New Record Label Announced!

BISHOP JERRY L. MAYNARD LAUNCHES JELAMA RECORDS
Legendary Christian Figure Expands Ministry Through Recorded Music

Pictured L-R: Jerry Maynard III (President, JeLaMa Records), Bishop Jerry L. Maynard (Founder JeLaMa Media Group), and Chuck Adams (President, Central South) at the signing of the distribution agreement.

Nashville, TN - (September 25, 2012) Bishop Jerry L. Maynard announced today the formation of JeLaMa Records, a new label based in Nashville, TN. Bishop Maynard is a legendary figure in Christian ministry and is the Senior Pastor of Nashville mega-church, Cathedral Of Praise. Additionally, the label has entered into an agreement with Central South Distribution to handle worldwide distribution of all products on the JeLaMa Records label.

Bishop Jerry L. Maynard comments: “I am beyond thrilled to be working with the exquisitely talented team at Central South. For years, I have watched them work behind the scenes and I can’t wait for the world to hear what we’ve got planned!”

Jerry Maynard, III, President for the label, said: “For years my Father has dreamed of this day – to carry his vision into the larger marketplace and touch lives through the recorded medium of music. It is a pleasure to help his dream become a reality!”

JeLaMa Records first release, "Bishop Jerry L. Maynard presents The Cathedral of Praise Choir”, is slated for an early fall 2012 release. The debut single from this anointed choir, “Just Believe,” is now at radio and features recording artist Michelle Prather. The single may also be heard online at www.BishopMaynard.com.

“Every Sunday,” Bishop Maynard commented, “this talented group of musicians blesses our congregation with their voices and spirit. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!”

For more information on Bishop Jerry L. Maynard and JeLaMa Records, visit www.BishopMaynard.com "LIKE" on Facebook and follow on Twitter.com/BishopMaynard.

O’Neal Clark has accepted the position as Minister of Music for the Hope of Sparta Church

Sparta, MO ------- Pastors Michael and Kayte Hamilton are excited to announce that Sue Ann
O’Neal Clark has accepted the position as Minister of Music for the Hope of Sparta Church in
Sparta, MO. Sue Ann’s qualification as Minister of Music is a task that she has prepared for her
entire life. Beginning in the Children’s Choir at the age of three at Seminole Baptist Temple in
Springfield, MO, her musical gifts have been heard by thousands.

Following a long run in the Music Capital of the World in Branson, Sue Ann has been
traveling as a music evangelist across the nation. Recording a radio favorite written by John
Stallings, “Touching Jesus” reached the top ten of the Christian Country Charts sustaining on
that chart for nearly a year. And what has become a fan favorite written by Sue Ann as a tribute
to her Dad, “The American Farmer” was soon to follow.

Sue Ann hosted a tourist outreach in Branson every Sunday for a number of years located at the
IMAX theatre called “Celebrate Sunday”. Celebrate Sunday became the name of her ministry
and thereafter she was ordained by the Sanctuary of Hope Church in Branson by Pastors Sam
Kaunley and Dr. Berl Best. Keeping this ordination, Sue Ann joins Pastors Michael and Kayte
Hamilton as they become a ministry team in this new “Missions” church, Hope of Sparta.

Hope of Sparta Church, a non-denominational church, began January 2011 and has recently
moved to the century old location on the corner of North and Scott Street in Sparta. Besides
special events and Sunday Services, Hope of Sparta will present a good old fashioned Sunday
sing monthly. The once a month events called “Hope Sings” will highlight local talents as well
as familiar names to Gospel Music.

For information regarding the “Hope Sings” upcoming events or about Hope of Sparta Church,
contact Pastor Hamilton at 417-551-2597.

www.hopeofsparta.org

www.celebratesunday.org

Who would you like to see in SGNScoops magazine?

