Mike Huckabee and Kenneth Copeland

Followupg on my post, "What's This World Coming To?," I noticed that Kenneth Copeland recently interviewed Gov. Mike Huckabee regarding the question of how faith affects a person's character and their approach to public policy. To watch the Sunday "condensed" version of their exchange, click here. To watch the entire series of daily broadcasts featuring Gov. Huckabee, try looking on one of the following web pages: KCM current programs or KCM program archives. You may have to scroll down the page a bit to come to the listings for the Huckabee interview.

In another vein, Brian Bailey, author of, "The Blogging Church," recently wrote in his "Leave It Behind" blog following a poll he took of his readers to see which Christmas ads they liked best,

First, nearly everyone's favorite commercial was done by their favorite candidate. In a way, this should be obvious, but I still found it surprising. It's instructive to realize that when you're watching a speech or commercial by your candidate and thinking, How could anyone not like this guy?", others are wondering how anyone could. Once you've found a candidate whose message you connect with, you view everything about that person and his or her opponents through a filter.

Do you agree with that?

What's This World Coming To?

When I was a boy, our family always travelled at Christmas time to see my grandparents. At night, as we were drifting off to sleep in their home heated by a floor furnace, all the bedroom doors were left open so the warm air could circulate. As Grandpa Puckett was settling down, we would hear him sigh and say, "Oh Lord, what's this world coming to?" When I learned from the Dallas News' Religion blog of the controversy surrounding Presidential candidate Bill Huckabee's latest ad, because it mentions Jesus in connection with Christmas, about the only thing that came to mind was Grandpa's phrase. For a followup post on the same blog, click here. For an article that argues we should see more discussion of religion on the campaign trail, not less, click here. To see Governor Huckabee's ad for yourself, click on the "right arrow" in the middle of the screen below.

Promiseland Television Network Broadcasts

Many people from our church family have come to me asking how they could watch the recent broadcasts Teresa and I appeared on at the Promiseland Television Network. I just discovered a way to upload these video files to the internet for your convenience.

To watch our first joint guest appearance with Mike and Hazel Simons on Promiseland Live, click on the play button (the right "arrow") at the bottom of the second window below. Toward the end of the broadcast, I share a message entitled, "The Man Who Was Lost With the Roadmap in His Hand" from the Book of Acts, and Teresa speaks to the international constituency of the DFW Metroplex, giving an invitation to receive Christ.

To watch the first guest hosting we have done, click on the upper window. The theme of that broadcast is "Divine Healing" where we pray for the sick and I share thoughts on "What Every Sick Person Needs to Know About God." By clicking on the word, "Google" on either window, you will be taken to the host website where you can download either broadcast onto your computer or ipod.

Dorm Brothels, Etc. - Christianity Today articles that caught my eye

Christianity Today magazine posted an article today on their website drawn from their 2005 archives that every parent ought to read...and weep over in prayer for the youth of our nation. Entitled, "Dorm Brothel," it is lengthy and a tad literary in tone, but very moving. A parallel piece by prominent pastor and theologian John Piper entitled, "Gutsy Guilt" holds out hope for healing and forgiveness to all Christ followers who struggle with sexual sins.

In another vein, having preached yesterday on the Exodus account of God's parting the waters of the Red (or Reed) Sea, I found christian pollster George Barna's finding that, "...a substantial majority of Americans believes in the literal truth of six key Bible stories..." quite interesting. Here is how the percentages break down, according to Stan Guthrie's summary of Barna's research, "Taking Bible Stories Literally." When Americans are asked whether or not they believe a specific story in Scripture is "...literally true, meaning it happened exactly as described in the Bible...,"

Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection (75%);
Daniel in the Lion’s Den (65%);
Moses parting the Red Sea (64%);
David and Goliath (63%);
Peter walking on water (60%);
God creating the universe in six days (60%).

Guthrie goes on to note,

When you break down the numbers, it gets even more interesting. Several factors are correlated with less belief in a literal resurrection: high education, mainline vs. non-mainline Protestantism, Catholicism vs. Protestantism, and white vs. black. So, statistically speaking, a highly educated white Catholic or mainline professor from the Northeast would likely be more skeptical than a blue-collar African-American Protestant from the Midwest or South.

In a parallel piece entitled, "Ressurection of Jesus: So What?," Mark Galli opines,

The results are broken down by faith tradition, geography, race, and education. To take one overall finding, though: "The story of Jesus Christ rising from the dead, after being crucified and buried" was the story most widely embraced. Three out of four adults (75 percent) said they interpreted that narrative literally.

Yet polls and anecdotal evidence suggest that 75 percent of Americans are not living dedicated lives to the resurrected Jesus!

This should give us apologetic pause. A great deal of evangelical apologetics is about proving the historicity of the resurrection (or creation--intelligent design or 7-day--but nearly two-thirds of Americans already believe in a literal 7-day creation). The figures suggest that this is NOT the battle ground for most Americans. It is the relevance or meaning of the resurrection that seems to elude Americans. It is not a stretch for most people to believe that a God who created the universe could raise Jesus from the dead, among other miracles--Duh. What is a stretch is understanding what difference it makes.

