OUR COLUMNISTS Fighting Off Political Cynicism and Arrogance -- a Plan Commentary by Matt Friedeman Just talked with a editor of a local newspaper. We like each other but have precious little in common as far as political ideology is concerned. I asked him a question along these lines: "How do you keep from getting cynical?" How's It Working for You? Commentary by Jane Jimenez Nightly, Americans literally trip over each other to get onto Dr. Phil's show and pour out the failures in their lives. One question ... and so many problems! If You Build It, Will He Come? Commentary by Brad Locke How often do we see churches build bigger, more beautiful sanctuaries? Nothing inherently wrong with that, but I don't think it should be as high on the priority list as it often is. Seed Magazine Writes About the 'Clergy Letter Project' Commentary by Mark Creech A recent article in this magazine was skewed, not surprisingly, toward evolution. Only a smidgen of my interview answers were used in the piece -- hopefully, God might use the entirety of my response (contained herein) as a means of defending and furthering the truth.

...A husband-and-wife team has reached the midway point in a unique effort to spread the gospel nationwide. Rick and Jane McKinney are taking part in what they call the "Walk to Reclaim America." The couple started out three months ago in California for a 2,800-mile prayer walk across the country. Recently the McKinneys reached the halfway point when they arrived in Oklahoma City. Rick McKinney says the emphasis has been on interceding for spiritual renewal in America. "We're talking to people about our Christian heritage as a nation, and we're talking to thousands of people as we go about Jesus Christ and how they can have a personal relationship with Him," he explains. "And we're praying for our nation, for it's leaders and it's people, and interacting with people as we go, encouraging Christians to stand up and be counted and let their voice be heard." Christians, he says, should pray for a true revival among the Church in America. "Just pray for our country," he urges. "Pray that our country will return to God and the faith of our fathers, because that's our heart. That's where we're really emphasizing our prayer as we walk across America -- praying that this nation will come back to God." The couple will wrap up their walk on July 4 in Washington, DC, with a patriotic rally. Supporters can follow their progress across the U.S. via the website WalkToReclaimAmerica.com. [Allie Martin]

...Members of a United Church of Christ congregation in Pennsylvania have voted to leave the denomination's national governing body. Leaders of the Shepherd of the Hills United Church of Christ in Bechtelsville say their congregation disagrees with the UCC General Synod's resolution endorsing same-sex "marriage." The group will remain affiliated with the United Church of Christ but will join the Faithful and Welcoming Churches, an organization that describes itself on its website as "a positive but proactive alternative to withdrawal from the UCC." The United Church of Christ has more than 5,700 congregations. Because the congregations are autonomous, they are free to disagree with the General Synod. [AP]

...The author of a new book titled White Ghetto: How Middle Class America Reflects Inner City Decay, says churches have made things worse by abandoning biblical morality. Star Parker says white America increasingly has the high rates of divorce, cohabitation, and out-of-wedlock births that afflict the black community. She suggests that churches which promote homosexual "marriage" are threatening to bring even more chaos into the lives of children. She blames some churches for abandoning the teaching of biblical morality. "We see a lot of the traditional denominations now ordaining homosexuals and getting very aggressive in that debate," she comments, noting that her book encourages readers to consider what Scripture has to say on such issues. "If you are of the biblical worldview, there is some consistency in Scripture -- and maybe we should re-read it and assess it and then live by it," she suggests. Challenging her fellow black Christians to vote their values, Parker says, "If you really believe Scripture, then you're a conservative too." Star Parker is president of CURE, the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education. [AP]

...A faith-based education group is offering public school teachers and students a resource for offering an alternative response to a nationwide pro-homosexual campaign slated for later this month. April 26 is the date for this year's "Day of Silence," an annual event organized by the Gay, Lesbian Straight Education Network and designed to bring attention to what GLSEN sees as bullying and harassment of LGBT (lesbian, "gay," bisexual, trans-gender) students. Gateways to Better Education (GTBE), which promotes the teaching of America's Judeo-Christian heritage in public schools, desires to help those in the public school setting understand how to respond to such an event with biblically-based tolerance. Toward that end, GTBE is offering a student handout called "Promoting Tolerance," which the group says gives a biblical definition of tolerance. "The handout explains that many people think they are being tolerant when they are actually only expressing indifference, or apathy, or even recklessness," says a GTBE press release. "Improperly understood, 'tolerance' can lead to disarming students of their proper convictions." The brochure, explains the press release, is designed to help students keep their convictions while responding to differences. "Promoting Tolerance" is available via the GTBE website or by calling 1-800-929-1163 on weekdays. [Jody Brown]

...April 2006 is National Child Abuse Prevention Month -- and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that nearly three-fourths of child abuse cases in the United States go unreported each year. In light of that alarming statistic, Faith Alive Christian Resources of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has developed new abuse prevention curriculum for churches that is designed to develop abuse awareness in children. Faith Alive says "Safekeeping: Session Plans for Developing Abuse Awareness in Kids" is written from a faith perspective and appropriate for grades K-8. The curriculum, says the publisher, "helps children realize that they are created in God's image and that they are worthy of respect and love." Topic and activities in the curriculum focus on helping children recognize abusive behaviors and their effects, discover ways to protect themselves, and identify trusted adults who can help them. [Jody Brown]

