WHO MAKES 35 MPG VEHICLES?
Our US government has just announced that vehicles sold in our country will have to meet 35 miles per gallon requirements within 15 years or so. The current crop of vehicles are lucky to average 25 mpg, with a host of people opting to buy large trucks & SUVs that barely get 15 mpg in city traffic, loaded with people and/ or purchases.
Some sports cars and heavy 7-passenger SUVs are guzzling gasoline at the rate of 11 miles per gallon. At today's current high gas prices, the owners of gas guzzlers must fork over $90 just to drive 275 miles, with many of the higher-performance models requiring premium fuel. Ouch!
Some questions come to mind when considering what our government has mandated:
1) Who can expect to meet these high standards?
Observation: Currently there are just a handful of Asian imports that can do this well, like Toyota Yaris & Prius, Nissan Versa, Honda Fit & Civic Hybrid, Kia Spectra and Chevy Aveo (from the Daewoo folk in Korea).
None of the 90 SUV offerings in the USA right now will make it.
The top 2 selling trucks & the two best selling cars in the USA don't hit anywhere near that (Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, Toyota Camry, & Chevy Malibu).
2) Can US manufacturers suddenly become economy car experts after 47 years of failed attempts?
Answer: Don't bet the family farm on it. You don't see many 1960 Ford Falcons, Chevy Corvairs, AMC Ramblers or Plymouth Valiants on the street today. Hardly any of the small economy cars produced by our US companies assembled up thru 1997 are still driveable today, and are even less desirable as used cars. Chevy Vegas, Ford Pintos and Dodge Omnis made such enemies of American consumers that the foreign car revolution took over in most big population centers.
3) Are our legislators deliberately sabotaging our own domestic auto industry in favor of foreign competitors?
You decide: If our government refuses to seal our borders & enforce existing laws against unwanted "human" intruders, why would we assume that they care about the US companies that have helped build up our economy for the last 100 years, including using our production plants to save our country during times of World Wars?
Many states (typically southern, but not always) have given sweetheart deals to foreign automobile manufacturers to set up assembly plants in the USA (in on-union areas) starting in 1980 (with the Honda Accord plant in Ohio).
One friend in the automotive business for over 20 years worries that the anticipated arrival of Chinese automobiles on our shores will be a bad omen, as the new products assembled there just are not good at all.
4) Will our streets soon become flooded with tiny, unsafe, unreliable cars from Third World countries?
Wondering out loud: We sure hope that vehicles like Smart cars are not going to be the norm on our roads. There is absolutely no front crash protection of 5-6 feet ahead of the driver, nor the 4-5 feet of steel structure behind the rear seat drivers in the tiny microcars that are made & sold in Asia and Europe.
When one ventures out on our roadways, have you noticed that every 5th vehicle seems to be a 18-wheel semi truck (80,000 pounds), every 4th vehicle is a large SUV (up to 6000 lbs), and every 3rd vehicle on our roads is a large pickup truck (5000 lbs unloaded), all whizzing along at 55 to 75 mph? If collisions today of normal cars against these massive vehicles are dangerous, what would happen if microcars tangle with such mountains of motorized metal?
5) Is there knowledge of, or a desire for, higher US gasoline prices and/or taxes on gasoline, so that fuel-efficient vehicles will seem all the more attractive?
Not sure: Let us hope that our government does not decide to collect taxes at the gasoline pump like the Europeans and Asians have done for decades. Who will enjoy paying $6.50 a gallon, like they do in northern Europe or Japan today? To be sure, none of us will see a rollback to 17c a gallon like Venezuelans or Kuwaitis pay today.
6) Might the used-car market suddenly become a more lucrative business operation, if tiny, low-profit vehicles will be the only future offerings for shoppers
Dreaming creatively: Look at how many folk today are idolizing the Muscle Cars of the 1960s, with some of the rarest models selling for over $1 million at auction (when they had a new sticker price of just $4500). Scores of mechanical and body shops are restoring and polishing up vehicles that were fun to drive and enjoyable visually.
There are many sporty cars on the market today, as well, which may become very high demand by the years that the new CAFE standards go into effect:
Ford Mustang, Chevy Corvette, Cadillac XL-R, Dodge Viper, BMW M3, M5, M6 & Z4, Audi S4,S^,S8, Mercedes SL & AMG models, Nissan 350Z, Mazda RX-8, Infiniti V-8s, Lexus V-8s, Porsche, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maserati, etc.
Scores of 10-year old sporty cars (made in the 1990s), that are now out of production, may eventually become lovingly restored as well, for those who enjoy driving, as opposed to being forced to constrict themselves into future, tiny, bean cans by CAFE bureaucrats:
Toyota Supra & Celica, Ford Probe, Mazda RX-7 and MX-6, Chevy Camaro, Pontiac Firebird & Fiero, Cadillac Allante, Buick Riviera, Nissan 240-SX, Acura NSX and Integra GS-R, Honda Prelude, Mitsubishi 3000 GT, Dodge Stealth, Lexus SC300, Mercedes SL350/560, VW Corrado, BMW Z8, Z3, M5, M6.
What will you drive?
