May/June 2015
Awaken Your Potential
Pastor Nirup Alphonse is engaging the world by building a dynamic Christcentered, Gospeldriven church where people experience the presence of God.
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* Balancing Family and Ministry * F.R.E.S.H. Apps * State of the City * Saved by an Angel
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MAY/JUNE 2015 CONTENTS volume 4 | number 1
features
6 Balancing Family and Ministry by Rachel Ashworth 9 Top Five F.R.E.S.H. Apps 10 Awaken your Potential by Nirup Alphonse 15 State of the City by Reginald AndersonExum 17 Saved by an Angel 18 Goody Music Entertainment Group
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B2B Tip:
Awaken your potential! God knows things about us that we do not know about ourselves. He not only sees where you are, but where you can be. Just like He saw David’s hard work and loving heart in the fields while he was shepherding sheep, He also sees yours. Know that there are no limits for where God will take you regardless of what people say if you only believe and follow Him. In this issue we catch up with Pastor Nirup Alphonse of Lifegate Church as he shares a vision to awaken the potential in every Christ follower to advance the Kingdom of God. Not everyone will see your potential in life whether it comes to ministry, or calling, or career. Also in this issue, Rachel Ashworth gives us the rundown on how to balance family and ministry and Reginald Anderson-Exum gives us a call to action for the city of Baltimore. Just because your mother, or father, or siblings, or friends don’t see what you can do in life, God can. He sees our real potential and that’s the greatest news of all!
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Publisher Brittany N. Winkfield Contributors Nirup Alphonse, Rachel Ashworth, Jeffrey Crane, Murice Miller Cover Photo: Jessie Nichole Photography Web Development Marcus Winkfield Advisory Board Tracy Augustin, Philip Baptiste, John Boston, Ramona Davis, Dean Dennis, Juanita Farmer, Kymone Hinds, Marisa Jackson, Timothy Olaore, Donald Rolle, Terri Roston, Michele Solomon, Jennifer Stone, Samuel Thomas Editorial and Advertising Inquiries 303-351-8180, info@back2basicsmag.com Information is correct at press time. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the official company policy. Copyright Š 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without permission is prohibited. Back2Basics Magazine is a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit in the United States of America. www.back2basicsmag.com
by Rachel Ashworth
My Name Is Rachel... and I was Raised Adventist
This phrase has two meanings for me. First, I was blessed to have two loving, Christian parents who were willing to teach me Bible Truth from the time I was very young. Second, I am one of very many Adventist children in my generation who played second-fiddle to church, and I resented it. It’s not a secret that I resented it. When I was a teenager I spoke during a Pathfinder Sabbath, and I let everyone know by sharing my own personal testimony. Shortly into my testimony, I began to talk about going to three church services every Sabbath, driving over 150 miles each Sabbath, spending seven nights a week doing something at church--either youth or adult activities--, and doing all the fun things as a Pathfinder Club, instead of as a family. When I wrote my testimony with pen and paper several days before, these were not negative points. But, standing in front of the congregation, brought strong emotions, including anger and sadness. I sobbed through the last fifteen minutes, and after the Pathfinders marched out of the sanctuary and formed a line in the foyer something amazing happened. One after another adult Adventists--adults I looked up to--told me, with tearful eyes, they’d felt the same way. They’d felt dragged through ministry the way I had, and they’d resented it the way I did. I didn’t understand it before church that day, but I have come to know some truth about what it means to be raised in the church. Here is what I know: 1. Church Family ≠ Real Family Growing up, I was happy to be a part of an organized church. I was also happy to be part of a big family at home. My family didn’t just include my parents, my two older brothers, and I. It also came to include my Granny, who moved in with us when I was five. Our ‘family’ also seemed to include some church people from time to time--except we didn’t do ‘church things’ with them; they did ‘family things’ with us. Likewise, while my friends’ families were taking summer vacations, we were doing youth carwashes, traveling for Pathfinders, and attending church campouts. I couldn’t remember a time we did something as a family, without church involvement. 2. God ≠ Church Many adults I’ve spoken to regret how they organized their priorities during the main child-rearing years of their lives. So sure God should be first, they jumped into ministry, working hard, and working long hours. What they didn’t understand until years later (sometimes years too late) is that putting God first doesn’t always mean putting church first. Sometimes putting God first means giving your children your attention above all others, so that they can learn from your Godly character instead of your churchly duties. www.back2basicsmag.com | 6
