Read About It: Former 'Bad Girls Club' Star Kendra James Is Turning to God

Kendra James, whom some of you might remember from the Bad Girls Club reality TV show (or you may have partied with her in clubs), is attempting to make some major changes in her life. She wants to shed her bad girl image for good and start making better decisions, and she feels that building a relationship with God and surrounding herself with positive people is how she'll get there. This Sunday, she's getting baptized at Elevation Church. She told me all about her emotional and spiritual journey, during my interview with her for Creative Loafing, which you can read about: "Kendra James: From ‘Bad Girl’ to baptism."

READ FULL STORY

Charlotte Is 6th 'Most Bible-Minded' City In America

Around these parts, there's practically a church on every other street, a parkway named after the Rev. Billy Graham, and if you go to a major event in Uptown, such as a Bobcats or Panthers game or music concert, you're likely to encounter some guy on the sidewalk with a bullhorn shouting why you're all going to hell. So it comes as no surprise that Charlotte is ranked sixth on the list of "America's Most Bible-Minded Cities," according to a study released today by American Bible Society and Barna Group.

The Queen City's sixth-place ranking is one spot higher than last year, which was the first year ABS and Barna came together to do this study. So Charlotte, being the can-do-city that we are, must strive to make it into the top-five of America's Most Bible-Minded Cities. The top-five for 2014 are: Chattanooga, Tennessee at No. 1; Birmingham/Anniston/Tuscaloosa, Alabama No. 2; Roanoke/Lynchburg, Virginia No. 3; Springfield, Missouri No. 4; and Shreveport, Louisiana No. 5.

The least Bible-minded city is Providence, Rhode Island/New Bedford, Massachusetts, coming in at No. 100 on the list. Just ahead of it is Albany, New York (99) and Boston (98)--more Northeastern populations that are going to hell (I kid, I kid; Jesus saves).

The study examined "a combination of regular Bible reading with belief in the Bible’s accuracy across the top 100 metropolitan areas in the United States." It also points out that of the top 25 Bible-minded cities, only three have a population of greater than 1 million: Charlotte, Nashville, and Dallas. I guess the bigger the city you live in, the more you lack Jesus. And all but one of the top 25 cities are in the South or Midwest, the lone exception being 21st-ranked Bakersfield, California. Click here to read the complete study.

READ FULL STORY

'Gifts for Guns Exchange' Underway in Charlotte

New Life City of Praise church, led by pastor and famed gospel recording artist John P. Kee, is holding their annual Gifts for Guns Exchange. It's simple: you bring in a gun (remove the ammo first), there are no questions asked, and in return you'll receive a gift card ranging from $25-$100. It's the church's admirable efforts to reduce crime by taking illegal guns off the streets.

New Life holds this gun drive each year during the Christmas season. The 2013 drive began yesterday and runs until noon tomorrow (December 21). All guns turned in will be given to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to be destroyed. New Life is located at 1337 Samuel St. in the historic Double Oaks community. I wrote about the neighborhood a few years ago before it was revitalized into what's now called Brightwalk.

Pastor Kee tweeted a photo this afternoon of the pile of guns he said had been collected in less than six hours.

READ FULL STORY

Do You Know Who Billy Graham Is? He Has 'Hope' for You, America

Legendary Christian evangelist Billy Graham turns 95 years old on November 7. And on that night the country will get a televised special from the man who, in his heyday, was referred to as America's pastor. The reason I say in his heyday is because, obviously, he hasn't been as active, vocal, or even made many public appearances over the last several years due to his age and frequent health issues. However, that hasn't stopped U.S. presidents and presidential candidates, as well as many of the country's other most influential people from seeking his counsel.

Credit: myhopewithbillygraham.org

But are young people today interested in what Rev. Graham has to say? We'll find out when "The Cross" airs Thursday, November 7. It's part of the "My Hope America with Billy Graham" initiative that culminates this month. "My Hope America" is Rev. Graham and his Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's (BGEA) "effort to reach people across the United States with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following a simple biblical model, [it] combines the impact of video programs with the power of personal relationships. Christians across America will open their homes this November to share the Gospel message with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors using one of several new evangelistic programs featuring life-changing testimonies and powerful messages from Billy Graham," according to its website.

