26 minute read
Unite Nampa in Prayer: Prayers for protection
UNITE Nampa in Prayer Seeking God’s protection for the community
-Craig Hanson
Pastor Craig Hanson started a prayer group called Unite Nampa in Prayer in 2020. He still oversees the group, which continues to meet regularly in Nampa City Hall’s council chambers. (Photo by Gaye Bunderson) By Gaye Bunderson
Craig Hanson, pastor of Valley Springs Assembly of God Church in Nampa, felt motivated on June 16, 2020 to start a community-wide prayer event, where non-denominational Christians could come together to lift up the Treasure Valley town of just over 100,000 people in supplication to God. He named the faith-based gatherings Unite Nampa in Prayer.
The prayer meetings continue to this day and are generally attended by 15 to 20 townsfolk, with about 12-15 people making up the core group. Attendees come from all walks of life in terms of employment, financial status, personal history, and other things that comprise the diversity of Nampa's citizens.
The meetings originally started at the Nampa police station at 820 2nd St. S. Then the group prayed in a house near Lakeview Park when winter came. Eventually, Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling invited the group to city hall to pray in the Nampa City Council chambers, where Unite Nampa in Prayer members still meet every Tuesday from noon to 1.
When asked what prompted him to launch the prayer meetings, the pastor said, “A little bit of everything” – the kinds of things that made up the nightly newscasts at the time. He wanted to keep Nampa a safe and positive place to reside. “My responsibility first is to the city I live in,” he said.
He continued: “We've prayed for many things: our homes, our churches. We've prayed for the protection of God around the city, and for a city where people obey and live by God's standards.”
He said he witnessed “all the radicalism so prevalent in major cities” and didn't want that for Nampa.
Prayer themes continue to touch on the idea of protection for the city and its citizens. For instance, according to Hanson, “We pray for the protection of God for our police, and that they abide by the moral values of the Bible and have integrity to do the jobs they're required to do.” They pray for both the physical and spiritual needs of Nampans. Pastor Hanson graduated from Bible college in 1986 in Des Moines, Iowa. He has been in Nampa for roughly 20 years and considers himself “a representative of the believers of the churches of Jesus Christ and the God of the Bible.” He also worked as a deputy sheriff for 20 years, first in Colorado and then in Caldwell. Later, he was a Canyon County commissioner from 2013 to 2017. He holds many opinions on current topics and the state of the modern church. As an example, he thinks biblical literacy in America is not in good health, and he'd like to see that change. “The church has lost its power,” he said. “We as a people need to repent of our sins. Apostasy is apathy towards God, who should be our first love. We pray to get back to God. People do good works, such as contributing to the food bank, but they have no repentance. The church must repent. We worship God through our obedience.” He continued: “People have misconceptions about God's love – we must love people, but that doesn't mean we need to approve of what they do. The Bible is my first standard of how I live my life.” Pastor Hanson acknowledges his is not the only prayer group in the valley. “Our group is doing our part,” he said. “There are multiple groups throughout the valley doing the same things.” He sees the success in Unite Nampa in Prayer in many ways and includes in that some of the leadership in the city, including the mayor; Nampa City Council President Randy Haverfield; and Chief of Police Joe Huff. All of them are believers in Christ. All Christians are welcomed at the prayer event. For more information, go to Unite Nampa in Prayer on Facebook. n
History, Culture & Faith Public education, America and religion
By Dr. Rick Chromey
American schools are a mess. Teacher morale is low. Student disrespect is high. Today’s kids are more profane, angry, hurting, confused, violent...and ignorant.
