pages 9-15
Orange County 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
page 6
page 7
page 4
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 Orange 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 anticipate that.” 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
Fast track to nowhere
Violent attack, coma ushers in a newfound respect for Jesus By Mark Ellis LAGUNA BEACH — Randall Hall was once a free-wheeling playboy who traveled the world, went through women like “potato chips” and dashed around town in his Mercedes 500 SL convertible. Seven unique clothing boutiques from Laguna Beach to San Francisco provided access to beautiful women ready to lay claim to his indulgent lifestyle. Then he tried to move in on someone else’s girlfriend one night at a bar in this coastal enclave.
The woman’s boyfriend savagely attacked Hall after he left the bar, leaving him unconscious, lying face down in an alley with blood oozing from a cracked skull. To save Hall’s life, doctors at Mission Hospital induced a coma and removed a portion of his skull to relieve pressure on his brain. After five surgeries and complications due to infection, doctors failed in their attempts to bring Hall out of the coma. He lapsed into a persistent vegetative state for two years. Over time, his body atrophied and curled into
a fetal position. The doctor estimated that only 30 percent of his brain function remained. Hooked up to breathing and feeding machines, with no response to sounds or movement, doctors recommended they remove life support. Rebel from the start From the beginning, Hall was a rebel who dropped out of school and became a professional escort at 17-years-old. Drugs, alcohol, sex and travel fueled See COMA, page 2
Randall Hall’s mother, Cora, cries by her son’s side during the early days of his coma.
For information about advertising, subscriptions, or bulk delivery, please call 1-800-326-0795