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Come February, charismatic leaders from nearly every stream of Christianity will join together to pass Billy Graham's mantle on to this generation.
YWAM, Dunamis Movement, Christ for all Nations, Jesus Image, Circuit Riders, Lifestyle Christianity and more have partnered together for The Send.
The movement has been marked by prophecy since the Lord planted the original seeds years ago.
"It would be an outbreak of signs and wonders and miracles, and the gospel would be the center point or the central message of the stadium," says YWAM's Andy Byrd, who was part of The Send's inception.
"Out of these gatherings, the passions, the zeal and the sense of responsibility that Billy Graham had would fall on a whole generation," Byrd says.
Now, the time has come. Byrd shared all the details with Charisma in a podcast interview.
Check it out.
Jessilyn Justice@jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.
Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Help Charisma stay strong for years to come as we report on life in the Spirit. Become an integral part of Charisma’s work by joining Charisma Media Partners. Click here to keep us strong!
Multi-platinum-selling country singer Josh Turner's I Serve a Savior released in October to critical acclaim, "bypassing the Saturday-evening revelry of most modern-day country," as stated by Rolling Stone. A collection of hand-picked hymns alongside brand-new originals and live recordings of some of Turner's most memorable hits, I Serve A Savior complements the singer's baritone voice. "All the while, [Turner] manages to put his distinct spin on the classics," shares Sounds Like Nashville, adding "I Serve a Savior provides a much-needed message of hope to the listener ... and proves that [Turner's] gospel album was well worth the wait."
CHARISMA NEWS: Why release this project now?
A gospel record has always been something I've wanted to do. My faith has always been important to me, so when I chose songs for this project, they meant something special to me. I was able to go into the studio and record some of the songs I'd been wanting to record for a long, long time.
How did you pick the hymns? I have a deep connection to all the songs on this record, whether I first heard a song on my grandmama's record player, like "I Pray My Way Out of Trouble," or performed my favorite hymn "Without Him" with my old gospel quartet, The Thankful Hearts. Each of these songs means something special to me.
I think the biggest difference is the contemporary language in the modern hymns. But I think the message, the heart and the inspiration can be genuine, whether it's old or new.
What was the writing process like for "The River (of Happiness)"?
It's been a long time coming, and I'm glad I was able to include my wife [Jennifer] and my four sons. They actually wrote it four years ago, when Hampton was 8. Hampton even played a little bit of mandolin on it. When I was having a production meeting one day, Jennifer and I talked about it, and I said, "This would be a really neat moment on the record to have them sing on this." It's an uplifting song, and having Jennifer and the boys singing on it drives that home. I thought it would offer something new to the record, and having everyone involved is a really neat moment.
How does your understanding of hymns affect your country music and vice versa?
My understanding of hymns affects my approach to country music because of the way the lyrics are written. They tell a story in a very specific way, so when I approach a country record, I try to accomplish the same thing. I want to cut songs that mean something. The flip side of that is when I approach a gospel record like this, I come at it from a country perspective. I want it to be laid-back and tell a story. I want to hear the country or bluegrass flair.
How is the Lord moving in your life right now?
I have seen God unify people in a way I think only He can. I think He can bring everybody together no matter what race we are, where we come from, how old we are. You know, all that fades away when He's involved.
What is your prayer right now?
My prayer is that this record would be impactful and influential and would come to a listener at the exact time he or she needs it. Whether someone is looking for encouragement or some answers to questions in their life—whatever they're seeking, I hope this record would play a small part in meeting that need.
Jessilyn Justice@jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.
Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Help Charisma stay strong for years to come as we report on life in the Spirit. Become an integral part of Charisma’s work by joining Charisma Media Partners. Click here to keep us strong!
Spiritual warfare isn't just a metaphorical concept believers pretend to imagine. It's a very real war raging in the unseen spirit realm. "Turning Point" radio host David Jeremiah spoke openly with Charisma about spiritual warfare and his new book, Overcomer.
