Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed by Navy Seals with an exuberant President taking claim that has many saying this is just what Obama needed to be re-elected for a second term. Every president is identified by a moment in history, a catastrophe or a triumph that overcomes the odds. But as Christians are we to celebrate?

Television, Facebook and twitter went crazy yesterday as news broke that President Obama would be announcing the death of Osama Bin Laden. People took to the streets by the thousands outside the white house in Washington, and at ground zero in New York. Debates erupted as to who should get credit for the assignation, and what was President Obama’s real involvement in the moment that will be forever remembered in history.

PATH was under fire as a Facebook post made by PATH ignited a debate that went as far as to mis-quote the organization. The outpouring of our Facebook friends even rendered an apology by the re-poster. The PATH statement read, “This is what Obama needed.. To attach himself with triumph. OBAMA for a second term!”

Over 30 people instantly liked the comment, but two people insisted that a Christian magazine was celebrating in the death of another. That was not the intent, but as a journalist I know that is how politics is won. The statement was a declaration to how history will now record Obama’s term as President.

The statement brought up debates on capital punishment, and Christians celebrating in the death of another. I choose to look at it as a victory for man-kind. The man that is responsible for the death of tens of thousands of people can not hurt anyone anymore, and the victims of 9:11 finally have their justice.

Signs are already being printed reading “Obama got Osama!” The fact is that history will record this day as a victory for America, the world, and Barack Obama.

Some Christians even went as far as to say that Obama’s speech was Anti-Christian, as Obama pointed out the following in defense of Muslims: “As we have stated repeatedly since the 9/11 terror attacks, bin Laden never represented Muslims or Islam In fact, in addition to the killing of thousands of Americans, he and Al Qaeda caused the deaths of countless Muslims worldwide.”

It seemed as if Kinkos was called up at midnight as Obama signs appeared and were waved in the air while the crowds chanted “USA-USA.”

In the midst of celebration, serious questions remain. What will now be the outcome on a world-wide scale? Threat levels will go up in the U.S. TSA agents will check you even tighter in the coming weeks. But will the United States see retaliation? These are all questions that will be analyzed and watched in the coming months. But today I’m proud to be an American, a Christian, and I’m proud of Barack Obama.

Bishop and Gospel artist Larry Trotter is on a campaign to support the proposed ban of blunt wraps in the city of Chicago. Bishop Larry Trotter is the senior pastor of Sweet Holy Spirit Church of Chicago.  Trotter backs legislation sponsored by state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-13th Dist.) and state Rep. Art Turner (D-9th) to ban the sale of the fruit-flavored cigar wraps that are usually emptied of its tobacco and replaced with marijuana.

The wraps, which come in other flavors such as vanilla, are easily accessible in convenience stores, gas stations and liquor stores for a low price, especially to youth, the pastor said.

“Having this product in mainstream stores is like having drug pushers in our neighborhoods,” said Trotter.

The pastor said April 11 from his pulpit that he’ll embark on a sevenday, 50 church campaign throughout Cook County to spread awareness and garner support for the proposed ban.

Trotter already has received the support from many residents in the city as well as the south suburban community.

“The American Lung Association in Illinois has worked for many years to protect children from flavored tobacco products. Illinois was the first state to ban the sale of ‘beedies’ flavored cigarettes and the federal government immediately banned them nationwide. We are hopeful for similar action for blunt wraps,” said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO for the American Lung Association in the Upper Midwest.

Article derived from a Chicago Defender Report 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 27, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ — Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, today announced the NIV Adventure Bible Memory Game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as a new online destination for the NIV Adventure Bible, www.AdventureBible.com. The app and website bring new interactivity to the bestselling NIV Adventure Bible, America’s most-read children’s Bible with more than six million copies sold. The game made its debut in Apple’s App store this week; the website is currently live in the beta phase. 

Memorization is the key to understanding and retaining information. In a young Christian child’s life, Bible stories form the building blocks of faith, and research shows that children who engage with the Bible before age 10 are more likely to read the Bible regularly as teenagers. The NIV Adventure Bible Memory Game reaches children by understanding how they learn and then takes them on a fun and rewarding journey through God’s Word. 

“Reading and memorizing Scripture is important at an early age because it helps children begin to understand God’s love and plan for their lives,” said Annette Bourland, senior vice president and publisher with Zonderkidz. “By coupling and integrating proven techniques with a technology platform many children understand, the NIV Adventure Bible Memory Game engages children in a completely new way that can impact their faith and their futures.”

Mobile apps continue to be among the fastest-growing segments in consumer software, and publishing groups, such as Zonderkidz, are moving into the space in order to provide children educational content that combines interactive features, artwork and games. 

