HOLLYWOOD, (Christian Newswire) - Since the inception of the MOVIEGUIDE® Faith & Values Awards Gala and Dr. Ted Baehr's Annual Report, the number of family movies has more than doubled and the number of movies with positive moral content has nearly quadrupled by 388 percent. "The surprising thing is, MOVIEGUIDE®'s top picks turn out to be among the most profitable films Hollywood produced during the year," Dr. Baehr notes.

With top actors and actresses as emcees, and a music and entertainment extravaganza, the 17th Annual MOVIEGUIDE® Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry will be held Wednesday, Feb. 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in the heart of Hollywood, Calif.

WASHINGTON (Christian Newswire) - The Christian Defense Coalition has been issued a permit to conduct a pro- life vigil and display along the parade route during the Presidential Inauguration.

The permit was issued after discussions between the American Center for Law and Justice, who is representing the Christian Defense Coalition, and the National Park Service and the Secret Service.

The group plans to display 25 large signs on Pennsylvania Ave. showing the development of life from conception until birth.

WASHINGTON (Christian Newswire) - In a first for presidential inaugurations, Congressman Paul Broun of Georgia joined the Reverends Rob Schenck of Faith and Action and Patrick J. Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, both based in Washington, DC, in a prayer service inside the US Capitol yesterday that included anointing the doorway President-Elect Barack Obama will pass through on his way to the platform to be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States on January 20.

"Anointing with oil is a rich tradition both in the Bible and in the history of the US Capitol," said Rev. Schenck. "Oil symbolizes consecration, or setting something apart for God's use. George Washington used oil during the dedication of the US Capitol. We used oil today to set apart the walkway and doors that will be the literal right of passage for Barack Obama as he ascends to the highest office in our land."

(Good News Daily) - In the midst of the worst economic crisis of our time, prominent U.S. church leaders from 36 communions comprised of 101 million members will call on President-elect Barack Obama to overcome poverty in the United States.

Christian Churches Together believes this can be done by reducing child poverty by 50 percent in the next ten years and strengthening the educational system in the country, paying particular attention to public schools.

By Steve Cornell
www.thinkpoint.wordpress.com

Anything meaningful and important is worth evaluating. Businesses do inventory and hire consultants to better market themselves, schools give tests, those who care about their health get regular check-ups and when we value our relationships, we frequently evaluate them. Spiritual check-ups are also important to those who strongly desire to live for God.

An example of someone inviting God to do intense evaluation of his life is found in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

CHICAGO - United States seminaries and rabbinical schools are failing to prepare the next generation of clergy with the training they need to address sexuality issues in ministry, according to a study released today by the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing and Union Theological Seminary.

The study, titled Sex and the Seminary: Preparing Ministers for Sexual Health and Justice, reports that sexuality courses are largely absent from most seminary curricula and degree requirements. At most institutions, students can graduate without studying sexual ethics or taking a single sexuality-based course.

By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

NICOSIA, CYPRUS (ANS) -- For more than a week, as bombs have fallen in Gaza and Israel tragically taking innocent lives, Christian Television service SAT-7 has encouraged its viewers to pray for peace.

According to a news release obtained by ANS, shortly after the fighting intensified, SAT-7 began running a text crawl at the bottom of its screen asking viewers to intercede on behalf of those who were suffering.

(Good News Daily) - A list of the "Top Ten Instances of Christian Bashing, 2008" sent out by the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission has drawn nationwide attention, thanks for the Web.

The Top 10 list is posted all over the Internet and has been posted on many news sites, including World Net Daily. Requests for interviews with Dr. Cass, the Chairman and CEO, have been streaming in. Live interview links are also being posted on the christianadc.org website inviting concerned citizens to listen.

By Daniel Nuckols

Before discussing how a one’s conscience works, I think it would be helpful to get a etymological definition of the word “conscience.” The word conscience means “with-knowledge.”[1] “con” means “with,” and “science” means “knowledge.” So basically, every time one breaks God’s law one does it “with-knowledge” that it is wrong.

Bears Witness
In the context of saying that the Gentiles[2] are under the law as well, Paul explains in Romans 2:15, that the law is “written on their hearts.” He goes on to say that their conscience also bears witness to the fact that the law is “written on their hearts.” The conscience and the heart of man work together as witnesses of the law that is an innate knowledge of each man.[3] However, one should be careful to not equate this passage with the promise given in Jeremiah 31:33, which is given to future believers that the law will be in their minds and written on their hearts.[4] This is referring to the “new man” which believers have when they become born again. When one is born again one’s delight is in God’s law and is at war with sin.[5]

German Entrepreneur Merckle was One of the Richest Men on Earth

By Wolfgang Polzer
Special to ASSIST News Service

BLAUBEUREN (ANS) -- The German business tycoon Adolf Merckle, who tragically took his life after seeing his business empire crumble, was an evangelical Christian.

The 74-year-old magnate threw himself in front of a train near his home in Blaubeuren in South West Germany, January 5. Merckle, the world's 94th richest man, leaves behind his wife Ruth, three sons and a daughter. The committed Christian family is active in several social and humanitarian projects.