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Are you Killing Cockoaches?

Author Tony Morgan has a confrontational new book that will be sure to identify your gaps in leadership and put you on a path to close those gaps. For those leaders courageous enough to deal with their junk I encourage you to check out the short video below. It might help you from having to kill the cockroaches in your life.

 

One reader’s family walks THE FINE LINE on their vacation

I received the following Facebook message from one of my readers – Roger Coville.

Kary,

I thought you would enjoy knowing that we used the books from your launch night to share with Kelly’s family during our break. We are meeting each night about eight to cover at least two chapters. Great stuff! We have nine in total from age 16 to 67. The kids are leading us tonight. What a blessing to end our day talking about what we all wrestle with. The Line is getting clearer each day.

I hope your tour is going well.

All the best from Fla,
Roger and Kelly

Curious and encouraged, I sent him back a message asking him these five questions.

1. What made your family want to study the fine line on vacation
2.  Please describe a sample schedule of your group study(reading, amount of time for discussion, location, prayer, etc.)
3. What types of discussions did it bring up
4. Why do you think the study is relevant to such a wide variety of ages
5. What outcomes do you anticipate from partipating in the study

Here are some pics with his family doing the study on their vacation. Their answers to my five questions are below: 

What made your family want to study the fine line on vacation

1. Some of us went to the launch of the book, and thought it would be a great idea to do with a group.  We were leaving on vacation the next week, so it was apparent that we had a great opportunity with the group being our family.  It seemed to be applicable to all ages, our teenagers through the grandparents.

 

 Please describe a sample schedule of your group study(reading, amount of time for discussion, location, prayer, etc.)

 

2. Reading was done daily, between 2-3 chapters each day, with individuals choosing their own pace and location for reading. Discussions were between an hour and two hours each night, in the same room, at around 8 pm with different facilitators each discussion.  The reading took 30 minutes to an hour depending on reading pace, which was a very reasonable time commitment, and it is easy-going reading as well.

 

What types of discussions did it bring up

 

3. The group was somewhat polarized, with a few of the adults feeling they fell on the separatist end of the teeter totter, with all of the teenagers weighing down the conformist end.  It allowed for a great amount of balance and different points of view in discussion.  The different ages/stages of life allowed for those to see how it was relevant in all walks of life.  The discussions brought many laughs, as well as some tears and minor conflict, but all of it was positive and all felt everything said applied or meant something to them.  We followed the discussion questions and let the discussion branch from there, and it worked really well.  People were answering the questions honestly, and it led to many in-depth discussions, not just simple question answering.

 

Why do you think the study is relevant to such a wide variety of ages

 

4. Every Christian struggles with this, if they are truly trying to grow, something the Church has been trending towards.  Most modern Christians wish to grow in themselves, and well as see the Church grow, which you point out.  To do this correctly, regardless of age, this is applicable.  If Christians are to go into the world and love others as they are directed, this is an obvious struggle.

 

What outcomes do you anticipate from partipating in the study?

5. We feel this will lead to much more open-mindedness in viewing the other camp.  We also feel it portrays the non-christian society in a new light and how you must influence it.  As well as how to appropriately involve yourself in this society, and integrate spirituality in every aspect of life.  It leads to a greater self-awareness in judging how close to the line you are.  For a few of us, we were not aware of what we were doing, and how far on one side of the spectrum we had drifted.  We also realized how easy it was to blend in and get caught in one group or the other.  Many understood the concept you were putting forth, but it provides new motivation for doing so, the motivation of God, and not ourselves. 

 

A huge thanks to…

The Towler’s of Waverly, Ohio (Gary, Penny, Maddy, Hannah)

Ms Sandra Pollard of Portsmouth, Ohio

The Coville’s of Powell, Ohio (Roger, Kelly, Stan, Cassie)

 

…for letting us join you on your vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

Christian Legal Society walks THE FINE LINE

I was invited to present to the Columbus chapter of the Christian Legal Society on Wednesday, January 21. I will be sharing relevant themes from my book THE FINE LINE. More about the CLS is below and the answer is YES if you were wondering-there is such a thing as a lawyer who follows Jesus. I know several of them.

A growing nationwide fellowship of Christian lawyers and law students
who act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
~ Micah 6:8; Matthew 23:23 ~

OUR MISSION

To inspire, encourage, and equip Christian lawyers and law students, both individually and in community, to proclaim, love and serve Jesus Christ through the study and practice of law, the provision of legal assistance to the poor and needy, and the defense of religious freedom and the sanctity of human life.

