TRENDSETTERS: JJ H E L L E R + ATTABOY + WASHINGTON PROJECTS + LECRAE
CROSSROAD crossroadmag.com
CANNON UNDER FIRE
+
NICK CANNON
FAITH + LIFESTYLE + CULTURE
FAITH & FITNESS
TALKS ABOUT THE PRESSURE & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF A YOUNG EXECUTIVE
BREAKING
THE SIN HABIT TRUSTING THE
STORYTELLER
MAKING ROOM FOR RELATIONSHIPS
THE BIBLE &
POSTMODERNISIM
CAMPUS LIFE
NEEDHAM IN A HAYSTACK
MUSIC & BOOK
REVIEWS
BIOLA UNIVERSITY
APR/MAY 2011
CROSSROAD crossroadmag.com
FAITH + LIFESTYLE + CULTURE
CROSSROAD MAGAZINE // APRIL + MAY 2011 Cannon Under Fire // Nick Cannon PUBLISHER / CREATIVE EDITOR / FOUNDER Victor Flavius / / victorflavius@crossroadmag.com CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER / PARTNER Steven Johnson / / stevenjohnson@crossroadmag.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Janet Morris Grimes Joshua Flavius Greg Baker Dana Chaffin Andrew Scott Pastor Gilford T. Monrose Elijah Muundura Lawrence Black Kinda Wilson Maryanne Abbate Frank King Jimmy Pena CREATIVE MARKETING + ADVERTISING The Brand LLC - thebrandllc@gmail.com + Brand Director // Askia Fountain PUBLIC RELATIONS ASA Public Relations - ascott@asa-pr.com + CEO & President // Andrew Scott For any Editorial Request, Comments or Article Submissions: info@crossroadmag.com MISSION STATEMENT Crossroad magazine is a place for those motivated by faith to transpose their lives from a secular-focused world to a Christ centered life. Crossroad Magazine covers music, healthy living, reviews, books that impact our spiritual and positive growth and lives, articles that inspire change and music interviews. We provide the vehicle and outlet to positively influence each individual. Our vision is to inspire hope to those that feel confused and misguided about their purpose and to build a platform that will plant a seed or help transform individuals one by one. Welcome to the Crossroad. Crossroad magazine is published Bi-monthly and is distributed free online. To contact Crossroad magazine, e-mail us at crossroadmag@gmail.com. We appreciate your feed back. Crossroad magazine, all rights reserved. reproduction without permission, by any method whatsoever, is prohibited.
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FOCUS AND STAY THE COURSE BY LAWRENCE BLACK
CROSSROAD MAGAZINE CONTENTS APRIL + MAY • www.crossroadmag.com
CREATION AS PROLOGUE BY ELIJAH MUUNDURA MUSIC REVIEWS BY JOSHUA FLAVIUS & JANET GRIMES TRUSTING THE STORYTELLER BY MARYANNE ABBATE FAITH & FITNESS BY JIMMY PENA MAKING ROOM FOR RELATIONSHIPS BY KINDA WILSON CAMPUS LIFE: BIOLA UNIVERSITY
HOW REJECTION CAUSES DEPRESSION AND SOCIAL ANXIETY BY GREG BAKER
38 NICK CANNON CANNON UNDER FIRE
MOVIE REVIEWS BY DANA CHAFFIN BOOK REVIEWS BY JANET GRIMES & ESTHER GREEN JIMMY NEEDHAM// NEEDHAM IN A HAYSTACK BY MAX ADELMAN
ON THE COVER 12 BREAKING THE SIN HABIT/ FRANK KING 58 THE BIBLE AND POSTMODERNISM // GILFORD MONROSE 70 THE TRENDSETTERS // FEATURES NEW PEOPLE
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10 // FAITH
My Friends, step back a moment and take a look at where you are and where you want to go. There comes a time to take a good look at your condition. Once you’ve done that and you don’t like what you see.
FOCUS and Stay The Course by Lawrence Blake Photo Credit / Tiagø Ribeiro
Make up your mind to change your condition. Focus in on where you want to go and stay the course. Don’t keep looking back at a negative pass or poor conditions. Keep Focus ! One of my favorite stories in the bible is a good example. It illustrates what keeping focus and staying the course is all about. It’ the story of Peter walking on the water like Jesus. As long as Peter stayed focus on Jesus as Jesus instructed, he too walked the stormy sea, but as soon as he took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink down in the water. (MATTHEW 14:28-30) There is another lesson in this story we should remember. Even though Peter lost focus momentarily and looked at the conditions around him. He was faithful to put his eyes back on Jesus and call on him for help. Nevertheless! He regained focus and stayed the course. When we do this, Prosperity and Abundance will surely come. It is also a story of faith. Faith is truly the key. In order to recieve Gods inheritance of prosperity, health and wealth, we must strengthen our faith daily. I repeat, Faith is truly the key. Strong faith starts with what comes out fo your mouth. The word excercise given in the previous message will strengthen your faith everytime you speak them. Strong faith is compounded by what you do and don’t do. What you think ! One must rid himself of what I call a “Potluck Mentallity.” Begging, Borrowing, stealing. Jesus was not a begger and Gods word tells us that the “barrower is slave to the lender”. (PROVERBS 22:7) Do you owe people?... Pay them! Do you promise people things? Honor your promises. Do what you say and say what you mean. Society would have you believe that the ability to barrow a bunch of money all the time is some sort of blessing. Remember my brothers and sisters, God’s way is not a way of strife. He won’t give you things so that someone can come along and take it away because you can’t pay on it. Render therefore to all their dues: (ROMANS 13:7) Owe no man any thing, but to love one another:(ROMANS 13:8) (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)(2CORINTHIANS-5:7) Your affirmation and inheritance must be made with the dynamic power of absolute faith. Faith is the key!
CROSSROADMAG.COM
“When you realize that all you have is right now, this day, then that will become your focus.”
12 // FAITH
breaking
SIN habit
the
by Frank King Photo Credit / Tiagø Ribeiro
CROSSROADMAG.COM
“SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW” (1J 3:4)
T
hese days, sin is such an old-fashioned word. Some of those of this current generation might even be pressed to ask the question what is sin. That’s because nowadays, almost anything goes and is acceptable. So to make sure we are all talking about the same thing, let’s first start out with the definition. “Sin is the transgression of the law,” the Bible says (1 John 3:4, KJV). In other words, sin occurs whenever we disobey what God commands us to do or forbids us. As a minister of the gospel, here is something I have found to be true too often: Even for a person who has accepted Christ as his Savior, has been forgiven of his sins, and has received the Holy Spirit to help him live a holy life, it is possible to find himself bound by a sin habit that he finds hard to break. The reason this can happen is because we don’t stop being human when we become Christians. We still have desires, and not all of those desires are good. In fact, the Bible says that “each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed” (James 1:14, NIV). The clear message in this verse is that Christians are not perfect; like everyone else, they can have evil desires that can lead them astray. An important thing to understand about sin habits is that they don’t just happen. Rather, there is a process involved. A basic understanding of this truth is necessary, if we are to break a sin habit. In a nutshell, this is the process: “after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin” (James 1:15).
Let’s summarize this. First, we have desires that draw us away and entice us. But these desires in and of themselves do not constitute sin. The verse quoted above says that it is after those desires conceive that sin results. That means that in order for sin to occur, there must be an accommodating activity or environment to minister to our desires, and when these two are allowed to sufficiently interact, sin results. Here is an example. Consider a person who has become a Christian but afterward, he still gets the urge to view pornography like he used to. Again, the mere desire to do so is not sin. But if he allows the wrong influences to effectively minister to that desire, conception will occur, of which the result will be that he will engage in pornography. The key to breaking the sin habit is to not allow the wrong things to minister to our wrong desires. We know when this process is happening, and we must be proactive in interrupting it, if we want to break a habit. What we have talked about heretofore is not an ends but a means. You see, we can condition ourselves to become godly in any area of our life. That is the end goal. We get there by replacing those activities that minister to our wrong desires with biblically acceptable alternatives. With consistent repetition we can condition ourselves to respond to our temptation with these acceptable alternatives until this practice becomes the new norm. Maybe at first you won’t get it right every time, but with personal resolve, prayer, and the help of the Holy Spirit you can succeed in breaking your sin habit(s).
CROSSROADMAG.COM
scripture meditation
Hiding GOD’S WORD in Your Heart by Rhonda Jones Photo Credit / Rui Penso
We become what we meditate on. The scriptures tell us that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart creates that which is good. If we become or manifest what we continually think about, it is imparity that our thoughts and meditations reflect that which is good, holy, and loving. Fortunately, we have a whole arsenal of scriptures, verses, and passages right at our finger tips that we can meditate on daily. As we meditate on the scriptures or inspirational passages, these words begin to drop down in our spirit and transform us from within, beginning with our heart. As we continue with the practice, whether it takes days, months, or years, we will be changed. This is called Scripture meditation.
Through Scripture Meditation we learn how to quiet our minds and control our thoughts. The Bible tells us that the mind is the greatest enemy of the believer. Our minds are depraved. Our minds are unregenerated. Our minds are filled with all types of evil. Our minds war against the Spirit. Our minds want to be in control and if you are not controlling your mind, then your mind is controlling you and most of us are completely unaware of it. If we slowed down our thoughts and just listened, many Christians would hear a silent message playing over and over again. If these mental messages are uplifting and positive, then we are most likely attracting the good associated with our thoughts. But for many people, our mental messages our fear-based, debilitating and often laced with worry and other toxic emotions. These thoughts which areplanted deep within ourconsciousness cause us to miss out on the peace, joy, and prosperity that God wants to provide for us.If we are not monitoring our thoughts, it can lead us astray and out of the loving provision of God.
With all those benefits shouldn’t every Christian be a meditating Christian? Absolutely, and what can be more Godly than meditating on the Word of God. Joshua 1:8 tells us that meditating on God will cause us to have success in life.
2 Cor. 10:4-5; 11:3 “But now I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from whole-hearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ!
