TSVwinter2016

Metro NY

inside

EDITION

“Sexuality, Integrity, and the University” Page 11 Good News, Indeed Page 18 Movement Day Page 19 ‘SCREWTAPE’ ON STAGE

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PASTOR’S PRAYER SUMMIT Concerts of Prayer Greater New York presents the 25th Annual Pastor’s Prayer Summit, Jan. 18-20, Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center, Mt. Bethel, Pa. Speakers include: Dimas Salaberrios, Dr. Mac Pier, Nick Hall, Dr. David Ireland, Dr. Fernando Cabrera, and David Bryant. The Pastor’s 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 or for more information, call (718) 721-2626 or visit www.copgny.org.

Dimas Salaberrios, President of Concerts of Prayer Greater New York

JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT The Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, NJ presents the national touring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jan. 23, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. shows. Visit www.mayoarts.org.

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE New Jesery Performing Arts Center in Newark presents C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Jan. 30-31. Visit www.njpac.org.

WOMEN’S RETREAT, COUPLES’ RETREAT Tuscarora Inn presents its Women’s Retreat with Jennifer Sands, Jan. 26-28; and a Couples’ Retreat with Drs. Paul and Virginia Friessen, March 11-13. To register or for more information, visit www.tuscarora.org.

STEVE GREEN The Christian Overcomers, “A ministry of love to disabled youth and adults,” presents Steve Green in concert, March 11, 7 p.m., at Community Baptist Church, Englewood, NJ. Visit www.itickets.com.

For more events, visit www.tristatevoice.com.

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A Journey to the Potter’s House UNIQUE MINISTRY IS SHAPING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD

By Rachel Mari or Michael Ferris, what began as a recreational activity with his daughter, the Lord has transformed into a full-time ministry to those in need of the Gospel and inner healing. Ferris, a potter, reaches audiences throughout the U.S. and the world with his ministry, A Journey to the Potter’s House.

With an incredible testimony of his teen years spent on the streets of New York and a dramatic, near-death experience that the Lord used to draw him near, Ferris is no stranger to the healing and life-changing power of the Gospel.

Through A Journey to the Potter’s House, he is sharing that message. Based on Jeremiah 18:1-6, Ferris gives an illustrated sermon using clay on his potter’s wheel to show spiritual principles. He says that his objective is two-fold: 1) to lead people to a personal relationship with Jesus and 2) to see them be released from pain through emotional healing.

“Forgiveness is not a natural process,” said Ferris. “It is a supernatural process for which we need supernatural ability.” At one church, he was approached by a woman who said, “I know that God sent you here for me. For the first time, I am able to forgive the man that murdered my son.”

Ferris, previously a doctor with a thriving private practice in marriage and family therapy, started A Journey to the Potter’s House eight years ago with a presentation that he gave to one of his classes at Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY, where he has served for almost 12 years as an adjunct professor in the Alliance Graduate School of Counseling.

One day, while working at the wheel, he

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saw how the order of operations to make pottery was an analogy for the healing work that God does in broken lives. Then, Ferris explains, God spoke to him and said, “If you’ll give me your brokenness, pain, and shame, I’ll make you like Joseph and use you to change lives.”

Ferris will take his pottery wheel anywhere he is invited and has ministered in hundreds of churches, in eight countries, at special events, evangelistic outreaches, concert halls, hospitals, universities—even a family reunion. His audiences range from a few individuals to thousands.

At this point, he estimates that millions of

people have seen the DVD of his presentation. As a result of his recent trip to Trinidad, it is going to be shown in the public schools there as part of mandatory religion curriculum. Furthermore, the state of Virginia’s prison system has adopted the DVD as part of its program for inmates reentering society.

The transcript of the DVD was recently translated into Chinese for use in the U.S. and an Egyptian pastor, visiting the U.S., brought the DVD back to Egypt to have it translated into Arabic.

Ferris, 60, has been doing pottery for ten Continued on page 25

Will You Be a Messenger of Hope in 2016?

Commentary by Tom Campisi ick Carraway, the narrator of The Great Gatsby, describes the illfated protagonist as the most hopeful man he has ever met. “[Gatsby had] an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again,” he said.

Of course, his dreams hinged on winning back Daisy Buchanan, the impetuous girl who married for money, while Gatsby attempted to build a fortune of his own. Yet, he still goes all in. Gatsby buys the mansion across the bay from the Buchanan estate and throws lavish parties with the hope that Daisy will wander in one day. Every detail in the décor, every room in his home, is care-

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fully constructed with Daisy in mind.

As F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece concludes, however, we see Gatsby’s world tragically crumble. Like the notso-wise man in Matthew 7, his house was built on sand, on a false hope: “…his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on Headlines like this one should serve as a wake-up call for Christians.

under the night.”

As 2016 begins, I’d like to challenge you to think about your hope. In what are you hoping? Trusting? In today’s world, there are many reasons to be cynical and misplace our hope, or even have it drift away completely. Domestic and worldwide terrorism are in the news nearly every day; politicians, both from the right and the left, are often disappointing and delusional; and Christianity and good old-fashioned common sense are routinely mocked.

Proverbs 4:23 exhorts us to guard our hearts, “for everything you do flows from it.” If we are not Continued on page 4

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Market Street Mission Executive Director David Scott Honored as a New Jersey Hero by Governor and First Lady

n December 2, Governor Chris Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie served a luncheon meal at Market Street Mission in Morristown and recognized the organization’s executive director, David Scott, as the 8th New Jersey Hero of 2015. Market Street Mission meets critical needs of homeless and disadvantaged men, women, and children through its emergency services program, providing tens of thousands of meals and shelter nights to those in need every year.

New Jersey Heroes is an initiative First Lady Mary Pat Christie began in 2010 to showcase the positive and unique ways people and organizations are impacting New Jersey and their communities.

“Mary Pat and I want to thank Dave and his staff at Market Street Mission for their outstanding work and for continuing to

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make a difference in the lives of so many of our local residents in need," said Governor Christie. "This commitment is a powerful example of what happens when people and communities come together not only to serve neighbors and friends, but also to deliver hope and give those who want a second chance, the opportunity to make things right in their lives.”

Since the beginning of his administration, Governor Christie has placed a strong emphasis on changing the conversation on drug addiction and putting the focus on treatment and recovery – from expanding New Jersey’s Drug Court Program so that first-time, non-violent offenders have the opportunity to get the treatment they need, rather than jail time, to implementing a groundbreaking, one-stop model for re-entry that connects comprehensive services to

ex-offenders re-entering society.

A key initiative at Market Street Mission is its Life Change programs, which help men recover from alcohol and drug addiction. The 8 to 12-month residential treatment program includes daily work at the Mission’s Thrift Store, a daily chapel service, group and individual counseling, AA/NA meeting and computer assisted and classroom instruction.

"Over the years, Dave and his staff have worked tirelessly to address the issues of homelessness and hunger in the community and have truly made a lasting impact in the lives of so many New Jersey residents," said First Lady Mary Pat Christie. "It is truly inspiring to see first-hand how these men have taken charge of their lives and are on the road to a healthier and self-sufficient life for themselves and their families. During this season of hope and giving, I am proud to name Dave Scott our 8th New Jersey Hero of 2015 and 39th Hero overall."

David Scott has been the executive director of the Market Street Mission since 1989. He

has helped the Mission expand their reach across the state and to provide the essential programs, including the multiphased Emergency Assistance and Life Change rehabilitation program for men. This rehabilitation and recovery program integrates Christian values and practices for rehabilitation, so that these men can successfully transition from homelessness and addiction to being productive citizens within their communities. In the past year alone, 45 men have graduated from this program, with over 1,000 men successfully completing the program.

“I’m truly honored to receive the New Jersey Heroes Award on behalf of Market Street Mission and all of our dedicated staff members,” said executive director Dave Scott. The work we do is dramatically changing people’s lives by providing important life skills and assistance to help those in need right their way and become productive members of the community.”

For more information on Market Street Mission, visit www.marketstreet.org.

High Court Will Hear Nonprofit Obamacare Cases (WNS)–On Nov. 6, the U.S. Supreme Court surprised nonprofits challenging the contraceptive and abortifacient mandate by granting all seven of their petitions a hearing. The court will consolidate the seven cases into one argument, considering whether the mandate is an intolerable burden on nonprofits as it was for the for-profit companies in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. This is a remarkable turn of events, after nonprofits had a losing streak at the circuit level and fretted about getting their cases before the high court. Churches are fully exempt

from the mandate, but the federal government has a special regulation for nonprofits who object to the mandate on religious grounds. The regulation attempts to provide the objectionable drugs through indirect funding mechanisms: The nonprofit signs a form for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), stating its objection and naming its insurance provider. Then HHS arranges coverage of the objectionable drugs for the nonprofits’ employees through the insurer or a third party.

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FROMTHEPUBLISHER

Messengers of Hope

(Continued from page 1) A CHRISTIAN NEWS & E V E N T S P U B L I C AT I O N

careful, we can easily become hopeless, like many in this world. The despair of the age was evident in a Daily News headline a few weeks ago. After two radical Islamic terrorists murdered 14 people in San Bernardino, California, the newspaper incredulously stated, “GOD ISN’T FIXING THIS!” As Christians, this headline should serve as a wake-up call. First, we should consider both the amount and quality of the news and information we take in on a daily basis.

I am not proposing that we bury our heads in the sand, oblivious to what’s going on around us, but we have to be careful that secular and sensational media outlets are not our only sources. Obviously, I am a believer in news with a biblical worldview, but even beyond these excellent organizations, we must find our hope in the Word of God every day. The Gospel is truly Good News!

