On Thursday, Nov. 19 at 9:30 a.m. the doors to the Prestonwood Worship Center will open to thousands of guests coming to hear The Great God Debate between Christian author and apologist Dinesh D’Souza and former minister turned atheist Dan Barker. Part of our Biblical Worldview Institute, this debate epitomizes the intentional desire of PCA to train and equip students for the challenges to their faith which they will encounter when they leave PCA and arrive on a college campus.
There has already been advanced preparation for some of the younger students who will be attending the debate. PCA is taking students grades 6–12 to the debate and Claire Threatt, MS Counselor, has already met with 6th grade students and is looking to meet with students grades 7 and 8 before the debate as well to prepare them for the issues they will hear being addressed by D’Souza and Barker.
PCA parents looking for materials, information and resources to help facilitate effective conversation with their own students following the debate should know that PCA has produced a debate discussion guide – 38 pages of useful information, discussion questions and helpful resources for further study and inquiry are available to PCA parents at a drastically reduced price of $10.00 Please email Mary Carl Finkelstein to order one of these discussion guides at mcfinkelstein@prestonwoodchristian.org
Thoughts on the Annual PCA State of School Address
On Nov. 2, Head of School, Mr. Larry Taylor addressed the entire PCA body at the State of School address. If you missed this year’s presentation, you missed a great look into the true value of Kingdom Education. In these tumultuous financial times, finding a good value is very important. PCA parents – be confident that sending your students to PCA is well worth the time and treasure you’ve invested because the returns are of greater value than many of us realize. Scripture supports this concept – consider Proverbs 3:13-15, “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.”
Charles Hodge, principal of Princeton Theological Seminary between 1851 and 1878 shares these sentiments about the value of a Biblically-based Christian education. He wrote the following:
Children are not to be allowed to grow up without care or control. They are to be instructed, disciplined, and admonished, so that they be brought to knowledge, self-control and obedience. This whole process of education is to be religious, and not only religious, but Christian. It is the nurture and admonition of the Lord, which is the appointed and the only effectual means of attaining the end of education.
Where this means is neglected or any other substituted in its place, the result must be disastrous failure. The moral and religious element of our nature is just as essential and as universal as the intellectual. Religion therefore is as necessary to the mind as knowledge. And as Christianity is the only true religion, and God in Christ the only true God, the only possible means of profitable education is the nurture and admonition of the Lord. That is, the whole process of instruction and discipline must be that which he prescribes, and which he administers, so that his authority should be brought into constant and immediate contact with the mind, heart and conscience of the child.
It will not do for the parent to present himself as the ultimate end, the source of knowledge and possessor of authority to determine truth and duty. This would be to give his child a mere human development. Nor will it do for him to urge and communicate every thing on the abstract ground of reason; for that would be to merge his child in nature. It is only by making God, God in Christ, the teacher and ruler, on whose authority every thing is to be believed and in obedience to whose will every thing is to be done, that the ends of education can possibly be attained. It is infinite folly in men to assume to be wiser than God, or to attempt to accomplish an end by other means than those which he has appointed.
Even as Mr. Taylor was noting the incredible blessing of the Lord on our school for this past thirteen years, he was setting the stage to make sure that PCA continues to provide a solid Biblical worldview in and out of the classroom for future generations of PCA Lions. J. Gresham Machen, another Princeton Theological Seminary professor, not only saw the value in Kingdom Education, he also warned of the alternative when he wrote, “I can see little consistency in a type of Christian activity which preaches the gospel on the street corners and at the ends of earth, but neglects the children of the covenant by abandoning them to a cold and unbelieving secularism.”
PCA parents – thank you for your investment into the education of your sons and daughters that goes beyond academics, athletics and the arts right to the heart of what is most important – the spiritual condition of the next generation. At the State of the School, we honored those twenty PCA families who began this journey in Kindergarten and have remained faithful to the cause as their children are now seniors in high school. Thirteen years this school has partnered with these parents and the fruit of their combined efforts is a pleasant aroma not only to our community, but to the Lord as well. PCA is positioned to remain a vital and vibrant component to the spiritual development of your family – preparing your students for the academic, cultural and spiritual opportunities and challenges which lie ahead.
Recently some PCA dads went to Mexico with Christian Hands in Action (CHIA) – this was a men’s mission trip – and I asked PCA father of three Chris Cowman to share his thoughts on their experience and what he learned from the trip. This is what he wrote:
"I really didn’t know what to expect on this trip other that I would be serving in an area of extreme poverty and living conditions compared to our standards. Most of the homes (huts) had dirt floors with tree bark used as the walls. Water hoses crisscrossed the mountain side. This is how they received their water supply. The smell was “distinct”: you had raw sewage, trash, and food being cooked morning to night. I looked around in shock thinking how these poor people can live in these kinds of conditions; but after a few hours I realized what an overwhelming joy they had. I’m sure more than 95% of the world’s population lives in conditions like this, but I had never seen it firsthand. These people live in the moment. Their concerns are family, food and shelter. We were able to show some of them a path to Heaven and it was awesome to see the joy in their face when they realized this. I left this trip with a purpose – God has blessed me with abundance, and not for me to hold on to, but to give that abundance back to further his kingdom."
There are CHIA mission trips for men, for ladies and even one for families! Check out the CHIA website to learn more about the incredible opportunity and blessing of serving others in the name of the Lord.
A recent article in the Dallas Morning News addressed the issue of the “gap year” – a practice rising in popularity where a student takes a year in between high school and college to either work or study in a non-traditional setting. A couple PCA alumni have taken advantage of this “gap year” concept and there are more and more incredible opportunities to consider. There are also challenges to taking a “gap year.” Dr. Jan Miranda, PCA’s Director of Guidance and Counseling, offers this advice,
While high school seniors each year eagerly await the “fat envelope” or the email exclamation of admission acceptance, there are those few students in every group who are not quite ready for college or desire a gap year before entering college. If the gap year is implemented for the best interest of the student, it should be a time of personal and spiritual growth – a time of maturation. The gap year is not intended as a time to backpack across Europe. The gap year needs to be spent in humanitarian efforts or productive employment enhancing the perspective of the individual who will eventually enter college. Eagerly anticipating college is perfectly acceptable – a person has one time in their life to go be a college freshman. Gap students typically bring a different maturity to the campus than a “typical” college freshman. I encourage families to discuss together the viability of a gap year as the most appropriate option for their college bound student.
If a “gap year” program sounds interesting to you, check out these outstanding programs.
Summit Institutes – a newly developed program from Summit Ministries, one of the nation’s leading worldview programs for students and adults.
IMPACT 360 – in partnership with WinShape and Chick-fil-A, this is a dynamic year-long program that offers access to some of the best minds in the Christian world as well as a month-long overseas mission trip.
LIFT Discipleship at Camp-of-the-Woods – a program for students aged 19-26, this semester long program includes intensive discipleship and ministry opportunities set at one of the nation’s oldest running camps in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in New York.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday is traditionally a time for families to head to the theater and watch a movie. Yes, we all know that the second installment of the Twilight saga New Moon hits theaters on Friday, November 20 starting at midnight – and I’m sure that there are dozens who already have their tickets! The Twilight phenomenon has crossed the age gap in a big way – there are websites for Twilight Moms (or Twi-Moms) who are absolutely obsessed with the love story of Bella and Edward. Word of advice to all teenage girls going to see New Moon at midnight – don’t get in the way of the moms making a mad dash for the theater!
In addition to New Moon, there are other movies out in the theaters families will want to see. A Christmas Carol, the latest installment on the Dickens’ classic, features the talents of Jim Carey – but this movie isn’t for the faint of heart or the younger audience. Several movie reviewers have said that this is the scariest Christmas Carol of all time and while the message is timeless and valuable, please be discerning about what is age appropriate for your children.
Another movie opening up on November 20 is The Blind Side – the heartwarming story of a homeless young man who is taken in and adopted by a Christian family in Memphis and with love and encouragement overcomes all obstacles to make it to the NFL! Starring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw, this is a great story that Bullock herself said restored her faith in faith! To learn more about the story of Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy and how their authentic walk with the Lord impacted Sandra Bullock and others, read this WORLD magazine cover story. The movie is rated PG-13 – so, again, be careful about what is age appropriate for your family. A great place to read up on movies, videos, TV and games is Plugged In Online.
Of course, the younger kids will want to see one of the bevy of animated films targeted to their age – from Sony’s first animated film Planet 51 (opening Thanksgiving weekend) to the 49th animated feature film from Disney The Princess and the Frog (opening in early December). Again, make sure you check the reviews before taking your children to see any movie – forewarned is forearmed and in this culture today, we as Christian parents must be armed with knowledge so that we can discern what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable (Phil. 4:8).
2009 Book/Movie Discussion II
- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Thursday, December 3, 2009
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
PCA Leadership Center
BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch)
Our next parent book discussion will be held on Thursday, Dec. 3 from 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. in the PCA Leadership Center. The book will be the second installment of the Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer – New Moon. The movie will be released on Nov. 20 and we will be discussing both the book and the movie, so please make plans on your own to watch the movie before the book discussion if you so desire. Please also remember that if you will be attending the book discussion, there will be tables and chairs in the Horner Center so you can bring your own lunch and eat during our time and RSVP to Dan Panetti at DPanetti@PrestonwoodChristian.org so we can make sure we have enough tables and chairs for everyone.
Every year as a part of our Biblical Worldview training, PCA hosts the Biblical Worldview Institute (BWi) conference in November for students, faculty and parents. This year the headline for the conference is a debate between a Christian and an atheist! Dinesh D’Souza, former policy analyst under Reagan and current author of What’s So Great about Christianity and his latest book Life After Death, will be debating former Pentecostal minister turned atheist Dan Barker, author of godless and co-founder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
In addition to the D’Souza/Barker debate on Thursday, Nov. 19 students, faculty and parents will also hear from Alliance Defense Fund attorney Jordan Lorence. Then on Friday, Nov. 20 attendees will be able to hear from Luann Jennings, Director of Arts Ministries from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City as well as Nathan Sheets with E3 Ministries and the “I am Second” campaign.
McDowell and Sterrett book signing on Wednesday, Oct. 7
Leading Christian author and apologist Josh McDowell has teamed up with former PCA Bible and ethics teacher Dave Sterrett to launch a book that counters the misinformation and misrepresentation of the truth by popular TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey. McDowell is a familiar name in the world of apologetics (defending the faith) with classics such as Evidence that Demands a Verdict and More than a Carpenter. Sterrett is a new name to the publishing world. A couple of years ago you would have found Dave Sterrett teaching Bible classes at PCA. Today he’s on staff with Probe Ministries and writing relevant apologetics books. His latest venture is in conjunction with Josh McDowell and its title and subject should draw significant attention – “O” God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah’s Spirituality. The book is a compelling and insightful narrative into the spiritual struggles of a young woman whose life and mind have been heavily influenced by the spiritual teachings of Oprah Winfrey and her ubiquitous presence from TV to magazines to radio to the Internet and even through her book club.
Sterrett and McDowell will be at the Barnes & Noble at Preston and Park in Plano, Texas on Wednesday evening, Oct. 7 for a book signing beginning at 7:00 p.m. PCA parents will also be interested to know that purchases at Barnes & Noble that day will also benefit PCA Fine Arts. If shoppers will use the code 10035566, a percentage of your purchase goes directly to the PCA Fine Arts department up until Oct. 8.
Can science and faith co-exist – a rising voice today is saying that you must jettison objective truth and reality to walk in faith as a follower of Christ, yet some of the greatest scientists throughout history have been men and women of faith. As the “spiritual” realm moves toward subjective feelings and away from the historical faith of Christianity and science moves toward objective truth, the believer today finds himself in the middle wrestling on both fronts. While this conference may be targeted toward college and seminary students, it is open to high school students and those serious interested in pursuing knowledge and truth and who don’t want to give up their faith in Christ to do so. Some of the best and brightest scholars today will wrestle with these questions in this two-day conference which is FREE to students. All the information is below.
October 23, 2009 - October 24, 2009 Southwestern Seminary, Fort Worth, TX
Are science and faith at war? Does science undermine or corroborate belief in God? Does faith suppress or inspire scientific research? Explore these questions and more at this two-day conference to be held Oct. 23-24, 2009 at the Riley Conference Center on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
Featured speakers include Dr. William Dembski, author of The Design Revolution and other books; Dr. Stephen Meyer, author of Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design; Dr. Jay Richards, co-author of The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos Is Designed For Discovery; and Dr. John West, author of Darwin Day in America: How Our Politics and Culture Have Been Dehumanized in the Name of Science.
Sessions will explore a Biblical theology of nature; the role of Christianity in the founding of modern science; the impact of Darwinian Evolution on ethics, society, Biblical studies and theology; and the scientific evidence for intelligent design and its implications for theism.
This conference will be of special interest to seminary students, college students, and pastors and other church leaders. At the end of the conference there will be breakout sessions for students, pastors, and church leaders on how to incorporate science and faith issues into one’s church, ministry, or career.
The conference is sponsored by Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture.
Full conference admission (including all meals, sessions, and educational materials) is only $75, and half conference admission (including Saturday meals, Friday night's session, Saturday's sessions, and educational materials) is only $40. Students can attend for free with a student ID, but they receive no meals and must pre-register in order to get conference educational materials. (If students need meals, they should register for full or half conference admission.)
The Science and Faith Conference is sponsored by the Center for Science and Culture at Discovery Institute.
To register online, click here. To register by phone, call the Riley Center at 817-923-1921 ext. 2440. For general questions about the conference, contact Janine Dixon, Discovery Institute, at jdixon@discovery.org or 1-800-685-0632 ext.108
Vicki Courtney – Wisdom for Moms
If you’re like me, you already get too many e-mails in your inbox each day – information overload – but if you’re interested in quality over quantity, let me tell you about the self-described “rants and raves of an author mom smack-dab in the trenches of teen culture.” Vicki Courtney is an author and a Christian mom that you are going to want to get to know. I read her book Your Boy: Raising a Godly Son in an Ungodly World and found her to be solidly Scriptural in her approach, yet real and practical in her advice. Courtney is the author of a dozen or so books with her latest being 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter. But you don’t have to wait for her wisdom until you purchase and read her books, she’ll deliver golden nuggets right to your e-mail inbox just by signing up for her Virtue Alert enewsletter here or visit her website at http://vickicourtney.com/.
There is a critical shortage of organs, tissues and eyes available for donation. There are more than 96,000 patients in the United States awaiting transplantation—more than 7,000 are Texans.
Every 13 minutes, a new name is added to the national transplant waiting list. Every day, 17 people die waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has created the Glenda Dawson Donate Life - Texas Online Education Program to inform and educate the state's health care professionals, attorneys and medical and nursing students about:
• the laws governing anatomical gifts,
• the procedures for becoming an organ, tissue, and eye donor,
• the benefits of organ, tissue, and eye donation.
To view the course online, please visit http://www.OrganDonorEd.com. Continuing Education credits are available for the medical provider training. I signed up on the website a few weeks ago and received my Donor Card in the mail, which I now carry in my wallet. Please prayerfully consider making a similar decision. For some Christians, organ donation may not appear to fit with the biblical concept of the physical resurrection of the body at the second coming of Christ. One of early church fathers Augustine actually addressed this issue in his classic The City of God when he wrote: Perish the thought that the omnipotence of the Creator is unable, for the raising of our bodies and for the restoring of them to life, to recall all [their] parts, which were consumed by beasts or by fire, or which disintegrated into dust or ashes, or were melted away into a fluid, or were evaporated away in vapors.
You will remember that the great saints of the faith listed in Hebrews chapter 11 ends with those who were “sawed in two” and Scripture tells us that the world was not worthy of them. We have no fear that when the Bible teaches a bodily resurrection for believers, that we, as Christ was, will be resurrected and restored wholly and completely regardless of the circumstances of our death or our burial. We may then confidently give the gift of physical life as we are absent from the body and present with Christ at the time of our death.
Please make sure your family members know your wish is to donate your organs for the benefit of others – and make sure you share with them the confidence that you have knowing your ultimate destination is with Christ because of His blood which has redeemed you from sin and death. https://www.donatelifetexas.org/
Most Evangelicals today celebrate Halloween on Oct. 31 – but the day for many Christians in the past marked the historical day in which Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses to the All Saints’ Church door in Wittenberg. The debate and trial before the Diet of Worms in 1521 were the tipping point for the outbreak of the reformation. This is a video clip taken from the 1953 film Martin Luther, in which Luther is portrayed by Niall MacGinnis with Luther’s famous hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God playing in the background. There is another more recent rendition of this film starring Joseph Fiennes which is very powerful as well. So, when others are celebrating Halloween, let’s remember that the roots of All Hallow’s Eve stem from All Saints’ Day – and we can celebrate that day as our Reformation Day!
Our first parent book discussion was on World-Proof Your Kids by author and psychologist Tim Sisemore. In this outstanding book for Christian parents, Dr. Sisemore asks the all-important question – “Why do Christian children live and act so much like those who do not know Christ?” But, instead of focusing on the negative, Dr. Sisemore gives a blueprint for intentional parents who want to raise godly young men and women who bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, practice true religion and are unstained by the world.
2009 Book/Movie Discussion II
- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Thursday, December 3, 2009
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
PCA Leadership Center
BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch)
Our next parent book discussion will be held on Thursday, December 3 from 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. in the PCA Leadership Center. The book will be the second installment of the Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer – New Moon. The movie will be released on November 20th and we will be discussing both the book and the movie, so please make plans on your own to watch the movie before the book discussion if you so desire. Please also remember that if you will be attending the book discussion, there will be tables and chairs in the Horner Center so you can bring your own lunch and eat during our time and RSVP to Dan Panetti at DPanetti@PrestonwoodChristian.org so we can make sure we have enough tables and chairs for everyone.
Parents, also please note that the PCA Library and English department will be co-hosting a discussion on the Twilight series for high school students on Monday, Oct. 19 starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Upper School Library. While the discussion will be targeted toward students grades 9-12, parents who wish to allow their grade 7 or 8 students to attend may do so as well. The discussion will be facilitated by PCA Worldview Director Dan Panetti and will dive into the themes running through the Twilight series.
Parents, you need to be informed about where you are shopping and what the values are of the companies that your dollars support. About this time six years ago, Abercrombie & Fitch released their Christmas 2003 magalog filled with pictures of nude models along with articles pertaining to offensive sexual content. At that time, I was the VP of Legal and Public Policy for the nation’s largest pro-decency organization The National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families. I had been dealing with the A&F issue for years trying to convince execs at A&F that their message to teens was inappropriate and indecent to no avail. I convinced our organization that we needed to launch a nation-wide public awareness campaign to inform parents about the messaging of A&F.
While many parents are conversant with the sexually-explicit messaging of A&F, a far smaller crowd is apparently aware that Hollister is A&F’s high school division – same company, different market. And, while the Hollister clothing retailer has yet to release a clothing catalogue with models not wearing any clothes, they have recently released a line of clothing that demonstrates that their goal is to sell more than clothes – Hollister, like A&F, is selling a message. The old adage that sex sells is reversed here – at Hollister they are selling sex.
PCA mom Tina Borden sent me an email announcing the new line of summer t-shirts for young junior high and high school aged girls (see images below) with sexually-charged messages cleverly “disguised.” Apparently Hollister also sent out an email announcing the new line of t-shirts with the subject line reading “Your Mom won’t like them.” One mom didn’t like them and fired off an e-mail to Hollister – this was Hollister's response:
Thanks for e-mailing us at Hollister about our new tees.
Our intention with our marketing is to be fun and casual-we're sorry you didn't see it this way. It is important to hear feedback provided by our customers, so we have documented your comments and will share them with the relevant business teams.
Thanks again for letting us know what’s on your mind.
