Church Boy Chronicles

Racism By Any Other Name...

2011-11-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

I wonder, at times, am I too sensitive when it comes to racism? I mean, that’s the criticism we receive anyway from our white counterparts. Admittedly, there are times when I believe I blow things out of proportion by trying to relive a time period that I was not able to experience. However, there are moments when it’s just too easy to spot even if it is somewhat nuanced and ambiguous.

My sister (a middle school math teacher) and I were having a discussion regarding a faculty meeting at her school. She teaches at a Title I (high poverty) school with a core demographic of black students. She informed me that the principal, during this meeting, mandated that teachers not give any students below a grade of 65, regardless of how bad they do (if they do anything at all). The rationale behind this directive is that if students get below a certain grade then they just give up on the rest of the school year and don’t even try. By giving at least a 65, it gives the students a fighting chance to pass the semester/year (This same directive was given at the high school where I teach, except we can go as low as a 50). Point taken. Furthermore, the principal went on to suggest (rather tell) the teachers not to grade any homework they give the students. The reasoning behind this “genius” idea is that we’re dealing with a “different” generation of students with extenuating circumstances. The majority of them come from single parent homes. Many of their parents are either not capable of helping or are not home to help them with their homework. These students also have various responsibilities at home (such as babysitting younger siblings, chores, etc.) that keep them from completing their homework. So, basically what I’m hearing is that this is the first generation of black students to grow up in a single parent household, where the parent holds down more than one job, therefore making them responsible for helping around the house. Oh ok...I get it now. Make it easier for the students to pass because life outside of school is just unbearable. We shouldn’t challenge these kids because it will cause them to spontaneously combust and we may scar them for life. How dare we make them responsible for doing their school work. Don’t you know how hard their life is?

This is yet another example of the paternalistic, patronizing, condescending, dare I say, racist institutionalism handed down from the powers that be, in order to ensure that our young black children only go so far. Now, to give the benefit of the doubt, I’m sure that many white people believe they are actually helping these students. This is to the contrary, however. What is being seen as help is actually handicapping our students. By coddling our young black students, we are giving them another excuse to not put forth the effort to succeed...another anchor that will perpetually secure them at the bottom of the socioeconomic ocean.

Black students need to be challenged just as much as white students and they are just as capable of doing the work as their white peers as well. By lessening their school responsibilities because their home life is not easy is giving them a subliminal message that they are not competent enough to excel at the same level of other students. Now granted, I had both my parents at home, but I became a latchkey kid in the fourth grade because both my parents worked and I don’t ever recall them helping me with my homework. It certainly didn’t stop me from excelling in school, and I know there are many others with similar stories (many worse). I also would like to inform these decision makers that single-parent black homes didn’t just start in 2011. This is an issue that has been going on for far too long. In fact, young blacks have dealt with far worse (Slavery, Jim Crow, Civil Rights struggles anybody?), and have seemed to do well academically (granted they had a thirst for knowledge). So why do we now want to make it easier for black students? Why are we treating them like the commercials of children in third world countries who are stricken with disease and malnutrition? Let me be the first to tell you that none of them have it that hard. I’m certainly not suggesting that these kids have it easy. I realize many black students are dealing with the harsh realities of life. However, I also realize we have a history of being strong, resourceful, intelligent, and innovative. These students are just as smart and qualified as anybody and need someone and something to remind them of this fact. Someone(s) that will push them to higher dimensions and not to lower crevices. It’s not the amount of work given to them that’s the problem. The issue is that many of these children are perceptive enough to notice a system that doesn’t really care about their well being. They see a system that doesn’t cater to their history or culture, therefore, they cannot relate to the curriculum. They see the fearful yet disdainful looks of “thug”, “gangster”, and “nigger” from some of their teachers. What incentive do they have to even try?

Ohhhh...but I forgot. We’re dealing with public education, where standardized testing rules the world. Where African-American students are scoring lowest in math and science. Where black males are disproportionately suspended from school and placed in special education. Where 50% of black students do not graduate high school in four years. So by making it easier for them, we can possibly improve these numbers. We can make our schools look better. It doesn’t matter if they don’t know how to think critically once they’re out of school as long as we get them through school. So I ask the question, public education (realizing I am part of the problem)...Are we trying to help the students OR are we trying to help ourselves? This shall be continued...

-Making Excellence A Habit

The Fallacy of Love

2011-10-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Fallacy of Love

“After (insert number here) years of being together, we are still IN LOVE with each other.” Oh really? So you’re telling me that you feel and have always felt the same way about this person that you felt when you first met them, or first fell “in love” with them. I highly doubt it, or if this is true, you all must not communicate often. I’m sorry. Does this sound cynical? I don’t mean to put a damper on people’s concept of love, I just want you to know that it’s unrealistic.

Think about it. Remember when you fell in love with that particular person. Think about all the feelings that came along with that. The hours of phone conversations that caused you to fall asleep on the line. The racing heart beat whenever you heard their name. The sweaty palms when you got ready to meet them for a date. The constant thinking about them day in and day out. Now fast forward to the current. Do you still have those same feelings about them? If so, something is probably not right with you.
Think about the lack of productivity you would have if you were forever “in love”. To be in this state is highly undesirable if you plan on accomplishing anything outside of your relationship.

To be “in love” implies that one can also be out of it. So what happens if we ever get to this point? Break-up/Divorce is our way of saying I’m no longer in love with you, so in order to ensure my personal security, I must make the choice to not be with you anymore. And this is where (Houston) we have a problem. Our societal understanding of love has led to promiscuity, infidelity, and relationship dissatisfaction. We feel that in order to be and stay with a person, we must be in love with them. Therefore, we make snap decisions to marry somebody who we have no business being with because of a tingly feeling we have inside. We just “knew” that was the person for us. Fast forward five years and we’re miserable, trying to remember what caused us to get with this person in the first place.

Now, to ease the aneurisms some of you are experiencing right now. I do believe that you can fall in love, but I don’t believe it will last, let alone cause you to be happy throughout your relationship. However, if we keep the “in” out and just love, then you have a key ingredient to a healthy and strong relationship that will be able to withstand the toughest storms. The love that I speak of is defined by C.S. Lewis as a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace which both partners ask, and receive, from God (Mere Christianity). This kind of love reminds me that I truly do love this person even when I really don’t like this person. This kind of love reminds me of my duty to sacrifice some of my personal pleasures in order ensure the best out of the relationship. This kind of love reminds me that being with this person is not predicated on how I feel at the moment, but on the commitment that I so enthusiastically made at the beginning of the relationship.

Love, in its truest sense, is a beautiful thing. It is a constant reminder of the agape love that God has for us and that we should have for Him. The kind of love that allows God to continue to be there for us even when we do Him wrong. Imagine how much the divorce rate would decline if we enacted this concept of love in our lives. Not reacting merely on feelings, but willing to look beyond our personal selves in order to envision the bond we are creating with our spouse (or future spouse). If we continue to adhere to the fallacy of being in love, then we will continue to experience disappointment in our relationships. However, if I come to understand what love is and the potential it has for myself and my partner, then I don’t put unrealistic expectations on them. I don’t place them on a pedestal as a God-substitute. I realize they have their frailties and shortcomings, although I may not appreciate it at the moment. I admit that sometimes love does hurt, because if it didn’t, Jesus wouldn’t have gone through the excruciating death that He experienced. So there is no way I can be in love with my wife, because if that was the case, we wouldn’t be together any longer. But, because I love my wife, I’m willing to cherish the good moments and endure the bad ones. Being in love is the spark that ignited the flame, but love, in a more subtle sense, is the fuel that keeps the flame going.

"Make Excellence A Habit"

Call It A Comeback!

2011-10-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

I’ve been away for awhile. Why? I really don’t know. Some laziness, procrastination, and lack of motivation. But mostly a time of reflection, inspiration, and brainstorming. Now it’s time to get back on the grind, back to that state of mind, can’t wait for the perfect time. Because perfect timing will never come. My inspiration comes through the struggle. It comes through being sharpened. If a road is not made for me, then I have to pave my own way. So go ahead and call it a comeback, because I'm looking to take this calling, this purpose of mine, to the next level. Won’t you join me on the journey???

A Call to Arms

2011-05-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

“…Athletics does help; at least until football season is over your senior year. That’s when it stops helping; well that’s when the coaches stop helping. I have yet had the head coach ask me how were my grades. I mean he wouldn’t hesitate to ask us how was our grades during the season, but now that we don’t play football no more it’s like we don’t even exist anymore. Don’t get me wrong. A hand full of coaches would ask me how I’m doing with grades, but you know which ones ask me: the African-American coaches…”

The above excerpt (from an essay assignment) is from a student of mine who is preparing to graduate high school but is on the brink of disaster. The reason I say he is on the brink of disaster is because he has no desire to go to college and he couldn’t necessarily pass the military entrance exams to pursue that option. With only a high school diploma, his options are very limited. Keep in mind, however, this kid is no dummy. He’s very intelligent and savvy for his age. His potential is limitless. However, his perspective of education has been tainted and diluted by the very system that promised to leave “No Child Left Behind”. I told this young man that I could see college in his future simply from the paper he wrote. Of course, the paper had many grammatical errors but that paled in comparison to the observations and keen insight he displayed in this piece. Yet, his response to my statement was basically, “If I don’t even want to be in high school, why would I volunteer, let alone pay, to go to school?” Despite my reasoning and rationale for pursuing higher education, his response was yet and still, nay. It hurts to see such promise reduce itself to mediocrity and conformity when it has not been nurtured or developed in the proper way. This led me, once again, to think about how our education system is playing a major role in reducing young black men to mere statistics.

Therefore, I am issuing a call to arms. I turned, the other night, to Anderson Cooper Live to see what he was discussing. The show was at the end of a special report on black and latino male teachers that was led by the revolutionary and innovative school leader, Steve Perry. I, of course, was upset that I caught the tail end, but I did hear something that perked my ears to attention. The report stated that less than 4% of all teachers were black males. This is somewhat of a disturbing statistic seeing as we have a growing number of non-white students entering our school system. However, as one of those 4%, it reveals to me the great responsibility I have, not only in helping to develop young people, but also in helping to recruit more black men into this field.

Now, I am not naïve, but I am somewhat of an idealist. I do realize my chances of recruiting a huge number of black men to the teaching profession is about as great as me becoming a famous rapper (Although Wocka Flocka Flame may have increased my chances of pursuing that goal), but I do think there needs to be a larger focus on this endeavor. I’ve heard discussion about incentives for black males who go into the teaching profession but the desire does still not seem to be manifesting. But what are the reasons behind the lack of positive response to more black male teachers? Well I have my ideas.

For one, I believe we have “feminized” education. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it has the same effect as a man wanting to be a nurse or a secretary. We have “blocked off” certain careers for only women, which is a bad thing for both sexes. Most of my colleagues are women and they do a wonderful job. They’re extraordinary teachers and role models. Nonetheless, they allude to the need for more male teachers in education. They comment on how they, often times, are more comfortable when a man takes on a disciplinary action in the hallway or in the classroom, especially when it is dealing with a male student. And when I look at the disciplinary records, it is overwhelmingly populated by black and Latino males. This, of course, often leads to increased failure and drop-out rates (which also happens to predominantly be black and Latino males).

Secondly, of course is the pay. As the head of my household of four, I can certainly attest that it is not easy providing for a family on a teacher’s salary. Fortunately, my wife works so that takes away some of the stress. However, I know of male colleagues who are the sole providers for their families and I understand the type of difficulties they are facing. This is an issue that has been discussed since I was in primary school. And teaching is not going to be on the same plane nor get the same respect as professions such as law, business, and medicine as long as you keep the pay at a mediocre rate that doesn’t even come close to their worth.

There are many problems that need to be addressed and many drastic changes that need to go forth. Clearly, this is not an easy obstacle to overcome. However, more attention needs to be given for the failure of our non-white students and I believe a key component to that solution is our black men. We need more than just a 15 minute talk at a career day. We need a total integration into the everyday lives of these students who are desperately searching for someone who has their best interest at heart.

Our communities are disintegrating because we’re expecting a flawed system to do a job that it has really never been successful at doing. That is to educate those with the least to give but the most to gain. We need to get to the place where teaching is not only a desired profession but a purposeful profession. We need to get to the point where going into education is just as patriotic as going into the military. We need to get to the point where saving a child’s life is just as important as saving money on your car insurance. But if our system is not going to do its part to take care of the problem, then we must take over the system. Historically, black men have been accustomed to revolution. Well, there’s one awaiting you right in front of your face. Will you answer the call?

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Good Music Medley

2011-04-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

I'm a big Kirk Franklin fan. Here is a little medley he put together in a concert in Brazil. Dude is a genius.

Prison Break

2011-04-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

I never really had to want for anything. My life wasn’t necessarily difficult according to the standards of difficulty. I had both parents, lived in a nice two story house, and received nice Christmas gifts every year. When I hear the struggles people grew up with economically, I can’t really relate because money was never a huge issue with me. We were, by no means, living “90210” style but finances were accessible. I would hear about the lives of my friends and peers who grew up in single-parent homes and again, I couldn’t relate. From what I understand, my parents were on the brink of divorce early in their marriage. They have revealed stories of how my mother would take me in the closet, hold me and cry because of an argument her and my father had. Or how when my mother took me to North Carolina to visit family and when my father dropped her off at the airport, he just let her out the car and left without saying anything. However, I was too young to remember any of this. For as long as I can remember, my parents have been happily married. They’ve had plenty of disagreements throughout the years, but they’ve been a great model of what a healthy marriage relationship looks like. So from the outside looking in, life wasn’t too difficult for me growing up.
However, most people don’t realize that I was imprisoned starting at the age of 14. Yes, the preacher’s kid was in prison from my freshmen year in high school to my sophomore year of college. I’m actually still on house arrest. I can only go so far without my bracelet beeping and my parole officer checking on me to see where I am.
For those who have never experience prison, let me give you some insight into the torture, degradation, humiliation of what goes on there. First of all, you can’t wear what you want to wear, do what you want to do, or even feel how you want to feel. You must conform to what others want you to be. Their style become your style. Their language becomes your language. Their outlook becomes your outlook. It’s a draining reality trying so hard to please those who you in bondage. Daily, my mind raced and I would tell myself, “I don’t want to be in here, but my lifestyle is not welcomed on the outside. People like me aren’t accepted by dominant society. So in order to survive I guess my only place to go, is here.”
The vulnerability of conforming to a prison mentality takes so much out of you that you wouldn’t even be able to recognize yourself if placed in front of a mirror and given three opportunities to guess. Your thoughts are constantly focused on, “Who needs what? In what way? And, by when?” It’s a dangerous state to be placed in and I would encourage anybody to do whatever it takes to stay away from this type of subjection.
As mentioned earlier, it wasn’t until my sophomore year in college that I was finally released. Through the help of some young men on the outside, they were able to work with me to gain my freedom. This liberation was a feeling that I had not experienced in a long time and it was refreshing to finally understand what it meant to be truly me. I now comprehended the fact that my existence was of a very complex nature. This led to many unanswered questions and a quest to find the oft allusive explanations that would give me further insight into who I truly was.
It was also around this time that I decided to become a Christian.
“Wait a minute. I thought you said you were a preacher’s kid? You didn’t become a Christian until you were in college?”
Correct! I didn’t become a Christian until I was in college. Yes. I am a preacher’s kid. I am a church boy. I’ve been in church all of my life. But I was also an actor. I knew how to “talk” like a Christian. I knew how to “walk” like a Christian. I could tell you at any point in a service what was going to happen and how it was going to happen. I knew when to stand up and when to sit down. I knew when to go to the bathroom and when to stay put for a few more seconds. I knew the key words and phrases to illicit the response I needed in order for people to overlook my flaws long enough to get away from the situation. However, it was not part of who I was. Just like Denzel played a corrupt cop on screen in “Training Day”, I PLAYED a saved boy in “Son of a Preacher Man”.
Finally accepting Christ into my life and my calling revealed to me that I not only fooled others for years, but I also fooled myself. I was a numbing realization but also a liberating familiarization. It was as if I were renewing a friendship with a person I had not seen in years.
Now, I need you to understand that I am not as free as I would like but I am working toward that standing. As noted previously, I am still on house arrest. I can only go so far without being made aware that I am beyond my realm of privilege. It’s a consistent reminder that I have a long way to go to experience complete deliverance from bondage. At times it seems as if my captors are doing whatever they can to get me back in prison. Nevertheless, everyday is a step toward exemption. Everyday, the area of space I am able to cover becomes wider and wider. My life has become a beautiful struggle in that what I go through doesn’t always leave the best taste in my mouth, but it has shown me that my future destination will be more resplendent as a result of my toil and strife. I, like Paul, am learning what it means to be content in whatever state I find myself in. Not complacent, but content. I, by no means, am settling for less. I realize, however, that God is positioning me for position. What He has me going through right now is only training me for what is to come. Just like Joseph had to experience the pit and the prison before he was promoted to the palace, I too, have to go through my pit and prison experiences in order to understand what liberation truly means. My time here on earth impermanent. This is my momentary home. What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Therefore, when it seems like everything around me is crumbling, I know it’s because it wasn’t meant to last always. Every moment of destruction is a step closer toward eternal dwelling.

