Our leaders met this past Thursday to discuss and discern what God would have us to do corporately regarding the tragedy that rocked Haiti.  Although there are some conservative Christians labeling this as “God’s judgment,” we, however will take the high road & pray prayers bold enough to “WAKE… GOD UP.”   Please click the link for more information & join us!

MHBC Response to Haiti Tragedy 2010

What specifically will you do to respond to this tragedy?

These are a few words that come to mind regarding the earthquake that rocked Haiti.  Our leaders will meet tonight to discuss our church’s response to this great tragedy.  I will share our plan of action tomorrow.

Labeling any natural disaster as God’s judgment is nonsense.  True “judgment begins with God’s family” (1Peter4:17), not others.

Peter warned that God judges all people according to their deeds.  He also disciplines and judges his own children in order to refine them, as Peter has explained in 1 Peter 1:6-7.  This judgment purifies and strengthens believers, readying them for God’s Kingdom.  Natural disasters are the result of living in a broken world!  Please pray for nation of Haiti.

“Lord, let your glory reign in the midst of this devastation.”

People all over the country are choosing to move their money out of bigger banks and into smaller, community-oriented financial institutions that generally avoided the reckless investments and schemes that helped cause the financial crisis.

Fueled by the personal initiatives of thousands, it’s a grassroots effort that has the potential to shift power in the financial system away from Wall Street and to Our Street.  Keith Olbermann of MSNBC got behind the Move Your Money campaign on his show.  He believes: “It’s time to make those Too Big To Fail banks just a little bit smaller by moving your money to a local credit union or community bank.”

Stephanie Frost decided that she had been mistreated at her big bank for too long and enough is enough — she’s switching to a small financial institution.  She filmed herself going to close her account and posted the video to YouTube:

The Move Your Money Movement
…For the people, by the people…

Dr. Reynaldo Anderson, my fraternity brother posed this question on Facebook: What would happen if churches got behind this movement?  As I pondered that question, I estimate church goers give BILLIONS to their churches each year.

Additionally, I’m sure most of it is deposited into bailed-out banks – the same banks that refuse to lend to our members & their small businesses.  Imagine what would happen if Protestants, Catholics (net worth estimated @ $1 trillion or more), & all other religions were to band together and MOVE OUR MONEY!  I guarantee they’ll call us in for a congressional hearing.

Rey, I’m on it!

The opening of the school year, 1905-1906, found at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, a group of students distributed in the various colleges of the University, who were desirous of maintaining more intimate contacts with one another than their classroom study permitted.  They often met in groups during the Autumn of 1905 and talked of the possibilities of closer contacts among themselves.  Different ones among them took the lead in calling these meetings, which were informal in ever detail.

After several meetings, on December 4, 1906 those in attendance decided to become a fraternity and Alpha Phi Alpha was born.  It came as an evolution through trial and struggle.  It was not spontaneous, but gradual in its growth.  Alpha Phi Alpha has not always been the great fraternity that it is today.  Its founders, however, were always great men with keen vision, undaunted courage, indomitable fortitude, and unparalleled tenacity.

There were seven men who founded Alpha Phi Alpha in 1906.  Each of these men were destined to play a highly significant role in the formative years of our great fraternity.  The members of Alpha Phi Alpha have decreed that the Founders be designated as JEWELS of the Fraternity.  The Founders (Jewels) of Alpha Phi Alpha are as follows:

Jewel Henry Arthur Callis
Jewel Charles Henry Chapman
Jewel Eugene Kinckle Jones
Jewel George Biddle Kelley
Jewel Nathaniel Allison Murray
Jewel Robert Harold Ogle
Jewel Vertner Woodson Tandy

The original seven who remained steadfast to the idea of a Greek-letter Fraternity, during the months of uncertainty, did not waiver in their effforts to bring about the realization of their vision.  Therefore, I salute all the men who’ve crossed the burning sands and proudly call themselves “Alphas.”  Happy Birthday dear brothers & always remember:

Manly deeds, scholarship, & love for all mankind…

Onward & Upward – ‘06

Brother Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.
Jackson State University
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Delta Phi Chapter – Spring 1987
“The Naughty 9″

Previously, pastors would celebrate their pastoral anniversary by having a banquet at a hotel or banquet hall. This year we decided to change the game and hold my 10th Anniversary aboard The Spirit of Chicago.  We had an AWESOME time! I want to thank Mary Taylor, our staff, and our members for making this a memorable occasion.

Enjoy the video!

Michael Moore’s next film, Capitalism – A Love Story explores the root causes of the global economic meltdown and takes a comical look at the corporate and political shenanigans that culminated in what Moore has described as the biggest robbery in the history of this country – The massive transfer of U.S. taxpayer money to private financial institutions.

Personally, I can’t wait to see Michael’s new movie.  It’s time for people to stand up against greed and hypocrisy and let their voice be heard.  Thanks Michael for keeping the heat on!

Much like the National Baseball Hall of Fame for Major League baseball players, each participant, upon induction, receives the coveted American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame ring and officially becomes one of the Cooperstown Dreams Park Little Majors.  The Kodak photo of each player with his teammates is affixed to the Commemorative Induction Plaque for future enshrinement on the walls of the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame.  Our family will cherish this moment for the rest of our lives!