What better way to hide God’s Word in your heart than to meditate on it everyday? And meditating on the scriptures is very different than just reading them. How many times have you read the scriptures and didn’t understand them or soon forgot what you read? By meditating on the scriptures, by slowing and silently repeating them in your mind, you are allowing the scriptures to seep deep down into your consciousness where they can take root and grow. It’s not even necessary that you think about the meaning of the words. The Bible tells us that God’s word cannot return void. As we hide God’s word in our heart, it will take root and grow a harvest of God’s kingdom right here on the earth. Jesus said I will keep thee in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on me.
Through meditation or Scripture Meditation, we learn how to:1) become an observer of our thoughts, 2) to quiet our minds and control our thoughts, 3) reduce stress, 4) uproot negative and destructive thoughts or patterns for positive and empowering ones 5) be still and connect with God, 6) be led by the Spirit instead of being lead by the flesh, 7) become more Christ-like, because we become what we meditate on, 8) subdue our flesh and reduce or eliminate compulsive behaviors or conditioning.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” - Joshua 1:8
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” - Psalms 119:11
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20 // FAITH
CREATION as Prologue by Elijah Muundura/www.libertymagazine.org Photo Credit / Fantod
CROSSROADMAG.COM
C
harles Darwin’s The Origin of Species (1859) shattered faith in Creation, God, and other fundamental Bible truths for many readers. Since that time Christian scholars have struggled to establish Creation on scientific grounds: first, through scientific creationism and recently through intelligent design.
the angel preaching the eternal gospel in Revelation 14:6, 7 calls on “every nation, tribe, language and people” to fear and worship the God who created “the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
All in all, in both the Old and New Testaments God’s creative acts are not restricted to the creation of the world. Rather, there is an But in so doing they have unwittingly detached the Creation unbroken continuum embracing His redemptive story from the rest of the Bible. Also, by overly focusing on work in human history. Jesus was clearly the origin aspect of the Creation story they have obscured its alluding to this continuum when He declared, broader spiritual dimensions. Or, to put it differently, they have “My Father is working until now, and I Myself inadvertently smothered the Word that spoke the universe into am working” (John 5:17, NASB).† And this existence. work of redemption—of creating new people in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)—that God is still doing provides the most compelling evidence of His existence. As the apostle John insightfully While the book of Genesis begins with the creation of the pointed out, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one world, it ends with the creation of a nation. In other words, the Creation story “does not stand by itself as though it were another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us” a prescientific attempt to explain the origin of the universe.” (1 John 4:12). Or, as Jesus Himself succinctly put it, “By this Rather it is prologue to a history-salvation history that begins all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one with the call of Abraham, extends to the Exodus, ancient another” (John 13:35). Israel, the New Testament, and culminates in the creation of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1).* To be Love—true love—can transcend ethnic, class, and national sure, there is a sense in which the experience of redemption barriers. This is what Jesus Himself proffered as evidence for preceded the knowledge of Creation. Not only did Moses the authenticity of the gospel. But why do Christians flagrantly write Genesis centuries after the Creation, the event that ignore His advice? Why resort to the power of reason rather gave birth to ancient Israel and shaped her faith, the event the than the power of love. After all, the argument from design, prophets appealed to in their battle against idolatry, was not as Immanuel Kant cogently established in The Critique of Pure Reason (1781), at best proves only a designer, not a the Creation but the Exodus. creator, and therefore cannot give an adequate conception This appeal to the Exodus is highly instructive. Whereas all of God. Indeed, it tells us nothing about “the compassionate the people in the world have their Creation stories–—and and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and evolution is in many ways one—the Exodus is sui generis. faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving It stands alone in religious history. “Ask from one end of the wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6, 7); the God who heavens to another. Has anything so great ever happened, or “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that has anything like it ever been heard of? . . . Has any god ever whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation. . . like (John 3:16). all the things the Lord did for you in Egypt?” (Deuteronomy 4:32-34). So singular was the Exodus that the prophets Such a loving God cannot be demonstrated, let alone equated it with Creation. As Jeremiah 10:16 puts it, “He who is communicated through scientific proofs. In fact, it is because the Portion of Jacob. . . he is the Maker of all things, including love cannot be proved theoretically or communicated Israel.” And Isaiah 43:1 described Israel as created, formed, abstractly that God became human. Also, it is because love and redeemed by God. This conflation of Creation with a cannot be commanded, won by force or authority, that He historical redemptive event is unprecedented. It represented eschewed power and status to assume the lowest position in a radical break with the religions of antiquity. The ancient human society.6 And He has not changed. He still chooses gods had a story (mythos) but never a “history.” In contrast “the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. . . the weak Yahweh revealed Himself not in the rhythms of nature but in things of this world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27, the tempos of history. And by implication He was to be sought 28). For it is “not by might nor by power, but by. . . [His] Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6) that God will establish His kingdom on earth. or encountered not in nature but in history. Not without significance, the New Testament fixes this revelation in the historical person of Jesus Christ. John 1:116 describes Him as the principal agent in Creation and redemption; Colossians 1:15-20, as the center and foundation of the whole creation; and Ephesians 1:9, 10 as the purpose and end of Creation. While Romans 5:12-19 transfers the Creation motif of Adam as head of humanity to Christ, 2 Corinthians 4:6 literally equates Creation with redemption. And then, in a language that clearly echoes the Creation,
Elijah Muundura is a freelance writer living in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. *Unless otherwise noted, Bible texts are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. †Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. 1 Bernhard W. And-erson, From Creation to New Creation: Old Testament Perspectives (Fortress Press, 1994), pp. 25, 26. 2 Jeremiah 11:1-5; Ezekiel 20; Amos 3:1, 2; Hosea 11:1, 12:9; Micah 6:1-5. 3 Isaiah 42:5; 45:18-22; 54:5; Psalms 33, 89, 104, 136. 4 Anderson, p. 27. 5 Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy (Simon and Schuster, 1945), p. 709. 6 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1898), p. 20.
22 // FAITH
PARACHUTE BAND
While Parachute Band has a slightly different take on praise and worship they thrive on passion and is dedicated on influencing the next generation through worship. Songs like “I belong to you” and “fill me”, carry an interesting twist of faith that will have the listener saying “Yes!, I’ve been there before!”. With a style that’s simple yet alternative, New Zealand’s own Parachute Band stand firmly on its heaven-centered roots.
MUSICREVIEWS
www.parachutemusic.com
Their new project delivers 15 new songs of never-ending energy and music that’s all about the things of God. Clean and contagious many may call them, but I like to say witty with a banging sound. This band understands the meaning of organic music. While still committed to their local churches and to honoring God in their lives; these guys are the new faces of an aggressive sound in Christian music. The band is scheduled to tour the U.S. and Canada this summer, with performances already in Australia and New Zealand. I give this record a B+ for its consistency and an A+ for its message.
Reviewed by Joshua Flavius
CROSSROADMAG.COM
OUT OF HIDING Reviewing music, for me, comes easy. Using the repeat button, I toss it in my CD player for an afternoon and allow it to fill my space. I tune in and out, throughout the day, noticing what parts invite me to sing along, stop me in my tracks, or leave me in a better state than when I started.
This particular afternoon, the music of Out of Hiding was invited into my home. It was an immediate fit. An EP, which is an extended play CD, When Hope Speaks features four songs that I could have easily found when scanning across the radio dial. With titles such as Door of Heaven, Name, Overcome and Reasons Why, I was quickly captured by the resonating lyrics. With lines such as “crucified, He overtook me” and “all that I know is that I can’t belong here, Everything makes since when I’m near you,” I found myself thankful for the gentle reminders to seek God on a minute-by-minute basis. As it states in the intro, Hope is always speaking, if only we could learn her language. And you can add me to the list of fans for Out of Hiding.
Reviewed by Janet Morris Grimes
www.holyfireministries.com
MUSICREVIEWS
Because music is about a relationship, a relationship between the song and the listener, the writer and the receiver, the deliverer and the one who sought a moment or two to remember.
26 // LIFESTYLE
CROSSROADMAG.COM
Trusting the
storyteller by Maryanne Abbate
hat could bring a young single mother of two very small children from Baltimore Maryland and a vibrant 15-year-old high school kid from Powder Springs, GA together? What in the world could they possibly have in common? The answer- a tragic accident and a heart. On December 31st 2005 a young mother who has developed a serious heart condition called Cardiomyopathy during her second pregnancy is placed on the top of the East Coast Recipient list because she desperately needs a heart or she will die...So she and her family wait, hope and pray. She prepares to come home in February to celebrate her daughter’s first birthday and then she expects to die. On February 13th, my son Luke accepts a ride home from lacrosse practice with a teammate. Luke is unaware of this young man’s propensity for fast driving. This young driver made a very reckless decision, which resulted in a terrible accident that left my son brain dead. On February 14th- Valentine’s Day we made the gut wrenching decision to donate our son’s organs. Six of my son’s organs were taken and the lives of five other people were saved on February 15th 2006.
W
That has been one of the hardest decisions we have ever made as a family. It still wounds me to talk or think about it all; yet I know it was the right thing to do. Upon getting his learners permit Luke had decided to become an organ donor and checked the box after I had explained what it meant. So I know we were honoring his wishes. Luke was such a generous soul and he would have wanted to help others. He had a rare blood type B-
and it is my understanding that many people with rare blood types often die waiting for an organ. But most importantly I thought that Luke would somehow be on earth with us. I thought how his uniquely created organs that formed inside of my womb would be in another person. Strangely enough I found some comfort in that. In retrospect, I believe that was God guiding my “mommy” heart and mind through a very hard family decision. In the weeks that followed when the shock wore off and facing the reality that Luke was not coming back I found myself in excruciating pain and thinking about the people who received Luke’s organs no longer brought me comfort. I could not think about them and the fact that they were living because of my son. We received a letter in May 2006 from the heart recipient. She told us her story and expressed extreme gratitude. Although, I appreciated her gratitude; I just couldn’t reach out to her. It was too painful. But in time as God bandaged my hemorrhaging broken heart with the balm of his word and the love of family and friends; I began to heal. With that healing I started wondering about this young mother and the other people who received Luke’s organs. I found myself praying for them and wondering what they were like. The heart recipient especially intrigued me. I think I could identify with her because she was a young mother. In the fall of 2008 I wrote her a letter and told her about Luke and how we would like to meet her. Meeting her became the prayer of my heart. After of series of events with Lifelink (the organization that handles organ donation) a meeting in April of 2010 was finally arranged to meet the young woman who has Luke’s heart. What a profound bittersweet experience. Continued on page 29
28 // LIFESTYLE
CROSSROADMAG.COM
I have always felt life first as a story.... and if there is a story there is a storyteller.
