The Beacon Late Summer 2020 Issue

THE SAN ANTONIO

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Be A Light

A spark to end generational poverty

IGNITE

COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS — Read more Good News inside and online —

A LETTER FROM THE

CO-PUBLISHERS

How are you holding up? It’s been a tough few months. A test of our faith and trust that God is still in control and He is still on His throne.

The bad news seems to hit us in the face almost everywhere we turn. Fear, anxiety and even depression seem to be running rampant. But even in the midst of this, God has a plan. A spiritual perspective must bring you to the conclusion that we are in a spiritual battle for our city and our nation. It is warfare and the enemy is not Fauci, the candidates for president or our local city council and mayor.

Scripture clearly states that our enemies are not flesh and blood, but powers and principalities in the heavenly realm.

Ephesians 6:12: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

So then how do we fight as believers? Prayer is one of our most powerful offensive weapons.

In fact, when we pray, the bible says that we have divine power to tear down strongholds and every pretense that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. Many are in battle and using prayer as their weapon. The recent PraySA Event on August 9th and again on the 16th, saw more than 30,000* people attend to pray, confess their sins and repent… trusting that God will heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). It was an historic event in our city for sure and an offensive strike that has hit the enemy hard.

But we cannot stop there. We must take the power of prayer and release it everyday in our homes, over our families and in our communities. Together let’s P.U.S.H. (pray until something happens).

Then, let’s watch—because God says that He bends down from heaven to hear the prayers of His children. And He promises to move.

In addition, there are many on the frontlines of this battle; churches, ministries, schools and businesses that are helping the least of these and serving those in need. We tell the story of some of them in this issue and online.

So please don’t let the media tell you and sell you on the idea that it is all bad news. There is “good news” in our community. There are heroes who are changing lives every single day. There are people, real people just like you and us, that have been and will be impacted in ways that transform and bring new life to tired souls.

We encourage you to visit sabeacon.com often and follow us on social media. We report on the “good news” and offer you a perspective that is sure to bring a smile and warm your heart! You are family to us. Enjoy the "good news" in this issue of The Beacon.

Contact Us: Duke Jonietz Duke@saBeacon.com or call (210) 316-8260 Claude Roberts Claude@saBeacon.com or call (210) 643-2849 Advertising print and online: advertising@sabeacon.com Duke Jonietz Claude Roberts Co-Publisher Co-Publisher

*This number is a low estimate as we went to print before the second event was held. There were 28,000 in attendance on the August 9th.

Good News happening in our community

INSIDE 4 LATE SUMMER 2020

Thank you to our local businesses who have partnered with us on the following Beacon stories.

Ignite Community Solutions Learn how individuals add spark to find purpose and overcome generational poverty to make a better life.

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No Strings Attached

Hallmark University

Read how some women are sharing God’s love in strip clubs and modern-day brothels with holy moments.

Learn how one local university is changing lives during this pandemic.

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Wildfire Network

Awakening a Generation

Restoration Closet

Discover how a San Antonio Jewish congregation connects thousands from around the world to God's message.

Deepen your faith through one nonprofit's work toward spiritual enlightenment to live a Christ is Life approach.

Learn how one local nonprofit is providing servant leadership to multiple grassroots ministries throughout the city.

Learn about spiritual leaders sharing truth across the nation regarding the upcoming election.

Read how one woman overcame great loss to start a nonprofit helping other women find hope through God's grace.

Mike Q. Daniel Ministries

Baruch HaShem

Read more Good

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News online. www.saBeacon.com

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Have a story to tell? Contact us at editor@sabeacon.com Raise awareness of your business, church or school in print and online. Email us at advertising@sabeacon.com

Be A Light.

PUBLISHER: The San Antonio Beacon PUBLISHERS: Claude Roberts, Duke Jonietz EDITOR: Denise Marcos WRITERS: Inez Kirchner, Denise Marcos, Amy Morgan, Jennie Rosio, Denisse Warshack, Richard Zowie, Jessa McClure, April Newell EMAIL: info@saBeacon.com ONLINE: www.saBeacon.com MISSION: The Beacon is a communication tool and resource center that encourages and provides opportunities to love and care for our community.

The Beacon is a Christian publication provided by the San Antonio Beacon, LLC. The articles and ads in this publication express the opinions of the ministries, churches, schools and businesses featured and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the San Antonio Beacon, LLC. The San Antonio Beacon, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the facts stated in the content of this publication including any ad copy. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the advertising content in this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. The San Antonio Beacon, LLC assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of the advertising. Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. Under no circumstances shall the San Antonio Beacon, LLC be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or from any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

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Good News happening in our community

Ignite helps end generational poverty with spark component

BY JE S S A M CC LUR E

A single mom in her early 30s arrives at her office job with a smile on her face and a confidence that is evident to anyone who interacts with her. She is knowledgeable, friendly and encouraging to her coworkers.

You would never know that a yearand-a-half ago she was coming out of

a substance abuse treatment center with no hope and a negative outlook on life.

It was during her time at the recovery facility that she met Patricia Vasquez, the Chief Operations Officer of Ignite Community Solutions (Ignite), an organization that helps individuals in all walks of life find their true purpose and over-

Ignite partners with the San Antonio Food Bank. In ClearPath’s workforce development, low income individuals build spiritual, social and psychological capital, which reduces barriers in their pursuit of thriving lives.

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come generational poverty.

“When I met her, her heart and spirit were broken,” Patricia says.

“She knew she had made poor choices and the thought that she could never be a good mother to her children. It consumed her.”

