TURN BACK TO GOD

The intense persecution of Christians in Orissa, India has forced the country’s minority group to fear celebration of the upcoming Christmas holiday.

In recent months, Christians have been the victims of relentless violence carried out by Hindu extremists in retaliation for the August 2008 murder of a renowned Hindu leader.

You can see a report on the violence against Christians in Orissa HERE.

Although a radical Maoist group claimed responsibility for the leader’s assassination, Christian homes and communities continue to be viciously attacked by Hindus. It is a crisis that has forced tens of thousands of Christians to flee for their lives into the jungles or refugee camps, and has provoked one of the worst humanitarian crises the region has seen in recent years.

Hindu extremists initially called for a “bandh” on December 25, a forced shutdown of the entire society that would serve as a pretext for attacks on anyone who publicly tried to celebrate Christmas. However, the state government recently called off the bandh in the face of nationwide criticism from other church leaders.

But Christmas celebrations may still be difficult to carry out or even enjoy in Orissa this year, particularly with the recent destruction of hundreds of local churches. And as attacks from Hindu extremists remain a constant reality in the Christian community, many believers still fear the repercussions of any sort of Christmas worship service.

“So, humbly, we are asking you to remember us in your prayers so that we can all be able to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ,” says an Orissa pastor and indigenous coworker for Christian Freedom International, a Michigan-based organization that assists persecuted Christians worldwide.

Who is Don Moen?

Ask Don Moen what he does, and the answer might surprise you. He won’t say he’s a songwriter even though he’s written more than 100 songs. He won’t say he’s a worship leader even though he’s led worship on every continent but Antarctica and recorded numerous albums. He won’t say he’s a businessman or producer even though he has produced and directed hundreds of successful projects.

If you ask Don Moen why God put him on this planet, he’ll tell you, “To be an architect who designs products and events that help people experience God’s presence in a new and fresh way.” And in more than three decades of ministry, he’s had lots of opportunity to fulfill that purpose.

Don grew up in Minnesota before moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to attend Oral Roberts University. There, his musical gifts caught the eye of Terry Law, who asked Don to join his worship team, Living Sound, which ministered in communist countries throughout Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. For 10 years, Don was responsible for much of the group’s arrangements and musical productions, and saw first-hand the power of praise and worship to open closed doors and hearts, and lead enslaved people into the presence of God.

In 1984, Integrity Music asked him to lead worship on one of the first Hosanna! Music albums, Give Thanks. The project became one of Integrity’s most popular recordings ever and a benchmark for the genre, achieving gold certification status and now nearing platinum certification.

Don eventually joined the staff of Integrity, and served as President of Integrity Music and executive vice president/creative director for Integrity Media. In these roles, he spoke into the production of hundreds of products including all of the CDs and worship resources produced by Integrity Label Group. As an artist in his own right, Don has sold over five million units.

His discography reflects his passion to create resources for the church that lead people into an honest and intimate relationship with the Lord. In 2002, his peers recognized that lifelong commitment and presented him with the Ray DeVries Church Ministry Award.

Don has also received a Dove Award for his work on the musical “God With Us” and has received multiple Dove Award nominations for his songs, CDs and choral resources.

In addition to his writing and recording, Don makes time to tour domestically and abroad and has performed with artists such as Chris Tomlin, Twila Paris, Sara Groves and Paul Baloche to name a few. He also has served as worship leader for past National Day of Prayer events and as a music industry spokesperson, having been featured on Fox News, NPR and in USA Today.

Don is as popular overseas as he is at home in the U.S. His travels for concerts and seminars have taken him to Ghana, South Africa, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Guatemala, Honduras, and elsewhere.

Don resides in Mobile, Alabama, with his wife Laura and their five children. And, despite his many creative pursuits, family is his first priority. The man who leads thousands in worship is just as an ordinary husband and dad who loves serving as a short order cook at home and cheering at his children’s ball games.

Don’s Latest Album:-

Having led worship on 6 continents and selling over 5 million units around the globe, Don Moen has been witness to the global worship explosion happening amongst the Church today. His songs have continued to leave a lasting impact on churches and Christians all over the world, putting him on the forefront of this massive growth of worship.

Driven by a renewed desire to lead others to experience the presence of God, this talented songwriter seeks once again to take worshippers on a journey towards a deeper level of faith with our Heavenly Father. Hiding Place creates an atmosphere of true worship, allowing us to praise Him through song and feel His awesome power!

Hiding Place music tracks

	Hiding Place
	He Never Sleeps
	Sacrifice Of Praise
	All The Earth
	Fresh Fire
	With A Thankful Heart
	Lead Me Through The Night
	Hear Us From Heaven
	Break Through
	Revelation Song
	Psalm 23
	Still / Be Still My Soul

Click on any song in the list to go to its Music page.

Come, Lets praise Our Lord together with Don Moen and his team.

From a theological perspective, anything mankind intentionally does for God is a tiny gift compared to what God has already done for His beloved creations. But looking back over Twila Paris‘ illustrious musical career, this singer/songwriter’s accomplishments are anything but small. She has released 22 albums, amassed 33 number one singles, and was named the Gospel Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year an astounding three separate times. And she’s much more than just a pop songwriter because familiar Paris songs, like “He Is Exalted” and “We Bow Down”, can also be found in many church hymnals.