-G.K. Chesterton My husband and I were actually able to touch her chest and feel our boy’s heart beating inside the chest of another person sustaining her life. A part of our precious son was still with us. Are there really any words for that? We were able to meet her adorable five-year-old daughter and four year old son. Because of the gift of Luke’s heart those children have had a mom through the formative years of their life and I hope she will have many more years with them. Admittedly, I wish this had never happened and that this young woman had not needed a heart; but nonetheless I am moved by her story. I remember being a young mother who had hopes and dreams for her kids. This young woman is no different. When we were flying home from our visit with her, I began writing my thoughts as I tried to digest and assimilate all that I had experienced and all that I was feeling. I began to understand what the author John Eldridge has said, “ There is a larger story.” Our lives - our stories are so much bigger than we realize. We are part of a grander plan. God is good but His ways still remain a mystery. Someday we will see. I sensed God whisper to me on the plane ride home, “ I am redeeming this my child. I know this has deeply hurt you but I will bring good from this tragedy. Trust me.” I admit it isn’t always easy to let go and trust God when life has handed you a tragic blow. For me personally, this is an ongoing painful process. For reasons only God truly knows, our lives are now forever connected with the life of this young woman and for that matter the other recipients. Meeting this young lady has given deeper meaning to Luke’s short life and his legacy. His tragic death was not in vain. There is a bigger story unfolding here- an eternal story; one that I will only fully understand when I reach Heaven. In the meantime, I pray that I might get to meet the other recipients and I trust that God who is the author of my family will continue to weave His redemption, love and grace into our story of loss. “ I have always felt life first as a story....and if there is a story there is a storyteller.” - G.K. Chesterton
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32 // LIFESTYLE
FAITH& FITNESS
CROSSROADMAG.COM
by Jimmy Pena Photo Credit / Michael Darter
I
know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this life is not about me and it’s not about now, nor is it about the body. And aren’t we glad for that? I’m so thankful that someday I’ll turn this body in for a brand new one. But in the short term – during my time on this temporary home – I’ve been called to a lifetime commitment of greater health and wellness. Not just so I can feel great and have more energy, which are all benefits of exercise, but more so because I believe we’ve been called to a higher standard in all areas of life, our physical health among them. My dad used to tell me that how I cared for the truck he gave me was an indication of how much I appreciated the gift. Keeping it clean and maintained was a way to show love to him in return. And if I took care of it, I could extend its life and improve its efficiency. I think in some way the same can be said about how God has gifted us with our bodies. And how well we take care of them can, in some ways, be a means to show our love in return. Our efforts to maintain healthy habits is a way of saying, “Thank you God for life, for ability, for opportunity and for the air in my lungs, because it’s You who breathed it there in the first place. I’m gonna live my life to the fullest, in Jesus’ name.” And so we can say with certainty that PrayFit is not about perfection but about obedience. The goal of PrayFit is not a better pair of biceps but a pursuit of the healthiest possible version of the body He gave you, so that you can better fulfill your purpose, whatever your calling might be. Fitness and faith is the intersection at which I’ve been called to serve for the rest of my life. And until Jesus comes back or calls me home, I’m going to pursue physical and spiritual excellence on a daily basis. And someday, when I exchange this body for one that’s new, I hope He’s proud of the inner and outer man I gave Him in return. Like I said, pretty simple. But practicing what we preach is a different story sometimes, amen? So whether you’re a runner, weightlifter, avid walker or any other kind of fitness enthusiast, we want PrayFit to be a fitness community, where Jesus is coach, team captain, referee and adoring fan. We work, play and eat to bring Him honor and glory. That’s why we like to say, “In Jesus’ name, we train.” Jimmy Pena, MS, CSCS, the founder of PrayFit (www.prayfit.com) is an exercise physiologist to LL Cool J, Tyler Perry and Mario Lopez.
“As a Christian, your quest for better health is not about the body – it’s about obedience and praise”
34 // LIFESTYLE
Photo
CROSSROADMAG.COM
Making Room for
r
Relationships by Kinda Wilson Photo Credit / Tiagø Ribeiro
elationships. They’re tough; they’re tricky; they’re oh-so-alluring. Many times we want to dive right in without a thought for what’s coming. It’s strange, really – we make plans for everything else in life – buying a car, purchasing a house. Few of us would dare to take out a huge mortgage on a property without first calculating the costs and making room for the extra payment. True, relationships can’t be calculated as cleanly with numbers and monthly payment plans. But there are things that you need to make room for in your life if you plan on getting into a serious relationship. They will help keep your relationship on the right track, keep you grounded, and maintain some objectivity in the situation. So if you want to be a wise decision-maker when it comes to dating relationships, make sure you intentionally make room for these important elements in your life: Make room and time for the process – As Americans, we like shortcuts to everything. We like to microwave what used to be slow-cooked. But with relationships, there is no shortcut to the process. There’s no substitute for spending time – hours, days, months – with the person. In the past, I’ve tried to ask the right questions to get to know a guy more quickly – and that helped. But what really told me his true character was time. At two weeks into the relationship, I didn’t see his temper. At three weeks in, we were both still putting our “best food forward.” But given time, the newness wore off. Then we saw each other for who we really were and less of the fairy tale image that we once pictured each other to be. Someone once said that you should see the person you’re dating in every situation; in every season. I think that’s great advice. Give it a bit of time and live a little life - until one of you has the flu; until you walk through a frustrating situation; until you’re tired and grumpy. Then you’ll know the stuff your significant other is made of. You can’t jump from first date to fairy tale in 24 hours. Relationships take time, and so does the process. Make room for accountability and friendship – Okay, let’s just be honest here – when we first start dating someone, we’re not thinking clearly. Nope, we’re not objective at all. In fact, studies have shown that the beginning stages of love and attraction have an effect on our brains that is remarkably similar to being hooked on crack cocaine! Yikes! So if you’re heading into a romantic relationship, it’s always good to have someone in your life who will “tell it like it is” and help you see things you might have overlooked. Be very careful who you bring into this position though. You need someone with Godly wisdom who has your best interest in mind. I always try to have at least two people close in my life for accountability: One (woman) that is close to my age as a friend, and one who is a little further in life as a mentor. I really believe this is so important. It’s astounding what we can rationalize as being okay when we’re on our own without any accountability. We can talk ourselves into almost anything when we really want it to happen. That wisdom of accountability brings balance and insight and helps us through the process of relationships. Continued on page 36
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“ Someone once said that you should see the person you’re dating in every situation; in every season.” Make room for God (and trust your gut instinct!) – As crazy and harried as life gets, sometimes we forget to have a quiet time and hear what God is speaking to us about a relationship. (And I’ll admit, sometimes we don’t want to hear it). The scriptures give us a basis for what a Godly relationship should look like, and the Spirit of God gives us internal guidance in line with that. When we take time to listen, we gain wisdom beyond what we can physically see or understand. Okay, you won’t always get that wisdom or answer like a neon sign or a loud voice with a cool British accent. That’s what I always pray for when I’m in a relationship, but it never seems to happen. But you might just have a feeling that someone is wrong – that you don’t have peace about the situation at all. Don’t discount that or push it away. Don’t ignore those internal alarm bells or warning signals. They are there for a reason. Many times I have tried to rationalize why I didn’t have a peace – why I had “alarm bells”. I wanted a reason to explain the way I was feeling. It was much later down the road before I found out the problems those alarm bells were signaling. I have since learned to stop and listen more to what God is trying to speak to my stubborn self – and to trust that “gut instinct” that I feel. So if you pray and consistently feel uneasy about a relationship – like something is a little off – it’s a good idea to take some time away, pray, and talk with the mentor in your life. And if the person you’re dating is the right one for you – you have a peace about the relationship and you find yourself falling in loooove – you still definitely need internal guidance then. Navigating the relationship process is tricky when our emotions are on overdrive. There is never a point we reach where we understand so much that we no longer need the voice of eternal wisdom speaking to our spirits. No matter what stage of a relationship you are in, make sure you take some time and listen to what God is speaking to you. All in all, successful relationships require intentional effort. Yes, enjoy the giddy feelings of a new relationship and the excitement of finding the possibility of a fairy tale. But don’t forget to make room for the time, wisdom, and prayer it takes to turn that giddiness into something that could last a lifetime.
