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In partnership with the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization
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  MAC E:Connections - November 2005

Hosting the World’s Future Leaders
During Thanksgiving & Christmas
By Leiton E. Chinn

It is likely that a significant number of the world’s future leadership and catalysts of influence for nation building are among the approximately 800,000 international students and scholars currently studying in the United States.  While American students are eagerly looking forward to both the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and an extended Christmas vacation back home, most international students may not be able to return home for the Christmas school break, nor experience an American Thanksgiving, unless they are invited to “come home for the holidays” by American friends.

It is always a special treat to be able to experience a country’s national holidays with its citizens, and particularly within a family and home setting.  Perhaps you have had that opportunity and learned something about the historical, cultural, or religious contexts for the holiday.  Americans can share the spirit and meanings of Thanksgiving and Christmas with international students in their communities.

If you do not know any international students, how may you find one or several to invite home to share a part of the upcoming holidays with your family?  Perhaps there are some international students already attending your church.  Do you know of any international student ministries nearby that you could contact and ask if they need host families for the holidays?  Some host families are able to have students over for a day and a meal, and others are able to offer overnight hospitality.  Are there any Christian campuses in your locale that may need host families or friends for their students from abroad?  You may also contact the International Student Office of your community colleges or universities to volunteer to be a host family or friend.

Whether you can host for a few hours or a few days, there are many things you could do with international students in your home or bring to special events at church related to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It is a rich mutual blessing to not only share about the uniqueness and theme of the holiday, and about your family, and games, customs, music, special foods, associated with the holiday, but also to ask your students about their families, and special holidays in their countries. 

For ideas about hosting international students and items related to Thanksgiving and Christmas, please see the following websites:  www.lifeenglish.net and www.ivcf.org/ism (“resources” link).


Leiton E. Chinn is President of the Association of Christian Ministries to Internationals (students), and served as the Convenor for the International Student Ministries Issue Group for the Lausanne 2004 Forum. Leiton is also a member of the Mission America Coalition National Committee.

Thanksgiving Resources from GospelCom.net

CHURCHES UNITE OFFERING THANKSGIVING HOPE TO HURRICANE VICTIMS

Over 200 churches and other Christian organizations from throughout the United States are joining together to provide 20,000 turkeys, free-of-charge, to victims of Hurricane Katrina on November 21-22, 2005, in Biloxi, MS. The two-day distribution event, hosted by Biloxi's Bay Vista Baptist Church, will be held at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi.

"Families have suffered from loss and displacement resulting from the hurricane, said Kevin Clifton, senior pastor of Bay Vista Baptist Church of Biloxi.  "So I am grateful to the hundreds of churches that have joined together as volunteers and supporters to bring hope to our communities."

The Thanksgiving program will kick-off with a turkey distribution where each family will receive one free turkey. Distribution will be held on Monday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 22 until supplies are depleted. Throughout distribution on Tuesday a Family Fun Day will be offered and will include games, prizes, food and fun. Family Fun Day will be followed by a concert performance featuring country music singer, Mark Wills and Christian recording artist, New Song. The performance will conclude with an encouraging message by Dr. Johnny Hunt, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, GA.
(Source: Assist News)

PROMISE KEEPERS JOIN "THE BAHAMAS AWAKENING"

Hundreds of Bahamian men and boys (and dozens of women) gathered at Nassau’s historic Clifford Park on Friday night, November 11, for the opening night of "The Bahamas Awakening," a cooperative effort between local Bahamas-based ministries and churches and Promise Keepers.

The Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Right Honourable Perry G. Christie saluted the organizing churches, the Bahamas Awakening organizing committee and Promise Keepers for their work in building up and encouraging the spiritual strength of The Bahamas’ men. Representatives from churches and governments around the Caribbean also attended.

ALTAR CALL
The crowd sat mesmerized as Christian camp director Joe White portrayed a Roman cross-builder from 2000 years ago. Hauling lumber, chopping wood, hammering beams together to build the cross that the Nazarene would hang on, White told the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Scores of men responded to the front of the stage, confessing sins, laying down burdens, rededicating themselves to Christ, and for some, converting to Christianity.

SOLEMN ASSEMBLY
Confession and repentance on a national scale was the business of the evening, as the locally organized "Solemn Assembly" put matters of sin and righteousness "on the record." Rev. Dr. William Thompson, president of the Bahamas Baptist Convention explained the purpose was, "to confess our sins, to repent, and to go from here, restored, righteous, building our homes and churches to the glory of God."

The "Solemn Assembly" is based on numerous occasions in biblical history where the people of God gathered on a national basis to confess their sins and ask specifically for God’s grace and leading. (Exodus 33, 1 Samuel 7, 2 Chronicles 15, 20, 23, 29, and 34, Ezra 6 and 8, Nehemiah 8, Joel 1, and Acts Chapter 2). This national solemn assembly service puts The Bahamas among very few national solemn assemblies in modern times, including "Stand in the Gap," coordinated by Promise Keepers in the United States on October 4, 1997.

