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The future of the local church will largely depend on the successful development of a small group ministry, especially since small groups are vital to both growth and discipleship, on the part of the believer, and the church as a whole. According to Rod Dempsey, "Churches that are not functioning in this manner run the risk of becoming inward in their focus"[1] and inward-focused groups die. Additionally, as Phil Zambaro explains, "Loneliness is the most devastating illness of our day [and] I know of no more potent killer than isolation. There is [also] no more destructive influence on the physical and mental health than isolation… [Because,] our hunger for relationships is an identifying mark of our humanity."[2] This need for relationships and connectivity makes the role of small groups a fundamental part of any successful church. As a result, this Small Group Training Manual will first define small groups, by illustrating their biblical foundation and by providing the necessary motivations for developing them. Once a clear understanding of a small group's influence, vision, and mission are formulated, this manual will then address how to grow and multiply small groups, how to develop group leaders, and lastly how to transition from a "with," model to a "of," or "is" model using the "S.M.A.L.L. G.R.O.U.P.S." acrostic.
Dempsey explains, "The church has a head; the head of the church is Jesus. The church also has members that need to be connected to the head and connected to each other."[3] Small groups provide the conduit to satisfy all these needs and they also allow for the opportunity of spending time with one another because there is a huge commitment needed to growing and sacrificing as a disciple of Christ. Jesus, Himself said, "Take up your cross,"(Matthew 16:24) illustrating the necessity of commitment and doing life together in small groups. Additionally, the relational aspect of following Christ means followers should join together as brothers and sisters in an attitude of love for one another. This was the identifying mark Jesus said would reveal His true disciples; by the love he or she showed the world (Matthew 22:36-40). Dempsey also points out, "The process must be intentional, individual, and missional in focus, as small groups have the potential to provide and create a perfect environment and context to develop people for God's kingdom and for God's glory."[4]
One's primary reason for wanting to develop small group ministry must be rooted in love and a desire to fulfill the commandments of the Lord. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) is a wonderful representation of what God calls every believer to do as followers of Christ. Dempsey and Earley further explain the importance of, "Loving God, loving one another, and loving our neighbor [because these] are universal principles. They will work anywhere, at any time, and in any political situation. The key to your success is to begin practicing the principles behind the commands Jesus gave us. Live your life purposefully for God and lead by example."[5] Another important reason for developing small groups is found in the principle of multiplication. Dempsey and Earley illustrate the strongest churches in the world have tens of thousands of members in thousands of small groups. As humans, and with finite minds, it can oftentimes be hard to fathom the omnipotence of God and His marvelous plan of salvation and redemption. As a result, when most churches are planning areas of ministry, the addition of believers is used as the primary litmus test for success; however, God, as Dempsey and Earley convey, "Has given us an exponential plan to reach the world. The question is… are you following an addition or a multiplication plan? Why should you lead a group? That is easy: to follow His command to make disciples of all the nations."[6] A final reason for forming small groups lies in the desire for community. As Jeffrey Arnold explains, "Jesus Christ is our first and greatest model for how small groups can stimulate faith and growth in others… [Ultimately,] disciples are made intentionally, disciples are made to be like Christ, and disciples are made in relationships"[7] and there is no better place for these to occur than in a community made up of small groups.
At the heart of the Great Commission is the commandment to make disciples and this instruction is why Bill Hull emphasizes, "The small group is the most strategic training environment used by Christ to make the kind of disciples that glorify God."[8] Small groups are vital to the future success of the local church and as a small group leader, he or she is essentially engaging in the same ministry Christ Himself was committed to. Small groups have the potential to change lives and there are multiple breakthroughs that will happen in small groups, that rarely happen within the four walls of the church, as Chuck Swindoll illuminates, "[In small groups,] fences come down, masks come off, welcome signs are hung outside the door, keys to the doors of our lives are duplicated and distributed, and joys and sorrows are shared."[9]
While the Great Commission is a wonderful representation of what God calls every believer to do as followers of Christ, the sad reality is many so-called followers of Christ have reduced the Great Commission to nothing more than the great suggestion. However, this command from God points to the small groups as being the perfect environment to develop and train disciples. The early church is a prime example of doing life together. In Acts, chapters one and two, specifically (Acts 2:41-47,) the reader becomes aware of the DNA of early small group ministry. These home churches met together, studied the apostles' teaching, shared meals together, met each other's needs, prayed together, had favor with the local people, and went everywhere proclaiming the good news of the gospel. These early churches understood the importance of every person having a role to play in the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 12:21) and the necessity of serving one another. The final passage that illustrates the role of small groups is (Ephesians 4:16.) Here, Paul explains how some followers of Christ are: apostles, prophets, shepherds, teachers, or evangelists, but how each of their primary duties is to train and equip God's people for the work of the church. The ultimate goal is for believers to grow into the fullness of Christ, as each member of the body contributes to this growth, but it is small groups, which provide the optimal context and environment for this process to take place.
In the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40), Dempsey demonstrates, "Jesus took 619 rabbinical laws and pharisaical practices and reduced them down to two simple principles: Love God and love your neighbor."[10] Jesus Himself was a small group leader, so Dempsey and Earley raise a very relevant question: "If Jesus, the Son of God, chose to strategically minister to a small group, how much more should you and I?"[11] Jeff Tunnell then illustrates, "By sorting out one's biblical values, [this] will lead to principles and conducts that glorify God and His ways, which ultimately make the gospel irresistible to some and repulsive to others."[12] By using the Bible as authority, prayer as a means, dependency upon God as one's posture, and love as the primary motive, Tunnell reveals multiple principles that are consistent with the truth of the gospel. As a result of embodying and devoting oneself to this truth, Tunnell shows followers were devoted to: "following the apostles' teaching, fostering unity, sharing meals, practicing prayer, corporate worship, celebrating communion, living in community, and sharing generously, [resulting in,] salvations and favor with all the people."[13]
Hospitality was one of the major things Jesus was known for; in fact, He set the standard. Jesus is repeatedly seen dining and visiting with outcasts. Joel Comiskey explains, "Most of the ancient world regarded hospitality as a moral practice… [And,] eating together in the household was one of the primary ways to share life together as well as to welcome strangers and those outside the household. Most would agree that sharing a meal is the second most intimate encounter one can engage in outside of the bedroom, which is why sharing meals together is such an important principle for small groups. When Jesus chose to send His disciples out in pairs, this approach showed He knew it was not good to be alone, especially in ministry. Comiskey explains when the disciples entered a home, "They were supposed to convert the members of that particular household, and reach the other homes from a base location – rather than witnessing from house-to-house (Luke 10:7). Remaining in a house only makes sense if, beyond the initial proclamation of the kingdom message, the messengers stayed on to further nurture and establish a faith community."[14] This strategy led to entire households and villages being converted to Christ and new home churches being formed and by modeling this same strategy, small groups meeting in homes are having great success today.
Dempsey and Earley use the acrostic S.M.A.L.L. G.R.O.U.P.S. to demonstrate the necessary components small groups must possess. Seek God's vision and direction from His Word,[15] (Acts 1:8; 2:32-47; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:28) which allows the group's foundation to be set on solid ground. Make sure the lead pastor is in the lead position.[16] Without the senior pastor's full backing, it will be very difficult for small groups to reach their full potential. Adopt a model that fits who and where you are, as long you are emphasizing: winning people to Christ, helping them grow in Christ, and then sending them out for Christ.[17] Leadership training and recruitment[18] because as Jerry Falwell asserts, "Everything rises and falls on leadership," so this component is vital to the future success of any small group. "Launch the new groups, [while also] providing the leaders with additional training to stay focused and to improve the quality of discipleship."[19] After careful prayer, planning, and training it is time to launch new groups and according to Dempsey, the best time to do this is after Labor Day, when children are back in school and people are settling into their new schedules and routines.[20]
Two G.R.O.U.P.(S.) acrostics are presented in forming and maintaining small groups. Guided by a leader is the first objective, since, "In order for a group to be successful, the leader of the group needs to view their role as drawing out the new creation God has in mind for every individual in the group."[21] Regular meeting times are vital to the success of small groups and Dempsey believes, "Meeting weekly is best, so people can gather to serve and share God's love and gifts with one another and with the world."[22] Opening God's Word is mandatory in small groups due to the Bible's power to change people's lives from the inside out (Hebrews 4:12; Romans 12:2). Dempsey illustrates, "Studying and applying the Word of God has the power to change us from what we are into what God has in mind for us."[23] United in service is rooted in the Great Commandment (John 13:34-35). Dempsey explains, "Spiritual gifts are designed to strengthen the body of Christ and to serve the world… [And] every believer has at least one spiritual gift to build up the body of Christ and to minister and serve others."[24] Prayer for one another is what separates a Christ-centered group from a civic club. As Jerry Falwell so brilliantly put it, "Nothing of eternal significance ever happens apart from prayer," making this a necessary component to any successful small group ministry.
Dempsey's second G.R.O.U.P.S. acrostic entails:
Grow the groups in quantity and quality, paying special attention to new groups. Retrain the leaders to retrain the leaders, through personal mentoring and coaching and reward the right behavior. Over communicate, to make sure the small group leaders are getting enough information from the leaders in ministry. Utilize and develop a coaching structure, (Exodus 18) so the groups stay on target with the vision and mission of the church. Pray, because as Comiskey discovered, prayer was the common denominator in multiplying groups where leaders of the groups prayed at least one hour a day. See God's blessing as new disciples are being made and remember small groups provide the best place to make disciples, because Christianity is more caught than taught.[25]
According to Dempsey, "Leaders are grown in small groups, most successful churches have an emphasis on small groups, and small groups are a true representation of the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23)."[26] Dempsey and Earley provide eight habits, which will enhance the effectiveness of small group leaders and will, "Create a path that leads to fruitfulness, and multiplication, helping leaders, and those under them, experience greater fulfillment in ministry."[27] They are as follows:
(1) Dream of leading a healthy, growing, multiplying group. (2) Pray for your group members daily. (3) Invite new people to visit your group weekly. (4) Contact your group members regularly. (5) Prepare for your group meetings. (6) Mentor an apprentice leader. (7) Plan group fellowship activities. (8) Be committed to your own personal growth.
In developing leaders, there is much that can be learned from the early church model and several strategies can be implemented today. For example, by using Rod Dempsey 4 M's model: "Model it, by being the paradigm; Mentor it and never do anything alone in ministry; Motivate it by personally giving encouragement to people; and Multiply your ministry by handing it off to others so they can have ownership and run with it."[28] Leaders must realize Satan works in isolation, but God works in community, so find a Paul who can be a mentor; find a Timothy, someone to disciple; and find a Barnabas someone to be an encourager.
As Dempsey asserts, "Anyone who knows Christ can be a leader, since being a leader is all about influence."[29] Within the framework of small groups, Dempsey and Dave Earley identify three key leadership positions. The first is the small group leader who, "Understands their job is to serve and empower [the attendees] to 'be all they can be' for Christ. The small group leader [also] selects the curriculum, finds a good location to meet, and chooses an apprentice who will be trained to start a new group."[30] The second leadership position in a small group is the apprentice who is basically a small group leader in training, with the goal of leading his or her own small group within several months. The apprentice is involved with all areas of planning and leadership, to provide the best chance for success when facilitating his or her own small group. The third leadership position in a small group is the host, who are primarily responsible for making attendees feel welcome. Dempsey and Earley illustrate hosts are, "Vital to making the small group experience a good one for everyone who comes to their home and [when these three positions are] involved in the planning, preparation, and execution of small groups, the groups have a much better chance for healthy growth and multiplication."[31]
Leadership was paramount in the house church and much can be learned in the way Jesus first trained His disciples, who would become the first small group leaders. Comiskey illustrates, "Because of the growth of the early church, the need for leadership expanded rapidly… and the early apostles provided the overarching leadership, but depended on the house church leaders to shepherd and care for the rest of God's church. As in the case of Acts 6, leaders who had proven themselves were chosen to care for the needs of the Grecian Jewish widows, and oversee the distribution of food. In many cases, the individual who opened up their home would assume the leadership role and Comiskey attributes Paul's use of the oikos structure as the perfect environment to develop leaders naturally.[32] In all small groups, Paul taught on the importance of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and develop leadership. Comiskey agrees and explains how, "The early church believed that the Spirit was given to all believers and was actively working through each member."[33] Interestingly, it would be in the early church that women found themselves on equal footing with men and on numerous occasions presented in the New Testament, women were actually presented as being significant leaders.[34]
Leadership roles in the early church differ from today, in the sense that in the New Testament, there were no bishops-pastor-elder hierarchy and Comiskey explains these terms were actually interchangeable for the same role. Over the years, one of the unfortunate errors is how elders have been transliterated as overseers, instead of being translated as workers of the church. While the early church met primarily in homes, sometimes those individual entities would gather together for larger meetings. Throughout the New Testament, ecclesia was used to refer to the house church gatherings, the larger gatherings, and the universal church, Ultimately, as Comiskey illustrates, "Churches must determine if they are going to view the cell group as the church and the primary care structure for members, or just another program to keep people coming back to the Sunday gathering. If the church chooses to prioritize cell ministry, those cells and cell leaders need to be equipped, coached, and cared for in a cell structure that includes training, coaching, and celebrating together."[35]
In addition to the three leadership positions, Dempsey and Earley cite three components/streams that when employed combine to form one powerful, moving force. The first is the biblical stream, made up of the qualities found in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3, which relate to the leader's values and being blameless. This "Means that he [or she] does not have any major spiritual area that could come into question or attack from the enemy."[36] The second component is the spiritual stream, which is rooted in an understanding and execution of the first stream. This stream is composed of: prayer, spiritual gifts, fruit of the Spirit, armor of God, and Spirit of God. Dempsey and Earley explain, "Many leaders are one the front lines of the battle, but they may not be aware of the [spiritual] weapons and armor that they have as soldiers of the King. Another challenge is that many leaders may be aware of the tools they have at their disposal, but they may not be skilled in using the spiritual arsenal."[37] The third component is the practical stream, which as Dempsey and Earley demonstrate allows, "The small group leader to receive a vision from God and communicate it clearly to the people entrusted to his or her care." This stream is made up of: planning, organizing, communicating, training, mentoring, multiplying and vision casting.
Arnold presents one of the best models this writer has come across when looking at the role and dynamics of small groups, especially when one takes into consideration the 80/20 principle he highlights. Arnold illustrates, "As members of the body, we are reliant on one another and on Christ, and mutually responsible to use whatever contribution we make to grow the body into maturity."[38] When a group reaches inward, the focus is on group care. Arnold demonstrates how, "Groups provide love and care for their members in many ways [and] a loving community offers members a positive body life experience by engaging people in the discovery of their spiritual gifts, developing the lay leadership of the church, and caring for its members."[39] There is something so empowering about finding one's gifting and then engaging in ministry fulfilling the role God has called the person to. However, without an environment to first define and second to refine the areas of spiritual gifting(s), many people never reach his or her full potential. In addition to equipping individuals with various giftings, the spiritual maturity of the individual is also a byproduct, which further refines his or her discipline and produces great future leaders. For large churches especially, this inward focus is vital because congregational care, unknown, and unmet needs are a daily occurrence. With a focus on small groups, this is an amazing step in making people truly feel cared for and also provides an area of ministry for other members with the gift(s) of prayer, comfort, love, and compassion.
As groups focus on reaching upward, this cultivates an attitude of nurture and worship. Nurturing allows members to not only get to know one another better, but it lays the foundation and vision for the group to help people get connected to God. Doing life together is an amazing experience and this sense of community is hardwired into humanity. God created His children with this desire to love and be loved by. As small groups develop times of fellowship and walk through trials and circumstances, opportunities to pray and grow their faith are presented. As a result of answered prayers and faith in God's plans, thanksgiving and praise are the appropriate response. Arnold demonstrates, "When enough people in a congregation start experiencing these worship moments, the entire church begins to change. Spiritual renewal that begins in groups can begin to create revival in the larger body of Christ."[40] However, neglecting the power of worship is one of the main reasons Dempsey and Earley cite for groups failing to reach their full potential, stressing, "Worship is a moral obligation and a natural response to the absolute worth of God. Worship completes us, is transforming, puts life back into perspective, and intensifies the presence and therefore the activity of God."[41] Dempsey and Earley could not be more correct on the power of prayer, as they illustrate, "God often manifests His presence in proportion to our expressed recognition of our need and love for Him."[42]
When groups begin to reach outward through acts of service and evangelism, they reach their full potential. As Arnold explains, "One of the inherent weaknesses in any small grouping of people is the natural tendency to maintain an inward focus (care), ignoring the outward focus (service and evangelism)… [making] the outward focus the most difficult group discipline to cultivate."[43] Arnold clarifies how evangelism then leads to both spiritual and numerical growth as healthy groups work to attach people deeply to their God and show them how to minister to the world. Ultimately, as Arnold explains, "Biblical evangelism is not a program but a person-to-person process of sharing the good news about forgiveness of sin and new life in Jesus. Because small groups are likely to be the most personal setting offered by a church, they are natural places for this kind of evangelism to take place."[44]
Dempsey provides eleven suggestions for churches trying to develop or transition to being a church "of" or that "is" small groups: First, the leaders must search the Scriptures and come up with a group philosophy rooted in the Great Commission and Great Commandment to make disciples, to gather together and study the Word, and to meet each others needs and the needs of others. The group must also focus on equipping the saints and growing up to be like Christ. Second, the group must make sure the senior pastor and leadership team share the same vision as the group. This is vital because if the group is not contributing to the vision and mission of the church, they are not truly a part of the church. Third, the group must adopt a model that fits who they are and this is done by engaging the culture, while also maintaining the principles of loving God, one another, and neighbors. Fourth, there must be continual leader training and each person in the group should be mentoring someone else how to do their job, so when the time comes for the group to split, there will people ready to assume leadership roles. Fifth, the group is ready to launch, so times, places, and curriculum must all be in place. Sixth, is growing the group by praying, inviting people and having good quality, which will ultimately lead to quantity. Seventh, is rewarding the right behavior by exhorting and pointing out when people are doing the right thing or go above and beyond expectations. Eighth, is over communicating because as Rick Warren says, "People are down on what they are not up on," so small groups must continually communicate the why, the how, and the next steps. Ninth, is utilizing coaching structures and a great model to use is the 5X5 model, which spreads the load out amongst directors, overseers, and groups. Trying to do everything alone will always lead to burnout or moral failure, so making sure you have a strong team is vital to the success of small groups because groups are only as strong as their weakest link. Tenth, is pray before, during, and after all small groups because the enemy does not want small groups to thrive because individuals are most vulnerable when they are in isolation. Eleventh, is to see God's glory. The Great Commission's command is to make disciples and the one promise we find is when we are in the business of making disciples in small groups, Jesus promises to be there with us.[45]
This small group-training manual has shown the need for relationships and connectivity in the disciple making process, which makes the role of small groups a fundamental part of any successful church. By illustrating small group's biblical foundation and by providing the necessary motivations for developing them, this manual can be utilized to become a church "of" small groups or a church that "is" small groups. With a clear understanding of a small group's influence, vision, and mission being formulated, this manual has shown how to grow and multiply small groups and also how to recruit and develop group leaders.
Arnold, Jeffrey. The Big Book on Small Groups. Rev. ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004.
Comiskey, Joel. Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church: New Testament Insights for the 21st Century Church. Moreno Valley, CA: CCS Publishing, 2016.
Dempsey, Rod and Dave Earley. Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University Press, 2016.
Dempsey, Rod. "How to Develop Leaders," Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Four Video Presentation, 6:35. https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_364001_1&content_id=_17196596_1 (accessed June 5, 2017).
________. "How to Transition to a Small Group System." Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Eight Video Presentation, 8:17. https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_364001_1&content_id=_17196616_1 (accessed June 29, 2017).
________. "Small Group Outreach/Mission." Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Six Video Presentation, 6:36. https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_364001_1&content_id=_17196606_1 (accessed June 22, 2017).
________. "Transitioning to Small Groups." DSMN 630, Course Content, Lecture Notes, Week Six: 1-3.
________. "Why Lead a Group." Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week One Video Presentation, 9:33. https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_364001_1&content_id=_17196581_1 (accessed May 15, 2017).
Donahue, Bill and Russ Robinson. Building a Church of Small Groups. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001.
House, Brad. Community: Taking Your Small Group Off Life Support. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishing, 2011.
Hull, Bill. Jesus Christ Disciple Maker. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1984.
Reeves, Josh. "10 Simple Ways to be Missional in Your City." May 26, 2017. http://www.vergenetwork.org/2011/10/11/10-simple-ways-to-be-missional-in-your-city-part-1/ (accessed June 22, 2017).
_________. "25 Simple Ways to be Missional in Your Neighborhood." May 26, 2017. http://www.vergenetwork.org/2011/08/23/25-simple-ways-to-be-missional-in-your-neighborhood/ (accessed June 20, 2017).
Swindoll, Chuck. Dropping Your Guard. Waco, TX: Word Incorporated, 1983.
Tunnell, Jeff. "Biblical Values and Time-tested Principles." Joel Comiskey Group Website, http://joelcomiskeygroup.com/blog_2/2011/09/19/biblical-values-and-time-tested-principles-2/ (accessed May 22, 2017).
[1] Rod Dempsey and Dave Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups (Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University Press, 2016), 2.
[2] Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson, Building a Church of Small Groups (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001), 24.
[3] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 2.
[4] Rod Dempsey, "Why Lead a Group," Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week One Video Presentation, 9:33. (accessed May 15, 2017).
[5] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 10.
[6] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 10.
[7] Jeffrey Arnold, The Big Book on Small Groups. Rev. ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), 18, 23-24.
[8] Bill Hull, Jesus Christ Disciple Maker (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1984), 235.
[9] Chuck Swindoll, Dropping Your Guard (Waco, TX: Word Incorporated, 1983), 22.
[10] Rod Dempsey, "Biblical Foundations," Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Two Video Presentation, 7:58. (accessed May 22, 2017).
[11] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 26.
[12] Jeff Tunnell, "Biblical Values and Time-tested Principles," Joel Comiskey Group Website, http://joelcomiskeygroup.com/blog_2/2011/09/19/biblical-values-and-time-tested-principles-2/ (accessed May 22, 2017).
[13] Tunnell, "Biblical Values and Time-tested Principles."
[14] Joel Comiskey. Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church: New Testament Insights for the 21st Century Church (Moreno Valley, CA: CCS Publishing, 2016), 82.
[15] Rod Dempsey, "Transitioning to Small Groups," DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Six: 1.
[16] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 182.
[17] Rod Dempsey, "Transitioning to Small Groups," DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Six: 2.
[18] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 183.
[19] Ibid.
[20] Rod Dempsey, "Transitioning to Small Groups," DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Six: 2.
[21] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 31-32.
[22] Rod Dempsey, "What is a Group," Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Three Video Presentation, 7:08. (accessed June 2, 2017).
[23] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 32.
[24] Ibid., 33.
[25] Rod Dempsey, "Transitioning to Small Groups," DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Six: 2-3.
[26] Rod Dempsey, "Why Lead a Group," Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week One Video Presentation, 9:33. (accessed May 15, 2017).
[27] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 115.
[28] Rod Dempsey, "Group Multiplication," Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Seven Video Presentation, 5:57. (accessed June 25, 2017).
[29] Rod Dempsey, "How to Develop Leaders," Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Four Video Presentation, 6:35. (accessed June 5, 2017).
[30] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 66.
[31] Ibid., 67.
[32] Comiskey, Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church, 121.
[33] Ibid., 126.
[34] Priscilla Romans 16:3; Mary 16:6; Junias 16:12; Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis 16:12; Julia 16:15
[35] Comiskey, Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church, 185.
[36] Dempsey and Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 69.
[37] Ibid., 70.
[38] Arnold, The Big Book on Small Groups, 31.
[39] Ibid., 34.
[40] Arnold, The Big Book on Small Groups, 37.
[41] Earley and Dempsey, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups, 45-46.
[42] Ibid., 46.
[43] Arnold, The Big Book on Small Groups, 38.
[44] Arnold, The Big Book on Small Groups, 39.
[45] Rod Dempsey, "How to Transition to a Small Group System," Filmed [2013], Liberty University Website, DSMN 630, Course Content, Week Eight Video Presentation, 8:17. (accessed June 29, 2017).


