DOCSLIB.ORG

Ashland Theological Seminary

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ashland Theological Seminary ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY A DISCOVERY OF THE EXTENT THAT ASSOCIATE MINISTERS IN TENNESSEE ARE UTILIZED BY THEIR SENIOR PASTORS IN THE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHURCH MEMBERS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY NORMA L. POWELL ASHLAND, OHIO JANUARY14, 2020 Copyright © 2020 by Norma L. Powell All rights reserved To William Powell--- teacher, challenger, and loving husband Grow, by all means, dear Christians; but grow, I beseech you, in God’s way, which is the only effectual way. See to it that you are planted in grace, and then let The Divine Husbandman cultivate you in His own way and by His own means. Put yourselves out in the sunshine of His presence, and Let the dew of heaven come down upon you, and see what will be the result. Leaves and flowers and fruit must surely come in their season; For your Husbandman is skillful, and He never fails in His harvesting. Only see to it that you oppose no hindrance to the shining of the Sun of Righteousness, or the falling of the dew from Heaven. The slightest barrier between your soul and Christ May cause you to dwindle and fade, as a plant in the cellar or under a bush. Keep the sky clear. Hannah Whitall Smith APPROVAL PAGE Accepted by the faculty and the final demonstration examining committee of Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Ministry degree. __________________________________ ____________________ Academic Advisor Date __________________________________ ____________________ Director of Doctor of Ministry Program Date ABSTRACT The purpose of this project was to discover ways in which associate ministers from Missionary Baptist churches in Tennessee are utilized by senior pastors for the ministry of spiritual development of their congregation. The design of the project included the administration of a quantitative and qualitative survey-questionnaire to be completed by the participants in the study. The results of the project revealed that the participants were somewhat positive about their level of experience to shepherd their associate ministers on challenging relational issues of church members. CONTENTS LIST OF vii TABLES…………………………………………………………………. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………………………………………………… viii ….. Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT 1 OVERVIEW…………………….. 2. BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS……………………………………………………… … 19 3. REVIEW OF THE 52 LITERATURE……………………………………… 4. DESIGN, PROCEDURE, AND 89 ASSESSMENT…………………….. 5. REPORTING THE 99 RESULTS………………………………………… 6. SUMMARY AND 12 2 REFLECTIONS……………………………………. Appendix 1. DEMOGRAPHICS OF 14 8 PARTICIPANTS……………………………... vi 2. PROPOSAL……………………………………………………………. 14 9 . 3. ASSESSMENT TOOL 17 9 ………………………………………………… 4. COVER PAGE 18 4 …………………………………………………………. REFERENCES………………………………………………………………… 18 7 … TABLES Table Page 1. Goal 7: Discover Senior Pastors' Experience in Shepherding Associate Ministers ……………………………………..…………….. 100 2. Goal 1: Discover Pastors' Perceptions Toward Use of African American Associate Ministers in Church Members' Spiritual Development …………………………………………………………... 102 3. Goal 8: Discover Pastors' Awareness of Their Associate Ministers' Spiritual Gifts ………………………………………………. 104 4. Goal 5: Discover Pastors' Level of Need for Help Providing Spiritual Direction for Their Congregations ………………………… 107 5. Goal 3: Discover Pastors' Beliefs Regarding How Associate Ministers Could Be Better Utilized in their Congregations' Spiritual Direction …………………………………………………....... 109 6. Goal 4: Discover How Pastors Use Associate Ministers in the Spiritual Direction of Their Congregations …………………………. 111 7. Goal 2: Discover Pastors' Beliefs Toward Benefits of Integrating Associate Ministers in Church Members' Spiritual Direction.......… 113 8. Goal 6: Discover Pastors' Beliefs About Serving as the Sole Source for Spiritual Development of Their Congregations ………. 116 9. Responses to the Qualitative Questions……………………..…….. 120 vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To Clarissa Faith Powell, my daughter, who was my encourager and late night study partner. To Rev. Jerry Marable, who helped me to do outreach in Davidson County and Rutherford County to solicit participants for this study. Without you, this research project would not have been possible. To Dr. James Stewart, my field consultant, who selflessly supported me by spending intense time throughout the dissertation process. You pressed, prompted, and provided assistance to me which was invaluable for me staying on task. To Dr. Jacqueline Bailey, my advisor, who was committed and very capable. Your support guided my progress in completing this project. Thank you for championing my work. To Dr. Christina Zimmerman whose editing skills improved my project immensely and assisted me in becoming a better writer. To Dr. Terry Wardle whose many years on Formational Counseling has contributed significantly towards enriching my life. To Dr. Stephen Seamands, who