DAWN Fridayfax 2003 #13

Switzerland

Xtramile: ethical label for rent

Kofi Annan and others have repeatedly called on businesses to display social responsibility towards the disadvantaged. Swiss businessman Peter Schäublin has developed a new concept to put this into practice. A growing number of people are worried by the developments at the start of the new millenium: civil war, famine and disasters of nature on the one hand, racism, hate, loneliness and the fight for raw materials on the other. The growing pressure has, in (too) many cases caused reduced cooperation, selfishness or conflict, even in the business world. "If we want to meet the challenges of the future, we have to find each other again, and the readiness to share with each other," says Schäublin. Xtramile is a label standing for ten key values such as acceptance, consideration and generosity. The name is derived from Jesus' counsel in Matthew 5:41: "If someone forces you to go one mile with him, go two." Companies - only one per sector - can license the Xtramile label, and use it in their marketing and communication. It's a win-win situation: the companies can improve their image, and Xtramile uses the license fees to support aid projects for people in need. Ethical values are not something we can only expect from others; we must live them ourselves, either as a company with a desire for an ethical image, or as a prominent ambassador. "Each of us can go an extra mile for someone else, just as we will depend on someone else going the extra mile for us at some point," says Schäublin. An initial meeting with a Coca-Cola representative was promising: "Xtramile fulfills a definite need of many companies. This idea has global significance."
Source: www.xtramile.net , P. Schäublin, Atelier fuer Kommunikation, Im Oberhof 16, 8240 Thayngen, Switzerland, tel (+41) 52 640 00 99

USA

Biker church for 'wild men'

Travis Abrahamson is a rather unusual pastor. "I'm the church rebel, because I don't have any tattoos," says the Vice Pastor of the Maranatha Assembly of God in Forest Lake, Minnesota. The Senior Pastor, Mike Haseltine, rides a Harley Davidson, and hosts annual hunting festivals and car shows in the parking lot, according to a Charisma News report on 12th March 2003. When Haseltine started the church in his parent's cellar, he thought "Many non-Christians are convinced that the church is irrelevant and boring. I want people to say 'What, you're a pastor??!'" After starting with 17 members, the church now has an attendance of 800 from all walks of life - and that in a small town with a population of 7,000. Some drive for an hour to attend. "Men are like reindeer- we don't like being fenced in," is one of Haseltine's mottos. Every year, 3,000 people (and cars) come to the 'Strut Your Stuff event', where bikers and bike fans come a little closer and show off their prized possessions - and girlfriends. "Where should the guys go with their girls?" asks Haseltine. "Sure, some drink and take drugs, but they do that anyway. And do you know any better place for that than a church parking lot? They are at least occasionally open for God."

How can you fight love?

Haseltine was an alcoholic and drug addict as a teenager. "All of my friends who were caught by their parents were beaten, shouted at and grounded. My parents said 'We love you, and pray for you.' How could I fight against love?" When asked why he collects tattoos and wears a large nose ring, he replies "I just like it, and it irritates religious people." When the church outgrew their old building, Haseltine gave the building to the local fire department as a practice area. They burned it down, but Haseltine tells everyone that the building is just a tool, not 'the house of God'. "It makes we crazy when people talk about church buildings as if they were 'a house of God'." And what do the visitors say? "Mostly two things," answers Haseltine: "Church is really fun!" and "You guys are really real!"
Source: Charisma News

Switzerland

"Heal like Jesus" - are New Agers discovering Jesus?

Switzerland's largest New Age magazine published a two-page four-colour advert for an evangelistic book. The January 2003 issue of 'esotera' contained not only an advert for Daniel Hari's book 'Heal like Jesus', but also an interview on the topic 'Christ-centric healing - very promising'. Hari is one of Switzerland's leading teachers who bring spiritual seekers in contact with Jesus. "Almost 500 New Agers have ordered the book and personally experienced God," he says, summarizing many feedbacks. He is holding a seminar with the title "Healing like Jesus - an introduction to Christ-centric healing" from 22-29 March 2003 in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, attended by many New Agers.
Source and Info: the book (in German) is available from Daniel Hari, tel./fax (+41) 41 372 18 72, hari@omegalive.ch, www.daniel-hari.ch/aktuell

This Web version of the DAWN Fridayfax is maintained by the Jesus Fellowship Church (Jesus Army) as a service to the Christian church. Please visit our web pages which feature the e-zine Streetpaper and its special Revival section.