.

Dressing for success

I knew about Dress for Success, because my wife’s donated some of her business clothing to them before. Now, for men, there is Career Gear. If you have business suits still in good shape you no longer wear, consider donating them to these non-profits, and help low-income men and women move up the ladder. Who knows, you may see your suit again, on someone else!

[Originally posted at Retrophisch.]

Jesus loves porn stars? The ABS apparently doesn't think so

The American Bible Society doesn’t want to print New Testaments for the XXXchurch.com boys with the title on the cover “Jesus Loves Porn Stars”.

I’m very disappointed in the ABS’s response, calling the cover caption “misleading and inappropriate”. (Emphasis mine.)

Misleading and inappropriate? Maybe the American Bible Society prints a different version than the ones I read, but according to the Gospels in my Bible, Jesus tended to hang out with the looked-down-upon of ancient society: thieves, drunks, prostitutes, even tax collectors. (The words “the more things change, the more they stay the same” come to mind.)

I would hazard a guess that beneath the surface, a majority of those involved in the porn industry are unhappy people who have been hurt enormously in the past, and the only place they have been able to find acceptance and worth is by taking their clothes off and having sex in front of the camera. All of us need Christ, and that goes for porn stars, too. The American Bible Society would do well to note this.

I pray Mike and Craig will find a Bible publisher willing to stand up and print these potentially life-changing copies of God’s Word.

Miscellany

Mark D. Roberts is doing a series of articles he’s titled The Da Vinci Opportunity, a response to the forthcoming Da Vinci Code movie release, which Christians should look at as an opportunity to share the Good News with non-believers.

Youth pastor Scott Greene went back to high school for two weeks.

Since it’s VeggieTales, in their riff on The Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Beans, I should have seen “Elvish impersonator” coming…

Still higher

The goal of $300 for the March of Dimes’ WalkAmerica has been breached. I’ve now bumped the goal to double of the original double: $440. Help me help preemies!

Raising the bar...again!

You people are awesome. In less than two hours last night, you blew through the goal of $110 for the March of Dimes’ WalkAmerica. So I doubled the goal to $220, and now you’ve blown through that as well, with donations now at $260.

Do I hear $300?

WalkAmerica 2006

Yes, folks, it’s that time of year again. One of my favorite charities is having its annual fundraiser, and you—yes, you—can be a part of it. “How?” you might ask.

Easy: sponsor me. My goal this year is to raise $110 before WalkAmerica 2006 here in Dallas on April 29th. So we have just under two months to get there.

So, if you’re a friend of mine, or a family member, and want to save yourself the anguish of my hitting you up for a charitable donation every time we chat, just hit the link now.

This charity is near and dear to our hearts, as our little guy came nine weeks early, and we had first-hand experience with some of the work the March of Dimes does for preemies. Please help us help other preemies!

Update: Just to show you I put my money where my mouth is, I’ve kicked things off with a $25 donation. With $5-10 here and there, we’ll reach the goal of $110 in no time.

Update 2: Thanks to the generous spirits of some of my friends, we have already blown past the goal of $110 to reach $125. I’ve now doubled the goal to $220. Thanks so much to those who have given!

source.emptycrate.com

Frustrated by the lack of organization within the Christian open source community, Jason Turner (no relation) has set up a centralized locale as part of his Empty Crate domain. Most of the work is geared toward the SWORD project. If you’re a programmer interested in participating, check out Empty Crate.

Donate to the Angel Tree

During the Christmas season, one sees Angel Trees nearly everywhere: at work, in the malls, at church; you can hardly go anywhere without running in to an Angel Tree. Between church and work, we’ve already picked a few angels ourselves, and I’m sure many of you have, too.

There is a group of children that are often overlooked this time of year, and those are the children of prison inmates. Prison Fellowship started its Angel Tree ministry in 1982, and has been going strong ever since. It’s not these kids’ fault their parents are behind bars, and they deserve to get something for Christmas as much as any other child.

This year, a generous donor is matching all Angel Tree contributions up to $100,000, which means a normal donation that would give one child a gift will now serve two kids.

So please consider making a donation that can turn what is often a lonely time for these kids into one of joy.

C.S. Lewis Superstar

Christianity Today has a great article on my favorite author. One thing I found heartening is that the more things change, the more they stay the same: Lewis dealt with the same theological issues fifty-odd years ago as Christians grapple with today. Outside of the Bible itself, you can’t go wrong with a C.S. Lewis book.