provided me with all the resource materials I needed and helped lay the foundation for the dissertation. To Dr. Forrest Harris, President of American Baptist College, who provided me with alumni addresses. To Dr. Roosevelt Walker, ATS graduate, who served as my spiritual advisor who oriented me to my D. Min. journey. viii To Cohort M classmates at ATS, it was a blessing to get to know you along a similar path in our doctoral studies. And Jim Vittek, who provided timely advice which contributed towards completing this project. To my church family, Mount Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, and extended family who prayed, motivated, and checked in, thanks! Thanks big brother Oscar for your prayers and big sister Muriel for your technical assistance. To the Lord, God Almighty, you have pushed, pulled, and protected me through this process. You have given me my voice and purpose. I thought I could not do it, but with you I did. I am humbled. ix CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT OVERVIEW Everyone has secrets. Some secrets hide our shame from our foolishness. Still others are hidden foolish acts from our youth. If truth be told, even as adults, we house secrets due to a lackluster character, which is demonstrated through small and trite secrets like cutting in front of someone into a line or driving through a red light. Many of our secrets remain strategically hidden because we do not want to risk someone making our secret known to the public. For many years, I have held a secret of my own. It has been buried deep within my soul surrounded by a hedge of remorse that I hoped would never be revealed. But in His time, God makes secrets known for His purposes. As it happened, my journey to obtain a doctoral degree started over 20 years ago, and though I completed all the coursework to acquire a Ph.D. in Psychology, I failed to complete all the requirements to obtain a degree. This was a low moment in my life, and for a time, I lived in a fog, not knowing my purpose or direction in life. It was only when I recognized God’s hand in repurposing my life that this buried secret became a journey, which I had to begin so I could walk into the very purpose by which God has called me today. The secret that was so deeply buried was now an exposed secret. Though I love psychology, a degree in that discipline would not have prepared me to walk the path on which God has placed me today. With that I became puzzled and wondered whether it was possible for God to have secrets as well. Schroeder speaks of an open secret that exists between 1 God and clergy as well as between God and laity. We need a fresh look at the "secret," wherein the open secret is the center of what Christians call the gospel. The world, not the church, is the object of all the trouble God went to in the crucified and risen Messiah (Schroeder 1994, 50). He goes on to say however that the clergy thinks and speaks as though they are the ministers doing ministry and the laity think of what they do in the world (world-work) as something else, something different from their “churchly” experience (Schroeder 1994, 50). He seems to be saying that most of a minister’s time is spent in the church, though God went out of the way to send a Savior to save the world. Yet, at the same time, laity has dumbed down their work of ministering to the world and thrown themselves into “church-work” as if they were to only serve the church. Many Missionary Baptist churches of today espouse an environment where praise, worship, and preaching within the confines of the church are premier within ministry. However, this open secret calls us to go out. According to Luke 14:23, we should, “go out into the highways and along the hedges and compel them” (NASB – all Scripture, unless otherwise noted are from the New American Standard Bible). Our ministry efforts seem to stay within the walls of the church. If so, how do our churches today bridge the ministry within church with equipping us to go into the highways and hedges? I do not know if most Missionary Baptist churches would buy into the notion of the open secret of how pastors elevate their ministry while laity minimizes their ministry to the world, but it seems that the church should become more intentional by at least utilizing associate ministers for the ministry of 2 spiritual development of the congregants. This would create an opportunity for congregants to become healed and resilient to life’s challenges for doing world ministry. If we do not want to give the impression of ignoring God’s secret then let us become
Load more

Recommended publications
  • December, 2001
