Apostolic Faith youth group to ‘write the Bible’

The youth at Apostolic Faith United Pentecostal Church in Mountain Home, Ark., are getting a taste of what it was like for Bible translators to hand-copy early versions of the Bible.

Rick Lovall, youth pastor at the church, said the idea to write the Bible came to him as a neat way to study the Bible and raise money, too.

The youths are using a 1,000-page King James Version Bible for reference, and are soliciting donations (a minimum of $5 per page) to hand-write the Bible. So far, 42 people have committed to write 755 pages, with more expected, Lovall said. The slogan behind the event is “Write it! Learn it! Live it!”

Lovall said he doesn’t believe this type of fundraiser has ever been done before, adding the church hopes to raise a minimum of $5,000. How the money is used will be decided by the youth. Currently, Lovall said, their choices include funding a trip to the church’s National Youth Convention in Nashville, Tenn., in August, as well as purchasing  Bibles for missionaries in Uganda; or donating a portion of the funds to Sheaves For Christ, which buys 4×4 vehicles for missionaries, offers land grants to home missionaries and sponsors orphans at Tupelo (Miss.) Children’s Mansion. Other options include sponsoring clients at Windsong Ranch (a Christian-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Sheridan, Ark.), as well as donating funds to various homeless shelters in the Mountain Home area.

Lovall told The Apostolic Report that this fundraiser has united his local church and youth group. Apostolic Faith UPC will have CDs available with all of the necessary documents and sponsor sheets  needed to duplicate this fundraiser. Lovall spent hours putting together an Excel spreadsheet that lays out the pages in correct order and sequence.

If you are a youth pastor needing a great idea or a pastor who would like to try this at your local church, the materials are available. Please contact Rick Lovall if you would like more information.

The $40 Write The Bible Fundraiser CD will include: Excel spreadsheet of the Bible charted into 1,000 pages, PowerPoint to use to introduce the idea to the church/youth group, sponsorship sheets, promotional flier/poster, and a form letter to use to obtain sponsors. Print these out, and you are ready to Write The Bible!

Write it! Learn it! Live it!

Rev. Rick  Lovall (870) 404-8024, or e-mail writethebible@yahoo.com. You can also follow the progress at www.writethebible.blogspot.com.

Full Story Here

Everybody is getting in on the redefinition thing – From J. R. Ensey’s Blog

President Obama is copying Rick Warren, Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, and other Emergents and postmoderns in trying to redefine unpopular terms. The banking industry’s bad mortgages and lending practices are not “toxic assets” but “legacy loans.” That will soften the hit when we realize that the government (the taxpayers, really) is absorbing them. The “war on terror” is passé and is now an “overseas contingency operation.” “Terror attacks” are now “man-made disasters.” Gitmo prisoners captured on the battlefield are not to be called “enemy combatants” but “detainees.” That won’t sound so bad when they are released to go back to Afghanistan and kill more of our soldiers, or when they are moved to a prison near you.

In Christianity, the progressives prefer “missional” rather than “evangelistic/Evangelical.” “Everlasting punishment” gives way to the “absence of God.” “Heaven” is merely “ever-increasing joy.” “Repentance” is “fulfilling our natural potential.” “Christianity” is downgraded to “social activism.” “Christian growth and development” morphs into one’s individual “spiritual journey.” Preaching and teaching is redefined and reduced to “conversation.” Sin is removed from the vocabulary except when it is employed to describe the practice of calling immorality wrong or not involving oneself in social activism.

Read J. R. Ensey’s Full Blog Post Here

Michael Roach to assume managing role at the Apostolic Report

 Since the inception of The Apostolic Report over a year ago Jeremy Lynch has been the managing editor of  the web-site and has been the reason for it’s success. Jeremy was elected as Pastor of Covenant Life Church in Stephenville, TX several months ago. We are very excited and pray that God would bless Jeremy and Covenant Life Church with tremendous growth. This new venture has limited the time Jeremy has been able to devote to the site. Effect today, Michael Roach will assume the managing duties of The Apostolic Report. Michael has been a vital part of the site and will continue the tradition of providing news features that impact Apostolic’s.

We want to say a special thank you to Jeremy for his burden and hard work. Jeremy will continue to support the site and he will continue to contribute in the future.

Thank you to all of the contributors of the Apostolic Report. You can find a list of contributors by clicking on the contributor’s link from our home page.

Thank you to all of the readers of the Apostolic Report. We look forward to continuing to serve you in the near future.

AR Special Report: Best of 2008

 

As 2008 comes to an end and a new year begins, it’s time to reminisce about some of our favorite stories and posts from 2008. Out of the hundreds of stories that our contributors posted this year,  we’ve chosen a few of our favorites.  We’ve also included the most popular stories from our readers. As always, be sure to click on our “Featured” page to see all of our featured stories, interviews, polls, and more.

