My Experience at the Impact Movement Conference

By Christopher Coates

At the end of 2011, I had the pleasure of attending the Impact Movement Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The mission of The Impact Movement is to take “the truth of Jesus Christ to the campus, community and world by producing leaders of African descent who are spiritually focused, financially responsible and morally fit.”

Dr. Sabrina Black

Seminar, Part 2

Life Mission Recap

By Revered Bill Knight

“Mission’s is not a solo activity, but teamwork; are you fit for the field?” (Dr. Black)

Dr. Black focused on the impact and influence of our personalities on missions.  She challenged the audience with the question; are you willing to go and do what God has called you to do?  Dr. Black stressed that after answering the call, we must live ready to be on assignment, by keeping our lives in order and to know our personalities before we go, after we have been there, and after returning.

Dr. Sabrina Black

Seminar, Part 1

Life Mission Recap

By Kristy Alexander

“Repeat after me:  “I am powerful!”

You are powerful not because society says you are but because God says you are.

Say it again:  “I am powerful!”

You are powerful because of the God in you.

Again:  “I am powerful!”

You can have impact in every sphere of influence.

To be this powerful is an awesome responsibility!”

Dr. Carl Ellis

Seminar, Part 2

Life Mission Recap

By Revered Bill Knight

“The African-American church might be the one’s called to carry the cross to the world.” (Dr. Ellis)

Dr. Ellis defines theology, as “the application of God’s words by persons in every area of life.”  His presentation highlighted the ways in which we live our lives daily through patterns that connect us through our biblical teachings and church influences.  He presented a number of ways in which values and issues have always defined and controlled our lives. These include personal (e.g. loneliness, anxiety and fear), social (education, health and family) and culture (survival and refuge). He shared that placing biblical truth into reality can only be done by connecting it to everyday situations. The historical perspectives from where we were reared in North America, and how it influenced our thinking about “missions” and the church’s role in missions shed light on how we view it today. Ellis challenged attendees to live out the word of God and to connect missions to daily situations for God, because he is a missionary God!

Pastor Julian Dangerfield

Sermon: The Lion King, Prayer, Praise and Pentecost

Life Mission Recap

By Kristy Alexander

Picture this: You have worked for a company for 20 years. By God’s grace and, as a result, of the excellence you have shown in your work ethic you have been consistently promoted. Over the years you made the company millions of dollars as you went above and beyond the call of duty to improve efficiencies and increase sales. You’re the clear front-runner for a major promotion.  All seems to be in your favor and the excitement is hard for you to contain. Suddenly, in a drastic turn of events, your “conniving co-workers”, implement a plan to discredit you and, within a few days, you’re unfairly accused of a crime, taken away in handcuffs, and thrown in prison without bail. Would you see this as part of God’s magnificent mission? Pastor Julian Dangerfield declares, “Sometimes what you think is a set-back is a set-up!”

Dr. Carl Ellis Seminar, Part 1

Life Mission Recap

By Annya M. Lott

Dr. Carl Ellis defines theology by what we do and not just what we study. Theology is the application of God’s words in a person’s life. Admittingly, even though Ellis was anti-missional at one point, he expressed how God changed his perspective serving nationally and internationally, “God changed my heart. It’s not ‘either or’ but ‘and’,” declared Ellis. This revelation of inclusion helped to define and shape Ellis’ approach to theology and mission. 

Prayer Warriors Unite
Life Mission Recap
By Annya M. Lott

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God” (Philippians 4:6)

Life Mission Month was kicked-off in a mighty prayer circle. Thirteen church congregants’ joined together with one objected: to give thanks to God! Prayer is communication with God and, as believers, we recognize our dependence upon our Creator. During the hour of power, facilitator Rev. Phillip Nelson, taught the group a prayer technique created by Dick Eastman, author of The Hour That Changes The World. Nelson explained the prayer wheel has 12 spokes that is divided into 5 minute segments. The total duration is 60 minutes including: Praise and Worship, Waiting on the Lord, Confession, Pray the Word, Watching, Intercession, Petitions, Thanksgiving, Song, Meditation, Listening, and Praise. 

Profile: Reverends Sonia Crawley & Sonji Pass
Global Missions
7/1/2011
By Annya M. Lott

Reverends Sonia Crawley and Sonji Pass witnessed God create many first experiences for the people of Isiolo, Kenya. They saw people open the Bible, drink fresh water, and receive medical attention for the very first time in their lives. “What can we as a ministry do for you?” Pass asked the villagers of Isiolo, a remote district in the eastern province of Kenya. “The response was phenomenal but initially there was silence because they couldn’t believe it. No one had ever come to ask them what they needed.”

Global Missions Profile
Subject: Nakisha DeShields
The Park Church
7/3/2011
By: Annya M. Lott

Nakisha DeShields describes herself as a “gap dweller” for children. A Park member for over 10 years, Deshields initially served as a greeter but gradually developed a curiosity for global missions and working with the youth. “God uses me as an advocate for children to serve him. My desire is to train, equip, and mobilize the youth to do his will,” she declares.

