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Los Angeles Edition Vol. 22, No. 11
Christian Higher Education Guide www.christianexaminer.com
Music & Entertainment
Barry Corey
Chuck Colson
Living legend Andraé Crouch continues journey with 18th album
E before I: True courage begins in the sanctuary
Freedom, Schmeedom: Religious liberty on trial
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FREE
November 2011
New ‘180’ video documentary prompts turnabout on abortion Christian Examiner staff report DALLAS, Texas — The dramatic new documentary “180” is gaining national attention. The documentary uses the history of the Jewish holocaust as a backdrop to challenge pro-choice positions on abortion. “180,” produced by evangelist and Christian apologist Ray Comfort, features the filmmaker pos-
ing the question, “What would you do if...?” in a series of sidewalk interviews. Comfort begins by asking morally charged questions to a variety of people, most of them college age. He offered several different scenarios about when it was OK to kill. Eventually he leads to the topic to abortion. While several of those filmed got defensive, See ‘180’ VIDEO, page 5
59 percent of young adults disconnect from the church in their teen years. Researchers that they stopped attending church because they wanted to find common ground with their peers, not build walls in areas where they disagreed.
Exclusive faith A woman named Alysea was one of several young people interviewed in “180,” a new documentary from Christian apologist Ray Comfort.
Nearly 500 pastors challenge IRS with Pulpit Freedom sermons By Lori Arnold PHOENIX, Ariz. — More than a dozen Los Angeles County churches participated in the national Pulpit Freedom Sunday campaign challenging IRS restrictions on what pastors can say from the pulpit. In all, more than 475 churches nationwide registered for the event, held Oct. 2. The showing was nearly a five-fold increase from the previous year. The pastors represented
46 states and Puerto Rico. Jim Garlow, chairman of the national Renewing American Leadership and one of the supporters of the event, said pastors “were really pumped up” on a post-event conference call. “The response of the congregations was really encouraging,” he said. “Pastors reported being interrupted with applause and in some cases they had standing ovations. We just didn’t See IRS CHALLENGE, page 3
Young adults struggle with what to believe in a post-modern world By Kate Beecken World News Service MINNEAPOLIS — Young Christians, who have grown up in a culture that denies absolute truth, struggle with the exclusive nature of their faith and the way they’ve seen their parents’ generation communicate with an unbelieving world. According to a research study recently released by the Barna Group, 59 percent of young adults disconnect from the church in their teen years. Many study participants told researchers that they stopped attending church
because they wanted to find common ground with their peers, not build walls in areas where they disagreed. Twenty-nine percent of study participants, all between 18 and 29 years old, said the church was afraid of the beliefs of other faiths. The same number said they felt like the church forced them to choose between their faith and their friends. Young adults who grow up in a pluralistic, post-modern society have a hard time claiming that Christ is the only way, said Mark Mellen, the assistant pastor at Substance Church in St. Paul, Minn.
“This post-modern generation thinks that what’s true for you is not necessarily true for me,” Mellen said. Matt Runion, the associate campus pastor at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., said that the problem of exclusivity is complicated by hypocrisy when the church does not live up to its claims. “As a general blanket statement, the exclusive claims of Christianity, while they are true, have not always been communicated, whether by words or lifestyle, in ways that are compelling See FAITH SURVEY, page 5
Rescue mission residents use their feet to support their hosts By Lori Arnold LONG BEACH — Francisco Maniego had already spent a year living on the streets but the persistent rain was making the night particularly uncomfortable. The loneliness of the wet streets reminded him of why he began drinking at the age of 11. “My dad was around but he wasn’t around,” Maniego said. The isolation and boredom of his childhood led to heavy alcohol use. By the time he was a teenager Maniego added cigarettes, the lure of gangs and school fighting to his resume. It all led to his concrete and asphalt bed.
“I couldn’t go home to my parents pretty much because of guilt and shame,” he said. “I kind of felt living on the streets was my punishment.” Except for his 22nd birthday, when his AA sponsor got Maniego a motel room and treated him to dinner at Dennys, he had spent most of his days in isolation. Then came the rainy night when he noticed the lights of the Long Beach Rescue Mission. “For some reason I saw this place because I had nowhere else to go,” said Maniego, who goes by the name of Cisco. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for God. I believe God pointed me this way and helped me
out to work my way through this.” Nearly two years later, Maniego has graduated from the mission’s New Life Program and is working part time as an office assistant at the nonprofit that turned his life around. He’s also taking coursework at Long Beach City College, where he is pursuing his interest in psychology. “It’s a helping tool I can use,” he said. In a year or two of firsts for Maniego, he found himself once again on new turf this summer when staff at the rescue mission began enlisting program graduates to run a half marathon. As an official charity of Run Long
Beach—a full and half marathon—the mission’s staff, volunteers and supporters have participated in the endurance event for the past four years. “It’s our only fundraiser for the mission,” said Denise Carrillo, who supervises the nonprofit’s volunteer program. See MARATHON, page 15 PHOTO BY DENISE CARRILLO
Francisco “Cisco” Maniego boasts a metal he received after completing the Run Long Beach marathon. Formerly homeless, Maniego was one of eight current or former residents of the Long Beach Rescue Mission who ran either the full or half marathon as a fundraiser for the mission.
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