An interesting video was posted on You Tube on Monday, September 12 called “Caring for the Lost at Vanderbilt.” If you haven’t seen it yet, you may want to before you read the rest of this.

The video opens with a young family driving around the fraternity houses near Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to the narrator, they are looking for a place to preach the Gospel. While dad drives, mom describes the scene as they drive past party after party with swarms of college students and grounds littered with beer cans. It is obvious that she is worried about the students’ safety as well as their souls.

Her heart is clearly in the right place. But then it gets a little weird. She describes the students as “drunk with the wine of this world” and states that if parents are planning on sending their children to this university, that they should repent.

About two minutes into the video the mom uses a microphone to shout out to the students that “no drunkard will enter the kingdom of heaven – you must repent.”

As you can imagine, the students aren’t very impressed. Most ignore the couple, but a few engage in conversations, but not conversions. I was relieved to see that they actually did park the car to talk to the students, but every other word they said was “repent.” The message was correct but the delivery was terrible or so it appears.

At the end of the video, there is a link to a website, cheapmissiontrips.com. When I visited there today, there was no mention of this particular video, however other videos were posted there and they all seem to feature Tabitha Lovell, an International Travel Specialist.

By visiting the website, you can tell that she, and her husband Kevin, really love the Lord and really believe in missions. She and her company, MKI Group Travel, provide missionaries discount airfare. The site has tips on how to become a missionary, on traveling and testimonies.

They have a heart for reaching the lost and they are doing a huge service in helping missionaries go abroad affordably. However, I suspect that they have better success reaching the lost overseas than in their hometown.

The scenes on this video reminded me of a local town’s Fourth of July parade that I attended this year. Before the parade began, a small crowd set up microphones and speakers on the corner sidewalks to tell the crowd that they would be going to hell if they didn’t repent of their sins.

The group wasn’t obnoxious, but I don’t think anyone was moved by their actions either. In fact, a few people clapped when they finished because they wouldn’t have to hear them preach anymore. In contrast, another church group offered up their church grounds after the parade in celebration of the holiday. They gave out hot dogs and had “bounce houses” for children to jump around in.

No preaching was involved, just a fun and friendly atmosphere. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I suspect that the latter was more impactful in reaching others for Christ.

At the end of the video a verse is posted from Ezekiel 33:9: “Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked from his way, he shall die in his iniquity’ but you have delivered your soul.”

I guess the Lovell’s and others are doing that, and this isn’t to say that Christians should just stand and watch the world go to hell in a hand basket, but I think God had something better in mind than just dumping the truth and running away.

Another verse in the Bible says, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15) and that some “perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10) I wonder how many of those students “felt the love” as that couple drove by. How many are moved when they see the “Turn or Burn” bumper sticker on our cars? Is this is the good news?

So, what do you think? What’s the answer?

Originally here.

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The head of an Alzheimer’s organization said recently that comments by televangelist Pat Robertson, referring to Alzheimer’s as a type of “death” that may justify divorce, highlights the need for more public education about the ailment.

Eric J. Hall, founder and head of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, said the comments Robertson made on the 700 Club only illustrate the need to erase the stigma of Alzheimer’s by helping people to perceive how the brain disorder affects afflicted individuals and their families.

Robertson’s comments infuriated Christians, including leaders and members of the Evangelical community. One comment to a blog in Christianity Today said Robertson gave “horrible advice.” Another comment said the advice was “wretched,” and a third said it was “irresponsible, callous.”

Hall said, “There is no doubt that this heartbreaking disease robs people of their memories and other intellectual functions, but to liken Alzheimer’s disease to, as Mr. Robertson said, ‘a kind of death’ fosters an insensitivity that feeds misperceptions about the disease. It fails to take into account that people with Alzheimer’s disease, although impaired, deserve optimal care and dignity. Love and compassion are the greatest gifts for every human being until their very last breath.”

Robertson made the comment when a caller to the 700 Club told of a friend whose wife has advanced Alzheimer’s, and who had been dating other women. The friend justified his action by saying that his wife, as he knew her, “is gone.”

