One of the greatest criticisms of Pentecostalism was the fact that there was no strong theology in which it was rooted. This book may just negate those arguments and help those of us who consider ourselves charismatic thinkers and practitioners (I dare not say scholars) who fully embrace our pentecostal roots and still believe the Holy Spirit intervenes in our every day affairs. As I contemplated going back to school, Regent’s program in Renewal Theology intrigued me but I can’t get in without an M.Div. or equivalent. 
A great site to find out more about this book and conversations is here. I am pentecostal thru and thru but I know that I think differently on many issues and still struggle with communicating that difference without dismissing what I believe to be God’s power and presence for today. Anyway, I think I’ll be a professional student forever. I just wish I had some of you guys and gals to bounce these crazy thoughts off on from time to time.
Latino Leadership Circle posted some news on Hispanics and Catholicism seems Hispanics are changing their views on alot of things. The Miami Herald has been writing alot about alternative churches and now how Hispanics are going outside the denominations and tradition. "In South Florida, Pentecostal and evangelical worship is growing among Hispanics as storefront churches multiply and megachurches draw thousands of Hispanic worshipers with lively worship and extensive social programs.". Read more here.
I worked for Rev. Ray for 10 years the most I’ve ever been at a job. While the place wasn’t perfect, I was inspired daily because Rev. Ray calling you in to his office meant a few hours sharing his vision, his perspective on a specific biblical story and a good spin how many things in Christendom. I miss him. No boss ever like him. If there is one thing I miss about NY, its that…having talks with people like him sponteanously.
There were a few people that began with LPAC before it became well-known in NYC and beyond either working there or always hanging out there as consultants or something. Some of us grew to be very close, let’s see in the early 90’s it was David Ramos (who introduced me to Rev. Ray), me, Carlos Ortiz, Dr. David Traverso, Dr. Luis Carlo, Dr. Ben Alicea and it went on to include Hiram, Edna, now the new generation Jose Humphreys and Jeremy Del Rio…all influenced in some way by this man, crazy enough to stick with his dream even when funds are tight (and they are tight alot with nonprofits can I get a witness?). I’ve met great people through my work at LPAC and as I think about how he’s getting older (in his 60’s) I wonder how we’ll all honor him while he’s alive and not wait til we are all in a room because he is no longer with us. Maybe that is years away but I hope we all start discussing that sooner than later.
I started thinking about all this because a friend we grew up with died this past weekend.
Here is Rev. Ray in two different meetings, one at Kingdomworks and the other at CCDA. Thanks to technology we can share these videos.
Grace Fellowship has a new website. Visit here. We are still working on it and our new domain name is www.becauseofhisgrace.org.
I am glad to report that Dr. White, President of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary is attempting to remedy the situation by working with Dr. Marc Rivera and his network of Latino leaders. Good discussions are in the works and its good to be able to say that there are people who are willing to go back to the table to right wrongs. I will keep you updated on the latest developments. In the meantime, pray for all involved that at the end of all this, God STILL gets praise and glory.
Check out the way this artist uses his gift to bless the kingdom!
It’s amazing how people in power usually disregard others. I myself have experienced the hidden agendas, dishonesty and double-mindness of academics but this is really just outright wrong…I just learned that Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston has decided not to name the new CUME facility after Dr. Eldin Villafane. Eldin has been a friend to me and was one of the people who encouraged me to get my doctorate and took time out of his schedule to tell me why attaining such a degree would be important. Instead they plan to dedicate the building under the name of a Dr Haynes, an influencial African American leader. Don’t get me wrong, this Dr. Haynes might be influential, he might even be a wonderful person and a great leader in his own right BUT he did not build CUME out of nothing. He is an "after the fact" punctation point to a legacy that was built on the tears, dreams and vision of Dr. Villafane. Additionally the Seminary has decided withdraw on its pledge of the Ricardo Tanon Chair, which had been promised to Eldin as well. Perhaps that was the intention all along. Dr. Villafance proposed that chair because he wanted the legacy of his own mentor to be recognized. He was indeed another man who built John 3:16 in the Bronx out of nothing.
Pastor Marc Rivera, my brother-in-law and former pastor was mentored during his doctoral journey by Villafane and he writes, "This action is troubling and an affront to Hispanic leaders. Eldin is a highly regarded and respected leader in our circles and beyond. As the founder of CUME, his model of is known world wide. This is just a wrong decision by the new president and the trustees." I agree because it seems to always boil down to black/white relations AGAIN. Hispanics are alive and well and building departments, divisions, curriculum, programs, organizations all over the country and they continue to get dismissed by the people in power. This is why its so important that Latinos who make it in some way, continue to help their fellow latina/o colleague unapologetically because when push comes to shove, 90% of the time, Latinos are an afterthought, if they are a thought at all. It’s not racism its just realism. It’s sad that it exists in so called "Christian" institutions but it does. I myself have experienced this great pain at the school I used to work for. One day you are IN the next day you are OUT. The new flavor comes along.
