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March 2012 ● urbancny.com
The Hall Monitor
What’s in your medicine cabinet? p. 3
Dr. Boyce Watkins
Bobby, Whitney made mistakes in music ownership p. 3 African Americans in the news
Hail to the new Chiefs By Walt Shepperd
Q&A with Syracuse Chiefs new manager Tony Beasley
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Ryan Mack: An open letter to the black church
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2 March 2012
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City Scuffle
By Walt Shepperd
Q&A with Syracuse Chiefs new manager Tony Beasley
Hail to the new Chiefs chief On his first day in town, Syracuse Chiefs new manager Tony Beasley sat for an early morning chat about the state of baseball, especially the local minor league brand. He grew up watching his dad and uncles playing sandlot ball in Bowling Green, Va., always wanting to play in the major leagues. He played at the collegiate level at Lewisberg JC in North Carolina and Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Drafted in the 19th round by the Orioles, he played with Baltimore until 2006, coached three years for Pittsburgh and last year with Syracuse’s parent club, the Washington Nationals.
“I’m an open guy,” he introduced himself, “pretty straight forward. I’ll give respect and hopefully get it back. I’m passionate about what I do. I’m usually media friendly. I’m a Christian
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guy, I won’t shy away from my faith at all. What you see with me is usually what you get. I don’t have any agendas.” Asked if he aspired to manage in the majors, he responded, “Definitely. As with any job, you should aspire to be at the top. Not at the expense of anyone else, but when an opportunity presents itself I would love to be prepared, and be the guy who steps in.” He was quick to add, “But that’s down the road. I’m very content to be where I am right now. Very happy. Very pleased.” The irony of minor league baseball is that everyone on your team wants to be somewhere else. How does that affect the coaching dynamic?
That’s probably the greatest challenge that you will face at this level. Double-A guys are usually on the upswing, so they’re very happy to be there, and below as well. But for some reason at this level, mostly the team is not etched in stone until probably two days before the end of spring training. A large number of those players spend the whole spring in major league camp. So whether it’s a false hope, or false sense of security, or whatever it may be, when they’re sent down, it’s a blow, and it takes a little time for that player to accept that and get in his mind that ‘I’m not at the major league level.’ Mostly the players in Triple-A don’t want to be in Triple-A, they want to be at the major leagues, which is a good thing, because that’s incentive to play well. On the flip side of it, somewhat it’s demoralizing because a lot of times in their minds they believe that they should be there. You have to hear them out. You have to let them know that you understand, you care. ‘I feel your pain.’ But the bottom line is we have to play baseball, and you have to make up your mind what you want to do. If you want to pout and complain, then you’re not going to play well, you won’t get there. The flip side is that you’re having a really good season and heading for the playoffs, and the parent club grabs two key players. What does that do to your psyche? You just have to go into it knowing that that’s the structure of baseball. You want players
at your level that can go up and contribute at the next level. That’s true at any level. When a guy is going from Triple-A to the major leagues you want the guy to contribute, be a ‘piece of’ because everything is gauged on how the major league team does. That’s the challenge of it. You know your roster is going to change. It’s inevitable. You’re not going to carry the same 25 that you start the season with. You’ve just got to be flexible. You’ve got to prepare for that. That’s why it’s important to get everyone involved. That guy that you think you may not need, you’re going to need.
What role does the community play in the dynamic of minor league baseball? It’s important that you get involved in the community, at any level. Players need to get out and be involved. You have to let the fans know we are more than just baseball players. A lot of these guys have a lot to offer as far as life is concerned. A lot of them are very educated. It’s good for them to get out and mingle, visit hospitals, visit kids, to go inner-city. It’s important for them to be visible, to be out in the community and be giving back, because the game of baseball has been good to them. The local community of color has not responded significantly to the existence of the team. You’ve got to promote the game of baseball. A lot of times in the African-American community basketball and football have become predominant sports. And baseball is really a better opportunity than those two. We’ve been through a history of having the Negro Leagues and not being able to play in the major leagues. Now through Jackie Robinson — and Moses Fleetwood Walker (the actual first AfricanAmerican to play major league baseball, in 1884, who played for Syracuse in the International League in 1888 and 1889) — the doors have opened, but you’re seeing less and less of minorities in the game. If you visit an inner-city playground and ask young males their aspirations, most will say the NBA. How do you get them thinking about baseball?