Don't forget your local charities

I read an article in one of the local rags that donations to CCA are down in the wake of the massive outreach for hurricane victims. CCA is one of the leading charities in north Texas, serving primarily the communities between Dallas and Denton, with most of their efforts concentrated between Lewisville, Flower Mound, and Carrollton. CCA President Ed Johnson says, “All of the merchandise that has diverted to hurricane relief leaves the 12,000 people we serve each year short—very short.” (CCA takes in unwanted items and resells them in a retail environment as one way of raising funds.)

I’m sure there is a similar charity in your own community, which may be seeing a shortfall in light of hurricane relief efforts. I urge you to not forget about the help they give year-round, and to continue to support them, with your time or donations.

VOM Pakistan Emergency Relief

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” —Matthew 5:44

Voice of the Martyrs has set up a Pakistan Emergency Relief fund, to assist those left homeless by the massive earthquake which has taken the lives of more than 80,000. Jesus told us to love our enemies, and even as radical Islamists hold sway over the hearts and minds of many of those in Pakistan, VOM and other Christian ministries seek to aid and comfort those who would persecute them. Pray for those directly interacting in Pakistan, as well as for all those affected by the earthquake.

GodBlogCon 2005

I’m missing the first ever GodBlogCon. I’m a little sad. Maybe next year.

SAVE earthquake victims

World Vision has started a relief fund for those affected by the earthquake in southwest Asia, which has claimed at least 20,000 lives in Pakistan alone.

Read the Red

Calvary Chapel Petaluma in northern California has started the Read the Red campaign to raise awareness and funds for the persecuted Church around the globe. Buy a wristband, make a donation, strengthen someone’s faith.

The Theban Legion

In the year 286 A.D., there was a legion of soldiers (over 6,600 men) that consisted of all Christians. This group was known as the Theban Legion, as the men were raised in Thebais. They were ordered by Emperor Maximian to march to Gaul to assist him against the rebels of Burgundy. However, about this time Maximian ordered a sacrifice, at which the soldiers were to assist, and commanded that they take oaths of allegiance and swear, at the same time, to help him wipe out Christianity in Gaul.

Each member of the legion refused to sacrifice or take the oaths Maximian had ordered. This angered Maximian, so he called for every tenth man of the legion to be selected and killed by the sword. After his order was executed, the remaining men of the Theban Legion were still resolute, refusing to sacrifice to idols and take the oath to slay the Christians of Gaul. Therefore, a second decimation occurred, and every tenth man was killed by the sword. Still, the soldiers were unbending.

The remaining soldiers drafted a document outlining their grievances and sent it to Emperor Maximian:

“While your commands are not contradictory to those of our common Master, we shall always be ready to obey, as we have been hitherto; but when the orders of our prince and those of the Almighty differ, we must always obey the latter. Our arms are devoted to the emperor’s use, and shall be directed against his enemies; but we cannot submit to stain our hands with Christian blood; and how, indeed, could you, O Emperor, be sure of our allegiance and fidelity, should we violate our obligation to our God, in whose service we were solemnly engaged before we entered the army? You command us to search out and to destroy the Christians; it is not necessary to look any farther for people of that denomination; we ourselves are such, and we glory in the name. We saw our companions fall without the least opposition or murmuring, and thought them happy in dying for the sake of Christ. Nothing shall make us lift up our hands against our sovereign; we had rather die wrongfully, and by that means preserve our innocence, than live under a load of guilt; whatever you command we are ready to suffer; we confess ourselves to be Christians, and therefore cannot persecute Christians, nor sacrifice to idols.”

Infuriated at their resolve and solidarity, Emperor Maximian had the entire legion put to death. On September 22, 286, the Theban Legion was cut to pieces by the sword.

— Adapted from The New Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs compiled by Mark Water (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2001), pp. 346-347
— published as above in the May 2005 The Voice of the Martyrs magazine

Stern Words

There is a movement afoot to save the Word Network from being booted off of Sirius Satellite Radio. Those mounting the campaign are using Sirius’s new contract with Howard Stern as a target.

I am not a satellite radio subscriber, and I empathize with the Word Network supporters, but this appears to be a waste of time to me.

Sirius is not using public airwaves, and no public funds support it. Just like HBO or ESPN, it is something a subscriber must pay for, and if you don’t like the content, you pull the plug on your subscription. Yes, I know there is a hardware investment with Sirius that these Word Network supporters will be on the losing end of, but that’s life with satellite radio.

