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Dear Precious Saints, God bless you, We trust that our faithful Heavenly Father is pouring out His comfort and strength to you and yours in these challenging times. In times of crisis, people turn to God. They can live without thinking about Him during times of peace and personal prosperity, but when calamity hits, religious stocks go up. As the saying goes, “there are no atheists in foxholes.” All over America these days, people are speaking of prayer. Signs invoking God’s blessing on our country are in shoe stores, Wendy’s, and stuck in the windshields of earth movers. Not since World War II has our country been so open to faith and prayer. In fact, this would be a great time to invite people over to pray with you. Where they might be hesitant to come to hear a teaching or consider another brand of the Christian faith, they might consider coming over just to pray. There are many things to pray for: the Gospel of Christ to be free to move in the Islamic countries; the President and his cabinet; the Congress and the Supreme Court; the military; the media, etc. In this issue of The Sower we are including the letters we wrote during the week of September 11. We hope they bring comfort to your hearts. Feel free to copy them for others to read if you think it might help them. Also in this issue is the announcement of two new members of the CES Board of Directors, Gary and Karen Theisen. Future communications from us will include their names as well. Mark & Karen Anne & John & Jenivee Overcoming Evil with Good By Mark Graeser I experienced the tragic events of September 11 first as a human being, second as an American, and third as a Christian. These three aspects of my identity passed through my consciousness in rapid succession, but in a distinct order. America, “that great Satan” to many in the Arab world, is held in complete contempt by the Islamic fundamentalists, who hate our support of Israel. America—the country responsible for leading the attack against Iraq in the Gulf War; America—the country whose freedoms are an affront to those who want to enslave women, practice censorship, and outlaw competing religions; America—the place where you can send your terrorists-in-training to learn to fly jet planes, the best of which are made in America; America—a free place where you can use freedom to advance evil plans that abridge human freedom. America—a place where you can practice religions of all sorts even those that contradict the Christian heritage that grounds our freedom. I began to think more and more about what to pray for beyond the obvious things of rescuing the injured and capturing the perpetrators. I acknowledged that this was one of the “all things” in which Romans 8:28 says God will work to bring forth good. I began to think about the good that could come out of this horrific act of terrorism. These are a few of the things I thought of: · America’s deep political and cultural chasm could be greatly narrowed by the more urgent need for unity against a common enemy of nearly unmitigated evil. Suddenly, the face of undiminished evil puts a lot of things in perspective, and more goodness can be seen in those with whom we disagree than we could see before. · Perhaps even those who have arrogantly found religious faith to be the crutch of the weak can be brought to their knees by the stark reality of evil. · We could become more thankful for our freedoms. The heightened security measures and visible accommodations to the reality and possibility of attack by a hostile enemy cold serve to keep us more mindful of the privileges of American citizenship. · We could wake up to the reality that not all religions are created equal. That all religions are not equal in the fruit they produce may become more evident to all who look more deeply into the doctrinal differences between religions. The doctrine of the Islamic fundamentalists, legitimately derived from the Koran, states that if one dies in Jihad (holy war) he goes directly to heaven to be rewarded by Allah. This doctrine may be seen for what it is—a reprehensible encouragement to terrorism. To attempt to eradicate terrorism without acknowledging its religious dimensions and motivations is blindly foolish. · We may see in the U.S. a resurgence of the Christian consensus that has governed our moral sensibilities for the past three hundred years. One cannot properly appreciate the virtues of America apart from its Christian heritage. Perhaps a renewal of commitment to Christian virtues could be the unintended result of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. · The stark evil displayed on September 11 provided the occasion for the immediate counter-display of good, as people heroically ran to each other’s aid in touching demonstrations of self-sacrifice and kindness. Does America have some spiritual problems? Absolutely. Have some of those problems left us vulnerable to attack by those who work for Satan? Yes. But I believe God has a great investment in this country, and wants to see it continue to prosper. In the first century, Paul was the chief enemy of Christians, and his conversion was a turning point in the outreach of God’s Word. Perhaps we should face the present evil with a commitment to pray for some key Islamic fundamentalist leaders to be converted to Christ. Is it likely that an Islamic fundamentalist would be won by a Trinitarian gospel? Hardly. Let us pray that One God & One Lord can be translated into Arabic and begin to infiltrate the countries of the Middle East. The life thus saved may be diverted from a path of terrorism to a path of salvation, and the rise of Islam be dwarfed by the rise of disciplined followers of Jesus Christ in what are now Islamic countries. It could happen. The Devil knows it, and has struck a blow against the possibility. That energizes me to redouble my efforts to get the Word out as quickly as possible to every corner of the globe. And I’m sure my desire to see that happen is dwarfed by that of our Leader, the Lord Jesus Christ. ********************************************** Day of Death By John Lynn “Day of Death!” That was the headline of the Indianapolis Star on September 12 describing