Nicknamed the ‘Minister of Defense,’ White began questioning his effectiveness in ministry during the last years of his life
At 6 feet 5 inches and 300 pounds, Reggie White was arguably one of the best defensive players in National Football League (NFL) history. But friends and colleagues say it was the 43-year-old’s strength off the field–as an ordained minister and humanitarian–that left the biggest mark.

“He was a big guy with a huge heart,” said longtime friend and fellow minister Paul Cole. “You could be in a room with other guys who were physically large, but Reggie would fill the room if he was there. Literally, he would walk in and something happened in the air. It was more than his physical presence; there was something bigger inside him.”

White’s sudden death on Dec. 26–likely caused by respiratory problems stemming from sarcoidosis (inflamed lungs) and sleep apnea–sent shockwaves of grief throughout the sports community. Survived by his wife, Sara, and their two children, Jeremy and Jecolia, White was buried Dec. 30 in Charlotte, N.C.

“He was one of the greatest players who ever put on a uniform at his position,” said Johnny Majors, White’s former coach at the University of Tennessee. “I once referred to him as the Tony Dorsett, [a legendary running back], of defensive linemen. There’s never been a better one.”

Twice honored as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, White was voted to play in a record-setting 13 Pro Bowls, helped lead the Green Bay Packers to victory in Super Bowl XXXI in 1997, and held the all-time record for quarterback sacks (198) at the time of his final retirement in 2000.

But he was also an outspoken Christian who lost a $6 million deal as a sports analyst after he labeled homosexuality a sin during a 1998 speech before the Wisconsin state legislature. The Chattanooga, Tenn., native who became known as the “Minister of Defense” founded and supported several ministries. Among them were Urban Hope, which helps provide loans to minority businesspeople who can’t get funding from traditional sources; Christian Athletes United for Spiritual Empowerment (CAUSE); and the Inner City Church of Knoxville, Tenn., where he was a co-pastor.

Yet after a second and final retirement after the 2000 season, White grew introspective and began questioning his effectiveness in ministry. “I’ve been a preacher 21 years, preaching what somebody wrote or what I heard somebody else say,” said White in his final interview with the NFL Network in 2004.

“I was not a student of the Scripture. I did not read the Bible every day because I didn’t understand it. As much as I gave the perception that I understood what I was talking about, I didn’t understand it. I came to the realization that I had become more of a motivational speaker than a teacher of the Word.

“In many respects, I’d been prostituting,” he went on to say. “Most people who wanted me to speak at their churches were only asking me to speak because I played football, not because I was this great religious guy or this theologian.”

White put his ministry on hold and began an extensive study of the Hebrew language and the Torah. “I came to the realization that if I’m gonna find God,” White said, “I’ve gotta go back and research the Scripture in its original language to see what it says.”

After two years of study, White even altered his diet, giving up eating pork and meat from scavengers such as shrimp and lobster, as per Old Testament law. Some friends and colleagues began questioning whether he was straying into legalism.

“When Reggie started down the road of going back to the original language it really revitalized him,” said Qadry Ismail, a former wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens who took up Hebrew studies along with White. “From the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation, that’s what Reggie held to be true. The traditions that we should not be involved in–the ones that have crept up into our ‘Christian’ lives over time–he moved away from.”

For a season, MorningStar Ministries founder Rick Joyner wouldn’t allow White to teach certain doctrines in his church. “As is common with those who have the insatiable hunger for deeper knowledge and understanding, sometimes they are open to those who have carried doctrines to extremes, and I felt that this happened to Reggie,” Joyner wrote in a tribute on his Web site in the days after White’s death. “However, I was never too concerned about Reggie, knowing that his sincere love of the truth and his integrity, would ultimately lead him to ultimate truth.”

Joyner said the two had reconciled before White’s death.

White’s story will be featured in the March/April issue of New Man magazine, which is owned by Charisma’s parent company, Strang Communications. “Reggie was one the best defensive players the NFL has ever seen–if not the best ever,” said New Man editor Robert Andrescik. “He lived an exemplary life. All of the scandals you hear about with pro athletes … Reggie rose above all that. He made us proud because he played hard and lived godly, both on and off the field.”
Jarrod Gollihare

Illinois Court Rules Decalogue Monument Constitutional

The U.S. Court of Appeals of the 7th Circuit ruled in January that the City of LaCrosse, Ill.’s sale of a piece of land on which a Ten Commandments monument sits was constitutional, the La Crosse Tribune reported. The monument, donated to the city by the Fraternal Order of Eagles in 1965, was located in a public park for years. When the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed suit alleging the statue violated the separation of church and state, the city sold the land on which the monument sits to the Eagles. The site is fenced in, and there are signs noting the land is private property, but the foundation still refused to withdraw its case. The appeals court ruled 2-1 that the fence and signs are sufficient for reasonable passers-by to recognize the land as private property. Opponents of the decision may appeal to the Supreme Court, the Tribune said.