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CANNO UNDER N by Andrew Scott
FIRE +
A Gentleman of an
EXTRAORDINARY League
Photo Credit / Susanna Martin
CROSSROADMAG.COM
ing actor, iding wing of award winn gu the r de un en tak s wa e smen and duced the film Underclas Will Smith, executive pro erican st successful African Am mo the of e on d me na s wa most is Nick Cannon one of the men Under 30. So why the industry? actors and entertainers in underrated businessmen, Nick in an exclusive t a chance to speak with go ine az ag M ad sro os Cr ecutive, Top trepreneur, musician, ex en old ar-ye 30 the ere interview wh discusses how he’s been not to mention husband d an tor ac st, ho io rad 40 siness. At 30, res that come with the bu ssu pre d an at he the le able to hand ’s just getting started. gue of his own – and he lea a in ly ite fin de is ck Ni
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sons r. What type of life les mother and grandmothe r you ey h Th wit ry? se ust clo y ind ver ent You were the Entertainm ent w did it prepare you for inm Ho erta ? ent you the ch to tea es y the com did God first. When it p kee and ed ly und ual gro act y it st sses that exi always told me to sta most non-grounded busine the of one ly bab pro is industry which assists quite a bit. night on that comic disappointments? Every es/ lur fai t lies s ear r you What was one of ting paid, sometimes it wa jokes whether it was get ing all tell uld and wo re it the day up stage, getting just hoping one al or $7 a night for a set, me a t s me wa I it – es job a etim get som nothing, nt to give up and ht go so bad you just wa pay off. Sometimes, it mig that early on. st Being one of the younge t successes? On the stage. lies ear and r v you pro of Im e one Th s in What wa nager and being edy festival. Being a tee when I was to win the Bay Area com . Those things happened ws sho ion vis tele of ers duc pro by getting discovered a teen. boy’? Or nnon is Mariah’s water people saying ‘Nick Ca to d s) I mean pon ugh res (La ? you rey do w Ca Ho k burn for Mariah bac the on eer car his a t ly take it with grain of Nick Cannon pu could be saying. I definite ple peo t tha me gs thin rse it’s a lot of wo uting soon. It’s funny to ndup act that will be deb sta new blem. pro my a in e it s hav ’t res don add salt. I talking then you t as long as they’re still d tha tan ght ers tau s und I wa I m. e ble aus pro bec have a ing about you is when you its all It’s when they’re not talk of negativity out there but lot a re’s the t tha d tan ers und de it I gui and is you ry how ust what this ind t attention and . It’s what you do with tha day the of end the at n attentio itive things. e in the spotlight to do pos and how you take your tim Twitter. You’ve had a ut you and your wife via abo s ark rem e som de Eminem ma feel the need to respond? on the site. Why did you him n the example and ce ien aud larger itive and lead by a good much as I want to be pos as , ily or love day fam the of like es end issu the to At etimes when it comes som ns, otio em my on know not to act apologetic for that at all. out emotionally. I’m not ones you kind of just act Continued on page 40
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Why do you think people underestimate you? I don’t know why. It could be because people have always perceived me as a young person which is not a bad thing but I embrace that as well. I like being an underdog. I like them to never see me coming. I encourage that. If that’s what it is I’d rather get this quiet money. In due time, they’ll see. Hard work always pays off. We see celebrities “eating cake” because of the words they say on Twitter all the time. How much of a social responsibility do you think celebs have when it comes to communicating via social media? I love Twitter because it allows people to be who they actually are and not what the media, or their label or publicist tries to paint them to be because at the end of the day we’re all humans. We all get our feelings hurt. We all say certain things like everybody else does. I always step out and say, I’m not a role model – never planned on being one, never wanted to be one. What I will accept is that I’m a real model because a role is something that you play. I’m going to say things on Twitter all the time that some people ain’t gonna agree with but at least you can respect the fact that I’m being real with who I am. Do you feel the pressure or corporal responsibility when tweeting? I don’t really feel the pressure because like I said, I am who I am because this is the way that I was raised. And I consider myself being raised extremely well. But at the end of the day I am 30 year old man and I’m not going to bite my tongue just because someone’s not doing their parenting job properly and their kid is on Twitter at 2:00am in the morning. I take in consideration what my family is going to say. I take in consideration how I’m being represented and hopefully that falls in line with the same morals and aspects of everybody else that is looking up to me.
“ It’s what you do with that attention and how you guide it and how you take your time in the spotlight to do positive things.”
Some say you were poised to be the next Will Smith. Even Will took you under his wing, will you ever return to the big screen? Absolutely! People don’t understand that all the money in movies kind of went away especially when it comes to black movies. I had to go get my paper right. And now, I can produce and finance my own movies at this point. I was setting up an empire, a business to where the next movie you see me in will be on a different level. Although men such as you, Will Smith, Tyler Perry and Barack Obama have taken the Executive seat, very few African American men are found in these positions. Why do you think? How do we change that? By being an example. Imagine how the world is going to change in the next 15-20 years that all of these young black kids that are in school can look to the White House and see someone that looks like them. That’s never happened before. As much as the young kids in the generation before would said, “One day, I’m going to be President,” it was a farfetched dream but now it’s more than a reality, it’s been done before. I always say we were given less than and made more than so imagine now that they put us in even playing fields – it’s gonna be game over.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of being “behind-the-scenes”? Some of the advantages are that you get to be quiet. You get to be creative and make a lot of money but it doesn’t live or die on your personal performance. But some of the disadvantages are that as well. When it comes to the performer in me, it’s almost like having to take a backseat. I get the itch every now and then like, “Man, I can’t wait to get back out there!” You also started N’Credible Entertainment. What kind of music are you listening to right now? So much different style. I’m a huge Gospel fan so I’m still listening to Marvin Sapp and Smokey Norful but at the same time, I make Hip-Hop music. I’m listening to everybody from Roscoe Dash to Wale and also as a musician trying to tap into our culture with artists like Solomon Burke or Billy Holiday. I DJ so I listen to a little bit of everything and host a morning show on Top 40 so I gotta know all that stuff and there are some amazing Pop songs. I can’t even front that new Lady Gaga song is a smash. Continued on page 41
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C A N NO
N UN D E R F I R E
How is N’Credible Entertainment different from other celebrity “vanity” labels? I feel we definitely have a niche mark et to where the majority of the people that are signed to my label are young talent and they’re growing and developing so we have time to build a fan base, their craft and their art. It’s wide open and on a certa in level I monopolize so at this point in my care er it’s no longer about how successful I can be, it’s allowing other people to be successful and acco mplish their dreams. Any fears as a young executive entr epreneur? If so, how do you tackle them? I’m neve r fearful of anything. Obstacles and hurdles are meant to jump over so I welcome them.
What legacy do you plan to leave behi nd personally and professionally? I wan t to represent the goodness in life. When it comes to professionally, I’d definitely say I want to be known as someone who made people smile. Personally, my footp rint that I would like to leave is helping people understand that you can live life a positive way – bein g able to leave this place better than when I got here . Any questions, comments, and rem arks you’d like to leave with us? Get ready for the takeover! (Laughs) The plan is unfolding beau tifully. Follow me on Twitter @nickcannon, Facebook .com/ nickcannon and nickcannon.com
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Biola UNIVERSITY campus life
Photo Credit / Biola University
Biola University is a private Christian university located in Southern California. For over 100 years, Biola — a community where all faculty, staff and students are professing Christians — has been committed to biblically centered education, intentional spiritual development and vocational preparation. With more than 145 academic programs through its six schools, Biola offers degrees ranging from B.A. to Ph.D.
Biola’s campus rests on the border of Orange and Los Angeles counties, putting students just minutes from all that Southern California has to offer. Surfing and sunbathing are a mere 25 miles away. Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm are even closer.
“For the teaching of the truths for which the Institute stands, its doors are to be open every day of the year, and all people, without reference to race, color or class will ever be welcome to its privileges” Lyman Stewart
Half an hour up the freeway in Los Angeles, students can catch TV tapings, peruse the Getty Center’s vast art collection or soak up live music at historic theaters and concert halls. Baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer fans can find major-league entertainment throughout the year. As one of the largest and most diverse metropolitan areas in the world, Southern California is also brimming with ministry potential. Biola literally has the nations at its doorstep, giving students a chance to interact and share the love of Jesus with people from all sorts of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
// Our History
The cornerstone of the original Bible Institute building in Los Angeles was laid on May 31, 1913, and dedicated with these words: “For the teaching of the truths for which the Institute stands, its doors are to be open every day of the year, and all people, without reference to race, color or class will ever be welcome to its privileges.” Spoken by Lyman Stewart, president of the Institute and co-founder of the Union Oil Company, these words capture the vision of Biola’s founders. Stewart, together with T.C.
Horton, initiated the Bible Institute, with the first permanent organization taking shape in 1908. By 1912, the school had grown sufficiently in its outreach and constituency to call R.A. Torrey, a leader in the field of Christian education, as the first dean. The following decades have witnessed tremendous growth in the development and outreach of the school. Under the leadership of Dr. Louis T. Talbot, president from 1932 to 1952, the Bible Institute program became a four-year course, leading to degrees in theology, Christian education, and sacred music. The School of Missionary Medicine came into being in 1945, laying the foundation for Biola’s current baccalaureate nursing program. In 1949, the Bible Institute was renamed Biola College. Because of the University’s heritage and commitment, its academic basis is broader than that of the standard college of arts and sciences. Terminal and preparatory programs lead to service in church-related vocations and the many other vocations and professions embraced by the present curricula. In addition, the University is a Christian institution of higher education without any denominational affiliation. From an institute to a university, Biola’s cornerstone has remained the same: commitment to Jesus Christ, the inerrancy of Scripture and biblical Christianity (within an evangelical Protestant framework), as well as to the spiritual, academic and holistic growth of those who are personally committed to Him. Continued on page 44
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We believe that all we do should be Christcentered and based on the teachings of Jesus.
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// Testimony // Transformation // Truth
We believe that there is truth; it is knowable and revealed in God’s inerrant Word. As a result we can live with unshakeable confidence and hope knowing that the Bible and God’s truth have direct application to our lives, our work, our relationships and the culture around us. We believe that holding a biblical worldview is foundational to understanding life and Truth. God has equipped us to uphold truth and sustain community at Biola through Christ-centered and Spirit-led education, scholarship and service that is grounded in Scripture and challenges our community to seek and integrate biblical principles into our fields of study.
We believe that participating in a Christian community of grace is important in the life of the believer. Our identity as children of the Triune God lies in our lives lived in and through community, holistic relationships, mutual interdependence upon the Indwelling Spirit and members of the Body and seeking the unity of the Spirit. We believe that through the renewing of the mind and care of the body we prepare our students to live within the culture in a loving and Christ-honoring way. Through a rigorous, Christ-centered and Spiritled education we enable our students to grapple with and engage in the spiritual, intellectual, ethical and cultural issues of our time, their implications and application to everyday life.
We believe that all we do should be Christ-centered and based on the teachings of Jesus. Christ provided the best model for how to live and following Him is a way of life that when followed to its fullest expression will impact how we live and the choices we make.
We believe that through community and dependence upon the Spirit character is sharpened and we grow in our ability to live our lives as the Lord Jesus Christ would. Interactions with fellow Christians provide one of the essential means of character development in the life of the believer.
