SPOTLIGHT

Audio Adrenaline’s Mark Stuart is riding for a cause.

Audio Adrenaline frontman Mark Stuart spent two weeks in August riding his Victory motorcycle from Florida to California to raise money for the Hands and Feet Project, an orphanage his parents run in Haiti. “This is an opportunity for us as a band to put our money where our mouth is,” said Stuart, who’s been involved in ministry in Haiti since he was in the sixth grade. Stuart hopes the tour will help raise at least $80,000, which could build eight homes, and inspire Christian youth to reach outside their comfort zones to “be the hands and feet of Jesus.” At the end of the trip on Aug. 26, Stuart planned to auction his bike on eBay and give the proceeds to the ministry.
Adrienne S. Gaine

Prayer Point

This month marks the second annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, which organizers plan to hold on the first Sunday of October until Christ returns. In the wake of the Gaza resettlement, we are reminded of Psalm 122, which tells us to pray for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem. We encourage you to:

My Turn

Charisma’s 30th anniversary issue, (“Who Is the Holy Spirit?” August) was awesome! To be connected with the body of Christ through such a common denominator is truly amazing. Specifically, the article “Holy Spirit, Make Me Bold” by Wayde I. Goodall summed it all up because it took us from the early church experience to the filling of the Spirit—a gift that the article clearly states is available to us today.

What could we possibly accomplish that would benefit the kingdom of God, as well as our brothers and sisters, without the unction of the Holy Spirit? How effective would a car be if its navigation system didn’t work properly? The driver would be lost.

So it is with believers and the Holy Spirit. He is our resident guide. The entire magazine made it clear just how much we Christians need the Holy Spirit to fulfill our purpose so we can enjoy life the way God intended.
Leonie Chandersingh
Orlando, Florida

New Look, Same Message

Thank you for devoting so much of the redesigned August issue to God’s empowering Holy Spirit. It is His Spirit who can transform a Christian into a powerful servant of God. It is also the Spirit who gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding. That’s why He is called the Comforter.
Larry Higgins
Denver, Indiana

Although your 30th anniversary issue is much glossier, I have two concerns that surfaced after seeing it. Now that it is being sold on mainstream newsstands, will this limit the topics that need to be addressed? Second, will your editors be tempted to water down things that need to be said to the body of Christ but are not appropriate now that so many others are looking over your shoulder?

I have appreciated your integrity and passion in the past. But I fear this new paying audience will compromise your editor and other writers.
Rev. Rosie Farnsworth
Kingston, Washington

More and more Christian publications are looking like the celebrity tabloids we see in the grocery store checkout line. The photos and content all are focused on personalities, with just a few articles of real substance.

In these last days, much is at stake in the lives of your readers. Please don’t offer them just articles about personalities. We are drowning in personalities—even if they are “Spirit-filled”!

This is happening everywhere we turn, even in the church. We are drowning out the melody and watering down the new wine.
Dennis Wood
Palmyra, Pennsylvania

No More Pope Bashing

Your article about Pope John Paul II was a powerful witness to the things God can do with a surrendered heart and an openness to the Holy Spirit (“Vicar of the Spirit” by Stephen Mansfield, June). What puzzled me were the letters to the editor sent to discredit the pope. Is it so hard to believe that God will pour out His Spirit on all who call on Him, including Catholics?
Marianne Kluesener
Cincinnati, Ohio

I did not appreciate the anti-Catholic letters you published from readers. To give a platform for people to spread lies and misunderstandings about the Catholic Church serves no good purpose. Archbishop Fulton Sheen hit the nail on the head when he said: “There are not a hundred people in America that hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they think is the Catholic Church.”
Kim Parnis
Livonia, Michigan

I am responding to the letters from readers who accused Roman Catholics of being pagans, cultists and practitioners of witchcraft. It’s ironic that some Christians say the same thing about charismatics!

Regarding the question of whether the pope is born again, consider the fact that his daily devotion included the Apostle’s Creed. We could all benefit from daily declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord through His virgin birth, crucifixion, death, resurrection and imminent return.

There are many expressions of the Christian faith. But the universal church agrees on the foundational revelation that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. There are traditions even in independent charismatic churches that have no root in Scripture. But I will not judge them as unsaved simply because I disagree with their fringe beliefs.
Teri Hamrick
Marietta, Georgia

I was appalled by some of the readers’ responses about the Catholic Church. In some of their letters they described Catholics as pagans, witches and cult members. Give me a break!

The way you learn things is basically from other people. This includes religion. I appreciate your special June issue on the pope.
Tracy Kern
Cumming, Georgia

I have been impressed with the open-mindedness and acceptance that Charisma shows—especially with your issue about Pope John Paul II. Unfortunately when I received your anniversary issue—with many letters criticizing Catholics—I felt compelled not to read your magazine again.

Then I realized that if I stopped reading Charisma that would make me just like the judgmental readers who wrote to you to criticize the pope. So rather than debate the misrepresentation of the Catholic Church (in letters full of idiocy, inaccuracy and close-mindedness) I will suggest that your critics read the New Testament.

Jesus would not spew the hate that oozed from those letters in the August issue. Those who wrote those letters have a translation of Jesus’ message that is both frightening and sad.
Michelle M. Mead
Wappingers Falls, New York

Thumbs Down on Hollywood

In response to Leigh DeVore’s review of the movie Cinderella Man: Shame on Charisma for using space and ink to support Hollywood by suggesting that readers waste money on this film.

This film has violence and cursing. Why are we supporting Hollywood in the first place? And since when did Hollywood ever care about Christians?

Charisma ought to get a backbone and recommend to its readers that they should not be seeking entertainment from Hollywood unless another Chariots of Fire or The Passion of the Christ comes along.
Curt Vieselmeyer
Boise, Idaho

Thumbs Down on Book Reviews

I was extremely disappointed in Eric Wilbank’s review of Francis Frangipane’s new book This Day We Fight (Vibes, August). I couldn’t help but wonder if he actually read the book or perhaps just skimmed it.

In this age of terrorism, drugs, war and immorality, it is sometimes easy to become complacent in prayer. The needs of the world can seem overwhelming. But this book shows that we can make a difference.

This book is about fighting and not giving up. It’s a wake-up call. But it’s also about perfecting our faith and developing the character of Christ so we can move in supernatural power and do what otherwise would be impossible.
Terri Rowray
Robins, Iowa

Lost Integrity

Kudos to editor J. Lee Grady for addressing greed among ministers (“Charismatic Idols,” June). Has Charisma ever written about The Salvation Army? You’ll never find their ordained ministers wearing Rolexes or driving luxury cars. You’ll find them in inner cities across the nation dealing with people few others care about.
Shane Gilmore
via e-mail

Thank you for addressing the issue of greed and lack of accountability in our churches. I was in a church in California for 23 years where the pastor treated his congregation like children. He stopped having business meetings, and the deacons had no say about anything. This man was given a $1,500 monthly housing allowance, a credit card from the church and a $12,000 anniversary gift each year.