Marissa
Customer Service
Hollister
If you don’t know anything about the people behind A&F and Hollister, you might not be offended by this response – but you should be. This response from'“Marissa' communicates the party line at A&F well – parents, we don’t care about you, we care about being what one article labeled as “preppy, sexy and popular.” Another author noted that A&F CEO Mike Jeffries couldn’t care less about what a bunch of “’girlcotting’ high school feminists, humorless Asians, angry shareholders, thong-hating parents, lawsuit-happy minorities, nosy journalists, copycat competitors or uptight moralists” think about what his company produces and sells. That list covers numerous groups that have been “fighting against” the messaging of A&F for years. From the release of thong underwear for 12-year-old girls with a cherry on the front and the words “eye candy” to the hiring of Bruce Weber as photographer for the A&F Quarterly (best known for his work with young male nude photography) to the refusal of A&F to hire minorities who don’t fit into their white, preppy, attractive mold or only allowing those undesirables to work in the back of the store, A&F continues to anger while also continuing to make gobs of money even during a recession! In fact, A&F’s earnings have increased for 52 straight quarters, excluding one minor speed bump five years ago.
While the profits have allowed Jeffries to remain at the helm of this clothing empire, it’s not about making money to Jeffries or A&F – it’s all about the image and the message. Jeffries was hired by billionaire Leslie Wexner (CEO of The Limited, which included Victoria Secrets and A&F) to invigorate the historical branding of A&F and brands bring it into the current market. Jeffries is credited with the new style of A&F saying at one point that he wanted A&F to “sizzle with sex.” According to Wikipedia, Jeffries is currently separated from his “partner” Andrew Jeffries, although reports are that he is estranged from his wife and has a son.
A Salon.com article recently wrote this about the image that Jeffries is after:
As far as Jeffries is concerned, America's unattractive, overweight or otherwise undesirable teens can shop elsewhere. "In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids," he says. "Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don't alienate anybody, but you don't excite anybody, either."
Under the A&F banner are abercrombie, for preteens 9 through 14, Hollister, Gilly Hicks, specializing in women’s intimate apparel, and RUEHL, which is scheduled to be closed by January 2010. Hollister and A&F are actively seeking to counter your Christian values of modesty and decency with sexually-explicit clothing marketed to teens. Talk with your children about these issues and put principles above popularity when deciding what to wear!
Actions to Take:
Pray specifically for Michael Jeffries, Chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch. He is the motivation behind all that these companies do and sell. Pray that the Lord would convict him of his choices and that he’d surrender his life to God.
Contact Hollister – mailing and website (e-mail contact on website) follows:
These are the comments from Melanie Mittel, a PCA seventh grade teacher, about her family’s experience at the SkyRanch Family Camp this summer:
SkyRanch Family Camp was one of the great highlights of our summer! The favorites are far too many to pick only one, but to reminisce through each one brings me back to that gorgeous scenery and cool, clean mountain air. Not only was it a beautiful environment with topnotch amenities and a wonderful staff, but the other families who attended brought us new found friendships and a kindred spirit for God's Word that can't help but draw Christian families together. A review of our "Family Plan" through Mr. Taylor's connection hour each morning was a strong reminder to us of staying alert and purposeful to the months and years ahead. The "talk time" in these connection settings was valuable in fostering encouragement and devotion to the faithfulness of our God. Ron and I enjoyed spending a week getting to know the five other PCA families who attended camp with us. Our girls also had great fun riding horses, kayaking, white water rafting, and getting to know the counselors and other kids. I should also add that the food was fabulous!
As we drove out of camp we all agreed that this vacation would be a "do over"! Hope we get to meet your family there in summer 2010!
To learn more about the incredible opportunities of Family Camp at SkyRanch, visit their website at www.skyranch.org or call them at 877-215-7725.
Don't miss your opportunity to sign up for our Kingdom Parent Institute (KPi) classes being offered through Prestonwood Baptist Church Women's Ministry and Life & Leadership Institute.
Age of Opportunity uncovers the heart issues affecting parents and their teenagers during the often chaotic adolescent years. Parents learn how to seize the countless opportunities to deepen communication, learn, and grow with their teenagers. This study includes:
Special guest speakers to inform, entertain, and give Godly wisdom
Q&A panel that has proven extremely beneficial to parents
Periodic visits from teens to review dating books and give insight to parenting
This course is designed to motivate and inspire attendees to pursue spiritual growth through lifestyle discipleship and mentoring. It seeks to paint the "big picture" to provide a framework and direction to pursue the LIFE Christ came to give us: from an individual's response to Christ, to building community with others. The topics and open-formatted discussion will benefit believers at al points of LIFE.
Classes meet on Wednesday nights Sept. 9 - Oct. 7. Childcare is provided.
To register for other fall classes click on the links below:
This course is designed to assist you in setting a plan for your family. We will lay the foundation of developing a personal spiritual growth plan, a marriage growth plan (singles are also encouraged to attend), and a family plan (focusing on a discipleship program for your child). You receive biblical guidelines and weekly goals which connect the family (personal, marriage and children) spiritual growth plan together in a practical way.
Classes meet on Wednesday nights Oct. 14 - Nov. 18. Childcare is provided.
Learn how to get the most out of God's Word, how to make your investment profitable and exciting as you study Scripture. Learn also how to pass on your love of Scripture to your children and grandchildren.
Classes meet on Wednesday nights Oct. 4 - Nov.18. Childcare is provided.
2009 Book Discussion I
- World-Proof Your Kids by Dr. Tim Sisemore
Thursday, September 17, 2009
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
PCA Leadership Center
BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch)
Dr. Sisemore asks a penetrating question in his book, “Why do Christian children live and act so much like those who do not know Christ?” He then answers this important question with the keen insight as one of America’s leading child and adolescent Christian psychologists and gives practical biblical advice how Christian parents can raise godly young men and women who bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, practice true religion and are unstained by the world (James 1:27).
2009 Book/Movie Discussion II
- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Thursday, December 3, 2009
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
PCA Leadership Center
BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch)
New Moon is the second book in the immensely popular Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer. With the release of the movie scheduled for November 20, if you’re interested please make plans to attend a showing of the movie over the Thanksgiving holiday and then join us for a combined book/movie discussion on Thursday, Dec. 3. So many young ladies have read these books that it is imperative for us as Christian parents to know how to engage them in conversation about the themes of love, romance, fidelity, loyalty, family and the longing of the heart – all themes running through the Twilight series that Scripture helps us discern the right path from the wrong one.
To adequately prepare for your attendance, please RSVP to Dan Panetti at DPanetti@PrestonwoodChristian.org. For those who aren’t able to attend, but would like the notes from a book discussion, they will be posted online after the book discussion under the Counter Culture banner labeled Book Discussions.
Two PCA students – Alyse Ullery and Matt Cassady – attended the Patriot Academy this summer. The Patriot Academy is a mock legislative session held at the Texas state capitol building in Austin where students introduce and debate bills. Both students presented controversial bills and learned to debate their positions against the 81 students from across the country who attended. If you are interested in attending this next summer, please contact Dan Panetti and visit with Alyse or Matt about their experience and visit www.patriotacademy.com to learn more about the program.
Alyse Ullery on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives
preparing to introduce her bill.
Alyse Ullery discussing the merits of a bill with other Patriot Academy members in committee.
Matt Cassady and Alyse Ullery on the floor of the Texas House.
Patriot Academy founder Rick Green with Matt Cassady.
Biblical Worldview Training Adults — Summit Ministries
If you are interested in furthering your biblical worldview, Summit Ministries has been training students and adults for dozens of years. Located in Colorado in the beautiful Glen Eyrie retreat center, adult training is scheduled for February 28-March 5, 2010 for only $310 per person plus lodging. Please contact Dan Panetti if you are interested in attending this incredible worldview training session this spring.
In Chapter 1 of the book Towards a New Socialism, authors Paul and Allin Cottrell explain the essence of socialism. “One of the main aims of socialism,” they write, “is to overcome the gross inequalities of income, rights and opportunities that are associated with capitalism. Socialism makes its primary appeal to those who suffer most from the inequalities of capitalism. Conversely, those who benefit, or believe they benefit from inequality and privilege, have in the main opposed socialism.” Obviously the Cottrells would assume that most North Dallas residents would be in ardent opposition to socialism because they stand to lose the most in a change from a free market economy to a socialist one.
As a new administration begins to implement an economic strategy akin to socialism, we as Christians must begin to ask and answer some relevant and difficult questions. First, is opposition to socialism based on personal self-interest a legitimate position to hold? Second, is opposition to socialism based only on personal self-interest or are there other reasons to favor a free market economy that the Cottrells are unwilling to discuss? Third, what can be learned from the recent economic crisis – not only in personal terms, but corporately about the condition of our country and our attitudes toward wealth, private property and government control? And finally, amidst a thousand other questions we could ask, one must consider what God’s Word has in the way of counsel on this topic. While this won’t be an exhaustive examination of this topic, let’s begin the process and then look for additional resources that can help us think more critically and Christianly about our economy and our responsibility during these times.
First, we must realize that there is no “Christian” economic system – neither socialism nor capitalism is explicitly God-centered or biblically-based. Of course, we can, and should, examine Scripture in relationship to both economic systems and consider how the nature of man and the nature of government correspond to what God has revealed in His Word. While some argue that capitalism is founded on the concept of greed, it can also be said that socialism is founded as solidly on the concept of sloth – neither are attractive attributes for a society and both are sinful. But the reality is that both economic systems have a much broader foundation than either greed or slothfulness.
While capitalism may allow for a greater degree of greed and personal ambition, it relies heavily on personal responsibility, private property rights and the biblical concept found in Luke 12:48 that to whom much is given much is required. Capitalism has also been associated with great liberty within a nation as the role of government is limited. Socialism, on the other hand, counters personal ambition with a desire to seek the greatest good for the greatest number of people – where the community benefits, not just the individual. Yet at the same time, socialism is dependent on an individual or small group to determine what is best for the entire community – it restricts the market place adjustments and dictates what will be produced and what will be valued in a society.
The United States has, from its inception, been a market-driven economy founded on the rights and protection of personal property, fueled by the drive of personal ambition, and tempered by the morality of personal responsibility. In the last decade, we’ve witnessed a strong backlash to personal ambition as society has witnessed that unrestrained greed may benefit the individual and bankrupt the community. Mr. Taylor has often said that a rising tide floats all boats – but muckraking continues to uncover the greed and avarice of a few boats that dominate the harbor indiscriminately crowding out insignificant lower class cruisers and canoes! Our out-of-whack market reflects our out-of-whack priorities with “celebrities” and athletes making millions of dollars in the “entertainment” industry while hard-working citizens scrape by feeling the pinch trying and failing to keep up with the Joneses.
Of course, one of the great lessons from this current economic crisis is the absurdity of trying to keep up with the Joneses in the first place. A call back to a biblical concept of stewardship is being heralded across the land and more and more people are beginning to ask what’s really important in life – that new car that will last for three years or kingdom work that will last for an eternity? One Month to Live, the recent hit book and curriculum in churches across the land by Chris and Kerry Shook, raises those great questions of life – what’s truly important, what really is the definition of greatness, who are we serving in our thoughts and actions? Another book riding the wave of introspection is C.J. Mahaney’s incredible book titled Humility. A book that probably couldn’t have been given away twenty years ago during the “Me Generation” is now a staple for every believer.
Finally, a book that has enjoyed an incredible resurgence of late is the classic by French political economist Frederic Bastiat titled The Law. Bastiat wrote about his beloved nation of France’s fall into the bonds of socialism during the 1800s. Bastiat abhorred the power of the law doing what a private individual could never dream of doing without severe repercussions – stealing from those who have and giving to those who don’t. What makes for fanciful fairy tales from Sherwood Forest is in reality lousy public policy from Paris as Bastiat points out brilliantly that socialism is little more than the condoned theft by those in power. Reading Bastiat one clearly sees the Biblical principles dealing with the importance of honoring hard work and paying people what they have earned. As Paul reminds us to “admonish the idle” and “respect those who work hard among you,” which takes the Christian reader back to the principles of hard work throughout the wisdom in the Book of Proverbs. And a nation that ignores the wisdom of God often finds itself counter to the principles of God as a result (again, think of France today!). While economic principles do not dictate morality, the morality of a nation can clearly be seen in its economic principles!
Where is America headed? Will our struggling economy be the downfall of this great nation or it is the current economic climate a result of our moral downfall and inability to govern our own passions? May I strongly suggest that each family prayerfully examine and discuss these important issues, and for some material to assist in those discussions let me suggest the following books (remember, not all titles are Christian books so read with a discerning mind):
"Sexting" Update: Sexually Explicit Pictures Getting Teens into Hot Water
Legislators across the country are examining laws relating to a recent teen craze called “sexting.” Teens send sexually explicit text messages, including lewd, offensive and often illegal pictures to one another and many times the intended recipient is not the only one to receive these images. One report from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy study claimed that 20 percent of teens across the country have sent nude pictures and 39 percent have sent sexually suggestive messages. Under current laws, many of these pictures could constitute child pornography and the possessor of these images could be prosecuted and if convicted face severe penalties including jail time. Under the Texas Penal Code, sexting could be prosecuted either under Section 21.15 relating to Improper Photography or Visual Recording or under the far more severe Section 43.26 which is the Possession or Promotion of Child Pornography.
Legislators seeking clarity, and some say leniency for minors, are seeking to change current law to accommodate for the recent rash of sexting. But efforts to lessen penalties for teens are running into staunch opposition like Vermont Governor Jim Douglas who would rather not alter the law, but rather rely on the discretion of the state’s prosecutors to decide what charges to bring depending on the circumstances of each case. While some teens may face a humiliating slap on the wrist, other teens might face lengthy stays in their local penitentiary!
Parents, discuss with your students what is and isn’t appropriate in terms of text messages and pictures sent and stored on their phones and other devices. What their peers may think is funny, prosecutors may not and the price they’ll could pay may be far more severe than they ever imagined. For example one teen in Ohio, whose nude picture was distributed to hundreds in her school, took her own life after months of humiliation and teasing. Many of the pictures from cell phones also end up on social networking sites such as Facebook, so make sure you are actively checking your student’s account and examining the photo albums. Remember also that sexually explicit pictures or suggestive text messages are a violation of the PCA Student Code of Conduct.
The inaugural recipient of the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award accepted the honor as a servant leader should – with humility. Former Arkansas governor and candidate for president Mike Huckabee turned the attention of over 1000 at the Frisco Embassy Suites ballroom back to the man who started an industry of encouragement and success based on putting others first. Well-wishers from both Houses of Congress as well as President George H.W. Bush joined with business icons, friends and family for an entertaining and moving evening that raised money and awareness of the impact of Kingdom Education in the lives of several students who without the financial support of others would never have experienced a PCA education. Attendees learned that students attending PCA receive much more than an education and the value of touching and transforming lives, while priceless in its impact, does carry a financial price tag. Private education, for many, isn’t a luxury – it’s a core component in the biblical training of their children, but far too often this valued training is limited to those who can afford it. The vision of PCA is to make Kingdom Education accessible and with the attitude and heart of the crowd that evening, the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award did more than honor two incredible men for their contributions, it will make it possible to train the next generation as well.
SkyRanch Family Camp Looking for a family get away that is way more than a vacation – it’s a family bonding time filled with teachable moments and memories that will last a lifetime. SkyRanch is offering families an opportunity to experience the beauty of the Rocky Mountains coupled with the biblical and practical teaching of PCA’s own Head of School Larry Taylor for only $2000 per family. Compared to other family vacations, this is an incredible deal and the return on your investment will far outpace anything your 401(k) has done this year! To learn more about the incredible opportunities of Family Camp at SkyRanch, visit their website at www.skyranch.org or call them at 877-215-7725.
Christians across the globe are turning their viewing attention away from the popular, but unregulated wasteland of meaningless filth of YouTube, to a site formerly launched as GodTube but recently rebranded with a Christian angle (the “t” represents the cross + angle = tangle.com). One of the fastest growing sites on the Internet, tangle.com is a place filled with incredible religious content from the hilarious videos of comedian Tim Hawkins to the inspiring music of Casting Crowns. The website also features various ministries, has a place for blogs and photo albums and is a great connection for the Christian community. CEO Jason Illian, who spoke a couple of years ago at PCA’s Biblical Worldview Institute, tells more about this opportunity in the video below:
In the February Counter Culture it was mentioned that PCA had started a pro-life club and was taking students down to Austin for a lobbying day to promote a bill that would mandate that a woman seeking an abortion have a sonogram first. House Bill 36 has since been introduced and assigned to the State Affairs Committee. Just a few days ago that committee heard testimony on HB 36 and now it will hopefully vote the bill out favorably and send it to the House floor for debate and a vote. Below are pictures of PCA students attending the pro-life rally on the South Steps of the Texas State Capitol as well as meeting with state legislators to discuss HB 36. If you’d like to know more about this bill and how you can contact your elected officials to encourage them to support HB 36, please visit the Texas Legislature Online site and search for HB 36. You can also find out who represents you on this same front page.
PCA students with Carol Everett, former abortion clinic owner turned pro-life advocate
PCA students listening to Kelly Shackelford from the Free Market Foundation and Liberty Legal Institute, one of the nation’s leading Christian attorneys
PCA students Creighton Apple and Matt Cassady sitting on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives
PCA students witnessing a live sonogram demonstration in the Texas State Capitol Extension
PCA students are starting a Pro-Life Club and will launch the club with a trip to Austin for a pro-life rally and lobbying day. Several pro-life organizations across the state are sponsoring the event to be held on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Students will take buses down to Austin, participate in a pro-life rally at the Capitol, lobby their elected officials and be part of a group photo on the south steps of the capitol before returning home that same day. PCA students Creighton Apple, Alex Franks, Jackson Crook and Thomas Gallatin are the founding members of the pro-life club and are helping to organize the Austin trip, which will cost $35 for the bus ride plus money for lunch and dinner. Students will be able to sign up and pay at designated tables and times in the US Atrium.
The PCA Family Conference was a tremendous success. Dr. Bob Barnes, president of the Sheridan House Family Ministries in Florida, blessed us again with his wit and wisdom. This year there was also a special evening event for single parents and 40 single parents were able to attend. For Friday evening and Saturday morning’s sessions, there were 386 in attendance! For those who want more of what Dr. Barnes shared, he mentioned that several of his books are available on the Sheridan House website and can be ordered directly from there including Ready for Responsibility, Preparing Your Child for Dating, and Mr. Taylor’s favorite: Great Sexpectations!
The inaugural PCA Family Mission Trip was a tremendous success. Partnering with Christian Hands in Action (CHIA), several PCA families rolled up their sleeves and painted and repaired things and just loved on some families in El Paso over a weekend. It was a relatively quick trip, but the memories made and the impact on lives will be long lasting and farther reaching. Click below to see pictures from the trip.
This course is designed to assist you in setting a plan for your family. We will lay the foundation of developing a personal spiritual growth plan, a marriage growth plan (singles are also encouraged to attend), and a family plan (focusing on a discipleship program for your child). You will receive biblical guidelines and weekly goals that connect the family (personal, marriage, and children) spiritual growth plan together in a practical way.
Cultural Apologetics Dan Panetti March 25-April 29 on Wednesday Nights
Cultural Apologetics will examine current cultural issues from a biblical worldview. Attendees will learn how to think critically about issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, military intervention, the economy, politics and a variety of other issues. Attendees will also be given ideas on how to best discuss these issues with their children and will be pointed in the direction of outstanding materials to continue their education for the future.
I had the opportunity to attend the 56th Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009 with nine Prestonwood Christian Academy students. While it was the 44th president being sworn into office, it was officially the 56th time these ceremonies have been planned - and President Obama is actually the 43rd different person to be President of the United States (since Grover Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and is thus counted twice). As you can tell, in preparing for the inauguration, I read up on the history of the inaugural events themselves and found them fascinating. I've read several past inaugural addresses - my favorite being Lincoln's second inaugural address - and knew a little of the history of the event; but since I was going to be there I wanted to know even more.