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Oxford's Self-Driving Car (on the Left Side of the Road)
Self-driving cars aren't just the realm of corporate giants like Google. Academia plays a big role in this space too, as the BBC points out. Oxford University's department of engineering science is behind something called the Oxford RobotCar UK project.
The chaps at Oxford use a Nissan LEAF as their base vehicle (they've teamed up with Nissan since September 2012, in fact). The Oxford team uses reflective beacons and guide wires to help the car self-navigate. GPS, the team reports, "does not offer the accuracy required for robots to make decisions about how and when to move safely." (Bear that in mind, next time you turn a robot loose with your iPhone maps app.)
What's some of the other hardware involved here? The team puts two scanning lasers beneath the front and rear bumpers of the LEAF, lasers which "allow us to sense the 3D structure of the car's environment," they report. Stereo cameras, coupled with a laser, help the robot determine the trajectory of the car "relative [to] routes it has been driven on before." (The laser scanner simply comes off the shelf, offering an 85-degree field of view, and scanning 13 times a second.)
The team isn't putting the car on the roads just yet. It's testing it out in a "specially-made environment at Begbroke Science Park in Oxfordshire," per the BBC. Professor Paul Newman, a lead on the project, says that the car is gaining "experiences," of a sort. "The car is driven by a human, and it builds a 3D model of its environment. Using an iPad on the dashboard, a driver can determine when it wants to cede control to the robot, or seize the controls back for himself.
The whole system costs £5,000, but Newman told the BBC costs could be drastically reduced, potentially to as low as £100. Newman seems to think his team's device will inevitably be cheaper than Google's more-renowned experiments: "if you look at it, we don't need a 3D laser spinning on the roof that's really expensive–so that's one thing straight away. I think our car has a lower profile," he said. He added that he thought technology such as this would be commonplace in 15 years.
In the race towards robot-driven roads, who do you think is more likely to win, business or the academy?
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Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives
The workplace tool's appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it's just as useful for managing their free time.
Learning to code isn't enough
Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.
Deep learning pioneer Geoffrey Hinton has quit Google
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
(Matthew 24:27 (NIV))
Do you ever sit outside and watch the lightning as a storm approaches? Everything gets dark as the storm begins to build. The darker it gets, the worse the storm. Then, out of what seems like nowhere, lightning breaks forth and illuminates the sky. You never know where and when it will come, but you know that it will. You sit there in anticipation of the lightning. You sit there in awe of the splendor and the power. You sit there and watch in amazement at the lightning in the distance and you know that it is coming your way.
Take a serious look at the darkness of the storm that the world is currently facing. I am certain that some people will remember dark periods in their lives. There have been dark periods in not too distant history. The one thing that gave the world hope was a resolve to defeat the darkness. Today, too many people are more than willing to embrace the darkness.
We need the lightning!
We need Jesus!
I don't know about you, but this passage gives me a mental image of Jesus coming in power and in light. He breaks the darkness with just His presence. He touches people here. He touches people there. His coming is like the lightning. It is a magnificent vision for those who have called upon His name as Lord and Savior. For those who have denied Him, it is one of sadness and fear.
Some believe that the Body of Christ will see this from the earth. Some believe that we will be by His side as He comes down from heaven. Either way, I can rest assured that this will be the most glorious entrance that the world has ever seen. It will be the most powerful display in all of history.
It will be a lightning show magnified by a heavenly host.
It will pierce the darkness. It will be a resounding victory just as we have been told.
Are you ready for the lightning? Are you ready for the power? Are you ready for Jesus?
Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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text:
Attorney Brian Green
Brian received his J.D. from Western State University College of Law where he graduated in 2005 with scholastic honors, ranked fifth in his class. He received his Bachelor's Degree in General Studies from the University Of Nevada Reno, in 2002.
Prior to joining Shlesinger & deVilleneuve Attorneys, P.C., Mr. Green worked for two years as a law clerk for a national insurance company representing workers' compensation employers. His experience there translates directly into his current practice which is focused on Oregon workers' compensation law and includes wage loss, all work related injuries, vocational rehabilitation, insurance company denials, and settlement of both disputed and accepted claims. Mr. Green also handles personal injury cases for the Firm.
Mr. Green enjoys a wonderful family life with his wife, Candace and two children, Michael and Daniel. In addition, he enjoys water and snow skiing and is an accomplished pianist.
Mr. Green is an active member of the Oregon State Bar Association.
Shlesinger & deVilleneuve
Local & Dedicated Attorneys
Contact Us Today
Free Consultation