3. Vocational Ministry ≠ Lay Ministry You wouldn’t expect your church pastor to drag his kids to everything he attends or every function he supports. You would not expect a rock band guitarist, or a meteorologist to drag their kids to their jobs. The problem in the church setting is that we don’t feel ministry is our job, but our duty. Instead of treating it as a job, and dragging our children to every function, we should live The Great Commission. We should be “going therefore” and “teaching” and “baptizing”. These things cannot always happen with our children at our sides, and they cannot always happen for our children by us. Which brings me to my next point. 4. Parents ≠ Spiritual Mentor/Friend/Minister/Prayer Partner Do you at some point want your children to look up to you for spiritual guidance, to call you when they have a burden to pray over, to discuss a persistent temptation? Yes! This time comes when children are teenagers--maybe adults. When your children are still children they are growing in all things, and need guidance in all things. They need more than Adventurers, Pathfinders, prayer meetings, vespers, church school, potlucks, and church socials. They need you to talk about menstruation, dating, and sex. They need to hear your perspective and experience with drugs, alcohol, relationships, and baptism. Yes, baptism. They want to know what you felt as a child or adolescent who may have thought about baptism. They want to know if they should feel different coming out of the water. They want to ask you childish questions and receive parental assurances. The time for a Bible study partner, and prayer companion can come later, and it will come. It did for me and my parents. What is Family Ministries? There are many issues that surround the elusive family ministries. The first that comes to my mind is the pressure on families to perform in the Christian realm. Children should behave quietly during church service, but participate in Sabbath School activities with enthusiasm. They should attend events and functions with cheer, and parents should never use their children as an excuse to miss an event or take a church event away as a punishment. This picture of ministry begs the question: should we only be ministering to families with children? Don’t we frown at families who miss church because a five-year-old child (or a 28-yearold mother) had a bad morning, and just needs to rest at home on Sabbath? Do we offer that same frown to a family who cannot attend because they couldn’t find a sitter for a dependent, elderly family member, or do we offer them a reassuring smile? How does a church receive a family with a couple of new foster children, or a newlywed couple who cannot bear children? Our churches are filled with families of all kinds, and they all need a place. Great Expectations The most important thing I’ve learned during my time in the church (and in my family) is that the expectations of others complicate things for us. If I’m a Pathfinder Director I want my children to be in Pathfinders. So, do I make them attend, or do I let them stay home and risk everyone knowing I’m a bad mother--or worse, a bad Pathfinder Director! This is a philosophy I’ve heard during my short time as a military wife as well: “If a man can’t control his family, how can he manage national security?” It’s the expectations of the church that make us meek parents. Afraid of doing the wrong thing, we often miss the right thing all together. I can say this with confidence because I am a parent, and I’m about to see how hard it is to balance ministry and family, in the real world. I can also say this with confidence because I am one of the kids that seemed to view my own parents as Pathfinder staff, church elders, preachers, teachers, etc., before my parents.
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Released from the Bondage of Expectation Joyce Meyer, a Christian inspirational speaker and author said the following: “Many people feel so pressured by the expectations of others that it causes them to be frustrated, miserable and confused about what they should do. But there is a way to live a simple, joy-filled, peaceful life, and the key is learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit, not the traditions or expectations of man.” We all have the ability to connect with God on a personal level, and to teach our children to do likewise. We cannot do this if we are focusing on the expectations we have for our children and our family, instead of focusing on the family itself. The damage of an unbalanced life can take years to repair, but God will always have ministry for us to do. There are instances in the Bible in which God judges parents for the sins of the children. In 1 Samuel 3 God curses the family of Eli. Eli was a priest! He was working for God! But while he worked for God, his children were sinning, and he knew about it. Therefore God punished the whole household. Let’s take a lesson from Eli, and focus on our families when they need it, because we honor God by having a Godly household above all else.
You have something no one else has—your story! We all have stories, but each one is different. From birth onward we encounter a mix of people, circumstances and challenges that makes our stories unique.
one another and closer to God!
So what is your story—particularly as it relates to God's work in your life? We’ve set out to harvest as many stories as possible in the belief that reading and sharing these will bring us closer to
We're looking for stories based upon your true-life experience (i.e. an encounter with a physical illness, an accident, a time of rebellion or whatever) that in some way led you closer to God. All stories should be told in a first-person form of storytelling. Keep in mind that the purpose of sharing your story is to provide encouragement to others who may be struggling with a similar experience. The ultimate purpose is to introduce readers to God for the first time, or to inspire those who already know Him to want to know Him more! Written stories should be 300 - 800 words (roughly), and told in a first person format. Your story may include one or more of the following elements: (1) A dramatic encounter (2) A spiritual awakening (3) A physical healing (4) A personal discovery If you feel led to share your conversion story, here are some tips on how to prepare it.
