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ROBERT ANDRESCIK is director of public relations for Northland, A Church Distributed and the former editor of New Man magazine. He also helps individuals and companies to get covered by the press and advises on social media strategy. CLICK HERE to learn more.
CHICAGO, IL — Noted author and Christian leader Dr. George Sweeting, 87, has a piece of advice for the baby boom generation: Don’t punch out the day your AARP card arrives in the mail.
The octogenarian has teamed with his son, Dr. Donald W. Sweeting, himself a respected author and president of Reformed Theological Seminary, on How to Finish the Christian Life: Following Jesus in the Second Half (Moody), which calls for a radical break from “America’s retirement dream.”
“That dream is unsustainable,” the authors explain, pointing to the recent volatility of the stock market, the decline of company pensions and the plummeting value of homes as a source of equity in the wake of the Great Recession.
“Further, we are living longer,” they add. “Boomers born in 1955 are expected to live to 79, which means retirement may last for almost one-third of their lives … this also means people may outlive their money.”
Instead, the father-son team is challenging boomers to become “retirement rebels,” people who have opted out of the retirement dream: “Think of Billy Graham, serving Christ into his 90s and even then saying he has still not preached his last sermon,” the Sweetings say.
Many Christians have unconsciously adopted the retirement mindset—of spending their days micromanaging retirement accounts, inspecting doctor bills, doing yard work and tinkering with the car. The Bible does not conceive of a retirement dream like this, the authors point out: “Second-halfers don’t retire from serving the lord; they expire while serving the lord.”
Deftly balancing homily and humor, the authors outline something more compelling than retirement, a Psalm 92 vision of not only being useful, but “flourishing” as we age. Topics include, “How To Stay Young on the Inside While Our Bodies Rebel,” “The Best Funerals I Ever Attended,” and “The Blessing of a Good Death.”
The authors conclude: “When there is no vision of eternal life as we see in the Bible—then this life is all there is. But we have heaven. Is that not a whole lot better than the retirement dream?”
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
DR. GEORGE SWEETING is a former president and chancellor of the Moody Bible Institute. He has served as a pastor in several churches, including The Moody Church. The author of numerous books, he resides in Antioch, Illinois, where he continues his pastoral work.
DR. DONALD SWEETING is president of Reformed Theological Seminary. A prolific speaker and writer, he is author of Acts of God and Lessons from the Life of Moody.
Order review copies of How to Finish the Christian Life: Following Jesus in the Second Half and schedule interviews with the authors by contacting Janis Backing, publicity manager for Moody Publishers, at 312-329-2108 or janis.backing@moody.edu.
ORLANDO, FLA. — A martial arts master and weapons expert who appeared on last night’s episode of Charlie’s Angels hopes that an upcoming tournament in Orlando will help kick up much-needed attention to the problems of human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
Co-sponsored by ISKA world champion and film fight choreographer James Sang Lee, owner of the Fortress Hill martial arts studio in Longwood, and Cory Shea of Central Florida Chrysler, the Fighting Lion Championship is the first tournament ever to be held in a four-story parking garage. Rated as an NASKA “2A” tournament and part of the journey towards winning the national title, the tourney will bring together the best fighters and martial artists in fighting, grappling, weapons, tricking and forms.
Competitors will vie for the impressive “Fighting Lion” trophy brought all the way from Beijing, China. But there’s a higher purpose to the melee. Sponsors are using the tournament to strike a blow against slavery and the sex trafficking industry.
The CIA estimates that 50,000 people are trafficked into or transited through the U.S.A. annually as sex slaves, domestic and garment workers, and agricultural slaves. “Who better to call upon in the fight for freedom than some of the best civilian protectors in the world—modern day martial artists,” Lee explains.
The tournament will be held Saturday, December 3, at Central Florida Chrysler Jeep Dodge, 8675 Commodity Circle, in Orlando. Learn more at www.fightinglionchampionship.com. Watch James Sang Lee in action on the Charlie’s Angels episode “Bon Voyage Angels” at abc.go.com/watch/charlies-angels/SH55126537. He will appear on USA Network’s Burn Notice next month.
