Christian Author Has Another Best-Seller

In the evangelical Christian book market, family humorist Barbara Johnson can do no wrong--eight books since 1979, with sales totaling more than 2 million copies.

The La Habra resident’s newest book, “I’m So Glad You Told Me What I Didn’t Wanna Hear,” came out in May from Word Publishing. It’s now second on the latest Christian Booksellers Assn. bestseller list for nonfiction paperbacks.

“I’m the only woman who has had three books on a CBA bestseller list at the same time,” she said. That happened for 13 straight months from summer 1993 to summer 1994.

Her “Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy!” (1990) is still a big seller. Word, publisher of her last five books, fought a losing battle to change her suggested title for that book. The publishers wanted to use one of Johnson’s mottos: “Pain is inevitable, misery is optional.”

Johnson writes about how to surmount the pain of family setbacks through humor and faith. She and her husband Bill had four sons. One died in Vietnam, another in an auto accident. A third son broke from his family after a confrontation during which he revealed he was gay. After 11 years of estrangement, the son reestablished family ties nine years ago, she said.

Johnson, 68, is affiliated with a Southern Baptist congregation, but said in an interview that she hesitates to mention that because she disagrees with the denomination’s recent boycott threat against the Walt Disney Co.

For 15 years, she has been director at Garden Grove’s Crystal Cathedral of a support group for beleaguered families--an extension of her Spatula Ministries, which she said tries to “peel parents off the ceiling with a spatula of love.”

A speaker who is away from home 39 weeks out of the year, Johnson will be speaking at two dinners and signing books at the 47th annual Christian Booksellers Convention, which opens todayat the Anaheim Convention Center. (The event is not open to the public).

Even a best-selling author in the Christian market might get lost in the crowd. Six acres of exhibit space will house 1,578 exhibitor booths--which organizers say is the the largest number in CBA history. About 12,000 retailers, publishers, writers, publicists, musicians and others related to the estimated $3 billion-a-year business are expected to register for the event, which ends Thursday night.

CONFERENCES

About 3,000 members of the Self Realization Fellowship from 43 countries will attend the organization’s weeklong annual convocation, which begins Sunday at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

This year marks the 50th anniversary since the publication of “Autobiography of a Yogi” by the fellowship’s founder, Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952). Yogananda was one of several India-born teachers who were influential in introducing Eastern spiritual thought to Americans in the first half of the 20th Century.

Besides tours of the fellowship headquarters on Mt. Washington, the popular Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades and the seaside hermitage in Encinitas, convention organizers will show rare archival footage of the yogi. Also, the Lotus Ensemble will perform new orchestral arrangements of devotional chants composed by Yogananda. Brother Anandamoy, a monk in the fellowship for 45 years, will speak Monday night. (213) 225-2471.

* The Progressive National Baptists in California will discuss the recent spate of church burnings and the ballot initiative that would ban affirmative action during their six-day annual meeting that opens Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Oxnard Hilton Inn.

Featured speakers will be the Rev. L. Daniel Williams, pastor of the 750-member Baptist Church of the New Covenant in Norwalk, who is also president of the 50-church state organization, and the Rev. Charles G. Adams of Detroit, a former president of the nationwide Progressive National Baptist Convention. For information, (805) 487-2015.

CRUSADE

More than 155,000 people attended the four-night Greg Laurie Harvest Crusade at Anaheim Stadium that ended Sunday. About 14,800 people came forward with decisions of recommitment or newfound belief at the evangelistic rallies, a spokesman said. The largest crowd of the crusade--or at any Laurie crusade--was 63,000 on July 4 when a fireworks show was an added attraction. The Riverside pastor’s next crusade will be July 26-28 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego.

DATES

The Modernaires with Paula Kelly Jr., who recorded “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, will perform big band-era numbers and contemporary hits with the Bill Toll Orchestra in a benefit concert 3 p.m. Sunday at the Westwood Presbyterian Church, 10822 Wilshire Blvd. Actress-producer Meredith Baxter will emcee the concert. Proceeds from donations of $20 or more will go to charities benefiting neglected children, homeless rehabilitation and the Westside Food Bank. Free parking. (310) 474-4535.

* Author Marianne Williamson, whose teachings focus on “A Course in Miracles,” will present a seminar on July 20 at the La Mirada Holiday Inn. The daylong program with Williamson, a popular television talk show guest, will benefit the Fullerton-based Miracle Distribution Center, a networking center for devotees of the metaphysical treatise. Tickets are $95. (714) 738-8380.

* Richard W. Dortch, an administrator at the PTL Television Network who served 16 months in federal prison after his conviction in the Jim Bakker scandal, will speak at the 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. services Sunday at the Full Gospel Assembly of God Church, 6262 E. Cage Ave., Bell Gardens. Dortch, who hosts a Christian television program, will speak on “Integrity: How I Lost It, and My Journey Back,” the title of his book. (213) 773-2301.

* The congregation at Morning Star Baptist Church will host evening revival meetings Monday through Friday at a Pasadena city park plagued with gang conflicts, drug-dealing and vagrants. More than 30 churches, plus civic officials, have pledged their participation, said the church’s pastory, the Rev. Victor W. Lewis. The music and preaching will start at 7 each night at Jackie Robinson Park, 1100 N. Fair Oaks Ave. (818) 798-4875.

* A lecture and slide presentation on “King David and Jerusalem” will be given by Roberta Carasso, who recently attended the International Jewish Art Conference in Jerusalem, at the 8 p.m. service Friday at Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot, 3652 Michelson Drive, Irvine. Carasso, who also writes for Art Scene Digest, will show slides on the life of David from museums around the world. (714) 857-2226.

Notices may be mailed to Southern California File, c/o John Dart, L.A. Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311, or faxed to Religion Desk (213) 237-4712. Items should arrive about three weeks before the event, except for spot news, and should include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time.

PEOPLE

Dr. Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist from a Beverly Hills family of physicians, speaks openly of what she says is her gift of clairvoyance.

Although claims of psychic abilities are regarded by the American Psychiatric Assn. as an indication of psychosis, Orloff, who graduated from USC Medical School, has maintained a private practice in Los Angeles for 13 years, is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA and serves on the clinical staffs at Cedars-Sinai, St. John’s and Daniel Freeman hospitals.

She has told her story in “Second Sight,” published last month by Warner Books.

Best-selling spiritual author Thomas Moore (“Care of the Soul”) wrote in the book’s foreword that “her insight into the cultivation of intuition, dreams, psychic impressions, healing and community might give some halting readers the courage to embrace their own gifts, their individuality and their unconditional compassion.”

Orloff, who lives in Marina del Rey, will discuss her book at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles, with book signings to follow. Orloff will also lead a two-hour workshop there on “psychic clarity and healing” at 2 p.m. Sunday. The workshop fee is $15. (213) 663-2167.