DUNAMIS Magazine
CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE
Family care vs home health A Conversation with
bishop James Dixon Community of faith are millennials losing Faith?
i’ve been saved
a story of redemption love forgiveness
&
Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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Features
volume 1 issue 1
20 Who Will Care for Me? Health care is a very serious business-Often the desire to personally care for your loved one is not always the best decision. Under-care is a form of neglect and abuse
28 are Millennials Losing Faith? Pew Research Center, twothirds of young Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are leaving the church. Is there any way to bring them back?
30 Conversation With Bishop James W.e. Dixon He is highly respected for his passion and “realness.” Sermon after sermon, lesson after lesson, and message after message, God’s Word is shared with clairvoyance, biblical accuracy and practical relevance.
DUNAMIS 4 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
DepartMeMts
volume 1 issue 1
publisher’s page
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Business Tom Joyner Venture Helps HBCUs Online
10
Opinion Black & Unwanted Gangster in the Pulpit
14
Health Who Will Care for Me? How to Lose Weight
20
relationships So Heavenly Bound Soulmate in Church?
24
Family & Faith Are Mellinials Losing Faith
28
preacher teacher A Conversation with Bishop James W.E. Dixon
30
Wake up Call I’ve Been Saved
38
soul Food In Jesus Name It Is So Summer Mocktails
42
Culture Hip Hop Pastor Jason Ma Christian Movement in Asia
46
entertainment Highlights Fred Hammond’s New Groove Johnny B. Williams Michelle Williams
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DUNAMIS .
Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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DUNAMIS MAgAzINe eDitOriaL Dunamis Magazine 5306 Brinkman St. Houston, TX 77091 Phone: 832.460.3270
Frederick C. Harris Editor- in-Chief /Publisher
Dunamis editorial Coverage@dunamismag.com
Yvette Justice Fleming Editorial Director
Dunamis advertising advertising@dunamismag.com
Womentality Creative
Lauren Williams Associate Publisher
Dunamis Magazine is produced eleven times per year. All submissions should be emailed to coverage@ dunamismag.com Dunamis Magazine Š 2010 All rights reserved. The contents of Dunamis may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
COntriButOrs & sOurCes Yvette Justice Fleming Tonyai Palmer Bonnie Mechelle Brandee Sanders Michelle A. Vu Lisa Collins
Robin Downes J. Lee Grady Martin Williams goldie Blumenstyk
On tHe COver Bishop James Wallace Edwin Dixon, II The Community Of Faith Church in Houston, Texas
6 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
Letter from the PubLisher
Dear Readers, DUNAMIS magazine is a publication dedicated to the Christian lifestyle. Every month, we will deliver comprehensive reading choices meant to empower and enlighten minds, all with the focus on God, life and family. No sugar coating, we’re talking about stories regarding everyday struggles we face as Christians from people who have been there and are there, going through just like you and me. If you have a story to share we invite you to share it. If you have a question, ask it. If you have an opinion, voice it. For those seeking to promote their inspirational art from books to music, there is a place for you here. DUNAMIS is a spiritual resource, a source for conversation, a new community of power. DUNAMIS will also feature regular coverage of events, lifestyle trends, and entertainment. Bringing an inspirational take on living well-covering many areas of our readers lives that intersect with their love of God and life. What’s in this issue? Conversations with Bishop James Dixon, Johnny Baber, Lora Mayes and Hip-Hop Pastor Jaeson Ma, haven’t heard of them...that’s the point. Don’t miss our entertainment features and profiles of Johnny B. Williams, Fred Hammond and Michelle Williams. Finally, we have a few feature stories that we hope will stimulate thought and provoke conversation, “Gangsters in the Pulpit”, “Who Will Care for Me?”, “Are Millennials Losing Faith?” and a news piece entitled “Black and Unwanted”. DUNAMIS Magazine will serve as a refreshing alternative in faith based publications. We represent a lifestyle…a powerful Christian movement. To God be the Glory!
Frederick C. Harris Publisher
Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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8 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
Business
Tom Joyner Venture Will Help Black Colleges Start Online Programs a company started by the radio host tom Joyner is attempting to bring to online education the supportive atmosphere found on historically black campuses. By goldie Blumenstyk
Tom Joyner, one of the country’s most-visible philanthropic supporters of historically black colleges and universities, has founded a company to help those institutions develop distance-education programs—with a particular focus on allowing them to compete against for-profit colleges in enrolling minority students. Mr. Joyner regularly highlights black colleges on his nationally syndicated radio broadcast, The Tom Joyner Morning Show, and has donated tens of millions of dollars to students of HBCU’s through his Tom Joyner Foundation. For-profit and online colleges attract “incredible numbers of African-American students” said Mr. Joyner’s son, Thomas Jr., who stepped down as president of the foundation to become president of the new company, HBCUsOnline. “A lot of those enrollments are his listeners,” the younger Mr. Joyner said in an interview on Thursday, and he believes many of those potential students would be better served by HBCU’s, which have “a stronger legacy and history.” On its Web site, the company promises to provide an online version of the supportive environment that HBCU’s try to foster on their campuses, and it makes some oblique and not-so-oblique references to criticisms that have been raised recently about the costs and recruiting tactics of for-profit colleges. “This program goes beyond simply enrolling you in classes and saddling you with debt, but offers you ongoing support systems from registration to graduation,” the site proclaims. In other sections, the site links to a Frontline documentary, “College Inc.,” that criticized for-profit colleges, and warns, “Your investment in your online education is a serious decision. Don’t be pressured into the wrong choice.” About 43 percent of the students at for-profit colleges are members of minority groups, and the University of Phoenix now leads all institutions in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to African-Americans. Related ContentHistorically Black Colleges See an Urgent Need to Improve Their Image Undercover Probe Finds Widespread Deception in Marketing by For-Profit Colleges Senators Vow to Crack Down on ‘Bad Actors’ in the ForProfit Sector The target market for HBCUsOnline is adult AfricanAmerican students, the younger Mr. Joyner said, adding that the market research the company has conducted indicates that many would be interested in attending an online college that has a brick-and-mortar campus and “a known history and heritage.”
10 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
Business Asked about HBCUsOnline’s portrayal of for-profit colleges, Harris N. Miller, president of the Career College Association, did not respond directly, saying only, “We welcome anyone who’s going to bring more capacity to the higher-education system.” a Growing Field Distance-education outsourcers are not new, and HBCUsOnline is hardly the only company looking to tap the HBCU market. Another venture, Education Online Services, led by the civil-rights activist Benjamin F Chavis Jr., is already working with some black colleges and is in discussions with the umbrella group for black colleges, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, about forming a network of HBCU’s online. The two-year-old company is a subsidiary of Marketlinkx Direct, an online marketing firm that works with hundreds of for-profit and nonprofit colleges.
for the programs to succeed. “Our historically black colleges and universities can’t afford another ‘great idea’ song and dance with a ‘poorly executed’ record-scratched ending,” he wrote. Mr. Carter, who has worked for black colleges, said in an interview that he voiced the concern to be constructive. What he knows about the venture comes from the public hints Tom Joyner has provided over the past few months on his Web site and in some public appearances. (The younger Mr. Joyner’s interview with The Chronicle was the first extensive discussion of the venture the company has given.)
A former high-ranking official in the Department of Education during the Bush Administration, Brian W. Jones, has also raised some venture-capital financing to form another company with a similar focus. But the senior Mr. Joyner’s entry into the arena, details of which will be released later this month in conjunction with a White House conference on HBCU’s, has the potential to significantly alter the landscape. Along with his radio show, Reach Media, Mr. Joyner’s company, includes the news and entertainment Web site BlackAmericaWeb, and puts on events and public-service programs which together reach millions of African-Americans and others. HBCUsOnline plans to begin operations in January. Two of its top executives formerly worked for an outsourcing company called Higher Ed Holdings, including the chief academic officer, Gerald A. Heeger, who once ran online education for the University of Maryland University College.
“People already have trust in his brand,” Mr. Carter said, but for many HBCU’s, this is “a delicate time” financially and politically,” so it’s important that HBCUsOnline’s plans are realistic. “This is a lot different from soliciting support for scholarships,” said Mr. Carter. The HBCU’s have a tradition, too, and companies like HBCUsOnline “have to be very careful that brand is not betrayed.”
Florida A&M University has already announced that it will participate in the venture and will initially offer online master’s degrees in nursing, business, and pharmacy.
Mr. Joyner Jr., who, like his father, attended an HBCU (he went to Howard University, his father to Tuskegee) said he was aware of Mr. Carter’s comments.
Mr. Chavis, whose company has already helped Morris Brown College establish its first online degree program, is working with Jackson State University on a program in early education that will begin later in September and has deals in the works with several more institutions. He said he’s not fazed by the potential competition from the Joyner venture. “Our company wants the best for HBCU’s,” he said, and “there’s a lot of room in the marketplace.”
He said the company will use such techniques as social media, chat rooms, and live events to bring elements of black-college culture to online students. The company’s plans for personalized counseling, which will begin when a prospective student inquires and carries through until they graduate, is also designed to help nurture students.
Worries about execution
“We want to make them a living, breathing part of the tradition and heritage-rich HBCU,” Mr. Joyner Jr. said.
Not all the buzz around Mr. Joyner’s venture has been glowing. Jarrett L. Carter Sr., executive director of the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy, recently warned in a blog post of the challenges the company will face in trying to replicate the HBCU experience in an online environment, and the financial challenges the institutions themselves will face in maintaining the support systems necessary
Although both the company and the foundation will be active in the world of HBCU’s, and Thomas Joyner Sr. is chairman of the company, Mr. Joyner Jr. said decisions about philanthropic support going to HBCU’s would be separate from the company’s business interest. He said he had no intent to “squander” his father’s good reputation for short-term business gains. Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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Business
As more and more HBCU’s look to distance education via Mr. Joyner’s company, Education Online Services, and other companies, officials at the blackcolleges’ association say one of the key challenges is to ensure that they can translate essential elements of the HBCU experience, particularly the studentsupport services for which the colleges are known, to an online environment. The association is now working with online education experts from Carnegie Mellon University on a study that will focus on the issue. “We do want to play in that space,” said Lezli Baskerville, president of the association. But “we want to roll it out right, and we want to roll it out mindful of the lessons learned.” Many colleges falter in online education if they lack adequate support systems for students, As do the companies, she recognizes the potential for HBCU’s in distance education. If you have friends or family who attended an HBCU, “you are aware of the rich traditions, and you’ll want the same degree,” the alumni connections, and some of the other benefits, she said. The challenge is “how do you capture the essence of that culture and the engagement online.”
12 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
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31 13
OpiniOn
A New Spin on Pro-Life Billboards, "Black and Unwanted" Drivers along South College Avenue in Bryan can see a message on a billboard that’s hard to miss. Powerful words are written across the top “Black and Unwanted.”
may not have the extended family to help them in the decision to keep their children.”
A controversial topic has come to the Brazos Valley. There’s a new spin on Pro-Life billboards. These target the African American community -- where statistics show mothers have a disproportionate number of abortions, as much as 2 times more than other races.
“Honestly, I lived on College Main and unfortunately I never noticed it,” said John Schroder.
Drivers along South College Avenue in Bryan can see a message on a billboard that’s hard to miss. In fact it almost hits you between the eyes. Powerful words are written across the top “Black and unwanted.” “I believe in going outside the lines,” said Mary Broussard, Former College Station ISD Board member. “Sometimes you have to go with an ‘in your face’ approach,” said Broussard. A billboard campaign started in Georgia has come to BryanCollege Station. It is directed at the African American Community. The signs aim for the heart to try to reverse the high number of black women getting abortions.
While, some simply pass by the message.
But, others see the issue crossing color lines. “It makes me sad,” said Dee Dee Hodges. “To me it doesn’t matter if what they are Black or White or what color, if they are unwanted it is just terrible. “Black and Unwanted,” the emotional words that highlight the number of abortions in the Black community but also encourage the possibility of adoption. “I was at one time considered Black and unwanted,” said Ryan Bomberger, who started the initiative in Atlanta. “The project stems from my own life story, I was adopted into a family of 15.” He hopes for people in our area, the message is clear.
“Abortion is a very challenging and difficult topic,” said Broussard, is also an active member of Shiloh Baptist Church.
“If I saw that sign it would raise the question in mind of what can I do to help,” said Broussard.
“The economic factor is the driving force and also the support of extended family.” said Broussard. “Black people
More helping hands could mean more options for mothers as they make a decision about their future.
