Here\u2019s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.<\/p>\n
Biblical bonus round.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>TV’s other Bible-based hit, which airs on GSN <\/em>(Thursdays, 9:00 PM ET*), will give an $10,000 to the charity of the team voted The American Bible Challenge Fan Favorite<\/a><\/em>. The contest-within-a-contest runs through his weekend. Voting ends May 19th at midnight (PT).\u00a0 Fans can vote for their favorite team at\u00a0gsntv.com<\/a>. The limit is one vote per person, per day. (*Note: This post originally mistakenly reported the show\u00a0 as running at 8:00 PM. It actually airs Thursday’s at 9:00 PM.<\/strong> My apologies.)<\/p>\n As a reminder, here are the candidates:<\/p>\n TEAM ANOINTED INK TEAM CHRISTIAN WRESTLING FEDERATION TEAM CITY TAKERS TEAM COWBOY CRUSADERS TEAM DETROIT BELIEVERS TEAM FIRST & FAITH TEAM GIRLS OF GRACE TEAM HELLO KIDNEY TEAM HOLY ROLLERS TEAM MEN OF MOTOR CITY TEAM PREACHIN\u2019 DIVAS TEAM REDEEMED REDNECKS TEAM RED ROOTS TEAM\u00a0RIGHTEOUS <\/b>RUBIES TEAM ROCKIN\u2019 RABBIS TEAM SISTERS OF MARY TEAM\u00a0WAGNER WARRIORS TEAM WOMEN OF FAITH Comment:<\/strong> What’s great about this game is that the participants are actually living out their biblical ideals by playing for causes larger than themselves.\u00a0 Godspeed to all of them!<\/p>\n Encourage one another and build each other up \u2013 <\/em>1 Thessalonians 5:11<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Here\u2019s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture. Biblical bonus round.\u00a0TV’s other Bible-based hit, which airs on GSN (Thursdays, 9:00 PM ET*), will give an $10,000 to the charity of the team voted The American Bible Challenge Fan Favorite. The contest-within-a-contest runs through his weekend. Voting ends May 19th at midnight (PT).\u00a0…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":225,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9,1085,1591,14,17,21,31,1],"tags":[4377,4402,4358,4383,4396,4374,4371,4372,4386,4389,4380,4379,4390,4400,3300,4360,4361,4393,4388,4395,4403,4369,4364,4392,4382,4367,4366,4384,4368,4385,4399,4373,4362,4146,4365,4370,4375,4378,4381,4387,4391,4394,4397,4401,4359,4398,4376,4363],"class_list":["post-3575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catholic-church","category-christianity","category-forgiveness","category-good-works","category-gratitude","category-interfaith-dialogue","category-judaism","category-television","category-uncategorized","tag-john-kelly-clark-rodeo-instructor-scott-mendes-former-world-champion-bull-rider-jeff-copenhaver-roping-instructor","tag-a-d-willis-memorial-center","tag-american-bible-challenge","tag-benjamin-and-kirsten-watson","tag-billy-brown-pool-man-brian-matthews-truck-driver-dana-palminteri-cosmetologist","tag-christian-rappers","tag-christian-wrestling-federation","tag-city-takers","tag-cleveland-browns","tag-cynthiacindy-shaw-life-acts-director","tag-david-stephen-law-student-crystal-willis-law-school-graduate-and-eleisha-teasley-prospective-medical-student","tag-dominican-literacy-center","tag-elizabeth-samala-life-christian-center-life-acts-cfo-ezraley-samala","tag-ford-motor-company","tag-gsn","tag-gsntv-com","tag-inner-cry-ministries","tag-kelley-zeringue-christian-romance-author-rene-zeringue-youth-minister-j-r-zeringue-cheerleading-gym-owner-and-coach","tag-life-acts","tag-live-ride-christian-churchs-annual-angel-tree-toy-drive","tag-michele-brown-writer-lashawn-taylor-underwriting-assistant-jacquelyn-melton-jenkins-graphic-designer","tag-mike-watt","tag-mma","tag-national-living-donor-assistance-center","tag-one-more","tag-phillip-barron","tag-professional-wrestling","tag-reggie-hodges","tag-rob-vaughn","tag-robert-brookes","tag-ron-daniels-ordained-pastor-quality-assurance-chemist-lavell-neal-marriott-banquet-supervisor-jimmie-davis-semi-truck-driver","tag-ronnie-rolon-freight-handler-scott-free-director-of-outreach-tim-igidi-security","tag-scott-hill-tattoo-artist-leigh-ballinger-evangelist-chris-peacock-clothing-line-owner","tag-team-anointed-ink","tag-team-christian-wrestling-federation","tag-team-city-takers","tag-team-cowboy-crusaders","tag-team-detroit-believers","tag-team-first-faith","tag-team-girls-of-grace","tag-team-hello-kidney","tag-team-holy-rollers","tag-team-men-of-motor-city","tag-team-preachin-divas","tag-the-american-bible-challenge-fan-favorite","tag-trinity-deliverance-church","tag-western-harvest-ministries","tag-redemption-clothing-line"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/b>Hometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Porter, Batson, and Katy, TX
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Inner Cry Ministries, which helps rehabilitate former gang members by covering gang tattoos with uplifting substitutes
\nTeam Members:\u00a0<\/b>Scott Hill\u00a0(tattoo artist); Leigh Ballinger (evangelist); Chris Peacock (clothing line owner). \u00a0Each team member ministers outside the \u201cchurch box\u201d\u2014Scott via his Anointed Ink tattoo parlor, Chris via his \u201cRedemption\u201d clothing line and MMA involvement, and Leigh via his evangelization throughout the US, Canada and Australia.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>Hometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Royse City, Rockwall, and Lubbock, TX
\nCharity:<\/b>\u00a0 Christian Wrestling Federation, which promotes a wholesome version of professional wrestling
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Phillip Barron, Rob Vaughn, and Mike Watt (all pro wrestlers).\u00a0 Phil is the leader of this group of Christian wrestlers, all of whom have loved pro wrestling\u2014but not its increasingly sexualized image\u2014their whole lives. They believe strongly in the ministry of CWF, which is facing dire financial straits. They\u2019re playing to save the Christian Wrestling Federation.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Atlanta, GA