Perhaps it's time for a new chapter in evangelical apologetics. Not "The Resurrection--Did it Happen?" but "The Resurrection--So What?"

Throughout history, the question and meaning of the empty tomb of Jesus have always been the central question of Christianity. As the Apostle Paul put it, according to Eugene Peterson's The Message paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 15:13-20,

"13 If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. 14 And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. 15 Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection. 16 If corpses can’t be raised, then Christ wasn’t, because he was indeed dead. 17 And if Christ weren’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. 18 It’s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they’re already in their graves. 19 If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot. 20 But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries. " (1 Corinthians 15:12-20 The Message)

It is only through a personal relationship with the one who came back to life after being put to death on a cross that any of us can live a holy life. That is one of the reasons the resurrection of Jesus is so important - and wonderful!

" 1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives." (Romans 6:1-4 NLT)

Touching the nations - One person at a time...!

These precious ladies are from the former Soviet Union.
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Touching the nations - right here in Dallas...!

This family is from the Congo.
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Many hands lighten the load...

Outreaches like these take a lot of work. We need you, too...!
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Operation Outreach

Our outreach is under way right now at the Sunchase apartments...!
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From Out of Africa - Jean Aimee Gifford

At Hillcrest Church, we are called to be a local church with a ministry that touches the world like the church at Antioch in the New Testament. As we walk people through the Discipleship Cycle (Bring, Heal, Train, Lead, and Send), God prepares them to impact whatever world He calls them to, whether it be the world of their own neighborhood across the backyard fence, a sphere of influence that spans many geographic localities, or another culture and belief system on the other side of an ocean.

It is our joy and privilege as a congregation to be used by the Lord to send our people wherever He calls them. One very special person we have recently sent into the world of the HIV pandemic is Jean-Aimee Gifford. A highly trained medical professional, she serves in Africa with an organization called Hands at Work. She has recently started blogging at wivafrica.blogspot.com. I encourage you to read her posts, find out more about her work, and let her know that you are praying for her!

Praying for Prodigals

Sometimes parents experience true anguish of soul as children they have raised to follow the Lord make very bad choices and turn their backs on Him. In such moments, prayer is extremely important. By pouring their hearts out to the Lord, parents can find healing and peace in spite of the circumstance. Even more importantly, their prayers are powerfully effective in seeing their prodigals come back into a right relationship with God.

Earlier this morning, I received an email with a touching article written by Francis Frangipane's daughter, Joy, chronicling some of her journey away from God, and then back to Him. Her words bear eloquent testimony to the power of parental prayer and provide a window into the heart and mind of some prodigals. If you are facing such a circumstance in your life, I encourage you to read her article entitled, Your Children Will Return.

Speaking of parent–child relationships, my parents, Kenneth and Vera Brand, will be ministering tonight, Wednesday, September 12th, during our Word and Worship service in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit at 7pm. They have each been preaching God’s Word for more than fifty years, serving the Lord with integrity, dedication, and great fruitfulness. Anything I ever become or do for the glory of God in my life will be due in large part to the spiritual seeds they have sown in my life and the prayers they have prayed. I know their ministy in word and testimony will be a great blessing to all who hear them.

Terry and Rolanda Green will kick off a new LifeGroup for parents with children next Wednsday night, September 19th, by facilitating a dynamic video study series called Miracle Parenting, by Phil Phillips at 7pm in Room 214. Simply put, this material is the best I have ever seen on a practical, biblical approach to raising positive, healthy children who love Jesus with all their hearts. I encourage every parent that possibly can to in this study with them! And, don’t forget - we serve a delicious, inexpensive meal every Wednesday night from 5:30-6:30pm in our Performing Arts Center with full children’s ministry beginning at 6:45pm until classes end.

The Other Side of the Sea

I do not know what it looked like on the boat that night as recorded in the Gospel of Mark after Jesus said to His disciples on the Sea of Galilee, "Let us go over to the other side." It must have been much worse than this...



No fancy all-weather gear, no helmets, no safety harnesses, no Global Positioning Systems, no mast-mounted video cameras recording their courage for posterity and their hordes of adulating fans around the world. Just a furious squall, the disciples absolutely scared half out of their wits, and Jesus in the stern, asleep on a cushion. When the crew awoke Him saying, "Don't you care if we drown?" as in, "Why did you tell us to cross the sea today? You know all things. Surely you could have chosen a better course for us to sail...!" He rebuked them for their lack of faith, and then calmed the raging seas and howling wind with three little words, "Quiet! Be still!"

Teresa and I once crossed some thiry miles or so of the open Pacific Ocean in a small ferry boat with waves running upwards of twelve feet on average, but the worse weather systems I have ever encountered have been the howling storms of my own soul, those moments when I wondered where God was in the midest of my circumstances, and why He had allowed them to develop. Again and again, though, I have heard the Master say, "Peace! Be still!" He will do the same for you if you will bring your anxious heart to Him. He is bigger than any tempest you may face and He has promised He will never leave you or forsake you, come what may...!

