Two churches of Christ are now in need of a gospel preacher.
The church at Broken Bow, Oklahoma will have a need for a full-time preacher. Broken Bow is just twelve miles above my home town of Idabel in McCurtain County. You can view their website by the hyperlink below.
The rural congregation Graceton in east Texas near the community of Dianie is in need of a preacher. Their preacher Jason Reeves will be preaching for the West Irwin congregation in Tyler.
The Graceton congregation has around eighty in attendance. It is around 25 or 30 miles north of Longview. Hopely you can help get a sound preacher for that congregation.
Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a conflict. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's tool box. "I'm looking for a few days' work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you."
"Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor; in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better."
"See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore." The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.
The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand.
They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have many more bridges to build.
There is a story about a peculiar fisherman from Minnesota. You see, this fisherman was very well prepared. He knew how to fish. He had everything you need to be a good fisherman. He had poles, nets, bait, and even a really nice boat; but this fisherman had a problem. You see, for all his preparation he never caught anything. Not one fish. Not one, not ever. And you know why he never caught a fish? What do you think? It's an easy answer: He never went fishing. He had all the knowledge and all the equipment, but he never got into the boat, he never left the dock.
When Jesus called some of his first disciples he called them by telling them he would make them fishers of men and in fact, that is what he did. Sure he taught them and mentored them, but ultimately he sent them out to go share the gospel with those who had not heard it.
There are too many of us that have spent all this time preparing and studying the scripture, but have yet to share the gospel with anyone. Don't be like the fisherman who has all the knowledge and equipment he needs, but never catches a fish because he never goes out fishing. Jesus' last commandment before he ascended was to
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.(Matthew 28:19-20)
That commandment was meant for more than just the disciples standing there. It was meant for you and me as well. So we need to make sure that we are going and being fishers of men.
There is a crane found in southern Turkey that has the strange habit of picking up stones and carrying them around in its mouths as it flies around. There are a lot of different theories on why they do this. My favorite, though, is that it carries around stones in its mouth to remain quiet. You see, these cranes have a tendency to crackle a lot, especially when they fly and this noise gets the attention of the eagle in this area who would love nothing more than to swoop down and enjoy some crane for lunch.
Cranes are not the only ones who have trouble controlling what they say. In James Chapter 3 we are warned about controlling the tongue and the things we say.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
James 3:7-12
We must be careful what we say and try to keep our tongues under control. Like the crane, we have an enemy just waiting for his chance to devour us. So let us heed the words of the writer of Proverbs, “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”
A Dad is a person
who is loving and kind,
And often he knows
what you have on your mind.
He's someone who listens,
suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one
of your very best friends!
He's proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient
and helpful and strong
In all that you do,
a dad's love plays a part.
There's always a place for him
deep in your heart.
And each year that passes,
you're even more glad,
More grateful and proud
just to call him your dad!
Thank you, Dad...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!
Happy Father's Day
In Psalm 139:14, the writer praises God by noting the design in the human body. "I am fearfully and wonderfully made," the writer says as he goes on to praise God's wisdom in all He produces. God has designed us. For more on this, follow the link.
Yeakley, 50, has served in a variety of roles — youth, education and evangelism — during his 29 years of ministry. Steve serves as involvement minister for the Faith Village Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, Texas, he also counsels adults and works with children’s education. He directs a church camp in Oklahoma and “Kids for Christ,” an innovative Vacation Bible School format at his home congregation.
I encourage you to read the article on the Chronicle's web page at
I'm sorry for keepin' ya up late.
But, I wanna know
If'n you're too busy, I can wait.
You see grandma's been forgettin'
A lot of things. Mamma says so.
She forgot my name, today, Mr. God,
And she's a walkin' kinda slow.
Yesterday, she jest left
Without even sayin' bye.
Daddy brought her back and
He had a tear in his eye.
So, I was wonderin', can you fix her?
She has somthun' called 'all tizers', daddy said.
She forgets who we are sometimes,
And she forgot that grandpa's dead.