text:
Calvin : If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently …
Hobbes: How so ?
Calvin : Well, when u look into the infinity of the night, you realize there are far more important things than what people do all day.
Once in awhile sleep under the stars, being one with them. It helps to puts things in perspective :) Sleeping with the stars is an experience unto itself. In addition, being away from the city lights takes on a whole new level of fun, when you start taking star pictures. If u have not done it before, give it a try – u won't be disappointed. Here are some tips to get started …
Some Inspirations
If you still need some inspiration to give you the final push – Check out these amazing portfolios of my friends from Pacific North West. Ben was one the who inspired me into star photography. I am glad to have shot some amazing meteors, along side with Gary. I have not met Brad (GoldPaint Photography), but came across his amazing work thru his Time-lapse – it definitely is inspirational :)
Ben Canales – http://500px.com/BenCanales
Gary Randall – http://bit.ly/178U4u4
GoldPaint Photography – http://goldpaintphotography.com/2012/07/18/within-two-worlds/
When you see amazing shots of Milky Way like these, it is probably not by coincidence that the photographer ended at the right place (away from the city lights) and at the right day (new moon or moon still below horizon) and the right time (where the milky way aligns with the foreground for a catchy composition) with the right weather. More often than not, these are results of meticulous planning. I share with the you the key steps that go into the planning and setting up of the shots. It might look elaborate, but believe me, once you get in the grove – it will be become second nature to you.
I was initially surprised to find out that the prominent and dramatic portion of milky way is not visible the entire year. Here in the northern hemisphere – the best nights to shoot milky way are around spring, summer and fall. If you are in the southern hemisphere then fall, winter and a bit of spring would be ideal times.
You could use a Planisphere to identify the stars visible from your location. Or with the aid of technology it is much easier – just use software like Stellarium (both mobile app and native desktop version) or Google sky map (mobile app). Stellarium – especially the desktop version is very handy for pre-planning. One can easily see the stars / galaxies that would be prominent for any given coordinates and time. Look SE in the spring a couple hours before sunrise, look South in the summer around midnight, and look SW during the fall an hour after sunset. You can even download landscape for prominent locations or create custom skyline for your particular location. In addition you can also look for specific galaxies, planets, or even check if International Space Station (ISS) would be crossing the frame when you are shooting.
The Phase of the moon would greatly play into the planning too. The full moon would definitely make it impossible to shoot the milky way, while a crescent moon can help light the foreground depending on its position. And do utilize Stellarium to check out the rise / set times of moon and the milky way along with their relative positions.
Account for the local weather as you work to finalize the location and tentative dates. As you get close to the shooting date, check out the Interactive Map from Clear Dark Sky site – this is one of the best comprehensive site providing details on the cloud cover, transparency along with Wind, Temperature etc..
All you need is a clear weather and a dark sky. But given today's light pollution, it might not be as easy to get access to dark skies. This site Dark Sky Finder – gives a quick look into the potential dark skies near your area (this is only for US, do leave a comment if you are aware of similar service for world over locations). Areas marked dark blue or black would be awesome, but you need a location that is at least green.
I find Google Street view to be very handy, once you finalize the location. Is provides lot of insight into how the side roads are & if you have your set up under a particular tree over the night etc..
And How
There are lots of articles – both comprehensive and captivating – on this subject, thanks to Google. So rather than going over the same again, have provided links to some of the best articles out there.
- If you just a little over 10 mins and in no mood to read along, just check out Ben's Beginner Video – this should get you started in no time at all – https://vimeo.com/16833554
- This one of the most comprehensive and complete article that I had come across online, where Steven Christenson talks about everything from getting started to shooting the starts to processing it. Wish I had got to this site before I started shooting stars couple of years back. You pretty much have everything out here – http://blog.starcircleacademy.com/startrails/
- One more nice article detailing on the capturing the trails from Light Stacking – http://www.lightstalking.com/how-to-photograph-star-trails
- One more from Photo-tuts+ – http://photo.tutsplus.com/tutorials/shooting/quick-tip-how-to-capture-the-beauty-of-stars/
Tools of Trade
Below are some of the key tools of trade that I use …
|Camera : Canon 7D
|Any camera with a high ISO capabilities would suffice
|Lens : Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
|A Wide Angle lens is quiet handy is capturing as much of the sky along with the night sky. Additionally if you have access to a f2.8 or f1.8 , it would provide lot more flexibility while shooting. Though all of the shots listed in this page were shot with this lens at f3.5 or more
|Tripod : Manfrotto 190XPROB 3
|As you already know, a tripod is a must. One that can go really low helps with some creative compositions.
|Red LED Light (Keychain)
|It takes as much as 15 – 20 mins for your eyes to get accustomed to the dark. This LED light would help changes / confirm setting on the camera in the dark. Any handy red or blue LED light would suffice. Nothing fancy. Do not use your regular torch or the mobile flash at it disrupts your night vision.
|You would need this if you are planning to shoot star trails with multiple exposures. If you are shooting Nikon, you might already have this feature in-built. Canon for some reason has this only on its highest end cameras. Yeah even the Canon 7D does not have this feature :(
But worry not, I have found Magic Lantern to be a very good alternative.
Additionally you can also pseudo simulate this functionality with a combination of a wired remote and continuous shooting :)
|Software – Planning
|Google Sky, Stellarium (Mobile App), Phase of the Moon (Mobile App), Clear Dark Sky, Dark Sky Finder
|Software – Post Processing
|Adobe Lightroom 4, Adobe Photoshop CS6, StarTrails.de, Star Spike Pro (PS plug in), Deep Sky Stacker
This article is a prelude. Look out on this space for a follow up article on Creative Processing of the Star shots !!!
Happy Shooting. Do share links to your shots and experiences below in the comments.
EDIT : Here is the link to the follow up article on Post Processing that I had promised :)


