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Since the skin is the largest organ in the body, problems are quite common (especially with the way most of us mistreat our skin). Skin diseases are often not as serious as other health complications, but they provide visual cues to others that something is not right with our body. This can lead to uncomfortable get-togethers and embarrassing situations, so it's best to treat these skin diseases as soon as possible.
Funny how this inflammatory disease of the skin usually appears during adolescence, when people are at their most socially insecure. Not only do teenagers have to deal with raging hormones, but they also have to manage the various whiteheads and blackheads that literally sprout up overnight.
In medical terms, acne is an "inflammatory skin condition characterized by superficial skin eruptions caused by plugging of the pores." Acne can occur on any part of the body, although the face, chest, back, and upper arms are the most common locations. Acne affects a large percentage of the population at some stage in life, but adolescents are the largest group of people affected.
Although curing acne is extremely difficult, you can take certain measures to help reduce your acne:
- Use a mild soap and warm water (not hot-it can further irritate the skin) to gently cleanse the affected areas and to remove all dirt and make-up. Do this at least once a day and always after exercising. Using a clean washcloth each time will prevent a bacterial infection.
- Use caution when choosing a topical astringent. Astringents can help remove excess oil, but some can be irritating and dry your skin, further irritating it.
- Do not squeeze, scratch, or pick at the lesions (no matter how tempting it is!). Scarring, as well as a secondary infection, can result.
- Keep hair clean (shampoo daily if possible) and pulled back from your face. This is important while sleeping, too.
- Use only gentle, non-comedogenic beauty products. Many products can aggravate acne and irritate your skin further.
- Avoid over-exposure to the sun.
- Get adequate rest.
- Exercise regularly.
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a skin irritation characterized by red, flaky skin. It can occur in infants, children and adults. In many cases there is a family history of asthma, hay fever, or other allergy-related conditions.
Eczema lesions appear in several different forms: weeping sores, dry scaly patches, or chronic thickened areas. Because this is a chronic condition, the best home remedies for eczema are to eliminate those things that aggravate the symptoms:
- foods that cause allergic reactions
- clothing or other materials (bed clothes, towels, etc.) that irritate the skin
- scented soaps that tend to dry the skin
- temperature changes that can cause perspiration
- stress.
People suffering from eczema often have the urge to scratch the affected skin. While it may provide temporary relief, scratching will only damage the skin and exacerbate the problem.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease, characterized by silvery flaky patches of skin that are red and inflamed underneath. Commonly infected locations include the scalp, knees, elbows, and groin.
The disease is caused mainly by heredity and stress. The person often experiences periods of severe outbreaks and improvements. The outbreaks may be so severe that it interferes with the person's daily life.
Treatment for psoriasis occurs in steps based on the severity of the disease. There are three basic steps and consist of a topical application, UV therapy, and an oral medication or an injection to treat the immune system.
While most of the treatment depends on your doctor, you may be able to alleviate some of the discomfort of the disease:
- Some people find that adding oil when bathing and then moisturizing after can soothe the skin.
- Others believe that soaking in water with Epsom salt helps.
- Regularly applying a moisturizer to the skin may help.
UV light soothes the skin by killing off the cells in the immune system that are causing the disease. This may be the perfect excuse to get some sun.

subset: commoncrawl


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View clinical trials related to HIV Infections.Filter by:
To provide access to maraviroc to patients who have limited or no therapeutic treatment options and to collect more safety data in a broader patient population.
Ibalizumab is a humanized immunoglobulin G monoclonal antibody directed against a human T-cell receptor (CD4) and thus suppresses HIV replication by blocking entry of HIV into CD4+ lymphocytes. Ibalizumab has completed phase I and II clinical studies in HIV-negative and HIV-infected individuals showing safety and efficacy for suppressing HIV replication.
This is an open-label protocol designed to provide continued access to maraviroc to only those subjects who have completed previous studies of maraviroc and continue to receive clinical benefit.
The new protocol will allow the patients enrolled on A4001050 to have continuous access of Maraviroc and the treatment will not be interrupted until the drug is commercially available in India.
The investigators propose to treat couples who wish to have a child in which the man is HIV-positive and the woman is HIV-negative. The investigators call these couples HIV-discordant. On the average, an HIV-positive man, who does not participate in high-risk activities, will transmit HIV to a female partner one in every one thousand acts of intercourse without a condom. To reduce transmission of HIV, HIV-discordant couples are counseled to avoid intercourse altogether, or to use condoms during every act of intercourse. In order to have a child, these patients can use donor insemination. If they wish to have a natural child of the infected man, they can use a combination of medication of the man to reduce the amount of virus in his semen, and condom use except at the time of ovulation when the woman produces an egg. This reduces the chance of infecting the woman, but studies have shown that about 4% of women will be infected with HIV using this approach. Alternatively, they can use vitro fertilization (IVF) with intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in which eggs are collected from the woman after hormone-stimulation and are fertilized in the laboratory by injecting a single washed sperm from her husband into each egg. The resulting embryos can be transferred to the wife's uterus and/or frozen for later use. These procedures are believed to minimize the risk of HIV transmission (although the number of cases is low), but IVF-ICSI is very expensive and are not an option for everyone. A simpler method used for over 15 years in Europe is to collect the man's semen, wash the sperm in the laboratory, and test the sperm sample for HIV before placing it in the woman's uterus (intrauterine insemination; IUI). Although the risk of HIV transmission to the woman is presumably not zero with this method, over 4000 inseminations reported have not resulted in infection of any female patients or resulting children.
This study is being conducted to assess the safety and tolerability of an oral liquid solution of Sustiva for antiretroviral therapy-naive or therapy-experienced HIV-1 infected children between the ages 3-16 who are failing or intolerant of current antiretroviral regimen and who are unable to swallow Sustiva capsules.
This study is being conducted to assess the safety and tolerability of an oral liquid solution of Sustiva for antiretroviral therapy-naive or therapy-experienced HIV-1 infected children between the ages of 3-16 who are failing or intolerant of their current antiretroviral regimen and who are unable to swallow Sustiva capsules.
The purpose of this clinical research study is to provide atazanavir to patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) whose antiviral medications are no longer working to control HIV activity within the body and who are unable to create a new treatment regimen using other available anti-HIV drugs, because of either side effects or treatment failure previously taken. The safety of this treatment will also be studied.


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[intro-text size="25px"]Hey ya'll, it's your pal Chad Weaver here. I know summer's over, but that doesn't mean the heat has to end. That's right. I'm talking about dating, about smooching, about curling up next to a fire with that hunk of rotting meat you call a soulmate.
What's that? You're saying, "But Chad, what if I don't have anyone who once was dust and will become dust again to love?" Well it's okay, because nothing matters except death, but also because I'm here for you with some dating tips to keep that summer love burning all the way into the fall.[/intro-text]
Chad Weaver's Smokin' Hot Dating Tip #1:
Listen boys and girls, it's simple, you just have to find someone you can unabashedly be yourself around, and then gather up the courage and ask them out. It's hard to trust that there's someone out there for you, but there is, and once you find them, it's all about letting them know how you feel. Trust me, I know. There's a girl who I can always drop all pretense around and really be myself. I've never told her, but hey, do as I say not as I do!
Chad Weaver's Blazin' On Fire Dating Tip #2:
If you're having trouble finding someone, don't just go out to the bars. Join a group focused on a hobby you enjoy. Chances are you'll find someone you like while you're doing something you like…Huh? Why haven't I ever told her? I don't know. I guess it just never felt like the right time.
Chad Weaver's Uncontrollable Wildfire Dating Tip #3:
Can't seem to catch the eye of the lad or lass of your fancy? Don't worry, all you have to do is—Say what? No, no I couldn't just go to her out of the blue and tell her that she's the one. Well of course I know we're all going to die so nothing matters. So why not? I don't…I just don't know…
Chad Weaver's The Great Chicago Fire Dating Tip #4:
If everything else fails just whip out your—YOU KNOW WHAT? FUCK IT. You're right, I'm going to her house right now and telling her I love her!
Chad Weaver's Smouldering Coals Dating Tip #5:
Chad Weaver's Tire Fire Dating Tip #6:
So yeah, her boyfriend was there, and as you can see, I don't think it's gonna work out. Just have sex with whoever you can whenever you can.