Second, the absurd headline should ignite a desire to be what author David Bryant calls “messengers of hope” (his book of the same name and others such as The Hope at Hand can be found at his ministry’s website, www.proclaimhope.org).

When people meet us, they should be awakened to hope. 1st Peter 3:15 ttells us always to be prepared to tell everyone “the

“Gatsby had an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.”

reason for the hope that is in us.”

If we are truly to be people of hope, we must also be people of prayer. As we come before the throne of grace each day, hope springs eternal as He calms our fears and we hear His voice.

In 2016, our hope must remain steadfast in the Lord. In Matthew 7:24-25, the Bible says that wise people build on the foundation of Jesus Christ: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”

As wise builders, let’s consider the Lord Jesus Christ in all the hopes and dreams we have this year. He will never disappoint us.

Jeremiah 29:11 ensures that He has great plans for us and promises us “a future and a hope.” Proverbs 23:18 says our expectation will not be cut off.

As a new year begins, let’s also make a resolution to be messengers of hope in a dark and decaying world.

Finally, I pray Romans 5:13 will be very real to you in 2016: “And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Tom Campisi 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.

Three Reasons for Hope in A World of Terror

By Ron Hutchcraft hese days, it’s rare to have a happy, happy, happy week in Washington, D.C. National leaders usually try to cool the rhetoric so we don’t panic over things. But sometimes it seems like they’ve given up, especially the closer we get to the next presidential election. But the leaders in Washington have been more candid than ever before saying things folks like that usually don't say.

I mean, it wasn't very long ago when the Secretary of Defense said in a press conference, “The world is exploding all over.” A leader in the U. S. Senate tells us, “The world is in greater turmoil than at any time in my lifetime.” Then the person who was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time – the top military official we’ve got – talked about the metastasizing terror movement in the Middle East. He described it as “an organization that has an apocalyptic, end-of-days strategic vision.” That's disturbing.

Sweet dreams, everybody. Have fun this weekend! Wow! As a follower of Jesus, I pray, “Lord, would You help me see what You see when you look at our world today.” And He does. I see three messages from heaven and reasons for hope in the mayhem of our times.

First, “This is no time for business as usual.” In the Bible, God has long predicted there would be a time when “evil men...will go from bad to worse” (2 Timothy 3:13); when “there will be terrible times” (2 Timothy 3:1); And “because of the increase of

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wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Jesus called it “the last days.”

So for those of us who belong to King Jesus, it's a time to charge, not to retreat. To live like heaven is home and earth is just my hotel. Pouring my life and resources into what will matter forever, not just for a fleeting moment.

“For me, to live an ordinary life is no longer an option.”

Like helping the people around me be ready for eternity. Knowing that whatever my situation, Jesus has put me there to represent Him, so I can help people be in heaven with us someday. It's just too late in the game to be clinging to my comfort zone, my Christian cocoon. There’s a lost world for whom time is running out.

Secondly, “God’s got this.” (I just love that.) Isaiah says, “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth...surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket” (Isaiah 40:22, 15). Here’s another great verse—it’s a verse for times like these. Psalm 11:3-4, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne.”

No president, no prime minister, no army, no terrorists will rule the future. The Lord of history, “who (according to Revelation) is, and was, and who is to come, the Almighty,” (Revelation 1:8) He writes our

destiny. I’ve placed my life in those all-powerful hands. So I can watch the ever-turbulent evening news knowing my Father is in charge; and live with urgency, but not with fear.

Thirdly, “You don't have to worry, but you do need to care.” An exploding world leaves in its wake a multitude of bleeding people, orphans, starving people, rivers of shellshocked refugees, victims of religious persecution.

Jesus still says how we treat “the least of these” is how we’re treating Him. So we can’t just sit on our couch and watch the suffering. We can’t fix the world. But we can let what breaks God’s heart break our hearts enough to bear the burdens of a hurting world and carry them to the throne of God in prayer. We can also spend less on ourselves, so we can give something to help them.

Extraordinary times! I can sleep through them. I can hide from them. Or I can play like it’s late in the game and it is time to play for keeps. Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, said it pretty well when he realized he could make a difference with the power he had: “For me to live an ordinary life is no longer an option.”

This article was adapted from Ron Hutchcraft’s “A Word With You” radio broadcast, which is heard on over 1,000 stations and outlets in the U.S., Canada, and 15 countries.

Ron is the founder of On Eagles’ Wings, a ministry to Native Americans. For more information or to support his ministry, visit www.hutchcraft.com.

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Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center Celebrates Opening of Paterson Location

MOPS Meet at Montclair Community Church

ighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center, a non-profit organization that offers free, life-enhancing services to women, men, and teens facing unplanned pregnancies and related concerns, marked the official opening of Paterson’s first pregnancy center on October 25 with an open house and dedication service.

Several hundred guests toured the new facility at 75 Ellison Street in Paterson. City officials, local pastors, and volunteers who constructed the 2,600-square-foot pregnancy center participated in a dedication ceremony, which concluded with a ribbon cutting. Deputy Mayor Ray Baker and Community Improvements Director Jerry Lobozzo presented Lighthouse with a commendation from Mayor Jose Torres for their service to the City of Paterson.

The new location includes a partner organization, RENEW Life Center, which will extend the support Lighthouse offers to under-resourced families beyond their baby’s first year of life. According to Executive Director Deborah Provencher, “The goal of our collaboration with RENEW, informally called the ‘Paterson Partners for Life Center,’ is to help moms and dads thrive – not just survive – after choosing life for their children.”

The support Lighthouse provides starts with confirming an unexpected pregnancy using ultrasound, and continues with emotional, educational, and material resources until the child turns one. “But we know there are at least 17 more years of raising that child, and we want to provide Paterson families with a firm foundation to do so.

others of Preschoolers (MOPS) is a network of local moms (of children ages newborn to 6) who “gather together to encourage, equip, and nurture each other.” A MOPS group meets monthly at Montclair Community Church, 143 Watchung Ave., Montclair, NJ for a delicious brunch, engaging guest speakers, lively conversation, and a creative craft. Child care is provided. The group also hosts monthly play dates in Montclair and the surrounding areas. Find them on Facebook for dates and info: Montclair MOPS or email them at mopsmontclair@gmail.com.

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Hulu Won’t Run Ads Linking Planned Parenthood with Abortion Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center celebrated the opening of its third location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of its new location at 75 Ellison Street in Paterson on October 25. Pictured from left to right: Nancy Lopez, Michele Clarke, Evelyn Acosta, and Wilifred Perez (RENEW Life volunteer staff); Marisol Rodriguez, Paterson Outreach Director for Lighthouse and Executive Director, RENEW Life; Jerry Lobozzo, Director, Paterson Community Improvements Division; Deborah Provencher, Executive Director of Lighthouse; Paterson Deputy Mayor Ray Baker; Lighthouse staff members Elainie Gonzalez, Paterson Center Assistant, Cindy Castaneda, Paterson Center Manager, and Mary Kate Stone, Executive Assistant.

That’s why we’re so excited about this new partnership,” added Provencher.

Founded in 1984, Lighthouse also operates locations in Hawthorne and Hackensack. The center provides free pregnancy testing and ultrasound confirmation of pregnancy, options education, and adoption referrals, support for dads and couples, and material aid for mothers and fathers participating in the center’s Parenting Readiness

& Enrichment Program (PREP). In addition, the center offers limited STD testing, relationship and sexual integrity counseling, along with presentations on sexual risk avoidance to student groups. Post-abortion counsel is also offered, and most services are available in Spanish.

For more information, please visit www.lighthouseprc.org, or call (973) 2389047, ext. 10.

(WNS)—Online streaming service Hulu has refused to air commercials produced by Students for Life of America (SFLA) that encourage women to seek healthcare somewhere other than Planned Parenthood. In an attempt to reach women who might not normally see pro-life material, SFLA created two ads that note Planned Parenthood’s close association with abortion and refer women to a federally funded healthcare center, of which there are more than 13,000 across the country. The ads target women unsure about abortion, but who are wary of pro-life organizations. SFLA wanted the ads to function like a public service announcement, instead of a “pro-life vs. pro-choice” campaign.

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Eagle Scout’s Honor HCA STUDENT COMPLETES SERVICE PROJECT

Veritas Christian Academy Senior Named a Commended Student in National Merit Scholarship Program ean Bevier, Administrator of Veritas Christian Academy in Sparta, recently announced that Brianna Kuperus, a senior, has been named a Commended Student in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of Commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, was presented by Mr. Bevier to this scholastically talented senior. Brianna Kuperus is highly involved at Veritas, serving as the Veritas Student Council President, while also playing soccer and volleyball, performing in the school play, and participating in the school band and chorus.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2016 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5

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onathan Alektiar, a sophomore at Hawthorne Christian Academy, presented his Eagle Scout project to the school and Hawthorne Gospel Church community during Homecoming festivities in October.

Alektiar, a Life Scout in Northern New Jersey Boy Scout Troop 77, installed a fitness trail station and 1/10 and 1/3 mile trails on campus. The station consists of 24 exercises, including pull-ups, chin-ups, hurdle dips, and hurdle jumps. The fitness trail provides an opportunity for staff and students to exercise with easy access dur-

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ing the school day. The station will be added to Hawthorne Christian Academy’s current physical education program. The station and trail is also available for use by the Hawthorne Gospel Church staff and attendees. Alektiar raised over $3,500 to fund his project and also received help from volunteers.

Hawthorne Christian Academy, located at 2000 Route 208, Hawthorne, educates students in preschool through high school in a diverse, nurturing environment. Visit www.hca.org or call (973) 423-3331 to schedule a personal tour.

