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The Keepers of Obama's Soul: The 7 People that Help Pastor the President

2010-03-11T21:09:09Z

Near the end of a bumpy first year in office, President Obama readied for a Christmas vacation in Hawaii, but before he left, he called on a group of five ministers for a spiritual recharge.

]]> Like previous prayer calls, this one was more personal than political.

"He certainly does not ask us how we would run the country and what issue to pursue or not pursue," said Bishop Charles Blake of the Los Angeles-based Church of God in Christ, who was on the phone last December.

For 10 minutes, the president and the pastors prayed for peace, an economic recovery, protection for U.S. soldiers, and for Obama to be guided by a wisdom and power beyond himself.

Glimpses into Obama's spiritual life have been rare since he became president. He split with his longtime Chicago pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, after the fiery minister nearly derailed Obama's campaign, and has not joined a church in Washington.

"Having been burned, for lack of a better word, during the campaign and early days of his administration, I would not be surprised that he would be rather discreet about any revelations of his religious life," Blake said.

Still, Obama continues to champion the role of faith in public life, frequently summoning the spirits of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and even St. Thomas Aquinas to frame his policies in moral terms.

Like previous presidents, he regularly seeks the counsel of longtime Washington insiders, including Sojourners founder Jim Wallis, Reform Rabbi David Saperstein and retired Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, to shape decisions about the Iraq war, health care reform and the economy.

But Obama has also turned to a group of fresh--and relatively unfamiliar--faces to manage religious issues in his administration. They are recalibrating America's engagement with Muslims, revamping the White House faith-based office and tending to the president's own soul. A year into Obama's presidency, each of the following seven people has become an essential member of what might be called his "spiritual cabinet."

Joshua DuBois

His official title is director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Unofficially, Joshua DuBois is the administration's go-to guy for almost all things religious. He travels as Obama's roving ambassador to religious gatherings, connects the president with faith leaders for spiritual counsel, helps scout Washington churches for the first family, and handles the frequent media queries about Obama's faith.

Before stepping into politics, DuBois, 27, was a pastor at small Pentecostal church in Massachusetts, and his approach to the president bears traces of his former calling. DuBois sends daily devotionals to Obama's Blackberry--often a Bible verse or an excerpt from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, or a snippet from the works of theologians Richard and Reinhold Niebuhr, particular favorites of the president.

More publicly, DuBois is tasked with overhauling the White House faith-based office and managing its branches in 12 federal agencies. Under Obama, DuBois is steering the office away from the Bush administration's policy of direct funding to religious charities, and attempting to rescue it from charges that it improperly blends church and state.

Denis McDonough

When Denis McDonough was in eighth grade, he heard his older brother, a Catholic priest, deliver a homily entirely in Spanish. McDonough soon learned Spanish himself, and became an expert on bridging cultural gaps.

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SOURCE: Christianity Today

Daniel Burke, Religion News Service

No Plan to Reduce Abortions by White House; Faith Council Releases Final Report

2010-03-11T17:57:00Z

The White House Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships presented its policy recommendations to President Barack Obama. The plan failed to include any proposals on reducing abortions or helping pregnant women find abortion alternatives.]]> Obama appointed 25 prominent religious and community leaders 13 months ago to the panel charged with providing him with faith-based policy suggestions.

Though the group includes some like Jim Wallis of Sojourners who claim to be pro-life it also included pro-abortion activist Rabbi David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

Ashley Horne, federal issues analyst with Focus on the Family Action, said the Obama panel missed an opportunity to present him with concrete ideas on reducing abortions.

"The president said he wanted to reduce the need for abortions," she said. "So, that topic would have been a natural fit for this group. It's one more strike against a president who, so far, has catered only to the pro-abortion agenda."

CBN White House Correspondent David Brody suggests the faith-based group did not suggest abortion reduction plans because it has turned over responsibility for them to the Domestic Policy Council, headed by abortion advocate Melody Barnes.

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Source: LifeSiteNews | Steven Ertelt

The Christian Post Reports Regarding Faith Council: 'We Found Meaningful Common Ground'

2010-03-11T17:55:14Z

We have different opinions, admitted the White House's faith-based advisers on Tuesday when they presented their recommendations. But we were able to find "meaningful common ground," they added. ]]> After a year of work, the 25 members of the first Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships presented a report that included more than 60 recommendations for six issues - economic recovery and domestic poverty, fatherhood and healthy families, environment and climate change, inter-religious cooperation, global poverty and development, and reform of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

The proposals provide suggestions on how the government can better work with faith-based and community groups to tackle major social issues.