...A film scheduled for theatrical release this fall promises to offer at least two unique perspectives on the last 48 hours of Christ's life: it depicts Christ as a black man, and it injects race as a possible factor in Christ's crucifixion. Color of the Cross is an independently produced biopic that its producers say is sure to challenge conservative Christian beliefs. The film, they say, places racial issues front and center. "When you see the black man on the cross, you are immediately reminiscent of the 1960s," says Kenneth Halsband, one of the producers. "Our film hopes to heal those wounds." Los Angeles pastor Rev. Chip Murray, also one of the movie's producers, believes this version of Jesus Christ has been long overdue. "I think that people will welcome this as a fresh perspective -- especially as well-researched as this story is," says Murray. The film's website says it will "undeniably resonate in the hearts and minds of the black community" and "strike a chord of inspiration in the hearts of Christians of all ethnicities around the world." Color of the Cross -- due for release in October -- stars Jean Claude LaMarre in the lead role of Jesus Christ, and Debbi Morgan (Woman Thou Art Loosed) as Mary, the mother of Jesus. [Jody Brown]

...A conservative black pastor and activist is rejecting the call of Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan to postpone the April 22 mayoral election in New Orleans because too many African-American residents scattered by Hurricane Katrina will not be able to take part. So far, a federal judge has refused to change the date of the election, despite pressure from civil rights groups. Mayor Ray Nagin is facing nearly two dozen challengers, and many political observers believe his re-election is in jeopardy. Jesse Lee Peterson of the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny (BOND) says liberal black leaders are running scared. "They are afraid that Ray Nagin is on his way out -- and he should be," says Peterson. "He should be voted out because he has not been good for New Orleans at all." Peterson adds that if the courts give in to pressure from Jesse Jackson, the NAACP, and others to change the election date, "it's over as we know it." According to Peterson, liberal black leaders are desperate to keep Nagin in office, and want to delay the election so they can bring what he calls "thugs" back into New Orleans to bus people to the polls. "They get these guys to load [black voters] up on election day and get them to vote for them in order to keep them in power," he says. "They don't care that New Orleans' crime rate was at an all-time high, just out of control. They don't care about that." And it is not about "the people," says Peterson. "They want to 'relocate' these people back into New Orleans in order to keep Ray Nagin in office in order to maintain the power and the wealth," he says. [Chad Groening]

...A pro-family activist says hundreds of thousands of patriotic Americans are responding to the recent pro-immigration demonstrations across the country. Many U.S. citizens are involved in a protest march of a different kind. William Greene is the publisher of the website RightMarch.com. Greene says more than 200,000 Americans have sent messages through his website demanding that U.S. senators pass an immigration bill without any "guest worker" plan included. He says his online campaign is a direct response to the recent rallies around the country in support of rights for illegal aliens. "Illegal immigrants and their supporters have been marching in the streets -- and unfortunately some senators on Capitol Hill have said that that has influenced where they stand on the issue of granting amnesty to these illegal aliens," he says. So Greene says patriotic Americans have responded on his website. "American citizens have been marching where it counts," he points out. "They've been doing a virtual march that we have organized on Washington, DC -- and the message is clear. They want Congress to secure our borders; they want no guest worker amnesty tricks." Greene says border security is not a Right or Left issue, but an American issue. And Americans, he says, must let their senators know how they feel about the influx of illegal immigrants over the border. [Chad Groening]

...The national executive director of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is expressing his displeasure over recent demonstrations in which thousands of illegal immigrants and their supporters flew Mexican flags while demanding their rights. Al Garza, an American of Hispanic descent, says he was deeply angered by the protesters. "I do declare to be of Hispanic descent," Garza says, who summarized his family's willingness to fight for their American freedoms. "I'm the fifth generation in the United States, and my grandfather was in World War I, lost two brothers. My father, his son, was in World War II, and he lost two brothers -- one in Japan and one in Germany." The family sacrifices did not stop there. "Then we lost two in Korea: one was wounded and came home, but the other two died in Korea. And then, my grandfather had two other grandsons that wound up seeing combat, one of them being me. I got wounded." How does that apply to the recent demonstrations? "We paid a heavy price for Old Glory," he shares, "and it's the only flag we appreciate, the only flag that we're loyal to -- and we don't want to see any other flag in a march like that." Garza says the Minutemen plan to display Old Glory along the U.S. borders during operations this month. He says he hopes other patriotic Americans across the country will join them. [Chad Groening]

...News reports have speculated that the immigration issue may take its toll on Republicans in the coming fall elections. In fact, a leading conservative in Washington, DC, is warning the GOP to be prepared for what could be a Democratic landslide in November. Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation believes the GOP lacks solid leadership -- and that, he says, could cost the party control of the House of Representatives. But there is even worse news, says Weyrich. "I think the greater danger is in the Senate because the Senatorial Campaign Committee on the Democrat side has done an excellent job of recruitment," he says. "They've got really good candidates, whereas [the Republicans] don't." Weyrich feels the fall elections are pretty much up for grabs. "I would not be shocked if Democrats controlled both houses. I would not be shocked if Democrats controlled one of the houses. I would not be shocked if Republicans controlled both houses again," he says. Even so, he adds, a Democratic landslide is not out of the question. [Bill Fancher]

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