pdate - Christian Network Team

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Christian Network Team
P D AT E
www.christiannetworkteams.org
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342 East County Road D • St. Paul, MN 55117
MN 651-776-6171 • TN 612-850-0335
cntmn@juno.com • OVERALL 1-800-811-CEOS
No. 63
CNT-Northwest Examines
Life-Sized Tabernacle Replica
ete Scharber, owner of Marksman Metals in St.
Michael, Minn., and a 10-year CNT member,
served up a unique treat when he hosted CNTNorthwest members at the June meeting.
Pete was aware of a life-sized replica of the Old Testament Tabernacle that was on display at the headquarters
of Teens for Christ in Hudson, Wis., about 60 miles from
where most of the CNT-NW members live. Thinking the
members would enjoy and benefit from touring this
replica, he and Dick Nelson, facilitator of the CNT team,
coordinated with Chad Peterson, associate director of
Teens for Christ, to get the men to the site.
Upon arrival the men had a hot breakfast, provided by
Karen Nelson. During the buffet meal Pete gave a personal update. Afterward Peterson served as tour director, personally guiding the group through the Tabernacle
reproduction.
He provided an overview of the Teens for Christ
ministry, then Pastor Paul began the tour of the Tabernacle
replica. Tents were built to scale and represented where
God directed Moses to build, according to the Old
Testament book of Exodus.
The structure was designed and built in Indiana and
Members of CNT Northwest listen as the tour guide
shows them different parts of the Old Testament
Tabernacle and its symbolism.
brought to
the Midwest
by semitrucks and
then assembled on
the grounds
of Teens for
Christ, being
made available to the
public to
tour for six
months.
During
Pete Scharber served as host for the
the tour,
CNT-Northwest meeting which included
Peterson
a tour of a replica of the Old Testament
explained
Tabernacle.
1,000 years
before Jesus
Christ came to Earth, God presented His redemptive plan
for mankind. Exodus chapters 35-40 gives the extensive
plan God entrusted to Moses, who in turn, gave to the
entire Israelite community, detailing how this plan would
be implemented.
It is a remarkable plan for man’s redemption from sin.
The tour guide pointed out the various stages of the Tabernacle, the reason for each segment, and most important
showed how the Tabernacle portrayed Christ. It represented the finished work of redemption and the sacrificial
death of Christ on the cross, which eliminated the need
for animal sacrifices performed in the Old Testament.
As Peterson noted, it was an elaborate system of redemption, based on the priests sacrificing many animals
as symbols of the remission of man’s sins.
As we concluded our tour, we paused for a somber
prayer time, led by Bob Strong. as each man gave thanks
for the finished work of salvation, provided by Jesus as
He willingly went to the cross giving up His life, as the
perfect final sacrifice for each of us.
Without question, He paid a debt that He did not owe,
for the debt that we couldn’t pay! – Dick Nelson
Latin American Medical Challenges Explained
Members of CNT-3 in Chattanooga recently received a glimpse of the challenges to provide adequate medical care and treatment to poor individuals
and families in another part of the world.
Dr. Hector Moreno of Portoviejo, Ecuador was
a presenter, coming as a guest of Richard Pettit.
Moreno, currently a general practitioner who plans
to specialize in orthopedic surgery, was in the area
to speak at churches about his work at Fundacion
La Vida (Foundation for Life), a medical mission in
his city, which is located about 20 minutes from the
Pacific coast.
He and Richard had met at the mission in Portoviejo, where Richard’s father-in-law, Dr. Paul H. Fellers, Jr. has served as an orthopedic surgeon.
Moreno said the goal of La Vida is to provide a
central source for excellent medical care for the region’s
poor while also addressing spiritual issues these people
are facing.
“Through the surgery, we are seeking to show God’s
love for each person,” he said.
The intent is not to approach this work as a charity
initiative, but rather to encourage families to become
involved in their own care.
One reason Moreno feels drawn to orthopedic surgery,
he said, is because incidence of babies being born with
clubfeet is common in that area, in which feet are turned
severely inward or even under. This disability severely
limits mobility, but in most cases is very correctible using
modern surgical treatment and months of rehabilitation.
Richard observed this treatment means “a new
opportunity to literally walk through life.”
Moreno said he has observed God provide miraculous
connections through the process of seeking resources
for the center, including his becoming acquainted with
Richard.
Dr. Hector Moreno of Portoviejo, Ecuador was a guest
at a recent CNT-3 meeting, explaining his work at
Fundacion La Vida (Foundation for Life), a medical
center to meet health needs of poor families in his city.
“God has honored me by putting me in contact with
people like Hector, individuals of immense potential for
doing His work,” Richard commented.
Hector added the work has had a profound impact on
his own life. “My faith is growing as I see lives being
changed,” he said.