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Excuse Me...Are You on the List?

2011-03-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Did yall here about that exclusive club? That country club down the street? No. That fraternity? No! Well, which one? The church! Yes, I said it...the church. We have turned the church into one of the most exclusive, members-only organizations in the world. Of course we’re not going to admit it. We’re the come-as-you-are, hospital for the sick, come-lay-your-burdens house of worship where anybody is welcome. But answer me this, will you? How many times have you looked at someone funny when they walked into church service because they didn’t “look” dressed for the occasion? How many times have you seen the man with the three-piece suit or the woman with the St. John’s attire invited to the front while the person who “came as they were” was directed to that back pew? How many times have you missed an opportunity to connect with someone because they didn’t seem like they would fit in your circle? Sadly, this has been me on numerous occasions.

For so long, we’ve been conditioned in a church culture that has told us one thing but has shown us another. We preach 1 Samuel 16:7, which tells us that man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart or we pray for God to forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; but then we judge people because they don’t look like a saint or we don’t want to be around people because of the mistakes they’ve made in the past. We have turned a place of worship for all into a place where some don’t feel they can enter because they don’t have anything to wear. Of course, as I write this I feel like a fraud because I’ve vilified the least of these and glorified those who held titles and positions. However, as I’ve been studying scripture, I realize that Jesus acted in the exact opposite manner of how we act today. Jesus connected and built relationships with those who others wouldn’t touch with a twenty-foot pole, while it was the “church-folk” who couldn’t stand Him. Those who felt lonely, guilty, shameful found in Jesus, someone who could see past their faults and find forgiveness in His heart. He brought a hated tax collector (Levi) into His inner circle and turned his life (and name) around. He took a woman who was caught in an affair and offered forgiveness and new life while others wanted to stone her to death. He took those who were content in their sin and gave them a reason to relinquish their selfishness. Does this sound like any of us today? If so, how many?

God has really caused me to examine myself in how I am living according to His word and I must say it has been a sobering experience. In fact, I’ve been fearful of expressing some of these thoughts because of the backlash that it could cause. I’ve observed that it’s nice to preach a certain thing or sing about something holy, but it takes a lot more audacity to live it out. BEING holy is a lot more difficult than TALKING holy. Being holy will bring criticism from the same people who talk about it. Being holy will cause a sense of isolation and doubt. Being holy will cause some consequences that don’t necessarily feel good. However, being holy will also cause a sense of peace, humility, and love. It’s been a trying experience and I have a long long way to go, but I’m striving to get there. I’m learning to forgive those who have hurt and/or rejected me (intentionally or unintentionally). I’m learning to look past what you have on to see what you have in. I’m learning to actually live out the message I preach or teach on. I just pray that by doing so, I don’t become the exclusivist that I’ve tried to turn away from.

“Making Excellence A Habit”

I Was "Born This Way" Too

2011-02-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

As I was watching the Grammy’s the other night, I was interested in seeing the myriad of artists who would perform during this night of musical artists appreciation. We had the likes of Eminem, Rihanna, Justin Beiber (my 1-year old’s favorite), Lady Antebellum, and many others. But one artist that always intrigues me is Lady Gaga. I know I’m not the only one who feels this way when I say, she scares me! She is one of two artists that I can make that claim about (the other being Rick James). One thing I can give Lady Gaga is that she knows how to make an entrance and a statement. I don’t really listen to her music, but her “servants” walking her down the red carpet immediately caught my attention. She was being carried in what appeared to be an egg. Then they introduced her song and it all made sense...”Born This Way”.

Admittedly, this was my first time hearing the song and I really didn’t get to listen to the words because my daughter and I were playing around. However, my sister tweeted me and suggested I write a blog about the song. This intrigued me further because it suggested there were some particular lyrics that would probably be of interest to me. Therefore, after just listening to the song, Kiara was absolutely correct.

“Born This Way” suggests that we should not be afraid to be who were are. We should accept ourselves, love ourselves, and be ourselves because we were born this way. It even goes on to suggest the God makes no mistakes. I can’t say that I disagree with any of the sentiments here. We should accept ourselves, love ourselves, and be ourselves. Lady Gaga is absolutely correct; God doesn’t make any mistakes. However, the part that gets me is when she says, “...no matter gay, straight, bi, transgendered...I was born this way.” Now, modern Christian thought and our current culture, in general, would expect me to go straight for the jugular by attacking homosexuality. However, that will not be the case. I do believe that homosexuality is wrong, but there are many more wrongs that are prevalent not only in the secular arena, but in the church arena also. Being “Born This Way” suggests that God wants me to live my life how I want to live it without considering Him. It suggests that I should be able to do what I want to do without considering the ramifications that it can have for myself or others. It suggests that personal pleasure is the target that we should be aiming for. Many people will listen to the song and proclaim that she is acknowledging Christ in her lyrics, which is true, but to what extent. Even Satan used scripture to try to tempt Jesus. I’ve come to the realization that the enemy knows just as much, if not more, of the Word as many Christians do. We allows preachers and evangelists to speak a “word” to us without even dissecting the scripture for ourselves. We think an artist is holy just because they mention God in a song or thank Him at an award show. Now, I don’t know any of these artists or many of these preachers, so I can’t say for certain what their life is like out of the spotlight. However, the Word does tell me that I can tell a tree by the fruit it bears (Matthew 7:16).

Jesus lets us know that those who love their life will lose it, but those who hate their lives will gain eternal life with our Father in Heaven (John 12:25). This should let us know that as Christians, we should be willing to give up everything in order to follow Christ. This implies that we can’t necessarily do what we want to do, particularly if it is not in the will of God. My Bible teaches my that my life is not my own, but I was bought with a price. Therefore, I can’t just do whatever it is that I want to do. When we say we’re in love with Christ and if we are His bride, then we should offer ourselves as living sacrifices in order to please the one who took on every sin we ever committed, commit, or will commit. Homosexuality, fornication, lying, gossiping, cheating, lusting, slandering, jealousy, and many others have led me to agree with Lady Gaga in saying that, YES, we are “Born This Way”. For Psalm 51:5 says, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” So maybe, just maybe, people are born gay, or liars, or cheaters, or gamblers, or alcoholics, or adulterers. Maybe I was “Born This Way”. But I THANK GOD THAT I WAS BORN AGAIN!!!!!!

"Making Excellence A Habit"

No Really...I Do Love My Hater!!!

2011-02-13T17:51:00.000-08:00

As someone who works with young people just about everyday, I’ve noticed they have an infatuation with one area; in particular…that is the position of a hater. I see t-shirts all the time that read I “Heart” Haters across the chest in homage to all the people that supposedly don’t like them. Throughout my classes, I always ask the question, “Would you rather be hated for who you are or loved for who you’re not?” The usual answer I get from my students is, “I’d rather be hated for who I am.” However, that’s not what I observe as they interact with their peers. They are looking to impress with the clothes they wear, the music they listen to, and the people they hang out with. They wear a mask to cover up the flaws so the “true” them won’t be revealed. If you’re wearing U.S. Polo Association instead of Ralph Lauren Polo, you might as well be a leper. I see fights over “He said, she said”, yet these people love their haters. If you love your haters or love being hated on (as many claim they do), then why do you get angry when they do what you said you love about them? And if it seems as if I’m targeting young people, I am…but this issue extends far into adulthood also.

We are conditioned to feel the need to be accepted by others, and we find fault in those who don’t accept us. We want everybody to be a fan of what we have to offer and get discouraged when that is not the case. We tend to find our value and validation in others as a medal of honor in our various pursuits. However, Luke 26:6-7 says, “Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies; do go to those who hate you…” Word? That “I Heart Haters” t-shirt has scriptural relevance. This scripture has personally been an encouragement to me because I was the one who hid who I truly was in order to gain a certain level of credibility from my peers. I’ve not started or have given up on things based on how I felt the reaction of others would be. I’ve let people stop me from pursuing my God-given purpose. You have too! I have come to realize my efforts in doing this came from not understanding the true level of love God has for me. I’ve come to learn that I can be truly me by being in a genuine relationship with He.

Don’t get it twisted…I’m still struggling in my understanding of this concept. However, I’m becoming more at peace day-by-day as I realize what can happen when I use my gifts and talents to please my Father. It’s not an easy road, but the satisfaction comes in knowing that the destination will be more beautiful as a result of the struggle I endure throughout the journey.

“Making Excellence A Habit”

Down, Death, Down

2011-02-05T22:39:00.000-08:00

"A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest."
- C.S. Lewis

The act of redemption is a topic that has always been an anomaly to me. It’s a word heard often in Christian circles, but I always have to look it up and re-read the scripture in order to wrap my head around it. Of course the definition is simple to understand in that it is basically to be delivered or rescued from something. However, to understand the act of redemption on the part of Jesus Christ causes a certain curiosity within me. Why did God feel the need to send himself down in human form in order to redeem man from their sinful nature when he simply could have done it from Heaven? Of course, I found my answer in a children’s story.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe, as many know, is a book by C.S. Lewis that was later adapted to the big screen. This children’s story tells of a world that goes far beyond the imagination. Four siblings, via the wardrobe closet, are cast into this fairytale land of weird looking creatures, wild beasts, and animals that can talk. The most interesting subplot of the story, in my humble opinion, is that of the third oldest sibling (Edmund) who gets tempted and trapped by the witch’s scheme. He enters her dark kingdom and attempts to betray his three other siblings because of the hurt he experienced from his oldest brother. This reminds me of the many who leave the church because someone in the church has caused them pain and suffering. They attempt to get back at those who hurt them by entering the enemy’s camp and doing whatever it takes to betray the kingdom of God. However, Edmund eventually realized the error of his ways and attempts to go back to where his siblings are. The witch of course finds out and tells the leader, the lion Aslan, that he belongs to her according to the laws of Narnia. Aslan, as a means of protecting Edmund from the dark side, sacrifices himself instead. Of course, it is basically a story of how Christ died for our sins, but it’s a line in the movie that really hit me and allowed me to realized the act of redemption. After rising from death, the two sisters are there to greet Aslan. Of course, they’re surprised that he is risen, but Aslan tells them something that I had to record and listen to over and over. He tells the girls, “If the witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice she might have interpreted the deep magic differently. That when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitors stead, the stone table will crack, and even death will turn backwards.”

These words hit me like a ton of bricks. A true “Aha” moment it was. Edmund was saved as a result of Aslan’s sacrifice, but the enemy didn’t understand the true act of redemption. Death, itself, has to renig on its promise due to the purity of the lion. In the same way, God sent His son to take on the form of sin but in the essence of Himself. He allowed everything that we did, are doing, or will do to be heaped upon His son, who had done no wrong, in order that we might be able to live an abundant life. The judge had essentially taken the place of the criminal, allowing him to go free. Christ’s death on the cross caused nature to alter its practice because the One who created nature saw fit that we be allowed another chance. The concept is still awe-inspiring to me and ultimately incomprehensible. However, I don’t think we’ll ever fully understand the process of this form of redemption, neither should we. For the Lord lets us know that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. But this movie allowed me to get a better glimpse into what redemption means to me and for me. We’ll never be able to have the level of relationship with God that Adam and Eve had before the fall, but as a result of redemption, relationship is made available to you and to me. It’s actually a wonderful feeling to know that I can be bought...but for a good cause.

“Making Excellence A Habit”

Tale of Two Cities: A Church Boy's Love Affair with Hip-Hop

2011-01-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

The first time I heard the voice, I was entranced. The first time I experienced the style, I was struck. Even at a young age, I could see the impact that it had in reaching the masses. It was Warren G’s “Regulate” that initially hooked me and was a catalyst in my interest of this foreign musical world called “Hip-Hop”. I was in the fifth grade and I heard “It was a clear black night, a clear white moon...” It was over! I had to hear more of it! I had to memorize the lyrics so I could have credibility on the school yard! This song had to become part of me, some way, some how! There was only was problem. I was a church boy; a preacher’s kid. No way was that song, or any song like it, going to easily make its way into my house.
Growing up in a (Pentecostal - COGIC to be exact) church-going home with a preacher daddy, the only thing that was playing in the house or car were the likes of Shirley Ceasar, John P. Kee, Richard Smallwood, etc. The closest I would get to hip-hop was some Kirk Franklin. Don’t get me wrong. I was, and still am a big fan of gospel music. That’s my foundation and I still bang a lot of gospel in my car. But there was just something about rap music that held on to my attention. I don’t know if it was the beat, the flow, or just because all my friends and peers listened to it. Whatever it was, the only way I would get a chance to listen to it was to go to a friend’s house whose parents didn’t mind. I was a savvy kid, so although I couldn’t listen to the music at home, I would learn the lyrics by listening to other kids rap it and make it seem as if I already knew the song.
As I got older I saw the further impact of hip-hop with the deaths of Tupac and Biggie as kids lined their lockers with these fallen icons. On into high school was the beginning of “Screwed & Chopped”, and growing up in Houston, TX, I was able to witness, first hand, the birth and development of what would eventually gain national appeal. Still, the presence of hip-hop in my home was null and void. The positive outcome of this, however, was that I did have a car, so I could listen to the hip-hop station in my car and sneak in some CD’s. The only thing I had to do was turn it back to the gospel station when I got home just in case my pops had to use the car for any reason. Clearly, I was having a love affair with a forbidden (or so I thought) musical genre.
I knew all the gospel songs inside and out, sung in the choir, and even played the keys for my dad’s church. But on the side, was my other love; hip-hop. Now, of course I may have been able to get my fix with gospel rap, but there was just something so wrong with it. I don’t know if the artists got lazy with the lyrics because they were talking about Jesus, but the end result was just wack. Fortunately, Christian hip-hop has progressed and now there are many dope artists out there (Lecrae, Sho Baraka, Shai Linne, Cross Movement to name some of my favorites).
Now at the ripe old age of twenty-seven, what I thought was mutually exclusive, oppsosed, contradictory and could never have any type of relationship (or even comparison for that matter) has proved to be an asset and a tool as I fulfill my God-given talents. To many, there is a dichotomy between Christianity and hip-hop that really shouldn’t exist. Many Christians have made hip-hop out to be the bad guy and vice versa. People will claim hip-hop as satanic, evil, and damning to our youth. While it definitely has its faults, people are only seeing a very minuscule slice of the pie. On the other side, people claim Christians to be judgmental, hypocritical, and condescending. Again, there are valid points, but one is looking at a minority that has been over-hyped by the media.
So as I have contended with my position as a preacher and youth & young adult pastor along with my love for hip-hop, I have actually realized a very special bond that the two share. The elements of preaching and MC’ing both hold comparisons to each other that find their essential foundations in the western African tradition of the griot.
Preachers and MC’s both use the art of storytelling as a means conveying a testimony of life and societal observations. Both attempt to articulate a particular message through the use of strong content (some better than others). Lyrical ability is seen as advantageous to both parties in order to prove the power of the spoken word in our lives. Elements of freestyle, flow, rhythm, and delivery are essential to both when doing their thing. They attempt to engage the audience through their cadences that have the potential to bring people to their feet and hands to the air. The homiletical structure of the sermon as well as the poetic presence of sixteen bars have captured and will continue to capture the attentions of ears all over. I have learned that my affinity for both displays an inclination and an appreciation for language, vivid mental portraits, and oratorical prowess. These two artistic endeavors represent the long lost family members who fell off for no particular reason and need to rekindle a relationship that has the power and potential to bring about a significant impact. Essentially, my love for these two facets of my life pale in comparison to my love for the Creator who has imbedded the skill, intellect, and giftedness that allow me to make these viable options in my every day life.

