n five years, video will be everywhere, showing up on your phone, on Blade Runner-esque billboards, in your email and on your car’s GPS unit.
According to Forrester analyst James L. McQuivey, Ph.D., you’ll encounter “a dozen video platforms per day,” - what he calls an OmniVideo world. You’ll not only watch more video, but more of the video you watch will be viewed on-demand.
Read more of this story on Podcasting News.
More than 1,000 school children from across the country sing "The Star-Spangled Banner," standing at the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial near the U.S. Capitol building and joined by the United States Marine Band, celebrating the national anthem and the importance of music education.
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LONDON - Trying to sell mayonnaise has turned messy for Heinz, the U.S. food giant that has found itself in a public relations pickle as pro-family and homosexual organizations both are threatening boycotts. The controversy is over a British television advert that appeared to use mayonnaise as spread for the homosexual agenda.
Read more of this story on OneNewsNow.
The word amateur has been redefined over the years and has lost the luster of its original meaning. The English word comes from the Latin word amore, which means “to love.” An amateur is someone who does something simply for the love of it.
In today’s way of thinking, receiving payment moves you into a “higher” category—that of a professional. The reasoning is that if someone is willing to pay for your service, you must be really good. An amateur, therefore, is considered to have less skill or talent.
As I read my Bible, however, I see a different hierarchy of values. During the time of Jesus, the religious professionals were using their position to gain power and prestige for themselves, not to serve the people. Jesus didn’t choose those who were wise, mighty, or noble by human standards (1 Cor. 1:26). He sought those willing to follow Him and be trained for loving service.
In today’s world, the scene is much the same. God is still looking for “amateurs,” those who will serve the Lord for the sheer love of it. Compelled by our love for Jesus, may we, like the disciples and apostles before us, proclaim the love of God for the world by following Christ’s example of loving and serving others.
— Julie Ackerman Link
I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow:
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. —Featherstone
One proof of our love for God is our love for our neighbor.
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Over the next few days leading up to the 4th of July, I'll be posting some videos of our National Anthem, Star Spangled Banner.
This is a group that has been described as a YouTube phenomenon, The Cactus Cuties. The harmony in this song is absolutely outstanding. I'll be posting another version by this group next week.
The United States is one of the most religious countries in the world, but American views often defy categorization and contradict the teachings of their faith, according to a huge survey released Monday.
The survey of 36,000 people by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life - unprecedented in the combination of the number of people interviewed and the breadth of questions asked - reveals that Americans view their own and others' religious identity through a much broader lens than previously understood.
Read more of this story on San Francisco Chronicle.
I will be preaching revival services at Barney First Baptist Church Sunday, September 14 - Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 7pm nightly. I preached there in 2005 and we had a great time! The church is located at 127 2nd Ave. in Barney, Georgia. For more information call Pastor Keith Wise at (229) 292-1265.
The revival services at Little Creek Baptist Church came to an end last night. We really had a good series of meetings and the attendance was very good. Each service also featured special music and was enjoyable.
If you live in the Jesup, Georgia area or are traveling through on a Sunday, Pastor Wayne Manning and the folks at Little Creek Baptist would welcome you with open arms. The church is located at 5027 Little Creek Road in Little Creek, Georgia. It's only a few miles from Jesup.
Note: WOW! Almost everyone is bigger than me! Maybe that's why I'm still single. 8-)
When my son Steve walks into a room, he often gets immediate respect. People want to shake his hand. They smile. They congratulate him. They thank him.
It happens at church. It happens in restaurants. It happens wherever he goes—as long as he is wearing his uniform of the United States Navy.
While in uniform, Steve gets instant respect because everyone knows that he is serving. He has given up many personal freedoms and desires so that he can serve his country.
People respect service. We honor police officers who serve. We pay homage to military personnel who serve. But do we give the same honor and respect to those who are in an even greater service—service to God? Do we show respect to our pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers?
Scripture tells us to give honor to whom honor is due (Rom. 13:7). Specifically, it tells us that double honor goes to those who direct the affairs of the church through teaching and preaching (1 Tim. 5:17).
Instead of criticizing your pastor, teacher, or spiritual leader, let others hear your words of gratitude and praise for their service. Hold them up in prayer. God’s servants deserve our respect and honor.
