Looking Like the Devil?

The likeness of the devil on the cover of Charisma is not what Scripture depicts (“The Angel Who Fell From Heaven” by Mark A. Pearson, October). He doesn’t look like a monster. He’s a beautiful angel of light created by God, and he’s smart. How else could he have duped billions of sinners into rebellion? If I had a “spiritual” camera, I’d send you a picture of him.
Don Hebard
Lake Oswego, Oregon

More From Catholics

I was deeply shocked at the mean-spirited comments from individuals who claim to be Christians and yet have such hatred for Catholics. It is sad to see such venom toward my faith. I am as Christian as the people who wrote those anti-Catholic letters.

I believe in respecting other faiths and not casting the first stone. I love my faith and the blessings I have gained.
Cinda Lippman
Sparks, Nevada

What an awesome man of God Pope John Paul II was! Thank you for putting him on the cover of your June issue.

Having grown up in the 1960s and 1970s, we Catholics who were filled with the Holy Spirit at that time had experiences that were sometimes hard to put into words. But the pope knew what we couldn’t explain.

I suspected all along that Pope Benedict XVI, whom I prayed would become John Paul’s successor, is a man of the Spirit as well. Now the revival that John Paul spent so many hours praying for must surely be here!
name withheld

I’m a Catholic charismatic and very much a Christian. A lot of Catholics read your magazine, and we respect everyone in other faiths. Please let your other readers who have hate in their hearts know that we forgive them. Love is the true message of the gospel. We love the Lord too.
Vangie Santos
Oakdale, California

Midwives With a Mission

I was delighted to read about Hilary Overton’s unique ministry in the Philippines, Glory Reborn (News, September). It is evidence of what God can do with a life fully yielded to him, regardless of age, experience or circumstances.

I praise God for Overton and her husband, David, and the midwives who serve and honor the poorest of the poor with Christ’s love. Thank God, also, for all those who support them financially and in prayer. Thank you for letting the world know about this little clinic in Cebu that has delivered more than 400 babies into the world!
Jane Maxey
El Paso, Texas

Joel Osteen

Stephen Strang’s Final Word about Joel Osteen (“The Osteen Legacy,” September) was greatly appreciated. Osteen, as Strang commented, “represents the best of what has come out of the charismatic community.” And Joel has promised to walk in integrity and live a godly life. That alone would make him unique in charismatic circles.
Keith W. Mitchell
via e-mail

I’m missing how Joel Osteen’s ministry is carrying on his father’s legacy when there are few similarities in their ministries. Yes, Pastor Joel reaches millions. But I don’t believe he provides strong spiritual leadership. He preaches a feel-good, motivational gospel rather than leading the way to repentance.

In recent interviews he said he believed same-sex marriage was not what God intended, neither was abortion the best, but he doesn’t call anyone a sinner. He also said he doesn’t use the word “sinner.”

Thank God that “while we were sinners, Christ died for us.” If we weren’t sinners, Jesus died for nothing.
Teri Hamrick
Marietta, Georgia

Joel Osteen said on Larry King Live that he doesn’t use the word “sin.” That troubles me. If we don’t talk about sin, then we don’t need to talk about repentance and the need for Christ’s atonement.

Isn’t sin the reason man is separated from God? If the pastor of the largest, fastest-growing church in America doesn’t talk about sin, I fear for the church.
Rev. Lincoln Murdoch
All Nations Church
Peoria, Arizona

In Defense of T.D Jakes

Your article on T.D. Jakes’ MegaFest event in Atlanta reported that a protester stood outside the auditorium and criticized Jakes for having performers like Gladys Knight (News, October). I believe God can use MegaFest to reach families and the unchurched. You have to use your resources to reach those you can.
name withheld

The Devil and Hollywood

In J. Lee Grady’s online review of the movie The Exorcism of Emily Rose, he castigated the priest as a failed exorcist. Grady should know that there are levels of demonic activity to which he may never have been exposed. Deliverance differs from exorcism, and not all is solved with a wave of the hand.
Michael H. Brown
via e-mail

I cannot fathom how a Christian can write a review of The Exorcism of Emily Rose and say that it has redeeming qualities. Have we become so desensitized to the garbage coming out of Hollywood (even films directed by so-called Christian movie makers) that we ignore God’s Word?
Anne Sasso
Lake Wales, Florida

Editor’s note:

Our review of the film The Exorcism of Emily Rose appeared in J. Lee Grady’s biweekly online column, “Fire in My Bones.” You can access this by going to www.charismanow.com.

My Turn

I read the letters from Catholics (Feedback, September), and I agree with some of them. We Catholics do need more of God. As for others who criticized the Catholic Church, they need to be careful whom they judge. I am a Spirit-filled Catholic, and more and more Catholics are experiencing the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

If you watch evangelist Benny Hinn on television, you will notice that many Catholics receive healings easily because we have a hunger for God. The return of Christ is near. Instead of debating who’s a Christian, we should be reaping the harvest.
Sylvester F. Birchem
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

BOOKS

The Way of the Warrior
By Harry R. Jackson Jr., Chosen Books,
softcover, 192 pages, $13.99.

