Highest Court Protects Faith-Based Initiative

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that an atheist foundation did not have a legal standing to challenge the use of taxpayer money to advertise and promote faith-based initiatives.

In what Christian observers are calling a victory for free speech, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the atheist Freedom from Religion Foundation did not have a legal standing to challenge the use of taxpayer money to advertise and promote President George W. Bush's endorsement of faith-based initiatives. Monday’s decision solidified Bush’s faith-based initiatives, which helps religious organizations get federal funds for community projects. “This ruling is a win for the thousands of community and faith-based nonprofits all across the country that have partnered with government at all levels to serve their neighbors,” Bush said in a written statement. “Most importantly, it is a win for the many whose lives have been lifted by the caring touch and compassionate hearts of these organizations.” Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, said the decision sends “a powerful message that atheists and others antagonistic to religion do not get an automatic free pass to bring Establishment Clause lawsuits.” The ruling may be a sign that the high court will be “less concerned about keeping church and state separate, so later decisions will be more sympathetic to government's cooperating with religious institutions,” Tom Goldstein, a Harvard Law School lecturer on Supreme Court litigation, told the Boston Globe. The decision was one of three rulings conservative Christian lobbyists applauded yesterday. The court also ruled that the Wisconsin Right to Life should not have been barred from running pre-election advertising ads that mention a federal candidate and that school officials can restrict drug-related speech at school functions, but did not extend that authority to other types of controversial speech, including religious expression.

Bush Vetoes Stem Cell Bill for the Second Time

President George W. Bush vetoed a bill that would have allowed human embryos to be destroyed for research purposes.

President George W. Bush vetoed, for the second time in one year, a bill that would have allowed human embryos to be destroyed for research purposes. In a press conference held Wednesday, Bush said embryonic stem cell research crossed both moral and ethical lines. “If this legislation became law, it would compel American taxpayers—for the first time in our history—to support the deliberate destruction of human embryos,” Bush said. He encouraged support for more “ethically responsible” scientific research. Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed the bill in a 247-176 vote, saying the legislation would “save lives, find cures and give hope to those suffering.” Bush maintains that there are many other options to save lives that do not include utilizing an embryonic cell. “Destroying human life in the hopes of saving human life is not ethical—and it is not the only option before us,” Bush said during a press conference in the East Room of the White House. “We're already seeing remarkable advances in the science and therapeutic uses of stem cells drawn from adults and children, and the blood from umbilical cords—with no harm to the donor.” The House currently does not have enough votes to override Bush’s veto. Many Christian conservatives applaud the president’s decision. “President Bush has proven once again that he’s not just a man who talks about preserving a ‘culture of life’ as political rhetoric—he’s a man who deeply cherishes the sanctity of all human life,” said James Dobson, Focus on the Family chairman. “His veto today of a bill that would have led to dissection of young innocents in the name of suspect science solidifies his already-strong record as one of our nation’s most pro-life presidents.”

Christian Embassy Helps Sudanese Refuges

The International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem aided 37 Sudanese refuges who entered Israel by way of Egypt on June 14.

The International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem (ICEJ) raised $30,000 in a 24-hour period to aid 37 Sudanese refuges who entered Israel by way of Egypt on June 14. The 10 families, eight of whom are Christians, fled from the genocide and ethnic cleansing campaign of the Khartoum government in Sudan. “These are people who have struggled to get out of the most horrific conditions, and we felt compelled to share the burden with the state of Israel to help them,” ICEJ Executive Director Malcolm Hedding told the Jerusalem Post. Currently ICEJ is providing room, board and medical treatment for refugees for three weeks in Israel, a country that legally defines the refugees as “enemy nationals.” The Sudanese families are now working with ICEJ and various human rights organizations to find homes for their families among the Israeli kibbutzim and moshavim groups. “We escaped from Sudan to Egypt seven years ago. But the Egyptian government threatened to throw us into jail because we are refugees,” said a 30-year-old refugee who fled the Sudan with his pregnant wife and 2-year-old daughter. “We had no choice but to escape once again, to the only democracy in the Middle East, where we knew our human rights will be honored. We cannot go back to Sudan, that would be a certain death sentence for all of us.” The Post reported that roughly 450 people are currently seeking asylum in Israel.

Youth Ministries Join to Pray and Fast for Purity

More than 25 national Christian youth organizations are joining forces to call young people to fast and pray for sexual purity.