text: Some 50 or 60 miles south of present-day Hanoi, the district of Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh Province was the location chosen by King Dinh Tien Hoang as capital of Vietnam in the late 10th century after years of civil war and a struggle to secede from China's Southern Han Dynasty. It remained so for 41 years, until 1009, when the capital was moved to Thang Long, today's Hanoi. At the village of Truong Yen are two small temples built in the 17th century to honor the first two imperial dynasties of Vietnam: the Dinh, founded by Dinh Tien Hoang, and the Early Le, founded by Le Dai Hanh. The area is one of extensive rice fields amid dramatic limestone mountains, through which the Hoang Long River over time has carved out three caves.


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Strange nightmares, amnesia, lesbian love scenes, murder, and Hollywood politics. Those are just a few of the things jammed into a film that will leave you questioning reality. David Lynch, whose mind seems to naturally synthesize hallucinogens, outdoes himself with Mulholland Drive, in which an up-and-coming actress stumbles upon a woman who has just lost her memory in a car accident.
Interspersed into the main plot are at least a half-dozen mini stories that often seem entirely unrelated, but which slowly weave together to give you a semblance of understanding. Each plot is so strange that you can't help but be intrigued. It's the Lady Gaga Effect. You just can't peel your eyes off her music videos because your brain is too busy attempting to piece together the images on screen into something it can rationally understand.
If you're a fan of the open-ended, mind-bending, psychological neo-noir thriller genre (a very general category), you'll suddenly find yourself with a new favorite. Nowadays the movies we talk about for hours having a couple of possibilities. Take Inception. Was it a dream or wasn't it? Sure, there are fine points to debate, but in the end there's only a few real options.
Not so for Mulholland Drive. Once the credits roll, you'll be left in a stunned stupor, and once your brain unmushifies itself, you'll spend the next couple weeks debating every single scene and sometimes wondering just what the hell it was even doing in the movie. I, for one, couldn't stop talking about it and ended up calling my parents and all their family friends to get their take.
It's one of the trippiest, craziest, films around, so check it out! Oh, and make sure you watch this movie with a couple people so you can talk about it after—that's half the fun!


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Visiting the dentist for regular cleanings and needed dental work can do wonders for keeping your teeth and gums in tip-top shape. But if you've seen or heard about infections occurring in healthcare facilities, you might be a little concerned that your trip to the dentist might expose you to one. Don't be! You and your family will be out of harm's way because your dental team has made protection from viruses, bacteria and other infectious agents a top priority. To highlight this effort, the American Academy of Oral Medicine commemorates each September as "National Dental Infection Control Awareness Month."
As a healthcare provider, dentists have a legal, moral and ethical obligation to protect patients (and staff members too) from infection through what are known as "standard precautions." These include barrier protection, disinfection and sterilization practices, and safe disposal of contaminated items.
But dentists and their professional organizations don't stop with the minimum requirements—they're committed to a higher standard when it comes to infection control. The bedrock for this commitment is adherence to an infection control checklist developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), updated regularly. This in-depth checklist recommends several best practices and protocols, including:
- Creating a written infection control plan that outlines all practices and procedures to be followed by the provider and staff;
- Barrier protection, including the wearing of disposable gloves, face shields or gowns by providers as appropriate;
- Proper disposal methods for used items;
- Proper hand washing and other hygiene practices before and after treatment procedures;
- Proper disinfection and sterilization of instruments and equipment;
Most licensing bodies also require that dentists and their staff undergo continuing education in infection control, usually every two years.
Because you as a patient have a right to know the details about your medical and dental care, you have public access to infection control guidelines and requirements. You can also ask your dental provider about what steps they take to protect you and your family from infectious disease. They'll be glad to answer any questions you have to put your mind at ease about your safety.
The dental profession's commitment to patient and staff safety has drastically reduced the risk of any infection. Rest assured, your dental visit will be beneficial for your oral health—and safe for your general health too.
If you would like more information about infection control in the dental office, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles "Infection Control in the Dental Office" and "Shingles, Herpes Zoster: A One-Sided Facial Rash."


