print vs. online? GT readers make definitive choice!
gosp gos p e l today | May j a n f25, e b ‘09 2009
Over the last twenty years, Gospel Today has become established as a reliable and dependable source of information and news for the gospel community. Created at a time when the gospel community had little or no publications dedicated solely to the gospel industry and church community, Gospel Today saw a need and sought to fill it with responsible journalism that its audience would appreciate and applaud.
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Seeing its mission to print as a ministry, Gospel Today became appreciated by laity, clergy and gospel artists alike.
Never content to produce mediocrity, Dr. Teresa Hairston, publisher of Gospel Today, pushed her staff for excellence and insisted that the Gospel Today publication be the best that it was capable of being. Within a very short period of time, Gospel Today established itself as a leading print publication drew the loyalty and readership of Christians everywhere. Approximately ten years ago,
after months of analyzing the market, Gospel Today turned itself into a “lifestyle” magazine and sought to offer advice, direction, consul and inspiration in addition to typical fare of news and news related stories. Seeing its mission to print as a ministry, Gospel Today became appreciated by laity, clergy and gospel artists alike. Approaching the final months of last year, Gospel Today began to
GT subscribers! Good news...Your new “printed” issue (May/Jun 09) will be sent out in the mail THIS WEEK!!!
w w w . g o s p e l t o d a y. c o m Volume 20 | Number 2 | GT’s Annual Youth & Family Issue
Generation eXcellent!
feel the same A LOOK AT pressure that has EMERGING LEADERS caused record KIERRA "KIKI" SHEARD MARVIN WINANS JR. newspapers to close JASMINE MORTON and magazines like CHARLES BLAKE II Ebony and Jet to reconsider their purpose and future. FROM ABUSED BOYS Gospel Today TO HEALED MEN OVERCOMING SECRET HORROR decided to go green and convert its “If I could be publication to a anything in life, I THE POWER OF WORDS digital product would be a good available online as father to my opposed to on girls. And that would be the greatest newsstands. It did gift I could offer.” not take long for —president barack obama Gospel Today to hear from its readers who, while A Final Farewell to appreciating the U.S. $3.50 / CAN $4.50 new approach, still REV.TIMOTHY longed for the more WRIGHT traditional handheld magazine. So, the print readers to go directly to an article read and magazine is returning. But with it are stepped up comment on the article within the framework and efforts to make the online product a more format of a blog posting. In attempting to give rewarding experience. Now online readers have you the best of both worlds, we are striving to the option of choosing a digital version of the continue our tradition of seeing a need and magazine that mimics a physical magazine reading attempting to meet it. experience and a blog driven version that allows celebrating
america’s #1 christian lifestyle magazine may june
2009
Gospel Today | Changing the Way the World Sees Faith
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m ay j u n e 2 0 0 9
May 25, ‘09 | gos p e l today
We would like to know how you think we are doing. Post a comment (gospeltoday.ning.com) or send us an email (gospeltodaymag@aol.com) and let us know. We are anxious to hear from you.
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william murphy the internet and Gospel Reclining in a chair located in the student lounge of the Beulah Heights Bible University, psalmist and pastor, William Murphy kicked back to discuss how his great love, the internet, has had both a positive and negative impact
gos p e l today | May 25, ‘09
upon gospel artists.
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Most gospel artists have been forced to make the majority of their living on the road, visiting churches and other local venues because the general public simply does not purchase gospel records or CDs in significant numbers. “If you don’t invite me to your church, I am in a world of trouble” said Murphy. “While there are a small number of artists who survive off of concert engagements like Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary and others; most of us have to spend a good amount of time hoping for invites to programs and conferences.” confesses Murphy. “On the one hand, the internet has given artists like myself a good deal of exposure. I am fortunate because I wrote and performed “Praise Is What I Do,” so, I see royalties that others in my position do not. The internet has helped our music be exposed to a larger audience,” observes Murphy. “On the other hand, it is hard to get people to go out and do the right thing by buying a CD when they are able to listen to or download that same song on a website like “pandora” or “livewire.”