    VITAE FORREST E. HARRIS, SR. Associate Professor of the Practice of Ministry Vanderbilt Divinity School Nashville, Tennessee Email: [email protected] Education: Doctor of Ministry, Vanderbilt Divinity School Program Thesis: Theology and Praxis: Social Ministry in the Black Church, 1988-90 Master of Divinity, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Program Thesis: Black Theology and the Black Church: A Perspective of Liberation Ministry, 1979-83 Bachelors of Theology, American Baptist College, Concentration: Black Church Studies, 1979- 80 Bachelors of Arts, Knoxville College, Double Major: Sociology and Psychology, 1967 -71 Professional Academic Employment: President, American Baptist College, 1999 – Associate Professor of the Practice of Ministry, Director of Kelly Miller Church Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, TN, 2013 - Assistant Professor in the Practice of Ministry, Director, Kelly Miller Smith Institute on African American Church Studies; Dean of African American Church Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, TN., 1996 -2013 Dean for Student Life, Vanderbilt Divinity School, 1988 - 96 Adjunct Professor, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH, 1994 - 96 Instructor, Black Studies, Roane State Community College, Harriman, TN., 1985 - 87 1 Professional Employment Employment Consultant, Robert Shaw Controls Company, Knoxville, TN., 1977 -78 Facility Compliance Officer, United States Energy Research and Development Administration, Oak Ridge, TN., 1971 – 77 Minority Program Development Officer, Roane State Community College, Harriman, TN., 1985 -87 Church Employment Pastor, Pleasant Green Baptist Church, Nashville, TN., 1989 - 90 Pastor, Oak Valley Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, TN., 1979 - 88 Publications: Books Ministry for Social Crisis: Theology and Praxis in the Black Church Tradition, Macon: Mercer University Press, 1993. What Does It Mean to be Black and Christian? Pulpit, Pew, and Academy in Dialogue, Nashville: Townsend Press, 1993 Survival of a Whole People: The Meaning of the African American Church, Nashville, Townsend Press, 1996.
    [Show full text]
  • PETER C. WOOLFOLK Biography
    PETER C. WOOLFOLK Biography Peter Woolfolk, founder of Communications Strategies, is a public relations professional with 25+ years of successful executive level experience. His national public relations career is highlighted by a White House appointment in the Clinton Administration as an award- winning Special Assistant/Communications to the assistant secretary, U.S. Department of Education. Following his White House appointment he was a professional media consultant to former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher. Recruited from Washington, DC, he served as Fisk University’s first vice president of communications and public relations-- 2002 to 2004 enhancing media placements over 200 percent, creating successful internal communications system, and much more. Communications Strategies, established in 2004, has provided services to: AARP, American Baptist College, Daymar College, Lane College, AT&T, Nashville International Airport, Metro Transit Authority, Cummins/Fleetguard, Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, Meharry Medical College, Nashville Opera, Nashville Sounds, Music City Center and more. Woolfolk’s significant public affairs experience includes: • Provided Daymar College introductions to Tennessee State Senate & House Education committee chairs; Senator's Corker & Alexander educations reps; Rep. Cooper's reps. • Advised Nashville elected officials on strategy, policy and programs including: former Vice Mayor of Nashville ;current State Representative, Metro Council Members, former Metro School Board chair • Tennessee media spokesman/lobbyist for AT&T cable bill debated in state legislature 2007 • Special Assistant/Communications—National responsibility for communicating specific education policy, programs for assistant secretary. U.S. Department of Education • Western Regional Press Secretary for the 1997 Presidential Inaugural Committee, • Delaware Press Secretary for Clinton/Gore 1996 campaign. • National media liaison/press secretary for the chairman of U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • 2018/2020 Undergraduate Bulletin
    FISK 2018/2020 Undergraduate Bulletin 1 Cover image: Cravath Hall, named for Fisk’s first president (1875-1900) photo: photographer unknown 2 About the Bulletin Inquiries concerning normal operations of the The content of this Bulletin represents the most current institution such as admission requirements, financial aid, information available at the time of publication. As Fisk educational programs, etc., should be addressed directly to University continues to provide the highest quality of the appropriate office at Fisk University. The Commission intellectual and leadership development opportunities, the on Colleges is to be contacted only if there is evidence that curriculum is always expanding to meet the changes in appears to support an institution’s significant non- graduate and professional training as well as the changing compliance with a requirement or standard. demands of the global workforce. New opportunities will Even before regional accreditation was available to arise and, subsequently, modifications may be made to African-American institutions, Fisk had gained recognition existing programs and to the information contained in this by leading universities throughout the nation and by such Bulletin without prior notice. Thus, while the provisions of agencies as the Board of Regents of the State of New this Bulletin will be applied as stated, Fisk University York, thereby enabling Fisk graduates' acceptance into retains the right to change the policies and programs graduate and professional schools. In 1930, Fisk became contained herein at its discretion. The Bulletin is not an the first African-American institution to gain accreditation irrevocable contract between Fisk University and a student. by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017-2018 Student Handbook | 1 Letter from the President
