What is God Up to? - New Birth Missionary Baptist Church

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{projectkingdom}
th
M E TAM O R P H O S I S
pastoral
anniversary
8 THE NEW BIRTH VOICE
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Eighteen years of powerful leadership—relentlessly following God; valiantly going places where many
pastors would never step foot; radically breaking traditions to exalt God’s Kingdom.
It’s no surprise, then, that such a devoted and passionate manservant of God would mark his 18th
pastoral anniversary with the implementation of a Kingdom agenda that will change the very essence
of ministry at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
By the end of 2005—Bishop Eddie L. Long’s 18th year of leading the flocks in this house of God—
the people here will not be the same when it comes to debt freedom, health, employment, transportation, and other key areas of life. “Project Kingdom” will be responsible for the transformation that is
expected to touch many in the congregation...and impact generations thereafter.
m
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A metamorphosis is in progress, and
soon you won’t recognize New Birth.
“You will be totally different from
what you are and where you are now,
and you will be able to see it, smell it,
taste it, touch it and walk in it,”
Bishop Long told the congregation
in June, as he unveiled Project
Kingdom, a profound concept of
ministry that has been birthed not
just to bless and change the surface of
unfortunate circumstances for individuals and families, but to change
the person and the patterns that have
led to those circumstances. “This
isn’t a Bishop program,” he clarified.
“It’s a Kingdom agenda.”
Here are the specifics:
■ 10 or more people have been
selected to live debt free.
■ 100 or more families will be
blessed with computers.
■ 120 men, who are heads of their
households, have been selected to
go through total life makeovers.
■ 100 youth with current GPAs
below 2.0 will receive tutoring and
mentoring.
And that’s not all…
■ 100 percent transportation will be
provided for single parents.
■ 100 percent home ownership will
be facilitated for renters.
■ New Birth will be a 100 percent
tithing ministry.
■ New Birth will be a 100 percent
employed ministry.
■ The needs of furniture/cars/
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clothing/food will be met 100
percent.
■ Hundreds have vowed to pursue
healthy temples, with balanced
weight and decreased blood
pressure and cholesterol.
The scriptural foundation of
Project Kingdom comes from Acts
2:44-47, in which members of the
early church came together and used
their own resources to help others.
“It would be a pity to be a part of
this affluent, blessed community and
church and sit next to folk who are
suffering and you have what they
Donations needed…
+furniture
+housing resources and services
+automobiles
+baby products
+clothing
+professional services
+resources for computers
need,” Bishop Long told the congregation.
But with gifting comes responsibility, says Bishop. “If you’re just looking for a new car, you might as well
go to a new church,” he announced.
“The blessing has to last as a living
testimony and move through the
bloodline. What I’ve found is that
people want help, but they don’t
want the wisdom for help.”
H
“How did you get here?”
It’s a very probing question, but a
very freeing one indeed. It’s the
question that Elder Tommy Powell,
Project Director, says can be the catalyst for a strategy that will help move
a person away from an unfortunate
situation…for good! “If we don’t
change minds and hearts, people will
be back in the same boat one year
from now. That’s not what we want,”
says Elder Powell. “Beyond the
blessings, we’re out to impart
wisdom and reform lives.”
More than 800 members completed
assessment cards on June 7, expressing
need in various areas. A team of 25
people will review each individual’s
assessment card and a rating system
will prioritize them according to the
level and severity of need.
An effort of this magnitude draws
on the help of many of the ministries,
deacons, elders and members to see it
through on every level, says Elder
Powell. According to Olivia Coleman,
Project Coordinator, more than
$15,000 in monetary donations had
been provided by members at press
time.
In the end, success of this massive
undertaking will be easy to see.
Transformation will be tracked, and
the numbers will tell all. Elder Powell:
“We will see tangible results; it’s all
measurable.” Stay tuned.
To make a donation, call 770.696.9600,
x5335.
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
THE NEW BIRTH VOICE 9
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Vast
majorities
of people
pastoral
anniversary invest
more in
their automobiles than they do in their
health…until a significant
problem occurs, says health
and wellness specialist
CAROLYN HARTFIELD. Here,
she reports on what will inspire
a changed lifestyle for more
than 650 New Birth members—Project Kingdom Health.
follow along on their own in becoming healthier beings, the health project is targeting three key areas:
weight management, cholesterol and
blood pressure. Obesity or being
overweight; elevated cholesterol; and
high blood pressure are all risk factors
for coronary heart disease, which is
the leading cause of death in this
country. (Reducing these three risk
factors will definitely help decrease
the risk of heart disease.)
In addition to the three key areas
develop a healthier lifestyle by
becoming more physically active, and
making healthier food choices, which
are both the keystones of good
health. Each person who signed up
will be assessed to determine levels of
health and wellness and will receive
coaching to help achieve doable personal health goals. Group participation as well as self-study assignments
and materials will be available.