the previous day. When I saw it, I was sickened by the cruel irony that, to the best of our knowledge, September 11 is the date when The Man who is “the way, and the truth, and THE LIFE,” the Lord Jesus Christ, was born. One of my first thoughts in the aftermath of the indescribable horror of September 11 was that of how badly God and Jesus Christ must feel about it. Because their love for every human being is far beyond my love, even for my daughter, how much more deeply do they hurt when they see this kind of tragedy. And yet, they have had to experience countless similar incidents ever since Adam and Eve left the original Paradise. The joy of a glorious future Paradise that carried Jesus through the agony of the Cross is still set before him, though he sees it through a veil of tears that he weeps daily for mankind. Today the world is echoing with the questions, “Where was God?”, “How could He have let this happen?” What answers to those questions will be given to the child whose father was incinerated at his desk in the World Trade Center? To the thousands and thousands of precious human beings who lost someone dear to them? Even as I write these words, I am overwhelmed with anguish at how such seeking hearts may be even more scarred by hearing lies originated by the same evil being who is responsible for murdering their loved ones. Of course I have not heard every comment made by religious leaders in the wake of the attack on the USA, but so far, at least in what might be called the “official religious rhetoric,” I have heard no mention of the Devil. I know that some Christian leaders will tell the truth that it was Satan who is ultimately responsible for this unspeakable evil, but I’m afraid that the vast majority of dear people asking the above questions will be left with the false idea that God allowed it to happen as part of His overall will. It is very hard for me to see how that will enhance either their love for or their faith in our heavenly Father. In fact, I think it will turn many away from His outstretched heart. Neither, in the official American spiritual perspective, have I heard JESUS CHRIST mentioned. No doubt that is because this might offend Jewish people. But without Jesus Christ, who is GOD? He becomes whatever each person’s interpretation of Him is. Osama bin Laden reportedly said that what happened was “Allah’s response” to America’s imperialism or whatever. Question: Who says he’s wrong??? Americans inundated by postmodernism’s “truth” that there is no such thing as truth are currently stuck between a rock—”no standard for right and wrong beyond the mind of man” - and a hard place—their visceral knowing that what happened was pure evil, and WRONG. Jesus Christ is the one who showed us how to pray—that the will of God be done on earth. He also showed us how to see this come to pass in our lives: learn God’s will from His Word and act accordingly. We know that the First Man failed to trust and obey God, opening the door to Satan’s dominion on the earth. What happened September 11 should make clear to all men that we live in a perpetual war zone. September 11 was a manifestation of the spiritual war raging between God and the Devil, and that war, fought on the earth between godly people and evil people, will go on until Jesus Christ comes back to the earth and WINS IT! In the meantime, there are battles to be fought, and Jesus showed us that the sword of the spirit, the Word of God, is our primary offensive weapon against our internal and external spiritual enemy. These battles may well produce casualties—some of us may die. If that is what must be, then let us die in the line of duty—living for the Lord Jesus and loving people as he did. Remember that it was his LOVE for people that cost Jesus his life, because the Devil’s total hate could not coexist with such pure love. The horrible events of September 11 should remind us how temporal life is, that each day is a privilege we can enjoy only once, and that our true destiny is life in the age to come. It is twistedly ironic that the Islamic conception of the age to come (the pleasures of this life amplified) is in some respects closer to the truth than the traditional Christian teaching about an ethereal “heaven.” The rewards we will enjoy then are earned by living for the Lord now, and they will be worth it! Let us do all we can to make it known by living and speaking the truth in love. See you at the Bema. Attack on America By John Schoenheit Answers to common questions Why didn’t God prevent this from happening? God does not run governments or the lives of individuals. Although this act of terror was especially heinous, only in degree is it different from what happens each and every day in the United States and all over the world. From God’s point of view, if even one person is tortured or killed unjustly, it is a terrible evil. God has said that man must enforce the laws He gave us for our own good. God did not prevent the attack on the United States because, according to how He chose to relate to mankind, He does not have carte blanche to stop free will beings from doing evil. You know that in your heart and life. Have you had an evil or sinful thought in the last couple days? Did God stop you? No. Are these acts of terrorism God’s judgment on the United States because we have turned away from Him? If you understand the spiritual situation, you will see that this question is not actually worded in a way that can yield an accurate answer. People must realize that their own choices of thoughts and actions influence the outcome of the battle between good and evil. God is not now “judging” people, and it is not He who takes human life. How would that be love? As per 1 John 5:19, the Devil was responsible. In this light, the above question should be reworded: Has our sin and disobedience, both individually and as a nation, made us vulnerable to satanic attacks by both demons and people used by them? The answer to this question is “yes.” As a nation, we have turned away from God. We do not obey His laws in our courts and judicial system. We do not allow prayer, praise, or worship in our schools or public places. It is not just that we have turned from God, because when