While I wasn’t attending the inauguration of the person I voted for, there were many incredible things to witness and much to observe with great interest. Plus, I was reminded while I was there that I was attending the inauguration of my president – our country only has one president and he serves the entire country and that individual is elected in a open and democratic fashion each time serving as a tribute to the incredible nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal, to quote from Lincoln’s most famous address. In our nation’s history, there have been numerous individuals who have served as our “Commander-in-Chief” without overwhelming popular support, but they have served in that capacity and done their duty to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution as they sworn to do from day one. I was reminded that service often comes at a great cost – and often without thanks or appreciation either! The first time outgoing President Bush showed up on the jumbotron, there was a fairly loud “boo” that arose from the pro-Obama crowd. And when the outgoing president makes his exit via helicopter, there were many singing, “Hey, hey, hey, good-bye” as he flew overhead. Of course, we also saw a gigantic blowup likeness of Bush with a sign that said, “We’re giving him the boot” and people were standing in line to throw a pair of boots at the figure of the man who served our country for eight long, hard years…like I said, sometimes service isn’t appreciated or rewarded – great life lesson! Our Head of School often quotes Colossians 3:23, 24 which says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord you are serving.” Great reminder watching President Bush leave not to cheers of thankfulness and appreciation – he wasn’t serving man, he was serving the Lord and his real reward is yet to come.
Most of the experience at the inauguration was fantastic – the crowd was energetic and the atmosphere was celebratory – it was a very fun place to be. It was especially encouraging to be a part of something historical – a culmination to years and years of effort on the part of countless men and women who simply refused to be discounted by society based simply on the color of their skin. There were several times when various members of the crowd would break out into some old spiritual hymns connecting these men and women with those who went before paving the way for equality and the fulfillment of Dr. King’s famous dream – “that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” It was an amazing experience to be a part of the historical event that marked quite possibly the culmination of that dream – an African-American man was sworn in to the highest office of the land! I hope that from this point forward the rest of Dr. King’s dream would be fulfilled as well – that one day we will vote for or against people based solely on “the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
It was a proud day to be an American. The peaceful transfer of power exists here today like nowhere else before in history. And although we hear and see that our culture continues to marginalize God at every turn, it was great to hear the name of Jesus exalted in the prayer of Pastor Rick Warren that day and to see the most powerful man in the world take his oath of office with one hand on the Bible and repeating the words made famous by Washington following the inaugural inauguration – “so help me God.” I continue to pray for my president as I have for those who preceded him that he would humble himself before God, seek His face, and help guide our country to the path of righteousness. I was also reminded at the inauguration that President Obama is only one man, and the direction of this nation will be guided much more by the faithfulness of her people than by the policies of her president. Which means that I have a very significant role to play in the history of our nation, and so do you. I pray that we, too, will be faithful in our calling as citizens of a great nation and an eternal Kingdom!
L-R: Ford Fischer, Michael Christopher, Cassidy Woodard, Dan Panetti, Pariya Renner, Ariel Samuels, Billie Beth Ricca, Creighton Apple, Claire Cowman, and Mackenzie Luce. Standing at the Reflecting Pool facing the Lincoln Memorial with Washington Monument in background.
Pastor Jack Graham also posted some remarks about the inauguration on his blog at blog.powerpoint.org. Below is the text of that post which also includes a short video of his remarks to PCA students who gathered in the worship center to watch the inauguration.
"I hope that you all had the opportunity yesterday to witness history as Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of this great country. We gathered in the Worship Center with Prestonwood Christian Academy students, teachers, parents and our church staff to view the ceremony. As I said to those watching with us yesterday, it is critical that we pray for President Obama and America’s leaders during this time of transition. Please take a few moments to hear my comments regarding this monumental event." - Pastor Jack Graham
US Capitol Building, evening before the Inauguration.
Endless sea of humanity in the National Mall during the presidential inauguration.
Just a reminder of the upcoming Twilight book discussion in the PCA Horner Training Center. We’ll focus our discussion on Twilight, the first book of the four in the series, and talk about what criteria we use to evaluate what is age-appropriate and what is not; but we’ll also reference what is to come in the other books as well. We’ll talk about the messages from forbidden love to appropriate conduct between a young man and a young woman in a relationship…and more! Bring a friend to the discussion – it is open to all (you don’t have to be a PCA family) and it’s free! There will be tables and chairs set up so you can enjoy your own lunch during the discussion.
Book Discussion III
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Thursday, Feb. 26
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
PCA Leadership Center
BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch)
For those who aren’t able to attend, but would like the notes from a book discussion, they will be posted online under the Counter Culture banner labeled Book Discussions.
The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has never existed before, it is quite certain that he will never exist afterwards. Unless a man be born again, he shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
~ G. K. Chesterton
Have you ever considered the importance of biblical principals behind making New Year’s Resolutions? For most people, making resolutions is an annual struggle between good intentions and their own sinful nature. We want to do things better and we hope that our will power will be strengthened by marking the occasion in some special way each year by writing down those things we want to change about ourselves and our circumstances. But, for far too many, we realize that although we want our circumstances (or circumferences for many) to change, we aren’t willing and ready to change ourselves! And so, New Year’s Resolutions are broken and the gyms are back to normal by February.
Maybe part of the reason is that many people don’t actually know what a resolution really is. Did you know that the word “resolve” literally means to loosen, to untie, to let go of something? At first glance that may not make sense, until you look a little closer. For example, in Daniel 1:8 the Bible says that Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine from the king’s table. Sure, the sense is that Daniel made a decision, or determined what he would and wouldn’t do, but if you consider closely what he was deciding, it was to let go of man’s control of his life and surrender to God’s control. Hebrews 12:1 encourages Christians to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” so we can run the race set before us. The implication is that this world literally and figuratively grabs on to us, latches on to us, pulls us down and won’t let go until we resolve…until we loosen the stronghold, untie the binds to this world, die to self and pick up our cross and grab on to Christ. But we can’t grab and carry our cross until we’ve resolved to put down the things of this world!
The great American theologian Jonathan Edwards was a man who knew the power of resolutions. As a pastor and the president of the College of New Jersey (not Princeton University), Edwards was a man of tremendous influence at a pivotal point in our nation’s early foundational history. He was a man who took his life in Christ seriously and from an early age began to write down resolutions which he would strive to live by in his daily walk. He ended up with 70 resolutions, which are as relevant today as they were in the early 1700s when they were penned. For example, the fifth resolution of Jonathan Edwards reads, “Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.” Here was a man who didn’t waste time, but rather invested the most precious commodity and limited resource we have into improving himself and all those around him. In his twenty-eighth resolution, Edwards wrote, “Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of them.” He didn’t just want to know God’s Word; he wanted to grow in the knowledge of God by diving into the Scriptures!
So, what are your resolutions for 2009? What things of the world will you resolve to let go of so you can grab on to the great things that the Lord has in store for you this year? Do you need to let go of your money so God can bless you with His plans or do you need to let go of your time so the Lord can use you for His glory? Maybe you need to resolve to use your God-given talents not for worldly acclaim and fortune, but for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Remember, you can’t grab hold of the incredible blessings of God until you release the cheap imitations on this world!
Each year for the past 36 years, the month of January has taken on a special significance marking the date when the Supreme Court of the United States issued a landmark decision in the now infamous Roe v. Wade decision striking down all state restrictions on abortions for women at any stage during the pregnancy and for any reason. In essence, the Supreme Court said that life doesn’t begin until the mother of that unborn child says it does. Just as Satan tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and the result was that sin and curses entered God’s wonderful creation, the Court’s declaration resulted in a split between mother and child and the battle has raged since that day. What was designed to be a loving, self-sacrificing, nurturing relationship has turned into a battle of rights fought out in courtrooms and legislatures across the country and around the world.
Over the past 36 years, one gigantic step has been taken in this battle recently resulting in a dramatic awareness for pregnant women that the life they are carrying is not a “mass” or a “blob of tissue” but an unborn child already further along in the development stages than they probably even realize. That awareness comes from the routine use of a sonogram or ultrasound machine which gives an image of the unborn child to the mother and moves the abortion debate from theory to the practical level where people actually live. Across the country state legislatures are attempting to pass legislation mandating that pregnant women be allowed to have a sonogram before an abortion is performed. The same information that pregnant women wanting to keep their child should be given to women who are unsure of their decision otherwise they are ill-informed of the decision they are making.
Of course, abortion providers see this as a “pro-life” measure, a political tactic to dissuade women from having abortions; but the reality is that this is a pro-woman position seeking to give women and all who are part of the decision-making process as much information, and the best information available, so the best decision can be made. Dan Patrick has filed a bill in the Texas Senate and Frank Corte has the companion bill in the Texas House which would give pregnant women seeking an abortion information about agencies that offer “obstetric ultrasound services at no cost to the pregnant woman.” Senate Bill 182 and House Bill 36, if passed, would help reunite mother and child with information giving a pregnant woman a picture of the life she carries in her womb. That’s a huge step in the right direction and one that you can make sure your elected officials know where you stand by contacting them and letting them know that you support this measure. To learn more about these or any bills filed in the Texas legislative session and to find out who your representatives are, visit the Texas Legislature Online at www.capitol.state.tx.us/.
And continue to pray, because we know that ultimately our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). Pray that lawmakers would stand for what is true even in the face of opposition and pressure and pray that those opposed would see the light and the truth that all life is created equal, in God’s image, and is deserving of our protection – especially the life of the unborn!
PCA Family Conference - For Married and Single Parents
The PCA Family Conference is THIS WEEK! Friday evening and Saturday morning of Jan. 23-24 Dr. Bob Barnes returns from last year as our guest speaker – and you won’t want to miss the practical wisdom that he shares from God’s Word about how to have a great marriage and raise godly and responsible children! To learn more and to register, visit the PCA website.
Special Session for Single Parents - Jan. 22, 2009
7:00-9:30 p.m. in the Horner Training Center
Nine students will join PCA board of trustee member Sara Cowman and PCA Worldview Director Dan Panetti on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Washington D.C. for the historical presidential inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. Expected to be joined by nearly 5 million others, this is going to be an incredible opportunity for our students to experience one of the most incredible moments in a democracy – the peaceful transfer of power from one individual to another. Please be in prayer for our students, not only for their safety and well-being, but also that God would speak to them about their role and responsibility in shaping our nation as followers of Christ.
Photo by Dan Panetti (taken by his phone in Washington, D.C.)
For those who were able to watch the incredible movie Fireproof last year, you’ll definitely want to get a copy when it is released to DVD on Jan. 27. This is a heart-warming story about a couple’s journey to the cross and to a marriage founded not on self-centered needs, but on a Christ-centered love that radically transforms their lives. If you didn’t get to see Fireproof in theaters last year, you’ll want to make sure you get a copy on DVD for your family…and purchase an extra copy or two for friends who need to see this inspiring and challenging message. And don’t forget The Love Dare, the companion book to the movie, a hot seller in Christian bookstores across the country.
Looking for a new study Bible – then look no further. Recently released, the ESV Study Bible was “created to help people understand the Bible in a deeper way—to understand the timeless truth of God’s Word as a powerful, compelling, life-changing reality.” Topping out at over 2,750 pages, the ESV Study Bible is packed full of helpful commentaries, notes, maps, illustrations, charts, and timelines. The work of 95 evangelical Christian scholars and teachers, the ESV Study Bible is confident that it is the Bible you need to gain a deeper and fuller understanding of God’s Word and the nature of God himself.
The Twilight series has to be considered a teen cultural phenomenon with the overwhelming popularity of four books and one smash hit movie already. It seems like Twilight is the talk of the town for teens these days; which is exactly why we, as parents, need to be talking about this book and its messages. We’ll discuss Twilight, the first book of the four, and talk about what criteria we use to evaluate what is age-appropriate and what is not. We’ll talk about the messages from forbidden love to appropriate conduct between a young man and a young woman in a relationship…and more! This book discussion is for parents only; there will be a student discussion scheduled for later this spring.
Book Discussion III
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Thursday, February 26, 2009
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
PCA Leadership Center BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch)
For those who aren’t able to attend, but would like the notes from a book discussion, they will be posted online under the Counter Culture banner labeled Book Discussions.
Advice from One Mother to Another
by Susan Thomas, PCA mom
As a reminder that we are each blessed with such a short time with our children to rear them in the love and admonition of the Lord, I was one of our PCA parents to reflect on the senior year with her daughter, now a sophomore at Wake Forest, and to give us some insight and wisdom for how to make the most of the limited time we have with our children to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities ahead. Parents with seniors, these thoughts were written especially to you, but we can all appreciate these sentiments whether are children are seniors in high school or in PreK-4. Enjoy these heartfelt words from PCA mom Susan Thomas.
Oh my! It is difficult for me to believe my daughter graduated from PCA two years ago and is now a sophomore in college. Where does time go to? Her time in high school seemed to rush by, and something tells me that she will be out of college and my son starting college before I blink my eyes a few more times. As the parent of a senior, you may be feeling as if the time left with your child at home is all too rapidly coming to a close – trust me, I well remember that feeling!
Try to think of your child’s remaining semester at PCA as a beginning – not ending. This sounds trite, I know, but it really is the beginning of one of the most exciting chapters of your child’s life. A good friend reminded me of this two years ago; we both had seniors graduating that year and made a pact to rejoice with our daughters, not grieve. If you can learn to look at the remaining months you have left before unloading your child at college as a blessing, you will be able to make the most of this sweet, special time and makes many lasting memories.
May I give you some suggestions for these next few months? One would be to trust and support your child as they make decisions relating to college and career choices. When my daughter informed me during her junior year that the only college for her was Wake Forest University, exactly 1180 miles away in North Carolina, and she was willing to continue to work extremely hard in order to gain admission there, I wanted to cry! How could she know that Wake Forest was right for her? How could she move so far from home for college when she never even liked going away for a week of summer camp? How could our family survive without seeing her for months on end? When I saw the joy in her eyes when she talked about Wake Forest and realized that she was willing to forego some of the normal high school fun activities in order to attain the grades needed to be admitted, however, I decided to trust her and her judgment. Am I ever glad I did! I believe God truly led her to Wake Forest; she is happier than she’s ever been and is thriving there, 1180 miles away from Dallas.
Another suggestion I have for you is to treasure and maximize your family time. Doing things together and creating memories will be what you draw upon next year when the reality of college sets in. Our family set aside one night a week for family night, something we’ve continued to do with our son who is now in high school. It is sometimes simple – frozen pizza and card games; sometimes more elaborate – a nice dress-up dinner out or a trip to the theater to see a movie that we’ve all heard about. This has more of an impact than I realized it would. The first thing we do when my daughter is able to come home for a holiday or other school break is plan a family night out that she will enjoy while she is home. My kids still look forward to these nights.
Don’t let the busyness of senior year allow your student to neglect their faith. Make sure they attend regular worship services and encourage them to stay involved in church activities. They will be tested and tried during college years, and having a strong foundation in their faith will help them make right decisions. They will learn to trust God as a friend who is there to help them when mom and dad are not. It is also important that you continue emphasizing to your senior the importance of Kingdom service. This lesson is one with life-long benefits and there will be plenty of service opportunities available to your child while at college.
Be joyful and have fun with your senior these next few months. Turn tasks such as shopping for dorm room supplies into fun outings. Laugh lots. Give lots of hugs. Share memories and childhood stories together. Let them know how special and unique you think they are; share with them the special qualities you feel God has blessed them with. Give them lots of opportunities to talk with you about their hopes and dreams. Trust them in their decisions and encourage them even if it is not what you envisioned for them or hoped they would do. Be there to pick them up when something doesn’t work out as they had planned. Keep your family close; siblings need to be encouraged as they are concerned about their brother or sister going away next year, too. Keep a smile on your face as that’s the way you want them to remember you when they are away next year. Laugh some more.
Most importantly, tell them often how much you love them.
Susan Thomas, mom of Carrie, PCA Class of 2007 and Will, PCA Class of 2011
PCA Family Conference - For Married and Single Parents
The PCA Family Conference is just around the corner. After Christmas and the New Year celebrations are over, recharge your spiritual batteries with this incredible conference on Jan. 23-24 with guest speaker Dr. Bob Barnes returning from an outstanding conference last year! You won’t want to miss what Dr. Barnes will be sharing – great fellowship with friends as well, so invite others to join you; they will thank you from the bottom of their hearts! To learn more and to register, visit the PCA website.
You don’t want to miss the inaugural PCA Family Mission Trip on Jan. 16-18, 2009. This trip in partnership with Christian Hands in Action (CHIA) allows parents and children as young as 8-years-old an opportunity to minister and evangelize while creating an incredible family memory that will last for years to come.
The mission trip is to South Texas (El Paso) and Larry Taylor, PCA Head of School, will be sharing a special message for parents and students on the trip. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. To learn more, visit the PCA website.
What a blessing it was to have such a great line-up of incredible speakers sharing their hearts and wisdom with our students and faculty during our annual Biblical Worldview Institute. One of our primary areas of emphasis following BWI is teaching students to express their gratitude to others – so if your students liked one of the speakers and would like to send them a note of thanks, please contact me and I will send you the contact information of the speaker.
Fourteen students will join PCA board of trustee member Sara Cowman and PCA Worldview Director Dan Panetti on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Washington D.C. for the historical presidential inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. Expected to be joined by nearly 5 million others, this is going to be an incredible opportunity for our students to experience one of the most incredible moments in a democracy – the peaceful transfer of power from one individual to another. Please be in prayer for our students, not only for their safety and well-being, but also that God would speak to them about their role and responsibility in shaping our nation as followers of Christ.
We had an outstanding book discussion on Lael Arrington’s fabulous book Worldproofing Your Kids. Thank you to all the parents who were able to attend the discussion. I am currently taking suggestions for the book that we will read and discuss in the first quarter of 2009, probably some time in February. If you have any ideas and suggestions, please email me directly at dpanetti@prestonwoodchristian.org.
For those who weren’t able to attend, but would like the notes from that book discussion, they are posted online under the Counter Culture banner labeled Book Discussions.
In many ways, this recent election was confusing. On one hand, the country voted to move in a direction loosely defined as “change” – meaning that more people voted against the status quo (against the norm) against business as usual. On the other hand, Proposition 8 in California protecting the definition of marriage as well as similar initiatives across the country dealing with marriage and abortion were passed in some of the most liberal states. Of course, not to be outdone, the State of Washington passed their version of euthanasia – or their “death with dignity” law. Then on the same ballot as the marriage protection act in California, voters who chose to protect the sanctity of the family refused once again to pass a parental notification law protecting the authority of parents over their children. In other words, our nation appears to be suffering from a severe case of schizophrenia.
Roman scholar Cicero wrote these words about this battle fought each election cycle here in the U.S. – he said, “There remains one match to be fought off—pleasure versus moral worth.” At this point in our history, we find many are trying to have their cake and eat it too! Americans want their freedoms – uninhibited, unrestrained, without government interference or intrusion. Yet Americans want all the benefits of an ordered society as well. But if we are unwilling to allow government to control our passions, we must be self-disciplined enough to control them ourselves. External control is anathema to Americas…internal control used to be the norm, but recent generations have shed that proverbial dead skin like a snake. I am currently reading George Eliot’s English classic Silas Marner and was struck by one passage in this book that seemed to be so relevant to our current condition – as we make poor financial decisions and look to the government to bail us out of poor personal decisions and look to the government to protect our right to eliminate the consequences of our decisions – read the following passage as Godfrey, who made a bad decision, refuses to own that decision and instead looks to “chance” to better his fortune and situation:
He fled to his usual refuge, that of hoping for some unforeseen turn of fortune, some favourable chance which would save him from unpleasant consequences—perhaps even justify his insincerity by manifesting its prudence. And in this point of trusting to some throw of fortune's dice, Godfrey can hardly be called specially old-fashioned. Favourable Chance, I fancy, is the god of all men who follow their own devices instead of obeying a law they believe in. Let even a polished man of these days get into a position he is ashamed to avow, and his mind will be bent on all the possible issues that may deliver him from the calculable results of that position. Let him live outside his income, or shirk the resolute honest work that brings wages, and he will presently find himself dreaming of a possible benefactor, a possible simpleton who may be cajoled into using his interest, a possible state of mind in some possible person not yet forthcoming. Let him neglect the responsibilities of his office, and he will inevitably anchor himself on the chance that the thing left undone may turn out not to be of the supposed importance. Let him betray his friend's confidence, and he will adore that same cunning complexity called Chance, which gives him the hope that his friend will never know. Let him forsake a decent craft that he may pursue the gentilities of a profession to which nature never called him, and his religion will infallibly be the worship of blessed Chance, which he will believe in as the mighty creator of success. The evil principle deprecated in that religion is the orderly sequence by which the seed brings forth a crop after its kind.