"35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” " (Mark 4:35-41, NIV)

Parenting in the Midst of Tragedy

John Piper is not only a famous author and pastor in Minneapolis, but also a parent. His blog post entitled, Putting My Daughter to Bed Two Hours After the Bridge Collapsed, bears powerful witness, not only to some deep theological truths, but also to the sovereign way in which God set up his family's evening devotions, moments after devasting calamity struck their city.

It is never easy to answer hard questions, especially when they come in the midst of great emotion that touches even the very young. God is faithful, though, to use His Word and His Spirit to help us when we need it the most!

The Porn Myth (Challies / Wolf)

Tim Challies is a Christian web designer from Canada of the Reformed persuasion whose blog, www.challies.com, is widely read. Today, he posted some thoughts on a recent New York Magazine article by feminist Naomi Wolf entitled, "The Porn Myth."

Midway through his musings, Tim writes,

Feminists taught that women needed to go from being the hunted to being the hunters, to transition to the role of the aggressor in relationships. They were to throw off inhibition and try to beat men at their own game.

But Wolf, and many other feminists, have had to rethink their position a little bit. Once advocates of pornography, they have had to take an honest look at how pornography has affected our culture. "The Porn Myth" does just this. If you read this site often you know how much I delight in finding articles in secular publications that just say what the Bible has been saying all along. In many ways, this is just such an article.

Wolf begins by saying that some feminists used to be concerned that the widespread acceptance of pornography would turn men into beasts, causing them to rape and pillage women. Years later she says, "the effect is not making men into raving beasts. On the contrary: The onslaught of porn is responsible for deadening male libido in relation to real women, and leading men to see fewer and fewer women as "porn-worthy." Far from having to fend off porn-crazed young men, young women are worrying that as mere flesh and blood, they can scarcely get, let alone hold, their attention." So porn is not causing men to see women as objects of unbridled lust (though in some cases I know this has happened). Rather, porn is causing men to become bored with sex and bored with real women. "For most of human history, erotic images have been reflections of, or celebrations of, or substitutes for, real naked women. For the first time in human history, the images' power and allure have supplanted that of real naked women. Today, real naked women are just bad porn." That last sentence is shocking for its forthrightness and for its implications. Men who immerse themselves in pornography know that real women compare unfavorably with the stars of their pornographic movies. Those women have perfect bodies, no inhibitions and are willing to express pleasure in any act, no matter how vulgar or demeaning. They exist only to please their men.

A bit later, he pens,

When I speak with young men these days I find that, almost invariably, they are recovering porn addicts. Since I wasn't born yesterday I take this to mean "I'm addicted to pornography but can't quite admit it." I try to warn them that there are consequences to this sin. Of course I tell them that God is dishonored by this sin, but they are Christian guys and they already know this. So I tell them also that this sin is going to have consequences in their lives that go far beyond what they do when nobody else is looking. For example, addiction to pornography will not disappear when they fall in love and commit to marriage. Rather, pornography will be a destructive force they bring into that marriage. They may find that they are enraptured with a wife for a few months, but the addiction, if not conquered, will come back. It will haunt the marriage until it is properly dealt with. And when pornography returns, that wife suddenly won't look so wonderful. She will have spots and blemishes and stretch marks. There will be things she will not want to do in bed. She will have nights when she does not want to have sex. Suddenly the women in pornography will look pretty good in comparison as they are always eager, always beautiful, always available.

But these women are but a sinful fantasy. They beckon like the captivity in Egypt. Pornography looks at the heavenly manna God has provided and looks instead to the slavery of sin. And the sin somehow compares favorably. Real naked women become just bad porn.

Sin is subtle; it is powerful; it is captivating. Even people who care little for the Bible are having to admit that it was right all along. And we know from the Bible that only God offers true freedom.

Well said, Tim...!

To read the rest of his post, click here.

To sample another of his posts on a very different topic (evolution), click here.

Promiseland TV Broadcast Today

Earlier today, I was privileged to join Dr. Mike Simons for a two hour live broadcast over the Promiseland Television Network from the set of their flagship station in Greenville, Texas. It will be rebroadcast tonight (Wednesday, July 25, 2007) from 8-10pm CST; from midnight-2:00 CST; and from 4:00-6:00am CST. It is available on every cable system in the DFW Metroplex and via web-streaming by clicking on the following link (mms://ptn.streamsvr.com/ptn) or by going to http://www.mikesimons.com/. Please pray that hearts will be touched by the words I shared!

Leading Others Through Change

As often happens when I finish preaching, I drove away yesterday thinking about some of the points I had in my notes that I did not mention. Each of the four word pictures Jesus used in John chapter five to talk about change has lessons to teach us about how to lead others through change. If you would like to check out those insights, you can download my notes or read them online at my Sermon Seeds blog.

God's Ways vs. Our Ways

Hello everyone! I trust your summer is going well. Teresa and I had a great vacation, along with our children. Since we've been back, I have been trying to focus on getting "caught up" with things left undone for too long, so I have not blogged much, but I will get back into the groove, soon.

