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FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Parenting That Lasts Forever Romancing Marriage Grandparents Needed February 2015 Contents volume 105 n issue 2 FATHER, HEAR US, we are praying, From the world’s hollow gladness, Hear the words our hearts are saying, From the sting of faithless sadness, We are praying for our children. Holy Father, save our children. —Amy Carmichael Keep them from the powers of evil, From the secret, hidden peril, From the whirlpool that would suck them, From the treacherous quicksand, pluck them. family relationships 10 She Never Gave Up by Wanda Griffith Salvation of an alcoholic husband 12 Looking for “the One” by Craig and Amy Groeschel Become the person you would like to marry. 14 Grandparents Needed by Rick Whitter The church must help! 15 Granny Nanny by Tom Ehrlich Multigenerational living 16 Toddlers and White Carpet by Daris Howard The unhappy smiley face 22 Fatherhood Predestined by Don Steffy As God promised, Patrick came. columns 24 Parenting That Lasts Forever by Rhonda K. Holland 5 In Covenant, Mark L. Williams Christ-centered and future-focused 7 On My Mind, Lance Colkmire 26 Romancing Marriage 34 Church of God Chronicles, David Roebuck by John and Su Vining departments Offer your heart and your hands. 4 Ministry Snapshot 6 By the Numbers 28 Dealing With Diversity 8 Currents by Elisa Morgan 17 GlobalConnect When the unfamiliar 30 Viewpoints enters your family 32 People and Events EVANGEL • feb 2015 3 PUBLICATIONS MINISTRIES DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR MINISTRY SNAPSHOT M. Thomas Propes DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Members of the Poplar Springs Church of God (Statesville, N.C.) riding horses and Terry Hart witnessing for Christ on the riding trails in Love Valley (located near the church property) MANAGING EDITOR Lance Colkmire CENTRAL DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Robert McCall CFO Wayne Walston PRINTING DIRECTOR Mike Burnett EVANGEL STAFF EDITOR Lance Colkmire EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Elaine McDavid COPY EDITOR Esther Metaxas GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bob Fisher EDITORIAL AND PUBLICATIONS BOARD Tony D. Cooper, Les Higgins, Ray E. Hurt, David W. Jarvis, Cheryl Johns, Antonio Richardson, T. Dwight Spivey If you have a ministry photo to be considered for this page, send it to [email protected]. INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Mark L. Williams, David M. Griffis, Church of God DECLARATION OF FAITH J. David Stephens, Wallace J. Sibley, M. Thomas Propes WE BELIEVE: 1. In the verbal inspiration of the Bible. CHURCH OF GOD congregations meet through- 2. In one God eternally existing in three persons; namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. out the United States and in more than 180 other countries. To find a church and times of 3. That Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the services near you, access the church website, Virgin Mary. That Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. That He ascended to heaven www.churchofgod.org, or fax your request to and is today at the right hand of the Father as the Intercessor. 423-478-7616. 4. That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that repentance is commanded of God Publication of material in the Evangel does not nec- for all and necessary for forgiveness of sins. essarily imply endorsement of the Church of God. 5. That justification, regeneration, and the new birth are wrought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. The Church of God Evangel (ISSN 0745-6778) is 6. In sanctification subsequent to the new birth, through faith in the blood of Christ; through the Word, edited and published monthly. n Church of God and by the Holy Ghost. Publish ing House, 1080 Montgomery Ave., P.O. Box 2250, Cleveland, TN 37320-2250 n Subscrip- 7. Holiness to be God’s standard of living for His people. tion rates: Single subscription per year $17, Canada 8. In the baptism with the Holy Ghost subsequent to a clean heart. $24, Bundle of 15 per month $17, Canada $28, Bundle of 5 per month $7.50, Canada $11.25 n 9. In speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and that it is the initial evidence of the Single copy $1.50 n Periodical postage paid at baptism in the Holy Ghost. Cleveland, TN 37311 and at additional mailing 10. In water baptism by immersion, and all who repent should be baptized in the name of the Father, offices n ©2015 Church of God Publications n All and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. rights reserved n POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Evangel, P.O. Box 2250, Cleveland, TN 11. Divine healing is provided for all in the Atonement. 