When will our nation stop worshipping the god of “chance” and return to our moral anchor of virtue and religion as the protectors of our liberty? When will we realize that self-control is the only replacement for government control – that a people who will not control themselves will be controlled by external forces? The famed Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville wrote about this truth as he examined the difference between the American and the French Revolutions. Grounded in morality, the American Revolution threw off an oppressive and immoral government to replace it with an ordered society built equally on the foundation of the Constitution and the Church. While there was a separation between Church and State, both were required for the success of the new republic. On the other extreme was the French Revolution, throwing off restraint and morality to be replaced with anarchy and immorality. The short-lived “liberty” following the bloody revolution was replaced by Napoleon’s tyranny and the loss of those precious freedoms.
So, America, which will it be? Will we choose to be a nation of the strong who protect the weak and vulnerable or will we follow the example of Europe and eliminate the undesirables still in the womb? Will we tolerate alternative relationships for the sake of unity or will we stand united for marriage as the only bond that will produce stability for the next generation? Will we raise a generation of responsible, self-disciplined adults or will we look to government to control our unrestrained passions and bail us out from the pit of our “rights” and our “freedoms”? We learned that the economy is important to Americans…and so is the family…and so is life. But if they remain in that order, which will be the first to suffer defeat in the next election cycle?
Reflections from a PCA Student – Mackenzie Luce, PCA Freshman
After reflecting on the election, one thing has become very apparent to me. This thing we call “the election” is not about the campaigns, slogans, polls or even the candidates. Instead, the election comes down to individuals like you and me. We are the people who are given the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference for our country. With more people, and specifically more young people, voting has clearly shown that all people no matter what age, gender, religion or ethnicity want a voice. One question this history-making election raises is how well informed are these young voters on the issues and candidate’s positions? How can we improve the voters’ knowledge and information? How will we make these things happen? Personally, this election has challenged me not only to make sure I am an informed voter, but to come up with creative and effective avenues to get valuable information out to others so they can choose their candidates based on facts and knowledge of critical issues facing our country. How will you make a difference for the next election?
For many the biblical mandate to pray for our leaders is one that enters our minds around election time and exits soon thereafter. But what about praying for our leaders throughout the year – how can we remember to keep our elected officials in our prayers – and maybe more importantly, who are they and what do we pray for them? To help with this, a few years ago I joined a really outstanding organization dedicated to helping Christians pray for their leaders. It’s called the Presidential Prayer Team and it began following the attack of September 11, 2001. It is nonpartisan and apolitical – the emphasis is simply on praying for our leaders. I’ve received some outstanding resources from this group – from a series of presidential bookmarks to a 30-day prayer guide with ideas and supporting Scripture references for helping me pray for the president and those in authority. The website also gives the following list of benefits you’ll receive for signing up:
A Helpful Prayer Prompt online everyday.
17 Scriptures to pray for our President.
Our exclusive, weekly Prayer Update by email on Thursdays full of practical ways to pray for our nation, our President, our Troops and our national leaders.
A weekly email on Mondays highlighting our Featured Prayer Resource of the week.
Access to our interactive online Prayer Experience with a daily devotional and guided prayers.
The current edition of our exclusive National Leaders Prayer Guide in print and online.
One New Member Welcome Kit containing two PPT window decals, two patriotic photo reminders to pray for our President, and one bookmark with a suggested prayer for our Commander-in-Chief.
An immediate link to a page containing 200 Great Scriptures on Prayer in the Bible.
Receive immediate access to our exclusive page of 50 Free Downloadable Prayers, including Rev. Billy Graham’s Prayer for the Nation.
Receive an immediate link to our handy, patriotic 2007 PPT Prayer Calendar.
Receive an immediate link to the incredible stories of 200 American Inspirations.
Don’t forget that the PCA Biblical Worldview Institute is just around the corner – beginning Thursday, Nov. 20 with an outstanding lineup of speakers and topics you won’t want to miss including Kurt Bruner, Kerby Anderson, Jerry Rassamni, Lee Colan and Star Parker.
Returning to the PCA Family Conference will be Dr. Bob Barnes on Jan. 23-24, 2009. Dr. Barnes was a huge hit with families last year and many wanted to spend more time listening to his biblical approach to marriage and parenting. This is a great event to invite friends to as well. Book your babysitter now; you won’t want to miss the PCA Family Conference this year! To learn more and to register online, visit PCA’s Kingdom Parent Institute page and look for the Family Conference information.
Partnering with Christian Hands in Action (CHIA), PCA is thrilled to offer a family mission trip to Mexico! This trip, lead by PCA dad Tom Sherman featuring PCA Head of School Larry Taylor as the guest speaker, will be from Jan. 16-18, 2009 and will allow parents and their children as young as 8-years-old to participate in this life-changing experience. To learn more about the trip, visit the Kingdom Parent Institute page on the PCA website.
I’ve been hearing quite a bit about this movie and when I saw a trailer recently, I was fascinated by the concept. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a movie based on the novel by John Boyne about a young boy whose father is a Nazi officer and moves to a new home near a concentration camp. Naive, and curious, this little boy finds a boy close to his own age, but living in entirely different circumstances – behind barbed wire and dressed in “pajamas.” The movie is a powerful examination about the nature of man, the power of friendships and the injustice in life. Chuck Colson recently ran a very interesting BreakPoint on the movie which not only examined the movie itself, but the demise in our culture of the art of conversation. So, if you are going to watch this movie, make sure you heed the advice of Colson – have a conversation about the movie with someone afterward!
In Theaters Soon - TWILIGHT
Many parents will most likely let their teenage (hopefully not younger) daughters attend a movie that is sure to make a box office smash. The highly successful book series best known as the Twilight series hits the big screens next week. What is the movie about, should you let your daughter watch it, what kind of conversations should you have regarding this movie – let’s dive in and answer these questions.
Let’s begin with what the movie is about. Taken directly from the official TWILIGHT movie site online, here is a description of the movie:
Twilight is an action-paced, modern-day love story between a teenage girl and a vampire. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother re-marries and sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn’t expect much of anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a boy unlike any she’s ever met. Edward is a vampire, but he doesn’t have fangs and his family is unique in that they choose not to drink human blood. Intelligent and witty, Edward sees straight into Bella’s soul. Soon, they are swept up in a passionate, thrilling and unorthodox romance. To Edward, Bella is what he has waited 90 years for – a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could sent him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will Edward and Bella do with a clan of new vampires – James (Cam Gigandet), Laurent (Edi Gathegi), and Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre) – come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life?
ABOUT TWILIGHT: Based on the #1 New York Times Best-Selling series with over 17 million books in print by Stephanie Meyer, TWILIGHT is a cultural phenomenon, with a dedicated fan base that eagerly awaits this movie. There are over 350 fan sites devoted to TWILIGHT, and it has been chosen as the New York times Editor’s Choice, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, Amazon’s “Best Book of the Decade…So Far”, Teen People’s “Hot List” Pick, and The American Library Association’s “Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults” and “Top Ten Books for Reluctant Readers,” among others. Critically acclaimed director Catherine Hardwicke brings to life this modern, visual, and visceral Romeo and Juliet story of the ultimate forbidden love affair – between a vampire and mortal.
Vampires, romance, drinking human blood and peering into another person’s soul – may not sound interesting to you, but it does to your teenage daughter. As described above, the Twilight series is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story of forbidden love – sure, there’s a little blood and gore mixed in for good measure, but for the most part the girls are reading and loving the romance and the relational aspects of the book. So, are those “good” or not? The series is written by a Mormon, Stephanie Meyer and the relational components of the story are certainly tame by comparison to modern culture today. There is no sex outside of the marriage relationship in the story, although the relationship bond is very, very strong for young characters. One aspect of concern you’ll want to discuss with your sons and daughters is what is and what isn’t appropriate in a relationship with a person of the opposite sex. That conversation shouldn’t just stop at the physical, but also address the emotional bonds of a relationship.
Of course, many parents will be asking if they should even let their teenage son or daughter attend the movie. To help with that answer, visit our friends at Plugged In Online for a review of the movie, its themes and areas of concern. The movie is rated PG-13, but that should only serve as a general guide – you’re the parent, not the Motion Picture Association of America. Whatever you decide as a parent, I hope that you’ll take every opportunity to engage your children in conversations, taking them back to God’s Word as your guide for what is appropriate, for what true love really looks like, and to help them learn wisdom and discernment. If your daughter is longing for stories of romance and intrigue, there are incredible biblical examples to fill her mind and imagination from Jacob and Rachel to Hosea and Gomer. Make sure that the world’s examples of “love and romance” aren’t the only pictures she has – your marriage and relationships are far more influential than any Hollywood film.
Our next book discussion will be Thursday, Dec. 4 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. held in the new Horner Training Center. Please bring a “brown bag” lunch to eat while we chat about this wonderful book. Just to whet your appetite for Worldproofing Your Kids, this is what World magazine had to say about the book:
"Worldproofing is jam packed with answers for moms who have worries about sending their kids off to school. The first step to address “Mommy dread” is…to help parents put their finger on what’s wrong. This can be done in an overbearing way… or it can be done with a touch of humor to lighten the load. This is Mrs. Arrington’s way. Her real talent is translating Schaefer, Darwin, Woody Allen, and even Carl Sagan for soccer moms."
The book is available online at Amazon.com and will also be available at the Prestonwood Bookstore. To learn more about Lael and her incredible ministry and other books, please visit her website at www.laelarrington.com.
Financial Crisis Critique - Ron Kelley, Prestonwood Foundation
UNCERTAIN TIMES
Wars and rumors of war, gridlock in government, the soaring cost of living, natural disasters, the tinderbox of the Middle East, the re-emergence of a militaristic Russia….. I think you would agree that we live in uncertain times and it has been highlighted with the most recent financial crisis. Some have referred to this as the “economic crisis of a century”, or a “financial tsunami” as we see the collapse or near collapse of some our nation’s most significant financial institutions.
We certainly have been hearing a lot of talk, especially with the upcoming Presidential election, of just whose fault is it? Is it Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac’s fault for lending to people who couldn’t really afford the loan they were approved? Is it the government’s fault for encouraging these loans to increase home ownership which artificially drove home build growth that spurned on inflated home values and set the housing market up for a bubble-burst? How about the so called “greedy” Wall Street firms for bundling these loans in such a way that people were buying investments in something that was over-promised and not clearly understood? Or is it the American consumer themselves for racking up massive personal debt with credit cards while savings rates in the United Stated in 2007 was for the first time actually at a negative two percent (basically, it means as a country, people took more out of their savings accounts than they put in – that’s not good)?
There certainly is a lot of blame to go around that’s for sure but I would like to offer up a biblical root cause for this mess. I would go all the way back to Exodus 20:17 where God tells His people that, “You shall not covet…” Although believers today are not under the Law, we are under obligation to abide by the holy standards represented in the Ten Commandments. We have bought into a lifestyle and lie that says that we need certain “material goods” to make us happy and considered a success according the world’s standards. We’ve allowed materialism to creep into our lifestyles and we no longer know the difference between a want versus a need. God knew this was going to be an issue with His people and that is why His Word is so rich in providing a blueprint in how we should go about our business. Did you know that there are over 2,300 verses in the Bible that deal with money & possessions? I think now more than ever, this is a time to get back to the biblical basics that God has provided us. The biblical fundamentals that we need to understand:
God is the owner of all that we possess (Psalm 24:1).
God is in control of all situations (Psalm 135:6 / Isaiah 45:6-7 / 1 Chronicles 29:11-12) and He will make good of any situation for those who are faithful to Him (Romans 8:28).
God promises to provide for the needs of His people. (Philippians 4:19).
In return, all God asks His people is that they be Faithful Stewards (Psalm 8:6).
Being a Faithful Steward means that no matter how little or how much we possess, that we will be good managers of what God has provided. Man’s downfall in this area is simply that we have not been good managers as we have desired, lusted, coveted over having certain materials goods that has driven us to massive and harmful credit card debt; we live beyond our means; we have no savings and worst of all, we rob from God by not giving what is rightfully His (Malachi 3:8-10). Luke 16:11 states, “If then you have not been faithful in the use of worldly wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?” I think this is a question worth thinking about!
As believers in Christ, what should we do during this time of financial crisis? I believe the answer is in three steps:
Step 1: Seek God on Your Finances
I think we need to get down on our hands and knees and seek the wisdom and guidance from the Lord in this area. Other than a prayer of “Lord give me, give me, give me” we need to ask Him to give us the heart and knowledge of how we can honor him with our finances. We may have to ask Him to forgive us for falling into the trap of worldly materialism. One thing is true is that we serve a great God of restoration. The Bible is filled with story after story of how God has restored His people when they repent and seek Him. That is exactly what some of you may need to do. I’m not saying that it will not be hard, but I can assure you that God will provide and He will shape and mold you into the person that he wants you to be through this process so He can use you in a powerful way if we seek Him in this area.
With that said, I feel like I need to address the prosperity message that has crept into many churches in America. I totally reject the message that God intends all of His to be materially rich. It is true that God delights in the prosperity of His people (Psalm 35:27), but God’s prosperity is not always material wealth as it can pertain to a good family name, a good helper (spouse), good health, great ministry opportunities, a good career even though there is always some form of toil associated with work (Genesis 3:17-19). This certainly is not a call to poverty because we have many biblical examples such as Abraham and King David who possessed great wealth, but my point is that true prosperity is gauged by how well we know Jesus Christ and by how closely we follow him.
One last comment, during this financial trial in our nation, I have been saddened by the lack of any national government leader making reference for our collective need to look beyond ourselves for a solution and turn to God Almighty. How powerful would it be if one of our Presidential candidates or a leader from the Congress would have sincerely made this need for God the basis of their response to this financial crisis? It would have offended some but in my mind, who cares. I want to be on the side of the one true God who is all-powerful; He’s the creator; He’s the Mighty Righteous King whose presence can shake mountains, and His resources are unlimited. With this said, I would encourage you to pray for our nation and its leaders during this time of important decision making.
Step 2: Get Your Financial House in Order
Every individual and family needs to have a Spending Plan (budget) no matter if you make $10,000 or $1,000,000 a year. Remember God has called us to be a Faithful Steward meaning we need to be good managers of what he has provided. A Spending Plan will allow you to identify problem areas (e.g. eating out) and will serve as the basis for which we can go process cutting our household expenses.
The next thing we need to make sure of is that we eliminate all harmful debt from our financial status. Credit cards, car loans, and store cards are all symptoms of potential sins such as envy, pride, greed, or gluttony. Studies show that when use credit as our means of shopping that we can spend up to 30% more than what we intended to actually spend. It’s just too easy to spend money that you actually don’t have. If you can not pay off your monthly credit balances on a monthly basis, I would strongly encourage you to eliminate the plastic from your life and go to a cash-only system. If you need plastic for travel then set up a debit card that is treated just like a credit card but the money comes directly from your account. If you don’t have the cash money for an item, you simply must go without. Trust me, the sun will set and the sun will rise and I promise you will survive. We’ve got to say “no” to building up harmful debt that is placing us in a state of financial bondage. The by-product of financial bondage is the break up of marriages; it extracts a physical toll; it contributes to mental, physical, and emotional fatigue; and this burden of debt just overtakes our life. In my mind, it’s simply not worth it!
Lastly, I would recommend that we turn back the clock to when we were a nation of savers. Saving is making provision for tomorrow; whereas, debt is presumption upon tomorrow. As I mentioned earlier, the savings rate for our nation in 2007 was at negative two percent. It is imperative that we establish short and long term savings. Short Term Savings should amount to three-to-six month’s worth of living expenses. This may seem like a daunting task, but making your goal in increments is a good way to approach this objective. For example make your first goal $1,000 and then work on building it up to one month, then two…. This short term savings should be invested in an account that is earning interest but is liquid in that you can access the money at any time. The purpose of short terms savings is to prepare for the potential storm of unemployment or purchasing items that are not part of your monthly spending plan such as the replacement of an air conditioning unit at your home. Proverbs 30:24 says, “Four things of little strength, yet they are extremely wise: ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer.” Long Term Savings is intended to fund long term needs and goals such as retirement income and disability coverage. These funds typically should not be touched unless there is an extreme financial emergency.
Step 3: Invest in God’s Work Here on Earth
I realize during these tough economic times that the common theme is that people just can’t afford to give to God. I would answer that I don’t think you cannot afford to not give to God. God’s Word is very clear on this subject and I would encourage you to read Malachi 3:8-10. Here are the main points of this powerful piece of scripture:
God tells His people that they are robbing from Him.
The people dispute this by asking, “How are we robbing from you?”
God answers by telling the people they are robbing from God in the area of their “tithes and contributions.” He goes on to tell the people that “you are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me.”
Then, God challenges them to bring the full tithe to the storehouse (local church). It’s the only place in the Bible where God says “test me” that if we are obedient in this area of our lives, that “the Lord of hosts’ will “open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
I don’t know about you but for me that is one heck of a promise from our God. The fact is God loves us but He loves His Word even more and does not exaggerate, lie or mislead us so we can take this promise to the bank so to speak. I know our investment statements may not be looking too good these days, but the fact is that the greatest investment that any person can make is investing in the work of the Lord here on earth. Our time here on earth is short especially when compared to an eternity dwelling with God that we are promised as believers. We are citizens of heaven, not earth (Philippians 3:20). Trust me, the payoff from eternal investments is far greater than any earthly payoff that we may realize through our investments.
I would go on to make the argument that God equates how we handle our money with the quality of our spiritual life; because, it’s not a money issue, it’s a heart issue. If we handle our money properly according to the principles of Scripture, our fellowship with Christ will grow stronger. However, if we manage money unfaithfully, our fellowship with Him will suffer. Simply put, following God’s financial principles draws us closer to Christ! The time has come where we need to abandon the world’s way of easy credit, harmful debt and wandering without a plan and get back to God’s way of being a good manager with what he has provided. Times may be uncertain, but God is still great and His promises still ring true for our lives today!
If you require assistance in getting your financial house back in order, the Prestonwood Foundation offers Free, Biblical, and Confidential financial counseling to all members and guests of Prestonwood Baptist Church. Contact Ron Kelly at 972-820-5439 to set up your appointment today.
Mark 8:36 - “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
There are some rare individuals who truly embody a particular concept or phrase – you may think of Billy Graham and evangelism in the same breath, or as the recent movie Amazing Grace depicted the life of William Wilberforce is tied to his work as an abolitionist and cultural reformer. Among those giants of the past and our time stands another whose name is synonymous with servant-leadership: Zig Ziglar. With his incredible sense of humor, impeccable timing and ability to turn a phrase, Zig has become one of the nation’s top motivational speakers reminding millions to put others first because you get what you want by helping others get what they want!
As a tribute to Zig, his life and his ministry, Prestonwood Christian Academy has created the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award proving an opportunity to honor one recipient each year who embodies Zig’s heart for the Lord and passion to serve others as well as draw attention to and support the PCA Sponsor-A-Child program, which will enable PCA families struggling to afford a Kingdom Education for the next generation.
The dates for the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award as well as the name of the inaugural recipient has been set. The dinner and program will be held at the Embassy Suites in Frisco on April 14, 2009 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will be honored as the recipient of the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award for his life work as a man of character in politics, for the national attention his weight loss brought and for remaining a man of integrity who has served in the public interest for decades.
To learn more about how you can sponsor or attend this incredible event, please visit www.zigziglaraward.com.
