Support Blood:Water Mission
This afternoon I was graced with the opportunity to join a small gathering in Chicago with the members of the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning band Jars of Clay to talk about Blood:Water mission, the non-profit organization they founded to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. We were also treated to a screening of the new documentary Sons of Lwala, a film …
Read MoreMaterialism Photo Campaign by Cordaid
I found this photo campaign to be well done and very convicting:
Read MoreForum on Faith and Politics
On August 16th Rick Warren hosted presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain in a forum on faith and politics at Saddleback church in Lake Forest, California. Watch the entire forum online here at CNN, review the transcript below, then voice your reactions and opinions through commenting.
Read MoreBusinesses Felons Can Start
Finding a job with a criminal record is a very tough job. It will take hard work, planning and dedication. No one knows when all of your hard work will pay off. It may be next week, next month, or three months form now. The reality is, you probably have financial demands that must be met. Starting a business may be the perfect choice to earn some money. With a little creativity and hard work, you can start your own business. There are many ways aggressive people can get started in the business world. There are many self-employment options that have low start-up or investment costs. Your criminal record won’t matter running your own enterprise. Here are a few ideas:
A Painting Service
Read MoreAnger
"Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry." Ephesians 4:26
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Introductions
I’m new to this, so why don’t we start with introductions. My name is Mark Hemenway. I’m President of New England Prison Ministries. We bring the Gospel inside state and county facilities in Massachusetts, mentor discharged prisoners, pastor the chaplains and whatever else comes up in the course of a day. Our web site is www.nepm.org .
Read MoreHands and Feet
Matt Chandler of the Village Church in Dallas Texas recently gave an outstanding message on what it might look like to be the hands and feet of Jesus – complete with a solid theological foundation and practical application for his community’s specific opportunities to live lives of love and justice. You can link to the podcast here: www.thevillagechurch.net/podcast/index.html Or read …
Read MoreGod’s Perfect Will
"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2
Last year, the church I attend did a bible study through the book of Romans. I would recommend going to www.harvest.org/women and checking out the Women’s Bible Fellowship link on the left side. It was a great encouragement to me throughout the year and also helped to convict me of some serious sin issues in my life. Romans 12:2 was one of those verses.
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Local meet-up groups
The Just Life will resume local monthly meetings beginning at Park Community Church in Chicago. Live in a different city? Go to a different church? Great! Start up The Just Life at your church and build into the common conversation here. Under the meet-up category you can stay updated on the conversation and add to dialog through commenting. Meeting notes …
Read MoreWhy many Americans prefer their Sundays segregated
CNN has an insightful article on the reality that Sunday morning church is still the most segregated hour in America. Read the original article here, or for convenience the entire article is copied below:
Read More“Demographic Inversion”
An article in The New Republic outlines the dramatic demographic inversion of the American city. This shift has profound implications for issues of race, poverty, and gentrification. Read the original article here, or for convenience the entire article is copied below:
Read MoreCall + Response
“…never forget, justice is what love looks like in public…” Call+Response is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals a terrifying secret: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. In 2007, slave traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined. Call+Response goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving. First hand accounts …
Read MoreChild Sex Slavery: Law Combating Rape of Children for Profit
Here is a great resource on Human Trafficking and Child Sex Slavery from Loyola University Chicago’s Calling to Justice Conference in 2006. It gives excellent data about the nature of the crime and the extent of the law. Chicago has been designated by the FBI as one of thirteen locations of High Intensity Child Prostitution and is considered a major …
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