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Tourist Attractions of Wales
Bordered by England in the east, the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean on the west, Wales is a vibrant country. A significant part of the United Kingdom, Wales is blessed with vast coastline (over 1200 km), extensive mountains forming picturesque land scenic locations. Though, its entire history has been impeded by invaders, but the Welsh spirit is still intact in its people and culture. Known for its friendly people, astonishing architecture and sophisticated environs, Wales is one of the most tourist friendly country in the UK. From high range mountains to limestone cliffs, from serene seashores and beaches to enchanting country side, this country appears as a kaleidoscope of immense cultural wealth and beauty to its visitors. However, the cuisine here is one its specialty which somehow makes it even more enjoyable. Here, we have listed some of the most popular tourist attractions of Wales which you must pay a visit to while travelling to this charming country. So what are you waiting for? Checkout various online sites, get best offers for flight tickets and get ready to explore this enchanting country.
Cardiff Castle
Situated in the Castle Quarter of Cariff, South Wales, it is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion. Believed to be established in late 11th century, this castle has witnessed several invaders and their reigns. This massive architecture is a major landmark of the city. The majestic and absolutely divine interiors of this castle has been credited by architect, William Burges. A visit to this magnificent castle will surely take you to the historical developments taken during the span of over 2000 years of its existence.
Oakwood Theme Park
Formerly known as Oakwood Leisure Park or Oakwood Coaster Country, this theme park is an amazing recreation centre of Wales. This theme park has numerous rides including roller coasters, thrill rides, 3D ghost rides, water slides, fun rides, and much more. Located in the Permbrokeshire, Wales this significant amusement park with so much on offer attracts over 5 millions visitors and tourists every year.
Welsh Mountain Zoo
Situated high above Colwyn Bay in the North Wales, Welsh Mountain Zoo is a heaven for wildlife lovers. Enriched with scenic views of nature and beautiful gardens all around, this zoo serves as a home for many rare and endangered species from Britain and around the world including Snow Leopards, Chimpanzees, Red Pandas and Sumatran Tigers. Also called as the Colwyn Bay Zoo, this zoological garden was established in the year 1963 and is spread over an area of 37 acres. In you are a wildlife lover, then don't give a miss to this beautiful zoo.
Sprawling over an area of around 823 square miles, Snowdonia is a national park in the north Wales region. This beautiful park was established in the year 1951. This national park is best known for its scenic beauty, enchanting natural sites and high mountain ranges. Trekking and mountain hiking is a popular activity in this area.
St Fagans: National History Museum
Standing on the grounds of the stunning St. Fagans Castle, St. Fagans is a popular heritage attraction of Wales. In fact, displaying the real scenario of Welsh rural life, it is one of the leading open-air museums in Europe. Want to explore how early Welsh people used to live and sustain their lives? Visit this museum and relive the history. Apart from these, some other tourist places that you can visit are Wales Millennium Centre. River Severn, Liberty Stadium, Senedd, Chapter Arts Centre, National Museum Cardiff, National Botanical Garden of Wales, Cardiff Bay, Barry Island and much more.
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Look, up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ... Kuss' weather balloon?
FALL RIVER — The weather balloon soared far above overcast skies on Friday morning, to a height of nearly 100,000 feet into Earth's atmosphere. Then, it burst, fell and landed on the front lawn of a perplexed property owner in Canton.
The balloon ended up 40 miles away from where it was originally launched — the courtyard of Matthew J. Kuss Middle School.
The balloon's voyage gave a group of sixth-grade Kuss science students a better understanding of meteorology, the layers of the Earth's atmosphere, math and teamwork. And it provided some adventure along the way.
Weather balloon launches are an annual event at Kuss, but this balloon soared to the highest heights yet, students said.
As students prepared it for launch from the school's courtyard, about 200 of their peers watched from windows on each of the school's three floors.
Just a few minutes past 9 a.m. — after briefly getting caught on the building and wrapping around the school's lightning rod — the balloon, which was 10 feet in diameter, was off. It was equipped with two boxes: one with three video recorders, another with a thermometer and a GPS tracker.
Teachers said it was a team effort. One group was tasked with the launch, while another was tasked with retrieving it. They traveled in a van with science teacher Joseph Cote and technology instructor Jamie Guile.
And there was another group of students, who stayed behind in the home base, Room 312, which served as a command center. It consisted of five laptop computers and a HAM radio for communicating.
Seventh-grader Richard Torres and sixth-grader Casey Aguiar manned that base, tracking both the balloon and the retrieval team's progress.
Torres and Aguiar tracked the balloon as it ascended along its wind-directed course. That course was traced by a yellow line that zigzagged across a Google-rendered map on their computer screen. A blue line drawn on that same map showed the retrieval team's progress in following it via GPS.
By 10 a.m., the balloon had already ascended nearly 70,000 feet into the atmosphere, above the thick clouds and light rain.
At around 11 a.m., it had expanded to twice its original size and burst, hovering 99,700 feet over the Worcester area, Guile reported from the road. After bursting, it was gently brought to a landing by parachute.
After encountering curious residents in Canton, the team retrieved its balloon. Sixth-graders Emma Fontaine, Abigail Rose, Isaiah Morales and Jayden Lapointe liken their pursuit of the object to storm chasers, although in their case, they were not following a severe weather system. They shared what they learned.
"I think more schools should do it. It's a good opportunity to learn," Rose said.
Fontaine explained she was surprised to learn rapidly the temperature changes in the atmosphere, going from 16 degrees Fahrenheit to 350 degrees, down to 20 degrees and "back up."
Wind speed and direction are also unpredictable, students said.
"We just learned about the jet stream," Lapointe said.
The team originally calculated, based on weather and wind forecasts by the National Weather Service, it would land in the Acton or Grafton area in northern central Massachusetts.
So the next step for the students now is "trying to figure out why the projection was off," Guile said.
The footage captured by the balloon's video record show Kuss growing smaller during the ascent. After several minutes of cloud-obscured footage, the video shows footage of where the earth's atmosphere meets space.
Kuss video instructor Sharon Puopolo called it a schoolwide event. She and video students documented the launching of the balloon and followed its retrieval team on the road as they tracked it down.


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In the Palin family, it is the best of times, it is the worst of times. It is a time of joyful preparation for Bristol's impending reality show on Lifetime, it is a frenzied scramble to debunk the lies of an impending movie about how Sarah ruined John McCain's 2008 Presidential campaign on HBO. So what has the family who loves to utilize the media to tell everyone how much the media sucks been up to? A lot.
With air date of HBO's Game Change just around the corner, these days, Sarah Palin is primarily concerned with fighting for the very important cause of making sure that no one knows what a dum-dum Sarah Palin is. According to Politico, she's firing on all cylinders to fight for everyday American Palins who have been pushed aside and parodied by Julianne Moore.
Her SuperPAC has released a confusing video designed to show the truth about what happened in 2008, which is that as soon as Sarah Palin came to town, America gathered together and agreed that she was too good to be President, and declared her Queen instead and let Barack Obama have the crappy job that she didn't even want, anyway, and now, to this day, she is remembered in history books as the woman who never said anything stupid, ever.
With that dragon of misinformation slain, onto more important Palin-related news: Bristol's back! And this time, she's not dancing around onstage in a gorilla suit making a damn fool of herself.
No, this time, she's starring in a show that's called Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp (I am not joking). The 10-episode series will air on Lifetime and highlight all the Bristoly adventures of the eldest daughter of Beloved and Most Exalted Queen of America Sarah Palin.
It's nice to know that we're finally at the point where this country can rest comfortably, now that the Palin brand is confined to the safe, mockable world of cable television, rather than the scary, real world of being a heartbeat away from the White House.
Sarah Palin video mocks 'Game Change' [Politico]


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Little update on things lately. Just ran out of storage in my media uploader, so I now have a fire under my ass to make a real website which is weird. End of an era!
Photos From Spring
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text:
Go here for my first column ("Some claim that Satan is a great motivator, just like God"). Sure, especially if you think you could save money by having hellfire heat your house, and here for my second, ("Faked embryos back at PBS, December 29, 2009.")
No really. The fudged embryos are back. As a "learning tool," in total ignorance of the development hourglass. The "hourglass" just means that embryos look different when very young, similar later, and different again when older. That says nothing about common descent, one way or the other (that is just the trouble, right?).
Embryos, like cakes, dresses, and renovations, look different at different stages.
I think common descent is probably true in most cases, but we cannot necessarily use embryos to prove it.
I wonder how long this Examiner thing will last? I registered at Beliefnet on the advice of a friend, but they deleted my profile. And my query about the matter has received no response.
Shrug. I like Examiner better anyway. Anyway, read it there while you can.


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Elmore Leonard was one of those great pulp writers who helped create modern fiction and along the way taught many writers how to write. Like the best in any "genre," he proved that genre doesn't matter, only quality. Whether you're writing about cowboys or bank robbers or astronauts or superheroes or ennui-laden academics fucking around on their wives and feeling really really uncertain and depressed while they wash the dishes, the content isn't what's important, it's the skill and insight and art that the writer brings to the tale.
Rest easy, Dutch.