you turn from something, you turn to something else. As a nation, we have turned to the Devil and his ways. Our disobedience to God, and our unknowing allegiance to His arch enemy the Devil, has opened us up, both individually and nationally, to satanic attack. America has been attacked. Is war justified? The Bible allows for self-defense. God never says anyone has to stand idly by while he or his loved ones are victimized. Self-defense can be placed in three general categories: personal, social, and national. An example of personal self-defense is if you are in your house when a man with a knife breaks in and threatens you. In response to the threat, you use deadly force and kill the man. An example of social self-defense is the execution of a man who raped and killed a woman. You yourself may not be under personal threat, but society has the biblical command to protect itself from such people by executing them. An example of national self-defense is when one nation takes action involving deadly force against another nation (more rarely against an individual or a group of people) in order to insure the safety of itself and its people. Since godly war is actually an act of self-defense, it is justified in the eyes of God. What about the biblical mandate to “turn the other cheek”? There are many verses in the Bible that people use to say that God is a pacifist, or that He wants His people to be. Luke 6:29 (If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn the other to him.) This verse is not talking about the death penalty or any other type of civil crime or punishment for crimes. Interestingly, people who quote this verse as saying there should not be a death penalty do not seem to grasp that the verse is saying there should not be any kind of retribution at all. If this verse were applied universally to the criminal justice system, it would mean no fines, no jails and not even any community service. Surely even the most liberal of people do not believe that we can have a safe society and enforce no laws at all! Why would Christ say something like “turn the other cheek?” What did he mean? In the culture of the Bible, touching or striking someone on the cheek was an insult. It was the equivalent of calling someone a dirty name today. Christians need to follow the advice of the Lord and learn to ignore insults without burning in anger. A good example of an insult to our country would be if a group in another country burned an American flag or burned one of our leaders in effigy. These would be insults, and although they would sting, they could be ignored. The bombing of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was not simply an “insult” to our country. Thousands of people were killed, many thousands more were directly affected, and millions now feel unsafe and unsure within the borders of our own land. This was an act of war, and it is not biblical to take the “turn the other cheek” verse and apply it to this situation. Are there things I should be particularly aware of at this time? Yes, there are, and many of them have already been mentioned. One thing we Christians can do is study, learn, and promote the correct doctrine that God is not in any way behind the destruction that occurred on September 11. It was not His will in any way, nor did He “allow” it, in the sense that He could have stepped in and stopped it but decided not to. It creates hopelessness and despair when a person thinks that disaster is God’s will. How can we mortals fight against God? If God killed my husband, wife, father, mother, or child, what could I do? What would I think? Does God really “need” my wife with Him in heaven more than my children need her here and now? No, He does not (For more about life after death, and a Christian’s true Hope, I refer you to the CES book, Is There Death After Life? and to the forthcoming work titled The Christian’s Hope: The Anchor of the Soul). The standard philosophy, espoused even by some Christians, is that “everything happens for a reason,” as if everything is part of some great cosmic plan. That everything happens for a reason is true only in the sense that when good things happen, God is often the reason, and with things like what happened on September 11, Satan is the reason. The Devil is in control of this fallen world, as 1 John 5:19 says: “The whole world is under the control of the evil one.” Hebrews 2:14 says the Devil “holds the power of death.” 1 Corinthians 15:26 calls death an “enemy,” which of course would be absurd if God were somehow causing it. In these difficult times, we Americans are hurt, but God is hurt too, because the enemy killed some of His children, families were destroyed, and a nation whose motto is “In God We Trust” has been attacked. Let’s not add insult to the injury God has already suffered by saying that He is somehow responsible for these and other acts of terrorism. The unedited versions of these articles are available on our website. To view them or print them off simply log on at: www.christianeducational.org Also there is an excellent flyer on our website for Don’t Blame God that you can download and hand out to everyone you know! Simply click here ********************************************** CES Advisory Council Helps Chart the Future of the Ministry Sixteen saints from around the country joined the CES Board of Directors and their spouses over the weekend of August 17-20, 2001 at the Earlham College Conference Center in Richmond, Indiana. The purpose of this gathering was to consider various aspects of the transformation of the ministry from provider of materials and services to a fellowship community. The topics considered were: · The mission and vision of the ministry · The values of the ministry · The organizational structure of the ministry · The name of the ministry · Ordination: criteria, qualifications, and candidates · The Board of Directors: number, terms, candidates, and the process of selection The group, the first “Advisory Council” meeting in CES history, consisted of Gary and Karen Theisen of Hickory Corners, Michigan; Pete Drago of Rochester, New York: Dave and Sue Carlson of Solon, Ohio and Charlotte, North Carolina; Lydia Banton of Columbia, Missouri; Dan Gallagher