Here's a quick quote I heard yesterday that I thought worth passing on by a man named Del Way,

"Jesus may not lead you the way you want to go, but He will get you where you need to be!"

Which brings to mind a beautiful Bible passage from the prophet Isaiah,

"8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV)

Sometimes I am tempted to try and tell God which way to lead me, but He doesn't need my advice. As the Apostle Paul put it in the doxology of his letter to the early Christians at Rome,

" 33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. " (Romans 11:33-36, NIV)

Whenever I read those verses, I have to sheepishly reply in my heart, "At times, I have tried to be His counselor." The truth is, though, He has never needed and has rarely heeded my ill-formed advice! The longer I live, the more I understand that the wisest thing I can do in all of life is put into practice the principle proclaimed in the following Psalm,

"3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:3, NIV)

I encourage you to do the same!

Blessings to you on this sunny day in Dallas!

Words from wise women (CORRECTED)

I've not been on the internet much during our vacation and when I have it has ususally been through a dial-up connection on one of our parent's houses. I just noticed today that only part of Barbara's comments were formatted as a quote, which makes some of her words look like they are mine, so I just fixed that. Sorry about the mixup...!

Following my message Sunday on, "How to Be the Kind of Woman a Good Man Wants to Love," Hillcrest Church's very own Barbara Cashion emailed me the following comment I thought worth passing along...

As good as yesterday's sermon was, and it was, you need to add a seventh point to your list. In keeping with the alliteration you are fond of: Be pretty.

Beauty is endowed by God, but "pretty" can be achieved by almost all women. When Naomi advised Ruth how to approach Boaz, it was: wash yourself, anoint yourself (creams, oils and makeup?) and put on your best clothes. In short - look good and smell good. Ruth primped and it paid off.

Over at the Raising Five blog, Katherine recently referred to an article she read a while back entitled, To A Young Mother by Janie B. Cheaney. It gives some great advice built around the following points that will strengthen any marriage if followed:

1. Don't waste time trying to change people, especially that man.
2. Allow no root of bitterness to spring up in you.
3. Don't weaken him by disparaging words, which spring from disparaging thoughts.
4. Don't identifyso completely with your children that you make the same excuses for their behavior as you once did for yours.

Cheaney then goes on to say,

Where you are at age 29 depends mostly on circumstance. Where you are at 39 depends mostly on character.

Words to the wise...!

Stop, Drop, and Kiss...!

I've had more feedback from my sermon last Sunday on Father's Day entitled, "How to Be the Kind of Man A Woman Wants to Love," than anything I have preached in a long time. (To listen online from a slow connection, click here. To download the mp3 file via a high-speed connection for off-line listening, click here.)

So far, the comments have come overwhelmingly (over 90%) from women. They seem glad their husbands heard it. A word to the wise, fellows...!

Browsing the Internet this morning, I came an article written by a woman named Mandy Houk describing how a small change in her daily routine brought a new spark to her marriage. It's called, "Stop, Drop, and Kiss." Might I suggest to all you ladies that you take a moment to read what she wrote ... and while you are at it, make sure your husband joins us Saturday morning, June 22nd at 9am in the Seminar Room for a simple breakfast and a great video called "How to Improve Your Sex Life," by Robert Lewis from our Men's Fraternity Bible study at Hillcrest Church every Wednesday night at 7pm.

Believe me, you will be glad you shooed your husband out the door and sent him on down to 12123 Hillcrest Road ... and so will he...!

Behind Every Great Man...(Ruth Graham)

I caught a bit of Ruth Graham's funeral on TV today. What a woman she was! In some respects, I think she was even greater than her man. Don't get me wrong, I have all the respect in the world for Billy. I am quite certain, though, he would have never become what he did without Ruth behind him. We see what he is, she saw what he was, and somehow must have sensed what he could become.

That he was capable of greatness seems obvious now, but my guess is that it was not quite so apparent way back then. In fact, somewhere in the back of my mind lies a faint wisp of a memory that says Billy once had a girl break up with him (maybe even end an engagement) because she said, "I want to marry someone that is going to amount to something in life."

That may be apocryphal instead of actual, but the essence rings true to what I have read concerning his early years. I think it was John Pollock's biography, or perhaps Billy's own telling of his life story entitled, "Just As I Am," that recounts how the young evangelist left a rather straight-laced, fundamentalist Bible college that I shall leave unnamed in order to enroll at a school in Florida. One important reason for the move was that in the Sunshine State, he would be able to spend time on the golf course as well as in his studies. The president of the institute he left is reputed to have told the young drop-out-to-be, "Young man, if you leave this school, you will be nothing but a backwoods preacher the rest of your life!"

Somehow Ruth saw beyond all of that. What makes me so sure? A daughter of missionary parents, she was a highly devoted follower of Jesus who had gone so far as to pray, "Lord, make me a martyr soon!" She would never have given up her dream of serving the Lord in China like her parents before her unless she somehow sensed God's blessing on her choice. I am quite familiar with that kind of woman. While I am certainly no Billy Graham, Teresa is cut from the same cloth as Ruth, and it took supernatural intervention for her to marry me!