You look at the playgrounds, the first thing you see is a basketball court. You don’t even see a baseball field. So there’s no initial thought or presentation to the kid of ‘let’s play baseball.’ It’s become cultural, and appeals to a different type of audience now. Everything has become costly. You have to be financially stable and secure to keep a kid involved with baseball and, with travel, to showcase him. It’s sad, because it’s a door that needs to be open to everyone. If you build a baseball field, and put a little incentive there for kids to play, and you give them leadership and guidance and teach them how to play, I think you’ll find there are a lot of kids who will fall in love with it. America’s always been chauvinistic about baseball, calling the major league championship the World Series. What is the state of baseball in the world, and how does American baseball stack up? We still stack up elite. For Dominican kids baseball is a way of life. They grow up playing baseball, and most don’t even go to school. They play baseball in the streets and see it as an opportunity to get out of poverty. If they can somehow get to America and become a professional, they see that as success. It’s putting all their eggs in one basket. When you talk about Japan, Japan is a work related society. With Japanese teams and Korean teams, it’s like being in the military. It’s an all-day and sometimes nightly job as far as the regimen. But when you talk about America, there’s more of a feel for how to play the game. There’s a natural feel of how to play. For some reason we get that. It may be something spiritual. But for some reason we do have more of a natural understanding of the game. It’s not the end of the road for us. It’s not everything. But it’s something that we play because we’re passionate about it and we have a deep love for it. That’s what makes us good at it, but I think we were much better at it when society at large was participating. We have to get back to that somehow. There’s been a gap, and we have to find a way to bridge that gap, particularly with kids in the inner-city.
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March 2012
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What’s in your Bobby, Whitney both made medicine cabinet? mistakes in music ownership Ken Jackson
What do Marylyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger Amy Whinehouse, and Whitney Houston have in common? Allegedly they’re all dead due to the use of prescription drugs possibly mixed with alcohol. Xanex and a variety of medications are designed to ease suffering caused by anxiety. While we’ve focused our attention on illegal street drugs deaths from products prescribed by your friendly family doctor have taken over as a leading cause of drug related death. Once upon a time these “meds” also went with a degree of talk therapy with a plan of managing the patients’ mental condition. These wonder drugs are capable of luring you into a chemically induced “valley of death” experience as Michael Jackson reportedly described while getting-his-sleep-on with Propofal. There’s nothing wrong with the proper dispensing of these powerful drugs that are capable of managing true anxiety but, only with the help and guidance of a mental health professional. Instead of mental health professionals prescribing powerful mind altering medications your General Practitioner will gladly give you a prescription for anti-anxiety medications whose use has tripled over that last 20 years. Doctors with no experience in psychiatric medications are dispensing these pills like M&M’s. “Big performance coming up, take one of these and you’ll be alright. Are you having a problem with your job? Combine these two but don’t consume alcohol while taking this medication.” Does your dog have separation anxiety, afraid of thunderstorms, tearing up furniture? Don’t worry, go to your local veterinarian and some of the same medications used on people are now available for your dog. Soon Home Depot will have to unveil a line of domestic animal medicine cabinets. Even my dog Spike with his digestive issues knows when he has vomiting issues all I say is “time to take your medicine” and he will go to the back dog poised for the pill that will stop his belly from rumbling. On the television there are smiling people bouncing around in bright clothing gushing about how great they feel now that they are on “blank medication”. But don’t be alarmed if you get the urge to jump off the MONY/AXXA Tower. There’s even one advertisement that says, if your current anti-depressant doesn’t work combine it with “blank medication” and you won’t feel so bad. Again the advertisement, “if you are a young adult it may make you wanna slit someone’s throat, if this happens immediately stop taking “blank medication”. Why does it take a superstar or celebrity that everyone “loves” to die before we pay attention to this growing problem in our nation? And will our angst last beyond Whitney Houston’s funeral? I ask the ultimate question, how many teens and young adults have to die before we notice the monster in our medicine cabinets?
