The eNotes Blog Celebrate Bloomsday and Learn About JamesJoyce!

Celebrate Bloomsday and Learn About JamesJoyce! Here at , we love the opportunity to celebrate literature and our favorite authors, and it just so happens that one of the most internationally recognized literary holidays is right around the corner!On June 16th, we honor the highly influential James Joyce and his most famous work  Ulysses with a little celebration known as Bloomsday. For those of you unfamiliar with the story,  Ulysses is a 20th century take on Homers  Odyssey, and it follows a day in the life of character Leopold Bloom as he meanders his way around Dublin, encountering individuals with unique life stories whilst he contemplates his own.  Ulysses  is written in a stream of consciousness format, playing with experimental prose so as to better delve into the minds and thoughts of his characters. As Irish scholar  Declan Kiberd  said, Before Joyce, no writer of fiction had so foregrounded the process of thinking. In other words, James Joyce was a talented writer and  Ulysses was very much a display of his literary abilities. The story, published (at first merely serialized in an American newspaper) in 1918, was already gathering a decent amount of buzz only two years later in 1920. As early as 1924, there were records of the first celebrations of Bloomsday, acknowledged by Joyce himself in a letter to Miss Weaver, his longtime patron, where he states, There is a group of people who observe what they call Blooms Day- 16th of June. Since then, the festivities have broadened significantly and are now well-known throughout the globe, with celebrations from Dublin to Australia. These days, typical festivities involve readings of the novel, pub crawls, themed meals, dress-up, and more Guinness than you thought possible. But, to keep things PG, enjoy the following list of facts about James Joyce and his famed novel to get you in the spirit of the season. Joyce  had a couple of intense phobias, including a lifelong fear of dogs, inspired by a canine attack in his youth. His other more pressing fear was a terror of thunderstorms; also in his youth, his grandmother would tell him that thunderstorms were a sign of Gods wrath. Even after he declared his independence from the Catholic Church, it seems the fear stuck with him, and he never quite grew accustomed to the presence of thunder and lightning. Joyces grandson, in addition to being named after a character in  Ulysses, has done much to contribute to his late grandfathers legacy.  It is heavily speculated that Joyces grandson, Stephen, has destroyed a number of his grandfathers letters to protect their contents from prying eyes. Additionally, Stephen has spoken out a number of times and prevented what he deemed inappropriate adaptations of Joyces work. You may wonder why Joyce specifically set  Ulysses  on June 16th  Well, wonder no more! Joyce chose this particular date because it was the anniversary of his first date with Nora Barnacle, the woman he would eventually marry and have two children with. Nora Barnacle The library at University College in Dublin was named after him (The James Joyce Library). As it turns out, Joyce actually attended a number of schools, including Clongowes College and Belvedere College, before  finally graduating from University College in Dublin. Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath were also Joyce/Ulysses  fans The two authors tied the knot on June 16th, 1956 in honor of Bloomsday- it seems quite the day for romance! He didnt originally aspire to be a writer. Though his father, John Joyce, was deeply invested in literature, the father and son didnt get along too well and its likely that James Joyce went into the study of medicine to distance himself from his fathers legacy. Whilst in Paris studying science and medicine, Joyce was called back to Dublin to see his mother on her deathbed; he did not return to the medical community and instead turned to writing (though he and his wife did return to continental Europe). He wasnt the most sociable. Documents and personal accounts of the time period describe Joyce as aloof or arrogant, and it is likely that these descriptions assisted in the  perception of artists and authors as mysterious and avant-garde. He didnt play nice with other writers either Particularly in the case of William Butler Yeats. Yeats was desperate for the younger author to like him and offered on multiple occasions to read Joyces poetry. Eventually, Joyce replied with rolled eyes and the comment: I do so since you ask me, but I attach no more importance to your opinion than anybody one meets in the streets. Yikes! (Let us point out that Yeats is also a rather spectacular author, respected both in his time and still today). Joyce underwent twenty-five  eye surgeries in his lifetime.*  Even today, with the evolution of modern medicine, we dont often think of people going under the knife more than  maybe a couple of times in their life - except in the case of extremely persistent conditions. Joyce was a sufferer of one of those unfortunate conditions, and it just so happened that it was his eyes that bore the brunt of the misfortune. Famous for his relative blindness, Joyce received his first pair of glasses at just six years old. Only years later did he begin what would be a lifetime of attempts to repair conditions like inflammation of the iris and spontaneous reshaping of the pupil. *Bonus eye fact: On more than one occasion, doctors applied actual  leeches to his  eyeballs to reduce swelling. Think of that any time you have to go to the eye doctor, and thank your lucky stars that medicine has moved beyond leeching A lot of early copies of  Ulysses  were burned. As stated before,  Ulysses  was originally published as  a serial in the U.S. in 1918, but it was not made into an official book until 1934. Somewhere in those sixteen years between the serial and the novel, some hooligans got it in their minds to combine and bind some illicit copies and distribute them via post. Well, when the U.S. Post Office got wind of this plan, they seized the illegal copies and had them all burned.

