How do you honor God?
How do you demonstrate your beliefs and your stance?
After the Valley, I actually stopped going to "church" in the traditional sense. I found it full of BS. Please don't misunderstand. I'm as faithful as I've ever been. I remain a follower of Yeshua's teachings but I have distance myself from the "church".
What does the Christian life look like?
Is it full of "Blessed and highly favored" cliche' comments or is it what you DO? I look around and see mega churches and not mega food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens. I look around and see the "church" serving its own members and not reaching out into the community and loving those left out in the cold by their families, friends and yes, the church. I remember teaming with a women's ministry on providing some outreach. The pastor said to her congregation, "We're going to help Rhonda in reaching the unsaved and unchurched." I was like HUH? I stopped her immediately. I had to let her know that the women I served LOVED God and many are saved but didn't like the church. I let her know that there's so much judgment in the church that it seems the "world" loved them more than the church. She admitted to misspeaking on the topic but it really proved my point. Oddly enough, this particular pastor is excellent in her service but still had a judgment of some of God's children.
Who is today's Christian?
We have one of the biggest health epidemics to ever hit the black community and where is the church? In judgment. When it comes to HIV, the education you'll hear from the pulpit is that we need to save the homosexuals from themselves and from "us". Oh and they may let folks come in to do some testing. (good grief) What about good ol'fashion fornication? If over 70% of black children are born to unwedded parents, I think the problem has less to do with homosexuality, but heterosexuality. The question of the "DL" brother is for another blog BECAUSE in the context talking about the church, christianity - if black women are the least married, why are we having sex? Right? Even though teenage pregnancy is down, black girls still are having more babies. Why? When will the church address the problems with heterosexuality? On any given Sunday, there are MORE heterosexuals sitting in the pews of your church and yet you can bet the pastor is gonna mention and maybe even have an alter call for "them homosexuals". (sigh) Black women are dying and I refuse to victimize us by just laying blame on bisexual brothers. Black women are making some dangerous choices in their sexual relationships. Its time for some tough love and the Church should be on the forefront of this epidemic.
This past week, I was inspired and reminded about what a Christian is suppose to look like and be like. I met Pastor Jim from the Dream Center. The Dream Center works with our homeless neighbors and Pastor Jim is the REAL DEAL. He came in with some jeans and a t-shirt. His boots were worn and all I could see was the Love of Christ represented fully. This man LOVED God. This man truly understood God's charge to us in serving the community. I connected with Pastor Jim. Pastor Jim didn't convert every neighbor he encountered. They were not required to know scripture before he gave them food. They didn't have to tell him what church they belonged to before he gave them a blanket. They didn't have to be saved before he offered them shelter care. All he did was SHOW them Christ through his work. Show and Prove - Right?
How do you SERVE Christ? Going to church 8 times per week was never the charge Christ gave unto his people. He told us to go OUT amongst the people. He told us to SERVE - not just other so-called Christians but anyone in need. The mistake that so many have is that they think a "ministry" only sits underneath a church....WRONG. Woman to Woman was a ministry. CWUW is a ministry. At W2W, we prayed with women that asked for prayer. We had a spiritually based program at Daysprings (a shelter). We gave away bibles. The difference is that GOD lead us in our ministry. I NEVER did anything without the direction of the Holy Spirit. There were times when God would just tell me to hug the person in my presence. He would say, "Tell her I love her and that's it". God knows how to minister to his people. How foolish to think God is only showing up at something deemed a "church". The Church is in you. I take the church with me. Its time for us to wake up and stop playing church. The church needs to stop with the mega buildings that don't serve the communities they're in. Its so annoying to me. To hear bragging from the pulpit about how big the pastor's house is or car.....ugh. What happen to testimonies about a changed spirit, attitude? Pray for ya stuff. Get the money. Get ya bills paid. Get ya car. blah, blah, blah. hmmmmm......God will provide right? I didn't pray for my new car. I was rewarded it with it. That's what I believe. I believe God will provide my needs and my wants if I'm obedient to the purpose and plan for my life. I can make known by desires through prayer but goodness, the stuff folks pray for is really ridiculous. Could explain our mortgage crisis. God didn't really bless ya with that big ole house huh? ;) I'm being a little cynical there but I think ya get the point. What is really important?
I'm a child of God. I'm a follower of Yeshua - Jesus Christ, I proudly say and I'm truly obedient to the charge given to us as believers. We must serve...without braggin' and boastin'. Just do it. I've been given stewardship over CWUW. Its God's and it can be taken from me at anytime. I need to be mindful of everything I do with it.
My charge to my follow Christians -
LOVE all of God's children - black, white, red, straight, gay, transgendered, homeless, rich or poor. All you have to do is LOVE and spread the Word in a manner God would have you to do so. This is the lovely advantage of the Holy Spirit. Use him. He works. This is why I can sit on a board of an agency for gay black men without issue. LOVE and God's guidance in this situation.
Serve - Get involved in your community. Get involved in your ministry. Do something.
Check ya self - Calling yourself a Christian is meaningless if you act like Devil. folks watch you. God himself said don't be lukewarm. Pick a team and roll with it. We forget that God can see our hearts and our motives. You can act all pious, act all humble and talk all the churchy talk you want but GOD KNOWS YOU!!! Check your self.
Question stuff - You can read the Bible and find your own interpretation of it. Get enlightened.
Lastly - God is bigger than Religion. Don' t be legalistic.
This is a late night rambling session but believe so many of the world's situations can be changed if we were truly following Christ and not man.
Nighty Night. First, Blessings to God, the Most high and blessings to you!
waiting for a prince mix from redenbacher
How do you demonstrate your beliefs and your stance?