We are working together at SGNScoops to intentionally plan an awesome year of stories and articles. Rob and I have been working closely with our staff regarding content planning for 2012. We want to hear from YOU as well. Who would you like to see in the magazine? What other stories interest you? Email us your ideas and suggestions at connect@sgnscoops.com. We want to Connect with you!

Check out there website at www.sgnscoops.com

Is your teenager depressed? Do you know what to look for?

Is your teenager depressed?

Do you know the signs to look for?

 

What’s going on with your teenager? Is it just the ups and downs of adolescence, or is it something more? In Dr. Gregg Jantz’s new book, (When Your Teenager Becomes) The Stranger in Your House, parents will learn to distinguish between normal adolescent behavior and clinical depression.

 

The excerpts below from The Stranger House (© David C Cook) explain what to expect as regular teen behavior and what to be on the lookout for.

 

What to Expect:

 

I think the nearest comparison I could give to what I remember about being a teen and what I hear from teenagers about adolescence is that of a reptile shedding its skin. When a snake or a lizard sheds its skin, the new growing skin cells separate from the old established skin cells, causing a marked change in appearance and producing an irritability that can result in increased snapping and hissing. Of course, reptiles shed their skin relatively quickly, so the analogy doesn’t carry too far. Still, I think it’s fairly parallel. Your teenager’s nascent adult is separating from the confinement of childhood, causing a marked change in appearance and producing an irritability that can result in increased snapping and hissing. I think it’s why teens often feel like their skin is crawling and fight against a sensation of being confined, wanting to burst free. And it’s why parents often look at their teens as though they’re something that just crawled out from under a rock.

 

Shedding skin is uncomfortable, often disturbing, and absolutely necessary for growth—and it’s the same with adolescence. It makes it easier, however, when you know what to look for and what it all means. Teenager adolescent behaviors are stereotypical for a reason—they are fairly consistent across generations. If you haven’t noticed many of these already, you will, in varying degrees, depending upon your teen.

• Moody and irritable
• Unpredictable
• Manipulative
• Argumentative
• Withdrawn
• Self-absorbed
• Dramatic
• Dismissive
• Collectively independent
• Anxious
• Powerful
• Exclusively inclusive
• Physically awkward
• Overwhelmed
• Insecure

What to look out for:

 

As we’ve seen in previous chapters, dealing with a teenager can be a dicey proposition in the best of times. On any roller coaster, part of the ride is taking that occasional plunge, but what happens when the drop becomes too steep or the ride veers off track? As a parent, your tolerance for a rough ride may be different from your teen’s. So how do you know if your teen is having a bad day or a bad week or something more? How do you know if the withdrawal and slump in grades are normal or something to worry about? How do you know if it’s just teen angst or something worse? How do you know if your teen is just unhappy because of a breakup or doing poorly on a test or if this unhappiness has spread to life in general?

 

How do you know what you’re dealing with when your teen has become adept at avoidance? He’s quite capable of figuring out and telling you what you want to hear so you and your disquiet will quietly go away. She has the ability to block any genuine concern with a concussive and shrill blast of anger. Getting to the bottom of a problem you merely suspect and your teen barely understands is like catching smoke and trying to examine it in your hand. As tempting as it may be to give up the whole proposition of trying to catch smoke in the first place, there is the unsettling reality that where there’s smoke, there is often fire. This fire has a name: It’s called depression.

 

Kids get depressed, just like adults. It’s something, as a parent, you need to be aware of and look out for. A depressed teen does not have the wherewithal, generally, to come to you for help, especially when one of the symptoms is isolation. If you’re waiting for your teen to come to you, you’re going to be waiting a long time, maybe too long. So you need to be proactive. Know the signs. Even though all kids are different, there are some specific things to look for, according to the National Institutes of Health’s National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (that’s quite a mouthful, but, luckily, the website is a bit shorter—SafeYouth.gov). No one of these signs is a definitive red flag that says, “Yes, your teen is depressed.” Rather, they form a pattern of concern. They should catch your attention and slow you down long enough to investigate the source of the smoke, even if you have trouble catching it in your hand.