Robertson replied, “That is a terribly hard thing. I hate Alzheimer’s. It is one of the most awful things because here is a loved one—this is the woman or man that you have loved for 20, 30, 40 years. And suddenly that person is gone. They’re gone. They are gone. So, what he says basically is correct. But I know it sounds cruel, but if he’s going to do something he should divorce her and start all over again. But to make sure she has custodial care and somebody looking after her.”

Overwhelming loneliness

Michael Verde, founder and head of Memory Bridge (which helps Alzheimer’s patients to connect with communities), disagreed with Robertson, and said it would be damaging to leave a spouse who is afflicted with the disease.

Verde, an evangelical Christian, said victims experience loneliness which can be overwhelming. He told The Chicago Tribune, “Ask Pat Robertson: ‘Is there ever a condition in which God would rightfully divorce us?’ The answer is no.”

Robertson McQuilkin, former president of Columbia Bible College and Seminary, left his job of 22 years to care for his wife who was afflicted with Alzheimer’s for 25 years until she died in 2003.

McQuilkin, in a 2004 interview with Christianity Today said he never regretted caring for his wife. “Some people sort of resent the imposition, but those thoughts never came to me. I thought it was a privilege to care for her. She had always cared for me.”

Never an ‘accident’ in marriage

Evangelical speaker Joni Eareckson Tada, founder of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, said on her website, “When a Christian leader views marriage on a sliding scale, what does this say to the millions of couples who must deal daily with catastrophic injuries and illnesses?”

Tada added, “Alzheimer’s disease is never an ‘accident’ in a marriage; it falls under the purview of God’s sovereignty. In the case of someone with Alzheimer’s, this means God’s unconditional and sacrificial love has an opportunity to be even more gloriously displayed in a life together!”

There’s a proverb that says if you love something, let it go. If it returns, it’s yours. If not, well, it never belonged to you in the first place.

But had my son Braden written that proverb it would go more like this: “If you love something and it won’t cooperate, stomp the guts out of it.”

A few years ago he and I rescued a frog in our garage. I gently placed the little guy in Braden’s hands. We talked about the frog’s warts, his strong legs, and bulging eyes.

After the brief science lesson, we set him free. Braden followed his new friend around the yard for a half hour. He tried to catch it, pet it, and steer it. He wanted it back in the garage to do with it as he pleased. But the frog wouldn’t oblige.

In frustration Braden lurched forward and crushed the little fellow beneath his foot. I was horrified! I momentarily concluded that my wife and I were raising a sociopath. When I could finally reel in my slack jaw I asked him, “Why did you do that?” His answer was as telling as it was simple: “Because he wouldn’t listen to me.”

Some of us think that God is a lot like Braden. If you don’t stay one step ahead of him, leaping quickly from his crushing blow, God will maliciously scrub you into the dust. God will eventually catch up to you and squash you for every evil act ever committed, every wrong thought that has crossed your mind, and for every missed Sunday service.

Maybe it stems from an anxious childhood or from bad religious experiences, but we all too often see God for less than he is. We view him as some kind of irritated old school master keeping a ledger of our sins – an Ebenezer Scrooge – selfish, stodgy, and never to be crossed.

Or we think of him as a vindictive bully, angry at the world – a cosmic Simon Cowell – one who only lets the best get by, and only then after a severe tongue lashing. Sure, a few will make it through the pearly gates, but God will be none too happy about it. 

Or we may imagine God, sitting in a high and mighty palace somewhere, breathing threats and intimidation just waiting for someone to cross the line, to be noncompliant, so he can squash them like a bug. Or frog. Is this who God is?

If you believe some religious extremists, certainly this is accurate. But this is not the God revealed to us by the person of Christ. Jesus reveals a God who loves with such passion that he was willing to drive nails into his own flesh to set free those living in darkness.

If we’re not careful, these polluted images of God can even corrupt the very lynchpin of our faith – the cross. A vindictive God reduces Jesus to just a martyr – someone who finally stood up against this angry tyrant, and paid the price for it.

But on the cross God was not saying, “See! Look what you made me do to my Son,” launching the mother of all guilt trips. Not at all.  The cross reveals, not God’s anger, but God’s love. The cross, and the love that orchestrated it, was not designed to shame and guilt us into doing something we really don’t want to do.

