An article by Francis Frangipane has recently gone into circulation. It is a very balanced and well constructed article. The main purpose was to argue need to put word of Bible before signs and wonders and to see latter in context of former. He made a number of useful points and used some interesting concepts. It was of a quality one would expect from him no more than one would expect from him and it is not my purpose here to criticise this work.

However, there are some points which arise from what he said which do need attention. In pursuing his objective he, inevitably, made comments which were subservient to it and, not being of main concern, were not developed. But some of these do require further consideration.

Extra-biblical Phenomona FP defines manifestations which have no pattern in Bible as extra-biblical. In these he includes quaking of Quakers and rolling of Holy Rollers. He then includes claimed visitations of mother of Jesus at Medjugore (in former Yugoslavia) as belonging to same category. This is surely a slip of thought.

Medjugore Patterns in Bible?>/B> A pattern consists of elements which can be regarded as representative of something and which are repeated in recognisable ways.

In fact, there are several well known instances in Bible which constitute a pattern into which Medjugore fits very well. Visitations of angels abound, but there are other instances: Samuel appeared to Saul, albeit illegally (1 Samuel 28:8 - 20); Jacob had an encounter with a heavenly being (some would say divine) (Genesis 32. 23 - 33); there was a (probably divine) appearance to Joshua (Joshua 5. 13 - 15). Of course, we know of appearance to Jesus himself of Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17. 1 - 8f) and there are many other examples one could quote.

Do these constitute a pattern into which (claimed) appearances at Medjugore fit? Surely they do. The visions at Medjugore are different in only two respects: they concern a female rather than a male figure; and they have been repeated every night without fail over twenty-two years. Otherwise, and these are surely not grounds for exclusion, Medjugore events fit into biblical pattern extremely well.

True, as patterns go, are identical, but many have repetitions which include nonidentical elements. This is evident when we compare such biblical events as mentioned above. All have similarities of one kind or another but none can be said to be identical.

Medjugore, Quakers and Rollers. The events at Medjugore cannot, therefore, properly be compared with extra-biblical charismatic-type events relating to such as Quakers and Rollers. Of course, Francis Frangipane was simply looking for some examples, and unfortunately picked on Medjugore. But, since latter can be seen quite clearly to fit within biblical category, it does demand further attention. Clearly, this kind of categorisation is permissive rather than conclusive of its genuineness: everything that looks like something biblical is not necessarily genuine.

At least because of its influence on very large numbers of people, not to say that God may be reaching to these people through this manifestation, Medjugore phenomenon warrants some further consideration. Divine Or Demonic Origin? FP says I personally do not believe that this was (is?) Mary. He does not say why but, as we have noted, thinks that God may be using it. But that is not really enough. It is either of satanic or of divine origin. One or other. Ought we not to make an assessment of which?

Is there a possibility of satanic origin? That is doubtful when one considers messages, and I have read many of them, which have been coming out of Medjugore since 1981. Jesus once asked “How can Satan drive out Satan?” because a kingdom or house cannot stand if divided against itself. Moreover, he added, very significantly, that, if Satan were to oppose himself, his end would have come (Mark 3. 23 - 26f).

I think I might be in minority. I actually have a fair degree of successs with promoting to leads supplied by Free-For-All (FFA) networks.

Everyone who has tried, knows that posting an ad to an FFA site is a total waste of time. The chances of your ad even being seen, never mind reponded to, are so remote you'd have better luck sending postcards to people randomly selected from yellow pages !

People soon realised you could generate a fair degree of responses by hosting your own FFA site and leaving system to do it's magic on autpilot.

Nowadays, even this has become a less popular form of online marketing, due to dwindling results many people have encountered.

In my experience...

To host an FFA site is not enough, if all you are is a free member who sends out their confirmation emails straight away.

Even those who sign up as Pro members and leave system to run by itself are not doing them- selves or their marketing efforts any favours.

To experience success, you have to host as a Pro member AND put in a little bit of effort - not much - to make it work.

If you do, you'll be one step ahead of even most other Pro members. And, you'll be rewarded with more responses to your marketing.

Over last nine months I have been testing various aspects of FFA marketing. I now have a finely tuned system that get's results every single day.

Here's my top ten tips for FFA success -

---------------- -ONE- Send your confirmation emails out at least seven days later. I would even suggest delaying things further still. Some FFA networks will allow you to delay sending of your confirmation email automatically - don't do it...instead...

-TWO- Download your leads, or have them delivered, and send your emails yourself. If you organise your workload well enough this is not as big a chore as it may seem. Use a good bulk email program like Fairlogic's Worldcast. http://www.fairlogic.com/worldcast

-THREE- Trying to SELL anything is a waste of time. All your ads should give something away fr*ee.

Everyone who is posting to an FFA site...

o Already has a website and program to promote. o Is probably not interested in any form of paid advertising. o Is almost definitely a fr*eebie hunter or a newbie. o Is lazy and likes automated things.

Try to find interesting and unique items to give away. Ebooks and other stuff that are readily offered elsewhere usually don't work too well.