Baptist Press

September 27, 2006 WASHINGTON--Land, others call for Congress to enact immigration reform. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24052 WASHINGTON--Interstate abortion bill again gets House approval. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24053 FLORIDA--‘Joshua Convergence’ young leaders voice support for SBC direction. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24054 TEXAS--Golf’s Byron Nelson, dead at 94, was ‘great follower’ of Jesus. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24055 TENNESSEE--Fox launches movie unit aimed at Christian community. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24056 TENNESSEE--CULTURE DIGEST: Bush assassination film ‘a new low’; book explains 5 languages of apology; Columbine-simulating video games under fire. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24057 TENNESSEE--Churchill warns of Islamic threat, recounts grandfather’s legacy. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24058 KANSAS--FIRST-PERSON (Phil Boatwright): The most inspiring film you’ll see all year. http://www.bpnews.net/bpcolumn.asp?ID=2398 ******************** BPNews -- Witness the difference! http://www.bpnews.net BPSports -- Sports with a spiritual attitude! http://www.bpsports.net ******************** Check out our feature cartoons at http://www.bpnews.net/bpcartoons.asp BPLife Lighter Side -- "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." Proverbs 17:22 ******************** Your church can participate in winning, witnessing and baptizing 1,000,000 people. Visit www.everyonecan.net for more information. ******************** Click here to download today's Baptist Press stories: http://www.bpnews.net/storydownloadall.asp?mo=9&da=27&yr=2006 ******************** Land, others call for Congress to enact immigration reform By Tom Strode WASHINGTON (BP)--Southern Baptist ethics leader Richard Land urged Congress Sept. 26 to pass before it adjourns comprehensive immigration reform that meets the dual requirements of security and compassion. "I’m calling for this Congress to rise above partisan considerations and partisan disagreements," Land said at a Capitol Hill news conference. "This is a political issue with profound moral and ethical implications. We do need to have security on our borders, but we also have to find a way to deal compassionately and fairly with the 12 to 14 million people who are here illegally." The appeal by Land, other religious leaders and senators from both parties came in Congress’ final days of business before the Nov. 7 election. The Senate and House of Representatives plan to recess Sept. 29 or 30, but both are expected to return for November sessions after the election. Sen. Edward Kennedy, the lead Democratic sponsor from Massachusetts, told reporters there was "still time for us to enact a tough but fair immigration law." It appeared unlikely, however, any such measure would gain passage before November, if at all. The two houses have been at an impasse on the issue for months. The Senate version, approved in May, includes provisions intended to secure the border with Mexico but also establish a guest-worker program and enable most illegal immigrants to enter a process to become citizens. Some House Republicans and other conservatives have charged it would provide amnesty to those who are in this country illegally. The House version, passed in December, focuses on border security and enforcement against illegal immigrants and those who aid them. Hispanic leaders and Senate Democrats have sharply criticized it as lacking in compassion. If anything, the Senate appears to have moved toward the House position recently. In early August, senators voted 94-3 to fund the construction of 370 miles of fencing and 461 miles of vehicle barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border. Senate leadership was pushing a vote on a House-approved measure to strengthen border security even as the recess neared. Though he has not endorsed a specific bill, Land said at the news conference legislation that deals only with security and enforcement is not enough to repair a "broken system." Americans "have to find a way to deal compassionately with this in a comprehensive way, not in a piecemeal way, not fixing half the problems, but taking a comprehensive approach and finding our way to a moral and a decent solution," said Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "We have to reform our laws," he said. "We have a government and a country that is committed to the rule of law, and when we have people ignoring the law -– employers, as well as those who come here illegally –- and the laws are not being enforced, it breeds disrespect for the law. And that’s a very dangerous thing." Congress must find a way to "get [illegal immigrants] protection, to get them identified and, for those who want to stay here, give them a pathway to earn their way to some probationary status of some sort where they can earn their way to legal residence," Land told reporters. Sen. John McCain, R.