But it’s not a situation our Founding Fathers didn’t foresee. In a rather inconvenient quote about American education, Dr. Benjamin Rush penned:
“The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty; and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments....” 1
Dr. Rush fully knew the destructive nature of secular education. In his day, the French Revolution had removed God from its cultural institutions...and French society collapsed as a result. Our Founders observed how a secular state produced societal dysfunction, disobedience, crime, disrespect, division and ignorance. Dr. Rush, who also founded the Sunday School movement in America, argued:
“We waste so much time and money in punishing crimes, and take so little pains to prevent them. We profess to be republicans*, and yet we neglect the only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government, that is, the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity, by means of the Bible; for this Divine book, above all others, favors that equality among mankind, that respect for just laws.” 2
American education originated in the mid-1600s in the Puritan colonies with the “Four R’s”: reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic and religion. American children were schooled through biblical principles. The purpose wasn’t to evangelize (a task for church and home) but to inculcate general Christian virtues of civility, temperance, respect, compassion, industry, self-reliance, frugality, self-restraint, fortitude and modesty.
This was the philosophy and work of American education for three centuries, although not without occasional challenges.
In 1844, for example, a Deist Frenchman named Stephen Girard attempted to establish a secular school (in Philadelphia) that prohibited Christian teaching. The resulting lawsuit against Girard went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The famous lawyer Daniel Webster argued America was founded on Christian education and religious principles, and Girard’s request was “repugnant to the law.” In the unanimous Supreme Court decision against the establishment of a secular school, justice Joseph Story penned:
“Why may not the Bible, and especially the New Testament, without note or comment, be read and taught as a divine revelation in the (school)–it’s general precepts expounded...and its glorious principles of morality inculcated? ...Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the New Testament?” 3
Fifty years later, at the 1892 Columbian Exposition, Kansas teachers issued a national historical review of public education. They were concerned with a public education divorced from church control, noting in the 19th century how “the church reluctantly relinquished her claim upon the elementary schools.” Then these public educators made this stunning conclusion (and request):
“...if the study of the Bible is to be excluded from all State schools–if the inculcation of the principles of Christianity is to have no place in the daily program–if the worship of God is to form no part of the general exercises of these public elementary schools–then the good of the state would be better served by restoring all schools to church control.” 4
The “good of the state”? Absolutely. These teachers knew that without a virtuous education (based upon biblical principles), a secular America, and all her social institutions, was doomed to descend into chaos, anarchy, violence and other evil.
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It’s why 20th century progressives, socialists and secularists worked for decades to remove religion from public schools (and finally succeeded in 1962). A secular American culture is not only more profane, disrespectful, angry, divisive and narcissistic, but it’s also easier to manipulate for state control. The Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci wrote in the 1920s:
Socialism is precisely the religion that must overwhelm Christianity...In the new order, Socialism will triumph by first capturing the culture via infiltration of schools, universities, churches and the media by transforming the consciousness of society.
Back in 1892, another Supreme Court ruled on the centrality of Christianity in shaping America’s political institutions (Church of the Holy Trinity vs. U.S.). The conclusion of that Court:
“The happiness of a people and the good order and preservation of civil government depend upon piety, religion and morality.” 5
Where does this “good order and preservation” originate? Founding educator Noah Webster argued only in our American school system: [T]he Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children under a free government ought to be instructed. No truth is more evident than
that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people. 6 Similarly, Abraham Lincoln noted the connection between education and government. He reportedly said: “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” And that’s proven true. We now know why American schools (as well Dr. Rick Chromey as her institutions and culture) are a mess. It’s the fruit of 60 years of secular education. n *Note: “republicans” in this context refers to a form of government – i.e., republican government – and not a political party. Dr. Rick Chromey helps people interpret history, navigate culture, and explore faith. He’s an author, historian, professor, and founder/president of MANNA! Educational Services International. Rick and his wife Linda live in Star. Rick is available to speak and train for your next event. Readers are invited to subscribe to the Morning MANNA! inspirational and educational email (M-F). Visit www.mannasolutions.org.