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Help law enforcement curb online violent radical recruiters
Violent religious and political radicals are increasingly using the Internet to spread their message of harm and to recruit unsuspecting young people to their heinous cause. Specific events are exceedingly uncommon, but when they occur, law enforcement commonly tracks some of these cases to an online source of religious or political radicalization.
Becoming radicalized online and posting, possessing, or espousing extremist views are not necessarily criminal activities. Under the First Amendment, individuals are granted freedom of speech, religion, and the press. As long as these individuals do not partake in, conspire to engage in, or facilitate the engagement of acts of violence or commit other crimes in support of violent acts, individuals and groups espousing even the most radical of views are protected under the constitution.
That being said recruitment to violent criminal activity is a preventable problem.
In American Christian communities, hardline political themes and anti-minority, anti-Muslim, or antisemitic rhetoric may be employed by violent anti-government groups to recruit followers to the path of domestic terrorism. These highly armed and organized groups though small in number, represent one of the greatest threats to both law enforcement safety and domestic homeland security today.
Domestic radicalization in the Islamic community is also exceedingly rare. However, when it does manifest, the sources of radicalization is typically from outside the United States. Overseas based predators may utilize familiar and sacred religious symbols and events like references to the "Shahada" or the Prophet Muhammad's (sws) "Hijrah" (journey to escape religious persecution) from Mecca to Medina to lure susceptible young people into traveling to join the ranks of overseas violent extremist groups like Daesh, also known as ISIS.
Like sexual predators, unbeknownst to families, violent radical recruiters reach into homes through Internet blogs, chat rooms and online forums. These pariahs commonly make use of social naiveté and isolation, employing social, political and religious dissimulation to draw in their victims.
Having computer access limited to public areas of your home is one step to limit your families exposure to everything from indecent online content to the increasing danger of violent radical recruitment.
Help assist our law enforcement agencies by identifying these online threats and in turn insulating the minds of our young people from the poisonous and unGodly message of these monsters.
If you come across a suspected online violent radical predator, please email us at email@example.com. This information will then be forwarded to law enforcement personnel for further assessment and investigation. If you so desire, this information can also be forwarded anonymously. Together we can all be a part of keeping our children and young adults safe from the destructive message of violent religious and political radicals.
Violent Extremist material online could include:
- articles, images, speeches or videos that encourage hate or violence
- statements or posts made on social media, chat rooms or blogs that encourage hate or violence
- content encouraging people to commit acts of terrorism
- websites created or hosted by terrorist organisations
- terrorist training materials
- suspicious content regarding use or sale of chemicals or weapons online, associated with violent rhetoric
- videos or images of terrorist attacks


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Great food from all over Great Britain is gathered together at Scoff & Banter in Bloomsbury, where you can find Great Britain on a plate or over the course of a relaxed afternoon tea. Stop by their Great Russell Street address for some true British soul food – no fusion, fuss or frippery in Scoff & Banter's traditional British menus. Just exceptional ingredients, sourced with care and cooked with passion and skill. The cooking speaks for itself when it comes to traditional British cuisine, making Scoff & Banter Bloomsbury a wonderful place to eat in London – especially for afternoon tea. Check out the classics on their drinks list, prepare to be swayed by their signatures – thirst-quenching, lip-smacking creations that set you up for a hearty British meal. Scoff & Banter make dining fun again – and British.
Food sounds delicious?
Get a table before they're gone
Lovely restaurant, quiet and intimate for a relaxed dinner and conversation. Prices are good and the staff is brilliant. The only downside is the food - considering this is a restaurant, I'm afraid this is an important point. I understand having burger and fish&chips in the menu, as the restaurant is connected to a hotel that might have foreigners wanting to try some traditional dishes. However, the other options weren't special at all... I ordered a chicken that sounded great on the menu, but was surprised by a fried chicken kiev in a wooden board with chips in a tin. My partner chose a cheese & broccoli pie and also received a blant dish that looked like it was frozen - and in the same wooden board. It's all very confusing. Both the food and the presentation simply don't go with the place - the restaurant looks cosy and classy, the food looks (and tastes) as it was brought from the pub in the corner. The exception was the desserts, that were really nice. Wine was also good. It wasn't a bad experience at all, just not what I was expecting. I might go back and give it another try eventually, but not anytime soon.
Great food, we had the buffet, service by one gent very good when he finished no service at all


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No matter how much the corporate world changes, one thing remains true. A lot of networking continues to take place at golf courses. So why not choose apartments for rent in Kendall that put those types of networking opportunities within reach of your fingertips? Or should we say within hitting distance of your nine irons? With that said, here's a quick look at four places within the Kendall area that are perfect for puttering your way to the top:
Briar Bay Golf Course (SW 134th Street)
If you are worried about time but desperately need to get on the links, try Briar Bay. It features 9 holes and boasts a twilight league. There are generous opportunities to practice your game and network with like-minded executives. Plus, golf carts, clubs and lessons are available on the spot too.
Palmetto Golf Course (SW 52nd Street)
Do you prefer an 18 hole course complete with an onsite pro shop and restaurant? If that's the case, the Palmetto Golf Course may be for you. You should plan on spending at least three hours getting through the course, pro shop and lunch at the club.
Miccosukee Golf & Country Club (Kendale Lakes Drive)
When you want to play more than 18 holes, we'd suggest checking out the Miccosukee Golf & Country Club. Located near a gaming casino and resort, it has 27 holes and innumerable sports-focused amenities. Examples include a pro shop and practice greens that are open well into the evening hours. Of course, you could also hit the slot machines or gambling tables too.
Killian Greens Golf Club (SW 104th Street)
Finally, we can't disregard Killian Greens. It's an 18-hole course with other onsite activities meant to keep executives busy. For instance, there are opportunities to play on an American FootGolf course and network in the venue's restaurant. This course even boasts a full service car wish, so you can leave the course looking brand new.
To learn more about our apartments for rent in Kendall within driving distance of area golf courses, please contact us today!


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One person has died following a three vehicle collision on the Glenshane Pass on Wednesday, The News Letter understands.
A woman was airlifted from the scene and taken to hospital in Belfast.
The woman's injuries were described as "very serious" by a source.
A number of other people were also injured in the crash, which took place near the Ponderosa public house, just outside Dungiven.
"The road is expected to remain closed for several more hours while police conduct a full and thorough investigation into the exact circumstances of the collision," said a PSNI spokesperson.
READ MORE - Glenshane Crash - Woman airlifted to hospital


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Pain Below Sternum
The Most Common Reason for Pain Below the Sternum
Often, pain below the sternum is attributed to gallstones or even indigestion. While gallstones and gall bladder problems are certainly common for many people, the pain is generally located below and to the right of the sternum. It is quite likely though, that if you are experiencing a burning pain below the sternum, it may be the result of peptic stomach ulcer disease. This article addresses this common ailment's causes, symptoms, and possible treatments that you and your doctor can discuss.
This article was not designed to replace good medical consult. If you are experiencing any pain in your chest, or pain that won't go away or returns frequently, you should seek medical attention immediately, as it may be the sign of a severe complication.
Peptic Stomach Ulcer Disease
Peptic ulcers are quite common and affect up to 10% of all Americans at one point or another in their lives. These ulcers are open sores inside of you that develop and form along the inner lining of your esophagus, stomach lining, or even the upper part of your small intestines.
Most people mistakenly attribute peptic ulcers to lifestyle issues, most commonly high stress and spicy food that the body can't process well. While these things can certainly add to the condition, ulcers are actually caused by certain medications you may be taking as well as bacterial infections. The bacterium to blame is the corkscrew shaped one called Helicobacter pylori.
It should be noted that the ulcers are often connected to and can cause other conditions, such as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).
There are several symptoms associated with peptic stomach ulcer disease. Most commonly, the main symptom is a burning pain that can be felt from the stomach all the way up to the breastbone. This pain below the breastbone occurs if the ulcer in question is affecting the esophagus—a very common problem.
This pain can be further identified by certain characteristics it may exhibit. For instance, pain of this sort will normally flare up at night or grow in intensity if you've not eaten recently. In addition to this, the pain will come back again and again, despite the use of antacids and other medications. It may also last anywhere from just a few minutes to several long, grueling hours.
Other symptoms may be present as well, although they are not as common. Some people with pain below the sternum due to ulcers experience drastic appetite changes, weight loss, nausea that may result in vomiting up dark red or black blood. You may also experience bowel movements that contain this dark colored blood.
Seeking medical attention and proper treatment is incredibly important. If left untreated, a hole may develop in your inner lining and infection may spread to your abdominal cavity. In addition to this, scar tissue may develop that can block off part of your digestive track. Also, internal bleeding resulting in the need for a transfusion may also occur. Because of this, treatment is necessary, as this problem cannot be dealt with at home.
When treating this problem, your doctor will use a two-way attack. The first step for your doctor is to kill the Helicobacter pylorus that is causing the problem to begin with. After that, your doctor can begin to focus on reducing the amount of acid in your system. Lowering your acid levels will help ease the pain for you and greatly improve the rapidity of the healing process.
Generally a few medications are required to accomplish this, but no less than two. You will start off with an antibiotic to kill the actual bacteria, and then your doctor will determine the proper medication to help with blocking the acid.


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Fillydelphia, We are GO!
Hello, and welcome to Fillydelphia. The site is currently up, and ready to go. A lot of framework has been laid. Our current features which are the main focus of this page are of course, the Chat room, and a complimentary forum as well. Feel free to make yourself at home. Do read the rules first, of course, but the main point of coming here, well, is to have fun, and share the magic of friendship with each other! I look forward to meeting you all soon, and hope to provide an experience in roleplaying to the community, like no other!
- Login to post comments


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Mercury Full Movie Download Free 720p Download Mercury in small size single direct link .
Mercury 2018 Overview
There's alike a moment breadth Gorda is talking to Peggy Najarra Townsend and says Im not aggravating to complete like a mother hen, but that's absolutely who she is appear her friends, and its a admirable thing.
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Mercury 2018 File Detail
1. Movie Name : Mercury 2018
2. Movie Cast : Gajaraj, Ramya Nambeeshan, Prabhudheva
3. Movie Size : 1.5 GB
4. Movie Quality : 720p Small Size
5. Movie Language : Tamil
6. Movie Genre : Drama, Thriller
7. Movie Rating :
Mercury Full Movie Download Free 720p
Mercury Full Movie Download Free 720p .There's alike a moment breadth Gorda is talking to Peggy Najarra Townsend and says Im not aggravating to complete like a mother hen", but that's absolutely who she is appear her friends, and it's a admirable thing. She's a calm, graceful, caring, and adorning woman, all qualities that accomplish the battle aural her and Jack's accord sadder.Mercury revolves about three Chicago couples who all accumulate at a alien Michigan berth to absorb a weekend together. Naturally, this acts as a agitator for a accomplished alternation of discussions about life, their relationships, and the secrets abounding of the bodies in them are befitting from anniversary other.There's a assertive amusement and acquaintance for admirers of Chicago film, but there's little abroad to like. Isabelle and Richard are the ones who abnormally appear beyond as caricatures, with Richard's amusing adulthood and Isabelle actuality depicted as little added than a French stereotype. One affair in the movie's favor is that Mesquida, the extra who plays Isabelle, is absolutely from there, so at atomic audiences don't acquire to ache through addition abhorrent apery of a French accent.Mercury is a South Indian accessible Tamil bashful abstruseness cine accounting and directed by Karthik Subbaraj.For any accessible directors, cementing their position in the industry will be the aboriginal and foremost aim. But actuality is a youngster who is accessible to accomplish a bashful film, who is aloof three movies old. Mercury Full Movie Download Free 720p .


