Violent video game on the Internet

Allie Martin – OneNewsNow

The Parents Television Council (PTC) is sounding a warning about a free game available on the Internet that allows players to torture a character to death.

“The Torture Game 2″ is found on several gaming portals and, according to the PTC, could desensitize players because of its violent content. The game allows players to torture a defenseless character in a number of ways that are too graphic to report.
 
Gavin McKiernan with the Parents Television Council says the game can be accessed by anyone with an Internet connection, regardless of age. He believes parents must monitor their child’s Internet usage.
 
“The Internet can be a great resource for kids to do research, or communicate with their friends, or learn things, or even positive recreation and games and things. [But] parents need to be aware that there’s [sic] so many negative things they can be doing – from chat rooms, where they expose themselves to sexual predators, to violent and depraved games and so-called entertainment like this,” McKiernan explains. 

The family advocate says while many positive, Christian-themed games are available on the Internet, parents must still be vigilant. “We don’t need to go back to a world before computers and Internet and television; there’s [sic] a lot of positive things to be had out there,” he points out. “[But] with all that positive comes a lot of negative — and any kid who’s sitting around playing the Torture Game or whose parents are allowing him to play Grand Theft Auto at home, is opening themselves up to a lot of potential negative repercussions that they may not realize for years,” McKiernan contends.
 
According to McKiernan, many parents are ignorant of their child’s Internet activity.

Canada Day celebration at First Pentecostal Church Sunday.

Church event focuses on multiculturalism

Posted By BY JEREMY ASHLEY, THE INTELLIGENCER

When you think of Canada Day, chances are you’re not going to have church in mind.

But not for those who attended First Pentecostal Church’s annual multicultural celebration Sunday to mark this nation’s birthday.

Following the Sunday morning service, upward of 250 people poured into the church’s asphalt lot transforming it into a massive buffet line featuring international cuisine, an extensive children’s play area and stage with entertainment.

The annual venue is to mark not only Canada Day, but to celebrate the country’s multiculturalism — particularly that of First Pentecostal, said Kerry Ramsay, who heads the children’s ministry at the church.

“There were 17 different nations represented in our service today,” she said.

“It’s amazing, when you think about it, how many immigrants we have in our city … and this is meant to celebrate that. “Everybody comes together under one roof, and obviously, that’s what God’s work is all about.”

Nearby, Tola Kalejaiye smiled as she looked at the crowd gathered for the event. “This is wonderful, just great,” she mused.

When asked where she’s from, the 31-year-old chuckled. “Canada,” she replied proudly, adding she became a citizen just last year.

Full Story

Fireworks For Fundraising

During this time of year many Apostolic churches use fireworks as a fundraising tool for their church. One such church, The Apostolic Minitries United Pentecostal Church was recently featured in their local paper.

For the Apostolic Ministries UPCin Hanover, PA, selling fireworks is considered one of their biggest fundraisers.  You’ll find them this week in the parking lot of the South Hanover Wal-Mart.

Click HERE to read the article from the local paper.

Obama campaign worker helps set up anti-Dobson site

Jim Brown – OneNewsNow

A campaign worker for Barack Obama was instrumental in launching a new website designed to counter Dr. James Dobson’s criticism of the Democratic presidential nominee.

A recent article on OneNewsNow featured comments by Methodist pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, a Barack Obama supporter. The pastor took issue with James Dobson’s contention that Obama distorts the Bible with his theological views.
Caldwell, who is affiliated with the website JamesDobsonDoesntSpeakForMe.com, initially told OneNewsNow that the website was operated by Matthew 25, a political action committee working with Obama supporters. However, upon investigation, it was found that the site was actually registered to Alyssa Martin, an intern in the Obama campaign’s “religious affairs” department. The domain registration has since been changed to Pastor Caldwell’s name.

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Full Story Here

Rev. Jesse T. Jones, UPC Pastor, Succumbs

Rev. Jesse T. Jones, pastor of the United Pentecostal Church of Palacios (Palacios, TX), died 26 June at the age of 77.  He was born 22 November 1930 in Old Gulf, Texas to Moses Dewitt and Mary Victoria Ham Jones and had been a resident of Palacios for 35 years.

Services will be held at Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Bay City, Texas, and Rev. Marvin Cole and Rev. C.M. Becton will officiate.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley, three daughters, and several other close relatives.

Please pray for the Jones family and the members of the United Pentecostal Church of Palacios.

Click here to read the full story.

Pentecostal Church in Lubbock, TX Draws Attention of Community

By Stephanie Hernandez

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Laps and cheers come up from the audience as two singers, a drummer and keyboard player lead the congregation into song.

