The True Measure of a Man: How Perceptions of Success, Achievement

What do people think of me as a man? Do I measure up in their eyes as they see the choices I am making? What will happen to me if I fail at what I do? These are the questions with which men struggle. “Men so often define themselves by what they do, who they know or what they own. And when they do so, they unwittingly set themselves up for great confusion and failure in their personal lives, particularly when a major economic storm arises,” says businessman Richard E. Simmons III. In his book The True Measure of a Man: How Perceptions of Success, Achievement & Recognition Fail Men in Difficult Times, Simmons identifies these fears and seeks to help men find their true worth.

In time for the beginning of the centuries-old tradition of Lent on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22), churches, bloggers, and others can now share the season’s official and coordinated Bible readings in a free PowerPoint^® presentation consisting of vivid color photography of nature scenes combined with Scripture verses from the new bestselling Bible translation Common English Bible (http://CommonEnglishBible.com).

The presentation (http://CommonEnglishBible.com/CEB/LentDownloads and http://slideshare.com/CommonEnglishBible) is comprised of nine Bible readings to observe Ash Wednesday, each Sunday of Lent, Good Friday, and Easter. It’s flexible enough to display only portions from it or all the slides, and to present them prior to or during church services, embed in blogs and other websites, or email to friends. Verses are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary (Year B).

“On the church liturgical calendar, Lent is the Christian season of preparation 40 days before Easter,” says Paul Franklin, PhD, associate publisher of the Common English Bible (Twitter @CommonEngBible – http://twitter.com/CommonEngBible). “This presentation beautifully helps church leaders and others guide viewers into scripture verses they can quickly comprehend in 21^st century English so they can enjoy a time of personal reflection, prayer, and a change of heart and life.”

An example is from the readings for Ash Wednesday: “Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and celebration again; let the bones you crushed rejoice once more. Hide your face from my sins; wipe away all my guilty deeds! Create a clean heart for me, God; put a new, faithful spirit deep inside me!” Psalm 51:7-10 (CEB).

In addition to the PowerPoint presentation, a Lenten blog tour is being planned and a Lenten Bible reading marathon is being coordinated with churches, schools, and civic organizations (to participate, email jpetersen@somersaultgroup.com). Along with embedding the presentation, bloggers can also embed a new 60-second video (http://vimeo.com/CommonEnglishBible), showing how the Common English Bible is an uncommon translation that clearly communicates in today’s terms God’s message of love to everyone, no matter what age, gender, station in life, or other personal outlook.

The Common English Bible’s popularity has soared since it was first released last September. It’s a bestseller in Christian retail stores; people are printing its verses in calligraphy when they LIKE the Facebook page http://facebook.com/LiveTheBible; and churches are using it to read through the Bible in a year (e.g. http://www.fourthchurch.org/bibleyear.html).

The Common English Bible text, including the Apocrypha, is available to search for free online at Bible Gateway (http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Common-English-Bible-CEB/), YouVersion.com, and the translation’s website.

The Common English Bible is a collaboration of 120 Bible scholars and editors, 77 reading group leaders, and more than 500 average readers from around the world. The translators – from 24 denominations in American, African, Asian, European, and Latino communities – represent such academic institutions as Asbury Theological Seminary, Azusa Pacific University, Bethel Seminary, Denver Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, Seattle Pacific University, Wheaton College, Yale University, and many others.

The Common English Bible is written in contemporary idiom at the same reading level as the newspaper USA TODAY—using language that’s comfortable and accessible for today’s English readers. More than half-a-million copies of the Bible are already in print, including an edition with the Apocrypha. The Common English Bible is available for purchase online and in 20 digital formats. A Reference Bible edition and a Daily Companion devotional edition are now also available. Additionally, in the coming year, Church/Pew Bibles, Gift and Award Bibles, Large Print Bibles, and Children’s Bible editions will be in stores, joining the existing Thinline Bibles, Compact Thin Bibles, and Pocket-Size Bibles, bringing the total variety of Common English Bible stock-keeping units (SKUs) to more than 40.

Visit CommonEnglishBible.com to see comparison translations, learn about the translators, get free downloads, and more.

The Common English Bible is sponsored by the Common English Bible Committee, an alliance of five publishers that serve the general market, as well as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (Chalice Press), Presbyterian Church (USA) (Westminster John Knox Press), Episcopal Church (Church Publishing, Inc.), United Church of Christ (The Pilgrim Press), and The United Methodist Church (Abingdon Press).

Lenten Reading PowerPoint downloads are available on the Common English Bible website. http://CommonEnglishBible.com/CEB/LentDownloads

Reasons for Hope In the Mosaic of Your Life by Carl Kerby

An interview with Carl Kerby, author of Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life

“The two most important pieces of information I will take away from this book: stay bold and be prepared to give a defense of your faith. This book will inspire Christians to do just that. Your story, from your checkered childhood to your resistance to God’s path for you, is a strong reminder that God has a plan for us all. Your explanation of how the Bible fits into the modern-day world, tackling issues such as evolution and race, is crucial to today’s Christian.”