Dr. Frank Turek, TV host and award-winning co-author of I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheistwill be the featured speaker at the Spring Creek campus of Collin County Community College located in Conference Center Room AA135 at 2800 E. Spring Creek Parkway in Plano on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Dr. Turek is the president of CrossExamined.org and will be addressing topics like:
How can it be true that there is no truth?
Three arguments that God exists
Einstein’s evidence for the greatest miracle
Dawkins and Hitchens exposed
Questions from the audience
There is no cost to attend, but plan on arriving early as space will be limited and you’ll want to be close to the action as you listen to one of our country’s premier apologists examine the evidence and give a defense for faith in Christ.
In an effort to educate others about the Christian responsibility to be an educated and engaged citizen, several students from our Student Leadership Institute C3 Campus Connection Team will be posting blogs and videos on GodTube up to the election on Nov. 4 and even beyond. Students from this group will also be attending the presidential inauguration in Washington D.C. on Jan. 20 for the swearing in ceremony of the forty-fourth President of the United States.
Don’t forget, early voting began Oct. 20 and goes through Oct. 31. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4 with polls open from 7a.m. - 7p.m. Locations and times for Early Voting are available here for Collin County, Dallas County and Denton County.
Each November, PCA hosts some of the nation’s top speakers and thinkers to equip our students, faculty and parents on a variety of critical areas. On Thursday, Nov. 20 from 8:30–11:30 a.m., the following speakers will share:
Kurt Bruner, formerly with Focus on the Family now serving on staff at LakePointe Church, Kurt will be sharing “Thinking Christianly in a Secular Culture.”
Kerby Anderson, co-host of Point of View, Kerby will address “How Christianity has Influenced Culture Across Time.”
Jerry Rassamni, from militant Muslim growing up in Lebanon to sold-out follower of Christ today, Jerry will share his testimony of God’s amazing grace and inform us about “The Impact of Islam in Today’s World.”
Friday, Nov. 21 will feature PCA parent and motivational speaker Dr. Lee Colan along with one of the nation’s top cultural commentators Star Parker. Please visit the PCA website for all the information about the speakers and to register to attend this incredible conference. Visit http://www.prestonwoodchristian.org/bwi.asp for all that information.
Nobody saw the meteoric rise in popularity of the self-published book by author William P. Young titled The Shack. But thanks to a compelling story and the endorsements of some leading Christians from Eugene Peterson (author of The Message translation) and recording artist Michael W. Smith, The Shack remains on top of several best-sellers lists and is the topic of conversation on numerous Christian radio shows and around water coolers across the country. Some Christians leaders, including Pastor Jack Graham at Prestonwood and Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, are warning Christians not to read this book because of the heresy and misrepresentation of the Trinity and various other biblical tenets – you can hear Mark Driscoll discuss this at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK65Jfny70Y.
Since millions are reading The Shack, for those who have read the book or those who will not, I wanted to make sure you were prepared for any conversations you might have with others who have read the book. I’ve listened to a number of individuals discuss the various controversies and read several articles and tried to summarize the areas of concern for you to review and share with others. This critique of The Shack is available in our PCA Parent Resource Center if you click here. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me as well.
A special thank you to several of our PCA parents and guests who were able to attend the first book discussion on Monday, Oct. 13. We met and discussed the very informative book by Jerry Rassamni titled From Jihad to Jesus. Written by a former militant Muslim, Rassamni’s eyes were opened to the spiritual bondage of Islam and he shares his personal testimony from Lebanon to liberty as well as an outstanding apologetic of the Christian faith using the teachings of the Qur’an as well as the Bible! Jerry Rassamni will be addressing our students and staff at our annual Biblical Worldview Institute on Thursday, Nov. 20 and you, as parents, are invited to join us to hear more about the miraculous work of God in his life. To learn more about the BWI event and to register, please visit: http://www.prestonwoodchristian.org/bwi.asp.
Our next book discussion will also feature an author who will be speaking at our BWI event – Lael Arrington, author of the outstanding book Worldproofing Your Kids, will be speaking to our staff on Monday, Nov. 24. The second book discussion will be Thursday, Dec. 4 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. held in the new Horner Leadership Center. Please bring a “brown bag” lunch to eat while we chat about this wonderful book. Just to wet your appetite for Worldproofing Your Kids, this is what World magazine had to say about the book:
"Worldproofing is jam packed with answers for moms who have worries about sending their kids off to school. The first step to address “Mommy dread” is…to help parents put their finger on what’s wrong. This can be done in an overbearing way… or it can be done with a touch of humor to lighten the load. This is Mrs. Arrington’s way. Her real talent is translating Schaefer, Darwin, Woody Allen, and even Carl Sagan for soccer moms."
The book is available online at Amazon.com and will also be available at the Prestonwood Bookstore. To learn more about Lael and her incredible ministry and other books, please visit her website at http://www.laelarrington.com/.
Just when you thought the race would lack interest and vitality from the GOP, in steps Alaska governor Sarah Palin to infuse life and energy back into the party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan. While the Democrats were sure to produce an historical candidate regardless of their choice between the first black presidential candidate and the first woman for the highest office, the Republican front-runner is a war hero whose resume is long but interest level is low. So what do we as Christians think about this election – not only the two candidates and their respective seconds, but also about the various issues from abortion to energy, the war to healthcare?
To answer that question and several more, a number of PCA students will be posting videos on GodTube as part of my SLi Campus Connection C3 Team – Christians Confronting the Culture. Seventeen students along with PCA Board of Trustee member Sara Cowman and me will be heading to the presidential inauguration in January to witness an historical occasion regardless of which party wins in November. In an effort to education, equip and energize Christians to engage the culture for Christ, these students will be posting videos each month helping to inform people all across the nation how to think critically and Christianly about the election and the important task of selecting a candidate for public office.
Look for more information on these videos soon.In the meantime, if you’re looking for a concise summary of the positions for the presidential candidates on a variety of issues, let me suggest the following two outstanding resources. First, WallBuilders has put together a side-by-side comparison of Obama and McCain on a number of issues which can be found here. Also, be sure to check out what the candidates have to say in their own words about taxes, abortion, and several other issues as part of the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency. Our friends at GodTube have put each question and answer separate for each candidate so you can watch as much or as little of this as you like – click on the video to go to GodTube video blog.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4– do you know why? In 1845 Congress had to propose a uniform election date and since the Electoral College met in December, they looked to the month of November, which most states used as their election month since the crops where harvested and it was a good time to have an election, to select a date. They wanted to give enough time for the election results to be tabulated before the start of December, so the looked early in the month. The date couldn’t be a Sunday because of the respect for the Sabbath or even a Monday since it meant that people may have to travel on Sunday; but Tuesday was open without any conflict. So Congress determined that the uniform date for selecting presidential Electors should be the second Tuesday after the first Monday insuring that the date would never fall on Nov. 1 or be later than Nov. 8. This year Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Voter registration is required by each state to be eligible to cast a ballot in the election. Voters must be registered at least thirty days before an election – which means to vote in the upcoming Nov. 4 General Election, you’ll need to have your voter registration card postmarked no later than Oct. 6. If you didn’t pick up a Voter Registration Card at one of the curriculum nights, you can stop by the Upper School or Lower School front desks and pick one up there.
Of course, this election has presented more discussion items than the usual “conservative vs. liberal” or Republican vs. Democrat conversation – with the entry of Sarah Palin as the VP hopeful on the Republican side, there was an outspoken pro-life, pro-gun, pro-family conservative in the race for many to jump on her bandwagon…then came the announcement the other day that her 17-year-old daughter Bristol is pregnant and not married. Kudos to the Palin family for sticking by their principles and saying all the right things about marriage and keeping the baby…but many of the unasked and unanswered questions about how to transfer your faith to the next generation in not only what they believe, but also in how they behave are again brought to the forefront for examination. The Palin family could have avoided the limelight and all the questions…but they chose to put their family…their past…and their faith to the test. Entering the public arena is no easy task in this day and age and each and every elected official and candidate for office deserves our prayers as they seek to serve us, their constituents!
Another interesting development in this election has been the role of the church in the public policy arena – specifically one church – Saddleback Church and “America’s Pastor” Rick Warren. Warren hosted his two friends, Barack Obama and John McCain, at the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency where Warren asked each candidate some pointed questions about their personal lives as well as their policies. If you didn’t get a chance to see it live, check out the GodTube site (click on the Saddleback Forum link or click here.
Following the incredible success of Facing the Giants, Sherwood Baptist Church has produced another incredible film – Fireproof. Starring Kirk Cameron, this movie is about what it takes to save a marriage…and it’s more than just effort and determination – it’s Christ being at the center of a marriage loving your spouse through you!
Set to open on Friday, Sept. 26 in various locations across the nation, Fireproof is one move you won’t want to miss. Not necessarily a blockbuster for younger kids since there are no football scenes in this one, Fireproof is a moving story of one couple’s marriage on the brink of disaster and is perfect for every couple, singles looking toward marriage and those whose marriage is in trouble seeking wisdom and direction. In conjunction with numerous ministry partners, additional resources and materials are available to order at fireproofmymarriage.com as well.
Speaking of movies, how do you make decisions for what movies your family will watch? If the only information you take into consideration is the MPAA rating from the producers themselves, you might be allowing your children to watch more filth than you may think you are.
Take the time to visit a website that gives you more information about the movie – information about the content – so that you can make an informed, wise decision about what you and your children will or will not watch. Focus on the Family has an incredible website called Plugged In Online – make sure you check their site out.
From a secular standpoint, Screenit.com is a great wealth of information – while the site is geared toward a subscription, information is free if you’re willing to wait for it. Check it out.
In our continuing effort to equip you as parents, we will be hosting a quarterly book discussion in the new Leadership Center with the first one being Monday, Oct. 13 from 8:30–10:00 a.m. Click here for more information.
The first book we will be reading and discussing is From Jihad to Jesus: An Ex-Militant’s Journey of Faith by Jerry Rassamni. Jerry will be one of our featured speakers this November at PCA’s Biblical Worldview Institute as well addressing our grades 7–12 students and staff on Thursday morning, Nov. 20 – click here to learn more about BWi and how to register for this event.
Please order the book as soon as possible and read as much as you can before coming to the book discussion – but don’t let not finishing the book (or even having it) keep you away from this critical time of learning more about Islam and one man’s journey from darkness to light!
This is a great opportunity to invite a non-PCA family to an informative discussion as well. Finally, and maybe most importantly, this is a BYOC event – Bring Your Own Coffee, or Coke, or whatever you need – so make sure you stop by your favorite watering hole after car pool or on your way to work and come on in the new Leadership Center next to the Upper School for our first book discussion.
Feature Issue: Exploring Islam: What Do I Need to Know?
Like so many Americans, I remember Sept. 11, 2001 like it was yesterday. The general moniker we now give that event, 9/11, etched into the memory of millions – airplanes flying into buildings and those buildings crashing to the ground minutes later. I’ve watched a president get shot, the Space Shuttle explode; but 9/11 stands alone for its sheer visual impact on me and so many other viewers who stood helplessly by their television sets praying for those experiencing the tragedy firsthand.
As we learned more about those who perpetrated this crime against humanity and our country, I found myself deficient in understanding the religion of Islam and how a person’s faith in Allah (the Islam name for god) could lead them to commit such atrocities. As a teacher of a Bible fellowship class at Prestonwood Baptist Church, I spent several weeks reading what material I could to learn more and then presented a few lessons of the tenets, history, teachings and key individuals and nations that comprise what I understood to be Islam. I learned a little more about the two primary factions of Islam – the Sunni and the Shia – and their continued battle for dominance in the Middle East. I learned more about Islamic law called the Sharia and the holy book of Islam, the Qur’an, and the importance of the teachings and principles of their prophet Muhammad.
As I’ve continued to read more about Islam, I’ve learned that in the Islamic religion there is no relationship between mankind and Allah, their god…there is only obedience and submission. In fact, a Muslim is literally “one who submits.” In the religion of Islam, then, there are only two classifications for people – those who submit and those who don’t – and their religion teaches that everyone must submit to Allah. You can immediately see the differences between Islam and Christianity. Christianity is founded on the concept of the triune God, a relational being that created mankind for relationship and communion with Him. While the Christian concept of God is maybe best described as love, the Islamic concept of Allah is power and authority. And you can see how this plays out in the way that those who follow these teachings live their lives.
In just the past couple of years, thousands of new books, hundreds of lectures, and quite possibly millions of articles have been written all in an attempt to help Americans better understand, better tolerate or better prepare for the inevitable intersection of Christianity and Islam. History is filled with lessons from past intersections – two great world religions colliding primarily in the Middle East, now heading for a collision course in a new arena, right here in the United States. How will our nation, one historically founded on the freedom of religion, one steeped in tolerance for others, one won by a battle for liberty, handle a growing presence from a religion whose intolerance is unfamiliar in our judicial system, classrooms, and public square? As cultural commentator Os Guinness puts it, how will our nation live with “our deepest differences when the differences are absolute?”
Helping me examine this issue is PCA Freshman Creighton Apple – he’s been working on a paper on the issue of Islam for Lion’s Scholar and I’ve asked him to review what I write as well as share his insights regarding resources and materials that will help our families be better equipped in addressing this issue. Many people believe that Christianity and Islam are on an inevitable collision course here in the United States. Yet while the collision may be unavoidable, the result from that collision is yet to be determined – will the damage to our union be catastrophic or minor, will Christianity or Islam prevail, what should Christians be doing in the defense of our faith and our country – these questions are at the heart of our exploration and I hope that as your family explores the questions above, you will find that opportunities abound to make a difference in the lives of those who do not know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and that you’ll engage the culture for the cause of Christ in a manner that brings glory to God.
The intersection of Islam and Christianity is different in the United States than in the Middle East. I recently learned of a public school in Minnesota that appears to be violating every Supreme Court dictate about the separation of church and state by establishing an Islamic school including involuntary prayer scheduled and organized by school officials. It will be interesting to watch our culture of tolerance embraces Islam, a religion of intolerance. In a similar fashion, the first elected Muslim to Congress Keith Ellison (D-MN) used the Koran during his ceremonial swearing-in session. These are but two small examples of this intersection, this collision, of culture and religion between Islam and the United States.
And there will be more intersections as Islam and Christianity collide here in America. The sheer growth in numbers of Islam is staggering. Consider that between 1989 and 1998, the Islamic population increased by well over 100 percent reaching 14 million. Here in the United States during that same duration, the Muslim population grew by 25 percent. As the second largest religion in the world, Islam has somewhere between one and two billion converts with an estimated four to six million Muslims in the U.S. One article from Christianity Today claims that Islam is gaining most of its U.S. converts in prisons and on university campuses. Are our students prepared to address the claims of Islam when they encounter its presence on their college campus?
As parents we need to equip our children to understand the claims of Islam and to be prepared to live with, work with, serve with, and converse with Muslims. Since both Christianity and Islam proselytize, or seek to convert others, it will be an interesting collision course that these two different religions are on in the land of liberty and freedom for all.
Some resources that will help you think about and better understand this intersection of Christianity and Islam are listed below with a brief description. PCA is dedicated to preparing our students and families on this issue and various opportunities to learn more about Islam and the role, responsibilities, and opportunities for Christians to deepen their awareness and preparedness will be coming soon.
Islam and America: Answers to the 31 Most-Asked Questions
by George Braswell Jr.
Dan Panetti’s assessment: Braswell does a great job of touching on most of the important issues that most people would want to know – the difference between the Sunnis and the Shiites, the basic teachings of the Qur’an, the meaning of the controversial term jihad, and the historical and contemporary perspectives of Islam. If you’re looking for a brief overview of these things, this is a good read for you.
About George Braswell Jr. – Dr. George Braswell is one of the greatest authorities on world religions. George grew up in Virginia and has degrees from Wake Forest, Yale, UNC Chapel Hill, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In the 1960s he and his wife, Joan, were the first Southern Baptist missionaries to Iran, and he was the first Christian to teach in an Islamic religious school. Dr. Braswell headed the Center for Christian Understanding of Islam in Richmond, wrote numerous books and articles on the world religions, and is now Senior Professor of World Religions at Campbell University Divinity School.
Fast Facts on the Middle East Conflict
by Randall Price
Creighton Apple’s assessment: A great place to start if you are new to the history of the Middle East Conflict. It is a very easy book to read. I recommend this book for teenagers and adults who are getting started on the history of Islam.
About Randall Price – Ph. D in Middle Eastern Studies (University of Texas), founder and president of World of the Bible Ministries, Inc.
The Truth about Muhammad
by Robert Spencer
Creighton Apple’s assessment: This is a great book to read if you are looking to find out more about the founder of Islam. It historically tracks the life of the prophet Muhammad. This is an easy book to read, but I recommend it only for teenagers and adults who already have some knowledge on the history of Islam.
About Robert Spencer – Director of Jihad Watch and author of more than five books on Islam and terrorism.
The Crisis of Islam
by Bernard Lewis
Creighton Apple’s assessment: If you are familiar with the history of the Middle East Conflict and the origins of Islam, this would be a great book to read. Reading this book feels like sitting in on one of Professor Lewis’ lectures on Islamic jihad. I recommend this book for teenagers and adults looking to further immerse themselves in the history of Islamic terrorism.
About Bernard Lewis – Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University; author of more than twenty books on the history of the Middle East and Islam.
Thanks to Creighton Apple for his assistance with this e-mail and for his hard work to deepen his own awareness and understanding of Islam. This is just the beginning of our examination and as opportunities present themselves, I’m sure that we’ll be addressing the issue of Islam on multiple occasions in various arenas here at PCA.
Epicenter: Why the Current Cultural Rumblings in the Middle East will Change Your Future by Joel C. Rosenburg – New York Times best-selling author and former communications strategist for former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Creighton Apple’s assessment: “For a biblical approach to the future of Islam, Epicenter is a great book to read. Based on the biblical prophesy of the War of Gog and Magog in the book of Ezekiel, it tracks the future events that will ultimately result in the return of Christ. This is a great book to read if you are interested in Biblical end-times prophesy and Islam alike. This book centers on the state of Israel and the armies of the world that will rise up to destroy her. This is a great book for teenagers and adults interested in the future of Islam and biblical prophesy.
Darwinism Challenged in New Movie
You’ve probably received a dozen emails telling you to go see the movie Expelled – a documentary written by and starring Ben Stein. This movie examines the efforts from the mainstream establishment including colleges, the media and the scientific community to silence questions about the legitimacy of Darwinism. Properly understood, the evolutionary theory proposed by Darwin is a direct frontal assault on the belief in God. Efforts to challenge Darwinism or the evolutionary theory are met with a violent reaction – the latest victims of this in the scientific community are those who have promoted the ideas of what is known as Intelligent Design. Professors have lost teaching positions, been pressured to conform and not speak out, and in almost all cases effectively silenced by the powers that be. Ben Stein challenges the establishment by questioning the lack of academic freedom and the refusal in science to follow the evidence wherever it may lead. Stein connects the dots of modern day Darwinism to the Holocaust in Germany as well to Planned Parenthood and the abortion holocaust here in our country. Suitable for mature middle school-aged students and above, Expelled is one movie you won’t want to miss – great discussion topics for your family are raised in this movie! Check local theaters to make sure that Expelled is playing near you.
Many people have been passing around the recent AFA e-mail alert announcing that the hamburger giant McDonald’s is “aggressively supporting” the homosexual agenda. McDonald’s fought back saying that AFA took certain quotes out of context. The truth of the issue at hand is that McDonald’s VP of Communications, Richard Ellis, recently joined the board of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). In addition to McDonald’s, executives from companies such as IBM, Motorola and Wells Fargo are represented on the NGLCC. AFA has not yet called for a formal boycott of McDonald’s, but the two organizations seem at a stand off on this issue and neither appears willing to budge.
A recent report coming out of Bisbee, AZ has startled some parents whose children attend the local high school. The local school board recently voted to include condoms in the “prom bags” given to students at the school-sponsored dance in the spring. The gift bags will also contain picture frames, candles, and mints. Interestingly, the age of consent in Arizona is 18 years old – so most of the students receiving the so-called “prom bag” and using the contents within would be violating their own state law.