Longtime pastor Harry R. Jackson Jr. sets a new standard for motivational material with this excellent review of principles that apply to everyone’s life. Reading The Way of the Warrior: How to Fulfill Life’s Most Difficult Assignments will give readers a renewed sense of purpose and belief that God has an assignment for them, no matter how lofty or humble their positions in life. The word “warrior” is used as an acrostic to communicate key concepts, such as wealth, achievement and righteousness. Particularly noteworthy is Jackson’s focus on gaining wealth as a means of spreading the gospel, not of lavishing “stuff” on oneself. This is a refreshing book, as Jackson reveals some of his own shortcomings as well as reviews numerous common-sense ways to develop your spiritual life to better answer God’s call.
Ken Walker

A Place for Skeptics
By Scott Larson and Chris Mitchell, Regal, hardcover,
144 pages, $14.99

If you’ve ever questioned, doubted or quietly wrestled with issues related to faith, you are not alone. In A Place for Skeptics: A Spiritual Journey for Those Who Have Given Up on Church but Not on God, Scott Larson, founder of a faith-based program for troubled youth, and Chris Mitchell, a pastor in New England, take a fresh look at the fundamentals of the Christian faith. They apply an innovative format, using the Apostles’ Creed as the backdrop of this 30-day devotional. Each short chapter addresses honest questions about faith, including “Where is God when I feel lonely?”; “Is heaven as boring as it sounds?”; and “Will life ever be the way it’s supposed to be?” The answers are filled with personal stories and core biblical truths presented in a conversational tone. This book is simple without being shallow and provides a great launching pad for further discussion with anyone exploring the Christian faith.
MARGARET FEINBERG

When God Speaks
By Chuck D. Pierce and Rebecca Wagner
Sytsema, Regal, softcover, 128 pages, $9.99.

Chuck Pierce’s life calling has been to mobilize people to pray, but he’s also a teacher and author. His new book tackles the many facets of personal prophecy. It makes for good Bible study material, with its dissection of Hebrew and Greek words, stipulations for what a prophecy from God should be, and guidelines on how to maximize one’s response to a prophetic word. Most of the illustrations are from Scripture, but Pierce has created a fun read by interspersing not only personal experiences but also stories of life-changing prophecies. Pierce is president of Glory of Zion International Ministries and vice president of Peter Wagner’s Global Harvest Ministries. He also coordinates prayer for major spiritual events and gatherings around the world.
MARSHA GALLARDO

The 7 Love Agreements
By Douglas Weiss, Ph.D.; Siloam; hardcover;
224 pages; $15.99.

Counselor Douglas Weiss, Ph.D., reveals a strategy that has the potential to change marriages for newlyweds or mature couples. He encourages spouses to make individual “love agreements,” meant to promote good behaviors and-with consistency over time-improve the marriage. Subtitled Decisions You Can Make on Your Own to Strengthen Your Marriage, the book offers general areas to consider when making love agreements-faithfulness, patience, forgiveness, service, respect, kindness and celebration. Rather than taking on every problem at once, Weiss asks the spouse to choose one issue to tackle and keep track of the results. Weiss’ clear, practical advice will not seem out of reach even for spouses in troubled marriages, especially considering that one spouse can get started even if the other is uncooperative. Designed to encourage interaction, The 7 Love Agreements includes prayers, spoken agreements and goal-setting exercises.

CHRISTINE D. JOHNSON

MUSIC

All I Really Want for Christmas
By Steven Curtis Chapman, Sparrow Records.

Adoption is a theme on this second Christmas offering of his career from Steven Curtis Chapman. The Chapmans’ first adopted daughter, Shaohannah Hope, opens the album, reading the Christmas story from the book of Luke. The title song paints a tale of an orphan boy who asks Santa for a Christmas wish: “All I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in.” The album also introduces several other originals, such as the ballad “The Night Before Christmas,” contemporary “The Miracle of Christmas” and revamped “Angels From the Realms of Glory.” Chapman delivers another enjoyable and fun holiday listen.
DEWAYNE HAMBY

Yuletide Joy
By Sandi Patty, INO Records.

Yuletide Joy showcases Sandi Patty’s immense vocal range and grand personality. She sets the tone for the holiday season with an opening medley: “Sing a Song of Gladness” and hit song “Worship the King.” The Christmas worship continues with “O Magnify the Lord/Angels We Have Heard on High” and “Worthy/Hallelujah.” “Jingle Bells à la Sandra” runs the gamut of Patty’s vocal talent and sense of humor. Chuckles will occur as Patty interjects comments, sings opera-style with a German accent, and offers a tribute to the Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga.” This lighthearted moment only adds to the album’s overall message of celebrating and worshiping Jesus.
LEIGH DEVORE

God He Reigns
By Hillsong Church, Integrity Music.

Recorded live at the Sydney Entertainment Centre with more than 10,000 in attendance, this new album offers a fresh round of worship cuts from some of Australia’s best songwriters, including Darlene Zschech, Joel Houston and Reuben Morgan. The album opens with the soft, inspirational “Let Creation Sing,” a reminder that as part of God’s creation we were designed to worship Him. Other standout songs on the album include the slow, tender “Saviour” and the punchier, chorus-driven “Wonderful God,” as well as the powerhouse title song, “God He Reigns.” A 96-minute DVD is also available and features the full worship event as well as behind-the scenes commentary, guitar workshops and lots of extras. Whether you choose the CD or DVD, you’ll find God He Reigns to be a solid new offering from some of Hillsong’s finest.
MARGARET FEINBERG

Nothing Is Sound
By Switchfoot, EMI CMG.

