There is an online test you can take in order to have a grasp of where you stand temperamentally. This test is best taken with a few other people who know you quite well, as you’re unlikely to have an unbiased view of yourself. The test is located here.

Remember, this is not an end-all-be-all of figuring out who you are as a person. Your temperament may very well change somewhat with age, time and even spiritual discipline. Additionally, the more time you spend in fellowship with other believers and friends will increase both your self-awareness and others’ awareness of your tendencies and behaviors.

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Teaching List:

Spirituality in American Culture

Postmodernism: The Religion of Blind Faith

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People

Comparative Religions

Science and the Bible

Evolution: Life from Non-life?

Intelligent Design

Biblical Prophecy

The Resurrection of Jesus

Evidence with Power

Read about the “Revolution of Joy” that Jesus started–what a radical alternative to the World System! This is the movement underway at Thessolonica, which should make a very interesting study.

But also we’re moving into new territory for our Central Teaching habitat: NeoXenos is invading the Kent State University campus!

This truly opens new doors for our fellowship (as if we didn’t have enough!), but it’s also the fulfillment of a dream for some of us. For years we have tried to enter that campus with a Viral Church. And here we are: we’re back! Who would’ve guessed it?

We meet at Bowman hall every other Saturday at 5:30 PM, beginning April 4th.

Bowman Hall, near the Student Center

• For directions, use the handy location finder from KSU >>

Look, Ma! Dad's on the front page! (Connor McCallum)

“There’s no such thing as bad publicity,” P.T. Barnum said. Perhaps some at Xenos would disagree.

Northeast Ohio Xenos was spread across the Akron Beacon-Journal front-page in full-color and blazing headlines–and it wasn’t our preferred public introduction.

True, the article found no substance to the “cult” rumors about Xenos, but the article was about Xenos defending itself against malicious stories.

Still, people at NeoXenos were relieved to see an end to three long months of investigation  by reporter Jim Carney and the  photographers he brought to our meetings. (Not that Jim & Co. were rude or disruptive, but it does make the Bible study a little weird.)

Can we now continue to share about the Gospel message and Jesus Christ without sensationalist stories blocking the ministry? This remains our greatest concern.

The Canceled Meeting

About 80% of the new people attending Xenos come from non-Christian and “un-churched” backgrounds, and they’re delighted to discover the Gospel (or, “Great News”) message in the Bible: it’s all about Jesus dying for our sins and providing eternal life without cost to anyone who asks him. This is God’s grace, or kindness, and it really rocks people’s world — lives were changing in remarkable ways as people met the living Jesus Christ.

About 200 people gather for a NeoXenos "Christmas Gala" after the trouble begins. Photo by Ed Suba Jr./Akron Beacon Journal

[callout]Discuss these cult accusation stories, and read how so few people created havoc for so many. [/callout]

In November more people than ever were coming to our Bible study at Riverwood Community Chapel, and there were many who become Christians as a result. It was a time of exciting growth. Then a campaign to shut us down began, using the Akron Beacon-Journal as leverage.

A mother, her daughter and husband stood outside our meeting place for 15 minutes holding “protest” signs, and then left. The mother called Riverwood and threatened to repeat the performance at the Sunday morning worship service unless they kicked us out of their building.

So we received a 24-hour notice that our Bible study was canceled.

Suddenly without a meeting place, they next depicted Xenos as a mysterious cult gathering in hidden places:

You can not just go to one of their meetings for one thing they never know where it will be (in a park, in a restaurant?)  but most of all because you have to be invited, you have to be chosen. ((From Anne Marrie Smith’s blog, retrieved 12/28/2008.))

Ironically, the blogger was the one who forced us out of our regular meeting place, then complains that we have no meeting place!