"We are a diverse group," stated Melissa Rogers, chair of the council, at the onset of the event for the report's release. "We differ on matters of faith. We differ in our political perspectives and our philosophical approach. We differ in matter of theology even within our particular faith traditions."

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Source: Christian Post | Michelle Vu

The Global Atheist Convenion; Christians Counter

2010-03-11T17:54:27Z

Atheists and humanists are preparing for what they say will be the biggest gathering of freethinkers in Australia's history. The 2010 Global Atheist Convention is sold out, with some 2,500 people expected to attend the March 12-14 event at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center.

Some Christians are countering the event with creationist seminars and book giveaways.

New Zealand native Ray Comfort has been busy organizing the distribution of thousands of copies of On the Origin of Species on college campuses, including the University of Melbourne. The copies are special editions that include a pro-Intelligent Design introduction, written by Comfort.

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Source: Christian Post | Nathan Black

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Several Ghanaian Pastors Accused of Sexual Molestation, Incest and Sexual Misconduct

2010-03-11T17:50:09Z

The Christian Council of Ghana says it is embarrassed by reports of sexual misconduct by some self acclaimed church leaders.

Pictured: General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Fred Deegbe

]]> Even though the practice denigrates the institution of Christendom, Rev Fred Deegbe, General Secretary of the Council told Joy News that congregations must scrutinise the behaviour of their leaders.

He said the council can do very little to regulate activities of church leaders conducted in the privacy of their rooms.

Rev. Deegbe's comments come in the wake of numerous reports of pastors accused of sexually molesting members of their congregations.

Head pastor of Jesus One-Touch Church at Oblogo in the Greater Accra Region, Nana Kofi Yirenkyi, is alleged to have had sex with his 10-year-old daughter.

He is in police custody pending further investigation and a possible prosecution. His alleged misdemeanour comes only days after another pastor in the Brong Ahafo, Ogya Nyame of the Holy Fire Pentecostal Church at Goaso was accused of fondling the private parts of the lady congregants in his church all in the name of spiritual healing.

Describing the allegations as unfortunate, Rev. Deegbe said the council cannot advocate for a law that will close down any church whose leader is found guilty of sexual molestation.

"I'm afraid the council cannot make such law or advocate for the passing of such a law."

"As you pointed out, there are people who go to those churches. The Bible itself is clear that by their fruits you shall know them. So if [the person] you are following is not bearing good fruits over a period of time, what they are teaching is not in the bible, their own behaviour and conduct is not acceptable," then you have to take a decision on your own he said.

SOURCE: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Nathan Gadugah

Christian Author Stephen Mansfield Discusses God and Guinness Beer

2010-03-11T17:49:58Z

According to legend, Guinness Stout was inspired by God.

]]> The story goes that Arthur Guinness, inventor of the famed brew, was praying one day, asking God to do something about alcohol abuse in his hometown of Dublin, Ireland. As he prayed, God spoke to Guinness: "Make a drink that men will drink that will be good for them." So Guinness began brewing his famed Stout, which 250 years later remains one of the world's most popular beers.

It's a great story.

Unfortunately, it's not true, says Stephen Mansfield, author of The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World. The real story, says Mansfield, is much better. Guinness was a Christian who thought that by brewing beer he was doing God's work. But no divine intervention was needed at the beer's creation.

Instead, Guinness believed in working hard, in creating a great product, in treating his employees well, and in Christian charity. Those simple things proved the secret to his success, Mansfield said.

"You don't have to have angels appearing to have God work," he said.

The Search for God and Guinness is the latest book from Mansfield, a Nashville author and former pastor of Belmont Church, known for his best-sellers on religion and politics. Mansfield said he was looking for a way to talk about the dangers of corporate greed when he stumbled on the Guinness story.

"While the corporate world was imploding over the last couple of years, I was looking for a way to speak to it but not directly preach at it," he said.

He found the perfect example in the Irish brewer. The Guinness family, especially in the company's early days, was known for the Christian faith, which had been shaped by John Wesley, founder of Methodism. Wesley encouraged his followers to work hard and to give as much money away as possible.

The Guinness family took that challenge seriously, Mansfield said. They paid their workers more than other brewers. Their company offered generous benefits -- often sending employees' children to private schools, and having doctors, dentists and a masseuse on staff.

"Guinness never put Scriptures on their cans of beer or bottles; they never preached through their product. They just did what they did well," Mansfield said. "They took care of their people, and they put millions of dollars into pulling people out of poverty."

