A Bishop in the Senate

As an African-American, I was pleased to see that Bishop Keith Butler is running for the U.S. Senate (“The Bishop’s Campaign” by Valerie G. Lowe, February). I believe he is a man of integrity with strong moral values, unlike some of my brothers and sisters in leadership today.

For example, I was troubled by the disrespect shown to President George W. Bush by Joseph Lowery and Earl Graves at Coretta Scott King’s funeral. Some, if not many, African-American leaders have disregarded God’s Word, which says we should honor those in authority. My prayers go with Bishop Butler, and I encourage black America to please get informed and get back to the Bible.
Rev. Hattie L. Ray
Laurinburg, North Carolina

I am concerned that Charisma consistently serves as a religious arm of the Republican Party. Although the godless secularism that seems to pervade the Democratic Party cannot be defended, you ignore the danger of proclaiming a human political party as God’s party.

Charisma has hurt the cause of God’s kingdom by bowing before the idol of human political power. You recently advertised Keith Butler on your cover as “Campaigning for God.” Under what scriptural authority can you insinuate a claim to speak for God and decide whom He has chosen?
Dave Broughham
Pasadena, California

Stop the Pain

Thank you for the article on the problem of teenagers who cut themselves (“Bleeding Hearts, Wounded Souls” by Anahid Schweikert, February). A year and a half ago I discovered my daughter was a cutter. Her youth and counseling pastors came alongside and helped us through it. She now helps others going through the same thing. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of the church. A note to parents: Don’t beat yourself up about this. We had no idea it was going on.
Donna Pheneger
Lake Wales, Florida

I was disappointed by your emphasis on counseling. I am the chaplain of a youth detention facility, and on occasion I pray with young girls who cut themselves. I read Mark 5:5 to them and suggest that it is the enemy who inspires these young people to mutilate themselves. Then I quietly pray for their deliverance.
Although I understand the need for ongoing counseling, I don’t think we need to waste time with that. We are called to set them free.
name withheld

Self-injury or “cutting” needs to be urgently addressed, but to approach it with behavior modification ignores the spiritual source of the problem. In Mark 5, Jesus cast out the unclean spirit and the man was restored to his right mind.

After cutting myself at 13, I was tormented by urges to cut myself during stressful times in my adult life. After some Christians led me in a prayer of renunciation, repentance and agreement, the spirit no longer tells me to cut myself. Jesus instantly delivered me.
Vera Pifer
Oakland, California

Narnia and C.S. Lewis

I disagree with Charisma reader Diane Valentine, who objected to the movie The Chronicles of Narnia (My Turn, February). I would encourage her to rethink her concerns about Jesus being depicted as a lion. Jesus is described as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” in Revelation 5:5 (NKJV). It was God’s idea to use the metaphor of a lion in describing Him. C.S. Lewis used a scriptural model.

For too long Christians have avoided the arts and other creative expressions of the kingdom of God. I encourage believers to reject fear and embrace the incredible creativity the Lord uses to describe His character. After all, we are made in His image.
Sally Ribera
Midland, Texas

Diane Valentine’s dissatisfaction with The Chronicles of Narnia is ill-founded. If she is not very familiar with elements of literature, then she has no basis for her criticism.

No one is actually saying that God is a lion or that Aslan’s breath is just like the Holy Spirit. Lewis created these elements as metaphors—not a sermon—to incorporate great Christian truths into a fictional story.
Ray Horton
Erie, Pennsylvania

Please tell Diane Valentine not to worry! Scripture often refers to Jesus using the imagery of a four-footed beast. He’s called the “Lamb of God” in John 1:29. Also, when C.S. Lewis depicted Jesus as Aslan the Lion, he was following Revelation 5:5, where Jesus is described as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” There is nothing unsound or creepy about using legitimate biblical imagery in a movie!
Elizabeth Moberly
Durham, England

The Chronicles of Narnia is a powerful movie, but I don’t see how one could call it Christian. The lion gave his life but did not bleed. Without the shedding of blood, there is no Christianity.
Roy Proctor
Middleburg, Florida

End of the Spear Gets Speared

I read Phil Cooke’s column about the movie End of the Spear, and I think you are sending mixed messages (Media & Culture, January) to the church. Some believers promoted the movie as a Christian film, yet an openly gay actor was cast in a leading role in the movie. Is it OK to cast gays in Christian films and then turn around and market those films to believers?
name withheld

I saw actor Chad Allen on television using the movie End of the Spear to talk about his gay lifestyle. Why would the people who made this film choose a gay actor and then promote the film as a Christian movie?

Allen stated that he was a Christian, and that God is pleased with him and his life. Wrong. He is totally deceived. Could it be that the church is not speaking up enough to make people aware? I know we need to pray for Allen, but Every Tribe Entertainment could have chosen another person for his part.
Myra Lois Cramer
Colorado Springs, Colorado

I wholeheartedly agree with your desire to see “a renewed missionary spirit” arise in the church. However, I was somewhat shocked at Charisma’s endorsement of the movie End of the Spear. This movie was weak, and it makes me furious to think that a “Christian” company hired a homosexual, Chad Allen, for a role.
Allen has appeared on the cover of Advocate, a gay magazine. I say to Every Tribe Entertainment: Do your homework! Or do you not care?
Rev. Mark Holliday
Roseville, California

Who Is the Real Israel?

One person wrote a letter to Charisma saying that it is dangerous to believe that natural Israel broke covenant with God (Feedback, March). As I understand covenant, both parties are obligated to keep their part. Israel didn’t, and they actually realized it in Matthew 21:33-45 when Jesus, after illustrating this point with a parable, said: “‘The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.'”