of Roseville, California; Nancy Berwid from San Jose, California; Don and Laura Stone from Virginia Beach, Virginia; Gene and Janet Speakes, Jan and Dottie Heman from Indianapolis; Tom Resner from Ft Myers, Florida; Debora Paules from Charlotte, North Carolina; John A. Lynn; John & Jenivee Schoenheit; and Mark & Karen Anne Graeser. The selection of participants was given much prayerful consideration, with an emphasis on having a diversified and strong interim committee representation. We talked about having such an “Advisory Council” meeting annually, varying its composition depending upon the topics being considered, having various people participate from year to year according to the way the Lord works it out. Who would have imagined that these 21 strong-minded individuals with many collective years of experience and knowledge would have been able to come to a complete and harmonious consensus on many, many points of discussion. Consensus, you say? Is that where every one has to agree? Isn’t that terribly time-consuming, inefficient, and perhaps impossible? We believed that because all of us genuinely wanted the will of the Lord to be done, and because no one was trying to push a personal agenda, that if each of us sought the Lord for wisdom and understanding, we would eventually arrive at consensus on each subject. Mark introduced the concept of consensus in the context of its being an important part of the Quaker tradition, and since we were meeting on the campus of a Quaker college, he thought we should give it a try. To facilitate the consensus process, each participant was given five 3x5 cards of different colors with which to express his feelings when called upon to do so. Red meant that one was opposed to the idea and would block it. Blue indicated that they were cool to the idea, yellow caution, purple some passion for the idea and green that it was a go. In practice, by the time Mark called for consensus, there were usually only yellows, purples and greens in evidence. Sometimes he tabled the issue until later. When it was looked at again (after more discussion and prayer) it was met with a sea of green! All of us were amazed at the spirituality of the process, and the way it showed the working of the spirit of God in our midst. Even those with very strongly- voiced opinions changed their mind as they saw a collective wisdom emerge, transcending that of the individuals who had assembled. New Members of the Board of DirectorsThe greatest test of the consensus process was regarding the issue of the criteria for new members of the Board of Directors, and who should fill the two open seats since the Board decided to expand to five. We had already agreed that whoever it was would have to be ratified by the consensus process. We also labored over what the requirements would have to be for new Board members, and agreed on the following criteria: 1. A meek attitude; willingness to be open about weaknesses and needs; not committed to personal privacy at the expense of truthfulness; full of faith. 2. Expertise and abilities matching the spiritual and/or functional needs of the ministry (e.g., evangelism, administration, finance, network/fellowship, etc.). 3. Lifestyle commensurate with the requirements for overseers and deacons according to 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9. 4. Age 40 or older, 10 years active involvement in CES. 5. Faithful financial contributors to CES for a 3 year period prior to election. 6. Has demonstrated an understanding of and commitment to CES doctrinal positions, statement of beliefs, mission, vision and values. 7. Has demonstrated a commitment to serving God’s people and be operating in a ministry that is recognized by the community of believers. 8. Any deviations from these qualifications must be approved by a unanimous decision of the Board. The issue was whether or not the consensus process was in effect being “trumped” by revelation, negating its significance as a means of providing “safety in a multitude of counselors.” It was agreed that any “revelation” that anyone thought he might have received should be brought before the group and judged. It was pointed out that 1 Corinthians 14:29 clearly exhorts the Body of believers (particularly prophets) to “judge” or “weigh” prophecy (“And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment”). Gary and Karen Theisen Chosen As New Board Members Through hard work and thorough discussion about both practical wisdom and revelation, the group came to a unanimous decision regarding the two individuals, who were in fact a married couple, Gary and Karen Theisen. The issue of a married couple on the Board was thoroughly examined, and it was finally agreed by consensus that in the case of the Theisens this would not be an issue. They have demonstrated an ability to think and act independently of each other in a variety of ways and under a variety of circumstances. It was agreed that what they would bring to the Board at this time was a strong and healthy marriage along with a strong and visible commitment to family values and sexual purity. They have run a home fellowship for many years, and been responsible for shepherding a flock of all ages, sizes, and affiliations. Gary and Karen have four kids of their own and a foster daughter. They have teamed up to run the Children’s Fellowship at the CES Summer Fellowship for many years, and been actively involved in the CES Family and Teen Camps the past two summers. They have been involved in CES and been faithful supporters for the thirteen years that CES has been in existence, growing along with us on many issues. Gary is a medical doctor, specializing in anesthesiology. He holds people’s lives in his hands on a daily basis. He is a man of extraordinary intelligence, humility, diligence and compassion. He has also been a father figure for innumerable kids in both his family and fellowship who have needed such an influence. He has been involved in educating his community on the perils of illicit sex, and been a strong pro-life advocate in the Kalamazoo area. Karen is every bit as exemplary as her husband. She has an undergraduate degree in Secondary Education, and is in the process of pursuing graduate