Biola UNIVERSITY
We believe that integrity and authenticity should be hallmarks of every believer. Our relationships should be models of transparency, truth-telling and unwavering commitment to the example set by the Lord Jesus Christ.
campus life
We believe that we exist to serve God and His Great Commission in reaching the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christ-followers, we are His light to a dark world and it is our duty and privilege to make disciples. We believe that God uses the faculty, staff, students and alumni to accomplish His plans. As servant leaders, each person who is part of Biola’s community can make a difference in their families, churches, communities and vocations for Christ’s Kingdom. We believe that service is an act of worship to God. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we desire to worship God by living in a way that is worthy of the calling we have received. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ intends His Church to be a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-national body of believers. We have been called to respect, and when appropriate, reflect the diversity of God’s kingdom throughout the world. As believers, we have a responsibility to spread the Gospel through evangelism, missions and outreach. We believe that we have been blessed with kingdom resources and purposes and desire to steward them in a God-honoring way. Our desire is to manage our time, money and gifts and to care for the students, whose lives have been entrusted to us, in a way that models a commitment to excellence and a total-life attitude of stewardship.
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How Rejection Causes
DEPRESSIONand SOCIAL ANXIETY by Greg Baker
R
ejection is one of the main causes of depression and social anxiety. Understanding why may help you combat and even overcome some of your depression and social anxieties.
Rejection causes a series of emotional and spiritual issues that need to be addressed. God did not create us to be antisocial. The need for human companionship, love, acceptance, and even touch is intrinsic to our natures. Rejection, however, can subjugate those needs creating even larger and more serious issues. A predominate theme throughout the Bible is the need people have for other people. From loving our enemies (Mat 5:44), to sharing burdens (Gal 6:2), and on to praying for each other (James 5:16), and then back around to the emphatic statement God made in Genesis 2:18 regarding Adam, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone’, we were never intended to live beyond human relationships. Feeling rejected from one of our most basic needs can have a devastating impact on the way we think, the way we see life, and the way we deal with life. Cain, feeling as if God had rejected him, became so warped in his thinking that he committed murder and then, after being banished for that act, declared, “My punishment is greater than I can bear!” The hardest thing to overcome in a person’s life is the emotional impact of feeling rejected. Teenagers will go to extra-ordinary lengths to be acceptedsometimes by any group, good or bad. Adults are constantly seeking a niche where they
can be accepted and useful. Children who are accepted are significantly more emotionally stable than those who are not. But those who feel rejected from family and/or social circles develop a fear of rejection which makes it harder and harder to be accepted. The end result of such a case is often depression and anxiety. It is a vicious circle.
WHAT CAN BE DONE? First, acceptance nearly always begins with being accepting of others. If you want to have friends, be friendly. There are enough people out there looking for acceptance that if you would simply accept them, you will, in turn, be accepted. Part of the problem is when we want to be accepted by a particular person or group that has rejected us. You can’t force someone to accept you. But you can be accepting of others. We miss out on a lot of life when we can only see one or two areas of our life. There are many more people out there to get to know. Next, don’t hibernate. I believe God meant for our earthly happiness to be found within our God ordained relationships. Fearing rejection means you are in perpetual rejection. You can’t be accepted if you are never in a position to be accepted. Get out and do things with people. Involve yourself in their lives. Find ways to contribute to the wholesomeness of other people’s lives. When you are focused solely on yourself, you miss out on so much joy! Continued on page 49
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“THE HARDEST THING TO OVERCOME IN A PERSON’S LIFE IS THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF FEELING REJECTED”
Lastly, find acceptance with God. Knowing that God loves you will see you through many a dark valley in life. One of Jesus’ promises that, when put to the test, never fails is one made to Peter. Peter, trying to feel accepted by Jesus made this statement in Mark 10:28, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.” What an amazing statement. Yet, it is one that is only made by a person who is still seeking some measure of acceptance or feeling somewhat depressed or anxious. Jesus responded with an incredible statement that has been proved true over and over again: “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” Mark 10:29-30 For me, the key phrase is ‘now in this time’. You can be accepted here, in this life, on this planet. In my pursuit of God and Jesus Christ, I have found a richness and depth of acceptance that has brought me tremendous confidence and joy! Depression is rare for me, but then I have a very, very large family that accepts me.
WHY CAN’T PEOPLE JUST ACCEPT ME FOR THE WAY I AM? Without delving too deeply into this subject, let me explain in short why that statement is absurd. First, it demands everyone else bend to your inflexibility. Secondly, it becomes a condition of your own acceptance of others. Thirdly, it implies a complete disregard for personal improvement. Fourthly, it precludes you from ever allowing yourself to change for the sake of another. And lastly, it isolates you to a miniscule world where everything else must revolve around the way you area tiny world indeed. I stand firm on my beliefs, not on me. I need to improve. I can change for the better. I don’t demand, ever, that someone accept me for who I am, but I do seek people who are willing to accept what I believe. One lady, whose bluntness had cost her many of her relationships, told me once, “This is just the way I am.” I shrugged and replied, “Then change the way you are.” Until she can learn to accept that others struggle with her bluntness, how can she expect others to accept her? It would be different if she said, “I’m working on it. I’m trying. Could you help me?” Ah, that is much easier to accept! Her willingness to change for the better is something I can believe in! It is something easy to accept! When you become more accepting of others, you are accepted. When you feel accepted, you will not get as depressed or have as many social anxieties.
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Standing Firm
by Dana Chaffin
Standing Firm is now available on dvd wherever Christian movies are sold and at www.standingfirmmovie. com. This is a powerful story of dealing with the loss of a loved one and realizing God’s comfort. The story shows how even in our suffering God is there to strengthen us and show His love through others. The story behind the movie is just as touching as the cast and crew suffered numerous losses during production and had to live out the movie’s message. One of the actresses says it best, “what impressed me most is the hearts of everyone in this movie.
MOVIEREVIEWS
Standing Firm is the story of David, (Rob Reisman) losing his wife Jen (Debra Prohaska) in a tragic accident. He blames God for taking his wife and turns away from the church she so loved. Now he is struggling to pay the bills and the family home is threatened with foreclosure. He is working nonstop and it is affecting his relationship with their only son, Steven (Eric Stevenson). Steven, like his mother is a Christian and he is trying to help his father find God’s peace in their tragedy. With the help of his best friend, Maggie (Maggie Whitton) the fight continues to save David and their home. The movies message is that just because someone becomes a Christian does not mean their life will be perfect. The Bible even tells us that we will have troubles, but the difference is that we are not alone in our troubles, God is with us. We have the promise that even though this human body may die, it is not the end. This powerful story can remind us of that and in some cases tell someone that message for the first time. Standing Firm was produced on a small budget; however the quality of this film does not indicate that at all. The film and the production company, Praise Pictures, started when Co-writer/Producer Kevin Michael watched Flywheel and Facing the Giants from Sherwood Productions. He thought they are just regular guys from a church making movies, we can do that. His thought was a lot of people would not go to a church or a rally, but they will go see a movie and this is a good medium to share the Gospel. Kevin is a special education teacher for the Niagara Falls School District and serves as Chairman of the elders at Niagara Falls Bible Church (NFBC). So with the help from Kyle Prohaska, Co-writer/Producer/Director/Director of Photography, they set out with high expectations. Kyle is Director of Media Productions at NFBC. Kyle and Kevin had a lot to get ready: the script, cast, crew, funds, etc. Where would it all come from? Kyle says “It couldn’t have been made without the Lord and the directions and all the doors He kicked open for us to even do this.” It took a lot of hard work, commitment, volunteers, and prayers, but after over a year and a half the film was ready. It is not Hollywood in any way, it is way better! In the words of the producer, “To God be the glory!”
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As We Forgive by Dana Chaffin
As We Forgive is an outstanding testimony to forgiveness and reconciliation. The courts were overwhelmed with 120,000 imprisoned suspects so the Supreme Court of Rwanda implemented the Gacaca Courts Department. The Gacaca was traditionally an informal village court system for handling village disputes. Now these courts would try to handle the complicated task of trials and sentencing for the suspects of the 1994 Genocide. One way the courts tried to reconcile their villages was to have the accused meet and apologize to the survivors. The challenging part was that most of the survivors knew and in some cases had even been friends with the men that killed their family members. Not only were lives taken, but houses were burnt to the ground and fields were set ablaze. With 90% of Rwandans being farmers, their fields are how they make a living. In some of the courts they tried to mend relationships by the accused murderers building new homes for survivors. Producer, Laura Waters Hinson and her husband hope that this film will bring awareness to the current need in Rwanda. They have founded The Living Bricks Campaign in conjunction with the film to allow viewers the chance to help the victims rebuild their country. For more information about The Living Bricks Campaign please visit www.livingbrickscampaign.org. Another way viewers can get involved is by supporting the As We Forgive Rwanda Initiative (AWFRI). This is a Rwandan-led movement to help communities work together to rebuild their country. Over 15 years later there is still a lot of work to be done, for example the Genocide left over a million orphans and widows. To find out how you can make a difference right from your community visit www.asweforgive.org. As We Forgive is an extremely touching film. What can turn friend against friend and make someone kill their neighbor? This documentary shows the devastation that occurred in Rwanda not so long ago. But most of all it shows how with God’s help these people are regaining their hope. Please prayerfully consider helping our brothers and sisters in Rwanda.
MOVIEREVIEWS
As We Forgive is available on dvd at most Christian bookstores and at www.familychristianmovies.com. The fifty three minute documentary follows two women from Rwanda, Rosaria and Chantal, as they face their toughest test of forgiveness. During the 1994 Genocide their families were murdered, now can they forgive the men that tore their lives apart? Find out what happens when the murderers and the survivors meet and even what you can do to help those so far away. You can find out more about the film and the help efforts by visiting www.asweforgivemovie.com.
