Smiley Receives Standing Ovation At Destiny 2006

By: Angela Lee Price

Tavis Smiley received a standing ovation from a packed house of about 300 people for his thought-provoking keynote address at Destiny 2006: Creating An Agenda for Change at Canaan Christian Church on Friday, May 5th. Morning workshops and the afternoon keynote address centered on around four critical issues affecting African Americans, health, violence, education and economic empowerment. "When we make black America better, we make all of America better," Smiley said.

Tavis Smiley still has me smilin'. I enjoyed his no-holds-barred, keepin'-it-real approach to the keynote Derby Weekend. He stepped on, to borrow his expression, "errrbody's" toes, including mine. Simply put, yet eloquently stated, he said, and I'm paraphrasing, we've got to get off our butts and do something about the mess we are in because, as Hurricane Katrina demonstrated, ain't nobody else coming to our rescue. Smiley's address was certainly the highlight of my entire weekend. Hats off, too, to Canaan Christian Church for hosting that substanative event, and for creating a plan of action that promises to provide solutions to issues plaguing the Black community.

Smiley signed autographs of the bestseller, Covenant with Black America at Book-A-Million Bookstore on Breckinridge Lane and at Canaan Christian Church on Hikes Lane the morning and afternoon of the Destiny event. Long lines of fans and Covenant readers waited patiently at both locations to meet the radio and television talk show host, author, and commentator. Above, bottom left photo, Smiley signed an autograph for my sister-in-law, Sharon Price.

I conducted a 10-minute phone interview on WLOU Radio with Smiley that aired several times the week leading up to the Destiny event. Smiley told me several people told him they heard our conversation. He also signed my copy of Covenant with the words, "Angela, thanks for the love. Stay strong! - Tavis Smiley."

To hear my radio interview with Tavis Smiley, click on the post, Angela Lee Price Goes One-On-One with Tavis Smiley.

Remember, it is not Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius nor New Age that saves. Jesus saves!

Kentucky Derby 06: Broadway Family Fest & Vendors Fair Draws Thousands

Thousands of fair-goers walked the vendor's section and enjoyed live entertainment Derby Weekend at the Broadway Family Fest & Vendors Fair. Early newspaper estimates stated that only approximately 300 people attended the festival.

Left: WLOU & WLLV Radio staff Ron Jones, Jerry Hazard, Vivien Obgurn, Archie Dale, and deacon Jerome Price took time out of the work day to poses for pictures.

Right: Angela Lee Price interviewed Gospel Showcase producer Jocelyn Clayborn on WLOU during the event.

Sunday afternoon fair-goers enjoy family, friends, food and great atmosphere. Angela Lee Price welcomed attendees and introduced the Gospel Showcase headliner, The Emsemble.

The Ensemble featuring Jason Clayborn lifted praises to the Lord with contemporary gospel music.

Left: Angela Lee Price, Jocelyn Clayborn, and Bill Price pose for pictures.

Right: Jason Clayborn, Angela Lee Price, and Tommy Jones bless God for a joyous afternoon.

Thousands walked by faith Derby Weekend through west Louisville amidst roadblocks and police barricades to take part in outdoor festivities at the Broadway Family Fest and Vendors Fair. The Broadway Corridor LLC three-day Kentucky Derby Festival event ran Friday through Sunday, May 5th-7th at 18th and Broadway, the site of the former Phillip Morris parking lot. The event included vendors from all over the Unites States and Africa, activities for children, and live R&B and gospel entertainment.

The Broadway Family Fest and Vendors Fair culminated with a Derby Gospel Showcase that drew a large Sunday afternoon audience. The Gospel Showcase featured local and regional contemporary gospel artists from Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. It was produced by Jocelyn Clayborn and Complete Tribe Entertainment Group, Inc. The gospel lineup included Minister Mario Martin & Praise Nation, Called II Worship, God’s Project, among others.

The gospel group, The Ensemble featuring Jason Clayborn received ovations from fair-goers for their contemporary gospel selections and spirited praise and worship.

The Da Vinci Code Deciphered

By: Angela Lee Price

The movie, The Da Vinci Code, based on the novel with the same name, opens nation-wide in theaters this weekend. The movie has many Christians quite alarmed as it depicts as biblical an unbiblical gnostic perspective of Jesus Christ. It stars Tom Hanks and is Directed and produced by Ron Howard. The movie is being promoted heavily and is expected to do quite well at the box office.

We are warned repeatedly in the New Testament to defend the faith, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." 1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV). Jude says, "...contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago has secretly slipped in among you. These are godless men, who...deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." Jude 3-4 (NIV). The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:11, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (NIV)

To defend the faith is to know what you believe and why you believe it, and to stand for the truth of the Gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, a piece of the Armor of God, is not only a defensive weapon, but also an offensive weapon. This means we should speak boldly from the Word of God about the truth of scripture, and warn others that what is being presented as truth in The Da Vinci Code concerning, for example, Jesus' divinity and his relationship with Mary Magdalene, is in fact error.

Ron Howard was a guest on Tavis Smiley On PBS tonight. Although the conversation centered around the movie, Cinderella Man, Tavis asked Howard if he knew his upcoming movie, The Da Vinci Code would be so controversial. Howard said he expected the movie to be controverial because it is based on the novel which was also controversial. He went on to say, and I am paraphrasing, that if nothing else, the movie should certainly generate considerable discussion about the subject. Howard has certainly directed and produced some great movies in the past, including one of my favorites, A Beautiful Mind, however, his half-hearted answer, Mayberry charm, and past performance will not excuse him on this one. The Da Vinci Code is an assault against Christianity.