20 Words for That Certain Something

20 Words for That Certain Something 20 Words for That Certain Something 20 Words for That Certain Something By Mark Nichol Some people have it, and some people don’t. But what, exactly, is it? Here’s a list of words describing a special quality that sets certain people apart from others, and their meanings: 1. Brio: vivaciousness (Italian, â€Å"fire, life,† perhaps from the word for vigor from a form of French) 2. Charisma: charm or personal magnetism (from the Greek word meaning â€Å"favor†) 3. Chutzpah: admirable or excessive self-confidence; this word and ginger are the only ones on this list that have both positive and negative connotations (from Hebrew by way of Yiddish; several other spellings are used, but this one is the most common) 4. Duende: charm (from Spanish dialect, meaning â€Å"ghost†) 5. Élan: enthusiasm (from the French word eslan, meaning â€Å"rush,† with the same Latin root from which lance is derived) 6. Esprit: vivacious wit (French, from the Latin term spiritus, â€Å"spirit†) 7. Flair: style, or talent or tendency (from the French word meaning â€Å"odor† or â€Å"scent,† ultimately from Latin flagrare, an alteration of fragrare, from which fragrance is derived) 8. Ginger: spirit, or temper (from the Latin term zingiberis, for the root used as a spice and a medicine, derived from the Sanskrit word srngaveram) 9. Gumption: initiative (from a Scottish word meaning â€Å"shrewdness,† perhaps from a Germanic term meaning â€Å"attention†) 10. Gusto: enthusiasm (the Italian word for â€Å"taste,† from the Latin term gustus) 11. Je ne sais quoi: a quality not easily described or expressed (a French phrase that means literally â€Å"I know not what†) 12. Knack: intuitive capacity or knowledge (originally meant â€Å"trick†; perhaps from the onomatopoeic word akin to knock) 13. Mettle: vigor, stamina (from an alternate spelling of metal) 14. Moxie: energy, enthusiasm, courage (from the brand name of a soft drink; early on, such beverages were often touted, long before the advent of energy drinks, as providing pep) 15. Panache: flamboyance; originally, a decorative plume of feathers on a helmet (from the Latin term pinnaculum, meaning â€Å"small wing,† by way of Italian and French) 16. Pizzazz: glamour, vitality (unknown etymology) 17. Savoir faire: self-assuredness, talent for knowing how to conduct oneself (from the French term savoir-faire, meaning â€Å"knowing how to do,† from the Latin words sapere, meaning â€Å"know,† and facere, meaning â€Å"do†) 18. Savoir vivre: knowledge of appropriate behavior (from the French word savoir-vivre, â€Å"knowing how to live,† from the Latin terms sapere, meaning â€Å"know,† and vivre, meaning â€Å"live†) 19. Spunk: courage, pluck (from the Gaelic word spong, meaning â€Å"tinder,† ultimately derived from the Latin term spongia, from which sponge is also derived) 20. Verve: vivacity, energy, enthusiasm (ultimately from the Latin term verbum, meaning â€Å"word,† because of the early sense of â€Å"flair for speaking or writing†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives Peace of Mind and A Piece of One's MindWhen Is a Question Not a Question?

Retail Market in Thailand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Retail Market in Thailand - Assignment Example The Thai retail environment has distorted radically in the years since the 1997 financial crisis, which saw lots of Thai shareholders having to sell their shares to foreign-owned multinational retail operators, as well as the Thai government's policy to hold trade liberalisation in its wish to contribute in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) (David W. Raisbeck, 2003). To struggle the financial crisis, the Thai government followed trade deregulation. Thailand has since welcomed an influx of large-scale multinational hypermarket, supermarket and specialist retailers, which are eager for a share of the Thai retail market. This has raised protests from several Thai academics and traditional retailers, which have raised the "nationalist" alarm bells. Numerous Thai-owned minute and medium-sized retailers have been pushed out of business since they could not fight with the much better multinational discount stores, as some better Thai retailers have been bought out by foreign conglomerates. ... investors possess relative advantages in terms of a noise financial base, superior economies of scale, lower costs of production and superior bargaining power, due to their much larger order volumes (E.G., 2005). Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) "In this increasingly open world, FDI has become an important driving force for economic globalisation". (Xinhua News Agency, 2002) It can be supposed that FDI is fine and essential for the development of Thailand. FDI is regarded as a source of power in the globalisation process that sets apart the modern world economy. The process has reduced the value of territorial boundaries and every area of the world is in single way or another engaged in the process (FAOSTAT, 2005). The region should thus raise its international share of FDI. The supposition is based on the possibly incontrovertible roles that FDI can play in the growth of the region. This justifies the anxiety about the call for and ability of the region to increase its international share of FDI inflows. FDI in Thailand Foreign direct investment has been an significant constituent of Thailand's economic development process. Given the rising meaning of industrial competitiveness in an gradually more spirited global marketplace and the possible of the association linking FDI and technological improvement, this research discover two questions opposite Thai policy makers: (i) what are the most effectual ways in which technology relocate can take place during FDI; and (ii) how can such transfers be accelerated and improved during FDI promotion policies FDI in Emerging Markets It is a reality that Thailand, like several other emerging market of this world, needs a considerable inflow of external resources so as to fill the economy and foreign exchange gaps related