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Bringing Up Bobby
A different kind of comedy about being kind of different! by Dana Chaffin
MOVIEREVIEWS
This hilarious Christian comedy targets the family and youth group audiences. It is a complex story of finding out what you believe and how to walk it out in your life. Most viewers can identify with one of the unique characters in the film. Without adding any spoilers – there are some comical scenes of how to raise a fifteen year old, sixteen in two weeks, teen. And the infamous War Table is a concept I would like to add to my own family. Bringing up Bobby is the tale of James (Marc Thompson) the oldest raising two brothers, Bobby (Alexander Hinsky), and The Dennis (Brian Morvant) and one sister, Andrea (Reagan Kendrick) after their parents pass away. Bobby, the youngest, is about to turn sixteen and the parents’ will is finally going to be read after twelve years. The story shows that not letting God direct your life can lead to greed, selfishness, and confusion. The film is goofy at times, but balances in serious issues too. It stresses that in tough times is when we need a Savior to direct our lives. Bobby’s friend Eric (Adam Misenko) has a terrible home life and is struggling for answers. Andrea hires an attorney, Terry (Jhey Castles), to be at the reading of the will. However; the attorney and James develop a crush on each other. A new girl at school, Liz (Liz Bucher) catches Bobby’s eye. Liz is a Christian and tries to get Bobby to figure out what he wants out life before she would consider dating him. Oh yeah, then there is The Dennis, the wanderer who believes the anarchists are after him and is extremely terrified of the family storage shed. In the midst of all this drama are hysterical scenes about how the characters handle these situations. Each character represents how their different personalities bring them all together as one big happy family. Bringing up Bobby is the result of twin brothers, Chris and Nick Staron, being told it was impossible to make a Christian comedy. Glowing Nose Films is the company founded by the brothers. Read the interesting story of how they got started and the meaning behind the name at www.glowingnose.com. Also check out their other movies on the site. Bringing up Bobby is produced in such a way that families and youth groups will enjoy watching this awesome message of faith, friendship, and family many times. Words can not describe how funny, almost whimsical this film handles family life. There is a perfect balance of humorous and serious issues. So gather the kids, grab your copy of Bringing up Bobby, and enjoy the discussions after the movie. Bringing up Bobby is now available on dvd in most Christian bookstores and at www.bringingupbobbymovie.com.
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Trusting God to Get You Through: Lessons I’ve
Learned Through the Fire About Grace, Loss and Love by Jason Crabb Reviewed by Janet Morris Grimes
Jason Crabb, best known as the lead singer for his family’s traveling gospel group, The Crabb Family, is now a solo artist. Make that a Grammy-winning solo artist, and you can now add the title of Author to his resume as well. Written as a book of encouragement, not so much a biography, it accomplishes that task.
“ Trusting God to Get You Through unites us in our struggles, and that story is timeless. God wins, every time, when we are willing to stick with Him long enough” “Don’t quit now!” It begins. “Your greatest blessings are on the other side of your struggles.” Using the lyrics to the song Through the Fire, a crowd favorite penned by his father, Jason tailors each chapter to back up a phrase from the song.
What I found missing was the history, his biography, and an introduction of his family. It’s as if he starts in the middle of many stories, as if the reader should automatically know who these people are. There are no pictures, no lists of their accomplishments, no history as to how they got this far. He mentions the many times they were nominated for a Grammy, never winning until he won in 2010 as a solo artist, but he never states what category he was in. He refers to his wife and daughters throughout the story, yet there are no pictures of them. Perhaps this was never intended as a biography, but it is not safe to assume every reader will be a fan of the Crabb Family and will share his points of reference. By sharing the stories of his extended family and what they have learned along the way, he has invited us to wonder who these people are. The insights to a life of ministry and life on the road are intriguing, but did not bring with it any sense of connection or emotion because the stories bounce back and forth between chapters and become repetitive. Still, I believe this book is a great companion to one of the Crabb Family CD’s or Jason Crabb’s debut album. The songs obviously move people, and by reading this book, you catch a glimpse of the people and stories behind their songs. Trusting God to Get You Through unites us in our struggles, and that story is timeless. God wins, every time, when we are willing to stick with Him long enough.
BOOKREVIEW
By sharing stories from his past, people he has met while on tour, and of life on the road, Jason blends the good times with the bad, dotting it with pertinent scripture and testimonies of the many ways God has revealed Himself on a daily basis.
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Healing Prayer on Holy Ground by Sheehan, M.D., Mark and Sheehan, Chris
Reviewed by Esther Green
Dr. Sheehan provides the reader with a gift: a spiritual lens. With this spiritual lens he leads the reader to review the process of death as an opportunity to see and help God work in the lives of the dying and those who witness it. By the time a person picks up Healing Prayer on Holy Ground, they more than likely have had the experience of seeing a loved one on their death bed. With that being the case, by the end of chapter 3, they’ll probably wish they could go back to that bedside and ‘do things differently’. I know I did. Dr. Sheehan provides the reader with a gift: a spiritual lens. With this spiritual lens he leads the reader to review the process of death as an opportunity to see and help God work in the lives of the dying and those who witness it. Without this lens, that process can be dreadful- something to be avoided rather than embraced for what it is.
MOVIEREVIEWS
Dr. Sheehan uses personal accounts and the accounts of others as they have experienced the spiritual implications of dying- and surviving. But he does more than engage the reader with poignant anecdotes: he instructs the reader regarding salvation and the components of Christian living and doctrine. Though some points made were theologically and biblically inaccurate, the major points of faith, forgiveness and prayer were strong enough to serve the greater purpose of the book. This book is written for a wide range of people of differing beliefs and education. There is something for everyone: from warm and fuzzy sound bites to cold, reliable research and everything in between. The bibliography offers one the opportunity to further research the topics and works referenced in the book. Books are judged on a variety of criteria. I judge this book read-worthy for one main reason: its potential impact. I do not know anyone who can read this book and not desire to ‘do better’ for the dying and their surviving families. There is honor in such service. It is apparent that Dr. Sheehan sees the practical value of his book, for he has challenged those in the care and healing profession to see the sacred nature of their ‘call’. This ability to facilitate change makes the book a must-read and a ‘lender’.
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Rooms by James L. Rubart Reviewed by Janet Morris Grimes
What if you were given a gift—a gift so intimate and based on your innermost desires, even those you had yet to discover for yourself? What if this gift was a home so perfect for your tastes and needs you couldn’t even fathom how the builder could know you so well? And what if this house proved to be an outward manifestation of you; each room taken from unexpressed thoughts, struggles, and pain?
I found this story riveting, interesting in the ways his struggles played out externally through this house. It brings up many personal questions about ‘rooms’ in my own home that may have gone ignored for years. You have now entered into the world of Micah Taylor; a twenty-five year old on top of the world, conquering his past by overachieving in the business world of computer software. As his success skyrocketed him to the cover of countless magazines, a penthouse apartment overlooking Puget Sound in Seattle, and a burgeoning romance with his business partner, Micah could think of nothing he lacked. Until a mysterious letter arrived from his Great-Uncle Archie, a deceased and distant relative he had never even met. The letter changed everything; inviting Micah to explore sides of him that he did not know existed. A mansion on a bluff overlooking Cannon Beach along the coast of Oregon, both the favorite and least favorite place for Micah to visit, the mysterious house soon felt more like home to Micah than any place else.
I found this story riveting, interesting in the ways his struggles played out externally through this house. It brings up many personal questions about ‘rooms’ in my own home that may have gone ignored for years. Though the relationships Micah builds with Rick and Sarah in his new town seem a bit forced, and remained as mysterious as the home itself, it drew Micah deeper toward the battle of choosing only one of his parallel lives. The romantic in me wanted to swoon as he and Sarah grew closer, but they seemed distant, even as he professed his love for her to himself, it felt empty the few times they were together. I get that the story was not supposed to be about her, that she couldn’t rescue him from his own battles, but my heart was ready to melt as theirs did, but it never happened. Still, I stand amazed at this first novel by James L. Rubart. He will find himself atop the Best Seller List for years to come. Using the megaphone of a great story to also broadcast a message that carries over is quite a gift, and Rubart uses it well.
BOOKREVIEW
From there, the story is kind of a Ground Hog Day in reverse. Rather than experiencing the same day over and over, Micah loses a part of his past with each day he spends at the new house .As he exists in parallel worlds that clamor for his attention, he is eventually forced to choose between the life he built for himself, and the life that God had in mind for him.
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Is America A Christian Nation? by Robert Driskell / Photo Credit / Sid Black
Lately there has been much debate as to whether or not America is a “Christian Nation”. Some are sure that we are, some are just as adamant that we are not. It is apparently a topic of such importance that even the President has weighed in on the matter. But that’s another story.
“FOR
AMERICA
TO BE A “CHRISTIAN NATION” IN THE TRUEST SENSE, A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS WOULD HAVE TO BE TRUE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST.”
The answer to whether or not America is a “Christian Nation” hinges on the definition we assign to the phrase “Christian Nation.” America is not a “Christian Nation” just because the founders of our country may, or may not, have been Christians. Living in a nation founded by Christians doesn’t make one a Christian any more than standing in the garage makes one a Corvette. The simple definition of what it means to be Christian is “one who follows Jesus Christ”. Let’s use that definition and look at the issue. For America to be a “Christian Nation” in the truest sense, a majority of Americans would have to be true followers of Jesus Christ. Judging by the consistent moral decline in both public and private affairs, this would not seem to be the case. It appears that most Americans live by their own rules. Therefore; if the individuals of our nation live according to the rule of self (doing what is right in their own eyes) while refusing to honor and obey the God who created and sustains us, how can America possibly be legitimately called a “Christian Nation”? We sing “God Bless America”. But, America will only be “God blessed” if individual Americans will give their hearts and lives to love and serve God. If we do not realize that God deserves our obedience and devotion we will continue the downward moral spiral that we are currently experiencing. We will become a nation where anything goesa nation that thumbs its nose at God, His Son, and His rule. And we will suffer the consequences of our actions. We need to wake up and take seriously our predicament, both as individuals and as a nation. We should humble ourselves before God, follow Jesus Christ, and seek to live as He wants us to live. Only then will we be a “Christian Nation”. Only in this way will God truly “bless” America.