SATURDAY’S AWAKENING
On Saturday, hundreds more men and families gathered again in the shadow of Fort Charlotte, know historically as Nassau’s defense against pirates. Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez painted a picture of "The Epic Battle for a Man’s Heart." "We, too often, are going through the motions, respectable on the outside, but not within. We must challenge idolatry as a sin of the heart. Our true character comes from within," said Archbishop Drexel. "I’m praying that here in the Bahamas we would see a band of men whose hearts God has touched, who will work whole-heartedly to extend God’s kingdom."

Promise Keepers’ ongoing international outreach supports local efforts like that in The Bahamas with follow-up men’s ministry training. Other events are being planned for the Caribbean region.  www.promisekeepers.org

     The release of the film The Chronicles of Narna: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe...
...is just over three weeks away!

The Mission America Coalition is excited about the possibilities presented by this movie to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ.  The following are resources to help you take advantage of the film to reach out to those around you:

REVIEW
Review from Jim Overholt, Executive Director of the Mission America Coalition

TRAIN
Equip yourself, your church or group to use the film for outreach using these free downloadable resources (Adobe PDF):
• The Greatest Story Ever Told - This 3 page handout gives an overview of C.S. Lewis, the Narnia Story, and most importantly - the story within the story.
• Making the Biblical Connection - This 1 page handout identifies some of the most important Biblical themes in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and offers corresponding Bible verses for further study.

REACH OUT
Because of the richness of the Narnia story, and the resources available to help Christians use Narnia to reach into the community - the possibilities for outreach are limitless! Here are just a few suggestions:
• Take a group to see the film and have a follow-up event with Narnia trivia, Narnia “food” and Narnia costumes.
• Discuss the film in adult or children's classes at church using the free downloads and other available materials.
• Designate a special Narnia day or month in Sunday School/Christian education classes.
• Have one-day Narnia camps or consider doing a Christmas mini-VBS.
• Preach a Narnia sermon series using the imagery and corresponding Bible references.
• Purchase blocks of tickets to make available to those who want to see the film and bring along friends and family members.

More Outreach Ideas and Resources

Tell us your ideas

PRAY
In all we do, we need to pray for those who will see the movie, that their hearts will be stirred by the message. And, we need to pray that Christians will use the release of this film to effectively point people to Christ.

You’re invited to participate in a nationwide prayer conference call for the Narnia Movie Outreach. The calls, hosted by the Mission America Coalition, will last for 1 hour. The majority of the call will be spent in prayer. Everyone is welcome to be a part of these calls scheduled for:

• Monday - 11/21 at 2pm CST
• Wednesday - 11/30 at 10am CST
• Friday - 12/9 at 10am CST

To participate, call 641.297.4600 and enter code 604096#

The views expressed herein do not represent those of the Walt Disney Company, Walden Media, The C.S. Lewis Estate, or the filmmakers, but are rather the views of various organizations who have created these resources specifically for leaders in the faith and family community.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, NARNIA, and all book titles, characters and locales original thereto are trademarks of C.S. Lewis Pte Ltd. and are used with permission. Images and movie trailer © Disney/Walden.

SOME CHRISTIAN GROUPS ARE SELLING OUT TO HOLLYWOOD
By Dr. Tom Snyder
 
Stop shilling for some of Hollywood’s worst movies.

That’s the urgent message Dr. Ted Baehr, publisher of MOVIEGUIDE® and chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission, is delivering to the church these days.

Baehr said some Christian groups have taken money to promote one or more of the Harry Potter movies about witchcraft, and that Hollywood is now paying Christian groups lots of money to shill for the upcoming movie THE DA VINCI CODE.

A shill is someone hired to say negative things about someone or some product in order to generate controversy and interest for that person or product.

THE DA VINCI CODE denies the resurrection and divinity of Jesus Christ, among other things. Some in Hollywood hope that by paying Christians to generate controversy about the movie, more people will pay to see it.

“Christians are the most powerful people in Hollywood,” Baehr added, “because they are the biggest audience in the United States and because it is media-wise Christians who support our ministry working there to redeem the values of the entertainment industry.”
 
“The media is the one who teaches our children,” Baehr said, “but the church doesn’t understand the media. The problem is, the church is losing its knowledge, wisdom and understanding. They’re selling out. We have a long way to go before the church becomes truly media wise.”

Dr. Baehr noted, “The church must be salt and light in Hollywood.”

Baehr concluded, “People want a divine savior. People who don’t have God will look to men for answers, but men are fallible. We need to get back to God. We need to remember God. Now that Hollywood has discovered the church, we need the church to stand up for Jesus.”

Ted Baehr on the heart and soul of religious and family films.

 
 
 
  Mission America Coalition | P.O. Box 13930 | Palm Desert, CA 92255
Ph: (760) 200-2707 | Fax: (760) 200-8837 | Email MAC