Churches are being ripped off. These types of leaders do not believe they will be punished.
name withheld
Fordyce, Arkansas

Lee Grady recently wrote about a Florida minister who is divorcing his wife and fighting with her over money. His article lacked the balance most reasonable Christians know is necessary in dealing with personal finance and accountability. It is embarrassing to your magazine that Grady has painted ministers with such a broad brush—as if to suggest that people in ministry should not be prosperous in everyday life.
Stephen Spillers
Atlanta, Georgia

Lee Grady declared the charismatic movement over in his August column. I agree that some charismatics have refused to mature and that some groups are approaching apostasy.

Charisma magazine should highlight some of the formerly independent charismatic groups that have adopted in recent years a more sound, biblical understanding. They still teach about the gifts of the Holy Spirit but they have embraced reformed theology.
Dan Becker
Alpharetta, Georgia

For and Against the War

We are losing the war in Iraq because some of God’s people are complaining about our president and the ongoing conflict. First Timothy 2:1-2 says prayer and intercession and giving thanks should be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

All I hear on the news is bad-mouthing against God’s elect. Let’s pray instead of complaining!
C.F. Polston
Darby, Montana

Tell me again how the Iraq war has made us safer from terrorism. Point out for me again how we’ve suffered no terrorist attacks since the day George W. Bush took the fight to the enemy.

You’ll have to speak up, though. It’s going to be hard to hear you over the explosions, sirens and wails of the maimed in London. Sooner or later it will be us again.
Leonard Pitts Jr.
via e-mail

Corrections:

In a July news story about Israel donating 35 acres to a group of evangelical leaders, Benjamin Netanyahu should have been identified as former prime minister. A caption in an August news story about Christian persecution in Sri Lanka misidentified pastor Shawn Turing as pastor Jebamoney Ratnam. Both men have endured attacks by Buddhist mobs. Charisma regrets the errors.

The Patriarchs
By Beth Moore, LifeWay Press,
softcover, 240 pages, $14.95.

For all those gals out there who love Beth Moore’s Bible studies, you’re in for a treat with The Patriarchs: Encountering the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob study. The video production grows steadily better with the release of each study. This is also true for the cover and layout of the new workbook. A Leader Kit is available for $199.95.

Moore herself is even funnier, well researched and more transparent about her own joys and struggles than ever. She unabashedly admits to loving women’s ministry and shares tidbits from letters of those who have been touched by the ministry and feel as if they know her. She reassures them that the feeling is mutual.

As always, Moore never sugarcoats lives of the people in Scripture and demonstrates how students can learn from their victories as well as their mistakes. She can demonstrate the meanings of the ancient Hebrew words and then turn around and bring the truth to bear upon the contemporary lives of women today. Her passion for God is absolutely contagious as she not only teaches but also imparts the fire of the Spirit to those who hunger for God’s Word.
Deborah L. Delk

BOOKS

Forgiving the Unforgivable
David Stoop, Regal Books, softcover, 160 pages, $10.99.

“I think it’s about forgiveness, forgiveness” whispers a lyric in a popular song chorus—quite astute for a top 40 artist. Clinical psychologist David Stoop agrees, and in his book Forgiving the Unforgivable, he takes the workings of forgiveness and details with precision the benefits for all involved.

By providing a path to the end results of forgiveness (healing from hurts, freedom from captive thoughts and other crippling effects), Stoop provides a good reason to take the first step: the belief that God will bring relief and restoration. The root of bitterness assigns blame for unfortunate circumstances that inevitably come.

Forgiving the Unforgivable shows us how to get to that root and prevent others from gaining ground. As Christians, it is an absolute duty to forgive others and ourselves.
J. James Estrada

The Four Seasons of Marriage
By Gary Chapman, Tyndale House Publishers,
Hardcover, 206 pages, $22.99.

Known for his best-selling book The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman continues to help couples at various stages of marital relationships in The Four Seasons of Marriage: Which Season of Marriage Are You In? Building on the four decades of his own marriage and more than 30 years as a counselor, Chapman communicates principles to better any husband-wife relationship.

Seeing marriages as “perpetually in a state of transition,” Chapman describes the recurring stages of marriage metaphorically in terms of nature’s seasons, each of which has its own potential for health and happiness as well as challenges. Illustrating the seasons with examples from couples he has encountered, Chapman gives seven strategies to enhance each season, including dealing with past failures and discovering the joy of helping your spouse succeed, and sensitively answers tough questions in the book’s final section.

Although this book does not contain particularly original concepts, Chapman offers hope even when only one spouse is working on the marriage.
Christine D. Johnson

From Darkness to Light
By Jeff Harshbarger with Liz Harshbarger,
Bridge-Logos, softcover, 162 pages, $10.99.

In From Darkness to Light: How to Rescue Someone You Love from the Occult, former Satanist Jeff Harshbarger tells how he gave his life to Christ after two suicide attempts.

Harshbarger’s journey into darkness began when he was a child. The son of an alcoholic and distant father, he often felt a “presence” watching him, received messages from a Ouija board and had out-of-body experiences. Soon he began seeking supernatural experiences—reading books about telepathy, listening to pop psychics and hard-rock music in which band members sang about dark themes.

After meeting a local Satanist and starting a coven, Harshbarger’s life plummeted into deeper depths of despair. When he heard the Lord speak to him after the second suicide attempt, he became a Christian.

Harshbarger, who with his wife now operates Refuge Ministries—which offers biblical counseling and other support services—presents a quick study of the occult, which he says is “the quest for knowledge, or the claim to possess hidden knowledge.”

He gives detailed information on sorcery, fortune-telling, necromancy (contact with the unknown to gain desired knowledge) and dealing with those involved in the occult.

The author’s candor and faith provide a safe backdrop to explore how to rescue those trapped in the darkness of the occult.
Tracee N. Mason

Changing My Mind
By Chris Maxwell, LifeSprings,
Softcover, 160 pages, $12.99.

When an illness damaged Chris Maxwell’s brain eight years ago, he plunged into a world of forgetting the simplest information. He couldn’t remember what ice cream tasted like or how to use a fork. Names, people and events often eluded him. In Changing my Mind: A Journey of Disability and Joy, Maxwell challenges people to confront the pain that comes from change, coming to terms with life and
becoming what you never expected to be.

Using his own story of illness and recovery and the continual memory loss he deals with, Maxwell focuses on the problem believers have of wanting to know instead of just wanting to be—to control our situation instead of just living.

