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Our Polarization & Our Echo Chambers Page 4 Blessing of the Badges Page 9 Whats in Your Attic? Joe Pellegrino Page 13 6

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An Urban Upper Room NYC LEADERSHIP CENTER HOSTS MOVEMENT DAY GLOBAL CITIES

FELLOWSHIP FOR PERFORMING ARTS Fellowship for Performing Arts and Max McLean present “Martin Luther on Trial” and “C.S. Lewis Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert” at the Pearl Theatre, 555 W 42nd St., Manhattan. “Martin Luther on Trial,” now through Jan. 29. “C.S. Lewis Onstage,” Feb. 8April 2. For tickets (group discounts available), visit wwwFPAtheatre.com.

MICHAEL W. SMITH Michael W. Smith in concert at Carnegie Hall with The Prestonwood Choir and True North Symphony Orchestra, Feb. 12, 7 p.m. For tickets, visit www.carnegiehall.org; call (212) 247-7800.

PASTOR’S PRAYER SUMMIT Concerts of Prayer Greater New York hosts the annual Pastors’ Prayer Summit, Jan. 23-25, at the Nanuet Doubletree Hotel, Nanuet, N.Y. Featuring Dr. A.R. Bernard, David Bryant, Dr. Tony Evans, Dimas Salaberrios, Rev. Bill Devlin, and Bishop Reford Mott. The Pastors’ Prayer Summit is an annual event with the purpose of strengthening pastors and ministry leaders so that they can be revived and renewed to carry out the call on their lives to serve God, their family, church and ministries. To register, visit www.copgny.org.

CALVIN COLLEGE JANUARY SERIES Cedar Hill Church in Wyckoff, NJ will host simulcasts of Calvin College’s annual cultural enrichment presentations. The January Series, held January 4-24 at Calvin, will be videostreamed at Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church (422 Cedar Hill Ave.) from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. The series is free and open to the public.

Dr. Jayakumar Christian addresses the Movement Day audience. Photo courtesy of The New York City Leadership Center, Carmen Vaught

By Tom Campisi uring the opening moments of Movement Day Global Cities, Dr. Mac Pier set a high standard with some lofty expectations for the three-day conference, which was held this fall at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. “My hope is that God will use this time together like an urban upper room—an urban Pentecost that will be a historic expression of the gospel across the great cities of the globe,” Pier said. With 3,000 Christian leaders from 95 countries converging on Manhattan, his reference to the first two chapters of Acts was fitting. Pier is the executive director of the New

York City Leadership Center, the host of Movement Day since 2010. This year’s conference, with an emphasis on global cities, was produced in collaboration with The Lausanne Movement. In between the opening exhortation by Pier and closing ceremonies that included an exuberant international flag procession, believers of many tribes and tongues worshipped, prayed, heard dynamic messages, and rolled up their sleeves to advance the kingdom of God in their cities. The event, held Oct. 25-27, examined how gospel movements impact global cities by affecting urban social challenges, including the refugee crisis, human trafficking, pover-

ty, fatherlessness, and under-performing education. Plenary speakers included: Dr. Tim Keller (Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Manhattan), Dr. A. R. Bernard (Christian Cultural Center, Brooklyn), Dr. Luis Palau, Dr. Michael Oh (executive director of The Lausanne Movement, Nagoya, Japan), Vandana Kripalani (Set Beautiful Free, Mumbai, India), and Dr. Jayakumar Christian (World Vision International). Movement Day 2016—with a wide range of tracks in addition to plenary sessions— was firmly centered on the importance of unity and how collaborative partnerships Continued on page 28

Post-election Reflection: Ears to Hear and the Courage to Respond By Jeremy Del Rio, Esq. fter the gloating, the hand-wringing, the lamenting and dread, the fact is that "We the People" spoke collectively to the nation on Election Day. The question now is whether we have ears to hear what was being said, and the courage to respond. Among the people I know, one thing is obvious: this was a deeply divided outcome which reflects a conflicted electorate struggling to choose between two deeply flawed candidates. Beyond a few idealists, demagogues, and partisan hacks, I don't know many people who enthusiastically pulled the lever FOR Secretary Clinton OR President-Elect Trump. There are at least three narratives about how Trump won. We need to hear them and

respond seriously to what each story tells us. The first story is that Trump's unapologetically narcissistic, misogynistic, racist, and xenophobic bluster and public lifestyle galvanized a bigoted base to turn out en masse to preserve a fading way of life. The fact that he won now has our most vulnerable neighbors, and the objects of that bluster - immigrants, Muslims, women, black and brown Americans, the poor and disenfranchised, people with disabilities afraid that he will carry out his threats to be Bully-in-chief. Racists and hate groups did indeed vote for Trump. But they alone could not have brought him victory. They were joined by millions of disaffected voters who generally reject racism, sexism, and sexual assault Continued on page 29

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FROMTHEPUBLISHER Our Polarization and Our Echo Chambers By Tom Campisi ately, I’ve been wondering why our country seems to be more divided than ever. The recent presidential election certainly made this apparent, but things have been simmering towards a boiling point for some time now. The polarization across racial, political, and social lines seems to be increasing on a daily basis. Why? As someone on the tail end of the baby boomer demographic, I believe echo chambers are partly to blame. “Echo chamber” is a term historically used by sound engineers to describe the reverberation of sound. When it comes to news media, Wikipedia describes an echo chamber as “a metaphorical description of a situation in which information, ideas, or beliefs are amplified or reinforced by transmission and repetition inside an enclosed system, where different or competing views are censored, disallowed, or otherwise underrepresented.” A Washington Post article analyzing the problem of echo chambers and Facebook pointed to a recent draft paper by sociologists Walter Quattrociocchi, Antonio Scala, and Cass Sunstein. The paper “found quantitative evidence of how users tend to promote their favorite narratives, form polarized groups, and resist information that doesn’t conform to their beliefs.” The way we consume media has radically changed over the last couple of decades, shifting from buffet-style to à la carte. When I grew up, there was this sense of community regarding television, radio, and even newspapers. Of course, we did not have cell phones and the Internet, but if you were really fortunate, your parents gave you an extra land line with your own phone number. Cable television came to our region around 1980, so most of my childhood was limited to channels 2 through 13. While today’s aficionados of 60-inch screens with 500 channels would be aghast at such a small menu, maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. If you Google “1970s popular TV shows,” you’ll come up with favorites like Happy Days, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, Mary Tyler Moore, Good Times, The Brady Bunch, and Love Boat, among others. I used to watch all of those shows, as did mostly everyone I knew, young and old. It was a major network village with a decent representation of race (especially if you add in Chico and the Man with the late Freddie Prinze). Yes, there were some stereotypes, but it was not unusual for a white youth like me to watch Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, or Good Times, and gain a little insight into

another race (and some good laughs). While some may argue that the sheer number of channels and programs available today (with cable television, Netflix, Hulu, etc.) offer a more diverse range, I don’t think it’s necessarily a good thing. Having fewer choices back then helped us experience the “Dyn-o-mite!” of J.J. or the social rise of George Jefferson, but today, the tendency is to gravitate towards what we love and we seldom leave our comfort zone. Many teens, and adults, don’t even watch regular television, but choose to binge watch their favorite shows online. This is even more apparent when it comes to music. We each can make our own Pandora radio stations with only the artist or artists we

up with liberal groupthink. Graduation speakers have been replaced. “Safe spaces” have been created for those poor young adults who can’t engage the marketplace of ideas. Dr. Tim Keller, speaking to a worldwide assembly of 3,000 Christian leaders at Movement Day in New York City this fall, said social media is a major challenge when it comes to discipleship and Jesus’ message of denying self. Our digital culture, Keller said, is contrary to the gospel: “It’s about doing what makes me happy… No one can tell me what is right and wrong.” And the challenge is even greater when it comes to youth.

“…How do we form disciples? How do we shape people as well as social media does?” – Dr. Tim Keller love. Again, this is a far cry from the 70s or the 80s when we listened to radio stations that played songs we loved and songs we didn’t. Back then, we also used to buy whole albums—but today we don’t have the patience for conventional radio or to listen to an entire album of songs. No, we would rather buy only our favorite songs for 99 cents each and build our own collection—or is it a fortress of solitude? Narcissistic and Narrow Still don’t believe our media habits are narcissistic and narrow? Take a look at Facebook. We “like” what we like. We accept whom we accept. According to our likes and dislikes and according to its algorithms, Facebook is happy to feed us a steady stream of “news” and ads that line up with our passions (and its profits). So instead of gathering our news from outlets that employ real journalists, we would rather create our personal-size media world on Facebook (even if a percentage of the stories are not true at all, according to Mark Zuckerberg’s own admission). After the election (and even before the election) a lot of pundits and people were criticizing college students for their softness and inability to handle viewpoints other than their own. Campuses cancelled classes. Students walked around like zombies on “The Walking Dead.” Some protested and rioted. Another recent phenomenon at our institutions of higher learning has been the censorship of people and ideas that don’t line

“The impact of social media is far greater than television ever was,” Keller said. “Your kids are locked on devices 24 hours a day. Churches have them for a couple of hours a week. How do we form disciples? How do we shape people as well as social media does?” A stiff challenge indeed, especially when we look at how social media and echo chambers can wreak havoc on the patience needed to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Faith and patience are often linked together in Scripture. James 1:4 says, “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” But how can we have patience if our selfmade, digital kingdoms foster instant gratification and contain only the people, voices, and news sources that reinforce our passions? How can our teens and young adults survive and thrive in a world different from their own? It’s time for us to step out of our comfort zones and live like the one who was radically different than us, yet said, “Come now, and let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” (Isaiah 1:18). It’s time for us to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). It’s time to get out of our echo chambers. Tom Campisi has served as the editor and publisher of the Tri-State Voice since 1995. He welcomes your comments about this article or anything that is happening in the Metro New York Christian community. E-mail him at Tom@Tristatevoice.com.

Clinton’s Critical Mistake: Ignoring Evangelicals By Emily Belz (WNS)—Reflecting on the Democratic party’s stunning loss in the presidential election, the former faith outreach director for President Barack Obama’s successful 2012 campaign said Hillary Clinton’s campaign made a critical mistake in ignoring evangelical voters. “We asked for the votes of evangelicals and the Clinton campaign didn’t,” said Michael Wear, who also led evangelical outreach for the faith-based office at the Obama White House. It’s a campaign, you ask for people’s votes. And Hillary asked for just about every vote except this group of voters.” White evangelicals make up about a

quarter of the electorate, and exit polls showed they voted for President-elect Donald Trump over Clinton 81-16 percent. That’s certainly not the only explanation for Trump’s political upset, but it is one piece. Obama won 26 percent of the white evangelical vote in 2008 and 20 percent in 2012. “Evangelicals feel embattled in this country,” Wear said. “Donald Trump’s case to evangelical voters was that he was the only one who cared about them…” The Clinton campaign press office never once responded to several inquiries from WORLD Magazine reporters throughout the election cycle. Campaign officials didn’t

bother because they didn’t think they needed white evangelicals. What was determinative in the election, in Wear’s analysis, was “Democrats’ assumptions about the voters they needed and the voters they didn’t need—and assumptions about what the electorate would look like.” On that topic, Wear thinks Clinton’s position on repealing the Hyde Amendment, which alienated many evangelicals, did not work out strategically in turning out white women voters. “Maybe pouring tens of millions of campaign dollars into how pro-choice your candidate is, maybe that’s not as motivating as some groups want to tell us it is,” Wear said.