---Torrey H. Brinkley
Mead, Colorado
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Finding the Supernatural in Hollywood
Finding the Supernatural in Atheistic Hollywood
by Torrey H. Brinkley
A recently jailed Hollywood celebrity has claimed to have found religion while imprisoned. Another actor, part of a team of brothers, himself professes to be a preacher now. We all know of a certain vain and goofy Hollywood star, who likes to jump up & down off sofas, in between explaining his belief in the most bizarre religious hoax/scam of the last 50 years.
But, by and large, one rarely ever sees actors or actresses coming in or out of a church service (most likely because churches are not paved with red carpets, or lined with flashbulbs going off constantly). The multitude of self-serving interviews made with Hollywood types hardly ever talk about their spiriutality, and only a few actors, writers, producers and directors seek to give any glory to God in their acceptance speeches at award ceremonies.
In contrast, we almost always know about the political leanings of famous actors and actresses. They share articulate and passionate views on a multitude of national and international subjects, even if they have no training or expertise on any of these subjects. We also know how they view material possessions, consumption of legal and illegal substances, and what they view as moral or immoral behaviour.
It is rare to ever see a film, TV show or cartoon that might depict:
--a biblical view of the creation of the world,
--the moral dilema of humankind steeped in sin & selfishness,
--the need for a personal and global Saviour,
--the historical and biblical accounts of prophets of God who stood up to the evil in their societies,
--the workings of God's servants in Old & New Testaments, who performed miracles, to show the power of God over nature,
--and the factual accounts of Jesus of Nazareth, who was immaculately conceived , sinlessly ministered & performed miracles, suffered a cruel death on a Cross, and then suddenly arose from a rock solid tomb.
Nope, Hollywood truly tries to steer away from religious and supernatural stuff. It might be too controversial.
Yet, curiously, why is it that a large percentage of Hollywood offerings, whether in cartoon or dramatic forms, tries to show persons or creatures with supernatural abilities?
....A new box office release, showing currently in theaters, has 4 superheroes, each with special magical "powers", as they fly across the screen in glorious color (all a figment of some writer's imagaination).
....A popular TV series this past year, had more than a dozen characters, who all looked to be "normal", but each of them had a "special ability" to see or do things above & beyond human attributes (a Special Effects Consultant loves this kind of challenge).
....Children have loved their regular dose of Super Heroes for over 60 years of Superman, Batman, Spider Man, Wonder Woman, etc., who first appeared in comic book form, then cartoon TV series, and followed by major block buster movies (none of these special abilities were ever seen, verified or experienced by witnesses, as they were just figments of imagination of a writer or illustrator).
....Even though many actual villains have appeared throughout history performing grizzly deeds, certain authors and producers have decided to add a little more intrigue by giving strange, evil and extraordinary powers to:
-not die, unless shot with a silver bullet
-disappear from sight when pursued by authorities
-regenerate body parts after being blown up in an explosion
-survive even multiple gunshot wounds by police or "good guys."
-fly away from their pursuers right into the sky
-share certain characteristics with animals or other beasts.
A recent cartoon movie release even gave an old house the powers to eat people and their possessions when it felt it was being threatened.....and then get off its foundation and chase its enemies down the street. Oh well.
Should a wise, sane or relgious person worry about all the bizarre productions and emphases of abnormally wicked entertainment industry?
Wise King Solomon said over 3000 years ago:
"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope." - Proverbs 24: 19-20
by Torrey H. Brinkley
A recently jailed Hollywood celebrity has claimed to have found religion while imprisoned. Another actor, part of a team of brothers, himself professes to be a preacher now. We all know of a certain vain and goofy Hollywood star, who likes to jump up & down off sofas, in between explaining his belief in the most bizarre religious hoax/scam of the last 50 years.
But, by and large, one rarely ever sees actors or actresses coming in or out of a church service (most likely because churches are not paved with red carpets, or lined with flashbulbs going off constantly). The multitude of self-serving interviews made with Hollywood types hardly ever talk about their spiriutality, and only a few actors, writers, producers and directors seek to give any glory to God in their acceptance speeches at award ceremonies.
In contrast, we almost always know about the political leanings of famous actors and actresses. They share articulate and passionate views on a multitude of national and international subjects, even if they have no training or expertise on any of these subjects. We also know how they view material possessions, consumption of legal and illegal substances, and what they view as moral or immoral behaviour.
It is rare to ever see a film, TV show or cartoon that might depict:
--a biblical view of the creation of the world,
--the moral dilema of humankind steeped in sin & selfishness,
--the need for a personal and global Saviour,
--the historical and biblical accounts of prophets of God who stood up to the evil in their societies,
--the workings of God's servants in Old & New Testaments, who performed miracles, to show the power of God over nature,
--and the factual accounts of Jesus of Nazareth, who was immaculately conceived , sinlessly ministered & performed miracles, suffered a cruel death on a Cross, and then suddenly arose from a rock solid tomb.
Nope, Hollywood truly tries to steer away from religious and supernatural stuff. It might be too controversial.
Yet, curiously, why is it that a large percentage of Hollywood offerings, whether in cartoon or dramatic forms, tries to show persons or creatures with supernatural abilities?
....A new box office release, showing currently in theaters, has 4 superheroes, each with special magical "powers", as they fly across the screen in glorious color (all a figment of some writer's imagaination).