"The Cross" television special will feature scenes from an evening event with Rev. Graham that took place last week at The Billy Graham Library. In this minute-long trailer for the special, it's clear that they want their message to reach young people. It, for example, features Christian hip hop artist Lecrae (did you know there was such a thing?) and rocker-turned-Christian-singer Lacey Sturm.

An article published by Reuters yesterday gives an insightful look into what the Grahams, including the elder's son Franklin, are seeking to accomplish with "My Hope America." The article briefly describes the impact Rev. Graham and BGEA have had over the last seven decades but also cites studies such as a 2005 Gallup Poll that "revealed that 45 percent of young adults were not familiar with Billy Graham. And one third of adults under 30 consider themselves religiously unaffiliated, according to a 2012 Pew Research Center report."

Also as a part of "My Hope America," as the article points out, Christian believers from more than 24,000 U.S. churches will invite people into their homes and congregations to learn about their faith from Rev. Graham.

Visit myhopewithbillygraham.org for more details, and watchbillygraham.com for TV listings for the special. "The Cross" is scheduled to air nationwide on FOX News on November 7 at 10 p.m. It will also be broadcast on several faith-based networks as well as local TV stations around the country over a four-day period, including November 8, 7:30 p.m. on WBTV, Charlotte's CBS station.

READ FULL STORY

Join Me In a Social Media Discussion Thursday

Social Media Charlotte is holding its monthly breakfast meeting and networking event this Thursday, July 12 and I'm one member of a four-person panel who'll speak. The topic is "Targeting Diverse Audiences: A Discussion on Inclusive Marketing and Social Media," and the event takes place 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Queen City Q, 225 E. Sixth St. The cost to attend is $20 in advance, or $25 at the door.

Jenifer Daniels will moderate the discussion between the panelists, which include Brant Aycock, Ana Lucia Divins, Brandi Williams, and me. We'll talk about the importance of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and religion in your social media marketing efforts.

Click here for more details on the event and for the panelists' bios. Hope to see you there. You can follow along with the discussion using the #SMCLT hashtag.

READ FULL STORY

'Hard Truths' Is Exhibit You Must See, Especially If You Were Raised in the South

Two exhibits, each representing African-American culture and history, have recently opened at Uptown Charlotte museums. I had the privilege of checking out both of them—Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial at Mint Museum Uptown and America I AM: The African American Imprint at The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. I'm sharing my thoughts on each exhibit in separate blog posts. Below is about Dial's.

Before I walked through Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial, I wasn't familiar with the artist or his work, so I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't know I would see glimpses of my early childhood in rural South Carolina.

Dial is a self-taught artist who was born, raised, and has lived his entire life in rural Alabama. He's 84 years old now, and he was practically an elder gentleman when his art was discovered about 25 years ago, subsequently becoming a part of exhibits in the 1990s through today. He spent several decades doing what most blacks in the South of his generation did—worked on farms, in fields, and later in factories. Born a year before The Great Depression and living through Jim Crow and poverty, as you could imagine, he had very little opportunity for a formal education.

His story is what makes his artwork so amazing, to see how he's able to express social, political, cultural, and religious messages in such thought-provoking ways. He made masterpieces out of what's commonly referred to as "yard art," with many of his sculptures and large paintings comprised of materials that are usually relegated to landfills. Those scraps of wood, metal, and plastic reminded me of what I would often see throughout the acreage of my grandparents' yard in Rembert, South Carolina, when I was about five or six years old in the mid-1980s and my siblings and I would roam around the yard finding anything to play with, throwing stuff at chickens to make them scatter.

You find those scraps in Dial's pieces such as "The Beginning of Life in the Yellow Jungle" (2003), a 75-foot-by-112-foot painting made from plastic soda bottles, clothing, bedding, wire, metal, a doll, rubber glove, turtle shell, artificial flowers, and other materials on canvas. And in one of his most recognizable pieces, "Don't Matter How Raggly the Flag, It Still Got to Tie Us Together" (2003), a 71-foot-by-114-foot painting made from mattress coils, chicken wire, clothing, can lids, metal, plastic twine, wire, and more. The description accompanying it reads, in part: "In this piece, the image of a torn and ravaged United States flag symbolizes the struggle underlying American history and the quest for freedom, liberty, and equality. Created just after the start of the Iraq War, the painting is also a commentary on human conflict that turns the flag's patriotic red and white into festoons of bloody bandages on a gory battlefield."

"Don't Matter How Raggly the Flag..." is one of more than 30 Dial pieces on display.

Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial is on display until September 30 at Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St., www.mintmuseum.org.

READ FULL STORY

'How Can They Be Good Enough to Have Sex with but Not Be Good Enough to Marry,' Asks Charlotte Pastor in Provocative Sermon

I was surfing through my Twitter timeline Friday night when I saw someone tweet about Church Girls Rock at Have Life Church. Both the name of the event and church sounded interesting, so I looked around the web to learn more about them (see, I'm not always partying on a Friday night). Have Life is a burgeoning church and ministry in Charlotte, and it held Church Girls Rock Weekend this weekend (#ChurchGirlsRock), featuring speakers, concerts, and sermons over three days. I told a friend about it Friday night, saying it sounded like something she'd be interested in attending. She then looked them up herself and sent me the link to a great YouTube video.

Pastor Shomari White, of Have Life, preached a series last month on "Love, Sex & Relationships." That's not an uncommon theme in church sermons today; in fact, it's probably becoming more prevalent as churches try to combat the images of this increasingly sexual world we live in. In the 11-minute video the church posted, Pastor White addresses the pitfalls of sinful sexual activity and premarital sex, and when he's not making you laugh or gasp in the sermon, he's probably making you think about your wrongdoings.

He spares no one, from teens ("It's better for me to shock them than you to be shocked to find out your daughter is being passed around by the football team.") to adults ("Don't cry another day that some dude you slept with dumped you. He's a sinner and that's what sinners are supposed to do. Don't be mad that you went half on a baby with a dummy.") to senior citizens ("You think you put grandma in the retirement home to knit sweaters; she's dropping it like it's hot.").

Do yourself a favor and watch this video.

READ FULL STORY

Lowe's Should Admit It Made a Mistake and Fix It

It's a controversy that's been building for nearly two weeks now, but is one that could've ended a week ago had Lowe's simply admitted it made a mistake when it decided to pull its advertising from the TLC show All-American Muslim earlier this month. I'm sure you've seen at least some of the mountain of news coverage this issue has received.

Lowe's, which is headquartered in Mooresville and is the second-largest hardware store chain in the country (behind The Home Depot), continues to come under fire, with prominent people calling for boycotts of its stores. Music and fashion mogul Russell Simmons and his GlobalGrind site have been among the most vocal. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih, who is Muslim, has recently gotten on board as well. There were protests held in front of Lowe's Home Improvement stores around the country over the weekend, and a website, LowesBoycott.com, has been set up.

Protesters rally outside of a Lowe's store in Maryland. [via colesville.patch.com]

On or around December 6, Lowe's made the decision to stop advertising on All-American Muslim, after being contacted by the Florida Family Association (click here to see original email of Lowe's response to the group). FFA had contacted several advertisers claiming: "The Learning Channel's new show All-American Muslim is propaganda clearly designed to counter legitimate and present-day concerns about many Muslims who are advancing Islamic fundamentalism and Sharia law. The show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks while excluding many Islamic believers whose agenda poses a clear and present danger to liberties and traditional values that the majority of Americans cherish."

Somehow, Lowe's didn't seem to see for itself that, perhaps for the first time in TV history, a show was being denounced for what it didn't include. Companies have been known to pull their advertising when TV shows feature too much violence, nudity, sex, profanity, or hate speech, for example. But FFA believes All-American Muslim is unfit for companies to be associated with it because "the show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks..."

When news began to spread a little over a week ago that Lowe's had pulled its ads, the company posted a statement on its Facebook page on December 10, saying: "It appears that we managed to step into a hotly contested debate with strong views from virtually every angle and perspective – social, political and otherwise – and we’ve managed to make some people very unhappy. We are sincerely sorry. We have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, across our workforce and our customers, and we’re proud of that longstanding commitment."

But Lowe's didn't say a whole lot in that statement--nor did it apologize for pulling the ads--and certainly didn't address if it would do anything differently. That Facebook post garnered more than 28,000 comments in four days, with many people saying they would never shop at Lowe's again, and some supporting Lowe's for its stance. But there were almost as many comments with hateful and racist language, prompting Lowe's to remove the entire post from its page. It replaced it Wednesday with a post asking users to "keep your comments on this Facebook page respectful..." and "Again, we offer our sincere apology to anyone offended by our advertising business decision or posts on this page." That post has received nearly 12,000 comments so far.