Nyack College Earns Place on U.S. News & World Report on Ethnic Diversity .S. News & World Report recently cited Nyack College as one of the region’s most diverse colleges. In the magazine’s “2016 Best Colleges” ranking of ethnic diversity at regional universities, Nyack tied with CUNY-City College for second place in the north.

At Nyack College, nearly 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students are taught in classrooms or online. The undergraduate enrollment is more than 1,700 with 37.9% male students and 62.1% female students. The graduate student population is 1,227, with nearly 800 studying at Alliance Theological Seminary (ATS). More than forty states, fifty-three countries, and over 70 denominations are represented in the student population.

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In addition to its diverse student population, Nyack’s instructional faculty members are 57% male and 43% female with 19% African American; 16% Latino; and 10% Asian. Of the administrative faculty, 60% are female; 40% are male; 9% are African American; and 4% are Asian.

Nyack College/ATS also offers diverse environments: a suburban 125-acre residential campus in New York’s Hudson Valley and a city campus in 166,385 square feet on eight floors of a 22-floor modern building in Lower Manhattan’s Battery Park area.

The seminary’s extension site holds classes in two floors of a four-story building in scenic San Juan, Puerto Rico, where undergraduate and graduate degree program classes are taught in Spanish.

HCA Earns Re-Accreditation awthorne Christian Academy was recently reaccredited by the Association of Christian Schools International and Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

An accredited school since 1996, Hawthorne Christian Academy (HCA) received the maximum awarding of seven years of accreditation. The mission of the Association of Christian Schools International is “to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ.”

The reaccreditation process consists of a rigorous self-evaluation of HCA, from curriculum to facilities to safety. The self-study takes into consideration feedback from par-

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ents, students, faculty, and administration on the operations and climate of the school. After a full self-evaluation was submitted—an analysis that took more than a year—a team of outside ACSI administrators and faculty completed an on-site four-day evaluation.

“We are pleased that our accommodations included the strength and spirituality of our faculty,” said Tammy Butler, the director of advancement at HCA. “With over 830 years of experience collectively, they reflect Christ each day as they assist our students in reaching their God-given potential, academically and spiritually. As a Christian school, it is very important that we continue to strive to fulfill the vision that God has placed before us as the premier Christian school, both academically and spiritually, in northern New Jersey.”

Advertise Your Christian Day Care, School, or College in the Tri-State Voice For advertising rates, e-mail Tom@tristatevoice.com, or call (201) 644-7062.

Brianna Kuperus, a senior at Veritas Christian Academy, receives a letter of commendation from school administrator Sean Bevier.

million students who entered the 2016 competition by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

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HOME TEAM REPORT

Fields of Faith

By Drew van Esselstyn FCA Area director, North Jersey rom a stage set up on the 50-yard line at North Hunterdon High School, the worship leader asked the audience to shout with him: “I LOVE JESUS!!”

Among the crowd of nearly 200 on a public high school campus in the middle of the week in the middle of October, the voices were unmistakably clear. And so was the message from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Fields of Faith 2015 – a nationwide event that took root in Hunterdon County this year for the first time and also played out at Rumson-Fair Haven High in Monmouth County and at Cherokee High in South Jersey.

Students came to North Hunterdon from nearly 10 different high schools and a host of churches. They were challenged to read the Bible, and they witnessed peer testimonies of life change. The Gospel was presented, prompting first-time decisions and recommitments for Christ. And at North Hunterdon, a truly community event, graduates of the school – whose high school memories weren’t necessarily fond – had a redemptive experience.

Fields of Faith is such a tremendous night each year, a product of FCA’s Campus Ministry efforts but something that reaches into Coaches Ministry, as well as Community Ministry. (FCA’s fourth C is Camp Ministry, but you can read about that later.)

Which other 50-yard lines or gyms in New Jersey might host Fields of Faith

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(fieldsoffaith.com) next year? We’d love to be in touch about how FCA might get involved on your campus – for regular Bible studies and to “impact the world for Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.”

Fields of Faith is just one slice of FCA. Contact Drew van Esselstyn, the North Jersey area director for FCA, for more information (info below).

DEVELOPMENTS At more than a few places recently, God is sharing His victory with FCA: • After a good amount of legal wrangling, a group of nearly 20 students are meeting at Fair Lawn HS in Bergen County.

• Athletes and faculty at Paterson Eastside HS are gaining momentum for a new FCA Huddle. Weekly meetings have started in the auditorium made famous by former Eastside principal Joe Clark.

• In the wake of the tragic death of QB Evan Murray, the Warren Hills football coaching staff – led by FCA veterans Larry Dubiell and Brian Maginnis – were able to minister to their community.

PRAYER REQUESTS It’s easy enough to be awed by how amazing God is, especially as He continues to make His presence known throughout New Jersey. In the same breath, it’s not that hard to be daunted merely by the massive population and number of schools.

So as God blesses FCA, through His favor and protection and the financial com-

HCA Boys’ Soccer Team Makes History with County Tournament Championship The Hawthorne Christian Academy boys’ soccer team defeated Wayne Valley, 2-1, on October 24 to capture the school’s first-ever Passaic County championship. Rene White and Colin Callahan scored goals for Hawthorne Christian Academy (HCA).

The Defenders also were crowned NJIC league champions after posting a 6-2 victory over Midland Park.

Seniors White and Will Woodfin were named to the All-North Jersey team (firstteam) and Joseph Leveroni earned thirdteam All-North Jersey honors. White, HCA’s all-time leading scorer, was also named as the Boys Soccer Player of the Year by The Record. In 2014, White helped lead the team

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to its first state sectional championship.

“Rene has shown a high level of improvement each season he has been here; he has really raised the bar significantly across the board,” coach Tyler Van Dyk said in The Record.

“It wasn’t Rene alone because we have a lot of players who contribute, but he set the tone. He was not only so gifted with his skills, but also with his leadership and ability to motivate and inspire his teammates.”

White and Woodfin were selected by the Soccer Coaches Association of New Jersey to represent the North for the 2015 All Star Game on December 6. HCA’s Van Dyk— the league and county coach of the year— guided the North to a 3-0 victory.

mitment of those who catch the vision for the ministry, the New Jersey leadership is praying for staff growth.

Who are the right people? Where and when are the right opportunities? Do you know the right person? Are you that right person? All questions that are worthy of prayer.

SAVE THE DATES A few of the events on FCA’s 2016 calendar: Feb. 5: Ladies Super Bowl Dessert will be held 7:30-9 p.m. at Tower Hill Church (255 Harding Road, Red Bank). Free admission, but a love offering will be taken.

Feb. 6: FCA’s Super Bowl Breakfast will be held 8:30 a.m. at Branches in West Long Branch (123 Monmouth Road). Cost is $35. Call 732-219-5797 to RSVP, or go online to fcanj.org/super-bowl-breakfast April 16: FCA Celebration Dinner.

Come celebrate the past year and look forward to where FCA can impact New Jer-

sey. The event will be held at Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch.

GO TO CAMP A look at the 2016 schedule of some of FCA’s camp offerings: June 3-5: Leadership Camp for middle and high schoolers, as well as coaches, held at North Bay Adventure Camp in Maryland.

June 27-July 1: Sports camp. Studentathletes ages 13-18 can take part, as well as coaches in a host of sports, Kutztown (Pa.) University.

July 10-14: Lacrosse camp. Players ages 8-18 are welcome, as well as coaches, Gettysburg (Pa.) College.

Dates TBA: Surf camps. Held weekly during the summer in Ocean City, NJ. For more information about starting an FCA Huddle Group 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).

Veritas Soccer Teams Win MCAA Tournament Titles

he Veritas Christian Academy boys’ soccer team secured first place in both the MCAA (Metro Christian Athletic Association) regular season and the MCAA tournament this fall.

Veritas posted a 4-0 triumph over Trinity Christian in the tournament’s championship game. Four Lions’ players made the All-Tournament Team, captains Austin Gewecke and Matt Grossman and David Amels and David Lacopo.

Grossman was also named league MVP. Men’s coach Tim Brinkerhoff commented, “I'm proud to say the guys rose to the challenge and were definitely ‘in the game’ from start to finish. Though we had a bit of a lull in our offensive attack down the stretch, overall, the guys played a very consistent

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game throughout the whole year.” Veritas finished with an impressive 18-5 record.

THE VERITAS GIRLS’ TEAM defeated regular season league champions Faith Christian, 6-0, to take first place in the MCAA tournament. Veritas sophomore Joy Miladinovich led the attack with four goals for the Lady Lions. Brenley Knakkergaard has two assists off corner kicks and scored a goal with an assist from Courtney Ross.

Veritas captain Thyra Tonnesen also scored off of a rebound shot on goal by Naomi Delbury. The Lady Lions’ defense was paced by captain Kirsten Pedersen and keeper Angel Filosa. Veritas players named to the AllTournament team for the women were Joy Miladinovich and Kirsten Pedersen.

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Sexuality, Integrity, and the University Editor’s note: The following interview originally appeared in Christian Union: The Magazine.

Reprinted with permission. aitlin La Ruffa is the director of the Love and Fidelity Network in Princeton, New Jersey. The mission of the Love and Fidelity Network (LFN) is “to equip college students with the resources, support, and arguments they need to uphold the institution of marriage, the special role of the family, and sexual integrity within their university communities.”

On October 30-31, the LFN hosted the Sexuality, Integrity, and the University Conference at Princeton University. Over 300 students attended the event, and nearly 300 more watched via live video stream.

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How did the Love and Fidelity Network begin?

