In Hometown of Jesus, Church Names Elders the Rookie, Part 2
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Our mission: To inform, An international inspire and unite newspaper Vol. 67, No. 11 | December 2010 for Churches of Christ In hometown of Jesus, church names elders BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE of Nazareth. He said he views the appointment as “a great An Israelite named Nathaniel responsibility.” once asked, “Can any good “We understand that our thing come out of Nazareth?” future growth is dependent on Moments later, he was face- good leadership,” Shleyan said. to-face with Jesus of Nazareth, “Pray for us as declaring him the Son of God we seek to do and king of Israel. God’s will.” More than 2,000 years after The church in that good confession, a small Nazareth began congregation of Christ followers in 1960 through in Jesus’ hometown became the efforts of the first Church of Christ in the missionaries Middle East to appoint elders. Ernest Stewart Before a record attendance of Bishara and Ralph 76 people, Bishara Bishara and Henley. The Rookie, Part 2 Suhail Shleyan were charged At least nine with shepherding the Nazareth families have AFTER THE MOVIE about his life, Jim Morris’ journey takes more extraordinary turns Church of Christ — a congrega- served as mis- tion of about 50 Arab Christians sionaries in in the modern-day State of Israel. Nazareth in the BY BOBBY ROSS JR. | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE So he knew the story of Morris’ incredible “Don’t call us elders. Just call years since, said journey from small-town science teacher and us servants,” said Bishara, a Evertt Huffard, ABILENE, Texas — Go play catch with Jim Morris. baseball coach to major-league pitcher. member of the Nazareth church Shleyan vice president and The Jim Morris, that is. Weisinger, sent to live at the group home since 1968 and retired princi- dean of Harding The one whose real-life story Dennis Quaid because of family problems, didn’t know what pal for Galilee Christian High Graduate School of Religion in portrayed in the 2002 Disney feature film “The to think of the man tossing baseballs back and School. “We only seek to be Memphis, Tenn., who attended Rookie.” forth. Was this a photo op for a celebrity? Or spiritual leaders, and our confi- the dedication service. Mikey Weisinger, a teenager new to a was Morris genuinely interested in him? dence is based on the Word of Huffard, an elder of the Church Christian children’s home in Medina, Texas, It didn’t take Weisinger long to figure out the God to guide us.” of Christ at White Station in about 225 miles south of Abilene, had seen the answer. Shleyan became a member of Memphis, and his wife, Ileene, movie on cable television. See ROOKIE, Page 14 the church in 1982 and works as served as missionaries in an engineer for the municipality SEE NAZARETH, Page 15 PHOTO: WALT DISNEY PICTURES BOX 11000 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73136-1100 INDEX CALENDAR .....................29 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORG. CURRENTS .....................17 U.S. POSTAGE PAID INSIGHT .........................34 OKLAHOMA CITY OK INTERNATIONAL ..............9 PERMIT # 276 NATIONAL ........................5 LETTERS ........................31 A Muskie’s fight OPINION ........................30 Hands-on, hands dirty Cause for caution Church member, softball PARTNERS .....................23 World Mission Workshop trains Recent church van crashes coach for Muskingum Fighting PEOPLE ..........................27 students outdoors. 3, 17-19 show need for safety. 30 Muskies battles cancer. 27 REVIEWS .......................32 Winner of eight ‘Best of the Christian Press’ awards, 2010 | Breaking news, exclusives at www.christianchronicle.org | (405) 425-5070 2 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE DECEMBER 2010 Russia And Ukraine Know What’s Good For Them. The Bible. In Public Schools. Now, in two countries at once. Russia and Ukraine. Over 250,000 students in 1,063 Public Schools. We have to hand it to them, they do know what’s good for them. October 31, 2010 1-800-486-1818 · www.milliondollarsunday.org DECEMBER 2010 THE SECOND FRONT THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE 3 Kindred spirits: Guest chapel Mail brings news and inspiration speaker is out ittle glimpses of heaven arrive — by the hundreds of this world L — in our mailbox each week. OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Christian The Christian Chronicle University’s adopted astronaut, Doug receives church bulletins from Wheelock, spoke to students recently — across the nation — so many from 250 miles above the Earth. that we can’t Wheelock talked live via video feed from Inside Story possibly read the International Space Station, where he them all. serves as commander of the six-person crew. But when “Chance favors the prepared mind, ” we have a Wheelock said in a somersaulting space moment, we talk in which he discussed his Christian love