BibleLessonConnection.com:Inspiring Bible Characters – Phillip

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Click here to read the entire lesson

Philip was one of seven men chosen by the (Jewish People) to handle certain leadership duties while the twelve disciples focused on spreading the Gospel (Acts 6: 3-4). Philip and his counterparts were full of the Spirit and had great wisdom (Acts 6: 5).
In this lesson of inspiring bible characters, we will see how one man can have a great impact on the lives of others. Hopefully, through Philip, we will see how we, too, can do something powerful in the name of God.

Philip spreads the Gospel
•Acts 8: 4-8
–The Bible says that Philip proclaimed Christ. Philip’s dedication to Christ and His Word is an example for us to follow. Do you proclaim Christ to others? What are some ways that you can personally spread the news of Jesus Christ to those you come in contact with?
–Philip ministered to the needs of the people and they were healed. We all know people who are hurting and in need. We have frequent opportunities to assist those who need our help. You can be a listening ear to someone who is dealing with a life crisis, give Godly advice to a loved one, or pray for someone in need. There are a number of ways that you can help another person, relieve their pain and help them find joy once again.

Philip and the Eunuch Cross Paths…
•Acts 8: 26-29
–From scripture, it appears that the angel of the Lord arranged this meeting between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch.
–Question for Thought: Who has the Lord “arranged” for you to cross paths with? What is the Spirit of God telling you to do about them?
•Acts 8: 30-35
–The Ethiopian eunuch is seeking knowledge about the Lord. He’s been to worship, he’s reading God’s Word, but he needs help to understand it.
–Philip is obedient to the Spirit of God and shares with the eunuch the good news about Jesus.
Philip baptizes the Eunuch

Steps Leading to Baptism

•Hear the Word
–Romans 10: 14

•Believe that Christ is the Son of God
-Hebrews 11: 6

•Repent of Your Sins
–Acts 3: 19

•Confess before men that you believe
–Matthew 10: 32

•Be Baptized for the forgiveness of your sins
–Acts 2: 38

Thanks to BibleLessonConnection.com for being a Dallas South Community Supporter.

Dallas South’s “Get Into the City” a huge success

Posted on March 15, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Despite the bad weather, we had an outstanding turnout at Dallas South’s initial Get Into The City. Thanks to Ms. Jan Gore who provided an excellent atmosphere at Texas Caribbean Foods, as well as The Beat Condos and Southside on Lamar who were sponsors of the event. And thanks to John Spriggins who’s art was on display for the evening.

Those who joined us asked when we’re going to have our next GITC. We’re scheduled to hold an official Get Into the City in June, though we may have a warmup prior to that. Stay tuned to Dallas South for updates.

In the meantime, check the photo gallery below and see all of the fun that you missed.

ALERT: “This Broken Vessel Restored” Virtual Blog Tour

Posted on March 15, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Hat Tip to Judith Howard Ellis of Final Days Forum for alerting me to a virtual blog tour for author Paulette Harper. Ms. Harper is discussing her new book, That Was Then, This is Now: This Broken Vessel restored on blogs, radio, and postcasts around the net. Here’s how Final Days spoke about That Was Then:

Bad news has become a constant. If you are still watching TV news, you can feel the stress of the nation. Jobless rates are soaring. Prayer requests are piling up at church altars and online through e-mail and Twitter. The questions are real. Where is the relief when your marriage fails? What is the balm to ease worries about paying the bills? What direction do you take when your child goes “left”? How do you start over when you get laid off and you are only a few years from retirement?

In That was Then, This Is Now, This Broken Vessel Restored, author Paulette Harper offers insight about overcoming hard times after surviving a broken marriage as a pastor’s wife. She will be featured on Final Days Forum on Sunday, March 15, 2009 as part of “This Broken Vessel Restored Blog Tour.”

Click here to read Final Days Forum’s entire post regarding the “This Broken Vessel Restored Blog Tour.”

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Freedom Baptist Church present: Dallas Job Fair and Training

Posted on March 11, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Freedom Baptist Church will host a job fair and traning session in Dallas on Thursday. The event will be held at Freedom Baptist Church from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Dallas Job Fair and Training

HOSTED BY:

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson

Freedom Baptist Church

Date: March 12, 2009

Location: Freedom Baptist Church

3715 South Westmoreland Dallas, TX 75233

Tel. 214-339-2259

Time: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

President Obama outlines education plans to U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Shawn Williams

President Barack Obama chose to detail his plans for education today at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. President Obama proposed four pillars of education reform:

1) “Investing in early childhood initiatives” like Head Start;

2) “Encouraging better standards and assessments” by focusing on testing itineraries that better fit our kids and the world they live in;

3) “Recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding teachers” by giving incentives for a new generation of teachers and for new levels of excellence from all of our teachers.