A CHRISTIAN NEWS & E V E N T S P U B L I C AT I O N

The Tri-State Voice is an independent Christian newspaper, holding forth truth and traditional Judeo-Christian values as found in God’s Word, the Bible. We seek to increase awareness and activism among our readers in regards to biblical, moral, ethical, and political issues which affect the greater New York Christian community. Most of all, we are here to serve you. How do I list an event? Simply send a press release or announcement by February 18 for the Spring 2017 Edition. E-mail: tristatevoice@aol.com. How can I advertise my ministry or business? Advertising in the Tri-State Voice is affordable and effective and open to anyone seeking to reach the Christian community. Rates begin at $20 per quarter. To request an advertising rate card, call (201) 644-7062. How do I subscribe? To have the Tri-State Voice delivered to your home each quarter, send an e-mail request to tristatevoice@aol.com. For mailing address: Please inquire by sending an e-mail to: tristatevoice@aol.com. How can the Tri-State Voice be delivered to my church? The Tri-State Voice is delivered to churches within its coverage area at no charge. Churches outside the area must pay a postage fee. For info, call (201) 644-7062. How do I submit an editorial? Editorials should be 200 words or fewer and sent via e-mail or mail. E-mail: tristatevoice@aol.com. Publisher: Tom Campisi Assistant Editor: Rachel Mari Art Director: Dawn Massa, Lightly Salted Graphics Views expressed in the Tri-State Voice are those of the respective columnists and writers, and do not necessarily reﬂect those of the publisher, or the Tri-State Voice. Advertising in the Tri-State Voice is open to anyone desiring to reach the Christian community and is subject to approval, revision, and/or rejection at any time by the publisher. Publication of any advertisement does not constitute, either implied or inferred, an endorsement of services, products, or businesses advertised.

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Common Traits of Youth Who Don’t Leave the Church By Jon Nielson Editor’s note: The following article originally appeared at www.churchleaders.com. Reprinted with permission. What is it that sets apart the kids who stay in the church? “What do we do about our kids?” The group of parents sat together in my office, wiping their eyes. I was a high school youth pastor at the time, but for once, they weren’t talking about 16-yearolds drinking and partying. Each had a story to tell about a “good Christian” child, raised in their home and in our church, who had walked away from the faith during the college years. These children had come through our church’s youth program, gone on shortterm mission trips and served in several different ministries during their teenage years. Now, they didn’t want anything to do with it anymore. And, somehow, these mothers’ ideas for our church to send college students “care packages” during their freshman year to help them feel connected to the church didn’t strike me as a solution with quite enough depth. The daunting statistics about churchgoing youth keep rolling in. Panic ensues. What are we doing wrong in our churches? In our youth ministries? It’s hard to sort through the various reports and find the real story. And there is no one easy solution for bringing all of those “lost” kids back into the church, other than continuing to pray for them and speaking the gospel into their lives. However, we can all look at the 20-somethings in our churches who are engaged and involved in ministry. What is it that sets apart the kids who stay in the church? Here are just a few observations I have made about such kids, with a few applications for those who are serving in youth ministry. 1. They are converted. The Apostle Paul, interestingly enough, doesn’t use phrases like “nominal Christian” or “pretty good kid.” The Bible doesn’t seem to mess around with platitudes like: “Yeah, it’s a shame he did that, but he’s got a good heart.” When we listen to the witness of Scripture, particularly on the topic of conversion, we find that there is very little wiggle room. Listen to these words: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17). Youth pastors need to get back to understanding salvation as it really is: a miracle that comes from the glorious power of God through the working of the Holy Spirit. We need to stop talking about “good kids.” We need to stop being pleased with attendance at youth group and fun retreats. We need to start getting on our knees and praying that the Holy Spirit will do miraculous saving work in the

hearts of our students as the Word of God speaks to them. In short, we need to get back to a focus on conversion. How many of us are preaching to “unconverted evangelicals”? Youth pastors, we need to preach, teach, and talk—all the while praying fervently for the miraculous work of regeneration to occur in the hearts and souls of

them. We have entertained, not equipped, them … and it may indeed be time to panic! Forget your youth programs for a second. Are we sending out from our ministries the kind of students who will show up to college in a different state, join a church, and begin doing the work of gospel ministry there without ever

We need to stop talking about “good kids.” We need to stop being pleased with attendance at youth group and fun retreats. We need to start getting on our knees and praying that the Holy Spirit will do miraculous saving work in the hearts of our students as the Word of God speaks to them. our students by the power of the Holy Spirit! When that happens— when the “old goes” and the “new comes”—it will not be iffy. We will not be dealing with a group of “nominal Christians.” We will be ready to teach, disciple, and equip a generation of future church leaders—“new creations”!—who are hungry to know and speak God’s Word. It is converted students who go on to love Jesus and serve the church. 2. They have been equipped, not entertained. A few years ago, we had “man day” with some of the guys in our youth group. We began with an hour of basketball at the local park, moved to an intense game of 16” (“Chicago Style”) softball, and finished the afternoon by gorging ourselves on meaty pizzas and two-liters of soda. I am not against fun things in youth ministry. But youth pastors especially need to keep repeating the words of Ephesians 4:11-12 to themselves: “[Christ] gave … the teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Christ gives us—teachers—to the church, not for entertainment, encouragement, examples, or even friendship primarily. He gives us to the church to “equip” the saints to do gospel ministry in order that the church of Christ may be built up. If we have not equipped the students in our ministries to share the gospel, disciple a younger believer, and lead a Bible study, then we have not fulfilled our calling to them, no matter how good our sermons have been. We pray for conversion; that is all we can do, for it is entirely a gracious gift of God. But after conversion, it is our Christ-given duty to help fan into flame a faith that serves, leads, teaches, and grows. If our students leave high school without Bible-reading habits, Bible-study skills, and strong examples of discipleship and prayer, we have lost

being asked? Are we equipping them to that end, or are we merely giving them a good time while they’re with us? We don’t need youth group junkies; we need to be growing churchmen and churchwomen who are equipped to teach, lead, and serve. Put your youth ministry strategies aside as you look at that 16-year-old young man and ask: “How can I spend four years with this kid, helping him become the best church deacon and sixth-grade Sunday school class teacher he can be, 10 years down the road?” 3. Their parents preached the gospel to them. Youth pastors can’t do it all. All this equipping that I’m talking about is utterly beyond their limited capabilities. It is impossible for me to bring conversion, of course, but it is also impossible for me to have an equipping ministry that sends out vibrant churchmen and churchwomen if my ministry is not being reinforced tenfold in the students’ homes. The common thread that binds together almost every ministry-minded 20-something that I know is abundantly clear: a home where the gospel was not peripheral, but absolutely

central. The 20-somethings who are serving, leading, and driving the ministries at our church are kids whose parents made them go to church. They are kids whose parents punished them and held them accountable when they were rebellious. They are kids whose parents read the Bible around the dinner table every night. And they are kids whose parents were tough, but who ultimately operated from a framework of grace that held up the cross of Jesus as the basis for peace with God and forgiveness toward one another. This is not a formula! Kids from wonderful, gospel-centered homes leave the church; people from messed-up family backgrounds find eternal life in Jesus and have beautiful marriages and families. But it’s also not a crapshoot. In general, children who are led in their faith by parents who love Jesus vibrantly, serve their church actively, and saturate their home with the gospel completely, grow up to love Jesus and the church. The words of Proverbs 22:6 do not constitute a formula that is true 100 percent of the time, but they do provide us with a principle that comes from the gracious plan of God, the God who delights to see his gracious Word passed from generation to generation: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Youth pastors, pray with all your might for true conversion; that is God’s work. Equip the saints for the work of the ministry; that is your work. Parents, preach the gospel and live the gospel for your children; our work depends on you. John Nielson is Christian Union’s director of undergraduate ministry at Princeton University. Previously, he served as a high school pastor and college pastor at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois.

The article above was a prelude for Nielson’s recently-released book, Faith that Lasts: Raising Kids that Don’t Leave the Church (2016, CLC Publications). His previous books include Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide; The Story: The Bible's Grand Narrative of Redemption; and Bible Study: A Student's Guide

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Three Powerful Strategies to Prayer By Rev. David D. Ireland Editor’s note: The following article originally appeared at OnFaith.com. Reprinted with permission. esus highlighted the common-sense, rational side of prayer when He said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). The word ask is followed by seek, which is tailed by knock. Each word adds a more dynamic, forceful, and vigorous approach to your prayer for God’s help. This verse offers three powerful strategies to prayer, which will no doubt give your prayer life a boost. Strategy 1: Ask You can confidently approach God and ask for His help. The word ask means “to desire, to call for.” Jesus said that we are to ask. And the asking must be done in anticipation of receiving. This speaks of faith. The asking phase of prayer highlights the ease of prayer. It underscores the eager willingness of God to respond to our pleas for help. That is why Jesus closed out the teaching on prayer by illustrating how eager a father is to answer his son’s request for a fish. If the son asks for a fish, his dad will give him a fish—not a snake or any harmful gift (Luke 11:11–13). When we ask, we should confidently wait to receive. This is what Jesus taught. When Christian daredevil Nik Wallenda became the first person to walk on a tightrope across the Niagara Falls, he took steady, measured steps. On June 15, 2012, Wallenda walked 1,800 feet across the roaring falls. To accomplish this feat, he says he did “a lot of praying, that is for sure.” Wallenda focused on succeeding and not on failing. He prayed in faith, not

doubt. And his prayers were answered. In this instance, Wallenda asked, and God answered. There was no resistance in the spiritual realm. There was no need for Wal-

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:12–13). lenda to move his prayer efforts to the next level—the level of seeking, which we will explore next. When you receive an immediate answer or one that does not experience any delay, you know that the prayer effort does not call for a more intense prayer strategy. Strategy 2: Seek But not all prayers are answered suddenly. In instances when you don’t receive an answer or you experience a sense of uneasiness, you may need to move your prayer efforts to the next level—seeking. That is the additional attitude Jesus teaches us to have when it comes to prayer. It can easily appear as if God is silent. But don’t be mistaken, even if God is silent, His silence does not necessarily translate into a no. It may be that we must move our prayer efforts to seeking. To seek means to search out, to inquire, to pursue an answer from God. This seeking after God is focused, passionate, and intense. It happens when our need is so great that we concentrate our prayer efforts on finding the mind of God—His solution, His remedy to our dilemma.

