Volume

XVI

Number 2

Summer

2009

Inside:2 kkkkk Internet Syndicate News2 kkkkk Writer’s Toolbox3-5 kkkkk Discipling Journal6-7 kkkkk Amy Writing Award Winners

A Newsletter of the Amy Foundation

Are we “walking the walk” as Christians?by Jim Barrett

Most readers of Pen &Sword are familiarwith the Amy Founda-

tion publication “OvercomingSubtle Sins – the Key toDynamic Discipleship,” whichidentifies challenges pre-sented by pride, impatience,selfish ambition, boastful-ness, envy, anger, and gos-sip.

The book also provides aroadmap for confession, self-discipline, and living our faithand the good life. The co-authors, Jim Russell and JimDyet, penned their thoughtsin 2002.

Fast-forward a few years.The Barna Group is wellrespected for research onpublic opinion toward Chris-tianity – and their recentresearch demonstrates somedisturbing trends in attitudes,especially among youngpeople. David Kinnaman,President of Barna, and GabeLyons share findings and theirideas on what needs to bedone in Unchristian: What anew generation really thinksabout Christianity. . . and whyit matters.

Judgmental. Anti-homo-sexual. Hypocritical: sayingone thing, doing another. Tooinvolved in politics. Shel-tered/old-fashioned, boring,out-of-touch with reality. Toopolitical, right wing. Theseare common points ofskepticism and objections bynon-believers toward Chris-tians.

According to Lyon, “Wemust commit to doing thehard work of recapturingChristianity’s essence in ourown lives.... Putting theneeds of others above yourown, loving your neighbor,doing good to those whowould do evil to you, exercis-ing humility, suffering withthose less fortunate, anddoing it all with a pure heartis nearly impossible. But it isJesus’s model and call.”

Unchristian lays out nega-tive perceptions towardChristians. Overcoming SubtleSins demonstrates how wecan change habits, and byour example, positivelyinfluence attitudes towardChristianity. Both books areworth reading.

Jim Barrett wasrecently namedthe ExecutiveVice Presidentof The AmyF o u n d a t i o n .He has servedon theFounda t i o n ’ sAdvisory Boardfor many years.

Prayer Requests

We believe “The prayersof the righteous availethmuch.” We invite you topray with us about vari-ous aspects of The AmyFoundation Ministry.Amy Prayer List:• Praise….that the

Internet Syndicate hasexpanded to newoutlets, exposingmany more people toexcellent, profession-ally written columnsdealing with today’sissues from God’sperspective.

• That the Holy Spirit willinspire Internet Syndi-cate writers and freetheir time to write tomeet the demand ofthese new editors.

To order copies of “Unchris-tian”, visit www.barna.org.

For copies of “OvercomingSubtle Sins”, visitwww.amyfound.org

2 www.Amyfound.org Pen & Sword

Editors:Shaunna HowatLinda Wacyk

Publishedquarterly by

the AmyFoundation, a

non-profitcorporationpromoting

Bibleeducation.

Forsubscription or

informationabout AmyFoundationmission orministries,

call517.323.6233

email:amyfoundtn@

aol.com

Pen &Sword

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Amy Syndicate NewsCongratulations to Amy Internet Syndicate columnist Rusty Wright, whose column “Could GodUse You in Digital Evangelism?” recently appeard on the home page of the CBN (ChristianBroadcasting Network) website.

The article describes Rusty’s gradual awakening to how the simplicity and pervasive natureof the Internet is allowing people to find and use his articles in ways he had never imagined.

“I could sit with my laptop in my office, on an airplane, or in a hotel room and compose an articlethat would tactfully nudge people toward Christ or biblical principles,” Rusty writes in the article.“Then, by pushing a button, I could send it to Internet publishers who would make it available topeople around the globe. … What a potential for spreading Good News!”

Over-wordiness is thebane of any editor.When he says, “Give

me 500 words,” and you turnin 750 of your best friends,unable to part with any ofthem, the editor sprouts adozen gray hairs.

Worse yet, he is forced toeither discard your submis-sion or assign a junior stafferto hack away at your text.