We also have a new podcast that we encourage you to subscribe to. We plan on more interviews and features for our podcasts in the upcoming year. Click here for more information.

 

The Best of the Apostolic Report for 2008

 

Most Popular Story

Our most read story from 2008 recieved over 12,000 hits from the website alone, not to mention the e-mails and rss feeds. In May of 2008,  former President Bill Clinton visited a North Carolina United Pentecostal Church. Click here and here for the original stories.

Runner-Up for Most Popular Story

Our second most read story from 2008 (8,200 hits) is the news that popular social networking site, everyonesconnected, would be re-launched as Ubuti. In May, the website promised an improved version of EC with a completely new look and feel. EveryonesConnected had been very popular among Pentecostals.

The new look was not popular among it’s users, and proved to be a mistake, as the website has now completly shut down. Original Story

Most Popular New Website

The collapse of everyonesconnected helped lead to the rise of a new social networking website just for Apostolics. Everyonesapostolic now has over 36,000 members. Read our interview with the creator of the website here. You can join our group here:
http://everyonesapostolic.com/group/theapostolicreport 

Runner-Up for Most Popular New Website

Apostolic Live is a new video sharing site that was launched in March of 2008. Apostolic Live seeks to offer a Godly Apostolic venue for the sharing of Apostolic audio & video files. Their goal is to keep the site clean and wholesome and available to all Apostolics who wish to participate.  Click here and here to read the original stories.

Most Talked About Post

A political cartoon on the website of the Washington Post that made fun of speaking in tongues surfaced in September. E-mails began circulating among Pentecostals encouraging each other to contact the editor at the Washington Post and voice their displeasure with the cartoon. See our story here.

Most Popular Category

With the election of 2008, it’s no surprise that our most posted in category of 2008 (besides General), was the Politics category. The Politics category had 148 posts filed under in 2008.  Click here to read several different ministers (from different apostolic organizations) respond to the 2008 election.

Most Commented-On Post

Our story on whether or not Sarah Palin had been baptized in Jesus’ name received 65 comments from our readers. Click here to read the story.

Most Popular Poll

Our poll question, “Should Apostolic Pastors Endorse Political Candidates?” was the question that received the most feedback from our readers. Click here for the original post. You can also click here to see many of our other polls.

Top Referrers from 2008

Special thanks to these websites for helping us spread the word about our website. People clicked on the most links from these pages to get to our blog.

1. http://www.everyonesapostolic.com 820
2. http://www.apostoliclive.com  800
3. http://ljoyetree.blogspot.com 658

Top Contributors from 2008

Special thanks to the hard work of these contributors. Without their dedication, this site would not be possible.

1. Jeremy Lynch – 288 posts
2. Michael Roach – 188 posts
3. Matthew Shaw  – 130 posts

Ruption: An Apostolic Battle of the Bands

Presented by: Gateway College Of Evangelism

Ruption is a nationwide Battle of the Bands competition for Oneness Apostolic artists of all styles. The first round will be held exclusively online. A panel of judges will view each eligible band’s video performances and assign scores.

Bands who qualify for the final round will compete in St. Louis on March 6, 2009. The audience will vote and decide the winner. The winning band will receive 40 hours of recording time at Gateway Studios.

Band Registration Deadline: February 1, 2009

 

 

 

 

For more information or to enter the battle, go to www.gatewayruption.com

Click Either Logo To Find Ruption @ Your Preferred Web-Site.

Exclusive Interview: Apostolic Pastor and Author Larry Arrowood

The Apostolic Report had the opportunity to interview Apostolic pastor and author, Rev. Larry Arrowood. You can listen/download the MP3 file here, or use the built in player below.

Rev. Larry Arrowood has been in ministry for 35 years.  He is the pastor of Apostolic Tabernacle in Seymour, Indiana, instructor at Indiana Bible College , and is a presbyter in the Indiana district.  He has traveled extensively as a speaker and has authored six books.  His most recent book, Bloodroot, has won several awards and has been displayed in Barnes and Noble and Waldenbooks. He graduated with honors from Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the University of Findlay in Ohio.

A gripping tale of racial prejudice in a small Southern town, Bloodroot tells the story of a retired law enforcement officer who stumbles upon a complex web of ignorance and abuse. A young black boy’s death shines a spotlight on the Civil Rights-era South in this subtle, gripping racial drama. A moving tale of personal and social reform.