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RBA material in French restored to the site. Click here.
Child time
ChildTime This chart shows how time feels MUCH longer to children than adults. It should be on the wall of every courtroom and every government office where the well-being of children is addressed. Also listed in publications.
The Architecture of Accountability: For Funders and Other Complex Organizations
Introduction: This paper presents a view of accountability based on the relationship between types of organizations. This does not replace, but rather complements and contains, the traditional view based on political and organizational hierarchy. The type-of-organization structure allows us to see clearly the corresponding structure of quality of life indicators and different levels of performance measures. Placing these relationships in …
OBA response to the June 2016 special edition of "The View"
Open Letter 28 July 2016 Brendan McDonnell Editor of the "Impact Special" publication of the "View" Community Evaluation NI 129 Ormeau Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT7 1SH The June 2016 issue of "The View" includes several articles critical of the Northern Ireland government's decision to use Outcomes-Based Accountability (OBA) in its Programme for Government. I think it is important to encourage …
Dorset OBA Webinar
On July 13th, FPSI conducted an OBA webinar with the senior staff of Dorset County Council. The 1:25 hr webinar was recorded via Gotomeeting and is available for viewing at: https://vimeo.com/clearimpact/review/174771403/0b3a833ba3 Note that there are some rough edges to this video which we expect to be edited in the coming weeks. For more information on this event contact [email protected]
"Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough" book sales reach 50,000!
I am very pleased to announce that Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough book sales have reached 50,000. And I'm very grateful to everyone (around the world) who has helped get us to this milestone. The graph below shows cumulative sales from the book's release in September 2005. I have added a line marking the very unusual straight line growth …
Turning Curves: An Accountability Companion Reader – Table of Contents
Here is a listing of the 80+ essays included in the new RBA companion reader. Go to the Publications page "Main Characters" for a link to the amazon listing for this book. Expected release week of Dec 14th.
10th Anniversary Edition of Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough
The Fiscal Policy Studies Institute (FPSI) and the Results Leadership Group (RLG) are pleased to announce the release of the 10th Anniversary edition of "Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough." You can read more about the book and at http://bit.ly/1PNPQdW The press release will go out on September 8th. I'm hoping that many of you will post (or re-post) a review …
The Sorting Exercise & Card Decks
This is a popular exercise from the Training for Trainers and Coaches workshop. Graduates from that class often ask where they can get the card decks so they can print them for their own use. Here are the exercise instructions and links to the card decks. Note that the card decks are provided in Word format so that you can change …
CNBC Africa Interview & New Version 5 of the Selected FB Essays
CNBC Africa interview with Mark Friedman: This 12 minute inteview provides a surprisingly compact introduction to RBA. The interview took place as part of the RBA Africa Summit in Johannesburg Oct 1 – 10, 2014 RBA Facebook Selected Essays for Discussion v5 This is a collection of some of the more important postings to the RBA/OBA Facebook Group.


