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The Insider
[missions from the inside out]
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Dear Friend,
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An important dimension
of God's plan for the ages is the transformation of nations and
communities, in addition to individuals. In this edition
of The Insider,
Pastor Joel Pulis profiles the transformation occurring within an overlooked
segment of society -- those living with severe mental illness. WorldconneX Leader Bill Tinsley reflects on the
Christ-like transformation needed in individuals, communities, and
nations.
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Healing
Friendships at the Well Community
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 by Joel Pulis
Do you know someone
living with mental illness? Statistics support that you do.
According to the US
Surgeon General an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older
- about one in four adults
- suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. When applied
to census estimates, this figure translates to almost 60 million people
living with the effects of mental illness. Therefore, in someway or
another, your community and your congregation are affected.
The lack of care for the
mentally ill is a significant and growing crisis. For some time
now, the state of Texas
in particular has overlooked and under funded this concern, leaving us as
the 49th out of 50 states in per capita spending on mental health
services. Consequently some of the most vulnerable in our society
are left to fend for themselves. With a debilitating brain
disorder, the mentally ill are expected to secure adequate housing,
maintain relationships with family, balance their finances, navigate the
public system for resources, attend to their daily needs, utilize public
transportation, remain compliant with their medications, and the list
goes on.
In 2002, God led a team
of us to plant a church called the Well Community
among this population. We discovered ...read more.
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Previous Issues of Insider
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The
Nations Have Come To Us
May 2008
Business
as Mission
April 2008
Two
Generations Engage in Missions
Global
Partnerships
February 2008
Short-Term
Missions
January 2008
What WorldconneX Can Do For Your Church
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Transformed Individuals,
Communities, and Nations
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by Bill Tinsley
There are certain questions
churches and church leaders need to ask: "Are we making a
difference?" and "Are we accomplishing on earth what Jesus
Christ intends us to accomplish?" The answers are not solely about
budgets, buildings, baptisms and attendance. Jesus indicated what
He wants us to accomplish when He taught us to pray, "Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." The
answer has to do with transformation. Are individuals being
transformed into the image of Christ? Are communities being transformed?
Are nations of the world reflecting the values of Christ's kingdom as it
is in heaven?
On June 23, The Pew Forum on Religion
& Public Life released the results of a comprehensive survey on
religion in America.
The results: more than half of evangelicals believe there are many ways
to heaven; and 45% of US adults seldom or never read the Bible. The
Barna Group has also reported that the divorce
rate among born again evangelical Christians is virtually identical with
the divorce rate among those who ...read more.
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WorldconneX has moved!
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 WorldconneX new physical address:
333 N. Washington Ave.
Dallas, TX 75246
WorldconneX phones and e-mail addresses remain
the same:
214.421.7999 local
877.975.3269 toll-free
firstname@worldconnex.org
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