Political conservative pundit S.E. Cupp’s newest book, “Losing Our Religion:  The Liberal Media’s Attack on Christianity” has further polarized conservative and liberal media, even as its title and subject matter drew claims of irony.

Cupp’s book polarizes conservatives, liberals, raises claims of irony

Newsweek, which reviewed Cupp’s book, extensively quoted her and indicated page numbers; said it was melodramatic, patronizing to her readers, and inspired fear mongering.

Newsweek also denied that they are a mainstream publication, and said they are not attacking Christians or even religious freedom.

Media Matters for America focused on what Cupp wrote about evolution, and said that she does violence to the science of evolution and to the public’s expectations of science journalists and science teachers.

Cupp’s book has also raised a sense of irony that an atheist should write a book that strongly defends Christianity.  Cupp however says that political conservatives like herself would benefit if Christians worked harder to protect their turf, as mainstream liberal media shoots two birds with one stone when they attack Christianity.

Cupp said Christianity is a target so that mainstream media can also attack conservatism.  “If they can effectively paint Christians as dangerous fanatics, it’s just a skip away from painting conservatives as dangerous fanatics,” she said in an interview with Mediaite.

In that same report she said that her being an atheist gave her the needed objectivity to write the book.  “I would hope it gives a little more credibility to the project than having some fundamentalist Christian write about attacks on Christianity,” she said.

Christian Today noted that other studies have also documented Cupp’s viewpoints, including The Media Elite by Lichter, Rothman and Lichter (1986), and Bias by Bernard Goldberg (2001).

Bill Muehlenberg, who authored the Christian Today review wrote, “Western Christians are sleeping through their own execution.They seem oblivious [that] the surrounding culture has declared war on the Christian faith.”

In her book Cupp wrote, according to Newsweek, that:

1. Secular media has turned religious worship into a “subculture” and reacted to presidential candidate Mike Huckabee’s 2007 Christmas commercial by focusing on a “strategically placed” cross in the background.  (She cites The Washington Post and CNN).
2. Major media did not cover Obama’s snub of the National Day of Prayer.
3. Newsweek’s review of the Christian bestseller “Left Behind” said, “Sociologists tell us that the United States is experiencing a religious revival, but if the bestseller lists are any guide, the revival looks more like a collective leaving of the senses.”
4. Reviews of the Christian story “Narnia” were lukewarm despite its being a box office hit.  Reviews for The Golden Compass, which attacks Christianity, were positive although the movie did not do well at the tills.

Cupp also noted that the liberal press downplays Obama’s discomfort with religious America and barely wrote about his covering up of religious imagery in the backdrop when he gave a speech at Georgetown University.

Persecution, conversion and healing continue in Israel, even as some dwell on the possibility that Jesus may eventually come to be a uniting force for peace in the Promised Land.

Persecution of the Levin family began when they held prayer meetings in the house they were renting.  The landlord filed charges to oust them, but the Levins stayed, confident the law is on their side.

Still, neighbors isolated them.  Sugar was placed in the tank of their minivan and eventually both of the Levin’s vehicles were burned, according to The Christian Telegraph.

Another story is told in Christianity Today is of Muslim teenagers threatening a teen for wearing a cross.

Most Arab Christian men stay silent when Muslims heckle their wives for not wearing a veil.  They fear their families will be harmed.  One Arab Christian complained, “We always have to suck up to the Muslims,” the report said.

Stories also abound in Israel of conversions, or at the very least of Jews or Muslims  looking towards Christians with a kinder eye.

Christianity Today tells of Maoz Inon who founded the Jesus Trail in Israel after he had a vision, though he is not religious.

Still, Inon says the Jesus Trail boosts understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.  “I believe in the power of Jesus. In our day, he can still change the world and make it a better place for us and our children,” Christianity Today reported.

The same report says there are many anonymous Arab Christians.  Conversion stories are compelling, for example Rani Espanioly talks of a figure of light approaching and clothing him in light, as he heard the voice of God.

“We Arab Christians can be ambassadors for reconciliation and peace in this country,” Espanioly says.

There are also a growing number of Jewish conversions, with some 10,000 to 15,000 Messianic Jews.  Yossi Ovadia, a Messianic Jewish pastor, said he was converted while walking along the Sea of Galilee.