-Ariz., a leading supporter of the Senate measure, said his allies and he acknowledge "border security and national security is our top priority, but we also strongly assert that it has to be a comprehensive approach." Land has said that kind of approach should include controlling the borders, enforcing immigration laws inside the country and no amnesty for lawbreakers. It also should consist of a guest-worker program that calls for illegal immigrants to undergo a criminal background check, pay a fine, agree to pay back taxes and learn to speak English, and apply for permanent residence behind legal immigrants after a probationary period of years. The House-approved bill would potentially threaten the ministry of Christians to illegal immigrants, Land reiterated Sept. 26. It leaves open the possibility that private individuals could be prosecuted for "giving a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name to someone who is here illegally, providing a warm bed to someone who is here illegally," Land said. "I believe that it leaves open that possibility. That language and that idea must be stricken from any comprehensive immigration bill. The language that is in the House bill currently reminds me of nothing quite so much as the reprehensible fugitive slave laws of the 1850s, which punished private citizens for assisting those who were trying to find their way to freedom. It is absolutely unconscionable that that legislation still contains that language, and it must be stricken." When a reporter later asked Kennedy to comment on the House legislation, he said, "I think Dr. Land stated it quite clearly.... There is very little I could add to that excellent summation, other than ‘Amen.’" Messengers to this year’s Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution urging increased border security and enforcement of the laws, while encouraging Christian outreach to immigrants regardless of their legal status. In addition to Land, other religious leaders who spoke at the news conference were Derrick Harkins, pastor of 19th Street Baptist Church in Washington; David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; and Jamie Soto, a Roman Catholic bishop in Orange County, Calif. --30-- Interstate abortion bill again gets House approval By Tom Strode WASHINGTON (BP)--The House of Representatives passed Sept. 26 for the second time this Congress a bill to outlaw interstate abortions on minors without parental notice. Representatives voted 264-153 for a compromise version of bills passed earlier this year by the Senate and House. Supporters of the measure hope the Senate also will approve the legislation, but there is no guarantee that chamber will act before it recesses Sept. 29 or 30. The substitute for the Child Custody Protection Act, S. 403, is intended to prevent the transportation of underage girls across state lines to obtain abortions in avoidance of parental involvement laws in the girls’ home states. Some minors travel from or are transported from states with parental involvement laws to neighboring states that have no such laws in order to undergo abortions. Abortion clinics in states without parental consent or notification laws sometimes advertise their services in adjacent states that have such laws. The Senate adopted the CCPA by a 65-34 margin in July, 15 months after the House passed its version with a 270-157 vote. After Senate passage July 25, Majority Leader Bill Frist moved for the bill to go to a conference committee, where differences between it and the House measure could be reconciled. Sen. Richard Durbin, D.-Ill., the assistant minority leader, objected to the normally routine request, thereby halting the advance of the bill. Twice more, the Democrats blocked the bill’s progress by objecting. House supporters acted in an attempt to break the blockage by including in the substitute all of the provisions in the Senate-approved bill, as well as the main condition of their version. The substitute measure includes a Senate provision that bars a father who impregnates his daughter from taking her to another state for an abortion or from suing a person who provides such transportation. The substitute also maintains a House requirement that an abortion doctor in a state without a parental involvement law inform a parent before he performs an abortion on a minor girl who lives in a different state. "I commend the House for their heroic action on behalf of parents and their young daughters," said Barrett Duke, vice president of public policy and research for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "This bill will help restore parents’ biblical, moral and legal responsibility to be aware of and involved in the well-being of their daughters. "Yet, we cannot be sure the Senate will even act on it. I hope everyone who cares about this issue will pick up their phones or send an e-mail right away and tell their senators that they want them to vote for the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act as passed by the House on Sept. 26. There is no time to delay. The future of unborn babies and their mothers is in the balance." The ERLC sent out an alert Sept. 27 calling for its constituents to e-mail or call their senators urging them to vote for S. 403. The Capitol