How have these elements played a role in your life?

What responsibilities do both hold in our current society?

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Mission Possible

2011-01-04T10:10:00.001-08:00

Life is what you make it so don’t let yourself down.
Am I just living to exist or existing to live.
I choose to live, therefore, I will…
• Commit myself to God.
• Be loyal and faithful to my family.
• Walk by faith and not by sight.
• Be driven to accomplish my goals and dreams.
• Take risks to show my dependence on God.
• Show character by being true to myself, no matter what.
• Show strength by not allowing circumstances to bring me down.
• Display salvation through Christ-like attributes.
• Understand the power of communication and use it effectively.
• Use my leadership skills to change the world.
Life is what you make it so don’t let yourself down.
Am I just living to exist or existing to live.
I choose LIFE!

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Status Quo!

2011-01-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

The tension is as thick as mucus. My mind races like the Indy 500. My heart is pounding so hard that I can literally feel it about to tear through my chest. It’s a feeling I hate because it causes stress, insomnia, and sickness. But I realize this is the point where greatness is birthed. There’s something brewing on the horizon and I have the gift and curse of being the person that this movement comes through. Rejection is ahead. Hate is ahead. Loneliness is ahead. Insecurity is ahead. But this is the point that will separate me from the rest in my pursuit of purpose. This is the point in time that will legitimize my legacy. For this is the time where I will go where no man has gone before.
My relationship with the status quo is like Siamese twins. There’s something binding us together that I can’t seemingly separate myself from. But in order to get to where I am called, there must be a mental surgery that will separate me from the standards and expectations of the society that infuse my being. I realize many others are going through the same feeling I am, but are just as afraid as I because we’re naturally inclined to merely accept our surroundings. People are afraid to be different. People are afraid to stand out. People are afraid to buck the trend. As human beings, we have a natural desire to be accepted. And to go against the norm would be to risk that acceptance no matter how heartfelt it is.
However, as I observed the documentary, I realized that by virtue of my gift I am required to take the road less traveled. I am required to blaze a new trail for people to follow. I have a different way of thinking that needs to be expressed in order to articulate change in my world. My life can tell a story through words, action, and art that will captivate the hearts and minds of a generation. But in order to get there, there is a confidence I need to carry, there is a command I need to have for respect and attention, there is a risk I must have the courage to take.
It’s my time, it’s my season. Right now it is the calm before the storm. But I advise you to prepare yourselves now, because just like a thief in the night my influence will be felt when you least expect it. I put my life on the line for I now know that I am not a body with a soul, but I am a soul with a body that is only temporary. My mind is my weapon, so I have no need for a glock because when my words leave my mouth they will pierce the hearts of men and women that will kill hate and resurrect love.

"Making Excellence A Habit"

I Don't Write to Remain Silent

2010-11-30T19:15:00.001-08:00

The Miranda v. Arizona (1966) Supreme Court ruling requires law-enforcement officers to warn a person who has been taken into custody of his or her right to remain silent and to have legal counsel. So I have the opportunity to express my issues to a secondary unit who has been trained to speak only behalf. And though they may be more articulate and/or declarative, they don't truly know my disposition nor necessarily have my best interest at heart.

So I rely on my First Amendment rights, ratified in 1791, that prohibits congress from interfering with my freedom of religion, speech, assembly, or petition. My right to write allows me to pierce the hearts of those who have been hypnotized by complacency. My pen is my sword that gets my point across since the law forbids the use of a real one. I realize words have the power to bring life or death, so I choose to kill hate and resurrect love. My abhorrence for evil & negativity compels me to issue a challenge to those settling for the status quo.

As I watched the Jay-Z/Cornel West interview, I was reminded of the dynamic quality of language and encouraged that a consistent theme throughout the interview was "The Power of Words". Images and words carry with them a unique influence that has the potential to start wars or bring about life in a dying land. It allows me to recognize the inestimable capacity that artists have to influence the world around them. So whether I like or not, I speak for millions of people who refuse to or haven't been taught to take a stand for themselves in an articulate and expressive way. I stand on the shoulders of a Martin Luther King, Jr., a Gordon Parks, a James Baldwin, a Duke Ellington, a Langston Hughes and countless others who were able to fight and express the struggle of my people by virtue of commanding images and penetrating words.

I'm reminded of the scripture in the Bible that reads "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Don't forfeit your gifts because you are too lazy to manifest the potential power and greatness that lies within you. Particularly, the young black intellectuals need to re-emphasize the attitude of the Harlem Renaissance that ignited a passion and appreciation for the fine arts and culture. We have a responsibility to our communities and our country to defy the common rationalization held by dominant society that we are inferior and dependent on government-induced assistance. As Brother Langston wrote, "I, Too, Sing America". So I take that to heart to influence my head that instructs my hand to use the pen to write the words that can reverse my situation. For, I don't write to remain silent. I write to take a stand so I won't get stepped on

"My mind is my weapon; what I need to pop a clip for?"
- CyHi Da Prince

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Running From IT!

2010-11-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us...”

Excerpt from Marianne Williamson

I can vividly recall a dream that I had when I was just a youngster. As I prepare to expose this dream, I will warn you that it will seem weird at first glance. However, don’t judge me, as I dig into the significance it now has for me almost 20 years later. The dream began with me simply walking around a chemical plant. I don’t know why I’m there, but I’m just walking around aimlessly with no place, in mind, to go. All of a sudden, I hear footsteps behind me. As I look back, I see Michael Jackson (Yes, THE Michael Jackson) running toward me in hot pursuit. Now this might have excited some, but this was an extremely scary moment for me. Consequently, I started running away from the King of Pop. I ran as fast as my feet would possibly propel me. I immediately turned a corner thinking I got away from MJ. However, as I sprinted around the corner, there Mike was grabbing his crotch and screaming “He He!” I would immediately turn around and run the other way, but every corner I turned, Mike was there grabbing crotch, one gloved, and screaming. As a mere seven year-old, this dream had a very traumatic effect on me. When people ask “What’s the weirdest dream you’ve ever had?”, I immediately know what dream I can refer to. But, I’ve recently found the significance in this dream that has perplexed me for all these years.

I don’t know how many people believe in the meaning of dreams or the interpretation thereof, but I think they can have much significance, particularly from a biblical perspective. As took the time to really analyze this dream, I figured it was a metaphor of me running from greatness in a world full of materialism and consumerism. Stay with me if that went over your head. As I looked at the purpose of a chemical plant, I found, of course, that it is a place that produces chemicals on a large scale. According to Wikipedia (you can judge how credible it is); the general objective of a chemical plant is to create new material wealth via the chemical or biological transformation and/or separation of materials. Therefore, the chemical plant in my dream is a metaphor of society’s materialistic driven culture that thrives on the coming together, but also the separation of beings. And of course, Michael Jackson, the greatest entertainer ever represents the greatness (or the image of it) that I keep running from. At this point of writing, I’m realizing that this may be too deep and weird for some. However, I’m going to keep moving anyhow, despite whatever doubts I may have about this piece.

One of my college mentors once asked the question, “What is the difference between success and greatness?” I had to think about that question for a while, because in my limited thinking at the time along with what society had always taught me, the two were one in the same; not mutually exclusive. I came to realize, however, how different the two actually are. Success is that egotistical, selfishly driven, status-seeking sign of material wealth that people have told me I must get to in order to be considered “somebody”. Success is that difference between “Do you want to be flipping burgers all your life? Or do you actually want to be somebody?” Success is that “crabs-in-a-barrel” mentality that promotes a hierarchal structure in which I do any and everything to bring you down if you get to close to the top (and vice versa). Success tells me that I have to be in a certain group, or drive a certain car, or have a certain title in order to conjure up the adulation of my peers. Therefore, I spend hour after hour; day after day; year after year attempting to do everything in my limited power to think of ways to adhere to what my audience desires instead of conforming to the plan and purpose God may have for me.

Greatness, on the other hand, encompasses an expanded mentality which includes one’s natural, psychological, and spiritual being. Greatness doesn’t rely on what others think of me; rather a certain security within that causes me to birth what God has purposed and planned for me life. Greatness is destiny fulfilled. Greatness is realizing that I can’t be anything I want to be, but I can be everything God created me to be. Greatness comes through service, sacrifice, and scope. Greatness comes through action, accountability, and affirmation. True greatness is that thing that we all have the potential to possess, but few actually take the time to pursue.

It is not my intention to come off “preachy” in this article, but if that’s how you take it; it is what it is. The intention of this article is, first of all, is a message to me. I find that I have often been a contradiction of the very things I project and articulate. This is my personal accountability statement of what I need to do to not be mediocre, to not go by the status quo, to not go down that path of “settling” that so many choose. This is also a challenge, to all who read this, to take the road less traveled, to look beyond, and to become a Trailblazer and not a Pathfinder.

There comes a point in life where we all must come to terms with our true selves. We must determine why we’re living, who we’re living for, and what we’re going to do with our lives. Somebody once asked me if I wanted a son to carry on my name. After thinking about it I said, “That would be nice, but even if I don’t have one, I want to leave a legacy of greatness that will be seen through the lives of others. You’ll be able to tell that person was influenced by Jarad Davis.” I hope this becomes more than just a piece of casual reading. I hope this becomes a call to action to take back your righteous mind and do those things that would make your life worth the price of admission.

"Making Excellence A Habit"

My Father's Watching

2010-11-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

As I close, heard the story of a young man who was on the football team at the college he was attending. Now, this young man was not the fastest, most agile, or most athletic player. In fact, he hadn’t had a chance to get in a game all year.
However, one day, this young man received a call that his father had just passed away. He went to his coach to let him know his father had died. The coach said, “Son, you go home and be with your family during this time of loss. They need you right now. Go home and comfort them. We’re going to win this next game for you.” The player left the coach’s office and went on his way.
The day of the game, the coach walked into the locker room. When he walked into the locker room, he saw the young man standing there in his uniform ready for the game. The coach said, “Son, what are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you to go home and be with your family? Your father just died.” The young man said, “Coach! You have to let me play today. I need to get in the game.” The coach responded, “I can’t let you play. Your father just passed. Plus, this is the championship game and you haven’t played all season.” The young man responded back, “Coach, just let me get out on the field for one play.” The coach felt sympathy for the young man so he said, “Fine. I’ll let you on the field for the kick-off, but once that is over, you run immediately off the field.”
So the young man went out on the field for the kick-off. When the team kicked the ball off, the young man ran down the field and tackled the player who had the ball. As he was coming off the field for his one play, the coach said, “Go ahead and stay out there.” The young man continued to play. In fact, he played the best game of his life. By the end of the game, this young man had twelve tackles. After the game, the coach ran up to the player and said, “Son where did that come from? I’ve never seen you play like that before.” The young man responded, “You see coach. My father was blind, so he never had a chance to see me play. This was the first time (pointing to the sky) that he got a chance to see me play, so I wanted to give my best just for him.”
We must realize that our father is constantly watching us and He wants to see us have the victory. But we must be willing to play our hearts out in order for Him to work greater in our lives. He knows your every thought and your every need. He knows what your heart beats for. He knows the exact amount of hairs on your head. And all He wants from you is a “Yes”. We must come to the point where we’re living this whole life just to hear two words, “Well done”

"Making Excellence A Habit"

The Decision Produces Power

2010-11-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

When you get to the point where you can tell God “Yes”, is when God produces the next step in “The Decision”….POWER! This past week, many of us heard about the Chilean miners who had been trapped underground for 69 days. For a little over 2 months, 33 miners were stuck in a deep, dark hole that probably should’ve killed them. But this past week they were saved. They interviewed one of the miners by the name of Mario Sepulveda. Mr. Sepulveda said, while trapped in the mine, “I was with God, and I was with the devil. They fought and God won.” Sepulveda said he grabbed God’s hand and never doubted that he would be rescued (www.cnn.com).
When you say “Yes” to God; when you put your faith in Him, He comes through even in your deepest, darkest hour. All hope may seem lost, but we must be confident in knowing that God will prevail in the end. Even though the miner was stuck in the mine and didn’t know when and how they would be rescued, he was confident that they would be rescued. When you look back over your life and think about all the situations that should have taken you out, all you can say is….But God! That vehicle accident where your car was totally demolished and people at the scene said you should’ve been dead…But God! That time you lost your job, but somehow you were able to provide for your family…But God! That abusive relationship you went through and you should have lost your mind…But God! Out of all the things you’ve been through, and you still have joy…But God!
I’m so glad I serve a God that promised to never leave me nor forsake me. I’m so glad I serve a God that has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. I’m so glad I serve a God that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly; above all I could ever ask or think according to the power that works in me. I’m so glad I serve a God where I can be confident that greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. I’m so glad that I serve a God that even when the enemy comes upon me, the Lord will lift up a standard against him. I’m so glad I serve a God that’s a doctor when I need healing. He’s a lawyer when I’m in trouble. He’s a teacher when I need understanding. He’s a provider when I need resources. He’s a friend when I’m lonely. He’s a father to the fatherless. He’s a mother to the motherless. He’s a redeemer when I deserved death from the sins I committed. But when you make “The Decision”, God produces power in you that will allow you to heal the sick, raise the dead, and reach the lost. Jesus tells us that greater works shall we do after He has gone, but in order to do those greater works we have to have the power. We have to get back to the spirit of the old church where they would say, “Power, power Lord! Holy Ghost power, power Lord!” God wants to do great things in and through you, but we must submit to Him to receive His power.
He’s not looking for you to settle. He’s not looking for you to be lukewarm. He’s not looking for you to be mediocre. He’s not looking for a half-hearted effort. In order to receive the power from on high, we must be fully, totally, whole-heartedly committed to His plan, His purpose, and His will.

