Observations, Comments, and Ministry Updates by Curtis Hail

If you could turn back the clock?

2010-12-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

Like a miniature modern day Billy Graham, the 9-year-old boy in Nepal stood in line with his little finger marking the Scripture passage, impatiently waiting his turn at the microphone to share with the other 800 youth what he just learned in his small group Bible study.

As part of the e3 Partners church planting movement in Nepal, these youth had just been trained to lead and multiply “I am Second” small groups. In three short months now, these youth have gone on to train hundreds more and start small discipleship groups across Nepal. Pastors are calling our e3 leader in Nepal begging for more training, saying, “Whatever you did to our youth in September, please come do more…we don’t even recognize them anymore they are so on fire for sharing the gospel, making disciples and starting small groups!”

What if you could rewind the clock of time? Turn back the pages of history? Knowing what we know now, wouldn’t you want to financially support Jonathan Edwards to ignite the Great Awakening? Or get behind William Carey’s mission to India, launching the modern Missions movement? Maybe sign up to support Hudson Taylor’s pioneering work in China, the seed of which has now multiplied through martyrs’ blood to hundreds of millions of believers in that great land? Or, how about this…help fund the first short term mission trip of that new guy named Paul?

Well, you can’t go back to the past, but you can look to the future! Today you have the opportunity to partner with a 21st century Paul, a modern day Taylor or Carey. Or, a budding Billy Graham. In fact, you have possibilities before you to have a reach and impact unheard of in history…possibilities unimaginable to any of the great fathers of our faith, including the Apostle Paul himself!

Empower the modern day heroes of our faith by helping to equip and mobilize hundreds of thousands of Christian workers and leaders who are changing this world for good! Through e3 and I am Second you can partner with pastors and church planters in some forty nations to reach the unengaged, unreached people groups of their country…as well as penetrate the great urban centers of the world with the good news of Jesus Christ. And empower their new churches to minister to the needs of hurting people through e3 initiatives such as I am Second, HIV/Aids Hope Project, Medical Missions, Micro-finance initiatives and deaf ministries - to mention only a few of the ways we equip our partners in the field to carry on sustainable holistic ministry to the spiritual and physical needs of people.

You can impact the future, change this world for good and touch eternity. Pray, give and go with e3 Partners. Because… Christ is first!

Father's Day 2010 - In The Company Of Men

2010-06-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

IN THE COMPANY OF MEN
A tribute to Godly fathers and men who shape the lives of young men
Curtis V. Hail ©2010

It was a golden moment as dawn broke over the east Texas pond. Ghostly silhouettes of men and boys slowly took shape through the rising mist. Scattered along the banks of this small fish-laden lake, these fathers and sons were fishing for nothing more exotic than some perch, maybe a bass if lucky. But fishing was only the pretext for something more sacred. The expedition was really about a rite of passage where a father passes down to his boy a love of the outdoors and skills to experience it for a lifetime. It was also about learning the special fellowship of men pursuing a common mission in some hidden corner of God’s creation. For it is among the fellowship of men that boys learn the best of being a man.

The dawn’s quiet sublime was broken only by my side-splitting laughter. It seems that the precious nature of our shared experience was not lost on my 10-year-old son, Clint. As he thoughtfully reeled in his fishing line, he looked up at me with wide-eyed innocence, earnestly uttering infamous words that remain a standing family joke, a source of good natured ribbing.

“Dad, this male bondage is really fun isn’t it?” Male bondage! He clearly meant “male bonding,” but even at that, where did a young boy get it? For all the humor of it, Clint had actually understood something very important. He had sensed the value of moments like this for fathers and sons, and he had also grasped something even deeper. Though misspoken, he eloquently captured the preciousness of fathers and sons sharing these experiences with other like men. Hunting, fishing, camping, scouting … wherever fathers spend time with their boys and men of good cheer, this is where boys learn best to be men of character and depth.

My wife, Amy, and I had a peculiar philosophy of child-rearing. One of our tenets was that children learn to become adults by hanging out with adults, not with their peers. We deliberately included them in adult church, adult activities and adult conversations with ourselves and others. We exposed them to people of significance, like visiting missionaries whom we often hosted in our home, to let them grow a mature Christian worldview. Kids are kids, so what are they going to learn from each other, really? They need that socialization to be sure, but only from adults do children learn to become an adult. And the better the adult input you make available to your kids, the better the adult output you get from your kids. We were blessed on both counts.

It worked well enough for our two older daughters, so when our son was born, I determined that Clint and I would start early venturing to the field and stream as father and son. And, on occasion, we would make it a group outing with other good men of Christian faith and character. Not just with Godly coaches, teachers and sportsmen was Clint privileged to travel.
He also spent extended times with missionaries, pastors, national leaders, interpreters and guides on many mission trips from Argentina to Russia, from Portugal to Uganda. He began his missionary journeys with us at age five in Puebla, Mexico, where he came to faith in Christ. The following year at age six he began to mimic what he saw the adults doing, as he took a bilingual Gospel tract on his own to share with the hotel doormen while I organized our team for the day’s work.

Such was the life journey that formed the young man we handed over to the United States Military Academy at West Point on June 28, 2004. Having graduated high school a few weeks previously, he then embarked on a new leg of the journey to manhood … a road that would test everything physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually that had come before. But it was because of the influence of these men – this forging of manhood through the press of the character and faith of significant men upon him – that I had cause for hope that he would stand the test.

I stood on that historic Plain in front of Washington Hall overlooking the mighty Hudson River as the sun set on an emotional day having seen my son exit my life and irreversibly enter upon his own. A life now that would be challenging beyond compare and that would inevitably lead to another field some day, a field of battle in a dangerous land called Afghanistan. I thanked God that night for the company of men that had produced the young man I proudly called son. I thanked God that they had prepared him to join this new and very different fellowship of warriors. It was in that moment that I penned these words to my son, his first letter received during boot camp as a West Point Cadet.

In The Company Of Men
Curtis Hail to son, Clint – June 28, 2004

It is upon a splendid mid-summer's eve
a grown man now, our boy does leave;
as the parade recedes across that hallowed plain,
a storied part of West Point’s most ancient fame …

In the company of men.

His broad shoulders and square jaw fade from our sight
into that long gray line that led us to victory in many a fight;
I wonder through tears where did our boy go,
from whence did this man’s man suddenly grow …

In the company of men.

All boys grow up, but not all to be men
and that in our day is too often our sin;
what we should learn from history, from the wisdom of God’s good book,
where boys grow to become men, if to its pages we would but look …

In the company of men.

From boys, a boy learns at best to be brute
or for girls he may learn even to be cute;
from mother a boy learns to love and to plan,
but one sure place does a boy learn to be a man …

In the company of men.

Don't be satisfied with just any sort of ‘Sam’
shoot for the stars and pray up a rugged gentle man;
duty, honor, country are noble ideals high to be held,
by hands forged in discipline, tough love its strong weld …

In the company of men.

As the boy's visage wanes, the memories repair
my heart buoys remembering those golden days fair;
recounting the countless ways, though much is a blur,
that my boy became a man, the ways by which it did occur …

In the company of men.

Fishing trips with fathers and sons, or sometimes just the two alone
we organized gear, baited hooks, waited, and waited still under moons that shone;
on piers, on boats, in streams and lakes, we oft fished with men of true valor,
though guides sometimes smoked or spat and spoke in blue color…

In the company of men.

Hunts of every sort filled our autumns and springs as though we hadn't one worry
dove, pheasant, turkey, duck, geese and deer, such were our quarry;
more misses than kills never did matter, tales were told, lies were swapped all in good humor,
the joy of stories, jokes, or glowing silence around a dying camp fire making souls warmer...

In the company of men.

Upon the gridiron of competition, the fields of practice and play, were your lessons first learned for in the crucible of feigned battle that confidence and trust and self-reliance were best earned; preparatory were these disciplines for the heat of real battle and stiff trials of hard life,
the strength of body, mind and heart gained in sport steeled you for the coming strife…

In the company of men.

Coaches who screamed and pushed, or teachers who went for you that extra mile
all those who believed in you more than you believed in yourself, now wear a big smile;
Many a fine woman without whom you'd be lost, taught you from grades first to the last,
yet it was strong men who gained your respect that are most key to your present and past …

In the company of men.

In the pew you heard great men of God preach from His Word, telling the salvation message
and in church you saw that true manhood is reflecting the Son - God’s perfect image;
in teaching you learned truth, in liturgy history, in worship beauty, the joy of father's faith,
God's mantle someday will fall, so use training and gifts in His service to take your own place...

In the company of men.

On the mission field you lived and worked, and there you learned most
from men named Eduardo, David, and Patrick who will gladly die right at their post;
faithfulness, servant-hood, and unceasing labor, of such are their characters’ trait,
which if emulated is the path to your own Divine destiny, not just victim of some blind fate …

In the company of men.

The mother's knee and wise, strong counsel is as surely critical to this man's evolution
but this tribute to the company of men is to counter today's sad, dangerous revolution;
too many little princes, too few young kings, raising little boys to be big boys not as young men,
in their life is a hole, no mighty men of God a model, which is today our great sin …

In the company of men.

So I thank God for that company of men who made my boy a real man
I’ve no credit for what God, Mom and other men have done, what only they can;
it’s not pride I feel for that suggests that I might somehow share in the credit,
its happiness for this young man I feel, knowing to Whose ledger goes all debit …

In the company of men.

Now into another company of men I entrust the boy turned man
and the stakes have skied, for its now a matter of his very life that is at hand;
but this company of men has long been his dream, his vision, his ambition,
so for a lad to live out his boyhood dreams, is indeed a man’s finest condition …

In the company of men.

But it is not now, nor ever truly was, a company of men in whom I trusted
for its the Creator of man and the Lord of all men in whom our faith is best vested;
He gave the boy the mother, sisters, women and a company of men he did well need,
so on this eve and a plain now his home, I trust God to make my son a man they shall heed ...

In the company of men.

Clint Hail, West Point class of 2008, serves as an officer in the 10th Mountain Division, U.S. Army, deploying to Afghanistan in 2010.
Curtis Hail is President & CEO of e3 Partners Ministry, an international church planting ministry.

Civility from the F-bomb crowd? Really?

2010-04-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

From the people who brought you...a President who denigrated millions of great middle-Americans as those rubes "clinging to their god and their guns" or defiantly challenges political opponents to "bring it on"...and a Vice President who uses the F-bomb in front of the world at a "historic moment"'... and who continue to vilify and demonize the previous administration which they regularly attacked in the most uncivil ad hominem manner...now they want their political adversaries to sign up for a "Civility Statement". It would be laughable if it weren't so chilling to see the various ways that our freedom of speech is being assaulted. Note that political discourse and dissent is now defined by liberals as "hate speech" or "politics of hate". Seems that any foul or vile thing can be said or done in the name of free speech...anything except publicly pray in the name of my savior Jesus Christ, or breathe a contrary word about their savior Barack Obama.

The Light In This Stormy World

2009-03-04T19:53:00.000-08:00

Date: March 4, 2009

There is a storm, there is The Light

I am staying with friends in Orlando. At the top of the stairs by the door to my guest room is a Thomas Kinkade painting. It is his iconic lighthouse piece, "A Light in the Storm". It is based on Christ's declaration in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world." How reassuring in these turbulent, fearsome days.

But, here is the full text..."When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life'."

Now, that is even more powerful. Yes, He is the light...there is light in this storm. But, it is not a remote, unapproachable light that has no immediate relation to my current circumstances out here in the deep, rough water. No, the promise is, if you follow Him - if you know Him and call upon Him - you will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Do you know Him, are you following and trusting Him? If not, today is a marvelous day - the best day - to confess your sin and inability to save yourself.

The depth of sin too deep, the mountainous waves of guilt too high...the debt too great...to save yourself? Call, instead, on Him - the way, the truth, the life - as savior. Trust in His finished work on the Cross for you. Experience foregiveness and the joy of salvation. Walk in darkness no longer! Live in the light, full of life, even in the midst of these temporal storms. Is He your light? Make Him your light, your life today!

Make Him first. He will light your way. Walk in darkness no longer!

FEAR - America is running scared...to disaster!

2009-01-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

FEAR
"feeling of uneasiness or apprehension; concern"

Date: January 30, 2009

Most of our fears are the hobgoblins of our own imagination, or of that which will probably never occur or are highly unlikely. Fear causes us to make rash decisions and rush to judgement about that which we don't have enough information.

Michael Crighton, the brilliant Harvard trained doctor and scientist, turned novelist, explored how media and government use FEAR to exploit, manipulate and eventually control the populace in his 2004 novel, State Of Fear. In this controversial book, though backed by his own research included as appendices, Crighton both debunked man-caused global warming/climate change, and also exposed just how dangerous it is when media and government use fear to advance their respective agenda. Media is basically into profiteering off of disaster or the threat of it, and so much better when the cause fits their liberal worldview. Government naturally seeks to gain ever-more power over and control of individuals and their lives.

And maintaining a "state of fear" is one of the most time-honored and effective means of achieving these natural proclivities of media and government to manipulate the public. And no time in our National history has this been more evident than the state of fear being ginned up right now to stampede Americans into disaster.

Even after Jihadists skyjacked four jetliners and flew them into three of our most visible and vaunted national icons, killing some 3,000 innocent U.S. citizens, the Left continued to claim George Bush was using fear to take over the world. If so, then at least there are real grounds for our fear. An enemy determined over 1,500 years to destroy our Christian, western world, empowered at last with petro-dollars and equipped with the means to deploy weapons of mass destruction is a fairly vexing proposition to some of us.

Yet, any degree to which Bush, Reagan or McCarthy used the fear of a very real clear and present danger pales by comparison to the current leftist fear-mongers' use of trumped up or hysterically embellished looming disasters.

Tonight's mainstream broadcast news cast contained several prime examples.

1. Al Gore, the imminent scientist and former straight man for Bill Clinton, was reported as saying that global warming and extreme climate change dangers are so severe that they demand immediate, sweeping government intervention. Moves, I'm sure, such as signing on to the Kyoto treaty whose very own advocates admit wouldn't make a dent in the supposed problems it claims to address. It only subjugates our American liberties and economic future to international bodies controlled by the very villainous nations most polluting the globe, such as China, India and Brazil. Nations who are, themselves, exempt from Kyoto of course.

2. Because there is only one man in all of the world who understands our economic woes and can fix them - Timothy Geithner - we are rushed into embracing a Treasury Secretary who doesn't pay his own taxes...until caught. Oh, yes, he is also the top boss for the Internal Revenue Service - the folks who will sweep down like raptors upon your head if you "make an honest mistake" on your measly little return! Utterly incredible, utter nonsense. But fear carried the day. No one else could possibly fill this post - he's just too good and the crisis just too deep to stick to principle and good sense in this vital post.

3. And the coupe de gras - the Mother of all Stimulus Packages, all $850 billion of it. The fear of hard times is stampeding the American people into accepting the biggest financial boondoggle and most draconian snatch of civil liberties for a mushrooming Federal government of unimaginable proportions in our history. First, the Wall Street Journal identified many of the absurd, irrelevant and unhelpful line items of this Titanic-size pork barrel. Second, it funds everything from abortion to the pseudo-arts, but very little that would actually create real jobs in the private sector. Third, with that federal money will come controls and there will go liberty. Say goodbye to your Constitutional rights and say hello to a Pelosimobile coming to a dealer near you!

The American people, largely uninformed and puddy in the hands of a complicit media, is being stampeded into forfeiting their American rights and heritage for nothing more or less than Socialism. And sadly, this round of big, all-controlling government will be no more successful than any previous experiments. Perhaps you've visited, as have I, many of the former or current socialist/Marxist countries such as Russia, Cuba or China. Never worked, never will. Even our own former versions of this latest "stimulus package" have utterly failed. This modern day WPA and CCC will work as badly or worse as did FDR's. Just read Amity Shlaes, The Forgotten Man, to truly understand that it was the New Deal which made the Depression so great and terribly long. It was heaping on of government spending and programs which drove us deeper into a prolonged depression. It was forgetting the resilience of American men and women, while putting blind faith in an all-powerful Federal government which truly caused the Great Depression. And now we repeat the cycle, but what will pull us out of it this time? What will be our equivalent of WWII?

Francis Schaeffer wrote of this some thirty years ago. He predicted that Americans would forget Who and what truly made America great. And that in fear of losing their "personal peace or an ever-rising standard of living" would willingly exchange their personal liberties in hopes that the Federal government could maintain their narrow and selfish comfort zone. But, it won't work and it will come at an awful cost, politically and economically.

Make no mistake, FEAR is a powerful weapon. It is being wielded without shame in a glaring way today to stampede America into disaster. Any difficulties that might come from toughing it out without the few legitimate elements of this legislation will be minor compared to the disaster that awaits us at the end of this truly fearful nightmare.