This recommended behavior is not one that promotes stubbornness or a flawed theology. It’s just the opposite. The prophet Jeremiah declared, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:12–13). God initiated the use of this approach. He invites us to seek Him. Jesus simply highlighted it as He taught on prayer. God uses this delay to mature you by teaching you to pursue Him in prayer. This method of prayer builds relationship. It deepens your confidence in the Almighty to provide you with needed help. It moves your relationship with God away from the surface and takes it into the deep waters—the place where true intimacy occurs. While seeking God, we search our hearts to determine if we’ve offended Him by our behavior, thoughts, or other undesirous acts. During these times of seeking, we appeal for forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration of biblical practices. We want nothing to hinder God’s willingness to answer our prayers. We want nothing to hinder the purity of our relationships with God. Seeking God gives us a focused time to accomplish what John Owen, the Puritan preacher, calls “true prayer.” In his book, Communion with God, he says, “In true prayer, the Spirit of Christ reveals to us our own needs, so that we can take these needs to Christ.” If there is a need for repentance, it is brought to our attention in this extended time of seeking God. If God has a conflict with us, the Holy Spirit will make it known that we’ve consciously or unconsciously done something to dis-

please God. We need to settle it before He can respond to our request. Strategy 3: Knock Jesus assures us, “Knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7). So the third level of prayer engagement when facing resistance is knocking. To knock repeatedly on someone's door— God’s door—reflects one thing: you have confidence your knock will be answered. Knocking on His door suggests that we’re battling spiritual forces through a concentrated time of soul-searching, fasting, and focused prayers. These disciplines are all part and parcel of warfare praying. They are not the arm-twisting behavior of Christians attempting to manipulate God. Such an outlook is not scriptural. Jesus invites us to knock until the door is opened. In His humanity, He often fasted and went on private prayer retreats to discern the will of God. These times of prevailing prayer also provided Him with the needed strength to do the will of God. Are you willing to engage God on that level? We are in a high-stakes spiritual war. We must see ourselves as soldiers in combat. Luxury and civilian-like living is not our posture. It’s vital that we take seriously the teachings of Jesus as it relates to prayer.

God is willing to do His part. He’s willing to open His coffers and grant our requests. We must do our part. Knock in prayer! If we apply this threefold strategy to our prayers, we should be able to maximize our results while minimizing our frustrations. Being clear minded and self-controlled helps us not only to pray, but also to pray more strategically (1 Pet. 4:7). To become clear minded, you have to set aside uninterrupted time to seek God. You cannot pray strategically if you’re running from one emergency to another. Or if your schedule is so tight that your mind is cluttered with an extensive to-do list, strategic praying goes out the window. As you bring greater balance to your life and schedule, you will automatically reap the benefits in your prayer life. Your prayers will become more effective and more strategic. David D. Ireland is the senior pastor of Christ Church, a multisite church in northern New Jersey with a membership of 8,000. He is a diversity consultant to the NBA and author of some 20 books, including The Weapon of Prayer, and Raising a Child Who Prays. For more information please visit ChristChurchUSA.org, @DrDavidIreland, and DavidIreland.org.

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The Blessing of the Badges By Tom Campisi hese are often tense, trying times for police officers all across America. For Sgt. Ron Martin of the Summit Police Department, the annual Blessing of the Badges is a way to bring comfort and protection to his force and also build bridges into the community. In August, Martin was the featured speaker at the 5th Annual Blessing of the Badges at the Village Green in Summit, New Jersey. The event was part of the National Night Out, an annual communitybuilding campaign that promotes policecommunity partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. In attendance were officers with the Summit Police Department and other law enforcement personnel and civil servants, including members of the FBI, bomb squad, state police, fire department, emergency medical services, and military. Martin, an ordained minister and police chaplain, exhorted the crowd to hold on to their dreams and overcome discouragement. “I am so proud to be a part of this family,” he said. “You did not give up on your dream to one day wear a badge on your chest. That badge signifies that you are dedicated, you are loyal, and you are committed to keeping the peace and serving our community, our state, and our country.” The 25-year police veteran said the Blessing of the Badges helps break down walls. It was a powerful scene, he said, as local ministers and members of the community surrounded the law enforcement personnel as they bowed their knees in prayer. “These men and women proudly wear

SGT. RON MARTIN AND THE POWER OF PRAYER

The 25-year police veteran said the Blessing of the Badges helps break down walls. It was a powerful scene, he said, as local ministers and members of the community surrounded the law enforcement personnel as they bowed their knees in prayer. their badges with pride and integrity each and every day. We prayed over each and every one and for every community across America. “We are not only one nation under God, we are one community under God,” Martin said. “We are working together to make Summit a safer, stronger community to work, play, and educate our children.” Each spring, Martin also is a leader with the Unity Tour and Blessing of the Badges event in Washington, D.C. with Rev. Greg

Sgt. Ron Martin prays during the Unity Tour and Blessing of the Badges event in Washington, D.C.

Boyle, who is retired from the West Orange (N.J.) Police Department. A member of Faith Fellowship Ministries World Outreach Center in Sayreville, New Jersey, Martin has preached at various churches in the United States. When he retires from the police department, he hopes “to bring God's message of salvation through Jesus Christ, into the uttermost parts of the world.” Martin, who earned a bachelor’s degree in theology, has also appeared on Trinity Broadcasting Network’s daily show, Praise the Lord! He resides in Summit with his wife Karen and their teenage daughter. The sergeant is encouraged to be salt and light as a policeman when he reads verses

like Romans 13:1 (“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities…The authorities that exist have been established by God.”). “The Bible declares that police are charged with keeping the peace and doing God’s work. The badge is a symbol of authority,” he said. And Martin covets the prayers of the saints for his brothers and sisters in blue, especially in today’s volatile climate. “This is a tough job,” Martin said. “We need to continue to pray for our law enforcement officers across the country. We need to be united and not divided.” For information on Ron Martin Ministries, visit www.rmartinministries.org.

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How to Make the Changes You Want in the New Year By Elise Daly Parker, LBC ow do you mark the New Year? Do you make resolutions? Do you embrace a theme? Or maybe you’re a “One Word for the New Year” type like me. Basically, each December, I take some quiet time with God and prayerfully choose a word that will guide or challenge me throughout the upcoming year. (In case you’re not familiar with the concept of One Word for the New Year and it sounds intriguing, you can find out more by checking out a few articles on the subject at CirclesOfFaith.org.) While the Bible does not suggest we make resolutions, it does instruct us to be mindful and reflective. Lamentations 3:40 says, “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” Regardless of how we mark our New Year, it presents a perfect opportunity to reflect back over the past, ask ourselves a few questions, and determine some adjustments or changes we’d like to make. Designate time specifically for this process. Then grab a journal, computer, smartphone, or whatever works best for you to record your thoughts. Invite God into the process. This first step in the process of change is called assessment. Here are some questions you

can use to assess the last year: 1. What am I most pleased and most disappointed about regarding the past year? 2. How did my life best and least reflect my values…what I believe to be true and important? 3. What was a change or improvement I succeeded in making? What change or improvement did I want to make but didn’t? 4. What was most satisfying and dissatisfying about my: • Career/employment? • Family life? • Personal development? • Spiritual life? • Health and fitness? • Relationships - Extended family and friends? • Finances? • Marriage or romantic relationships? • Friendships? • Personal Order – Organization, time management, keeping priorities? • Leisure – travel, downtime, relaxation, hobbies, recreation? • Physical Environment – Home, car, yard, neighborhood? Once you’ve assessed where you are right now, you can think about where you’d like to go in the next year.

The whole New Year resolution concept can seem so enticing, yet end up being disappointing. We often set unrealistic goals, or try to change too much in too short a time. We can become so over-

what is one goal you can set? For example, let’s say your goal is to eat healthier. Take These Three Steps to Continue the Process of Change: Action – What action can you

The whole New Year resolution concept can seem so enticing, yet end up being disappointing. We often set unrealistic goals, or try to change too much in too short a time. whelmed that we give up. In fact, less than half of us keep our resolutions beyond six months. How can this year be different? How can we set goals that are realistic and attainable? Resolve to Change Just One Thing Through prayer and a few quiet moments, ask God to highlight the one area of your life that most needs changing. Once you’ve successfully made that one change, and established a new habit, start working on making another change. I have found the “4 A’s” to be effective in moving us from where we are to where we want to be. If you’ve answered the questions above, you’ve already completed the first A, which is assessment. Now based on your assessment,

take to reach your goal? Be specific here. Make the goal something measurable like “I will limit my intake of carbohydrates and sugars, with an emphasis on eating whole food as opposed to processed food.” Accountability - Okay, great. You've set a goal on which you can act. Now how will you be accountable to that goal? Will you find a buddy who will come alongside you and encourage you and sometimes challenge you? Will you join a weight control program or meet with a nutritionist? How will you track your food,? On paper? Using an app? Or using an activity tracker, such as a Fitbit, that allows you to track your food as well as your steps and exercise? And don’t forget God…He’s standing by to support you, too. Reach out to Him whenev-

er you feel your resolve weakening. Achievement – Through a process of assessment, action, and accountability, we set ourselves up for successfully achieving our goal. We can make the changes we desire to make. Once we’ve celebrated our achievement, it’s time to begin this powerful and effective cycle of change again. Take some time to assess where you are today and where you’d like to be next year. Ask God to provide wisdom and insight. After all, He knows best what we need to change. He knows our weaknesses…and He’s the One who empowers us to make the changes that are for our good. So this year, choose to make one change at a time. You’ll find those small changes add up! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Elise Daly Parker LBC, is a certified Life Breakthrough Coach, writer, and speaker. She is the executive editor of CirclesOfFaith.org – "Where Friends Grow Faith, Enhance Life, and Build Community" and co-host of the Circles Of Faith Slices of Life Podcast. She believes we all have stories that matter--big life bios and small meaningful moments that reflect God’s glory. These stories are meant to be examined and shared because they have the power to inform, reform, and transform.

Oasis Ministries International Offers Retreats, Bible Studies for Women, Tweens, and Teens

he mission of Oasis Ministries International is “gathering women and girls to be renewed by the Word of God.” The New Jersey-based ministry started as a small group in 2008 by its president, April Sliwak. “God gave me a vision in my mother’s kitchen to bring women together, share testimonies, and create community,” she said. In its inaugural year, Oasis hosted a retreat for 36 and four support team volunteers. Last year, at the 8th annual Lenten Retreat, nearly 200 women attended, with 40 volunteers providing support. In 2016, Oasis Ministries International extended to an independent, non-profit ministry for women and girls.

