Candidate's Beliefs Do Matter

Beliefs of The Democratic Candidate in '08'
as observed by Torrey H. Brinkley

ON HARD WORK VS. LAZINESS
"In this country, more than anywhere else in the world, we appreciate the dignity of labor & understand that it is honorable to serve. And yet there is room for improvement, for all over over land there are scattered here & there, young men & young women--and even parents--who still think it is more respectable for a young man to spend in idleness the money someone else has earned than to be himself a producer of wealth. ....We must put the badge of disgrace on the idle person." (p. 201)

AS TO GOOD FORTUNE VS. INFLUENTIAL FRIENDS
"I have been a child of fortune from my birth. God gave me into the keeping of a Christian father and a Christian mother. They implanted in my heart the ideals that have guided my life. When I was in law school, I was fortunate enough to fall under the influence of men of ideals who helped shape my course. I have been abundantly rewarded for what little I have been able to do, and my ambition is not so much to hold any office, however great, as it is to know my duty and to do it, whether in public life or as a private citizen." (p. 167).

THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR FREEDOMS
"The Statue of Liberty was the gracious gift of a sister republic & stands upon a pedestal which was built by the American people. That figure --Liberty enlightening the world-- is emblematic of the mission of our nation among the nations of the earth. With a government, which derives its powers from the consent of the governed, secures to all the people freedom of conscience, freedom of thought and freedom of speech, guarantees equal rights to all, and promises special privileges to none, the United States should be an example in all that is good,and the leading spirit in every movement which has for its object the upifting of the human race." (p. 114)

CHOOSING BETWEEN WAR & PEACE
"Nation after nation, when at the zenith of its power, has proclaimed itself invincible because its army could shake the earth with its tread, and its ships could fill the seas, but these nations are dead, and we must build upon a different foundation if we would avoid their fate.
"I appeal to you to make your views known to the President, that he may be strengthened against the insolent clamour of those who ridicule peaceful methods, and, as if infuriated by the scent of blood, are bellowing for war. "I trust that a life devoted to the public, and overflowing, like a spring, with good, exerts an influence upon the human race & upon the destiny of the world as great as any death in war." (pp. 300, 302, 304)

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BEVERAGE
"All hail to the drink of drinks--to water, the daily need of every living thing."Men cannot afford to be drinking alcohol, for financial and physical reasons. The physical discomfort fails to compensate for any possible pleasure. Again, men owe to their progeny life without any inherited weakness, and lastly, 'man is his brother's keeper', and he is morally wrong in drinking alcohol, for the example it sets the weak." (pp. 314-315)

WHAT IS THE AUTHORITY FOR RIGHT DECISIONS?
"The attack being made right now upon those who stand squarely for the Christian faith of their fathers is not an attack on orthodoxy. It is an attack on religion. If you put the hypothesis of science above the Word of God, I don't expect you to tolerate me."The Bible is the Word of God, and the Bible is the only expression of man's hope of salvation. The Bible, the record of the son of God, the Saviour of the world, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified & risen again, that Bible is not going to be driven out of this court by experts who come in to testify that they can reconcile evolution with its ancestors in the jungle, with man made by God in His image & put here for purposes as a part of the Divine plan." (pp. 348, 361)

.........Yes, these were the thoughts of the Democratic Presidential Candidate who came to Denver, Colorado in 1908. Excerpts were from the biography written by Genevieve and John Herrick in 1925 "The Life of William Jennings Bryan".

Distorting the Truth

How The Enemy Chips Away at the Truth
by Torrey H. Brinkley

Many have lamented at the loss of absolutes in our society, and how the truth has been warped and distorted. What was once considered wrong is now OK. What we thought was right is now considered "bad form." Things one could once say are now labeled "politically incorrect." Truths taught in our schools & churches are now just old fables. How did this happen?

The Enemy (of the Truth) has always had a plan to deceive and to bring down the wisdom and guidance from above. His steps to lead us into failure and falsehood are measured, calculating, and appropriate for the time. See how it all started:

Questioning Authority: In the Garden of Eden, Satan asked Adam & Eve, "has God said......?" The Devil didn't think these simple humans had a good memory of the truth of God's commands.
--How often is this tactic employed today by those who deny God's instructions? Educated folk today have tossed out bibical Revelation, and have replaced it with fanciful imaginations.