Curtis Hail

IAMSECOND.COM

2009-01-04T22:25:00.000-08:00

Date: January 1, 2009

IF I AM THIRD, THEN WHY "I AM SECOND"?
Message to the e3 family about http://www.iamsecond.com/
By Curtis Hail, President, e3 Partners

Many of you are aware that e3 Partners had a significant role in the development of an exciting new web site and movement called I AM SECOND. If you've not yet heard about it or seen the site, here is the link: http://www.iamsecond.com/. Either way, we want all of the e3 staff to understand a little more about this initiative and its relationship to the mission of e3 Partners...and its potential for your ministry!

First, the e3 Staff involved seek no personal attention or notoriety from this. Indeed, e3 Partners as an organization has been careful not to make this a proprietary, self-promoting opportunity. You'll not find our name on the site for the reason that this is to be a tool for the Body of Christ, not just e3. And we are only now divulging this information to our staff and ministry family because we did not want the unveiling in early December 2008 to be "about us". We sought anonymity and a specter of mystery.

But, it is appropriate to say now that your e3 Creative Department under the leadership of Vice President Nathan Sheets, creative director Adam Leydig and communications director John Humphrey - along with their staff - were the conceptual and strategic driving force behind I Am Second. And, all of this was only possible because of the vision and extraordinary generosity of a long-time friend of the ministry. Then the contribution of extremely gifted partners in the video and web development arenas along with sister ministries, such as Need Him, and a few daring pilot churches have all worked together to bring this project to the public. As Nathan will tell you, "It has been a God thing all the way!"

So, as concisely as I can, let me answer a few questions for you and we will have more to say at the e3 Partners International Conference (www.e3partners.org) in a few weeks.

How did e3 Partners get involved in IAMSECOND?

Simply put, because a very good friend asked for our help to bring about a vision to "lift Christ up" in our city and nation. He recalled Christ's promise "...if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself". He simply wanted our help to design a media strategy to lift Christ up and let the Holy Spirit work. We are honored that he recognized our team worthy to help bring this heavenly vision into a world class reality.

Why is e3 Partners involved?

We said "yes" to this request first because it feels great to finally be able to "give back" to someone who has done so much for us over two decades!

We said "yes" because America clearly needs the Good News of Jesus Christ. America is now one of the great mission fields of the world. Crazy, isn't it! We've long wanted to do more to help the Church in America to reach the lost in America. Here was our chance. We serve the church around the world, and here was a great way to serve the church in America.

So how does I Am Second relate to our e3 Mission and Strategy?

E3 Partners equips God's people (the Church everywhere) to evangelize His world (the lost everywhere) to establish His church (building up and multiplying the Body everywhere). So, technically this initiative falls within that broad Mission interpretation.

e3 Partners develops and deploys tools with training for believers to share the Gospel, make disciples and establish churches. The Evangecube ( http://www.evangecube.org/) is our low-tech, universal tool for sharing the gospel. First Steps is our universal e3 model for mobilization, discipleship and small group formation. New believers, maturing disciples and healthy, multiplying communities of Christians are our mission and strategy all rolled up into one - and all that is found within the IAMSECOND movement. The only difference is that http://www.iamsecond.com/ is our high-tech tool for "initiating the conversation" and communicating the Gospel.

Yes, our heart and focus remains helping our international brothers and sisters laboring from Africa to Asia, Middle East to South America, who have little resources to go with their huge vision, awesome faith and dogged determination. Why devote any time and money at e3 Partners to help reach North America? The need and opportunity is so great around the world, won't this distract us from all of that?

It could and we must be balanced and wise. However, there are several valid biblical and political reasons I might give in answer to these very good questions about our involvement in such initiatives. However, I will stick to this one very practical, less altruistic answer for now. Read this very carefully.

e3 Partners mobilizes resources - human and financial - to aid our international partners. I've stated and we've demonstrated our sincere, self-effacing approach to this IAMSECOND project. However, without a hidden agenda of any sort, we do believe that God will honor our intentions and efforts. How and when is purely His business - I frankly haven't a clue how it will come about. But, we are walking in faith, trusting that by humbly, demurely participating in this project that God is going to send us more people and more resources to help those in desperate need of e3 teams, tools and training!

We have, however, fielded scores of requests from Churches and individuals for copies of these beautiful videos and other supporting materials ranging from evangelism and discipleship tools, to collateral pieces such as shirts. We will be responding to this unexpected development, though true to our long history and current commitment, many of these materials will be made available as free downloads or as inexpensively as possible.

IAM2 has sky-rocketed in 3 weeks to the top 1% of 3.5 million web sites. It is getting local, national and international attention - almost all favorable even from secular public due to the incredibly high quality. We believe that is going to positively accrue resources for us to do more of our core ministry!

Already, the website has opened communication with churches around the country who are interested in evangelism, many who have never had previous contact with e3 Partners. We hope to grow these new relationships to also include domestic and international church planting activities.

And finally, this project has given us a wealth of experience in designing and developing truly world-class communication tools. I believe this is going to prove a wonderful "testing ground" for even greater applications with our Blackbaud software and social networking tools you'll soon see in January!

How Can IAMSECOND.COM Help Your e3 Ministry?

Over time, God will reveal more. But, here are a couple of suggestions for now. Tell every church you serve that you have a new tool to point them towards... http://www.iamsecond.com/ Encourage them to train their people to share the Gospel in their everyday life. We will soon have special collateral material for this site and of course Evangecube training remains the most effective evangelism tool and training at your disposal. (http://www.simplysharejesus.com/ ) Offer to provide this training to their church as "value added" ministry. If you prefer to have help on this, just let us know. Any of us in the Cabinet, me included, will be happy to come speak and train in general and share about the I Am Second opportunities specifically. I assure you, your stock will only go up with pastors and youth leaders as you share these resources with them!

Scripture and the Life of Jesus Teach Us That We Are Really Third...so why "I Am Second"?

Indeed, the model of Christ and the teaching of Paul, as clearly seen in Philippians, teach us that our interests are third. God's interests (glory and honor) are first. Others' are second. We are third. It's a little thing called "dying to self" and "taking up your cross daily".

But, it all starts with this confession, "I am second because Christ is first in my life."We thought long and prayed hard about this issue. But the truth is, until you make that confession you won't - indeed can't - truly put others ahead of yourself. Until you dethrone self and install Christ as Savior, you don't have the inclination, much less power to make yourself third. But, as you grow as a disciple, you come to follow Him as Lord and realize you serve your Master by serving others.

This site serves first and foremost as an evangelistic tool. It is designed to catch the attention of the seeker who then goes on to discover Who is first and how to follow Him. It is a platform for believers to open a dialogue with their friends and family, leading them to Christ and eventually teaching them to "obey all" that He has taught us. It is a Gospel tool, not a site that attempts to cover everything else it then means to then follow Christ as a disciple. There are a couple of other "sites" that cover that part...The Bible and The Church!

And finally, from a communication standpoint, Nathan cited one of the biggest fans of I am Second, Christen Nutter, who said it well:"Consider the audience. This site was designed for people who have never even thought of putting something first in their lives other than themselves. They are second to none. So the idea of placing something else in first place is new and a significant bridge to cross. It is step one."

Learning to live and love as Christ then comes in community - the Body. And that is why in this, as in all things e3, we involve the Church and point people towards growing in their relationship with Christ as part of His bride!

I trust that this lengthy explanation will help you understand this project better and assist your communication with others who may have questions about I Am Second. Please feel free to call or email me if you have further questions or suggestions.

Why "I Am Second"? Because it is a God thing.
Why am I second? Because Christ is first in my life.
Where does that lead? A life of sacrificial service to God and others.

Here to serve!

Curtis Hail
e3 President

e3 Staff Survey Report

2009-01-03T08:58:00.000-08:00

Date: December 31, 2008

e3 Staff Survey and a Happy New Year to You!

As promised, we are spreading a little more holiday cheer as we start the New Year off right with the results of our recent staff survey. First, let me express my appreciation to the 141 of you who completed the survey. This is an outstanding response and we are thankful that you invested yourself in this process which will help all of us work together for a better e3 Partners!

Claudia Adame and I thoroughly reviewed the results with Dr. John Brunstetter to understand them from every conceivable perspective – by office, by missionary or administrative staff status, full-time, part-time, associate – slicing it every way possible. We will next work through the reports with the Cabinet, and then with the various department leaders and new field ministry team leaders. After the upcoming International Conference, having fully briefed all those in the leadership structure, we will post the results on-line so staff can see the complete statistical details of the survey. Throughout 2009 you will be involved with your respective work group to analyze and work on the areas to be improved.

In the meantime, the following report will give you about 90% of the most meaningful results…

The results were extraordinarily encouraging, as well as helpful. As a reminder, the categories that you reported on included: Purpose & Direction, Morale, Fairness & Equity, Immediate Supervisor, Communication, Quality of Work Life and You & Your Peers. There were about sixty questions asked across these categories, along with a very enlightening open-ended comments section.

The answers and comments were content rich. As mentioned, we will systematically address each of the significant issues throughout the year, but for now, here is the bottom line and the major highlights.

e3 Partners scored higher than the national norm – often, significantly so – on every question and in every major category. The national average has been developed over twenty years, with over twenty thousand employees of small and large organizations in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. The scale was 1 to 6. “5s” are outstanding, “4s” are good but need work, and “3s” are definite growth areas needing immediate action.

Happily there were only a couple of questions out of sixty that fall in this last, most urgent category. Not surprisingly, these areas have to do with internal communication – which according to the national norm is apparently an area that chronically plagues most organizations! So, here for your prayers and input, and here for your celebration are the lows and highs of the survey:

Here are the lowest five scores:

* 3.78 I am kept informed of what is going on outside my immediate work group
* 3.87 Employee input is asked for and responded to
* 4.01 Change is communicated before it happens
* 4.07 Communication is good between immediate work groups
* 4.43 Systems and procedures in my immediate work group are adequate

And, what are the 3 things least important to you?

* Promotion and professional development
* Job security
* Money

Now give yourself a “high five” for these top five scores:

*5.50 I know what the overall ministry stands for
*5.45 I know what my job is
*5.36 The leadership of the overall ministry has integrity
*5.32 I like working here
*5.30 Act with mutual trust and respect

And, what are the 3 things most important to you?

* Loyalty and support of the overall ministry
* Feeling informed
* Strong and positive relationship with my supervisor

The results were outstanding and the information, while not surprising, is excellent confirmation of many current initiatives, as well as being a “wake up call” for other concerns. Yes, it is all very positive. However, we still have a lot of work to do. We are not satisfied with simply being “above average”.

We are dedicating ourselves this year to achieving “5s” on every question. It comes as no surprise that the overall category needing most attention (lowest score) is “Communication” at 4.20 (national norm 3.78). Happily, many of the initiatives to be discussed at the Conference will have a positive impact on the weaker issues identified. Indeed, this very survey with its resulting dialogue and improvements are a part of improving that internal communication climate.

Again, thank you for taking the time to participate in the survey. And thank you in advance for doing your part to improve every aspect of our ministry, so together we may glorify God to the max!

Happy New Year!

Curtis Hail
President

Happy Thanksgiving 2008 - An Attitude Of The Heart

2008-11-26T12:56:00.000-08:00

Date: November 26, 2008

thanks*giv*ing - noun

1. the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgement of benefits or favors, esp. to God
2. a day set apart for giving thanks to God.

We celebrate a holiday this week. We pause for “a day set apart for giving thanks”. Nationally, it has deep and significant roots, though that is largely lost on our populace today. But, for those of us who remember the Giver of all that is good, this day should be but a punctuation mark for an ongoing, daily attitude of “grateful acknowledgement of the favors” of God.

Thanksgiving should be less of an event and more of an attitude, though there is room for both when done right. When daily our act of worship is to give thanks, living moment-by-moment in an awareness of God’s grace in our life – celebrated annually with a feast commemorating God’s supernatural work on behalf of His people.

In a season when nationally we should be refocusing on God, ironically and tragically, we as a nation are in fact turning our collective back on Him…culturally thumbing our nose at our Creator-Provider-Defender. Some call it a cultural war. It is more like cultural suicide. Movies blaspheming God are promoted, an atheistic ad campaign in our nation’s capitol is unveiled and the better part of a billion dollars is being spent for a new visitors’ center at our Capitol Building wherein it has been mandated that no mention of God shall be admitted. God banished and even mocked in our capitol, our courtrooms, our schools, our airwaves, our holy-days…our culture. National suicide.

Ah, but what of our own hearts? Is there not rebellion and thanklessness in the capitol city of our own soul? Let’s first turn our attention there. Let’s search our own hearts this Thanksgiving and first repair the damage closest to home. Hearts grown cold, hearts weary, hearts discouraged, hearts self-serving, hearts broken, hearts forgetful of God’s endless grace and myriad mercies in our lives, families and ministries. Precious little we can control concerning others and our nation…but there is much we can and must attend to in our own hearts first. Let the repentance and thanksgiving start there.

Let’s thank God in remembrance this Thanksgiving Day and in our attitude every day, for our great Savior and salvation, for His Holy Spirit who is our guarantee and power, for The Father, our Abba. Let’s be thankful for family, for relationships, for those who have remained close and for those who have returned as like a prodigal. Thankful for our international partners on the field through and with whom we serve. Thankful for our prayer and financial partners by whom we are able to serve. Thankful for our colleagues with whom we get to serve on a daily basis.

Thankful for the thousands of churches planted this year and the several hundred thousand people coming to Christ in saving faith. Thankful for the unprecedented financial provision for our Ministry in these turbulent times. Thankful for proven models, ongoing improvements and radical new initiatives.

So much to be thankful for! The core ministry of helping nationals plant more churches has never been more fruitful and huge new opportunities like India promise to dwarf anything we’ve seen in twenty-plus years. Mobilizing the Church is our distinctive and that is about to take a quantum leap with NetCommunity. And, now through IAM2, e3 has a hand in calling our Nation to faith in Christ and giving the American Church an incredible new tool by which to mobilize her people.

Thankful that God allows us to be a part of one of His most exciting and effective works in the world today - a part of His Kingdom work for all ages. We are blessed people.

Thanksgiving! It is more than an event. It is an attitude. Let’s approach this year’s event with a renewed attitude of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving can’t break out at e3 or in our society until it is first born in your heart and mine. Let’s start there and trust God for the rest.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Curtis Hail
e3 President

2008-11-11T09:03:00.000-08:00

Celebrate Veterans Day With Action!

Date: November 11, 2008

A Special Reminder About Veterans Day

My father was a tank commander in Europe and my father-in-law a Marine pilot in the Pacific during WWII. My son-in-law served seven years in the Navy. My son is a newly minted 2LT in the Army. So sure, my appreciation and concern for our military and our veterans runs deep.

But the veterans and current troops are all our sons and daughters and we, as Americans, all feel a debt of gratitude to our wonderful Veterans. So, let’s honor them today in word and deed and prayer.

And speaking of praying for our troops… let me also remind you of our incredible new initiative: Operation Freedom Bell. This is a great way to support our current troops by praying faithfully for them and by providing them with Bibles. Let me encourage you to take concrete action this Veterans Day by ordering your Operation Freedom Bell.

Go to this link - www.operationfreedombell.org/e3partners - to see the great resources you’ll receive, and more importantly, the special encouragement and resources that our troops will receive.

Be sure to listen to LtCol Oliver North’s message and then post a prayer on the “prayer wall”. It’s a great way to honor our Veterans and support our current troops!

Join the Spiritual supply line to the front line, and…
God bless American heroes!

Curtis Hail
President
e3 Partners

Important Message to e3 Partners Family

2008-10-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

Date: October 10, 2008

A Few Things I Know For Sure
A message to the e3 family in tumultuous times!

These are uncertain and challenging times. Failing financial markets and economic turmoil is bad enough. Add to that the issues of the election, the real cost and effectiveness of the Wall Street bail-out, along with that little thing, an unfinished war in Iraq as the war in Afghanistan grows. Oh, and did I mention the cost of oil and travel? What will be the impact of these and myriad other concerns? I’m not completely sure, though I have some opinions. What will it all mean for e3 Partners? I have many opinions, but there are a few things of which I’m certain.

Here is what I DO know:

1. The Great Commission isn’t suspended because of economic or political upheaval. In fact, that is when we should lean into the storm and seize the opportunities which the upheaval creates. Evangelistically, strategically and determinedly. The “game” has not been called!

2. There remain millions upon millions of people – in thousands of unreached people groups and teeming cities alike – who need the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our task remains the same.

3. Thousands of leaders and hundreds of thousands of national believers await our partnership to mobilize the Body of Christ to share that Good News and help them plant more churches.

4. No matter how bad things get before they get better – and they will – there are at least 5,000 North Americans who should go, can go, need to go and can still afford to go on an e3 Mission. We just need to pray and work harder to make sure we find, challenge and enlist them. And you know what…We can! We’ve actually had an up-tick in number of applicants this quarter.