It was an intentional act of revelation. God was showing us his heart. God was showing us his true nature. God was inviting us to flush away these horrible misconceptions about who he is. In the process he was calling us to himself; to a God worth believing, a God worth worshipping, a God worth loving.

And by the way, I don’t think Braden will turn out to be an axe murderer after all. Thankfully, a day later our family paused to say grace over our evening meal. When it was Braden’s turn to pray, he bowed and said: “Dear Jesus…I killed a frog.” All was forgiven.

Ronnie McBrayer is a syndicated columnist, speaker, and author. His books include “Leaving Religion, Following Jesus” and “The Jesus Tribe.” Visit his website at www.ronniemcbrayer.net.

Many music bands have interesting stories on how they came up with their band’s name. This is not one of those stories. Beginning in 2002, three musicians from Ontario, Canada, (Jason Dunn, Davin Clark and Matt Paige), formed a pop punk band called SWISH.

A little later they changed it to Reason Being briefly before landing on the name, Hawk Nelson. To the un-initiated, one would think that with a name like that, someone in the band would actually be named, “Hawk” or “Nelson.” But you would be wrong.

Turns out, frontman Dunn was playing a video game and he named his avatar character, Hawk Nelson and the name just sort of stuck. So, if you’re trying to find a spiritual meaning behind the name, look no further.

Thousands of displaced Sri Lankans who were caught between the crossfire of government forces and the rebel Tamil Tigers group are receiving aid from Gospel for Asia.

Although the civil war ended in 2009, there are still small areas in northern Sri Lanka that remain under Tamil Tigers control. Civilians in the crossfire have taken refuge in camps located in a government-designated “safe zone.”

GFA is providing sandals, books for makeshift schools and food, and has sought permission to visit the camps, a request that has been, so far, denied because the Sri Lankan government cannot ensure safety.

Dr. T. Varatharaja, who works in the camps, told BBC, “There is no food, no water supply, no toilet facilities, and no safe area. They are staying under the trees, everywhere. We need more than 400 or 500 tons of food a week, but we are receiving only 60 tons. And there’s only rice and dahl (Asian lentils). It’s not enough for these people. There’s no milk formula for the children, no vegetables, no meat, nothing,” GFA reported on its website.

Religious minority

The civil war broke out in 1971 and ended in 2009, although there are still areas in the north where the Tamil Tigers, who represent a religious minority, prevail and are fighting for separation.

Niromi de Soyza, a former member of the rebel group, wrote about her experience in her book, Tamil Tigress. Now living in Australia, de Soyza said children are often recruited who are not allowed to read any papers and are undereducated.

De Soyza, whose book was reviewed by The Sydney Morning Herald, said Tamil Tigers were not allowed to fall in love, and when two recruits did, the girl was “marked to be put into the front line the next time they were in combat. The boy was summarily shot.”

De Soyza also mentioned one recruit who wanted to resign from the rebel group, but was commanded to first prove his loyalty to the Tigers by killing his own father, whom they suspected was an informer.

However, it cannot be said that the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is entirely blameless. A U.N. panel report released in April mentioned incidents of civilian deaths and other war crimes committed by government troops.

War crimes from both sides are mentioned during the government takeover early this year of Kilinochchi town, which for 10 years was a Tamil stronghold. The conflict left up to 400 dead and 1,000 injured.

There are reports of the use of civilians as human shields by both sides. The government also faces accusations of shooting civilians in a no-war zone and targeting Tamils in hospitals which left 49 dead, civilians among them.

Rajapaksa’s government admitted last month that there were civilian deaths especially during the last phase of the conflict, but said that these deaths were unavoidable.

The U.N. panel report suggested that the U.N. conduct an independent inquiry into Sri Lankan war crimes, a recommendation that is also supported by Amnesty International.

Rajapaksa, who enjoys strong support from the country’s Sinhalese majority for ending the civil war in 2009, is perceived to lack the political will to conduct a full and fair investigation.

The strongman has also been condemned by Human Rights Watch for retaining legislation that in essence allows the government to continue to exert sweeping emergency powers, including, among others, the right to arrest and detain suspects for up to 18 months without charges.

HRW said there are up to 6,000 prisoners who are in jail due to emergency laws enforced on and off since 1971.