Denying truth statements: As well, in the Garden, the Serpent flatly contradicted what God had told the first couple, "No, if you eat of the forbidden fruit, you will not die!" God's dictates seemed so harsh, that Satan knew the couple would prefer to hear something softer.
--How quickly & flippantly do modern pagan educators dismiss anything stated in the Bible (whether miracles, origins, commandments or salvation-related)?

Building up the listener: Again, the Deceiver told Adam & Eve that they in fact would become like gods, if they would eat fruit from that one tree. Who wouldn't like the extra benefits from a promise like that, even if it means disobeying God?
--Satan loves to "empower" people who feel cheated by the system or the status quo. The Enemy knows there is strength in numbers, even if it is for the wrong cause or purposes.

Putting God out of the picture: If Satan can convince us that the Lord is not around, & He can't see us, then it becomes easy to justify doing something which we think is just our own little secret. How foolish to imagine that God pays no attention to even the smallest detail of our lives! (Just ask Adam & Eve how hard it was to hide from God.)
--To be sure, God has been removed from the modern classroom, for a good part of 90 years in American public education. The modern news media has not uttered the "God" word since its infancy. Hollywood refuses to acknowledge the presence of God, but loves to enable small boys and young, curvy women with magical "superpowers."

Introducing other objects of worship: From early stories in the Old Testament we see that people considered adoring other gods, even things made with human hands (idols, possessions, the fleshly body, lands, etc.). Even the children of Israel frequently left the God who changed history & overcame laws of nature to follow worthless idols.
--Humankind has been able to invent & create so many fascinating technologies, that they have all but forgotten the God who placed them on this planet, set the Sun and Moon in motion, gave us water & food to eat, and instructed us in how to live in peace, harmony & right living. Yet, no matter what things people worship today, they are empty until they find rest in Christ's love, forgiveness and acceptance. We need the Saviour to heal us, not more glamorous celebrities for us to admire.

Adopting the ways of foreigners: Another pronouncement God gave to Israel was to never accept the false teachings and philosophies and deities of their pagan neighbors. Thru foreign trade, social interaction, and inter-marrying, the Jews easily fell prey to those who carried them off into slavery, torture, abuse and degradation.
--No one person in history equalled the success and wisdom of King Solomon, who gained all the fame & fortune that the world had to offer, but he lost his single-mindedness, his purpose and his eventual kingdom, when he made foreign alliances & took on over 700 wives & 300 mistresses thru the goal of greedy "internationalism." Are we any wiser than Solomon today?

Choosing the wrong battles: It is so easy to get distracted from the right focus & the proper direction, and then to charge after the wrong Enemy. David was such a successful warrior and king that he battled scores of enemies around Israel. God eventually had to tell David that he was not fit to build the Lord's Temple and to restore Jerusalem, because he had too much blood on his hands.
--Today we see so many wrongs in the world, often lashing out against all kinds of enemies, and expend all our energy and resources, that we have no time left for God, His Word, sharing His message, building up other believers, witnessing to our neighbors, or feeding the hungry. A wise general reportedly said, "choose the hill you want to die on." That was bad grammar, but good advice.

Therefore, the end result of this attack on absolute values & truths has led to a dismantling in modern society of these pillars:
1) GOD (of the Bible) has been replaced with any religion, or no faith at all. Some even worship the "Planet".
2) COUNTRY (& its founding principles) has been superceded by a global view of history, issues, economics & planning. Some have abandoned hard work & saving, and instead hope for gambling winnings & government transfers of wealth.
3) FAMILY (as an institution of love, nurture & education) is now shown as no better than any grouping of peoples.
4) MARRIAGE (as something God intended for man & woman in blessed intimacy & mutual strengthening) is scorned as no better than any other relationship or laison (without commitment).
5) MORAL VALUES (especially God-given) are dismissed because any & all ideas should be equally acceptable. Popularity is more important than morality.
6) LAWS & COMMANDMENTS are rejected, as modern man asks "why should anyone else have authority over me ?"

--the author studied under Dr.Francis Schaeffer in Switzerland in 1969, and has served as a pastor in the USA and church-planting missionary to Spain.

