Podcasting Craze

For my birthday in December my parents gave me the new 5th generation video ipod. Now I'm a PC guy so I was a little hesitant to use anything Mac related, but I must say this little multimedia device has broadened my world! Everyone knows you can listen to music with an MP3 player like an ipod, but what is cutting edge technology are the podcasts and video podcasts now available via the Internet.

Don't stop reading yet! Because here is the coolest part. You don't need an ipod to download and listen or watch these podcasts! Simply download itunes (http://www.itunes.com), a free program, and play them right on your computer! There is a charge for music on itunes, but the podcasts are all free! I expect this to change in the near future. Simply because there is so much valuable content out there.

Here's a list of some of my favorites. Find the podcast link from these sites to get started.
Dave Ramsey - http://www.daveramsey.com
Wayne Cordeiro - http://www.enewhope.org
Simply Strategic Guys - http://simplystrategicshow.blogspot.com/
Rene Schlaepfer - http://www.tlc.org/sermons/index.php

January 2006

Associate’s Angle
by Tim Severance

Did you know that 70 percent of all consumers live paycheck to paycheck? And that 37 percent of marital problems stem from financial situations? You may be suffering from a financial hangover right now. The month of December tends to hit us hard in the pocketbook. How are your finances? Are you in debt? Do you have an emergency fund set up? Are you saving for retirement? Kid’s college? Do you live on a budget or just wing it? Are you giving all you would like to the church?

The Bible has a lot to say about the subject of money. In fact it is mentioned over 800 times! We must remember that “the earth is the Lords and everything in it,” and that we have been entrusted as faithful stewards to manage His resources and His money. If you are looking for assistance in this area, we would like to help.

In February the church will be offering Financial Peace University, a Biblically based 13-week program on personal finance taught by Dave Ramsey. It is designed to empower people to manage their money better, eliminate debt and build wealth. Previews of this class will be given on Sunday, January 29th & Sunday, February 5th immediately following worship service. Learn more about this exciting, life-changing class from http://www.daveramsey.com. It’s time to stop floundering financially and make your money work for you instead of the other way around!

Watering Down the Word of God

My wife teaches a preschool class on Wednesday nights at our church. And this year we're progressing through the Old Testament chronologically. Recently the lesson was on Abraham and God's call for him to sacrifice his long awaited only son, Isaac, on an altar. She discussed with me that she considered skipping the part about God asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and rather focus on the substitutionary ram that God provided in the thicket. She didn't believe children that young would understand a Father being asked to kill his own son. The lesson for the night could be that God provides.

Eliminating a portion of a Bible story bothers me. It seems we frequently do that when scripture makes us feel uncomfortable. Or when we don't understand something. Let's just skip it. Focus on what we know and like. Hmmmm. For preschoolers it might make sense to eliminate the sacrifice part of Abraham's story. I think the real problem arises when we as adults forget to put it back in! Of course, we still believe God provides. In fact if you look around you, it is evident God provides bountifully for us. But where is the sacrifice part? Doesn't God ever test our obedience today? Doesn't he still ask us to give up something or even everything for Him? I think He does. I believe Romans 12:1 is still true today. We are still called to be "living sacrifices." Sacrifice is as much a part of the Christian life as blessing.

This Christmas season we might do well to keep in mind the beautiful story of Christ's birth ended with a Father sacrificing His only Son.

Associates Angle

Last month marks Caraway Street's 2-year anniversary at the Kalkaska Church of Christ. This successful children's ministry has taught and entertained over 250 different children involving over 100 different volunteers serving as actors, stage managers, directors, cue card makers, seamstresses, woodworkers, painters, block parents, song leaders, prop makers, sound board operators, and advertisers. Caraway has been seen everywhere from the Trout Festival parade to Wilderness camp to the Christmas Eve church service. It's been an incredible outreach for our church.

Special thanks are in order for three talented ladies who have directed Caraway to the summit it enjoys today. They are Sabra Dessauer, Carol Badgero, and Jan Aten. These committed women have sacrificed family, work, and leisure time in order to give at least 10 hours every other week consistently for the past 2 years in this ministry! Thanks also goes out to their husbands who have allowed them to serve their church and their God in this manner. They aren't paid for this; it's a labor of love. And I'm sure one day each will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest."

If you want to know more about Caraway Street, check out our new website: http://www.carawaystreet.org.

April 2005

The 3rd Annual Ministry Fair will be held in May this year; I am both excited and pessimistic. I am excited because I see the fantastic potential of new volunteers working together for Christ’s church. Those who would commit to serving in ministry over the next 12 months. I am convinced that by exercising your faith in service to others your faith will grow like no other time. No steroids necessary! You will be stretched, challenged and strengthened. You will learn that in losing yourself in service to others, you experience joy and contentment and that you are the one who is ultimately blessed. “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:42)

I am also pessimistic. Last year the Ministry Fair was just a blip on the radar. And I believe we have some weak ministries that attest to the fact. Ministry Fair may not sound too appealing to some. Perhaps they don’t like the name. Maybe the thought of “Ministry” sounds dull or toilsome or clergy-like. It could be that people are already burned out from church work and hate the thought of committing to do even more. So I feel somewhat apprehensive as our fair approaches.

Here’s what I would like to see. I would like you to discover your passion, harness it, and use it for God in Christ’s church right in Kalkaska. Do what excites you! Allow God to use you. We’re not looking to just fill holes here; Peter says that we’re building “a spiritual house” using “living stones.” Come be a “bricklayer” with us. Find what interests you. See where your spiritual gifts lie. (There’s a test on the church website) Do what you love to do – just do it for God!

Contentment

It's days after Christmas and there are still unopened gifts under our Christmas tree! My 2-year old son is in no hurry to unwrap them. Once he opens a present, he is content to play with that gift for hours, even days. My 1-year old daughter is happy just playing with the wrapping paper or the box the gift came in. The present could be a rock! It wouldn't matter to her. Meanwhile the colorfully wrapped gifts sit untouched under the tree as I excitedly try to entirce my children to open them.

Why do American Christians spend so much on Christmas? Why do we persist on possessing more and more things? If you are like me, you are looking over your credit card statement from your Christmas spending. You may be asking yourself, "Where did I spend all that money?!" I know it's cliche, but "we spend money we don't have to buy things for people who have everything." Is that good stewardship according to scripture?

My children demonstrated contentment to me this past holiday season. I pray I am not found guilty of taking that God given peace away from them by my endless spending. As a wise man once said, "The secret to contentment isn't having what you love, but loving what you have." The apostle Paul wrote, "...I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation..."

Discontented? Observe a toddler with a gift. Their contentment is pure and unspoiled.