He was surprised when a British Christian said God loves Jews—Yossi thought everyone hated Jews.  He envied the close personal relationship Christians had with Jesus, so he got what they had.

The most populous Islamic nation in the world is experiencing a heavy outpouring of Christianity, TIME magazine noted in latest issue.

Indonesia has some 215 million Islamic believers.  However, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Christianity is Indonesia’s second largest faith and it is growing dramatically in recent years despite outpourings of violence.  In all of Asia, Christianity has some 350 million believers.

Most of the conversions in Indonesia are Pentecostal and Evangelical.  Pentecostalism is considered by many to be the fastest growing faith in the world in terms of conversions (as opposed to births).  It is estimated that by 2050 most Christians will be living in developing nations.

Troubled Past

It is believed that some of the growth of Christianity is triggered by a wave of terrorism and the rise of conservatism among Muslims in Indonesia, which has led to laws that encourage old practices like caning for drinking beer and forcing dress codes for women.

But the move toward Christianity is also seen as an offshoot of the inception of democracy in the country more than a decade ago which led to pluralism and religious conflict.

Despite some adherence to religious freedom, for the past few years dozens of churches and theological academies were destroyed or forced to shut down by Islamic groups.  They accused Christians of trying to steal Muslim believers.  Dozens of local governments have also passed Islamic-based laws that threaten Christian rights.

Last year, the Indonesia Ulema Council, an influential Islamic clerical body, decried Christian proselytization and urged Muslims to guard their faith. “There is a real fear that Christianity is on the march,” says Mike Hilliard, a Scottish minister married to an Indonesian.  They runs an orphanage outside Jakarta that has been targeted by militant Muslims. “Because of this fear, emotions are easily stirred up and mobs can form quickly.”

Although some Christians hold prominent cabinet positions, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has done little to protect religious minorities. Nevertheless, Christians on the street seem undeterred.

Unreliable Statistics

Although local statistics of growth of Christianity in Indonesia may be unreliable, evidence has shown more boldness among the faithful.  For example, in Jakarta megachurches are found in the city, as well as unofficial churches in hotels and malls.  Asia’s tallest statue of Jesus Christ is in Manado city, eastern Indonesia, and Indonesia cable TV has 24-hour Christian channels.

Pastor David Nugroho who has a church in Gesing, Indonesia with 400 worshippers, was quoted  by TIME as saying, “People think Indonesia is just a Muslim country, (but) we (Christians) are not afraid to show our faith.”

Warsaw (ENI). Almost two-thirds of Europeans think Christian values are still relevant to contemporary life and are ready to acknowledge the Church’s efforts to promote them, a recent survey carried out for La Croix daily newspaper has found.

“Whether rooted in Christianity or not, Europeans recognise a privileged place for this religion in its Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox forms,” France’s Roman Catholic-linked newspaper commented on 1 April.

“Yet while two-thirds think Christianity’s message is still up-to-date, this isn’t the case for the other third. So, Christianity remains an element marking the religious culture of the Old Continent, but no longer claims exclusivity,” the newspaper noted.

In the survey, conducted during March by France’s Institut Francais d’Opinion Publique (IFOP) in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, 57 percent of respondents said they believe Christians are “sufficiently visible” in society. That was compared to 28 percent who thought they were “not visible enough” and 15 percent who considered them “too visible”.

Although 61 percent of Europeans said the “message and values” of Christianity remain topical, only Italians believe churches are doing a good job in communicating and reaching out to young people, compared to between 74 and 80 percent of British, French, German and Spanish respondents who thought the opposite.

Forty-eight percent of Europeans assigned a key role to Christian values in promoting “dialogue with different cultures and religions” and “solidarity with the poor,” compared to between three and 13 percent believing these values are important in bioethics and respect for life, in “moralising capitalism” or on issues such as immigration and environmental protection.

At the same time, slightly more than 80 percent of respondents said church priorities for the 21st century should include action for world peace and combating poverty at home, while a third believe churches should be “available at life’s key moments” and one in five think their priorities should include “making Christ’s message known”.

