Feb. 2017
UNSTOPPABLE 2017 The Merger Ministry & Marketplace W/ Overseer Allan Gray
What is the Advance Track? An in depth look with Pastor Jared Williams
FA I T H + FA M I LY + F U T U R E
Ta b l e o f c o n t e n t s
Bishops’s Corner
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The Merger
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Fast Forward W/ Kai Martin
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The Importance of Trust
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Advancement Track
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Expectations
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Unstopable
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Upcoming Events
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From The Editor Greetings, I pray that you are having an unstoppable 2017! It is my prayer and desire as we move into this New Year that the blessings of God will overtake you. In our holiday edition you may have noticed new appointments in our church. I have humbly excepted the call to lead the United Times into it’s next season. I thank God for Ms. Annette Parkins and all of her contributions to lay such a strong foundation for this publication. I will continue to build on this foundation, with sights set for the future. I willingly welcome anyone who is eagerly interested in contributing to this process. As we now enter into this season at the United Times I look forward to leading the charge through this vehicle of communication to provide our United family with tools and resources to encourage, enlighten, and empower us all to be Unstoppable. If you are interested in writing an article or providing a resource for our United family please email me at unitedtimes@unitedcovenantchurches.org. I look forward to this assignment as we unite for change! In his service, Elder RJ Marshall
The Bishops Corner
Congratulations to Bishop Orlando Findlayter He received the LifeTime Achievement Award for his exemplary service in and to the community, the CITY of NY and the domestic UNION. During his time of serving he traveled to Washington, DC 37 times‌he was jailed shutting down the Empire State Building‌.yet and still he continues to serve and make a difference. Congratulations to Overseer Sylvester Robinson Overseer Sylvester was honored to be the recipient of the Presidents Lifetime Achievement Award from the City of Orlando. We celebrate him, his service and all that he continues to do for the City of Orlando. We want to acknowledge Bishop Jamie Johnson He completed his 8th year as a Peach County Board of Education Member and on January 1 st will again have the privilege to serve in that same capacity. In his first 2 years he served as Vice-Chairman of the board and his last 4 years he served as Chairman of the Board. We celebrate Bishop Johnson.
Overseer Allan Gray
The Merger Ministry & the Marketplace
“Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die!”
Many of us have heard this saying, and a few of us are guilty of using it. But I bet even fewer still have considered what the real cost of being a follower of Jesus is. Before Jesus offered salvation, He laid out the terms. For He did not want us to be as Paul admonished in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 “to be uninformed/ ignorant…” about what needs to take place for us to participate in the promises about our eternal security which is found only in Him. He tells us, it is our job to “count the cost”! He paid the price, but our relationship with Him is going to cost us! A Sunday only relationship with God does not equip
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you to live the abundant life promised through Jesus. What I love about Jesus is in order for spiritual changes to have merit, they must find practical applications in our life. In Luke 14:25-32 Jesus says “If anyone comes to me…he must first sit down and count the cost…” Question…Outside of the church who knows that you are a believer who follows Jesus? In Matthew 5:16 , Jesus tells us that our light is to “…shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” In what way are you “working” so that He might be seen?
As a Certified Biblical Entrepreneurship Instructor, I spend my time outside of the pulpit, teaching people how to make their life outside of the four walls of the Church count! Biblical Entrepreneurship (BE) is the merger of ministry and the marketplace. Through a three part comprehensive business training and discipleship program, we walk out Luke 14 by laying a foundation through BE Principles, being deliberate through BE Practices and formulating a BE Plan. Because following Christ requires commitment, not simply a confession! Now is the time, to let the world know, the Church of Jesus Christ, His Kingdom is open for Business, for we have been called to “occupy until He comes.” If your relationship with Jesus has not required you to readjust your life outside of the church, if there is no practical application of your faith in the work that you do Monday through Saturday, then your relationship has not cost you. And if it has not cost you, then it does not count! #MindUrBusiness
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FA S T F O RWA R D Fast For ward w/Kai Mar tin
Everyone has a story to tell and while most of us may not speak about our past, our stories can help set others free. Over the years, God has transitioned me from being an angry teen and broken young adult into the woman you see today. In short, I’ve spent most of my life dealing with rebellion, depression, sexual addictions and even struggling to control my anger. While I was battling these things, I sat in church every Sunday and simply refused to get help from God. Eventually, I stopped going to church and started partying every night. Later on, I became involved in an abusive relationship, where I remained for 4 years. At this point, I found myself emotionally tired and completely broken so I finally decided to leave everything behind and get help.