Here is the simple truth. The intent of Sanger’s Negro Project is firmly intact. Nearly 40% of all African-American pregnancies end in induced abortion.9 This is by design. Abortion kills more black people than the seven leading causes of death combined (heart disease, cancer, strokes, accidents, diabetes, homicide, and chronic lower respiratory diseases) according to CDC data.10 The African-American abortion rate is 3x that of the white population and over 2x that of all other races combined. Sounds like a crisis, doesn’t it? The media has been mostly silent. Our churches are mostly silent. But the truth screams loud and clear. Under the false liberty of ‘reproductive freedom’ we are killing our very future. http://www.toomanyaborted.com
14 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
OpiniOn
Say Goodbye to the Untouchable Preachers “There is no way we can know how many unbelievers rejected the gospel because they saw the church supporting quacks who swaggered, bragged, lied, flattered, bribed, stole and tearfully begged their way into our lives—while we applauded them and sent them money.” J. Lee Grady 16 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
OpiniOn
God is shaking His church and removing corruption. But we share the blame for giving charlatans a platform. Al Capone once controlled all of Chicago. The notorious 1920s gangster bribed the city’s mayor, bought the police and presided as king over an empire of casinos, speakeasies and smuggling operations. He dodged bullets for years and lived above the law— and earned the nickname “untouchable” because no one could bring him to justice. Before Capone finally went to prison in 1932, he justified his crimes by saying: “All I do is satisfy a public demand.” He didn’t take responsibility for the pain he caused because he knew mayors, policemen, community leaders and bootleggers supported him the whole way. I hate to compare any minister of God to a gangster. But the sad truth is that today there are a handful (well, maybe more) of unscrupulous preachers who share some of Capone’s most disgusting traits. They are notoriously greedy. They are masters of deception and manipulation. They have bought their way into the charismatic religious subculture and used their uncanny hypnotic ability to control major Christian TV networks. And, like Capone, their days are numbered. Justice will soon catch up with them. These false prophets probably all started out with a genuine call from God, but success destroyed them. They were lured away from true faith by fame and money, and when their ministries mushroomed they resorted to compromise to keep their machines rolling. Now, in the midst of the Great Recession, God is closing in on them. But before we rejoice that these imposters are being removed from their pulpits and yanked off the airwaves, let’s hit the pause button and reflect. How did these false preachers ever achieve such fame? It couldn’t have happened without help from us. We were the gullible ones. When they said, “The Lord promises you untold wealth if you will simply give a thousand dollars right now,” we went to the phones and put the donations on our credit cards. God forgive us. We were the undiscerning ones. When they said, “I need your sacrificial gift today so I can repair my private jet,” we didn’t ask why a servant of God wasn’t humble enough to fly coach class to a Third World nation. God forgive us. We were the foolish ones. When it was revealed that they were living in immorality, mistreating their wives or populating cities with illegitimate children, we listened to their spin doctors instead of demanding that ministry leaders act like Christians. God forgive us.
We were the naïve ones. When they begged for $2 million more in donations because of a budget shortfall, we didn’t feel comfortable asking why they needed that $10,000-a-night hotel suite. In fact, if we did question it, another Christian was quick to say, “Don’t criticize! The Bible says, ‘Touch not the Lord’s anointed!’” God forgive us. We have treated these charlatans like Al Capone—as if they were untouchable—and as a result their corruption has spread throughout charismatic churches like a plague. Our movement is eaten up with materialism, pride, deception and sexual sin because we were afraid to call these Bozos what they really are—insecure, selfish, egotistical and emotionally dysfunctional. If we had applied biblical discernment a long time ago we could have avoided this mess. There is no way we can know how many unbelievers rejected the gospel because they saw the church supporting quacks who swaggered, bragged, lied, flattered, bribed, stole and tearfully begged their way into our lives—while we applauded them and sent them money. When well-meaning Christians quote 1 Chronicles 16:22 (“Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm,” NASB) to cover up corruption or charlatanism, they do horrible injustice to Scripture. This passage does not require us to stay quiet when a leader is abusing power or deceiving people. On the contrary, we are called to confront sin in a spirit of love and honesty—and we certainly aren’t showing love to the church if we allow the charismatic Al Capones of our generation to corrupt it.
J. Lee Grady is an author, awardwinning journalist and ordained minister. For 17 years he worked for Charisma magazine, one of America ’s most widely distributed evangelical Christian publications, and he served as editor for 11 of those years. He is the author of four books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, and he focuses much of his ministry on releasing women in ministry. He has taken his message to 24 countries. Lee is also the and author of the new book “The Holy Spirit Is Not For Sale.”
Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
19
HeaLtH
Who Will Care For Me? Family vs. Home Health
“Health care is a very serious business-Often the desire to personally care for your loved one is not Lora L. Mayes, RN always the best decision.”
A large number of workingwomen often spend a portion of their day on the phone checking on their parents. It’s estimated that 34 million Americans serve as unpaid caregivers for other adults, usually elderly relatives, and they spend an average 21 hours a week helping out, according to a study released by AARP. Women who serve as caregivers often feel as if they are the parents of teenagers even if they are childless and if they have children, they have to manage both. This story resonates with millions of women caring for elderly parents and maneuvering in the unfamiliar territories of medicine, law, hospitals, nursing homes and home health care. This tends to be more prominant in African American families. Health care is a very serious business-Often the desire to personally care for your loved one is not always the best decision. Undercare is a form of neglect and abuse as well as intentionally not meeting their health care needs. If the amount of care your loved one requires exceeds your level of skill or you still have to work, it is not acceptable to leave a bed bound person or someone with Dementia or Alzheimer’s home alone. They should be able to get out independently if the house catches on fire, or able to respond accordingly to an emergency. Health care workers are required by law to report any form of
20 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
HeaLtH not giving the nurse the correct information to perform the care the patient needs or overstating their needs to get care they don’t really need. Both can have a negative impact on the health care system and the outcomes of their parents. Just plain poor communication can hinder us. spousal payback There are some health care cases that are reminiscent of scenes from a Tyler Perry movie. Case and point… a couple has been married for decades and infidelity has been tolerated by the kept, stay at home wife. She is healthier than he and now seeks revenge upon the spouse that requires treatment by withholding treatment. There is division amongst family members and the health care team’s services are hindered due to family dysfunction.
Owner and Administrator, Beacon Home Health, Lora L. Mayes, RN. abuse, neglect or exploitation to the regulatory authorities. The following instances represent scenarios of abuse;
For those that we are able to assist, Home Health can be that second set of eyes to ensure their parents are taking their medications or monitoring their BS or BP as their doctor has suggested! We can also assist with long term planning. We can anticipate what level of assistance the family will need as it relates to a certain disease process such as Alzheimer’s. We know that the progression of the disease will warrant that their parent never be left alone, the working woman may not be prepared for that and certain community resources take 90-120 days to get in place sowe encourage them to apply for these services in advance. We can also prevent time off from work by eliminating the need for trips to the MD office by obtaining blood tests, home x-rays and other assessments. We then communicate the results to the MD and treatment regimens can be adjusted and monitored by the Home Care Nurse. The list can go on! Caring for your parents or spouse can be one of the most distressing experiences of a lifetime. It›s so much more difficult, because they are our parents; we are the children.”
struggle for authority! Often siblings don’t agree on who should care for their parents and what level of care they need. Reality is a hard pill to swallow for some more than others. There are scenarios where a sister will pick up mother for a visit and not bring her back to the other sibling’s home and they literally fight over who should have custody. Often when this happens, the first sibling will not allow the other to have the hospital bed their mother was sleeping in or even the medications. Financial abuse, not enough money to pay for medications on July 3rd, when the patient received their monthly checks on July 1st. Where did the money go? Community resources are minimal to assist the purchase the medication. Often someone will use the money for their own personal gain. inaccurate information- Family members Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
21
HeaLtH Although there have been many home health care agencies under scrutiny for fraudulent practices there are many that are ethical and uphold the highest standards of caregiving. Lora Mayes owner Houston based Beacon Home Health, shared with Dunamis her position on home health care. “When clients come to Beacon I impress upon them that home health is not only my profession it’s my purpose. I want them to understand long term planning and the preventive aspect of what we do as well as the continuity we offer. Providing Home Health care services can sometimes be a challenge when you consider the aforementioned situations.
about Beacon Home Health Beacon Home Health Agency LLC., is a privately owned and operated home care group in Houston, Texas. In 2003, the spirit of Beacon Home Health Agency was born from a vision to help others live a safe home life with comfort, independence, and dignity by Owner and Administrator, Lora L. Mayes, RN. Beacon understands it is an honor and a privilege to be invited into a client’s home. Therefore, we only hire caregivers who share in our commitment to provide home care services with compassion, excellence, and reliability— Beacon ‘s core values. Our patients are our number one priority. We view each of our clients as a family with individual needs and local sensitivities. We pride ourselves on hiring the most experienced and compassionate caregivers we can find. Our Mission Our mission is straightforward: To fulfill every patient’s Home Health Care Service prescribed for by their physician. and to enhance and enrich every life we touch by positively impacting their outcomes. Our values Beacon understands it is an honor and a privilege to be invited into a client’s home. Therefore, we only hire caregivers who share in our commitment to provide home care services with compassion, excellence, and reliability— Beacon ‘s core values. Our History Upon obtaining her RN licenses in 1998, Founder and CEO Lora L. Mayes was given the vision of Home Health ownership in 2002 and did her first successful start up - Comprehensive Plus Home Health. After her first start up she was convinced she would be successful with her own agency. Today Mrs. Mayes is the proud owner of Beacon Home Health Agency, LLC. Employees of Beacon acknowledge her commitment to excellence and her expectation that you should always go that extra mile to ensure you have positively impacted your patient. Less than three years later, Beacon has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the leaders in the home care industry.
22 Dunamis Sept/Oct 2010
about Lora L. Mayes Lora L. Mayes, RN, born in Columbus, Texas is a product of a Christian upbringing. Raised by her aunt after her mother passed when she was six years old, Lora has always had the desire to help people. Becoming a teenage mother did not stop her from attending nursing school immediately following graduation from Columbus High School. Mrs. Mayes obtained her LVN license in 1984 from Wharton County Junior College. Shortly after graduation she moved her family to Houston, Texas and found her way to Home Health nursing. Mrs. Mayes always had a special place in her heart for the elderly community but actually started her Home Health career in pediatric private duty for The Care Group of Texas. In this arena she was challenged with families dealing with premature infants kept alive by modern technology. This same technology that helped them survive also created multiple challenges in the home. Mrs. Mayes could always be counted on to calm the upset mothers, make the nervous fathers feel at ease and encouraged them to participate in the care their child would require Mrs. Mayes was determined to further her nursing career and in 1996 was accepted in the Associate Degree Nursing program at Houston Community College. Mrs. Mayes entered the administrative side of Home Health and has continued to be a strong advocate for her patients and the Home Health industry. Upon obtaining her RN licenses in 1998 her contributions to her patients changed but have remained significant. Lora was given the vision of Home Health ownership in 2002 and did her first successful start up in that same year, Comprehensive Plus Home Health. After her first start up she was convinced she would be successful with her own agency. Today Mrs. Mayes is the proud owner of Beacon Home Health Agency, LLC. Employees of Beacon acknowledge her commitment to excellence and her expectation that you should always go that extra mile to ensure you have positively impacted your patient. When Lora is called to care for patients in their home, it is a known fact she will be at there for a while. She always makes the patients feel that they are her priority and everything else can wait. Home Health is her passion. Mrs. Mayes is married to Ricky Mayes and they have two adult sons and one bright grandson and two beautiful granddaughters. Lora is an active member of The Texas Association of Home care where she hopes to one day hold an elected office. Mrs. Mayes is currently Vice-President for the Fort Bend County Black Nurses Association, the largest Black Nurses Chapter in the Nation and was recently given the award of Nurse Entrepreneur of The year in Toronto Canada August 4, 2009. She is a member of The Fountain of Praise Church were she served as past president of the Wellness Ministry 2001 through 2003 and is currently the Co-Chair of this ministry. She is also serving as a Deaconess. Most recently Mrs. Mayes was honored by Rolling Out Magazine as one of Houston’s “Top 25 Women, 2009”.
HeaLtH increase intake
Your
Water
Your liver is designed to convert stored fat into energy, but when you're not well hydrated, your kidneys do not work as well as they should and your liver has to function harder. When your liver is working overtime, it can't metabolize fat effectively as it should, and your body stores more fat. To burn more fat off your arms, thighs, and stomach you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day.
