As a Christian, the most significant day of the year is Easter, the day that Christians all over the world celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ! And I’m always excited about new ways to celebrate Easter. That’s why I’m pleased to offer free tickets to the musical feature film EASTER MYSTERIES, which comes to select cinemas nationwide for a special one-night event on Tuesday, March 22!
Presented by Fathom Events and SimonSays Entertainment, EASTER MYSTERIES, the first Passion Play ever told from Peter’s perspective, is making history with its brand new portrayal of the touchstone story, and offers a fresh perspective of iconic biblical characters that will inspire and enlighten. Using the universal themes of death and Resurrection and love vs. betrayal, the passion play moves through Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, the Last Supper, his arrest, Peter’s struggle with faith, and Jesus’ death, followed by the sightings of Jesus after his burial, Peter’s reconciliation of faith, and Jesus’ reappearance and Ascension.
Directed by Daniel Goldstein (2011 Broadway revival of Godspell), this unique portrayal of iconic biblical characters by an interracial cast offers an innovative and effective reimagining of the Easter story for modern audiences. The cast includes Wallace Smith (Les Miserables, Rocky, Godspell) as Jesus, Tony Award nominee Phillip Boykin (Porgy and Bess, On the Town) as Caiaphas, Erin Davie (Side Show, Grey Gardens, Drood) as Mary, Kevin Early (A Tale of Two Cities, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as Peter, and Stephen Lee Anderson (Spiderman, Wicked, Fiddler on the Roof) as Herod. Aside from the classic biblical story, the show emphasizes faith in one’s own abilities and the power to overcome personal struggles.
The music, libretto and lyrics are by John O’Boyle, a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, and the motion picture is directed by Danny Goldstein (Godspell, Tamar of The River) with musical arrangements and music direction by Milton Granger (Mary Poppins).
“Entering into the mystery of the Passion is something millions of people try to do every Easter season,” explains O’Boyle. “Participating in that mystery with a fresh and compelling angle of vision—and in a cinematic setting—seems a worthy goal.”
Below is the trailer –
Audiences will also be treated to an exclusive interfaith panel with prominent Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders, as they lead a discussion about the current state of interfaith relations and topics evoked by this profound production.
Panelists include:
· Sister Sanaa Nadim, Muslim Student Association Chaplain, State University of New York at Stonybrook
· Evangelist Joyce L. Rodgers, Founder and CEO of Primary Purpose Ministries, Inc.
· The Most Reverend John J. O’Hara, Auxiliary Bishop of New York; Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Vice President, New York Board of Rabbis and co-host of “Religion on the Line” on WABC radio in NY
· Tony Suarez, Executive Vice President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
· Fr. Brian McWeeney, Director of Interreligious and Ecumenical Affairs, Archdiocese of New York.
EASTER MYSTERIES will be screened in select cities across the U.S., and tickets can be purchased by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices.
I’m giving away THREE free tickets to EASTER MYSTERIES!!! To win a free ticket, subscribe to this blog by clicking HERE! The contest ends on Tuesday, March 15!
I’m always looking for fresh ways to read the Bible, the ultimate wellspring of inspiration and comfort, and I’ve found a new one through Bible Gateway, which is already my favorite online Bible resource! Do you want to read Scripture without distracting banner ads? Do you want an expanded digital Bible study library?
Bible Gateway Plus is a new subscription program that allows members—for a nominal monthly fee following a 30-day free trial—to read, search, and study the Bible with no distractions from banner advertisements. Subscribers also have 24/7 online access from any Web-friendly computer or device to Bible Gateway’s valuable library of bestselling and critically-acclaimed digital Bible study resources that complement the study of any Bible translation.
“We’re excited to launch Bible Gateway Plus as an additional way you can personalize your experience with Bible Gateway, deepen your understanding of Scripture, and support Bible Gateway’s global mission of equipping people to read and understand the Bible wherever they are,” says Rachel Barach, Bible Gateway general manager. “We’re inviting you to try Bible Gateway Plus for the first time by offering a 30-day free trialso you can easily see for yourself how this will enrich your ongoing spiritual development. And at only $3.99 per month following the free trial, we know Bible Gateway Plus will be an easy choice for you to invest in your spiritual growth and biblical understanding.”
Included in the membership subscription are some of the most popular study Bibles in the world, such as:
NIV Study Bible Notes: More than 20,000 study notes from the world’s most popular study Bible, written by the best evangelical scholars and covering archaeology, character insights, personal application, and more.
