I grew up listening to “Rock Music is Of the Devil” sermons. So this story caught my eye.

By the way, until I watched this Good Morning America segment about a preacher meeting a heavy metal pioneer, I had no idea that Alice Cooper was a Christian.

Cooper has been quoted about his faith, saying: “Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s rebellion.”

How bad is this recession? Pretty bad, according to the folks who run a charitable food pantry at an Assembly of God church in New Jersey.

Here’s how NJ.com described it:

“MILLVILLE – Back in January 2009, official at the First Assembly of God food bank reported only two or three people per month darkening their doorstep.

That didn’t last.

‘We’re serving almost 400 people a month at the food bank now – and now we’re out (of food),’ said Eddie Pennino, food bank coordinator at First Assembly of God. ‘When I say we are out, I mean out.

‘We need help.’”

I am so thankful to be in Little Rock, part of the country where the economy is ailing, but not yet awful. I was reading about Fort Myers, where the price of a typical home has plummeted nearly two-thirds since the bottom fell out of the housing market. In other words, a home that cost a quarter-million dollars a few years ago is now selling for well under $100,000.

A Christian Scientist lecturer was in North Little Rock recently giving a lecture about prayer and the economy. I seem to remember Jesus striking a similar theme:
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The Los Angeles Times has a fascinating post about an outdoor baptism that took place on Sunday near the oil-spill zone.

There’s a great picture. Apparently it’s an immigrant congregation, young Pentecostales from Latin America who believe in baptism by immersion. There’s something really cool (and really retro) about outdoor baptism services, but Louisiana? Now? In the Gulf? Isn’t that hazardous to one’s health?

Kudos to the Times reporter for spotting the event and writing about it.

Moishe Rosen, the founder of Jews for Jesus, died this week. He was 78 years old. Jews for Jesus has posted a tribute to Rosen on its Web site. Rosen also left a farewell letter behind, to be posted upon his death. It states, in part:

I hope I can count on you to show love and respect for the Jewish people, but Jewishness never saved anybody. Judaism never saved anybody no matter how sincere. Romans 10:9 & 10 make it clear that we must believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus in order to be saved. There are no shortcuts. There is no easy way.

You just can’t make this stuff up…

I was born and raised in Oregon and I loved Mt. St. Helens. It was a majestic peak, perfectly shaped and covered with snow — the Mt. Fuji of the Cascades.

I attended summer camp at Spirit Lake, in the shadow of the great mountain. Other than Iguazu Falls, in South America, I have never seen anything as lovely as St. Helens and Spirit Lake.

But 30 years ago today, Mt. St. Helens blew to bits. Early on a Sunday morning, it shed more than 1,000 feet of elevation. Dozens of people died. The ash darkened the sky across much of Eastern Washington.
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It’s not necessarily the most-read magazine. But it’s got the highest circulation, according to the New York Review of Magazines.

So what is this 25-million-copies per month publication?

The Watchtower.

My hat’s off to the author of this article.

I’m not a Witness. Never will be. But I’m thankful for the Witnesses in Magalia, Calif. who stop by and say hello to my 83-year-old grandmother. She looks forward to their visits. They brighten her day. And she’s grateful for it.

The cross, erected as a war memorial, inspired a national law, a Supreme Court ruling, and, now, a felony theft. (more…)

Religion News Service says there is now a clergy glut in the United States. A Protestant pastor surplus, to be precise.

Unlike the Catholic Church, which is short of priests, evangelical and mainline Protestants have more preachers than they know what to do with, RNS says.

This is a fascinating story and it’s well-written by RNS, but I would add one caveat. In my experience, there are many small churches which are desperate to find a pastor. But these churches typically have dwindling membership and simply lack the resources to pay would-be pastors a decent wage.

As a result, there is still demand for poorly paid pastors or bi-vocational pastors. But the number of churches that can pay a living wage is decreasing and will continue to decrease as average Sunday attendance drops.

Franklin Graham, steamed that they won’t let him speak at the Pentagon on the National Day of Prayer, is airing his grievances in the pages of USA TODAY:

“If President Obama fails to intervene to allow controversial evangelist Franklin Graham to lead a National Day of Prayer event Thursday inside the Pentagon, ‘it will be a slap in the face of all Christians,’” Grahm tells USA TODAY.

Yep. Not some Christians. Not many Christians. Not even mostChristians. ALL Christians.

Question: Could you imagine Billy Graham making such a claim?

Instead of “In the year of our Lord 2010″ it will say “in the year 2010,” Politico reports.

Many Jews use C.E. or Common Era instead of A.D., an abbreviation for Anno Domini (or year of our Lord in Latin.)

The Western calendar is based on B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. Most experts now believe Jesus was probably born a few years before 1 A.D. [Herod the Great, who is mentioned in the Nativity accounts, died in 4 B.C.]

Hi Frank,

I’ve been reading your blog posts today and was hoping to enlist your help. I’m trying to spread the word for CNN’s upcoming Haiti documentary Rescued, premiering this Saturday at [7 PM Arkansas time], 8PM (ET and PT). It’s a story of Haiti’s children before, during and after the earthquake, seen through their eyes and the eyes of the Christian Missionaries there to help. The program is hosted by Soledad O’Brien with Wyclef Jean offering a song as well as voice-overs of the Creole translations.

Would it be possible to share with your readers, some info about the show, and how viewers can help with relief efforts at the Lighthouse Orphanage? I have several photos and videos available which you are more than welcome to pass along.

Thanks so much for your time and consideration and please let me know any other questions you have!

All the best,
Jeff Cambron

More information is available at CNN.com/Haiti.
 (Click on “Impact Your World” for info on how to help.)

An advanced clip of the show is available here.

Wyclef Jean’s new song is available here.

It’s ironic, isn’t it, that the nation that gave us the King James Bible is now criminalizing the very kind of speech contained within the Scriptures.

The Telegraph of London has the details.