The Hall Monitor
Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston will, in my mind, always be linked for all eternity. They shared a life that was as intriguing as it was volatile. Beyond sharing an appetite for deviant behavior, as well as an amazing ability to perform, Bobby and Whitney also experienced the penalties that come with not understanding the business side of your industry. Back in the 1980s, when New Edition was the hottest group in America, Brown learned first-hand what it might feel like to be sexually assaulted by an elephant. After going on a world tour with sold-out venues and having several No. 1 hits on their first album, the group arrived back home to their housing project to receive a “whopping” royalty check of $1.87. Apparently, their families were so excited about getting their big break that they forgot to actually read the fine print on the contract. The deal would last 20 years and make everyone else rich except for the men who actually went on stage to perform. The NCAA and prison system could not have Dr. Boyce Watkins done a better job of exploiting Black men for their talents. Still, many victims are also volunteers, and capitalism shows no mercy. Your Black World Whitney’s family will also be eating away at massive debt for many years, since she was always the singer and never the publisher of many of her biggest hits. “I Will Always Love You,” arguably her greatest song ever, is going to put millions into the pocket of Dolly Parton, who wrote the song, while Whitney’s estate will receive chump change. Dolly was more than happy to let Whitney soak up all the “shine” because she soaks up all the cash every time the song is played on the radio. The Bobby-Whitney experience teaches quite a few lessons, starting with the reason we should all say “no” to drugs. But one of the broader lessons being taught from Whitney’s legacy is the importance of education and ownership. Far too many Black athletes and entertainers are so caught up in the performance of their craft that they learn nothing about the management of it. Artists like Fantasia, who was illiterate for years and skipped high school to practice her singing, are sitting ducks for managers who got their MBAs at Harvard. The point is that education is king when it comes to finding resources. The worst thing that Black people can do is walk away from education, because when we do that, we are signing up for slavery. It’s time for entertainers to consider a new paradigm that goes deeper than sitting around waiting to be discovered. There’s a difference between a wealthy, fully empowered entertainer and a well-paid prostitute. All of us must learn the difference.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University.
Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown in happier times.
File photo
4 March 2012
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Community News Life of Harriet Tubman concert filled to capacity It was a cold snowy day on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, but the weather did not keep the people from braving the weather and pouring in the historical Willard Chapel in Auburn. It was a packed house. The concert, “The Life of Harriet Tubman: A Spiritual Journey through Music” was sponsored by the Community Preservation Committee of Auburn Joan Hillsman, PhD and Cayuga County, and the Harriet Music Educator Tubman Booster Club. The music was presented by The Syracuse Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Directed and Narrated by Dr. Joan Hillsman, African American Music Historian, author, composer and music educator.