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In 2011, I went back to church and rededicated my life to Christ. Since then, I have been in the stages of transition and began building a relationship with Christ. I’ve stopped partying and drinking, became involved with the youth ministry at my church and started practicing abstinence. To add to this, I re-enrolled in college with hopes of moving on to law school. If asked back then whether I saw anything good coming out of my life, I would probably say, no! However, today I view my life as a beautiful vessel created by God and find comfort in knowing that my future is in His hands. I’ll end by quoting Philippians 1:6 which says “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (NLT).
I M P O RTA N C E
T H E I M P O RTA N C E O F T R U S T
There is a school of thought in today’s society that the most important responsibility of life is that one should look out for themselves, make themselves number one, make sure they have before anyone else does, “do you” first, and all other ideas along that vein. The premise of this thought is that no one will be there for you, or look out for you, like you can look out or be there
sacrifice your own feelings, wants and desires in order to live above that which is trying to cripple you - the fear to let go. When we learn to trust God on that level, then trusting others becomes much easier. “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.” (Jeremiah 17:7)
for yourself. Although there is a level of truth laced in between these thoughts, this consistent mindset seriously and dangerously exudes a vile distrust that overtakes ones heart, and therefore a deliberate trust in no one or nothing. I would suggest that those who cannot trust, or even have difficulty trusting, are those who live in fear. Living in fear cripples oneself from living as God has intended us to live, and therefore, aborts every good and perfect thing that is meant to bring us life more abundantly. Although trust, on one hand, is earned, trust is also freely given from the onset. And even when trust is violated, there ought to be a process of healing, restitution, forgiveness, and intentionality that brings our hearts and minds back in line with our Lord and Savior, and thereby, back into right relationships.
The ability to trust is paramount for upward and forward movement in life, and in our relationships, including the one we have with our Lord. If I don’t trust you, then I am essentially saying that I don’t believe you can handle it, or that you can care for it. How awful such a life would be when we tell God, or even others we love that “I don’t believe you can handle or care for it.” Whatever your “IT” may be. That feeling is laced with fear, yet God has not given us the spirit of fear. (II Timothy 1:7) Therefore, it is extremely important to trust. Without trust, I am living on my own understanding, depending on my own feeling as, and going in my own direction. I’m a loner, and God did not intend for us to live alone. None of us has the ability to navigate our lives to the abundance that God has promised us, nor the freedom that comes through Jesus Christ, and Him alone. But to trust, and it is so good and necessary to do so, frees us to allow God to lead us, guide us, and take the wheel - even when trusting others becomes difficult. With God, we can do it, and we can do it well.
Robert Porter Lynch states that “At a minimal level, trust is the absence of fear in a relationship: It’s knowing that you won’t intentionally hurt me.” The only way to conquer fear, or to heal from past pain, is to learn to trust again - with intention. We must also realize that our ability to trust others does not derive from within ourselves, but it is directly connected to our trust in God. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) Trusting in the Lord with ALL..., and leaning not unto thine OWN..., is accomplished only by making a decision to do so, and making a decision to
Pastor Leslie G. Christie Senior Pastor Kingdom Church International, Brooklyn, NY’
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A DVA N C E M E N T
W h a t i s t h e A d v a n c e Tr a c k? An in depth conversation with Pastor Jared Williams about the advance track
EM: Pastor Jared how are you my friend? JW: Im blessed! How about yourself? EM: I am excited about the road ahead. Which brings me to my first question for you. What is the Advance Track? JW: Well, the AT(Advance Track) Is a new ministry model we will be using in United to help strengthen our local churches.
EM: Yes sir, it does! John Maxwell is quoted in saying that “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” I believe that we are apart of great leadership here in United and continual growth is important. So, Pastor Jared how would someone sign up for this? JW: Registration will begin during our 2017 Holy Convocation after which, individuals will be able to register through our United website at www.unitedcovenantchurches.org EM: Is there a fee involved?