I urge everyone who understands this plight be you black, white, latino, asian or whatever, to write to Dr. White or call his office and express your concern. Pastor Marc who is enlisting the support of everyone who cares about this matter said he is available to speak further with you on this matter. Call his office at 212-673-7868. It’s time for our community to speak up for a worthy leader. The following is the contact information for Dr. White. Adelante!
James Emery White, Ph.D.
President
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
130 Essex Street
South Hamilton, MA 01982
Rose Hausman, Assistant to the President:
email: rhausman@gcts.edu
I have posted before about a need to have books focus on why church plants fail. I found one, here it is. It’s not that one wants to be "negative" but its good to know ahead of time some of the things that can be avoided when planting. Some things are "sacred accidents" and meant to take us to a place God wants us to be, others are just pure mistakes because of our own lack of research, lack of patience or dare I say, lack of God’s call. Ouch. However, most successes took a few No’s, a few visible failures…the thing is that most of us, if we are honest, don’t want to fail. We want it done right the first time or forget about it. No?
Come on…we don’t want to fail and the picture of failure is already in our mind, we know what failure smells like, tastes like and looks like. But who said that maybe after a few failures, you won’t succeed? I say this to myself first guys…I am an overachiever (at least that is what all my personality tests have said) and that brings with it some expectations…where I am right now I HATE BUT I do believe I need to be here because God allowed it. Where am I? I am going to share them in my book one day, but it ug-ly where I am right now both in my personal life as well as ministerial life. I personally feel like a failure but I know that I am not a failure in God’s eyes (uh, maybe to some people I am). Yet the feeling sucketh. However, I am reminded that…
"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail" and that "The strongest oak tree of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It’s the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun." Napoleon Hill
In 1962, four nervous young musicians played their first record audition for the executives of the Decca Recording company. The executives were not impressed. While turning down this group of musicians, one executive said, "We don’t like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out." The group was called The Beatles.
In 1944, Emmeline Snively, director of the Blue Book Modeling Agency, told modeling hopeful Norma Jean Baker, "You’d better learn secretarial work or else get married." She went on and became Marilyn Monroe.
In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry fired a singer after one performance. He told him, "You ain’t goin’ nowhere son. You ought to go back to drivin’ a truck." He went on to become the most popular singer in America, named Elvis Presley.
When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it did not ring off the hook with calls from potential backers. After making a demonstration call, President Rutherford Hayes said, "That’s an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?"
When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2000 experiments before he got it to work. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, "I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2000-step process."
In the 1940’s, another young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to 20 corporations, including some of the biggest in the country. They all turned him down. In 1947 - after seven long years of rejections! He finally got a tiny company in Rochester, New York, the Haloid Company, to purchase the rights to his invention, an electrostatic paper-copying process. Haloid became Xerox Corporation we know today.
Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children. She was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contacted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralyzed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last. For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running. One day she actually won a race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered. Eventually this little girl, who was told she would never walk again, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.
What’s the morals of the above stories: Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. You gain strength, experience and confidence by every experience where you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you cannot do. And remember, the finest steel gets sent through the hottest furnace. A winner is not one who never fails, but one who NEVER QUITS! In LIFE, remember that you pass this way only once!
Let’s live life to the fullest and give it our best even if we have to fail a few times. I am trying to do that myself.
My friend sent this to me today. Its a good reminder.
Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."
So many times we make situations more than they are due to our anxiety so…
CALM DOWN! God has your life under control; He knows how to handle even the seemingly complex situation with ease.
SHUT UP! Stop having pity parties and talking about your business all the time; don’t you know that the power of death and life is in the tongue! Stop speaking ne gative things into existence in your life
and in others.
QUIT TRIPPIN’! When you look at your situations through your eyes, you often read more into the
situation than what is there. It’s not as bad as you think particularly if God is in your life; Stop over
analyzing your life.
Be courageous
2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of Love, and of a sound mind.
Fear is not of God. Have the courage to step out on fai th and do the seemingly impossible. Start your own business; go into the ministry; apply for that promotion; anything that you’ve been afraid to do and you know that God has called you to do - JUST DO IT!
Have confidence
Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."
Remember, greater is He that’s within you than he that’s in the world. You have the power of the most High God working in you, and you have His Son steadily making intercession for you. You have nothing to worry about! Walk with your head up! You say you have low self-esteem; somebody told you that you’d never amount to anything; the devil is a liar! Know that you are
somebody not because Jesus said it, but because you are a child of The King!
Walk in the VICTORY !
Romans 8:28 - "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
Does anything else need to be said?
The jury has been out and the verdict is in - YOU WIN!
In your finances - YOU WIN!
On your job - YOU WIN!
In your relationships (married, single, divorced,
family, friends) -YOU WIN!!
In your health - YOU WIN!
God has already worked it out for you. It may not come the way you think it should come (or when you think it should), but remember - CALM DOWN, SHUT UP, AND QUIT TRIPPIN ‘! He’s working it out for "YOUR" good (in His time).
There aren’t many urban resources for working with young people but some of those working with youth at the front lines are taking the time to put ink to paper and make them available. Check out the Playbook: A Campus Ministry Primer for Cities for some helpful tools on engaging public school students. Read more about it here.