More than 25 national Christian youth organizations are kicking off the formation of a joint ministry network by calling young people to fast and pray for sexual purity. With participation from ministries such as TheCall, Exodus International and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the network launched the “Pray for Purity” campaign June 1. Organizers are asking youth and youth leaders to pray and fast every first Friday of the month. “As we minister to students, we see day after day the incredible difficulties that they face,” said Scott Davis, director of student ministries of Exodus International, an ex-gay ministry based in Florida. “They are constantly bombarded with sexual content that confuses their self-identity and twists their views of sexuality. As a result, they are increasingly engaging in sex outside of the protection of marriage and suffering dire results. Because of the dangers today's youth are facing, we are joining together to pray on the first Friday of every month for our nation's youth.” The prayer network stems from a counter-culture teen movement pioneered by Teen Mania Ministries, which was created to inspire teens to “reject destructive pop culture messages and recreate teen culture on their own terms.” This country desperately needs young men and women of character to make a difference among their peers,” Davis said. “This can only happen when our youth encounter and experience the life-giving power of Jesus Christ. We are pleased to partner with such dynamic organizations who are eager to accomplish this goal.”

Ruth Graham Dies at 87

Ruth Graham, the wife of Billy Graham, died Thursday evening. Billy Graham and their five children were by her side.

Ruth Graham, the wife of world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, died Thursday evening. Ruth Graham, who celebrated her 87th birthday on Sunday, battled degenerative osteoarthritis of the back and neck for many years and recently was treated for pneumonia, the Associated Press reported. Billy Graham and their five children were by her side. “I am so grateful to the Lord that He gave me Ruth, and especially for these last few years we've had in the mountains together,” Billy Graham said in a written statement. “We've rekindled the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day I can join her in Heaven.” In a written statement released Wednesday Billy Graham said that both he and Ruth Graham had made the decision to be buried beside one another at the Billy Graham Library in his hometown of Charlotte, N.C. A public memorial service will be held at the Montreat Conference Center in North Carolina on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Mission: Mobility

On June 16 Don Schoendorfer will end a two-month bicycle trek across the U.S. designed to raise money to distribute wheelchairs for free in developing nations.

On June 16 Don Schoendorfer, a California-based engineer, will end a two-month bicycle trek across the U.S. designed to raise money to distribute wheelchairs for free in developing nations. Beginning his ride in New York in April, Schoendorfer, founder of Free Wheechair Mission, hoped to raise $670,000 to distribute 15,000 wheelchairs through partnerships with Christian and humanitarian groups. To date the organization has raised $379,398 , but with roughly 130 million people worldwide in need of wheelchairs, Schoendorfer said every donated wheelchair has the potential to change a life. “A common explanation for why you can’t walk in developing nations is because God hates you. It’s your caste, your card, your karma,” says Schoendorfer, who attends Mariners Church in Irvine, Calif. “So there’s a real spiritual disability there too.” He says the idea to build low-cost wheelchairs came 30 years ago when, during a visit to Morocco, Schoendorfer saw a woman crawling across the road because she couldn’t walk. The image haunted him and eventually inspired him to found Free Wheelchair Mission ( ), which has distributed more than 210,000 wheelchairs at a cost of $ each. Unlike other global needs, Schoendorfer says mobility is a problem Christians can easily help solve. “It’s a real neat thing for me to see that with $, you can help change someone’s life.” –Adrienne S. Gaines

Egypt Releases Jailed Christian Convert

A Christian convert from Islam was recently released from prison just a few hours after prison officials told him he would serve another 10 years.

A Christian convert from Islam was released recently from an Egyptian prison after serving two years without charges under Egypt’s emergency laws, Compass Direct reported. On April 28, Wadi el-Natroun Prison officials gave Bahaa el-Akkad an Egyptian bill worth nearly $9 for a taxi fare and told him he was free to leave. The official reason for the release is unknown, but it comes as a surprise to many. Just hours before he was released, officers from the State Security Investigation told el-Akkad that he would remain in prison for another 10 years if he did not return to Islam. El-Akkad’s lawyer said the prisoner defended his faith. “God has brought me to this place, and He alone will let me go to my home. You cannot do anything against God,” el-Akkad said. By nightfall he was reunited with his wife and three children. El-Akkad, who is now 58, was arrested in 2005 after Egypt’s secret police learned he had converted to Christianity. “While I was in prison, my family told me thousands of people were praying for me,” el-Akkad reportedly told his lawyer after his release. “I was sure that was true because Jesus was with me all through my ordeal.” Although el-Akkad is free from prison, he is not free from danger, Compass reported. Despite the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarakis’ encouragement of Muslims to be more tolerant, a radical Muslim group, Muslim Brotherhood, has reportedly threatened to kill el-Akkad for his disloyalty to Islam if he was released from prison.