....A popular TV series this past year, had more than a dozen characters, who all looked to be "normal", but each of them had a "special ability" to see or do things above & beyond human attributes (a Special Effects Consultant loves this kind of challenge).
....Children have loved their regular dose of Super Heroes for over 60 years of Superman, Batman, Spider Man, Wonder Woman, etc., who first appeared in comic book form, then cartoon TV series, and followed by major block buster movies (none of these special abilities were ever seen, verified or experienced by witnesses, as they were just figments of imagination of a writer or illustrator).
....Even though many actual villains have appeared throughout history performing grizzly deeds, certain authors and producers have decided to add a little more intrigue by giving strange, evil and extraordinary powers to:
-not die, unless shot with a silver bullet
-disappear from sight when pursued by authorities
-regenerate body parts after being blown up in an explosion
-survive even multiple gunshot wounds by police or "good guys."
-fly away from their pursuers right into the sky
-share certain characteristics with animals or other beasts.
A recent cartoon movie release even gave an old house the powers to eat people and their possessions when it felt it was being threatened.....and then get off its foundation and chase its enemies down the street. Oh well.
Should a wise, sane or relgious person worry about all the bizarre productions and emphases of abnormally wicked entertainment industry?
Wise King Solomon said over 3000 years ago:
"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope." - Proverbs 24: 19-20
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Who Plays Baseball?
Who Plays Baseball These Days?
by Torrey H. Brinkley
ESPN this past week has spent much time lamenting about the number of black players in professional baseball. Every ESPN radio show on June 6th was devoted to this subject, with every talk show host repeating the same tired arguments, hour after hour.
Gary Sheffield, the much traveled slugging outfielder, has given his commentary, which incensed many observers, when he opined that American blacks are too hard to control, while the newly recruited Latin ball players are more easily manipulated into co-operating with the rules & structure of the current baseball scene. Sheffield and the other "sports experts" claim that blacks in America have gravitated to football and basketball because they are easier to play in "the hood" and cheaper on the family's budget.
Hogwash. There are some very obvious distinctions between the major American sports, which Sheffield and his critics are missing:
1) Baseball is a difficult sport to master.
--Very few humans can throw a fastball at 95 mph+ accurately, plus a curve ball to deceive other players.
--Even fewer humans can see and hit a 98 mph fastball from 60'6" distance. They never could and never will have that skill.
--Slow pitch softball, which is enjoyed & played by millions, has little in common with the scary speed of major league baseball.
2) Climbing the ladder to the major leagues in baseball requires many steps: high school ball, college baseball experience, A-level ball, AA baseball, and then AAA experience are the typical stages which a player must endure. For some baseball players, that can be 11 long years of a grinding, boring existence, with little or no national recognition, riding on old buses, staying in cheap hotels, playing in small towns (before tiny crowds), and getting a low salary.
--In a society predicated on instant gratification that is no fun for young men which believe they are entitled to everything now.
--For the last 15 years or so, blacks in America's inner cities have seen talented, athletic basketball players skip college/university and jump immediately to the NBA, making millions without any of the requisite maturing and team-building skills deemed helpful in "playing sports."
3) Oddly, although baseball has been an American phenomenon for over 100 years, it is not glamorous as a sport anymore.
....Few stars in American baseball are idolized or seen/heard doing commercials for any kind of products. Certain young people feel that they need to pursue endeavors which get them lots of name recognition & TV face time.
....Many American colleges have dropped baseball from their scholarship-level athletics, under the Title 9 requirements to have an equal number of men's & women's sports available. Thus, if there were American blacks wanting to go to college 4 years, play baseball & then move on, there are fewer & fewer schools which would offer such opportunties. Being a top baseball star on campus also does not offer the same status as a recognizable football or basketball hero.
4) American baseball is undeniably a long grind. There are no other major sports that play 162 regular season contests, plus Spring Training games, plus post-season series of 7 games apiece. The schedule means that baseball players are away from home from February to almost November , if they're on contending teams. Only NASCAR has a similarly long schedule, but they only race on Sundays (unless they do truck or Saturday racing).
++This kind of grueling schedule would not be fun for whites, blacks, Asians, Latins or Europeans, who desire to have quality family time. Few baseball players would consciously wish to postpone marriage or family until after their playing career is over (potentially age 37 or so).
++Only half of all baseball games are played at the home town ballpark, and all of Spring Training takes place away from home in either Florida or Arizona. Many ethnic groups highly value being around family members and/or those who have meant much to them during their youth. Baseball tears away at that close family experience, and almost exclusively glorifies the individualism, which is so uniquely American.
5) One other observation: baseball is not violent in the normal course of its play.
#Americans seem to love the crashing, banging & slamming to the ground observed in football.
#Even basketball has become a bumping and slam-dunking kind of a sport. #Hockey has been labeled recently as a fist fight punctuated by occasional ice-skating exhibitions.
#NASCAR & other racing fans love to watch fender-banging, often following by "the big crash."
#But, lowly baseball is more of a gentleman's game, requiring good throwing, quick bursts of running speed, and tremendous eye-hand co-ordination, with lots of waiting time out in a lonely outfield, hundreds of feet away from one's team-mates.