San Diego alt-rockers Switchfoot are back with a fifth record, and it’s riding a wave of appeal similar to the one started by the band’s 2003 multi-hit CD, The Beautiful Letdown. It sold 2.5 million and broke these surfing-loving guys out of the Christian genre pack. Nothing Is Sound debuted in September at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. Frontman and guitarist Jon Foreman continues to drive the vocal end for the five members, who include brother Tim Foreman (bass), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keys) and Andrew Shirley (guitar). The band returns with its signature sound-a framework of melodic yet stick-to-your bones rock welded to a wall of monster sound with emotive chorus hooks. While Nothing Is Sound is meant in part to echo the cry of Ecclesiastes that everything in life is “unsound” except God, it nonetheless offers plenty of sound music. If you liked Letdown you won’t be let down by this one.
Jimmy Stewart

Surrender
By Jeff Deyo, Gotee Records.

Since his departure from Sonicflood, Jeff Deyo has become one of the leading voices in modern praise and worship music. His latest release, Surrender, was recorded live in New Zealand during this year’s Parachute Conference and is a
collection of new and previously recorded songs. Deyo’s penchant for creating fresh arrangements of popular worship songs continues with his rocked-out version of “We Are Hungry”-recorded on Passion’s 2000 release The Road to OneDay-and Paul Oakley’s “Be Lifted Up.” Favorites such as “You Are Good” and “Let It Flow” have been added as well, bringing some familiarity to the album. As Deyo’s anthems of devotion continue to draw listeners, it will only be a matter of time before we’re all singing “Jesus, I Surrender.”
PAUL NORRIS

A Collision
By David Crowder Band, Sixsteps Records.

Collision is David Crowder’s second CD release of this year. But that’s a good thing. It means more songs by this eclectic and original singer-songwriter-musician. Crowder has gained a following as a worship artist (and solid live performer). His current single, “Here Is Our King,” previously released in a live version, exemplifies his strong inspirational side, known for igniting Passion festivals with song. Yet, in reaching beyond “worship music,” Crowder has sown Collision with an element of surprise. You never know what’s coming next-rootsy Americana, scatchy rock ‘n’ worship, or something else altogether. Crowder transitions easily between moods, being quirky-campy at one moment (“The Conversation” or “I Saw the Light,” recorded with Marty Stuart) or vulnerably heart-moving the next (“Come and Listen”). As he likes to say: “When our depravity meets His divinity it is a beautiful collision.” It’s a hook-up that also makes for some cool music.
Jimmy Stewart

Narnia Resources

Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia
By various artists, EMI CMG.

The Roar of Love
By The 2nd Chapter of Acts, Sparrow.

Each artist on EMI CMG’s Music Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia offers an original song. Included are Jars of Clay, Rebecca St. James, Delirious, TobyMac, Nichole Nordeman and others. Also on CD from Sparrow is The Roar of Love. This 1980 album of 14 original songs by The 2nd Chapter of Acts features Phil Keaggy on guitar and Michael Omartian on keyboards.

Beyond the Wardrobe
E.J. Kirk, HarperCollins, softcover,
128 pages, $19.99.

This beautiful book is the official guide to Narnia. Readers will discover C.S. Lewis, Narnia’s historical and mythical origins, its important locations and their significance, and more. The photos from Lewis’ life and the live-action film are sure to make the tale come alive.

The World According to Narnia
By Jonathan Rogers, Warner Faith,
softcover, 208 pages, $14.99.

Jonathan Rogers, who has a Ph.D. in 17th century British literature, writes that one of the “delicious ironies of Narnia is the fact that Lewis so carefully constructs a world of metaphor in order to insist that the God of the Bible is not a mere metaphor.” Rogers guides readers into deciphering the Christian meaning in this classic allegory.

NEW ON DVD

Ben-Hur Collector’s Edition
Warner Home
Video
$39.92

Get ready for an astounding 768 minutes of all things Ben-Hur. This four-disc collector’s edition includes the original 65mm film remastered with Dolby Digital audio, commentaries, documentaries, the 1925 silent version, outtakes, Bible study guide and more. Experience again this award-winning epic film demonstrating the redemption of Jesus Christ.

The Sound of Music
40th Anniversary Edition
Twentieth
Century
Fox
$26.98

Embrace the Austrian von Trapp family in a new way with this two-disc set. Many surprises are included in this anniversary collection, including several “fireside” chats with stars Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and all seven von Trapp “children.” Forty years later the hills are still alive with The Sound of Music.

Highway to Heaven
A&E
$59.95

Fans of this 1980s hit TV show can now enjoy the second season on DVD. The six-disc set includes all 24 episodes, plus commentary from Michael Landon’s widow, Cindy. Highway to Heaven paved the way for current spiritual favorites such as 7th Heaven and Touched by an Angel. Enjoy again this inspiring series.

Charismatic attorney David French fights for religious rights as president of secular civil liberties organization
When the new school year started, ReJOYce in Jesus Campus Fellowship hoped to again attract up to two dozen students to its weekly Bible study meetings.

Affiliated with a charismatic church in Los Angeles, the group spent most of the 2004-05 academic year fighting for official recognition after running afoul of the Milwaukee School of Engineering’s (MSE) anti-discrimination policies.

The school yielded in April after intervention by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a Philadelphia-based organization that publicizes campus First Amendment violations.

“We’re happy we don’t have to have this problem again,” said ReJOYce chapter adviser Daphne Wilson. “We just want to continue to do the Lord’s work, have our meetings open to everyone and be there to help them and spread the gospel.”

The conflict in Milwaukee is only one of numerous battles FIRE pursued in the last year. Among others:

As battles over stem-cell research rage, pro-life couples are calling the adoption method a ‘noble’ choice
As the battle over federal funding for stem-cell research intensifies, some Christians are using leftover embryos for what they say is a more noble cause.