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Design submitted by Peter from the UK.
Peter says: I was trying to think of a really simple and intuitive design with a sober look.
I came up with "mono" a back to basics, minimalistic LCD design based on a single hand style analogue format.
The time is told by a single hand style LCD marker. There are 12 positions for the marker as per the hour positions on an analogue clock face. Each of these 12 markers contains a smaller array of 12 segments that describe 5 min groups and a pm indicator. These segments are also arranged as per an analogue clock face. Inside of these segments are a further 4 for single minutes.
This design is very simple, clean and clutter free. It lends itself to many colours and finishes so should allow it to appeal to a wide audience of ages, gender and ability.
The simple intuitive time telling combined with colour and material versatility allows this design to stand out from others.


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Nobis translated from Latin means 'us' and aims to allow consumers to take their passions anywhere. Nobis uses high performance textiles and technological innovations in the realm of outerwear, footwear & accessories to create timeless shapes & silhouettes. The brand's goal is to reinterpret classic styles and translate them into high performance outerwear designed for unpredictable weather. This brand aspires to create the finest outerwear while adhering to ethical practices and properties by using only premium Canadian-origin white duck down and conscientiously sourced materials. Nobis encourages its customers to embrace the elements, wander and explore.
Thank you, you should receive a confirmation email shortly.


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PASADENA, Calif. >> Jameis Winston and Florida State faced down adversity for the first time this season, and showed they could take a punch if that's what it took to win a national championship.
The Heisman Trophy winner threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin with 13 seconds left and No. 1 Florida State beat No. 2 Auburn 34-31 to win the BCS championship game on Monday night.
"There's a lot of heart and guts down in Tallahassee, too," coach Jimbo Fisher said.
The Bowl Championship Series went out with a bang, with one of the best championship games in its 16-year history. And the Southeastern Conference's seven-year winning streak in college football's biggest game was snapped.
Winston struggled much of the night but was near perfect when the Seminoles (14-0) needed it most, going 6 for 7 for 77 yards on the game-winning 80 yard drive. A pass interference penalty on Auburn's Chris Davis gave Florida State a first-and-goal at the 2 and on the next play Winston hit his big receiver, Benjamin, for the touchdown in traffic.
There was no miracle finish this time for the turnaround Tigers. They tossed the ball around on one final play, but it ended with Florida State jumping on a fumble, and the Seminoles sprinting onto the field under a storm of garnet and gold confetti.
Tre Mason had given Auburn (12-2) a 31-27 lead with a 37-yard touchdown run with 1:19 left after Kermit Whitfield had put Florida State in the lead for the first time since the first quarter with a 100-yard kickoff return to make it 27-24 with 4:31 left.
Mason ran for 195 yards and Nick Marshall threw two touchdown passes for the Tigers.
Winston was 20 for 35 for 237 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Florida State hadn't been challenged like this all season, winning by an average of 42 points. The Seminoles were down 21-3 in the first half, and wobbling, but never fell over.
And now Florida State is national champion for the first time since 1999, the first team to win it after being down at halftime.
Winston was jumpy against a strong Auburn pass rush, led by Dee Ford. He was sacked four times.
The Seminoles cut it to 21-10 with a late touchdown in the second quarter and chipped into Auburn's lead with a 41-yard field goal by Roberto Aguyao with 6:05 left in the third.
Meanwhile, Florida State had found some answers to Auburn's spread offense. A holding penalty that wiped out a long pass also helped keep the Tigers scoreless in the third quarter, and the Seminoles began the fourth with P.J. Williams intercepting Marshall's pass and setting up Florida State at its 38.
When Winston tossed in the flats to Chad Abram, who hurdled over a tackler on the way to an 11-yard touchdown the lead was 21-19. Florida State was considering going for two to tie, but Devonta Freeman was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and that pushed the extra point back 15 yards and forced the Seminoles to kick and make it 21-20.
Auburn responded with its best drive since the second quarter, mixing runs by Mason and Marshall with one big pass to Ricardo Louis. But it stalled at the 6 and Cody Parkey added a 22-yard field goal to make it 24-20 with 4:42 left.
During Winston's record-breaking season, filled with blowouts and fourth quarters spent watching from the sideline, he never faced a situation in which he had to drive his team to a winning score.
Now he had a chance to add that last line to his remarkable resume – until Whitfield handled it for him.
Whitfield broke through a seam around the 30 and hit the sideline at full speed. Fisher ran down the other sideline yelling "Go! Go!" with Winston chasing behind pumping his arms and slapping his coach on the back. Florida State was on top, but Auburn was not done.
Mason and Marshall went to work, driving Auburn into Florida State territory, and Auburn's Heisman finalist, Mason, finished it off by bowling over Florida State safety Jalen Ramsey on the way to the end zone.


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Elisabeth Hasselbeck received a standing ovation as she walked out arm-in-arm with Barbara Walters on her final day on "The View."
Walters opened the show by saying that she's a little emotional — "or as that other Barbra says, 'a little verklempt.'"
Hasselbeck then told viewers what they already knew: "I'm really happy and excited to confirm that indeed I will be joining the 'Fox & Friends' team in September. … Today is officially my last day at 'The View'."
Hasselbeck thanked the crew before going around the table to thank and praise her co-hosts, including an absent Sherri Shepard. While Hasselbeck had very kind words for each, she called Walters "the best in the business" and said she "couldn't ask for a better leader and mentor."
See video: Barbara Walters on Retiring: 'I'm Not Walking Into the Sunset'
The announcement ends Hasselbeck's decade-long tenure on the show. She said the last 10 years have "been nothing short of extraordinary" and she wished her eventual replacement the best.
The other hosts then weighed in on their fond feelings for the departing Hasselbeck. Joy Behar joked to her conservative co-host: "Fox, gee — won't you be a fish out of water there?"
Behar spoke about the times that the two have famously gotten into spats but maintained their friendship. That was a common theme around the table as the compliments kept coming.


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Effective today, the Reeling blog will be moving to new digs at miami.com/movies. I will no longer be posting any updates here, although the blog archives will remain intact, for posterity's sake.
The new site has a much snazzier design and feel, and although it doesn't look like a traditional blog, I'm going to maintain it the same way I've maintained this page - although I'll have to be more disciplined and post more often, because the big bosses are watching now.
I hope you'll come check out the new site and register (it takes two seconds) so you can leave comments, which I really appreciate. The more feedback I receive from you, the more I am motivated to write. See you there!


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GM Announces Another Big Recall: 2.7 Million Vehicles
LOS ANGELES | General Motors announced another mammoth recall Thursday, this time for 2.7 million vehicles in the United States, including its Corvette, Malibu sedans, Silverado pickup trucks and millions of older cars.
The bulk of the recall involves about 2.4 million 2004-12 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-07 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, 2005-10 Pontiac G6 and 2007-10 Saturn Auras model cars to fix faulty brake lamp wiring.
Corrosion in the wiring could result in brake lamps failing to illuminate when the brakes are applied or brake lamps illuminating when the brakes are not engaged. Additionally, cruise control, traction control, electronic stability control and panic braking assist operation could be disabled.
GM said it was aware of several hundred complaints, 13 crashes and two injuries but no fatalities as a result of the condition.
An additional 300,000 vehicles were recalled worldwide.
The automaker already previously recalled about 2.6 million vehicles in the United States this year because of an ignition switch issue in older cars that has been linked to 13 deaths. The company is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Justice, which want to know why GM waited more than a decade after it knew of the defect to recall the cars.
Automakers so far this year have recalled about 17 million vehicles in the United States. With more than seven months to go, that figure is on pace to break the industry's recall record of 30.8 million vehicles set in 2004.
Other vehicles called back by GM Thursday include 103,158 older Chevrolet Corvettes for a headlight problem, 140,067 Chevrolet Malibus from the 2014 model year for a hydraulic brake booster malfunction, 19,225 Cadillac CTS 2013-14 models for windshield wiper failures and 477 full-size trucks from the 2014 and 2015 model years for a tie-rod defect that can lead to a crash
"We have redoubled our efforts to expedite and resolve current reviews in process and also have identified and analyzed recent vehicle issues which require action," said Jeff Boyer, vice president of GM Global Vehicle Safety. "These are examples of our focus to surface issues quickly and promptly take necessary actions in the best interest of our customers."
GM said it would take a $200-million charge against second-quarter earnings to cover the cost of the repairs.