— Dave Branon
Putting It Into Practice
• Send a card or note of appreciation to your pastor.
• Thank your teacher for a lesson that helped you.
• Ask your leaders how you can pray for them.
We honor God when we honor our leaders.
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This is Jack Marti playing a ukulele and singing the old Beatles song "Here Comes The Sun", but with a Gospel twist. Give it a listen. I think you'll enjoy it. I love it!
NOTE: I have added a related video and a link to the poem referenced in this devotion at the bottom of this post.
Ray Bethell is a world champion kite flyer. He can make multiple kites twist and turn in such precision that they behave as if they are one. As I watched an amazing video of Ray and his three synchronized kites, I recalled a poem I had read many years ago.
In the library of Pastor Howard Sugden, I came across a well-worn book containing the works of John Newton. Inside was a poem titled “The Kite; or Pride Must Have a Fall.” The kite in Newton’s poem dreamed of being cut free from its string: “Were I but free, I’d take a flight, / And pierce the clouds beyond their sight, / But, ah! Like a poor pris’ner bound, / My string confines me near the ground.” The kite does finally manage to tug itself free, but instead of soaring higher in the sky, it crashes into the sea.
The analogy calls me to reconsider some “strings” that make me feel constrained. Vows. Promises. Commitments. Responsibilities. Although such things make me feel tied down, God uses them to hold me up. As James teaches, it is our willingness to be humbled (or held down) that God uses to lift us up (James 4:10).
Before cutting any string, make sure it’s not one that’s holding you up.
— Julie Ackerman Link
Though I am His sheep, I’m still prone to stray,
So Jesus in love sends afflictions my way;
The lessons that come in this school of deep pain
Will teach me to follow my Lord once again! —Bosch
A Christian rises against the winds of adversity.
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Amid the celebration, there was tragedy. It was the opening ceremonies of the 1992 summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. One by one the teams entered the stadium and paraded around the track to the cheers of 65,000 people. But in one section of Olympic Stadium, shock and sadness fell as Peter Karnaugh, father of United States swimmer Ron Karnaugh, was stricken with a fatal heart attack.
Five days later, Ron showed up for his race wearing his dad's hat, which he carefully set aside before his competition began. Why the hat? It was the swimmer's tribute to his dad, whom he described as "my best friend." The hat was one his dad had worn when they went fishing and did other things together. Wearing the hat was Ron's way of honoring his dad for standing beside him, encouraging him, and guiding him. When Ron dove into the water, he did so without his dad's presence but inspired by his memory.
On this Father's Day, there are many ways to honor our fathers, as Scripture tells us to do (Ephesians 6:2). One way, even if they're no longer with us, is to show respect for the values they taught us.
What can you do for your dad today to show him the kind of honor the Bible talks about? — Dave Branon
We're thankful for our fathers, Lord,
They're special gifts from You;
Help us to show we honor them
By what we say and do. —Sper
The best fathers not only give us life—they teach us how to live.
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Churches nationwide that joined a Bible listening campaign will give dads audio Bibles this Sunday in honor of Father’s Day.
More than 37,000 audio Bibles will be handed out in nearly 250 churches in 41 states that are participating in the campaign called “You’ve Got The Time.” The campaign – organized by Faith Comes by Hearing, the world’s foremost audio bible ministry – encourages fathers to listen to the Word of God 28 minutes a day for 40 days, during which they will complete the New Testament.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
When Sha’Ri Eggum was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, doctors told her that only a bone marrow transplant from a blood relative could save her life. Complicating matters, Eggum, 32, was adopted and didn’t know anything about her biological family. But a private investigator tracked down her brother, Mike Ford, who was a perfect match. Today, Eggum’s leukemia is in remission. Ford was the right person for the right moment.
The book of Esther tells another story of love, sacrifice, and God’s timing. Mordecai, a Jew in exile, refused to bow to Haman, second in command to King Ahasuerus. Haman became furious and plotted to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews. So Haman deceived the king and persuaded him to issue an edict condemning the Jews to death. When Mordecai told his cousin Queen Esther about the edict, he urged her to intervene. “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” he said (v.14). Approaching the king uninvited was punishable by death. But Esther seized the moment to save her people!
When we are able to rescue others, we should do so at all costs. Ask God for His direction and act! He may have placed you here “for such a time as this.”