Maybe these supporters should petition XM to pick up the Word Network. Honestly, Sirius, and especially Stern, could care less. And the Word Network supporters could certainly be doing something better with their time to further God’s kingdom. With relatively so few people using either satellite radio brand, most people will find it hard to care.

Godcasting

Lee prodded me via IM with some “Godblog fodder,” noting a NYT article on “Godcasting.” This is both not a surprise and very encouraging, seeing churches within differing denominations embrace this technology. For many years pastors have offered audio copies of their sermons, usually on cassette tapes, then later on CD, for the benefit of homebound members, or others who may have missed the sermon. Many churches now offer these audio copies for sale, usually within the context of a set. For example, this Sunday will be the fifth week on our study of Galatians, and I have no doubt that at some point after the completion of our study, we would be able to purchase the entire sermon set on CD.

One project Lee has been working on is a new podcast for the pastor at Forest Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church in Florida. Dr. Derek Morris’s Life and Teachings of Jesus course is being made available as a downloadable podcast. I helped Lee beta test the RSS feed and downloading, though I confess I haven’t listened to much beyond some of the first lesson.

Our church currently offers audio downloads of Tim’s sermons, but being in Real or Windows Media formats, I wouldn’t consider them “podcasts.” I have already e-mailed Tim, asking him and the other pastors to consider scrapping the Real and Windows Media formats for MP3. Reasons I used included the portability of the MP3 format versus the two currently used, as well as licensing fees associated with serving Real and Windows Media content. (There may be exemptions for non-profits that I am not aware of, and this point may be rendered moot.)

Our missions work in the wake of Hurricane Katrina is taking precedent over any such conversation right now (as it should), but I hope to continue dialog with Tim on this issue in the future. I have found myself listening to podcasts a little more in the past few weeks, usually while driving or while working around the house. Catching up on sermons I may have missed, or re-listening to favorites to learn something new, is a temptation I would gladly give in to.

Are you a llama?

Reading and watching news of the recovery in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and thinking about my father-in-law, who has a horse farm in Franklinton, LA, north of Lake Pontchartrain, I recalled llamas. Yes, llamas. Just as my wife’s dad raises thoroughbreds and quarter horses, people raise llamas in the States, for a variety of reasons.

It was then that I remembered reading about llamas last month, courtesy of Steve Farrar:

Llamas are strange looking animals with a warrior mentality. Llamas don’t appear to be afraid of anything. When they see something they don’t understand they put their head straight up and walk towards it. The coyotes couldn’t handle the Llama’s courage and finally left the sheep alone.

I had no idea llamas were that way. So, echoing Mr. Farrar, are you a llama?

Nothing worth having is ever easy

This is what Rebecca Hagelin reminds us:

The greatest gift we can give our children is to let them know that there is a God who loves them and knows them by name. We must teach our sons and daughters that the God of the Universe is intensely interested and familiar with every aspect of their lives and wants what is best for them. Today’s culture teaches even the young child that he is here by accident, and that he is just another creature on a big, impersonal planet, no different from any other animal. It’s no wonder that kids today are experiencing depression and loneliness in record numbers.

[…]

A few years ago the mantra was, “It’s quality time, not quantity time, that counts.” WRONG! Kids need a good dose of both from their parents. If we think we can spend one great hour a day with our kids and counteract the negative garbage they’re getting from the culture “24/7,” we’re fooling ourselves.

Donations for Niger

World Vision is seeking donations to aid folks in Niger who are victims of the recent drought and locust swarms which have devastated crops in the country. If you are able and feel so inclined, please help.

The Word Becomes Flesh

In the spring, Thomas Nelson released an audio Bible voiced by all women. Thirty-nine different women participated, all donating their time, and/or the money they would normally have received for such an endeavor to Mercy Ministries. Thomas Nelson stepped up and matched the contributions.

Certainly a case of putting money where your mouth is, and being salty.

Being salt, not pepper

Greg Laurie’s Daily Devotion for the fourth of July (free registration required) really reverberated in me. Christ calls us to be salt and light to the world, and looking at some of the examples Laurie presents, I can see the areas where I have failed to be that salt, where I have stumbled in to the darkness from the light.

I hope and pray you can see those areas in your life as well, not so that we can feel bad about them, or use them to bring one another down. Rather, we look at them and recognize them for what they are, pray for the strengthening of the Spirit, and look to not repeat them. I pray as Christians we are salty as often as possible.