"Making Excellence A Habit"

The Decision Provide Purpose

2010-11-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

The reason I keep pressing towards the mark is because I realize “The Decision” provides purpose, which is my third point. God has a purpose and a plan for each and every one of you, and when you make the choice to follow Him, he leads you on his path. The problem is, however, that too many people try to help God with the purposes and plans for their life. We try to tell God what we want to do and don’t want to do. We try to tell God where we will go and where we won’t go. We try to tell God who we will serve and who we won’t serve. We try to tell God, “I’ll preach, but I won’t serve.” or “I’ll sing in the choir only if I have a solo.” or “I’ll lead this ministry, but only if I have a certain title.” We have gotten our egos too involved in God’s process. If we’re too uncomfortable we don’t want to do deal with it. If we don’t get the credit, we don’t want to deal with it. If a lot of people don’t show up to our event, we don’t want to deal with it. God never told us we would always be comfortable. He never told us we would always be validated, that’s why David had to encourage himself. He never told us that we would always be popular. But what He does tell us is “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” But in order to get to the PROMISE, you have to go through the PROCESS. The process God has planned for you is not supposed to be comfortable, it’s not supposed to be easy, it’s not supposed to be a walk in the park. There will be some grinding, some heartache, and some tears. The purpose of a caterpillar is to eventually become a butterfly. However, as many of you know, a caterpillar does not become a butterfly overnight. There is a process that the caterpillar must go through in order to fulfill its purpose and become a butterfly. The caterpillar, first of all, is not the most attractive animal. It doesn’t have the status of some of the other animals it may be associated with. But the caterpillar realizes that it won’t stay in that state for the rest of its life. The caterpillar realizes what it was called to be, so it is willing to go through the process in order to become the beautiful butterfly it was purposed to be. The process to become a butterfly, however, is not an easy one. In order to go from being an ugly caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly, this insect has to go through an isolation period. This period of loneliness takes them away from their familiar surroundings and all the things they enjoy. The caterpillar has to go through a period of darkness, as I’m sure there is not a lot of light coming through the cocoon of which it has gone into. The caterpillar also has to go through a period of extreme discomfort, seeing as it has to squeeze itself into the cocoon and stay there for an extended period of time, not being able to move. But it knows that in order to get off the ground and fly, these are the necessary steps it must take to reach its potential.
Just like the caterpillar some of you are going to have to go through a similar process in order to get to the purpose God has designed for you. You may experience a period of isolation where the friends you thought you had leave you. You may experience a period of isolation where people don’t call you like they used to. But realize that this period is not for you to get further away from people, but it’s for you to get closer to God. God wants to have an intimate relationship with all of us and sometimes he allows for people in your life to leave you in order for you to depend more on Him. He wants to be number one in your life. He wants to be your main squeeze. He wants to be your ace. He wants to be the first one you call on when hell is breaking loose in your life.
You may also experience a period of darkness, where it seems like everything is going wrong. Nothing seems right. In fact, because of this dark stage in your life, you start to question God about whether He’s even present. But the darkness in your life allows you to appreciate the light that God provides. The dark seasons that I have experienced in my life taught me how good God really is. It taught me to be grateful and appreciate the little things. It gave me a testimony whereas I can now help somebody else who is going through the same thing. Many of you have been through some dark periods in your life, but you’re afraid to tell people about them because you don’t want to feel shame or rejection. You’re afraid people will look at you funny and won’t respect you the same. But when you’ve been delivered from your darkness you can be transparent about where God has brought you from. And I am convinced that if some of you would be willing to testify about where God has brought you from, somebody would have a breakthrough as a result of your testimony. Somebody would get saved as a result of your testimony. You can tell people “This is what I used to, but by the grace of God I don’t do this anymore.” You can tell people “This is how I used to be, but by the grace of God, I’m not this way anymore.” You can tell people “This is what deliverance looks like.”
Just like the caterpillar, you will have to go through some uncomfortable periods in your life. If we’re not willing to come out of our comfort zone, God will push us out of our comfort zone. I love the song by Marvin Sapp where he says “I’m coming out of my comfort zone. Though it may cost me some friends, I’ll walk alone. God is challenging me to trust and believe. For to go where I’ve not gone, I must do what I’ve not done.” God wants you to walk into your destiny. God is challenging you to go to a new level in your life. All He wants, though, is a YES! Yes to your will! Yes to your way! Yes I’ll obey! For the rest of my life, it will be YES! I don’t care what the naysayers say, YES! I don’t care what the haters say, YES! I don’t care what my enemies say, YES!

"Making Excellence A Habit"

The Decision Requires Committment

2010-10-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

Please know that if you make “The Decision” to follow Christ, it takes a full commitment to do so. It’s either black or white. There is no gray area. Matthew 6:24 let us know that there is no way to serve two masters, for we will always put one ahead of the other. I can’t claim to love God, but put my faith in a lotto ticket. I can’t claim to love God, but I’m quick to curse a person out when they make me mad. I can’t claim to love God and praise & worship on Sunday, but act like a heathen Monday through Saturday. Paul asks the question, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!” If I claim to love God, the Bible commands that I love him with all my heart, with all my soul, and with my entire mind. Everything I do, everything I say, and everything I am should be to His glory. We sing the song, “I give myself away”, but how many of us are truly giving ourselves wholly to Christ? How many of us are truly living sacrifices? If I’m more concerned about how much money I make then I’m serving the wrong master. If I’m more concerned about what kind of car I drive then I’m serving the wrong master. If I’m more concerned about the size of my house then I’m serving the wrong master. If I’m more concerned about who likes me and who doesn’t then I’m serving the wrong master.
At some point we have to get tired of living as a lukewarm Christians. Revelation vividly communicates to us what will happen to the lukewarm Christian (Revelation 3:16: So, because you lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth). The only time we spent something out of our mouths is when that thing is vile, nasty, despicable, or contemptible. If any of you coffee drinkers have ever had lukewarm coffee, you automatically spit it out because it’s not what you desired. So just like you’ll spit out that lukewarm coffee, God will spit out the lukewarm Christian. He doesn’t want someone who is only going to give part of them. We serve a jealous God, and He wants all or nothing. If I was only committed to my wife on Sunday’s and Wednesday’s but cheated on her the rest of the week then I would not be viewed as a good husband. If that doesn’t make me a good husband, then what makes us think we can commit ourselves to God for two days out of the week but cheat on Him the rest of the week?
In his letter to the Romans (Romans 6:2), Paul asks if “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” So if our sins are dead, why do we go back and try to resurrect them? When you go back to the eagle, you’ll discover that the eagle doesn’t eat dead things. The eagle only focuses on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead things, but eagles do not. Some of us need to get from around the “vultures” in our lives. These vultures try to bring up on “dead” past. These vultures try to remind us of our “dead” relationships. These vultures try to tell us that we’re going to be like our “dead” beat daddy. But as an eagle, I don’t focus on the dead. Jesus told the man that wanted bury his father before he followed “to let the dead bury the dead”. I came to let you know today that you don’t need to focus on the “dead” in your life, but focus on the living water that God wants to pour into you. As an eagle, focus on the “fresh”, the new blessings that God has in store for you. I’m not saying you won’t make mistakes. I’m not saying you won’t slip. I’m not saying that you’ll live a perfect life. But when you commit to Christ, your focus is on abundant life. So even if I do fall, I am so committed to Christ and my relationship with Him, that I have a repentant heart. And I’m not going to allow people to hold my past over my head. I’m not going to wallow in shame and guilt over it. But I’m going to run to the cross where He shed blood in order to wash me as white as snow. I’m going to run to the cross where He died so that I might be redeemed of my sins. And because He gave His all for me, then I have no other choice than to give my all for Him. I’m so glad I don’t look like what I’ve been through. He created in me a clean heart, and renewed a right spirit with in me. I’m forgetting about those things which are behind me and I’m pressing toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.

"Making Excellence A Habit"

The Decision is Difficult

2010-10-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

We live in world where we try to make everything easy for ourselves. We have been so spoiled that we expect things when we’re ready for them. We have a tendency to settle for less because we don’t work to put in the effort to achieve better or we think to low of ourselves. We settle for a certain job, because another one may have too much responsibility. We settle for a certain college major, because another one may require too much work. Many of our young people settle for on-level classes, when they could be in honors or AP classes, but they don’t want to put in the time. They’ll settle for a “B” when just a little bit more study time would have yielded an “A”. We settle for less because we don’t want to take the risk to achieve more.
The Final Exam  A professor stood before his class of 20 senior organic biology students, about to hand out the final exam. "I want to say that it's been a pleasure teaching you this semester. I know you've all worked extremely hard and many of you are off to medical school after summer. So that no one gets their GP messed up because they might have been celebrating a bit too much this week, anyone who would like to opt out of the final exam today will receive a "B" for the course." There was much rejoicing amongst the class as students got up, passed by the professor to thank him and sign out on his offer. As the last taker left the room, the professor looked out over the handful of remaining students and asked, "Any one else? This is your last chance." One final student rose up and took the offer. The professor closed the door and took attendance of those students remaining. "I'm glad to see you believe in yourself." he said. "You all have A's."
God hasn’t called us to a life a settling. He hasn’t called us to live a safe, problem-free life. But He has called us to a life of risk-taking, a life of conforming to His will despite our plans. So when we decide to live a life for Christ, it is going to be difficult. The expectations of God are far from the expectations of the world. And when you make “The Decision” to live for Christ, the world is going to have a problem with it. You’re going to lose friends, you’re going to lose popularity, and you’re going to have criticism and negativity thrown your way. But you can rest in the promise of Matthew 5:10 when it says that “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” When I keep my mind on the kingdom, I don’t mind going through the persecution. When I keep my mind on the kingdom, I don’t worry about the haters. The more you hate, the more you push me into my destiny. For the Bible declares that God will make my enemies my footstool. The interesting thing about a footstool is that you can use it to reach for things that you wouldn’t normally be able to grab if it weren’t there. My grandmother is short, so I remember she had a footstool in the kitchen to reach for items on the top shelves. Some of you who have siblings in here would devise a plan to get the cookies at the top of the shelf. One person would get on their hands and knees, while the other person would step on their back to reach the cookies.
God has so many blessings prepared for me that require me to go through some difficult situations in order to get to. So when enemies come in my life, He’s just using those people to take me higher. That person who told me I would never be nothing is just being used to take me to another level. That “friend” who stabbed me in the back is just being used to take me to another level. That person who tried to steal my joy is just being used to take me to another level. That person who tried to steal my peace is just being used to take me to another level. The Lord is using my adversity to take me higher. Paul lets us know in Roman 5:3 that we should rejoice in our sufferings because that builds perseverance, character, and hope. So I shouldn’t allow my trials to drive me away from God, but I should use them to bring me closer to God.
It is very fitting that the theme of you all’s service is “Spread Your Wings” coming from Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings as eagles…” The interesting thing about eagles is that they love storms. When the clouds gather, the eagle gets excited. The eagle uses the storm’s winds to lift it higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagle uses the raging storm to lift him above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings while all the other birds hide in the trees in branches. When storms come in our lives, we need to see them as opportunities to go higher. And just like the eagle uses the winds of the storm to rest its wings, you can use the storms in your life to rest in His arms; to rest in His promises. People will know you’re having trouble in your life and they may wonder why you’re not walking around with your head down, having a pity party. What they don’t know, however, is that you have a peace that passes all understanding. You realize God is using your trial to bring you triumph. He’s using your pain to fulfill your purpose. He’s using your rejection to give you redemption. People will see your story, but what they won’t realize is that it’s all for His glory.

"Making Excellence A Habit"

The Decision

2010-10-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

This past year, a young man some of you may have heard of made a very important announcement. He entitled his announcement “The Decision”. This young man, by the name of LeBron James, decided he would choose where he would play basketball in the upcoming season on national television. This was a much hyped media event that drew a lot of positive and negative publicity. Sports enthusiasts had been waiting about 3 years for this very day; when Mr. James would decide whether to stay in Cleveland to play for his home state team or move on to “bigger and better” things, “greener pastures”. For about 2 months this summer people televised, radioed, called, text, facebooked, tweeted what they thought would happen with LeBron. Consequently, the day of “The Decision”, people were anxiously awaiting to see what LeBron would do with his burgeoning career. I remember being out to eat with my family, celebrating my sister’s new job, and trying to rush through dinner just so I could get home to watch this major production. This decision had the potential to ultimately determine the fate of multiple NBA franchises. Teams went all out to court young Mr. James. The hour had finally come and it was time for LeBron to tell the world what his decision was. Of course, as many of you know, he decided to go play with the Miami Heat because he felt that by playing with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, he had the best chance of winning the often alluded championship ring that he was looking for. He received a lot of criticism, especially from his home folk, for turning his back on the home team and going to play for another team. Even though the production of his announcement raise $3 million dollars for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and he took a pay cut to go play for the Heat, he received a lot of backlash from people who said he did everything in poor taste. “The Decision” that LeBron made cost him friends, fans, and money. He went from being one of the most popular athletes in all of sports to one of the most hated. The thing that gets me, however, is that LeBron said if he had to make that decision all over again, he wouldn’t change a thing.
Young people, I came to let you know today that it’s time for you to make “The Decision”. We’re living in a world, today, where the enemy is attracting our young people with the music, the television, and the styles. Our young people are being asked, at an early age, to begin exploring sex, drugs, and alcohol. They’re being pressured to rebel against the very things they have been taught. Particularly, in the church, our young people are exposed to the gospel, but once they get out the church they observe totally different behavior….sometimes from the very people they see in the church. We’re experiencing an epidemic of what Craig Groeschel calls “Christian Atheism”. What are you talking about preacher? Christian Atheism is the claim that you believe in God, but your actions suggest otherwise. You say you love God, but you’re ashamed of your past. You say you love God, but you’re unwilling to forgive those who have wronged you. You say you love God, but you put your trust in money and material things. You say you love God, but you’re afraid to step out on faith and take risks for God. You say you love God, but won’t tell your unsaved friends about Jesus because you’re afraid that they’ll reject you. Young people, I came to let you know today that I serve a God who has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. And today I’ve come to issue a challenge to all under the sound of my voice. It’s time for you to make “The Decision”. Just like LeBron had to make a decision as to what team he would play for, you have to decide (as the old saints said) whose side you’re leaning on. Are you going to choose to serve God or serve Satan? Are you going to decide to love Christ or love the world? Choose ye, this day, whom you will serve for no man can serve two masters. LeBron couldn’t choose to play for two teams. He had to choose one over the other. He couldn’t play with a jersey that said half Cleveland and half Miami. He can’t choose to play for the Heat but score baskets for the Cavaliers. But he decided to choose the team that he thought would give him the best shot at winning a championship and lost a lot of fans as a result. Young people, I’m urging you to choose the team that will guarantee you victory. Choose the team that will put you in the best position for abundant blessings. Choose the team that will bring love, joy, and peace. Choose the Lord’s team. But I do want to let you know that that decision does come with some costs. Choosing the Lord’s team will cause you to lose some friends, it will cause you to experience some trials, it will cause you to gain some haters, but the Word tells us that if God be for us than who can be against us. Today is your day to choose to live your life for Christ.

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Fly Like An Eagle - 7 Principles

2010-10-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

PRINCIPLE 1
Eagles fly alone at high altitude and not with sparrows or other small birds. No other bird can got to the height of the eagle. Stay away from sparrows and ravens.

Eagles fly with Eagles

PRINCIPLE 2
Eagles have strong vision. They have the ability to focus on something up to five kilometers away. When an eagle sites his prey, he narrows his focus on it and set out to get it. No matter the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

PRINCIPLE 3
Eagles do not eat dead things. They feed only on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals, but eagles will not.

Be careful with what you feed your eyes and ears with, especially in movies and on TV. Steer clear of outdated and old information. Always do your research well.

PRINCIPLE 4
Eagles love the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the storm’s wind to lift it higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagles uses the raging storm to lift him above the
clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees.

We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

PRINCIPLE 5
The Eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursuing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her.
Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases it. He has to catch it before it
falls to the ground. He then brings it back to the female eagle.

The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a higher altitude and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of catching the twig which shows commitment. Then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her.

Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.

PRINCIPLE 6
When ready to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach. The male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the intended nest. He flies back to earth and picks thorns laying them on top of the twigs. He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns. When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass it on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest. The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest. Because they are scared, they jump into the nest again.

Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare When the scared eaglets again jump into the nest, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and catches them up on his back before they fall and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this newfound knowledge that they can fly.

The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes; The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success; The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all. The thorns of life come to teach us that we need to grow, get out of the nest and live on. We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns.

The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.

PRINCIPLE 7
When an Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks. While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out.

We occasionally need to shed off old habits & items that burden us without adding to our lives.

By: Myles Munroe

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Almost Saved!

2010-09-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

Check out this spoken word artist. Dope lyrics that really minister. I also love the environment that these people are in. We need more Christian atmospheres for saved young people like this.

"Know What I'm Sayin?" No I Don't!!!

2010-09-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

“Communication. It’s the first thing we really learn in life. Funny thing is, once we grow up, learn our words and really start talking, the harder it becomes to know what to say. Or how to ask for what we really need.”
- Meredith Grey

Recently, I have been reading Frederick Douglass’ My Bondage and My Freedom as well as the writings and speeches of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As I’ve been studying and analyzing these literary masterpieces, I was reminded of the artistic touch that these men and those like them put into their words. Reviewing these texts allowed me to appreciate the gift of words and how the strategic placement of them can have such a significant impact to those who have the opportunity interact with them. I admired how Douglass was able to develop such a meaningful and descriptive vocabulary from putting his life on the line just to learn to read and write. I was in awe of how King was seemingly masterful at creating exquisite metaphors to describe the challenges and hardships of a suffering people. These readings made me long for a day when the skill of public speaking and writing was seen as an important and necessary practice in our communities. The beauty of words lies in the puzzle-like features they have where putting the right pieces together can turn a bunch of nothing into something amazing and picturesque. Unfortunately, it seems as if what once was is no longer.

