#0344sva - The Girl Who Could Fly
December 2, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian School
BOOK REVIEW
Recently, we were asked about the book, “The Girl Who Could Fly.” Just as I was starting to write a reply, I came across an answer to this question by T.A. McMahon, Berean Call Magazine. Here is the question as put to Mr. McMahon and his reply:
QUESTION: Are you familiar with the book The Girl Who Could Fly? It is being used in my daughter’s class at her Christian school. The plot involves a girl named Piper McCloud, who was born with the power of telekinesis, which gives her the ability to fly. When we discussed this book, my daughter excitedly told me that this was just like Jesus telling the disciples, “whoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doublt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he said shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” (Mark 11:23)
ANSWER: In our opinion, there are a number of problems with using a fictional book in a Christian educational setting that features characters with superpowers. The subject matter may motivate the students to read, normally an ordeal for most visually oriented young people these days, but it has a serious downside.
First of all, it endorses the possibility of a condition that is not consistent with God’s creation and a biblical worldview.
Second, much of the literature that includes paranormal powers connects the abilities to the occult or witchcraft techniques. It may be “just fantasy” for some, but it is very seductive, especially for young people who might dream of being able to exhibit such powers. Futhermore, the bait here is a “socially redeeming” teaching of tolerance. As found in movies such as the X-Men and the Harry Potter series, the heros and heroines are victims of an intolerant and a prejudiced society that only sees their “gifts” as abnormal or even demonic. That “teaching” may well influence a young person to see the tree of intolerance but be blinded to the forest of occultism.
More serious, however, is the attempt to relate biblical miracles to alleged super powers. That’s like equating the miraculous to magic; the result reduces miracles to techniques that a person can apply by adhering to occult instructions. The example you give is how the so-called faith teachers turn biblical faith into a technique, or method, that supposedly enables a person to perform signs and wonders. That is a terrible distortion of Scripture and has led many to attempt to use God like a genie in a bottle in order to achieve healing, prosperity, or other false signs and wonders. This is both a distortion of biblical faith and a blasphemous mischaracterization of God.
If someone protests that the superpowers of The Girl Who Could Fly have no connection to the “faith” teachers other than the exception of this one Chrisitian school, he needs to consider Benny Hinn, who stated that before the Fall, Adam could fly like a bird and swim underwater while breathing like a fish. According to Hinn, Adam even went to the moon and walked on water long before Christ. His conclusion was that Adam was the first superhuman being that ever lived. Either Hinn made all of this up, or the Holy Spirit chose him as a vessel to reveal what was not revealed in the Scriptures. It must be the former at least because although Hinn is extremely popular (even though he has a long track record of false prophecies) his alleged insights and teachings are contadictory to the Word of God.
http://wheresgodinallofthis.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/0344sva-the-girl-who-could-fly/
Daddy Lessons
November 30, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian School
by WE’RE NOT FUNNY
edited by ANDREW J HICKS
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"Yeah, yeah, I'm lickin' your balls…"
[EDITOR'S NOTE: On this Hallmark holiday that finishes a distant third to Valentine's and Mother's Day, the fathers on the WNF staff have united to share a few words of (mostly immature) wisdom to all the dads and expecting dads who might be reading. Which probably won't be many, given that our readership demographic is 91% female since Friday's "Shit Bags" post. Also, a couple of our contributors who don't have kids felt the need to contribute anyway, proving they don't pay a lick of attention to instruction. I'm just desperate enough for material that I'm using their jokes anyway. Happy Father's Day, everyone! -AJH]
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DADDY LESSONS
- When the labels say “Keep out of reach of children,” remember your children will be able to reach about twice as far as you think they can.
- Any time you change a diaper, you’re engaging in a delicate game of Russian Roulette. Maybe not this time, and maybe not next time, but one of these times, you’re gonna get smoked.
- You will think your kids are awesome. You will think everyone else’s kids suck. This is how the other parents feel, too.
- When potty training your toddler, you will have to juggle the actions of wiping your little one’s bum and preventing the dog from eating baby poop. Read more
Ex-Teacher Held On $1.5M Bond In Sexual Abuse Case
November 26, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian SchoolCHICAGO (CBS) – A former teacher at a West Side Christian school is being held on $1.5 million bond, on charges that she sexually assaulted four students for a period of years.
Her brother, Nelson Quintana Jr., 27, who also worked at the school, is charged with one count of misdemeanor criminal sexual abuse, police said.
LISTEN: Newsradio 780′s Dave Marsett reports
Martinelli is assaulting three girls and a boy several years ago while they were students and she was a teacher at the Dayspring Christian Academy at 5133 W. Fullerton Ave.