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More Resources on Soteriology: The Biblical Doctrine of Salvation
More Resources on Ecclesiology: The Doctrine of the Church
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I. Exposition
The book of Acts clearly teaches and models by example aggressive evangelism for every church member;[i] all should go "every where preaching the word" (Acts 8:4), with the goal of preaching to "every creature which is under heaven" (Ephesians 1:23; Mark 16:15), that is, giving clear presentations of the gospel[ii] to every single person on the face of the earth. House to house evangelism is the explicit pattern of the book of Acts.[iii] In Acts 5:42 the apostles "daily in the temple, and in every house, [] ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."[iv] The preaching was persistent (5:42, "daily") and sought to reach every single person, "every creature" (Mark 16:15), in an area (Acts 21:28). They sought, successfully, to make sure that "all they which dwelt" in the local area would "hear the word of the Lord Jesus" (19:10), something possible only if particular efforts were made to systematically reach every household; if church members only witnessed to their friends, neighbors, coworkers, and whoever else just came along the way as they pursued other matters, having "all" in an area hear would never happen. They did not evangelize in public forums and go house to house only a few weeks a year to advertise Vacation Bible School or a special meeting, but consistently and continually.
Nor did New Testament evangelism rest satisfied if a person made some kind of decision that did not lead to evidence of repentance and a new heart; in Acts, people who made salvation decisions were baptized and continued in the faith even under persecution, so that those who were "saved" were also "added to the church" (Acts 2:41-47). The kind of preaching of repentance and faith (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21) found in Scripture leads to converts that stick. The modern practice of leading countless people to make spurious decisions actually is doing the work of the devil in inoculating people to the true gospel. In the New Testament, numbers of stand-alone professions were not counted, but numbers added to the church roll through baptism and enduring faithfully in sound doctrine and practice (Acts 1:15; 2:4; 4:4, 32; 16:5). The Holy Spirit works in the saved to join the church by baptism and continue in holiness and true doctrine (Acts 2:47; Matthew 10:22; Mark 4:17, 20; 1 John 2:19). The apostles considered someone who made a decision but did not continue as "labour in vain" (Galatians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), in which they followed the practice of the Lord Jesus (John 8:31-32).[v] They were not considered genuine converts who just never followed their "Lord." When Paul's own converts were baptized church members who were themselves "holding forth the word of life" (Philippians 2:16) and by this means "shin[ing] as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15),[vi] then the apostle had confidence that he could "rejoice in the day of Christ, that [he] had not run in vain, neither labored in vain" (Philippians 2:16). The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is to see people born again or made disciples, baptized into the church, and taught everything in Scripture, including the necessity of winning converts themselves and working to see established churches grow and new churches planted. Only when a convert has come to the point where he is himself making disciples has the Comission been fulfilled, and this, not some sort of "decision for Christ" that does not lead to baptism and a changed and consistent Christian life, must be the goal of Biblical house to house evangelism.
Apostolic preaching "in every house" must have referred to house to house evangelism,[vii] not to holding church meetings in the houses of the already converted. The context of Acts chapter five involves the apostles preaching the gospel to "the people" (from the Hebrew ha'am, MDoDh), that is, lost Israelites, and v. 42 is a continuation of this action; v. 42 involves the type of evangelistic preaching that had just taken place in Acts 5:30-33. In 5:20, the preaching in the "temple" was evangelism, preaching "the words of this life." Every residence in Jerusalem obviously did not have believers in it, so preaching in "every house" supports bringing the gospel to the residences of the unconverted. The fact that this evangelistic preaching (euangelidzo) took place every single day (pasan te hemeran) and it was continuing to be so (note the imperfect tense of epausanto) also is more suitable to reaching the lost than it is to church meetings every single day of the year for a long period of time. Furthermore, the same sort of preaching and teaching took place in the temple and in the houses; since the temple preaching, contextually, was almost surely evangelistic to reach the lost, the house to house proclamation would have been the same. Finally, "preach" in v. 42 is not kerusso, but euangelidzo, which indicates that specific evangelizing or preaching of the gospel, rather than the simple proclamation of Biblical truths, is in view in this text; they were evangelizing in the temple and in every house.
Acts 20:20-21 also refers to house to house evangelistic preaching of repentance toward God and faith toward Christ to unconverted Jew and Gentile. "Publickly" refers to preaching in the temple, synagogues, and wherever else a crowd can be gathered; it is mass evangelism of large groups at one time, similar to modern street preaching and tract distribution in public areas. The same word in Acts 18:28 refers to "showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ . . . in the synagogue" (v. 28, 26). "House to house" refers to systematically reaching every residence in an area with the gospel. The Greek structure[viii] in the verse is never used for church meetings in Scripture. Verse twenty-one refers to "testifying"[ix] to Jews and Greeks "the gospel of the grace of God" (v. 24). The overwhelmingly majority usage of the Greek word "testify" in Luke-Acts speaks of evangelism (Luke 16:28; Acts 2:40; 8:25; 10:42; 18:5; 20:24; 23:11; 28:23), and Luke never uses the word to refer to preaching in church assemblies. Acts 20:20-21 indicate that Paul taught the elders at Ephesus to practice house to house soulwinning. To attempt to interpret the text otherwise would require it to refer simply to the teaching of Jew and Gentile elder within the Ephesian church the necessity of daily repentance and every-increasing faith in Christ. It would also make this sort of testifying about repentance and faith in the Christian life the essence of Paul's ministry (v. 24). It would ignore the fact that the "Jew . . . Greek" distinction is contrasted with the church (1 Corinthians 10:32). It would make Paul's action in the verse be the preaching of repentance and faith, not to lost people who came to church meetings, nor to normal church members, even, but specifically to the leadership, which, one would trust, would have a very high percentage of genuine converts[x] and would need evangelistic preaching the least, and which is contrary to the emphasis in his letters to pastoral leadership (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus). Paul was "pure from the blood of all men" (Acts 20:26) because he sought to reach all of them, not just the tiny minority that would want to visit Christian church services. He carefully and clearly presented to the lost the counsel of God concerning their souls,[xi] house to house, and he taught others to do the same. Going house to house is God's will (v. 27).
Commentaries support the concept of house to house visitation in Acts 5:42 and 20:20, rather than church meetings in houses:[xii]
"Every day, with great constancy and assiduity, both publicly and privately; in the temple, the place of public worship, where the Jews resorted on that account; and in each of their private houses . . . they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, by John Gill, Acts 5:42)
"The apostles taught and preached not only publicly in the temple, but 'from house to house.' In this they give an example to the ministry of all ages, which is well worthy of imitation. Private instruction and admonition bring the teacher and the taught into closer contact, and secure an individuality of effect not attainable in a public assembly. It can not, therefore, be well dispensed with; but he who employs it most diligently will, other things being equal, employ his energies most successfully." (Commentaries and Topical Studies by J. W. McGarvey, Acts 5:42)
"Though Paul preached in public, and though his time was much occupied in manual labour for his own support, Ac 20:34, yet he did not esteem his public preaching to be all that was required of him; nor his daily occupation to be an excuse for not visiting from house to house. We may observe here . . . that Paul's example is a warrant and an implied injunction for family visitation by a pastor. If proper in Ephesus, It is proper still. If practicable in that city, it is in other cities. If it was useful there, it will be elsewhere. If it furnished to him consolation in the retrospect when he came to look over his ministry, and if it was one of the things which enabled him to say, 'I am pure from the blood of all men,' it will be so in other cases. . . . His aim was to show the way of salvation, and to teach in private what he taught in public. . . . while public preaching is the main, the prime, the leading business of a minister, and while his first efforts should be directed to preparation for that, he may and should find time to enforce his public instructions by going from house to house; and often he will find that his most immediate and apparent success will result from such family instructions." (Barnes' Notes, Acts 20:20)
"It is worth noting that this greatest of preachers preached from house to house." (Robertson's Word Pictures, Acts 20:20)
"Did an apostle, whose functions were of so wide a range, not feel satisfied without private as well as public ministrations? How then must pastors feel?" (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Acts 20:20)
"From house to house. Else he had not been pure from their blood. For even an apostle could not discharge his duty by public preaching only. How much less can an ordinary pastor!" (Notes on the Old and New Testaments, John Wesley, Acts 20:20).
The specific illustrations in the book of Acts, given for the saints' examples and admonition, in addition to the general exhortations found throughout the Bible, including the Old Testament (Proverbs 11:30, Daniel 12:3, etc.), to give the gospel to every creature, and the logical necessity, for those with a Christ-like love for the unconverted (John 3:16; cf. Romans 9:1-3), for aggressive evangelism because of the fact that all without Christ are headed to eternal torment, renders inexcusable the churches and all Christians not bedridden and crippled that do not go house to house in nations such as the United States, where the chances of imprisonment or martyrdom for such a labor of love are essentially non-existent—first century Rome heavily persecuted believers, yet house to house evangelism was still practiced by all members.[xiii] Saints who do not aggressively evangelize grievously sin against God, hinder the sort of revival found in Acts, and apparently do not esteem the blood of Christ highly enough to simply inform others, in line with the Savior's command, of the great salvation their professed Lord had to leave heaven and suffer infinitely to make possible.
II. Application
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).
This record of the final command of the Lord to His church is not an option. While it is certainly a church command, doubtless the imperative of reaching every creature falls upon all those who are members of His assembly. The imperative is repeated in the other gospels: "Go ye . . . teach" (Matthew 28), "repentance and remission of sins should be preached" (Luke 24). The version of the Commission in John is notable: "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained" (John 20:23). When the saints faithfully preach the gospel, men believe, and their sins are remitted them. In this sense, believers do remit the sins of the lost. Compare Jude 22-23: "of some have compassion, making a difference [distinction]: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire." The believer is the subject of the verb "save." We save people in a certain sense, when we preach the gospel to them; and when we fail to fulfill our duty to do so, we retain their sins. What a responsibility Christ gives His church in John 20:23: "whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained"! They are damned because of us. We are accountable for the fact that they will suffer unspeakable, everlasting torment in unquenchable fire forever and ever. Some, "shall be tormented with fire and brimstone . . . And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night" (Revelation 14:10-11), because of us. They weep, and wail, and suffer there, because we would not remit their sins. We were afraid to speak out boldly to them. We had our reasons to not go door to door. We had something else to do, so we did not go out soulwinning—and they will writhe, and cry, and drown in the lake of fire forever because of this something else that we made a higher priority. Paul states this truth as well. Because the apostle had "taught you publickly [mass evangelism], and from house to house [canvassing every person in the area], Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," because he had been faithful to "testify the gospel of the grace of God," he was "pure from the blood of all men." (Acts 20:20-26). He was not responsible for the blood of their eternal damnation. How much better to kill a man physically, yea, to expose him to the worst of earthly torments, than to be responsible for drowning him in everlasting perdition. The physical murder will last only a few moments—his spiritual murder will last forever. Had Paul not been faithful in going house to house, and doing mass evangelism "publickly," the blood of the lost would be on his hands. Allusion is made to Ezekiel 3:18; 33:8: "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. . . . When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand." If I do not evangelize as God has instituted—publically, and house to house—the blood of the lost will be required at my hand! Will countless souls rise up before me at judgment, and say, as they each pass groaning away before my eyes, "You retained my sins—I am here because of you—I am going to burn forever because you skipped out on door to door that week—I am here because you left early, and did not put in the hours regularly into evangelism that you ought to have—I am here because you did not carry tracts that one time—I am here because you were not filled with the Spirit, and so did not speak as you ought to have, nor been as urgent with me as you should have, when you spoke to me—I am here because you did not know how to deal with my spiritual problem, and did not use the verses you should have—I am here because you used shallow, non-convicting tracts—I am here because you, and your church, did not follow Biblical methodology—how many lost will point at me, and with voices filled with both despair—for it is now too late for them—and just anger, give me the undeniable accusation, "I AM DAMNED, AND MY BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS, BECAUSE YOU, YOU FAILED TO OBEY CHRIST'S COMMAND TO REACH ME!" We rightly view the mass-murderer, the serial killer, as one of the vilest of men—what multitudes, oh my soul, have I killed, what multitudes of sins have I retained, what legions of "true worshippers" (John 4:23) have I prevented from coming to know God, and offering Him glory forever, and so what infinite quantities of glory have I robbed from Jehovah?