Lowe's is usually active on Facebook, posting several times a day about sales at its stores, but the status addressing the controversy has been its only post in the last 10 days. And on Twitter, where it typically tweeted five to ten times a day, there hasn't been a post since December 10. So Lowe's, whose spokespeople have said in news interviews that the company stands by its decision regarding All-American Muslim, has gone silent on social media. While social media--and traditional media--are severely harming the company's reputation.

All of this could've ended last week if Lowe's would've addressed the issue better. Big businesses never seem to want to give the impression that they're caving on anything or are being pressured to do something, which is why I guess Lowe's hasn't reversed its decision (for a month, Bank of America stubbornly stood by its announced plans to add a $5 monthly debit card fee, until the public backlash became too great). Meanwhile, it appears to most people that Lowe's caved to the pressure from Florida Family Association, which in recent days has been exposed to have misled companies about its actual pull, so to speak.

There's a great article yesterday by USA Today ("TLC show brings Muslims in America out in the open") on the fallout surrounding All-American Muslim. The newspaper also produced a video interview with two of the cast members from the show. This only makes Lowe's look worse when you see these people talk about their lives, which aren't much different from most of us.

My advice to Lowe's: Have your CEO come out and say that the company made a hasty decision that was prompted by a so-called family association without doing more research into whether concern was merited. And to prove that you want to turn this unfortunate fiasco into a learning experience, Lowe's would sponsor a forum on racial and religious tolerance. Two would be held: one in Dearborn, Michigan, where All-American Muslim is filmed and where 30 percent of the population is Arab-American; and one in Charlotte, which is near Lowe's headquarters, so company executives can take part, and is where there have been two well-publicized incidents recently of Muslims being singled out during flights to and from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (a lawsuit was filed today regarding the first incident).

Lowe's: imagine that this problem is a leaking pipe under the kitchen sink. If you continue to ignore it, it will only get worse.

READ FULL STORY

Rev. Billy Graham Will Probably Outlive You

The Rev. Billy Graham is many things, but dead he is not. The 93-year-old Charlotte native, and one of the world's most famous evangelists, was admitted to an Asheville hospital last week with pneumonia. And while reports over the last couple of days were saying his condition is improving, WBTV mistakenly reported during its Saturday morning news show that Rev. Graham had died.

According to a statement by WBTV, Charlotte's CBS affiliate, the morning show producer read what he thought was a breaking news crawl on an off-air network feed about Rev. Graham. Without verifying it first, the news was given to anchor Kristen Miranda through her earpiece, who then announced that Rev. Graham had passed away. Fortunately, this wasn't true, and within 10 minutes WBTV made an on-air correction.

That didn't stop the station from getting phone calls and emails throughout the day, but they did the best they could to try to rectify the situation, including posting an apology on their website, Facebook page, and having anchor Sharon Smith address the mistake during the Saturday night newscast, which I happened to see. I'm sure all those involved in the production of the show will forever think twice before reporting breaking news without first verifying it.

The spiritual icon speaks to staff at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Charlotte last December.
Credit: facebook.com/ReverendBillyGraham

Rev. Graham could live to 100 and beyond, but certainly at his age and the fact that he's had a couple of health scares in recent years, people are more likely to believe it if they hear he's passed away. Because the erroneous report was made early on a Saturday morning around 6:30 a.m., when most people are still sleeping, and the fact that WBTV corrected the mistake rather quickly, the misinformation didn't have long to spread. Had this happened in the afternoon, it would've become a trending topic on Twitter before it could've been retracted.

Now, it is actually common practice for major news outlets to pre-write celebrity obituaries for those famous people who are either very old or are living dangerous lifestyles in which the media believes could lead to their early demise ("Lindsay Lohan and the risks of 'pre-written' obituaries"). When it's done regarding elderly famous people, it can be a benefit such as was the case when Elizabeth Taylor died earlier this year. Within an hour of her death, national television news stations and websites were broadcasting and publishing in-depth reports about her death, which included only a little bit of details about when and how she actually died but more about her recent health problems and the legacy of her 50-plus-year career, which was clearly comprised of reports and footage they had on standby. But when it goes wrong, a celebrity becomes the latest to be "Murdered by the Media."