Up to 70,000 deaths have been estimated to have occurred in the last 10 years of the civil war. To date, Tamil controlled areas only comprise five kilometers in the northeast.

Sri Lanka has a total population of over 21 million, some four million of which are Tamils.

I was in the hardware store when I first heard the news, though I did not know what I was hearing. As the cashier tallied my purchase, I overheard a reporter on the store’s radio make the peculiar announcement that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. At the time, I thought of it as little more than a curiosity. How wrong I was.

It’s been ten years since that September morning, and still I can recall the horror and heroics of that day. The pancaking towers, the daring and duty-bound firefighters, the dust-soaked city of New York, and the ash-covered-walking-wounded, stumbling like ghosts through Manhattan.

Each September since 9/11, when the proper and solemn remembrance ceremonies begin, I am tempted to believe the now faded bumper stickers that were so common in the months following the tragedy: The stickers read, “We Will Never Forget.” Not true. We will forget.

No, those who lived in the cities directly attacked will never forget. Those who huddled around television sets as bewildered and confused witnesses will never forget. And of course, those who buried their loved ones murdered in the attacks would easier forget their own names as forget that Tuesday morning.

But those following us will forget. They are not calloused or forgetful. They are simply too young. Most of the students who entered college this fall were in elementary school ten years ago, and many of this generation (including my own children), were even younger or not yet born.

This is more than a generation that thinks Starbucks and cell phones were created shortly after Adam and Eve; that can text eighty words a minute, but can’t write in cursive; that has never known the limitation of having only three network television channels, and can’t imagine life without Google and YouTube. This is a generation that will come to maturity in the shadow of a dreadful event not even in their collective memory.

Yes, I want my children (and the generations to come) to remember and reflect upon these events. I want them to forever hold in their memory the suffering and injustice of that day and the days that have followed. But I do not want them to cloud their memories with the notion that the “world was changed forever on 9/11,” for it was not.

Violence, retaliation, the suffering of the innocent, and the struggle for power have been around for all of human history. 9/11, rather than changing that status quo, was another brutal, heart-rending chapter in the same narrative. To say that 9/11 is the defining, irreversible mark on human history is to give evil and injustice far too much credit; and for followers of Jesus to say such a thing, it is a loss faith.

Consider, that whenever Christians gather, they gather to remember, celebrate, and hopefully integrate into their lives a profound event from the past, an event to which the Eucharist and the Creeds point: “Jesus Christ was crucified, dead, and was buried; but on the third day he rose again.”

Our faith informs us that Jesus took all the hate, evil, retaliation, death, and rejection the world could muster, and when the world had done its worst, he responded with his best. He overcame all of these with resurrected life, goodness, and hope. This is the defining event of our past, the memory we will never forget, and the trajectory for our future.

Yes, I will bow my head and say a prayer for those taken away from us a decade ago. I will give thanks for the rescue workers, the firefighters, and those who tried to save and serve the hurt and dying. I will ask God to assuage the sorrow of the families and friends left to grieve.

But when I am finished praying, I will work for peace; I will seek to overcome evil with good; I will pursue the example of Jesus; and I will teach my children to remember properly. Remember that grace, not hate, will have the final word.

Ronnie McBrayer is a syndicated columnist, speaker, and author. His books include “Leaving Religion, Following Jesus” and “The Jesus Tribe.” Visit his website at www.ronniemcbrayer.net.

The Methodist Church in the UK is paying all its employees amuch higher rate than the UK’s current legal minimum wage.

The Living Wage was implemented on Sept. 1 this year, and ensures that church workers will be paid at least $13.25 hourly in London and $12.13 hourly outside of London. The UK legal minimum wage is $5.80 for school leavers and $9.47  for those aged 21 and above.

The purpose of a Living Wage is to allow workers to enjoy a full life while working full time. The wage should allow, for example, one to have enough income to pay for the clothes children will wear to school, fund some school trips, and have time to spend with one’s family.

The Living Wage is determined annually by the independent charity, Church Action on Poverty. The CAP website says, “We believe that it is the church’s moral responsibility to take a lead by paying all their employees a Living Wage, not the minimum wage.”

