Dream In Soul – Creativity for the Kingdom:

The song “Don’t Cry” from Kirk Franklin’s album “The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin” is one of my favorites that reminds of the Easter season and the victory of our Savior. Here it is accompanied by an expressive dance.

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” Matthew 28:6

Almost three months after the earthquake in Haiti the men, women and children are still in great danger and need of help. The many who survived the devastation are still without homes and in harsh conditions with pouring rains and the upcoming hurricane season.

A Home in Haiti is an organization that is raising funds to buy waterproof tents to distribute on the ground in Haiti. This project was started and is being directed by Shaun King (http://ShaunInTheCity.com) pastor of The Courageous Church in Atlanta. He has been working passionately to help those in Haiti in the months since the earthquake, sending volunteers and supplies.

Through the project they have established immediate partnerships with 3 orphanages and one very large camp (80,000+ people) to receive the first shipment of tents. A Home in Haiti ensures on the website that when they send tents to these orphanages and to the Petionville camp, they have have trusted, experienced partners that pick up our shipments directly and distribute them fairly & honestly.

Visit http://ahomeinhaiti.org to learn more about how you can help provide shelter and hope for the people in Haiti by donating funds or sending tents today. You can watch the video below to learn more about this great project.

Marvin Sapp’s latest album “Here I Am” has reached No.2 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the highest debuting Gospel release ever.*

“Here I Am”

Within the resounding success of his latest album “Here I Am,” and the breakthrough his previous project “Thirsty,” Marvin Sapp is still down-to-earth, thankful and even surprised at how his music has been embraced. Among the accomplishments he stays continually grounded in the purpose of his mission to reach the masses. As the senior pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Michigan he stands firm in his creed “I am a preacher who happens to sing,” and presents both his messages and music with powerful, life-changing Word and truth.

“Here I Am” his eighth album, recorded live last October, is filled with heartfelt encouragement and a mix of musical arrangements from more traditional gospel to the more contemporary. The project and messages within are sure to be enjoyed by a range of people, clearly shown by the album’s surge to the No.1 position on Billboard’s Gospel and Christian charts and No.2 on the Billboard 200.

Marvin Sapp chatted with Dream in Soul about the vision behind the album, and also shared some Soul Dreamer Inspiration about ministry, industry, talent and calling. Read and listen in to the conversation below:

Dream in Soul: Hi Pastor Sapp, thank you for taking the time to speak to me today. Can you talk about where you are now since your last project “Thirsty” and what inspired you to create this new project “Here I Am”?

Marvin Sapp: Well this record “Here I Am” is just a tad bit different than “Thirsty.” “Thirsty” is a little more worshipful than this record. There’s worship on it, but this one is not only worship but is also a record that really strives to encourage and enrich, and to talk about personal identity, as pertaining to personal identity in Christ.

So many times we feel as if we are inadequate and that we don’t possess any abilities and skills to be able to accomplish the goals that God has set for us to accomplish and go after. “Here I Am” just speaks to that whole concept of people really understanding that man looks at the outward appearance but it’s God who looks at the heart, and how we don’t need people to define us.

DS: Definitely, the song “Never Would Have Made It,” touched a lot of lives and had great success. Did you come into this new project with any type of expectations, fears or hopes?

MS: Without question, I had tons of fears and apprehensions. I don’t know if it was fears as much as it was just nervousness because “Never Would Have Made It” and the “Thirsty” album were huge. Never in my wildest dreams or imagination would I have thought that record would have done what it has done.

So definitely coming behind something like that you’re just shocked. So now three years later, I just finally said well I’ll never possibly be able to reach that plateau again. So there’s no need for me to try to compete with myself, as much as it is for me to put out music that ministers to my heart and hopefully it ministers to the hearts of people as well.

DS: Definitely, I know the song “The Best in Me” was very also popular when it came out. Were you surprised at how successful it is right now?

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The music is blaring, the lights are low and hundreds of young people are on the move, filling their nights – and cups – with crazy, “harmless” fun. It’s a typical night in the life of a college student… right?

Not for everyone. Stephanie Rodnez saw scenes like these when she entered college six years ago and felt a stirring in her heart when witnessing many of her friends falling away from their relationships with God. So many students who had been committed to Him gradually took their hearts back to engage in “college life”- consisting of everything from getting drunk and partying hard to being promiscuous – and anything else movies and TV deem is normal.

Nearing graduation Stephanie felt God telling her to change her career plans and use her talents to glorify Him. Despite initial hesitation she heeded the call, and her independent film company Christ Effect Entertainment was born. The company presents Christian media for young adults that encourages them to stay firm in their faith no matter what the culture and media throws at them. There are two films already in distribution and plans to expand into television, books, and even a nightclub.

Now finishing up her graduate degree in business at Nova South Eastern University in Miami, FL, Stephanie is rallying up other young people with a passion for God to battle the messages and lifestyles bombarding young adults today. With her warm, joyful personality and creative, youthful productions Stephanie draws others in to see the truth of God’s love, and she’s striving to make a mark for “Godlywood” one young audience at a time.

In Take 1 of the interview Stephanie chatted with Dream in Soul about how and why she got started with Christ Effect Entertainment, the growth of the Christian film industry, and about the work she hopes has a powerful effect for Christ in this generation:

Dream in Soul: Hi Stephanie, thanks for speaking with me today. I wanted to first ask you when did you feel the calling to make films?

SR: Ah, well it’s actually really cool. I was 14 or 15 and was in love with journalism, in love, in love, in love… I didn’t want to do anything else. I did this internship at the Sun Sentinel (a local Florida newspaper) for six weeks, and I fell even more in love with it. So I’m like alright Lord, this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life, I’m going to write stories for newspapers.

One day I’m sitting in front of my TV screen at home in the summer, and I was just flipping through the channels and I was like wow, there’s not a lot of stuff here for young adult Christians. I heard the Holy Sprit telling me – that’s what I want you to do.

I was like, I am not doing movies. I already have a job lined up at the Sun Sentinel and I don’t even like making movies that much. I was like no way, Lord if you want me to do this, you have to make me love it. So when I got back to school in the fall I started working on my own film and I fell in love with the whole process. And the rest is history (laughs)! He put me on the path, He taught me what I needed to know, and now, praise God it’s everything I’m passionate about, and I love doing it.

Watch Stephanie in action as she’s planning her upcoming movie “Youth of Christ,” in this webisode from her day-in-the-life of an indie filmmaker series:

DS: So how did it go from making the film to starting your own business? Tell me about Christ Effect Entertainment.

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KJ-52 and Group 1 Crew present The Modern Day Heroes Tour, with special guests Bread of Stone & Grace Cambell. The tour has thirty dates spanning over six weeks and covering more than fifteen states starting at the end of February. It will combine both music and Bible studies, and at each stop a local hero nominated by fans will be honored. Check out the details and promo video below and visit www.moderndayheroestour.com for tour dates and to make nominations.

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