5. There remain faithful stewards of both modest and extraordinary means. They each are in need of high-yield strategic places to invest God’s resources. In fact, it is all the more imperative to make wise stewardship decisions in such times. e3 is an incredible place to lay up treasures in Heaven. We’ve seen that moth, rust, greed and corruption can take away a person’s – a nation’s – wealth literally overnight. You can’t take it with you, and apparently you can’t even hang onto it here…so why not follow the Treasure Principle and send it on ahead where your investment will only multiply into eternal Kingdom dividends!

Our task is to “tell the e3 story” as widely and as well as we can. The story of radically changed lives by the praying-going-giving of the Great Commission. The story of souls saved, churches established, lives redeemed, families united and communities transformed.

So, what can you and I do?

1. Trust God. Don’t shrink from the battle or let fear paralyze us. We keep moving forward.

2. Be wise and honorable stewards of that which God has already given us. He will honor those who are faithful with that entrusted to them, and our effectiveness will continue to draw growing support even in tough times…maybe especially in tough times!

3. Get our own house in order – personally and "professionally". Sarah Palin hit on a great, and too little discussed point, in her debate with Joe Biden. One we can all agree with regardless of politics. It was the matter of personal responsibility. Here are a few things you and I know we ought to do to weather these rough storms. Some are personal things, and some are ministry things:

A. Get out of debt. Work hard to discipline yourself to take on less debt and get out of what you already have. If you need counseling or help in this area let me suggest several possibilities…

1. Sign up for a Crown Financial course – we’ll help if need be
2. Get personal financial counseling – our Board Chairman has even volunteered to help. Just give me a call if you want a referral to him or others we trust
3. Visit with Claudia Adame if you need us to help you get stabilized and moving in the right direction - we don’t do bail-outs but we do “bear one another’s burdens”, so let us know if you are feeling desperate…we want to help you

B. Deputized Staff. Work doubly hard on your support. You have our permission to double whatever time you’ve been investing in MPD. In fact, I request it. I want you to contact personally every ministry partner in the next thirty days. Don’t just contact them to shore up your support, but check on THEM…see how they are doing and encourage them spiritually to trust in the Lord and to keep up the good fight! Tell them an encouraging story from the field. Remind them of why we are partners!

C. Field Ministry. Here are 3 big things I would ask of you:

1. Book all your 2009 trips immediately. We need every trip on the rolling calendar to maximize opportunity for enlistment. We are behind on this and we can all remedy it if we’ll just make it a priority this next week. It is critical.
2. Be good stewards. Let’s watch our P’s & Q’s. Let’s all tighten our belts a little and it will pay big dividends.
3. Pray, pray, pray! Pray the Lord of the Harvest to raise up the labor force, and pray the Owner of the cattle of a thousand hills to provide faithfully, abundantly

I’m confident that if we get our own business in order and take care of one another, that we will be just fine. For the most part, we still largely determine how vulnerable we are to these storms of life around us. And by the grace of God and by His spirit we’ll be conquerors, not mere survivors!

And finally, what are we doing corporately around e3 to meet these challenging times?

- Continuing to help more nationals plant more churches. We are not backing off one bit.

- Planning to take more people in 2009 than in 2008. But, examining the options if we don’t.

- Keeping our cash funds in the two safest, most solid banks we know of anywhere. Wells Fargo for our receipting and operations, and Raymond James Bank for cash reserves. We continue to watch this situation closely with the help of our Board and its Chairman, Jarrell Prince.

- Developed a financial forecasting model for 2009 to help us anticipate and react to changes.

- Establishing a cap on the e3 Mission Trip G&A to keep escalating costs from making the trips prohibitive in price. More to come on this development, but it is good news for mobilization.

- Developing ministry options along the U.S. - Mexico border with the Nazarene denomination and with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. I encourage you to prepare yourself to add another trip in the next 12 to 18 months above your normal trip load. We may need everyone to mobilize a team for domestic or border church planting, just in case foreign travel takes a down-turn due to the economy, travel costs or renewed terror threats. Again, we’ll have more to say on this later, but I encourage you to explore within your own networks some form of domestic mobilization for church planting. Let me know if you find such an opportunity. Discuss these options with Dan Hitzhusen and Dan Watson. Let's explore any number of options in our hemisphere - all by the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Great Commission has never been about what is easy and what is cheap. But, let's explore all worthy church planting opportunities in this day of challenge and change!

- Thanking God for the financial blessing to move ahead with our Net Community. And speaking of Net Community, this is a big part of anticipating an uncertain future. We are about through the design phase of the new accounting package and donor/constituent software. And then we will get to work in earnest on the Net Community, though the preliminary design phase is very promising and exciting. We’ll be sharing more as we go, and unveiling the Net Community at the January Int’l Conference. This tool will greatly enhance personal support, trip sponsorship, country strategy funding, and mobilization. It is a big part of our future! It is the future.

- Medical Missions is looking to make another jump up this coming year, helping mobilization.

- Developing a partnership with a top prison ministry, to provide another “tool” to resource our nationals so they have an ongoing transformative ministry in their community and we gain another valuable recruiting stream.

- Working on the merger of a sports ministry to likewise provide another excellent recruiting option for you, and create great opportunities for evangelism and church planting on the field.

- Including a major donor track in our January Int’l Conference, culminating with the Saturday banquet where we trust God to raise gifts and pledges to sustain us through 2009 and beyond. And of course, we continue to work hard at building new relationships and nurturing existing ones with God’s stewards.
And you should be sure to bring your Partners to the Conference!

- Continuing to grow our emphasis upon Prayer and Worship as the bedrock of our ministry.

So, God continues to bless greatly, and we continue to pray and work toward building broad and strategic avenues to raise the spiritual, human and financial capital to invest in the nationals. We are leaning into this storm, just as we have the many others over the past twenty-one years. We are trusting God to raise up the people to pray, to go and to give. He has and He will.

What do we do in tumultuous, uncertain times? Same thing we should be doing in good times!

“Pray, therefore, the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers
into His harvest field!”

These are the few things I know in these crazy times. But, it is all I need to know to keep marching forward. And I pray that it will encourage you to keep up the good fight, as well.

It’s my privilege to serve God and to be in the trenches with YOU!

Curtis Hail
e3 President

Capitalism Gets A Bum Rap

2008-10-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Date: October 1, 2009

Capitalism & Free Markets Get a Bum Rap

Why do I do it? Why do I listen to NPR? I know that my blood pressure will only spike. Of course, I’d heard it all over the media for days, but something about that haughty, aristocratic know-it-all tone that comes with the tax-supported Liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh on National Public Radio is just too much. Yesterday, they were droning on about how the woes on Wall Street clearly demonstrate that capitalism doesn’t work, that the Reagan-era return to free markets was a failure. Of course, they cited such luminaries as Hugo Chavez from Venezuela as their authority on the matter. And they pointed to the world-renowned economic giant that is Chile as the model that the U.S. might turn to as our model.

This is just the latest, and saddest (it would otherwise be truly laughable) example of those from Pelosi to pundits who incredulously have the audacity – or could it truly be ignorance – to blame free markets for the sub-prime/financial institution/Wall Street crisis. Indeed, they are all of one common related origin. That origin being? Government!

Government messing with what would have otherwise been a free market that could never, would never, have created our current mess. It’s a proud liberal tradition going back at least to the New Deal, which prolonged the Great Depression, to the Great Society which gave us a welfare state and permanent welfare class. But, we’ll pick up this tale of woe in 1977. Under Carter we got the Community Reinvestment Act. That is a euphemism for “a chicken in every a pot and an unaffordable home around every pot”. Meaning, “Let’s make sure everyone can own a home even if they can’t pay for it or obtain one the conventional way.” Sounds nice, but was it really?

We began the slide to encouraging, then mandating and enabling, heretofore responsible institutions in free markets to do things which they’d never otherwise do on their own. Let’s lower the credit standards to make money available to people who could never obtain it, to buy homes they could never afford. Then in the late 1990’s the Clinton administration doubled-down on this bad bet and lowered the standards even more. And along the way we created and morphed two quasi-governmental-quasi-private companies named Freddie and Fannie into being the broker/backer/holder of all this bad paper.

A 1999 New York Times article even ballyhooed this great new advance for the huddled masses yearning for home ownership. The then Fannie Chairman and CEO, Franklin Raines was quoted. Raines (A Clinton appointee), earned $20 million compensation from Fannie Mae in 2003 before resigning amidst a major scandal in 2004. He glowed in the article, “Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990’s by reducing down payment requirements. Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required…” So, hey, let’s tear down those walls keeping deserving, but un-credit-worthy folks from getting in over their head!. The New York Times, to their credit, did happen to mention that this would probably work as long as the economy was expanding, but could blow up into a crisis if there was an economic downturn. Funny how the NYT has conveniently forgotten their own assessment, and now blame greedy capitalists, free markets and George Bush for this mess. But, then they are good at forgetting their own “inconvenient” articles. Like all their serial articles in the 1970’s predicting the end of the world due to…global cooling…the coming Ice Age. Now it is all about - yep – global warming!

The current rap on free enterprise, free markets and the capitalist way of life is not fair or even logical. I mean, let’s just use a little common sense. Do you know any bankers? I do. A fine lot, by and large. Why, I even count one among my closest friends. For all of their sterling qualities, spontaneity and zaniness are not usually counted among them. All the bankers I’ve run across, or run afoul, in my thirty years of business and ministry experience are very conservative. Even a stand up guy like me has been told “No” on more than one occasion by bankers. They were usually right, too, looking back at it.

Knowing what you and I know about bankers – conservative, risk adverse, tight as bark on a tree – do you really believe that bankers, even them big shot ones on Wall Street, would have come up on their own with the idea to loan trillions of dollars to people who could never pay it back? No way. They would have had to be coerced, tricked or maybe even corrupted into doing such an obviously stupid thing. A thing which the free market would never, ever allow, much less instigate. Indeed they were!

No, it isn’t inherent problems with Capitalism. It wasn’t the product of free markets. It wasn’t for lack of Government involvement in the process. The real root problem of the current mess is Government. Government being too involved. Government doing social engineering and tinkering around in the private sector. A mess like this would unlikely occur in a free market, driven by hard-bitten, cold-blooded capitalists. No, they like to make a reasonable return and loan money to people who can repay.

Only Government could make a mess this big, and that by operating outside its realm. The frustrating thing about Liberalism, as so vividly expressed on NPR yesterday, is that Liberalism invariably creates so many unanticipated negative consequences. Then Liberalism, in a state of denial, wants to prescribe a remedy which is more of the same and only exacerbates our problems.

Let’s lay off blaming Capitalism and free markets. The rap should fall squarely on the culprits – Liberals and politicians which have allowed Government, particularly the Federal one, grow and encroach into Wall Street and Main Street way beyond our Founders intentions and our Constitution’s limits. And way beyond that which is good for us. Big, intrusive Government is to blame, not Capitalism!

Curtis Hail

PS – Just at the conclusion of this writing, I received two spot-on articles. In one is a reference to the NYT article you can find at www.nytimes.com/
dated 9/30/99. In it you’ll find the Franklin Raines statement I quoted. Also attached is a link to an article which every American should read this week and certainly before November 4th. It is an editorial from Investor’s Business Daily, “The Saddest Thing About This Mess” by Terry Jones.

www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=307322285431688

©2008

It's Not The Government, Stupid!

2008-09-29T02:05:00.000-07:00

Date: September 20, 2008

It’s Not The Government...!

The role of Government - pocketbook issues, public service and bailouts.

In this the third and final (maybe) installment of my “stupid” series of rants, we tie the previous two topics together with one over-riding principle. That principle being that Government has a fairly narrow and very specific God-ordained purpose. With those two topics we’ll also throw in this week’s big news, the Federal bail-out of Wall Street. But first, it is imperative to consider a little-studied and little-understood Biblical/Theological subject. That subject is Biblical Anthropology.

Biblical Anthropology is important to properly understand the nature of man as created in the image of God and to understand the institutions created and ordained by God, for mankind. It is well beyond the scope of this article to go deeply into the subject, chapter and verse. As with all doctrine, it is a synthesis – a systematic theology – from the entire Scripture. If you want more study as it relates to today’s topic of the role of Government, you might start with Francis Schaeffer’s “A Christian Manifesto” and then wade into deeper water with his, “How Shall We Then Live?” For starters. So, here goes with a quick overview of the role of the three God-ordained institutions. Hang on and hang in there.

God’s institutions are the family, the church and the government (state). Family. Church. State.

The Family – starting with one man and one woman – is the foundational building block for society.

It is where culture, values, faith, habits, discipline, ethic, world view, interests, talents, self-esteem, sense of identity, sense of security – and on it goes – is formed in children and transferred to another generation. It is the family that works, lives, worships, prospers – that survives - together. It doesn’t take a village. It takes a family. More specifically, it takes a loving, nurturing Mother and Father. You have a break-down in this foundational social structure and it won’t matter how much money you throw at education, at crime, at poverty, at free lunches, at sex education, at whatever…you will still get the same dismal results and an unraveling culture. Yea, kind of like ours!

Single motherhood(1) and absence of “baby’s daddy” in the home is a major cause of poverty in America. No amount of Government money or number of Federal programs will reverse that reality – in fact they only exacerbate the problem. Ask my wife who taught public school for twenty-two years. She’s the first to tell you that lack of money is not the problem with America’s education system. Why do we turn fourth graders near the top globally into high school graduates near the bottom globally? Well there’s a lot wrong in the schools, for sure, but so much more of the problem is in the homes – in the broken homes – of America’s children. Oh, how many kids she dealt with in Special Ed. with problems stemming from no father or no parental guidance in the home. No discipline, no respect, no learning. Oh, how many kids she dealt with who had drug problems, because they were the product of over-grown hippies who never grew up and never kicked the marijuana habit themselves. Fruit never falls far from the tree. The tree for culture and society is The Family. Bad family, bad social fruit. Good family, good social fruit.

The Church – The community of faith, those people of God, in the Judeo-Christian tradition particularly - cares for the widow, orphan and alien.

It is the Church that builds up the faith instilled in the home. It is the church that provides the corporate worship and instruction in the things of God. It is the community of believers who share a common faith and world view who are called to love and care for one another in this “household of faith”. Beyond the spiritual-religious instruction and fellowship, and outreach to those not yet in that household, the people of God have other important responsibilities.

Throughout Scripture – Old and New Testaments - there are commands to and demands upon the people of God. Some of God’s demands on us are:

1. Husbands and wives love and honor one another; God hates divorce because of its destructions.

2. Children honor their parents; meanwhile parents neither spoil, nor abuse their children.

3. Believers love and care for one another – see the dozens of “one another passages”

4. Provide for those who can’t provide for themselves – starting with, but not limited to believers

5. Provide especially for the widow, the orphan, the alien among you – the innocent and helpless.

In short, the family should be able to provide for themselves in most normal situations if they live according to God’s principles of fidelity, unity, honor, hard work, diligence, thrift, saving and tithing. But, it is a broken world due to sin and sometimes – often times – God’s design is marred, even fractured. That is when the people of God – the Church in our age – are to step up and provide for those who can’t provide for themselves. Jesus’ earthly ministry of helping the poor and feeding the orphan is now the job of the Church, not the State. (I will have to wait to explore the breathtaking failure of today’s Church to live up to this role and the resulting disaster from its acquiescence to The State.) The Church supremely is God’s tool to declare His plan of salvation from sin. An agent of His saving grace. In word and deed.

The State. Government has one central function. “Wield The Sword”.

Among the few legitimate roles of The State is to wield the sword for three purposes:

1. Keep The Peace

2. Administer Justice

3. Provide National Security

The State is God’s tool to suppress the sinful tendencies of people and encourage adherence to His moral standards in a fallen, unredeemed world. An agent of God’s common grace. The State legislates and polices the public arena such that our bent to take unfair advantage of others, to crime, even to anarchy is suppressed. When we violate the cultural limits and socially-agreed laws, then The State administers justice. This can range from a notice, to a ticket, to incarceration, all the way to capital punishment.

God wants us to live tranquil, safe, peaceable lives. The State keeps His peace. God is justice, a Person of justice. He demands justice. The State is a manifestation of His character, an executor of His justice in this world. For instance, taking an extreme and controversial example, capital punishment is not at all about revenge, not even about deterrence, though it may provide a measure of both for some individuals. The main point of State-executed capital punishment is its demonstration of God’s high value of innocent human life and His high view and absolute demand for justice. Indeed, not holding man fully accountable for murder is to declare him less than human, thus denigrating God’s creation of man as the apex of His creative expression. All the way around it is a matter of justice, God’s justice. His declaration of His character and His values.