Sattler Named Chairman
Of Enterprise Center
Jim Sattler, a longtime member of
CNT-2, has been named chairman of the board
of Chattanooga’s Enterprise Center.
The former CEO of EMJ Corp. based in
Chattanooga, Jim has assumed the leadership
role for the center, which oversees many of
the city’s entrepreneurial and technology
initiatives, its high-speed rail effort, and a
brownfields program.
Host Jim Bailey, Richard Pettit and Jim Ruane share
what had been going in their lives since the last CNT-3
meeting in Chattanooga.
Johnsons’ B&B Officially
Closes Doors after 14 Years
The recent sale of Ken and Ardie Johnson’s Country Cove
Bed & Breakfast in Stillwater, Minn. marked the end of an
era of sorts.
They closed the B&B at the end of 2011 after 14 years
of inn-keeping. At that point Ken and Ardie agreed, “it was
time to lock the door.” Ardie offered her perspectives on how
God enabled them to use Country Cove not only as a place
for rest and food, but also for ministry in very meaningful
ways.
“It has been a good chapter in our lives,” she said. “We
opened for business the year our youngest daughter Jolene
graduated from high school. Over the years since then we
have had guests from across the United States, as well as
foreign countries ranging from Russia to Australia.
“I would estimate we have served several thousand
breakfasts, as well as having made many hundreds of
beds. When we first opened, I thought a new definition
for happiness was ‘opening the dryer and finding it empty.’
“We have many memories from different guests, but the
last three groups were especially wonderful,” Ardie said.
“First we had seven young mothers spend the weekend
with us. Among them, they had 22 children under the age
of 7. They enjoyed each other, having Bible studies, and
praying together. What a joy it was to have them.
“Then we had adoptive parents and their daughter of 18
years spend the weekend so the girl could meet her birth
mother. What a delightful time it was for us to watch them
get acquainted, share stories and shed a few tears.
“They sat at the breakfast table from 9 a.m. until 3
p.m. The birth mom, parents and some relatives all came
from out of state, and I think the adoptive parents did an
For 14 years, Ken and Ardie Johnson used their Country Cove
Bed & Breakfast to lodge and feed guests, and communicate
to them the love of Jesus Christ.
outstanding job of organizing the whole weekend for them,”
Ardie commented.
“Our last group was organized by our daughter-in-law,
Jennifer. She and her co-worker, Jody, brought 19 women for
an overnight retreat, and they had a great time.”
Ken and Ardie already have moved to their new home in
Finlayson, Minn., but will cherish the memories of Country
Cove.
“Ken and I will miss the people connections, but are
looking forward to a little more flexibility,” Ardie said. “We
don't mind working hard, but it will be nice to have a little
time for a few other things.”
Speaking of the Value of CNT
During a Chattanooga CNT members’ retreat, a
number of men expressed how much it has meant to
them over the years.
Charlie Monroe, for example, a charter member,
stated, “Much of what we do (as business leaders)
is the same. Only 20 percent is distinctive about our
companies. So CNT has provided a safe place, with
wonderful fellowship and a source for rich input.”
Harold Williams, another charter member, called CNT
“an island for men to gather together on a peer level
and share strengths and weaknesses. There’s not a lot
of people to turn to when you need someone to listen,
to get advice – or to give advice. CNT has provided all
of that.”
John Shadden, a printing company owner who was
a guest at the retreat, added, “As a business owner,
there’s nothing like knowing you’re not the only one
trying to run your company in the way the Lord wants
you to run it.”
“Your business is
your ministry –
and your
ministry is your
business!”
David Uth to Speak Again at 2013 Chattanooga Spring Retreat
The 2013 Chattanooga CNT Spring Retreat, held
annually in the Dunaway community near Dunlap, is
scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 5-6.
David Uth, pastor of a large congregation in Orlando,
Fla., again will be the guest speaker. He spoke to the
Chattanooga group at the 2012 retreat.
The event will start at 4 p.m. on Friday and conclude
following lunch on Saturday. The cost per person will
be $75.
CNT Executive Director Ken Johnson commented, “I
had the privilege of attending David’s church in Orlando
with my son, Jim. I was overwhelmed when I saw the
church, witnessed the service, and met some of the
wonderful people there. He definitely has a church that
is doing the work of the church, not just church work!”
To begin planning for the retreat, the CNT office in
Minnesota needs to know who is expecting to attend.
You can communicate your interest to Carol Joswiak,
CNT’s administrative assistant, via email at
cntmn@juno.com.
Bethany Press Hosts CNT-3, Unveils Strategy
In May Bethany Press International hosted Minnesota
CNT-3, telling the men about its new Publish For All
initiative, which is designed to create open access
“cloud” based libraries of Christian content and placement of digital print locations globally.