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Diablo, Warcraft, Hearthstone. All of these were created by one company – Blizzard Entertainment. Today we'll take a look at some titles considered by the community as the most successful and the most popular Blizzard games.
Blizzard Entertainment started as the Silicon & Synapse, Inc. in 1991, which was founded by three graduates of University of California – Michael Morhaime, Frank Pearce, and Allen Adham. It was renamed to Chaos Studios shortly after, and then to Blizzard Entertainment a few months later, due to trademark issues.
The company at first focused on creating game ports for other studios but quickly started to make its own productions. In 1994 the company was acquired by distributor Davidson & Associates under which Blizzard developed the title considered by many as the source of a company's future success – Warcraft: Orcs and Humans.
Since then Blizzard Entertainment partook in multiple deals and acquisitions, with the most important being the 2008 merger between Activision and Blizzard's parent company, Vivendi Games. This is what sealed Blizzard's future – merger resulted in creating Activision Blizzard, which a few years later purchased the remaining shares from Vivendi, thus becoming an independent company. As of now, Activision Blizzard includes five business units: Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, King, Major League Gaming and Activision Blizzard Studios.
|Warcraft 3 Reign of Chaos (Battle.net)
|Read more
|Warcraft III: Reforged (Battle.net)
|Read more
|Diablo 2 (Battle.net)
|Read more
|World Of Warcraft: Dragonflight | Epic Edition (NA)
|Read more
|World Of Warcraft: Dragonflight | Epic Edition (EU)
|Read more
|World of Warcraft: Shadowlands | Base Edition (Battle.net) (EU)
|Read more
|World of Warcraft Time Card Prepaid 60 Days (Battle.net) (EU)
|Read more
|World of Warcraft: Shadowlands | Heroic Edition (Battle.net) (NA)
|Read more
|World of Warcraft Time Card Prepaid 60 Days (Battle.net) (NA)
|Read more
|World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (edycja polska)
|Read more
|StarCraft: Remastered (Battle.net)
|Read more
|Overwatch (Battle.net)
|Action & Shooter
|Read more
|Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls (Battle.net)
|Read more
|Diablo 3 (Battle.net)
|Read more
|StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Void (Battle.net)
|Read more
|Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm (Battle.net)
|Read more
|Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty + Heart of the Swarm (Battle.net)
|2010-07-27, 2013-03-12
|Read more
|Hearthstone Booster Pack Code (Battle.net)
|Read more
|Heroes of the Storm - Hero Jaina (Battle.net)
|Multiplayer online battle arena
|Read more
Blizzard Entertainment is responsible for multiple iconic titles and franchises, of which Diablo and Warcraft series are probably the most recognizable. In fact, especially the Warcraft universe grew so much, Blizzard decided to make not only several games set in this fantasy world of might, magic and machinery (Warcraft, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone), but also tons of novels, books, mangas, comics, board games, and even a full-length movie.
But there's much more to see from Blizzard, especially if you are not familiar with their works. Let's take a look at Blizzard's best titles. Do you recognize them all?
1. Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos
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Warcraft 3 is considered by many as the best RTS of all times. This is the third installment of the original Warcraft series and the first to be rendered in full 3D.
The most unique feature of the title was the introduction of heroes and creeps. Heroes are powerful units able to level up, use unique skills, and equip items, which added RPG elements to the strategy game. Creeps, on the other hand, are hostile NPC monsters guarding rare treasures – defeating these yields additional experience for hero.
In 2003 the community decided to make a modification focusing entirely on the heroes and creeps' concepts. The mod was called Defense of the Ancients (DotA), and it gave birth to the entire new video games genre – multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) – which received a lot of attention later on.
2. Warcraft III: Reforged
|Release date:
|Warcraft series - RTS
A remastered version of the original Warcraft III, Reforged is supposed to introduce new players to the classic Blizzard game series as well as play on the nostalgia and be a gift for the loyal fans who follow and support the company for more than two decades.
Apart from total graphics and music overhaul, Warcraft III: Reforged will include some additional content that will expand plot elements from the original game, developing the story of characters that became more prominent after the launch of World of Warcraft. Small changes to the original campaign are definitely a nice nod to the fans. The game will also have better-modding capabilities. After most fans expressed their concerned, Blizzard agreed to stick to the original voice actors from the original game.
3. Diablo 2
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Diablo 2 is another iconic title from Blizzard and a continuation of the events from the original Diablo.
The gameplay remained unchanged – it still focuses on murdering hordes of monsters, developing the character and finding the best equipment possible.
Diablo 2 is considered a much better version of the first game, as it is packed with much more content and has a lot more features. The main difference is the world itself – the game takes the player up from cathedral's hellish depths to the surface. But beware – it's just as dangerous as it was down there.
4. World of Warcraft
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|Warcraft series – MMORPG
World of Warcraft, despite its age, remains one of the most popular MMORPGs in the world.
Blizzard continuously provides players with new updates and brings the game to life with enormous expansion packs filled with brand-new content to explore and enjoy, making an impression of a never-ending adventure with all the raids, quests, dungeons, monsters, and the world itself.
The downside? It is a subscription-based game, but this is what allows Blizzard to keep developing this amazing title while maintaining its superb quality.
5. StarCraft
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StarCraft is a science-fiction RTS, which was considered by many journalists of the video game industry not only one of the best strategy games, but one of the best games ever made.
It was influential and significantly raised the bar for future RTS games, mainly due to the implementation of multiple playable factions, with each being played differently than the others – Zerg, Protoss, and Terrans.
6. Overwatch
|Release date:
Overwatch is something you wouldn't expect from Blizzard, yet it's here. It's a well-executed team-based multiplayer FPS, where two 6-player teams fight each other for dominance in fast-paced dynamic battles.
The game utilizes the hero concept – you can choose one of many available heroes divided into different roles, namely damage dealers, tanks, and support. Each hero has its own skillset, making it fun to discover all the possible synergies between different characters.
7. Diablo 3
|Release date:
|Diablo series – H&S
The long-forgotten series makes its comeback after 12 years since the release of the well-received sequel to the Diablo video game.
Once again you will need to face the Prime Evil and bring peace back to the mortal realm.
D3 received a general overhaul to the gameplay, as well as the much better, modern graphics, but the core of the game remained unchanged – it is still about killing tons of monsters to find the fanciest loot possible to be able to kill even stronger monsters.
8. StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty
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StarCraft 2, similarly to D3, is an old-time classic brought back to life.
Once again you will command Zerg, Protos, or Terrans trying to outplay your opponents by building the base, securing the resources, and commanding the recruited army to destroy the others, but this time in much more recent and detailed graphics. The game offers single-player campaigns, but it is multiplayer, where Starcraft 2 really shines.
9. Hearthstone
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|Warcraft series - CCG
Hearthstone is a fantasy online card game set in the Warcraft universe. It revolves around collecting cards of varying rarities, making decks out of them, and dueling other people doing the same.
Just like World of Warcraft, Hearthstone receives regular updates. These expansions are mainly introducing completely new cards to the game, but also feature balance changes to the existing cards to ensure no strategy is excessively powerful over the others. What makes the game better is its price – Hearthstone is free to play.
10. Diablo
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|diablo series - hack'n'slash
This is where Blizzard's story of the war between forces of Heaven and Hell in the realm of mortals began. In the undergrounds of Tristram's cathedral, unimaginable evil wakes from slumber.
As a brave adventurer, you will need to venture down below and confront the source of corruption lurking deep beneath the numerous randomly generated dungeons. Choose your class and slash through the hordes of terrifying demons. Collect equipment and grow in power.
11. Heroes of the Storm
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Heroes of the Storm is a multiplayer online battle arena – a genre started by W3 modification, as mentioned earlier. The game is played by two opposing 5-player teams, with each player commanding a different hero with its own unique skills.
All of the almost a hundred heroes, split into 6 different roles, are characters known from other Blizzard games, like Mephisto, Raynor, or Malfurion. HotS can be played casually for fun, or in a league where you need to advance to higher ranks while trying to beat better and more skillful players. The game provides a lot of fun, and it's free, so make sure to check it out.
Blizzard is a versatile company responsible for many different games representing a wide array of genres. Do you like hack and slashes? Pick up Diablo. Do you prefer turn-based card games? Give Hearthstone a try. Are you looking for a never-ending adventure in a fantasy world? Join the Alliance or the Horde in World of Warcraft MMO. There's something for everyone.
Many of the Blizzard titles became a huge success. It allows us to hope that Blizzard didn't say its last word yet, and it will flourish for many years to come, providing us with even more and even better games in the future.


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1 Log into your router with your username and password (default IP: 192.168.1.1 - default username/password: admin)
2 Click on "System Maintenance" and "Management" in the main menu on the left
3 Change the HTTP Port in the "Management Port Setup" pane from 80 to a different (such as 8080)
4 Click on "NAT" and "Port Redirection" in the main menu on the left
5 Click on an index with an unused service name (e.g. "1")
6 Tick the "Enable" box
7 Enter a name for the redirection (such as "cFos Personal Net") in the "Service Name" Field. Select "TCP" on the "Protocol" pull-down. Enter 80 in both "Public Port" and "Private Port" fields. Finally enter the (preferably static) IP of the computer cFos Personal Net is running on in the "Private IP" field
8 Click on the "OK" Button
Port forwarding is now configured for your computer!


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Once and a while I would bring up this issue in church classes. I got a couple of decent explanations, but nothing that definitively put the issue to rest. That all changed last Sunday in gospel doctrine class.
During our classroom discussion on the Fall, someone raised her hand and asked the ubiquitous question: Why were Adam and Eve forbidden to eat the fruit if it was supposed to happen? The teacher dutifully pointed out that it was not a sin, but a transgression. Yet like so many times before, my mild confusion persisted and I consigned myself to the fact that I will never know the answer in this life.
Then something significant happened.
The teacher went on to explain President Brigham Young's teaching on the earth moving away from the presence of God after the Fall. I knew about this teaching, but when she said it, a thought came to my mind. The thought was this: The Lord forbade Adam and Eve from taking the fruit because mortal beings cannot exist in His presence. In other words, when Adam and Eve ate the fruit, it started the process of transforming their bodies into a mortal state and mortal beings are forbidden from being in the Lord's presence. Thus forbidden refers more to the consequences of eating the fruit than to the act itself. For Adam and Eve to be in that heavenly sphere whilst being mortal was a transgression. Hence the earth was sent to a lower, telestial sphere appropriate for mortal beings.
It might help to think of it this way. Adam did not transgress a moral directive from the Lord. He transgressed a law of Heaven which states that mortal beings cannot be in His presence. This concept is consistent with the teaching that mortals who see God must undergo a physical change to withstand His presence. Such was the case with Moses and Joseph Smith.
I am grateful that I finally have my answer to this question.