switchboard number is 202-224-3121. President Bush has said he will sign the legislation if it arrives on his desk. There are 29 states that have effective parental involvement laws that are not being blocked by courts. NARAL Pro-choice America, the National Abortion Federation and Planned Parenthood Federation of America are among the abortion rights organizations that have fought passage of the measure. Some studies have shown a majority of minors who become pregnant are impregnated by men 18 or older. The men, or their family members, sometimes take the minors across state lines to obtain abortions. Supporters of the proposals to ban such activities argue that these men have an incentive to keep the pregnancy hidden by means of secret abortions, since they are vulnerable to statutory rape charges. In an April 2005 survey by The Polling Co., 82 percent of Americans disagreed with a person being able "to take a minor girl across state lines to obtain an abortion without her parents’ knowledge." --30-- ‘Joshua Convergence’ young leaders voice support for SBC direction By Joni B. Hannigan/Florida Baptist Witness WINTER PARK, Fla. (BP)--Seeking to "give voice to younger leaders across the Southern Baptist Convention" who support the SBC’s Conservative Resurgence and its emphasis on biblical inerrancy, about 40 pastors and seminary professors inaugurated what they are calling "The Joshua Convergence" during Sept. 25-26 sessions in Florida. Presenting seven "Principles of Affirmation" during a Sept. 25 worship service, the young leaders spoke of truth, gratitude, service, holiness, unity, identity and mission. The document expresses "deep thankfulness for those who have taken [our] Convention back to its theological and spiritual moorings," crediting "godly men and women" with the furtherance of "seminaries that champion God’s Word, evangelistic mission agencies, and a Convention committed to the Great Commission." The final affirmation notes a "desire for the nations to hear the Gospel of Christ" and unabashedly supports the SBC’s Cooperative Program, calling it "unusually blessed of God as a tool for training and sending God-called servants to proclaim Christ." Each of the affirmations begins with a Scripture verse from the Old Testament Book of Joshua; other passages from Scripture also are incorporated throughout the document. Speakers during the Sept. 25 worship service at the Orlando-area Aloma Baptist Church in Winter Park included Anthony George, Aloma Baptist’s pastor; Stephen Rummage, preaching pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C.; Brad Reynolds, a professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina and pastor of Gravel Hill Baptist Church in Clarksville, Va.; Jim Shaddix, pastor of Riverside Baptist Church in Denver; Emir Caner, a professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas; Jeff Crook, pastor of the Atlanta-area Blackshear Place Baptist Church; and Roc Collins, pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church in Kingsport, Tenn. The Principles of Affirmation were prefaced with the following statement: "The purpose of The Joshua Convergence is to give a voice to younger leaders across the Southern Baptist Convention who are strongly committed to biblical inerrancy, who support the goals and leadership of the conservative resurgence, and who unashamedly embrace biblical standards of separation and morality, in order that the Southern Baptist Convention might continue to hold to the authority, inerrancy, and sufficiency of Scripture in the future and the nations might be transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Based on this purpose, we affirm the following principles." The Joshua Convergence is the second group of young leaders to form within the SBC, but with different emphases. In May, 31 individuals met in Memphis, Tenn., and issued an eight-point "Memphis Declaration" which expressed displeasure over what was called a "narrowing of cooperation through exclusionary theological and political agendas" in the SBC. The Memphis Declaration gravitates toward repentance of "triumphalism" and "narcissism" of Southern Baptist ministries and cites an "arrogant spirit" and the condemnation of unbelievers. A Baptist Press news story about the Memphis meeting said "much of the concern expressed by participants was motivated by recent developments at the SBC’s International Mission Board and with other SBC entities and leaders." Much of the IMB controversy has centered around a new policy against the appointment of missionaries who have a private prayer language. The Memphis Declaration itself, however, did not specify any particular SBC entities or leaders, but by implication aired an exhaustive list of behaviors which participants said needed repentance. The signers of the declaration also committed to continue to dialogue about their concerns. >From The Joshua Convergence document, the seven points of affirmation are: "1. Truth -- ‘This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night....’ Joshua 1:8 "We affirm the inerrancy of Scripture and the need for Southern Baptists to continue ‘to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3). We maintain that any departure from the sufficiency of Scripture in preaching, evangelism, counseling, missions, ministry, or ecclesiology strikes against the very truth and authority of God's Word. Pride and human sinfulness will draw believers away from biblical truth if they are not eternally watchful. The battle for the Bible must be renewed in every generation. We take our stand to continue in that battle. "2. Gratitude -- ‘As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.’ Joshua 1:5 "We affirm our deep thankfulness for those who have taken our Convention back to its theological and spiritual moorings. Because of the prayers and personal sacrifice of these godly men and women, we are the beneficiaries of seminaries that champion God's Word, evangelistic mission agencies, and a Convention committed to the Great Commission. We are deeply disheartened by anyone who would malign the motives of these godly leaders. Instead, we seek to continue in the direction they have established, joining them in service to the Lord Jesus Christ with the prayer that God's hand of guidance would be with us. "3. Service -- ‘Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth ... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ Joshua 24:14-15 "We affirm a God-given stewardship of service in our Convention in order to bring about His kingdom purposes. Our Lord has said, ‘Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant’ (Matthew 20:26). We are aware that -- as with any human organization -- the mechanisms of the Southern Baptist Convention can be manipulated. We commit to refrain from such practices. Instead, we will serve through any avenue God provides, not with the expectation of being elevated or honored, but only to please Jesus Christ. We seek a spirit of humility wherever we might serve. "4. Holiness -- ‘And Joshua said to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.’’ Joshua 3:5 "We affirm personal purity and separation from worldliness. Convinced that a redeemed life produces the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-24), we abhor compromise of biblical holiness, modesty, and temperance in the name of Christian liberty (Romans 6:15). Though we do not endorse pharisaical legalism, we resist attempts to accommodate standards of holiness to vacillating cultural norms. To this end, we oppose the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Throughout its history, our Convention has stood against the evils of alcohol. The present generation can in good conscience do no other. Further, we are unequivocally opposed to the antinomian attitude in some Christian circles concerning unwholesome and immoral language, cynicism, and profanity. We feel strongly that the Bible condemns such actions. "5. Unity -- ‘Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.’ Joshua 18:1 "We are fully committed to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as a summary of our common beliefs, and we desire full cooperation with all who share this commitment. Within our number are those with diverse positions on the doctrines of grace, aspects of eschatology, approaches to worship, and missions and evangelism strategy. While we cherish opportunities to discuss these differences, we reject all attitudes of mean-spiritedness, personal attacks, or intellectual and spiritual arrogance in these debates. Instead, we pledge to maintain a peaceable spirit and to work together in our common goal of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. "6. Identity -- ‘That this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?’’ Joshua 4:6 "We are wholehearted in our dedication to Baptist ecclesiology as expressed in Scripture for our understanding of what constitutes a local church. We are Baptists by conviction not by tradition alone, believing the fundamental principles which constitute a Baptist church are the very ones which made up a New Testament church. Such essential tenets of a believer's church, founded upon the sole authority and sufficiency of Scripture, include regenerate church membership, believer's baptism by immersion, believer's Lord's Supper as a memorial, church discipline, local church autonomy, congregational polity, confessional fidelity, priesthood of the believer, separation of church and state, religious liberty, and an unwavering passion to carry out the Great Commission. We should never be prideful in being Baptist, but we should always be thankful in being Baptist. "7. Mission -- ‘That all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.’ Joshua 4:24 "We affirm our desire for the nations to hear the gospel of Christ. Based on this conviction, we are committed to be personal soul-winners, to lead our churches and Convention in evangelism, and to support worldwide church planting. We commit to give sacrificially to missions and to encourage our churches continually to increase their missions giving. We are convinced that the Cooperative Program has been unusually blessed of God as a tool for training and sending God-called servants to proclaim Christ. Without hesitation, we desire for all Southern Baptist churches to grow in their giving to the Cooperative Program and encourage our state conventions to send higher percentages of Cooperative Program receipts to the Southern Baptist Convention." --30-- Joni B. Hannigan is managing editor of the Florida Baptist Witness. The Joshua Convergence website is www.joshuaconvergence.com. Fox launches movie unit aimed at Christian community By Staff NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Twentieth Century Fox has launched a movie distribution label targeting the Christian community, with the goal of releasing at least six "faith-based" and "inspiration" theatrical films a year -- including two this fall. The label, "Fox Faith," will house both DVD and theatrical "faith-based" films that have a "clear Christian message" or are based on "material by a Christian author," according to a news release. Fox Faith also will market the movies to churches and ministry organizations. The first theatrical release, "Love's Abiding Joy" -- based on the books by Janette Oke -- will be released Oct. 6 in partnership with The Bigger Picture on a limited basis, in more than 75 cities and 250 screens. The second movie in theaters, "One Night with the King" -- based on the story of the biblical Esther -- will hit theaters Oct. 13. Both are rated PG. "We simply recognized that there was a hugely underserved audience and seized the opportunity to provide them with high-quality entertainment that reflects their values," Jeff Yordy, vice president for marketing at Fox Faith, said in a news release. "And, as a result, we’ve seen explosive growth in this marketplace over the past few years, which only proves to us that we’re successfully tapping into our core constituency." Fox Faith movies on DVD will include such titles as "The Passion of The Christ," "Woman Thou Art Loosed" and "Beyond the Gates of Splendor." The theatrical releases will have small budgets of approximately $5 million each, as well as marketing campaigns of approximately $5 million each, according to the Los Angeles Times. Movies typically cost tens of millions of dollars to make. "Superman Returns" cost approximately $270 million. Still, $5 million could be a significant budget for some films. The football-themed inspirational "Facing the Giants," for instance, set to be released Sept. 29, had a budget of approximately $100,000. Simon Swart, general manager of Fox's U.S. home entertainment line, told the Times that Fox Faith wants to "push the production value," although they don't want to "videotape sermons." The theatrical releases will cover approximately 40 percent of the country in such chains as Carmike and AMC, according to the news release. Fox Faith already has three films slated for next year: "Three" (January), "The Last Sin Eater" (February) and "Mama, I Want to Sing" (March). "We work very closely with the Christian retail community as well as a variety of church and thought leaders across the country and they have fully embraced what we’re doing with Fox Faith and the banner has truly come to represent relevant and compelling programming that our consumers and retailers know they can trust," Yordy said. --30-- For more information, visit www.foxfaithmovies.com or www.foxfaith.com. CULTURE DIGEST: Bush assassination film ‘a new low’; book explains 5 languages of apology; Columbine- simulating video games under fire By Erin Roach NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Fierce opponents of President Bush have exercised their freedom of speech by comparing him to Hitler and Mussolini and by calling him names such as "evil maniac," "terrorist" and worse. A head of state even referred to Bush as "the devil" and received applause at the United Nations. But Jeff Jacoby, a columnist for The Boston Globe, noted that Bush-hatred reached a new low in a British film called "Death of a President," which won an award at the Toronto International Film Festival "for the audacity with which it distorts reality to reveal a larger truth." The film has been purchased by Newmarket Films, which handled Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of The Christ," and is expected to reach theaters in the United States. Death of a President depicts a sniper shooting of Bush in October 2007 during a trip to Chicago by blending archival footage of Bush into fictional scenes in a documentary style, the Associated Press said. Through special effects the president’s face is superimposed onto the body of the actor playing him. "This is Bush-hatred as a snuff film," Jacoby wrote Sept. 11. "The fantasies it feeds are grotesque and obscene; to pander to such fantasies is to rip at boundary-markers that are indispensable to civilized society. That such a movie could not only be made but lionized at an international film festival is a mark not of sophistication, but of a sickness in modern life that should alarm conservatives and liberals alike." Jacoby added that he can’t help wondering whether some who see the film will be inspired to carry it out. "John Hinckley, in his derangement, had the idea that shooting the president was the way to impress a movie star. After seeing ‘Death of a President,’ the next Hinckley may get a