After the Valley, I actually stopped going to "church" in the traditional sense. I found it full of BS. Please don't misunderstand. I'm as faithful as I've ever been. I remain a follower of Yeshua's teachings but I have distance myself from the "church".
What does the Christian life look like?
Is it full of "Blessed and highly favored" cliche' comments or is it what you DO? I look around and see mega churches and not mega food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens. I look around and see the "church" serving its own members and not reaching out into the community and loving those left out in the cold by their families, friends and yes, the church. I remember teaming with a women's ministry on providing some outreach. The pastor said to her congregation, "We're going to help Rhonda in reaching the unsaved and unchurched." I was like HUH? I stopped her immediately. I had to let her know that the women I served LOVED God and many are saved but didn't like the church. I let her know that there's so much judgment in the church that it seems the "world" loved them more than the church. She admitted to misspeaking on the topic but it really proved my point. Oddly enough, this particular pastor is excellent in her service but still had a judgment of some of God's children.
Who is today's Christian?
We have one of the biggest health epidemics to ever hit the black community and where is the church? In judgment. When it comes to HIV, the education you'll hear from the pulpit is that we need to save the homosexuals from themselves and from "us". Oh and they may let folks come in to do some testing. (good grief) What about good ol'fashion fornication? If over 70% of black children are born to unwedded parents, I think the problem has less to do with homosexuality, but heterosexuality. The question of the "DL" brother is for another blog BECAUSE in the context talking about the church, christianity - if black women are the least married, why are we having sex? Right? Even though teenage pregnancy is down, black girls still are having more babies. Why? When will the church address the problems with heterosexuality? On any given Sunday, there are MORE heterosexuals sitting in the pews of your church and yet you can bet the pastor is gonna mention and maybe even have an alter call for "them homosexuals". (sigh) Black women are dying and I refuse to victimize us by just laying blame on bisexual brothers. Black women are making some dangerous choices in their sexual relationships. Its time for some tough love and the Church should be on the forefront of this epidemic.
This past week, I was inspired and reminded about what a Christian is suppose to look like and be like. I met Pastor Jim from the Dream Center. The Dream Center works with our homeless neighbors and Pastor Jim is the REAL DEAL. He came in with some jeans and a t-shirt. His boots were worn and all I could see was the Love of Christ represented fully. This man LOVED God. This man truly understood God's charge to us in serving the community. I connected with Pastor Jim. Pastor Jim didn't convert every neighbor he encountered. They were not required to know scripture before he gave them food. They didn't have to tell him what church they belonged to before he gave them a blanket. They didn't have to be saved before he offered them shelter care. All he did was SHOW them Christ through his work. Show and Prove - Right?
How do you SERVE Christ? Going to church 8 times per week was never the charge Christ gave unto his people. He told us to go OUT amongst the people. He told us to SERVE - not just other so-called Christians but anyone in need. The mistake that so many have is that they think a "ministry" only sits underneath a church....WRONG. Woman to Woman was a ministry. CWUW is a ministry. At W2W, we prayed with women that asked for prayer. We had a spiritually based program at Daysprings (a shelter). We gave away bibles. The difference is that GOD lead us in our ministry. I NEVER did anything without the direction of the Holy Spirit. There were times when God would just tell me to hug the person in my presence. He would say, "Tell her I love her and that's it". God knows how to minister to his people. How foolish to think God is only showing up at something deemed a "church". The Church is in you. I take the church with me. Its time for us to wake up and stop playing church. The church needs to stop with the mega buildings that don't serve the communities they're in. Its so annoying to me. To hear bragging from the pulpit about how big the pastor's house is or car.....ugh. What happen to testimonies about a changed spirit, attitude? Pray for ya stuff. Get the money. Get ya bills paid. Get ya car. blah, blah, blah. hmmmmm......God will provide right? I didn't pray for my new car. I was rewarded it with it. That's what I believe. I believe God will provide my needs and my wants if I'm obedient to the purpose and plan for my life. I can make known by desires through prayer but goodness, the stuff folks pray for is really ridiculous. Could explain our mortgage crisis. God didn't really bless ya with that big ole house huh? ;) I'm being a little cynical there but I think ya get the point. What is really important?
I'm a child of God. I'm a follower of Yeshua - Jesus Christ, I proudly say and I'm truly obedient to the charge given to us as believers. We must serve...without braggin' and boastin'. Just do it. I've been given stewardship over CWUW. Its God's and it can be taken from me at anytime. I need to be mindful of everything I do with it.
My charge to my follow Christians -
LOVE all of God's children - black, white, red, straight, gay, transgendered, homeless, rich or poor. All you have to do is LOVE and spread the Word in a manner God would have you to do so. This is the lovely advantage of the Holy Spirit. Use him. He works. This is why I can sit on a board of an agency for gay black men without issue. LOVE and God's guidance in this situation.
Serve - Get involved in your community. Get involved in your ministry. Do something.
Check ya self - Calling yourself a Christian is meaningless if you act like Devil. folks watch you. God himself said don't be lukewarm. Pick a team and roll with it. We forget that God can see our hearts and our motives. You can act all pious, act all humble and talk all the churchy talk you want but GOD KNOWS YOU!!! Check your self.
Question stuff - You can read the Bible and find your own interpretation of it. Get enlightened.
Lastly - God is bigger than Religion. Don' t be legalistic.
This is a late night rambling session but believe so many of the world's situations can be changed if we were truly following Christ and not man.
Nighty Night. First, Blessings to God, the Most high and blessings to you!
waiting for a prince mix from redenbacher
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