Charisma: Why is the armor of God more than a metaphor?
David Jeremiah: The armor of God is essentially eight strategies for being prepared in the fight against the evil one and for overcoming in His name. In the armor illustration, we're actually given practical instructions on how to protect our mind and our heart, reminders to stand firm on the truth and never compromise, reminders to be aware of the deception and lies of the devil and a reminder to turn to God's Word in times of doubt and uncertainty.
Charisma: Why does spiritual warfare matter in today's tension-filled climate?
David Jeremiah: Many Christians are living in the midst of a raging spiritual battle they may or may not know is taking place around them. We're told very clearly in Ephesians that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but rather against spiritual forces. I think sometimes Christians forget this. We get caught up in the physical and ignore the underlying spiritual battle that needs to be fought first and foremost.
As children of God though, I don't believe these spiritual attacks need to leave Christians defeated, discouraged or disillusioned. Instead, followers of Christ need to seek out greater connection to the Holy Spirit living inside of them, to tap into God's strength and power to overcome life's many obstacles.
Charisma: What do we not realize about the spiritual battles raging today?
David Jeremiah: From a spiritual perspective, an important distinction is that as Christians we are not fighting for victory, but from victory. How comforting is that? This is an important paradigm shift that will change everything if followers of Christ will grab ahold of this truth. Throughout Scripture, we're called to be strong, and that means standing in the victory that's already been won. As we look back, we rest in Christ's victory over sin, Satan and death. As we look forward, we face the future, knowing God will always lead us in victory.
Charisma: How can we prepare ourselves for spiritual battle?
David Jeremiah: I've noticed something interesting, looking back on the story of David and Goliath. Notice the terms in the Bible describing Goliath are all physical: his massive size, the sight of him twice a day for weeks on end taunting the Israelites and the shout of his booming voice. But the terms used to describe David are all spiritual: his conviction, his courage and his confidence in the Lord. Going further, we read that David never asks about the weight of Goliath's spear or the size of his shield. But he does reference the Lord's strength nine times throughout the story.
David never lets himself get consumed with the physical aspect of the task at hand. He's laser-focused on the supernatural power God has promised. So we need to take a page from David's playbook. When we're overburdened, oftentimes, the solution is to get our eyes off of the physical and readjust to the spiritual.
Charisma: How can we press in to victory when it seems like all hope is lost?
David Jeremiah: It's all right to talk to God about your problems, but sometimes you need to talk to your problems about God. Preach the goodness of God to them. Prophesy the promises of God to them. Proclaim the victory of the cross to them.
Charisma: How is God moving today?
David Jeremiah: An important fact I constantly remind believers of is that the miracle-working God of the Bible is the same God who has empowered you today. I don't say that to be cute. I mean it! Grab ahold of the authority you've been given and pray over every crisis in your life in Jesus' name.
Jessilyn Justice@jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.
Help Charisma stay strong for years to come as we report on life in the Spirit. Become an integral part of Charisma’s work by joining Charisma Media Partners. Click here to keep us strong!
Don Moen, a pioneer of the modern praise and worship movement, has spent his career as a worship leader, producer, songwriter and music executive. While a student at Oral Roberts University in the early 70s, Moen began touring with the musical group Living Sound and evangelist Terry Law. By 1986, Moen had recorded "Give Thanks" for the Hosanna Music! praise and worship series at Integrity Music, where he would serve as creative director, executive producer, and eventually, president of the label. During his tenure there, he sold more than 5 million units and signed worship leaders and songwriters such as Paul Baloche, Ron Kenoly, Darlene Zschech and many more. Today, Moen lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Laura, where he is president of Don Moen Productions and oversees his international nonprofit ministry, Worship in Action.
