LCNN1 - Latino Christian News Network

Jessica Alba Deftly Defies Stereotypes, Tries Out New Roles

2010-09-05T05:33:36Z

At first glance, Jessica Alba lives up to assumptions: beautiful, tall, glamorous and aloof. But within a few minutes, the sex symbol turns on the charm, shedding the ice-princess aura for something friendlier and more engaging. She offers restaurant recommendations, asks questions about hometowns and reminisces about the days before texting and bloggers.

]]> The mood switch can't be easy, considering she has been on a two-day press junket for her new Robert Rodriguez flick, Machete, in theaters Friday. But the transition is seamless, which is a testament to her admiration for the filmmaker, who also directed Alba, 29, in Sin City and the upcoming Spy Kids 4.

"He's so inspiring," she says. "He's a renegade. He shows that you can have a functioning system that appeals to the same audience, and it's just as relevant in pop culture, and it doesn't have to cost what the traditional studio movies cost. Machete was a true independent film. It was gritty, it was low-budget, but you don't see that. The quality of his films (equals that of) $100 million movies."

Ready to try new things

Alba, too, is ready to do things her way. She concedes that her career, while lucrative, hasn't always been fulfilling.

"I have made, since I've had my daughter (Honor Marie Warren, 2), a concerted effort to concentrate on the filmmaker, first and foremost, and the role and the story," she says. "Before, my priority was very business-driven and business-oriented, and now it's about evolving as an actor more than anything.

"Working with a filmmaker that you believe in and that can push you, for me, was what I wanted to focus most on. And, it's like, if I'm not going to spend time with my daughter, it has to be worth it."

Apparently, Machete was well worth the time: It marks not only another chance to collaborate with Rodriguez but is also the half-Mexican Alba's first Latina role.

She describes her immigration and customs enforcement officer character as "an intelligent, fierce, independent woman," which made the role that much more appealing.

"For me, I never wanted to reinforce any stereotypes about Latin women, and that was why I've shied away from Latin characters I've been offered. Most of them reinforced the stigmas. The women whom I grew up with are intelligent, strong women, and unless I read a woman being portrayed that way in a film, I didn't want to play it.

"There's enough people that will reinforce those stereotypes, and I didn't need to participate in that. This woman is just as fierce as the men, and so I'm proud to bring that to life and put that imagery in people's heads."

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SOURCE: USA Today - Arienne Thompson

Refined by Pain

2010-09-05T05:25:18Z

Tragedy made Heather Williams' faith take a dramatic turn--for the better

When people hear that Heather Williams leads worship with her husband, Tim, it could be easy to assume that she has lived an idyllic life. But that couldn't be further from the truth.

]]> Williams grew up going to church with her mother and stepfather, but the family was broken. She experienced complete abuse and oppression and wanted nothing to do with God.

When she was 11, Williams went to live with her grandfather, a loving man but not the strictest of disciplinarians, she says. She did whatever she wanted and eventually her life spiraled out of control.

As an 18-year-old, Williams reconnected with her birth father and started going to church with him. One day, she heard for the first time that God accepted her just as she was. He loved her.

"I gave my life to Christ at that point. I accepted His forgiveness and I accepted the grace that He gave to me," she explains. "But I wasn't actively giving it away to anybody else."

Everything changed on Dec. 30, 2002, the day the Williamses' 6-month-old son, Caedmen, died unexpectedly.

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SOURCE: Charisma Magazine

Many Americans Don't Even Know They're Fat

2010-09-05T05:23:28Z

Many Americans have skewed perceptions when it comes to their weight, often believing they are thinner than they really are, even when the scales are shouting otherwise, a new poll finds.

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Thirty percent of those in the "overweight" class believed they were actually normal size, while 70 percent of those classified as obese felt they were simply overweight. Among the heaviest group, the morbidly obese, almost 60 percent pegged themselves as obese, while another 39 percent considered themselves merely overweight.

These findings may help to explain why overweight and obesity rates in the United States continue to go up, experts say.

"While there are some people who have body images in line with their actual BMI, for many people they are not, and this may be where part of the problem lies," said Regina Corso, vice president of Harris Poll Solutions. "If they do not recognize the problem or don't recognize the severity of the problem, they are less likely to do something about it."

