Friday, March 28, 2014

Sample Independent Contractor Agreement | HIS CPA

Sample Independent Contractor Agreement


As a second part of the series I have provided below what a Sample Independent Contractor Agreement. Although a CPA is often the one who is best served to guide and direct an analytical and careful evaluation of the facts as presented. However care should be taken to have an attorney also be involved in drafting an Independent Contractor Agreement so that they might adequately address any intellectual property issues, confidentiality, ownership of all work products, etc.


SAMPLE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT


Contract made_________________, 20____,


Between _________________(Name of Corporation: hereinafter called Corporation) located
at_________________________________.


&_________________(Name of Contractor: hereinafter called Contractor) located at_________________________________.


In Consideration of the mutual promises set forth herein, it is agreed by and between Corporation and Contractor that:


Section One: Description of Services Performed by Contractor
The work to be performed by Contractor is in the Contractor's usual line of business, including, but not limited to the following:


1. Contractor will provide services pursuant to customer's needs, desires, and requests. The Contractor will ensure that all work performed is in accordance with customer's standards and per customer's request.
2. Contractor agrees to uphold standards of work and services that customer's dictate and in accordance with professional standards.
3. Contractor agrees to provide services in accordance to deadlines and requests of customers.


Section Two: Payments


Payments will be made on a ________basis to Contractor at a rate of ________per ______________(project) performed. Contractor will summarize their billing by preparing an invoice to the Corporation. Monies calculated, as being owed, will be paid _____days after they are presented to the Corporation.


Section Three: Relationship of the Parties


The parties intend that an Independent Contractor - Corporation relationship will be created by this contract and that said Contractor is not to be considered an employee of the Corporation for any purpose. The employee's of the Contractor or Contractor are not entitled to any of the benefits that Corporation provides for Corporation's employees. It is understood that Corporation does not agree to use Contractor exclusively. It is further understood that Contractor is free to contract for others owners or pursue any other business interests while under contact with the Corporation. The Independent Contractor hereby acknowledges that he or she is accountable for Independent Contractor's own federal, state, and self employment income taxes and all liability and medical insurances and will not hold Corporation responsible for these or for any of the following including unemployment compensation, worker's compensation, social security payments or for any other taxes or penalties associated with any failure on Contractor's part to file any declarations or pay any monies due to any tax or licensing authority. The Independent Contractor acknowledges that he or she is to sign the attached W-9 certificate, acknowledging their independent contractor status, prior to issuance of any monies. The Contractor, as a separate business, is expected to conform and be solely responsible for all federal, state, and local licensing and reporting requirements. Contractor acknowledges that they are responsible for their own training and instruction. There are no required work schedules, sequences, written quotas, or production or sales reports. Contractor is responsible for all tools and supplies necessary to fulfill their contractual responsibilities.


Section Four: Liability


The work performed under this contract will be performed entirely at the Contractor's risk. While Corporation assumes responsibility for its actions; the Contractor agrees to accept complete responsibility for any and all liability or loss arising in any way out of their performance of their responsibilities under this contract. These liabilities shall include but are not limited to purchases of tools and supplies as well as other business costs.


Section Five: Duration


Either party can cancel this contract at any time with or without cause on 30 days written notice so long as all:
1. All Balances are paid.
2. Proprietary materials are returned to their respective owners.
3. Existing contractual agreements/responsibilities are substantially resolved.


Section Six: Professional Standards


Contractor is expected at all times to show professionalism in the manner in which all aspects of the work performed. The Contractor is expected to provide these services on a timely convenient manner conducive to customer's satisfaction. The Contractor is expected to maintain their finished work product and appearance in a manner, which will be in accordance with professional standards and as agreed. Contractor also agrees to perform services in accordance with professional standards and practices of the industry and all applicable federal and state laws.


Both parties hereby agree that the above information is accurate and truthful, and that a mutual understanding has been reached regarding the rules of Corporation and Contractor. This contract is to be followed and interpreted under the rules of the State of Georgia. If any part of this contract is declared null or void, the remaining parts will remain in full force and effect.


Contracts should then be signed and fully executed listing the name, address, titles and date signed by all parties concerned.


John Dillard is a Christian Speaker/Author and Certified Public Accountant (All Rights Reserved). To See how he takes Christ along with him to work visit http://www.hiscpa.com/ (An Atlanta CPA firm) and for his latest book Overcoming Life's 9/11's: Job's Journey and to learn about his ministry visit http://www.john-dillard.com/

5 Stolen Nativity Scenes That Were Returned to Their Rightful Owners

A nativity scene Photo: Guillaume Piolle/Wikimedia Commons

Just as daffodils adorn lawns across America in spring, nativity scenes crop up with the approach of Christmas. And this phenomenon is soon followed by the theft of those manger scenes by mischievous or criminal elements of the community.

But more often than I thought, these thefts have a happy ending for Baby Jesus and His entourage. Here are five times when stolen nativity scenes were returned to their rightful owners.

The Vanishing Act

Omaha, NE - Barb Welch's nativity scene was swiped from her front yard soon after Thanksgiving. After a few days, it returned overnight as mysteriously as it disappeared. (WOWT)

The Rescue Mission

Temecula, CA - After Bridget Bo-Lane's nativity scene went missing, a Facebook campaign was launched and the police got involved. The authorities found the lifted scene set up in another yard and recovered it. (Patch)

The Scavenger Hunt

Valencia, CA - A baby Jesus figurine vanished from a nativity scene in the Valencia Westfield Town Center shopping mall. However, a staff member found the figurine elsewhere on the property, and it's back in the scene donated by Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita. (CBSLA)

The Brazen Burglars

St. Joseph, MN - The Church of St. Joseph had 3-foot tall figures from its nativity scene stolen, even with the police station half a block away. The scene was later returned by cover of night. (Star-Tribune)

The Tragic Timing

West York, PA - Randy Campbell's baby Jesus was stolen from his nativity scene the same day his sister died. Two days later while he was out walking his dog, he discovered the figurine had been returned.

Even better, a stranger later showed up to give him a baby doll to replace the Jesus. The stranger had heard Campbell's story and driven two hours to bless him with the replacement. (York Daily Record)

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Former Atheist Lee Strobel's Follow-Up to Ricky Gervais' Easter Message

In response to Ricky Gervais’ controversial “Holiday Message” last week, one well-known Christian author and apologist followed up with what he’s best known for – the facts.

Presenting his case for Christ, former atheist Lee Strobel described how the evidence of Easter killed his faith in atheism in his essay published in The Wall Street Journal.

Over 30 ago Strobel – who was no stranger to investigating as the legal editor of The Chicago Tribune and an award-winning journalist – began his two-year search for evidence regarding the credibility of Christianity after his wife’s sudden conversion.

Recalling his first reaction to his wife’s newfound belief, Strobel stated in the WSJ how “it was the worst news [he could] get as an atheist.”

“Two words shot through my mind. The first was an expletive; the second was ‘divorce,’” the evangelist relayed.

Afraid she was going to turn into a “self-righteous holy roller,” Strobel decided to systematically investigate Christianity, focusing on Christ’s resurrection, in hopes to perhaps “extricate [his wife] from [the] cult.”

Order Online: The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus

He also admitted to being genuinely curious about her faith because he had seen positive changes in his wife the months following her conversion (which she attributed to God).

Exhaustively studying the historical data surrounding Christ’s death and resurrection for nearly two years, Strobel found evidence after evidence, which supported not only Jesus’ life but his actual resurrection as well.

Recording in the WSJ each criticism he had, the famous author found that all his questions he had regarding Christ’s final days were substantially supported by historical evidence.

Was Jesus really executed, was Jesus’ tomb empty, did anyone see Jesus alive again, and could these encounters have been hallucinations were a few of the questions Strobel investigated and found to be valid.

“One by one, my objections evaporated,” Strobel penned in the WSJ. “I read books by skeptics, but their counter-arguments crumbled under the weight of the historical data. No wonder atheists so often come up short in scholarly debates over the resurrection.

“In the end, after I had thoroughly investigated the matter, I reached an unexpected conclusion: it would actually take more faith to maintain my atheism than to become a follower of Jesus.”

So on November 18, 1981, Strobel made a decision to become a Christian, just like his wife. “My eternity changed and my life changed in ways that I never foresaw,” Strobel told Brian Auten in an interview on Apologetics 315.