Billy Graham Memorial Library Opening Drew Hundreds

Former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter spoke at the dedication ceremony.

On May 31, roughly 1,500 invited guests participated in the private dedication of the Billy Graham Library located in Charlotte, N.C. “It’s my prayer that this center will be a testimony to the world of the amazing love of God and the great things He can do through lives that are surrendered to Him,” said Graham’s son Franklin, who is president of the Billy Graham Evangelical Association (BGEA) and the project director. The edifice is located on land that was originally the Graham family home and the current BGEA headquarters. The $25 million, 40,000-square-foot library is built in the form of a dairy barn and silo to be reminiscent of the Charlotte dairy farm where Graham spent his early youth. The facility houses six exhibits, four galleries and two theaters covering Graham’s lifetime work of preaching to more than 250 million people on six continents through his evangelistic crusades. Former President George H.W. Bush delivered the keynote address and former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter participated in the dedication ceremony. “I’m supportive of the plans for the evangelistic library in Charlotte, which I believe will honor the Lord and demonstrate His faithfulness in changing lives through evangelism,” Billy Graham said in a statement. “It will continue to serve as an ongoing crusade, inspiring believers and challenging visitors with the gospel for many years to come.” Admission to the memorial library will be free. The facility, which is expected to attract 200,000 to 400,000 visitors annually, is scheduled to open to the public on June 5. —Sandra K. Chambers

FeedBack

My Turn

I want to thank Charisma for writing a balanced article about the movie Jesus Camp (Fire in My Bones online, March 16). I am the father of the boy named Levi in the movie and also pastor to one of the other three children highlighted, Rachael.

Please know that there is nothing about Becky Fischer’s ministry that is fear-based. When you see children looking nervous in the movie, please know that the shots of the audience do not necessarily match real time with the speaker. Our kids never felt guilty or fearful with Becky. That said, it is amazing how many people have been touched radically while viewing this movie.

One Baptist pastor said he began preaching the baptism of the Holy Spirit after seeing it. A father who watched the movie with his 10-year-old son said the screening marked the first time his son was happy since his mom died two years ago. A Spanish-speaking congregation in New England showed the film to 50 children, and now the members are sharing Jesus with friends.

The kids from our church, many who are seen in the movie, continue to march on with Jesus. We recommend Becky Fischer’s ministry to anyone.
Pastor Tim O’Brien

Rock of Ages Worship Center
St. Robert, Missouri

China’s Great Revival

Thank you for the report on Brother Yun (“China’s Brave Witness” by Paul Steven Ghiringhelli, April). Shandong Province in China was mentioned several times in the story. It reminded me of a great revival that occurred in that province in the 1920s in which thousands of Chinese came into the kingdom. Some believe that revival was the foundation for the house-church movement sweeping China today.

Years ago I met C.L. Culpepper, a Southern Baptist missionary and one of the leaders of that great revival. He told me an amazing story about his wife going blind, and how the doctors said there was nothing that could be done for her. But two Scandinavian missionaries prayed for her and she was healed. This was only one of many miracles that occurred during the revival.
Bill Keith
Longview, Texas

Barack Obama and Unfair Politics

We were disappointed with Stephen Strang’s recent editorial about politics (Final Word, March). He wrote: “It’s been rumored that [Barack] Obama is a Muslim because his father was a Muslim.” This smacks of tabloid journalism.