Virginia Lawmakers May Consider Gay Marriage Ban

Republicans in Virginia’s General Assembly are preparing resolutions requesting an amendment to the state’s constitution limiting marriage to heterosexual couples only, The Washington Post reported. The ban on same-sex marriage would be similar to the ones passed in 11 states Nov. 2. Legislators in Maryland and Kansas also are likely to take up the issue this year, the newspaper said. So far, 17 states have constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage.

Court Denies Case on Gay Adoption Ban

On Jan. 10 the Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to a Florida law banning gay adoption, the Los Angeles Times reported. Enacted in 1977, the law prohibits gays and lesbians from adopting, though homosexuals are permitted to serve as foster parents. Lawyers said the state encourages singles to adopt and permits former drug abusers and ex-offenders to adopt children, the Times reported. The high court gave no reason for refusing the case. Mathew Staver, president of Liberty Counsel, said the ban on gay adoption “serves the legitimate purpose of preserving the traditional model of the family.”

Whether or not he’s drafted by the NBA, Roger Powell Jr. says his ultimate goal is to pursue full-time Christian service
Roger Powell Jr. helped lead the University of Illinois basketball team to the top this season, but the senior forward believes he has a higher calling. In October, Powell, 22, received his minister’s license at Mount Zion Full Gospel Tabernacle, a Pentecostal church in his hometown of Joliet, Ill. The license allows him to preach.

“I want to show myself approved and study the Bible,” Powell told Charisma in December, shortly after the Fighting Illini was named the No. 1 college basketball team in the nation.

“Once I get ordained, I want to let the Lord lead me–be it as a pastor, evangelist, youth minister or something else,” added Powell, who preached his first sermon on being a “living sacrifice” from Romans 12. “I don’t know exactly what that calling is yet, but it’ll be in the ministry.”

For now though, his focus is basketball. For just the third time in school history, and the first time since 1989, Illinois reached the top of national rankings this season. The last two times Illinois went to No. 1, the Fighting Illini ended the season in the NCAA tournament’s Final Four.

Powell, who is 6 feet 6 inches tall and a leading scorer for the team, believes Illinois has what it takes to qualify and win the Final Four, which will be held this month.

“I don’t have a speech planned [if we were to win],” admitted Powell, who is a four-year starter at the university, which is located in Champaign. “I’m just going to glorify God. I would probably say, ‘Thank you, Jesus.’ I’d be too excited.”

He is excited about his future, including the prospects of playing in the NBA. Although he withdrew his name from last year’s NBA draft to return for his final college season, Powell sees playing professional basketball as part of his destiny.

“I believe God’s going to open a door for me to play in the NBA because He’s given me the talent,” he said. “It’s a great way to get the gospel out and reach kids.”

Powell said that out of respect for Reggie White, he did not want to comment on the late football star’s concerns that Christian athletes entertain believers, rather than teach them biblical truth.

Besides being heavily involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Powell proclaims his faith every time he steps on the court. It’s not surprising that he is considered the team’s spiritual leader.

“We call him ‘The Rev’ now,” teammate Dee Brown told The (Champaign) News-Gazette. “He’s giving himself over to God. That’s a positive thing. It’s not easy. I wish I could do it.”

Last spring, Powell told Illinois coach Bruce Weber that he had found his calling, and Weber wasn’t surprised. Weber said Powell “hasn’t gone overboard,” concerning his faith. “I think he’s always had a strong faith, and now it’s just that he’s going to make that his future,” Weber told the newspaper.

Powell, who attended Mount Zion as a youngster but didn’t surrender his life to Christ until his sophomore year in college, began courses in religious studies at Urbana Theological Seminary in January. He received a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Illinois in December and plans to pursue a master’s degree in theology.

“He’s got a long journey to go, but he’ll get there,” Mount Zion pastor Craig Purchase told The News-Gazette. “He’s not T.D. Jakes, now, but he could be some day. Or better yet, maybe he’ll just be Roger Powell Jr.”

Speaking of Jakes, Powell is a fan of the well-known Dallas pastor, as well as other prominent charismatic ministers, such as Creflo Dollar and Rod Parsley. While watching the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) last year, Powell said he received a revelation regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Friends from a campus group called Get Free Ministry had offered to help him “get baptized in the Holy Spirit.”

“I’ve never spoken in tongues, so when they offered I said I really didn’t know much about it and that I would pray about it,” Powell recalled. “I prayed and asked God to show me the answer. The next day I turned on TBN, and Marilyn Hickey was on.

“The first thing she said was: ‘Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit? If you haven’t, then you should be baptized.’I was sitting in my bed and I raised my hand. I said, ‘Thank you, Lord, for that revelation.’ That was my answer to prayer.”
Eric Tiansay

Carol Kent says God taught her how to surrender to Him after her son committed murder in broad daylight
Her son was a respected soldier with a promising military career, but Carol Kent doesn’t want to give anybody the impression that he is a hero. That is far from the truth–he shot and killed a man in broad daylight. Instead, she wants to share with others the painful journey of faith God has helped her walk for the last half-decade.

Her journey began on Oct. 24, 1999. The telephone rang at 12:35 a.m. Her husband answered, listened, then informed her that their son, Jason, had been arrested for the murder of his wife’s ex-husband. Kent said she collapsed to the floor in shock.

