Local

Pastor and First Lady of Praise Tabernacle

CHINO, CA- Praise Tabernacle Bible Church will be presenting “Usher in God’s Glory to the Inland Empire” (Isaiah 40:4-5) concert with special guest “One Voice” featuring Donald Taylor of Faithful Bible Church Choir. The concert will be held on Sunday, May 18 at 6 p.m. at 4550 Eucalyptus Avenue in Chino (91710). For more information visit, www.praisetab.org.

LOS ANGELES, CA- The world famous Harlem Globetrotters are bringing their widely popular Summer Clinics, in partnership with fitness club industry leader 24 Hour Fitness, to the Los Angeles area for more fun on the court with the only clinics coached by Globetrotters stars.The Globetrotters will conduct 471 Summer Clinics in 19 markets across the U.S., including clinics on the following dates at area 24 Hour Fitness locations:24 Hour Fitness Hollywood Sport, 6380 West Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028 on July 5-8;  24 Hour Fitness Carson Sport, 945 E. Dominguez St., Carson, CA 90746 on July 10-13; 24 Hour Fitness Northridge Super Sport, 19350 Nordhoff Street Unit D, Northridge, CA 91324 on July 15-18; 24 Hour Fitness Arcadia Sport, 125 North First Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006 on July 19-22; and 24 Hour Fitness Orange Super Sport, 2102 N Tustin Ave., Orange, CA 92865 on July 24-29.

Each day consists of three separate, two-hour sessions from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.At the Harlem Globetrotters Summer Clinics, kids will spend two fun-filled hours with their friends being coached by Globetrotters stars; learn more than just the fundamentals, as the Globetrotters emphasize how to be a good teammate on and off the court; find out just how much fun basketball can be for kids of all skill levels; leave with an official clinic certificate, personalized nickname and ticket voucher to the Globetrotters’ 2015 North American Tour (valued up to $40); and have a photograph and autograph session at the end of the clinic.

Clinics are open to boys and girls of all skill levels, ages 6 to 12. The registration price is $69 per two-hour session, but those who register by March 17, 2014, will save $15 per registration. For more information, and to find the clinic nearest you, visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com/clincs.

LOS ANGELES, CA- Join the California African American Museum (CAAM) in celebrating Literacy Day at CAAM Heads are Turning, Children are Learning on Saturday, May 17 from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Co-hosted by actor Donis Leonard Jr. from Showtime’s House of Lies, CAAM promotes literacy through fun and entertaining events.

Literacy Day at CAAM will include celebrity readers, local authors and art and writing workshops. Participating celebrities who will read to children on CAAM’s main stage include actor Deidrie Henry from Beautiful Boy, actress Karen Malina White from The Cosby Show, and actress Jackeé Harry from 227. In addition, local authors will read to children in the CAAM galleries. Other activities include live performances, art workshops and face painting. Eso Won Books, an independent Black-owned bookstore, will be on site selling the books included in the program, where guests can purchase a special book gift for their friends and family.

Adults have not been left out in this day of literacy, as the Los Angeles Public Library will host a table providing library information and adult literacy. Guests are also encouraged to stop by the CAAM galleries and take advantage of the free exhibitions, which open at 11 a.m.

CAAM is located at 600 State Drive in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, CA 90037. ADMISSION IS ALWAYS FREE! Accessible parking for all of Exposition Park is located at 39^th & Figueroa for $10 per vehicle. For more information on CAAM call (213) 744-7432 or visit www.caamuseum.org.

Harris is a candidate for San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner.

Harris is a candidate for San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner. The campaign is from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Idle Spurs Steakhouse, 690 Old Highway 58 in Barstow (92311).

Katt Williams

He’s been gone for a minute, but now he’s officially back in action. Acclaimed comedian, Katt Williams, made a comeback at the Los Angeles Forum this past New Years Eve. Now he is making his way to the Inland Empire and will be making people fall out of their seats in laughter on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 8 p.m. at the Citizens Bank Arena. Doors open at 7 p.m, and parking is included in ticket fees. Tickets range from $29 to $109. A group of four is $100 plus fees. This is a show you don’t want to miss! So get your tickets while you still can. Visit  www.cbbankarena.com/events/detail/katt-williams to purchase your tickets today!

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Emmanuel United Methodist Church will host a FREE HEALTH FAIR on Saturday, May 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 3310 North “G” Street in San Bernardino. Join in for free health screenings, giveaways, and activities to get you moving like line dancing, Zumba, and hula hoop contests! For  more information call (909) 882-0011 or email sbeumc@verizon.net.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

“Why don’t you practice what you preach?” Have you ever said those words? Maybe someone has said them to you. Hypocrites are people who pretend to be something they are not. They may say one thing and then do the opposite. They may act one way in a certain setting and then act another way in a different setting. It is very important that as Christians, we follow the example of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter where we are or who we are with. The words we speak and the things we do should always reflect our faith. Sometimes we are good at telling other people what they should do and how they should live, but we fail to follow our own instructions. We need to, as the saying goes, “walk the walk, not just talk the talk.”

Listen carefully to Jesus’ feelings that are boiling and roiling against the Pharisees in Matthew 23. “They preach but they do not practice.  They lay burdens on others shoulders but they do not lift a finger to help.  They do all their deeds to be seen by men.  They love the places of honor at feasts and greetings in the market places and being called rabbi.”