You can avoid both of theseunpleasant options by learn-ing to pare your writing tomeet an editor’s word restric-tions. You might find that yourwriting becomes even morepowerful in the process.

Think of “concise writing” assurgery, or trimming away allthe unnecessary parts. Theword “concise,” from the Latinconcidere, has to do withcutting or trimming away,even sacrificing. When Ilearned this, I found a greatmental picture to aid mywriting.

The problem with trying towrite concisely is starting theactual process. We sit downand think, “I’ve got to writethis in as few words aspossible.” That’s the bestrecipe for writer’s block!

Instead, just write it alldown first. Then go back andedit.

When editing for length,start with a few proven tips:Cut out passive verbs and

verb phrases. Helper verbssuch as would, could,should, will, have, has, andmore, are generally unnec-essary. Does your writingcontain too many? Couldyou say it shorter?

Count words in sentences. Ifyou said it in 24 words,could you cut down to 15?

Watch your repetition. Avoidrepeated phrases orwords. Reword or just hackaway with a sharp editingtool.

Write shortBy Shaunna Howat

Helpful sources for short writing:

· Elements of Style by Strunk & White

· The Guide to Grammar and Writinghttp://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/concise.htm

· Grammar and Compositionhttp://grammar.about.com/od/words/tp/clutter_tips.htm

· Paramedic Method: A lesson in writing conciselyhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/635/01/

· Conciseness: Methods of eliminating wordinesshttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_concise.html

Quick lesson in concisewriting, from student essays:

Example: There is nothingthat Aslan does not knowof or have power over, noteven the evil forces ofNarnia that seem sostrong. (24 words)

Rewrite: Aslan knows all, haspower over all, and evendefeats the evil forces ofNarnia. (15 words)

Recap: defeat the over-wordiness, repetitivephrases, and danglingprepositions.

Read Rusty’s column at www.cbn.com/spirituallife/churchandministry/evangelism/Wright_Digital_Evangelism.aspx.

Learn more about Rusty Wright Communications, at www.probe.org/rusty.

Writer’s Toolbox

Summer 2009 www.Amyfound.org 3

As a shy person, it hasbeen almost a lifelongstruggle for me to start

conversations with people,much less share the Gospelwith them. One time, feelingan urgency to share, I re-sponded to a request on mylocal library bulletin board todo weekly Bible readings at anursing home. The residentswere polite and seeminglyreceptive to my waveringefforts. But I think they likedmy friend Maryann’s pianoplaying of hymns a bit more.

A few years later, when mystepchildren were in highschool, I began to help withthe Young Life Club nights.(Young Life is a nondenomina-tional outreach to teens.) One of the girls asked if Iwould bring a lunchtime Biblestudy. So I did. This lasted forabout four years, until thisgroup of friends graduated.

Tell us adiscipling

story

Do you have ani n t e r e s t i n gdiscipling storyto tell? Send avignette (200-400 words)about a situa-tion or interac-tion that led toyour disciplinganother per-son—or groupof people—inan unusual oru n e x p e c t e dway. How wasGod faithful insupporting, re-inforcing or ex-tending yourobedient ac-tions?

Send storiesto:Pen & SwordEditors,Amy Founda-tion,P.O. Box16091,Lansing, MI48901;

or emailAMYFOUNDTN@aol.com.

Discipling Journal

Prison ministry presents challenge, rewardsAuthor unknown--submitted via email: jsrapp@tds.net

By far, however, the mostexciting time I have hadsharing Christ has been inour county jail.

Our area has a rampantproblem with Methamphet-amine, and many of thefemale inmates have beenincarcerated due to chargesresulting from theiraddictions. Going into thejail—it was intimidating atfirst—but the deep spiritualhunger of these ladies isevident.

I got involved in thisministry when my husband,Jon, joined the Gideons and Ijoined the women’s auxi-liary. The lady who had beengoing to the jail said sheneeded a break.

What I love about it is thatI don’t even have to ask thewomen to turn to Bible versesthat I am using; they hear mysimple message and eagerly

turn to the scriptures beingdiscussed.