Auto Sales Changes Each Decade

Auto Industry Experiences Change
by Torrey H. Brinkley

Recent headlines have noted that the automobile industry in the USA is experiencing profund changes. Big pickup trucks and large SUV sales are plummeting, as customers search out newer economical alternatives in the wake of extremely high fuel prices. Overall sales of vehicles in the USA, will drop from a high of 19 million units a few years ago to perhaps under 15 million for 2008. Major manufacturers are wrestling with organizational and financial challenges to help turn a profit in these difficult times.

However, this is not the first time that the auto industry has had to shift gears, re-think their product mix, and move in a different direction from the recent successful past. Look at the historic record to see that automobile manufacturers rarely have had 5-6 consecutive years of continuous profits and smooth-sailing:

**DEPRESSED AUTO SALES. 1929 to 35 was the Great Depression, which wiped out many previously successful auto companies. Money was so tight, that average folk just could not afford to buy a car.
**BRIEF RECOVERY PERIOD. 1936-41 was a re-grouping period, when many cars became sleeker and more modern. Wealthier folk, who had money, did buy cars.
**TANKS NOT CARS. 1941-46, however, brought all auto manufacturing to a halt, as World War II saw U.S. car plants turned into war production facilities. The men went off to Europe & Asia to fight a bloody war, while women went to work on the assembly lines, wondering what the future of the world might be.
**PUTTING AMERICANS BACK ON THE ROAD. 1946-50 saw re-tooling of the postwar plants, with some new attempts to provide Americans with their first cars: Kaiser, Crosley, Frazier, Jeep, etc.

**TRYING TO GET MODERN.1951-54 saw the first major remodeling and restyling efforts, as cars became a major transportation mode west of the Mississippi, & especially on the West Coast.
***STYLED BOATS WITH FINS. 1955-61 brought bigger and wider cars, with growing tail fins, boat-sized bows, and even a few foreign entries coming on the scene (Volkswagen, Triumph, Mercedes, MG and Jaguar).
**FIRST SMALL CAR THRUST. 1960-64 saw some people desirous to get into a new batch of economy cars (not the greatest Falcons, Corvairs and Valiants) to combat the influx of foreign competition (which included Toyota, Datsun, Renault, Austin, Fiat, etc.). There was an explosion of choices in the marketplace, and gasoline cost just 25 to 30 cents a gallon.
**MUSCLE CAR ERA. 1964-72 brought out the horsepower wars, with Muscle Cars & Pony Cars from the domestic manufacturers, and an ever-expanding assortment of foreign sporty cars: Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW, Pantera, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jensen, etc.)

**REGULATIONS & POLLUTION CONCERNS. 1973-78 however, spelled the end of the car fun, as government regulations and a gas crisis, slowed everything down, while anti-smog devices choked off performance. Sales of pickup trucks blossomed, but convertibles all but disappeared.
**GOING SMALLER AGAIN. 1977-85 saw a transition from larger rear wheel drive machines to smaller front wheel drive models. Minivans sprung on the scene to haul families and their gear. These two factors helped saved Chrysler Corporation from sure bankruptcy and closure. Station wagons, however (big, heavy and gas-guzzling), fell by the wayside.
**DESIRE FOR VALUE SEDANS. 1985-90 saw the rise of mid-size sedans in the marketplace (the Ford Taurus and Honda Accord led the way) .
**A NEW THIRST FOR POWER & LUXURY. 1990-2007 saw a return slowly of muscular V-8s for sporty cars, and the introduction of luxury Asian nameplates: Acura, Lexus and Infiniti. Convertibles also came back, and some new smaller station wagons got re-introduced. Sales were almost evenly distributed between pickup trucks, minivans, general sedans, sport utilities and sporty cars.

**SPORT UTILITIES ON THE ROAD. 1998-2004 brought the number of new sport utility vehicles up to 90 offerings. There was a movement away from USA products, with customers increasingly buying Asian and some European cars (and, to a lesser extent, their truck products).
**CROSSOVER POPULARITY. 2004-08 saw the introduction of new crossover SUVs every few months, a growing interest in hybrid powered vehicles, improvements in the Korean vehicles, and Toyota becoming a top sales leader, in car sales particularly.
**DOWN GO THE TRUCKS. 2008 is here, and perhaps this is the first time in 30 years that the top selling vehicles in our land will not be the Ford F-150 pickup truck, followed by the Chevy Silverado. Folk are also quickly dumping their big, heavy gas-guzzling used SUVs, as gasoline costs shoot up to $4 a gallon (the price that Europeans were paying 35 years ago).

