To say Jackson’s ministry started two years ago would be a fact. In many ways, however, it started 46 years ago when he was born, 22 years ago when he met his wife and nine years ago in the Bahamas.

Jackson was born in a Catholic home, played in a Catholic youth basketball league and attended Catholic high school and college St. John’s. But he wasn’t much for going to church services, and he wasn’t “born again.”

That changed soon after Desiree Coleman, a successful Broadway performer and R&B singer, caught his eye on TV. One look, and Jackson told his roommate he had found his wife – well before he had met the singer.

After Coleman turned him down twice, including an offer that included a first-class flight to Houston and courtside tickets at the 1989 NBA All-Star Game he was playing in, Jackson finally got a first date. But Coleman’s full approval of Jackson didn’t come at the dinner table or the movie theater of their first date, but in the closing minutes in his car – when she broke down her definition of salvation and he committed to it. They were married in 1990.

“I wasn’t a bad kid,” Jackson said. “I didn’t have any drugs or drinking in my background. I didn’t have anything crazy in my background. I was a college graduate. I bought my parents a house and a car. I loved my family. I was doing things the right ways, but, according to my belief, I was still on my way to hell.

“My life and my afterlife changed that night.”

Read the full story on MSN Fox Sports

Spoiler Alert!! Amber Bullock wins!  But find out how she won over the spirit filled Andrea Helms.  It was truly a great season 4 of Sunday’s Best.

Verizon Wireless returns with the annual How Sweet The Sound Choir Competition, searching for the nation’s top church choir. Now in its third year, the tour kicks off on Sept. 15 in Dallas, TX at the American Airlines Center.

The tour and competition will make stops in Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, DC, Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Oakland.

Donald Lawrence returns as the event’s host with CeCe Winans as co-host and Dorinda Clark-Cole handling co-hosting duties in selected cities. Marvin Sapp returns as the tour’s resident celebrity judge. Other celebrity judges throughout the tour include Byron Cage, Beverly Crawford, James Fortune, Ricky Dillard, Kurt Carr, Fred Hammond, Richard Smallwood, Shirley Caesar, Mary Mary, and Israel Houghton.  Visit www.howsweetthesound.com for more information.

2011 Tour Schedule:

A new date has been set for the dedication ceremony of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C., following its postponement in August due to Hurricane Irene.

The ceremony will take place on the National Mall on Oct. 16, and a formal announcement is expected this week, The Associated Press reports.

The dedication was planned to coincide with the 48th anniversary of King’s “I Have A Dream” speech on Aug. 28, but organizers indefinitely postponed the event because of safety concerns regarding the high winds and rains from Irene.

The newly appointed date also marks the 16th anniversary of the Million Man March on the National Mall. The mass march occurred in 1995 and attempted to inspire African-American men to improve their lives.

The 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner is featured with a stern gaze and crossed arms in the 30-foot memorial. Each side of the statue bears a wall inscribed with 14 quotations from King’s writings and speeches.

King, murdered in 1968 in Memphis, Tenn., will be the first person of color to be honored with a memorial on the National Mall.

Click link to read full story on Christian Post.com

Christian educational channel NRB Network has announced the addition of church history documentaries from Lukas Media to its Thursday primetime lineup. Starting on September 29th and leading up to Reformation Day is a five-part series entitled The Spreading Flame which chronicles the Protestant Reformation and sheds light on the history of the English Bible. Each installment features beautiful footage of historical sites and will air Thursday nights at 8:30 pm ET with rebroadcasts at 12:30 am ET for west coast viewing. Other quality films about church history are scheduled to begin on September 15th and continue through November. NRB Network is seen on DIRECTV channel 378, Sky Angel channel 126 and can be streamed live at www.nrbnetwork.tv.

The first program in the The Spreading Flame series entitled Comes the Dawn introduces the key figures and describes the cultural context that set the stage for the Protestant Reformation. The second episode, Story of the Bible, traces the history of the English Bible and how it laid the foundation for our scriptures today. Parts three and four of the series, Champions of Freedom and Winds of Change, profile leading reformers John Knox and Ulrich Zwingli and explain how the movement advanced in Scotland and Switzerland amidst persecution and martyrdom. The final installment, The Reformation Comes of Age, highlights the life and ministry of John Calvin and the Reformation’s progress in England following the death of Henry VIII. The series begins September 29th and ends on October 27th.

Preceding the broadcast of the The Spreading Flame series are two other Lukas films. On Thursday, September 15th, A Pilgrim’s Progress takes viewers on an insightful journey into the life and ministry of John Bunyan. Friends in Jesus, which airs on September 22nd, tells the moving stories behind the classic hymns What a Friend We Have in Jesus and There’s a Green Hill Far Away. Both programs can be seen at 9 pm ET (and overnight at 1 am ET for west coast viewers).

The new film offerings mark an expansion of NRB Network’s ongoing relationship with Lukas Media, a leading distributor of Christian films with thousands of titles available for purchase on their website.

“Our motto is ‘Healthy Movies, Healthy Minds, Healthy Hearts’. As a company focused on delivering quality films that reflect Christian values, we at Lukas Media are thrilled to partner with NRB Network as a content provider,” said Dr. Enis Sakirgil, owner of Lukas Media.

To learn more about the The Spreading Flame series or Lukas Media, visit www.familychristianmovies.com. For a complete listing of NRB Network shows and air times, visit www.nrbnetwork.tv/schedules.

A trailer for Tyler Perry’s new dramedy, “For Better or Worse,” has been released.

The show stars Tasha Smith and Michael Jai White and is based on their characters Angela and Marcus from the feature film “Why Did I Get Married?”

Take a look at the video trailer below.  This is high drama and pretty funny!