Our detractors alarmed government agencies with a series of sensational stories that caused three investigations of us:

• A clandestine gathering at a local cemetary where we desecrated graves (a story the reporter debunked).
• “Brainwashing” kids and teaching them how to rebel against their parents,
• Teaching kids how to shoplift from stores.
• Teaching kids to sneak out of their homes late at night for more “secret meetings”.
• Taking Junior High kids on long weekend “brainwashing” episodes.
• The “devil’s son” Kyle McCallum steals church funds and has multiple sexual relationships.
• Wikipedia was altered to report that people attending Xenos get “brainwashed”.
• Wikipedia also said Xenos built a cafe in Columbus to “lure children”.
• Two college-age Xenos kids were pursued in court by the ABJ reporter, his photographer, a woman with a shirt saying, “Xenos is Stow’s Cult”, and a letter mailed to the judge that said the boys were cult members and threats to the community, brainwashed, and they needed to be jailed.

The Beacon-Journal reporter was contacted by these people for every story and government investigation into our church. Carney soon discovered the stories were false, but he kept following up every effort to discredit this ministry.

Future Beacon-Journal Articles

Beacon-Journal photographer hovers over the high school Bible study.

Missing were the overwhelming endorsements for Xenos from local clergy (including Riverwood pastors), Ashland Theological Seminary, the Chapel Consortium of churches, and scores of thankful parents both inside and outside this ministry.

Instead, the Beacon-Journal article covered a long series of accusations. Our detractors kept the reporter busy with such diverse stories which involved so many government organizations and officials.

We do not fault the Beacon-Journal for writing about these alarming and sensational stories. The article proved they were fabrications, and even Mrs. Smith’s blog admits the article refuted the accusations and embarrassed the accusers:

I read it Annemarie, and it makes everyone look like complaining, whining idiots. Xenos/Keith are too smooth of talkers. A friend ((Retrieved from parentsagainstxenos.wordpress.org on February 8, 2009))

But we do believe the newspaper would greatly serve the community by investigating the redemptive work Xenos provides the community: a theme noticably missing in their extensive coverage.

Far too much attention was given to the complaints of a few people at the expense of a large number of innocent people victimized by false and defamatory stories. Especially after it was clear their stories were fraudulent, the newspaper should have quit relying on such untrustworthy sources.

The brave Junior and High School Christian students must face their peers at school after such a traumatic front-page article publicized their Bible study in a “cult” controversy. Won’t other kids taunt them because of the publicity? How can these kids invite friends to their Bible study after the Beacon-Journal report? But amazingly they still do, and it proves their strength of character and resolve.

Clearly the reporter was unable to identify anything wrong with this ministry or with these kids or their Bible study. Clearly the Beacon-Journal chased all the leads available. And to their credit, the Beacon-Journal gave us opportunities to respond to most of the stories.

But the overwhelming majority of  the newspaper’s customers were not impressed by the cult accusations or the investigation.

our community watchdog?

So we ask the Beacon-Journal: can we reverse the roles? Give us an opportunity to introduce to the public an exciting charitable organization in Northeast Ohio, with all the good works we perform voluntarily, and then let our detractors respond, if they can.

We believe such an article would provide a most constructive, and contribute to the public good.

Rockin the Rusty Nail with some real joy!

Did you know “joy” is used almost 200 times in the New Testament? Did you know “joy” is the most frequent word used in the Bible to describe Christian life?

Christians are truly God’s “Joy to the World,” like we saw at the “2008 Christmas Gala.” It was a record-breaking celebration of joy with almost 200 people! A contagious enthusiasm called “joy” filled the room (especially evident in dancing later). I think our Gala rocked more than any office party, and without the liquor! (Well, liquor was available at the Rusty Nail but I didn’t see anyone guzzling it. Did you?)

We lost our meeting place, a newspaper reporter was there investigating us (but he seems to like us), we still don’t know where or when we’ll meet again, and yet it was truly a Gala Christmas affair, by all accounts. How can anyone explain this, unless they understand the history of Christianity?

The Christian Legacy of Joy

Almost 200 people came to the Gala!

From the beginning Christian history is littered with the same unconquerable joy, like these people: “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials!” (1 Peter 1:6). The same weird thing happened when the officials “called in the apostles and had them flogged,” but “the apostles left the high council rejoicing!” (Acts 5:40-41).