 

 

OUR CORE VALUES

1. A passion to love, bear witness and follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ.

2. The truth and necessity of the Holy Scriptures for a right understanding of life, including the law.

3. Reliance upon prayer and the transforming power of Jesus and the Gospel of His Kingdom.

4. The dignity and equality of every person as a creature of God with God-given gifts of life and liberty from conception to natural death.

5. Grace and peace expressed among us in community and conflict reconciliation rooted in God’s Word.¹

6. Advancing the unity of the Body of Christ as envisioned by Jesus.

7. The importance of families and interdependent relational networks in the Body of Christ for the advance of the Gospel in the legal workplace.

8. Preferential care and concern for the poor and needy.

9. Always steward, never owner, of God’s provision.²

10. Commitment to skillful excellence and honest service to others in all that we say and do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR NINE ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES

     Since its founding in 1961, CLS’ nine organizational objectives, as set forth in its amended not-for-profit articles of incorporation, have been:

 

 

♦     To proclaim Jesus as Lord through all that we do in the field of law and other disciplines;

♦     To provide a means of society, fellowship and nurture among Christian lawyers;

♦     To encourage Christian lawyers to view law as ministry;

♦     To clarify and promote the concept of the Christian lawyer and to help Christian lawyers integrate their faith with their professional lives;

♦     To mobilize, at the national and local levels, the resources needed to promote justice, religious liberty, the sanctity of human life, and biblical conflict reconciliation;

♦     To encourage, disciple and aid Christian students in preparing for the legal profession;

♦     To provide a forum for the discussion of problems and opportunities relating to Christianity and the law;

♦     To cooperate with bar associations and other organizations in asserting and maintaining high standards of legal ethics; and,

♦    

To encourage lawyers to furnish legal services to the poor and needy, and grant special consideration to the legal needs of churches and other charitable organizations.

These nine objectives are pursued at CLS by following the “inside outward” pattern for spiritual transformation, leadership development and community building that Jesus modeled and taught His disciples in the timeless “Beatitudes” of His Sermon on the Mountain. Matthew 5:1-12.

OUR CONFESSION OF CHRIST

 

 

At CLS, our association starts with a common confession of trust in Jesus Christ and in the truth of His Word as set forth in the Holy Scriptures. By starting here, we acknowledge that God’s standards of justice, mercy towards others, and humility about ourselves can never be understood, much less attained, unless God is, as He has revealed Himself, by His grace alone, first in our lives.³

It is only by this grace that we can by faith acknowledge that Jesus Christ gave His Life for us so that He could give His eternal Life to us in order that He could live His Life through us. Romans 8:14. These uncommon acts and attitudes of

confession, humility and desire for right living are inspired in us by Jesus’ words in the first six verses of His Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:1-6

Then, through CLS’ Attorney Ministries and Law Student Ministriesoperating through attorney and law student chapters and our national chaplaincy program, we encourage the maintenance of an accountable, personal and professional lifestyle that is characterized by seeing ourselves truly as God sees us, loving God completely and others compassionately. These steps of mercy and purity are inspired by Jesus’ next words in His Sermon.   Matthew 5: 7-8,

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Finally, through CLS’ Legal Aid Ministries and its Center for Law and Religious Freedom, we provide two national and local avenues through which our members may seek to advocate justice with the love of God. First, we recruit and train lawyers to provide Christian legal services to the truly needy.4 Second, in the defense of religious freedom and the sacredness of human life, we train and encourage our members to model the biblical principles Christ modeled: truth, justice, sacredness of life, freedom of conscience, and biblical conflict reconciliation through personal confession and forgiveness of wrongs. These steps are inspired by the last “blessings” Jesus identified in His Sermon. Matthew 5:9-11 5

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me.

 

 

 

OUR FELLOWSHIP IN CHRISTThrough membership in CLS, each of our members (in every “season” of their life and phase of their legal practice) is encouraged to faithfully follow the above-described “inside outward” pattern for spiritual transformation and Christian living as modeled for us by Christ. In this fashion, CLS exists to transform the legal profession for good one heart and mind at a time by equipping and encouraging each CLS member (and their families), one at a time, through prayer, local fellowship, national provision, advocacy support and leadership training “to do justice with the love of God.”