Speaking of which, in one of God's divine serendipities, back in 1986 He allowed my sweetheart to meet Ruth in person while we were participating in the Billy Graham International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists in Amsterdam, Holland. When Teresa showed up at a session for ministry wives, the only seats available were on the back row. A few moments after the program started, a woman slipped in and sat down beside her. At one point, the speaker asked everyone in the room to turn to the person beside her and introduce herself. Teresa did so, cheerily, saying, "Hello! My name is Teresa Brand." To her utter astonishment, the kind, gray headed woman seated beside her sweetly replied, "Hello! My name is Ruth Graham." Teresa had the same impression of Ruth that I did of Cliff Barrows when I stumbled upon him while taking a short cut through a deserted auditorium. They were two of the nicest, most down-to-earth, and utterly approachable human beings we have ever met, just like Jesus would have been.

Two other vignettes flashed across my mind today...

One was a photo from a book that showed scenes from the Graham's mountain home in Montreat. It was of a wooden plaque above the kitchen sink bearing these words, "Divine Service Performed Here Three Times Daily."

The other is an anecdote my own mother takes particular delight in telling. Ruth was once pressed by a reporter who found it hard to believe her statement that divorce had never crossed her mind during her and Billy's long and unusual marriage. In response to his question, "Is it really true that you have never, not even once, seriously contemplated divorce?" she replied, "Divorce, no; Murder, YES!"

Some modern cynic altered the age-old adage, "Behind every great man is a great woman," declaring, "Behind every great man is an astonished woman." I am sure that is true in many instances but I think the original version says it best when it comes to Ruth and Billy.

Thank you, Lord, for giving a very great woman to a very great man....!

P.S. Here are a few links I found to webpages with more information about Mrs. Ruth Graham:

Back in 1983, Ruth wrote an article about the book that influenced her the most, "The Confessions of Saint Augustine." Here is one, brief, quote,

He also recounts the sins and follies of his youth, the influence of his mother, and many of his experiences. These teach me, for instance, that sin, when confessed—truly confessed—will not be described in all its lurid details. True confession implies a genuine sorrow for sin that would negate any desire to say anything more about it than absolutely necessary.

...

We also learn of the faithful persistence of Augustine's mother. He tells us that she went to a certain well-known bishop in Carthage to plead with him to talk with Augustine, who had already developed a distaste for the Scriptures and been led into doctrinal error by the Manichaeans. But the bishop, aware of Augustine's brilliance, did not want to tangle with him. When his mother, Monica, persisted, the bishop replied, "Go thy way and God bless thee, for it is not possible that the son of these tears should perish."

Then comes the moving account of how he slips away from his mother by lying to her and proceeding to Rome and Milan. His mother prayed that he would not sail, but Augustine says God regarded not what she then asked, that he might make of him "what she ever asked."

Another great article by her dealt with the fear of the Lord and was entitled, "Afraid of the Right Things." Great mothers know how to instill that deep in the hearts of their children. Mine certainly did...!

In an obituary entitled, The Silent Rock Behind A Famous Evangelist, there is this great quote,

Billy was brought up in a house where the women did not question the men, while in the Bell house, that's all we did...

You gotta love a lady like that...! As well as one who said she wanted as her epitaph the following phrase, "End of Construction: Thank You for Your Patience."

The Pilgrim Journey website markets an audio recording on her life narrated by Walter Cronkite and also offers some free downloads of both humorous and insightful audio clips from her family and close associates.

Her daughter, Anne Graham-Lotz, a great, great woman in her own right, issued a short but very moving statement with some more great quips and quotes like the following,

Anne, make the most of all that comes, and the least of all that goes.

A good marriage is made up of two good forgivers.

Every cat knows some things need to be covered.

It takes two to make a fight.

God called you not to make your husband good, but to make him happy.

You can’t teach your kids to like spinach if every time they see you eating yours, you gag.

Finally, Christianity Today has a great obituary with many links to other items on the web.

Stranded in California...

I have had some interesting experiences in air travel over the last couple of months. After losing my bags twice in a row on flights to Europe, I now find myself stranded in Van Nuys, California due to weather related flight cancellations in and out of Dallas. While looking for flight and air traffic information at the airport, I came across a neat website: www.flightaware.com. I have used a lot of different sites over the years to obtain updated flight information, especially www.flightview.com (which not only shows the estimated departure/arrival/gate information of individual flights, but actually allows you to track the flight "live" on a map with information that shows doppler weather radar, altitude, speed, etc.), but this new site adds the capability to see actual air traffic flow in and out of a specific airport. It generates "real-time" images like the one below. Somehow, seeing those thunderstorms and various flights trying to pick their way around them helps me feel better about being stranded...


I came out Sunday night in order to take a modular class toward my M.Div at the King's Seminary, founded by Dr. Jack Hayford. I was scheduled to fly back this morning but have to spend another night away from Teresa and the kids... :(

On a more positive note, the class, An Advanced Seminar in Pastoral Leadership, was fantastic. Held over three days, with lectures starting every morning at 8:30am and continuing until 6:00 pm daily, it was taught by three great teachers, each of whom is a seasoned pastor.