“We are seeking to extend the church beyond Sundays by offering opportunities to gather and share testimonies, build authentic relationships, and grow in faith by applying the Word of God to our lives,” said Sliwak. Through the Girls’ Ministry of Oasis, middle school and high school age girls are being empowered to know their worth and how to live a life of godly values. The ministry offers gatherings which demonstrate God’s truth and equip them to make wise choices using biblical tools to build their faith. “In Oasis Ministries International, we emulate the Titus 2 woman’s calling to share our faith journey and raise up a community

of younger women. We pass the baton onto the next generation so they can be encouraged, empowered, and equipped,” said Sliwak. The ministry is looking forward to its next two retreats. On February 4, Oasis will host its Second New Jersey Girls’ Retreat in Montclair, New Jersey. On March 11, the Ninth Annual Lenten Retreat will be held in Lincoln Park, New Jersey. Additionally, there are various opportunities for women and girls to connect throughout the year with Bible studies in Paramus, Montclair, and Brick, New Jersey. For more information on Oasis Ministries International, go to www.oasisministriesintl.com. You can also connect with the ministry on Facebook and Instagram.

ATTENTION STUDENT WRITERS The Tri-State Voice is seeking articles from student writers at Christian high schools and colleges for its new Web site, www.TriStateVoice.com — “Metro New York’s Online Source for Christian News & Events.” For information and story requirements, e-mail Publisher Tom Campisi at tom@tristatevoice.com.

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MUSINGS OF A LEGACY MINDED MAN

The Slippery Slope of Dishonesty

What’s in Your Attic?

(WNS)—Every time Pinocchio lied, his nose grew longer. Of course, a real boy’s nose does not change when he lies, but his brain might, according to a new research study published in Nature Neuroscience. Researchers at the University College London (UCL) have discovered the brain actually changes the way it responds when someone continues to lie. For the vast majority of people, the brain area known as the amygdala begins a rapid-fire response when a person is dishonest, producing uncomfortable emotions and un-

By Joe Pellegrino or a few years, my wife had been on me to clean up the attic. Now I am a very organized guy, but I view the attic as a place where old memories retire and disturbing that hallowed place did not seem like something that I wanted to do, much less make a priority. Bottom line… I wanted my past to continue to be a part of my life. However, one day, in a moment of obvious weakness, my wife asked me once more to clean the attic, and I finally agreed. As I began to wade through the cobwebs and splintery floor, I saw all the “stuff” that she wanted me to get rid of. Now much of it had resided there for the 20 years that we lived in the house. I decided the best way to do the job was to take EVERYTHING down and spread it out over the driveway. It took me a few hours to get everything down, but once I did, I had the joy of going through all the things I had saved and were important to me at one time. This included college textbooks (really? why was I saving these!!), tons of sports magazines, old pictures, and sports memorabilia. It was then that I made a bold decision to cut ties with the majority of the stuff that had been gathering dust over the years. But in order to do that, I needed to go through every single piece! You know it was kinda fun looking through my old stuff, like seeing some of the things I had written when I was 10! But it was not too long until the joy turned to anger. Why? Because

What needs to change in your life to ensure your true legacy is one that brings a smile to the faces of those whose lives you have touched? buried in all my sports magazines, I found “the past.” You know what I mean by the past, right? Things that you would not want ANYBODY else to see! All I could think about was what would have happened if I had died and my family went through all the stuff and they found my “past.” It really angered me because I am not that man anymore, yet why was I holding on to some of these things that have no part of who I am today? No one was more surprised than me to find those things—I thought I got rid of them long ago. Needless to say, I loaded up my car and went to the dump and got rid of almost everything. I am happy to report to you (and my wife) that the attic is clean, in more ways than one!

The harsh reality is that what was in my attic was actually my legacy. My question to you is: what is in your attic or closet or desk or computer? The good news is that as long as you have breath in your lungs, you can work on your “legacy attic.” But in order to clean that attic you need to start at the foundation. What needs to change in your life to ensure your true legacy is one that brings a smile to the faces of those whose lives you touched? Remember, life is God’s gift to us; the legacy we leave is our gift to Him! Joe Pellegrino, the founder of Legacy Minded Men, is an author, speaker, consultant, and Certified Life Coach for Not Just An Average Joe, LLC. Have thoughts of your own? Send them to joe@notjustanaveragejoe.com. ©2016 Not Just An Average Joe, LLC.

Local Authors Write Transformed: 7 Pillars of a Legacy Minded Man oe Pellegrino and Jack Redmond have an important, lifechanging message for men in their book, Transformed: 7 Pillars of a Legacy Minded Man (Broadstreet Publishing, August 2016). According to the authors, men are wired to move forward, fix things, to conquer! The stronger you are, the more you will live and achieve. But, all men must ask themselves two questions: 1. What foundation am I building my life on? 2. What is my game plan to win in life and build my legacy? Transformed begins by talking about building the strongest foundation possible. Whether building a house or stronger muscles, it requires time, energy, and a plan. Transformed then gives a 7-step plan to win in life and to build a strong legacy for the future: • PRAYER maintains relationship with God • PERSONA, or who we really

are, is discovered through relationship • PURITY maintains unbroken relationship with God as our leader • PURPOSE is experienced under God’s leadership • PRIORITIES bring focus to actually live our purpose • PERSEVERANCE lets us live our priorities to achieve purpose • POWER is released as the result of the first 6 pillars Pellegrino is an author, speaker, publisher, consultant, and certified life coach. He is also the founder of Legacy Minded Men. He and his wife Bethanne have three children and reside in Wayne, New Jersey. Redmond is the founder and president of Jack Redmond Ministries and is the Church Mobilization Pastor of Christ Church in Rockaway, New Jersey. He holds an M. Ed. from Columbia University

and a B.A. in education from Rowan University. Jack and his wife are the parents of four children. Transformed is an extension of Legacy Minded Men ministry, which exists “to Engage, Encourage, and Equip men of God to build a Christ-centered legacy.” T h e m i n i s t r y’ s w e b s i t e i s www.LegacyMindedMen.org.

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pleasant physical reactions. Our heart beats faster, blood pressure escalates, and we begin to perspire. A polygraph machine is designed to detect these physiological changes and alert an investigator that a person may be lying. It is these unpleasant sensations that discourage someone from continuing to lie. But the UCL researchers found when people lie repeatedly, the amygdala settles down and decreases its response, making it easier to lie again and initiating a slippery slope of dishonesty.

Study: Celebrities Influence Out-of-Wedlock births (WNS)—Fifty years ago, only about 8 percent of babies in the United States were born to single women. Today that figure is over 40 percent. Although sociologists point to many reasons for the disturbing trend, a new study just presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, indicates the huge increase of babies born out-of-wedlock may, at least in part, be due to the way in which mainstream media portrays the lifestyles of the rich and famous. According to the study, celebrity lifestyles have had a huge impact on social norms and the makeup of the traditional

American family. Hanna GrolProkopczyk, the study’s author and a sociologist at the University at Buffalo, analyzed nearly 400 cover stories from People magazine between the premier issue in 1974 and the present to learn when interest in celebrity pregnancies began and how the magazine changed the way it presented the family over time. GrolProkopczyk found that in the earlier years, although unmarried celebrities usually did not apologize for getting pregnant, the family model still encouraged couples to marry by the time the baby was born.

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Love with Teeth By Juan Galloway President, NYC Relief have four kids that I have tucked into bed throughout their childhood. Even now, as teenagers, I still try to visit them right before they fall asleep so that I can have one more moment alone with them just to be closer. Who tucks in the homeless at night? Who watches over them and prays for their dreams to come true? New York City Relief Outreach Leader Lauren Lee describes just such a thing. She said, “Every Thursday night, I have the privilege of helping Mardum make his cardboard bed right outside of St. Francis of Assisi Church. He speaks very little English, but our weekly encounter has grown from a handshake to a hug, a smile to a kiss on the cheek, from a ‘How are you doing?’ to a ‘Can you pray for me?’” Why would Lauren do such a thing? She is living out one of the core values of New York City Relief. She is living out the heart of God. Not a schmaltzy love that is just fuzzy feelings that are unquantifiable. This is love that has teeth. Lauren backs up what she believes with action. The proof is in the pudding and her actions speaks louder than words. At New York City Relief, we have four core values and the C in C.O.R.E. stands for compassion. In our world, we describe this as: Tangibly demonstrating God’s love for the poor through humble service. There is a famous phrase you may have heard, “Talk is cheap.” Sometimes in the church, we are quick to talk about compas-

sion, but slow to do acts of compassion. Compassion is an experience, not a concept. If you haven’t experienced compassion, you may not have experienced Jesus. The prophet Isaiah described what Jesus’ life on earth would look like: Compassion lavished, love extravagant… So he became their Savior. In all their troubles, he was troubled, too. He didn’t send someone else to help them. He did it himself, in person (Isaiah 63:7, 9) The root of the word compassion is “suffer with.” Pity is different than compassion. When I think of pity, I think of someone encountering someone else’s suffering and thinking, “that’s a shame.” When Jesus encountered suffering, He suffered, too. He felt people’s pain. The Bible says He was moved with compassion. His love was so great that He could not stand to sit by idly. He was compelled to do something for the sick, hungry, lost, and hurting. Rather than receiving compassion, most people challenged with homelessness get kicked when they are down. They get treated like con artists, leeches, and irresponsible losers. People with addictions are similarly treated as social lepers. We certainly don’t want to take on the burden of their problems. God helps those who help themselves, right? But, how did Jesus treat actual lepers who were diseased, despised, and

contagious? Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compas-

Rather than receiving compassion, most people challenged with homelessness get kicked when they are down. sion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed (Mark 1:40-42). Here is a good litmus test to determine if we have the heart of God burning in us: Are we “moved with compassion?” Do the things that break God’s heart break our hearts too? There is a reason why we don’t always go there. It hurts to love people in distress. It’s not easy. It’s what has compelled our staff and volunteers during a Relief Bus outreach to sometimes take off their own winter coats or shoes and give them to someone who is freezing. Compassion costs us something. If our love isn’t tangible, if our love has no action, I’m not sure it’s really love.