Adoption of embryos-the earliest stage of fetal development-from people who have gone through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and have spare embryos is now a popular choice for infertile couples who believe in the sanctity of life and want to experience the joys of pregnancy.

Doni and Jim Brinkman of Phoenix had their son Tanner after adopting an embryo through Snowflakes, a branch of Nightlight Christian Adoptions agency, located in Fullerton, Calif. “I always wanted a big family, so when we discovered Jim was infertile in 1996, we were devastated,” Doni Brinkman said. “We dabbled with different options, but when I heard about embryo adoption on Focus on the Family in 1999, it seemed like the perfect thing for me to do.”

The process involves adopting several embryos and implanting two or three at a time in a woman’s womb. After completing a home study with Snowflakes, the Brinkmans adopted 11 embryos in February 2000. Doni started carrying two embryos that August but lost one after seven weeks. In May 2001, she gave birth to Tanner, a mischievous redhead with brilliant blue eyes.

“There are no words to describe the miracle that he is, even down to his hair color,” Doni Brinkman said. “I always dreamed of having a redhead, but it seemed impossible because I’m very dark-haired and so is my husband.”

Doni lost the other nine embryos after three successive tries. Still determined to have a large family, the Brinkmans tried traditional adoption. The first two times the birth mothers backed out, but the third time the couple experienced a “second miracle,” when their son Ty Jordan joined the family.

Snowflakes program director Lori Maze said Nightlight started embryonic adoptions in 1997 when the agency’s Christian owner recognized that couples with extra embryos from IVF treatments had two options: stem-cell research or thawing.

“We’ve learned by listening to clients that families who see life as sacred and have extra embryos feel guilty and/or responsible, while those who don’t see embryos as life [at that point] still want to help another couple start a family,” Maze said.

Snowflakes charges $6,600 for embryo adoption and implantation. Shipping and blood work is extra. Since 1997, roughly 151 families have adopted embryos through Snowflakes; 88 babies have been born and 11 more are on the way. Maze said the live birth rate of implanted embryos adopted through Snowflakes is 37 percent.

Although half of all American fertility clinics allow their clients to donate their embryos to other couples, only a handful of adoption agencies give clients the option of adopting an embryo. There are no adoption laws in place yet for embryos, but the agencies that do it have legal papers drawn up for the transfer of ownership. Donors and adoptive parents have three choices-anonymous donation, anonymous adoption and known adoption, in which both sides meet each other.

Diahn Oakley, public relations manager for the National Embryo Adoption Center in Knoxville, Tenn., said the center suggests that donors and adopting families live at least 500 miles apart. “If they live in the same town, a donor might think a child they see on the sidewalk looks like them and wonder if he came from one of their embryos a few years earlier.”

The center, located within Knoxville Baptist Hospital for Women, started in May 2004 through federal funding and donations from the Christian Medical Association. Clients have come from 48 states and four countries to the one-stop shop, where couples can fill out the paperwork and have their embryo transfers done on-site by a fertility specialist. The package, including studies and legal documents drawn up by an outside adoption agency, costs $5,000.

Bonnie Bernard, a professional counselor and executive director of Embryos Alive, an embryo adoption program in Cincinnati, said emotional attachment to the embryos can happen the same way it does with traditional adoptions. “So far, we’ve only had one couple who have chosen to re-adopt their embryos,” Bernard said.

According to the latest statistics available from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, in April 2002 there were 400,000 frozen embryos in fertility clinics across the U.S.-9,250, or 2 percent of them, were available for donation or adoption.
Josie Newman

Christian Teachers Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Three Christian women in Indonesia were sentenced Sept. 1 to three years in prison for allowing Muslim children to attend a Christian Sunday school program, Compass Direct reported. Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun were found guilty of attempting to convert children under the Child Protection Act of 2002. Jeff Hammond of Bless Indonesia Today said the women asked the children to get permission from their parents before attending the program, and those without permission were asked to go home. The Sunday school teachers were not given the maximum sentence of five years in prison but said they were devastated by the prospect of being separated from their students, who range in age from 6 to 19, Compass said.

International Church in Vietnam Shut Down

Local authorities shut down a 500-member international church in Vietnam Aug. 27, Compass Direct reported. Eric Dooley, pastor of New Life Fellowship, had sought a permit to meet since it was founded in 1997. Dooley said District 5 police ordered the church to close because it had no permit-though the government has repeatedly ignored the church’s efforts to get permission to worship. On Aug. 28, the Sunday after the church was closed, Dooley stood outside the hotel where the church has been worshiping to inform those showing up that they would not be able to meet. Church leaders hope the action does not represent an effort by the national government to harass the church, Compass said.

Chinese Christian Denied Asylum in U.S.

In August, Xiaodong Li was denied asylum in the U.S. because he was a member of an “illegal” house church, Assist News Service ANS) reported. Li, who is receiving assistance from Virginia-based Christian Freedom International (CFI), fled to the U.S. after police raided his apartment in Ningbo, China. CFI said Li was punched, kicked and shocked with electric batons until he “confessed” to organizing “unauthorized” Christian house-church meetings. The 11-member Board of Immigration Appeals determined that Li fled China because he feared legal action, not persecution, ANS reported. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the board’s decision and denied Li asylum. CFI said the ruling will make it hard for others who face religious persecution to find refuge in the U.S. “America was founded by men and women fleeing religious persecution,” CFI said in a statement. “It is unfortunate that a group of unelected officials … have lost sight of this.” The Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian law firm that specializes in religious liberty issues, has taken over as Li’s lead counsel.