ABOUT JAMES SANG LEE
The stuntman/fight choreographer has performed all his life in music, the arts, and in sports. Although a student of the American Academy of Music, his first love was martial arts. Lee’s background in classical piano and violin was overshadowed greatly by his championship training from martial art masters Wei Kong Koo and Sang Kee Paik. Lee went on to win back to back ISKA World Championships and multiple national martial arts championships in the 1990s. His discovery in 1993 by wrestling star Hulk Hogan led to his notoriety as a film and television villain. Currently a member of the Kahana Stunt Team, Lee is best known for stunts, character villains, and fight choreography in particular in the areas of martial art weaponry and firearms. He is the owner of Fortress Hill, a martial arts studio located in Longwood, Fla. that teaches youth martial arts, MMA mixed martial arts, self defense, weapons and more.
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Robert Andrescik
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BANNOCKBURN, IL. — From eye-catching billboards that proclaim, “I can be good without God,” to a critically acclaimed movie at the Sundance Film Festival, atheists are going public with their beliefs like never before. This has some Christians hot under the collar, but the leader of one of America’s leading evangelistic ministries is urging believers to keep their cool.
Public opinion polling shows that the number of Americans who are unaffiliated with any religion is growing rapidly. Alpha USA president Gerard Long, called one of the “stars of the church-saving circuit” by The Washington Post, is encouraging Christians to direct their time and resources toward giving people opportunities to hear and experience the teachings of Jesus Christ.
“One of the main purposes of the church is to serve and love people outside of its membership,” Long notes. “We’ve got to focus on the work God called us to, loving people and giving them a safe environment to hear and investigate the teachings of Jesus. Jesus himself was always asking people questions, and Alpha encourages people to wrestle with the big questions of life such as, ‘What happens when I die?’”
Alpha will also be going public this fall with a national ad campaign in more than 500 cities. Using everything from bumper stickers and yard signs to billboards and buses, the ads will ask people to consider: “If you could ask God one question, what would you ask?”
More than 30,000 individuals are expected to respond to Alpha’s national “Invitation” to consider the teachings of Jesus, including many atheists and agnostics.
Cejaye Bjarnason grew up not believing in God, but in her 20s had a change of heart as a result of Alpha. She recalls, “I thought church people lived in a make-believe world, and they were going to have a rude awakening when the end of their days came.”
But one day, Bjarnason reluctantly agreed to go to church with a friend. There, she learned about the Alpha course, a 10-week exploration of the teachings of Jesus that answers questions about God, the meaning of life and more: “Everyone was friendly and welcoming. The course made me open my ears, and I asked Jesus into my life. Now, I pray every day. I have let go of my anger … I feel like the Grinch at the end of my favorite Christmas movie. My heart is growing bigger every day.”
Since 1997, Alpha USA has seen more than three million people take the Alpha course. The number of U.S. churches using Alpha has more than doubled in the last two years alone, with more than 4,700 churches representing all major denominations now running the course.
To learn more about this year’s national Invitation, visit www.alphausa.org/invitation or call 1-800-DO-ALPHA (362-5742). For interviews with Alpha USA president Gerard Long, contact Janine Longoria at press@alphausa.org or 224-588-8526.
ORLANDO, FLA. — While LASIK has been available since the early 1990s, many people still have questions about the procedure. According to Dr. Joel Hunter, founder of Hunter Vision, Central Florida’s exclusive 3D LASIK provider, following are the five most-asked questions.
1. Is it permanent? “Yes! It’s safe, and the changes that the laser makes to the cornea are permanent,” Dr. Hunter says. “It’s true that as the eye ages, the natural lens inside the eye stiffens, causing a loss of near vision. However, with the advent of ‘blended vision,’ I am able to treat the eyes in a way that will allow for both reading and distance vision without glasses.”
2. Does it hurt? “No. I have never had a patient that thought it was a ‘big deal’ after the surgery,” he observes. “Almost everyone is understandably nervous before the procedure, and everyone is relieved afterward to realize that it was easier than they thought it would be.”