The Love and Fidelity Network actually grew out of a student club at Princeton University. The Princeton Anscombe Society was founded in 2005 in response to the one-sided conversation on matters of human love and sexuality on campus. This group of students wanted to provide the other side of that conversation – demonstrating that students who held sincere commitments to premarital abstinence and marital fidelity had good reasons to do so. They also wanted to offer a “safe space,” so to speak, for students who felt alienated by the messages the university was promoting and the hookup culture it abetted. Word spread – with the unintentional help of the New York Times – and it became clear that students on other campuses (first Harvard and then many others) wanted coaching and support in order to launch a similar initiative on their own campuses. Thus, the Love and Fidelity Network was born to respond to that need.

How is your conference helping spread the message of sexual integrity on campuses?

The annual Sexuality, Integrity, and the University Conference is designed to equip students with the best arguments and latest research and motivate them in their leadership on campus. We believe students themselves are best equipped to serve their peers by offering them the truth about human love and sexuality – and so we aim to give these leaders the education and inspiration they need to go back to their home institutions and do just that.

What were some of the highlights of this year’s conference?

The lineup was especially powerful with George Mason University Law Professor Helen Alvaré sharing some very creative ideas about how to create a flourishing marriage culture in our current environment; Brad Wilcox, associate professor of sociology at the University of Virginia and the di-

rector of the National Marriage Project, outlined how a lack of marriage and marriage culture really hurts the least of these - children from impoverished backgrounds; and Dawn Hawkins, executive director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, and William Struthers, professor of psychology at Wheaton College, gave a shared presentation on the harms of pornography and what this generation can do to fight back.

What are the best ways to equip students?

The simple knowledge that they are not alone in wanting lasting love, not alone in being dissatisfied by the romantic options on campus, and not alone in valuing a stable marriage and family life in the future goes a long way. Donna Frietas, a researcher whom LFN student groups often host as a campus speaker, reports in her book, The End of Sex, that she finds dissatisfaction with the campus hookup scene and desire to date so commonplace among the students she interviews that she has often been tempted to tell an interviewee on the way out, “Go ask the next person in the waiting room out on a date – chances are they want to date, too!”

Knowing, too, that there are really good intellectual arguments to be made in favor of sexual integrity and marriage (and what those arguments are) is key when, so often, students are surrounded by peers, professors, and administrators who tell them the only reason anyone holds certain beliefs or makes the choice to remain abstinent prior to marriage is because they blindly believe whatever they’ve been taught in their “backward” upbringing.

What are some of the truths you try to instill and some of the lies you look to expose regarding sexuality?

There are so many lies our culture has bought into when it comes to sexuality. For instance, sex has no intrinsic meaning and can mean whatever we want it to; everyone is “doing it” and is generally happy with the hookup culture; people grow out of “hooking up” after college; you need to “shop around” a lot to find the right spouse; you need to “test drive” a relationship – both in the sense of finding out if you are “sexually compatible” and to try out living together in order to have a successful marriage… These examples barely scratch the surface.

We coach the students we work with to tackle these lies – and a host of other ones – in bite-size chunks. For instance, bringing in a speaker who can expose the lie that pornography is harmless recreation by sharing stories of women who have been exploited and abused to produce the material. Or presenting more accurate information about cohabitation, pointing out the research that sug-

Q AND A WITH CAITLIN LA RUFFA

The human heart longs for lasting love, and that will never change.

gests it is linked with a higher risk of divorce and a decrease in the freedom a person has to make a real decision to marry (or not) a potential spouse.

How do Christianity and scripture play a role in sexual integrity/fidelity?

Though our network is not a religiously-affiliated ministry, I know many (most, even) of our students find great comfort and strength in their own faith – both in their personal lives and in their leadership that often puts them in the (seemingly) minority position on campus. To my mind, given the myriad temptations on campuses today, a rich interior life of prayer and devotion to Christ, coupled with the support of like-minded friends, is one of the best safeguards against sexual sin. And though sins of a sexual nature may not be the gravest of sins (think of, say, murder), they have the effect of being especially corrupting of the soul, leading us to develop a moral system in competition with God’s and ultimately pulling us away from Christ.

What is your organization’s approach to educating students on same-sex marriage?

Much of the debate about samesex marriage has avoided asking a very important question – “What exactly is marriage?” Our focus in educating students about samesex marriage has been to help them understand what marriage

is and what makes it distinct from other kinds of loving close relationships. I recommend the book, What Is Marriage? (by Ryan Anderson, Robert George, and Sherif Girgis), to anyone interested in that question. We’ve also been very focused on understanding marriage’s connection to children – and the need every child has to know and be loved by his own mother and father, something that has come into sharp relief for me since my son’s birth this summer.

What are the major challenges of spreading the sexual integrity message on campuses?

The ideology of the sexual revolution is so engrained at every level of university life – from the social environment, to the classroom, to the administration, to even the mental health professionals – it feels a bit like being up against Goliath. Add to that a campus culture that’s increasingly hostile to free speech, and you’ve got quite a challenge on your hands. However, universities, at their best, are supposed to be places where ideas compete with one another on their merits. Thus, we encourage the courageous young men and women we work with to hold their universities to that high standard and continue to allow for this kind of rich debate and discourse.

Are you hopeful?

Absolutely, I’m hopeful. All it takes is a quick look around the

rooms at our conferences to see the joy, energy, enthusiasm, and compassion among these young men and women. They are not foreign to temptation, nor sheltered from our pornified culture, and yet they see the good of marriage and aspire to it and all its attendant virtues. The human heart longs for lasting love, and that will never change.

What can marketplace and ministry leaders do to engage culture when it comes to love, fidelity, and marriage?

First of all, don’t be afraid to take a stand for what’s good, true, and beautiful about human love and marriage. There are too many forces waiting to take away our very right to speak and teach the truth, and if we don’t exercise that right, we will lose it.

With falsehoods being taught from the top down, we have to be ready to transform culture at the grassroots level. Start a discussion group about marriage and sexuality at your church. Tell stories of marriages that have made it through some really serious challenges. We have the best arguments on our side, but we need to translate those into art, narrative, music, and more for the culture.

Christian Union: The Magazine is a publication of Christian Union, a leadership development ministry with a presence at some of the nation’s most influential universities. The ministry is based in Princeton, New Jersey (www.christianunion.org).

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Tenacious CommUNITY

By Juan Galloway President, NYC Relief ne of my favorite quotes is taken from a book entitled, The Three Battlegrounds, by Francis Frangipane. Do you want to know if your Christianity is the real deal or just empty religion?

There is a litmus test: “Is your love growing softer, brighter, and more visible? Or is it becoming more discriminating, more calculating, less vulnerable, and less available? This is a very important issue, for your Christianity is only as real as your love. A measurable decrease in your ability to love is evidence that a stronghold of cold love is developing within you.”

In four sentences, Francis strips everything about our faith down to the core essential issue: Is God’s love alive in us? Is it tangible, available, and active? If it is just a philosophy or system of thought, than Christianity could just as well be another moral code.

We have all allowed a stronghold of “cold love” to take root in us at one time or another. Fortunately, if we are really pursuing He doesn’t allow us to stay there. His love for us transforms us and compels us to love others out of sheer gratitude and joy.

If love is so important, where, when, and how do we turn up the heat on our love for others? Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. The general concept of love is too broad and vague; what does Jesus love look like?

Jesus communed with people. The definition of the word commune is “to share

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one’s intimate thoughts or feelings with someone, especially when the exchange is on a spiritual level.”

The organization I work with is called New York City Relief. We take almost 7,000 volunteers a year on outreaches to the homeless in our mobile soup kitchens/resource centers known as The Relief Buses.

On The Relief Bus outreach, Josiah Haken, vice president of outreach operations teaches volunteers not to think of what we are doing as charity, but instead, as communion. We are endeavoring to connect on a deep relational level with those challenged with homelessness. In other words, we are pursuing intimacy. This is what Jesus love looks like.

CommUNION can only be done in CommUNITY. Community is where those who are separated become unified into one heart and one spirit. Creating community is nurturing a richness of relationship with those who might be literally starving for love.

Mother Teresa said, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked, and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for is the greatest poverty.”

Our friends experiencing homelessness are isolated. In a city environment where they are surrounded by millions of people, they are often completely alone because they do not have relationships that truly bring life and healing.

A man named Darnell who was struggling with addiction and despair came to The Relief Bus for help. When talking to Outreach Leader Brett Hartford, he said,

“When you are going through stuff in life and bad stuff happens, you need people.

You need others to share those sufferings with. Someone that will come beside you to say, ‘It’s okay, you can do it. Just keep on going. It will be okay.’ ”

Creating community is nurturing a richness of relationship with those who might be literally starving for love. Mother Teresa said, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked, and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for is the greatest poverty.”

Darnell’s words echo God’s mandate in Romans 12:9, 15, and 16: Love must be sincere…Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

The Jesus kind of love embraces those who are different. It pulls in the outsider who has been rejected by society. It befriends those who are on the fringe and pulls them into the inner circle of intimacy.

The outcasts are transformed into brothers and sisters, family for whom we will lay down our lives.

At New York City Relief, our staff community motto is “Fighting for each other’s hearts.” This phrase expresses the intense intentionality it takes to connect at a heart level. If it is not pursued intently, the opposite of community naturally happens: cliques, disjointedness, and offense.

Hebrews 10:24,25 is one verse that provokes us into pursuing a deep community life where Jesus love can thrive and spread: And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.