But Patricia wasn’t going to let her believe that for long. Ignite’s program, that they aptly call “Clear Path,” offers participants transformative courses that help them go from disengaged and overwhelmed to empowered, resilient and self-reliant.

And that is exactly what Patricia helped this woman do.

“I wanted her to realize that God still had a purpose for her,” she says.

“No matter what her story was; no matter what her circumstances were; she was given a chance to believe in herself.”

The moment she began to believe the words that were being ministered to her, she started asking, “Why can’t I achieve my goals and find my purpose?” Patricia says the moment her student realized she did have a purpose and could stand on her own, L a te S um m e r 2 0 2 0

Good News happening in our community

Recent graduates of Ignite’s RESET Exoffender Program gather to celebrate newfound purpose.

she was “a force to be reckoned with.”

“I used to ask her, why do you think the rearview mirror is small? Because that’s your past. The windshield is much larger because that’s your future,” she says. “She latched onto that little saying and that’s her philosophy for life now.”

The single mom has now been clean and sober for more than a year, has been promoted twice in her career in healthcare, and terminated her required probation early.

“The beauty of it all is that she’s now paying it forward by teaching other people around her what she’s learned,” Patricia says. “These people knew what her life was like before. She says, ‘look at me now. If I can do it, so can you.’”

“ What I found missing from these other programs was the spark necessary to ignite people to take those skills, use the support and go forward on their own.”

It's stories like these that prove to Patricia and Chief Executive Officer, Clarence Lowe, that their program is working to help San Antonians make a better life for themselves.

Ignite’s curriculum was originally born out of a workforce and personal development course Clarence created for his organization called Star Force.

“We were helping individuals find their purpose and find what they Late Summer 2020

wanted to do in life,” Clarence says.

“The three instructional pillars of the course were purpose, promotion, and perseverance. The approach proved so successful, I thought it might be an answer to the problem I was so passionate about—generational poverty.”

But Clarence wanted to do more than just fill transactional needs for those in crisis. He wanted to give men, women and children the chance to find their “spark.”

“Most social service programs help people develop skills and build a support team so they can take the next step forward,” Clarence says. "While skills and support are necessary, what I found missing from these other programs is the “spark” critical in helping people take ownership of their change and sustain gains.”

Clarence says that the spark component cannot be ignited without building relationships. He says the connections between people are what helps the individual truly grow.

“One of the few things I learned from my anatomy class in college is that at every connecting point in your

Ignite volunteers search the streets to serve those who are hungry.

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Each bag is filled with a meal and a message of hope and inspiration.

body, you also have something called a ‘growth plate,’” he says. “God designed the body so that growth is dependent on connection. This physical truth reveals a profound truth in life.”

“You can have a revelation about what your purpose is, but if you’re not connected to the right people, you won’t grow in life.”

Because of the recent pandemic, connections to former and current students has become even more important. Instructors like Patricia have been inundated with texts, emails and phone calls of people who are seeking wisdom and relational bonds during these uncertain times.

“My middle school-aged students are texting me saying, 'You gave us hope, when can we do a Zoom class?'”

Patricia says. “So, this morning, I had a Zoom class for two hours.”

These students have become a part of what Patricia calls the “Ignite Family,” and she has seen the relational 5

Good News happening in our community

connections with her students effect entire families.

“I get phone calls from parents asking, ‘What have you been telling my child because my child who wanted to drop out of school now wants to go to college?’” Patricia says. “Then I end up mentoring and teaching the whole family. It becomes a dual-generation approach. That’s powerful.”

Clarence believes that changing the thought processes of whole families who have struggled with poverty, drug use, incarceration or any other maladies that plague poverty-stricken areas, will eventually affect whole communities.

“A great philosopher once said, ‘The antecedent to behavior is always thought.’ So, in igniting the spirit and helping transform the mind, we develop individuals who take ownership over their lives and empower them to not only change themselves but their families and communities.”

One way that Ignite has been able to have a greater impact on those who go through their programs, is by teaching through a trauma-informed approach.

“We look at poverty through the prism of trauma, and we give them the psychological, social and practical tools they need to break free of that trauma,” Clarence says. “I think that’s a critical advantage.”

Food box drop. Knowing food is coming opens doors for ministry.

Along with helping bring change to the greater San Antonio area through transformative courses, Ignite is also partnering with local organizations and churches to reach more people across the city. These collaborations have become even more important during the pandemic when traditional classroom courses are not an option.

“COVID-19 has made us look at other areas that we didn’t even know we could impact,” Clarence says. “We were not necessarily in the food-distribution business, but we have partnered with Magda Ministries to feed the

"The best way to predict the future is to create it."

Abraham Lincoln

homeless downtown. Right now, we’re feeding about 300 people a week."

"We bring meals and a Gospel message to those who want to receive it, and we’re changing lives that way as well.”

People just need the right spark.

When that happens, fires break out, lives are changed and communities flourish.

community solutions

Ignite Community Solutions www.icommunitysolutions.org 11503 Jones Maltsberger, Suite 1220, San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 370-3165

Be A Light Pray. Ask the Lord help Ignite have an expanded footprint in the city and larger growth for more impact. Give. As God leads, consider meeting physical needs, like the gift of computers or laptops. Donate.

Visit the Ignite 'Community Solutions' website, then click on the yellow button (upper right corner) and give to provide sponsorships for individual cohort classes.

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Holy Moments Good News happening in our community

Founder and Executive Director Lisa Michelle of No Strings Attached started the nonprofit as a way to help victims of trafficking and the commercial sex industry recover.

Through NSA, women find both love and support to start a new life.

Women share God’s love in strip clubs and modern-day brothels

BY APRI L LY NN NE W EL L

Lisa Michelle never dreamed she would follow Jesus into a strip club.