Did you know “joy” is unique to Christianity? It’s not taught or held in esteem by any of the world religions, which makes sense: our joy comes from the freedom of knowing God’s grace. But man-made religions are all about good works, earning salvation, great self-effort, and very somber, dark rituals. Buddhism extols a state of serenity through severe discipline, and its “serenity” is really the absence of joy (and all other emotions). Islam is a severe religion and is spread by warfare, not joy. Jehovah Witnesses are much like the early Puritans who forbade all celebrations by law, and Mormonism is equally strict and full of foreboding. Isn’t it tragic when people think Christianity is just like the others?

Young and indomitable faith

It’s amazing to meet a stranger who turns out to be a Christian. Suddenly “joy” fills the conversation! I saw this recently with Yife Gao, a Chinese Christian from Craig Smith’s new Bible study at Akron University. (View their hot video online!) Yife came to America in August and barely speaks English, but we had such a blast, I can only describe it as “joy”. (Other diners at Panera bread wished we weren’t so joyous, I think!) But it was sweet to meet a baby Christian born in the outlaw home church movement in China. Those poor Christians have every reason to feel oppressed and depressed, but instead the home churches are a thriving, joyous movement, now 100-million strong and causing much embarrassment to the atheist communist government. Yife’s parents are communists, so they treat him like a traitor, and yet losing his family didn’t faze his joy in Jesus Christ!

[callout]View all the Christmas Gala pictures here >>[/callout]When a Christian is bored or depressed, a spiritual problem is surely stealing that Christian’s joy. Maybe they’ve grown distant from good Christian fellowship, or maybe alienated with Jesus for some useless reason. (Why run away from someone who really loves you?) But joy should be an over-riding constant in a Christian’s life, because it’s a “fruit of the Spirit” just like love (see Galatians 5:22). There may be varying degrees of joy, because we certainly aren’t always “leaping with joy”, but a healthy spiritual life is marked by the confident optimism of Christian joy.

It’s more natural for Christians to be filled with joy (“And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” - Acts 13:52), despite oppressive circumstances (“I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction!” – 2 Cor. 7:4). Paul’s letter to Philippi was written during his long imprisonment, but it’s called “The Letter of Joy” because “joy” appears more often in this short letter than his other writings, even the long ones.

Oh the Joy of 2008!

Our own (unscientific) poll shows that 60% of us said 2008 “was a rockin’, cheese-handling jamboree spritual poop-flingin roller coaster of ecstasy”, and another 25% called it “Amazing! I grew like a kid in puberty minus the B.O.” Nobody felt bad about it.

Aside from silly polls, the evidence is clear that morale is not only high, but spiritual growth is occurring on a scale never before seen in NeoXenos. Consider how many people are taking the initiative to launch this wide variety of ministry efforts:

1. We launched and maintained an inner-city, after-school program with South Street in January.
2. We started a new KSU Bible study in August that continues to grow.
3. We started the “Western Ohio Enterprise” Bible study for three colleges near Toledo.
4. We started a new Akron University Bible study for international students, and it looks good.
5. We grew another 20-25% at CT.
6. We started a Discovery Group among Stow neighbors.
7. All our existing ministries lost their experienced leaders to these new ministry initiatives, but new leaders and teachers suddenly appeared from within the groups!

And every week it seems someone is sharing about yet another person meeting Jesus Christ, especially since this Fall. All this energy cannot originate through human devices, and certainly it isn’t our great organizational skills at work: it is the spiritual life of Jesus Christ working through many different people in many directions.

From Whence Commeth Indomitable Joy?

What a great question that is! Why are Christians so joyful?

Progressive Dinner festivities

I always knew Christian joy is sparked by the Holy Spirit dwelling inside a grateful and responsive heart, like this: “At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, ‘I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth…’” (Luke 10:21) But until our own recent “afflictions”, as Paul calls them, Christian joy in the midst of persecution was perhaps a bit theoretical, for me.