3. Can it help astigmatism? “As an ophthalmologist, I can say unequivocally that 3D LASIK candidates can get rid of their astigmatism with a laser,” he maintains. Astigmatism is a distortion in the curvature of the cornea. LASIK is able to change the shape of the cornea and remove the distortion entirely. “The difference between now and 10 years ago in what LASIK can do is staggering,” adds Dr. Hunter, who utilizes the latest diagnostic and surgical equipment for SBK-LASIK and lens replacement available today.
4. Can it help reading vision? It is a great myth that there is no way to fix reading vision after the age of 40, Dr. Hunter explains. “With blended vision, we can remove the need for glasses at near and far.”
5. How much does it cost? “Despite the advertising you see and hear from discount providers, the real answer is that it greatly depends on your needs and your desires,” he notes. Hunter Vision has been deliberate about creating options for patients on a tight budget, including interest-free and traditional financing options to make monthly payments affordable enough for most candidates.
It’s not uncommon for discount LASIK providers to cut prices in lieu of investing in new technology. He concludes. “I heard a wise man once say, ‘There are two things in life one should never choose based on price and advertising: parachutes or surgeons.’ I couldn’t agree more.”
ABOUT HUNTER VISION
Hunter Vision 3D LASIK was founded by Dr. Joel Hunter, the son and namesake of noted Central Florida pastor Joel C. Hunter. When you come to Hunter Vision, you get more than a “two-dimensional” exchange, you get a holistic experience and the most exceptional treatment available. Learn more at www.huntervision.com or by calling 407-385-1620.
INTERVIEWS:
Robert Andrescik
407-588-7574
rob@mediablanket.com
BANNOCKBURN, IL. — If God made everything, then who made God? Why is there evil? Is there life on other planets? These are just some of the questions people will be asking this fall when Alpha USA rolls out it’s annual “invitation,” a national ad campaign coming to more than 500 cities and featuring “Man Vs. Wild” star Bear Grylls.
Designed to help Alpha’s partner churches reach outside their four walls and energize their congregations in the process, the campaign asks people to consider, “If you could ask God one question, what would you ask?” People who respond to the ads are invited to a relaxed dinner where they can learn more about the Alpha course, a 10-week exploration of the Christian faith that answers questions about God, the meaning of life and more.
Churches nationwide representing every major denomination will work concurrently on the campaign, using everything from bumper stickers and yard signs to billboards and buses. Every year, thousands of people from all walks of life respond to the ads, including atheists, those revisiting their own faith, even people from different religions.
“We sometimes forget that the church is a wonderful organization for those who are not its members,” notes Alpha USA’s president Gerard Long, called one of the “stars of the church-saving circuit” by The Washington Post. “Alpha is a way for churches to get back to the work of evangelism and outreach that Jesus called us to, and to get people thinking without making them feel judged.”
This year, Alpha USA expects more than 30,000 individuals to respond to the invitation—many of whom have been through hard times and are looking for answers.
Last year, Yesenia Anderson of Manhattan, Kan., saw billboards, bumper stickers and bus ads all over town. Having hit “rock bottom” since her mom died a few years before, she visited Alpha’s website and found a course at a church nearby: “I believed in God but wasn’t interested in getting involved with a church,” she remembers.
But the warmth and relationships she experienced during the Alpha course quickly won her over. “I feel alive! I am loved and happier than ever,” Anderson raves.
Since 1997, Alpha USA has been helping churches create a welcoming environment where no question is out of bounds and people are free to make up their own minds about the teachings of Jesus Christ. The number of U.S. churches using Alpha has doubled in the last two years alone, with more than 4,300 churches representing 127 denominations now running the course.
If you would like to partner in this year’s Alpha invitation, visit www.alphausa.org/invitation or call 1-800-DO-ALPHA (362-5742). For interviews with Alpha USA president Gerard Long, contact Janine Longoria at press@alphausa.org or 224-588-8526.
LONGWOOD, FLA., MAY 18, 2010 — Northland, A Church Distributed has been chosen as a semi-finalist in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings.
Northland is participating along with hundreds of other teams from buildings throughout Central Florida and across the nation, including hospitals, hotels, high schools, other houses of worship … even a parking garage at the University of Central Florida.