How to Lose Weight and Inches From Your Arms, Thighs and Stomach Without Surgery Or Drugs Extra fat on your body is just stored up energy called adipose tissue. It cushions and insulates the body, and it's found beneath the skin and surrounding organs. When you have too much adipose tissue on your body, it contributes to serious health complications like heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and stroke. It also contributes to poor body image and for this reason people are desperately trying to find ways to lose fat from different parts of the body, mainly the arms, thighs and stomach. Here are a few of my helpful tips to help you lose that excess body fat without turning to plastic surgery or pills: eat More Often Increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the rate at which your body burns calories normally on and day to day basis. You can accomplish this by eating small healthy meals 5-6 times a day. One mistake people make is waiting a long time to eat, and then gorging on a large meal. This slows down your metabolism making it even harder to lose fat, so try to avoid skipping meals.
Losing body fat can be a daunting task. It takes time, patience and consistency practicing the 4 smart solutions listed above. But don’t get discouraged, keep a positive attitude and seek the support you need to sustain your motivation towards your goal.
use sweat Bands and Work Out Wear sweat bands when exercising. It helps to heat up extra adipose tissue making it easier to burn off. You'd want to perform fat burning exercises like squats, jump roping and jumping jacks to failure (fitness trainer jargon for: until you can't do no more). Try to perform aerobic activity for 40-60 minutes 5 days a week, and strength train 2-3 times a week on non-consecutive days. The goal is to break down your muscles, so they reform leaner and stronger making the targeted areas look smaller. Get a Massage regularly Massage therapy is not just for relaxation and stress relief. It has a positive effect on your fitness level and muscle-building capabilities, which can help you melt fat and burn extra calories. Massage therapy increases the interchange of vital nutrients with better circulation and increases tissue metabolism. Some research studies show that massage can burst the fat capsule in subcutaneous tissue so the fat exudes and become expelled through the blood stream.
Bonnie Mechelle is a Professional Weight Loss Coach, Health and Wellness Columnist, and Radio Show Host who has helped hundreds of people to achieve their goals. She has lost a tremedous amount of weight herself and has made it her mission in life to help others have success with their weight loss journey as well. Buy these amazing books and sign up for Healthtopia’s Christian Health and Weight Loss E-zine at: www.faithandwellness.com Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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reLatiOnsHips to find balance. Letting your light shine before men simply means, to let God‘s word shine through you in your walk and in your talk. Often times by being so heavenly bound people miss the mark when it comes of being fishers of men. (Matt 4:19 )Jesus didn’t go around quoting God’s word all day, he lived it. He showed love and understanding. Use Jesus as your everyday example in your own walk. Let your testimony be your bait. The problem with the “heavenly bound” is that they are not good listeners. They love to talk but don’t like to be talked to. Do you know someone like this or are you guilty? Consider this, take time to listen to others. Give the Holy Spirit a chance to guide you and you will have the right words to share.
S0Heavenly Bound How are you this morning? “Blessed and highly favored His Grace abounds in me.” Now Christians we are ALL blessed by God’s mercy and favor aren’t we? How many of us have encountered someone that no matter where you are they are spewing scripture at you, every other sentence begins or ends with “praise God “or they are foretelling your eternal destination if you don’t get your life together. People like that I like to describe as “so heavenly bound no earthly good. Others hate to see these people coming, going out of their way so as not to run into them. You feel as if you can’t be yourself saved or unsaved. These heavenly bound people are a turn off, and quite possibly turn people away from Christ. Let your light shine before men? (Matt 6:16) doesn’t necessarily mean you throw on your spotlight and become one of the apostles whenever you are around people. Fast forward a few hours and these are the same folks complaining about their boss, their body pains, the kids or spouse and claim to plead the blood of Jesus on it all while still complaining. Who do they think is watching them? They pretend to be all holy one minute and flip the script later. There is nothing wrong with being zealous for God but its necessary
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Many if most unsaved people don’t want to hear how many scriptures are stored in your mental archive or have you beat them upside the head with it. Like you they are encountering everyday issues as well for others their problems can’t be anesthetized by your quoting “no weapon formed against me shall prosper”. Sister suicide may be in the cubicle next to you, on the other side divorce, not too far away may be abuse, depression or addiction all disguised by the façade called “Dr. Everything Will be Alright.” Their problems can only be solved with the help of the creator. You’ll never know how much of a difference you can make in the life of another simply by sharing how God has brought you peace or how Christ stood in the gap for you with the father. You will be surprised how much easier it is to touch another without being intrusive with all of the “EXTRA hallelujahs and praise God” adages. Aggressiveness or the perception that your praise is not genuine can turn the unsaved away. Why do some people feel they have to be so holy just because they’re saved? We are all forever works in progress and we were all saved by grace thru faith and example we lead others to Christ. But when you are holier than thou who are you leading?... you are more like turning. Don’t get me wrong, I thank and give praises to God every morning for waking me and allowing me to see another day which I choose to rejoice and be glad in. I let my walk and my talk speak for how He blessed me and my actions speak for how I can bless others. It’s not always what you say but what people see. Let Christ shine in you. I understand that you’re grateful to God, but be a living testimony of His grace mercy and favor. That will draw people to Christ. You have to be careful how you carry yourself as a Christian you don’t know who’s watching, be a magnet that draws men and women to Christ…don’t push them away. The irony of it all is sometimes the very person you think needs saving may save you from yourself.
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reLatiOnsHips
Is It Possible for Black Women to Find Their Soulmate At A Black Church? By robin downes
is the Black Church Keeping Black Women single? Legs covered in skin-toned stockings, her skirt crisp to the knee, Patty Davis slips on the black heels she has shined for the day. “Got to look good in the Lord’s house,” she says as she spritzes her neck with White Diamonds perfume and exits her black Lincoln Town Car. Davis, 46, of Union City, Georgia, has attended African Methodist Episcopal churches since before she could crawl. She sits proudly in the pew every Sunday for service and is among the first to arrive for bible study each Wednesday. She moves swiftly, with confidence, a weathered Bible clutched in her right hand, the day’s
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passages dog-eared and highlighted. She’s the type of woman who can recite scriptures with ease, her love of faith evident in her speech. “Every day is a blessed day for me,” she says. “Jesus is the No. 1 man in my life and any man who wants me must seek me through Him.” The unmarried Georgia native is a committed follower of the Christian faith, striving to live and breathe the gospel in her daily life. Yet, according to relationship advice columnist Deborrah Cooper, it is this devout style of belief and attachment to the black church that is keeping black women like Davis — single and lonely. Clinging to the gospel Cooper, a writer for the San Francisco Examiner, recently made claims on her blog SurvivingDating.com that predominantly black protestant churches, such as African Methodists, Pentecostal, and certain denominations of Evangelical and Baptist churches are the main reason black women are single. Cooper, who is black and says she is not strictly religious, argues that rigid beliefs constructed by the black church are blinding black women in their search for love. In raising the issue, Cooper ignited a public conversation about a topic that is increasingly getting attention in the black community and beyond.
reLatiOnsHips Oprah Winfrey, among others, recently hosted a show about single black women and relationships after a Yale University study found that 42 percent of African-American women in the United States were unmarried. Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist Church, a predominately African-American Baptist church in Atlanta, is holding a seminar on the question of faith’s role in marital status on August 20. “Black women are interpreting the scriptures too literally. They want a man to which they are ‘equally yoked’ — a man that goes to church five times a week and every Sunday just like they do,” Cooper said in a recent interview. “If they meet a black man that is not in church, they are automatically eliminated as a potential suitor. This is just limiting their dating pool.” The traditional structure and dynamics of black churches, mostly led by black men, convey submissive attitudes to women, Cooper says, encouraging them to be patient — instead of getting up and going after what they want. Nearly ninety percent of African-Americans express “certain belief in God” and 55 percent say they “interpret scripture literally,” according to the 2009 Pew Research Center study “A Religious Portrait of African-Americans.” Dr. Boyce Watkins, a professor at Syracuse University and advocate for African-American issues, responded to Cooper’s article online. Though he applauded Cooper’s courage to voice her opinion , he agreed — and disagreed — with her. “I don’t think the church keeps black women single,” Watkins says. “But I do agree that some black churches teach women that they must only date a man that goes to church regularly.” Watkins, who is African-American and whose father is a Southern Baptist minister, described his interactions with southern women who are devout churchgoers. “I am a male and I know that I will treat a woman well, but I have been rejected many times because I don’t thump a bible with me everywhere that I go.” all in the numbers One of biggest reasons black women are single, Cooper says, is because of a lack of black men in the church. According to the PEW study, “African-American men are significantly more likely than women to be unaffiliated with any religion (16 percent vs. 9 percent). Nearly one-in-five men say they have no formal religious affiliation.” Watkins believes the social structure of the church keeps black men from attending. “Those appealing, hightestosterone guys have a hard time getting into the ‘Follow the leader, give me your money, and listen to what I have to say’ attitude.” “Many of us have a difficult time submitting to the pastor who is just another man.” The male pastor, Cooper says, is the “alpha male” for many black women. Over-reverence for the pastor – or any religious figure for that matter – creates barriers for the black man, she says, because he feels like he must compete for the No. 1 spot in a black woman’s heart. “It doesn’t make you more attractive if your life is filled with these ‘other’ men,” Cooper says. “If they feel like they have to compete, you are not going to be interesting because you’re not feeding his ego in the way it needs to be fed.” Mark K. Forston, son of a black preacher in Forest Park, Georgia, says some black women “put their pastor on this pedestal and have a large amount of faith in him because he is a living source of salvation.” Sometimes women even focus their romantic feelings on the pastor, says Forston. “Regardless if he’s married
or not, sometimes human desires will transcend beyond certain parameters and that’s dangerous territory. Pastors are humans just like anybody else.” The Rev. Renita J. Weems, a bible scholar who holds a degree in theology from Princeton, strongly disagrees with Cooper about why many black women remain single and says she is reinforcing one message: “It’s the black woman’s fault.” “To claim that women are sitting in their chair getting heated about watching their preacher strut across the pulpit is illogical,” Weems says. “The black church is not a Sunday morning sex drama.” Weems, who is AfricanAmerican and has written several books on women’s spirituality, has her own criticisms of the black church. The literal interpretation of certain scriptures can lead to subjugating women, Weems says. However, positive scripture messages, about love and justice, do exist and can be used to empower women rather than keep them “single and lonely.” Weems says Cooper fails to examine deeper threads. “What the black church does and what religion does is helps you create core values for your life and allows you to see what you appreciate in others. “The reason why black women who go to black churches are not married is because they are looking for certain values in a man,” Weems says. “It is not the church that keeps them single, but the simple fact that good values are lacking in some of our men.” Choose or lose the church Cooper says her goal is to empower black women. If their strategy for meeting men is failing, Cooper offers two suggestions: Find another church or leave-and go where the boys go: tailgates, bars and clubs. “Black women need to open their eyes. You want to know the reason why the black man isn’t in church? Because he left church to go to the Sunday football game,” Cooper says. “Going to these sites is discouraged in the black church because these places are seen as places where ’sin dwells.’ But if women are compassionate, as the bible preaches they should be, then they need to be more open about the men they choose to date and where they might meet them.” “I’m not against religion, or against the church, I’m against women limiting their choices and putting themselves in a box because they do what their church tells them to do,” Cooper says. Weems disagrees. “Telling black women that they should spend their two hours on Sunday elsewhere and drive them away to go to the bar to find a date is not helpful to our communities.” “Black women are the backbones of their community and without them a lot of charitable work would not get done, social justice on the ground would be diminished and outreach to poor people would be severed.” Patty Davis, the longtime churchgoer in Georgia, says all the arguments over what the church preaches miss the point. What truly matters, she says, are women’s motives. “The real question is: What are you coming to church for?” she says. “To feed your spirit? Or your carnal desires?” The church’s effect on the romantic lives of black women cannot be gleaned from a mathematical equation or a select bible passage, Davis says. “It is a woman’s own actions and decisions that will determine the outcome of her love life, not the church’s,” Davis says. “Because the last time I checked, the church ain’t no dating service.”
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Are Millennials Losing Faith?
Photo Credit: Gerald James
FaMiLY & FaitH
Why so many Gen Yers are abandoning the church?