We can bring paperbackChristian books to give to theinmates, and they devourthese, too. In the past year,three ladies have acceptedChrist, along with two men.

As word has gotten aroundto other Christian groups Iam a part of, I have receiveddonated Christian materialssuch as tracts, homemadebookmarks, and paper-backs. Some dear Christiansisters have helped as well.

The one most faithful hasbeen my friend Roe, whoused to be a nun. We readthe verses in James 5:13-16,anoint the women with oiland pray over them. Manyare touched to tears.

This is a rewarding andchallenging ministry I highlyrecommend for otherChristians. kkkkk

Place 1/2 pageAmy WritingAwards postcardart here

4 www.Amyfound.org Pen & Sword

“Powerful, Perceptive, Practical: what every Christian must do to survive and make disciples in these uncertain days.”

Dr. Ralph S. Bell, Associate Evangelist (retired), the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

With God’s help you can overcome the “subtle sins” in life and learn to live the joy-filled life God intends for each of us. This book is a great resource for individual and small group study with 16 short, digestible chapters and 10 engaging questions for each chapter.

www.amyfound.org

Order Today!

Overcoming Subtle Sins

Resources Available from The Amy Foundation: For individuals, small groups or Christian education classes

Order InformationTitle: Overcoming Subtle Sins

Author: Dr. Jim Dyet & Jim Russell

This book, and other discipling materials published by The Amy Foundation can be purchased at:

www.amyfound.org

Discipling Journal

kkkkk

I had just finished mynighttime devotionalsnack, repeated the 23rd

Psalm, thanked God for usingme to help others, and wasready to turn out the lightswhen the phone rang.

Don, a recently releasedinmate, needed a ride homefrom the emergency roomagain! He had probably beengiven the usual pain medica-tion and was being senthome. The warmth of thecovers and the warmth ofrighteous feelings bothvanished as I headed for thecold car again!

I felt a different kind ofwarmth when I arrived at thehospital and was told Donhad found another way home.The warmth of self-righteousindignation is fertile groundfor really stupid thinking.

“One weggie and we will beeven” popped into my head.

Not an unpleasant thought.A series of slogans fol-

lowed: Tough-love Weggies,Weggie Therapy, and Won-derful World of Weggies. Wasit possible that one of the W’sin WWJD is for Weggie? Iwas starting to feel good.

Beep. . . Beep. . . Beep. . .This self-righteous thinking isbeing interrupted for an impor-tant announcement. “Eachday of your life is ordainedby ME. I will use your timeas I choose.” Beep. . . Beep. .. Beep. . . Do not return to yourregular programming.

It was time to review theBible’s Perspective onMentoring:•I am commanded to be both

wise and harmless. (Matt10:16)

• I am being sent in thename of a disciple of Jesus.(Matt 10:42)

• I am to present myself “aliving and holy sacrifice,acceptable to God” (Ro-mans 12:1)

• My rewards will be givenme in my eternal kingdom.(Matt 6:20-21)

• God’s righteousness mustreplace my natural self-righteousness. (Matt 6:33)

• Every opportunity to dogood work is God preparedand ordained. (Eph 2:10)

• God is using my mentoringchallenges to mentor me.(James 1:2-5, Ro 5:1-5)

• The question every mentormust answer: “Do you loveMe more than these?”(John 21:15) Failed again—Restored

again. The way God’smentoring works.

Thank you Lord!

One weggie and we will be evenBy Hank Benjamin

Hank Benjaminmentors andwrites from hishome in EatonRapids, MI.

Author’sNote:

Wedgie:Bullying tacticthat is sup-posed to befunny—andprovedominance.Weggie:Christiantactic that issupposed toshowwisdom—andprovedominance.

Summer 2009 www.Amyfound.org 5

A life-changing discipling experienceby Janice Wise

kkkkk

Amy Writing Award Rules

Did you know? Our guidelinesnow include submissions of articles

published electronically?

You can read the new rules for the AmyWriting Awards on the Amy FoundationWebsite. Check them out on the WritingAwards page at www.amyfound.org.