— Marvin Williams
O for a faith that will not shrink
Though pressed by many a foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of any earthly woe. —Bathurst
Courage is not the absence of fear—it is the mastery of it.
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South Carolina's governor has signed a bill to allow the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer to be part of displays at public buildings. His action comes after the attorney general issued his nonbinding opinion on the legislation that said displaying those types of documents should be allowed and would survive a court challenge.
Read more of this story on OneNewsNow.
Read a related story: 'I Believe' a reality in SC.
I will begin preaching revival services Sunday, June 15, 2008 at 11am and 6pm at Little Creek Baptist Church. The services will continue Monday-Wednesday, June 16-18, 2008 at 7pm nightly. For more information call Pastor Wayne Manning, Sr. at (912) 427-9845 or (912) 427-2849.
Little Creek Baptist Church is located on Little Creek Road in Little Creek, Georgia near Jesup.
tris·kai·deka·pho·bia
On a recent trip to London, we exited the Baker Street underground station where we were greeted by a life-size statue of legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. Created by novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes was an investigative genius who could routinely assess seemingly random clues and solve the mystery.
Baffled by Holmes’ uncanny brilliance, his sidekick, Dr. Watson, would ask for an explanation—to which Holmes would glibly respond, “Elementary!” and then proceed to unfold the solution.
If only life operated that way. So often, we face events and circumstances that are far more baffling than a Sherlock Holmes mystery. We struggle to figure life out, but we always seem to come up short.
In times like these, it’s comforting to know that we have a God who doesn’t need to assess the situation—He already knows everything perfectly well. In Acts 15:18 we read, “Known to God from eternity are all His works.” He never has to wonder or resort to inductive reasoning.
Despite our finiteness, our lives rest in the hands of the One who knows all the whats, whys, and whens we’ll ever face. As we trust in Him, He’ll guide us in the path He desires us to take—and His way is never wrong.
— Bill Crowder
God is the One who sees the whole,
His knowledge is complete;
We see but portions of the truth
As lines that never meet. —D. De Haan
In a world of mystery, it’s a comfort to know the God who knows all things.
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It was almost time for school to dismiss and a mother noticed it looked like rain. So she drove toward school to pick up her eight-year-old daughter.
She turned down the street to see her daughter running towards her down the sidewalk. A lightning bolt flashed and the little girl looked up towards the sky, smiled and then began running towards her mother's van.Another lightning bolt flashed and again the little girl looked towards the sky, smiled and resumed running. This happened several more times until the little girl finally arrived at where her mother was parked.
Her mom immediately inquired as to the strange behavior. "Why did you keep stopping and smiling at the sky," she asked her daughter.
"I had to, Mommy. God was taking my picture."
ATLANTA, June 12 /Christian Newswire/ -- Seven children, ranging in age from 4-17, are pleased to announce the launching of their new website, www.DearPapa.org. One of the middle children, Danita Whyte, age 13, led the pack and actually designed the website, as a tribute to their father, national bestselling author, Daniel Whyte III. www.DearPapa.org is dedicated, not only to their father, but to the thousands of fathers around the world who love and sacrifice for their children and who know the value of spending quality and quantity time with their children.
Read more of this story on Christian Newswire.
Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia, has been elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention. Below are two stories with vote totals, nomination information and quotes from Hunt during a news conference.
Our Blog Poll #27 reflected Hunt in second place with 10 of 28 votes cast. Frank Cox won the unscientific poll with 14 votes.
I once heard interviews with survivors from World War II. The soldiers recalled how they spent a particular day. One sat in a foxhole; once or twice, a German tank drove by and he shot at it. Others played cards and frittered away the time. A few got involved in furious firefights. Mostly, the day passed like any other. Later, they learned they had just participated in one of the largest, most decisive engagements of the war, the Battle of the Bulge. It didn’t feel decisive at the time because none had the big picture.
Great victories are won when ordinary people execute their assigned tasks.
When followers of Ignatius (1491–1556) endured periods of futility, he always prescribed the same cure: “In times of desolation we must never make a change, but stand firm and constant in the resolutions and determination in which we were the day before the desolations.” Spiritual battles must be fought with the very weapons hardest to wield at the time: prayer, meditation, self-examination, and repentance.
Perhaps you sense you’re in a spiritual rut. Stay at your assigned task! Obedience to God—and only obedience—offers the way out of our futility.