“Sometimes, stepping into church feels to me like going into a time warp, with all of the old-fashioned and conservative views being enforced.” Brandee Sanders
Sunday morning rolls around again, and I get the early wakeup call from my father. “Get up, Brandee. Get ready for church.” My first thought is to go right back to sleep, because I don’t want to go. It’s not a case of Sunday-morning laziness; I’d just rather not be there, and according to a study conducted earlier this year by the Pew Research Center, two-thirds of young Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 agree with me. Church isn’t appealing to me, and it never has been. I have vivid memories of sitting in the last pew as a child with crayons and a coloring book for some sort of entertainment. Since I’ve retired the Crayolas and coloring books and started paying closer attention to the sermons, I discovered that some of the messages in church are irrelevant to people of my generation. Some of my closest friends are gay, but the pastor is telling me that “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” AIDS is the leading cause of death for African-American women between the ages of 25 and 34, but the pastor tells me that using condoms is
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FaMiLY & FaitH a sin because it’s a form of birth control. I live in a world where women are the CEOs of successful businesses and hold high positions in the government, but within the walls of the church, female leadership is often absent. Only 10 percent of churches in the United States employ women as senior pastors. These sexist, homophobic and conservative attitudes of the church are what is causing young people to question their faith, causing Gen-Yers to abandon the church in increasing numbers. Many church principles simply don’t reflect the views of young Americans. A recent study discovered that young people are more accepting of homosexuality: 63 percent of young adults believe that homosexuality should be accepted within society, versus 50 percent of adults in general. In most churches, discussing homosexuality is a taboo. “There’s denial about homosexuality in the church,” said Boyce Watkins, Ph.D., founder of the Your Black World Coalition. It’s “even to the extreme where you have people who believe that if you pray enough, you will not be gay anymore,” he adds.
be turned off by the church or to some extent not invited into the church.” So is there any hope for bringing Gen-Yers back to church? According to the Rev. J. Lee Hill, a youth minister at Riverside Church in New York City, it won’t be easy. In a recent interview with CNN, Hill stated, “Church is difficult because young people today want to engage actively; they just want to experience God.” Young adults don’t want to worry about judgment or limitations when it comes to faith.
We live in a society where open homosexuality is becoming common, but most in the church have yet to accept it. If God accepts us as we are, then why do some homosexuals feel unwelcome in church? Skepticism concerning church teachings about the Bible may be the reason 67 percent of young Christian adults say they don’t read it. “It’s become more and more common on college campuses that people openly question who is God and how do we reconcile the question of evil?” said Jamila Bey, an African-American freelance journalist and atheist. After being a Roman Catholic for most of her life, Bey recently decided to divorce her religion and declare herself to be an atheist. Sometimes, stepping into church feels to me like going into a time warp, with all of the old-fashioned and conservative views being enforced. In this day and age, gender roles have shifted, but sexism continues to linger in many churches. When I go to church, I can’t help noticing that there is a lack of female leadership. Women are confined to either being ushers or being in the choir. “To some extent, sexism in the church is a reflection of sexism in our society, but I think it’s even worse in church because the environment is certainly a little more conservative,” Watkins said. It is this conservative environment that is causing young folks to stay home. Only one-third of young adults say they attend worship services at least once a week. “Young people who are finding their voices are more apt to say, ‘I don’t buy the church, it doesn’t speak to me,’ “ said Bey, “and I think the logical progression is that they are going to find community with other free thinkers and nonbelievers.”
The Rev. Dino Woodward of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem believes that convincing more young people that the church has something to offer starts with parenting. “Parents are allowing them [young adults] to discipline themselves. If parents are coming to church, they have to bring their children to church and show them that there is a better way of life through the Christian way of life.” But as we come into adulthood, we have to make decisions for ourselves. Maybe if the church focused more on helping youth build a stronger connection with God, and less on imposing social and political views, our generation would return to the pews. Brandee Sanders is a journalism student entering her senior year at Purchase College in Purchase, N.Y. She rarely attends church.
Being a free thinker is just another thing to add to the list of taboos. “Leadership in the church doesn’t encourage you typically to think freely. They believe their job is to tell you what to think and guide you to the truth,” said Watkins. “Anybody who is open-minded about religion or questions things too much is certainly going to Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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PREACHER TEACHER
“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”
As I sat down to write this article I struggled with the words to open or lead into the conversation with Bishop Dixon. My struggle to compose the opening of this piece was not because of what had occurred in his personal life, but more so finding the right words to convey my thoughts to those who will possibly read this article. I had to then remember that our mission in publishing this magazine is not to sugarcoat situations and to address the real issues that are inherent to everyday life. Often we are quick to judge people or situations without knowing all of the facts or the circumstances. As so called Christians we tend to be guilty of judgment more so than non-Christians. Domestic issues, divorce or the possibility of divorce is not something to be wished even upon an enemy. When children are involved it can and most often will cause one to react to situations in ways that are less than favorable in God’s prospective. We are all human and are subject to human frailties no matter what position or station we hold in life. Lapses in judgement have nothing to do with the salvation of your spirit.
We chose to highlight Pastor James W.E. Dixon on the cover of Dunamis because of his sensitivty to the challenges and burdens of the pulpit to accurately explain and proclaim the Bible. He is highly respected for his ability to do just that and is noted for his “realness” in the process. Sermon after sermon, lesson after lesson, and message after message, God’s Word is shared with clairvoyance, biblical accuracy and practical relevance. What occurred or did not occur in Bishop Dixon’s home is a personal matter between he, his wife and God. When Dunamis sat down to conduct this interview with Bishop James Dixon, it was not our intent to interrogate or address the incident that occurred in his personal life. We respectfully did not pose any questions pertaining to the incident. However, Bishop Dixonby his own choice, did choose to share with us the following thoughts.
A CONVERSATION WITH
BISHOP JAMES W.E. DIXON, II
THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH CHURCH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS
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preaCHer teaCHer The people who read this article will really want to know “what’s going on with him” based on stuff that they heard. I think that it is important for me to say I am grateful for everything that has happened in my life. And I trust the sovereignty of God with things that I don’t understand. I am very confident that the thing that he has begun in me he will be very faithful to complete it. When I signed up for this journey I did not know of every pot hole along the way but it’s still been a good journey. The way to the palace is often by way of pits and sometimes even prisons but ultimately, if you are going to be Joseph sometimes you’ve got to go through things to get to the palace. I am more encouraged than ever. My ministry in the past year has become more potent than ever more than in the prior 28 years. This has been the strangest season for me, a season of extreme challenge in my family life in my personal life. I thank God for all of it although I don’t like it. It’s been extremely potent on the spiritual side. It’s amazing how God increases anointing to compensate for affliction. What its birthed is me is such a profound level of humility. Trials and challenges are used by God to bring us to a place called brokenness and brokenness becomes the best place for God to use us. That is really where I reside now; I live in a place called brokenness. When I thought I was humble I wasn’t nearly as humble as I thought. You know when you get to that place where unless God does something you’re done.
I am a third generation Houstonian. I have lived a life with access to people and resources for so long. I could dial a number call a friend or something. When you get to a place where the only name that is relevant is Jesus there is no other door to knock on--You can get to those doors but you know that there is no help there, and then you will discover how awesome God is. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers them from all. You don’t know about afflictions. Lots of people quote that passage but have not been through much. But when you have experienced many afflictions and you know what crushing is all about and that the best juice comes out when you are crunched the hardest. That’s when God brings you to that place of brokenness and utter dependence on him. It has caused me to revisit relationships period and had birth in me this ministry of reconciliation. So we are dealing with Pastors who have left our church in years gone by whether it was under good circumstances or bad. Pastor John Murray and I have reconciled, Pastor Greg Dightman –we have reconciled. Our congregations
have reconciled. I was amazing to have 5 or 6 pastors standing up talking transparently about, I forgive you, when I said that-when I did this, I was wrong. It was important to mend those relationships. Then I go to Zimbabwe and it’s exactly what the leadership is asking me to do there to help lead a ministry for reconciliation. I believe more than anything that the church, the body of Christ is hurting from broken relationships, severed relationships that have happened over the years where no one has had the courage to come out front and say let’s reconcile. And until we reconcile we will never be as potent as we are supposed to be. I thank God that He has placed me in that vein. I don’t know where it’s leading but I am going to follow that vein because I do believe that it is out best way back to the real favor of God. sometimes we tend to look at a person and formulate our own conclusions about who they really are when they are no longer in the public eye. Can you share with us something from the personal side of Bishop James Dixon? Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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preaCHer teaCHer I don’t believe most people have any idea about how much I really love the Lord. Most people have no clue about my prayer life, my devotional life. Only the people that are very close to me have some idea. The Lord and I meet every morning between 3 and 4 for at least an hour. He calls the meeting –he wakes me up. I treasure that. I grew up around praying people. My grandfather was the pastor of our church. I never understood him. As a kid I remember him being up so early in the morning to pray and of course his house was so very small so you could hear him praying through the bathroom wall and he would be in there for some time praying. He was talking to God as if God was sitting there with him. I didn’t understand that. But I can honestly say that I got that and I thank him for that. Most people don’t know that. And most people don’t know how much I love people…I really love people. I do ministry for God and the people.
I am not a materialistic person almost to a fault. I don’t care about stuff; maybe I should more than I do. I live for the difference that God can make through me in people. It’s really not about popularity and it’s really not about money for me. It really irritates me that so much that happens in ministry today is about the person. It’s about how grand the person wants to be or how grand he or she thinks himself to be. We measure the potency of the ministry by the price of the possessions that the minister has. There is the pressure to drive a certain type of car, live in a certain size house –I’m not opposed to anyone doing well. I am just thankful that I live where I live and I drive pretty comfortable but when you measure the potency of your ministry by that or when other people do, that’s a big mistake if that is the barometer then Jesus was a failure and Paul was an absolute misrepresentation of what the ministry is about. When you look at the scripture and understand that it’s really true that only what you do for Christ will last. I don’t think that people understand that about James Dixon. That is one thing that I am being a bit more transparent about and I don’t know that most ministers would but I understand that I have this ministry because of the mercy of God and the grace of God and it is through no merits of my own. I am not deceived about that. I have never claimed to be a perfect person. I have never claimed to be a person who is
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flawless. I started writing a book, “We Are GOD’S But We Are Not Gods,” I think that pastors, there is so much plastic and artificiality in 20th century ministry. Because again, most ministers are so personality driven that it’s who can be the best at everything all the times. Once again, I’m not deceived. I am transparent …stay with me a month and you are going to find that something is wrong. But in ministry we minister to ourselves, we are wounded healers at best. We have scars that are not always caused by someone else afflicting them; they are scars from our own fallings and failures. But I believe that –that’s what makes grace marvelous. The power is of God not of us. We are earthen vessels as Paul says in Corinthians 2:4. What that really means is that we are a cracked vessel of clay- we are blemished. And that God is able to do what he really does through cracked vessels really proves that the power is supernatural it’s not of man. If there were any two to three things that I would want people to know me, if they are interested, is that I really love the Lord…I really love the Lord, I really Love people. I am so appreciative to God for the grace and mercy that he shows me to allow me to do what I do. I think that’s very important, very important.
preaCHer teaCHer each sunday your sermons are packed with so much power and an enormous dose of truth. How are you so consistent with the delivery of your sermons each week? are you a planner? Bishop i can understand that you are a people person and that you love people. But in reality you have to deal with people 24/7 from cradle to grave and yet go home and deal with your family. Has there ever been a moment or time in your pastoral career that you have felt like walking away? I have been at both extremes…I’ve been at a place where I have thought that this is absolutely heaven on earth to be able to do what I do. Ministry enables you to experience life on the highest mountain peaks. I don’t think that there is anything higher mountain peak than ministry at is best place. You are really God’s partner. Really he is the pilot and you are the co-pilot and sitting in the cockpit with God is what I liken pastoring to because you get to see what’s coming. You have passengers on this plane who are the congregation with others connected to them and it’s the thrill and the sense that these people’s lives, their souls, their eternities are connected to my calling and my assignment and they get to view it from the side windows. But we’re looking and the turbulence and everything that is coming ahead and we see it beforehand and the good news is that you are not the pilot you are the co-pilot but the pilot does allow you some lead way some latitude so you have to be a part of the process. It’s the thrill of that. Sometimes those skies are so blue and just so majestic there are moments of absolute euphoria. But then there are other times when you see the turbulence you see the lightning flash you’re going through it you’re going through it and the plane is seemingly completely out of control and fear sets in. Am I going to crash this plane? I have been there a number of times over 29 years. There have been some stints from the outside looking in that people would never know that the plane was in absolute jeopardy I mean absolute jeopardy. Then you have screaming passengers who don’t understand that you would die for them. You get blamed for the turbulence you get blamed for the storm you created the discomfort. So everyone is mad at the pilot it’s not God it’s the co-pilot who they actually see God is the invisible pilot so the tax all ends up in your lap. So sometimes you think to yourself the next time that I land I am getting off and I will never fly again. But the calling won’t allow you to maintain that kind of resolve its short lived because there is something about this calling that grips you and consumes you and the dedication and knowing what your call brings I know that it’s my assignment to get these people off the ground to the next point of their destination on this journey. So yes there have been those times but they don’t last for very long.