And that means that obesity may be becoming the new norm, raising the specter of increasing rates of health threats such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

"I think too many people are unsure of what they should actually weigh," said Keri Gans, a registered dietician and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "For many, they have grown up in a culture were most people are overweight and that is the norm, or they have been surrounded by too many celebrities and fashion in the media and think very thin is the norm."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34 percent of adults aged 20 and older are obese, and 34 percent are overweight. Among children, 18 percent of teens aged 12 to 19 are obese, 20 percent of children aged 6 to 11 are obese, as are 10 percent of kids aged 2 to 5.

Most respondents to the poll who felt they were heavier than they should be blamed sloth, rather than poor eating habits, for their predicament.

"In the mindset of most Americans, they're not looking at this as a food problem as much as an exercise problem," Corso said.

According to the poll, 52 percent of overweight people and 75 percent of both the obese and morbidly obese felt they didn't exercise enough.

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SOURCE: Health Day

Chatting With Casting Crowns' Mark Hall

2010-09-05T05:16:46Z

Casting Crowns' lead singer Mark Hall and his wife, Melanie, adopted their 3-year-old daughter, Hope, from China. Their adoption story is documented on the band's new live concert CD/DVD, Until the Whole World Hears, which releases Aug. 31. Hall talked to Charisma about his new daughter and the band's trip to Rwanda.

]]> How did you and your wife decide to adopt?

Hall: We were on a Steven Curtis Chapman tour and every night Steven would sing "When Love Takes You In," the song of adoption. He would tell the story of adoption and how it's changed his and his family's life. So there I am hearing all this for 84 cities! I realize that God's trying to tell me something. When I told my wife, Melanie, that we're supposed to adopt, she said, "I always knew this. I was just waiting on you to figure this out."

Tell us about your new daughter.

Hall: She's beautiful. She was found 8 days old wrapped in a red blanket outside a hospital. It's such an amazing story of this broken little girl being abandoned out in the middle of the night somewhere in China, and how God is allowing us to be the ones to travel the distance and go over there and pick her up and bring her into our home.

What did you learn during the process?

Hall: The biggest spiritual lesson God taught me happened once I got to China. People had warned me that a lot of these little girls have never even seen a man before so they're a little shy about dads. I mentally prepared myself for this. Hope bonded pretty quickly to Melanie. She would let me give her things but if I tried to pick her up she would cry.

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SOURCE: Charisma Magazine

Sleep-Deprived Teens Eat More Fat, Study Finds

2010-09-05T05:07:59Z

Teens who sleep less than eight hours a night are more likely to eat a high-fat diet that puts them at risk for obesity and the many health problems connected with it, new research shows.

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"There's been a lot of research over the last five years implicating insufficient sleep with obesity," said study author Dr. Susan Redline, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

"Some experimental studies on sleep deprivation in controlled laboratory environments show a craving for fatty foods among the participants" who got less sleep, she said.

Redline, a professor of medicine with the school's division of sleep medicine, said sleep-deprived teens may suffer from metabolic disturbances that have been linked to obesity and insulin resistance in other research with shift workers whose sleep was also irregular.

Metabolism is the body's process for turning calories into energy. Lack of sleep can affect metabolism by changing the level of appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin, setting the stage for poor eating habits, Redline explained.

In addition to being a possible cause of metabolic problems, fewer hours of sleep provided teens with "more opportunities to eat," Redline said.

Teens need about nine hours of sleep every night to feel rested and alert the next day, but few teens get that amount, experts said.

"I almost never see anyone who is sleeping more than seven hours a night," said Dr. Paula Elbirt, an associate professor of pediatrics and adolescent medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Insufficient sleep among teens is "the rule, not the exception," she said.

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SOURCE: Health Day

Red Meat May Boost Women's Heart Disease Risk

2010-09-05T05:07:54Z

Women who eat a lot of red meat may be increasing their risk of developing heart disease, Harvard researchers report.

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"This study is one of many showing a link between eating red meat, processed meat and full-fat dairy products, and heart disease," said Samantha Heller, a nutritionist and exercise physiologist.

It seems obvious that people should reduce their intake of meat and dairy foods. "But there are many people who feel it is almost impossible to give up or limit butter, steak, ham and cheese," she said. "Americans are also concerned with getting enough protein. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control [and Prevention] says that most Americans have plenty, if not a surplus, of protein in their diet."

If people looked at this as a matter of simple swaps, it may be easier to make some healthy changes, she added.