— Philip Yancey
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain. —Cowper
If you sense your faith is unraveling, go back to where you dropped the thread of obedience.
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INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Discerning eyes are needed to recognize the spiritual condition of Southern Baptists, Frank Page said in his final sermon as Southern Baptist Convention president during the SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis June 10.
Page, pastor of First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C., said Southern Baptists should develop the kind of discernment akin to that which saved the villagers of the island of Simeulue after the South Asian tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004.
Village elders noticed the water retreating from the coastline and in minutes warned islanders to run for higher ground. Their communal memory of a 1907 tsunami that nearly destroyed the entire island helped them realize the impending danger. The island lost only seven of its 75,000 inhabitants, as was reported in The Seattle Times.
Read more of this story on Baptist Press.
Our Blog Poll #27 question was, "Who would you like to see elected as President of the Southern Baptist Convention?" and the results are:
I will be filling-in for Pastor Randy Williams at First Baptist Church of Glen St. Mary this Wednesday, June 11th. The service will begin at 6:45pm. The church is located at 9846 George L. Taber Blvd. in Glen St. Mary, Florida. For more information call the church office at (904) 259-6977.
For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of my ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.
For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of my ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.
The Backyard Bible Club held at Meggs' Barn this week was filled with all sorts of fun. This Outrigger Island VBS was sponsored by Chapel Hill Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida. The attendance on Monday was 18. It grew to 22 on Tuesday and 19 on Wednesday. These numbers reflect children only and not the workers! Below are a few pics to give you just a little taste of the flavor of the three day event. I'll be posting a video about this event very soon.
If you live in the Tallahassee area, why not visit during one of the services on the Hill? All of the fine folks at the church would certainly welcome you. Call the church office at (850) 222-6900 for service times and directions or visit their website. Chapel Hill Baptist Church is located at 224 Chapel Drive in Tallahassee, Florida.
Craft Time
Recreation
Music Time
Bible StudyIt is said that laughter is contagious. I think you'll agree as you watch this video.
I posted another hilarious one in August of last year called "Dad at Comedy Barn".
My very good friend, Jon M. Fletcher, a photojournalist for the Florida Times-Union newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, has received a prestigious award voted by his peers. The National Press Photographers Association's (NPPA) 2007 Region Six Still Photographer of the Year award was recently announced on the organization's website.
NPPA Region Six includes the southeastern states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. In addition to these seven states, Region Six also includes Antarctica, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bouvet Island, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Guatamala, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, British Virgin Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.
The annual contest involves clippings of photos being submitted each month. These photos are then sent to other NPPA members to judge and assign a numeric value. Scores from each month for each photographer are totaled at the end of the year to determine the region's winner.
Jon said this award means a lot to him because it is judged by his peers, other photographers.
This is not Jon's first award, he has won several. I have written posts on this site about a couple of them: Award Winning Illustration and Ministry Now On YouTube.
I first met Jon in 2003 when he "shadowed me" for about three months for a story for the Florida Times-Union. We became great friends and since that time he has made two trips to
Ghana to document our ministry in the West Africa nation. He was a hit everywhere we went especially with the children, as you can see in this rare photo of Jon in Ghana.
During his first trip Evangelist Ralph, our ministry coordinator in Ghana, would often say, "Jon is taking pictures for Jesus!" Ralph also called him "Iya deen" (I know that is surely misspelled) which means "He is quiet." Jon would rarely speak and when he did, it was quietly. He prefers to allow his photos to speak the story, as I'm sure you have noticed if you have seen his work. A professional photographer that is well acquainted with Jon and his work once told me that many photographers capture great images in photos, but Jon is able to capture the spiritual side of a scene in a photo. I agree.
Jon has served the Lord by working behind the scenes and the camera too. He has been an invaluable assistance to my ministry providing photos, illustrations, logos, technical advice and trying to teach me a few things about photography. Most importantly, he, and his family, has been a friend to me during good and bad times alike. God must surely have a special reward for him for putting up with me and my "big" ideas.
Congratulations on a well-deserved award, Jon Fletcher!
If you would like to see and read more about Jon's work with our ministry check out the following links:
Who is your choice for president of the Southern Baptist Convention? You can share your pick by voting in our Blog Poll #27 at the top of the left column of this site. Voting will continue through Monday evening June 9th.