Her son–a 25-year-old who loved Christ, was a model student and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy–had become so obsessed with the alleged abuse of his two stepdaughters that he shot their biological father in plain view of passers-by.

An author and speaker, Kent prayed and interceded for 2-1/2 years before her only child’s trial. When the trial finally took place, she walked around the courthouse seven times in a Jericho-style prayer walk, petitioning God for His will. But her prayers did not yield the results for which she had hoped. The jury delivered their decision and Jason accepted his sentence: life in prison, without the possibility of parole–ever.

“Jason received the punishment with a demeanor of quietness,” she said. “As if he had prayed much. He didn’t break down. He didn’t show anger. He was just at peace, much more at peace than any of the rest of us. Then they put the cuffs on him and the waist chain, and they sent him out.”

As her son serves his penalty, Kent, too, lives out a life sentence of hope deferred. But she says with the loss of former expectations comes the possibility of new dreams forged by fire, heartache and suffering that are made of strong metals.

She tells her story in her book When I Lay My Isaac Down (NavPress). She says through the darkness, she found a path to redemption in the story of Abraham and Isaac.

God tested Abraham, commanding him to offer his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering. Abraham rose early the following morning and headed toward the altar. His son asked, “Father, where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God will provide for Himself the lamb, my son.” And the two of them walked on together (see Gen. 22:1-8).

Kent knows that her son is not a picture of Isaac, who had done nothing wrong. “I don’t excuse what he did,” she said. “His actions would not have been God’s plan for his life. But Jason is my personal ‘Isaac.'”

She says God enabled her to lay down her claim to her son with complete trust and submission, even while her mother’s heart recoiled at letting go. “I realized that what I sacrificed on the altar were my own desires, prideful ambition for my son, family holidays and an idyllic future.”

The first time Kent saw her son after his arrest, it was through the filter of a thick Plexiglas barrier. Ten inmates had assaulted him at the jail. “He was beaten and bruised, his two front teeth were jagged pieces. He was broken, hurt and sad. And so was I,” Kent said. “There was nothing I could do about the circumstances that brought Jason to that place. There was no way to bring [his victim] back to life. There was no way to fix things and make life as it was before.”

The Kents spent Easter with Jason following his trial. They sat together, as a family, in the prison courtyard and determined they would not waste their sorrow. They would allow God to use their tragedy as a platform upon which to proclaim His goodness to a world in need. A part of that proclamation is the Kents’ prison ministry called Speak Up for Hope, , a nonprofit organization through which the couple helps churches and ministries reach out to prisoners and their families.
Tonya Stoneman

Jack Dyer has spent 26 years delivering food and medical supplies to remote regions in Honduras and India
The man known as “Papa Jack” to thousands of Miskito Indians has taken a break from his adventures after a nasty fall on a mountain trek. But just because he’s 73 years old doesn’t mean Church of God missionary Jack Dyer is considering retirement.

“I’m a perpetual motion machine,” he told Charisma. “If I stop moving I’ll die.”

Dyer has been recuperating following that nearly fatal fall in the Himalayas in India last year. But that was just one of countless close calls he’s had in his 26-year missionary career, most of it spent among the Miskito Indians of Honduras, where he used his plane to ferry medical supplies and people to remote clinics, among many other duties.

Dyer grew up in Baton Rouge, La., and became a successful engineer before experiencing the “anointing of the Holy Spirit,” as he put it. He was a deacon and Sunday school teacher in a Baptist church but felt something working on him spiritually. “The Holy Spirit was touching me,” Dyer said.

The turning point came when he heard a sermon on Revelation 18. “It tells them to get out of Babylon,” he said. “God spoke to me just as clearly as I’m talking to you and said: ‘That’s you, Buddy. You’re mine, but you live in Babylon.’ And He said, ‘Get out.'”

Dyer heeded the message and began selling his extensive properties, including an Arabian horse farm, using the money to fund his future mission work and other “spiritual endeavors” such as a church camp for wayward boys. He moved with his wife, Shirley, to Honduras to be a missionary bush pilot, working with the Church of God and an organization called Friends of the Americas.

Dyer describes his experiences in his unpublished memoirs, which he wrote in third person. “I don’t like people blowing their own horn, so I just didn’t put my name in the book,” he explained. “I just think it’s more interesting that way.”

In the book, he writes of his arrival at a refugee camp in Mocoron, Honduras, in 1981: “He soon realized he was in a situation like he had never seen before. There were some 11,000 people living in an open field. There was no clean drinking water, no sanitary facilities, almost no food and nothing but the crudest thatched roofed sheds to protect them from the torrential rains that fell intermittently. They were living in a sea of mud mixed with human excrement. The odor was almost more than his stomach could bear. For a moment he thought he would throw up.”

But Dyer said he adjusted to the living conditions and was soon busy helping, sometimes transporting too-heavy loads to save lives or landing on dangerous terrain.

