Is This Really Necessary?

By Carolyn Weeks May
 
Have you ever been in the middle of a television program or movie and thought, “Is this really necessary?” I have. On numerous occasions I’ve changed the channel continuously, trying to find a good family-friendly movie or series segment without success. It made me want to write a letter and complain.  But did I? Of course not; although I tell myself I will, when I’m not so busy. In the meantime, I just continue my mental complaining.

I frequently watch the Christian channels, but why can’t we find more shows worth watching on regular stations? So many programs have unnecessary vulgar language or profanity and others include sexual situations that don’t add anything to the show.  That wasn't the case in the good old days.  I watch the old reruns like The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy, and a number of others, but I’ve seen these so many times, I almost have the scripts memorized. Once in awhile, I like to see a new show that’s fun and entertaining, or a mystery with lots of suspense and intrigue, but finding something that’s wholesome, family entertainment is far more difficult than it should be.
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Artist Spotlight: Michelle Bonilla

By Andre Mullen

For Brooklyn-bred Michelle Bonilla, her music roots run deep.  Her father, a Latin Jazz guitarist, was instrumental in her exposure to music.  This along with her faith opened her up to working with a variety of urban artists and finally completing her own debut album aptly entitled Phenomenonal.

At the helm of production for the disc is David Hackley Jr. and Michelle’s husband, Lee Jerkins (cousin to über producers Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and Freddie “Uncle Freddie Jerkins).  The husband and wife team truly create beautiful music together as made evident by a wide array of songs that range from urban, to pop, to Latin.  On “Sinti (Without You)”, Michelle teams up with label mate Da’ T.R.U.T.H., letting God know that she is nothing without Him.  Backed with an acoustic guitar and stunning, rich vocals, “Sinti (Without You)” keeps the listener in remembrance of the importance of giving God the glory despite all that is going on in life.
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Seven Come Heaven

By Don Parker

Have there ever been any TV shows that portray the true Christian life?   We’ve had wholesome and moral shows like Leave It To Beaver, The Brady Bunch and My Three Sons but, was Christianity involved in any of those shows?  Highway to Heaven and Touched by An Angel got closer.  They involved God and angels along with the moral lessons, but still no mention of the word Jesus (at least when I watched, which was often).  What about Seventh Heaven?  Was that a show that exposed to the world the way Christians live?   I say nes.  That’s not a typo.  I said nes, and I meant nes.  Perhaps by now you guessed that is combination of no and yes.  How can it be both answers?  Let’s examine the evidence – a wise thing to do when forming opinions.
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Artist Spotlight: Ohio Avenue

By Stephanie Colucci

Is it wrong to say that I love this band called Ohio Avenue? These boys from Alabama can rock!
They sing about real life and use that to infuse their songs with their love of Christ.  I could easily see them playing next to Kutless, Switchfoot or even Nickleback.  These guys have so much talent and passion that calling them a rock band seems so cliché. Their talent as musicians is only matched by their passion for Christ.  The music world is standing up and noticing Ohio Avenue.  They are getting a lot of attention and we are going to see great things from this band.
 
Their songs speak for themselves. No matter where I am or what I am doing, I love to hear this band’s driving base lines and raw emotion in ‘Never Be You.’ This song makes me stop and listen, with lyrics like “when I kiss your face and stab your back” and “you’re in a boat by yourself but you’re not crying for help” makes me wonder why these guys aren’t playing to sold out crowds. The song ‘Losing Everything’ is haunting when it states, “This air is growing thin, I'm searching for a home again, we find just what we need, when we lose everything.”
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Tim Chey

By Donald James Parker

I recently ran across an advertisement for a movie called The Genius Club and was immediately fascinated, to the point of emailing the Director (and Author).  Much to my surprise, I received a very warm email in return. A few days later, I came on board with The Christian Pulse and needed to interview someone in the film industry.  There was no doubt in my mind of who my first candidate would be.  The most impressive thing about Tim is that despite having been schooled at some of the most prestigious institutions, he is a nice guy!  Hope you enjoy him as much as I do.

Tim Chey’s Bio:

He was educated at Harvard University, USC Film School, and Boston University School of Law.  Chey's work has been seen on E! Entertainment, The Wall Street Journal, The LA Times, VIBE TV, MTV, Daily Variety, Hollywood Reporter, TNT, USA Networks, the Dove Awards, MovieGuide Awards, People Magazine, and the New York Times. 

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