EM: That’s exciting so who is this specifically for? JW: The AT is designed for Pastors and all ministry workers.
JW: Yes! The fee for registration is $25 per course area and there are 4 course areas. EM: Is sponsorship available?
EM: Awesome! So, anyone in United that is interested in ministry development can participate? JW: Yes, it is designed to facilitate the needs of everyone in or all aspects of ministry. EM: What are some benefits of this track? JW: The AT is designed to train your church to be the best version of itself with excellence. Every ministry is different so we will work to help your vision come to life in the hearts of your local congregation. EM: I love it! A catered to approach. Ok, I know there may be many pastors or leaders skeptical of this so why should they register to be apart of the Advance Track? . JW: They should register if they have any involvement in serving in ministry. Continual training is a must to remain effective in ministry. Great leadership matters.
JW: Currently there are no additional sponsorships available beyond your local church. EM: How often are the classes? JW: The classes are video based. Once you have registered you will have access to view the classes as often as you see fit. EM: Great! Well this sounds exciting. If pastors were interested in more information prior to Holy Convocation how would they receive it? JW: If someone is interested and needed information they can email advancetrack@unitedcovenantchurches.org and they will be further advised. EM: Great! Thank you so much for your time. JW: Blessings.
E X P E C TAT I O N S
Expectations
Bishop Sterling Davis
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United Times
Expectation is such a powerful word. This single word carries the weight of a person’s emotions, actions, responses, process and progress. It holds, for many, the ability to know what to trust and what not trust; stability versus instability; solidifying surety or frail falsehoods. Expectation holds these things and more in suspense until the object of the expectation manifests, or functions in the parameters of the expected. Simply stated, expectations are rooted beliefs or thoughts that are derived from examined evidence. This examination at times can be “faulty” on our behalf based on biases, relationship just to name a few. But, all in all, expectations are seated in the resulting EXACTNESS of our supposition. The challenge for us is that we choose PEOPLE as the objects of our expectations. PEOPLE, though they have good motives, methods and means the fact is that; WE, US, THEM and THEY are all still frail, flawed, faulty and fickle. With that in mind, we place this “EXACTNESS” on and in a frame that wasn’t designed to function or manifest on that level. When they fail us, pain ensues and blame is expressed. But again, PEOPLE aren’t designed for executing expectation! We are creatures of HOPE. Hope takes away the rigidity of exactness and includes the variables of our humanity within it’s equation! Ergo, the pain and disappointment, though still there, are lessened because we HOPED in lieu of EXPECTING! Then WHO can we place our expectations on and in? WHERE can we find this ‘EXACTNESS” we need and long for? It is found within our definition; “examined evidence” with “resulting EXACTNESS”. God is the only WHO that cannot and has not failed! He has no, flaws, frailties or fickleness. He is FAITHFUL! He is FLAWLESS! He knows HOW to place the “resulting EXACTNESS” WHERE it belongs in the time of your life. So, we place our HOPE in people but it is God ALONE in whom we can EXPECT.
U N S TO PA B L E
Unstoppable With Bishop & Lady Garnes
This past December I had the honor and privilege to gather with our Presiding Bishop and 1st Lady Delicia Garnes to discuss family, faith, and the future of United. Below you will see our in depth interview, EM: Bishop and Lady Garnes it is indeed a pleasure and honor to spend some time with you. BG: The pleasure is all ours! Thank you for your contribution and vision for the United Times. EM: Well thank you, for trusting me for this position. All right, lets get down to business with these questions. Bishop Garnes, What do you see God doing for United in 2017? BG: As we commence the 2017 year, I see the pastors gleaming a greater understanding of the vision of UNITED and personally moving their lives to a clear purpose as to why they do ministry on the local level. I see a greater level of communication and dissemination of data that will be uplifting personally for greater local ministry impact. EM: Awesome! I receive that. So how can that be accomplished with many pastors who have families and other obligations? How do you make family the #1 priority with all that ministry demands? LG: Many Pastors today work full-time in a “secular” job/career, devote countless hours to the ministry, and do their endeavor best to give themselves to their families. Not only is it important to give ourselves to our children’s, nieces and nephews, but also to our parents, aunts and uncles, and most definitely to our spouses. God in His divine wisdom reminds us that balance is the priority. One important thing to consider, is that you are only one person! When you direct too much of yourself in one direction or another, you are off balance and all else will be as well.