The issues of abortion as well as teaching abstinence have been hot topics in the news recently. During a town hall meeting in Johnstown, PA, a woman in the back of the room pled with Senator Obama to stop abortions. The Illinois Senator and 2008 Presidential candidate took note of the miraculous lives of his two daughters, and went on to say, "I would teach them first about morals and values, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby." The comment has led to considerable national reaction. Obama lit another storm of controversy when he slammed religious conservatives in the “flyover” Midwest region in a speech in San Francisco recently as well.
Bibles in Public Schools?
The Austin American Statesman attacked the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) recently for allowing local school districts to offer elective Bible courses for students. The courts have held that the Bible can be taught in public schools for its literary value, but most school districts choose not to do so. School districts in Odessa, TX offer a Bible course and have been involved in a series of law suits brought by the ACLU seeking to end that practice. Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott and the Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott will release a ruling soon whether school districts must offer a Bible elective or whether it is optional. Please be in prayer for these men and this decision.
California Closing the Door on Home Schooling?
California courts would never be so bold as to say that parents do not have the authority to teach their own children, but they are saying that parents do not have the ability. Parents who lack teaching credentials will not be allowed to educate their children at home – and those “credentials” are certified by the state.
In a Los Angeles Times story, Justice H. Walter Croskey is quoted as writing in his opinion that “parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children.” Couched behind the attack on credentials, many see this as a veiled attempt to usurp the authority of parents in the home. Parents who refuse to comply with the ruling may face criminal charges, fines, or an order to complete a parent education and counseling program offered by the state.
Most of our Upper School students and faculty members are on mission trips this week. This week is known as Minimester and it gives students an opportunity to engage the culture for Christ by sharing the gospel and helping those in need. While several PCA groups traveled great distances to Cuba, Honduras, the Amazon, and Costa Rica, there are several groups of students serving in Mexico and closer to home in Abilene and even right here in Dallas.
Last Thursday at a special All School Worship, PCA unveiled our World Impact theme. This special service included a video and a glimpse of where and what students would be doing on Minimester to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. World Impact Day included a special commissioning of our students and staff and was capped off with a special lunch of rice and beans to help remind our students how most of the world lives and eats everyday. From seniors all the way to Pre-K students, everyone at PCA is involved in sharing the love of Christ with people groups across the globe.
Sharing the truth about Christ is at the heart of Prestonwood Christian Academy, but it doesn’t have to be limited to one week each year. There are some incredible organizations impacting the world for Christ and some outstanding resources that you and your children will want to invest in as you become “mission-minded” Christians.
Organizations:
E3 Partners – an outstanding organization whose mission it is to Equip, Evangelize and Establish churches in countries desperately in need of the truth of the Gospel.
Equip. Evangelize. Establish.
Christian Hands in Action (CHIA) – founded by a PCA grandfather, Dr. John Sherman, in El Paso, TX, this medical mission organization has been ministering to the needs of others for decades. PCA dad and World Impact committee member Tom Sherman is the son of Dr. John Sherman.
WorldVision – probably best known for their Sponsor-A-Child program, WorldVision continues to provide the necessary services by connecting people in need with people who care.
With the assistance of PCA mom Chonda Ralston, this recently-released book covers the life and ministry of Dr. John Sherman, founder of Christian Hands in Action.
If you are looking for a concise overview of every country from a Christian perspective and a prayer handbook that you can follow along, then this would be a great resource for you and your family.
The missionary today no longer must sell all their possessions and move half-way around the world to effectively evangelize the world – let George Robinson share how God is using “ordinary” people to accomplish extraordinary results through short-term missions.
You’ve heard the verse a million times, now learn what it means and how it can and should impact your life.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things
that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
Join the entire PCA family in prayer this week for our students and faculty as they share the truth of Christ with others across the globe.
What Your Mother Never Told You: A Teenage Girls Survival Guide
Richard Dudum
There are some books that since everyone else is paying attention to them, we as Christians must take notice of as well. What Your Mother Never Told You by Richard Dudum is one of those books. After recently hitting the number one spot in the Amazon Parenting-Teenager rankings, I looked into this popular self-help book by San Francisco attorney, musician, cancer survivor, and straight-talker Dudum.
First of all, the book is not written from a Christian perspective, nor does it claim to be. Dudum writes from his own experience with teens and seeks to fill in those gaps of knowledge that many young ladies have growing up in homes where mom and dad didn’t pass along much useful or practical wisdom. Dudum’s expectations for teens, while higher than most of society's today, is too low for a Christian parent. He doesn’t expect that teens can (or should) remain abstinent until marriage, but he does believe that a teen should only give themselves to someone they really love. He also doesn’t believe that teens can refuse to drink alcohol in today’s culture, but he does want teens to make smart decisions about what they drink…and what they don’t drink! In fact, Chapter 29 in the book is titled “Let’s Teach You How to Drink.”
What Your Mother Never Told You may well serve a purpose for those teenage girls growing up in homes with absentee or apathetic parents, but if your home is devoted to raising godly young women, this book will run counter to many of the principles and standards you’ll want to set for your daughters. As an alternative, you may want to check out Your Girl: Raising a Godly Daughter in an Ungodly World by Vicki Courtney – great book with straightforward, relevant and biblical advice for parents!
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed - Spring 2008
First scheduled for release in February, this movie looks like it may hit theaters April. Expelled is a movie about the efforts of the academic elite to keep the Intelligent Design theory and movement on the ground. Ben Stein examines this issue bringing to light numerous individuals and their stories of harassment and discrimination if they are unwilling to go with the current cultural acceptance of Darwinism and natural selection. Students and parents alike will want to see this movie, if for no other reason than to prepare students for the persecution of Christianity on college campuses today!
Straight from the movie Expelled comes the story of Iowa State University professor Guillermo Gonzalez. Gonzalez is well known for his work on the Intelligent Design movement, authoring a book titled “The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos Is Designed for Discovery,” which is apparently a large factor in his being rejected by Iowa State for a tenured position. For those who believe in academic freedom on college campuses today, consider the treatment of Professor Gonzalez and realize that he is not the first, but rather one of many academic martyrs of the faith.
College Campuses – Obscenity and Perversion Rampant
Just when you thought the college campus couldn’t get worse, several reports have been issued recently about the Sex Workers’ Art Show and its obscene and lewd conduct hosted by the likes of the College of William and Mary, Duke University, as well as others. While colleges will not allow professors the freedom to pursue ideas opposing the mainstream of issues like evolution, they are open to porn stars and prostitutes demonstrating their “profession” to students on campus.
In addition to the College of William and Mary, porn has invaded the hallowed halls of Yale. As part of “Sex Week at Yale,” pornographer Steve Hirsch, founder of porn studio Vivid Productions, spoke recently about his profession and efforts not only to capitalize financially, but also mainstream porn into homes across the country. In addition to Hirsch, other lectures, debates, fashion shows and concerts were scheduled on the campus. Nearly 25,000 copies of “Sex Week at Yale: The Magazine” (a new 60-page full-color glossy publication) will also be distributed at 18 of the country’s best-known universities, including all Ivy League schools.
University Caves to Pressures by Canceling Blood Drive The San Jose State University cancelled a campus-wide blood drive recently caving in to pressure from homosexual groups since homosexuals are not permitted to donate blood. The Food and Drug Administration has banned homosexuals from donating blood due to their high risk of infection of sexually transmitted diseases.
“Free Speech” Isn’t So Free Anymore
A California federal court allowed the suppression of student speech critical of homosexuality when it denied reconsideration of a case in which a student wore a shirt that said “I Will Not Accept What God Has Condemned” on one side and “Homosexuality is Shameful, Romans 1:27” on the other. To learn more about this, look for Harper v. Poway Unified School District.
State Forced to Recognize Same-Sex Marriages Recently a New York appellate court ruled that the state must recognize foreign same-sex “marriages” even though the elected officials of the State of New York have not voted to do so – this is an example of judicial fiat where unelected judges force policy on the people from the bench – or what we call “legislating from the bench.” Every state should be on notice following this decision. Many have said that without a Federal Marriage Amendment protecting the institution of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, more and more state courts will begin to issue similar decisions forcing the Supreme Court to consider the issue of marriage to resolve the various conflicts between the states.
Parents Debate Value of Lauren’s Life
Lauren Richardson is a 23-year-old Delaware woman who overdosed on heroin while pregnant with a three month old little girl. Doctors kept Lauren on life support until she was able to deliver her baby and shortly after that her parents began a battle reminiscent of the Terri Schiavo situation in Florida. This case again raises the issue of the sanctity of human life and societies position on when and how government can terminate its existence without consent.
Abortion Doesn’t End with Live Birth
A recent government report out of Great Britain shows that at least 66 infants who survived abortions in one year alone were left to die due to neglect. Children born in Great Britain are not alone in this tragedy – reports coming out of Italy and the United States claim similar situations are far more frequent that anyone wants to image or admit.
The inaugural PCA Family Conference was a tremendous success – thank you to the nearly 300 individuals who attended on Friday evening and Saturday morning to hear Dr. Bob Barnes and Jason Illian. The feedback we have received so far is overwhelmingly positive – we can hardly wait for next year’s conference! For those of you who were able to attend, make sure you tell others what an incredible blessing they missed – and if you weren’t able to attend, ask someone who went what was so great about it!
The Prestonwood Bookstore has several books by Bob Barnes and Jason Illian available. You can also find out more about them and examine their resources from books and CDs to DVD sets by visiting their respective websites. To learn more about Dr. Bob Barnes, visit www.sheridanhouse.org and for Jason Illian visit www.myspacemykids.com.
Again, thank you for making the time in your busy schedules – we were all blessed by the encouraging and challenging words of our speakers.
FEBRUARY 2008
Feature Issue: Biblical Perspective on Selecting Our Leaders
For some people, another election cycle is torture – all the campaigning, debates, attention on issues like immigration and taxes – for some people it’s just too much. For me, it’s like being a kid in the candy store – so much to choose from, and you just can’t go wrong with any of them! But watching the campaigns and enjoying the political process itself is different than actually having to sit down and personally evaluating the candidates to find one who best represents your values and then casting your ballet for that individual. I can’t remember when the process has been more difficult…or more interesting.
The Bible gives us direction on how to select leaders and there are lessons we can learn from scripture that will help us in this process. Two passages of scripture immediately come to mind.
Click on SAUL and MOSES to activate panel for more detail:
SAUL
The first is the process the nation of Israel went through when selecting their first king. They wanted a leader that looked like the kings of other nations – tall, dark and handsome was his entire resume. We are told that Saul was “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites – a head taller than any of the others” (1 Samuel 9:2). We also know from Scripture that Saul was a mighty warrior – his physical prowess was obvious to all. But we also know that his spiritual strength was weak and when confronted with a challenge that required his dependence upon God, Saul was left hiding in his tent willing to send out a shepherd boy to face the giant Goliath in his place. Later when Samuel is looking to anoint God’s choice for a king and is examining the sons of Jesse, God gives Samuel some advice on how to choose a leader – He said, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
In this image-based culture we live in today, it’s difficult not to get caught up in the rhetoric concerning the appearance of each candidate – how did a candidate look during the debates is more important to many than what each person actually said! We must be willing to look beyond appearances – beyond the outward things that the world considers – to see the true character of each individual. But upon what criteria do we evaluate their character – only on their public lives, or do we need to consider their privates lives as well?
MOSES
Another passage of scripture that gives some insight into the selection of leaders comes from the book of Exodus. As Moses was leading the nation of Israel in the desert for 40 years, he obviously dealt with various conflicts and issues that arose. At one point, his father-in-law Jethro called Moses aside to give him some advice – he told Moses to appoint leaders to help him deal with the various situations at hand allowing Moses to deal with the larger issues facing the nation. Jethro gave Moses the following advice concerning the selection of those “leaders”: “…select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain…” (Exodus 18:21). Jethro’s advice was to find men who had demonstrated the capacity to lead as well as the ability to succeed fairly in the marketplace. These men also had to have an internal moral compass that gave guidance to their personal and public lives – not only did they fear God, but they had gained the respect of men. That advice still rings true today. We need to look for leaders who have demonstrated an ability to lead others not only with their ideas and rhetoric, but with their lives and by their example.
The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America reads as follows:
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Those words are a reminder that we have the privilege and responsibility to select individuals who are competent and have the necessary character to lead this great country. We have an opportunity and duty to find representatives who share our vision for America and have also demonstrated an ability to live a life worthy of their calling to public office. In other words, we get the government we deserve by getting the leaders we have selected!
My prayer for you is that you would evaluate the various candidates for public office at all levels – local, state and national – with a discerning eye looking at their personal and public lives, listening to their words as well as watching how they carry themselves. And even after casting your ballot in the primary election on March 4, continue to pray for our leaders as Paul encouraged Timothy to do. Our responsibility does not end with voting, as believers it only begins there! There are several valuable resources to assist you in learning more about the candidates and their positions on the issues, one local group that is of great assistance to our families in their process is the Free Market Foundation and they will have their Voter’s Guide online at www.freemarket.org and copies of this resource will also be available at the Upper and Lower school front desks.
Praying for our leaders today and shaping another generation for tomorrow,
ARTS, JOURNALISM & THE MEDIA Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed - Spring 2008 First scheduled for release in February, this movie looks like it may hit theaters a little later in the spring. Expelled is a movie about the efforts of the academic elite to keep the Intelligent Design theory and movement on the ground. Ben Stein examines this issue bringing to light numerous individuals and their stories of harassment and discrimination if they are unwilling to go with the current cultural acceptance of Darwinism and natural selection. Students and parents alike will want to see this movie, if for no other reason than to prepare students for the persecution of Christianity on college campuses today!
Same-Sex Offense in New Mexico It was recently reported by the Alliance Defense Fund that a Christian photographer who declined to photograph a same-sex “ceremony” is being prosecuted in the state of New Mexico for violating the state’s anti-discrimination laws. Represented by ADF attorney Jordan Lorence, Elane Photography was brought before the New Mexico Human Rights Division even though same-sex marriage and civil unions are not permitted under New Mexico state law. As Christians this should concern us that states are now using these agencies to harass people based on their beliefs – it’s our own tax dollars used against us! While these “human rights” agencies appear to have good intentions, you can see what can happen when they turn on those who differ on religious views and values as well. As homosexuality is normalized in our culture, Christians holding to a biblical worldview on this issue will be marginalized and even harassed for their faith.
Abortion Numbers Lowest in Decades
A recent article in the Boston Globe reported that the number of abortions in the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level since 1976. At 1.2 million abortions per year, the decline is attributed to the availability of the abortion pill RU 486 and not to other factors such as abstinence education. The article also noted Hollywood’s recent fascination with the issue with movies such as Juno, where a pregnant teenager chooses life over ending her pregnancy, as well as Bella, a wonderfully-made movie showing the struggles of life and the importance of family and community. I’ve also read a few articles where the concept of being pro-life is becoming less foreign and even more popular with the younger generation who value relationships and connections with people more than utility and performance. Maybe the tide is beginning to turn on this important issue – but as the life issue is tied into more than just abortion, there are many opportunities left for Christians to continue to stand boldly for the truth that life is created in the image of God, has intrinsic value, and thus should be protected.
Two Evangelical Teens Taking on the Country You’ve probably heard of Joshua Harris – he kissed dating good-bye. Joshua Harris is a well-known Christian author of several books dealing with dating, lust and sexual purity. Well, his cousins Brett and Alex have joined in the family heritage of making a difference. HucksArmy.com is the grassroots movement of these two home schooled teenagers from Oregon who believe that presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is the right man for the job.
The Harris twins are also the founders of The Rebelution and authors of Do Hard Things: The Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. On tour across the country, the Harris brothers will bring that message and challenge to Dallas this summer on Saturday, June 14 at the Heights Baptist Church in Richardson. To learn more about The Rebelution, visit their website at www.therebelution.com.
This generation of young adults has such an incredible opportunity to make such a significant difference – overcoming apathy seems to be the largest hurdle they face! Parents, you might consider purchasing this book for your teens to encourage them to begin to set the pace for others to follow. Don’t forget that Student Leadership Institute (SLi) is an incredible avenue to encourage and equip your students to be the leaders of their generation…and beyond!
The presidential primary in Texas will be March 4. Early voting begins Tuesday, Feb. 19 and ends on Friday, Feb. 29. In addition to voting for the presidential candidate in your particular party of choice, you ’ll want to cast your ballot on the other national, state and local elections that impact your life, work and community. Nonpartisan Voter’s Guides provided by Free Market Foundation will be available online at www.freemarket.org or at the information desks in the Upper and Lower schools.
JANUARY 2008
Feature Article: Preparing Great Men and Women for the Great Tasks of God
In high school I had a friend named John who hated to practice. On the other hand, I had to practice and actually learned to enjoy practice and the effort that went into preparing for a game or event. Off the field I would practice as well. I would practice giving my speech to the delight of my parents and dismay of my sister. I still like to be prepared…sure, I can “wing it,” but I’ve also learned that time spent in preparation is usually time well spent.
I’ve noticed that preparation in the Christian life is important as well. Time spent preparing a lesson for a Bible fellowship class, or preparing to receive God’s Word as I read or listen to others teach. A.W. Pink said, “Spiritual preparedness is a great matter,” and I agree with that sentiment – as followers of Christ, we need to be prepared not only to give a defense for the hope that lies within us (1 Peter 3:15), but also to be prepared to see what God is doing. A great saint of the faith, Brother Lawrence, known to us today from the Christian classic chronicling the life and teachings of this 17th Century monk titled Practicing the Presence of God, toiled and labored to see God in the mundane tasks of everyday life. “As often as I could, I placed myself as a worshipper before Him, fixing my mind upon His holy presence, recalling it when I found it wandering from Him. This proved to be an exercise frequently painful, yet I persisted through all difficulties.”
What concerns me most is what God uses to prepare His children…and you know where I’m going with this. J.K. Gressett summarized several Scriptural references by writing, “God prepares great men for great tasks by great trials.” His words are echoed in the epistle of James who tells us to consider this preparation method to be one of “pure joy” as God uses these trials to produce perseverance which results in a mature and complete Christian lacking in nothing! The great English pastor Charles Spurgeon wrote about the testing of our faith and how “precious” it is to a believer that their faith is tested so that it can grow:
"Faith untried may be true faith, but it is sure to be little faith, and it is likely to remain dwarfish so long as it is without trials. Faith never prospers so well as when all things are against her: tempests are her trainers, and lightnings are her illuminators. When a calm reigns on the sea, spread the sails as you will, the ship moves not to its harbour; for on a slumbering ocean the keel sleeps too. Let the winds rush howling forth, and let the waters lift up themselves, then, though the vessel may rock, and her deck may be washed with waves, and her mast may creak under the pressure of the full and swelling sail, it is then that she makes headway towards her desired haven. No faith is so precious as that which lives and triumphs in adversity. Tried faith brings experience. Faith increases in solidity, assurance, and intensity, the more it is exercised with tribulation. Faith is precious, and its trial is precious too."
What about us…you and me? What can we do to take our spiritual lives seriously in a time when life is all about convenience and pleasure? While students at PCA are getting a healthy dose of biblical worldview training in and out of class everyday, where can parents turn to sharpen your biblical skills and strengthen your knowledge and understanding of the world around you. Welcome to the vision of Kingdom Parent Institute (KPi). Many of you have already taken the opportunity to enroll in the Kingdom Family course taught by Mr. Taylor either last year or this past fall. This spring, Mr. Taylor will again offer this foundational six-week course and we are pleased to announce that KPi is expanding with a variety of courses from Kingdom Finance to Cultural Apologetics. PCA faculty, parents, and board of trustee members will be leading courses in two different sessions this spring starting Wednesday evening Jan. 30. Our desire is that you would begin with the Kingdom Family course taught by Mr. Taylor before selecting other KPi courses, which will be offered again in the fall and spring 2008-09.
