Beast Busted!

Comic modified from Pearls Before Swine, by Stephan Pastis.
(click to enlarge)

Surviving ‘My Way or the Highway’ Religion

“In Pakistan it is quite common that I tell the story of a man who had the opportunity while alive to visit both heaven and hell. He was first taken to hell where he saw a large banquet table covered with every variety of food and delight. The people sitting around this table could see all of these things yet were starving and wailing because the handles on their spoons were too long to get them into their mouths. The man was quite disturbed about what he saw but there was nothing he could do. He was then taken to heaven and was very surprised to see the same table furnished with the same delightful foods and with people sitting around holding the same spoons but they were happy and fed. Then he noticed that they were feeding each other! They were helping themselves by helping each other. This is a story that relies on intuition to understand its meaning. Intellectually we want to think that people can only help themselves directly and that with the long spoons they will starve, but this is the old thinking. The truth is that in life just as in this story we cannot survive without the cooperation of others. The idea that cooperation is the only way we can survive conflicts with our western notion of survival of the fittest, go it alone and self made millionaires, but it works.” (an unattributed Internet quote)

Honoring God?*

*Adventist World, 2009
HONORING THE CREATOR GOD
(abbreviated direct quotes)
Angel Manuel Rodriguez, Director of the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference

Modified from the comic Dilbert, by Scott Adams
(click to enlarge)

Reviewing the Adventist Review

August 13, 2009
Vol. 186, No. 22
www.adventistreview.org/index.php?issue=2009-1522

GENERAL COMMENTS
It’s always a thrill plug an outstanding edition of the Review. Bouquets have been awarded to the editors and writers that made this issue possible. It belongs in the waiting rooms of Adventist professionals across North America. Church members of every philosophical persuasion will enjoy this magazine. Readers, get your hands on some additional copies and give one to a church member that doesn't subscribe and maybe a neighbor or two.

This Review is a MUST READ from cover to cover, beginning with Bill Knott's editorial, Calvin's Genes, and A Simple Prayer by Herald L. Calkins on the inside back cover. (Even the adverts are classy!)

Editors, this is the standard to shoot for.

The Adventist Basement

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. 1 John 4:18

Comic from Pearls Before Swine, by Stephan Pastis.
(click to enlarge)

Some Enlightened Thoughts from Ministry Magazine, August 2009

Harold Peters, email
“I am fully convinced that the ‘strong correlation [that] exists between the core values of Islam and of Seventh-day Adventism’ provides us with both a tremendous opportunity and a grave responsibility to share the love of Jesus with our Muslim friends.”

Ron E. M. Clouzet: Doing Evangelism When No one Seems to Care
“What the Rich Young Ruler wanted was to follow Jesus. Like a child counting on his hero, he instinctively knew Jesus could fill the gaping hole in his heart. But what Jesus knew the man needed was to make love a reality. Giving himself to others would finally allow him to keep the spirit of the law, not merely its letter. Thus he could be saved and help others find salvation as well. . .The basic premise is to set out to bless your community with no strings attached, to demonstrate the love of God in some practical way.”

Ronald W. Booth: New to Ministry--With Four Churches
”I must rely on each church to play a very large part in setting its own goals while I provide support and encouragement. Each church must then take responsibility for their growth.”

Candace Huber: Faith Community Nursing in Congregations
“For the church to reclaim its New Testament role as the center for healing in the community, and for the members to experience full restoration in Christ, the messages of health and methods of becoming whole must become an intentional ministry of the church equal to its work for redemption and reconciliation.”

Daniel Schramm: The Art of Listening
“Most clergy could probably improve their ministries by speaking less and listening more. . .An enormously useful phrase to encourage others to open up and share is, ‘Tell me about. . .’ This phrase is useful in numerous contexts. Some examples, ‘Tell me about your ailing mother, your child in trouble, your academic stress, your tears, when you learned you had cancer, your loneliness.’”

James A. Cress: Smile-winning
“I learned that heaven cannot be proclaimed as merely a ‘fire escape’ and that the best motivation for following Jesus springs from a loving, concerned relationship far more than it does from fear or intimidation. . .I have learned not to argue theology or debate finely divided issues. While I could typically win the argument, I could easily lose a friend in the process. . .Jesus. . .asks us to invite people to share the benefits of knowing our Savior by demonstrating His love and interest in their welfare.”

Two of everything?

Comic from The Doghouse Diaries