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To serve the present age,
my calling to fulfill
O may it all my powers engage
to do my Master's will.
Charles Wesley(1)
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Rock-the-Cradle Discussion Questions and Genogram Exercises
1. Sing the Harry Emerson Fosdick hymn "God of Grace and God of Glory" and discuss the second stanza which begins: "Lo! the hosts of evil round us / scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!"(18)
2. It has been said "The difference between a hero and a coward is one step sideways." What do you think?
3. What about "The difference between a leader and a martyr is three paces"?
4. What is the danger in today's timely response? (Radical relativism?)
5. Donald J. Shelby, Senior Pastor at the Santa Monica United Methodist Church in Santa Monica, California, received this note from a member of his congregation, now working in Washington, D.C., shortly after last Christmas. Have copies of this letter made and give it to each member of the class. Ask them to meditate and pray on it, and then relate how it impacts their soul.
Dear Don:
I am writing this to you because I need to share it, and I believe you will understand.
Jesus came to me last week and I turned away from Him. It was two days before Christmas. I had been working 16 to 18 hours a day and had nothing to prepare for Christmas. I went out in the early afternoon to pick up a couple of gifts. I was wearing a down coat I bought in California, but had just purchased a new one and I wanted to give this coat away. It had been on my mind all day.
I walked out of a book store and within half a block I saw a woman holding out a paper cup, begging for money. I looked in my purse to give her a dollar but all I had were two twenties, and of course I couldn't give her that much. So I emptied my change purse into the cup. Two dimes fell on the sidewalk and when I knelt to pick them up, I saw that she was only wearing house slippers. The wind had picked up, it had rained earlier in the day and was very cold. She said to me that she was cold, her jacket was wet and asked me to feel it. I did, but my eyes were still blind. I walked away! I was embarrassed at the thought of giving her my coat, of taking it off there along the street and handing it to her. I had not gotten to the corner before I realized what was happening. I removed my keys from the pocket of the coat and turned back, but she was gone. Usually the street people stay in one place most of the day, and I couldn't believe she was gone in less than one minute. I walked around the block looking for her, then walked another block in each direction, but could not find her. I am still looking each time I go out, but I probably will never see her again. I believe it was Christ in that woman asking for my coat, and I had all kinds of excuses not to give it to her. Please tell everyone, Don, to answer when the Spirit calls, to follow Jesus when He appears to us in the needs of another human being.
I hope I have another chance and I pray I will answer 'Yes.'"(19)
6. Pope John Paul II was so aware of his times, and so concerned about timing, that he postponed his coronation until noon so as not to interfere with a scheduled morning soccer match. Where in your church do you need a better sense of timing?
A member of The Evangelism Network 
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