Baptists Shun Alcohol

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SOURCE: Tennessean - Bob Smietana

T.D. Jakes and The Potters House Purchase Church Property in Fort Worth, Texas

2010-03-11T17:47:09Z

The Potter's House of Dallas, a nondenominational church of Bishop T.D. Jakes, has followed through with its plans for an east Fort Worth location.

]]> The church has purchased 7.7 acres in the Woodhaven Village Shopping Center, on the north side of Interstate 30.

Zunoraine Holmes, Potter's House communications chief, said details regarding the use of the property are still being worked out.

The property includes two buildings totaling 83,468 square feet at 1200 Woodhaven Blvd. and 5421 Bridge St. The structures were built in the early 1980s. One is a former grocery store.

The property was last used by Shiloh Church at Fort Worth. Evangelical Christian Credit Union in Brea, Calif., foreclosed on it in May.

The Potter's House financed the deal with a $2.3 million note with Bank of America, deed records show.

The church has been holding local services at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The 30,000-member Dallas church said it has about 2,000 members in Fort Worth.

Gene Livens with Service Realty represented the seller. Ernest Jakes with Jakes Realty Group represented the buyer.

SOURCE: The Star Telegram

Shlachter & Co.

Georgia Bill Banning African-American Abortions Draws National Attention

2010-03-11T17:45:21Z

Following up on a billboard campaign throughout Atlanta saying there are too many abortions done on black unborn babies, a statewide pro-life group is getting national attention for a bill it is supporting in the state legislature that would ban abortions done specifically because the child is African-American.]]> Rep. Barry Loudermilk, a Republican who introduced the bill last month with the support of both parties, says the bill is meant to target discrimination.

The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act would apply to abortion "the same standards of nondiscrimination" that govern employment, education, government and housing, he says.

The measure is getting a hearing today in the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee but also drawing nationwide attention and news stories from several media outlets.

Earlier, Georgia Right to Life worked with the Radiance Foundation to promote billboards with the message "Black Children Are An Endangered Species" featuring a picture of a black baby.

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Source: LifeNews.com | Steven Ertelt

WATCH: Anti-Homosexual Bill In Uganda Causes Global Uproar

2010-03-11T17:40:09Z

The Proposed Bill Could Punish Homosexuals Who Marry With Life In Prison

Standing onstage in black velvet robes, despite the stifling heat in the open-air church, Pastor Martin Ssempa's face is a mask of disgust.

]]> "Anal licking!," he shouts, directing the crowd's attention to the images of hardcore gay pornography that he's projecting via his laptop. "That is what they are doing in the privacy of their bedrooms."

"Everything having to do with eating of poop...heterosexuals do not eat poop," Ssempa said. "And if they do, they are misguided, they are not real heterosexuals. We don't practice, that's an abomination. It's like sex with a dog, sex with a cow; it's evil."

Homophobia In Uganda

Ssempa's animated style has made him one of the most popular preachers in the African nation of Uganda. But it's his virulent homophobia that's put him at the center of an international uproar. The pornographic images, which reduced some of the churchgoers to tears, were meant to whip up support for a bill under consideration in Uganda that would make some gays and lesbians eligible for the death penalty.

The bill was introduced several months after a visit by several American evangelicals, who spoke at a conference called the "Seminar on Exposing the Homosexual Agenda."

One of them was Scott Lively, a pastor from Springfield, MA, who believes that countries like Uganda can still protect themselves from what he sees as the scourge of the gay agenda.

"These are good Christians; better Christians than there are here in the states," says Lively. "They care about each other. And I think the reason they're pushing so hard on this law is that they don't want to see what happened to our country happen over there."

He told the conference's audience, made up of teachers, social workers, and politicians that "even though the majority of homosexuals are not oriented towards young people, there's a significant number who are. And when they see a child from a broken home, it's like they have a flashing neon sign over their head."

Lively, who is the president of Defend the Family, is also the author of a book called "The Pink Swastika", which argues that the Nazi Party was a homosexual movement.

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SOURCE: ABC News

Dan Harris, Katie Hinman and Almin Laramehmedovic

WATCH: Kyle Anderson Aims to Make the Future Brighter for Young Black Men

2010-03-11T15:22:44Z

CNN's Steve Perry speaks with Kyle Anderson, who has committed his time to mentoring young African-American boys. ]]>

Source: CNN

WATCH: California Pastor Rev. Robert Taylor Claims He Was Racially Profiled by Police

2010-03-11T15:20:02Z

Racial profiling charges are being leveled against a local police department after an African American minister was allegedly harassed by officers.]]> "It's a clear pattern of racial harassment, and it must end and it must end now," said the Rev. Robert Taylor.