---The author taught 150 teens in Spain how to play fast pitch baseball, after they had only known the sport of soccer. A few "imported" teens from Chile and Australia helped to jump-start the action for these European youth, who were more adept at using their feet than their hands.
by Torrey H. Brinkley
ESPN this past week has spent much time lamenting about the number of black players in professional baseball. Every ESPN radio show on June 6th was devoted to this subject, with every talk show host repeating the same tired arguments, hour after hour.
Gary Sheffield, the much traveled slugging outfielder, has given his commentary, which incensed many observers, when he opined that American blacks are too hard to control, while the newly recruited Latin ball players are more easily manipulated into co-operating with the rules & structure of the current baseball scene. Sheffield and the other "sports experts" claim that blacks in America have gravitated to football and basketball because they are easier to play in "the hood" and cheaper on the family's budget.
Hogwash. There are some very obvious distinctions between the major American sports, which Sheffield and his critics are missing:
1) Baseball is a difficult sport to master.
--Very few humans can throw a fastball at 95 mph+ accurately, plus a curve ball to deceive other players.
--Even fewer humans can see and hit a 98 mph fastball from 60'6" distance. They never could and never will have that skill.
--Slow pitch softball, which is enjoyed & played by millions, has little in common with the scary speed of major league baseball.
2) Climbing the ladder to the major leagues in baseball requires many steps: high school ball, college baseball experience, A-level ball, AA baseball, and then AAA experience are the typical stages which a player must endure. For some baseball players, that can be 11 long years of a grinding, boring existence, with little or no national recognition, riding on old buses, staying in cheap hotels, playing in small towns (before tiny crowds), and getting a low salary.
--In a society predicated on instant gratification that is no fun for young men which believe they are entitled to everything now.
--For the last 15 years or so, blacks in America's inner cities have seen talented, athletic basketball players skip college/university and jump immediately to the NBA, making millions without any of the requisite maturing and team-building skills deemed helpful in "playing sports."
3) Oddly, although baseball has been an American phenomenon for over 100 years, it is not glamorous as a sport anymore.
....Few stars in American baseball are idolized or seen/heard doing commercials for any kind of products. Certain young people feel that they need to pursue endeavors which get them lots of name recognition & TV face time.
....Many American colleges have dropped baseball from their scholarship-level athletics, under the Title 9 requirements to have an equal number of men's & women's sports available. Thus, if there were American blacks wanting to go to college 4 years, play baseball & then move on, there are fewer & fewer schools which would offer such opportunties. Being a top baseball star on campus also does not offer the same status as a recognizable football or basketball hero.
4) American baseball is undeniably a long grind. There are no other major sports that play 162 regular season contests, plus Spring Training games, plus post-season series of 7 games apiece. The schedule means that baseball players are away from home from February to almost November , if they're on contending teams. Only NASCAR has a similarly long schedule, but they only race on Sundays (unless they do truck or Saturday racing).
++This kind of grueling schedule would not be fun for whites, blacks, Asians, Latins or Europeans, who desire to have quality family time. Few baseball players would consciously wish to postpone marriage or family until after their playing career is over (potentially age 37 or so).
++Only half of all baseball games are played at the home town ballpark, and all of Spring Training takes place away from home in either Florida or Arizona. Many ethnic groups highly value being around family members and/or those who have meant much to them during their youth. Baseball tears away at that close family experience, and almost exclusively glorifies the individualism, which is so uniquely American.
5) One other observation: baseball is not violent in the normal course of its play.
#Americans seem to love the crashing, banging & slamming to the ground observed in football.
#Even basketball has become a bumping and slam-dunking kind of a sport. #Hockey has been labeled recently as a fist fight punctuated by occasional ice-skating exhibitions.
#NASCAR & other racing fans love to watch fender-banging, often following by "the big crash."
#But, lowly baseball is more of a gentleman's game, requiring good throwing, quick bursts of running speed, and tremendous eye-hand co-ordination, with lots of waiting time out in a lonely outfield, hundreds of feet away from one's team-mates.
---The author taught 150 teens in Spain how to play fast pitch baseball, after they had only known the sport of soccer. A few "imported" teens from Chile and Australia helped to jump-start the action for these European youth, who were more adept at using their feet than their hands.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Finding Wisdom in the Bible
Two Bible Characters Share Their Wisdom
from Torrey H. Brinkley
All of us need a little wisdom at one time or another. Personal circumstances get difficult, and we wonder where to turn for answers.
We see problems worldwide, and wonder who is in control of this planet.
There are groups of people who seem intent on destroying each other, and we ask ourselves how long this will continue.
One solid helpful place to turn is to the Bible, which has provided answers for humankind for thousands of years.
Some interesting wisdom writings, which are always valuable: Job and James (why not mix an Old Testament book with a New Testament epistle?). Try reading thru these 2 books from start to finish.
Job is one of the oldest books in the Bible, whose name appears as early as 2000 B.C. Some conservative Bible scholars place this writing during Solomon's time (c. 950 B.C).
It is unusual in many ways, in that all the key elements in life's drama are interacting:
--God with his servant Job;
--Satan accusing/tempting God;
--Job's friends pretending to share their "human wisdom or insights"
--Job questioning God, and then receiving the Lord's "big picture" answer.
a) Don't miss the setting of the story as found in Chapter 1 & 2. It shows how even God-fearing people will be put to the test in this life.
