Talking about Jesus Christ on French Quarter’s Bourbon Street in New Orleans is allowed, at least for the moment, because a federal judge has temporarily blocked enforcement of a year-old city law that prohibits preaching at night in the area famous for its revelry.

Attorneys say that there is a good chance that two separate cases, one involving a group of Christians who were arrested during Southern Decadence, an annual gay lifestyle celebration, and another involving a New Orleans pastor who was threatened with an arrest on a different occasion after 30 years of street preaching, will be consolidated into one case prior to an Oct. 1 hearing by a judge.

Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing Pastor Paul Gros of Vieux Carre Assembly of God Church in the French Quarter, filed a lawsuit and a motion for preliminary injunction Thursday against the City of New Orleans for criminalizing religious speech on Bourbon Street.

“Religious speech is just as important, and just as protected by the First Amendment, as speech about any other subject at any time of day,” ADF Legal Counsel Joseph La Rue, who is acting as co-lead counsel, told The Christian Post Monday. “New Orleans cannot make criminals of people simply because they want to talk about their faith.”

The ordinance, which was adopted by the city council last year, makes it illegal to “loiter or congregate on Bourbon Street for the purpose of disseminating any social, political or religious message between the hours of sunset and sunrise.” Although La Rue said that it appears no one was arrested prior to the incident during the gay pride event, the violation is a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.

The temporary restraining order on the ordinance was issued by U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon on Friday (Sept. 21) as well as the date of the preliminary injunction hearing (Oct. 1).

Nine Christian preachers and activists were arrested during Southern Decadence. The Times-Picayune reported that one Christian held a sign reading “God Hates Homos.” Other participants shouted what witnesses characterized as slurs, according to the reporter.

The American Civil Liberties Union said it is defending someone separate from the gay pride incident, who was preaching on Sept. 14, according to the Picayune. Police arrested the Rev. Troy Bohn and several others belonging to Raven Ministries.

Gros, whose ministry included street preaching on Bourbon Street every Tuesday and Friday night, was threatened with arrest in May, according to La Rue.

“Sometimes he had a sign that said, ‘Jesus Loves You.’ Sometimes he might have had a cross, but he would engage people as they walked by. He would just speak about his faith,” La Rue said. “He didn’t grab anybody. He did not solicit any donations. He didn’t try to stop anyone from passing him. He would only keep talking to them if they stopped and engaged in the conversation. He was always polite and never said anything that would be considered disrespectful or hateful.”

La Rue said he did not know the reason the city council passed the ordinance and did not want to disclose his speculation “because they would only be guesses.” The Oct. 1 hearing will most likely be postponed by a judge in order for ADF to have more time to prepare for the case when consolidated with ACLU’s case, he said.

The ADF lawyer said he clearly views this as a First Amendment issue.

“The government simply cannot tell us the subjects that we can’t discuss. The First Amendment doesn’t allow that,” La Rue said. “The city has said ‘you can come on to Bourbon Street, you can discuss lots of different things, but not religion. Government isn’t allowed to do that to us. We get to decide what we will discuss, not the government.”

Read More at The Christian Post.com
 

The EPM Music Group’s latest signing; Vincent Tharpe & Kenosis have hit the radio airwaves with a joyous song of gratitude entitled, “Thank You, Lord”. Although, the tune is a great way to kick off the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, it’s also a message that reverberates throughout the year. “I’ll bless the Lord at all times,” Tharpe leads Kenosis on the percussively funky sing-a-long track. “His praises shall be in my mouth continuously”. The tune hails from the dynamic ensemble’s forthcoming CD, “Live in Memphis”, that hits stores everywhere on October 30, 2012.