His adventures didn’t end with the refugee crisis. The day-to-day routine of a jungle bush pilot keeps Dyer living on the edge. On more than one occasion he damaged his plane and nearly lost his life landing on remote jungle strips. But he said he felt that he was in God’s hands, which enabled him to perform feats far beyond the limits of his own skills.

One such feat occurred when he decided to land on a sandbar in the Coco River. He scouted it out by air but saw it was covered with logs, so he sent an Indian friend upriver by canoe to clear it. Then he flew up to deliver Christmas boxes to the Miskitos. Dyer finessed the risky landing and handed out the boxes to grateful Indians.

Dyer was in his late 60s when he wrapped up his work in Honduras. But rather than retire to Baton Rouge to fish and dandle grandkids like an ordinary person, he set off to India for a new chapter in his missionary career. That led him on the trek that almost ended his life: He blacked out while hiking in the Himalayas and wound up at the bottom of a mountain. Doctors said a heart condition apparently caused the blackout.

Dyer returned “home” to Baton Rouge for medical treatment last year, but he made a monthlong trip to Honduras in November and planned another to India early this year. “I’m open to what God does with me,” he said. “I just want to be used.”
Ernest Herndon

Charles Blair said one of the nation’s presidents has pledged to donate a piece of land to build a church for every 25 converts
Charles Blair is no mathematician, but he is a fan of numbers. The former pastor of Calvary Temple in Denver has a particular favorite: 1,850. That’s how much he says it costs in dollars to support an Ethiopian missionary for a year, build a church and furnish the congregation with Bibles and discipleship materials.

Another favorite is 25. That’s the number of converts needed in order for the government to donate a patch of land for a church building.

Those figures form the crux of a fund-raising effort Blair launched nearly two years ago. Dubbed The Ethiopian Call, the campaign’s goal is to raise enough money to plant 1,000 churches in Benishangul-Gumuz, which has a population of 600,000 and is located in western Ethiopia near the Sudan border. So far, Blair says, enough money has been raised to sponsor 649 churches.

Blair said he hopes North American Christians will support the Ethopian church ” and trigger a ripple effect that will be felt throughout all Ethiopia. We believe God’s going to give us the nation.”

Blair spent more than 50 years as founding pastor of Calvary Temple before he retired in 1998. In the 1970s, he found himself the subject of newspaper headlines after he unwittingly sold unsecured securities in an effort to raise funds for a retirement center. He was fined and put on probation, and the church went on to repay the investors.

Now, despite retirement, Blair said he doesn’t want to miss what he calls an “unprecedented” opportunity to help fulfill the Great Commission. Blair has been working in Ethiopia since the early 1990s, when communism fell in the east African nation. At the invitation of the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia, a consortium of more than 20 denominations, Blair began training promising young leaders to evangelize their nation and plant churches in remote villages. Blair’s organization reports that some 60,000 Ethiopians have converted to Christianity through their efforts.

Blair said the spiritual and social transformation is apparent. Roughly two years ago Yaregal Aysheshim, president of Benishangul-Gumuz, contacted Blair. A Christian, Aysheshim said he noticed a marked difference in the villages in his region: crime was down, the AIDS infection rate had dropped and alcoholism had decreased, Blair recalled.

“He said he’d be in office for 2-1/2 more years, and he wanted to establish 1,000 churches within that time,” Blair said. “He was willing to donate a piece of land for every 25 converts. … We felt it was an open door, one that could close.”

Since then, Blair has met quietly with Christian leaders, telling them the story of how he met an African president willing to donate land for building churches. Thousands of dollars have poured in, and more than 100 churches are currently under construction. But Blair said more is needed to reach the 1,000-church goal by Sept. 1, when Aysheshim’s term ends.

Ray Noah, pastor of Valley Christian Center in Dublin, Calif., has led his church in sponsoring 50 Ethiopian church-plants, and he hopes to sponsor 50 more. He visited Ethiopia twice last year, assisting Blair in training the sponsored pastors.

“These pastors … don’t have anything, but what they have is a passion for the Lord,” Noah said. “They’re very grateful for the resources we bring in, but once you give them that help, they go out there and do the work.”

Though Ethiopia is home to the world’s oldest Christian community, the residents of Benishangul-Gumuz are largely animists. Many still plow by hand and survive by hunting and fishing. Many don’t wear clothing or attend school.

“There’s spiritual darkness and with that spiritual darkness is cultural darkness,” Noah said. “You can tell where a church has been planted. It not only changes the spiritual life of that community, it changes the cultural and social life of that community.”
Adrienne S. Gaines
For more information about The Ethiopian Call, contact the Blair Foundation at 877-418-6265; write 2265 Fraser Road, Kawkawlin, MI 48631; or visit .

Bob Heath says his Kids for Christ ministry has seen thousands of children come to Christ; many have led others to salvation
An Oklahoma evangelist is training young missionaries in one of the nation’s most unlikely places: public schools.

Bob Heath, founder and director of Kids for Christ USA said his organization has seen more than 6,000 children accept Christ since it began launching Bible clubs in Tulsa public elementary and middle schools in January 2001. In turn, he said, the children have used the tools they learned during the weekly meetings to lead 2,500 of their friends and family members to salvation.