I try to work hard at planning a teaching curriculum I have an annual kind of plan that is always altered in some ways and over the years you learn to leave room for God to say something to you spontaneously. I think that the Lord has a great sense of humor as well. I really try to hear him. I want to know that when I am speaking it is a Rhema word. It’s what God has on his heart for his people. It’s not James Dixon’s word. It really is God’s message I think that people can tell when it’s something distinctly different about that message. It’s not a canned message even at times when I am preaching on a certain passage at different services the nature of the message changes because the Holy Spirit knows exactly whose in the pew and exactly what the needs are you can’t get up with a cookie cutter type of presentation and meet those needs. HE is so sensitive he is so keenly aware that in this service this person needs that statement this sentence this nuance so I try to be as prayerful as I possibly can as flexible as I can so that he can minister to his people and they leave with what they need. Because it’s not about me making a hit, It really rubs me when I hear preachers talking about their sermon like it’s the “song of the latest artist” to make them a star. It’s really about the people hearing from God exactly the word that they needed to hear at that moment.
there has been such a change in the demographics of the church from generation to generation. How has your ministry changed in the past 29 years or in general to facilitate the needs of your congregation including the generation Y group? Powerful transition too…when I started preaching I was 15 years old. I was a boy preacher and going into the 9th grade. God called me in March, preached my first sermon in July so I was the young preacher and I started pastoring at 18. I was doing all the youth revivals. I was the youngest pastor in the state of Texas for a while. So what I brought to the ministry at that time was freshness and I attracted a lot of young people to the ministry because of it. As I have become more mature, I wouldn’t say older, my prospective on ministry has changed. I believe my station has changed as well. I’ve gone from being the young newcomer with all the freshness to being the more stable if you will…the big brother moving into the early fatherhood from a spiritual perspective. So I am more keenly aware of the need to nurture than to excite. I am more keenly aware of my need to teach, instruct and instill….as opposed to simply inspire. There is a tendency when you are youthful you are more inspirational because you don’t know enough to teach anyway. So I transition to instilling values, virtues and vision than I am being a popular voice that inspires. Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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preaCHer teaCHer There is still some inspiration to it-- some motivation to it but you start thinking about things a little bit differently and I think that the adjustment for me is learning how to do that with the right communication skills with the right language, the right vocabulary such that I am able to reach the audience I have to reach. Now we have a younger hearer who hears differently. The sermons cannot be as long the terms or vocabulary cannot be as colloquial and theological this crowd was not raised in church. When I was young, I was in church two to three times a day. So biblical and theological terminology, I was used to hearing. Most of this generation was not raised that way so it’s not a part of their everyday conversation. Its how you translate theological terms into everyday language so that its palatable to this generation that is a language barrier that you have to continue to overcome and also the use of technology is huge. I’m not a technocrat. If you don’t learn to use technology in your message, I do use it in the development of my message because I study by computer for the most part, but ministry void of that is deemed to be archaic and out of touch. So it has to have the right substance and the right sound in order to cater to this audience’s needs.
according to the pew report, churches are losing the core demographic (ages 18 – 29) also known as Millennials or Gen-Yers , what is your take on that? There was an article in USA Today that stated that we are losing a huge number of young people. They are abandoning the church. I think that it is partially the church’s fault as it relates to what we are talking about now. There is a need to transition and remain relevant remaking of yourself in order to appeal to a generation. But I think at the same time, there is a challenge and responsibility on the other end. Young people are a little more cynical. This is the most fickle generation that we have ever had on the scene and the demands that this generation has on institutions period are often unreasonable and no institution can adequately keep up with all of these demands. I think there is some responsibility on both sides.
in subsequent pages of Dunamis we feature an article that generated a lot of conversation. the article is penned by a young woman who no longer attends church. Her disillusionment with the church stems from its inability to realistically address modern day issues such as homosexuality and sexism in a nondiscriminatory fashion. is there something that the ministry can do to reach this generation of “free thinkers”?
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All ministry has to be done form the prospective of compassion. I think that whether you are dealing with the issue of homosexuality or whatever the issue truth has to be spoken in love. I think that often the expectation though is that the church does not speak truth. The truth is offensive if it is not expected. The conversation then is skewed from the beginning. My responsibility as a minister of the gospel and as a minister of the word of God is to let the word speak for itself. I think that is where we get off. What does James Dixon think about this subject? When the truth of the matter is, it doesn’t matter what I think about it the subject it’s what does the word of God say about the subject. The minister’s chief responsibility is to let the word speak and so it’s not my interpretation because my interpretation can be flawed. What does the word say? If we can agree that that is the premise that is going to guide the discussion or the conversation then I am not blamed for what it does or does not say. Of course that is in a best scenario it doesn’t happen because in a communicator of the message is always blamed or given credit for the validity or the lack thereof for the thought. I think that from the pulpit prospective we have the responsibility of being prophetic and priestly. In the Prophetic role we speak as it is spoken in scripture, this is the truth. In our priestly role we nurture and we love and say now this is where you are and we pray that the grace of God is accepted but we also want to see you get moved from this place to this place. So you come to the church as an adulter, that’s not your end goal, you come to the church as an crack addict, that’s not your end goal, you come to the church as a white collar criminal, but that’s not your end goal, The truth of the matter is we all come with something. That’s the misnomer; no one in church is without issues, including the one in the pulpit. The bible says, all have sinned; then it comes back to says that whomever say they have no sin is a liar and the truth is not in them. We get so messed up with these conversations in church because in our minds the only people who have sinned are the people we know who happen to have the sin but all of us are dealing with sin factors. And the goal of the ministry is preaching and teaching and to move us from one point to another. Paul himself, who wrote most of the New Testament, said “the good I would do I don’t do because the evil I desire not to do dangit I find myself doing.” It’s a frustrating journey when my spirit is often willing but my flesh is often weak. Now my area may not be yours and your area may not be hers or his but we all have an area. And if we can accept people on the basis of love and understand that we all are exposing ourselves to the gospel of Christ in a loving environment such that we can move from where we are right now to where God desires us to be in the journey to get there then I think we are better off. I don’t think that any group or any group within the church or church’s community should be singled out as better than as or worse than we just all have issues. That is really where I am with it.
preaCHer teaCHer Now the blatancy or the arrogancy attached to some things then becomes an issue. If my issue is lying, I’m not going to stand up and say “Hey,I am a liar whether y’all like it or not and I’ m going to be a liar” well then no one would trust me you see. I am a drug dealer; I’ve been a drug dealer-then no one is going to trust me. Now my acceptance in community life becomes challenged. I think that there should be a sense of humility with all of us since we have an issue. But go ahead and accept the fact that your issue is an actual issue. At the hospital everyone is saying treat me, at the church everyone should be saying “I have an issue treat me.” Whether you are public about your issue God knows it I know it and I am not trying to make you accept it. I think that is where we get into challenges. You recently returned from a trip to africa…what did you bring back with you spiritually? Conviction…Conviction it was so convicting because when you go to Africa and you see people serving the lord so fervently with so much less. We are so spoiled. What we call praise and worship is not praise and worship not in comparison to what you see there. People who walk to church give God more praise than those who drive up in Mercedes and Bentleys. People who live in tents, shantis and shacks with 10 other people in a two room shanti are so much more fervent and committed. Here we are trying to have the shortest service. We market that today. Come here service are only 90 min. or 45 min and we call that worship service. Here our worship service is for us there not for God. There it’s really clear they go to church to worship and it’s all about him all about God. They don’t go to church for themselves or go to church on their way someplace else. We stop by on our way and if we don’t have time then the other thing gets done and church gets left out. So it was very convicting and liberating at the same time in some other ways because the plight of Africa as a continent has to become the concern of African Americans. So we had some very strategic conversations with some leaders in Zimbabwe about forging relationships with the African American churches. It is very important; we have no connection in our own psyche and in our own thought processes with Africa. The Hispanics relate to Mexico and other Latin countries, the Jews Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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preaCHer teaCHer relate to Israel’s and the Irish to Ireland. African American people relate to nothing. We are still very confused about our own identity. We are the only people in this nation who have had several names over the last 150 years we’ve been slaves, we’ve been niggers, negro, colored, African American we don’t quite know who we are yet. I think that a lot of our issues are related to this whole matter of identity. Until we discover who we are we will never be empowered as we should be. I am moving now into another are of ministry and I refer to my book if God is Do Good Why Are Blacks Doing So Bad? We’ve really got to rediscover our true selfhood, who are we? I don’t think that you can discover that until you tap into home. And home is the continent of Africa. So literally, when I leave America going to Africa, I leave home going home yet coming back home. I understand that and we have got to get that message across if we are going to discover who we are. It is very important.
there are a lot of projects going on at the Community of Faith. What are some that you would like to share? My number one project is people. Our aim to empower people with the word and enable them to become a visible manifestation of the power of God, in the presence of people. That’s always number one for me. Delivering ministry through word and other services does that. Individuals in the congregation, those who will see those who sit under this word will actually see those manifest differences happen in their own realities and their concentric circles of contact can see the evolution of the progress and give God glory. That’s number one. Number two, we are community sensitive so our vision involves having an impact on the quality of life within our community area. We look at a five mile radius and determine that some things ought not me the same. The high dropout rate should not remain the same…our dropout rate in black America as you know is twice the national average. Every 46 seconds a black male drops out of high school. When I look at our corridor here in the northwest area, that is unacceptable, ought not remain. The teenage pregnancy rate, the rate of STDs among young people should not remain the same. The high rate of HIV cases in this community should not remain. The problem with poverty and homelessness should not remain the same so we have a comprehensive vision. Our schools are deteriorating, in inner city American and in inner city of Houston. Why, and what is the church’s role being the light of the world and the salt of the earth as it relates to our geographic area that’s important to us.
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We are presently wrapping up and retrofitting ministries again so that we can be in line with what’s going on in our area. I don’t think that we are a mega church yet because that number keeps changing. But I think that the key is making a mega difference and not just having the mega numbers. What difference do you make? That is the question that we need to keep asking ourselves. So we are developing apparatuses outside the four walls of the church that are actually improving the quality of life and the quality of community. I believe that we are a battle ship not a cruise ship and we are engaging in those sorts of things. We are sitting here at the Dominion Academy where we have a model community of faith. We have model education, model housing, model vocational training, we have model community recreation, and that is what this kindomplex vision is all about within this 55 acre development. The Dominion Academy opened its doors in 2002…8 years ago. The charter school piece a real joyous challenge doing. It is an innovative concept and we understand that these kids need to learn some things that are non-traditional. So we are teaching business, economics and entrepreneurship and leadership to kids in the inner-city and exposing them to insights and information that they may not have an opportunity to be exposed to. Dominion has students that have gone on to high school and graduated with honors. Our students have gone on to college, from Spellman to Prairie View to the University of Texas. We are pretty proud of the track record that we have established here. We are taking our curriculum to another level because we realize that we are in a global market place. And this year we are forging a relationship with a school in Zimbabwe. This year our kids will be studying the culture of Zimbabweans, studying their economy, their form of government and their way of life for those kids in Zimbabwe. The school in Zimbabwe will do the same with our kids in America. We will be taking some kids to Zimbabwe toward the end of the school year and then next year bringing some kids here. We want our kids to have an understanding of what life is like across the world. And next year we will choose a different country. So every year will be studying a different country intricately to expose our kids to a different environment.
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WaKe up CaLL
I’VE BEEN SAVED Save- to rescue, resuscitate, salvage, revive, recover…. Being spiritually saved relates to deliverance from sin, the act of salvation. It’s the act of embracing the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior and allowing the seeds of faith to bloom inside your soul so that your mind and heart are freed from past sins. Johnny Baber’s story is an emotional chronicle of redemption, forgiveness and restoration. This is his story in his words. Johnny Baber’s Background, I was living life to the fullest. Money was my God. I was playing church-you know you go on some Sundays just to show your face but I didn’t really have a relationship with God. I was into porn in and out of strip bars, I was all about me. Cocaine and alcohol was a casual thing. I had five cars, could only drive one at a time but it was about material things for me; money and things.
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WaKe up CaLL
I was in real trouble facing real time had never been to jail before. I was like a little kid-scared. I felt like I was in the dark and the walls were closing in on me and I could not get out. I started drinking and was under the influence of cocaine every day. My personal life started to suffer. My wife and I started to have problems because I was facing jail time. Cocaine and alcohol became the only way that I could find comfort during those nine months that I waited for sentencing. She got frustrated with me and accused me of being an addict. I couldn’t take that. She could call me anything else but not an addict. One day I was high out of my mind and she called me from work. And I heard those words again and it just set off something in me. I went to her office to talk to her and it turned into a confrontation. I had a gun, shots were fired. My wife was injured. I panicked and left the scene and eventually realized what I had done. I turned myself in to the police and found myself behind bars earlier than the nine months and I can’t bond out. I had hit rockbottom...in prision and still it was about my stuff, I had lost my worldly possessions.