Mr. God, you give her a new rememberer
'Cause I miss her playin', and stuff, with me
And the cookies she used to bake.
And, she was so smart, wasn't she?
She used to talk 'bout you a lot.
Now, she jest talks to herself and,
Mr. God, she don't know herself
From the pictures on the shelf.
Sometimes, she calls me 'little boy'
And pats my cheek or hair.
And she don't seem to care.
Please, Mr. God,
Will ya fix her, all new again,
A'fore she gets lost and
Can't bremember where she's been?
She ain't sang a Jesus song
Like I like to hear her to do.
Daddy says 'cause she is getting old.
But, she's not as old as you.
Daddy says you never forget and You are older than anyone, anywhere. Mamma says, "All we can do is Remember her in prayer.
So, Mr. God, I'm jest askin'
'Cause I don't know how to pray.
'Cause you un'erstand what I try to say.
Does Jesus have a grandma
And does she forget people, too?
I guess she would be your mommy
And wouldn't she be older than you?
Well, I gotta go to bed.
Would ya keep grandma safe, O please,
So as she won't wander off and get lost?
She forgets her hat and coat,
and she could freeze.
I love her lots and
I wish she bremember I'm her little Andy
And bake some good cookies for me,
And even share my candy.
Tell my friend, Jesus, I was here and
Give Him a hug from grandma and me.
She used to know Him and I heard her say,
"Thank you, Jesus, for little Andy."
Good night, Mr. God. Are ya tired?
You work, so hard, all day.
I'll be back a'morrow, to visit,
Before I go out to play.
I will continue to add bookmarks or favorites to this blog post as I discover relevant ones. If you have any suggestions, feel free to send those to me and I will consider there relavance to this blog. If I feel they are as valuable as you, I will add them. Thanks!
Cultivate Exemplary Character.
Continued Relief of Clear Conscious.
Personal Delight of Intimacy of God.
Priceless Inheritance of an Unsoiled Legacy.
Rare Privilege of Being a Mentor.
The Crowning Reward of Finishing Well.
'Oh yes, the chair,' said the bedridden woman.
'Would you mind closing the door?'
Puzzled, the minister shut the door.
'I have never told anyone this,
not even my daughter,' said the woman.
'But all of my life I have never
known how to pray.
At church I used to hear the minister talk about prayer,
but it went right over my head.'
I abandoned any attempt at prayer,'
the old woman continued, '
until one day four years ago,
when my best friend said to me,
' Prayer is just a simple matter
of having a conversation with Jesus
Here is what I suggest.
'Sit down in a chair;
place an empty chair in front of you,
and in faith see Jesus sitting there.
It's not spooky because he promised,
'I will be with you always'.
'Then just speak to him in the same way
you're doing with me right now.'
'So, I tried it and I've liked it so much
that I do it a couple of hours every day.
I'm careful though,
if my daughter saw me talkingto an empty chair,
she'd either have a nervous breakdown
or send me off to the funny farm.'
The minister was deeply moved by the story and
encouraged the old woman to continue on the journey.
Then he prayed with her,
and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called
to tell the minister that her mama
had died that afternoon.
Did she die in peace?' he asked.
Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock,
she called me over to her bedside, and
told me she loved me and kissed me on the cheek.
When I got back from the store an hour later,
I found her ..
But there was something strange about her death.
Apparently, just before Mom died,
she leaned over and rested her head on the chair
beside the bed. What do you make of that?'
The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
'I hope we can all go like that.'
Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.
I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean.
I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden.
I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU...
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God
Painful moments, trust God
Every moment, thank God.
One day God was looking down at earth and saw all of the rascally behavior that was going on. So He called one of His angels and sent the angel to earth for a time.
When he returned, he told God, 'Yes, it is bad on earth; 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not.
God thought for a moment and said, 'Maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another opinion.'
So God called another angel and sent him to earth for a time. When the angel returned he went to God and said, 'Yes, it's true. The earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good.'
God was not pleased. So He decided to e-mail the 5% who were good, because he wanted to encourage them, and give them a little something to help them keep going.