Dr. Hillsman was approached by Joe Debottis of TV America at a community function and asked if she would take on the project which was to be a fundraiser to raise money for the Harriet Tubman Home. “It was an honor for me to accept this challenge, for all of us have heard of this great legend who was the Moses of her people, and the conductor of the Underground Railroad”, said Dr. Hillsman, who now resides in Syracuse. This was more than a concert. Hours were spent researching, collaborating, visiting the home of some of Tubman’s decedents, and organizing the music, which were spirituals, to coincide with the life and events of this great woman. The choir sang spirituals such as Steal Away, Oh Freedom, and others that were arranged by Dr. Hillsman. Professor LaTonya Wrenn, concert artist, of Bowie State University opened the concert with classical and spiritual
Carpenters recruit Forum planned apprentices The Empire State Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Local Union No. 747 (Syracuse) will conduct a recruitment from Feb. 2, 2012, through January 3, 2013 for ten carpenter apprentices, the New York State Department of Labor announced today. Applications can be obtained at the Carpenters Local Union # 747 JATC School, 3247 Vickery Road, North Syracuse, NY from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, excluding legal holidays, during the recruitment period. The Committee requires that applicants: • Must be at least 18 years old. • Must have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (G.E.D). • Must be physically able to perform the work required as determined by the applicant attesting to the required qualifications as listed on the Apprentice Application. • Must have reliable transportation to and from work and school. • If applicant is a Veteran, a copy of DD 214 is required after an offer of employment or indenture is made. • Must reside within one of the following Counties: St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Onondaga, Herkimer, Madison and Oneida. • Must take UBC qualifying test. • Must take drug test provided by the Apprentice Program, upon acceptance and paid for by the JATC. For further information, applicants should contact their nearest New York State Department of Labor office or may contact the Local Union # 747 at 315-455-5797. Apprentice programs registered with the Department of Labor must meet standards established by the Commissioner. Under state law, sponsors of programs cannot discriminate against applicants because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, disability or marital status. Women and minorities are encouraged to submit applications for apprenticeship programs. Sponsors of programs are required to adopt affirmative action plans for the recruitment of women and minorities.
Khalid Bey, 4th District Councilor City of Syracuse, pictured above, will host the 18th Ward community forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, at Hopps Memorial C.M.E. Church, 1110 South State St., Syracuse. This event will give the residents and business owners of the 18th Ward an opportunity to talk to various representatives from the City of Syracuse to discuss issues that are of importance. For more information contact: Deborah Willis, 18th Ward Committee chair, at 372-0869. Refreshments will be served.
renditions. Members of the choir visited the Tubman Home after the concert and sang a song around the dining table. The care-takers, Rev. and Mrs, Carter, gave the choir a tour and much information that was pertinent to her journey as a humanitarian. This was such a moving experience, stated some of the choir members. “We’ve never done anything of this magnitude. We want to raise money for 2013 to celebrate the national and international celebration in memory of Tubman’s death. “She died in Auburn on March 10, 1913”, states Laurel Ullyette, President of The Harriet Tubman Boosters Club. The proceeds from the ticket sales, the releasing of a CD and DVD will benefit the home in Auburn. She was born on the Eastern Shore, Md., but made Auburn, N.Y., her home.
African Americans in the news
A. Barry Rand, AARP CEO Addison Barry Rand is chief executive officer (CEO) of AARP, the world’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to social change and helping people 50 and over to improve the quality of their lives. Mr. Rand is a dynamic leader and change agent who brings to AARP a proven track record of leading both multibillion-dollar businesses and smaller, private equity-driven businesses. He has served as chairman and chief executive officer of Avis Group Holdings, CEO of Equitant Ltd., and executive vice president, Worldwide Operations, at Xerox Corporation. He serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Howard University. Mr. Rand began his career at Xerox as a sales representative in 1968. From there, he advanced to several senior positions within the company, completing an outstanding 30-year career as executive vice president, Worldwide Operations. He was responsible for the entire value chain for Xerox’s $18 billion business, oversaw a workforce of more than 70,000 employees in over 150 countries and helped lead Xerox’s financial revival resulting in total shareholder return at twice the rate of the S&P 500. Under his leadership, Xerox became the most diverse company in the Fortune 500 while also being named “America’s Best Sales Force” and “Top Training Organization in America.” And he was the driving force behind Xerox receiving the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1989 and again in 1997.
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Arts & Entertainment
What are the NAACP Image Awards? The NAACP Image Awards is the nation’s premier event celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts (television, recording, literature, motion picture and writing & directing), as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors.