Good News for the Nations

If you have a heart for the spreading of the Gospel in India, I urge you to look in to the ministry of Dr. Samuel and Susan Mathai, Good News for the Nations. (It appears the web site hasn’t been updated in a while, but based on the print newsletters I receive occasionally, the ministry is doing well.)

Dr. Mathai was a mentor of my friend Francisco (aka the FranX) while the latter was in college. I have had the blessing of meeting with Dr. Mathai and his wife, and having lunch with them on more than one occasion. It is encouraging to see their faces light up as they talk about the school the ministry set up, for any children who wish to attend, not just for those who have accepted Christ, as well as the growing number of house churches. The latter is especially important, as in the words of Dr. Mathai, “The house church is the answer to the true evangelization of the extended communities of India.”

Christians are heavily persecuted in many areas of India, and even if you cannot help the Mathais financially, please add them to your prayer list. They are people wholly in love with God, and seeking to do His will in spreading the Word.

WalkAmerica 2005

It’s that time of the year again, when I pimp my readers for donations to a worthy cause. At the end of this month, my wife and I will be participating in the annual March of Dimes WalkAmerica in Dallas. We’ve both registered to raise money for the event, so I’m asking for donations, which you can contribute by going to my WalkAmerica web site.

Our son, now a healthy 20-month-old toddler, was born 9 weeks premature and spent 6 weeks in the Neonatal ICU. During that time, we witnessed the good things done by the March of Dimes first hand. We’d appreciate any support you can give to this great event. Thanks!

World Vision Indonesian earthquake relief

World Vision is one of the many organizations helping with the recent Indonesian earthquake, which left as many as 600 dead and hundreds, possibly thousands, homeless. If you would like to contribute to the distribution of Family Survival Packs to the survivors, you can donate to the SAVEFund. If you would like to help with the long-term rebuilding efforts, you can donate to the HELPFund.

I have no affiliation with World Vision, other than having been a donor in the past.

Compassion at Jeremy Camp / MercyMe

If you’re going to be at the Jeremy Camp / MercyMe concert at Six Flags Over Texas this Saturday (March 26th), stop by the Compassion table and say hi. I’ll be working as a volunteer, passing out packets for those interested in sponsoring a child. It’s an incredibly moving and satisfying experience, being a sponsor, and I encourage you to check out Compassion’s site for more information.

GodBlogCon 2005

The Christian blogosphere is getting together in October in California. I would love to attend, but finances may not allow it. Time will tell as more details on the convention are revealed.

International Justice Mission

Gary Haugen, founder and president of International Justice Mission, started the organization to release from bondage children sold in to the sex-slave trade, as well as go after the criminals who sell those children, primarily in Southeast Asia. His new book, Terrify No More, offers a behind-the-scenes, no-holds-barred examination of the sex-slave industry, as well as detailing some of IJM’s rescues and their work with Southeast Asian governments to prosecute the criminals responsible. I have not yet read the book myself, but it has made it’s way on to my Amazon wish list.

IJM is an organization dedicated to serving a group our Lord especially holds dear to His heart: children. It is one we, as Christians, should support with our prayers and financial contributions.

(I have no affiliation with IJM, other than having read about their efforts in the wake of the December 2004 tsunami in New Man. The organization also has a dedicated site for Canadians.)

A prayer for the new year

“Lay Down My Pride” - Jeremy Camp

Every single word I say
You know it before I speak
You know every thought - the deepest part of me

You draw me closer than I see
Your Presence is every thing I need
To be the child that You’ve
Created me to be
I’m ready now to see it Your way

I lay down my pride
My desires my demise
I’m ready now to see it Your way
I’m done I’m thru ignoring You now it’s true
I’m kneeling at the cross of Your grace
Lay down my pride

I was faced with passing time
But I knew the choice was mine
To finally come to You
And give You all control
I’ve wandered miles to find my way
And then You revealed this simple faith
I know that You can see
The secrets of my soul

I lay down my pride
My desires my demise
I’m ready now to see it Your way
I’m done I’m thru ignoring You now it’s true
I’m kneeling at the cross of Your grace
Lay down my pride

The cross, the blood You shed for me
Your back was ripped and bruised
So I can know Your love
I kneel, I bow to You, my King

I lay down my pride
My desires my demise
I’m ready now to see it Your way
I’m done I’m thru ignoring You now it’s true
I’m kneeling at the cross of Your grace
Lay down my pride

— Camp, Lajoie © 2004 Thirsty Moon River Publishing (ASCAP) / Stolen Pride Music (ASCAP) / Spinning Audio Vortex (BMI) / LeToile Du Matin Music (BMI) / Admin by EMI CMP

Prayers for tsunami survivors

A call for prayer for the survivors of the tsunamis which have devastated Southeast Asia. It is estimated that more than 11,000 people in seven countries have lost their lives.