Summarize the IRIS Training Module (2) Coursework

Summarize the IRIS Training Module (2) - Coursework Example This paper will discuss the cultural differences existing regarding the involvement of family in Maria’s case and evaluate how cultural influences affect her development. Cultural influences are evident in how students understand verbal messages, body gestures, physical touch and eye contact because different cultures have different expectations of these modes of communication. For example, Maria is a Mexican student in the US and English is not her first language. Further, apart from learning it in the US, she also needs to have enough command over it to use it to learn academic content in school. According to the U.S. Department of Education (2007), the US is known for its historical emphasis on education, which also explains why majority of American parents have always been concerned and involved in their children’s academic affairs. Further, the present-day American education system does not discriminate against gender, as is traditionally seen among some minority cultures that prioritize the education of the boy child. On the contrary, Maria’s parents have not shown interest in what goes on in her school life apart from the fact th at they enrolled her in school. For instance, they have not been returning her teacher’s calls and have also failed to respond to the notes that have been sent to them for a whole week. This acts as a warning sign to the teacher and generates the initial thoughts that the parents are not supportive of their child’s academic endeavor. From the case study, Maria is also shown to be the typical example of English language learners. This is because although she has the conversational skills to chat with friends during break, she lacks the central academic language and vocabulary to succeed in school. A key cultural influence on Maria’s education is what is typically known of Latin American cultures in which children show

Debt and Equity Essay Example for Free

Debt and Equity Essay Long-term financing requires a meticulous understanding of the various features of debt and equity and their impact an organization. While evaluating debt and equity, an investment banker also has to consider the unique characteristics of the organizations dealings while ensuring that the organizations requirements are met. Debt CapitalDebt capital includes all long-term borrowing incurred by the firm. The cost of debt was found to be less than the cost of other forms of financing. The relative inexpensiveness of debt capital is because the lenders take the least risk of any long-term contributors of capital. Their risk is less than that of other because (1) they have a higher priority of claim against any earnings or assets available for payment (2) they have a far stronger legal pressure against the company to make payment than do preferred or common stockholders, and (3) the tax-deductibility of interest payments lowers the debt cost to the firm substantially. Equity CapitalEquity capital consists of the long-term funds provided by the firms owners, the stockholders. Unlike borrowed funds that must be repaid at a specified future date, equity capital is expected to remain in the firm for an indefinite period. The two basic sources of equity capital are (1) preferred stock and (2) common stock equity, which includes common stock and retained earnings. Common stock is typically the most expensive form of equity, followed by retained earnings and preferred stock, respectively (Pinegar, Wilbricht, 1989). A firms capital structure is determined by the mix of long-term debt and equity it uses in financing its operations. Debt and equity capital differ with respect to voice in management, claims on income and assets, maturity, and tax treatment. Capital structure can be externally assessed using the debt ratio and the debt-equity ratio to measure the firms degree of indebtedness or the times interest earned ratio and the fixed-payment coverage ratio to measure its ability to meet fixed financial payments. Research suggests is an optimal capital structure that balances the firms; benefits and cost of debt financing. The major benefit of debt financing is the tax-deductible interest, and the costs of debt financing include the  probability of bankruptcy, agency costs imposed by lenders in their loan agreements, and asymmetric information costs attributable to managers having more information about the firms prospects than do investors (Modigliani and Miller, 1958). Reference: Modigliani, Franco and Miller, Merton. (1958). The Cost of Capital, CorporationFinance, and the Theory of Investment. American Economic Review. Pinegar, J. Michael and Wilbricht, Liza. (1989). What Managers Think of CapitalStructure Theory.

Michael Kearns on Henry James Washington Square :: Henry James Washington Square

Michael Kearns on Henry James' Washington Square: Much Ado About Nothing It never fails to amaze me how someone can take a theory and expand on the idea so much that it takes twenty pages to defend his or her thesis. Such as the case with Michael Kearns, an English professor at the University of Texas. In Kearns' journal article that appeared in College English, he cites a student's question regarding Chapter 10 of Washington Square: "Why does the narrator tell us that 'this is all that need be recorded of their conversation'? And why does he tell us that if Catherine's aunt had been present for this conversation, she 'would probably have admitted that it was as well it had not taken place beside the fountain in Washington Square'"? (Kearns 766) Had this question been posed in our class discussion of Washington Square, it would be possible that we would discuss it for a short while and then move on. Not Mr. Kearns instead, he goes on for 19 pages about the questions that his student asked. Granted, there were some but only a few arguments about the questions that I thought Kearns presented well. However, most of the article was cumbersome to me, as the reader, and I questioned whether Kearns was just elaborating on nothing in hopes of being published in an academic journal. Kearns writes that the question that his student posed was valuable for several reasons, among them being that "it demonstrated for the class an act of critical reading reading that goes beyond a novel's characters, plot, setting, symbols, motifs, and so forth to look at the rhetoric of intention embodied in all of the choices that comprise a novel" (Kearns 766). This is a very valid opinion that Kearns has. Somehow in academic readings, it seems that the important things gets left behind as we stress heavily on the listing that Kearns chose. Another valid argument that Kearns had is that the student used naà ¯ve realism in her reading, and therefore showed ethical issues that are part of the human condition (Kearns 766). As a result, Kearns feels that this enhances the reading of the characters: "I assume that readers will accept the invitation to respond, not only ethically but also emotionally" (Kearns 769-770). In conclusion, had Kearns left his argument to a simplistic means, I think that this article would have been fascinating to read.