Peter tells us that the church is now a holy nation and a holy priesthood. Only natural Israel formerly held those titles. Now he says they belong to the people who are proclaiming the excellencies of Jesus Christ. That is the church.
Paul’s allegory in Galatians 4:22-28 says natural Israel is like Ishmael and the church is like Isaac. He says this after he explains that the true seed of Abraham are those who have accepted Christ by faith. Hebrews 8:6 says we have a more excellent covenant, and verse 13 says the first one is obsolete. Because the Word is clear, how can it be dangerous to believe it?
Vernon Ellsworth
Weslaco, Texas

Correction: In our news story about African-American adoptions (February), we misspelled Leslie Hamlett’s name. Charisma regrets the error.

Faith and Politics

Thanks for the outstanding February issue! I thought it was over-the-top. It was excellent and relevant to my needs. Since I live in Michigan, the article on Keith Butler (“The Bishop’s Campaign” by Valerie G. Lowe) was very timely and appreciated.
Dawn Sneden
Hudsonville, Michigan

The Republican Party is synonymous with scandalous greed and the wholesale slaughter of Americans, Iraqis and Afghans. The Republican Party stands for corporate greed and the whittling away of middle-class wages—to say nothing of the poverty and so many other selfish encumbrances foisted on those “without a loud voice.”

Shame on you for your role in the disillusionment of the trusting Christian community.
name withheld

I strongly support the candidacy of Keith Butler to replace Debbie Stabenow in the U.S. Senate. So do former congressmen Jack Kemp of New York and J.C. Watts of Oklahoma. Come join us and let’s revive the American spirit.
George Wiland
Tulsa, Oklahoma

I am writing in response to Stephen Strang’s endorsement of Keith Butler for U.S. Senate (Final Word, February). I do not take issue with the endorsement. I know Keith Butler and I believe he is a fine man and a man of God. But I take issue with the suggestion that there are those in the Republican Party who were “uncomfortable” with his candidacy.

Is it fair to say that people were concerned that Butler couldn’t beat Stabenow? Yes!

These weren’t powerbrokers who engineered an opponent. They were voters who, in poll after poll, suggested that Butler wasn’t their choice. It left an opening, which Mike Bouchard opted to fill—not because anyone got him into the race. Mike believes he will make the best U.S. senator.
Kathryn Packer
Okemos, Michigan

On the Brink of War

Thank you for pastor John Hagee’s article on Iran’s threat to Israel (“The Coming Holy War,” February). It is important that as Christians we are aware of events occurring in the Middle East, especially those concerning Israel.

We need to remember that the only nation whose boundaries are clearly laid out in Scripture is the nation of Israel. These boundaries are for today just as they were for the day when God first laid them out.
David Cottrell
Grande Prairie, Canada

Have you or John Hagee ever considered that hostility in the Middle East from non-Jews has been provoked in the last few decades not by the preaching of the gospel but by Christians’ efforts to manipulate a wrong prophetic fulfillment? Hagee is naive if he thinks Iran would blow up Jerusalem with a nuclear weapon. It has Islam’s third holiest site.
Samuel Bowman
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

In Defense of Narnia

Although I appreciate Diane Valentine’s right to her own viewpoint in My Turn (Feedback, February), I don’t think C.S. Lewis ever intended his work to be placed literally next to Scripture. The Chronicles of Narnia is a fictional tale filled with symbolism. It is fantasy!

Narnia was an excellent film. The mysteries of the gospel were woven throughout the film in a way that made it relevant to young people. I am grateful, and I want to encourage Disney and others to produce more movies like it.
Lisa Gardella
Palm Coast, Florida

I was disappointed to read Diane Valentine’s letter regarding The Chronicles of Narnia. The writer’s misunderstanding of the differences between literalism and allegory would not only discount every artistic endeavor, it would cancel many of the Lord’s parables and other stories.
John L. and Debra Moore
Miles City, Montana

The Bible clearly tells us to stay away from any type of witchcraft. A book titled The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe should offer a clear enough warning to stay away, yet so many Christians and churches are embracing the book and movie. I wonder if Christians think we must have something to compete with Harry Potter?
Valerie Amsdil
Hinton, West Virginia

C.S. Lewis was influenced by the occult poet W.D. Yeats, and he was fascinated by old Norse, Germanic, Celtic, Greek and Roman mythology. It is a tragedy that an influential mind such as Lewis’ is used as a rationale to encourage acceptance of these things in the church.
name withheld
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Unless you printed Diane Valentine’s comments for the purpose of evoking rebuttal, it is disappointing that you would give such prominence to her misperceptions. She said: “Narnia supports the idea that the glory of an incorruptible God can be changed into an image of a four-footed beast.” Though there is certainly room for criticism of the film for not having been more true to the book, it conveyed enough of the book’s Christian theology to touch unbelievers with the gospel.
Edwin W. Brown, M.D.
Indianapolis, Indiana

Editor’s note:

Obviously if we agreed with Ms. Valentine we would never have run a cover story on The Chronicles of Narnia. Our new My Turn feature offers readers with opposing viewpoints an opportunity to challenge us. And, in turn, we invite all our readers to speak out if they disagree with My Turn. All My Turn entries must include a photo of the writer.

Carlton Pearson

You reported that Carlton Pearson’s church has gone into foreclosure (News, January). That means the gift of discernment is alive and well in the church! I do not rejoice when a church or ministry struggles to keep its doors open. My prayers are with Pearson and his congregation. But this is what happens when heresy shows up on the menu.

