Marking the 96th Issue of Our Newsletter (2008-2016)
Michael Jr. is Back! What's Funny About Laughing in Church? "A joyful heart is good medicine" says Proverbs 17:22. We believe that and so does Michael Jr., one of our favorite Christian funny guys, as he talks about laughing in church Click HERE
Tim Hawkins and Polar Bears Which to Save: Polar Bears or Twinkies? Christian comedian Tim Hawkins takes on the campaign to Save the Polar Bears Click HERE
Jim Gaffigan's Pasta Bowls Where Do We Get This? Funny guy Jim Gaffigan talks about the ongoing struggles with his weight and his experience with Dominos' Pasta Bread Bowl. LOL with this hilarious audio file Click HERE
A Classic Blast from the Past Home's Improvement's Tim Allen Check out this classic routine by Tim Allen as he demonstrates the Binford '6100' Man's Gym Click HERE
Mr. Bean - Sandwich Maker Sandwich-Making Like You've Never Seen Mr. Bean is a British sitcom about "a child in a grown man's body." In this scene he heads to the park for his lunch where he starts making a sandwich... Bean style of course. Click HERE
Fighting Bear Over Fish Knowing How To Take a Bear Down In this classic John West salmon ad a fisherman takes on a bear to save his catch. Click HERE
Men to Men Around World Looking for a ministry adventure with a group of guys sharing the gospel and biblical manhood in foreign lands? Men of Valor International has something for you that's different than anything else on the mission field - ministering to pastors and their men. Upcoming trips include Russia, Africa, Guyana and Ukraine, For more info, click Here or check out the MOV brochure Here
Quarterly Military Summit
National Capital Region Summit Quarterly Prayer Luncheon - Tues August 16
Come join the NCR Team for a time of fellowship, encouragement and prayer for our military community. There is an 11:30 buffet lunch at The Clubs at Quantico and Crossroads Events Center. Info and Sign-up Here
Quantico, VA
Quotes To Muse and Use Put These in Your Pipe and Smoke 'Em
Salvation does not come to us on Air Force One, never has, never will. Salvation comes from the Lord, always has, always will.
"If we never have headaches through rebuking our children, we shall have plenty of heartaches when they grow up." -Charles Haddon Spurgeon
"The gospel isn't just the diving board off of which we jump into the pool of Christianity; it's the pool itself. It's the way we begin in Christ; it is the way we grow in Christ." - J. D. Greear
"The fellow that has no money is poor. The fellow that has nothing but money is poorer still." - Billy Sunday, evangelist
"I know of no other way to triumph over sin long-term than to gain a distaste for it because of a superior satisfaction in God." - John Piper
"Over a half century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: 'Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened'...if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: Men have forgotten; that's why all this has happened." - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008)
The answer to this human dilemma is the gospel of Jesus of Christ, which sets us free from our slavery to self and turns hearts of stone to hearts of flesh.
Christian conscience is bound only by what the Bible commands or forbids or by what is rightly deduced from an explicit biblical principle
"If he gives you the grace to make you believe, he will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward." - Charles Spurgeon
"I know of no other way to triumph over sin long-term than to gain a distaste for it because of a superior satisfaction in God." John Piper
"The thing we would remember from meeting a truly gospel-humble person is how much they seemed to be totally interested in us. Because the essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less. Gospel-humility is not needing to think about myself. Not needing to connect things with myself. It is an end to thoughts such as 'I'm in this room with these people, does that makes me look good? Do i want to be here?' True gospel-humility means I stop connecting every experience, every conversation, with myself. In fact, I stop thinking about myself. The freedom of self forgetfulness." - Tim Keller (from The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness)
"By remaining faithful to its original commission, by serving its people with love, especially the poor, the lonely, and the dispossessed, and by not surrendering its doctrinal steadfastness, sometimes even the very contradiction of culture by which it serves as a sign, surely the Church serves the culture best." - Walker Percy
"The legalist says, 'I do this because I ought to do it, even though I don't want to do it.' The key word is 'ought' - that is the motivation. That is why legalists like rules. Rules define your obligations tightly, so you can know when you have done enough." - Tim Chester, A Theology of Washing the Dishes
"Expect a Shaking...Before We're Humbled"
"The whole system of my politics is summed up in this one verse, "The Lord reigns! Let the nations tremble! Psalm 99:1"
"The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds grow thicker - the stupidity of the nation seems proportionally to increase. If the Lord had not a remnant here, I would have very formidable apprehensions. But He loves His children; some are sighing and mourning before Him, and I am sure He hears their sighs, and sees their tears. I trust there is mercy in store for us at the bottom; but I expect a shaking time before things get into a right channel - before we are humbled, and are taught to give Him the glory."