 

So what are these red flags that parents need to watch for, if they are wondering if their teen is teetering on the edge of something more serious than teenage angst? I have listed them below, and following the list is a more detailed explanation of each:

• Negative feelings or behaviors lasting more than two weeks
• Loss of enjoyment in established activities
• Restlessness, fatigue, or a lack of motivation in school
• Marked increase in irritability or impatience
• Feelings of being weighed down
• Loss of physical and emotional energy
• Marked changes in appetite or weight
• Lapse in personal hygiene.
• Social isolation from family or friends
• Taking up with a new set of friends
• Impulsive thinking or rash judgments
• Inability to make decisions, concentrate, or focus
• Marked increase in frustration or anger
• Feelings of sadness and worthlessness
• Expressing feelings of stress and inability to cope
• Ongoing complaints of headaches, stomachaches, bodyaches
• Marked change in sleep patterns
• Avoidance of added privileges

(Further explanations of each item from both lists are included in the book.)

 

About the author: Dr. Gregg Jantz is the best-selling author of numerous books, including Hope, Help, and Healing for Eating Disorders. He is the founder of The Center for Counseling and Health Resources, a leading healthcare facility near Seattle that specializes in whole-person care.

 www.DrGregoryJantz.com

Donors Can Approach Year-End Giving with Confidence

WINCHESTER, Va.,  Donors to charities during this year-end season for celebration and sharing may give with confidence by taking a few moments to learn whether a charity operates with integrity and is a trustworthy steward of its resources, says Dan Busby, president of ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability).

Givers can donate to a nonprofit more joyfully by knowing how a charity's funds are spent, and that the charity's appeals for donations are truthful and accurate.

"Enhancing trust is essential for faith-based and all other nonprofits, as donations are more scarce in this challenging economic environment," Busby said. "Every donor has the right to know what a gift will accomplish. Every donor should receive a prompt, straightforward, courteous response to their questions about its fiscal health and agenda."

To assist donors making giving decisions, ECFA has prepared a pair of checklists. In "Six Things Every Giver Should Know" ( www.ecfa.org/Content/SixThingsDonorShouldKnow), ECFA recommends the donor know what the gift will accomplish, whether the donation is going to an accountable charity and how to find a nonprofit that matches the donor's giving interests.

To that end, ECFA offers ServantMatch® ( www.ecfa.org/ServantMatch.aspx), a tool that links donors to charities that minister in almost 70 categories of specific needs, such as evangelism or ministry to children, or in a particular geographic location.

In the tip sheet "Good Charities Willingly Answer Tough Questions" (www.ecfa.org/Content/GoodCharitiesAnswer), ECFA helps donors discern whether the nonprofit is worthy of trust: Does the organization have a strong, clear commitment to a certain mission objective? Is there an independent board that oversees the organization's operations and accepts responsibility for its activities? How does the organization avoid conflicts of interest? Are the organization's financial records annually compiled, reviewed or audited by independent certified public accountants?

Donors considering gifts to faith-based charities may look with confidence to those that have received the ECFA seal of approval as worthy recipients of charitable donations, Busby said.

"The ECFA seal signifies a voluntary commitment of accountability to the giver by the organization," he said. "The only charities that can receive the seal are those that endorse ECFA's Scripture-drawn Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship(tm), which are essential to operating a ministry with integrity and transparency."

Surveys show that ECFA membership factors significantly into donation decisions. Christian donors increasingly look for the ECFA seal of integrity, accountability and sound financial practices before they give.

ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA standards pertaining to financial accountability, fundraising and board governance. To learn more about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ecfa.org or call 1-800-323-9473.

YouVersion Shares 'One Minute on The Bible App' Infographic with Community

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla., Dec. 2, 2011  Announcing new developments and sharing usage milestones, YouVersion, creators of the online Bible and the No. 1 Bible App, held a webcast Nov. 30, generating a trend worldwide on Twitter with the hashtag #YouVersion. The event featured a new infographic that details the extensive usage of YouVersion in the span of one minute.