Sadly, the church is filled with parrots who are quick to squawk “Amen” and drop large sums of money into the laps of ministry leaders who water down or pollute the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Rene De La Cruz
Hesperia, California

Too Much Sugar?

Thank you for Steve Hill’s article on churches that water down the gospel (“No More Candy-Coated Gospel,” February). If ministers can’t challenge their congregations, and if their words don’t bring conviction to those harboring sin, God cannot bring new life or growth to our churches.
Terri Swerzler
Tacoma, Washington

I was disappointed with Steve Hill’s message. Rather than produce even one quote from any credible source, Hill rants in a five-page diatribe. He says people are “never confronted,” Christians are “turning aside to fables,” and the gospel is becoming “watered down.” Please hold your writers to the same standard of journalistic integrity as any other serious publication.
Jeff Appel
Littleton, Colorado

Steve Hill’s article was another of too many Charisma articles criticizing churches and pastors and accusing them of forgetting the cross and “sugar-coating” the gospel.

I was raised on this type of judgment and guilt. But hearing that I was a sinner every day didn’t stop me from sinning. Not until I learned that my heavenly Father loves me could I grow as a Christian.
Linda Zent
Bismarck, North Dakota

People will faint and die of malnutrition if they continue to be fed candy instead of meat. Those in America’s pulpits must not soften the gospel or pacify people with words without challenging them to be holy.
Alyce D. Paul
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Don’t Blame God

It was a breath of fresh air to read your article about people who are angry with God (“Are You Mad at God” by Duane Vander Klok, January). I’ve been preaching the same thing about Job for years and I’m glad to see that someone else sees it that way too. I’m tired of so-called “Spirit-filled” people blaming God for everything from pimples to hurricanes! You published the truth.
Tom Rambow
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Your article about people who are mad at God was simplistic. It didn’t deal with a difficult theological problem—that God allows the devil to operate. When honest people are struggling, they are not being “scornful,” as the article states. They deserve more meaningful counsel than the “good God, bad devil” the article provides.
Mark Brower
Westerville, Ohio

Comb Your Hair!

Why should Seventh Day Slumber, a group of four young men who look like hippies and punks, be profiled in Charisma (Buzz, January) as a Christian rock group?

It is now common for people with tattoos, body piercings, and eccentric hairstyles and clothes to introduce themselves as servants of God. Christian musicians should dress decently.
Chukwuma Ukoha
Umuahia, Nigeria

The Elijah List has more than 127,000 subscribers and has become the largest platform for prophetic ministers
A fast-growing Web site that posts prophetic messages and prayer alerts is playing an increasingly influential role in today’s Christian prophetic movement.
Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Elijah List has moved from a small-scale newsletter to a Web site with 127,000 e-mail subscribers, making it the largest platform for modern prophetic voices in the country.

Steve Shultz, founder and organizer of the Elijah List, said he didn’t have big plans when he first began sending e-mails containing prophecies and prayer requests to a circle of friends in the late 1990s.

“That’s the funniest thing of all this is [that] it was an accident,” Shultz said. “I was just sending a few [prophetic] words to people. I thought, Well, this is getting tiring—pasting and sending.”

Then 9/11 happened, and the Web site began getting 500 to 600 subscribers a day. “Whenever there is a disaster we get more subscriptions because people turn to God,” Shultz said.

Based in Albany, Ore., the Elijah List sponsors conferences and sells books and teaching tapes about prophecy. Shultz described the site as an online bookstore with an edge because some of the material is “cutting edge.”

“Most of what we make available is not available at your Christian bookstore because it’s a little too cutting edge for your local Christian bookstore,” Shultz said. “They’re afraid they’re going to be criticized.”

From 1991 to 1998, Shultz ran a business that reunited about 5,000 people who had lost contact with one another, attracting a national audience as he appeared on talk shows such as Geraldo.

But the rise of the Internet undermined Shultz’s people-finding business and led to his ministry, the Elijah List, which has grown from a one-man operation to employing 50 people.

Shultz said the primary purpose of the Elijah List is to dispense prophetic words as they come out “from all the different streams,” and he referred to the Web site as “a clearinghouse of many prophetic streams.” The Web site includes links to prophetic ministers listed alphabetically.

“What we’re trying to do is pick the most edifying and encouraging prophecies and once in a while a warning prophecy,” Shultz said.

But the Elijah List has stirred controversy. Jonathan Benz, resident prophet and pastor of prayer and outreach at Covenant Centre in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., encouraged intercessors he was affiliated with to unsubscribe after the Web site posted prophecies saying Hurricane Katrina was the result of God’s judgment. He said those kinds of messages took the focus off helping the victims.

Shultz said he’s constantly seeking feedback from prophetic leaders he knows and from his pastor. “We don’t call it a board, but there are advisory people who I trust who give me a thumbs up or down,” he said. “Since 1997 when this began, there are three or four words I wish I wouldn’t have sent out. I rushed them. I’ve learned as we went.”

Among those advisers are Chuck Pierce, president of Glory of Zion Ministries; James Goll of the Encounter Network; C. Peter Wagner of Global Harvest Ministries; and Cindy Jacobs of Generals International.

Shultz also sits on the board of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders, founded by several prophetic leaders including Wagner and Jacobs.

Shultz’s pastor, Denny Cline of Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Albany, said he has been surprised by the way the Elijah List has grown. He believes God has used the Web site to “build up the saints.”

“We are both aware of the hot buttons the prophetic can push, but Steve is prayerful and gets wise counsel from other men and women who many people would know before publishing words that reach so many people,” Cline said. “I am always amazed at how many people are touched, encouraged and stirred because of the prophetic and the many impacting words that go out on the Elijah List.”