Or that her first time witnessing to the girls there—with sweaty hands and shaking knees—would lead to a nearly decade-long ministry.

Lisa was bedridden and sick when she heard a whisper from the Lord, “Pick up your mat and walk into your healing.” She obeyed. Today, Lisa’s ministry, No Strings Attached (NSA), offers God’s love in tangible ways to women in strip clubs and modern-day brothels in San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country. Everyone needs Jesus, and through Lisa and her team, every woman is given the opportunity to meet Him. “We visit clubs with a goal of going into the dressing room and sitting and hanging out with the girls,” Lisa says.

“When we talk to a woman we let her know who we are, why we’re there and that there’s a community of women Late Summer 2020

with similar pasts who want to walk her through the healing journey. It’s amazing;

we’ve had the most spiritual, off-the-chart nights inside of strip clubs. I never thought I’d experience something like that—more church inside a strip club than anywhere else, very holy moments.”

Gifts for the women are donated and range from socks to beauty products, candles, journals and more. To date, NSA has given out 17,480 gifts.

However, the heart of NSA goes much deeper than symbolic gestures.

“When we have a genuine connection with one of the girls, our goal is to meet her within 24 to 48 hours and have coffee with her. We bring her a care package, and then put together a plan of action for her life and set her up with mentorship,” Lisa says.

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out of the sex industry, NSA offers direct services such as one-on-one mentorship, trauma-informed-care counseling and needs such as food and clothing.

The future of NSA is a God-given vision of property for a retreat center and a wall of shoes.

“A dancer met us at Starbucks; she had just rededicated her life to Jesus and wanted to leave the industry, but

A blessing box of essentials provided with the NSA food box. NSA team and volunteers deliver this blessing to the homes of the women they mentor.

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Good News happening in our community

Volunteers wrap special gifts for beneficiaries of NSA. Lisa Michelle and a volunteer family from Summit Church packing food, toys and children’s books. These will be hand-delivered to the women with families in the NSA mentoring program.

didn’t know how,” Lisa recalls. “As we were parting ways, she said she had a gift for me.”

The woman pulled out a pair of 9-inch heels, explaining that God told her to give them to Lisa.

“This was such a holy moment; and A young woman, just getting she had no off her day job, prepares to idea that a start her night job. couple months before God gave me a vision of an entire wall full of shoes, with women’s stories attached to them,” Lisa says.

God is well on His way to filling that wall with stories of renewal and freedom. Lisa mentored one teen girl for several years. Unfortunately, she fell back into the hands of her trafficker.

She eventually found herself in a shelter and her first instinct was to reach out to Lisa. She is now free and thriving, due to the trauma-informed counseling she received, then and now.

Lisa met another young woman in a club who revealed a connection to the occult. Immediate trust, prayer, and the Holy Spirit soon led this young woman to be baptized by Lisa and a volunteer mentor. She renounced everything and turned to Jesus. NSA was able to help her find a home, and to this day she holds two jobs, continues one-on-one mentorship and has experienced freedom from the industry.

The first girl Lisa ever mentored 8

A dancer holding up her love note that is provided in each gift NSA hands out. These love notes are handwritten and delivered by the NSA team and volunteers.

was seeking to have her fifth abortion when they first met.

“We met and I brought a couple with us who couldn’t conceive,” Lisa says. “I just looked at her and said, ‘I really ask you to just consider giving life to that baby and to this beautiful couple.’ And then we just did life with her during her entire pregnancy.”

The pandemic in recent months led to the shutdown of clubs. However, instead of hindering ministry, this allowed for deeper connections and open doors.

“When the shutdown happened, our phones blew up,” Lisa says. “All of a sudden we had girls out of work; so, during this time we have been feeding more than 20 families through our partnership with Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries. We have had the absolute honor and privilege of being able to meet at these women’s homes and meeting their children and families—getting to know them so much better.”

NSA team prepares for an outreach in their bus on Valentine’s Day.

Going into the dark places is a difficult reminder of Lisa’s past; but because of her obedience to God’s whisper, she and many others have experienced holy moment after holy moment. And there is an expectant spirit that there are many more holy moments ahead.

No Strings Attached www.nsagirls.org San Antonio / Hill Country (210) 517-8256

Be A Light.

One of the partners for NSA happened to pay for a "Think God" sign that ended up right above one of the places NSA goes into to minister to women. God is good!

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Partner. Become a monthly partner for $22 per month to help grow programs.

Give. Give a one-time gift toward advocacy programs or gifts and children’s items for care packages. Pray. For God’s provision of a property in the Texas Hill Country to serve as a retreat center.

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Good News happening in our community

Not your typical university

Hallmark offers more than courses Sam Oriyavong reviews information security systems in one of the School of Information Technology’s computer simulation labs.

BY DA NI EL T ENNI S O N

The Coronavirus outbreak has forced people and organizations alike to adapt to a new normal, adopting new practices into their daily lives and business operations. Organizations enabled employees to work from home while students began learning solely in virtual settings. This dramatic shift has underscored the challenges of working and learning online but has presented opportunities for creative solutions.

In early March, Hallmark University was one of the thousands of institutions that moved courses online as the Coronavirus spread throughout the US. News headlines nationwide described the shortcomings of higher education in this virtual age, while students at Hallmark University experienced something different.

Students whose programs moved online found classes already prepared for online delivery and Hallmark continued to offer personal developLate Summer 2020

ment programs such as Biblical Leadership for Excellence (BLE). Bringing programs like BLE online gives students the opportunity for personal growth and connections, providing an avenue of relief from the burdens of one’s own life while they continue their education online.