Is it me, or do we have a huge population of our society that is just speaking gibberish? It seems as if many people have simply lost all ability to communicate and clearly express themselves in an eloquent manner. This practice seems to be especially prevalent in our minority communities. I often hear the common, “Knaw I mean?”, “Knaw I’m sayin?”, “Ya feel me?”, “Ya heard me?” Now, don’t get me wrong, I realize many of these phrases are simply colloquialisms; but more often than not, I usually don’t know what you mean or what you’re saying. I can’t feel you. And although I hear you, I, in no way, understand what you’re talking about. I can maybe assume or guess depending on the level of context clues I receive throughout the conversation or discussion, but for the most part, you are not making any sense to me. Why is it that we know longer see it necessary to make declarative statements? Why is that we don’t expect our people to express themselves in an articulate manner? Why have we lost the passion for the human voice and the eloquence that accompanies it?

Many of us seem to have forgotten, or at least not acknowledge, our historical icons such as Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Angela Davis, and Sojourner Truth, who knew the power of words and used them in a passionate way to express their sentiment of the issues they were facing in their day. We seem to forget how they poetically placed their words in such a way that it still resonates with us even to this day. From Truth’s colloquial but powerful “Ain’t I a Woman” to King’s prophetic “I’ve been to the Mountaintop”. From Carmichael’s mantra “Black Power” to Malcolm X’s authoritative “The Ballot or the Bullet”. We must realize that these words ignited a flame so dynamic that people couldn’t help but pay attention to our struggle. And my frustration lies in my observation that people don’t see the need to create leaders, anymore, that can speak with fiery zeal yet it roll off the tongue like melodic musical notes. The art of public speaking has been lost due to our infatuation with social networking, our lowered academic expectations, and our conformity to this concept of “keepin’ it real”.

I see a need for a 21st century black renaissance that re-introduces the commanding but beautiful effect of oratory, the analytical skill-building and cleverness of debate, and the influential prowess of poetry, music, and story-telling. We must teach our young people to have an appreciation for words and the effect they can have on the lives of others. For the Bible even lets us know that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”. Let us remember the “life” that was given to us as a result of that power that was spoken from the tongues of our forefathers and mothers. We should feel obligated to restore the speech of conviction that pierced the hearts of those who heard and read the words of these oratorical magicians.

I've posted a video that further addresses the lost art of communication.

"Make Excellence A Habit"

Music, Media & Today's Youth Culture

2010-09-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

Check out this video addressing the influence of music and media on our young people. Very relevant to today's Christian trying to reach the youth.

Intellectual Thug: Oxymoron?

2010-08-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

As a Communication Applications (Speech for the layperson) teacher, I am a natural observer of the communication habits of others. I am always looking for examples of articulate celebrities or athletes that can relate to the student clientele that I am charged with reaching, which is not an easy task. It is no coincidence nor is it a surprise that the reason our young black people speak the way they do is because of the pop culture icons they look up to. They do not see the importance of grammar, expanded vocabulary, or diction just to name a few. And the ones that do see the importance of and utilize it, are seen as “talking white” (which is another issue). This trend troubles me because the capacity of your communication (verbal and non-verbal) is directly correlated to your employability and success rate. And if our young black kids don’t grasp the importance of this concept, they will forever find themselves in a position of inferiority as far as I am concerned. However, I did find a glimmer of hope in this situation.

As I was discussing the relevance of music with my Sunday School class, my sister suggested I go to YouTube and listen to an interview with the rapper, Plies. Now, I’ve heard some of Plies music and I would venture to say he’s not the most thought-provoking or socially conscious rapper I’ve ever heard. Consequently, my first thought wasn’t of him being an articulate speaker. However, my limited thinking (in this matter) proved me wrong. What I heard was a young man whose intellectual & mental capacity could rival many politicians and corporate giants. The natural unbalance, in my mind, however was the polarization of his speech versus his music. Now, while I found this in somewhat of a positive light, I realized others saw it as a negative. I saw Plies as an example of a rapper my students look up to who can express his thoughts in a clear and articulate manner. However, from my observations of the various interviews and posted comments, many saw him as the prototypical “fake thug”. And to further substantiate their claims, they point to evidence that he was the valedictorian of his high school class and homecoming king. Admittedly, Plies did dance around the valedictorian question so we don’t know whether this is true or not. But my question for his critics, who question his street credibility is....”So What?”

If he is the “goon” he claims he is, why is it a big deal that he actually has an expanded vocabulary. Is “thugism” synonymous with ignorance? Is it impossible for so-called goons to have an education, let alone be first in their class. I realize this is not a common occurrence, but we should not automatically nullify the hardness of a person based on their educational accomplishments. Now, I don’t glorify the thug lifestyle because of the harm that it has caused, particularly in our black communities. But if we gave respect to those who claim that lifestyle while proudly displaying their intellectual prowess, maybe many of the young people that look up to these “role-models” would not be so apt to suppress their academic capabilities.

My issue is not whether Plies is a real thug or not. I really couldn’t care less, because I believe many rappers aren’t what they claim in their songs. I actually believe that a real thug can’t continue to be a thug and be a successful rapper by commercial standards (i.e. Shyne, Beanie Sigel). I still won’t listen to Plies music (just because it’s not my cup of tea), but I do applaud the fact that he realizes the business he’s in and utilizes the art of code-switching. In order to be successful at what you do, one must have the ability to adapt to the environment they’re around (code-switch) while maintaining who they really are. Just because a person from the hood uses the word “superfluous” in the right context should not negate his street credibility. We should celebrate the fact that this dude actually can express clear thoughts in complete sentences and rather than disparage him, develop other young black kids to do the same. I’ll be sure to let my students know that I don’t condone what Plies represents, but at least he represents it with clarity.

What are your thoughts? Can intellectual and thug go together?

- The Church Boy Chronicles

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Rewind: Separate But Equal

2010-07-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

If you paid attention, even just an ounce, in any history class you’ve no doubt heard about it. Certainly, if you have any drop of African-American blood in you, you know something about it. If not, we might need to revoke your “black card”. But if I were a betting man, I would put all my money on the fact that the majority of people (particularly African-Americans) are familiar with the ground breaking case, Brown vs. Board of Education. Fifty-six years ago, our country experienced a trial that would be a catalyst to the Civil Rights Movement and forever change the course of our history.

Just to give a brief background of Brown vs. Board of Education (for those who may have forgot), this case was brought on by the NAACP’s legal team. It was at first led by Charles Hamilton Houston, then later by Thurgood Marshall. The origin of the case began as the Topeka NAACP, led by McKinley Burnett, set out to challenge an 1879 state law that permitted racial segregation in elementary schools in certain cities based on population. The local NAACP mobilized a group of 13 parents who agreed to be plaintiffs on behalf of their 20 children. These 13 parents, directed by the legal counsel, attempted to enroll their children in segregated white schools and all were denied admission. The Topeka NAACP filed suit in 1951and by 1954, as the old cliche goes, the rest is history. Victory meant that we no longer had to be segregated by race in our schools and other social institutions. This was a big step in the right direction. An opportunity to be accepted and put on an equal playing field as whites. It is because of this case that we now have the wonderful privilege of receiving the same great education as whites and experiencing the same wealth of opportunities also. Now, if you took that last statement as having a hint of sarcasm to it, then you are absolutely correct. I wasn’t around in 1954, but there doesn’t seem to be as much progress today as was probably expected.

We can simply look at the numbers to see the dire state that African-Americans are in when dealing with education. We lead in nearly every negative statistical category from drop-out rates, to suspensions, to special education placement, to graduation rates (or lack thereof). Whereas 70% of high school students graduate from high school in four years, only 50% of black students graduate from high school in four years (that number is even worse for black men). One African-American student drops out of school every 26 seconds or 1 million dropouts per year. Black males are more likely to be placed in special education and are more likely to be suspended or expelled. And as a result, black men are six times more likely to go to prison than white men. Now statistics are one thing, but it’s another thing when the statistics slap you in the face. When I was in first grade, the teachers wanted to place me in special education for a “severe speech impediment”. Now, mind you, I was making all A’s on my report card. Fortunately, my parents would not allow them to place me. Then in second grade, I recalled having to go to another class everyday for reading. It just happened that all the black males in my class were in there with me everyday. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we were in the “dumb” class, even in the second grade. Now, there is no problem with placing students in special classes who need the extra attention. The problem was the fact that I wasn’t one of those students...and neither were my black counterparts. We all made good grades in school and eventually all graduated from the same high school and college. The funny thing about this example is that I meet other fairly successful black men who experienced the same exact predicament. So as I reflect on this story, it wasn’t our mental capacity that didn’t meet expectations but rather our skin color that didn’t make the grade.

Then you have the case of de facto segregation which is the segregation of institutions without lawful authority. There are many examples of this type of segregation in our society. Schools, of course, cannot lawfully discriminate against students of a certain race but as you look at the best and worst schools in our country there is usually a signifcant difference in demographic. The evidence is clearly seen in the school district I teach in. On one street, you can see the major differences in the communities served by two high schools in the same district. One school has the newest facilities, the newest technology, and teachers are flocking to get a job there. The homes served by that school range in cost from $200,000 to $450,000. Then you have the school just 2 miles down the street. This school has suffering test scores, low teacher morale, is considered the “ghetto” school in the district, and of course the highest minority population. The homes this school serves start at $70,000. How in the world do you have this big of a difference in two high schools within 2 miles of each other?

Now, I do want to come off as controversial (or maybe I do), but it seems to me that going back to “Separate but Equal” doesn’t seem that bad of an idea. Heck, we’re pretty much going in that direction now. The only amendment I would make to it is to actually make is “Separate but Equal”. That means equal facilities, equal technology, equal access to qualified teachers, EQUAL FUNDS. I truly believe our young black students would thrive in a rigorous, relevant, and relationally driven school just for them. Especially in an evironment with teachers (particularly black) who truly care about their education and well being. We can look at the examples and see the impact of educational institutions customized around our children.

Geoffrey Canada’s Harlem Children’z Zone has dramatically improved an area that is filled with poverty. He takes children from the womb, basically, and nutures them all the way through their college years (which he guarantees they will graduate). Then you have Urban Prep in Chicago, Illinois. This is the school we all heard about that graduated and received college acceptance of 100% of its first graduating class (who all happened to be black males). Now, neither of these schools discriminate against other races, but the communities they serve give access to young black students who might not have viable educational opportunities otherwise.

These two examples are models of what could be. Many of know our young people have the potential to do something great, unfortunately, they often grow up in environments that cannot or will not nuture and help develop that potential. By creating schools specifically for black students, we can foster an environment that will focus on the culture that black students can relate to. We can teach a history that is either forgotten, misunderstood, or totally ignored. We can develop a climate where students feel wanted and not neglected by their own people. We can recruit teachers who actually want to help create an identity in our young people and not ones who are simply there for a meager paycheck.

I realize I may sound too idealistic or “Pie in the Sky, but under the circumstances, that might be exactly what we need. It pisses me off to see young black people suffering and hurting but can’t point to the exact reason why. It bothers me that our young black people hate each other because they hate themselves. It hurts me that our young black people have a “me against the world” mentality when we have too many of us around that can assist. Sure, it’s far fetched (really impossible), that going back to “Separate but Equal” would happen but we need to start creating our own schools, creating our own curriculum, and teaching our own students. In doing this, we impact the perception of our communities and become a driving force in the change our country so desperately needs.

How do you feel about schools for “our” children? Would this be a possible undertaking?

- The Church Boy Chronicles

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Back to Basics: The NAACP and the Black Church

2010-07-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

“As I look back over my life and I think things over; I can truly say that I’ve been blessed. I have a testimony.” This sentiment is familiar with the consummate church goer. It represents the many trials and tribulations that a person has endured individually. It also can have significance as the praise of deliverance, historically, for black people. From slavery, to Jim Crow, to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the black church has always played an invaluable role in the social movement of black America. It was the words of black preachers that inspired abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Denmark Vesey, and Harriet Tubman. Negro spirituals that aided in the freedom of slaves during the underground railroad had its foundation in the black church. When the NAACP evolved almost over a century ago, black preachers were part of the genesis. As a need arose to fight separate and unequal schools, NAACP members and preachers stepped forward to assist in the fight. Ministers, such as Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King, Jr. were at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement. You can’t think of black progress without considering the partnership of the NAACP the black church. However, something has greatly changed within the last couple decades or so.

In his song, “The Last Jesus”, Kirk Franklin’s lyrics asserts:

If I say I love Jesus, but you can't see my Jesus
My words are empty, if they can't see Jesus in me
No more excuses, I give myself away
Because I may be the only Jesus they see

The basic premise of the song is that rhetoric pales in comparison to the actions we take. It doesn’t matter the words you use to inspire the people, if your action is lacking your purpose is meaningless. For those who are depressed, dejected, distraught and destroyed, you just may be the only Jesus they see throughout the day. As we move forward into the twenty-first century, the NAACP and the church both need to take this song to heart. We are starting to get to the point where both are becoming institutions of empty rhetoric. I would even go as far as to say, at least in terms of the NAACP, that the organization is slowly becoming obsolete. No longer does the black community automatically turn to the NAACP or the black church when it needs support or change. No longer do the NAACP or black church have the influence it once had when it comes to political matters. No longer does the black church have the social consciousness it once identified itself with. We’re even to the point, now, that the NAACP and the church are at odds with each other in California or the legalization of marijuana. Whereas, the NAACP is looking to support the legalization of marijuana in order to affect the current laws that target non-whites, the church is condemning them for attempting to further destroy the black community.

The partnership that was once a “match made in Heaven” sorely needs to have its vows renewed. Both have a lot to do in order to restore the public image they once had as the cornerstones of the black community. However, I do see steps in the right direction for both institutions.

The NAACP is taking steps to reclaim its spot as the “go-to guy” of the black community. They took a turn to target a younger demographic by selecting its youngest ever president & CEO in Ben Jealous. And as they engage in their 101st convention this week, I’m sure they will be looking to bring new initiatives to the table ensure progress for our urban communities.

As far as the church goes, Bishop Charles E. Blake (presiding bishop for the International Churches of God in Christ or COGIC), has instituted an urban initiative program to rectify the problems that saturate many urban communities. The five core areas that the COGIC organization will address are education, economic development, crime, family, and financial literacy. His goal, according to www.cogic.net, is to provide our churches and ministries with the necessary encouragement, inspiration, rationale, information, consultation and resources to achieve real and measurable change

As we have seen the plight of our communities take a turn for the worse, it is not a coincidence that both the NAACP and the black church seem to have taken a back seat in its ability to inspire, influence, and incorporate our people. It is time, once again, that both of these institutions have reclaimed their positions in the driver’s seat in order to bring about the necessary change that we need in our world. People are tired of leaders that seek to gain fame by instigating issues in our society while neglecting the issues on their own doorstep. People are tired of church folk saying, “I’ll pray for you”, but never lending a helping hand. People are tired of others calling themselves “missionaries”, but their mission is good-for-nothing. As much as I love the inspiring, fiery, and “look up in dictionary” words used in these “meeting of the minds” conferences, such as “The State of the Black Union”; I have not seen enough change in the areas in which they often speak of. People don’t just want to be talked at, they want to be met where they are. It’s time to get in the trenches and get our hands dirty. It is up to the leaders of the NAACP and the churches in our society to ensure the success of a people that our country has doomed to failure. We must come to the realization that Jesus didn’t just come to meet the spiritual needs of the people, but he came to meet their needs physically, socially, and emotionally. It’s time for leaders to take heed of that example and become all things to all people.

What is your position on the NAACP? The black church?

Do they still have a rightful place in our communities?