37320-2250. (USPS 112-240) 12. In the Lord’s Supper and washing of the saints’ feet. 13. In the premillennial second coming of Jesus. First, to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away the living saints to Him in the air. Second, to reign on the earth a thousand years. MEMBER OF THE EVANGELICAL PRESS 14. In the bodily resurrection; eternal life for the righteous, and eternal punishment for the wicked. ASSOCIATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL PENTECOSTAL PRESS ASSOCIATION 4 EVANGEL • feb 2015 IN COVENANT mark l. williams general overseer equipping shepherds and employing social action We Must Equip Shepherds continuing education. This site is designed One of the most important gifts Christ to equip anyone in ministry through live left the church is the pastor. Pastors are webinars, archived church services, wor- shepherds and form one of the most vital ship music, children’s resources, sermon forces for God and His kingdom in the outlines, and even PowerPoint slides. New world today. As the pastor goes, so goes content is being added regularly from our the Church of God. network of partners, including exclusive Bi-vocational Today, shepherds are called upon to content provided by Lee University’s Divi- carry out the mission of God in an age of sion of Adult Learning. Ministry Source is pastors may religious pluralism and materialistic world- still in beta test, so give us your feedback. views. It is a day when the church and its The site is free to use, but you must regis- well be message are being marginalized. Those ter to access it (MinistrySource.com). coming to Jesus often face opposition from family members and persecution We Must Employ Social Action the most from peers for deciding to follow Christ. For some time now, I have felt the Families are being redefined. People are Church of God corporately needs to regain important historically dislocated. It is an age of addic- its prophetic voice. So many issues— tion, and pastors face intense spiritual war- including abortion on demand, human mission force fare. For this reason, the Church of God trafficking, the exploitation of children, must give priority to affirming, resourcing, redefining of marriage, religious freedom, in our world training, and caring for its shepherds. poverty, global hunger—call for a word I carry a burden for pastors. The Vital from the Lord and action. today. Initiative (vitalinitiative.com) for pastors In this regard, I am so proud of Wom- of smaller churches was launched through en’s Discipleship. More than $400,000 Pastor Michael Nations to say every pastor has been raised for Operation Freedom: and every church is vital. Small churches Rescuing Servant Children in Haiti. These are not failed large churches. God has funds are being used to build a transi- strategically placed congregations in towns tional safe house in Port Salut, Haiti, for and communities to shine in the darkness. children rescued from slavery. Bi-vocational pastors may well be the most World Missions, Men and Women important mission force in our world today. of Action (MWOA), and YWEA are com- With 800 million users of Facebook, 40 bining their efforts to build a firewall million Instagrams posted each day, and in Africa by establishing seven training 140 million users of Twitter sending 340 centers in Senegal, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, million tweets each day, I believe social Mozambique, Zambia, and the Horn of media is one way pastors can be connected Africa. The strategy includes planting and resourced. Faith Matters was launched new churches, strengthening existing with the desire to bring matters of faith to churches, equipping laity for service, and the table in a conversational way. developing young leaders. Last summer, the International In 2014, MWOA volunteers completed Executive Committee and I were thrilled to building project number 1,500. They have announce the debut of Ministry Source. It built and/or remodeled churches, schools, is a one-stop website that offers a robust, orphanages, clinics, and parsonages in 76 easy-to-search collection of useful content countries and 48 states. We thank God for offering pastors inspiration, training, and their tireless efforts. EVANGEL • feb 2015 5 BY THE NUMBERS REMARRIAGES RISING REMARRIAGE IS ON the rise in the U.S. Four in ten new marriages include at least one partner who has been married before, reports the Pew Research Center. The number of adults who have ever remarried now stands at 42 million—a threefold increase since 1960. Men who have recently remarried are more likely than those begin- ning a first marriage to have a spouse who is younger; in many cases, she is much younger. Some 20% of men who are newly remarried have a wife who is at least 10 years their junior, and another 18% married a woman who is 6 to 9 years younger. By comparison, just 5% of newlywed men in their first marriage have a spouse who is 10 years younger, and 10% mar- ried a woman who is 6 to 9 years younger.

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