“I … simply wanted to empower people–children and their parents and leaders–to start Bible clubs in their schools,” Heath told Charisma.

Based in Broken Arrow, in suburban Tulsa, Kids for Christ (KFC) began informally about seven years ago when a parents group invited Heath to be the guest speaker at a Bible club at a Tulsa elementary school. Then children’s minister at Calvary Church of the Nazarene, Heath had gained recognition locally for his evangelistic festivals for children.

He said the students were crammed on the floor of the small meeting room. “I taught them that Jesus was like chocolate; the more you get the more it takes to satisfy you,” Heath said. “It blew me away when 20 of those kids responded to an invitation to give their lives to Christ.”

That experience stayed with him for the next several years. Yet despite “constant nagging” by one of the moms to organize similar Bible clubs around Tulsa, he kept the idea on the back burner. Then in 2001, while participating in Dad’s Day with his son’s kindergarten class, Heath noticed one of the men giving out gospel tracts. At first Heath thought the man was a loose cannon, but then he “had one of those ‘open your mouth and let God fill it’ moments,” he said.

When the man asked Heath if he was a Christian, he said: “‘Yes. In fact, I am a minister. As a matter of fact, if I started a Bible club here would you help me?'”

Heath said he then realized God had set him up. Heath later launched KFC at the elementary school his sons attended.

According to the Family Research Council, the 1984 Equal Access Act (EAA) requires schools to grant religious student groups the same rights and privileges as nonreligious student groups. Though some Christian organizations have been challenged for hosting Bible clubs in public schools, Heath said he hasn’t received any significant opposition. He said he spoke with a representative of the American Center for Law and Justice in the developmental stages of KFC to make sure he was on solid legal ground.

Now children’s director for fourth- through sixth-graders at Believers Church of Tulsa, Heath describes the weekly KFC meetings as “Nickelodeon-style, high-energy, virtue-driven, simple gospel.” They kick off with praise songs, a game and a Bible story with a very practical application. After more worship and prayer, the children are invited to accept Christ.

Instead of praying the traditional “sinner’s prayer,” the youngsters meet Christ through the “Ticket to Heaven Prayer,” which Heath said gives the children an easy way to lead others to Christ. The prayer comprises eight simple phrases: “I thank You, Jesus. You died for me. Rose again for me. Forgive all my sins. Come into my heart. Make me the champion You want me to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Genevieve Delaune, parent-sponsor of a KFC club at Andersen Elementary in Broken Arrow, said her three children struggle getting up every day except Wednesdays. “All I have to do is say: ‘OK, kids. It’s KFC day,’ and they jump out of bed,” she said.

In its 2004 year-end survey, KFC reported that of the 238 children who responded, 56 percent had led someone to Christ using the Ticket to Heaven prayer. During KFC’s 2004 “Operation Treat-or-Treat” outreach event, students from three Tulsa schools chose to hand out Ticket to Heaven tracts to the adults who answered the doors on Halloween. As a result, 22 adults accepted Christ.

With 25 clubs in the Tulsa area, KFC receives requests from groups nationwide who are interested in beginning Bible clubs in their local schools. Though Heath has said his goal is to “have a thriving Bible club in every school in the nation,” he believes Jesus is already in most public schools. “If there is one child in a school that has given his or her life to Jesus,” Heath said, “then Jesus is in that school.”
Carol McClain Bassett

Ohio ministers Lawrence and Darlene Bishop say the six-story King of Kings statue has helped lead travelers to faith in Christ

A 62-foot statue outside a charismatic church in Monroe, Ohio, got people across the country talking about Jesus.

After the replica of Christ was unveiled in November along Interstate 75 roughly 20 miles outside Cincinnati, the statue won cheers and jeers from observers nationwide.

Some decried it as a highway distraction or an idolatrous “graven image,” said Lawrence Bishop, co-pastor of Solid Rock Church, which funded the project. Others, however, said the statue reminded them of Christ’s love. Bishop said the statue motivated one man not to end his life. “He passed by and saw that statue and said at the next exit he started weeping, and he got off the exit and gave his heart to God, saved his life,” Bishop said.

The “Giant Jesus,” whose hands are the size of dump trucks, has become something of a tourist attraction. Considered the largest image of Christ in North America, the statue soon was to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records. But Bishop and his wife, Darlene, a popular conference speaker, say the $250,000 project wasn’t designed to make history.

“We’ve had people say, ‘Why didn’t you take that money and feed the poor?'” Darlene Bishop said. “Maybe we could have fed a few hungry people, but for years to come, I believe, this is going to give people hope. Not just a meal to eat, but hope for their eternal life.”

“We tell them, also, that we do feed the poor,” Lawrence Bishop added. “That’s why we can afford to build this Jesus. Because God has blessed us because we do help the poor.”

Nashville, artist Brad Coriell has designed paintings and sculptures for several charismatic ministries and has artwork in four presidential libraries, but he said the “King of Kings” project, which took almost a year to complete, is his largest to date. He believes God gave him the idea to make the steel-and-fiberglass sculpture that started at 45 feet but later was altered to be more than six stories tall.