If there was ever a time for people to hear this message, it's now. "God will make a way where there seems to be no way; He works in ways we cannot see..." —that's the key phrase right there. In spite of the hopelessness you see around you, God is working in ways you cannot see to bring hope, healing, salvation, provision, deliverance, and provide for every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). We need to take our eyes off what we are hearing in the news, on social media and more and focus on the only one who can make a way.
Looking back, what are some specific circumstances where you saw the Holy Spirit intervene in your life/career?
There are so many times the Holy Spirit has intervened in my life, and I share a lot of these personal stories in the book. It's much easier to see how the Holy Spirit intervened in my life when I look back—while I was in the middle of a decision or a challenging circumstance, it was a little more difficult to see.
The Holy Spirit worked through many people to influence the direction of my life. My pastor, Ray Schaible, gave me a love for worship and for the presence of the Lord as a young boy, preparing my heart for what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life. The Holy Spirit clearly led me to transfer from a state university to ORU, where I met Terry Law and Larry Dalton, two men who influenced my life tremendously by giving me the opportunity to travel the world with a missionary evangelistic group called Living Sound. This led to my first opportunity to lead worship for Terry Law at his meetings, which eventually opened the doors for me to work with Integrity Music for 20 years. It's so clear to see how the Holy Spirit led me through all these decisions, but at the time, I couldn't see things as clear as I see them now. There were a lot of days that just required walking by faith, knowing that God had called me and believing that somehow He would make a way for me.
How did your time at ORU influence your career?
My time at ORU influenced me in so many ways. I began to learn how to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, to listen to His voice. I learned the principle of seed faith and giving, and I'm not talking about a "give to get" philosophy. The principle of sowing and reaping is biblical. At ORU, my faith was stretched like never before. Oral Roberts had a plaque on his desk that read, "Make No Small Plans Here." ORU, the university that bears his name, is just one example of how he lived out his faith every day. This was contagious, and it rubbed off on all the students. In those days, ORU was a smaller school, and it was not uncommon to be sitting in the Student Union having a snack and have Oral come and join you at your table!
ORU was founded with this prophetic word that Oral Roberts received: "Raise up your students to hear My voice, to go where My light is dim, where My voice is heard small, and My healing power is not known, even to the uttermost bounds of the earth. Their work will exceed yours, and in this I am well pleased." I answered this call while I was attending ORU and as a result, I have been privileged to share the good news of the gospel around the world for many years.
What prophetic words have guided you?
I think one of the most important prophetic words that has guided my entire career came to me in the middle of the night. I was 32 years old when I was awakened from a deep sleep at 3:00 a.m., and I clearly heard a voice that said, "Get up and turn in your Bible to Psalm 40:3."
That's all I heard, but I was wide awake, and when I read that Scripture, something happened to me, and I just sat there, meditating on that Scripture. I can't explain it all, but I told my wife the next morning that I felt I had been ordained into something, and I wasn't sure I understood what it meant. I had been praying a lot about my music and had written in my journal that I didn't want to write any more music unless it came in "power, praise, healing and deliverance."
I'm not sure I even understood what this meant, except that I was determined to find a deeper purpose in my songwriting. The message in Psalm 40:3 was very clear: "I have put a new song in your mouth; a song of praise to our God. Many will see it and fear and put their trust in the Lord."
This is "worship evangelism." God was about to bring together all the years I had spent touring with the group Living Sound and open up a new door of influence for me with my music through a company, Integrity Music, that had not yet been founded.
Many years ago, after a concert outside of Phoenix, Arizona, a pastor gave a prophetic word to my wife, Laura. He said, "I see you giving birth to a child. ... in fact, I see you giving birth to many children, but this will not stop you from traveling the world, sharing the good news of the gospel. I see an international family. Your children will go with you around the world."
Wow. Little did we know the struggle we would face trying to have children, and how many times we would listen to this word and wonder if it would ever come to pass. I share this very personal story in one of the chapters in my book. Years of tests, infertility doctors and miscarriages discouraged us and challenged what little faith we had left, but after 12 years, God gave us a baby girl, then a boy, then a girl, then another boy, then another boy! Yes, in seven years, God gave us five children!