“The evidence is what tipped the scales… [I said to myself] ‘If this is true, then Christ deserves my allegiance, my world, my all.’”

Though it was the facts that ultimately led him to take a step in faith, Strobel stated to Auten how his wife’s prayers also seemed to play a big role in his conversion.

Throughout the entire two years he was searching for answers, she – though at first doubtful that her “hardhearted” husband would come to Christ – had through the advice of an older church member prayed Ezekiel 36:26 – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Oddly enough as well, Strobel mentioned to Auten how he too had prayed as an atheist. Asking God to convince him if he really did exist, he prayed at the beginning of his investigation, “God, I don’t believe you’re there. I’m convinced you’re not. But if you are there, I want to meet you. I want to know you.”

The stakes were too high, the apologist noted. If God did exist, it would change everything.

Now, over three decades later, everything has changed for Strobel. Instead of trying to convince people out of their faith, he is helping lead others to Christ through intellectual and rational evidence and facts.

Writing book after book presenting the evidence for Christ, he seeks to, as an apologist and evangelist, help people come to know God in his own gifted manner.

“My role in the kingdom is, someone with a background as a journalist with law training, to be able to sit down with [scholars] and ask them questions… and then try to force them to the old saying ‘put the cookies on the bottom shelf’ – make the material accessible to average people. Then I try to present it in an unique way that reflects who God’s made me to be and communicate to a larger audience,” Strobel told Auten.

Celebrating his 30th Easter this year as a Christian, Strobel makes his reason for faith clear. “Not because of wishful thinking, the fear of death, or the need for a psychological crutch, but because of the facts,” he concluded.

Advising all unbelievers to study the facts and come to a conclusion, he challenges atheists to: make their investigation a priority, do it with an open heart and mind, and once enough evidence is collected, be willing to reach a verdict.

“Be like an umpire in a baseball game,” he explained to Auten, “who says I’m going to call a ball a ball or a strike a strike, regardless of how it affects the outcome – because that’s the truth.”

Lee Strobel is a New York Times bestselling author and writer of The Case for Christand The Case for Easter: Journalist Investigates the Evidence for the Resurrection. His latest book, The Ambition, releases May 17.

Top 100 Largest, Fastest-Growing Churches

Corrections appended

With the number of megachurches in America growing at an increasingly rapid rate, the largest of them all now have a new label: "gigachurches."

Topping this year's largest churches in the country is Lakewood Church in Houston, with an attendance of 47,000, according to Outreach Magazine's annual 100 list of America's largest and fastest-growing churches. While Lakewood remains on top, 35 of the top 100 draw 10,000-plus people each week (gigachurches). The rest have a weekly attendance of 6,000-plus.

Meanwhile, megachurches (2,000-plus attendees) now number an estimated 1,300. While that's only 0.4 percent of all U.S. Protestant churches, megachurches are growing rapidly as they pioneer new approaches largely to engage the unchurched population.

"At a time when an estimated 70 percent to 80 percent of U.S. churches are either in plateau or decline, I am encouraged to discover a number of healthy congregations on the Outreach 100 lists that are bucking the negative tendencies prevalent in so many U.S. churches," said Dr. Ed Stetzer, director of research and missiologist in residence for LifeWay Research. Outreach partnered with Stetzer for the first time for this year's top 100 which was based on new methodology that factored in both numerical and percentage growth in attendees.

This year's fastest growing church is Hispanic megachurch Iglesia Cristiana Segardores de Vida in Hollywood, Fla. Within the last year alone, the church grew by 3,050 attendees and now claims almost 6,000. The 100 churches on the fastest-growing list grew four times faster than churches on the largest list.

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A key growth trend, or megatrend, is multi-site technology. Currently, seven of the top 10 fastest-growing churches are multi-site churches in which churches have set up extension sites on multiple campuses across the city, state or country. In 1990, there were only 10 multi-site Protestant churches in the United States. Today, 25 percent of all megachurches have more than one site and 16 percent of all Protestant churches in the United States are seriously considering adding a site within the next two years, according to LifeWay Research.

Stetzer doesn't consider multi-sites a trend anymore, but rather as "the new normal."

And the multi-site phenomenon continues to morph and transition as churches find new forms of expression to run church activities in many locations.

LifeChurch.tv (No. 31 Fastest, No. 5 Largest), stationed in Edmond, Okla., has launched sites across borders to Arizona, Texas, Florida and New York, as well as on the Internet.

North Coast Church in Vista, Calif., (not among the top 100 Fastest or Largest) uses its multiple campuses to engage different cultural segments and reach different generations with a range of worship experiences – from traditional (hymns) to postmodern (sub-woofers, candles).

Other multi-sites have chosen to create smaller, more intimate faith communities at their satellite locations, either offering services of only 200 people or even smaller to a house church.

Another type of megachurch Stetzer noted includes churches using their platform for political action in new ways.

While Christian churches have long been perceived as monolithically right wing, more megachurches today are tackling issues not historically connected with those of the Religious Right.

Hispanic churches have risen to the frontlines of the immigration reform battle, black churches are voicing themselves on social action, and others are championing issues such as eradicating global poverty and creation care.

Ethnic diversity is also a noted megatrend as Hispanic and Asian congregations continue to increase in the United States. While the growth of the Hispanic population and churches is already evident, Stetzer predicts more Asian congregations will appear on the Outreach 100 list in the future.

More megachurches today are also returning to the foundational ethic of multiplication through discipleship. That's a turn from the emphasis on personal self-help and church growth methods that have been seen in the megachurch phenomenon.

As experts have concluded, Stetzer sees no slowing or halt to the megachurch phenomenon as long as pastors continue to seek new ways to reach and transform their communities for Christ.

Top 10 Largest U.S. Churches

1. Lakewood Church, Houston Texas – Joel Osteen (47,000)
2. Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, Ill. – Bill Hybels (23,500)
3. Second Baptist Church, Houston – Ed Young Sr. (23,198)
4. Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, Calif. – Rick Warren (22,000)
5. LifeChurch.tv, Edmond, Okla. – Craig Groeschel (19,907)
6. Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Ky. – Dave Stone (18,013)
7. North Point Church, Alpharetta, Ga. – Andy Stanley (17,700)
8. Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va. – Jonathan Falwell (17.445)
9. Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Bob Coy (17,000)
10. The Potter's House, Dallas – T.D. Jakes (17,000)

Top 10 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches

1. Iglesia Cristiana Segadores de Vida, Hollywood, Fla. – Ruddy and Maria Gracia (grew by 3,050; 109 percent)
2. Community of Faith, Cypress, Texas - Mark Shock (grew by 2,200; 163 percent)
3. Valley Bible Fellowship, Bakersfield, Calif. – Ron Vietti (grew by 3,600; 52 percent)
4. Community Christian Church, Naperville, Ill. – Dave Ferguson (grew by 2,230; 81 percent)
5. The ROC (Richmond Outreach Center), Richmond, Va. – Geronimo Aguilar (grew by 2,100; 100 percent)
6. New Life Church, Conway, Ark. – Rick Bezet (grew by 2,000; 108 percent)
7. Living Hope Church, Vancouver, Wash. – John Bishop (grew by 2,223; 75 percent)
8. Elevation Church, Charlotte, N.C., Steven Furtick (grew by 1,965; 444 percent)
9. Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va. – Jonathan Falwell (grew by 4,750; 37 percent)
10. Flamingo Road Church, Cooper City, Fla. – Troy Gramling (grew by 2,040; 51 percent)

More than 20,000 Protestant churches were contacted for the Outreach 100 lists, which includes churches that opted to participate in the study and data that each church provided. The lists are published in Outreach magazine's annual Outreach 100 Special Issue.

On the Web:
Outreach 100 Largest U.S. Churches
Outreach 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches

Correction: Monday, October 15, 2007:

The list of America’s fastest-growing churches released by Outreach Magazine this month had a number of errors that were later corrected on Monday, Oct. 8, 2007. The original list had left out four churches from the top 10 – Community of Faith, Community Christian Church, Living Hope Church, and Flamingo Road Church. In their place were Calvary Community Church (originally ranked No. 2, but later ranked No. 24), Fellowship Church (originally ranked No. 6, but later ranked No. 15), Redemption World Outreach Center (originally ranked No. 9, but later ranked No. 25), and Champions Centre (originally ranked No. 10, but later ranked No. 37). Outreach, in a news release, also incorrectly reported the size of growth witnessed by America’s fastest-growing church. According to numerical figures obtained by Outreach, 3,050 not 2,800 was the number of new attendees that boosted Iglesia Cristiana Segardores de Vida to nearly 6,000.