For several years, Idiscipled women in aweekly Bible study. We

laughed, cried and grewtogether as we learned tofollow Jesus in our daily lives.

Then one night Donnacame with this unsettlingquestion: “My brother Dennishad emergency surgery andis in the hospital. He has alsojust come to faith in Christand wants to attend our Biblestudy to learn about followingJesus. Can I bring him?”

Having been raised in achurch where women did notteach men, although therewas no church “rule” againstit, I was sure God would notwant Dennis in our women’sstudy. So I reminded Donnathat this was a women’s Biblestudy, but I promised wewould pray for God to showDennis where to go to learn.

Donna replied, “But Denniswants to come here. Won’tyou at least pray about it?”

Because of my love forDonna, I agreed to pray,

Janice Wisedisciples andwrites fromher home inHomosassa,Florida.

knowing God would supportmy position. Often my prayerstarted with, “I know youwon’t want Dennis in ourgroup or me teaching men, soplease help Donna to under-stand, and please find a placefor Dennis to be discipled.”

With no answer from Godas Bible study night grewcloser, I decided to just waitquietly and see if God wouldanswer. He did, with thesewords, “Whose Bible study isit?” When I meekly replied,“Yours, Lord,” he said, “Then Ican invite anyone I want andyou can teach anyone whocomes.”

When I told Donna thenews, she immediately invitedDennis for the next study.When Donna came in alone, Ithought, “Oh good, Dennisdecided not to come.” ButDonna said, “Dennis will beright in. He’s parking the car.”

For many months, Denniscame and learned and grew—the only man in the group.Then, one by one, the hus-

bands of the women in thegroup began to attend. Wemet for seven years, men andwomen together learning andsharing around God’s Word,always acknowledging theHoly Spirit as our teacher.Now I lead many studieswhere both men and womenattend.

Together we are learningwhat it means to be a discipleof Jesus Christ in today’sworld.

Author’s note:

It troubled me at first to beteaching men—because ofPaul’s words in 1 Timothy1:11-12.

[God] said I was to teachwhomever he sent to me. Toobey him exampled submis-sion, having a quiet and gentlespirit as I taught would makeme teachable and keep mefrom trying to exercise author-ity over anyone.

…I once read that God oftendoes the unacceptable (to us)in order to do the unthinkable.

Today, in the church whereGod has led me to teach mixedstudies for several years, themen have now started a prayergroup and just recently amen’s Bible study. Many of themen hold positions of respon-sible leadership and havebecome mentors for other menseeking to grow in God.

When God helped me let goof my idea of the unaccept-able, he began to do theunthinkable, and I’m so grate-ful for the opportunities he hasgiven me.

Discipling Journal

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6 www.Amyfound.org Pen & Sword

Amy

Wri

ting

Aw

ard

Win

ners

“OK, Virginia, There’s No Santa Claus.But There Is God”by Tony WoodliefExcerpt

My 8-year-old son,Caleb, puts his handon my shoulder; he

wears an expression thatshows he wants to have aman-to-man talk. “Dad,” hesays, “I know there’s noSanta Claus.” He rattles offhis indictments, starting withthe pure physics of theenterprise. There’s no wayone guy can visit every housein a single night. Then there’sthe matter of zoology — not asingle nature book on ourshelves mentions flyingreindeer. Perhaps mostimportant, there’s the weightof public opinion — none ofCaleb’s friends believe inSanta any more. He leansclose, his voice taking thattone of worldliness that is atonce endearing and sadden-ing to a parent. “He isn’t real,is he?”

Perhaps a more respon-sible parent would confess,but I hesitate. For this I blameG.K. Chesterton, whosetreatise Orthodoxy had its100th anniversary this year.One of its themes is theviolence that rationalisticmodernism has worked on thevaluable idea of a “mysticalcondition,” which is to say themystery inherent in a super-naturally created world.Writing of his path to faith inGod, Chesterton says: “I hadalways believed that theworld involved magic: now Ithought that perhaps itinvolved a magician.”