READ FULL STORY

Intolerance In Norway Looks Familiar

I avoided watching most of the news coverage over the weekend of the mass bombing and shooting spree that took place in Norway on Friday. Even though it happened in a country where we usually don't hear about any violence, when the story broke it seemed like another tragic account of hate and mass murder that unfortunately dominates world news. Finally, yesterday I began to watch the news stories and read some of the published reports about Anders Breivik and the carnage he left behind (death toll is currently at 76). By Monday, the narrative began to focus on why this maniac did what he did. From what I understand, he wanted to lead a violent revolution against multiculturalism, more specifically Muslim integration, in Europe. A New York Times article sums up the tension that had been building in Norway concerning immigration:

Norway has recently tightened its liberal immigration and asylum rules in the midst of a longstanding debate about assimilation and multiculturalism. Despite Norway’s oil wealth and low unemployment, there has been a growing concern over the increasing size of the Muslim population... But the Muslim population is growing, and Islam is now the country’s second-largest religion. The impact of an increasing, and increasingly visible, Muslim population in a relatively monoethnic, liberal and egalitarian Norway has led to a surge in popularity for the anti-immigration Progress Party, now the second-largest party in Parliament. And it appears to have been one of the triggers to the massacre carried out here on Norway’s white elite. The suspect, Anders Behring Breivik, claims he was compelled to act by the failure of mainstream politicians — including those in the Progress Party — to stem the Islamic tide.

The article goes on to state that Norway’s immigrant population nearly tripled between 1995 and 2010. And I've seen a few news reports of Norwegians interviewed who don't like that so many Muslims have moved into their country of just under five million people.

This all reminded me of a documentary I saw last October during a special screening at Levine Museum of the New South. The film is titled Welcome to Shelbyville and depicts a small Tennessee town that historically was mostly populated by whites and blacks, but in recent years had seen an influx of Latinos and Somali refugees. Because of their Muslim faith, the Somalis are met with increased resistance from the townspeople. Some locals say they feel threatened by them ("they're going to start blowing up in Shelbyville next"), blame them for the overcrowding of schools, and say they bring down property values. Some of the allegations are even published in the local newspaper.

Welcome to Shelbyville reminds us how race, religion, and cultural differences can divide people before they even attempt to get to know or understand each other. What happened in Norway reminds us how far some will go with intolerance and hate. Fortunately, the Shelbyville film shows people in the town making progress--though it is a work in progress. You should watch the 60-minute documentary, directed and produced by Kim A. Snyder along with the BeCause Foundation and Active Voice. After you do, think about your own views on immigrants, who have become our neighbors in Charlotte and throughout the South. You might be able to catch the film airing again soon as part of PBS' Independent Lens series. It's also available on DVD. You can view the trailer below.

For more details, visit www.shelbyvillemultimedia.org.

READ FULL STORY

The Reason for the Season via Social Media

Merry Christmas from your favorite blog! ; (And Happy HoLLidays from your favorite blogger!) Here are a couple of heartwarming videos circulating through social media that are worth watching if you haven't seen them yet. Each tells the story of the birth of Jesus using social media as it would've been used had it been around more than 2,000 years ago.

The first video, titled "A Social Network Christmas," by Igniter Media, shows Joseph and Mary using Facebook, including when they update their relationship statuses to when they announce the birth of Jesus to Mary changing her profile picture to show their newborn. The second video, titled "The Digital Story of Nativity" (or "Christmas 2.0"), by Viral Videos, uses many social media sites--Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, Wikipedia, GMail, Foursquare, and more. It shows everything from when Mary receives a text on her iPhone that she will be giving birth to the Son of God to Joseph creating a Facebook event for people to come meet the baby in Bethlehem to the Three Wise Men checking in using Foursquare.

READ FULL STORY

The Elevation Experience--Having Church At Home

My girlfriend and I go to different churches. I like mine better; she likes hers better. We'll figure it out eventually. But the thing I really like about her church, Elevation Church, is that it broadcasts services online. Elevation, of course, is one of the largest, fastest growing churches in the Charlotte area, and it has multiple campuses (including a new one it opened this month in Blakeney). And because the church has multiple locations, many of its attendees watch Pastor Steven Furtick and his worship services on screens via remote feed.

So that's what Andrea and I did. From the comforts of my living room, we engaged in The Elevation Experience and watched the 6 p.m. service online. I plugged my laptop into my TV. So as far as I'm concerned, I went to church yesterday! Though, I'd feel a little guilty (and lazy) if I did this every Sunday. And even though this wasn't First Sunday, which is when many churches offer Communion, let's just say there was some wine involved (don't judge me).