In addition to Outreach’s errors, The Christian Post had incorrectly reported the number of churches in America that draw over 10,000 people each week. According to Outreach, the number of U.S. churches that draw over 10,000 attendees each week is 35, not 36.

Nanny Cam Home Invasion Video Leads to Arrest in New York (VIDEO, PHOTO)

The so-called "Nanny cam home invasion" case in New Jersey has led to the arrest of a suspect believed to be the man who broke into a house and brutally beat a mother in front of her young daughter, with the entire beating caught on camera.

New Jersey home invasion

This video screen capture shows a man brutally beating a woman in front of her daughter in a New Jersey home invasion that has terrified locals. Authorities are hunting the attacker who was caught on the baby cam in the room.

Shawn Custis, 42, was arrested in Manhattan on Friday after his alleged attack on a mother, who was at home with her two children, was caught on camera.

The shocking video that has gone viral, shows a mother of two being severely and brutally beaten by an attacker in her home.

The horrific attack took place in Millburn, New Jersey, and was caught on a nanny cam in the woman's living room.

In the disturbing video, the woman is seen watching cartoons with her young daughter. She then gets up after hearing a noise coming from the other room. However, suddenly an intruder barges into the living room and throws her to the ground and starts punching her repeatedly in the face.

The young girl remains frozen on the sofa as the horrific attack unfolds, only moving initially to cover her face with a pillow.

The mother can be seen trying to get up, but the man continues to kick, choke and punch her.

Raspberry Ketones Approved, Says Dr. Oz and FDA, but Should You Take Them?

Much has been made of the new weight-loss product Raspberry Ketone, which has received an endorsement from America's Dr. Oz, but many are wondering exactly what it is and whether it's safe.

Raspberry Ketone is a compound made from raspberries that is quite safe, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).It has been tested in mice and showed the ability to prevent weight gain, though it has not produced this effect in humans yet.

Dr. Oz has stated that the compound will "get you over the hump" on his show, but it is important to continue exercising and eating healthily when on a weight-loss regime. Raspberry Ketone is only meant as an additional boost, not a food substitute.

It is already in high demand thanks to Oz's endorsement, and nutritional stores are working hard to keep it in stock for customers.

"It is amazing the demand that a show like Dr. Oz can generate," Chris Nicholl of Raspberry Tones told PR Leap website. "Luckily, Raspberry Ketone is one of our primary products and we had plenty of stock for both retail and wholesale customers, but it was a lot of work internally keeping up with all of the requests."

Raspberry Ketones were initially endorsed on Oz's Feb. 6 show, but it has been rebroadcast, causing demand for the product to skyrocket. Oz featured it as part of his "5 Fat Burners" episode.

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Nutritionists have recommended that people wanting to add Raspberry Ketone as part of their daily diet should consume 100-200 milligrams of it every day. Raspberry Ketones are not recommended for women who are pregnant, according to Consumer Health.

Though the FDA has approved its use, consumers are cautioned as there is not much information about the potential harm, nor have there been any human trials conducted for examination.

Not Just Souvenirs: Refrigerator Magnets | Bindings: Reflections on faith, life, and good books


Yes, I've enjoyed collecting refrigerator magnets for many years, and I have hundreds of these colorful bits of plastic, wood, glass, fabric--what have you. Do I have one from every place I've ever visited or lived? In a word, no. Growing up in a military family and living overseas, there was no such thing as fridge magnets when I was a child. A "dear" friend asked the other day, "Oh, did they even have refrigerators when you were a child??" He should have been prepared to duck . . . really!


More than just colorful bits on our refrigerator, these magnets represent wonderful memories of enjoyable trips and fun places we've visited, as well as the blessings in my life. For without Him in my life, none of the places and events we have visited really matters at all. Photographs are merely a slice of time that reveal split seconds of life, but magnets represent the entirety of the experience.


My husband Clark tells people that we'll have to get a second fridge one of these days if I keep collecting. He may be right, but I have arranged my collection in such a way that there’s still plenty of room for more (that is, if you count the other side and top as space)! In fact, I’ll admit that I’m probably a bit compulsive about my magnets, as I even have them grouped by particular themes:


U.S. States: a quick glance across the fridge reveals some of the states we have visited in the U.S., in no particular order: NY, NJ, VT, KY, OK, IN, AR, NH, TN, FL, GA, SC, AZ, NM, TX, MA, VA, WV, and IL.


New York City: The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theater, the United Nations, The Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty, Little Italy, Long Island Ferry, St. Patrick's Cathedral, The Twin Towers (we were there in May before Sept. 11 on one of many trips), the Bronx Zoo, and Junior's Cheesecake in Brooklyn, and of course a New York City taxicab.


Other Cities/Places: The Biltmore House in Asheville, NC (I cannot imagine maintaining and cleaning its more than 50 bathrooms); Linville Caverns in the NC mountains; Cape May, NJ; the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel (we once lived on MD's Eastern Shore in Pocomoke City); the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, MI (featured in the movie Somewhere In Time, starring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve--I love that movie!); the Grand Canyon; Niagara Falls; The Continental Divide, NM; PA Dutch Country; Hersey's Chocolate Factory; Sedona, AZ; Myrtle Beach, SC; Disney World in FL; various points of interest around Washington, DC, such as the Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol Building; and the Smithsonian; and of course, Graceland in Memphis, TN. I also have a guitar-shaped magnet emblazoned with the name "ELVIS." For barbecue lovers, we ate at Interstate Barbecue in Memphis, and trust me, it deserves its rating in the top ten BBQ restaurants by the Food Network.


Countries: I have a loaf of French bread from Paris, France, and also a sombrero and woven blanket from Mexico. I bought neither one myself, and although I lived in France and visited Paris as a child, my brother brought me the Paris magnet. A family member gave me the Mexico magnet. And, there's a maple leaf flag, representing our enjoyable car trip across much of beautiful Canada a few years ago.


Chocolate: one proclaims that "Families are like fudge: mostly sweet with a few nuts." One of my favorites is my chocolate chip cookie, which looks so real that someone actually tried to eat it years ago when I placed it on a tray (as a joke) with real cookies! I also have a chocolate candy bar. It looks real, too, and the granddaughters thought it WAS the real thing.


Old Timey Americana: an old treadle sewing machine, a wood cook stove, an ironing board/iron, along with a hand-cranked meat grinder, a cast iron skillet containing eggs and bacon, percolator for coffee, egg beater, old radio, carton of eggs, sacks of flour and grain, rolling pin, Coca-Cola memorabilia (remember the polar bears?), Ivory soap, a milk bottle like those which used to be delivered to homes.


Foods: a tossed salad, a blueberry pie, a tin of muffins, a stack of pancakes, a bunch of bananas, a cutting board laden cheese and salami, French fries, a hot dog, a hamburger, a basket of apples, a basket of fresh veggies.


Cows: ranging from one that moos when a button is pushed to a cow thermometer, along with another proclaiming “Cow Collector”—even a little stuffed animal cow with magnets on its hooves. In fact, my kitchen is decorated with black-and-white cow decor, but that's for another post!


Sayings: my personal favorites, "Grandmas are special" (I didn't buy that--the granddaughters gave it to me); and "A daughter is a forever friend (because mine are)."


Others are terse:


“I express my individuality by collecting mass-produced magnets.”


"You can't scare me: I'm a teacher!"


"Lord, grant me patience, but hurry!"


"Never trust a skinny cook."


"I am woman--I am invincible--I am tired.”


Miscellaneous: for some inexplicable reason, I also have a trashcan full of trash, a butterfly, a gumball machine, a gingerbread man, an outdoor grill, Poppin' Fresh dough boy, and a painting by the French artist Monet (Oh yes: that was from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC). And, in honor of the dachshunds in our family (and my books), of course I have a black-and-tan doxie magnet.