And just as the pastor prophesied, they have all traveled the world with us as we share the good news of the gospel and still work with me in the ministry. God is so good! I have one more story to share if you have the time.
Many years ago, my wife's sister wrote a letter to her sharing some personal things, and then she added, "While I was praying for you, I had a vision of Don standing in front of thousands of people, leading them into God's presence and writing songs that soothe the hearts of kings."
When Laura read that letter to me, I said, "Honey, your sister Susan is a great girl, but she is not a prophet, because there is no way I am going to stand in front of thousands of people and sing."
You see, I had failed my speech class at ORU because I was too afraid to get up in front of 15 people to give a speech, so I skipped my final exam. There was no way I could imagine myself standing in front of thousands!
A few years ago, Laura found that letter in one of her old Bibles, and as we read it, we realized that everything had come to pass, including her final word that said, "Don's real strength will come from Laura standing behind the wings of the stage."
How true that is! Laura and I have been married for over 45 years, and although she has heard me sing thousands of times, I can always find her somewhere in the audience or back stage lifting up her hands in worship like she was experiencing this for the very first time. She is an amazing gift to me, and I had to confess to her that it seems like her sister was a prophet after all.
What has the Holy Spirit told you about your future?
I believe I've heard the Holy Spirit say to me that He has much more for me to do and that the next 20 years of my ministry will produce more fruit than all the previous years put together. This has been confirmed to me through many other people as well. God has put some big dreams in my heart, and sometimes I wonder how they will become reality, but Isaiah 55: 9 tells us His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
My prayer is simply that God will do all that He wants to do in my life. Amen!
Jessilyn Justice@jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.
Lauren Daigle's latest album, Look Up Child, appeals to the masses on a supernatural level.
Her songs topped charts upon their debut, beating out hit artists like Drake and Ariana Grande.
Her worship touches the hearts of Christians around the globe in all circumstances.
On Saturday, she took her music behind bars.
"Yesterday was one so unexpected. It was a day that was more than I can articulate. It was a day my eyes had never seen and will never be able to unsee. We sang songs with inmates whose voices carried deeper in to our hearts than the echo of a microphone will ever release. I saw hope in the face of the hopeless, joy in the wake of sorrow, wealth in the gap of depravity, and life in the midst of death. These people have stories, and they also have souls. I watched heaven befriend those who are often forgotten. With each day that passes, may I never take for granted what it is to walk around as a free man. I held a bottle of cold coffee upon pulling out of Statesville Correctional Prison. My hand had never remembered that bottle being so cold..." Daigle posted to Facebook.
Watch the video to see how the Spirit moved.
Jessilyn Justice@jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.
Avid readers of C.S. Lewis' beloved Chronicles of Narnia series received exciting news Wednesday as Netflix announced its plans to adapt the Christian franchise for streaming.
"C.S. Lewis' beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world," Ted Sarandos, Netflix's chief content officer, says. "Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we're thrilled to be their home for years to come."
According to a release posted to the official series page on Facebook, Mark Gordon of Entertainment One (eOne), Douglas Gresham and Vincent Sieber will as executive producers for series and as producers for features. Gresham is Lewis' stepson.
It appears the deal includes both series and films.
"It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world," Gresham says. "Netflix seems to be the very best medium with which to achieve this aim, and I am looking forward to working with them towards this goal."
Several films have been made from the franchise, including cartoon, BBC and Disney adaptations.
Some readers were concerned the streaming giant would remove the spiritual significance of the tales.
"I do not trust Netflix to do justice for the series! They will be trying to take God out of it like other companies have Christian movies," one person commented on the announcement.
Another wrote: "They better do it justice! Make it something CS. Lewis himself would be proud of! Make it what HE intended it to be and do not leave out God!"