It was a great sermon and I'm glad I got to experience it. You can watch (or listen to) many sermons by visiting Elevation's sermon archive. And it's worth noting that several other Charlotte churches stream their worship services online and have been for a few years now. This could be a great way for you to check out a church before actually visiting it.

READ FULL STORY

Affordable Housing: If You're Scared, Go to Church

The title of this blog post is inspired by an Ice Cube song from a few years ago called "Go To Church." The West Coast rapper provocatively taunted (with the help of Lil Jon and Snoop Dogg) that "if you're scared, go to church, go to church." The lyrics from that song couldn't be further removed from the tone of a luncheon I attended last week. But that one line, "if you're scared, go to church," popped in my head just now because that's really what city officials were hoping to do--get clergy to resolve the fears of their congregations over affordable housing.

I attended the Clergy Lunch on Affordable Housing last Thursday at Covenant Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. Organized by Mecklenburg Ministries, the luncheon featured City of Charlotte officials to address the need for more affordable housing in the area. The purpose of the meeting was also to help diffuse some of the scare tactics and the misinformation about affordable housing that has been spread in Charlotte recently. Communities like Ballantyne and Ayrsley have made headlines this year in successfully keeping those housing units from being built in their neighborhoods.

Go to CrossroadsCharlotte.org, to read my coverage of the luncheon: "Clergy Lunch on Affordable Housing Sparks Conversation."

READ FULL STORY

Inspired by CharlotteONE

I thoroughly enjoyed the CharlotteONE Summer Gathering I attended last week at First United Methodist Church Uptown. CharlotteONE, a unified effort supported by dozens of local churches to reach young adults and singles, usually meets every Tuesday, but takes a break during summer, meeting just once a month.

Read about my experience at CharlotteONE (and see a slideshow) in the article I wrote for Crossroads Charlotte, "Young adults gather for worship, inspiration at CharlotteONE." And I think you'll want to attend the next event, which will be held Tuesday, August 17.

READ FULL STORY

10 Things Sarah Palin Said to Billy Graham

Sarah Palin made a stop in Montreat yesterday to have dinner with the Rev. Billy Graham and his son, Franklin Graham. Franklin invited Palin when he realized she would be in the area. She's visiting Fort Bragg in Fayetteville today during a stop on her book signing tour for Going Rogue.


An article on CharlotteObserver.com today describes the two-and-a-half hour meeting between Palin and the Grahams, which included dinner with several of Palin's family members. Numerous media outlets are reporting on the meeting, and of course the blogosphere is adding its two cents. No commentary would be complete without mentioning that Billy Graham has counseled and/or befriended every U.S. president in recent memory--President Obama called him earlier this month and the two plan to meet in the near future. So the buzz is on whether Palin's visit to the home of the 91-year-old Charlotte-born evangelist is her checking off another prerequisite toward a 2012 run for presidency.

I say nah, don't read that much into it. It made perfect sense for the two to meet yesterday, with Palin being so close by. But the reasons for meeting aside, what I would like to offer here is my (fictional) account of "Ten Things Sarah Palin Said to Billy Graham" during their meeting.

• Can I call you Billy?


• Don't worry; they said John McCain was too old also.


• No, I'm not the governor anymore.


• I'm signing books at Fort Bragg because we should support our troops.


• Are you on Facebook?


• I love it here in the lower 48.


• Also, too.


• How come it's called North Carolina when this is the South?


• What was Ronald Reagan like in person?


• Yes, I pray every night. I pray that God helps us take back our country.

READ FULL STORY

This Day In History: Jim Bakker Sentenced

On October 24, 1989, twenty years ago today, television evangelist Jim Bakker was sentenced by a judge in Charlotte to 45 years in prison for fraud and conspiracy. The sentence was later reduced to eight years; then further reduced to four years for good behavior. Before he came crashing down, Jim and then-wife Tammy Faye had built a massive spiritual network in Charlotte and Fort Mill.


Wikipedia chronicles Jim Bakker's rise and fall--in Charlotte--well. See excerpt below.