In yellow letters, the words, “We’ve come to praise him/And lift his holy name/ Make a joyful noise/ Unto the Lord.” People sing while swaying and clapping along to the beat.

This is the scene at Word Aflame United Pentecostal Church, 6901 82nd St. An energy seems to take over the church members in song, prayer and worship. They stand to sing without being asked. They sway, clap, even jump while singing the upbeat lyrics of songs.

Worship is alive with “Amen!” and “Praise him!” shouts during pastor Ron Cruddas and assistant pastor Harley Hunt’s talks.

But inside the sanctuary is not the only place to find a living energy. Smiling ushers open doors and welcome people as they walk into the church.

Full Story

Court sides with church in demon case

Texas Supreme Court says it can’t decide religious doctrine in teen exorcism case.

By Chuck Lindell

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Saturday, June 28, 2008

The Texas Supreme Court, showing continued deference to religious practice, on Friday tossed out a $188,000 judgment against members of a Pentecostal church who restrained a teenager they feared had come under demonic influence.

Laura Schubert claimed that rough handling during the hours-long 1996 incident — involving the “laying on of hands” and intensive prayer — left her disabled by post-traumatic stress disorder.

Jurors agreed, finding that Schubert, then 17, was falsely imprisoned and assaulted by a pastor, youth minister and members of Pleasant Glade Assembly of God church in suburban Fort Worth.

Full Story

New computer program shows how faith may have evolved

Anthropologist James W. Dow says that Religion is actually saved by non-believers.

And he’s got a groundbreaking computer program, dubbed “evogod,” to prove it.

Dow, a professor emeritus at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., devoted much of his career to studying religion in Mexico. But he’s also a trained mathematician.

Evogod uses mathematical models to simulate a pre-literate culture, when the brain was undergoing most of its evolution, Dow says. Scholars often use such models to study human behavior, such as how crowds react under certain circumstances.

Dow populated his simulated society with two groups of people: one that professed a belief in things unseen and unverifiable (think: spirits, gods, etc.), and another that did not. Dow assumes religious faith is a hereditary trait.

Click HERE to read the full story.

 

Apostolic Artist Spotlight: Lorna Brittany Macey

The Apostolic Report had the privilege to interview Brittany Macey about her new project, “Forever Yours.”

We at the Apostoli Report feel strongly that Apostolics should support our artists who give of their time, talents, and resources to provide us with anointed music. We encourage you to purchase this CD. Let’s show our support to our Apostolic Artists.

Lorna Brittany Macey Interview

Click above to play. If the embedded player does not work, try the link below.

Lorna Brittany Macey Interview

Samples from the Project “Forever Yours”

Lead Me To The Cross

You Are My Joy

Never Gonna Look Back

Click above to play. If the embedded player does not work, try the link below.

Lead Me To The Cross -  You Are My Joy  -   Never Gonna Look Back

To Purchase CD – Click Here

For Scheduling Information:

Lorna Brittany Macey

255 W Thorn Way

Houston,TX 77015

(713)208-3431

www.myspace.com/lornabrittanymacey

www.royalwoodupc.org

Website Spotlight: The Old Landmark

One of our regular contributors, Bro. Matthew Shaw, has somewhat recently started a blog that contains many articles he has written. The name of the blog is ‘The Old Landmark’ and the URL is:

http://oldlandmark.wordpress.com

Bro. Shaw is an excellent writer and researcher. Most of his articles are on the history of the Pentecostal movement and/or doctrinal history. He is a regular contributor for the Pentecostal Herald (official publication of the United Pentecostal Church International) and writes a monthly article for the Indiana Apostolic Trumpet (official publication of the Indiana District, UPCI).

Bro. Shaw holds an M.L.S. from Indiana University and a B.A. in English/Literature from Ball State University. He is a professional librarian at a public university and an undergraduate instructor of English/Literature. He is also an accomplished musician/music director and is very active in Apostolic ministry.

If you enjoy reading about Pentecostal history and doctrinal history, you will definitely enjoy ‘The Old Landmark’ blog.

The Dobson and Obama Roundup

For those of you who may have missed it, Dr. James Dobson has taken Senator Barack Obama to task, accusing the presidential candidate of abusing the Word of God and pushing a “fruitcake interpretation” of the Constitution.

The senator then responded, accusing the evangelical leader of “making stuff up.”

Dobson broadcast: Obama ‘dragging biblical understanding through gutter’ … On Tuesday morning, James Dobson of Focus on the Family went on the attack against Barack Obama, accusing him of abusing the Word of God …

Response: Obama, supporters attack Dobson … Barack Obama said later on Tuesday that evangelical leader James Dobson was “making stuff up” when he accused the presumed Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible …

Click here to read an Apostolic Blogger write about the fued between these two.