Sources:
1 Benjamin Rush quoted in “Report of the Commissioner of Education for the Year 1893-1894”; Washington Printing Office, 1896: p. 721. Download available at Google Books. 2 “A Century of Gospel Work: A History of the Growth of Evangelical Religion in the United States” by the Rev. W.F.P. Noble (Philadelphia: H.C. Watts and Co., 1876): 184. Download available at Google Books. 3 Mr. Webster’s Speech in Defence of the Christian Ministry and in Favor of the Religious Instruction of the Young Delivered to the Supreme Court of the United States (February 10, 1844). Download available at Google Books. 4 “Columbian History of Education in Kansas” (Topeka: Hamilton Printing Company, 1893): 82. Download available at Google Books. 5 “The United States: A Christian Nation” by David J. Brewer (Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company, 1905). Download available at Google Books. 6 Noah Webster, A Collection of Papers on Political, Literary, and Moral Subjects (New York: Webster and Clark, 1843), p. 291. Download available at Google Books.
REAL Man’s Toolbox Choosing to serve outside your circle
By Leo Hellyer
As we look around us, we can see a world that is in turmoil, disorganization, chaos, and selfcenteredness. Much of the so-called “truths” which we see and hear seem to be colored by some divergent politically charged extreme. Long gone are the days when the news was presented as true presentation of facts by trustworthy people like Walter Cronkite. Many of the heroes of that time in history were people who cared about others more than themselves. Servanthood was a well known and highly sought-after trait of pure-hearted leaders, followers, mentors and heroes.
As Christian men, Christ is, or should be, our template to follow in living our lives in a manner that will bring glory and pleasure to God Almighty.
Christ didn’t live His life to bring glory upon Himself but to bring glory to God the Father. Christ did not live His life as a king, but as a servant. Christ did not live by the world’s standards.
In his book, Alpha Christians, Bill Giovannetti states that, “Alpha Christians are not intimidated by the giants on the horizon. We won’t back down. We won’t give in. We won’t wimp out. We won’t compromise. We are marching from faith to faith, from victory to victory, and from glory to glory. … We take our marching orders from God above; and He alone – not the tyrants of the earth – tells us who we are.”
Jesus had a special place in His heart for those less fortunate. Jesus served the less fortunate, the widows, the hungry, the homeless. None of us have to look far to see someone in need.
In Matthew 20:26-28 Christ says, “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
In Philippians 2:3-4, Paul speaks to us by saying, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
As we live our lives in this conflicted and confusing world, it is easy to block the world out and only focus on ourselves and our close co-workers, friends, and family. We become what I call “Country Club Christians.” These are people who are only concerned with the members in their group and not those outside the group.
This is not how Jesus acted to strangers and those outside of His immediate circle of people. Jesus associated with the poor, the handicapped, or the disenfranchised. If you have never stepped out in faith and cared for people outside of your normal associates, you are really missing out on blessings from the Lord.
It is a great thing to live where we do. Most of us feel that the majority of the society around us is fairly well off financially, physically, emotionally and, yes, even spiritually. This evaluation can be greatly skewed if we aren’t really looking for, or aren’t very concerned about, people who aren’t in our circle.