The American way to help the poor can come across pretty high-handed. We swing in on our rope to save the day with a bag full of oversimplified answers. Here are the four spiritual laws; here’s the Romans Road. Boom! Love goes deeper than that. Love gets down on the sidewalk like Lauren Lee and listens. But then the question is, “How do we act? How do we lead people who are hurting to freedom and healing?” Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Like Jesus, we are called to serve. To become a servant means that we lower ourselves in order to lift someone else up. This lowering is called humility. An all-powerful God who came in the form of a weak human baby and then ultimately laid down His life for us by suffering torture and the death of a criminal paints the picture. Philippians 2:7 says that Jesus emptied Himself; He became nothing by taking the form of a servant or slave. He threw away image and reputation. He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on the cross. Jesus is calling us to walk in His footsteps, take up our cross, and imitate His life of love. What does this look like? It looks like love that has teeth. It looks just like COMPASSION. Rev. Juan Galloway is president of The Relief Bus, a mobile outreach that feeds the homeless and connects them to resources and places where they can find help. Consider making a donation or volunteering at www.newyorkcityrelief.org.

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Calvin’s January Series Offered via Simulcast At Cedar Hill Reformed Church in Wyckoff, N.J. his winter, Cedar Hill Church in Wyckoff, NJ will host simulcasts of Calvin College’s annual cultural enrichment presentations. The January Series, held January 4-24 at Calvin, will be broadcast at sites around the country. The lectures will be video-streamed live locally at Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church (422 Cedar Hill Ave.) from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. The series is free and open to the public. This year’s series features a wide range of distinguished speakers, including Gary Haugen, CEO and founder of the Interna-

tional Justice Mission, presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and scholar N.T. Wright. The schedule is as follows: Wednesday, Jan. 4, Karin Maag, 500 Years Later: Why the Reformation Still Matters; Thursday, January 5, Matthew Desmond, Poverty And Profit in The American City; Friday, Jan. 6, Mark Charles, Race, Trauma, and the Doctrine of Discovery; Monday, January 9, Reshma Saujani, Closing the Gender Gap in Technology; Tuesday, Jan. 10, Abraham Nussbaum, Tinkering in Today's Healthcare Factories: Pursuing the Renewal of Medicine; Wednes-

Pillar College Launches Partnerships in Perth Amboy and Irvington, N.J. illar College recently added instructional sites in Perth Amboy and Irvington, New Jersey. Through the college’s LEAD program (Life Enhancing Accelerated Degree), Pillar offers adults the chance to finish their college degree right in their own neighborhood, with campuses in Newark and Somerset and additional locations in Paterson, Irvington, and Perth Amboy. By developing partnerships with the YMCA and Mayor Wilda Diaz in Perth Amboy, and with Mayor Tony Vauss in Irvington, Pillar continues its commitment to bringing affordable and accredited college programs for busy adults in the state’s urban and underserved communities. “Bringing the classroom to the community has been part of our mission since 2009,” said Dr. David E. Schroeder, president of Pillar College. “We are very pleased to partner with all involved.” Schroeder noted that developing partnerships in various cities for the LEAD pro-

gram “is the best way to serve busy adults that want to finish the college degree they once started.” What’s unique about the LEAD program is that classes are held only once a week and allows adult students to use prior learning and life experience to guide the classroom discussions. Each accelerated course lasts a total of five weeks and student ages range from 38 – 48 years old. State and federal financial aid is available to adult students that qualify. Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz commented: “I’m very excited to support the partnership between Pillar College, the Raritan Bay Area YMCA, and the Office of the Mayor. An adult college program in Perth Amboy enhances the quality of life for all residents of the city by creating local educational opportunities for those seeking an accelerated degree completion program.” For more information on Pillar College’s LEAD Program, call (888) LEAD-EZ1 or visit www.Pillar.edu. Email: info@pillar.edu.

Olympic Coach to Head New Team at Pillar College

nited States’ Olympic Coach and two-time Pan American GoldMedalist Lily Yip is the new head coach for the Pillar College Panthers’ Table Tennis Team. Earlier this year, Yip led the U.S. Table Tennis Team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. A four-time National Coach of the Year, she was inducted into the USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. “We are going to make Pillar College a top team in this sport and we’re going to keep our students focused on their educa-

tion while we do it,” said Yip. Yip’s appointment to head coach coincides with the 108 year-old college’s first collegiate sport as they are now part of the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA). Dr. David Schroeder, president of Pillar College, said the worldwide popularity of table tennis would “add even more value to our robust international student program, which allows us the opportunity to impact more and more students each year.”

day, Jan. 11, Gary Haugen, Until All Are Free: A Look at Slavery Today and the Church’s Invitation yo End It; Thursday, Jan. 12, Justin Skeesuck & Patrick Gray, I’ll Push You: A Story of Radical Friendship, Overcoming Challenges, and The Power Of Community; Friday, Jan. 13, Todd Huizinga, The EU and Global Governance; Monday, Jan. 16, Lisa Sharon Harper, The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right; Tuesday, Jan. 17, Doris Kearns Goodwin, How Did We Get Here? A Historical Perspective on our Wild 2016 Election; Wednesday, Jan. 18, Eugene Cho, Overrated: Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World than Actually Changing the World?; Thursday, Jan. 19, Taylor Davis, American Violinist in Concert; Friday, Jan. 20, Bryan Dik, How to Find and Live Your Calling: Lessons from the Psychology of Vocation; Monday, Jan. 23, Jeremy Courtney, The World Is a Scary Place, Love

Above: Gary Haugen, top right: Lisa Sharon Harper, bottom right: N.T. Wright

Anyway; Tuesday, Jan. 24, N.T. (Tom) Wright, The Royal Revolution: Fresh Perspectives on The Cross. For more information on the Calvin January Series, call Cedar Hill CRC at (201) 6524277 or visit www.calvin.edu/january.

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Hawthorne Christian Academy Athletes Help New Parents in Need OUT to fight for a cure for breast cancer. The students purchased pink bracelets for $3, and obtained sponsors for HCA’s pushup competition on October 19. Sponsors donated money for each push-up. Hawthorne Christian Academy hosted its 18TH ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, New Jersey in

October. The event included a round of challenging golf, great fellowship, and a dinner in the Crystal Springs Emerald Ballroom. This year’s golf outing was a success, raising a profit of more than $80,000 for the second year in a row—funds that allow HCA to offer scholarships, enhance the athletic program, and expand student programs.

Touching the World SHORT TERM MISSIONS WITH LONG TERM IMPACT

Athletes from fall sports at Hawthorne Christian Academy, pictured here with Athletic Director Tyler Van Dyk and Cross Country Coach Gloria "Chi Chi" Van Dyk, collected needed supplies for Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center.

thletes from Hawthorne Christian Academy teamed up this fall to provide essential life support for new parents being served by Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center. Members of the Hawthorne Christian Academy (HCA) high school boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, girls’ volleyball team, and cross country team collected over 1,900 diapers, packs of baby wipes, plus baby clothing, bibs, bottles, and more. The donated items will be distributed through Lighthouse’s Parenting Readiness & Enrichment Program (PREP), which offers practical, life-enhancing support to women, men, and teens facing un-

planned pregnancies. Last year through its Hawthorne, Hackensack, and Paterson locations, Lighthouse served the parents of over 300 babies, with free services that include pregnancy testing and ultrasound confirmation of pregnancy. Assisting the sports teams in their collection were HCA’s Athletic Director Tyler Van Dyk and Cross Country Coach Gloria Van Dyk. Both were inspired to help Lighthouse because of the support a family member received there. To contact Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center, call (973) 238-9047, ext. 10. Also this fall, Hawthorne Christian Academy hosted a MIDDLE SCHOOL PINK

tudents from the NJ/NY Metro area will minister locally and globally with Touch The World this year, engaging in transforming experiences that emphasize service, culture, and social justice (poverty). Students will experience God in fresh ways as they serve in missions and move from apathy to energy in their faith. Impacting thousands of young people since 1991, Touch The World (TTW) is gearing up for another big spring and summer. TTW teams will get involved locally in New York City, and internationally in countries like Cuba, India, and Uganda. Not only are students able to engage various cultures, but they also embrace their own “belonging, competence, and worth” in building the kingdom of God. “Short-term missions are only effective if there is a long-term strategy in place. That is why Touch The World carefully chooses mission locations through long-term part-

nership,” said Jesse Kroeze, the executive director of Touch The World. TTW specializes in intensive pre-trip training, on-location discussion, and posttrip debrief to prepare individuals and teams fully to minister in culturally relevant and effective ways. “Not only does TTW believe in preparing teams for service, our focus is on building disciples to live out the mission of God every day, everywhere,” said Kroeze. “Students consistently return from their trips with eyes wide open as they see missions not just as a one-time event, but as a lifestyle. “ TTW offers trips for students of all ages and works with churches, schools, and families. Custom trips are also available. For a complete list of 2017 mission trips, visit www.touchtheworld.org. For more information, call (201) 760-9925 or email: info@touchtheworld.org.

HOME TEAM REPORT

Partnering in Paterson and Beyond By Drew van Esselstyn FCA Area director, North Jersey ntense prayer already was under way when I walked through the doors of the Mighty Sons of God Fellowship Church in Paterson on a recent Sunday. Petitions were made for newly elected and still-in-office politicians, near and far, but the most heart-wrenching – at least to my ears – were the prayers for the students, teachers, and administrators within the walls of Paterson’s public schools. That prayer time, which had been going on for more than an hour, transitioned into fullhearted (and, frankly, full-body) worship for another 75 minutes. Only then did Pastor Michael McDuffie humbly and generously asked me to share with his church about the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and how we might partner to impact one of New Jersey’s third-largest city. Part of that ongoing conversation revolved around Safehouse Sports, which is a vision of a Christ-centered, community sports program that would be launched in Paterson by TaJuan Torres. He is a basketball coach at Manchester Regional High School, and Torres’ desire is to make a difference through athletics.

I had the chance to share that sports, as defined by the world, is fleeting and flawed. The celebrity of sports seldom lasts very long. The performance attached to sports can often lead to a level of idolatry and skewed identity rooted in ourselves. But, there is Good News: Transformed by the gospel, sports can have a forever impact. The same can be said for relationships. Alone, they can be fleeting and flawed. With Christ, they can be forever. As a parachurch ministry, FCA North Jersey is continually searching to develop synergy with local churches. And when that synergy comes about, it is a great joy – as well as an incredible indicator of health – both for FCA and the local church. The fledgling relationships God is creating and growing aren’t limited to Paterson, and they certainly don’t have to be. Can your church partner with FCA North Jersey to step onto the ball fields and into the gyms of our schools and impact the world for Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes? FCA is very committed to the local church. We’d be honored to explore what that might look like with you. If interested, contact Drew van Esselstyn at (973) 943-9780 or

Drew van Esselstyn (left) and Pastor Michael McDuffie (right) pray for TaJuan Torres, a basketball coach at Manchester Regional High School.

dvanesselstyn@fca.org. OPPORTUNITIES As we look ahead to 2017, FCA North Jersey is praying that God will grow us in numbers. We have approximately 3.7 million people and well more than 200 middle and high school campuses throughout the area to serve. We are seeking full- and parttime FCA staff. The idea that a team of 20-plus can best reach our area is a wise, bold vision for each of the eight counties we serve: Hudson, Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Morris, Sussex, Warren, and Hunterdon. FCA’s intention is to do its best

to affirm your calling to this ministry and equip you to succeed. Before pursuing employment with FCA, it is our desire that you have a full understanding of the position you are applying for and the ministry. We also plan to have summer internships as well for those seeking to discern if sports ministry is part of their calling. Ministering to athletes and coaches and seeing them grow in, or come to know, Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is FCA’s ultimate goal. “Then He said to His disciples: The harvest is abundant, but the

workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” —Matthew 9:37-38 (HCSB) FCA’s selection process is designed to help you and FCA determine if you are called to sports ministry, as well as provide you with all the information you need to make a decision about joining the FCA Ministry. For more information about FCA or FCA events, visit www.fcanj.org or contact Drew van Esselstyn (973-943-9780, dvanesselstyn@fca.org) or state director Harry Flaherty (732-2195797, hflaherty@fca.org).