Rumors are spreading that some major US manufacturers might soon drop some nameplates and unpopular models. Over the last 50 years, many US auto lines (or captive imports) have been cancelled (AMC, Avanti, Buick's Opel, Bricklin, MOPAR's Colt, DeLorean, DeSoto, Eagle, Edsel, Excalibur, Frazier, Geo, Hudson, Imperial, Merkur, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Plymouth, Rambler, Shelby-Olds, Studebaker, Stutz,etc.), but only Olds and Plymouth had ever been major sales successes.

How can planning departments hope to stay ahead of the potential changes that might come on the world scene? Will there be much response to the Chinese entries into the North American marketplace, with very low quality/reliability ratings so far? Might India also try to export some of its very cheap offerings to the USA? Will ever-higher fuel prices drive most consumers to consider alternative fuel vehicles, or move them into mass transit alternatives? Is technology ever going to get us into above-ground personal transport, as opposed to highway-based vehicles?

Stay tuned; keep your hands on the wheel. Changes are inevitable

Denver Hosts Democratic Convention

Democratic Convention in Denver in '08
by Torrey H. Brinkley


The Democrats rally in Denver, Colorado in the hot summer of '08. Politicians and their handlers bring a message of change to the mountain west, noting that this country represents more than just fancy elitist cities, with businessmen in 3-piece suits, cultural snobbery, majestic operas and artistic masterpieces. There are tall jagged mountains, harsh weather extremes, people working the soil, and rugged outdoorsmen. All this and more serves as a buffer "between" the powerful east coast interests and the glitz & glamor of the west coast experience.

Does this reflect today's scenario for the 2008 Democrats planning strategy for the fall election or was it the 1908 convention that chose to come to Denver, which only had 1/10 of its current population?
...Much of Denver's beautiful all-brick downtown district was built up in the period surounding the turn of the 20th century, with stately mansions and impressive government buildings on the major streets.
...Now, as we are fresh into the 21st century, we see another makeover of impressive high- rise towers for business and condo dwellers, nestled among our new sports and arts palaces, all in that same downtown Denver footprint. City leaders are also striving to move away the panhanders and give a fresh coat of paint for all the host of visitors to see.

Note some of the other eery similarities between these gatherings, some 100 years apart:

1) The Dems were putting forth a very eloquent and dynamic candidate in both eras: William Jennings Bryan and Barak Hussein Obama. Although Bryan was considered the most eloquent & dynamic orator of his time, historians note that he was not well-versed nor studied in any particular issue.

2) Each of the candidates seemed to be popular with the masses, with Bryan being called the Populist candidate, fighting against the wealthy East coast businessmen, & decrying the gold standard, while pushing for the silver interests & smaller businessmen to be heard. Obama has brought out scores of youthful supporters to huge crowds around the country, attacking big oil and big business. Yet, not all voters seem to be convinced, not in 1908, nor today.

3) Their speeches seem to be somewhat controversial. Bryan will be remembered in history as one opposing evolution ( the Scopes Monkey trial), while Obama has to keep dancing between words of his pastor, his wife and properly finding himself.

4) A religious tone had entered the debate. Bryan was almost considered a fiery preacher, while Obama has had to fire his pastor (Jeremiah Wright).

5) Democrats had suffered defeats in previous elections....and were hoping for better luck this time. Bryan was a nominee 2 times before. Recently, liberals have been very bitter about George Bush's last 2 election victories.

6) There were recent dramatic breakthroughs in technology. The automobile was very new to the transportation scene in 1908. So many other new inventions were coming on board (the radio and then the airplane, etc.).
...The world's scientific & technological advances today come at such a rapid pace. Even the thousands of miles of wiring necessary for setting up Denver's Pepsi Center is staggering, while individual folk with cell phones and i-Phones can personally shoot messages & photos around the world in seconds.