To view YouVersion's complete infographic, visit blog.youversion.com/2011/11/one-minute-in-the-youversion-community/

"Youversion was designed to take today and tomorrow's technology to help people engage in the Bible," said Bobby Gruenewald, Pastor, Innovation Leader of LifeChurch.tv and Co-Founder of YouVersion. "It has been great to see how this is happening with our infographic stats and we are excited to see the growth as we begin creating community for users."

The infographic shows that in one minute, users log 25,134 minutes of Bible engagement; the Bible App is installed on 52 new mobile devices; and the Bible App is opened 1,698 times.

YouVersion will roll out a variety of community features in the coming months for churches to utilize the Bible app with its congregation beginning with the launch of a profile feature this week on the iPhone and Android.

User stats since the creation of YouVersion in 2008 show a cultural trend that is difficult to ignore. The Bible App has been installed on one out of every 17 iPhones, iPads and Android devices sold globally. In just one Sunday recently, the YouVersion community created an average of 2.7 Bible verse highlights per second, for a total of 233,000 highlights in one day.

The free Bible App is available on the iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone, WebOS, and Java phones, as well as any web-enabled mobile device. It was developed by the team at LifeChurch.tv. The Edmond, Okla.-based church has taken a very unconventional approach to ministry by developing technology and leveraging web-based tools to share the Gospel.

Southern Plainsmen Named Gospel Gold Artist of the Year at 2011 Harvest Music Festival

HORNBECK, La. – (November 28, 2011) – West-Central Louisiana’s Southern Plainsmen were recently honored 2011 Harvest Music Festival. The group was named the 2011 “Gospel Gold Artist of the Year.”

“God has given us many wonderful and humbling gifts this year, including this new award,” mentioned Marcelle Slaughter of the Southern Plainsmen. “We have to give special thanks to everyone who cast a vote for us. We are truly honored by this wonderful gift that you have given us.”

The “Gospel Gold Artist of the Year” Award was handed out as a part of the Harvest Music Festival which was held this past November 10-12, 2011 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee at the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center.

In addition to this award, the Southern Plainsmen Quartet were recently inducted into the North Louisiana Gospel Music Hall of Fame. On Friday evening, October 21, 2011, the Southern Plainsmen received this career high at the induction ceremony, which took place at The Pentecostals of the Twin Cities in West Monroe, Louisiana.

Earlier this year, the Southern Plainsmen were honored by the South Texas Gospel Music Association (STGMA) at the organization’s annual event.  The Southern Plainsmen were named this year’s Group of the Year. In addition, baritone vocalist Allen Doyle was named the 2011 Male Vocalist of the Year.

For more information on the Southern Plainsmen, visit their website at http://www.southernplainsmen.com/ .  You can also visit the group on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SouthernPlainsmen .

About the Southern Plainsmen

The Southern Plainsmen were organized in May 1978 in the rolling pine-hills of West-Central Louisiana, and is an outreach of the Southern Plainsmen Ministries, Inc., a non-profit Christian organization.  The group has released 20 recordings in its impressive 30 years history.  The group currently consists of Marcelle Slaughter, Allen Doyle, and Aaron Allen. The group’s current release – Simply…Faith! released in 2009.

First Ever Virtual Christmas Choir Being Assembled for Christmas Eve

MORRISTOWN, NJ, Nov. 28, 2011 Liquid Church of New Jersey is inviting individuals from around the world to participate via webcams and YouTube in the first ever Christmas Virtual Choir for Christmas Eve services. Whether they're soldiers in the Middle East, moms in Estonia or students in Phoenix, Arizona, the church will leverage technology to synchronize individual singers into a unified choir rendition of Silent Night.

"We're creating a unique experience for singers across the globe to come together as one voice this Christmas," said Tim Lucas, Lead Pastor of the New Jersey-based Christian church.