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Christian Student Sues University over Far-Reaching Harassment Policy By Kiley Crossland (WNS)—An Iowa State University (ISU) student sued the school in October after an administrator told him failure to agree with campus harassment policies could cost him his diploma. The suit claims ISU officials told Robert Dunn, a Christian and the leader of a politically conservative student group, that his graduation would be placed on hold if he did not comply with university “harassment” policies, including those prohibiting words that “annoy or alarm” another student, noting even First Amendment protected speech activities could constitute harassment, “depending on the circumstances.” The ISU Office of Equal Opportunity sent an email to all students in early August requiring them to take an online training on “the university’s non-discrimination policies and procedures” and certify that they “read, understood, and will comply with” the procedures. The policies state students

can be punished for speech based on their tone of voice, whether speech is “recognized by peers as a legitimate topic,” and “the degree to which the expression was necessary to the discussion of the subject matter,” effectively limiting any speech that might be perceived offensive by another student. The policies acknowledge the regulations go beyond the legal definition of harassment, but state they are important in order to create a welcoming environment that is free of harassment and discrimination. But Dunn and his attorneys disagree. “These ISU policies operate as an unconstitutional speech code that chills protected student speech by prescribing punishment of students on the subjective reactions of listeners,” the lawsuit states. “[Administrators] have now mandated that every student pledge compliance with these unconstitutional policies or face sanctions, including a hold on their graduation.” Prior to August, university faculty and ad-

ministrators warned Dunn that advocating for conservative views that offend others on campus might be deemed a violation of university policies. In advance of an on-campus speech by conservative writer David French, one professor told Dunn expressing opposition to same-sex marriage could be called harassment. After receiving the training email, Dunn contacted the Office of Equal Opportunity to ask what would happen if he did not agree to its stipulations. He said a staff member warned his graduation would be placed on “hold” and he would be put on a list for “review” by the dean of students. Dunn decided to sue. “These are anti-speech policies masquerading as harassment policies,” said Casey Mattox, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which represents Dunn. “They’re not befitting an institution of higher education, especially when Iowa State demands that students agree to them under the threat of withholding the ability to graduate.” In both 2013 and 2014, ADF sent letters to

ISU offering to help it remedy the unconstitutional portions of its policy. In 2014, ISU administrators said they were reviewing the policies. New updates released in 2016 have not remedied the defects, according to ADF. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Southern Division, requests ISU suspend the policies immediately and asks the court to issue a declaration that the university violated the First and 14th Amendments. “No university policy can trump the First Amendment,” Mattox said. “Iowa State thinks it knows better than the First Amendment, making other student’s opinions about the value of a student’s speech, instead of the Constitution, the test for whether speech is protected.”

Education Secretary’s Comments Rattle Homeschool Advocates (WNS)—U.S. Education Secretary John King created a flurry of frustration and fear among homeschool advocates recently with comments viewed as ignorant at best or, at worst, hostile toward alternative education. “Students who are homeschooled are not getting kind of the rapid instructional experience they would get in school,” King said in a press conference hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, adding that’s true unless parents are “very intentional about it.” But homeschool advocates say students’ performance proves homeschooling’s success—homeschoolers perform better than average on standardized tests and in college.

Americans Like School Choice But Don’t Understand It (WNS)—A new survey says most Americans are in favor of school choice programs— but don’t necessarily understand them. After interviewing more than 1,000 U.S. citizens, EdChoice found that nearly half favored having charter schools in their districts, but another 30 percent had never even heard of them. Additionally, the public was twice as likely to support voucher programs as oppose them, but an estimated 41 percent of respondents were initially unfamiliar or unsure about school vouchers. “A lot of my clients are ready to launch into ‘let’s have a discussion about why we need more charter schools,’” said Christine Matthews, president of Bellwether Research, which conducts polling and qualitative research on a variety of topics including education policy and reform. But the public instead needs to know, “What’s a charter school?” Matthews said.

Christian School in Legal Battle Over Prayer at Game (WNS)—When Cambridge Christian and University Christian high schools met for the Florida Class 2A championship football game last December, announcers used the Camping World Stadium public address system to introduce the players, make announcements, advertise sponsors, and play music for the cheerleading squads. But one form of speech— prayer—was banned from the PA system. To allow a pregame prayer for two Christian schools and their fans would violate the Constitution, argued attorneys for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). Both schools disagreed, and on Sept. 27, one of them sued. First Liberty and local Florida attorneys filed suit on behalf of Cambridge Christian School following a months-long effort to convince the FHSAA, which governs high school athletics in Florida, that its policy and interpretation of the Constitution were in error. “The FHSAA rejected Cambridge’s request for prayer specifically because it was religious in nature,” said Jeremy Dys, First Liberty Institute senior counsel.

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NATIONALNEWS

Congress Doubles Budget for Panel Investigating Planned Parenthood By Samantha Gobba (WNS)—Congress now has twice the money to push ahead with investigations into allegations Planned Parenthood sold aborted baby parts for profit. House Republicans voted Nov. 16 to increase the budget for the House Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives from $790,000 to a total of over $1.5 million for this year. Chaired by Rep. Marsha Blackburn, RTenn., the 14-member panel came into being last October, months after the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) released a series of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials detailing their practices. “The practices described in these videos are despicable, and Planned Parenthood should be forced to defend their content,” House Republicans stated on their website. Democrats on the panel expressed disappointment in the new budget increase. Panel member Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., said in a statement it would “roll back women’s healthcare.” Both Planned Parenthood and StemExpress, a tissue procurement company, have resisted the panel’s investigations. In September, failure to supply the documents subpoenaed by the panel landed StemExpress in contempt of Congress. Planned Parenthood has denied any wrongdoing. A final report by the panel is due to Congress by the end of the year. The panel has been highly effective in its work, said David Daleiden, founder of CMP. "The findings that the panel has put together so far that are available on their

website … are just absolutely incredible. They've not only confirmed everything that myself and CMP were alleging in the release of our videos a year and a half ago, but they've even gone beyond that and found that the wrongdoing in Planned Parenthood's participation in the harvesting and sale of baby body parts was even more widespread and even worse than anybody was imagining over a year ago." Daleiden and others speculate the investigation could continue into next year after the final report is due, and said that "every last tiny bit spent on their investigation is going to be well worth it."

Cliff Barrows, Music Director for Billy Graham, Passes away at 93 (WNS)--Cliff Barrows, the man who brought the melody to Billy Graham’s worldwide crusades for six decades, died Nov. 15. He was 93. Graham’s music and program director was there for the first crusade in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1947 and continued serving until the last crusade in New York, 11 years ago. Barrows was the youngest member of the iconic trio comprised of himself, Graham, and George Bev-

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erly Shea, who died in 2013 at age 104. Together they formed the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which has shared the gospel with millions around the world. Barrows was an instrumental part of Graham’s ministry, serving as a song leader, choir director, and the emcee for a ministry that evangelized to stadiums packed to capacity.

Washington high court Hears florist’s religious liberty plea (WNS)—Flower shop owner Baronelle Stutzman championed religious freedom at the Washington Supreme Court Nov. 15 in a lawsuit charging she discriminated against a gay customer. Ingersoll v. Arlene’s Flowers represents one of a handful of cases making their way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will determine whether business owners can operate according to the constitutional guarantees of free speech, free exercise of religion, and freedom of expression. In a 2015 ruling against Stutzman, a lower court judge determined a private business owner’s free speech and free exercise rights must be subordinate to Washington’s nondiscrimination law. Kristen Waggoner, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom and Stutzman’s attorney, called the decision unconstitutional and “ludicrous.”

Federal judge: Iowa churches safe from anti-bias law (WNS)—An Iowa church is dropping its lawsuit against the state and the city of Des Moines after a federal judge issued a ruling protecting the church’s religious liberty. The District Court judge ruled Oct. 14 that

churches do not count as “public accommodations” under the Iowa Civil Rights Act and are not subject to censorship of their views on marriage and sexuality. Fort Des Moines Church of Christ filed suit earlier this year seeking protection from nondiscrimination laws in its city and state. Amid growing debate over the use of public restrooms by transgender people, the church wanted to publish clear guidelines that men and women should use the restrooms and showers corresponding with their biological sex. But the church feared repercussions from the state after it read statements from the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.

Doctors, N.Y. lawmakers Embrace gender dysphoria treatments (WNS)—New York legislators and Johns Hopkins University doctors are reversing course and advocating for unproven hormone treatments and surgery for patients with gender dysphoria (GD). And in New York, lawmakers want taxpayers to foot the bill. A policy under public review in New York proposes the state use Medicaid funding to pay for hormone treatment and, in some cases, sex-reassignment surgery for minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria. In Baltimore, Md., Johns Hopkins reversed its policy and notified the school’s “medicine community” it would begin offering “gender-affirming” surgery. Both policy statements, issued last week, are being advanced despite the absence of Food and Drug Administration approval or long-term studies demonstrating the effectiveness of those treatments in minors.