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the BIBLE and Postmodernism
P
ostmodernism truly confronts and questions many important issues of the Bible. After participating in this Theology Seminar course, I could see how postmodernism puts the Bible and truth on trial. Since there are many controversial issue of our society that involve postmodernism and the Bible, it is quiet clear that both are vying for the right to be the final authority on these issues. Both are vital for studying many contemporary issues that the church should be abreast of. These discussions on all the different topics should be addressed within the church community.
by Pastor Gilford T. Monrose / Photo Credit / Tiagø Ribeiro
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The church is being challenged to consider the way we look at philosophy and science. Many of these issues continue to dominate the news, colleges, schools and churches. People need answers. Whatever they learn opens their mind to new thoughts about these touchy issues of life that most Christian overlook on a daily basis. Christians should never overlook these social conditions but they sometimes are. In many cases, we are aware of such issues but just don’t have the evangelical or compassionate perspective to address them. Like, the very question, “Is there a God who created the universe or exist,” come from heart of the postmodern intellectuals.1 As I look at the oasis of the church landscape, we need to put some mechanism in place to address some, if not all, concerns of truth and reality. Most churches on a whole do not have a Bible based response to these pressing questions. The problem is that there is not an effective unified Christian response to postmodernism. We need one effective Christ-like response. The postmodern mind in medicine is knocking on the door of morality. Once doctors and scientists believes that there is no universal truth, and do not hold to the bible as being the true word of God, then human cloning with continue to develop until humans will start being cloned. For instance, the announcement came of the cloning of the sheep named Dolly. This opened the floodgates to human cloning within the scientific community. Even though there are many positive outcomes from these researches, it also has some very dangerous implications. Richard Seed, a Chicago physicist, who is in favor of human cloning, made a stunning statement about this scientific progress. “We are going to become one with God. We are going to have almost as much knowledge and almost as much power as God.”2 This is the danger of a postmodern thinker, someone who don’t believe for a second, that there is a God, a God that has set the laws of morality in place. Men like Richard Seed cannot see that this is against God’s nature. They see these advances as a celebration of the sciences. Michael Foucalt for example, believed that our conception of things do not reveal any type of permanent or universal truth. So he being a homosexual would not be wrong because there is no universal truth. The Bible and postmodernism again is at odds with each other. The very subject of homosexuality has surely become a controversial issue of our time. Some research and studies assume that homosexuality is genetically determined. Many postmodern researchers claim that homosexuality is biological, while Christians, recognize homosexuality as psychological. Postmodernist are again going against truth. If there is no truth, everyone will do what is right in his own eyes. The Bible, which is the guide to objective truth, is thrown out the window and so-called scientific explanations are giving to appease the nay sayers of truth. In the Science magazine, it was reported that research points toward a “gay gene,” and that homosexuality is linked to these genes.3
Instead of it being a sin as the Bible would state, the great thinkers of the modern world suggests that there is a genetic cause for homosexuality. The church must capture an understanding of how this culture thinks. A need to gain an understanding on how we can reach the postmodern mindset with the Gospel message is needed. Christianity is base on universal truths and reality is that we must shape the future with this truth. Debates dealing with these issues are flooding the church. Our responsibility would now be to see how we could make a difference in this universe and that we are part of the world community. We live in this world and cannot close our eyes to these issues around us. Our mandate from Jesus’ example should be lived out and not by just a few of us – but by all. Christianity is faced with a challenge and the world will be looking at her. So why is it important and necessary to answer the like of contemporary philosophers such as Lyotard and Derrida? Their philosophies have continued to influence thousands if not millions of people. C.S. Lewis said: “To be ignorant and simple now-not to be able to meet the enemies on their own ground, would be to throw down our weapons, and to betray our uneducated brethren who have, under God, no defense, but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen. Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.” (Lewis, WG,28)4 We cannot allow Rorty and the likes; get a free pass into the academic textbooks without a fight. Truth is on our side and it must be used. Rorty maintains: “True sentences are not true because they correspond to reality, and so there is no need to worry what sort of reality, if any, a given sentence corresponds to – no need to worry about what makes it true”.5 Rorty denies the very fact that truth corresponds to reality. Rorty would like use to give up on the search for truth and be content with interpretations? How could all interpretations be true? The postmodern era is where everyone just wants to decide that they can believe in everything, in nothing, or in some things. If someone wants to believe that Jesus did not exist, that can be truth to him or her. If another person wants to believer that Jesus did exist but he didn’t die on the cross and rose to everlasting life that could be truth for them. Once the existence of Jesus is questioned, in all accounts, the existence of God will be questioned as well. Out of the postmodern minds, popular theories like the Wrong Tomb and the Hallucination theories will continue to dominate the debates. These are common sense theories that to me don’t make much sense. Postmodernism rejects the idea that God exists. Because of this, the struggle to prove that God do in fact exist will always be a challenge. Continued on page 60
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“Christianity is faced with a challenge and the world will be looking at her” I have been going to church all my life and have seldom heard a sermon based on postmodernism. It seems that the churches has ignored this subject and are just probably not as informed as they should be in the many issues that seem somewhat “outside the church.” The average Christian has not been taught or is not aware of the fact that much of our worship to God depends on our defense of the Faith and how we deal with the postmodern community around us. The church’s failure to be more involved in these debates will in someway hamper the way we witness to the world. It would be hard to present the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel should be presented in a way that those that are confused could come to the church and receive good philosophy. The misconception is that many Christians believe that the Bible and postmodernism can’t work together to some extent. Both can mix very well to some degrees. The mixing can and should take place because that is the only way the errors will be exposed. For instance some believers shy away from science, thinking that science is not good. There is a mis-education among evangelicals in this area. God created the world scientifically. He gave man the knowledge to study science and make progress in this area. The fact is, postmodernism is complex. It is not as easy to understand because of it is not easily understood. And once something is not understood in its fullest context, it is therefore hard to explain (are for that matter) harder to challenge and show the errors. Some Christians will even doubt and have doubts because of the challenges that we face concerning postmodernism.6
Truth and knowledge is attacked at the very foundation. The doctrines of postmodernism rejects truth but at the same time claim that their thesis is true and ours is false. According to Stanley Grenz, “by replacing the modern worldview with a multiplicity of views and worlds, the postmodern era has in effect replaced knowledge with interpretation.”7 In essence they seem to be saying that the truth is there is no truth. But that is not true and the church must reject such claims. Dennis McCallum, shares a story that best describes postmodernism: A friend of mine told me that when Christian apologist and author Ravi Zacharias visited Columbus to speak at Ohio State University, his hosts took him to visit the Wexner Center for the Arts. The Wexner Center is a citadel of postmodern architecture. It has stairways leading to nowhere, columns that come down but never touch the floor, beams and galleries going everywhere, and a crazy-looking exposed girder system over most of the outside. Like most of postmodernism, it defies every canon of common sense and every law of rationality. Zacharias looked at the building and cocked his head. With a grin he asked, “I wonder if they used the same techniques when they laid the foundation?” His point is very good. It’s one thing to declare independence from reality when building a monument. It’s another thing when we have to come into contact with the real world. (McCallum, “The Real Issue,” 1)8 Postmodernism has no place in the real world and the World needs to know that. Endnotes
1. RBC Ministries, Can I Really Trust the Bible? (RBC Ministries), pg 30. 2. Carrie Earl, Human Cloning (Focus on the Family, 2002). 3. Jeffrey Satinover, The Gay Gene? (Focus on the Family Magazine, 1999),pg 1. 4. Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), pg 611. 5. Ibid 613 6. RBC Ministries, Why We Believe (RBC Ministries), pg 32. 7. Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999),
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NINEAEDHAM
HAYSTACK by Max Adelman
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J
breed of individuals re ra e os th of e on immy Needham is Knowledge, truths, . ay aw l al it s ve gi d s that has it all an e gifts he freely give th of e m so e ar ith humility and fa why his new album ’s at th be ay M n. tio porary without hesita the Christian Contem on ot sp 1 # e th t hi mmy, it’s Nightlights nt to his head – to Ji we it k in th t n’ do t than charts. Bu on a journey greater ’s he at th t en am st te another lights in an turned on all of the e in az ag M d oa sr os him. Cr to find out the Nightlights star ith w w ie rv te in e iv exclus shine so bright.” how he get his own to
“Organic”. A term you hear a lot these days, Nightlights is probably the most organic sounding album out. What inspired this project? When Calvin Turner and I talked about recording this album, we wanted to record it live. We got a room, tracked out, went back in later to clean it up a bit but Nightlights definitely has a smooth, organic feeling to it. On a musical level, it’s the closest to the sound I’ve always wanted for my album. Personally, I was inspired by what God showed and enlightened me during the process. Two years ago, I released Not Without Love, performed at a ton of shows, toured, sold records, my singles doing well yet, I was the most unhappy I’ve ever been in my life. I was just working and music became work. It was the first time I realized I was the primary driving force and it became less about Jesus. It ceased being promo of Him and more so promo of me. I missed what I was doing this for and wanted to get back to that. After listening to the first four songs on the CD I got the message. “It’s not about us and what we accomplish but our focus should always be on Christ; a message other Christian artist sugar coat. Why do you think this is the case? Because we want to eat! (laughs) You’re put in a hard place where you have to decide, “Do I do one show that’s not going to pay me as much or take the gig where they’re paying me a lot of money but I don’t agree with the theology of church?” I realize that it is a business at the end of the day but for me, I feel I also have a message I’m here to communicate.
Tell us about the title of the CD “Nightlights” and how it relates to your life? The title comes from a lyric from the song, “The Reason I Sing” on Nightlights. I say, “Compared to you/I’m just a nightlight to the blazing sun.” It means that compared to God, we are small. It hits home for me because I was making a lot of things about “me” and not about “Him”. What is one thing that has changed in your life since your first project? One of the most notable changes in my life from the first record Speak to now is that there’s more of a humility in my songwriting. When I first started, I was very poignant on issues that I saw going on in the church. I was very candid, explicit and some may argue borderline harsh. I believe that there’s a place for that and feel that God has wired me in a [way] to say hard things that are Biblical but with grace. On this project I hear a lot of rhythm, blues and soul in your vocals, especially on the song “The Reason I Sing”; a track I can hear singers like Neyo or Jason Mraz singing. What musical influences did you have growing up? I’m a product not by age, but my parents of Motown. Stuff I listened to growing up was everything from Stevie Wonder to Otis Redding, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. I had a friend who was tall and athletic and while he was shooting hoops I would sneak into his mom’s study and put on the Bodyguard by Whitney Houston. It’s weird. In my CD collection growing up, I had everything from Bette Midler to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. I like Folk music, Counting Crows, Bob Dylan, Christian Hip-Hop music from Trip Lee. In fact the song, Grace Amazing which was written by Shane Barnard has Trip Lee rapping on it. I love Trip…we’re going on tour this Summer. Continued on page 66
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“I think if you want to speak to this generation you have to speak hard truths.”