Magic-talk gets under theskin of many, like renownedscientist and atheist RichardDawkins. This is doubly sowhen it is what the Christ-

First Prize — $10,000

figure Aslan, in C.S. Lewis’sThe Lion, the Witch, and theWardrobe, calls “the deepermagic,” an allusion to divinity.Mr. Dawkins is reportedlywriting a book examining thepernicious tendency of fan-tasy tales to promote “anti-scientific” thinking amongchildren. He suspects thatsuch stories lay the ground-work for religious faith, theinculcation of which, heclaims, is a worse form of childabuse than sexual molesta-tion.

I suspect that fairy talesand Santa Claus do prepareus to embrace the ultimateFairy Tale. New research fromthe Université de Montréaland the University of Ottawaindicates that while childreneventually abandon Santa,they keep believing in God.Lewis would say this isbecause God is real, but Mr.Dawkins fears it is the lastingdamage of fairy tales. WhileMr. Dawkins stands ironicallyalongside Puritans in hisreadiness to ban fairy tales,Christian apologists like Lewisand Chesterton embracedthem, because to embraceChristian dogma is to em-brace the extrarational.

Today’s Christian apolo-gists, by contrast, seek toreason their way to God bymeans of archaeological finds,anthropological examinationsand scientific argumentation.That’s all well and good, but itseems to miss a fundamentalpoint illuminated byChesterton, which is that,ultimately, belief in God isbelief in mystery.

As a parent, I believe thatit’s essential to preserve asmall, inviolate space in the

heart of a child, a spacewhere he is free to believeimpossibilities. The fantasywriter George MacDonaldsuggested that it is only begazing through magic-tintedeyes that one can see God.

This sheds light on a seem-ing paradox in St. Paul’s letterto Roman Christians: “Forsince the creation of theworld His invisible attributesare clearly seen, being under-stood by the things that aremade. . . .” How does one see“invisible attributes”? Onlypeople raised on fairy talescan make sense of that.

That’s why I’m not givingup on Santa without a fight.Not everything we believe, Iexplain to Caleb, can beproved (or disproved) byscience. We believe in impos-sible things, and in unseenthings, beginning with ourown souls and workingoutward. In our house, atleast, there’s no shame inbelieving the impossible.

Tony Woodlief is a writer andmanagement consultant whosewriting has appeared in TheWall Street Journal, TheLondon Times, NationalReview, and WORLD Magazine,where he is a regular contribu-tor. His spiritual memoir,Somewhere More Holy, will bepublished by Zondervan in2010. He lives in Kansas withhis wife and four sons.

Summer 2009 www.Amyfound.org 7

Amy W

riting Award

Winners

Business unusual

You can read the full text of all 15 winning entries for 2008 at www.amyfound.org.Watch for more Prize-Winners in future issues of

Pen & Sword.

Second Prize —$5,000by Cal ThomasExcerpt

In an age when “bigbusiness” and “corporategreed” seem to be

synonymous in the publicmind, some bright lightsoccasionally emerge from thedarkness brought on by AIGbig spenders and over-the-top high-livers.

One such light is the CEO ofthe Aflac Insurance Company.Dan Amos announced lastweek he would forego a $13million golden parachute hiscompany would owe him werehe to be fired or lose his jobin a merger or acquisition. Inan interview with USA Today,Amos said, “If they don’t thinkI am doing a good job, theydon’t have to worry aboutpaying me off.” How refresh-ing.

It would be nice to knowhow many honest, humbleand philanthropic businessleaders we have in America.I’m sure they far outnumberthe bad ones so often profiledin the media. But then hon-esty, charity and virtue arenot “news,” we are told.Maybe not, but by promotingthe sleazy and tawdry, ratherthan the virtuous and admi-rable, you are likely to getmore of the one and less ofthe other.

The Philanthropy Round-table this month awarded thefounder and CEO of the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain, S.Truett Cathy, its William E.Simon Prize for PhilanthropicLeadership. The prize recog-nizes the highest ideals ofcorporate and individualphilanthropy.