In its commentary, La Croix said the “Christian anchorage” of Europeans appears “too deep to be shifted by the waves stirred by current events”, and has been little affected by current abuse scandals in the churches. However, it also notes strong national differences in attitudes to Christianity, with French citizens voicing stronger criticisms than their Italian neighbours.

In Britain and Germany, where religious pluralism and coexistence are a “well anchored historical reality”, according to La Croix, more citizens regret the failure of traditional churches to hold their ground against new minority faiths.

“For the English above all, religion is a private affair. The Church should be there at life’s important moments, rather than to support world peace, whereas in Germany the churches have a recognised social role as a sort of State institution,” the newspaper noted.
“By contrast, if the majority of French are strongly detached from religion, French Catholics display a more marked religious outlook than Italian or Spanish Catholics. They are also proportionately more numerous in voicing an attachment to Christian values,” it stated.

The survey by IFOP, which was founded in the 1930s, follows other poll results suggesting interest in religion remains extensive in Europe, despite what many see as the continent’s outwardly secular character.

A recent study by the Barna Group indicated that the majority of the unchurched in America are conservative, white, female Baby Boomers.

The same study indicated that nearly two-thirds of the unchurched, or some 65 million adults, have not gone to service in the last six months.

A recent study by the Barna Group indicated that the majority of the unchurched in America are conservative, white, female Baby Boomers.

An article from the Associated Baptist Press said that the population of unchurched adults who have not gone to service in the last six months, combined with children under 18 who may be living with them would equal some 100 million, or a population equivalent to “the 12th most populous nation on Earth.”

Four of every 10 stopped going to service because of negative past experiences.

A report from Tucson Liberal Christian Examiner at Examiner.com cited five reasons why people stopped going to church, as culled from Lifeway Christian Resources.

The reasons are:

• Christians treating other Christians poorly;
• Christians with “holier than thou” attitudes;
• Believers talking more than they listen;
• Christian refusal to get involved in the lives of the unchurched;
• Christians saying they believe, but do not attend church.

The same article quoted Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention who said, “Most of them desire to see a Christian live his or her faith as well as speak about it.”

Other Findings

The Barna Survey had other findings as well, such as:

• Three out of five or 61percent of the unchurched say they are Christian;
• Thirty-nine percent of the unchurched do not embrace Christianity;
• Some 53 percent were either former Protestants or Catholics;
• One-fifth, or 18 percent said they are born again or Evangelical Christians.
• Two-thirds or 68 percent believe God is the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator of the universe and still rules today.
• About 35 percent believe the Bible is completely accurate.
• One in five or 22 percent say the ultimate purpose of life is to love God with all their heart, mind, strength and soul.
• One in seven or 14-15 percent say their religious faith is very important to them, and they have a clear sense of their meaning and purpose in life.

Barna regularly conducts surveys that measure the importance of faith in American life.  The findings are submitted to ministries, according to the Associated Baptist Report.

The Jewish holiday of Passover for 2010 begins at sundown on Monday and lasts the next seven days. It is the celebration of the Israelites coming out of slavery in Egypt.

A properly set Passover Seder table. The Haggadah book is in foreground.

The biblical event takes place in Exodus 10 through 13 in the Old Testament.

God instructed the Jewish people to mark their doorposts with lamb’s blood so He would “pass over” them when slaying the first born of Egypt (the last of the “10 Plagues” causing Pharoah to release them from bondage).

Many Christian churches have begun incorporating a Passover “Seder” (say-der, meaning service) into their activities around Easter.

Passover is what Jesus and the apostles were celebrating at the Last Supper, because they were Jewish men with Jewish observances:

“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord – a lasting ordinance.” (Exodus 12:14)

“Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.  Jesus sent Peter and John, saying ‘go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.’” (Luke 22:7-8)

Passover is also celebrated by “Jewish believers” – Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah of both the Jews and Christians. Psalm 22; Isaiah 11:1, 7:14; Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 1:1-16, 21:7; Mark 15; John 3:16 are a few parallel passages in the Old and New Testament supporting this belief.

Jesus’ Hebrew name is “Yeshua” – the Lord saves. Jewish believers attend Messianic Synagogues or Christian churches.

How is Passover celebrated?
The opening night Passover Service (“seder”) is usually held in family homes or in unison as entire congregations. A large meal is served, with some items representing the hardships faced in Egypt and in the desert.