If we will really take the blinders off and will seek to serve “all,” we will find plenty of people who could benefit greatly from our authentic concern, servanthood, and love. In our communities we have the widows, sick, homeless, working poor, drug addicts, prostitutes, felons, and sex offenders, to name a few. Oh yes, we also have liberals, conservatives, left-wingers, right-wingers, complacent people and radicals. All of these groups of people need servants of the Lord to help them in their need and show the truth and love of God Almighty to each of them. Leo Hellyer With all respect, Christian men, we need to become a part of a “Band of Brothers.” Each of us needs to seek where God wants us to serve, and how He wants us to serve. We need to be open, willing, courageous and obedient to God’s urgings on the area of service He has prepared for us. Of course, this may be here in our own community, it may be across the country, or it may be in another country – even in China, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, or even Russia or Ukraine. Maybe we will be called to serve refugees from one of these countries who arrive here seeking peace, safety, security and true love. A part of our group are men (and women) who are U.S. veterans, some from the Great State of Idaho, who have already served but are serving again, totally on their own. This group of veterans is serving in Ukraine under extremely dangerous conditions without any monetary support from the U.S. or Ukraine. These individuals are serving in training, support, and operational areas for Ukrainians needing their services. Please pray that you and your brothers will be receptive to serving others wherever God calls you to do so. If you ask God how and where He wants you to serve those in need, He will answer your prayer. I prayed this prayer in 2000 and my life has never been the same. My plan for my life has not always been the same as God’s plan for my life. When I have been obedient to God’s direction in my life and ministry I have experienced His blessings abundantly. My prayer is that God will be your Commander in Chief and that you will obediently follow Him in a valiant manner wherever He leads. n Leo Hellyer is a non-staff pastor with a local church and has been married to his wife Norma for 50 years. The couple volunteered with the Boise FamilyLife Ministry Team for 20 years. Leo has also been serving with Boise Rescue Mission Ministries for 20 years and is currently serving at the River of Life Rescue Mission. He is president and chief firearms instructor with Helping Hands Firearms Training LLC. If you have questions about Real Man’s Toolbox, or need other assistance, Leo may be reached at silverplate426@msn.com or (208) 340-5544.
YOUR Daily Bread Break bread but don’t break the bank
By Terry Frisk
What a financial roller coaster this year has been! We have had to make several revisions to the budget we meticulously prepared at the beginning of the year in response to seemingly nonstop price increases. While the overall annual inflation rate was reported as 9.1% in June of this year, the food price index increased 12.2% over the past year. How do we feed our families a healthy diet and stay within our budget? Here are some tips to control your food costs.
1. Set a budget and track your spend-
ing. Determine the maximum amount you can spend on groceries. The standard rule of thumb is your food cost should not exceed 15% of your income. If you earn $1,000 per week, your food budget should not exceed $150. To ensure you do not exceed your budget, use the calculator function on your smartphone to keep a running total of the items you put in your cart.
2. Plan your weekly menu and make a list of items you
need. Studies show that people spend less when they go to the store with a list. Purchasing only what is needed to complete the weekly menu guards against buying excess items that may spoil or accumulate in the pantry. Reducing excess purchasing also helps keep store shelves stocked so items are available to others who may need them. 3. Shop for sales and use coupons. As you plan your menu and make your shopping list, check your store’s sales ads. You no longer have to purchase the local newspaper to find the sales ads. Most stores post their savings ads online. Likewise, discount coupons are available through various online and social media sites such as coupons.com and savings.com. 4. Participate in store loyalty programs. I recently checked out at a local supermarket and the register total was $20 higher than I had calculated. When I questioned it, the clerk asked if I was using the loyalty program pricing. Of course, I was and I had simply forgotten to present my card before checking out. The clerk was gracious enough to re-ring my items to get the discount. It not only saved me about 15% of the total bill, it also provided a discount on fuel purchased at the store’s fuel center. 5. Preserve fresh foods when they are available. September is a time when many fresh fruits and vegetables are available in abundance at a low cost. Research the best ways to preserve these items and recruit the family to participate in the process. It is a good way to store foods now for use during the winter months when their price in the store is higher.
I also want to encourage those of you who have been blessed with an abundance and spend less than 15% of your income on food to give generously to your local food pantry to help those who are experiencing food insecurity. For Jesus said:
“When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12-14)
If you are experiencing difficulty providing food for your family, there are many resources available to help. If you have access to the Internet, search “food assistance programs near me” for a list of available food assistance programs. You can also call your local office of the Department of Health and Welfare for assistance. It doesn’t appear that we will see relief from inflation anytime soon. However, you can mitigate the impact on your grocery bill by following these tips to control costs. Also, please support those less fortunate who experience Terry Frisk the hardship that the spiraling food costs cause through giving to food assistance programs. Your generosity will be rewarded. Take care and may God bless! n Terry Frisk is a partner in the firm B2B CFO, providing financial advisory services to small businesses. He also counsels individuals on personal financial matters through the Cathedral of the Rockies Budget Counseling ministry. He may be contacted through e-mail at terry_frisk@msn.com.