studies. She has also been actively involved as a staff member of Teen Heart, an abstinence-based peer-counseling program in the Kalamazoo area. Karen has been responsible for recruiting teen volunteers, who are trained in abstinence advocacy among their peers. We are thrilled that Gary and Karen have consented to serve on the Board and bring their gifts and talents to the CES community. We trust that God will raise up others who will have the ability, wisdom, and willingness to serve on the Board in the future as the Lord tarries. Those others who serve on the Board will then be trusted to keep it in the will of God. How comforting it is for John, Mark and John to think of being someday replaced on the Board by people who can be trusted to keep the ministry on the right track even without their involvement. Ordination: Requirements and ResponsibilitiesThe issue of ordination was thoroughly discussed in light of John Schoenheit’s teaching at the Leadership Conference in 2000. It was agreed that we were not establishing a higher and lower class system within the Body of Christ. Those who are recognized through ordination are not endowed with some special grace or glory, but are recognized as “servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries” (1 Cor. 4:1). They are servant-leaders who are already manifesting the love of Christ and responding to the Lord’s calling with commitment and godly character according to the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9. The following criteria were established for ordination within the CES Community:
The “Ordination Board” will be composed of members of the ordained community. This Board will receive recommendations for ordination candidates. They will seek the heart of God as well as doing due diligence to check references and background information on the candidates. To read the full paper on CES’s stand on ordination please click here ConclusionAll that occurred at “The Earlham Experience” (as it has come to be known) will continue to resonate in the CES community for years to come. We trust that the installation of the Theisens on the Board, the clarification of the mission of the ministry, the establishment of godly requirements for ordination, and the value of consensus for community building will all continue to bear fruit for years to come. But even beyond these tangible and visible accomplishments, something occurred at Earlham that is even more profound. We felt the invisible but palpable presence of the Lord Jesus in our midst, guiding, coaching, reproving and correcting, and steering our hearts toward him individually and collectively. Those of us who were there will never be the same, for we witnessed the power of the spirit as they did in Acts 13. For a more detailed explanation of CES’s stand on ordination you can order the Nov/Dec 2000 bimonthly tape Ordination by John Schoenheit. The cost of the tape is $4.00 plus shipping and handling or you can order the whole 2000 bimonthly tape set for $25.
My Impression of the Earlham Experience By Don Stone Virginia Beach, VA On the first day of our meeting last weekend I expressed my conviction that what we were about to do would have effects far beyond the present circumstances of our CES ministry, and would lay a foundation for succeeding generations. During the weekend several others expressed the same thought. At the time I said it I had in mind the expansion of the Board and the restructuring effort to bring more people into the work of the ministry. In hindsight, I think that I and the others were totally right about the foundational aspect and the far-reaching effects, but in a substantially different and unexpected direction. The time has come for an expansion of the Board, but to those of us not on the Board, that's kind of a routine thing for an organization whose membership is increasing and whose programs are expanding. The other organizational restructuring is fine for a first cut, but in my opinion our newly adopted “org chart” still has a ways to go just to support our current operations effectively, and it can be expected to change over time as the activities of the ministry change. What was accomplished of great and lasting value, as I see it, is twofold. First, the concept of consensus as a viable way to arrive at important decisions by larger than a small group, even if issues have to be tabled a time or two to allow for prayer and consideration before the consensus is reached. A huge part of the success of that process was represented by the sensitivity and understanding John Schoenheit displayed about the "married couple on the Board" issue, which taught us that consensus cannot be reached, regardless of agenda or time pressures that some of us tend to operate in, until real or perceived offenses are dealt with first. I believe that such insight on how we must deal with each other and as a ministry will survive this generation as one of our values. Second, the unity and trust that has been achieved within a group of mature believers (elders), stemming partly from the consensus process, but also, I believe achieved independently as well. The witness of God working independently with us as individuals to achieve His purpose of a unified group stronger than any of its single members was awesome. I believe that the example of a unified group of a substantial number of elders is another result that can be passed from generation to generation. In summary, The Earlham Experience once again demonstrates that the value of a trip often lies in the journey itself rather than the destination reached. I believe that what we have accomplished of intergenerational value is at least the beginning of understanding how to conduct the journey, regardless of the specific destination. Thank you all for allowing Laura and me to be part of this process. Please Help Us! The CES Mailing List is a lifeline for many dear saints around the world. As it continues to grow, we want it to be as complete as possible. To do that, we need your help. If you have an email address, and you are not sure if we have it, please email us so we do. We would also like to know your phone numbers (home, work, cell, fax). Thanks for assisting us in serving you.