“It’s the witnessing tool I always wanted,” Coriell said. “Everybody’s talking about Jesus. Negative or positive, they’re all talking about [the statue], and that’s what I wanted. Because someone that doesn’t know Jesus is going to hear that talk, or someone’s going to use that as the witnessing opportunity to get to that person and get that soul saved, and that’s what it was all about for me.”
Adrienne S. Gaines

EVANGELISTS SAY TSUNAMI HAS BROUGHT GREATER UNITY

Evangelists working in Southeast Asia say the recent tsunami has helped unite Christians and Buddhists in Sri Lanka, where more than 50,000 people died in the disaster. “For so long churches have been persecuted, but today we see everybody joining hands,” said Raymond Mooi, who founded the School of Acts in Malaysia and ministers throughout Asia. Gospel for Asia president K.P. Yohannan agreed, saying Christians have been reaching out to help Buddhists who lost everything in the disaster. “One [Buddhist] man said, ‘I never knew your Jesus made you do things like this,'” Yohannan told Charisma. Still, Mooi said Christians are being urged to exercise caution when sharing their faith. “At the moment, I’d say … it is not wise to proselytize,” said Mooi, who visited the United States in January to raise money for relief efforts in Sri Lanka and Thailand. “But as the Lord leads and relationships develop, there may be opportunity to present the gospel. People are wary of some people’s motives.”

SUDANESE VP, REBEL LEADER SIGN PEACE DEAL

Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha and John Garang, chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, signed a comprehensive peace agreement Jan. 9, in a move that observers hope will end the 20-year civil war that has left some 2 million Sudanese dead, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Secretary of State Colin Powell signed the agreement as a witness and said the deal will “close a dark chapter in Sudan’s history” if both parties implement the provisions of the agreement. The agreement still needed to be ratified by the Sudanese parliament and the rebels, the AP said. Peace talks are still under way to end the violence in Darfur, in western Sudan, where thousands have died since February 2003.

PREACHER DIES DURING SERMON

A Florida minister collapsed and died Jan. 9 in the middle of a sermon after saying, “And when I go to heaven,” the Associated Press (AP) reported. Jack Arnold, 69, was nearing the end of his sermon at Covenant Presbyterian Church in the Orlando suburb of Oviedo when he suffered an apparent heart attack. Several church members tried to revive him, but Arnold appeared to have died instantly, the AP said. Arnold served as pastor of Covenant Presbyterian until the late 1990s, when he began training pastors in Africa and the Middle East. President of Equipping Pastors International and a former UCLA basketball player under Coach John Wooden, Arnold contributed to Wooden’s book, Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, which Regal Books is scheduled to release this month. Covenant’s associate pastor, the Rev. Michael S. Beates, told the AP: “It was traumatic, but how wonderful it was he died in his own church among the people he loved the most.”

NEW PALESTINIAN LEADER ELECTED

Observers hoped the Middle East peace process will continue under the direction of newly elected Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Winning 62 percent of the vote, Abbas had spoken out against violence and promised to reform the government and security services, the Associated Press (AP) reported. But after Palestinian militants killed six Israelis in a bombing attack in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cut all ties with Abbas, saying he was too soft on militants, the AP said. Abbas is viewed as a moderate, but an Israeli spokesman told the AP his nation opted to cut all ties because the bombing was launched from a Palestinian Authority base.

Gospel Artists Honored at Stellar Awards

Martha Munizzi became the first Caucasian woman to receive a Stellar Award after being named New Artist of the Year during the 20th annual music awards show held in Houston Jan. 15. Other recipients included Tonéx, who was honored with six Stellar Awards, including Artist of the Year; Bishop Paul S. Morton, who received three Stellar Awards, including Traditional Vocalist of the Year; Cece Winans, who was named Female Vocalist of the Year, and Israel Houghton, whose honors included Male Vocalist of the Year.

World Evangelical Alliance Leader Resigns

The Rev. Gary Edmonds, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), has resigned from his post as leader of the global network of evangelicals. Assist News Service reported that on Feb. 1 he was to become executive director of Churches Together, a ministry that mobilizes North American churches to partner with African congregations in the fight against AIDS. Meanwhile, the WEA Mission Commission announced the appointment of Bertil Ekström, 52, as successor to William Taylor, who had served as executive director for 20 years. The change is to take effect in 2006.

Pro-Life Candidate Seeks DNC Chairman Post

Former Rep. Tim Roemer announced plans Jan. 9 to run for the top spot in the Democratic National Committee. A Catholic and longtime abortion opponent, Roemer said he respects the position of pro-abortion Democrats but hopes to expand the party geographically and ideologically, the Associated Press said. In an interview on ABC’s This Week, Roemer noted that Democrats “lost 97 of the 100 fastest-growing counties in the United States” and had lost ground among Hispanic voters and African American churchgoers. Abortion advocate Kate Michelman said the election of a staunchly anti-abortion committee leader would “signal that the Democratic Party is retreating from one of its core principles.” The election was scheduled for February.

