Each Tuesday night the Men's NetWork e-newsletter is sent to thousands of registered users. Covering items from men's group events and ministry resources to regional conferences and devotional aids, this weekly release gives subscribers the latest on the Men's NetWork and follows other events at Lutheran Hour Ministries as well. For those wanting to stay informed, it's easy to get it, even if you're not a registered user of the Men's NetWork. Just go to www.lhm.org/men where you can access the latest edition. To receive it as a weekly e-mail, go to www.lhm.org/men/subscribeblog.asp.
Recent e-news has saluted our U.S. military veterans for their commitment and sacrifice in the service of our nation. Readers have heard about free Project Connect booklet offers on understanding depression, dealing with Alzheimer's disease, and how to "live the six." Readers learn about our Advent devotions in English and Spanish; how to get involved in an International Volunteer Trip; where to find The Lutheran Layman, LHM's long-running print and online publication, which features in-depth stories and interviews of key personnel. Also included are the date and location of upcoming men's group events around the country, photos from our WEAR in the World feature, the latest men's groups signing up, and a thought-provoking blog capping issue entitled, appropriately, "Man Stuff."
Here's a taste of the blog: a recent installment, "Defending Hell to Share the Gospel," opened with lines cited from a pagan blog, which offered these three points: 1.) Power-hungry religious leaders invented hell to control their followers through fear, 2.) Hell wouldn't be just because it is infinite punishment for finite transgressions, 3.) Hell wouldn't be right because it is punishment based upon the violation of arbitrary rules. It's not a stretch to see how some people might think this way. What do you think?
In response to the pagan's three points, the Men's NetWork blog included this reader comment: "Faithful religious leaders have nothing to gain by inventing a punishing state of existence for those who deny God's grace and mercy. Those who reject Jesus as their Savior live without any hope, and we see the real-world consequences when people live without any sense of sure and certain hope outside of themselves. If there is no hell, why do people keep referring to it?"
What say ye on the matter? You can join the conversation and let us know.
Now while you're on the Men's NetWork website, take a minute to register. It costs you nothing, and there's lots of stuff available like a Facebook page; cool merchandise (caps, shirts, golf balls, man cards); how-to instructions on topics like creating a disaster plan for your family, giving single moms a break, and starting a men's ministry at your church and last, but not least, original video Bible studies (31 of them now, to be exact). The latest is A Man Named Martin - Part 1: The Man, a five-part study looking at the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther. It's all available at www.lhm.org/men.