Girder Music

If, like me, you were in to Christian hard rock and metal in the 1980s and early ’90s, then pay a visit to Girder Music. You can replace those worn-out Stryper and Whitecross cassettes with clean, digital CDs.

I have no affiliation, other than as a customer.

Real confession

In his daily devotional on Wednesday (free registration required), Pastor Greg Laurie talked about what it truly means to confess our sins to God:

The problem is that there are people today who think they have confessed their sin when they haven’t. Far too many people think that to confess their sin is merely to acknowledge their sin. Therefore, they will sin, they will get caught, and they will say, “I acknowledge what I did. I confess that sin. That was a bad thing.” Then they go out and do it again and say, “I did it again. I confess.” That’s not a true confession. They are simply recognizing what is obviously sin.

Confession means to see sin for what it is, to be sorry for it, and to turn from it. You have to take your sin to the cross and recognize it is offensive to the one and only true God. Are you willing to do that? If so, then God will forgive you and cleanse you from all your unrighteousness.

It has been said that Christians are their own worst enemy when it comes to evangelizing Christ to the nations. Part of that could be our failure to truly confess and turn from our sins, for our actions speak louder than any words.

Pray to stop the genocide

Sudan: The Passion of the Present is a site devoted to non-partisan, grassroots initiatives to stop the genocide taking place in the Sudan. While not a Christian-based organization, its goal is certainly one worth the thoughts, prayers, and actions of the Body of Christ.

Failing our kids

Chuck Colson:

What MTV is selling, besides music, movies, and soft drinks, is a socially liberal worldview in which personal autonomy, especially in sexual matters, is the highest good. And it’s in a unique position to succeed in its mission because, as Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone has written, MTV has been “handed endless generations of young people who are blank slates.”

Of course, kids are not supposed to be “blank slates.” Parents, communities, and churches are supposed to teach them what they need to know and believe. MTV’s success is proof of how the Church and our culture has failed in its most basic mission.

It’s also a challenge to all of us as Christian parents. We need to know who we’re up against. We need to know what our kids are being taught during school and after school. The lessons go far beyond how to spend their disposable income; they go all the way to “how now shall we live?”

2004 March of Dimes WalkAmerica

Next month, my wife will be leading her firm at the annual March of Dimes WalkAmerica in Dallas. She has registered to raise money for the event, and we’re asking for donations, which you can contribute by going to the web site set up just for her: http://www.walkamerica.org/KLTTX.

Our son, now a healthy 7-month old, was born 9 weeks premature and spent 6 weeks in the Neonatal ICU. During that time, we witnessed the good things done by the March of Dimes first hand. We’d appreciate any support you can give to this great event. Thanks!

Legacy

Mark Newhouse has a great piece on the type of legacy God has in store for each of us who are parents.

The Grinch List

In an attempt to get our society to recognize that the holiday we celebrate this time of year is Christmas, Kirk and Amy McElwain have launched GrinchList.com. While stores and public agencies have no problem calling Hannukah or Kwanzaa (a totally made up holiday, by the way) by their respective terms, they seem to replace “Christmas” with “holiday.” As McElwain says in an article on WND:

“Surely, no one would think of renaming the [Jewish] menorah the ‘holiday candelabra,’ nor should they. People of the other religions and cultures would never tolerate such revisionism, yet why do we? Perhaps, more importantly, why do they think they can get away with it?”

The site features a list of companies who limit or altogether shun usage of the word “Christmas,” in the name of a false diversity and multiculturalism. The McElwains also recognize those companies which embrace this part of American culture.

The recognition of this as the “holiday” season, as well as usage of the term “Xmas,” have worked to dilute the reason for celebration this time of year. It may be a bit cliche, but it’s true: Jesus is the reason for the season, and by recognizing this time of year as Christmas, it refocuses attention on what the holiday is really about.

Angel Tree

Lots of organizations and communities operate Angel Trees this time of year, caring for poor and disadvantaged kids and adults. We like to adopt a couple of “angels” each year, and my wife really enjoys shopping for these kids, even though we will never meet them.

The original Angel Tree was founded as part of the