Someone else said, "Please make it with the Godly intonations. Netflix should want a profitable product and to miss the mark against this beloved storyline would be a shame. Excited to view the product."
What do you think? Sound off below?
Jessilyn Justice@jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.
The 24-year-old has two children, one biological and one adopted, with his wife, whom he served with at The Avenue Church.
The Avenue Church is in Delray, Florida, which is called the recovery capital of the world. French says his church was about 80 percent recovering addicts.
"The recovery community doesn't need fake hope," French tells Charisma News. "They need real hope. That comes from Jesus, and the people that find that become passionate about telling others. The church grew because the gospel is tangible and real. They found that Jesus breaks chains of addiction, and when your life depends on getting clean, you stick with it."
His work with his congregation is evident in his album.
"My music is a reflection of the community I was surrounded by. It's real and honest. They are songs of where confession meets the healing power of God," French says.
"I've never been addicted to drugs or alcohol, but I struggle with sin every day. I learned that just like trying to get sober from addiction the more you talk about it the easier it gets to love life apart from that addiction. I relate because the more I talk about what I struggle with and bring it in the light, the enemy loses control over my life," French says.
And as he wrote, he tuned his ear to what the Lord was saying.
"The Holy Spirit taught me so much through the writing process of this record," French says. "He taught me that songs are like testimonies. They have the power to heal, the power to encourage and the power to challenge. Through this process, I wrote songs about my life and where I was with God and the moments that filled up the past four years. Looking back and listening to this record, I hear prayers answered, and I see moments my life changed because of the Holy Spirit working in my life."
Another life change? Doubling the size of his family.
While he and his wife, Jocelyn, pursued adoption for her mother's foster child, Coleman, the young couple discovered they were expecting.
"My wife getting pregnant was something we had hoped would happen for the benefit of our little boy we were adopting," French says. "We want our little boy to grow up with a brother or sister really close in age to just enjoy the bond of a sibling. When we found out we were going to naturally have a baby we honestly just smiled because God knew the desires of our heart for children. And God is always sovereign."
The constant state of flux inspired the title track, "Wide Open."
"That is the state of life that we are in even currently. The beautiful thing we've discovered is that our capacity or at least we think we can handle is limiting. That when we lift our hands wide open our hearts wide open and live our lives wide open to God, He does immeasurably more than we could ever hope and dream. It has affected part of my music journey and will continue to do so forever."
Jessilyn Justice@jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.
David Cunningham comes from seven generations of missionaries and ministry workers. If his last name rings a bell, it could be because his parents, Loren and Darlene, founded Youth With a Mission in 1960. It's this incredible spiritual legacy that impacts Cunningham's role in Hollywood as a director. His latest film, Running for Grace, stars Jim Caviezel and Matt Dillon in a powerful story about family, adoption, identity, racism and hope. Cunningham recently spoke with Charisma News about his faith, the industry and how the two work together. The film opens Aug. 17 in limited theaters, but will be available on demand on Aug. 20.
Walk me through the story behind your latest film:
I am a father of three kids. We all love movies and hanging out with each other but always have the same challenge of finding a movie we all actually want to see. What ends up happening a lot is everyone goes to their own devices and watches their own show separately. The whole joy of watching together is replaced by binge watching in the dark on your own with some small backlit device. Besides being avid film watchers, we have the privilege of living in Hawaii, where all three of my kids were born and are being raised. We like to do adventures around the island: expeditions to waterfalls, trails and remote beaches. In addition to the diversity of the landscape on Hawaii Island (11 of the 13 climate zones exist on one island), we have some of the most diverse ethnicities in the U.S. I actually grew up in Hawaii as a minority (I am haole, aka Caucasian) where most of my friends were Hawaiian or of mixed race. It was a real gift to grow up that way and has shaped the way I see the world and the kinds of movies I make.