Monday featured Jim Garlow, Senior Pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church and known for The Garlow Perspective. Skyline first became famous under the leadership of well-known author, John Maxwell, of Injoy Ministries. Tuesday's lecturer was Bishop Kenneth Ullmer of Faith Central Church. Yesterday, Doug Richardson of Long Beach Christian Fellowship wrapped things up. Each one made a distinctive contribution to my life. What a privilege to learn from others...!

King Herod's Tomb

According to the BBC, archaelogists have just found King Herod's tomb. For a short news item with some accompanying photos, click here. The New York Times has a little more information here. Ted Olsen over at Christianity Today had this to say and Philip Yancey, with his usual insight, wrote a great essay last year reflecting on Herod's encounter with Christ and the way preachers sometimes interact with the powerful entitled, "A Tale of Five Herods - If You Had Five Minutes With the President, What Would You Say?"

More Croatia Photos and Videos

Since we had a little technical problem in service trying to play the short video clips from Croatia, I've posted them both below, along with a few others, including a short glimpse of the Sunday morning worship service and some folk singers I encountered at Diocletan's palace.

Here is a photo or two of their church. The videos are farther down in this post. Just click on the "Play" button that looks like a triangle in the center of the video box to watch them.

Parisian Pastors

My train ride back down to London was uneventful, but I hit the city right at rush hour. Crossing town on the "tube" (as London's subway is commonly called), train, and taxi with my luggage was no fun, but the leg by taxi yielded beautiful glimpses of this storied place, such as this glimpse of Buckingham Palace, home of the Queen. I noticed there wasn't any royal flag flying when I zipped by so that meant she was not at home. I noticed on the news that she was going to the Kentucky Derby and then on to Washington, D.C. to meet President Bush, so maybe she had already left. As beautiful a city as my beloved Paris is, I must confess that London has a charm all her own.



Half way across London I realized that I had made a very stupid mistake and assumed that I was flying out of the same airport I had arrived in (Gatwick). Thankfully, I took out my ticket and was able to change train lines midstream and make my way to Heathrow instead for I was booked on the last flight out to Paris that night...!


The flight was delayed a long time and we didn't arrive until nearly midnight, but my very dear friend, Pastor Samuel Rodrigues of the Eglise Protestante Evangélique de Montrueil was there to meet me. Along with his wife, Héléne, they lead a thriving congregation just a few hundred yards from the city limits of Paris. Pastor Samuel hosts a monthly pastor's meeting where I spoke to some sixty church leaders from across the city.

Jeff Serio, of European Initiative, joined me for this time at my invitation and was a tremendous blessing. Together with his wife, Barb, and their four fine children, they are soon moving to Berlin, Germany. At Hillcrest Church, we believe in this family and are honored to be able to partner with them financially. I encourage you to take a moment to check out their site and to click on the video posted below so you can learn more about their heart and vision for Europe

Mattersey Hall

I hopped the train in London yesterday and rode up north to Retford, near Nottingham. It was amazing to be riding along at high speed and uploading these photos I took with my cell phone with the English countryside whizzing by...! The yellow plant in full bloom out in the fields, by the way, is rapeseed, used in making oils of various types.



I just happened to come at a time when the weather hear in Britain has been absolutely gorgeous - no fog, rain, or cold, just lots of warmth, blue skies, and sunshine. That has made the views all the more beautiful as I have travelled by both train and automobile.

After my arrival in Retford last night, Paul Alexander, the principal of Mattersey Hall, and his wife, Carol, took me out for a typically British dinner of meat pie with sticky toffee pudding and custard in the shadow of Lincoln Cathedral. (My camera stopped working, but I managed to find their picture and one of the cathedral on the internet.) Paul will be preaching for us at Hillcrest Church while they are in the States this coming October.

I lodged at a small inn near the school named The White Swan; had a typically English breakfast this morning that included fried eggs, fried ham, and baked beans; and then headed over to the school. Even though this is my third day in the U.K., I still find myself walking around to the right side of the car when I am a passenger! I have driven in Britain in the past and did not find it to be too great a challenge, but it always takes me a few days to develop new reflexes, especially when crossing the street as a pedestrian.

The worship in the student chapel was a real treat. I am not enough of a musician to analyze the differences between worship music in the U.K. and that in America, but even my untrained ear detects a distinct difference. It seems the melodic lines here are richer, somehow more varied and complex, with a certain lilt to them. Most importantly, the worship was obviously straight from the hearts. Pastor John Andrews from Rotherham New Life Christian Centre in a neighborhing city and his staff gave a stirring update on what God was doing through the ministries of their church and launched an appeal for students to work with them during the summer and next fall as they plant two more daughter churches.

Mattersey Hall is a wonderful institution that offers fully accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees in various ministry and theological concentrations including a full Ph.d in connection with the Univesity of Wales. Their student body comes from around the U.K. and serveral other countries. They also have a great distance learning program. Their campus is spread across some fourteen acres and headquarted in an 18th century mansion. My camera stopped working so I could not take a photo and have been unable to find one on the web, but trust me, their facilities are beautiful!