Prior to the meal, attendees read from the Haggadah, which is the re-telling of the Exodus story. The Haggadah has existed for about 300 years and includes songs about the sacrificial lamb and the escape via the Red Sea.

How does the perspective differ for Christians and Messianic Jewish believers?
The story of the Exodus remains the same. But countless parallels exist for Christians and Jewish believers between the lambs sacrificed in the Old Testament, and Jesus as the “Ultimate Sacrifice.”

There are also striking prophetic similarities between the first Passover dinner in the book of Exodus, present-day Jewish Passover activities, and what Jesus did at the Last Supper:

• The Jews were told to take only unleavened bread on their journey.-Jesus broke unleavened bread with the disciples.
• The ceremony contains glasses of wine as an honor to the lamb’s blood and sweat of the Jews.-Jesus offered the disciples wine as a symbol of his blood, yet to be shed.
• The “matzo” crackers (today’s symbol of the Israelites’ unleavened bread) are dipped in bitter herbs and eaten to represent sorrow and hard labor.-The disciples dipped and ate unleavened bread to represent Jesus’ body.
• Lamb’s blood was shed at the first Passover to save the Jews from the plagues and free them from a seemingly never-ending bondage.-Jesus was “sacrificed” (crucified) soon after he celebrated Passover at the Last Supper.  His blood was shed to save us from our sins and free us from eternal death.
• The ceremonial matzo (“Afikomen”) is hidden under a cushion, not to be seen until the end, when the children uncover it and bring it out.-Jesus was entombed and wasn’t seen again for three days. At the end of three days he is seen alive outside by  the women, having shed his wrappings.
• There are 3 matzohs separated in different folds of a napkin, used in the ceremony at various intervals.-Jesus was born, died, and rose again. (3 stages).

About the author: Sheryl Young is a Jewish believer in Jesus and author of “What Every Christian Should Know about the Jewish People: Improving the Church’s Relationship with God’s Original Chosen Nation.” The book contains more information on Jewish Holidays.)

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Why would a loving God allow me to suffer like this?

If we were all completely and utterly honest, the majority of us would admit that, at some point in our lives, we have posed the question “Why would a loving God allow people to suffer?” It is a completely valid question.

Even the wisest and most spiritual of saints continue to grapple with this complex reality of the world in which we live. Why does God allow bad things to happen to genuinely good people? Why do Christians suffer from pains that seem so pointless?

Here are four reasons that people you know, Christians and unbelievers alike, endure suffering. The first two are simple:

1. Sin is a Natural Element of Reality. Since Adam and Eve turned against God’s rules and laws in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis chapter 3), sin has permeated every facet of humanity and existence as we know it. Sin damages people’s lives, destroys relationships and friendships and causes innocent people to suffer harm and even die. Until Christ returns and raptures His bride [the church, those who have placed their faith and trust in Him as Savior], our world will remain broken under the weight of sin.

2. We Make Wrong Choices. God, in his loving kindness toward humanity, infused within every human being a free will to choose right or wrong. Unfortunately, many of us choose wrong and these poor decisions come with their consequences. For more on this, see Deuteronomy 30:11-20.

The next two reasons are not so straightforward and have often been the center of debate and frustration amongst countless Christian men and women struggling through life’s inexplicable circumstances. Why is God allowing me to endure this? Does He not see my pain down here? Is He not paying attention to me?

3. God Has a Bigger Perspective. Ponder the writings of the prophet Isaiah, penning the words of God: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NASU)

As one commentator so well noted, there is indeed a vast difference between the plans and purposes of an almighty, omniscient God and the plans of ordinary people.

In fact, it is such a difference that the prophet Isaiah here must employ the use of a vast measurement of distance, specifically the distance between the earth and the highest point of the heavens. A similar comparison concerning God’s love can be found in Psalm 103:11.

Just because we cannot see the end result of our present trial or tribulation does not mean it is without purpose or reason. Rest in the all sufficient grace of God.

4. God glorifies Himself and Receives Praise and Worship through our Suffering. This may very well be the most troublesome reason of all for many Christians, young and old alike. In the midst of a season of suffering, it is easy to find oneself in despair and hopelessness.