Before there were magnets: Although my family and I visited the World's Fair in Brussels, Belgium, when I was a child in 1958, there were no magnets back then, so I made one out of a necklace I had depicting The Atomium, a huge silver building shaped like an atom, with concourses connecting the sections representing "neutrons" and "electrons" to the "nucleus" of the building. Quite imposing. While on this same trip, we experienced the Tulip Festival in Holland, which was breathtaking, with intricate floats made entirely of flowers. No magnet there, but I do have a pair of decorative wooden shoes. We visited medieval castles in Germany, and I had mouse souvenir I bought from a little shop. As an adult, I've wondered about the significance of a mouse souvenir from a castle--perhaps because mice were common inhabitants in them? On another trip across Europe, we attended a bull fight in Spain accompanied with much ceremony and flourishes from the bull fighters, but that was not really to my liking--I felt sorry for the bull. No magnet for that, but I do have a handkerchief depicting the event.


My final mention, but perhaps my most important magnet, proclaims: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33 KJV). This one magnet simply sums up the purpose of life and all of its events, travels, and experiences. I wouldn’t have it any other way.



In her 21-year career as an English teacher, Mavis Duke Hinton now teaches English online to students across the USA and several foreign countries. She grew up in a military family and lived abroad in Europe during her childhood. She has also been an editor for Christian and secular organizations, including Liberty University, as well as a police officer. She has taught Bible studies to all ages, from preschool children to adult women, and has spoken in educational conferences as well as women's groups from time to time. Married for forty-one years with two married daughters and three grandchildren, she has written two Christian fiction novels in The Dachshund Escapades series, I Am Sarge and I Am Dachshund, both published by OakTara.


www.MavisDukeHinton.com


www.blog.MavisDukeHinton.com

T.D. Jakes Addresses Dealing With Daughter's Teenage Pregnancy

Pastoring a church of 30,000 members comes with its own complexities and stresses but this can be multiplied many times over when your teenage daughter gives the news that she is pregnant.

After nine years, megachurch Pastor T. D. Jakes of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, is opening up about how he handled the news of his then 14-year-old daughter’s pregnancy.

“Shocked, crushed, emotionally devastated, and yet there was something down inside of me and in her mother as well, that said we have to rise above the trauma,” Jakes said on the Roland Martin Reportdescribing his first reaction to the news nearly a decade ago.

After expressing his initial feelings of disturbance over the incident, Jakes concluded that “love overrides everything.”

When news of the pregnancy spread, the prominent pastor also encountered difficulty emanating beyond his home.

“We got letters, we got blogs, we got stuff that was lies and garbage told about us. We had the press swarming the church.”

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With various media coming to the church to further report on the story, Jakes commended his congregants' integrity, refusing to say anything and telling the press that it was a personal matter that they had nothing to do with.

Despite the pressure, Jakes stood by his daughter keeping her, and not his image, as his chief concern.

“It wasn’t about being embarrassed, it wasn’t about protecting my image. I cared nothing about that. I cared about what you see sitting right here,” referring to his daughter, Sarah Henson, as he placed a hand on her back to comfort her.

Knowing that her father would face a lot of attacks and criticisms over her pregnancy, Henson recalled telling Jakes at the time, "Dad, if you want me to .... I don't have to come to church, whatever's going to make this easier for you. He told me 'I'll give the whole church up before they make me disown my daughter.'"

FULL STORY 

LifeWay Paves Way for Legal Christian Music Downloads

On Nov. 18, a new breakthrough agreement linking technology with Christian music has now enabled Christian music fans to download music from the internet to their computers legally. The news conference which announced this new service was held at theLifeWay Christian Stores' headquarters in Nashville, TN., and included attendees such as Christian artists tobyMac, founding member of dc Talk and founder/co-owner/CEO of Gotee Records, and singer-songwriter Shaun Groves joined with Gospel Music Association President John Styll and representatives from Chordant Distribution Group and Liquid Digital Media.

The new service, offered a partnership between LifeWay Christian Stores and Liquid Digital Media, charges 99 cents for single song downloads and $10-$12 for full album downloads. All downloads are conducted in Windows Media format The no-monthly-fee payment system implemented to allow song downloads addresses the legal issue concerning music downloads online.

"LifeWay is seeking to bridge the illegal-downloads divide by providing people with an easy, affordable and legal way to download their favorite Christian artists," said Mark King, vice president of direct marketing for LifeWay Christian Stores.

"People downloading songs without paying for them has been an industry-wide problem for years," Styll said.

King also noted that the partnership will also provide Christian music listeners to visit the lifewaystores.com and conveniently shop for music, books and gifts.

Though illegal downloads has been a recognized problem, the digital milestone in Christian music will make a difference.

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"Illegal downloads have been a growing problem in the Christian community, and they are causing economic harm to everyone involved in the music industry," Styll said. "We applaud LifeWay for taking this leadership role in offering digital music downloads for purchase on the Internet, as it is a practical solution to this very real problem."

To promote the new downloading service, LifeWay along with Chordant Distribution Group will give away one song per day for 30 days as part of their “30 for 30” national promotion which begins on Nov. 18.

Ark Encounter Theme Park to Include Ride Through Plagues of Egypt

Kentucky aims to be a top tourist destination for all who want to experience biblical history through the eyes of Noah, Abraham and first-century Christians by way of the Ark Encounter, which is on schedule to open in 2014. The 160-acre complex will include a full-scale replica of Noah's Ark, the Tower of Babel, and a first-century village, along with a theme ride that will take visitors through the 10 plagues of Egypt.

"The Ark Encounter is a chronological walk through biblical history, where people can experience the replica of the Tower of Babel, the life of Abraham, the 10 plagues of Egypt, and the birth of the nation of Israel," Mike Zovath, senior vice president and co-founder of the Ark Encounter, told The Christian Post on Monday. "The ride is not a thrill ride, it's a seven to 11 minute ride through the nation of Israel, where visitors will see the plagues portrayed."

The main attraction will be Noah's Ark, constructed entirely of wood, and based on the dimensions provided in Genesis 6 in the Bible, and once completed it's expected to be the largest timber-frame structure in the United States. According to Zovath, the ark will also depict the technology that Noah and his family are believed to have used on the ark.

Zovath noted that independent studies show "the ark is interesting to everybody, believers and nonbelievers alike," and he "wants everyone to know that the story of Noah's Ark is actually plausible."

The co-founder of the Williamstown, Ky., attraction describes his work on the Ark Encounter as a once in a lifetime opportunity, just as his work on the Creation Museum, situated a 45-minute drive away, was also a God-inspired once in a lifetime opportunity. He said he feels like God is part of their plan and their effort to teach the biblical position.

While both attractions are separate and distinct, they're also complementary, and are being promoted as joint-destinations for extended weekends or family vacations.

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As the Ark Encounter is being built, the Creation Museum, a teaching ministryfounded by evangelical Christian and creationism proponent Ken Ham, will also be undergoing an expansion to prepare for the expected increase in tourism at both locations.

In 2011, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear announced that the $150 million Ark Encounter theme park is expected to boost the state's local economy and create 900 jobs, 550 of those being full-time positions, and will bring an estimated 1.6 million tourists who will spend $250 million during the first year of the park's opening.

The Ark Encounter will also be one of the largest "green" construction projects in the country and will "include as much green technology as possible to have a positive environmental impact," Zovath said.

Anyone can also help build the ark by donating a peg, plank, or beam through their website, Ark Encounter.

TBN, Joel Osteen Ministries Partner to Broadcast 'America's Night of Hope'

The Trinity Broadcasting Network announced that it is partnering once again with Joel and Victoria Osteen to broadcast the Lakewood Church ministers' annual "America's Night of Hope" praise and worship event, being held this year at Marlin's Park in Miami, Fla.

"Over the past several years TBN has been honored to partner with Joel Osteen Ministries to broadcast 'America's Night of Hope' in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and last year's memorable event from Washington, DC," Matthew Crouch, TBN's vice president, said in a press statement. "Each year has dramatically impacted us here at TBN, just as it has touched the tens of thousands of individuals who've attended live – as well as the millions across America who have viewed it by television. We're expecting another monumental evening at Miami's Marlins Park."

Thousands are expected to gather in Miami, Fla., this weekend at the 5th annual "America's Night of Hope," which is the culminating event among a series of activities that will also see youths from Lakewood Church's Generation Hope Project gather in the city to participate in service projects.