...See 1: 8 in contrast with 1: 10-12 to lay out the plot
...Can you reply like Job did in response to loss/tragedy 1:21-22, as well as 2: 9-10?
b) All of Job's friends come with their insights, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, starting with chap. 4. Always note who is doing the talking, as not all the "bright ideas" in this book are from God (many are just men's silly perceptions).
c) It might be helpful if you would make some columns, and list:
++ideas truly from the Lord.
++good thoughts that are manmade, but not universally true.
++dumb ideas that don't match up with the rest of Scripture, & which could lead one astray.
((Note: in life, we all will face messages which fit one of these 3 categories.))
d) Make sure you read all the way to the end of the book.
#What lesson do you get from the Lord's speech to Job & his friends in Chaps. 38-41.
#Why is Job's reply to God so brief in 42: 1-6?
#How did the Lord reward Job for all his pain, suffering & loss (42:10-17)?
#And what did God demand from Job's friends in 42: 7-9?
James comes to us in the New Testament, as one of the earliest books written (maybe 48 B.C.).
--It was penned by the brother of Jesus, a leader of the church in Jerusalem, and designed for Christians everywhere.
--Yet, how odd that Martin Luther considered it too "works-oriented" to be included in N.T. Scripture.
-As a study tool, you might list the major themes, in order, and then jot down the key thought you learn from each section:
** temptations, 1:2-18
**hearing vs. doing, 1:19-27
**favoritism, 2:1-13
**faith vs. works, 2:14-25
**taming the tongue, 3: 1-12
**godly wisdom, 3:1318
**submission, 4:1-12
**perils of wealth, 5:1-6
**suffering, 5: 7-12
**and prayer. 5:13-20
What key verses did you like from the study of the great little book?
Hope you enjoy the study and gain some wisdom for your circumstance.
---Torrey Brinkley
from Torrey H. Brinkley
All of us need a little wisdom at one time or another. Personal circumstances get difficult, and we wonder where to turn for answers.
We see problems worldwide, and wonder who is in control of this planet.
There are groups of people who seem intent on destroying each other, and we ask ourselves how long this will continue.
One solid helpful place to turn is to the Bible, which has provided answers for humankind for thousands of years.
Some interesting wisdom writings, which are always valuable: Job and James (why not mix an Old Testament book with a New Testament epistle?). Try reading thru these 2 books from start to finish.
Job is one of the oldest books in the Bible, whose name appears as early as 2000 B.C. Some conservative Bible scholars place this writing during Solomon's time (c. 950 B.C).
It is unusual in many ways, in that all the key elements in life's drama are interacting:
--God with his servant Job;
--Satan accusing/tempting God;
--Job's friends pretending to share their "human wisdom or insights"
--Job questioning God, and then receiving the Lord's "big picture" answer.
a) Don't miss the setting of the story as found in Chapter 1 & 2. It shows how even God-fearing people will be put to the test in this life.
...See 1: 8 in contrast with 1: 10-12 to lay out the plot
...Can you reply like Job did in response to loss/tragedy 1:21-22, as well as 2: 9-10?
b) All of Job's friends come with their insights, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, starting with chap. 4. Always note who is doing the talking, as not all the "bright ideas" in this book are from God (many are just men's silly perceptions).
c) It might be helpful if you would make some columns, and list:
++ideas truly from the Lord.
++good thoughts that are manmade, but not universally true.
++dumb ideas that don't match up with the rest of Scripture, & which could lead one astray.
((Note: in life, we all will face messages which fit one of these 3 categories.))
d) Make sure you read all the way to the end of the book.
#What lesson do you get from the Lord's speech to Job & his friends in Chaps. 38-41.
#Why is Job's reply to God so brief in 42: 1-6?
#How did the Lord reward Job for all his pain, suffering & loss (42:10-17)?
#And what did God demand from Job's friends in 42: 7-9?
James comes to us in the New Testament, as one of the earliest books written (maybe 48 B.C.).
--It was penned by the brother of Jesus, a leader of the church in Jerusalem, and designed for Christians everywhere.
--Yet, how odd that Martin Luther considered it too "works-oriented" to be included in N.T. Scripture.
-As a study tool, you might list the major themes, in order, and then jot down the key thought you learn from each section:
** temptations, 1:2-18
**hearing vs. doing, 1:19-27
**favoritism, 2:1-13
**faith vs. works, 2:14-25
**taming the tongue, 3: 1-12
**godly wisdom, 3:1318
**submission, 4:1-12
**perils of wealth, 5:1-6
**suffering, 5: 7-12
**and prayer. 5:13-20
What key verses did you like from the study of the great little book?
Hope you enjoy the study and gain some wisdom for your circumstance.
---Torrey Brinkley
Thursday, May 17, 2007
1st Century Church Outreach Programs
How The Early Church Did Outreach
by Torrey H. Brinkley
Many modern churches today have unique forms of ministry which attempt to reach out to the "seekers" in their communities. From a multitude of musical presentations, coffee bars, sports activities, etc., there seems to be a never-ending number of ways that Christians look to touch and then talk of their faith to non-believers.
Until recently it was not known how the First Century Church also extended an olive branch to its pagan neighbors, those philosophical Greeks, the empire-building Romans, and tradition-bound Jews.But recently unearthed scrolls have given us marvelous insights into what the early church tried to reach the world apart from Christ.