7) Candidates were from the midwest. Williams Jennings Bryan, Illinois born, actually stayed home during the 1908 convention because he wanted to do some farming back in Iowa. Obama is from Illinois, and earlier tried to help poor urban folk organize, so as not to lose labor jobs.

8) War had been fresh in people's minds to start the conventions. The Spanish American War took place in 1898, while the 9-11-2001 attack on New York City has spawned offensives in the Middle East (Afghanistan & Iraq) that America still fights right up to Convention gavel time.

9) There were some difficulties with Mexico back in 1908: violence, banditos, territorial issues, and shootings. Now, 100 years later, the USA still has major issues still to be resolved with Mexico (illegal immigration, drug trafficking, & people-smuggling).

10) The future of our country is somewhat in doubt, even with all its strength, glory and history. --Back in 1908, the USA was just 40 years removed from its bloody, divisive Civil War. We were just moving into the Industrial Age.

--Now in 2008, we look back some 40 years after the nasty, unruly Chicago Democractic Convention, bitterness of our Vietnam War participation, and the assasination of Bobby Kennedy.
Today we wonder how to confront the Islamic revolutionary movements, plus China's thrust into the global economy, and India's challenges in technology and science.Will this be a turning point election year for the USA, and will the Denver Convention be a time to remember?
Back in 1908 the only rowdy moments were caused by some occasional panhandlers and pickpockets. In 2008, scores of protesters plan to be in our city hoping their voices will be heard and controversy stirred.

The vote that came in after the 1908 convention did not produce a victory for Bryan or the Democrats.
-The popular Republican President, Teddy Roosevelt, had pushed for William H.Taft to be his successor......but that result spelled doom for the Republican party, soon quickly divided.
-Taft had really wanted to become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (and he soon got his wish), after serving as U.S. President 1908-12.
-The Democrats finally gained the Presidency in 1912 with Woodrow Wilson, the progressive candidate, but our country was soon drawn in to World War I. Wilson preached peace, but he underestimated the sin and violence of mankind.

My father was proud of Williams Jennings Bryan, and for 40 years supported the college (in Tennesse) that bore his name. Interestingly, Bryan was later famous for speaking on the Chatauqua Circuit, where speakers and musicians fanned across the country in large open-air tents. One of the only remaining auditorium/tents for this association is in Boulder, CO, where we today can go and hear/see concerts and lecturers. Undoubtedly, Bryan spoke eloquently to the crowds here in Boulder 100 years ago, without the aid of microphones or any electronic aids.

In contrast, when Barak Obama gives his acceptance speech in the Denver Bronco's outdoor stadium, the acoustic challenges, Secret Service protection, parking & traffic nightmares, crowd control, and media coverage of the event is already giving planners severe headaches and potential ulcers.

And all this is just for political show!

Surprising USA Car Sales Trends

WHAT HAPPENED TO USA CAR SALES IN 20 YEARS?
as noted by Torrey H. Brinkley

A friend has done some good record-keeping based on auto & truck sales data gleaned from "Automotive News USA" . How revealing to look at sales charts for all models of vehicles sold in the USA for the last 20 years. Lots has changed in the automotive landscape, and now that gas prices are up to $4 a gallon in parts of California for premium fuel, more changes still might appear. After looking at model by model charts, this reader came away with a few observations:

1) Acura's 11 different models have had widely different years when sales peaked. Total sales were just 127,000 in 1988; dropping to 106,000 in 1997; but up to 178,000 in 2007 (thanks to strong sales of 2 different SUV models).

2) Audi sold only 23,000 cars in 1988 in USA ( suffering from that weird accelerator pedal issue); by 1997 sales crept up to 34,000 total. But lots of advertising hype, engineering advances and higher horsepower models have brought 71,000 sales in 2007.

3) BMW once caught Mercedes in USA sales, and are still significant for pricey vehicles. Some 295,000 BMW cars & SUVs sold in 2007. Only 130,000 were sold in 1998. In 1988 they only managed to sell 81,000 car models.

4) Buick has sold 15 different models since 1988. Peak sales years are different for each model. In 1988 total sales in USA were 500,000 units; by 2007 it was down to 183,000 sold, in spite of Tiger Woods' endorsements.

5) Cadillac had 3 different models (of 6 total) that had their best sales years in 1988. Likewise 3 separate models sold most ever in 2005 (out of 10 total). Caddy had 200,000 total sales in 2007 of cars & luxury SUVs; whereas they sold 267, 000 cars only in 1988.

6) Chrysler saw 1988 as its only year to have top sales for 3 unique models. Showrooms pushed out 531,000 sales by 2007 (with a wide variety of vehicle choices inherited from both Plymouth and Mercedes). This was much higher than the 250,000 they sold back in 1988, and only 254,000 back in 1997.

7) Dodge has had 20 different model names sold in the USA since 1988 that are no longer being marketed in 2007. Last year sales of the Ram pickup were off 90,000 from its peak sales year; Dakota was off 2/3 from best year; Caravan was down 120,000; Durango sales were down 3/4 from best year; Viper sales were down 3/4. Yet total sales last year were over 1 million units (including trucks & SUVs)!

8) Ford has 6 car models sold in 1988 that are no longer marketed . Only Mustang sales are still strong as they were in 1988 and 1997. Top sales years for their cars were 1988 and 1990. They make their money on trucks, which sold 1,450,000 in 2007, excluding their bigger trucks, F-250 & larger Super Duty models.

9) Honda saw 2006 and 2007 as best sales years for 5 different models. Accord and Civic are very long-running models in their lineup, still selling very well.

10) Nissan sales were down in all models for 2007, except for Altima and the new Versa. Too many of their vehicles look copied from their business partner, Renault (of France). Nissan still sold 910, 000 vehicles in USA.

11) Oldsmobile enjoyed 1988 with top sales for 6 different models. Evidently GM brass did not care, and decided to ax their lineup soon after that.

12) Pontiac had 2007 as a down year for every model in their lineup, while selling 356,000 total vehicles. They sold 725,000 vehicles back in 1988. Their foray into vans and SUVs has not proved successful, unlike many European and Asian marques.

13) Toyota had 9 different models with their best ever sales showing in 2006 or 2007. Only Avalon, Tacoma,Land Cruiser, 4 Runner and Sequoia were way off. Total sales for Toyota in '07 was double that of 1988, as they attempt to pass worldwide sales of MOPAR (done), then Ford (a year ago) and soon General Motors.

--In general, we see that:
++ Vehicle sales in the USA have radically increased by the Asian marques of Toyota and Honda, with their luxury nameplates catching some of that magic (Lexus and Acura).
++Loss of sales has been noted by almost all domestic manufacturers, most notibly with their sedan sales.
++Even though there are some 90+ SUV models on the market, not all have been successful on the sales floor. At least 21 have been dropped by manufacturers from across the spectrum.
++Pickup truck sales are generally strong when tied to work-related requirements, and much less so for recreational purposes than in years past (as small to mid-size pickup sales are dropping like a rock for every make).
++Consistent improvement in quality and engineering for long-running models has been more productive than simply introducing one new model after another.
++Even though station wagon sales are still not as strong as in the 1960s and 70s, the new cross-over wagon-SUV seems to be a very popular vehicle choice for families who wish to haul passengers & some cargo.

Remembering Tennyson Mc Carty

"Remembering a Dear Friend and Servant"

Around ten years ago a young fellow at work, who was also finishing up his degree at that famous "party school", the University of Colorado, came to me after turning his life over to the Lord. He wanted someone to mentor him, so he asked if we could meet weekly and talk about a variety of spiritual topics. We picked out subjects that interested him, and I gave him assignments to read each week, which included prayer, fasting, Bible study, missions, witnessing, godly behaviour,etc.

Sometime during that year of studying together he wanted me to meet a classmate of his at CU, who was a football player. So I had breakfast with Tennyson McCarty, a tight end, who wasn't moving too quickly in the cast set around his leg and foot. Coach Bill McCartney, founder of Promise Keepers, had been a great influence in Tennyson's life, and this young man was thrilled that God loved him and wanted to use him to serve others. Interestingly, Tennyson had written out some thoughts about his life and said that he wanted to write a book about all that had happened to him. I advised him at that time to wait, because so much more could be said later on in the future. He was barely 21 years old at the time.

It was a special treat when my friend at work got married to a lovely gal, serving with a high school campus ministry. Tennyson stood by Brian at the wedding as his best man. Already 8-9 years or so ago, Tennyson began serving with a university campus ministry, and was going to many schools sharing of his love of Jesus. His experience as a college football player helped to get him access to locker rooms and dorm situations, but his love for Christ was what radiated brilliantly.

Then, a few years later, Tennyson decided to add "magic and illusion" to his repertoire, gaining even more access to college venues. He and his buddy Jim Monroe challenged collegians to ask "what is real?" They always pointed to Jesus Christ as the true and only answer for the deep issues that face questioning hearts. My wife and I were glad to support him financially & in prayer all these years, and he would call & say that he was praying for us and our family situation.

In just the last 6 weeks, these fellows with Maze Ministries visited:
--Tulane U. and Southeastern Louisiana State
--Morehead State in Kentucky
--Boise State University
--Baylor U in Texas
--University of Texas, San Antonio
--and Purdue Univ. in Indiana
Thousands of college students came to these events, and hundreds accepted Christ as their Saviour. More campuses were scheduled for this fall in several other states. www.mazeimpact.com

Sadly, though, Tennyson's body was found up in the foothills in a river above Boulder County, CO last Friday. A young pastor friend noted that Tennyson was always giving & ministering to others, and sometimes he had nothing left for himself.

Please join me in praying for his family (survived by his father and brothers) and co-workers. And do remember to "encourage one another" in the Lord, and all those who do the work of ministering to others.

May God strengthen & lift you up,

Torrey Brinkley

Youth Ministry Work Trips

What Did You Do This Summer?
from Torrey H. Brinkley

Students are soon back in school for the fall semester. Many went on vacations, some went to camps, others tried sports activities, and a few were able to work at summer jobs.

Would you be surprised to hear that no less than 26,000 youth participated in summer 2007 work camp projects in the USA and abroad organized by Group Workcamps Foundation, based in Loveland, Colorado?

Junior and Senior High students went to serve in 37 different states or foreign countries doing projects such as interior & exterior painting, building or repairing porches or wheelchair ramps, constructing or fixing stairs/steps, and winterizing homes. Some went to assist the elderly, tutored needy students, served at food banks, or helped at children's day camps.

One of the young fellows in our local men's Bible study went along on one of the Group Work trips this summer, as he photographed the teens at work in West Virginia. Matt Wade noted that the 400+ youth were able to complete repairs on 71 homes during one week, plus sharing their Christian faith with many isolated and/or elderly residents in one poor community of the US. There are nightly inspirational chapel services for the youth, who come from a variety of churches around the country. The tech people put together a nightly audio-visual presentation each night that highlighted the work experiences of the teens that very same day.

This labor of love (in serving others) reflects an American phenomenon that has characterized our society for generations: volunteerism. Perhaps this comes from our Christian forefathers who taught, believed and practiced verses such as Colossians 3:23:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from from the Lord as a reward."

Interestingly, the impetus for serving others in need started back in 1976 when the Big Thompson (River) flood just outside of Loveland, Colorado devastated small towns with many homes caught in the onrushing floodwaters. There now have been over 1000 work camps since that time, where each group of young people serves from 20 to 80 homes/sites. Group Publishing reports that total participants have been 266, 350 persons in these last 30 years.

Each church that brings their teens to serve also has their own sponsors/parents/youth pastors to guide & minister to the needs of the youth during the work week. Some churches have chosen to participate in this ministry for over 20 years now, and one cook that served in West Virginia this summer has helped prepare meals for over 33 camps!

When one considers the selfishness and indifference of the stereotypical teen, how refreshing it is to see youth and their sponsors choose to give back to some of the poorest communities of America in such a noble and selfless manner! Each church should at least contemplate a visit to www.GroupWorkcamps.com. Take a look at the photos of all their efforts, and see if your church teens would like to sign up for next summer's projects (start planning now!).

This is the same spirit of Christian compassion that has helped re-build the US Gulf Coast after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck back in 2005, as hundreds of churches have sent steady streams of workers with hammers & saws. Remember that Jesus was a carpenter by trade, not a philosopher in a rocking chair.