NIV Once-a-Day Easter Readings: Especially appropriate during Lent, this book features 40 daily readings with NIV Scripture passages, meditations, and prayer prompts examining the Passion narratives in the Gospels. Achieve a greater understanding of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus during this glorious season of the year.
King James Study Bible Notes: A comprehensive collection of digital notes and study material by respected scholars, from archaeology notes to personality profiles to doctrinal annotations.
How to Read the Bible Book by Book: Reading the Bible doesn’t have to be a haphazard journey through strange and bewildering territory. Like an experienced tour guide, this digital resource takes you by the hand and walks you through the Scriptures.
NKJV MacArthur Study Bible Notes: The perfect companion to serious online Bible study, drawing on decades of pastoral and scholarly work by respected scholar Dr. John MacArthur.
NIV Quest Study Bible Notes: Top scholars offer insightful answers to more than 7,000 common questions, clarifying the Bible’s most puzzling and challenging passages.
Case for Christianity Answer Book: Posing the most-asked questions about Christianity, investigative journalist and former atheist Lee Strobel digs deep into Scripture to offer compelling answers. A handy reference of devotional reading that will help you defend your faith! (I’ve heard Lee Strobel speak about how he became a Christian in person, and as a fellow journalist, I was truly inspired!)
Other works accessible with Bible Gateway Plus include but are not limited to:
Case for Christ Study Bible Notes
Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes (NASB and NKJV) (He’s my favorite pastor next to my father!)
Couples’ Devotional Bible (NIV) Notes
Dad’s Devotional Bible
Fulfilled: The Bible for Single Women (Notes Only)
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (New Testament)
All the Bible resources that have been freely available on Bible Gateway will always remain so. But Bible Gateway Plus provides a way to greatly expand the study and devotional resources available to me and you. And by removing banner ads, it diminishes distractions to our Scripture reading and study.
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I’m back for my second recap of Mary Mary’s reality show and this episode had more drama than last week’s episode…I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but let me not get ahead of myself…
Last week’s episode ended with Erica deciding to go back to Mary Mary after Tina begged her sister to reunite the gospel duo although Erica’s husband Warryn was hot about her decision…
Meet Tina Campbell, Mary Mary’s manager?
This week’s episode starts in Norfolk, Virginia as the Marys are slated to perform at the Richmond Jazz Festival…As Erica feared in last week’s episode, Tina is already late in getting ready for their performance although Tina claims she has changed since she went through hell and back last year and survived…Despite Tina being late, though, the duo performs their hits such as “Heaven” and “Shackles (Praise You)” without any issues. “The hiatus is over, and the Marys are back,” Tina says to camera after their performance.
In the next scene, Tina is back at home in L.A. with her daughter Laiah who is showing her mother her cheer. A little stiff in her movements, Tina says, “I want you to cheer like you’re from where Mommy is from not the suburbs.” (This is would be a good scene for “Black-ish.”) While her daughter is trying to “put something on it” as Tina suggests, a booking agent calls to ask Tina (because she is supposed to be managing the group, right?) about booking a performance at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York, but she blows him off to put her family time first. Since Tina didn’t respond to him, he calls Erica who manages to converse with him and agrees to the performance although her son is drumming in the background like he is on stage and she is cooking with her daughter in the kitchen. When Warryn finds out that Erica scheduled Mary Mary to perform at B.B. King, he blows up. “You have no idea of the implications of what you just did.” Apparently, he spent $40,000 on promotion in that market so that Erica would be able to perform there and other venues in NYC and now that lucrative opportunity will be split among two instead of given to one…Erica wonders why she is the one planning dates for Mary Mary when Tina is the manager…
Sister to Sister Drama…
Mary Mary head to NYC for their performance and while they are there, they are scheduled to be interviewed by Jamie Foster Brown, publisher of Sister 2 Sister magazine which is a mashup of People magazine/TMZ for the black community. But before she arrives at their hotel room, Goo and Erica are tripping because it was reported on the magazine’s website that Teddy, Tina’s husband, may have fathered a child when he was out and about and Tina doesn’t know about the rumor…They tell Tina what was reported before Jamie arrives, but Tina doesn’t back away from Jamie when Jamie straight ups asks her about the rumor…She said it was false information and says, “That’s why I told my truth in the beginning.” Erica is cringing throughout the whole interview because Tina held back nothing… “Tell some, save some, sister” Erica says to the camera…I agree with Tina’s approach…Say it before somebody else says it..
