Viewpoints are as varied as the people who hold them. Sometimes, we tend to stereotype viewpoints, just like we do people. Breaking those stereotypes with whit, humor and the occasional rant is what Dan Burrell enjoys doing. A theological conservative, Dan is also an independent thinker who can rile folks on both the right and the left of the philosophical spectrum with his views on faith, family, philosophy and life in general. Dan Burrell is an educator, author, father, husband and a regular columnist with Evangelical Press News. You won’t always agree with Dan’s “Whirled Views”, but hopefully, he’ll make you think about things from a more Biblical perspective.
Reports are all over news service wires this week that the number of practicioneers of Islam now exceeds that of Catholicism for the first time. If this statistic does not concern you, then perhaps you should click:
or
Warning: The video links have very violent and disturbing images in them.
For a change, there’s good news for Cubans. The beautiful resort in the picture to the left is of a resort in San Fuegos one of Cuba’s nicest cities. I took this picture earlier this month when I visited there. I could have stayed there, but my Cuban national friends could not. But there’s good news! The government is lifting the restriction on nationals staying in hotels reserved for tourists. It was always so frustrating for me that I could not travel with my Cuban friends to over night destinations or even have them up to my room for meetings because of the restriction. In addition, it was difficult for me to arrange transportation in advance because of rental car rules that forbade nationals from renting cars.
Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a new era in Cuba where the citizens are given freedoms which will encourage and ease relations between them and the Unites States and the work of the Gospel will flourish even greater there.
By the way, I have a special, urgent need for a Cuban national project with which I’m connected. If you’d like to find out how you could help with this particular need, email me at dan@danburrell.com and I’ll give you additional, confidential details.
More information HERE.
My friend, Max Helton, succumbed to brain cancer this week-end at his home near Charlotte, NC. I first met Max as a teenager when he visited my church in mid-Missouri. This was well before his interest in racing had taken root. He went on to found one of the most vibrant sports-focused ministries in the world through Motor Racing Outreach. Few professional sporting organizations have a connection with an evangelical ministry like NASCAR and Max was the pioneer for that relationship.
Max’s life story was an amazing one. From a daughter who was born with a serious heart defect, to his life’s journey through fundamentalism and evangelicalism, to his entreprenurial vision of ministry, Max was a unique servant who cared about reaching people with the Gospel.
For more information on Max’s death, click HERE.
For more information on Max’s life, click HERE.
Pray with me for this beautiful young lady pictured here. Her name is Rhonda and she is the eldest child and only daughter of our dear friends, Bob and Brenda Byers. Rhonda, who is a senior at Cedarville University, just found out this week that she has Hodgkin’s Disease — a form of cancer that often selects young people as its victims. I’ve known Rhonda since she was a little whisp of a girl. Our family photo album has many pictures of her and her brother playing with my two oldest kids at church in Florida and in their home school play group.
Rhonda plans on fighting this disease while completing her last few weeks of school. She is an extraordinary young lady with deep faith and a keen mind. Please put her on your prayer lists.
Her dad, Bob, has a blog which you can find linked to the right of my blog or by clicking HERE. I’m sure he’ll be keeping us up-to-date as the treatment begins.
Dan
A few weeks ago, I mentioned on this blog that I was aware of some people who were available for ministry positions and knew of some churches that were looking for good staff additions and I was surprised at how many folks contacted me for connections. Since then, I have received some more requests for help. I’m not really wanting to become a “Job Search” agency, but these are good folks and good positions that have crossed my desk. If you’d like any more information on any of the below, you can drop me an email at Dan@DanBurrell.com.
Looking for Staff
Looking for a Position
If you have any interest in knowing more, drop me a line and I’ll get you in contact with my sources.
Entries are pouring in….we’re waiting on you. Be part of our March Madness Bracket Challenge!
Here’s how to enter:
Go to ESPN and hit the Tournament Challenge page or click HERE.
Go to private group: Whirled Views
Enter the password: Burrell
You’ll need to register with ESPN, by the way and then fill out your entry and brackets. Feel free to invite your friends to join as well.
It’s that time of year — March Madness! And yes, I’m doing my annual tournament challenge to see who will own the bragging rights for 2008. (Last year a GIRL won!!!) So pick your favorite teams for each bracket and let’s see who has the gift of prophecy.
Here’s how to enter:
Go to ESPN and hit the Tournament Challenge page or click HERE.
Go to private group: Whirled Views
Enter the password: Burrell
You’ll need to register with ESPN, by the way and then fill out your entry and brackets. Feel free to invite your friends to join as well.
Due to our relocation to South Florida in a few months, we are offering our house for sale in Charlotte, NC. If you are in the market for a house or investment property, click HERE for more information.
House is located in Bradfield Farms off I-485 at Exit 39. Three bedrooms, 2.5 baths with over-sized wooded lot with rose bushes and fruit trees. Has out-building for storage. Gas fireplace and stove. Comes with appliances. Newly remodeled kitchen and 1/2 bath. New carpeting downstairs and most rooms are newly painted.
Note: We are offering a 3% commission to any buyer’s agent upon closing.
My son, Nathan, who turned 20 this week is a sophomore at Liberty University and recently made the S.O.A.R. Acrobatic Dunk Team which travels to schools and churches for exhibitions and gospel presentations. Here are a couple of pictures of him “doing his stuff” and performing some “sick” (for those over 35 — that’s a good term, not a bad term) stunts.
And yes, I’m back from C uba where I had an AWESOME week with my national pastor friends. I’m totally swamped right now trying to finish up some online instructional work that came due while I was gone, but as soon as I can get a couple of hours, I’ll post some general information about my trip (as much as I can on the internet which is limited due to security issues). I’ll also put together a private update which I’ll make available via email.
A BIG “THANKS” to those of you who responded to the needs I posted here a few weeks ago and sent several thousand dollars in support funds and more in specific items which I was able to take in with me. Praise the Lord — for the first time EVER, I did not get stopped by customs and did not have to pay extra taxes or spend hours trying to get through the gauntlet. I’ll write more later. For now, here’s Nate’s pics….