    2017-2018 Student Handbook | 1 Letter from the President American Baptist College and your Future There are places where people accomplish great things quietly and sometimes with little recognition. American Baptist College is one of those places. Nestled here on the banks of the Cumberland River in Nashville, American Baptist College educates and develops men and women for worldwide leadership and service in the tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks and Nannie Helen Boroughs. Students who come here soon find out that American Baptist College is a place of historical significance. Students are attracted to study here because the College’s purpose and passion to prepare men and women for greatness in leadership like that of Georgia U.S. Congressman John Lewis, a prominent alumna, is unparalleled. What you will find here are lively discourses about important ethical, spiritual and justice topics that become infectious on campus. If you have a passion for advancing the mission of justice, compassion and reconciliation in world, your academic home is here at American Baptist College. We see education as a call to the high place of moral thinking, acting and leadership. Here on the grounds we affectionately call the ‘Holy Hill,’ in the class rooms, with faculty and fellow students you will gather insight and courage for leading change in the world. The entire faculty, staff and administration is here to serve you, the student. Your education is our top priority. When your energy, discipline and commitment to becoming an educated person meets with our commitment to academic excellence the results will surprise you.
    [Show full text]
  • Thinking. Loving. Doing: a Call to Glorify God with Heart and Mind
    Thinking. Loving. Doing. ThinkingLovingDoing.26510.i03.indd 1 7/28/11 2:36 PM OTHER CROSSWAY BOOKS: With Calvin in the Theater of God, 2010 The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, 2009 Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, 2008 The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World, 2007 Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, 2006 Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, 2005 A God-Entranced Vision of All Things, 2004 ThinkingLovingDoing.26510.i03.indd 2 7/28/11 2:36 PM CONTRIBUTIONS BY Rick Warren | Francis Chan | R. Albert Mohler Jr. R. C. Sproul | Thabiti Anyabwile WHEATON, ILLINOIS ThinkingLovingDoing.26510.i03.indd 3 7/28/11 2:36 PM Thinking. Loving. Doing.: A Call to Glorify God with Heart and Mind Copyright © 2011 by Desiring God Ministries Published by Crossway 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys- tem, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Cover design: Patrick Mahoney of The Mahoney Design Team First printing 2011 Printed in the United States of America Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked “ICB” are taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
    [Show full text]
  • Ashland Theological Seminary
    ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY A RESOURCE: SPIRITUAL COMPANIONSHIP AND BIPOLAR DISORDER A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY CHRISTY JEAN WOOD ASHLAND, OHIO JUNE 1, 2019 Copyright © 2019, by Christy Jean Wood All rights reserved For Aunt Marie, Laura, Jessica, Brandon, and Taylor In Memory of my Mom and Grandparents God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever. Vance Havner APPROVAL PAGE Accepted by the faculty and the final demonstration examining committee of Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Ministry degree. _________________________ ________________________ Academic Advisor Date _________________________ ________________________ Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program Date ABSTRACT The purpose of this project is to create a resource that will better equip pastoral caregivers to become spiritual companions for people with bipolar disorder. The resource, Spiritual Companionship and Bipolar Disorder, establishes that pastoral caregivers are gateway people for those with bipolar disorder to receive appropriate care and models multi-disciplinary collaboration. The resource is evaluated by twelve experts using a questionnaire that includes both quantitative and qualitative questions. As a result, the resource is found to have a strong foundation and creative spiritual experientials. Insights give direction on how to improve the resource including format and cohesiveness. CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………...viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………….……………ix Chapter 1.
