Monday, July 30, 2007

• Ruth Bell Graham - 1920 - 2007
  a wonderful wife, mother
  and disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ

  Please checkout this lovely link from the Graham Ministry in tribute to Ruth Bell Graham:  http://www.billygraham.org/RBG_default.asp   
  I recently read Billy Graham's autobiography titled; Just As I Am and found it very inspiring.  It was interesting reading the history of both the family and the ministry.  They made great impact as they focused on large metropolitan areas.  I love  their commitment to working with various parts of the Christian community and truly being an agent for unity in the body of Christ.  Although with such a public persona, it would be easy to see Billy Graham as a national superstar all by himself, that just wasn't the case.    Billy Graham was definitely a team player, which can easily be demonstrated through the longevity of those that worked with him throughout the organization.   I recently put up a post (July 12) with a message from Don Basham, on the importance of being number two, it's hard to overestimate the importance of those who put aside their ego and serve alongside others.  
  On the family front that certainly describes a godly wife, mother and disciple such as Ruth Graham.  She had plans of her after Wheaton College to serve as a missionary in Asia, and struggled  to lay down that vision and plan and instead marry a young preacher by the name of Billy Graham.   Thank you, Ruth for being Christ's servant and such an example in the body of Christ. (…)

Saturday, July 21, 2007

• 12-year-old “Financial Guru” John-Paul Pigeon to do Book Signing
  in Lexington, Michigan

  When ten-year-old John-Paul Pigeon moved from Lexington, Michigan to Fort Worth, Texas, his family and friends could not have guessed what would follow in less than three years.  He would return to do a local book signing, having developed a national reputation as one of the youngest financial wizards in the United States.  His interest in finances started at the age of seven when he mistakenly picked up a book titled Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyyosaki, thinking it was a novel. (…)

Friday, July 20, 2007

• Reviving the Latin Mass
  - reflections from the Reformation

  In the news recently, there has been talk of Roman Catholics opening the door again for a Latin Mass.  One of the protests of the Reformation was an insistence on utilizing the language of worshipers in Christian liturgy.   This was the view throughout the Reforming Church.   In the 24th article in the 39 articles of the Anglican Church it is stated: It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the Primitive Church, to have public Prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people.   Anyone interested in this subject from a scriptural point of view would do well to read the veiws of the three major branches of the Reformation  those are the Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian Church, and the Anglican Church.  Here is a link to  a commmentary on the 39 articles of the Anglican Communion on the subject: http://www.episcopalian.org/pbs1928/Articles/AnglicanTeaching/115.htm
  I'm sure the Roman Church won't be embracing the Latin liturgy in great numbers, but it was and is an important subject regarding Christian worship.  - Fr. (…)