Teaming with their former youth pastors Paul and Jan Crouch, the Bakkers created the "Praise the Lord" show for the Crouches' new Trinity Broadcasting Network in California. While that relationship lasted only about a year, this time the Bakkers retained the rights to use the initials PTL and traveled east to Charlotte, North Carolina, to begin their own show, The PTL Club. Their show grew quickly until it was carried by close to a hundred stations, with average viewers numbering over twelve million, and the Bakkers had established their own network, The PTL Television Network (also known as PTL-The Inspirational Network). They attributed much of their success to decisions early on to accept all denominations and to refuse no one regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or criminal record.

By the early 1980s the Bakkers had built Heritage USA in Fort Mill, South Carolina, (south of Charlotte), then the third most successful theme park in the U.S., and a satellite system to distribute their network 24 hours a day across the country. Contributions requested from viewers were estimated to exceed $1 million a week, with proceeds to go to expanding the theme park and mission of PTL. In justifying his use of the mass media, Bakker responded to inquiries by likening his use of television to Jesus's use of the amphitheater of the time. "I believe that if Jesus were alive today he would be on TV," Bakker said.

PTL's fund raising activities between 1984–1987 underwent scrutiny by The Charlotte Observer newspaper, eventually leading to criminal charges against Jim Bakker. From 1984 to 1987, Bakker and his PTL associates sold $1,000 "lifetime memberships", which entitled buyers to a three-night stay annually at a luxury hotel at Heritage USA. According to the prosecution at Bakker's later fraud trial, tens of thousands of memberships had been sold, but only one 500-room hotel was ever completed. Bakker "sold" more "exclusive partnerships" than could be accommodated, while raising more than twice the money needed to build the actual hotel. A good deal of the money went into Heritage USA's operating expenses, and Bakker kept $3.4 million in bonuses for himself.

Bakker, who apparently made all of the financial decisions for the PTL organization, allegedly kept two sets of books to conceal the accounting irregularities. Reporters from The Charlotte Observer, led by Charles Shepard, investigated and published a series of articles regarding the PTL organization's finances.

On March 19, 1987, following the revelation of a payoff to Jessica Hahn, whom Heritage's chief builder had paid $279,000 from his own funds to keep secret her allegation that he had raped her, Bakker resigned from PTL. Bakker acknowledges he met Hahn at a hotel room in Clearwater Beach, Florida, but denies raping her. Following Bakker's resignation as PTL head, he was succeeded in late March, 1987, by Jerry Falwell. Later that summer, as donations sharply declined in the wake of Bakker's resignation and the end of the Bakkers' popular PTL Club TV show, Falwell raised $20 million to help keep the Heritage USA Theme Park solvent, including a well-publicized waterslide plunge there. Falwell called Bakker a liar, an embezzler, a sexual deviant, and "the greatest scab and cancer on the face of Christianity in 2,000 years of church history." In 1988, Falwell said that the Bakker scandal had "strengthened broadcast evangelism and made Christianity stronger, more mature and more committed."

Following a 16-month Federal grand jury probe, Bakker was indicted in 1988 on eight counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. In 1989, after a brief five week trial which began on August 28 in Charlotte, the jury found him guilty on all 24 counts, and Judge Robert Potter sentenced him to 45 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine.

READ FULL STORY

Events for the Week: Dec. 29-Jan. 4

Your best weekly list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte, including some of the many New Year’s Eve parties going on. If I learn of more events, I’ll update this post throughout the week.

Tuesday, December 30

A Peace of Jazz (weekly event)
Radio personality Jaye Delai and his wife Monica present this weekly jazz series. In celebration of the New Year, this week features The Company Band with Buff Dillard along with a buffet from La’Wan’s Soul Food Restaurant. 6-11 p.m. $10. Kiss Lounge, 204 W. Woodlawn Rd. www.jayeandmonica.com.

Wednesday, December 31

New Year’s Eve!

First Night Charlotte
The city's uptown New Year's Eve celebration that was wildly popular in the 1980s and '90s returns after a 12-year absence. Event includes activities for kids (3-7 p.m.), music, dance, a parade (7-8 p.m.), and the Countdown Finale (11 p.m.) that features the raising of the lighted Queen Charlotte crown. It's alcohol-free and fun for the whole family. 3 p.m.-12 a.m. $10 (children 12 and under free with adults). Various locations in uptown. www.firstnightcharlotte.com.

Kuumba Night Kwanzaa Celebration
Come enjoy inspirational dances from South Africa, Brasilian Samba, Capoeria, and West Africa, along with storytelling and performances by other artists. 7 p.m. Free. New Hampton Presbyterian Church, 201 Hampton Church Rd.