~ Rich “Ace” Franklin, three-time UFC MMA Champ

Life is often not picture-perfect, and difficult times can make it hard to see a plan or purpose for our lives. In this inspiring story of one man’s journey, you will learn to see life from a different perspective. No matter what your circumstances, God can gather up the broken pieces and random elements of your life and form them into a beautiful mosaic—making you a useful vessel for His glory.

Q: In what ways are our lives like mosaics?

To me, a mosaic is a fitting illustration of the way God can take the broken pieces of our lives and create something beautiful from them. My life has been filled with boulders and broken stones. Yet God, in His grace, has put those stones together in a mosaic to make me into a useful vessel for His glory.

I once saw a large mosaic but was too close to understand the design, so I backed up to get a better view. Just as the mosaic picture didn’t make sense until I got a broader perspective, I had to do the same thing with the struggles I’ve encountered. As I look back over my life from a different perspective, I can see why God has allowed me to undergo some of the challenges I’ve had.

I also realized that the more broken pieces in the mosaic, the more beautiful the picture and the greater its value. The more we’ve gone through, the more amazing the picture our lives can be when we have God’s perspective.

Carl Kerby, author of Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life

Q: How can Christians use the mosaic of their life to bring hope to others?

People are often encouraged by my story, when they realize that God can use anyone to do His work—even the messed-up son of a professional wrestler who ended up earning his livelihood as an air-traffic controller and then a public creation speaker. Growing up I struggled with a lot of things other people do: an absentee father, my parents’ divorce, alcohol and drugs, run-ins with the law, even being homeless at one point.

No matter our background, we can all share our own life stories, our mosaic, to tell others how God has taken the broken pieces of our life and made something beautiful and valuable. Those rocky areas in our life can be steppingstones for sharing the love of Christ with others.

Q: You address the topic of racism in Reasons for Hope. Why was that issue important to include?

Sadly, evolutionary teaching promotes the idea that people are divided into different “races” with some “races” better than others, leading to all sorts of prejudice, hatred, and bloodshed. I know I was wrong in my racist attitudes when I was young, and many still believe the same way I did. That’s why I take such a strong stand on this issue today.

Ultimately, the issue of racism comes down to this: where did humans come from? When you reject what the Bible says about man’s origin, you will end up with all kinds of wrong beliefs. But biblically and scientifically, there is only one race of people—Homo sapiens—all made in the image of God. So we need to abandon the term “races” and instead talk about “cultures” or “people groups.”

We have to teach people the truth about racism, but what bothers me the most is that the church has dropped the ball on this issue. In fact, the church (in some instances) is one of the last bastions of racism and prejudice in America. And if we, as Christians, cannot grasp the need to eradicate racism, how can we expect the world to do that?

Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life by Carl Kerby

Genesis Publishing Group/December 15, 2011

ISBN: 978-1933591094/208 pages/paperback/$14.99

To learn more about Reasons for Hope* visit www.rforh.com.

Not in the Heart by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)

Award-winning author and popular radio host Chris Fabry explores ethical dilemmas in his latest release, Not in the Heart

If your child needed a life-saving heart transplant, how far would you go to make it happen? How would you feel if a man convicted of murder offered his heart to your child? What if you discovered the man was innocent, but the only way your child could live was to hide the truth? “I’ve found the only thing I can control is how well I tell the story and follow the truth. . . . The truth will always lead you to a good place,” reflects Truman Wiley, the main character in Chris Fabry’s newest novel, Not in the Heart. Fabry passionately delves into hot topics such as capital punishment, gambling addiction and organ donation, leaving readers to examine their own lives and views. 

Chris Fabry has had an impressive career. He has written more than seventy books for children and adults. Last year, his novel Almost Heaven won the ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Award and a Christy Award for Outstanding Standalone Contemporary Novel. He has spent decades as a radio talk show host for Moody Radio and in 2008 was named “Talk Show Host of the Year.” In his latest book, Not in the Heart,Fabry tells the story of a father that faces an impossible situation while his world is falling apart.

Not in the Heart explores the life of Truman Wiley. Wiley once reported news stories from around the world, but now the only troubling headlines are his own. He’s out of work, separated from his family and buried in debt. His gambling addiction is out of control, but, above all else, his son needs a heart. When his estranged wife presents the opportunity to write the story of a death row inmate willing to donate his heart to Truman’s son, he takes the bait. And as the execution clock ticks, he will uncover disturbing evidence that may point to a different killer. For his son to live, will an innocent man die? As the investigation escalates, Truman will be forced to face his failures and make a choice that will change his life, his family and the destinies of two men forever.