Soccer: the Game of My Life

General purpose: To inform Goal: In my speech I would like to talk to my audience about soccer, which is my hobby. Introduction I. I am sure each of you have a hobby or an activity, which is an escape from the everyday life. II. Such as hobbies or sport activities let’s you relief the stress, and give you the strength to live. III. I also have a hobby, which is soccer. I play soccer since I was a little boy, and it had a big influence on my life. IV. Today, I would like to tell you about how playing soccer shaped my physical and mental strength, allowed me to travel, and meet people and friends.Body I. To begin, let’s talk about health benefits I gained from playing soccer. A. I shaped my overall physical strength and health. 1. Years of playing soccer let me keep my body in good shape. Running, jumping, and stretching, had build up my flexibility, endurance, and physical strength. 2. Continuous training allowed me to stay healthy all the time. Beside occasional colds o r flu I never got sick. B. Pushing my body to hard work influenced my mental strength. 1.The desire to win the game and the endless forcing myself to work hard taught me to never give up, to â€Å"fight to the last whistle†. 2. Soccer allows me to escape from the everyday life. When I play soccer, I forget about all my worries and problems. During the game my stress is relived. Transition: Beside physical and mental health I also received many social benefits from soccer. II. I did travel a lot; I met many people, and made lots of friends. A. Many years of playing soccer allowed me visited many places. 1. Playing in regular season involved travel in a bus around the country.There was always time to stop to see important monuments, explore interesting places or cities. 2. To prepare for the season we often travel to other countries for several days. I have visited many cities in Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, or Germany. 3. Now, when I am playing for Tarnovia Chicago, I do traveli ng as well. My team is participating in the soccer tournaments hosted in Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, California, and Florida. B. While traveling with the team I met many new friends. 1. Traveling involves spending a lot of time with your teammates.Long bus and train rides, or living in the same room give plenty of time to play, talk, and get to know each other. 2. I also met many people on the field from the opponent teams. With some of those people we have set specific form of friendship, which only exists on the soccer field. We meet once a while at the game and we enjoy playing against each other. Conclusion Summing up my speech, soccer is a team sport, where the personal strengths, trust, and friendships between people are being formed. Those are the things I value the soccer for.