1) Fishing lessons for boys and their dads. This weekend session was taught by Peter and James.
2) Mending tents and repairing fish nets. The Apostle Paul led this class, often just outside the town gate, where he could add theological tips to the exercise.
3) St. Peter's Sword Fighting Skills. This shows young men how to successfully wield this valuable weapon against fierce enemies. Discussion about the Christian's armor follows.
4) Living in the Catacombs. Early church women display their tasteful Christian art decorations in dull, drab, underground living situations, so as to make a warm, pleasant Christian home environment.
5) First Century Hymn Writing. How to create peppy, upbeat songs to remember fun times with Jesus, that will attract Jews and Greeks alike.
6) Christmas Drama Workshops. Teaching local church drama teams how to keep your donkeys, cows and camels from eating all the hay that you've placed in the manger scene.
7) Guided Tours to where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. For those who stay for the re-reading of the message, free fish and loaves of bread will be served.
8) Easter Dramatization Plans. Practicing moving the heavy stone from the rock tombs.
9) Plan Your Wedding With Early Church Wedding Planners: We will turn water you bring into wine, for a small donation.
10) Home Builder's Club meets at the seashore. Watch disciples attempting to build a house upon the rocks. Roman sceptics will concurrently be invited to build their house upon the sandy soil.
11) Free Tax Preparation Seminars. Taught by Matthew and Zachias.
12) Boat rides on the Sea of Galilee. See where Jesus calmed the storm, and hear the Disciples re-tell the thrilling adventure.
If you say, "Impossible! The early church founders, who often were martyred for their faith, would never do such things." Then, why not? And, if such activity would not be acceptable for the Early Church, well, are we not thinking clearly & carefully what our activities our churches today perform?
by Torrey H. Brinkley
Many modern churches today have unique forms of ministry which attempt to reach out to the "seekers" in their communities. From a multitude of musical presentations, coffee bars, sports activities, etc., there seems to be a never-ending number of ways that Christians look to touch and then talk of their faith to non-believers.
Until recently it was not known how the First Century Church also extended an olive branch to its pagan neighbors, those philosophical Greeks, the empire-building Romans, and tradition-bound Jews.But recently unearthed scrolls have given us marvelous insights into what the early church tried to reach the world apart from Christ.
1) Fishing lessons for boys and their dads. This weekend session was taught by Peter and James.
2) Mending tents and repairing fish nets. The Apostle Paul led this class, often just outside the town gate, where he could add theological tips to the exercise.
3) St. Peter's Sword Fighting Skills. This shows young men how to successfully wield this valuable weapon against fierce enemies. Discussion about the Christian's armor follows.
4) Living in the Catacombs. Early church women display their tasteful Christian art decorations in dull, drab, underground living situations, so as to make a warm, pleasant Christian home environment.
5) First Century Hymn Writing. How to create peppy, upbeat songs to remember fun times with Jesus, that will attract Jews and Greeks alike.
6) Christmas Drama Workshops. Teaching local church drama teams how to keep your donkeys, cows and camels from eating all the hay that you've placed in the manger scene.
7) Guided Tours to where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. For those who stay for the re-reading of the message, free fish and loaves of bread will be served.
8) Easter Dramatization Plans. Practicing moving the heavy stone from the rock tombs.
9) Plan Your Wedding With Early Church Wedding Planners: We will turn water you bring into wine, for a small donation.
10) Home Builder's Club meets at the seashore. Watch disciples attempting to build a house upon the rocks. Roman sceptics will concurrently be invited to build their house upon the sandy soil.
11) Free Tax Preparation Seminars. Taught by Matthew and Zachias.
12) Boat rides on the Sea of Galilee. See where Jesus calmed the storm, and hear the Disciples re-tell the thrilling adventure.
If you say, "Impossible! The early church founders, who often were martyred for their faith, would never do such things." Then, why not? And, if such activity would not be acceptable for the Early Church, well, are we not thinking clearly & carefully what our activities our churches today perform?
Loneliness Is a Real Problem
THE BACK SEAT FILM
This film project started almost as soon as I arrived as Associate Pastor of the Wichita Mennonite Brethren Church back in Summer 1974. The 3 major groups of Mennonites were about to celebrate their 100 year Anniversary of arrival in North America. So, they were commissioning various projects:
---Special conventions
----Some commemorative books
---Special musical numbers
----Ladies making quilts, etc. etc.
Our church was one of the host churches in Wichita, so one of our key young laymen got the task of helping cast and direct a missionary play, which also mentioned the arrival of the Mennonites by boat (from Russia--the Crimea) to the shores of the US. They all did a great job!
A new convert to our church was the ABC-TV news cameraman and President of the National Press Photographers' Association. He and I found lots in common from the beginning. The Sr. Pastor, Rev.Dale Warkentin (who later went off to serve as a missionary to Indonesia) asked if we could come up with a way to help add something special to the Centennial Celebration, that might be sort of a gift from our church.
Larry Hatteberg of ABC-TV, Wichita (now their evening news anchor) and I brainstormed along with the pastor and identified "Loneliness" as a key need in the society that we were facing. The church needed to speak to that issue and give a biblical response.