- The Church Boy Chronicles

"Making Excellence A Habit"

Empowering the Endangered

2010-07-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

Root of the Issue

You can sense the frustration on a regular basis from the teachers who are fed up with certain students because they don’t listen, don’t work, and don’t respect authority. You can walk through the hallways of a high school during class time and see students roaming around seemingly with no place to go. You can talk to these students and see they have no direction or goals in life. Of course these “symptoms” can be attached to any student, but they are disproportionately seen in the behavior of black male students. W. Jordan says statistics reveal that African-American male students consistently lead in virtually every indicator of school failure, including dropouts, absenteeism, suspension and expulsion, and low standardized test scores. It is also noted that black male students are overrepresented in central cities school districts where there is high poverty, high crime, and are racially isolated. In many of these school districts it is unlikely that the classroom teachers even have teacher certifications or college degrees in their field. It can definitely be frustrating to deal with students who seem like they don’t want to be there, but we must also attempt to understand the underlying issues that may cause this dysfunctional and delinquent behavior. Many times teachers decide to give up on these students after they have tried many times to correct them. During college, I would substitute at an elementary school during my breaks from school. The school was predominately African-American and many of the teachers white. One day, as I was sitting in the teacher’s lounge I overheard a few teachers talking about a student. This student’s name was Demontrae and he definitely had his share of behavior issues. It was clear the teachers did not like him and seemed as if they had given up on him because I heard one of the teachers refer to him as “Demon-Trae”. Even as a college student, I understood the ramifications these feeling could have in a student-teacher relationship. However, I wondered if the teacher took the time to understand the underlying issues causing the behavior problems with Demontrae.

Many black male students already come in with a certain guard up. They feel disenfranchised because of the institutionalized racism they already experience. J. Ogbu suggests “the treatment of minorities in the wider society is reflected in their treatment in education”. Although many teachers will claim they have high expectations of all students, their behavior toward black male students would suggest otherwise. Typical schooling experiences for African-American males include tracking into the lowest classes, victimization by negative stereotypes, and assimilation into an educational system that devalues their cultural strengths. These experiences are not only seen in an educational setting, but also in society where black men have higher unemployment rates and incarceration rates than any other sub-group. Let us also not forget the disproportionate amount of males that come from a home with no father or male role model. These young men are usually pushed into the position as man of the house and gain their masculinity through what they see on the streets or in the media, none of which are usually positive. Pedro C. Noguera, in his book “Trouble with Black Boys” seeks to provide insight in the approaches needed to understand the behavioral patterns of black males. His research discusses how black males have been marginalized and victimized within their schooling experiences. His research also seeks to help teachers understand how they can better motivate and instruct black males. They can use the information to readjust their pedagogical practices and use alternative methods to reach these students. These young men need to know they have high expectations set for them and need to be conditioned to see the benefit that schooling will have in their lives.

Reaching Young Black Men

The big question is what is it going to take to reach our young men? It seems as if the media and music has complete hold of their attention. Young black men tend to look up to hip-hop artist and athletes. Through this admiration come many of the negative attitudes and rebellious behaviors that are displayed. Essentially, there is nothing wrong with admiring musicians and athletes, but these young men need to realize that those types of attitudes and behaviors will not get you anywhere in the real world. However, since we live in an ever-evolving cultural cyclone, educators need to constantly develop methods to reach students.

In order to reach African-American males, teachers need to understand where they come from. They must be able to create an environment for these young men where they feel comfortable being part of the lesson, and not disrupting it. The first thing we must do in order to reach our black male students is reframe our perspectives of the black male image. James E. Davis argued that African-American male students feel threatened and disengage from school-related activities because they have to contend with the possibility of being classified as “feminine”, which poses a threat to their sense of black masculinity. As a black man, I agree with this statement because it describes my adolescent stage. As a high school student, I struggled with my identity because of my intellectual capacity. I didn’t want to be labeled as a “nerd” or “soft”, therefore I downplayed my intelligence. I even regretted being inducted into the National Honor Society because of what my peers would think of me. This same attitude is keeping many of our young black men from reaching their full potential. It is imperative that issues of false masculinity be discussed. By straying away from these topics, we are further pushing black male students to the back of the starting line.

Another area teachers need to focus on is the need African-American males have to feel valued. Negative stereotypes and meaningless student-teacher relationships are a significant reason for the failure of black males. Research shows that disenfranchising stereotypes have a negative impact on students’ learning and participation in science and mathematics classes, and meaningful student-teacher relationships have a positive impact on students’ learning and their participation in science and mathematics classes (Brand, Glasson & Green, 2006). These negative stereotypes coupled with the overrepresentation on negative societal indices lead to the declining goals and aspirations on the part black men. African-American males tend to exhibit fewer academic aspirations, are less likely to complete high school on time, and are at greater risk of dropping out of school compared with African-American females, let alone other ethnic groups. Therefore, instead of future orientation goals, black males are driven to a present orientation. This orientation is associated with the inability to delay gratification, limited academic achievement, and elevated risk behavior. Teachers must not only set high expectations, but ensure that young black men reach those expectations. As easy as it is to give up when things don’t seem to go well, it is imperative that teachers push these students to their intellectual limit.

One way to reach these young men is by implementing the culture they are familiar with into the classroom experience. Many times, black male students feel excluded from the classroom. We must cross cultural borders in order to ensure success. For many students, Western “school science and mathematics” are subcultures representing images and ideas that may exclude or discourage their participation. Implementing hip-hop culture into the curriculum is a certain way to reach black male students. Young men have a deep infatuation with this culture and using it in the curriculum can lead to greater success in the classroom. There are multitudes of hip-hop curriculum samples as well as hip-hop lesson plans to help teachers create lessons that will reach the minority. There is mounting evidence that student engagement and achievement is positively affected by improvements in school structure, curriculum and teaching, and professional development.

Do you think black men are an “endangered species”?

What suggestions do you have to reach our young black men?

Could This Man Have LeBron James' Future In His Hands?

2010-07-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

Louisville head basketball coach, Rick Pitino, says that if any NBA team even wants the slightest chance at LeBron James during the upcoming free agency period, they need to contact one person first. David Stern? Nope! Gloria James? Try again. LeBron James??? Not even close! Odds are you've never even heard of this deal maker.

His government name is William Wesley, but his more appropriate moniker is "Worldwide Wes" or "Uncle Wes" to some of your favorite NBA superstars.

You may be asking "Who is this guy?", "Why does he matter?", and "Why should I care?" Well, to answer your questions...nobody really knows who he is, he really shouldn't matter, but since he does, you should care a whole lot. This man will most likely determine where the biggest free agent in the history of basketball will end up next season.

Worldwide Wes is a mortgage broker who happens to be best friends with Michael Jordan, John Calipari (University of Kentucky head basketball coach), and Jay-Z. A former athletic shoe salesman in New Jersey, he has mentored and guided athletic superstars such as Dejuan Wagner, Tyreke Evans, Allen Iverson, and most notably, LeBron James. He was on the sidelines of the Dallas Cowboys' Super Bowl win, attended Miami Hurricane games with Luther "Uncle Luke" Campbell, and even was the one who held Ron Artest back during the infamous "Malice in the Palace." In short, he just may be the most powerful man in sports.

If you’re a college basketball fan and ever wondered why Dejuan Wagner, Derrick Rose, and Tyreke Evans chose Memphis for their one-and-done careers, then look no further than Worldwide Wes. Wes seems to have his hand in every facet of the game from helping Leandro Barbosa get in the NBA to influencing (although he would deny it) LeBron James to sign with agent, Leon Rose (who happens to be a good friend of Wes).

Worldwide Wes is the definition of incognito at its finest. He doesn’t grant interviews, although he’s connected to a surplus of media big wigs. He doesn’t crave the spotlight, which is rare in our braggadocios society. Those who are closest to him can’t even really describe what he does and they work hard to keep the media a bay in regard to him. Now, to the naked eye, this would be a red flag for a cat who’s into some shady stuff. However, his inner circle and business associates would beg to differ. He is highlighted for bootstrapping his way from a meager shoes salesman to becoming Michael Jordan’s right hand man. He is revered for his business prowess and his ability to connect the right people. He is applauded for doing whatever he can for others but never asking for anything in return. On the surface, Wes may seem a little crooked; but to those who know him best, he is simply the epitome of the American Dream.

In the case of Worldwide Wes, the phrase “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” has never rang more true. He is a power broker, a people connector, and a deal maker. If you thought the Kardashians were the most powerful entity in sports then think again. The future of college and professional basketball is in the hands of a man who has never even donned a professional NBA uniform, and you wouldn’t even know it. But guess what? Worldwide Wes wouldn’t have it any other way.

- The Church Boy Chronicles

"Making Excellence A Habit"

2010-03-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

6 C's to Developing a Youth Ministry

Entry #11-March 3, 2010

The 6 C’s to Develop a Youth Ministry

Concrete Vision

One cannot stress enough about the importance of vision when it pertains to ministry. When it comes to vision there are no better scriptures than Proverbs 29:18 and Habakuk 2:2. Both of these talk about the importance of vision. If you, as the leader of the potential youth ministry, have no idea of where you want it to go then you cannot possibly lead it in the right direction. Without proper vision, you will have a case of the blind leading the blind. As Habakuk 2:2 states, it is also important to write your vision down. This is where the word “concrete” comes in. You do not want an abstract vision of where you want to go. You have to have concrete ideas that should be written down and attainable, so you can continuously check the progress of the ministry. Let us not forget that any vision worth pursuing must come from God. With the Father’s guidance, your efforts will be in vain.

Communication

Communication is one of the simplest definitions to comprehend (the process of sending and receiving messages). However, it is one of the most difficult processes to apply. Communication is an important skill to master and to effectively develop a youth ministry, one must be able apply these skills with ease. The first aspect of communication must come with God. The endeavor that you’re getting ready to pursue is extremely important (especially in today’s society), and you must have a stable and consistent prayer life to succeed in ministry. Not only must we communicate with God, but we have to allow Him to communicate with us. As you work to develop your ministry continue to talk to Him about your questions and stay in the word to seek guidance.

Next you must communicate with the pastor of the church. He is God’s appointed leader and we must not disrespect his leadership in a matter such as this. Get the pastor’s permission to start the ministry and seek his guidance as to what you should do to gain participation. If anybody is going to understand the struggle of leadership in ministry, this will definitely be the person.

Facilitate a meeting with the parents of the youth about the vision God has given you and get their input. The best allies or worst enemies that you can have in youth ministry will be your parents. You definitely want to get them on your side. If you get the parents excited about youth ministry, the young people won’t be far behind. After all, they’re the ones that have to bring the youth to you.

Talk with other youth pastors and youth leaders and get advice from them on the struggles and triumphs they have experienced in their pursuit of God’s calling in youth ministry. Usually, these people are more than willing to give advice about their various encounters. Do not be afraid to ask any question, because they more than likely have seen it all.

Finally meet with the youth to get their input. They are your target demographic, so why wouldn’t one seek their ideas. Again, ask many questions to get an idea of how you want to start your youth ministry. Their is no one way to begin a ministry so you must look to cater to your audience.

Commitment

Ask any youth leader and he will tell you that leading a youth ministry is no easy task. You’re dealing with hormone raged teenagers, dysfunctional homes, and negative influences from peers and media. Not to mention difficult parents. This is a ministry that definitely needs a committed leader. However, also remember that any thing worth having is worth working for. Frederick Douglass once said “Without struggle, there is no progress”. If you commit yourself to what you know God has called you to do, He will bless you abundantly. Often times you will feel as if you’re alone and may even feel a need to throw in the towel. But if you’re truly called, something will always happen to make you say “This is why I do this”. Developing a youth ministry is a challenging undertaking and it’s going to take leaders that are willing to put in the work to make it a success.

Connection

No youth ministry will succeed with being able to connect with the young people. In order to bring them to you, you must go where they are. What does that mean? You have to stay in tune to what they’re listening to, what they’re watching, and who they’re talking to. Definitely stay in touch with the times (text messaging, social networking, fashion, etc.). You must be able to relate to the youth you are trying to reach. You must keep in mind, however, that you are not trying to be one of them. Young people can spot a fake instantly. You have to know the difference between friendly and friend. You must be friendly to your young people, but you cannot necessarily be their friend. When you become their friend it becomes hard to chastise them when necessary. You also put yourself in danger of inappropriate relationships when you get too close to your young people. It’s will be a balancing act, but it is of utmost important to protect your integrity and the integrity of the ministry.

Creativity

Too many times we see what other people are doing in their youth ministry and we try to do the same things. Now this is not necessarily a bad thing, but as mentioned earlier, no youth ministry will be the exact same. You must be willing to think outside the box when it comes to youth ministry. Keep the young people on their toes. That’s how you keep them coming back. If God has called you to develop a youth ministry, then expect Him to give you creativity and innovativeness to grow it. Don’t look to maintain the status quo. Sometimes you have to push the envelope in some areas. Using your creativity will allow you to take some risks. Of course some will work and some will not, but it’s taking the risk that will allow you to see how far your ministry will go. Remember, the church people didn’t always agree with what Jesus did but it always ended up being the right thing to do. Creativity is the catalyst for youth ministry and it ignites the flame within.

Community

Finally, you must remember that developing a youth ministry is not a solo affair. Their are many people who must be involved in order for it to work. As the old cliche goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work”. You must get the participation of others in order to build a successful youth ministry. Be willing to collaborate with people and get their ideas as to what should go forth in the ministry. As you seek participation, cooperation, and input you will find that others will take ownership of the ministry. This will empower them to give more effort and ensure that the ministry succeeds. A community of like-minded individuals are a must to reach a generation that is struggling to maintain its identity.

2009-11-14T19:05:00.000-08:00

In Defense of all Pastors

Entry #10 - November 14, 2009

So often we take our pastors for granted. Sure we hold an appreciation service for them once a year, but how many of us take for granted the service that these men and women of God render. So often I hear statements such as “Why is the pastor driving a Cadillac?” or “Why does the pastor live in that house?” or “Why do we give them money for their appreciation?” If I had a dime for every time I heard one of these sentiments or one similar to, I would be able to put a million dollars toward somebody’s building fund. It seems as if many of don’t understand the office of a pastor spiritually or naturally. Therefore, without further adieu, allow me to enlighten you.

Let’s first take a look at scripture.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. (1 Timothy 5:17-KJV)

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5:17-NIV)

This scripture explicitly lets us know that pastors are to be honored (2X) for their service to the church. They are God’s chosen servants to impart the Word into His people. It also lets us know that those who preach and teach should especially receive this honor. I do understand that we do have a few corrupt pastors in the church, but that should not stain the reputation of the thousands of powerful and anointed pastors that do not gain the attention of the media.

We must understand that the office of a pastor is not a full-time job. It is an all-the-time job. Not to mention that some also have other employment just to make ends meet. Many of us are only salespeople from 9-5, only accountants from 9-5, or only teachers from 9-5. We can often take off the title once we leave the job. But a pastor is a pastor wherever he/she goes. You just can’t take off that title when you get ready. Their hours of operation are all hours. As the son of a pastor, I have experienced calls late in the midnight hour when someone was going through. I have seen the hours of studying to prepare for a sermon. I have observed the late night trips to the church just to check up on it. So when I hear people complain about their pastor or where their tithes and offerings are going, I wish they just had one chance to walk in the shoes of that pastor. More likely than not, that pastor is giving their all to ensure that you are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to apply scriptural doctrine to your everyday life. So if you don’t think your money should go toward their appreciation or think your tithes and offering are going toward their Cadillac...then DON’T give it, because God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). However, please remember this; a seed that stays in the farmers pocket doesn’t grow.

As I close, I encourage you all to take a different perspective of the office of the pastor. There is so much that goes into the position and it is one that your definitely must be called and anointed to do. Preaching is only 10% of what a pastor does. So as you see your pastor this week, let them know how much your really appreciate them.