The Web site also is criticized for being too commercial. But Shultz explains that like a pastor, a prophet needs to support a family by selling books and CDs, or charging for conferences.

Shultz said he accepts and expects controversy. Yet he remains committed to a spiritual gift he believes is beneficial to church growth.

He believes the best days are ahead for the prophetic movement and plans to release a monthly magazine titled Voice of the Prophetic, which will include prophetic words and teaching articles about prophetic ministry. “We are a lightning rod,” Shultz said. “But it’s worth every bit of it.”
Gail Wood

The Rock and the Rabbi offers a contemporary telling of Peter’s relationship with Jesus
An off-Broadway musical based on the relationship between the disciple Peter and his Lord, Jesus, is bringing audiences to their feet from Orlando, Fla., to Tulsa, Okla., and throughout the Southeast.

This first-time dramatic collaboration between a former television host and a central Florida minister of music is venturing beyond church walls and taking the gospel message to secular audiences amid thunderous applause and testimonies of changed lives.

Told from Peter’s perspective, The Rock and the Rabbi, a contemporary treatment of the classic biblical story, is a cross between a concert and musical theater. The play begins and ends with Peter’s miraculous catches of fish, and follows his relationship with Jesus through Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

Though its message is strictly biblical, the show defies traditional religious labels. “People expect hymns and a costumed drama with period sets,” said Gary Richardson, the show’s writer-producer and narrator, “but what they get is minimalist storytelling and hip, ‘island-style’ music that’s heavy on percussion.”

The idea for the play emerged in 1974 when Richardson learned of Peter’s two miraculous catches of fish: one at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and one at the end. Then in 1997, after discussing the idea with Danny Hamilton, minister of music at Harborside Christian Center in Safety Harbor, Fla., Richardson believed he had the makings for a good production.

Richardson had produced numerous vaudeville-style shows to existing music tracks, and Hamilton, the show’s composer-music director, had many sacred titles in print. But neither had created a theatrical presentation from scratch.

With the show written, the pair heard Neal Coomer, a former member of the Christian music group East to West, sing at a Tennessee church. Despite numerous hit songs, Coomer was searching professionally, feeling a call to minister outside the church but unsure how to pursue it.

When he took a look at the book and score of the show, Coomer liked what he saw: a strong theater piece with a Christian context, meant to be performed in secular venues. He had found a way to realize his passion, and the pair had their Peter.

After a series of short engagements including the Lamb’s Theatre in New York City and Hard Rock Live at Universal Studios in Orlando, the production eventually found a permanent home at the Plaza Theatre in Orlando. Coomer would commute weekly from New York City, and the other actors, musicians and support staff would commute locally.

The show caught the attention of Larry Peyton of Tulsa-based Celebrity Attractions, a theatrical promotion company that has placed shows such as Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera in a variety of Southeastern venues.

The Rock and the Rabbi opened in Tulsa in July and is scheduled to travel to states such as New York, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri this year, with David Wise now playing the role of Simon Peter.

“The message is so positive,” said Derrick Williams, a Tampa, musician who sings the role of the Rabbi. “It’s not manipulative. It challenges your intellect. Even if you don’t choose to believe it, you’ll still be entertained.”

“People generally leave with a euphoric feeling of hope and joy,” Hamilton said. “They see the truth of this message of forgiveness, hope and love. The show makes it real.”
Amado J. Bobadilla in Orlando, Fla.

Pharmacists challenged for refusing to dispense ‘Plan B’ Pill
Four Illinois pharmacists have sued the U.S. drugstore chain Walgreen Co., saying they were wrongly terminated for refusing to dispense the “morning-after” contraceptive pill known as Plan B, Reuters reported. The pharmacists, represented by the American Center for Law and Justice, argue that the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act entitles them to opt out of procedures they object to on moral grounds. Walgreen spokesman Michael Polzin said the four were not fired but placed on unpaid leave and offered jobs in other states, Reuters said. Elsewhere, Wal-Mart spokesman Dan Fogelman said the company planned to comply with a Feb. 14 Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy ruling requiring Wal-Mart to carry the Plan B pill. Before the ruling, only Illinois stores carried the drug.

Appeals Court OKs Home Worship Service
A federal appeals court ruled in January that a Florida county’s land-use ordinance could not be used to prohibit an Orlando rabbi from holding worship services in his home. Rabbi Joseph Konikov filed suit in May 2001 and again in February 2002 after receiving code violations for holding prayer and worship meetings in his home and being charged $50 per day for continuing the meetings. Although the district court initially ruled that the Orange County ordinance was permissible, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit found the ordinance to be unconstitutionally vague and in violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, said the Alliance Defense Fund, which represented Konikov.

Advocacy Groups Continue to Push for Ban on Gay Marriage
The Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage announced in February that a nearly yearlong effort to allow Florida citizens to vote on a state constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage fell short of the necessary 611,009 petitions, Baptist Press (BP) reported. The coalition said it will continue the petition effort in hopes of getting the amendment on the 2008 ballot. The petitions signed before the Feb. 1 deadline will remain valid for four years, leaving the coalition 155,000 more petitions to gather before 2008, BP said. So far, 19 states have amended their constitutions to maintain traditional marriage, and four others will be voting on similar measures this year, the news service reported.