A Night of Sin and Debauchery
The creators of Pop Life are bringing you this event. Admission includes complimentary appetizers, a dessert bar, and a champagne toast. Presented by The Sol Kitchen. $25. Apostrophe Lounge, 1440 S. Tryon St. (South End). www.apostrophelounge.com.

Fifth Annual NYE Celebration
One of the city’s most popular New Year’s Eve parties is bigger this year as the DNG has recently renovated and expanded. There will be five bars open, along with buffets upstairs and downstairs, and a champagne toast at midnight. 9 p.m. $69. Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, 911 E. Morehead St. www.neighborhoodgrille.com.

Best of Both Worlds New Year’s Eve Extravaganza
It’s V101.9’s annual party and it’s being held at a new nightclub this year. Hosted by several of the Charlotte Bobcats and Carolina Panthers. 9 p.m. $30 in advance. Club 935, 935 South Summit Ave. www.club935.com.

New Year’s Eve Extravagance
The party at this upscale lounge features a champagne toast and cash balloon drop. Music by DJ Nova. 9 p.m. $30 in advance. Suite, at EpiCentre, 210 E. Trade St. www.suitecharlotte.com.

Everything at Hom
The three-levels—Liv, Feast, and Play—at this club will be hopping with great food and three DJs, including Fred Everything. 9 p.m.-4 a.m. $15-$75. Hom, 116 W. Fifth St. www.myhom.com.

New Year’s Eve Voyage to Monte Carlo
This promises to be a classy and well-attended affair held at a beautiful lodge. Features a complimentary buffet. Music by DJ Paradime. Presented by Inner Circle Events. 9 p.m. Cost varies. Le Chateau De Lodge of the Ballantyne Resort, 13015 Ballantyne Corporate Place. www.innercircleevents.com.

The Art of Celebration with Biz Markie
The incomparable MC and DJ will be leading this party. 10 p.m. $30-$60. Stir Nightclub, 3500 E. Independence Blvd. www.stirnc.com.

Thursday, January 1

Happy New Year!

Touch One Thursdays (weekly event)
Come and enjoy a live band and spoken word by Charlotte’s slam poets. An after-party follows. Presented by Touch One Productions. 9 p.m. $10. Wine Up, 3306 N. Davidson St. www.wine-up.com.

Friday, January 2

Friday Afterwork Rendezvous (weekly event)
Even if you have today off, you'd still enjoy going to this after-work networking event, held at a different venue each week. Enjoy live music and drink and appetizer specials. Presented by Talk of the Town Entertainment. 6-10 p.m. Free. Utopia Restaurant and Lounge, 12010 Berkeley Place Dr. www.utopianc.com.

I Am Music Tour
Starring Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, Gym Class Heroes, and Keri Hilson. 7 p.m. $39.75-$125.75. Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St. www.timewarnercablearena.com.

First Fridays
It’s the first “First Friday” of the year and the party’s happening at NoDa’s newest nightclub. 10 p.m. Cost varies. Alive, 2909 N. Davidson St. www.1stfridayscharlotte.com.

Saturday, January 3

Nelly's 2009 Kickoff Party LOCATION CHANGE!
The St. Louis rapper and entertainment mogul is celebrating in Charlotte. (Chances are you'll see him courtside at the Bobcats game earlier in the night.) 10 p.m. Cost varies. Club 935, 935 S. Summit Ave. www.club935.com.

Sunday, January 4

Sunday Seductive (weekly event)
It's a party strictly for the 30-and-older crowd. Hosted by Q92.7's Stacey Blackman. 9 p.m. Free. The Cafe Room, 1250 S. Lucky Penny Dr. www.carolina30.com.

READ FULL STORY

The Most Powerful People In Charlotte

Charlotte magazine presents "The Power 50" in its November issue, on newsstands now. The issue features a list of the 50 most powerful people in Charlotte, along with a few other interesting tidbits as to who the men and women are who run this city.


Click here to see if you (more likely your boss) made the list.

READ FULL STORY

New Movie About Billy Graham

Billy: The Early Years of Billy Graham hits theaters October 10. The movie depicts Graham's life as a teenager, through college, and his road to becoming one of the most famous religious leaders in the world. Much of the movie showcases his life in Charlotte.

Here's the trailer.



For more info, visit the movie's official website.

READ FULL STORY

Captivating Photo of Barack Obama

READ FULL STORY