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>City Takers, exists to transform the urban and hip-hop culture with The Gospel of Jesus Christ through outreach and discipleship
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Ronnie Rolon (freight handler); Scott Free (director of outreach); and Tim Igidi (security). These Christian rappers spread the word of God to the hip-hop community through City Takers, the organization founded by Scott Free, formerly a mainstream hip-hop artist. Ronnie and Tim (who leads the TABC team) grew up in rough circumstances but found salvation through the Bible.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>Hometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Springtown, Weatherford, and Grandbury, TX
\nCharity:<\/b>\u00a0 Western Harvest Ministries, teaching life skills to disadvantaged youth through rodeo sports
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 (John) Kelly Clark (rodeo instructor); Scott Mendes (former World Champion bull rider); Jeff Copenhaver (roping instructor). After leaving the sport of cattle-roping, Jeff founded the first \u201ccowboy church,\u201d bringing the gospel to cowboys and rodeo athletes. He, Scott, and Jeff are playing for Scott\u2019s Western Harvest Ministries, which uses rodeo sports instruction to reach disadvantaged and at-risk youth.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Detroit, MI
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Dominican Literacy Center, which works to reduce Detroit\u2019s 47% adult illiteracy rate
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 David Stephen (law student); Crystal Willis (law school graduate); and Eleisha Teasley (prospective medical student). These smart, achieving graduate students\u2014who became friends while attending college in Atlanta\u2014want to advance a positive image of Detroit, and provide living proof that their home city produces successful, capable people.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Strongsville, OH
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>One More, founded by Benjamin and Kirsten Watson to spread the love and hope of Christ to One More soul by meeting real needs, promoting education and providing enrichment opportunities through charitable initiatives and partnerships
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Benjamin Watson (tight end); Reggie Hodges (punter); Robert Brookes (team chaplain at time of taping)\u2014all with the Cleveland Browns. These men of the NFL love football and love the Lord! Watson, a pastor\u2019s son, founded his charity to help the community and share his faith.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:<\/b>\u00a0San Diego & Chula Vista, CA
\nCharity:<\/b>\u00a0Life Acts, provides groceries & household goods to approx 6,000 people in need each month
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Cynthia”Cindy” Shaw (Life Acts director),\u00a0Elizabeth Samala (Life Christian Center & Life Acts CFO); Ezraley Samala (child support services student clerical aide). The Samala family started a full Gospel ministry to restore broken lives with simple acts of love, food, and resources. With this movement, Life Acts was birthed. Now the Samala sisters work alongside Cindy, their father, and pastors in this outreach ministry of Life Christian Center International Ministries of San Diego. \u00a0If they win, they’ll buy industrial shelving and refrigerated storage for Life Acts, allowing that ministry to touch even more lives.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Gadsden, AL
\nCharity:\u00a0<\/b>National Living Donor Assistance Center, providing financial support to individuals who volunteer to be living organ donors
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Kelley Zeringue (Christian romance author); Rene Zeringue (youth minister); J.R. Zeringue\u00a0(cheerleading gym owner and coach). This family is ready to share their testimony to raise awareness about living organ donation: Two years ago, Kelley donated a kidney to one of her husband’s employees, and today both are healthy and happy. Now she encourages everyone to \u201cshare your spare.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nHometown:<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Simi Valley and Moorpark, CA
\nCharity:<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Live Ride Christian Church\u2019s Annual Angel Tree Toy Drive, which delivers Christmas presents to children whose parents are in prison
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Billy Brown (pool man); Brian Matthews (truck driver); Dana Palminteri (cosmetologist). These three bikers, with their Bible-verse leather jackets and inspiring tats, spread the Good Word on their Harleys as part of a very unconventional ministry that reaches those who might not otherwise be exposed to God’s saving grace.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Detroit, MI
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Trinity Deliverance Church\u00a0and its outreach to drug addicts, criminals, and at-risk youth
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Ron Daniels (ordained pastor & quality assurance chemist); Lavell Neal (Marriott banquet supervisor); Jimmie Davis (semi-truck driver, Ford Motor Company).\u00a0These men are committed to seeing the Motor City overcome hardship and achieve greatness\u2014and believe that transforming Detroit into a prosperous city begins by transforming the lives of the dejected.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Oakland, Concord, and Berkeley, CA