Previous polls and results can be read on this site by clicking "Blog Poll" in the list of categories in the left-hand column.
JCEA Ghana Ministry Coordinator Evangelist Raphael Adjei Kingbi and his wife Mavis are now the proud parents of a healthy baby girl. She was born on June 4, 2008 at 2:47pm (GMT) and weighed 3.5kg (7.7 lbs) and was 54cm (21.26 in.) long. Ralph and Mavis also have a 2 year-old son. The name of the baby girl will be announced during a "naming ceremony" tentatively scheduled for June 18th.
So, how about an "online baby shower" for this couple? Due to postal & customs regulations it would be difficult to send items to the Kingbi's, but we can wire money to them with no problem. Ralph said the hospital bill alone is around $150 in U.S. Dollars. That sounds cheap for a hospital bill in the U.S., but it is VERY expensive in Ghana. Of course, there is also all of the normal baby expenses that we have in the U.S., i.e. diapers and clothing. But they have some expenses we would not think of too, for example mosquito netting for the crib.
f you would like to make a financial contribution to the Kingbi's to help with medical, baby and ministry expenses you can do so via credit card, PayPal, check or money order.
The most important thing is to be in prayer for this family.
Evangelist Ralph ministers for the Lord on a full-time basis in the township of Teshie, which is located about 45 minutes from Ghana's capital city of Accra. He also serves as Ghana Ministries Coordinator for James Croft Evangelistic Association and coordinated the crusades and other events during our three mission trips to Ghana, West Africa. He also gives a ministry report each month on the "Walking with the Giant" Podcast. JCEA makes monthly contributions to support his ministry in Ghana.
If you would like to e-mail a note of congratulations and encouragement to this family as they serve the Lord in their homeland of Ghana, West Africa, you may do so by clicking here.
I will be filling-in for Pastor Randy Williams at First Baptist Church of Glen St. Mary this Wednesday, June 11th. The service will begin at 6:45pm. The church is located at 9846 George L. Taber Blvd. in Glen St. Mary, Florida. For more information call the church office at (904) 259-6977.
For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of my ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.
This is the Top Ten Podcast Downloads for the month of May 2008.
| Episode | Guest | May 2008 Downloads | Total Downloads |
| Dr. James Gipson | 32 | 134 | |
| Dr. Harold Hudson | 7 | 509 | |
| Jack & Ali | 6 | 506 | |
|
| 4 | 458 | |
|
| 4 | 204 | |
| Eddie Swimmer | 4 | 213 | |
| Dr. Sterling Huston | 3 | 608 | |
| Evangelist | 3 | 628 | |
| Junior Combs & Southern Joy | 3 | 313 | |
|
| 2 | 394 |
The first day of the Backyard Bible Club sponsored by Chapel Hill Baptist Church got underway with 18 children attending. The kids were able to sing some songs from the Outrigger Island Vacation Bible School. They worked on crafts, played some games, watched videos, heard a Bible story and enjoyed refreshments. The Bible Club continues at 9:45am-noon through Wednesday and is held at Meggs' Barn in Tallahassee, Florida.
The photo on the left is of some of the group that attended. By the way, I'm in that photo somewhere... can you find me? The photo on the right is of my Bible Study Beach Hut. I get to share a Bible story with three groups of children each day. Boy, am I excited!
Tonight I shared a Bible study during the Baptist Men's Meeting at Chapel Hill Baptist Church. It was a great time of food, fellowship, prayer and God's Word.
The 5 most viewed blog posts on this site for the month of May 2008 are:
A lot of money is tainted: 'Taint yours, and 'taint mine.
A boiled egg is hard to beat.
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
If you jump off a Paris bridge, you are in Seine
When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.
Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.
Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.
Acupuncture: a jab well done.
Read Part 3
Back in 2005, so-called “godcasts” - religious podcasts - were one of the most talked about podcast genres.
Podcaster Craig Patchett in 2004 created the GodCast network, featuring a variety of Christian podcasts and even a Klingon Word podcast. Hundreds of churches followed suit, distributing weekly sermons as podcasts.
While mainstream coverage quickly moved on to other topics, godcasting is still going strong. In fact, recent research suggests that Christians are twice as likely as the average to be listening to podcasts.
Read more about this survey on Podcasting News.