Not in the Heart is a story of redemption—the story of two men’s lives who bear the consequences of their addictions and receive a second chance. Unfortunately, addiction has become commonplace in our culture, with the effects not only impacting the individuals but also those around them. This story will encourage anyone who has a loved one battling addiction.  

Fabry has been praised by reviewers for being a compelling storyteller. He uses that gift to get inside the head of a father who has failed his family and himself—a man who has grown so numb from life’s experiences that the only way he knows how to cope is through gambling. Yet this broken man is called to save another’s life in a way that will shock readers.

Chris Fabry draws his readers into the lives of his characters, and as a result they face themselves. While acknowledging their frustration with Truman, readers will be forced to examine their own mistakes and weaknesses. The book also explores the controversy over organ donation by prisoners. Murder, suspense and broken relationships will keep readers peeling back the layers to discover the truth that lies deep within the heart. 

The release date in February coincides with observances that create a greater awareness of the issues brought forward in the book. National Organ Donor Day, as designated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is set for February 14. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) will be observing Problem Gambling Awareness Week March 4-10, 2012.

Not in the Heart by Chris Fabry

Tyndale House Publishers/February 2012

ISBN: 978-1-4143-4861-2/418 pages/paperback/$13.99

www.tyndale.com ~ www.chrisfabry.com

Twilight's Last Gleaming by Dr. Robert Jeffress

Dr. Robert Jeffress offers bold roadmap to guide attitudes and actions in volatile times

Economic chaos, spiraling immorality, cultural decay, terrorism and global upheaval have convinced many that we are living in the twilight days of America. Widely respected pastor, author and frequent media commentator Dr. Robert Jeffress agrees, but is quick to add a note of hope and challenge in his latest release, Twilight’s Last Gleaming(Worthy Publishing, January 2012). Although we cannot prevent America’s eventual demise, he asserts, we can postpone it . . . and make a difference for eternity at the same time.

Including a foreword by former governor Mike Huckabee, Twilight’s Last Gleaming offers a bold roadmap to guide readers’ attitudes and actions in these volatile times. “But it is not all doom and gloom,” writes Jeffress. “We have an unprecedented opportunity within our current culture to delay our country’s ultimate dissolution so that we can continue to grow the kingdom. Even if America’s best days are behind her, for American Christians, this can and should be our shining moment.”

The remarkable society whose light once shone as a beacon to the world is dimming. This is the sobering assessment of Robert Jeffress in Twilight’s Last Gleaming, yet he brings with that diagnosis a remarkably redemptive and hope-filled prescription for American believers. With biblical insight and real-world clarity, Jeffress answers for everyone who wonders what can be done right now—within our culture, our churches, our voting booths and our neighborhoods—to hold off America’s ensuing demise. He points a way out of the malaise, calling believers to action—not to restore a fading empire’s glory, but to make an eternal impact on millions of souls.

In Twilight’s Last Gleaming, Jeffress also devotes an entire chapter to a pressing issue on many Americans’ minds: Who should I vote for in the coming presidential election? “If Christians place pragmatism above principle, we may or may not win the election, but we will lose our soul,” states Jeffress. However, Jeffress also suggests that a candidate’s faith is just one issue to consider when voting. Jeffress asserts, “There’s some value to having a non-Christian like Mitt Romney who embraces biblical principles, rather than a professing Christian like Barack Obama who embraces unbiblical principles.” He proposes four questions that every believer should ask himself before selecting a candidate:  

• Is the candidate a Christian?
• How would a candidate’s faith impact his policies?
• Do his policies align with the Bible?
• How does he view the Constitution?

With a graceful balance between passivism and extreme activism, Jeffress challenges Christians to be “salt” and “light” in a decaying and darkening culture, standing up against the tide of evil that threatens to engulf America. “We cannot predict God’s ultimate judgment, but we can delay it just like Jonah’s obedience did at Nineveh,” says Jeffress. “But the reason that we’re trying to bide time for our country and prevent its premature decay is not so that we can turn America around, but so that we can preach the Good News.”

Dr. Robert Jeffress, a popular guest commentator on top network news shows, is pastor of the 11,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas and host of Pathway to Victory, which is heard daily on over 720 radio stations nationwide, including the Salem Radio Network, American Family Radio and Bott Radio Network.

Twilight’s Last Gleaming: How America’s Last Days Can Be Your Best Days

by Robert Jeffress

Worthy Publishing / January 2012

ISBN: 978-1-936034-58-1 / 239 pages / hardcover / $22.99

www.ptv.org

TEN: How Would You Rate Your Life? by Terry A. Smith

Many of us dream of living a richer and more significant life—the kind of fulfilling life that, when rated on the scale of one to ten, would score a definitive ten. Inviting us to discover the TEN Life is the theme of TEN: How Would You Rate Your Life? by Terry A. Smith. Smith has a passion for challenging and encouraging others, especially those who are completely unaware of their own unique power and potential.