The Methodist Church is the first major denomination to oblige all its churches, circuits, projects and districts to pay the Living Wage by the end of financial year 2010-2011, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Other denominations expressed support for the Living Wage and are at different stages in trying to implement it. They include the Baptists, Church of Scotland, United Reformed Church, Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church and The Society of Friends. Several theologians and activists also support the Living Wage.

“As Christians, we care deeply about justice and fairness,” Rev. Leo Osborn, head of the Methodist Conference, told Independent Catholic News. “A long-hours low-pay culture can be found up and down our nation. The reality of low-paid work for many is very long hours and multiple jobs, leaving little time for family, community or leisure. In a fractured society where family and community matter more than ever, paying the Living Wage is one practical way of showing a commitment to these aspects of life.”

The Methodist Church researched extensively before passing the Living Wage. Carmila Legarda, director of Development and Personnel told ICN, “We have encouraged our churches to pay staff a Living Wage for a number of years and we finally made it our policy after extensive research to ensure it would be affordable and deliverable.”

Legarda told ICN, “Justice for our workers was the key reason for this policy, but another major factor was our understanding that by paying church workers a decent wage we would be helping them to be more effective employees. There may be added costs but we believe that it’s money well spent.”

Church Action on Poverty, a national ecumenical Christian organization for social justice, expressed delight with the latest move by the Methodist Church.

Niall Cooper, coordinator of CAP told ICN, “We are delighted that the idea of the Living Wage is gaining momentum within Churches and faith groups and this step from the Methodist Church is a clear endorsement of that. We now hope that other denominations, charities and employers more generally follow the example of the Methodist Church in signing up as Living Wage employers.”

CAP partners with churches and people living in poverty to help develop ways to resolve the difficulties that people living in poverty must deal with both in the UK and overseas.

A widening rift is forming in the Presbyterian Church of the USA, and threatens to render it apart, as conservative elements continue to slam its decision to ordain openly gay clergy.

The most recent indication of the split came with the National Mexican Presbyterian Church of Mexico, which determined on a 116 to 22 vote to part ways with the PCUSA.

The NMPC parted ways due to the PCUSA decision last May to allow gay clergy who are involved in same-sex relationships to be ordained. The Mexican church is traditionally more theologically conservative than the PCUSA.

The PCUSA expressed sadness at the decision of the NMPC. On its website, it said it is likely the split will affect the work of U.S. missionaries in Mexico and along the U.S. — Mexican border.

The split will further affect some 24 partnerships that have been forged between PCUSA and NMPC, as well as short-term mission trips to Mexico that were slated in the near future.

The NMPC voted that the relationship with the PCUSA could only be re-established if the decision to ordain homosexual clergy with committed relationships is revoked.

Earlier, the NMPC also voted overwhelmingly against ordaining women by a vote of 158 to 14; and decided on a 103 to 55 vote against granting a grace period to presbyteries that already ordained women priests on their own.

“We have had initial conversations with Mexican church leaders since the decision, and together we shared a hope for healing and a renewed ability to engage God’s mission together,” Hunter Farrell, U.S. head of World Mission said in the PCUSA website. “But at this moment, this is not possible and it brings me great sadness.”

“Presbyterians do mission in partnership here and around the world, so we take the voice of the Mexican church very seriously,” Farrell said on the website.

The PCUSA, whose mission work included building clinics, hospitals and academic institutions in the U.S. and overseas, has a number of missionaries in Mexico and South America.

Conservative Presbyterians

The PCUSA is also hounded by a 2,000-member group of conservatives within the church who met last Aug. 24-25 in Minneapolis to discuss how they would respond to the decision to allow ordination of openly gay clergy.

The conference was organized by the umbrella group, Presbyterians for Renewal, and convened by the newly-formed group, Fellowship of Presbyterians.

The conference became a venue to examine ways that churches who oppose the new ruling can respond. Options include the possibility of forming a conservative group within the PCUSA, or to completely break ties and form a separate denomination.

The PCUSA has been facing a decline in membership for decades. At its peak in the 1960s, it had four million members. Today, its membership has fallen to almost half, at two million.

During the convention in Minneapolis Dr. Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, suggested the formation of a subset within the denomination, with the aim of returning the PCUSA to its original theological roots.