Singers are given access to sheet music, music tracks and a video-recorded conductor so that anyone can record and upload their singing part to YouTube. Liquid Church's media team will then assemble a composite video production that integrates all of the individual singers into one large-scale synchronized video rendering for the Christmas Virtual Choir event.

Participation in the Christmas Virtual Choir is open to everyone around the globe, not just the 2,000 weekly attendees in New Jersey, and thousands more who routinely visit Liquid's website and Church Online campus.

The deadline for those who want to participate in the choir is December 15th.

Instructions are available at www.lqd.ch/xmasvideo

The Christmas Virtual Choir's performance will held at six live Christmas Eve services in New Jersey on December 24th held by Liquid Church. Free event tickets are available at www.liquidchurch.com 

Green Meadows Gospel Music Association

There is a new ministry in Kentucky! “The Green Meadows Gospel Music Association”.  It is our desire to see a revival of gospel music ministries back in our churches and public assemblies.  It seems that in the past few years we have gotten away from having gospel singings in those areas.   Gospel music has its place in worship.  When gospel music is used for glorifying God and getting the word out through song it reaches people and softens the hearts of those that may never attend a regular church service.  We are hoping and praying that Green Meadows Gospel Music Association will help get past some of the barriers that have been keeping the essential song ministries out of the picture. 
*Green Meadows Gospel Music Association is a group designed to connect gospel singing ministries with churches and other organizations that will promote the spreading of the Gospel through gospel music.

*Our group is presently providing memberships for quartets, soloist, duets, trios, and other types of gospel groups of different sizes.

*Our main office is located in Beaver Dam, Kentucky.
*Green Meadows Gospel Music Association will be promoting groups and soloists in festivals, fairs and other Gospel singing conventions soon.
*GMGMA will have its meetings at local restaurants at this present time.

*Our focus is to declare the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through song ministries.

*Green Meadows Gospel Music Association has Spring and Fall singing conventions.
Green Meadows Gospel Music Association has a group page on face book that can be viewed and a place for all that is interested in this ministry to join the group. Churches and other gospel music promoting organizations are encouraged to view our online directory of groups and soloist. We also have a directory of Christian recording studios and music stores. This group is designed for the glory of God. We are praying that it will be a blessing to everyone that becomes part of it. In a world filled with confusion and economic problems we need ministries that are wholesome and evangelistic. Green Meadows Gospel Music Association will promote groups that will get the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ out through song.  The GMGMA is a nonprofit  Christian group consisting of local gospel groups and soloists from the Kentucky, and Tennessee region. As an association, our main objective is to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  For more information email: truesong@mrtc.com or  http://greenmeadowsgospelmusicassociation.yolasite.com/  and http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/116249091736144/

The Uniform

Southern Gospel Brad Strider Mercy's Well with Rob at NQC

Robtv NQC Food

MOPS Recommends Roma Downey's Little Angels Animated DVD Series

DENVER -- MOPS International, Mothers of Preschoolers, is pleased to offer their "MOPS Recommended" seal of approval to the new Little Angels DVD series by executive producer, Roma Downey. MOPS gives much thought and consideration to which products are recommended with their seal of approval. The Little Angels DVD series is a wonderful tool for moms looking for preschool enrichment & entertainment with moral values and a message of hope. Children will enjoy the whimsical characters and lively music of the Little Angels, and moms will love the lessons they are learning.

"I'm so very humbled to receive a seal-of approval from MOPS. MOPS is one of my favorite organizations, and the work they do to empower and connect Moms is vitally important. I know little ones will love Little Angels, but it's my hope that this charming educational series will make life a little easier for Moms as well," shares Roma Downey, Executive Producer of Little Angels.

Little Angels is an animated DVD series created exclusively for preschool-aged children to teach not only practical learning skills, like ABCs and numbers, but also to introduce them to the spiritual, moral and ethical principles of the Bible. The entire series is presented in a fun, and funny, format that will engage parents to teach their children good Christian values.

Pre-school twins Alex and Zoe are blessed to have eight Little Angels watching over them -- literally! These Little Angels "live" on the ceiling of their bedroom, painted there so they are the first thing the kids see when they wake up in the morning and the last thing they see before they fall asleep at night. The angels come to life when the children need them most, helping guide them through the challenges of their young lives.

MOPS International believes that Better Moms Make a Better World. For nearly 40 years, MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) has been committed to meeting the needs of moms. A MOPS group is an open, accepting place for all mothers of preschoolers to come, just as they are, to experience authentic community, personal growth, practical help and spiritual hope.

To learn more about MOPS, or to contact a MOPS group in your area, visit: www.MOPS.org.

To learn more about Little Angels , visit: www.LittleAngels.com, or visit the Little Angels on Facebook!

MOPS INTERNATIONAL
Denver-based MOPS International is a non-profit ministry that creates communities to help "Better Moms Make A Better World." Since 1973, MOPS International has served millions of mothers and families in thousands of local MOPS groups across the U.S. and in 38 countries internationally. MOPS ministries include Classic MOPS, Teen MOPS, Military MOPS, International MOPS and MOMSnext. MOPS is the best in the world at creating authentic communities of growth that invite women into a spiritual relationship.

www.MOPS.org
www.MOPS.org/groups
www.facebook.com/MOPS.Int
www.youtube.com/MOPSint

Billy Graham Celebrates 93rd Birthday Following Release of 30th book, 'Nearing Home'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Evangelist Billy Graham will turn 93 on November 7, following the release of his 30th book, "Nearing Home," through which he shares personal autobiographical reflections and wisdom on growing old.

"All my life I was taught how to die as a Christian, but no one ever taught me how I ought to live in my latter years," Mr. Graham wrote. "I wanted to share some of the things I have learned about this stage in life with others, as the aging process is something most of us will experience."

While working on the book consumed much of his focus during the previous year, Mr. Graham still found time to spend with family members, sharing his life and thoughts with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as he encourages others to do with their own families.

"The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith," he added.

As he has done throughout his career spanning more than 60 years, the evangelist practices what he preaches, and is careful to spend as much time as possible with his family, lunching weekly with son, Franklin; regularly getting together with his daughter, Gigi, who lives near by; and receiving others when they come to visit.

On occasion Mr. Graham also hosts old friends and Christian leaders he has known through the years. "I always enjoy visiting with those who come to see me, and I hope that I am able to encourage them in some way as they have been a great encouragement to me."

Still interested in world events, Mr. Graham spends time each day watching the news headlines and discussing newspaper articles with staff, family and friends. His daily Bible reading and prayer time remain a priority, and he receives regular visits from his pastor to pray together and discuss biblical passages and spiritual matters.

Part of Mr. Graham's studies is devoted to future projects such as the prospects of additional publications or the opportunity for ministry via the Internet. "I am amazed at the wonders of technology and am grateful for the ways in which we are able to use it to share the Gospel around the world," Mr. Graham said. "I look forward to seeing how God may still be able to use me to serve Him in these latter years."

Editor's Note: For those who would like to send personal birthday greetings to Mr. Graham, they are encouraged to do so on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ReverendBillyGraham or on Twitter using the hashtag #happybdaybillygraham.

Xerox executive believes the answer to employment crisis lies in the Bible

New book outlines strategies to integrate Christian faith into the workplace

In a time when jobs are in short supply, Vice-president of Client Operations for the Xerox Corporation, Gary Blackard, has just released a book that advocates the Bible as the best guide available for both employees and business owners to survive and thrive in a competitive job market.  Entitled Relevance in the Workplace: Using the Bible to impact your job (Intermedia), the book covers many areas related to business and employment success, using the Bible as the main resource.
As a long-time executive for Xerox, Blackard has over 20 years experience working with Fortune 100 companies across the globe, and is founder of Eagle Peak Leadership, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping business leaders in the U.S. and abroad integrate faith into their workplace.

