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Issue Number Twenty-Nine

Don's Schedule
Please pray for these
ministry opportunities
in August.

  • Bread of Life Church
    Torrance, CA

  • Community Bible Church
    Nashville, TN

  • Living Hope Baptist Church
    Bowling Green, KY

  • Calvary Bible Church
    Burbank, CA

  • Hope Bible Church
    Los Angeles, CA

  • Southeast Regional FIRE Conference
    Faith Bible Church
    Sharpsburg, GA

  • Carlisle Ave. Baptist Church
    Louisville, KY

  • Living Hope Baptist Church
    Bowling Green, KY

Bulletin Insert on Family Worship

Simplify Family Worship

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Know the Good News of Christian Spirituality

Audio on Family Worship

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New From The CFBS

Based on Don's new booklet, Family Worship, here's a

FAMILY WORSHIP QUIZ

  1. Since Abraham's son, Isaac, knew nothing of the public worship of the Lord (it would be hundreds of years before the Jewish tabernacle and temple were built), how did Isaac know in Gen. 22:7 that an element of worship to God was missing? (See p. 4 in the booklet for the answer.)

  2. Why is it reasonable to assume that family worship comprised a part of how Joshua carried through with his famous resolve, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15)? (See p. 5.)

  3. Since congregational worship was so infrequent in the days before the local synagogues developed, when would the Jewish fathers scattered across Israel—in obedience to the command of Ps. 78:1-8—have taught their children "the praises of the Lord"? (See pp. 5-6.)

  4. In addition to active involvement in a local church, what is one of the best, steadiest, and most easily measurable ways for fathers to obey the command of Eph. 6:4 and bring their children up in "the discipline and instruction of the Lord"? (See pp. 6-7.)

  5. What is implied by the fact that the prayers mentioned in 1 Pet. 3:7 are not those spoken by husbands and wives individually in private, but prayers prayed by couples together? (See p. 7.)

  6. What two major denominations, in the most influential confession of faith produced by each, declared identically, "God is to be worshiped everywhere in spirit and in truth, as in private families daily, and in secret each one by himself"? (See pp. 9-10.)

  7. What well-known document from Christian history prescribes church discipline for husbands/fathers who will not lead family worship? (See p. 10.)

  8. What world-famous Christian said of family worship, "Here the reformation must begin"? (See p. 11.)

  9. Who pastored the largest church in the world in his day, presided over sixty-six ministry organizations (including a college and an orphanage), wrote more than two hundred books, read five books a week, personally penned five hundred letters each week, and still made time for family worship every evening at 6:00 p.m.? (See pp. 13-14.)

  10. What renowned missionary grew up in a home where a prostitute later professed to be saved as a result of creeping up under the window on winter nights to hear their family worship? (See p. 14.)

  11. What three, one-syllable words comprise the elements of family worship? (See p. 17.)

  12. How can families practice family worship if the father is not a Christian, or if there is no father at home? (See p. 21.)

  13. How can families practice family worship if the children are very young, or if there is a wide range of ages among the children? (See pp. 21-22.)

  14. What should a man say to his family when he realizes his responsibility to lead family worship? (See pp. 23, 26.)

  15. How did the late astronaut, Rick Husband, captain of the Space Shuttle Columbia, lead his family in worship while he was in space? (See pp. 25-26.)

  16. How and why should single men and women think of family worship? (See p. 27.)

Detailed answers to these questions are found in Don's new booklet, Family Worship: In the Bible, In History, and In Your Home. For ordering information and quantity discount rates, go to www.BiblicalSpirituality.org or click on the booklet photo below.

This book belongs in every Christian home and in the hands of every Christian parent. -Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

This 32-page booklet also contains a five-section discussion guide for use in church classes, men's groups, and small group studies.

"Regardless of what anyone else does, let every father, let every Christian commit himself to this: 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord' in family worship" (p. 27).



Things Well Said

Dr. Fred Malone's candid testimony of the sometimes difficult pastoral work of "Reforming the Local Church." Click here to read it.