Church Planting

TEMPLE BAPTIST SEMINARY A PLAN FOR CHURCH PLANTING IN BARREIRAS, BRAZIL A CHURCH PLANTING PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF TEMPLE BAPTIST SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSE INTRODUCTION TO CHURCH PLANTING AND GROWTH (ICST 6423) BY Barron Mason JULY 27, 2011 INTRODUCTION Beginning a new church-planting project is a task that requires much responsibility and effort. It is not a light-hearted venture. Nor is it a task that has a one-size-fits-all model or method.Each church plant has unique elements because it reaches unique people in unique places throughout the world. It is a humbling yet exhilarating experience to be called by God to this task of planting a church among a specific group of people. This paper will discuss the work of planting a church among the poor in the city of Barreiras, in the country of Brazil. Included in this paper are demographic data that influence the strategies and methods chosen for planting the church. Also included are var ious factors of strategy and methods to be implemented in this church-planting endeavor.May God be glorified in this work and may the local body of Christ in Barreiras, Brazil one day be a shining light that reaches people with the gospel of Christ and reproduces itself in other church plants throughout the region and the world. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OF BARREIRAS The city of Barreiras is situated in the Northeastern part of Brazil, in the state of Bahia. The region is a plains region where farmland is abundant. The climate of Barreiras is arid and hot. There is a rainy season from November to January. The rest of the year has little to no rainfall.Even though there is little rainfall during most of the year the region makes it’s living by agricultural farming and cattle farming. Some of the crops produced in the region include sugar cane, corn, soybeans, cotton, and coffee. Irrigation is used in most farms and is a process that was introduced to the region in the 1990s, which aide d in the population explosion of the city and region. [1] According to the 2007 Brazilian Census there is a population of 137,427 people in Barreiras. This census also reports that the size of the city is 7,859 square kilometers (3,034 square miles). 2] The city lies between natural geographical barriers. It is located in a valley between higher elevations, with various rivers surrounding and running through it. The rivers that make up part of the city include the Rio Sao Francisco (Sao Francisco River), Rio de Janeiro (Janeiro River), Rio das Femeas (Females River), and the Rio Boa Sorte (Good Luck River). [3] Based on personal visits to the city there is a clearly visible contrast in the financial classes of the people. The farming industry has led to the wealth of many people in the area.Yet, there is a large gap between the rich and poor. Albeit a rich city, a majority of the population of Barreiras is poor. The common citizen of the city struggles with providing basic needs for their family. Most of the poor women are the ones who provide many of the public services to the city, such as maids, custodial work in stores and hotels and market vendors. The men work as builders and farmers. Often the men work in the fields for weeks at a time, coming home on the weekends every two weeks for a couple of days rest.The average family income for the poor population is approximately R$800. 00 per month. That is the equivalent of US$500. 00 monthly. This figure is based on two working adults in each household. Because of this low income most people do not own a car and live in a very small house made of wood or block. Often the homes are unfinished. As families can afford to complete construction on the home they will. Because it is common for men to work in fields for days or weeks at a time, their absence in the home creates many obstacles to ministry and church growth.One of the common situations in a church in the region is that it is full of women and children and greatly lacking in male leadership and example. This, along with the other factors mentioned above will have an impact on the strategy to planting a church among the poor of this city. FACTORS OF STRATEGY AND METHOD Before the work begins, a strategy must be put in place and methods must be decided. This section will outline and describe how the church plant will begin and unfold. The beginning stages and the factors most important to it will be described in this section as well.The plan will serve as a guideline to the work that will be done to see that the church is carefully given over to national leadership so that it may continue reproducing itself in the region and throughout the world. The Prayer Factor The first factor that will be implemented in the church plant in Barreiras is prayer. As Jesus demonstrated in his earthly ministry, prayer is a vital part of a successful communion with God. In Matthew 14 Jesus had just finished performing the miracle of feeding 5,000 men plus women and children. In verse 23 he â€Å"went up into a mountain apart to pray. Jesus also spent special time in prayer before his suffering and death. â€Å"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Matthew 26:39). In The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles, Thom S. Rainer confirms the importance of prayer in the life of the local church. He stated, â€Å"There is simply no more important principle on Church Growth than prayer. †[4] Reflecting on the early church, it is clear that prayer was fundamental to their Christian life. Acts 1:14 speaks of this truth, â€Å"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication. In the church plant personal and corporate prayer will be emphasized. Along with motivating prayer times personally and corporately, sharing responses to prayer will also be vital. As the church body is gathered for worship there will be time for prayer requests and praises for answered prayers. It will be important for the believers to have those times because they will be encouraging to those who are still waiting on answers to prayer. Perhaps the best way to encourage believers in the church to pray will be the personal example of the leadership.The church planter will need to record and report on his personal prayer life, for example, with a list of requests and their answers. By relating this personal devotion to prayer the church will be motivated to incorporate it into their daily lives. The Vision Factor The second factor to be incorporated into the church planting effort is vision. According to Tom A. Steffen, the vision statement is a tool that is useful for allowing the church planting team to see their final destination and how to get there. [5] The vision statement can be likened to a road map.Before taking a trip the driver acquires a map that outlines the destination and route to arrive there. In the church plant the vision statement will serve as t hat map. The statement will be the destination – what the church should look like. Using the vision statement, the church plant team members can effectively plan the trip – how to arrive at the destination. The vision statement for the church in Barreiras is: â€Å"This church exists as a local body of saved and baptized believers in Jesus Christ to bring glory to God Almighty through its worship, witness, walk, and work.This church is to reproduce in this region as well as throughout the world. This church will fulfill its vision by practicing the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). † Fulfilling the Vision With the Great Commission The Great Commission involves both reaching people with the gospel and teaching them the Word of God. M. David Sills thoroughly treated this subject in his book, Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience. He argued the importance of both evangelizing the target group as well as spending the necessary and often difficult time to teach them, as s clearly mandated in the Great Commission. Sills highlights the missionary ministry of the Apostle Paul, showing that he spent a great deal of time and energy in teaching the churches that he founded. â€Å"Paul stated that he longed to preach Christ in the unreached areas so that he would not be building on another man’s foundation, but his ministry reveals that this was balanced with staying to preach and teach, writing letters, or sending disciples in his place to continue the essential ministry that remained. [6] The church will have set times for evangelism as well as training to equip the believers to evangelize on their own. Fulfilling the Vision With the Great Commandment The church will be involved in the discipleship process. This will be vital to the life and growth of the church as the believers are challenged and taught to live a life pleasing to God. Through teaching believers to love Go d completely and to love their neighbors as themselves, the vision will be fulfilled. The Accurate Gospel FactorOne existing danger in a church-planting project is preaching an inaccurate gospel. When the gospel message is not presented accurately to the target group the resulting church will be negatively effected. Perhaps the target group will believe the gospel in hopes of it bringing health or good crops. Or perhaps they will accept it as just another belief system to add to their list. If this is carried on from generation to generation then the church will continue preaching an inaccurate gospel. Therefore, the gospel presented to the target group must be accurate.Steffen points out that the gospel presented to the target group has a direct relation to the type of church that is planted and their understanding of the