Visit your local bookstore to order a copy. You may also order from the author’s website at www.larryarrowood.com

Exclusive Interview: Pentecostal Radio Talk Show Host Jesse Woodrow

The Apostolic Report had the opportunity to interview Jesse Woodrow of the Jesse Woodrow Show.

 

Excerpt from jessewoodrow.com “I have done it all.  I tried every kind of drug and every kind of thing that the world can ever offer and I have only found one solution for it… the Bible.  I thought I had it made and I thought I had everything figured out but I wasn’t even close.   Once I was honest with my self I was able to see everything for what it really was.  I say this to say… be honest with your self and always seek TRUTH!

If the audio above doesn’t work for your pc, please click on the following link: Jesse Woodrow Interview

Click The Picture Above To Link To The Show Website.

New AR Poll: Tithes from lottery winnings

A few months back we posted this story about a Church that refused to accept tithes from a man who had won the lottery.

The man offered to drop his tithe, around $600,000, in the collection plate at a First Baptist Church. But the church, and Pastor David Tarkington, politely declined and told Powell they will not accept the lottery winnings.

Which brings us to our new poll question… Was that a good or bad move?

Special AR Report: Apostolic Ministry Responds to the 2008 Presidential Election

The Apostolic Report is privileged to feature responses to the recent presidential election from a group of influential Apostolic Pastor’s and leaders. We appreciate these men for the time and energies that they expended to benefit all of us with a broad range of sound Biblical principals, wisdom, and opinions. It is our prayer that you are blessed by these opinions, please take time to leave a comment of thanks to these men for their contributions.  (Contributor: Michael C. Roach)

Please click on the picture for the article from each contributor.

David K. Bernard is the founder and senior pastor of New Life Church. He is also superintendent of the South Texas District United Pentecostal Church and president of Urshan Graduate School of Theology. He has earned a doctor of jurisprudence with honors from the University of Texas, a master of theology from the University of South Africa, and a bachelor of arts in mathematical sciences and managerial studies with high honors from Rice University. He is currently a doctor of theology candidate in New Testament at the University of South Africa. He is an ordained minister of the United Pentecostal Church International.

 

Robert W. Martin is pastor of the Voice of Pentecost in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he has served since 1991. Elected General Superintendent of the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ in 2007, he previously served the organization as Assistant General Superintendent (2001-2007) and as General Youth President (1987-2001). A former teacher, Pastor Martin received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Northeast Louisiana University (now University of Louisiana – Monroe).

 

 

Gregory K. Riggen is pastor of New Life Pentecostal Church in Olathe, KS. In addition to being an author he served as the Kansas District Sunday School Director and Newspaper Editor. In May, 2002, he was elected as the District Secretary, a position which he held until March of 2004. At that time, he was elected as Superintendent of the Kansas District UPC, a position he held until May 2007. He has also served as Vice-Chairman of the Human Relations Commission for the City of Olathe. Riggen received his Th.B. from Texas Bible College in Houston. With a 4.0 average, he was valedictorian of his graduating class.

 

Nathaniel J. Wilson, Ed.D. Dr. Wilson is the founding pastor of The Rock Church in Sacramento, Ca. He is also founder of Apostolic School of Theology, formerly College at The Rock, author of several books, and adjunct faculty member of Patten University (Oakland,CA). He serves on the Executive Counsel of the World Wide Pentecostal Fellowship and was speaker and director of Harvestime International Radio Ministry for the UPCI (1979-1981). He has earned a Doctorate of Education from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Master of Arts in Religion from Vanguard University, Bachelor of Arts in Bible, and Theology from Christian Life College.

AR Poll Results – 2008 Presidential Election

 

Below are the results of our 2008 Presidential Election poll.

Poll Results: Should Apostolic pastors endorse political candidates?

Should Apostolic pastors endorse political candidates? That was the question we asked our readers in our latest poll.

37% said we should do so both privately and publicly. 38% said we should only do so privately, while 25% said we should never endorse a political candidate. Below are the full results of the poll.

Outrage Continues over Washington Post Cartoon

A political cartoon on the website of the Washington Post that makes fun of speaking in tongues is continuing to outrage Pentecostals. You can see the cartoon by clicking here. The cartoon was the work of Pat Oliphant (pictured below) who the The New York Times called “the most influential cartoonist now working.”

Emails have been circulating among Pentecostals encouraging each other to contact the editor at the Washington Post and voice their displeasure with the cartoon. The answer most of them are receiving back from the editor, Jim Brady, is a word-for-word form response in almost every instance. Here is the reponse that most are receiving:

“Pat Oliphant is a syndicated editorial cartoonist carried on news sites across the country. It is the nature of an editorial cartoonist to be provocative and offer up unique — and often controversial — viewpoints on the issues of the day. I have always opted for the approach that we should not limit the cartoonist’s freedom of speech. We prefer to present the cartoon and allow you, the reader, to make the choice on whether to read it or not, and to express your own freedom of speech if you’re bothered or offended by it.”