Now I see it, and I see why joy is so tightly-coupled with Christian persecution: it is the elation of the heart released from tangled thorns: “The one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22) The Kosmos suffocates spiritual life with a mountain of counterfeit hopes and dreams, and it’s so dreary to live by “the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8) With persecution we reach the end of our hope in such bland living, and reach instead for “the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

At least, that’s what I saw last weekend at the Rusty Nail.

By Paul Song

The day began with a glorious sunrise. What a beautiful fall day for a baptism party! 

The event began with a potluck, followed by a short teaching by Greg Morscher. 

After he explained the biblical basis and spiritual symbol of baptism, the real excitement began. Each “baptizee” shared his or her testimony and then was baptized by one or two people who played a role in their decision to follow Christ.

Lisa Kostyak

Lisa Kostyak grew up in church but never understood the personal decision needed to know Christ. After coming to Bible studies for over a year, she attended the 2007 baptisms where the testimonies moved her to accept Jesus right away. She said asking for God’s forgiveness was “the easiest thing I’ve done in my life” and explained the overwhelming weight of guilt that was lifted afterward.

Elli

Elli Morscher grew up in a Christian home in Xenos, but never knew why she went to Bible studies. Jesus certainly wasn’t in her life, as she was a bossy, selfish liar. But 6th grade Blowout camp caused her to consider handing her life over to God. She was anxious, but decided to ask God into her heart, and now God is teaching her how to love and giving her “something to live for.”

Lauran

Lauren Dakters said she was depressed, anti-social, and self-destructive before she knew Christ. Then she was invited to a high school Bible study and learned about God’s forgiveness, which she decided to ask for some time later. She said now “there’s more to life than playing emo songs on guitar,” and she is a happier and more loving person.

Danielle

Danielle Fazzio grew up Catholic, but she wasn’t interested in God. Her friendships never lasted and she ended up in an abusive relationship. When her friend invited her to a college Bible study, she made fun of her, but eventually she gave it a try. There she admired the relationships and love in the Body of Christ, which caused her to consider the gospel’s claims. Since she became a believer, Christ has helped her to impact her friends in new ways.

Michael

Mike Hudock was a lonely gamer when friends started inviting him to the high school Bible study. Despite his refusals, he was surprised they didn’t give up. When he finally started coming, one of the leaders didn’t give up on witnessing to him, either. Finally Ephesians 2:8, 9 convinced him that couldn’t earn his way into heaven. He prayed to receive Christ and since then he gained confidence, became less selfish, and wants to tell people about grace.

Paul Song was raised in a Christian family but he viewed God academically. He was lonely, unemotional, and trying to earn his way to heaven by good works. For a long time he avoided the questions raised at the high school Bible study, but was surprised people still accepted him. Four years later a friend explained the story of Nicodemus in John 3 and he realized it was his pride, not a lack of information, which prevented him from accepting salvation. This occurred just one day before the baptisms!

Tom

Tom Smith didn’t know how to interact with people besides using them. He thought needing forgiveness was pathetic, but Christians’ persistent love for him changed his mind over a period of five years. One man challenged him to ask for salvation and finally his tough shell started to soften. Now he can’t imagine where he’d be if he hadn’t accepted God’s forgiveness.

Shelby Roszkowski was the “cliché” girl in middle school, interested in superficial appearances, gossip, and boys. But as the void in her life began to gnaw, she turned to drugs, dating, using people, and a suicide attempt to numb the pain. Her church background reminded her that Jesus died on the cross to pay for sin. So one day she read Isaiah 40:6, a verse about crying out to God. And she did just that, asking Him to forgive her. She realizes God filled a void she could never fill by herself.

Jordan

Jordan Yoerger grew up in Xenos with Christian parents, but never really believed what he learned about God. He was a jerk and fought with his parents and brother every day. He also argued relentlessly with one of the high school Bible study leaders, who nevertheless told him, “I will never give up on you.” This melted his hard exterior and that night he prayed for God to come into his life. His new faith has motivated him spiritually in a whole new way.