It is no excuse if others around me are committing the same sin likewise. It is no excuse that many who go house to house also slaughter souls by their failure to properly interpret Scripture, by practicing easy-prayerism and generating false professions, or the like. Do few faithfully fulfill their evangelistic duty in my church? Their disobedience does not justify mine. Indeed, it makes it all the more necessary that I be on my guard to not wretchedly commit soul-manslaughter. It is necessary that I stand in the gap and set the right example, and thus seek to keep my brethren in Christ from having blood on their hands, rather than giving in to general apathy and allowing that to lull me to sleep.
We are very busy. We can convince ourselves—and the flesh will delight in it—that we are really fulfilling our duty when we pass out tracts to people we come across. However, "every creature" is the command, and that requires a systematic method of seeking to reach every single person in our area, which is not possible without going house to house (as well as using the tracts, which is the "publicly" portion of Acts 20). We may even be discouraged from going because of the necessity to perform lesser, though important, goods, from doing chores, doing physical labor for the church, doing non-evangelistic but spiritual work in the church, and so on. We absolutely must not allow these things to prevent us from getting out and reaching "every creature." The cost is far too high—the awful guilt of having on our hands the blood of lost souls!
Furthermore, not having an organized soulwinning program in a church, with specific listed days and times to go out and preach the gospel, is a very bad idea. It makes many more people guilty of this terrible sin of soul manslaughter. This brings the judgment of God upon the congregation and the individuals guilty of this, instead of His blessing. Since Scripture declares that "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise," and "they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" (Proverbs 11:30; Daniel 12:3), it also deprives people of immeasurable eternal reward. One learns how to deal with people's souls by doing it, so not doing it also prevents parents from knowing how to effectively deal with their own children, making them more likely to bring their offspring to false conversion, and having them lost to the world. It also prevents saved young people—and adults—from developing the spiritual toughness, tenacity, and boldness that comes from having to take a stand for Christ at doors and speak to people there. It is easier to take a stand against the world in other areas when one is regularly taking a stand against it by preaching the gospel to it. Churches that do not go soulwinning should, therefore, expect to lose more, likely many more, young people to the world and to neo-evangelicalism. People are also deprived of ability to do ministry; fulfilling the Great Commission really is the definition of what ministry is (cf. Philippians 2:22; 4:3). Church unity is weakened by not having soulwinning; the saints are bound closer together when they participate in evangelism together, communally face the opposition of the world, and experience their Savior's consolation in their obedience. It makes it easier for someone who does not want to follow God to feel comfortable in church every week, which is a bad thing. It brings the loss of the power of the Spirit, for He empowers for the purpose of producing boldness in evangelism (Acts 1:8). Revival should not be expected. Fewer prayers are answered. How can men lift up "holy hands, without wrath and doubting" (1 Timothy 2:8) when those uplifted hands are dripping with the blood of damned souls (Ezekiel 33:8; Acts 20:26)? It reproduces a bad model for ministry, as young people who are future preachers and leaders do not learn how to properly win souls, and so will fail to lead churches they will pastor or otherwise lead in the future to obey God in this area, so disobedience and all the ruin it causes will multiply over time. Conviction in soulwinning does not develop in a vacuum—the flesh very easily slips away from obedience in this matter, and pastors very rarely have pressure from the congregation to go door to door—the pressure is almost always to drop or decrease or minimize it, so if passion for reaching every household in a community is not deeply ingrained in young people, they will not do it later. A wrong view of church growth methodology also results—when we do not follow Scripture by reaching "every creature" in the world by going "publicly and house to house," we adopt a system where inviting visitors becomes the main focus, and church services are changed from being for the purpose of edifying the saints who will them themselves go out into the world to do ministry—the Biblical pattern, Eph 4:11-12 (the pastor/teacher is given to perfect the saints, and the saints do ministry), to a model where church services are designed to evangelize the lost instead of edifying the saved. (Of course, it is not bad for the lost to come to church, nor to evangelize the lost that do come, but that is not the focus in Scripture for the assembly of the saints.) This inviting-the-lost-in model, versus the go-out-and-preach model of the Bible, is the root of the "seeker sensitive" megachurch, Rick Warren, neo-evangelical model that has destroyed many fundamental churches. Indeed, the distinguishing marks of the two churches in Revelation 2-3 that were not going bad were evangelism and the reciept of persecution (Revelation 2:8-11; 3:7-13)—and the latter tends to come with the former, 2 Timothy 3:12; cf. Acts 7:59; 28:20. In short, when we don't have organized, aggressive soulwinning going out to reach "every creature," where we don't strongly preach that everyone should be going door to door, as well as speaking to neighbors, friends, etc. (and we will be much less effective with the neighbors and friends without the experience from speaking to others), God is not properly glorified, saints lose out on eternal reward, saints do not grow on earth as they should, and the lost are not saved as they could be—it is an unutterable tragedy.
What can we do? First, we must constantly make sure that we as individuals do not become apathetic, and that we put the time into reaching the lost that is requisite to be fully obedient to God. We should not let a week go by without getting out there and putting serious time into that final, great command Christ gave us before He ascended to heaven. Second, we should try to bring as many people along with us, and strive to convey to them a passion for evangelism, as we can. If we are in a leadership position, we can, indeed, we must, make sure that organized efforts for weekly house to house evangelism are going on, must preach strongly the necessity of participating in soulwinning, and must set the example of passionate obedience in this area ourselves. We must make sure we have the love of Christ for the lost in us, the love that led Him to even suffer the horrors of infinite wrath (Matthew 27:46) to save them, and that will move us to do our part to reach them, and convey it to others. If we have "great heaviness and continual sorrow in [our] heart" over the unconverted so that we "could wish that [we] were accursed from Christ" to save them (Romans 9:2-3), we will go out and preach to them. Third, we should fervently pray for, be deeply concerned about, troubled in spirit concerning, and passionately desire a return to and an increase of obedience to the Great Commission in our church and in the kingdom of Christ on earth at large.
[i] Thus, both "men and women," the whole "church," is to go "every where preaching the word" (Acts 8:3-4). Women are not to be pastors (1 Timothy 3), but they are to evangelize or give the gospel ("preach" in Acts 8:4 is euangelidzo).
[ii] Many modern gospel tracts are extremely shallow and contain little information, a stark contrast to the more Biblical evangelistic methodology of earlier centuries. The most important matter in a written gospel presentation is that the message is clearly and carefully communicated. Having glossy paper or nice pictures does not hurt, but a lost person needs to hear the message itself clearly, and have it pointedly applied to his heart and mind. Thus, a good gospel tract will tend to follow the model of preaching in Acts and proclaim "YOU are a sinner, deserve hell, have a Redeemer offered you, and need to repent and believe" rather that "We are all sinners, need to believe, or we will have a problem." It will boldly and specifically deal with the sins and spiritual strongholds of the unconverted person (cf. Acts 2:23; 4:10; Ephesians 6:17) and plainly preach both repentance (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 11:18; 17:30; 26:20) and faith (Acts 10:43; 16:31). A good tract will not make its highest priority preventing a wicked person from being offended, but will strive to boldly and pointedly preach the truth so that the reader will be awakened, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to see his wretched and lost condition and need of the Savior. When people heard apostolic preaching, they were either "pricked in their heart" and brought to conversion (Acts 2:37-38) or "cut to the heart" and determined to kill the preachers and even gnash on them with their teeth (Acts 5:33; 7:54). An unconverted person who reads a good gospel tract will not be unmoved—either he will be convicted and awakened, and thus come to repentance or at least see his need to seek for Christ, or he will be convicted, angry, offended, and hardened. Nor should a tract be overly concerned about having "too much" content. A lost person needs to "strive to enter" into the kingdom of God (Luke 13:24), and must seek and find the narrow gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). The fact that salvation is not by works does not exclude the Biblical fact that an unconverted person must make, by God's enabling grace, certain responses of listening and accepting the Word of God if he is going to be converted (John 5:39; Romans 10:14). If a sinner is not willing to even read a tract with a lot of verses, he is obviously not seeking or striving to enter into the kingdom. Furthermore, if he will not listen to the Word, he would not be saved even if a dead person came out of hell to warn him (Luke 16:31), for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). If even a dead person coming from hell to give a personal warning has no converting power in comparison to the Word, why would pictures, glossy paper, and stories, but few verses, be superior in gospel tracts or lead more to genuine conversions than careful and detailed presentations with much Scripture? Tracts do not need to be designed so that every single person who receives one will read the entire thing. The Lord Jesus Himself hid the truth from those who were not willing to listen so that their hearts would not grow even harder (Matthew 13:13). A good tract will have enough information for that minority of lost people who are seeking the truth to clearly understand what they must do to be saved, and will be pointed enough so that such seekers, and those who are careless but willing to listen to written preaching, will be awakened to their sinfulness and need of Christ.
A variety of good gospel tracts that meet Scriptural criteria and have a Biblical philosophy of evangelism are available from Bethel Baptist Church in El Sobrante, CA (www.pillarandground.org).
[iii] The pattern in Scripture is going out two by two to evangelize (Mark 6:7; Luke 10:1; Acts 4:13; 13:2, 43; 16:19; 17:10; Revelation 11:3), often with one "chief speaker" (Acts 14:12). There were still converts when Paul, out of necessity (Acts 17:14-15), evangelized on his own without a partner, but not as many (Acts 17:34). Aggressive preaching to the lost everywhere is also the model of other parts of Scripture; "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city . . . go out into the highways and hedges" and, by powerfully preaching the gospel, "compel [men] to come in" to the kingdom of God (Luke 14:21-23) is hardly fulfilled by churches or saints who refuse to go to "every creature" (Mark 16:15) in their area, but only witness to friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and coworkers. Nor is it acceptable to only occasionally go house to house, or have anything less than a passionate and zealous desire and commitment to very regularly (and would that not be at least weekly?) go to "cold" contacts and preach the gospel; the command is not just "go," whenever there is nothing else to do, but "go out quickly" (v. 21), and continue to go out until the Lord's "house is filled" (Luke 14:21, 23).
