In the continuing emphasis on “Prayer: The Heartbeat of the Church,” the theme for the month of April has been declared to be intercession. The initiative will begin in earnest at the next Great Day of Prayer, scheduled around the world in the Church of God for this coming Sunday, April 5, 2009.

Using modern language and phraseology, author, Bill Stahl, retells the ancient stories of the Bible in his own words in The Bible’s Story of Salvation (published by iUniverse). He incorporates the contributions of Bible scholars, historic, archaeological, and pertinent scientific data to “make the stories more understandable and to make them come alive, particularly the people of the stories,” says Stahl, “They were real people with real lives, having many of the same goals and ambitions, concerns and fears we have today.”

By Beth Moore

The privilege of prayer is the flagship proof that God created man to participate in His kingdom agenda and not just dangle from His fingers like a puppet. That a sovereign God welcomes mere human beings to touch His heart and affect His work is nothing less than stunning. A fresh read of Abraham’s intercession for Sodom in Genesis 18 ought to leave us reeling with the privilege and responsibility of divine access.

A Florida bill introduced to “prepare, strengthen and restore” healthy marriages has become a flashpoint of controversy for proposing to raise the cost of obtaining marriage licenses in the state.

Church of God Army Chaplain (CPT) Jeff Roberson and his wife, Amanda, were both recognized at the recent Saint Barbara’s Ball for the United States Army’s 1/320th Field Artillery unit at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

May people seek a closer relationship with God, but are unsure how to achieve that goal. ONE (published by iUniverse) by Jasper Watson, invites Christians and those seeking the Divine to discover oneness with God through exploring a deeper and more meaningful relationship.

Gospel Music Channel television network premiered a new original series bringing fans up close and personal with their favorite artists, who in turn bring the fans closer by revealing insights and stories about themselves and their music in Revealed. The series premiere will feature GRAMMY and AMA award winning group Third Day; Third Day: Revealed premiered on Sat, March 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Christian Archives provides churches with an optimum – and free – resource to store and archive their video, audio and document files, plus much more. Members can access and download the files 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

The Church of God Hispanic Youth and Children’s Leaders Association will hold its annual training conference for youth and Christian education leaders this week in Orlando, Florida.