History
In 1942, NAACP Executive Director, Walter White, worked with politicians and studio executives to establish an ad hoc committee with the major studios to monitor the image and portrayal of African Americans on the screen. In 1955, the Mississippi Branch of the NAACP, led by Medgar The complete list of winners:
Evers, filed a complaint with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) that the local television affiliate, WLBT, presented the local news in a racially biased manner that did not serve the public interest. Finally in 1969, the FCC revoked WLBT’s broadcast license. This, after years of litigation, marked the only time in FCC history that a television station’s license was revoked because of racial bias in programming. This sent a powerful reminder to the rest of the television industry — that we as citizens own the public airwaves. In 1966, under consistent legal pressure from the NAACP, “The Amos & Andy Show” was taken off the air, and a year later the NAACP Hollywood
MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Tracee Ellis Ross - “Reed Between the Lines”
Outstanding Motion Picture “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nick Cannon - “Up All Night”
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Laz Alonso - “Jumping the Broom” (TriStar Pictures)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Keshia Knight Pulliam - “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne”
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Viola Davis - “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures)
Outstanding Drama Series “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Mike Epps - “Jumping the Broom” (TriStar Pictures) Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Octavia Spencer - “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures) Outstanding Independent Motion Picture “Pariah” (Focus Features) Outstanding Foreign Motion Picture “In the Land of Blood and Honey” (FilmDistrict) TELEVISION CATEGORIES Outstanding Comedy Series “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Malcolm-Jamal Warner - “Reed Between the Lines”
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series LL Cool J - “NCIS: Los Angeles” Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Regina King - “SouthLAnd” Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series James Pickens, Jr. - “Grey’s Anatomy” Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Archie Panjabi - “The Good Wife” Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special “Thurgood” Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Laurence Fishburne - “Thurgood”
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Taraji P. Henson - “Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story” Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series Emerson Brooks - “All My Children” Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Tatyana Ali - “The Young and the Restless” Outstanding News/ Information - (Series or Special) “Unsung” Outstanding Talk Series “Oprah’s Lifeclass” Outstanding Reality Series “Dancing with the Stars” Outstanding Variety Series or Special “Oprah Presents: Master Class” Outstanding Children’s Program “I Can Be President: A Kid’s-Eye View” Outstanding Performance in a Youth/ Children’s Program (Series or Special) Keke Palmer - “True Jackson, VP” RECORDING CATEGORIES Outstanding New Artist Diggy Simmons (Atlantic Records)
Branch created the NAACP Image Awards. Now a primetime live special, the NAACP Image Awards is the nation’s premier event celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts, as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors. In 1999, the networks signed a landmark memorandum of understanding with the NAACP and the Grand Coalition greatly advancing the cause of diversity in the entertainment industry and creating a milestone by which we can measure future progress in Hollywood. Today, the NAACP through the Hollywood Bureau, and support of its Outstanding Male Artist Cee Lo Green (Elektra Records) Outstanding Female Artist Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records) Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration Mary J. Blige feat. Drake (Geffen) Outstanding Jazz Album “Guitar Man” - George Benson (Concord Jazz) Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary) “Hello Fear” - Kirk Franklin (Verity Gospel Music Group) Outstanding World Music Album “Sounds of Blackness” Sounds of Blackness (Malaco Music Group) Outstanding Music Video “Where You At” - Jennifer Hudson (Arista Records) Outstanding Song “I Smile” - Kirk Franklin (Verity Gospel Music Group) Outstanding Album “I Remember Me” - Jennifer Hudson (Arista Records) LITERATURE CATEGORIES Outstanding Literary Work Fiction “Say Amen, Again” - Reshonda Tate Billingsley (Gallery Books)
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membership, continues to monitor offensive and defamatory images in film and television, and its campaign for greater minority participation in the entertainment industry. Headed by the Executive Director, Vic Bulluck, the Hollywood Bureau continues the NAACP’s tradition of media monitoring and social advocacy.
2012 NAACP Image Award Winners
“The Help” continued its hot streak during awards season by being the big winner at the 2012 NAACP Image Awards. The DreamWorks movie took home acting trophies for Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, plus Outstanding Motion Picture.