[iv] Of course, house to house is not the only means of giving out the gospel mentioned in Acts; in addition to evangelistic preaching outside of church meetings (Ac 2:14-40, 3:12-26, etc., a great variety of methods of giving out the gospel appear: see Ac 5:42, 8:26-40, 13:7-12, 16:13-14, 31-32, 20:20-21, etc.). Note as well that to "teach and preach Jesus Christ . . . in every house" implies more than simply seeking to win a man to Christ at his doorstep and then leaving him there, whether he responds or not. A series of home Bible studies which preach the gospel and then disciple converts, in addition to attempts to see conversion "cold" at the door, are at least implied through the inclusion of "teach" with "preach" (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). Acts 17:17 indicates that Paul took inquirers, those who were seeking for salvation and were open to the gospel, and "met . . . daily with them," a specific basis for repeated and careful contact with the lost in the manner of evangelistic Bible studies. In Acts 19:8 Paul dealt with a lost group for three months, with the result that souls were saved (19:9). He only stopped preaching the gospel to them when those who were still unconverted were evidently hardened and openly antagonistic (19:9). Those who only speak to the lost at their doorsteps often cease to deal thoroughly enough with them, giving up on them or failing to provide them with enough detail before they are clearly hardened, with the result that fewer of them are saved than could be with a fully Biblical methodology.
Churches today that offer evangelistic Bible studies today tend to have much higher percentages of salvation decisions that lead to baptism and church membership (and so are not spurious) than churches that solely seek to lead men to Christ at their doorstep without such a foundation for more in-depth instruction. The five session evangelistic Bible study written by Thomas Ross and available for download at http://faithsaves.net is one recommended for use; study #1 covers the naure of Scripture, #2 the nature of God, #3 God's Law and the consequences for disobedience to it, #4 the gospel, Christ's saving work; and #5, repentance and faith; two follow up studies are also available, #6, which covers eternal security and assurance, and #7 which deals with the church—with God's blessing, after study #5 a seeker will be converted, after #6 he will have assurance, and after #7 will be a Baptist. The four week "Salvation Bible Basics" course by Pastor Doug Hammett of the Lehigh Valley Baptist Church in Emmaus, PA (http://lvbaptist.org) is also good. Pastor Kent Brandenburg of Bethel Baptist in El Sobrante, CA (http://pillarandground.org) has also written a series of discipleship studies, Disciplines for Disciples of Christ, which are good for grounding new converts. Personal discipleship Bible studies subsequent to conversion are not just a natural implication of the verses in Scripture here discussed, and clear mandate of the Great Commission, but also unquestionably simply the part of wisdom.
One common modern methodology for evangelism, that of gimmicking the lost to visit church services by giving them material things such as candy or toys, is entirely absent from Scripture; in Acts, apart from those who wanted Christ for who He was, "durst no man join himself to them [Christians in church services]" (Acts 5:13). This was in accordance with the practice of the Lord Jesus, who did not want people to come listen to Him preach because they received food or other material benefits, but because they wanted to follow Him because of who He was (John 6:26, 66-69). Many bus ministries keep children and others coming to visit services because of material goods that are continually provided week after week, but the Lord Jesus refused to provide worldly benefits to keep people coming to listen to Him preach (John 6:29-33, 66). The apostles likewise did not use a "cloke of covetousness" in evangelism (1 Thessalonians 2:5); they did not trick people ("cloke") to come to church by appealing to materialism ("covetousness"), then reverse themselves and call upon them to repent of materialism, covetousness, and all other sin to surrender to Christ (Mark 8:34-36). This is carnal weaponry (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:4)—the only Biblical weapon to bring the lost to Christ is the Word of God as empowered by the omnipotent Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Furthermore, it presents a false view of God to those who are convinced by marketing techniques and give-aways to come to church meetings. It makes it appear like candy or various other material goods are of more value than knowledge of Him and fellowship with Him. By presenting a false view of God, and thus leading men to not glorify Him as God (Romans 1:21), so far are marketing and promotion techniques from leading to more genunine conversions that they are the root, along with unthankfulness, of the horrific cycle of apostasy and evil that is described in Romans 1:21-32. Romans one demonstrates that the misrepresentation of God involved in "evangelistic" marketing techniques is the root sin that leads to idolatry, sodomy, and other sins worthy of death, and of God's giving men, churches, and societies over to reprobation and their lusts.
[v] If the Lord Jesus Himself, who knew that He was speaking to true converts (John 8:30-31), gave them assurance based on the evidence of the new birth and new nature (John 8:31—a certainty in every truly converted person, John 17:17), how much the more should His people, who do not know infallibly what has gone on within a professed convert, not tell everyone who claims conversion but manifest no change in life that they have been saved! Nor can John 8:31-32 be used to establish that some sort of higher Christian life as a disciple is in view, rather than a distinction between the saved and the lost; those who do not continue and are not "disciples indeed" do not "know the truth" and are not "free." All believers know the truth, and no unbelievers know the truth (John 1:17; 14:6, 17; 17:17, 19; and this knowledge leads to a changed life its certain result: "Every one that is of the truth heareth [Christ's] voice," John 18:37, and consequently becomes a true worshipper (John 4:23-24), follows Christ (John 10:27), and "doeth truth . . . that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" (John 3:21). Furthermore, in the immediate context of John 8:31-32 (namely, in v. 36), and everywhere else in the New Testament, being made "free" is an event that takes place at the moment of regeneration (John 8:32, 36; Romans 6:18, 22; 8:2, 21; Galatians 5:1). While the believer is to renew his discipleship daily (Luke 9:23), the call of the Lord Jesus, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark 8:34) is a call to repentance and faith, to conversion: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it [eternally in hell]; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake [repent of his sin and his own life and way] and the gospel's, the same shall save it [will go to heaven]" (Mark 8:35). Those who do not become disciples lose their own souls eternally in the lake of fire (Mark 8:36). While there can certainly be false or unsaved disciples (John 8:31; 6:66) just like there can be false believers (John 2:23-25; cf. 3:1-21), every true believer is a true disciple, and every true disciple is a true believer.
[vi] Note that hold forth (epechontes) in v. 16 a participle of means indicating how the verb to shine in v. 15 (phainesthe) takes place.
[vii] This is not to say that every reference to preaching in houses involved soulwinners getting the gospel out "door to door" in the pattern of Acts 5:42 and 20:20-21. The churches also met in houses at times. However, this is often assumed for a particular text, rather than demonstrated. For example, in Acts 2:46, when the disciples were "continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart," the temple activity was likely church assembly (or could it be evangelism?), while the breaking bread (cf. Luke 24:30; Acts 27:35) and eating their food from house to house was "regular meals at home" (Robertson's Word Pictures), not the Lord's supper in house churches. The simple fact that over three thousand would have been in attendance requires that the houses here were not for church meetings, but for meals, unless there were many exeedingly large mansions owned by these early Christians for them to go "from house to house" in for worship. In addition to the problem of size, there is no self-evident reason why they would not want to simply meet for church in one house regularly, instead of skipping around. Furthermore, the word meat (Greek trophes) in Acts 2:46 is never used in Scripture of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 3:4; 6:25; 10:10; 24:45; Luke 12:23; John 4:8; Acts 2:46; 9:19; 14:17; 27:33-34, 36, 38; Hebrews 5:12, 14; James 2:15). Nor is the verb eat (metalambano) ever used of the Supper (Acts 2:46; 24:25; 27:33; 2 Tim 2:6; Hebrews 6:7; 12:10). Both words are normal meal words. The view that this verse refers to believers breaking up to eat in various houses is far superior to the notion that the Christians were travelling around having church meetings and celebrating communion in many houses. The church of Jerusalem appears to have assembled regularly in the portion of the temple precents known as "Solomon's porch" (Acts 5:12; cf. the Zondervan Pictoral Bible Encyclopedia, "Solomon's Porch . . . [it] was here that Christ walked and talked (John 10:23) and that His disciples seem later regularly to have gathered."), an area large enough to fit "all the people" (Acts 3:11). This explanation is far more reasonable than to think that, with many multiplied thousands of members, the entire church somehow tried to travel "house to house" to meet in the homes of members that could not possibly fit anywhere close to the entire congregation.
[viii] However, the same Greek phrase, kata + oikos, occurs here in 20:20 as in 5:42, indicating their common theme of house to house evangelism.
[ix] (Diamarturomenon, from diamarturomai, a verb primarily used for evangelistic preaching to the lost in Luke-Acts. Note the connection of diamarturomai with evangelism in v. 24: Paul was constantly to "testify (diamarturomai) the gospel (euangelion) of the grace of God," diamartu/rasqai to\ eujagge÷lion thvß ca¿ritoß touv Qeouv.
[x] Of course, not all pastors are truly saved, even as Judas was not, but is it not straining all credulity to affirm that Paul was not taking the Ephesian elders with him house to house and teaching them to preach the gospel in this manner to the lost, so that they could teach their people likewise, but that he was, both "publically" and "from house to house," evangelizing the elders?
[xi] The notion that apologetics and the work involved in learning how to deal particularly with the varieties of unbelief, false doctrines, and religions one runs into are unnecessary because all Christians need to do is give out a one-size-fits-all sort of presentation of the gospel is not Biblical. Biblical soulwinners sought to "persuade" those they evangelized to be Christians (Acts 18:4; 19:8, 26:28; 28:23), "reasoned" with the lost (Acts 17:2; 18:4, 19; 24:25), and "mightily convinced" (Acts 18:28) them of their errors. Cf. 1 Peter 3:15. The "word of God" which is the "sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17) must be wielded in a way appropriate to the sort of lost person the Christian speaks to; the specific verses that deal with that individual's spiritual barriers to receiving Christ must be broken down (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5). A study of the soulwinning methods of the Lord Jesus and the apostles in the gospels and Acts also clearly demonstrates this truth (cf. Matthew 19:16-21; John 3:1-21; 4:4-29; Acts 2:14-41; 3:12-26; 7:1-60; 17:16-31; 22:1-21—note there Scriptural use of testimony of one's personal conversion in the evangelism of others; etc.)
[xii] Commentators from Protestant denominations may believe that ministers can celebrate the "sacraments" private with only a few members of their "churches" present, but Baptists recognize that, as the church is the assembly, "private" meetings where baptism and the Lord's supper are distributed to only a select few who are invited, are unbiblical, and corporate worship is something meet for the whole church. "House to house" does not, then, refer to "cell groups" or meetings of the ekklesia, the church, the assembly, where the members do not actually assemble.
Furthermore, Protestants that believe that the entire boy of the church was not given the Great Commission, but only ministers received it (e. g., "This commission is given . . . [to] the ministers of the gospel, whose business it is to transmit the gospel from age to age[.]" Matthew Henry's Commentary, note on Matthew 28:19) and are responsible to preach the gospel may affirm that these text indicate that ministers should go house to house, and may try to explain the plainly evangelistic nature of the texts in question and the command to go to "every" house as a command to bring to salvation those, often essentially an entire community, who were baptized in infancy and thus part of their "church," yet are, despite this, plainly unconverted; Baptists, who maintain a regenerate church membership distinct from the community, and the priesthood of every believer, and who properly recognize the Commission was given to the church and is the responsibility of her members as a whole, will learn from these texts that all church members should go "house to house" to "every house." Acts 8:1, 4 indicate that all church members—not just the apostles or other leaders—were going out "every where" preaching the word (euangelidzo, evangelizing). Every member of the Lord's church, unless paralyzed, etc., is responsible to go house to house. For that matter, even the paralyzed or bedridden can use the telephone and the phonebook to systematically evangelize the local population. Speaking to friends, coworkers, and neighbors simply is not the teaching of Acts 8:4; 5:42; 20:20.
Of course, the fact that these passages teach that church members are to go house to house evangelizing the lost does not mean that they should not as well go to the homes of their fellow believers to strengthen them when they have needs, for discipleship Bible studies, etc.
[xiii] Since it is Biblical to not risk one's life unnecessarily, and the Lord Jesus told believers to flee when people are going to try to kill them (Matthew 10:23), if one is, say, in a nation with heavy legal penalties against evangelism, the Biblical pattern of house to house evangelism does not override the Biblical mandate to not throw one's life away, so God does not require that believers go knock on the door of a police chief who will shoot and kill them as soon as they tell him why they are there. This exception that provides believers freedom from the necessity of practicing what would lead to immediate death does not, however, change the general mandate of house to house evangelism.
More Resources on Soteriology: The Biblical Doctrine of Salvation