We drew up a tentative script, auditioned for local actors to help us out and got the major Kansas City Film Studio (that edited the big TV film series "Roots") to edit our film. The local ABC affiliate donated all the camera equipment, lighting, editing rooms, etc.We made a semi-documentary film, where we interviewed lots of people on tape, then used some actors visually where we couldn't put the live story-tellers on film.We hired a university professor who had done some acting and local commercials to be our thread for connecting all the people.
Many Christians gave a wonderful perspective on how God helps them thru lonely times such as death of a spouse, being single, getting old, going off to college, etc. There was enough diversity in the film that secular groups used the film in nursing schools, high schools &community groups besides lots of churches all over the country. Catholic media folk gave it a special award before it was even released. Netherlands National Television asked that we send copies over to them for airing in their country.
Our project involved free weekends for us, and received co-operation from other Mennonite media agencies, plus a little funding help. We did not finish until 1977, but ABC was thrilled to premier the movie The Back Seat (30 minutes), which got an excellent newspaper review right at air time.We took our Spanish translation copy (done while we were missionaries in Spain) and the English version over to the 1984 Mennonite World Conference in Strasborg, France for congregations that came from all the different continents.
A helpful addition for our Spain debut was when a wonderful gifted Spanish psychologist, Dr. Pablo Martinez, developed a series of seminars and audio tapes that he used in conjunction with our Loneliness Film in inter-church group meetings in the major population centers. Film was available in both 16mm reel-to-reel as well as video cassette version. One of the neat things was that, because of all the donated labor and equipment, we spent less than $7000 for the English version and maybe $3500 for the Spanish translation.
God Is Close, and He is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother,
Torrey Brinkley
Mead, CO
This film project started almost as soon as I arrived as Associate Pastor of the Wichita Mennonite Brethren Church back in Summer 1974. The 3 major groups of Mennonites were about to celebrate their 100 year Anniversary of arrival in North America. So, they were commissioning various projects:
---Special conventions
----Some commemorative books
---Special musical numbers
----Ladies making quilts, etc. etc.
Our church was one of the host churches in Wichita, so one of our key young laymen got the task of helping cast and direct a missionary play, which also mentioned the arrival of the Mennonites by boat (from Russia--the Crimea) to the shores of the US. They all did a great job!
A new convert to our church was the ABC-TV news cameraman and President of the National Press Photographers' Association. He and I found lots in common from the beginning. The Sr. Pastor, Rev.Dale Warkentin (who later went off to serve as a missionary to Indonesia) asked if we could come up with a way to help add something special to the Centennial Celebration, that might be sort of a gift from our church.
Larry Hatteberg of ABC-TV, Wichita (now their evening news anchor) and I brainstormed along with the pastor and identified "Loneliness" as a key need in the society that we were facing. The church needed to speak to that issue and give a biblical response.
We drew up a tentative script, auditioned for local actors to help us out and got the major Kansas City Film Studio (that edited the big TV film series "Roots") to edit our film. The local ABC affiliate donated all the camera equipment, lighting, editing rooms, etc.We made a semi-documentary film, where we interviewed lots of people on tape, then used some actors visually where we couldn't put the live story-tellers on film.We hired a university professor who had done some acting and local commercials to be our thread for connecting all the people.
Many Christians gave a wonderful perspective on how God helps them thru lonely times such as death of a spouse, being single, getting old, going off to college, etc. There was enough diversity in the film that secular groups used the film in nursing schools, high schools &community groups besides lots of churches all over the country. Catholic media folk gave it a special award before it was even released. Netherlands National Television asked that we send copies over to them for airing in their country.
Our project involved free weekends for us, and received co-operation from other Mennonite media agencies, plus a little funding help. We did not finish until 1977, but ABC was thrilled to premier the movie The Back Seat (30 minutes), which got an excellent newspaper review right at air time.We took our Spanish translation copy (done while we were missionaries in Spain) and the English version over to the 1984 Mennonite World Conference in Strasborg, France for congregations that came from all the different continents.
A helpful addition for our Spain debut was when a wonderful gifted Spanish psychologist, Dr. Pablo Martinez, developed a series of seminars and audio tapes that he used in conjunction with our Loneliness Film in inter-church group meetings in the major population centers. Film was available in both 16mm reel-to-reel as well as video cassette version. One of the neat things was that, because of all the donated labor and equipment, we spent less than $7000 for the English version and maybe $3500 for the Spanish translation.
God Is Close, and He is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother,
Torrey Brinkley
Mead, CO
Who Is Buying those Toyotas?
We Don't Sell Toyotas--But Many Folk Buy Them
DId you see in the news on Tuesday that Toyota has surpassed GM as #1 automaker in the world for the 1st quarter of 2007? It just seemed yesterday that they past Ford for #2. Was not too long ago that they passed up Chrysler. Yikes!
In watching the automotive scene for the last 50 years, while both living abroad & in the USA, this observer notes that:
++Toyota takes seriously the design & execution of every new product model.Not sure if GM, Ford or Chrysler were that on-the-ball.
++They want to make a quality vehicle, with good economy, clean styling & able to sell well. Our American counterparts have been more concerned with impressive styling & lots of torque.
++Somehow Toyota builds vehicles that don't make the Top Ten Recall list. GM and Ford & MOPAR work hard to be there every month.
