CCM Magazine, Christian music's preeminent publication, is changing its definition of "Christian music" with its May 2007 issue to raise the profile of independent and general market artists of faith. "This month marks a historic step for our magazine, and, as a result, the fans and the industry we serve," said CCM Editor Jay Swartzendruber. "We're going to start mixing indie and general market Christians such as The Fray, Mary J. Blige and Sufjan Stevens in with artists with traditional Christian label affiliation. Rather than define 'Christian music' just by its label or distribution, we're now defining it as Christian worldview music. CCM Magazine has always taken its role as a leader seriously, and we believe this is the way of the future." Check out the article here.

Forty-four days without food and counting, and he thinks his mind is starting to slow. There are days he is so nauseated, he can barely move. His legs, he says, have swelled up from a problem with his kidneys. His body doesn't give off heat anymore. But his resolve -- his heart, he would say -- hasn't faltered. If need be, he says, he'll take this to the end. 55-year-old Start Loving, a former business executive known to his friends and family as Jay McGinley, lives on the sidewalk in front of the Sudanese Embassy, a month into surviving on nothing but water and the will to stir the world into stopping genocide. Bearded, sunburned and dirty from weeks on the street, he could be another homeless wretch -- except that hanging like wings off his shoulders are two giant laminated orange placards that read "Darfur Hunger Strike March 1." Read the complete article here.

According to a new Barna study, women who are raising children are among the most faith-minded and spiritually active segments of the American population. The study explored faith-related activities, commitments and perspectives, relying upon nationally representative interviews among more than 10,000 adults and nearly 2000 women who are currently parenting children under the age of 18. The study shows that more than three-quarters of moms identify "family" to be their highest priority. At the same time, a majority of mothers strongly agree that their faith is very important in their life. In contrast, fathers also tend to list family as their top priority in life, yet they are much less likely to equally attribute importance to faith. Check out the complete study here.

Natural. Pure. Essential. In our ever-changing world, simplicity is a craving. What if we could simplify our lives starting with our faith? Imagine what it would look like to have an organic relationship with God, one that is stripped of all pollutants, additives, and other distractions that can cloud this ultimate relationship. The Organic God removes the unhealthy fillers and purifies our relationship with the God of the Scriptures. A premier mainstream publishing magazine, only picks a small handful of books to review each year. Among all the reviews-religious and otherwise-only a small number receive a star. Well, they tracked down Margaret Feinberg and decided to give her one of those stars. Now it's not a tangible star like those you find on the Hollywood Star Walk of Fame or even one of those sticky gold stars you got as a kid when you did your chores or memorized a scripture, but it's still a huge nod. They wrote: "An emerging popular writer for culture-savvy evangelicals, Feinberg challenges (readers) to trade in their current relationship with God for an organic one. (Her) personality shines forth on every page, making her text a delectable treat."

"Jesus is gone. I'd like to turn [the church] into a studio for artists." According to LA Times, German churches are on the decline prompting many to convert them into artists studios, condos, etc. One filmmaker bought an ancient church for $10,000 - stripped the altar, removed the cross, carted off the steeple bell, and placed a poster beyond the vestibule. "Churches have been reinvented as restaurants, coffee houses, clubs, apartments, and music halls. Some have kept their frescoes and stained glass; others have been de-sanctified, yet their unmistakable facades and architecture leave an imprint of the holy on even the most capalist of endeavors."