Still, that hasn’t stopped Apostolic Pentecostals from taking their turn to voice their displeasure at the cartoon. The Reverend Jerry Jones, General Secretary of the United Pentecostal Church International, wrote this to the paper:

“To single out those of us who are Pentecostal and revere as well as practice the Scriptural experience of speaking in tongues in such a calculatedly offensive way is disgusting.” 
You can read more of his comments by clicking here.

Reverend David K. Bernard, President of the Urshan Graduate School of Theology and the UPCI South Texas District Superintendent, had this to say:

Six Months with The Apostolic Report

The Apostolic Report launched on March 6, 2008 and since that time we have seen a tremendous response from our readers. We want to thank all of readers, sponsors, and subscribers for their support. The first six months have exceeded our expectations and we could not have done it without your help.

Here are some interesting numbers from our first six months:

• 147,000 Total Page Views
• 86,000 Visits
• 621 Posts
• 332 Comments
• 300 Email Subscribers
• 45 RSS Subscribers
• 43 Categories

We are grateful for all the help of our full and part-time contributors. We want to thank our top four contributors with over 100 posts each. Without the hard work of Matthew Shaw, Michael Roach, Rick Perry, and Jeremy Lynch this site would not be possible.

If you are a regular reader of this website, please consider making a small donation to help us continue to grow this site. You can click HERE to make a donation using any major credit card.

You can click HERE to subscribe to our email updates.

We also have just released some new advertising rates. please click HERE for more information.

Thanks again and may God continue to bless the Apostolic movement.

The Apostolic Report Team

AR Interview: John Howell of EveryonesApostolic.com

A few weeks ago we wrote an article about Apostolic social networking websites. One of the sites that we mentioned was EveryonesApostolic. Since that time, the site has grown from a few hundred members, to over 15,000 members.

We had the opportunity to ask the creator of EveryonesApostolic, John Howell, a few questions about the website. In the interview he explains the phenomenal growth of the website and also discusses some of the other ministries and websites he has started as well.

AR:  For those who are not familiar with social networking websites or EveryonesApostolic.com, can you tell us more about this website and it’s purpose?

EA:  First, a social network by definition is an online community where by individuals of similar interests can collaborate and share stuff. I say “stuff” because this is a broad term that can be used to cover a plethora of categories, topics, information, music, musings, and an unlimited amount of other wonders that are only restrained by the capacity of the gray matter between the ears of the individuals participating. The wonderful and marvelous beauty of a social network is discovered when our limited selves contribute and find that the sum total of the individual contributions is far greater than any one person could ever conceive.

So, where does Everyone’s Apostolic come into play? Everyone’s Apostolic was birthed with the sole purpose of creating a safe and godly online community where we as Apostolics could network together and share ourselves. The once a year conferences are great, but it is really difficult to keep up with everyone. Being a people that love each other deeply, we want to be a part of one another’s lives. There is a great strength in seeing and sharing our lives with each other. The glorious victories and the disappointing failures of the life that make us us. This sharing creates a bond that has a powerful effect in our lives.

So many have shared how their lives have been blessed with just the little time they have spent on EA. Many have been reunited with friends that they have not seen in years. Let’s face it, in this day and age we are all a bit too busy for our own good. One of the primary factors that made this country strong was our ability to unite as a people. I am afraid that with our busy lives that we lose that feeling of unity. EA, in some small part, helps keep us together and connected with the ones we love.

AR:  Tell our readers about some of the features of the website.

Apostolic Artist Spotlight: Lorna Brittany Macey

The Apostolic Report had the privilege to interview Brittany Macey about her new project, “Forever Yours.”

We at the Apostoli Report feel strongly that Apostolics should support our artists who give of their time, talents, and resources to provide us with anointed music. We encourage you to purchase this CD. Let’s show our support to our Apostolic Artists.

Lorna Brittany Macey Interview

Click above to play. If the embedded player does not work, try the link below.

Lorna Brittany Macey Interview

Samples from the Project “Forever Yours”

Lead Me To The Cross

You Are My Joy

Never Gonna Look Back

Click above to play. If the embedded player does not work, try the link below.

Lead Me To The Cross -  You Are My Joy  -   Never Gonna Look Back

To Purchase CD – Click Here

For Scheduling Information:

Lorna Brittany Macey

255 W Thorn Way

Houston,TX 77015

(713)208-3431

www.myspace.com/lornabrittanymacey

www.royalwoodupc.org