Send your questions and stories to: css@puconline.org. www.back2basicsmag.com | 8
TOP FIVE F.R.E.S.H. Mobile Apps
by Murice Damion Miller
Financial | Mint Mint makes managing your personal finances a cinch. Be the masterof your money so you can get more out of life.
Relationships | Duolingo Learn a foreign language and become a better communicator with our brothers and sisters of various nationalities.
Education | Coursera Coursera provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses for anyone to take, for free.
Spiritual | Bible with E.G.White Comments Currently available on the android market. The IOS app will be in the future.
HealtH | Pact Pact Creates Powerful Incentives for Health. Getting fit and staying healthy are hard. Pact uses cash stakes to help you achieve your health goals, week after week. www.back2basicsmag.com | 9
B2B COVER FEATURE
by Nirup Alphonse
T
en years ago I was a young man graduating from college with the world at my finger tips. I’m not actually sure if that is true but that is what is told to us as young Christians. The mantra is like a song on repeat, “Go change the world, take a risk for God, you can do all things through Christ, take a leap of faith.” While this might be the lyrics to the song pumping through a recent college grads mind, the unwritten expectation has already been laid out. Get a job, get married, buy a house with a white picket fence, live in a safe suburb or experiment with life in the urban core of cities, pay off your college debt, find a good church to go to if it doesn’t interfere with your weekend plans and join a small group so you feel connected. www.back2basicsmag.com | 10
As an accounting major I was studying for my CPA exam while also preparing to take my LSATS to get into law school. I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Get a great job and make more money than I knew what to do with, find a beautiful wife and spend the next few years traveling and enjoying the world with her until we had kids. Work, Church, Family, Play, God. What more else was there in life? One day I found myself reading a book by Jim Cymbala called Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. On page 23 I read the words that would change my life. He wrote, “I despaired at the thought that my life might slip by without seeing God show Himself mightily on our behalf.” Something in me surged when I read these words, and it took me back to a time just a year earlier when I was sitting in Willow Creek Community Church and I heard Pastor Bill Hybels say, “The local church is the hope of the world.” In that moment I knew God was calling me to take a great risk for him, to abandon the life I was creating for myself and move into the direction of the vision God had given me to start and build a life-giving, Gospel-centered church where people could experience grace like never before and be “Made Alive In Jesus.” My eyes were opened to the day and age we live in. We live in a reality where 27 million people are held in captivity as slaves. Men, women and children are bought and sold like common property. Abused and mistreated, marginalized and without justice….this is not the reality God desires. Social injustice runs ramped, crime escalates daily, 2 billion people live under two dollars a day, water is a basic necessity that is a luxury for millions and millions of people. Even in recent events in Nepal and India. We see the devastation of the world when tragic events like this occur, and the question is “where will people find hope.” Where do you turn to for hope when your home is destroyed, your city is flooded, your family is broken… will people turn to the systems of the world? Will they find strength in the government? Will a non-profit arise as the builder of hope? While we applaud the efforts of various organizations and join in with them, true hope only comes in the name of Jesus….and the church…the local church has been given this mandate - to carry into all the world the name of Jesus. We know there are so many churches all over the world who are working in places like Nepal to bring healing and working all over the world to bring both healing and justice. Ten years ago I was a naive young man who believed in nothing more than my own abilities, today I am still a young man, but I have no confidence in myself. I have been called back to a basic foundational truth - that God is sovereign over all, Christ is supermen in all, and the Holy Spirit works supernaturally through all who simply walk in basic obedience. God can do miracles. I am learning what it means to truly walk in faith and take bold steps and great risks to do something great for God. 10 months ago we moved to a city we are not from, left a very comfortable job at a large church, left amazing friends and family…we gave it all up…and my pregnant wife, our 3 year old son and I all moved with several others to a new city to start a new church so people could experience God in a new way.
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The mission of our church is very simple - To ENGAGE the world by building a dynamic Christ-centered, Gospel-driven church where people EXPERIENCE the presence of God, ENCOUNTER His life-changing power, and are EQUIPPED to advance the Kingdom of God by EXPONENTIALLY reaching all people. The goal is to start 20 churches in Denver, 20 in Colorado, 20 in North America and 20 overseas. We will then work so that each of these churches plant 20 churches of their own. That is 1600 churches in our lifetime. My goal is to continually build the church by reaching more people and attracting great young leaders. Young leaders are the future of our churches and cities. I want to pour my life into them so they can be the generation that truly changes the world.