Atheist Seeks to Remove ‘In God We Trust’ From U.S. Currency
Atheist Michael Newdow filed a lawsuit in November seeking to prevent the U.S. government from printing the phrase “In God We Trust” on future coins and paper money, arguing that it violates the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the Constitution, CNS reported. Previously Newdow sought to remove the phrase “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. Though his first attempt to revise the Pledge was dismissed on a technicality, he sued again, and that case is pending. Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), said Newdow’s lawsuit must be taken seriously, but the ACLJ is prepared to defend the national motto, even if it goes to the Supreme Court, CNS said.

Shanghai Community Fellowship reaches out to the estimated 500,000 expatriates in China
In a country known for stifling its underground church movement, a nondenominational charismatic ministry in China is thriving above ground and drawing dozens to Christ.

Christians in China say the Holy Spirit is moving powerfully among the more than 500,000 foreign expatriates, also called expats, working in Shanghai. English services in the ivy-covered Gothic-style Shanghai Community Church (SCC) are bursting at the seams with 1,500 worshipers from 53 countries.

“It’s a slice of heaven,” said Karen Pierce, an aerospace engineer from Minnesota who lives in Shanghai with her husband.

“Every Sunday we experience the miracle of God,” said John Chin, a church elder from Canada.

The nondenominational, charismatic Shanghai Community Fellowship (SCF) blossomed out of two small groups of foreign passport holders meeting at the Shanghai Hilton and Ritz-Carlton hotels. It jelled in 1996 when the Chinese government stepped in, warning believers that they were gathering illegally. Through what church leaders consider a miracle, the Christians gained permission to worship in the state-sanctioned SCC.

Built in 1925 for Americans, the church operated until the 1940s and closed for a time after communist leadership took control of China in 1949. Chinese Christians also worship there, but in separate services.

Although no provision exists yet for foreigners to register legally as a church, SCF operates under the auspices of the officially approved Three-Self Patriotic Movement of Protestant Churches of China. The Chinese government bans denominations and recognizes only five religions: Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam and Taoism.

SCF is a lay-led ministry directed by seven elders from denominational backgrounds. The group operates an annual budget of about $500,000 and recently adopted a formal charter. It has distributed more than 1 million Bibles and pays medical expenses for orphans.

Shanghai is a rapidly expanding boomtown of 20 million people gorging on the fruits of China’s new economic power and affluence. Since 2003 SCF attendance has swelled from the rising influx of foreign workers. Standing-room-only crowds led to a second worship service in 2004.

The congregation is a multiethnic mix of expat believers and seekers from North America, Taiwan, Macau, Europe, Africa and Australia. Some raise their hands and speak in tongues during worship. Others stand quietly with eyes closed.

“There is no one way of worshiping God,” Pierce said. “There’s dancing in the aisles, liturgy and Spirit-led charismatic worship—without condemnation. All of the petty stuff fades away.”

“Although we are so different, the Holy Spirit has kneaded us together like a blanket with different colors,” said Mexico-native Jorge Solorzano, a plant manager with a auto parts firm.

“We learn to live with each other,” said Maxim Beti, a student from Cameroon. “We have the same aim in Jesus Christ.”

Although overt proselytizing is forbidden in China, people are won to Christ through one-on-one evangelism. Friends invited Constanza Leon, who is from Mexico City, to a church-sponsored Alpha course, which is an evangelism outreach. She became a born-again Christian after a few weeks, and she said her new faith helped her get through a serious personal problem. “It was Jesus in my life,” she said. “He changed my character.”

Observers say seeds of revival among Shanghai’s expat community are starting to bloom—even under China’s communist regime. Said Chin: “God is working something impossible.”
Peter K. Johnson in Shanghai, China

The widow of Martin Luther King, Jr. was remembered for her work to keep her husband’s vision alive.
Four U.S. presidents, numerous preachers and members of Congress were among the 10,000 mourners who converged in suburban Atlanta for the funeral of a woman hailed as the “first lady” of the civil rights movement.

Coretta Scott King, 78, wife of the late Martin Luther King Jr., died Jan. 30 of pneumonia brought on by complications of ovarian cancer.

In 2005, King had suffered a heart attack and a stroke that left her partly paralyzed. She was diagnosed with cancer in November and sought alternative treatment at the Santa Monica Hospital in Rosario, Mexico, nearly a week before her death, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott met while attending college in Massachusetts. He was a doctoral student at the University of Boston, and she was attending New England’s Conservatory of Music. The two married in 1953.

Coretta Scott King’s commitment to nonviolent social change spanned some 50 years. She marched beside her husband during the tumultuous civil rights movement and continued to champion his cause when an assassin’s bullet claimed his life in 1968.

She went on to become the voice of his legacy, speaking out on issues such as racial equality, poverty, women’s and children’s rights, and health care. She successfully lobbied Congress to make her husband’s birthday a national holiday. In 1983 Congress passed a law making the third Monday in January Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Kings’ youngest daughter, the Rev. Bernice A. King, delivered the eulogy at her mother’s Celebration of Life funeral service held Feb. 7 at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, where she is a minister.

King told the crowd that her mother’s death had prophetic significance. “[God] said, Make no mistake that the very thing that took your mother out is the same thing that emerges across the nations,” she said. “The cancer was concentrated in the reproductive area.

“What God is saying to us through the transition of Coretta Scott King is that we … are suffering from complications of a cancer of materialism and … racism and violence. … It’s a cancer that’s eating away at the … nature of what God created humankind to be.”

Although King commanded national attention during her life, her passing made history. She became the first African-American and the first woman to lie in state at the Georgia Capitol, where 42,000 mourners viewed her body. The state response stood in sharp contrast to segregationist Gov. Lester Maddox’s refusal in 1968 to allow Martin Luther King Jr. to lie in state after his death.