Finally, and most dramatically, it is The State that protects national borders and secures national sovereignty. Government most fundamentally is to protect the borders and guarantee the opportunity to move and work freely, unthreatened by enemies from without. All else that government does begins here and cascades down from that super responsibility. Thus, war can be just and Christian individuals can march at the command of the State recognizing that they are serving God’s institution in this cause.

It is not The State’s role to feed and clothe your child, even if you do elect to outsource their education to government. It isn’t The State’s job to proscribe your religion, nor is to interfere with your exercise of it any private or public arena. It isn’t the government’s job to care for you from cradle to grave. The only security that government is to provide is civic order and national security – keeping the peace, punishing the social-contract-breakers, and providing protection from enemies so you can go about your own business and life, and faith.

Of course, there are ample Biblical examples of major projects that The State can undertake to accomplish these goals. And other public projects or infrastructures of a scope suited to Government. The State can provide the general environment and facilitate in various ways the legitimate activities of individuals, families and an infinite variety of human associations. Jesus didn’t even challenge the State’s authority to take its share of coins for these services. But, these vagaries must be watched closely.

No statement by man better articulates what has taken me three pages to say, than does the Preamble to our own Constitution. This Preamble clearly lays out the purpose of the Constitution, the principles upon which it is based and the world-view underlying our Founders’ thoughts. It reads,

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Citizens under this Constitution have a straightforward job on election days. Select leaders most apt to:
a. Provide that local peace and national security needed for individual, family and community existence.
b. Legislate and appoint judges such that righteous justice is meted out according to the Constitution.
c. Limit the inherent tendency of Government to encroach in affairs outside its legitimate realm.

If our citizens studied their Constitution a bit more. If our Christians studied Biblical Anthropology a bit more. If we hadn’t strayed from our forefathers’ faith, world view and clear intent of their words…

If,if, if…we wouldn’t have polls in a time of war revealing that most Americans care more what their country can do for them, than what they can do for their country. Or simply do for themselves. That they are more concerned with their personal comforts and affluence than defeating a very clear and present danger in the terrorists committed to annihilating our nation and ending western civilization. We wouldn’t be spending valuable time and money inventing new, dubious ways for people to “serve the State” beyond those inherently available in the Biblical and Constitutional context.

If, if, if…we wouldn’t be in today’s mess.We aren’t stupid. But we are ignorant of these truths. Our ignorance and self-centeredness , or pure idealism, make us think and behave stupidly. So, I say respectfully, “It is NOT the government, stupid!”(2)

Curtis Hail

PS – So what about the government bail-outs this week? Tough call. Government helped get us in this mess. Instead of being vigilant to our bent toward greed, the cozy relationship between Congress, regulators and the key financial institutions actually encouraged and fueled stupid behavior. Laws and policies from the 90’s intent on guaranteeing every American a home beyond their means converged with cheap money needed in the 00’s to help keep the economy moving after 9/11. A perfect storm, indeed. I’m no financial genius, but even I know that if you make enough bad loans to people who can’t possibly pay them back, you are going to rue the day. So, how do we get out of it now? Either way, the US citizenry and taxpayer is going to pay the bill. We’ll pay either through taxes to pay off the bailouts or pay through the financial disaster if the financial infrastructure unravels. So you take your pick and decide which route is the least hurtful to the citizenry/taxpayers. Let’s pray the bail-out option is the better route out of this mess and that the inevitable “unintended consequences” of any major action won’t be worse than the cure! Of course, it has to get past petty partisan political roadblocks to even have a chance. We’ll see.

In short, a lot of this goes back to Government messing in areas it really shouldn’t have been in the first place, and not doing its legitimate watch-dog job. Oh, and all those greedy guys who never had the benefit of reading the Ten Commandments on their public school bulletin board or didn’t start their school day with a quiet “moment of reflection” reminding them that there might be a Higher Authority watching their every devious deed – yea, they had a lot to do with this mess as well.

(1) Not an indictment of single mothers, many of whom do a heroic job of raising kids. It is a nod to the fact that many, many single mothers and their families unnecessarily live at or below poverty levels because the fathers of their children have abandoned them and do not provide for these families as God intended.

(2) Borrowing from the 1992 Clinton campaign ploy to focus on a key, overriding issue, “Its’ the economy, stupid!” No offense intended. This article is best understood in the context of my two preceding “Stupid” articles, “It’s the Terrorists, Stupid!” and “It’s the Military, stupid!” - CVH

©2008

It Didn't Happen On Wall Street

2008-09-29T02:02:00.001-07:00

Date: September 17, 2008

It Didn't Happen on Wall Street

Well, we’ve seen it happen in the past couple of days. Yes, I’m speaking of the beginning of the end of America’s financial future. Power hungry, greedy, deluded people destroying the future economic hope for America. A total debacle. A death knell for good ole America… if someone can’t turn it around.

But, it didn’t happen on Wall Street! No, I’m not referring to the bailout of AIG or even Freddie and Fannie. Nope, not talking about the demise of Lehman or Merrill Lynch, or any of the upheaval on Wall Street. Not speaking of the 8% decline in market value so far this week. Markets always work themselves out, ugly as it will be – and it is really ugly! And we’ll probably see worse before it’s over. But, that isn’t the really bad news for our economy.

The greater tragic turn of events for our economic future happened in Washington D.C. That event would be when Congress passed their “energy bill” on Tuesday. Hailed by supporters as a “new direction in energy policy”, this bill is simply a continuation (intensification actually) of the failed policies of the last 26 years which are largely responsible for our current energy dependence. A ban on offshore drilling is effectively continued while spending untold sums of money to prop up “alternative energy sources”. These billions will come from new taxes and royalties on “oil”, thus driving up our energy costs by both continued reliance on foreign sources and increased costs passed through to consumers. Brilliant. these policies have no chance of any significant short-term energy relief, much less any real chance of viability for decades to come. We are in a "both/and" not in an "either/or" situation.

We survived Black Monday on October 19, 1987 when the market lost 23% of its value with a 503 point drop and we survived a drop of over 6% on September 17, 2001 when the markets reopened after the 9/11 attack. So, as big a debacle as is the market, history would tell us that we will pull out of this mess and recover, albeit perhaps taking a couple of years to regain the losses. But, one thing we can’t survive long-term is energy starvation. Economic growth and national security are inextricably linked to energy. And for now, that means fossil fuel. And it means fossil fuel for a number of decades, like it or not. No energy, no future!

The key problems with the energy bill passed by Congress include:

- Off-shore drilling is allowed only more than 50 miles or more off the U.S. coast.
- 88% of reserves are estimated to be within that 50 mile range; keeping virtually all the new reserves off-limits.
- States would have to approve exploration 50 to 100 miles, yet are given no incentive to do so, because they do not share in the tax or other revenue with the Federal Government.
- There is little infrastructure out at the 100 mile range making the already costly exploration at those depths even less attractive to oil companies.
- The ban on drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico was extended

Thus, the bottom line of the Congressional bill is that the ban on off-shore drilling is extended. The urgent national security and acute economic issues demanding an immediate move to tap American energy resources has been trumped by partisan politics and a self-serving fealty to special interest groups.

The American economy must have new sources of energy to survive, much less to grow. Sure, it could take five or more years to get it on line. But, we are already 26 years behind, so we can’t afford to wait another day.

Let’s pray that God will raise up leaders for us who understand the economic and security issues at stake. Leaders who understand energy and who are courageous enough to break the partisan gridlock to develop America’s own energy resources. Sure, we need to continue working on alternatives, but the truth is that those are not economically viable without huge government subsidies – and that will not turn around for decades.

We must act now, and act boldly on every available front. There is no reason to forestall drilling off-shore or in ANWR. And every reason we should. We are having a horrible run on Wall Street. Who knows when and where the bleeding will finally stop. But, stop it will - eventually.

However, nothing on Wall Street this week or in the future holds the long-term threat to America’s economic future than does the dismal action of Congress on Tuesday. Thankfully, their ineptitude will fizzle in the Senate, or at worst vetoed by this President. However, we must have a real energy plan and legislation right now.

It was a Black Tuesday, economically. But it didn’t all happen on Wall Street. It happened on Capitol Hill where so many of our real problems originate.

Curtis Hail

Jesus - The Ultimate Community Dis-organizer

2008-09-29T01:59:00.000-07:00

Date: September 15, 2008

Jesus – The Ultimate Community Dis-organizer

I was literally stopped in my tracks in front of the TV last Friday. I caught a sound bite and glimpse of some little guy on the very floor of the U.S. Congress compare one presidential candidate to Jesus and another to Pontius Pilate. Whoever you support, whatever your allegiance, something that inane surely evokes a response similar to mine: A shake of the head at what we’ve come to, wondering just exactly who and where there is a constituency in the great U.S. of A. that elects such silly people to high office. Then I shot up a quick prayer that “God might save us from ourselves!” …but not too sure why He’d bother.

We might have let it go at that, but then on “Meet The Press” yesterday, Tom Brokaw, a supposedly serious journalist, invoked the same non-sense with Rudy Gulianne. We needn’t, and it isn’t my place here, delve into partisan politics. The logical absurdity and political futility of such empty rhetoric is obvious. But it is a great opportunity for us to set the record straight with those around us on the Biblical answer to, “Who is Jesus, and what was His earthy mission?”
The answer of course, is that Jesus was no community organizer! In fact, it is very fair to say that Jesus disorganized every community he ever encountered.

And, he has done so now for two thousand years.

Of course, we know that Jesus is the Son of God – The Word of God who was eternally with God. Who then took on the form of a man that we might know God. Who lived a sinless life, and willingly gave it up for us on the Cross, and then was raised again on the third day that we might be reconciled to God. Jesus was the Lamb of God, round one, but on round two he’s coming back as Judge and King. That is the Jesus we need to share with people! And shed a little light on the darkness of ignorance.

Now, secularists who are much more inclined to poke fun at Christ than to worship Him, even they should surely discern he was no community organizer. A brief read and cursory study of the Gospels reveals the true nature of his earthly ministry. A great teacher, prophet and healer for sure. Feeder of multitudes and a love of sinners, even mixing with tax collectors. Right.But, he disorganized everyone and every place in his world.

He disorganized the rule of King Herod as a mere child, disorganized the teachers on the temple steps as just a youth, disorganized the Pharisees in their hypocrisy, disorganized the Sadducees in their elitism, disorganized the money changers in their greed, disorganized the fishing community on the Sea of Galilee, disorganized the entire religious establishment, disorganized the political aspirations of zealots, disorganized the life of every person who came in contact with him.

Virtually every community he visited wound up in chaos with Jesus driven out of town by a raging mob. From his bucolic home town of Nazareth to his adopted home and base of operations, Capernaum, they all turned on him eventually because of his disorganizing effect.

Even his twelve buddies were disorganized. Inner circle guys vied to be on his right hand. One plotted Jesus’ death and the rest were just basically clueless – disorganized.

He even disorganized Pontius Pilate’s world. The Messiah – the real one – got inside the Governor’s head and totally undid him. Yes, on his orders the Governor gave the Jews what they wanted, but begrudgingly so, and only because the great Disorganizer created the perfect storm for him to allow himself to die for the sins of the world. And from that, does come the great re-organization of the entire creation. A great re-alignment has begun.

Jesus will return and then he will be The Cosmic Organizer. No surprise really. Jesus told his followers and warned his adversaries in Luke 12,

“I have come to bring fire on the earth…Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother…” And from Matthew 10, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn, ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother…Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…”

Wow! Why all the divisiveness with Jesus? Because he claimed to be God with the authority to forgive sins and to have power over death. And he made this most outrageous of claims, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That exclusive, bold proclamation divided the world then and it divides it now. The Jews hated him for claiming to be God and the religious pluralism of Rome couldn’t tolerate his exclusive claim to divinity.

People haven’t changed any, and Jesus hasn’t either. You get the picture. No community organizer this.I would tremble to compare the Son of God to any political figure. I certainly wouldn’t trivialize the Savior of the World as a “community organizer”, as wonderful may be the work they do.

Nor would I, if compelled to describe the nature of his earthly impact on his contemporary scene, use the term “community organizer”.

I might, however, dare use the term “Maverick”.

Curtis Hail

©2008

It's The Military, Stupid - a reflection on "Service"

2008-09-29T01:54:00.000-07:00

Date: September 14, 2008

It's The Military, Stupid!

Much has been said this week in the presidential campaign about “Service”. A

big forum was even held on the subject at Columbia University. Suddenly candidates are second-guessing the Administration’s response to 9/11 seven years after the fact. They’ve said that there should have been a “call to serve”, as though there was no awareness by the American public that the months and years following 9/11 might be a really good time to “serve their country”. Ya think?

I have three words for folks who don’t know that there are vital, well known National service opportunities available. Those three words are “all volunteer military”.

This fact certainly didn’t escape my sixteen-year-old son who came in shortly after 9/11 to ask me, “What do you think about me joining the Marines as soon as I get old enough?” I told him that if he believed God was leading him to do so that I’d support his decision. I reminded him that “War is real and not at all like the video games that he and his friends played. That in real war, when you get shot or blown up, you stay down and don’t ever get up again. You come home in a box – there is no re-set button.” He said he understood and asked me, “So, Dad, do you believe it is better to live a short time and serve something greater than yourself, or live to be old and never stand for anything really important in life?” Game, set, match. He won. He “got it” and so did the other 12,000 applicants and 1,234 young cadets who eventually entered West Point with him on the morning of June 28, 2004. And so have thousands and thousands of other young American men and women who serve in a great and honorable force for liberty – the United States of America all volunteer military.
And beyond military service, there are countless service opportunities afforded by churches and synagogues, local communities, Federal agencies, virtually every college and innumerable public and private organizations. Now, how worthy they are - compared to putting a uniform on a young person, teaching them discipline, giving them a mission greater than themselves and teaching them significant lifetime skills such as leadership - might be debated, but they are out there and they are no secret. And even if someone can’t locate the nearest Peace Corps office, they could mobilize themselves as did my daughter. She and a young lady from our office went to Ground Zero within weeks of 9/11 to help local churches minister to the people of NYC.

No, it is not an issue for lack of opportunity or lack of awareness. In fact, this is largely a disingenuous issue. Many of those who are extolling public service passed up military service themselves (as did I and most others quite legitimately) but go beyond that to denigrate those who do so serve. They don’t promote military service as the first and most obvious – and most constructive – public service available through the Federal government. Often they support the trend of America’s ultra-liberal universities to forbid the ROTC from recruiting on their campuses. That is a mind-boggling policy which denies America access to some of its best service candidates. And which denies those candidates the opportunity for a marvelous career option – an option laden with educational and experience opportunities so helpful for many economically disadvantaged students to lift themselves and their families out of a cycle of poverty.

The real agenda of this current discussion is simply to expand the federal government and extend its reach into yet more of what the private and other public sectors should handle. It is yet another means to create make-work programs of dubious value and to indoctrinate more young people into a world view which sees the Federal government as the answer to all man’s problems. Indeed, as for faith-based volunteer service opportunities, many of these “advocates for service” support the unconstitutional encroachment by the Federal government and bench into the operations of religious organizations. This discriminatory practice greatly diminishes the number of legitimate opportunities for service through the very sector by which most of the “do-good” activities should be conducted in the first place. But, a tortured interpretation of church-state separation inhibits much faith-based assistance which could otherwise be rendered to America, indeed the world (AIDS solutions come to mind).

Further, many people who clamor for more “public service” hold a world view that blames America for the world’s ills and make apologies for American greatness. Students are taught in school about our evil nation while so many – even candidates and their surrogates - speak disparagingly of our nation. With such a low view of America promoted through our nation’s universities – even secondary schools – one wonders why any young person would want to serve this nation in any capacity, much less in its military.

Finally, according to recent polls, most Americans are totally preoccupied with their “pocketbook issues”, while the notion of vanquishing those enemies plotting their total annihilation is a lowly #8 on their priority list. Given this self-absorbed, short-sighted view of life, one doubts their abounding desire to give themselves to public service for others. The notion of a “cause greater than one’s self” seems to elude most American’s if the polls are correct.

Politicians ought refrain from making non-issues into “issues”. Certainly a candidate who has demonstrated a life-time of service, particularly military service, and who hails from a family with, say, four generations of military service, has the right to speak about public service. Otherwise, we are better served to focus on major pressing issues such as defeating our avowed and determined enemies. And drilling, inventing and sensibly conserving our way to energy independence from those very same enemies. These strike me as the two big issues of paramount urgency today. Candidates should clearly
explain to us how they will accomplish that in the coming years.

All that really needs be said about the subject of “Public Service” was said by another right-winger some forty-eight years ago on the occasion of his Inauguration. John F. Kennedy said,

“Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.”

That would seem to fly in the face of those seven pocketbook issues for which so many Americans are looking to government. Apparently voters are asking only what the Feds can do for them, and say, “hang the country”.

About all the promotion needed for federally sponsored public service can be found in three little URL’s: http://www.military.com/, http://www.americorps.org/ and http://www.peacecorps.gov/.