Competitors measure and track their building’s monthly energy consumption using EPA’s ENERGY STAR online energy tracking tool, Portfolio Manager (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=evaluate_performance.bus_portfoliomanager); make improvements to their building’s energy performance; and share their progress. Of the initial pool of 245 competitors, a small group of buildings will be selected as finalists in July. Among the finalists, the building that demonstrates the greatest percentage-based reduction in energy usage will be recognized as the winner on November 2, 2011.
“Northland is honored to be a part of this competition,” says Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Northland’s senior pastor. “For us, it’s about following God’s first command when He said to take care of the Earth [Genesis 2:15]. Ultimately, it’s our spiritual responsibility.”
The 2011 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition includes 26 different types of commercial buildings from 33 states and the District of Columbia. The smallest building is just over 6,000 square feet, with the largest totaling nearly 3 million square feet. Northland’s facilities in Longwood, Fla., measure 160,000 square feet.
During last year’s competition, the 14 finalists reduced their energy consumption by more than 44 million KBtu a year, saved more than $950,000, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of nearly 600 homes.
Watch the contest unfold and find tips that will help you improve your home or business’ energy efficiency at www.energystar.gov/BattleOfTheBuildings.
Contact:
Robert Andrescik
Director of Public Relations
press@northlandchurch.net
407-949-7147
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ORLANDO, FLA. — The host of TV 45 Orlando’s flagship program says he’s seeing better than ever following a visit to Hunter Vision.
“I’m reading emails without my glasses and seeing clearly out the window, too … it’s just phenomenal,” says Ken Mikesell, 59, who has hosted “The Good Life” since 1983. A staple of Orlando’s Christian community, the 30-minute program helps viewers live healthier and grow in their spiritual journeys (www.tv45.org).
Mikesell opted for “blended vision” 3D LASIK, a procedure that corrects near and distance vision by creating a complementary focusing system for each eye. Thus, the need for reading glasses is resolved by letting the eyes work together.
Dr. Joel Hunter, founder of Hunter Vision (www.huntervision.com), explains: “People who are farsighted all have a story similar to Ken’s. They see great their whole lives, and then their near vision falls to pieces right around their 40th birthday. The procedure Ken had restored his near vision and cleared distance vision to a level he hasn’t had since he was in his 20’s and 30’s.”
Dr. Hunter adds that “today’s LASIK technology is staggering. Almost all of our patients never wear reading glasses after 3D LASIK. ”
More and more baby boomers are having laser eye surgery to free themselves from contacts, bifocals and reading glasses. And research finds that most can expect good outcomes from the procedure, Dr. Hunter says.
“People who had great vision, but have lost it since they turned 40, have options,” he concludes. “Most people over 40 just assume they have to put up with bad reading vision. That’s simply not the case.”
ABOUT HUNTER VISION
Located in Orlando’s RDV Sportsplex, Hunter Vision is Central Florida’s only provider of 3D LASIK. Using the latest technology to diagnose and treat its patients, and providing unsurpassed service that continues even after the surgery, Hunter Vision was founded by Dr. Joel Hunter, the son and namesake of noted Central Florida pastor Joel C. Hunter. Learn more at www.huntervision.com.
INTERVIEWS:
Robert Andrescik
407-923-4440
rob@mediablanket.com
BANNOCKBURN, IL. — More than two million people across America have discovered the Alpha course. This fall, pastors and other ministry leaders will have an opportunity to experience firsthand what some have called the “best kept secret in the church” at the 2011 National Alpha Conference.
Held in Irving, TX, October 13-15, this annual gathering will bring together individuals from throughout the country, seeking to transform their churches and their communities. The theme for this year’s conference is “Our Time Is Now!” According to Alpha USA’s president, Gerard Long, the theme was chosen because American churches are at a “tipping point” historically.
Studies show that Christianity in America is on the decline, says Long, whom The Washington Post called one of the “stars of the church-saving circuit.” A record number of churches are now facing foreclosure, and Christians in the U.S. are less biblically literate, more fearful about sharing their faith and less influential in society than ever before.