If you want love to come alive in you, you must dive deeper into the place where the Jesus kind of love happens: commUNITY. Rev. Juan Galloway is president of New York City Relief, 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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Christ Church Budd Lake Worship Service for Special Needs Families Begins Ninth Year AND children without disabilities to learn together, and from each other, in an atmosphere of understanding and acceptance. Following the half-hour service, parents share refreshments and ideas, while the children enjoy snacks with adult supervision.

This unique service has been profiled in several media outlets as a provider of a welcoming worship space for families with exceptionally active and/or vocal children, who often are diagnosed

ll God’s Children is a non-denominational Christian church service designed for all school-aged children, with a special welcome for families dealing with autism, ADHD, Aspergers, Downs, and other developmental disabilities.

The ninth year inaugural service kicked off in September, initiating a series of twice-monthly worship services at Christ Church Budd

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Lake, to be held every first and third Sunday at 9 a.m.

Catering to short attention spans, the All God’s Children service is a lively combination of music, prayer, Bible stories, movement, and communion. The essential message of God’s love and joy for all of His children is presented in a simplified, meaningful way. This service brings together children with disabilities

with Aspergers, ADD, autism, or a host of other conditions. Each child participates to the best of their individual abilities, along with their families. In addition, several churches across New Jersey have instituted their own special needs services using this program as their model.

The number of participants continues to grow, along with a growing sense of the importance of sharing the Christian faith with all of God’s extraordinary young people.

“Come and pray for healing, strength, progress, and enlightenment as we share our spiritual journeys!” Christ Church is located at the corner of Smithtown and Sandshore Road by Budd Lake in Mount Olive, NJ, just up from Route 46.

For more information, please call the church at 973-347-1866 or e-mail rbonker@post.harvard.edu or visit www.ChristChurchBuddLake.org for sample services and video clips.

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How to Change Your Life So It Reflects Your Values

By Elise Daly Parker, LBC y heart thumped. My mind raced. My thoughts were like an assault, firing item after item on my to do list through my brain. I was overcome. I had so much to do!

I sought clarity, but confusion was my constant companion as I made categories – home, work, social, physical, emotional, financial – and then I wrote lists within those categories trying desperately to get control of my schedule and get it all done.

The biggest problem of all was the self-loathing, guilt, and shame I felt.

What was I doing here again?

How had I backed myself into such a corner of “too busy to think straight”? What was the matter with me? Shoulda…woulda…coulda…

I had created a mess with too many “yesses,” which should’ve been “nos.”

There didn’t seem to be any way out of my predicament. I just had to put my head down and do the next thing. I had to keep checking off items on “the list.” Try to live my life according to my carefully calculated calendar. Stay up late weeknights working and keep right on going through the weekends in what seemed a never-ending cycle of work, work, and more work.

I knew I couldn’t go on like this!

Once this season was over, it

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was time to re-evaluate. I was losing my joy. Going through the motions. I had lost sight of my purpose and passion. This was not how I wanted to live. And I knew this was not what God had for me, either. There was no sign in me of the fruits of the Spirit that are supposed to be ours – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and selfcontrol.

Take some time to evaluate your life. You are a unique person designed by God for a specific purpose and have been given passion that fuels that purpose.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to make the changes that were necessary. After all, this “too busy” life had been a pattern for over 20 years. I had met a life coach I liked… and she was offering a FREE half-hour consultation.

What the heck? No commitment.

Free. What have I got to lose?

I set up an appointment… and actually, I didn’t wait till the busyness subsided. I scheduled that first phone consultation smackdab in the middle of all my anxiety and angst. And I have to tell you,

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Whew! What relief I felt on that particular morning as I breathlessly told the life coach all that was on my mind.

I poured out my heart in answer to the coach’s thought-provoking questions. She listened, carefully, which was clearly indicated by her thoughtful responses and questions. That one little half hour was so productive and my coach was so reassuring, I continued with coaching and in fact, became a Certified Life Breakthrough Coach myself. Through this process, I’ve learned some steps that I can take to help me avoid the busyness trap, to help me prioritize my time according to the things I care most about, and to live my best life. I want to pass these steps on to you. Because chances are, you to could use a little adjustment in your schedule to reflect what matters most to you.

What Do You Value Most?

Let’s start by establishing what you care most about. What are you most passionate about? What are five things you value most and therefore want to spend your limited precious time on? Family?

Faith? Fun? Work? Exercise? Eating Healthily? Cooking? Writing?

Marriage? Choose your five and record them.

4 “A’s” to Help You Change Your Life Now that you’ve established your top values, apply the 4 A’s below to determine whether or not your time is matching up with your values. If not, you’ll need to make changes to your schedule so your life reflects and includes what matters most to you.

• Assess where you are – What are you saying yes to? How do those yesses line up with your top values? What does your present schedule look like and what does your ideal schedule look like?

• Map out measurable Action steps - What steps can you take toward your ideal schedule? What

can you say no to? What is nonnegotiable? What is a realistic time frame for making necessary changes?

• Be Accountable – We all need a little help keeping on track when we are trying to make changes.

Ask a trusted friend to help you be accountable to the changes you want to make. Determine when you will regularly check in to report progress. If you find it hard to make the change you want to make, ask your accountability partner to help you figure out what is stopping you and how can you push past your obstacles.

• Achieve your goals - Through time, intentional goal-setting, action steps, dialogue with your accountability partner, and lots of reflection, you can figure out what matters most to you, how to slow down before saying yes to things that don’t reflect your passion, and how to value your time, so your life matches up with your top priorities.

Take some time to evaluate your life. You are a unique person designed by God for a specific purpose and have been given passion that fuels that purpose. But sometimes that passion gets extinguished in the shuffle of a busy life.

Reclaim your time so that it reflects the life you were meant to live. This process is not always easy, but I promise it will be worth it.

Elise Daly Parker is executive editor of Circles of Faith Media, Where Faith, Life, and Community Intersect online and, now, in person at live Women of Influence events that Gather and Empower Women to Make an Impact (www.circlesoffaith.org/circles-of-faith-live/). She is also a Certified Breakthrough Life Coach who loves to encourage and equip people to make the changes necessary to live with purpose that lines up with their passion and priorities. To contact Elise and schedule a free ½ hour Coaching Consultation, email her here: www.ourstoriesgodsglory.com.

“Your Story, Your Influence” ircles of Faith live presents: “Your Story, Your Influence,” a one-day seminar for women held Saturday, January 23, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Regency House Hotel and Suites, Pompton Plains, NJ. “Spend the day with Circles of Faith as we explore what it means to influence others with your story.” Featuring: live praise and worship; inspiration to influence others with your story; a practical way to share your story; and a refreshing time of soul filling.

The agenda includes: • Introduction Session - Owning Your Influence by Sharing Your Story • Session 1 and Workshop 1 Active Listening • Session 2 - Going Deeper in a Headline Culture • Worskhop 2 - A Practical Way to Share your Story • Lunch • Session 3 and Open Mic - The Courage to Share Your Story Sponsorships are available. For information or to register, visit www.circlesoffaith.org/circles-offaith-live/.

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States Improve Efforts to Punish Sex Traffickers (WNS)–When the advocacy group Shared Hope released its first report card on efforts to combat sex trafficking of America’s children, 26 states received a failing grade. This year’s report card, released Wednesday, proved a surprise to Shared Hope founder, Linda Smith. “I was excited there were no Fs,” Smith said. “In 2011, we had 26 states with failing grades—so many places in the United States that could be scary places for our children.” In addition to no Fs, more than half the states earned either an A or a B. The Protected Innocence Challenge assigns A through F letter grades to all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It evaluates states on critical elements in the fight against sex trafficking of minors, including special criminal provisions for the men who buy children and legal and restorative services for their victims.

High Court to Consider State Abortion Law Case (WNS)–The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Nov. 13 to hear a challenge to Texas’ abortion center regulations, the first major abortion case since the court upheld a ban on partialbirth abortion in 2007. The court’s decision in this case could affect not just Texas, but a number of other states with similar regulations. Over the last five years, states with new Republican majorities have tightened regulations on the abortion industry, and the number of abortions nationwide has declined. Some states with these kinds of laws have seen the number of abortions drop at least 15 percent since 2010, according to data the Associated Press compiled.

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The Gospel Is Good News, Indeed

By Jim Biscardi, Jr. ospel means “good news.” It starts back in the Garden of Eden.

God—the Father, the Word, and Holy Spirit; One God in three persons— created man out of the dust of the earth, and then created woman out of one of Adam’s ribs (John 1:1; Genesis 2:7, 21-22). He created them for fellowship with Himself and to give Him glory. He told the sole residents of earth to enjoy all the pleasures of the Garden, and to multiply, but not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because if they did, they would die (Genesis 2:17).

Now Satan had been created way before that time as Lucifer, an angel who led the worship of God in heaven. But he became corrupted by his pride and declared that he would rise above God. And, so, he rebelled along with one-third of the angels (Isaiah 14: 12-14; Revelation 12:4).

Of course, God put down that rebellion and cast the devil and those angels to earth.

They would still have access to heaven at God’s command (Job 1:6), but God would use Satan to sift the earth of the wheat – those who would desire His plan for their lives – and the chaff. (Matthew 3:12).

In the Garden, Satan appears as a serpent. He speaks to Eve and convinces her that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is worth eating, even though God told her not to eat it. The devil lied and told her that God didn’t really say that she would die if she ate of it (Genesis 3: 4-5).

Adam was there, too, and he didn’t stop Eve. Instead, he also ate of the fruit.

After eating the fruit, Adam and Eve realized that they were naked, and they hid; God called to them as He walked in the Garden, “Where are you?” When He found them, they confessed that they had sinned against Him. Adam blamed God for creating Eve. And Eve blamed the serpent who tempted her (Genesis 3: 7-13).

