50 Years After Debilitating Accident, Joni Eareckson Tada Shares Just how Much God Has Done for Her - MELANY ETHRIDGE/A. LARRY ROSS CHARISMA NEWS

Joni Eareckson Tada (YouTube)

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50 Years After Debilitating Accident, Joni Eareckson Tada Shares Just how Much God Has Done for Her

6/22/2017 MELANY ETHRIDGE/A. LARRY ROSS  CHARISMA NEWS

Originally released in 1979 by Billy Graham's Worldwide Pictures, Joni tells the story of a young Joni Eareckson Tada, injured in a diving accident at age 17, and her journey of faith as she came to understand how her quadriplegia could be used by God to draw others to Him. Subsequently translated into 15 languages and shown in countries around the world, Joni is about to receive new life as it is digitized and premiered at a red carpet event at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, California, on Aug. 6, 2017— just over 50 years since her accident.

The premier is part of a celebration of God's faithfulness to Tada through 50 years in her wheelchair. Joni and Friends International Disability Center is partnering with the church to host the event, which will include representatives from the southern California film industry as well as leaders from area churches who will be honored for reaching out to individuals with disabilities and drawing them into the church—a key mission of Joni and Friends. Along with Tada, others involved in the making of the film will be in attendance, and Tada will share her reflections of starring in the movie in conversation with host and emcee, Senior Pastor Shawn Thornton.

"Doing the movie wasn't the smooth, easy process I thought it would be, but I learned a lot, including that the closer I got to Jesus, the more I found out who I was supposed to be," Tada said. "It had always been my prayer that as people witnessed the struggle of a young girl coming to terms with her hardships and gaining trust in God, hundreds of thousands would embrace Jesus Christ for the first time. I pray this digitized version of the film will have the same impact on a new generation."

The evening will begin with an invitation-only reception before the film premiere itself, which will begin around 6 p.m. All attendees will have the opportunity to walk the red carpet as they enter the church. Following the screening, Tada will greet those in attendance and discuss the film as well as the ongoing ministry of Joni and Friends and churches like Calvary Community, which have done so much to share the gospel with individuals with disabilities.

"We are so excited and humbled to be a part of this special screening, and the occasion to honor all that the Lord has done through Joni and the ministry of Joni and Friends, far and above the original film's release," said Calvary Community Church Senior Pastor Shawn Thornton. "We are grateful to be one of many churches involved in disability ministry, working alongside Joni and Friends to ensure that individuals with disabilities in our communities are sought out, welcomed and valued in our congregations."

Joni and Friends President and COO Doug Mazza clarified the reason for the festivities surrounding the digitized film's Premiere: "While most people wouldn't celebrate their 50th anniversary in a wheelchair, we see this event as a true celebration of Joni's life, and all that God has accomplished through her ministry because of her 50 years as a quadriplegic. So we thought this timing for the 'Joni' digitization and red carpet premiere couldn't be better, and we wanted to mark the occasion with fanfare as well as recognition for others who have been used by God in disability ministry, including our great friend Pastor Shawn Thornton."

Joni and Friends contracted with Fotokem to complete the digitization, and has exclusive rights to show the film for one year, before Worldwide Pictures assumes distribution rights.

"We appreciate our friends at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for their cooperation on this project, and look forward to seeing how Joni's story will be further used to reach people for Christ," Mazza added. "I have seen some clips of the digitized film and it is beautiful; I pray even more people will be able to view the movie and be impacted by this new, enhanced version."

For more than 38 years, Joni and Friends has worked to accelerate ministry to the disability community around the world, offering a wide array of life-affirming ministries, including the Christian Institute on Disability; Wheels for the World; international radio and television programs filled with inspirational stories; and Family Retreats, where families affected by disability learn they are not alone. For more information, please visit http://www.joniandfriends.org/. 

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Why These Worship Artists and Pastors Converged on Washington 5/18/2017 - MELANY ETHRIDGE/A. LARRY ROSS CHARISMA NEWS

These Christian influencers are the latest to join the drumbeat of calls to Congress to protect the international affairs budget. (Public Domain)

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Hope Through Healing Hands and the ONE Campaign hosted 10 Christian artists, pastors and other faith leaders in Washington, D.C., on May 17 to conduct meetings with members of Congress and their staff and share their concerns about the devastating effects that could result from President Trump's severe proposed budget cuts to foreign assistance. Participants in this "Christian Influencers Advocacy Day," include artists Jennifer Nettles, Steve Taylor, Matt Maher, Dan Haseltine and Brandon Heath, and Pastors Bob Griffith, Brandon Tubbs and Josh Rouse.

These Christian influencers are the latest to join the drumbeat of calls to Congress to protect the international affairs budget. In February, more than 120 retired generals signed a letter warning that cuts to foreign assistance, even while increasing military spending, would not make the country safer. In March, over 100 Christian pastors, leaders and artists signed a letter to Congress asking them to oppose the proposed cuts as their moral responsibility. Signatories included Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, both of whom prayed at the president's inauguration.