“With so many stresses pushing on them now, many people have started to think about their purpose in life,” says Douglas Heintz, Director of Institutional Character and Ethics. “BLE gets people to look at their lives and understand how they have invested in themselves and others and how they can use it to change their lives according to God’s word.”

Having already designed courses and programs to be delivered virtually before the pandemic hit, students at Hallmark continued their classes with a renewed sense of devotion to their education. One recent Hallmark alumna, Charice Grier, has stood out to her instructors and fellow students for the incredible effort and work she put w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

into her education, all for her family.

“I wanted my son to have a better life,” says Charice. “I left behind my life in Philadelphia, and my sister told me to come to San Antonio. When I got here, I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. I spent 15 years in the medical field, and I couldn’t do it

Charice Grier stands with College of Aeronautics Dean Kurt Leslie after receiving the Younger Family Bright Lights Scholarship Award.

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Good News happening in our community

Students in the Hallmark School of Business listen to their instructor’s feedback after giving their final presentation.

anymore. I wanted to change my career, but I didn’t know where to go.”

Charice promised her son that whatever she chose to do, she would see it through and give him a better life. She joined Hallmark University’s College of Aeronautics in 2018 to begin her career as an Aircraft Technician.

“The promise I made to my son pushed me while I was in school. I look back at all the honors and certificates I got while at Hallmark, and it puts a smile on my face. I didn’t have a great support system while going to school, and succeeding despite everything that I endured makes me feel proud.

I changed my life by joining Hallmark.

It gave me job security so I can go anywhere in life and it can’t be taken from me. As long as there are planes in the air, I have a job and can give my family the life they deserve.”

Graduates of Hallmark University have shared similar life-changing stories, whether it be through earning an education or the connections they build in school. Providing these opportunities to students during the Coronavirus pandemic is a high priority for the institution, whose instructors have worked around the clock to support students who are experiencing stresses in their lives right now.

“I make sure that everyone is having fun,” shared Kristen Sinclair, an instructor at Hallmark University. “It’s a very open environment where everyone has discussions, and they get to share their personal experiences.

There’s an energy that you pick up on and rally your students behind to get them engaged in the class even though we haven’t been in the classroom in a few months. It’s been a lot of work, but 10

A nursing student takes the blood pressure of her daughter during a pediatrics assessment in the Martha Fessler School of Nursing.

of encouragement help those that continue their education with the school.

If you are ready to discover your passion, or connect your passion to purpose, be sure to visit Hallmark University before making your final decision on a higher education.

Students work together on a sheet metal project at the College of Aeronautics located at the San Antonio International Airport.

my students are doing great in their classes, and I think we are making this work.”

Instructors like Kristen have found their unique approaches to make virtual classes work for their students.

Due to the faculty's dedication to their profession, Hallmark University hit its highest retention levels in the past five years, even amid an ongoing pandemic.

The immense effort behind the scenes at Hallmark University has made education worth it for students, even with the challenges we experience today. More institutions around the US worry about how to deliver in their roles as educators. However, students like Charice can continue to change their lives due to the people and opportunities at Hallmark University.

Hallmark University is a nonprofit institution of higher education in San Antonio, Texas. The support from the community to students through scholarship donations and messages w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

North Campus: 10401 Interstate-10 West SAT 78230 College of Aeronautics: 8901 Wetmore Road, SAT 78216 (210) 690-9000 www.hallmarkuniversity.edu

Be a Light.

Pray. Ask God to send revelation and guidance as Hallmark University continues serving San Antonio’s career needs and looks to what’s on the horizon. Support.

You have the opportunity to help support and provide an education to disadvantaged students including abuse victims who otherwise may never go to college. Donate to Hallmark University: www.hallmarkuniversity.edu/about/ advancement/

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Good News happening in our community

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Good News happening in our community

Keeping God’s Feasts

Forty dance students traveled from Israel to visit Baruch HaShem Messianic Congregation and experience Texas culture. In the 2018 European Competition they took first place.

BY AMY M O R G AN

Summer is nearly over, and the holiday season is almost here. Wait— Thanksgiving and Christmas are still months away! What do you mean?

Autumn heralds the High Holy Holidays celebrated for thousands of years by the children of Israel. However, these feast days are not reserved for Jews only. Roy Garcia, Pastor of Baruch HaShem Messianic Congregation in

Rabbi Roy and his wife Mari Garcia, lead rabbis of Baruch HaShem.

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San Antonio, who is also a member of the Messianic Jewish Alliance and National Jewish Fellowship of the Assemblies of God, explains why it is important for all believers in Yeshua ( Jesus) the Messiah to observe the traditional feasts.

“These are not just Jewish holidays,” he says. “These are feasts of God. We can prove through the scriptures that Jesus was conceived on a feast, was born on a feast, died, and was resurrected on a feast. We believe that Jesus will return on a feast.

“God commands us to keep these days, and we please God and receive a blessing when we do.

“God says right in Leviticus 23:2, ‘These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’ That lends a lot of importance to feast days.” w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

In the Hebrew calendar, the day begins at dusk the night before. Rosh Hashanah, the first of the fall feasts, begins at sundown this year on September 18. This feast memorializes the coming of Messiah. Also known as the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah fittingly involves blowing the historical Hebrew trumpet, the Shofar, 100 times. At the last trumpet blast culminating the end of the ceremony, the congregation rises, claps and invites Messiah to return.

Just a few weeks later, September 27 is the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur.

The tone of this feast is much different than the joyous celebration of Rosh Hashanah. Yom Kippur is observed by prayer and fasting, as it represents repentance from sin.