    [Show full text]
  • View Latest Version Here. CNLP 409 –With Rick-Warren
    This transcript was exported on Apr 09, 2021 - view latest version here. Announcer: Welcome to The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast. A podcast all about leadership, change and personal growth. The goal? To help you lead like never before in your church or in your business. And now, your host, Carey Nieuwhof. Carey Nieuwhof: Well, hey everybody and welcome to episode number 409 of the podcast. It's Carey here. And I hope our time together today helps you lead like never before. So excited to have a well, it's been a long time. We're 409 episodes in, but Rick Warren is finally on the podcast. A lot of you know Rick, he is known not only inside the church, but outside the church, having been interviewed by some of the top interviewers in the world. And I had a chance to sit down, along with David Kinnaman, from the Barna group on our other podcast, ChurchPulse Weekly, and we spent a couple hours with Rick. So, we're going to bring you the entire conversation on this podcast. And yeah, that is the other voice you hear in this conversation too. It's me, and Barna's David Kinnaman. If you haven't yet listened to the ChurchPulse weekly podcast, and you're a church leader, you can find that on the internet. Carey Nieuwhof: And this episode is brought to you by Pro Media Fire. You can get your help with social media management and digital growth and receive 10% off Promediafire.com/Carey. And by Barna Cities with Barna and Gloo, you can connect people to your local church by going to Barnacities.com to learn more.
    [Show full text]
  • Pastor, Author Rick Warren Tells Retirement Plans
    Pastor, author Rick Warren tells retirement plans LAKE FOREST, Ca. (BP and local reports) – Pastor and best- selling author Rick Warren announced June 6 that he is retiring from his role as senior pastor of Saddleback Church, the Southern Baptist congregation he founded in California in 1980 that is now considered a multi-campus megachurch. In his Sunday worship service message titled, How to Discern the Best Time to Make a Major Change, the 67-year-old Warren said Saddleback will begin the official search for his successor in the next week and that when the new lead pastor is in place, he will transition to the role of founding pastor. Warren recounted his pledge when the church was founded that he would give the next 40 years to leading the Saddleback family. Early in 2020, the church celebrated its 40th birthday. “This is not the end of my ministry,” Warren told the congregation via video and in person at the Lake Forest campus. “It’s not even the beginning of the end. …We’re going to take one step at a time in the timing of God. …God has already blessed me more than I could ever possibly imagine. I don’t deserve any of it, and so this next transition in my life is something I am anticipating with zero regrets, zero fears, zero worries.” “This is not the end of my ministry. It’s not even the beginning of the end. …We’re going to take one step at a time in the timing of God. Warren said the church presently does not have a successor in mind, and that they would look both inside and outside the church for “a leader who is already doing some ‘purpose- driven’ ministry” — a term synonymous with Warren’s life, leadership, and authorship.
    [Show full text]
  • Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO): in This Difficult Time Of
    Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO): In this difficult time of COVID-19, our missionaries and church plants in North America need our prayer and financial support more than ever: https://www.anniearmstrong.com/resource/mojic- munkho-baldandorj/ Our church goal is $10,000 ($3,686.50 received as of 4/15). As you prayerfully consider giving over and above your normal offering, please designate it as AAEO or Annie. Worship through Giving: Our church continues to exist to fulfil our 5 purposes: worship, discipleship, evangelism, ministry and fellowship, albeit virtually. Thanks to those who have been faithfully giving. Please prayerfully consider giving to meet our church needs and as an act of gratitude and worship. Please go to our Giving website for details on methods of giving: http://www.fcbcphx.org/giving/ Reflections on Easter weekend: We were truly blessed by our FCBC Good Friday and Easter Sunday worship services, even though we were not able to be physically together. We thank God for Christ’s resurrection and our hope in Him, especially in times of pain and uncertainty. Another Easter message that was especially relevant to what we are experiencing with COVID-19 and other real life issues was Pastor Rick Warren’s sermon (starts at 18:40): “Expecting a Resurrection When Life Falls Apart” Answers to the questions below are found in the days of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection: 1. What do I do when I experience fear and pain? 2. How do I get through confusion and grief? 3. How do I get to freedom and joy? Friday (Crucifixion): Fear and Pain experienced by Jesus 1.
