March 2006 Edition

Welcome to re:thinking magazine. Below you will find the titles, with a short synopsis, of the various articles appearing in this issue. We are interested in any feedback you may have, whether positive or not, so feel free to e-mail us at allan@allanturner.com. If you wish to correspond directly with the writers, their e-mail addresses are provided at the end of their articles.

SPECIAL REPORT—The Stratfor Geopolitical Intelligence Report: “Of Mosques, Oil Fields and Ports”

The news has been dominated by three apparently discrete events. The al-Askariyah mosque—a significant Shiite shrine in As Samarra, Iraq—was bombed, triggering intensifying violence between Shiite and Sunni groups. A group linked to al Qaeda claimed responsibility for attacking a major oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. And a furor broke out in the United States over the proposed purchase, by a government-owned United Arab Emirates (UAE) firm, of a British company that operates a number of important American ports. Apart from the fact that all of these incidents involve Muslims, the stories don't appear to be linked. They are. In this special report, George Friedman—who I have been reading after since I read his book, America’s Secret War: Inside The Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between America And Its Enemies—put some things together in a way that will be very helpful for someone trying to keep him- or herself up to speed on what’s going on in the War on Terror. If interested, you can read this informative report by clicking here.

Editorially Speaking: “This Ain’t No Thinkin’ Thing”

You’ll just have to read it to find out what I’m talking about here. You can do this by clicking here.

By Women, For Women: “A Word Fitly Spoken”

In this article, Lydia talks about controlling the tongue—something easier said than done. To read what she has to say, click here.

“For God Loves A Cheerful Giver”

In this article, Frank talks about the wise use of money and how it relates to our giving. To read more about it, click here.

The Gift Of The Spirit Or A Gift From The Spirit?

In his opening paragraph, Wayne writes: “In Acts 2:38, Peter told the Jews who murdered their Messiah that they needed to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. This would be great news for those who had committed such a great crime—God provided a way that they could be forgiven! There was even more good news—those who obeyed God would also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!” To read more of this interesting article, click here.

“Baptism For The Dead”: What Was The Apostle Talking About In 1 Corinthians 15:29?

In this another article from Randy’s pen, he deals with a question that has been perplexing to more than a few Bible students. To read what he thinks about this question, click here.

Why Genesis Matters (Part VIII): Genesis And The Cross

In this eighth and final aricle in this series, Doy shows how Genesis points to the cross. He may return to this subject at a later date, but for now, he’ll be moving on to other subjects. To read his final installment in this interesting series, click here.

The Church Without Laity (Part V)

The church purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ is unique (cf. Acts 20:28). It is most unfortunate that it remains a church unknown to most. It is, astoundingly, a church without laity, and it is this feature that Allan will be focusing on in this series of articles. To read the fifth installment in this series, click here.

“Who Do You Say That I Am?”: A Question We Must Get Right!

In this article, Allan deals with a question we must get right, or all the other answers to all the other questions mean absolutely nothing. To read more, click here.

Announcing A New Book entitled The Christian & War: A Study That Asks Whether A Christian May Scripturally Function As A Punitive Agent Of The State And Other Related Questions

This book is scheduled to be published in the next several months. It is a much needed and updated look at a most important subject. Unfortunately, many young Christian men and women are enlisting in the military today without having thoroughly studied this issue. The author has a definite point of view and some will, no doubt, think his thesis quite controversial. Nevertheless, the author believes it is a point of view that the thinking Christian must become familiar with. To view the table of contents and read the first chapter, click here. (Please note that doing so will take you off site. To return here, you’ll have to click the “return” button on your browser.)