However, like no other person you know, God possesses the innate ability to transform the seemingly hopeless into the hope-filled. It is what He does best. And He gets the glory every time.

Do you remember the story of Job from the Old Testament? God allowed, literally gave Satan permission, to destroy Job’s home, his land, all his possessions and finally to take the lives of his precious family, wife and children. Do you remember Job’s response?

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and he fell to the ground and worshipped…He said, ‘…The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.” Job 1:20-22 (NASU, emphasis added)

If you are suffering today under the weight of an excruciating circumstance or tribulation, take heart! Remember that “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10).

I am certain that the wives and families of missionaries Nate Saint and Jim Elliot who gave their lives to share the Gospel with the Auca Indians did not initially understand the purposes of their husbands’ murders at the hands of savages (see the book “Through the Gates of Splendor”).

Now, years later, thanks to the efforts of Steve Saint (Nate’s son), the Auca people are growing Christians and minister to surrounding villages. Their testimonies are some of the most powerful stories you will ever hear. Countless people have come to know Christ as their personal Savior through the story of Nate Saint and Jim Elliot. Two men gave their very lives to see this dream and mission fulfilled.

God always receives glory, even in the midst of seemingly senseless suffering.

From the Associated Press:

NEW YORK — These are boom times for conservative authors.

Michelle Malkin’s "Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks and Cronies" spent weeks at No. 1 on The New York Times nonfiction list. Sales have been strong for Dick Morris’ anti-Obama "Catastrophe" and the reissue of "The Five Thousand Year Leap," by W. Cleon Skousen.

And Sarah Palin may top them all.

In a feat usually reserved for the likes of J.K. Rowling and Dan Brown, Palin’s book was No. 1 on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com just two days after Harper announced it had moved up the release date from the spring to Nov. 17 and that the memoir’s title was "Going Rogue."

Palin’s 432-page memoir, still No. 1 on Friday, has been given a first printing of 1.5 million copies and booksellers have begun fighting for sales. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. cut the $28.99 list price by more than half, to $13.50, and Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com are offering "Going Rogue" for $15.65, a 45 percent discount.

Although she resigned abruptly last summer as governor, and the Republican ticket of Sen. John McCain and Palin was decisively beaten in the 2008 election, "Going Rogue" will surely outsell the memoir of her Democratic counterpart, Vice President Joe Biden, and likely approach the million-selling heights of President Barack Obama’s "The Audacity of Hope."

Amrit Vani cd cover

Since 2000, Aradhna has set out to create authentic Indian worship music.

By blending Indian bhajans (spirituals) with Biblical subject-matter, band members Chris Hale (lead vocals, sitar), Peter Hicks (acoustic guitar, sitar, English vocals), Fiona Hicks (Hindustani violin) and Travis Macafee (bass), have proven that good Christian music is not an oxymoron.

Amrit Vani (Immortal World) is the band’s latest release.

While listening, you can almost smell of Tibetan juniper incense, frying spices and rain-drenched soil wafting through the air as you lift up fragrant praise offerings to the Most High God.

Although this album in performed (mostly) in Hindi, the album’s lush, hypnotic grooves and the simplicity of the Gospel make you want to worship the Lord.

If you read the lyrics while listening to the music the (impact) is trebled. For those who don’t know Indian languages, the album’s liner notes are in English and Hindi.

Amrit Vani begins with Jaya Dev (Victory to God) and ends with Narahari (The Man-God).

Jaya Dev sets the tone for the album. The track begins with a low hum that blossoms into a rousing, yet exotic song of praise with table, guitar and a choir of angelic voices singing out “Jaya Deva Narahari” on the chorus. As it gets stuck in your head, don’t be surprised if Jaya Dev becomes your personal anthem.

Narahari is sort of a reprise of Jaya Dev. It wraps up the album nicely.

In between Jaya Dev and Narahari are eight sublime tracks dealing with various aspects of Christianity—from the suffering of the believer to the awesomeness of God’s creation.

• Yeshu Raja (King Jesus) is a simple bhajan celebrating the incarnation. It’s sweet, sort of like a lullaby.
• Amrit Vani gives praise to each person in the Trinity. It’s more up tempo than some of the other songs on the album. Expect someone to sample it for a rap song in the future.