- The Church Boy Chronicle

“Making Excellence a Habit”

2009-06-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

The Beauty of Adoption
Entry #9 – June 25, 2009

One of my favorite shows to watch is Different Strokes. Besides the fact that it is hilarious, I love the whole concept of the show. Two poverty stricken brothers are adopted by a wealthy business man after his maid (their mother) passes away. Overnight, these boys go from living in the midst of poverty, drugs, and violence to a penthouse in the middle of Manhattan. They go from being impoverished to being affluent. In the matter of just a little bit of time, their whole lives change. The simple act of adoption has allowed them hurdle the social ladder and gain opportunities they otherwise never would have encountered.

This show has very significant implications for those of us in the body of Christ. I have recently come to the conclusion that adoption seems to have more significance than being born into a family. When you are born into a family, your parents have no choice of what they get. It is definitely a gift from God, but the options are very limited. However, when one is adopted, it is because the parents chose that child. They see something special in a child which causes them to choose that one over others. This leads me to the conclusion that we should feel absolutely elated that we have been adopted into God’s family. Ephesians 1:5 tell us about our adoption process. In fact, it lets us know that we were predestined to be adopted. The mere fact that I was chosen by God fills my heart with excitement.

As I look over my life and reflect on the doubts and fears I have come up against, I’ve come to some important conclusions. First of all, if God adopted me, He clearly saw something in me that others didn’t. I know many people have been written off or told they weren’t good enough, but man’s trash is God’s treasure. If God can take a boy (me) who was supposed to be in Special Ed., had a speech impediment and much insecurity and allow him to go up in front of a congregation of people to preach, what makes you think he can’t use you. I am in absolute awe at what God has done through me and I know there is no credit I can take for His power. My weakness is His greatest strength.

Secondly, if God gave His only son to die for my sins, why would I not give my all back to Him. There is no reason for me to hold back in my praise and worship. God has allowed me and you to have gifts which will glorify Him. There is no reason as to why we should hold back any of these gifts. Too many times we try to gain the praises of men instead gaining the praise of God (John 12:42-43). However, when you come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter what people say about you, your freedom to praise & worship is taken to another level.

Adoption in Christ is a beautiful thing. God chose me to handle His kingdom business, and the best thing about it is that He doesn’t want me to do it alone. He also chose you. This implies that as Christians, we must work together to build up His kingdom. This is not a competition but collaboration. If we learn to work together, there’s no telling what God can do through us. Don’t even let me go into the inheritance we have as His children. May God bless and let’s get on the Kingdom Business!

- The Church Boy Chronicle

“Making Excellence a Habit”

2009-05-15T22:23:00.000-07:00

Give Up to Go Up!
Entry #8 – May 16, 2009

Guess what? The CBC is back. I know it’s been a while since our last post, but we had some educational objectives we were trying to get through (graduate school finals). Fortunately, those are over now and I can concentrate on uplifting and encouraging.

Today’s CBC will deal with the Law of Sacrifice. Isn’t it interesting that the logic behind basic accounting principles is that the more you spend the more you lose. We find this logic in many areas. The more money you spend the less you have in your bank account. The more time you spend on one thing, the less time you have to do other things. I know we all have experienced these types of occurrences in some form or fashion. Therefore, it is easy for our society to agree with the logic of “the more you give up, the more you go down.” Let’s take a college basketball team loaded with talent. Maybe one or two are seniors, but the others are freshmen and sophomores who are guaranteed to be drafted into the NBA the next year. After the season ends those players, instead of fulfilling a four year commitment, decide to take their talent to the NBA. That team just gave up a load of talent, not to mention the seniors they lost. Consequently, their ranking the next year will be much lower than it was the previous year. Because they lost a lot, they went down. Again, this logic is not hard to understand since many of us can relate to it.

Today, however, I want to contend with the societal logic of accounting by offering a different perspective. In order to GO UP, you must GIVE UP! Let’s take a look at the life of Ruth (Ruth is a very short book so you should read the whole thing). Ruth was a young woman from Moab who married one of the son’s of Naomi, who was an Israelite. After Naomi’s husband and two sons died, Naomi decided to go back to her hometown of Judah. She took her two daughters-in-law with her, Orpah and Ruth. Naomi insisted that Orpah and Ruth go back to Moab to be with their families and find new husbands, but the women refused. Orpah finally gave in and went back to Moab, but Ruth decided to stay with Naomi. On a side note, this is a beautiful example of how in-laws can get along and become family, but back to the point. Ruth essentially gave up everything she knew in order to say with Naomi. She gave up her family, her lifestyle, her religion in order to take on the values, customs, and especially the God of Naomi. Ruth showed great loyalty by sacrificing everything she was familiar with to stay with Naomi. It is the sacrifices that Ruth made that allowed her to become one of the most blessed women in the Bible. She married one of the richest men in Israel (Boaz). Furthermore, the greatest king of Israel, not to mention our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ were direct descendants of her. She decided to follow her heart instead of following logic and was blessed because of it. By giving up, Ruth was able to go up.

When you have a relationship with Christ, the principle of sacrifice takes on a whole new meaning. The Bible teaches us that in order to live one must die. We must crucify the flesh in order to gain eternal life. We must learn to sacrifice some things in order to gain more. Tithing is a perfect example. We need to learn to see tithing as privilege instead of a tax. Too many times, we think when we tithe we are giving up something, especially when we already may be struggling. This belief could not be more unfocused. In fact it is the total opposite. Tithing is the mere 10% sacrifice God requires in order to bless us even the more. Consequently, if you don’t give God your sacrifice, you end up being cursed. If you don’t believe me, read Malachi 3:8-10. Simply giving God 10% of what is already his brings an overflow of blessings. Of course, this logic goes against everything that basic accounting teaches us. However, we serve a God who is able to make things work not only in His favor, but in ours also. As Christians, we must realize that the sacrifices we make only benefit us in the long run. We must not be concerned with temporary matters when we serve a God with eternal control. We must not be concerned with minor losses when we know that victory is ours in the end. Therefore, learn to sacrifice your finances, learn to sacrifice your time, learn to sacrifice frivolous desires in order to gain more than you can even imagine. For we serve a God who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all…I had to stop right there because I got happy. If you truly want to GO UP, learn to GIVE UP!

- The Church Boy Chronicle

“Making Excellence a Habit”

2009-04-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

Do You See What I See? – Vision Series (Part III)
Entry #7 – April 18, 2009

There once was a Nobody name Ordinary who lived in the Land of Familiar. Everyday was the same for Ordinary. He went to his usual school, at his usual food, and watched his usual shows on T.V. One night while Ordinary was sleeping, he had a dream. In his dream he was doing something big. He dreamed that he, a Nobody, was made to be a Somebody and destined to achieve Great Things. Nobody got very excited about this dream. He was so excited that he wanted to tell his parents. When he told his parents they said “That’s nice Ordinary, but you know that you can never be a Somebody and achieve Great Things.” He then told his best friend about his Big Dream. His best friend said “That’s cool Ordinary, but you know you can never be a Somebody and achieve Great Things.” Last of all he told his teacher about his Big Dream. His teacher said “That’s cute Ordinary, but you know you can never be a Somebody and achieve Great Things.” After his parents, his best friend, and his teacher telling him he could not be a Somebody and achieve Great Things, Ordinary became sad and decided not to even think about his dream. However, there was a problem. Ordinary could not get this dream out of his head. He dreamed about it every night. So Ordinary decided not to listen to what his parents, his best friend, and his teacher said and decided that he would go after his Big Dream. As Ordinary went after his Big Dream he came across many challenges, and many times he wanted to give up. But he knew that he couldn’t give up because he didn’t want to just be Ordinary any longer. Finally, after many struggles, heartache, and pain Ordinary achieved his Big Dream and was able to change his name to Extraordinary and become a Somebody. I want you all to know that you can do anything you put your mind to. Don’t ever let anybody tell you that you’re not good enough, or you’re not smart enough. Of course there will be some hard times along the way, but as long as you keep pushing you will make it to your Big Dream. Why? Because you all are anything but Ordinary.

- The Church Boy Chronicle

"Making Excellence a Habit"

2009-04-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

Do You See What I See? - Vision Series (Part II)
Entry # 6 – April 7, 2009

Habakkuk was a prophet commissioned by God to lead in troubled times. Habakkuk was a unique character in that he was not afraid to question God. In fact his name means “to embrace” because he struggled with God at the beginning of his book and ended developing deep intimacy with him by the end of the book. During this time there was excessive injustice, violence, and perversion in the land. Judah was in a state of rebellion. Habakkuk struggled with the fact that God would allow the people of Judah to get away with sin and immorality, and struggled even more when God told him that He would raise up Babylon, a nation even more unjust than Judah, to correct injustices among the Jews. After Habakkuk asks God why He is allowing these certain events to happen, we find that God does not immediately give Habakkuk an answer. We have to realize that first of all, it’s okay to ask God questions. We should have such a deep relationship with God that we can go to him with our questions, concerns, and confusion. What better place is there to go when we need answers. Habakkuk also teaches us that we can be detailed and specific in our questions. Secondly, we realize that God does not always answer immediately. However, delayed does not mean denied. Too many of us fail to realize that God is intelligent, and everything He does has a purpose and strategy. Therefore, we have to learn to wait on some things. And that’s exactly what Habakkuk did, waited. And after he waited for a while, God finally answered him and said Habakkuk 2:2-3. And in this scripture we find that divine vision does three things.

I.Divine vision motivates us toward a goal.

Now I don’t consider myself to be a handyman by any means, however, in order to save money sometimes I buy those products that have the words assembly required. In the box along with the separate parts are instructions in order to build the desired product. And before I even start building I always look at what the finished product should look like. This allows me to gain perspective on what I should be going for when building. Even as I am building I occasionally look at the picture of the finished product to ensure that it looks like what I am putting together. This is how you should be with your vision. Before you endeavor you should have a picture of what vision or goal you have in mind. This is why the scripture says to write the vision. One common factor that many of the most successful people in the world have is that they literally write down their goals and check them off as they accomplish them. This allows them to prioritize their lives and keep track of the progress they are making. If your goal is to make all A’s, write it down. If your goal is to earn a million dollars write it down. If your goal is to open up your own business, write it down. And as you go about your daily routine, refer to your written goals to make sure you are staying on track. You should be doing something everyday to ensure that you are on track to accomplish your goals. If you have gone a day without taking action toward your goal, you have wasted your day. Taking days off also allows you to become complacent and lazy. Therefore, in order stay motivated, make an effort each day to take a step toward your goal.

II.Divine vision is for a select time in the future.

We live in a world today where we embrace immediate gratification. Not too many people want to put in the work to accomplish success. People come out of college expecting to make $100,000/year. However, we have to learn that anything worth having is worth working for. When I work hard for something I appreciate it more. When God gives us a vision, it works the same way. He doesn’t just give us what we ask for, because He knows that we may not be able to handle it right now. There are parents who are billionaires and have an inheritance set up for their children for the future. However, it would be dumb for those parents to give their children billions of dollars when they are five years old. Why? Because a five year old does not understand the significance of that amount of money. God works the same way. He strategically sets up our vision for a select time in the future because he knows that we may not be able to handle it right now. We have to grow in our faith and relationship with God in order to accomplish the things he has in store for us. And it is through the trials and tribulations you go through that allow you gain the qualifications in order to accomplish that goal or vision. There will be many times when we want to give up or wonder if we’re ever going to get there, but I know that if God said it, I believe it. I know that God will supply all my needs and as long as I trust in him and lean not to my own understanding, He will direct my path. When I realize that God has not called me to be a failure, I come to the point where I know that the obstacles I come across are not there to hinder me but to help me. God will do just what he said.

III.Divine vision will not fail.

God has equipped you with all the necessary tools to accomplish your given tasks, therefore, divine vision will not fail. One of the things that I like most about sports is the underdog. The underdog is the individual or team that everybody expects to lose. The underdog is constantly trying to prove his/her worth. We saw this in last year’s Super Bowl as the New York Giants went against the New England Patriots. The Giants were the clear underdog because the Patriots were going for an undefeated season. However, the Giants knew they were capable of beating the Patriots. They had confidence in their abilities and confidence in their game plan. They knew it would be a test of their strength and tenacity but they were up for the challenge. They also knew that it would take everybody on the team to step up and go the extra mile to be the Goliath like Patriots. And because they knew what they had they were able to upset the Patriots and win the Super Bowl in stellar fashion. We also see this in the story of Job. We talked about him in Bible Study on Wednesday. Job was a rich man who was perfect and upright in the sight of God. God had a conversation with Satan and because God has so much confidence in Job, He allowed Satan to test Job as long as he didn’t kill him. Job suffered immensely. His home suffered, his cattle suffered, his family suffered, and he suffered. It got to the point where people wondered what sin Job had committed in order to receive such punishment. His wife even told him to curse God and die. However, Job knew God had a game plan. He didn’t know exactly what it was and even questioned God, but he knew there had to be a purpose for his pain. And in the end we find out that Job trusted God and eventually was rewarded double for his trouble. We have to realize in our own lives that there is purpose in our pain. God doesn’t allow us to endure heartache and trials for nothing. Paul lets us know that our trials work patience within us. The things we go through our to help us accomplish that vision that God has given us. It is not going to be easy but as long as I hold on to God’s unchanging hand I know I can make it. And if I’ve ever been through something before all I have to do is think of the goodness of Jesus and all he’s done for me. And when I think about it my soul can’t help but cry out “Hallelujuah”, I thank God for saving me.

- The Church Boy Chronicle

"Making Excellence a Habit"

2009-03-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

The J29:11 Project (The Alteration)
Entry #5 – March 31, 2009

The title J29:11, was inspired by my big brother and best friend, Jarad Davis. Jarad, as the Youth Pastor at New Life, was led to introduce a community service initiative to the youth dept. We call it the M20:26 Project. The Message Bible records Matthew 20: 26 as this "Whoever wants to be great must become a servant." We instill in the youth of NLT that in order to be a leader you must humbly follow.

I like the title M20:26. Chris Bowers, my brother, set his status to state that he hopes April will be a great and pivotal period in his life. I replied, in my usual manner, and tried to speak a word. I said April is part of your J29:11 Project.... some asked for and explanation, here it is.
The J29:11 Project, is in fact a project to renew the way we think in order to turn our mind into Christ's (Philippians 2:5- Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:) and refrain from fear (2 Timothy 1:7 God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind) perverse thoughts (Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God), and subjection to the enemy's tactics (Luke 22:31- Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:). The premise of J29:11 is to totally understand three pillars.

- The I55:11 Principle, Pillar One which states His word shall not return void and separates our thoughts from the Master's.

Isaiah 55
6Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Pillar one, the I55:11 Principle is the promise that his Word is his bond, but we shouldn't attempt to understand his way.
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Pillar two, the Job Thesis, is a double thought. It shows us how to embrace challenge and shows an ultimate truth.

- Phase 1 - The Ultimate Truth is found in Job 1: 21 (The Message Bible) Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I'll return to the womb of the earth. God gives, God takes. God's name be ever blessed.

Isn't that plain!!?? God gives, God takes... Job (Phase 1) gives us reason to not”have a cow" and trip when we lose something we love, or gain something gross.

- Phase 2 - Embrace Challenge. This is found in Job 23:9. On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: 10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 11My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. 12Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

God knows the way we take...Trust in him. Trust that our pain only perfects us and our hurt only helps us. ALLLLL things. (Good God I feel my help!!) Then Job eludes to something Jesus showed when he was tempted of the enemy. MAN... CANNOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE!! (LORD Jesus!!! There's a move on my side of the screen!!) But by EVERY WORD out of the Mouth of God!!! (Matthew 4:4). Let me stop before I jump the gun.
Phase 1 - The Ultimate Truth and Phase 2 - Embracing The Challenge are both Pillar Two, The Job Thesis.
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Finally, Pillar Three is the G-Force; this is my very favorite passage!!

The G-Force comes from Galatians 6:7-9

7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

I argue that the entire principle of God's Kingdom is very basic. Harvest. God's shows it in every way. If you give to Me, I'll give to you. If you invest in Me, I'll invest in you. If you love Me, I'll love you. It's impossible for you to put a seed in FERTILE ground (another entry at a later date) and not reap some sort of harvest.... Do you understand me???
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These three pillars, The I55:11 Principle, Job's Thesis, and The G-Force are very powerful and can be used to make a mental and spiritual alteration.