    [Show full text]
  • College Fair SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Harris-Stowe State University Emerson Performance Art Building
    ® Omicron Theta Omega Chapter and Harris-Stowe State University presents HBCHISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIESU Awareness College Fair SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Harris-Stowe State University Emerson Performance Art Building FREE ADMISSION • ALL STUDENTS WELCOME • FREE GIVEAWAYS • MEET WITH MULTIPLE HBCU REPS For more information, contact Henrietta P. Mackey at [email protected] or Dr. Nina Caldwell at [email protected] PLAN FOR TOMORROW, TODAY! HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES Alabama A & M University Harris-Stowe State University Savannah State University Alabama State University Hinds Community College-Utica Selma University Albany State University Howard University Shaw University Alcorn State University Huston-Tillotson University Shelton State Community College Allen University Interdenominational South Carolina State University American Baptist College Theological Center Southern University and Arkansas Baptist College J F Drake State Technical College A & M College Benedict College Jackson State University Southern University at Bennett College for Women Jarvis Christian College New Orleans Bethune-Cookman University Johnson C Smith University Southern University at Shreveport Bishop State Community College Kentucky State University Southwestern Christian College Bluefield State College Lane College Spelman College Bowie State University Langston University St. Philip’s College Central State University Lawson State Community Stillman College Cheyney University of College-Birmingham
    [Show full text]
  • DISCOVERING CHURCH MEMBERSHIP C.L.A.S.S. 101 Rick Warren
    DISCOVERING CHURCH MEMBERSHIP C.L.A.S.S. 101 Rick Warren Welcome to C.L.A.S.S. 101. This is the basic introduction to the Saddleback family. I'm Pastor Rick, the senior pastor here. I have taught this class over 150 times. I've taught it almost every month for sixteen years. I never get tired of it. In each class we get to know the folks in our church family and explain over and over why we do what we do. Turn to the very first page. "Welcome to Discovering Church Membership". This class is divided into four different sessions of about an hour each. I teach part of it. Other staff -- Pastor John Baker, our pastor of membership teaches some, Doug Fields teaches some. Tonight, Kay (she used to teach the entire class) is going to be here and teach part of the membership class. The basis of this class, on page 1, is Ephesians 2:19, "You are a member of God's very own family and you belong in God's household with every other Christian." Circle "member", "family", "belong", "household". These are four key truths. Out of this verse we gather some very important keys about the Bible and what the Bible says about the church. The key truths are these: 1. The church is a family. It says "God's household". It doesn't say the church is like a family. It says the church is a family. It's a spiritual family. In fact, your spiritual family is going to outlast your physical family.
    [Show full text]
  • Attached Are the HBCU's Across the Country
    Attached are the HBCU’s across the country spanning from 20 different US States. As always please check out the quick facts displayed about each of the schools and please let Mr. Crum know if you have any further questions. Please enjoy School Page School Page School Page School Page School Page Florida A&M University 13 Bowie State University 23 Arkansas Baptist College 9 Kentucky State University 19 Alabama State University 4 Edward Waters College 13 Philander Smith College 9 Simmons College of Kentucky 19 Coppin State University 23 Alabama A&M University 4 Bethune Cookman University 14 University of Arkansas Pine Bluff 10 University of Maryland 24 Concordia College of Alabama 5 Florida Memorial University 14 Eastern Shore Morgan State University 24 Miles College 5 Oakwood University 6 Selma University 6 Stillman College 7 Talladega College 7 Tuskegee University 8 School Page School Page Delaware State University 11 Fort Valley State University 15 School Page Morris Brown College 15 School Page Southern University at New Orleans 20 Albany State University 16 Alcorn State University 25 Southern University at Shreveport 20 Clark Atlanta University 16 Jackson State University 25 Paine College 17 Southern University A&M 21 Mississippi Valley State 26 Xavier University of Louisiana 21 University School Page Spelman College 17 Rust College 26 University of the D.C. 12 Morehouse University 18 Dilliard University 22 Tougaloo College 27 Howard University 12 Savannah State University 18 Grambling State University 22 School Page School Page Allen
    [Show full text]