Are you currently sending missionary checks overseas? During a three week period, there were three fraudulent transactions attempted on the CES checking account. These occurred as a result of an overseas mission check being stolen. This stolen check was then altered for much larger amount. Two other attempts involved Dottie’s signature being forged on wire transfer requests. As protection against additional attempted fraud, we are now purchasing bank money orders instead of sending checks for all overseas gifts. We encourage any of you who are sending money overseas to do the same. You can place a stop payment order on a bank money order and have it reissued if it were to be lost in the mail. Please call Dottie Heman at the Home Office if you have any questions about this. If you have been contacted directly by international people asking for money, please let us know. We know of a few scams against Christians and Christian organizations to get money. They may even say that we said for them to contact you, which we will never do without clearing it with you first. The best way to support foreign missions is to contact us directly. We know of many honest international saints who have been standing with CES faithfully for years and we would love to put you in contact with them. Phone Prayer Ministry Wanted: Spiritually mature, emotionally stable, compassionate listeners willing to take prayer ministry calls after CES office hours (from 5 PM - 9 AM Indiana time). Your name and number would be on the CES office recording in case someone called after hours with an urgent need. We can rotate the names depending upon how many people volunteer. If this sounds like a service you would like to offer, please contact Jesusces@aol.com with your name, phone number, and email address. Thank you. ********************************************** Prison Outreach We have a growing number of believers in prison who are requesting our materials and to be connected with other believers. If you would like to participate in this outreach you can do so in several ways. 1. Donate to the CES “prison fund” and designate your gift to purchase materials to be sent into prisons. 2. You can request to be a prayer partner and/or a pen pal with a specific prisoner. 3. Help us develop a curriculum/ study guide/exam for Don’t Blame God that would assist them in mastering the material and assist us by helping us to determine those who are serious about learning the Word. The Ministry of Angels to Believers The spiritual battle is no more intense now than it was prior to September 11, but it has become more obvious to many people. Many others see its manifestation but have no idea of the war raging beyond the realm of our five senses. Hey, you can’t tell the players without a program, and God’s Word is that “program”. Here’s a very upbeat and entertaining 90-minute teaching that shows what angels are and that one of their basic functions is to help believers by providing protection and direction. Though a Christian has many supernatural enemies (evil spirits), he has more than twice as many supernatural friends (angels), who can, when appropriate, even come into concretion and look just like human beings. This is a very comforting reality. You can order this Sep/Oct teaching for $4 plus s&h. ********************************************** No Mo Bi-Mo’s in 2002 That's right. Starting in January, 2002, you can receive a CES teaching tape every month! Bimonthly tapes began in 1990, and the CES principals have done nearly all of them to date. The new monthly tape series will reflect a wider variety of topics, and be more of a blend of doctrinal and practical teaching and/or preaching from a more diverse group of ministers in the CES community, particularly women.
********************************************** Feedback Forum Dear Sower, I read the letters on the CES website and thank you for them. I have experienced many of the very same feelings and thoughts. I, too, have been moved by the enormous "heart" that is pouring out of many American citizens and people around the world. I also noticed the absence of blaming God for this occurrence, but at the same time, have also noticed the absence of the mention of Jesus Christ. I attended the Purdue University memorial that occurred yesterday at noon, where 6,000 gathered to hear the words of several leaders - the university's president, student leaders, as well as Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders in our community. God, of course, was mentioned, but in no specific terms. The emphasis was unity, freedom, and our great country of America whose freedom has been attacked by this horrid evil. Well, anyway, I continue to be thankful for the teachings of CES, and for the knowledge of scripture that I do have, and some understanding of biblical prophecy, dispensationalism, end-times events, etc., an understanding that I would not have if it were not for your diligence and perseverance in teaching.