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Archaeologists Uncover Gate Destroyed by Hezekiah By Julie Borg (WNS)—King Hezekiah abhorred the idol worship rampant in Judah. When he began his reign as the nation’s 12th king, Hezekiah “removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah …,” according to the biblical narrative in 2 Kings 18:4. Now, the Israel Antiquities Authority reports archaeologists have uncovered a city gate-shrine they believe Hezekiah’s men demolished at the city of Lachish in the eighth century B.C. “Before our very eyes these new finds become the biblical verses themselves and speak in their voice,” said Ze’ev Elkin, minister of Jerusalem and heritage and environmental protection. Lachish, a walled city that guarded a main road between Jerusalem and Egypt, was the second most important fortified city in the kingdom of Judah, second only to Jerusalem. It fell to Assyria during King Sennacherib’s siege in 701 B.C. The siege is documented in several sources, including the Bible, Assyrian documents, and in a series of reliefs that once decorated King Sennacherib’s palace at Nineveh. The gate is located within an 80 by 80 foot area containing six chambers, three on each side of

the city’s main street. Archaeologists unearthed the northern section of the gate decades ago, but they only uncovered the entire gate within the past few months. City gates in ancient Israel were the center of city life, where rulers held courts of justice, prophets often delivered their messages, and crimi-

There is biblical evidence that, on occasion, when the people demolished a site of idol worship, they would build a toilet at the location, a practice described in 2 Kings. nals sometimes received punishments. Elders, judges, governors, kings, and officials sat on benches at the entrances to their cities. Archaeologists found benches with armrests, jars, scoops for loading grain, and stamped jar handles in the chambers. Two of the handles have a seal impression indicating they belonged to the king of Hebron. Another impression bears the name, lnhm avadi, probably a senior official during King Hezekiah’s reign. It appears the jars were part of military and administrative preparations to defend the city against Sennacherib’s army. According to Sa'ar Ganor, dig

site director, the archaeologists also unearthed a staircase that ascended to a large room containing numerous ceramic artifacts, such as lamps, bowls and stands, a bench where offerings were placed, and two four-horned altars. The archaeologists were surprised to find the horns on the altars had been intentionally cut off, likely evidence of the reforms King Hezekiah instituted. In a corner of one room, the archaeologists also found a stone fashioned in the shape of a chair with a hole in its center, likely a toilet built as the ultimate desecration of the place. Researchers have found stones like this before. There is biblical evidence that, on occasion, when the people demolished a site of idol worship, they would build a toilet at the location, a practice described in 2 Kings 10:27: “And they demolished the pillar of Baal, and demolished the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day.” But this is the first time an archaeological find has confirmed the custom. Laboratory tests indicate the stone chair was never used as a toilet, suggesting it was put there purely for symbolism. The archaeologists also discovered arrowheads and sling stones, likely used in hand-to-hand combat during the Assyrian siege.

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Leader to Leader – My Heart to Yours By Jim Biscardi, Jr. hen I led a unit of 150 people at Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, NJ, the Lord gave me a biblicallybased, servant-leadership philosophy that became a management program for everyone there—about 6,000 people and hundreds of supervisors. The Arsenal won many quality awards, one from the president of the United States and another from the governor of New Jersey, partially because of this philosophy. It also became a standard with many other Defense Department organizations. As a result, I wrote a book entitled, The Mantle: How to Dress for Success in Leadership. In this column, I would like to provide some insight into how we need to lead the people God gives us. If you’re a husband, wife, parent, grandparent, teacher, workplace supervisor, church leader, coach, or an ambassador of Christ [that’s all of us Christians according to 2 Corinthians 5:20], then this article is for you. The most important kingdom value is love – self-sacrificing love (1 Corinthians 13:13). I like to call it being heart-to-heart. Like the other values, it’s found in the cross of Christ: “God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). When we embrace the love of the cross as leaders and want to represent Christ properly to those God has given us, we strive tirelessly to build unity and family among them and also provide them with honest feedback. Let’s talk heart-to-heart. BUILD UNITY AND FAMILY We need to emphasize unity and interdependence among the “team” of people God gives us. Knowing that each member depends upon other members is important to teach – like Paul did: “For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?…And the eye cannot say unto the hand I have no need of thee: not again the head to the feet, I have no need of you…That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another” (1 Corinthians 12:13-25). In addition to unity and interdependence, we must also emphasize family warmth: “But we were gentle among you,” Paul said to the Thessalonians, “even as a nurse [nursing mother] cherishes her chil-

dren…” (1 Thessalonians 2:7). As the Lord’s commissioned lieutenants, we must foster this kind of concern and caring among our people: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Romans 12:10). Celebrate birthdays. Send get well cards. Make phone calls to encourage them. Tear down barriers by visiting them in their times of trial [like when they’re feeling lonely or sick], and bring along other “team” members. Remember that Jesus always had time to build caring relationships – no matter how busy He was. He always made time to listen, especially to people like Bartimaeus (Mark 10: 46-52) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:110). We need to remember that it’s a heart commitment we want from people. We want them to truly to put their “heart” into whatever they are doing for us and the Lord. In John 14:15, Jesus declared, “If you love me, keep my commandments [ from the heart].” Acts 2:42-46 is a description of disciples who know they were interdependent and also connected as a family. Unity and family were also in Jesus’ prayer to His Father when He said, “That they all might be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us…” (John 17:21). PROVIDE HONEST FEEDBACK We also should provide honest feedback to the ones Christ gives us. As we influence people to receive Christ and then to become mature disciples, we need to set standards for them and ourselves that are truly God’s standards. As His prophets spoke the truth, we also need to speak the truth in love – to give our people honest feedback on performance (actions and attitudes). Likewise, the prophets were used by God to rate how people [often kings] performed: “…thou art weighed in the balances and have been found wanting” (Daniel 5:26-28). Encouraging them is always in order. Discouragement is the devil’s greatest weapon against Christians. When it’s necessary to correct, however, Paul cautions us to do it with meekness: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual [mature], restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6: 1-3). We need to be “meek” in restoring others. Meekness is not weakness. It is the “heartto-heart” quality in us that responds quickly to the slightest tug by our heavenly Father. It’s like a powerful race horse that can be moved with ease by the rider’s tug on the

reins. We need to listen to God’s heart before we correct – but be sure not to avoid correcting. In the process of providing honest feedback, it’s also useful for our people to get a profile of feedback from fellow believers. The Lord regularly uses our brothers and sisters to admonish, encourage, and correct us. Receiving loving, helpful feedback from other Christians helps us and our people to see their performance from different perspectives. Romans 15:14 says, “And I myself am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able to admonish one another.” Hebrews 3:13 tells us to “exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Feedback to our people needs to be continuous. This is especially true when there’s a problem. Jesus said, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift before the altar, and there remember that thy brother has ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come offer thy gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). If the Lord gives you a team (a Bible study group, Sunday school class, discipleship class, home cell group, etc.), you also need to provide feedback to them as a team. This is similar to what our Lord did in Revelation

2 and 3 when He provided feedback to the seven churches. We need to find ways to assess our teams based upon the vision and goals set by the team, themselves, and also by getting feedback from those the team is serving. Also, as leaders, never be afraid to get feedback on your own performance from the Lord first, as we seek His counsel in prayer, and also from those you are leading and serving. Remember, even Jesus asked, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13). As a teacher, author, columnist, and president emeritus of New Jersey Christian Ministries, Jim Biscardi has been “privileged for many years to help Christians grow in their knowledge of Christ.” You can find his books at barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com, including The Mantle: How to Dress for Success in Leadership.

Pastor Anthony & Sister Pat Ventola

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An Urban Upper Room

(Continued from page 1)

can transform a city. “Movement Day Global Cities demonstrated what it looks like when the body of Christ—from distinct cultures, theological traditions, generations, and economic levels—comes together in unity in a major city,” said Pier. “The only antidote to the chaos and complexity of cities around the world—and we’re living at a time when the world is

“We must discern the day and time in which we live. It’s important to do ministry with a prophetic awareness of society…” – Rev. A.R. Bernard more fragile than it’s been since World War II—is the simplicity and the power of the unity of the church. We have to figure out what we can do together that is exponentially more impactful than what we can do on our own.” Rev. Keller told the international assembly that great unity precedes great impact. The founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church spoke of several challenges facing the church, including Western secularism, individualism, and opposition from a postChristian culture, but noted how history reveals that the gospel can thrive despite believers “being hard-pressed on every side” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). And that seems to be happening in New York. In Pier’s latest book, A Disruptive Gospel, he cites research that shows how the Church Multiplication Alliance with Keller’s Redeemer City to City, the New York City Leadership Center, and other organizations, has helped grow the presence of evangelical Christians in Manhattan from one percent to five percent in the last 25 years. “We have to be convinced that cities matter,” Keller said. “Every month, five million people move into cities.” And the churches in those cities need to be united. “The spread of the gospel in a city is proportionate to the unity of the body of Christ in that city,” Keller said. “When Christians come together across racial and denominational lines with a vision to reach the city, they can bring renewal and influence culture.” “The walls need to come down about three feet so we can see the richness of our diversity and we can shake hands,” Keller quipped. Bill Hybels, the senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois and the founder of the annual Global Leadership Summit, also spoke about the power of unity. “When top leaders of every sector unite in a city, it is an unstoppable force,” Hybels said. Hybels also stressed the importance of mentoring young leaders and “global-minded” local churches. “The two biggest issues in the world are racism and the refugee crisis,” he said. “60 million refugees are living in horrific conditions.” Hybels shared a personal testimony of witnessing firsthand the plight of refugees in Jordan. “I needed to do something,” he said. “There is something each of us can do.” Dr. Tony Evans encouraged each of us to “seek the welfare” of our community, even

Above: Movement Day attendees represent their countries in a processional at the closing ceremonies. Photos courtesy of The New York City Leadership Center, Carmen Vaught

Middle: Dr. Tim Keller Bottom: The Gettys lead worship at Movement Day.

in dark and decaying times, referencing the Jews in Babylon in Jeremiah 29:11. “In the chaos, God creates opportunity,” Evans said. “The gospel affects all of life. It brings economic stability, family stability, and it is a social presence. We offer people hope.” Dr. Jayakumar Christian, a leader with World Vision India, said hope is desperately needed, especially when it comes to the world’s poorest people. The church needs to “re-discover a theology of anger” when it comes to social injustice and poverty, he said. “The world tells the poor that they can’t dream—but they, too, have a right to dream! God has not abandoned the poor.” “You and I are an answer to prayer for those on the margins,” he added. Rev. A.R. Bernard, like Tim Keller in Manhattan, has impacted his borough with the gospel. Bernard founded the Christian Cultural Center in 1979. Today, the non-denominational church, located in the east New York section of Brooklyn, has approximately 33,000 members.

