Christian comedian Chonda Pierce has made millions of people laugh. Whether it’s at one of her packed-out concert events or through a certified-gold DVD — or at the supermarket in the produce section — Pierce can tickle anybody’s funny bone.

Today she’s back. With a new DVD, A Piece of My Mind, and a new concert tour, she’s sharing her journey through depression with her fans and speaking out about the illness that threatened to steal her laughter. Pierce spoke recently with Assistant Editor Ashli O’Connell. […read more]

During a four-decade career, Billy Joe Thomas has been able to effectively straddle the pop and gospel fields unlike most any other recording artist. But it hasn’t been without pain, as he points out in two autobiographies, Home Where I Belong and In Tune: Finding How Good Life Can Be.

Through it all, Thomas has endured, en route to selling an amazing 70 million records. His signature song, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” spent four weeks as the nation’s top single in 1970. A decade later he had a number one Christian hit for four weeks in a row, “Jesus on My Mind.”  He went on to win five Grammys, collect 11 gold and two platinum records and have 15 top 40 pop/rock hits. He remains the only artist to ever have a “Song of the Year” on pop, country and gospel charts. He also sang the theme song to the long-running ABC series Growing Pains.

Thomas, 64, recently spoke with News Editor John W. Kennedy. […read more]

During the heyday of the Jesus Movement, Annie Herring and her brother and sister, Matthew and Nellie Ward, formed The Second Chapter of Acts. The trio’s ministry included 17 years of dynamic yet very personal concerts across the United States and overseas in the 1970s and ’80s. Their best-selling albums became milestones for other Christian musicians to emulate.

Matthew continues his solo ministry and participates in a variety of media projects. While music remains a central force in his life, his identity as a husband, father and now grandfather are his priorities. He spoke recently with Associate Editor Scott Harrup. […read more]