Terry’s Picks: June 2018

Churches, Christian Artists, Get In on Festival Fun

"Today I was checking on things like getting propane for the grills and making those other last minute purchases," said Young of readying the booth which is selling Australian cuisine. Most notably, povlovas. "Those are baked meringue shells filled with non-dairy whipped cream, blueberries, strawberries and kiwi fruit," she explained of their mainstay menu item.
United Church is just one of 10 churches (among other non-profits) that are staffing food booths during the weekend, raising funds for their various ministry efforts.
Is Your Stock Rising?

Oh, I'm not talking about money. Did you think I meant the Dow Jones? No way! I'm talking about me. I made a decision with my family and I thought I made the right choice. I was pretty sure, in fact, that the case I was making that was proving my point was really going to make my stock rise. In other words, make them really believe in me. But instead, I shot myself in the foot and my stock plummeted. I made the wrong call, the wrong decision and it was a disappointment to my family.
Gospel Quartet Singer Going Solo

The founder-singer of the West Michigan-based Faithful Journey Quartet is branching out into a solo music ministry and will leave the quartet at the end of the year.
"I had thought about doing solo music... but figured it would never happen. I'm a quartet guy," said Visser, 53, from his Lowell area home.
"But it was a process – including struggling with God – and it was laid on my heart and God gave me some good music," he added.
Now the suburban Wyoming native, who runs a construction business, has a solo CD and dozens of concerts under his belt. But he continues to sing in Faithful Journey with Scott Roon, Dennis Deters and new tenor Tom Corkins.
"Scott, Dennis and I have been together the whole seven years in the quartet," reflected Visser. "This is not an easy decision (to leave) and I did not take it lightly."
Marvin Sapp Receives Ministry Honor

At a May 8 banquet event in Nashville, the Gospel Music Association (GMA) recognized Sapp and several others for "significant contributions to the world through their humanitarian efforts as well as their talents."
Sapp, who has received several awards and honors over the last year, said his motivation has remained the same throughout his career. "The goal was never to receive awards," he said in his acceptance speech. "I just wanted to give God the glory. That was my goal then, and is still my goal now."
Legacy Christian Students Share Hand-written Memoirs with Holland Home Residents

Her and 19 other second graders from Kentwood-based Legacy Christian School traveled in January to Holland Home's Breton Woods campus to interview senior residents about their achievements and what the Lord has done for them through the years.
Then on May 11, the students returned to Breton Woods and were matched again with the same residents they interviewed in January to read to them the handwritten memoirs they composed. Their stories were bound into a book.
The students also sang as group to the residents and enjoyed an ice cream social with one another afterward.
Corinth Quilters Sew, Donate Beauty and Warmth to Those in Need

They accomplish this important undertaking by making quilts of various sizes: baby quilts, twin size and double bed size and lap quilts from bolts of fabric that are donated toward their ministry known as the Corinth Quilters.
CD Review Beacon Light

The theme of the album reflecting his renewed outlook is noted on the online video.
One highlight among the selections is "Sleeping On Me," with guest Spencer Kane. The song's video shows the care taken in conveying its message: don't go through life comatose.....wake up!
Area Concert Forecast Heating Up

Terry’s Picks: May 2018

Hudsonville Couple Launches One Saved International to Provide Aftercare to Children Rescued From Sex Trafficking

There are between 60,000 to 100,000 children in the Philippines involved in prostitution rings, according to the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF). Worldwide, more than two million children are exploited in the sex trade.
Helping those children find hope and healing through the gospel are Jeremy and Sarah Hess who founded One Saved International, a nonprofit that provides aftercare and restoration to children rescued from sex trafficking.
Longtime Team Returns to Christian Radio

Tommy Dylan says he and on-air partner Brook Taylor have received all kinds of warm wishes over the last three months hosting the new "Tommy & Brook" morning show on Christian radio JQ-99 (WJQK-FM 99.3).
"There's been a lot of new listeners that have come over," said Dylan of fans who have followed them to their new radio home.
The veteran team spent more than nine years doing mornings at cross-town "Star 105.7", a mainstream adult contemporary outlet. Now they're in front of both old and new listeners. He said the broadcasting tandem has received positive feedback during remote broadcasts and from both listeners and advertisers. "And as we anticipated, the JQ listeners have been very welcoming," said Dylan.
The Testimony of Zach Williams