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Do you think Christian music is “out if touch” from issues and challenges going on in young peoples’ lives today? It really depends from artist to artist. It would be wrong for me to say they fail and I succeed as God gives different gifts to the body. I feel there’s a desperate need for people to tell the hard truth and encourage the body and that’s where I fit in. But then, there are songs intended just for worship without a pointed message. Me, I suck at worship songs. But I think if you want to speak to this generation you have to speak hard truths. However, there are less folks in Christian Contemporary Music that bend that way. One of the issues I believe that has been lightly addressed in Christian music is acceptance. Recently, Christian singer, Jennifer Knapp came out stating she is gay. The Christian community has been up in arms about the issue with one side encouraging her and the other saying because she’s leading so many to Christ she has a greater responsibility. What’s your stance? Can Jennifer still be a Christian singer and gay? Do I think a person can be gay and a Christian? Yes, if by that you mean a person can be gay and a Christian if a person can be a Christian and addicted to pornography. It’s the repentant heart. People get caught up with, “you can’t be gay and a Christian accepting it in the sight of God,” yet it’s the same thing with a porn addict, liar and thief. You can’t be those if by fact, you can’t lie knowing that it is breaking the law of the land and of God. I have friends that are gay and they acknowledge it as unbiblical and are working through the process and embracing Jesus. But that’s to say that a lot of things
are unbiblicaI. We all struggle with sin…some sin that we may struggle with until the day we die. God’s only concerned with us getting the issue resolved. On “Miss a Thing” you hit so many subjects including poverty. Now in a recession, America has experienced more and more homelessness than before. What do you think we can do differently as a community to make small changes in our cities? I think it starts in the local body [and] in the church. The church is great at caring for the community that we are in or wanting to touch this city or that state. I get being a bigger supporter for global missions but I feel we miss the needs of our local community. At my church, Grace Fellowship UMC, every first Sunday, about every six months or so, we have something called, “The Church Has Left the Building”. We sign up for work projects around town helping those who can’t do them on their own, provide clothing and food for poverty stricken areas. We have about 2,000 members at our church so you can imagine how impactful this project is on our community. What is your day-to-day struggle? Where do I begin? (laughs). I wrestle with self pity and am quick to say I’m a terrible person when I sin. I’ve learned that my problem is me. I think about me a lot. It plays out in different ways but God is working on me and showing me how not to be so “me” centric. What is the one thing that people don’t know about Jimmy Needham? I’m a pretty good chef actually! It’s an extension of my creativity as I can create well. I can’t Continued on page 67
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crunch a whole bunch of numbers or spiral a football but I can cook. Cooking is a creative thing. I’ve been doing a lot more since I’ve been married and even have thoughts of how it would be to be a chef. My signature dish which has gone really well with my friends is my bacon wrap Vincennes cuts. If you can get deer to taste like steak, you have succeeded! It’s evident that Generation X clearly follows mainstream media. What message of influence would Jimmy Needham give this generation? I would say there’s a better taste out there than you’ve tasted so far. The imagery that the Bible has illustrated that God is food or drink is very powerful. It is more than a contractual thing that we got through Jesus and
His blood. There’s a source of food and water that if we taste it, we will see that everything else we have tasted is rubbish feeding our souls. How can the fans keep in contact with Jimmy Needham? I’m always on my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/jimmyneedham or Myspace.com/ Jimmyneedham, Twitter.com/jimmyneedham or my official website: www.jimmyneedham.com.
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THE
DIGITAL DYNAMIC S by Nisarg Lives
ocial Media. Facebook. Twitter. LinkdIn. All of these buzzwords have become a part of out daily lexicon, and everything from politics to sports to the news is affected by them. It’s a topic that’s been disseminated, dissected, and discussed to death, yet still, it’s implications are farreaching, and, somewhat surprisingly, close to home.
One important question, I believe, is how are families affected by this rise in social media? With youngsters, teenagers, and adolescents spending more and more time in the digital warp, they are similarly spending less and less time with their families. While the traditional concept of a linear family in American society is quickly and understandably becoming a thing of the past, who would have thought that simple familial bonds would be so dangerously teetering on a line of utter disconnect? Don’t get me wrong, we all love our families, and we care deeply for them; but, by the time we get home, we’re exhausted, tired, and downright dazed. We reach to the nearest remote, laptop, other objects of mind-numbing entertainment. According to a USAToday article, quoting Annenberg Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California, 28% of Americans reported that they spent less time with their families in 2008, a stark contrast to a paltry 11% response in 2006. During that time, the rise of social media was a take-no-prisoners phoenix, yet to reach its peak. Some quick facts: + There are over 500 million active Facebook users worldwide as of 2011. + 48% of 18 to 34 year olds check Facebook right when they wake up + 71.2% of Americans use Facebook Now, there’s nothing wrong with people using Facebook, per se. It’s the amount of time that we use that may pose serious concerns. If we’re checking it early in the morning or late at night, the first thing to go in order to make time for Facebook can easily be religious efforts. What’s more fun – praying or Facebook? Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2009-06-15-internet-families_N.htm http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/facebook-statistics-stats-facts-2011/
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the
TRENDSETTERS
{a person, company, etc. that creates, espouses, or popularizes a trend or trends}.
Ye are the salt of the earth Matthew 5:13
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lecrae
An unlikely story stands behind the man known to many as Lecrae. From the south side of Houston, to a leader in the movement of urban reform, a rocky road provides a window into the grace he experienced through out his life--with every situation molding him into the artist and leader that he is today. He and his wife are small group leaders at Blueprint Church, and his passion for impacting urban culture persists. With five successful albums to his name, touring worldwide along with the 116 Clique, and inspiring a generation of young believers across the globe, Lecrae is humbled by his position in leading others towards Christ. His hope is that Reach’s impact will spread far beyond simply the music and into the lives of individuals across the world, ultimately exalting Jesus Christ.
www.reachrecords.com
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attaboy Attaboy is the little indie band that could. Three years of hard work have reaped over 450 performances, 3 CD releases, and 2 successful radio campaigns, all without the help of a major label. And the momentum is certainly building. With more national tours on the horizon and a brand new album titled “Being Remade,” the group shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. But amid the adrenaline and anticipation, Attaboy remains fiercely grounded to their purpose. According to Edgel, “the new album and opportunities are definitely exciting, but we consider it nothing short of a miracle that we get to play music, interact with people, and worship God for a living. It’s a humbling privilege.”
www.attaboyonline.com
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jj heller If you ask JJ Heller to describe 2010 in a few words, her reply would be, “A year of blessing and change.” JJ’s career has grown steadily since she began playing music full-time with her husband, Dave, in 2003. But in 2010 the impact of JJ’s music blossomed like never before. “2010 was an amazing year,” Heller says. JJ is actively songwriting, blogging, sewing, decorating and being a wife and mother. JJ hits the road this spring to headline several shows, speaking as often as she can about her enthusiasm for the work World Vision does around the world to transform the communities they serve by tackling the causes of poverty.
www.jjheller.com
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76 // CULTURE
washington projects Under the context of The Washington Projects, brother/sister duo Jekob & Rachael Washington merge insightful hip-hop, scintillating soul, rippling R&B, old school funk and pure bred pop. It’s an astonishingly inventive merger that’s given them instant accessibility steeped in street credibility, while breaking down boundaries more than any other eclectic troupe in recent memory. The 11 song album entitled “Light Up The Dark” encompasses the true heart of the groups vision and goal. With the smash hits like “My Dream”, “Light Up The Dark”, “You Are Beautiful”, “Work” & “Justus”, this album is bound to keep The Washington Projects name on the lips of many listeners to come. .
www.washingtonprojects.com
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78 // CULTURE
portia kirkland Portia Kirkland has been in the music business for over 25 years, after completing her Bachelor of Arts degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University in N.J., Portia began using her degree in Public Relations. Portia received her first publicity job assisting Tupac Shakur’s publicist. A few years later, Portia landed a marketing position at Universal Records in NYC and relocated to Atlanta, G.A. for LaFace Records. Today, she lives in Atlanta, G.A. with her daughter Chenoa where she is the executive producer and host of her own radio show SKY HIGH on beehivefm. com airing Sunday 2-6pm EST.
www.skyhighwithportia.com
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80 // CULTURE
lara landon Though singer/songwriter/piano player Lara Landon realizes she’d probably come across like more of a star if she’d act like every angle of her life was in order, the faith-based tunesmith refuses to veil fragile emotions or lie about her heart’s condition on the debut disc Beloved. Chalk up that integrity to unbreakable family bonds, influenced by her father’s roots in Jordan and mother’s Sicilian bloodline, both of which always stood for honesty, humility and a hard working essence in all aspects of life. “I’m the kind of person you can talk to who’s actually reachable and responsive,” she sums up. “I’m here to tell people that nothing can separate them from God’s love, He likes you, He’s fond of you and you are worth everything to Him.
www.laralandononline.com
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ryan stevenson The music of Ryan Stevenson blends influences from soul, pop, and some of the great guitarists to create engaging acoustic guitar driven melodies. Embracing the idea that some of the most profound moments of worship emerge not from mountain-top experiences but from difficult, perhaps even catastrophic circumstances. Wanting to honestly and vulnerably communicate through his recording and his live performance the grace and love that guides him through his own trials, Ryan Stevenson writes with a musical maturity beyond his years and a spiritual sensitivity that easily draws people into the musical message.
www.ryanstevensonmusic.com