As founder of Jesus Saves Ministries, one of my objectives is to help Christians and non-believers better understand why certain movements, doctrines and perspectives are either aberrant, almost but not quite unbiblical, or heretical, unbiblical as they contract fundamentals tenets of the Christian faith. The article The Da Vinci Code Deciphered by Pastor Gary Gilley is an in-depth critique that explores the Gnostic beliefs depicted in The Da Vinci Code.

Remember, it is not Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius, Gnosticism nor New Ages that saves. Jesus saves!

Bishop Noel Jones: Word of Faith Theology Has Crippled the Black Church

By: Angela Lee Price

Left: Smiley chats with his pastor Bishop Noel Jones who gives him spiritual advice. Picture taken from the October 18, 2004 Jet Magazine cover story, "Tavis Smiley: Why Everyone Listens When This Man Talks, page 58.


I know, he runs with a bad crowd, but Bishop Noel Jones "got skills," and he had me shouting again last night and praising God for giving him courage! He said the Word of Faith theology, or Prosperity Gospel, as many call it, has crippled the Black church. Jones was a guest on Tavis Smiley's late-night television show, Tavis Smiley On PBS. Noel Jones spoke in no uncertain terms about the damaging effects the aberrant, at best, theology has had on the pysche of many 21st Century Christians. Bishop Jones and author David Ritz appeared on the show together to discuss Ritz's new book, Messengers. The book about Christianity in the Black church context features Bishop Noel Jones among several Black preachers.

I am praying for Noel Jones that God will use him to talk some sense into the prosperity preachers in his circle of influence. I have been praying for him since I saw him discuss, as a panelist on the State of the Black Union IV: The State of the Black Church on C-Span February 8, 2003, his concerns with the prosperity message. Since then, I have heard him on at least two separate occasions at Canaan Christian Church, March 13, 2003, in the message, Bless God For the Final Outcome, and March 18, 2005 in the message, You've Heard Enough to Save You, speak at length about the errors of the prosperity message.

"Many people are judging their walk with God by their financial capacity," Jones stated on March 18, 2005. "The haves no longer have a sensitivity for those who have not because their response is that if you were to have faith, you could have it like I have it....My sister Grace (Jones) makes more money than me. That does not make her more anointed. In all of this, we have forgotten to preach Jesus."

Pray with me that more preachers will be courageous enough to trust God enough to repent from preaching the one-sided "Name It, Claim It" prosperity message, a gospel that glorifies materialism and diminishes Christ's death, burial and resurrection for the remission of sin. In studying the theology's root, E. W. Kenyon and Kenneth Hagin, I found that it is not Christian in origin but Eastern in origin, mind science and mysticism mixed with Christianity. My prayers are with Bishop Jones, too, that the Lord continues to rebuke Satan through him. Satan is a liar. The Word of Faith theology is crippling the Black church as we continue to spend and not invest, and purchase and refinance homes on sub-prime loans.

Oh, I feel like havin' church!!

Here is a five-minute excerpt from the sermon, Bless God for the Final Outcome, Canaan Christian Church, March 13, 2003:

Here are two five-minute excerpts from the State of the Black Union IV: State of the Black Church, Detroit, Michigan, February 8, 2003:

Related articles/sermon by Angela Lee Price:

• Church Growth: Is Bigger Always Better?, April Archives
• The Emergent Church Alert, March Archives
• Radio Responses to 50 Most influential Christians in America, March Archives
• The 50 Most Influential Christians In America, February Archives
• Are You Letting Yourself Down?, February Archives
• Prophetic Or Pathetic, February Archives
• Follow the Yellow Brick Road...to Heaven?, January Archives
• Sermon: To Tell the Truth: Will the Real Deal Holy Fill Please Stand Up?, November Archives
  

Remember, it is not Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, nor New Ages that saves. Jesus saves!

Angela Lee Price Goes One-On-One with Tavis Smiley

By: Angela Lee Price

The measure of a man is determined, in my humble opinion, not the size of his wallet, but by how well he treats a woman behind closed doors. Tavis Smiley was a true professional and a gentleman Tuesday during the taping session for my interview with him on WLOU. Tavis came out blazin', as I knew he would, and the interview went well. I asked him, jokingly, are you sure you're ready for Louisville at Derby time, and he quickly responded, "Is Louisville ready for me?"

Please listen as I go one-on-one with Tavis Smiley, keynote luncheon speaker at Destiny 2006: Creating An Agenda for Change at Canaan Christian Church this Friday, May 5th. The interview will air on 1350 WLOU as follows:

• Thursday, May 4th at 11:00 a.m.
• Friday, May 5th at 7:30 a.m.
• Saturday, May 6th at 11:00 a.m. during the Simmons Saturday Morning Solutions program.

Please join me at Canaan Christian Church as we begin to take steps to help ourselves, help our 'hood, and help America. If we don't do it, nobody else will. Tavis says it so eloquently, "When we make Black America better, we make all of America better."

Remember, it is not Buddha, Confuscious, Muhammad, nor New Age that saves. Jesus saves!

Note: The picture above is from the Jet Magazine, October 18, 2004 cover story, Tavis Smiley: Why Everyone Listens When This Man Talks, page 55. The photo, by Kevin Foley, reads, "Smiley, host of 'The Tavis Smiley Show from NPR' is the first Black to have his own signature talk show in the history of National Public Radio."

Part 1 of 3 of my interview with Tavis Smiley

Part 2 of 3 of my interview with Tavis Smiley

Part 3 of 3 of my interview with Tavis Smiley