Arguably the most-awarded artist in Christian music over the past year with one of the most successful debut albums in recent memory, Williams and his break-out song "Chain Breaker" have a story to tell about his life's journey. He comes to Zeeland April 22 for a concert.
"I grew up around music," recalled Williams, 37, during a recent phone interview. "My dad played (guitar) and led worship in church and I was there every Sunday and Wednesday."
"I knew all about Jesus and Scripture stories and had a head knowledge of him. I went forward at church camp and called myself a Christian but there was never a heart change."
Jesus and the Children Sculpture Welcomes Community, Affirms Children’s Dignity

Monsignor R. Louis Stasker said his two-prong goals for the recently dedicated bronze statue, Jesus and the Children, at the Basilica of Saint Adalbert plaza is to affirm God's love for the world's most vulnerable — children.
The 1,500-pound sculpture is also way of saying to the community at large all are welcome.
Paul, Apostle for Christ is a Remarkable Movie
God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness makes a great point: God is Still Not Dead!
Candace Cameron Bure events nearly sold out at Baker Book House

"Response to the announcement of Candace's visit was huge," said Sue Smith, manager of Baker Book House. "It was so big that we scheduled several additional events."
Bure was originally scheduled for a Q&A/book-signing on Thursday, April 26. The 250 tickets sold out within four hours, according to Smith, with more than a thousand people indicating on bookstore social media their interest in attending.
Top Fiction Authors to Meet Readers at first Fiction Readers Summit

The event will feature Christian authors whose work covers a wide swath of genres including historical, contemporary, romance and mystery. Local authors participating in the event are Susie Finkbeiner, Sharon Garlough Brown, Tracy Groot, and Lynn Austin.
C.S. Lewis Portrayal Coming to Grand Rapids

The creative force behind the one-man production is actor Max McLean who wrote the play and assumes the title role. The script is gleaned from Lewis' books and essays throughout his academic and writing career in his native Great Britain. His best-known work is the popular "Chronicles of Narnia" series, but he has a rich catalog of theological volumes such as "Mere Christianity" and "Miracles." He died in 1963.
Celebration…Good News, Continuing Themes for Irish Band

"We were actually playing a show that day, and we even taught some Irish dancing," said lead singer Chris Llewellyn during a late March phone interview. "We had to bring the party for St. Paddy...it's up to the Irish."
Celebration has always been high on the Rend Collective priority list. And a joyous thread winds throughout the faith-based group's latest album, "Good News."
Terry’s Picks: April 2018

Billy Graham Was The Same in Public and Private, Says Cornerstone President. But Who’s Next in Line?

Whether preaching to a throng of people at his evangelistic crusades or engaged in a private tête-à-tête, his character was consistent, Cornerstone's Joseph Stowell said of Graham who died Feb. 21.
Debut Novelist Pens Tale of Love and Mystery

Ann Byle: Tell us a little about your writing journey and your debut novel "Lady Jane Disappears."
Joanna Politano: The novel evolved as I wrote it over nine months or a year. It started out as a fun thing I did during my daughter's nap time, then became a more formal project. I had decided to set aside my publishing goals to raise a family but God said no. He said, "It's noble but not what I want you to do."
Imagining the Power of A Song

Now re-popularized by a new movie of the same name, the uplifting ballad continues to be the trademark of singer Bart Millard and his band MercyMe.
"It's like the song that won't go away," smiled Nathan Cochran, bass guitar player of the band during an interview from Dallas, Tex. "But it's a song that is really special to us and we're not complaining about that at all."
Third Day One More Time

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There was the usual ticket "pre-sale" period for a day or so prior to the "on sale" date. Pre-sale is limited to select fans or others who have a special ticket purchase code with only a small number available.
The general public went online fast and furious at 10am March 9 – but many soon saw the post on Ticketmaster.com: "Oh-no! These tickets went fast and we're unable to find more right now." More recent visitors to the ticketmaster website also saw prices above face value.
Hire for Hope Founder Grateful Safe Haven Ministries Helped Her Replace Distress for Courage

In early 2017, the 28-year-old launched Hire for Hope LLC, her socially conscious recruiting firm that helps fill mid- to senior-level positions for West Michigan companies.
It's been so successful that she recently hired her first full-time employee, with an eye on adding one or two more staff members by the end of this year or early 2019.
To help accommodate her growth, Ward has plans to move her recruiting business out of her home office in Rockford and relocate it to downtown Grand Rapids.
Battered and Bruised