Following on Yom Kippur’s heels is the Feast of Tabernacles, October 2-9, a week where God’s people remember L a te S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

Good News happening in our community

Blowing the Shofar at Sunset on Rosh HaShanna and Yom Terruah-Feast of Trumpets.

It is customary to wear white during Rosh HaShanah and Yom Teruah.

how the Lord provided for them in the desert and brought them into a new beginning in the Promised Land.

Pastor Roy founded Baruch HaShem, which means, “Blessed is His Name,” in 1992. Today, Rabbi Jones and Rabbi Collazo hold service Saturday morning and afternoon. The congregation consists of those of Jewish or Gentile background who lift up the name of Yeshua as Messiah. Studying the Bible in its original language unlocks revelation. The Hebrew and Greek languages, in which the Bible were originally written, are alphanumeric, each letter also incorporates a number value, allowing imbedded symbolism, dates and other layers of meaning that don’t translate into English.

“The Bible in Hebrew is so much deeper, it is like the difference between a film in black and white versus color,” Pastor Roy explains.

Before COVID-19, close to 1,000 worshippers would gather for one of the three services. COVID-19 was actually a blessing for Baruch HaShem, Pastor Roy says, because it forced them to develop an online presence to live stream their services. This increased their audience exponentially—opening doors for new believers from all over the world.

“We’re averaging 40,000 people a week,” Pastor Roy says. “People from every continent except Antarctica have contacted us. People are fearful of what’s going on in this world, there’s a

also Jews from the Canary Islands.

Pastor Roy feels Baruch HaShem is uniquely equipped to minister to San Antonio’s Hispanic community because of its Sephardic-Jewish connection.

What can a person without a Jewish background do to learn more about Christianity’s Hebrew roots? Pastor Roy invites others to find Baruch Hashem online for an easy introduction or to join in the celebration of the Jewish feasts. It will provide additional revelation and give a deeper look at the faith. After all, Jesus was Jewish!

Late Summer 2020

Rabbi Tim Hyslip blowing the Shofar.

deep hunger and search for God. The enemy wanted to silence us, and exactly the opposite has taken place.

“The Gentile world searching for our congregation wants to return to the basics and find the revelation of prophecy. Those from Jewish background are seeking the fulfillment of Messiah.”

Recently, an Orthodox Jew flew from Washington D.C. to meet with Pastor Roy in person.

“He was so enamored by the message of Messiah,” Pastor Roy says.

“He was baptized/mikvah in his new faith before he returned home.”

Baruch HaShem has helped birth congregations from Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, and several cities in Texas. Pastor Roy himself comes from a long line of ministers. The Garcias, including his wife, Mari, carry Jewish lineage and hail from the Canary Islands—the location where Spain historically relegated its country’s Jews. Coincidentally, the founders of San Antonio were w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

Baruch HaShem Messianic Congregation www.baruch-hashem.com 16320 Huebner Road, SAT 78248 (210) 440-4773

Be A Light.

Join. Visit Baruch HaShem online to learn about the fulfillment of prophecy of Yeshua Messiah. Pray. Prayer warriors are needed to cover the many requests coming in online. Serve. Distribute food and toiletries to needy neighbors. Give. Financial contributions offset the cost of video production equipment.

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Good News happening in our community

Mike Q. Daniel Ministries offers free resources to deepen followers’ relationship with Christ

BY DENI S E MAR CO S

How many times have you found yourself feeling unfulfilled? We are often misguided that if we live a certain way God will give us what we desire. When we believe that if we do something for God, He will in turn do something for us—we are living transactionally instead of relationally as God's child by grace.

Living transactionally does not allow us to experience the freedom and love we already have in Christ. To know Him more intimately, our self effort will never work. We can trust Christ, living in us by grace, to accomplish through us what only He can.

This is especially true in the midst of the challenges we face today regarding the pandemic, racial unrest and a quickly approaching election. How can we know peace, joy and fulfillment even during these trying times?

How do we experience the freedom we seek?

Mike Daniel, founder of Mike Q. Daniel Ministries and Zoe Code Ministries, provides free discipleship 14

resources online and works with ministry teams around the world. Mike fervently says "God never designed you to accomplish the life that only Jesus Himself can live through you. When we receive God's love, we can reflect that love onto others."

“Too often we as people of a faith community get so caught up in the practices of our faith that we are misguided in our thoughts that the Christian life is what we do instead of Christ who is our life. He is the journey and the destination, the means and the end of the Christian life. He's the way we walk and the truth we know relationally to experience Christ Himself as the life! Really, what Christ is wanting from us, is to have a relationship with Him,” Mike explains. “And like any relationship it grows. He is the author of our faith, using everything to bring us into a deeper fellowship with Him.” Faith is not what we do for Him hoping to get something else from Him. That’s not a relationship. We trust He knows what we need, so we simply walk with Him through every circumstance to know Him as the author and perfecter of our faith. Mike was w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

Mike provides staff discipleship to ministry teams.

witness to God’s grace and His purpose through a life-changing event that shaped who he is today.

“In 1989 I got into a bad car accident that derailed my entire life. I had a different idea of what my life would look like. But that accident was the beginning of self reflection and transformation,” he says. "I had been trying to accomplish a godly life hoping God would reward my effort with the things I desired for my future, but trying to be good is not the way of Christ. Living in relationship with God as our Father as the source of righteousness is!”

Today, Mike lives and teaches others to live with a Christ-is-life mentality. Mike says that once we can L a te S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

Good News happening in our community

Mike and a Tibetan pastor reflect about God's indwelling life and underserved favor with the persecuted church during Mike's visit to Tibet.

approach our relationship with Jesus in this way, we will see our life in a new light.