Diane Bickle contributes all the profit from her Glad Heart Realty to the International House of Prayer
Diane Bickle, wife of International House of Prayer (IHOP) founder Mike Bickle, started a real estate company in 2001 that is a model for effective marketplace ministry. “God told me to do it,” she said. “When God speaks, you don’t know why, you just do it.”

When she heard that still, small voice, Bickle was working for a real estate company while serving as co-pastor of a 3,000-member church in south Kansas City, Mo. She started working in real estate in 1997 for the broker of a small company. “I was in real estate previously, but it was a switch to start my own company.”

The start of Glad Heart Realty coincided with the launch of the IHOP ministry, which facilitates 24-hour prayer and worship. “People were moving here to be a part of the ministry,” she said. “As the CEO, I could set up the company to facilitate and serve the ministry.”

The connection between IHOP and Glad Heart Realty shows in the prayer meetings that the staff have weekly and their commitment to fast for the first three days of every month. “The House of Prayer has prayer for us on a daily basis,” she said. “I have a prayer meeting with the agents once a week. We pray for our clients, for their health, finances and communication, and we pray for one another.”

In the last five years, 17 people have joined her staff. They are all Christians with a heart to reach the city. “We’re making an impact on the community,” Bickle said. “It’s not uncommon for us to lead clients to the Lord. We’re a presence of light and salt as we move into the community.”

Glad Heart Realty owns the building it’s housed in. The 50,000-square-foot shopping center includes IHOP, a food pantry, a child care center, a coffee shop, a bookstore and an international missions center.

Glad Heart contributes all its corporate profits to IHOP. “After the agents and the bills are paid, everything goes to the International House of Prayer,” Bickle said. “We’ve contributed tens of thousands every year. An example is the first year we were in business, we installed stucco on the outside of the shopping center.”

The agents are actively involved with IHOP, and Bickle leads a prayer meeting every Wednesday at 6 a.m. for professionals who want to reach the marketplace. She also has the freedom to pray in the Healing Room for two hours every Thursday.

Bob Frasier, founder of the Joseph Company, said he asked Bickle to lead the prayer meeting. “Diane is an example of where God is leading many business people, to make Jesus the center of their pursuit and prayer as their chief methodology,” he said.

Glad Heart client Cindy Dodd said Bickle’s faith-based business approach set her apart from other real estate companies. “When Diane came to look at our house, she said we had three strikes against us but because of our motive for selling the house, she believed God would move on our behalf,” said Dodd, who wanted to sell her 3,800-square-foot home because of the time it took to care for it.

“The first person who looked at our house decided to buy it,” she said. “I was so glad to have a real estate agent who trusts God.”

Since Glad Heart opened its doors in 2001, Bickle says there has been an impact on the community. “Property values have risen around the shopping center because of the quality of residents moving in who are joining IHOP,” she said.

IHOP also has purchased two apartment complexes near the shopping center. The complexes are full of hundreds of students attending IHOP’s ministry-training center.

Bickle said she drew the name of her company from Scripture. “Hebrews 1:9 says Jesus was the gladdest person who lived,” she said. “This truth that Jesus is kind and happy about people has really impacted me. I decided this would be the personality of this business. I wanted Glad Heart Realty to reflect the gladness Jesus has when He reaches people.”

The name piques people’s curiosity and sets the tone for the working relationship with clients. “All of the agents have a reputation for honesty and hard work,” Bickle said. “Our clients and other real estate companies know that we are different.”

What’s the next step for Glad Heart Realty? “I’m praying for wisdom and expecting miracles in my business,” Bickle said. “I’m expecting that we are going to lay hands on the sick and they will be healed. It’s about the harvest, that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing.”
Leilani Haywood in Kansas City, Mo.

Attorney General Seeks to Overturn Pledge Ruling

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said the Justice Department would fight to overturn a federal court ruling that the Pledge of Allegiance can’t be recited in public schools because it refers to God, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Gonzales said the Supreme Court has affirmed “time and again that such official acknowledgements of our nation’s religious heritage, foundation and character are constitutional, Gonzales said in a statement. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton in San Francisco could put the issue before the Supreme Court, which declined to hear a similar case last year. The high court said the plaintiff, atheist Michael Newdow, did not have standing to file suit on behalf of his daughter because he did not have custody of her. In the current case, Newdow is acting as attorney for the three parents who challenged the pledge because it contains the words “under God.” After Karlton’s ruling, the Senate unanimously approved a resolution stating that the phrase “one nation under God” is “fully constitutional,” the AP reported.

Appeals Court Permits Ten Commandments Display

A Nebraska federal appeals court ruled Aug. 19 that a Ten Commandments monument could remain in a Plattsmouth city park, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The 11-2 decision reversed a previous decision, citing the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that it was constitutionally permissible for a Ten Commandments monument to remain on the grounds of the Texas Capitol. In that decision, the high court determined that the monument was a legitimate tribute to the nation’s legal and religious history, the AP said. Writing for Nebraska’s 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Pasco Bowman said the park display “makes passive and permissible use of the text of the Ten Commandments to acknowledge the role of religion in our nation’s heritage.”

Abstinence Program Funding Suspended

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) suspended funding for the Silver Ring Thing abstinence program Aug. 22, saying it “includes both secular and religious components that are not adequately safeguarded,” the Washington Post reported. Officials ordered the group to submit a “corrective action plan” in order to be considered for a $75,000 grant this year, the newspaper said. The move came three months after the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against HHS, saying its activities and materials were “permeated with religion.” Joel Oster, senior litigation counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing Silver Ring Thing, said the group offers both a religious and a secular program, though its Web site said a secular program was “in development,” the Post said.