Civil rights activists are demanding an investigation of the racial profiling allegations and police treatment of Taylor that occurred in the city of Torrance.

This all stems specifically from a traffic stop in February, but a group of civil rights leaders say this is a much larger issue in Torrance.

The police department says they will investigate the allegations but say that the officers in this particular case did nothing wrong.

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Source: ABC News | KABC TV Los Angeles | Robert Holguin

Christians Are Praying After Nigeria Massacre of Christians by Muslims

2010-03-11T15:15:08Z

Members of Churches of Christ in the African nation of Nigeria are rattled but safe after a series of brutal slayings in villages near the city of Jos.]]> "In Jos city, where we are, there is a completely enforced curfew, so things like what happened Sunday are very unlikely to occur here," said Dr. Bob Whittaker, who moved to the central Nigerian city just weeks ago with his wife, Annette and son, Ozioma. For nearly 25 years Whittaker served as a medical missionary at Nigerian Christian Hospital near Aba, south of Jos. In August 2009 he endured a 48-hour kidnapping ordeal, during which he suffered a gunshot wound to the arm. Whittaker has since received a nerve graft in a U.S. hospital. He completed a medical mission trip to Haiti before returning to Nigeria and relocating his ministry to Jos.

Jos, a city of about a half-million people, sits near the divide between Nigeria's predominantly Christian south and Muslim north. Local officials counted 378 bodies after the recent massacres in four villages near Jos, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The attacks, focused mainly on people who claim Christianity as their faith, likely was a reprisal for similar attacks in January, when Christian villagers targeted Muslims, killing at least 300, according to the newspaper.

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Source: Christian Chronicle | ERIK TRYGGESTAD

Nigerian Police Arrest Nearly 100 Men for Participating in the Killing of Christians, Including Women and Children

2010-03-11T15:07:09Z

Nigeria on Tuesday faced international calls to bring to justice killer mobs armed with guns and knives who massacred hundreds of villagers in the country's rural heartland.

]]> As more details of the atrocities emerged, Nigeria's acting president, Goodluck Jonathan, replaced his national security adviser, although it was not clear whether the move was related to the weekend violence.

At least 200 Christian villagers died in the attacks early Sunday, when groups of men with guns, machetes, and knives attacked people in three villages south of Jos, in the Plateau State, Human Rights Watch said.

Other agencies gave higher death tolls. Sani Shehu, president of the nongovernmental agency Civil Rights Congress, put the number of dead at about 485. And a Christian leader who participated in a mass burial of 67 bodies Monday in one of the towns said about 375 people were dead or still missing.

Human Rights Watch cited witnesses as saying the attackers were Islamic men and that they targeted Christians, mostly from the Berom ethnic group. The victims were in the villages of Dogo Nahawa, Zot, and Ratsat, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Jos, the state capital.

The attackers had previously lived in the villages but left last month, Human Rights Watch said, citing multiple witness accounts.

Witnesses, community leaders, and journalists who visited the villages told Human Rights Watch they saw bodies -- including those of children and babies -- inside houses, on the streets, and in the pathways leading out of the villages. They said many homes, cars, and other items were burned and destroyed.

The U.S. diplomatic mission to Nigeria expressed its "deep regret" at the violence in the area.

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SOURCE: CNN

Pastor, It May Be Time for You to Move

2010-03-11T15:06:05Z

A man 3,000 miles away whom I had never met, the chairman of a pulpit search committee, came to the point quickly on the phone: Would I consider meeting with his group to discuss becoming senior pastor of their church?

]]> This unexpected phone call propelled me into a deep, soul-searching phase. Without any prior experience, I was suddenly faced with one of the most difficult decisions of my ministry career: Should I stay or should I go?

It's easy to think it's God's will to move on when the invitation is to a larger church, the salary and benefits are better, and you're having problems where you are. But greener pastures are not necessarily God's will. He may simply be using that invitation to test our resolve and determination to carry on.

How Long Is Long Enough?

We are all aware that some pastors accomplish a great deal by staying in one church a long time. My father-in-law's most productive years came near the end of a 24-year pastorate. It's significant that most larger churches have been established and built by those who have stayed for decades.

Knowing this made me want to stay longer in Montreal. Shouldn't I be the leader who would take this church on to greatness?

But on the other hand, some pastors stay too long. They hang on when in fact their ministry has peaked or been completed. Some are incapable of leading the church to its next plateau. They fail to recognize their own limitations. Their ego says they can do it all.

There is no simple formula for how long to stay before moving on. Who of us can declare unequivocally, "So-and-so stayed too long" or "left too soon"? We may have our private opinions, but we also know we could be mistaken.