Mouw cited the example of the Catholic Church, saying, “[When] Catholics felt the church had gone astray, they didn’t leave. They formed special orders who took special vows according to their commitments. The commitment to theological orthodoxy for many of us should take the form of a special vow, to witness to the essential tenets and the power of the Reformed faith,” The New American reported.

Others, however, feel there is no longer any hope for the PCUSA. Rev. John Crosby of Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina, Minnesota, told the Huffington Post, “We have tried to create such a big tent trying to make everybody happy theologically. I fear the tent has collapsed without a center.”

Once upon a time, around 1960, Christian leaders began to question if moral-building characters could be used to help spread the gospel. Could they ever. Here is a list of ten familiar icons many of us grew up with. Surprisingly, most are still going strong and feature official websites.

Davey and Goliath

Davey and Goliath was a stop-motion animated television show produced by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It was first broadcast in 1960 and featured Davey Hansen and his talking dog, Goliath, who acted as Davey’s conscience. Art and Ruth Clokey, creators of Gumby and Pokey, created 65 15-minutes episodes.

In 2001, The ELCA began making plans to return Davey to television. The effort began with a contract with PepsiCo, allowing them to use the characters in a Mountain Dew commercial in hopes of raising funds for new episodes. The commercial ran in 2002 and featured an uncharacteristic line from Davey, “We got hosed Tommy” when Davy’s father drinks the can of Mountain Dew that he and Tommy are fighting over. The commercial won Advertising Age’s Best Award for non-alcoholic beverage commercials in 2003. This led to Davey and Goliath’s Snowboard Christmas, a one-hour special that aired on the Hallmark channel in December 2004 and was the first new D & G production in over 30 years.

Jot

Jot lived with his dot parents and attended school with all of the other dots. When they stood still, Jot and friends sprouted arms and legs but when they moved, they shaped back into a dot and bounced around. Each four and one-half minute episode was told from a child’s point of view, featured a moral lesson and a Bible verse or two. Jot was syndicated from 1965 to the 1980’s. The episodes were distributed internationally and translated into 19 different languages. Jot was also a big hit around the country as part of a vacation Bible school curriculum. In 2009, Jot was featured as the official mascot of FamilyNet Television and even had his own MySpace and Facebook page.

Spire Christian Comics

Spire Christian Comics was a line of comic books started in 1972. They were mostly adaptations of Bible stories or Christian books including Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place and David Wilkerson’s The Cross and the Switchblade. However, 19 issues were Christianized versions of Archie and his friends. Al Hatley, who was working for Archie Comics at the same time, was given permission to use the Archie characters in this way. While Christian comics were nothing new (some date back as far as 1942), Spire comics have seen a longer-than-most shelf life. Many were reprinted for many years after their original printing. Overall sales of Mr. Hartley’s comics are said to be more than 40 million copies including international sales. More on the history of Christian comics can be found at theChristian Comics International website.

Psalty the Singing Songbook

Created by Ernie and Debby Rettino in 1980, Psalty is a songbook who travels all around the world telling kids about how much God loves them. Sort of like that purple dinosaur, Barney. Psalty is married to Psaltina and together they have three booklets: Melody, Harmony and Rhythm. The songbook family live in Happyville with their friends Charity Churchmouse, Farley McFirefly and others. The character, first brought to life on Maranatha’s Kid’s Praise albums, has been featured on TV, made into stuffed creatures and has made “live” stage appearances. Though, not as popular as he once was, Psalty is still alive and well.

Superbook

Superbook was a Japanese anime television series that was produced by Tatsunoko Productions in conjunction with the Christian Broadcasting Network in the United States. The series featured 52 episodes telling many stories from the old and new testaments. Each episode featured a young boy, Christopher Peeper, who discovers a magical Bible “superbook” that speaks to him, his friend Joy and his toy robot Gizmo. The trio would be sent back in time to interact with Bible characters and their stories. The show had a few critics who claimed the show condensed or glossed over some of the stories. Some weren’t happy with a “magical” Bible either. The Superbook series continued to be broadcast world-wide in over 106 countries, translated into 43 languages and viewed by 500 million people.