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Analysis of a Finite State Many Player Game Using Its Master Equation
36 Pages Posted: 18 Jul 2017 Last revised: 20 Jul 2018
Date Written: July 9, 2017
We consider an n-player symmetric stochastic game with weak interaction between the players. Time is continuous and the horizon and the number of states are finite. We show that the value function of each of the players can be approximated by the solution of a partial differential equation called the master equation. Moreover, we analyze the fluctuations of the empirical measure of the states of the players in the game and show that it is governed by a solution to a stochastic differential equation. Finally, we prove the regularity of the master equation, which is required for the above results.
Keywords: Game theory, Mean-field games, master equation, fluctuations, finite state control problem, Markov chains
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation


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September 2015
The NSLS News
Letter from the President
Dear Society Member,
It's that time of year again—the beginning of an exciting new academic term.
September is a busy month as you adjust to your new classes, reconnect with friends and classmates, involve yourself in new activities, and hopefully leave some time to relax. But before you settle into a new routine, I want to suggest adding one more item to your schedule: Make time to celebrate your successes. Go out to dinner, spend a day or an extra hour doing something you love, or treat yourself to something nice. Regardless of how big or small your wins are, commit to celebrating them all.
The first step is to recognize your achievements. Start with the most notable—what are the accomplishments that you are most proud of or that took you by surprise? Oftentimes, as we are completing one task, we begin to focus on the next without first acknowledging what we just worked so hard to do. Successes aren't always obvious, either. Think about the smaller, more subtle things you are proud of achieving. What steps have you made toward your larger goals? If you stumbled and made a mistake, are you pleased with the way you handled it? Your recoveries are also worth celebrating as they are signs of forward progress, not evidence of a job undone. It's important to remind yourself of this, especially when your inner critic comes out.
Don't cheat yourself out of well-deserved credit and satisfaction. Give yourself a chance to feel good about what you have accomplished. You can't do that if you are always beating yourself up and saying, "That wasn't good enough" or "I have to do better." Rewarding yourself for a job well done will give you a psychological motivator to create more wins. Just like the rest of your new routine, eventually celebrating success will also become habit.
So before rushing into your new goals for the semester ahead, pause and appreciate what you have already accomplished. Taking a look back just might be the key to figuring out the best way to move forward.
I hope you are all feeling refreshed and have a great start to the fall semester.
Best wishes to everyone,
Charles Knippen
The National Society of Leadership and Success
The National Society of Leadership and Success
Success Corner
Social Media Spotlight
Bradley University
The Lincoln University
Georgia State University
Florida Gulf Coast University
University of Houston - Downtown
Delaware State University
See the full album on our Flickr.
To view a live feed of our featured chapters' and members' social media activity, click here.
Executive Board Retreats
On Saturday, August 22, 2015, the Society chapters at Averett University and Kentucky State University held their annual executive board retreats.
Averett University
The Averett University executive board held its retreat on the university's campus in Danville, Virginia.
Kentucky State University
The Society chapter at Kentucky State University held its executive board retreat on campus in Frankfort, Kentucky. National Office team member Mallory Galbreath, pictured above in red- second from the right, was in attendance.
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Regional Leadership Retreats
Eastern Michigan University
On Saturday, July 25th, 38 Chapter Leaders from across the Midwest came together at Eastern Michigan University for the 2015 Regional Leadership Retreat.
See more images from this event on our Flickr.
|Scholarships and Awards "Open Season" Kickoff
The Society Scholarships and Awards Program supports members in their pursuit of dynamic leadership, service, chapter/member excellence and for financial need.
The scholarships and awards are categorized into three areas:
During the 2014-2015 academic year, the Society had over $150,000 in scholarships and awards exclusively available for distribution to Society members. This year, the amount will grow to over $200,000.
The Fall 2015 submission period runs from September 1, 2015 through Saturday, October 31, 2015.
Click here to download the Scholarships and Awards Packet and begin your online application.
For a full list of our scholarships, awards and grants, and to apply, click here.
To see all of the Spring 2015's winners, click here.
See below in our What's Happening section for a special feature on two of our Spring 2015 Scholarships and Awards winners.
Fall 2015 Speaker Broadcasts
Meet the Speakers
Al Roker (October 6, 2015) – His newest book, The Storm of the Century, is the inspiring true story of leadership, heroism and survival during America's deadliest natural disaster. Al will be speaking to us about stories of leadership in the toughest times.
John C. Maxwell (October 20, 2015) - He is the recipient of the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership and was named the #1 leader in business by the American Management Association. John will be speaking about his upcoming book, Intentional Living, and will lead us down our personal path to a life that matters.
John Leguizamo (November 10, 2015) - As an outspoken and versatile actor, producer and playwright, John has impressed audiences worldwide throughout his career. His work includes roles in films including Ice Age, Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet, Ride Along and American Ultra. John will be joining us to discuss his rise to fame, the challenges that he overcame and moving beyond self-doubt to find happiness.
Special Broadcast Announcement
In our effort to bring compelling learning opportunities and more options to our chapters, we are ecstatic to announce that we will be hosting a fourth broadcast this semester:
Jesse Eisenberg (November 4, 2015) - He is an accomplished actor who you have seen in hit movies, television shows and on stage. Jesse's movie credits include The Social Network, Zombieland, Adventureland, Now You See Me, Rio and American Ultra. With his upcoming book of short stories, Bream Gives Me Hiccups, being released in September, Jesse will be joining us for a special broadcast in which he will sit down to discuss his journey in film and literature and answer questions from our members.
Monthly Motivation
"Celebration is a confrontation, giving attention to the transcendent meaning of one's actions." - Abraham Joshua Heschel
"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - Oprah Winfrey
Celebrate Your Success - in these three instances:
Concrete steps we have taken towards larger goals. We're often so focused on the end-goal, that we don't recognize the essential smaller achievements that get us there.
Successes of value to us personally, but not necessarily to others. These are things that a wider society might not applaud you for, but are nevertheless important to you – unique achievements of any size that are significant to you.
Your difficulties, failures and mistakes. It's important to celebrate and claim all of you – reject any part of you and you reject a part of yourself.
See more at Life Coach on the Go.
What's Happening
Our members are leading and inspiring individuals on their campuses and in their communities across the country every day, and we want to help tell those stories! Articles and other content for upcoming newsletters can be submitted anytime to email@example.com. Please include photos from your event, and let us know what you were doing, who participated and how it impacted your members and community. So many chapters are making a difference every day. Keep up the good work!


