ChurchNews
Agape Church of Los Angeles Worship Center Consolidated Plaza: 3725 Don Felipe Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90008
The Church of God In Christ Mourns Evangelist Joyce Rodgers “The Gospel is needed more than ever before and finding ways that we can minister to the souls of men, the emotions, the mind, memories in a holistic way. If you’re not sleeping right, if you’re not eating right, if you’re having digestive issues … it may be coming from suppressed trauma that may not be showing outwardly but may be eating you up inwardly. Ministry is very helpful,” Jakes maintained.
New Study Finds 43% of Millenials Don’t Believe God Exists
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he Church of God in Christ is mourning the death of famed evangelist, speaker and author Joyce Rodgers, who died last month after battling an undisclosed illness at the age of 65. The announcement comes just days after Rodgers was installed as the supervisor for department of women for the Texas Northeast First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. Prior to taking that post, she served as the chairperson and administrative facilitator for the International Department of Women. Described as a life-strategist, coaching women and young girls on how to achieve success on God’s terms, but Rodgers’ impact was just as profound on the church at large, having published three books–including “Go Big: Believe In God”. COGIC Bishop Charles Blake tweeted: “In loving memory of the incomparable, one and only, faithful woman of God, Supervisor Joyce L. Rodgers. We honor her life and legacy!” In his social media post, Bishop T.D. Jakes thanked Rodgers for "teaching us to slay our giants with the full fervor of faith". Donnie McClurkin, who referred to her as his sister posted: "With a heavy heart that expected a different outcome, it is the will of God...we concede to God's sovereignty and accept His will!"
Bishop T.D. Jakes Says Churches Are Needed to Treat Pandemic Trauma
L.A. Focus/June 2021
Last month, during a panel called “Finishing the Race: What the Church Needs to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines and Access by the Ad Council, Bishop T.D. Jakes suggested that the Black Church would be needed more than ever to treat what he termed as the residue of trauma left in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I borrowed this from [Bishop] Vashti McKenzie, but it really aptly describes our reality that ‘trouble doesn’t last always, but trauma lasts for a while.’ And I think we have to realize that as the trouble begins to dissipate that does not mean that the trauma is gone,” Jakes said. “And the Church is more needed now than ever before to treat the residue of trauma. We’re seeing it in an escalation of murders. We are seeing it in an escalation of divorce. We’re seeing it in an escalation of spousal abuse. Trauma takes on a lot of forms. And it’s one thing to hear it as a word, but when you see it in the behavior of people, sometimes we don’t really associate their behavior with the isolation that preceded it, the fear and the frustration, the loss of jobs that preceded it.” The event–supported by groups including the Black Coalition Against COVID-19, Choose Healthy Life, National African American Clergy Network, and the National Latino Evangelical Coalition– featured a powerful lineup of faith and community leaders for a conversation about vaccine education and access, and promoting vaccine confidence among the faith community.
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The American Worldview Inventory 2021, a survey of the philosophy of life on American adults from Arizona Christian University, assessed the worldviews of four generations: millennials (born 1984-2002), Gen X (19651983), boomers (1946-1964) and builders (1927-1945). Among their findings, 43% of millennials stated they either don’t know, don’t care or don’t believe God exists compared to 28% of boomers, and 44% of millennials believe Satan is a real and influential, compared to 64% of boomers. On spiritual matters, Americans younger than 55 are far more likely to distrust the Bible and to believe God is uninvolved in people’s lives. Still, a majority of Americans call themselves Christian, ranging from 57% of millennials to 83% of builders. Researchers warn that the beliefs and behaviors of younger Americans, especially millennials, “threaten to reshape the nation’s religious parameters beyond recognition. In fact, this radical spiritual revolution has created a generation seeking a reimagined world without God, the Bible, or churches,” they wrote. Commenting on the study, George Barna, CRC director of research, said that Gen X and the millennials have “solidified dramatic changes in the nation’s central beliefs and lifestyles,” adding: “The result is a culture in which core institutions, including churches, and basic ways of life are continually being radically redefined.”
Pastor Gailen Reevers Succumbs to Cancer Following a lengthy battle with cancer, Pastor Gailen Reevers– senior pastor at Lincoln Memorial Congregational UCC–passed away last month. He was 72. Ordained into the United Church of Christ (UCC) in 1983, Reevers was called to be the pastor at Lincoln Memorial Congregational UCC in 1995. During his leadership, Reevers organized and implemented various community outreach programs such as a youth mentoring program, a health and safety ministry, and a SAT Prep camp. The Detroit native also founded the Amistad Development Corporation. In that role he partnered with Retirement Housing Foundation and built Amistad Family Apartments, a 56 unit affordable housing complex in Los Angeles. Amistad was a catalyst for the development of Chesterfield Square, a 250,000 square- foot regional shopping center that became the first major retail development project completed in South Los Angeles in more than a decade. Rev. Reevers also oversaw the financing, development and construction of the Lincoln Family Life Center; a 9,000 square-foot facility dedicated to youth and community service activities. "Lincoln is not about me," he once told L.A. Focus. "It's about the people who are here. My name is not on the bus. You won't see my picture up anywhere in the building, – none of that stuff. In fact, if you came to my church during the day, you might have difficulty deciphering who is the minister. "We are actually in the business of creating disciples of Christ. It's not a new paradigm. It's an old one, but if I do my job, my people will be empowered to do ministry. We're talking about a transformation that becomes a lifestyle. It's a commitment to Christ, not to me."
Corprate Office: 4602 Crenshaw Blvd, Suite 2A, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 295-5571 www.agapela.org Bishop Craig A. Worsham, Founder & Senior Pastor Sunday School: 10:00am Morning Worship: 11:00am Loving, Lifting & Liberating Humanity Through The Word Bethel Missionary Baptist Church of South L.A. 10905 S. Compton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90059 (323) 566.5286 Pastor Alvin Stafford Jr. Sunday School: 9:30am Morning Worship: 10:30am Book by Book Bible Study (Wed.): 6:30pm Sunday service broadcast on Facebook live Sunday school and Book by Book Bible Study services are conducted on Zoom For more information, visit www.bethelsola.com
Bryant Temple AME Church 2525 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 293-6201 • F: (323) 293-0082 Pastor Dwaine Jackson Sunday School: 8:15am Morning Worship: 9:15 am Bible Study (Tues): Noon Pastor’s Bible Study( Tues): 6:00pm
Calvary Baptist Church 4911 W. 59th Street,Los Angeles, CA,90056 (323)298-1605•F: (310) 568-8430 • calvarybaptistla.org Rev. Dr. Virgil V. Jones Sunday Prayer: 8:30am Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study: 12:00pm & 7:00pm We are the Church on the Hill where the Light Shines Bright!
Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship 2085 S. Hobart Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 Phone: (323) 731-8869 • F: (323) 731-0851 www.christianfellowshipla.org Pastor James K. McKnight Sunday LiveStream: 10:00am (facebook.com/christianfellowshipla) Sunday Conference Call: 10:00am (310-372-7549 / code: 342408) Tue/Thurs Morning Word & Prayer: 7:00am Wed. Bible Study w/ Elder Stephen Brown (701-802-5001 / code: 825252# Crenshaw Christian Center 7901 South Vermont, Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 758-3777 • F: (323)565-4231 • www.faithdome.org Pastor Frederick K. Price, Jr. Sunday Service: 9:45am Bible Study (Tue): 11:00am & 7:30pm Tue. Night Children’s Ministry: 7:30pm Tue. Night Bible Study (Teens): 7:30pm Alcohol & Drug Abuse Program (Wed): 7:30pm
God’s Faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ / Prayer Clinic & Deliverance Ministry P.O. Box 561368, Los Angeles,CA 90056 (323)293-7566 • www.gfdjc.org• gfdjc@att.net Ruby Cottle, Ph.D., Pastor & Teacher Prophetess June Morgan / Assistant Pastor
Services Every Friday: 7:00pm-9:30pm We meet at: St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 3901 West Adams Blvd, LA, CA 90018 Watch Dr. Cottle on HBN TV on Wed’s 7:30am Starting May 2nd: Channel 886 Dish, Smart TV 35.2
Grace Temple Baptist Church 7017 South Gramercy Place, Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 971-8192 Rev. Rodney Howard Sunday L.I.F.E Group: 8:30am Sunday Worship Service: 9:30am Wednesday Intercessory Prayer: 6:30pm Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00pm E-Mail: gtbcla@gmail.com