Bible. â€Å"The fundamental key to understanding the whole Bible is a correct understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ. †[7] The accurate gospel mes sage that will be presented to the people of Barreiras will be based on and include four primary elements. They are: 1) God is holy, 2) man is sinful, 3) Christ is sufficient, and 4) man must have faith. These are simple and concise statements.However, each has a basis on God’s Word and is important for understanding the accurate gospel message. Unfortunately, many gospel presentations include the following two elements: Christ died to forgive sin and unless one wants to go to Hell he must be saved. Although those are included in the gospel message, it is not a complete, nor accurate, gospel message. The above four essential elements will be explained below. God is Holy Because God is holy he is completely separate from evil and sin. God does not allow sin to be around him.It is recorded in Isaiah 6:1-3 that Isaiah saw the throne of the Lord and heard seraphims saying to him, â€Å"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. † It is al so recorded in 1 Peter 1:15, â€Å"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. † When considering the holiness of God man understands that he has a problem. Man does not meet God’s standard and cannot have a relationship with him in his present state of sin. Man is Sinful Man’s condition is destitute. Man has erred and has chosen to disobey God and go his own way.In Genesis 3 the first sin of mankind is recorded when Adam disobeyed God’s command to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. Because of Adam’s sin all men are now born sinners. It is recorded in Romans 3:23, â€Å"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. † Romans 5:12 also shows that all men are sinners, â€Å"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. † The gospel must present this truth. The gospel does not exist to solve the health problems or vocational problems of man.It exists because mankind is sinful and cannot go to God as a sinner. However, the gospel is the good news that provides sinners with a solution. Christ is Sufficient When someone understands that God is holy and that man is sinful then he is going to be in need of some good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has paid the price for man’s sin and his work is sufficient to bring salvation to man and reconcile him to God. The good news is presented in Romans 5:8 – â€Å"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. † Other verses of Scripture relate the good news of Jesus Christ as well.Romans 3:24-25, â€Å"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past , through the forbearance of God. † 1 Timothy 2:5, â€Å"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. † This good news of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection must be taught as the only sufficient plan for the salvation of mankind. But how does man get this salvation? Must he work for it? What does the Bible say?The final element of an accurate gospel is the necessity of personal faith. Man Must Have Faith For many American Christians, there are famous words recorded in Ephesians 2:8-9: â€Å"For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. † These verses are clear that man cannot earn salvation. Salvation is a gift. Salvation is personal through faith. Faith is the key to an individual’s salvation. Believe is another term used in the Bible to describe man’s acceptance of the gospel message. This personal faith or belief is explained in 1 John 5:11-13.And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. The accurate gospel must include all four elements when presented to the people of Barreiras. The holy God who loves the sinful man and sent his only Son to pay the price for man’s sin provides salvation to those who have faith in Christ.This is the accurate gospel message. The National Leadership Factor Steffen pointed out that the church plant must involve national leadership early on, if not from the beginning. He also noted the importance of beginning the church plant with a strategic plan for completely leaving the work in national leaders’ hands. He commented on a mission leader who attested to the fact that the church cannot keep up with the world’s population growth and continue planting new churches if they are â€Å"reluctant to release power swiftly to those they have come to reach. [8] These two principles will be important to the church-planting project in Barreiras, Brazil. Brazil is not a pioneer mission field. One of the striking things concerning the life of the church in Brazil is that the past two decades have shown a dramatic growth among evangelical Christians. One result of that growth has been the founding of Bible Institutes and seminaries. The function of these institutions is to train workers for ministry throughout Brazil and the world. Because these institutions already exist there is really no need to establish more training institutions.Also, it is not difficult to find trained leaders for the newly planted churches. A reality for many of the seminary graduates is that upon completion of their seminary program there are few or n o ministry positions available in churches for them to fill. Therefore, there should not be difficulty in finding a qualified leader for the church plant. The search for leadership will begin with the existing seminaries and Bible Institutes. The Exit Factor The exit plan for this church plant will be modeled after Steffen’s explanation of and emphasis on role changes.Using these role changes, the church can systematically and successfully be given over to Brazilian leadership. The following roles will be filled by the church planter and replaced with the national leadership. The first role is â€Å"learner. † The learner role will be occupied the entire time the church planter serves the target group. The second role is â€Å"evangelist. † During this role, the church planter will have as his goal â€Å"winning key members of the target people to Christ. †[9] The next role is â€Å"teacher. † The teacher role focuses on modeling ministry with a na tional believer accompanying him.In the fourth role, â€Å"resident advisor,† the church planter becomes a â€Å"coach on the sideline† and joys with the team when they win and sorrows with the team when they lose. [10] The fifth role is that of â€Å"itinerant advisor. † During this role the national leadership will be responsible for the church’s administration while the church planter takes leaves of absence from the target group. The final role is the â€Å"absent advisor. † This will take place when the church planter is completely removed from the target group and maintains contact and instruction as needed through visits and correspondence.During the resident advisor and itinerant advisor stages the church planter will make survey trips to other areas that are potential locations for new church plants. In order to maintain a vision for expansion, it will be necessary to make regular trips such as these. The purpose is to increase awareness o f areas that are in need of a church plant. It will also be important to take along some of the national leadership. In doing so, the nationals will develop a vision for other areas and for reproducing themselves there.This will enable the church plant to become mission minded and encourage them to take on personal responsibility for fulfilling the Great Commission. CONCLUSION After years of struggles and victories the church plant be administrated fully by national believers. For God’s glory there will be a local body of believers fulfilling God’s plan on earth. When the church plant begins to personally and responsibly fulfill the Great Commission then the job has been completed – sort of. In the completion of one church plant another must automatically begin among the next target group.Thus, the cycle of church planting continues, never really completing. By God’s grace and for his glory the church plant in Barreiras will not complete, but keep going. BIBLIOGRAPHY IBGE [email  protected] http://www. ibge. gov. br/cidadesat/painel/painel. php? codmun=290320# (accessed July 24, 2011). Prefeiutra Municipal de Barreiras. Economia. http://www. barreiras. ba. gov. br/site/index. html (accessed July 24, 2011). Rainer, Thom S. The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1993. Sills, M. David.Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2010. Steffen, Tom A. Passing the Baton: Church Planting that Empowers. LaHabra, California: Center for Organizational and Ministry Development, 1997. Wikipedia. Barreiras. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Barreiras (accessed July 24, 2011). ———————– [1] Prefeitura Municipal de Barreiras, â€Å"Economia,† http://www. barreiras. ba. gov. br/site/index. html (accessed July 24, 2011). [2] IBGE: [email  protected], http://w ww. ibge. gov. br/cidadesat/painel/painel. php? codmun=290320# (accessed July 24, 2011). 3] Wikipedia, â€Å"Barreiras,† http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Barreiras (accessed July 24, 2011). [4] Thom S. Rainer, The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles, (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1993), 183. [5] Tom A. Steffen, Passing the Baton: Church Planting that Empowers, (La Habra, California: Center for Organizational and Ministry Development, 1997), 78. [6] M. David Sills, Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience, (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2010), 99. [7] Steffen, Passing the Baton, 134. [8] Steffen, Passing the Baton, 14. [9] Steffen, Passing the Baton, 22. [10] Ibid. , 23.