A candidate who’s handy with a Blackberry might simply text message those three sites out to America’s eager youth, and have the whole matter done with at once. I’m sure they’ll leap right to it! More might be said and offered, but it is a sufficient start for the motivated future servant. And, it certainly isn’t all to be said on the subject of which sector should provide which service opportunities.

Up next, comes a rant on the role of government and its relation to pocketbook issues and this question of public service.But on the matter of how young people could serve this Nation?

Again, suffice it to say…“It’s the Military, ‘stupid’!”* If they can’t find another honorable option.

Curtis Hail

*Not to be offensive…simply borrowing from the 1992 Clinton campaign ploy to focus on the obvious.

©2008

It's The Terrorists, Stupid! - A reflection on 9/11

2008-09-29T01:52:00.000-07:00

Date: September 11, 2008

It's the Terrorists, Stupid! - A reflection on 9/11

September 11 + 7 years...I flew out of Washington's Reagan National Airport this morning on a red-eye flight back to Dallas. It was surreal to think that on this exact day seven years ago, it was on just such flights from Boston, Newark and DC Dulles that 19 jihadists boarded and executed their infamous, mass-murder plot.

It was all the more poignant knowing that on take-off; the restored Pentagon with its impending memorial service was slipping by below. And looking back across the Potomac River from my window I could see the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Mall with its Washington Monument and afar was the shining dome of our Nation's Capitol. Looking at that iconic building, I was reminded of the brave passengers of Flight 93 whose courage saved all of us the ignominy of seeing our Capitol building destroyed by the fourth of those hijacked airplanes.

It was a quiet, private moment of remembrance, a sacred moment to reflect on the three thousand innocents who lost their lives at the hands of murderous extremists. Thinking of broken hearts and shattered lives, dreams dashed and weekend outings with Daddy or Mommy lost forever because of senseless, unbridled hate. Because of evil unchecked.

Which turned my thoughts and prayers to the thousands of warriors who have given years, given their lives or absorbed body and life altering injuries while running to ground the planners of that attack and taking the fight to those who would follow in the terrorists' footsteps. I said a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing for those living, fallen and injured warriors - and their long-suffering families!

Then somber turned to anger. I recalled the poll numbers I saw on cable news just last night. Of the top concerns on American voters' minds this election, the War on Terrorists ranked at the bottom of the list in the number eight spot. The top seven voter concerns were "pocket book" issues. The usual suspects such as job security, retirement security, social security, cheap gasoline security, health-care security, energy security, affordable college security, every security under the sun...but the one security that should be #1, #2 and #3. National Security. The lone "security" that makes all other issues relevant and before which all other issues should shrink into virtual insignificance...The War!

Our nation is at war. Sadly, almost everyone but the administration and the military has forgotten that fact. Our nation, when at war, should have one pervasive, overwhelming, all-consuming focus and agenda. Victory! As soon as possible and as complete as possible. All else falls virtually off of the radar scope. And particularly so in this war, against this foe. We have an enemy which is intent upon our complete annihilation. It is their religious as well as ideological doctrine. This is no conventional foe. And our secular, naive world view as a people poorly prepares us to wage and win this war. These pocketbook issues which preoccupy our electorate are proof positive.

In an instant, an instant when a dirty bomb or worse goes off in the central business district of one of our major cities, or at a major sporting or public event, how important will it be what you are paying at the pump, or how hard it is to afford a private college education? All else will melt into the recess of our mind and survival as a nation will again become paramount. But, it may be too late at that point. Certainly the cost for our short-term memory loss and self-absorbed myopic view of reality will cost us so much more greatly than 9/11 ever has or will.

Why do we forget? Why do we tarry? Why do we distract ourselves with trifles while enemies prepare for our complete extinction? For well over a millennia there has been an unending, persistent jihad against the Christian West. Only with the demise of the Ottoman Empire was the power temporarily broken to press their cause. But after a short respite of a few decades, the modern petro-dollar empowered extreme zealots and nations to resume their dogmas of destruction of all infidels and enslavement of the entire world to a monolithic theocratic system. These people are serious. They have stated their goals repeatedly, and repeatedly acted successfully upon their belief system to our great shame and pain.And yet, we forget. We don't "get it". We are preoccupied with secondary, even tertiary, matters.

In 1992, the Clinton-istas hit upon the issue that would unseat Bush the First. Their rallying cry as coached by James Carville was "It's the economy stupid!" Bogus or not, it was their clarion call to their foot-soldiers and then to the public..."forget all else, the one issue of import, the issue of the moment is the economy."It is time we seize that cynical, but effective ploy, and turn it around for the truth.

And the truth of this election and every subsequent election until this fiendish enemy is suppressed, is this…"It's the Terrorists, Stupid!"One and only one question should be on the mind of each voter as they step into that booth to vote on November 4th:"Which candidate will defeat our enemies and provide America national security through a posture of strength? Who can lead America to unequivocal victory in this war?”

This is the only road to peace - to survival - in a dangerous world. Cajoling our enemies to understand and like us is no substitute for total and swift victory!Because, it really is all about the Terrorists. To think otherwise is a very dangerous kind of "stupid".

September 11 should be reminder enough of this truth.

Curtis Hail

© 2008

Clint Prayer Platoon; West Point Graduation

2008-09-29T01:46:00.000-07:00

Date: July 25, 2008

Clint Prayer Platoon West Point Graduation Update

( See small album of pictures on Newsletter at this link:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8z7enib.9sqyjbjf&x=0&y=-rcmg0u&localeid=en_US )

Clint graduated in style and by the grace of God. We were so proud of his graduation, and particularly proud to see him listed in the Commencement Program as recipient of the Army Rugby Award for "Best Bepresenting Army Rugby On And Off the Field". He also was recognized for maintaining at least a B Average in his major, Portguguese.

But, what a week! He was on crutches and had a million errands to run to close out accounts, complete reports and turn in gear. All had to be done before he’d be allowed to walk that stage and get his diploma. We were all highly motivated as you can imagine. Happily we planned to go early anyway so we were there with a mini-van (lots of leg room for peg-leg) to run him hither and yon.

Family and friends arrived without a hitch and we had just a marvelous time. Looked like it might be stormy on Graduation morning (Sat the 31st) but God forestalled the clouds with only a light sprinkle at the very end. Clint was on his crutches, a mere 2 weeks after his surgery of course. But, as they marched under the stadium approaching the tunnel out on to the field where the Class of 2008 would experience their graduation ceremony, he threw his crutches to the side shouting, “I feel Jesus! He will hold me up!” So he gimped to his seat, and then up and across the stage and back down again. He pulled it off and became a legend instantly with his Company H-3. Let’s pray that he didn’t “pull” anything else out of whack.

He has at last started rehab just this week back at West Point, so we may know soon if he did too much damage. Below are a few highlight pictures to give you a good sense of the week. If you are interested in the “whole enchilada” you may peruse the full album at the Kodak Gallery link at the end of this email. I listed for you at the very bottom a sequence of events to give you some context of what you’ll see on the album. Hope you enjoy.

Brief update on his medical and other status.

Clint enjoyed his 3 weeks at home so much. Just hanging out with family including his new niece, Molly. And mostly fishing with friends and his brother-in-law Jack. We enjoyed having his girl friend, Tyfani with us for a part of that time.) They also returned on July 11th so he could participate in the wedding of his life-long friend, Katie Potts.) He went back to West Point on June 25th, and then it took a full week of paperwork and in-processing for the Warrior Transition program (soldiers coming for medical treatment or rehab). After that it took a couple of weeks because all physical therapists were deployed. But, sounds like everything is going OK right now.

His first apartment is all furnished now and he thinks it is the greatest place in the world. He is beginning to enjoy his job. He is in the Operations Office (G-3)for all of West Point. He is technically on the Superintendant’s staff. He participated this week in a big briefing with General Hagenbeck and a lot of other top officers and civilian leaders. He is meeting some very powerful and influential people this way, and also getting a chance to observe firsthand a lot of organizational issues which will be beneficial down the road.

So, God clearly continues to bless him, even in this “set back”. At the end of the Fall, he will then go on to his Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, OK. Then on to Ranger School if his knee is up to it, or more likely now, probably on to his platoon at Ft. Polk, LA. But, truly only the Lord knows. He may yet take some interesting and unexpected turns. Undoubtedly! Again, thank you for your prayers.

We will keep you posted on any big news. Please continue to pray for Clint in these areas:
- His spiritual walk and development as a spiritual leader
- His and Tyfani’s relationship…to grow in Christ and to remain committed to the Lord in all their ways
- Complete and successful rehab of the knee – including Clint’s psychological strength and faith in its full recovery
- Tyfani’s shoulder surgery in August to repair her javelin-throwing-induced injury to the rotator cuff

Appreciatively

Curtis Hail

If you want to see all the May 28, 2008 Graduation Pictures please read on:

If you go to the Kodak Gallery link below for a picture journey through that week, the following listing will clue you to the events you see. The attached full Album sequence is as follows, as a guide to help you understand what you are viewing:

Superintendant’s Reception in his garden – Graduation Parade on The Plain – Lunch on the Supe’s boat – Clint get’s his Army uniform ready for bar pinning ceremony – Graduation Banquet at Washington Hall – graduation at Michie Stadium – “butter bar” 2LT bar pinning and oath ceremony with his Rugby brothers at Anderson Complex – quick nap and ice on the knee back at the room – wedding of his Rugby brother at Cadet Chapel in his “dress blues” – first visit as an Officer to the West Point Club – packing and heading out from apartment for 30 days leave!

To see full album of Graduation Week, please go to this link: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8z7enib.a1jq7hpv&x=0&y=-dvy7v7&localeid=en_US

©2008

Clint Prayer Platoon; Knee Surgery Update

2008-09-29T01:42:00.000-07:00

Date: May 19, 2008

Clint's Knee Surgery Update

Clint’s surgery went very well on Wednesday. His surgeon is one of the tops in the world for this kind of thing, and he says Clint – rather Clint’s KNEE – will make medical history. They now have less invasive procedures whereby they actually assemble the drill inside the knee, rather than drill through the knee.

Don’t ask me to explain…I’m just repeating the doctor here.

Anyway, Clint’s damage turned out to be a little less than originally thought from the MRI. Of the two bundles of ligaments making up the ACL, only one needed replacing with hamstring ligament grafted from behind the knee. Usually they just go in and replace both bundles simply because they didn’t have the technology to repair something not completely destroyed. In Clint’s case they grafted in one bundle, but were able to “augment” – repair – the bundle still intact.

Besides making Dr. Debernadino’s day scientifically, the good news for Clint is that this kept some of his nerves intact which will give him sensation and the ability to sense where “his knee is in space” which helps him maintain better balance and coordination. With complete replacement of both bundles, he would have lost that ability to sense his knee and its location. So, we are very thankful for that and the breakthrough’s in technology. So, someday you may be leafing through a medical journal and look down and shout with pride, “Hey, I know that knee!”, or “I knew that knee before it was somebody!”

Thank you for your prayers. Please do continue to pray for complete and timely healing, and successful rehab, so he can resume a complete range of activities and get back on his career track. His Mom was pleased to hear him say that he is probably going to forego playing any more Rugby. Her joy was short-lived when he completed his statement with, “…yea, I’m thinking I’ll go back to boxing, it’s easier on the knees!”

And quickly now, please pray for the 5 finals the next 3 days. Monday is Military Art (How Armies Learn [from history]) and Portuguese Literature. Then Tuesday is Constitutional Law, finishing up on Wednesday with Portuguese Civilization and Military Readings in Portuguese. And then, Lord willing, next comes Graduation week. But, he does have to pass these final exams and his preparation time has been greatly diminished by the injury , the surgery and now the recovery.

Also pray for Clint’s girlfriend, Tyfani. She has injured her shoulder from javelin throwing and that may require surgery soon as well. It just never gets any easier! Tyfani has been very good about helping Clint through this and caring for him in recovery.

No news this week will be good news. Means all went OK this week and so you’ll get one final update after Graduation. We’ll convert these emails to a list you can opt out of so only those who want to track with Clint through training and deployment can do so. But, we’ll cross that bridge next month…for now you’re not yet discharged. One more week of praying please!

One last word of praise. The Army medical staff and care at Keller Hospital here is incredible. From surgeon to nurses to technicians...it is hard to explain the professionalism and extraordinary care given. Competent, friendly, ever-present. Truly world-class. Just a word of commendation to balance what we sometimes hear in the media about such things.

Curtis Hail

Call To e3 Day of Prayer

2008-09-29T01:37:00.000-07:00

Date: April 29, 2008

Pray, Pray, Pray – tis the season to Pray!

A Call To e3 Day Of Prayer

Dear e3 Partners Family…

In the next 30 days we are entering into a remarkable and vital season of prayer. It is a season spanning across the globe, across our nation and across e3 Partners.I invite you to join with me in this important time of turning to God, as we join with people from every nation on earth as well as our own co-workers in corporate prayer.

Here are three key dates and events for you to mark down right now and determine before the Lord what He would have you do as a part of this prayer movement!

Thursday, May 1 st – National Day of Prayer
Saturday, May 10 th – Global Day of Prayer (Int’l day is May 11)
Monday, May 12 th – Town Hall Meeting re: e3 Day of Prayer

Our e3 Prayer Team under the leadership of Jim and Kaye Johns will be sharing with you over the next several weeks more specifics about our own day of prayer, and ways we at e3 may commemorate the National and Global days of prayer. In the meantime, let me simply direct you to two key web sites where you’ll find local events in your area.

National Day of Prayer http://www.ndptf.org/custom/events/eventSearch/

Global Day of Prayer http://gdop-usa.com/

On Monday, May 12th, we will have a “Town Hall Meeting” by way of a phone conference. It is expected that all available e3 Partners staff and associates will participate, and invite all of our extended e3 family to join us as well. Here's how to connect to Conference Call; 1-866-856-2160 enter the Code 214 440 1140 #.

In advance of that day, let me encourage you to begin even now using the key tool which we will be featuring that day. It is the brand new “Ignite Prayer Journal”. You have already received a copy as part of the incredible new “Go Team Toolbox”. This prayer guide, written by Jim and Kaye, will surely be a blessing to you and a real help in deepening your personal prayer life. We will be using this guide together as a ministry in the days ahead, so please lay your hands on it now and begin using this marvelous tool, as together, we all grow as...

“a praying people" at e3 Partners Ministry!

Let’s pray!

Curtis Hail

President

Clint Prayer Platoon; Knee Injury Update

2008-09-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

Date: April 28, 2008

Clint Prayer Platoon; Knee Update

Thank you for your prayers. Clint had an MRI performed last week and it was determined that he has a torn ACL, MCL, PCL and Meniscus. They give the MCL time to heal on its own and then do surgery. Clint’s surgery will be on Wednesday, May 14th.

He’s been told by his TAC Officer and other chain of command that he will graduate and be commissioned on May 31st as scheduled. He will receive 30 days leave, and then return to West Point as a medical hold-over to continue rehab. He doesn’t expect that to be less than 4 to 6 months. He hopes to be a graduate assistant to the Rugby team until released to continue on to officer school at Fort Sill. He must, of course, successfully complete his courses, projects and finals which follow the week of his surgery.

So, please do continue to pray for very successful surgery and his ability to finish his classes. He has a really positive attitude and outlook on things, thankfully. This week was the annual Field Artillery Ball for graduates headed to FA. It involves the top brass from West Point such as the Commandant and highest ranking FA officer on Post. Clint described the rituals and antics involved – of which he was at the center of course. He said Tyfani was beautiful and they had a great time. The tradition of the graduates at this event is to wear red socks and suspenders in honor of Field Artillery history. Members of the Field Artillery are referred to as "Red Legs" because during the American Civil War they were distinguished by scarlet stripes down the legs of their uniform pants. You know, it’s not that easy to find red socks and suspenders. If you ever need to know how, just call…

Please continue to pray for:
1. Skill and wisdom of surgeons, nurses, and physical therapists in repairing and rehabilitating Clint’s knee
2. Clint’s discipline and perseverance to properly rehab to full and complete recovery
3. Clint will grow in faith and strength as he trusts God to work a Romans 8:28 experience in his life
4. His ability to successfully complete his courses and participate as fully as possible in graduation ceremonies such as marching and walking with the Corps
5. His and Tyfani’s continued spiritual development and walk with the Lord.
Thank you for your prayers. Let me know if you would like information about attending graduation. You can follow and find pictures for the Class of 2008 at www.usma.edu/Class/2008/

The Album link below includes Clint’s senior picture and a few shots by a professional photographer from Clint’s last (and infamous) rugby game for Army.

Link to Senior Picture and excellent rugby shots:http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8z7enib.1ypv0jfv&x=0&y=cqv35o&localeid=en_US

Curtis Hail

Clint Prayer Platoon: Urgent Prayer Request

2008-09-29T01:29:00.001-07:00

Date: April 8, 2008

Clint Prayer Platoon Urgent Prayer Request

Rugby finally caught up with Clint.