TEN is about grasping God’s dream for our lives and then taking the necessary action to make that dream come true. Within the pages of TEN, Smith offers sound advice and gives the reader seven inspired steps specifically designed to lead to a better life: awaken, discover, imagine, grow, act, lead and go.

Through application of these seven steps, Smith reveals how each of us can experience life in all its fullness, moving forward from wherever we are toward a TEN. In this way, we can create the best possible future for ourselves and those around us. We can achieve total fulfillment. We can take our lives all the way up the scale to TEN. All we need is the desire to do so.

“If you are looking for significance in your life, you must read TEN. Terry Smith will show you how God works with you and through you to open up possibilities you never knew existed. This book is full of hope.” ~ Ken Blanchard, Co-author of The One Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus

Author Terry A. Smith, lead pastor of The Life Christian Church, West Orange, NJ

An interview with Terry A. Smith, Author of TEN: How Would You Rate Your Life?

Q. What makes TEN different from all the other self-help books already out there?

One of my primary goals in writing the book was to connect the incredible power of creating a better life to the exponential power of leadership. Regardless of who we are or what our natural inclinations or talents might be, when we strive for a better life, we must lead others with us down the path to the best possible reality. Life is not only about us. It never has been. That’s why the book focuses on “others-help” rather than “self-help.”

Q. Not being satisfied with what we have is often cited as the root cause of many of today’s woes. Yet in TEN, you write that you believe the problem is that we don’t want enough. Could you elaborate?

I couldn’t agree less with the idea that most of our problems result from wanting too much. I think we should want more. Not more stuff, but more life. Jesus said that His purpose was to give us “life—life in all its fullness.” Why would He have made such a statement if we’re not supposed to want it? I believe a more fulfilling life—a life in all its fullness—is the future that God dreams for us. I also believe we have the ability to tap into this dream and create that more and better life for ourselves and others.

Q. In the book, you outline a seven-step plan to creating a TEN Life. What are those seven steps?

1.       Awaken: Wake up to God’s dreams for your life.

2.       Discover: Learn how to discover your life’s calling.

3.       Imagine: Learn how the discipline of imagination makes the future real.

4.       Grow: Develop the life infrastructure necessary to sustain success.

5.       Act: Take action to create your future.

6.       Lead:Learn to lead yourself and others to the best possible future.

7.       Go: Accept the call to get started living the life God dreams for you.

Q. Of all the steps, the one requiring us to grow seems the most difficult. Why is personal growth so important?

The greater our God-inspired ambitions, the greater our need to develop the secure foundation necessary to sustain them. We must become bigger people if we desire to live a bigger life. We must be willing to expand as human beings in order to become the persons that God sees us capable of becoming. And the more ambitious we are, the more we must be willing to fully develop ourselves in every aspect of our lives.

Q. A large portion of your book is dedicated to developing leadership skills. Why is being a leader so important?

Who wants to enter a preferred future alone? If we are to live the best possible life, then we must be obligated to more than just ourselves. We must be obligated to the countless people we have direct or indirect, immediate or future influence over. Leadership is about accepting responsibility for others. A moral future—a God-inspired future—is an inclusive one.

Q. But what about those people who don’t see themselves as leaders?

I believe everyone is a leader in some capacity. If you are a mother, then you are a leader. If you are a teacher, you are a leader. If you are gifted in the arts, you are a leader. Excellent athletes are leaders. Managers, politicians, pastors and CEOs are all obviously leaders. While most people may not be born with natural leadership skills, it is a skill that can be learned and developed. It can be studied. For our own survival and the survival and success of those around us, it is imperative that we learn effective leadership skills. Trust me, you can learn to lead if you have to, and I think you have to.

www.livingten.com

An interview with Richard E. Simmons III, author of The True Measure of a Man: How Perceptions of Success, Achievement & Recognition Fail Men in Difficult Times

Q:  When did you first develop a passion for working with men? What inspired you to write The True Measure of a Man?

The True Measure of a Man: How Perceptions of Success, Achievement & Recognition Fail Men in Difficult Times by Richard E. Simmons III

Several years ago I noticed a pattern in young men’s lives. As they began their careers, they all seemed to have the same plan for their lives: make a great deal of money, marry the woman of their dreams and have perfect children—the American Dream. But, if you fast forward 15 to 20 years, it hits them that life has not turned out the way they had planned—work, marriage and raising children in this culture are very difficult. The mid-life crisis most men go through, I believe, is in reality a spiritual crisis, and there is a great opportunity to reach men. That is how the vision to start the center came about.

Author Richard Simmons

What people are saying about The True Measure of a Man: