BCWI Announces 2014 Best Christian Workplaces

MERCER ISLAND, Wash., July 30, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The 2014 Best Christian Workplaces rely on inspirational work and effective communication to create a flourishing culture that meets the needs of those they serve.  Best Christian Workplaces Institute announces that 76 distinguished organizations have earned Certification as Best Christian Workplaces for 2014.  Each year since 2003, BCWI has identified the list of Certified Best Christian Workplaces.  This year is the largest participation level since the inception of the program. Certified Best Christian Workplaces are global and represent all facets of ministries from churches, schools to universities, parachurch missions to product and services, book publishers to radio stations.  These Certified organizations exceed the percentage of engaged employees vs. norms. The BCWI survey, now in its twelfth year, has surveyed over 140,000 employees from 630 organizations in the US, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.  In the past year, 158 organizations participated in the survey with 76 achieving Certification.  Attaining BCWI certification is not easy, many organizations survey multiple times before receiving this distinction. 121 Community Church - Grapevine, TX 2|42 Community Church - Brighton, MI American Bible Society - New York, NY Anonymous Antioch Community Church - Waco, TX Apartment Life - Hurst, TX Arizona Shine Radio Station - Prescott, AZ Association of Christian Schools International - Colorado Springs, CO Blue Ridge Community Church - Forest, VA Briarcrest Christian School - Memphis, TN Bridgeway Community Church - Forest, VA Canadian Council of Christian Charities - Elmira, ON Canada CapinCrouse LLP - Greenwood, IL Care Net - Lansdowne, VA CedarCreek Church - Perrysburg, OH Central Christian Church - Mesa, AZ Cherry Hills Christian School - Highlands Ranch, CO Christ Community Church - Elgin, IL Christ the King Community Church - Bellingham, WA Christian Brothers Automotive - Houston, TX Christian Care Ministry - Melbourne, FL Christian Family Care - Phoenix, AZ Christian Leadership Alliance - San Clemente, CA Church of the King - Mandeville, LA Coalition for Christian Outreach - Pittsburgh, PA College of Biblical Studies - Houston - Houston, TX College Wesleyan Church - Marion, IN Compassion Canada - London, ON Denver Rescue Mission - Denver, CO Desert Vineyard - Lancaster, CA English language Institute/China - Ft. Collins, CO Evangelical Christian School - Cordova, TN Experience Life Church - Lubbock, TX Focus on the Family Canada - Langley, BC Canada Frederick Christian Fellowship Church - Frederick, MD Garland Heart -Wylie, TX Gateway Church - Southlake, TX Grace Brethren Christian School - Clinton, MD Grace Chapel - Englewood, CO Grace Community Church - Fulton, MD Grace Family Church - Durban, South Africa Grace Fellowship UMC - Katy, TX Hales Corners Lutheran Schools - Hales Corners, WI Heritage Christian Academy - Overland Park, KS Hillcrest Baptist Church - Pensacola, FL HOPE International - Lancaster, PA Jill's House - Vienna, VA Joni and Friends - Agoura Hills, CA Joy El - Greencastle, PA Knox Area Rescue Ministries - Knoxville, TN Lancaster Bible College - Lancaster, PA Logos Bible Software - Bellingham, WA Mission India - Grand Rapids, MI Mountain Christian Church - Joppa, MD Next Level Church - Ft. Myers, FL Olivet Nazarene University - Bourbonnais, IL Pantano Christian Church - Tucson, AZ Phoenix Seminary - Phoenix, AZ Real Life Christian Church - Valencia, CA Samaritan Ministries International - Peoria, IL Santa Fe Christian Schools - Solana Beach, CA Southland Christian Church - Lexington, KY Southridge Community Church - St. Catharines, ON Canada Sparks Christian Fellowship - Sparks, NV Sunnybrook Community Church - Sioux City, IA Syndal Baptist Church - Glen Waverley, VIC Australia Union Gospel Mission of Salem - Salem, OR United Methodist Church of the Resurrection - Leawood, KS Upward Sports - Spartanburg, SC Vineyard Church - Kansas City, MO Welch College - Nashville, TN The Wesleyan Church - Fishers, IN Wheaton Academy -  West Chicago, IL White River Christian Church - Noblesville, IN Willow Creek Community Church - South Barrington, IL WorldServe Ministries (Canada) - White Rock, BC For employees in Christian organizations, working in a flourishing culture energizes their calling and passion for service to others.  Employees in Christian organizations are also encouraged to see continuous improvement in engagement levels among their coworkers.  Engagement levels improved to 53.7% vs. 51% a year ago, and 47% two years ago according to Al Lopus, President of Best Christian Workplaces.  As a result, the gap between the engagement levels of Christian and secular workplaces continues to grow. There is a lot of buzz about workplace culture in Christian organizations.  Last August at the Global Leadership Summit, Bill Hybels boldly shared the transformational journey Willow Creek Community Church had been on during the previous five years and the impact it has had on their church.  After moving from a nearly toxic culture to a flourishing culture, Hybels says the payoff is, "You will simply not believe how much better a healthy culture performs.  Get ready for outcomes you never thought were possible by your organization."  To develop a flourishing culture, leaders at these organizations focus on activities such as defining values, hiring for cultural fit, holding more frequent performance discussions and integrating culture with strategy. To earn the distinction as a Best Christian Workplace, organizations participate in the Best Christian Workplace Institute's employee engagement survey and meet predetermined standards of excellence.  The survey covers issues such as job satisfaction, commitment, Christian witness, supervisory effectiveness, work satisfaction, personal growth and development, management effectiveness, customer/supporter satisfaction, teamwork, communication and pay and benefits.  Employees confidentially respond to more than 50 questions addressing these topics. Best Christian Workplaces Institute's purpose is to serve faith-based organizations by creating processes of discovery, facilitating leadership and organizational health and encouraging behaviors that build flourishing organizations.  BCWI is a non-profit research based organizational development and human resources consulting firm based on Mercer Island, WA.     www.bcwinstitute.org   blog.bcwinstitute.org   www.facebook.com/bestchristianworkplacesinstitute  Contact: Al Lopus, President, Best Christian Workplaces Institute, 206-230-8111,alopus@bcwinstitute.org

Tallest Man in Canada Plays Goliath in 'David and Goliath' Movie

Jerry Sokolosky MEDIA ADVISORY, July 22, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The tallest man in Canada plays Goliath in the upcoming, high-profile movie, 'David and Goliath.'  Standing at 7'8, Jerry Sokolosky is also one of the tallest men in the world. "Jerry was a tremendous blessing," says the director Tim Chey. "We didn't want to create a CGI imitation like 'The Incredible Hulk' and so our casting directors set out to find the biggest guy and he's very big." The casting team scoured the planet until they discovered the Canadian actor in Toronto. "They flew Jerry to North Africa just to meet with the director and producers," says Michelle Albright, the U.S. Casting Associate. "While there, they decided to cast Jerry and the rest is history." "Goliath stood at nine feet," adds Chey. "So Jerry was about a foot and four inches shorter than the real thing. He adds an incredible, realistic dimension." Mr. Sokolosky was drafted at an early age to the NBA, then became a professional wrestler. He started acting full-time after he finished his wrestling career. To get ready for the grueling role, Sokolosky worked with fight coordinators and acting coaches. The film wrapped principal photography in North Africa and in studios in London. The film is currently in post-production in Los Angeles. 'David and Goliath' looks at one of the most powerful and beloved Bible stories of all time. The film will focus on the early life of David who fought against the Philistine giant, Goliath against all odds. The epic film comes at a perfect time. Hollywood is embracing faith-based films as of late and the audiences are growing at a record pace according to reports. Tim Chey "David and Goliath' is set for an early-2015 nation-wide theater release. Chey also produced another epic film, 'Freedom' starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Sharon Leal, William Sadler that opens in theaters across Australia next month and in theaters in the U.S. in January 2015. He also directed 'Epic Journey' that took him to 29 countries and was submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records for most countries traveled for a feature film.

Beyond The Ashes first Canadian Concert Appearance

Vertical Sky MEDIA RELEASE                                                          Beyond The Ashes Impacts Canadian Audiences        Nashville, TN (July 16th, 2014) – Beyond The Ashes made their very first Canadian concert appearance last month.  The group, who has traveled and sang all across the United States, had yet to take their ministry across the border until now.  The trip proved to be an amazing success and the guys look forward to many more opportunities to visit and sing in the Great White North. Concert promoter, Richard Daniel, of the Henley Christian Music Festival expressed,  "I have never seen a better first set by a Southern Gospel group. Their harmony was impeccable, their stage presence was welcoming, their instrumentation was spot-on, and their love for the Lord was truly sincere.  They blessed us with 55 minutes of music during their first set alone." But, the story gets more interesting.  Daniel continues, "As the first set was wrapping up we experienced a power outage and the alarms went off!  It’s never a dull moment at the Henley.  With the safety of those in attendance at hand, we were forced to evacuate the building until we could determine the root cause of the electrical outage and the reason the fire alarm sounded.  Turns out an electrical line had come down in the vicinity and affected quite a number of homes and buildings…one being ours."   However, that didn't stop Beyond The Ashes.  Everyone came back in and the concert continued.  Even with no power in the building, the group ministered with an intimate acoustic set around an antique piano.   Daniel concludes, "And the Lord was there.  I had someone approach me and shared they felt the second set was better than the first. I didn’t think that was possible!  Two sets, two completely different feels, one amazing God!  Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to host Beyond The Ashes and for allowing us to continue to steward this ministry for your Glory and Praise."    Beyond The Ashes' tenor singer and ministry leader, Anthony Facello, shared, "We had an absolutely fantastic first tour to Canada.  The scenery was beautiful and more than that the people greeted us with warm hearts and spirits of expectation.  We are already scheduled to return in 2015 and we can't wait."  Baritone, Tyler Vestal, adds "I loved going to Canada for the first time.  The people were so warm and friendly and loved the style music we did.  I cannot wait to go back next year." To learn more about Beyond The Ashes or to schedule them for your church or concert event, visit www.beyondtheashesonline.com.  Like them on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/beyondtheashes and follow them on Twitter at @beyondtheashes1.     Vertical Sky  www.verticalskyonline.com verticalsky@comcast.net

Give Thanks Today!

Fall in Southern Ontario: watch the sun light up the reds and golds of the leaves in the trees; smell the tangy sent of burning leaves; feel the nip in the air as frost touches the land. Though it portends a cold, desolate winter, the season itself is bright and beautiful as nature splashes her paintbrush once more before slipping it under a blanket of snow.

I let the loveliness of the season wash over me and it helps to break the cycle of the rush of work, the duties of the day, and the cares of life. If you are like me, you need the special season of Thanksgiving as a reminder to stop and be thankful. In everything, we are to give thanks. As I hear the squeal of my brakes, I thank the Lord that car bills mean I have transportation to work. The sound of the rain on the rafters reminds me that I have a roof over my head and means to pay for that roof. I may have paperwork piled up on my desk at work, but I have a meaningful job that gives me a reason to step out of my door every morning.

So often in the Old Testament, we are told to give thanks to God, for ‘His love endures forever’. Enduring Love: Another great thing to be thankful for in this day of short attention spans and diluted commitments of love.

In the New Testament, the writers of the letters to the Church body often say that they give thanks to God ‘for you all’. We need to be reminded to be thankful for our fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus. They are the Body of Christ, our spiritual family, and God has given us a great opportunity to develop relationships with other believers. It is up to us to develop those relationships and to thank God for them.

There are more simple things that come to mind that we often overlook, things we forget to thank the Lord for as we bring to Him our latest laundry list of wants and needs. Family, health, skill and talent, spiritual gifts are all good and perfect blessings from a Father who loves us.

May we all take a moment this Fall to stop and thank our Heavenly Father for what He has given to us. Let us thank Him for what He has done through the gift of His Son. Let us thank Him most of all for Who He is. For His love endures forever.

Reality Check Blog by Lorraine Walker
Also appears on www.sgmradio.com

Praisefest Niagara Falls 2013 - Don't Miss It

Praisefest is a 3 day, 4 session event with evening sessions beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday Evenings. Morning sessions begin at 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and will conclude by 1:00 PM.

Artists featured will be, Greater Vision, Legacy Five, Hoppers, Triumphant Quartet, Heading Home Trio, Torchmen, Speaker Dr. David Jeremiah and comedian Tim Lovelace!

There will also be a OPTIONAL UPGRADE for the "Best Of Ontario" matinee program to be held on Friday, May 24th at 4:00 PM in the same auditorium. You can pre-purchase tickets for the matinee by calling or doing it at the time of reservation.

Niagara Falls, Ontario, CAN

ScotiaBank Convention Center
Address 6815 Stanley Avenue

Standard Reserved Seating: $129.00 USD

Gold Circle Reserved Seating: $169.00 USD (VERY LIMITED!)

OPTIONAL "Best of Ontario" Matinee, Friday May 24th : $15.00 USD (GENERAL SEATING)

Hotel Packages available! To make your reservation or for more information call:

(423) 239-6262 | Click here for all the details!

Morning sessions begin at 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and will conclude by 1:00 PM. Packages including lodging will include accomodations at the Gateway Mariott Hotel located directly across from the convention center. The total cost is based on the number of people in each room and includes 2 nights lodging (Thursday 5/23 through Saturday 5/25), hotel taxes, service charges and reserved seating at all Praisefest sessions.

“Conference Only” pricing does not include lodging. All rates listed are “per person”. Group packages are available for groups of 20 or more. One person must make reservations for the entire group by calling 423-239-6262. Pricing is based on US Dollars.
Hotel reservations are on a “first-come, first-served” basis. No meals are included and a continental breakfast is not guaranteed. We will advise the hotel of any special requests, such as non-smoking rooms, handicapped rooms, or near friends, but we can not guarantee the hotel will honor the request.


All seats are reserved. Seating assignments are made upon full payment. Seating charges (Gold Circle $169, Standard Reserved $129) are non-refundable. Hotel packages are non-refundable if cancelled within 120 days of the event. No refunds will be issued for early checkout. If you are forced to cancel, at your request, we will attempt to resell your seating package. If we succeed in selling your seating package, we will issue a full refund less a $25 per person service fee.

The hotel and convention center may charge parking fees.

There will be a optional “ticketed” matinee on Friday afternoon of the festival on May 24th held at 4:00 PM in the same convention center.This matinee “The Best of Ontario” will be hosted by the TORCHMEN and will feature the KINGSWAY QUARTET, CHAPELAIRES, DAVE RANDELL, ADVOCATE and HEADING HOME TRIO .

The cost is $15.00, and will be general admission seating and is a “optional” ticket or upgrade to the reservation package.

Legacy Five's Border Crossing

From Legacy Five's Email Newsletter of March 20, 2013:

We are in route to Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada to start a 7 day tour that will take us all the way to Chilliwack, British Columbia. We will be doing a seven concert Western Canada tour which will include 5 concerts with our friends, Greater Vision. We LOVE coming to Canada and we are armed this time with plenty of warm clothes and lots of great music! We will have our new Cathedrals "Live in Chicago" CD as well as our new Legacy Five CD, "Count Your Blessings." We are really excited to introduce our new bass singer, Matt Fouch to all our Canadian friends, so please make your plans to come see us. And bring a friend!


Tickets for our New Year's Eve Celebration 2013 are now on sale. As always, the magnificent Gaylord Opryland Hotel will be the setting for this three-day event. There will be no shortage of great music, Christian comedy and inspirational speaking. Plus you will experience the grandeur of over 2 million Christmas lights and many nativity scenes. IMPORTANT: If you make on-line reservations be sure and read the instructions very carefully. You will have to click on all four sessions as well as two nights lodging to properly register. All seating is reserved and will be assigned beginning with the front row based on a first come first served basis. So....the earlier you register, the closer your seat will be to the front of the stage. Your reservation is time coded to ensure your seats are assigned in the order in which reservations are made. This also includes if you choose to call to make your reservation. Click here for more information or to make online reservations.

Speaking of three-day events, we just finished the second annual Branson Praise-Fest. It was fabulous and we are already planning ways to make next year even better! Tickets will go on sale for next year's Branson Praise-Fest on April 1. No....I'm not "fooling" you. For more information, click here


Coming Soon!
Our new Cd - Legacy Five On Tour
5 Cities 5 Days 5 Voices ...
You will hear many of our most requested songs such as Vessels of Mercy, I Found Grace, That's What Grace is For, I Stand Redeemed and several more!
Watch for this new project to be released shortly.




We hope you will join us at one of these seven dates ... five with our friends, Greater Vision!
Please call ahead before driving long distances. More info on our schedule page: click here

03/20 Winnipeg, MB Canada Jubilee Place 7:00 PM
03/21 Saskatoon, SK Canada Circle Drive Alliance Church 6:00 PM
03/22 Sherwood Park, AB Canada Sherwood Park Alliance Church 7:00 PM
03/23 Calgary, AB Canada Grace Baptist Church 6:00 PM
03/24 Kelowna, BC Canada Evangel Church 6:30 PM
03/25 Chilliwack, BC Canada Chilliwack Alliance Church 7:00 PM
03/26 Lloydminister, SK Canada First Baptist Church 7:30 PM

Visit us online @ legacyfive.com

O Canada! Greater Vision Heads North

From Greater Vision's email newsletter of March 18, 2013:


We're rolling toward Manitoba, Canada to begin our Western Canada Tour on Wednesday! We try to make this trip every two years, and we're looking forward to singing our way across four Canadian Provinces over the six days.

We'll team up with our buddies, Legacy Five, for five of the concerts, so we're expecting a GREAT Tour! Check out the Schedule below to see where we're going, and if you have friends in the areas we'll be visiting, be sure to let them know about the concerts by forwarding this Email Update to them!

This past Saturday morning, we finished Praisefest Branson, and we can't say enough great things about it. It was an unbelievably great three days in Branson, Missouri! All the Artists outdid themselves, and the audience was fantastic! Reservations will be taken for next year's event beginning on April 1. For more information about next year's Praisefest Branson, click HERE.




O Canada!
Wednesday - Portage La Prairie, MB
Thursday - Saskatoon, SK
Friday - Sherwood Park, AB (Edmonton area)
Saturday - Calgary, AB
Sunday - Kelowna, BC
Monday (3/25) - Chilliwack, BC

For information about our Western Canada Tour, or any of our Concerts, click HERE.



Speaking Of Canada...
Praisefest Niagara Falls
May 23 - 25

This year, for the first time ever, we're bringing Praisefest to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada!
Join Greater Vision, The Hoppers, Legacy Five, Tim Lovelace, Triumphant Quartet, Heading Home Trio, and our Special Guest, Dr. David Jeremiah, for three days at one of the most well-known Natural Wonders in the world...Niagara Falls!
Click here for reservations or more information.



As you can tell, we have a very busy week ahead of us, with lots of miles to cover. We're hoping to see some friends that we don't get to see very often, and we're hoping to make some new friends too!

We hope that you will pray for our safety and effectiveness during this Tour. Also, pray for our buddies, Legacy Five.

We are blessed by your friendship, and, as always, thankful for your prayers on our behalf.

Have a blessed week!


Gerald Wolfe
Greater Vision
Greater Vision | P.O. Box 1172 | Morristown | TN | 37816-1172




Coming Soon...

Greater Vision's brand-new recording!

Featuring new songs from writers including Chris Allman, Jim Brady, Rodney Griffin, Lanny Wolfe and More!


Watch our Email Updates for Pre-Ordering Information!

Do Gospel Singers Like Chicken?

From Greater Vision's Email Newsletter August 1, 2012:

Like many of you, we enjoyed a great lunch August 1st at Chik-fil-A! We stopped at a mall, east of St. Louis, and stood in line for over an hour for those great Chicken Nuggets, Sandwiches, and Waffle Fries! When we left, the line was even longer than it was when we arrived! People surely do love Chik-fil-A!

Now, we're preparing to arrive in Lebanon, Missouri for our first concert on this trip! Check out our schedule below to see if we'll be in your area this weekend... we would love to see you!

This Week...
Wednesday - Lebanon, MO
Thursday - Monticello, AR
Friday - Temple, TX
Saturday - Silsbee, TX
Sunday (am) - Lake Charles, LA


Praisefest Comes To Canada!

We are bringing Praisefest to Niagara Falls in 2013!

So many of our Canadian friends have told us how much they enjoy attending our Praisefest events, that we decided it was time to bring the event to Canada!

Mark your calendar for May 23 - 25, 2013, and start planing your trip to our first-ever Praisefest Niagara Falls! You'll enjoy four great sessions of Music, Worship, Laughter, Inspiration, and Encouragement, as well as the opportunity to visit one of the "Seven Natural Wonders Of The World"... Niagara Falls! Joining us for this inaugural event will be Legacy Five, Triumphant Quartet, The Hoppers, Tim Lovelace, and Canada's own, Heading Home Trio! We're also awaiting final confirmation from Dr. David Jeremiah. Of course, Greater Vision will be there too!

Public Registration begins on August 27th, but we're giving subscribers to our Email Update a bit of a head-start. You can reserve your seats TODAY, by calling 423-239-6262! We expect this event to be a sell-out, so the sooner you reserve your space, the better seats you will have! When you call, ask about our Complete Praisefest Package, which includes seating, plus accommodations at The Gateway Marriott! "Conference Only" Packages and Group Rates are also available!
Call today... before the advertising goes "live" on the Internet!


Chad tells me we're just a few minutes away from tonight's concert location, so I'll close. All of us on the bus hope you have a great remainder of the week, and we'll look forward to seeing you soon!

As always, thank you for your prayers and your friendship!


Blessings,
Gerald Wolfe
Greater Vision

Papa San and The Grace Thrillers LIVE in Toronto

The Hoppers and The Collingsworth Family Appearing in Ontario

Judith Gayle, Oneil Watson, Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale LIVE in Concert

Shabach 2012 | LIVE CONCERT
Saturday, May 19th, 2012 @ 6:00 p.m.
James Cardinal School | 1440 Finch Avenue West
_________________________________________________________
BUY TICKETS NOW
Adults: $20 | Children: $10
416.893.6829 | 647.882.9708
Shabach@AdonaiMinistries.ca

Come and Experience the Power of the Holy Ghost as these dynamic,
powerful, anointed gospel artists minister through the unction of the Holy Spirit.

Retro SGM Radio: Thanksgiving in Canada (October 2010)

The Canadian Thanksgiving holiday has traditionally been known as a Celebration of Harvest. Occurring earlier in the year than the United States’ holiday, the Canadian Thanksgiving has been celebrated in my country regularly since 1879. In 1957, it was instituted as a national holiday with the following declaration of Canadian Parliament: “A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October.”
The very first Canadian Thanksgiving was held in 1578, 43 years before the pilgrims gave thanks in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Martin Frobisher, an explorer trying to find the illusive Northwest Passage for trade, returned safely to Newfoundland and held a feast to celebrate his homecoming. Prior to this time, the First Nations of Canada held festivals of thanks, and later, French settlers began to share their Thanksgiving Festivals with the First Nations. Thanksgiving has historically been a time of thanks and rejoicing with friends and neighbours.
Traditionally, Canadians make the most of the entire weekend and often family gatherings occur on Saturday or Sunday as well as the statutory Monday holiday. Sunday morning services at churches across Canada are times of praise for the harvest and sanctuaries are often decorated with produce, grains and coloured leaves.
My early memories of Thanksgiving revolve around family, friends and of course, food. A turkey with all the trimmings is the most common meal and of course, pumpkin pie for dessert. For those of us who are not pumpkin-eaters, each family has their own alternatives, but our family usually serves cheesecake!
This year, I had the privilege of sharing a Thanksgiving meal held for the ladies and children at a Women’s Shelter. I was humbled once again by the sheer bounty of food, which mirrored the bounty of gifts given to us by our God. I ate with women who literally have nothing but were able to partake of a wonderful meal with their children because of the generosity of the donors of our Mission. We are so blessed in my Country. As we get more secularized, I pray that the basic traditions of this wonderful holiday are never lost and that somewhere at this time of year, God’s children will be thanking Him for every good and perfect gift.

Written by Lorraine Walker, published on www.sgmradio.com October 2010