Cathy is the poster boy (ifat 87 one can still be called a“boy”) for selflessness andintegrity. He is also a modelfor what giving back can dofor individuals and a nation.“My wife and I were broughtup to believe that the moreyou give, the more you have,”Cathy told Philanthropymagazine. “Few peopleactually believe in this, but wedo.”

What has been lost in thismodel, which is reflective ofanother age, is the amount ofsatisfaction one gets bypouring one’s life into otherpeople.

In our marketing environ-ment, big houses and boats,private planes and lots ofmoney in personal accountsare said to be the source ofpleasure and contentment.Cathy’s wealth, while consid-erable in dollars, is defined bynonmaterial standards. Thisincludes the $18 million hisWinShape Foundation spentjust last year on fosterhomes, college scholarships,a summer camp and mar-riage-counseling programs.

Marriage counseling? Cathybelieves a stable home isfundamental to bringing upstable children. For thosechildren damaged by brokenfamily ties, Cathy’s foundationoperates a dozen homesheaded by husband-wifeteams. The goal is “to providea loving, nurturing home tothose children who are victimsof circumstances and need astable, secure family environ-ment in which to grow andmature.”

In an age when businessfunctions 24 hours a day, 365days a year, Cathy is a throw-back to the blue laws era.None of his restaurants isopen on Sunday. Cathy thinksthis provides his employeeswith a biblical “day of rest”that is good for them.

S. Truett Cathy has foundthat true wealth is not inpossessions, but in giving.This not only benefits indi-viduals, but ultimately society.

Rather than build a per-sonal empire, he is storing uptreasures. “Do not store upfor yourselves treasures onearth, where moth and rustdestroy, and where thievesbreak in and steal. But storeup for yourselves treasures inheaven, where moth and rustdo not destroy, and wherethieves do not break in andsteal. For where your trea-sure is, there your heart willbe also” (Matthew 6:19).

In a day when the stockmarket is unpredictable,Cathy’s investments in peoplewill pay dividends long intothe future.

With a twice-weekly columnappearing in over 500 newspa-pers, Cal Thomas is one of themost widely read and highlyregarded voices on the Ameri-can political scene. Thomas, agraduate of American Univer-sity, has authored ten books,lectured extensively, andcurrently appears weekly on“Fox News Watch.” Thomasand his wife, Ray, live in theWashington DC area. He is aprevious first-prize Amy WritingAward winner.

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Amy Foundation Board

James J. JacksonMeet theAmy

FoundationAdvisory

Board

James J. Jackson has servedon Amy Foundation Boardsince 1996, when he wasinvited to participate by JimRussell Sr., who had read hiscolumns in the LansingState Journal.

Retired from his career asan executive with the State ofMichigan, James currently actsas the editor of the AmyInternet Syndicate.

James has been married for35 years to Donna, withwhom he shares four growndaughters and ninegrandchildren.

James and Donna attendSt. Matthews Lutheran Churchin Holt, Mich., where theyhave been members since1976.

James has been a disciple ofChrist since 1975.

“I was discipled by LayMinister Stan Woell,” Jamessays.

At present, James is activelyinvolved in discipling relation-ships with his 19-year-oldgrandson, Christopher; hisformer translator in Haiti, EleGiisuard; and his nephewHoward Smith.

James has some ambitiousgoals for the Amy Founda-tion’s work and outreach.

“I pray that the ministry willgrow to be a more effectivetool in the Kingdom of God,”James says.

“I would like to increase theInternet Syndicate with morenews outlets reading ourmaterial, and encourage morewriters to join.

“I would like to see uspursue other ways to get

God's perspective into theprint and electronic media. Ialso would like to see thechurch writing groups ex-panded.”

James Jackson’s book In AllThings... Moral Reflectionsand Decisions on Life Issues,encourages readers to acknowl-edge God’s answers to daily chal-lenges. The book is a collection ofshort essays, some humorous,some serious, viewed from amoral perspective. The book is available onlinefrom Tate Publishing atwww.tatepublishing.com andat most major bookstores. You can also read excerpts andorder books at a discount ratefrom Amazon.com, or you mayorder a signed copy directlyfrom Jim at jjaxcoj@aol.com.

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