I believe that to follow Christ means going back to a few basic simple things. As I read the Bible I see the Holy Spirit working through these few things. Therefore, my goal for my work is
“Awaken the potential in every Christ follower and to unleash them into Kingdom play.” To do this I focus on these simple things:
Bible
Several years ago there was a famous bracelet many wore that had the letter WWJD on them. What would Jesus do? While I see the popularity of this question the basic premise is wrong. After all, how could we possibly know what Jesus would do in every situation? What would Jesus do at a job interview? What about on prom night? Would He hang out with hipsters or the young Manhattan chic adults? Who knows. The better question is: How does Jesus think? Jesus was a man of God’s Word… a man of uncompromising truth. When tempted by the devil in the wilderness, Jesus could have said anything to rebuke Satan, but rather He quotes from Deuteronomy each time. He knew the Word. In the same way, as followers of Jesus, we must get back to the basics of daily reading (as devotional, personal worship and study) of the Bible. We must learn to be self feeders of the Word of God. This is God’s special and unique revelation to His children, teaching them to know Him intimately and personally so that we can walk in truth and in grace in daily obedience and faithfulness
Prayer
The disciples could have asked Jesus how to do anything. Teach us to walk on water? Teach us to turn water into wine? But they ask Him for one thing…”Teach us how to pray.” The disciples understood that Jesus was a man of prayer. In fact when we read the Gospel of Luke we see that Jesus did nothing without praying first. He communed with the Father. Daily and corporate prayer is a basic necessity in the lives of Christians and the church today. We live in a day and age where we have more access to information than ever before. But Christians live with no power because we live with no prayer. One of the best ways to reach our cities is to pray for people that God has put in our lives. This is one way to get back to the basics! www.back2basicsmag.com | 12
Worship Gathering
The early church not just loved to worship together, but they lived to worship together. We can get back to basics in our walk with Christ when we do not neglect the gathering of God’s people. Church is not a place you go, but a people to whom we belong. When we are a part of a local church service, we are a part of the big Church family, but we are also part of the local church intimately. When a Christian understands that even their presence at the gathering is important and they are valued, they will begin to understand that our faith was always designed to be a community endeavor… a journey in Christ with friends. To worship together, to pray together, to connect and build friendships and to sit under the Word of God together is a basic discipline that we cannot overlook. In other nations people are dying to meet together and meeting in secret… we have to get back to the place where we long to worship together.
Generosity
Giving of our financial resources has never been about money but about trust. When we give generously we reflect the heart of a God who is generous beyond words. We also step into a lifestyle of trust. When we give generously we learn to trust God in ways like never before.
Serve
Serving within the church and outside the church is what we were designed to do. When we serve, we tap into our full potential. We also learn humility. Jesus served and as our model we must do the same.
Invite
I believe the greatest hindrance to the spread of the Gospel, not in its transformative power but in its missional movement is Christian exclusivity. If we want to make an impact in our spheres of influence and in this world we have to become radically inclusive. This means our entire life must be an invitational life. We must invite people into our lives, our homes, into prayer, to our church… because God invited us into His story, we must invite others to experience the same love and grace that we have been invited into.
When we get back to these basics in our walk with Jesus we will reflect His beauty and power to a lost and broken world.
www.lifegatedenver.com
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S
o where do we go from here? The past ten days have been filled with emotions. Certainly our hearts were broken witnessing the sadness of Eddie Gray's family. His twin sister has been the most vocal. Speaking on behalf of the family she has eluded to how the city can keep the memory of her brother alive. Even with her urging it has been difficult for some to keep their responses in check.
