What the Spirit Is Saying to the Church

WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCH1 WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHA Twenty-First Century Progressive Ministry Vision Plan for the Church-in-the-Black Experience By Anthony Kelley2 WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHA Twenty-First Century Progressive Ministry Vision Plan for the Church-in-the-Black Experience Copyright PageCopyright © 2016 by Anthony KelleyUnless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Copyright 1952 [2nd Edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.3 CONTENTS Preface 8 Acknowledgments 10INTRODUCTION /11CHAPTER 1 /16 DESCRIPTION Chapter one utilizes the prophetic sermonic method in the tradition of the Church-in-the-Black- Experience to emphasize the urgency and need for her to return to her unique forms of spirituality and sacred heritage that includes celebration and adaptation along with liberation in light of the many voices raising the question of denominational relevancy and efficacy.A Return to Celebration, Liberation and Adaptation as Unique Forms of Spirituality Return to Your First Love /16 It’s Time to Make a Change-Self (Part 1) /22 It’s Time to Make a Change-Family (Part 2) /27 It’s Time to Make a Change-Church (Part 3) /37 The Last Night in Town: Consequences of a Bad Choice /54CHAPTER 2 /64 DESCRIPTION Chapter two challenges pastoral leadership in the Church-in-the-Black-Experience to return to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that inherently demands a cost of discipleship; and provides evidenced-based sermons to substantiate said challenge and biblical-theological assertion.Leadership from the Pulpit: A Return to Preaching of the Gospel That Has a Cost Parables of the Kingdom: Seeking the Kingdom at a Bargain /64 (Less Than You Expect and More Than You Imagine) (Part 1) Parables of the Kingdom: Lambs in the Midst of Wolves /70 (The Character of the Harvest) (Part 2) Parables of the Kingdom: Everybody Who’s Talking About Heaven /78 Ain’t Going There (Part 3) How to Get from Broadway to Strait Street /84 Spiritual Warriors Empowered by God /88CHAPTER 3 /97 DESCRIPTION Chapter three challenges pastoral leadership in the Church-in-the-Black-Experience to return to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that acknowledges that there is a cross which believers must carry and endure as a result of following Jesus; and provides evidenced-based sermons to substantiate said challenge and biblical-theological assertion.4 Leadership from the Pulpit: A Return to Preaching of the Gospel That Has a Cross The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat /97 Expecting One Thing, and Getting Another /104 Out Of the Same Mouth Came Blessing and Cursing /109 Soldiers of the Cross: A Challenge to Remain Faithful /115CHAPTER 4 /122 DESCRIPTION Chapter four challenges pastoral leadership in the Church-in-the-Black-Experience to return to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that reminds believers that there is a crown for believers who remain faithful to the cause of Christ and awarded beyond death; and provides evidenced-based sermons to substantiate said challenge and biblical-theological assertion.Leadership from the Pulpit: A Return to Preaching of the Gospel That Has a Crown The Crowd that Wouldn’t Quit! /122 The Right Church /131 The Future of the Church /144CHAPTER 5 /156 DESCRIPTION Chapter five challenges pastoral leadership in the Church-in-the-Black-Experience to equip and train parishioners and lay leaders to engage in a relevant and healing ministry to make the wounded whole, i.e., to cease from being reactionary and become revolutionary in leading and serving people by addressing the social ills that affect the quality of life of churches and whole communities; and provides evidenced-based sermons to substantiate said challenge and biblical- theological assertion.Service from the Pew: Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry A Discovery that Defies Reason /156 Living in the Comfort of the Holy Spirit /160 New Wine for New Wineskins /167 Loving God /175 How to Have a Church Meeting /181CHAPTER 6 /192 DESCRIPTION Chapter six is a continued call for engagement by the Church-in-the-Black-Experience to take her rightful place in leading and engaging her leaders and Christian workers in the task of reclaiming and restoring incarcerated persons of color back into their communities. It focuses on overcoming the insurmountable disenfranchisement, disillusionment, and disconnection caused by the disproportionate mass incarceration of people of color which is the most pressing problem in the Twenty-first Century that threatens the quality of life and survival of African-Americans. It provides a model evidenced-based in-prison ministry of relevance to incarcerated persons of color in particular and others in general, as they prepare to return to their families and communities (See author’s book titled, How Shall They Hear: Effective Preaching to Prisoners for Evidenced-Based Ex-Prisoner Reentry Ministry Models, Townsend Press, Nashville, TN).5 A Wide Door of Opportunity: A Ministry of Relevancy Celebration in the Shadows Pledge /195 The Gathering /196 The Journey /199 The Arrival /205 Determination at the Gate /205 Get Ready for the Screening /206 Dress Code for Visitors /207 The Dinner Fellowship /208 The Worship Celebration /209 The Road Home /219 Let’s Do it Again! /219 CHAPTER 7 /224 DESCRIPTION Chapter seven asserts that in the context of change in the twenty-first century, we must truthfully acknowledge that many people are looking for alternative ways and structures to share the essence of their faith and practice despite denominational affiliation, tradition, culture, ethnicity and racial background. With this in mind, it presents a short term and long range progressive ministry vision plan for pastoral leadership and service for the Twenty-first Century Church-in- the-Black Experience. It focuses particularly on how newly called pastors should prepare to enter a new ministry field and set structures in place to build upon a legacy and raise a standard for the future. A Model Twenty-First Century Progressive Short and Long Range Ministry Vision Plan for Pastors Called to Service in the Church-in-the-Black Experience Individual Leadership Assessment /224 Joint Leadership Strategic Planning and Development /225 Leadership Advisory Council /225 Diaconate Ministry /226 Trustee Ministry /228 Congregation /228 Preaching and Worship /229 Teaching Ministry /230 Healing Ministry /230 Pastoral Team Assignments /231 Executive Assistant to the Senior Pastor /242 Community Outreach and Evangelism /244 Ecclesiastical and Denominational Affiliation /244 Traditional Church Ministries /245 Non-Traditional Church Ministries /248 Pastoral Services Agreement for the Twenty-First Century Progressive Church /255CHAPTER 8 /268 DESCRIPTION Chapter eight provides a model ministry resource where participating organizations use mentoring as an evidenced-based practice and reduction strategy to mitigate risk factors for boys6 and young men of color in at-risk situations ages 6 to 24 to include: Students who may reside in neighborhoods with high rates of crime and poverty and who may have low performance in school; Children in Foster Care, Children of Incarcerated Parents, Out-of-School Youth, and Incarcerated Youth to be released to target area. The intent of the Project is to help boys and young men of color facing tough odds stay on track and reach their full potential by seeking remedies through networks of local faith-based, community-based and government agencies to help make their outcomes more positive and productive. An Evidenced-Based Model Ministry of Relevance: Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color Project Abstract /268 Project Description /269 Purpose, Goals and Objectives /270 Method of Evaluation /274 Need for Project /274 Accessibility of Services /278 Numbers of Eligible Boys and Young Men of Color in Project Target Area /279 Results and Benefits Expected /280 Approach /282 Staff and Position Data /293 Organizational Profile /296 Appendices Job Descriptions-I /299 Mentor/Mentee Recruitment and Marketing Plan-II /308 Sample Monthly Desk Audit-III /316 Manhood Principles, Boys to Men Covenant and Social Skills Training Curriculum-IV /324 Weekly Program Schedule-V /330 Illustrative Sample Budget Narrative-VI /332 Project Timeline-Activities-VII /343 Volunteer Mentor Application, Contract, Behavior Policy and Training Schedule-VIII /363PrefaceThis book is designed to foster conversation, cooperation and collaboration for and within the Church-in-the-Black-Experience to develop strategies, even through rebranding herself, if necessary, in order to return to her first love which has always been revolutionary, radical and relevant in terms of her mission to make the wounded whole. She must return to her unique forms of spirituality and sacred heritage that includes celebration and adaptation along with liberation and find her way back to relevant, righteous, and ready leadership and service for the twenty-first century.7 There are many voices that are calling for a change and redirection in the Church-in-the-Black-Experience’s denominational life, oftentimes not giving any real suggestions, but more often than not, what is seen is a surrender to a lethargic blended and multi-cultural religious experience, which although truer to the biblical presentation of the church universal, focuses more on praise and worship (celebration) and ignores the call for adaptability and liberation. In my community when you talk about blended and/or multi-cultural churches what you actually see are African-Americans filling congregations of what is traditionally the Church-in-the-White-Experience, and abandoning the church of their ancestors. In this context of change in the twenty-first century, we must truthfully acknowledge that many people are looking for alternative ways and structures to share the essence of their faith and practice despite denominational affiliation, tradition, culture, ethnicity and racial background. Some have said what’s appealing about the Church-in-the-White-Experience, which attracts and appeals mostly to the Black middle class, is the organizational structure, logical and practical strategic planning, and intellectual content, and have found the Black preacher, who is too emotional and unorganized, unable to attract, equip and retain them in their churches. When praise and worship on the mountain, with all of the props and presentation is over, the work of the church must continue in the valley. I remember hearing an old Baptist sainted mother of the church say, “Son, it’s not how high you jump, but it’s how you live when you come down.” TheChurch-in-the-Black Experience must return to be that church where Jesus is truly Lord, the gospel is faithfully and prophetically preached, the spiritual disciplines are wholeheartedly practiced, the beauty of Christian Fellowship is joyfully experienced, and the people of God are highly favored.8 The late Dr. Howard Thurman has a quote in his book entitled, Disciplines of the Spirit, that tells this allegory. “An old mother duck brought her young ducklings down to what had once been a pond. Since her last brood of ducklings, the pond had become nothing but baked mud. But the mother did not realize this. She stood on the bank urging the ducklings to go down, swim around, and disport themselves on the chickweed where there was no water and the chickweed had long since disappeared. While she was doing this, her ducklings with their fresh young instincts smelled the chickweed and heard the water way up above the dam. So they left their mother beside her old pond to go to quest of other water…They said to her as they left,“mother, for you and all the generations of your ducklings before us, this may have been good water, but, if you and yours would swim again, it must be in other waters.” 1 It should be understood at once that in responding to the inner urge, there is no intention to be destructive or irreverent; it is simply a response to a basic urge upon which in a very large since, the continuation of life depends. It is for many, if you will, the will to live, and such an inner urge must not be ignored with neither a slow response nor no response, but indeed honored.Otherwise, the beat goes on!TO Nancy AND TOThe faithful members of the congregations I have been honored to serve and lead as theShepherd and CEO over the course of my now more than 30 years in the pastoral ministry. I’m so grateful for the grace, as both unmerited favor and opportunity, given to me to serve as yourPastor and Teacher. Many of the individual relationships with members of these diverse ministry fields are still in tack and provide thoughtful, provocative and wonderful reflections of working1 Thurman, Howard, Disciplines of the Spirit, Friends United Press, Richmond, IN, Second Edition, 1987, page 50.9 in the Lord’s vineyard and producing fruit together. All that I am and have become is because of your willingness to accept God’s Will in your Call extended to me to serve and lead you into challenging and life changing ministry. Each unique setting allowed for my personal growth and development and understanding of the life, work and place of the Church in the context of controversy, challenge and change in both the twentieth and twenty-first century society. These extraordinary congregations include:King of all Nations Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois; Union Missionary BaptistChurch, Danville, Illinois; Van Buren Missionary Baptist Church, Gary, Indiana; Mount ZionFirst Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Greater First Church Baptist, Baker,Louisiana. As a result of serving these congregations, some have said that I have come to be,“intellectually sound, culturally sensitive, prophetically centered and spiritually anointed,” as theReverend Dr. Charles G. Adams, Pastor of the Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in Detroit,Michigan and former President of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., have said of a new generation of relevant and prophetic preachers who have “come to themselves.” 2 INTRODUCTIONAccording to Dr. Wilbur M. Smith Professor of English Bible, Fuller TheologicalSeminary, a contributor to the Wycliffe Bible Commentary, all of the letters to the SevenChurches in Asia in the book of Revelation follow the same sequence. Each begins with a phrase descriptive of the exalted Christ, who is addressing the churches. And each descriptive phrase is found in the preceding chapter in John’s account of his vision of the risen Christ. In2 In the Forward, African American Church Growth, by Rev. Dr. Carlyle Fielding Stewart, III, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1994.10 each letter, with the exception of the ones to Laodicea and Sardis, Christ’s first words are those of commendation. This commendation is always followed by some details regarding the condition of the church, leading to a rebuke and warning with the exception of Philadelphia andSmyrna, which received no rebuke. Each letter concludes with a promise to those believers who overcome.3Also, the Reverend Dr. Nigel Turner, formerly Vicar of Diseworth, Near Derby, a contributor to Peake’s Commentary of the Bible gives his presentation on apocalyptic literature in similar terms. He indicates that there may have been a body of “prophets” for a time in the very earliest days of the church, one of whose functions was to receive and propound visions of things to come. John the Revelator and author of the Book of Revelation indeed class himself as one of them. John himself expressed this profound anointment and appointment by God when he states in verse one,“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.” Also, in verse 10 John writes: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches…’” There were prophets who foretold of famines, and others who revealed God’s will concerning Barnabus and Saul; Paul mentions prophecy among gifts of the Spirit; as a class they probably disappeared at about the time that apocalyptic ceased to be in vogue, thus following historically in the tradition of the Jewish Apocalyptists. Their message was that the Kingdom ofGod, in its literal and material form, was shortly to come, with the signs already appearing. With great artistry the scheme of the book is built up like a symphony in three movements: 1) Christ’s3 Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, Editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, The Southwestern Company, Nashville, TN, 1962, The Moody Bible Institute Of Chicago, p. 1503.11 message to the churches (Chapters 1-3). 2) The visions of judgment on the enemies of God and victory for the faithful (Chapters 4-20). 3) God’s Kingdom on earth (Chapters 21-22).4It is also noted that of all the books of the Bible, the Book of Revelation is the one that certainly may be considered as the book for the end of the age. There is a remarkable relevance of the message in the Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation to theChurch in the Twenty-First Century. This is especially true in regard to the use of the very word“apocalypse.” The word has come to stand for an age of upheaval, world conditions fraught with fearful consequences, the unleashing of vast powers which man seems unable to control.5 Just reflecting on the last 15 years, the issues and realities of global warming and climate change; the rise of Islamic terrorist jihadists and subsequent destruction of property and human lives; threats of nuclear proliferation and use in the Middle East and North Korea; economic and financial collapse of world markets; mass killings and shootings of vulnerable and at-risk children as soft targets in America’s schools; shootings and killing of innocent parishioners in prayer and Bible study in a Church in-the-Black-Experience; and senseless and unjustified shootings of Black boys and young men by insensitive and aggressive racist white police officers on the streets ofAmerican cities and communities to the point of national outcry from all sorts and color of people that “Black Lives Matter.” It is clear from an apocalyptic standpoint that the church of Jesus Christ needs to be heard in terms of being that moral and guiding voice to make human life more human. She cannot retreat to a vision mission plan that embraces isolation and an attempt to build the Kingdom of4 Matthew Black and H.H. Rowley Editors, Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, Thomas Nelson and Sons LTD, Nairobi, Kenya, Printed in Hong Kong, 1976, p.1043.5 Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, Editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, The Southwestern Company, Nashville, TN, 1962, The Moody Bible Institute Of Chicago, p. 1492.12 God behind her own walls under the leadership of its flamboyant shepherd with limited vision and satisfied with just a good-looking church, the length of the wheelbase of his/her car or accumulation of commodities and cash through a prosperity message that blames the victims of discontent, disenfranchisement, disappointment, and disillusionment for their own condition.Old Testament Theology argued in the case of Job, that he suffered because of his “sin.” Let me remind you that the bible teaches not that “Ya’ll have sinned”. But to the contrary, it emphatically states that “ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).I’m so glad that Jesus makes it perfectly clear in his Gospel according to Mark 10:28-31:“ Peter began to say to him, “Look we have left everything and followed you’. Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news [gospel], who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age-houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions-and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first (protos) will be last (eschata), and the last (eschata) will be first (protos).’”The Twenty-First Century Church-in-the-Black-ExperienceThe Church-in-the-Black-Experience historically is that sacred round where celebration, liberation, and adaptation are unique forms of its spirituality and sacred heritage, it is the proclamation of that prophetic word from God that gives guidance, direction, and power to its soul-shaping, soul-surviving character. When speaking of the Church-in-the-Black Experience, this character is most prominent within traditional historically African-American congregations to include: African Methodist Episcopal Church; African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church;Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; Church of God in Christ; Full Gospel Baptist ChurchFellowship International; National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc., NationalBaptist Convention, USA, Inc., National Missionary Baptist Convention of America; andProgressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.6 Gayraud S. Wilmore, James Cone, E. Franklin6 Member Denominations of the Conference of National Black Churches, 676 Beckwith Street SW, Atlanta, GA13 Frazier, William Augustus Jones, Vincent Harding, and many others have said much about this dynamic in the life of the church for African-Americans.7 One cannot confuse the propagation and promotion of liberation for African-Americans as being anti-white as did the late greatReverend Dr. Joseph H. Jackson, President of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. In his basic theological position presented during the 91st Annual Session, September 3-8, 1971, Dr.Jackson believed then that if the “Negro Church” accepts the point of view of a “black theology” or a black theology of liberation, then black people will become the outstanding proponents of racial segregation in the United States of America.8 Dr. Jackson believed very strongly, as do committed Christian believers and heralds of our faith, in the universality of the gospel of JesusChrist and God’s plan of salvation. He was definitely right on target biblically and theologically but did not delineate or see that justice in twentieth century America for African Americans was meted out in terms of color and could not embrace a God who sided with and spoke to the oppressed, who were in most cases African-Americans. The twenty-first century bears this out with the disproportionate negative impact that mass incarceration has had and continues to have on African-Americans as seen on all stages of the criminal justice system --- from arrests, jury selection, sentencing, incarceration, access to in-prison drug treatment and programs, and reentry. Historically, it has always been true that the reality of the slave was always different from the reality of the slave-owner. The slave’s worldview and existential reality therefore was different in terms of how to survive and experience a quality and dignity of life that God intends for all people. For African-Americans, God must be understood, seen and heard speaking7 Gayraud S. Wilmore, James H. Cone, Black Theology: A Documentary History, 1966-1979, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, Third Printing 19828 Ibid, page 261.14 through the gospel to their predicament, norms, experience, culture, customs, circumstances and conditions, otherwise its content becomes irrelevant, other worldly and non consequential, as does a blue-eyed blonde hair Jesus to African-Americans.One Church in Many LocationsI too believe that the Church of Jesus Christ, announced and established on the shores ofCaesarea Philippi9, is comprised of many believers but by her very nature (ecclesia) is one body.10 Thus, it is not biblically or theologically correct to brand or label the church as being black or white. We should avoid such divisive labels and address her as she is manifested in theBlack or White or Hispanic, Asian, etc. community. Such an approach and acknowledgment respects and recognizes the nuances and impact of culture, custom, norms and unique needs, which is why I make reference to the Church-in-the-Black Experience and not the Black Church.We should be intellectually sound, culturally sensitive, prophetically committed and spiritually anointed on this matter of legitimacy. Even Paul the Apostle and John the Revelator recognized the reality of local churches comprised of people based upon their race, ethnicity, history, heritage and their German: sitz en leben (situation in society) when writing to various churches in the New Testament texts, but never referred to the Roman church, Corinthian church, Galatian church, Ephesian church, Phillipian church, Colossian church, Thessalonican church, or Galatian churches; to the contrary the church was addressed as the one church in various locations. CHAPTER ONE 9 See Gospel according to Matthew 16:13-2010 See Paul’s Letter to the Church at Ephesus, chapter 4:1-1615 Return to Your First Love Revelation 2:1-5“And to the angel of the church in Ephesus write: these are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lamp stands: I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name and that you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent.”Ephesus was a strategic center in the Roman world. Paul established a church there (Acts19). The city itself was in a state of decline for some centuries. It had once been a seaport, but silt from the river around which the city was built eventually left Ephesus seven miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. Its enormous pagan temple was one of the wonders of the world.Today it is a vast archaeological dig, being gradually uncovered to reveal the ancient splendor of a pan metropolis.11 Ephesus was the largest city in Asia and is the only one of these seven which has a triple place in New Testament literature: it is given extensive prominence in the Book ofActs (18:18-19:41); Paul wrote one of his letters to this church; and the ascended Lord sent a letter. After commending the church for its labor, patience and intolerance for pseudo-apostles, the Lord refers to one tragic defect; according to verse four-she left her first love.Some have related this passage to Paul’s warning to the church at Corinth (2 Corinthians11:2-6) where he says:“I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a chase virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”11 See notes, Harper Study Bible, Harold Lindsell and Verlyn D. Verbrugge, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, p.1849.16 In this case it would appear that the elements of first love are simplicity and purity. The love of the church to Christ is typified by the love of the wife by the husband. In this reciprocal love relationship between Christ and His church, unselfish love then typifies Christ’s love for the church, a love in which there is no single thought of self. This indeed is a mystery, for what it shows is the capacity of Christ to love us despite our inadequacies and imperfections. The church’s response of love to the mystery of love is then the submission of love to perfect love.First love is the abandonment of all for a love that has abandoned all. This first love requirement demands a redirection of priorities for the Twenty-FirstCentury Church-in-the-Black-Experience. It requires that, for the love of Christ, it moves beyond a limited vision of just a good-looking church and satisfaction with old definitions. She must first love Christ by keeping his commandments and doing the will of God which are two principles and priorities, when examined, that serve as evidence or proof that we really love him. Jesus says passionately in John’s gospel chapter 14:21-24:“Those who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love m will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them….those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my word; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.”He goes on to say in 15:9-11: “ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”Second, she must love what Christ loves and that for which he gave his life. Jesus himself proclaimed that his coming and ministry was focused and designed to reach the disillusioned, dispossessed, disenfranchised, and disappointed (Luke 4). Christ gives a rebuke to the Church atEphesus for abandoning her first love of simplicity and purity for the things of God and embracing a superficial love of self, but in addition to the rebuke, he gives a direct warning that17 if she does not repent and change her ways and return to her first love, he will then remove her lamp stand! (cf., Revelation1:20; 2:5). This would be devastating to the church, especially theChurch-in-the-Black-Experience, for what this would mean subsequently and consequently, is that she would lose her place of influence and become impotent. The church would operate without the anointing and presence of God as manifested in having position without power or authority; structure without credibility; activity without accountability; and religion without relevancy as do some local churches now that have abandoned their first love. To avoid this scenario and prophetic apocalyptic downfall, the Church-in-the-Black Experience must redirect her time, talent and treasure in a ministry that seeks to make the wounded whole by seeking to address all sorts and conditions of people of color in particular and all human persons in general.Otherwise, the beat goes on!The Apostle John’s view of the church is that Christians form a community of redeemed people, purchased for God from every linguistic, racial and national group by the sacrificial death of Christ. They will be protected by the Seal of God on their foreheads from the demonic plaques which will afflict the pagan world (Rev. 7:3). Under the symbolism of the 144,000 drawn in equal numbers from the ideal 12 Tribes they are pictured as the True Israel of God which is to be saved from the eschatological woes shortly to be unloosed (Rev. 7:1-8).In a succeeding vision the same community appears as an innumerable multitude from all nations. They will constitute the ultimate society of those who have been redeemed from the“great tribulation.” John prophetically beholds them praising and serving God day and night inHis temple shepherded, guided, and comforted by Christ (cf., Rev. 7:9-17). They are those who have been invited to the “Marriage Supper of the lamb (cf., Rev.19:9). In the New Jerusalem18 they will see God’s face, bear His name on their foreheads, and worship Him as His servants(22:3-4).The true church for John is made up of all who have refused or will refuse to worship the statue of the Emperor Caesar. Those who suffer captivity or martyrdom are predestined to do so(cf., Rev.13:10). In fact all who will inherit the New Jerusalem have had their names written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life” (cf., Rev. 21:27).In our text John the Revelator makes it clear that he has received a commission to write to the seven churches in Asia Minor. He receives a vision while in a spiritual trance on theLord’s Day. This letter to the Church at Ephesus has both a mixture of praise and criticism. It thrills the community of faith with Commendation, but also threatens the Body of Christ withCondemnation. The Church is commended for its vigorous action against false teachers and its fortitude under suffering; (Verses 2 and 3). Conversely, the Church is censured (blamed) for having lost the earlier warmth of its love—probably referring to brotherly love and even more devotion to Christ (Verse 4).The Church is commanded to repent and do the works that it did at first or the lamp stand(church) will be removed from its place (of honor, celebration) (Verse 5). In verse 6 censure is tempered by acknowledging the hatred of the Ephesians Christians for the practices of theNicolaitans, probably the false apostles, i.e., itinerant missionaries, of verse 2, whose special vices are condemned (cf., vv 14-15 and the Church at Smyrna). Jesus implies that we ought to hate what he hates and love what he loves. He hates sin, but loves the sinner. He hates darkness, but loves the light. He hates falsehood, but loves the truth. He hates cowardness, but loves faithfulness. He hates foolishness, but loves enlightenment. He hates weakness, but loves strength. He hates loneliness, but loves fellowship. He hates haughtiness, but lives humility! The19 Church is reprimanded and instructed to listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches (verse7A).In the gospel texts written earlier by John, he provides a doctrinal presentation on the illuminating power and specific work of the Holy Spirit. He presents him as the Spirit of truth that guides believers into all truth (John 16:13); as the Comforter or Advocate, who will replace the soon departing Jesus of Nazareth with an ever-abiding presence; not as another one who may be different, but one who is just like the Christ. And when he comes, he will convince and convict the world about sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:7-9). John makes the point of listening to what the Spirit has to say to the churches because the Spirit of God too is our teacher(John 14:16). Finally, the church is challenged to be conquerors and over comers, to receive permission to eat from the Tree of Life (immortality) that is in the paradise of God or theHeavenly Jerusalem (Verse 7B).James Russell Lowell was right when he wrote the poem in 1843: THE PRESENT CRISIS Though the cause of evil prosper, Yet tis truth alone is strong. Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne,—Yet that scaffold sways the future, And, behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow, Keeping watch above his ownThen to side with Truth is noble When we share her wretched crust, Ere her cause bring fame and profit, And 't is prosperous to be just;Then it is the brave man chooses, While the coward stands aside, Doubting in his abject spirit, Till his Lord is crucified, And the multitude makes virtue 20 Of the faith they had denied.12Horatio R. Palmer was right when he penned the song: YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION I Yield not to temptation For yielding is sin Each victory will help you Some other to win;Fight manfully onward Dark passions subdue Look ever to Jesus He will carry you through!II To him that over-cometh, God giv-eth a crown Through faith we will conquer Though often cast down;He who is our savior Our strength will renew Look ever to Jesus He will carry you through.13 Chorus:Ask the Savior to help you Comfort, strengthen and keep you He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through. It’s Time to Make a Change - Part 1–The Self Ecclesiastes 3:1“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”12 James Russell Lowell, Poem, The Present Crisis, Retrieved from "https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php? title=The_Present_Crisis&oldid=3779438" , Accessed January 21, 2016.13 Horatio R. Palmer, “Yield Not to Temptation” (No 188) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).21 The title of the book Ecclesiastes from the word (ecclesia) in the Greek version of theOld Testament scriptures (Septuagint) means “assembly.” (Hebrew version (gohelet) means“one who assembles” or “one who addresses an assembly” i.e., a preacher or speaker). Until the nineteenth century, Solomon was believed to have written the book in its entirety. Today most scholars agree that Solomon was not the author but rather that the work is a product of post-exile times. However, Solomon is the central figure in the book, and the unknown author used him as a literary device to convey his message.The author’s primary aim is to show from personal experience that all earthly goals and blessings, when pursued as ends in themselves, lead to dissatisfaction and emptiness. He believes that all of human existence when lived apart from God, is frustrating and unsatisfactory.All of pleasures and material things of life when sought for their own sake, bring nothing but unhappiness and a sense of futility (c.f., Ecclesiastes 11:9): “Rejoice O young man while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the inclination of your heart and the desire of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment”Life without God is VanityIn chapter one verse two, the word vanity means basically “breath” or “vapor.” (c.f.,Isaiah 57:13).“When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them off, a breath will take them away. But whoever takes refuge in me shall possess the land and inherit my holy mountain.”Genesis 1:7 also speaks of life in these terms of vapor. “ And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”. The author is not a complete pessimist; he is merely pessimistic about human existence bringing satisfaction apart from God. He characterizes this life being lived apart from God also as transitory and futile. He concludes that a person ought to enjoy life while one can but can only22 do it when in concert with God. And to be in concert with God, in his divine will, one must surrender to his command that one changes. Like Nicodemus in the New Testament texts of the gospel According to John14, the command is that one must be born again. The principle of change and newness for Nicodemus in the text and for all who would believe Christ, is that one must change his/her manner of thinking or perception. There must be a new way of understanding and celebrating life as God intends for the believer in order to enter into this divine and eternal relationship with Him. So what we understand is that change is necessary in that it adds vanity to human existence/experience. It reminds us of the impermanence of life as we know it.I was blessed some years ago to be with the late Reverend Dr. Manual Scott, Sr. as a guest of Calvary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. As the Founder and Executive Secretary for thePrison Ministry and Criminal Justice Commission of the National Baptist Convention, USA.,Inc., I was in California conducting a Crime Prevention and Prison Ministry Training Workshop in Los Angeles hosted by the late Reverend Dr. E.V. Hill at Mount Zion Baptist Church onSaturday and preached for Dr. Hill on Sunday morning. I was invited to worship at CalvaryBaptist Church that afternoon by one of the officers, a very able Attorney, who was also a student in my Prison Ministry Class which I taught during the National Baptist Congress, and was a participant in the Training Workshop held at Mount Zion. I was mesmerized by Dr.Manual Scott who preached at Calvary where he formerly served as pastor before being called to serve in Texas. He preached a sermon titled, “The Passing and Permanent Parade of History.”Dr. Scott was small in stature but very few preachers with all their gifts and talents could stand14 See Gospel According to John, Chapter 3:1-10.23 with such pulpit presence and preaching eloquence, elegance and excellence as Dr. ManualScott, Sr. whose voice the church truly misses.Dr. Manuel Scott began his message by saying that everything nailed and screwed down, glued together and bolted shut is coming loose. He reminded the waiting and expectant crowd, as does the “preacher” in the Book of Ecclesiastes, that everything must change and nothing stays the same in this passing parade of history. Change no doubt is inevitable. Both parades are seen in the Bible. Isaiah 40:8 says:“The grass withers, the flower fades; but the Word of God will stand forever.”Jesus characterizes both parades in Matthew 6:19-21 when he says:“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”In Matthew 25:12 Jesus continues to describe the passing parade-which is the course of this age.“Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him, the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, ‘You see all these, do you not? Truly I say unto you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down’”Even the poets like prophets and priests relate to these two parades. William Shakespeare deals with transience and temporality of life when he says in the last play that he wrote calledThe Tempests-“we are the stuff that dreams are made of.” In his play Macbeth, the character says “life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.” Even HenryWadsworth Longfellow speaks of hope in the midst of temporality and impermanence when he wrote, “There’s a rainbow in the sky!” Leo Tolstoy, author of the book War and Peace, says,“Everybody thinks of changing the world [humanity], but nobody thinks of changing himself.”Consequently, for real change to occur we must look at ourselves. First there must be a conscious decision to change our minds. We must expose self to positive and encouraging experiences and persons. The psalmist David, who is a prototype for humanity in terms of our24 brokenness and need for forgiveness and restoration, emphatically recognizes his need to change his way of thinking and embrace a new attitude when he asks God for help as seen, read, heard and felt in Psalms 51:10,12,13. David cries out from the depth of his soul:“Create in me a clean heart [mind], O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit”.No doubt when a person changes his mind and way of thinking his/her actions also change.Regeneration is the essence of real change for the sinner. Unlike rehabilitation which rehabs or refurbishes an existing entity, with regeneration comes a new heart and mind that enables us to be and act differently than we did when we were powerless and held captive to our own whims and wishes. As in the discussion regarding Nicodemus as cited above, there must be a spiritual transformation of our total being in order to live in fellowship and in harmony with ourselves,God and others. Secondly, there must be a change in one’s direction. He/she must expose oneself to positive places. The psalmist reminds us also in the first Psalm which says:“Happy [Blessed] are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers, but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.” Believers must go from horizontal to vertical positions and rise above their circumstances. They must develop “useful and relevant” skills and if need be, go back to school and get the proper training to succeed and move not only forward, but move ahead. They must go from the valley of dependency to the mountain of self-sufficiency; go from the barren plains of mediocrity to the fertile hilltop of excellence; go from nobodiness to somebodiness, (c.f., 1 Peter 2:9, 10).“ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation. God’s own people (peculiar) that you should show forth the praises of Him who have called you out of darkness into the marvelous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God…”25 Change is necessary for persons and things to get better! If we are to get better, then it’s time to make a change. If our lives are to become more enriched, fruitful, rewarding, challenging, etc., then it’s time to make a change! We must go in the direction of Jesus Christ who is the way, truth and life. Thirdly we must change our destiny. We must have a religion that also invests in what is permanent. We don’t have to be victims of the passing parade of history. We must prepare for present blessings and future rewards. We must invest in stock in the permanent by putting emphasis on what you can’t see and can’t measure. In Luke chapter 12 the predicament and punishment of the rich fool who invested only in the passing is vividly depicted. Verse 15 says,“a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” In verse 19 the rich fool says to himself, “I will say to my soul, soul you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry…”. But God replies and says to him in verse 20, “…Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” And verse 21 sums up the matter when Jesus says, “So is he who lays up treasure for himself[passing], and is not rich toward God [permanent].” Invest in stock of faith and trust in Jesus theChrist. Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (cf., Romans 10:9, 10).Albert E. Brumley was right when he wrote the song: I’LL FLY AWAY Some glad morning when this life is over, I’ll fly away To a home on God’s celestial shore, I’ll fly away When the shadows of this life have grown, I’ll fly away Like a bird from prison have been flown, 26 I’ll fly awayJust a few more weary days and then, I’ll fly away To a land where joy shall never end, I’ll fly away Refrain I’ll (fly away), I’ll (fly away) Oh Glory, I’ll fly away When I die Hallelujah, by and by I’ll fly away.15It’s Time to Make a Change - Part 2–The Family Ecclesiastes 3:1“To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”The principle of family life remains very strong but family bonds have been weakened.Although family structures have changed in recent years to include the traditional nuclear family, that is man, woman and child; extended family; blended family; one parent family; and same sex parents. This is significant because the family organizes basic forms of social life. Through the socialization process we acquire basic attitudes and commitments toward the family, dating and courtship, experiences with love, experiences with sex, marriage and parenthood. Three key relationships or sub-systems of the family are: 1) husband and wife in which truthfulness dependability, sharing the work, mutual ego support and sympathy, talking, and listening, intimacy satisfaction and volunteering are significant components to a successful relationship; 2) parent and child where maintenance, guidance, discipline, love and respect, and release are key and for the child filial duty and filial respect and obedience to parents are required; and 3)15 Albert E. Brumley, “I’ll Fly Away” (No 432) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).27 sibling-sibling where instead of lifelong competition, jealousy and rivalry, must develop a support system of mutual respect, dependence and admiration. The bible provides Christian principles and ethics to support these key support systems above and presented in chapters five and six of Paul’s Letter to the church at Ephesus where he writes based upon his apostolic authority:“ Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, subject to their husbands.”“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes so that she may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husband should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.”“Children, obey your parents in the lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother—this is the first commandment with a promise” ‘so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”“And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”Citing the Old Testament Law (Deuteronomy 5:16), Paul commands children to obey their parents. But when the orders of parents conflict with the laws of God, even children are not required to obey. Obedience is “in the Lord.” For example, if a parent orders a child to steal, lie or cheat, this is contrary to the express will of God and should not be complied with. So it is with civil disobedience when it comes to man-made laws that are contradictory to the laws of God when said laws provoke and justify evil, immoral or unjust actions such as the “Jim Crow” laws in the south against African-Americans. Mahatma Gandhi, Henry David Thoreau and ReverendDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were proponents of this principle of civil disobedience against unjust laws. It too should be applied in the context of family key relationships between husband and28 wife when wife disrespects and dishonors her husband and the husband, instead of loving his wife, abuses her through domestic violence. The family is the setting for man’s most intense bitterness and hatred. In the book ofGenesis human history began with the first murder when Cain slew his brother Abel over sibling rivalry and jealousy16. Even king David, crowned the “apple of God’s eye”, had some serious family relationship problems. David’s son Amnon raped his sister Tamar whose brotherAbsalom consequently murdered his brother Amnon for such act of incest (2nd Samuel chapters13 and 14) . Some believe that David’s household troubles were part of the judgment of God onDavid for his sin. David was in such distress and despair about his kingdom and family problems that he expressed his anguish in Psalm 55 when he wrote:“Give ear to my prayer O God; do not hide yourself from my supplication. Attend to me, and answer me; I am troubled in my complaint. I am distraught by the noise of the enemy, because of the clamor of the wicked. For they bring trouble upon me, and in anger they cherish enmity against me. My heart is in anguish within me, the terrors of death have fallen upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, ‘O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away to be at rest; truly, I would flee far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; I would hurry to find shelter for myself from the raging wind and tempest.’”There was more drama depicted in the life and story of David than all the soap operas combined. There was more intrigue than “The Edge of Night,” more suspense than “Search forTomorrow,” more confusion than “As the World Turns,” more gossip that “Search forTomorrow,” more lying than “General Hospital,” more deceit than “The Days of Our Lives,” more loving done than “All My Children,” more excitement than “One Life to Live,” more faith than “Ryan’s Hope,” more backbiting than “The Bold and The Beautiful,” and more anxiety than“The Young and The Restless.”Murders are family affairs; the bedroom is one of the most dangerous places in the house.Statistics bear this out across the nation. Studies of the surgeon general's office reveal that16 Genesis 4:8-1629 domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44, more common than automobile accidents, muggings, and cancer deaths combined. Other research has found that half of all women will experience some form of violence from their partners during marriage, and that more than one-third are battered repeatedly every year.17 Every nine seconds a woman is battered in the United States.18 Nearly 5.3 million intimate partner victimization occur each year among U.S. women ages 18 and older. This violence results in nearly two million injuries and nearly 1,300 deaths.19 Conservatively, each year one million women suffer non-fatal violence by an intimate20. Other estimates include four million women in the U.S. are battered each year.21 Nearly one in three women experience domestic violence in their lifetime.22 Ninety to ninety-five percent of domestic violence victims are women.23 As many as 324,000 women each year experience intimate partner violence during17 Journal of American Medical Association, 1990, (I.R.I.S, Domestic Violence Center, Resources to Expand Survivors of Domestic Violence at www.stopdv.org/ (accessed October 12, 2015).18 (American Medical Assn. 1998, Georgia Department of Human Resources, 1999), (I.R.I.S, Domestic Violence Center, Resources to Expand Survivors of Domestic Violence at www.stopdv.org/ (accessed October 12, 2015).19 (Center for Disease Control, 2003) Resources to Expand Survivors of Domestic Violence at www.stopdv.org/ (accessed October 12, 2015).20 (Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report: Violence Against Women: estimates from the redesigned survey (NCJ-154348), August 1995, p.3).21 (American Psychology Association Violence and the Family: Report of the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family (1996), p.10).22 (American Psychology Association Violence and the Family: Report of the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family (1996), p.10).23 (A Report of the Violence Against Women Research Strategic Planning Workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Justice in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, 1995).30 their pregnancy.24 Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former intimate, to 3.9 million women who are physically abused by their husbands or live-in partners per year.25 The U.S. Department of Justice reported that 37 percent of all women who sought care in hospital emergency rooms for violence-related injuries were injured by a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend.26 About four in ten female victims of intimate partner violence lived in households with children under age 12.27 Having a verbally abusive partner is a variable "most likely" to predict that a woman would be victimized by an intimate partner. These findings support the theory that violence perpetrated against women by intimates is often part of a systematic pattern of dominance and control.28 In the United States, researchers estimate the 40 percent to 70 percent of female murder victims were killed by their husbands or boyfriends, frequently in the context of an ongoing abusive relationship.29 Fifty-seven percent of homeless families identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness.30 Louisiana not only24 (Gazmarairian et al, 2000), (I.R.I.S, Domestic Violence Center, Resources to Expand Survivors of Domestic Violence at www.stopdv.org/ (accessed October 12, 2015).25 (U.S. Department Of Justice, Violence by Intimates: Analysis of Data on Crimes by Current or Former Spouses, March 1998: The Commonwealth Fund, First Comprehensive National Survey of American Women, July, 1993).26 (U.S. Department Of Justice, August 1997. Violence Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments. Michael R. Rand. Bureau of Justice Statistics).27 (Reprinted and Adapted From 'News Flash' http://www.Fvpf.Org/Newsflash), An Online Newsletter of The Family Violence Prevention Fund).28 (Extent, Nature, And Consequences Of Intimate Partner Violence. Reprinted And Adapted From 'News Flash’ Http), An Online Newsletter of the Family Violence Prevention Fund), (accessed October 12, 2015).29 (BAILEY ET AL., 1997), I.R.I.S, Domestic Violence Center, Resources to Expand Survivors of Domestic Violence at www.stopdv.org/ (accessed October 12, 2015).30 (The United States Conference of Mayors, A Status Report on Hunger And Homelessness in America’s Cities: 1999, December 1999, P94).31 ranks 1st in the world for incarceration of its citizens, but also ranks 2nd in the nation for homicides related to domestic abuse.31 Louisiana Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office now ask three key questions as they respond to domestic violence calls and if the victim answers “yes” to any, the responding deputy will immediately help them to get in touch with a domestic violence center that can provide shelter, legal advice, counseling and more. These questions are: 1) Has the offender ever used or threatened you with a weapon? 2) Has the offender threatened to kill you, your children or anyone during the incident? 3) Do you think the offender might kill you?32 Christ the Great DividerIn the New Testament, Jesus makes it perfectly clear that his gospel and the effect of gospel preaching would be divisive, even reaching into private families. Unbelievers in the family would become angry with, persecute, and condemn relatives who follow Jesus. In one sense, Christ is the great divider when it comes to acceptance of and adhering to his gospel message. Jesus is recorded in Luke chapter 12:51-53 to have said:“Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Yet, for the Christian Family, there is a call to endure hardships that come with followingJesus. He is clear throughout the New Testament texts that there is a cross that is inextricably linked and indissolubly bound with being a disciple of Christ. He reminded the rich young ruler31 (I.R.I.S, Domestic Violence Center, Resources to Expand Survivors of Domestic Violence cites all of the above statistics at www.stopdv.org/ (accessed October 12, 2015).32 (The Advocate Newspaper, Baton Rouge, LA, November 9, 2015 Edition, page one).32 that to enter the Kingdom of God where Christ is Lord, one would have to be willing to makeChrist the number one focus of his or her life, as contrasted with the riches and impermanent things of this temporary world existence; take up his cross that will come from his peers and the privileged in the community that would criticize and ostracize him from their ranks for selling what he owned and giving it to the poor; and then follow Jesus wherever he goes! It really cost you something to be a follower of Jesus. It will, in fact, cost you your life.There are indeed other traumas of the family that must be changed to avoid depressing situations. There are too many to address here in these pages, but I see several that must call for our attention as believers and followers of Christ. First, we must avoid the desire to create families without family obligations. Christians must adhere to the teaching of our Christ and the church in order to have strong and healthy families. Too many people and especially young people today have or are settling for common law arrangements in lieu of marriage. Isn’t it ironic that you must have a license for a dog or a cat to live in your home and yet so many choose to live together and/or create families without a long-term commitment? For the Christian, this ought not to be, yet as a pastor, and even a father, I too have to constantly preach, teach and deal with this reality that effects so many of our families and only propagates and perpetuates a continuation of brokenness and divisiveness. Second, the reality of Mass Incarceration of so many Black boys and men negatively affect our families. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 1.7 million children had a parent incarcerated in a state or federal prison at mid-year 2009. Of the 1.5 million prisoners held in state and federal prisons, parents comprise 809,800 of them representing744,200 fathers and 65,600 mothers.33 Children of incarcerated parents face a myriad of33 U.S. Department of Justice, “Prison Inmate Characteristics and Prison Facilities (December 2008,2009),” (Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics), http:bjs/ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm/ (accessed August 31, 2011).33 challenges to include: damaged self-esteemed; cognitive difficulties; emotional problems, such as anxiety, anger, sadness, and emotional withdrawal; mental health issues, including depression and eating and sleeping disorders; behavioral problems such as physical aggression; educational difficulties, including truancy and diminished academic performance; increased likelihood of involvement in the juvenile and criminal justice systems; and trauma, i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of witnessing the parent’s arrest and incarceration.34 This is particularly true in Louisiana where youth of color, particularly those in at-risk situations, face intense poverty and are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the BP Oil spill crisis.Consequently, mass incarceration, which disproportionately imprisons African-Americans, perpetuates the brokenness, despair, disillusionment and disenfranchisement in many Black communities and ensures there be a lack of positive Black male role models to give love and guidance to their families. We must put an end to the deteriorating foundations of our families.Its time to make a change in our families by going back to God. The decisions we make about and for our families should be filtered through the word, wisdom and will of God. (cf.,Joshua 24:15):“ And if it seems evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which our fathers served…or the gods of the Amorites.…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD! Many churches would be filled every Sunday morning if a serious ministry of personal evangelism to our families alone took place. The religious bridge that parents and grandparents made and sustained for many of us must be rebuilt for and reconnected to our millennial generation of young people who seem to be more concerned with cash, cars, commodities and gadgets than their relationship with Christ and his church. Sunday morning must again become that rallying center for families to receive strength, support and guidance through fellowship,34 National Crime Prevention Council, People of Faith Mentoring Children of Promise: A Model Partnership Based on Service and Community. (2004). Washington, DC: Author.34 worship, ministries and relevant and prophetic preaching from the word of God to help deal with their current issues, situations, circumstances and conditions. No doubt, healthy families- spiritually, physically, politically, socially, and economically, make for healthy churches and communities.There must also be a change in direction for our families to help rebuild deteriorating foundations. There must be a “spiritual revival” and thirst for God and the religious life within our household. We must move from brokenness to wholeness. We must move from division to unity. We must move from welfare to a family affair! If families do not make a change in their direction then the quality of life for many families will forever be inadequate and fall behind and below the standard of wholeness and wellness that God wants and promises for his people. TheChronicler in the Old Testament texts prophetically proclaims a truism and promise from God in the Book of 2 Chronicles 7:14:“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”As with the self, a change of mind and direction for families guarantees a change in their destiny. What’s extraordinarily significant and necessary for this greatness of heritage and prosperity to be realized for our families, is that fathers must once again take their God directed place as leader, guide, lover and provider for his family. My friend, colleague and former classmate at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Reverend Clarence Lumumba James,Sr., makes profound sense and entertains a rethinking, redirection and rededication model to equip our men to become proud, faithful and loving fathers. In one of his sermons he posits that there is a radical and expected difference between a boy and a man and the need for men of color especially to take their rightful place within their families and communities:35 Boys are students, men are teachers. Boys are consumers, men are producers. Boys play with toys, men work with tools. Boys break things, men make things. Boys ask questions, men give answers. Boys are disruptive, men bring order. Boys run in gangs, men organize teams. Boys play house, men build homes. Boys shack up, men get married. Boys make babies, men raise children. A boy won’t raise his own children, a man will raise his and somebody else’s. Boys invent excuses for failure, men produce strategies for success. Boys look for somebody to take care of them, men look for somebody to take care of. Boys are present-centered, men are time-balanced. Boys seek popularity, men demand respect. Boys are up on the latest, men are down with the greatest. Men have knowledge of the past, understanding of the present and a vision for the future.Luke, as author of the book of Acts in the New Testament texts, emphasizes the stability, joy, celebration and security that comes when the family, led by spiritual and God-fearing men such as the Philippian Jailer, find their place in the family of God. He writes in Acts 16:25-34:“At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and found the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. The he [jailer] brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.”As a result of knowing God the Father, there is reconciliation with Him (healthy vertical relationship), and one another (healthy horizontal relationship). The family’s destiny of wholeness and wellness is sure. There will be strong and responsible Black men, able and lovingBlack women, and mature and sober black children.Jennie Wilson and F.L. Eiland were right when they wrote the song: HOLD TO GOD’S UNCHANGING HANDI36 Time is filled with swift transition, Naught of earth unmoved can stand, Build your hopes on things eternal. Hold to God’s unchanging hand!II Trust in Him who will not leave you Whatsoever years may bring If by earthly friends forsaken, Still more closely to Him cling!III When your journey is completed, If to God you have been true, Fair and bright the home in glory Your enraptured soul will view.RefrainHold to his hand, God’s unchanging hand. Hold to his hand, God’s unchanging hand. Build your hopes on things eternal Hold to God’s unchanging hand!35It’s Time to Make a Change - Part 3–The Church Ecclesiastes 3:1“To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”The Church-in-the-Black-Experience historically has had a radical predisposition for peace and justice. She must return to the healing ministry to make the wounded whole; a focus, if you will, on all the social ills that affect our churches and communities. She cannot just be reactionary, but most be revolutionary in leading people to wholeness and justice in all areas of life. She must again become, as Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. posits in his book, Why We Can’t Wait, a35 Jennie Wilson and F.L. Eiland, “Hold To God’s Unchanging Hand” (No 248) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).37 headlamp and not a taillight. She, as great men and women, must indeed set precedents and not follow them. The Necessity of ChangeWhen something has gone wrong and continues to get worst rather than gets better, then it’s time to make a change: (decisions determine one’s directions and directions determines one’s destinies, (cf., woman with issue of blood, Mark 5:25, 26). Change was needed during the15th century in Europe when the Protestant Reformation took place led by Martin Luther, aGerman priest and professor of theology and considered the father of the Reformation. The reformers protested that the Unified Christian Church (Universal or Catholic church as it was called) had too much control over the lives of the people, even the King! The Christian Church had power to make the king crawl for miles and beg for forgiveness if he got out of line. The reformers also believed catholic leaders were corrupt and immoral; however, this wasn’t enough to make folk break away. The “95 Theses” were written in 1517 by Martin Luther. His revolutionary ideas served as the catalyst for the eventual breaking away from the Catholic Church and were later instrumental in [spearheading] the movement known as the Protestant Reformation. Luther wrote his radical “95 Theses” to express his growing concern with the corruption within the Church. In essence, his Theses called for a full reform of the Catholic Church and challenged other scholars to debate with him on matters of church policy. One of the major issues that concerned Luther pertained to the matter of church officials selling “indulgences” to the people as a means of releasing them from having to exact penitence for their misdeeds. Indulgences were also claimed by the Church to limit the amount of time the purchaser’s loved one would have to spend inPurgatory. “As soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].”38 Luther felt that these church officials were teaching people that they could literally buy their way into the kingdom of God or buy God’s favor. His belief was that the papacy had deteriorated to the point that the people were being led to believe in man-made doctrines. The Pope had the power to limit or do away with penances imposed by the clergy, but he did not have the power to bring about the interior contrition that leads to salvation. Only God could do that. Indulgences are positively harmful, according to the Theses, since they induce a false assurance of peace, and cause the recipients to neglect true repentance. Luther published his “95 Theses” fully realizing that he faced excommunication and even death for protesting the traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Church. To do so was considered heresy against God. Luther’s “95 Theses” became highly sought after by the populace and were soon translated into German for the common people to read. The printing press then enabled the wide distribution of the Theses, provoking in the people more disenchantment with the ways of the Catholic Church. In 1521, Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther from the Catholic Church and declared him a heretic. Luther was so despised by the church that a death warrant was issued, giving anyone permission to kill him. However, Luther was given protection by Prince Frederick of Saxony, a staunch defender of Luther. Hidden in one of Frederick’s castles, Luther began producing a translation of the Bible into the German language. Ten years later it was finally completed. It was in 1529, some 12 years after Luther had nailed his Theses to the church door, that the word “Protestant” became a popular term describing those who supported Luther’s protests against the Church. These opponents of the Church declared their allegiance to God and protested any loyalty or commitments to the emperor. Thereafter, the name “Protestant” was applied to all who argued that the Church be reformed. Luther died in 1546 with his39 revolutionary Theses forming the foundation for what is known today as the ProtestantReformation36.What actually brought about change was that the Protestant Reformation declared the freedom of the individual – “saved by faith alone,” according to the 23 tenets of the“Justification Controversy” as presented by John Calvin37 a contemporary of Martin Luther. TheProtestant Reformation placed a new emphasis on the rights of individuals and was tired of conformity and restrictions. The people wanted a change. They wanted individual freedom from the restraints of an institutionalized omnipresent God. Unfortunately, this spirit or attitude of accepting a culture of corruption, concealment and containment, where everybody looks the other way to preserve the church’s prestige and standing, is viewed to be prevalent in too many of our churches today. I personally experienced this reality which served as a growth and learning and trust experience in the 2nd year of my pastorate as Senior Pastor of one of our nation’s most prestigious churches, the Mount Zion FirstBaptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I followed the Reverend Dr. Theodore JudsonJemison who served as Senior Pastor for over 50 years. I came to accept what the ReverendDonald L. Parson of Chicago once preached in a sermon entitled, “This Thing is from me,” that our disappointments are sometimes God’s appointments in disguise. Unlike the Church-in-the-White-experience, that historically have had splits and disagreements mostly on matters of doctrine, for the Church-in-the–Black-Experience, money and power struggles have been the culprits that have broken the spirit and unity of many. The culture and tradition in these36 http:// www.got questions.org, What are the 95 Theses of Martin Luther?, Accessed November 30, 2015. Also see Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther, Nashville, Abingdon Press, Copyright Renewal, 1978.37 See Final Edition (1559) of John Calvin’s Institute’s of the Christian Religion, Book III, Chapter XI, ed., John T. McNeill, tr. Ford Lewis Battles, 1960, W.L. Jenkins. Vols. XX and XXI of the Library of Christian Classics. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960, I, 725-754. Also see John C. Olin, A Reformation Debate, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1978, pp. 95-113.40 churches are based upon the preacher’s outstanding apologetic ability to “preach” his or her way out of any situation. It has been stated many times that the only “unforgiveable sin” within theChurch-in-the-Black Experience, other than the misuse of church money and moral failure, is for the preacher to fail or lack the skills to preach with presence, power and persuasion.Although the basis of Protestantism substantiates individual freedom, there still exist dangers of individual extremists. There appears to be a movement or change of individual revolt in the Twenty-First century that has influenced the church at her core. For example, in the twentieth century students in the turbulent sixties who were in revolt desired most to attain a better philosophy of life, meaning and purpose. My time as a student at Garrett-EvangelicalTheological Seminary on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in the late seventies involved being taught and trained that ministry was not about the preacher’s needs, but the needs of those whom we serve. There was a theological, biblical and prophetic thrust in seminary professors’ presentation that served to equip students to not only be good pastors, but also to be servant-leaders in their respective communities. What we saw were seminary professors, most of whom themselves were ministers of the Gospel, that embraced entering students with joy and a sense of honor and pride knowing they were to equip the next generation of extraordinary leaders not just for the churches they would serve, but whole communities where they would eventually be called. This was the tradition at Garrett-Evangelical. The schools’ goal was not just to train students in moral excellence, but also to produce critical thinkers and world shakers that would be recognized for their holistic understanding of and engagement in prophetic preaching and liberation ministry. We also saw an intellectual community that recognized the validity and value of the black experience and incorporated that religious, social and political life into the very framework and fabric of its theological studies,41 not just for African-Americans as an appeasing black studies program, but for all students as required study. This commitment of parity throughout the total life and operations of the seminary was realized through the establishment of the Center for the Church and the BlackExperience. What an exciting experience indeed it was for black students in particular who had matured into committed young men and women of the faith. Students saw a community of faith that celebrated life in all of its expressions. This included seeing young black men and women students, from Baptist, Methodist, Church of God, Church of God in Christ, and Pentecostal backgrounds and traditions, enjoy the fellowship of one another as seen by ad hoc preaching inLoder Hall just outside the cafeteria. Such preaching which oftentimes began as an outward prideful expression of their preaching traditions, most often turned into serious celebration in the presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Or as some would say in their faith tradition, “they got happy and were shouting all over the place!” Again, for the white students who gazed in amazement at the spontaneity and free spirit exemplified by the black students without planned form and structure, the black experience had once again made its arrival at the predominately white Seminary. Even on a social level the black seminarians’, indwelled by this appreciation for and celebration of life which was so characteristic of the professors’ teaching ethic and institution’s core values, became the envy of many other graduate students matriculating into the secular halls of Northwestern University. A case in point is that whenever black seminarians came together in a private social gathering of peers to express their Christian liberty and humanity and to ease the great tension always associated with being the best student, the “experience” was always overrun by many other graduate students from Northwestern University and people from the North SideChicago community who got word that a “real party” was going on. Besides listening and42 moving to the sweet sounds of Marvin Gaye (I Want You); Teddy Pendergrass (Close TheDoor); George Benson (On Broadway); Bootsie Collins and the Funkadelics (Flashlight); and theO’Jays (Stairway To Heaven), in those liberating moments of celebration; there was a true and once in a lifetime pure spirit of appreciation and love for one another, and a sense of community, that was absolutely contagious! In contrast, however, now the emphasis for many seminary students, and persons in general, is individual piety and personal economics with the freedom to get rich, exploit, and make a profit based upon a philosophy of capitalism and materialism. This worldly mindset is vividly portrayed among the people of God when the efficacy of the Church of Jesus Christ and her Shepherds are judged and determined based upon the sheer numbers of members who sit in their pews, the length of the wheelbase of their cars or the number of bedrooms in their homes.Ministries without a Mission? In the latter part of the twentieth century the Church acted as if she was tired of being free, sick of being individuals, and tried to find her way back together again. We saw both predominantly white and predominantly black denominations merging within their respective bodies, such as Presbyterians and Methodists; and even National Baptists flirted with the notion of merging their resources and becoming an even more powerful and relevant religious body in order to carry out the Mission and Ministry of the Church more efficiently and effectively. This was vividly seen when four major African-American National Baptist Conventions agreed for the first time, since their respective historic splits, to have periodic Joint Board Meetings.38However, the dialogue ceased after several years when said religious bodies could not overcome and change from a personality driven convention paradigm to a service driven one as was the38 Mid-Winter Board Meeting historic joint session to include the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., and the National Missionary Baptist Convention convening in Nashville, Tennessee, January 24-28, 2005.43 tenor and call for many in these religious organizations, thus retreating to historic organizational territorial protectionism which may be a contributing factor to the decline in church membership and young pastor exodus from these bodies.Many of these extraordinary, visionary and gifted young leaders’ hearts burned and yearned for their denominations to be more open and committed to youth leadership development, and for creating new and fresh ways for young ministers to have a meaningful place, position and prominence within the polity, policy and practice of mainline African-American protestant denominations. They needed to be allowed to share their gifts and talents without censure of criticism and suffocation of status-quoism. Unfortunately for many, the spiritual exodus of the twenty-first century within the Church-in-the-Black Experience has been more chaotic than remedial, more divisive than directed, more reactionary than revolutionary, resulting in the creation of many ministries without a clear mission, or better, without sanction or scrutiny. Ministries are the very platforms upon which to stand and planks with which to carry out the glorious Mission of the Church as declared by Jesus the Christ on the shores of CaesareaPhilippi when he prophetically and emphatically stated to his disciples, “… upon this rock I will build my Church (Greek-ecclesia) and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” 39 TheChurch of Jesus Christ was established for all times and for all ages. Understandably, ministries will always change, of necessity, to meet the challenges and needs of each new generation, but the Mission stays the same. Many so-called ministries that are functioning as churches may be the result of the frustration of pastors unable or unwilling to function in a structured denomination that was closed to new ideas. 