more grandiose idea: Shooting the president is the way to become a movie star," Jacoby wrote, referring to Hinckley as the man who shot President Ronald Reagan in a failed assassination attempt. "I’m thrilled that the film is going to be shown both here and in the U.S. in the near future," Gabriel Range, the film’s director, said. "That’s proof that people can see beyond the premise and see that it’s a film about this post-9/11 world that we live in." BOOK EXPLAINS 5 LANGUAGES OF APOLOGY -- Gary Chapman, author of the popular book "The Five Love Languages," has co-written a book titled "The Five Languages of Apology" with Jennifer Thomas, a fellow psychologist. "From our observations as marital therapists, we notice a deafening lack of persuasive apologies," Chapman and Thomas wrote. "We believe that the shortage of apologies with impact may be a central factor in the epidemic of crumbling marriages that we see today. But the good news is that the art of apology can be learned, and the concept of the five languages of apology can enhance relationships not only in marriage but in parenting, in families, in dating relationships and at work." Thomas told the Orlando Sentinel newspaper that the idea for the book came from an argument with her husband in which she said, "I’m sorry," and what he wanted to hear was "I was wrong." She realized then that there are more ways than one of apologizing. According to the book, the five languages of apology are: expressing regret (I am sorry); accepting responsibility (I was wrong); making restitution (What can I do to make it right?); genuinely repenting (I’ll try not to do that again); and requesting forgiveness (Will you please forgive me?). The authors say the key to good relationships is learning the apology language of the other person and being willing to speak it, and the book includes a self-assessment test so readers can determine their own apology language. "Nobody’s perfect. There will always be times when we offend people," Thomas told the Sentinel. "That creates barriers in relationships. The barriers remain until we do something active to clear them." When apologizing to a group of people, all five forms of apology may be needed, she added, in order to successfully convey sincerity. COLUMBINE VIDEO GAMES UNDER FIRE -- Jack Thompson, the attorney who represented the parents of three teenagers killed in the Paducah, Ky., school shooting in 1997, is continuing his efforts against violent video games because of their influence on unstable youth. One of his main concerns now is the October release of "Bully," a video game that teaches teens how to "navigate through the tricky and sometimes brutal social pitfalls of high school," according to iTnews.com, an Australian business news site. Thompson calls the game a "Columbine simulator," referring to the massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999. "Bully puts the player in the position of a new kid who has to confront bullies, deal with teachers, get the girl and avoid detention at a corrupt boarding school," iTnews.com reported, adding that the main character wields a baseball bat during his journey. Thompson said his life was changed when he spent time with victims’ families in Paducah, where investigators believe the shooter, 14-year-old Michael Carneal, had spent hours playing video games that simulate violence. "I believe people are going to be harmed because of these games," Thompson said. "This is not just some effort by some 55-year-old guy dictating entertainment taste for other people’s children. I’ve got a dog in this hunt and I know where their skeletons are. I think this is the most ridiculous game anyone has come up with." Thompson has lobbied legislators to pass laws banning video games that train youth to seek revenge over classmates by using violence. The Toronto Sun reported Sept. 14 that the man who recently killed a woman and wounded 19 people at Dawson College in Montreal before being killed by police said on a website that his favorite video game was "Super Columbine Massacre," a game downloadable on the Internet. Kimveer Gill, the 25-year-old shooter, regularly posted on goth forums, the Sun said, and signed his posts as "Fatality666" and finished all his comments with "Life is a video game and you gonna die sometime." On a blog, he reportedly wrote, "Give them what they deserve before you go." On the day he went on the shooting rampage, Gill wore a black trench coat and had his hair cut into a mohawk, the Sun said, just like the Columbine shooters. HIP-HOP CHURCH REACHES NICHE MARKET -- Headz Up Fellowship is a Southern Baptist church in Sun Valley, Calif., led by a student at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and it’s finding success in reaching out to unbelievers through hip-hop music. Pastor Patrick Via, also known as DJ Elder, started the church a year ago and has made celebration nights, where popular hip-hop artists share their testimonies, a staple of the church’s outreach efforts. Kurtis Blow, a hip-hop pioneer, has been a featured guest. "Jesus went around telling stories in parables so that people could relate, and that’s what we do today," Blow