Jim James - one of the more amazing stories of the afternoon!

Ephesians 2:8, 9 sounded as a refrain throughout many of the testimonies: “It is by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” How freeing God’s gift is when we realize our sin has been paid for in full! Throughout the testimonies, the goodness of God and His amazing grace shone through, as bright as the sun that warmed the celebration.

Family and friends in the audience heard the gospel repeatedly, as well as the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Two people made the decision to receive Christ during conversations after the baptisms. Pray that more spiritual fruit will result from the testimonies people shared.

For those engaged in discipleship or parenting, the new collection of articles about “Millennials” and the “Generation X” phenomena may prove helpful.

The series highlights the target of Christian maturity in Time to Grow Up!, but then digs into the modern social phenomenon hindering maturity (in Raising Infantiles). A biblical framework for Christian parenting is then established in Reality Parenting. All these principles apply to discipleship.

We now have new material available from Katey Downs and the Love Ethics class thanks to Darlene McCallum, Lisa Beech, Kalie Brooks, Kathryn Hughes, Diana Michalek and others an meeting on Fridays at Kathryn’s house. They call their working group “The Love Squad”.

Katey Downs is now a contributing editor at the NeoZine.  As Director of Counseling at Columbus Xenos, Katey brings decades of experience to NeoXenos and the rest of the Web. Katey’s counseling is captured in much of our Love Ethics material and was successful with some of the toughest emotional issues.

In related developments:

• We opened a forum for discussing parenting and counseling issues with Katey!
• Dr. Ankenman has kindly offered to host a seminar for Northeast Ohio Xenos on disciplining with “Love Authority”.
• A new “Love Ethics” section in the NeoZine? is under construction, which will act as a repository of parenting, counseling, and other materials from our classes and research.

This week Keith McCallum drove to Cedarville with Katey Downs to spent another day with Dr. Ankenman discussing Love Ethics and reviewing some of the recent NeoZine posts. He enjoyed the “Punks / Sissies / Bullies / Tramps” paradigm discussed in Time to Grow Up!, and pointed out that Bullies would be called “Sociopaths” and Tramps would be “Borderline Personalities” in psychiatric terms (in their extremely dysfunctional states).

The additional hours of Ankenman interviews will soon appear in NeoZine in the Love Ethics section.

a wild & wooly ride, but very much worthwhile!

“It was the best of times, period!” So should begin any recap of 2007 for NeoXenos (with apologies to Charles Dickens).

Why so upbeat? The past year triggered significant growth in all our ministry groups, despite considerable hurdles. More intriguing is what to expect from new frontiers opened in 2007, such as the Service Ministry, Missions, Discovery Groups, and classes for ministry-equipping. Even more frontiers will open up this year–including another college ministry with a new Akron-based ministry house–which could make 2008 yet another record-breaking year.

With all this growth in new and existing ministries, 2007 was a remarkable break from past years which often stretched scarce leadership resources to the limit. But an unexpected number of new ministers emerged to share the burden and make expansion possible. Veteran leaders were greatly relieved.

All this and more were part of a long weekend of revelations discovered at the 2008 annual SLUM retreat.

The Sphere Leaders’ Undershepherd Ministry (SLUM) gathered at Punderson State Park last weekend to prepare for the upcoming Fiscal Support Team (FST) retreat. The SLUM consists of the elders, trustees and their spouses charged with oversight of Xenos finances and activities. Currently the Board of Trustees consists of Joel Hughes, Keith McCallum?, Mark Michalek and Greg Morscher, bringing together representatives from all ministry spheres.

Keith opened with observations about the significant change underway in the fellowship. Since Xenos was first planted in this area, 2007 was unique as the first time a large pool of competent and unified leaders emerged, enabling ministry efforts never before possible. A welcome side-effect was the prevalence of loving relationships in all the ministry groups, he said, “which means we’re in a position of strength Paul described in Philippians 2.”