On Saturday, visitors from across the U.S. are expected to fill the 37,000-seat Marlins Stadium for a night of worship and inspiration that will feature remarks from Joel and Victoria Osteen. The Osteens' two teen children, Jonathan and Alexandra, will also participate in the night's activities, as will their grandmother, Dodie Osteen.

"More than ever before, people are looking for hope in their lives," Pastor Osteen said in a statement shared by TBN. "I like to tell them that 'God's dream for your life is bigger than your own.' That is what the 'Night of Hope' in Miami is all about: inspiring people to expect God's best for them."

He said of partnering with TBN: "Victoria and I are excited to be in the beautiful city of Miami once again, and we're thrilled to be partnering with TBN to broadcast this life-changing event to individuals and families everywhere. I believe people will be uplifted and filled with an expectation that their best days are still out in front of them."

On Friday, the Osteens will appear on TBN's "Praise the Lord" program with Pastor Rich Wilkerson of Trinity Church in Miami. The TBN broadcast of "America's Night of Hope" while taped live the following evening, will not be broadcast on TBN until Sunday, May 12. Internet users are able to watch the gathering live online at AmericasNightOfHope.com.

Pastor Osteen, a best-selling author of titles like Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential and I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life, reaches more than 10 million homes via broadcasts every week. His nondenominational Lakewood Church, located in Houston, Texas, is home to America's largest and fastest-growing congregation and has a weekly attendance of more than 43,000.

TBN, the world's largest faith broadcaster with dozens of satellites on every continent except Antarctica, marks its 40th anniversary on May 28 and reportedly has a major celebration planned. The network, which reportedly raised $92 million in donations in 2010, was founded by Paul Crouch, 79, and his wife Jan Crouch, 75.

The Costa Mesa, Calif.-based nonprofit has been involved in a series of court cases stemming from lawsuits filed by the Crouches and their granddaughter, Brittany Koper, and her husband, Michael Koper, both former employees. Both parties have accused the other of financial misdeeds. Another lawsuit involves a claim from 19-year-old Carra Crouch, granddaughter of the TBN founders, that her alleged rape at 13 by a network employee was covered up by her family.

Oakland Raiders vs San Diego Chargers Live Stream Free: Watch NFL 2013 Football Online (CBS TV Schedule, Start Time)

The Chargers come into this game on 7-7 and at present if the season ended now they would occupy the no. 8 seed position in the AFC Conference – which is not good enough to make the playoffs.

In recent weeks the Chargers have claimed some fantastic wins, defeating both the Kansas City Chiefs 41-38 in Week 12, and then the Denver Broncos 27-20 last week on Thursday Night Football. Those two wins have seen them claim victory in three of their last four games. That has surged them up into playoff contention, and if they can defeat the Raiders today, they will host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17 hoping to replicate their win over the Chiefs at the end of November.

Many are calling the Chargers' win over the Denver Broncos last week as the shock of the season so far. However, it would be more shocking if the Chargers were able to make the postseason, as for much of this season they were lacking something and struggled badly at times.

Philip Rivers is 337 of 482 for 4,048 yards and 28 touchdowns. Those impressive stats have helped the Chargers to claim a 4th rank in the NFL for total pass yards posted per game (279.5 yards). Their total yards gained on average per game has also impressed, and San Diego have managed to claim 396 yards per game in total – enough to rank them 6th in the league.

The Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers will start at 4.25 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the CBS network or online through free live stream byclicking here.

Oakland Raiders vs San Diego Chargers WEEK 16 NFL PREVIEW 12/22/13

Joel Osteen Blog

On January 8, 1986 at 4:00 in the afternoon, I walked into a jewelry store to buy a battery for my watch. Out walked the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. It was Victoria. I didn't tell her, but I thought, "This is my set time of favor." I knew God had ordered my steps to that store. It took me about a year to convince her that it was her set time of favor, too!


In all seriousness, God has set times of favor for you today and in your future. These are times you've been praying for, believing for, standing in faith for. Let me assure you, you're going to come into set times of favor where a problem suddenly turns around, a set time where you meet the right person, a set time where a good break thrusts you years ahead.


That's why Habakkuk said, "The vision is for an appointed time. It may seem slow in coming, but wait patiently, for it will surely come." Notice he didn't say "maybe it will come." Not, "I hope it will come." No, he was sure that God had already set the date.


Today, you can be sure that the appointed time for your breakthrough has already been put on your calendar! It won't be one second late.


Sometimes we think, "Well, everybody is getting ahead of me. My friends are all married, and I'm still single. My co-workers are being promoted, but I'm still stuck here." No, don't get discouraged. Your set time is coming. It is not going to be one second late. FULL POST

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Apologist Josh McDowell: Internet the Greatest Threat to Christians

Atheists and skeptics now have equal access to our children as we have, which is why the number of Christian youth who believe in the fundamentals of Christianity is decreasing and sexual immorality is growing, apologist Josh McDowell said.

“What has changed everything?” asked the apologist from Campus Crusade for Christ International as he spoke on “Unshakable Truth, Relevant Faith” at the Billy Graham Center in Asheville, N.C., Friday evening. His answer was, the Internet.

“The Internet has given atheists, agnostics, skeptics, the people who like to destroy everything that you and I believe, the almost equal access to your kids as your youth pastor and you have... whether you like it or not,” said McDowell, who is author of two books on Christian apologetics, More than a Carpenter and New Evidence that Demands Verdict.

The belief or worldview, McDowell said, forms values, which in turn drive one’s behavior. The worldview “is where we are falling down the most anywhere in the world.” So what is the prevalent worldview in America today? “There is no truth apart from myself,” that’s what even many young “evangelical, fundamental, born-again Christians” believe, he said.

While 51 percent of evangelical Christians did not believe in absolute truth in an earlier survey, the percentage escalated to 62 in 1994. In 1999, it jumped to 78 percent. “You know what it is now?” asked McDowell. “One of the most staggering statistics in history of the church… 91 percent said there is no absolute truth apart from myself.”

Another study, added McDowell, showed that only six percent of all teenagers in America, including Christians, said there isn’t any truth apart from myself. There was a difference of only five percent between believers and non-believers, he noted. Moreover, less than four percent of evangelical born-again Christians believed the Bible was infallible in every situation, and 63 percent of them believed He is “a” Son of God and not “the” Son of God, he added.

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“Now here is the problem,” said McDowell, “going all the way back, when Al Gore invented the Internet [he said jokingly], I made the statement off and on for 10-11 years that the abundance of knowledge, the abundance of information, will not lead to certainty; it will lead to pervasive skepticism. And, folks, that’s exactly what has happened. It’s like this. How do you really know, there is so much out there… This abundance [of information] has led to skepticism. And then the Internet has leveled the playing field [giving equal access to skeptics].”

McDowell, who lives in southern California with his wife Dottie and four children, said atheists, agnostics and skeptics didn’t have access to kids earlier. “If they wrote books, not many people read it. If they gave a talk, not many people went. They would normally get to kids maybe in the last couple of years of the university.” But that has changed now.

Around 15 years ago, the apologist added, when Christian youth ministries were raising money for youth projects, the big phrase was, “If you don’t reach your child by their 18th birthday, you probably won’t reach them.” What is it now? “If you do not reach your child by their 12th birthday, you probably won’t reach them.”

The Internet is weakening Christian witness and “we better wake up to it because it’s just beginning.” McDowell added that his greatest asset, value-wise, used to be his time until a year and a half ago. “My greatest asset now is my focus. There is so much out there just one click away, what am I going to focus on?”

McDowell, who considered himself an agnostic before accepting Christ, warned that the sexual immorality through the Internet was “marginalizing the maturity of the witness of Christ…all over the world.” It’s an “invasive, intruding immorality… that is all just one click away.” He said the majority of questions young people ask him are about sex, mainly “oral sex.”

The majority of all the 2.2 billion people who go to the Internet daily are between 15 to 25 years of age, he said. And there are 4.2 million pornographic sites. “Do you know how many pornographic emails would be circulated just today? 2.5 billion…just one click away.”

The Campus Crusade staff also said around 90 percent of the 16-year-olds, according to the latest statistics, had viewed pornography. And 80 percent of 15- to 17-year-olds had had exposure to hardcore pornography. In a recent study, teenagers were asked if pornography was acceptable, and 67 percent of the men and 59 percent of the women said “yes,” he added. “For 47 percent of Christian families, pornography is a major problem. Association of Divorce Lawyers came out and said that over 50 percent of divorces were directly related to pornography.”