BOOKS

Why Christian Kids Rebel
By Dr. Tim Kimmel, W Publishing Group,
Softcover, 256 pages, $.

What if the thing you think will save your child is the thing that drives him or her away? Dr. Tim Kimmel, author of best-selling Grace-Based Parenting, does an excellent job of demonstrating why mere Christian formula and tradition can never replace a passionate relationship with Jesus in his new book, Why Christian Kids Rebel: Trading Heartache for Hope.

The author is quick to point out that there is nothing necessarily wrong with tradition and tried-and-true Christian disciplines. It is just that kids are looking for authentic relationships rather than empty activities, and they need the relationships before they see the value of the activities.

Kimmel talks to parents about their own relationships with God, challenging them to see in what areas they might have become religious rather than real. He also talks about parenting styles and claims the one that fosters the least rebellion is the grace-based parenting style.

The author helps parents identify what true rebellion is. True rebellion has little to do with bucking traditions and more to do with a heart deliberately turning away from the Christian faith and morality. Kimmel gives hope and wise counsel to parents of kids who are growing up and hopefully learning to make the Christian faith their own.
Deborah L. Delk

Understand My Muslim People

By Abraham Sarker, Barclay Press,
Softcover, 304 pages, $18.

Abraham Sarker, raised a Muslim in Bangladesh, gave his life to Christ in a conversion that took four years and a miraculous Bible–written in his native language and found in an American University–to complete. Understand My Muslim People opens with the amazing story of this courageous man and leads to a host of challenges related to reaching millions “blinded by Islam.” Sarker discusses why Jesus is greater than Muhammad and gives insights on winning converts.

Sarker desires to see Christians become like the apostle Paul, but sharing the gospel in Muslim centers of influence ranging from Asia to America. He wants them to handle Islamic history with care in order to open avenues of discussion.

Paul did use the surroundings of the idol-worshiping ancient Greeks to get their attention, but he nevertheless made plain the message to reject ignorance and accept the truth. Sarker adds compassion.
J. James Estrada

Desert to Destiny
By Wendy Yapp, Creation House,

softcover, 237 pages, $.

Fulfilling destiny requires actively claiming the inheritance that God gives. Desert to Destiny: The Daughters of Zelophehad creatively retells the story of five daughters who, they they lived in an era when only males inherited property, were filled with enough faith and boldness to claim the inheritance of their father.

Author Wendy Yapp introduces Zelophehad’s daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah, and revealing the meaning in their ancient Hebrew names. Each name’s meaning is an element in character development that carries the women through the desert into the promise land. They demonstrated the ability to allow God to turn weakness into strength, to wait on the Lord’s timing and pass His sifting process, to understand our position in our relationship with God and to bring destiny to pass through prayer, worship and clinging to His promises.

The backdrop of the culture from Egypt to Canaan is also illustrated with insightful details that make this journey come alive. Although this is primarily about women, it also has life lessons for all who would come into their destiny. Yapp proves to be an excellent teacher and storyteller, making this book a valuable find.
Deborah L. Delk

MUSIC

Bridges
By Various Artists, Waterfront Records.

Many have speculated about what the new trend in contemporary music is going to be, following years of a worship emphasis. Some have guessed hymns and, if new and upcoming projects are any indication, they could be right.

Bridges: Classical Hymns, Modern Worship attempts to build a bridge between the modern-worship movement and the return to traditional hymns. The lyrics on the songs are hymns that the older generation will know and love but are handled in a contemporary fashion.

Artists on the collection include Paul Coleman, Michael Tait, Ginny Owens, Todd Agnew, GlassByrd, Jason Ingram, Jill Paquette, Leeland Mooring and Cherie Adams (formerly with Avalon). Hymns include “Come Thou Fount,” “Be

Thou My Vision,” “Fairest Lord Jesus,” “It Is Well With My Soul” and “How Great Thou Art.” Along with the songs, the enhanced CD includes guitar chords, piano sheet music, lyrics and a hymn history.

Though some of the songs have been taken from the artists’ previous recordings (Owens’ “Be Thou My Vision,” for example), under the direction of Marc Byrd (City on a Hill, God of Wonders), the collection has a cohesive feel and should be a welcome listen for modern-worship listeners looking to reconnect with their church music heritage.

DeWayne Hamby

Passionate Voice
By Lisbeth Scott, SHELTERecords.

Even if you don’t recognize Lisbeth Scott’s name, you might recognize her voice. Scott was a co-lyricist and vocalist for The Passion of the Christ soundtrack. Her original songs and vocal performances have also been featured on other popular films and TV shows, including Shrek, Shrek 2, Alias and Touched by an Angel.

Scott’s Passionate Voice is captivating, with her lyrics and wide range of music and vocal styles. With a sound similar to Enya’s, Scott offers pleasant surprises as she mixes breathy, ethereal melodies with songs that are earthy, raw and natural. One particularly unique offering is “Stones,” with its cello music and allegorical lyrics about forgiveness.