The passage reads, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:1-3 NIV)

This “one in spirit” is remarkable, but Xenos still faces a glaring hurdle, Keith said. Citing John Wesley’s efforts in the 1700s, the glaring difference with modern Christianity is the large numbers of “Itinerants,” as they were known. These were the people whose courage and Christian evangelism changed England and led the world in bringing God’s mercy and love to the common masses. They transformed inhumane “Work House” prisons, built the first humane orphanages and public hospitals for the poor and sick. They abolished the cruel slave trade, and as they spread into America they led the “Radical Abolitionists” who eventually killed slavery here.

They were called the Methodists because they were highly methodical in the way they grew. Xenos imitates their key strategies by meeting in Cell Groups, Home Churches and Central Teachings. These groups seem usual today, but not in Wesley’s lifetime. As a result, when Wesley died more than 100,000 Methodists sprawled across England and another 50,000 were penetrating America. All this rested on the backs of the Itinerants who led the movement.

The expanding frontiers in this fellowship not only requires a significant leadership population, but leaders with spiritual stature like the Itinerants. This research and the biblical issues it raises will be presented in more detail at the FST retreat.

The abundance of fruitfulness and God’s activity surveyed at the SLUM retreat left the participants exhilarated but thoroughly exhausted. Stay tuned to the Neo News front page as more details emerge.

Family and friends in the audience heard about the gospel repeatedly, as well as the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. One woman made the decision to receive Christ then and there. Pray that more spiritual fruit will result from the testimonies people shared.

Many who were baptized described how God has helped them learn to love others and build deep relationships in the Body of Christ. They also shared character issues He’s transformed in them from the inside out. Throughout the testimonies, the goodness of God and His amazing grace shone through, as bright as the sun that warmed the celebration.

Be sure to check out Joe’s Blog about these baptisms…

Angie was in the midst of a crumbling marriage and financial stress when she finally realized she couldn’t make her life work by herself. Abandoning her pride, she prayed for God’s help and forgiveness.

Brian, or B.K., came to high school Word events for two years before realizing the importance of salvation. After acknowledging his need for eternal life, he prayed to receive Christ.

Yana was lonely and depressed after moving to the U.S. from Russia. She turned to drinking in high school, and then school and career goals in college, before realizing that we are saved “by grace through faith, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8,9).

Becky grew up in a church but learned more about God after coming to Word. After investigating these claims more, she made the choice to act on what she believed by asking God for a relationship.

Anele grew up in Xenos, but never understood her need to have a personal relationship with God until she acknowledged the lack of meaning in her life apart from Him. She prayed with her mom to receive Christ when she was twelve and has been maturing ever since.

Marilynn was a skeptical agnostic until she started coming to Bible studies, when she realized that there was evidence for Christianity. After acknowledging her demanding attitude toward God, she humbled herself to start a relationship with God on His terms.

John had many objections to Christianity, but slowly got his questions answered through teachings and conversations at Word. He prayed to receive Christ at last year’s all-night prayer meeting.

Cloe was lonely, scared, and confused until a friend invited her to Word and she learned about God’s love and grace. Her decision to accept Him has “melted her from the inside out” and motivated her to share His love with others.

Shelley was baptized after receiving Christ just the night before. She glowed with the enthusiasm of a brand-new Christian who now understands the power of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Josh never felt accepted until he met a fellow “nerd” who invited him to Word. For a long time he struggled with declaring “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9), but felt the excitement of salvation after he decided to proclaim this.

Antonio came to the U.S. from Mexico to get a Ph.D. After being invited to the college Bible study and learning that “we are saved by grace, not works,” he will be leaving with eternal life as well.

Tina was angry and frustrated before praying to receive Christ at age fifteen. God has helped her forgive the people she was angry with, restore those relationships, and have peace in her life.

Dan learned about God’s love at the college Bible study, but moved away before accepting Christ. At that same time that he was suffering from extreme loneliness, a friend from Bible study had a new burden to share the gospel with him. Since praying for salvation, Dan moved back to Ohio and got involved in the Bible study again.