Appeals Court Overturns Big Idea Ruling

A Texas appeals court has overturned a decision that helped push Big Idea Productions, creator of VeggieTales into bankruptcy. The Fifth District Court of Appeals ruled in August that Big Idea did not breach an agreement with Lyrick Studios, creator of Barney, over distribution of products. The reversal of the April 2003 decision means the $11.5 million award Lyrick received will go to Big Idea’s creditors. After the 2003 ruling, Big Idea’s assets were sold in a bankruptcy auction to Classic Media, the New York distribution company that owns the rights to Lassie. Classic Media continues to produce new VeggieTales products through Big Idea. VeggieTales founder Phil Vischer said he had “total peace” with the outcome. “The great thing about the higher court’s decision is that everyone who worked at Big Idea Productions in those dark days can rest now knowing that we did, in fact, act with integrity,” said Vischer, who has launched a new company called Jellyfish.

Shariah Law Rejected in Ontario

The head of the Canadian province of Ontario said Ontario will not become the first Western government to allow Shariah, or Islamic law, the Canadian Press (CP) reported. “There will be one law for all Ontarians,” Premier Dalton McGuinty said. The province has allowed Catholic and Jewish groups to use faith-based tribunals to settle family disputes since 1991. The Ontario government revisited the practice when Muslim leaders began demanding the same right. McGuinty has promised to outlaw the tribunals, CP said. “Ontarians will always have the right to seek advice from anyone in matters of family law, including religious advice,” he said. “But no longer will religious arbitration be deciding matters of family law.”

California Governor to Veto bill that would have legalized Gay Marriage

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger planned to veto a bill that would have legalized gay marriage in his state, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The bill passed in the State Assembly Sept. 6 in a 41-36 vote, the minimum number needed for passage. However, Schwarzenegger said the legislation would conflict with the intent of voters when in 2000 they approved Proposition 22, which stated that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California,” the AP reported. Gay-rights advocates accused Schwarzenegger of pandering to the right. Some conservative groups expressed concern that Schwarzenegger’s decision to let the state appeals court decide the issue would invite socially liberal judges to legislate from the bench. Meanwhile, on Sept. 14, the Michigan legislature rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage and create civil unions, the New York Times reported. Last year, the ban received preliminary approval in a 105-to-92 vote. In September, it was rejected 157 to 39 by a joint session of the House and Senate. Observers say the turnaround reflected the fact that some legislators now consider same-sex marriage more acceptable politically.

Church Removes Sign Claiming Hurricane Was God’s Judgment

A Massachusetts church was criticized in September for posting a sign suggesting Hurricane Katrina was divine judgment, the Boston Herald reported. New England Baptist Church in Medford removed the sign that read “New Orleans: Natural disaster? Or God’s anger with sin?” after a journalist questioned one of the leaders about it. “It’s not supposed to be a slight against the people of New Orleans,” said church Deacon Brian Codi. “All it is, is a wakeup call.” Stephen DeFerrari, who escaped from New Orleans on a canoe, said he didn’t know which God the church worshiped. “It certainly isn’t mine,” he said. “There’s been a lot of churches down here, but they’re all busy helping, not preaching.”

Canadian Teacher Suspended for Views on Homosexuality

A Christian high school counselor in Canada who was suspended without pay in 2002 for stating “homosexual parents don’t make a good fit to raise children” recently had his appeal to the Supreme Court of British Columbia overturned. The presiding judge said Chris Kempling, who made the statement in a letter he wrote to the Quesnel (British Columbia) Cariboo Observer, could jeopardize his need for impartiality as a public educator because of his views on homosexuality. A second three-month suspension was imposed in April after Kempling wrote a letter to the same newspaper describing homosexuals as promiscuous and objecting to Canada’s gay marriage legislation. Kempling planned to appeal the decision.

Michigan Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Declared Unconstitutional

A federal judge ruled in September that a Michigan law banning partial-birth abortions is unconstitutional, the Associated Press reported. U.S. District Court Judge Denise Page Hood said the law was vague and placed an “undue burden” on a woman’s right to choose. Hood said the act “does not describe any specific procedure to be banned … [or] distinguish between induced abortion and pregnancy loss.” The Michigan Catholic Conference said it would urge Attorney General Mike Cox to appeal the decision.

My Turn

Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr.’s column about ministry in prison was excellent and honorable (“Church Behind Bars,” June). As an inmate called to ministry and scheduled for release within the next three years, I have seen quite a bit of apathy directed at men “behind the wall.” But what Christians on the outside fail to realize is that this place is fertile ground for spiritual harvest and revival.

God called me and six other elders (in cooperation with chapel staff) to start Allenwood Word of Faith Christian Center in this prison. The response has been phenomenal. The church grew from seven members to 70 in about a year and a half. The congregation hovers around 50 to 70 people on any given Sunday.

In celebration of our fourth anniversary, our vision for the year is “Pursuing Holiness: Lining Ourselves Up With the Standard of God’s Word.” Keep us in prayer.
Gary Mabry
White Deer, Pennsylvania

The Next Generation

Your issue (“Youth on Fire” by Lou Engle, September) is awesome! I’m 20 years old and agree that this is the generation the church must focus on. Youth are so different now and are exposed to so much. Thank you for recognizing our need for attention from God’s people.
Sarah McCormick
Seattle, Washington

The article by Lou Engle may encourage a view of nonviolent “sieges” on abortion clinics. These may seem less deadly than clinic bombings, but they are still dangerous. The Christian community needs to understand that closing abortion clinics will do little to decrease the number of abortions in America. Children will still die.