Pentecostal Pastor and Family named Farm Family of Year

Whitleys named Farm Family of Year

The Rev. Jerry and Dena Whitley say that when they purchased nearly 350 acres of land off Narrows Road in Crows in 2000, they didn’t know they would be farming, and they had no previous experience.

Jerry Whitley, who also is a paster in Bryant, shows off his Angus and Fleckviegh cattle on his farm in Crows that has earned his family the 2008 Saline County Farm Family of the Year award. The family is eligible to become the Arkansas Farm Family of the year in December. The program is sponsored by Arkansas Farm Bureau, Arkansas Press Association, Farm Credit Services of Western Arkansas, Agheritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Midsouth Associations and Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas. (Courier photo by Matt Burks)

Pew Survey: A third of Americans report divine healing

DALLAS (Reuters) – Feeling under the weather? If you’re American there is a one in three chance that you have encountered a divine healing and so you may put your faith in a spiritual rather than medical cure.

That is one of the findings of the second part of the “U.S. Religious Landscape Survey” released on Monday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. The first part of the survey, based on a 2007 nationwide survey of over 35,000 U.S. adults, was released earlier this year.

“A third of all Americans (34 percent) say they have experienced or witnessed a divine healing of an illness or injury,” the survey said.

“Mormons (69 percent) are especially likely to say this. Half of members of evangelical churches and a slim majority of historically black churches (54 percent) also say they have experienced or witnessed a divine healing,” it said.

It added that within the evangelical and historically black church traditions, members of Pentecostal churches were the most likely to claim to have had this kind of experience.

Full story

Heinz pulls ad that pushes gay marriage and homesexual families

From Times Online
June 24, 2008

Jenny Booth

A mayonnaise ad that shows two men kissing has been withdrawn from television after 200 viewers complained that it was offensive.

Heinz, which makes the New York Deli Mayo featured in the commercial, pulled the advertisement less than a week into its expected five week run, in response to the criticism.

Viewers told the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the ad was inappropriate and unsuitable for children to see. The ASA has not yet decided whether to launch an investigation.

Heinz apologised for any offence caused. “It is our policy to listen to consumers. We recognise that some consumers raised concerns over the content of the ad and this prompted our decision to withdraw it,” said Nigel Dickie, director of corporate affairs for Heinz UK.

“The advertisement, part of a short-run campaign, was intended to be humorous and we apologise to anyone who felt offended.”

The ad is set in a family kitchen, where, instead of an apron-clad mum, a brawny New York short-order chef is preparing the kids’ packed lunches.

Viewers see the children address him as “Mum” as he hands over their sandwiches, but when their father starts to leave for work, the chef calls him back and gruffly demands: “Ain’t ya forgettin’ something?” The father smiles, and plants a kiss on the side of his mouth.

“Love ya! Straight home from work, sweet cheeks,” the chef calls after him.

Soul Winner Boot Camp hits Washington D.C. streets

Editor’s Note: the following is an article found at the Washington City Paper’s website.  It discusses the 2008 GoWinSouls Soul Winners Bootcamp that is hosted in part by some United Pentecostal Pastors and Evangelists. 

By Amanda Hess

On Friday evening, Adams Morgan’s pizza and beer-fueled sinners met their match: A group of pizza and God-fueled “soul winners.”

At around 1:30 a.m., a sizeable crowd gathered outside Columbia Road watering hole Chief Ike’s. The hundred-strong mob jumped, fist-pumped, and chanted in unison. Some wildly brandished flags, possibly made of their own shirts. From my perch across the sidewalk, the driving two-syllable chant was indecipherable.

Were these revelers footballers? Kickballers? Goths? As I ventured closer to the seductive chorus, its message became clear: “JE-SUS!” the mob shouted, again and again. “JE-SUS! JE-SUS! JE-SUS!”

They had me at “JE-SUS.” I joined the mob as it began to migrate down Columbia and toward 18th Street’s den of iniquity. Most of the crowd was composed of coltish, t-shirted teens; some older, calmer heads took up the rear, driving the pack to their destination. One bright-eyed, fanny-packed reveler enthusiastically extended a postcard to me after lamenting, enthusiastically, that he no longer had any “American” cards. I accepted an un-American version, then slipped from the train before the Jesus coalition hit Asylum.

“JESUS,” the card read, predictably. “Es la respuesta a todos tus problemas.”Beyond the rather ambitious promise, the card held little identifying information. I dialed a phone number on the card and reached Jerry Staten, Pastor of the Living Hope First United Pentecostal Church.

The evangelists, Staten informed me, were members of the Go Win Souls Soul Winner Boot Camp.