Outstanding Literary Work Non-Fiction “The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in Its Place” - Hill Harper (Gotham Books)
DOCUMENTARY Outstanding Documentary - (Theatrical or Television) “Sing Your Song” (HBO Documentary Films)
Outstanding Literary Work Debut Author “The Strawberry Letter” Lyah Le Flore (Ballantine/ Random House)
WRITING
Outstanding Literary Work Biography/Auto-Biography “My Song” - Harry Belafonte (Knopf) Outstanding Literary Work Instructional “The T.D. Jakes Relationship Bible: Life Lessons on Relationships from the Inspired Word of God “ T.D. Jakes (Atria Books) Outstanding Literary Work Poetry “Afro Clouds & Nappy Rain: The Curtis Brown Poems” James Golden (iUniverse) Outstanding Literary Work - Children “You Can Be A Friend” Tony Dungy (Author), Ron Mazellan (Illustrator) (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing - Little Simon) Outstanding Literary Work - Youth/Teens “Jesse Owens: “I Always Loved Running”” - Jeff Burlingame (Enslow Publishers, Inc.)
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Salim Akil, Mara Brock Akil “The Game” - Parachutes.... Beach Chairs (BET) Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series Lolis Eric Elie - “Treme” Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get the Blues? (HBO) Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television) Ann Peacock - “The First Grader” (National Geographic Entertainment) DIRECTING Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Leonard R. Garner Jr. “Rules of Engagement” The Set Up (CBS) Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series Ernest Dickerson - “Treme” Do Watcha Wanna (HBO) Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television) Salim Akil - “Jumping the Broom” (TriStar Pictures)
6 March 2012
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African Americans in the news
An open letter to the black church By Ryan Mack
Optimum Capital Management president, author of Living in the Village
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey in the year of 2008 calculated the average annual contribution of Black households to religious organizations was $683. With well over 9 million black households in America, that means well over $6 billion in 2008 was contributed to black churches across the country. What is done with this money and are the churches doing all they can to make sure this money is fruitful? In the year of 2008 I spoke with over 80 pastors in the NYC area to discuss how they can more effectively use their church as an empowerment vehicle these are just a few of my findings… Pastors who couldn’t even tell you what their phone bill was for the past three months, let alone give a good record of the uses of the tithes and offerings they accumulate weekly. Churches that remain boarded up 6 days per week only to open on Sunday for a 2 hour service then close again while a perfectly good space goes unutilized by the community throughout the week. Pastors so concerned about not losing membership to “competitors” they refused to partner with other churches in the community on any projects. Yes, I havea lot of complaints about the black church as I am sure many people do. There are a few scattered measures of success of churches that have done well in creating pockets of empowerment within their community such as Allen AME in Queens, NY; Abyssinian in Harlem, NY; Hartford Baptist Memorial in Detroit, Mich.; and more. Financial stewardship is not for the benefit of oneself, but it is for the benefit of putting oneself in a stronger position which will enable one to be a stronger blessing to other people. I have compiled a list of tips for the Black church to follow. Drop the flashy imagery –The material things you purchase sends a message to public whether you like it or not. Yes…you may be able to afford the nice car, but do you really need it? I believe that Jesus was rich by worldly standards of His time but he didn’t live like he was rich. There is nothing wrong with a pastor getting a decent salary because the word says in 1Timothy 5:17, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.” However, that doesn’t mean to take that salary and purchase the most expensive car on the lot. What if Jesus came to heal the blind man or feed the poor driving a Bugatti? Jesus clearly understood that just because he had it didn’t mean he had to flaunt it as there were better things to do with his capital. Also, there are many who feel negatively towards a pastor who seems to be flashy…why are we giving Satan more ammunition to use against the church? I am not saying you have to drive an old beat up “hoopty” but perhaps the latest and flashiest fully loaded BMW might be a bit much. Lead by example to not covet possessions: And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15 Stay humble: “For every one who exalts himself will be humble, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11 Partner with other churches – Churches that refuse to partner with other churches are going directly against the word of God. You mean to tell me that with four churches on the same block we can’t combine them into two churches and use the other two buildings as a day care center and the other as a franchise both of which will create employment opportunities? We can’t do this unless the leaders of each church drop their guard of competition and