“This is not a book just for leaders,” says Blackard.  “This is a book that will help anyone who is employed become better at their jobs and teach them to use the principles of the Bible in every day interactions and decision-making.  If Christians work by the same principles they profess to believe, they can become indispensable to their employers. And likewise, when business owners apply those same principles, their businesses will have a greater chance of growing, even in a down economy.”

Relevance in the Workplace covers various topics including how to perform better on the job using spiritual disciplines, how to incorporate the Bible into leadership roles, and something Blackard calls the CE6 principles that relate to the customer experience.  Blackard also makes the case that the Bible can help people be more creative in their jobs as well as lay a groundwork for strategic development in a company’s overall direction.  Blackard uses an abundance of scriptures to back his thesis, and each chapter ends with discussion questions.

Blackard will be a special guest speaker for two Assembly of God District Men’s Conferences in Baltimore and New York in October, and is also speaking at the Call2All Global Conference in southern California in November.  Plans are currently in the works by Eagle Peak Leadership to schedule several “Relevance” conferences in select cities beginning in 2012.

“The truth is, most churches don’t specifically address how Christians should conduct themselves in their places of work,” says Blackard.  “It should be a natural process for a Christian to integrate their faith into their vocations, but many are timid or simply don’t know how.  I have seen remarkable things happen when Christians learn to apply their faith in the marketplace.”

Relevance in the Workplace is available in print and ebook format via Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more information, visit www.EaglePeak.org.

Keith Waggoner Southern Gospel Radio Rewind 2008

 Tales From The Trip

My wife and kids have been gone on a vacation back east to see our family for a little over a week while
I’ve been staying at home due to Liberty’s scheduled concerts. As a result, I haven’t been eating all that
well. Unfortunately, I don’t possess Tony Gore’s predilection for cooking, so tonight I washed 3 slices
of a Tombstone frozen pizza down with some iced tea. I’ve been working most of the day on the cover
design for Liberty Quartet’s new DVD and figured I needed to take it easy for the rest of the evening.
I ran by the closest Redbox DVD vending machine (the invention that I should have thought of) and
rented “The Bucket List” which stars Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. That’s a good movie. The
premise of the film is that both of the main characters find out that they have a few months left to live.
The characters get stuck together in a hospital room and eventually, in spite of the fact that their lives
are polar opposites in many ways, they hit it off. The two gentlemen decide to put together a list of
items they want to experience before they die. The rest of the movie deals with their quest.

It got me thinking. If I could put together a bucket list (things you want to do or experience before you
retire; not die) for a Southern Gospel group member, here’s what it would be:

1. Experience the thrill of traveling in a trouble-free 2008 Prevost coach
2. Balance your checkbook in the black, even after you’ve paid for fuel
3. Enjoy an evening of perfect monitors (which begs an interesting question: Why even have a
sound check when the room dynamics are going to change so dramatically when people come
in? I know, it’s better than nothing…barely)
4. Produce a project that everyone in the group is happy with; blogger reviews aren’t nearly as
critical as our own
5. Travel with group members who genuinely love each other and honestly work through
disagreements
6. Eat at In-n-Out Burgers; you know, you guys back east are really missing out
7. Have a proven, seasoned quartet veteran mentor you on the finer points of performance,
presentation, and operating a thriving, successful ministry-business
8. Perform at least one concert with a live band; that’s one of my dreams
9. Have fellow Southern Gospel group members show up on an off night to encourage you when
your group performs in their area
10. Personally, lead someone to the Lord

These are just some ideas I jotted down with little thought. Have anything to add to the bucket list?
By the way, if you want a little more context, go rent the movie. Have a great month. I’m going to go
warm up another piece of pizza. So long!

Keith

If you enjoyed this story find more at www.sgmradio.com