Abortion needs to be stopped, but abortion and the clinics are only symptoms. Christians are making women who abort feel victimized and persecuted by the community. The anti-abortion movement should be about the individual, not the institution.

The current methods used to “combat” abortion are flashy but superficial. They attract media attention but do nothing for suffering women. They paint an image of a church that is detached from and judgmental of the community it could help heal.

We should remember that when Jesus wanted to change a life He didn’t throw a protest. Jesus sat down and had dinner with the people He wanted to save. Loving is more difficult than passing judgment. Too many Christians are taking the easy way out.
Aubrey Wilson
via e-mail

True Healers

Thank you for the wonderful article about John and Paula Sandford (“Healers of the Wounded Soul” by Julia C. Loren, September). They are loving and wise, yet tough when they need to be. The principles of emotional healing promoted through their Elijah House ministry have changed my life! Everyone could benefit from the classes, books and tools for recovery.
Teri Hamrick
Marietta, Georgia

I enjoyed reading about the Sandfords. They seem to care about people. It’s wonderful when Christians are concerned with what concerns God. May the Lord bless their work.
name withheld

Cry from Catholics: Stop Bashing Us

I was disheartened to see all the negative comments from your readers about the Catholic Church after you published “Vicar of the Spirit” by Stephen Mansfield (June). I hadn’t realized so many fellow Christians feel such disdain for Catholics. Thank you for including Catholics as part of the “body of Christ.”
Brenda Rice
Horton, Kansas

I was shocked at the number of your readers who complained about your coverage of Pope John Paul II. It appears that many of your readers aren’t knowledgeable of Catholic beliefs. For example, our respect for the pope’s authority dates back to Jesus’ words to Peter, “You are the rock and on this rock I will build my church.” We respect our popes as successors to Peter.
Patricia Baldwin
Rocky River, Ohio

If we call ourselves Christians, then where do we get the right to judge someone else who is preaching and teaching God’s love?
name withheld

I am a Catholic charismatic and very much a Christian. There are a lot of Catholics who read your magazine, and we respect everyone in other denominations. Please let your other readers who have hate in their hearts for Catholics know that we forgive them. Love is the message of Jesus. We love the Lord, too.
Vangie Santos
Oakdale, California

I would like to thank you for the feature on Pope John Paul II. As a Catholic, I was disheartened by some letters bashing Catholic brothers and sisters. As baptized children of God, we need to stand together for Christ. In Him there is no room for a superior attitude among Christians.
Susan Kennedy
Bella Vista, Arizona

We all have been deceived at one point or another, regardless of our religious background. Don’t just pray for Catholics, pray for all denominations. We all have some form of idolatry; it’s a heart condition. I know many Catholics who have encounters with the living God. It’s time to stop judging.
Carla Schobeck
Toledo, Ohio

I read the comments about Pope John Paul II. Some of them saddened me. In his teachings, this pope defined four laws of God. One of them reiterates the commandment to “honor your father and mother.” The conclusion he reached in his book says that to have reconciliation in churches, we have to honor our “parent” religious group. So shouldn’t Protestants at least desire to honor Catholics for giving them a spiritual heritage?
Marie Nield
Masterton, New Zealand

I am disturbed by all the letters filled with anti-Catholic bigotry. Is Charisma the forum for the ignorant and intolerant fringe? These pitiable people do not speak for me or the church of Jesus Christ. These critics need to remove the planks from their own eyes and learn something about the faith they supposedly follow.
David S. Roberts
Lumberton, North Carolina

Casting stones at Catholics must stop. We are followers of Jesus Christ, too!
Kathy Reder
Tuolumne County, California

I was saddened to see so much Catholic bashing by your readers in the August issue. Thank you for your efforts to promote unity in the body of Christ.
Scott Schmitt
Winter Park, Florida

I bought your August issue and was very disappointed with how people responded in their letters to the editor. To those who wrote the letters, you sounded like the Pharisees when they questioned Jesus. I’m a charismatic Catholic, and for once I would like to pick up a Christian magazine and not have to read about people putting down Catholics.
Imelda Garcia
Modesto, California

I have been reading Charisma for years, but I have always felt left out because I never see any writings from charismatic Catholics. I was thrilled to read your June issue with articles from Ralph Martin and Al and Patti Mansfield. There are many born-again Christians who live in the Spirit within the Catholic community.
Pat Baldwin
Rocky River, Ohio

Many of your readers’ comments reflected an ignorance of the Catholic faith and the theology of John Paul II. Some readers claiming to be filled with the Holy Spirit found an opportunity to disparage Catholic beliefs. The gifts of the Spirit include wisdom, which should increase our capacity to love others as Jesus would.
Peter J. Bernot
Howell, New Jersey

I am appalled at the letters to the editor regarding Pope John Paul II and Catholics. To think people honestly believe the church teaches witchcraft or idolatry is absurd! What happened to “love thy neighbor as thyself”? It pains me to think there are people who call themselves Christian and yet publicly beat up other Christians.
Michelle J. Dougherty
Waverly, New York

Changing of the Guard

I was very encouraged by J. Lee Grady’s recent comments regarding the end of the charismatic era (Fire in My Bones, August). I am a pastor with strong charismatic roots, but recently I realized I’ve been chasing a version of Christianity rather than Christ Himself. We are living in changing times and I would love Charisma to continue to address this change.
Peter Magelssen
Kenmore, Washington

Tomorrow’s Church

It was wonderful to see the variety of young leaders you profiled in your anniversary issue (“30 Emerging Voices,” August). It’s very encouraging to see that the future of Christian leadership includes women and men, singles and people of various racial backgrounds. I look forward to the day when the leadership of our churches reflects the same mix.
Gayle Robinson
Raleigh, North Carolina

Excuse Me, Mr. Colson?