39 The Gospel According to Matthew, chapter 16, verse 1844 As a young pastor of a large traditional and historic mid-western church, I personally experienced the frustration of trying to put “new wine in old wineskins,” but I understood and had clarity of the difference between ministry and mission. Consequently, in 1996, I, along with some visionary and loyal members of our church, organized a legally separate non-profit entity and I named it Reclamation and Restoration Ministries, Inc. The United States Department of theTreasury determined it to be a 501 (c) (3) non-profit Public Charity, and a Domestic Corporation as determined by the state of Indiana. This allowed me to engage the church in non-traditional but intellectually sound, culturally sensitive, prophetically centered and spiritually anointed ministries to include positive youth development, family preservation and public safety projects.It also created many organizational partners40, with the church giving the lead, from the faith- based community, community organizations, educational institutions, local, county and state law enforcement agencies, and local, county, state and national government agencies. Although this ministry continues today operating out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it is often misconstrued as a church because of the growing number of ministries that are operating as churches. This approach also allowed me to keep my love for and loyalty to my “traditional” Church and engagement within my denomination. I admit it was no doubt easier for me to maintain my40 Organizations that comprised the Monthly Planning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) that supported RRM work and special projects in Lake County, Indiana included: National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ) ; National Religious Affairs Association, Affiliate of NABCJ (now the National Association of Faith and Justice); Prison Ministry and Criminal Justice Commission, Affiliate of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; Indiana Department of Workforce Development Services; Edgewater Systems for Balanced Living, Inc.; Urban League of Northwest Indiana; Partnership for a Drug Free Lake County; Lake County Coroner’s Office; Superior Court of Lake County Juvenile Division; Lake County Council; Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau; Interfaith Clergy Council of Gary and Vicinity; Lake County Chaplain’s Association; Lake County Sheriff’s Department; Lake County Office Division of Family and Children; Indiana Family and Social Services Administration/Division of Mental Health; Indiana Department of Correction; Indiana State Police; Indiana Black State Troopers Assn; Gary Police Department; Gary Drug Free Coalition; Gary City Court; Gary Community School Corporation; Gary Housing Authority; Gary Neighborhood Services; Gary YWCA; Gary Youth Services Bureau; Mayor’s Office City of Gary; Gary-Hammond-East Chicago Empowerment Zone; Serenity House of Gary; Parents Distribution Center of Gary; Geminus Corporation; PSI Family Services; No Bars: Illinois Task Force on Children of Prisoners and Children of Promise, and the Salvation Army.45 connection with my denomination because I had been appointed in September 1994 by the newly elected visionary Convention President to serve as the first Executive Secretary of the Newly created (at my proposal) Prison Ministry and Criminal Justice Commission. The first of its kind in my Convention’s then 114th year history. I believed then that the Church-in-the-Black-Experience had caught on to the relevancy and urgency of prison ministry and criminal justice reform. However, some 21 years later, some of our prominent leadership in the Church-in-the-Black Experience, that can make a difference, are just now taking a seat at the table. It is with great pride and admiration that our nation’s first President of color, Barack Obama, and product of the Church-in-the-Black Experience, has garnered and included national religious leadership in the relevant and urgent conversation and strategy to reform a “criminal” and broken criminal justice system which has not seen reform since the presidency of Lyndon Baines Johnson in the mid-twentieth century.If not Now, then When? It’s definitely time to make a change in attitudes, directions and destinies when congregations within the Church-in-the-Black-Experience become isolated, preoccupied with their own life and subsequently develop an edifice complex of building buildings and not community. It’s time to make a change when preachers try to build their own little empires and seek to build the Kingdom of God alone. It’s time to make a change when preachers try to create their own little preachers – in their own image and in their likeness, instead of helping them to develop their own self identities and God-given ministries. It’s time to make a change when preachers are preaching for a living and not living to preach. It’s time to make a change when preachers in “boot camp” attempt to give answers when there is no question; offering support when there is no need; presenting ideas when there is no desire to know; and giving simple answers to very complex questions. 46 It’s time to make a change when our churches fail to reach the masses of black people.It’s time to make a change when our church members lose their “saltiness”, or influence and are not compelling and bringing unbelievers to know Christ and his power, and into the fellowship of his glorious church. Or when our churches have activity without essence, position without power, rallies without relevance, and worship without true substance. It’s time to make a change when our church members let the oil of enlightenment run out of their lamps and their lights go out, no longer able to enlighten others about the truth embedded in the gospel of Jesus and to share the faith, hope and love that is within them. Finally, it’s time to make a change when our churches become tail-lights and not head- lamps. History contains the record that great churches like great leaders in the tradition of MartinLuther King, Jr., do not follow precedents, they set them. Great leaders don’t necessarily become great by getting keys to the city, but oftentimes by getting barred from the city when they stand up against injustice and disenfranchisement of people of color in particular, and all others in general.What Are The Changes?First, the Church-in-the-Black Experience must understand its goal of freedom and liberation for all people from any and all sorts and conditions, be they spiritual, social, psychological and economic, that continue to impede people’s progress towards meaningful and qualitative human existence. Jesus proclaimed very vividly that he came that believers might have life and have it more abundantly. He even stressed to believers that their model prayer should include a request that they might have a little heaven on earth. In other words, our life goal must be more than just the attainment of the “American Dream,” but must go deeper to47 inherit and embrace Moses’ promised land, Martin’s beloved community, and Mary’s baby’sKingdom of God.Secondly, the Church-in-the-Black Experience must understand her role in addressing the needs of people by meeting them where they are. She must understand black people’s dilemma of overcoming powerlessness, especially black males as victims of genocide by racist police brutality, and disproportionate incarceration in brutal American prisons which serve only as dungeons of despair and cages of complacency. She must offer leadership in complex areas and not deal with quality of life threatening issues with either a slow response or no response. She must face the confusion in the black community where segments of blacks don’t realize the implications of their blackness in America. Many have lost or failed to embrace grandma’s and granddaddy’s values that were taught which included the existential reality that you must loveGod, work harder, and be better in order to be successful in this old mean world.Religion and RelevanceThirdly, the Church-in-the-Black Experience must continue to be relevant in and for changing times within the twenty-first century. She must, through her tried, tested and committed ministers, present a gospel that addresses the most basic absolute spiritual and theological needs and situational needs of her parishioners. That Word from God on the one hand, that recognizes there are two forms of consciousness, must teach individual hearers that it is necessary to be yourself so that you can be creative which stresses self-affirmation and recognizes individuality.On the other hand, it must also inform believers to love yourself so that God can be creative in you which demands a self-emptying, self-denial, that actually stresses unification of the two forms of consciousness. It is only being in Christ and in his eternal will for one’s life that we are really unified in terms of body, mind, spirit and soul. In the Book of Acts 17:28ff, the Apostle48 Paul stood and spoke boldly, although unconvincingly, in the Aeropagus to Greek philosophers at Athens about true religion and knowing God and oneself, stating that “For in him (God) we live and move and have our being…”Our music also must be presented in a genre’ that reaches the hearts, minds and souls of each generation represented in our churches. This may be a challenge to some churches to expand their musical repertoire, especially when ministering to an older and more traditional generation, but to meet the millennials where they are and ensure the future of our churches, the music must not only preserve and pass on our anthems, hymns spirituals, and sacred songs, but must also be presented and appreciated when having a different beat. Our corporate prayers too must be relevant. I remember how as a youth in church in my home city of Chicago, a number of us youth would mimic the deacons when they prayed because we knew the lines as they said them and anticipated for what they would pray. We knew the beginning, middle and ending of their prayers which were always the same. There was no spontaneity, freedom and freshness in the prayer and worship service except when the pastor preached, the rest of the experience was more of ritual and of duty than a moral responsibility to worship God in spirit and in truth. Of course it was later on in life that I learned that to pray is to change, working together with God. Parts of prayer, whether they are adoration or praise, confession, supplication, thanksgiving, or intercession, must be relevant to the needs of persons at worship. Personal requirements are that of purity of heart (cf., Psalm 66:18-19); believing (cf.,Matthew 21:22); in Jesus Name (cf., John 14:13); and according to the will of God, (cf., I John5:14).41 41 For an extensive presentation on the discipline of prayer see Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, Harper and Rowe Publishers, New York, 1978, pp. 30-40.49 It is not uncommon in the twenty-first century that persons seek and join congregations that best address the needs of individuals and families based upon what is offered through programs and ministries. As passionately indicated above, there are various “platforms” and“planks” of ministries based upon the church’s understanding of the mission of the church as well as having its own vision and human and financial resources. One thing is certain, and that is the Church-in-the Black experience, on the local, district, state and national levels, must engage in ministries beyond her traditional structures, forms and approaches and include non-traditional, even out-of-the-box’ approaches, to ensure that she is meeting the past, present and future needs of her constituents, and those in the community who are looking for guidance and progressive and prophetic leadership by the church (see chapter seven below for a more exhaustive presentation of ministries with relevance and empowerment for the twenty-first century.)One key new challenge for the Church-in-the-Black Experience in particular, and all others in general, is to establish a ministry that provides a sense of security for churches designated as “soft” targets for deranged racists and demented terrorists who proclaim that they are maiming and killing in the name of God. This is a reality most recently experienced onWednesday night June 18, 2015, when a lone white gunman stormed the historic EmanuelAfrican Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and after receiving great hospitality and Christian love, opened fire on a Bible study/prayer group and killed nine people, including the pastor/politician, the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, a member of the SouthCarolina legislature. Since this horrific incident, many churches have taken precautions and established protocols and procedures to handle shooting incidents in the church. Let me suggest one such approach our church established called, “Gatekeepers Emergency, Identity andResponse Ministry.” The objective of such a ministry is to develop, implement and monitor a50 Comprehensive Watch and Pray Emergency Operation Plan around five mission areas to include:Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery.42 It seeks to recruit, train and engage young adult men ages 18-35 in the process of ensuring the safety and security of the congregation, leadership, staff, volunteers, visitors and facilities during dedicated and regular times to gather for regularly constituted Christian events and activities by becoming“Gatekeepers.” Such a ministry must encourage a sense of belonging and not alienate people who sincerely come to participate in the celebration of worship and fellowship with the people ofGod.Finally, the Church-in-the-Black Experience must continue its noble efforts of ecumenism to create and foster cooperation, communication, collaboration, and coordination that will harness the power and influence of their collective bodies for Christian missions and social action that will make human life more human. There is much faith and hope that such a lofty, yet needed partnership can occur, and possibly best occur and will occur, under the leadership and efforts of the Conference of National Black Churches. There appears to be a progressive wave of visionary, relevant and bold leadership within this august and able body that can make the change necessary for the Church-in-the-Black Experience to once again take her rightful place at the table of brother and sisterhood, in leading God’s people and their communities toward health and wholeness for such a time as this.Although twenty centuries have passed since John the Revelator spoke and wrote his prophetic and apocalyptic word from God in the book of Revelation, the commendation and warning is still relevant and speaks to the church today. To avoid the removal of her “lamp stand”, that is, her authority, influence, effectiveness, position, power, prestige, and privilege,42 U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “Guide for Developing High Quality Emergency Operation Plans for Houses of Worship, http://www.dhs.gov, accessed August 15, 2015.51 she must return to her first love. (cf., Rev. 2:5). First love is the abandonment of all for a love that has abandoned all. This first love requirement demands a redirection of priorities for theTwenty-First Century Church-in-the-Black-Experience. It requires that, for the love of Christ, it moves beyond limited vision and satisfaction with old definitions. There must be the fermentation of new wine for new wineskins. She must first love Christ by keeping his commandments and doing the will of God which are two principles and priorities, when examined, that serve as evidence or proof that we really love him. No doubt about it, a change on the inside is necessary before true change can take place on the outside. We may and in some cases must change the form of governments, cathedrals, conventions, convocations, and conferences, but unjust structures are made by unjust hearts, and real change will take place when the form of the heart is changed. But if one’s heart is not rapped up, tied up, and tangled up in the love and mercy of God, then the preacher is speaking to you when he says, “vanity of vanities all is vanity” (cf., Ecclesiastes 3:1ff). If we change our hearts (minds), we will then be able to let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. Then we can change our direction, because God (right) is on our side. I’m so glad that right will not forever remain upon the scaffold while wrong sits upon the throne. I’m so glad that trouble don’t last always. We will be able to go from slavery to freedom, from injustice to social and criminal justice, from nobodiness to somebodiness. Finally, rest assured that because of a change in mind and direction, we can rejoice because our destinies are safe and secure in the arms of God.R.H. McDaniel and Charles H. Gabriel were right when they wrote the song:SINCE JESUS CAME INTO MY HEART I What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought Since Jesus came into my heart; I have light in my soul for which long I have sought,52 Since Jesus came into my heart; II I have ceased from my wand’ring and going astray Since Jesus came into my heart; And my sins which were many are all washed away Since Jesus came into my heart; Chorus Since Jesus came into my heart, Since Jesus came into my heart, Floods of joy o’er my soul Like the sea billows roll, Since Jesus came into my heart.43Elton M. Roth was right when he wrote the song:IN MY HEAR THERE RINGS A MELODY I I have a song that Jesus gave me, It was sent from heav’n above; There never was a sweeter melody, “Tis a melody of love. II I love the Christ who died on Calv’ry, For he was my sins away, He put within my heart a melody, And I know it’s there to stay. Chorus In my heart there rings a melody, There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony; In my heart there rings a melody; There rings a melody of love.44 The Last Night in Town (The Consequences of a Bad Choice) Genesis 19:12-16The story of Lot and Sodom is ideally situated and theologically placed within the larger setting and saga of the great patriarch, Abraham. We find that in the story, Abraham is depicted43 R.H. McDaniel and Charles H. Gabriel, “Since Jesus Came into My Heart” (No 301) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).44 Elton M. Roth, “In My Heart rings a Melody” (No 300) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).53 as a sojourner turned pioneer, a nomad turned Father of a Nation. As we gaze upon this scenario one is fascinated by the providential and purposeful plan that the LORD GOD sets forth for this man named Abraham. If we look closely, you can become caught up in awe and majesty as you see God turning the dead-in contradictions of life into tunnels of meaningful existence and vistas of new beginnings. The theologian Rudolph Otto, in his book entitled, “The Idea of the Holy”, calls this awe and excitement the Latin: “mysterium tremendum” or the great mystery. I believe that believers should be moved and tremble in their being as they reflect upon and encounter this awesome power and majesty, to see and feel the hand of God directing you, bidding you to come, and leading you on a journey. If you look diligently at this saga of Abraham, you can seeGod takes the contradictions of birth and old age and advises Abraham that he, despite his condition, is to become the Father of a great nation. It was such a shock to Abraham and his wife Sarah that they both laughed at such an idea. But yet God specializes in things that seem impossible. It is no unusual thing for Christians to believe in a God who can simply speak and suspend the physical and natural laws of the universe. God touched a Virgin and made her to become pregnant without a seed of a man. As a result God conceived a perfect personification of himself in the person of a baby named Immanuel (Jesus). Yes, such a birth turned the world upside down. For the Prophets prophesied it, Wise men celebrated it, angels gathered in mid-air and sang about, princes and kings hated it, sinners appreciated it, and the whole world benefitted by it. But as we return to our context we find that the theology of this great saga of Abraham, informs us of a God who’s eternally concerned about relationships. We need thus to realize that true living or meaningful existence gets its impetus from and character by being in right relation with God. In fact, we must understand that life really does not begin until you get plugged into54 the life-giving source. Jesus said to his hearers, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father unless he comes by me” (John 14:6). One must understand that brokenness, sense of lostness and alienation from ourselves, from nature, and from our neighbors are the result of not being in right relationship with God. And such relationship must be established thru faith in and commitment to God’s Son. Relationship is so important to God that in the saga ofAbraham God changed his name; I can hear now the critics saying, “What’s in a name? A Rose is a rose by any other name. But I want the critics to know that when God changes a name He also changes a personality. By changing the Patriarch’s name from Abram to Abraham meant to show that there was a change of personality, and change in his personal relationship with God.Abraham’s faith was counted as righteousness. God himself was named by persons who experienced his awesome presence and revelation based upon his theophanies in the OldTestament (OT), (e.g., Hagar; El-Roi (God is seeing) El-Shaddai (God Almighty) Elohim(Everlasting God) El-El-Israel (God, God is Israel) El-Bethel (place where God revealed Himself to Jacob, etc). Sandwiched between this great story of Abraham is the heart of our text. It is about another story that symbolically depicts the destruction of humankind by fire, to show the inevitable consequences of Lot’s Bad Choice. In chapter 14 we are informed that Lot failed to profit by his first deliverance and unfortunately chose to return to Sodom. He is involved in the final fate of the wicked city and the cataclysmic catastrophe that would cause him to lose everything, including his wife. He made a BAD CHOICE. O my brothers and sisters, we indeed will make bad choices sometimes in our lives. But it is a tragic situation when a Christian, having been saved, sanctified, and sealed by the Spirit of God, choose to wallow in the quicksand of Sin. We are so accustomed to speak of God’s Mercy and ignore his justice for he55 will render to every person according to his works.. Paul asks that question in Romans Chapter2, verses 4ff;“Do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God’s goodness is meant to lead you to repentance? But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s Righteous Judgment will be revealed.”But yet some of us return to “Sodom” as did Lot. He failed to profit from his deliverance and found himself in a worse state than the first. God’s Justice was now aimed atSodom and little did Lot realize that this night of the angelic visitation would be for many, the last night in town! The last night for Sodom of which I speak was of course preceded by, first of all, A DAY OF PROMISE. As I mentioned earlier, God had promised Lot’s brother Abraham the birth of and covenant with a great people with numbers as vast as the grains of sand. In effect God had promised to be with his people, that is, those who would put their trust in him and follow in faith. Second, it was also A DAY OF PRAYER. Abraham prayed for Sodom. He dared to venture into an ethical dialogue with God. Can’t you hear Abraham pleading with God in Chapter 18, as he says “Forgive me LORD, I know I’m but dust and ashes but, being asRighteous as you are would dare not destroy the righteous with the wicked will you? Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Why, if we can’t trust you to do right, then who can we trust?” Abraham goes even further in this discussion with God Almighty. But God answersAbraham and says, “If I find 50 righteous in Sodom, I’ll hold back my hand!” But Abraham was not satisfied. He dared to begin a utilitarian philosophical discourse with God himself. He was concerned about the greatest good for the greatest number. He was looking out for Sodom. He went on to ask God, would you destroy the town if it lacks 5 out of the 50 God answers, no.Abraham goes on to say what about 40, God says no. Abraham says, what about 30, God says no. Abraham says, what about 20 God, says no. Abraham says, O let not the Lord be angry, and56 I will but speak one more time. What if you find 10? God finally answered, “for the sake of 10 righteous I will not destroy the city.” This day was indeed an interesting day.Yet it was A DAY OF MISFORTUNE. Abraham’s prayer was reprieve (a temporary restraining order), but Sodom had to repent for himself! The prayers of others are fine. But, others can’t save you. Billie Holiday sang and Maya Angelo said “Mama may have, Papa may have, but God bless the child that’s got his own.” Until you make up your own mind that you’re going to believe and trust God for Salvation and deliverance, will God step in and make all things new. You’ve got to believe for yourself! For many in Sodom, this day was a day as any other day. It was a day of business-as- usual. It was non-essential, it was incidental, it was a mere accessory, and it was a casual day.The people of Sodom neither expected a blessing nor suspected a curse. Only if they had known that this night would be their last night in town! They had become complacent in their accomplishments, where satisfied with their lives the way they were, and the things which they had accumulated. They saw no need to seek to help others because their own needs were being met. They were like some of us who are more interested in the length of the wheel base of our cars and the size of our bank accounts than the quality of life for our brothers and sisters who have fallen by the wayside. We’re more concerned about a good-looking church than a safe and healthy neighborhood. We’re more interested in numbers than saving souls. But we must learn from Sodom that we can be full, yet be empty, or have all the things we want and not be satisfied! And so it was with Sodom, (cf., Ezekiel 16:49;“Behold this is the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness.” The people had become proud and arrogant. They did not understand that with God, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Prov. 16:18). Many had decided57 that they were good enough. And there-by caught up in the pride of virtue. This unsuspecting people were not concerned about a curse. They did not fear God (cf., Prov. 23:17); “Like fools sinners do not fear God; they are the opposite of the righteous.”Even simple birds are wiser than sinners. For no bird is never caught in a net that’s set in its presence; but sinners set their own trap that destroy themselves. Some think they are their own God and try to take on the Almighty and haven’t realized that their arms are too short to box with God! The Psalmist proclaims in 37:1-3; “Do not fret because of the wicked; do not ne envious of wrong-doers, for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.”The psalmist also said in 1:1,2;“Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.”But let us take a closer look at this last NIGHT IN TOWN! It was A NIGHT OFPERVERSION as depicted by the uncontrollable passion of the men of the city for the sexual violation of the two Angels that visited Lot’s home. Lot even offers his daughters to the men to satisfy their sexual appetite. But Lot’s menu did not feature their main course! And in such a setting, Lot helps us to see that sin in its essence is the perversion of the Good. For many people there is, of course, the ethic of the night. The Evangelist John says that men love darkness better than the light because their deeds are evil and are afraid that they will be exposed. But there are those in our community that will do more evil in the day as they would in the night! (c.f., rapes performed in the daytime). Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once preached from his sermon titled,“A Knock at Midnight”, that it is at midnight that colors lose their distinctiveness and become a sullen shade of gray. And so it is with our morals and ethics today, they have lost their distinctiveness. Right and wrong now-a-days are dependent upon the likes and dislikes of a58 particular community. For many its wrong to help the poor and right to unbridle the rich! Why we want rightness and wrongness to be a relative thing. But I want to remind you tonight, as my dear mother repeatedly told her sons, that there is no right way to do wrong. Some folks have become so versed in perverting the good that they are able to dress their hating in the garments of love to make their hating appear to be loving. This last night in text for Sodom was also a NIGHT OF DECISION. After the Angels delivered God’s decree of destruction for the City of Sodom, Lot decided to accept God’s Grace a second time. He made up his mind that he would trust his life to God while he had this chance.He immediately advised his family that this night was their last night in Sodom. Lot learned by this moment of grave consequences that we can sometimes wait too late to say YES to GOD!Jesus says, “The day you hear my voice, harden not your heart!” And if you haven’t said yes toGod, you ought to tell God, “I’m prone to wonder Lord I feel it, I’m prone to leave the God ILove. But here’s my heart Lord take and seal it, seal it to thy throne above”. If you haven’t tonight, I’d plan to leave Sodom. I would pack my bags and leave this place of prosperous complacency. I’d leave this place tonight, of self-righteous indignation. I’d leave this place tonight, of business-as-usual. And I’d tell the Lord that here’s my hands, use them in your service. Here’s my feet Father, send me and I’ll go. Here’s my mouth Master, fill it with your message of Hope. You ought to tell God tonight, I don’t know what tomorrow holds for me, but whatever I can do for you, I’m going to do it, like it’s my last night in town! You ought to tellGod tonight, I may not be able to sing like an Angel, but I’m going to sing my song like it’s my last night in town! You ought to tell Him tonight, I may not be able to pray like Peter, but I’m going to pray from a sincere heart seeking deliverance, like it’s my last night in town! I may59 not be able to preach like Paul, but I’m going to preach my sermon like it’s my last night in town! As I close here, I may not be able to shout like the heavenly hosts, but whenever I get a chance, I’m going to shout with a new celebration. I’m going to pray with a new expectation. I’m going to love with a new appreciation. I’m going to walk with a new destination. I’m going to talk with a new conversation. I’m going to give with a new calculation. I’m going to live with a new determination. I’m going to plan with a new adaptation. I’m going to share with a new sensation. I’m going to care with a new consolation. I’m going to praise God like it’s my last night in town. You ought to tell God tonight, Lord, use me, until you use me up! Use me while the blood is running warm in your veins. For this night could very well be your last night in town! Johnson Oatman, Jr. and Charles H. Gabriel were right when they wrote the song:HIGHER GROUNDI I’m pressuring on the upward way New heights I’m gaining every day Still praying as I onward bound Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.II My heat has no desire to stay Where doubts arise and fears dismay Tho’ some may dwell where these abound My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.III I want to live above the world The Satan’s darts at me are hurled For faith has caught a joyful sound The song of saints on higher ground.IV They want to scale the utmost height60 And catch a gleam of glory bright But still I’ll pray til heaven I’ve found Lord, lead me to higher ground.Chorus Lord, Lift me up and I shall stand By faith, on heaven’s table land; A higher plane than I have found Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.45QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS AND DIALOGUES Chapter One: In light of the many voices raising the question of denominational relevancy and efficacy in the Twenty-first Century, do you feel that your church continues to be relevant and effective in dealing with and addressing social ills that some of your parishioners may be confronting which may include: joblessness, homelessness; bad credit as a result of predatory lending practices by financial institutions; inadequate healthcare and/or access to affordable medical services; pastoral care and/or marriage/mental health counseling; incarceration of child or family member in a local jail or state or federal prison? ( ) yes ( ) no. 45 Johnson Oatman, Jr. and Charles H. Gabriel, “Higher Ground” (No309) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).61 If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______If answer is no, do you feel that your church has the vision to confront these issues?______If answer is no, do you feel that your church has the commitment as seen through budgetary commitments to confront these issues? ______If answer is no, do you feel that your church has the spiritual leadership with the necessary character, competence, and compassion, based upon biblical and theological mandates as seen in Luke’s gospel chapter four and Matthew’s gospel chapter 25, to confront these issues? ______What other issues are there that you feel your church should be engaged as part of your understanding of the mission and ministry of the church? ______When addressing the questions above and applying them to your church’s member denomination, what is your response? Please explain: ______When addressing the context of change in the Twenty-first Century where many people are expressing the need for alternative ways and structures to share their faith and practice despite denominational affiliation, tradition, culture, ethnicity and racial background, does you church’s policy, polity, practice, theology, and tradition allow for such diversity without compromising her core values? ( ) yes ( ) no If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______If answer is yes, please explain why you feel this way: ______62 ______Do you feel that your Spiritual Leader (Pastor and Teacher) can attract, equip and retain black middle-class parishioners? ( ) yes ( ) no If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______If answer is yes, please explain why you feel this way: ______CHAPTER TWOLeadership from the Pulpit: A Return to Preaching of the Gospel that has a CostParables of the Kingdom Seeking the Kingdom at a Bargain-Part 1 (Less than You Expect and More than You Imagine) Mk. 10:17-2263 A transition in Jesus ministry is seen in chapter 19 of Matthew’s gospel when he leftCapernaum in Galilee, which was his final farewell to his Galilean Ministry, and never returned until after his death and resurrection (cf., Mark 16:7). He journeyed on to Judea to further engage in his public ministry. There was a growing popularity of Jesus which also brought about a time of great testing by religious leaders. Large crowds followed him into Judaea and he cured and healed them of their illness and diseases. The unbelieving Jews (UBJs) sought and found opportunity to challenge Jesus’ authenticity and authority as the Messiah and the Christ who was to come according to their traditions and usher in a new period of health, wealth and prosperity and political freedom. The text shows such testing of Jesus seeking to entrap and entice him to disregard or break their Jewish laws and custom when they raised questions about the legitimacy of divorce. Of course Jesus outwits them and reminds them that Moses only allowed divorce because of spousal abuse by husbands and for the protection and well-being of wives. But emphasized it was not so in the beginning. Jesus stressed the situational realities of life where an exception is warranted. And in the case of divorce, Jesus mentions one exception on the ground of unchastity or unfaithfulness.The young man of wealth, power and position in our text was concerned about his spiritual condition, believed in eternal life, knew his life lacked meaning, and sought to know what to do in order to secure eternal life. It appeared that the rich young ruler was sincere in that he ran to Jesus with haste so as not to lose the present opportunity and when he came to Jesus face to face he knelt down in reverence and acknowledged him as “good” master-teacher. Jesus’ reply was that only God can be called good with the implication being plain, “If you call me good, call me God, for that is who I am, for only God is good.” When Jesus told him to keep the commandments, he proudly asserted with great enthusiasm that he had done so from his youth64 (verse 20). He thought himself to be in a better condition than he really was as if he deserved the blessings of the Kingdom. In comparison, Matthew 19:20 adds that the young man in his pride of virtue quipped , what more do I need to do, or what more do I lack, if I am to inherit life eternal. He, like many of his contemporaries, thought that entering the Kingdom of God was based upon his merit and obedience to the Mosaic Law and spoke as if he deserved the blessings of the Master. He spoke as if he was seeking the Kingdom at a bargain based upon his own price. The young man no doubt was mistaken, but Jesus took him at his word and continued the discussion in order to uncover his and all unbeliever’s basic problem. The Markan text says thatJesus, looking at him, loved him by not allowing the young man to remain in ignorance (v.21); but rather took the time to show him the proper way into the Kingdom. Jesus was majestically clear that you can’t pay or buy your way into the Kingdom at your own self-determined price.Jesus demands total sacrifice and obedience in terms of one’s time, talent, and treasure! This situation and challenge of decision was sort of like the tale told about the chicken and the pig who were walking in the forest together when they became dreadfully hungry and saw a restaurant on the side of the trail. There was a big lighted neon sign that read, “Ham and Eggs,All you Can Eat. ” After beholding the invitation to a filling meal, the chicken eagerly responded saying, let’s go in and enjoy and satisfy our hunger that we might continue on our tedious journey. However, the pig with hesitation said, I’m not going in there despite my hunger and weariness. You see if you go in there it’s just a sacrifice, but if I show up in there, it would be a total commitment! Seeking the kingdom at a bargain mentally is to refuse to pay the commanding price for entering the Kingdom of God. Definition of the Kingdom65 In Hebrew and Greek texts, the Kingdom of God is an abstract term meaningLordship/Sovereignty. Before Peter’s confession at Caesarea Phillippi Jesus spoke of theKingdom of God as something on the way, as if it is at hand or near. However, after Peter’s confession, Jesus’ message was that the Kingdom has now come (cf., Mk. 1:15; Lk. 10:9; Mk.10:15; 23:25; Lk. 229). Such sayings meant to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah is to acknowledgeGod’s Lordship. It is also fundamentally clear and of great necessity to have both an individual experience of God’s Lordship as well as corporate fellowship within the church (cf., Mt. 8:11,Lk. 12:32, 22:29ff). New Testament texts also speak of the final consummation of the Kingdom of God at the end of human history (cf., Mt. 8:38, 13, 14:62). The Gospel of the Kingdom is above all a redemptive message. It proclaims an accidental experience of the Kingdom—like a treasure, which a man found in a field. Or found after a long search—like a pearl of indefinite price for which one seeks all his or her life. The Kingdom is of more value than all things that one can possess (Mt. 13:44-46); and even was like a great banquet to which God invited people from East and West, North and South to come and sit down at the table of redemption and grace(cf., Mt. 8:11).The Price of the Kingdom (Humility)Jesus looking at the rich young ruler loved him but did not allow the young man to remain in arrogance. The Matthew 19:20 text recording of the “what more” should I have to do after I have been perfect in keeping the law since my youth, shows that he attempts to justify himself by works or his virtue (cf., Greek mythology – Narcissus traveling on the lake saw his own reflection, loved it so much that he died there in the water). But the price of the Kingdom demands one’s willingness to pay with humility. It is the command of Christ that we deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow him wherever he leads. Jesus admonished his hearers and66 followers that humility is the way to exaltation, when he said, “ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalts themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted” (cf., Luke 18:14). Moral pride or pride of virtue always shows itself when one develops a standard of self-righteous judgments that causes one to think more highly of himself than he really is and condemns others because they fail to live up to his own self-contrived standards. He in fact assumes that he is the author of his own existence, judge of his own values, and master of his own destiny. Yet Christ confronts such a one in the intersection of his self-induced pride and shatters his false sense of accomplishment by telling him that based upon Jesus’ moral standards for the universe, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first in his Kingdom. Such a universal truth and price to pay for entering Jesus’ Kingdom was too high a price to pay for the rich young ruler; for he was seeking the Kingdom at a bargain.The Price of the Kingdom (Renunciation)Jesus looking at him, loved him, but did not allow the young man to remain in indifference. He had to make a decision! Jesus gave him a condition of humility and obedience.The young man in his encounter with Jesus thought that entry into the Kingdom of God would cost less than he expected, but turned out to be more than he imagined. (v. 21) It was hard for this young man to give up that which was passing-which is the transient and temporary course of this age, for that which is permanent-the Kingdom of God. After hearing the profound words ofJesus in verse 21, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions (v.22). The Price of the Kingdom (Surrender)67 Jesus gave the young man a command of Trial! Sell what you have; give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come and follow me! Jesus characterizes both the passing and permanent experience of life in Matthew 6:19-21 when he says:“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”The life and value changing question that Jesus poses to the young man was could he part with riches for the service of Christ? Jesus knew that the founding of the Christian Church would of necessity cause believers who held lands to sell them and lay the money at the Apostle’s feet for redistribution to those who had less than the best. Tribulation and persecution would arise that would force him to either sell his estate or have it taken away from him. Let him know the worst now. Let him like us know that there indeed is a cost to follow Jesus. The cost is seen more vividly, not so much when he leads us into quiet Galilee, where the lilies of the field bloom-those casual places of comfort and ease; but when he leads us and demands that we follow him into theJerusalems of life where mocking, beatings, rejection, and ultimate death is awaiting. TheChristian’s death is full surrender of body, mind and soul to the Lordship of Jesus the Christ. If he does not come to these terms, let him cease his pretension. Jesus looked and loved! And I’m glad that Jesus still looks at our shortcomings and still loves us, but he never lowers the price for entering his Kingdom. The rich young ruler was not able to pay the price for he , like many was seeking the Kingdom at a Bargain!Entering the KingdomJesus informs one that to receive and enter the Kingdom of God he or she must be willing to give all by redirecting one’s priorities, realizing that the first priority and principle of putting God first guaranties that all other things that are needed to make one’s life meaningful,68 purposeful and full of “riches,” will be provided by a loving and caring God. One also must be willing to follow Jesus wherever he goes. Entering the Kingdom demands that we allow Jesus to sit upon the throne of our lives and as he reigns, we become sons and daughters of the Kingdom. Blessed are the poor in Spirit, because they have the Kingdom of God! Blessed are those who mourn, because they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, because they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, because they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, because they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, because they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called the Sons and Daughters of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for they have the Kingdom of God.An anonymous writer was right when he wrote:The Kingdom of the Earth go by In purple and in Gold They rise, they triumph, and they die And all their tale is toldOne Kingdom only is divine One bares triumph still It’s King a Servant, its sign a seal A Gibbet on a HillAll to Jesus I surrender All to Him I freely give I will ever love and trust him In His presence daily live.Parables of the Kingdom Lambs in the Midst of Wolves-Part 2 Luke 10:1-3 Impulsive and Reluctant Followers In the context above in chapter 9:57-62, Jesus had made it clear that he does not want impulsive or reluctant followers. Previous conversations about following Jesus shows that69 discipleship is not simply following Jesus in our life style, but is also involvement in the important work of Kingdom building. The impulsive follower says to Jesus without hesitation or thought, “I will follow you wherever you go”(v.57). However Jesus’ response was to show such a one that following him has a cost. He replied to the impulsive one, “foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Jesus wanted it to be understood that following him would sometimes cause insecurity instead of security; and that followers would be required to understand the impermanence and imbalances of life and the requirement to instead look to those things and substance that has eternal permanence and significance. He did not want anyone to follow him for immediate gratification through the accumulation of things. The second responder to Jesus’ call to discipleship was somewhat reluctant in that he gave an excuse that on the surface seemed reasonable-that is to first bury his father (v.59). The speaker did not mean that his father had died, but that he was obligated to care for him until he died. However, Jesus demanded and still does a radical transfer of loyalty. Jesus’ reply, “let the dead bury their own dead”, in essence was that the spiritually dead can wait for death, but those that follow him must be spiritually alive, because only the spiritually alive are able to follow.They understand the ways of the Spirit! Even if the man’s father had died, Jesus rejected the excuse from the length of time required for mourning. Jesus heard the third man’s response to his call saying that he would follow but had to first go and say farewell to those at home (v.61,62). The man desires to bid farewell to his family back home as he undertakes the call to follow Jesus. It appears to be an admirable decision. Jesus does not wish for the man to abandon his family; but to focus also on his new spiritual family.However, for Jesus, saying goodbye is not the emotional equivalent of a funeral, and all worldly70 attachments must be forsaken for service to Jesus (cf., call of Elisha - 1 Kings 19:19-21). Jesus closes the interaction with an illustration stressing the point that you cannot successfully fulfill the challenges of today and embrace the vision for the future if you are constantly looking back on the entanglements of your past. Jesus says in verse 62, “no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Surely Jesus knew that the plowman concentrates on the furrow before him, guiding the light plow with his left hand while goading the oxen with the right. Looking away would result in a crooked furrow and a destruction of the crop. And so true discipleship is keeping the hand on the plow!In our text of Luke 10:1-6, Jesus first calls believers to discipleship and evangelism (v.1)Secondly, he gives the “character of the harvest” in verse 2A. The harvest is plentiful, i.e., that there are many people who are in need of being delivered from hopelessness, despair, violence apathy and fear. Jesus also says in verse 2B, that the laborers are few. In either words there is a“Labor Shortage” in the church when it comes to this mandate. Some of our leaders and church members have determined that ministry beyond the church walls, especially to prisoners, is not their calling and/or priority because of the negativity, wretchedness, unpopularity, and stigma attached to people who have committed all kinds of negative acts. I agree that ministry in the field is not the most glamorous work of the church, but it is the most needful. There are no pats, no bright lights with your name reflected. No money to be made. Well we need to remind them of the stigma associated with the “cross”. Jesus was particular in letting his disciples understand that they should not get offended by the cross (cf., John 16:1). The cross was a symbol of wretchedness, disdain, and desertion. Designed to dehumanize, debase, and degrade. Even theOld Testament scriptures reminded people in Jesus day of its wretchedness when it pronounced“cursed is he that is hung on a tree.” (cf., Apostle Paul Romans 1:16 deals with the cross as a71 stumbling block for the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks – “I’m not ashamed of the Gospel ofJesus Christ for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes.” The late great Dr.E. V. Hill of Los Angeles, California, in one of his powerful sermons from my pulpit, raised the question, “Is there grace enough to save the worst of us?” The answer that reverberates back to us is “His grace is sufficient”.I’m reminded of a lecture by Dr. James H. Cone, distinguished professor of theology atUnion Theological Seminary, and father of Black Liberation Theology, in which he compares the cross with the lynching tree. One cannot help but feel the disgust associated with being lynched on a tree designed for the degradation, humiliation, and even castration of men of color.But yet God takes that which is despicable and undesirable and paradoxically tears down barriers and brings into being hope and healing. Believers must exclaim also, “I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Yes, we too must pray that the lord of the harvest will send us out. That he touches the hearts of men and women and give them a burning desire and determination to do all that we can to bring the dispossessed, disillusioned, disconnected, disenfranchised and disappointed to Jesus. Our Christ gives us the directives we need to actually win many “sinners” over on the Lord’s side. However dangerous disheartening and sometimes dismal the task may seem, God provides the protection for your comfort and provisions for your care! This point is important because Jesus says; I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. When Jesus sends us out, for effective personal evangelism and ministry to all sorts and conditions of people,He gives us specific directives. Discipleship is not simply following Jesus in one’s lifestyle, but is involvement in the important evangelistic work of the Kingdom!Directive #1 Carry Peace Those who have been called out of darkness into the marvelous light must be eager to carry and share peace which is one quality of the fruit of the spirit (v.5). Borrowing from Paul’s72 writing in Galatians 5, believers must walk in the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh.“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such there is no law.” We must be like the woman who lost the coin in her house (cf., Luke 15). According to the biblical and historical record one (1) coin equaled a day’s wage for the laborer. The 10 coins were the woman’s savings and of great value to her. Some scholars feel that they may have been a part of her headdress, which being a part of her dowry, she constantly wore. Whatever the case here, the mention of the 10 coins implies that they were all she had. The coin was lost in the house. Oh how many of our men and women have been and now lost in their own houses. We cannot give up on reclaiming and restoring them. Despite what crimes or sins they may have committed, we are reminded as the people ofGod that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Francis Schaeffer in his books, entitled The God who is There; and He is there and He is not Silent, reminds us that although man [humankind] is “fallen”, he is still “wonderful.” He’s wonderful because he is made in the image and likeness of God. These men and women are valuable to the survival and stability of our families, churches, and communities. For the woman the coin of value was lost in the house.Look what she does, she lights a lamp; she sweeps the house; she searches carefully and diligently; she celebrates in the house (Luke 15). Or like the father who lost his son in his house(Luke 15); who upon seeing his broken, bruised, and disgraced “prodigal” son coming down the road, on his way back home from a life of debauchery and despair, ran from his house, embraced him in love, put a ring on his finger, and celebrated with the community declaring, “This my son was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found.” I’m sure this biblical parabolic presentation can help us to embrace, appreciate and apply these immortal words to the song”Amazing Grace”.73 Directives #2 Be Messengers and not BeggarsJesus tells his disciples that whatever you need for your ministry God will provide (v. 8).God will touch the hearts of good people who will give of their substances, i.e., time, talent, and treasure to engage in meaningful and life-changing ministry (cf., David and an old man’s testimony, Psalm 37:25). Missions and evangelism, with its implications for the reclamation of our families and communities, must become a prioritized line item on every church, conference, convention, convocation and cathedral budget. God sends people to labor in this ministry who feel an awesome calling to do so. The message of the Kingdom has power enough to convict and change a lost soul. Wherever there is a King there must be servants or laborers. Jesus wants to be the Lord of our lives. We must redirect our will and submit to God’s will. We must redirect our way and depend upon God’s way. We must redirect our word and bury ourselves in the word of God.Directive #3 Remind hearers of the Perils of Rejection of the Gospel And the Subsequent Judgment of God Jesus imparts to his disciples in the text, the power to heal as an extension of his own public ministry, however he also pronounces judgment on those who hear the word from his disciples and refuse to accept their urgent message that the Kingdom of God is near and will be realized in the person of Jesus, the Christ. In that day of rejection, or when people refuse such a message of deliverance, hope and grace from God’s messengers, they can expect the same consequences of rejection, i.e., final judgment, as did the people of the cities in the OldTestament texts who rejected the Word from God as proclaimed by the prophets. Verse 12, characterizes the day of rejection by saying, “In that day.” This phrase was frequently used to denote the final Day of Judgment (cf., Amos 8:9; 9-11; Zephaniah 1:14; and Zechariah 12:8,11; 13:1 and 14:4). Sodom was a city of Abraham’s time, which was so vile that God destroyed74 it by an exceptional judgment (cf., Genesis19:13, 24). Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities noted for their luxury and debauchery, or “riotous living.”Jesus concludes his directives for effective evangelism when he stated in verse 16 of theLukan text, “He who hears you hears me and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” One thing for sure and certain is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is always full of Good News. It is a message of hope, restoration, and celebration! When you go into the hedges and highways tell them what John said (John 1:11-13).“He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, he gave power to become children of God. Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”TELL THEM If you are looking for truth, Tell them, He’ll be truth that never changes If you are looking for strength, Tell them, He’ll be strength that’ll never get weary If you are looking for assurance, Tell them, He’ll be assurance that never falters If you are looking for joy, Tell them, He’ll be joy that never subsides If you are looking for peace, Tell them, He’ll be peace that never ceases. TELL THEM He Has: Purity that never tarnishes Glory that never diminishes Promises that never fail Attention that never strays Position that never shifts Mercy that never lacks Love that never leaves Foundation that never shakes Comfort that never withdrawsTELL THEMHe has: 75 Grace that never disappoints Presence that never departs Virtue that never deviates Faithfulness that never fluctuates Friendship that never forsakes Blessings that never lessen Beauty that never fades Supply that never shrinks Power that never weakens Authority that never wanes Ministry that never embarrassesBut whatever you tell them, make sure you tell them that Jesus was born one night in a barn, because there was no room made for him in the Inn, and died one Friday on a City dump called Calvary. I’m not ashamed of this gospel of Jesus Christ, because William Cullen Bryant was right when he said “truth crushed to the ground will rise again”. And on the third day Jesus didn’t get up by himself, but Pauline theology informs us, that God in fulfilling his purpose of deliverance raised him up and put all power in his hand. Power to heal, power to raise up a bowed down head, power to turn a life around, power, power, power, power, power…Reverend W. C. Martin was right when he wrote the Song:MY FATHER WATCHES OVER MEI I trust in God wherever I may be Upon the land or on the rolling sea, For come what may from day to day My heavenly Father watches over meChorus: I trust in God I know he cares for me On mountain bleak or on the stormy sear The billows roll He keeps my soul My heavenly Father watches over meII I trust in God, for in the lion’s den On battlefield or in the prison pen Thru praise or blame thru flood or flame76 My heavenly Father watches over meChorus: I trust in God I know he cares for me On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea The billows roll He keeps my soul My heavenly Father watches over me46 Civilla D. Martin was right when she penned the words of the Kingdom message in her song:GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUI Be not dismayed whatever betide, God will take care of you Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of youGod will take care of you, Thru every day, O’er all the way He will take care of you, God will take care of youII Thru days of toil when hearth doth fail, God will take care of you When dangers fierce your path assail God will take care of youGod will take care of you, Thru every day, O’er all the way He will take care of you, God will take care of youIII No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you Lean, weary one, upon his breast, God will take care of youGod will take care of you, Thru every day, O’er all the way He will take care of you, 46 Rev. W.C. Martin, Charles H. Gabriel, “My Father Watches Over Me,” (No 214) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).77 God will take care of you47Parables of the Kingdom Everybody Who’s Talking About Heaven Ain’t Going There-Part 3 Luke 14:27-30; 16:19-24In the context of Luke 14, Jesus is angry at those who continue to give excuses from participating in the spiritual fellowship or what the text describes as a great supper. Jesus resolves that others less worthy in statue and position shall become the special guests and fill the assigned seats in his “Great Kingdom.” Notice if you please that the Kingdom of God is represented both as present and future. It is not understood simply as a geographical or celestial place, but wherever Christ is Lord, and the subjects of his Kingdom will receive both present and future rewards. Jesus states emphatically and prophetically in the Markan text of 10:28-30;“ Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age---houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions--- and in the age to come eternal life.”’ The Meaning of DiscipleshipThe disciple must become under his teacher, he is a learner and is never above his teacher(cf., Mt. 10:24). The disciple must serve and follow his leader and teacher and as a result, God will honor him (cf., John 12:25, 26). When understanding the true meaning of discipleship one must also know the difference between salvation and discipleship, because many are saved, but only a few are disciples of Jesus Christ. Many are members of local churches, but not necessarily members of the Kingdom who follow Christ as Sovereign Lord. Salvation is free based upon what was done for you, but discipleship costs you everything, what you must do for Christ.47 Civilla D. Martin, W. Stillman Martin, “God Will Take Care of You,” (No 220) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).78 The Cost of DiscipleshipIn Luke 14: 25 and 26, Jesus reminds his hearers and those who followed him in the midst of the great crowds, that they must indeed count the cost and understand what it means to be a follower of Christ. There is such a thing as cheap grace which has no cost in terms of time, talent, treasure. This kind of grace is seen in many churches where some come and gather for theSunday worship experience, but never engages as a participant in the vibrant internal life of the church through its programs and ministries and survival, maintenance and support challenges; as well as her external side which moves beyond her brick and mortar walls and engages forthright with holy boldness in evangelism, benevolence and missions and social justice responsibilities.However, costly grace, if you will, costs you your life in terms of a redirection of priorities and surrender to the ultimate will of God, and participation in the lively and life-changing Body ofChrist-His glorious church. Costly grace can bring about family tensions, alienation and broken relationships as presented in vv 25 and 26 of our Lukan text (cf., Mt.10:37,38, also Mark 10:29-31; Luke 9:57-58ff).Cross bearing (v.27) is a another feature that many avoid and live their lives as if the cross has no real meaning, or is irrelevant to one’s maturity. There are some churches that are filled to capacity listening to lectures and positive thinking speeches from “preachers” that inspires the listeners to seek success and prosperity, but falls short of being the gospel of JesusChrist, because no cross or cross-bearing is mentioned as a requirement for real success and prosperity. There is no gospel or good news without the paradoxical and vicarious cross thatJesus had to bear for humanity’s sins---past, present and future. Pauline theology, in its existential message to the church at Thessalonica, attests and asserts that a cross comes with theKingdom cf., II Thess. 1:4,5).79 Luke in the text, especially in vv 28-32 presents a consistent, caring, yet resolute Christ that makes no excuses for his high standards for true discipleship. Jesus in essence asks every person if he or she has the courage, conviction, faith, time, talent, treasure, loyalty, trust, and love to complete the task of discipleship? The resolve given by Jesus in v 33 is “So therefore, whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” In conclusion of this teaching periscope in the text, Jesus says, in effect, if you cannot be my disciple, that is by trying to live and serve with cheap grace, then you are worthless in my task of Kingdom building (vv.34,35).However, in keeping with the standards of the gospel (good news), the rewards for followingJesus are greater than the cross bearing (Romans 6:23).Not All Will Meet the RequirementsAs I said before, many Christians are saved but live defeated lives. They lack the power, principle and perception to truly enter the Kingdom of God and the arena of true discipleship.Many experience chronic problems and difficulties, some that come due to the nature of our world and the human condition, and some are brought on by our own choices. The symptoms of brokenness, disillusionment and even despair, seem to ease up sometime, but then they return to a worse state or condition. When this happens, one must deal with the cause of the trouble in order to alleviate, but better eradicate the problems. The reason why many Christians are living“defeated lives” is because they are living outside of the reign of Jesus Christ. Jesus is not sitting on the throne of their lives. And so their lives are characterized by a slipping and stumbling through the Kingdom, they are, if you will, slipping in and out of darkness. True Discipleship and thus victorious living, demands that we take up our cross and follow Jesus wherever he leads. We must have total trust in Jesus Christ to provide all necessities. Total faith – to live as though you have already received God’s promises. Total obedience – to do unreservedly what he80 commands. Total love for Jesus Christ, because of what he’s done, for you on Calvary. Thus we must give all, because God owns all, and we owe all. When this happens we are truly in theKingdom. Unfortunately, however, not all will meet this requirement! Many can’t meet the conditions of discipleship! Jesus says in Luke 9:23-25;“…If any man desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosever will save his life shall lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what does a man profit, if he gain the whole world and lose himself.”And thus many will spend eternity in a different Kingdom. (cf., Luke 16:v. 23) “An in hell he (the rich man) lifted up his eyes, being in torment…” The rich man represents a person whose life was based and built upon his or her own self-sufficiency and self-interest. One who believes that he is the author of his own existence, master of his own destiny, and judge of his own values. In this case, the rich man (self-dependent man) while alive, did not meet the standards and values of God and human decency and as a result was confronted, judged and adjudicated by one who is bigger and more awesome and majestic than himself. The Rich Man compared to Lazarus (compare vv.19-22), while alive, lacked mercy towards the beggar Lazarus, and dogs showed greater compassion. Their death was the same, but their eternities were different. What is clearly implied in the text is that some people that you least expect to make it to the Kingdom, in this case, eternal fellowship with God, will surprise many on “KingdomDay!” The fact is, “everybody who’s talking, singing, praying, preaching, shouting about heaven, ain’t going there!” Another place has been reserved for those who lack mercy and compassion. In our historic and apocalyptic struggle between good and evil, we learn quickly that theDevil or Satan the adversary also has a “kingdom.” However, we must be careful not to give him equal attributes as Jesus the Christ for he (Satan) is not omniscient, nor is he omnipotent, nor is he omnipresent. It sometimes appears that Satan is when we look at the insurmountable trouble and terror in the world. The reality is that he has a lot of imps and demons that make it appear81 that he’s everywhere at the same time. His “kingdom” is characterized and was created by rebellion – Lucifer. Once referred to as the “morning Star” among the stars or angels of God, becomes Satan (cf., Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 25:11-17). His “kingdom” is also characterized by torment (v. 24) agony – flames of fire; and “…wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (cf., Mt. 13:41-43). Other dubious characteristics of Satan’s “kingdom” includes punishment – (v. 25) (cf., IIThess. 1:6-9) and separation – (v., 26), that is to say, eternal exclusion from the glory and presence of God.Finally, my brothers and sisters, regret also is an unbearable feature of the “kingdom of hell” (vv 27-31) for there is no way out of hell. The Rich Man in hell desires to forewarn his living brothers not to venture into a depressing, desert and destructive place like hell. The late great Dr. E.V. Hill of Los Angeles, California once preached a powerful sermon from my pulpit in Gary, Indiana, saying that the only way out of hell, is never to get in hell in the first place! The final resolve for those who now have a choice to determine their own destiny, is to hear the voice of Jesus saying, “now is the acceptable time to choose life over death, joy over sorrow, happiness over despair, destiny over defeatism, a seat in the Kingdom of God!”Horatius Bonar was right when he wrote the song:I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY I I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto me and rest, Lay down, thy weary one, lay down Thy head upon my breast!I came to Jesus as I was, Weary, and worn, and sad; I found in Him a resting place, And He has made me glad. II I heard the voice of Jesus say, Behold, I freely give82 The living water; thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live!I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in Him.48How to Get from Broadway to Strait Street Text: Matthew 7:13, 14The Sermon on the Mount ends with four warnings, each offering paired contrasts: Two ways (vv13-14); two trees (vv. 15-20); two claims (vv. 21-23); and two builders (vv. 24-27).The“two ways” language is common to Jewish literature (e.g. Deut. 30:19; Psalms 1; and Jer. 21:8).The general picture is clear enough; there are two gates, two roads, two crowds, and two destinations. The narrow gate (KJV “strait”) is from the Latin “strictum”, or “narrow”, is clearly restrictive and does not permit to entrance to what Jesus prohibits. The “wide” gate seems far more inviting. The “broad” road or Greek-“pados” interpreted as a way or path is spacious and accommodates the crowd and their baggage. The road is“narrow” but two different words are used. Greek -“stene” in v. 13 means narrow; and Greek: thethlimmene in v. 14, the latter cognate with Greek:“thlipsis” (“tribulation”), which almost always refers to persecution. So this text says that the way of discipleship is “narrow” and restricting, because it is the way of persecution and opposition. Luke records in Acts 14: 22, “We must go thru many hardships (thru much persecution) to enter the Kingdom of God”.But the two roads are not ends in themselves. The “narrow” leads to life, i.e., to the consummated Kingdom; but the “broad” road or broad way leads to Greek - “apoleia”(“destruction”)---and that of a definitive destruction, not merely in the sense of the extinction of48 Horatius Bonar, “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” (No 310) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).83 the physical, but rather an eternal plunge into Hell and a hopeless destiny of death. (cf.,“Broadways” or “Main streets” in major cities, and the Jericho Road in the Gospels)Democratic decisions do not determine truth and righteousness in the Kingdom. That there are only two ways is the inevitable result of the fact that the one that leads to life is exclusively by revelation. But if truth in such matters must be sought by appealing to majority opinion (c.f., Exodus 23:2), neither can it be found by each person doing what is right in his or her own eyes (Prov. 14:12). God must be true and every man a liar (Rom 3:4).Exegesis Entails Two ConclusionsOne, Jesus gives this command to those who had already entered by faith into relation with Christ as well as others who were listening. Verse 28 of the text chapter bears this out: “Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teachings, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”Jesus describes the comparative unpopularity of his followers’ new position not so much encouraging committed disciples, “Christians”, to press on along the narrow way and be rewarded at the end. He is rather commanding his disciples to enter the way marked by persecution and rewarded in the end. The order of gate and way suggests the gate as the entrance to the way, symbolic of a believer’s initial experience with Christ, which introduces him to a life of godliness. The Apostle John in his gospel (10:7-10), gives a more definitive understanding of a believer’s initial interaction and relationship with Christ. He quotes Jesus saying; “…Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enter by me will be saved, and will come in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”In fact, the first Christians were called “followers of the way” (cf., Acts 9:2;19:9,23; 22:4;24:14,22). Some in the crowd listening to the taught and preached Word of Christ were not therefore full-fledged Christians in the Post-Pentecost sense. Jesus is dealing with people more or84 less committed to him but who have not yet really entered on the “Christian” Way. How could they have entered on it? Only now was it being introduced into the stream of redemptive history as the fulfillment of what had come before. Two, implicitly, entrance into the Kingdom, or to preserve Matthew’s theology, entrance into the way of the Kingdom---begins here and now in coming through the small gate, onto the narrow way of persecution, and under the authority of Jesus Christ. Though the mass of humankind is entering through the broad gate and traveling down the broad way that leads to destruction, or eternal ruin if you will, the other gate and way are so small as to need finding.Many, if not most, people choose to travel down broad way because the way is easy with few or no persecutions or crosses to bear. Yet the same God who provided Christ, who is both gate and way (John14:6), also causes men, women, boys and girls, to find a portal (cf., John 4:44), that is life. I thought it of great significance to point persons, leaning toward a relationship with Christ and discipleship for our risen Savior, to the narrow way or Strait Street since so few find it. The“broad way” will lead to self-deception, traps, trickery, and treachery and even death, physical and eternal. Its wide to carry many and all their baggage. But narrow is the way that leads to life—here and now and forevermore.How to Get from Broadway to Strait Street 1. Make a RIGHT turn and Go down to CONVICTION COURT;2. Make another RIGHT turn and go down to you come to REPENTANCE ROAD;3. Make another RIGHT turn and go DOWN to BAPTISM BOULEVARD (cf., Acts 9:11Ananias baptizes Paul on a street called “STRAIGHT”;4. Leave there but make sure you stay to the RIGHT until you come to PRAISE PLACE;5. Stay to the RIGHT and you will see HALLELIUAH HIGHWAY;6. KEEP going to the RIGHT and you will find DISCIPLESHIP DRIVE;85 7. KEEP ON THAT WAY FOR A CONSIDERABLE LENGTH OF TIME, No doubt about it, you WILL ENCOUNTER SOME STORMY WEATHER, BUT STAY ON THEWAY. Storms of criticism will rise and winds of adversity will blow, but stay on the way.AND EVENTUALLY YOU’LL COME TO A STREET CALLED STRAIT— GOSTRAIGHT AHEAD AND ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM WITH JOY! Attributed to an Indian Prince as sung in Garo, Assam and arranged by Norman Johnson, they were right when they wrote the song:I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUSI have decided to follow Jesus I have decided to follow Jesus I have decided to follow Jesus No turning back, no turning back!Though no on join me, still I will follow Though no on join me, still I will follow Though no on join me, still I will follow No turning back, no turning back!The world behind me, the cross before me The world behind me, the cross before me The world behind me, the cross before me No turning back, no turning back!4949Norman Johnson, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” (No 164) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).86 Spiritual Warriors Empowered by God Psalm 118: 21-25In the Spiritual Warfare against the powers of darkness, God has given us, as soldiers ofChrist, powerful weaponry and defense. The other side does not have, nor can they ever develop a defense strong enough to defend against our weapons. As Followers of the Way, Jesus Christ dwells within us and is constantly giving us power and knowledge in the usage of our weaponry, as well as how to employ our defense tactics. As we use our weapons, (by conducting ourselves as Christian Warriors, by committing ourselves to prayer, believing and by confessing the words of God) through the power and anointing of continual prayer, we destroy our enemy, his defense is broken down, and God gives us insurmountable victory over Satan and his works. In the New Testament text, the Apostle Paul writes: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:4)In the Old Testament text, the Prophet Isaiah writes:“O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me says the Lord (Isaiah 54:11, 17).Conducting ourselves as warriors means the act of leading, guiding; to show the way to; escorting; or marking the way as committed and dedicated soldiers of the cross. When a person becomes a believer and follower of Christ, he or she instantly becomes part of a constant warfare with Satan. It’s not warfare where guns, bullets, or bombs are used, but a Spiritual Warfare, one in which life does not end with physical death, but rather “Eternal Death” or “Eternal Glory”.You are a target for the enemy. You must learn to clothe yourself in spiritual garments; and lead87 a life of prayer in order to subdue the devil. When we are connected to God, we are clear on who and what the enemy is, what the procedure is to defeat him, and by whose authority we fight, stand and are victorious, (cf., Ephesians 6:12);“For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”American soldiers are given various weapons and trained on how to effectively use them against the enemy. If they learn well, and use the weapons the way they were intended, each soldier has a very good chance of survival on the battlefield. In the Christian battle, in order for us to be effective we must practice according to 2 Timothy 2:15;“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.”We must study the word of God in order to know the promises which are provided for us, as well as to lead others to Christ, and show them the way to spiritual understandings by being their examples. It’s not all in what we say as much as what we do when we come under attack bySatan and the followers of his “kingdom.” “When the enemy comes in like a flood” (Isaiah59:19), and he will, you have to choose to do and say what pleases God Almighty. The writtenWord reminds us that God is a deliverer and restorer of his people. Note the Isaiah text that portrays this truth;“Thus says the LORD God: I will soon lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame” (Isaiah 49:22 ff).The Word didn’t say to do whatever you have to, to win this battle. This battle is not yours and God is looking for a chance to use you and let your enemy know that He alone is God.All you are advised to do is to Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Hold your peace, shut up and pray, and the Lord will go before you and fight this battle giving you the victory.88 Believers cannot use the enemy’s words or his ways. Our conduct must exemplify who’s we are and what we believe.Committing ourselves to prayer means to give in charge or trust or to deliver for safe keeping. Jesus instructed believers to pray. In Luke 11:1, one of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, as John the Baptist had taught his disciples to pray. It’s interesting to note that someone in the crowd saw a difference in the prayer styles. Jesus did not tell them to say what was on their hearts. He gave them spiritual principles and guidelines by which to pray, resulting in what we all know as “The Lord’s Prayer.” In Isaiah 43:26, God instructs us to put Him in remembrance of His Word. Now God is not senile in that He cannot remember what He has said, but He has established rules and guidelines for us to pray. Putting him in remembrance of His Word is one of these guidelines.God does not need us to remind Him of the promise and blessings He has made us in His Word.But, by saying what His Word says, it increases our faith to believe what God has said. When we put God in remembrance of His Word the words provoke our faith which means to call forth, to excite to some action or feeling; and to excite suggests a more powerful or profound stirring or moving of the thoughts or emotions. Gods’ words indeed are designed to provoke our faith. We must be faithful in reading the word of God to find His promises; and as we find His promises, we must pray and confess His promises. By Putting God in remembrance, God brings His word to pass. Believers are encouraged to not only pray, but allow God to develop his word in your life. As we do so, our prayer life will cease from being a chore and become an exciting part of our life. It is written in (Isaiah 55:11);“So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the things where to I sent it.”