Mr. Obama wrote about his Christian conversion in his book. He said: “Kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt God’s Spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will and dedicated myself to discovering His truth.” If he experienced the Holy Spirit, what does it matter what his father believed?
John and Sally DeVincenzo
San Luis Obispo, California

I find that Christian leaders are not giving a straight story on some of the Democratic hopefuls. Yes, Barack Obama was a young Muslim, but I know a lot of people who were baptized as Christians yet they no longer believe in God.
Obama is a liberal, but I believe he is a Christian. I think we believers are willing to sell our souls to the devil to get a Republican in office.
Jeff Shedd
Claremore, Oklahoma

I read an excerpt from Barack Obama’s book The Audacity of Hope in which he stated that he is not sure what happens to us when we die. My heart went out to him and I wrote him a letter, but I don’t know if he ever read it. I am a registered Republican.
Aimee M. Richmond, M.D.
Middletown, Ohio

I disagree with those who wrote letters against the endorsement of political parties and candidates by Christian publications, ministers and churches. If we Christians do not endorse those who represent our morals, we may end up with people in office who will be against our values and will try to restrict us from speaking about our faith.
Robert Kinney
Lincolnton, Georgia

The Obesity Epidemic

Your recent cover story on health was excellent (“God’s Secrets for Divine Health” by Don Colbert, M.D., January). I thought I had seen obesity before, but when I moved from the West Coast to the South I was shocked. It has become an epidemic—even among believers.

How long will Christians continue ignoring what the Lord told us about our bodies? How can we talk to others about the fruit of the Spirit when our bodies contradict our words? Please continue to address this timely and sensitive issue.
R. Fiveash
Marietta, Georgia

Does God Like Hip-Hop?

Some of your readers must be so wrapped up in hip-hop music that they couldn’t hear what hip-hop critic G. Craige Lewis is saying (News, February). He makes a clear distinction between hip-hop and rap music. He acknowledges that godly rappers are doing the will of God and spreading the gospel.

Lewis opposes the hip-hop culture because its origins are not godly. His research is undeniable. He has an anointed message from God. It is sad to see that so many who call themselves Christians don’t know the difference between truth and error.
Walter F. Ales
DeFuniak Springs, Florida

The Antichrist in Miami

I was a member of two prominent churches in Tulsa that preached the same false doctrine as José Luis De Jesús Miranda—the cult leader based in Miami who calls himself the Antichrist (News, April). I was deeply saddened to hear that another saint has been deceived by Satan in the form of apostasy and false doctrine.

The Word clearly says we must confess Jesus Christ as Savior for salvation. My prayer is that everyone would seek God and search the Scriptures.
KaTonya Samuels
Tulsa, Oklahoma

No More Greasy Grace

J. Lee Grady’s editorial about the lack of integrity in the church today has some good points (Fire in My Bones, April). But the advertisements in your magazine are full of ministers who have been exposed in sinful lifestyles and then are restored to leadership a few years later. Does anyone read 2 Peter 2 anymore?
name withheld

I agree with J. Lee Grady. However, “independent charismatic churches” are not the only ones that are soft on sin. This attitude is also prevalent in many Spirit-filled denominations. The church in the United States needs a spiritual awakening from top to bottom.
Nathan Johnson
Deltona, Florida

It was unfair that you listed independent charismatic churches as the only ones that have developed this “lovey-dovey” culture that shies away from hard-line discipline. Second Timothy 4:3-4 says people in the last days will not endure sound doctrine and will turn away from the truth. One reason I left the mainline church was because many were steering away from the truth of the Bible.
Lynn Hape
Leesburg, Florida

What bank would hire a teller who was caught stealing from the drawer at a previous bank? And yet pastors are “restored” to leadership instead of being made to function for the rest of their lives as faithful laymen. We need pastors who are always faithful to God’s call to holiness in their lives, behind the scenes and in their marriages.

It is time Charisma magazine stopped running ads featuring Christian leaders who have not been faithful to lead the church by the example of their own lives.
Eugene Douglass
Red Springs, North Carolina

Rescuing the Children

Thank you for publishing the article on the International Justice Mission (“Who Will Cry for Justice?” by David Lee Mundy, February). So many sexually abused girls were not getting help before this organization came on the scene.
Elizabeth Arnold
West Salem, Wisconsin

The horrible child trafficking I read about in your recent report touched me so strongly that I was on the verge of getting sick (“Girls Are Not For Sale” by Diana Scimone, December). I cannot fathom the pain felt by the millions of innocent children around the world who are abused in this way.

At first I was too upset to even see any hope of rescue for these little ones. I felt an overwhelming feeling of despair. But God opened a door by showing me your article and that introduced me to your organization. I am thrilled to support the effort to help these children, both financially and with prayer.
Marita Dwight-Smith
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Editor’s note: So far, our readers have given $5,802 to our nonprofit partner, Christian Life Missions, to help the victims of child-sex trafficking.