“We start to live from Christ as our source. We increasingly enjoy an intimate relationship with Him,” Mike reflects. “We aren’t checking things off a list, we are no longer trying to be better Christians, but simply living in relationship with Christ who wants more for us than we ever know to ask of Him.” Mike was a thriving businessman who spoke around the country using his knowledge to help individuals grow professionally and personally. During this time, he started serving as a volunteer leader to a group of underserved individuals for his church. That opportunity strengthened his faith and led him to become an ordained pastor.

“I had no plans to become a pastor.

It just wasn’t ever something I thought about,” Mike recalls. “It’s true that we make our own plans, but God directs our steps. We don’t learn to follow Him because we like His plan, but because we increasingly trust His love for us.”

After serving in many faith leadership roles throughout the years, Mike continued to see a gap. So in 2008, he founded Zoe Code Ministries, a ministry dedicated to helping churches, pastors, ministry leaders and others live out the Christ-isLife message; personally and with those they lead.

These trainings, geared toward producing more equipped disciplers, worked wonders—at first. But Mike says those leaders and many event attendees would later reach out seeking guidance on how to continue growing in the truth of the New Covenant, Christ-as-life discipleship.

“They come open-minded and they leave excited to put these new perspecLate Summer 2020

Mike preaches and conducts small-group-leaders' discipleship training in Oklahoma City.

tives to practice, but fall back into their old ways of thinking,” he says.

“The purpose for Mike Q. Daniel Ministries is to be a resource for continual encouragement and spiritual growth for everyone—whether following an event or if they’ve never been to one and for people just like you that desire to live in a relationship with Christ based on grace.”

These weekly devotionals and videos are free to anyone looking to deepen their relationship with God. His videos, uplifting in nature and based on the simple foundations of Christianity, can be found on MQD Ministries’ website. They can be used as a resource for bible study groups,

retreats, workshops or simply individual growth.

“Our mission as followers of Jesus is to share His life. The Gospel isn’t just forgiveness, but new creation, resurrected, Christ-indwelt life! These platforms allow (MQD Ministries) to do that,” he says. “We need continual spiritual growth. Our minds need to be renewed. It’s an ongoing process. Mike Q. Daniel Ministries is seeing God do just that.”

Mike and Stacia Daniel, his wife, minister during a Holy Land teaching tour in Jordan and Israel.

Engaging & Growing in Christ as Life.

Real. Grace. Life.

Mike gives training for missionaries and pastors in the Philippines.

Mike Q. Daniel Ministries www.mikeqdaniel.com

Be A Light.

Mike provides discipleship and equipped leadership training during a conference in a remote, persecuted church in India.

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Explore. Visit the MQD Ministries website to learn more about how you can deepen your relationship with Jesus. Connect.

Subscribe to weekly devotionals and videos. Share. Spread the word of God and the mission of MQD Ministries to others through social media @MikeQDaniel.

15

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GoodNews News happening happening in Good in our our community community

Igniting a Wildfire: A new wineskin church is sparking fire across our city

BY JE N NI E R O S I O

For just a minute imagine how the early church functioned. Taylor Rogers has been dreaming about this for years.

Over the last decade, he has sensed a deep need for a more agile and effective expression of the church. In some ways, he had a vision of something new; in other ways, his vision had mirrored historical descriptions of the very first church.

A small discipleship group began in 2017. They came to believe that Jesus

Created Ministry, part of the Wildfire Network, face painting ministry in the community.

Late Summer 2020

desired a response to our changing culture by launching a ministry that would provide servant leadership to multiple grassroots ministry efforts and spark like wildfire across the city.

In seeking God for a name: this element, which both renews and destroys — fire — would become the metaphor for the Holy Spirit’s work through them.

To understand how the organization operates, it helps to picture it as a campground. Wildfire’s 501(c)(3) status acts as an umbrella for new ministries.

Each ministry effort is small, led by those who often have full-time jobs or side hustles, and feel called to make a difference in the lives of a very specific demographic. Each “campfire gathering,” hosted by Wildfire, the campground leaders, allows these start-up ministries to enjoy the facilities, training and accountability.

“When you join the Wildfire Network, you automatically have a team,” Taylor says. “You have access to a (multitude of business development services).” Wildfire’s philosophy, rooted in the mission to serve others through w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

relationships, stems from the natural response to help others do what Jesus has called them to do. The opportunities provided values from $7,000+. Yet, Wildfire offers this free of charge to each ministry willing to abide by the Wildfire Network Values.

The organization's orientation booklet states, “Our network is a family of firebrands. Bold servants who have heard the call of Jesus, been empowered by the Holy Spirit and are sent by God on a mission come to us for help.”

Fifteen ministries are already a part of the network. Each has complete access to the full spectrum of Wildfire

Volunteers helping with gifts for Angel Helpers Ministry (part of the Wildfire network) Christmas outreach.

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Good News happening in our community

Chandler Merritt, Finance Director at Wildfire Network, teaches a summer bible club at Oak Manor Apartments.

Wildfire Network’s Mashaun Hirschler, Founder of T.H.U.G.G.I.N for Christ Ministry.

Network services. Most importantly, each has access to quiet, powerful prayer at the Wildfire Network office, where a special room has been designed for reflection and empowerment.

If you go to the Wildfire Network Facebook page you will get an even more in-depth story regarding many of Wildfire’s ministries. Of note: T.H.U.G.G.I.N. For Christ, which is showcased in a January 17 post on Wildfire’s page. This grassroots ministry connected to Wildfire’s network recently. Mashaun, the movement’s leader, came from the streets; he felt called back to the streets. When Taylor heard about Mashaun, he invited him to the Wildfire office to see how he could support him. He wanted to come, but his car battery died. “So,” says Taylor, “this guy’s clearly a missionary. He doesn’t have a working battery or the funds to purchase a new one, so we paid for a battery. Then we met; we talked.