Some of us do a good job of hiding it. We may cake on a little make up to brighten our face. We wear a bright colored shirt to try and offset the dark feeling in our soul. We laugh but it's just a sound not an expression of joy. Some people reading this article right now are dealing with a battered and bruised spirit. And sadly, in many situations, the source is a complex family situation. Even if the culprit is outside your family, the effect it has on you will affect your family. That's why I want to offer a few suggestions that may help encourage you through the process.
‘Plantation Jesus’ Spells Out How to Forgive, Walk Toward Unity

"When I met him in the hospital and he told me of the diagnosis, he said, 'If I go to heaven, you need to finish the book and if I stay, I'll finish it,'" recalled Welch.
Wilson died of lung cancer March 5, 2014. And while he had wrote the majority of the book titled "Plantation Jesus: Race, Faith, & A New Way Forward," Welch was left with the daunting task of completing it and thus fulfilling his promise.
Welch and his wife, Barbara, are lead pastors of the Kentwood campus of Stones Church. For eight years, Skot Welch co-hosted with Wilson the radio program, Radio in Black and White, which discussed multiracial, multicultural and multiethnic relationships and featured live callers.
New Music Review – Cameron Blake

"Fear Not" – his third solo effort – features numerous guest artists in its addressing the sticky topic of fear. It sends out a call to look to love as a solution.
Blake (his given name is Cameron Warne) leads worship and is serve team leader at River Rock Church, which meets at Rockford Christian School on Belding Rd. NE. But his probing, contemporary-folk tunes have touched ears throughout the area's mainstream music community.
Cold-war Espionage Offers Significant Takeaways for Christians Today

Nowadays, his conversion to Christianity exemplifies why the only way to live life is by God's principles and not humankind, a conservative scholar said recently as guest speaker at the Acton Institute's Lecture Series.
Chambers (1901-1961) was a senior editor for TIME Magazine who wrote the autobiography Witness, initially published in 1952 that has since been reprinted, which details his life as an agent in the Fourth Section of Soviet Military Intelligence from 1932 to 1938, where he coordinated espionage activities with high-ranking United States government officials. Witness explains Chambers' exodus from communism and his conversion to Christianity.
Terry’s Picks: March 2018

Here are three highlights for March:
TobyMac Digs Into Hits Deep

"It's supposed to be 'hits' all night long," he said of his long catalog of top-charting Christian radio tunes. "But it's also songs that have hit listeners in a deep way – that's always the hope for my songs," he added during a recent phone interview.
At age 53, Toby McKeehan (his given name) has the luxury of a rich musical history, with seven solo studio albums to his credit. The latest is the Grammy-winning "This Is Not A Test," which offers a half dozen hits for his current concert set list.
Concerts a Key For Faithful Fan

For the tenth time the Kentwood resident saw the Christian rock band Skillet when they headlined the Winter Jam tour last month at Van Andel Arena.
Now he'd like to see them for Number 11 - when the band performs in Muskegon April 28 along with For King & Country.
"Yeah, I'd say Skillet is my favorite artist," said VanderMay, 29, as he recalled the band's booming, pyrotechnic-flavored Jan. 7 set that filled Van Andel to the rafters. Featured were classic tunes such as "Whispers in the Dark" as well as their very latest, "Feel Invincible."
Love Me or Love Me Not

Summer-time Awakening Institute Stimulates Teens’ Worship Gifts

This year's Awakening is June 10-15 and costs $500 per student. Scholarships are available. Tuition includes lodging at Hope College, food, a T-shirt, water bottle, backpack and busing students to different locations.
New Music Review: “The Second City – Part 1”

Calling the four new songs "an ode to my past," Malcolm says these selections are his most biographical to date.
His father was a Jamaican immigrant who was deported when young Steven was just 10 years old. The elder Malcolm had been born in Montego Bay, also known as "The Second City." But the title also refers to the transformed new life found in Christ (a brief video testimony is available online.
Baker Book House Sells Eerdmans Inventory at Discount Prices