After speaking to the students in one session then to the faculty and administration in another, it was back on the train to scoot down to London to catch a late evening flight over to Paris.

Elam Ministries - London

Sam and Linaria Yeghnezar from Elam Ministries surprised me by meeting me at Gatwick airport last night when I arrived in London from Split! This meant we were able to spend the evening together before my scheduled visit to their base outside London today. A special treat was meeting Sam's 96 year old father, in whose house a sovereign outpouring of the Holy Spirit in 1955 sparked off a major expansion of evangelical Christianity in Iran.

It has been great to get good news about the work of the Lord in Iran. God is moving in a very great way there. It was a joy to be able to share some thoughts on leadership with the Christian workers they are training and learn more about their extensive and manifold forms of outreach to the Persian people.

Walking around their property, we came across a meadow full of bluebells. I did not expect to find that taste of Texas so far from Britain.

We also came upon a 75 year old rhododendron...! I am the farthest thing from a horticulturist - not even an avid gardener, but that impressed even me.

One of their current construction projects is a prayer garden where their staff and people passionate about Iran could come and intercede for that country. It would be great if a team from Hillcrest could come and help with this!

More Croatia Photos

Here is the home of the Evangelical Good News Church in Split. It sits in the center of the city, very near to the old town.

In Roman times, Christians were martyred in this amphitheatre.

Greetings from Daniel and Eva Mrsec in Split, Croatia

I arrived here last night in the city of Split, Croatia on the Dalmatian coast of the former Yugoslavia. I have been very warmly welcomed by our friends, Daniel and Eva Mrsec.


Night was already falling when I arrived, but when I tumbled into bed some time after midnight, I could tell by the twinkling lights outside my window that the view this morning would be beautiful. As you can tell, I was not disappointed...! The only difference between this snapshot and reality is that the sky is perfectly blue, the sun is shining brightly, and the sea is beautiful. The lens on my cell phone's camera just doesn't do this view justice.


Hillcrest Church has partnered with Daniel and Eva from the time they founded the Evangelical Goods News Church in 1992. Your Faith Promise Missions offerings help us invest in high quality, fruit bearing ministries like theirs. This morning, as we sipped wonderful espresso coffee in a typically noisy cafe down by the city's harbor on the Adriatic coastline, I recorded a short greeting from them for all their friends at Hillcrest Church. To watch it, click on the image below.



Following our coffee, we went out for a delicious lunch by a marina, along with Vieko, Daniel's brother, who works with their youth ministry. The friendly waiter took this photo. The seafood here is excellent, including the squid...!

The old city of Split is quite beautiful. First inhabited approximately seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, it contains many picturesque streets and allies such as this one.

Below is a very small opening that was created to allow access through the wall during times of uncertainty when the city's main gate would be closed. This opening was called, The Camel's Gate. No animal or goods were allowed through this opening to enter into the city, no matter how valuable they were. All of that would have to be left behind when fleeing into the city for safety and the only way a human could come through was to bow their head and get down on their hands and knees. Seeing it gives new meaning to the words of Jesus when He said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" 21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" 27Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." 28Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" 29"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life." (Luke 18:18-30 NIV)

The city of Split was the residence of the Roman emperor Diocletan, who was the last emperor to fiercely persecute the Christians. In Bible times, the city was known as Salona and the Apostle Paul refers to preaching the Gospel in the region of Illyricum in his Epistle to the Romans.

18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. (Romans 15:18-19 NIV)

Traces of the Roman influence are clearly visible in the city's center where the old town is located. Note the columns below, which actually seem to my untrained eye to look more Greek than Roman (the city dates back to Greek times), given their entasis or bulge in the middle.

French archaeologists have also uncovered Roman mosaic flooring going back many years. The use of a cross in the design caught my eye and made me wonder if it dates after Constantine, given Diocletan's attitude toward Christians. One of the books I am reading on my trip, though, entitled, The Cross of Christ by John R.W. Stott mentioned the fact that the use of two intersecting lines in symbolism actually predates the Christianity. Ancient pagan use was apparently based on the idea of horizontal axis intersecting a vertical axis to represent a connection between the earthly and the heavenly or by extension, the material and the spiritual, the temporal and the eternal, etc. Reading that actually thrilled my soul as I thought of how God was already preparing human hearts to understand the meaning of the cross of Christ long before He was ever crucified. For Jesus really is the only possible intersection or integration point between the human and the divine...!

Below is a poster showing an artist's conception of how the city looked in Roman times.

Today, the city market bustles with activity within the shadow of the ancient walls. Fresh vegetables, fish, seafood, clothing, and about anything else anyone would need for daily life can be bought here at a much better price than in the shops in town.

Although I have had a lot of fun today, I really look forward to sharing God's Word with their congregation tomorrow. When you read this, please take a moment to pray for the Mrsecs and for all of our brothers and sisters here. Split is near to some of the spots in the Balkans that have known tremendous troubles in recent years, including Sarajevo, Mostar, and Srebrenice. The fighting came within twenty miles of the city. Thankfully, things are much, much better now. Pray for continued peace so that the good news about Jesus may spread here without hindrance.

