Power for Living

Power For Living is a Christian apologetic book distributed free of charge by the Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation in various countries around the world.

Basic Information

• Power For Living is a book promoting Christianity, written by non-denominational pastor and writer Jamie Buckingham. Buckingham was also author of other well know books like Run, Baby, Run (with Nickey Cruz), Shout it From the Housetops (with Pat Robertson) and 35 other books. Buckingham was editor for Charisma Magazine until his death in 1992. Power for Living contains testimonials from celebrities who became Christians and other content aimed at proselytizing the reader.
• The Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation is affiliated with the Evangelical movement of American Christianity. Power for Living is credited for having brought thousands of seekers to Christ, with the aim to have them then begin attending a local Christian church of their choice to further their relationship with the savior. Jamie Buckingham was founder of The Tabernacle Church in Melbourne, Florida. His family, including his widow, Jackie, and their eldest son, Bruce Buckingham, still live in the area.
  • Although the Foundation aims to make Christianity better known, it is not a religious body with distinctive doctrine, and so strictly speaking there is no such thing as a "follower" or "member" of Power For Living, though various Christian communities do support the Foundation's activities. The book is mainly promoted by Protestant Christians of Fundamentalist coloring.
  • The Foundation has used its abundant financial resources to promote Power For Living in the United States, Germany and, most recently, Japan.
    • In Japan, television advertisements related to religion are generally considered to be taboo, although Buddhist temples, Shintō shrines, Souka Gakkai, etc., have all produced such advertisements.
    • The Foundation's advertisements were declared "religious propaganda" by Germany's Federal Broadcasting Council in January, 2002, and as such their broadcast is prohibited in Germany.

History

• 1955 - The National Liberty Foundation is established by Arthur S. DeMoss.
• 1979 - DeMoss dies at age 53.
  • His wife, Nancy S. DeMoss, inherits 200 million dollars and changes the Foundation's name to the Arther S. DeMoss Foundation.
• 1983 - Power For living first distributed in the United States.
• 1999 - Television advertisements for the book are aired in the United States.
• 2001 - Distribution begins in Germany.
• 2007 - Distribution begins in Japan.

Celebrity Endorsements

Japanese

• Trey Hillman, manager of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
• Saki Kubota, singer
• VERBAL, member of the pop group m-flo

American

• Janet Lynn, former figure skater
• Reggie White (former NFL player and pastor)
• Jennifer O'Neill (actress)
• Bernhard Langer (professional golfer)
• Michelle Akers (women's soccer player)
• Andy Pettitte (pitcher for the New York Yankees)

All are known Evangelical Christians.

Controversy

Japan

Advertisements for a free copy of the book have appeared in Japan on TV Asahi, TV Tokyo, Tokyo Broadcasting System and Nippon Television, but Fuji Television refuses to broadcast the ads because of the controversy surrounding them. The advertisements have generated a good deal of suspicion about the Foundation's origins, activities and purposes, perhaps largely by their failure to specify these. Evangelical Christianity, although a relatively old and well-established Christian tradition around the world, has in recent decades developed new forms of worship and missionary activity and increased its presence in Japan, which has generated suspicion among the Japanese, who tend to be relatively ignorant of Christianity and suspicious of new religious movements—as evidenced by the fact that any religious body must be officially registered with The Japanese Ministry of Education and conform to its guidelines.

See Also

• Status of religious freedom in Germany

External Links

• Power For living official site (Japan)
• Power For living official site (United States)