Maxwell, the senior pastor of Evangel Assembly in Orlando, Florida, demonstrates the need to live the message of the cross: in losing you gain. His is a heart-wrenching story that will help anyone who has faced unexpected tragedies gain the courage to go forward in the face of obstacles.
Tracee N. Mason

MUSIC

Now More Than Ever … Worship
By Joann Rosario, Verity Records.

A few years ago, Latin gospel artist Joann Rosario wowed the gospel industry with her debut project, More, More, More, and its hit title tune. Noticeably absent after her initial success because of the temporary loss of her voice, she is now back.

Crediting God with her complete healing, she delivers her sophomore project, Now More Than Ever … Worship. Rosario opens with a live rendition of “Welcome Into This Place” followed by the Latin urban cut “Never the Same.” “My Desire” finds her ministering purely from the heart. Giving God thanks throughout the project, Rosario includes the pop-oriented “Thanks be Unto God,” the jazzy “Life so Wonderful” and the thoughtful “Sing of Your Goodness.”

Other memorable cuts are the inspiring “I Hear You Say,” the horn-tinged, funky “Psalm 27 (He Reigns)” and the infectious “Open My Eyes Lord.” Another gorgeous ballad is the Babbie Mason-penned “With All My Heart.” “God,” arguably the best and one of the most genuine in this collection of songs, was written by Donald Lawrence and is backed with a wailing gospel choir.

René Williams

What I Was Made For
By Big Daddy Weave, Fervent Records.

What I Was Made For is a pop-rock collection that encourages listeners to draw closer to God. In this follow-up to its successful sophomore effort, Fields of Grace, Big Daddy Weave proves again that the band’s strength rests in its collective talent—musically, lyrically and vocally.

The 11-song collection mixes acoustic-based ballads with electric guitar-driven tunes. Highlights include a duet with BarlowGirl on “You’re Worthy of My Praise,” the danceable “Just the Way I Am” and the praise number, “It’s All About You.”

Listeners who enjoy music from strong songwriters/artists such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Dave Matthews Band or Casting Crowns will appreciate What I Was Made For.
Ginny McCabe

MOVIES

Dreamer
DreamWorks Pictures, PG, opens Oct. 21.

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story stars Dakota Fanning, Kurt Russell, Kris Kristofferson, Elisabeth Shue and a prize-winning racehorse named Soñador. But it’s Dakota who, with her Shirley Temple charm, steals the show. Dreamer yarns a tale about accomplished horseman Ben Crane (Russell) who struggles as a husband, father and son.

Crane makes an extraordinary decision, refusing to put down the injured horse—not a smart move in the rarefied world of Triple-Crown madness. He loses his job, but gets to keep the filly.

Hope, a daring rescue, a restored father-son relationship and a young girl chasing an improbable dream fill carefully crafted scene after deftly directed scene. Destined to become a family favorite, the movie will cause parents to laud the values of respect, sacrifice, honesty, responsibility, restoration and more woven into the story.

Not since Chariots of Fire has a film so ably juxtaposed a major sporting event and a heart-warming story of the simplest but richest of dreams come true. Enough written: Dreamer is highly recommended.
Steven Lawson

The Greatest Game
Ever Played
Disney Pictures, PG, opens Sept. 30.

As a boy, Francis Ouimet, son of immigrant parents, is intrigued by the gentlemen’s game of golf. A chance encounter with golf great Harry Vardon ignites his passion. Ouimet comes as close to the game as possible, serving as a caddy at the country club. When he gets one chance to play as an amateur he falls short.

Keeping a promise, Ouimet gives up the game but never loses his desire to play—nor his talent. Several years later he gets a chance to compete in the 1913 U.S. Open, which becomes a showdown between a working-class amateur and the greatest players in golf.

The Greatest Game Ever Played is about perseverance, sacrifice and fulfillment. Families will enjoy the beautiful scenes that bring to life the true story of a young man discovering he has the courage to pursue his passion.
Leigh DeVore

BOOKS

The Supernatural Life
By Cindy Jacobs, Regal, hardcover, 224 pages, $17.99.

Cindy Jacobs wants believers to realize that they can experience the supernatural power of God. In her latest book, The Supernatural Life: Experience the Power of God in Your Everyday Life, Jacobs shares experiences and adventures she has had with the supernatural life.

Using a simple, informal approach, Jacobs teaches about speaking in tongues, healing and miracles, laying hands on the sick, testing the spirits (but, she warns, “Don’t go overboard and think there’s a demon behind every bush”), the gift of discernment, words of knowledge, and a phrase she coined, “prophetic evangelism,” or reaching others through a word of knowledge. This book is for those who have never experienced the supernatural life firsthand or those in the Pentecostal-charismatic movement who want to return to their first love, Christ.

The anecdotal style and examples from the lives of past charismatic leaders, such as Smith Wigglesworth and Aimee Semple McPherson, help demonstrate that the supernatural life is available to all believers.
Tracee N. Mason

Losers and Winners Saints and Sinners
By Greg Laurie, Warner Faith, hardcover, 336 pages, $18.99.

In his latest book, the founder of Harvest Crusades weaves lessons from the lives of familiar biblical characters with modern-day vignettes to sound the call for Christians to remain faithful.

Subtitled How to Finish Strong in the Spiritual Race, the book shows how faithful men kept going after they stumbled. Such perseverance makes the difference between those who finish life well and dropouts who crash and burn.

In a world of relativism that is blunting the church’s impact, this book is a dynamic reminder that our actions matter. As Laurie notes, too many people excuse their participation in sinful activities by shrugging, “God will forgive me.”

With 22 chapters, this book is a bit long for a weekly study. But by combining multiple chapters on one character, it can be shortened for use in cell groups, home churches and Bible classes.
Ken Walker

CollegeBound
By Thomas A. Shaw, Moody Publishers,
softcover, 224 pages, $12.99.

For more than 20 years, Thomas A. Shaw has been involved in Christian higher education as an administrator and as a parent. Now, as an author, he hopes to pass along an informed perspective to other parents.

In his book Collegebound: What Christian Parents Need to Know About Helping Their Kids Choose a College, Shaw covers topics such as determining whether college is right for your child, choosing a major and understanding the different types of schools. Perhaps the most important aspect Shaw discusses with parents is striking a balance between being either too controlling or too uninvolved in the choices. It is important to stay between these two extremes because kids need both their parents’ input and to be respected as young adults who take ownership for the direction of their lives.

This book is a helpful resource for parents and teens in finding the best environment not only for career preparation, but for the development of their faith walk as well.
Deborah L. Delk

God@Work, Vol. 2
By Rich Marshall with Ken Walker,
Destiny Image, softcover, 192 pages, $13.99.

The world seeks evidence that Christians will bring practical solutions to problems they face. In his book God @ Work, Vol. 2, Rich Marshall details how “marketplace ministers,” business people who do the work of an evangelist, are that “evidence.”