• Bhajo Re is a fun, call and response song that sounds like something you could sing with your mates at a sporting event, except it’s in Hindi and it’s about finding rest and peace in Jesus.
• Dhyana Mulam is a short hymn of devotion to Aradhna’s guru-Jesus.
• Man Mera is tender and gentle. Like the other songs on this album it’s in layers. It build up and builds up, finishing in a worshipful frenzy where Peter Hicks’ Peter Gabriel-esque vocals are striking when juxtaposed with the Hindi voices in the background.

• Prem Milan (United in Love) is a folky travelling song. It is reminiscent of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress in that it’s about a person who reaches his beloved after a long journey.
• Prabhu Hamare- has Aradhna interpreting a portion of a song from one of the greatest songwriters, ever— King David, as the lyrics in this song are taken from a Hindi translation of Psalm 91, verse four.
• Khat Khataao (Knock, Knock)—Christ’s words from Matthew 7: 7 set to music. Perfect.
• Aayo Hai Aayo (A Nepali Christmas Song) recounts Jesus’ birth in a manger and His purpose for coming into the world—to become our Salvation. This might be one to add to the traditional Christmas rotation to mix things up.

From start to finish, Amrit Vani transforms its listeners, while transporting them to faraway lands.

For more info

For more information on Aradhna, visit www.aradhnamusic.com or www.myspace.com/aradhnamusic

Buy Amrit Vani at www.cdbaby.com/cd/aradhna2 or www.aradhnamusic.com/store.html.

See them live

Aradhna is currently on tour. Though they perform well in the studio, Aradhna is even better live, as their previous album, Satsang proves. Check out their schedule to see if they’ll be playing near you.

Samad Bilal grew up in a Muslim household in Raleigh, N.C. He prayed five times a day facing Mecca, abstained from pork and shunned the Christianity the culture tried to foist on him.

When Bilal came of age, he joined the Navy.

During his stint in the armed forces, he served his country faithfully, but realized he wasn’t a “lifer,” so he got out.

He was 23 years old, the world was in front of him, but he didn’t know whether to turn to the right or to the left.

“After getting out of the Navy, I was really lost and confused as to what direction my life was to go in,” he said.

Then a coworker became a minister and teacher to Bilal.

“A friend at work began to minister to me about Christ, and I accepted Christ on the job in a restroom.”

“The fact that Jesus Christ died for my sins…In Islam, I was taught to ‘atone’ for my wrong doings, yet, no matter how much I could atone, I would STILL fall short of God’s glory and be unworthy,” he said.

“When I heard that JESUS died for all of that? WOW!”

As Bilal grew in his Christianity, he realized that he wanted to give back; he wanted to affect change within his community.

Blessed with musical ability, Bilal decided that the best medium to reach the most was hip-hop, so C.O.G. (Child of God), his rap alter ego was born.

Recently, I spoke with the National Independent Gospel award-winning rapper to discuss his music, life and everything else.

—-

Tiff: Did you expect your life to radically change after accepting Christ?

C.O.G.: I did expect a radical change in the beginning. I had always heard or seen part of what ‘traditional’ church would do. You know, the tongues, the dancing, the shouting. I never felt that, so I never felt I could have that unless I did those things.

Tiff: A lot of Christians think people will reject the simplicity of the Gospel or think it’s foolish, but you heard it and it made sense.

C.O.G.: When it was taught the actual simplicity of the Gospel, it really was and is easy. When a man or woman is down, with nowhere else to turn, the Gospel is very simplistic, necessary and welcomed.

Tiff: So going back to your story post-Navy, and post-conversion…was it easy for you to find a church or Christian community in which you could learn about Christ or were you still put off from "church folk?"

C.O.G.: It was very difficult. Having not been a part of the church community, the things that I had always heard, seen or read about in church were the first things that I witnessed. It wasn’t until I met Pastor Leroy Staley in Forest City, N.C. that I saw different.

Tiff: How did Pastor Leroy change the way you viewed things?

C.O.G.: He didn’t come across as pushy or arrogant. He was truly concerned for my salvation. He always taught me to keep the Gospel elementary. “Just love people,” he would say. That’s all I’ve ever known him to do. He didn’t come at me with too much theology. For a new convert, that can be too much too soon.