More on Ted Haggard

This letter is in response to the person who asked how Ted Haggard could be blessed with a large church and prominence in ministry (Feedback, March). God allowed this man to prosper until the time was right to expose Haggard’s spiritual darkness to the light. In all things, even immorality, God’s will determines the time when sin is exposed.
Beverly D. Harris
Sacramento, California

With regard to the question raised concerning Ted Haggard, his success as a man, and how we should respond to homosexuality in the church. Jesus would teach that it is sin, and that it is an abomination in God’s eyes—even in the pulpit.

Repentance, therefore, is in order for the body of Christ. God will not tolerate this type of lukewarm living. If we do not repent, Jesus said He would eventually spew us out of His mouth. Let’s not confuse church growth and “successful Christianity” with the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Michael Johanning
Laveen, Arizona

I read your coverage of Ted Haggard’s removal from church leadership. I tend to argue that power, wealth and sex are usually the reasons for such moral failures.
Abraham, David and Solomon accumulated great wealth and power as a result of their relationships with the Lord yet lived in violation of the Creator’s command that a sexual relationship is for one man and one woman for life.

As men and women gain power and wealth, many are tempted with the question: “What good is all this if I can’t indulge my sexual desires?” We shouldn’t be surprised that leaders are tempted in this sex-saturated society.
Del Yoder
Epworth, Georgia

Vibes

The Organic God
By Margaret Feinberg, Zondervan, hardcover, 224 pages, $.
Margaret Feinberg has a knack for winning her readers over with her authenticity. In The Organic God, Feinberg gives us the opportunity to peel back the layers of notions that man has about God, and she releases a picture of God in His purest, most organic form. She looks at the fundamental driving forces of who God is, examines the heart of God and demonstrates the amazing passion with which He pursues us based on these characteristics. This book is like looking into Feinberg’s journal as she illustrates the beauty of God through her own personal stories and experiences. You will walk away from this book refreshed after discovering that God’s relationship with you isn’t as complex as you’ve made it out to be, and the depth of His character and love is staggering.

Rob Duford

BOOKS

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God
By Lysa TerKeurst, Harvest House Publishers, softcover, 160 pages, $.
Seeking to answer the question, “What happens when women say yes to God,” Lysa TerKeurst, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and national radio show co-host, explains how her life changed by simply obeying God and giving her Bible to a stranger on a plane. Saying “yes” to God, or radical obedience, brings a depth to your relationship with God that comes no other way. This book includes Bible study activities at the end of each chapter to help readers explore how to apply the concepts in their lives. TerKeurst’s book is a valuable read for women who want to deepen their relationships with Christ.
Tracee N. Mason

A Woman’s Path to True Significance
By Beverly LaHaye and Janice Crouse,
Harvest House Publishers, softcover, 299 pages, $.
In A Woman’s Path to True Significance, speaker Beverly LaHaye and university professor Janice Crouse team up to celebrate women who have endured trials and tragedies through the power of Christ. Through practical teaching and vivid storytelling, LaHaye and Crouse illustrate lessons on how to have courage when life falls apart. The book’s central message is that God cares about the smallest details of our lives and will help us in hard times. The book deals with how to develop fortitude, wisdom, boldness, obedience and endurance through the lives of unlikely role models of women from the Bible, such as the prostitute Rahab and the widow Tamar, who purposefully slept with her father-in-law. Readers who are looking for hope in their day of disaster will be encouraged.
Tracee N. Mason

Transforming the Inner Man
By John Loren Sandford and Paula Sandford,
Charisma House, softcover, 240 pages, $.
John Loren and Paula Sanford, best-selling authors and speakers known for their inner-healing ministry, hold the biblical position that mankind’s maladies originate with sin. They emphasize that applying God’s treatment for sin—the death and resurrection of Jesus—is the only way to help individuals attain wholeness. With a solid scriptural foundation, the authors explain that the first step to transformation is accepting God’s forgiveness, and the second is a repeated putting to death of the fleshly nature. The counselors point out the folly of negating God’s law in order to lessen guilt, and instead call readers to embrace it as the standard of love, recognizing that God uses guilt to steer His children in the right direction. Transforming the Inner Man is a refreshing, life-giving read that will build believers’ personal maturity and enable them to be better counselors to others.
Deborah L. Delk