The Age Of Innocence Essays

The Age Of Innocence Essays The Age Of Innocence Essay The Age Of Innocence Essay Name: Instructor: Course: Date: The Age Of Innocence The age of innocence is a book on choices. It is the story of how the character Newland Archer finds himself happily engaged to May Welland a beautiful young woman who happens to be sophisticated, polite and well mannered, and it certainly does not hurt that she is an aristocrat. He believes that he has finally found what he was looking for and is looking for a life of blissful happiness with her. He then meets Countess Ellen Olenska, May’s cousin from America, who is in the process of separation from her husband who he finds to be beautiful but lacking charm. At first, he is concerned that his innocent young fiancee is sitting next to a woman whose morals he considers questionable notwithstanding the fact that they are cousins. He has heard gossip among men and is surprised by rumors of her infidelity toward her husband, whom she is planning to divorce. The beginning of the book the author sets a scene of elegance, affluence where the author distinguishes between what is proper in that time and age, and what is distasteful conduct. She also shows the close bond between Archer and May, which is evident in the fact that even through non-verbal communication they understand each other perfectly and are in harmony. The author also shows that acceptance into this â€Å"club† is characterized by affluence, good etiquette and how well one can conceal their unpleasant side. Archer considers his own good fortune at his engagement to May who he deems perfect. On the subject of Ellen’s divorce, He opines that it should be granted as he advocates that she is deserving of the same rights, as any man should. He listens to Ellen’s critiques and opinions and though he feels they should not be brought up, he nonetheless finds them insightful. He also muses that his fiancee is a product of the society she was brought up in, and regards her as so bonded with her lifestyle that anything different would be unsuited to her persona. As Archer learns more of Ellen’s background, he becomes somewhat sympathetic toward her. Ellen narrates to him how it feels when the society in new York wishes her to be someone she is not. Moreover, she states that the reason society imposes this on her is that it causes them discomfort to view anything different than what they are used to. She believes that the society judges her more harshly than necessary. While ke en to fit into the New York scene, she is not willing to subject her personality to any changes. After a spell, bored of the monotony of his life, Archer tries to convince May to move up the wedding date even suggesting elopement, which May finds funny. Here, he begins to view her imperfections are such that she cannot even think for herself going as far as comparing her to a cavefish. He thinks her too set in her ways. Meanwhile, he comes across a letter that would be damaging to Ellen’s reputation and attempts to convince Ellen’s husband not to go through with his intended divorce. The letter makes Archer judgmental of Ellen, and he views her disdainfully due to the allegations of adultery against her. Archer watches a scene, which particularly moves him and makes him contemplate his relationship with Ellen. In the scene, he watches an actor turn back and not notice her lover kissing a ribbon that hangs from her neck. This reminds him of his and Ellen’s relationship, which he feels, is filled with chances that were missed and which he cannot reclaim. Archer meets his friend Ned, a failed author and during their conversation, he is reminded of how narrow and constricted his own life is. Archer joins May on vacation and is happy to see her, but his mind is dulled by the simplicity of her’s. He again tries to convince her to shorten their engagement. She mentions to him that he is trying to do so because he may still be in love with a past mistress. Archer meets Ellen after he comes back from his vacation and states his love for her, telling her that he would break off his engagement, and she would finalize her divorce, and they would be together. Ellen refuses this stating that she would not like to cause anyone pain. She asks him to be practical and after he states that, he would rather see her dead than return to her husband she states, â€Å"You say that because it’s the easiest thing to say at this moment- not because it’s true.† After the Archers’ wedding, while on honeymoon, archer is still surprised by May’s naivete and gives up on her stating, â€Å"There was no use in trying to educate a wife who had not the dimmest notion that she was not free.† Their honeymoon is three months long and Archer slowly forgets Ellen referring to her as a â€Å"ghost†. On return to New York, he is sent by Ellen’s grandmother to go see her. He finds her at a beach with her back to him and states that he will not go to her if she does not turn to face him. After she refuses, he leaves her alone, mentally ending his relationship with her. Archer is soon bored of the repetitiveness of his married life. He decides to visit the country hoping to bump into Ellen there, but does not find her. He decides to go to Boston on business where he runs into Ellen. He questions her about the day on the beach, and she states that she purposely did not turn back. She reveals to him that her husband is offering a vast amount for her return and that she is considering it. She also reveals to be heartbroken about their separation and claims that she cannot even return to Europe because she does not wish to be far from him. Ellen and May become friends to the delight of Archer. Ellen stays close to take care of her grandmother who has had a stroke and Archer is glad that she is close. Abruptly, Ellen leaves and May reveals to Archer that she is pregnant. She then tells him that she had told Ellen of her pregnancy tow weeks earlier. It becomes clear to Archer during Ellen’s farewell party that everyone thought they had been having an affair for years and this surprised. May dies of pneumonia abruptly after nursing their youngest son back to health. At the end of the book, we see that Archer had misjudged May too harshly. He saw her as a naive, foolish woman whose only assets were her beauty but it seems that she was much more perceptive that he gave her credit. May was on many occasions able to deduce Archer’s feelings, and this is most clearly seen at the end, when her son tells his father that she had once â€Å"made him give up what he wanted most† referring to his relationship wi th Ellen, which she had known about.

