World renowned U2 front man and AIDS activist Bono recently encouraged churches in Oakland, Calif., and the Bay Area to address the rampant aids problem in the surrounding locale.

The singer met last Friday with clergy, non-profit groups and people infected with HIV at Allen Temple Baptist Church in East Oakland, noting the disproportionate amount of black people affected with AIDS in the region.

"We're at the epicenter here in East Oakland of a new rise of the AIDS epidemic in the United States," Bono noted, according to the Kaiser Network, "But I'd also say we're also at the epicenter of the resistance to that epidemic." more >>

Sex is a topic best avoided if possible, according to the attitude most people have in conservative Kenya. Yet a small, unspectacular church is raising eyebrows and making waves in the Christian community for laying the issue of sex on the table and demanding that churches discuss how it can be holy.

“God created and defined sex,” said David Muriithi, senior pastor of Nairobi-based House of Grace Church, according to the Catholic Information Service. “If the church does not proactively address the issues surrounding human sexuality, then cultural and secular views, which are against biblical principles, will prevail to the detriment of society.

“Religious entities, as champions of morality, need to openly and unashamedly take a stand to correct the misperceptions on sex.” more >>

A major portion of HIV/AIDS care and treatment comes from faith-based organizations (FBOs), according to a study released by the World Health Organization (WHO) at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.

The study found that Christian hospitals and health centers in Lesotho, where HIV prevalence rates are 23.2 percent, provide about 40 percent of HIV care and treatment services in the country. In Zambia, faith-based organizations run nearly one-third of the HIV/AIDS treatment facilities.

“Faith-based organizations are a vital part of civil society,” said Dr. Kevin De Cock, director of WHO’s department of HIV/AIDS, in a statement. “Since they provide a substantial portion of care in developing countries, often reaching vulnerable populations living under adverse conditions, FBOs must be recognized as essential contributors towards universal access efforts.” more >>

A Christian ministry is getting the facts about AIDS across to high-risk people through a “Wheel of Fortune”-like game in the streets of Bangladesh.

Known as the “Chorki Quiz,” the game attracts prostitutes, drug addicts, students and transport workers in Khulna City in southwestern Bangladesh, reported World Vision recently. WV volunteers are found in railway stations, the river quay, bus stations or campuses – wherever the high-risk groups gather – to entertain while delivering messages about AIDS.

“The goal of the Chorki Quiz competitions – and World Vision’s wider HIV/AIDS project – is to bring about behavior and attitude changes among vulnerable populations,” said Provash Biswas, WV program manager, who adapted this popular game to teach about HIV/AIDS, late last month. more >>

Korean superstar Rain will help World Vision promote HIV/AIDS awareness among Malaysians when he holds his concert “Rain’s Coming 06/07 World Tour” in the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday.

Rain, who is the HIV/AIDS ambassador for World Vision Korea, will take this opportunity to help the Christian relief agency in advocating HIV/AIDS prevention activities in the region.

“I agreed to take up this challenge when I realized that HIV/AIDS has done so much damage in our society,” Rain said. more >>

Correction appended

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – AIDS is one of the leading causes of death and the fastest spreading pandemic in history. And to date, there is still no cure. While much of the global efforts against AIDS are focused on slowing the disease, megachurch pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, Calif., wants to stop it and says the church is an essential ingredient in doing so.

”Tell me what you want to do with this pandemic – slow it down, which is a whole lot easier to do and does not require behavioral change, or do you want to stop it? I am not interested in just slowing it – [although] I do want to slow it – but more than slowing it, I want to stop it,” said Warren at an Urbana 06 press conference Friday. more >>