If we are less than sure about the other fellow's tenure, how much more about our own? Rural, suburban, and inner-city churches differ. Our ministerial gifts vary. The person with a teaching/pastoral ministry will tend to last longer than someone whose ministry is more prophetic or evangelistic. Still, we can't plug all the descriptors into a computer and get a divine print-out.

Factors in God's Timing

So how do we decide? Do we discover God's will only on our knees in a quiet office, or does God use other ways to tell us to move on? Does he not frequently indicate his plan through circumstances and then later confirm it with an inner spiritual conviction?

I believe God's will, usually, is the logical thing to do. Therefore, here are some factors I consider when evaluating a possible change.

Major problems in the present church. I don't mean routine snags. You can't run away every time things don't go your way. Problems are challenges to overcome. By handling them, our ministry grows and our relationship with God becomes more precious. One chronic troublemaker in a church usually isn't reason for leaving. Every congregation has its quota of grace-builders, and while it is a delight to leave them behind when you move on, the Lord has prepared more of the same in the next congregation!

But major personality conflicts, congregational dissatisfaction, or tension with a board may mean something more. If I need to take a vote of confidence to know where I stand with the people, chances are it's time to start packing. Taking a vote will likely only divide the people further. I'm already in trouble!

Ministerial exhaustion. Every ministry position includes stress. But there are times when we are called to deal with unusually tough situations that tax all our spiritual and emotional strength.

A close friend of mine went through such a situation. An adulterous relationship in his church involved a senior board member and a woman from a prominent family. The pastor dealt with them prayerfully and wisely. Innocent parties were protected, hurt spouses were counseled, and the offending parties confronted. But the process of discipline, counseling, and rehabilitation took a year. When it was over, though my friend had performed admirably and had retained the people's confidence, he was emotionally and spiritually drained. There was nothing left to give on Sunday mornings. He needed a fresh start.

Others have felt the same at the end of a building program. The months of worrying and wrangling with contractors, blueprints, and committees have taken a heavy toll. The pastor quietly vows to work smarter next time. He knows he should stay for at least another year and help the congregation cope with its new mortgage. But he is out of gas.

Some young preachers tell their people everything they know in 18 months. Though they study and search for sermon material, because of their inexperience, they come up with little. To carry on indefinitely can hardly be God's will when additional training or perhaps an assistant pastorate is indicated.

Financial pressures. If you are struggling to keep bread on the table, God may reward faithfulness by raising a new opportunity that will provide for the family. It's time we got off the guilt trip that a move to another church where we will be better cared for is all wrong. We are not in this work for the money. But God does know our needs and takes note of our faithfulness.

Family circumstance. Our ministry location affects not only ourselves but also our families. The decision to leave a community is a big factor in both the education and social development of our children. Any father, ordained or not, who does not consider the implications of a move for his family is neither loving nor true to the Scripture.

Some of my friends suggest that if it's God's will for you to move, he will take care of your family no matter when or where you go. That is true--if the move is his intention. What some forget, though, is that the social, spiritual, and educational needs of a pastor's family can be an indicator of God's will! God can speak through the needs of a wife or a child as well as through times alone in the prayer closet.

Larger opportunity. First, let me state that the concept of promotion or career advancement is a secular notion and is foreign to the New Testament concept of ministry. There is no spiritual totem pole to climb. God is looking for faithfulness where we are. More than one pastor, however, thinks that if a larger church beckons, it must be a signal that he is God's man of faith and power for the hour. It's not always so.

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SOURCE: Your Church Blog - Calvin C. Ratz

Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews to Celebrate 75 Years

2010-03-11T15:05:21Z

Warm Neighbors in Religion congratulations to the Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews, on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. The organization celebrated Saturday at The Four Seasons Hotel at a gala reception and recognized its 2010 Silver Medallion honorees.]]> The prestigious award was presented to Jayne Abess, Antonio Argiz and Frederick Jackson Jr.

Abess has dedicated her life to improving the nonprofit fields of health and human service and seeks ways to enhance the quality and dignity of life for people with workplace disadvantages and disabilities. Her work with United Way, Goodwill Industries and other important causes is legendary.

Argiz and Jackson have been involved in more than 100 charitable organizations. Argiz is the incoming president of the Orange Bowl Committee, past president of the United Way and a supporter of every major charity in South Florida.

Likewise, Jackson has devoted his life to civic leadership at such causes as the YMCA, Florida A&M University, United Way, Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce and many more.

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Source: Miami Herald | Bea Hines