Do you know what the e-mail said?
Okay, I was just wondering, because I didn't get one either.
Prodigal Son in Key of F
------------------------------------
Feeling footloose and frisky, a featherbrained fellow
forced his fond father to fork over his farthings. He
flew far to foreign fields and frittered his fortune,
feasting fabulously with faithless friends.
Finally facing famine and fleeced by his
fellows-in-folly, he found himself a feed flinger in a
filthy farmyard. Fairly famished, he fain would have
filled his frame with foraged food from the fodder
fragments.
"Fooey, my father's flunkies fare far fancier," the
frazzled fugitive fumed feverishly, frankly facing
facts.
Frustrated by failure and filled with foreboding, he
fled forthwith to his family. Falling at his father's
feet, he floundered forlornly, "Father, I have flunked
and fruitlessly forfeited family favor."
But the faithful father, forestalling further
flinching, frantically flagged the flunkies to fetch
forth the finest fatling and fix a feast.
The fugitive's fraternal faultfinder frowned on the
fickle forgiveness of former folderol. His fury
flashed, but fussing was futile.
The farsighted father figured, "Such filial fidelity
is fine, but what forbids fervent festivity for the
fugitive is found. Unfurl the flags with flaring, let
fun and frolic freely flow. Former failure is
forgotten, folly forsaken. Forgiveness forms the
foundation for future fortune."
Holy Spirit Elders: God's Way to a Dynamic Church
I have heard that Harold Taylor's book on "Holy Spirit Elders" God's Way to a Dynamic Church, is a good book. What other books or resources would you recommend supplementing the Bible?
An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy, which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, give a smile, and a "Thanks for flying XYZ airline." He said that in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment, but no one seemed annoyed. Finally everyone had gotten off except for one little old lady walking with a cane. She approached and asked, conspiratorially, "Sonny, mind if I ask you a question?" "Why no Ma'am, what is it?" "Did we land or were we shot down?"
Gaius and Diotrephes belong to the same church (3 John). But that is about all they have in common. They do not possess the same spirit, nor do they exemplify the same truth before the world.
The egotist feels if he hadn't been born, the world would wonder why. Diotrephes felt this way. He believed that "for me to live is to make myself important."
Gaius is more than esteemed. He is truly loved, and loved for the truth's sake. Gais and Demetrius were men who followed Jesus in expressions of love, which were shown in tangible service. Gaius is a man who is spiritually healthy. John's prayer is that he might enjoy the same degree of bodily health that his soul enjoys. The triumph of his soul in great principles is so large that it far overshadows his physical well being. Happy is the man of whom this can be said. Gaius was among those who rendered service to the brethren, especially strangers. He helped by supporting those in God's work, and thus became a fellow worker in the truth. His life was true, and he followed the truth. Thus John writes, "No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth."
Diotrephes is a bird of a different feather. Above everything else Diotrephes likes to put himself first. He is so bold that he will not even acknowledge the authority of the apostle John. John says that he is "prating against me with evil words." Who then is safe from the strife of tongues? If reviling is the one talent you have, then I suggest you bury it. Yes, there are church members like Diotrephes today -- there always has been a likely will always be. They give Christianity a bad name. Remember there are also Christians like Gaius ans Demetrius.
One should not imagine that he is a person of influence simply because he has the power of destruction. If power it be, it is the lowest power. Hindering good movements and abusing good men is nothing to take pride in.
Every man has it within his power to be a Gaius or a Diotrephes. "Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God" (3 John 11).
A PENCIL MAKER TOLD THE PENCIL 5 IMPORTANT LESSONS JUST BEFORE PUTTING IT IN THE BOX :
1.) EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL ALWAYS LEAVE A MARK..
2.) YOU CAN ALWAYS CORRECT THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE.
3.) WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU.
4.) IN LIFE , YOU WILL UNDERGO PAINFUL SHARPENINGS, WHICH WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON.
5.) TO BE THE BEST PENCIL, YOU MUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE HELD AND GUIDED BY THE HAND THAT HOLDS YOU.