work together. One of the initiatives I was trying to push with the smaller churches was to coordinate program schedules and leverage the membership of each church to jointly market programs. Instead of three events by three churches held on a Saturday with a divided community, how about one event sponsored by three churches held on a Saturday with a united community and thereby more people? None of us is as strong as all of us and for churches to continue to try to build as if they are alone in the community is irresponsible and not effectively leveraging the strongest community in the community…US! No more competing against each other… we must start completing each other! You might not be a megachurch, but through effective partnerships with other churches in the community you can develop the same ability to have the impact of a megachurch. Unite with other churches to maximize potential: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” Romans 12:16 Build your network of professionals/experts and pay them – Right within your membership and/or community you have many talented professionals who are providing the services you need to purchase to make your church more efficient. The church needs help to operate and too many times we get trapped in this poverty mindset. What services have you forgone because you are too afraid the membership will be upset they don’t get their after church lunch that you pay for out of pocket? Perhaps you can sell the food to the membership? Use the experts in your community to have them provide free workshops for your membership. This works twofold because they get to market their product or service expertise and build their business, and you get to educate your membership. Have lawyers in the community provide legal seminars, financial planners provide financial literacy workshops, local restaurant owners provide free cooking classes, and so forth. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 Seek expert advice in your community that can help your church grow – “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14 Support their business by paying for their expertise – “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until morning.” Leviticus 19:13 Get your books in order – I understand that for many churches being granted a 501(c)3 status means they can avoid paying taxes, but if this is all this means to you I promise you there is a lot of money you are leaving on the table you could be earning. One of the reasons United Way and other larger organizations are able to get so much funding is because funders can trust them to spend their dollars responsibly. This trust comes only from sound records and financial statements. So hold up on that minor church renovation and use those funds to pay a community CPA to help you produce professionally audited financial statements. Pass these statements out to your membership and publish records of your spending for all people to see as transparency is one of the fastest ways to get REAL funding that will last. Financial statements are the key to your church raising REAL funds for your programming: “But all things should be done decently and in order.” 1Corinthians 14:40 Create effective programming that will keep your doors open more than one day per week – One would be hard pressed to think of a successful business model that states the business can remain viable by remaining open only one day per week.
Your membership wants to be active and it is up to you to create methods of keep them active multiple days per week. Tutoring services for youth, day care services for single parents, and/or renting out the space for other businesses to conduct empowerment programming are three simple ideas outside of the standard Bible study that all can generate income and cause the membership to view the church as a more vital resource to the community. There should be something for your membership to do in your church every day. If your books are in order you should hire a grant writer to go after funding for the programs you are conducting. Most will agree that you should create a separate nonprofit entity that operates separately from your church to go after major funding outside of tithes and offerings. Hire an attorney from your church to assist in the establishment of this separate business entity. Keeping your church busy during the week is vital: “Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.” Ecclesiastes 10:18 Leverage the land you own – If you own your church outright you have more power than you know. This is especially where partnerships become important. I remember a conversation I had with a pastor who stated he couldn’t afford to purchase a $2 million building. He tried to raise the capital but failed. The building was purchased by an organization that is from outside of the community. I told that pastor if he has partnered with another pastor from the community who also owned his own church they could have purchased the property jointly. Now instead of the vision of a much needed community center in the community there lies a vision of a business of someone who doesn’t live in the community. Land leveraged properly from the bank can do the following: Build real estate projects for the community using your membership as the builders thereby creating jobs for your membership. I have helped thousands find employment by connecting them with local organizations that provide free training in the field of construction…many of which were formerly incarcerated. Your church can help those in the community who are properly trained to find jobs on the construction site you created through your development. Allen AME church in Queens, NY has done a tremendous job of this as at one point amassing over $100million in real estate assets and were at one point the largest employer in Queen, NY! Starting a franchise or multiple franchises for your community. Those who will run and operate the franchises could be from your church thereby creating jobs for your membership. Hartford Baptist