I was facing eighteen to twenty years in prison. God is a jealous God. On the outside, money was my God and I was facing twenty plus years because of it. There was no way that I was going to walk away from this without any time. I was scared, really scared because I had never been to jail before. Although I was looking in the natural at twenty plus years God spoke to me and gave me five. The final sentence turned out to be 10 years even in that God whispered in my ear again five years. Five years, three months and nine days is what I served, nothing but God’s miraculous favor and power. Music was always a part of my life…it was in my soul. While in the wilderness, God instructed me to use my talent for his good. He had given me a mission to go out and tell what he had done for me how he had transformed my life when I was behind bars. One night while lying in my bunk the lyrics and a melody came to me “I’ve been Saved, I’ve been saaaaaved.” Then “How many miracles do
Photo Credit: Gerald James
I made my money transporting drugs in my 18 wheeler. I was living high until one day while driving it was almost as if God took my foot off the clutch. Like he was saying “you are getting a little too comfortable in your kingdom, let me shake up your world.” There was an accident. The feds came found 260 pounds of marijuana on my truck. I knew that I was in trouble. When I got busted I was still arrogant I thought I was God. I didn’t believe that He was going to get me out of it –it was my money.
Come to Jesus Meeting My life did not change with Jesus coming to visit me on a burning bush like Moses. My transition came in painful parts. As my body detoxed from the cocaine and the full effect of my memory back, I began to see who I had become. I began to see an addict, someone who had lost all sense of morality. Sixty five days into my sentence my wife came to visit me. I was different; I was sober not under the influence of drugs. During that visit she saw a different side of me…the man that she married. My wife forgave me... she forgave me, I knew that I needed to change and didn’t want to leave jail being that man that old man. I remember falling to my knees and crying like a child saying “Lord if you help me out with this one I will serve you for the rest of my life. At that moment I had a real encounter with God. It was not to the extent of the burning bush but it was very real. It wasn’t about anyone else being placed behind bars, it was between me and God. He had me right where he could talk to me.
you need to see…that was God. My music was hip hop, I could not have thought of that on my own. Just as David calmed Saul with the harp, God gave me these sweet melodies to calm my spirit. His grace, his grace and mercy…he was carrying me while I was locked down. He gave me a peace in spite of my being lock up or the people around me. The father gave me peace in spite of me. In my exile I had created the I’ve Been Saved” music project. Five years, nine months and 9 days later I was released and then came my mission to create this cd that God had given me to elevate his name and to share with the world what he had done for me. Call it jail house redemption; it doesn’t matter to me going to jail saved my soul. Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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WaKe up CaLL putting the pieces back together I came out of jail not a dime to my name. All that I had before was gone. With each step of putting this project together God showed his face. First, through my twin brother Jimmy Baber who believed in my mission and ability enough to fund the project and the artist, not just any artists, local heavyweights and legendary artists like Eddie Levert and Najee. (Jimmy Baber is the CEO and founder of WKM Records. An accomplished artist in his own right, Baber has successfully created a strong family of local artists which include; Nynne, Bryan Nesbitt, Johnny B. Williams and a host of talented music producers.)
I’ve Been Saved was completed. It features Eddie Levert, Najee, Mary Griffin (Touring artist with Pattie Labelle), Oliver Scott (Formerly of the Gap Band), Hope Luster (Featured on the Bobby Jones Gospel Hour), percussionist Charles Brown and many more. Ironically, just two weeks prior to the death of Bishop Walter Hawkins we were granted the license to record” Be Grateful” which we dedicate the final cut to the memory of his name. On June 3, 2010 the song “Why” featuring Eddie LeVert, was featured on both Tom Joyner Morning Show and The Yolanda Adams’ Show. Going to prison and then using my talent for God saved my soul!
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Photo Credit: Gerald James
Of course Satan has showed up on the scene as well. We have had some delays and obstacles placed in out path but the outcome and the blessings in putting a piece together of this big has meant healing and restoration to all involved. So much so, that my ex-brother in law Oran”Big O”Smith, who has an extensive music background, came on to help. This was his sister, my wife…he said to me “If my sister can forgive you, I can forgive you.” That’s nothing but God!
Johnny Baber featured with the legendary Eddie LeVert
WWW.WOMENTALITYONLINE.COM
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APRIL 2009
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sOuL FOOD
SO
In the Name of Jesus
IT IS
Gracious and Most Holy Father, I plead the purifying blood of Jesus over Your blessed servants who are my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. Purge them of anything that would hinder their walk with You. Father, I ask and pray, in the name of Jesus, that You bless their beloved spouses and bless them, also, in their season of singleness. Bless the inheritance of their children, their families and entire bloodlines, the thorns that You placed in their sides, their ministries, their business endeavors and everything else connected to them. Your sovereign will reigns supreme in their lives. Father, You chose them to accomplish greater works for the sake of the kingdom and greater works they shall do. The word, Your word, declares that they are Your friend, they are kings and queens, royal priests, men and women above reproach, prophetic voices to the nation and are excellent stewards over all that You have endowed them with.
Minister Tonyai Palmer "When God speaks, no matter who chooses to agree with you or not is irrelevant. God is the final authority. Therefore, His word is His lasting covenant with you. Every promise spoken to you, by Him, bears eternal significance. Protect the precious pearls He entrusts you with. Be selective in whom you decide to share them with and do not mistreat them. In the same token, we must be ever mindful how we treat the gifts of God's people while they are yet transitioning from faith-to-faith and glory-to-glory. Make no mistake; God's word will never be voided. He will always get the glory. Take care. They may be the one on top today; however, our Father has an interesting way of handling those who mishandle His."
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In the name of Jesus, Lord God, stir up the spiritual gifts within them and enlarge their territories of promise. I thank You that my brothers and sisters operate in the complete fruit of Your Holy Spirit, that they are vessels of honor and walk uprightly, that they refuse the counsel of the ungodly and are widely respected, for Your name sake, wherever they go. Father, allow Your goodness and Your loving kindness to remain with them forever. Fortify the spiritual hedges of protection that surround my brothers and sisters minds, bodies, souls and spirits, by the blood of Jesus. Keep them humble and grateful for the inevitable valley experiences for in due season You always unleash the miracles in their mouth that will move mountains. They are true, soul winning ambassadors for Christ and Your word is their weapon. In the name of Jesus, intensify their resolve in You this day. Reaffirm within them that Your grace is always sufficient, that You can be trusted, and that King Jesus is interceding on their behalf daily. Lord God, You are greater than any situation. Give them the strength to cast every care at Your feet. Liberate their minds and unburden their spirits from the distractions of the world that they may flow freely in reverent praise to You. Cover them now under the shadow of Your almighty wings and instill in them Your compass of divine direction. As they submit themselves before
sOuL FOOD You, like Your servant Job, confessing their sins, expressing their frustrations and weaknesses, have mercy on their sweet souls and bless them double for any trouble. You have established them this day to soar with eagles and to ride on Your chariots of fire with God given power, dominion, and authority.
to the world that they are Your elect. The standard of the Lord, Your standard, continually goes before Your servants and they will suffer no harm. Establish their feet like hinds feet and fashion them in such a way that they will never slip. By Your Spirit God, their victory is already won!
In the name of Jesus, no weapon formed against my brother or my sister will be able to prosper and every tongue that rises up in judgment against them, they will condemn. Holy Spirit, convert every critic, negate the efforts of every naysayer and silence every soothsayer, in the name of Jesus. Incinerate every false report, all bouts of confusion, doubt, spiritual congestion, demonic plots, assassination attempts, and all snares of iniquity, right now in the name of Jesus. Father, infuse them with an untouchable anointing of Your Spirit of wisdom, revelation, knowledge, understanding and discernment. I declare that EVERYTHING that comes near them MUST come through the blood of Jesus.
Heavenly Father, Your amazing grace, abundant favor, surpassing peace and everlasting love rests upon them both now and forevermore. I touch and agree, declare and decree by the matchless name above every name, in the name at which every knee shall bow,
In the name of Jesus, reaffirm that success is not grounded in what can be seen or heard, but it is rooted in what You’ve preordained. I thank You for ordering my brothers and sisters steps and enabling them to stand on the word of God for such a time as this. Increase the measure of faith within them God. They are not merely water walkers by faith; they are the flavorful salt and radiant light of the earth by works. It is because You made them righteous by the blood of Jesus, that neither they nor their household will ever beg for bread. By the hand of Your angels, bring fresh manna, honey and quail to their door. I thank You, Lord Jesus, for engrafting Your Character upon theirs. Remind them that You will never leave them nor forsake them. Father, You declared in Your word that no one, no thing as in nothing will ever separate them from Your eternal love. You are the Overseer of their souls, they are Your beloved and they belong to You. In the name of Jesus, remove everything in and around the lives of my brothers and sisters that did not come with Your seal of approval. You are their ROCK, their Fortress and their very present help whenever they are in a season of transitional need. Quicken their spirits so that they will never tire of doing well. Renew their strength by the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Father, encase them in Your Holy presence. Saturate my brothers and sisters from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feet with fullness of joy. I thank You that the Earth is Yours and the fullness therein. Release the blessings of overflow into their lives, like the Noahic deluge of Genesis 9, as a symbol
In the mighty name of Jesus, It Is So! Amen.
About Minister Tonyai Palmer Inspirational, Loving, Humble, Gentle and Wise are words known to describe the gracious persona of Minister Tonyai Monique Palmer. Esteemed by her Eternal King as His beloved ‘Soul Spark’, she ignites a fire that fuels a ‘less of me/more of You’ response at the core of those purposed to cross her path. Spiritually gifted, she reaches across racial and religious divides to help her kingdom co-heirs experience God, in a unified, unrestricted manner. Every sweet soul she encounters is encouraged to journey beyond the veil. To press their way into the Holy of Holies until they are face-toface with the King of glory. In 1998, Tonyai received her commission as a Licensed Minister and Missionary Evangelist. Tonyai is also the founder of This Body Rocks, a health and wellness distribution company helping you to look better, feel better both inside and out as well as G.E.M.S. International: Ministers on the Move. The latter being a global outreach ministry mandated to modeling, mentoring, teaching and encouraging Gods Elect Ministry Servants to edify the body of Christ by life example and share, with all, the Good News of eternal redemption. In addition, Tonyai partners with the International Ministers Fellowship (IMF) serving as their Director of Communication. Her dedication to the global dynamic for kingdom advancement continues on as a core member of the Kingdom Shield intercession team for Dream Flights Luxury Travel, Inc.; a faith based private jet company. Celebrating 18+ years together, she is the beloved wife and elect lady designed by God to compliment her valiant king, Sir Derrick Palmer. She is also a proud USAF Veteran, Servant, Licensed Minister, Certified Christian Counselor, Inspirational Speaker, Entrepreneur, Artist, Actor and aspiring Author of the soon-to-be published works; “It Is So! and I Matter, Today!” Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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sOuL FOOD
Quiet passion
Watermelon slush
3 oz White Grape Juice 3 oz Grapefruit Juice 1 oz Passion Fruit Juice Combine in shaker half filled with ice.
6-8 ice cubes 2 cups seeded watermelon Sugar or honey to taste Place ice cubes in a blender, pulse until crushed. Add the watermelon and honey, blend together until slushy (or smooth for a more cocktail feel) Garnish with watermelon wedge and serve.
Down east Delight 2 oz cranberry juice 2 oz grapefruit juice 1/2 cup orange juice 1 oz honey to taste Mix together and serve chilled. Add a maraschino cherry, orange slice and grapefruit skewer for garnish
tequila Meadow 2 oz Orange Juice 2 oz Pineapple Juice 1/2 oz Cranberry Juice 2 oz Lemon/Lime Soda 1/4 oz Grenadine Combine everything but soda in shaker half filled with ice, strain into glass & add soda.
virgin Mary 3 oz tomato juice Tabasco sauce to taste Celery salt to taste Dash of Worcestershire sauce Ground pepper ½ oz lemon juice Mix all of the ingredients together and serve cold.
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unfuzzy navel 3 oz Peach Nectar 3 oz Orange Juice 3 oz Pineapple Juice 1 tsp. Lemon Juice Dash of Grenadine Combine in shaker half filled with ice.