"So, instead of a ham-and-cheese sandwich for lunch, have a peanut butter-and-banana sandwich. Jump in the Meatless Monday trend, and have whole-grain pasta primavera for dinner on Monday. Make Sunday's chili vegetarian, with lots of vegetables and beans. Try a veggie burger on a whole-wheat bun for your cookout. Swap cheese and crackers for low-fat cheese and apple slices," Heller suggested.

The report is published in the Aug. 16 online edition of Circulation.

For the study, a team lead by Dr. Adam M. Bernstein, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, collected data on 84,136 women, aged 30 to 55, who took part in the Nurses' Health Study over 26 years, from 1980 to 2006.

Over that time, there were 2,210 nonfatal heart attacks and 952 deaths from heart disease, the researchers noted.

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SOURCE: Health Day

'Dora The Explorer' May Change a Whole Generation

2010-09-05T05:02:49Z

Don't underestimate her just because she's a little girl. "Dora The Explorer" is a multibillion-dollar franchise that may be creating a more enlightened generation, more open to different people and cultures not their own.

]]> Ten years have passed since the Latina Dora became the first bilingual heroine of children's TV and conquered the hearts of kids around the world. Nickelodeon has celebrated the anniversary with a one-hour special that features the voices of Rosie Perez, John Leguizamo and Hector Elizondo, and a documentary with comments from Dora herself, the series' creators, experts from the industry, real-life kids and celebrities such as Salma Hayek and Shakira.

"I think that the fact that kids are identifying with a kid with darker color skin that speaks another language (shows they are more open)," said Chris Gifford, one of the show's creators and executive producers. "Kids want their parents to read them the books and watch Dora with them. ... That's what it's about."

"Dora The Explorer" is seen today in 151 markets and is translated to 30 languages. In English-speaking countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, Dora teaches Spanish; in other markets -- including the Hispanic U.S. markets -- the adventurous little girl teaches English.

According to Nickelodeon, "Dora" has generated over $11 billion in worldwide sales since 2002, having sold 65 million units of Fisher Price Dora the Explorer toys, 50 million books and over 20 million DVDs worldwide. In France, publishing house Albin Michel has sold more than 12 million educational Dora books since its launch -- or one Dora book for every child in France, the network points out.

Yet, the original idea for the show had nothing to do with a bilingual girl.

"She didn't start as a Latina or a heroine -- she was a forest animal," said co-creator and executive producer Valerie Walsh Valdes. "Nickelodeon actually asked us to consider making her a Latina because a recent study said that there were no positive bilingual characters on children's television."

So producers turned to such experts as historian Carlos E. Cortes, author of "The Children Are Watching" and "The Making -- and Remaking -- of a Multiculturalist."

"He was absolutely instrumental in helping us find the best way to put Dora forward in terms of culture," said Gifford. Cortes advised that Dora should always be inclusive, so producers decided not to give her a particular country of origin.

"I am delighted with the way 'Dora' has come out, particularly the impact it seems to be having in young people," said Cortes, professor emeritus of history at the University of California, Riverside. "The Latino kids take pride having Dora as a lead character and non-Latino kids can embrace someone different."

"I think that Dora has a very specific special relationship with kids at home, not necessarily for being bilingual but as a powerful character who invites kids on adventures," says Brown Johnson, president, Animation, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. "Here, Spanish words open doors."

In "Dora The Explorer," the Latin flavor is present not only in the language and Dora's features but also in characters such as Isa the Iguana and Tico the Squirrel, scenes, themes and family values. The little star invites her young, preschool viewers to come with her on an adventure, where she usually faces a problem that she cannot resolve by herself.

Dora asks her audience to answer questions in an interactive show that includes silences that are long enough for viewers to suggest an answer.

"The kids are feeling good about putting together the puzzle bridge (that will solve the problem). ... Dora needs THEIR help!" says Walsh Valdes.

Each episode relies on the advice of educators and cultural experts, and can take more than a year to produce, in part because not one gets into the air without first being screened in front of the most honest and feared jury: at least 75 children. "Just the heartbreak to see those kids disappointed! We really take it personally. ... These 3 year olds," Gifford said. They really listen to the children, said Walsh Valdes.

Dora's voice has been portrayed the last three years by Caitlin Sanchez. The 14-year-old succeeded the original voice of Dora, Kathleen Herles, when she left to go to college.