Charles Colson worries that people may elevate environmental concerns over human needs (People & Events, July). His two examples do not bear this out.

Energy needs in the U.S. could easily be met by a major switch to clean, green energy such as wind farms and solar energy. Green energy would make the U.S. self-sufficient and would provide the complete energy security that is so desired.

Many Brazilians live in poverty, but clearing away the rainforest will do nothing to alleviate that poverty. The human cost of clearing the rainforest is, first, genocide because at least 50 isolated tribes still live there.

In addition, ranchers often use slave labor to work their lands.The loss of the rainforest also means the loss of all the medicinal plants that grow there that might save lives.

Environmental concerns and human needs are not in conflict. It is only by honoring environmental concerns that human needs may truly be protected.
Elizabeth Moberly
Durham, England

Through billboards and TV commercials, World Vision hopes to help bring sex tourists to justice
Tourists arriving in Cambodia get the message. Posters at customs kiosks; the city’s largest billboard, on the road from the airport to downtown Phnom Penh; notices in high-traffic tourist spots and advertisements in slick travel magazines warn them. If they have come in search of sexual encounters with children, they are not welcome-and Americans, if caught, could land in jail back home.

Launched in 2004, the Stop Child Sex Tourism campaign (www.stopchildtourism.org) not only saturates Cambodia and other nations known as hosts of the underage sex trade with warnings, but also posts messages for would-be offenders at every point along their international itineraries.

On select flights from the U.S. to Asia and Latin America, in-flight videos alert passengers to the penalties for exploiting children. Similar messages can be found in banners on Internet sites such as Yahoo and MSN. CNN estimates that 2.2 million people see the Stop Child Sex Tourism commercials on its network at 39 international airports and in hotels in major cities.

The Christian relief organization World Vision International and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement department are behind this campaign to stop child sex tourism, an aspect of sex trafficking too long overlooked, says World Vision’s project director Joe Mettimano.

Funded by $300,000 in private contributions, a $500,000 U.S. State Department grant and a $1 million U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant, the Stop Child Sex Tourism campaign posts its messages at departure, transit and destination points, particularly in Asia and Latin America. It also runs a hotline to which anonymous callers can report violators.

“By partnering with humanitarian groups like World Vision, we enhance our law enforcement abilities overseas,” said Michael J. Garcia, assistant secretary for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We’re sending a message to these individuals that if you prey on children-whether in the U.S. or abroad-you will be brought to justice.”

The billboard near the Phnom Penh airport features a photo of a child’s eyes and the inscription: “I’m not a tourist attraction. It’s a crime to make me one.” Another ad reads “Abuse a child in this country, go to jail in yours.”

Also in Phnom Penh, World Vision purchased several hundred helmets and distributed them to drivers of mopeds, which in Cambodia serve as taxis. Emblazoned on the back of the helmets is the “I’m not a tourist attraction” message. Similar warnings alert visitors in Thailand, Costa Rica and Mexico. For Mettimano, this is just the start. Brazil may be next, and other nations may follow.

“There’s a special evil in the abuse and exploitation of the most innocent and vulnerable,” President Bush said before a United Nations Assembly in September 2003. “The victims of the sex trade see little of life before they see the very worst of life-an underground brutality and lonely fear. Governments should inform travelers of the harm this industry does, and the severe punishment.”

World Vision estimates that the worldwide commercial sex trade entraps about 2 million children, some as young as 5 years old. Most adult “customers” are nationals, but a growing number come from foreign countries. “In this campaign, we decided to target our own guys [Americans],” Mettimano said.

The U.S. PROTECT Act of 2003, which President Bush signed into law, enables the arrest and prosecution of Americans who go abroad and engage in sexual activity with a child under the age of 18. Punishment can be up to 30 years in jail.

Americans make up about a quarter of all sex tourists. In the first 18 months after the PROTECT Act was passed, more than 20 U.S. citizens were arrested, and five were convicted of having sex with minors in a foreign country. The arrests came in Cambodia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Mexico, Russia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Offenders fall into two categories, Mettimano said. The preferential offender is a pedophile who travels overseas with the specific intent to find a child and engage in sexual activities. A situational offender visits a country for legitimate reasons such as business or vacation and decides to experiment. World Vision targets both groups.

For World Vision, countering sex tourism goes beyond preventative warnings. Staff members work with the U.S. State Department and destination nations so that they can enforce the law. “What World Vision brings to the table is our presence,” Mettimano said. “We are in more than 100 nations working directly with these kids who are at risk.”

World Vision seeks local permission to work in a nation and assists governments with training. “The governments [that] do acknowledge the problem usually want to partner with us,” Mettimano said. “They know that they have a problem with their own people. The last thing they need is for foreigners to come in and make the problem worse.”

In Cambodia, a 12-year-old girl told World Vision workers about her foreign “boyfriend.” After some detective work, the perpetrator was identified and his native government notified.

“Our goal is to protect children from exploitation,” Mettimano said. “We are going to do everything we can to remove anyone who exploits them. Even if we are able to deter one guy and protect one child, the whole program is worthwhile.”
Steven Lawson