MAXIMUM Health Some healthy tips for back-to-school days
By Rosie Main
Editor’s note: If you’re still trying to play catch-up for the new school year, this article is for you, with helpful hints for all things school-related – from a healthy perspective for both body and mind.
Transitions can feel like a challenge for everyone. One minute, you’re relaxing by the pool or returning from a stress-free vacation. The next, you’re stocking up on the upcoming year’s school supplies and registering your child for classes.
And then, before you know it, the first school day begins.
A new school year means back to basics and a renewed mindset toward focus and functionality. Life becomes a lot more structured come late August or early September. Shifting gears might feel challenging, but transitioning from summer bliss to fall’s formality shouldn’t feel very difficult.
These strategies can help as your child – and you! – make that pivotal transition from relaxed, carefree summer days to the structure of fall and a new school year.
Get the Right Backpack
Whether your child prefers a fashion-forward or fitnessforward backpack, weight matters. Many professionals recommend children carry no more than 10-15 percent of their body weight in their backpacks, but many carry a bag above that weight.
How your child wears a backpack matters too. Wearing one incorrectly – on only one shoulder, or straps too tight or loose – or lugging a poorly designed backpack can lead to spinal compression, and create shoulder, neck, and back pain. Poorly designed backpacks or backpacks carried incorrectly can also create bad posture and potential injury.
You and your child can feel better with the right backpack using these four tips. 1. Buy the right one. A good backpack helps properly carry gear while preventing injury. Invest in quality and spend the time to find the right one. A waist strap can add extra support. Alternately, consider a rolling backpack. Read reviews online to ensure you’re buying a well-designed, built-to-last bag. 2. Ensure the right fit. Make sure the backpack has equally distributed weight. Encourage children to use both straps, properly positioned. Remember that different thicknesses of clothing might require your child to readjust the straps. 3. Support good posture. Being mindful about posture goes beyond just finding the right backpack. Standing up straight and avoiding slouching can mean less back pain, reducing the potential for injury, and fostering a healthier spine. Plus, remind your child they look a lot better when they stand up straight. 4. Encourage an as-needed basis. Backpacks weren’t intended to be worn for hours on end. Whenever they can, encourage your child to take off the backpack. They’ll feel more comfortable and their spine will appreciate their effort. 32 September / October 2022 | Christian Living
Pack a Healthy Lunch
Research shows lunch programs that include fruits and vegetables help reinforce a child’s preferences for these foods. They have healthy options to choose from, and their peers eat those same healthy foods.
Unfortunately, not every school presents that option. Some offer less-than-stellar food options, while other schools might not provide lunch at all. These four tips can make lunchtime healthier for your children and less stressful for you. 1. Get your kids involved. Packing lunches makes a great opportunity to establish healthy habits your kids will use for life. Be creative and make healthier versions of their favorites. You can always use a lettuce wrap or gluten-free tortilla to replace bread. Sliced carrots or apples with little servings of almond butter also pack well. So do little bags of healthy trail mix or raw nuts. 2. Foster mindfulness. Studies show children eat lunch too quickly. Time constraints and peer pressure contribute to this, but so do the habits kids learn at home. Encouraging kids to eat slowly and mindfully at breakfast and dinner can carry over into their potentially rushed school lunchtime. Remind them to chew slowly. It helps with digestion. 3. Create a lunch co-op, and share in the work. If you’re among health-minded moms and dads, you might consider designating lunch duties to one person in the group every week. This takes some financial planning and commitment, but it can also make healthy lunches easier while saving you time. 4. Teach kids to do the best they can. Even the most well-organized parent forgets to pack lunch or finds their kids having to choose unhealthy school lunches. Teach your child to make the healthiest option. That might mean pulling the grilled chicken breast off the bun or eating sweet potato fries rather than regular fries. Every little effort counts towards a healthier lifestyle and fosters the right attitude for life.