How can this be checked? You can use the content control on a computer, but what about their cellphone, and their friends’ computers? “Folks, you can’t isolate your kids.”

McDowell proposed three ways to deal with the problem. “First, we have to model the truth. If you don’t model what you teach your kids, forget it. If they don’t see it, they won’t believe it… Second, we have to build relationships.” Just as truth without relationship leads to rejection, rules without relationship lead to rebellion, he said. “Kids don’t respond to rules. They respond to rules in the context of a loving, intimate relationship.” And third, he said, we have to use knowledge. “You better arm yourselves to answer your children’s and grandchildren’s questions…no matter what the question is…without being judgmental.” Kids’ greatest defense, he said, was the knowledge of truth.

However, McDowell said, as many as 85 to 90 percent of the evangelical Christian parents in America are not equipped to handle their kids. Christians, he urged, needed to understand the time, quoting 1 Chronicles 12:32: “Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do...”

Rick Warren Publishes His First Book in 10 Years Since Purpose Driven Life: The Daniel Plan, Introducing Dietary Lifestyle Program, AKA 'The Diet From God' - Crossmap Christian News | U.S.


A large player in this movement is Rick Warren, who is a pastor of the seventh-largest church in the United States, the Saddleback Church in California. Recently, the highly popular and influential pastor realized that many of his congregants were overweight, and set out to promote a permanent dietary and exercise program, “the Daniel Plan,” named after a Jewish noble in the Bible.

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Daniel’s storied discipline of abstaining from eating rich foods and sticking to vegetables inspired Warren and medical colleagues to come up with a regimen that entails group-based activities and a diet that is 70 percent fruits and vegetables, and 30 percent lean protein and whole grains. By 2011, 15,000 people had signed up for the program and 250,000 pounds had been lost, according to Saddleback Church.


"The secret sauce of Saddleback is we do this as a community," Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist, told CNN. "It's very different than most health plans where you do it with yourself or your wife. You get to do this with a whole community." Amen, Warren, and Mark Hyman, a physician, co-wrote the book, The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life, which will be published next month.


Warren, who has sold millions of copies of his book, Purpose Driven Life, might be more successful in pushing a health agenda in pockets of the country that may not otherwise be receptive to it. According to a 2011 poll by the Pew Research Center, a majority (56 percent) of evangelicals are against federal initiatives to reduce childhood obesity. Conversely, the same poll found that 57 percent of all Americans are in favor of government involvement in this regard.


The link between religiosity and obesity in this country also hints at an opportunity for Warren’s program to grab hold. The Atlantic noted a 2012 Gallup poll that found that many of the most obese metropolitan areas in the country exist in the Bible Belt. A 2006 study in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion associated the consumption of religious media with a higher risk of obesity for Baptist and fundamentalist Protestant women. Lastly, a 2011 Northwestern Medicine study found that young adults who often attend religious activities are 50 percent more likely to become obese by middle age than those who weren’t religiously involved. Researchers of the latter study expressed the benefit of being able to identify with a specific group for targeted obesity prevention efforts — something that Warren might inadvertently be doing through his program.


"The church was the perfect incubator," Hyman explained about the implementation of the program to CNN. "This was a way of leapfrogging and getting a social experiment done." As a pastor, Warren often explains the religious drive to participate in this experiment: “The Father made your body, Jesus paid for your body, the Spirit lives in your body. You better take care of it.”

So. Calif. Church Makes Out-of-State Medical Treatment for Boy with Cerebral Palsy Possible

A couple from Phoenix whose son suffers from cerebral palsy and needed out-of-state medical treatment last summer, received help from a church in Mission Viejo, Calif., after its members learned that the family was feeling helpless and in need of financial assistance.

"In an act of desperation really, after reaching out to folks through social media with no solution, I sent an e-mail to 20 churches in the area of Mission Viejo, Calif., where the clinic is and I asked if they knew of any affordable private living situation that would meet our needs," Kellie Burkhart said, the mother of the boy.

The Burkhart's 6-year-old son, Andrew, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy two years ago and after countless treatments with top notch doctors in the Phoenix area, and realizing their son's health was deteriorating, they decided to take on homeopathic treatments instead. Stem cell and hyperbaric oxygen treatments were part of the medical attention he needed which called for isolation from public contact leaving the Burkhart's with no choice but expensive private lodging as their only option.

"Of the 20 churches that I reached out to, only three replied. Two of the three said that they could not help, but would be praying for Andrew, which we very much appreciated," Burkhart said. "Rock Harbor Church's pastor, Brian Hill, replied and said, 'I don't know yet how we are going to help but I know that we will help your family,' and help they did!"

Rock Harbor not only decided to help financially, but upon hearing of the couple's situation, a member of the church decided to temporarily move out of her home in order to house the Burkhart's during their son's medical treatments.

"I sent an email to some of the leaders in our church and explained the situation and asked if anyone knew of a place that might provide a low-cost solution. I also asked, not really expecting it to happen, if anyone wanted to move out of their place for a month and rent out their home," Hill said. "A few days later one of the women on that email list replied and wrote that she was considering moving out for this family!  I called her and we talked about it for a while, and she eventually said she wanted to offer her home for the entire time the Burkhart's needed to be here and she wanted to do it for free!"

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Hill then called Kellie with the good news that helped put an end to her desperation.

"When I explained what the woman in our church wanted to do, all Kelly could do was cry and repeat, 'Thank you' over and over again. It was one of the best phone calls I've ever had the privilege of making," Hill said.

In addition, other members from the church rounded up funds to provide the couple with gift cards for gas and groceries during their stay in California.

"It was an unbelievable outpouring of help at a time when we really needed it. They were the hands and feet of Jesus to our family in the most necessary way," Burkhart said.

This past summer, the Burkhart's had to travel to California once again for Andrew's bone marrow and stem cell transplant, staying many weeks due to the length of his hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and for the second time again, Rock Harbor Church lent a helping hand.

"Again, our now dear friend moved out of her home for several weeks so that we could move in and again, she would take no money," Burkhart said. "She has stated that she wants all the glory to go where it deserves to be, with God! She [also] stated that she was just being an obedient servant, nothing more."

The couple, who live on a "modest teacher's salary" have had to face emotional and financial difficulties, however, Burkhart explains their journey has deepened their faith.

"After three years of these treatments for our son, even with doing extensive fundraising and being helped by many, we are going through the lowest 'financial valley' of our lives right now," Burkhart said. "However, we are not disheartened as we likely would have been in years past. Through all of this, we know that God will continue to provide for our financial need in is His perfect way and in His perfect timing. We have been shown this time and time again."

As for present plans, Burkhart explained they will continue to make the yearly trip to California for as long as they are able to see Andrew's medical condition positively progress.

To follow Andrew's journey, visit Kellie's blog or follow on Facebook.  

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Preachers of LA's Deitrick Haddon Responds to T.D. Jakes' Rebuke of New Oxygen TV Show

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Openly Gay Pastor Chosen as Leader of Large Lutheran Church in Minn.

An openly gay Atlanta pastor previously removed from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and later reinstated has now been voted in by an overwhelming majority to the role of senior pastor at the biggest Lutheran church in Saint Paul, Minn.

The Rev. Bradley Schmeling, who in 2007 admitted he was in a committed same-sex relationship with Pastor Darin Easler, a former minister at the United Redeemer Lutheran Church in Zumbrota, Minn., was removed from ELCA's official clergy roster that year. His St. John's Lutheran Church in Atlanta, however, decided to keep him on as pastor despite the ELCA's decision, and he has served there since 2000.

Schmeling and Easler were reinstated in 2009 when the ELCA voted to permit gay and lesbian ministers in monogamous relationships to be on the roster. The 559-451 vote created a splitwithin the Lutheran church, as a fraction of member churches left to start the North American Lutheran Church, which rejects openly gay clergy.

The Gloria Dei Lutheran Church congregation of 2,300 members, who saw the Rev. M. Susan Peterson retire from her position as senior pastor at the church in 2010, has embraced Schmeling by an overwhelming margin. In a vote on Sunday, March 25, 92 percent of attending members said "yes" to Schmeling becoming the first openly gay pastor to lead the church. The Rev. Peterson, on the other hand, who served for almost 25 years, was the first woman to lead an ELCA congregation larger than 1,000 members.