Today at Annapolis while playing Navy, Clint apparently sustained a serious knee injury. The tentative diagnosis is that he tore both the ACL and MCL. He will know more on Monday after the MRI. If indeed surgery is required, as is most likely barring a miracle, he’ll have it this Thursday after some of the swelling goes down and he has a major test out of the way on Wednesday.
Clint believes that despite missing his final Army physical fitness test – which was to be this coming Tuesday and is a requisite to graduate – that he will be allowed to graduate with his class on May 31. That of course, depending on being able to keep up and finish his academic classes despite the surgery and recovery.

He would, however, be required to stay at West Point until he can successfully complete the Physical test which includes a 2 mile run under 16 minutes. So, at best he’s probably going to miss a significant part of the 60 days of leave he was so looking forward to this summer before he reports to duty at Fort Sill on August 1st. But, of course, graduation and a complete speedy recovery are the main concerns.

He was just telling us recently how he was doing the best ever in his classes and looking forward to these last six weeks at West Point. He was also one week away from his final rugby tournament at Army as they are headed to Albuquerque for the national title Sweet Sixteen round. Happily, Amy and I got to be with him for his final successful outing last week as they defeated Dartmouth 36-3. Even then, he sustained a serious cut over the eye requiring 11 stitches. I had been praying that he’d get through these last couple of matches unscathed further. But, alas, it wasn’t to be.

So, please be praying for Clint:
1. That the injury will turn out to be not as serious as first suspected.
2. For the best surgeon and care at Keller Medical Center.
3. Quick and full recovery to allow him to follow his chosen career unhindered
4. Ability to stay focused on the academics and get all of his final tests and papers completed.
5. Grace by the administration to let him go through Graduation ceremony with his class on May 31.
6. Grow in his faith in God and use this experience – however it goes – to give testimony to Christ and bring glory to God.
7. Grow stronger in every way through this challenge…physically, mentally and emotionally… to be able to lead others through far more difficult circumstances in the future

Thanks for your prayers.

(Please see the associated photo album at this link:http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8z7enib.b0ou2rvv&x=0&y=-qhlrht&localeid=en_US )

Curtis Hail

Easter 2008; Reflections on Jerusalem

2008-09-29T01:26:00.000-07:00

Date: March 22, 2008

Reflections on Jerusalem
Happy Easter From The Hails

(Please see the associated photo album at:http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8z7enib.9sq58skr&x=0&y=-svrl52&localeid=en_US )

One week ago, I stood in the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem…

Amy and I recently had the privilege to tour Israel. From Galilee to Golgatha…we covered pretty much the same path Jesus did as he marched relentlessly towards the Cross.Our last afternoon before departing was spent at the Garden Tomb site. It is the alternative site to the traditional location upon which Constantine’s mother built the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Whether the Garden Tomb is “the site”, or not, is secondary to the fact that it certainly fits the biblical account in many stunning ways. I sat there reviewing my first experience in Israel and Jerusalem. I had a number of mixed emotions. But, then every Easter…from that first one 2,000 years ago…is a mixed bag of emotions. But, they always end on a note of triumph and hope…because there is always an empty tomb, a Risen Living Savior come “early on the third day”. Here is the account of my latest encounter with Him…

From the amusement park-like sign over Shepherd’s Field proclaiming, "Gloria in Excelsis Deo", to the dark chambers of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, to the brutish bum's rush we got off the Temple Mount by its Muslim keepers, you can find just about all that can go wrong with religion in Jerusalem. From crass commercialization, to mystical perversion, to brutal spiritual arrogance...it is all there.

One can readily see in the sad attachments to relics and sites, as well as the brutality and vengefulness of three colliding religions - four counting Secularism - that Religion is no answer.
But wait, there are also the clear traces of the true Answer. The way, the truth and the life. He is still to be found there. Religion in the name of god, no! Relationship with the one true God...absolutely yes!

Life is found in relationship with a living God, not fixation on dead seas and scrolls, or even deader works. Relationship with a covenant-keeping God who keeps His promises, even when we don't brings salvation! That's the beautiful answer that can still be found there…yes, even in God’s city!

More solid than the still-standing one-million-pound foundation stones in the base of the Temple Mount, which will yet again someday support God's throne, is the testimony of changed hearts and transformed lives. Testimonies of former terrorists who now serve God in love and humility and in great courage, I might add. Real life beautifully evident in Jewish believers who have at last recognized and embraced their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, and who now serve him in unity with gentiles, even Palestinians. And living hope found in one NFL player in our troupe of sojourners who turned from a life of drugs, fear and emptiness, to a life full of joy and promise in the living Savior – Jesus.

Yes, He can still be found alive and well in Jerusalem. And He alone is our only hope.

Archaeological site after site piles up the scale on the side of Biblical veracity. Find after find, adds to our knowledge corroborating the Scriptural account of God working in history. Of people called by God, people punished by God, people loved by God. People trusting God, people spurning God. The headlines we discern in the stones and pottery of 3000 years ago might just as easily be the headlines of 3 days ago.

And even in the faithlessness of man, the stories all point to a faithful, omnipotent God who has a destiny for man...for you and for me. A timeless plan working itself out which despite our lack of faithfulness will be accomplished by a faithful and all-powerful God, all for His glory!

Jerusalem, like the world, like my life, is full of failure and unfaithfulness and even ugliness. But, when you discover the resurrected Jesus, He makes it all beautiful and He makes sense of it all. He brings purpose and connects our ancient past to our glorious eternal future. That is what I've discovered afresh during my first visit to God's holy city, Jerusalem.That is my hope – my eternal hope – on this His holy week.

He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Curtis V. Hail
President
e3 Partners

©2008

Clint Prayer Platoon: Final Semester

2008-09-29T01:24:00.000-07:00

Date: February 8, 2008

Clint Prayer Platoon Update; Final Semester

Clint is having a good semester – his last semester at West Point! He recently related how nice it was to have an easier semester at last…as he is taking only 20 hours of classes! Turns out that it is about average number of academic hours per semester, it is just that these don’t include any math or science! Just Portuguese and Military Art, mostly. Gee, I hope he doesn’t become a slacker!

He got one of his top choices for his duty post. He will be at Fort Polk, La. He said he worked with 10th Mountain division officers from Fort Polk last summer and really liked them. He also said they deploy a lot to Afghanistan which interests him. That’s all I know about his “logic” on this, but he seemed quite happy. I think it is probably due to proximity to many lakes and Red Fish fishing on the coast that excites him the most!

Looks like Graduation on May 31 is a “Go”, Lord willing. If you have interest in attending, just email me and I’ll send you the schedule and lodging ideas. Basically there parades and other activities from about Wednesday on that week. But, Graduation itself is Saturday morning at Michie Stadium. Plenty of general seating for something like $10 per seat. So, there really is no limit to the number. 40,000 people don’t come! So, plenty of room and it is a genuine once-in-a-lifetime events.

After graduation, he’ll take off his cadet uniform for the last time and put on “Army Greens” for the first time and then at a ceremony with all the other senior rugby players he will be sworn in as an 2LT by an Army officer of their choosing, and then we will get to pin his new bars on his shoulders. Love to have YOU there!

Thanks for your continued prayers. And please continue to pray for…
1. He and Tyfani’s spiritual development and walk with the Lord
2. Wisdom about their relationship and future
3. Ability to stay focused and finish strong in academic work.
4. Continued safety and health in athletics and training

UPDATE: Clint’s friend, Cadet Cobb, has missionary parents in Kenya. They were stranded in their home, along with dozens of locals taking refuge with them during the recent carnage. Eventually they were able to escape the violence and mayhem. They fled to a neighboring country for the time being. They told their son that our news accounts didn’t come close to covering the real devastation and loss of life. The Mom reported being sickened by driving by a number of dead bodies along the road, some even charred. But, Clint and his friend were amazed at the out-pouring of prayer as evidenced by your many emails which I forwarded to them. Your prayers and those of others were attributed as the reason they escaped with their lives. Thank you! I will update you if we get further details. Blessings!

Curtis Hail

Hail 2007 Newsletter

2008-09-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

Date: December 28, 2007

Curtis & Amy Hail 2007 Newsletter
Celebrating 20 years since Malawi!

(See related photo album at: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8z7enib.92y67bvv&x=0&y=-7448ri&localeid=en_US )

This has been a landmark year in so many respects. Our family has grown by one – by one Molly Katherine McKown. The ministry has experienced its absolute best year ever, in this it’s 20th year of service. Each of the kids has attained special milestones and Amy has been such a tremendous blessing in her work at e3 Partners.

And it marks 20 years since my first mission trip – Malawi, Africa. Watershed! Ministry Front – We are thankful to God for the over 1 million people evangelized in 2007 through the ministry of e3 Partners, with over 300,000 of them professing faith in Christ as Savior. As well as the over 2,000 new churches established. And consider that almost 3,000 people (2,950) went on e3 Mission Trips this year, and best I can tell we got them all home in relatively good shape. What a miracle – PTL!

I was just looking at some numbers and was amazed to realize that by God’s grace we will exceed $16 million in total revenues this year. Context is key - my first year with the ministry (1989) our total revenues from all sources was a grand total of $155,000. That is only a barometer of God’s continued and steady blessing, and another way to describe the 1.4 million people who’ve come to faith in Christ as 28,000 Americans and 400,000 Nationals have been mobilized. Another way to describe the over 12,000 new church plants! All this just in the first generation after our e3 Mission teams or our e3 Trainers have come to villages and towns all over the world to equip and mobilize God’s people to evangelize the lost and establish new, multiplying churches. All this in a “mere” 20 years.

Today, we’re introducing a new tool, the AIDS Awareness Cube, to unlock doors to forbidden territories and hardened hearts, that The Church might share the Good News of Christ with tens of millions of people previously unreachable! Without veering from our critical Mission of evangelism that produces new churches, we are seeking out resources and partners who can be brought to bear so these new churches will have greater transformational impact on society. So, God continues to grow the ministry in depth as well as in breadth. In impact – for His glory! We are humbled to be a part of such a “work of the Holy Spirit” and to serve Christ with you!

Thank you for helping to make all of this possible. This is as much your ministry as ours – indeed it is His!

Personal front –

Miranda and Jack McKown brought us a wonderful new addition on July 6th. Molly Katherine. She is a delight and “so cute”! We just go around muttering, “That baby is so cute!” True. Miranda and Jack made a decision to adjust their lifestyle so Miranda can stay at home with Molly during this season of life. I thought Amy was the greatest Mom ever to our kids, and what greater testimony to that fact than to see Miranda elevate motherhood to a whole new level. Jack is advancing at Siemens and can now see the end nearing in his work toward an electrical engineering degree at UTD. We are so very proud of them both – of all three of them now!

Sarah and David Gillen are machines. We call them “Gillen Inc.” They are up at 4:30 running and biking for miles - training for marathons, triathlons and even Iron Man competitions. Meanwhile David is doing super at American, and Sarah has about completed her math and science courses with straight A’s in preparation for pursuing a doctorate in Physical Therapy. She’s already been accepted at her #1-a choice, Texas Women’s University, and has been extended an interview at her #1-b choice, Southwestern Medical School next week. So she will begin that 3 year program next summer - thanks to a VERY SUPPORTIVE, understanding husband, a lot of hard work on her part and the ever-necessary grace of God! At the risk of exhaustion, you can keep up with them at http://gillens.net/

Clint has successfully navigated 42 of the 47 month program called West Point! He had a great Autumn semester and has “found the love of his life” – Tyfani Hulse. She is a third-year cadet, track star and psychology major. Lord willing, he’ll be graduating from USMA on May 31, 2008. He will have 60 days leave before reporting for duty as a U.S. Army Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery at Fort Sill (Lawton, OK).

During the 60 days of leave, he is praying for the opportunity for both he and Tyfani to go on our mission trip to Rwanda in June. They know it is a lot of money to raise, but they believe it would be vital (if the Army cooperates) for her to have her first mission experience with him before she graduates and gets deployed as well. He will complete his basic officer training in February 2009, attend Ranger School and then eventually get command of his first unit as a Platoon Leader in the summer of 2009. His first deployment will likely then come shortly thereafter. Please keep him your prayers!

Amy, as you may recall, retired from teaching in 2005 following some serious health challenges. Happily, she is fully recovered and never felt better. (So much for missing her students.) She has been a big help to me at work and I am confident to say she has been a real blessing to many people – especially the ladies – in our Ministry. She’s organized or helped with a number of events for our female staff members and wives of staff members, and donor or Board wives. She has helped cultivate a really positive – dare I say “fun” – culture at the Dallas office as well as interacting and praying with female staff members elsewhere.

She and Nancy Potts, developed tools and materials for a Volunteer Network, called e3 Activators, which some staff are really catching hold of now. Her passion is to serve not only informally as “minister to women”, but more officially as Director of Volunteer Efforts (DOVE as I like to call her!). In this role, she helps recruit and train volunteers – Activators – to represent the ministry in their local churches and communities to promote e3 Mission Trips and e3 Partnership (financial support of our nationals). She invariably weeps when she speaks of those men and women out there in the hard places, serving Christ, for and with whom it is our privilege to serve. She is raising support and a budget to make this ministry possible. She would be so thrilled to have you partner with her – and it is truly a great stewardship. Its an investment through her into the ladies of e3 as well as the many volunteers we envision raising resources - human and financial – to empower our national partners around the world in their ministry of evangelism and church planting. If you would like to join Amy’s support team, you can mail in your support or simply go to our website:· Click here to make a gift online (https://e3partners.org/e3partner/donation.html)·

Click on “I’d like to give to e3 staff member…”·
Type in “Amy Hail” for “name of staff member”·
Then designate the “Amount” and type of gift you are making Thank you!

This will be a great blessing to us and to the ministry as a whole!

It is now 22 years since we left Amarillo and business to pursue “ministry” by way of Dallas Seminary. It has been 20 years since my first mission trip (Aug 1987) and 18 years since I joined a fledgling ministry called then GMF, today e3 Partners. What a ride!

Thank you for your prayers and financial support which makes it all possible!

Praise the Lord for all He continues to do as we stand amazed at His grace.

Curtis & Amy Hail

© 2007

Christmas 2007; A Zechariah Kind Of Christmas

2008-09-29T01:13:00.000-07:00

Date: December 22, 2007

Feeling Like A Zechariah Kind Of Christmas!

A Christmas Greeting From The Hails

Amy and I want to personally extend to you our love and appreciation – and wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 2007 has been a landmark year in so many ways, and you have been an instrument of God’s grace in our lives. We are so thankful for you and wish you the richest and most blessed season of family celebration and worship of our Lord this Christmas. And pray we’ll pray for you in the coming New Year!

Below is a “different” kind of Christmas message, however. For some of you surely have concerns or losses which this season only serves to make more acute. We know this season is filled with great joy for most. But, for some it is a time of heartache over the passing of a loved one, broken relationships, health concerns or financial distress. Or maybe you are fearful of world conditions or angry over our political scene. Or maybe you’re just wondering if God has a plan for your life, or has “anything more” for you. Guess what? You are not alone!

One old man was probably feeling that way one day over 2,000 years ago. It was the eve of the first Christmas (actually nine months before) when God’s angel burst into his life with news which changed and filled his life forever. Not only

were he and his elderly life going to have their first child, but God was sending His own Son into the world to bring salvation and deliverance and meaning!

Thus, the first Christmas story begins. Thus, this Christmas can begin for you as God brings you new hope, new joy, new meaning -perhaps even a new personal relationship with Himself - through His Son, Jesus! Whatever the need or the hurt – Jesus is the solution. Whatever the joy and the hope – Jesus is the source. Jesus is Christmas. Embrace Him!

All our love!
The Hails

**********************************************************************

Feeling like a Zechariah kind of Christmas?
Luke 1 – A study in contemporary history.

Remember Zechariah? Elizabeth’s husband…father of John the Baptist…distant relations to Mary…a member of the priestly division of Abijah. That Zechariah.
Remember what he was doing at the advent of that first Christmas? Serving the Lord…on Temple rotation (by “chance”) in the holy of holies…Minding his own business, and tending to the Lord – that’s about all. Nothing special really.Wonder what he might have been thinking on that first Christmas?

“Gee God, what are you up to in the world, and why am I going through these motions?...You haven’t spoken to your people in 400 years…Yet we keep serving you, year in and year out…Our world is in chaos – we have economic troubles, wars and rumors of wars abound, we are under oppression and threat by enemies, while we suffer our own political and religious corruption…and personally, my life is pretty disappointing too. My life is empty because my wife Elizabeth is barren. I am old and have a wife “well along in years.” So we will never have a family legacy and my name will fade into oblivion. What does it all mean?”