We all need to be constantly sharpened. This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person, with unique God-given talents and abilities. Only you can fulfill the purpose for which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot be changed and, like the pencil, always remember that the most important part of who you are, is what's inside of you.
A man went to a barber shop to have his hair and his beard cut as always. He started to have a good conversation with the barber who attended him.
They talked about so many things and various subjects. Suddenly, they touched the subject of God.
The barber said: "Look man, I don't believe that God exists as you say."
"Why do you say that?" asked the client.
"Well, it's so easy, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God does not exist. Oh, tell me, if God existed, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be no suffering nor pain. I can't think of loving a God who permits all of these things."
The client stopped for a moment thinking, but he didn't want to respond so as to cause an argument. The barber finished his job and the client went out of the shop. Just after he left the barber shop he saw a man in the street with a long hair and beard (it seems that it had been a long time since he had his cut and he looked so untidy).
Then the client again entered the barber shop and he said to the barber:
"You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How con you say they don't exist?" asked the barber. "Well I am here and I am a barber."
"No!" the client exclaimed. "They don't exist because if they did there would be no people with long hair and beard like that man who walks in the street."
"Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is that people do not come to me."
"Exactly!"- affirmed the client. "That's the point. God does exist, what happens is people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
"John's gospel is designed to bring you to your knees in wonder, love, and praise.
Luke's is meant to make you sit up and think hard about Jesus as Lord of the whole world.
Matthew's is like a beautifully bound book which the Christian must study and ponder at leisure, steadily reordering one's life in the process.
Mark's is like a hastily printed revolutionary tract, stuffed into a back pocket, and frequently pulled out, read by torchlight, and whispered to one's co-conspirators.
You need all four. You never know when you are going to have to call on them."
His name is Bill.. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college.
He is brilliant.. Kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair.. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.
Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.
The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him.. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.
And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone.
Everyone chokes up with emotion.
When the minister gains control, he says, 'What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.'
'Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!'
All Americans should be given this lesson. Those who think that America is an arrogant nation should really reconsider that thought. Our founding fathers used GOD's word and teachings to establish our Great Nation and I think it's high time Americans get re-educated about this Nation's history. Pass it along and be proud of the country we live in and even more proud of those who serve to protect our 'GOD GIVEN' rights and freedoms.
I hope you take the time to read this ... To understand what the flag draped coffin really means ... Here is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to so many widows and widowers.
Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776?
Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!
The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.
The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.
The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world.
The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.
The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.'
The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that They pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America , and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic.
The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.
The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.
The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born.
The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding them of their nations motto, 'In God We Trust.'
After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.
There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why.
Share this with the children you love and all others who love what is referred to, the symbol of ' Liberty and Freedom.'
MAYBE THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD READ THIS EXPLANATION BEFORE THEY RENDER THEIR DECISION ON THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat.
He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner.
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it.
The rabbit ran away.
Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it.
The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.
As he went further, he saw a large wild 'Tom' turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining.
A voice spoke to him and said, 'Pray first, aim high and stay focused.'
However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill.
He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brough t the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake.
Still, the voice said again to him, 'I said 'Pray, Aim high and Stay focused?'
So, the man decided to listen to God's voice.
He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer.
The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it.
And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.
When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat for his family.
The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.
Moral of the story:
Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.
Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that, the past ..
Live every day one day at a time and remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through any more than you can bear.
Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor.
Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.
Baptism is a significant issue in the God's plan as revealed in the Bible. People have researched and discussed this vital topic for centuries. In the restoration movement that have been thought provoking things written in an effort to come to a better understanding. Recently I cam across some article that calls for some consideration.