Because God never stops seeking the lost, those He finds may not come from the aisles of a traditional church but might instead be reached in a bank lobby or on the call-in line of a late-night TV program. The author points out that God has found individuals who not only make profits but also become prophets in an increasingly global work place.

Marshall describes how these Monday-to-Friday ministers cannot afford to rely on anything other than solid foundational truths from the Bible in the fiercely competitive settings where they work. He documents some amazing signs and wonders that follow these servant leaders who pastor “congregants” on the job.
J. James Estrada

Biblical Principles for Releasing Financial Provision!
By Frank Damazio, Rich Brott; City Christian Publishing,
softcover, 439 pages, $19.99.

“Fantastic” describes this huge resource produced by pastor Frank Damazio and leadership guru Rich Brott. In this day and age of rampant materialism and self-serving doctrines that present God the Father as some divine sugar daddy, Releasing Financial Provision is a welcome relief.

The book is divided into seven “keys” for opening the heavens and obtaining the favor of God in your personal and vocational life. Biblical principles about finances bolster each key, enabling the book to read like a daily devotional, with each principle including specific Scriptures and a short teaching on the subject that is always practical and often pleasantly insightful. In addition to the 98 or so principles expounded upon throughout the book, there are at least 100 pages of Scripture references on everything financial, as well as an excellent bibliography of printed and electronic financial resources.

This book is a must-have for anyone who is serious about understanding and applying a biblical approach to finances.
Eric Wilbanks

SHE TEEN

By Rebecca St. James, Tyndale House,
softcover, 208 pages, $12.99.

Today’s teens face countless opportunities to make wrong choices, which seemingly are becoming the norm.

With her latest book, SHE Teen, music artist Rebecca St. James comes along as a big sister, mentor and friend to tell teen girls that they can be “safe, healthy and empowered” by allowing Christ to define their identity.

Packaged as a magazine, SHE Teen offers a fresh, culturally relevant tool for girls to acknowledge their own questions, fears and concerns. It also offers practical everyday advice on relationships and self-esteem. There’s even a recipe for “a fruit smoothie that will change your life”!

Although the style of this book might make you think it’s made for a quick, one-time read, the truth the book conveys is not sugar-coated. Mixed with the lighter segments are tough questions. One quiz helps girls analyze what their makeup communicates (harsh? lazy? seductive?). Throughout the magazine, readers are reminded by biblical truths of how beautiful and valuable they are to God.

Today’s teens respect those who speak the truth yet are vulnerable, and St. James fits that bill. As she shares her own struggles and triumphs, young women will be encourage to choose the freedom, protection and power God’s higher standard provides.
Leigh DeVore

MUSIC

Rock of Ages: Hymn & Faith
By Amy Grant, Word Entertainment.

Rock of Ages: Hymns & Faith is a follow-up to 2002’s Legacy: Hymns & Faith that showcased hymns that have had an influence in artist Amy Grant’s life. Certainly Grant has been the premier artist of Christian music for nearly three decades, having many awards and platinum records, so the idea of her returning to the hymns of her youth at this time in her career is understandable.

Produced by Grant’s husband, Vince Gill, and her longtime producer, Brown Bannister, Rock of Ages features some beautiful hymns, great studio production and lovely vocals, but it would be stronger if it were expressed by Grant with more intimacy. The hints of country, blues and Americana used in the production perhaps could have been stronger as well, which might have made the hymns come to life more.

The title track, “Rock of Ages,” is a duet with Gill, whose strong, passionate vocals are out of balance with Grant’s, which sound almost weary. The compilation “Jesus Loves Me/They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love/Helping Hand” weaves together a single thought, which helps the listener reflect on older and newer texts together.

Other highlights are “Abide With Me” and “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”—which includes Grant’s sisters singing harmony and her father doing a speaking part—”I Surrender All” and “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” which has an upbeat and simplistic arrangement that allows the true nature of the hymn to emerge.

Although this disc could have delved further to find common ground with a younger audience, Rock of Ages: Hymns & Faith is soothing and uplifting.
Debbie Gibboney

Reflection of Something
By Todd Agnew, Ardent Records.

The latest CD from Todd Agnew is a guitar-driven and edgy mix of blues, rock, gospel and contemporary sound.

His flexibility is highlighted on such cuts as “New Name,” with its blues feel and sassy guitar sound and the slow, soft ballad “Blood on My Hands.”

Agnew tackles trials of faith such as battered self-esteem and doubts. His rugged sound reveals some of his musical influences, such as Led Zeppelin and Memphis blues. On Agnew’s second CD, his background as a worship leader comes through on songs such as “Unchanging One.”

Reflection of Something will satisfy the most devoted of Agnew’s fans and likely bring in new ones.

Tracee N. Mason

Rescue
By New Song, Integrity Music

Although NewSong is a veteran to the music industry, Rescue is the group’s first worship album and live recording. Yet, this award-winning band still displays the fresh sound listeners expect and enjoy.

Rescue’s 12 tracks combine several well-known worship songs such as “How Great Thou Art” and “You Are Holy” with new songs and a new version of a NewSong classic, “Arise My Love.”

“You Are Holy” is a fun, fast, call-and-response song while “Blessed Be Your Name” is soothing and mellow. The title cut is a modern, worshipful love song to Jesus that stands out as an anthem, and “I’ll Rise” is inspirational and romantic.

If NewSong’s 16th album is any indication, the band shows no signs of slowing down in delivering powerful music, and they have found a comfortable fit with their first worship CD.
Tracee N. Mason

Movies

Aimee Semple McPherson
By Richard Rossi Productions, $29.95.

The new movie Aimee Semple McPherson (currently on DVD) is as provocative as it is touching and explores the human side of one of America’s towering spiritual icons.

Get past the shoestring production values by former minister turned producer Richard Rossi and you’ll find a sensitive script, ample acting and a story that portrays the Pentecostal woman, who, like the rest of us, lived in a skin of real flesh.

In Sister Aimee’s acutely dichotomous world, she founded the International
Church of the Foursquare Gospel and the first Christian radio station and used illustrated sermons. Thousands were healed at her crusades, and millions came to Christ through her ministry.

Sister Aimee, played by screen newcomer Mimi Michaels, was friend to the famous and a provider to the poor. Yet her ministry was rife with controversy. History records arguments with her mother, church-leader shake-ups, lawsuits, court appearances, a kidnapping by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and two divorces.

A study in contrasts, she is seen as a creative genius who was vulnerable, often melancholy and most of all lonely. “A lot of leaders anointed by God with spiritual gifts feel they have to hide their despair because they would be considered unfit for leadership,” Rossi says. “Healers, especially, pour out into everyone else and come to find out they are depleted.”