EM: So, balance is important! LG: Yes! An additional point I would add is that at the end of the day, family being the number 1 priority is not something that just happens, it is not passive. Family first is not a mere statement, it is a call to action. We must do family on purpose, we must actively decide to make time and plan activities that will enable us to bond with and take pleasure in the gifts that God has given us in the form of our families. What lessons and examples of family, patience and God’s love are we modeling for the next generation on whom we may be depending on when we are much older? Ministry is demanding, but God does not want us to do ministry and loose all family ties. We can’t be shining stars in the church and unreliable unknowns to our families. EM: I need to retweet that, “We can’t be shining stars in the church and unreliable unknowns to our families.” So with that being said what advice would you give wives to their spouses for this year? BG: I strongly wish to admonish the spouses of UNITED to recognize the humanities of their spouses and selves. Respect the “mantle” over your spouses life, and recognize your spouse is really human and a work in continual progress. I am asking all spouses to speak more honestly in love and deep communication about your thoughts, concerns and desires. True and real communication will enhance your relationships and integrity will shine a light of great respect even when we disagree with each other. EM: Amen! Lady Garnes, same question for you, what advice would you give husbands to their spouses for this year?
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LG: For the New Year, the advice I would offer husbands is consider the directives to “let no man put asunder”. The enemy is rampant, doing his endeavor best to divide and conquer, especially couples in ministry together. This year, step out and connect with your wife, whether she is actively in ministry or not, speak the truth in love. There are so many things that when we find the way to say it, it will enable us to live in peace. Don’t let ministry members have more influence on you than we as your chief adjutant have. EM: You just said a lot right there! LG: (laughing) And another thing don’t compare us to other ministry members. Lastly, consider making a conscious decision to focus on highlighting our strengths and what they mean to you, rather than magnifying our weaknesses, as God is still working on us. Let’s spend the year lifting one another up, recognizing that life is too short to be petty and there are so many victories that God has in store for us in 2017. The joy will be synergistic when we experience it in harmony. EM: WOW! And let the church say amen. Bishop what are some new things we should expect to see this year in United?
and encourage the congregation on the pastor’s behalf which will enable them to encourage parishioners when the shepherds is not present. EM: Amen, Teamwork makes the dream work! Bishop how can we continue to support you and the vision of United? BG: It is my greatest desire that the shepherds of UNITED will first take advantage of our new TRACK System designed to assist in the growth of the local church. Second attend all of the webinars presented or assign one of their leaders who would return with a report for execution. Lastly, three attend the National Holy Convocation and commence a movement in their leadership without excuses along with continuous growth and development. EM: Amen! So you made mention about this years Holy Convocation. What are the dates and where is it being held? BG: This year’s National Holy Convocation will be held in Philadelphia, PA at the Sheraton Society Hill. July 1114! I am asking all of United to register and attend. EM: Where can individuals go to register?
BG: I’m so glad you asked. We should expect to see webinars that will aide toward another level of understanding UNITED and for personal growth that will enhance their personal shepherding in their local church. We are anticipating increased levels of communication and 100% accountability toward leadership commitment and responsibilities. EM: So in fulfilling those expectations there may be a pastor who doesn’t feel equipped this year. What advice would you offer to pastors to help encourage them while building? BG: I strongly advice all pastors to do your best to secure as much cushion financially prior to building a new edifice. Educate the people with as much data as possible to assure they have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of their task at hand that requires more than just the pastors hand, but theirs too. Spend as much time with the senior leaders who will speak
LG: Our website, www.UnitedCovenantChurches.org EM: Great! Last question for you Bishop Garnes and I promise to let you go. On December 31, 2017 what would you like to be said about this year in united? BG: It is my greatest desire to hear the testimony of at least ONE pastor who will herald the report that their personal lives has been earnestly challenged to the point that the local ministry assigned to their care has grown spiritually and numerically because they were diligent in following the UNITED TRACK System. EM: Thank you both so much!
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