This spring, renowned songwriter The Reverend Stefanie R. Minatee {"Rev. Stef") and Jubilation launched their dynamic "The Launch Out Project," featuring Nancy Jackson-Johnson, Wycliffe Gordon, Tamba Giles, Ouida W. Harding, Pastor Lester W. Taylor, Jr., Ken Matsuo, Elliot Carter, Harold Dudley, Michele Weldon, and more… The 16-track CD features outstanding production, masterful vocals, and lyrics penned by Gospel music composers as Darius Brooks, Mattie Moss Clark, James Cleveland, Curtis Mayfield, Bernard Belle, Ernest Jackson, Rev. Stefanie R. Minatee, Ouida W. Harding, and Ron Rucker. We were planning an interview segment with Rev. Stef for this issue, but, unfortunately, time didn't permit, and we apologize to her for the oversight. Their first single, "Lead Me To The Rock," is featured in our Essentials '08 Mix, and look for our interview with Rev. Stef coming soon.

To virtually no one's surprise, Senator Barack Obama chose Delaware Senator Joseph Biden as his presidential running mate over a short list that reportedly did not have the biggest name in Democratic politics--Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton--on it. Also to virtually no one's surprise, Senator John McCain's campaign immediately released a negative campaign ad attacking Obama's choice. Actually, it would not have matter who Obama chose, I'm sure McCain had several negative spots ready to go. is Senator Obama has begun returning petty, stupid ads for petty, stupid ad, which causes him to give up the high ground. I frankly don't care to see any negative ads--Democratic or Republican. There's too much at stake, to much suffering going on in the world, for the contest to boil down to how many homes John McCain has. A question McCain himself could not answer, thus giving Obama an opening to attack McCain where it really hurts: McCain's $100M wealth. The fact is, the houses in question do not belong to Senator McCain. They belong to a trust his wife inherited. And some of the properties have more than one house on them. I understood, right away, what the senator meant when he said a staffer would follow up: technically, many if not most of those houses do not belong to him. It's possible John McCain does not own any house at all. Still, it was a ripe opportunity for Obama to attack and, sadly, to talk down to us, instead of saying what I just said and virtually owning the high ground, Obama cashed it in for a quick jab at McCain--a jab he himself needn't have made since the news media is having a field day with it, doing all the heavy lifting for him. Every time Obama returns cheap shot for cheap shot, he drains a little credibility away from his claim of being a change candidate. every time the Obama campaign adopts the cheap, low-road tactics of his adversary, expends serious capital, capital he cannot afford to waste.

Christian missionaries are placing themselves at great risk to evangelize China during the Olympic games. 115 people from 12 countries gathered in Thailand for orientation before scattering throughout China, from Tibet through the far northeast. Two groups worked in Beijing. Other larger efforts were carried out by the U.S.-based Southern Baptist Convention and the international ministry Youth With A Mission, Christian groups told The Associated Press. Neither ministry could say how many people were sent in. China is one of the most dangerous places in the world to evangelize for Jesus Christ. We should all be praying fervently for the safety of the missionaries and for God to move in China, creating a revolution of new believers in Jesus Christ.