Profile: Minister Kimberly Morrison
Global Missions
7/1/2011
By Annya M. Lott

Minister Kimberly Morrison became a servant leader by “getting over herself.” As a corporate leader for nearly 20 years, Morrison was content with her moderate lifestyle when God started tugging at her heart to glorify him instead of corporate profits. “You’re not doing what I called you to do. You’re not growing in the areas I desire you to grow in,” she recalls hearing God’s voice. “I didn’t want phoniness or hypocrisy to be a part of my journey. If I was going to commit, I was going to commit 200 percent.”

Global Missions
6/30/2011
By Annya M. Lott

Bishop Claude Alexander declares all believers are called by God to be missions. The global body of Christ is indebted to share the gospel as explained by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:14, “I am obligated to both Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.” With a congregant membership exceeding over 8,000, Alexander says each believer is obligated in sharing the gospel with others both out of gratitude and discipleship. “I know the benefits of it. And usually when you know the benefits of something, you share it. You don’t keep it to yourself.”

He realized the significance of the church as a global entity upon returning from the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in South Africa last year. “It hits you when you see so many people from different nations and how global the church is and that you are called to it,” recalls Bishop Alexander. His vision for global missions significantly expanded in 2001 with the partnership of Dr. Cassandra Jones and Shalom Outreach, a Christian based non-profit organization dedicated to global missions. As a result, a leadership team including Reverends Sonia Crawley and Sonji Pass traveled to Kenya in 2004 for two weeks, and then Brazil working with the youth.

For its part in this global reality, The Park Ministries is charged with extending the Love, Life, and Lordship of Jesus Christ, just as the twelve disciples demonstrated by the power of the Holy Spirit even in unfamiliar territory. Jesus commanded the disciples in Acts 1:8, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” To fully grasp this text, Bishop Alexander believes you must view it from an eastern perspective as opposed to western, “If I hear it the way the disciples heard it, I hear Jesus eliminating any excuse to not be a witness.”

Jerusalem was not home for the disciples; the majority lived in Galilee. In fact, Jerusalem was quite dangerous after Jesus’ crucifixion, placing the disciples’ lives at risk. Despite the peril Jesus told them to start where they were, even in unfamiliar places. “There are no ideal starts. When you speak of God’s mission for individuals you often hear people say this is not the right time or place in my life, but when Jesus said Jerusalem, he said start where you are,” Bishop Alexander maintains.

In Judea, the Galileans were looked down upon as being less religious than the Jews. Jesus called the disciples to Judea witnessing to those with superior attitudes, “Jesus is saying that I can’t allow other people’s view of me to be an excuse for you not to witness,” says Bishop Alexander. “Deal with people who look down upon you.”

Jesus also called the twelve to Samaria located in between Galilee and Judea; the land was regarded as a tainted city. Samaritans were classified as half-Jewish and deemed impure due to racial intermixing. “Jesus was saying deal with a person whose racial and ethnic background may be an issue for you,” he explains.

And lastly, the disciples were called to witness the ends of the earth; traveling to unreached destinations. “Jesus said go where nobody knows you, where you have no cultural reference, no immediate connection. The important part is not whether they know you, but will they know me after you finish.”

Bishop Alexander points out that The Park Ministries has a unique position witnessing to unreached people and groups. Over 80 different languages are spoken locally in Charlotte, North Carolina such as Amharic, Bicolano and Creole. “We can be global right here. And we can equip individuals to have impact in their homes.”

As the global church shifts southward and eastward to Asia, India, Latin America and Africa, Bishop Alexander explains that historical commonalities such as colonial oppression and slavery create fewer barriers for African Americans working in these communities. Yet there is much to learn as Americans: “We operate from the standpoint that Christianity is the majority religion. That’s no longer the case, which we are ill-prepared, but it’s been the dynamic these countries have historically operated,” says Alexander. “They know more about ministering cross-culturally across religions than we do. They know more about resisting the marginalization of their faith.”

Bishop Alexander further envisions expanding global missions by creating, what he calls, “as a menu of opportunities.” Congregants will not only educate themselves by reading books such as, Until the Whole World Knows, by Alicia Britt Chole, or enrolling in a global training course such as Perspectives but will also have the option to serve cross-culturally. “Direct exposure is key. The limit is our creativity.”

For Life Mission Month (July 2011)......

1) Alicia Britt Chole and Rev. Julian Dangerfield will be joining us!

2) Rev. Pass and Rev. Crawley are deployed to Peru (Mandatory Leadership and Team training)

3) Mission is introduced to youth during the Summer Program through a Mission Curriculum

4) XPLORE will be taught during Adult Sunday School

Welcome to the Global Missions blog. Here we will keep you up to date on all our local and global outreach activities. We invite you to get connected and engaged. From Bible Study to mission specific training such as Ministers in Training we will equip you as you prepare for the task ahead. By donating your resources, your time and your talent, in local and international missions throughout the year, you can become active servants-leaders within the community.