The bulk of the NIV Adventure Bible memorization games are designed around word scramble and fill-in-the-blank. Children can review verses for the various levels and then take the quiz. They also can take them at varying levels of difficulty which are differentiated by the number of blanks they need to fill in.

Games on all iOS devices including the iPad and iPod touch and iPhone are segmented into easy, medium and hard levels. Users can record themselves reciting up to five favorite verses. “Shake to Scramble” randomly selects a Scripture verse and creates a new scramble. Users earn animal sound effects and Bible illustrations for correctly completing verses. 

The mobile app comes at the same time as the launch of the NIV Adventure Bible’s new beta website, www.adventurebible.com. This online destination provides a safe place for families, Christian school teachers, and children’s ministry leaders to get a passport into biblical adventure with maps, timelines, devotionals, sermon outlines and many other activities and educational resources. There are even three online games to test Bible knowledge, a Bible search function, and a teacher dashboard to make assignments and watch the progress of their students’ activity on the site. Everything on the site is free and is being praised by Christian school teachers and children’s ministry leaders as a wonderfully rich and robust site to supplement their existing curriculum.

“The new AdventureBible.com is full of interactive resources and activities to aid both in family time or teacher lesson planning and to encourage further learning beyond the text of the Bible,” added Bourland.

The NIV Adventure Bible uses the updated NIV text, which was completed in the fall of 2010 after years of rigorous translation work by the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT, www.NIV-CBT.org). The updated NIV translation utilized the oldest and best-attested biblical manuscripts along with the finest contemporary English language scholarship in order to create a Bible that was not only accurate, but highly readable and easy to comprehend.

The NIV Adventure Bible Memorization Game was designed by Momentum Design Lab and is currently available in the Apple iPhone and iPad App Stores as a Lite (Free) edition and a full edition sells for $4.99.

After spending five years traveling nationally and internationally with multi-award winner duo Mary Mary as their soprano background vocalist, it is now time for this powerhouse vocalist to step out on her own and allow God to use her gift for His Glory. TaMyya J has been perfecting her skills as a well-rounded artist. You can catch her hosting her urban radio show “Never Missed A Beat” every Saturday night on WEHA Gospel 88.7 FM out of the AC vicinity. TaMyya was the representative for Fashion Fair Cosmetics’ Spring Campaigns from 2005 thru- 2007, (Fashion Fair Cosmetics is the #1 black cosmetic line, and a division of Johnson & Johnson Publishing which is the home of Ebony & Jet}. TaMyya was also the singer, songwriter and arranger on her debut CD entitled “SUDDENLY” which was released independently in 2005. In 2009, TaMyya was nominated for a Video of the Year Award in the “Pop” category from the Gospel Music Channel (GMC). The message that TaMyya conveys through her music is a message of faith, hope and deliverance.

TaMyya says “I thank God for this opportunity to work with Fred Jerkins III and the DarkChild Gospel team, and I am going to work hard to make this the best CD ever.”

Combining the incredible production of Fred “Uncle Freddie” Jerkins III “(one of the top producers of our time)” with the powerful vocals of TaMyya  J, this project is bound to be what everyone is saying “a must have CD”.

DarkChild Gospel promises to create the “The Must Have” CD of the century. DarkChild Gospel is a record label and production company that takes gospel to the next level! Headed by the Grammy and Dove award winning Fred “Uncle Freddie” Jerkins III, DarkChild Gospel is bound to exceed expectations. Uncle Freddie has co-written hits for many “A” list artist in the mainstream and the gospel markets. If you’re not familiar with his work here are a few songs that you might know written and produced by him “Say My Name” and “Lose My Breath” by Destiny’s Child, “Deja Vu” by Beyonce’ , “Rock My World” by Michael Jackson, “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy, “Revolution” Kirk Franklin, “You Don’t Know” and “Why Me” by Kierra “Kiki” Sheard, “Follow Me” by Virtue, “Need To Know” by Dawkins & Dawkins and Deitrick Haddon “Power”.  Look for an early summer release on this project,

CONTACT: Linda Johnson, CEO MYYA Management 
P. O Box 9744 
Norfolk VA 23506
E-mail: tamyyaj@yahoo.com
Tele: (767) 652-4774

Maurette Brown Clark has returned once again with her signature brand of “Praise & Worship” on her upcoming 4th CD “The Sound of Victory” on Atlanta International records (Air Gospel), distributed by the Malaco Music Group (also available on DVD).