Then the gospel text switches from “they” to “you.” (Note that in both English and Greek, there is emphasis on the “you” in each of these statements.) Talk about being in your face. Talk about calling a spade a spade. Talk about boiling and roiling. A person can hear the “you” that drip with sarcastic indictment.  “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees for you shut the kingdom of heaven. You do not enter the kingdom and you prevent others from entering it. Woe to you Pharisees, you blind guides, you blind men.  Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you tithe on the trivia but you neglect the weightier issues of law, justice, mercy and faith. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for outwardly you appear beautiful but inwardly you are full of dead men’s bones.  You are the sons of those who have murdered the prophets. You serpents and brood of vipers how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?” 

If anyone was a religious fake, it was the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. They pretended to be genuinely religious but it was all a sham, a charade. It was a deceit, a deception. Like any good actor, they were all “make believe.” Jesus was deeply offended by the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a bunch of phonies who did not do what they preached. So it is with many people of faith: on the outside and the showy parts of their lives, they give a good performance of being a Christian, but it is all “a front.” Inside, their hearts are far from the love of God/Jesus and neighbor.  They talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk.

Why is it important to practice what we preach? The most basic reason is the integrity of our faith; we are the body of Christ for the world. We are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People should be attracted by the light of the way we live and the words we speak. Whether we like it or not, people are watching us and seeing how we respond to the ups and downs of everyday life. Children watch adults and then imitate what they see and repeat what they hear. Are our words and actions something we want repeated by our children? Our friends, neighbors, coworkers, family members, and classmates are watching us. What evidence do we offer of our profession of faith? Are our responses any different from those of persons who don’t profess to know Christ? Not only are nonbelievers watching us, but so are other Christians. Do our words and actions encourage and build up other Christians?

How do we practice what we preach? One way is to be careful about the words we speak. You can tell a lot about a person by the words they use. You can tell even more by the words they use when they are distressed, angry, or threatened. James tells us the tongue is very dangerous. It can set a great forest ablaze. We can tame all kinds of animals, but we cannot tame the tongue (James 3:3-6). People are listening to the words we speak. Do our words build people up or cut them down? Do our words bring peace and calm to a situation or do they add fuel to the fire? The words we speak should match the person we claim to be. If we profess that we are followers of Christ, then our words should be a reflection of that relationship.

We practice what we preach when we live our lives as reflections of the life of Christ. The way we act at work should be the same way we act at home, at church, around other Christians, in the supermarket, or waiting for a bus. When people see us, they should see a reflection of Christ. Can I tell you that, Jesus is pulling the masks off the hypocrites.  It is His job!   {Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, that thou mightiest be justified in thy sayings, and mightiest overcome when thou art judged.} And can I just add that if you are sincere in your walk with Jesus, don’t let hypocrites keep you from being the real thing.

As Christians, all glory, honor, and praise belong to Christ. We must check ourselves because pride sneaks up when we least expect it to wag its ugly head in our lives. We are but His servants sent into the world as salt and light, and as ambassadors of His kingdom. May He find us to be faithful, humble servants.   Greatness is not found in being served, but in serving others. Walk the talk!

LOS ANGELES, CA- On Saturday, May 17, Inside Out Community Arts, a local non-profit, will be presenting ‘What’s On Our Minds, Spring 2014’, a showcase of six original plays written and performed by students from three middle schools, which consist of John Adams (LAUSD, South LA), Washington Irving (LAUSD, Glassell Park), and Whaley (CUSD, Compton). The performance is performed twice a year and is free to the public at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre located at 244 S. San Pedro Street in Los Angeles (90012). The show starts at 7 p.m., and suggested parking is locates at Joe’s at 350 East 2^nd Street (Los Angeles. 90012) for $5. To RSVP please contact RSVP@insideoutca.org.

The student plays will explore topics that include: Hypocrisy, Friendship, Popularity, Romance, Gangs and Finding Support to Make Your Dreams Come True.In a recent interview with an Inside Out student from Whaley Middle School in Compton, a student explained why he and his peers invested in writing a play on the topic of gangs, “There are a lot of issues with gangs, not just here but all over the United States.  There are drive-bys, gangs doing drugs and influencing kids to join them.”When asked what he would like to see change he responded, “No gangs.  Nothing of violence that would make us feel unsafe when we’re walking from home to school.”

Makayla Johnson

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES- Logistics Specialist Seaman Makayla Johnson, from San Bernardino, CA, heaves a mooring line aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) as the ship departs from Abu Dhabi following a scheduled port visit.  Arleigh Burke is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Carlos M. Vazquez II/Released).

How’s it going Inland Empire! This week I would like to feature one of the most talented groups in the Inland Empire, Hip Hop artist Speaker Junkiez. Are you looking for a Turn UP group?  Then look no further. Allow me to introduce “Speaker Junkiez”, one of the BEST Hip-Hop groups in the Inland Empire. From their colorful and unique style, to their catchy lyrics, original beats, and dance moves, they’re always GUARANTEED to get the crowd up on their feet!

With the God given talent of vocals and lyrics they’ve been blessed with, Barbra Martin, also known as Dada Doe, and Nash Collins the III, also known as Big Chew, they became one forming the group known as, “Speaker Junkiez ”. Under management by LUE Productions, the group has been performing all over Southern California.

Both Dada Doe and Big Chew were born in San Bernardino California, where they found their love of music at a young age. Growing up in the streets of San Bernardino with little promise for the future both turned to the ARTS as a way to express their inner self. Holding each other down through good and bad times while making the best out of the worst situation, these two were still able to produce quality music.

The group just released their first video ever for their song “Let’s Party”. Come out and watch them perform it live for LUE Productions/Family First Entertainment Annual Urban Hip-Hop and R&B Fashion Show this Sunday located at 114 S. Arrowhead Avenue in San Bernardino (92408) from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. You can view it on YouTube as well. They are also currently working on their EP and building their fan base, and are looking forward to touring and performing all over the world. With God by their side, this group is truly on the RISE!