Vincent Tharpe and Kenosis are currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on their highly anticipated national CD debut that is a bridge between the popular choir sound of the `90s and today’s contemporary praise and worship music style. Gospel star Earnest Pugh, who owns EPM Music Group, spotted the group at a TV taping earlier this year. “We shared the stage to sing my song, `I Need Your Glory’,” he recalls. “They did what they do and `brought it’ in a major way and I wanted to give them this opportunity to `bring it’ on a national level. I’m very optimistic about their ministry because they manage to attract young adults but they are also seasoned enough to capture the attention of the mature church crowd as well”.

Tharpe received the inspiration to launch his own group when he was the director of the Voices of Harambee, a gospel choir at Craigmont High School in Memphis. He took the word Kenosis from Philippians 2:5-8 (a Biblical scripture) in which Jesus Christ emptied himself of his divine attributes in order to identify with mankind. The group has recorded a couple of indie CDs and won a Rhythm of Gospel Award as New Artist of the Year in 2010. They also won Dorinda Clark Cole’s Singers & Musicians Conference Artist Showcase Competition in 2011 and they have appeared on BET’s legendary, “Bobby Jones Gospel” TV program. For more information on Vincent Tharpe & Kenosis and other EPM Music Group acts, visit www.epmmusicgroup.com

Denzel Washington, 57-year-old actor, may be known for many of his gangster roles in movies like “Training Day” but the thespian is also adamant about sharing his love for Jesus Christ.

In an interview with GQ magazine, Washington opened up about his Christian values, telling the publication that he made sure to read his Bible every day.

“I read from the Bible every day, and I read my Daily Word,” Washington revealed. “I read something great yesterday. It said, ‘Don’t aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference.'”

The Christian actor also told the publication about his experience with feeling the Holy Spirit during a service at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ.

“That was thirty years ago, at the church I still attend. The minister was preaching, ‘Just let it go.’ I said, ‘I’m going to go with it.'”

The actor described a physical and spiritual experience that he encountered when first feeling the Holy Spirit.

“And I had this tremendous physical and spiritual experience. It did frighten me,” Washington revealed. “I was slobbering, crying, sweating. My cheeks blew up. I was purging.”

The experience frightened the actor so much, he admitted to calling his mother.

“It was too intense. It almost drove me away,” Washington said. “I called my mother, and she said I was being filled with the Holy Spirit. I was like, ‘Does that mean I can never have wine again?'”

The multiple Oscar award winner, who has appeared in films since his 1977 debut, has remained vocal throughout the years about his Christian faith. In a previous interview with Beliefnet, Washington spoke about the importance of his spirituality in not only his life, but also his career.

“Spirituality is important in every aspect of my life,” Washington said. “I mean, that’s why I’m here. That’s what I’ve been blessed to do.” 

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Nashville recording artist April Fraiser asked breast cancer patients, survivors and their families one simple question: “What do you want the world to know about your struggle?” Fraiser then took the common themes from their responses and gave them a voice in the song, “Little Pink Ribbon” (Out East Records). The single is available below or at LittlePinkRibbon.net, with all proceeds going to Love Them Now – a non-profit organization recently founded by Fraiser which offers hope and help to those in need. 

When Fraiser was asked to write a song for a breast cancer event, she agreed under the condition that she would first gain some perspective from those who had been more directly impacted. Inspired by the stories she heard, she knew that the song needed to give an accurate voice to those affected by the disease. The result, “Little Pink Ribbon,” depicts one mother’s struggle through breast cancer spanning from diagnosis to remission, including the stages of grief such as anger, depression and finally acceptance. 

“These women confided their deepest struggles in the most difficult time in their lives to a complete stranger because they wanted to be heard,” said Fraiser. “That is a responsibility I do not take lightly. My hope is that the song itself will generate awareness serving as a voice for those who have been impacted and, perhaps even more importantly, insight for those who have not.”

Passionate about not over-looking those who are still waiting for a cure, Fraiser is donating 100% of the proceeds to Love Them Now, which will go towards creating and distributing baskets filled with uplifting and necessary items to women receiving mastectomies due to breast cancer. 

For more information on April Fraiser, visit www.littlepinkribbon.net.

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