The Sound of Victory was recorded “Live” in front of thousands during a “crazy church” service at Calvary Revival Church, Norfolk, VA (Bishop B. Courtney McBath, Sr. Pastor).

The debut single, “I Hear The Sound (Of Victory)” delivers a fresh and bright sound that inspires while providing insight to the believer as to how to address the challenges in their lives and breakthrough to victory through praise.

“The Louder It Gets, The Louder I Praise, The More Intense, The More I Praise, The Harder It Gets, The Harder I Praise, I My Victory Is On The Way & It’s In My Praise.” 

Lecrae and Reach records are now casting for his new music video.  The Grammy nominated artist is taking Gospel rap to levels never before seen.  For the first time a Gospel rap album “Rehab” set at number 1 in sales on the Billboard charts.  Are you interested in being in the new video?  Take a look at the casting call below:

We are now open casting for Lecrae’s next music video shot in Nashville TN. DATES: MAY 2nd and 3rd, 2011 (with the 4th being a rain date) TIMES: TBA LOCATION: Nashville, TN

POSITIONS NEEDED: (PLEASE INCLUDE HEAD SHOT/PHOTO WITH EMAIL) – 10 young urban males (16-25) (all races) – to play neighborhood friends – 2 urban females (18-25) – to play neighborhood friends – 5 older urban males (late 20s to 40s) – to play thugs

If interested please send your information, availability, AND picture to lecraecasting@gmail.com

As the weeks draw closer, the excitement is building for Shirley Murdock’s first “Live” CD/DVD recording on April 28, 2011 in Charlotte, NC. In what is already being billed as an “Amazing Live Music Event”, attendees will enjoy a one-of-a-kind evening filled with an abundance of audience participation and entertaining surprises from beginning to end.

April 28th will be a Night of Firsts for Ms. Murdock along with her phenomenal guest artists who will join her “Live” for the first time including Regina Belle, Beverly Crawford, and Kelly Price.

This groundbreaking project is being produced by two time Grammy & Stellar Award Winner, Cedric Thompson (Donald Lawrence & Tri City, Karen Clark-Sheard, Marvin Sapp, and Vanessa Bell Armstrong). The word out is that every song has been hand picked to show the many sides of Shirley. Attendees and music lovers will have a bird’s eye view into Shirley’s relationship with God.

Shirley Murdock is eagerly anticipating her first live project as she prepares to share her heart and express her love for God on each song. Murdock stated, “I am excited about the opportunity to capture the experience of live ministry. When you capture the live moments, they are captured forever.”

“With this new project, titled The Journey, I want to convey and evangelize messages of hope to everyone. For me, the journey has been a process and I can see the checkpoints in my life and how all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.”

Shirley Murdock “Live” CD/DVD Recording Details:

Place: The Broadcast Group Complex 8400 Regent Pkwy (formerly 1400 convention Dr.) Fort Mill, SC 29715 Time: 7 p.m. EST (Doors open at 6p.m.) Price: Tickets are $12 in advance; $18 (day of show)

To purchase tickets please visit: www.ez-tixx.com or call 877-993-8499.

This will be Murdock’s second release on Tyscot Music & Entertainment.

Well any doubts about the President’s birth place should be put to rest as the White House releases the birth certificate of President Barack Obama.  White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer released the following statement:

In 2008, in response to media inquiries, the President’s campaign requested his birth certificate from the state of Hawaii. The state sent the campaign the President’s birth certificate, the same legal documentation provided to all Hawaiians as proof of birth in state, and the campaign immediately posted it on the internet. That birth certificate can be seen here (PDF).

When any citizen born in Hawaii requests their birth certificate, they receive exactly what the President received. In fact, the document posted on the campaign website is what Hawaiians use to get a driver’s license from the state and the document recognized by the Federal Government and the courts for all legal purposes. That’s because it is the birth certificate. This is not and should not be an open question.

The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn’t good for the country. It may have been good politics and good TV, but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country. Therefore, the President directed his counsel to review the legal authority for seeking access to the long form certificate and to request on that basis that the Hawaii State Department of Health make an exception to release a copy of his long form birth certificate. They granted that exception in part because of the tremendous volume of requests they had been getting. President Barack Obama’s long form birth certificate can be seen here (PDF):

At a time of great consequence for this country – when we should be debating how we win the future, reduce our deficit, deal with high gas prices, and bring stability to the Middle East, Washington, DC, was once again distracted by a fake issue.  The President’s hope is that with this step, we can move on to debating the bigger issues that matter to the American people and the future of the country.

Contemporary gospel singer CeCe Winans, currently on what’s amounting to a farewell tour for her duo with brother BeBe Winans, is planning to make a live album for her next solo venture.