“These are huge warning signs that can’t be ignored.” Long explains. “American pastors are witnessing this decline, and they’re looking for tools that will help them to turn things around.”
Still, another study offers hope. According to research firm The Barna Group, the No. 1 priority for pastors in 2011 is to see their churches grow in the areas of outreach and evangelism.
“Many pastors have turned to the Alpha course to help their congregations focus on these two areas and are seeing significant increases across the board,” Long notes. “Congregations who use the Alpha course in a holistic way are seeing significant growth in the areas of discipleship, leadership … even giving.”
More than 16 million people worldwide have attended an Alpha course. But it’s only in recent years that churches have begun adopting it en masse here in the U.S. “I’ve heard people say that Alpha has been the best kept secret in the American church. But the secret is getting out,” Long says.
In fact, the number of churches using Alpha has doubled in the U.S. in the last two years alone. More than 4,300 churches in over 127 denominations—from charismatics to Catholics, and everything in between—are now running Alpha in a variety of settings, including prisons, schools, coffee houses, boardrooms, and living rooms.
The course is held over 10-weeks and is presented in a relaxed, friendly setting featuring good food and easy conversation about the Christian faith. It addresses crucial topics, such as the existence of God, the purpose of life, what happens after death and the teachings of Jesus.
The 2011 Alpha National Conference will feature Nicky Gumbel, bestselling author and senior pastor of London’s Holy Trinity Brompton, the church where the Alpha course was born. The conference will provide world-class training in evangelism and all aspects of how to run the Alpha course, including:
- Equipping your church and empowering your congregation for sustainable and adaptable outreach.
- Engaging your community with the Gospel, leading people into an encounter with Jesus and the church.
- Creating paths to discipleship that raises up new leaders and new ministries.
This year, for the first time ever, pre-conference intensives will be offered as an opportunity for more in-depth training, best practices sharing, networking and strategic workshops based upon particular areas of interest or roles, including senior pastors, church planting, and more.
For more information or interviews with Alpha USA president Gerard Long, contact Janine Longoria at press@alphausa.org or 224-588-8526. Visit www.alphausa.org to learn more about the 2011 Alpha National Conference and to find out about special early bird rates.
CHICAGO, IL — Will only a few select people make it to heaven? Will billions of people spend eternity in hell?
Many people are angry with God for allowing evil and suffering to exist in this world, and yet they are also angry with the idea of God as judge. You can’t have it both ways, says Trevin Wax, associate pastor of First Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Tenn., and author of the new book Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope.
“If you expect God to do something about the evil in this world, then you want God to judge,” Wax explains.
The God who is truly scary, he adds, is not the wrathful God of the Bible, but the god of the “judgmentless gospel,” who closes his eyes to the evil of this world, shrugs his shoulders, and ignores it in the name of love.
“What kind of ‘love’ is this?” Wax asks. “A god who is never angered at sin and who lets evil go by unpunished is not worthy of worship.”
Hell has recently become a controversial topic with the release of Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. Written by Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., the bestselling book reexamines Christianity’s traditional understanding of the afterlife.
While Wax says that some evangelicals are responding to the book in unhelpful and pastorally damaging ways to, he still takes issue with Bell’s message.
“In the end, the judgmentless gospel is no gospel at all. It leaves us with a diminished God and no need for grace,” Wax notes. “Once we take away judgment, we lose the gravity of our sin. Once we lose sight of our sinfulness, we short-circuit our experience of the powerful gratitude that comes from receiving grace.”
Counterfeit gospels can be very appealing, Wax explains, because when we omit eternal judgment from the gospel, we can present a more palatable version of Christianity to society.
“Unfortunately, when we downplay or deny judgment, we lose one of the reasons to share our faith in the first place. Our desire to remove the obstacle actually removes the urgency,” Wax says.
He concludes, “I pray that Rob Bell will once again preach the glories of the God who truly loves, the God who loves us despite our sin, the God who takes on flesh and dies for us in order that we might find eternal satisfaction in Him.”
For review copies of Counterfeit Gospels or interviews with Pastor Trevin Wax, contact Stephanie Smith at steph.duncan.ssd@gmail.com or 443-955-2394.