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LEARN Web Event
Content with tag brain-based learning .
Understanding Brain Functioning and How it Applies in the Classroom
This workshop will review three key aspects of learning. First, we will identify which brain networks are involved in learning. In part, we will review brain plasticity and the role of emotions in learning. We will then discuss what can be done within the classroom environment to enhance activation of these networks. Lastly we will discuss factors that can hinder learning such as mindset, anxiety and attention. The goal of this workshop is to provide teachers with relevant neuroscience information to help create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and the brain.
November 24, 2015
Audience : All educators
Presenter Cindy Hovington, PhD. is the founder of Curious Neuron, a program that provides people with the necessary skills and knowledge related to the brain. They create customized private sessions for children, students and seniors as well as workshops for students, teachers and parents.


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JERUSALEM (AP) — A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed near Israel's main airport Tuesday, wounding one Israeli and prompting all U.S. and some European and Canadian airlines to cancel flights to Tel Aviv — a reflection of high anxiety over air travel after the downing of a Malaysian jet over Ukraine.
It was the latest blow to Israel on a day when it announced that an Israeli soldier went missing following a deadly battle in the Palestinian territory, where the Israelis are fighting Hamas militants in the third conflict in just over five years. With the casualty toll mounting on both sides, the international community has stepped up diplomatic efforts with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon meeting with Egyptian and Israeli officials in a bid to revive a cease-fire proposal that was rejected by Hamas.
Israel's Transportation Ministry called on the companies to reverse their decision, insisting the Ben-Gurion Airport is safe and completely guarded, saying there is no reason to "hand terror a prize" by halting the flights.
Palestinian militants have fired more than 2,000 rockets to Israel, and several heading toward the area of Ben-Gurion Airport have been intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defense system, but police spokeswoman Luba Samri said Tuesday's landing was the closet to the airport since fighting began on July 8.
The rocket heavily damaged a house and lightly injured one Israeli in Yehud, a Tel Aviv suburb near the airport, Samri said.
However, international airlines and passengers are growing more anxious about safety since last week, when a Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. While Hamas rockets aren't guided missiles, they still can cause massive damage to an aircraft. For instance, unguided mortar fire in Tripoli from a militia batting to control its international airport destroyed a $113 million Airbus A330 over the weekend, used by Libya's state-owned Afriqiyah Airways.
The Federal Aviation Administration told U.S. airlines they are prohibited from flying to the Tel Aviv airport in Israel for 24 hours starting Tuesday afternoon "due to the potentially hazardous situation created by the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza." Later, the European Aviation Safety Agency issued an advisory to airlines saying it "strongly recommends" airlines avoid the airport.
Germany's Lufthansa, Air France, Air Canada and Alitalia canceled flights to Tel Aviv over safety concerns amid the increasing violence. Dutch airline KLM also canceled Flight 461 from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv because of the unclear situation at and around the airport. Greece's Aegean Airlines also canceled flights from Athens and Iraklio to Tel Aviv on Tuesday and Wednesday, citing "operational reasons."
The disruption to air travel came as Israel is increasingly suffering from the effects of the war in Gaza after nearly two weeks of largely remaining insulated, as the air defense system dependably zapped incoming Hamas rockets from the skies and the military successfully repelled infiltration attempts on the ground and from the sea. That has changed since Israel launched a ground operation on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued to pummel a wide range of locations in Gaza and diplomatic efforts intensified to end the fighting that has killed at least 609 Palestinians and 29 Israelis — 27 soldiers and two civilians. The U.N. office of humanitarian affairs estimates that at least 75 percent of the Palestinian deaths were civilians, including dozens of children.
The fate of another Israeli soldier who went missing following a deadly battle in the Gaza Strip remained unknown, a defense official said Tuesday.
It was not immediately known if the missing soldier was alive or dead, the Israeli defense official told The Associated Press. The disappearance raised the possibility that he had been captured by Hamas — a nightmare scenario for Israel. In the past, Israel has paid a heavy price in lopsided prisoner swaps to retrieve captured soldiers or remains held by its enemies.
Military officials said the soldier, identified as Sgt. Oron Shaul, was among seven soldiers in a vehicle that was hit by an anti-tank missile during a battle in Gaza over the weekend. The other six have been confirmed as dead, but no remains have been identified as Shaul, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the incident with media.
Hamas' claimed earlier this week that it had captured an Israeli soldier. Israel's U.N. ambassador initially denied the claim but the military neither confirmed nor denied it.
A representative of Shaul's family, Racheli Gazit, said that "so as long as the verification has not been completed … as far as the family is concerned Oron is not a fallen soldier."
Abductions of Israeli soldiers have turned into drawn-out mediation in the past, with opponents leading to prisoner releases. In 2008, Israel released five Lebanese militants in exchange for the remains of two soldiers killed in the 2006 Lebanon war.
Also in 2006, Hamas-allied militants seized an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid and held him captive in Gaza until Israel traded more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for his return in 2011.
Hamas had threatened to kidnap more Israelis in the past and Israel says the militant group's attacks through tunnels that stretch into Israel are for this purpose.
Egypt, Israel and the U.S. back an unconditional cease-fire, to be followed by talks on a possible new border arrangement for Gaza. Israel and Egypt have severely restricted movement in and out of Gaza since Hamas seized the territory in 2007.
In Cairo, Ban and Kerry met Egyptian officials Tuesday in the highest-level push yet to end the deadly conflict. Ban then traveled to Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the international community to hold Hamas accountable for the latest round of violence, saying its refusal to agree to a cease-fire had prevented an earlier end to the fighting.
"What we're seeing here with Hamas is another instance of Islamist extremism, violent extremism that has no resolvable grievance," Netanyahu said at a joint press conference with Ban in Tel Aviv. He compared Hamas with al-Qaida and extremist Islamic militant groups in Iraq, Syria and Africa.
"Hamas is like ISIS, Hamas is like al-Qaida, Hamas is like Hezbollah, Hamas is like Boko Haram," he said.
Netanyahu was responding to a call by Ban that the sides address the root causes of the fighting and work toward bringing about a two-state solution.
"My message to Israelis and Palestinians is the same: stop fighting, start talking and take on the root causes of the conflict so we are not back to the same situation in another six months or a year," Ban said. Netanyahu responded that Hamas, a group whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel, does not want a two-state solution.
Hamas, with some support from Qatar and Turkey, wants guarantees on lifting the blockade before halting fire. The Islamic militant group has no faith in mediation by Egypt's rulers, who deposed a Hamas-friendly government in Cairo a year ago and tightened restrictions on Gaza — to the point of driving Hamas into its worst financial crisis since its founding in 1987.
The border blockade has set Gaza back years, wiping out tens of thousands of jobs through bans on most exports and imports of vital construction materials Israel says could be diverted by Hamas for military use. Israel allows many consumer goods into Gaza, but experts say Gaza's economy cannot recover without a resumption of exports.
Israel launched a massive air campaign on July 8 to stop relentless Hamas rocket fire into Israel. It expanded it on July 17 to a ground war aimed at destroying tunnels the military says Hamas has constructed from Gaza into Israel for attacks against Israelis. The military says Hamas has launched 2,000 rockets since the war began.
Overnight, the Israeli military said it bombed more than 180 militant targets in Gaza, including concealed rocket launchers, a weapon manufacturing facility and surface-to-surface missile launchers. Gaza police spokesman Ayman Batniji said mosques, a sports complex and the home of a former Hamas military chief were also hit.
Since the war began, Israel has struck almost 3,000 sites in Gaza, killed more than 180 armed Palestinians and uncovered 66 access shafts of 23 tunnels, the military said.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Story highlights
English club Chelsea confirm the signing of Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o
Eto'o joins from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala on a one-year contract
Striker spent a season under Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan
Together they shared an all-conquering season at Inter Milan, now Jose Mourinho and Samuel Eto'o are to be reunited in London.
The Cameroon striker will get his first taste of the English Premier League at the age of 32 after joining Chelsea from Anzhi Makhachkala.
Eto'o reportedly became the highest paid player in the world when he moved to the Russian club in 2011 but is the latest high-profile departure in the club's fire sale.
Anzhi announced their intention to cut costs earlier this month, with Willian joining Chelsea on Wednesday for a deal reported to be worth $46.5 million.
Read: Willian joins Chelsea as Bale switch moves closer
Now Eto'o has followed the Brazilian to London in a move which means Wayne Rooney's much-touted switch to Stamford Bridge from English champions Manchester United looks increasingly unlikely.
During their time at Inter, Mourinho and Eto'o won Serie A, the Italian Cup, and the European Champions League. Eto'o arrives at Chelsea as a four-time African Player of the Year.
"I am very happy to be here but also anxious because I want to get playing as soon as possible," he told Chelsea's official website.
"It wasn't a hard decision. I saw the qualities Chelsea have, and I was very happy with Jose Mourinho before, so when the opportunity came, I was very happy to take it."
Eto'o's career took off when he joined Spanish giants Barcelona in 2004, as he won three league titles and lifted the Champions League twice.
He found the net 152 times in 232 appearances for the Catalan club before he left to join Inter in 2009.
His move to Anzhi came as a surprise when it was announced in 2011, with reports claiming he was on a salary of $464,000 a week.
At the start of this month, the club said they would be aiming to save between $50-70 million dollars a year and sacked coach Rene Meulensteen after just two games in charge.
Eto'o is the latest in a line of high profile signings Chelsea have made since Mourinho returned to the club.
German international Andre Schurrle, Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, Croatia striker Stipe Perica and Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel have all arrived, leaving Mourinho with a wealth of options.