We believe that it is our voluntary fellowship in Christ that most consistently mobilizes our more than 3,000 CLS members to locally volunteer his or her services to help the poor, mentor a student, promote the biblical reconciliation of conflict, protect the sanctity of innocent human life, or defend a “neighbor” persecuted or discriminated against for the exercise of their free religious conscience. ⁶

Eventually, by God’s grace and all appropriate means, CLS seeks to identify, equip and inspire every Christian lawyer in the United States who, along with CLS’ non-lawyer “associate” members, seeks to associate together for the common purposes and benefits offered by this Society, and strives to be known by that “love for one for another” that Christ inspires. 1 John 3:11, 23.
OUR COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW CHRISTWe are thankful for the extraordinary number of big and small ways we can follow Christ’s example, using CLS’ ministries, to assist others through CLS staff and our members’ local and national efforts. Here are some of those ways:

We equip attorneys for service

 

♦     By providing on-line access to vital resources (www.clsnet.org)

 

CLS’ website connects attorneys with CLS attorney chapters, as well as prayer, fellowship, legal referral, advocacy and jurisprudential resources. ♦     By publishing an on-line national member directory and maintaining an on-line and telephone-based legal referral network that makes more than 150 legal referrals per week.

Christian attorneys, judges and law students across the nation can be located through the CLS membership directory and the national lawyer referral network

.

 

♦     By providing instructive, informative and inspirational pastoral care, publications, resources and seminars on the Christ-centered practice of law.

♦     By providing a chaplaincy service dedicated to “building a community

 

 

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

 

 

 

The Paul Edwards Program Walks The Fine Line

Out of Detroit, The Paul Edwards Program, will interview me on Thursday 1.8.08 at 5:15 pm regarding THE FINE LINE.  Read more about Paul here or check out the GOD AND CULTURE blog.

About Paul Edwards

Paul was born in Detroit and raised in the downriver community of Taylor. He attended Taylor Public Schools through junior high school. In 1975 he entered Temple Christian High School in Redford, graduating there in 1979.

After attending Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri Paul returned to Temple Baptist Church in Redford, Michigan where he served on the staff until taking his first pastorate in 1989. He has pastored churches in Michigan, Indiana, and Texas.

Since October of 2001 Paul has served as the Teaching Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church of Waterford, Michigan. In February of 2002 he began hosting On the Word with Paul Edwards on Detroit Christian radio until August of 2004. In March of 2006 Paul returned to the airwaves with Salem Communications and AM 1500 WLQV in his current position as host of The Paul Edwards Program. His guests have included politicians, theologians, musicians, ethicists, and many more of todays influencers and critical thinkers.

Paul majored in church history, attending Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO and Grace College & Seminary in Winona Lake, IN. He has been in ministry full-time as a pastor since 1989.

Jan. 8

5:15 pm ET

WLQV

Detroit, MI

The Paul Edwards Program

 

NEW PODCAST EPISODE – “FAITHWALK”

Here’s my sermon from Sunday titled FAITHWALK. Part 2 will be this next Sunday.

 

Picture Yourself with The Fine Line

You could be today’s winner. 

 

Free Starbucks for your Mug Shot

Out at the mall Christmas shopping the next few days? Take a pic holding THE FINE LINE and get a free STARBUCKS gift certificate on me.

Click the link: http://www.karyoberbrunner.com/picture

 

Interview w/Pastor Mel Lawrenz, Sunday 12/21

Sunday, December 21, WISN Radio 1130 AM, 10:05 am EST, Senior Pastor of Elmbrook Church, Mel Lawrenz interviews me on Faith Conversations about THE FINE LINE. If you miss the Radio Show you can download the interview later in the week at Come to the Brook.

THE FINE LINE is now available everywhere nationwide.

 

Christmas Specials – Free Books

 

We have three deals from now until December 19th (This deal is not retroactive. It’s only good with purchases made today or after).

1. Buy 1- 4 copies of THE FINE LINE and get a free discipleship E-book emailed to you immediately ($40 value).
2. Buy5-9 copies of THE FINE LINE and get a free E-book  & Journey Toward Relevance (hard copy) snail mailed to you separately ($54 value).
3. Buy 10 or more copies of THE FINE LINE and get free E-book, JTR & CALLED book & workbook ($65 value) (hard copies) snail mailed to you separately.

In order to get your free books, just forward a copy of your amazon receipt to my email (info ”at symbol” karyoberbrunner.com) and I will send you your free books immediately.  Be sure to include your preferred mailing address. Postage is included (Yes this is a great deal!)