.89 Your prayer being provoked by God’s word can go something like this: Father, I come boldly before your throne of grace lifting up the members of our church, and the entire Body ofChrist. Father, I thank you that you have given your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to be the head of our Church, as well as the Body of Christ. I thank you Father, that Jesus Christ is theRock of our salvation. For you said that upon this Rock (Jesus Christ, and the confession of the word of God), you would build your church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. I thank You Father, that each and every member of our church is fully persuaded in Christ, every need is this ministry is met, every member of this church is blessed and prosperous in every area of their lives; and that we are reaching our community, city, state, and the world, with the gospel of Jesus Christ, through our prayers and support.Father, you told us to forsake not the assembling of ourselves together. Therefore, I thank you that every member of this church becomes an integral part of this ministry by putting their hands to the plow. I thank You Father, that each and every member has a hunger and a desire to come to the House of the Lord to hear the Word of God; and I pray that You would continually show Yourself strong in our church in every service with miracles, signs, and wonders.Father, your word says that you perfect that which concerns us. Therefore, I pray that you perfect each and every area of our church. I pray that you perfect the preaching and teaching of the word of God, every auxiliary, and every function in this church, whereby the Lord JesusChrist may be glorified and magnified in all that is said and done.Father, I pray for a double portion of your anointing upon our pastor, as well as any other minister who would teach or preach the gospel in our church. I pray that in every service, you save the lost, return the backslider, and set your people free from the hold and clutches of90 Satan, and I pray that you would continue to add new members to our church, to where we will not have room to put them all. Father, you promised in your word that you would supply all of our needs according to your riches and glory by Christ Jesus. Therefore, Father, I pray that you would meet every need in this ministry, as well as every need in the lives of every member in this church; spiritually, physically and financially. Father, I confess that each and every member of our church is a mature soldier in Christ Jesus who studies Your word to show themselves approved unto You, workmen that need not be ashamed, knowing how to rightfully divide the word of truth. I also confess that every member of our church is a doer of the word of God, and not merely hearers, deceiving themselves.Now Father, I thank you for our church, and how you are building every member of this church spiritually, physically, and financially every day. I pray that you would overshadow every member with your grace, love, and protection both now and forever. I give you all the glory, the honor, and the praise; for you are able to keep us from falling, and present us faultless before the presence of your glory with exceeding Joy. Unto You, O God, the only wise God, ourSavior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever, in the name of JesusChrist I pray, Amen!Confessing the words of God means to admit, to acknowledge, to declare one’s faith inGod. Its saying that regardless of the condition of your circumstances, you will pray and confess those things which are not the way you desire or need them to be, as though they were the way that you desire or need them to be; because in the Spiritual realm they are that way! You see, before the world actually existed, God spoke those things which were not, as though they were, and they came to pass. 91 God has given us that same power and authority to speak to our circumstances. All the promises of God’s word exists for us in the Spiritual realm, such as power in Christ Jesus, good health, long life, success, prosperity, love, peace, harmony and so forth: And as we continually pray and confess the word of God over our circumstances and situations in life, we bring the blessings of God which exist in the Spiritual realm into the natural manifestation. God’s people must move beyond a faithless expression of “I can’t see it”, manifesting into the “you see it now.” That is to say, believers in the anointing power of Christ must embrace and enter the“now faith realm” (Hebrews 11:1), where faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.Regardless of how much it may seem that your circumstances are not in line with your prayers (or the Promises of God) continue to pray and confess what God has said in His Word instead of confessing the way things look. As you continue to “speak those things which be not as though they were” those things will become manifested and you will begin to see changes throughout your life and circumstances. The gospel of Matthew 17:20 says;“If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you”. Confess what God says about the matter. God says today for us to grow up, trust him at his word and confess to others of his glorious forgiving, healing and delivering power. This is God’s hour.The psalmist says in the text of Psalm 118 and verses 24, 25;“This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!” We must consider over and over again that Humanity’s extremity is God’s opportunity.The almighty is never caught off guard and He never sleeps nor slumbers. He brought theIsraelites through the wilderness with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He did not allow them to get hungry, for he put quail and manna at their disposal before they called, He92 answered, while they were yet speaking He heard. As Believers we must be committed likeDavid, the “apple of God’s eye.” He was grounded in the word of God and was able to call out his enemy in order to conquer him. David also spoke with authority and acted in faith. Our power source is in our faith, (Hebrews 11:6) without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. The apostle Paul reminds us in his Letter to the church at Rome, (Romans 10:17), “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”. Our faith in God must be activated to the point that we know we serve a God who specializes in things that seem impossible, and He can do what no other power can do.Spiritual warfare means to: Let go of fleshy/carnal ways,  Let go of stinking thinking, Let go of evil conversation, Let go of unforgiveness and stubbornness, Let go of ridicule and accusation Let go of lack of compassion and mercy, Let go of low life living  Let go of low life giving Let go of lying lipsSpiritual warfare means to clothe yourself with your Spiritual Garments, cf., (Ephesians 6:14) “ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on your breastplate of righteousness (it’s yours, use it) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”93 Finally, brothers and sisters, Let go and let God. Its God’s way or no way. You can’t have joy or peace or success until you decide, in the midst of the battle, who will get the Glory, the honor and the praise. If you want the victory do it the Lord’s way and remember, the battle is not yours, but it belongs to the Lord.George Duffield and George J. Webb were right when they wrote the song:STAND UP FOR JESUS Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Ye soldiers of the cross! Lift high his royal banner, It must not suffer loss. From vict’ry unto vict’ry his army shall He lead, Till ev’ry foe is vanquished And Christ is Lord indeed.Stand up stand up for Jesus, Stand in his strength alone; The arm of flesh will fail you, Ye dare not trust your own. Put on the gospel armor, Each piece put on with prayer; Where duty calls or danger, Be never wanting there.50QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS AND DIALOGUES Chapter two: When reflecting on the demands of the Kingdom of God where Christ is truly Lord, do you feel that preaching of the Gospel in your church addresses what it costs to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in terms of humility, renunciation and surrender? ( ) yes ( ) no If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______In light of the many voices raising the question of preaching relevancy and efficacy in the Twenty-first Century Church-in-the-Black-Experience, do you feel that preaching of the Gospel in your church connects and addresses the day-to-day life needs and aspirations of her parishioners? ( ) yes ( ) no50 George Duffield and George J. Webb, “Stand up for Jesus” (No 394) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).94 If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______Do you feel that there are people in your church who attend without any thought of participation in the vibrant and programmatic life of the church? ( ) yes ( ) no Do you feel that the majority of members of your church faithfully worship, serve and financially support the mission and ministries of the church? ( ) yes ( ) no Does your church have a strong evangelistic outreach ministry that regularly engages in door-to- door canvassing, visitation to nursing homes, jails, prisons, etc? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is yes, what effects or positive outcomes have you seen in the last year? ______Chapter Three Leadership from the Pulpit: A Return to Preaching of the Gospel that has a CrossThe Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat Mark 10:28-31When you look at the Cross at Calvary Jesus death was voluntary, vicarious and victorious. In contrast to the believer’s call to carry his or her cross as a disciple of Christ, the victorious life or victorious living is not without controversy, conflict and confrontation.However, the victorious Christian life is: God Led (Proverbs 10:19-21; Proverbs 3:5-7 (“In all thy ways…); Psalms 119:33-40); Christ Centered as a standard by which to judge all things –95 life, career, goals, joy (Luke 15:7); and Spirit-filled (powered, driven and guided (Ephesians4:30, 5:2-3, 15-18) “be filled with the Spirit!”The thrill of victory is the exhilaration that comes from completing a worthy task; when goals and objectives and outcomes have been realized or fulfilled. The late great Dr. BenjaminMays reminded his students and so many of us regarding “failure” when not reaching your goals in life. He was known to have said that failure is never understood as not reaching your goal, but having no goal to reach; is not fulfilling your dream but having ne dreams to fulfill; not reaching the stars but having no stars to reach!The thrill of victory is also having the satisfaction that you as a believer and follower ofJesus Christ have been faithful and will be remembered for your good. Nehemiah in the OldTestament texts was one of the most celebration faithful and dedicated servants of the LORDGod. Most believers are familiar with Nehemiah for having looked at the devastation of his community Israel and consequently leading visionaries and dedicated workers to return to ruinedJerusalem to rebuild her walls of fortitude and protection. Nehemiah had an extensive resume of faithfulness when you consider his other accomplishments to include: banishment of foreigners, cleansing the temple, restoration of Levites, enforcement of the Sabbath, and condemnation of mixed marriages. But Nehemiah, with humility states simply to “remember me for my good.”(Nehemiah 13:30, 31). Nehemiah characterizes excellence which is a worthy goal of every believer who loves God and follows Christ, cf., Psalms 23:6;“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”The thrill of victory is having the anticipation that you will receive your reward with challenges, conflicts and controversies both present and future (crown of life)! The text of Mark, through the words and teaching of Jesus, introduces the existential and prophetic aspects of being96 a part of the Kingdom of God that will allow believers every now and then to experience a little“heaven on earth”, cf., 10:28-31;“Peter began to say to him, ‘Look we have left everything to follow you’. Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one you has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the ‘Good News,’ who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age---houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” The Agony of Defeat Pope Frances’ as the Head of the Catholic Church made his first visit ever to the UnitedStates of America. Much pomp and circumstance, ritual, symbolism, privileges protocol, procedure, and practice were experienced that were intrinsic to the interactions with PresidentObama, US Congress, United Nations Assembly, Church and community. However there were for me two instances during the Pope’s visit to America that struck me with varying degrees of religious awe and fervor Such religious awe and fervor reminded me of the Power of Presence that characterizes the God-Man and Shepherd of the Church. The Pope, knowing his power of symbolism, intentionally engaged in actions that typified the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. First, the ride in the Pope Mobile in the streets of Washington, D.C. when a little girl eagerly emerged from the crowd and ran to engage Pope Frances and members of the U.S. SecretService stopped her in her plunge toward the Pope. When the Pope saw the encounter he bid theSecret Service to let the child come to him to receive her blessing and to grant his (cf., Jesus,Matthew 19:13-15);“Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.” The second instance was in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. At the end of the processional down near the front of the church, Pope Frances stopped the processional once again. This time to minister to a young lady whose body was bent and broken and bound by a wheelchair. (Cf., Matthew 20:29-34; two blind men on the side of the road that demanded Jesus97 attention). Through my veil of tears watching this event, I pontificated again on how manyChristians still have not learned the secret to experiencing a life of victory—the thrill of victory if you will, which is to make Jesus the Center of your joy! Many are defeated and still caught behind enemy lines because they have not embraced this principle of life that calls for one to beGod led, Christ centered and Holy Spirit filled.The Pride of Power (Gone Awry) The agony of defeat is the attitude of separation that leads to the sin of pride manifested in three (3) distinct but interrelated forms. The agony of defeat is experienced when the human ego assumes its self-sufficiency and self mastery and imagines itself secure against all vicissitudes. It has you thinking more of yourself than you really are. It does not recognize the contingent and dependent character of its life and believes itself to be the author of its own existence; judge of its own values; and master of its own destiny, cf., The Fall of Lucifer and theGreat five (5) “I Wills” of Isaiah 14:13, 14;“ I will ascend to heaven above the stars (angels) of God. I will set my throne on high. I will sit on the Mount of Assembly in the far north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the most High God.” cf., In contrast, David states in Psalms 121:1, 2 “I will lift up my eyes towards the hills from whence cometh my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Too many of us (like Israel) lose our hindsight! Our insight is corrupted and foresight becomes an illusion. We must develop and maintain a dependency on God.The Pride of Knowledge (Intellectual Pride) The agony of defeat is manifested when we pretend to know more than we really do.Pride of reason forgets that it is involved in a temporal process and imagines itself to be final and ultimate truth and knowledge (cf., Paul – we see thru a glass darkly). Intellectual pride is something more than the mere ignorance of ignorance. It involves a conscious or subconscious effort to obscure a known or partly known taint of interest. It is also experienced when you98 thought you knew more than the enemy and didn’t have to prepare so hard for your battle because of your past performances. You took your opponent for granted. Didn’t practice and prepare as hard as you should have. But one thing about the enemy is that if he/she is hungrier to win, more focused, more determined and more deliberate, he/she can defeat you! (Cf., SerenaWilliams lost in tennis match for the U.S. Open Championship she was expected to win easily over a little unknown and less experienced opponent). The devil knows the bible better than any one of us! (cf., Luke 4:9-13, the wilderness temptations of Jesus on the Mountain. He quotedPsalms 91- “He will command His angels concerning you, to protect you”). He even comes to church more than any one of us! (Cf., Paul—conversion does not begin in the head, but in the heart!) Old Testament wisdom in the book of Proverbs 1:7 reminds us;“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”The Pride of Virtue (Moral Pride)The agony of defeat is revealed in all self-righteous judgments in which the other is condemned because he fails to conform to the highly arbitrary standards of the self. The self judges others by its own standards and finds them evil, when their standards fail to conform to its own. One of the biggest impediments to effective soul winning is that we often present ourselves above reproach and make sinners feel guilty and inadequate and we lose the opportunity to win persons to Christ. We must draw them and not drive them away with self- righteous attitudes. Romans 3:23, says “All have sinned...,” not ya’ll have sinned.” We must remind ourselves that we are sinners saved by grace. Each day many of us sin by fault, word and/or deed, cf., 1st John 1:8, 9;“ If we say we that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgives us our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.”99 Moral pride thus makes virtue the very vehicle of sin, a fact which explains why the NewTestament is so critical of the righteousness in comparison with publicans and sinners. For only after we recognize where our help comes from are we then able to live rich and meaningful lives.We have made connections with the life giving source. Jesus, the Christ, the son of the LivingGod indeed is that source. In fact, he makes a truth claim saying that he is the way, the truth and the life and man can come to the Father except he comes by the life-giving source. Jesus was loved by God the Father. Jesus was privileged to be in God’s presence. Jesus had much more to be proud about he was the only begotten Son of God. But Jesus exclaimed, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (cf., Matt. 23:12). Jesus was victorious at the Cross! He died on an old rugged cross. I’m no crucifixion cynic, but I’m a resurrection realist; I’m no Friday fatalist, but I’m a Sunday shouter, and on the third day morning God raised him up with all power in his hand. It’s at the name of Jesus that every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that He is Lord.Cf., illustration of conversation between death and the grave that both were defeated at theCross!Grave said to death, “If you give him (Jesus) to me, I’ll hold him.”You gave me Adam and I still got him.You gave me Abraham and I still got him.You gave me Moses and I still got him.You gave me David and I still got him.You gave me Peter, James and John and I still got them.You gave me Paul, Barnabas and Silas and I still got them.You gave me Zoroaster and I still got him.100 You gave me Muhammad and I still got him.You gave me Buddha and I still got him.But the God-Man named Jesus, you gave him to me one Friday but I couldn’t hold him!He was more than a man, more than prophet, more than a good teacher. He was the Son of God. Eugene M. Bartlett was right when he wrote the song: VICTORY IN JESUS I I heard an old story How a Savior same from glory, How He gave His life on Calvary To save a wretch like me. II I heard about his groaning Of the previous blood’s atoning, Then I repented of my sins And won the victory.Chorus: O victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever! He sought me and bought me O with His redeeming blood He loved me ere I knew Him And all my love is due Him He plunged me to victory Beneath the cleansing flood51“Expecting One Thing, and Getting Another” Mark 8:31-33; 9:31; 10:32In section of Mark’s gospel, Jesus makes three (3) predictions of his passion.52Redundancy and repetition are intentional in that it was extremely important that his disciples knew who he was and the specific ramifications of his Messiahship. What had previously been51 Eugene M. Bartlett, “Victory in Jesus,” (No 511) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).52 See Gaebelein, Frank E., General Editor, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 8, pp. 694-696, Zondervan Publishing house, Grand Rapids, MI.101 veiled is now openly stated: the Son of Man must go up to Jerusalem, suffer and die, and on the third day be raised from the dead. In this case, unlike when he used parables, or indirectly, but spoke to his disciples openly and directly. In verse 31 of chapter 8 of our text, Jesus now begins to teach his disciples what Messiahship really meant. However, he does not refer to himself asMessiah but as the Son of Man. Since this title is so important theologically, extended comment is in order. “ Son of Man” is by far the favorite expression Jesus uses in the Gospels to refer to himself. It occurs 81 times; and, with the possible exceptions of Mark 2:10 and 28---where the title “Son of Man” seems to be part of Mark’s editorial comments---no one else, neither does his friends nor his foes, refer to Jesus as the Son of Man. “Son of Man” occurs in the Old Testament.In the psalms it simply means man (cf., Psalms 8:4; 80:17), and in Ezekiel where it occurs over90 times, it is the particular name by which God addresses the prophet. However, it is in theBook of Daniel and his apocalyptic and eschatological writing that we understand Jesus’ usage of the term to refer to himself. In Daniel 7:13-14; (The Book of Daniel is to the OT what theBook of Revelation is to the NT):“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed”.The combining of the motif of eschatological glory with that of suffering and death is what characterizes the Son-of-Man idea in Mark’s gospel as elsewhere in the Synoptics (i.e., Matthew,Luke and John). It is evident that Jesus considered the “Son of Man” a messianic title because, immediately following Peter’s confession of him as the Christ, he began to teach them that theSon of Man must suffer. The necessity for this unique and vicarious suffering arises from three sources (cf., verse 31 of the text).102 The first source for which the Son of Man must suffer is the hostility of men. Jesus was to be rejected by three groups of his contemporaries being the Elders, Chief Priests and theTeachers of the Law also known as the Scribes. These three groups made up the SanhedrinCouncil or the Jewish High Court.The second source was the spiritual nature of his work, which made it impossible for him to oppose force to force. Jesus spoke of his ruler ship of a kingdom not of this world and that his power and authority came from his heavenly father above and not from the limited powers of men below. His teaching involved the radicalization, revolutionizing and even refutation of his hearers’ values. He reversed the standards of the day. When elders, scribes and chief priests lauded their authority over the people and saw how they demanded the first seats and places under their command, Jesus came preaching that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.He came preaching that if you wanted to be exalted, choose the low seat so that you can be elevated to a higher level. He came preaching in order to gain life in his kingdom you must first be willing to lose it.The third source was the providential purpose of God, who made the death of Jesus the central thing in redemption. The death of the Son of Man would be followed by his vindication: after three (3) days he would be raised from the dead. What is interesting to note my brothers and my sisters that in each of these three predictions of his passion found in Mark 8:31; 9:31; and10:32; is that there are also three (3) distinct and unique responses.Rebuke in the face of the CrossThe message of vicarious got through to Peter but he refused to accept it (verse 32)-A suffering messiah was unthinkable! After all, the Messiah was a symbol of strength not weakness according to popular theological and political categories. So Peter took Jesus aside and103 amazingly rebuked him. I did some research and found that the word translated “rebuked”(Greek: epitimao) is the same one used in the silencing of the demons (1:25; 3:12). And in verse33, Jesus’ words to Peter were not only very severe, they were deliberately spoken in the presence of the other disciples, “but when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples he rebukedPeter” (v. 33). They probably shared Peter’s perspective and needed the rebuke also. The severity of the rebuke arises from Jesus’ recognition in Peter’s attempt to dissuade him from going to the cross, the same temptation he had experienced from Satan in the wilderness at the outset of his ministry. You remember don’t you? Satan offering Jesus the option of using the world’s means of accomplishing his Godly mission (Mt 4:8-10). And on that occasion Jesus rebuked him, “get thee behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’”. Jesus recognized the satanic opposition in Peter and also said to him, “Get behind me Satan! You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men”. Peter having a misplaced love was opposing the divine will.Ignorance and Fear of the CrossIn Mark 9:31, 32 the disciples also displayed ignorance and fear. They did not understand Jesus’ message of suffering and the cross. The question may be raised, “was their fear of asking Jesus about what he had said due to their fear of facing full disclosure of the suffering that lay ahead? Or was it because before when they had asked about the coming ofElijah (9:1) they had not understood Jesus’ answer? Or were they fearful of being rebuked asPeter had been (8:33)? Whatever their reasons, they were afraid to ask Jesus about it. Instead they chose to occupy themselves arguing about who was the greatest among them.Ambition in Anticipation of a Crown In Mark 10:32ff, the prediction is more detailed and precise than the other two. This prediction contained six (6) details. (1) Jesus is to be betrayed; (2) sentenced to death; (3) handed104 over to the gentiles; (4) mocked, spit on, and flogged; (5) executed; (6) resurrected. The disciples’ response shows how spiritually dense they really were. What followed were discussions about greatness. It is not likely that the church created a story that cast such disrepute on the character of two of the best known disciples. However, the request made by James andJohn, sons of Zebedee, seems utterly preposterous (v 35). They wanted Jesus to do for them whatever they asked—a carte blanche request! When Jesus asked what that might be (v 36), their answer was that they might have the positions of highest honor in the messianic kingdom (v 37). The request reveals clearly that before the Crucifixion the disciples believed Jesus to be the Messiah; and since it was now clear that he was going to Jerusalem, they expected his messianic glory to be revealed there. James and John wanted to be sure of a prominent place in this about to be realized messianic kingdom. What they anticipated was a crown, but never expected a cross. They did not realize that in God’s kingdom you can’t expect a crown unless you carry a cross! I remember as a teenager in the church hearing one of the sainted sisters in the adult choir singing a song saying, “No Cross, No Crown.” Another axiom or kingdom principle that is learned from the ambition of James and John like so many who are seeking to enter intoGod’s kingdom, is that you can be sincere, but also sincerely wrong! I read where John Calvin, a participant an great leader in the 16th Century Protestant Reformation debate wrote regardingJames and John’s ambition as vividly portrayed in the text of Mark 10:”This narrative contains a bright mirror of human vanity; for it shows that proper and holy zeal is often accompanied by ambition…They who are not satisfied with himself alone, but seek this or the other thing apart from Him and His promises, wander egregiously [wrongly] from the right path” [See John Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 2:417,423]. Jesus’ reply is sharp and penetrating. “You don’t know what you are asking”. Ambition must be guided by reason, ambition must be seasoned with reality, and ambition must be willing to count the cost. “Can you drink of the cup that I drink? Or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with? The Disciples responded, “Yes We Can!” Unfortunately they, like so many105 others, responded to the call without counting the cost to be follower of Jesus the Christ. They expected one thing, but got another. Jesus said in essence, because I can see in the eschatological future, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism of which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” In other words Jesus is saying to the ambitious of those pursuing places in his kingdom, seating assignments in God’s kingdom are not based upon favoritism but upon fitness. It’s not based upon how high you can sit, but how low you can kneel. Jesus closes the discussion with his disciples on the road to the cross—Jerusalem; whoever wants to become great and be first among his followers must be willing to be a servant of all people. Jesus reminds us in the text that we must model our lives, our commitment and service after him. The crown demands that we pay the cost of commitment. The crown demands carry a cross of persecution. And if you’re going to get a crown in the Master’s kingdom you must carry your burdens in the heat of the day. When your burden of life seems to get too heavy for you to bear; you must tell Jesus, prone to wonder, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love. But here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it. Seal it to thy throne above.Thomas Shepherd and George N. Allen were right when they wrote the song:MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE?I Must Jesus bear the cross aloneAnd all the world go free? No, there’s a cross for everyone, And there’s a cross for me. II The consecrated cross I’ll bear Till death shall set me free, And then go home my crown to wear, For there’s a crown for me. III106 O precious cross! O glorious crown O Resurrection day! Ye angels, from the stars come down And bear my soul away. 53Out Of the Same Mouth Came Blessing and Cursing Mark 11:7-10; Luke 23:20-24James, the Lord’s brother wrote in his Letter (3:7-10): “For every species of beast and bird, or reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.”It is quite clear from the Apostle James’ introductory text that he wants his hears to understand and avoid the dangers and damage of an unruly tongue. He illustrates that we place small bits in horses’ mouths (v.3), great ships are guided by a small helm (v.4); and large fires are started by a small flame, flicker or flash (v.5). However, similarly, the little tongue in our mouths defiles the whole body (v.6); i.e., the individual believer and the body of Christ. This can happen when there is a slip of the tongue, a smart remark, a wise crack, an insensitive statement, a thoughtless response, and a sarcastic reply. Such negative uses of our tongues can poison personalities, destroy dreams, diminish enthusiasm, disrupt progress, and devour good reputations. The negative statements that come from our mouths can even divide solid churches, demolish happy homes, discourage the best of God’s preachers and pastors, tear up meaningful relationships, chase children out of homes, and tear down bridges of prosperity. As a result of untamed tongues, we bless God and curse men out of the same mouth. This according to theWord of God this kind of reckless use of the tongue ought not to be so (vv. 9, 10).The Crowd Blessed Jesus53 Thomas Shepherd and George N. Allen, “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone? (No85) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).107 The Mark 11:8-10 texts encompasses the triumphal entry into Jerusalem by Jesus and his many followers from Galilee. The people were excited about Jesus’ Messianic arrival and he was at the height of his popularity with the masses of the people. Mark uniquely describes the“crowd” that followed Jesus when he says in 12:37b; (KJV)“And the common people heard him gladly.” The people were fascinated by the mighty works (miracles) that Jesus had performed in their midst. My sanctified imagination would allow that there were those in the crowd who, on their way to Jerusalem, were discussing the marvelous works that he had done. Luke agrees in his synoptic gospel in 19:26, 37 when he says;“And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.”Surely they were discussing many things including the wedding at Cana in Galilee; his calming of the storm at sea; healing of the blind man (probably Bartemaeus) on the side of the road; and the raising of Lazarus from the grave. They were contemplating on the fact that no one before was ever born like Jesus, where God initiated it; prophets of old prophesied it; Wise Men celebrated it; angels gathered in mid-air and sang about it; princes and kings hated it; sinners everywhere appreciated it, and the whole world benefited by it.The crowd blessed Jesus because no one before had ever spoken like him. The people raved over and blessed this young man’s preaching and teaching. At the tender age of twelve he spoke in the synagogue and people were confounded on his youthful wisdom and sense of destiny. Even his spoken word caused the elements of nature to obey his voice. After crowds and even temple police would hear him speak, some went away shaking their heads saying, “I never heard a man speak like this man before” (cf., John 7:46).108 The crowd blessed Jesus because no one before had ever healed like him. No one had ever been able to use spittle of clay and anoint a blind man’s eyes so that he could see for the very first time in his life. No one had ever seen a woman with a chronic and life-debilitating bleeding disease, who had spent all her money on physicians but to no avail because her condition only got worse, healed by her faith by urgently making her way through the dense crowd that thronged Jesus, so that she could get close enough just to touch his clothing. The crowd blessed Jesus because no one before had ever fed the hungry, homeless and helpless like him. Surely they recalled on one occasion when he fed 5,000 men not counting the women and the children with a little boy’s lunch comprised of some fish and bread. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that final, finite, fateful and faithful journey, there were many voices that blessed him not only for what he had done, but apparently and more importantly for who he is. The true disciple does not follow Jesus because of what he can do for you. Jesus makes it clear that we are to follow him for who he is, by denying oneself, picking up one’s cross and then follow him wherever he goes. And by following him in faith, the believer knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that he or she can ask whatever he or she will, and Jesus will do it. Doing“things” for believers by Jesus are predicated on our faithful relationship with him (cf., John15:7). Jesus, the son of God realized that he had an appointment to keep as he moved towardJerusalem. We too as human persons, whether believers and followers of Jesus the Christ or not, have some appointments in this life that we must surely keep. Firstly, we have an appointment to meet God, that is to say, to come into an awareness of his divine presence, power and majesty.This may happen voluntarily or by the challenges and troubles that come with life. Secondly, we must also keep our appointment with death. There can be no rescheduling of activities when the grim reaper appears. And thirdly we must keep our appointment with destiny. We will have to109 determine where we will spend our eternity—everlasting life or everlasting destruction (cf.,Hebrews 9:27);“And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”The Crowd Cursed JesusThere was also another “crowd” that cursed Jesus (Mark 12:13-38). They were usually the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, elders and chief priests all considered to be “unbelievingJews” (UBJs). This crowd was infuriated by what Jesus claimed. He claimed not only to be theMessiah but a “suffering” Christ who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for those who would receive him as Lord and Christ. The uniqueness of our Christian faith is the truth claim that Jesus makes that no other prophet ever claimed. Jesus is the only one who ever claimed to be the Son of God which meant that he was also divine (Luke 22:67-71).This crowd was also obsessed with hatred because of what Jesus taught. He did not argue with them according to their traditional mode of inquiry which was taught in the rabbinic schools of theology, but rather stood on his own authority. He began with himself to establish the criteria for authentic and meaningful livelihood. Jesus had a way of radicalizing and reversing the standards of his day. He taught the people saying that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. He taught that in order to be exalted, you must first humble yourself. He taught that in hope of gaining life you must first lose it for his sake and his kingdom. Mark 11:18 of the texts presents the deep seated hatred held against Jesus by the UBJs immediately after Jesus told them that his house shall be called the house of prayer for all people but that the Jewish religious leaders, in particular, had made it a den of thieves:“And when the Chief Priests and scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him, for they were afraid of him; because the whole crowd [of believers] was spellbound by his teaching.”110 The “crowd” (UBJ) cursed Jesus because of for what he stood. He stood forJustice, equality and fair play and positioned himself upon his own authority. He did not need permission from the “crowd” (UBJs) because he is the authority. He did not need approval from the “crowd” because he is the authority. Jesus announced early on to his hearers and the whole world what would be the nature and character of his ministry. When he stepped out on the scene in the synagogue in his home town of Nazareth, he read from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah to establish his prophetic awareness and commitment. Jesus unrolled the scroll to Isaiah Chapter 61 and Jesus stood up to read and said (Luke 4:16-19):“The Spirit of the lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” The crowd blessed him when he entered Jerusalem, but a few day later when they realized thatJesus was more than a prophet, more than a good moral man, more that a great teacher, more than a John the Baptist, more than a Moses, more than the prophet Elijah, greater than kingDavid, many turned their blessing into cursing. Jesus knew that going to Jerusalem meant ciris, conflict, and controversy. Yet despite the danger he knew what awaited him, he knew that an opportunity to redeem humankind was there on an old rugged cross. The crowd cried CrucifyHim! But if I was in that crowd, I would have blessed him and cried:Crown Him, the Father of the fatherless Crown Him, the Fairest of 10,000 Crown Him, the Giver and Sustainer of life Crown Him, the Shepherd who loves his sheep Crown Him, the Quickening Spirit Crown Him, the Teacher of truth Crown Him, the Zealous leader Crown Him, Zion’s hero Crown Him, the Wonderful Counselor Crown Him, the Mighty God Crown Him, Everlasting Father Crown Him, the Prince of Peace Crown Him, the Lord of Lords Crown Him, the King of Kings!111 Oliver Holden (1765-1844) was right when he wrote the song of coronation:ALL HAIL THE POWER (Coronation) I All hail the power of Jesus’ name Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the Royal diadem, And Crown Him, Lord of all. II Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race, Ye ransomed from the fall, Hail him who saves you by his grace And Crown Him, Lord of all. 54 Soldiers of the Cross: A Challenge to Remain Faithful II Timothy 2:1-7; 1st Peter 4:12-13The apostle Paul in the texts are instructing his young mentee Timothy that Soldiers of the Cross are those whom God has enlisted, through faith and rebirth to serve in spiritual warfare(cf., Paul – Ephesians 6:12).“ For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts, of wickedness in the heavenly places.”A good and faithful soldier of the cross must endure hardships by being courageous (v.3). TheHebrew word Hazaq means literally “to show oneself strong,” courage is, therefore, a quality of mind, and as such, finds a place among the cardinal virtues (Wisdom 8:7) Its opposite, cowardice, is found among the mortal sins (Eccles. 2:12, 13). The quality of either courage or cowardice can be seen on the battlefield. The ideal for the Christian is a quality of life based on faith in the present and most powerful Christ. On the Christian battlefield, is no grin and bear it attitude but one that sees an occasion for victory in every opposition (cf., 1 Cor. 16:8, 9).“But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to one and there are many adversaries [much opposition].” 54 Oliver Holden, “All Hail the Power” (No 2) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).112 The Soldier of the Cross must display commitment (v.4) and must be wholeheartedly at his commanding officer’s disposal. He or she cannot be entangled in civilian affairs, but must show commitment to satisfy the one who enlisted him or her. When the Christian believer is holding up the “bloodstained banner” of Jesus Christ and witnessing to a hostile world community, no furloughs or weekend passes are allowed. The Soldier of the Cross must also exhibit competence (v. 5). Paul compares a soldier with an athlete who is not crowned for his efforts if he or she does not compete by the rules. A good soldier knows the rules and keeps the rule book handy for enlightenment and direction and to ensure he or she stays in compliance to what is expected on the battlefield. The Soldier of the Cross must also have character. i.e., he or she must possess and model features, qualities and traits of a Christian soldier, in other words, when one looks at a Christian soldier, one ought to surmise that that person knows and has a relationship with the“commanding Officer”, who is indeed Jesus the Christ! Being “out-of-character” is when one is not in accord with one’s usual qualities or traits or actions. But thank God that hardships help to build character. The battlefield will present opportunities for growth and development for the individual, family, church and community. Sometimes trouble is a direct result of God’s will.And other times trouble comes because of our own doing. But God equips his soldiers to endure the hardships and suffering that come as a result of being a soldier in the army of the Lord! (cf.,Paul – I Cor. 16:13, 14);“Be watchful [be alert], stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong, Let all that you do be done in love.”In other words, the believer and follower of Christ must stay in character with a challenge to remain faithful! (cf., Ephesians 6:11,13);113 “Put on the whole armor of god, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”Go out to battle with your battle cry looking forward to reaching your goal!The Challenge to Remain Faithful I’m keenly aware of Jesus’ teaching in the gospels about the dangers of looking back, especially when he says in Luke 9:62, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” However, Jesus’ concern was that he needed committed, thoughtful, and dedicated individuals who were neither reluctant nor impulsive followers. The implication being that you cannot embrace and exemplify these virtues in your life if you are constantly trying to hold on to your past while trying to successfully handle the challenges of your present.Jesus is further making a point that it is essentially impossible to move forward while looking backwards! The only exception to looking back is remembering God and his warnings concerning forgetfulness (cf., Old Testament Deuteronomy texts of 32:1-12). The Christian soldier should not hold on to your past when it prevents you from moving forward in your life. The point in the OT Deuteronomy text above is that you must have knowledge of your past, an understanding of your present and a vision for your future. These three things a Christian soldier must take with him or her into spiritual warfare. The devil is a great deceiver who lowers the shield of faith of any warrior by putting doubt or faithlessness in his or her heart. But there are three things the Christian soldier ought to take with him or her on the battlefield. First of all take with you the knowledge of the past. Remember how God blessed and delivered you in the past. The only justification for looking backwards on the Christian battlefield is to see how far the Lord has brought you from. The OT texts of Deuteronomy 32:1-12 admonishes believers to remember God’s faithfulness despite humankind’s faithlessness! 114 The second thing you ought to take with you into battle is an understanding of the present. Recognize where and what God has brought you to. He oftentimes on the Christian battlefield, brings his followers to new challenges, new discoveries and new opportunities for witness, works and words to help build, strengthen, and fortify his kingdom (cf., Paul, 1stCor.16:8, 9,); “But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”The third and final thing I want to tell you is that God the Father and CommandingOfficer wants us to carry into battle, is a vision for the future. You ought to believe that whatever situation, circumstance, challenge, conflict, or controversy you may find yourself in, that God has the hindsight, insight, and foresight to bring you through it! One thing is sure and certain about the God we serve is that he will provide for your every need. He helps us in our infirmities and strengthens us through the power of his righteousness. He helps us to endure hardships and suffering as a good soldier. It is however, righteousness not of your own, but one that comes through faith in Christ, i.e., the righteousness of God that comes through faith (cf., Paul,Philippians 3:8b):“For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things…in order that I may gain Christ, v9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ…” God will provide the power that will equip you to triumph over tragedies; to have strength through suffering; guide you through trials and tribulations; cause you to celebrate through catastrophes; and will move you to praise him because of who God is! A vision for your future includes knowledge of Christ and his power and to know Christ and share in his sufferings that you may attain eternal life. A vision for your future includes perseverance!The Apostle Peter reminds us that we must be watchful of the enemy in his texts of 5:8;115 “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” The devil wants to disrupt your dreams. He wants to detour your direction. He wants to diminish your desire. He wants to damage your dedication. But most of all he wants to destroy your destiny! Peter says in verse 9 of chapter 5; “ Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.”Isaac Watts and Thomas A. Arne were right when they wrote the song: AM I A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS?Am I a soldier of the cross? A follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own his cause, Or blush to speak His name?Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend, A grace, to help me on to God?Sure I must fight if I would reign, Increase my courage, Lord! I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by thy word.55I’M CLIMBING JACOB’S LADDERWe are climbing Jacob’s ladder. We are climbing Jacob’s ladder. We are climbing Jacob’s ladder, Soldiers of the cross.Every round goes higher, higher – Every round goes higher, higher Every round goes higher, higher – Soldiers of the cross.55 Isaac Watts and Thomas A. Arne, “Am I a Soldier of the Cross? (No388) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).116 Sinner, do you love my Jesus, Jesus Sinner, do you love my Jesus, Jesus Sinner, do you love my Jesus, Jesus – Soldiers of the crossWe are climbing higher, higher. We are climbing higher, higher. We are climbing higher, higher – Soldiers of the cross.QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS AND DIALOGUES Chapter three: When assessing “success” or “failure” in your church’s mission and ministry, what do you feel are the priorities when making such evaluations and assessments? ______When it comes to leadership in your church, do you feel that servant-leaders and lay-leaders ought to be given the opportunity to ‘fail” as a part of their learning and growth experiences as a servant in the Kingdom of God? ( ) yes ( ) noPlease explain why you feel this way: ______Which of the following do you feel to be the most detrimental in preventing members of your church from being “successful” in their ministry opportunities? Please check one: ( ) ignorance ( ) fear ( ) pride ( ) ambition ( ) arrogancePlease explain why you feel this way: ______When reflecting on the demands of the Kingdom of God where Christ is truly Lord, do you feel that preaching of the Gospel in your church addresses the reality of the cross that each believer is charged to bear in his/her daily living? ( ) yes ( ) no If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______Does that same preaching of the Gospel in your church address and include the historical reality of the cross on Calvary’s Hill upon which Jesus hung, bled and died for believer’s sins? ( ) yes ( ) no117 If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______Do you feel that it is a true, full or authentic Gospel of Jesus Christ without the mention of a cross? ( ) yes ( ) no Do you feel that it is possible to remain faithful to the cause and Gospel of Jesus Christ with a message of the cross and the challenge to believe even in the absence of “signs” such as cash, cars, and commodities? ( ) yes ( ) noPlease explain why you feel this way: ______118 Chapter Four Leadership from the Pulpit: A Return to Preaching of the Gospel that has a CrownThe Crowd that Wouldn’t Quit Acts 2:41-47In light of the events of Good Friday, Easter and the challenge for the church to continue,Luke is writing when the church is being repudiated by the synagogue, and the Roman world had become aware of the church as an independent body, distinct from Judaism. Therefore Luke’s purpose is to point out that Christianity is not a new religion, which would not be tolerated by theRoman Empire, but the true religion of Israel; and that it is no threat to the peace and security of the Empire. Peter’s speech or better sermon at Pentecost declares to the large crowd that had gathered the fulfillment of the Messianic promises in the Resurrection of Jesus and the out-pouring of theSpirit (2:14). The sermon had great affect and seen when about 3,000 persons from the diverse and captive crowd repented of their sins, received Jesus as Lord and Christ and were baptized by the Apostles and disciples and added their number to the early church also known as “followers of the Way.”There are various types of crowds of people or multitudes mentioned and characterized in the New Testament (NT). The first is called the Greek: “ochlos” and used 174 times. This type of crowd typifies a mob crowd if you will, as seen in the English word ochlocracy meaning mob- rule. This crowd is brought together by outside forces and has nothing to do with its own creation. It’s a diverse crowd that bands together in order to combat a common enemy or threat119 to their interests as a group. Surely Jesus in his day had to deal with some mob crowds that were instigated by the chief priests, scribes and elders (cf., Mark 11:18; 14:1). The frantic and vicious crowd that stood before King Herod that cried, “Crucify him”, indeed was a mob crowd.Negroes in the old south were made keenly aware of mob crowds that, under the white sheets of self-imposed superiority, segregation and degradation, wreaked havoc and pressed oppression’s lid hard against people of color. Sterling Allen Brown, author, critic, professor, PoetLaureate and Dean of American Poets, characterized this dark and shameful time of racial injustice in American history and engagement in a poem he wrote called “Old Lem.” It speaks of the tenor and terror of the mob crowd.I talked to old Lem and old Lem said: They got the judges They got the lawyers They got the jury-rolls They got the law They don’t come by ones They got the sheriffs They got the deputies They don’t come by twos They got the shotguns They got the rope We git the justice In the end And they come by tens…“I had a buddy Six foot of man Muscled up perfect Game to the heart120 They don’t come by ones Outworked and outfought Any man or two men They don’t come by twos He spoke out of turn At the commissary They gave him a day To git out the county He didn’t take it. He said ‘Come and get me.’ They came and got him And they came by tens. He stayed in the county--- He lays there dead.They don’t come by ones They don’t come by twos But they come by tens.”56The second type of crowd is called the Greek: ethnos and speaks of a people, nation, or gentiles and used 162 times in the NT. It identifies ethnic groups along with their peculiarities, regions, language, mores, customs, tradition, etc.The Book of Acts is determined to show the creation of yet a third type of crowd which is established in Christ. This crowd is incorporated by the death, resurrection and glorification ofChrist. The word Greek: laos is used to identify the people of God. The word occurs some 121-150 times in the NT. This crowd is drawn together not by imminent danger as the ochlos, but by love and mutual concern. 56 Sterling A. Brown, The Collected Poems of Sterling A. Brown, Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 1980. Also see http://allpoetry.com/Old Lem; and https://www.poets.org/poetsorg, accessed February 5, 2016).121 There was a tale told about the dog and the skunk. These critters would fight all the time, mostly over territory and food items for survival in the woods. Every time you’d see them in close proximity they would begin barking and clawing and spitting and excreting. However, one day there was a great and violent storm in the woods that destroyed most of the trees and surrounding community. Many people and animals were killed by the tornadoes and floods that had uprooted the land. After the terrible destructive forces had passed through, there was one remaining wooden log, actually a piece of an exploded tree, floating now in a river of water in the strange stillness and eerie quiet. And on this one log there were the dog and the skunk together now, facing each other, having to cooperate in order to maneuver the log so that they each could reach safe ground. They experienced momentarily and circumstantially a rare but necessary reciprocity of interaction.There’s no doubt that there are some people who are drawn together by mutual concern despite their differences and problems. The church must develop creative strategies to deal not only with problems at hand, but also to prevent them from occurring in the future. It must become more than reactionary and become revolutionary. This crowd has a specifically religious meaning as being the reconstituted people of God through faith in Jesus Christ (cf., Eph 2:8);“For by grace are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”The apostle Peter reminds us in his letter (cf., 1st Peter 2:9, 10);“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”The Concept of Quitting Obviously there are some things that we as members of the church (people of God) today ought to quit doing or need to give up. When one reads the Book of Acts and especially chapter2:47 one is amazed at the success of the early church, and then compares it with the “paralyzed”122 church today, the question is raised, “What makes the difference between the church then and the church now?” For the early New Testament crowd, the church was a recruiting station from which men would go out to fight the battles of the Lord. Today it is viewed by some as a convalescent home in which to live idly upon God’s pension. What the church needs today is: more tithes and fewer drives, more action and less faction, more workers and fewer shirkers, more backers and fewer slackers, more of God’s plans and fewer of man’s, more praying and less playing, more divine power and less human “pow-pow,” more Good News and less book reviews, more burden bearers and fewer tale bearers, more praying and less fainting, more fighting squads and few tight wads, more liberal males and fewer food sales, more “tongues of fire” and less fiery tongues, more zealous effort and less jealous thought, more soul service combined with social service, more love for the Word and less of the world, more seeking for grace and less seeking for place, more holiness of life and less bickering and strife, and more praying and less straying from the Church of Jesus Christ.My brothers and sisters we need to stop being influenced by negative people, the height of pessimism as seen in the first Book of Psalms 1. Some crowds will prevent you from seeingJesus (cf., Zachaeus) and require that you rise above negativity and mediocrity in order to come face to face with our Christ and receive your anointed and appointed blessings. Some members of certain crowds will even quit the church when confusion and/or trouble arise. However, Jesus often reminded his disciples, as his eternal word continues to inform, enlighten, disprove, and correct us today, that we must expect persecutions, trouble, disappointment, disillusionment, etc., as followers and disciples of Jesus and members of the human condition. But must continue on our journey realizing that there are no “perfect people” in God’s crowd (cf., “Scandal of theCross” and Apostle Peter’s denial). Some people quit the church when no leader is present or123 strategies change. Jesus, the great visionary, lost many followers when he changed his strategy about feeding bread to crowds that were hungry. He advised them that for a long term solution to their problem they would need to eat, or partake of him as the bread of life (John 6:25-35). At such an announcement those who followed just for the bread turned and walked away. True commitment is not based upon what Jesus can do for you, but embraced because of who Jesus is.He says to us in effect, don’t follow me just because I give you bread, but because I am the bread of life. The mark of the true Christian is seen by what he/she does when the plans change! The race is won by those who endure to the end. Quitters never win and winners never quit!Wisdom from the book of Ecclesiastes 9:11, says;“Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all. For no one can anticipate the time of disaster.”Testing by persecution usually weeds out those who are not genuinely serious about ministry. The martyrdom of Stephen, continued persecution resulting in the Jewish/Christian dispersion, and threats upon believers’ lives, made it quite challenging to continue in the faith in the early church community. Surely echoes of Jesus’ words moved throughout their minds and hearts that reminded them of his prophetic declarations regarding the persecution and rejection that comes with being a disciple of Jesus. Yet many in that crowd stayed faithful and strong. In fact, the people of God recognize and believe that trials come with an expressed purpose to make us strong. Trials weed out the faithless, breed character, and build community. And the early church community, the crowd that wouldn’t quit, grew all the more. The mission moved out ofJerusalem into Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world. Andre’ Crouch was right when he wrote the words to his song-THOUGH IT ALL. “If I never had any problems, I wouldn’t know124 that God could solve them…I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God, through it all.” The Crowd Wouldn’t Quit Preaching and Teaching The crowd wouldn’t quit preaching because it was under the divine guidance of theAlmighty God! The apostles were teaching and preaching sound doctrine (cf., Acts 5:42); “And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.”Unfortunately many today are packing some churches not so much for sound doctrine, but for doctrine that sounds good. There are some crowds now that meet at and fill the Lord’s House to capacity to hear messages that have no mention of Jesus as Lord and Savior. There are discussions, but no discussions about the cost to follow Jesus. There are conversations, but no mention about a cross that believers must not carry, nor the cross on which Jesus hung, bled and died. There are many references, but none about a crown that will be worn by those for followingJesus and hang in there to see what the end is going to be! Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ includes all three, that is to say, a cost, a cross and a crown. The crowd couldn’t quit preaching because it knew it was called to be a witnessing community. If a person cannot be a witnessing person where he or she is, it is quite certain he or she cannot be a witnessing Christian where he or she isn’t. To win others to Christ there must be the conviction that you have something worth telling, no matter where you are. To God, the world is the field, and in the place where He puts us, we are His witnesses there! You can’t quit witnessing at home, with loved ones (Acts 1:40-42); among friends (Acts 1:45-49); among neighbors (Jn. 4:28:30, 39); on the highways (Luke14, 23); by the wayside (Acts 8:26-36); to strangers (John 12:20-22); and the uttermost parts of the world (Mark. 16:15). Yes to witness daily they needed power from on high. A Christian begins his or her life by coming under the blood of Jesus for salvation, but he continues by the blood for daily cleansing and the bread (of125 the Word) for daily food. But still the Christian life is not complete; there must be the experience of fire, i.e., the fire of the Holy Spirit for power in testimony and service. The earlyChristians in the Upper Room had come under the blood; they had fed upon the Word of Christ, the bread, some of them for three years. Yet, he bade them to wait until they were baptized with power. The blood makes safe and the bread makes strong but more is needed for witnessing. The Crowd Wouldn’t Quit Praying The crowd wouldn’t quit praying because it knew that prayer changes people and people can change some things. They were a people of prayer and believed as we ought to believe that to pray is to change. What did they pray for? They prayed for unity (1:14), for the will of God(1:24), for things in general (3:1), in the study of the Word (6:4), for new converts (8:15), for friends in trouble (12:5), for missionaries (13:2-4), for the unsaved for Christians to help (16:9), when in trials (16:25), and they prayed for Church leaders (21:4, 5). But one prayer really stands out that this crowd invoked which showed their determination and should be every believer’s prayer to move forward in the will of God (cf., Acts 4:29-31);“And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your words with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God with boldness.”The Crowd Wouldn’t Quit Praising The crowd wouldn’t quit praising God. It did not mind the pain of persecution, did not mind the agony of altercation, did not mind the bitterness of backbiting, and did not mind the threats of tribulation. They believed in their transformed hearts that if God was for them who could be against them. They knew that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world!They believed as you ought to believe that no matter how dark it gets, Jesus is the lamp unto our feet and the Light unto our path. They believed, as you ought to believe, though the waters of126 well-being roar and be troubled and the mountains of meaning shake with the swelling there of, that God is our refuge and strength. In the time of trouble you can call him and he’ll be there right early. They believed, as you ought to believe, that great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. They believed that you ought to clap your hands, all ye people, shout unto God with the voice of triumph for the Lord most high is terrible, he is a great King over all the earth. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord; serve him with gladness come before his presence with singing. Sing unto the Lord a new Song, bless his name, and show forth his salvation from day to day. Keep right on praising his name. Praise him in the morning, praise him in the noonday, and praise him all the day long. When praises go up, blessings will come down! If you’re really on the Lord’s side, then you just can’t quit. You know that he’s brought you too far to leave you now. He’s paid too much for your deliverance. Jesus paid it all on that old rugged cross on the hill ofCalvary. Charles Wesley and Lowell Mason were right when they wrote the song: A CHARGE TO KEEP I HAVEA Charge to Keep I have, A God to glorify. Who gave his son my soul to save And fit it for the sky.To serve this present age My calling to fulfill, O may it all my powers engage To do my master’s will.Arm me with jealous care As in thy sight to live, And O thy servant, Lord prepare, A strict Account to give.Help me to watch and pray, And on thyself rely, By faith assured I will obey, 127 For I shall never die.57The Right Church58 1 Peter 2:9, 10; Revelation 7:9, 10; 13-17The word church may awaken in the mind of the average person any one of a variety of images. For some the church is a building, for other’s a fellowship; for some a domination, for others a local church; for some the term may convey the idea of a mystical union, and for others it may suggest something which is obscure in origin and uncertain in meaning. The doctrine of the church, however, is central in theological discussion today, and for a number of reasons:First, the church has failed to match adequately the tragic involvements of this power and world.Second, Western man has found it difficult to differentiate between western culture andChristianity. Third, the Church is disintegrating into fragments, ministries many diverse and competing are breaking away from denominational orthodoxy and orthopraxis. In fact, many such religious bodies are claiming to be the only authentic avenue of religious experience – THERIGHT CHURCH. We hear often today through various aspects of the Media such extreme claims of moral and ethical uprightness, ministers criticizing other ministers, churches denouncing other churches. We see and hear over the “Electronic Church” (TV Ministries) pictorial placebos that claim to be the only way to real religious and biblical experiences. The sad and serious problem with these claims is that each church’s elevation is dependent upon another’s deprivation. But don’t you know that such acquired loftiness ends only in a swift and destructive fall? One thingGod seriously does not tolerate is moral pride. Does not the book of Proverbs (16:18) admonish57 Charles Wesley and Lowell Mason, “A Charge to Keep I Have” (No 190) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).58 Sermon inspired by the Rev. Dr. Charles G. Adams, Senior Pastor of the Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, Detroit, Michigan128 us that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall? Have we not learned from history that such moral madness and ethical insanity proceeds one’s or a nations’ destruction? But thus it appears that fragmentation, isolation, and frustration for many churches is prevalent because many of these assemblies are crying with their loudest voices that their way, their theology, their religious experience, their Modus operandi, their church, indeed is the right church and all others are inauthentic and fall short of what God intended. However, such projections of perfection and illogical lamentations, are forever plaguing our people with confusion, and subsequently turning them away from meaningful experience within the Church of God. In fact, many who would come to the fold are dismayed and discouraged by the inability of the church to stand together and to present the Gospel Message ofReconciliation and Peace. That is, that God is reconciling the world to himself through ChristJesus! Too many of our own people talk negatively about the church and try to tear it down. It is the favorite object of jest and scorn and derision. We point fingers of criticism at people who go to church. But you must realize that when you point one finger at somebody else you’re pointing three fingers back at yourself!O how we love to lambaste the church. People come and sit in church on Sunday mornings and plan what they are going to have for supper. They go home and pull out the boiler, skillet and the roaster, and they boil the Sunday school, fry the deacons, bake the ushers, stew the choir and most of all they burn the preacher! However, with all of the imperfections, the Church in-the-Black Experience is still the best thing we have going for us. It’s our oldest institution. It gives more to humanitarian causes than any other institution. It employs more people in theBlack community than any business or organization. It organizes more people in the community.It sees more people on a regular basis than anything else. It sends more people to school on a129 consistent basis than any other institution. It saves more lives by the preaching of the Gospel, gives more hope in hopeless time, and provides more inspiration to spiritless people than anything else. But yet, churches without the love and light of God have activity without power, efficiency without love, worship without joy, existence without essence, zeal without knowledge, knowledge without understanding, understanding without commitment, regularity without spirituality, and appearance without true substance.As we gaze over this scenario of criticism and competition within churches and between denominations and sects---especially Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientism, CosmicConsciousness, and all other supporters and purveyors off a Jones’-Town religion, we must remember that this is no new phenomenon. But such diverse and contending philosophies, theologies, and beliefs were very much in operation even in the First Century A.D. in which time the words of our text were written by the Apostle Peter. Judaism claimed to be the only way toGod by keeping the Law, and for non-Jews had become a proselyte. Christianity was not a new religion, which would not be tolerated by the Roman Empire, but the true religion of Israel where access to God was based upon the salvific and redemptive work of Christ on the cross and faith in Him as the only begotten Son of God. There were other voices in contention with Christianity to include Gnosticism, a false teaching about levels of knowledge and wisdom attained to reach an ascetic state of mind. To combat such a heretical teaching, the Apostle John in the prologue to his Gospel reminds his hearers that Jesus was the pre-existing true knosis and logos (i.e., knowledge and word), that was divine and shared in the creative acts of the universe contrary toGnostic teaching (cf., John 1:1-5);“In the beginning was the Word (Greek: logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the light was the light of all people. The light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”130 Even Paul the Apostle confronts this erroneous Gnostic teaching in his Letter to theChurch at Colossae (1:15, 16); “ He is the image if the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.” Paul also addressed the challenges of Greek Idealism impacted by the minds and teaching of Greek philosophers to include Plato, Aristotle, Epicureas, and Euripides, onMars Hill at Corinth during Paul’s’ ministry in Greece (cf., Acts 17:22-25); “ Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and look carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an object with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself give to all mortals life and breath and all things.”Jesus himself in his day had to confront apocalyptic visionaries who claimed to know the way to meaningful and purposeful existence. (John 10:7-10);“So again Jesus said to them, ‘Verily truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’”Even Emperor Worship was prevalent in the first Century by the Caesars in Rome, the center of world rule and domination. Jesus had to point out to his hearers that the emperor had no power or authority over him, nor can he be compared to one’s allegiance to God. However Jesus recognized the legitimacy of just governments and civil responsibility by telling his crowds to to give unto Caesar what’s Caesar’s and give unto God what belongs to God (Luke 20:20-25). What is the right church? What determines the boundaries? Who establishes her foundation? Who prepares her witness?First of all the “right church” is not defined nor determined by ‘correct’ ritual or social custom, mode, means, median of baptism, mode of dress, length of hair, or the length of one’s131 dress. Nor how one “shouts” (in celebration and praise) or not shout, speak in tongues or tarry for the Holy Ghost.She (feminine gender Greek: ecclesia), the church, does not base her uniqueness or correctness on a materialistic measuring up. That is to say, who has the biggest crowd(membership) or the largest and/or best choir. Nor the preacher who entertains the best seeing members as mere spectators, or the “classy” and/or “prestigious” church whose members pride and beam about calling their pastor “Dr.,” or whether he drives the largest car. Reverend Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr., when called to pastor a church in Montgomery, Alabama expressed in a letter in response to their call, something to the effect that churches have to be careful not to have what he called a “Veneer of Religiosity”; that is to say, when she defines herself based upon the external and fleeting notions of prestige and privilege and fail to address the needs of the underprivileged, underserved, and underclass. The “right church” is not simply the custodian of a tradition and great grandma’s history.She is not a church captive to its culture and the status quo. She does not confuse Christianity with the American Way of life. She does not confuse Nationalism with Mission, patriotism withPiety, the God of America with the God of the Universe! But the “right church” transcends all definitions and determinations we assign to it when such definitions and determinations are not grounded in biblical and theological insight. The Apostle Peter informs us of the MEANING,MIRACLE and the MESSAGE of the RIGHT CHURCH!The Meaning of the Right ChurchThe “right church” is a redeemed community (a chosen generation) which exists as a well disciplined body of committed believers who are willing to give anything and everything for the cause of Christ. She is a chosen people whom God chooses to redeem for himself in order132 that she might be an agent – an instrument, in bringing God’s message of salvation to all humankind. (cf., Israel – Deut. 7:7 Love of God; John 3:16). The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans5:8; “In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This church is composed of people who are indissolubly bound and irrevocably linked together by a risen Christ in which relationship is more important than structure and organization. Members of this church must be concerned about each other as well as those who are less fortunate which is a requisite by whichJesus will judge the believer. We must use our advantage to the advantage of the disadvantaged(cf., Matthew 25:41-43); (paraphrased)“I was hungry and you referred me to an appropriate agency. You started a process in which you and that agency discussed my hunger. I was in prison and you sneaked quietly to your church and prayed that nothing like that would ever befall your loved one. I was naked and you wondered professionally whether it was immoral or unhealthy or at best a reflection of my deviate lifestyle. I was ill and you considered me a problem for the health profession and decided to write a full report to them as soon as you returned from your vacation. I was homeless and you decided to attend the next meeting of the better housing league to learn more about the social impact of such conditions on behavior. I was lonesome and you left me alone so that you could be objective and maintain your professionalism. With all the above, you have really be professional, but I’m still hungry and I’m still lonesome and I’m still freezing from the lack of the human touch.”Cf., vv., 45, 46“Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me’. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”The Miracle of the Right ChurchThe miracle of the “right church” is that members were once considered nobody, that is to say, determined and doomed to everlasting destruction because of our sinful condition and alienation from and enemies with God, but now have become somebody because of the love ofGod and the obedience and power of Jesus Christ. As a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people of God—there is a dignity in your function; you are called out, made special! Therefore, no matter that the world says, and when it treats you like you’re nobody, you must still believe in yourself! As members of the right church, the believer’s old self has been crucified with Christ133 Jesus so that he or she might know love and not be enslaved to sin and nobodiness. Holiness is commanded by God and has been attainable by him (Romans 4:6; 6:22). Holiness however does not imply sinless perfection, but it implies a condition where the believer’s conscience is kept clear before God by repentance and self dedication, then his or her heart does not condemn him or her. The Apostle John gives the test of holiness and righteousness in his first letter 1:8, 9;“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and d on do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”The errors regarding holiness are that the believer must sin; and believers cannot sin. The correct view my brothers and sisters is that the believer can sin; but he need not do so, if he or she walks in the light and depends upon the leading, guiding and empowering of God’s Holy Spirit. And so as members of the right church you are called to believe in yourself in spite of any shortcomings because quitters never win and winners never quit. You must also believe in yourself because of what Christ has done in the transformation of your character and condition and what he’s doing in your life. And after we understand where our help truly comes from, then believers must invest in themselves in the spiritual disciplines of meditation, prayer and study, so that we may then give the best of ourselves for the cause of Jesus Christ and the building of his kingdom on earth. Just as the church is constituted a people, the individual is constituted a child of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The converted individual becomes a part of a transformed people. It’s good to know that God can take the worst and make the best. It’s good to know thatGod can take the least and make the most. It’s good to know that God can take evil and make good out of it. Thank God for the miracle of transformation. Every now and then when you find yourself being judged and criticized for your mistakes and errors of judgment of your past or134 how you used to be before you were transformed by the power of Christ, look at your critics in the eyes and tell them “Never mind what I used to be, just look at me now.”Message of the Right ChurchThe right church is commanded to be a witnessing community of faith. God saved us in order to be a part of sharing our faith and good news to deal with bad situations, cf., 1st Peter2:9b; “In order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news! It liberates. It celebrates. It is a message of reconciliation and peace. What kind of Christianity do we have when nobody will say anything while the world is being destroyed? Somebody ought to say something. Our world is being destroyed and we’re silent. Our children are being messed up and we’re silent. Our schools are going down the drain and we’re silent. Our churches are being destroyed by internal conflict and we’re silent. Our prisons are disproportionately filled with people of color and we’re silent. The survival of our families and communities are at stake and we’re silent. Our civil rights won from the protests and sacrifices of the twentieth century, and affirmative action for people of color, are being taken backwards and we’re silent. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is quoted often to have said; “the world is being destroyed not so much by the vitriolic words of bad people, than the appalling silence of good people.” Someone else said that the only thing that is necessary for evil to triumph in the world is for good people to say nothing. Wickedness and evil are mounting on every side, the powers of evil appear to be overrunning the powers of good and somebody ought to say something. Somebody ought to do something about the terrible evil of these challenging and trying times.135 The church must not simply have a negative campaign to defeat evil, but a positive campaign to advance goodness, promote justice, and glorify God. The gospel message of reconciliation and peace is always good, uplifting, positive, instructive, and encouraging. Most people already know how to get into hell, what they want to know is how to get out of hell! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is descriptive. Our salvation history is followed and described throughout Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension and return. It describes God’s love for humankind through justification, regeneration, sanctification, redemption, grace and forgiveness.The Gospel of Jesus is also prescriptive. It prescribes a victorious way of life for Christ’s believers. It prescribes how to deal with and handle worry and anxiety, anger and frustration, knowledge and wisdom, loneliness and somebodiness as well as meaningful and lasting relations. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is also convictive for salvation is of the Lord by and through his saving work; not of works of sinners lest we would boast. Therefore, my brothers and my sisters, we are charged to let our lights of faith, hope and love shine as members of the“right church” –the church where Jesus goes up in praise, the Holy Spirit comes down in power, witnesses go out in prayer, and sinners come in with privileges!There’s a tale told about a blind woman who was committed to letting her light of faith, hope and trust on the inside shine for others in her church. She testified one first Sunday morning saying, I got something to tell you, just give me the letters of the alphabet, and I’ll show you what I mean. The pastor said A, She said as the hart (deer) panteth after the waterbrook, so panteth my soul after thee, O God! (Ps. 42:1) KJVThe pastor said B, She said, Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, bless his Holy Name (Ps. 103:1)The pastor said C,136 She said, Cast thy burdens on the Lord, He shall sustain them! (Ps. 55:22)The pastor said D, She said, Delight thyself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:4)The pastor said E, Mother Burke She said, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” (Ps. 100:4)The pastor said F, She said, “Fret not thyself because of evil doers neither be thy envious of the workers of iniquity for they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb.” (Ps., 37:1, 2)The pastor said G, She said, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.The pastor said H, She said, Hear O Israel the Lord our God is One Lord and though shall love the Lord God with all thy mind, all thy heart, with all thy soul (Deut. 6:4,5)The pastor said I, She said, In thee O Lord do I put my trust let me never be put to confusion. (Ps. 71:1)The pastor said J, She said, Judge not and you will not be judged.The pastor said K, She said, Keep yourselves in the love of God (Jude 1:21)The pastor said L, She said, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. (Ps. 19:14)The pastor said M, She said, Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. (Ps 100:1)The pastor said N, She said, No man who puts his hand to the plow and looks back I fit for the Kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)The pastor said O, She said, O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, his mercy endureth forever. (Ps. 136:1, 107:1)The pastor said P,137 She said, Praise ye the Lord, praise God in his Sanctuary, praise him in the firmament of his power, praise him for his mighty acts, praise him according to his excellent greatness. (Ps. 150: l, 2, 6)The pastor said Q, She said, “Quench not the Spirit, (1 Thess. 5:19)The pastor said R, She said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost (John 20:22)The pastor said S, She said, Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord (Exodus 14:13)The pastor said T, She said, They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, mount up as wings of Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)The pastor said U, She said, Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul. (Ps. 86:48)The pastor said V, She said, Verily I say unto you unless a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. (John 3:5)The pastor said W, She said, “Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16)The pastor said X, She said, Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it. (Ps. 127:1)The pastor said Y, She said, Yea though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me. (Ps. 23:4)The pastor said Z, She said, The zeal of thy house has eaten me up. (Ps. 69:9) (Jude 2:17)She didn’t have a whole lot of light on the outside, but she had a whole lot of light on the inside! I thank God that I got something on the inside. I got something that Jesus gave to me. There are those who want me to be dignified and act like I’m cool and sophisticated and keep my voice down and act like a seminary man. But I must tell you that I went to God before I went toSeminary. I studied Peter, James, and John before I studied Karl Barth, Rudolph Bultmann and138 Dietrich Bonheoffer, and God gave me something that world can’t give and the world can’t take it away. I got a joy that makes me love everybody! I got a peace that makes me satisfied! I got a spirit that keeps me sanctified! And I’m going to tell it wherever I go. This little light of mine and going to let it shine! I’m going to take it, I’m going to talk it, tell it, sing it, Shout it, share it, spread it, show it, need it, give it! I’m going to shout my own shout, and tell by own story, and sing my own song! I’m glad I’m a member of “the right church”! You ought to shout like David, the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear.The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid. In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; he shall set me upon a rock. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart, wait, I say, on the Lord (Psalm. 27).When heaven moves earth must respond. You can’t stop it; it’s too hot to hold. You can’t keep it to yourself. If you know God, if the Holy Ghost has come, if the Kingdom is Present, if God is in the midst of Zion, You can’t keep that to yourself! Something has happened; barriers have been broken, the Glory of the Lord is being revealed! Goodness has been cut loose. Mercy is streaming, Salvation is real. A new day has come. Sickness has been healed. Problems have been solved. Enemies have been defeated.Death has been destroyed. Doors have been opened. Burdens have been lifted. Hearts have been changed. Don’t get too sophisticated to say Amen. Don’t get too educated to say Hosanna. Don’t get too opinionated to say Thank you Jesus. Don’t get too assimilated to say Hallelujah. Don’t get too acclimated to say Praise the Lord. Don’t get too dignified to say Glory. Don’t sit quiet, don’t be indifferent. Let those who refuse to sing, who never knew our God, but children of the heavenly King, may speak their praise abroad. Don’t be dead, cold, silent, and still, somebody ought to say something! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! If you’ve been saved by grace, say so. If you’ve been washed in the blood, say so. If you’ve been healed from sickness, say so. If139 you’ve been lifted by love, say so. If you know God is real, say so. If you’ve got the Holy Ghost, say so. If God has been good to you, say so. If God woke you up this morning, say so. If he made a way out of no way, say so. If you got a trumpet, blow it! If you got a story, tell it. If you got a song, sing it. If you got hope, declare it. If you got salvation, shout it. If you got a light, let it shine. If you feel the fire, let it burn.Gloria Griffin and Roberta Martin were right when they wrote the song:I’M SO GRATEFUL When my friends and my foes turn against me, And it seems I’m at the end of the road, There’s a still soft voice saying within me, There is someone, someone greater who’s carrying the load.I am so grateful that Christ is in my life, What would my life be without him? It would be very dark and grim When I’m sad he cheers me, When I am lonely he will my comfort be, That’s why I’m grateful, truly grateful, I’m so grateful that Christ is in my life.59The Future of the Church Matthew 16:16-21It is important to reflect upon the crisis at Caesarea Philippi in order to adequately deal with this question on the future of the church. For Simon Peter did not confess Jesus as theMessiah till the crisis at Caesarea Philippi. This gathering at Cesarean Philippi was a turning59 Gloria Griffin and Roberta Martin, “I’m so Grateful” (No 48) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).140 point. From this point on Jesus’ teaching was addressed more exclusively to the disciples, and prophecies of his suffering. This was a crisis because if the disciples had not penetrated no more deeply into the truth claims of Jesus, then what a sorry lot of men the church would have been entrusted to. Why how could they lead others if they did not know who it was that had brought them to where they were? That is to say, why Jesus had to prepare them further to be certain that the future of the church would be secure! The popular expectation of the Jewish people was that of a “Militaristic Messiah”. But Jesus had to show them that the True Messiah was to be the“suffering servant” that Isaiah talked about Isaiah 53:4.5;“Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises are we healed.” In some sense, of course, the church movement began when Jesus of Nazareth began his mission in Judea and Galilee with the calling of the Disciples. In another sense there was no effectiveChristian society before the Resurrection, and all our New Testament writing comes to us in the afterhours of Easter. A proper theology of the church is inevitably, post resurrection. There is, however not the slightest doubt that the church is the outcome of Jesus ministry and intention.We see this to be prevalent when at the Last Supper he assembled his closest disciples for a unique night; he expressed his desire that they should repeat it after his death, in glad recollection that he had given his life as a ransom for many. But more important than the form of organization is what may be called the “church idea,” the concept of the unique feature of this early church. We find also, as we gaze upon this ancient scenario, that the easy-goingSadducees, the scholarly and devout Pharisees of Jerusalem and the towns, the monasticZadokite Covenanters, and perhaps with Baptist sects, were all actively expecting “the Era ofFavor”, God’s good time when he would rule the earth. 141 The decisive mark of the Christians was not that they provided a rival school of great biblical interpretation or a more efficient organization for piety. It was rather their simple, audacious assertion that he who was to come had come; and now they awaited his final victory.Hence, the doctrine of their church was indissolubly bound and irrevocably linked to their understanding of Jesus. This community of faith had a realized eschatology, that is, they believed that the Kingdom of God is present in Jesus and his ministry, but it awaits a consummation that is yet to come (The already but not yet). And as such they lived within the tension of a message of urgency! It was clear in the proclamation of the apostles after Easter that now is the time to repent and receive the blessings of Salvation. There was, for them still time, but that time was short since many in the early church community believed that Jesus would be returning soon. There was a tale told about demons in hell discussing how they could destroy this thing, this movement if you will, called the church. One demon stood up and began to suggest that they need to put in the minds of followers of Jesus that there was no Heaven, subsequently, no crown or reward for their loyalties and commitment to Christ. However, the demon council deliberated and determined that this approach would be too slow. Another demon suggested that they tell members of the church that there was no hell. But the demon council determined that this approach was not consistent with the realities of life and would be too slow because manyChristians have already experienced a type of hell on earth and would not be persuaded that hell did not exist. Finally, one of the old demons slowly and competently stood and suggested that they tell members of the church that there was no hurry. Almost immediately the demon council unanimously agreed that this was the best tactic to stop the immediacy and sense of urgency of church mission and outreach.142 The Element of ExperienceThe Element of Experience tells us that the church is in great danger when she does not address the real and present needs of her people. The church’s future and effectiveness and even relevancy are being questioned today for a number of reasons. In the midst of staggering disillusionment, the uncertainty about the quality of life for many and their families caused by unemployment and economic deprivation, killing and mass incarceration of so many black boys and men, alienation and personal loneliness, the great sense of powerlessness and purposelessness, there is a new emergence of this question on the future of the church! Many people feel that she has failed to match adequately the tragic involvement of this power mad world when she has been called out of darkness into the marvelous light in order to be a headlamp, leading and guiding our communities cooperatively with other community partners; but instead she is viewed as a tail-light, captive to her culture and lost her prophetic and priestly witness. Jesus informs his disciples in Matthew 5:14-16:“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.” Let us be clear that there is nothing wrong with the church, for it is a perfect place, filled with saved and redeemed but imperfect people; the problem and shortcoming is seen when some congregations refuse to be led and guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit! The bible is forthright in the NT texts that the church when empowered by the Holy Spirit is to witness to the wonderful acts of deliverance of God (cf., 1st Peter 2:9, 10; Colossians 1:9 -14). Many of our churches seem to be lacking incentives to combat the evil forces that are choking and holding our people captive. Consequently, many people are captive to their own fears questioning their abilities, afraid to venture into new and better experiences, and captive to the circumstances around them! (The height of pessimism).The church of God cannot afford to escape into ignorance about the world in which we live; people are suffering, worried, lonely, and hungry for143 bread and purpose. She must know and understand the tenor and temper of the times which is at a point of crises. She must become more revolutionary than merely reactionary without a mission strategy to combat evil and bring about good. Some of our churches and people have lost their enthusiasm. This is seen when you have to beg folk to come inside for service; when pews are half-empty; when preachers preach the same old sermons; when choirs sing the same old songs; when deacons pray the same old prayers; when a handful of folk come to prayer meeting andBible Study; and when there are weak and unproductive revivals. The church cannot be satisfied with empty routine, but must be creative, exciting, challenging and encouraging! The Element of AnticipationAnticipation for the believer represents hope for things and conditions to get better. No hope for tomorrow means no power for today. So members of Christ’s church must believe that no matter what one or the church may be going through, God can and will make it better. InChristological terms, someone referred to this kind of hope manifested as not being a FridayFatalist but a Sunday Shouter; or not being a Crucifixion Cynic but a resurrection realist. And in doing so, one has a clear and present optimism that one’s future and the future of the church is secure. The OT prophets to include: Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah and Ezekiel, gave unique presentations of God’s announcement of the future. What’s interesting to note is that according to James Luther Mays and Paul J. Achtemeier in their book titled, Interpreting theProphets,60 despite their differences of call, character, competence, and commitment, they all have the same announcement! And that announcement is presented in three distinct but equally important parts. 60 See James Luther Mays and Paul J. Achtemeier, Editors, fortress Press, Philadelphia, 1987, pp. 20-22144 The End is ComingFirst, they all announce that the end is coming. Prophetic speech is designed to provide a theological doctrine to the exiles rather than a teaching of hope to the citizens of Jerusalem. The punishment to come is the personal justice of Israel’s covenantal God. It demonstrates the reality of divine providence and the logic of sin-judgment more than any strict principal of legal retribution. It exhorts the exiles to a consciousness of the fact that they will, in the future, have the knowledge, which is now lacking, that Yahweh is a God of Power who fulfills his doom predictions as announced! It brings a faithless and unknowing people to covenant allegiance and consciousness of Yahweh’s Lordship. The announcement of the End is to show that there is no escaping the covenantal judgment and providence of Yahweh, who will be made known to them even against their will.The Turning PointSecond, the prophets announce that despite the announcement of the end, it’s not the concluding point, but the turning point that inserts the era of God’s grace and mercy. This announcement reminds every believer that everything nailed down, screwed tight, glued together and bolted shut is coming loose. That in all of our lives as followers of Jesus the Christ there will be some announcements of the end. The end of relationships, the end of marriages, the end of employment, the end of good health, the end of our very physical lives, all will come. You may lose your job but don’t lose your joy. You may lose your good health but don’t lose your faith.You may lose your house but don’t lose your hope. You may lose your money but hold on toGod’s mercy. But what is implicit in the announcement of the end, is that God’s grace and mercy are sufficient to carry us through the dark and troubled waters of the announcement of doom and gloom to the next phase which is rescue and deliverance. Again, this announcement of the end145 must not be understood as a concluding point; even the hopeless, ancient words of Amos were not transmitted without reference to God’s compassion and mercy after the expiration of judgment (cf., Amos 9:11ff). Hosea makes it most clear that God’s harsh measures still are onlyHis corrective by which to lead His beloved people into an enduring and conclusive connection of love with him, (cf., Hosea 2:16ff and the illustration of Gomer).The New is ComingThird and finally, the prophets all announce that the new is also coming. Some experiences tell us one thing, but anticipation should tell us another. The threatened end of the people of God is recognized in the loss of the land, state, and the sanctuary. The events of 587B.C. thus motivate the collection of words of the pre-exilic prophets. Now not only will the end be proclaimed even more meaningfully than the turning point, but also the New beyond the turning point achieves increasingly clear outlines. The OT prophet Jeremiah first took a look at the concept of the new in Chapter 31:31-34. What he says to his hearers and what he wants them and us to know is that God is doing a new thing! This essential new will have a threefold form:God’s Will shall be written on the heart, i.e., the willingness and capability to obey will be sent along with the instruction; mutual teaching is unnecessary, because all live directly before God(v 34a); and above all, the blotting out of all sin undergirds the New Covenant, so that it becomes unbreakable (v 34b). The prophet Isaiah also anticipated this new covenant when he described the what, when, where, and how of the birth of Christ hundreds of years before it occurred. And when prophesied, he spoke in the prophetic perfect tense, which means that he spoke as if the certainty of something hoped for had already occurred. He spoke as if a bright light shines in the darkness. He spoke as if there is a joy as at a harvest festival. He spoke as if the oppressor’s lid had been lifted and broken. He spoke as if the gory and obscene debris of the battlefield is now146 disposed of. He spoke as if there was still hope. Isaiah said that the new is coming—no more messy monarchies, but a messianic awakening: (cf., Isaiah 9:6, 7);“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”Jesus exclaims in the NT that he is making real this New Covenant that the OT prophets announced and pronounced and to which they looked forward. Anticipation ought to be structured by some goal (s). Believers ought to anticipate and get ready to receive blessings fromGod. In the anticipation of Christ’s return we ought to be about Kingdom building; that is to say, saving souls and making human life more human. The future of the church is in jeopardy if it was left only in the hands of humans. But thank God Jesus said, (Matthew 16:18); “And I tell you, you are Peter, an on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” The Element of SurpriseOne thing I’m sure about is that God specializes in the element of surprise! If you’re looking for a witness ask Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Ask Peter, James and John. I remember as a boy growing up in Chicago on Berkeley Avenue that I loved to read the comic books. My mother would give me a quarter every Saturday to go to the corner newspaper stand to buy me a comic book. It so happened that my favorite hero was Spiderman. I would get excited with anticipation as the weekend drew near to have another chance to read my comic book. Every weekend the writers of the story would have a new episode in continuation of the last episode of my hero’s plight. But I remember clearly one Saturday morning I ran with great haste to the corner newspaper stand on 43rd Street to purchase a book because the last episode left my hero Spiderman in a precarious situation and could not tell whether he lived or died. In my anticipation I got hold of the comic book and I immediately turned to the back of the book,147 flipping through all the pages that proceeded, in order to see how my hero would turn out. Well, every now in then on this journey with Christ, we must endure persecution, ridicule and rejection, disappointment, disillusionment, disenfranchisement and even stumble toward the dungeon of despair. Sometime our burdens seem to get so heavy that we don’t think we can bear them. When that happens to you as it has happened to me, I strongly suggest and greatly recommend that you do what I do. I run to the Word of God. I flip through the 39 books of pages of the Old Testament; and 26 books of the New Testament. And I turn to the back of the 27 th and last Book to be reminded of how things are going to turn out! I read where John the Revelator wrote in the Book of Revelation: (Rev. 1:10,11a; 21:1, 2)“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘write what you see in a book and send it to the seven (7) churches....” “I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God Himself shall be with them. He will be their God, he shall wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be no mourning, nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things has passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, ‘Behold I make all things new’ and he also said, ‘write this, for these words are trustworthy and true’. And He said, ‘it is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” The future of the church is secure because she’s in the hands of Jesus the Christ and the people of God ought to shout the victory! There is a crown for followers of the Way for carrying their cross and counting the cost to follow Jesus. One of these old days, for believers who hold out until the end, there will be a New Jerusalem prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.True values will be vindicated. The church will shout the victory. Hospitality will be holy.Illumination will be full. The river of life will flow freely. The eternal will be visible. God’s presence will be perpetual. The saints will behold his face. Satisfaction will be total. Fellowship will be forever. When we all get to heaven, negatives will be non-existent. No more sickness, no more sorrow. No more pain, no more death. No more evil environments. No unjust societies. No148 Sinister Souls. No Lawless Spirits. No Moral darkness. No Social corruption. No more frustration, no more disappointment. Everyday will be howdy and every year the year of Jubilee.It’ll be a Holy habitation, a tearless town, for God himself shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. There’ll be shouting, “Hallelujah, the Lord God Omnipotent reigning.” And when we’ve been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praises than when we’d first begun. It will still be Hallelujah at the gates of 12, Hallelujah on the streets ofGold, Hallelujah at the walls of Jasper, Hallelujah at the rive of Life, Hallelujah around the great white throne, Hallelujah with the 4 and 20 elders, Hallelujah with the chanting Cherubim,Hallelujah with the singing seraphim, Hallelujah with the Saints of the Ages!Eliza E. Hewitt and Emily D. Wilson were right when they wrote the song:WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVENI Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing his mercy and his grace; In the mansions bright and blessed He’ll prepare for us a place.II While we walk the pilgrim pathway Clouds will overspread the sky; But when trav’ling days are over Not a shadow, not a sigh. III Let us then be true and faithful, Trusting, serving ev’ry day; Just one glimpse of Him in glory Will the toils of life repay. IV Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we’ll behold; Soon the pearly gates will open We shall tread the streets of gold. Chorus149 When we all get to heaven What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory.61QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS AND DIALOGUES Chapter four: When reflecting on the rewards of the Kingdom of God where Christ is truly Lord, do you feel that preaching of the Gospel in your church addresses the promise of a crown of victory both in this world and in the world to come for believers who remain faithful until the end? ( ) yes ( ) no If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______Do you feel that the Twenty-first Century Church-in-the-Black Experience is disintegrating into fragments, sects, conferences, and ministries that are diverse and competing breaking away from denominational orthodoxy (“right belief”) and orthopraxis (“right action”)? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is yes, please explain why you feel this way: ______What evidence is there that you can cite to substantiate your belief or assessment? ______Would you consider the miracle of the church to be a reconstituted, regenerated, revived and empowered people who love God and follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______Would you consider the meaning of the church to be a called out people who were once nobody, but now members of a royal priesthood and holy nation? ( ) yes ( ) no61 Eliza E Hewitt and Emily D. Wilson, “When We All Get to Heaven” (No 429) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).150 If answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______Would you consider the message of the church to be that despite differences of race, class, ethnicity, social standing, etc., we all have been called and challenged to be reconciled one with the other to live in peace, harmony and mutual respect under the auspices (leading and guiding) of the Holy Spirit? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______151 CHAPTER FIVEService from the Pew: Equipping the Saints for the Work of MinistryA Discovery that Defies Reason Luke 5: 1-5 This narrative (vv 1-11) is similar in certain details to Matthew 4:18-22 and Mark 1:16-20. Luke’s account is much fuller, containing the unique encounter between Jesus and Peter. The climax of each account is a call to “catch men” and the obedience of the disciples. Luke lacks the specific command “follow me”. In light of Luke’s method of focusing on individuals as a means of them drawing attention to Jesus, we can understand the placement and character of the narrative. Luke focuses on Peter, shows the sovereignty and holiness of Jesus in a way Matthew and Mark do not, and alone mentions the total abandonment of the disciples’ possessions as an act of discipleship. The narrative ends with the statement, “when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him” (cf., Luke 14:33, “So therefore none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions”; also, the Rich young Ruler.Luke mentions the pressure of the crowds. Their attention is on the word of God. The shore of the Lake Gennesaret, or Sea of Tiberius as it was also called, provided an excellent, acoustically serviceable amphitheater. Luke being observant to detail draws our attention to two boats (v2). Isn’t curiously significant that in the mind and will of God and especially in the ministry of the church, that sometimes who is conspicuously absent is just as important as who is152 demonstrably present? (James and John the sons of Zebedee are conspicuously absent and were partners with Peter who showed up later according to v10).Yet in our text Luke singles out Peter as the owner of one of the boats. The description in verse 2, along with the comments in verse 5, serves to emphasize the futility and frustration of the night’s work. Luke is careful to mention that Jesus again teaches----now from the boat, from which his voice would carry across the water to the crowd. Not even the next event, miraculous as it is, may, in Luke’s narrative, be allowed to direct attention away from Jesus’ teaching ministry. In verses 4, 5 you see a sharp contrast between the expert but unsuccessful fisherman and Jesus. Jesus command (v4) must have seemed unreasonable to them after failure during the night (v5). Peter demurs; but he does what Jesus says.Oh my brothers and sisters frustration has destroyed some of the best of us. I mean people who were gifted and talented have given up their hopes and dreams all because they did not know how to handle their frustration. Sometimes we get frustrated with husbands, and wives and lovers and even children. We get frustrated in the home, on the job, and even in the church when we feel we have tried everything and what we have tried has failed. Sometimes we have listened to the words and advice of other frustrated people, cf., Psalms 1;“ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffer. But his delight is in the law of the LORD and on his law doth he meditate day and night.”Then sometimes we have listened to our own words. Yet we failed to overcome our futility and frustration because we do not hear the words of God, cf., Proverbs 3:5,6“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths”.In vv 6-10 Luke moves quickly to three focal points in his narrative. First, he describes the gathering of the fish. This extraordinary happening is similar to the post resurrection153 appearance in John 21 when Jesus tells his disciples to cast their nets on the “right side” of the boat. The details of the breaking of the nets and loaded boats (v7) help give the narrative the ring of truth. It’s interesting my brothers and my sisters that Jesus commands Peter to launch his nets in the deep waters if he is going to catch fish. He did not tell him to fish from the banks; nor to fish in shallow water (cf., half-hearted service-church in Laodicea, e.g., faith and science/reason walking along the road, science led as long as the road was smooth, straight, stop signs and go signs, etc science led faith. But when they came to a road where the bridge was out which once extended over some deep waters-faith steps up and taps science on the shoulder and says follow me!); but Jesus says to Peter launch out in the in deep waters (cf., total commitment and life changing service). Many shy from fishing in deep waters of life for in the deep waters there is strangeness, challenges, danger, and difficulty. In deep waters you have to confront stingrays, sharks with big jaws, and whales like Moby Dick. But Jesus says launch out from where you are if you want to be fishers of men.Second, the miracle moves Peter, who is overcome by awe (v9), to abase himself beforeJesus (v8). He now calls Jesus “Lord” (Greek: Kyrios), with a greater depth of meaning than the common word “Sir”. Peter is not gripped by a sense of his inferiority but of his own sinfulness.Did we not learn from Isaiah 6:5 of what happens when you come face to face with whatRudolph Otto in his book, The Idea of the Holy, calls the Latin: “mysterium tremendum”or great mystery? But Peter needs no such vision as Isaiah; he is face to face with Jesus. Luke’s reason for including this incident may be not only to portray the confrontation of human sinfulness withJesus but also to show that to receive the saving grace of Christ a “sinful” person must repent.The third and final focal point, in the narrative following Peter’s obedience (vv10-11) toJesus in letting down the net, is Jesus declaration that he will “catch men” from then on. This is154 where I like the old English of the King James Bible that employs the word “fishes”. Now we know that the word fish is already plural. But the designation of “fishes” does not just emphasize the number of fish, but it stresses that there are all kinds of fish. I’m sure when Peter and the other fishermen brought up their full nets there was some Tilapia, Bass, Catfish, Redfish,Buffalo, Perch and all kinds. When God blesses his church from our outreach efforts, all kinds of men, women, boys and girls will come! And what God sends it’s always his very best. He knows just what you need. However, we must be reminded not to try to clean the fish before you catch them! Too many would-be believers have been baited into the church, but through insensitive and critical remarks by good-meaning but untrained believers, regarding their condition, character and/or circumstances, have been thrown back into the waters of faithlessness and hopelessness. After the declaration about catching men, the disciples left everything and followed Jesus and underscore the condition of discipleship.Luke focuses on Peter, and shows the sovereignty and holiness of Jesus in a wayMatthew and Mark do not, and alone mentions the total abandonment of the disciples’ possessions as an act of discipleship. The narrative ends with the statement, “when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.” God sent his son to be a fisher of humanity. Jesus who was born in a barn and died on aCity dump, made it perfectly clear that we too must make disciples of men and women and boys and girls. Jesus was truly certified -“This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”. He was certainly qualified – turned water into wine; healed the sick; gave sight to the blind; lifted oppression’s lid from the poor and dispossessed; and raised the dead. He was verified – in that he died on yonder cross on a hill called Calvary. And on the third day, He was positively magnified! On this Christian journey I have discovered that you must praise Him for who He is155 and for what He has done…..I’ve discovered that when reason fought against me and said NO,Faith said YES! I’m going to step out into some deep waters! I’ve discovered that God will provide…Mrs. C.H. Morris was right when she penned the words of the song: LET ALL THE PEOPLE PRAISE THEEO magnify the Lord with me Ye people of his choice Let all to whom he lendeth breath Now in his name rejoice For love’s blest revelation For rest from condemnation For uttermost salvation To him give thanksLet all the people praise thee Let all the people praise thy name forever And forevermore, forevermore O lord! Let more. Amen.62Living in the Comfort of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:41-47; 9:31An extraordinary statement of truth is presented in the text of Acts 9:31 that I want us to consider and seriously embrace as a church family to understand what it means to live in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Something extraordinary had to occur in the life of believers in the early church whereby they were able to reach such a spiritual plateau as presented by Luke. That is to say, they had peace, were built up and increased in numbers (Acts 9:31).62 C.H. Morris, “Let All the People Praise Thee” (No28) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).156 “Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”The question arises, How did this occur? They were living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit! In contrast to the reference “meanwhile” of verse 31; it implies that something else was occurring that was in contrast or contradictory to this fact. You’d have to go back to Acts 8:1-3ff to understand the significance and meaning of this “meanwhile.”Luke has given us a description of the life of the church in the first century. We know from many passages in the New Testament that the early Greek: “ecclesia” or assembly of believers, whether called Christians as they were in Syrian Antioch, Nazarenes by GentileChristians; Followers of the Way by pagans; or Ebionites by Jewish Christians in Jerusalem andJudea, the congregations in the New Testament were not perfect. There were troublemakers in the church (1Cor. 1:10-17). There were liars in the church(Acts 5-Ananias and Sapphira). At least one man named Eutychus even went to sleep during one of Paul’s sermons and fell out of the third floor window to his death (Acts 20:7-12). Some parents didn’t discipline their children (Eph 6:1-4). But in Acts 2:41-47 Luke gives us a picture of the church as it ought to be and as the church in the New Testament tried to be by living in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. When we look at this early church community, we must ask ourselves honestly, what does it tell us about the life of the people of God in our time? We need to ask that if Jesus were to return tomorrow and to visit our churches would he recognize that which he proclaimed to his disciples on the coasts of Caesarea Philippi? What did Jesus do? He called a people together, that despite their diversity, ethnicity, race, culture, language, to have an oneness of body, mind and soul! The Apostle Paul later cited this uniqueness and specificity of the church as having unity in the midst of diversity (cf.,Ephesians 4:1-16). Jesus expected something quite unique from this crowd, his church, if they157 were to live in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. First, in verse 41 of our text the “Greater Works” of the Disciples, prophesied and promised by Jesus in John 14:12 began to be fulfilled. Peter, empowered by the Holy Spirit, saw 3,000 people respond to the gospel invitation. This was far more than the total number of people who had remained faithful to Christ up to this point. Secondly, (v 42) “They devoted themselves to the Apostle’s teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers (cf., “prayer still works”). The early church was a teaching church. Jesus himself, as Matthew emphasizes in his gospel, was a master teacher. Disciples are learners, and in our faith learning is important. It is not enough to have good intentions. It is not even enough to do good deeds. It is important to know who God is and what He requires of His people, for what a person knows about God and God’s law will sooner or later affect feelings and actions. Thirdly, (v.3) fear/awe came upon every soul. Fear doesn’t necessarily involve being afraid, scared or frightened as one may be frightened by a gunshot or by an enraged animal.“Fear” here means awe, wonder and reverence. The character of the early church community of believers aroused in the people a sense of awe and amazement that was reinforced by many miracles performed by the Apostles. It is awareness of the holy, of the sacred. It is the kind of feeling which young people may have when they hesitate to go into the pulpit of the church. It is the feeling of mystery, (c.f., Rudolph Otto’s “Mysterium Tremendum” in his book, The Idea of the Holy). It is the feeling of awe as when Isaiah went into the Holy Temple to worship God; or when Moses stumbled upon holy Ground on the Mountain of God (Exodus). It is the feeling of awe which many of us has known at some great and solemn occasion, perhaps at a time of death of a friend or loved one. Or even at the moment when you know that God had performed some miracle in your life. He opened a door; closed or shut the enemy’s mouth; lifted a heavy burden; or lowered your anxiety level regarding the next steps in your life. The disciples had witnessed158 and experienced the power of God’s presence. The power of the Holy Spirit worked effectively, so that the hearers had corroborating evidence to support the spoken word of the disciples (cf.,Acts 3:1ff-healing of the lame man at the gate called “Beautiful”). These miracles functioned in the same way as the miracles or “signs” Jesus had done (cf., John 20:30-31).Fourthly, (v. 44, 45) “And all who believed were together and had all things in common”. The word together is frequently used of the early Christians (Greek: koinonia). At times it is almost synonymous with worship. It underlines the very close fellowship which existed among the followers of Jesus. They had all things in common. This means they were a sharing community. Every Christian ought to be willing to share what God has given you to help others not so fortunate. When God gives you the best He expects you to help the rest! Some folks have developed varying attitudes about sharing: (1) What’s yours is mine and I’ll take it; (2)What’s mine is mine and I’m going to keep it; (3) while true born again Christians will say,What’s mine is yours and we’ll share it! We were told in the text that no needy person was neglected.Fifthly, the believers attended church on a regular and consistent basis. (v. 46 a)“Attending the Temple day by day”. The Early Christian Church had not completely separated from the traditional worship of God. The disciples faithfully worshipped God in the Temple. To this worship they added the new knowledge of God that had come to them through Jesus Christ.The early church was a worshipping community they didn’t mind praying, praising and paying.Sixthly, (v. 46 b) “They broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts”. The breaking of bread was an important part of the life of the early church. Jesus had appeared to his disciples as they were eating on several occasions after the resurrection. Probably for this reason the time “of breaking of bread” was an occasion when the early Christians were159 especially aware of the presence of the Risen Christ and were grateful for all the blessings ofGod. The phrase “breaking of bread” probably stood for 3 or 4 different practices in the early church. 1) It was used as a name for the Lord’s Supper. 2) It was used to designate a common meal which was sometimes a means of providing food for those members of the congregation who were poor and did not have enough to eat. 3) It was the meal that was ordinarily concluded by the Lord’s Supper.Finally, (v. 47) we are told they “were praising God and having favor with all the people”. There is joy in the Christian faith! Sadness of heart and sourness of spirit are notChristian virtues. Despair is always a sign of unbelief. There was something winsome about these early believers. They found favor with people. It is also true, as with each believer today who has decided to follow Jesus, that they did not find favor with some people. Peter and John knew prison sentences and death as martyrs. Church tradition has it that Peter was crucified with his heels up and his head down. John was burned in a hot kettle of oil. Jesus himself came unto his own people and his own people did not recognize or receive him and was crucified on an old rugged cross. In fact, Jesus cautioned us to beware when all men speak well of you. Nevertheless there are still winsomeness and a joy about real Christian faith and living. You have reason to be suspicious of what is happening to your faith whenever you lose heart and become sad and sour in your spirit. The church of Jesus Christ is comprised of those who have been regenerated and baptized, i.e., those who have made a credible profession and leap of faith. The church lived in the comfort of the Holy Spirit because members knew and believed and experienced the fundamental truths of their faith that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. The theological meaning of this statement is expanded elsewhere and later in the Pauline writings.The resurrection of Jesus from the dead distinguishes the Christian faith from all other religions160 and cults, for none of them claims that their founder died and rose again in the same body.Buddha, Mohammed, Zoroaster, Confucius, Lao-Tzu, and the others are dead and gone; in fact if you go to their tombs there remains are still there; only Jesus is said to be alive forevermore. (cf.,Francis Schaeffer’s books, “The God Who Is There” (1968) and “He Is There and He Is NotSilent” (1972). Thank God almighty that you too can live in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. You personally as a member of Christ’s Church can also receive peace in the midst of your storms; you too can be built-up and strengthened by the resurrected Christ of power; you too can experience an increase in the blessings of health, wealth, prosperity and success. What a wonderful thing that God has done! Saved, sanctified and sealed everyone of us who came toJesus as we were, wounded worn and sad, and we found in him a resting place, hasn’t He made you glad. But he didn’t stop there. Jesus the Christ was wonderful in his birth— wonderful in his life---wonderful in his death----wonderful in his burial--- wonderful on the 3rd Day morning when He got up with all power in his hands.William J. and Gloria Gaither embraced the Christian’s Confidence when they wrote the song: BECAUSE HE LIVESI God sent his son, they called him Jesus He came to love, heal, and forgive; He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives. II And then one day I’ll cross the river I’ll fight life’s final war with pain; And then when death gives way to victory I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know he lives. Chorus: Because he lives I can face tomorrow Because he lives all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future,161 And life is worth the living just because he lives.63BECAUSE HE LIVES:My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission is clear. BECAUSE HE LIVES:I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.BECAUSE HE LIVES:I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.BECAUSE HE LIVES:I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, wrapped up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.BECAUSE HE LIVES:I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He stops me----And when He comes for his own, He will have no problem recognizing me because my banner will be clear!New Wine for New Wineskins64 Scripture: John 2:1-12; Mark 2:21-22It is either ironic or most likely theologically necessary for Jesus’ first miracle or “sign” of his public ministry to be turning water into wine in Cana of Galilee. Two aspects of significance are expressed vividly by this miracle. One, it has a qualitative aspect of God’s63 Gloria Gaither and William J. Gaither, “Because He Lives” (No 106) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).64 Sermon inspired by Howard A. Synder in his book, The Problem with Wineskins: Church Structure in a Technological Age, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, IL., Fourth Printing 1976, pp.37-68.162 wonder working power (In this case the bridegroom saved the best for the last). Second, it adds a quantitative character to God’s wonder working power (cf., six water pots containing 20 to 30 gallons of water-that’s a lot of wine!).Mark, in chapter two of his Gospel presents Jesus’ discussion about the significance of the His own ministry in the context of his discourse on parables of the Kingdom. Here Jesus places two distinct but related parables together when he speaks of the new garment and new wine in old wineskins for they both teach the same lesson. Wineskins were containers made from the skin of animals. The expansion caused by the fermenting of new wine would cause the wineskins to burst because they had already been stretched as much as possible. Thus it was not possible then, nor is it now, to confine to the structure of old legalism the vitality of the new experience produced by faith in Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God as presented by Jesus could not be mixed with the old legalistic Jewish system. The truth of this was demonstrated afterPentecost when the church and synagogue finally had to be separated, for the Jewish community continued to trust in works of merit while the church preached the message of grace.What is this New Wine? “The Gospel to the Poor”. It is relevant here to ask why God is so concerned about the poor. The Old Testament (OT) clearly emphasizes throughout, the mandate to care for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the needy and the oppressed.To answer fully one would have to consider in detail the biblical concept of justice. In the OTGod’s concern with the poor consistently appears within the context of the justice of God and the working of justice among God’s people. Thus, biblically, words such as the poor, the needy, the oppressed, the sojourner, typically have moral content, relating to God’s requirement for justice.This is difficult in today’s world because for many the poor does not have such a moral content.Unfortunately today the poor, or as present politics would have it, have been blamed for their163 own victimization and continue to be ignored when it comes to access to basic goods and services and opportunities. Flint, Michigan is a recent case in point, where those in power made economic decisions to change the water supply system for its majority poor and African-American citizens resulting in its water supply becoming contaminated by lead and causing irreversible brain damage to many of the city’s children and furthering the distress, disenfranchisement and disillusionment for its underprivileged and underserved residents. The poor unfortunately continue to get poorer and the rich continue to get richer in a system that thrives on inequality. It appears that the OT concept of poor with a moral content now has a purely “descriptive” sense. But what we must see again in our day is that poverty itself is of ethical significance---the poor is a moral category. Dr. MLK King understood this moral mandate. In God’s world there is no human condition which escapes moral significance, and the poor, and the treatment they receive, are strong indicators of the faithfulness of God’s people.Right cannot forever remain upon the scaffold while wrong sits upon the throne.Jesus’ attitude toward the poor can be discerned in the Gospels: He made the preaching of the gospel to the poor a validation of his own ministry (Lk 4: 18-21) and cited Isaiah 61. It was a practice and conscious intent to preach his gospel especially to the poor. He believed the poor were more ready and able to understand and accept his gospel. Jesus prayed on one occasion, “I thank thee father, Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them unto babes; yea Father, for such was your gracious will” (Mt. 11: 25, 26). Also, in Mark 12:35-37 “…and the common people heard him gladly”.Jesus specifically directed the gospel call to the poor, to these—not exclusively, but preeminently—Jesus was speaking. In short Jesus demonstrated the same attitude toward the164 poor that God revealed in the OT. Though the savior of all men, he looked with special compassion upon the poor and dispossessed. The point is that there is an almost total lack of awareness of the church’s responsibility to seek out the poor, to plan for church growth among the poor, rather than to treat them primarily as a social problem to be discussed and analyzed.Jesus did not say, (let me paraphrase Matthew 25:31, using my sanctified imagination): “I was hungry and you referred me to the appropriate agency. You started a process in which you and that agency discussed my hunger. I was in prison and you sneaked quietly to your chapel and prayed that nothing like that would ever befall your loved ones. I was naked and you wondered professionally whether it was immoral or unhealthy or at best a reflection of my deviant lifestyle.I was ill and you considered me a problem for the health profession and decided to write full report to them as soon as you return from your vacation.I was homeless and you decided to attend the next meeting of the better housing league to learn more about the social impact of such conditions on behavior. I was lonesome and you left me alone so that you could be objective and maintain your professionalism. With all the above, you have really been professional, but I’m still hungry and still lonesome and I’m freezing from the lack of the human touch.” Matthew 25:46, 47, closes by saying; “In as much as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not unto me, and these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into eternal life”. The Poor and the Problem of Wineskins So the urgency to preach the gospel to the poor brings us right to the question of the church and the problems of the wineskins. The gospel to the poor and the concept of the church are inseparably linked and indissolubly bound. Renewal and revival in the church has usually meant the church’s rebirth among the poor, the masses, the alienated, disposessed and disenfranchised. And with such resurgence has usually come the recovery of such essential New165 Testament (NT) emphases as community, purity, discipleship, the priesthood of believers and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.A New Look at Old WineskinsThe three central elements in the Mosaic covenant were sacrifice, priesthood and tabernacle. These together, as part of and coupled with the Mosaic Law, constituted the revealed basis for the covenant relationship between God and his chosen people. Sacrifice—the approved way to God; priesthood—atonement; tabernacle—God dwelling with his people in covenant fidelity.The amazing teaching in the NT, especially in the Letter to the Hebrews, is that Jesus is the fulfillment of sacrifice, priesthood and tabernacle. Jesus is our great High Priest; therefore we need no earthly priest (Heb 4:14; 8:1). The priesthood has been expanded, to include all believers(I Peter 2:9); Rev 1:6). It is also true, that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the tabernacle (Heb. 8,9). “For Christ has entered not into the sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf”. Sacrifice, priesthood and tabernacle—all instituted through Moses in the OT, theologically, all passed away with the coming of Christ and the birth of the church.The great temptation of the organized church has been to reestablish these three elements among God’s people: to turn community into an institution. Returning to the spirit of the OT, she has set up a professional priesthood, turned the Lord’s Supper into a sacrificial system and built great cathedrals. When this happens, a return to faithfulness must mean a return to the profound simplicity of the NT.The Importance of the Tabernacle: the Symbol of God’s Presence “ Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst” (Ex. 25:8). The central idea was God’s habitation with this people. God could not actually dwell in the hearts of166 his people because of their sin and rebelliousness; his habitation had to be symbolic. So God ordered the tabernacle built and laid it out to Moses in extravagant detail as revealed on theMount (Ex. 26:30; Acts 7:44; Heb 8:5). The tabernacle had mobility: (Numbers 9:17-23) “Whenever the cloud lifted from the tent, the Israelites struck camp, and at the place where the cloud settled, there they pitched their camp…” But for the church the tabernacle is fulfilled in the Body of Christ. So the necessity of the physical tabernacle has passed away. Why? Because now God dwells with his people in the hearts and bodies of the believing community through the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit. The veil has been torn into; the stony heart transplanted with one of flesh. So the church is a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Therefore there is “no Temple in the City, for its temple is the LordGod the almighty and the lamb” (Rev. 21:22).The Temple was different---It was stationary—permanent—and its meaning differs accordingly. The tabernacle was God’s idea; it was his design. He commanded it. But what of the Temple? God sent word to King David, (2Sam 7:5-7); “Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling…” Tabernacle and Church With the birth of the church the need for an actual tabernacle or temple passed away. No longer was a temple needed; there was no longer any one holy place for worship and sacrifice(Jn. 4:20-24), for the sacrifice had already been made, once for all. All that was necessary was a place to meet together as the Christian community. The most logical place was the home (Acts2:46; 5:42). Jewish Christians continued worshiping for some time in the temple, but the practice gradually dropped off. And the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70. It is striking thatStephen in his appeal in the temple prior to his martyrdom goes directly from a discussion of a tabernacle and the temple to his condemnation of the Jewish leaders;167 “ Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. So it was until the days of David, who found favor in the sight of God and asked leave to find a habitation for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands. (Act 7:44-48) The point here seems to be the Jews’ slowness of heart to recognize the true signs ofGod’s presence. They “resist the Holy Spirit” by trusting in the physical temple, failing to seeJesus Christ as the fulfillment of both tabernacle and temple, as both priest and king. So accustomed to looking for God in stone and mortar, they do not recognize him in human flesh(Jn. 1:10-11). They have rejected Jesus Christ and are trusting in that which no more has meaning. All of this suggests a most basic fact: Theologically, the church does not need temples.Church buildings are not essential to the true nature of the church. For the meaning of the tabernacle is God’s habitation, and God already dwells within the human community of Christian believers. The people are the temple and the tabernacle, a tabernacle “not made with hands,” a“greater and more perfect tent” of which the Mosaic tabernacle was but a copy (Heb. 9:11).Thus theologically, church buildings are superfluous. They are not needed for priestly functions because all believers are priests and all have direct access, at whatever time and place, to the one great high priest. A church building cannot properly be “the Lord’s house” because in the new covenant this title is reserved for the church as people (Eph. 2:1; Tim. 3:15; Heb. 10:21). A church building cannot be a “holy place” in any special sense, for holy places no longer exist.Christianity has no holy places, only holy people. The church is never a place, but always a people; never a fold but always a flock; never a sacred building but always a believing assembly. The church is you who pray, not where you pray. This is the true nature of the church. And this is what the early church experienced having new wine for new wineskins. The Twenty-First Century Church-in-the-Black–Experience too168 must come to grips with her being a special people, not just confined with building a good- looking church building, but greater concern with building the church, cf., Deut.7:6;“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the earth to be His people, His treasured possession” If young people, millennials, and old saints with new aspirations, new dreams and new discoveries are going to drink the new wine offered by the church, then the church as a saved people had better make sure that her wine looks good, her wine tastes good, and her wine satisfies. She must be willing to save and serve the best wine for the last that come. Jesus himself said prophetically, that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. And when they come, they may be poor, they may be dispossessed, they may be desponded, they may be disenfranchised, they may be outdoors, they may be out of prison, they may be hungry, and they may be broken and bruised by an unjust and unfair world system. But one thing I know, the people of God are a saved people who remember what God saved us from. In fact, Jesus cleaned some of us up, dried some of us out, brought some of us down, and escorted some of us into his loving and forgiving fellowship. The Church is a Saved People Deuteronomy 33:29 “Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread on their backs.”The Church is a Reconciled People II Corinthians 5:17, 18 “ So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” The Church is a Blessed People Psalms 89:15, 16 “Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD in the light of your countenance; They exult in your name all day long, and extol (are exalted in) your righteousness.” The Church is an Established People Jeremiah 24:6, 7 “I will set my eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them and not pluck them up. I will give them a169 heart to know that I am the LORD; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.” The Church is a Prepared People Luke 1:17 “With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before Him (God), to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Jesus).”The Church is a Peculiar People Titus 2:14 “He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own (peculiar) who are zealous for good deeds” The Church is an Empowered People Acts 2:1ff “When the Day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the spirit gave them ability.” Charles Wesley and Lowell Mason were right when they wrote the song: A CHARGE TO KEEP I HAVEI A Charge to Keep I have, a God to glorify. Who gave his son my soul to save and fit it for the sky. To serve this present age my calling to fulfill, O may it all my powers engage to do my master’s will.II Arm me with jealous care as in thy sight to live, And O thy servant, Lord prepare, a strict Account to give. Help me to watch and pray, and on thyself rely, By faith assured I will obey, for I shall never die.65Loving God John 14:15-17 To love God you must first know God. That is to say, you must know the content of his character (v.10); the extent of his competency (v.11); and the measure of his commitment (v.12) not only to the Cross, but to his disciples also, in that as a result of this knowledge, he will65 Charles Wesley and Lowell Mason, “A charge to Keep I Have”(No 190) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).170 answer their prayers. Jesus continues his discussion with his disciples during his farewell discourse (Chapters 13 thru 17). The attention shifts to another disciple named Philip, who, compared to Thomas (v. 5, 6) who was considered as a doubter, is presented by Jesus as a “slow learner.” Jesus had just explained to Thomas that he should know him as the way, truth and life.Jesus is the truth and the life because he is the way to God, who is truth and life. However Philip represents “religious seekers” but Jesus wants him to go deeper and take hold of real religious faith. When Philip demands that Jesus shows him the Father, Jesus reprimands him (v9) and says he should be farther along in his religious imagination and understanding of who Jesus is. For after all Philip, like the other disciples, had been with Jesus from the beginning of his public ministry which would later would become a pre-requisite to being an Apostle (cf., The Acts of the Apostles 1:21-26). To Jesus if these men were to be the pillars of his church, and thus effective witnesses to his power and truth, then they would need to be clear about a few things as they relate to really knowing God. If they were and if you are to be going to be witnesses of the truth, then you truly need to know three things about God.The Content of His CharacterIn verse 10 of the text, Jesus says to know me you’ve got to know the content of my character by believing that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. He makes it clear that the words that he speaks and the works that he performs are that of his Father’s. In other words Jesus proclaims that he is the personification of God the Father and if you have seen him (Jesus) then you have seen the Father incarnate. Jesus thus possesses the attributes of our loving, gracious, merciful and forgiving God.The Extent of His Competences In verse 11, Jesus reiterates to his hears that to know God the Father is to know the extent of his competences through his only begotten son. He says, if you can’t take me at my words171 alone, then to know me you must believe me for the very sake of the works. Jesus himself could speak and the winds and the waves would obey his voice. Water was turned into wine, blind eyes were made to see, money was taken out a fish’s mouth to pay his taxes, thousands were fed with a little boy’s lunch, and dead folk got up out of their graves when God spoke! And so believers ought to be expectant of God to work a miracle in their lives even though we are faced with the contradictions and paradoxes of existence. Somebody has said that humanity’s extremities are God’s opportunities. Jesus’ works are a valid witness to his person and mission which may form the foundation, or at least the occasion, of faith.The Measure of His CommitmentIn verse 12, Jesus informs his hearers and those who follow him in obedience that to know God is to know the measure of His commitment. You must understand the Jesus’ ultimate goal is to do the will of God. He is totally committed and transfers that same charge to those who believe and follow him. Yet he expects even more from us in that we have so much more time allotted to work in the Master’s Kingdom. Jesus says that we are to do the very works that he do, and even greater works because he goes to the Father. Greater works does not mean more astounding miracles, but works even more plainly revealing the purpose of God—that is, the gathering of many believers into the church. Christ is committed to go all the way to the cross for the redemption of humankind in order to do His Father’s will and to glorify Him. The results of knowing God is to know that whatever you shall ask in his name, he will do it. A new situation is introduced, however, by the impending departure of Jesus. He will answer his disciples’ prayer. This lengthy discourse is a peculiar tradition of John the Evangelist. Yet it corresponds in many ways to the “apocalyptic” discourse of Jesus before his passion recorded in Mark 13;Matthew 24; and Luke 21. It deals, albeit in a very different style and manner, with the172 impending departure of Jesus and the consequent fate of his disciples, and with his return to them in assistance or help in time of distress, trouble and deliverance. In fact, from a hermeneutic and homiletic standpoint there are really two discourses, separated by a strange summons in John 14:31, “Rise, let us go hence” and the allegory of the vine in John 15:1-9, and conclude with a final question, “Do you now believe?”