In This Month's Report:
* Editorial - Four Myths in America
* June Events - Billy Graham Crusade in New York
* June Ministry - Establishing a Regional Church
* Tips and Resources - Assess Your Christian Character
* Products - Two New Resources (see link below)
* Partnership - Invest in God's Program for the Northeast of America

We would love to hear from you; please send us your feedback today. Don’t forget the ever-popular 'GOD THOUGHTS' at the end of this report. Enjoy! JB

JEFF BEACHAM'S EDITORIAL – Four Myths in America

 

INTRODUCTION

The opinions of many in America have been shaped by a few over the last several generations, a few with a different vision for the future of this nation than what was originally intended. Presently, distortions and lies about the past, present, and future have been accepted as truth by people who ought to know better. P.T. Barnum was quick to capitalize on this gullibility by recognizing, "There's a sucker born every minute!" Many of these untruths have risen to mythological proportions, helped along by political correctness and relative truth. Here are just four of the many myths that are currently rated as true in America:

 1) Separation of Church and State

This is believed by many to be a constitutional right, but nowhere is it mentioned in the Constitution. Modern revisionism would have us believe that the Founding Fathers were at worst unbelievers, at best, deists. However, any one of them would put a 'modern Christian' to shame with their level of devoutness, devotion, and dedication to God.

 

The notion of separation of church and state was derived from an 1802 letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote in response to the Danbury Baptist Association, Connecticut, which contained the phrase, "a wall of separation between church and state." The original intent of this clause has been misunderstood since it was first written and has long been associated with the 'religion clause' of the First Amendment to the Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion ...," a subject of passionate dispute for years.

 

If Jefferson had really meant for the church not to be involved in the public or political arena, why then, did he go to church the following Sunday after he wrote the letter in the same place where services were conducted by his instigation for nearly 25 years - the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.?

 

Clearly, Jefferson did not want to see one national church ruling over religious and political affairs, with the king as its head, as was the case in England. He wanted all Christians in America to be free to worship God how they wanted. That was the real meaning of the First Amendment.
 

2) The Constitutional Right to Happiness

"Finally, you can have the life you really want…. Skyrocket your self confidence, and program yourself for a lifetime of success. Yes, you can expand your comfort zone, shatter the beliefs that are limiting your life, and instantly boost your self esteem forever." Remember what Barnum said? Anyway, these words are typical of how we interpret the pursuit of happiness today. You will notice the operative words 'you' and 'your.' In other words, 'It's all about me!' Happiness has been reduced to how I feel about myself.

 

Again we appeal to Thomas Jefferson. Our present notion of happiness is more concerned about the material than the spiritual. Jefferson almost certainly was describing a spiritual understanding of happiness, whereby Americans would find peace, satisfaction, and fulfillment from being obedient to God and living in the center of His will for their lives. This puts the focus on happiness coming about as a result of serving God and serving others.

 

3) The Right Not to be Offended

If people didn't believe this, the whole litigation industry would go bankrupt overnight! Political correctness has invented a million ways for us to take offense, but God has given us just one way to handle offenses - forgiveness! The only right we have, concerning offenses, is to hold onto them until sundown (“Be angry, and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath." Eph. 4:26).

 

4) The church is democratic

After the American Revolution, the mention of the word 'kingdom' reminded folks of the system they had just revolted against. 'Equal rights for all' was more a reaction against the British caste system than racial equality, even though the latter was inherent. The right for everyone to have a vote and a say in the running of the country worked well in the burgeoning nation, but even though the revolutionary cry of "No King but Jesus!" was still ringing in ears of the 'land of the free,' they failed to check those democratic rights at the doors of God's Kingdom. In a kingdom you have no vote or rights. You do what the King tells you. His kingdom is in our hearts, and He reigns if we surrender all to Him, understanding that a surrender to God is the only time you get victory. #

 

 

Billy Graham and the Last Crusade? - As he has for 60 years, Billy Graham ended his three-day New York crusade by offering about 90,000 in the crowd a glimpse of heaven.... But as in perhaps no other crusade in his long history of evangelism, New York provided heaven's face. Tucked into a corner of Queens where more than 130 languages are spoken each day, the June 24-26 Greater New York Billy Graham Crusade drew more than 230,000 people from every part of the world - whites, blacks, Asians, Hispanics, people whose families came to America generations ago, and people so fresh they still marvel at this nation and its freedoms and opportunities.

The remarkable diversity reflects the host city, home to the sort of integration of God's people Graham has advocated for all his evangelical career, and fitting for what many considered could be his last such gathering. They answered Graham's calls to salvation by the thousands - some 8,300 over three days.

Billy Graham only hinted at his own future, and left the question of whether this was his final crusade unanswered.... As always, the 86-year-old evangelist wasn't ready or willing to provide a definite answer. "It probably is...," he said in his southern drawl. "But I also said, 'I never say never.'" Graham, now in fragile health, has always said that evangelists don't retire. But others hinted that this could be it. If so, there were plenty of high-profile attendees over the three days to witness the event that many called historic. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, New York Senator Hilary Clinton joined Graham on stage one night. Country singer, Vince Gill, and his wife, Christian artist, Amy Grant attended.... Evangelist and California pastor, Greg Laurie and fellow California pastor and best-selling author, Rick Warren attended all three days. - Condensed report from Berta Delgado-Young, Baptist Press through http://www.crosswalk.com

 

Visit Two New Blogspots - Blogs (weblogs) have become the new grass roots way of decimating instant news or responses to news. Blogs have taken the monopoly out of news, demonstrated by the failed story by Dan Rather on President Bush's military record. This came about directly as a result of 'bloggers' crosschecking and challenging the validity of the story.