Paris released her first full-length, Knowin’ You’re Around in 1981, and along the way she has written books, recorded children’s music, and created timeless worship songs. Her song “God Is In Control” won a GMA Song of the Year award in 1995 and her 1992 Sanctuary release won the GMA Praise & Worship Album of the Year, just to name a few of her accolades. Even with all these accomplishments under her belt Small Sacrifice still stands out distinctly from Paris’ past work. This new CD is being released exclusively through LifeWay Christian Stores. And it will also be available for purchase on Paris’ website (www.twilaparis.com) and through iTunes.

Paris has helped to pioneer today’s praise and worship music and contributed greatly to making this informal style acceptable to normally more conservative churches. Folks who purchase Small Sacrifice will discover new worship songs like “Live to Praise” and “Alleluia.” But this fresh release also showcases Paris the well-rounded songwriter, as it displays compositions with wide ranging spiritual application.

“I called the album Small Sacrifice because I love the scriptural concept that giving of ourselves as a living sacrifice is simply our reasonable service,” Paris says of the new CD. “In other words, if I give my whole life and my whole self and all that I am to God, well, that’s a small sacrifice. That’s nothing, really, compared to what He’s done for me.”

All believers are called to serve God, though we sometimes fail to recognize His voice. This seeming communication breakdown is addressed specifically in another song on the disc, “Not Forgotten.”

Paris says, “Most of us have been through seasons when we wonder if God is really mindful of particular desires in our hearts that have not been fulfilled. For some, it’s a ministry they feel called to but don’t yet see realized. Others may have struggled with waiting for marriage or children. The key line in the song is: ‘He has not forgotten you.’”
—– TWILA PARIS BIO PAGE 2

“There Is A Plan” is also a special new song. Paris recalls, “I heard some ‘behind the scenes’ stories about how God was using Christian young people before the fall of the Berlin Wall. It wasn’t just a political thing that was going on, although you heard about Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher’s involvement. God was using people who were visible and powerful, as well as unnoticed people who were rising up from the grassroots. And then, apparently ‘all of a sudden’ the Berlin Wall came down ‘overnight.’ This is just one example that I happened to write about as a little snippet from history. What occurred to me when I heard those stories was that so often, when God is doing His work, it is initially invisible to the human eye. But He’s got this thing that is just beneath the surface. We look around and see what’s going on in our society and in our world and we can feel small, voiceless, and maybe a little bit hopeless. But God is always working and we never know when this next thing is going to burst onto the timeline of history. The greatest illustration ever is the birth of Christ.”

Ultimately, Paris wants to remind her listeners that small sacrifices sometimes add up to huge spiritual results. “I want to encourage people to be faithful in what God has given them to do, however insignificant it might seem, because they have no idea how huge it could be in God’s overall plan.”

He Is Exalted: Live Worship

(08/13/2005)

Eight new worship songs plus new versions of God is In Control and He is Exalted. Also includes Days of Elijah and We All Bow Down.

He Is Exalted music tracks

	Lifted Higher
	He Is Exalted
	Hosanna (You Are Holy)
	All Things Work Together
	God Is In Control
	Messiah
	Days Of Elijah
	Enter In
	We All Bow Down
	Holy Holy
	We Have Seen Your Glory (John 1)
	Hold Me Close

Click on any song in the list to go to its Music page.

Come, Let’s worship Our Lord together with Twila Paris and her team.

A postal stamp on Saint Alphonsa, India’s first woman saint, was released at a convention of the Syro Malabar Church here on Sunday, Nov 16th.

Chief Post Master General (Delhi) P.K. Gopinath released the Rs.15 stamp and handed it over to Supreme Court Judge Cyriac Joseph, a church official said. Bishops of different diocese in Kerala and Delhi, led by Thrissur Archbishop Andrews Thazhathu, attended the ceremony.

The central government has also decided to release a coin honouring Saint Alphonsa.

Saint Alphonsa was canonised Oct 12 by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican. Alphonsa was born in Kudamaloor, a village near Kottayam, to Joseph and Mary Aug 19, 1910. Having lost her mother at a very young age, she was brought up by her maternal aunt and educated by an uncle who was a priest. She faced several health problems, which eventually claimed her life on July 28, 1946.

On Dec 2, 1953, Eugene-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Cardinal Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process for her beatification and Alphonsa was declared a ‘Servant of God’. On July 9, 1985, she received the title Venerable Sister Alphonsa. She was beatified Feb 8, 1986, by Pope John II.

***** PICS ****** VIDEOS ******

We invite you to join our journey towards Christ…..

In over a decade of our journey as Rexband, a musical outreach of the Jesus Youth, we’ve been privileged to meet thousands of young people across the world. And we’ve enjoyed countless occasions celebrating the power of Jesus. As you listen to Destination Christ, a reflection of our experiences of being ‘on the road’, we hope that you too will discover the joy, the freedom, the exhilaration, the surprises and the challenge of being a ‘journey people’ in today’s world. - Rexband on ‘Destination Christ’ Album.

Destination Christ music tracks

	Peace like a river
	We Have Come To Worship Him
	Holy Spirit Chant
	Destination Christ
	A courageous life
	I will run to you
	One desire
	Waking time
	Fortress
	Rhythm of praise