Standing in the pulpit of the crowded, 10,000-seat sanctuary, President Bush expressed his condolences to the nation and to King’s adult children: Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter and Bernice.

“Coretta had every right to count the costs and step back from the struggle,” the president said. “But she decided that her children needed more than a safe home; they needed an America that upheld their equality and wrote their rights into law.”

Dignitaries at the service included first lady Laura Bush, former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter and former President George H.W. Bush.

Other speakers included poet Maya Angelou, noted civil rights activist Andrew Young, Malaak Shabazz, daughter of slain civil rights leader Malcolm X, and Oprah Winfrey, who spoke at a memorial held Feb. 6 at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. was pastor. More than 115,000 flocked to the historic church to pay final respects, the AP said.

News of King’s passing prompted President Bush to order federal agencies to fly flags at half-staff, and Dekalb County Schools canceled classes Feb. 7 in honor of the funeral. Many ministers crossed denominational lines to honor King’s life and her contributions to the world.

“I know I speak for The Potter’s House congregation when I say that her untiring efforts as a leader of the civil rights movement and undying commitment to protect the dignity of a people was an inspiration to us all,” said Bishop T.D. Jakes, who also spoke during the funeral. “It was truly a blessing to recognize such a strong woman, one who laid a foundation of character and integrity for the next generation of this nation’s female leaders from all cultures and creeds.”
Valerie G. Lowe

Elsie Mason, ‘First Lady of Church of God in Christ,’ Dies
Elsie Louise Washington Mason, wife of Church of God in Christ (COGIC) founder Bishop Charles Harrison Mason, died Jan. 31 in a Memphis, Tenn., hospital. She was 98. Widowed in 1961, Mason served as an evangelist, was secretary of the denomination’s missions department and helped found an orphanage in Haiti, the Commercial Appeal reported. She also served as editor of COGIC’s official newspaper, The Whole Truth, and despite failing health recently completed a history of COGIC titled The Great Cloud of Witnesses. “She was a very distinguished lady, a good wife and a dedicated church worker,” David Hall, pastor of Temple COGIC in Memphis, which was founded by C.H. Mason, told the Appeal. “She was very active in many facets of our church and she will be greatly missed.” Funeral services were held Feb. 6 at Temple of Deliverance COGIC in Memphis. She is survived by three sisters: Ceneta Qualls and Ida Jamison of Memphis, and Clara McAdams of Los Angeles.

Jordanian King Urges Cooperation among Christians, Muslims and Jews
King Abdullah of Jordan urged cooperation among Christians, Muslims and Jews at a luncheon speech during the National Prayer Breakfast events Feb. 2, the New York Times reported. The speech was the first by a Muslim head of state before a mostly Christian audience. Quoting as often from the Bible as the Quran, Abdullah told the 3,000 attendees: “Extremism is a political movement under religious cover,” the Times said. “Its adherents want nothing more than to pit us against each other, denying all that we have in common.”

End of the Spear Opens in Top 10
End of the Spear opened at No. 8 and by February had grossed more than $10 million amid criticism that it lacked an overt gospel message and that its producers should not have cast an openly gay man as the lead. The film, released Jan. 20 by Every Tribe Entertainment, is based on the true story of five missionaries who were killed by the Waodani tribe in the jungles of Ecuador 50 years ago. Though some Christians said casting gay activist Chad Allen as the lead was irresponsible, Every Tribe CEO Mart Green maintains that Allen was the best man for the part. “[Allen] raised the bar for us,” he said. The film is expected to release on video in May.

Canada’s Christian Prime minister May Put Gay Marriage Before Voters
Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, who is a member of the Christian Missionary Alliance, became Canada’s prime minister in January after promising to let Parliament vote on whether to reopen the issue of same-sex marriage, Reuters reported. Canada is one of four nations worldwide where gay marriage is legal. If Parliament were to approve the motion and a bill were introduced defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, observers question whether it would pass in the House, and they doubt it would gain approval from the Senate, which is led by the Liberal Party.

Hispanic Ministers call for immigration Reform
A newly formed coalition representing more than 20 million Hispanic evangelicals announced its opposition Feb. 3 to immigration reform proposals its members regard as anti-immigrant. Among the group’s concerns is H.R. Bill 4437, which would subject to arrest anyone assisting undocumented workers. Comprised of leaders such as the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Jesse Miranda of AMEN ministries, the Hispanic Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform outlined four major goals, including humanitarian border protection policies and an opportunity for immigrants who are already contributing to the U.S. to pursue an option to eventually become citizens. “What we are looking for is a more balanced and comprehensive approach to immigration,” said Mark Gonzalez, founder and president of the Standing for Truth Foundation, “and we believe [these proposals] accomplish that.”

World Council of Churches seeks to dialogue with Pentecostals
More than 50 Pentecostal groups were expected to participate in the World Council of Churches (WCC) assembly held Feb. 14-23 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The council, whose liberal-leaning members are losing congregants to Pentecostal and charismatic churches, planned to discuss ways to begin serious dialogue with Pentecostals and similar groups, who make up 25 percent of the world’s churches. “We need a fresh look at global Christianity,” WCC head Samuel Koiba told the AP. “I will also call on Pentecostals, charismatics and others to approach us in an open mind and not with the hostility of history that has led to suspicion.” While participating in the WCC conference as “observers,” the Pentecostal and charismatic groups were to hold a separate, smaller gathering during the weeklong event, the Christian Post said. The WCC meeting—the largest since its 1998 gathering in Zimbabwe—was also expected to address rifts over same-sex unions and homosexual clergy, and discuss ways to forge closer ties between Christians and moderate Muslims, the AP said.