When these pillars are gathered together, we partake in and complete the J29:11 Project. Follow me to Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message Bible): 11I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. 12"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. 13-14"When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you.

It's shouting time. We have to get to the point where we don't just sing that it's "All in His hands" but we have to live it. We have to change the way we thing. As I close, I remind you of a song I learned in the Baptist church. "What if God is not happy with our praise? What if He is not pleased with the words we say? We must CHANGE the way we walk, we must CHANGE the way we talk.... “In order to please God, we have to CHANGE some things. We have to ALTER the way we think and live. Then we can openly receive the blessings from God, because we learn to understand his theory... We won't grasp his way, we won't grasp his thoughts; but if we understand that God's controlling all and not trying to disappoint, in our "expected end" we can give a GREAT SHOUT, cause we knew it was coming!! Cause he told us!! And we know His word can't fail (I55:11 Principle), and even though life hurts at times and even though we cry (Job Phase 2), we understand it's God's nature (Job Phase 2) and He is not to be mocked, we're going to get what we want if we're in His will (The G-Force).

The M20:26 Project is something that can be done collectively and shown with physical evidence. The J29:11 Project is a personal alteration that can only be shown in your character, and character is what you do and how you act when no one is around. SO, this is a personal thing... You can't push it off on anyone, or let them hinder you in your spiritual growth.
I really hope this helps someone other than me. My soul done got happy. I hear the old song resounding, "Joy bells keep ringin in my soul..." It's so funny how God will give you something when you least expect a Word!! I appreciate Him for that.
God bless, guide, and keep you.

- The Church Boy Chronicle

“Making Excellence a Habit”

2009-03-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

Do You See What I See? – Vision Series (Part I)
Entry # 4 – March 24, 2009

August 28 is a day that will forever live in the minds of many of us. For on this day occurred two significant and life-changing events. On August 28, 1963, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. declared that he had a dream. This dream articulated some of his innermost hopes and desires. This dream inspired and motivated people to action. This dream not only created a better future for Dr. King, but for his children, his community, and his country. Dr. King envisioned a future that would be void of prejudices and inequality. Dr. King envisioned a future where the melanin of one’s skin did not bring about unfair treatment or the texture of one’s hair brings about harassment and taunting. In his last speech, shortly before he died, Dr. King declared that he had been to the mountain top, and he had seen the Promised Land. He declared that he may not get there, but we as a people would get to the Promised Land.

We fast forward forty-five years later to Denver, Colorado as Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to be nominated as a major party candidate for the presidency of the United States of America. As the camera panned throughout the crowd at the stadium you could see the tears flowing of both young and old. Those who were present at the Lincoln Memorial when Dr. King made his famous declaration and those not yet born, but have been inspired by the immortal words of a great leader. Now I don’t know if Dr. King thought there would ever be the day where we could possibly have an African-American president of the United States of America, but like any great artist, he painted a vivid portrait of what his mind’s eye saw. Dr. King had a vision that inspired faith and hope in the most pessimistic of thoughts.

Vision allows you to come out of your present state and go places that no man has ever gone, to see things that no man has ever seen, and to do things that no man has ever done. Vision allows you to keep your focus on what’s ahead despite what may be going on in the present. In fact, every great thing has started out with a vision. The first car started out with a vision. The first telephone started out with a vision. The first computer started out with a vision. Without vision where would we be? In a bad state, because as Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish”.

- The Church Boy Chronicle

“Making Excellence a Habit”

2009-03-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

The M 20:26 Project
Entry #3 – March 11, 2009

I can remember when I was in elementary school; the superintendent of Spring ISD came to visit. His name was Gordon M. Anderson, and he always had a smile on his face. He just had this “grandfather” quality about him. Maybe it was because he was old or maybe because he just seemed so genuine. I recall, however, him speaking to us one day. We were all sitting outside and he was talking about how we could achieve our dreams and the “sky is the limit”; the usual motivational pep talk. Then he did something that was fairly unusual, even for a 9 year-old. As he was speaking he told us how he was here to help us achieve and be successful. As he was telling us this, he pulled a spoon out of his suit pocket. He said the spoon was a reminder to him that as the superintendent of the school district, his purpose was to serve. He carried the spoon with him all the time. Whenever he was visiting the school we would ask him if he had his spoon, and without hesitation he would pull it out. Of course, this concept didn’t really affect me back in elementary school. However, as look back on it now, Mr. Anderson was demonstrating the leadership qualities of Jesus.

It is so interesting how our definition of leadership and Jesus’ definition of leadership are miles apart. In our society, the leader is the one who is in charge. They tell people what to do but don’t necessarily do it themselves. Leaders in our society lord over people and in a sense can’t be touched. Everything they say is right and they don’t really need the validation, approval, or contribution of others. However, Jesus’ definition of leadership was nowhere near society’s definition. In Matthew 20:25-28, The Bible says "25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."(NIV). Jesus taught that a leadership is essentially like being a shepherd. A shepherd is there to watch, nurture, and develop his sheep. We need to realize that in order to be considered great, in the eyes of Christ, it is our duty to serve and not be served.

When I was in college, a mentor of mine asked me what the difference between success and greatness was. I had a hard time contrasting the two. But as I started to analyze and get into scripture, the difference was clear. Success can be wealth, possessions, or other material things, but greatness doesn’t necessarily allow you to have those things. Greatness is when you can help somebody else reach their potential. Consequently, one can be successful without being great, but one cannot be great without being successful. We should all learn to follow the leadership model that Jesus Christ has set for us.

With that being said, I’d like to offer the following challenge. After reading Matthew 20:25-28 and praying, the Lord gave me the challenge of creating The M 20:26 Project. This initiative is based on Matthew 20:26 and is the basis of community service in the youth ministry I lead (as well as my personal life). I would ask all who read this to join this challenge with me. Find a way to serve daily, weekly, or monthly. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. Tutor a young child, pay for somebody’s meal at McDonalds, volunteer at a nursing home. There is so much we could put our efforts toward if we really try. As I mature in my walk with God, I am further realizing that my life is not about me. I was put on this earth to serve God, first and foremost, and to serve His people. The beautiful thing about this concept, it that the more I give, the more I receive. Many of you who read this blog are considered leaders, either in your own eyes or the eyes of others. Therefore, I hope you take this challenge seriously. Please pray for me as I endeavor to develop The M 20:26 Project because I would like to see it become a worldwide ministry.

- The Church Boy Chronicle

“Making Excellence a Habit”

2009-03-02T17:57:00.000-08:00

You Are Royalty!
Entry # 2 – March 2, 2009

If any of you have ever seen a person get close to drowning or have seen an episode of Baywatch, the process can be a horrifying one. I think drowning, or even coming close to it has to be one of the most terrible experiences one can have. It’s always exhilarating to see the lifeguard perform CPR on the victim. You’re waiting in great anticipation for the victim to finally regain consciousness. And when they do, everybody can take a big sigh of relief. We then regard the person who performed the CPR as a hero, and rightfully so. Why? They breathed into the victim which brought them back to life.

God does the same thing with us. We were 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 and from the waters He lifted me, now safe am I. The great thing about it though, is that when God breathes the breath of life into us, He breathes in royalty because He is the King. What does that mean for you? It means there is a king in you.

When we accept Christ as our personal savior, we become a part of His adopted family. He accepts us as one of His children with all the rights in privileges that come along with it. However, don’t take my word for it. Let’s take a look at scripture. Galatians 4:6-7 says, “6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, [a] Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (NIV). I can’t help but get excited when I read this scripture because I just think about what it means to be an heir and have an inheritance. Prince William, as an heir, doesn’t do anything to deserve his inheritance. He doesn’t work for it and he doesn’t have to earn it. All he had to do to gain his inheritance was be born into the royal family. We don’t have to do anything to gain our inheritance; all we have to do is to be adopted into God’s royal family by accepting Christ as our personal savior. It doesn’t take a certain number of hours of hard labor, three recommendation letters, or a 10 page essay. All we have to do is confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that He died for our sins and we become part of the family. That lets me know that Prince William has nothing on my inheritance.

The beautiful part about this whole adoption thing is that we become co-heirs with Christ. In most families, the oldest child gets the largest part of the inheritance. However, in God’s family we all share the inheritance equally. That goes to show how unselfish Christ is. As the first born and the one who died for our sins, He rightfully deserves the inheritance, but He is willing to share it with us as co-heirs (Romans 8:17). We have so much to look forward to in eternity if we simply stay in the will of God. Our blessings are not just saved up for Heaven though. God also has many blessings for us right here on earth.

A young man noticed that his wife was having a bad day. She wouldn’t talk to him about it, but he could tell things weren’t going well inside. Although he knew his wife wasn’t feeling well, he had to run some errands and left his wife at home. He couldn’t help but think about what he could possibly do to make her day better. He finally remembered that she had a special request, so he set out a plan to make her day. When the young man got home, his wife was in the shower. When she came out, she noticed a brand new black purse that she had been longing for. The wife asked, “Why did you get this purse for me?” The young man responded, “Because I love you with all my heart and when you ask for something I want to give it to you. But God loves you more, so imagine what He will give you if you just ask?” God wants to do so much in each and every one of your lives and all it takes is to simply accept Him. When you become a part of His family, He looks out for you. Matthew 7:11 says, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (KJV). The young man, even in his sinful, human state loved his wife enough to buy her a gift, so imagine what God has in store for her if she simply asks. Psalm 37:4 states, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (NIV). When you make your requests made known unto the Lord, He is willing to grant them to you. We are so blessed right now, but God has so much more in store for us. This is just the beginning. I can’t even fathom the things God is getting ready to do in my life as well as yours. All we have to do is obey His will. With that being said, if you are already a part of the family, God bless you and continue to enjoy His favor. If you are not, I urge you to accept Christ as your personal savior and enjoy the rights and privileges that come along with being His child. As Donald Lawrence sings, “The king in me speaks to the king in you. You were born to rule. There is a KING in you.”

- The Church Boy Chronicle

“Making Excellence a Habit”

2009-02-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

Let God P.O.R. Into Your Life
Entry # 1 – February 24, 2009

It is so easy to become distressed and discouraged about the state of our current society. Everywhere you turn there seems to be bad news. Our economy is in the toilet, sickness & diseases are increasing at an ever alarming rate, and violence is all around. Is there anything to be optimistic about? For those of you, who can agree with these sentiments, allow me to suggest one thing. Let God P.O.R. into your life.

You are probably asking yourself, “What is P.O.R.?” Well keep reading to find out. David is one of the most well known characters in the Bible. Many people recall him as the one who is credited with slaying the giant, Goliath, and is therefore, considered one of the many heroes in the Bible. David is also known, in the Bible, as “a man after God’s own heart”. God had mad love for David. This love, however, did not leave David without his faults and distresses. David is also cited as an adulterer and a murderer. David definitely failed multiple times, but that did not stop him from pursuing greatness through God.

In 1 Samuel 30:1-8, we read how the Amalekites invaded Ziklag (the location of the Israelites). The Amalekites took captive the women and children who were at Ziklag while David and his men were out taking care of business. The interesting thing to note is that in verse 2, the scripture states that the Amalekites did not kill the captives, but only carried them away. There are going to be times in your life when it seems like things are being taken away. Your dreams, goals, and aspirations seemingly are taken captive by the enemy. However, there is no need to worry, because although they may be taken away they’re still not dead. You may be asking “Okay, they’re not dead, but they’re still taken away.” No need to fret, for your solution is in the Word.

After seeing how the enemy had burned their city and taken away their families, the men were obviously greatly saddened to the point where they had no more power to weep. This alone could discourage a leader, but David was even more distressed because the very men he was leading wanted to kill him. David could have done many things. He could have fled, he could have fought, he could have placed blame on someone else. However, David simply encouraged himself in the Lord.

You have to realize that sometimes people will not be around to pat you on the back or pick you up when you fall. Sometimes you have to be your own source of strength. But know that just because man is not around, God is there all the time. David realized that God would never leave him nor forsake him. With that in mind, not only did David encourage himself but he went to the Lord in prayer. While talking to God, in verse 8, David asked Him TWO questions. “Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them?” But God gave THREE responses. “Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all” (verse 8). Somebody should shout right on that. Don’t you know that God is willing to give you more than you even ask for? There is no need to stress over your losses because God wants to P.O.R. (Pursue, Overtake, and Recover) into your life. If you read on, you see in verses 18-20 that David eventually recovered everything that was taken away from him, plus some. God wants to give you “Plus Some” blessings, but you have to be willing to go through distressing times. Nobody said it would be easy, but we do know that the race is not give to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but to those who endure until the end. Learn to encourage yourself in the Lord and let your petitions be made known unto Him. And when you have your losses in life God will allow you to Pursue, Overtake, and Recover all. Let God P.O.R. into your life. May God bless you.

- The Church Boy Chronicle

"Making Excellence a Habit"

A Change of Heart

2009-02-16T20:15:00.000-08:00

Isn't it funny how our plans don't always align with God's plan for our lives. My plan for this blog was to simply deliver my observations about life in an entertaining and informative way. I was definitely going to blast a lot of the wrong I see in our society, especially as it deals with religion. However, this morning as I was preparing myself to go to work, God spoke to me. He said "There is enough negative news being sown out there; how about you try to inspire somebody instead of following the rest of the crowd?" So here we go. What started out as the TMZ of church and religion will now take a 180 degree turn. There is enough negative news and blogs out there telling us what's wrong with society. So instead of focusing on the negative and being a part of the problem, I want to focus on the solution (which is salvation through Christ).

Our goal at The Church Boy Chronicle is to lift your spirits and let you know how much God truly loves you. Yes...He's Just That Into You. It is very easy to become pessimistic and depressed when you see the state of our economy, murder, disease, poverty, etc. However, when you realize there is an answer to all your problems, it makes life much easier to deal with. Your life is too precious to waste it away with frivolous things. It's time to find and fulfill your purpose in life.

Whenever you are feeling down or even when everything is good, stop by The Church Boy Chronicle and gain some much needed inspiration. We will provide you scriptures and encouragement in an entertaining, informative, insightful, and inspiring way. One of these just might help you make it through your day or your week. Please enjoy and pray for us as we strive to reach lost souls, provide encouragement, and change lives for the better. May God continue to bless you.

The Church Boy Chronicle

"Making Excellence a Habit"

Welcome to the Church Boy Chronicles (CBC)

2009-02-15T19:30:00.000-08:00

I'm new to this whole blogging thing, but it's something I've been thinking about doing for a while. I've been wanting to write a book so I figure the best way to start that is to start recording my thoughts. I was inspired to start this blog by a few friends from college; you might know them (My Shoe Bag). However, this blog will be a little different from theirs. While mine will also be real, raw, & uncut it will contain less vulgar language (that's just how I am, I mean look at the title of my blog). I will record my observations about many aspects of society including church (primarily), sports, politics, education, media, and race. My hope is that you gain insight from my point of view in an entertaining and informative way.

Please feel free to comment on any or all of the posted blogs. I would love to hear what you have to say on the variety of topics I will be throwing your way. Please understand that we will probably not agree on many things. I just want to call it like I see it (in a saved & sanctified way). There is so much in my mind that I have yet to let out, and I think it's about time the world get a taste of what a church boy is thinking.

Now when I say I'm a church boy, I believe I am making a complete understatement. I've been in church all my life and I am a PK (Preacher's Kid). In fact, I'm the great-grandson of a preacher, the grandson of a preacher, the son of a preacher, and I'm even a preacher myself. I love God, I love my church, I love ministry but I have a real problem with religion (you will definitely hear more about this). Although I believe there are many genuine Christians in the world, I know Christianity has its flaws (especially when the media points them out so well). So please know that I will attempt to be as objective as possible while maintaining my salvation.

Well I believe that is enough introduction, so feel free to enjoy what I have to offer. These are just my thoughts (in the words of Jay-Z) and the beginnings of my bestseller. If you enjoy what you read, please let me know. If not, pray for me. Once again...Welcome, Welcome, Welcome (in my church mother's voice). Enjoy!