Each participant is requested to
commit to making health a top prior-
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper
and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
3
J O H N
1 : 2
M E TAM O R P H O S I S
{committofit}
p
Project Kingdom Health—the 6month health challenge that is a part
of the overall Project Kingdom initiative announced by Bishop Long in
June—kicked off on July 9 with more
than 650 church members who formally signed up to commit to healthier lifestyles. Members pledged to take
actions that will significantly reduce
the risk for serious health problems,
increase energy levels, enable them to
feel better, improve overall quality of
life and live longer. For these participants, and for others who did not
formally sign up, but who wish to
10 T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E
of focus, other health concerns that
help prevent, control or reduce
chronic diseases—including various
cancers, diabetes, asthma, depression,
addictions and other ailments—will
also be addressed.
“Project Kingdom Health is very
dear to me,” says Tangela Gray, Chief
Ministry Officer and Project
Kingdom Health Coordinator. “Last
year I lost five relatives within a 30day period. Poor health issues were a
contributing factor for each one.
That was a real wake-up call for
me…I immediately changed my
lifestyle to improve my health.” As a
result, Minister Gray has lost 30
pounds with Weight Watchers since
January of this year. She is signed up
for the Project Kingdom Health challenge, and is aiming to lose another
25 to 30 pounds by Dec. 31.
Doable Personal Health Goals
Participants in Project Kingdom
Health Challenge will learn how to
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
ity, and simply to try out the suggestions presented for healthier living; to
record their progress in personal
wellness diaries; and, to complete an
evaluation at the end of the project.
Attendance in seminars and classes
presented through the Health
Services Ministry is strongly recommended as well as membership at
Samson’s Health & Fitness Center.
These suggestions will smooth the
progress of making healthier lifestyle
choices for the enduring journey of
lifelong health and wellness.
“After Project Kingdom Health
ends, the principles of a healthy
lifestyle will be continued with ongoing workshops and classes offered
through the Health Services Ministry,”
says Suzanne Cullins, M.D., Health
Services Ministry Director.
The Challenge
Participants can move through the
challenge on any of four levels:
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1) Freestyle—which includes weekly
walking programs and weigh-ins,
and a monthly gathering;
2) Weight Watchers, Inc. weekly
support meetings at New Birth,
or attendance at various other
local sites that may be more
convenient;
3) Sessions with personal trainers,
nutritionists, health coaches
and health and wellness specialists
who will teach tips and techniques on improving current
levels of fitness and diet; and,
4) Extreme team health coaching
that will provide ongoing
assistance to those who struggle
with immense health challenges
and are willing to make extreme
changes in their current diet and
fitness regimes.
Registration is closed for the first
group of participants, and the project
will run through December 31,
2005. In response to the high
demand for the challenge, there is
talk of possibly forming a follow-up
group. The ultimate grand prize is
greater health, but as an additional
incentive, the overall winner (with the
most reduced weight, cholesterol and
blood pressure levels) will receive a
wardrobe and complete makeover.
The Faith and Fitness
Connection
Today’s fast-paced lifestyles don’t
allow much room for health. And
that’s where the Project Kingdom
Health challenge fits in. It is not easy
for most people to make dramatic
lifestyle changes. Project Kingdom
Health will help participants change
small things about their life so they
can see big results.
Physical health is an important factor toward effective service and worship. One of the most significant
things you can do to improve your
present state of health is based on
your sincere convictions about what
God has ordained for your life and
your commitment to honor His temple of which you are in charge.
Caring for your body will make you
{healthfulinsight}
■ Relatively few people die
of hypertension (high blood
pressure)…but hundreds of
thousands die each year of heart
attacks and strokes, rooted in high
blood pressure.
To prevent high blood pressure,
focus on daily physical activity and
dietary intake. Increasing movement
and daily energy expenditure helps
lower blood pressure and increases
good cholesterol levels.
You are at higher risk if you are
obese, a heavy alcohol drinker, a
smoker, consume high levels of
sodium (table salt), and lead a
sedentary lifestyle.
■ High Cholesterol
rarely gives any
warning signs…that is why it is
so important to always take preventive measures.
High cholesterol is best known for
the many threats it has on a healthy
heart. When excess amounts of a
waxy, fat-like substance builds up
along the walls of the arteries, you
face a dramatically higher risk of a
complete blockage, leading to a
heart attack or stroke.
High cholesterol may run in families, but excessively high levels are
usually the result of a poor diet high
in saturated fats and calories, combined with little or no exercise.
{keepGodinit!}
Whenever you feel tempted to
do the wrong thing, stop for a
few seconds and say a short
prayer asking for the strength
to take you to the next step
toward fulfilling your Kingdom
health challenge commitment.
a happier and healthier person. Getting
in shape will give you more energy,
better health, and greater protection
against most chronic diseases that are
crippling and killing too many of us.
Your level of spirituality has a direct
effect on your health and wellness.
Once the connection is made
between physical and spiritual health,
you will experience lasting beneficiary
lifestyle changes as Bishop Long continues to teach us by example as well
as through practicality of scripture
and biblical teachings.