The alleged crimes occurred in the late 1990s but were reported to police in April, according to police.
In court Tuesday, prosecutors said Martinelli first abused a 15-year-old girl she had taught in seventh and eighth grade, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The abuse lasted from 1998 to 2001, and began with sexual stories but later became physical molestation, the newspaper reported.
In the second incident in 2003, Martinelli allegedly sexually abused a 15-year-old girl and her brother, with whom she had sex for a year, the newspaper reported.
Finally, Martinelli allegedly participated in mutual sex acts with a 14-year-old girl whom she had taught in sixth and eighth grades, until the girl’s family left town in 2007, the Sun-Times reported.
Prosecutors say she Martinelli plied the students with alcohol.
Martinelli’s father, Nelson Quintana Sr., is pastor of the neighboring Dayspring Church.
Dayspring Academy is a private Baptist school with students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/06/08/ex-teacher-held-on-1-5m-bond-in-sexual-abuse-case/
Paris? Really? You really want to move to France now?
November 23, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian SchoolIt is 2003. The United States has declared war on Iraq. France has declined to help. French Fries? No way…they are Freedom Fries! Nobody seems to like the French. So, when Jen and I tell our friends and family that we are talking with a church in Paris, they think we are crazy.
And yes…maybe we were crazy. I had been teaching at a Christian school, but was not enjoying the experience. Most of my students weren’t opening up to me the way that I was used to. Maybe they were too afraid of getting into trouble with the administration if they shared what they were dealing with me. I knew that I couldn’t stay.
Jen and I had interviewed at two different churches. When one said no, we were really down. It seemed like such a great church and opportunity. When the second said no, we were relieved. The interview that we had with them was one of the strangest experiences that I had gone through. (read the blog here)Jen had a job as a receptionist and had permission to surf the web during down times. I asked her to search for any schools, seminaries or other websites that listed ministry positions. She came across a guy’s website where he listed international youth ministry positions. She found a position in Paris at a church that had the same name as the church we were attending. She emailed it to me so we could laugh that there was a church in Paris with the same name as our church.
To her surprise, I said that we should send them my résumé and see what they say. Now, you must know that my Jen has a French degree, studied in France, and absolutely loves Paris and France. (A note to all those guys out there…score some major points with your wife and move them to their dream city. They will love you even more!) After some emails and calls, we ended up packing up our stuff, storing most of it in our good friends’ garage, and moving to Paris.
Our friends and family did think that we were crazy. But, it was the best, and hardest, three years of our lives. Interestingly enough, many of the French people we met wondered why Americans weren’t visiting Paris like they used to. When we told them that it was because France didn’t support the war, they were confused. They didn’t see why that would keep people away from Paris. ”Don’t they still love Paris?” A definite difference in how Americans and the French approach life.
http://pabco33.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/paris-really-you-really-want-to-move-to-france-now/
Heritage Christian School
November 20, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian SchoolI am always impressed when Godly adults work so hard to foster Godly children in Godly ways for God’s glory! Heritage Christian School, www.hcsnh.com, is a great place to minister. I have been doing Chapel servcies there for two years now. This week was no exception and I will be speaking at the graduation ceremonies (8th grade) tonight.
Please pray that Ron kennedy and the Heritage Board be given wisdom and discernment as they move forward to establish and High School in Rindge. It is greatly needed. Our young people need to be taught: At home, in Church, in school, in life…to worship the only “True” God of Heaven and Earth.
Hear the Word which Jehovah speaks to you, O house of Israel. So says Jehovah, Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified at the signs of the heavens; for the nations are terrified at them. For the customs of the people are vain; for one cuts a tree out of the forest with the axe, the work of the hands of the workman. They adorn it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, so that it will not wobble. They are like a rounded post, and they cannot speak. They must surely be lifted, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them; for they cannot do evil nor good, for it is not in them. There is none like You, O Jehovah; You are great, and Your name is great in might. Who would not fear You, O King of nations? For fear belongs to You, because among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You. But they are all at once foolish and animal-like; the tree is an example of vanities.