 

City Action Coalition, where I serve as secretary on the Executive Board, and FMI have both established 'blogspots in the last month or so. WMCA Talk Show host, fellow CAC Board member and persistent blogger, Kevin McCullough set up and moderates the CAC Blogspot.

 

For the CAC Blogspot, go to: http://cityaction.blogspot.com For the FMI Blogspot, go to: http://firepowerint.blogspot.com

 

JUNE MINISTRY…

Last month, we were at the following churches and events:

Sun, 5th - Glad Tidings Tabernacle, Mt. Ephraim NJ, Pastor Bill Brendel
Mon, 6th - Kingdom Builder’s Meeting, Mansfield, PA
Wed, 8th - City Covenant Coalition Regional Leadership Meeting, Brooklyn, NY
Thurs, 9th - NJ Faith Alliance Regional Meeting, Cranford, NJ
Sun, 12th - Glad Tidings Tabernacle, Mt. Ephraim NJ, Pastor Bill Brendel
Sun, 19th to Wed, 22nd - First Assembly of God, Point Pleasant, NJ, Pastor David Kaiser
Fri, 24th – Leadership Roundtable, First Baptist Church of Canton, PA, Pastor Norm Pierce
Sun, 26th - First Baptist Church of Canton, PA, Pastor Norm Pierce
Mon, 27th – Kingdom Builder’s Meeting, Mansfield, PA

 

The CHURCH (CHristians Uniting Regionally for CHrist) - Since March this year, I have been working with a group of church and business leaders from the region around Mansfield and Wellsboro, PA, to establish a regional church comprised of all the churches in this area who share the vision for revival, reformation, and transformation for mid and north Pennsylvania.

 

About ten churches and ministries are involved, including Johnny and Juanita Berguson of Kingdom Tapes and Electronics (see photo above), the third largest employer in the Mansfield area.

 

I travel to this region usually on the last weekend of every month. Presently we are still in the formative stages where we are conducting roundtables and workshops with the local churches and leaders involved. We are planning on launching a monthly meeting for the CHURCH in September.

 

Recently, Pastor Dale Mast, from Dover, Delaware (see photo on left) joined us over one weekend to minister through his strong prophetic gift. The aim of the CHURCH is to see the Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven with Christ's righteousness established in this area.

 

NEWS AND RESOURCES…

* Assess Your Christian Character - Measure your Christian character, the obstacles to your spiritual growth, and your God-given spiritual gifts. http://www.assess-yourself.org

* Acts 29 Network - A network that helps plant Gospel-centered, missional, church-planting churches to a postmodern mindset. http://www.a29.org

* Antithesis - A journal on the Christian counterculture. Interviews, community pages, book and music reviews, discussion board, toolbox, and articles. http://www.antithesis.com/
 

TWO NEW MESSAGES AVAILABLE THROUGH FMI...

 

"A Cause to Live By and to Die For!"

Western culture has become soft and mushy, and the Western Church has become the same. But when we read about Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, John the Baptist, Paul or even Jesus challenging authorities such as wayward kings, idolaters or pompous Pharisees, we don't see any of them doling out soft and mushy entreaties, but rather issuing challenging, often scathing indictments of their audience's willful blindness. In an age when everyone has come 'out of the closet,' it's time for the Church to do so too!

"Healing the Hemorrhage of Hell"

Why has soul-winning slowed down so in the West? We all hope to go to Heaven, but an unwritten rule for western preaching has become, ‘don’t mention the ‘H’ word! We don’t want to make potential believers uncomfortable by telling them that if they reject the gospel they will be headed to eternal punishment.’ We leave that in the fine print. The subject of Hell and eternal punishment was very important to Jesus. He taught more about it than He did about Heaven. Heaven has a road, but few travel it; Hell has no gate, but men will dig to get there.
 

Available on DVD, audio CD, and audio cassette. To order, click here

 

BECOME A PARTNER WITH FMI...

 

FMI is a 'not for profit' organization which operates purely by faith. Please consider supporting this great vision for spiritual awakening in America and beyond. Donations are tax deductible. 

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Check Jeff Beacham's schedule at: http://www.firepowerint.com/jeffsitinery.htm 

 

I hope you will seriously consider joining us in this great adventure for Christ!

 

JEFF BEACHAM  
  Pastor / Evangelist
  Firepower Ministries International 
  2 Route 37 West, Toms River, NJ 08753 
  Ph.(732) 349-1550, ext. 205 Fax (732) 286-6311 
  Email: info@firepowerint.com Website: http://www.firepowerint.com 

 

GOD THOUGHTS - "You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes

 

REPRINT AGREEMENT: Duplication and re-transmission of original material in this report is permitted provided that complete source and website information is included. 

 

©2005 - THE FMI REPORT IS THE MONTHLY COMMUNICATION OF NEWS FROM FIREPOWER MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL, THE MINISTRY OF JEFF BEACHAM    top