I made Running for Grace to bring my family (and hopefully yours) together to experience an uplifting movie with themes of challenges and victories that we can all relate to on a daily basis. I think audiences will be entertained as they are swept away to another time and place and hopefully the importance of identity and the power of adoption will resonate. It is mind-blowing to think that in the 1920s, it was illegal by federal law to be able to adopt a child of mixed race. It was called "racial integrity." The segregated society in Hawaii was meant for control like so many places in the world at that time (and sadly still the case in some places today). Running for Grace is about a boy of mixed race who defies all the odds to fight for what is most important to him and changes the whole community around him.
I think one of my favorite days on set was when we were filming a romantic scene high up the mountain on a sunny, clear day. The weather suddenly changed, and a bank of thick fog rolled in. With just a few minutes' notice, we had to switch into an entirely new scene that was scheduled for another day and that was going to require a lot of fog machines and Computer Visual FX. Matt Dillon, Jim Caviezel, Ryan Potter and Nick Boraine shifted gears. The crew raced into action and within minutes we were filming a scene where the volcano had erupted and the "vog" was pouring over the island. The scene turned out epic with no manmade effects needed. That's how magic is captured in movies. You gotta love making movies with those kinds of folks.
We had a blast making this movie with such a talented and fun cast and crew. It was truly a family venture. My wife was the department head for makeup and hair, my kids were extras and stand-ins, and we even filmed part of the movie on our property. After spending many years making movies around the world (often in many cold and dark places) I feel so blessed to be able to make a movie I care about with my family and friends literally in my own back yard! What? Who gets to do that?
How is your personal faith journey displayed in your work?
Every movie is a major leap of faith (this is my eighth movie to direct) and is very tough. It keeps me on my knees a lot. I am constantly asking for inspiration. Filmmaking is a medium that must be inspired in some regards to connect with audiences. I look to the ultimate inspiration for that touch.
How does your spiritual legacy affect your work?
I have seven generations of ministers and missionaries on one side of the family and four on the other. My great-grandfather started 13 churches out of a covered wagon in the Territory of Oklahoma. My great uncle was a prisoner of war in World War II in China at the hands of the Japanese as he refused to leave his congregation there. My grandmother was the first woman ordained minister in her denomination and my parents started the interdenominational organization of YWAM or Youth With A Mission. I believe I am continuing the family legacy but that my pulpit looks a bit different. My family legacy represents folks who sacrificed much for others. I try to remember that when things get tough.
What do your parents think of working in Hollywood?
They are super supportive and understand that my calling is to influence popular culture for Him.
Many Christians think Hollywood should be boycotted at all costs. What is your response to this?
My father tells the story that in the 1950s, when Bible-based movies were doing very well at the box office, a studio executive reached out to Bible schools and ask them to send graduates to help write Bible-based movies. One Bible school president wrote back, "I would rather send our graduates to hell than to Hollywood". There was a total rejection of popular culture by much of the faith community. In doing so, we lost influence and authority in one of the most influential spheres in the world. It has taken decades to see changes in that area. I firmly believe we need to engage and create, not sit on the sidelines and judge.
Jim Caviezel has openly talked about persecuted Christians and getting more involved in assisting them. How has he impacted you to consider this?
It was an honor to direct Jim. His role in The Passion was polarizing for him in the industry. It cost him much. I admire his courage and conviction.
What sort of prophetic words have guided your career?
There are too many to list. I seek the Lord in what I do on a daily basis and find that "strength will rise when you wait upon the Lord."
Anything else you'd like to add?
I am grateful for your interest and support. I hope the themes in Running for Grace of the power of adoption will resonate with your readers. We have been doing benefit red-carpet screenings with our movie, celebrating parents who have adopted and we are carrying that theme into the digital release. We have a way for folks to bless families that have adopted by gifting them an HD download of our movie. Please go to runningforgracemovie.com to see where we are playing in theaters and how you can receive and give a digital copy. Mahalo!
Jessilyn Justice@jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.