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About Religious Education
The TUS community loves children and youth and our vibrant Children and Youth Ministries show it. The purpose of our Religious Education (RE) classes is to provide:
- a community where children feel love, acceptance and belonging.
- a religious and moral foundation for clarifying social values and religious identity
- a knowledge of Unitarian Universalism and world religions
- a recognition of our social responsibility to the greater world community and to our planet Earth
- opportunities for service to the wider community, both on a local and global scale
- community building with fun activities, of course!
We offer Religious Education classes for children and youth, ages 3 to 12 on Sunday mornings from 10:50 to11:50 a.m. All classes start in the sanctuary with the congregation so they may experience a Time for All Ages story or activity. Then the congregation sings them on their way to classes at approximately 10:50 a.m. Nursery care for babies and toddlers is also available from 10:15 to 12:00 p.m. The classes are taught by our team of generous volunteers.
Please call 732.246.3113 should you have any questions and someone will be happy to assist you.


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If the pet travels with you, it will retain a sense of identity. However, pets can become frightened and bolt away from you out of open doors and windows. Keep your pet on a leash when outside your car or hotel.
Occasionally traveling can upset your pet's stomach. Take along ice cubes, which are easier on your pet than large amounts of water. It is recommended that you keep feeding to a minimum during travel. If you are traveling by car, a light meal for your pet two to three hours before you leave is advised. If you are traveling by air, a light meal four to six hours before departure is recommended. Allow small amounts of water periodically in the hours before the trip.
Whether your pet travels with you or by another means it should wear a special identification tag in addition to its regular one. Write the pet's name, your name, the person to contact at the destination, their phone number, a destination address, or that of a friend or relative, in case you want to be reached.
Rabies vaccinations are a must for all travel abroad. Many airlines also require vaccinations. Check with your vet for the complete range of vaccinations required, and of course, check with the airline and country to which you're heading.
Check the airline's requirements to see if your pet can travel in a carrier that can be kept under a seat in the cabin or must travel by air freight.
Get the pet to the air terminal in time. Get there 45 minutes in advance if the pet is accompanying you. If shipping the pet, get to the flight terminal two hours in advance of your flight.
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Wolverine & The X-Men Lapel Pin Set of 4
- Four metallic X-People pins for the price of less than four pins!
- Officially licensed! Officially X-ceptional!
- Perfect for shirts, lapels, cuffs, suspenders, and Cerebro helmets!
Sure, you're an X-Men fan, but you really like Wolverine.
You also like stylish, colorful pins rendered in the shapes and likenesses of Marvel characters (including their recognizable symbols and logos).
Well, our Wolverine & The X-Men Lapel Pin Set of 4 will effectively express your X-Men appreciation, your pin preference, and your Wolverine...uh....
This set of four X-Men (and Wolverine) pins features metallic, full-color pieces of pin-on art. Let's break it down.
Wolverine logo pin -- Wolverine's red comic book logo over a yellow oval background. Said background is faux-shredded thanks to Wolverine's claws! Measures 1" x .75".
Hunched Wolverine pin -- Based on an illustration by Art Adams, Wolverine stands ready in his classic blue and yellow costume. Measures 1" x 1.25".
The X-Men symbol -- Black X! Red background! The X-Men symbol! Measures 1" in diameter.
The X-Men logo -- The official X-Men comic book logo colored in bright red and yellow enamel. Measures 1" x .25".
More Details
- Sku: pinwolvxmenlapelset4
- Color: Yellow
- Licensor: Marvel
- Style Attributes: Symbol
You May Also Like
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Reviews of Wolverine & The X-Men Lapel Pin Set of 4
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Wolverine is the best.
Danbury, Conn.
Very well made enamel pins with great backing pins to keep them in place. They are crisp and clear.
Chicago, IL
I absolutely love this purchase! I'm a big pin guy, and have been waiting for good x-men pins!


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Maria's Metro
Washington D.C. is watching as Georgia continues to lag behind on transit and rail
If it weren't so sad, it would be funny.
Georgia is being ridiculed in Washington for failing to move forward with transit and rail. In fact, Georgia is moving in reverse.
How else can one interpret the reorganization of the Georgia Department of Transportation, being proposed by Commissioner Vance Smith, that will downgrade its "Intermodal" Division (which includes transit) into a program under the Engineering Division.
It was only a year ago when GDOT created the Intermodal Division as a way to demonstrate its commitment to transit. But that commitment appears to have been short-lived.
Next, we've got State Rep. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) proposing a state takeover of MARTA, the largest transit agency in the Southeast, and putting it under the control of GDOT.
Remember the state of Georgia loves having control and influence without having to pay for it.
The state provides virtually no regular operating support for MARTA, yet it has multiple state representatives on its board. The state gives MARTA no money, but yet it has an oversight committee called MARTOC led by State Rep. Jill Chambers who scrutinizes every move that MARTA makes.
Next, Clayton County has decided to eliminate its C-Tran bus system (which is operated by MARTA) next spring because of lack of funds.
Again, the state is missing in action. An enlightened state government with a strong dedication to transit would find a way to prevent that from happening. After all, Clayton is one of the poorest counties in the metro area and many of its residents have no other transportation options.
These developments are totally out of step with the policy of the Obama administration, which is encouraging alternative, more environmentally-friendly modes of transportation.
Just last month, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood came to Atlanta to deliver the message for transit in person. Get your act together , he told Georgia officials.
State Sen. Doug Stoner (D-Cobb) has just returned from spending four days in Washington, D.C., where he met with officials from the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.
"They were already aware that we were demoting the Intermodal Division," Stoner said. "They said, 'Obviously Secretary LaHood's message did not get through.'"
Stoner's contacts in Washington, D.C. even jokingly asked him if there were anything more Georgia could do to hurt its ability to get federal transportation dollars. (Don't tempt them).
"We are going backwards, not forwards," Stoner said. "The folks in Washington are paying attention to what we're doing and what we're not doing."
Emory McClinton, who represents the Atlanta area on GDOT's board and has been a longtime advocate for transit and rail, said it seems as though Georgia has not faced up to the new reality.
"We have been told by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation that our house is not in order, and we just seem to be ignoring all of this," McClinton said.
To McClinton, the latest proposal just doesn't make sense.
"The board just passed the effort to get the Intermodal Division elevate a year ago," he said. "We have a top-notched person — Erik Steavens — over there to head up that division."
Transit advocates have expressed concern that Steavens may leave the department if the proposal to demote the state's intermodal initiatives goes forward.
The GDOT board has not yet been presented the new reorganization plan, McClinton said, and he is doing what he can to make sure it is not approved by the board.
GDOT officials have said they have no choice. When the state legislature passed Gov. Sonny Perdue's plan to reorganize GDOT (Senate Bill 200), it did not specifically list Intermodal as a separate division.
But Stoner is not buying that argument.
"The way that I read the bill, there is no legal reason why Intermodal can't be its own division," Stoner said. And if state attorneys disagree, GDOT could go to the legislature to get a change in the law.
So far, no one has approached Stoner to try to get clarification on that part of the bill. And Stoner said the governor's office also has been silent.
"There's no reason why the governor couldn't step up tomorrow and say that Intermodal should be its own division," Stoner said. "If there needed to be a legal fix, then he could encourage the legislature to fix it."
By the way, transit advocates have listed 12 specific items in the proposed GDOT reorganization that do not mesh with the language in SB 200.
So the only explanation is that GDOT's staff, for whatever reason known only to them, just don't believe in intermodal transportation.
Objectively, Georgia has a need to strengthen its intermodal efforts. The state is sitting on $87 million of federal funds that would build a commuter rail line between Griffin/Lovejoy and Atlanta. The state already has been told that those dollars likely will go away if it doesn't move forward on the intercity rail project.
Georgia also is trying to be a "Johnny-come-lately" in the high speed rail sweepstakes.
The Obama administration has made high-speed-rail development a national priority. Again, Georgia did not have a well-developed high-speed-rail plan in place, but Steavens and others worked hard to put a proposal in place that would develop a high-speed-rail line from Charlotte to Atlanta to Birmingham.
Also, last month, Gov. Perdue and his fellow governors in Tennessee and Kentucky co-signed a letter to Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary LaHood of their interest to get planning dollars to study the feasibility of a new high-speed-rail corridor from Louisville, Kentucky via Nashville and Chattanooga on to Atlanta.
"Please be assured that this collaborative effort has the full commitment of total support of each of our respective state governments, as well as other important stakeholders within this corridor," stated the letter signed by Kentucky Gov. Steven Beshear, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and our own Perdue.
But Stoner said Georgia needs more than words to show Washington, D.C. its commitment to transit and rail.
"Right now, it's all negative," Stoner said. "We were told: 'Your actions speak louder than words. You say you support transit, but in reality you are demoting intermodal."
How could the state turn this around?
It could re-commit itself to having a strong Intermodal Division.
It could come up with some bridge plan to save C-Tran bus service in Clayton.
It could become a major investor in MARTA (without demanding control) to make sure the state's largest transit agency doesn't have to severely cut service next year.
It could remove all roadblocks on the Griffin-Atlanta commuter rail project.
State leaders could get over their petty politics and allow residents in the Atlanta region vote on a one-cent sales tax for transit.
And the state could take a page from North Carolina and create a credible statewide rail plan that includes high-speed rail.
But the way things are going, there's little reason for hope.
As I said, if it weren't so sad, it would be funny.
Steve Vogel says:
North Carolina has over 50 people in their NCDOT Rail Division and spends nearly $30M a year of their money for rail. And we think we're going to compete with them for Federal $$?
Jock Eellis says:
I wish people would quit blaming the DOT board. They are the best that money can buy.
juanita driggs says:
Bottom line:
If the upcomong General Assembly doesn't constructively address these common sense issues, Georgia will suffer irreparable damage for a generation or longer.
Dick Hodges says:
More great reporting and commentary by Maria Saporta of an issue in which many of Georgia's so-called "leaders" continue to demonstrate ignorance, lack of vision and conduct bordering on "disgraceful." We can be grateful for the few in positions of responsibility and influence who "get it" in terms of bringing our state into the 21st century in regard to transportation.
ACS says:
How could anyone in their right mind think that intermodal would turn itself around when it's led by Frank Harscher, er, I mean Erik Steavens? This crook, oh, yeah, not him; I mean Mr. Steavens doesn't have the experience to run such a program. Its no wonder the legislature saw no point in keeping it a division.
Unfortunately this is the way things have been run. All of transportation has gone into the pot under this Governor. It pains me to say it, but perhaps Barnes is the answer.
Winkasdad29 says:
North Carolina & Virginia are leaving Georgia in the dust when it comes to rail service. Virginia has just begun regional service between Lynchburg and Washington, and next month begins hourly morning service to Washington from Richmond. North Carolina is adding another Raleigh – Charlotte run early 2010. Both states are working on High Speed Rail.
Walter Knight says:
What we are seeing, what we will witness after the 2010 legislative session accomplishes nothing once more, is the beginning of the demise of Atlanta as a Transportation and Commerce hub. What convention would choose Atlanta with no Mass-Transit? And High Speed Rail? Likely it will just bypass the area.
Look to Charlotte, Houston, Virginia. My bet is Houston. They are spending Billions of dollars to expand their Mass-Transit system. We the citizens of Metro Atlanta are not the only ones watching this intently. Georgia stands to lose, and lose big in the coming century.
Personally, I am already thinking of re-locating to a city with a mass-transit system and forward thinking leadership. My family deserves better than what awaits them here.
This whole situation smacks of social/racial repercussion, more akin to the Georgia under Talmadge, or at the time of the Leo Frank trial. After all, Stone Mountain wasn't always known for being a "fun park".
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