"It's really an honor to play an icon," said Sanchez, who enjoys making the voice of the Latina idol in front of her little fans, who immediately recognize it: "It's Dora!" "She's got Dora inside her mouth!"

"Dora is like the most helping person in the world," the young actress said. "I have learned a lot from her, too. ... She's a great role model."

Stars such as Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek have spoken about the relationship of Dora with their families.

"There's a 'Dora The Explorer' (episode) where Dora's mom has twins -- a boy and a girl," Jolie told People magazine in 2008, noting how her older children got ready for the arrival of her own twins. "They watched that a lot."

"I love Dora! She's been such a part of my relationship with my child," said Hayek at the show's 10th anniversary press conference in March. "I love that it's bilingual and that she's a heroine who has Latin roots."

Meanwhile, a Dora balloon made its debut in Macy's 2005 Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, the first time for a Latino character.

"It's flattering, but it also speaks about how Dora has transcended from just being a preschool show. There's something really amazing in her ability to cross over," said Walsh Valdes.

"Dora" has aired against the backdrop of the immigration debate. When the new Arizona law was announced, a photo of Dora behind bars as a suspected illegal immigrant made the rounds on the Internet.

Such is the influence of Dora, Cortes said, that future fans could affect the political future of America. A 5-year-old viewer in 2000 is now 15.

"It will be another three years until they go to college and be able to vote, and I think we may see a difference. You can't be certain, but our hope is that young people of all backgrounds will be more open," he said. "If Dora can do that, her impact is unimaginable."

___

Online:

http://www.nickjr.com/dora-the-explorer/

SOURCE: AP - Sigal Ratner-Arias

Cindy Trimm and Vanessa Miller Top September 2010 BCNN1/BCBC National Bestsellers List

2010-09-01T19:34:40Z

Black Christian News: www.BCNN1.com / Black Christian Book Company: www.BlackCBC.com (Based upon Amazon.com rankings, BarnesandNoble.com rankings, and BlackCBC.com rankings.)
]]> Cindy Trimm (The Art of War for Spiritual Battle--Nonfiction) and Vanessa Miller (A Love for Tomorrow--Fiction) lead the bestsellers list of Black Christian authors on the September 2010 edition of the Black Christian News/Black Christian Book Company National Bestsellers List.

The next BCNN1/BCBC Bestsellers List will be published on Friday, October 1, 2010.

September 2010 Top 50 Black Christian Bestsellers List (Non-fiction)

1. The Art of War for Spiritual Battle, by Cindy Trimm (Charisma House) - Only $15.99
2. The Mentor Leader, by Tony Dungy (Tyndale) - Only $24.99
3. Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (Zondervan) - Only $6.29
4. Led By Faith, by Immaculee Ilibagiza (Hay House) - Only $14.95
5. Letters to Young Black Men, by Daniel Whyte III (Torch Legacy Publications) - Only $8.99
6. The Blueprint, by Kirk Franklin (Gotham) - Only $25.99
7. The Blueprint, by Ken Blackwell & Ken Klukowski (Lyons Press) - Only $20.19
8. One in a Million, by Priscilla Shirer (B&H Books) - Only $14.99
9. The Power to Prosper, by Michelle Singletary (Zondervan) - Only $14.99
10. Understanding the Purpose and Power of Women, by Myles Munroe (Whitaker House) - Only $11.04

September 2010 Top 50 Black Christian Bestsellers List (Fiction)

1. A Love for Tomorrow by Vanessa Miller (Whitaker House) - Only $9.99
2. Sins of the Mother, by Victoria Christopher Murray (Simon & Schuster/Touchstone) - Only $15.00
3. The Best of Everything, by Kimberla Lawson Roby (Harper Collins) - Only $13.99
4. Holy Rollers by ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Simon & Schuster) - Only $10.20
5. The Memory Quilt by T.D Jakes (Atria) - Only $19.99
6. The Pastor's Woman by Jacquelin Thomas (Kimani Press)
7. Holy Ghost Corner by Michele Andrea Bowen (Grand Central Publishing) - Only $6.99
8. Dreams That Won't Let Go (Jubilant Soul), by Stacy Hawkins Adams (Revell) - Only $12.99
9. Sweetest Gift (Payton Skky #4) by Stephanie Perry Moore (Lift Every Voice) - Only $5.99
10. Goodness and Mercy by Vanessa Davis Griggs (Kensington Books/Dafina) - Only $15.00