And because of it, I have much more confidence in sharing some of these truths with others. And of course, the comfort these truths bring to my own heart and life is enormous. I continue to stand with you and support your efforts and ministries. Love in Christ, Brenda Zika, W Lafayette, IN ********************************************** Dear Sower, Thanks so much to Mark, John, and John for their loving, heartfelt and biblically based responses to the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center on Tuesday. It was refreshing to hear the truth spoken, as opposed to so many secular views on this issue. Much love, Gary & Barbara Reeve Encinitas, CA ********************************************** Dear Sower, I want to tell you how much I was affected by the edited version of the letter John Schoenheit sent to a believer about the CES relationship with the Body of Christ at large. The letter was so wonderful, so non-judgmental, unreligious, and simply and directly stated that I was very impressed. It set me free spiritually, helped me make a decision that I have been pondering for some time about starting a fellowship in our home instead of going to church. Editha Standiford, Santa Maria, CA Dear Sower, PLEASE listen to the Ministry of Angels to Believers as soon as you can because I just did (on my way home from work today) and it is extremely enlightening and comforting when you listen to it in light of recent events. PLEASE give it to the leaders at the conference. The teaching on that tape HAS SET ME STRAIGHT and I am not afraid any more and I am very clear on the how CRUCIAL prayer is at this time. Ellen Crean, Larchmont, NY ********************************************** Dear Sower, I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you, for the Family camp. Everything my wife and I prayed for has come to pass. My kids said that they finally met people who believe like they do, real friends. Since we have been back in Sweden, we have had a few more teens show up for fellowship, and I began to think that if this keeps up we are going to have to do a teen camp here in Sweden! Then I thought, “Oh God, I don’t know anything about putting on a Teen camp.” My next thought was, call CES. and see if they would want to come to beautiful Sweden and help us through it. What a great idea, maybe in two years, to do a teen camp in Sweden. Well, just wanted to share my heart with you. Once again, thank for going above and beyond just to bless me and my family. I know we were not the only family there but the tenderness and care made us feel like we were. Here in Sweden we pray for you all every day. Standing together, Walter Williams and Family Sweden ********************************************** Dear Sower, I just wanted to let you know that we all enjoyed Family Camp and are looking forward to next years camp! Thanks for all of the love, hard work, and tenacity that went into this years camp. We felt well cared for and came home blessed and renewed. Love, The Harms Family Bellevue, IA Dear Sower, I wanted to thank you for the helpful website info after the World Trade Center disaster. I made many copies of your letters and passed them out. The “common question” answers were so enlightening. What a blessing you all are!! Marti just came back from the Leadership Team Meeting and shared many wonderful moments with me. Praise to our God! Love in Christ, Jetta Inskeep Lima, OH
********************************************** News from the CES International Community International Outreach Report September 21, 2001 The CES International Outreach Committee currently consists of Jane Bickel, Charles John, Adam Berwid and John Lynn. Since the committee’s inception, our activity has consisted of Jane communicating with Filipino believers, Charles communicating with African believers, and John communicating with many believers in many countries. Here is a list of the 50 countries where we have at least one person on the CES Mailing List. Those with an asterisk are places where we have been.
********************************************** Plugging away in the Philippines Dear Sower, God bless you richly in the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are so blessed by the unveiling words of truth through CES. My stand for the truth cost the sacrifice of the orthodox church where we were pastoring before, and we lost some of our fellow pastors and friends, that even affected our livelihood. But praise God that He is always keeping us in His grace that we are able to survive in the midst of a struggling situation. My heart is to share the Word of God, and one of the best ways I found is to open a radio broadcast. I have an access now at the FM radio station here any time I can start. Please help us pray that God will meet the financial needs for monthly payment, which is about $90. My vision is to stabilize CES here and to have a fellowship center before the end of this year. Pepe and Rosie Indus Zamboanga del Norte Philippines Holding forth the faithful Word Dear Sower, Praise the Lord! I am happy to share to you our victories. Last March 31, we were able to hold our graduation day for our six Bible School students. These graduates were able to learn all our CES teachings and they are happy to face all of those questions from the Trinity and other doctrines manmade. Our Bible School here in Surallah is teaching and accepting the CES doctrine since the first time we heard from your seminars in Davao in 1996 until now. This teaching will not depart from us because this is the truth and easy to explain and to understand. This coming June 4 will be the opening of the next school year. Please pray that many will enroll and learn the Word of God.  In Christ,
Liza Manginsay and Marisa Antipala Surallah, Philippines ********************************************** News from the Network of Affiliated Fellowships Earlier this year we submitted to the CES board our first report on the concept of the Network of Affiliated Fellowships to the CES Board. The first report included the general network structure and the various governing subjects that we felt should be included. It has been our goal to produce a sound
network plan which, when executed, will facilitate a healthy fellowship
environment so all network participants can fully enjoy the benefits of
the CES community at large. It has been on our hearts to produce a Network
Newsletter that will encourage growth and stimulate network interest.
One of our concerns is to not compete or drain resources from The Sower or the Contender. Rather, the NOAF Newsletter would be targeted directly at the needs of the Affiliated Fellowship members. In the next section, called THE VINE, we describe the sections we could consider addressing and develop further the details of the Newsletter. We would appreciate your feedback and welcome any ideas you may have.