"I was drawn to Gloria Dei's vibrant congregation and its genuine sense of welcoming, hospitality and desire for outreach to the world," Schmeling, who is an Ohio native, said in a press release. "I feel a deep kinship with the congregation's desire to retain a strong liturgical tradition while strengthening its reach into the community – especially to those who live on the margins of society."

"The church ought to be a place that welcomes and includes everyone," Schmeling told the Star Tribune. "Gloria Dei has a big heart for its staff, members, for the community. I was attracted to its ... willingness to be a voice of justice and inclusion in the neighborhood and St. Paul. They were just amazingly warm, welcoming, affectionate people." The pastor will begin his service in June.

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Besides serving for more than a decade at St. John's Lutheran Church, Schmeling also teaches as an adjunct professor of liturgical practice at Emory University's Candler School of Theology. Previously, from 1989-1995, he was pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio, and from 1999-2000 he was chapel director at Emory University's Office of the Chapel and Religious Life.

The Rev. Peter Rogness, who serves as bishop of the St. Paul Area Synod of the ELCA, explained that it was Schmeling's high-profile case that led the ELCA to reconsider its gay clergy policy, which previously was not accepting of openly gay pastors.

"His ministry, both personally and in the congregation, became a catalyst for the ELCA re-examining and ultimately changing its policy," said Rogness, who was fully supportive of Schmeling's move to Gloria Dei.

Claire Hoyum, congregation council president for Gloria Dei, insisted that it was not Schmeling's gay status that led to the decision to push him for the senior pastor role.

"We have a history of rich, strong liturgical worship and music, and that's a commitment that Pastor Schmeling also has," Hoyum said. "He believes our worship service is reflective of our mission in the world, and that really resonated with us."

"He's an amazing preacher," she added. "He has the strategic and visionary skills we seek in the next leader for our congregation. His commitment to make the church a force in the broader community and to act for social justice, particularly among the poor, resonates with the mission of Gloria Dei."

Rogness admitted that four congregations in the area joined another breakaway denomination called the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ in protest of the acceptance of homosexual clergy.

Court Rules Use of GPS to Track Cheating Spouse Not Privacy Invasion

It’s a James Bond thing. Spying on your spouse just got easier after a New Jersey appellate court ruling declared this week that using a GPS tracking device to follow someone is not a violation of their privacy.

The case in question involves Kenneth Villanova, with the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Department. Villanova’s wife, suspicious about his strange behavior in 2007, hired private investigator Richard Leonard of Innovative Investigations Inc. to follow her husband after work hours.

However, he was unable to keep track of Villanova’s whereabouts.

Still concerned that her husband was cheating, she put a GPS tracking device in the glove compartment of their GMC Yukon-Denali, which they both owned but was primarily driven by Villanova, according to court documents.

Court documents also show that after two weeks of watching the GPS tracker, the investigator discovered Villanova leaving another woman’s house one night.

This is where the trouble started.

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Villanova’s wife confronted him, but he turned around and sued her and the private investigator for invasion of privacy. The case ended up in the hands of the judges within the New Jersey appellate court system.

Geo-location technology is a hot topic these days. The world has the ability to use the power of GPS and other technologies right from the palm of our hands using a number of mobile devices. We can view maps, points of interest, play games, and even spend time finding out where are spouses are – if we suspect foul play.

Legal analysts say the real issue about using Global Positioning System technology stands in regards to the Fourth Amendment of the constitution – the right to privacy.

"Most Americans have their patriot flags flying high when it comes to privacy rights," said author Marisa O’Connor who wrote an opinion-based article on the subject recently.

She said lawmakers and investigators need to remember that the United States Justice System was founded on principles of freedom.

“GPS tracking devices can, no doubt, help gather evidence to put dangerous people behind bars,” she wrote.

“But Constitutional laws, such as the fourth amendment, were put in place to protect citizens from the powers of government. Privacy rights do not need to be sacrificed in order for law enforcement to do their jobs.”

Since 1971 William F. Mitchell, Jr., an author and investigator, documented the activities of thousands of married couples who commit adultery.

He recently compiled some statistics about marriages and divorce.

Among his findings included in the report shows 50 to 70 percent of all American marriages end in divorce and 50 to 75 percent of extramarital affairs take place with someone from the workplace.

“Within the last decade, incidents of adultery have risen to this alarming rate,” Mitchell said.

He also reported that some 60 to 70 percent of adultery victims are women and 30 to 40 percent of adultery victims are men.

“This number has increased dramatically over the past decade and a half, due in part to the increased presence of women in the workplace,” he said.

There are about 10 to 20 percent of adultery victims that claim to be Christians, and the cheating spouse usually is a regular attendant of church or religious activities, the report states.

On the brighter side of things, Mitchell’s findings show that 70 to 80 percent of couples who confess to infidelity recover and enjoy a stronger marriage in time.

The rest of the story about the rights to privacy case this week shows Villanova eventually dropped the claim against his wife in the divorce settlement.

He continued to pursue his lawsuit against the investigator.

Appellate Judges Joseph Lisa, Jack Sabatino and Carmen Alvarez said Villanova had no right to "expect privacy" because the GPS tracked his movements while he was driving on public streets.

Villanova claimed the tracking device invaded his privacy and caused him ”substantial and permanent emotional distress.”

However, the appellate court ruling shows he did not seek medical treatment or advice concerning the distress claim.

“There is no direct evidence in this record to establish that during approximately 40 days the GPS was in the glove compartment,” Lisa wrote in the ruling this week.

“The device captured a movement of the plaintiff moving into a secluded location that was not in public view, and, if so, that such information was passed along by Mrs. Villanova,” Lisa wrote in the ruling.

The Appellate Division decides about 6,500 to 7,000 appeals and approximately 7,500 motions each year.

Legal analysts are saying the judge's ruling has far-reaching privacy implications.

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear a case to determine whether or not law enforcement needs a warrant to install a GPS tracking device on a suspect's car.

The court will hear the case against Antoine Jones, a Washington, D.C., nightclub owner who was convicted for distributing drugs. A lower court overturned his conviction because it was based on data collected from a GPS tracker on his vehicle that police installed without a warrant.

The Obama administration is reportedly appealing that decision to maintain the legality of warrantless GPS tracking, which it argues is essential for effective law enforcement.

"The advent of satellite-based tracking technology has enabled the government to engage in 24-hour tracking of the movements of any private citizen for extended, indeed unlimited, periods of time," said Jones' lawyer, Stephen Leckar.

"If the Supreme Court rules against the suspect, it may set the stage for government arguments that real-time cell phone tracking doesn't need a warrant, either," according to legal analysts following the case.

The Justice Department argues that vehicular GPS tracking is no different than having an officer follow a suspect. The same argument could be extended to the individual.

Until recently, tracking people with Global Positioning System technology required purchasing expensive hardware and software.

Now, complete solutions and systems are available through cellular service providers.

"A partner is someone you can count on, someone you share your dreams and fears with, someone who respects and supports you," said author Natalie Bencivenga.

"Whatever their relationship may be, it certainly isn’t a partnership if one feels the need to ‘check up’ on the other, as though one were a naughty teenager."

She said by changing the role from loving spouse to jail warden, it is only a matter of time before that energy starts to interrupt and disturb a relationship.

The New Jersey Appellate Division will have the ruling online in the coming days:
Visit: http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opinions/index.htm

Applebee's Waitress Fired: Online Petitions Call for Rehiring, Threaten Boycotts

The American restaurant chain Applebee's is taking a public relations beating after it fired one of its waitresses for posting a picture of a receipt featuring a customer's remark on the image sharing website Reddit last week.

Many of those aware of the controversy have taken to Applebee's Facebook pageto express their dismay at the franchise food chain, or have signed online petitions urging the restaurant to rehire its former waitress.

The issue began last week, when Chelsea Welch, a server at an Applebee's restaurant in St. Louis, Mo., posted an image of a receipt from a customer on Reddit.

The receipt proved controversial because it did not provide the waitress, a co-worker of Welch, with a tip, and included the notation "I give God 10 percent, why do you get 18?" referencing the customary tithe offering accepted in many churches.

The receipt was signed by Alois Bell, the head of a small St. Louis-based church who indicated in writing on the receipt that she was a pastor.