September 2010 Top 50 Black Christian Independent Publishers Bestsellers List (Non-fiction)

1. Letters to Young Black Men, by Daniel Whyte III (Torch Legacy Publications) - Only $8.99
2. Who Stole My Joy? by Sandra Steen (Bridge-Logos Publishers) - Only $14.99
3. World War Me, by Jamal Bryant (Empowerment Publishing House) - Only $15.99
4. Parenting and Partnering with Purpose, by Natalie A. Francisco (St. Paul Press) - Only $11.99
5. Gay Children, Straight Parents: A Plan for Family Healing, by Richard Cohen (IHF) - Only $18.95
6. Life Illustrated, by Jeffrey Johnson (St. Paul Press) - Only $17.99
7. Letters to Young Black Women, by Daniel Whyte III (Torch Legacy Publications) - Only $9.99
8. Lord, I'm Ready to Be a Wife, by Christine Pembleton (Josephine Communications) - Only $12.99
9. Real: The Truth about Being Single by Kelly Chapman (Pleasant Word) - Only $14.99
10. Successfully Raising Young Black Men, by Kevin D. Barnes Sr (Torch Legacy Publications) - Only $8.99

September 2010 Top 25 Black Christian Independent Publishers Bestsellers List (Fiction)

1. The Sunday Morning Wife by Pamela D. Rice (Peace in the Storm Publishing) - Only $15.00
2. Forgiven, by Vanessa Miller (Urban Christian) - Only $14.95
3. Song of Solomon by Kendra Norman-Bellamy (Urban Books) - Only $14.95
4. Secrets and Lies, by Rhonda McKnight (Urban Trade)
5. In the Midst of It All by Tiffany L. Warren (Grand Central Publishing)
6. Forsaken, by Vanessa Miller (Urban Christian) - Only $14.95
7. A Woman's Revenge by Tiffany L. Warren, Sherri L. Lewis, and Rhonda McKnight (3 Sisters Books)
8. The Rose of Jericho by Vanessa Davis Griggs (Free to Soar)
9. Guilty of Love Pat Simmons (Urban Christian)
10. Battle Of Jericho by Kendra Norman-Bellamy (Urban Christian)

September 2010 Top 50 Black Christian E-BOOK Bestsellers List (Non-Fiction)

1. The Blueprint, by Kirk Franklin (Gotham)
2. The Mentor Leader, by Tony Dungy (Tyndale)
3. One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer (Moody)
4. Uncommon, by Tony Dungy (Tyndale)
5. Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza (Hay House)
6. Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (Tyndale)
7. The Prayer Motivator, by Daniel Whyte III (Torch Legacy Publications)
8. The Blueprint, by Ken Blackwell & Ken Klucowski (Lyons Press)
9. DO Something!: Make Your Life Count by Miles McPherson (Baker Books)
10. Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (Zondervan)

September 2010 Top 50 Black Christian E-BOOK Bestsellers List (Fiction)

1. Sins of the Mother, by Victoria Christopher Murray (Touchstone)
2. Be Careful What You Pray For, by Kimberla Lawson Roby (HarperCollins)
3. The Pastor's Woman by Jacquelin Thomas (Kimani)
4. Holy Rollers by ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Pocket)
5. The Sunday Morning Wife by Pamela D. Rice (Peace in the Storm)
6. The Ideal Wife by Jacquelin Thomas (Pocket)
7. One in a Million by Kimberla Lawson Roby (HarperCollins)
8. Samson by Jacquelin Thomas (Pocket)
9. The Someday List by Stacy Hawkins Adams (Revell)
10. The Best of Everything by Kimberla Lawson Roby (HarperCollins)

Click Here to view the rest of the Top 50 Black Christian Bestsellers List.

Click Here to view the rest of the Top 50 Black Christian Independent Publishers Bestsellers List.

Click Here to view the rest of the Top 50 E-BOOK Bestsellers List.

Ft. Hood, Texas Gets a Sneak Preview of Vanessa Miller's New Book, A Love for Tomorrow Available Nation-wide September 7

2010-09-01T02:26:57Z

With the heat of summertime in Texas at its peak, the murder of 13 fellow soldiers still a painful memory, and the war escalating in Afghanistan as troops return from Iraq, soldiers at Ft. Hood were ready for a little love this month.