MINISTRY QUESTION: In an earlier posting we received the following question:
I am seeking some resources to help with a problem we are experiencing with our teens and the internet, specifically with things like Facebook and the like. It would seem some may have posted inappropriate images and commentary. Our elders are concerned that this may be part of a larger problem relating to the general coarseness of young people coming from the influence of school specifically and culture generally. We are looking for some resources or suggestions concerning a addressing the parents, children and the congregation generally. Gary Selby (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Here are the responses we have received so far:
Joe Chase, Missionary to Jamaica, Denton, Texas:
Beth Robertson has some really good materials out regarding safeguarding children. Some of the stuff she has written will scare you to death. You can download a good bit of her presentation from the Preston Road church of Christ web site.The Web links for Beth's presentation are: http://www.prestonroad.org/images/stories/Sermons/part1.mp3 http://www.prestonroad.org/images/stories/Sermons/part2.mp3 I believe every eldership ought to give this a listen and order the materials she has put together from her research. No child will be safe until we are all proactive in making them safe.
Vic Pruett, White House, Tennessee:
I found that Dr. David Fraze ( David.Fraze@rhchurch.org ) is a great resource on adolescents & culture. He is our best (C of C) person when it come to answering questions and giving advice on how to navigate things such as face book, my space, youtube, texting, and all things postmodern. Just don’t tell him I said that.
I actually have a face book account and it allows me to interact with young people in a very unique way. Teens are all about dialogue, for some reason they can share so much of themselves (their passion, faith, sin, fear, struggles, etc) on the internet (facebook, myspace) and yet be closed mouthed in Sunday morning Bible class. They will talk to me on facebook about very deep issues and yet be closed to the idea of talking to me at my office or at McDonald’s over a coke. I’m not saying this is a good thing, but it is an opportunity to reach our teens. We can take Jesus into this post modern marketplace (of face book, myspace, youtube) and find out what they are really up to (which is scary). Young people are open to this new form of dialogue, we should take advantage of it.
One more thing. I am always outing kids to their parents about improper behavior (I’m not breaking any confidentiality rules since they are talking about it publically on these internet postings). You don’t have to spend a lot of time on face book to do all of this (I spend no more than 5 min a day on that stuff).
Also I remind parents to check their children’s accounts, I do this from the pulpit every now and then. I don’t know if any of this was helpful, thanks for listening.
James Guy, University church, Monroe, Louisiana:
Like most things, the internet can be used for good or bad. Our youth group and college group both use Facebook as probably THE primary source of sharing information, inviting friends to events, communicating with one another (next to text messaging), etc. It has helped our kids be more “connected” (in modern terms) throughout the week when they probably wouldn’t see or speak to each other otherwise. The good thing about Facebook and Myspace is that friends can see what other friends have on there.
My wife and I both have Facebooks and are our kids friends, and we also require our kids to provide us with their logins and passwords, and we check them ever so often to see what is on there. We also see what some of their school friends have on there, and have had them remove 1 or 2 from their friends list because of things that were on their space. I think that is how it should be dealt with. Encourage parents to check up on their kids (that’s still legal in most states), and if you see one of your church kids with something on there that shouldn’t be, I would suggest dealing with it with them directly and with their parents as appropriate.
I would also add that the internet allows for more open viewing of the “general coarseness” of what your kids are probably doing and saying at school or with friends when you don’t hear and see them. In that respect it is a plus. The main thing I think is to be aware of what your kids (and perhaps church kids) have on their, and encourage and teach their parents to do the same. Facebook and Myspace are not that hard to use for that purpose even if you are not so computer literate. www.universitycc.net
Kent Jobe, College Avenue, El Dorado, Arkansas:
In regard to Mr. Selby's request, I would suggest www.syncswim.com This is a seminar presented by the Church and Family organization through Harding. Although I have not personally participated in the seminar, it comes very highly recommended and I know they have put in a lot of time and effort in their presentation. I also know that they are really trying to keep their presentations current and relevant.
Brandon Tittle, Assistant Director, Church & Family, HardingUniversity:
I was forwarded an email you sent with questions from various ministers. Our office, The Institute for Church & Family, has an experience that might help Gary Selby. It is called SyncSwim, and it is designed to help parents, teachers, grandparents, etc. understand youth culture and how to help teens "swim." Feel free to send him my contact information: 501-279-4660 www.churchandfamily.net
