Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
17MAY2014BODYOFCHRISTNEWSProblemsplaguetheworldaroundus.Manyinourchurchesandcommunitiesfaceinjusticecrimepovertyracismandotherdauntingevils.ButoftenChristianshavenotknownhowtorespondeffective-ly.Theissuesseembiggerthananythingthechurchcanhandleandsoweareparalyzedintoinactionandofferhalfheartedprayersatbest.YetthroughouthistoryGodhasempoweredhispeopletostanduptoinjustice.Whenthesituationcallsforconfrontationorstructuralchangeourresponsemustbemorethenpersonalpietypastoralcareorindividualisticevangelism.Christiansmustbecomeproficientinthepracticeandexerciseofpower.ManyofyouhaveheardmesaybeforeonsomeoccasionstheChurchhastheanswerstotheprob-lemsthataretearingournationapart.ButbeforesocietycanchangeandbesparedGodsrighteousjudgmentmanyofourchurchesmustchangesothatGodcanhavearemnantthroughwhomHecanworktoaddressthemanyareasofoursocietythatneedredirecting.ToputitbrieflyfirstthereneedstobearenewalofGodspeopleinHisChurchbeforetherecanbearenewalinsocietyatlarge.Therearetenareasthatthechurchmustaddressbeforethisrenewalcanoccur.1.EMPHASIZESOUNDBIBLETEACHING2Tim.42-3.TheBlackchurchhasbeenknownfortheexcitingoratoryofitspastors.Asagroupsuchpastorsareunmatchedintheirabilitytotouchaudiences.MenlikeMartinLutherKingJr.haveleftindeliblemarksonhistory.Butithasnotbeensuf-ficienttoalterthespiritualandmoraldirectionoftheblackcommunity.ThebirthandgrowthofdisciplesinthechurchisfoundedontheexpositoryteachingofGodsWord.Thatisthelogicalexplanationofscriptureincontextsohearerscanunderstandandapplyit.Inshortitisrelevantteaching.TheHolySpiritopensourmindstoGodsword.IcallitMagicalrealismtheHolySpiritmakesthescripturesclearastowhatGodiscallingustodo.Jesusfinalinstructiontobelieversincludedteach-ingthemtoobserveallthatIcommandedyouMatt.2820NASB.Wewillnotchangeourcitiessimplybydissectingsentencesanddefiningterms.WemustgoastepfurthershowingthatGodsWordhasanswersfortodaysquestions.2.AVOIDDEPENDINGONGOVERNMENTActs432-35.Churchescanbecreativeindevel-opingitsownemploymentprogram.Unemployedchurchmembersphoneintoregisterandemployedmembersalerttheministrycoordinatortojobopen-ings.Youwillbesurpriseatwhatcouldhappen.IsthishappeninginyourChurchPleaselettheBodyofChristNewsknow.GodmadethebodyofChristresponsibleforitselfsotheworldcouldseeGodsfamilyatwork.Theblackcommunityingeneralhasnotgraspedthistruth.ThereareChurchesinourDenvercom-munitythathavethecapacitytodothisNewHopeBaptistChurchMacedoniaBaptistChurchShorterAMEChurchandColoradoChristianFellowshipColoradoCommunityChurchandThePottersHouseandIamsurethereareothers.Inourlegitimatebiblicalcallongovernmenttopromotejusticeandmercywebecamesodependentonitsprogramsandassistancethatwefailedtodevelopthemeansofaddressingourownneeds.In2010thegrossproductionfigureforblackAmericawasmorethan206billionmorethanthegrossnationalproductofallbut13coun-triesintheworld.OurdearSisterCarlaLaddhasbeentryingtoteachusandopenourunderstandingtoEconomicDevelopmentinourcommunitybuttheblackchurcheshasntcaughtontoityet.Shewentoutofherwaytoinviteadonatedpaidtabletogettheblackpastorstoencouragetheirmemberstoparticipateandlearnfromandallshegotwasatableofblackpas-torsthatatetheirlunchandlefttheconference.Reachouttoherthis2014SuccessSummitMay302014-MarriottDTCandtakebacktoyourchurchideasthatcanhelpourcommunityandyourmem-bers.Theblackchurchisthemostimportantinstitutioninourcommunityandwehavetheresourcestoaddresstheneedsofthecommunity.TheColoradoBlackRoundTablehasdoneanextendedstudyoftheLosingGroundReportgivenin2013thankstoSharonBaileyGloriaTannerRegisGroffJohnBaileyandDorothyWatkinsandothers.Wehavethetoolsinourhandsbutchurchleadershipwontmobilizetheirresourcestohelpmakethecom-munitybetter.TheChurchmustlearnthevalueofABCDAsset-BasedCommunityDevelopmentandtheempowermentofbuildingcongregationsfromtheinsideoutstartingwiththestrengthsandassetsoftheirmembersratherthanrelyingongovernmentoroutsideexpertsandresources.In2003DenverColoradounderMayorHickenloopersAdministrationthecitydevelopedaTenYearPlanToEndHomelessnessinDenver.HeappointedmemberstotheDenverCommissiontoEndHomelessnessasweknowit.Itwasanambi-tiousgoalbuthomelessnessstillexistandevenmoreintensivethaneverbefore.Becauseitwasatopdownapproachitdidnthappen.ChurchesinthehoodshouldhavebeenmoreinvolvedinthisprocessandbegantoaddresstheneedsfromaBottomupapproachratherthanatopdownstrategy.Churchesshouldvetakentheleadnotthegovernment.FoodpantriesemergencyfundslegalassistancefinancialplanninghealthclinicsCenterforAfricanAmericanHealthunderGrantJonesthesearejustsomeoftheministriesthatchurchesthatcareabouttheircommunitiescanaccomplish.Butweallknowthattheproblemsaredeeperandfoodpantriescanthelpincertainareas.Thereneedstobepoliticalactiononthegroundaswell.ItisnotenoughtohaveaChristianMayorinthecitysofficeoraChristianChiefofPoliceandSheriff.Thatisallgoodandhasitplace.ButwhatweneedasaChristianCommunityinDenveraremenandwomenofactionthattakestheinitiativeandmakethingshappeninapositivewayfortheirChristianbrothersandsistersthataresufferinginthemidstoftheurbancrisis.ThereisaneedtopulltogetherandbevisibleandaccountedforasChristiansinpoliticaloffice.ManytimesweforgetwhyGodhavechosenustobeinpositionsofpowerforsuchatimeasthis.ThereneedstobepoliticaldiscernmentfromaChristianperspective.ThisLosingGroundreportwillaffectallofusandespeciallyfuturegen-erationstocome.LetmesuggestthatBlackChurchmenPastorsandChristianthinkersneedtounderstandpoliticaldiscernmentforChristiansinpostmodernworldflowsfromaninescapableandintimaterelationbetweenChristianreflectionandsomeformofsystemicsocialanaly-sis.Thedescriptivedimensionofpoliticaldiscernmentrestsuponsophisticatedsocialanalysesandthenormativedimensionofpoliti-caldiscernmentisgroundedinaninterpretationoftheChristiangospel.Needlesstosayafull-blownChristianperspectiveshouldaccentourrelativevictimizingandrelativevictimizationthatisourvariouslocationsontheexistentialsocioeconomiccul-turalandpoliticalscales.3.MOVEBEYONDTRADITIONCol.28.Thatsthewaywevealwaysdoneitisapoorexcuseforthewaywedothings.WemustasktwoquestionsabouteveryactivityofthechurchIsitbiblicalIsiteffectiveforministryWhenthePhariseesandthescribesaskedJesuswhyHisdis-ciplesfailedtofollowthecustomofceremonialhandwashingherepliedAndwhydoyouyourselvestransgressthecommandmentofGodforthesakeofyourtraditionsMatt.153.IneffectJesusaskedthemWhyarentyoufollowingthetraditionsofGodManytraditionsareimportantnotonlytocommunicateourheritagebutalsobecausetheyreflectaclearpictureofGod.Gospelspiritualsreflectsomethingextremelyvaluablefromthepastthatweshouldretain.ThosethingsneworoldthatgiveusabetterunderstandingofwhoGodisshouldneverbecompromised.LeadershipwithinFaith-basedorgani-zationsshoulddevelopaFeltNeedConceptwhendealingwithmemberscomingfromlow-incomecom-munitiesnotatraditionalapproach.4.USETHESPIRITUALGIFTSOFTHEBODYRom.124-5.WhenonepartofmybodyisinjuredorsickIgetmyselftothedoctorbecausethebreak-downofonepartimpairstheworkingofallparts.Inthesamewaywhenamemberofthespiritualbodystopsfunctioningitshardforthechurchtoachieveitsgoals.AtmyChurchpeopleinterestedinbecom-ingmembersgothroughaseriesofclasses.Astheynearcompletiontheymustsignupforaministryinthechurch.Ifsomeonetellsusheorsheisunwillingtoservewedontextendmembershiptothatperson.Forafamilytofunctionproperlyeverymembermustsharetheload.Somepeoplesubmittheweakexcusethattheydontknowwhattheirgiftis.ButGodcantshowuswhatwerebestqualifiedtodountilwegetbusy.Ifwearegoingtochallengepeopletousetheirgiftswemustcreateopportunitiesbeyondthechoirorushercommittee.Socialservicescomputerlit-eracyinstructorstutorsforourchildrencounselingvolunteerlegalaidinthechurchvolunteerdentalassistancevolunteerautorepairsfreegiveawaycarsSundayschoolteacherscookstheseareonlyafewpossibilities.Someofourblackprofessionalsthinktheyaretogetpaidforeverythingtheydo.IfGodisblessingyouyoushouldinreturnbeablessingtoothersthatarelessfortunate.WhatisyourspiritualgiftIfyoudontknowwhatitisgettoworkinthechurchandGodwillshowyou.Yourministrygiftisaby-productofwhatGodisalreadydoinginyourlife.10StepstoUrbanRenewalCURRENTAFAIRSH.MalcolmNewtonWhenonepartofmybodyisinjuredorsickIgetmyselftothedoctorbecausethebreakdownofonepartimpairstheworkingofallparts.Inthesamewaywhenamemberofthespiritualbodystopsfunctioning.ByDr.H.MalcolmNewtonContinuedinnextmonthseditionofBOCNews