Baker Book House purchased thousands of titles left over after Eerdmans Bookstore closed in late 2017. Now Baker is offering those books at 50 percent discount during the week-long event. Students can get an additional 10 percent discount with a student ID, and all sale guests can register to win a $100 shopping spree at the store.
"We're excited that we were able to purchase the Eerdmans volumes, and to offer them at discount prices to our customers, " said Sue Smith, manager at Baker Book House. "There is a rich mix of inventory that will be of interest to a wide range of readers."
Economist: Children Need Two-Parents, Not ‘Irrational’ Sexual Revolution

But economist Jennifer Roback Morse, founder and president of the Lake Charles, La.-based Ruth Institute, a nonprofit to end family breakdown by energizing survivors of the sexual revolution, sees sexual "liberation" that became widespread in the 1960s to 1980s in a far different light.
"The sexual revolution is irrational, it is impossible and it cannot stand on its own," Roback Morse said recently at the conservative think-tank, the Acton Institute. "It requires force and a lot of propaganda. Just because it's ridiculous doesn't mean it's harmless. It's a totalitarian movement that no Christian should have anything to do with."
Terry’s Picks: February 2018

Concert Scene Shaping Up For New Year

There are a couple of arena-sized events – literally.
Local Author Releases New Book for Writers

Now she's used that interview experience to fashion a practical book for Christian writers. "Christian Publishing 101: The comprehensive guide to writing well and publishing successfully—for new authors, editors, and students" is based on interviews with publishing professionals and book authors who provide advice in what could be called a "writer's conference in a book."
When writers go to a conference, often they cannot attend every session due to scheduling overlaps. With this book, that's not a problem. "I don't expect people to be interested in every single chapter," Byle said. "I tried to come up with a wide range of topics to apply to many different genres."
New Music Review: Debra Perry & Majestic Praise

"Conqueror" takes hold with its ear-grabbing title track featuring syncopated percussion and lyrical phrasing right from the scriptures.
Perry includes numerous Grand Rapids area musicians whom she has worked with through the years. The Bethel Seventh Day Adventist Choir contributes on "You Are God." A GRPS music teacher, Perry singles out the Coit Creative Arts Academy Honors Choir in "Look At Me Now" with a danceable sound and a bit of hip-hop style lyric.
Pastor-Author Affirms Generosity is God’s Intended Super Power for Humankind

"I remember feeling so apprehensive," said Sumner Truax, guest speaker Jan. 11 at Calvin College's annual January Series. "I wondered would we survive this blessing. We were facing some pretty big church challenges. We had a big hole in our budget that was growing in a neighborhood that was rapidly gentrifying. We always had bigger dreams than we could ever fill. There were lots of pressure points around us."
Critter Barn a Gem that Teaches Public ‘Miracles’ of the Farm

Just don't make the mistake of calling Rottschafer's Critter Barn, 9275 Adams Street in Zeeland, a petting zoo.
"I feel there's a gem here that unfortunately society doesn't have much access to," said Rottschafer, the Critter Barn's founder and executive director.
"The Critter Barn is a educational farm that teaches children agriculture, how our food is raised and how creation sustains us because that was the plan from the Garden of Eden," continued Rottschafer. "We minister to a lot of children who are less fortunate or are challenged. We give God the glory for the farming community and help kids experience the miracles of the farm, which are unlimited in number throughout the year."
More Articles...
- Terry’s Picks: January 2018
- Winter Jam Veterans Return for 2018
- The (Real) Christmas Story
- Bout With Brain Cancer Kindles New Mission: ‘I Shall Not Die But Declare the Works of the Lord’
- New Music Review: "Give It Up"
- Hudsonville Christian School Marks 100th Year With Bright Future
- Grant and Smith Together Again for Holiday Season
- Local Author Addresses Social Issues Through Animals in Her New Books
- Model and Local Author Create New Book that Addresses Core Issues Women Face
- Lakeshore Author Pens, Illustrates Christmas Picture Book
- Terry’s Picks: December 2017
- A Time to Say Thanks
- “It’s Beginning to Sound A Lot Like…….”
- Safe Haven Ministries Expands Role in Battling Domestic Abuse
- College Choir Spreading Music of the Gospel
- “The Garden” A Focus For Singer Kari Jobe
- Terry's Picks: November 2017
- Smashburger Manager Credits Mel Trotter, God’s Peace for Straight and Narrow Life
- Avoid the Mulligan Mentality
- Doves a New Spotlight for West Michigan Artist
- Panel Reviews Lessons Learned From Segregated Christian School
- Here Comes the Bill