A video posted by rhachellenicol (@rhachellenicol) on
You would think that shutting down an outside child rumor would be enough marriage drama for one episode since Tina and Teddy have put the past behind them, but Tina wants to share her testimony again and tell even more than she did the first time…This time Tina gets interviewed by Shaila Scott of 107.5 WBLS in New York…Wearing a t-shirt that states ” I Show My Scars So That Others Know They Can Heal,” designed by one of my blogger boos Rhachelle Nicol, Tina shares again how her husband had a “lot of affairs over a lot of years.” She shares how sometimes she would be under the covers screaming her sister’s song “Help” and how she felt like killing somebody. But she wraps it up by saying her life is completely better a year later and that she is no longer “trapped in a prison of brokeness.”
The Shark Tank…
Also while in NYC, Tina meets with Daymond John, CEO of FUBU and one of the sharks on ABC’s show “The Shark Tank.” He is helping Tina define her brand. When he asks her to define her brand in a few words, she states, “A test that became a testimony.” Ehhh….I’m not a branding expert, but that phrase has been used by so many Christians I don’t know if that phrase is unique enough to set her apart. But Daymond loves it and pledges to help her brand take off…So what I do know?
Remember Erica Campbell, the solo artist?
Seeing that Mary Mary ‘s show at B.B. King’s was sold out, Erica is feeling some type of way about sharing the spotlight with her sister at the venue. She pledges to show out and not waste her husband’s money since she plans to perform as a solo artist at Shiloh Baptist Church in Harlem…The only problem is that she’s tired after performing as Mary Mary…In fact, she’s so tired she is unable to make the sound check before the performance…When Tina comes to Erica’s room to check on her, she criticizes her sister for saying yes to everything and suggests that she manage her sister…Erra, Tina, you were the one that got your sister to come back to Mary Mary and add more to her schedule…Erica obviously agrees with me because she says to the camera, “You want to manage Erica Campbell, but you can’t manage Mary, Mary.”
Although the show starts off well with Erica singing “A Little More Jesus,” Erica needed a lot more Jesus because she almost fell out on stage. In fact, Tina, who was just chilling in the audience in a baseball cap, t-shirt and jeans, had to get on stage while her sister was resting backstage. And wouldn’t you know it? Before Tina starts singing, she shares her testimony yet again. She says, “It was the most challenging time of my life” and that she was mad at God. Meanwhile backstage, Erica is getting mad at her sister for sharing her testimony yet again…Will Mary Mary stay reunited? You know what to do…Watch next week and read my recap…
I Luh God and other Mary Mary news…
I don’t know if Mary Mary will stay reunited by the end of this season’s Mary Mary, but we do know that Erica Campbell is still on her solo grind…Earlier this week, Erica released her new single “I Luh God” on her reissued album “Help 2.0.”…I had to pause and gather my thoughts about this new song…Do I want to bless it or bash it? First of all, “luh” is love in Ebonics I guess…And folks are calling the song trap gospel…I thought folks listened to gospel so they could get out of the trap — not jam in the trap…
The song starts off with “I luh God, You don’t luh God, What’s Wrong Wit U?” Just typing that made my brain hurt…It don’t seem right to go from “How Great Thou Art” to “I Luh God.” The thing is Mary Mary is known for making gospel songs bump…Erebody loves “Shackles (Praise You)” and “God In Me.” They’ve got catchy beats and they are appropriately “crunk for Christ.” But this song right here confounds me almost as much as Beyoncé did when she sang “Precious Lord” at the GRAMMYs. After Erica’s initial verse, some rapper comes in sounding like a male version of Baby D of JJ Fad (remember summa lumma dumma or whatever Baby D said…) speaking in tongues…I think he says, “I lub Him, I lub Him, I lub Him” faster and faster before he stops…
Plus, I always find myself in a conundrum when I hear gospel songs that have “wordly” beats…What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to sing along?… I guess that could work but gospel songs that are too crossover end up sounding corny to me and I can’t participate…And please don’t ask me to dance…When I hear certain beats, I involuntarily arch my back to drop it low…(Hey, no one starts off saved…) but you can’t drop it low to a song about God…Even Erica looks confused while she is singing the song… She wants to dance, but how far can she go…So she settles for doing a half Bankhead Bounce…
I’m still a Mary Mary/Erica & Tina fan, but this ain’t the song that will take me to the altar or turn me up in the club…
On the other hand, I loved her song “Help” and apparently her solo album won her the Artist of the Year Award at the Stellar Awards. And she won other awards as well. The Stellar Awards will be televised on Easter Sunday. Check your local listings and the TheStellarAwards.com for air times.
Hello World,