19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel... (Ephesians 6:19 NIV)
1Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. (2 Thessalonians 3:1 NIV)

Croatia

I just arrived in the beautiful city of Split, Croatia and was met by Daniel Mrsec. Please pray for his wife, Eva. She had surgery recently and is not feeling well.

Mark Brand
Sent via PDA

Prague, Czech Republic

I arrived here in Prague, Czech Republic yesterday afternoon from Amsterdam to find my long time friend, Pastor Bohuslav Wojnar, waiting for me at the airport. He pastors the Křesťanské Centrum church in the town of Cesky Tesin, very near to the Polish and Slovakian borders. Cesky Tesin is the in the part of the country called Moravia. This is where the famous Moravian Brethren were from who sent out the very first missionaries in the modern era.

Teresa and I first met Bohuslav and his lovely wife, Felicie, back in the mid-eighties during one of our missions trips behind the Iron Curtain into Eastern Europe. They have been very dear friends ever since. One of the young men converted under Bohuslav's ministry and then discipled by him is Petr Ministr, the Director of the Teen Challenge ministry for the Czech Republic, first-rate ministry to drug addicts. (Seen below with his wife, Patricia.) They are a precious, precious couple, greatly used by the Lord to impact people in this country.



Bohuslav and I drove together out to Postovice where Teen Challenge is renovating a centuries old facility into a complete headquarters, both men's and women's treatment centers, and a discipleship training institute. Hillcrest Church has helped with this project.



They are now purchasing an adjoining piece of property to use in running some of the new businesses the young people work in during their rehab. (Photos below show the new wooden pallet factory they are running.)

They have just had a large gift of over USD$100,000 given to them, but they are still USD$10,000 short - which they need by next week...! When you read this, please take a moment to stop and pray for God to touch human hearts to give them what they lack.

YWAM Amsterdam

After a very brief hop across the English Channel, I arrived in in Amsterdam, Holland sans baggage for the second trip in a row...! Can you believe it? It's been several years since an airline lost my suitcase and now I take two trips within two weeks and my luggage gets lost twice in a row...! Smile!

After picking up yet another stranded traveller courtesy kit at the lost luggage counter, I exited through customs at the Schipol's mega-airport with its sprawling shopping center (I bought a car duty free there once when Teresa and I lived in Europe) and found Missionary Steve Ashworth's smiling face there to greet me. We then hopped the train to Amsterdam's Centraal Station, just a few blocks from the YWAM base.

When I saw what was hanging outside the door to their apartment, I knew I was in the Netherlands for sure. The first time I ever saw a pair of shoes like that was when I was seven or eight years old and my Mom and Dad brought some back to me as a souvenir when they stopped overnight in Holland on their way home from a trip to the Holy Land in the sixties.

We toured the YWAM Amsterdam building where Steve and Rhonda and their three beautiful children live. It's called De Poort, which is Dutch for ‘The Gateway’. The 150 year old building provides classrooms and housing for the different ministry schools, office space for their Support Ministries, and housing for staff. They run several schools out of this particular YWAM base, including the Discipleship Training School, Leadership Training School, Makind Disciple Makers, School of Evangelism and Pioneering, School of Intercessory Prayer, School of Urban Frontier Missions, and the Nations to Nations TakeOff Discipleship Evening School. Here is a photo of Steve inside a classroom set up for their School of Intercessory Prayer, which is going on at the moment.


We then headed out on bicycle to visit the mission's other facilities.


Amsterdam is such a beautiful city and exploring it by bicycle was a real treat after so many hours cooped up on an airplance. The weather here today was beautiful and the neighborhood they are in is laced with canals bordered by tiny streets, and historic architecture.



Our first stop was the new Tabernacle of the Nations prayer center, a house of 24/7 prayer and worship in the heart of Amsterdam’s Red Light District. In Your missions giving through Hillcrest Church is helping make this project possible...!
















Then, we went next door to The Cleft. It focuses on mercy ministry and sharing the gospel with tourists, homeless people, businessmen, prostitutes, drug addicts and lonely people.














We wound up at The Samaritan's Inn building where the Dwaze Zaken arts café is located. Although the identity of the café is Christian, there are no preachers or sermons. Rather, it provides a platform for many different art forms and hosts a number of different kinds of activities on an ongoing basis: concerts, workshops, exhibitions, (film) discussions and lectures. The initiative for this kind of café grew out of the belief that God is the ultimate Artist. The initiators of the café wish to demonstrate that the Christian lifestyle is contemporary, very active and provides sufficient basis for today’s problems and life’s challenges. Young people find at Dwaze Zaken a lively café where they can find friendship, a listening ear and a helping hand. Thanks to your generosity, I was able to treat the entire Ashworth family to a delicious dinner. We had great fellowship, and I am now about to tumble into bed exhausted, but very thankful that we are partnering with such quality people...!