]]> A Love for Tomorrow, second in her Second Chance at Love series (available September 7, 2010).

An ordained exhorter for her Dayton, Ohio church, Miller is known for her creative plotlines and well-crafted characters. What's not as well known is that she's constantly on the road, speaking to groups on college campuses, churches, and community centers, along with meeting her readers one-on-one as she did at Ft. Hood.

The prolific novelist regularly began including military bases on her schedule after receiving letters from soldiers about her books. Besides Ft. Hood, she's recently visited Wright Patterson, Andrews and Scott Air Force Bases and will visit more this fall.

"I was surprised by the positive letters from soldiers at first - you wouldn't think romance novels, especially Christian romance, fits in with the military stereotype," she said. "But I've learned many of our troops - men and women--love a good romance."

Besides the romantic elements, Vanessa's readers say they personally relate to her multi-dimensional characters, often caught between good and evil forces and facing difficult choices. A Love for Tomorrow involves Christian television host Serenity Williams, a preacher's kid, who is jilted by her ego-driven boyfriend, a popular preacher. Serenity decides to get even with men in general by humiliating yet another pastor, Phillip McKnight, a former NFL player, whom she assumes is a self-consumed egomaniac.

But Serenity discovers that Phillip possesses a loving, humble spirit. He's likewise suffered a broken heart, and by the grace of God, is reaching out to others with a message of hope and faith. Serenity must wrestle with the decision to embarrass or embrace Phillip.

Early reviews are enthusiastically positive. Nancy Kanafani in Christian Retailers and Resources Magazine (September, 2010) writes: "Trust, forgiveness, and faith, the core of author Miller's message, are woven into a light love story that offers help and healing," and recommends the book "to readers who enjoy a good romance that ministers."

Yesterday's Promise, the first book in the Second Chance at Love series, topped the Black Christian News Network's bestseller's list earlier this year. Bob Whitaker Jr., vice president of Whitaker House, said pre-release orders for the new book are good and predicts A Love for Tomorrow will reach even more readers than its predecessor.

"We're so pleased with reader response to Vanessa Miller", he said. "Not only has she received critical acclaim, but her stories are capturing people's hearts. Her fans know they'll be inspired and entertained."

For more details, go to her website: www.VanessaMiller.com or www.WhitakerHouse.com.

To schedule an interview or request review copies, please contact Cathy Hickling at chickling@whitakerhouse.com or 800-444-4484 x283.

Potter's House Church Hosts ManPower Conference at Fort Worth Convention Center

2010-08-31T15:15:14Z

More than 10,000 men have converged on downtown this weekend for what one participant called a "pep rally for God."

]]> The 16th annual ManPower Conference, hosted by The Potter's House church, began Thursday and continues today at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

The men-only event aims to equip participants with tools to build strong marriages, increase self-confidence and take on community responsibilities.

It was launched by Bishop T.D. Jakes, senior pastor of The Potter's House, a 30,000-member church with congregations in Dallas and Fort Worth.

Remarks from Jakes will highlight the final session this morning.

"It's the one place where we can bond. We can see our brother be free to express himself without being embarrassed," said Nick Nicholas of Dallas. "It's a coming-together of men recognizing who we're really celebrating."

Besides Jakes, speakers at the conference include Bishop Lester Love, senior pastor of The City of Love in New Orleans, and the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, pastor of the Christian Worship Center in California.

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Source: Fort Worth Star Telegram | Jessamy Brown

jessamybrown@star-telegram.com

Religious Leaders Pressure Congress To Support Religious Discrimination

2010-08-31T15:12:20Z

Yesterday, World Vision and other religious groups sent a letter to members of Congress, urging it not to pass legislation that would prohibit religious-based hiring discrimination by non-profits receiving federal funding.

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Currently, under an Office of Legal Counsel memorandum and executive orders signed by former president George W. Bush, faith-based recipients of federal funding are permitted to discriminate in hiring based on the religious beliefs of the applicant or the applicant's lack of compatibility with the organization's religious beliefs. Religious and civil liberties groups have long urged President Obama to follow through with a campaign promise to end the hiring discrimination with taxpayer dollars, and remain deeply frustrated with the administration's failure to act.