Dan Brokke, Bethany CEO, explained its intent. “This
makes accessibility of Christian resources much more
readily available at low costs to the Church around
the world.
“About six months ago we experienced important
breakthroughs in utilizing high-end inkjet office printers,
reformulating inks and reducing costs, sourcing handbook binding equipment, and formatting book sizes to
drastically reduce the cost of digital print-on-demand
book production,” he said.
“Our prayer is to have these ‘cloud libraries’ populated
with 10,000 books and to place 1,000 print systems.
This will allow for Christian books and resources from
any nation to be printed anywhere in the world, without
customary export/import and financial constraints and
Bethany International CEO Dan Brokke demonstrates new
technology being used to spread the Good News of Christ
around the world.
Dan Brokke explains to CNT-3 members the mission
of Bethany International and its affiliate ministries.
barriers. We believe this can accelerate fulfillment of the
Great Commission.”
Brokke said Bethany International’s mission is to “take
the church to where it is not” and reach unreached
peoples. About 100 full-time Bethany missionaries serve
in 25 countries, and dozens of short-term mission teams
are sent each year. Bethany College of Missions trains Great Commission
workers on the Bloomington, Minn. campus and globally,
through 500 partner mission training schools in many
nations.
Bethany Press serves most of the leading Christian
publishers and has printed more than 300 million
Christian books since 1995.
“It is our prayer that ‘the Lord of the harvest would
send out laborers into the harvest fields.’” Brokke said.
“I appreciate so much the fellowship, the wisdom, and
encouraging prayer support that comes through the
ministry of CNT.”
Sheep Book Reviewed
On ‘Rick & Bubba Show’
Pursuing Life with a
Shepherds Heart,
Ken Johnson's story of raising
sheep, recently received
attention on Sirius Radio.
Ken Johnson’s book, Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, recently
received some serious radio attention. Well, at least Sirius Radio
attention.
While traveling, CNT member Trent Morrell enjoys listening to SiriusXM
Satellite Radio. On a recent trip he was surprised to hear the hosts of the
“Rick & Bubba Show” discussing Ken’s book.
They were reading passages from Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart
and offering some lighthearted and, presumably, favorable commentary.
The book, coauthored by Bob Tamasy, recounts the many years of
experience Ken and his family had in raising sheep on their Lake Elmo
“hobby farm.” During that time they observed many instances in which, as
Isaiah 53:6 states, “all of us are like sheep.”
Ken said he was delighted for the book to receive the media attention. He
hasn’t met Rick and Bubba, who are from Vestavia Hills, Ala., a Birmingham suburb, but feels fairly certain they are not related to his friends from
Minnesota that he often speaks of, Ollie and Sven.
The book, by the way, is available in both print and digital formats on
Amazon.com. It recently was republished through Amazon’s publishing
division, CreateSpace. With Christmas not being that far off, you might
want to consider it as a gift for family and friends.
30 Minnesota Members, Guests
Tee Off for Annual Golf Outing
The annual CNT Minnesota Golf Tourney was held Sept
7 at Oak Glen Golf Course in Stillwater, starting at 8 a.m.
with a best ball scramble format.
Early morning rain showers cleared as 30 CNT
members and guests gathered for the event. Golf
committee chair Scott Foss greeted participants, took a
group photo, offered a prayer of blessing for the day, and
released foursomes to their respective holes.
Four hours and 20 minutes later the group gathered at
the clubhouse for a buffet lunch to close out the day.
Assisted by Carol Joswiak, CNT administrator, Scott
presented the firstplace traveling trophy
to the foursome of
Rolf Engwall, John
Johnson, Brent Niccum
and Lew Niccum.
First-place winners in the
Winning the prize
Minnesota CNT golf tournament
for closest to the pin,
were (from left) John Johnson,
Brent Niccum, Lew Niccum and
No. 6, was Scott Foss.
Rolf Engwall.
The longest drive,
on No. 15, was Leif
Briel, and longest putt was made on No. 9 by
Lynn Lindquist.
Joe Kuchinka and Bob Strong offered their own
testimonies about the benefits they have gained
from being active CNT members. They both
shared experiences of warm fellowship in their
group, along with specific insights they have
gained that could be taken and applied to their
respective businesses.
Bob's wisdom, spiritual guidance and service
have been a wonderful blessing to the CNT NW
Team members.
Many thanks to Carol Joswiak, Scott Foss, Ken
Johnson and others who assisted in the planning
and follow-up for this special annual event which
Participants in the annual golf outing pose prior to the shotgun start of is eagerly awaited by many. Hole sponsors were
the best ball scramble format.
greatly appreciated, enabling extra funds to be
designated for the CNT Ministry. – Dick Nelson