(Jeremiah 10:1-8)Blessings to all,
B&K
http://charlesfamilymissions.org/2011/05/27/heritage-christian-school-chapel/
The Rapture of the Church
November 17, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian School
Pastor Oesterwind’s newest sermon deals with the timing and distinction of the rapture of church. He describes it as: A dispensational, premillennial, pretribulational outlook on the Rapture of the Church. Focuses on keeping the Rapture and the Revelation in Glory as separate events with the 7-Year Tribulation period intervening. An emphasis is placed on the failed predictions of the false prophet Harold Camping.
http://heritageantioch.com/2011/05/24/the-rapture-of-the-church/
Angelic Visitation during the School’s First Ignite/Retreat
November 16, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian School
Early this School Year 2010-2011, the Lord had been impressing me to speak to the lives of our students since I became a Pastor last January 2010. The message I’ve got from the Lord was “To redeem the time for the students.” In obedience to the Lord, I talked with the former school chaplain and in February 2011, I became again the Chaplain of Harvest Christian School International (HCSI).As I took over my first Chapel Service with them, I felt the spirit of heaviness on them. During this month I learned and observed the behaviour of the students to be at its low in general. Some students had become unruly. Then the Lord impressed again on me during the Birth Day Celebration of my youngest son, James, last March 6, 2011, Sunday to reach out to them and ‘’give them attention”. So, we started to have a Youth Event or Youth Friday for them last March 11, 2011 together with some teachers. The first meeting was with amazing results. I could see the students very excited and happy with the event and some longed that it will be Friday again.On March 19, 2011 (Saturday), we conducted our First one-day IGNITE or Retreat at the school chapel for Grade 6 to High School students. In the later part of the retreat, we all felt a very strong presence of God. So strong that three of the students saw God’s angels and some of these God’s angels talked to them and touched and hugged some of the students. Majority of the students fell down by power of the Holy Spirit even without me touching them. Most were crying in the presence of God. One Grade 5 student who was not even a participant got also an experience with God. They testified that some of them received some kind of electricity or warmth came upon their body as they surrendered their lives to God.One student testified that she saw five (5) God’s angels in the Chapel and a host of God’s Angels in Canaan room later and one of these angels told her to call the specific pers
on as He wrote their names in some kind of a board, to ask for forgiveness from that person. So we have to call that person as she called up their names. Beside her was also a young man who keeps on crying after the service in Canaan room as he felt very strongly the presence of God when one angel embraced him. The same student also testified that she saw one teacher was also embraced by an angel and that teacher also testified that during that time in Canaan room, she felt very strongly the presence of God that her feet became numb and without strength and heard a voice speaking to her mind to start serving God. That day was a very glorious day, it was an Experience with God for most of the students and teachers present.Though there were a lot of God’s angels visited the school on that day, there were also few black ones (3 of them) trying to grab the attention of the students and rob them of their salvation. But the devil did not win because all the students gave their life to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour of their life that day. GOD WAS VICTORIOUS! Hallelujah!The following day, the Facebook page of Harvest students were full of praises and admiration to God and the school of what the Lord has done to their lives. Some of their comments are as follows:“Before our recollection …the past days and months…I always say that Harvest Christian School International sucks … but after our recollection… I have realized that Harvest is the best school that can connect to GOD… my own Savior… I LOVE YOU ALL GUYS.” – March 20, 2011, 11:00pm“Before, I used to doubt Harvest Christian School International but then it actually made one of the most important things in my life … bringing me closer to God… I’m so thankful.. to your Sir Art!!!” But right now, I feel sorry for other people, that they are not here in Harvest… and now .. is the best.” – March 20, 2011, 4:26 pm.“To Harvest Christian School International, thank you 4 last nyt.. (: amazing.. Love you Lord.. even though I was not part of the activity I had the chance to experience it. Thank Youuuuuu HCSI!.. you changed a lot of student’s lives after one day (:.,, GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS!! Keep it up… : ))))))” – March 20, 4:09pm“I love you Lord! Thank You Harvest Christian School International for drawing us closer to God : ) Love” – March 20, 2011, 12:14am“I love Harvest Christian School International”- March 21, 2011, 9:08 pm.SHALL WE GIVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST A CLAP OFFERING FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE IN OUR SCHOOL !. WE GIVE BACK ALL THE GLORY TO YOU OH LORD!!
And to you Graduating students, I have a piece of advice to you:1. Now that you are a child of God:
a. Always use your mouth to bless you and others. There is power in the words we speak. Negative words … empower demonic spirits and destroy lives; Positive Words empowers your Faith and builds others and yours. Your words can put work God’s Angelic armies and are empowered when you speak the Word of God. Psalm 34:12-13 –“Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from telling lies.”
b. You are the greatest prophet of your life. Proverbs 18:21 –“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” The words we speak have the power to determine who we will become and what we will do. CONFESS WHAT YOU NEED TO BE, not what you think you are. When going through battles in our own life, we can conquer by speaking God’s Word to our situation.2. Exalt God in your life.a. You are light of the world and you are the salt of the earth. Make your life a living testimony to others so that by your good deeds they will be drawn near to God.b. Exalting God will draw a lot of blessings to you and to your future.3. Multiply yourself. As a child of God whom He can be proud of. He wants to multiply the good and holy things which He has invested in you. You have a leader in you and He wants it to be multiplied to others. I can see in you not just you but multitude behind you.So be it! May God bless you.(This speech was delivered by Pastor Art Tangal, CPA, Director of Harvest Christian School International (HCSI) during its13th Graduation and Recognition Rites last April 13, 2011 at ECOTECH, Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City, Philippines)http://hcsinternational.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/angelic-visitation-during-the-schools-first-igniteretreat/
What day is it?