Your study will be enriched when you explore different versions.
Have you ever wondered if you made the right choice when you purchased your last Bible? A few key questions will help you evaluate which Bible meets your needs.

1. How was it translated? Three basic methods of Scripture translation are used: word for word, thought for thought and paraphrasing.

Word for word is also known as “literal translation.” Bibles in this category include New American Standard Bible and King James Version.

Thought for thought is sometimes called “dynamic translation.” Bibles in this category include New Revised Standard Version, and New International Version.

Paraphrases generally are not translations but revisions of translated versions of the Bible. Some are created with careful attention to the original languages; some are not. Contemporary paraphrases include The Living Bible and The Message.

2. Who translated it? An individual? A nonprofit organization? An international team of experts? Better translations generally emerge from large, diverse groups. Also consider whether the person or group behind the paraphrase could be the reason for its popularity or unpopularity.

3. Which manuscripts were used? Many original versions were lost during the early church period. Some have since been found. Translations differ depending on the manuscripts’ source languages: Hebrew and Aramaic for Old Testament and Greek for New Testament.

Here are overviews of several popular Bibles.

BOOKS

The Azusa Street Revival
By Eddie Hyatt and Joel Kilpatrick,
Charisma House, hardcover, 192 pages, $.

History comes alive in this beautifully crafted volume filled with rare photographs, original sermons and engaging commentary on the events surrounding the birth of the modern Pentecostal movement. Never before has so much Pentecostal history been assembled in one book. Hundreds of archival images of Azusa Street meetings, outdoor baptisms and tent revivals transport the reader to the early 1900s, when America was shaken by an otherworldly visitation of the Holy Spirit. Hyatt and Kilpatrick left no stone unturned in their research, including information on how the Azusa Revival gave birth to the Assemblies of God, the Church of God in Christ, Oneness denominations and other movements. And the latter half of the book captures the energy of modern charismatic revivals and revivalists, from Kathryn Kuhlman to Benny Hinn to Joel Osteen. Definitely a collector’s item, this book is much like a scrapbook­—for a very big spiritual family.
Morgan DeBose

Reviving the American Spirit
By Keith Butler, Frontline,
hardcover, 224 pages, $.

In Reviving the American Spirit, Keith Butler describes his journey to a new understanding of politics and race. As a result, he not only switched his political party but also came to the conclusion that the best way he could serve his home state of Michigan, community and nation would be to run for office and replace liberal Democrat Debbie Stabenow in the U.S. Senate. Butler speaks of his concerns for community economic standards, education issues, family and community assistance programs, energy independence, immigration concerns, and the need for security from global threats. He majors on the importance of upholding and affirming traditional family and community values. This, he says, is where faith and politics ought to meet.
Jim Nelson Black

I Saw the Lord
By Anne Graham Lotz,
Zondervan, hardcover, 208 pages, $.

When Isaiah experienced the Lord’s glory for the first time, his response was to cry out, “Woe is me … because I am a man of unclean lips.” It was only after he received cleansing from the Lord’s searing coal being placed upon his lips that Isaiah developed into perhaps the greatest prophet of all time. Throughout her book I Saw the Lord, Anne Graham Lotz uses the story of Isaiah to depict the great need for us all to experience personal revival. She calls on readers not just to serve the Lord but also to know Him with their hearts. The one drawback of this book is that even though it presents clear direction for obtaining personal revival, only its last section truly provides tangible instructions on how to maintain that change.
SARAH J. COBB

Rules of Engagement
By Derek Prince, Chosen, softcover,
224 pages, $.

Writing with the intellectual rigor of the finest academicians, former Eton-educated and Cambridge-trained British theologian Derek Prince presents lessons on how to be prepared for the spiritual battle that all Christians face. Rules of Engagement is based on a collection of teaching letters written for his friends and ministry partners and published after his death in 2003 at age 88. It is a training manual on how to live as a soldier of Christ, remaining obedient at any cost and developing interdependence on Christ and other Christians. Prince devotes attention to the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, developing supernatural fruit, and being watchful for the anti-Christ spirit and humanism. Prince’s customary emphasis on charismatic gifts and sound doctrine is a legacy that continues to influence generations.
TRACEE N. MASON

Damage Control
By Dean Merrill, Baker Books,
softcover, 176 pages, $.

Whether Christians want to admit it or not, the church has not always represented itself well to the world. Dean Merrill, author of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church, hopes to improve this representation with his newest book, Damage Control: How to Stop Making Jesus Look Bad. Correcting with gentleness, Merrill gives valuable guidelines for being a positive ambassador for Christ. He reminds readers that anyone calling himself a Christian is an ambassador. Though he acknowledges that there are elements of the faith that might alienate nonbelievers, Christians should avoid giving them extra reasons for stumbling because of any un-Christlike behavior. He also helps readers think about how Christian jargon might be misunderstood and how our actions speak louder than words. Merrill concludes by saying that Christians need more than a neatly packaged message. They need the Holy Spirit to confirm it by demonstrating His power through them.
DEBORAH L. DELK

The Papa Prayer
By Larry Crabb, Integrity Publishers,
hardcover, 224 pages, $.