But it was more right-leaning evangelicals and Catholics that pressured Obama to punt on the campaign promise. In putting together the OFBNP in 2009, Obama told the Advisory Council that, while it would study and make recommendations to "reform" the office, it would not be offering any advice on the contentious faith-based hiring issue.

Obama could end the practice through executive order; legislation wouldn't be necessary. World Vision, though, is drawing attention to a provision in the pending Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration reauthorization that would prohibit religious discrimination in hiring by groups receiving federal funding. But World Vision, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Orthodox Union urged Congress not to pass any legislation and also continued to urge the administration not to change the Bush policy.

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State spoke out in opposition to the letter, with executive director the Rev. Barry Lynn calling it "disgraceful" that when so many Americans are out of work, "some religious leaders want to deny government-funded job opportunities on the basis of religion."

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Source: Religion Dispatches | Sarah Posner

Christian Leaders Criticize 'Misrepresentation' of Obama's Faith

2010-08-31T15:10:50Z

A group of more than 70 prominent ministers defended President Obama against what they call a "misrepresentation" of his Christian faith.

]]> Bishop T.D. Jakes, Florida megachurch pastor Joel Hunter, World Vision President Rich Stearns and the Rev. Sammy Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, were among the signatories to an open letter released this week challenging a pervasive belief that the president is a Muslim.

A Pew Research poll last week found that 18 percent of Americans believe the president is a Muslim, up from 11 percent in March 2009. Only 34 percent of Americans think the president is a Christian, down from 48 percent last year, and 43 percent said they don't know what faith he practices.

In their letter, the leaders said the president has been "unwavering" in confessing Christ as his savior and has spoken often about the importance of his faith.

"Many of the signees on this letter have prayed and worshipped with this President," the letter stated. "We believe that questioning, and especially misrepresenting, the faith of a confessing believer goes too far."

The leaders said the president's faith is not a political issue, noting that they come from diverse political backgrounds. "We are unified in our belief in Jesus Christ," they wrote. "As Christian pastors and leaders, we believe that fellow Christians need to be an encouragement to those who call Christ their savior, not question the veracity of their faith."

Click here to read more

Source: Charisma Magazine

Not the Big Easy: Reaching New Orleans with the Gospel

2010-08-31T15:06:03Z

HEART FOR NEW ORLEANS - Dennis Jones, president of Heritage Christian University in Florence, Ala., commutes 425 miles each weekend to the Hickory Knoll Church of Christ in Harahan, La., a New Orleans suburb.

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That's the message that Dennis Jones would like to convey to fellow members of Churches of Christ.

"To the tourist, it's fancy restaurants, loud music, the French Quarter," Jones said.

Look closer, though, and it's a city of fine universities, hospitals and museums, he said. Even better, as he sees it, it's a city full of souls open to the Gospel.

"There's a spirituality about this place," Jones said. "People here are probably, if you take them as a whole, as spiritually sensitive as any place I know that you can go."

Jones serves full time as president of Heritage Christian University in Florence, Ala.

But 40 weekends a year, he makes an 850-mile round trip to the Hickory Knoll Church of Christ in this New Orleans suburb, on the east bank of the Mississippi River.

"My goal is to strengthen, stabilize and rebuild the church in New Orleans," said Jones, who began work with the Hickory Knoll church in 2007.

"I have a five-year commitment to do all I can -- with the Lord's help -- to rehabilitate the image of the church in the area and encourage young families to move here and start a business or put down roots some way. We need more people who are firmly grounded to help us evangelize the area."

Recently, the Hickory Knoll church hosted a men's leadership breakfast that drew representatives from nearly 20 congregations.

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Source: Christian Chronicle | Bobby Ross Jr.

Latino Republican Walking a Tightrope In Nevada Race

2010-08-31T14:58:41Z

Brian Sandoval, the GOP candidate for governor, has come to symbolize a tension within his party, between efforts to attract Latino voters and actions that may repel them.

]]> For years, Brian Sandoval has been a rising Republican star, a trailblazer touted as a symbol of the party's increasing diversity.

Square-jawed and handsome, he was elected Nevada's first Latino attorney general, showcased at the 2004 Republican National Convention and appointed the state's first Latino federal judge.

Now, as the GOP nominee for governor, Sandoval has come to symbolize something else: a tension within the Republican Party between efforts to attract Latinos and actions that repel members of the nation's fastest-growing minority group.