The metaphor provided by the Word of God that best describes the nature and structure of the Network of Affiliated Fellowships is the Vine. In John 15:1-9, Jesus uses the Vine to state some very powerful spiritual principles. He tells us that He is the “true Vine and my Father (God) is the gardener.” He also clearly tells us that He is the Vine and we are the branches. It is God’s desire that we be fruitful, but “no branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.” The purpose of the Newsletter, THE VINE, would be to encourage the other members in the Body of Christ so that they stay connected to “the true Vine,” Jesus Christ, so that they can be fruitful branches. With this in mind, we could include some of the following topical sections in the Newsletter: THE SPREADING VINE Evangelism and Outreach: Articles submitted from various fellowships on what’s happening in their areas. New methods of outreach or outreach success stories which encourage. · TENDING THE VINE Pastoral: Articles directed at ministering, shepherding and protecting the flock. · I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Gatherings and Happenings: Announcements of national, regional and area meetings, camps, conferences, or special events. · FRUIT ON THE VINE Growth on the Vine: Announcing new “Affiliates” that have just been added to the NOAF. · VIEWING THE BRANCHES Features on affiliate members: Articles featuring fellowship profiles from various areas across the country and possibly other countries. · NURTURING THE VINE Book reviews: Reviews of books that are fellowship oriented. Other areas that we could include might be special prayer requests, classifieds with items that are available or things sought after. Also, newsworthy items on promotions, transfers, births, marriages or believers who have fallen asleep. We should consider doing the Making the Newsletter on line with a link to the CES main Web page. The link could also connect anyone reading the Newsletter to all the other affiliates through hot links to their e-mail. We realize we may have stretched this whole vine idea a little too far, but now it’s your turn to give me your feedback. Do you have any ideas for other sections? Do you have any better titles? Do you think something like this would be beneficial? Would you be willing to contribute articles or write sections? Would you like to be on the NOAF committee? To respond please contact the Home Office by phone or by email at Jesusces@aol.com. ********************************************** Neutralizing ChristiansSatan tries to neutralize Christians by sowing seeds of dissention, accusation, anger, mistrust or bitterness among the brethren. This breaks the bond of loving unity and keeps Christians distracted and unable to organize for a counterattack. In other words, if the enemy can get us fighting among ourselves, we won’t be able to fight him. Churches and Christian organizations are not, as a rule, destroyed by opposition from outside. In fact, attack from the outside usually cements relationships and draws believers together, mobilizing them for battle. Satan has learned that the best way to attack groups of believers is to work from the inside. He disguises himself as an angel of light or sends his messengers as “servants of righteousness” to create confusion and mistrust, often working on just one or two individuals to begin with. Then, slowly, he stirs up bitterness, anger, envy—all the nasty attitudes that isolate us and keep our eyes off the Lord. I have heard countless stories of prayer groups and Bible studies that have been destroyed by these means—usually just when the group is on the brink of a tremendous breakthrough. How does this happen? In one fairly typical case I heard about, a new couple came into a Bible study and prayer group that had been meeting together for several years. Ron and Carla (we’ll call them) seemed somehow more “spiritually qualified” for leadership than any who were already involved—partly because of their vast knowledge of Scripture, partly because they seemed to have special insights and gifts to provide the kind of leadership and direction the group thought they needed, and partly because of the sheer force of their personalities. So they quickly became the unofficial leaders. Ron and Carla flashed lots of “spiritual credit cards”—stories of miraculously answered prayers, prophetic dreams, visions and direct “words from the Lord” that suggested to the group that soon they were going to have a powerful impact on their community for the Lord. Very soon, however, members of the group began to get calls and visits from Carla and Ron. The purpose of these visits was always the same: to hint—very gently at first—that certain other members were hindering the progress of the group. These members, Ron and Carla suggested, were not on the same high spiritual plane as the rest of the group because they did not accept the agenda God had clearly given the group through the couple. The group was better off, therefore, without these members. After a long and agonizing struggle, several members of the group began to discern what was happening. They met together, prayed, and confronted Carla and Ron with what they had been doing. Naturally, the couple counterattacked, accusing those who had confronted them of being un-Christian and out of tune with the Holy Spirit. Over a period of several weeks the group struggled to continue, but eventually—sadly—they decided simply to disband. Too much distrust had been sown and too many members hurt too badly to continue. Ron and Carla went off (presumably to join another prayer group) claiming that they had been the victims of demonic attack. Tragically, they didn’t know how right they were. Satan’s “messengers” are always his victims. He hates them as much as he hates us—and they suffer in their own ways even more than we do. From And God Changed His Mind, by Brother Andrew, p. 132. |
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Calendar Corner 