Pretty confusing spiritual scene. Pretty scary national and world situation. Pretty disappointing personal life and career. Come to think of it, that first Christmas of ole Z’s sounds a lot like our own Christmas time! World conditions – politically, economically, militarily – pretty much the same now as then, right? A lot of us approach this Christmas with the same kind of confusion, concern and heartache.

Guess what? The same God – the same Jesus – is ready to explode into human history and into the course of your personal life today, just as he did 2,000 years ago into the world of the old priest, Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth! Jesus is here to set it right!

God gave Z a legacy – not just any son, but the forerunner and herald of The Messiah. Z had meaning restored to his faith and ministry, he had hope restored in his heart and he had purpose restored to his life. Confusion replaced by confidence. Fear replaced with faith. Hopelessness replaced by joy and by a mission. Zechariah’s Song, Luke 1:67ff…

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people….raised up a horn of salvation for us…from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us…to enable us to serve him without fear…(now turning from Jesus to his own son, John) And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; and you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins…to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Salvation from ourselves through the forgiveness of our sin Redemption and deliverance from our enemies by His hand Service in life with meaning and without fear Mission with purpose - preparing the way, giving knowledge of His salvation Path of peace What a beautiful Christmas list! It is what every person in every age needs more than anything else in life, much less trinkets that tarnish.

So, if on this Christmas, you find yourself: Wondering what God is doing in the world; in your life Worried by the world scene. Fearing your enemies or the unknown future. Seeking purpose to your life Wanting a life mission. Needing salvation by the forgiveness of your sins! Then praise the Lord, God has a wonderful gift for you! God is ready to invade history and the secret chambers of your life with the greatest gift in all the world – Jesus Christ!

Because God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus, himself, further promising that He alone is the way, the truth and the life…the only way to His Father. And not only is He the way to Heaven’s eternal life, He is the source of a truly abundant life here and now!

So, join the ranks of old priest Zechariah. Fess up to your lack of faith, your fears, your concerns, your hurts, your disappointments, and yes, especially fess up to your sins. But, be ready for God to explode into your life with all the riches and blessings only found in Christ! That’s what this and every Christmas is truly all about! Jesus, the Christ!

Learn more about how to find salvation and meaning and peace at http://www.simplysharejesus.com/

And here is wishing you a very Zechariah Christmas!

Curtis V Hail
President
e3 Partners Ministry

© 2007 e3 Partners Ministry

Thanksgiving 2007

2008-09-29T01:11:00.000-07:00

Date: November 20, 2007

Thanksgiving! – make it 24/7/365 at e3 Partners

I love Thanksgiving time. I mean, I really, really love Thanksgiving!Love the idea, love the season, love the traditions. Love it all.God does too. In fact, He loves it so much, He instructs us to make it a 24/7 celebration.

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name,O Most High,To proclaim your love in the morningand your faithfulness at night…(Psalm 92:1, 2)Psalm 92 is a song for the Sabbath day.

Thanksgiving Day for us is a special kind of Sabbath day - a day set aside for special remembrance of The Lord and his matchless blessings! We are to celebrate our Most High God and give praise to His name.

Our Thanksgiving is a proclamation of God’s love for us, and a testimony to his faithfulness in all ways. As we rise to greet the warm morning light, we are reminded of and proclaim His love. As we slumber safely through the night, we are mindful of His faithful watch over us.

So, Thanksgiving Day for us is not just an American celebration of material bounty. It is a day for a reflective spirit, for an attitude of the heart - by all of us, everywhere, who’ve been touched by God’s grace, recognizing His faithful love and provision in every facet of our life.

Let’s take this occasion on Thanksgiving Day to praise the Lord and celebrate His name – for all his love and faithfulness revealed in all that we see Him do in us, through us, and for us daily. Give thanks for this ministry of reconciliation which He allows us to participate in with Him. Be thankful for the 271,587 people who’ve come to faith in Christ as we’ve seen 2,111 new churches planted through e3 Partners Ministry this year.

Let us be thankful for one another, with whom we are privileged to serve Christ. And, of course, let’s give thanks 24/7 for all the ways he cares for us and provides for us. Night and day. Every day.

On this special Sabbath of Thanksgiving, let’s determine in our heart to embrace its spirit and practice its praise each and every day. Let our giving of thanks be night and day - every day of the year!

Let our Thanksgiving be 24/7/365.

May God richly bless you and may you praise His name in a special way this Thanksgiving Day!

Curtis V Hail

President

e3 Partners Ministry

I Had A Dream...September 12, 2001

2008-09-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

Date: September 12, 2007

I Had A Dream!It was the morning of September 12, 2001

It had been a fitful night of sleep following the previous day's attacks of 9/11. Yet, God gave me an amazing dream of comfort and hope. It seemed fantastic, really.

I dreamed that morning that I was awakening six years later on the morning of September 12, 2007. I dreamed that on this future morn, I awoke to learn…

1. It had been six years without another major terrorist attack on the United States - an amazing dream that uncertain morning.

2. During those six years over 140 serious terror threats on the U.S. had been thwarted by the government and by alert civilians and officials alike.

3. That the Taliban regime harboring Al Qaeda was defeated, scattered to the hills and replaced by a fledgling democratic government.

4. That U.S. and allied troops swiftly defeated Saddam's army and dismantled his dictatorship, though still fighting a determined but beatable insurgency.

5. Tragically over 3,000 U.S. casualties occurred over six years; yet far fewer than many expected the first six days of ground combat operations.

6. The U.S. economy recovered from a recession and an incredible blow right at the heart of its financial center - running stronger than ever.

7. The U.S. stock market recovered from an incredible shock and attained its highest levels in history.

8. The U.S. unemployment rate running just about as low as possible.

Of course, upon awakening to such a fantastic dream, you realize that such things could never all happen given the enormity of our challenges and the tenacity of our enemy. Yet, "What if?" What if such a dream could come true, what else might surely be true?

If the top three things that are of the utmost importance to our national security and prosperity were achieved, what other dreams would inevitably be true as well? If you could survive six years without another major attack on our soil, and the economy more than survived – it thrived, and the U.S. Military brilliantly cleaned out two regimes among our most imminent threats, then what else would surely have occurred?

If this is the reality on the morning of September 12, 2007, what else might we rightly expect to find this day?

* President Bush running the highest approval ratings in history! Rumors of a Coronation circulate in Washington D.C.

* Republicans parlayed their enormous political capital into "a new Constitution-honoring Federal bench" and into lasting tax reform and fiscal responsibility.

* The country pulling together and uniting as never before. Statesmanship finally triumphs over petty partisanship.

* A people turning back to God in gratitude for His preservation in the face extreme danger, and desperately seeking His continued protection against the real threat of weapons of mass destruction.

* The Ten Commandments going up over every state house, the Bible out of the closet and people of faith admired.

* Honorable and gifted Generals promoted, not demoted, for speaking truth about public morality in measured words and reasoned tones. Politicians of both parties, giving high honor and praise to military leaders of unparalleled intellect, integrity and independence who testify before them.

* A group of thankful citizens ran a full page add in the New York Times reading, "General Petraeus for President Petraeus!"

* Secured borders and serious attempts to control the flow of illegals, contraband, terrorists and potentially catastrophic weapons.

Yes, if the first 8 paramount things were true on September 12, 2007, then you could "take it to the bank" that these other 8 residual things would be a reality as well.

That was the dream!

So, welcome now to reality. Yep, who would have thought we would have so much to be thankful for six years later? Yet, be so thankless, so intolerant and bitter? Close your eyes and conjure up for a moment your emotional state on 9/12/01.

You weren't sure you would ever fly commercially again. You were still checking the skies for errant planes – for weeks. How could the economy ever recover? Especially if we had another horrific attack again within months – or worse it was going to be a steady stream of shockers. Could we vanquish such an evil foe?

Yes, yes, yes! It turns out that we can and did prevail. So far. And yet, the second 8 things are obviously so sadly missing today (coronations excluded).

So, be thankful to the Lord this day. Pray for your authorities over you – whether you like them or agree with them. And consider what you can do to turn the second 8 "dreams" into a reality. Men of courage and a good God have helped secure the first 8. Let's do our part to secure the second 8 as well. It is but a matter of faith and will – and a good and loving God in Heaven.

It is inevitable that our enemies will try to hurt us again. Only God knows if within His sovereignty they will be thwarted. But, with God on our side, it is indeed far from an inevitability they'll succeed. And there is surely one other certainty I hope you'll take away from this exercise in the fantastic…

Psalm 37:3-6
"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun."

So, pray that we, as a People, may turn again to God. So that we might…
Trust in HIM and do what is right in his sight, not our own. That is the ONLY way to enjoy safety – personally or nationally.Delight in the Lord and His ways and statutes – we please HIM, and he will delight in giving us what we really need in life!Commit our ways – lead our lives – in obedience and honor of HIM, and he will honor you and shine on your life like the sun!

Great promise – but unlike His love for us, his blessings are not unconditional. To enjoy God's safety, blessing and victory, we must know Him, trust Him and love Him according to His terms.

Rejoice there is hope in our Savior! So trust him, delight in him and commit to him! And be thankful this day.

That is no dream – that is real, reality!

Curtis Hail

Note: For those of you not familiar with my tortured mind, please know that I really did not have such a dream on the morning of September 12, 2001. However, I did wake up this morning wondering how there could be such a huge national disconnect from reality. In fact, it wasn't a dream, but a nightmare I awoke to this morning!

© 2007

There's strong, Army strong...and God strong!

2008-09-29T00:56:00.000-07:00

Date: June 1, 2007

There’s strong, then there’s Army strong.Then, again, there’s God strong!

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope, to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realm, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.Ephesians 1:18-21

Paul thanks God for the Ephesians and then prays for their heart – their spiritual eyes – to be enlightened. Paul desires those who have believed and been marked by the seal of the Holy Spirit to understand something of the inheritance of those who are now God’s possession through Jesus Christ, his Son.

Paul would have us know of the…

HOPE – for those called by his name

RICHES – glorious blessing to those set apart for him

POWER – Incomparably great power! God power.

…available to those who believe (have faith) in Christ.

As a believer in Christ, your power is “like” or it is of the same substance and source as “His mighty strength, which he exerted” in raising Christ from the dead. What greater strength could there be in the universe than raising the dead to life? Answer…

The power and authority to seat Christ at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and place him above and over all things in the universe! In this age and all ages to come – forever!

That is power.

So you want real hope in life? Jesus is the strong hope.So you want a rich life here and beyond? Jesus is the strong life.So you want to have a great, incomparable power in and about you?

Jesus is God strong. Jesus is God. God is in you! So, believe in Christ and put your trust in him, and you will share in his hope (eternal life), all the spiritual and eternal blessings of that relationship (abundant life) and you’ll share in his power and strength (power over death itself). You will participate in his life, in his strength, in his dominion, in his authority over all things – present and future.

Now, that is strong. There is Army strong, but even better, there is Jesus strong!

Curtis Hail

Hail 2006 Newsletter

2008-09-29T00:40:00.000-07:00

Date: January 1, 2007

Curtis & Amy Hail 2006 Newsletter

(To see gallery of associated pictures:http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8z7enib.c3lzueqz&x=0&y=gdpd0j&localeid=en_US )

2006 has been yet another banner year…a year full of landmarks, opportunities, challenges and a surprise or two!

On the ministry front...

e3 Partners Ministry has largely completed the daunting "extreme makeover" from the several related ministries of GMF, Evangecube, GoLeaders and Global Partners into one unified and comprehensive ministry under its new name and look. There is of course work to be done and a few "hold outs" yet to be convinced, but for the vast most part, it has gone remarkably well.

So many of our national leaders have really bought-in to both the descriptor - Equip, Evangelize, Establish - and to the underlying strategy. That being along with our historic model of sending teams of short-term voluntary missionaries to assist them, we are also raising up the resources to continue empowering them to do their ministry all 52 weeks out of the year. And to go on their own to places we could never get to with our North American teams!

This genuine partnership triad between laborers in the field, stewards here and e3 Partners Ministry as the connector, has yielded incredible results. Our short-term teams have been used as never before, seeing about 80,000 people come to faith in Christ as over 700 churches were planted. Additionally, the e3 partnership strategy has enabled our National leaders and their churches to go on to reach another quarter million people for Christ and establish another 2,000 churches. That’s just in 2006! And that is just partial reports with more to come!

All in all, we have now seen God use this ministry in these first 20 years to win over 1 million people to Christ and to plant over 10,000 new churches! We’ve been blessed by God to see as much fruit in the past 2 years as we saw in the first 18 years. And, most exciting, is the fact that we now have in place the opportunity before us to see God do again in the next 2 years more than we saw in the first 20 years! Exciting stuff...this following and serving Jesus!

And it is a fact that YOU had a big part in all of that – through your direct participation, stewardship and prayers. And you've had a hand in it by way of your encouragement and support of The Hail's too! God has used you and us - in partnership with Him - to see so much accomplished for His glory and to our amazement. Thank you your faithfulness and for your part in all of it.

Due to health issues, Amy was not able to travel with me this past summer, but she encouraged me and supported me in prayer as I went on to Russia and the Philippines. The Russia e3 Mission was with our outstanding team of "Navigators" recruited and trained by long-time friends and partners in ministry, Ken and Doris Metzger of the Navigator ministry. We had some tough sledding in Siberia - no pun intended - but it was a blessing to see God work in the lives of so many despite the challenges.

In the Philippines, we did a large-scale training in Cebu and began developing relationships and a strategic plan for some truly amazing possibilities there. The training was just the most fun and also very effective. We were blessed to train several thousand Filipinos in the Evangecube (evangelism) and First Steps (church planting) curricula of e3 Partners. And then to see what has happened in the wake of that training has been such a blessing! Thousands have come to faith in Christ as a result and new churches are being planted. I just received a recent update about one church that continues to have evangelistic outreaches using the tools and training wherein 700 people come to faith in Christ and their new church plants are thriving. One woman has evangelized over 7,000 children in the schools in her area.

One little boy went out for his birthday to all the homes on his block, introducing himself saying, "Today is my birthday and I have a gift for YOU. I want to share this good news with you using my Mom's evangecube." Using the tool and training his Mother passed along to him after our equipping, this little guy went on to evangelize his whole neighborhood and to win many of them to Christ on his birthday. And, now God is opening some doors to multiply this kind of training and focused outreach several times over in much bigger venues elsewhere in the Philippines and in that region during 2007. I'll keep you posted - perhaps YOU can GO with me this time!

Amy was able to travel with me and co-minister in the Amazon jungles of Peru this December. We had the privilege to participate with one of our e3 Medical Church Planting teams in Nauta, Peru. What a great time it was as we got to work with so many of our staff members that we had never before had the opportunity to serve with out on the field, as well with all of the medical and evangelism team members. And of course, getting to serve with the national Christians is always the best. The medical folks saw and treated close to 1,500 people and we all-in-all we saw 1,045 people pray to receive Christ as a number of new churches were planted or strengthened with the aid of this incredible team and ministry.

In addition to the marvelous ministry, it was just fun being with "my favorite school teacher" as we got to experience the rain forest and the Amazon River together, on a the coolest boat which was leased - along with its crew and biologists - from a eco tour company operating along that stretch of the river.

Amy really enjoyed the canopy walk through the rain forest, even though there was literally not a dry stitch left on us after hiking a good mile through the equivalent of a steam bath! Great times and a great time of ministry.

Amy retired from teaching this Fall, as God made it clear through her health concerns that "now was the time". What a blessing that has been though for me and for the ministry as Amy has had time - and energy - to spend more time working on projects for me and for the ministry. This Fall she organized the "Women of e3" - the female staff members and wives of staff members - to attend a wonderful women's conference at Dallas Seminary. That turned out to be a tremendous blessing to about 30 of our ladies and has had a very positive ripple effect throughout the organization as these new relationships and renewed energies have worked themselves out in so many ways lately. Her enthusiasm and upbeat presence has been a very positive factor for me personally and for others around the office. So continue to pray for her and her health as she has the opportunity to serve more directly and travel with me in the days ahead.

And please continue to pray for me in my ministry role as President. In broad strokes that involves being "keeper of the Mission", setting the strategic agenda, leading the senior Cabinet leadership team, reporting to and implementing policy from The Board of Directors, getting and keeping the "right people" in the right roles in top leadership areas and above all else, leading the spiritual growth and climate of the ministry. And of course, there are always financial issues and concerns to contend with, so it is a daily journey to learn what it truly means to walk by faith, not by sight. I often lament that it seems I had more faith 21 years ago when we packed up lock-stock-and-barrel to enter seminary. But I think that it is a function of the fact that the stakes have grown so much. There are many other families impacted by our decisions – not just my own. And while many of the same basic issues are a perennial challenge, the number of zeros associated with those issues have gone up dramatically!

So, continue to pray for us that God gives us His divine mind and wisdom, even as His Spirit works in us developing greater faith and a deeper walk with Him every day.