Roll Away Your Stone
By Dutch Sheets, Bethany House, hardcover, 192 pages, $.
In Roll Away Your Stone: Living in the Power of the Risen Christ, Dutch Sheets provides an action plan—five steps to spiritual victory: (1) believing in Christ’s sacrificial work on the cross; (2) abiding in God’s Word; (3) knowing the truth; (4) claiming release and spiritual freedom; and (5) persevering until life’s end. This book is not only about knowing who Christ is or knowing who you are in Him but also about taking that knowledge, applying it to your life and living as if it is true. This is Sheets’ life message. He presents it not for you to gain head knowledge but so you can acquire an applied faith that frees you and works as a radical, permanent solution to bringing to life the dead places in your spirit.
Jevon Bolden

How to Overcome Fear and Live Your Life to the Fullest
By Marcos Witt, Atria Books, hardcover, 224 pages, $23.
Writing a “how to” book on overcoming fear can be an intimidating task itself. So how does Marcos Witt approach the challenge? With straightforward honesty, well-known but effective Bible stories and candid personal anecdotes. In How to Overcome Fear, Witt, a senior pastor at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church and Latin Grammy Award winner, provides insights into various types of fear, such as phobias, panic attacks, rejection, failure and criticism. He then gives solid practical advice for defeating them through knowledge, lifestyle changes and depending on God’s strength. Witt explains that many fears are grounded in past events, but God’s perfect love will overcome any fear and free the believer to live a victorious future. Witt closes by examining the one fear that needs to be cultivated in every Christian’s life—the fear of God.
Jeff Friend

MUSIC

Sharecropper’s Seed
By Nicole C. Mullen, Word Records.
This new offering from Nicole C. Mullen is a journey through some of the most beautiful passages in Scripture. A Sharecropper’s Seed is peaceful, determined and full of conviction. Songs such as “Convinced” and “Under the Shadow” are delivered with the divinely inspired words of the psalmist David and the apostle Paul. Mullen has invited listeners in with songs of love and vulnerability to God almighty. Songs such as “When I Grow Up,” “Fall on You” and “Baby Love,” remind us that we are to come to God as innocent and dependent as little children. A Sharecropper’s Seed is bright, carefree and airy—a fragrant and fresh aid to worshiping God.
Jevon Bolden

When Women Worship
By Mary Alessi & friends, Miami Life Sounds Records.
Mary Alessi recruited friends Cindy Cruse Ratcliff, Amie Dockery, Ingrid Rosario, Nicole Binion and Da’dra Crawford Greathouse, and twin sister Martha Munizzi for a live worship experience. When Women Worship features mostly a mellow gospel feel with two inspiring sermon interludes by Dockery, “The King Is Enthralled With Your Beauty” and “Decorating Nations (Conceiving the Impossible).” The project is a cohesive mix, with various singers of similar ability and style taking turns at lead and the group worshiping together on songs such as the stirring gospel ballad “Overshadow Me,” the delicate “Always Welcome” and a grand gospel version of Michael W. Smith’s “Agnus Dei” closing out the session. Although recorded live with an audience, the disc manages to capture and project a personal worship feel, using a more relaxed musical pace, simple production and spoken personal challenges.
Dewayne Hamby

The Blessing
By John Waller, Beach Street.
For the astute Christian music fan, the first listen to John Waller’s voice will sound strangely familiar. That’s because before his foray into worship leading and a solo career, he was the front man for pop-rock band According to John. Now more than ever, Waller seems to have found his voice in an ever-growing population of worship-driven artists. He uniquely incorporates biblical metaphors on songs such as “Calling for a Flood” and takes Scripture-based songs to a new level of creativity on tracks such as “The Blessing,” which also features Casting Crowns lead singer Mark Hall. Waller’s mix of acoustic, electric and orchestral instrumentation along with his strong melodies and equally strong tenor voice make for a captivating and above-average debut.
Chad Bonham

Supernatural
By Hillsong, Integrity Music.
Three thousand kids worship God ostentatiously in this latest live worship CD from Hillsong Kids. Supernatural: Kids Live Worship is loud, energetic and passionate about kids all out for God. There is no denying that “out of the mouths of babes” comes some of the highest praise. Songs such as “On the March” prepare kids for the many battles they have at school, with their peers and within themselves. They can memorize the different pieces of armor and know to put it on when faced with difficult situations. Other popular worship songs appear on this CD, including “Not Forgotten” by Israel and the New Breed, “Better Than Life” and “Everyday.” This is a great musical package any kid would love to hear over and over again!
Jevon Bolden