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The Ozark Letter – January 2008
By MMCG.ORG | January 1, 2008
Just a reminder that the Annual Super Sabbath will be January 5. The theme will be “God – Our Refuge from the Storm”
and Roger Day will be the speaker. If you have misplaced the flyer that was enclosed with the December Newsletter and
you need directions, please call one of the numbers listed at the bottom of this newsletter.
Have you had an opportunity to look at the newly designed website for MMCG? If not, I hope that you will and our thanks
go to Todd Craig for the creation and maintenance of the website. There is a calendar of events which you can check on a
regular basis and see about upcoming events and/or speakers.
Again, I would encourage you to submit articles, poems, etc. for use in this newsletter. Actual publication will be deter-
mined by the editors. This is your newsletter and we want it to meet needs; therefore, we are always open to suggestions.
Csh>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
JANUARY GREETINGS: For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the
needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the
terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Isaiah 25:4
A Publication of the Mid-Missouri Church of God
January, 2008
Volume XII, Issue 1
The Ozark Newsletter
Lake of the Ozarks
If You Were Busy
Rebecca Foresman
(Submitted by Sam & Faye Stamper)
If you were busy, being kind,
Before you knew it, you would find,
You’d soon forget to think ’twas true,
That someone was unkind to you.
If you were busy, being glad,
And cheering people who were sad,
Although your heart might ache a bit,
You’d soon forget to notice it.
If you were busy, being good,
And doing just the best you could,
You’d not have time to blame some man,
Who’s doing just the best he can.
If you were busy, being true,
To what you knew you ought to do,
You’d be so busy you’d forget,
The blunders of the folks you’ve met
If you were busy, being right,
You’d find yourself too busy quite,
To criticize your neighbor long,
Because he’s busy being wrong. Page 2 The Ozark Newslet ter Volume XI I , Issue 1
Books for the 21st Century Church
by L. Cacchio (www.kccog.org)
The church is making a big mistake if it ignores its mandate to be salt and light to the world at large. To be truly success-
ful as the people of God, the church must reach a level of cultural literacy in order to understand and engage the world around
it. I am listing here my list of top ten books that in my opinion should be in every Christian’s tool box.
1. Democracy in America (Alexis de Tocqueville). This 19th Century Frenchman’s insight into the root of American
greatness is a reminder that our nation grew because of the greatness of our people and our voluntary associations. A
large overreaching government had nothing to do with it. That principal applies to the church as well as the nation.
2. People of the Lie (M. Scott Peck, MD). Dr. Peck is a psychiatrist with a broad range of experience in counseling and
group dynamics. Unlike many of his peers, he acknowledges the existence of both evil in man and evil in the spirit
world. In this book he examines the nature of evil and concludes that it is rooted in two things: 1) The need to con-
trol and 2) narcissism. I took Dr. Peck’s book as a warning not to become ensnared by the evil of others, nor to fall
into it myself.
3. Intellectuals (Paul Johnson). British historian Paul Johnson here writes short case studies on the lives of thirteen intel-
lectuals whose works have influenced modern Western thought. From Rousseau, to Marx, to Bertrand Russell, he
chronicles how their self-professed love of “humanity” in the abstract was contradicted by the devastated lives they
left in their wakes. These secular thinkers filled the void left by a declining church, and the bitter fruit of their teach-
ing still plagues us today.
4. How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Culture and Thought (Francis A. Schaeffer). This great
Swiss theologian’s seminal work traces how the arts both reflect and shape culture. He excoriates the modern church
for teaching a “relativistic humanism using religious terminology” and show how the search for meaning apart from
the God of the Bible ends in either the rejection of all values or a few elites imposing their values on others. Perhaps
more than any other, Schaeffer revived conservative Christianity in America and gave it a new set of intellectual un-
derpinnings.
5. Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069 (William Strauss and Neil Howe). The theories behind
this 1991 book have influenced the political thinking of both political parties for the past decade and a half. The back-
cover summary says: “Hailed by national leaders as politically diverse as Senator Albert Gore and Representative
Newt Gingrich, Generations has been heralded by reviewers as a brilliant, if somewhat unsettling, reassessment of
where America is heading. William Strauss and Neil Howe posit the history of America as a succession of genera-
tional biographies, beginning in 1584 and encompassing everyone through the children of today. Their bold theory is
that each generation belongs to one of four types, and that these types repeat sequentially in a fixed pattern. The vi-
sion of Generations allows us to plot a recurring cycle in American history – a cycle of spiritual awakenings and secu-
lar crises – from the founding colonials through the present day and on into the next Millennium.” With a little arith-
metic their observations that every 80 years the nation faces a secular crisis (Glorious Revolution, American Revolu-
tion, Civil War, World War II). That can lead to some interesting theories.