"The state of the nation, the state of the churches - both are deplorable! Those who should be praying - are disputing and fighting among themselves! Alas! how many professors are more concerned for the mistakes of government - than for their own sins!"
- John Newton, (1725-1807) pastor, writer of Amazing Grace, excerpt from Letters of John Newton
"All Runners Run - Only One Gets the Prize"
As the Summer Olympics soon roll out I'm reminded how in the Apostle Paul often borrowed illustrations from the athletic world to communicate truth about the Christian life.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24, he wrote, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize"
In 2 Timothy 2:5, he observes "Anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown except by competing according to the rules", the which for the disciplined believer, the prize is the "upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). Christlikeless is demonstrated rigorous discipline, perseverance and singular focus similar to how an athlete is trained up and tested. No pain, no gain.
Jesse Owens, 1936 Berlin Olympics Hero
This Summer marks the 80th anniversary of Jesse Owens' stunning achievement of four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic games that was presided over by Adolph Hitler. This son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave achieved what no Olympian before him had accomplished making him the best remembered athlete in Olympic history.VIDEO CLIP
Jesse Owens proved in Berlin and thereafter that he was a dreamer who could make the dreams of others come true, a speaker who could make the world listen and a man who held out hope to millions of young people. Throughout his life, he worked with youths, sharing of himself and the little material wealth that he had. In this way, Jesse Owens was equally the champion on the playground of the poorest neighborhoods as he was on the oval of the Olympic games.
Over the last 17 years WACMM has earned the reputation for presenting some of the largest, most encouraging, challenging and equipping men's conferences in the country. Prices are the best-value anywhere. Over 60,000 men have experienced these faith-affirming, life changing WACMM gatherings.
On Saturday November 12, 2016 from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, WACMM, in partnership with OneHeartDC, will bring the Mid-Atlantic's premiere men's event to Christian Fellowship Church in Ashburn VA (near Dulles Airport).
It will feature keynoters Dr. RUSSELL MOORE, one of the nation's foremost culture critics and author of the best selling Onward: Engaging the Culture Without Losing the Gospel. Dr. ERIC MASON, a leading champion of biblical manhood and marriage, is also author of Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole. PLUS there will be eight other renowned speakers who will lead breakout sessions relevant to men's issues. Worship will be led by the Iron Men Praise Band, the region's top men's praise band
You'll be with men of diverse backgrounds and from different churches. Come be encouraged, challenged and equipped! It's infomercial free - no sales pitches and the prices are the best values of any men's event in the country. Big Day! Big Crowd! Don't get closed out!
Register Here Speakers Here Conference PDF Brochure Here
Registrations Include Lunch:
Dr. Russ Moore
Pres, ERLC
$45 - in a group of five or more
$53 - regular per individual man
$60 - after 11.7.16
$24 - men ages 13 - 22
$24 - active duty military $24 - policemen, firemen, EMT
Legendary broadcaster Paul Harvey was born Paul Harvey Aurandt (1918-2009). He was the son of an Oklahoma police officer who was shot and killed when Paul was only two years old. Paul shortened his name to simply "Paul Harvey" for his three quarters of a century on the radio.
Paul Harvey's dad and a police detective were off duty and had been rabbit hunting in the woods outside Tulsa when three would-be robbers shot them while sitting in their car. Despite wounds in his lung, leg and liver, Paul's dad...Officer Aurandt...drove a mile to a farmhouse seeking help...and died two days later.
Paul Harvey never really knew his dad...but knowing what had happened, having the benefit of a strong surviving family unit and an inherited work ethic, and probably because of the times and atmosphere in which he grew up...Paul had an abiding and deep rooted respect for "law and order"...and he broadcast its values to the world until he died at age 90.