Heartbreak has produced anger. The anger has been cultivated by 50 years of institutionalize racism. A half dozen West Baltimore neighborhoods that were kept segregated have reached a boiling point. City row homes where police do not answer 911 emergency calls and the post office does not deliver mail are now exposed. These are places where salvation is only found at the end of a heroin needle or selling a dime bag of weed. Now the world knows Maryland's dirty little secret. As Maryland moves forward we have been “left behind.” So where do we go from here? Parents and guardians must view their children as potential “Eddie Grays.” Our children are not the sole responsibility of the City of Baltimore, the State of Maryland, or the streets. Families must take a more active role in physically being with our children. Parenting means presence. So where do we go from here? Churches must stand up and prioritize God's people. The residents of North Avenue, Sandtown, and Poplar Grove are His children. He loved them so much that he bought them with His own blood. Churches need to be more concerned about them than about building their next state of the art sanctuary or recreational center. Building are monuments to human pride. Building people are monuments to the power of God. Our church, Edmondson SDA Church, has started taking an active role in our neighborhood. Our mission: "Being Encouraged by Christ, Educating our Church, and Embracing our Community. We are Edmondson Heights!" Encouraging, educating, and embracing has led to our congregation growing four times over in three short months. God started his work with us three months before this tragedy. Please keep us in your prayers. Reginald M. Anderson-Exum Edmondson Heights SDA Church Baltimore, Maryland (443)562-4189 cell www.back2basicsmag.com | 15
Visit www.AdventistHome.com or call (203) 828-0777
Whether you're single, dating, or married, AdventistHome.com lets you enjoy personalized, Bible-based, relationship guidance from certified Adventist relationship experts. www.back2basicsmag.com | 16
saved by an angel in fiery crash Pastor John T. Boston, II currently serves as pastor of Central SDA Church in Columbus, OH and is a member of the B2B Advisory Board.
“Being in a miracle like that affirms my faith and confidence that someone is looking out for me and everyone else.”
I
t was Saturday, April 25, 2015. After swerving to avoid hitting a car that had stopped abruptly in front of him, Pastor John T. Boston hit an electric transformer pole that caused currents to run through the car and exploded and completely went up in flames. John recalls watching the window glass melt right in front of his face. Unable to release the seatbelt buckle as the car was burning, a man named Johnny appeard and got Pastor Boston safely out of the car. Johnny asked John if he was OK and then said “I can’t be here when the police get here.” Just like that, he was gone. Sounds like an angel! The police told John’s wife, Karla, that the car burned all the way down to just the frame. If John’s angel hadn’t come, John would’ve been consumed in the flames with the car. CAT scan shows no injuries and he walked away the next day with just a few scratches. Just two days after posting this question on Facebook: What would happen if a growing Spanish speaking church and a growing English speaking church decided to merge for a bigger impact on a multicultural city? Would you support this process? What would be the good that comes from this? What would be the bad? We are thinking about this here in Columbus, OH. We would have multiple services for Spanish and English and then a young adult/youth bi-lingual service on Friday evening or Saturday evening. The Devil tried to take John out, but God sent his angel. www.back2basicsmag.com www.back2basicsmag.com | 17 | 17
GOoDy Music Entertainment Group Announces the New Single “Victory” from Purpose. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hemet, CA- GMEG’s newest dynamic duo, “Purpose” is thrilled to announce the release of single “Victory” that is now available at all major online distributors. Victory is a song that is sure to attract the listening ears of those within the church as well as reach those who may not enter into the 4 walls of the church. The single offers listeners a striking beat, dynamic lyrics, with a soothing message. Purpose is defiantly making a statement with this single as they arrive to the scene of the emerging Christian Contemporary/ Hip Hop genre. GOoDy Music Entertainment Group is ecstatic to introduce Purpose to the world. Their style which offers a twist of rap and spoken word ministered by female artist allows listeners a unique and refreshing experience. The single project, “Victory” sets the tone for the upcoming album. Purpose has a story to share. They are young, with a past that many can relate to and they are not ashamed to proclaim, despite it all, that they are walking in victory! “We were partners in the streets and now we are partners in ministry, using are gifts for the Kingdom.” Says Iehko, the dynamic lyrist of the Duo. “We just want to share our testimonies to encourage people that God is able, especially the youth. We want them to know that they can rise up from the challenges of this world. Jesus paid the price for us to be victorious and have an abundant life.” Says Tiahny the powerful spoken word artist. Purpose signed with GMEG late 2013. The group has been traveling and ministering throughout California. The label released a compilation Mix CD as an introduction and has a few selections from Purpose that are available now on the website. The full album release is anticipated to be released early 2015. For more information on Purpose and their calendar of events, visit the company’s website www.goodymeg.com. www.back2basicsmag.com | 18
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Young adults are especially invited to IMPACT San Antonio, July 2-11, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas, USA to experience a discipleship and leadership training concurrent with the 2015 General Conference Session. Young adults, ages 18-35, from around the world will gather to learn, minister, and worship, fulfilling the great commandment and great commission in Metro San Antonio and beyond. For more information and registration go to www.impactsa2015.com