Across the country, GOP candidates have vigorously supported Arizona's tough new immigration law and, in some cases, gone further by supporting a rewrite of the Constitution to deny citizenship to the U.S.-born children of those here illegally. (Sandoval opposes that effort.)

The tough talk has rallied conservatives and drawn support from independents and even some Democrats frustrated with the current patchwork of state and federal immigration laws.

But the stance has also alienated Latinos who feel they are once again being scapegoated by a party with a history of harsh rhetoric and a penchant for backing policies -- making English the official language, denying public services to illegal immigrants -- that many consider punitive.

"It's always the same thing," said Victor Chicas, 43, a Las Vegas restaurant worker and naturalized citizen, who came nearly 20 years ago from El Salvador. "Blame the immigrants."

When Sandoval, 47, left the bench last year and launched his gubernatorial bid, Otto Merida was an avid supporter. A Republican and head of the Las Vegas-based Latin Chamber of Commerce, Merida even wrote Sandoval a $500 check.

But Merida has since switched his allegiance, embracing Sandoval's Democratic opponent, Rory Reid. The reason: the Arizona law.

Battling for the GOP nomination, Sandoval endorsed the measure and came out against driver's licenses for illegal immigrants as part of a rightward shift that left Merida and other Latinos angry and confused. Reid opposes the law, which requires police to determine the status of people they stop and suspect are illegal immigrants.

"People are using this issue just to get votes," said Merida, who emphasized that he was speaking personally and not for the chamber. "They're dividing this country and creating friction at a time we need to be more united than ever."

Sandoval said some interpret the law differently than he does. "I see it as Arizona's effort to get its arms around a very extreme public safety problem and the inability of the federal government to secure the borders," he said.

"I've been very straightforward with everybody in this state with regard to my positions," Sandoval said, shrugging off the anger among some Latinos. "If I'm fortunate to be elected, I'll continue to work with the Hispanic community."

The political stakes are considerable, not just in Nevada but throughout the country. From 2000 to 2008, Latino registration grew 54% nationally and turnout rose 64%, according to America's Voice, an immigration advocacy group.

The concentration of Latino voters, who have trended more Democratic over the last several years, is also significant. Several states, including Nevada, Colorado and Arizona, have grown more competitive in presidential elections as the Latino population swelled. Texas, now solidly Republican, is expected to join that list over the next few years.

In the short-term, a hard line on immigration can be good politics. Sandoval knocked off a sitting governor in the GOP primary, the first time that happened in Nevada. (It helped that incumbent Jim Gibbons was greatly weakened by personal scandal.) Sandoval is a strong favorite to win in November. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican whose reelection chances had been considered iffy, cruised to her party's nomination after signing the Arizona bill into law. She, too, is favored in November.

"Short-term it's an obvious benefit because the vast majority in the country favor doing something," said Matthew Dowd, President Bush's chief strategist in his 2004 reelection campaign. "In their mind, the federal government has abdicated its responsibility on immigration and proven incompetent."

But Dowd, who has worked for years to broaden the GOP appeal to Latinos, worries about the longer-term consequences. "It could feed that already existing perception that Hispanics have of Republicans, that they're intolerant and insensitive," Dowd said.

The textbook case is California's Proposition 187, the 1994 measure that sought to deny public education and other benefits to illegal immigrants and helped boost Gov. Pete Wilson to reelection. A majority of Latinos initially supported the initiative. However, by the end of an angry campaign, more than 3 in 4 Latinos voted against the initiative, which was approved but later found unconstitutional.

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SOURCE: The Los Angeles Times

Mark Z. Barabak

Purdue Univiersity Fights Hispanic Graduation Gap

2010-08-31T14:57:52Z

The Education Trust released a study this month that showed Purdue University to have one of the largest White vs. Hispanic graduation gaps.

]]> The study stated that among public universities Purdue did not show good numbers for graduation rates of Hispanic and Latino students.

According to the study 71% of Whites will leave the university within six years, with a degree. For Hispanics that number is 54.3%.

For some Latino students these numbers came as no surprise.

"Ever since I started Purdue University those numbers have been really high. So it's not really a surprise anymore," said Virginia Del Real, a Latino student and senior at the university.

But Purdue is trying to close this gap. The first step is to implement a series of studies for the fall to observe why Latino students are not doing as well as their non-Hispanic counter parts.

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Source: WLFI