On the home front...

Amy -
In April, Amy was to have a "minor procedure", meaning a day surgery situation. Well things went a little hay-wire when her heart had a problem related to an errant electrical circuit in the heart. She wound up in intensive care for a week as a result. She went in on Friday thinking she would be home for dinner. She awoke 2 days later in ICU on a ventilator. Needless to say she was shocked and more than a bit dismayed by that turn of events. She continues to have it monitored and is doing much better, yet it remains a concern as does her general health, so thank you for your continued prayers.

But, as I mentioned too, the blessing has been in her ability to work more closely with me and do all of the things that she as "the President's wife" wants and needs to do for the Ministry! She is particularly excited about the prospects of which you will read next...

Miranda & Jack -
Thanks to these two, Amy and I will soon be grandparents for the first time! Miranda and Jack are expecting a baby on 07/07/07. Everyone who is a grandparent "swears by it" so we are looking forward to this exciting new chapter in all of our lives. Miranda continues to teach a "new comers" class for brand new immigrant children entering first grade in her Dallas ISD school. She loves it and it truly is the luckiest day of their lives when those little kids wind up in "missakowns" [Miss Mckown's] class. She is terrific with and for them. Jack continues his work as project manager for Siemens and continues his pursuit of an electrical engineering degree at UT Dallas. Very hard course work, especially while working and now supporting a family of three! They are both doing great and have done a super job of remodeling their first home.

Happily for us - especially come 07/07 - it is just minutes from where we live! And even more happily for us, it seems Jack has a fairly high tolerance for "in-laws" and puts a very convincing front up that he actually likes us! Probably doesn't hurt that he enjoys hunting and fishing activities that I've been know to dabble in myself from time to time. We are very proud of them and enjoy seeing them "enjoy each other" as they are such a fun and loving couple.

Sarah & David -
Sarah and David are tri-athletes. They run marathons and triathlons. David recently ran his first Iron Man, which involves a full marathon (26 miles) after swimming about 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles. He did really well and finished ahead of his goal and high up in the standings. Sarah is always competitive in her events too. Even when she says she is just going out for the exercise and isn't worried about competing, she always seems to manage to top her personal best and be in the top three of her age-group. What a sand-bagger! David continues to do very well in his work as a programmer in the operations area of American Airlines. He's trying to figure out how to minimize your flight delays and missed connections, as well as assure you have a gate ready when you do get to a destination early! You might want to pray for him - for selfish reasons if for no other!! Sarah continues to work at Richland College, leading in a Federal program there to assist minority and disadvantaged students get into and be successful in university.

However, most of her time is spent now on taking course work so she can enter Physical Therapist training at Southwestern Medical School or Texas Women's University in about a year from now. Her grades shouldn't be an issue as she had a 100 or higher average in almost all of her classes including the math and science classes. She winds up helping teach many of them. We love them both and are very proud of them too, and continue to marvel at the pace and disciplined routine of their lives as great spouses, athletes, students and proud "parents" of two very sweet but demanding Boxers!

Clint -
He is well into his third year at West Point. He got through a very challenging semester of Calc 2, Physics, Civil Engineering, Literature, Portuguese, Military Science and Boxing. His minimum course load is 18 hours per semester, plus all of the other duties and activities. This Fall he was a Platoon Sergeant over about 40 plebes and also the Respect Officer for his Company of about 140 cadets. These duties involved a lot of time. Investing and overseeing the progress of a number of younger cadets on one hand and then being the go-to person for all matters dealing with sexual/racial harassment, equal opportunity and other morale type issues were big responsibilities. The training and experience for these duties was very positive for him, though he had to deal with the inroads it took into time for other things.

And of course, his biggest diversion was his favorite thing - starting for the undefeated and nationally ranked Army Rugby team! They won the North East regional championship and are highly seeded for this Spring's sweet sixteen national championship tournament at Penn State. They went to Annapolis and beat Navy in November. In February they will travel to California to play top-ranked UC-Berkley and then come March he gets to spend Spring Break in Queensland, Australia training with the Aussies. His TAC officer at West Point is talking to Clint about doing two, instead of one, special schools this summer. He wants Clint to do both Air Assault and Airborne schools this year. That in addition to pulling a duty for one month overseeing either Cadet Basic Training for plebes or Cadet Field Training for first year cadets at West Point. He's not sure time will allow for all three, but he was pleased with the vote of confidence by his chain of command.

His first choice next year as he "branches" is Infantry. But, he will list Field Artillery and Armor as his second and third choices. We'll see what God has in store for him on that score later. Thanks for your prayers which Clint fully attributes as the sole reason he is where he is today!

And, thank you for all of your prayers and support over the years. We couldn't do it without you. Your prayers and financial partnership are needed more than ever. We are more excited about the ministry and its future prospects than ever before. Thanks for your partnership in helping it all become a reality. What a journey of faith it is!

I invite you to celebrate with us twenty years of God's faithfulness in this ministry. 2007 is the 20th year of ministry for e3 Partners Ministry. We are having a huge banquet and celebration for that in conjunction with our international staff conference in January. Please plan on joining us for this 20 year celebration - Our Family Reunion - on January 20th at the Frisco Convention Center. It will be a great time. If you can, come early for the conference beginning on Friday at noon, and whatever you do stay over for the worship service on Sunday morning. Dr. David Allen, our former pastor at Audelia Road Baptist Church who helped so many of us get launched into ministry at GMF, is Chairman of the Theology department and professor of preaching at Southwestern Baptist Seminary. He is bringing our Sunday morning message. He is one of the great preachers of our generation and you will want to be there – promise!

So, please come and whatever you do, come to the banquet on Saturday the 20th.

Happy New Year!

Curtis & Amy Hail

The Right Perspective Can Change Everything

2008-09-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

Date: January 20, 2006

The Right Perspective Changes Everything!

A Preview Of The 2006 e3 International Conference

Looking Forward To A Watershed Time At The Staff Conference!

In a few short weeks we will have the most important staff conferences in the history of the Ministry and with them we will launch upon an incredible new leg of this journey of faith! We are in for a tremendous time of fellowship, teaching, learning and renewal. There is certainly so much about the transition to e3 Partners Ministry which you need to know about and I highly encourage everyone who can to attend.

You will benefit so much from keeping up with the rest of the Team as we all learn together what e3 means to us.As importantly, however, you will be incredibly blessed by Sam Ingrassia’s teaching of God’s Word. You see, we are not just starting off with a new name and logo. It is more fundamental than that. Sam’s exciting message, straight from Scripture, is going to be the biblical and theological underpinning of all that we do as a ministry in the future.
Extending the Kingdom of God for the Glory of God is our purpose in life and ministry. It is the bedrock of all that we do and all that we are about as a Team. This Perspective and theme will influence all of us and all we do for years to come. I promise you, “You do not want to miss this landmark time of growth and renewal!”

As we get the final results in for 2005, I believe that we will see about 2,000 new church plants, as over 100,000 people prayed to receive Christ as their personal savior. Praise God! We already see Him blessing our efforts to “help more nationals to plant more churches, and win more lost to Christ!”So, now begins a new year, a new age of opportunities. 2006 will surely prove to be one of the greatest and most significant years in the twenty-year life of our ministry.
On February 6, 2006, we will change our name and brand identity. Gone will be the days of the confusing alphabet soup of GMF, GLN, EGM, ECI. Everything that is now known as Global Partners will be rolled into one new organization, name and brand identity. Remember, though, that everything we have done for two decades is about equipping God’s people to evangelize His world and establish His church. Equip, Evangelize and Establish…all to extend His Kingdom for His glory!

In 2006, do NOT look for us to change WHAT we do. But you can look for a new name. Look for a new brand identity. Look for better tools. Look for new opportunities and even greater results. Look for where God is at work in the world today! Look for…e3 Partners Ministry.It all begins in Dallas and San Diego with our staff conferences as we grow together, and as Partners, we join with God to…

“Equip His people to Evangelize His world and Establish His church”!

See you at the Conference,

Curtis Hail

President

PS – Let me ask one very important thing of each of you regarding our conferences. It is the most important thing we can do. Begin praying for God’s will to be done and for His vision and heart to touch our own. Let me call you to join with me in praying and fasting for our upcoming landmark e3 Partners Ministry conferences, that God will visit us for His glory!

Christmas 2005

2008-09-29T00:34:00.000-07:00

Date: December 23, 2005

Merry Christmas & Happy New 2006!

Dear Global Partners Family,

I wish each of you and your family the most blessed Christmas and joyful New Year. Thank you for your selfless work to equip nationals all around the world to evangelize the lost and establish new churches. You have helped to make 2005 our greatest year ever - a truly watershed year.

With the latest reports coming in from several of our e3 Partner countries, I believe it is safe to say that we will eclipse 2,000 church plants this year and easily exceed 100,000 professions of faith in Christ. All glory belongs to God and He surely is honored by the unity of our team that He used to accomplish this quantum leap. We have much to celebrate this year, even as we prepare for an exciting, fast and revolutionary start to 2006!

Our mission remains the same as it has for 19 years - "helping nationals plant more churches", but in a few short weeks we will be updating our name, logo and corporate identity. It is our hope that in time we will be known as "e3" - the people who equip, evangelize and establish. I am confident that the clear identity of who and what we do will help us to communicate more powerfully and be more effective in our mission in the future.

Equip, Evangelize, Establish.

Three very biblical, powerful action words that sum up so well what we do and all that we are about as a ministry. But, there is more to the story than that.

Our purpose in life and ministry is to bring glory to God, and that is accomplished not by what we say or do alone. It is also accomplished, perhaps most importantly, by how we treat one another and go about our work. Yes, e3 is what we do and we pray it will become that mark for which we are known.
But, that is simply what we do.

My prayer for us beginning with this coming year goes beyond that. I pray that we will become known for more than simply what we do, but that we will be remembered for who we are - for our values and character. As we focus on the "what" of e3 this year, let us also focus on three core values which I pray that each of us will exhibit and by which our ministry will be known and remembered.

Love, unity and service - these qualities of how we do our ministry are as important as the "what" of e3. Christ said that the world will know that we are His disciples and that he is the Son of God by the love that we operate in with each other and others. He prayed for our unity, just as He and the God-head are one. And he set us an example of self-less service, humble service, that we might follow His example in our lives and ministry.

May this coming year and beyond be marked by our love, our unity and our service. This is what will truly bring glory to God regardless of what we do or say, or even by what name or logo we choose to use at any given time. May we reflect during this Christmas season on the love, unity and service of our Lord, Jesus. And may we then be a reflection of His person in all we say and do in 2006.

May e3 become synonymous with what we do - equip, evangelize, and establish - and may love, unity and service become the hallmark of "who we are"!

Have a sacred and blessed Holy-day season,

Curtis Hail

Thanksgiving 2004; So Much To Give Thanks Over

2008-09-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

Date: November 20, 2004

Happy Thanksgiving!
And so much to give thanks over!

Dear Ministry family,

Thank you for your continued selfless service to the cause of Christ. I am so thankful for you and the privilege to serve Christ with you. I thank God for all that He has accomplished through you this year.

I am thankful for, among many things…

- Mobilizing over 2,000 North Americans – representing easily three times that number of Nationals - willing to give of themselves to ‘Go tell the Good News’

- Well in excess of one-hundred thousand laymen and leaders Equipped through our various ministries

- The millions Evangelized and tens of thousands coming to Christ through the witness of those we’ve mobilized or empowered with tools and training

- The hundreds of churches Established as a result of our partnership with them- The new Mission HQ’s in Plano that YOU, our staff and partners, made possible by your strong recruiting, sound stewardship or generosity

- The scores of those major financial partners and thousands of core supporters who made our individual and corporate ministries possible

- The financial department staff members who processed those 35,000+ checks

- Our human resources leader and those involved in making this a banner year for recruiting new missionary staff

- The IT and other administrative folks who have kept us running so smoothly - even through a big move (special thanks to those of you who executed the move)- Strong leadership team and all those who have really stepped up in recent months

- A great Board of Directors – men committed to this ministry as never before…financially supportive, expanding our networks of Partners and other ministries, going on campaigns and training trips, one member even going to Bangladesh for several months to launch the ministry there!

- Growing prayer army and prayer emphasis and tools coming on line

- New ministry partners, initiatives and consultants who help us break new ground and grow more effective, such as all those involved in developing E3 Partners

It takes commitment and staying power over the long haul to build anything significant or accomplish anything great. It takes grace and forgiveness and love. It takes faith and allowing God to be God and waiting on Him and His timing.

Thanks to all of you for staying the course and making the dream come true – Mobilizing the Church to Equip, Evangelize and Establish churches! For God’s glory.

I know that you, like me, have much, personally, to be thankful for this year. So as I reflect and praise God for a double wedding of two daughters and a son off at school, you, too, will be meditating on all of God’s goodness in your own life.
And, even as we do, let’s remember those among us with health concerns, family issues, financial strains, loss of loved ones – all those things that come into all of our lives in their season. So, we all rejoice together this year and we all share one another’s burdens as well.

And, it is being a part of a community that truly loves God, is serving Him well, and cares for one another that is such a blessing and for which I thank God this week. Thank you, Lord, for the Global Partners [previous name to e3] family and for all You are doing in us and through us!

Bless you and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Curtis Hail

©2004

Thanksgiving 2003; Getting Beyond ME

2008-09-29T00:23:00.000-07:00

Date: November 25, 2003

Thanksgiving. Getting Beyond ME

Dear Ministry family,

I was just reading from an article reflecting upon our loss of a great man some forty years ago. No, not that ‘one’! Rather, the man whose passing was largely overlooked due to the sudden and tragic end of JFK on the same fateful day.

The great 20th century Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, also died on November 22, 1963. The article points out that Lewis had it right in his assessment of the human condition.

Pride, and the poisoned conscience it creates, function as the engine of the world's woes. Unchallenged, it leads to a "ruthless, sleepless, unsmiling concentration upon self, which is the mark of Hell."1

The hallmark of Hell and the primary sin that leads there is “concentration upon self”. The deepest dungeon of the soul is the hole of self- absorption. The Christian has been liberated and set free – from this and all the ties that bind.

Yet, too many of us, too much of the time, are beset with this sin of self-interest. We sentence ourselves to a self-imposed hell of inward focus.Congregants float from church to church looking for a program that “meets my needs”. The Church over compensates attempting to “meet seekers where they are”, yet failing to also lift them up to where God is and what He wants them to become. Missionaries pre-maturely leave their calling because they no longer trust God to “meet their needs.” Or, husbands abandon their wives for that new ‘someone’ who “knows what I really need.” Various degrees of Hell, but all equally self-imposed! All with the same address: ME.

Surely I am the only one among us to ever experience that ruthless and sleepless concentration upon self. But, just in case you have likewise succumb, let me remind us - just the two of us – of a potent antidote to this virulent form of self-destructing sin.

This antidote is a spiritual potion of three essential elements:

Outward-ness = Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil 2:4) Being ‘other-centered’ is the fastest route from this hell.

Upward-ness = Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; He is holy. (Psalm 99:5) Being ‘Heaven-focused’ is the surest way to remain free of it. To these you might add a cup of service, a spoon of forgiveness and a dash of humility. And, when your thoughts surely do turn back towards self, be quick to add this third marvelous healing agent:

Thankful-ness = Be joyful always…give thanks in all circumstances (1Thess 5:16-18) Through prayer and thanksgiving – in every station of life – we can have a joy that persists and infects others as well. We can liberate ourselves and others from “old man Self” through the simple power of THANKSGIVING!

The hymn, Count Your Many Blessings, summarizes well the tack we should take:
Count your many blessings; name them one by one
Count your blessings; see what God hath done
Count your blessings name them one by one
Count your many blessings; see what God hath done

As we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving, let me encourage you to embrace the spirit of our forefathers who were so mindful of God’s good providential care for them. They were mindful of and thankful for even “four kernels of corn” as a symbol of God’s faithful love and generous provision.

We have so much to be thankful for in our lives and work. The joy of salvation and the meaningful mission of preaching the Gospel to all creation. The peace of mind and home when Christ is our Lord. The blessing of working with like-minded and godly co-laborers is something to never underestimate. The financial provision by so many personal and corporate supporters.And the fruit of the ministry! Hundreds of lives changed this year alone on campaigns. Tens of thousands of souls saved and scores of churches planted. New opportunities to mobilize thousands more and to impact whole countries with the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Praise the Lord and thank you, Father!

May this Thanksgiving season be an occasion to break free of self. Let our only reference to self be in light of the matchless grace of God and His rich blessings in our lives through His son Jesus Christ, our Savior!

Count your blessings this day, this season. Count them, name them, just see what God has done!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Curtis V. Hail

1 A Mind That Grasped Both Heaven and Hell by Joseph Loconte .The New York Times, November 22, 2003

©2003