In a life that was as amazing as plagued, the movie is fairly accurate historically. Critically, the film is middle-of-the-road. The viewer must decide its merits.

The movie traces Sister Aimee’s early life as daughter of Canadian farmer James Kennedy, portrayed by Ron Howard’s father, Rance, and her shrewd, strong-willed mother, Minnie, played by Teres Byrne.

Her conversion, aided by traveling evangelist and future husband Robert Semple, and her husband’s death on the China mission field are treated with sensitivity. She returns, pregnant with daughter Roberta, and soon marries Harold McPherson, a kind man who does not fully understand her call to preach and leaves her evangelistic tent.

Yet the movie best explores Sister Aimee’s aching earthliness through her short third marriage to former Angelus Temple singer David Hutton, her strange 39-day disappearance and her death by an accidental overdose of barbiturates.

On May 18, 1926, three years after she opened Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, Sister Aimee walked into the surf at nearby Ocean Park for a swim and disappeared. Many thought she had drowned. But 39 days later she walked in from the desert near Douglas, Arizona.

Newspaper writers and the local district attorney, Asa Keyes, alleged she had spent at least some of that missing time in a cottage with her married audio-engineer Kenneth Ormiston. Sister Aimee insisted she was kidnapped by the KKK. Hundreds of journalists and two courts of law spent five years and more than a half-million dollars, but never proved otherwise.

In 1931, she married singer David Hutton, who may have been slightly less of a scoundrel than the movie indicates. Her second divorce in 1934 was especially painful, and the movie touches on her well-documented bouts with depression. It ends in 1944 with her unusual death from an overdose of barbiturates.

Because the movie explores both sides of her disappearance and her bipolarlike personality, controversy will likely hound it as it did her ministry. Yet, the movie as well as Sister Aimee’s life adds a dynamic dimension when draped with frail flesh.

“In a sense, we’re all wounded soldiers,” Rossi says. “She was a powerful conduit for the Holy Spirit, yet she struggled. It’s ironic that a lot of churches today would reject her because she was divorced twice. But hers is a story of grace, and it’s grace that gives all us sinners hope.”

After she won the legal battle regarding her disappearance in the movie, her father tells her, “But whether you’ve done something wrong or … something right [Christ] is there for forgiveness.”

And that is the proper way to view Sister Aimee’s life and this movie. If you can believe that Christian legends still wear skin that longs to be touched, this movie is a must-see. Rossi says he believes depicting her humanness will attract non-Christian viewers. And he hopes church leaders, especially those in her denomination, will view the movie with objectivity.

The film will be in select theaters this fall. The DVD is now available. For a copy send a donation of $29.95 or more to Eternal Grace, 5030 Whitsett Ave., #1, Valley Village, CA 91607. Movie-related news can be found at www.aimeesemple mcphersonmovie.com.
E.C. Donnally

More than 240,000 believers and seekers endured 90-degree weather to hear evangelist Billy Graham speak at his final mass crusade June 24-26.

The crowd at the Greater New York Billy Graham Crusade at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens was a mosaic of colors, ages and ethnic backgrounds. Many came to see Graham in person for the first and last time. “I have listened to Billy Graham all my life and read his books,” said Gail Yawn, a member of Shirley Hills Baptist Church who traveled from Warner Robins, Ga., to hear Graham. “I know he’s a man anointed of God. I felt led to be a part of [the crusade]. I felt the Spirit of the Lord moving.”

“God uses Billy Graham in a tremendous way,” said Patrick Necerato of Jackson, N.J. “You get encouraged in the Lord. I’m blown away.”

Muddying the waters about his future, Graham, 86, told the audience at the beginning of his sermon on June 26: “This is not the end. They may think so, but I don’t.”

However, insiders report that his health problems make another mass crusade unlikely. In July he declined an invitation to hold a crusade in London later this year. Graham suffers from prostate cancer and hydrocephalus (water on the brain), a condition that mimics symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. A frequent patient at the Mayo Clinic, he wears a hearing aid and needs a walker to get around. Graham told CNN talk-show host Larry King during a pre-crusade interview that he travels with a nurse, who also attends to his medical needs at home.

Steered to the podium by his son Franklin Graham, the evangelist appeared fit as he delivered his final sermon holding on to the podium. In a surprisingly strong voice, he warned the audience of 90,000 about the approaching end of the world system and the return of Jesus Christ. “I believe today that God is warning the United States,” he said.

“When he began to share God’s word I saw such power and the anointing come over his frail body, ” said Jimmy Jack, director of Long Island Teen Challenge. “God took over. He doesn’t preach as fast as he used to, but it’s more clear.”

Thousands crammed the platform area each night when Graham invited seekers to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Counselors fanned out, assisting seekers in 20 languages. The crusade generated 9,445 decisions for Christ, half of which were said to be first-time conversions. “God is saving,” said prayer counselor Mary Roacher. “It’s incredible what He does.”

About 1,400 churches representing 82 denominations backed the crusade with 11,000 volunteers, prayer and help in raising the $6.8 million budget. A.R. Bernard, senior pastor of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn and chairman of the crusade executive committee, said the event coalesced both charismatic and non-charismatic evangelicals in metro New York—a trend that he believes will continue. “The crusade brought diverse evangelical groups to the forefront,” he said.
Peter K. Johnson in Queens, N.Y.

The statistics are alarming: Fewer teenagers attend church today than ever. If we don’t reach them soon, we will face a spiritual crisis.
On the way home from church one Sunday several years ago my brother, Ralph, became an unassuming hero. He pulled out of the church parking lot, following a car with two teenage girls in it. About a mile down the road, a pick-up truck ran a stop sign and slammed into the side of the girls’ car.

Instantly, the car exploded. The driver, 16-year-old Ashley, was thrown from the vehicle and killed. The other girl, 14-year-old Amy Cifranic, was trapped inside the burning vehicle.

Ralph jumped from his car and pried open the door of the burning vehicle. He grabbed Amy by the belt loop and managed to drag her from the car. Soon the paramedics arrived and took her to the hospital.

When I called to congratulate my brother on the rescue, I asked him: “What were you thinking? I mean, what was going through your mind as you approached the car?” I still remember his response.

“I didn’t do anything that anyone else in my position would not have done. When the car is on fire, you do whatever you have to do to get the girl out!”

If we saw a car explode in front of us, the shock of what we had just seen would stun us. Few among us would simply drive by and act as if nothing had happened. Yet many Christians are standing by watching flames engulf our teens and doing nothing to rescue them.

I’m here to tell you, the car is on fire-and it’s up to us to do something about it.

Nation at a Crossroads

I’m not writing just to move you to care a little bit. A pattern is developing right under our noses here in America that demands our attention as Christians.