Gospel music is continually evolving with fresh new songs and new artists. Now, there is a fresh approach to creating the music. Media personality Jawn Murray and EMI Gospel joined efforts to find the best unsigned artist in Gospel Music for “Jawn Murray Presents: UNTAPPED,” a music compilation set to be released on September 13, 2011.

A music competition, “Jawn Murray Presents: UNTAPPED” features 10 new gospel artists that were judged based on criteria set by EMI Gospel plus feedback by Murray, EMI Gospel executives and celebrity judges Dr. Bobby Jones (‘Bobby Jones Gospel’), singer and TV talent Lexi, Grammy-nominee VaShawn Mitchell and radio host Gerard Bonner (‘Bonnerfide Radio’).

“The competition is finally over and I believe our top 10 represent a solid collective of potential superstars from varied backgrounds and different styles of music. I’m glad to be able to use my platform to help these artists gain greater visibility and exposure in gospel music,” said Murray.

After deliberating over more than 300 submissions, the “Jawn Murray Presents: UNTAPPED” finalists are (in alphabetical order): Brian Reeves, Charles Butler & Trinity, Derrick Bull & Remnant, F’Lana, Joy Lewis, Lawrence Flowers & Intercession, Madelyn Berry, Tasha Page-Lockhart, Tobbi White-Darks and Tonia Hughes.

UNTAPPED is a compilation that is true to various styles within Gospel music. The UNTAPPED experience is a musical journey. From mass choirs, to traditional, contemporary, and pop Gospel sounds. Jawn Murray Presents UNTAPPED, showcases new unsigned artist, new songs and a new musical experience.

The excitement does not stop there. UNTAPPED is not over, one finalist from “Jawn Murray Presents: UNTAPPED” will receive the grand prize of a recording contract with EMI Gospel. That artist will be announced next year.

Actor/director/screenwriter/producer/author Tyler Perry, whose films have grossed more than $500 million worldwide, sits alone atop a new Forbes list of the highest-paid men in entertainment, beating out such contenders as Simon Cowell, Jerry Bruckheimer and Leonardo DiCaprio.

From May 2010 to May 2011, Perry raked in $130 million from a number of ventures, including his TV shows, “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne,” as well as his variety of Madea films and DVDs and his upcoming feature film role as the detective in “I, Alex Cross.”

Just behind Perry is producer Bruckheimer at $113 million, which comes from his take for the $1 billion-grossing fourth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, as well as his hand in producing a number of hit TV shows, including “The Amazing Race” and the “CSI” franchise.

Spielberg is third with $107 million, earned in part from his upcoming pair of big-budget films, “War Horse” and “The Adventures of Tintin.” Fourth is the only musician on the list, Elton John ($100 million), whose riches come from his back catalog and a world tour that grossed $204 million.

“X Factor” judge/creator Simon Cowell rounds out the top five with $90 million.

Also in the top 10: author James Patterson ($84 million), TV host Dr. Phil McGraw ($80 million), DiCaprio ($77 million), satellite radio titan Howard Stern ($76 million) and golfer Tiger Woods ($75 million).

Former American Idol winner Ruben Studdard, visited the Tom Joyner Morning Show recently to talk about the new CD, “Medicine: Live At The Black Academy of Arts & Letters” (MCG Records). Studdard sings the CD title song, “Medicine (For Someone Else).”

The project benefits youth arts programs at the non-profit Black Academy of Arts & Letters, a national institution based in Dallas, Texas.

“In a bad economy the first thing that gets cut is arts funding,” says Curtis King, founder of the 250,000 square foot complex adjacent to Dallas City Hall. “However, it’s the plays, concerts, poetry readings and other inspiring programming we offer that helps people get through rough times like these. So, we’re thrilled that these artists came together to make a CD that will raise money to help keep these programs going for our youth.”

The stars King refers to include American Idol champ Ruben Studdard who sings the title song “Medicine (For Someone Else)” that is climbing up the gospel radio charts. The majority of the songs on the13-track CD were written or co-written by Sam “Shake” Anderson – a bassist who has toured with the likes of Ray Charles, Curtis Mayfield and Bruce Hornsby. It was recorded live before an ecstatic, diverse and capacity-crowd at The Black Academy. Backed by the 80-voice Black Academy Choir, the album also features performances by Ann Nesby, actress Jasmine Guy, Tommye Young West and Yarbrough & Peoples, among others. Visit http://www.tbaal.org for more information.

Amber Bullock is Sunday’s Best!  The St. Louis native won the final round against Andrea Helms with voting that was left up to the fans.  

The 2 hour Season 4 finale was packed with incredible performances by Yolanda Adams, Pastor Shirley Caesar, VaShawn Mitchell, Lecrae, Zebulon Ellis, Jessica Reedy and Rance Allen.

There was a special tribute in honor of the late Mahalia Jackson’s 100th birthday in which past Sunday’s Best winners Y’Anna Crawley, Le’Andria Johnson, and Crystal Aikin performed.

Amber received a new Ford Explorer, a national recording contract, and a cash prize.  The contracts are now reportedly signed through Music World Gospel which Matthew Knowles owns.

This concludes another great season of Sunday’s Best where new stars were born, and powerful guest performances were seen.  I have a feeling you will be hearing from many of the contestants including Michael Pew the second runner up.  

I got a chance to talk to Michael Pew’s cousin, the best selling Gospel artist Earnest Pugh, and he insured me that Michael Pugh would not be slowing down.  The exposure of such a broadcast has catapulted many past contestants into successful careers whether they won or not.  Runner ups like Jessica Reedy, Zebulon Ellis, and Shari Addison are a few that come to mind.

Stay tuned to PATH for future interviews with several of the finalists, and congratulations to Amber Bullock!