6. Twelve Ordinary Men (John MacArthur). The Twelve Apostles were ordinary men Jesus selected for a very extraor-
dinary mission. MacArthur shows how each of these men had his own uniqueness, and each was called because he
had a specific ability that God could use. The book brings to life the lesser-known Apostles and reminds us that God
can use the talents and abilities of each of us if we are willing to let him. With all the talk about evangelism these
days, it is comforting to know that not all of us need to be great preachers like Peter to do the work of an evangelist.
7. The Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis). Any list of required reading for the 21st Century Church of God must include
something written by this great 20th Century man of letters. The challenge was selecting just one of his works. I set-
tled on The Screwtape Letters because of Lewis’ insight into the devices of Satan, including the Devil’s need to con-
trol and dominate. As Lewis says in his introduction, “Even in human life we have seen the passion to dominate, al-
most to digest, one’s fellow; to make his whole intellectual and emotional life merely an extension of one’s own….
His own little store of passion must of course be suppressed to make room for ours. If he resists this suppression he is
being selfish.” Half-jokingly, Lewis compares the abode of demons to “the offices of a thoroughly nasty business
concern.” I like this book because I can identify with that description. Page 3 The Ozark Newslet ter Volume XI I , Issue 1
8. Churches that Abuse (Ronald M. Enroth). Too many books define a cult based upon doctrine. Enroth’s book
addresses cults from the perspective of legalism, authoritarianism, and spiritual intimidation. His examples of
abusive churches are by and large “orthodox” in their apparent basic teachings, indicating (to me, at least) that a
cult should be defined by its actions rather that its doctrinal peculiarities. The themes of control and narcissism
dominate the pages (see Screwtape Letters and People of the Lie). If you have ever been in an abusive church,
you need to read this book or one like it (such as The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse).
9. The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace (M. Scott Peck, MD). I hesitated to include the same au-
thor twice on this list, but The Different Drum has too much valuable insight in community building for the
church to ignore. He describes the four stages that any group must endure before it can become a community,
not all of which are pleasant to experience. But understanding those stages can help you see through your diffi-
culties with a cool eye and help you march toward the ideal of a community.
10. Any Louis L’Amour novel. This might seem strange and out of place, but L’Amour’s ability as a story teller
was exceeded only by his insight into the strength of character needed to settle the west – and the same strength
of character that the 21st Century Church will need to reach its full potential. L’Amour’s heroes and heroines
display a strong sense of honor, of independence, of practical insight, of loyalty, and a sense of community. To
understand the “red states” one must read Louis L’Amour.
I could easily add another ten to this list, but I am curios about your choices. If you could add to this list, I would like to
learn of you choices and your reasons.
Note: In my last column, I referred to Francis Schaeffer as a Swiss Theologian. While Dr. Schaeffer and his family moved
to Switzerland in 1948, he was born in Germantown, PA.
Lenny Cacchio
Www.kccog.org
CREATION WORD FIND
(GENESIS 1:1-2:25)
S A D A M L M O O N T E V E T
E E U A I F I C Y V D O O G N
V A I G Y R I D J C E O K Y E
E R H I Q N S N E V A E H L D
N T S E R U T A E R C P T P R
D H H S I F K N A M K F E I A
A A K O T Y W O M A N D F T G
Y G E W F M N S R E T A W L O
S D O G F O T I R I P S Y U N
I Q Y A V D E T S E R H R M G
J F D E T A E R C U S D S N O
E S T A R S M N D A U F D L D
B E G I N N I N G U N W R M K
F H B E I Z T H G I N Y I A V
S W T P E L T T A C O S B X E
Page 4 The Ozark Newslet ter Volume XI I , Issue 1
MID-MISSOURI CHURCH OF GOD
PO Box 92, Eldon, MO 65026/mailing address. Actual physical address is: 602 East North Street. Phone: 573-392-1232 or
573-498-3775; Email: rhouston@advertisnet.com Website: www.mmcg.org The Mid-Missouri Church of God
(MMCG) holds Christian Sabbath services each Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at 602 East North Street, Eldon, MO… A Bible
Study and song service is scheduled at 10:30am before Sabbath services. Potluck meals after services are planned for the
fourth Sabbath of each month. A weekly Bible study is held each Thursday at 6:30pm. It is best to call ahead and confirm
times if you are traveling any distance to visit us (see the phone numbers above). Occasionally we will cancel local services
to attend en masse elsewhere. Come and enjoy the fellowship! Also, the first Wednesday of each month the ladies meet for
a “get together” and you can contact Martha Roberts at 573-496-3203 or Charleen Gitthens at 573-392-5965 for location
and time if you plan to attend.
ADAM EARTH LIGHT SEVEN DAYS BEGINNING EVE MAN BIRDS
NIGHT CREATURES CATTLE STARS SUN GOOD DAY
GARDEN MULTIPLY FISH WOMAN WATERS RESTED HEAVENS
CREATED MOON SPIRIT OF GOD
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