Click here for a printer-friendly version of the KPi Course List.
KPi Course List
Session 1 (six weeks)
Selection
Speaker
Jan. 30, Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, March 5
Kingdom Family
Larry Taylor
Session 1 (four weeks)
Selections
Speakers
Jan. 30, Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20
Biblical Literacy
Age of Opportunity
Mentoring
Kingdom Finance
Dan Panetti
Lisa Clark
Chris Chow
John Klingstedt
Session 2 (four weeks)
Selections
Speakers
March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16
Cultural Apologetics
Age of Opportunity
Mentoring
Kingdom Finance
Godly Manhood/Womanhood
Dan Panetti
Lisa Clark
Chris Chow
John Klingstedt
Larry Taylor/Beth Ellis
But wait – there’s more! As a kickoff for the spring KPi courses, PCA is hosting our first PCA Family Conference on Friday, Jan. 25 and Saturday, Jan. 26. Author and speaker Bob Barnes will anchor this incredible family conference with presentations on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Barnes is president of the Sheridan House Family Ministries and author of such books as Raising Confident Kids, Who’s in Charge Here, Ready for Responsibility, and Rock-Solid Marriage.
Listen to this brief, two-minute audio clip from his presentation titled Parenting on Purpose. Please click on the speaker icon>>
to listen to an audio clip of Dr. Bob Barnes.
Also speaking Friday evening is Jason Illian, author of MySpace, MyKids: A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Your Kids and Navigating MySpace.com. Jason spoke in November to PCA students at the Biblical Worldview Institute and now is your opportunity as parents to learn what you need to know about social networking sites and the phenomenon of online and virtual relationships. He is one of the nation’s leading cultural commentators on social networking and teen relationships – you won’t want to miss what he has to share.
In addition, at the Family Conference you’ll be receiving a list of family camps and conferences from the familiar SkyRanch, Pine Cove and Kanakuk to a few that you might not know yet like Christ in the Tetons and Camp in the Woods. We know you’ll be blessed by attending this incredible Family Conference and we are so thrilled that thanks to the gifts of several individuals and groups, we are able to offer the entire conference, meals on Friday evening and Saturday morning included, for only $30 per person! This is one instance that you are NOT getting what you pay for – you are going to get WAY MORE than you pay!
If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to take your spiritual walk more seriously or to invest more time and energy in your parenting, the PCA Family Conference and the Kingdom Parent Institute (KPi) courses are exactly what you need. Don’t wait another minute – REGISTER NOW.
I look forward to seeing you at the PCA Family Conference on Friday evening, Jan. 25 and Saturday morning, Jan. 26 as well as in one of the outstanding KPi courses this Spring. President Theodore Roosevelt once said to pray not for lighter burdens, but for stronger backs – let’s strengthen our spiritual lives together for the great task of training the next generation of godly young men and women for the glory of God!
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed - Spring 2008 First scheduled for release in February, this movie looks like it may hit theaters a little later in the spring. Expelled is a movie about the efforts of the academic elite to keep the Intelligent Design theory and movement on the ground. Ben Stein, author, former presidential speech writer, economist, lawyer and actor, exposes what the website calls the frightening “atheist agenda” found on college campuses across the country. The film reveals how students and professors alike who will not bow down to the idol of Darwinism are being “expelled” from the table of discussion. Stein brings to light numerous individuals and their stories of harassment and the discrimination they’ve faced. Students and parents alike will want to see this movie, if for no other reason than to prepare students for the persecution of Christianity on college campuses today! Expelled is also launching a resource website for students to learn more about the claims put forth in the movie – check it out at www.getexpelled.com.
Mass Effect - What Are We To Think? There is a new Xbox 360 game titled "Mass Effect" and if you’ve been paying attention to many of the Christian blogs recently, you have gotten the impression that the game is not only sexually explicit, but also promotes homosexuality. This, according to many gamers, is not the case. But what are parents to think about games – that carry a Mature rating for a reason, yet many Christian teens have them at home – purchased with the full knowledge and blessing of their parents!
First of all, the world’s rating system – in this case the ESRB (or the Entertainment Software Rating Board) – isn’t the sole authority of what is and what is not allowable, good or decent for the Christian family. Even “E” for Everyone doesn’t have to mean for your family and your children – God has given YOU the dominion over your home, you are the parents and responsible to rear your children in the love and admonition of the Lord – the ESRB is not responsible to God for what your children watch or how they behave.
Secondly, just because a “Christian” organization doesn’t like or endorse a game, video, movie, etc., doesn’t mean that you as parents must not allow it in your home. Scripture talks about seeking wise counsel and it is a wise idea to check with others who have discernment in these areas, but, once again, you as parents must be the final authority for what is appropriate.
Thirdly, don’t cop out on the issue by saying that it’s the friends of your kids who are having the bad influence on them. Many parents throw up their hands because they don’t feel like they can control what their own children do or play at someone else’s home. Parents, if you wouldn’t allow your children to play a particular videogame or watch a particular movie in your home, not only do your children need to respect your rules when they are not in your home, but those boundaries need to be clearly communicated to and respect by others when your children are in their homes. Remember, YOU are the parent.
Finally, as Christians, we need to stop making accusations out of ignorance and fear. We need to get our facts straight and make decisions based on what is true and real, not our perception of reality. Proverbs 19:2 says that it is not good to have zeal without knowledge, which means that we shouldn’t be offended without knowing if there is truly something offensive! Parents, take the time to research an issue, a game, a song or a movie – then prayerfully consider if this particular object is worthy of your son’s or daughter’s attention and communicate clearly with your children what conclusions you’ve reached. Be open to honest and open dialogue on the issue, but also remember that at the end of the day – YOU’RE the parent. If more Christian parents would be engaged and informed, we’d have a “Mass Effect” on the gaming community!
Voter Registration - Your Vote Counts!
The presidential primary in Texas is March 4, which means you need to register before Feb. 4, 2008. In addition to voting for the presidential candidate in your particular party of choice, cast your ballot on the other national, state and local elections which impacts your life, work and community. Voter registration cards will be available at the PCA Family Conference on Jan. 25 and 26 as well as at the reception desks of the Upper and Lower School. Nonpartisan Voter’s Guides provided by Free Market Foundation will be available later in February before the March 4 Primary Election date for you as well.
To see this information online, visit the Free Market website at www.freemarket.org.
It was reported recently in the Irish Sun that scientists in Singapore are experimenting with splicing human genes with animal cells. Those in favor of this research contend that it may result in finding cures for many diseases, including Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’
God's Design for the Family
According to a recent Zogby International and AOL survey, nearly half of Americans ages 20 to 69 do not believe that marriage is a necessary institution for a committed relationship. An astounding 44% of the survey respondents chose this response. While cohabitation numbers continue to rise and divorce rates are consistently reaching 50% of marriages, it’s easy to understand why we as a culture are losing our respect for God’s design for the family.
To counter this trend, PCA is hosting the Family Conference – check out our website to learn more about it – www.prestonwoodchristian.org. Albert Mohler discussed this growing trend on his blog recently as well – to read more about his perspective, click here.
DECEMBER 2007
Feature Article: Don't Just Give a Gift — Answer a Prayer
There are plenty of people talking about how commercialized Christmas has become, which should come as no surprise – everything is commercialized these days! If people could make money selling vitamin water, someone would be doing it – wait, someone’s already doing it! But in the midst of this celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, there are a growing number of incredible opportunities for you and your family to remember the true meaning of Christmas and to establish some family traditions that will not only be a blessing to others, but will bless your family as you serve and give as a family.
First, look for opportunities to serve in your church – every church has special Christmas productions, events, and opportunities to reach out into your community to share the love of Christ. My home church, Prestonwood Baptist Church, has literally dozens of incredible opportunities for families to serve others during the Christmas season and so do many others (see partial list of opportunities below). You may also want to listen to Dr. David McKinley’s outstanding message from this past Sunday service titled “Looking Unto Jesus” as Dr. McKinley reminds of the true importance of the Christmas holiday season – you will be blessed listening to this message, found by clicking here. Dr. McKinley also read a few lines from the hymn Take Time to Be Holy by William Longstaff, which serves as a wonderful reminder to “take time to be holy” even during this busy holiday season – here are the words to that classic hymn:
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
Second, consider buying gifts with more “eternal value.” Shop Christian bookstores and consider items like crosses, framed art, journals and even books! Yes, I said books. Giving the gift of reading is important and not just for your children – you, as parents, should be modeling to your children the importance of reading. Did you know that a study found that only 4 percent of men will read a book from cover to cover after his formal education is finished — that’s four out of a 100! Men, we’ve got to do better than that. If you’re looking for a good book for your husband or father, we have a special section called Challenges for Dads in the Parenting & Family section of our PCA Parent Resource Center – check it out!
Finally, look for opportunities to share and connect with your children. Since the holidays are busy, you need to be deliberate about making the time to sit and talk with your children. Use some holiday activities or traditions as springboards into conversation. Watch an old holiday classic movie like It’s a Wonderful Life to talk about the importance of family and friends and the true meaning of life. A more recent movie titled The Ultimate Gift (also a great book by Jim Stovall, same title) would be a great conversation starter as well. I’ve already had a couple of conversations with my boys about The Golden Compass and why our family is not going to see this movie, even though it looks fun and exciting for the kids (to learn more about this, see the Counter Culture archive under Arts, Journalism & Media).
Hoping you and yours have a safe, exciting and memorable Christmas season,
Dan Panetti
Worldview Director
Prestonwood Christian Academy
Prestonwood Christmas Store Eligible families can purchase new items at only a fraction of the original cost on Friday, Dec. 21 and Saturday, Dec. 22. They are in need of new and unwrapped items with the price tag still attached which can be dropped off in the Atrium of the church from Nov. 24 – Dec. 19. They also accept donations so gifts can be purchased for the store. There is also an opportunity to serve these families at the Christmas Store – to find out more, call 972-820-5421.
H.I.S. BridgeBuilders Join hundreds of volunteers celebrating the birth of Christ with families from Turner Courts in South Dallas at 2:00 p.m. on Christmas Day, Tuesday, Dec. 25. Please bring new or gently-used winter clothing and small toys to the Turner Courts Gym located at 6508 Canaan St., Dallas, TX 75215. For more information, e-mail Roger Sappington at rsappington@prestonwood.org
Operation Care
Operation Care will throw “The Nation’s Largest Christmas Party for the Homeless” on Saturday, Dec. 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Dallas Convention Center. Volunteers are needed to collect supplies (clothing, gifts, etc.) and to help at the event. For volunteer information, visit their website at www.operationcaredallas.org.
Angel Tree
Part of Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship Ministries, this outreach to the children of parents who are in prison is such an incredible opportunity to share the love and grace of Christ. You can even purchase Angel Tree gifts online – to learn more about this program, visit their website at www.angeltree.org.
World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Most people have heard about their Sponsor a Child program, and they also have a great Christmas Gift Catalog online – check it out at www.worldvision.org.
Vampire Romance Series for Teens
Mormon-mother-turned-author Stephenie Meyer’s suspenseful and romantic series is extremely popular with teenage girls right now. In addition to receiving numerous awards and being on many bestsellers charts, Twilight, the original novel in the series, is set to be turned into a major motion picture to be shot beginning next year. Three of an expected five books in this series have been published – Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse with Breaking Dawn and Midnight Sun yet to be released.
What’s all the fuse about and why should Christian parents take notice? To better understand the book series, I’ve asked PCA Junior Britt Cordon, who has read the first three books, to give a plot summary and her own personal commentary on what she thought about them. From reading Britt’s assessment and researching the books online, I’m confident that the assessment given below by Britt is accurate and informative. The books have a more mature theme and after reading the following information, you as parents need to determine if these books are appropriate for your own children to read. Hopefully this information is helpful to you as you make this decision. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts and perspective as a parent as well – you may e-mail me at dpanetti@prestonwoodchristian.org.
Plot of The Twilight Series by Britt Cordon, PCA Junior
Twilight tells the story of 17-year-old Bella who moves from Phoenix, Arizona to the small, rainy town of Forks, Washington to live with her father Charlie. Average, quiet Bella is the object of curiosity to the students at Forks high school. Bella is indifferent to many of the people whom she meets; however, she takes particular interest in Edward Cullen, the boy she sits next to in biology. Edward is beautiful and flawless; yet he acts in a very mysterious manner that makes Bella all the more curious. It isn’t until Edward saves Bella from a freak accident that Bella suspects Edward of having a supernatural nature. Bella confronts Edward about her suspicion and he hesitantly tells her both his and his family’s story. The Cullens are a coven of vampires who have vowed to resist temptation and never hunt for human blood. They are joined by few similar covens which took the same vow and are constantly battling their thirst. Bella is not driven away by Edward’s family secret and their relationship blossoms throughout the books. A series of conflicts arise, testing both Cullen’s and Bella’s strength, consisting of a local pack of werewolves (the family’s enemies), a bloodthirsty vampire who tracks Bella, and the group of corrupt vampires known as the Volturi. There are several factors that classify Twilight as a “young adult” novel. The romance between Bella and Edward is that of a mature relationship, with a mention, however very seldom of premarital sex. As the relationship deepens, Bella becomes more and more impatient with Edward. She sees their relationship as one that is eternal, like Edward and his family, and that their relationship should be sealed with sex. Edward refuses to compromise and insists that sex will not be had until they are married. It is this aspect that makes Edward so appealing to readers, that he is constantly looking to the future, and wishes to protect Bella from all enemies, even that of temptation. Edward has learned about temptation and knows the triumph of resisting its deceptive appeal, and he respects Bella enough to protect her from the emptiness that comes with giving into that temptation. The book contains very few, mildly violent scenes, with the majority of the more graphic scenes being in the third book when a war is taking place. The more graphic scenes, unlike most novels, are scenes that enhance the character of the Cullen family, especially Edward. The only time that violence is displayed in the books is when the Cullens are fighting for something, or someone they love. The family follows a pattern throughout the book, when there is a fight or battle, in that they are always fighting on the defensive side. They wait for the enemy to approach and make a hostile move, and then the Cullens engage in the fight, only to protect whatever is at risk. The Cullens portray the important element of staying true to your morals, no matter how tumultuous your life may be. The Cullens have made a decision that goes against their nature and have stood and defended that decision, whatever the cost. Some may say that the novel is purely romance, purely science fiction, or purely unrealistic; however as Christians, there is a constant theme that is apparent and running through the novel. Every character fights for something that they love, whether that may be a person or an ideal and every character has had a difficult life and find some sort of comfort and redemption as they enter the Cullen family. From any of the novels, Christians can relate to the constant struggle between what we are told is acceptable and what we know truly is right, and more so can relate to the act of standing for what is right, finding comfort in those who stand with you, and finding triumph in the pursuit and protection of justice.
If you thought broadcast television couldn’t get any worse, you may be wrong! There is a case in the 2nd Circuit right now that would give networks the right to air even more indecent material – including the “f-word” according to experts. Currently networks are not allowed to air indecent material during the “safe harbor” hours of 6 am to 10 pm, when children are watching. An unfriendly ruling from the 2nd Circuit could allow even more filth to fill the airwaves. To find out more about what you can do, CitizenLink from Focus on the Family is a great information tool as well as the Parents Television Council on issues like this.
The Golden Compass — In Theaters NOW!
Don’t forget we’ve addressed the issue of The Golden Compass in our previous Counter Culture commentary – there are dozens of e-mails flying around and numerous books to purchase about this movie. Be discerning and informed as you make decisions for your family. To find out more about The Golden Compass, revisit last month’s Counter Culture here.
Presidential Primary ‘08
Bill to Ban Spanking in Massachusetts
LAW & GOVERNMENT
Presidential Primary ‘08 As the debates heat up, make sure you’re REGISTERED to vote. The presidential primary in Texas is March 4, which means you’ll need to register before Feb. 4, 2008. In addition to voting for the presidential candidate in your particular party of choice, you’ll want to cast your ballot on the other national, state and local elections that impact your life, work and community. Check out the Texas Secretary of State’s website to learn more about voting and to fill out your voter registration application to mail in. If you aren’t sure if you’re registered, you probably need to…and if you’ve moved recently from one county to the next – you’re not registered!
Bill to Ban Spanking in Massachusetts If you think that politics don’t matter, well the legislators in Massachusetts disagree with you – they WANT to matter and they want to tell you how to raise and discipline your children. Read more about this bill that died in this WorldNetDaily article.
Adult Stem Cells Breakthrough! The battle on Capitol Hill and really across the country over the past few years has been over the issue of stem cells – adult vs. embryonic. To use embryonic stem cells for research, the embryo was destroyed in the process – something that President Bush and others who believe in the sanctity of life would not tolerate. But, in recent past, indifferentiating adult stem cells was costly and often difficult – until this recent breakthrough. This article by Michael Gerson in the Washington Post ends with the following statement:
Now, science has demonstrated an even greater power—the power of morally—responsible technology to serve the cause of human dignity instead of undermining it.
NOVEMBER 2007
Feature Article:
Social Networking Sites and Your Child
Richie, Ralph, Potsie and Fonzie had Arnold’s. Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross had Central Perk Coffee shop. Every generation needs a place to connect, a place to hang out, or a place just to be with friends. Today’s youth are no different, but where they connect is very different! Using the language of MySpace, My Kids author Jason Illian, the “brick” world has given way to the “click” world. No longer are teens limited to malls, coffee shops or even their own homes – the Internet is connecting this generation through what adults call social networking sites, but the kids simply know this new phenomena by the names of the two most popular sites: MySpace™ and Facebook™.
Make no mistake about it; social networking is big business and only growing. Recently media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s New Corp purchased MySpace for $580 million with projections for next year reaching up to $750 million. Facebook’s projections now loom even larger than its rival with estimates as high as $1.5 billion by 2009. Microsoft is currently in negotiations to purchase Facebook for around $15 billion! Why? Because people are using these sites. Some estimate that 85% of college students use Facebook and MySpace who claim to have 200 million users (although recently that claim has been challenged by others who say that MySpace may have 200 million accounts, but it actually has far fewer active users.)
All this means for parents is that MySpace and Facebook aren’t going away any time soon. So the questions arise: Should I let my child have an account? How can I monitor the content? What else should I be concerned about as a parent, and are there really any advantages to social networking sites since all I ever hear about on the news are the horror stories?!
First, I believe that you do have reason to be concerned and for more reasons than the threat of potential child predators online – although, that might be your first issue to address. A recent survey found that nearly 75 million children sign on to the Internet everyday and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has stated that one out of five kids online has been propositioned. Teaching your kids not to give out personal information to anyone online is a critical first step toward safety. But the concerns extends beyond this obvious danger.
In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Christians are told to take every thought captive to Christ and Colossians 2:8 instructs Christians to be careful lest they be taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophies. Social networking sites are just like the rest of the Internet – filled with charlatans and imposters wishing to deceive and destroy truth. As parents, you are the filter for your children’s friends – you monitor whom they spend time with, whose house they go over to and what movie and television programs they watch. Social networking sites are no different. The “friends” they meet and make online need to be monitored, which means that you, as the parent, need to know about your child’s online accounts and need to have access to it.
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” For some reason, students will post the most obscene and offensive remarks online as if no one else is reading what they are writing. Well, plenty of people are reading these public postings and students need to be aware that what is written and posted online can result in severe consequences. Many colleges and even potential employers are also checking out the Internet accounts of applicants as part of their evaluation process. One of the ‘infamous’ Fab Five McKinney High School cheerleaders who posted inappropriate pictures on their MySpace account which resulted in national publicity commented, “We will never live it down.” Long after the publicity has died down, the pictures and the story remain online for thousands, even millions, to see.
