To Illustrate Plus

Law

Romans 7:5-13

At a 1997 Marketing and Public Policy conference in Boston, Iowa State University psychology professor Brad J. Bushman presented the results of a series of experiments on the potential of warning labels for attracting audience to violent programs. Results showed that warning labels increased interest in violent programs, especially when the label source or “authority” was to have been the U.S. Surgeon General and all viewers were the target instead of just “young viewers.”

Comparing labels that just provided information (“This film contains violence.”) vs. labels that also had a warning (“This film contains violence. Viewer discretion is advised.”) found that the warning labels, by telling people what to do, actually increased interest in violent programs.

—Herb Rotfeld, in Marketing News (Rebellion, Sinful nature)

Leadership

1 Peter 5:1-5

How college freshmen graded the leaders of these institutions:

—Louis Harris, in USA Today (10/28/98) (Example, Respect)

The Rising Price of Freedom

Hebrews 13:3

Two years ago, Christians were sold as slaves for as little as $15 in Southern Sudan.

This statement is no longer accurate, but not because the Khartoum regime has stopped trying to bomb, massacre, starve, rape, torture and kidnap Christians, animists and even other Muslims into submission. No, fluctuations in currency rates have simply raised the price to $50 or $75.

“When we go in to buy people’s freedom, we budget $100 per slave to pay for the whole operation, which includes transportation into places where the regime doesn’t want us to go,” said Jesse Sage of the Boston-based American Anti-Slavery Group. “But here’s the most sobering reality: you can still trade one human being for three cows, or the other way around.”

All of this is taking place far from most pews and news cameras. Thus, two years ago, an interfaith coalition organized the first International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. This year, worshipers in about 100,000 churches—from Southern Baptists to Catholics, from Pentecostals to the Orthodox—will pray for those who are living and dying as martyrs.

This past weekend, about 250 students from 60 colleges gathered at Georgetown University for a conference organized by Freedom House’s Center for Religious Freedom.

The keynote speaker was Baroness Caroline Cox, a British nurse who now serves as deputy speaker in the House of Lords. She has led numerous teams of doctors and journalists into Southern Sudan. She recently interviewed a Catholic leader who survived a raid on the village of Mayen Abun. Many were slaughtered, including his brother, and his sister was one of those taken as a slave. Santino Ring’s words were haunting: “We’re trying to hold a frontline of Christianity here, but we feel completely forgotten. … Doesn’t the church want us anymore?”

“That’s what our persecuted brothers and sisters feel,” said Cox. “They have no evidence the church wants them at all. … All of us who’ve worked with the persecuted church come back humbled, inspired, enriched, beyond anything we can describe. … If the day comes that they become martyrs, we must celebrate their martyrdom. But we must make sure it’s not in vain, because that martyrdom is for our faith.”

—Syndicated columnist Terry Mattingly(Caring, Martyrs)

Truth

Ephesians 5:8-14

Truth is synonymous with good. Truth is supposed to be good. Is it good to hurt people?

—Monica Lewinsky, in World (10/17/98) (Judgment, Light)

Honk If You Know

Luke 19:10

We’re not quite sure who it was, but someone spent a significant chunk to promote messages from God. On behalf of an anonymous client, The Smith Agency in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, launched the advertising campaign in September 1998.

“This individual simply appeared in our office one day last spring and hired us on the spot,” said Andrew Smith, the agency’s president. “However, our agreement prohibits us from releasing his name. I will say he is quite well known.”

More than a dozen different messages, all signed by God, appeared on area billboards and buses. Among the messages:

1. Let’s Meet at My House Sunday Before the Game.—God

2. C’mon Over and Bring the Kids.—God

3. What Part of “Thou Shalt Not … ” Didn’t You Understand?—God

4. We Need to Talk.—God

5. Keep Using My Name in Vain And I’ll Make Rush Hour Longer.—God

6. Loved the Wedding, Invite Me to the Marriage.—God

7. That “Love Thy Neighbor” Thing, I Meant It.—God

8. I Love You … I Love You … I Love You.—God

9. Will The Road You’re on Get You to My Place?—God

10. Follow Me.—God

11. My Way Is the Highway.—God

12. Need Directions?—God

13. You Think It’s Hot Here?—God

14. Tell the Kids I Love Them.—God

15. Have You Read My #1 Best Seller? There Will Be a Test.—God

The Life @ Work Journal (Nov/Dec 1998) (Testimony, Witness)

CURRENT QUOTES WORTH DISCUSSING

Choose your unifier

“There are two great unifying forces of our time—love of God and hatred of Him.” Rabbi Daniel Lapin, in a speech to the 106th Congressional Bipartisan Opening Ceremony, during which he noted the two forces are incompatible and the nation “must decide which is paramount” (quoted in World, 1/23/99).

Missing links

“America first proclaimed its independence on the basis of self-evident moral truths. America will remain a beacon of freedom for the world as long as it stands by those moral truths which are the very heart of its historical experience … And so America: if you want peace, work for justice. If you want justice, defend life. If you want life, embrace truth—truth revealed by God.” Pope John Paul II, during a prayer service in St. Louis, Missouri, January 26, 1999.

Faith from space

“Looking at the earth from this vantage point, looking at this kind of creation, and to not believe in God, to me, is impossible … to see [the earth] laid out like that only strengthens my beliefs.” Astronaut John Glenn after viewing the world from outer space for a second time (quoted in Internet for Christians Newsletter, Nov. 9, 1998)

What will others think?

“If Jesus Christ had taken a poll, he would never have preached the gospel.” U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) on ABC-TV’s “This Week” (12/13/98)

Lost

“Somebody, somewhere, love me.” Madalyn Murray O’Hair, at least a half-dozen times in her diaries, which were auctioned off January 23, 1999, to satisfy Internal Revenue Service claims against her estate. O’Hair vanished in a still-unsolved mystery three years ago.

Goodness of God

1 Thessalonians 5:18

If we look for it, we can see the goodness of God no matter what our circumstances.

Baseball pitcher Dan Quisenberry was a three-time All-Star reliever in the 1980s. In the winter of ’96-’97 an aggressive form of brain cancer brought him low. Even so, he always emphasized the goodness of God. Following surgery to remove a tumor, Mr. Quisenberry spoke of his gratitude: “Every day I find things to be thankful for. … Sometimes it’s just seeing a little boy on a bicycle. Sometimes it’s the taste of water. It’s hard to explain.”

He died in the fall of 1997 at age 45.

Mr. Quisenberry’s minister, Ted Nissen of Colonial Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, recalled a post-surgery visit. “He was on such a high, talking about how good God had been to him,” he told the Kansas City Star. “He blessed me on that visit.”

World (10/10/98) (Attitude, Thankfulness)

Church

Matthew 16:18-19

Russ Blowers is a minister and active in the Indianapolis Rotary club. Each week at the club meetings a different member gives a brief statement about his job. When it was his turn, Russ said: “I’m with a global enterprise. We have branches in every country in the world. We have our representatives in nearly every parliament and board room on earth. We’re into motivation and behavior alteration.

“We run hospitals, feeding stations, crisis pregnancy centers, universities, publishing houses, and nursing homes. We care for our clients from birth to death.

“We are into life insurance and fire insurance. We perform spiritual heart transplants. Our original Organizer owns all the real estate on earth plus an assortment of galaxies and constellations. He knows everything and lives everywhere. Our product is free for the asking. (There’s not enough money to buy it.)

“Our CEO was born in a hick town, worked as a carpenter, didn’t own a home, was misunderstood by his family, hated by enemies, walked on water, was condemned to death without a trial, and arose from the dead—I talk with him everyday.”

The church is the most amazing organization in the world!

—Andy Mason,

amason@accs.net (Ministry, Pastors)

MEDITATION

We’re No Longer in Kansas …

Psalm 1:2

There was a farmer who lived in the middle of Kansas, and he raised two sons. Both of his sons joined the Navy. The farmer’s brother was a psychologist, and he came to visit. At dinner, the farmer said, “You’re a psychologist. I want you to tell me how a farmer living in the middle of Kansas, where there’s almost no water, can raise two sons who join the Navy and love it?”

The psychologist said, “That’s a good question. Let me think about it.”

That night he spent the night in those boys’ room. The next morning when he got up, he came downstairs and told his brother, “I think I’ve got an answer for you. Come up to this room with me.”

They walked into the boys’ room, and the first thing they saw was a picture on the wall. It was a beautiful picture of the sea, and in the middle of the sea was a ship. The psychologist told his brother, “I want you to lay down on the bed and tell me what you see when you get up from the bed.” The farmer said, “I see the picture.” The psychologist said, “The first thing you see when you walk into this room is this picture. The last thing you see at night is the picture. And the first thing you see in the morning when you get up is the picture of this ship on the sea. Did the boys have this picture for a long time?” The farmer said, “Yes, since they were about 3 years old.”

The brother said, “If you think about a picture like that long enough, you might become a sailor.”

If we think about Scripture long enough, we might become saints.

—Scott Wenig, Preaching Today #182 (Scripture, Thoughts)

Security

Psalm 91

We spend all our time searching for security—and then we hate it when we get it.

—John Steinbeck (Challenge, Trust)

Surrender

Psalms 51:17

God can do wonders with a broken heart if you give him all the pieces.

—Victor Alfsen (Brokenness, Healing)

Unselfishness Philippians 2:4

In the 1998 baseball season, slugger Sammy Sosa was the first to reach 66 home runs, but Mark McGwire ended the season four ahead with a record setting 70 roundtrippers.

It’s conceivable that Sosa might have hit more. As the season wore on, McGwire’s St. Louis Cardinals were not in contention, so he had the freedom to swing for the fences at every bat. Sosa’s Cubs were contending for a play-off berth, so he needed to put the requirements of his team above his own goal. Often he attempted to reach first by getting a walk, or he would deliver a base hit to advance a runner. Sosa said, “My team’s desires are more important than my quest for a home run record.”

His attitude and hitting helped his Cubs make it to the playoffs, and Sosa went on to be voted Most Valuable Player of the National League.

Sosa’s unselfish attitude is what we are called to have as members of the church. We are to give ourselves away for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

—Greg Asimakoupoulos (Sacrifice, Team)

Heart

1 Corinthians 8:1-3

When God measures a man, he puts the tape measure around the heart, not the head.

Pulpit Helps (June 1998)

Revenge Romans 12:19

According to Edward Barnes in Time (3/14/94), a Sarajevo man named Pipo is a Bosnian Serb sniper who has shot down 325 individuals for the sake of revenge. Before becoming a sniper, Pipo was a partner in a Sarajevo restaurant with a Muslim man. The two were friends as well as partners—until Pipo’s mother was jailed and beaten by Muslims. Pipo recalls, “When she got out, she wouldn’t talk about it. That’s when I picked up a gun and began shooting Muslims. I hate them all.”

Killing for revenge has changed Pipo. “All I know how to do is kill,” he says. “I am not sure I am normal anymore. I can talk to people, but if someone pushes me, I will kill them. … In the beginning I was able to put my fear aside, and it was good. Then with the killings I was able to put my emotions aside, and it was good. But now they are gone.”

After shooting 325 people, Pipo has no more fear, no remorse, no feelings at all. He states plainly, “I have no feelings for what I do. I went to see my mother in Belgrade, and she hugged me, and I felt nothing.

“I have no life anymore. I go from day to day, but nothing means anything. I don’t want a wife and children. I don’t want to think.”

Vengeance consumes and destroys us.

—Tom Tripp,

tomtripp@syix.com (Hatred, Murder)

WORRY

Stop the World, I Want to Get Off!

Matthew 6:34

Percentage of Americans who believe that by the year 2025 there will be:

• A worldwide collapse of the economy: 49
• An environmental catastrophe: 66
• The emergence of a deadly new disease: 76
• A military strike or attack using nuclear weapons: 48

USA Today, CNN Gallup poll conducted Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, 1998.

Fruit James 2:14-26

In Living Faith Jimmy Carter writes: A group of Christian laymen involved in missionary work approached a small village near an Amish settlement. Seeking a possible convert, they confronted an Amish farmer and asked him, “Brother, are you a Christian?” The farmer thought for a moment and then said, “Wait just a few minutes.” He wrote down a list of names on a tablet and handed it to the lay evangelist. “Here is a list of people who know me best. Please ask them if I am a Christian.”

The evidence of faith is fruit.

—Phillip Gunter, phatherphil@juno.com (Faith, Works)

Fear

1 Peter 3:14-15

The percentage of teenagers worried about these things has risen significantly in the past decade:

Nickelodeon/Yankelovich as seen in USA Today (10/6/98) (Pressure, Teenagers)

Thanksgiving

Luke 17:11-19

Don Vicars, an Oregon police officer, was on his way to California for a Harley Davidson convention when a construction zone caused a group of motorcycles to stop suddenly. Don had to lay his motorcycle down at high speed and was left with a broken shoulder, broken ribs, and a collapsed lung. A passerby stopped to aid Vicars. She told him her name, Sally, and said she was a registered nurse. She cradled him in his pain and assured him that help was on the way. When paramedics arrived, Vicars was airlifted to a hospital where he spent 10 days.

Now he is intent on finding and thanking Sally.

“When I woke up [on the pavement],” he says, “she was holding my head. She very calmly talked to me and calmed me. Afterward, she just walked off . … It’s important to me to find her and thank her.”

Vicar’s wife says her husband’s need to find Sally is “almost an obsession.” In a newspaper article in The Oregonian (10/15/98), Vicars asked that anyone who knew Sally would contact him.

Thanksgiving is a good obsession.

—Curtis Buthe (Gratitude, Worship)

Credit cards

Proverbs 13:7

Number of credit-card solicitations mailed to Americans last year: 3,000,000,000

Harper’s Index (August 1998) (Debt, Money)

NEW CREATION

From Groan to Wow

Romans 8:18-30

There is at the center of reality a groan. And the closer to the center you live, the more you will hear it and the more you will share in it: the center of creation, the center of the church, the center of ministry, the center of those things that belong to the people of God, and the center of the human race. The closer you move there, the more you will hear the groan—the more you will share the groan. And you will recognize it. … Paul says that the groan in creation, in us, in God, is a groan not of death, not the death throes; but a groan of childbirth. God is giving birth to something new. God is doing something fresh. God is creating new heaven, new earth, and by the time I have mastered the groan, I will have to exchange it—for a WOW!

—Fred B. Craddock, in Journal for Preachers (Groan, Future)

Copyright © 1999 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or contact us.