\nCharity:<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0A.D. Willis Memorial Center – a family life center construction project for their East Oakland community
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Michele Brown (writer); LaShawn Taylor (underwriting assistant); Jacquelyn Melton-Jenkins (graphic designer).\u00a0These self-proclaimed divas love to preach and teach the word of God \u2014and to serve their East Oakland community through their church, Lily of the Valley Christian Center.\u00a0One of the outreach ministries of the church is Project Lily Love, a service that provides resources and referrals to\u00a0those infected and affected by HIV\/AIDS. Their passion is fueled by LaShawn’s story.\u00a0 Her former\u00a0husband was discovered to have been living with AIDS for more than 10 years, undiagnosed. Miraculously, LaShawn and her child were both found\u00a0HIV negative.<\/p>\n
\nHometown: \u00a0<\/b>Jackson and Covington, GA
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Burning Bush Youth and Family Intervention Center, which offers positive solutions to youth and families struggling with life-controlling issues
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Mike Redman (professor); Rachel Stubbs (band director); Jeremiah Redman (engineer). These proud rednecks, bluegrass singers, and disc golf players are also committed to community outreach\u2014providing food, resources, and services to the poor, sick, and shut-in.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Moss Point, MS
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Home of Grace, an addiction recovery program founded by their pastor\u2014and the first place the Red Roots performed
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Natalie, Nika, and Nicole Taylor (sisters and band members). These 21-year-old triplets formed the Christian-pop-country band \u201cRed Roots,\u201d named in honor of their red hair and their renewal in the blood of Christ. \u00a0These sweet Southern girls are also passionate, tough competitors!<\/p>\n
\nHometown:<\/b>\u00a0Ontario and Corona, CA
\nCharity:<\/b>\u00a0The Ruby Project, dedicated to helping physically, sexually, and emotionally abused teenage girls
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0Peace Amadi (psychology professor); Ndidi Amadi (teacher); Ogechi Nwankwo (RN). These fun-loving, high-energy, Nigerian-American\u00a0\u201csisters\u201d are passionate about The Ruby Project, which was founded by Peace and her good friend Leslie Nwoke. The Ruby Project grew out of both of their personal experiences being teased and bullied in school and their heart for empowering women and girls who\u2019ve experienced all kinds of abuse. The Ruby Project provides retreats for young women suffering the effects of abuse and trauma and\u00a0addresses\u00a0issues pertinent to them\u00a0through their YouTube channel (rubycommunity). Check them out also on Twitter (@RubyInsiders) and Facebook (rubyinsiders)!<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Newburgh, Nyack, and Roslyn Heights, NY
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>UJA Federation of New York\u2019s Hurricane Sandy Fund
\nTeam Members:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Philip Weintraub (rabbi); Jeffrey Abraham (rabbi); Eve Eichenholtz (student rabbi).These three aren\u2019t your average rabbis: They love the Bible, game shows\u2014and Jeff Foxworthy! After Philip\u2019s In-laws\u2019 home and neighborhood were nearly destroyed in Hurricane Sandy as\u00a0<\/b>well as Jeffrey\u00a0<\/b>and Eve’s respective communities, they have all been passionate about efforts to help those in need following this historic natural disaster.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Ann Arbor, MI
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. \u00a0Any winnings will be used to provide for the futures of the Sisters in the Order, and to ensure that they are provided for as they advance into retirement
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Sister Peter Joseph (novice); Sister Maria Suso (Professed Sister); Sister Evangeline (novice). These three young nuns love a challenge\u2014from soccer to Scrabble. They\u2019re very committed to religious life, and want to provide support for the Sisters in their order, especially the older Sisters, who have been sources of inspiration to them.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Owasso and Tulsa, OK
\nCharity:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Wagner Ministries, International
\nTeam Members:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Daniel Wagner (student); Joshua Wagner (student); Jesse Wagner (student). These brothers and best friends have been part of their family\u2019s international ministry their whole lives. They\u2019re also four-time Bible Quiz Bowl champions, and are determined to win on behalf of their family\u2019s mission work, bringing food, clothing and shelter to people in the poorest places on earth.<\/p>\n
\nHometown:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Grapevine, TX, Franklin, TN, and Frisco, TX
\nCharity:<\/b>\u00a0 A21 Campaign, which seeks to abolish slavery in the 21st<\/sup>\u00a0century
\nTeam Members:<\/b>\u00a0 Kari Jobe (singer); Lisa Harper (author); Sheila Walsh (author\/speaker). Kari, \u201cthe Carrie Underwood of worship music,\u201d Sheila, an author and inspirational speaker originally from rural Scotland, and Lisa, a Christian writer who specializes in reaching women outside the typical church bubble, have a passion for helping women all over the world. They are playing for A21, an anti-trafficking organization.<\/p>\n