They didn’t die physically right away.

They lived for many hundreds of years, multiplying the human race. But eventually, instead of living eternally as God had desired for them, they died. Adam and Eve, however, did immediately die spiritually.

They could no longer enter God’s kingdom.

They had aligned themselves with Satan.

God banned them from the Garden. (3:2224). And He told Satan that the seed of the woman – a Redeemer – would one day crush his head, and end his rebellious influence over man (3:15).

Sadly, that spirit of rebellion entered the entire human race through the sin of Adam

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and Eve (Romans 5:12). The Bible calls that spirit The Old Man (Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9). It put man in bondage to sin – it made it impossible for man not to sin, and, hence unable to enter God’s kingdom because “the wages of sin is death” (Hebrews 2:15; Romans 6:23). As a result, we “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Because of His love for humanity, however, God killed an animal (probably a lamb) and made clothing to cover Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). This covering, from the blood of the lamb, represented what God would do in time through a plan that He

Jesus bore our sins as a substitute for you and me – “upon Him was laid the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6) – and He died on the cross as a sacrifice to God for our sin, and rose from the dead to display His power over sin and death. had already previously conceived from the beginning. Because He is God Almighty, the Beginning and the Ending, He already knew how He would deal with this sin problem (Revelation 1:8).

God Himself, through the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, would be sacrificed for the sins of man (John 1:14). He would be the sinless Lamb who would shed His blood for the sins of the world. God would enter a virgin, and she would conceive and give birth to the God-man, called the Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who would not, like the rest of humanity, inherit the sin from Adam and Eve. God, Himself, would pay the death penalty He had laid down for all who sin. It would be God’s gift by grace through faith in Christ. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Isaiah 63:5; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8) Because God conceived this from the beginning, Jesus is said to be the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” to redeem man from the bondage of sin and spending eternity in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 13:8).

Those looking ahead and believing in God’s promise to send a Redeemer, as well

as those looking back and believing in Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the promise, would be saved.

In the fullness of time, it happened just as God said it would. The Holy Spirit overshadowed a virgin, named Mary, and she gave birth to Jesus (Luke 1:35). The Word of God was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

(John 1:14) God, The Son, had to be made like man in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest (in the Jewish tradition) in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:17).

Even though He showed Himself to be God by doing many miraculous signs, miracles, healings, and deliverances, He was despised and rejected by the religious elite.

On one occasion, Jesus even told them, “Before Abraham was, I am,” (John 8:58) indicating that He was The Beginning and the Ending. Out of jealousy and fear, they gave Him over to the Romans to be cruelly whipped, beaten, crucified, and to die.

But He allowed Himself to endure all that for our benefit. He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our wickedness.

(Isaiah 53:4-5). He shared in our humanity so that by His death, He might destroy him who held the power of death over man – the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2: 14-15).

Jesus bore our sins as a substitute for you and me – “upon Him was laid the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6) – and He died on the cross as a sacrifice to God for our sin, and rose from the dead to display His power over sin and death. And He showed Him-

self to as many as 500 people after His resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:6).

The result is that in God’s eyes, all who receive Christ, He gives the ability to become His children, not born of the flesh, or of the will of man, but born of God – that is, bornagain (John 1:12-13). The Old Man is crucified with Christ, and He gives us His Holy Spirit (Romans 6:6; John 14:17; 15:26). We are then “new creations.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) We are translated from the kingdom of darkness and allies of the devil, and are welcomed as children of God, and joint heirs with Christ, into the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). He crowns us with love and compassion for He remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103: 4). And as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (103:12,14) And because He lives, we shall live, rule, and reign with Him forever! (John 11:25-26; Revelation 22:5) Now that’s really good news!!

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.

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Movement Day Continues to Gain Momentum NYC EVENT WILL HAVE GLOBAL FOCUS IN 2016 ver 1,200 leaders from diverse nationalities and social sectors gathered at the New York Hilton Midtown on October 29 for the 6th annual Movement Day, a leadership initiative from The New York City Leadership Center (NYCLC). Since its inception in 2010, what began as a local event in the city of New York is now poised to take its mission of city transformation through gospel movements to the rest of the world.

With a focus on bridging the spiritual, economic, and racial divides existing in our cities, this year’s attendees sought constructive, impactful solutions and declared their commitment to change in a unified endorsement of the first Movement Day Declaration, co-authored by Dr. Mac Pier, founder and CEO of The NYCLC and Bishop Claude Alexander, Jr., senior pastor of The Park Church in Charlotte, NC, and past president of the Hampton University Ministers Conference, the world’s largest gathering of interdenominational AfricanAmerican clergy. The declaration signifies, among other things, the organization’s recognition of the increasing global diversity within the boundaries of our cities and its untethered commitment to unifying God’s people, regardless of their ethnicity, denomination, or social standing.

Bishop Alexander said that such an action can play a vital role in facilitating unity in the church: “I believe that the church is charged by God to be a prophetic presence in the world and to provide an alternative to the status quo in every area of life. If we ever hope to see the broken heart of our cities truly healed, the church must lead the way.

Android, making collaboration among leaders possible on a worldwide scale. The interactive app extends well beyond the simple offering of information, actually allowing users to engage with one another in real time without leaving the platform. Among

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“As a result of this effort, the Gospel will be accelerated in 100 cities and catalyze thousands of leaders worldwide.”

Dr. Mac Pier

This Movement Day Declaration can stimulate change in the heart of the church and set her on a course of unity and healing for the nations.”

Movement Day consisted of plenary sessions featuring a variety of thought leaders that included: Dr. Tim Keller, Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, Rev. Peter Scazzero, Dr. Gabriel Salguero, Bob Doll, Dr. Noel Castellanos, Catherine Hoke, Rev. Jon Tyson, Rev. Drew Hyun, Grant Skeldon, Paris Lofaro, and Dr. A.R. Bernard, among others. Conference attendees then gathered in various learning tracks during the afternoon with a focus on current urban issues and population groups that were led by expert practitioners in that field.

This year’s event also featured the launch of the Movement Day app for iPhone and

its features, the new app allows users to message their colleagues directly; discover others who share the same interests; integrate their online profiles from Facebook, Twitter, & LinkedIn; and also publish quotes, photos, and social media updates.

Movement Day was successfully replicated in Dallas in 2014 and in Pretoria, South Africa in April 2015, and is in various stages of implementation in more than 20 cities around the world. With increased global interest and participation, The NYCLC is not only incubating Movement Day efforts elsewhere, but is making plans to host some 5,000 international city leaders at Movement Day Global Cities 2016 – The Nations of New York Hosting the Nations of the World– to be held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, October 25-27, 2016.

The NYCLC, in partnership with the Lausanne Movement, expects the three-day event to be a world-historic gathering of diverse Christian leaders for this generation, and will be led by an expert faculty and global city case studies that includes: Letitia Shelton of City Women Toowoomba in Australia; Finny Philip of the Lausanne Movement in India; Alan Platt of Doxa Deo in South Africa; Rev. Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago; Dr. Luis Palau of the Luis Palau Association in Portland, Oregon; Dr. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church; and Dr.

Gabriel Salguero of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.

“The response from the Lausanne International Deputy Directors about Movement Day Global Cities has been overwhelming,” states Lausanne board chairman Gidoomal.

“Having personally experienced Movement Day here in New York City, these leaders, who represent Lausanne’s 12 global regions, believe this event will have a significant impact toward accelerating unity and collaboration among city leaders around the world.”

“As a result of this effort, the Gospel will be accelerated in 100 cities and catalyze thousands of leaders worldwide,” states founder and CEO of the NYCLC, Mac Pier.

“The result will be a more unified church reaching people for Christ and transforming society on a global scale.”

For more information on Movement Day, visit www.movementday.com.

Pastor Anthony & Sister Pat Ventola

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Calvin’s January Series Offered at Cedar Hill Reformed Church

his winter, Cedar Hill Church in Wyckoff, NJ will host simulcasts of Calvin College’s annual cultural enrichment presentations. The January Series, held January 6-26 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.

The schedule is as follows: Wednesday, Jan. 6, Stephen Ritz,

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“Harvesting Hope and Cultivating Minds: Stories from the South Bronx”; Thursday, Jan. 7, George Marsden, Richard Mouw, Alvin Plantinga, & Nicholas Wolterstorff, “The Renaissance of Christian Thought”; Friday, Jan. 8, Laurie Garrett, “Health and the Changing World”; Monday, Jan. 11, Eboo Patel, “Interfaith Leadership: Engaging Religious and Philosophical Diversity in the 21st Century;” Tuesday, Jan. 12, Bethany Haley Williams, “The Color of Grace: Healing and Hope for Child Survivors of War”;

Wednesday, Jan. 13, David Brooks, “The Road to Character”; Thursday, Jan. 14, Jill Dougherty, “Russia: Past, Present, and Future”; Friday, Jan. 15, Ron Suskind, “Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism”; Monday, Jan. 18, Leroy Barber, “Race, Stories, and Justice: A Call for Diversity in Christian Missions”; Tuesday, Jan. 19, William Close and the Earth Harp Collective; Wednesday, Jan. 20, Jere L. Krakow, “National Parks: America’s Greatest Treasure”; Thursday, Jan. 21, Gabriel and Jeanette Salguero, “How Latino Churches Are Changing America”; Friday, Jan. 22, Kurt VerBeek, “Seeking Justice: Models from Honduras”; Monday, Jan. 25, Eric O’Neill, “Cyber Security in a Shrinking World”; Tuesday, Jan. 26, Mitri Raheb, “A Tough Calling: The Joys and Struggles of Pastoring in Palestine”.