It is a well-documented fact that the percentage of Bible-based believers (evangelicals) has been steadily decreasing since the Builder generation. In his book The Bridger Generation, Thom S. Rainer gives the following statistics:

SPOTLIGHT

Man on Fire

Day of Fire’s Josh Brown (front) says he’s been witnessing miracles after concerts

Day of Fire vocalist Josh Brown knows the truth. If it weren’t for Christ, he would still be lost in a world of sex, drugs and hopelessness. “I was definitely chosen,” he said. “I was on such a terrible path. God uses people like me to show the world that He exists.”

In 1998, all of Brown’s dreams had come true. He had money and fame. He was on MTV with his band Full Devil Jacket (FDJ), playing Woodstock ’99, and touring with bands such as Creed. He was also addicted to every drug he could find. In 2001, after a heroin overdose, Brown accepted Christ and quit FDJ to wash dishes at a retirement home. “I had to hit rock bottom before I would listen to [the Holy Spirit’s] voice,” he recalled.

In the last year, Brown entered Christian music and has seen his band Day of Fire score several chart hits and play in front of thousands of fans. Still, it’s the one-on-one contact that he savors most. “I’ve had the opportunity to pray with people stricken with drugs, alcohol, schizophrenia, whatever,” he said. “There was a woman I met who heard voices for years. At that moment, faith rose up inside of me and I began to pray. She said that for the first time in three years the voices stopped. I’ve seen God move on people. His desire is to set His people free from the chains and weight of sin.”
Steven Douglas Losey

Stirring the Pot

Exodus International created a stir in Orlando, Fla., when it began posting billboards asserting that homosexuals can change. The ads are to be featured for six months in Orlando, where Exodus is based, and a similar sign is posted in Houston. Exodus, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, has more than 125 member ministries in North America that have helped some 400,000 people who contact the organization each year.

FAITH & CULTURE

Big-Screen Debut

Brandon T. Jackson has less than three months of experience in Hollywood, but already he’s landed a major role in the upcoming film Roll Bounce. The 19-year-old preacher’s kid from Detroit says it is an answer to many prayers.

Jackson appears on the big screen this month alongside teen sensation Bow Wow, who stars as X in the 1970s era roller-skating movie. Jackson depicts X’s best friend, Junior. “This [breakthrough] is something I always prayed for,” Jackson told Charisma. “I [would pray], ‘God, if You are going to use me, use me in entertainment, for Your glory.’”

Jackson’s father, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson of Detroit’s Great Faith Ministries International, has the church interceding for his son, and he sent one of the ministry’s young leaders to Los Angeles to be his son’s prayer partner and Bible study leader. Although the PG-13 film will stir up more hoots than hallelujahs, Jackson’s performance could position him for bigger roles and greater influence. All part of the plan, says the young actor, who once wanted to follow his father’s footsteps into the pulpit. Now he wants to preach “in a different way” and be a transforming force in Hollywood.
Steven Lawson in Hollywood

Famous Faces

Couple says God has given them a unique ministry tool

A Florida man is on a campaign to “glorify God” as a President Bush impersonator. Orlando native John Morgan, 49, is 10 years younger than George W. Bush, but he is a dead ringer for the 43rd U.S. president.

A Christian for 30 years and a longtime member of a nondenominational charismatic church in Orlando, Morgan said it was during Bush’s first presidential campaign that people told him how much he looked like the then-Texas governor. But it wasn’t until his wife of 22 years, Kathy, saw a Bush impersonator on TV in fall 2003 that Morgan entertained the thought of being a look-alike.

“She told me, ‘I’ve found you a new career,’” he recalled. “Immediately a spark of interest ignited in my heart. I spent two weeks praying. After two weeks, I was convinced the Holy Spirit spoke to me that it was His will for me to be a President Bush impersonator for five years.”

Morgan has made nearly 60 appearances as the president for corporate and birthday parties, trade shows and sales meetings in the U.S. and as far away as Mexico, Japan and the Bahamas. Morgan’s family is also in the impersonating business. His wife is a Laura Bush look-alike and Morgan’s daughter-in-law, Emily, and her cousin, Jennifer, resemble the Bush twin daughters.

Morgan said he got to meet the president in May when Bush discussed Social Security in Orlando. “I shook his hand and told him, ‘Mr. President, it’s an honor to be your look-alike,’” he recounted. “And in his self-depreciating humor, [Bush] said: ‘Well, I feel sorry for you.’”
Eric Tiansay

LEGACY

Deliverance 101

Frank Hammond has passed away, but his message lives on

Though it sparked a wave of controversy for its assertion that Christians could be demonized, Pigs in the Parlor by former Baptist pastor Frank Hammond and his wife, Ida Mae, has never been out of print since it debuted in 1973.

And though Hammond passed away March 17 at the age of 83, contemporary deliverance ministers say his work will continue to underpin modern teaching on deliverance. “The book truly had an anointing on it,” said Gene Moody, a Baton Rouge, La.-based minister known for his comprehensive Deliverance Manual. “I have given many of them away, and I still recommend it today. It was a very good beginning book.”

Though the debate over whether a Christian can have a demon still rages, with the Assemblies of God officially rejecting the idea, C. Peter Wagner of the Wagner Leadership Institute in Colorado Springs, Colo., says deliverance ministry is becoming more respectable. Hoping to see the field rise to new levels, Wagner said, Hammond encouraged him to launch the International Council of Deliverance Ministers, which offers members training and accountability.

That fatherly leadership is what Kimberly Daniels, head of Spoken Word Ministries in Jacksonville, Fla., and author of Clean House, Strong House, remembers most about Hammond. She believes his legacy will continue to impact ministers such as herself for generations.

Eddie Smith, who leads the U.S. Prayer Center with his wife, Alice, agrees. “The book wasn’t the point; he was the point,” Smith said. “His life and his presence and his selflessness will long outlive his book.”
Adrienne S. Gaines

Changed Lives

Sherron Williams’ friends say her laughter is contagious. But the 40-something mother of three hasn’t always felt like smiling. At the age of 5 she was molested by a trusted baby sitter; the same year she was burned so badly doctors weren’t sure she’d live. “I was miraculously healed physically, but the scars covering two-thirds of my body left me living in a cloud of self-loathing and destruction,” she said.

As a result, she began abusing drugs and became promiscuous, giving birth to her first child at age 15. Then at age 19, she was led into a life of prostitution.

“I wanted to stop; I just couldn’t,” she said. “I would sit in jail and wonder why I couldn’t be like my sisters who were getting married, working and raising children. I thought something happened to my brain when I almost died from the burns. I gave up, resolving to live that life and die that way. But today I know somebody was praying and God heard their prayers.”