Hanging Upside Down is Fun! The Other Side of The Essay Expert

Hanging Upside Down is Fun! The Other Side of The Essay Expert Sometimes the greatest things to be acknowledged for are not work-related. I was therefore very excited to be featured in the Escape Adulthood blog. Escape Adulthood is a company whose mission is to â€Å"annihilate Adultitis†! As much as I am behind the mission of my own company, I’m thrilled to be part of this grand vision to bring lightness and childlike enthusiasm to the lives of as many people as possible! I hope you enjoy seeing this other side of The Essay Expert. Hint: I talk a lot about being upside down.

Family study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Family study - Assignment Example Because I think it is more effective to understand the otherness of two groups, knowing how to adapt us in a better way. In addition, we should aspire to multiculturalism because the society could be more splendid and interesting with more diversity and we could know more about different cultures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I came to America, I met a lot of great friends here. Mike is an ABC (American Born in China) boy, his father is from Chinese and his mother is an American. I heard about some interesting thing in his family. He thought his family is very special with two total opposite cultures. The advantages are he could speak both two languages though he could not write down the Chinese letters. In addition, he learned two different cultures and use two thinking model to look upon things. However, this structure of family also influence him and there are some disadvantages, such as his parents always have a culture clash and have different attitudes when they face the same thing. He told me that sometimes he felt very confused about his parents’ thinking and had no idea which one was better.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To my surprise, the research shows there is no difference in developmental outcomes when children rose by same-sex couples. I thought they would have higher gay trends due to the influence of their parents, but it was actually my bias. However, comparing with children who grow up in heterosexual families, children who are from gay couples families are treated differently. They have less rights and unfair treatments in the society today, such as they have no rights to visit parents in hospital or do not have spousal health insurance coverage. The most important thing is, children from gay family might live in the environment with societal stigma, which could cause mental harm to them. Response: I agree with what is researched and mentioned in the article. The reason behind my agreement is

The Greater Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Greater Freedom - Essay Example To begin with, the influence of the political class on judicial proceedings will be limited or completely prohibited. This is because politicians often threaten fair administration of justice, hence hindering citizen from airing grievances. The judiciary is thus not autonomous, and prevalence of justice is sabotaged. Secondly, the government will be held accountable through democratic platforms. This would be essential in promoting media freedom in covering proceedings of government business in parliament, and the experts airing views on governance. Lack of questioning or critique of the government breeds corruption and other dubious deals whose burden and effects are borne by the citizens. Thirdly, it will be beneficial to carry over the freedom of rights article from the First Amendment to the new nation, which includes speech, religion, petition, peaceful assembly, and free press. This is because the amendment was made at a time when the United States was experiencing a lot of turbulence due to the then government’s discrimination against those who defied its rulings no matter how weird they were. It was during this period that the people were allowed to be affiliated with their religious groups of choice, and speak freely unless in the case of slander or malice. However, this freedom of expression will be under certain limitations that will include obscenity, advertisement of harmful substances, offensive symbolic expressions, and inappropriate music.America is a technological hub.