Family News and Notes

The release of the Family Worship booklet in June has been a major event for us this summer. It is my first attempt at self-publishing. (I assumed that none of those who have published my books, nor those book publishers who have asked me to write for them, would be interested in a booklet-sized, 11,000 word piece.) But I have long felt strongly about this subject, and my research for what was originally a conference message convinced me that a need for such a published work existed. The response to Family Worship has been extremely encouraging, and as long as the Lord provides the means, I trust it will serve as a mainstay in the stable of resources made available by The Center for Biblical Spirituality.

I'm grateful for those who continue to inquire about my health, and especially grateful for those who have continued to pray for me. At this writing, I am seven months post-surgery, and doing well. If I awakened today from a seven-month sleep and knew nothing of the surgery, I would notice that my insides operate differently than before I went to sleep, but beyond that (and a scar) I wouldn’t be aware of any physical differences.

The Southern Seminary magazine printed a story in the summer issue about my cancer and recovery. If you'd like to see the photo and read the story, click here.

Because of my experience, in July Caffy had her first colonoscopy screening and received—thankfully—a good report. If you are over 50 (or over 40 and have a relative who has had colon cancer), have you had a colonoscopy? If not, it's time. It takes only about 20 minutes, and is painless. And in most cases, those with medical insurance will find the procedure covered, provided you meet the qualifications above. Ninety percent of those who die from colon cancer (which is the second leading cancer killer) would not die from it if only they'd have a colonoscopy in time.

Laurelen's summer highlights have included piano camp, serving in our church's VBS, enjoying five days with friends back in Kansas City while I was preaching there, and a mission trip. The mission trip to Slidell, LA was particularly significant. Laurelen was part of a team of twelve youth and eight sponsors from our church who helped renovate a Baptist church in Slidell as well as demolish a condemned home in the neighborhood, gut another, and paint a third. A good mission trip can be transformational experience.

Farm & Garden Report

I suppose it's time to begin a "Farm & Garden Report" as that seems to be so much of the family news this year.

Caffy has her first garden since 1980. It's been very therapeutic for her. In contrast to the Great Garden Disaster of '80, her work a quarter-of-a-century later has been a dramatic success. This unretouched photo (okay, we cropped it) documents her seven-foot-tall tomato plants. No actor was used in this photo. This is an actual gardener. No animals were injured in this photo (though it does look like Caffy is watering Taffetta instead of the tomatoes). Caffy has even been emboldened by her success to enter some tomatoes in the state fair. Her purple hull peas have been spectacular, though we had to send off for seeds as no seed merchant in Louisville had them. Could the absence of such a Southern delicacy be the real reason why Kentucky was considered a "Border" state during the war?

News flash! Caffy is now an apiculturalist! During the winter, some friends from Illinois were cleaning out their barn and found some old bee hives. Our friends were coming to visit, and asked Caffy is she wanted them. Because our former pastor in Kansas City, and now my colleague in Louisville—beekeepin' Jim Orrick—once told Caffy he thought she had the temperament necessary to be a beekeeper, Caffy decided to accept the offer of the hives. They were stacked haphazardly out back. Early this summer, I warned Caffy that she'd better store the hives before bees took up residence in them. Actually, I'd never heard of such an occurrence, but I didn't want to take a chance. By the time Caffy got out there, we'd been adopted. So off to our "local" beekeeping supplier (in Frankfort) for the essential gear and a hour or two of impromptu advice. We won't get any honey until next year, for the bees will need this year's honey to get them through the winter. And Caffy has some work to do to reorganize the disorganized way in which the bees set up housekeeping in the hive. I'll try to have a picture of her in her "space suit" and provide more exciting apicultural news in the next issue.

Caffy's flowers throughout the yard are thriving, too. Everything from the Hydrangeas to the Zinnias are blooming all over. I planted nine trees since the last newsletter; eight are doing well. Sugar maples and a red maple for fall color, dogwoods, crabapples, and a Kwanzan flowering cherry for spring.

Finally, the bird news. Our specialty here seems to be Song Sparrows. A beautiful call, especially from that nest in the blue spruce at the corner of the front porch. The hummers are responding well to the two feeders. Rufous-sided Towhees have nested all around; much closer than last year. And if you can't get excited about Rufous-sided Towhees hanging around, well, I guess there's not much that can excite you. In the evening, a chorus of two distant Whippoorwills often echo the one across the road.

That’s the news via the white rocking chair on the front porch.

Pray for us.

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
2 Timothy 4:22

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