A new re-imagined version of Superbook is currently being created by CBN with thirteen new 22 minute episodes. The animation technology is new and the characters have a whole new look. CBN hopes to have the new DVDs in retail location this by this fall. Episodes of David and Goliath and Moses available now at their new website.

The Greatest Adventure: Stories of the Bible

In 1985, Hanna-Barbera, creators of cartoon legends The Flintstones and Scooby Doo, created a direct-to-video series called The Greatest Adventure: Stories of the Bible. It featured stories of three young adventurers, Derek, Mango and Moki who travel back in time to watch biblical accounts happen first hand. Athough a similar premise with Superbook, the series was quite different in style and story telling. Only 13 episodes were created between 1985 and 1993. Rumor has it that Joe Barbera had tried to get support for the project for 17 years prior, but Bill Hanna was never on board with the project. Each episode featured the voices of many TV and movie stars including James Earl Jones as Pharaoh, Robby Benson as David and Vincent Price as King Herod.

Donut Man

Rob Evans is “The Donut Man,” a children’s songwriter and performer known for his many sing-along videos and albums with Integrity Music. For over 20 years, Rob has taught young children bible stories and lessons through song and story telling. His sidekick is Duncan, a donut who never leaves his box. One of Rob’s first songs included the line, “Life without Jesus is like a donut. There’s a hole in the middle of your heart.” Rob is still going strong with live appearances and a new CD, Paul in a Basket.

Adventures in Odyssey

Since 1987, Adventures in Odyssey has filled the radio airwaves with original audio stories brought to life by real actors. Adventures are the brainchild of Dr. James Dobson and the Focus on the Family Company. The adventures began as a 13-week test series on the Focus on the Family broadcast called Family Portraits that focused on the lives of the residents of the town of Odyssey. Most of the stories are centered in a soda shop and discovery emporium called Whit’s End owned by proprietor Mr. Whittaker and operated by employees Connie Kendall and Eugene Meltsner. With over 650 stories produced, Adventures can be heard on more than 2,000 radio stations around the world. In addition to the radio show, versions of the stories have been made into animated DVDs, novels and even stage presentations. If you visit the Focus on the Family Welcome Center in Colorado Springs, you can visit a real-life Whit’s End soda fountain.

Veggie Tales

In 1993, Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki created probably the biggest Christian pop culture phenomenon enterprise known as Veggie Tales. Originally released in a direct-to-video format, Vischer and Nawrocki’s aim was to create quality programming for children with good moral messages and be enjoyable for their parents too. One original “Big Idea” was to animate candy bars, but that idea was scrapped in favor of the produce aisle.

Many of the videos begin on a kitchen counter with hosts, Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber answering a “viewer’s letter” by sharing a story that is acted out by vegetables and fruits of all shapes and sizes. Almost every video features a “Silly Song” segment where “Larry comes out and sings a silly song.”

46 Veggie Tale videos have been produced with the latest, “The Princess and the Pop Star,” just released in August 2011. The next one, “The Little Drummer Boy,” will be released in October 2011.

In addition to the videos, a myriad of toys, books, stuffed creatures, t-shirts, video games and more has been produced. From 2006-2009, Veggie Tales was picked up by NBC and shown as part of their children’s programming. The show is now shown on the Gospel Music Channel. In addition, two feature-length movies made it to the big screen: Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie in 2002 and The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything in 2008.

Bibleman

Even Christian children need a superhero that they can believe in. Clad in the “armor of God” in royal purple and gold, Bibleman is sort of a Christian version of 1960′s Batman. From 1996 to 2004, Willie Aames (Eight is Enough) portrayed businessman Miles Peterson turned Bibleman on multiple videos and live appearances. In 2006, Aames was replaced with children’s pastor, Robert T. Schlipp who continues the crimefighting in Bibleman PowerSource and is now aided by Cypher (Brady Williams) and Melody (Lindsay Lewis).

Though you can still purchase copies of the original Bibleman movies, Aames is not mentioned by name on the official website. Incidentally, Aames has gone through multiple personal struggles over the years, but appears to be doing well now but with a whole different career path. He now serves as a senior officer on both Oceania and Regent Cruise lines

Originally posted at the Examiner. 