(John 16:31).Both discourses treat of the same themes---the impending death, bodily departure, and continued presence of Jesus, and the consequences of these events for the life and mission of his disciples.That is to say, both in their corporate community and in their outward witness to the world.The first part of the discourse (13:31-14:31) speaks of the immediate fate of Jesus and his disciples in the impending crisis of his death. The second part projects this experience into the future life of his disciples, i.e., the church, and their respective followers in the world. In fact, this interweaving of present and future gives the discourse a dramatic tension (c.f., real life situations where you must live within this tension of promise and fulfillment). In the immediate situation the disciples will falter; Peter will indeed deny him three times; they do not understand what he is saying; they do not know who he truly is; they will be scattered and leave Jesus alone to his fate on the Cross. Yet they will not really fall away. Only one, Judas Iscariot, has irrevocably gone out into the night (13:30). In fact, the whole farewell discourse begins after the treachery of the traitor. His disciples will be valiant in witness even unto death (cf., church tradition where James-head decapitated; Peter crucified with his head down and his heels up;John and the Isle of Patmos). And in tribulation of the early church they will find joy! Though denial and desertion lie immediately ahead, they will follow and lay down their lives for Jesus as he is now going to lay down his life for them. The suffering of Jesus will be their suffering; his triumph will be theirs also. So it is with each of us who humbly deny ourselves, boldly pick up173 our cross and faithfully follow him. And so in text (14:15) Jesus moves swiftly from making sure that his disciples are on board with Knowing God, in order to then understanding the command and requirements for Loving God.Keeping God’s CommandmentsIn verse 15 of the text, it is clear that to love God is to keep his commandments, i.e., to be obedient to Jesus’ teaching. In this love relationship with God, Jesus understands the difficulty for some of us to really keep his sayings, teachings, words, commandments and promises to pray for us that we will receive help from the Father (14:16). This help will be seen in God’s perpetual presence through the comforter (advocate/paraclete/Spirit of Truth) whom He will send to dwell in and be in you (14:17; cf., 14:23). The Holy Spirit’s work here is twofold: one, to be guide and teacher of truth; and two, bring to remembrance what Jesus said (14:26). It good to know, my brothers and my sisters, that the love, prayer and obedience of the believer are the gift of grace of the paraclete.Loved by the FatherJesus stresses to those who want to understand and experience a unique, life-changing and long-lasting relationship that to love god is to be loved by the father (14:21, 22). Judas, notIscariot however struggles with Jesus’ sayings and asks for clarity. It’s good to know that God will manifest, or show and reveal himself plainly to you who not only have his commandments but keep them. Only those who know and keep Jesus commandments can truly receive love and comfort from God the Father.Peace of MindVerse 27 speaks to every believer to know that to love God is to have peace. Loving God provides a peace of mind that will not let you be overtaken with fear. The text implies that the174 world’s “peace” does not eliminate disabling, dismantling and debilitating fear. Only the love ofGod can conquer all doubts, worry and fear. In fact, you need to be reminded that worry never solves one problem, never pays one bill, never opens one door, but worry and fear are the opposites of trust and faithfulness. God wants us to trust him at his word and his teaching. We must live our lives knowing that whatever God allows confronting us, and trying our steadfastness, he will provide the comfort of his Holy Spirit to move us towards peace, wholeness and success. Finally, my brothers and my sisters, to love God is to rejoice (verse 28). Despite difficulties, dilemmas and disappointments believe in God, and learn how to rejoice in that He and He alone has sufficient power to:Assure the Anxious Bless the Burdened Cleanse the Corrupt Free the Fugitive Help the Helpless Prosper the Poor Deliver the Discouraged. Jesus is the greatest example of loving God (14:31)! He was obedient all the way to the Cross!James Rowe and Howard E. Smith were was right when they wrote the song:LOVE LIFTED ME I I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea Heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me —now safe am I.II175 Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves, He will lift you by His love Out of the angry waves. He’s the Master of the sea, Billows His will obey; He your Savior wants to be —Be saved [right now] today.Chorus: Love lifted me, Love lifted me When nothing else could help Love lifted me Love lifted me, Love lifted me When nothing else could help Love lifted me.66How to Have a Church Meeting Acts 2:1-4, 12, 13The text of Acts 2:1 begins by indicating that something extraordinary happened to a small band of believers and “followers of the Way” on this special day. It marks the beginning of the Christian church. Pentecost meaning “fiftieth day” was celebrated on the sixth or seventh day of Sivan (May-June), fifty (50) days after the Passover. One of three (3) great annual feasts, it was called in Hebrew the Feast of Weeks (cf., Deut. 16:10); and was referred to also as the day of the First Fruits (Num. 28:26), or Feast of Harvest (Ex. 23:16). The feast was a prophetic type pointing forward to the descent of the Holy Spirit, who came upon the Apostolic church with power on the 50th day after the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. In the Old Testament times this feast celebrated the harvest of fruits of the earth; in the New Testament times the 120 in theApostolic band constituted the first fruits of Christ’s harvest, even as the gift of the Holy Spirit is the first fruit of the believers’ heavenly inheritance (cf., Romans 8:22,23);66 James Rowe and Howard E. Smith, “Love Lifted Me” (No141) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty- Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).176 “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as Sons, the redemption of our bodies.”This special day of a new beginning for the church was a miraculous historical event that came suddenly and accompanied by several miracles, or as the Apostle John would call “Signs.”These signs included: the wind, filling the place where they had gathered and revealing the presence of the Holy Spirit; second, the tongues, signifying the preaching of the “good news” to all believers regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, color, creed or language; and third, the fire, symbolizing the power and zeal given to those who obeyed Christ in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. There are some congregations of believers in the Twenty-First CenturyChurch-in-the-Black Experience in particular, and others in general, that need to take note of how to conduct a meeting before God and his angels. As a minister for 44 years and a pastor for34 of them, I’ve seen and experienced the reality that the church, though considered a perfect place, is full of imperfect people or sinners saved by grace. As a teenager, I remember Christian women, dressed in white, who would testify every First Sunday about the assurance that they had been “born again” and about the goodness and mercies and righteousness of God; and during a church meeting, the same women who I admired and revered as saints, when came time to vote on a new pastor, cursed at each other from across the sanctuary with language befitting only a drunken sailor! The Deacon Chairman declared that there would be no more church service or business that day because they were not electing a pastor and dismissed the congregation. As a young teenager my very being was shaken at the reality of brokenness within the congregation over the question of spiritual leadership. I left the room trembling and in tears and went to a smaller area behind the choir stand to pray. Fortunately, I had learned how to pray at WednesdayNight Prayer Service and Bible Study which is what helped me to gain my spiritual balance and177 continuation in my growth in the Lord, despite the disappointment of those held with such high esteem.I’ve learn also that people sometime come to church meetings with their own planned agendas. It’s amazing how churches go through a long process of planning and preparation and prayers for God to send them a pastor, a caring Shepherd, an able Servant-Leader and experienced administrator to share his vision and move the church forward. Yet, after they elect and call him they refuse to allow him to share his God-given gifts and function under divine appointment, not realizing that as the pastor prospers so does the church. He’s often bombarded with frivolous ego needs for power, prestige, privilege and position which are the main powder kegs that will bring disunity to any loving fellowship. In one specific field of ministry, about ten of twenty-five Deacons with the head deacon being an Attorney, acquired a TemporaryRestraining Order (TRO) from a judge that stipulated the pastor could not serve as moderator of the church meeting until after 9:00 pm. The opposing deacons, with the Trustee chairman, who was also a deacon, pulling the strings behind the scene, figured that it would not take long to vote the pastor out of office because they feared he threatened their so-called historic “power,”“control,” and “influence.” However, what every pastor needs to learn is that nobody in theLord’s house, other than the Holy Spirit, ought to have more influence that the spiritual leader operating under God’s anointing and authority, cf., Acts 20:28);“Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own son.”There is no such thing as there being “untouchables” in the Body of Christ. This notion and teaching is dangerous and dismantles and undermines the integrity, dignity and sanctity of the pastorate; and gives a false and erroneous understanding of the ministry to young ministers who may be seeking the honor of being a Servant-Leader in the Church of God. A pastor knows when178 there is trouble brewing or a “storm” is coming in the church as seen when once committed leaders and members go from saying “here comes our pastor,” to “here comes that preacher”, to“here comes that man.” He or she also knows the people and the strength of his or her position better than anyone else. The attempt to remove the pastor in this particular church did not work or convince the surprised congregation. They did not have any specific charges other than he knew well and acted out the biblical and theological mandate and perimeter of his pastoral authority as the overseer whom the Holy Spirit had sent, with the people’s acknowledgment in their call, to care for God’s flock. The dedicated, spiritual, and prayerful members of the church saw through the unwarranted scheme of the rebellious deacons and the motion to remove the pastor failed. It was about nine o’clock now and the deacon chairman relinquished the floor back to the pastor based upon the temporary restraining order. The pastor however, to make a point, had the Deacon Chairman to continue as the moderator of the meeting so that he could not only feel the burden of sitting in “Joseph’s Seat”, but also would have to carry the very motion that removed himself and the trustee chairman from their positions. There are scenarios like these, and others I’m sure, that many pastors have and are experiencing within the church today that reflect our human limitations, ego needs and power struggles; and the resultant chaos that follows when refusing to be led by the power, wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Disunity in any church is a sign that the Holy Spirit is not in charge.The pastor is the under shepherd, if you will, and not the spiritual dictator. The bible does not teach us to create unity in the church, but rather to maintain the unity that is inherently there by its very nature. And this maintenance can only be seen when Jesus is truly Lord, the Gospel is faithfully preached, the spiritual disciplines are practiced, the beauty of Christian fellowship is179 experienced, and the people of God are highly favored. The Apostle Paul writes to the church atEphesus about unity in the midst of diversity when he says in Ephesians 4:1-6;“I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”One PeopleNotice if you please that the disposition or character of this First Century church in the text of Acts chapter two, is that there is recognition that they were one people. They were all together (v.1). They were all regenerated by the Spirit of God and constituted the ‘great mystery’ of going from being nobody to becoming the people of God with an indwelling Spirit. There were no “big I’s an little u’s in the church. They were one people where race, ethnicity, custom, culture and class did not play a part in determining who had special places in the church. They were all special and had their beginnings together at Pentecost, and unlike Israel, who looked forward to Calvary, the church looks backward at it, but both are redeemed by it. One AccordSecond of all the text says that they were on one accord, that is to say, they had one purpose. The people of God gathered in response to the divine command and promise of Jesus the Christ (cf., Acts 1:3-5);“After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This,’ he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’”This early church community was to be empowered for witness as its clear mission and purpose.They may have had various perspectives on how, but they emphasized and exemplified the need for respect, unity and openness. In order to be faithful to Christ’s commission they knew they180 needed commitment to God and to one another in order to face great opposition and overcome it in order to meet many problems and solve them! Jesus of Nazareth had taught them repeatedly that following him would mean persecution, but through it all, it would enable them to enter the kingdom of God both on earth and in heaven. Another unique character of this crowd was they were willing to do whatever was necessary to carry out God’s purpose and plan. Some did not claim private ownership or possessions, but sold their properties to receive funds to be distributed equally by the Apostles among the members so that no one was in need (Acts 4:32 ff). Unlike many covetous people today who would look at what you have and say “what’s yours is mine and I’ll take it”, and where still other selfish people might say, “What’s mine is mine, and I’ll keep it;” the motto in the early church community may have been “What’s mine is yours, and we’ll share it.” They were conciliatory and understood the purpose of the church was bigger and more important than satisfying inflated egos and individual agendas, they were on one accord with one purpose! (See Acts chapter 15 and actions of the Jerusalem Council which was the 2nd church meeting of the early Christian community).One PlaceThe people of God in that early church meeting did not meet under the shade tree, or in various homes to plan strategies of manipulation. Nor did they meet by teleconferences, instagrams, e-mails, Facebook, Twitter, nor text messages. Their presence was witness to their personal commitment to the church and her mission. Their presence was evidence of their personal involvement. Their presence was exemplary of their personal sacrificial care and concern. The uniqueness of the Church-in-the-Black-Experience is that in many cases when there is a church meeting, the majority of the church never rules, but the majority of the minority181 present does, because the majority of the church hardly ever shows up! The faithful few are always willing to meet in one place.I’m keenly aware that in the Twenty-first Century there are churches that claim to be one church operating in several locations. That’s understandable in order is to deal with the real need to meet people where they are and to accommodate church growth and witness. There is no doubt many churches living in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, cf., Acts9:31;“Meanwhile the church throughout Judaea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”But we must understand that the church in actuality is not a place, but she is a people.And wherever the people of God are in worship, at mission and ministry, there is the church. The problem occurs however, when there are two churches in one location. One large crowd in support of the Pastor and his or her vision meet at 8:00 am on Sunday morning; and the other antagonistic hard-line traditionalists in opposition to the pastor in body, mind, spirit, and soul, meet faithfully as a small crowd at 11:00 am to preserve their ancestors’ traditions. This ought not to be so. Jesus said to meet him in one place to receive his blessings and anointing. Meet him in one place where Jesus goes up in praise; the Holy Spirit comes down in power; witnesses go out in prayer; and sinners come in with privileges!One PrayerAccording to Acts 2:14-35, the Apostle Peter addressed the great crowd that had assembled in astonishment and desired to hear an explanation of the extraordinary experience ofGod’s awesome presence, power and anointing poured out on his 120 members who had gathered together in one place with one prayer. After reminding the crowd of their religious heritage, and speaking with holy boldness about the life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection,182 ascension, and exaltation of Jesus the Christ, and that their Holy Spirit experience was not an expression of some “new wine” that came out on the market; Peter’s one prayer and that of the church was expressed in verse 36 when he said;“Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him (Jesus) both Lord and Christ (Messiah), this Jesus whom you crucified.”Our prayer should have that same goal that people who hear our witness will come to knowChrist and his power in order to make their lives brand new and full of meaning and purpose.The church ought to constantly be in prayer saying “Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me, break me, melt me, mold me, fill me, Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me!” One PowerThere were some people in verse 12 of the text that raised a doubting inquiry – saying,“What does this mean?” Individual agendas, unsatisfied egos and power plays and disputes in the church, though they will occur, have no sustainable or lasting place in God’s purpose for his glorious church. Again, my brothers and my sisters, the Day of Pentecost marks the birthday(first church meeting) of the Christian church of which the risen and exalted Christ is Head. It was a supernatural event as evidenced by the suddenness of the occurrence. The three signs of wind, tongues and fire were real, riveting and revealing. The sound like that of a mighty rushing wind revealed the presence of the Holy Spirit. The tongues as of fire proclaiming Christ’sMessage to many different languages were a token of the ultimate preaching of the Gospel to the ends of the earth! Believers in Christ’s church must also be theologically sound and hermeneutically correct when reminding the readers of this great phenomenon, that the miracle was not in the speaking, but the miracle was in the hearing. They all heard in their own language the good news of Jesus Christ! And finally my brothers and my sisters, the symbol of the fire itself typified Holy Zeal and Divine Empowerment to witness to a lost and troubled world. The183 presence of the Holy Spirit empowers, directs, and confirms the work of believers and the followers of Jesus the Christ! It’s good to know that God is still performing miracles. It’s good to know that he still shows up every now and then among, and in the midst of his assembled church. And when he shows up, that is the Spirit of God, he’ll put clapping in your hands, running in your feet, and shouting in your heart. I’m so glad that Peter explains this phenomenon of “God showing up”, when he said, These people are not drunk with wine as you suppose, but are a sober people, a sanctified people, a saved people, a satisfied people, and a sure people that have had a meeting with God!When you meet God, you must meet Him in:HUMILITY SUBMISSION REPENTANCE REVERANCE ANTICIPATION EXPECTATION!Mrs. C.H. Morris was right when she wrote the song: LET ALL THE PEOPLE PRAISE THEEIO magnify the Lord with me Ye people of his choice Let all to whom he lendeth breath Now in his name rejoice;For love’s blest revelation184 For rest from condemnation For uttermost salvation To him give thanks.Chorus Let all the people praise thee Let all the people praise thy name forever And forevermore, forevermore O lord! Let more. Amen.6767 Mrs. C. H. Morris, “Let All the People Praise Thee” (No 28) in the New National Baptist Hymnal, Twenty-Sixth Printing (Nashville: National Baptist Publishing Board, 1987).185 QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS AND DIALOGUES Chapter five: Would you be willing to say that the future of the Church-in-the-Black Experience is dependent upon the character, competence, commitment, compassion and care provided by her spiritual leaders (Pastors and Teachers)? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is no, please explain why you feel this way: ______There has been an announcement by some members of the Church-in-the-Black Experience that the end of denominationalism is characteristic of the Twenty-first Century and that “rebranding” herself is necessary in order to survive. Do you agree? ( ) yes ( ) noPlease explain why you feel this way: ______If you were to “rebrand” your church, where would you start and how would you do it? ______If you were to “rebrand” your denomination, where would you start and how would you do it? ______186 CHAPTER SIXA DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY CHURCH-IN-THE-BLACK-EXPERIENCE A Ministry of Relevance“But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, And there are many adversaries.” – I Corinthians 16:9Congratulations to the many courageous and competent pastors, ministers, and Christian workers who have embraced Jesus’ mandate to minister to inmates and prisoners in jails and prisons within their communities and around the nation. As I indicated in Chapter two above, preaching to prisoners is one of the most self-liberating experiences preachers themselves will experience. Many are converted from ignorance and fear and transformed in terms of their own personal attitudes and prejudices about ministering in jails and prisons. Let us pray that God will continue to lead them by their hands because victory lies only when we abide in the safety of the Master’s Arms. Jesus himself reminds us in John’s Gospel15:7 that the secret to getting things done is learning how to abide in His leading, guidance and teaching. Jesus so convincingly says to his hearers, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”Let us also pray that God will lead His obedient and courageous servants by their heads as they reflect upon the biblical, theological and practical applications for an effective ministry to prisoners. Pray that they seek the proper preparation for themselves and their prison ministry teams in terms of credentials to include: orientation, training and certification. Let us remember that a mere desire to minister to those in the shadows of incarcerated life does not equip one to187 serve. He or she must definitely be quipped intellectually in the head but especially have a calling in the heart.Finally, pray for that “heart calling” for these “wounded healers”. Pray that they continue to let God lead them by their hearts and rise above self-righteous indignation and ego satisfaction, and truly hear the voice of God in the listening silences of meditation, prayer, fasting, solitude, and study. Pray that they hear a small still voice calling them to meet Jesus, theChrist of power, in the obscurity and darkness of these dungeons of despair and cages of complacency. Let us therefore venture where far too many are situated and stuck in the cold reality and shadows of our nation’s jails and prisons.As the Founder and progenitor of the Prison Ministry and Criminal Justice Commission of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. established in 1994, and its Executive Secretary for 17 years, I distinctively remember the task of recruiting volunteers to service in our nation’s prisons. Sometimes this task was arduous and would find few to meet the challenge. I recall oneSaturday evening Reverend Grady Scott, PMCJC Chairman, and I were walking up a slope in pouring rain carrying heavy boxes of training materials to the front gate of the Polk CorrectionalCenter located between Tampa and Orlando. We were there for several days with a few otherPMCJC volunteers to conduct a Discipleship Training Seminar and Crusade. As the raindrops played a melancholy tune on the roofs of the surrounding buildings, Grady Scott and I were drenching wet and thought how ironic it was that we were the only two volunteers remaining to be present to complete the ministry objectives that weekend. Walking in the downpour I began singing an old melody. “Just the two of us walking together now, all of our other friends are gone, travelling down this lonely road, nobody but me and my Lord”. 188 We discussed when were inside sitting with our backs to the wall of the chapel, deep within the bowels and in the shadows of the prison, how we both felt the immensity of this ministry and the loneliness and obscurity that almost always comes with it. Ultimately we experienced the burden and responsibility of leadership and thanked God that we were able to be there representing our National Convention of Churches when all other PMCJC volunteers had left. We reflected on how true the saying was that “you cannot lead from behind, and were glad to have the opportunity to serve despite the absence of television cameras, bright lights and pats on the back. That is the nature of the “shadows”, --- ministering with commitment and pride in the absence of accolades and recognition.After the training experience Reverend Scott had to leave to catch his flight back toArizona to minister to his congregation the next day. I alone remained to preach the gospel to the awaiting and expecting crowd of prisoners. My congregation that I served as pastor, and then theVan Buren Missionary Baptist Church of Gary, Indiana had so graciously allowed and supported my special calling and passion to preach to prisoners that weekend and many other times. I am forever grateful for their support and embracing me and the ministry beyond the church walls. A local Baptist church choir from Tampa had also come to minister and to help close out theCrusade Services. God gets the glory for the tremendous and powerful worship and fellowship experience we had. I knew that I was in the right place and at the right time. For that weekend for sure, the Polk Correctional Center Prison Chapel was the place where Jesus was truly Lord, theGospel was faithfully preached, the spiritual disciplines were enthusiastically practiced, the beauty of Christian fellowship experienced, and the people of God were highly favored.What the Church-in-the-Black-Experience must understand in its task to finally come to the table to have a conversation about the disproportionate impact of Black Male incarceration,189 which current movement uncharacteristically and paradoxically did not find its impetus in the church and through the prophetic voices of her Servant-Leaders, but through the secular, eloquent, polished, passionate and legalistic voice of a visionary woman named MicheleAlexander, is that it’s now time to once again show and engage in bold and revolutionary leadership and enter this wide door of opportunity to reclaim and restore our boys and men to their families, churches and communities. However, in her task and zeal to serve returning citizens to our neighborhoods by addressing the disappointment, disillusionment and disenfranchisement of boys and men of color, she must with even more exuberance, zeal and resources, minister to said persons while they are still incarcerated. The service, ministry and preparatory needs of prisoners before they return home must be a priority to secure the success of their productive and contributive reentry. Otherwise, the beat goes on!Celebration in the Shadows Pledge I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Jesus. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, Back away or be still.My past has been redeemed, My present makes sense, and my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, Small planning, smooth knees, Colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, Cheap giving and dwarfed goals.I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, Promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, Praised regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, Walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power.My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, My road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, My Guide reliable and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, Lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.190 I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, Hesitate in the presence of the adversary, Negotiate at the table of the enemy, Ponder at the pool of popularity, Or meander in the maze of mediocrity.I won’t give up, shut up, let up, Until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, And paid up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go until He comes, Give until I drop, teach until all know, And work until He stops me.And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me Because my banner will be clear.THE GATHERING “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, those whom he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.”Psalms 107:1-3 It cannot be expressed or emphasized enough how important it is for the prison ministry team to arrive at the prison on time. The prison may have made special arrangements in terms of equipment, security and staff to accommodate your visit. However, before venturing and boldly going where so many others have dared not to go, the pastor and/or church’s prison ministry director must make sure that all participants have been approved by the prison prior to making such visits to minister to prisoners. In most cases it is best to have made your request for the prison ministry visit at least ninety (90) days in advance which allows the institution time to conduct background checks on your potential volunteers. Each prospective volunteer must complete the standard volunteer application form and submitted as a group to the Office of the Warden or Assistant Warden of Programming. Their staff will disseminate the mail and ensure that it gets to the Chaplain or Director of ReligiousProgramming. Because of the sensitive information on the forms, do not fax or email the documents to the prison Chaplain Department since unauthorized persons or persons not191 approved to handle said information, may be working or volunteering as clerks or helpers in theChaplain Department. These may include prisoners working with the trusted status of a “trusty” or chaplain’s assistant. The prison will contact your church and advise which volunteers were cleared for participation in your ministry to prisoners at their institution. If your ministry desires to have a sustained ministry at a correctional institution, the chaplaincy department in most cases will require that your volunteers undergo at least one volunteer orientation and training session each year.Upon gathering at the church in preparation for its prison ministry visit, the pastor and/or prison ministry director should express their appreciation and thanks to each volunteer for their service on behalf of their commitment to the mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ and their church’s mission and ministry priorities. The group should meet at least two hours prior to the time scheduled for ministry at the prison. This is assuming that the correctional facility is within sixty(60) miles of your church, or approximately one (1) hour driving time. This allows the first hour for orientation and special instructions. If some volunteers are present and will experience the prison ministry visit for the first time, then the pastor and/or prison ministry director should relieve any apprehension they may have despite the fact that they have undergone some form of orientation and training prior to the visit. This apprehensive is not uncommon. After all, prisons by their very nature are full of violence, apathy, loneliness and fear. It is even more troubling for African-Americans, especiallyBlackmen, to engage in this ministry when so many of them are disproportionately confined in the shadowy dungeons and hellholes of the jailhouse and prison and ostracized from their communities. It should be stated to the contrary that this very reality is one of the most important and compelling reasons why African-Americans should engage in this ministry that addresses the192 needs of so many people like them. And experientially, these are people that we know—they are brothers, sisters, friends and other relatives.Next, there should be a review of some prison protocols in terms of what one should and should not do during a visit to minister to prisoners. The consummative or most important principle to learn and practice is “not to give anything to or take anything from a prisoner.” And the most important word in the axiom is “anything”.The gathering session prior to the prison visit should also include special ministry assignments to include a “fire starter” devotional praise and worship team (Deacons andDeaconesses); music ministry from choir or ensemble (which generally and in reality becomes the whosoever will singers in a sustained ministry to prisoners); special prayers by designated persons at the concluding altar call period, etc. Chapter four below gives the recommended liturgy or order of service for the worship experience. However, always leave room for the HolySpirit to paradoxically give guidance and anointing within the time allotted in the “jailhouse”.The pastor and/or prison ministry director before ending the gathering experience should make sure that all volunteers have a driver’s license or official picture identification. Do not go to the prison without one. They will not be allowed to enter the prison without it. Do not depend on the “kindness and understanding” of the prison officials to overlook the forgetfulness of your faithful and dedicated and even talented member (s). Correctional officers at the front gate will not allow you to enter without proper identification, and said member (s) will have to wait in the visitor’s room or in their automobiles until the service is over. Close the gathering experience with a prayer of protection, power and deliverance. Pray that God will touch and anoint the heads, hearts and hands of each dedicated volunteer who steps out in faith, who is genuine in his motivation; who is faithful in his preparation; and who is eager193 to join Jesus there to share in His most significant work in the shadows and obscurity of the prison.THE JOURNEY “Some wandered in desert wastes, Finding no way to an inhabited town; Hungry and thirsty. Their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, And he delivered them from their distress; He led them by a straight way, Until they reached an inhabited town. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, For his wonderful works to humankind. For he satisfies the thirsty, And the hungry he fills with good things.”Psalms 107:4-9The journey on the road to the prison to provide ministry to prisoners provides a fascinating time to talk about the joy you experience knowing that you are doing God’s Will.Jesus himself makes it perfectly clear in his debut pronouncement in Luke Chapter 4 that a ministry to prisoners is at the heart of his own public ministry and gives the church a present day model for reconciliation, reclamation, and restoration of prisoners to their families and communities. The discussion of anxious yet dedicated volunteers on their way to prison allows for reflection on the seriousness of the mission at hand and should include a conversation on the impact of families and communities that their ministry will have based upon their dedication to equipping prisoners to live meaningfully beyond the prison walls. As I’ve reiterated in my previous books, a ministry to prisoners must be understood more than just having an extraordinary worship service. There must be more than a song, a sermon, a shout, and a prayer.There must be a commitment of the Church-in-the-Black-Experience to engage in crime prevention, pre-release and released prisoner ministry initiatives.194 The point is that too many of our church leaders miss the mark by continuing to make the same mistake year after year of not putting a ministry to prisoners as a top priority in their budgets to help heal broken and bruised human persons and families, especially African-Americans who are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. Far too many and for too long Blackyouth are being locked up in prison or being killed by gun violence on or streets. The outcry that such a condition of violence, apathy and fear raises concerns about the survival of Blackfamilies and communities should include a new perspective to help create a sobering reality of the urgency of prison ministry which is “disaster relief and disaster management.” Far too many and for too long have many church leaders sought only to satisfy the traditional church operations which oftentimes is more concerned about the maintenance of their stained glass windows, the resurfacing of their upholstered pews, the length of the wheelbase of their cars, and who will sit in “Joseph’s Seat”, than a ministry outside the church’s walls. Many people are now having serious conversations about the relevancy of the Church-in the-Black-experience as seen by dwindling membership rolls, church budgets, and attendance atConferences, Convocations and Conventions meetings when it does not address and invest in the most needful and pressing needs of its parishioners, potential members, and hurting communities. Another part of the conversation includes whether the Church–in-the-Black-experience has abandoned its historical revolutionary character whose mission was always liberation (Luke4: 16-19). Has it forgotten the voices of the past that kept the church at the forefront of black peoples’ struggles for human dignity and respect? Has it forgotten the voices of Richard Allen,Denmark Vessey, Adam Clayton Powell, E. Franklin Frazier, Gardner C. Taylor, Martin LutherKing, Jr., C. Eric Lincoln, Gayraud S. Wilmore, Rosemary Radford Reuther, Gustavo Gutierrez,195 Paulo Freire, James Cone the Father of Black Theology and many others? These voices all spoke about the revolutionary character of the church that does more than just react to crisis in the community to justify its relevance and significance. When we react to crisis this is what Jesus would say is what we ought to do, in terms of our Christian duty, but to be revolutionary, the church must be led by responsible and bold leaders who understand their tasks as a moral responsibility to help people not only to get out of trouble, but how not to get into trouble in the first place. In other words, the Church-in-the-Black-Experience must help create just and equitable political, economic and social structures, policies and reforms; and meaningful, purposeful, effective and relevant programming for its constituency. It must find its way to and place at the tables of power where the very issues of life are weighed, discussed and determined. Its very presence will demand and determine positive outcomes for the constituency of the Church-in- the-Black-Experience in terms of voter suppression, healthcare, social security, Medicare, job opportunities, disaster relief, criminal justice and other relevant issues. There will be a true evolution of the Church-in-the-Black Experience that finds its true power, not in mere rhetoric or empty presumptions about its numbers; when it operates as “full partners” and not mere guests at the table looking for a hand out; but there to give a helping hand to the health and wholeness and better quality of life for the communities which it serves. When this happens, true revolution can take place.C.D. Coleman, former General Secretary of the General Board of Education of theChristian Methodist Episcopal Church once stated so eloquently,“… in order to fulfill its divine destiny of redeeming and remaking a spiritually denuded society, the Black Church must take four tasks upon itself: it must recapture its historic196 relationship with the Black community, it must take its place in the vanguard of the BlackRevolution; it must utilize the potential of its young people; and it must lead black youth beyond blackness to destiny… Because the Black Church is itself in transition, its agenda often lacks depth; sometimes it lacks clarity, too, for an operational agenda for revolutionary change is often ad hoc by necessity."68Although written over 44 years ago, this challenge and call is relevant still today for the academy(graduate theological seminaries and divinity schools) , pulpit (church clergy) and pew(parishioners) to come together in a national forum or summit to look at a “New Agenda” for theTwenty-First Century Church-in-the-Black-experience. The prayerful and contemplative journey to the prison also provides opportunity for volunteers to discuss strategies on how to get other members of the church involved. It’s amazing how thoughtful plans for church ministry will emerge from committed persons who are investing their time, talent and no doubt treasure to help build the Kingdom of God. Most likely these persons know the persons in the church who has special gifts and talents and should plan events at church to foster dialogue and opportunity for engagement in the Outreach Ministry of the church. These events should be both informal and formal in order to ensure that your efforts have the attention of the entire church family. In the excitement to conduct such efforts one should not be discouraged by the small numbers who show interest in prison ministry and criminal justice issues. After all most of the people you are trying to convince for engagement most likely are also victims of said system. Your strategy must include biblical and theological mandates, but even more importantly, practical approaches where people can see the societal benefits for themselves and their families and their communities. 68 Source: C.D. Coleman, “Agenda for the Black Church”, Religious Education, November-December, 1969, pp. 441-446. Also see C. Eric Lincoln, The Black Experience in Religion (New York: Anchor Books, 1974), pp.187- 194.197 The journey on the road also allows the volunteers to ponder upon the realization of the excitement, and expectations of prisoners knowing that your team is on its way to see them.While pontificating, think about two most important things that you want your ministry to address and allow. That is, what prisoners need to hear? And what prisoners need to see? A good place to start when ministering to prisoners is to first apologize for not being there sooner to minister to them and ask that they forgive you and your church, cathedral, convention or convocation for being derelict in answering the call and command of Jesus.69 Also, assure them that you recognize that you too are part of the human condition and in need of God’s forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Let prisoners know that God’s grace and mercy played a big part as to why you yourself are not incarcerated. It has been eloquently stated that mercy is shown when God does not give you what you really deserve and grace is shown when God gives you what you really do not deserve. Above all prisoners need to hear the liberating gospel message of reconciliation and peace. Tell them that although their sins are as scarlet, they can become as white as snow. Tell them that one must believe that faith will move mountains and that faith will open the fountains.Inform them that faith in Jesus Christ will provide for their every need and assure their victories; if they only learn how to believe. Remind them that some trust is involved in this thing called faith. There must be some commitment, must rely upon, trust God and know that He will not fail you. Tell them that if you’re going to be saved or delivered, then you must have faith. For without faith it is impossible to please God.Secondly, prisoners need to see volunteers serving with Holy boldness and commitment.Let them see volunteers who are not there just to do their Christian responsibility to duty (what69 Matthew Chapter 25:31-46198 they should do), but are there because they truly care for prisoners from their sense of moral responsibility (what they must do). The best volunteers will emerge from those who feel and know that they have been called to minister to prisoners and their families. Let the prisoners see your joy and spontaneous celebration with them and among them, not as outsiders, but as fellow members of the Body of Christ. Let them see the puzzlement on your faces when you see them praising God, rendering prayers and quoting scripture better than some of your best pastors and church members. It’s the same kind of puzzlement seen on the faces of the Jewish Christians when the question arose during the first church business meeting held in the early church about the legitimacy of gentile conversion without becoming Jewish proselytes.“The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the gentiles would hear the message of good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us.’ ”70 What usually occurs after the great conversations and strategies on the journey to the prison for ministry is that there is also time for silence and deep personal contemplation, or what the late and great Howard Thurman would call Meditations of the Heart.71 Listening silence occurs when volunteers engage in the discipline of meditation and prayer in order to face the task at hand. In those precious moments the God of the universe provides a deep sense of his power, protection and provision. It is the same security that the Apostle Paul speaks of in the Word fromGod.“Do not worry [or be anxious] about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving [gratitude] let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,70 Acts Chapter 15: 6-971 See books, The Creative Encounter, pp. 31-42; Meditations of the Heart; Disciplines of the Spirit; and Jesus and the Disinherited, authored by Howard Thurman and published by Friends United Press, Richmond, Indiana, 1972- 1987, 199 whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”72 There is a blessed quietness experienced by volunteers as they approach the prison gates and prepare to celebrate in the shadows of the fortified inescapable walls.THE ARRIVAL “Some went down to the sea in ships, Doing business on the mighty waters; They saw the deeds of the LORD, His wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, Which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven, they went Down to the depths; Their courage melted away in their calamity; They reeled and staggered like drunkards, And were at their wits’ end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, And he brought them out of their distress; He made the storm to still, And the waves of the sea were hushed.”Psalms 107:23-29 DETERMINATION AT THE GATE Finally your team has arrived at the front gate of the prison facility. Your arrival time should be at least one hour before your scheduled ministry event to allow for security clearance.Although your group has undergone background checks and whose names are on the approved list of volunteers to provide services to prisoners when you arrive, you still must undergo a security check at the front gate. Always remember that the number one concern in jails and prisons is security. All other programming is scrutinized and influenced by security concerns. I must reiterate again, as a volunteer, don’t even attempt to be admitted to a secure facility without state issued picture identification. You will not get in. This reminds me of a personal incident I had when I conducted a Prison DiscipleshipTraining Seminar at the Joliet Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois some years ago. As theIllinois State Director for Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship Ministries, I led a group of72 The Letter of Paul to the Philippians Chapter 4: 6-9200 volunteers to minister to prisoners for the weeklong event which lasted most of the day. One of those days in my haste I left my driver’s license in the car along with my wallet. Since I had been coming into the prison each day and the correctional officers knew me, I did not have a problem getting into the prison. However, when the shift changed that particular day which produced different correctional officers who did not know me, I could not prove who I was and was not allowed to exit the prison until the Warden was contacted and cleared me. In other words, volunteers should not create an embarrassing situation for your pastor, prison ministry director or hinder your church’s ministry because you didn’t have a picture Identification.GET READY FOR THE SCREENING Depending upon the security level of the prison and parking facilities, expect the correctional officers to check your credentials while you are in your vehicles. This may also include a search of your vehicle as well. You should have your picture identification in your hand and any and all cell phones turned off and locked in your vehicles’ glove compartment.Some correctional officers at the security point may ask, if they are not familiar you’re your team and ministry (which is more likely) that you turn them in at the front gate. They will be given back to you on your way out of the facility.Next you are most likely to be escorted by the chaplain or correctional officer to another security station where you may undergo a more thorough check. This may include passing through a metal detector to check for any weapons; getting patted down and searched by trained officers; and even going into a closet like area where drug sniffing dogs would detect if the volunteer had any illegal substance on his or her person. As in airports nowadays, you may be asked to remove your shoes, caps and hats, etc. Assuming that your volunteers have been orientated and trained, they would be familiar with the rules of the facility in terms of dress codes. Most if not all prisons have them and may vary to fit the particular and peculiar needs of201 each prison. Below is a sample dress code utilized by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety& Correction.DRESS CODE FOR VISITORS The following is a list of NON-PERMITTED clothing items that are consideredINAPPROPRIATE for visitation and shall result in the denial of visits by most state Department of Correction regulations with some variations. Clothing that is similar in appearance to the clothing worn by the unit’s prisoner population. (Male and female visitors shall not be allowed to wear denim or chambray shirts, gray, blue or white sweatshirts, blue or gray sweat pants or white Tee-Shirts, with or without designs).  Clothing that is similar in appearance to clothing worn by correctional officers, i.e. no camouflage.  Transparent clothing, see through, i.e., lace.  Shirts, shorts, skorts, culottes, and dresses shorter than three inches above the knee cap or those with revealing slits or holes.  Tops that expose the midriff. (All visitors must wear full length shirts with sleeves).  Blouses, shirts and dresses that are low cut that expose the upper torso.  Tight fitting pants such as stirrup, spandex, Lycra, Spandex-like athletic pants, aerobic exercise pants, tights or leotards.  Underwear cannot be exposed (Males must wear underwear and females must wear bras and underwear.  Clothing with revealing holes or tears one inch above the knee cap.  Clothing or accessories with obscene or profane writing, images, or pictures.  Gang or Club-related clothing or insignia indicative of a gang affiliation.  No shower shoes, house slippers, or thong sandals are permitted.  No hats or headgear except as required by religious beliefs.  Strapless, tube and halter tops, tank tops and strapless dresses are not permitted (with or without cover-ups).73 THE DINNER FELLOWSHIP Your team is now ready to be escorted to the prison ministry site. Make sure you thank the escorts for their assistance. Also, this is the time to request for special assistance such as a wheel chair for the aged or needful volunteer. Again depending on the familiarity and regularity of ministry, your church may be able to establish a dinner fellowship as part of your preparatory73 See, Louisiana Department of Correction Regulation No. C-02-008 (July 20, 2011), Guidelines for Visitors and LSP Directive 16.003 (Revised August 15, 2011), August 31, 2011.202 period once you enter the prison grounds. For first time prison ministry teams that will have an on-going ministry relationship, this accommodation should be requested. It will allow you to discuss other ministry concerns with the chaplain and other prison officials during a meal. As in the case of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, it continues to be a model for hospitality when it comes to expressing its appreciation for its dedicated volunteers who come to minister to the prisoners and staff. Warden Burl Cain continues to excel in accommodating dedicated volunteers and partnering with the church community. The “Ranch House” is the favorite gathering place for such volunteers at Angola. My ministries through my local church that visits quarterly and the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc Prison Ministry and Criminal JusticeCommission have been recipients of such explicit and excellent hospitality.The warden, prison officials and the chaplain department staff usually shares the delectable meal prepared by very able prisoners with our volunteers. The fellowship meal also allows time for relaxation after a long journey to the prison and security clearance. For first time volunteers it helps to relieve the anxiety and stress of the first visit. Rekindling relationships with chaplains and serving prisoners are also a highlight which helps bond the ministry partnership.After the great meal your team should review ministry strategies for the Sunday evening worship experience as well as the Do’s and Don’ts at the particular prison. Final Preparation for the service should invoke through fervent prayer God’s blessing of divine guidance as your team share the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ and fellowship with prisoners, many of which may be fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Remember you don’t bring Jesus with you to prison; on the contrary he’s already there. And you come to prison to join him in his ongoing liberating work.“He turns rivers into a desert, Springs of water into thirsty ground,203 A fruitful land into a salty waste, Because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.He turns a desert into pools of water, And there he lets the hungry live,And they establish a town to live in; They sow fields, and plant vineyards, And get a fruitful yield.By his blessing they multiply greatly, And he does not let their cattle decrease.”Psalms 107:33-38THE WORSHIP CELEBRATION “Some sat in darkness and in gloom, Prisoners in misery and in irons,For they had rebelled against the words of God, And spurned the counsel of the Most high.Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor; They fell down, with no one to help.Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, And he saved them from their distress;He brought them out of darkness and gloom, And broke their bonds asunder. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, For his wonderful works to humankind.For he shatters the doors of bronze, And cuts into the bars of iron.”Psalms 107:10-16As your prison ministry team walks through the corridors to the prison chapel to conduct the worship service make sure that no one wanders from the group. This can easily happen when volunteers stop to chat with prisoners along the way or in their own discussions linger in the rear.When this happens and volunteers are called to catch up with the group, remember a key point when working in correctional facilities, especially maximum security ones, that is never to run on prison grounds. The point should be obvious so as not to excite armed security officers, who204 are in the towers or other strategic places, with activity that may be perceived as a security breach.When you arrive at the chapel or place designated for prisoner worship you will be asked to sign-in on a sheet provided by the rear entrance. This is necessary to insure there is an accurate count of volunteers who are participating as well as for the chapel staff to document their worship services. Volunteers should enter with smiles and greetings to prisoners as they are escorted to their seats. A good hand shake always helps break the ice and assists prisoners in scrutinizing your comfort level. You want to mirror to prisoners your joy and enthusiasm about the fellowship and your anticipation of an anointed and meaningful worship experience. If praise and worship is being conducted then you should blend your voices and hands and remain standing with the rest of the prisoners when you arrive at your designated seating area. Usually a Prison Official and/or the Chaplain will welcome you and your group and thank you for scheduling a time to participate in the religious programming being offered at the facility. When your group is presented your pastor or prison ministry director should introduce your volunteers not using their first and last names and share the nature of their ministry at your church. This is also the time to give a prepared and thought out Statement of Purpose. Such a statement allows prisoners to understand your motivation for ministry to them. It should include the theological and biblical mandates which requires the church’s presence; an apology for not being there sooner; and the commitment to continue to support prisoners’ efforts towards rehabilitation, reintegration and restoration to their families and communities. Prisoners must know that you are concerned about their total well-being and not just to have a closed-ended worship experience. They want to know if your church is committed to provide an on-going205 support system that enables them to lead meaningful, crime-free and productive lives. Another good point to remember is that prisoners don’t care about how much you know, they want to know about how much you care. Let prisoners know you are not there just to carry out yourChristian duty, but that you really care about what happens to them. Remember too that theChurch-in-the Black Experience is a rare site for many prison religious programs andBlackprisoners who most often is disproportionately represented in many prisons (especially in the south), are extremely glad and grateful to see people who share their racial, ethnic and cultural background. Many of these prisoners feel that the Church-in-the Black Experience has abandoned them even though it may still minister to their parents and grandparents.Also make sure that thanks and encouragement is given to the Chaplain’s Staff andInmate Chapel/Church Servant-Leaders who work diligently to keep the church afloat and operating in their facility. After the pastor or prison ministry director has completed his/her greetings and acknowledgments, your “Fire Starters” church devotion and praise team should immediately move into place. Deacons, Deaconesses, and Stewards especially can share their leadership and gifts during this period. Depending on the prison religious programming style and prisoners’ spiritual orientation, the “fire” may have already been started by the prisoner preliminary praise period. As such, your volunteers would of necessity catch on to where the spiritual discipline of celebration paused before your church group was presented. Your “Fire Starters” devotion and praise team should provide several scripture readings, prayers and songs consistent with your style and tradition. Many prisoners will especially appreciate the traditional hymns and songs which are familiar to them through their own church experience prior to incarceration or precariously through their parents’ and grandparents’ religious experience. 206 This point is notable to the Church-in-the-Black Experience especially to remind her that much of the traditional music embodies a suffering community that celebrates God’s deliverance and protection. This ready identification with the condition of prisoners makes your traditional songs all the more relevant and needed in the “jailhouse.” Most religious groups that minister in our nation’s prisons do not have the unique experiences and subsequent theology of a suffering community nor do their songs ring out the themes of peace, justice and liberation. This “sacred” music of the Church-in-the-Black Experience unapologetically reminds its hearers and participants that the cross is very real in our Christian walk with God. Praise and Worship songs definitely has its place in the life of the church but it should highlight the existential fact that believers should praise God for who He is and not just for what he wants God to give us in terms of creaturely commodities of cars, clothes, cash, and credit cards, which unfortunately, more than often, presents a false notion or signs of one’s prosperity. True religion always demands that the believer praises God even in the absence of signs and in the presence of a cross that life surely will bring. Words of Encouragement from an able and gifted volunteer are always in order to close out the devotion and praise period of the prisoner worship celebration. Even more effective would be that the person who shares such insight and wisdom be an ex-prisoner whose life has been transformed by the saving power of Christ and the reconciling arms of the church and community. No more than ten minutes should be allotted for this preparatory period. After all, it’s the preaching of the Gospel message that you want to give adequate time to reach the hearts and minds of prisoners.If your church group consists of a choir then the Music Ministry that follows the devotional period should set the tone and align the “spiritual thread’ of all that has been207 experienced so far in the worship celebration. Music should be selected, based upon the concerns raised above, giving God the praise in the highest form. Another point to remember when ministering to prisoners is that you want to give them something that will encourage and equip them to deal with prison life once your church group leaves. Thus, even in the singing of songs and hymns the choir director should keep in mind that “it’s not how high one jumps in praise and worship but it’s how one lives when he comes down”. The music should be planned to provide a true ministry to prisoners given their character, condition and circumstances. It is now that unique and opportune time for the preaching of the word from God.In communicating that sacred and urgent word from God the preacher must be aware of certain principles when preaching in prisons. In my previous book entitled, How Shall theyHear: Effective Preaching to Prisoners74, I established specific principles by which to follow. I have provided an excerpt of those principles below. Not only is the condition and character of prison life and prisoners important for the preacher to know, he must also be aware that there are two separate levels of consciousness during the prison preaching and worship experience itself, exemplified by essentially two types of attendees, i.e., the hearers and the listeners.The hearer’s are those persons, comprised of both prisoners and security personnel, who sincerely are there for worship, fellowship and hearing a “word from the Lord.” These persons reflect those identified above who need encouragement and direction on how to deal with their circumstances, but even more, their condition. There are also prisoners who come to worship just to get out of their cells, mingle with friends, or other reasons than to worship God with full commitment and praise. As a former chaplain in both a jail and prison setting, I was never overly concerned about prisoners who would come to worship service for reasons other than worship.74 Kelley, Anthony, How Shall They Hear: Effective Preaching to Prisoners, Townsend Press, Sunday School Publishing Board, Nashville, TN, 2013208 What I believe, as I was taught in Seminary and what my preaching experience has taught me, was that the people will “catch on fire” if and when the preacher does. This means that the quality and authenticity of the religious experience in jails and prisons, is always predicated on the preacher’s ability to preach with authority, power, clarity, eloquence, style, and relevance.Such would make prisoners sit up attentively and hear what the Spirit has to say to the church.This kind of preaching is part and parcel of the tradition particularly within the church and the black experience. Black preaching has historically dealt with justice, equality, liberation and the dream of freedom. 75Therefore, the “hearers” that come to the prison chapel service for authentic worship, will receive a word of hope from gifted and dedicated preachers. I reiterate that the premise of this book is to encourage black preachers in particular, to engage in this worthwhile preaching ministry in our nation’s prisons. So many prisoners can be helped to find courage to embrace aChrist who is concerned with the liberation of their total being. How can they hear this liberating gospel message of Jesus Christ without a preacher, who understands that, although the prisoner’s basic need is spiritual, as with all human beings, prisoners also desire to hear God speak to their condition and circumstances, as they grapple with the challenges of the jailhouse and prison?Preachers also need to know that there is what I call “listeners” in contrast to “hearers.”Listeners are characterized as persons who are in attendance at prison worship and praise services in order to scrutinize, monitor, and report back to the prison officials if determined that the message being presented is somehow threatening to the ordinary functioning and operation of the institution. These persons may be prisoners, but in most cases they are security personnel and higher ranking prison staff. Therefore, the enlightened preacher, aware of such scrutiny by the75 Cone, James H., & Wilmore, Gayraud, S., Black Theology: A Documentary History, 1966-1979, p. 353, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, NY, Third Printing, April 1982. 209 “listeners” in the crowd, wants to make sure that what is said and how it is said, does not jeopardize the religious programming for prisoners and the opportunity for their church and others to engage in the ministry. The preacher must always remember where he is while ministering behind prison walls—that is, a dysfunctional community.To assure the preacher’s continuity, he or she must never preach against the institution or administration when engaged in ministry inside the walls. As I indicated above, prisoners are also concerned about criminal justice issues. These you want to avoid in your preaching, but make sure you advise prisoners that you will deal with such issues in a different venue, or in the community to assist them on the outside when the opportunity arises. Also, avoid preaching on controversial political issues, since Wardens and prison staff fear that prisoners may be moved to incitement activities and consequently challenge the security of the institution. The very nature of prophetic preaching, characteristically preached within theBlack Experience, is designed to tear down those strongholds of injustice and inequity whenever and wherever they occur. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would say often in his preaching that a threat to justice anywhere was a threat to justice everywhere—yes even in prison. Jesus, himself, set the standard for this kind of preaching as seen in Chapter four ofLuke’s gospel when he spoke of his anointing to preach the gospel to the poor that would set the captives free. However, it is extremely important for preachers to know when to strategically speak to such issues in prison when there are “listeners” in the crowd. Precisely, such messages are better given to people who can actually effect change in the prisoners’ condition and circumstances than in the context of helpless men and women in such a controlled environment as a prison.210 Security must be understood as the number one issue for prisons and prison officials. It transcends all religious programming and other activities and events. It can even determine if/when religious programming is justified or can take place in the context of confinement. Another area that the preacher should avoid is preaching on denominational doctrinal issues. The religious programming in many prisons allows churches to minister to prisoners based upon the prisoners’ declared religion. However, the preacher must not focus on what divides us, but what unites us. He or she would do better to preach on the unity of the church— many members but one body, than to authenticate and legitimate the divisiveness that can occur among prisoners when doctrinal issues become a platform for arguments and self-righteous indignation.Thus, the preacher, to be effective in jails and prisons, must understand the condition and character of jail and prison life; have knowledge of prisoners’ causal past; and be aware of the two tier level of consciousness and expectations of “hearers” and “listeners” in the context of meaningful mission and ministry. Such awareness and preparation will allow for the kind of preaching that will provide the necessary balm to indeed make the wounded whole. Remember, prisoners don’t care about how much you know…. they want to know about how much you care.In your planning make sure there is enough time to engage in the Call to ChristianDiscipleship and Intercessory Prayer for Prisoners. The Stewardship of Time must be mastered when ministering within prisons and on the facilities’ schedule. Sometimes the worship celebration is interrupted by count periods when for which every prisoner must be accounted.This may take place during your actual prayer, praise or preaching experience. You’d just pick up where you left off. When you give the call to Christian Discipleship, keep in mind that if persons come forward to give their lives to Christ and there is no organized church operating211 within the prison, then they are to be nurtured and or given discipleship training by a local church. This means that your church is making a commitment to provide watch care and ministry support for those prisoners who come to Christ as candidates for Baptism. No one comes toChrist in a vacuum, but is baptized into the Body of Christ, both, Universal and Local (Romans6:1-11). If a prisoner comes to Christ as a candidate for Baptism then the pastor should arrange with the prison chaplain to participate in that baptism at the prison when scheduled by the prison chaplain. This public act solidifies the church’s commitment to making disciples of all who come to God in faith and trust in a risen Savior.Some prisoners will come forward after the preaching of the Gospel message only for intercessory prayer. Many may already be confessed Christians. Do have volunteers who have been specially trained in the spiritual discipline of prayer to come forward and place themselves across the pulpit or preaching area. As a practical matter and if serving in an all male facility, do not have women up front making physical contact such as holding hands and embracing male prisoners for obvious reasons. Many prisoners have been locked up for years and have not had the touch, fragrant offering and sensitivity of a female. Let your men serve as strong male role models who are ministering to other men. I know this is hard for some ears to hear given the current conversations and discussions about equality in sexuality, but the reality is that in prison you are dealing with a dysfunctional community operating from its own pecking order with its own peculiar conditions. Clergywomen and Laywomen should definitely be in the prayer circles and gatherings of male prisoners praying for them, but should be protected by their Laymen counterparts. The same strategy would apply when ministering in an all female facility where and when female volunteers would then take the leading ministry roles. 212 Closing Remarks from the Chaplain and Prisoner Chapel/Church Servant-Leaders should immediately follow the Call to Christian discipleship and Intercessory Prayer period. The worship leader should make sure that at least fifteen minutes of the remaining time allotted to your church group be given back to the prison officials to officially end the worship celebration and close with the Benediction. Your church group may be escorted out before the prisoners depart, and if so make sure your volunteers look at prisoners and shake their hands as they leave. Sometimes prisoners may be allowed to briefly fellowship with your church group after the Benediction and are escorted out before your volunteers, if so smile, thank prisoners for the opportunity to worship with them and shake their hands. Again, volunteers should be careful when embracing or hugging prisoners of the opposite sex. Remember the golden rule in prison ministry; “do not take anything from or give anything to a prisoner.” The most important word in the sentence is “anything” which includes verbal messages to or from persons in the community. In the jailhouse, by nature, a dysfunctional community, with its own codes and modes of communication, you do not know what the message may really mean. You have done the Lord’s command and now it’s time to leave. Be sure not to overstay your welcome, do not leave anything behind, and stay close to your group as you depart. But above all, give praises unto God for the opportunity to share with Christ in this most significant and challenging event in celebration of the Spiritual Discipline of Worship (Luke 4:16-21).76THE DEPARTURE: ON THE ROAD HOME “When they are diminished and brought low Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow, He pours contempt on princes And makes them wander in trackless wastes;76 For a more detailed study of the individual and corporate “Spiritual Disciplines” see Richard J. Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline, Harper & Row, New York, NY, 1978213 But he raises up the needy out of distress, And makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and they are glad; And all wickedness stops its mouth. Let those who are wise give heed to these things, And consider the steadfast love of the LORD.”Psalms 107:39-43PLANS TO DO IT AGAIN! There is a great feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment of one’s obligation to duty when one leaves the confines of the prison. But more importantly there is the recognition that the believer’s higher calling to moral responsibility has been satisfied. True followers of Christ must always move beyond orthodoxy (right belief) to orthopraxis (right action). And what better venue and righteous cause is there than in reclaiming and restoring prisoners to God, their families and communities as regenerated and redirected productive persons. More and more of our churches in the Twenty-First Century are focusing on praise and worship as a reflection of the majesty and power of God, as expressions of thanksgiving for what He has done in the life of the individual believer. No sane person can deny the value and responsibility to honor and praise a worthy God. It appears from the perspective of some mega church preachers and this“theology of praise” that too many people however are worshipping God for what he has done or desire for Him to do for them. For many the “prosperity” or accumulation of things has been equated as evidence of Jesus’ anointing on one’s life. I think many have confused the God ofAmerica—money, means, and mansions with the God of the Universe. Jesus himself oftentimes reminded His hearers that they must learn to trust and obey and worship and praise God not just for what He does but more significantly for whom He is. He parenthetically emphasizes, as a214 reluctant miracle worker, that true faith and worship must take place even in the absence of“signs and wonders”.77Ministering in the ‘jailhouse’ reminds us that we must also teach prisoners how to praiseGod in the absence of “signs and wonders.” It is behind the walls of prisons that men and woman are challenged to trust God through a theology of the cross rather than a theology of prosperity.This is the sentiment of most volunteers who engage and endure the challenges of ministering to prisoners behind prison walls. It’s on the way home that specific recognized needs of prisoners could be identified that your church could be meet; e.g., if your church cannot afford newChristian Education materials, then this could easily become a challenge to Black ChristianDenominational Publishing Boards to lead a national campaign for local churches to recycle usedChristian education materials and literature for prisoners as a project. Though dated, prisoners would greatly benefit from and appreciate them coming from churches located in their communities and neighborhoods. Dated materials are not as necessary, demanding and relevant in the jailhouse, especially when men and woman are serving long periods of time. Finally, continue to develop strategies on how to get other members of your church involved (completion of Volunteer Applications) through bulletins, regular announcements of ministry events and activities, informal fellowships with PowerPoint presentation on prison ministry, criminal justice and mass incarceration, Friday Night Crime Prevention and Save OurYouth Rally, Saturday Prison Ministry and Criminal Justice Training Workshop, recruitment through January National Volunteer Month, prison ministry literature, books, and training materials.77 The Gospel of John 4:46-48; 20:29215 QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS AND DIALOGUES Chapter six: In light of the call for the nation to reform a criminal justice system that has itself been “criminal” as seen in the disproportionate incarceration of boys and men of color, resulting in disenfranchisement, disillusionment and disconnection from their families and communities, do you feel that your church should be a part of this movement toward reform? ( ) yes ( ) noIf yes, is your church, led by her Pastor and Teacher, actively engaged in this movement either through regular community violence reduction and crime prevention collaborative efforts, in- prison ministry, reentry/aftercare ministry to returning citizens, social justice rallies, bus ministry for spouses and parents of incarcerated individuals, and/or prison reform advocacy in the state legislature, etc? ( ) yes ( ) noPlease identify level of involvement by your local church based upon the above. ______Does your local church include as a line item in its annual budget monies to support this effort in any area (s) listed above? ( ) yes ( ) noIf yes, what percentage of your church’s annual budget is set aside for said prison ministry and criminal justice reform activities? ______%.In light of the call for the nation to reform a criminal justice system that has itself been “criminal” as seen in the disproportionate incarceration of boys and men of color, resulting in disenfranchisement, disillusionment and disconnection from their families and communities, do you feel that your national denomination and its leaders should be a part of this movement toward reform? ( ) yes ( ) noIf yes, is your national denomination, led by its President and/or Key Leadership, actively engaged in this movement either through regular community violence reduction and crime prevention collaborative efforts, in-prison ministry, reentry/aftercare ministry to returning citizens, social justice rallies, bus ministry for spouses and parents of incarcerated individuals, and/or prison reform advocacy in the Congress of the United States of America?216 ( ) yes ( ) noPlease identify level of involvement based upon the above by your national denomination. ______.Does your national denomination include as a line item in its annual budget monies to support this effort in any area (s) listed above? ( ) yes ( ) noIf yes, what percentage of your national denomination’s annual budget is set aside for said prison ministry and criminal justice reform activities? ______%.Do you feel that if your church and/or national denomination and their respective leaders are not involved in this national effort to reform the criminal justice system and provide ministry to incarcerated individuals and their families, that they are not fulfilling the mandate that Jesus prescribes for his church in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 25 and Luke’s Gospel chapter four, nor providing bold, relevant, revolutionary and radical ministry for the Twenty-first Century? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is yes, please explain why you feel this way: ______CHAPTER SEVEN217 A Model Progressive Ministry Short and Long Range Vision Plan For Pastors Called to Serve a Twenty-First Century Church-in-the-Black Experience Below is my assessment and the visionary leadership and service a competent, caring and committed Pastor and Teacher could bring and add to the church’s legacy as people of God, who are in leadership transition, seeking new direction, determination, dedication, and discipline that will continue to light the torch of leadership for and service to their community. What progressive minded and gifted pastor and preachers are seeking from the Twenty-First CenturyChurch are people of faith who are serious about the challenges of today’s ministry and who will appreciate and utilize their creative gifts and talents as Servant-Leader. Such called, ordained and trained Pastors and Teachers have been equipped for such a time as this. He/she will help each church create the structures needed and enthusiasm required for engagement in a holistic, thriving and life-changing ministry for its members and others. When our providentialGod ordains and the Church agrees to extend a Call to a Pastor and Teacher to serve as the nextSpiritual Shepherd and Servant-Leader, in the first 90 days of his/her pastorate, he/she should engage the church with developing a short term 90 Day ministry vision plan unique to its own ministry field and resources based upon the recommended general structure below.INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT The Pastor and Teacher should schedule a time to meet individually with all current chairpersons of auxiliaries, boards, commissions, committees, councils and ministries of theChurch to initiate the process of getting to know each other in terms of our character, competence, compassion, commitment, and concerns; and to assess the spiritual gifts of those whom God has called and placed in His vineyard to edify or build-up the Body of Christ (The218 Church, Letter of Paul to the Ephesians 4).JOINT LEADERSHIP STRATEGIC PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTThe Pastor and Teacher should initiate the planning process for an Annual three (3) DayLeadership Retreat to be held in the fall (September/October) for all elected and appointedServant-Leaders of the Church to come together in order to: 1) create, develop and recommend a comprehensive Strategic and Vision Plan for the New Direction of the Church; 2) Develop a comprehensive Church Calendar of Events; 3) develop and recommend an Annual ChurchBudget and Financial Commitment; 4) Strengthen our commitments to God and one another through the study of the Spiritual Disciplines of prayer, meditation, study, celebration, and service; and 5) create a cooperative and trusting spirit among the Pastor and Teacher and ChurchServant-Leaders.LEADERSHIP ADVISORY COUNCIL The Pastor and Teacher should establish a Leadership Advisory Council (LAC) to establish policy, procedure and protocols for planning, implementing and evaluating ministries and program activities of the Church. The task of the Leadership Advisory Council is to coordinate and evaluate the work of the organizations (ministries, auxiliaries, etc.) of theChurch. Evaluation provides a means of assessing the effective stewardship of the resources of leadership, energies and commitments to the mission and programs of the church. The Leadership Advisory Council (LAC) is composed of all appointed and approved leaders in the church (which may include paid staff such as the Minister of Music and ChurchSecretary) and meets quarterly on Tuesday after the second Sunday in March, June, September, and December. Auxiliaries and ministry leaders are required to prepare quarterly reports for219 presentation, coordination and review each quarter. A LAC President would chair all LAC meetings in cooperation with and under the supervision of the Pastor and Teacher.The LAC holds a special meeting in December to prepare the Church Annual Calendar for the coming year during which time a fellowship dinner will be prepared and served by theChurch Hospitality Committee (to be established if not currently in place). Each ministry is to present its plans for program activities for the year at the Leadership Advisory Council meeting held in December of each year to be placed on the Annual Church Calendar. Any changes or additional programs or activities during any given year, should be first presented to the pastor in writing for approval based upon the time-line and schedules approved by the LeadershipAdvisory Council. It is apparent that program activities must be effectively and timely planned in order to promote and implement them successfully. Evidenced-based practice has shown that the more time spent in planning will produce more positive results in reaching mission and ministry goals.DEACON MINISTRY General DescriptionThe Pastor and Teacher should meet regularly with the Deacons in the Church to learn the current protocols, policies and procedures that govern their accountability, responsibility and stewardship of the spiritual affairs of the Church. He/she should work with the Deacons and provide any necessary training to enhance their ministry and to establish A Watchcare Ministry(to be established if not currently in place). In order for the deacons to maximize their efforts in the Watchcare Ministry we will operate a Deacon’s Zone Visitation Plan.78 The primary purpose of this plan is to maintain a close contact with all of the members of the church and to see if there78 Nichols, Harold, The Work of the Deacon and Deaconess, Judson Press @ Valley Forge, 1984, pg 116-122220 are special needs and circumstances that the Pastor and deacons should be made aware. The deacons and their zone workers will accomplish this by discovering whether or not all of the members for whom they are responsible are attending the services regularly. Such information may be gained during services. Moreover, if the church makes a record of attendance, the deacons should check records in the church office occasionally to verify their impression of which members have been absent, so that none may be overlooked. Whenever a deacon ceases to hold office for any reason, the Watchcare committee will arrange for the assignment of a new deacon to the team. The deacons are to pay particular attention to new members as they come into their zone. Their desire should be to make them feel at home, help them to become oriented quickly and easily into the fellowship, and become active participants in the church’s activities.  In some circumstances, the deacons may choose to give a special assignment to one of the women zone workers.  There will be special occasions, such as a birth, death, wedding, special event, or sudden emergency, when a home visit would especially be appreciated.  When a member is hospitalized, the deacons and zone workers should visit him or her to show their concern and sympathy. Such visits should be cheerful and short. A prayer should be offered if the patient’s condition and willingness permit.  The deacons will be expected to keep a lookout for new families in the zone and visit them, or have a zone worker do so, to discover persons who might be interested in the church.  The deacons or a zone worker will contact by telephone and letter Sunday visitors to the church during the week following their visit. The visitors’ cards will be sorted by zone and given to the teams by the Watchcare committee.  Attend all staff and leadership meetings called by the Pastor and Teacher.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.TRUSTEE MINISTRY General DescriptionThe Pastor and Teacher should meet regularly with the Trustee ministry to learn the protocols, policies and procedures that govern the accountability, fiduciary responsibility and stewardship of the temporal affairs of the Church. He/she should work with the Trustee Ministry221 to initiate the planning of a legally separate 501 (c) (3) non-profit public charity (to be established if not currently in place) to seek and receive both public and private funds so as not to impact the church’s operating budget which is supported principally by tithes and offerings.Such acquired funding will support Church Special Projects and Non-Traditional Ministries such as Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Recovery; Crime and Violence Prevention andFamily Renewal; Male and Female Mentoring; Community Forums; and Literacy, Tutorial, andScholarship Initiatives designed to impact the Church’s youth as well as other youth in the community, especially youth in at-risk situations ages 5-17 to include: children in foster care; children of prisoners; out-of-school youth; and youth offenders.  Attend all staff and leadership meetings called by the Pastor and Teacher.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.CONGREGATIONAs an experienced called, ordained and trained pastor and teacher many are keenly aware that there are two sides of the Church’s life. First is the internal side which makes compassionate disciples for Jesus Christ by helping people to take the next step to maturity in Christ through engagement in worship, fellowship, discipleship, evangelism, missions and ministry. The second side of the Church’s life is the external side which moves God’s people beyond its hallowed walls and engages in ministries that meet people where they are, and like Christ, to bring them spiritual, social, economic and psychological health and wholeness. The Pastor and Teacher should for the first ninety days focus particularly on the internal side of the church’s life to create a cooperative and trusting spirit among the Pastor and Teacher and Congregation. As the Church takes on the challenges of a new direction, new determination,222 and new dedication in Christian Ministry, she will need to come together in one place, with one prayer, for one purpose, with one power and the creation of one vision to carry out God’s plan for her ministry in the Twenty-First Century and beyond. Therefore, the Pastor and Teacher must manifest his/her energies particularly and prioritized in the three pastoral disciplines below as seen in the personal ministry of Jesus Christ in order to bond together as Pastor and Teacher(Shepherd) and the Church to prepare for a unique journey together.PREACHING AND WORSHIPAs the new Pastor and Teacher, one should bring a fresh vitality of the preached Word ofGod with power and enthusiasm along with information and inspiration. Preaching style should include all methods such as expository, manuscript, topical, and relevant preaching that will meet the needs and concerns of all ages and groups in the Church. The Pastor and Teacher should challenge the Church to find creative ways to include the young adult millennial generation into the total life of the church experience without compromising the traditional values that are held by older adults and yet appreciate the challenges of rebranding the church to meet people where they are and engage them in building the kingdom of God and the ChurchFamily.TEACHING MINISTRYThe Pastor and Teacher should bring the same vitality, expertise and commitment to the church as based upon his/her past proven evidenced-based teaching ministry in the local, district, state, national and international experiences in areas such as evangelism, discipleship, leadership development, mentoring, stewardship and volunteerism. He/she should facilitate the strengthening of the church members’ commitment to and engagement in Sunday ChurchSchool, Mid-Week Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowship. A very helpful tool and strategy223 for the new direction in Twenty-First Century Progressive Christian Ministry would be to conduct a Three Day Discipleship Training and Spiritual Disciplines Conference to equip, train and help the membership to rebuild the sense of community, connectedness, and cooperation and trust that is characteristic of the Church of Jesus Christ.HEALING MINISTRY (Pastoral Care and Counseling)The Pastor and Teacher knows how important it is to provide this service to the membership as a full-time Pastor. I say often to define this ministry that, “People don’t care about how much you know, they want to know about how much you care.” As Pastor andTeacher engage in regular weekly visitation to members who are sick and shut-in in hospitals, homes, nursing facilities, etc. to introduce oneself as their next Shepherd and discover any special needs and interests from those who are confined. He/she should be available to provide pastoral counseling sessions for members at the church during the week as requested and scheduled by the Pastor and Teacher and/or Administrative Assistant.PASTORAL SUPPORT TEAM ASSIGNMENTS Based upon Ability and Availability Associate Ministers or Pastoral Associates of the Church play a key role in the implementation of the Pastor’s Vision of Ministry and Service to the faithful congregants of theChurch and the larger community in which it is situated. Their skills, gifts, talents, competence, character, compassion, and commitment are welcomed and vital to fulfilling not only their own calling to serve Christ and His Church under the leadership and supervision of the Pastor andTeacher, but also necessary for faithful and enriching Church growth and development for the224 Church. Below are proposed potential key volunteer pastoral positions and assignments forAssociate Ministers/Pastoral Associates and/or qualified Laypersons of the Church under thePastor and Teacher’s direct training and supervision. MINISTER OF BENEVOLENCE AND MISSIONS (1) General DescriptionThe Minister of Benevolence and Missions is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry that addresses the needs of those persons, as members of the Church or in the community, who have fallen below the quality of life and human dignity that God has ordained for human persons and seeks to make them whole again. He/she will work closely with theChurch Benevolence Committee (to be established if not currently in place). Responsibilities Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Conduct Regular Bible Study Benevolent Fellowships and insure that a hot meal is prepared for and served to benevolent participants as part of the Church Hungry, Homeless and Helpless Ministry (to be established if not currently in place).  Make referrals for services to human service agencies when and where appropriate when needs surpass Church capacity and scope of services.  Promote Home and Foreign Missions through preaching on 5th Sundays to be designated as Missions Sunday.  Emphasize the church’s work in this area which may include from purchasing Bibles and Hymnals and other religious materials to providing financial donations for recovery efforts in Haiti and other countries, clothing and temporary shelter for the homeless; and contributing to a local food bank.  Support the Benevolence Ministry by providing special emergency support to Church members and those in the community.  Provide flowers to Church members who are confined in the hospital and at funerals for families of deceased members of the Church.  Give special contributions during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays to persons in need whether members of the Church or those in the community.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.225  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF CHILDREN’S CHURCH AND MINISTRIES (2) General DescriptionThe Minister of Children’s Church and Ministries (ages 5-12) is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry whose activities and events are designed specifically around children’s needs and equip them with the fundamental teachings, beliefs and practices of the church and to prepare them for future engagement as servants and leaders within the church and community.Responsibilities Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Supervise and provide oversight for all components of the Children’s Church (to be established if not currently in place) in consultation with the Pastor and Teacher.  Conduct Sunday morning worship services for children ages 5 to 12 in the Church’s Chapel or other designated area on 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays. The Children’s church will worship with the general congregation on 2nd Sundays which will be designated Youth Empowerment Sunday.  Recommend, train and supervise volunteer workers for engagement in Christian education, church worship, music ministry and other ministry components of the Children’s Church.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MINISTRIES (3) General DescriptionThe Minister of Christian Education Ministries is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry for equipping the membership through educational and training curriculum and events, and learning experiences to be obedient in their response to the Great226 Commission: Making disciples who will fulfill the fivefold mission of the church — evangelism, worship, discipleship, ministry, and fellowship. Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Develop a primary strategy with other the Church Christian Education servant- leaders that is intentional and systematic in the development of leaders and servants who can carry on the work of the ministry in the local church.  Utilize the Bible as the primary curriculum supported by appropriate teaching resources.  Oversee the primary teaching process and systematic teaching of Bible content and doctrine for all teaching events e.g., Sunday School, Conferences, Workshops, Seminars, Christian Leadership Schools, Youth and Young Adult Departments, etc.  Build relationships that involve mutual commitment and accountability as the primary dynamic.  Create a learning structure that includes a full range of groups, developed with sensitivity to culture, needs, interests, and/or life stages.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher and Teacher.MINISTER OF CRIMINAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE MINISTRIES (4) General DescriptionThe Minister of Criminal and Social Justice Ministries is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry addressing through coordinated and collaborative efforts, all the major areas of public life. This includes the pursuit of justice in the cultural, economic and political spheres based upon the belief in the dignity and worth of every human person. Each of these efforts will involve vital activist training for the Church leaders and members for engagement in social justice events, programs, activities, rallies, prison crusades and surveys. They will also involve the collection of best practices from constituent churches that may already operate such programs. Each program will help the Church build networks of collaboration with other faith and community-based organizations as well as public administrations, business, education, social227 service and law enforcement agencies that share the same mission as the Criminal and SocialJustice Ministries of the Church.Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Advocate, promote and support the establishment of criminal justice initiatives that address issues of mass incarceration and racial disparities in each stage of the criminal justice system to include: arrests, jury selection, probation, sentencing, incarceration, parole, and community reentry for African-Americans in particular and all others in general.  Advocate, promote and support the establishment of special intervention projects for youth in at-risk situations to include foster care; children of prisoners; out-of-school youth; and youth offenders.  Advocate, promote and support the establishment of economic development and empowerment strategies for the community in which the Church resides.  Recruit, train and enlist volunteers for engagement in Jail and Prison Ministry to visit the local county jail and the State Department of Corrections facilities. Also, Arrange for security clearance and make travel arrangements for participants.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF EVANGELISM AND DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH MINISTRIES (5) General DescriptionThe Minister of Evangelism and Door-to-Door Outreach Ministries is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry of evangelistic outreach efforts of the church whose mission is to engage the membership in activities and events that seek to win persons to theLordship of Jesus Christ and to enlist them to become active and productive members of theChurch family.Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Coordinate with the Pastor and Teacher an Annual Church Revival each year.228  Lead the Door to Door Outreach Ministry in canvassing the community throughout the year spreading the Word and letting citizens know that the Church is actively involved in the community and offers an array of ministry services.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher. MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS MINISTRIES (6) General DescriptionThe Minister of Health and Wellness Ministries is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry promoting awareness of breast cancer, prostate cancer and other health risks among members through education, outreach activities, and public advocacy with the intent to save lives and promote healthier lifestyles.Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to: Coordinate quarterly Health Awareness and Healthy Lifestyles Training Seminars.  Sponsor an Annual Health Fair and Wellness Conference in collaboration with community organizational partners for members of the Church and other interested persons in the community.  Produce a monthly Health Awareness and Healthy Lifestyles Newsletter for members of the Church.  Coordinate with the Music Ministry and provide ministry to persons in nursing homes on a regular basis.  Create, operate and supervise an Exercise and Fitness Program for members of the Church and other interested persons in the community.  Establish fee scale for client (non-member) annual exercise and fitness program memberships.  Recruit clients from the community to utilize services of exercise and fitness program.  Inspect equipment on a monthly basis and perform or schedule preventive maintenance sessions as required.  Schedule and oversee on-site preventive maintenance and repair services.  Perform daily inspections of the exercise and program’s space, offices and locker rooms for cleanliness, conditions of finishes and janitorial services.  Ensure that all exercise and program employees and volunteers have current CPR/First Aid certification and arrange for training as necessary.  Maintain records of each machine to include all maintenance and repairs required.229  Demonstrate a strong work ethic to the clients, program and team.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF MARKETING AND PUBLICITY (7) General DescriptionThe Minister of Marketing and Publicity is responsible for developing a marketing and publicity strategy through its team members to “rebrand” the Church through new technologies, products, resources, services, and initiatives in its retooling efforts to reach a diverse and thrivingMillennial generation in the larger community while preserving the traditional ministry to the“Baby Boomer” and older generation. Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Identify potential members, businesses/organizations (Names, addresses, web sites, emails, and contact persons).  Prepare Publicity Packets in cooperation with the Usher Ministry for potential New Members of the Church.  Utilize state-of-the-arts communication technology along with traditional television and radio broadcasts, newspaper and other outlets to advertise the minister, mission, ministry and message of the Church.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF PASTORAL CARE, COUNSELING & VISITATION MINISTRIES (8) General Description230 The Minister of Pastoral Care, Counseling and Visitation Ministries is responsible for assisting the Pastor and Teacher in the counseling and pastoral care healing ministry to Church members and aid in the maintenance and recovery of members’ health and wholeness. Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Make regular visitation as needed and assigned by the Pastor and Teacher to sick and shut-in members of the Church in their homes, hospitals, assisted living housing, and nursing care facilities. The Pastor and Teacher will make regular weekly visits to sick and shut-in members when needed but particularly on Thursdays which is designated as his Pastoral Care, Counseling and Visitation Day.  Communicate Pastor and Teacher’s concern and blessings and overall church family’s well wishes and offer prayer and consolation to individual’s family member (s) and others who may be present after receiving their consent.  Prepare ministry reports of each visit immediately to the Pastor and Teacher and make recommendations to the Pastor and Teacher and Benevolence Committee where it is determined that special needs have been ascertained by his/her interaction with individual or family.  Make referrals to community and social agencies when determined that pastoral care and counseling needs are beyond his/her level or field of expertise.  Provide individual and group/family counseling services as assigned by the Pastor and Teacher in the Church Pastoral Care and Counseling Ministry Office and give general oversight of the ministry.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF SOCIAL MEDIA MINISTRIES (9) General DescriptionThe Minister of Social Media Ministries is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry utilizing the church’s Website, Facebook and other Social Media and tools like the telephone, email, cell phone; to communicate the mission and ministry of the Church.Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Post at least once weekly information to the Church Facebook page.231  Invite members and “friends” of the Church to visit and connect with one another on the Church Facebook page.  Encourage the "friends" on Church Facebook page to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through Scripture and short devotional messages.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF SPECIAL PROJECTS/NON-TRADITIONAL MINISTRIES (10) General DescriptionThe Minister of Special Projects/Non-Traditional Ministries is responsible for engaging the congregation and community in non-traditional ministries outlined and presented by thePastor and Teacher and members that meet people where they are, and like Christ, in order to bring them spiritual, social, economic and psychological health and wholeness. Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Work with and under supervision of the Pastor and Teacher and Trustee Ministry in the creation of a legally separate 501 (c) (3) non-profit public charity (to be established if not currently in place) to seek and receive both public and private funds to support Church Special Projects so as not to impact the church’s operating budget which is principally supported by Tithes and Offerings.  Identify and develop relationships with Public and Private Philanthropic entities as potential supporters of Church Special Projects.  Lead in Fund-Development and Grant writing efforts to secure Public and Private funds to help support Church Special Projects.  Implement Special Projects funded by Public and Private Philanthropic Entities through and in partnership with non-profit organizational partners and Church own Ministries Initiative (s).  Oversee Special Projects to benefit both the Church membership and the general public which may include: Crime and Violence Prevention and Reduction Programs; Community Development Projects; and supportive services for youth, adults, and elderly populations such as Temporary Housing; In Home Medical Care; Transportation; Youth Mentoring; Individual and Family Crisis Counseling; G.E.D. and other Credentials; Vocational Training Credential; Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling and Treatment; Family Renewal and Recovery Initiatives; Employment Readiness Training; Job Placement and other services.232  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES (11) General Description The Minister of Women’s Ministries is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry that is designed for women ages 36 and above to enhance spiritual growth, service to church and community, and commitment and fellowship among one another.Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Ensure that the Church Women’s Ministry leaders and participants encompass the reading of religious and/or inspirational literature, and a presentation/discussion of the book/literature at regular meetings each month.  Assist the Church Women’s Ministry leaders and participants with the creation of a Mission Statement, goals and objectives, and implementation plan.  Attend monthly meetings of the Church Women’s Ministry.  Serve as a resource person for the Church Women’s Ministry in its efforts to become involved in community service activities, mentoring middle and high school students in collaboration with low performance public schools, YWCA’s, Girl’s Clubs, and other youth serving organizations in the Larger community.  Occasionally preach for the Church Women’s Ministry in and at Special Program events and activities.  Serve as Chaplain for the Church Women’s Ministry.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.MINISTER OF YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MILLENNIAL MINISTRIES (12) General DescriptionThe Minister of Youth and Young Adult Millennial Ministries is responsible for developing and supervising a ministry that nurtures, inspires, and equips Church youth ages 13-233 17 and young adults ages 18-35 to be faithful, lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and engaging them in every component of the life of the church and to reach out to the community and beyond.Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Create a life-changing ministry in which Church youth and young adults reflect spiritual depth from a growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This change will be manifested in the daily lives and activities including worship, study, discipleship, and service to the church and community.  Create an accepting environment in which all Church youth and young adults feel welcomed, valued and at home in the total life of the church as it embraces laughter, energy, creativity, and humor as expressions of the abundant life in Christ.  Instill in Church youth and young adults biblical values and principles inspiring a passion for God.  Encourage Church youth and young adults to become immersed in the word of God and develop an intense passion for Christ both in study as well as in practice.  Help Church youth and young adults grow to love Christ and His Church and to pursue a righteous way of life.  Assist Church youth and young adults with understanding their significance, increase participation and provide leadership in fulfilling the Church’s local and global mission for the present and future.  Establish a Youth Advisory Council comprised of parents, church officers, other at-large members to assist in providing general oversight and support for the Youth and Young Adult Departments.  Prepare written quarterly and annual ministry reports to include accomplishments and challenges of all work performed.  Attend mandated quarterly Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PASTOR AND TEACHER General DescriptionThe Executive Assistant to the Pastor and Teacher is responsible for assisting him in his various local, state and national day-to-day office operations. She will also arrange and coordinate staff meetings with Key staff, community leaders and government officials; coordinate and confirm travel arrangements; may accompany and assist the Pastor and Teacher during specified local, state, regional and national meetings, conferences, congresses or234 workshops; assist in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual program reports; and perform other duties as assigned by the Pastor and Teacher.Responsibilities: Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to: Major Areas of Responsibility I. Maintain Pastor and Teacher daily schedule and duties  Coordinate and schedule all appointments for the Pastor and Teacher  Coordinate speaking / preaching engagements for Pastor and Teacher  Coordinate travel arrangements (flight, hotel, ground transportation, etc.) and create itineraries  Handle all correspondence (US Postal mail, e-mail, etc.) for the Pastor and Teacher routing it to appropriate staff members when necessary  Type and send any letters dictated by the Pastor and Teacher  Field all phone calls for the Pastor and Teacher office, take messages for the Pastor and Teacher and directing them to the appropriate parties when necessary  Update Pastor and Teacher on deaths, hospitalizations & / or emergencies II. Assist in planning meetings and special projects for the Pastor and Teacher  Prepare PowerPoint presentations  Compile hand-outs for meetings, presentations and special projects.  Order food and set up for any meetings the Pastor calls which may require it.  Coordinate or assist in the coordination of the Pastor and Teacher special projects (i.e.: Vision Luncheons, Director of Worship & the Arts Search, etc.) III. Assist Pastor and Teacher with any other duties as assigned  Assist in filing and organizing sermons and other documents  Order & arrange for pick up of lunch, dinner as needed  Follow-up on any items as directed by the Pastor and Teacher IV. Additional Duties  Coordinate travel arrangements and ground transportation arrangements for special guests when needed  Communicate with Security regarding reserved parking for special guests  Reconcile monthly credit card statement  Prepare weekly W.O.W. (Worship on Wednesday) bulletin  Update the Pastor and Teacher pulpit notes  Provide Pastor and Teacher with follow-up reminders as needed235  Ascertain availability of sound techs for church events  Assist Administrative staff when needed (i.e.: process checks; collect money/write Order any items the Pastor and Teacher needs  receipts; create flyers, answer phones, etc.) Education, Qualifications & Experience Recommended or Required:  Some college education  Proficient computer skills and knowledge of relevant software such as MS Office Suite, PowerPoint, Excel  Knowledge of standard office administrative practices and procedures  Organizational and planning skills  Communication skills  Information gathering and information monitoring skills  Problem analysis and problem solving skills  Judgment and decision-making ability  Initiative  Confidentiality  Attention to detail and accuracy  Willingness to learn  Flexibility  Knowledge of filing skills, public relation skills and interviewing techniques.  Knowledge of functions, and physical organization of city and county departments and applicable community, state, and federal resource agencies.  Attend all staff and leadership meetings called by the Pastor and Teacher.  Attend regular and mandated local, state or national meetings, training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Regularly attend Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study Fellowships as taught by the Pastor and Teacher.COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EVANGELISM The Pastor and Teacher should conduct training sessions on “How to Witness” for volunteers who desire to share in this ministry. He/she should participate in the Door-to-DoorOutreach Ministry in the community to introduce him/herself as the New Shepherd of TheChurch and witness to the saving grace and transformative power of our Lord and Savior JesusChrist to the unsaved, dechurched and unchurched in the community.236 ECCLESIASTICAL AND DENOMINATIONAL AFFILIATIONThe Pastor and Teacher should develop and strengthen the relationships and continue to cooperate with local, district, state, and national denominational bodies of which the Church has membership in matters of mutual interest and concern, as well as keep the Church informed of denominational development and represent the Church in civic matters. The Pastor and Teacher should look forward to re/introducing myself and offering any expertise and services to said bodies in which the Church has membership. As stated above these are some relevant short term ministry plans for the Church and are in no way exhaustive. The Pastor and Teacher should look forward with much joy to eventually developing a Long Term Twenty-First Century ProgressiveChurch Ministry Vision Plan. As suggested in the framework below, such a progressive and relevant ministry vision plan addresses the total needs of members and other persons, be they spiritual, social, relational, psychological, economic, and etc. The Twenty-First Century Church in-the-Black Experience must embrace and equip herself for an approach in ministry and redirection that attempts to address the total needs of members and other persons, be they spiritual, social, relational, psychological, economic, and etc. Like Jesus, the Church must be the kind of assembly that meets people where they are and to bring them where they need to be. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all other things will be added unto you.”Below are some recommended expanded Traditional Church Ministries for the Church237 that I have instituted and/or implemented during my 44 years in ministry and 31 year tenure as aPastor and Teacher. These evidenced-based ministries have been found to help many persons, families and communities, based upon the biblical mandates presented in the Holy Scriptures(Luke 4:16-19; Matthew 25). Boys To Men Fellowship (5-17) Children’s Church and Ministry (5-17) Christian Education Ministry  Christian Living Institute On The African American Family  Conferences, Retreats And Workshops  New Member Orientation And Stewardship And Discipleship Training  Sunday Church School  Vacation Bible School  Wednesday Noon Day Prayer Service, Bible Study And Lunch Fellowship  Wednesday Night Prayer Service, Bible Study And Dinner FellowshipChurch Growth And Development Ministry Community Relations And BlackHistory Period Conventions And Meetings (Local, District, State, National, International) Daughters Of Promise Fellowship (5-17) Health And Wellness Ministry Leadership Development  Leadership Advisory Council (Quarterly Meetings To Evaluate, Plan, Collaborate And Implement Ministries)  Annual Leadership Retreat (Teaching, Learning, Equipping, Serving And Planning Experience For All Clergy, Church Officers, Auxiliary, Ministry And Leaders) Marketing And Publicity Ministry Martin L. King, Jr. League Of Young Men Ministry (18-35) Men’s Ministry (36 And Above) Missions, Benevolence And Outreach Ministry  Benevolence Committee (Clothing, Food, Shelter, And Sick And Shut-In)  Door-To-Door Evangelistic Outreach  Hospice and Nursing Home  Prison Ministry and Criminal Justice  Radio, CD/DVD, And Television MLK Day Of Service Community Celebration Pastoral Care And Counseling Center238 Pastor ‘s Care And Relations Ministry Rosa Parks Fellowship Society Of Young Women Ministry (18-35) Singles Ministry Social Justice Ministry Social Media Ministry Travel And Transportation Ministry Watch Care Ministry (Deacons And Deaconesses) Women’s Ministry (36 And Above) Youth And Young Adult Action Ministry (13-35)  Annual Youth And Young Adult Empowerment Conference (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)  Annual Youth And Young Adult Retreat & Recreation Excursion (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)  Annual Youth And Young Adult Revival (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)  Annual Youth Day (2nd Sunday In June)  Annual Youth Scholarship and Graduate’s Day (4th Sunday In June)  Youth Emphasis Sunday (2nd Sundays of each month)The Goal of such a Twenty-First Century Progressive Church Ministry Vision Plan is to raise the standard of ministry and build upon a great legacy by providing a model of meaningful, relevant and life-changing service and leadership that springs from and justifies its existence. Like Jesus’ model and mandate for ministry the Twenty-First Century Church in-the-Black Experience in particular, and all others in general, will continue to be the kind of Church that meets people where they are and bring them where they need to be. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all other things will be added unto you.” I have presented the framework for the creation, development and implementation of such a long range ministry vision plan below.“Write the Vision; make it plain on tablets, so that the runner may read it…If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay” -- Habakkuk 2:2, 3“This life is not godliness, but growth in godliness; not health, but healing; not being, but becoming; not rest, but exercise. We are not now what we shall be, but we are on the way; the process is not yet finished, but it has begun; this is not the goal, but it is a road; at present all does not gleam and glitter, but everything is being purified.” – Martin Luther239 The Twenty-First Century Church in-the-Black Experience recognizes also that she has a responsibility to establish an environment that encourages people to be the best and do their best as God intended. Therefore, the Twenty-First Century Progressive Church Long Range MinistryVision Plan would develop a unique approach to accomplish this by building or creating a progressive combination of “Centers” specially designed to offer patrons a place to worship and partake of an array of activities and services, in addition to its existing traditional church ministries, in an esthetically appealing, comfortable and safe environment. The Goal of the Twenty-First Century Progressive Church Long Range Ministry VisionPlan is to raise the standard of ministry and build upon a great legacy by providing a model of meaningful, relevant and life-changing service and leadership that springs from and justifies its existence. The Church would do so by bringing economic development and stimulation, job training, job creation, safer and better educational facilities, and safer overall environments while engaging faith and community-based initiatives that strengthen families and communities. The Church would operate each of the “Centers” under individual program structures appropriate for that particular program. More importantly, “the Centers” would operate in a manner that makes them self-sufficient through income producing activities, services and events. This is vital to the overall viability of the Twenty-First Century Church. In short, its program strategy would employ a multi-faceted method to maintain and grow an operationally sound and worthwhile ministry, and develop capacity to sustain its humanitarian outreach plan and service. Each “Center” is complimentary to the other. For example,240 The Fa mily Li f e Center a n d Ba n q u e t Ha ll would include a Commercial Kitchen; operate a Restaurant with a breakfast and lunch menu; Banquet Facilities; and a Cultural ArtsHeritage Theatre. It also would include a Bowling Alley and PRO Shop; Health and FitnessCenter with appropriate exercise equipment; Men’s Spa & Barber Shop; Women’s Spa, Hair& Nail Salon, and Clothing Boutique. It would provide opportunities for families to engage in healthy activities in a safe and caring environment. Administrator Office  Administrative Assistant Office  General Office  Banquet Hall (1,500 Capacity)  Commercial Kitchen  Restaurant Manager Office  Men’s Barber Shop  Men’s Barber Shop Manager Office  Health And Wellness Exercise And Fitness Center  Health And Wellness Exercise And Fitness Center Manager Office  Showers And Dressing Rooms (Male/Female)  Women’s Spa And Salon  Women’s Spa And Salon Manager Office  Clothing Boutique  Clothing Boutique Manager Office  Bowling Alley  Building And Grounds Maintenance Engineer Office  Security StationThe E xc ellence A cade m y Christian S ch o ol would provide a quality education for students grades K-12. Principal Office  Assistant Principal  General Office (Secretary/Treasurer; Clerks (2)  Other Offices (6)  Cafeteria  Cafeteria Manager Office  Assistant Cafeteria Manager/Food Service Office  Classrooms (K-8) (Ten-10 Classrooms)  Library And Librarian Office  Storage And Supply Room241  Conference Room  Social Worker/Guidance Counselors Offices  Nurse  Building And Grounds Maintenance Engineer Office  Security StationThe C o n ference a n d R etreat Center would serve as a destination location for various community and faith-based conferences, convocations, conventions, club meetings and social functions. Administrator Office  Administrative Assistant Office  Housing/Sleeping Area  Commercial Kitchen And Dining Area (Seating Capacity-200)  Food Service Manager Office  Conference And Training Rooms (4)  Chapel (Seating Capacity-300)  Building And Grounds Maintenance Engineer Office  Equipment Room  Security Station The Assisted Living and Transitional Housing Center would provide stronger, safer, and lower cost homes for moderate and low-income families or affordable housing provider. It would also provide an activity center, library and nurse’s station for its residents. Administrator Office  Administrative Assistant Office  Building And Grounds Maintenance Engineer Office  Activity Center  Library  Nurse’s Station  Security StationThe Recreation Center would provide and coordinate outdoor recreational activities such as tennis, basketball, track and field, and indoor swimming pool for Church members and the public. The acquired acreage of the Church would accommodate activities such as an amusement park, picnics, church outings, livestock shows for children, and other youth and242 family oriented community events. Administrator Office  Administrative Assistant Office  Building And Grounds Maintenance Engineer Office  Equipment And Storage Room  Basketball Courts  Tennis Courts  Indoor Swimming Pool  Track And Field  Picnic Shelters For Outdoor Activities  Security StationThe Child Development Center would provide Daycare Services for preschool children(ages 2-4) strategically located near the Church’s Excellence Academy Christian School. Director Office  Assistant Director Office  Administrative Assistant Office  Teachers’ Conference Room  Classrooms (6) With Sinks  Cafeteria Clerk Office  Building And Grounds And Maintenance And Repair Manager Office  Security StationThe Youth Activity and R ec l am ati o n Cente r would provide study facilities with computers, game room, gymnasium and Assembly Hall. It would also provide executive and program offices and training center to implement Special Projects funded by Public andPrivate Philanthropic Entities through and in partnership with non-profit organizational partners and the Church’s own Non-profit Public Charity/Foundation Outreach MinistriesInitiative. Special Projects to benefit both the Church membership and the general public would include: Crime and Violence Prevention and Reduction Programs; Prisoner Reentry and Recovery Project; Criminal Justice Advocacy and Black Male Mass Incarceration andDisenfranchisement Initiatives; My Brother’s Keeper Mentoring Initiative; CommunityDevelopment Projects; and supportive services for youth, adults, and elderly243 populations such as Temporary Housing; In Home Medical Care; Transportation; YouthMentoring; Individual and Family Crisis Counseling; G.E.D. and other Credentials;Vocational Training Credential; Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling and Treatment;Family Renewal and Recovery Initiatives; Employment Readiness Training; Job Placement and other services. The Youth Activity and Reclamation Center would also host and conduct Community Forums to develop strategies to address issues and needs of the youth, young adults and community. Also, the gymnasium would accommodate numerous sporting and recreational events for its total church membership, and members of communities who engage in the Youth Activity and Reclamation Center Special Projects. CEO Office/Master Suite (Office, Study/Library With Conference Table, Sink And Cabinets)  President Office/Suite (Sink And Cabinets; Bathroom With Enclosed Water Closet; Walk-In Clothes Closet)  Executive Assistant To CEO And President Office  Executive Vice-Presidents (3) Offices  Administrative Assistants To The Executive Vice-Presidents (3) Offices  Treasurer Office  Administrator Office  Administrative Assistant Office  Board Of Directors Conference Room  Project Directors Offices And Program Rooms (10)  Prison Ministry And Criminal Justice Institute (Training And Equipping)  Computer Lab/Training Center  Gymnasium With Stage  Gymnasium Concessions Area  Showers And Dressing Rooms (Male/Female)  Building And Grounds Maintenance Engineer Office  Information Technology Director Office  Risk Management And Security Director OfficeThe Transportation and Travel Center would provide parking spaces and proper scheduling of maintenance and repair service for the Church operated buses and vans and SeniorPastor and First Family vehicles. Also, arrange for all travel related events and activities244 sponsored by the Church.The Executive Center would include the Church Executive Offices, Ministries and Auxiliary Meeting Rooms, Christian Education classrooms, a Bookstore, Conference room, and Library.The Retail Shopping Center and Movie Theater would provide recreational and entertainment excursions for residents in the community that currently may not have such an outlet. Movies will be shown on six (6) different screens.The Retail Shopping Center and Grocery Store would again provide an outlet that may be needed for residents of the Church’s surrounding Communities. The GRADUAL implementation of a Twenty-First Century Progressive Church MinistryVision Plan, under the capable and faithful leadership and service of the Pastor and Teacher, will undoubtedly ensure personal and church growth and development for the current and future generations of competent, caring, and committed members of the Church Family who desire to move to A HIGHER LEVEL of Church Mission and Ministry. Thousands of residents and families in the surrounding communities and beyond would benefit from the Visionary Ministries provided by the Twenty-First Century Church, as it carries out the Church’s Mission to make the wounded whole. Countless others would continue to be drawn by the beacon light of worship, fellowship, discipleship, evangelism, missions and ministry as exemplified and experienced at the Church. They would eagerly come seeking to know Christ and His power and to experience God’s Divine Favor. Under the bold and visionary leadership of the visionary Pastor and Teacher, the Church would indeed continue to BUILD UPON A LEGACY AND RAISE A STANDARD FOR245 THE FUTURE. It will also continue to be a church where Jesus is Truly Lord; the Gospel isFaithfully Preached; the Spiritual Disciplines are Wholeheartedly Practiced; the Beauty ofChristian Fellowship is Enthusiastically Experienced; and the People of God are Highly Favored.PASTORAL SERVICES AGREEMENT TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY PROGRESSIVE CHURCH ANYWHERE, USAAt a Special Called Business Meeting of the members of Twenty-First Century Progressive Church held______, 20___, at which a quorum of all members were present, upon motion made and seconded, the following Pastoral Services Agreement was unanimously adopted, to witARTICLE 1 STATEMENT OF WORKThe Senior Pastor having been duly elected to serve as the next Senior Pastor and Teacher of Twenty-First Century Progressive Church (TFCPC) shall provide Senior Pastoral Services for TFCPC to include: weekly preaching of the gospel and conduct worship services, and weekly bible study fellowships; Conduct pastoral care and counseling and pre- marital/marital counseling sessions, perform weddings, conduct funerals and visit sick and shut- in members; Lead in observance and administering of the ordinances; Watch over the general welfare of the membership; Promote spiritual interest of the church; Provide strategic planning and staff coordination in the execution of the church’s purpose; Appoint chairpersons of auxiliaries, boards, commissions, committees, councils, and ministries; Serve as Chief Officer of the church to include supervision and training of church officers, auxiliary and committee teams leaders; conduct annual evaluations of paid staff and volunteers; Organize and develop the246 Church’s strength for the best possible services; Act as moderator of and preside at all church business meetings except when the tenure of Senior Pastor is the agenda; Lead in planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and evaluating church ministries; Oversee adherence to church policies and procedures and ensure annual reviews are conducted as required; Meet regularly and work with Associate Ministers, Deacons, Deaconesses, Trustees, and other church officers and auxiliaries, boards, commissions, committees, councils, and ministries as they perform their assigned responsibilities; Serve as ex-officio member of all auxiliaries, boards, commissions, committees, councils, and ministries; Oversee the calling, licensing, ordaining, commissioning and employment of Associate Ministers and supervise them in their appointed and assigned tasks; Lead the church in an effective program of evangelism and in a caring ministry for persons in the church and community; Cooperate with local, district, state, and national denominational leaders in matters of mutual interest and concern and keep the church informed of denominational development; and Represent the church in civic matters.ARTICLE 2 MINISTRY PERIODTFCPC agrees that the ministry starting date for ______as the next Senior Pastor of Twenty-First Century Progressive Church shall begin on ______1, 20___ and end no later than December 31, 20_____. Page two: Twenty-First Century Progressive Church - Pastoral Services AgreementARTICLE 3 PASTOR’S ANNUAL COMPENSATION3.1 Cash Salary (Includes Amount Designated As Housing Allowance)TFCPC agrees to pay Senior Pastor for Senior Pastoral Services for all such approved tasks performed a starting annual cash salary in the sum of $87,500.00 dollars. Senior Pastor shall receive an Annual Automatic Cost-of-Living/Inflation Salary Adjustment equal to 2.3% as recommended by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Merit pay may also be determined by TFCPC annually. 3.2 Housing Allowance DesignationTFCPC agrees to adopt as its policy and doctrine to provide for the housing and related expenses of a minister of the gospel who performs services on behalf of the church as part of his duties as a minister; and whereas Section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States provides, inter alia, that the gross income of a minister of the gospel does not include an amount paid to a minister of the gospel as a housing allowance as part of compensation, to the extent that said allowance is actually used by him to provide a home for himself, and whereas, the TFCPC desires to insure that it’s minister’s compensation be subject to no greater taxation than is legally required, shall designate part of Senior Pastor’s annual cash salary as a Housing Allowance each year in December through a Resolution based upon Senior Pastor’s anticipated expenses. Anticipated expenses as determined by Senior Pastor for the year ______are $50,000.00 dollars and for all future years unless otherwise provided. Under current law, allows Senior Pastor to take advantage of a tax benefit provided for Ministers of the Gospel.247 3.3 Employer Share Social Security/Medicare Tax OffsetTFCPC agrees to pay an Annual Employer Share Social Security/Medicare Tax Offset equal to 7.65% of Senior Pastor’s annual cash salary. The offset is reported as income for Federal income tax and Social Security/Medicare tax purposes. Under current tax code, the IRS treats ministers of the Gospel as employees for federal income tax purposes and self-employed for Social Security/Medicare tax purposes. Ministers of the Gospel have a double tax responsibility. According to current IRS Rules Senior Pastor must pay his full Social Security Taxes as a self-employed person at the current rate of 12.4% and Medicare taxes at the current annual rate of 2.9% (combined 15.3%) of Senior Pastor’s annual salary (S.E.C.A.). TFCPC shall provide Senior Pastor with IRS Form W-2 for his income reporting purposes each year. Ministers normally under current IRS tax code are exempt from income tax withholding but must prepay their income taxes and self-employment taxes (S.E.C.A.) using the estimated tax procedure (see IRS Publication 517, Social Security and Other Information for Members of the Clergy and Religious Workers).Page three: Twenty-First Century Progressive Church - Pastoral Services AgreementARTICLE 4 PROFESSIONAL EXPENSE ALLOWANCESTFCPC agrees to an Accountable Plan for professional expense allowances based upon the following IRS rules. 1) Senior Pastor’s expenses must have a business connection — that is, must have incurred deductible expenses while performing services as an employee of TFCPC. 2) Senior Pastor must adequately account to TFCPC for these expenses within 60 days after they were paid or incurred; and 3) Senior Pastor must return any excess allowance within 120 days after the expense was paid or incurred. TFCPC agrees to provide Senior Pastor a pastoral apparel and supplies allowance in the amount of $2,500.00 annually for expenses incurred to provide pastoral services to TFCPC.TFCPC agrees to provide Senior Pastor an annual automobile allowance in the amount of $15,000.00 for expenses incurred to provide pastoral services to TFCPC and upon Senior Pastor’s request, to lease or purchase an automobile of his own choice, at the church’s expense and in the church’s and Senior Pastor’s name. TFCPC agrees to provide Senior Pastor a books, periodicals and continuing education allowance in the amount of $2,500.00 annually for expenses incurred to provide pastoral services to TFCPC.Under current law, Allowances of clergy professional business expenses under an accountable arrangement are not reported as income on Form W-2 or Form 40 (see IRS Publication 463 (2014) p.30.248 ARTICLE 5 CHURCH/EMPLOYER PROVIDED BENEFITSTFCPC agrees to pay for a church/employer provided Comprehensive Retirement Plan through the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB) based upon a fixed sum equal to ten per cent (10%) of cash salary for Senior Pastor to the (MMBB). Plan includes a Group Term Life, Disability Income and Death Prior to Retirement Benefit that protects the church by allowing it to know that it has provided for the on-going support of Senior Pastor in the event of his incapacitation while allowing it to move on in ministry. Under current law, an imputed cost of employer provided group term life insurance coverage that exceeds $50,000.00 is included in employee income (see IRS Publication 525 (2014).TFCPC agrees to pay a church/employer provided Healthcare Insurance Plan to include medical, dental and vision coverage through the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB/UMR Cigna Health Care Premier-or Comparable Plan) for Senior Pastor. Under current law, Healthcare Insurance benefits paid by the Employer are not reported to the IRS as taxable income (see IRS Publication 525 (2014).Page four: Twenty-First Century Progressive Church - Pastoral Services AgreementTFCPC agrees to grant Senior Pastor two weeks of Paid Vacation Leave after one year of service; three weeks of Paid Vacation Leave after three years of service; and four weeks of Paid Vacation Leave after four years of service. TFCPC agrees to pay for a church/employer provided Worker’s Compensation Insurance Plan for Senior Pastor. ARTICLE 6 PAYMENTTFCPC agrees to pay Senior Pastor’s Cash Salary on the 1st and 15th of each month in equal bi-monthly payments by Direct Deposit into his personal checking account. TFCPC agrees that the Social Security/Medicare Tax Offset shall be paid to Senior Pastor on a quarterly basis on January 10, April 10, July 10 and October 10 by Direct Deposit into his personal checking account. TFCPC agrees that the pastoral apparel and supplies allowance shall be paid to providers upon Senior Pastor’s request. TFCPC agrees that the automobile allowance shall be paid to providers upon Senior Pastor’s request. TFCPC agrees that the books, periodicals and continuing education allowance shall be paid to providers upon Senior Pastor’s request. TFCPC agrees that church/employer provided comprehensive retirement plan invoices shall be paid on a monthly basis directly to the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB) on behalf of Senior Pastor. 249 TFCPC agrees that church/employer provided HealthCare insurance plan invoices shall be paid on a monthly basis directly to the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB/UMR Cigna Health Care Premier Health Plan or Comparable Plan)) on behalf of Senior Pastor. TFCPC agrees that Vacation Leave Pay for Senior Pastor shall be paid in advance on the Friday preceding the week that vacation leave commences by Direct Deposit into his personal checking account. TFCPC agrees that church/employer provided Worker’s Compensation Insurance plan invoices shall be paid on a monthly basis or as determined by Insurance provider.ARTICLE 7 ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS AND ASSURANCESTFCPC agrees that Mondays and Saturdays shall be Senior Pastor’s personal days off except in the case of funerals and weddings and other necessary church sponsored events and activities that require the presence of the Senior Pastor. During the transition period, on weeks beginning after1stand 3rd Sundays Senior Pastor’s regular office hours shall be 4:00 pm to 8:00 Page five: Twenty-First Century Progressive Church - Pastoral Services Agreement pm on Tuesdays, and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesdays shall be designated as Senior Pastor’s Spiritual Disciplines Day of Meditation, Prayer and Study; Thursdays shall be designated as Senior Pastor’s Pastoral Care and Counseling and Visitation Day; and Tuesdays and Fridays shall be designated as Senior Pastor’s Administrative Days. On weeks beginning after 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays Senior Pastor’s regular office hours shall be 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Tuesday through Friday. After the transition period, Senior Pastor’s regular office hours shall be 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Tuesday through Friday. TFCPC agrees to reimburse Senior Pastor for travel related expenses to include automobile rental, air, taxi and hotel room and board plus an honorarium inclusive of trips as necessary for Senior Pastor, as Pastor-Elect, to provide pastoral services for TFCPC prior to the official ministry starting date. TFCPC agrees to pay for moving costs to relocate Senior Pastor and his Family to Tennessee. TFCPC agrees to pay for temporary transitional housing relocation services through lease of a Three Bedroom, Two Bath Apartment and rental furniture including costs for any deposits, processing/administrative and parking fees and utilities for Senior Pastor, of his own choice, and at the church’s expense during the transition period. The transition period is anticipated to be between six to nine months in which case two residences would have to be maintained by Senior Pastor and his Family until his home is sold. This arrangement is necessary in order to achieve a smooth transition. In no case shall payments for temporary transitional housing relocation services provided by TFCPC extend beyond twelve months and not more than $2,500.00 per month.250 TFCPC agrees to provide and furnish Senior Pastor with new equipment to include: cell IPhone and IPad with associated monthly usage charges, personal computer, printer and Internet service at TFCPC’s expense for Senior Pastor to provide effective and efficient administration and Pastoral Care services for the church. TFCPC agrees to provide Church Administrative Costs for Senior Pastor to represent TFCPC by nature of his position as its Chief Officer, Official Spokesperson and representative at all approved local, district, state, and national meetings of conventions in which TFCPC has membership. Church Administrative costs shall be paid in advance of said meetings for Senior Pastor’s travel related expenses. A TFCPC credit, debit or charge Card shall be provided for Senior Pastor’s use for preapproved travel related expenses. Church administrative costs shall not be deemed compensation for Senior Pastor but as budgetary administrative and operational costs for TFCPC. TFCPC agrees to conduct a Service of Installation not more than three (3) months from the date of this Resolution for Senior Pastor to receive the blessings and personal gifts of his colleagues, friends, family, local, state and national ecclesiastical and denominational leadership and the Twenty-First Century Progressive Church Family, marking a new chapter and legacy of leadership and service by Senior Pastor and TFCPC to the Greater Anywhere community and beyond. Page six: Twenty-First Century Progressive Church - Pastoral Services AgreementTFCPC agrees that in keeping with Baptist Doctrine, Polity, and Practice, Regular Church Business Meetings shall be held annually for the election of officers and other business as deemed necessary by TFCPC and that Senior Pastor only shall, after consultation with the Principal Church Leadership Body: Deacon, Deaconess and Trustee Ministries; be authorized to call Special or Emergency Church Business Meetings. TFCPC agrees to sponsor an Annual Pastor Love Celebration event through and under the auspices of the Pastor’s Care Ministry to receive personal and individual gifts by members who desire to honor and show appreciation for Senior Pastor’s Leadership and Service. Any and all individual gifts shall be made payable to Senior Pastor.ARTICLE 8 TERMINATIONTFCPC agrees that this Pastoral Services Agreement may be terminated by TFCPC upon the approval of a two-thirds majority vote of active members in Good and Regular Standing of the TFCPC present in a duly called Church Business Meeting at which a quorum of all active members in Good and Regular Standing were present. The written notice of the duly called Church Business Meeting for the specific purpose to vote on the termination of this Pastoral Services Agreement must be mailed to active members in Good and Regular Standing via U.S. Postal Service by the Church Clerk and announced at least fifteen (15) days in advance by the Chairman of the Deacon Ministry during a regular Sunday morning worship service after a recommendation for the termination of this Pastoral Services Agreement has been approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the Principal Church Leadership Body: Deacon, Deaconess and Trustee Ministries. A recommendation for said termination of this Pastoral Services Agreement shall then be presented to the church as the Committee as a Whole for the final vote. The251 church’s decision shall be final. There shall be no proxy or absentee voting. In the event of said termination or resignation under pressure, Senior Pastor shall receive severance pay equal to four (4) month’s annual cash salary plus the remainder or balance of annual fringe benefits and annual allowances for professional business expenses. TFCPC agrees that this Pastoral Services Agreement may be renewed under such terms as the parties hereto may agree. TFCPC agrees that this Pastoral Services Agreement may be amended as desired by the mutual written agreement of the parties hereto. TFCPC agrees that this Pastoral Services Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all previous agreements, contracts, and understandings related to work to be performed and incorporate any and all relevant and applicable components of this Pastoral Services Agreement to any and all current or future Church By-Laws, by amendment, during the term of Senior Pastor’s pastoral leadership and service. There being no further business, this meeting was duly adjourned.Page Seven: Twenty-First Century Progressive Church - Pastoral Services AgreementCERTIFICATEI, ______, Clerk of Twenty-First Century Progressive Church, do hereby certify the above to be a true and correct copy of the Pastoral Services Agreement of Twenty-First Century Progressive Church which was duly passed at the Church Business Meeting had on the ______day of ______, 20____. This the _____ day of ______, 20____.______CHURCH CLERK SENIOR PASTOR AND TEACHER TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY PROGRESSIVE CHURCH CHURCH PROGRESSIVE252 ADDENDUM-A Pastoral Services Agreement Senior Pastor______Minister’s Estimated Housing Expenses – 20____HOUSING AND UTILITIES Year 2016 Home Mortgage $36,000.00 Electric 3,600.00 Gas 1,200.00 Water/Sewer/Garbage 1,200.00 Cable TV, Internet, Telephone 3,600.00 Alarm Company 600.00 Lawn Care 1,200.00 Households 1,200.00 Association dues 1,200.00 Pest Control Termite 200.00 SUB-TOTAL HOUSING EXPENSES $50,000.00253 ______ADDENDUM-B Pastoral Services Agreement Senior Pastor______MINISTER’S BEGINNING ANNUAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE Cash Salary------$87,500.00 (Includes Housing Allowance Designation of $50,000.00 plus Annual Automatic Cost of Living/Inflation Salary Adjustment equal to 2.3% as recommended by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics)Church/Employer Share Social Security/Medicare Tax Offset (7.65%) 6,695.00 (The offset is reported as income for Federal income tax and Social Security/Medicare tax purposes)TOTAL ANNUAL CASH SALARY $94,195.00______254 ADDENDUM-C Pastoral Services Agreement Senior Pastor______PROFESSIONAL EXPENSE ALLOWANCES FUND (P.E.A.F.) Automobile Allowance ($15,000.00)  Pastoral Apparel and Supplies Allowance ($2,500.00)  Books, Periodicals and Continuing Education Allowance ($2,500.00) (Under current law, Allowances of clergy professional business expenses under an accountable arrangement are not reported as income on Form W-2 or Form 40 (see IRS Publication 463 (2014)TOTAL ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL EXPENSE ALLOWANCES $20,000.00______255 ADDENDUM-D Pastoral Services Agreement Senior Pastor______CHURCH/EMPLOYER PROVIDED ANNUAL FRINGE BENEFITS Paid Vacation Leave  HealthCare Insurance Plan TBD  Worker’s Compensation Insurance TBD  Comprehensive Retirement Plan (10% of Cash Salary) 9,419.00TOTAL ANNUAL FRINGE BENEFITS $9,419.00256 QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS AND DIALOGUES Chapter seven: Do you feel that a newly elected Pastor and Teacher of a Twenty-first Century Church-in-the-Black-Experience should meet individually with all servant-leaders of the church to initiate the process of getting to know each other in terms of their character, competence, commitment and concerns; and to assess the spiritual gifts of all those whom God has called and placed in His vineyard to build-up the Body of Christ-His Church? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is yes, why do you feel this is a good administrative technique? ______If answer is no, why do you feel this is not a good administrative technique? ______Do you think it is wise for a newly elected Pastor and Teacher to establish a Leadership Advisory Council consisting of all Servant-Leaders in your church to establish policy, procedures and protocols for planning, implementing and evaluating ministries and program activities of the church; and to develop a strategic plan for the new vision and direction for the church under new pastoral leadership? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is yes, why do you feel this is a good administrative strategy? ______If answer is no, why do you feel this is not a good administrative strategy? ______Do you think that when addressing the context of change in the Twenty-first Century where many people are expressing the need for alternative ways and structures to share their faith and practice despite denominational affiliation, tradition, culture, ethnicity and racial background, do you feel that your church needs to develop a strategy to rethink and possibly “rebrand” herself in order to thrive in the midst of said change and attitudinal realties? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is no, why do you feel this way? ______If answer is yes, why do you feel this way? ______257 What does “New Wine for New Wineskins” mean to you when discussing the nature and character of the Twenty-first Century Church-in-the-Black-Experience? ______Do you feel that the Pastor and Teacher establishes the vision for the church he/she is called to serve and lead and should expect the congregation to accept and follow; or that the congregation determines the vision for its church and should expect the Pastor and Teacher to follow once called to lead and serve?Please explain citing biblical and theological teachings and precedents (not church tradition) ______When it comes to pastoral compensation and care, do you feel that full-time Pastors and Teachers should be paid a cash salary, provided a housing allowance designation, professional allowances and fringe benefits all commensurate with his/her education, training and experience that is comparable to other professionals with the same level of education, training and experience? ( ) yes ( ) noIf answer is no, why do you feel this way? ______If answer is yes, why do you feel this way? ______CHAPTER EIGHTA Ministry of Relevance: Ready4life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project For Boys and Young Men of Color258 PROJECT ABSTRACTThe Church-in-the-Black-Experience in particular and other faith-based and community- based organizations must be willing to expand their partnerships for integrated service delivery and evidence-based practice to mitigate risk factors in mentoring boys and young men of color in at-risk situations ages 6-24. Program goals are to improve youth’s educational and vocational skills that lead to a credential and provide skilled, trained workforce eligible youth to meet the needs of local employers, and by entering the workforce, stay on track and reach their full potential with sustained support through committed adult male mentors to help make their outcomes more positive and productive. Program Objectives are to recruit, screen, and train 240 program boys and young men of color ages 6-24 youth and match with trained and screened adult male mentors (80 for each year) with for a 12 month commitment. Program Activities will consist of individual one-on-one and group mentoring manhood and life skills training sessions; literacy and numeracy gains and adult basic education instruction to lead to a High SchoolEquivalency Test Development (HiSET) credential; occupational skills and job readiness training to earn a certified credential to enter the Workforce in the Construction Industry; financial literacy training; Out-patient Substance Abuse Education and Group Counseling; and therapeutic recreational activities. Program Outcomes are based upon evidenced-based findings and progress toward achieving goals should be measured through Online Data CollectionSystem, Case Management Documentation, Relation Quality Survey (RQI) and other instruments to assess the dynamics and success of program youth and mentee/mentor relationships.PROJECT DESCRIPTION259 Each participating organization proposes to use mentoring as an evidenced-based practice and reduction strategy to mitigate risk factors for boys and young men of color in at-risk situations ages 6 to 24 to include: Students who may reside in neighborhoods with high rates of crime and poverty and who may have low performance in school; Children in Foster Care,Children of Incarcerated Parents, Out-of-School Youth, and Incarcerated Youth to be released to target area. The Manhood Training and Mentoring Project’s primary focus is one-on-one relationship building between boys and young men of color in at-risk situations and adult male mentors of color. The one-on-one mentoring program is supplemented with manhood training, skills-building and service-learning activities; educational, vocational and financial literacy training experiences; and therapeutic recreational activities. Participating organizations will bring their program boys together with caring mature adult male mentors to develop a trusting relationship (developmental relationship), as well as being a “change agent” for youth(prescriptive relationship). Each participating organization should develop and/or maintain partnerships with a number of government agencies, faith and community-based organizations and stakeholders, and have demonstrated capacity and successful fulfillment of providing mentoring services and other support services to boys and young men of color in at-risk situations. As such, through local relationships with the State Department of Children andFamily Services; State Department of Corrections, Department or Office of JuvenileServices/Justice; Juvenile Court; State Police; State Health Department; Alcohol and DrugAbuse Center; Office of the Mayor of project target city and LWIA Office; City SchoolBoard/System; Sheriff’s Office; Offices of the Mayor of adjacent cities in the vicinity of project target area; area Community/Technical College; financial institution (local bank); and faith- based organizations. Organizations should have the capacity and ability to assess the needs of the260 mentor, mentee and caregivers and arrange, coordinate, monitor, evaluate, and advocate supportive systems in the community to provide needed services, resources, and opportunities to address the identified needs and to preserve the mentor/mentee match relationship. PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVESThe intent of Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and YoungMen of Color (R4LMTMP) is to help boys and young men of color facing tough odds stay on track and reach their full potential by seeking remedies through networks of local faith-based, community-based and government agencies to help make their outcomes more positive and productive. To that end, below are suggested program goals and objectives for the project. GOAL #ONE: (1) To increase the number of adult male mentors of color to be matched with boys and young men of color in at-risk situations who either attend low performing schools and live in and attend schools in neighborhoods with high rates of crime and poverty; have one or more parents in prison; or in foster care.OBJECTIVE (S): (1) Program staff should be hired, and all staff will attend Ready4Life Mentor Training.(2) Adult male mentors of Color should be recruited and will receive 4 hours of Ready4Life training prior to undertaking mentoring responsibilities.OUTCOME (S): (1) Ready4Life MTMP will expose program staff and 240 adult male mentors to Ready4LifeMentor Training that is culturally compatible and sensitive.(2) Staff and 240 adult male mentors of color should be recruited and equipped to provide mentoring services to youth in at-risk situations.METHOD OF EVALUATION:261 (1) Training attendance sign-in sheets.(2) Program feedback from adult male mentors and program youth (mentees).(3) Data regarding recruitment, training, and retention of adult male mentors of color.GOAL #TWO: (1) To increase mentoring services to boys and young men of color in at-risk situations ages6 to 24 who either attend low performing schools or live in and attend schools in neighborhoods with high rates of crime and poverty; have one or more parents in prison; in foster care; or Out-of-School. OBJECTIVE (S): (1) 240 unduplicated youth (80 in each of the three program years-i.e.), 240 boys and young men of color ages 6-24 in at-risk situations will receive mentoring through Ready4lifeMTMP over a three year period.OUTCOME (S): (1) Program youth (mentees) will receive one-on-one and group mentoring services supplemented by age-appropriate and culturally compatible skills-building and service learning opportunities in which mentor and mentee can participate with other pairs.METHOD OF EVALUATION: (1) Program information regarding mentee recruitment and retention.(2) Case Management documentation regarding program youth activities.GOAL #THREE: (1) To meet the target area’s anticipated need for adult male mentors for boys and young men of color in at-risk situations.OBJECTIVE (S): (1) 240 unduplicated boys and young men of color who reside in the Target city/Area and are in at-risk situations will receive mentoring and other support services through Ready4lifeMTMP over a three year period.262 OUTCOME (S): (1) Program boys and young men of color (mentees) should be matched with adult male mentors who will provide one-on-one mentoring activities.METHOD OF EVALUATION: (1) Data regarding matching of program boys and young men of color in at-risk situations.(2) Case Management Documentation regarding mentee activities.(3) Program feedback from adult male mentors and program boys and young men of color(mentees).(4) Pre and Post-program surveys.GOAL #FOUR: (1) To improve program boys ages 6-17 educational and skills development that lead toLiteracy and Numeracy Gains and subsequent graduation from High School.OBJECTIVE (S): (1) 240 unduplicated boys and young men of color who reside in the Target city/Area will receive educational services and instruction through Ready4life MTMP (80 in each year of the three year project).OUTCOME (S): (1) Program boys and young men of color (mentees) will develop an increased sense of personal worth through mentoring and improved school performance.METHOD OF EVALUATION:  80% of program boys and young men of color (mentees) matched with a mentor will remain in the program. 50% of program boys and young men of color (mentees) will attain 50% Literacy andNumeracy Gains.263  50% of program boys and young men of color (mentees) will show improved school performance, less incidents of truancy, crime and violence.  50% of program boys and young men of color (mentees) who are High School Seniors will successfully graduate.GOAL #FIVE: (1) To improve Out-of-School program young men of color (mentees) ages 6-24 vocational skills and development that lead to gainful employment in the Construction Industry.OBJECTIVE (S): (1) 75 of the 240 unduplicated young men of color (mentees) who reside in the Target city/Area will receive occupational skills and job readiness training through Ready4lifeMTMP (25 in each year of the three year project.OUTCOME (S): (1) Program young men of color (mentees) will successfully enter the Workforce to ensure positive outcomes to overcome the odds in trying to reach their potential to become productive and crime-free citizens.METHOD OF EVALUATION: (1) 50% of program young men of color (mentees) s will successfully complete occupational skills and job readiness training and enter the Workforce.(2) 50% of program young men of color (mentees) s who attain a job will remain employed for at least three months.79(3) 90% of program young men of color (mentees) s will refrain from engagement in gangs and criminal activity.ESTABLISH THE NEED FOR YOUR PROJECT79 Fletcher, Renata Cobbs, Public/Private Ventures under a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. November 2007. “Mentoring Ex-prisoners: A Guide for Prisoner Reentry Programs” www.doleta.gov/PRI/PDF/Mentoring_Ex_Prisoners_A_Guide.pdf264 (Sample Case: e.g., East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana)Need for Proposed Project According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 1.7 million minors (children under the age of 18) had a parent incarcerated in a state or federal prison at mid-year 2009.TheLouisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (LDPS&C), whose headquarters is located in Baton Rouge, has oversight of 12 correctional facilities. According to the LDPS&CDemographic Profiles of the Adult Correctional Population, as of December 31, 2012 there were40,170 people incarcerated in Louisiana: 18,599 under the supervision of state facilities (47%), and 24,571 under the supervision of local jails (“called parish prisons”-45%), and 3,529 are inTransitional Work Program (8.8%). The percentage of prisoners in Transitional Work Program who’s Parish of Conviction (POC) is East Baton Rouge is 7.1% or 251 prisoners.80 LDPS&C 2010 records indicated that 1,184 prisoners were released to East Baton Rouge Parish.Unfortunately, the report also showed that the recidivism rate for those same prisoners released to East Baton Rouge Parish was 46.92% with 556 returning to incarceration81.Human Rights Watch reported that in Louisiana, African Americans are incarcerated at nearly 6 times (2,460 per 100,000 versus 424 per 100,000) the rate of whites; and Hispanics are incarcerated at 4 times (1,736 per 100,000 versus 424 per 100,000) the rate of whites.82OfLouisiana adult correctional total population of 39,709 (2011), 69.1% are African-American;30.5% are White; and 0.4% is other. Of the male population, 70.3% are African-American males and 29.2% are white males. Of the female population, 50.2% are African-American females and49.5% are white females. Also, the LDPS&C participants in local custody are 66.9% African-80Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Fact Sheet, Pages 37, 38, December, 31, 2012. http://www.doc.la.gov/wp-content/uploads/stats/2d.pdf.81www.corrections.state.la , Offender Statistics: “Regional Maps with DOC and General Population Information”82Human Rights Watch265 American, 33% are white, and .1% are other; and 94% of LDPS&C participants in local custody are males.83While data for the number of children of prisoners are not specifically tracked, information from Angel Tree, a benevolent and evangelistic outreach coordinated by PrisonFellowship Ministries, suggests that there are at least 4,000 children of prisoners in the state. The organization reports that parents of 4,000 children signed up for Angel Tree services for their children.84 Yet this number is likely significantly less than the actual number of children affected by having at least one parent in prison. It is merely a reflection of the number of parents who were made aware of Angel Tree and took advantage of services.The Louisiana Department of Corrections/Youth Services/Office of Juvenile Justice(OJJ), whose headquarters is located in Baton Rouge, has oversight of 3 Secure Care Facilities.Data from the OJJ indicate that as of January 1, 2011, there were a total of 4,142 IncarceratedYouth under its supervision: 496 in Secure Care Facilities, 425 in Non-Secure (Group Homes),2,880 under probation and 168 under parole supervision with 173 in other or pending status. Of these Incarcerated Youth 79.8% are black, 18.3% are white, and 0.1% is of other races. The population is predominately male, 93.5% compared to 0.065% female. Age demographics for combined categories reflect: 137 ages 13; 1,558 ages 13-15; 2,016 ages 16-17; and 258 ages 18-20. Recidivism is one of the many outcome measures that determine the juvenile system’s effectiveness in rehabilitating youths. Although there are numerous contributing factors that may influence a juvenile to re-offend, the recidivism rate is one of the primary tools used in measuring the success of the programs within the juvenile justice system. The OJJ reported that83 Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Briefing Book, http://www.doc.la.gov/wp- content/uploads/stats/complete_book_%202012.pdf.84 Chandler, D. Children of Inmates Receive Christmas Hope. (December 22, 2009). Baptist Press. Available online at http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=31937&ref=BRNews-RSSFeed1222.266 for Non-Secure Incarcerated Youth, 15% recidivated after 1 year, 24.2% after 2 years, and30.7% after 3 years in fiscal year 2006-2007 (2008, 2009 N/A); Secure Incarcerated Youth showed 19.8% after year 1, 32.4% after year 2, and 42.3% after year 3; totals showed the rate at15.3% after year 1, 24.8% after year 2, and 31.5% after year 3 with 3,242 discharges85.According to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS),Governor Bobby Jindal proclaimed the month of May, 2013, as Foster Care Awareness Month, highlighting that the Department of Family and Children Services is focusing its efforts on recruiting new foster families. The effort is part of the Faith in Families initiative, which seeks to identify and encourage potential foster families and promote adoption of foster children. As ofApril 30, 2013, 1,944 foster homes in Louisiana were serving 4,002 foster children. At year’s end 4,277 foster children were served. During state fiscal year 2012, (DCFS) served more than7,500 children in foster care.86According to the 2011 City of Baton Rouge-Parish of East Baton Rouge WorkforceInvestment Area 24 Office Annual Report to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, for YouthCommon Measures it is cited that for the second year in a row, the state exceeded all of the three youth common measures being Attainment of a Degree or Certificate, Placement in Employment or Education, and the Literacy and Numeracy Gains. Louisiana requires that at least 50 percent of all youth participants served under WIA be out-of-school youth. IN PY 2011, approximately70 percent of the 2,896 (or 2,027) youth participants served were out-of-school youth. Over the last two program years the State has placed priority and focus on the WIA Youth program to ensure that program service delivery is in alignment with the National Youth Strategic Vision85 LA Office of Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Justice Implementation Commission Report, October 28, 2010, Dr. Mary Livers, Deputy Secretary86 Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Website, Accessed February11, 2014, http://www.dss.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=545267 placing emphasis on servicing out-of-school and at-risk youth through the workforce investment system. Clearly there is a need for assistance to help provide services to the nearly 3,000 out-of- school youth in East Baton Rouge Parish alone and help them meet WIA program goals which the sponsoring organization has incorporated into its program structure. That is, placement in education or employment; attainment of degree or certificate; and literacy and numeracy gains.Like children of incarcerated parents, and other youth in at-risk situations, all face a myriad of challenges to include: damaged self-esteemed; cognitive difficulties; emotional problems, such as anxiety, anger, sadness, and emotional withdrawal; mental health issues, including depression and eating and sWilliamping disorders; behavioral problems such as physical aggression; educational difficulties, including truancy and diminished academic performance; increased likelihood of involvement in the juvenile and criminal justice systems; and trauma, i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of witnessing the parent’s arrest and incarceration.87This is particularly true in Louisiana where youth of color, particularly those in at-risk situations, face intense poverty and are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the BP Oil spill crisis.Given the context of risk factors for boys and young men of color in at-risk situations and the overrepresentation of people of color within this population residing in Louisiana, the sponsoring organization will target boys and men particularly of color ages 6-24, and who reside with custodians in East Baton Rouge Parish. Youth should be children who attend charter, public elementary, middle and High School and reside in communities with high crime rates in EastBaton Rouge Parish; children in foster care under the authority of LDCFS; and children of incarcerated parents and out-of-school youth identified by the EBR Parish Workforce Investment87 National Crime Prevention Council, People of Faith Mentoring Children of Promise: A Model Partnership Based on Service and Community. (2004). Washington, DC: Author.268 Area 21 Office (WIA), and referred through integrated service relationships through government agencies, East Baton Rouge Parish Schools, community, and faith-based organizational partners.The Ready4life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color(R4LMTMP) can easily be replicated in most urban communities where large populations of people of color exist with a diverse cadre of young people of color whose outcomes are similar given the context of risk factors.Accessibility of ServicesTo address the need for mentoring services in Greater Baton Rouge, traditionally characterized as South Louisiana, the sponsoring organization will implement the services outlined in this proposal. Program services will largely benefit boys and young men of color who live in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Numbers of Eligible Boys and Young Men of Color In At-Risk Situations in AreaUsing 2008 national figures to extrapolate – i.e., 809,800 of the approximately 1.5 million prisoners are parents –it is reasonable to assert that at least 24,452 Louisiana prisoners are parents. This is calculated with the understanding that approximately 54% (809,800 of 1.5 million) of the nation’s prisoners are parents and that half (46%) of children with parents in prison had a black father.88 If LDPS&C has 39,726 prisoners, and 54% of these persons are parents, it is reasonable to assert that at least 24,452 Louisiana prisoners have children. Mid-year2009 national figures would show1.7 million prisoners and those under custody of LDPS&C at40,170 with 54% of those reflected to assert that at least 24,692Louisiana prisoners have children.8988 Glaze, L.E., & Mazuschak, L.M. Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children (NCJ 222984). (August 2008). Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. Available online at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pptmc.pdf.89www.corrections.state.la , Offender Statistics: “Regional Maps with DOC and General Population Information”269 According to the OJJ data previously cited above, to include 4,142 Incarcerated Youth under OJJ supervision to include Secure Care Facilities, Non-Secure Care Facilities,Jail/Detention Centers, Probation and Parole; and 3,413 discharged in fiscal year 2008 2009, it is reasonable to assert that there are over 4,000 eligible Incarcerated Youth in the LouisianaJuvenile Justice System.90Numbers of Incarcerated Youth of all ages relative to the total population of the geographical area are 1,231 Incarcerated Youth to 802,484 residents up from705,973 in 2000 (or 1 youth offender for every 652 citizens).91 Also in section 1.2 WIA reported to have served 2,896 out-of-school youth in its 2011 Annual Report which was the latest report made available. RESULTS AND BENEFITS EXPECTEDNumbers of Boys and Young Men of Color ServedThe Ready4life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and Young Men ofColor (R4LMTMP) will serve a total of 240 boys and young men of color in at-risk situations ages 6-24; through its program services over a three year period. 80 mentees should be served each year. Each sponsoring organization expects that all matches should be sustained for a period of not less than 12 months.Relationship between Activities and OutcomesEach activity of the R4LMTMP is designed to meet the unique needs of the youth served and achieve stated goals and objectives. The R4LMTMP focuses on providing a structured mentoring relationship that shares and builds upon ethnic identity; offers structured activities that90 Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections/Youth Services/Office of Juvenile Justice, Demographic Profiles of the Youth Population, January 1, 2011, Dr. Mary Livers, Deputy Director91 “2010 Census Redistricting Data-Louisiana” United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?270 works toward reducing generational incarceration which is an issue that is prevalent for people of color; and equips program youth who qualify with educational and vocational credentials for those to build self-respect and provide income to support themselves and their families which results in lifestyle changes that reduce recidivism and lead to positive engagement in the community. Program Outcomes are based upon evidenced-based findings and evaluation. For example, early findings of the USDOL Ready4Work Reentry Program showed that mentoring can have real benefits in strengthening outcomes in the context of a multifaceted reentry program. The R4LMTMP program outcomes will show that 80% of program boys and young men of color in at-risk situations matched with a mentor will remain in the program; 50% of program boys and young men of color (mentees) will attain 50% Literacy and Numeracy Gains;50% who are High School students will successfully graduate; 50% who are Out-of-SchoolYouth will successfully complete the occupational skills and job readiness training and those who enter the workforce and attain a job will remain employed for at least 3 months;92 and 90% will not engage in criminal activity and/or recidivate within one year after completion of the project.93Data Collection and UseEach sponsoring organization must be dedicated to ensuring that its programs are effective in reaching their desired outcomes and understands it must evaluate program outcomes on a regular basis. It should utilize Online Data Collection (OLDC) Instruments and RelationshipQuality Survey Instruments (RQI) in its mentoring programs to facilitate grantee reporting on the92 Fletcher, Renata Cobbs Public/Private Ventures under a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. November 2007. “Mentoring Ex-prisoners: A Guide for Prisoner Reentry Programs” www.doleta.gov/PRI/PDF/Mentoring_Ex_Prisoners_A_Guide.pdf93Bauldry, Shawn and Wendy McClanahan. September 2008. “Ready4Work: Final Research Report,” US Department of Labor, Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures. Submitted to the Department of Labor: Washington, DC.271 number and quality of mentoring relationships. Data collection efforts will utilize all necessary and available instruments. Other methods of evaluation should include pre and post program surveys; training attendance logs; program feedback from program youth and adult male mentors; data regarding recruitment, training, and retention of adult male mentors of color; case management documentation regarding program youth activities; literacy and numeracy gains documentation; education and training grades and assessments; and data regarding matching of program youth.APPROACHServices ProvidedCongruent with key elements of the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, the overarching goal of the Ready4life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys andYoung Men of Color (R4LMTMP) is to achieve a close bond between the mentor and program boys and young men of color (mentee), resulting in a trusting relationship between the two.Ultimately the mentor will serve as an advisor and role model for the program youth, offering guidance on social, academic, career, and employment choices, as well as character building and healthy choices related to their bodies, behaviors, and interactions. Integral to the success of the mentoring relationship will be the mentor’s ability to engage the program youth in dialogue regarding the various issues that may serve as barriers to PYD. Accordingly, the topic is addressed as part of mentor training, as explained below.Duration and FrequencyThe duration and consistency of the mentoring relationship is vital to the success of the mentoring relationship because relationship building and bonding occur over time. Research suggests that mentoring relationships are most effective when they exist for at least a year, with272 meetings of at least one hour per week.94 With this best practice in mind, R4LMTMP will ask that recruited adult male mentors commit to at least one year of mentoring at four hours per month (preferably one hour per week).Outreach PlanProgram boys and young men of color (mentee) will be referred by community partners working with the target population, to include the State Department of Children and FamilyServices; State Department of Corrections; State Office of Juvenile Justice; Office of the Mayor-Workforce Investment Area Office; City School System; and other faith-based organizations.Once referred, each program boy and young man of color will be evaluated using a comprehensive needs assessment tool to determine the best mentor fit. The tool will be used in assessment of many crucial variables in the program youth’s life to include skill levels and aptitudes, family factors, behavioral disabilities, and other areas that could be enhanced by a mentor.Each recruited program youth is required to sign a R4LMTMP Agreement and additional contract indicating his willingness to accept mentoring and other program services and participate in self-reporting and assessment. Specifically, the contract indicates that the program youth will: follow all rules and guidelines in the program boys and young men of color (mentee) interview, to include project policies; have a positive attitude and be respectful of his mentor; make a one year commitment to be matched with his mentor; engage in four hours of one-on-one mentoring and four hours of monthly Group Mentoring activities that include manhood training, service-learning, skills-building, leadership development, and counseling per month; periodically invite his parent (s) or caregiver to participate in mentoring sessions; ensure his parent (s) or94 Tierney, J.P., Grossman, J.B., & Research, N.L. Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. (2000). Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures.273 caregiver is aware of all dates and times that he will participate in mentoring sessions and activities; inform his social worker or other authorized program official (if applicable) of any difficulties, areas of concern, or anything he considers to be inappropriate about his mentoring session; refrain from soliciting monies or gifts from his mentor; and appropriately respect his mentor’s privacy and not share the mentor’s telephone number or other sensitive information with anyone without the consent of the mentor.Once the mentor and mentee screening and assessment processes are completed, the SiteConsultant/Project Director will provide a final review of all applications of adult male mentors who have qualified based upon screening procedures and proceed with categorizing applications of both adult male mentors and program youth, placing the greatest weight upon referred program youth preferences and needs. In reviewing the applications, the mentoring review team– to include the Site Consultant/ Project Director, Mentor Coordinator, Mentee Coordinator, andCase Manager/Social Worker –will consider the following common criteria: gender/ethnicity compatibilities, common interests, geographic proximity, specific site requests made by the mentor, and age of program youth versus attributes of mentor (per application). During the matching meeting, the team will ensure that the file of each program youth and mentor has a match worksheet that will be used in advance of and in conjunction with the match meeting.Once a potential match is identified and prior to contacting any of the prospective participants, the Site Consultant/Project Director will review the files of the potential mentor and program youth to ensure all screening procedures have been completed and both have met eligible criteria. Without identifying the name of the prospective program youth, the SiteConsultant/Project Director will contact the potential mentor to provide attributes of the program youth to determine if there is interest by the mentor. Given initial interest by the mentor, the Site274 Consultant/Project Director will complete and send a standard letter to the program youth’s parent (s) or caregiver notifying him/her that a potential match has been made and providing basic attributes (i.e., age, gender, interests, and availability). R4LMTMP promotional materials will be sent to all adult male mentors and caregivers.Once the match has been made, the Site Consultant/Project Director will facilitate a time for the mentor, program youth (mentee), and parent/caregiver to meet for the first time. To accommodate mentee needs, the initial meeting between the mentor and program youth will be scheduled between Monday and Friday at the program site. The initial meeting is not expected to exceed one hour. The Site Consultant/Project Director will notify the program youth of the time of the introductory meeting through the appropriate authority in the program youth’s life and will ensure that all appropriate authorizations for program youth participation are in place. If the mentor and mentee mutually agree to move forward with the match following the introductory meeting, the mentor and mentee will exchange contact information so that mentoring can begin.Appropriate notations will be made on the mentor and mentee match worksheets and will be signed by participating parties. Copies will be available to both the mentor and mentee.Mentee Referral, Comprehensive Assessment Services, And TrainingThe Project Community Organizational Partners will refer boys and young men of color residing in the program target city/area based upon comprehensive assessment for youth needs, to include skill levels and aptitudes, family factors, behavioral disabilities, substance abuse and mental disorders, and other areas that could be enhanced by a mentor, that are consistent and compatible with the goals and objectives of the R4LMTMP. Once referred, project staff will conduct program orientation sessions at the designated community program site and initiate the mentor/mentee match process and pre-release program services for project returning youth.275 These will include in addition to comprehensive assessment: program orientation, mentee interview, mentee training and one-on-one mentoring to begin with a corrections facility-based match ceremony conducted by qualified staff. Mentor ReferralMentor recruitment, screening, training and matching procedures will continue to adhere to evidence-based standards of effective mentoring that has been used in effective mentoring programs such as Reclamation and Restoration Ministries, Inc. Ready4Life Work Program forOut-of-School Youth; Project Village Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program in partnership with the National Alliance of Faith and Justice and the Prison Ministry and Criminal JusticeCommission of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; and Ready4Life YouthEmpowerment Mentoring Program for Baker Louisiana Middle and High School students which included students who have a parent in prison. Mentor Recruitment (See Appendix-II for Detailed Mentor/Mentee Recruitment Marketing Plan)Mentor recruitment will be the primary responsibility of the Mentor Coordinator who will engage faith-based and community groups and program collaborators and organizational partners in mentor recruiting efforts. 100 adult male mentors should be recruited for each of the three twelve month program funding years (300 in total) who volunteer their time to provide one-on- one mentoring services four hours per month for a twelve month commitment. Additional mentor recruitment beyond the participating local churches, if necessary, will engage fraternities, civic, social, other faith-based and community groups and other community stakeholders in mentor recruiting efforts. Mentor recruitment should continue throughout the duration of the program to meet attrition needs.Mentor Screening and Mentee Safety276 The screening of potential adult male mentors will be conducted using an extensive screening process to include a background investigation, in-person interview, and a questionnaire aimed at maximizing mentor/mentee compatibility. R4LMTMP should utilize the parish or county Sheriff’s Office to provide fingerprinting services, and the State Police to conduct the background checks for potential adult male mentors. Mentor TrainingOnce recruited, adult male mentors will receive two hours of initial training by theR4LMTMP Site Consultant/Project Director and Mentor Coordinator in accordance with evidenced-based training curriculum. These tools should include: To Serve This Present Age:Reentering by Faith DVD provided by the Reentry National Media Outreach Campaign; and the training module Mentoring Children of Prisoners that addresses the needs of some of your program youth provided by Mid-Atlantic Network of Youth and Family Services (M.A.N.Y.), and US DOL/ETA. Supplemental training materials are offered by the Townsend Press ofSunday School Publishing Board (including this author’s four previous books on crime prevention, prison ministry and criminal justice); and the National Alliance of Faith and Justice(NAFJ) should also be utilized. Training will incorporate the use of specialized materials and film to help adult male mentors enhance their knowledge of disproportionate minority contact(DMC) and the unique challenges encountered by returning youth, as well as to develop and improve interpersonal communication and listening skills to enhance their effectiveness as adult male mentors. Training will integrate the positive development approach to mentoring, with a focus on increased opportunities and avenues for positive use of time, increased opportunities for positive self-expression, and increased opportunities for youth participation and civic engagement. Required training topics include the Impact of Incarceration and the Role of Adult277 male mentors; Profile of Incarcerated Youth and Overview of the Criminal Justice System;Governing Policies and Procedures for Working with Incarcerated Youth confined by the stateDepartment of corrections and the Office of Juvenile Justice or your state’s equivalency; Trust and Relationship Building; Safety Issues; and other important program guidelines to include:Gifts and Money, Expected and Unacceptable Behaviors, Matching Process and Match Closure.A critical component of successful mentoring is cultural competence and, accordingly, topics related to this issue are explored extensively in mentor training. Topics addressed include: understanding minority youth development; how socioeconomic status, family structure, and community context influence boys and young men of color; diversity, tolerance, and promoting cultural awareness and understanding in programming; and promoting ethnic identity in boys and young men of color. Additional topics explored include: mentoring children exposed to violence, abuse, or neglect; understanding youth coping mechanisms; fostering healthy relationships; and mentoring children experiencing grief and loss.MatchingOnce approved, adult male mentors will be matched with youth in a community match ceremony for boys and young men of color in at-risk situations and will commit to at least 12 months of one-on-one and group mentoring services. Each mentee is required to sign aR4LMTMP Agreement indicating his/her willingness to accept mentoring services and participate in self-reporting and assessment. Once the mentor and mentee screening and assessment processes are complete, the Site Consultant/Project Director, Mentor Coordinator,Mentee Coordinator, Case Manager/Social Worker and other staff will conduct a final review of all applications of adult male mentors who have qualified based upon screening procedures and proceed with categorizing applications of both adult male mentors and mentee, placing the278 greatest weight upon referred mentee preferences and needs. In reviewing the applications, the mentoring review team will consider the following common criteria: gender/ethnicity compatibilities, common interests, geographic proximity, specific site requests made by the mentor, and age of the mentee versus attributes of the mentor (per application). Once the match has been made, the Site Consultant/Project Director will facilitate a time for the mentor and mentee to meet for the first time. If the mentor and mentee mutually agree to move forward with the match following the introductory meeting, the mentor and mentee will exchange contact information so that mentoring can begin. Once matched in a community ceremony, each mentor and mentee will attend at least two in service training sessions during the course of the year. Attendance at each session will be noted and dated on their file log sheet. Content for the sessions will be based upon theR4LMTMP program guidelines and on feedback provided by adult male mentors and program youth (mentees). Topics may include themes such as communication strategies, understanding high risk behaviors to include alcohol and drug abuse and tobacco smoke, goal setting, educational topics, and community referral services.Manhood Training, Job Readiness, Financial Literacy, Life Skills Training and Service Learning OpportunitiesMonthly group mentoring training sessions and activities held at each participatingR4LMTMP site will translate into family support and opportunities for boys and young men of color and their families and adult male mentors to share quality time in a variety of constructive ways. The evidenced-based Literacy, Education, Skill-based and Relationship Building, andLeadership and Service Learning Opportunities Curriculum entitled: PEN OR PENCIL will be279 procured and utilized by mentee during the Monthly Group Mentoring Activities for theR4LMTMP.95Manhood Training will focus on topics to include: Rites of Passage; Rediscovering theArchetypes of the Mature Masculine; Conflict Resolution and Management; Moral andLeadership Development and Community Service; presentations by “Ritual Elders” as Mentors on Rediscovering the Ritual of Work; and Crime, Violence, and Gang Prevention strategies.Also, Life Skills, Job Readiness and Employability Training will be primary foci that will include resume preparation, interviewing skills, and financial literacy. Financial LiteracySeminars will be conducted the participating R4LMTMP site by a Financial Officer from the local financial banking institution partner to train R4LMTMP program mentees in matters of financial responsibility utilizing the F.D.I.C. Money Smart Curriculum with modules geared to children, teenagers and young adults to include topics such as: Career and Job Opportunities;Introduction to Taxes; Financial Goals; Smart Shopping; Cash Flow and Budgeting; TheImportance of Saving; Saving Options; Investing Options; Credit and Debt; Protecting YourIdentity; Financial Risk; and Personal Financial Choices. Education and Training Interventions That Lead to a CredentialBasic math, reading, language arts, and writing skills will be taught and pre-tests and test- taking will be conducted by program contractors at the program site to prepare program boys(ages 6-17) who may have a low performance in school to successfully attain Numeracy and95The National Alliance of Faith and Justice PEN OR PENCIL™ approach has been institutionalized through many credible sources. It has been cited as a promising model Tools for Promoting Educational Success and Reducing Delinquency by the National Disabilities Rights Network and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. It has been endorsed by the National Council for Social Studies and the American Friends Service Committee. It offers a culturally competent experiential learning-mentoring approach for adults and youth. Addie Richburg serves as the President of the National Alliance of Faith and Justice with headquarters in Washington, D.C. and has given outstanding leadership in the area of mentoring services to children in at-risk situations.280 Literacy Gains; Out-of-School Youth (ages 6-24) to successfully pass the tests of Adult BasicEducation/General Education Development (A.B.E./G.E.D.); and for High School students to earn a Diploma creating paths to higher education, better job opportunities, and a better future.Tours of college campuses will be arranged for youth who are interested in post secondary educational pursuits. Suggested times for these interventions are Mondays, Tuesdays andThursdays from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Occupational Skills and Job Readiness Training Interventions that Lead to a CredentialConstruction Industry organizations such as the Pelican Chapter of the NationalAssociated Builders and Contractors, Inc. and/or Area Technical/Community College should recruited as a partner to provide occupational skills and job readiness training through StructuredTraining Arrangements during a Block Session, particularly and exclusively for R4LMTMP participants, preferably, January – May, in each of the three year program periods for yourR4LMTMP which are serving young men ages 6-24. R4LMTMP program participants will receive 87.5 clock hours of training in the National Center for Construction, Education andResearch (NCCER) Construction Craft Laborer curriculum. Training will be comprised of basic safety, construction math, hand tools, power tools, blueprint reading, basic rigging, Introduction to materials handling and Introduction to construction drawings. Upon completion students will have the knowledge, skills and abilities to enter the workforce as a construction helper. With nationally accredited curricula developed for the construction industry, programs such as theABC Pelican Chapter in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, trains hundreds of men and women in industry related specialties to meet and exceed the most exacting standards in the country. ABC trained workers tend to receive higher wages, experience more job satisfaction and greater job retention.281 The suggested times for these interventions to be taught are Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Supportive Services and Case Management ServicesThe Case Manager/Social Worker will provide direct case management services each month for program youth and make applicable referrals to other project partner organizations necessary for participants to successfully complete the program youths’ goals. The CaseManager/Social Worker will track all program youth (mentees) outcomes at each step to ensure the completion of program goals. Initial individual Mentee/Case Manager Meetings and assessment will be scheduled during the first quarter of each 12 month program year and completed by the end of the first quarter. Group Mentoring and Manhood Training sessions will begin each second quarter. Incumbent’s follow-up services will involve developing and maintaining contact with program boys and young men of color and their families through regular phone calls and scheduled home visits, if necessary. Tracking of program participants will be for 12 months after completion of the program.Supportive Services and Out Patient Substance Abuse ServicesAn area Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center agency should be recruited as an organizational partner to provide a Licensed or Certified Addictions Counselor to provide one hour SubstanceAbuse Education and Prevention Group Counseling Sessions utilizing Evidenced-basedPrevention Curriculum modules for R4LMTMP three separate groups of program participants ages 6-12, 13-17, and 6-24. The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center agency will also provide In-Kind Screening Services for one time screening of 240 R4LMTMP program youth to determine any indicators for substance abuse treatment. 282 Flow of ServicesFlow of Community-based support services and service components for program youth consist of Mentee Interview; Program Orientation and Training; Community-based CeremonyMatching Mentee with Mentor; One-On-One individual Mentoring; and Group Mentoring to include: Manhood Training, Specialized training enhanced by Literacy, Skills-based,Relationship Building, and Service Learning Opportunities; Education and Training that leads toA.B.E./G.E.D Credential, Literacy and Numeracy Gains and/or High School diploma; andOccupational skills and job readiness training that leads to a credential and employment opportunities. Also, Family Preservation Assistance through State Department of Children andFamily Services (if applicable); Substance Abuse Screening and Counseling; Financial LiteracySeminars from partner banking institution; Case Management; Evaluation; and one year Follow- up Services after completion of the program.Coordination of Other Entities And EvaluationParticipating and or sponsoring organizations of a R4LMTMP may have longstanding relationships with community-based and faith-based organizations and, as a result of its ties in the community, can and should secure formal and informal cooperative arrangements(Memorandum of Agreements-MOAs) that ensure the cooperation of community partners in carrying out efforts to serve target populations. Among the topics, the cooperative agreements define supported services, eligibility requirements, the referral process, and responsibilities of each partner. The Planning, Evaluation, and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) which is comprised of representatives from Organizational Partners will provide general oversight of the project and assist with the evaluation process. In addition to utilizing all other data collection tools, a Monthly Desk Audit prepared by project staff will be reviewed and evaluated based283 upon: (1) General Status; (2) Public Relations; (3) Program Services; (4) DataCollection/Research/Recidivism; (5) Advisory Coalition/Collaboration and Referral; (6)Volunteers; (7) Sustainability; and (8) Human Resources.For the successful continuation of the R4LMTMP, the P.E.A.C.E. and participating faith- based and community-based and other organizational partners, having created a sense of ownership and commitment to serving boys and young men of color in at-risk situations, will ensure that sustainability will be maintained through collaborative fundraising and fund development efforts along with the on-going work of your organization’s authorizing entity and other community stakeholders.STAFF AND POSITION DATAOrganizational Structure for Project PositionsEach sponsoring organization should include an organizational flowchart to show positions and lines of authority and cooperation designed to implement and provide general and executive oversight of the Ready4life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys andYoung Men of Color (R4LMTMP).Staffing Plan for ProjectEach sponsoring organization should include the names of each staff person and a brief statement of their qualifications to carry out the duties of the position to which each is assigned.A complete biographical sketch along with a recent resume from each person should be kept in each candidates file. Complete job descriptions and responsibilities are included in the Appendix below.284 Competent, caring and committed persons should be recruited to serve as staff persons for the R4LMTMP. These positions include: the Site Consultant/Project Director to serve as theSingle Point of Contact for the R4LMTMP; a Mentor Coordinator to ensure that adult male mentors are recruited, screened, trained and successfully matched with program youth/mentees to satisfactorily complete the program goals and objectives; a Mentee Coordinator to serve the mentee target population to ensure that mentees are recruited, screened, trained and successfully matched with adult male mentors to satisfactorily complete the program and mentee goals and objectives; a Social Worker/Family Preservation Specialist to serve as the Case Manager/SocialWorker; an Education/Training Intervention Coordinator I and Group Mentoring Facilitator to provide Language Arts/Literacy instruction for program participants to assist with the attainment of the A.B.E./G.E.D Credential; an Education/Training Intervention Coordinator II to provideMathematics/Numeracy instruction for program participants to assist with the attainment of theA.B.E./G.E.D. Credential; an Administrative Assistant/Training Coordinator tasked with supporting day-to-day operational tasks; a Transportation coordinator/Driver to provide transportation services for program youth to attend scheduled training and program activities and events; a Security Specialist (sworn police officer) to maintain the security of facilities and grounds of R4LMTMP program operational sites, maintain traffic and parking control and responds to various emergencies and problems that may impact the successful operation of theR4LMTMP; and a Hospitality Coordinator to prepare and serve specified meals/snacks during the daily afternoon program preparatory period for program youth and during monthlyP.E.A.C.E. lunch meetings comprised of representatives from R4LMTMP organizational partners.Background Checks285 Each sponsoring organization should understand that mentees will come in contact with a number of adults associated with your R4LMTMP and its community partners. It is imperative that staff be adequately screened before commencing employment so that youth participants that are served are protected. Thus as a condition of employment, R4LMTMP applicants - includingAdult male mentors – are subjected to comprehensive background checks that include completion of the application, a personal interview, personal and professional reference checks, and criminal background checks. Checks of child abuse and sexual offender registries and motor vehicle records are also used.Staff TrainingTo ensure a mutual understanding of the R4LMTMP, program staff must undergo the same training as adult male mentors. As described in section above, those trained receive an overview of the program, information regarding the unique needs of boys and young men of color in at-risk situations, positive youth development approaches and outcomes, and cultural competency training. ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILEOrganizational Capacity and Experience with Boys and Young Men of Color in At-risk SituationsEach sponsoring organization should ensure that it has the capacity to develop, implement and sustain a Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys andYoung Men of Color. A purpose and or mission statement to include when, where, and how organized, along with a Vision Statement, should be included with your program development. It should also include the legal entity along with its officers and members that have full powers to manage and operate your organization that will sponsor the R4LMTMP. Experience working with and serving youth populations in at-risk situations in special programs and projects and any286 funding sources and amounts, along with past and current organizational partners, should also be included in your organizational profile. The Twenty-first Century Church-in-the-Black Experience in particular, and all others in general, are being called into question today regarding the efficacy and relevancy of her mission and ministry by many persons seeking real change in their lives and communities. There’s a deep seated need to once again experience the “nearness” , “nowness” and “newness” of God through a religious experience that touches the very fabric of people’s day-to-day lives and not limited to just a Sunday morning experience of ecstatic celebration of praise and worship. The church is judged by not how high we jump, but how we live when we come down from our mountains of majestic and meaningful worship of a God- a Christ of power. It’s a call, if you will for the church—particularly in the Black Experience, to be more than a veneer of religiosity but must spring forth, as the deer panteth after the water brooks, with new life and vitality and ministries that address the needs of the underprivileged, underserved, and underclass. A ministry to boys and young men of color as presented here, that addresses the genocidal and disenfranchisement notions associated with the disproportionate disparities among boys and young men of color as it relates to mass incarceration, access to quality education, economic prosperity, and a better quality of life, can provide some remedies to the plight and character of the future of many families and communities of color which are depended upon the visionary, bold, competent, committed, caring, and compassionate servant-leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ. Otherwise, the beat goes on!287 Boys are students, men are teachers. Boys are consumers, men are producers. Boys play with toys, men work with tools. Boys break things, men make things. Boys ask questions, men give answers. Boys are disruptive, men bring order. Boys run in gangs, men organize teams. Boys play house, men build homes. Boys shack up, men get married. Boys make babies, men raise children. A boy won’t raise his own children; A man will raise his and somebody else’s. Boys invent excuses for failure, Men produce strategies for success. Boys look for somebody to take care of them; Men look for somebody to take care of. Boys are present-centered, men are time-balanced. Boys seek popularity, Men demand respect. Boys are up on the latest, 288 Men are down with the greatest. Men have knowledge of the past, understanding of the present and a vision for the future.96APPENDIX – I JOB DESCRIPTIONSJob Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Site Consultant/Project Director Reports to Organization’s Governing Body Name Salary: Type of position:Full-timePart-time96 Excerpt from a sermon by Reverend Clarence Lumumba James, Sr., author’s friend and colleague and former fellow seminary student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois. For further discussion on Black Family Values see book, Clarence Lumumba James, Sr., Lost Generation? Or Left Generation? The Loss and Recovery of Black Family Values. Chicago: Youth Leadership Development Publishers, 2004.289 Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Site Consultant/Project Director Reports to Organization’s Governing Body Name The Site Consultant/Project Director shall be responsible for the supervision of all program components and staff of the Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project (R4LMTMP) and shall serve as the official spokesperson and liaison for the organization and R4LMTMP. He shall arrange and conduct monthly meetings with key personnel to discuss and review plans, assignments, progress reports, and desk audits for the implementation of organization’s project goals and objectives. Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Conduct Mentor Training Sessions for prospective adult male mentors and all program staff  Conduct monthly meetings of the Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project staff  Ensure that staff are identifying and outreaching to eligible boys and young men of color and carrying out all duties relative to staff positions  Serve as community services public relations executive for project  Assist with mentor recruitment and oversee mentor orientation, screening, training and matching process  Coordinate and convene Monthly Group Mentoring Sessions and Activities  Conduct and prepare monthly and quarterly status reports with R4LMTMP staff  Attend all regular and mandated local, state or national staff training sessions, events, conferences, etc.  Coordinate and Chair monthly Planning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Meetings (P.E.A.C.E.) and attend meetings of community organizational partners on a regular basis QUALIFICATIONS: Preferred: Master’s Degree in management, business administration, sociology, social work, education , or any related field  3 to 5 years work experience as an administrator or Project Director in a public/private agency, foundation, educational institution, non-profit organization, social services, or church operations  Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience to meet the required knowledge, skills and abilitiesMinimum: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, sociology, social work, or education and 1 to 3 years experience as an administrator or Project Director in a public/private agency, foundation, financial institution, non-profit organization, social services, or church operations BENEFITS: Job Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Mentor Coordinator Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name 290 Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Mentor Coordinator Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name Type of position: Salary: Full-timePart-TimeThe Mentor Coordinator is responsible for recruiting, screening, training and matching volunteer adult male mentors of color with youth to provide one-on-one and group mentoring services four (4) hours per month for a twelve (12) month commitment. Adult male mentors will be faith-based volunteers; returning citizens, parents; educators; college students, and professionals from various fields such as construction industry, science, medicine, technology, and criminal justice. Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Assists in conducting mentor orientation and training  Directs recruitment strategies that realistically portray the benefits, practices, and challenges of mentoring in the program which includes priorities for recruiting male and mentor candidates of color above age 55  Assists Social worker in providing pre-release support services to returning youth  Ensures adult male mentors complete an application  Ensures adult male mentors agree to a 12 month minimum commitment for mentoring relationships  Ensures mentor agrees to participate in face-to-face meetings and other forms of communication with his or her mentee that average one hour per week over the course of a 12 month period  Have a clear, year-long plan and multiple sources for recruiting and retaining adult male mentors  Participates as a resource person in in-service training and planning  Prepares monthly written reports of all work performed  Assists in preparing monthly reports and provide data for the quarterly performance metrics through ON-LINE Performance Measurement Tool (s)  Attend all staff meetings called by the Support Services Site Consultant/ Project Director  Attend all regular and mandated local, state or national staff training sessions, events, conferences, etc PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  Possession of a Bachelor’s degree in counseling, sociology, social work, education, psychology, or related area.  Evidence in-depth knowledge of community service programs, with in-depth experience working with high-risk youth  Possession of a valid driver’s license;  Willing to travel locally using own transportation  Willing to travel within the state to correctional facilities as required  Willing to work additional hours and/or evenings on occasion MINIMUM:  Bachelor’s degree in counseling, sociology, social work, education, psychology, or related area.  5 years experience working with youth, incarcerated youth and their families  2 years experience working in mentoring programs that served at-risk or high-risk individualsBENEFITS: 291 Job Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Mentee Coordinator Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name Type of position: Salary: Full-timePart-TimeThe Mentee Coordinator is responsible for recruiting, screening, training and matching program participants/clients with volunteer adult male mentors to receive one-on-one and group mentoring services four (4) hours per month for a twelve (12) month commitment. Mentees will be ages 6 to 24 and recruited from partnering organizations whose target population is boys and young men of color in at-risk situations to include: children of prisoners, children in foster care, out-of-school youth, and youth confined to juvenile detention or correctional facilities and School System students.Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Assists in conducting mentee orientation and training  Directs recruitment strategies that realistically portray the benefits, practices, and challenges of mentoring in the program which includes priorities for recruiting African American and Hispanic males ages 6 to 24  Assists Social worker in providing pre-release support services to returning youth  Ensures mentees complete an application  Ensures mentees agree to a one (calendar or school) year minimum commitment for mentoring relationships  Ensures mentee agrees to participate in face-to-face meetings and other forms of communication with his mentor that average one hour per week over the course of a calendar year  Have a clear, year-long plan and multiple sources for recruiting and retaining mentees  Participates as a resource person in in-service training and planning  Prepares monthly written reports of all work performed  Assists in preparing monthly reports and provide data for the quarterly performance metrics through ON-LINE Performance Measurement Tool (s)  Attend all staff meetings called by the Support Services Site Consultant/ Project Director  Attend all regular and mandated local, state or national staff training sessions, events, conferences, etc PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  Possession of a Bachelor’s degree in counseling, sociology, social work, education, psychology, or related area.  Evidence in-depth knowledge of community service programs, with in-depth experience working with high-risk youth  Possession of a valid driver’s license;  Willing to travel locally using own transportation  Willing to travel within the state to correctional facilities as required  Willing to work additional hours and/or evenings on occasion MINIMUM:  Bachelor’s degree in counseling, sociology, social work, education, psychology, or related area.  5 years experience working with youth, incarcerated youth and their families  2 years experience working in mentoring programs that served at-risk or high-risk individuals292 Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Mentee Coordinator Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name BENEFITS: Job Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Case Manager/Social Worker Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name Type of position: Salary: Full-timePart-TimeThe Case Manager/Social Worker is responsible for Case Management and tracking of program youths’ performance upon their enrollment in the program and will last for the duration and is critical to achieve the program goals. The Case Manager/Social Worker will provide casework in the identification and delivery of program youths’ progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements. She is responsible for assisting program youth in obtaining support services from public and private social service agencies. She will also assist when needed in providing counseling, life skills training, and parenting classes’ instruction for program young adults who are parents.Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Serves as a member of the Mentor/Mentee recruitment, screening, training and match process team  Provides counseling and instructional services to youth  Participates in case conferences involving cooperation with other community agencies  Makes referral to public or private agencies with appropriate follow-up  Serves as a liaison between school, family and community resources for returning youth  Prepares and maintains Case Management files for incarcerated youth and other program youth  Serves as a source of information regarding community resources and provides written reports and communications  Participates as a resource person in in-service training and planning  Prepares monthly written reports of all work performed 293 Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Case Manager/Social Worker Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name  Assists in preparing monthly reports and provide data for the quarterly performance metrics through ON-LINE Performance Measurement Tool (s)  Attend all staff meetings called by the Support Services Site Consultant/ Project Director  Attend all regular and mandated local, state or national staff training sessions, events, conferences, etcPREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS :  Possession of valid credential authorizing work as a Social Worker in the state.  Possession of a Masters degree in Social Work (MSW)  Evidence of in-depth knowledge of special education programs, with in-depth experience working with individuals with exceptional needs  Experience with serving and working with youth, incarcerated youth and their families in mentoring or other support programs  Possession of a valid driver’s license  Willing to travel within the state to correctional facilities as required  Willing to work additional hours and/or evenings on occasion. MINIMUM:  Masters degree in counseling, sociology, social work, education or related field such as Psychology (Registered Social Worker) BENEFITS: Job Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Education/Trainer Intervention Coordinator I-(Language Arts/Literacy Gains) Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name Salary: Type of position: Full-timePart-Time294 Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Education/Trainer Intervention Coordinator I-(Language Arts/Literacy Gains) Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name The Education/Trainer Intervention Coordinator I shall provide basic reading, language arts, and writing skills instruction; and conduct pre-tests and test-taking to prepare youth to successfully pass the tests of Adult Basic Education/General Education Development (A.B.E./G.E.D.), opening the doors to higher education, better job opportunities, and increased standards of living. She shall also develop a strategy to provide appropriate educational opportunities in partnership with local educational institutions. She shall coordinate and procure the books and instructional materials for classroom instruction and serve as the facilitator of the Monthly Group Mentoring Training and Life Skills, Job Readiness and Employability training to include resume preparation, interviewing skills, and attainment of necessary documents such as State I.D, replacement of Social Security Card, and Driver’s License.Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Teach basic reading, language, writing skills and test-taking to prepare youth to successfully pass the tests of Adult Basic Education (T.A.B.E.)/General Education Development (GED).  Help open the doors to higher education, better job opportunities, and increased standards of living.  Conduct monthly Best Practices for Social Skills Training and Skill-based Interventions during the monthly Group Training Sessions for youth.  Conduct pre-tests and test-taking to prepare youth to successfully pass the tests of A.B.E./G.E.D. and Social Life Skills  Select and procure books and instructional and training materials, prepare classroom area, keep attendance and track youth Literacy Gains and performance  Attend all staff meetings called by the Site Consultant/ Project Director  Attend all regular and mandated local, state or national staff training sessions, events, conferences, etc  Prepares monthly written reports of all work performed QUALIFICATIONS: PREFERRED:  Master’s Degree in education and current valid Teaching Credential  Must possess a valid State driver’s license at time of appointment.  3 to 5 years as a teacher in elementary, High School, and/or college levelBENEFITS: Job Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Education/ Trainer Intervention Coordinator II-(Mathematics/Numeracy Gains) Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name 295 Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Education/ Trainer Intervention Coordinator II-(Mathematics/Numeracy Gains) Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name Salary: Type of position: Full-timePart-TimeThe Education/Trainer Intervention Coordinator II shall provide basic math instruction; and conduct pre-tests and test- taking to prepare program youth to successfully pass the tests of Adult Basic Education/General Education Development (A.B.E./G.E.D.), opening the doors to higher education, better job opportunities, and increased standards of living. He shall also develop a strategy to provide appropriate educational opportunities in partnership with local educational institutions. He shall also coordinate and procure the books and instructional materials for classroom instruction, prepare classroom area, keep attendance, and track youth Numeracy Gains and performance. Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Teach basic mathematics and test-taking to prepare youth to successfully pass the tests of Adult Basic Education (T.A.B.E.)/General Education Development (GED).  Help open the doors to higher education, better job opportunities, and increased standards of living.  Conduct pre-tests and test-taking to prepare youth to successfully pass the tests of A.B.E.  Select and procure books and instructional materials, prepare classroom area, keep attendance and track youth Numeracy Gains and performance  Attend all staff meetings called by the Site Consultant/ Project Director  Attend all regular and mandated local, state or national staff training sessions, events, conferences, etc  Prepares monthly written reports of all work performedQUALIFICATIONS: PREFERRED:  Master’s Degree in education and current valid Teaching Credential  Must possess a valid State driver's license at time of appointment.  3 to 5 years as a teacher in elementary, High School, and/or college levelBENEFITS: 296 Job Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Administrative Assistant Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name Salary: Type of position:Full-timePart-TimeThe Administrative Assistant shall assist the Site Consultant/ Project Director in the day-to-day office operations. She shall also arrange and coordinate staff meetings with Key staff, community leaders and government officials; coordinate and confirm travel arrangements; accompany and assist the Site Consultant/ Project Director during specified local meetings, conferences, or workshops; assist in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual program reports; assist with preparing and completing mentor/mentee report forms; create folders and files for program staff; assist with preparing training and group mentoring areas; prepare and complete attendance and sign-in sheets; and perform other duties as assigned. Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Ability to use and operate all office equipment and personal computers  Knowledge of filing skills, public relation skills and interviewing techniques  Knowledge of functions, and physical organization of city and parish departments and applicable community, state, and federal resource agencies  Assists in preparing monthly reports and provide data for the quarterly performance metrics through ON-LINE Performance Measurement Tool (s)  Attend all staff meetings called by the Site Consultant/ Project Director  Attend all regular and mandated local, state or national staff training sessions, events, conferences, etcPREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, social work, accounting, finance, or any related field  3 to 5 years work experience as an Administrative Assistant or Secretary in a public/private agency, foundation, financial institution, non-profit organization, social services, or faith-based organizations and operations  Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience to meet the required knowledge, skills and abilitiesMinimum: Secretarial Training Certificate and/or Associate’s degree in business administration, social work, accounting, finance, or any related field and 1 to 3 years experience as an Administrative Assistant or Secretary in a public/private agency, foundation, financial institution, non-profit organization, social services, or faith-based organizations BENEFITS: 297 Job Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Transportation Coordinator/ Driver Reports to Site Consultant/ Project Director Name Salary: Type of position:Full-timePart-Time The Transportation Coordinator/Driver shall assist the Site Consultant/Project Director in the day-to-day program operations by providing transportation services for program participants to and from training site and program site. He/she shall prepare a weekly pick-up and drop-off schedule to ensure that program participants attend specified program trainings and events in a timely manner, and receive program services. He/she shall also help set-up and arrange program areas; assist with handing out and collecting training materials, assist program instructors and trainers during program training sessions and perform other duties as assigned by supervisor. Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Ability to use and operate all transportation vehicles.  Knowledge of transportation routes in the program target area.  Employees must exercise considerable tact and judgment in working with youth and in effecting solutions to complex personnel and family problems that may involve federal, state, or local law enforcement officials.  Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, such as weekends, holidays, day or night, and including split shifts as required and/or specified by immediate supervisor.  Ability to listen empathetically to program participants, to analyze and establish priorities for needs and problems and to deliver or refer proper assistance.  Ability to speak distinctly with pleasant voice and to express oneself with confidence, patience, and concern.  Ability to work harmoniously with and gain the cooperation of other employees, counterparts in public and private services delivers agencies and in city, parish and state government and community volunteer groups.  Ability to absorb and utilize new information and techniques.  Prepares monthly written reports of all work performed.PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  Preferably an Associate’s degree or Certificate of training in the Transportation Services field. 1. Three to five years work experience as a driver for a business, social or community-based or faith-based organization. Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience to meet the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Minimum:1 to 3 years experience as a driver for a business, social or community-based or faith-based organization an Administrative Assistant or Secretary in a public/private agency, foundation, financial institution, non-profit organization, social services, or faith-based organizations BENEFITS:298 Job Description Form Program READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT Location Job Title Security Specialist Reports to Project Manager Name Salary: Type of position:Full-timePart-timeThe Security Specialist shall maintain the security of facilities and grounds of R4LMTMP program operational sites, maintain traffic and parking control and responds to various emergencies and problems that may impact the successful operation of the R4LMTMP.Examples of Duties to include, but not exclusive to:  Guards highly valuable property of R4LMTMP Program sites.  Patrols an assigned area.  Checks security of buildings and grounds.  Checks identification of persons who enter facilities or grounds.  Monitors alarm boards for signs of disturbances.  Conducts preliminary investigations relevant to disturbances within an assigned area.  Interviews disturbances in order to restore peace.  Directs traffic at operational sites for the R4LMTMP  Dispatches tow trucks to remove illegally parked vehicles.  Issues traffic citations and parking viBerthations.  Responds to various emergencies and problems that impact the successful operation of the R4LMTMP.  Serves as informational source to public for R4LMTMP.  Oversees and/or provides fingerprinting services at the R4LMTMP site for screening and background checks for prospective mentors through the State Police.QUALIFICATIONS: Preferred: Sworn City Police Officer or County/Parish Deputy Sheriff Minimum: High School Diploma required. No specialized experience or training is required. Must be physically able to perform manual labor. Must have attained twenty-first birthday at time of appointment. Must possess a valid State driver's license at time of appointment.BENEFITS: APPENDIX – II MENTOR/MENTEE RECRUITMENT MARKETING PLAN299 READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT MENTORING SERVICESMentor/Mentee Recruitment Marketing PlanStrategy: To increase the opportunity and awareness to reach adult male Mentors of Color,Caregivers/Mentees and other volunteers through Media Outlets (Radio, TV, Print, ElectronicMedia) Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) Government Agencies, Educational Facilities(Universities, Colleges, Charter, Elementary, Middle and High Schools) and Faith BasedOrganizations.II. Step I: Marketing Objectives Obtain support for the mentoring concept Obtain funding (in kind) for the mentoring outreach program  Recruit volunteer mentors and program participants (Mentees).  Identify media ( television, PSA’s, radio, newspapers) and other community resources to communicate R4LMTMP program Communicate program initiatives to public/targeted audiencesIII. Step II: Communications StrategyFour basic components of our communications strategy: 1. Establish the need for mentoring to enhance support services available for at-risk populations. (Project Narrative/abstract and Project Description Manual) Include statistics on the client populations.  Message tied into our organization’s mission and history.300 2. Describe program components and activities.3. List benefits of mentoring program for: Program participants; Mentees, Mentors, Caregivers, Partners and Volunteers Community at large with emphasis on those groups most important to our program4. Include example/examples or case study of a mentoring success story.The communications strategy includes different forms of promotion. We tailor our message by choosing a form of promotion that seems practical and appropriate for each audience and by highlighting specific benefits to the specific audiences. IV. Communicating with an AudienceAudience #1: Business Community – corporations, small business, labor and other professional associations. Objective: To generate mentors and funding. Forms of Promotion:  Mentoring program articles in corporate newsletters and trade magazines; Presentations to corporate volunteer councils and private industry councils; and Information packet/brochure and letter to community affairs/public relations departments. (Requires telephone follow-up.)Benefits of Involvement:  Publicity as an active, positive corporate citizen An increase in the number of self-sufficient individuals and a better educated/trained workforce More highly motivated employees who are proud to work for an involved, caring organization.Audience #2: Local Media – TV, Radio, Newspapers and Public Service Announcements 301 Objective: To position the mentoring program as a new, exciting way of enhancing community support services and to gain assistance in recruitment, publicity and funding from general public.Forms of Promotion:  Send press releases and information packets to community affairs/public relations departments, news departments, columnists and producers of special features(columns or talk shows). Position mentoring program as a newsworthy item. Prepare news releases from a variety of perspectives: o Unique collaboration among a variety of agencies o Human interest focus on the volunteer mentor (can be tied into volunteer recognition themes) o Issue focus on ultimate goal of mentoring program, such as increased job retention, decreased school dropouts, prevention of substance abuse, reduced welfare dependency or career development (can be tied into media’s interest in covering a particular issue) Mentoring relationship, the impact of one-to-one and group relationship (can be tied into national spotlight of Mentoring month, MLK Day of Service, Justice Sunday,African-American History Month). Develop public service announcements. Work with TV station to tie into theme of existing media (e.g., Volunteer Connection, Time to Care, Youth Plus; Partnerships encouraging pooling of resources).  Check with our local PBS station to see if they are involved in special features on mentoring.Benefits of Involvement:  Less work for media to research news stories  Media organization positioned as concerned corporate citizen and community partner.302 Audience #3: Fraternal/Civic Volunteer Organizations – e.g., 100 Black Men, Alpha Phi Alpha, Iota Phi Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Kiwanis, Lions, Jaycees, Chamber of Commerce, Junior League and so forth. Objective: To recruit mentors and generate in-kind support. Forms of Promotion:  Articles in organizational newsletters/magazines Presentations to members Letter and information packet to organization’s public relations/community affairs person.Benefits of Involvement:  Increased opportunity for civic involvement Recognition of volunteer efforts of members.Audience #4: Government (state and local) – Department of Children and Family Services, Human Development and Social Services, Office of Juvenile Justice, Office of the Mayor- Local Workforce Investment Area, and others. Objectives: To recruit mentors/mentees, encourage word-of-mouth promotion and to generate awareness for recruiting possible mentees.Forms of Promotion:  Articles in government newsletters Presentations Literature/Brochures in local and state offices Benefits of Involvement:  Expanded network of service Alternative to one-to-one support for clients, which overburdened government offices cannot provide Opportunity to link clients with comprehensive services New volunteer opportunities for government employees.Audience #5: Schools/Universities, Technical Colleges and Community Colleges Objective: To recruit mentors/mentees program participants.303 Forms of Promotion:  Presentations to local school boards, PTAs, university Student GovernmentAssociations and faculty as well as identified School Clubs in Middle and HighSchools  Articles/feature stories in newsletters and students’ newspapers Special events to bring mentors/students/parents together.Benefits of Involvement:  Motivated, informed students Recognition as an active institution responsive to community needs.Audience #6: Multi Level Marketing (E-mail, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.). Objectives: To advertise and recruit Mentors using electronic media. Forms of Promotion:  Utilize the people that are a part of our Planning, Evaluation and Advisory CoalitionEntity (P.E.A.C.E –Organizational Partners and community Stakeholders) o Target 5-10 friends (E-mail users) that know 5-10 other users etc. Send organization’s information packets to users.  Coalition of service providers convenes to look at impact of mentoring. Benefits of Involvement:  Recognition Communication304  Motivation (Service) Accountability EducationAudience #7: Faith Based Organizations (FBOs). Objectives: To recruit mentors and generate awareness for possible mentees. Forms of Promotion:  Informal networks of various denominations and faith groups to publicize need for mentors Church bulletins Articles in regional religious newspapers Presentations at local, district, state and national ecclesiastical meetings and eventsBenefits of Involvement: Opportunity for expanded outreach and ministry; and Recognition of faith organization’s/members’ efforts.Audience #8: State Department of CorrectionsObjective: Generate / Obtain referrals for Caregivers and MenteesFocus and Promotion:Benefits of Involvement: State Department of Corrections to identify and provide evaluations for incarcerated youth that may be eligible to receive program services and those who are themselves parents who are interested in their child having a mentor. R4LMTMP staff and support committees coordinate with the DOC to set up presentations within the prisons. Inmates fill out a form authorizing R4LMTMP staff to contact the caregiver of their kids about mentors available for the children. Our marketing individual305 success stories and positive program outcomes will be documented. We will keep a file of success stories as we believe the media loves them and will tend to be more inclined to give quicker responses to Organizations that have proven success in their mentoring efforts.Promotional materials that help achieve your goal.  A mentor/mentee (separate) outreach brochure An Audience specific outreach brochure A fact sheet about our organization and our mentoring partners Mentoring program letterhead. R4LMTMP brochure (tri-fold) Informational flyers Press releases Justice Sunday™ brochures Generic news article (for newsletters, papers, and local magazines) PEN OR PENCIL™ specialized program presentations with power points, handouts, and other materials Mentoring materials available through the Corporation for National andCommunityService for National Mentoring Month Web site development 306 APPENDIX – III SAMPLE MONTHLY DESK AUDITSAMPLE/ Ready4Life Work Program for Youth in At-Risk Situations (Out of School) Office of the Mayor-President, City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana Workforce Investment Area 21 Administrative Office/Workforce Investment Board Baton Rouge, Louisiana - 2009-2010 - Monthly Desk AuditSite Name: Ready4Life Youth Work Program Site Participants on Desk Audit Call: Anthony Kelley, Diane S. Smith, Richard R. Craven, Alleen Carey, Everett Gibson, Curtis Callagain, Brenda Fluker, YaVonya N. Kelley, Lois M. Washington Program Officer: Anthony Kelley Other R4LMTMP Staff on Desk Audit Call: Bob Stanley, Marsha Roberts Date: August 10, 2010 Monthly/Period Reviewed: July 1, 2010 through July 31, 2010Questions Site Responses307 1. General StatusWhat has been the primary Primary focus has been to engage in youth Comprehensive workforce focus of the site Assessment, GED Instruction, Employment Readiness and during the last month? Have you Occupational Skills Training, One-on-One, and Group/Peer made any notable changes to the Mentoring Sessions. administrative, organizational, or programmatic structure? If so, please describe.2. Public RelationsHave you engaged in any new No. activities in regards to public relations? If so, please describe and attach/submit any relevant materials with this report. Have you updated/created any No. new printed mediums on your site/program such as brochures, websites, etc? Please attach/submit updated materials. 3. Program Services Have there been any changes in There have not been any changes in program services program services offered by your site over the past month? What have been the notable accomplishments or challenges in service delivery? How many new participants have None. All recruitment strategies and efforts concluded in been enrolled in theReady4Life May for this program year. Work Program in the last month? Describe your recruitment strategy for this time period. What have been the challenges to recruitment? How do you plan to address these challenges?Have you developed new Some program youth have been engaged in the WIA summer employer relationships in the last youth work program. The employment readiness and month? What (if any) supportive occupational skills trainer (Bobby Stanley) will identify services are you providing to potential employers in the correction industry who may hire employers? What are the youth who successfully complete the Ready4Life challenges, if any, to employer Occupational Skills Training and receive NCCER recruitment or retention? How do Certification. you plan to address them?308 How many participants Seven (7) students participated in GED educational service participated in education and seven (7) students for Employment Readiness and services in the last month? (e.g., Occupational Skills this month. The literacy, relationship assessment, basic skill building, tutoring, social skills training, etc. was held on July development, alternative 10, 2010 with five (5) students, four (4) Mentors and nine (9) education, vocational education, staff. The education strategy has not changed. referrals, GED preparation, literacy, relationship building, tutoring, study skills training, manhood training, etc.)