The internet has helped our music be exposed to a larger audience,” observes Murphy. “On the other hand, it is hard to get people to go out and do the right thing by buying a CD. “Fortunately, there is legislation underway that will make the internet part of the broadcast community and therefore subject to the same laws and policies that impact traditional radio and TV.” Murphy’s dilemma is common among artists today’s Gospel artists. Past websites like “napster” have injured gospel artists by promoting downloads without paying royalties. However, Murphy and others are seeing changes on their behalf, such as the CLLI group that encourages churches to spend about $150 a year to license recorded music for usage in their churches. The company then passes revenue on to the recording artists whose music is being used by the church. “In the past, we got nothing. So, anything is better than that” beams Murphy. He also says that he sees an increase in usage of CLLI by churches who want to do the right thing and not hurt artists.
“I Still Believe” After a traumatic season of challenges and hurdles, Bishop Larry Trotter has released his newest project—a poignant testimony...”I Still Believe.”
A New Twist on Passing Notes
As a youngster in church, one of the surest ways to attract attention and garner a stern rebuke from a monitoring usher or watchful deacon was to get caught penning a note to a friend while service was going on. The embarrassment of such an infraction was only overshadowed by the fear of the punishment that would insue when the deed was shared with your parents. In short, you know you were scheduled for a “killing” when you got home. These days, rarely a Sunday goes by when the pastor’s sermon is not disturbed by a ringing cell phone or some other handheld device. Despite announcements in bulletins and flyers in vestibules, it seems that cell phones have become such a critical part of our lives that most people seem to be unable to function without them. Pastors like Norman Scott of the Rising Star Baptist Church in Queens, New York is beginning to wonder if churches should not embrace the technology cont. on p. 8
handling disappointments The downturn of the American economy has resulted in a number of people having to manage and handle levels of disappointment that was barely on their radar just a year ago. With unemployment at an all time high and prices for food, gas and other essentials rising weekly, Americans in all communities, black, white, brown and Asian, are facing the reality that life very well may get worse before it gets better. Against the backdrop of that reality, the African American Church has always been a cont. on p. 8
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cont. from p. 7
place of refuge and a source of hope for those who otherwise would be absorbed with pessimism. While proponents of “Prosperity Gospel” continue to contend that their message has not changed, members of mainstream congregations continue to look to their pulpits and spiritual leaders to provide them with answers to difficult questions. Here is sound advice and counsel to help you stem the tide between pressure and purpose and focus you upon what it is that you need to do to make lemonade out of the lemons. n See every disappointment as a set up for your next victory
gos p e l today |
May 25, ‘09
While acknowledging that disappointments are real, they are events that are resident in everybody’s life. Unfortunately, none of us are exempt and if we live long enough, disappointments will visit all of our homes. However, the God of our past is the God of our future, and it just may be that your last disappointment is the prelude to your next blessing.
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n Each disappointment contributes to a chapter of testimony that is part of your life We would not know to what degree we should appreciate the sun shining if we did not have a little rain
If we live long enough, disappointments will visit all of our homes. in our lives to remind us of the alternative. Your disappointments should provide you with the contrast to remember that if it had not been for God on your side, where would you be? n Remember that no problem you face is larger than the God that you serve We do not deny that there are real problems in your life. However, no matter how large the problem, it is not larger than God. Remain steadfast in your confidence that God is on your side and watch Him work out whatever you are going through. cont. from p. 6
as opposed to fighting it. “Perhaps the time has come for us to investigate how we can make the technology our own and encourage people to text more during church” says Scott. Studies show the “millennial generation” of today requires multi-sensory stimulation to keep them from becoming bored. “The days of simply sitting in church and watching sermon in a one dimensional perspective has long lost its appeal and attractiveness to most people of today” says Dr. Marla Fredericks, a sociologist who teaches at the WEB Dubois Institute of African American Studies at Harvard University. In the future, we very well may see church staff texting members, during church, to monitor the effectiveness of the worship experience for the attending congregation in “real time.”
THE GATHERING
1200
INTERCESORS THROUGHOUT AMERICA WITH DR. DEXTER EASLEY
COMING TO YOUR CITY PRAYER GATHERING 2009 In this, Gods’ Time the call has gone forth for men and women of God to rise upon the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Those mighty men and women of Prayer saw the results of their labor. AND SO SHALL WE… NOW is the time of the GATHERING. A time for a swift, quick, miracle harvest. A harvest of souls, peace, unity and prosperity in every area of your life. GATHER in prayer with me and my team of intercessors.
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TO SCHEDULE A PRAYER GATHERING
This year we will travel from city to city and state to state seeking 1200 + intercessors that will gather with us in prayer and tear down the strongholds in every city.
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