said. "My goal is to bring kids to Christ. Hip-hop is a great avenue." Hip-hop recently surpassed sales of both rock and country to become the nation’s top-selling format of popular music, and it also reaches an international audience. "I’ve been involved in all facets of hip-hop since 1981," Via said. "This is absolutely huge here. It’s a lifestyle, a culture." Lives are being changed at Headz Up, and Don Overstreet, a Southern California church strategist for the North American Mission Board, commended Via for tapping into an audience with a relevant way of reaching them. "Throughout history God has raised up people to minister to a new generation," Overstreet said. "That’s what He is doing now and it’s Via’s real heart cry to reach these people for Christ through hip-hop." --30-- Churchill warns of Islamic threat, recounts grandfather’s legacy By Tim Ellsworth JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)--Radical Islam poses to Western civilization a threat similar to that of the Nazis and the Soviets, Winston Churchill said Sept. 26 at Union University. Churchill -– author, journalist, former Member of Parliament and grandson of the former British prime minister -– spoke before about 1,800 people at Union’s 10th annual Scholarship Banquet to raise funds for students scholarships. "Together we have overcome far more powerful enemies than those that assail us today," Churchill said. "I have every confidence that, in confronting this new challenge, America and Britain -– together with our allies -– can prevail and shall prevail, just as together we have triumphed in the past." Churchill noted his grandfather’s crusade against the Nazis and the Soviets and his efforts to woo the support of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the fight. "By the power of his oratory, he persuaded his fellow countrymen -– though the situation seemed hopeless -– not to surrender in those crucial weeks of late May/early June 1940, when all effective resistance to the Nazis on the continent of Europe had come to an end and many, including the friends of Britain abroad, thought that we were finished," Churchill said. "It was this alone that made possible -– once America joined the fray some 18 months later -– the liberation of the nations of occupied Europe and the ultimate defeat of Nazi Germany." If it weren’t for his grandfather’s resolute opposition to Germany, Churchill said the Nazi swastika might still be flying over Buckingham Palace, the houses of Parliament and the capitals of Europe. One of the qualities that made Churchill so successful as a leader was his prescience, the younger Churchill said. His grandfather was one of the first to warn about the dangers that Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union presented. The former prime minister also spoke about the dangers of Islamic fundamentalism 85 years ago, and the younger Churchill said recent events have proven his grandfather to be prophetic. The threat from radical Islam comes in two forms, Churchill said. The first is the global terrorist threat that everyone recognizes. The second is a demographic threat confronting Europe. For example, Churchill pointed to the population trends in France, where 10 percent of the population is Islamic. But among those 20 years of age and younger, that percentage rises to 30 percent. Given the rates at which Muslims reproduce, that means France will be an Islamic state in only one generation. "Europe is sleepwalking towards disaster," Churchill said. "We would sooner commit national suicide than be accused of being politically incorrect." Churchill concluded his remarks by examining the essence of leadership, as embodied by his grandfather. "It comprises many elements: knowledge, wisdom, prescience, honor and courage," Churchill said. "As Winston Churchill himself declared, ‘Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality which guarantees all others.’" Previous keynote speakers for the scholarship banquet include George H.W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Rudy Giuliani, Colin Powell and Lou Holtz. --30-- FIRST-PERSON: The most inspiring film you’ll see all year By Phil Boatwright KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP)--Ever notice that when a problem appears on the horizon, it generally is followed by another, then another, usually in quick succession? The car breaks down, so the dishwasher follows suit, or your back goes out. Mostly they are petty annoyances that can be resolved by the end of the day. But add on psychological fears and doubts and suddenly those minor irritants become Goliaths. "Facing the Giants" is an important film because it deals with that conundrum. I was sent a screener DVD of the new film "Facing the Giants" (PG), which opens Friday, Sept. 29. Now, being a Christian critic, I am expected by some to support any movie containing a Gospel message -- even one that suspiciously looks much like a "church" film, which "Facing the Giants" could legitimately be called, since the writer/producer/director/star is indeed a church pastor. But the one person you can’t ask to support a film on its spiritual intentions alone