Memorial in Detroit, Mich., has done a great job of this. Building a charter school in your community which reflects the values you want to be taught to the youth in your community. Perfecting Church of Detroit, Michigan has done a great job of this through their opening of the Marvin L. Winans Academy of Performing Arts, which opened in 1996. Building assisted living facilities, day care centers, and many other ventures are possible through the effective use of leveraging the property owned by the church. The community is waiting on your church to lead by example: “Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” 1Peter 5:3 Set up an effective investment strategy — It could be time to make some people mad by cutting costs. The church should have an effective money management strategy that covers three phases of expenses. Zero to one years of operating expenses: Should be invested in
See Letter, p. 7
Letter cash and cash equivalents. One to five years of operating expenses: Should be invested in a laddered fixed income strategy to outpace inflation and retain some degree of liquidity. Five years plus of operating expenses: Should be invested in conservative investments that have slightly more risk but give you a slightly larger yield such as corporate bonds or large cap stocks with a dividend yield. Be careful here as you do not want to take on too much risk. The goal of your investment strategy should not be to make the church get rich, but rather to conserve its capital responsibly while earning a return that outpaces inflation and compounds. If your church is large enough you might be able to hire an asset manager ($500K to $1 million in assets or larger before most will work with you). If your church is small hire a financial advisor from your church or community to assist you in this process. Check out my book “Living in the Village” (www.livinginthevillage) to learn how to select the right advisor. When all said in done the strategy you choose for your church should do the following: 1. Conserve your principal 2. Appreciate your capital to at least outpace inflation 3. Minimize your risk 4. Minimize your taxes (if you have established an external company that is not exempt from payment of taxes. Hire a corporate attorney from your church to ensure that you have set up all of your legal entities properly.) Churches must be faithful with the capital entrusted to them: “If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you true riches.” Luke 16:11 Time to get an endowment – A church endowment is a must because your church and the finances of your church should outlive you. There are many churches that have endowments so large they could operate solely from the interest earned on the endowment investments and could feasibly never take another tithe or offering yet still be operational. Hire an attorney from your church to establish and structure an endowment fully loaded with a separate board. Consider also hiring an insurance agent to discuss options of funding this endowment with various types of insurance policies (life, annuity, etc). This should be done with extreme council to ensure those who are contributing to the endowment are also being responsible and you are not simply padding the pockets of an insurance agent who is looking to make a hefty commission. Your endowment board should consist of multiple people who are within the field of finance to ensure the proper management of the funds and can give an objective and unbiased perspective where there is no conflict of interest (i.e. an insurance agent, an attorney, a banker, an established entrepreneur, etc.). The endowment will make sure the funds of your church outlive you: “A good man leaves
urbanCNY
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...from p. 6
an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22 In the black community, which has been hardest hit by this economy, we are in need of TANGIBLE solutions! The Bible states, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed in the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:5) It frustrates me when so many turn to the President Obama as the solution and put all their trust in him and not in Jesus Christ. As much as I am a supporter of President Obama, as much as I believe in holding him accountable, he is NOT the source of our salvation and to trust solely in him will leave us cursed! The Bible also states, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” (Ephesians 1:3) The Black community seems to be in a constant waiting period. We are waiting on the President to save us, we are waiting on some inspirational speaker/ leader to come to save us like the second coming of MLK…this verse says we don’t have to wait anymore. It says that Jesus Christ “HAS blessed us in Christ with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”. This means it has already been done. Here we are waiting on God, but God is waiting on US. We have all that we need to create jobs, create empowerment, wealth for the community, business enterprise, and more. We just have to learn how to use the resources that God has given us effectively. There could be an enormous economic revival that comes from within the walls of the church if the church could just become more efficient in its management and operations. Every major problem of the Black community from low financial literacy rates, high unemployment, low educational quality, and massive incarceration can be fixed through the church at a much more efficient rate if they are managing their resources effectively. Black church…we need you! “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” 1Timothy 3:1-7
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