Tiff: Is he still your pastor today?

C.O.G.: He will always be “my pastor.” I’m in Raleigh now and Rodney Finch is my pastor; but there will always be a very special place in my heart for Pastor Staley and New Bethel.

Just like Pastor Staley, Pastor Rodney doesn’t push. He teaches the Bible verse by verse, allowing us all to grow. That’s the most important key to becoming a better Christian: Growth.

Tiff: It’s interesting that you say that. At what point did you grow enough in the faith that you decided to become a musician?

C.O.G.: Well, that was a part of me before becoming a believer. I sang in night clubs, was in a couple of groups, etc. When I got saved, I took time to learn the Word and grow. There was no point of growth, when the Holy Spirit said to go back to music, I just did. At first, it was very difficult. I was not accustomed to the type of music the group I was with was singing at the time. We were a quartet group, and that was something a bit new and very different for me.

Tiff: How did you come up with your rap persona?

C.O.G.: By that time, I was a Sunday school teacher and a youth pastor. I was singing and teaching, but it didn’t feel right. It seemed like I was just going through the motions, not really making a difference. The very children in my youth ministry were still turning to the music of the street, hip hop. I wanted to do something to win them back.

I believe that turning point came when I heard my daughter listening to some rap that I didn’t approve of. I told her that I didn’t want to hear that music in my house, and she said, “Daddy, make something I can listen to then.” I started that day.

Tiff: You just started writing raps, just like that?

C.O.G.: Just like that. Went in the studio and wrote my first CD in two weeks. That’s how I know it was God, not me!

Tiff: When did you first step out as C.O.G.?

C.O.G.: My daughter started sharing the music with her friends and the local paper heard about it and wanted to do a story on me. This little old lady asked me what my rapper name was, and I told her I didn’t have one, I’m just a child of God. She said, “That’s it! Your name should be Child of God.” And that’s how C.O.G. came about.

Tiff: How did people receive you?

C.O.G.: People at first did not like what I was doing. People would say, “God don’t need no hip hop music to save souls.” And I would agree and say, “He don’t need no quartet music, choirs, organs either!”

I’ve been doing this now for almost six years. I’ve been extremely blessed that no matter where I’ve been, people have LOVED my music. I believe the music should remain fun, only the message should change.

There’s a way to deliver the Word without it being boring, docile or too dark. So many young people think serving God is a drag, but that’s just because of the way tradition has caused it to be delivered. For way too many years, preachers have preached, hell, fire and brimstone and that’s not a very pretty picture.

If you’re already in a bad situation, why would you want to join something that seems so grim? Being a Christian is fun! You have the freedom to just be you. No peer pressure, no pressure to do drugs, drink alcohol, curse, etc.

Tiff: So what kind of message would you say you "preach" through your lyrics?

C.O.G.: I keep it very simple. I truly believe why my music has been so well received. Little children to grandparents all seem to appreciate what I do. That’s a true blessing.

I try to reach a broad range of subjects in my music, but the most consistent message I try to deliver is that Jesus Christ died for your sins; forgiveness of sins is yours if you’d just believe, repent and turn away from sin.

Tiff: Okay, so tell me about your latest album. What’s the name of it?

C.O.G.: The latest CD is entitled Ghetto Hymnbook. The CD is a very easy listen. The songs are fun, the hooks are catchy and the Word is evident. Oh, and the beats-oh my goodness! I have the very best producer in Gospel music on this project His name is Spec (www.spechousemedia.com), and he used to be a big producer in the secular realm.

Tiff: So it’s music that young people won’t be ashamed to bump in front of their friends?

C.O.G.: Actually, they will want to bump this in front of their friends. I know a lot of people say that type of thing, but listen for yourself and see.

Buy C.O.G.’s music here:

· http://www.pdsoulwebsite.com (Digital download only)

· Send $7 to Ghetto Hymnbook, 1225 Delham Road Knightdale, NC 27545 (Hardcopy)

Check out C.OG.’s music and get in touch with him at the following sites:

· http://www.pdsoulwebsite.com

· http://www.myspace.com/pdsoul