4) “Promoting innovation and excellence in America’s schools” by supporting charter schools, reforming the school calendar and the structure of the school day.

The President also had a word for students. “Of course, no matter how innovative our schools or how effective our teachers, America cannot succeed unless our students take responsibility for their own education,” Obama said. “That means showing up for school on time, paying attention in class, seeking out extra tutoring if it’s needed, and staying out of trouble,” he went on to say.

Obama highlighted the to raise expectations in education because “”By 2016, four out of every ten new jobs will require at least some advanced education or training.”

The President also framed his words in the context of the economy and other bold initiatives his administration has taken on:

I know there are some who believe we can only handle one challenge at a time. They forget that Lincoln helped lay down the transcontinental railroad, passed the Homestead Act, and created the National Academy of Sciences in the midst of Civil War. Likewise, President Roosevelt didn’t have the luxury of choosing between ending a depression and fighting a war.

In his remarks, Obama condemned both Democrats and Republicans for their resistance to innovation in education. “The time for finger-pointing is over,” said the President.

Read the President’s remarks in their entirety here at CBS.com

Photos by Charles Dharapak (AP)

Theater Review: “If By Chance” playing at the Bishop Arts Theater Center March 6th-March 15th

Posted on March 6, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Review by Kristin of Because I Said So

If By Chance

Playwright Donnie Wilson has been “directly inspired by our society’s preoccupation with Barack Obama’s ethnicity”. If By Chance is his outstanding play which depicts many undercurrents of racial inadequacy punctuated with bursts of humor. Mr. Wilson was able to balance his play with levity while administering the heavy and precarious topic of racial identification in our society.

The play tackled numerous facets of race in America, and chronicled the psychological journey of biracial man in his search for his identity. Chance (portrayed by lead actor Cameron Law) is a tormented individual overwhelmed with his biracial ambiguity.

Mr. Wilson in his first social lesson illustrates how influential and at times detrimental parents can be in shaping the lives of their children. Chance’s mother (Lisa B. Whitefield) lived a tortured childhood in which her Blackness was always pitted against a dominating White America. She passes her racial inadequacy onto her son who struggles to accept his Black heritage while openly embracing his White heritage.

Truth (lead actress Perri Camper) gave a phenomenal performance of a young bombastic, arrogant and confident college student. Truth plays a vocal character outspoken for civil injustices raised in a healthy household, yet still unaware of how to communicate her frustration in a manner that is constructive.

Wilson’s play pokes holes and exposes a range of flawed thinking regarding race held in America and particularly the black community. I found bits of my personality in the characters of Chance and Truth and nothing is as sobering or informative as seeing parts of yourself portrayed in the words and actions of others. I encourage the Dallas South Family to plan a “Play Night” then comeback to Dallas South and share your own review of “If By Chance”.

“If By Chance” is playing at the Bishop Arts Theater Center showing March 6^th through March 15^thThursdays at 7:30pm, Saturday & Sunday matinees at 3pm, Friday & Saturday performances at 8 PM.

The entire cast and crew deserve recognition for an excellent production.

Cast

Cameron Law (Chance)

Perri Camper (Truth)

Lisa B. Whitefield (Stella: Chance’s Mother)

Kelley Settles (Waitress/Doctor)

Monique Vasquez (Celeste)

Malcolm Underwood (young Chancellor)

Janis Roscoe (Psychiatrist)

Thomas Mosely (The Poet) performance dominated whenever he took to the stage

Arnulfo Diaz, Jr. provided comedic relief with a well timed delivery and execution.

Bobby Anderson (The Poet- understudy)

Crew

Donnie F. Wilson (Playwright/Executive Producer)

Bill Fountain (Director)

Stephanie Jackson (Stage Manger)

Lisa Long (Assistant Director)

Ellen Mizener (Scenic Design)

Sam Nance (Lighting Design)

Bible Lesson Connection: Solomon

Posted on March 4, 2009 by Shawn Williams

BY BIBLELESSONCONNECTION.COM

As we continue our study of inspiring bible characters, we meet King Solomon. Solomon, the son of King David, is known throughout the Word of God for his wisdom. In fact, the Lord asked him what he wanted most and Solomon requested that he be given a discerning heart to govern and distinguish between right and wrong (I Kings 3: 9).

Solomon, in effect, was asking God for wisdom.

To read this entire lesson, click here.

The Bible tells us that Solomon is the author of the Book of Proverbs. Because the Book of Ecclesiastes follows a theme of wisdom and insight, King Solomon is widely believed to be the author of this Book of the Bible as well. Let us be inspired by the words of Solomon.