Ephesians 5:16 encourages the believer to make the most of their time, to literally “redeem the time.” J.C. Ryle, in his classic Thoughts for Young Men, reminds us that what we sow in our youth will result in the harvest of our old age. He writes,
“Youth is the seed-time of full age, the molding season in the little space of human life, the turning-point in the history of man’s mind. By the shoot we judge of the tree, by the blossoms we judge the fruit, by the spring we judge of the harvest, by the morning we judge of the day, and by the character of the young man, we may generally judge what he will be when he grows up.” Ryle encourages the young, especially, to be wise in the use of their time. “Lost time can never be redeemed,” he warns. Ryle goes on to encourage youth by writing: “Be wise in time. What youth sows, old age must reap. Give not the most precious season of your life to that which will not comfort you in your latter days. Sow to yourself rather in righteousness: break up your fallow ground, sow not among the thorns.”
Predators, pornography, wasted time and worthless chatter: so what’s the value of social networking sites, you ask? In a word – connection. We are beginning to wake up to a new day with this high tech, low touch generation and realize that for many, social networking sites are going to be a valuable tool to stay in contact with old friends and even make some news ones. As parents, the primary task remains the same – train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6). If used properly, social networking sites, like TV, radio, movies, etc., can provide a valuable tool and resource for students to connect with others, learn about themselves, and learn about the world around them. Regardless of the technology or tool to connect with others, if your son or daughter is first connected to God through a personal relationship with Christ and then grounded in God’s Word and surrounded by solid, real relationships, they are less likely to use these online networking sites as an escape from reality. You should continue to discuss these issues with your children and monitor their online activity to ensure that their “click” world resembles what you see in the “brick” world.
To help you as parents know more about social networking sites, how to best monitor your children’s activity online and what other options are available to you, Jason Illian, author of the highly acclaimed MySpace, My Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Your Kids & Navigating MySpace.com, will be speaking at PCA’s Biblical Worldview Institute on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 10:30–11:15 a.m. in the Student Worship Center of Prestonwood Baptist Church. This event is open to all PCA parents who have registered (registration form available online). PCA students grades 7–12 will be in attendance for Jason’s presentation, so parents may want to check out what Jason is going to share by visiting his website at www.myspacemykids.com and begin the conversation with your children. In addition to Jason’s book, MySpace for Moms and Dads: A Guide to Understanding the Risks and Rewards by Christian pop culture analyst and author Connie Neal has received outstanding reviews. You can visit her site at www.connieneal.com to learn more about her position on social networking sites.
Parents, please make sure you check out the other outstanding guest speakers at this year’s Biblical Worldview Institute Nov. 15-16 by visiting the Kingdom Family section of the PCA website. There is also a registration form online for the event.
Dan Panetti
Worldview Director
Prestonwood Christian Academy
The Golden Compass Doesn’t Point to the TRUE North Two years ago, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was made into a major motion picture. This classic from C.S. Lewis was part of his incredible Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven books about the fairytale land of Narnia with Aslan as the Christ-figure and Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy walked into this land of make-believe with talking animals, a wicked White Witch and a battle between good and evil. Fast forward to this Christmas 2007 and the expected release of what might best be described as the anti-Chronicles of Narnia. The Golden Compass is set to be released on Dec. 7, 2007 and the story, the talking animals, the evil mistress and the story of little Lyra will be all too familiar to audiences that they might confuse the two – which is, I’m convinced, exactly what Hollywood is hoping audiences will do!
But make no mistake about it, The Golden Compass is not a story written by C.S. Lewis. Quite the contrary, the author Phillip Pullman despises Lewis’ work and, describes it as religious propaganda and many have said that His Dark Materials trilogy is a direct rebuttal of The Chronicles of Narnia. His Dark Materials consists of three works: Northern Lights (titled The Golden Compass in North America), The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. Pullman is quite an accomplished writer of children’s literature having won the Whitbread Book of the Year in 2002, the only children’s book to ever have done so, and his material is very popular overseas. But where Lewis and Pullman differ is on their religious views: Lewis was a very outspoken Christian; Pullman is an equally outspoken atheist.
Parents, you need to be aware of this movie – it will be target marketed to a younger audience, too young to understand that the worldview presented in the movie is directly opposed to biblical Christianity. I’ve read about the author, the movie and visited the movie website (http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/) to learn more about it and the movie has some very disturbing concepts. First, the villain in the movie is an organization called the Magisterium, which is supposed to be the church (or the Catholic Church, in particular, since the term magisterium is a technical ecclesiastical word referring to the teaching authority of the Catholic Church). The Magisterium suppresses mankind through oppression and deceit and what it fears most is the golden compass, a tool which acts as a “truth” teller in the hands of the young heroine Lyra. The compass has three hands that can be moved depending on the situation and when they are moved, the compass then points toward “truth.” The compass doesn’t point to a True North, or an absolute truth, but rather its truth changes depending on the situation, in other words a relative truth.
Humans in this alternative world are similar to our world in that they have spirits, but their spirits are reflected by a companion animal which accompanies the human at all times. These companion animals, or spirit companions, are called dæmons and reflect the character and nature of the human. On the website, you can take a short character analysis to see which dæmon you would have in Lyra’s world. Of course, this should raise a red flag for Christian parents – children will be confused by this pantheistic concept (the belief that god is in all things, that all things are part of the essence of god). As mentioned before, Pullman is a self-proclaimed atheist, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t believe in the concept of a god, just that he doesn’t believe in the Christian concept of one, true God. After listening to several of Pullman’s interviews, I get the sense that he is a very “spiritual” person, but not in the same sense as a person who is a follower of Christ. Pullman’s religion rests on his own ideals of morality, his god is found inside himself and subject to his own desires and feelings. Some parents might be reminded of the movie Star Wars and the spiritual concept presented by George Lucas called “the force.” This is similar to Pullman’s concept of religion, something that man controls and manipulates by his own free will making man the sovereign, not god.
The Golden Compass will have a huge media blitz that parents will find difficult to avoid, but this is one movie that I would strongly suggest avoiding for young children. With a parent a more mature high school student might be able to see the movie leading to an in-depth discussion of the themes, but without the parental guidance and wisdom, this movie promises to only confuse and mislead young people away from a biblical worldview.
Crank That Soulja Boy – What is and isn’t Appropriate? Recently I met with some PCA parents about a song that is immensely popular with students today. "Crank Dat Soulja Boy" is a song by the artist Soulja Boy and most people are familiar with it because of the very popular dance steps associated with the song. If you searched for Soulja Boy on YouTube you’d see dozens of videos of teens, moms, teachers, young children and even Bo Ryan, the basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin, dance to Soulja Boy. The dance is clean, easy-to-learn and very entertaining – so what’s the problem? The lyrics.
You can Google the lyrics to Crank Dat Soulja Boy and read them for yourself – let me assure you, they are extremely offensive once you understand what Soulja Boy is…not who, but what. The song is about having sex and women are degraded as objects for sexual gratification. Nothing new to hip hop and rap music…but as Christians, should we be listening to music that is offensive? I know most of us as parents can recall songs from our past that probably weren’t the most edifying and we turned out alright – but is that the standard for what is or should be acceptable? I’m reminded of Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—thing about such things.
The music that is popular today is anything but glorifying to God and we need to help our students think critically and Christianly about the world around them – even about music! I’d love to hear your comments about this – please e-mail me at dpanetti@prestonwoodchristian.org to let me know your thoughts and opinions.
Media from a Christian Perspective – Penna Dexter at BWi Radio talk show host Penna Dexter will be examining the concept of media from a Christian worldview at the Biblical Worldview Institute on Friday, Nov. 16. This session on Friday afternoon from 1:15–2:15 p.m. is open to PCA faculty and parents and will be held in the PCA Student Learning Center (SLC). Please register and make plans to join us there.
Movie You Won’t Want to Miss Rarely does a movie come along that you truly don’t want to miss. Bella is one of those movies! From the website, here is the description of the movie’s theme:
There comes a time in everyone’s life when something happens that changes them forever and their life will never be the same. If it hasn’t happened to you yet…it will, Bella is a true love story that shows how one day in New York City changed three people’s lives forever. Powerful, passionate, and always unpredictable, BELLA reminds us of the surprises that await us in each new day that sometimes it takes no more than a moment to transform our lives forever.
The movie also has a very powerful “pro-life” message about the value of human life. Winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, Bella isn’t your normal Hollywood, big-budget production – which makes it all the more appealing. It is a movie with heart, with passion, and with a message that families will enjoy and discuss. The movie is showing in Plano at Tinseltown and in Frisco at the Stonebriar theater. To learn more visit www.bellathemovie.com
Amazing Grace Released November 13 Many of you wanted to know when the movie Amazing Grace would be released to DVD for purchase. The release date is Nov. 13 and I strongly encourage you to purchase a copy of this movie for your home library. The movie is the story of William Wilberforce, a man responsible for the abolition of slavery and the reformation of manners in England in the early 1800s. Wilberforce was a powerful and aspiring Member of Parliament, best friends with Prime Minister William Pitt, when God took hold of his life. As Wilberforce wrestled with the debauchery and decadence all around him, he surrendered to the Lord’s leading to tackle the largest, most unimaginable evil of his day – slavery! By God’s grace, and with the help of his small, but prayerful, godly warriors, Wilberforce used the art of public persuasion to change the hearts and minds of people on the slavery issue. He persevered in the face of overwhelming obstacles, not the least of which was his own ill health. This is truly one of the great stories in all of history and you’ll want to share it with your children at the appropriate age, probably middle school and older. The movie is available for pre-order now at Amazon, Mardels, and other locations as well as on the website for the movie itself – www.amazinggracemovie.com
Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson speaking at BWi Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson will be speaking at BWi. As Secretary of State, Phil Wilson is the chief elections officer for the state, chief international protocol officer for Texas, maintains business and public filings, and acts as the Governor’s chief liaison on border and Mexico affairs. Phil and his wife Kristen are members of Hill Country Bible Church outside of Austin, TX. Please register and make plans to join us there.
On Thursday, Nov. 19 at 9:30 a.m. the doors to the Prestonwood Worship Center will open to thousands of guests coming to hear The Great God Debate between Christian author and apologist Dinesh D’Souza and former minister turned atheist Dan Barker. Part of our Biblical Worldview Institute, this debate epitomizes the intentional desire of PCA to train and equip students for the challenges to their faith which they will encounter when they leave PCA and arrive on a college campus.
Thoughts on the Annual PCA State of School Address
2009 Book/Movie Discussion II
- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Leading Christian author and apologist Josh McDowell has teamed up with former PCA Bible and ethics teacher Dave Sterrett to launch a book that counters the misinformation and misrepresentation of the truth by popular TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey. McDowell is a familiar name in the world of apologetics (defending the faith) with classics such as Evidence that Demands a Verdict and More than a Carpenter. Sterrett is a new name to the publishing world. A couple of years ago you would have found Dave Sterrett teaching B
ible classes at PCA. Today he’s on staff with Probe Ministries and writing relevant apologetics books. His latest venture is in conjunction with Josh McDowell and its title and subject should draw significant attention – “O” God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah’s Spirituality. The book is a compelling and insightful narrative into the spiritual struggles of a young woman whose life and mind have been heavily influenced by the spiritual teachings of Oprah Winfrey and her ubiquitous presence from TV to magazines to radio to the Internet and even through her book club. 
your inbox each day – information overload – but if you’re interested in quality over quantity, let me tell you about the self-described “rants and raves of an author mom smack-dab in the trenches of teen culture.” Vicki Courtney is an author and a Christian mom that you are going to want to get to know. I read he
r book Your Boy: Raising a Godly Son in an Ungodly World and found her to be solidly Scriptural in her approach, yet real and practical in her advice. Courtney is the author of a dozen or so books with her latest being 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter. But you don’t have to wait for her wisdom until you purchase and read her books, she’ll deliver golden nuggets right to your e-mail inbox just by signing up for her 
"Becoming a Kingdom Family", taught by Mr. Larry Taylor, PCA Head of School
"Biblical Literacy", taught by Mr. Dan Panetti, Esq., PCA Worldview Director
Laugh some more.
In many ways, this recent election was confusing. On one hand, the country voted to move in a direction loosely defined as “change” – meaning that more people voted against the status quo (against the norm) against business as usual. On the other hand, Proposition 8 in California protecting the definition of marriage as well as similar initiatives across the country dealing with marriage and abortion were passed in some of the most liberal states. Of course, not to be outdone, the State of Washington passed their version of euthanasia – or their “death with dignity” law. Then on the same ballot as the marriage protection act in California, voters who chose to protect the sanctity of the family refused once again to pass a parental notification law protecting the authority of parents over their children. In other words, our nation appears to be suffering from a severe case of schizophrenia.
After reflecting on the election, one thing has become very apparent to me. This thing we call “the election” is not about the campaigns, slogans, polls or even the candidates. Instead, the election comes down to individuals like you and me. We are the people who are given the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference for our country. With more people, and specifically more young people, voting has clearly shown that all people no matter what age, gender, religion or ethnicity want a voice. One question this history-making election raises is how well informed are these young voters on the issues and candidate’s positions? How can we improve the voters’ knowledge and information? How will we make these things happen? Personally, this election has challenged me not only to make sure I am an informed voter, but to come up with creative and effective avenues to get valuable information out to others so they can choose their candidates based on facts and knowledge of critical issues facing our country. How will you make a difference for the next election?
For many the biblical mandate to pray for our leaders is one that enters our minds around election time and exits soon thereafter. But what about praying for our leaders throughout the year – how can we remember to keep our elected officials in our prayers – and maybe more importantly, who are they and what do we pray for them? To help with this, a few years ago I joined a really outstanding organization dedicated to helping Christians pray for their leaders. It’s called the 
Returning to the PCA Family Conference will be Dr. Bob Barnes on Jan. 23-24, 2009. Dr. Barnes was a huge hit with families last year and many wanted to spend more time listening to his biblical approach to marriage and parenting. This is a great event to invite friends to as well. Book your babysitter now; you won’t want to miss the PCA Family Conference this year! To learn more and to register online, visit PCA’s 
I’ve been hearing quite a bit about this movie and when I saw a trailer recently, I was fascinated by the concept. 
Vampires, romance, drinking human blood and peering into another person’s soul – may not sound interesting to you, but it does to your teenage daughter. As described above, the Twilight series is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story of forbidden love – sure, there’s a little blood and gore mixed in for good measure, but for the most part the girls are reading and loving the romance and the relational aspects of the book. So, are those “good” or not? The series is written by a Mormon, Stephanie Meyer and the relational components of the story are certainly tame by comparison to modern culture today. There is no sex outside of the marriage relationship in the story, although the relationship bond is very, very strong for young characters. One aspect of concern you’ll want to discuss with your sons and daughters is what is and what isn’t appropriate in a relationship with a person of the opposite sex. That conversation shouldn’t just stop at the physical, but also address the emotional bonds of a relationship. 
Darwinism Challenged in New Movie
The Treasure Within: One Man's Search Impacts Thousands of Lives
Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions
Operation World: 21st Century Edition
Striking the Match:
3:16
What Your Mother Never Told You: A Teenage Girls Survival Guide
and dad didn’t pass along much useful or practical wisdom. Dudum’s expectations for teens, while higher than most of society's today, is too low for a Christian parent. He doesn’t expect that teens can (or should) remain abstinent until marriage, but he does believe that a teen should only give themselves to someone they really love. He also doesn’t believe that teens can refuse to drink alcohol in today’s culture, but he does want teens to make smart decisions about what they drink…and what they don’t drink! In fact, Chapter 29 in the book is titled “Let’s Teach You How to Drink.”
University Caves to Pressures by Canceling Blood Drive
State Forced to Recognize Same-Sex Marriages
The Prestonwood Bookstore has several books by Bob Barnes and Jason Illian available. You can also find out more about them and examine their resources from books and CDs to DVD sets by visiting their respective websites. To learn more about Dr. Bob Barnes, visit 
Again, thank you for making the time in your busy schedules – we were all blessed by the encouraging and challenging words of our speakers. 
It was recently reported by the Alliance Defense Fund that a Christian photographer who declined to photograph a same-sex “ceremony” is being prosecuted in the state of New Mexico for violating the state’s anti-discrimination laws. Represented by ADF attorney Jordan Lorence, Elane Photography was brought before the New Mexico Human Rights Division even though same-sex marriage and civil unions are not permitted under New Mexico state law. As Christians this should concern us that states are now using these agencies to harass people based on their beliefs – it’s our own tax dollars used against us! While these “human rights” agencies appear to have good intentions, you can see what can happen when they turn on those who differ on religious views and values as well. As homosexuality is normalized in our culture, Christians holding to a biblical worldview on this issue will be marginalized and even harassed for their faith.
lowest level since 1976. At 1.2 million abortions per year, the decline is attributed to the availability of the abortion pill RU 486 and not to other factors such as abstinence education. The article also noted Hollywood’s recent fascination with the issue with movies such as Juno, where a pregnant teenager chooses life over ending her pregnancy, as well as Bella, a wonderfully-made movie showing the struggles of life and the importance of family and community. I’ve also read a few articles where the concept of being pro-life is becoming less foreign and even more popular with the younger generation who value relationships and connections with people more than utility and performance. Maybe the tide is beginning to turn on this important issue – but as the life issue is tied into more than just abortion, there are many opportunities left for Christians to continue to stand boldly for the truth that life is created in the image of God, has intrinsic value, and thus should be protected.
You’ve probably heard of Joshua Harris – he kissed dating good-bye. Joshua Harris is a well-known Christian author of several books dealing with dating, lust and sexual purity. Well, his cousins Brett and Alex have joined in the family heritage of making a difference. HucksArmy.com is the grassroots movement of these two home schooled teenagers from Oregon who believe that presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is the right man for the job.![Hucks Army - Faith. Family. Freedom. [Grassroots]](oncampus_kingdom_bread_law_clip_image001_0000.gif)
The presidential primary in Texas will be March 4. Early voting begins Tuesday, Feb. 19 and ends on Friday, Feb. 29. In addition to voting for the presidential candidate in your particular party of choice, you ’ll want to cast your ballot on the other national, state and local elections that impact your life, work and community. Nonpartisan Voter’s Guides provided by Free Market Foundation will be available online at 
It was reported recently in the Irish Sun that scientists in Singapore are experimenting with splicing human genes with animal cells. Those in favor of this research contend that it may result in finding cures for many diseases, including Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’
Since the holidays are busy, you need to be deliberate about making the time to sit and talk with your children. Use some holiday activities or traditions as springboards into conversation. Watch an old holiday classic movie like It’s a Wonderful Life to talk about the importance of family and friends and the true meaning of life. A more recent movie titled The Ultimate Gift (also a great book by Jim Stovall, same title) would be a great conversation starter as well. I’ve already had a couple of conversations with my boys about The Golden Compass and why our family is not going to see this movie, even though it looks fun and exciting for the kids (to learn more about this, see the Counter Culture archive under 
Prestonwood Christmas Store
Operation Care
Angel Tree
Presidential Primary ‘08
Adult Stem Cells Breakthrough!
for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” For some reason, students will post the most obscene and offensive remarks online as if no one else is reading what they are writing. Well, plenty of people are reading these public postings and students need to be aware that what is written and posted online can result in severe consequences. Many colleges and even potential employers are also checking out the Internet accounts of applicants as part of their evaluation process. One of the ‘infamous’ Fab Five McKinney High School cheerleaders who posted inappropriate pictures on their MySpace account which resulted in national publicity commented, “We will never live it down.” Long after the publicity has died down, the pictures and the story remain online for thousands, even millions, to see.
Recently I met with some PCA parents about a song that is immensely popular with students today. "Crank Dat Soulja Boy" is a song by the artist Soulja Boy and most people are familiar with it because of the very popular dance steps associated with the song. If you searched for Soulja Boy on YouTube you’d see dozens of videos of teens, moms, teachers, young children and even Bo Ryan, the basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin, dance to Soulja Boy. The dance is clean, easy-to-learn and very entertaining – so what’s the problem? The lyrics.
Radio talk show host Penna Dexter will be examining the concept of media from a Christian worldview at the Biblical Worldview Institute on Friday, Nov. 16. This session on Friday afternoon from 1:15–2:15 p.m. is open to PCA faculty and parents and will be held in the PCA Student Learning Center (SLC). Please 
Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson speaking at BWi