“He was diligent. He went to the website, he read through all our values founded in scripture, and he was like, ‘I want to be a part of this.’ So, we laid hands on him and his wife Brandy, and just anointed them for this work God’s called them to.” Mashaun has remained obedient to God’s call and God is blessing his ministry as people have come to Christ and are being discipled.

18

Lifelight India joined the Wildfire Network in 2019.

Because of the shutdowns due to the pandemic and San Antonio’s continued economic struggles as a result, the need for food donations is greater than ever. Many soup kitchens have shut down. “So, we started a Wildfire Pantry that has connection to Daily Bread,” says Taylor. “We wanted to help our missions enjoy access to food for those they serve.”

Wildfire continues to grow with many new connections locally and around the world since their ministry is based on discipleship and relationships rather than programs in a building.

Are you the next ministry God’s calling to Wildfire? Visit Wildfire Network’s website and click the “Starting Something New” tab. Maybe your dream is not so far away. If you love Jesus and can say “yes” to the Wildfire Network manifesto, your spark might start the next wildfire. w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

www.wildfire.church 4411 Walzem Road Suite 208, San Antonio, TX 78218 210-452-5532

Be A Light.

Donate. Giving to Wildfire goes a long way and is multiplied as they serve their missions. Pray. Pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to connect deeply-committed servants of Christ to join the Wildfire Network. Spark. Light a spark yourself: think you might align with Wildfire’s vision?

Ask for a Manifesto book. See if you can give a hearty “amen” to the values outlined within and then enjoy all of the services Wildfire provides.

L a te S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

Good News happening in our community

Leadership Team, Awakening a Generation. Front row seated left to right: Bishop Harry Jackson Jr, David Harris Jr, Pastor Charles Flowers. Standing back row left to right: Pastor Issac Pitre, Pastor Enos Chamberlain, Derrick Gradenigo.

God is not a Democrat nor a Republican Local leader is one of five men to start a 10-city tour to awaken a nation; tour launches in San Antonio

BY JE N NI E R O S I O

Recently, five black spiritual leaders rallied at Faith Outreach Center International to reason with their listeners so they’d consider keeping biblical values in mind when voting for 2020 political candidates.

But — wouldn’t churchgoers attending services where the Bible is preached Sunday after Sunday predictably vote for someone who champions the values of the sacred scriptures?

Short answer: No. It gets complicated. Scriptures fall under different interpretations.

Emotions ebb and flow. It’s not predictable. And many cast their vote out of tradition while not focusing on the platform of the party and how it compares with biblical values.

Pastor Charles Flowers, one of the five leaders, heads up the San Antonio Late Summer 2020

Black White & Brown initiative. The hope is to influence the upcoming elections in 2020 by making a significant shift toward biblical understanding and sound reasoning when it comes to candidate vetting. It is with this hope they launched with a well-attended rally in his own church—Faith Outreach Center International, where he’s the senior pastor. The rally sparks the start of a 10-city national tour beginning right here in San Antonio, where we’re led by a Democrat mayor and where 64 percent are Hispanic or Latino and 7 percent are black.

“One of the defining phenomena of

w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

contemporary American electoral politics is the black electorate’s large and enduring support for the Democrat Party, which has…moved leftward,” says Theodore R. Johnson, a senior

Pre-2020 Election Tour Dates August 18 — Atlanta August 20 — Charlotte September 2 — Cleveland September 15 — Philadelphia September 17 — Richmond September 22 — Orlando September 23 — Tampa September 29 — Milwaukee October 1 — Chicago

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Good News happening in our community

fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice for the Washington Post. “Its presidential candidates have received an average of nearly 90 percent of the black vote for the past six decades.”

Bishop Harry Jackson says the tour’s also been dubbed, “Vote Shift 2020.”

“I can’t put into words the level of shift that took place in this house last night,” Charles Flowers said to 500+ Facebook viewers during a live chat the day after the rally. “Several very important things were said last night. There is something happening in the black community and the Latino community and in the Asian community. We have been assumed as assets for a particular party: the Democrat Party.”

The five men at the rally unpacked the scriptures alongside issues, which affect a city like San Antonio. They conveyed facts, voting records and anecdotal evidence pointing to a need for careful consideration—and even some changed opinions.

David J. Harris Jr., one of the rally speakers, talked with The Beacon before the rally. He recalled the night in 2008 when Barack Obama was named America’s president, and said that this event brought a lift to so many in the black community who felt marginalized. When it comes to this deep sentiment, David says, “I get that.”

David, an avid online influencer for the David J. Harris Jr. Show continues: “What I don’t side with is letting somebody get away with denigrating the culture that he was supposed to be uplifting…[Obama was] doing virtually nothing for the black community that was so leaning on him to be our modern-day Martin Luther King.”

David goes on to say, “My values do not align me with the Democratic Party. I am 100 percent pro-life because that is what the scriptures say.” (Bernie Sanders recently said, according to nationalreview.com, “I think being pro-choice is an absolutely essential part of being a Democrat.”)

While David is unquestionably conservative, he refuses to deliver 20

The 10-city tour's main message: If you are a Christian, vote according to biblical values.

Spiritual leaders pray over those running for office in Texas and San Antonio.

harsh judgments or leave compassion out of his message. David’s book, Why I Couldn’t Stay Silent, features a chapter penned by his wife, Jennifer.