A Time for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

– Solomon acknowledges that life goes through various phases. There will be a time in our life for everything. He seems to be saying that we should not be surprised when we encounter different “times” in our lives. It is to be expected that our lives will have different “seasons”.
–What season is it in your life? You can be sure that whatever the season is, good or bad, that another season is coming.
–Sometimes we get consumed with emotion when going through difficulty, we should take comfort in knowing that change is constant in our lives and that things won’t stay difficult forever.

Enjoy Life

Ecclesiastes 9: 7, 9-10, 12

–Solomon is telling us to enjoy life. We should realize that though the things of this life are meaningless, that the best that we can do while we are here is to enjoy the life we have.

– Many of us spend too much time worrying. Life is temporary. Why worry about something that isn’t going to last? Many of us will look back and regret that we spent so much of our time in despair instead of enjoying what we can of our experience on Earth.

The Daily Show: Obama/The Usual Suspects

Posted on February 25, 2009 by Shawn Williams

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM – Th 11p / 10c

Unusual Suspect

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Funny Political News
Joke of the Day

Bible Lesson Connection: God is Willing to Give You Another Chance

Posted on February 18, 2009 by Shawn Williams

FROM BIBLELESSONCONNECTION.COM

Scripture reminds us that, “we all like sheep have gone astray.” The story of Jonah reveals one man’s experience of rebellion, punishment, repentance and obedience.
Most of us can relate to a time in our lives when we disobeyed God and there were consequences for our actions. Follow Jonah’s inspiring story as he endures punishment, but gets a second opportunity to do the will of God. Jonah’s experience shows us that our God is stern, yet merciful, patient and willing to give us another chance.

Jonah flees from the Lord…
• Jonah 1: 1-3
– The Lord gives Jonah an important assignment. He was to go to Nineveh, a city that was engaged in plotting evil against the Lord, cruelty and theft in war, prostitution, witchcraft and other sins. The Lord wanted him to rebuke and correct the Ninevites, but Jonah disobeys God and instead goes his own way.
– Jonah is headed to a place he has no business going. The Lord told him to go to Nineveh, but instead he goes to Tarshish.
– Question for Thought: Where are you going in your life that is against the will of God? Are you headed in the direction that he wants you to go, or are you headed your own way?

Jonah is punished by the Lord…
• Jonah 1: 4-7, 11-15, 17
–The Lord sends a storm to punish Jonah.
– The men who are on the boat with Jonah are also reaping the consequences of his actions. They throw Jonah overboard to save themselves.
– Life Lesson: Sometimes, when we rebel and are headed in the wrong direction, the Lord sends a storm our way. Our storm may not literally be wind and rain, rather we might experience personal difficulty meant to help us “wake-up” and change our course.
– Life Lesson: There are times when we might reap the punishment that was intended for others who are close to us. Depending upon who that person is, you might have to distance yourself from them to save yourself.

To read this Bible Lesson in its entirety, visit BibleLessonConnection.com

Movie Review: Bishop College Documentary an insightful view of the fall of a black institution

Posted on February 16, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Sad.

As I watched the Rick Thompson produced documentary Bishop College: A Bridge Between the Worlds in the end I came away feeling sad. With all over the wonderful stories that Thompson is able to gleen from the black college’s 107 year history, in the end I came away quite meloncholy.

But the show scheduled for Monday night at 8PM on KERA 13 will be a bittersweet trip down memory lane for alumni of the Bishop Blue and an enlightening look at a lost Texas treasure for everyone else.

Click the tab below to hear my interview with Rick Thompson and Bobby Moten, Sr., President of the Bishop College Alumni.

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Mr. Thompson starts the story at the very beginning, the founding of Bishop College in 1881 in Marshall Texas. Marshall was and still is the home of Wiley College. The film does an excellent job of portraying the rivalry that existed between the two schools.

There’s also a great segment on Bishop’s role in the civil rights movement, including a 30 year-old Martin Luther King delivering the commencement address in 1959 and sit-ins on the Marshall square that lead to the arrest and conviction of Bishop and Wiley students.

The documentary highlights the tradition of teachers and preachers that were birthed from the campus of Bishop College, including a feature on the contributions of Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III. There are many first hand accounts of what made the campus so special and why its legacy still lives despite the fact that it’s been 20 years since Bishop closed its doors.

Thompson doesn’t dig deep into exactly why Bishop closes, though it’s obvious from his work that financial woes lead to poor decisions and court cases. It’s also mentioned that the number of clergy on Bishop’s board was not helpful though he stops short of indicting them of negligence.

Bishop College: A Bridge Between the Worlds is well worth viewing but I would suggest setting your DVR. There were a number of occasions where I found myself rewinding the show to rewatch some of the segments. The fact that all that remains of Bishop in Marshall is a street sign is more than hard to believe. But for those of us who search for any reminders of our history, at least its something.

Bishop College: A Bridge Between the Worlds airs Monday February 16, 2009 on KERA 13 at 8:00 p.m.