On one of his broadcasts back in 1970, when there was rising concerns about crime and violence, Paul Harvey told of how his generation saw and treasured law enforcement officers...by appropriately, respectfully telling the story..."What Is A Policeman". In honor of and appreciation for all those who serve us uniform, even giving up their lives for our sake, we share the text and video clip of Paul Harvey's 1970 broadcast: Watch Video of Audio BroadcastRead the Rest of the Story
Does a Husband Have the Authority To...?
Central to my teaching and counseling ministry to men is the gospel, exhorting them to live in light of it's power, grace, truth and freedom, and reminding them of their identity in Christ. We live in the most confused and compromised generation in our history about what it means to be a man. Therefore, the most critical message to them is that authentic manhood - real masculinity - is grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ and modeled by Him in His 33 years on earth.
One of my continual reminders to men about their God-given roles, responsibilities and privileges is this: A husband has no right to force his wife to do something against her will or to rule over her. Rather in emulation of Christ, he is to love her unconditionally and sacrificially, to cherish her, to shepherd her and to cause her to flourish in faith and practice. Mary Kassian puts this blessed biblical truth well when she writes, "It is not the husband's right to force or coerce his wife to submit. Submission is voluntary on a wife's part, and her choice entirely." Read more from Mary's article Here
Ben-Hur Opens August 19 - A Dud or Delight?
WARNING: In recent years Hollywood has turned to making big-budget, biblical epics. In part because it saw in the remarkable box office success of many low-budget "faith-based" movies as an opportunity to tap into a huge, new religious audience. By also revving up the biblical accounts with hi-tech special effects, film makers sought to appeal to a younger audience as well. The Christian community was not fooled or taken in. Films like Noah and Exodus were just bad movies, at best comic book versions, at worst mockeries of the bible. They ended up as box office flops. Having said all that as warning, there's yet another "bible -themed" blockbuster film opening this month that could be another clunker or it could surprise us with good film making that tells a good story.
Set for release August 19 Ben-Hur is a big-budget movie (nearly $100 million) adaptation of General Lew Wallace's 1880 novel "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ." It is a fictional tale of Judah Ben-Hur, a wealthy Jew who is accused of treason by his childhood friend Messala, a Roman soldier, and exiled to life as a slave on a Roman galley. It is the classic story of condemnation, rescue, revenge, forgiveness and redemption.
Wallace's novel was first made into a silent movie and then in 1959 it was turned into an epic movie at the cost of $15.2 million (the biggest budget ever at that point in time). It became a cinematic blockbuster grossing the second-highest box office in history at the time (after Gone with the Wind) and hauling in a record eleven Academy Awards, including a Best Actor Oscar to Charlton Heston in his role as Judah Ben-Hur.
Having followed the making of this new version for two years and viewing all the trailers, outtakes and reviews to date, it seems the movie tows a story-line similar to 1959 epic and is packed with some stunning special effects, especially the chariot race. Check out the trailer HERE. Ben-Hur opens in theaters Friday August 19. You be the judge if a worthwhile big-budget, biblical-themed storytelling is finally back with us.
EXTRA - Check out a music video featuring scenes from Ben-Hur and the hit song "Ceasefire" from the popular musical group For King & Country HERE. The lyrics in "Ceasefire" are "Teach us how to live humbly, love unconditionally, transform our hurt into hope, and grant us your peace."
8 Years and 96 Issues Later...
Eight years ago this month, WACMM launched its e-newsletter to offer up a rich, steady diet of gospel-empowered biblical manhood.
This marks the 96th issue and today its read and disseminated by thousands and thousands of men across the country and around the world. We continually hear about its impact on men, churches and ministries - for which we're deeply grateful to God for giving us the vehicle and the heart to minister to all kinds of men.
If you're a new reader, in need of resources or just curious about the past eight years, check out our Newsletter Archives HERE.
As always, we appreciate having the benefit of your feedback, we covet your prayers and we your participation with us!
Locking Arms Together for the Sake of the Gospel,
Dave
Dave Brown Director and Pastor, WACMM Chairman,Foundation for Manhood 10309 Freeman Place Kensington MD 20895 dave@wacmm.org 240.447.1363