“If you’re reading this,” she says, “and you’ve had an abortion, there is no judgment here…Go to God if you haven’t already—He’s waiting for you…PLEASE!” The pro-life and pro-choice debate is one of the key issues the rallies hope to highlight. If you are a reader of The Beacon who supports biblical values, now is the time to start praying for these five men. Pray that they can clearly speak the truth in love to show the way to make voting choices clearer and aligned with scripture.

While the issues are complicated, one thing is clear. Voting is not a party thing. God is not Democrat or Republican. According to Exodus 3:14 He is the ultimate independent, saying, “I Am that I Am.” w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

Faith Outreach Church International San Antonio Black White & Brown www.faith-outreach.org www.sabwb.org/vsl 3806 Sunshine Ranch Rd, SAT 78228 (210) 734-7423

Be A Light.

Pray. Lift up our nation and intercede for these men to make their message clear and for spiritual protection. Give. Visit the San Antonio Black White & Brown (SABWB) website to give toward this cause. You can become a member and dive into all of these issues more deeply. Visit. Go to www. facebook.com/pastor.flowers.75 where you will find a wealth of information.

L a te S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

Good News happening in our community

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www.saBeacon.com Keep up with everything God is doing in our community. There are many breaking, good news stories that cannot wait for our bi-monthly magazine. You will find these along with resources for your Christian walk, volunteer opportunities with ministry efforts, great video content, local Christian events and even community-minded business listings so you know where to shop for your next product or service.

When you visit, be sure to sign up for our weekly e-news updates to keep you informed on all God is doing in our community.

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Be A Light.

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happening TGood E LNews L YO U Rin ourScommunity TO RY

Having received, I freely give

Restoration Closet

BY DE N I S E MAR CO S

“A restored life leads to a restored closet.” This is the philosophy of Stephanie Brown, Founder of local nonprofit Restoration Closet. Its mission, “to provide support and inspiration to help women succeed in both career and life,” stemmed from a long personal journey of self-discovery and growth.

Stephanie fell in love, married and became a mother to two beautiful girls.

But problems surfaced and her husband left their family without any support. This left Stephanie grasping tightly to all she had remaining. Feeling broken, she turned to the only place she found refuge—her church and its community.

Stephanie worked hard to provide for her girls. Friends encouraged her and their hearts were opened. These friends opened their closets to her family providing clothes and shoes for both Stephanie and her daughters.

These moments signified a turning point for Stephanie. With a thankful heart, she turned to the Lord, prayed to Him and He gave her a vision. He put it in her heart to help others who were struggling. She remembers the generosity of those who helped her persevere and she felt called to do the same. And in July 2019, Restoration Closet became an official nonprofit.

The organization provides gently used clothes and accessories to women free of charge. In addition, the ministry offers job training and assistance.

While material and intellectual needs can be met at Restoration Closet, the true purpose behind the organization is to make every woman who walks through its doors know they are valued and loved by Jesus.

Restoration Closet is located off 22

Founder of Restoration Closet, Stephanie Brown, hangs donations in the nonprofits storage space.

1604 in Stone Oak and is currently using a 10x15 smart unit as a place where women in need can shop for free. However, Stephanie is trusting God to provide a larger, more intimate space in-the-not-too-distant future.

Free clothing for women and their children.

This will allow her to serve even more women and change even more lives.

If you have space you can donate to the nonprofit, would like to donate items or make a monetary donation, contact Stephanie at restorationclosetnfp@gmail.com. Financial donations will allow the ministry to grow to serve women by adding a wellness center that will offer life skills, personal coaching, counseling and much more. A portion of donations will be used to purchase H-E-B gift cards for single mothers to buy necessities. If you feel moved by Stephanie’s story, visit her website to learn more and make a donation at www.restorationcloset.com. Pray with her for the perfect place to set up shop to serve more women.

Restoration Closet Restoration Closet has a selection of shoes and accessories as well.

w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

www.restorationcloset.com (210) 970-2880

L a te S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

A Walk in Their Shoes Learn about challenges our pastors face in these difficult times Pray for Pastors! September 17th on sabeacon.com Details coming soon!

Pastor Alex Lara Elevate Ministries www.elevateministriessa.com 130 Saipan Pl SAT 78221 (210) 444-9210

Apostle Rob Wallace Embassy Christian Center www.representchrist.net 435 McCarty Rd. SAT 78216 (210) 286-7812

Pastor Scott Quidley

Sr. Pastor Dorian Williams

Pastor Travis Eades

McCauley Baptist Church www.mccauleybaptist.org 714 McCauley Ave SAT 78221 210) 923-4159

Texas Christian Fellowship-SA www.txchristianfellowship.org 300 E. Ramsey Rd. Ste 305 SAT 78216 (210) 525-1126

Lead Minister www.oakhillschurch.com 19595 I-10, SAT 78257 (210) 698-6868

Will you pray for our community of pastors. Watch a video series that reveals what they face on the front lines of the spiritual battle in our community.

Whether it’s the pandemic, racial strife or the political divide, we are all affected. There is no doubt we’re in a spiritual war that is taking a toll on our community. Our pastors are not exempt from this warfare. They are on the front lines fighting this battle each and every day. Learn from five local pastors just what they are facing and how you can help. Stay tuned for more details on sabeacon.com.

T H A N K YO U

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These five pastors represent the diversity of Christian leaders in our community. Join us as we walk in their shoes.

Let their stories fuel your prayer.

Thank you to our sponsors for making this video series possible! w w w.sa B e a c o n .c o m

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Mr. W. Fireworks is a Christian company that strongly supports and honors pastors. www.mrwfireworks.com L a te S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

Be A Light.

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