In 1993 she was incarcerated again, but this time she says she was tired. She read the Gideon’s Bible she was given, prayed the sinner’s prayer written in the back and began attending church services. Though she received a 16-year sentence, Williams was released in 1998. Today she’s a Sunday school teacher and intercessor, and has kept the same job for seven years. “I am proud to be a Christian. No more looking over my shoulder; now I look up. God has lifted me out of the muck and the mire.”

Glenda Goodson
In Lancaster, Texas

UNSUNG HEROES

Food for Africa

Back in 2002, Africa was hardly on Rick Tunis’ radar. But when the Pennsylvania pastor came across a Charisma magazine article about a drought in Malawi that was expected to leave hundreds starving due to failed crops, he couldn’t stop reading. “It felt like God tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘I want you to do something about this,’” he said.

That something began as a fundraising campai gn in his 30-member church, Living Word Fellowship in Allentown. It has since grown into a nonprofit organization called Bread of Life International (www.breadoflifeintl.com), which he founded with his wife, Nancy, in 2003. He has teamed with Arn and Elsie Bowler of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAC) and has taken two trips to the nation, which is loacted in southern Africa.

During the first trip, in May 2003, Tunis teamed with Steve Chetepa, the general superintendent for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Malawi, to buy 20 tons of food and distribute it in the worst-hit areas. “It’s emotionally overwhelming to see people fight over food,” Tunis said, but he noted that the whole trip “was a bombardment of affirmation that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.” Hundreds made decisions for Christ.

Tunis expected to return to Malawi in August, and his 16-year-old daughter, Patricia, planned to tag along. Each year, he said, his vision grows. He hopes to someday see Bread of Life assist Sudanese refugees, help feed people in nearby Zambia and partner with PAC to establish a home for AIDS orphans. “I would like to see this get much bigger,” Tunis told Charisma. “But for now, Malawi is a strong base for us.”
Adrienne S. Gaines

NOTEBOOK

The Pentecostal World Fellowship (PWF) elected Bishop James D. Leggett as its new chairman on May 4. Leggett, who is general superintendent of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, is the fourth person to lead the international network of charismatic and Pentecostal ministries since its founding in 1947. The PWF convenes every three years, with its next meeting scheduled for Indonesia in July 2007.

California pastor Frederick K.C. Price of Crenshaw Christian Center was to be honored July 23-29 for more than 50 years in ministry. The weeklong celebration was also to mark the 15th anniversary of the Fellowship of Inner City Word of Faith Ministries, which Price founded. The festivities were to begin with a ceremony during which 79th Street and Vermont Avenue in Crenshaw were to be renamed Dr. Frederick K.C. Price Square.

Evangelist morris cerullo was indicted July 12 on three counts of filing false individual income tax returns, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The president of Morris Cerullo World Evangelism allegedly underreported his income by $550,000 between 1998 and 2000. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count, the Associated Press said. Cerullo planned to contest the charges.

Singer Pat Boone, 71, is ending his recording career with the release of five albums in one year, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Each project will reflect a different genre, ranging from patriotic songs to country hits to romantic ballads to R&B tunes. The gospel CD, Glory Train, is to release in September and will feature a tribute to Billy Graham that Boone recorded with U2 lead singer Bono, the AP said.

Considered the fastest growing church in the U.S., Without Walls International planned to finalize the $14 million deal in August
Three years after it first entertained the idea, a large charismatic church in Tampa, Fla., has purchased the property of what was once one of the largest church facilities in the world.

On June 14, Without Walls International Church (WWIC), a 22,000-member nondenominational congregation, signed a contract to buy Carpenter’s Home Church (CHC) in suburban Lakeland, which is about 45 minutes east of Tampa.

In the $14 million agreement, CHC would receive $8 million plus a 3,000-seat auditorium in Auburndale, Fla., which was used by Without Walls Central (WWC), a satellite of the Tampa congregation. The Auburndale church has been appraised at nearly $6 million, WWIC officials said. Auburndale is located about 25 minutes east of Lakeland.

“I think it’s a win-win for everyone,” said Randy White, who pastors WWIC with his wife, Paula. “Carpenter’s Home Church gets an almost brand-new sanctuary debt-free. We get a facility that we can grow into. It’s been our dream and ambition to impact the state of Florida.”

CHC’s spokesman Greg Gillman called the sale “a great win in the kingdom of God.” CHC is affiliated with the Assemblies of God (AG). “There are many wins in this arrangement,” said Gillman, CHC’s CFO and treasurer. “First and foremost, the grounds and buildings that pastor Karl Strader have ministered on for over 20 years will continue to be used to spread the gospel, which is the legacy of our pastor.”

Under Strader, the First Assembly of God of Lakeland built a 10,000-seat sanctuary in 1985 at a cost of $12 million, renaming the church Carpenter’s Home in the process. At the time, CHC had about 5,000 members, a TV ministry and a radio station. But in 1989 about 800 members split from CHC in a dispute over Strader’s leadership and formed Victory Church.

In the early 1990s, CHC was the site of services by Rodney Howard-Browne, the South African preacher who introduced the “laughing revival” to America. But Strader’s son, Daniel, was arrested in 1994 on fraud charges and convicted the following year of swindling investors, including some church members. The congregation of Strader, 76, who has served as CHC’s pastor for the last 38 years, now attracts only about 750 people on Sundays.

In contrast, Church Growth Today, a megachurch research center, recently named WWIC the nation’s fastest growing church. White said the ministry has 15,000 members in 240 satellite congregations across the U.S. and in Europe.

WWIC was close to an agreement to buy the CHC sanctuary in 2002, but in February 2003 CHC reportedly rejected a $10 million offer from WWIC because the board was asking $12.5 million, The Tampa Tribune reported. White said CHC contacted him in the spring to see if WWIC was still interested in the 75-acre property.

“We’re extremely excited to acquire this property,” said White, 47, noting that he expected to finalize the deal on the Aug. 1 closing date. “We believe this is part of God’s plan. Several years ago, prophet Kim Clement saw Carpenter’s Home filled to capacity. He said one day we would own the property.”

The agreement calls for a one-year transition period during which CHC would continue to hold worship services in a theater on the campus. Without Walls Central will worship at the massive CHC sanctuary starting this fall.

WWC pastor Scott Thomas, 38, will lead the Lakeland congregation, White said. Launched in January 2004, WWC started with 115 members, and it now has 1,500 people attending Sunday services.

Gillman said CHC owns the property, not the AG, adding that voting members approved the sale. “Pastor Strader has notified the Assemblies of God concerning the sale of our property,” he said. “We will continue to be Assemblies of God.”