That foreign aid helps ensure our national security while also protecting the most vulnerable populations is one of the arguments the leaders will make with congressional representatives on "Christian Influencers Day," in hopes of preserving foreign assistance funding at FY17 levels.

They will use similar language as that sent to President Trump in this recent letter from faith leaders: 

"If we can protect the lives of mothers and children, we can intervene not just to save lives but to establish a foundation of health and wellness to uplift communities, societies, and nations out of extreme poverty.

"Beyond our calling to care for the world's poorest as a moral or economic commitment, this is also in the best interest of our national security. We know that development is a critical prevention tool that protects nations from becoming fragile and failed states that are ripe breeding grounds for violent extremism and terrorism.

"Supporting foreign assistance isn't just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do." 

Similarly, the letter from a group spearheaded by World Vision and sent to Congress, reflected more of these thoughts:

"Matthew 25 tells us when we serve the least of these, we are serving the Lord. As people of faith, we cannot turn our backs on those in desperate need. We are grateful for America's global development and diplomacy programs that have been instrumental in saving lives, safeguarding religious liberties, and keeping America safe and secure. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have strong legacies of supporting humanitarian and development programs that enable countless people to pull themselves out of poverty and live life with dignity. It is through these diplomatic and development tools that we've seen countries and communities build peaceful, productive societies that do not turn to violence or terrorism."

"More than 50 percent of Americans still believe that our foreign assistance amounts to 25 percent of the U.S. budget. In actuality, it is less than 1 percent," said Jenny Dyer, Ph.D., executive director of HTHH. "If Congress accepts President Trump's 28 percent cut to foreign assistance, the historic progress we have led over the past 25 years to halve poverty, preventable, treatable diseases, and the deaths of mothers and children will halt. The world will become less safe at home and abroad." 

Tom Hart, the ONE's North America executive director echoed Dyer. "Our foreign assistance programs are among the few places in the government where funding translates to lives saved. Cutting foreign aid would put in jeopardy those who depend on life-saving assistance like anti-retroviral medicines for HIV/AIDS, food assistance for those in famine, bed nets for those fighting malaria, and anti-corruption measures. These programs have had strong bipartisan support for generations and we're going up to the Hill to ensure it stays that way."

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Ohio Factory Worker Fired For Recommending Faith-Based Film to Lesbian Co-Worker

A still from Ray Comfort's film 'Audacity.' (YouTube)

Ohio Factory Worker Fired For Recommending Faith-Based Film to Lesbian Co-Worker

 9/17/2015 MELANY ETHRIDGE/A. LARRY ROSS  charisma news

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Producers of the recently-released faith-based film Audacity were contacted last week by Chris Routson of Middletown, Ohio, who wanted to share with them his story of recommending the film to two lesbian co-workers and subsequently being fired after 13 years as a well-regarded employee.

"I have had good reviews from my supervisors for the past 13 years at my job, and I have always been outspoken about my faith to other employees and have never had any problems up until the last week of my employment," Routson said.

Routson was told that he was terminated not because of his faith, but for making his co-workers "uncomfortable." He was first told to stop doing this after he friended one of his lesbian co-workers on Facebook, and recommended the film Audacity to her on his own time from home.

She didn't seem bothered by this, but the next day Routson was informed he had made a co-worker uncomfortable and he was to stop. He said that he couldn't stop sharing his faith, and his supervisors said it wasn't about his faith, just about making co-workers "uncomfortable."

Two days later, Routson shared his personal testimony with a different co-worker, telling her "Every new person I meet I want to share the gospel with them and if they still want to be my friend then I have gained a friend."

Later he recommended the film Audacity to her and she never seemed uncomfortable or like she didn't want to discuss the topic with him, even sharing about her own family discussion on homosexuality.

It was not long after this that Routson was called into his manager's office and told that he was making an employee uncomfortable and would need to go home. He was told to report the following morning at the usual time, but then was called early the next morning to come in several hours later. Upon his arrival, he was terminated, asked to take his belongings and leave immediately. Routson is seeking legal counsel.

Whether the recommendation of the movie Audacity itself is what made Routson's lesbian co-workers uncomfortable or not, that was never the filmmakers' intention.

"Audacity was produced particularly to show that Christians don't hate homosexuals," Executive Producer Ray Comfort said. "We deliberately didn't stereotype or vilify homosexuals even slightly. Before it was released, one reviewer said that it had the potential to bring reconciliation between the LGBT and Christians."

In fact, Comfort has received positive feedback from two members of the homosexual community who have already seen the film:

• "I am a lesbian. I watched your movie Audacity on YouTube. Very powerful. Thank you for not hating us."
• "I have to say, as a gay woman who watched Audacity, I agree that the topic was handled with love and compassion which was refreshing to see..."

Since Audacity is now freely available online at www.AudacityMovie.com, viewers can decide for themselves whether or not they think the film would be worth firing someone over—especially a 13-year employee with two kids at home.

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