Summer Mocktails Cool off with these non-alcholic beverages. Serve in cocktail glasses for added flair.
sOuL FOOD shirley temple-Drink 3-5 ice cubes to a highball OR martini glass. 3 ounces of lime juice. 3 ounces of Ginger Ale OR substitute it with 7-Up or Sprite. Add a dash of grenadine. (The grenadine's function is to serve as color more than taste. Adding too much can make your drink painfully sweet) Add a cherry (or two) and a straw.
Fruity punch 2 cups frozen cranberry juice 6 cups water 2 cups orange juice 2 cups pineapple juice 4 liters ginger ale Mix all ingredients together.
virgin strawberry Daiquiri 1/4 C. Strawberries 1 oz Orange Juice 1 oz Lime Juice 2 tsp. Sugar Dash of Grenadine Combine in blender with ice.
screwless Driver 1 1/2 oz Ginger Ale 5 oz Orange Juice Mix and add ice.
Mock Green alien 3 oz Lime juice 3 oz Sparkling Lemonade Crushed Ice Lime Slice
Cherry Fizz ½ cup cherry juice from concentrate ½ cup ginger ale Fresh cherries and other fruits for a garnish Mix ginger ale into the juice slowly in a blender, add ice if desired, serve in tall glass with fruit kabob.
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker / stirrer and pour into an unusually shaped glass. Add Crushed Ice and decorations to create a great speciality drink from an easy to make recipe! For a more unusual spin, add a few drops of green food coloring, or alternatively if you're not worried about alcohol content, add some Midori to the mix too! Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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Hip Hop Pastor Jaeson Ma Documents Big Christian Movement in Asia 10/40
By Michelle A. Vu | Christian Post Reporter
Who is Jaeson Ma? With a sincere passion for music that comes from the heart, artist Jaeson Ma is a destined messenger full of thought-provoking lyrics and undeniable charisma. Jaeson’s initial interest in hip-hop began at the young age of 13 when he became active as a rapper in the West Coast underground hip-hop circuit. At the age of 16, Jaeson experienced a radical encounter with God, which directed his path towards building a “Hip Hop Church” a year later. With his spirituality maturing and his undeniable talent with music, Jaeson began working in the Bay Area as MC Hammer’s right hand man in media, film, and music production. After gaining a few years of experience with one of Hip Hop’s legends, Jaeson felt a clear call to surrender his dreams in the entertainment industry to follow a path towards and become a pastor. Jaeson pursued his mission with genuine fervor, starting by building churches on University campuses. Presently he has planted over 200 churches worldwide. Jaeson ventured passed the comforts of the U.S. and began traveling to every corner of the world, preaching to and inspiring thousands with a message of hope and passion for Jesus. After building a strong foundation for his ministry, Jaeson again received a calling from God in his dreams. This time he was summoned to reach out to the entertainment industry as a messenger of the gospel. With his great oratory skills and keen sense of connection to people, the recording booth would become his new pulpit and his music would serve as a new vehicle for preaching the truth. Jaeson’s music has been inspired by an eclectic variety of inspirations, but there is no genre that can particularly define the sound and message of his music. His music is a mixture of spoken word, preaching on beats, and prophetic utterances of a melodic tune. Most of his lyrics are inspired through his spirituality and there is nothing that compares to its power in today’s popular music. As an artist, Jaeson Ma’s passion has always been to craft music that is inspired from the heart. He grew up in the Bay Area, CA listening to all genres of music, specifically hip hop, rock and gospel. Some of his musical influences have been Run DMC, Will Smith, MC Hammer, 2Pac, Nas, Notorious B.I.G., Wu Tang Clan, Hieroglyphics, Living Legends, Pharcyde, U2, Nirvana, Lifehouse, Switchfoot, Coldplay, Delirious, Jason Upton, P.O.D., KRS-One, and many others. Jaeson currently resides in Hollywood, CA where he pursues his passions of knowing God and living life everyday with divine joy. His mission in life is “to know love and make love known.” His journey is just beginning and his hope is that his music will bring heaven closer to Earth, and his words will help hearts be awakened to truth and love. His favorite quote is - “If you don’t have a passion worthy dying for, you have nothing worth living for”. Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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CuLture Big Christian Movement in asia 10/40 Western churches either do not know or know very little about the large Christian movement occurring in Asia’s 10/40 Window, said hip hop artist and pastor Jaseon Ma. Ma wants to change that. His new documentary film, “1040,” takes viewers on a journey through Asian countries located in the 10/40 Window – the regions between 10 degrees and 40 degrees North Latitude where the core of the world’s unreached people live. Within these perimeters lie the world’s largest church, a surprisingly sizeable Christian population in the world’s most populous Muslim country, and more than 100 million believers living under China’s communist rule. “I’ve been traveling back and forth between Asia and the U.S. for the last ten years as a pastor and as a motivational speaker and evangelist,” said Ma to The Christian Post. “I saw God move in such a dramatic way in Asia. … I truly believe that the greatest movement of God is happening in Asia today.” Christianity’s Growth in asia A hundred years ago, Christians made up less than one percent of the population in South Korea, Ma pointed out. Today, the largest church in the world, Yoido Full Gospel Church with nearly a million members, is located in South Korea. In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, local church leaders say more than 20 percent of the population is Christian. U.S. statistics usually say only 10 percent of Indonesia is Christian, he noted. And in China, the Christian population grew from about a million to more than 100 million within about 50 years. “These are stories, these are statistics that most people who are followers of Jesus and lovers of God have no idea that these things are happening,” Ma emphasized. “I want to tell that story.” The fast-talking and passionate, young pastor from Northern California stated that the 10/40 Window has changed. No longer can Asian countries be seen only as a mission field because some have turned into a “mission force.” The tiny nation of South Korea, slightly larger than the state of Indiana, he pointed out, is on track to send more missionaries than North America within about 15 years.
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CuLture “I truly believe it is not just a political or economic shift from the West to the East,” Ma said. “But it is also a spiritual shift. …The Eastern church that is rising up with radical faith is going to mobilize and inspire the rest of the body of Christ around the world to get the Great Commission done.” asian Celebrities for Christ Perhaps one of the most intriguing and unusual aspects of the missionfocused documentary is its inclusion of testimonies by big-name music artists in Asia. Taiwanese-American singer Van Ness Wu, a member of the popular Taiwanese boy band F4; ChineseAmerican hip hop rapper MC Jin, the first Asian solo rapper to be signed to a major U.S. record label; and Sean of the well-known Korean hip hop duo Jinusean, talk about their Christian faith in the film.
“What you are recognizing nowadays is it is a completely visual media-driven world and within that pop stars, cultural icons, these are the new influencers and culture shapers and creators,” the hiphop pastor, who counts MC Hammer as his mentor, said. “So what we are seeing in Asia is not traditional missionaries that are doing all the work. But what you see is everyone is mobilized.” World tour “1040” premiered in March at the 2010 City of Angels Film Festival in Hollywood to an overflow crowd of more than 700 people. The film has since been shown across the nation at churches and college campuses. Over the past two months, there have already been 300 screenings. In August, Ma and his team will take “10/40” to Asia. So far, screenings are confirmed in six countries, including South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. He said the film might also be shown in the Philippines and mainland China. The expected audience number for a screening event ranges from 500 to up to 10,000 viewers. “I want to inspire, to educate, I want to awaken the global church to what God is doing,” Ma said. The official U.S. online release of “1040” will be on Oct. 1. In Asia, the DVD will be sold only at the screening locations.
Wu in the documentary shares about how he became a bornagain Christian after living a wild celebrity life. After recommitting his life to Christ, he vowed to remain sexually pure until marriage. Sean, meanwhile, has given much of his earnings from his career in entertainment to charities. In the documentary, Sean says he and his wife now sponsor more than 200 children through the Christian ministry Compassion. “In the pre-modern culture, parents are really the symbols of leadership in society,” Ma explained. “In the modern culture it was teachers. But in post-modern culture today … the symbols in society are the cultural icons, the pop stars. These are the new prophets. These are the new spiritual leaders.” Young people may not follow a youth pastor, but they want to follow Bono in his crusade to end AIDS in Africa or Angelina Jolie in building homes in New Orleans, he said.
Stills from the Documentary 1040
(Photo: Adventures.TV)
(Photo: Adventures.TV)
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NFL Cornerback to Make A Christian Rap Album Green Bay Packers’ cornerback Al Harris is sharing the Gospel through music. He is getting ready to make a Christian rap album with childhood friend Kevin Soto. Sports and rap fans can expect the album to come out later this year, released under 31 Entertainment. “We’re trying to start a movement with this music,” Harris told the Sun-Sentinel. “We’re trying to say that you don’t have to cuss, or have to sell drugs or whatever, to be cool. You can still be cool and fly, and love the Lord.” Harris has been in and out of jail, but turned his life around when he met God.
Donnie McClurkin Passes the Torch to the Next Generation of Singers
“A lot of the album is about being a man,” Soto said. “A lot of it is telling everyone what I’ve done, and this is what it can lead you to, and what [Harris] has done, and where that hard work can lead you to.”
Platinum selling gospel recording artist, TV personality, philanthropist and Pastor--Donnie McClurkin, stated that he is no longer recording! In a casual atmosphere, over lunch, with a small group of friends/colleagues, during GMWA week, McClurkin stated his time had passed and he wanted to pass the torch to those up and coming artists that go unnoticed, but deserve the recognition he has experienced. Pastor McClurkin said if those of us in the industry who have sold millions of albums and received countless accolades don’t step aside, he’s not sure where the state of Gospel music will end up. Just recently Donnie released of all his background singers in an attempt to give them the fatherly push he felt they needed to pursue their own dreams of being successful solo artists. “He said I want to see singers like my sister Andrea, Troy Bright, Duawne Starling and all the others step out on their own because they are incredibly talented!”
Need A Prayer?
Donnie stated he’s going to concentrate on preaching, his radio show and future upcoming endeavors. He is also in the process of releasing his choir’s CD, which he responded QUICKLY that he would not be singing on.
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Gospel Audiences Give R&B Songstress Ledisi A Crossover Pass The 2-time Grammy nominee was the only non-gospel act on the ticket at the recent tribute to the late Bishop Walter Hawkins and has performed on Celebration of Gospel, at Bishop T.D. Jakes’ Potter’s House and the Essence Music Festival Gospel Salute. She admits she enjoys all the love, but has no plans of crossing over or doing a gospel album. “I just love music and am enjoying the fact that people are accepting me in any genre,” she said after recording a duet with Dr. Bobby Jones for the next season of BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel.
Common Gives Props to God *Superstar Common took time out to speak with BV Buzz about faith and his success. “I think that’s the foundation for me. That’s how I am able to exist in the industry,” he said. “You have to bring who you are and what you are and your spirituality and the things that you believe in have to exceed and go beyond anything that you do,” he continued. “Any work that you do and accolades that you get, you have to know that God is more important and family and love that you have for others. I just put that first and wake up in the morning like this is who I am. That allows me to function more in the music industry and the Hollywood world.” The rapper gone actor is getting ready to head back to his hometown, Chicago and will be stopping by his childhood church, Trinity United Church. “When I’m in Chicago and its Sunday, I’m going to Trinity for sure. That’s the church I grew up in since I was 8-years-old. I definitely stop and go to church. If there’s a church in another city that I am aware of I might go there, too. I found a church in L.A. that I like going to on and off, but I need that sometimes,” he shared. He also disclosed that being with other Christians inspires him. “It’s the whole communion with people and knowing that we’re all focused on God and doing some good for ourselves. It really becomes a community thing, too, so I love going to church and Trinity in particular,” he said.
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Ledisi also performed the Richard Smallwood classic “Center of My Joy” solo. The next season of Bobby Jones Gospel is scheduled to premiere on October 3.
ENTERTAINMENT Johnson’s Cheaper to Keep Her stage play, now touring. Marriage Material is the comedic remedy to solve the ageold predicament of wondering whether “Mr. or Ms. Right” is really the perfect mate.