For more information on the Calvin January Series, call Cedar Hill CRC at (201) 652-4277 or visit www.calvin.edu/january.

Chicago School District Agrees to Allow Boy in Girls’ Locker Room

By Kiley Crossland (WNS)-–A suburban Chicago school district will allow a transgender student access to the girl’s locker room, under a contentious agreement reached Dec. 7 during an emergency school board meeting. The decision to comply with government demands for inclusivity comes after months of back and forth between school officials and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.

U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) found the district violated federal sexual anti-discrimination laws with its policy restricting a biologically male transgender student’s access to female locker rooms. Last month, the OCR told the district it had 30 days to change its policies or face potential litigation and the loss of up to $6 million in federal funds.

The school board for the Township High School District 211 and the OCR reached an initial agreement Dec. 2. But school and federal officials on Dec. 3 went head-to-head on the settlement details, and district Superintendent Daniel Cates announced the following day the district would hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the path forward, “including the potential retraction of the agreement.”

The student, referred to as Student A, filed a complaint with the OCR in 2014. Although the school allows the student to use female restrooms at school because of the privacy of stalls, school officials restricted the student, who is still anatomically male, from using the female locker room for changing and showering because they said it would violate other students’ privacy. The OCR investigated and

concluded the district violated federal laws against sexual discrimination.

The Dec. 3 agreement gives the student access to the locker room, but within hours of the vote, district and federal officials diverged on the practical application. Cates said the agreement applied only to Student A, only if the student used a privacy curtain in the locker room, and did not change districtwide policy.

“That’s a mischaracterization,” said Catherine Lhamon, Education Department assistant secretary for civil rights. She said the deal applied to all district students, did not hinge on the use of a privacy curtain—though Student A has agreed to use one— and required the district to revise its annual notice of nondiscrimination.

“It seems the rights of this one person are trumping the rights of everyone else.”

Monday evening’s emergency meeting included two hours of public comment followed by a private board meeting. About 600 people attended the public portion. Some expressed support for Student A, calling the school’s policies “institutionalized segregation.” Others said the agreement triggered concerns for their daughters.

“It seems the rights of this one person are trumping the rights of everyone else,” said one father, according to the Chicago Tribune.

School officials decided not to take a vote late Monday, keeping the agreement in place. They said the decision was made, in part, because OCR officials clarified by letter Monday that the agreement only applied to one student, and not all district students.

But the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which represents the student, said that is not enough.

“We find it impossible that the OCR would allow the district to allow access to our client, while they don’t defend a Student B, or Student C,” said Ed Yohnka, a spokesman for the ACLU of Illinois, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In addition to allowing Student A access to the female locker room, the agreement, lasting through June 2017, requires the school to submit to reporting and monitoring by OCR officials.

Though the agreement does not explicitly state Student A must use a privacy curtain, it says the agreement allows the student access “based on Student A’s representation that she will change in private changing stations in the girl’s locker rooms.”

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Fellowship For Performing Arts Announces Inaugural New York Season he Fellowship For Performing Arts is in the midst of its inaugural 2015/2016 New York season at the Pearl Theatre (555 West 42nd Street). Fellowship For Performing Arts will present four plays in New York City, including the New York premiere of C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce; the return of the acclaimed play and nationwide hit C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters; a workshop production of FPA’s first wholly original play, Martin Luther On Trial; and a limited special event – the world premiere of C.S. Lewis Onstage.

“It’s exciting to bring these four productions to New York,” said FPA Founder and Artistic Director Max McLean. “We’re motivated by the challenge of presenting our productions to the discerning, demanding audiences both from this area and travelers from around the country.”

The season kicked off with The Great Divorce (now through Jan.

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The Great Divorce

3), based on the novel by C.S. Lewis and adapted for the stage by McLean and Brian Watkins, with previews beginning Nov. 13, 2015, and an opening night set for Dec. 3, 2015. Based on Lewis’ classic theological fantasy about Heaven and Hell, The Great Divorce takes audiences to the outskirts of Heaven where the decision to stay or re-

PLAYS INCLUDE THE GREAT DIVORCE, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS

The Screwtape Letters

turn to the familiar “Grey Town” below proves to be harder than imagined. Three brilliant actors bring this mesmerizing adaptation to life in an exciting theatrical experience that challenges you to awaken the spirit within.

The acclaimed play, The Screwtape Letters, adapted for the stage

by Jeffrey Fiske and McLean, re-

turns to New York this winter (Jan. 13-24, previews begin Jan. 6).

The Screwtape Letters is a smart, provocative, and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view. The play, set in an eerily stylish office in Hell, follows the clever scheming of one of Satan's senior tempters, Screwtape. He advises his nephew, a junior tempter, on enticing a human “patient” toward damnation. In this topsyturvy, morally inverted universe, God is the “Enemy” and the Devil is “Our Father Below.” The stakes are high as human souls are Hell's primary source of food.

FPA will present a workshop production of Martin Luther On

Trial, written by Chris CraginDay and McLean, and directed

by Michael Parva. In the new original play, Luther’s beloved wife Katarina defends him and the Devil prosecutes, as witnesses including Adolf Hitler, Sigmund Freud, Rabbi Josel, St. Paul, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Pope Francis take the stand.

Even as 2017 marks 500 years since Luther ignited the Protestant Revolt against Rome, he continues to spark intense debate. You be the judge in this witty, provocative exploration of one of history’s most explosive personalities and the religious and political controversies he unleashed. Martin Luther On Trial begins performances on Feb. 4 and runs through Feb. 14.

In a limited, special premiere presentation of C.S. Lewis Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert, McLean takes audiences on a fascinating, theatrical adventure as C.S. Lewis, tracing his journey from atheism to belief. Adapted from his writings, McLean inhabits Lewis from the death of his mother, his estranged relationship with his father, and the experiences that led him from vigorous debunker to the most accessible and eloquent Christian intellectual of the 20th Century. C.S. Lewis Onstage is 80 fast-paced minutes brimming with Lewis’ entertaining wit and thoughtprovoking insight as one of the most engaging personalities of our age. C.S. Lewis Onstage will be presented Dec. 13-14 and Dec. 2021, and Feb. 18-21.

To purchase tickets, visit www.FPAtheatre.com or call 212-563-9261.

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Oasis to Host Singles’ Valentine’s Event: “God Has Not Forgotten You”

By Cindy Galdal-Ruperto Oasis Singles Ministry ne of the area’s biggest Christian singles’ gathering of the year is our annual Oasis Singles’ Valentine’s Event coming up on Saturday, February 6, at 6 p.m. Hundreds of singles of all ages from different denominations and from all walks of life attend each year. We host these Christ-centered events at The First Evangelical Free Church, located at 6501 Sixth Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. We suggest that you arrive by 5:30

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p.m. because tickets cannot be reserved ahead of time.

This year, we will address some of the emotions singles feel as they wait for a mate. Sometimes, singles begin to feel that God has forgotten them. They have watched their friends get married and wonder if it will ever be their turn. I felt that way, too, until I got married. The enemy works to discourage us with lies that we are alone or lost in this world, but the Bible clearly tells us that God has counted every hair on our heads and ordained our steps since before He laid the foundation

of the world. How important it is to stay in the Word each day, so we can be reminded of His great love for us. Our Valentine’s event will do just that!

We will begin our celebration of God’s love with a catered meal.

The delicious menu consists of two choices: Rigatoni with meat sauce, salad, and bread or Baked Ziti, salad, and bread. We have designed our seating arrangement in our café so that singles can easily talk to one another. A cozy café atmosphere with low lighting and lots of greenery makes it the per-

fect place for making new friends.

You can come by yourself or with others. Many singles come alone and travel a long distance to do so. Friendly greeters will make you feel right at home from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave. Church singles groups are welcome.

The format of our program is interactive. I will be sharing my testimony of how I met my husband later in life. The message is entitled: “God Has Not Forgotten You.” You’ll laugh and you’ll learn that God really does have a plan for each of our lives. A time of Q and A will follow. Singles enjoy asking questions that are near to their hearts, and it is great to discuss these relevant topics.

Music will be an important part of this evening. Worship will be led

by Aaron Louie, worship leader at Grace Christian Fellowship, in NJ. We will also present soloist Anna LoPiccolo, who ministers in song throughout the NYC area.

Fellowship and dessert will complete this uplifting evening.

There will be plenty of time to meet everyone. We have a special way of helping you do that! Oasis is a very friendly place. If you are tired of the singles’ scene, Oasis will be a refreshing change for you. There is no excuse to stay home. Come on out and make some new friends! This Valen-

tine’s Day, you’ve got a date with hundreds of Christian singles who are living for God and enjoying their inseparable union in Him. His eternal, unshakeable Love is worth celebrating!

Admission is $15 at the door.

Tickets cannot be reserved ahead of time. Attire is casual, but neat.

If you would like to volunteer to help out the night before the event as we set up and decorate, please arrive at the church at 6 p.m. on Feb. 5. We are done by 7:30 pm. If you would like to help out at the event as a greeter, food server, or as part of the clean-up crew, please arrive on the day of the event, Feb. 6, at 4 pm. If you have questions, please call (718) 836-0029 or e-mail me at: Cindy@CompleteinChrist.com.

For directions, visit: www.CompleteinChrist.com. Free parking is available in the church parking lot.

Or take the R train to 69th Street and 4th Ave., Bay Ridge Avenue.

Don’t miss this special event!