is the film reviewer. He must examine a Christian-themed film like any other film. So I am very glad to be able to give a positive critique of this new limited release. "Facing the Giants" is the story of Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick), a coach who has never led his Shiloh Eagles to a winning season. But if six years of lackluster games have been dismal, today tops everything: his star player is transferring to another school, a group of fathers are meeting secretly to fire him as head coach, and he and his wife, Brooke (Shannen Fields), face infertility. Help arrives not in the form of a star quarterback but a visitor who urges Grant to lift his team aspirations beyond a football goal. Fueled by renewed faith, Grant gives his players a different game plan -- daring them to believe in the impossible on and off the field. You may recall hearing about this film earlier this year when both the Christian and secular press reported the MPAA’s decision to assign it a PG rating, despite the fact that it contains no objectionable language, sexual situations or excessive violence. The MPAA board reportedly felt the film had too many religious references -- specifically about Jesus Christ -- and that non-Christian parents should be warned that their children would be subjected to Christian beliefs. Financed on a shoestring budget, with brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick acting as an artistic and technical two-man army, the issues of faith and fear have been addressed within a satisfying sports movie. Oh, there are the usual cinematic shortcomings associated with well-meaning religious storytelling. This awkwardness is seen especially in the opening scenes, where both actors and introductory dialogue are clumsy and forced. I actually uttered, "uh-oh," when the first attempt at humor deflated like an airless football. But within minutes, something special began to happen. First, the story kicked in. With so many other movies boasting only special effects and cartoonish concepts, it’s nice to see an involving story viewers can relate to -- one that provides positive answers to nagging spiritual questions. Second, and most amazing, suddenly I felt the Holy Spirit’s presence. It was as if He was showering spiritual knowledge and blessing upon the project, and upon this viewer. The film took on a sincere life, one that seemed to comfort while extolling biblical principles. This was something special I seldom see in theatrical releases. And I mean very seldom. In a phone conversation with the film’s director/writer/star Alex Kendrick, (minister of media at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga.), I discovered a sincere man who respected the medium of film and wanted to entertain as well as represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As I mentioned, I felt the Holy Spirit upon me as I viewed the film and asked Alex if his crew were similarly touched during production. "Absolutely," he said. "Except for my decision to get married and to go into the ministry, I don’t think I have ever prayed for anything as much as we have for this movie. I remember weekly going to our prayer tower when we were in the writing stage and my brother Stephen and I and the staff would pray over the whole process: the writing, the casting, the shooting. There wasn’t a day [that] went by from start to finish that we as a church staff or a movie crew did not start the day off with prayer." I also asked Kendrick if he had received any feedback from non-Christians. He said they have. "Some looking at the technical aspects have said that this is no big-budgeted Hollywood movie, and that the acting is certainly not Academy Award caliber," he said. "But see, that wasn’t what we were shooting for. We wanted to be excellent, but we’re not trying to win any awards, here. The other comments were very positive. There were some people, even some atheists who said that this movie touched them emotionally. They even said they’d see it again." Even though the story behind the movie is fictional, Kendrick is quick to point out that most of the events in the movie had happened to people in and around the church. "It’s kind of an amalgam of real events, even though they didn’t all happen to one coach or one team," he said. "But in our church, we’ve had couples that were told by their doctor that it was medically impossible for them to have children. And after we prayed with them, two or three couples ended up having biological children. Now, that hasn’t been true for everyone. We have some people that are still having trouble with infertility. But we’ve seen God work miracles in that arena. We’ve also seen a kid kick a 50-yard field goal, like in the movie. A coach really was given a car in Bainbridge, Ga. We wanted to incorporate things we have seen God do in the lives of our church membership or people in our community. Being a movie, we had to condense many things and incorporate those miracles into one team and community." This is one worth looking for. It's the most inspiring film you’ll see all year. --30-- Phil Boatwright is the editor and film reviewer for previewonline.org.