? Has the education strategy changed in the last month? If so, please describe. What type of education programs are participants being place in? What is working? What are the challenges? Please describe. How do you plan to address these challenges?Have you developed new No. relationships with education service providers in the last month? Please describe. How many participants have A total of eight (8) students participated in the participated in Mentoring over MENTORING program this month. We employed both the the past month? Please describe one on one and group mentoring and one Group/Peer the mentoring strategy (one-to- Mentoring Session. We utilized the Mentors to help in the one, group mentoring, team transportation of students to and from the training center, mentoring, etc.) Has your summer employment orientation and job site, WIA testing mentoring strategy changed in and orientation along with the READY4LIFE Group the last month? If so, please Mentoring sessions. The Mentors work together and spend 4 describe. How are participants hours/week plus the 4 hours spent during the monthly group supported throughout the sessions that enhance one-on-one experiences between mentoring component, please mentor and mentee. This Mentoring support system is describe. How many hours (on working. average) per week are mentors meeting with their mentees? The third session of the READY4LIFE Group Mentoring What is working? What are the experience was held Saturday July 10, 2010 from 10:00 am challenges? How do you plan to to 2:00 pm where program youth received special training by address these challenges? the Social Skills Intervention Trainer (Alleen K. Carey) and support services by program staff and mentors.The specific focus on the training was on Conflict309 Resolution. Group mentoring services include: literacy, social skills training, skill-based interventions exercises, community service learning and leadership development experiences, companionship/sounding board, academic tutoring, career and professional guidance, college/higher education guidance, self-esteem building, prospective broadening, conflict resolution, manhood/womanhood responsibility, family values, moral and ethical development, and alcohol and substance abuse awareness and prevention. An excursion for the Group Mentoring activity for the month of August was planned where mentor, mentees, and staff would travel to New Orleans to the Aquarium, see a movie and have lunch together. How many new mentors have None. We have a Mentor Pool of fifty (50). Our challenge is you recruited over the past to recruit an additional 12 male mentors. Of the thirty-six month? Are enough mentors (36) mentors previously recruited from faith-based being recruited to support organizations eleven (11) are males and 25 females. Twenty- mentoring strategy? From where two (22) of which have been orientated, screened are your mentors being recruited? (SAFETYNET Federal background checks) and trained and Please describe new ready to be matched with program youth. developments to your mentor recruitment and retention strategy. What is working with your mentor recruitment strategy? What are the challenges? How are you going to address them? How many participants One (1)-Mentee Marvus Green- community service. participated in leadership development and service learning opportunities in the last month? (e.g., National Learn & Serve Challenge, United We Serve Summer Initiative, AmeriCorps, Pen or Pencil Movement, neighborhood clean- ups, hurricane recovery housing remodeling and restoration, nursing home and senior care visitation, etc.) Has the leadership/service strategy changed in the last month? If so, please describe. What type of leadership/service programs are participants being placed in? What is working? What are the310 challenges? Please describe. How do you plan to address these challenges? Have you developed new relationships with No. leadership/service providers in the last month? Please describe. How many participants have Eight (8) participants received case management services by participated in Case our program Case Manager/Social Worker this month. Four Management services in the last received individual counseling. She engaged in the month? Please describe your identification and delivery of program participants’ progress case-management strategy and satisfactory completion of program requirements. The including in-take, case-plans, Case Manager is responsible for counseling, identifying referrals and documentation. needs, and assisting program participants in obtaining social How is the case-manager services from public and private social service agencies. supporting the participant Employee responds to requests for assistance as well as visits through the other Ready4Life with program participants to identify needs such as Work Program components-job- recreation, education, training, housing, employment, training/placement and compliance with health and safety standards and personal mentoring, etc? What is the and family advocacy. Incumbent usually works frequency of participant and case independently, although advice and assistance are normally manager meetings? What is the available when needed. Incumbent performs moderately current caseload for case- complex case management work for 25 or more youth managers? Has your case- clients. Incumbent’s work involves developing and management strategy changed in maintaining long-term contact with program participants and the last month? If so, please their families, and service providers for medical, social, describe. educational, and related service needs. Case management strategy involves interviewing, orientation and case notes on progress of participants. Individual and conjoint counseling is available for participants and caregivers as needed. The current caseload is 16 participants. The strategy for case- management has not changed this month. Are participants being referred to Yes. Drug Rehabilitation Out-patient Services. Free Indeed any new organizations for Drug Rehabilitation Center of Baton Rouge, LA. Also, supportive services? If so, please Miracle Place Church of Baker, LA-Drug Rehabilitation describe service and referral Services. agency qualifications. Are there any gaps in services? How do you plan to address them? What other ancillary services Transportation services were provided by mentors and have been provided (e.g., court program staff for program participants to attend program advocacy, housing, substance trainings and events this month. abuse education, counseling or treatment, child care and dependent care costs, transportation costs, community311 forums, street outreach, services for family members, recreation and cultural enrichment events, etc.)? Please describe. How is faith incorporated into None. Other than our program site being located in the the services that are provided Fellowship and Activity Center of a faith-based organization. either by your program or the referral agencies? Have there been any changes to this over the past month? 4. Data Collection/Research How is the data collection system All of our data through recruitment, interviewing, working? Are you having orientation, training, and services provided is being difficulty in the MIS forms, coordinated by our program Case Manager/Social Worker entering data or transmitting and Administrative Assistant with the WIA Office Youth data, hardware or software, etc? Navigator assigned to our program and the WIA Director of Youth Services. 5.Advisory Coalition/Collaboration Have you added new Community Yes. Mr. James Windom, Program Director for Communities Planning, Evaluation and Committed to Reentry (CCR) enthusiastically has joined in Advisory Coalition Entity partnership and collaboration. (P.E.A.C.E.) members? Please Family Service of Greater Baton Rouge-Counseling Services describe individuals experience and Caregiver/Parenting Training. and qualifications? Has the Advisory Coalition met (or does it have plans to meet) this month? Please describe meeting. Have there been any changes to the Advisory Coalition structure in the past month? If so, please describe. What particular issues has the Advisory Coalition been helpful during this time period?Have you attempted to No. collaborate with new organizations/agencies this month? If so, how and with which organizations/agencies? 6. Volunteers What are the Our program staff and mentors work with Caregivers and roles/responsibilities of current parents and program youth to connect their child to the volunteers in your program? support services so that he or she will better adjust to the How many volunteers do you challenges of being out of school and to prepare for the312 involve? Have there been any future. Ready4Life Mentors are recruited, screened (to changes in your volunteer include a Federal background check), and trained to qualify numbers this month? Describe. to be matched with a program youth assisted by our program Do you have enough volunteers Case Manager/Social worker. Once certified, mentors to meet the needs of the provide 4 hours of one-on-one contact each month for a 12 project/participants? In what month commitment period. areas, if any, do you need more Group mentoring services include: literacy, social skills volunteers? training, skill-based interventions exercises, community service learning and leadership development experiences, companionship/sounding board, academic tutoring, career and professional guidance, college/higher education guidance, self-esteem building, prospective broadening, conflict resolution, manhood/womanhood responsibility, family values, moral and ethical development, and alcohol and substance abuse awareness and prevention. We have recruited to-date fifty (50) volunteer mentors from faith-based organizations.  There have not been any changes in the number of volunteers this month.  We have enough volunteers to meet the needs of our current group of students but as our male student population increases there will be a will recruit more men mentors 7. Sustainability Have you engaged in any Began plans for an end of program year Ready4Life sustainability-related activities Volunteer Appreciation Banquet to include mentors, over the past month (e.g., mentees, staff and organizational partners and guests. strategic planning, fundraising, Tentative dates are September 16th or 17th at 7:00 pm. proposal submission, staff Donations (purchase of tickets?) will be requested from development or programmatic organizational partners and community and faith-based self-assessment)? What are the organizations. challenges you are facing in this area? How are you addressing these challenges? Have you received any new None funds since the last desk audit? If so, please describe. 8. Human Resources Have there been any human None. However, the Shop Training part for the Occupational resource issues over the past Skills Training will take place at the Port Allen Campus of month that affects the the Capitol Area Technical College by Bob Stanley-Trainer Ready4Life Work program? (I.e. beginning in August due to the shop area not being staffing, compensation, training, assessable at the Baton Rouge Campus as previously general management, benefits). If authorized by Lemoyne Williams. Mr. Williams made the so, what have they been? How Port Arthur site available. This will cause some do you plan to address them? transportation challenges, but will be handled by staff. All313 classroom training has been completed at the Ready4Life Training/Program Site in Baker, LA. Has there been any staff turnover None. in the past month? If so, how and when do you anticipate the position being filled?APPENDIX – IV MANHOOD TRAINING PRINCIPLES AND BOYS TO MEN COVENANT, AND SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING CURRICULUM NGUZO SABA (Seven Principles of Kwanza) UMOJA (UNITY) To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. KUJICHAGULIS (SELF-DETERMINATION) To define ourselves, name ourselves and speak for ourselves instead of being defined and spoken for by others. UJIMA (COLLECTIVE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY) To build and maintain our community together to make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together.314  UJAMAA (COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS, FAMILYHOOD) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other business and to profit together from them. NIA (PURPOSE) To make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. KUUMBA (CREATIVITY) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.  IMANI (FAITH) To believe with all our heart in our parents, our teachers, our leaders, our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.BOYS TO MEN COVENANT (Reclamation and Restoration Ministries, Inc.)I promise to respect and learn from my RITUAL ELDERS [MATURE MENTORS] the deeper and more mature levels of masculine Identity.I promise to respect and protect my sacred African-American females from verbal, psychological and physical abuse.I promise to seek and acquire the best formal education to enhance the quality of life for myself, family and community.I promise to make the Spiritual Disciplines of prayer and meditation, study and service important parts of my daily life and life style.315 I promise to love myself with all my heart, mind, body and soul and my fellow sacred human beings as myself.I promise to accept the prevailing positive values of my family, church and community, so as not to become separated from them.I promise to avoid criminal behavior so as not to limit my life choices.I promise to refrain from violence to resolve conflict so as not to limit my life chances.I promise to choose freedom and responsible living over and against jail and prison life.I promise to teach boys to men the deeper and more mature levels of masculine identity when I become a RITUAL ELDER [MATURE MENTOR].Author------Anthony Kelley Group Mentoring Best Practices for Social Skills Training, Skill-based Intervention and Service Learning Opportunities Model Curriculum READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLOR(A.1.a.1.a)The National Alliance of Faith and Justice (NAFJ) Literacy, Education, Skill-based andRelationship Building, and Leadership and Service Learning Opportunities Curriculum entitled:PEN OR PENCIL Program should be utilized by program boys and young men of color during the monthly Group Mentoring training sessions for the READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAININGAND MENTORING PROJECT FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLOR.316 PEN stands for (PENITENTIARY) and PENCIL stands for (EDUCATION). Books, The RoadThat Led To Somewhere; and Silver Rights, provides the basis for Literacy, Education, Skills- based and Relationship Building, and Leadership and Service Opportunities Curriculum.PEN OR PENCIL™ involves an intergenerational, interactive, and relationship support process which encourages bonding, trust, resilience in the face of life trials like generations who persevered before them.While the harsh realities of the young who faced enslavement and later the inequalities of JimCrow have changed, the psychology of these challenges are recreated in the context of day to day life experiences of millions of young who are now subject to academic challenges, delinquency, and violent confrontations.PEN OR PENCIL™ blends history, social studies, civic education, economic, and service learning standards into an experiential learning framework to inspire critical thinking, skills development, and activism by youth to choose the road away from prison and jail and towards a quality education. Through PEN OR PENCIL™, social action strategies evolve from the stories, courage, and examples of little and well known participants of the Underground Railroad and the modern day Civil Rights movements into a modern movement of youth engaged as planners, leaders, and decision makers for equitable education and issues of juvenile justice, delinquency and violence prevention.As a result participants will:  Analyze and engage in service learning, which seeks to reduce dropout rates, understand and challenge contributing factors, and implement student-led reduction strategies for disproportionate minority contact, truancy, and violence.317  Learn that individual rights exceed Miranda Rights and those rights and freedoms are balanced by responsibilities. Develop social, advocacy, and analytical skills. Increase student voice and direct action as a strategy to improve behaviors. Work cooperative with others regardless of race, age, gender, or other divides. Develop crucial partnerships and recruit mentors. Learn about the principles of nonviolence and the difference made by youth during the Civil Rights Movement. Indentify and apply science, technology, and math to history. Increase reading and economic literacy skills.By design where implemented, PEN OR PENCIL™ provides an opportunity to ensure that participants of different ages, races, sexes, ethnic groups, disabilities and economic backgrounds have opportunities to serve together. PEN OR PENCIL™ promotes service learning in areas of greatest need, including low performing schools, youth detention facilities, and distressed communities. The initiative involves direct and indirect service activities in which youth participants lend their voice and talents to improve learning environments and their communities at-large as they meet K-12 Standards and Indicators for Quality Service Learning practice listed below: Diversity Reflection Progress Monitoring Duration and Intensity318  Link to Curriculum PartnershipsTargeted Participants The initiative is open to participation by all youth aged 6-24 with options for younger youth and older young adults. The Mentoring Project’s has a high priority in engaging: High-need youth Youth at risk of educational failure or otherwise in need of special assistance and support Youth who are living in poverty and/or attending low performing schools Youth who are at risk of not graduating from secondary school with a diploma or on time Youth who are homeless or in foster care Youth who have been, are, or have a parent who is incarcerated Youth with disabilities (with priority for those who might have behavioral/conduct disorders)The PEN OR PENCIL™ approach has been institutionalized through many credible sources. It has been cited as a promising model Tools for Promoting Educational Success and ReducingDelinquency by the National Disabilities Rights Network and the National Association of StateDirectors of Special Education. It has been endorsed by the National Council for Social Studies and the American Friends Service Committee. It offers a culturally competent experiential learning-mentoring approach for adults and youth. It is recognized in the System by the NationalEvaluation and Technical Assistance Center for Education of Children/Youth who are Neglected,Delinquent, or At-Risk, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education.319 APPENDIX – V WEEKLY PROGRAM SCHEDULEREADY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLORWEEKLY PROGRAM SCHEDULE PROGRAM SITE: ____________AGES 6-24 Operations Office: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (36 Week Education/Training Schedule) TIM MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNES THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURD E AY 9:00 AM MONTHLY OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ GROUP MENTEE / MENTEE MENTEE MENTEE MENTORING RECRUITMENT/ MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ RECRUITMENT/ RECRUITMENT/ Saturdays before nd VOCATIONAL RECRUITMENT/ LANGUAGE ARTS VOCATIONAL LANGUAGE ARTS 2 Sundays TRAINING VOCATIONAL AND TRAINING AND (Ages 6-24) TRAINING LITERACY GAINS LITERACY GAINS INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION 10:00 am – 2:00 10:00 AM pm OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ LANGUAGE ARTS MENTEE / MENTEE MENTEE AND LEADERSHIP RECRUITMENT/ MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ RECRUITMENT/ LITERACY GAINS DEVELOPMEN VOCATIONAL RECRUITMENT/ LANGUAGE ARTS VOCATIONAL INSTRUCTION T, TRAINING VOCATIONAL AND TRAINING RITES-OF TRAINING LITERACY GAINS PASSAGE INSTRUCTION MANHOOD TRAINING, 11:00 AM CONFLICT OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ MANAGEMEN MENTEE / MENTEE MENTEE MENTEE T AND RECRUITMENT/ MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ RECRUITMENT/ RECRUITMENT/ RESOLUTION, VOCATIONAL RECRUITMENT/ LANGUAGE ARTS VOCATIONAL LANGUAGE ARTS FAMILY AND TRAINING VOCATIONAL AND TRAINING AND WORK TRAINING LITERACY GAINS LITERACY GAINS VALUES, INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION CAREER EXPLORATION 12:00 PM AND SOCIAL OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ SKILLS MENTEE / MENTEE MENTEE MENTEE IMPROVEMEN320 RECRUITMENT/ MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ RECRUITMENT/ RECRUITMENT/ T, VOCATIONAL RECRUITMENT/ LANGUAGE ARTS VOCATIONAL LANGUAGE ARTS CULTURAL TRAINING VOCATIONAL AND TRAINING AND ENRICHMENT TRAINING LITERACY GAINS LITERACY GAINS AND INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION THERAPEUTIC RECREATION 1:00 PM LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH 2:00 PM OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR/ MENTEE / MENTEE MENTEE MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ RECRUITMENT RECRUITMENT/ MATHEMATICS RECRUITMENT/ LANGUAGE ARTS LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS AND AND NUMERACY AND LITERACY GAINS LITERACY GAINS GAINS NUMERACY INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION GAINS INSTRUCTION 3:00 PM OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR OFFICE/MENTOR/ SUBSTANCE PLANNED MENTEE / MENTEE ABUSE THERAPEUTIC RECRUITMENT/ MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ RECREATION MATHEMATICS RECRUITMENT/ MATHEMATICS AWARENESS FOR AND MATHEMATICS AND AND MENTEES NUMERACY AND NUMERACY PREVENTION AND GAINS NUMERACY GAINS GROUP MENTORS INSTRUCTION GAINS INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION COUNSELING 4:00 PM OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR OFFICE/MENTOR/ SUBSTANCE PLANNED MENTEE / MENTEE ABUSE THERAPEUTIC RECRUITMENT/ MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ RECREATION MATHEMATICS RECRUITMENT/ MATHEMATICS AWARENESS FOR AND FINANCIAL AND AND MENTEES NUMERACY LITERACY NUMERACY PREVENTION AND GAINS INSTRUCTION GAINS GROUP MENTORS INSTRUCTION F.D.I.C. INSTRUCTION Ages 6-24 MONEY SMART COUNSELING EVIDENCED- BASED CURRICULUM RED RIVER BANK 5:00 PM OFFICE/MENTOR/ OFFICE/MENTOR OFFICE/MENTOR/ SUBSTANCE PLANNED MENTEE / MENTEE ABUSE THERAPEUTIC RECRUITMENT/ MENTEE RECRUITMENT/ RECREATION MATHEMATICS RECRUITMENT/ MATHEMATICS AWARENESS FOR AND MATHEMATICS AND AND MENTEES NUMERACY AND NUMERACY PREVENTION AND GAINS NUMERACY GAINS GROUP MENTORS INSTRUCTION GAINS INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION COUNSELING 6:00 PM*NOTE: Monthly Planning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E) LUNCH Meetings – 2nd Tuesdays-12 NOON -2pm AGENDA TO INCLUDE REVIEW OF MONTHLY DESK AUDIT AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES EDUCATIONAL and FINANCIAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY GAINS/A.B.E./G.E.D. CREDENTIAL (20 hours per week for 36 weeks = 720 clock hours x two years = 1,440 clock hours)OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS AND JOB READINESS TRAINING AND CREDENTIAL (12 hours per week for 7.3 weeks = 87.5 clock hours x two years = 175 clock hours)GROUP MENTORING/MANHOOD/TRAINING AND LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT (4 hours per month for 24 months = 96 clock hours)321 APPENDIX – VI FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY, ACTUAL BUDGETS WILL BE DETERMINED BY INDIVIDUAL MINISTRIES BASED UPON ACTUAL AVAILABLE RESOURCES SAMPLE PROPOSED BUDGET NARRATIVE-36 MONTHSREADY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLORBudget Category Year One Year Two Year Three TOTAL A. Personnel $446,400.00 $446,400.00 $446,400.00 $1,339,200.00 B. Fringe Benefits $105,236.40 $105,236.40 $105,236.40 $315,709.20 C. Travel $10,000.00 $10,000.00 $10,000.00 $30,000.00 D. Equipment 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00E. Supplies $34,290.00 $6,240.00 $6,240.00 $46,770.00 F. Contracts $60,550.00 $60,550.00 $60,550.00 $181,650.00 G. Construction $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 H. Other Costs $635,695.00 $312,425.00 $312,425.00 $1,260,545.00 I. Administrative/ $333,333.34 $333,333.33 $333,333.33 $1,000,000.00 Indirect Costs J. Evaluation $250,000.00 $250,000.00 $250,000.00 $750,000.00 K. In-Kind $25,100.00 $25,100.00 $25,100.00 $75,300.00 Contributions TOTAL $1,892,854.74 $1,553,534.73 $1,553,534.7 $4,999,924.20 3 A. Personnel Position Name Annual Level Cost Salary/Rate of Effort (1) Site $60,000/$31.25 ph 100% $180,000.00 Consultant/Project Director (2) Administrative $38,400/$20 ph 100% $115,200.00 Assistant ( 3) Case Manager/ $48,000/$25 ph 100% $144,000.00 Social Worker (4) Mentor Coordinator $48,000/$25 ph 100% $144,000.00 (5) Mentee Coordinator $48,000/$25 ph 100% $144,000.00 (6) Education Intervention $48,000/$25 ph 100% $144,000.00 Coordinator-I322 (7) Education Intervention $48,000/$25 ph 100% $144,000.00 Coordinator-II (8) Transportation $28,800/$15ph 100% $86,400.00 Coordinator-I (9) Transportation $28,800/$15ph 100% $86,400.00 Coordinator-II (10) Security Specialist $21,600/$30ph 38% $64,800.00 (11) Hospitality $28,800/$15ph 100% $86,400.00 Coordinator TOTAL $446,400.00 62% $1,339,200.00JUSTIFICATION:1. The Site Consultant/Project Director will be responsible for the supervision of all components of the Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color (R4LMTMP) and serve as the official spokesperson and liaison for the R4LMTMP. 2. The Administrative Assistant will assist the R4LMTMP Site Consultant/Project Director in the day-to-day office operations. She will also arrange and coordinate staff meetings with Key staff, community leaders and government officials; and assist with data collection and reporting.3. The Case Manager/Social Worker is responsible for Case Management and tracking of program youths’ performance upon their enrollment in the program and will last for the duration and is critical to achieve the program goals.4. The Mentor Coordinator is responsible for recruiting, screening, training and matching volunteer adult male mentors with program youth (mentees) to provide one-on-one and group mentoring services four (4) hours per month for a twelve (12) month commitment.5. The Mentee Coordinator is responsible for recruiting, screening, training and matching program youth (mentees) with adult male mentors to receive one-on-one and group mentoring services four (4) hours per month for a twelve (12) month commitment.6. The Education/Trainer Intervention Coordinator I will provide basic reading, language arts, and writing skills instruction; and conduct pre-tests and test-taking to prepare program youth to successfully pass the tests of Adult Basic Education/General Education Development (A.B.E./G.E.D.).7. The Education/Trainer Intervention Coordinator II will provide basic math instruction; and conduct pre-tests and test-taking to prepare program youth to successfully pass the tests of Adult Basic Education/General Education Development (A.B.E. /G.E.D.). 8. The Transportation Coordinator/Driver I and II will assist the R4LMTMP Site Consultant/Project Director in the day-to-day program operations by providing323 transportation services for program participants. He/she shall prepare a weekly pick-up and drop-off schedule to ensure that program participants attend specified program trainings and events in a timely manner, and receive program services.9. The Security Specialist will maintain the security of facilities and grounds of R4LMTMP Operational program sites, maintain traffic and parking control and responds to various emergencies and problems that may impact the successful operation of the R4LMTMP.10. The Hospitality Coordinator is responsible for preparing meals/snacks for R4LMTMP program youth during the Homework and Break time Preparatory Period upon their arrival at the operational program sites after a day in school and prior to beginning of program instruction. Allows the mentees to receive a nourishing meal and provides an incentive for parental approval of youth’s participation. In-Kind complimentary meals will also be prepared and served during monthly Group Mentoring Sessions. B. Fringe Benefits:Position Rate Wage CostFICA 7.65% $1,339,200.00 $102,448.80 Medicare 1.45% $19,418.40Workers Compensation Annual Premium $7,818.00 $2,606.00 Insurance Co. Annual Premium $6,024.00 (General Liability) $2,008.00 HealthCare Premium $500/Month x 36 $180,000.00 Allowance Months x 10 staff TOTAL $315,709.20JUSTIFICATION:Fringe benefits are calculated using the standard rate of 7.65% of salary for F.I.C.A. taxes toward Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare for employees. Costs also reflect standard annual premiums for Workers’ Compensation Insurance formulated at $2.50 per hundred. The liability insurance is a safeguard for R4LMTMP in the unlikely event that a program participant is injured during the course of providing program services to include any and all program operation sites as additional insured @ one million dollars per occurrence and two million dollars aggregate with errors and omissions. The premium is fixed at a competitive rate of $2,606.00 per year as determined by Insurance Company. A healthcare premium allowance of $500per month per employee is provided as an incentive for qualified full-time staff and to assist with payment of premiums for quality and needed affordable healthcare services (if applicable).324 C. Travel: Purpose of Travel Location Item Rate Cost Site Consultant/Project Designated Airfare $400/flight x $2,000.00 Director to Mandatory Location 1 persons x 5 Meetings trips Administrative Assistant $400/flight x $2,000.00 1 persons x 5 trips Site Consultant/Project Hotel $200/night x $2,000.00 Director to Mandatory 1 person x 2 Meetings nights x 5 trips Administrative Assistant Hotel $200/night x $2,000.00 1 person x 2 nights x 5 trips Site Consultant/Project Per Diem $100/day x 1 $1,000.00 Director to Mandatory (meals and person x 2 Meetings incidentals) days x 5 trips Administrative Assistant Per Diem $100/day x 1 $1,000.00 (meals and person x 2 incidentals) days x 5 trips TOTAL $10,000.00 JUSTIFICATION: Travel costs are for two program staff to attend five (5) R4LMTMP sponsored mandatory grantee meetings in designated location (if applicable),at a cost of approximately $400.00 per person for air travel; and per diem rate of $300 per day for each staff person to cover hotel room and board expenses.D. Equipment: The R4LMTMP Budget does not include Equipment Items.Item (s) Rate CostTOTALE. Supplies: Item (s) Rate Cost General Office Supplies $170 x 36 mos $6,120.00 Postage and Shipping $100 x 36 mos $3,600.00325 Printing, Ink Supplies $250 x 36 mos $9,000.00 All-in-One Computer $500 x 10 Staff offices $5,000.00 with Wireless Connectivity Printer $250 x 10 Staff offices $2,500.00 Computer Desk $250 x 10 Staff offices $2,500.00 Projector and Screen Set $1,150 x 2 Sets $2,300.00 Personal Protection $50 x 75 Occupational skills $3,750.00 Equipment (PPE) and job readiness training for 75 Mentees at Technical College or other entity All-in-One Computer $480 x 25 Program $12,000.00 with Wireless Operational/Training Connectivity Areas for Mentors and Mentees TOTAL $46,770.00JUSTIFICATION:Office supplies include copy/printer paper, note pads, pens, pencils, highlighters, tape, paper clips, post-its, staples, binders, file folders, and other consumables used in the course of day-to-day office operations. Postage and Shipping costs cover general mailings of correspondence and shipping of program-related materials to program participants and information for background checks for adult male mentors. Printing costs include applications, printer toner, ink cartridges and ink supplies, handouts, and publications for the program. It also includes signage for events and promotional materials. The projector and screen are needed for workshops, presentations and training. The personal protection items are needed to protect youth participants from injury during occupational skills and job readiness training.F. ContractContract Name/Service Annual Level of Cost Salary/Rate Effort(1) Alcohol and Drug Out-patient Substance Abuse Center or Abuse Group Agency Counseling 3 hours $259,200.00 $86,400.00 per wk x 108 weeks @ $10 per person x 80 Leased Operational Program Space326 Exclusive Space $22,500.00 $22,500.00 288 sf @ $26.06 per sfShared Space $31,500.00 $31,500.00 3,000 sf @ $3.50 per sf (2) Area Technical Occupational skills and $41,250.00 $41,250.00 College or other job readiness training entity for 75 program young men ages 18-24 @ Tuition Costs of $550 per student/mentee TOTAL $354,450.00 $181,650.0 0JUSTIFICATION: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center or agency will provide Out-patient Substance Abuse Awareness and Prevention Group Counseling for program participants and program operational space for the R4LMTMP for reasonable standard lease costs to include utilities of gas, electricity, water and sewer.Area Technical College or other entity will provide occupational skills and job readiness training through Structured Training Arrangements during the Spring Block Session (January – May) in each of the three year grant period for R4LMTMP program young men to receive 87.5 clock hours of training in the NATIONAL CENTER FOR CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (NCCER) Construction Craft Laborer curriculum for reasonable standard tuition costs.G. Construction: This category is not included in R4LMTMP’s budget.H. Other CostsItem (s) Rate Cost Office Desk and Chair $1,500 x 3 $4,500.00 Set Seating Chairs for Group $250 x 10 $2,500.00 Meeting Room Banquet Sized Training $250 x 20 $5,000.00 Table Metal Folding Chair $50 x 100 $5,000.00 (10 Metal File Cabinet $150 x 10 $1,500.00 ADP Payroll Services $72.42 x $2,607.00 36/Month Audit $1,500 x 3 $4,500.00 Background Check Fees $26 x 300 $7,800.00 Books, Instructional $75 x 300 Adult Male $22,500.00327 Materials participants and Mentors/Program $75 x 18 project Youth (mentee) s $1,350.00 staff Book Cases/Shelves $500 x 3 Program Offices $1,500.00 Metal Storage Cabinets $1,000 x 3 Program Offices $3,000.00 Telephone, Internet, $250 x 36/Month $9,000.00 Cable Installation Charges to Set-Up $800.00/one time $800.00 Personal Computers, set-up charge Telephone, Internet and Cable Services Purchase 2015 Ford 15 $927 x36/Months Program Youth $66,744.00 Passenger Transit Wagon x Two Vans (Mentees) XL Down Payment Purchase $3,712.00 x Program Youth $7,424.00 2015 Ford 15 Passenger Two Vans (Mentees) Transit Wagon XL Gas, oil and Maintenance $600 x36/Months Program Youth $43,200.00 for 2015 Ford 15 x Two Vans (Mentees) Passenger Transit Wagon XL Insurance for 2015 Ford $300 x $21,600.00 15 Passenger Transit 36/Months x Two Wagon XL Vans Uniforms (My Brother’s $10 x 642 Program $6,420.00 Keeper Tee Shirts) Youth/Mentees (300); Mentors (300); and Program Staff (42) Stipends (Incentive) $350/mo x 36 Out-of-School $945,000.00 Months= Program Youth $12,600.00 x 75 (Mentees) (75)Shared Program Costs $9,600.00 Program Site $28,800.00 Receptionist Recreation Equipment $5,000.00 Planned $5,000.00 Therapeutic Recreation Preparatory Period Snack $1.50 per person Program $64,800.00 x 80 program Mentees (80 x youth daily $1.50 day x 540 days) TOTAL $1,260,545.00JUSTIFICATION:328 Desks, chairs, tables, and file cabinets are needed to furnish the project staff operational offices, group meeting rooms, and training areas for A.B.E./G.E.D credential instruction and individual and group mentoring and counseling sessions for program youth.ADP Small Business Services will be used for essential payroll services to ensure accurate and professional processing of payroll. ADP services will also calculate, deposit and reconcile federal, state and local payroll taxes; make 941 and 940 filings and provide on-line tax filing reports that are updated with each payroll processing; full service Direct Deposit; New Hire reporting; employee access; general ledger interface by electronically importing journal entries into ADP payroll and accounting application; and meet core state and federal document requirements with convenient access to key government forms and documents. Audit Services will be provided by an Independent Auditing Company for a cost not to exceed $4,500.00 for the 36 month R4LMTMP accounting period. Background Checks for Prospective Adult male mentors will be processed through by the State Police at a cost of $26 per person for 300 applicants over the 36 month support services project period and will enable R4LMTMP to ensure that appropriate individuals are in place to provide mentoring services to program youth (mentee)s (returning youth). R4LMTMP will screen 300 individuals to ensure that 240 are secured for the project. The assumption is that some of the applicants will be ineligible for service. The Sheriff’s Office will provide free fingerprinting services as it has for R4LMTMP previous mentoring programs. Evidenced-based Instruction and Training Materials will improve basic skills and remediation in reading, language arts, English and math and lead to A.B.E/G.E.D. credential or secondary diploma. Said materials will be purchased based upon requirements in cooperation with the local Workforce Area Office One Stop Career Center. Also, evidenced-based PEN OR PENCIL™ training materials will be procured from the National Alliance of Faith and Justice based in Washington, D.C. and Sunday School Publishing Board Townsend Press in Nashville, Tennessee. These Social Skills and Service Learning Training Materials will assist boys and young men of color during monthly group mentoring activities that translate into academic support and opportunities for mentees and caring adult male mentors to share quality time in a variety of constructive ways to include job readiness and employability skills training. In addition, Financial Literacy Seminars will be conducted by a Financial Officer from the local Bank to train R4LMTMP program mentees in matters of financial responsibility utilizing the F.D.I.C. MONEY SMART CURRICULUM with modules geared to children, teenagers and young adults. Mentor and Staff Training Materials will outline how adult male mentors will engage program participants in the implementation of the R4LMTMP individual and group mentoring component. Training materials will be procured from the National Alliance of Faith and Justice; USDHHS; Mid-Atlantic Network of Youth and Family Services; Sunday School Publishing Board/Townsend Press of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Telephone, Internet and Cable Service costs reflect usual expenses for services used in the course of day-to-day office operations and program, educational and training activities. Installation Equipment Charges to set-up personal computers, telephone, internet and cable services at program site.329 15 Passenger Van Purchase (leasing plan is not available on product per dealer), Maintenance and Insurance Charges are necessary to provide transportation services for program youth to attend required program educational and training sessions and program activities. Uniforms/Tee Shirts would be provided for all program participants (Mentees, Mentors and Staff) of the R4LMTMP to show solidarity, identification, and highlight program sponsors/partners in program and community activities.Annual Stipends of $12,600.00 each would be provided for 75 Out-of-School Youth ages 16-24 as an incentive for their participation in the program over the three year grant period. Shared Program Costs of $9,600.00 annually (R4LMTMP and program site provider to provide $5.00 per hour and $9.00 per hour respectively) with program site provider would cover the costs associated with program site receptionist additional duties to include greeting, hosting and directing program clients and visitors to R4LMTMP program staff and program areas and activities; and performing other duties as assigned by ADAC Program Director and R4LMTMP Site Consultant/Project Director. Recreation Equipment to include table and floor games at a onetime program cost of $5,000.00 would provide R4LMTMP program youth Planned Therapeutic Recreation on Fridays as an incentive and bonding fellowship experiences with other program youth and spend quality time with their matched mentors. Homework and Break Time Preparatory Period Snacks, upon mentees’ arrival at the program site after a day in school and prior to beginning of program instruction, will allow mentees to receive a nourishing meal and provide an incentive for parental approval of youth’s participation. I. Administrative/Indirect Costs: Administrative Handling, Fiscal Responsibility and Human Resources, Benefits and Compliance Coordination is necessary for R4LMTMP Human Resources Executive staff and other Executive staff to ensure that personnel matters, employment process, payroll services and compliance with applicable local, state, and federal requirements are met.Item (s) Rate Cost Administrative Costs for 20% of Budget $1,000,000.00 Handling and Fiscal Designated for Management, Human Administrative Resources, Benefits and Costs Compliance Coordination TOTAL $1,000,000.00J. Evaluation Costs: Evaluation and Assessment Services are required to ensure and determine that R4LMTMP project goals and objectives are adequately met and systematic and regular assessment performed by R4LMTMP Board of Directors and Organizational Partners through its Planning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity, named, P.E.A.C.E.330 Item (s) Rate Cost Costs for evaluation and 15% of Budget $750,000.00 measurement instruments Designated for and tools, supplies, Evaluation and materials, training, travel, Assessment Costs meals, lodging, rental of executive meeting/conference room space and equipment at designated hotel, meals, professional consulting fees, and etc. TOTAL $750,000.00K. In-Kind ContributionsItem (s) Rate Cost In-Kind Meals and $2.50 per person x Program Mentees, $40,500.00 Hospitality Services 16,200 persons Mentors, Parents, $40,500.00 by Staff and R4LMTMP Community Stakeholders @ 600 persons per month x 27 Months In-Kind Screening $25 per person x Program Mentees $6,000.00 Services 240 Mentees by (240) ADAC, Inc. In-Kind Financial Financial Literacy Program Mentees $28,800.00 Literacy Services Money Smart (2,880 Duplicated) Instruction 1.5 hours per wk x 36 weeks @ $10 per person x 80 TOTAL $75,300.00 In-Kind Screening Services will be provided by ADAC for one time screening of R4LMTMP program youth to determine any indicators for substance abuse treatment at a cost of $25 per person up to 240 youth participants for said screening services which equals $6,000.00 over the three year grant period. In-Kind Meals and Hospitality Services will be provided by R4LMTMP at its main program site for up to 300 persons at each monthly Group Mentoring Session conducted twice a month to include 80 mentees (R4LMTMP program youth); 80 Mentors; 100 parents; 13 R4LMTMP staff; and community stakeholders at a cost of $2.50 per person up to 600 persons331 per month x 27 Months which equals 16,200 persons or $40,500.00 over the three year grant period. In-Kind Financial Literacy Instruction Services will be provided to program mentees at a value estimated at $10 per person x 80 @ 1.5 hours per week for 36 weeks which equals $28,800.00 over the three year grant period for 2,880 duplicated mentees.APPENDIX – VII PROJECT TIMELINETHREE YEAR PROJECT TIMELINE/ACTIVITIES The Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and Young Men ofColor (R4LMTMP) will operate daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Monday through Friday beginning January 1, 20___ to December 31, 20 ___ at the Program Site. 332 The R4LMTMP will receive referrals for 240 youth of color, ages 6-24 fromOrganizational Partners (80 for each year of the program). The structured and disciplined program includes preparation and support for program youth to successfully pass the tests ofAdult Basic Education/General Education Development, Financial Literacy Training; Numeracy and Literacy Gains and/or to earn High School diploma; Occupational skills and job readiness training that lead to certified credential and employment; intensive case management, and ethical and leadership development to include: rites-of passage manhood training, conflict management and resolution, family and work values, career exploration and social skills improvement. This effort is designed to help boys and young men of color facing tough odds to stay on track and reach their full potential through mentoring and other support services that will make their futures more positive and productive. The training and certification of program youth to receive a credential to enter the work force or pursue further educational goals will be done through a nine (9) month training experience which includes individual mentoring services by adult male mentors of color and group mentoring services. Screened and trained mentors(“Ritual Elders”) will provide one-on-one mentoring four (4) hours per month for a twelve (12) month commitment; and monthly group mentoring sessions where special community program guests, caregivers and R4LMTMP program staff meet with program youth to develop both a“developmental” and “prescriptive” relationship as well as engage in cultural enrichment and recreational events on Saturdays before the second and fourth Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.MONTH 1-3 YEAR ONE Move-In, Set-up Project office and program site, organize files, install telephones, purchase office supplies, procure equipment, computers and WorkStations, and create a Public Relations/Media Kit.333  Recruit, interview and hire additional staff Site Consultant/Project Director to conduct orientation for R4LMTMP Staff. Site Consultant/Project Director and R4LMTMP Staff to meet with allOrganizational Partners to develop strategy to identify, conduct comprehensive Intake and Assessment and begin the referral of eighty (80) program youth (mentee) for the Project.  Site Consultant/Project Director and R4LMTMP staff to meet with allOrganizational Partners and Community Stakeholders to identify and begin recruitment of one hundred (100) adult male mentors of color to be screened, trained and matched with program youth (mentee). More than 80 mentors beyond the yearly goal are recruited realizing that all recruited will not successfully pass the screening process. Recruitment of mentors will be on- going throughout the program period to ensure to meet program goal and address retention challenges and attrition realities. Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources (see sample of Monthly Desk Audit/Report in Appendix III ).334  R4LMTMP program staff to conduct Mentee Interviews and program orientation and training for program youth offenders at correctional/residential facility program site. R4LMTMP program staff to conduct Mentee Interviews and program orientation and training for program youth at community program site. Conduct a Public Relations/Media Press Conference.MONTHS 4-6 YEAR ONE  Begin training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/GeneralEducation Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site. Complete training sessions by Area Technical/Community College or otherVocational Training entity to improve program youth ages 18-24 vocational skills and development that lead to vocational credential and certification and gainful employment in the Construction Industry as a Construction Helper. R4LMTMP Site Consultant/Project Director and staff to conduct a One (1) day orientation, screening, and training event for one hundred (100) prospective volunteer mentors at are college or university serving as an organizational partner. Screening, to include complimentary fingerprinting services to be conducted on training site by the Sheriff’s Office/Department. 335  State Police to initiate Federal Background checks for prospective mentors who apply at the designated location (anticipated time is 30 days for background checks to be completed). R4LMTMP staff to conduct Mentor/Mentee interviews and signing ofMentoring/Mentee Agreements. Match faith-based mentors who successfully complete training with program participants (Mentees) in a Match Ceremony for Mentees and Mentors at community program site for eighty (80) program youth. Mentors are matched with mentees (program youth) to begin a trusting relationship with the Mentee(a developmental relationship), as well as being a “change agent” for theMentee (a prescriptive relationship). Mentors to begin providing individual mentoring services and R4LMTMP staff to conduct monthly group mentoring services for program youth at the community program site to include companionship/sounding board, academic tutoring, career and professional guidance, college/higher education guidance, self-esteem building, prospective broadening, conflict resolution, parenting skills, alcohol and substance abuse awareness and prevention, Skills-based and Relationship Building Opportunities, Leadership Development andManhood Training per schedule (Utilizing National Alliance of Faith andJustice PEN OR PENCIL PROGRAM curriculum to include (“The Road thatLed Somewhere”).336  Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources.  Site Consultant/Project Director will begin to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP staff monthly Desk Audits to include:General Status, Public Relations, Program Services, DataCollection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources.MONTHS 7 – 9 YEAR ONE  Continue training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/GeneralEducation Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site. Continue to provide “transformative” individual mentoring services by screened and trained adult male mentors of color.337  R4LMTMP staff, mentors and volunteers will continue to conduct monthly group mentoring sessions that include and Manhood Training. Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources.MONTHS 10 – 12 YEAR ONE  Continue training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/GeneralEducation Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site.338  Continue to provide “transformative” individual mentoring services by screened and trained adult male mentors of color. R4LMTMP Staff, mentors and volunteers will continue to conduct monthly group mentoring sessions that include Manhood Training.  Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources. Conduct Annual community wide recognition event for volunteers, caregivers, community stakeholders and program youth who successfully completeR4LMTMP and receive an educational or vocational credential. 339  Sponsoring Organization’s Executive staff and R4LMTMP program staff to prepare and provide all necessary documentation and Annual Report to theFunding Agencies for this worthwhile Ready4Life Manhood Training andMentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color operating in the target area. MONTHS 1 – 3 YEAR TWO  Site Consultant/Project Director and R4LMTMP staff to meet with any newOrganizational Partners to develop strategy to identify, conduct comprehensive Intake and Assessment and begin the referral of eighty (80) program youth (mentee) for the Project.  Site Consultant/Project Director and R4LMTMP staff to meet with allOrganizational Partners and Community Stakeholders to identify and begin recruitment of one hundred (100) adult male mentors of color to be screened, trained and matched with program youth (mentee). More than 80 mentors beyond the yearly goal are recruited realizing that all recruited will not successfully pass the screening process. Recruitment of mentors will be on- going throughout the program period to ensure to meet program goal and address retention challenges and attrition realities. Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,340 Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. R4LMTMP program staff to conduct Mentee Interviews and program orientation and training for program youth at community program site. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP Staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources.MONTHS 4-6 YEAR TWO  Begin training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/GeneralEducation Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site. Complete training sessions by Area Technical/Community College or otherVocational Training entity to improve program youth ages 18-24 vocational skills and development that lead to vocational credential and certification and gainful employment in the Construction Industry as a Construction Helper.341  R4LMTMP Site Consultant/Project Director and staff to conduct a One (1) day orientation, screening, and training event for one hundred (100) prospective volunteer mentors at are college or university serving as an organizational partner. Screening, to include complimentary fingerprinting services to be conducted on training site by the Sheriff’s Office/Department.  State Police to initiate Federal Background checks for prospective mentors who apply at the designated location (anticipated time is 30 days for background checks to be completed). R4LMTMP Staff to conduct Mentor/Mentee interviews and signing ofMentoring/Mentee Agreements. Match faith-based mentors who successfully complete training with program participants (Mentees) in a Match Ceremony for Mentees and Mentors at community program site for eighty (80) other program youth. Mentors are matched with mentees (program youth) to begin a trusting relationship with the Mentee (a developmental relationship), as well as being a “change agent” for the Mentee (a prescriptive relationship). Mentors to begin providing individual mentoring services and R4LMTMP staff to conduct monthly group mentoring services to program youth at the community program site to include companionship/sounding board, academic tutoring, career and professional guidance, college/higher education guidance, self-esteem building, prospective broadening, conflict resolution, parenting skills, alcohol and substance abuse awareness and prevention, Skills-based342 and Relationship Building Opportunities, Leadership Development andManhood Training per schedule (Utilizing National Alliance of Faith andJustice PEN OR PENCIL PROGRAM curriculum to include (“The Road thatLed Somewhere”). Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP Staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources.MONTHS 7 – 9 YEAR TWO  Continue training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/General343 Education Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site. Continue to provide “transformative” individual mentoring services by screened and trained adult male mentors of color. R4LMTMP Staff, mentors and volunteers will continue to conduct monthly group mentoring sessions that include and Manhood Training. Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP Staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources.MONTHS 10 – 12 YEAR TWO 344  Continue training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/GeneralEducation Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site. Continue to provide “transformative” individual mentoring services by screened and trained adult male mentors of color. R4LMTMP Staff, mentors and volunteers will continue to conduct monthly group mentoring sessions that include Manhood Training.  Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP Staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,345 Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources. Conduct Annual community wide recognition event for volunteers, caregivers, community stakeholders and program youth who successfully completeR4LMTMP and receive an educational or vocational credential.  Sponsoring Organization’s Executive staff and R4LMTMP program staff to prepare and provide all necessary documentation and Annual Report to theFunding Agencies for this worthwhile Ready4Life Manhood Training andMentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color operating in the target area. MONTHS 1 – 3 YEAR THREE  Site Consultant/Project Director and R4LMTMP staff to meet with any newOrganizational Partners to develop strategy to identify, conduct comprehensive Intake and Assessment and begin the referral of eighty (80) program youth (mentee) for the Project.  Site Consultant/Project Director and R4LMTMP staff to meet with allOrganizational Partners and Community Stakeholders to identify and begin recruitment of one hundred (100) adult male mentors of color to be screened, trained and matched with program youth (mentee). More than 80 mentors beyond the yearly goal are recruited realizing that all recruited will not successfully pass the screening process. Recruitment of mentors will be on-346 going throughout the program period to ensure to meet program goal and address retention challenges and attrition realities. Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. R4LMTMP program staff to conduct Mentee Interviews and program orientation and training for program youth at community program site. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP Staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources.MONTHS 4-6 YEAR THREE  Begin training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/General347 Education Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site. Complete training sessions by Area Technical/Community College or otherVocational Training entity to improve program youth ages 18-24 vocational skills and development that lead to vocational credential and certification and gainful employment in the Construction Industry as a Construction Helper. R4LMTMP Site Consultant/Project Director and staff to conduct a One (1) day orientation, screening, and training event for one hundred (100) prospective volunteer mentors at are college or university serving as an organizational partner. Screening, to include complimentary fingerprinting services to be conducted on training site by the Sheriff’s Office/Department.  State Police to initiate Federal Background checks for prospective mentors who apply at the designated location (anticipated time is 30 days for background checks to be completed). R4LMTMP staff to conduct Mentor/Mentee interviews and signing ofMentoring/Mentee Agreements. Match faith-based mentors who successfully complete training with program participants (Mentees) in a Match Ceremony for Mentees and Mentors at community program site for eighty (80) other program youth. Mentors are matched with mentees (program youth) to begin a trusting relationship with the Mentee (a developmental relationship), as well as being a “change agent” for the Mentee (a prescriptive relationship).348  Mentors to begin providing individual mentoring services and R4LMTMP staff to conduct monthly group mentoring services to incarcerated program youth at correctional/residential facility and other program youth at the community program site to include companionship/sounding board, academic tutoring, career and professional guidance, college/higher education guidance, self-esteem building, prospective broadening, conflict resolution, parenting skills, alcohol and substance abuse awareness and prevention, Skills-based and Relationship Building Opportunities, Leadership Development andManhood Training per schedule (Utilizing National Alliance of Faith andJustice PEN OR PENCIL PROGRAM curriculum to include (“The Road thatLed Somewhere”). Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host349 organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP Staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources.MONTHS 7 – 9 YEAR THREE  Continue training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/GeneralEducation Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site. Continue to provide “transformative” individual mentoring services by screened and trained adult male mentors of color. R4LMTMP staff, mentors and volunteers will continue to conduct monthly group mentoring sessions that include and Manhood Training. Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources. Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon350 to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP Staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources.MONTHS 10 – 12 YEAR THREE  Continue training sessions by R4LMTMP program staff for program youth to lead to Literacy and Numeracy gains; Adult Basic Education/GeneralEducation Development Education; and High School diploma and SubstanceAbuse Group Counseling at community program site. Continue to provide “transformative” individual mentoring services by screened and trained adult male mentors of color. R4LMTMP Staff, mentors and volunteers will continue to conduct monthly group mentoring sessions that include Manhood Training.  Site Consultant/Project Director to Conduct Monthly R4LMTMP StaffMeetings, assess program youth progress and satisfactory completion of program requirements, and prepare Monthly Desk Audits to include: GeneralStatus, Public Relations, Program Services, Data Collection/Research,Advisory Coalition/collaboration, Volunteers, Sustainability and HumanResources.351  Site Consultant/Project Director will continue to coordinate and chair monthlyPlanning, Evaluation and Advisory Coalition Entity (P.E.A.C.E.) meetings to provide general oversight of the R4LMTMP on 2nd Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Meetings will be hosted by and held at Organizational Partner locations on a rotating basis with complimentary lunch served by host organization. P.E.A.C.E. will review and evaluate R4LMTMP staff monthlyDesk Audits to include: General Status, Public Relations, Program Services,Data Collection/Research, Advisory Coalition/Collaboration, Volunteers,Sustainability and Human Resources. Conduct Annual community wide recognition event for volunteers, caregivers, community stakeholders and program youth who successfully completeR4LMTMP and receive an educational or vocational credential.  Sponsoring Organization’s Executive staff and R4LMTMP program staff to prepare and provide all necessary documentation and Annual Report to theFunding Agencies for this worthwhile Ready4Life Manhood Training andMentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color operating in the target area. 352 “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs.” --The Gospel according to Mark 10:14b APPENDIX – VIII MENTOR APPLICATION, CONTRACT, BEHAVIOR POLICY AND TRAINING SCHEDULEREADY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLORVOLUNTEER/MENTOR APPLICATION FORMName______Race______Date of Birth_ / /_____Sex______Home Address______City______State ______Zip Code______Home Telephone ( ) ______Marital Status: Single______Married______353 Driver’s License #______State Issued______Fax ( )______E- mail:______Occupation______Work phone ( )______Mobile phone ( ) ______Do you have an active automobile insurance policy? ( ) yes ( ) no If yes, what is the name of your insurance carrier? ______Have you ever been convicted of a crime?_____ If “yes”, list date(s), place(s), charge (s), and disposition(s). ______It is our desire to maximize public safety by appropriately matching mentors with mentees. Would you object to having an NCIC or other background check conducted for purposes of this program? ( ) yes ( ) no. Would you be willing to undergo an initial two hour mentor training workshop to help equip you to qualify to serve as a mentor? ( ) yes ( ) no. MENTORING INFORMATION Why would you like to be a mentor? ______(OVER) Page Two: READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT MENTOR APPLICATIONCan you meet via telephone or in person with the mentee four (4) hours per MONTH? ( ) yes ( ) no Do you have any previous experience volunteering or working with youth in at-risk situations which may include Children in Foster Care, Children of Prisoners, Out-of School Youth, or Youth in Detention Facility ( ) yes ( ) no If “yes”, please explain.______What time can you call and or meet with your mentee for one hour? ( ) 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Saturdays; ( ) 8:00 am to 9:00 am week/school days; ( ) after 5:00 pm; ( ) during lunch time In addition to English, do you speak any other language? ______5. Describe your general health. Are you currently under a physician’s care or taking any medications? If so, please explain.______354 ______6. Are you currently using any illegal drugs or controlled substances? ( ) yes ( ) no 7. Have you ever been convicted of a DUI, driving while under the influence of alcohol? If yes, when and what were the circumstances? ______8. Have you ever received treatment for alcohol or substance abuse? ( ) yes ( ) no If yes, please explain.______9. Have you ever been investigated or convicted of child abuse or neglect? ( ) yes ( ) no If yes, please explain.______10. Have you ever been investigated or convicted of sexually abusing or molesting a youth age 18 or younger? ( ) yes ( ) no If yes, please explain.______11. Are you willing to communicate regularly and openly with program staff, provide monthly information regarding your mentoring activities, and receive feedback regarding any difficulties during your participation in the mentoring program? ( ) yes ( ) no (OVER) Page Three: READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT MENTOR APPLICATION12. Are you willing to attend an initial two (2) hour mentor training session and two in service training sessions per year after being matched? ( ) yes ( ) no _____ Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color appreciate your interest. Please initial each of the following: ______I agree to follow all mentoring program guidelines and understand that any viBerthation will result in suspension and/or termination of the mentoring relationship. ______I understand that Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color is not obligated to provide a reason for their decision in accepting or rejecting me as a mentor. ______I understand that Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for Boys and Young Men of Color will provide free fingerprinting screening services and that there may be a nominal cost determined by the partner Law Enforcement Agency for background checks, and if applicable, I will be responsible for said fee made payable to the Law Enforcement Agency at the Initial Mentor Orientation, Training and Screening session.______(optional) I agree to allow Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project for355 Boys and Young Men of Color to use any photographic image of me taken while participating in the mentoring program. These images may be used in promotions or other related marketing materials. I understand I must have all of the following completed items along with this application, and that any incomplete information will result in the delay of my application being processed: .Copy of your valid driver’s license and proof of auto insurance .Information Release Form .Personal References Form .Interest Survey Form .DMV Release Form (state agency form) .Criminal History Release Form (state agency form) .Child Abuse and Neglect Release Form (state agency form) .Sexual Offender Release Form (state agency form) REFERENCES Please list the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three people you would like to use as character references (please list only people you have known for at least one year. At least one should be an employer-if applicable). (OVER) Page Four: READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT MENTOR APPLICATIONName: ______Address: ______City: ______State______Zip______Phone:______Relationship______Name: ______Address: ______City: ______State______Zip______Phone:______Relationship______Name: ______Address: ______City: ______State______Zip______Phone:______Relationship______356 Please read this carefully before signing: Our program appreciates your interest in becoming a mentor to a boy or young man of color ages 6-24. By signing below, you attest to the truthfulness of all information listed on this application. You agree to let our program confirm all information listed, conduct federal and/or state criminal records check, and be willing to be screened (fingerprinted) to serve as a Mentor. I agree to a minimum of four hours training annually as appropriate. I have read and understood the program’s rules, regulations, and responsibilities for becoming a mentor. If selected, I will follow the rules of the program and be a dedicated mentor. I agree to the time commitment of four (4) hour (s) per month (preferably one hour per week) for one (1) year. By signing below, I attest to the truthfulness of all information listed on this application and agree to all the above terms and conditions.______Signature Date READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLORMENTOR CONTRACT . By choosing to Volunteer as a Mentor with the Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project (R4LMTMP), I agree to:. Work and develop a trusting relationship with the Mentee and Caregivers/Parents. . Provide four (4) hours of mentoring to the Mentee per month for a twelve (12) month commitment which begins upon the signing of this mentor/mentee contract.. Commit to providing one-on-one mentoring sessions for the matched Mentee one year for those mentees ages 6-24 years of age.. Maintain this relationship with the Mentee, devoting focused, quality and consistent time to the Mentee with the goal of helping the Mentee struggle with their parent’s incarceration.. Not to charge, accept or receive payment for these mentoring services which are provided strictly on a volunteer basis.. Be Certified, and at least 18 years of age and provide transportation during all mentoring activities, events and sessions. . Keep Automobile Insurance Police and Driver’s License active at all times.357 . Be supportive in the areas of education and academics, and help to or research resources and/or services that the Mentee may need to improve their quality of life.. Help Mentee with reaching Goals set forth by R4LMTMP which includes improved school performance in attendance, achievement, participation, and conduct; as well as reduction or no participation in gangs, delinquency, or criminal activity.. Encourage Mentee to be open-minded and talk about things they do not understand.. Listen attentively to the Mentee to express feelings and concerns.Signed into agreement on this ______day of ______20____________Mentor Name Mentor Signature READY4LIFE MANHOOD TRAINING AND MENTORING PROJECT FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLOR MENTOR BEHAVIOR POLICY It is the policy of the Ready4Life Manhood Training and Mentoring Project that unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated on the part of mentors or mentees while participating in the project. This recommended policy is consistent with the learning objectives of R4LMTMP and is in addition to behavioral requirements stipulated in other policies or procedures as determined. These recommendations are in no way intended to replace or take precedence over other policies or procedures including, but not limited to the following:  Confidential Policy  Transportation Policy  Overnight visits and Out-of-Town Travel Policy  Mandatory reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect Policy  Use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and firearms PolicyA number of behaviors are regarded as incompatible with this project’s goals, values, and project standards therefore are considered unacceptable and prohibited while participants are engaged in mentoring activities. Unwelcome physical contact, such as inappropriate touching (patting, pinching, punching, and physical assault) Unwelcome physical, verbal, visual, or behavioral mannerisms or conduct that denigrates, shows hostility, or aversion towards any individual Demeaning or exploitive behavior of either a sexual or nonsexual nature, including threats of such behavior358  There should be no display of demeaning, suggestive, or pornographic material. Known sexual abuse or neglect of a child Denigration; public or private of any mentee parent/caretaker or family member(OVER) -2- Mentor Behavior Policy Intentional violation of any local, state, or federal law to include acts of conspiracy or indirect involvement Drinking while driving under the influence of alcohol Possession of illegal substances or weaponsAny unacceptable behavior, as specified but not limited to the above, will result in disciplinary action to include suspension or termination from participation in the mentoring program. The signature below constitutes acceptance and willingness to comply with this policy.Signed into agreement on this ______day of ______20____________Mentor Name Mentor SignatureReady4Life (R4LMTMP) Manhood Training and Mentoring Project) Mentor Recruitment/Training Schedule/OutlineTraining Site: ______PLEASE CHECK ONE: I PREFER TO ATTEND ON A ( ) SATURDAY 9:00 am to 11:30 am ( ) TUESDAY 9:00 am to 11:30 am ( ) THURSDAY 9:00 am to 11:30 am ( ) TUESDAY 6:00 pm to 8:30 am ( ) THURSDAY 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm359 PRINT NAME:______ORGANIZATION: ______PHONE: ( ) ______EMAIL ADDRESS: ______DATE: ______PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM VIA EMAIL TO ______TRAINING SCHEDULE: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. or (6:00 pm to 6:30 pm) - Registration and Continental Breakfast 9:30 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. or (6:30 pm to 6:40 pm) 1. Welcome, Invocation and Introductions 9:40 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. or (6:40 pm to 6:45 pm) Icebreaker 9:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. or (6:45 pm to 7:00 pm) 2. Training Objectives and Impact of Risk Factors for Boys and Young Men of Color in At-Risk Situations 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or (7:00 pm to 7:30 pm) 3. What is Ready4LifeManhood Training and Mentoring Project? (Ready4Life Skills Training, Project Outcomes; and what is a Mentor? 10:30 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. or (7:30 pm to 7:40 pm) BREAK 10:40 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. or (7:40 pm to 7:45 pm) 4. Trust and Relationship Building - Reading; Service Learning; Effective Communication 10:45 a.m. to 10:55 a.m. or (7:45 pm to 7:55 pm) 5. Safety Issues Abuse Prevention; Mandatory Reporting; Sexual Harassment; Transportation Rules and Alcohol and Tobacco Use 10:55 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. or (7:55 pm to 8:10 pm) 6. Other Important Policy and Program Guidelines Parent Roles and Inclusion; Gifts and Money; Expected and Unacceptable Behaviors and Match Closure11:10 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. or (8:10 pm to 8:25 pm) 7. Wrap Up – What’s Next? - Screening (Fingerprinting, Background Check) and Matching Process Questions and Open Discussion 11:25 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or (8:25 pm to 8:30 pm-CLOSE OF TRAINING EVENT) Preparation for Lunch Fellowship 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Lunch Served (Hospitality Committee) SUGGESTED BACK COVER OF BOOK 360 WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCH A Twenty-First Century Progressive Ministry Vision Plan for the Church-in-the-Black ExperienceAnthony KelleyWhat the Spirit is Saying to the Church is an apocalyptic view from the Letters to the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation that begins its message to the church admonishing her to return to her first love which she has abandoned. The author contends that this first love requirement demands a redirection of priorities for the Twenty-First Century Church-in-the-Black-Experience. It demonstrates how, for the love of Christ, she must move beyond a limited vision of just a good-looking church and satisfaction with old definitions. Christ gives a rebuke to the Church and a direct warning that if she does not repent and change her ways and return to her first love, he will then remove her lamp stand! “Reverend Kelley’s preaching is spiritually sound and intellectually stimulating and challenging, and also socially relevant. He deeply believes in what I would call a well-rounded ministry. That is to say, that ministry for him involves not only mastering the preached Word, but also taking seriously and fulfilling the roles of pastor, priest, and prophet.”---REV. DR. LEWIS V. BALDWIN, PH.D, RETIRED PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY.“Reverend Kelley is a preacher of the Word. His ability to prepare and deliver biblically sound, inspirational and spirit-filled sermons is a gift that allows those who hear him to participate in the story of salvation at personal and social levels. He is not a closed-lip babbler who preaches to itching ears; rather he speaks with power and authority under the watchcare of a humble spirit and a disciplined mind.”----REV. DR. WALTER EARL FLUKER, PH.D, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PROFESSOR OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP, AND DIRECTOR OF THE HOWARD THURMAN INSTITUTE, BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY.ANTHONY KELLEY is currently Senior Pastor of the Greater First Church Baptist in Baker, LA. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary located on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Pastor Kelley has served other churches to include Mount Zion First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, LA succeeding Dr. T.J. Jemison, former President of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., and several other churches in Illinois and Indiana. He is the Founder and former Executive Secretary of the Prison Ministry and Criminal Justice Commission, Instructor on Prison Ministry for the National Baptist Congress and past Lecturer for the December Conference of Christian Educators, all of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. He is also author of three books all published by Townsend Press to include: How Shall They Hear; A Strange Silence from the Pulpit; and Jailhouse Religion.361 About the Author ANTHONY KELLEY is currently Senior Pastor of the Greater First Church Baptist in Baker, LA. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Pastor Kelley has served other churches to include Mount Zion First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, LA succeeding Dr. T.J. Jemison, former President of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., and several other churches in Illinois and Indiana. He is the Founder and former Executive Secretary of the Prison Ministry and Criminal Justice Commission, Instructor on Prison Ministry for the National Baptist Congress and past Lecturer for the December Conference of Christian Educators, all of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. He is also Founder, Chairman and CEO of Reclamation and Restoration Ministries, Inc., and author of three books all published by Townsend Press of the Sunday School Publishing Board, Nashville, TN, to include: How Shall They Hear: Effective Preaching to Prisoners; A Strange Silence from the Pulpit: The Prophetic Role of Pastors in Prison Ministry; and Jailhouse Religion: The Church’s Mission and Ministry to the Incarcerated.Back Cover SummaryWHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCH A Twenty-First Century Progressive Ministry Vision Plan for the Church-in-the-Black Experience Anthony KelleyWhat the Spirit is Saying to the Church is an apocalyptic view from the Letters to the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation that begins it message to the church admonishing her to return to her first love which she has abandoned. The author contends that this first love requirement demands a redirection of priorities for the Twenty-First Century Church-in-the-362 Black-Experience. It demonstrates how, for the love of Christ, she must move beyond a limited vision of just a good-looking church and satisfaction with old definitions. Christ gives a rebuke to the Church and a direct warning that if she does not repent and return to her first love, he will then remove her lamp stand! “Reverend Kelley’s preaching is spiritually sound and intellectually stimulating and challenging, and also socially relevant. He deeply believes in what I would call a well-rounded ministry. That is to say, that ministry for him involves not only mastering the preached Word, but also taking seriously and fulfilling the roles of pastor, priest, and prophet.”---REV. DR. LEWIS V. BALDWIN, RETIRED PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY.“Reverend Kelley is a preacher of the Word. His ability to prepare and deliver biblically sound, inspirational and spirit-filled sermons is a gift that allows those who hear him to participate in the story of salvation at personal and social levels. He is not a closed-lip babbler who preaches to itching ears, rather he speaks with power and authority under the watchcare of an humble spirit and a disciplined mind.”----REV. DR. WALTER EARL FLUKER, PH.D, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PROFESSOR OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP, AND DIRECTOR OF THE HOWARD THURMAN INSTITUTE, BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY.363

What the Spirit Is Saying to the Church

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