Eat Healthy Snacks
Packing a healthy lunch or eating one at school should keep your kid full and focused all afternoon. But everyone gets the munchies, and a healthy snack can provide an energy boost and mid-afternoon satisfaction.
Unfortunately, snacking is where children – and adults – get in trouble. You know the scenario: You send your kid a healthy lunch, but they visit their friend’s home after school, where they serve homemade brownies or potato chips.
Try these four ways to avoid unhealthy foods from entering your kids’ pathway. 1. Pack grab-and-go bags. You can pack nuts, seeds, healthy trail mix, and apple slices with almond butter in baggies that kids can conveniently grab whenever they want something to munch on. A little prep work
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will save you money while ensuring your kids aren’t reaching for candy bars or corn chips for snacks.
2. Upgrade their favorite foods to
healthy ones. Healthy snacking doesn’t mean deprivation or eating boring foods. Nearly any food can be “healthified.” Take crackers: Our Gluten-free, Grainless Crackers provide the perfect munch without junky ingredients in boxed crackers. 3. Make a protein shake. This fast, filling snack or mini-meal also provides you the opportunity to slip in healthy ingredients like leafy greens and freshly ground flaxseed that your kids wouldn’t normally eat. Blend healthy fats like coconut milk and avocado with grass-fed whey protein and frozen berries. Play around with consistency and texture until your child finds a shake they love. 4. Make healthy popsicles. Nothing quite satisfies on a hot day like a popsicle. Blend grass-fed whey protein with unsweetened coconut milk and berries, pour into molds, and freeze. These will go quickly so make several batches.
Become Engaged Socially, Academically, and Creatively
Kids deal with a lot of stress these days: They may feel the stress to excel academically, they undergo peer pressure, and they experience the stress of our fast-paced life. As adults, that probably feels like a lot of pressure. Imagine what it might feel like for your child.
The answer involves taking things gradually, mindfully, and cultivating a routine they can use for life. Being involved – with academics, with family and friends, and in extracurricular activities – plays an important role in a child’s upbringing. These four tips can help. 1. Identify, but don’t label. Calling a child “shy,” “anxious,” or other terms can reinforce labels and amplify those
labels. Encourage children to develop their own personality, teach them that it’s okay to feel socially awkward sometimes, and foster the encouragement to develop socially rather than isolate themselves. 2. Cultivate community. Some children thrive in social situations. Others need encouragement. Even the most introverted child needs some sort of social outlet. That might be volunteering, creating a book club, or finding Rosie Main an age-appropriate Meetup group with likeminded people.
3. Find ways to make learning more en-
joyable. “Do your homework.” If that elicits a groan or sigh from your child, you’ll want to find ways to make the work less cumbersome or frustrating. Consider rewarding effort rather than the outcome, and allow them to make mistakes. For older kids, encourage seeing the big picture. You can find something interesting in even the most seemingly boring subject, and even if that feels like a struggle, everybody has to do things they don’t like sometimes. Tell them that making the effort to achieve a goal can create a sense of satisfaction. 4. Be aware of underlying feelings. Some children have trouble expressing the anxiety, depression, or stress they feel at school, home, or otherwise. You can’t take away these emotions, but you can identify them and help children cope with them. If your child feels stressed out, for instance, you can help them learn to better manage their time and take better care of themselves. Getting good sleep and not over-scheduling can also alleviate those feelings. Remember to be the example you want them to learn. With the right mindset and these strategies, you can create a healthy school year for your kids. n If you have questions or need more information, text Rosie Main at (208) 859-6170 or email her at rjmaindc@yahoo.com. Image by ambermb from Pixabay
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