A Christian most of his life, author and counselor Larry Crabb confesses that he has had a dull prayer life. In The PAPA Prayer: The Prayer You’ve Never Prayed, he admits to feeling as if he’s in the first grade, but in doing so encourages other Christians to join him in learning to pray the biblical way. Rather than applying yet another how-to-talk-to-God formula, Crabb upholds the value of relational prayer, noting that the Lord’s prayer begins with “Our Father.” Using the acronym “PAPA,” signifying the Father-child relationship into which God invites every person, Crabb shows how the Christian “Presents” himself without pretense, “Attends” to how he is thinking of God, “Purges” himself of anything blocking the relationship, and “Approaches” God as his most valuable treasure. Praying this way helps believers rest in relationship with God, then they can petition Him confidently instead of pounding Him with requests for things that are often more valued than the relationship. Crabb’s practical teaching and humble example will assist readers who want to seek God Himself more than His blessings.
CHRISTINE D. JOHNSON

Uncloudy Days
By Bil Carpenter, Backbeat Books,
softcover, 515 pages, $.

Music journalist Bil Carpenter became a fan of gospel music in the 1980s, shortly after he committed his life to Christ at age 17. But instead of gravitating toward the contemporary sounds of groups such as Commissioned, Carpenter preferred “old-time” gospel music performed by artists who were near his grandparents’ age. That appreciation for gospel’s past, coupled with his bachelor’s degree in history and background as a music publicist, led him to create the first gospel music encyclopedia. Uncloudy Days is a 500-page volume covering the highs and lows of legendary and lesser-known gospel artists from Mahalia Jackson and James Cleveland to CeCe Winans and Mary Mary. Its companion CD takes listeners on a musical journey through classic songs such as “Changed” by the Hawkins Family and “I’ll Be Thinking of You” by Andraé Crouch to original cuts such as “This Could Be the Day” by Ann McCrary and “Still, My Father” by Bryan Wilson. The book gives a rare glimpse into the lives of gospel music’s hit makers, and the CD offers a bit of nostalgia. Both underscore gospel music’s underlying theme—that hope and redemption can be found in Christ.
Adrienne S. Gaines

MUSIC

No Limits
By Martha Munizzi, Integrity Music.

Stepping away from her frequent collaborator Israel Houghton, Martha Munizzi taps Noel Hall, notable musician and former musical director for Fred Hammond, for her first album with Integrity Music, No Limits. This album mixes high-energy praise—some with an urban vibe—and intimate worship, with Munizzi sprinkling in bits of testimony and biblical truths. Most of the 22 tracks were written or co-written by Munizzi. “Always Welcome” was written by Martha’s twin sister, Mary Alessi, and songwriter Cindy Cruse Ratcliff. No Limits was recorded live at Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, La., just a few weeks before Hurricane Katrina made its life-changing impact on the Gulf Coast. “While You Worship” had an unknowingly prophetic message with the lyrics: “You can make it through the storm / You can make it through the rain.”
RHONDA SHOLAR

In the Company of Angels II
By Caedmon’s Call, Essential Records.

Following its ambitious world music project Share the Well, Caedmon’s Call returns to its own style of worship with In the Company of Angels II: The World Will Sing, the band’s second collection of praise songs. Employing its signature acoustic pop-rock, the group creates a joyful and passionate worship experience. The rollicking “Sing His Love” is infectious, drawing listeners into a memorable sing-a-long praise tune. The tender “Rest Upon Us” is a personal prayer for direction. “Great and Mighty,” the modern pop opener, is one of the disc’s highlights, a tune destined for frequent rotation on radio and in church worship services. Listeners can always count on Caedmon’s Call to deliver songs that inspire, engage and entertain. The World Will Sing is no exception.
DEWAYNE HAMBY

A Grateful People
By Watermark, Rocketown Records.

Nathan and Christy Nockels’ final album, A Grateful People, takes listeners on a musical journey that both hits the high points of their music career and creates some new ones worth hearing. Watermark is ending so the husband-wife duo can devote more time to their children and other music-related interests. Instead of releasing a greatest-hits album, Watermark recorded a live concert at their home church in Franklin, Tenn., that comprises a collection of favorite original songs with guest appearances by their friends Point of Grace, Ed Cash, Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall and Shane & Shane. The result is a fresh listening experience of 12 tracks. Standouts include “Who Am I” featuring Point of Grace, the worship ballad “Knees to the Earth” which shows off Christy’s signature voice backed by piano, and the new, driving “Light of the World,” which is destined for radio airplay and would do well in church worship services. A Grateful People is a strong last chapter to Watermark and reminds us just how uplifting the Nockels’ music is.
Matt Fehrmann

History the Charismatic Century
By Jack Hayford and David Moore,
Warner Faith, hardcover, 256 pages, $.

While commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Azusa Street Revival, Jack Hayford’s newest book explores the 1906 revival’s significance and gives readers reason to celebrate the phenomenal growth of Pentecostal faith. William J. Seymour is honored as the humble leader who would have never taken credit for the sovereign work of God in that place or imagined the significance of his ministry. Yet, Hayford also wants Christians to have a firm understanding of the past failures as they launch into the future. In reviewing history and the key players of the movement, the author does not hide skeletons in the closet. In doing so, Hayford includes both cautions and encouragements for those who come after.
Deborah L. Delk

Fire on the Earth
By Eddie Hyatt, Creation House,
softcover, 192 pages, $.

Filled with eyewitness reports, this book takes readers back 100 years and gives them a front-row seat at the Azusa Street Revival. Hyatt uses excerpts from Apostolic Faith, a newspaper published by the Azusa Mission. Distributed to more than 40,000 people in the early 1900s, the paper was the primary vehicle used to spread the Pentecostal fervor that erupted on Azusa Street. Hyatt, a seasoned historian, adds helpful insights about revival in his introductory comments.
Morgan DeBose