Critics have taken to the Internet to not only chastise Bell for her comment and behavior, but also to reprimand Applebee's for firing Welch, who, according to a statement issued by the restaurant, violated the company's guest privacy policy by posting Bell's signature on the internet.

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One Facebook page, titled "HIRE BACK Chelsea," has already garnered 14,000 likes since the story hit the Internet on Jan. 29.

Other Facebook pages are calling for Americans to boycott Applebee's restaurants, calling the company's decision to fire Welch a "ridiculous knee-jerk reaction."

One online petition, sponsored by The Huffington Post and titled "Applebee's: Rehire Chelsea & We'll Eat At Your Restaurant At Least Once In 2013" on GoPetition.com, has acquired over 8,000 signatures.

"[W]e believe Applebee's wants to do the right thing. We don't fault them for erring on the side of an angry customer, but a closer look at the matter reveals that this particular angry customer was in the wrong. Applebee's should correct the error and show that it stands up for its employees who are doing their jobs," the petition reads.

In response to the public outcry, Applebee's took to its Facebook page multiple times to issue an explanation as to why Welch was fired, saying, "We simply cannot accept behavior that compromises the safety and privacy our Guests have every right to expect and deserve."

While some are taking a serious approach to the Welch firing issue through activist groups and petitions, others are trying levity to subside the controversy.

One Applebee's receipt posted on the website Christian Nightmares shows a spoof of Bell's original receipt, reading "I give God 0%, so you get 28%" and leaving a generous tip with the bill.

Bell, who reportedly called the restaurant to complain after she found her receipt being broadcast on the Internet, has apologized for her behavior, telling The Smoking Gun that her comment was a "a lapse in judgment that has been blown out of proportion," but many aren't letting her off the hook easily.

Others, however, have taken a more accepting approach to the issue, with one commenter, Faith M. Coppola, saying of Bell on the HIRE BACK Chelsea Facebook page:

"I really hope she made a mistake. All humans make mistakes … I just hope she can see that and will move on."

Randy White Returns; Tells Without Walls 'Forget the Past'

Three years after stepping down as senior pastor of Without Walls International Church, Randy White returned last week to help restore and rebuild the Tampa, Fla., church.

"We've gone through trials and tests and storms ... and we can dwell on that if we'd like. But not this preacher!" he told the congregation on Sunday. "Forget the past. I forget everything we've been going through. I stand flat-footed in this pulpit and say there's a brighter day coming!"

For the last three years, Without Walls has been led by White's ex-wife, Paula White. The two had founded the church together in 1991 and grew it to be one of the largest churches in the country. But reports of trouble began surfacing in 2007. The couple divorced that year and Randy White took the lead at the church as Paula White pursued her own ministry works.

Amid mounting debt and a shrinking congregation, Randy White gave the leadership to his ex-wife in 2009. He cited health concerns for his resignation.

He's now back.

He returned to the pulpit last Wednesday and preached at Without Walls' two services on Sunday.

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"I know this church has been through a lot," he said as he preached from Nehemiah. "I began to scratch my head and ask 'Lord, why is that?' Because the devil wants to destroy this ministry.

"But we have to understand that no weapon formed against us ... shall prosper."

During his sermon, he rejected reports that he and his ex-wife were fighting all the time. "That is not the case whatsoever," he stated emphatically.

"In fact, we get along great."

"Life happens," he continued. "The devil gets behind stuff. But the devil is a liar."

He assured the congregation that Paula White "cares very much for this church" but that "she's been so busy in Orlando."

White was named senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Center near Orlando late last year after the sudden death of its founding pastor, Zachery Tims. White has been leading the megachurch since January while still serving as senior pastor at Without Walls.

Currently, Paula's White name is no longer listed on the staff directory of Without Walls. Randy White, however, is listed as a pastor. WWIC did not immediately respond to a request seeking clarification on Randy White's new role.

Both preachers subscribe to the controversial teaching known as the "prosperity gospel."

"I told her (Paula) I'm gonna get in here and help," he explained on Sunday. "We're gonna build this church and we're gonna see what the Lord is going to do."

"It could be that we get property on the West Coast, the East Coast, through all of central Florida," he said. "And we can have a big church meeting in Lakeland."

Late last year, reports indicated that Without Walls' sister church in Lakeland was abandoned. Electricity was cut off due to missing payments and a worship service has reportedly not been held at the property for months.

Randy White announced Sunday that their debt has been reduced from millions of dollars to now $300,000 (excluding the mortgage) and that he plans to "retire all debt" by the 15th of July with the help of the congregation.

He also reported that they sold a "large piece of property that's going to allow the church to build a new sanctuary."

"Can you imagine walking into that lobby and the first thing you see is escalators taking you up to a brand new sanctuary, with no poles and making all this (current sanctuary) education facilities?" he described.

Future plans also include a commercial kitchen to serve the poor and the housing of various programs such as an AA support group.

"This will be a lighthouse to the community," he stated. "Mark this: there will be a day when every seat is filled, every bill is paid and this church will be known for restoration and evangelism. This church will be known that if they're broke they can come here and feel comfortable. We will reach the lost."

Though the church is facing some tough times, White reminded the congregation how they started and how much they've overcome.

"Look around. Look what God has done," he said as he urged the congregation to support the ministry financially.

Without Walls will be celebrating 21 years of ministry on July 15. White said he plans to share his "whole testimony" and "all the hell" he's been through over the last five years. But it won't be a "woe is me" talk, he clarified. It will be about God's mercy and grace.

"I want you to know we're back. We're back!"

White has an upcoming book titled Only God Knows Why.

Duck Dynasty Christmas Special 2013 Episode Live Stream Free: How to Watch Robertson Family A&E TV Special Show Online

The Duck Dynasty Christmas Special 2013 episode will broadcast on the A&E network Wednesday night and should be an episode fans will not want to miss, as the Robertson family have promised an action-packed and hilarious episode to get America warmed up for Christmas. The Christmas Special episode will start at 10 p.m. ET and can be watched online on the A&E website through free live stream (details below).

'Duck Dynasty' Christmas Special (Photo: Cross Map via Christian Post)

The cast of "Duck Dynasty" returns for their second Christmas special "Duck the Halls" on A&E Dec. 11, 2013.

The special episode should give fans an insight into how the Robertson family will be spending their Christmas this year. The episode will be featuring the family's favorite recipes, including duck and banana pudding, and is sure to be hilarious as always.

An episode description has mentioned: "The Robertsons perform a live nativity for their Church for Christmas, so the wives organize rehearsals to ensure that they pull off a great event."

It adds: "However, rehearsals get off to a bumpy start as the guys can't stop sharing their opinions. In between rehearsals, Willie and Jase struggle to get their wives the perfect Christmas gifts and they unenthusiastically take Jep's advice."

Last year's special Christmas episode was titled "Redneck Christmas" and was a smash hit in 2012, and this year's episode promises to be even better. The Robertson clan has sought to spread Christmas cheer in other ways besides television, with their Christmas album "Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas," and Uncle Si's recent cameo in a Christmas episode for the Christian animated series "Veggie Tales."

Tonight's episode will be an hour-long special and will feature all of the Robertsons participating in Christmas cheer, as they prepare food and go gift shopping, among other activities. They will also be shown gathering to participate in a live Nativity scene.

In a promotional clip for the special Christmas episode, Willie Robertson, the CEO of the family duck call business, says he doesn't want much for the holidays: "I like unique gifts that people give me as long as they're from the heart. They don't have to be expensive or anything, just something that's had some thought put into it. When I get something like that, it's pretty special. However, guns and knives are always fun."

The Robertson children also said in the clip that they would like electronics, such as the new iPhone, and gas money.

Kori Robertson said she's fine with any type of gift from Santa as long as it's a surprise, while Jase Robertson said he'd like a new grill.

Miss Kay said she'd like kitchen supplies, while Phil Robertson wished for peace on earth and Si Robertson wished for good health.

In another clip of the episode posted by Entertainment Weekly, Phil takes Miss Kay and Jessica hunting to catch a hog for the family Christmas dinner.

The Duck Dynasty Christmas Special 2013 episode will start at 10 p.m. ET on the A&E TV network, and can also be watched online through free live stream on the A&E website by clicking here.

Here is a video preview promo for the Christmas special: