CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Twenty-five years ago when Mikaiah Kamara accepted the job as personal barrister for Mr. Jean Atonne, a wealthy gold merchant from South Africa, it seemed like a dream job.
"It was the best and most ideal job any barrister could ever hope for." Said Kamara. "Mr. Atonne was a dear man, and was very generous towards me. He was not a hard man to work for, being a Christian, and he was constantly helping someone out in need."
Day after day Kamara managed the legal affairs of Mr. Atonne's gold mining business, ensuring that all taxes and paperwork had been taken care. But there was one small bit of paperwork that had not been taken care of that Kamara had been impressing upon his boss.
"Mr Atonne had no will, and no family." Said Kamara. "If he passed away the state would surely take control of his fortune of some $25 million."
Sadly, Mr. Kamara's worst fears for his client came true last week. As Atonne was inspecting one of mines in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, he suffered a heart attack and died, never having declared an heir to his fortune.
"When I heard the news," Said Kamara, "I was deeply saddened by the passing of my friend, but then I began to realize that I had to act fast or else his assets would be seized by the government."
Kamara had to find a way to quickly transfer the money out of the country, so he turned to the internet. Composing a tactful yet urgent email recounting the touching details of Mr. Attone's life, work, ministry and Christian testimony, he began to search various places for Christians living in other countries. After discovering a few in the United States he sent them the email offering to let them assist in the transfer process with a promise of at least a million dollars for their trouble.
"I sent out five emails at first to some Christian brothers in the United States with an offer of one million dollars if they would simply let me transfer five million to their bank account." Said Kamara. "All they simply had to do was contact me, give me their bank account number and routing number and I would deposit five million dollars in their account within 24 hours."
But, unfortunately for Kamara, his plan is not being well-received.
"I keep sending out emails, but no one is responding!" He Said. "I cannot understand what I'm doing wrong. Here I am offering people a million dollars, but no one is accepting the offer."
So the search continues for Kamara with hopes that he will find someone to accept his offer.
"I only have 72 hours left before the government takes control of Mr. Atonne's assets." Said Kamara. "If anyone would like to help all they simply have to do is email me at mikaiah.kamara@mail.sa.net with their bank account number, routing number and any passwords or pin codes, and I will be glad to help them out."
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
The story of how Karl and Emily Crisler met and fell in love is a moving one. They were both in their first year at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson. She was fresh into her studies in Marriage and Family Therapy, he a Master of Divinity student struggling through Greek and Hebrew. They met in Theological Foundations, a three-hour-long Monday night class, and became fast friends.
"We started out just chatting some during the break time." Said Emily. "At first I thought he was just the typical MDiver, trying to impress me with how intelligent he thought he was. I just tried to be polite. But soon I really begin to notice him more and more. He was different, humble in many ways. We became good friends."
"I knew I wanted to marry her the moment I laid eyes on her!" Said Karl. "She didn't know it then, but I did. We were going to get married some day."
And, indeed they did. By the time they entered their second year at RTS they were husband and wife.
It would be great if the story ended with "and they lived happily ever after," but, unfortunately, that is not what happened. While the Crisler's faced many of the struggles common to newlyweds, one in particular caused significant problems in their marriage.
"It was a typical evening at home." Said Karl. "Emily had cooked a wonderful meal, and we were just having some dinner conversation. I began telling her about what we'd been studying in my Systematic Theology class on Infralapsarianism and Supralapsarianism."
Infra & Supralapsarianism are two views known commonly within reformed doctrine. Infralapsarianism argues that God's disposition towards the reprobate in his eternal decree is somewhat more "passive," that God determined that the fall would happen before he predestined some to salvation, thus "passing over" those who would not be saved. Supralapsarianism places God's decree to predestine some to salvation ahead of his decree of the fall. Thus reprobation occurs in a more "active" sense.
"As our conversation continued it suddenly became clear that Emily and I weren't on the same page." Said Karl. "When I was describing Supralapsarianism to her she said 'Well, that's what I believe.' and I asked her "How in the world can you believe that?"
"It was a big mess." Said Emily. "We argued for almost two hours about the whole thing."
In the days and weeks that followed tensions began to mount in the Crisler's marriage. Finally, they decided to get some counseling to help them through this trial.
"I really think things are beginning to get worked out now." Said Emily. "Even if we have this major theological difference between us, I know we can work it out and learn to live and work together."
"I still think she's wrong, but I love her." Said Karl. "And I know we've committed to stay together 'for better or for worse.' That's what I intended to do. I know we're not the only ones dealing with these things though. I have a friend out at Westminster Seminary, and he and his wife are going through some struggles over some major theological issues. His wife actually believes that flowers in the sanctuary are an acceptable thing, even in light of the regulative principle of worship. I don't know how it's going to work out for them, but we're committed."
FORT WAYNE, INDIANA
The Easter Bunny has had a "love-hate" relationship with Christianity over the years. For many, the mysterious character that comes on Easter Eve to bring children baskets full of candy is nothing more than a fun fantasy for kids to enjoy. But for others, the idea of the Easter Bunny represents commercialism and selfishness, ignoring the true meaning of the holiday. Some Christian leaders have tried to find a way to "Christianize" the Easter Bunny, making him relevant some how to the whole celebration of the resurrection, but none have successfully accomplished the task. That is, perhaps, until this week when Gateway Church unveiled their latest idea.
"The subject of the Easter Bunny is a tough one." Said the church's pastor, Carter Wilson. "With Santa Claus, at least you have the Christian character of St. Nicholas to refer to. But with Easter it's a magical bunny rabbit. Some parents just have a problem with that. So we've got to take a different approach to this situation if it's going to work."
Wilson's approach, in his own words, involves "balance."
"I finally realized that the Easter Bunny alone is pretty hard to spiritualize. He needs someone to balance him out. That's where we came up with the idea of the Holy Week Turtle."
"The concept of the Holy Week Turtle is simple." Said Erin Bennett, a member of Gateway Church who helped Wilson develop the idea. "The turtle is a slow, almost depressed animal which represents the sadness and the almost dirge-like feel of Holy Week, especially on the eve of the crucifixion. But what this character does is make the Easter Bunny really have relevance! The bunny is a fast and upbeat creature. Just like the bursting forth of the resurrection, we have the bunny rabbit with bursting speed."
Bennett further went on to explain that the Holy Week Turtle comes on the eve of Good Friday (Maundy Thursday), but instead of giving kids candy, he takes away all of the candy and sweets in a particular house.
"So kids wake up on Good Friday morning and all of the candy and sweets are gone." Said Wilson. "No cookies, brownies, jelly beans, etc. It's all been taken away. So the kids are sad, and the sweetness has been taken out of life. It's just like the crucifixion. But what's so amazing is that on Sunday morning the Easter Bunny comes and fills the house again with sweetness, abundant sweetness, just like the resurrection!"
Gateway Church began promoting the idea for several weeks prior to Holy Week, meeting secretly with parents and trying to get as many families involved as possible.
"We have almost 100% participation from our parents." Said Wilson. "We've been telling our kids 'Be careful, cause the old Holy Week Turtle is going to come tonight and snatch away all of our sweetness!' But just think how happy they'll be on Sunday morning when the good old Easter Bunny brings all of that back. It will be a deeply moving moment for our families I'm sure."
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO
Leonard Harris loves the writings of the Puritans, but has little time these days to "hack through" the tough, theological language in which they are written.
"I really would love to read more of the writings of the Puritans, but I just hate having to hack through all of that complicated theological language." Says Harris. "Those guys were so deep and profound when they wrote, but sometimes sentences just go on and on, and there are sub-points to sub-points to sub-points. I just don't have time for all of that."
Harris' sentiment is not unique either. Many faithful believers avoid the Puritans simply because they find them too difficult to grasp and read.
"I know that [the Puritans] are saying things that are good and helpful spiritually." Said Erin Carnes, who attends a weekly devotional book study at her church in Colorado Springs. "But I just want something I can read, something in my language that communicates to me."
So what to do in this situation? Who can help? None other than Eugene Peterson. Peterson, who is best known for his popular contemporary paraphrase of the Bible, The Message, heard the cry for help and immediately set out to bring the Puritans into the modern age.
"Where else could I begin but with the writings of that Puritan giant, John Owen?" Commented Peterson. "So many people would benefit from his works, but many just can't understand them. He has sentences sometimes that go on for whole pages! Owen needs to be brought into the 21st century and put in the language of today. So I went about this by asking the question, 'How would John Owen have talked if he lived today?'"
Peterson's first edition of The Puritan Message: The Writings of John Owen is due to hit the shelves by mid-April. Samples are already available for viewing online where one can compare the original writings of John Owen with the new Puritan Message paraphrase.
Original:
"The effect, also, and actual product of the work itself, or what is accomplished and fulfilled by the death, blood-shedding, or oblation of Jesus Christ, is no less clearly manifested, but is as fully, and very often more distinctly, expressed; -- as, first, Reconciliation with God, by removing and slaying the enmity that was between him and us;"
The Puritan Message:
"Here's what's happening people. When Jesus died it really worked things out. Everything is totally cool between us and God now."
"I'm pumped!" Said Harris. "I've been waiting for something like this for a long time. I've already got my copy pre-ordered."
The Puritan Message: The Writings of John Owen is 250 pages long, condensing Owen's traditionally multi-volumed work into a single read. In addition to the "contemporary language" of the work, all point and sub-point numbers have been removed giving Owen's writings are more "personal feel." The cost will be $19.95 for hardback, $35.99 for bonded leather, or $59.99 for genuine leather.
SOUTHWARK, IDAHO
Palm Sunday is a time of great celebration at the First Methodist Church of Southwark. Each year this small congregation of just over 75 members in rural Idaho begins Holy Week with a festive service in which the sanctuary is decorated with palms. In addition, the whole congregation processes into the church carrying palm leaves while singing a chorus of Hosanna to the Son of David. But this past Sunday, rather than being marked by celebration, ended up being marked by frustration and confusion.
"The lady who normally decorated the sanctuary each year, Mrs. Harrison, died last year sadly." Said Larry Green, the church's pastor. "So this year the torch was passed to a younger woman, Mrs. Lacy. And I'm afraid people aren't too happy with her work."
As the members processed into the sanctuary they were confronted with what one member calls a "palm extravaganza."
"There were potted palm trees everywhere!" Said Nick Shute, a frustrated member. "They were in the aisles, on the pews, in the windows. You couldn't see the pulpit at all. Palm leaves completely covered the walls all over. She had even put palm leaves on the ceiling fans. It was a palm extravaganza! It was like some kind of tropical island fantasy."
As it turned out Margret Lacy, the woman responsible for decorating the sanctuary, had placed over 400 potted palms in the small church building, such that parts of aisles and certain rows were impossible to navigate.
"We all squeezed into the building somehow." Said Green. "I couldn't even see my congregation during the service. I had a wall of palm trees surrounding me. I felt like I was in a jungle somewhere shouting a sermon to people."
But despite the situation, Green is urging people to remain calm.
"We're just going to need to talk with Mrs. Lacy." Said Green. "I think this was an honest error in judgment, but we definitely need to set a few things straight, especially before Christmas rolls around and we find ourselves in a pine forest or something."
Twenty-five years ago when Mikaiah Kamara accepted the job as personal barrister for Mr. Jean Atonne, a wealthy gold merchant from South Africa, it seemed like a dream job.