++Clearly Toyota & Lexus have models that are desirable and/or within reason for various countries around the world. GM, Ford & Chrysler have built huge pickup trucks, larger & larger SUVs and big vans that are only comfortable on US roads (but less & less so for our ever-shrinking parking spaces).
++Not that it would have made any difference, but the US opened its borders (and wallets) to foreign imports starting 45 years ago. Japan particularly shut out all foreign (US specifically) cars from its shores, with weird rules & regulations....as well as distain for our products. Hmmmm.
++Even though Toyota is involved in some racing series (open-wheel racing, the off-road truck series, Craftsmen Truck NASCAR races, the sports prototype series, and now NASCAR Nextel cup racing), they still are not worried about selling hot muscle cars off their showroom floors. Ford is still stuck on pushing high-HP Mustangs, and GM & MOPAR seem intent to follow with marketing Corvettes, re-born Camaros and a re-invented Challenger, to go along with Hemi-V-8s, etc.). Muscle car sales in the USA alone do not top 150,000 a year, when weighed against 17 million total sales.Worldwide, the disparity would be even greater. Well.........
++Since I have driven them for my work since 1998, I know that Toyota knows how to make a great small economy car. Ever since Ford, Chevy and Plymouth tried back in 1960, our American manufacturers have failed to come up w/ good engines & trannys that are reliable & economical or appealing. Period. End of story. Americans cringe at the mention of words like: Vega, Pinto, Chevette, Maverick, Valiant, Reliant, Fiesta, Citation, Cavalier, etc.
++Toyota (and most other multi-national manufacturers) sees that gasoline costs $6 a gallon in Europe, and also costly in places like Asia.....so cars have to be very fuel efficient and of high quality. GM must not read international fuel cost reports.
++Don't think it affects car sales, but it sure impacts the bottom line: GM & Ford particularly are being killed by the (collective) long-term indebtedness to health care provisions for current & retired unionized workers that may reach $100 billion total. That puts a damper on R&D, advertising, hiring practices, new plants, etc. etc. Toyota has chosen to set up shop in non-union states, thus keeping costs down. Guess they want to spend their money elsewhere than on employee benefits.
Holler if you have any opinions or observations about Toyotas. I will share them with a friend, who is a 20-year Toyota salesman, featured in one of their insider magazines.
TORREY
DId you see in the news on Tuesday that Toyota has surpassed GM as #1 automaker in the world for the 1st quarter of 2007? It just seemed yesterday that they past Ford for #2. Was not too long ago that they passed up Chrysler. Yikes!
In watching the automotive scene for the last 50 years, while both living abroad & in the USA, this observer notes that:
++Toyota takes seriously the design & execution of every new product model.Not sure if GM, Ford or Chrysler were that on-the-ball.
++They want to make a quality vehicle, with good economy, clean styling & able to sell well. Our American counterparts have been more concerned with impressive styling & lots of torque.
++Somehow Toyota builds vehicles that don't make the Top Ten Recall list. GM and Ford & MOPAR work hard to be there every month.
++Clearly Toyota & Lexus have models that are desirable and/or within reason for various countries around the world. GM, Ford & Chrysler have built huge pickup trucks, larger & larger SUVs and big vans that are only comfortable on US roads (but less & less so for our ever-shrinking parking spaces).
++Not that it would have made any difference, but the US opened its borders (and wallets) to foreign imports starting 45 years ago. Japan particularly shut out all foreign (US specifically) cars from its shores, with weird rules & regulations....as well as distain for our products. Hmmmm.
++Even though Toyota is involved in some racing series (open-wheel racing, the off-road truck series, Craftsmen Truck NASCAR races, the sports prototype series, and now NASCAR Nextel cup racing), they still are not worried about selling hot muscle cars off their showroom floors. Ford is still stuck on pushing high-HP Mustangs, and GM & MOPAR seem intent to follow with marketing Corvettes, re-born Camaros and a re-invented Challenger, to go along with Hemi-V-8s, etc.). Muscle car sales in the USA alone do not top 150,000 a year, when weighed against 17 million total sales.Worldwide, the disparity would be even greater. Well.........
++Since I have driven them for my work since 1998, I know that Toyota knows how to make a great small economy car. Ever since Ford, Chevy and Plymouth tried back in 1960, our American manufacturers have failed to come up w/ good engines & trannys that are reliable & economical or appealing. Period. End of story. Americans cringe at the mention of words like: Vega, Pinto, Chevette, Maverick, Valiant, Reliant, Fiesta, Citation, Cavalier, etc.
++Toyota (and most other multi-national manufacturers) sees that gasoline costs $6 a gallon in Europe, and also costly in places like Asia.....so cars have to be very fuel efficient and of high quality. GM must not read international fuel cost reports.
++Don't think it affects car sales, but it sure impacts the bottom line: GM & Ford particularly are being killed by the (collective) long-term indebtedness to health care provisions for current & retired unionized workers that may reach $100 billion total. That puts a damper on R&D, advertising, hiring practices, new plants, etc. etc. Toyota has chosen to set up shop in non-union states, thus keeping costs down. Guess they want to spend their money elsewhere than on employee benefits.
Holler if you have any opinions or observations about Toyotas. I will share them with a friend, who is a 20-year Toyota salesman, featured in one of their insider magazines.
TORREY
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