“We’re scheduling a live recording, so we’re working on the songs for that,” Winans says. The date and venue have not yet been determined, but Winans says that she’s “gathering the songs together, writing and figuring everything else out.” Her last solo release was “Thy Kingdom Come” in 2008, while she’s previously released a pair of concert videos, “Live at the Lambs Theater in New York” in 2000 and “Live in the Throne Room” in 2004.

Winans, meanwhile, is “totally on board” with the pending end of the BeBe and CeCe Winans duo act. The group won a pair of Grammy Awards for last year’s “Still,” which was their first new studio album in 15 years and topped the Billboard gospel chart and hit No. 2 on the R&B chart, and she says the success made it seem like a good time for the siblings to say goodbye.

“We both have other things that we want to do, and we’re both happy doing what we do,” Winans explains. “We both understand the commitment that it takes to continue to do BeBe and CeCe; it’s just a lot, you know? We wanted to come back, which we did with (‘Still’) and saw the people still love us, which is wonderful. But we also realized this is really the end.”

Don’t expect a big farewell show from the duo, she adds. “We’re not trying to make a big exit noise here,” she says, noting that the Oct. 19 presentation of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame will likely double as their final formal event together. But Winans is also sure she and her brother will sing together again in the future.

“I don’t think at all this’ll be the last that you’ll ever hear of BeBe and CeCe — it just won’t be going in the studio or going on tour again,” she says. “I’m not sad because I know that whatever God’s will is for BeBe and CeCe, wherever we will reunite…we will fulfill what we need to do. So I’m not sad at all. We had a great ride.”

Besides the live album, Winans is also looking forward to this year’s Always Sisters Forever Brothers youth conference that she sponsors annual in Nashville and takes place July 21-23. “It’s just a time we invite young people to come and we invite speakers to speak into their lives and try to motivate them and encourage them to do the right thing in their lives,” Winans says. It’s been wonderful. We’ve had incredible people come in to share their wisdom and their knowledge, everybody from (former NFL coach) Tony Dungy to (poet and activist) Maya Angelou. That’s where my heart is. My passion is pouring into the next generation. I could do that full time, really.”

Should there be legal limitations to where someone can openly read the bible in public?  One assistant pastor and two elders from Calvary Chapel of Hemet, California, went to the Hemet DMV before it opened and one of the men started to read the Bible aloud. Less than thirty minutes later, he was arrested for “impeding an open business” under Penal Code Section 602.1(b).

Shortly after the men arrived at the DMV and began to simply read the Bible out loud, a security guard approached Mark Mackey as he was reading the Bible and told him to stop. The men believed that they had a First Amendment right to free speech as they were standing in a planter within the parking lot and were located on public property. Further, they were not interfering with any business of the DMV and were not yelling or disturbing the peace.

About ten minutes later, a California Highway Patrolman approached Mr. Mackey as he read, took the Bible out of his hands, and arrested him. As the CHP officer was arresting him and putting him in his patrol car, the two men who were with him — Assistant Pastor of Calvary Chapel Hemet, Brett Coronado, and Ed Flores — asked the officer, “What law was he breaking?” Instead of identifying a legal violation, the officer asked, “Were you preaching too?” After continuing to ask the officer for the legal violation, Pastor Coronado and Ed Flores were also arrested by another CHP officer who had come to the DMV and were also cited for “impeding an open business.” Neither Pastor Coronado nor Mr. Flores ever read the Bible out loud anywhere on DMV premises.

The charge of “impeding an open business” was enacted in large part to protect businesses against protestors who block the doors of an open business. At the time of the arrest of these men, the DMV was closed, and they were standing at least fifty feet away from the entrance.

“This is an abuse of power on the part of the CHP,” said Jennifer Monk, Associate General Counsel for Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The arresting officer could find no appropriate penal code to use when arresting these men. The purpose of the arrests appears to have been to censor them.”

After their arrests, these men were released, and the District Attorney has not at this time pursued any criminal charges. Prior to the arrest and during the arrest, Pastor Coronado and others videotaped the actions of the CHP, and a link to the edited footage can be found below. Advocates for Faith & Freedom has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of these three men for violation of their right to free speech and for unlawful arrest.

“Whether this was an intentional violation of our clients’ constitutional liberty or whether this was an act of ignorance on the part of the CHP, this lawsuit is important in order to preserve the liberty to read the Bible aloud on public property without fear of criminal prosecution,” said Robert Tyler, General Counsel for Advocates for Faith & Freedom.

A copy of the complaint can be found here.