(Congratulations to Indians for finishing 10th out of 104 teams)

While away, I had a chance to reflect on life in general and the Lord revealed several foundational shattering truths that I plan to share in subsequent blog posts.  These truths challenged me to think about life in a different way and challenged long held beliefs that have become TRADITIONS.

I use to believe that life is a series of peaks and valleys – you go through a dark time and then you go to the mountaintop – criss-crossing back and forth.  Our African-American Baptist tradition supports this view and encourages believers to praise God while you’re on the mountain and double your praise if you’re in the valley.  We often hear a familiar colloquialism of the faith: “YOUR BREAKTHROUGH IS ON THE WAY.”

I NO LONGER BELIEVE THAT & HERE’S WHY…

The good that happens in life and the bad that happens run on parallel tracks. At all times you either have something good AND something bad in your life – BOTH OCCURING SIMULTANEOUSLY!

In case you haven’t figured it out, life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you’re just coming out of one, or you’re getting ready to go into another one.   The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; He’s more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.  We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that’s not the goal of life.  The goal is to grow in character, in Christ-likeness.  Sometimes it takes bad situations to make that happen.

What’s your take?

Congratulations on making history as the first African-American President of the United States of America!  I admire you for your courage, passion, and tenacity.  Additionally, you have proven that you are an effective leader because you assumed leadership when our country was on the brink of collapse.  However, with these achievements, there is also some not so good news.

Mr. President, we have seen billions of dollars wasted on useless ‘future’ projects like green energy that will not result in jobs for years.  If the current administration and Congress wanted to pass an unread ‘emergency’ stimulus bill it should have focused on cutting the unemployment rate NOW.  Mr. President, may I suggest you table the “green stuff” and focus on our nation’s most pressing challenge.  UNEMPLOYMENT!

According to the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the differences in unemployment rates are even more dramatic when broken down by race and age.  For example, white men’s unemployment rate in June was 9.5%, while black men’s was 17.8%.  For white women it was 8%, and for black women, 13.1%.  Additionally, teens have a harder time during this recession.  Here’s a sampling of unemployment rates in June for various groups:

1. Black men 20 and older: 16.4%.
2. Black women 20 and older: 11.3%.
3. White men 20 and older: 9.2%.
4. White women 20 and older: 6.8%.
5. Black males age 16 to 19: 50%.
6. Black females age 16 to 19: 40.6%.
7. White males age 16 to 19: 26.5%.
8. White females age 16 to 19: 23.5%.

Mr. President, teens get hit because they are less educated and are competing for jobs with older, more experienced workers.  However, educational differences do not completely explain the black-white unemployment rate gap.  Some studies show that part of the gap is correlated with residential segregation: Blacks, on average, are more likely to live in neighborhoods where there are fewer jobs available.

Mr. President, some suggest President Bush’s and your most recent stimulus package was a red herring.  The jobs produced for the most part were those that only lasted as long as the funding was there.  Those jobs were like taking antacid; it works for a while and does not solve the root problem. Mr. President, the only way this is going to turn around is to create long term jobs which requires retooling American manufacturing to be a world competitor.  We both know this is not a popular option, but, we have to take back jobs outsourced to China, India, and other emerging nations.

In closing, here’s a question I often ponder when I face tough decisions which may help you and your administration.  “In light of my past experiences, current circumstances, and my future hopes and dreams – what is the WISE thing to do?”

Best regards,

Pastor Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES & MUSIC MICHAEL!
1958-2009

Each year we’re invited to hear “celebrity” pastors share God’s plan for the church and how we ought to adopt it and be large and successful like them.  Frankly, I’m surprised that there hasn’t been a venue to really address how and why churches grow.  Many pastors & church leaders make their annual pilgrimage to Saddleback, Willowcreek, North Point, Fellowship, New Birth, Greater St. Steven FGBC, The Potter’s House, etc. and come away excited and delusional with unrealistic expectations.  Ed Stetzer of Lifeway calls it ministry pornography.  According to Ed Stetzer:

“Ministry pornography is an unrealistic expectation of an experience you’re never going to have which distracts you from the real thing.”

God used these churches and their pastors for a specific time and in a specific place.  Unfortunately, that experience is rarely duplicated.  If you were to take the aforementioned churches and transplant them in other areas, the results would be drastically different.  Can you imagine Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, or Andy Stanley leading an inner-city urban church?  Or, can you see Bishop T.D. Jakes screaming “Get Ready…Get Ready…Get, Get, Ready” at Saddleback or North Point Church?  Simply put, God rarely does the same thing twice.

May I Offer You A Few Suggestions to break your addiction to ministry porn:

1. Confess your addiction to ministry pornography & repent!
2. Do not attend any conferences for one year
3. Get alone with your Bible, pen, & paper and discover God’s purpose for the church (read Matt. 22-37-40; 28:19-20, The Book of Acts)
4. Get a demographic breakdown of your community (US Census Bureau or your local Chamber of Commerce).
5. After discovering the purpose of the church, write down how your church plans to reach that community (this is the hard part).  Make sure it’s less than a paragraph because people don’t like to read long statements.
6. Preach/teach a series on God’s vision for the church and how you plan to fulfill it.
7. Reorganize your church’s leaders, staff, volunteers, and structure (in that order)
8. Evaluate & tweak your plan/strategy

So, what’s your next step?  I’d love to hear it!