Catching Up

Well, the end of summer means lots of projects. August ended with the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency which continues to make headlines even after the political conventions. It seems that it still resonates with people as a better example of how to have political dialogue. If you have not heard it (or want to listen again) you can go to USAvoter.com to hear our broadcast. Our followup interview with Rick Warren the following Monday can be heard at www.aproundtable.org.

Also in August, we recorded a radio special for Far East Broadcasting Company with Gregg Harris (more about this later when it is released). What a great experience to meet and spend some time with Gregg, an excellent, young leader of a 60 year old organization that has a bright ministry future.

Okay, now it's September. After recording with the team at THE PUBLIC SQUARE last Tuesday, I headed to Nashville in order to attend the TOKENS SHOW-- a creative and unique live stage presentation at Lipscomb University. Jeff Taylor is the band leader and has been after me to come down for one of their shows. I loved taking it in and hearing Buddy Greene, Derek Webb (a young, old friend from Second Baptist in Houston) and Odessa Settles all sing that night. We're inviting Odessa to join us in our next session IN THE STUDIO with Michael Card.

Next week, I will be hosting and interviewing a pastor from Ethiopia who has experienced first-hand the hunger crisis as well as extreme persecution. David Hunt and Envoy Ministries is bringing this Ethiopian pastor and friend the States for us to have the chance to record some interviews.

The rest of September includes recording sessions for HEARTLIGHT RADIO and WALK IN THE WORD as well as a live broadcast movie premier in Los Angeles of FIREPROOF, which we are very excited about. On the last Friday of September, it's the annual MAKING A DIFFERENCE Banquet in Cleveland which goes hand in hand with THE PUBLIC SQUARE.

Then, a deep breath and October-- starting with the premier of BILLY: THE EARLY YEARS! I've posted a 4-part interview about the movie which ran on Moody Radio's PRIME TIME AMERICA this week-- it's on the front page of my website, www.wayneshepherd.net.

Thanks for your prayers.

EXCELLENCE AS PROTEST

I've just returned from our latest recording session in Franklin, TN with Mike Card for our radio program IN THE STUDIO. Each session is amazing in new ways as Mike, Joe Carlson, and I watch God work through the guests and music.

One of the first things you'll notice when you walk into The Mole End Studio, is something painted prominently on the wall. The attached video will explain it as Mike talks with Ralph Borde of Charasia. Ralph spent the day with us and you'll hear those interviews on upcoming IN THE STUDIO programs.

Pray for Michael

Soon after spending time at the bedside of one of his dearest friends yesterday Mike Card learned that Denny Denson passed away. Then, just hours later, Mike's mother died. It appears that both funerals will be on the same day, Friday. Please pray for Mike as well as the families and many friends of these loved ones.

Good Bye For Now

Mike Card called today with the sad news that our friend Denny Denson passed away. Those of you who listen to IN THE STUDIO with Michael Card probably feel as though you knew Denny, too, because he was one of our most frequent guests. As the pastor of a small church in Franklin, TN, Denny met Scott Roley, another pastor from the other side of town. They didn't like each other at all to begin with, but God reconciled those two men and they, in turn, were used of God to reconcile many others from different racial backgrounds. It culminated in the Empty Hands Fellowship (nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling) which is an amazing group of men in Franklin who are learning to love each other and love the community they live in. As much as we have tried to tell the story of the Empty Hands Fellowship on radio, it is still one of the greatest on-going and untold stories of God at work in America that I know of. I know Mike Card and Scott Roley, and many other men are deeply grieving the death of Denny tonight. But Denny would be the first one to remind us that the good bye is only temporary.

Michael Card DVD

After talking about it several times on "In The Studio With Michael Card", I finally got a chance to see today's "Day of Discovery" TV program featuring Mike in Ephesus, teaching the book of John. It's as good as I thought it would be and I ordered the 4-part DVD myself today. Here's the DVD description from the "Day of Discovery" website:

"You might be familiar with the New Testament book of Ephesians, and you've probably heard of Jesus' beloved disciple John, but did you know that John spent almost half of his life in Ephesus? Now you can take a fascinating trip with author and teacher Michael Card to Ephesus and see some of the most stunning archeological sites in the modern world. See the places that would have been so familiar to John and discover what it would have been like to be a first-century follower of Christ sitting at John's feet, eagerly listening as he recounted stories that no one else could tell them. Your DVD or VHS will include all four parts of this series. Approximate running time-110 minutes."

If you would like to have the DVD, "Wisdom From Ephesus", you can order it for a gift of any size to RBC Ministries. However, if you call 1-800-613-5162 and order it from the "In The Studio" radio program (which is part of RBC Ministries), it will help boost the program's response-- something we all appreciate very much.

God At Work In India

When you do audio interviews, many times you never get to meet the person you are talking to face-to-face. Sometimes they are on the phone or on an ISDN studio line. However, yesterday, Ralph Borde came to my office so we could finally meet. Ralph has been a guest on "In The Studio With Michael Card" several times. He is a very gifted young man whom God has called to the ministry of church planting, orphan care, child development, and micro enterprise develpment in India. He gave up a good and promising career at Motorola in order to be obedient to the call.

Ralph has founded Charasia which late last December opened their second orphanage, Faith Children's Home. The amazing thing is that this home is specifically designed to rescue children directly out of the Red Light District. He told me yesterday that even girls as young as 3 are targeted and held in bondage for the purpose of sexual slavery.

To hear our latest interview with Ralph and Michael Card, go here and click on program #309, dated 03/01/08.

How can you not admire people like Ralph who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose?

New Hymns CD from Michael Card

I'm really happy to spread the word about Mike Card's newest CD entitled HYMNS. I've yet to hear all of it in one setting, but I can't wait. Both Mike and Jeff Taylor, who is one of the other musical contributors on this CD, have told me about it and I've heard a few rough mixes (with its decidedly Irish sounds) over the last few months while hanging out at The Mole End Studio. You can order the CD here, and it should be shipping in a few days.

I'll be heading down to Franklin,TN to be in the studio the week following Easter for our next recording session of the radio program IN THE STUDIO with Michael Card. I really look forward to these sessions as we all get to hang out together in a studio filled with friends and guests. Oh yeah, we also get some work done on radio programs :) Thanks to RBC Ministries for their support of such a unique radio program! Why not subscribe to the IN THE STUDIO podcast at iTunes and join us when it's convenient for you?