Gillman added that the sale will enable CHC to move into a new era of ministry. “Prior to the congregation approving the sale of the property, pastor Strader cast a dynamic vision of raising up young pastors and planting them in multiple locations, providing them with the wisdom of his years and the resources necessary for them to be successful,” he said. “The sale of our property will provide Carpenter’s Home the unencumbered, debt-free resources that are critical to make this vision a reality, as well as provide a beautiful campus to a congregation of like faith.”
Eric Tiansay

Christian activists say they will work even harder to block similar legislation in the United States

The tempestuous six-month parliamentary debate over legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in Canada ended with its passage June 28. But Christian traditional marriage activists on both sides of the Canadian border say they’ll continue fighting the acceptance of gay marriage in mainstream culture.

Following a close vote of 158 to 133, marriage was redefined as “a union between two consenting adults,” rather than a union between one man and one woman. The legislation includes a provision that permits religious officials to refuse to marry gays and lesbians.

Canada is the third country in the world-following Holland and Belgium-to legalize same-sex marriage. Spain followed suit in approving gay marriage legislation just two days after Canada did. Seven of Canada’s 10 provinces and one of its three territories already allowed civil marriages for same-sex couples prior to the parliamentary vote. Ontario was the first province to do so, following an appeal by a gay couple in June 2003 to the Supreme Court of Ontario.

“June 28 was a sad day for Canada, a sad day for marriage and a sad day for children,” said Charles McVety, head of Defend Marriage, a coalition of Christian groups seeking to maintain traditional marriage in Canada. “I don’t know if traditional marriage will be the norm by the time my 7-year-old daughter grows up.”

The House of Commons sat for several days into its summer break to allow the Liberal minority government time to finish voting on the controversial legislation. A parliamentary drama unfolded, with some Liberal Members of Parliament becoming independents or joining other parties, and others losing their cabinet positions because they refused to follow Prime Minister Paul Martin’s orders and vote in favor of legalizing gay marriage.

Critics say rushing the legislation was a ploy to keep gay marriage from becoming an issue in the upcoming federal election, and they say a referendum should have been held for the Canadian people. Opinion polls show Canadians are as equally divided as their politicians over the issue.

Christian watchdog groups say the legislation has already caused a lot of problems for Christians working in the public sector. Two human rights complaints were filed in January against Catholic Bishop Fred Henry following a letter he wrote to his own diocese, in which he said homosexuality, prostitution and pornography should not be accepted and that the federal government should use coercive power to outlaw same-sex marriage.

Civil marriage commissioners in several provinces have been told in writing that they’ll lose their jobs if they refuse to marry same-sex couples. Some have resigned, and others have lodged complaints with their provincial human rights commissions. Chris Kempling, a guidance counselor and teacher in British Columbia, has been suspended from his job twice for statements he made about homosexuals.

The legal repercussions for Christian business owners affiliated with the wedding industry are tremendous, said Janet Epp-Buckingham, director of law and public policy for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. “Business owners who say they’re refusing service because the client wants a gay wedding can be charged with discrimination under the Human Rights Code,” Epp-Buckingham said.

“I had a Christian caterer phone me in tears because her husband unknowingly told a gay client that she was available the day of the client’s wedding. At that point she couldn’t refuse service.”

Same-sex marriage also has caused rifts within the Canadian church. When an Anglican diocese in British Columbia added a service of blessing for same-sex unions in 2002, a group of Anglican clergy broke formal ties with the church and established The Anglican Communion of Canada. The communion, which acts as an international advocate for traditional biblical values for Anglicans, now has 12 Canadian parishes on board who report to archbishops in other parts of the world.

Epp-Buckingham says the problem is worse for United Church clergy who disapprove of same-sex marriage. “Their superiors won’t back them legally if they decline doing a same-sex ceremony because the United Church of Canada has already sanctioned the process,” she said.

Americans fighting same-sex marriage in the U.S. say its validation in Canada is making them gear down harder. “It’s alerted us that there’s a virus to the north, and we better not let it cross the border,” said Lou Sheldon, president of the Traditional Values Coalition based in Washington, D.C.

“I think federal passing of it in Canada will get us moving to tighten up on same-sex marriage here,” said Mathew Staver, president and general counsel for Florida-based Liberty Counsel. “I think what’s intended to tear down marriage will actually strengthen it because it’ll make us rethink the importance of marriage.”

Staver said the Defense of Marriage Act protects any state from validating a same-sex marriage license issued elsewhere. He said a same-sex couple who was married in Canada launched three lawsuits seeking to get Florida to recognize their marriage. All were rejected.

Same-sex marriage is now permitted in Massachusetts, and California and Vermont allow civil unions for gay couples.

Glen Lavy of the Alliance Defense Fund cautioned that the legalization of gay marriage in Canada and other nations could prompt courts that look at international law to use that as rationale to force same-sex marriage through U.S. courts.
Josie Newman in Toronto

China pastor on trial over Bibles

A leader in China’s underground church stood trial July 7 on charges of operating an illegal business. Last year, pastor Cai Zhouhua, who oversees six house churches, was detained with 200,000 copies of unauthorized Bibles, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Cai was arrested with his wife and two relatives in what Christian human rights groups say is an ongoing crackdown on underground churches. No verdict has been handed down, and Cai’s lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, said he is not optimistic about the outcome, BBC News reported. Though Gao said the Bibles were to be given away for free, the authorities “are always using economics as a pretext to deal with religious and political issues,” BBC News reported. Only the state-sanctioned church is authorized to publish Bibles in China, and they are produced in controlled numbers and cannot be sold in ordinary bookstores, the AP said.

Missionaries’ Killers Sentenced to Life in Prison

The death sentence of a Hindu extremist who killed Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons six years ago has been reduced to life in prison. In June, the high court of Orissa State ordered life imprisonment for Dara Singh, Reuters reported. The court also acquitted 11 people sentenced to a life term by a lower court for burning alive Staines and his sons in a remote village in the state in 1999. Staines’ widow, Gladys, and her daughter, Esther, stayed in India after the deaths and opened the Graham Staines Memorial Hospital for lepers in 2004, but have since returned to Australia. Gladys Staines said she had forgiven the killers.

Pastors forced to Apologize for Statements About Islam

Australian pastors Daniel Scott and Daniel Nalliah, both of Catch the Fire Ministries Inc., were ordered June 22 to apologize for comments they made last year that a Muslim group said disparaged Islam. Last December the two were found guilty of breaching the Victorian Racial and Religious Tolerance Act after the Islamic Council of Victoria accused the pair of making derogatory comments about Islam on their Web site and in a seminar, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reported. They were then ordered in June to apologize to the council, place a notice on their Web site giving the judges’ verdict and take out a newspaper ad for two weeks stating that they have been found guilty of inciting religious hatred. They were also banned from speaking about Islam anywhere in Australia. The pastors have taken out a “staying order” against the verdict and are appealing to the Supreme Court, CSW said. They also have launched a fundraising campaign to help cover their legal fees, arguing that the case is a fight to preserve religious freedom in Australia.