I’m Ready Productions Adds 13th Stage Play to its Portfolio and Announces Cast of “Je’Caryous Johnson’s Marriage Material” I’m Ready Productions (“I’m Ready”) is living up to its Texas roots and doing things big and bold. Today, the Houston headquartered, national, AfricanAmerican theatre, television, feature film and music production company announced it will tour two plays simultaneously in nearly 40 markets across the U.S. through 2011.The thirteenth production that I’m Ready Executive Producers Je’Caryous Johnson and Gary Guidry will add to their impressive portfolio of critically acclaimed stage plays is Je’Caryous Johnson’s Marriage Material. Co-written and directed by Je’Caryous Johnson, Marriage Material is a romantic comedy stage play and will star: Allen Payne (TV sitcom Tyler Perry’s House of Payne) Tank (R&B platinum recording artist) Jill Marie Jones (TV sitcom Girlfriends) T-Boz (R&B Grammy Award-winning girl group TLC) Michael Colyar (actor/comedian) Patrice Lovely (UniverSoul Circus) Marriage Material was inspired by the popularity of character “Koren” the feisty lawyer in Je’Caryous
In Marriage Material, when couples are deciding whether they should or should not get married, there is only one retreat and two people who can deal with any issue. Armed with the Word of God, a black belt in karate and a PhD in romance, Bishop Love Jones (Michael Colyar) and his wife Beulah Mae-Bullet (Patrice Lovely) have a technique that checks attitudes at the door, and breaks you down to build your relationships back up better than before. Lawyer Koren Lyles (Jill Marie Jones) has been known to slay hearts. When her loving boyfriend Joey Harris (Allen Payne) proposes marriage and persuades her to go to Bishop and Beulah’s premarital retreat to see if they are Marriage Material, she never expected to run into her best friend Shauna (T-Boz) there, engaged to Michael (Tank), the one man that slayed Koren’s heart. The weekend turns into a whirlwind as emotions erupt, perceived friendships become tested, secrets are shouted, and old love goes to war with new love! Will they make it through this retreat or will they discover that marriage may never materialize for them? “Being in love is something we all want, men and women. We see it in movies, TV shows, and read about it in books,” shared I’m Ready Productions Executive Producer and CEO Je’Caryous Johnson. “Marriage Material is based on real-life experiences and is rooted in the biblical principles of being equally yoked and dwelling in understanding of our loved one, treating her or him as you would like to be treated, and having love and respect for one another. In these days of high divorce rates, Marriage Material encourages some old-fashioned wisdom such as never stop dating your spouse and have fun in your relationship. We’re looking forward to the tour and hope everyone is blessed by the play.”
entertainMent
Fred Hammond’s New Groove
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Fred Hammond didn’t start the gospel group Commissioned nearly three decades ago to change the world, but its success made him a pioneering force in contemporary gospel. When he left Commissioned to form Radical For Christ, he believed with all his heart that the worship music he was helping to innovate could change lives. Hammond subsequently led the charge in developing the praise & worship music genre within traditional gospel music.
Now, the GRAMMY, Stellar and Dove Award-winner is once again feeling the fire inside of him that served to change the face of gospel. While he’s still not out to change the world, he’s hopeful about setting gospel on a new course. “I dare not get arrogant enough to think this is going to do the same thing,” Hammond says of the deal he signed with Universal Records for his new label, fHammond Family Entertainment, “but I am going to work with the passion and
entertainMent next song]. Some of them are very dramatic, some of them are solemn and some of them are comedic.” Stylistically, the project has Hammond stepping away from the microphone and into the role of mentor and producer, guiding a fresh ensemble of young artists (with the exception of former Men of Standard lead vocalist Lowell Pye) as they sing songs inspired by scripture. (Pye is featured on the first single, “You Do Great Things.”) Other highlights include the celebratory “Walkin’ In Victory” (also featuring Pye), the classic devotional “Dwelling Place,” the mid-tempo track, “Life In The Word” and the moving ballad “Home Inside My Praise.” “People are thirsty for music that tackles everyday issues in their lives and they want it delivered in a way that speaks to them,” Hammond says. “This [album] is a prayer and worship devotional. You can put it in and you’re going to get the word and you’ll get it in a way that you can just let your mind relax and it just kind of ministers to you.” knowledge I have, put it out there, and hope that it does the same thing or better.” The first project on Universal, Life In the Word, is a compilation he’s calling a “praise and worship devotional,” released July 27. “It’s songs I’ve written throughout the years that many people have not heard and I’ve allowed new singers to sing them. In between most of the songs comes a narrative scripture [that introduces the
Given declining sales in the music industry due to the economic climate, Hammond believes artists have become all the more creative in regard to keeping their products in front of consumers. “I’ve known my audience for a long time, so I understand what they want,” he shares. Home for Hammond is a 15,000-square-foot warehouse facility in Dallas that houses everything from his recording studio, to executive offices for the label he launched with
Florida-based businessman/ philanthropist Roy Campbell. In addition to his focus on praise & worship music, Hammond is also putting together a jazz album. “I’m playing bass in my own group and it’ll be smooth jazz. It’s going to open up a new division of players – gospel musicians who are excellent players.” Hammond sees an extension into urban music as well. “The next guy I have coming out is very urban. For the last 12 years I wouldn’t mess with an urban artist. But this young brother, Steve Huff, I believe in. He used to play for Milton Brunson and the Tommies and he toured with R. Kelly. What attracted me to Steve was not just his music, but his story. He started producing and he had the money and fame, but now he’s a pastor with a heart for the street and his music connects just like Mary Mary connects. It is absolutely banging. I really want to tell his story and I know at the end of the day there are thousands of people who want to hear exactly what he’s got to say.
sell them as books,” Hammond reveals. “I have an audience of about 225,000–250,000 faithful fans and I figure if I get 50,000 to 60,000 people to buy my books, it may allow me to do a little independent film. But with my brief stint in the independent movie game over the last two years, I saw that my heart wasn’t ready for the game you have to play.” So for now, he’ll stick to what he does best: music. “We’re trying to get people to understand that no matter what we do, the songs we hear breathe life into us. I hope they are strengthened by what they hear.”
about the Writer
Lisa Collins, a Los Angeles native and resident, is a syndicated columnist, writer, publisher and former Billboard Magazine columnist. Her career in gospel began in 1988 with her creation of “Inside Gospel,” a daily/weekly syndicated radio series that provided news, profiles and product updates relative to the gospel music community. For the next eight years, she “I’d also like to open up some would also serve as executive producer of the show that was areas of gospel hip hop because it’s struggling. I also broadcast in more than 100 have a choir record I’m putting markets nationwide. Collins out. Then there’s my daughter. has also served as a segment producer for BET and authored She’s 22 years old and she’s extremely talented but I don’t well over 300 articles on a necessarily want to put her out variety of issues for a number of national publications from into the Rihanna or Beyonce Essence to Upscale. Her world.” background in the field of entertainment reporting is And true to form, Hammond extensive, featuring cover is not limiting his creativity to stories and interviews with the music. likes of Richard Pryor, Michael “I have eight stories in me that Jackson and Prince. are movies, but I’m going to Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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JOHNNY B. WILLIAMS
something SPIRITUAL this way comes
With his guitar in tote, Johnny B. Williams can be seen popping up in churches, performance halls, festivals and conventions all across the country. He is a true and free worshipper to the core. His consistent tour schedule, diverse musical ability and powerful worship style have stirred a demand and command for his debut release The Way I Worship. Johnny B. Williams’ music is influenced by many of his favorites - a bit of Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra peppered with Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris Tomlin and Michael W. Smith. His gospel flavor is shaped by the vocal stylings of Kim Burrell and Kathy Taylor, the soulfulness of the Mighty Clouds of Joy and Canton Spirituals. Now toss in the Soul and R&B vibe of Musiq Soulchild, D-Angelo, and Prince. The assortment of this roster of influences represents the diversity of Johnny B. Williams’ talent poured into The Way I Worship. Johnny is best known as a powerful praise and worship singer. His ministry is marked by his ability to shift an atmosphere into one in which the presence of God can certainly be experienced by all who are present. As a writer, he expresses the heart of God and truly captures the essence of authentic worship on the breakout hit title track “The Way I Worship” and on the worship anthem
“Forever Praise.” “When I sing, my audience is God, and God’s audience is His people; as my heart moves God, He moves His people,” Johnny explains. As an artist, he has a stark commitment to keeping Jesus in his music and walking by faith to fulfill his purpose. The Way I Worship is intended that no matter what the style of music is, the content of the songs are scripturally based and can be ministered in love to anyone, anywhere. Johnny B. Williams is a lover of God and His people. He is a born again believer in Jesus Christ who is dedicated to spreading the gospel to the world. Johnny is a singer, musician, songwriter, actor, playwright, producer, educator, and entrepreneur who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts from Prairie View A&M University, and a Master of Arts degree in Education Administration from University of Phoenix. Hailing from the small Texas town of Jewett, Johnny received his first guitar at age 5 and as soon as he picked it up, he was making music. Johnny’s parents, the late Johnny B. Williams, Sr., who was deacon and member of local quartet group The Buffalo Male Chorus and his mother, Mary Williams, a dedicated community servant, recognized his musical gift early and diligently kept him involved in music. Johnny demonstrates this rich traditional upbringing with a down home quartet tune “I’m Gonna Serve The Lord”. His roots stand strong on the traditional gospel track “He’ll Pick Up The Pieces” featuring powerhouse vocalist Kathy Taylor. These tracks leap straight from
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the old wooden benches of those old Baptist and Pentecostal churches in which Johnny grew up. The musical styles represented on The Way I Worship are diverse and appeal to all types of listeners. One of the principle purposes of the project is to bring a worship experience right into the listener’s home, car, job or wherever they hear the music. The Way I Worship is lifestyle music that is to provoke change, inspire hope and build the kingdom. “This project will hopefully help to build someone’s faith to believe they can truly do all things through Christ,” Johnny reflects on Mark 11:22-24. “The awesome thing about God is that he gets glory by using the most unlikely people just like me to do great work for His kingdom. With faith, God can turn a failure into a future, a miserable mess into a spectacular success and He wants to use you as an ocular demonstration to others of His mercy and His might, His power, and His love. I make it a point to dream bigger than where my talent alone can take me for the simple purpose of making it obvious to others that anything I achieve was made possible only by the amazing grace of my amazing God!!!
entertainMent important with anything and any career you have. I just happened to make music my career and the Lord has been with me every step of the way.” Heart to Yours would go on to top the Billboard Gospel charts and received a GRAMMY award. For some artists adjusting to life as a solo act can seem difficult, but Williams has taken it in stride. “Life as a solo artist has been great. I get to do what I want to do and I really don’t have to answer to anybody, except God of course! Life as a solo artist coming out of a group was lonely at first, but I’ve gotten used to it.” Between the time Heart to Yours became the best-selling Gospel album of 2002, and her second album Do You Know released in 2007, some in the Gospel community were less than supportive. The idea that an artist could produce mainstream music and still show their love and appreciation for God seemed taboo. The GRAMMY Award-winning singer admits, “It’s taken me awhile to deal with it without getting angry. But I realized that we all have to stand in judgment one day and I pray for those who judge others here on earth.”
MICHELLE WILLIAMS’ DESTINY By Martin Williams
As a unique talent with a humble heart, Michelle Williams, one third of the multi-platinum-selling Destiny’s Child, has become a respected singer and songwriter in her own right. Expanding into different genres, breaking world records and taking Broadway by storm are just a few the accolades that have made her a household name. Williams explains that her journey in music began even before receiving the call to become part of the group that would earn the title of world’s best-selling female group of all time. In the midst of pursuing a criminal justice degree at the University of Illinois, she stepped out on faith and began her career. “The journey has been filled with many twists and turns,” says Williams, who landed her first professional job singing background vocals for R&B sensation Monica. “The majority of it has been awesome.” It was in the church choir that Williams discovered her passion for music and her love for Christ, and where she developed her vocal style, so when given the opportunity to record her first solo project, a gospel album entitled Heart to Yours, fit the bill. The album proclaimed her dedication and gratefulness to God for the awesome things He had done in her life. When asked about her relationship with God, Williams explains, “A relationship with God is
Music proved to be just one of Williams’ talents as she delved into theater, first replacing Toni Braxton in Disney’s “Aida” and then touring nationally as “Shug Avery” in “The Color Purple” on its national tour. In 2006 she appeared on the UPN series “Half and Half.” When asked if she’d take on more roles, Williams says, “Absolutely.” She continued to make history as she and her band mates Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland received a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. Williams is also designated the only African-American actress to play “Roxie” in “Chicago.” What’s next for Michelle Williams? For starters, a brand-new album. “I will be releasing an album next year. I can’t wait for you guys to hear it.” When asked what keeps her going and grounded, this triple threat says, “Staying focused and surrounding myself with great people. If you want to be great, you have to hang around great people. Always be true to yourself. You’ll have more success and you won’t regret anything.”
--- About the Writer Martin Williams is a business and entertainment marketing major at American InterContinental University in Atlanta. He’s a contributing writer for GospelFlava.com, where he reports on industry events, albums, and discussions. Prior to becoming a blogger, Martin was an intern here at gmc in the music industry development & business affairs department. He is a member of CaJo University, where he has the opportunity to travel and sing with Canton Jones. With a passion and fire for gospel music, Martin strives to be an uplifting and informative journalist. Sept/Oct 2010 Dunamis
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