opening faith and promised to return to Oklahoma up these trea- Christian in the spring — in person. sure chests “Regardless of what your goals and of news and dreams are for your life, the most important inspiration thing is to put your trust and faith in God Bobby Ross Jr. from our and to keep your life at the center of his brothers and will,” the astronaut told students at sisters all over America and Oklahoma Christian’s daily chapel assembly. even the world. “Because when you do that, everything else We see the orders of wor- tends to work out.” ship, the prayer lists, the On a lighter note, he joked, “I launched wedding announcements, on June 15th, and so I haven’t had a shower the missionary reports, the since June 15th.” names of those serving in In June, Oklahoma Christian hosted a the military, the attendance ERIK TRYGGESTAD shuttle liftoff party for Wheelock, and in and contribution figures, the At the World Mission Workshop in northern Arkansas, Snezana Lepki wears a shirt with the Canadian March, he was the guest speaker at a univer- reminders to bring change flag and stands by the flags of China and Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has lived in all three countries. sity fund-raising dinner. While on campus for the local children’s home last spring, he spoke in chapel, ate lunch … and we feel a kindred spir- with students and visited several classes. it with congregations large He has served with the NASA space pro- and small, far and wide. gram since 1998. He was a mission special- Via our mailbox, we enjoy a Baptized three times ist on the Space Shuttle Discovery in 2007, few laughs. logging almost 400 hours in space and per- We chuckle at an article forming three spacewalks. He has served titled “No Streakers in A REAL-LIFE ‘SNOW WHITE’ shares her journey of faith — from Bosnia to America. as the primary liaison between NASA and Church” (hint: put on the the Russian Space Agency. full armor of God) from the BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE sings is a practice she picked up in Canada, Wheelock is scheduled to return to Earth Canyon View Church of Christ said Lepki, a native of the small European on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in December. in San Diego and at one-liners FLORAL, Ark. nation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. such as this from the Arnold hen Snezana Lepki sings in church, But the way she worships also reflects Church of Christ in Missouri: she focuses her gaze on the heavens the way she lives, her friends said. “If God is your co-pilot, you W— if the song praises God, that is. “She is one of the most other-centered need to trade seats.” If the song is about her fellow Christians — people I know,” said Baldwin’s wife, Rosalind. Via our mailbox, we enjoy a “Love One Another” or “We’re Marching to “Her love of Christ comes through.” few admonitions. Zion,” for example — she will “turn and face Lepki, whose first name “Snezana” is “Who will you worship you — and sing to you,” said Mavis Baldwin, Serbian for “Snow White,” is completing a Sunday?” asks the bulletin who worships alongside Lepki at the College master’s in education at Harding University of the West Garriott Road Church of Christ in Searcy, Ark. in Searcy. She and about 700 other students Church of Christ in Enid, Sure, it can be a bit disconcerting, traveled to Harding’s Camp Tahkodah for Okla. “The god of Ease? … Baldwin said. But “the idea is worship, and the 50th World Mission Workshop. JEREMY GAN The god of Mammon? … The that’s what she’s busy doing.” In a simulated Third World market, Lepki Doug Wheelock speaks from space to Oklahoma See BULLETINS, Page 4 Facing her brothers and sisters as she See BAPTIZED, Page 16 Christian University students. 4 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE INSIDE STORY DECEMBER 2010 www.christianchronicle.org Go online to find all the news in the print edition plus an expanded calendar, classifieds and much more. • World market in Arkansas: See video from the global market simulation at the 2010 World Mission Workshop at Harding University Tahkodah. • Blogging the news: Check out our new Christian Chronicle blog at www.christianchronicle.org/blog. • Breaking news alerts: Don’t wait to read all the latest news or check out exclusive online features. ERIK TRYGGESTAD To sign up for our breaking news alerts by e-mail, Students, posing as vendors, haggle over contact [email protected]. prices in a market simulation. BULLETINS: In the digital age, paper still a blessing FROM PAGE 3 Ohio, and wonder if we’d be man (or god of Popularity? ... The god of woman) enough to try it. Pleasure? ... The god of Self-Pride? … But we’re certain of this: The roast tur- The God of Heaven?” key, mashed potatoes and gravy served Via our mailbox, we learn that the at a recent Wednesday night meal of the “Senior Saint of the Month” at the Manchester Church of Christ in New Cedars Church of Christ in Wilmington, Hampshire sound exceptionally appetiz- Del., is Mary Weir.