Scott uses traditional piano and guitar, mixed with the unique sounds of the duduk from Turkey; the ocarina, a wind instrument from Pakistan; and the harmonium and dilruba from India. The different instruments infuse the lyrics, some in ancient Hebrew and Aramaic, with emotion.

Inspired by The Passion of the Christ, the original music and lyrics of Passionate Voice seem to extend the emotional stirring of that film.
Leigh DeVore

MOVIES

Luther
MGM Home Video,
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Luther (now available on DVD and video) brings history alive. Joseph Fiennes’ portrayal of Martin Luther is emotionally charged yet thought-provoking, as he changes from a tormented soul who struggles with an image of a wrathful, damning God to a joyous man delighted with God’s abundant grace and love.

Luther’s joy, however, is mixed with anger and sorrow over the corruption of the church. This film shows that he was not intending to bring a revolution but was trying to compassionately teach liberating truth. After he clashes with the greedy indulgence sellers who claim salvation can be bought, he is unable to back down for the sake of his conscience and the people’s spiritual welfare.

Sir Peter Ustinov’s performance as a German nobleman caught in the middle of the political struggle is particularly enjoyable. Clearly, Luther’s transformation affects not only the church life but also his entire culture.

Today’s church reformers will undoubtedly identify with Luther as he deals with those who privately agree with him but put unity before holiness, or followers who allow a vindictive spirit to rule their responses, or leaders who have completely lost the point of the gospel and are intent on building their own kingdoms.

Deborah L. Delk

Because of Winn-Dixie
Twentieth Century Fox, Walden Media.

An adaptation of the best-selling book Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo came to life on the big screen February 18.

The people of the rundown town of Naomi, Florida, get a new lease on life from an unlikely source: a stray dog. Reminiscent of classic canine heroes Benji and Lassie, who saved people and animals from danger, Winn-Dixie rescues hearts. This dog seems to know which people are most in need of a friend.

First on Winn-Dixie’s list to save is India Opal Buloni. The two become fast friends. AnnaSophia Robb, as Opal, is such a natural on-screen that moviegoers will be surprised to learn that this is her big-screen debut.

Opal is the daughter of the town’s new preacher and struggles with being separated from her parents: her father, who is emotionally absent, and her mother, who actually left the family. As the dog and girl duo make new friends, Opal learns valuable lessons.

“Preacher” (Jeff Daniels) is still hurting from his wife’s abandonment. He is a good father to Opal, but they both need a little help to begin to connect in a loving relationship.

Oscar-winner Eva Marie Saint plays local librarian Miss Franny Block, a woman who seems reluctant to embrace the outside world. Yet her wisdom and friendship enrich Opal’s insight and compassion for others.

Dave Matthews of The Dave Matthews Band makes his film debut as Otis, a man misunderstood and misjudged. Opal discovers that there is more to Otis than the past he’s trying to forget.

Casting Dave Matthews as Otis, a gifted musician, is ingenious. Matthews’ fans will be pleasantly surprised to see and hear a favorite artist on the big screen. And Matthews is likely to gain new fans as moviegoers experience a taste of his obvious talent.

Legendary actress Cicely Tyson gives a perfect performance as Gloria Dump. It might seem she is a recluse, but Gloria is not a loner in spirit and eagerly embraces Opal and Winn-Dixie as friends. This sweet woman’s hard-earned wisdom and personality are softened by an innocence and a vulnerability that make her seem childlike at times.

Winn-Dixie is the biggest character of all. Children and adults alike will fall in love with his grand personality, antics and visible grin.

Topics such as alcoholism, incarceration and spouse abandonment are mentioned but are not so blatant that parents would have to explain them to younger children. Parents of older children could use this film as a discussion starter for these issues but would not feel forced to do so.

Though this movie does not offer an overt presentation of the gospel message, it does clearly demonstrate godly principles through the lessons Opal learns. Because of Winn-Dixie is a story of transformation from sadness and loneliness to hope and friendship. This film is an entertaining reminder that we need to see others for who they really are and reach out in love.
Leigh DeVore

Chad W. Thompson presents a truthful approach balanced by love in his book Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would ( ).

Thompson says the church is the last place a homosexual would go for help. But church should be a safe place where homosexuals can come and be accepted and loved. One way we can create a haven is to change our language.

He says we have to stop using the phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin.” He explains that homosexuals honestly believe they were born this way so “to them it’s an identity. In their eyes it’s impossible for you to love the sinner and hate the sin.”

Thompson also challenges us to listen. “There are so many things that the gay and lesbian community is trying to tell us. They’re trying to tell us how to love them. And they’re trying to show us what they need in order to live lives that are free from harassment and ridicule and discrimination.

“And the church is not listening. … Yes, homosexuality is wrong. Yes, it doesn’t fall in line with God’s design for marriage and family and how society’s supposed to work. … But we’re so focused on trying to get them to change, that we’ve missed the point.

“We’re called to love them, as they are, where they are, just as Christ [does]. That doesn’t mean we don’t call them to change. But we still need to love them whether or not they choose to change.”
Leigh DeVore