LIKE TRI-STATE VOICE ON FACEBOOK! …or join our mailing list to keep informed about Metro New York’s Christian News & Events. www.TriStateVoice.com

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A Journey to the Potter’s House years. The father of four daughters, he got started in a class he took as part of “daddydaughter” time with one of his girls. After taking lessons for two months, he bought a wheel and took it from there. He is mainly self-taught, he says, through the use of instructional videos and lots of practice.

For Ferris, the message of salvation and healing is one that he knows well. Having been abandoned by his mom at 15 and having a dad who was not interested in raising him and his sister, Ferris grew up on the streets in New York, where he stole food to survive. “We were ships without a rudder,” he explained.

At 19, after seeing many of his friends go to jail or to the morgue, Ferris entered the Navy after being chosen from among 400 candidates for an elite diving team. He describes who he was at that time as “very angry and a loner.”

In the Navy, Ferris gave his heart to the Lord. “There are a lot of Born Again Christians in the military,” Ferris said. While stationed in San Diego, CA, he was part of a big college-age group. A Christian friend challenged him about what would happen to him in eternity and the message was driven home later that week when he was buried alive underwater in his 150-pound diving suit. At one point, he thought that he had died and was going to fade out when he heard, “Where do you think you’re going to go, now?”

Then the word of the LORD came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

-Jeremiah 18:5-6 ESV He survived the accident, but it sparked a passionate search for God. Ferris says that he started looking futilely for answers in world religions, until finally, his heart said, “What about Jesus?” The near death experience brought to life Psalm 40:2: “He brought me up out of the miry clay and set my feet upon the rock.” He then became “reckless for the Lord,” showing his Bible to everyone. “It has been a calling in my heart from the beginning,” he said.

An ordained minister and full-time missionary with A Journey to the Potter’s House, Ferris also does missions work in Peru, where he has helped to train individuals working with a massive population of homeless children there. “I’m going to keep bringing the message of A Journey to the

New Online Bible Study and Blog for Women Launches new website, www.studywithfriends.org, provides a Bible study for women presented in an intimate setting with the goal of building an online community that is rooted in Scripture and readily available to grow and deepen each participant’s relationship with Jesus Christ.

Launched by a group of women from Central Jersey, the website provides Bible study resources that can be used to follow along with the radio and podcast studies.

Every episode is recorded locally and led by Bible study author and teacher Holly Lazzaro. Holly leads each participant as they discover the truths of Scripture, using her

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College President’s Strong Letter Strikes a Chord (WNS)–Since writing an open letter to college students telling them to toughen up, Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) president Everett Piper has been inundated with responses, most of them emphatic cries of, “Amen!” From all over the country, people are writing via social media and email to thank Piper for his letter, entitled “This is not a day care. It’s a university!” which he posted on the school's website last week. National media outlets from Fox and Friends to The New York Times have interviewed him and quoted his post, which he wrote after a student at OKWU complained of feeling victimized by a sermon in the school’s chapel. The message on 1 Corinthians 13—which includes the famous Bible passage, “Love is patient and k i n d” — m a d e t h e s t u d e n t f e e l uncomfortable. Piper not only rejected the complaint, but also denounced the way modern culture is teaching young people to demand protection from discomfort.

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more than 15 years of Bible teaching experience to practically apply each passage. Current and past study sessions can also be found on the site.

Also, a brand new blog featuring encouragement by some of the “friends” can be found on the front page! Each post mines God’s Word for practical lessons to help women through their weeks.

As one of the “friends” says, “Finding time to study God’s Word is challenging, but I know I am a better wife, mother, and friend after I do.” So grab a pair of headphones and a Bible and come – Study with Friends!

Potter’s House around the world until Jesus calls me home,” he said.

In addition to his presentations, Ferris is working on a coordinating journal and devotional book. “Everyone can relate to this message—young or old—whether they have walked with the Lord for years or are a

new believer,” he said.

To invite Michael Ferris to give his presentation to your church or group or to receive his e-newsletter (including his upcoming schedule, testimony, and devotional thoughts), please visit his Facebook page: A Journey to the Potter’s House.

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THE TURKEY BOWL New York Giants’ punter Brad Wing (above) at the recent Turkey Bowl flag football event hosted by Athletes in Action. On the day after Thanksgiving, several Giants’ players shared their time, talents, and inspiring messages on the importance of “an attitude of gratitude” with 90 middle school boys from the Bergen county suburbs and local inner cities. The athletes provided some basic football instruction and their philosophy of the importance of faith, family, fitness, football, and fun.

The event was sponsored by Athletes in Action and eight local churches.

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The following businesses and organizations support Tri-State Voice.

Please support them and connect with them. To advertise on Tom’s List, call (201) 644-7062 or email: Tom@TriStateVoice.com.

BUSINESS Abma’s Farm Market, Greenhouse, and Petting Zoo 700 Lawlins Rd. Wyckoff, NJ 07481 (201) 891-0278 www.abmasfarm.com The Cliffs at Eagle Rock Assisted Living Community 707 Eagle Rock Ave. West Orange, NJ 07052 (973) 669-0011 www.thecliffsateaglerock.org Ditto Upscale Resale Clothing, Furniture, Appliances...

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Yee Medical Group Comprehensive Medical Care Englewood, NJ Wyckoff, NJ (201) 569-9005 www.yeegroupmedical.com

Leadership Fellows Program NYC Leadership Center PO Box 9157 Long Island City, NY 11103 (347) 382-9237 www.nycleadership.com

Gerry Cantalupo/ Northwest Mutual Financial Representative Serving Metro New York (973) 531-2222 www.gerardcantalupo.nm.com

Solid Foundation Skate Park Skateboard Ministry Skate park: 445 Godwin Ave. Midland Park, NJ 07432 (973) 650-5412 www.sfnj.com

Rodan+Fields Premium Skin Care Clinically-Proven Results Dawn Massa, Consultant (201) 843-0047 www.dmassa.myrandf.com Lightly Salted Graphics Art Direction & Design Saddle Brook, NJ (201) 843-0047 www.lightlysaltedgraphics.com Wellsprings Counseling Christian Counseling Fair Lawn, Manhattan & Washingtonville (201) 956-6363 www.wellsprings.org Young Living Essential Oils Miriam Cariglia, Distributor (973) 229-7110 miriamcariglia@yahoo.com www.MiriamsOils.marketingscents.com Glass Gardens Florist 180 Central Ave. East Orange, NJ 07018 (973) 674-5114 www.flowersbymarlo.com Mari Media Services, LLC Personal and Business Computer Repair; Networking Entire Metro NJ/NY Area (973) 699-7781 www.marimediaservicesllc.wix.com/home

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 Street 2 Street Youth Outreach Ministry 555 Goffle Road Suite 212 Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 445-8555 www.street2street.com

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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CARE Ministry Drug/Alcohol Abuse Recovery Christian Community Church River Edge, NJ 07661 Joe Brennan (201) 385-4396 www.joeybrennan.com

CirclesofFaith.org Where Faith, Life, and Community Intersect Montclair, NJ circlesoffaith@gmail.com www.circlesoffaith.org

Victory Restorations, Inc. Custom Remodeling Contractor Serving Northern NJ and Surrounding Area (201) 843-1340 vicinhim@gmail.com www.victoryrestorationsinc.com

Market Street Mission Meals-Shelter-Hope 9 Market St. Morristown, NJ 07960 (973) 538-0431 www.marketstreet.org

The Bridge Christian Radio 127 White Oak Lane Old Bridge, NJ 08857 (888) 861-6100 www.bridgefm.org

Antoine Lee, MC, MEd Individual Psychotherapy, Pastoral & Marriage Counseling Bronx, NY (646) 831-2618 www.pamnantione.com

Metro World Child Children’s Ministry P.O. Box 409 Brooklyn, NY 11237 (718) 453-3352 www.metroworldchild.org

Star 99.1 FM Christian Radio P.O. Box 9058 Zarephath, NJ 08890 (732) 469-0991 www.star991.com

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

54 Pitman Ave. Ocean Grove, NJ 07756 (732) 775-0035 www.oceangrove.org Next Level Coaching NYC Leadership Center P.O. Box 9157 Long Island City, NY 11103 (347) 382-9237 www.nycleadership.com

CONFERENCES/ RETREATS Eddy Farm Retreat/Conference Center 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 Retreat Center 3300 River Rd. Mt. Bethel, PA 18343 (570) 897-6000 www.tuscarora.org

WORSHIP Armenian Pres. Church 140 Forest Ave. Paramus, NJ 07652 (201) 265-8585 www.apcparmus.com Trinity Evangelical Free Church 390 Teaneck Rd. Teaneck, NJ 07666 (201) 566-8396 www.trinityteaneck.org Abundant Life Worship Center of Lincoln Park 103 Jacksonville Rd. Lincoln Park, NJ 07035 (973) 694-9998 www.alwclp.org Hope Community Bible Church 50 Flanders-Bartley Rd. Flanders, NJ 07836 (973) 927-5066 www.hcbchurch.net MetroChurch 136 Wyckoff Avenue Wladwick, NJ (201) 797-3336 www.metrochurchnj.com

EDUCATION Eastern Christian Schools Preschool - High School Campuses: Midland Park, Wyckoff, & North Haledon, NJ (973) 427-4729 www.easternchristian.org Hackensack Christian School Preschool through Grade 12 15 Conklin Place Hackensack, NJ 07601 (201) 487-7212 www.hcsinfo.org New York School of the Bible Bible Courses 123 W. 57th St. New York, NY 10019 (212) 975-0170, ext. 123 www.cbcnyc.org/nysb Abundant Life Academy K-3 through Grade 12 390 Washington Ave. Nutley, NJ 07110 (973) 667-9700 www.abundantlifeacademy.net

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