A Christian rights journalist and activist in Bangladesh, who was tortured and harassed, has found refuge in Hong Kong.

William Nicholas Gomes, 27, of the Asian Human Rights Commission, endured harsh torture and interrogation from Islamic extremists and Bangladeshi police for his faith, but still says there is nothing he wants more than to glorify God.

Gomes, who is staying in a packed hostel in Hong Kong, told BosNewsLife, “I have received a visa for six months,” but adds that he misses and is worried about his wife, Annie Jhumur Halder, and two young sons, Lalon Mark and Felix Eugene.

Gomes told BosNewsLife, “I am afraid that Muslim fundamentalists will do something bad to her and kill my young sons. They already attacked our house.” Although a Bangladesh high court allegedly ordered local police to stop the harassment, Gomes has little faith in the legal system.

Kidnapped, tortured

Gomes culls this from his own experience. Last May 21, while walking home, someone approached him and asked him for help, motioning to a waiting car. When Gomes went with him, he was forcibly shoved into the car, blindfolded and brought to the country’s infamous Rapid Action Battalion building.

In the car, according to the AHRC website, guns were shoved at both of his sides and he was told, “You will see how your fathers [referring to the AHRC] and other international human rights organizations and international community – save you.”

The RAB is an elite police force that was formed by the country’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. Amnesty International has linked it to human rights abuses and some 200 deaths since 2009.

Gomes was led, still blindfolded, outside of the car after a 40-minute drive. A statement by Gomes, posted on the AHRC website, related how he was stripped of clothing and made to bow down to the ground. He was told, “If you raise your head, hot eggs will be pushed into your anus.”

Through a cruel and hours-long interrogation that he endured entirely blindfolded and naked, he was beaten and intimidated. He was asked many confusing and seeming conflicting questions. Some of the questions he was asked are, “How much did the AHRC give you as source money? How many people do you have inside the RAB and the police?”

Gomes was also told by his kidnappers, “Your fathers have been shouting crazily all over the world to disband the RAB. We will ban your fathers; let us first ban you today.”

Other questions he was asked are, “Who are the countries that are providing funds to you?” and “Why are [you] interested about the Bangladeshi nationals in Indian jails?” The organization he is with, Christian Development Alternative, sent letters to Indian authorities on behalf of Bangladeshis in Indian jails. He was also asked, “Why are [you] defaming a good government having good relationships with India?”

Gomes was so intimidated that he promised to cease work for the AHRC. He was told, “You better not leave the work! Behave well until … are in the country. Do not tell them anything about our meeting. Go and behave like a normal man. You better listen to us. Otherwise, we know better how to make you listen.”

After that, Gomes was brought to another room where he was dressed up, then dragged into another car. When he was let off the car and his blindfold was removed, he saw the same man who had initially approached him for help.

This time, the man had Gomes’ bag, mobile phone and wallet. He threatened Gomes and said that the latter would be killed if he told anyone of his experience that day. He was also told that he had to leave Bangladesh immediately. Gomes told BosNewsLife, “The only place where I could go within a day was Nepal.”

With help from AHRC, Gomes was able to go to Hong Kong. He told BosNewsLIfe, “I am currently also receiving medical attention for post-traumatic stress disorder and take many medicines because of my experience.”

Gomes doesn’t know whether he will be allowed to return toBangladesh and finish his law studies. “I am afraid that they will abduct me even at the airport. They have detained many Christians, including evangelists. Bangladesh is a country where we cannot openly evangelize.”

Gomes, aside from his work with the AHRC, has also worked as a reporter for AsiaNews, a Catholic news agency, writing about issues of religious rights.

Although born a Muslim, Gomes began to attend a Catholic church where he met his wife. In 2003 he was baptized. He told BosNewsLife, “I am sure I was targeted for my Christian faith.” He adds that while initially his parents were angry, they “soon saw how my wife and I changed because of our faith in Christ.”

While in Hong Kong, Gomes is writing his life story. He is also looking for a church he can go to, “where I can sing the songs of David, and be glad in the Lord,” he told BosNewsLife.

Of his ordeal, he told BosNewsLife that no matter how cruel and frightening it was, “I realized that Jesus was naked when he was put to the cross,” when he died for the sins of the world.