November 15, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian SchoolI heard a few days ago that Samoa is struggling with a problem. The island nation of Samoa does a lot of commerce with New Zealand and Australia. But Samoa is on the east side of the International Date Line and Australia and New Zealand are on the west side. What that means is that when it is Friday in Samoa it is Saturday in Australia. And when it is Monday in New Zealand, it is still Sunday in Samoa. In essence, Samoa loses two work days when it interacts with countries to the west.
To resolve this, Samoa will soon be voting to move the International Date Line to its east, effectively changing its day of the week to correspond with that of Australia and New Zealand. That sounds like a valid and wise business decision on the surface. After that happens, there will be more days in the business week when Samoa can interact with its most valuable customers.
But it got me thinking. As a Seventh-day Adventist, I observe the seventh-day of the week, Saturday, as Sabbath. If Samoa goes through with the proposed change, what will Seventh-day Adventists–and Jews and other Sabbathkeepers, for that matter– in that nation do? Will they observe the new Saturday, which used to be Friday? Or will the continue to observe the original seventh-day according to their reckoning, regardless of what the country votes?
The extension of this is, of course, who decided what day of the week it was to begin with in Samoa? If people always observed Saturday as Saturday on Samoa, even though a few hundred miles to the west it was Sunday, then who made that original choice?
At this point, I don’t have an answer. In school–an Adventist school, mind you–they told us that the calendar had never been changed, and Saturday was always the seventh-day of the week. But that doesn’t consider that it isn’t the same day all the way around the world.
Something to think about.
http://glenrobinson.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/what-day-is-it/
Spring Program
November 14, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian School
Join us May 20 at 7pm for our Kindergarten through 12 grade Spring Program on the lawn! Come see our band play and award-winning choirs sing about God’s grace toward us.http://heritageantioch.com/2011/05/06/spring-program/
Root of All Evil
November 14, 2011 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian SchoolTonight I got to watch the movie, “The Razor’s Edge,” based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham. It tells the story of two young men who graduate from college in Illinois, then volunteer to drive an ambulance in France during World War I. The horrific experience they have causes one to cancel his wedding and plans to be a stockbroker when he returns to the U.S.
Instead, he moves to Paris and works at menial jobs, trying to understand the meaning of life. His quest leads him to India, then high into the Himalayas. He visits a monastery, where the chief monk instructs him to go to a lean-to high in the mountains. There he will find his answer. He sits under the lean-to for a long time, until he runs out of firewood and begins burning his books to keep warm. And then the answer comes to him: the meaning of life is to live.
While he is searching for himself, his friend who has returned to America marries his fiance, and has a successful life as a stockbroker. That is, until 1929, when the stockmarket crashes, his father shoots himself, and he ends up penniless and in a year-long depression.
At this point in the school year, it is my hope that students at Southwestern realize that the purpose of life is more than just to live. That meaning goes beyond just making money, too. I would hope that you realize that we are here to serve God. Unfortunately, I have heard some of my own students tell me that their intention is to just make as much money as they can. To quote Shakespeare: “That way madness lies….”
The financial insanity that started three years ago and has led to millions being out of work in the United States should be a wake up call for our graduates. Yes, the idea is to get a job when you get out of school. But in case you haven’t caught on yet, school isn’t just about training you so you can get a job. It’s about preparing you to live your life as an adult–as a Christian adult in a challenging world.
Money isn’t the answer to all your problems. In fact, as the Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” We conveniently tend to put the Great American Dream (a car in every driveway and a chicken in every pot) with the Great Commission. You don’t have to buy into the Western lifestyle to be a Christian. In fact, it is my belief that consumerism is the biggest challenge confronting Christianity in our society today.
Education is intended to teach you to think–about your work, yes, but also about your relationship with God and about your place in the world. It is my hope that when people ask you what you learned at Southwestern, it goes beyond your ability to get a job. In fact, a graduate with a well-balanced view of the world may be the best advertisement this school could ever have.
http://glenrobinson.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/root-of-all-evil/