Bernard is also the president of the Council of Churches of the City of New York, representing 1.5 million Protestants, Anglicans, and Orthodox Christians. He served on President-elect Donald Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board during the election and sits on the NYC Economic Development Corporation Board. At Movement Day, Bernard challenged the crowd to live out the Sermon on the Mount and be salt and light in society. He warned against post-modernity creeping into churches and quoted Luke 12:56, encouraging global leaders to have a greater sense of what God is doing today: “You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?” “Today, churches are more analytical than predictive. We must discern the day and time in which we live,” Bernard said. “It’s important to do ministry with a prophetic awareness of society and what is happening before our eyes.” Societies are experiencing rapid change with dynamics like multiculturalism,

blended families, and an influx of people moving into cities, he said. Despite critics who say religion is becoming less relevant and those who want to remove God from the public square, there remains a great hunger for the good news of the gospel. “People are designed in such a way that we are religious by nature,” he said. “We contemplate the meaning of life. Secularism cannot answer that question. No matter how rapidly society changes, the hunger for meaning and purpose can only be satisfied through the church. Ministries must be aware of what is happening culturally.” “Ministry is contextual, but the context is changing rapidly,” he said. “There is a fear of the future. People are disoriented and confused. They are looking for stability.” And that hope and stability is only found through Jesus Christ. “We are the salt of the earth,” Bernard said. “We must preserve the moral and spiritual integrity of society, stimulate thought and conversation that drives popular culture, and challenge the status quo on issues of justice and mercy.” “The worse it gets, the more people need God. We have a lot of work to do. May we leave here excited about the future and collective effort and experience transformational power in city after city and nation after nation.” International evangelist Luis Palau, a native of Argentina, returned to New York after his organization hosted various CityFest and CityServe outreaches and initiatives here in 2015. CityServe teams continue to meet in New York and New Jersey and be the hands and feet of Jesus. “Movement Day has been a great blessing,” said Palau, who talked about the power of faith and intercessory prayer at the closing ceremony. “We need to bring the presence of Jesus Christ to global cities in love and action. We need to dream great dreams as we have heard the challenge here. It may seem impossible, but Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). “As the church, one worldwide body, we can do greater things… Go into all the world and preach the gospel!”

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Hamilton and a Case for Christian Magnanimity By Kevin DeYoung Editor’s note: The following article is reprinted with permission from The Gospel Coalition (www.thegospelcoalition.org). n case you hadn’t heard, Mike Pence went to see Hamilton a few days after the election, and it turns out that the people who star in Hamilton and buy tickets for Hamilton are not a natural constituency for Donald Trump. What this says about Broadway and Main Street, or Red States and Blue States I’ll leave for others to dissect. And whether lecturing the Vice President-Elect was an act of courageous resistance or blinkered rudeness is not what this post is about. Instead, I want to talk about an old fashioned word: magnanimity. What is magnanimity? Merriam-Webster defines it as “loftiness of spirit enabling one to bear trouble calmly, to disdain meanness and pettiness, and to display a noble generosity.”

In other words, see Mike Pence’s response to Hamilton-gate (and not so much Donald Trump’s tweets). I understand there is a time to fight, a time to stand your ground, a time to give as good as you get. But this was not one of those times. We must not confuse personal pique with national security. In fact, for most of us, most of the time, we would do well to take Pence’s approach: minimize our own offendedness and praise what we can, even in those who oppose us. In September 1775, and in again in September 1787, the founding father John Witherspoon preached a sermon to the senior class at Princeton entitled “Christian Magnanimity.” He listed five principles of magnanimity: 1. To attempt great and difficult things. 2. To aspire after great and valuable possessions. 3. To encounter dangers with resolution. 4. To struggle against difficulties

Post-election Reflection and voted for him anyway. We need to understand these millions of fellow citizens. The second narrative: Trump's victory repudiates the self-dealing corruption of Washington, D.C., the Clinton political machine, and smug elites. Millions of Americans resent the undeserved influence of unaccountable lobbyists and elected officials who lecture them about what's good for the people and, then, fail to deliver on promises. The villains in this story are Teflon politicians who have learned to avoid responsibility for moral failings at the behest of special interests. Too many of Washington, D.C. politicians escape accountability by hiding evidence and conveniently "not recalling" incriminating events under oath. The believers of this narrative portray Clinton as the worst embodiment of Washington's status quo. Many of them have never forgiven and forgotten the sins of the first Clinton presidency. Neither the prospect of the first woman president nor Trump’s noxious record and toxic stump speeches were more important than purging Clinton from the D.C. cesspool. The third narrative says Trump gave white evangelicals assurances that he would appoint conservative Supreme Court justices who would strike down laws that allow hideous late-term abortions. So, they delivered him the White House with a whopping 81%. As a group, evangelicals recoil at the fiftynine million legal U.S. abortions since 1973 and were willing to disregard glaring character defects in the hope that a Trump-appointed Supreme Court majority might curtail abortion-on-demand. All three stories are right in some ways. Bigots do love Trump. But millions of regular Americans are also tired of business as usual in D.C. And white evangelicals did ignore immorality to embrace Trump as a tool in their decades-long anti-abortion fight. The Results The emotions are raw and the passions run deep. Those who were scorned by Trump now fear reprisals by him or his supporters. America has a four-hundred year history of exploiting the poor and marginalized in insidious ways. Those who resent business as usual in Washington, D.C. must remind Trump and the Republican Congress that America is great when it is great for all Americans, not

with perseverance. 5. To bear sufferings with fortitude and patience. This last point shapes the way we use the word today. The magnanimous person does not bear petty grudges, does not wallow in self-pity, does not demand penance, does not advertise his suffering, and does not stoop to settle every score. In an age where everyone is scrambling to be more aggrieved than everyone else, where we think nothing of retweeting praise and retweeting insults (to prove our aggrieved status), where apologies are routinely demanded and offendedness is next to godliness, surely we have much to learn about magnanimity. It’s not only the right thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do. While we certainly want to stand up to real physical violence and insist on all the rights accorded us by God and by the laws of the land, when it comes to insults, rudeness, and social media scrappiness, killing them with kindness is usually

the way to go. Whatever you think of the commentary from the cast of Hamilton, the post-play lecturing is apt to look brave when the President-elect demands an apology, and rudely self-important when the Vice President-elect says the show was terrific. We would do well to be more like David pardoning Shimei than the sons of Zeruiah looking for the next enemy to execute. Magnanimity is often its own reward. Pastors, parents, politicians, pundits, internet pugilists—where can we show the sort of Christian magnanimity our world needs but rarely displays? For bearing burdens, eschewing meanness, and setting an example of noble generosity is not simply the way to win friends and influence people. It is the way of the cross. And the way of the One who hung there saying, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Kevin DeYoung is senior pastor of University Reformed Church (PCA) in East Lansing, Michigan, near Michigan State University.

jerks are still somebody's mother/father/ son/daughter. Be kind to them anyway. Second, talk less and listen more − especially to protesters. Really, listen. The fear and angst half the country feels right now is real. If you don't feel what they feel, maybe that's because your story is fundamentally different than theirs. Stop trying to argue them out of their experience and their emotions. Find out what caused their pain, and fight for their healing as you did for your victory. Third, stop arguing with those who disagree with you. You already won (or lost) the election. It's time to lament (or celebrate) with dignity and class. As Michele Obama reminded us throughout the campaign, when "they" go low − whoever they are − courageous people go high. Fourth, love and serve your neighbors well. Find ways to work together to make America truly great, by making America good. At America's best, its people reject political expediency to fight for the vulnerable through sacrificial leadership and humility. Advocate for a more just world and offer your best to make it so. Finally, stop cloaking political arguments

in religious and spiritual mandates. God is not a Democrat or a Republican, nor does He wear any other partisan label. God neither roots for nor is surprised by the outcome of any election. And God's will shall be done regardless of who wins or loses a political contest. The Courage of Hope Our increasingly violent, sexually turbocharged, cynical culture got the presidential candidates we deserved and the president-elect for whom millions voted. Now we must live with the consequences of our collective choices − good, bad, or otherwise. Hope does not reside on Pennsylvania Avenue. The hope for America resides on Main Street, your street, and my street. When the splinters of the electorate rediscover each other’s humanity, the love, compassion, and creative energy that grows in our hearts will provide hope that will not be disappointed. Jeremy Del Rio, Esq. leads Thrive Collective (www.thrivecollective.org), which provides arts, mentoring, and other services in 100 NYC public schools; and is a minister at Abounding Grace Ministries in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

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just the white and privileged. Christians today have to deal with how they compromised long-held values to gain judicial appointees. They must take steps to reclaim their moral authority on behalf of the most marginalized Americans.

Moving forward to unite a profoundly divided country requires uncommon courage in my house and yours, regardless of who occupies the White House. Then How then Shall We Respond? Moving forward to unite a profoundly divided country requires uncommon courage in my house and yours, regardless of who occupies the White House. Here are five steps to effective bridge building. First, rediscover the humanity in those who voted differently than you did. Most aren't jerks. They just see the world differently than you do. And those who act like

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The Truth@Work Roundtable Groups Network for Business Owners, CEOs, & Executives Contact Steve Vorrius (732) 680-1054 steve@victoryexecutivegroup.com www.christianroundtablegroups.com

Bethany Christian Services Adoption Fair Lawn, NJ New York City (201) 444-7775 www.bethany.org New Jersey FCA Sports Ministry 6 Drummond Place Red Bank, NJ 07701 (732) 219-5797 www.fcanj.org Concerts of Prayer Prayer Network PO Box 9157 Long Island City, NY 11103 (718) 721-2626 www.copgny.org Touch the World Missions 1 Maple St. Allendale, NJ 07401 (201) 760-9925 www.touchtheworld.org

Hawthorne Christian Academy Preschool through Grade 12 2000 Route 208 N. Hawthorne, NJ 07506 (973) 423-3331 www.hca.org Nyack College Christian College Nyack, NY NYC (Manhattan) (845) 358-1710 www.nyack.edu Alliance Theo. Seminary Seminary Nyack, NY NYC (Manhattan) (845) 358-1710 www.nyack.edu Pillar College Christian College Newark, Zarephath, & Somerset, NJ (973) 803-5000 www.pillar.edu Happy Day Learning Center Serving children 6 weeks Through Kindergarten 1111 Preakness Ave. Wayne, NJ 07470 (973) 694-3584 www.hdlcnj.com Little Dreamers Learning Center “Launching Children Into the Life God Dreams for Them” 747 Northfield Ave. West Orange, NJ (973) 731-7744, ext. 124 www.littledreamerslearningcenter.com

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EDUCATION Eastern Christian Schools Preschool - High School Campuses: Midland Park, Wyckoff, & North Haledon, NJ (973) 427-4729 www.easternchristian.org

CONFERENCES/ RETREATS Eddy Farm 100 Eddy Farm Rd. Sparrowbush, NY 12780 (845) 858-4300 www.eddyfarm.com Spruce Lake Christian Retreat Center 5389 Route 447 Canadensis, PA 18325 (570) 595-7505 www.sprucelake.org Pinebrook Bible Conference & Retreat Center “Where God’s People Meet” 5339 Pinebrook Rd. East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 (570) 424-1212 www.pinebrook.org Tuscarora Inn & Conference Center 3300 River Rd. Mt. Bethel, PA 18343 (570) 897-6000 www.tuscarora.org Blue Mountain Retreat & Conference Center 1 Christian Lane New Ringgold, Pa. (570) 386-2154 www.bmcr.org

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