My wife and I were at Mars Hill Church in Grandville, Michigan a week ago and we had the opportunity to learn about STOP THE TRAFFIK from Steve Chalke.

From their website….

Stop The Traffik is a global movement against the trafficking of people. It has more than 1000 member organisations in 50 countries & a grass roots following of ordinary activists around the world. Some of us sign petitions, wear symbols of the campaign, spread the message, and some of us show our support through adapting our lifestyles. We believe that when people act things change.

I want to encourage you to add your name and voice to the fight against human trafficking.

It happens here in the United States, it happens all over the world and the most common victims are young children who are sold into slavery. Sometimes that slavery means they are used for sex sometimes it means for cheap labor.

Also, DO NOT CONTRIBUTE to human trafficking. Be discerning of the products you buy. Look for FREE TRADE and TRAFFICKING FREE labels on the products you buy, particularly CHOCOLATE.

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I just got a note from Sojourners about the upcoming revival service here in Columbus, OH at Vineyard of Columbus.

I am eager to hear Reverend Wallis preach and I am familiar with both Bishop Timothy Clark and Pastor Rich Nathan as they are local preachers that I have an enormous amount of respect for. I actually became familiar with Bishop Clark before I was a believer through my sisters church.

The focus of these services is to pray for social justice. To pray that the church would step into it’s God given role and privilege to assist and server the poor.

My thoughts are there should be NO WELFARE system in the United States and there would be no welfare system if the church would simply do it’s job.

Can we wipe out poverty? I don’t believe so but I want to be part of the group who does what I can to help curb it. We live in the richest nation in the world and it is shameful to our nation and our churches that we have ANY man, woman or child going to bed without food and proper care, if we step up our effort we can provide opportunity to these people and provide a way TO END POVERTY.

I am conflicted on some things because the Bible says to not favor someone JUST because they are poor. I am trying to understand that scripture measured against the rest of the scriptures that talk about giving, serving, caring for one another.

Here is a video promoting the upcoming revival in Columbus, OH on April 16-18. I hope you will be there!

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Its been sad for a long time but the more I see her in the news I am afraid that the entire Britney Spears meltdown in life has a very high risk of being profoundly TRAGIC.

Last night Spears had to be taken to to the hospital for a mental evaluation after she spent 3 hours with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline and the police turning her kids over.

Britney Spears has spent a lot of time being the brunt too a lot of jokes. For a long time they haven’t been funny but now how can anyone see this woman as anything less than broken?

So, I’m writing this blog to encourage you to pray for a few things.

1) Pray for pop princess Britney Spears
2) Pray for her children
3) Pray for the medical folks around her
4) Pray for her mom and the others who benefit from the business that is killing Britney
5) Pray that she will have calm
6) Last but not least pray for her to experience the unconditional grace and love of Christ

OK, there it is.

Here is a link to the story about Britney last night.

Marty Daniels is a Comedian from Columbus, OH. check out his entire website by going to http://www.MartyDaniels.com.

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Despite being a blog advertisement for his book, Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope, Brian McLaren has an interesting article at TPM Cafe that is worth a read.

I don’t always agree with or disagree with McLaren but I think he makes some valid points about the culture and church in the United States.

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According to a report in an Italian newspaper, the Chinese government will prohibit Bibles being brought to the country during next years olympics.

Here is the article which was originally found here.

China angrily denounces Games “Bible ban” report

BEIJING (Reuters) - China reacted angrily on Thursday to reports in the European press that the government would ban Bibles during next year’s Beijing Olympics, saying it could not possibly be true.

The reports, one of which appeared in Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, were picked up by the Catholic News Agency and spread to U.S. media sites.

“The facts show that this news is a total rumour,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference. “The Chinese government has not come up with any such rule.

File photo of a security officer on guard at the construction site of the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, November 4,2007. China reacted angrily on Thursday to reports in the European press that the government would ban Bibles during next year’s Beijing Olympics, saying it could not possibly be true. (REUTERS/Jason Lee/Files)
“China’s religious affairs authorities and the Olympic organisers have not — and could not — issue a rule banning the Bible in the Olympic village.”

The 2008 Olympics has already become a focus for groups wishing to put pressure on China on everything from Tibet to Beijing’s support of Myanmar’s junta, and this seems set to continue at the opening ceremony gets nearer.

Organisers have already pledged religious services will be offered during the Games.

Liu said foreigners were allowed to bring in religious objects or materials for personal use, and that there would be no change to this during the Olympics.

“We are suspicious of the motivations for why these people would spread such rumours. They should be responsible, and not do things that are not beneficial for them and harm mutual understanding between China and the world,” he added.

Though the Chinese government keeps a close grip on religious activity, the country has large Christian, Muslim and Buddhist communities who are allowed to worship at state recognised churches, mosques and temples.

But rights groups regularly criticise China for restricting the right to worship and arresting those who try to follow their faith outside of state appointed bodies.

The Question I have is; Do we accept the lip service of a government that has been very aggressive against individual forms of expression in the past?

I don’t have the answer to that one but I do think China understands the power it has with the Olympics coming there in 2008. So I expect them to use this event the way any other nation does…PR…to sell the communist dream to the entire world which seems to be eagerly listening.

We shall see.

What do you think?

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