■ Those who are sedentary
and possess poor eating
habits have failed to connect…their lifestyle choices to the
basic principles of God’s perfect plan.
The word diet comes from the
Greek word “diaita,” which means
“manner of living.” Both poor eating
habits and a sedentary way of life
directly reflect your manner of living
and apparent weak beliefs in the need
for a healthy lifestyle.
As a result, you are more likely to
give in to distractions and temptations
that often lead to overeating, poor
food choices and a lack of physical
activity. Belief should be your most
powerful motivation to achieve a
healthier and more active lifestyle.
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ABOUT
BISHOP EDDIE L. LONG
{milestones and favorites}
★ MILESTONES ★
1987
JULY—Reverend Eddie L. Long is
appointed pastor of New Birth
Missionary Baptist Church.
1994
JANUARY—Rev. Long is conse-
crated as the third presiding
Bishop of the Full Gospel Baptist
Church Fellowship.
1995
Bishop Long takes a bold stand
for God and publicly challenges
the Muslim-led Million Man
March.
1998
Receives honorary doctorate
degrees from Beulah Heights
Bible College of Atlanta,
Georgia, and North Carolina
Central University of Durham,
North Carolina.
JULY—Spreads the Word of God
12 T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E
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guest perspectives
S P I R I T & T R U T H
What is God up to?
“He’s trying
to get our
attention…”
BISHOP WALTER SCOTT
THOMAS says God is using the
events that we see and face as
the catalyst to bring us back to
His love. Life is teaching us in
an accelerated fashion that we
cannot make it without Him.
Charles Dickens opened his classic,
“Tale of Two Cities,” with the
words, “It was the best of times, it
was the worst of times.”
That one phrase appropriately
defines and describes our age.
Everywhere we turn we see chaos
and confusion, war and death, stress
and tension. The news media
impresses upon us each day that the
gods of the modern age have abandoned us and that we are floating
adrift in the strong currents of an
unfriendly world. Each and every
one of us has been exposed to it,
and in our way we are trying to
cope with it. There must be some
rationale for this, some explanation
that will give us solace and strength.
There must be a word that will put
it all into perspective.
There is indeed an answer. God is
up to something! There are those
who would say that we use that
phrase when we cannot find a
rational explanation. However, I use
it because it is the rational explanation. God is trying once again to get
our attention. He is using the events
that we see and face as the catalyst
to bring us back to His love. We
have sown to the wind and now we
are reaping the whirlwind. The
struggles that we are facing are the
result of choices we have made; yet,
God is using them to restore the
relationship we need with Him. Life
is teaching us in an accelerated fashion that we cannot make it without
God. To quote the saints of old, “if
ever we need the Lord, we sure do
need Him now, right now.” That is
the need of the age. This is our
need, and God has orchestrated our
growth and our development.
Keep your eyes open, keep your
ears open, and keep your mind open
because God is doing a new thing
and it is time for His people to see it.
Bishop Walter Scott Thomas has served as
pastor of the New Psalmist Baptist
Church in Baltimore, Maryland since
1975. The church’s national television
broadcast is “Empowering Disciples.”
Bishop Thomas is author of the books
“Spiritual Navigation for the 21st
Century” and “Good Meat Makes its
Own Gravy.” For more information, visit
www.newpsalmist.org.
What is God up to?
“He wants us
to live an
abundant life…”
PASTOR PAULA WHITE says
if you have a problem with
prosperity, that’s the thing—
“you” have the problem. It’s
not God. It’s you, and it’s a
mindset, because poverty is a
mindset.
God’s Word is precept upon precept,
line upon line principles. The first
thing you need to know about walking in supernatural increase is that
God wants you to prosper. Now, I
know that sounds so simple, but you
would be amazed at how many peo-
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S P I R I T & T R U T H
guest perspective [cont.]
ple struggle in their mind with the
fact that God wants them to prosper.
It’s because life teaches you contrary.
Many of us struggle. The struggle
is not in preparing the place of prosperity. The struggle is not the place of
provision; the struggle is preparing
God’s people. It always has been. It’s
like when He was moving the children of Israel out of Egypt. The
problem was not to prepare the place.
The problem was to prepare the people, nomadic people who were so
used to traveling. You may have traveled all your life, looking for the
blessings of God, but all you’ve done
is survived. You’ve traveled from this
situation, this circumstance, to that;
and you’re hooked on surviving. But
God doesn’t want you to just survive.
When the children of Israel got to
the Jordan River, the manna stopped.
God doesn’t want you to live on
manna. He doesn’t want you to live
on miracles. You’re not supposed to
survive from miracle to miracle to
miracle. God’s people are supposed
to live in the abundance and the
overflow of His goodness, His mercy
and His provision. You’re not supposed to have to pray to make it from
day to day. You’re supposed to walk
by goodness. What God provided is
the supernatural abundant life that
Jesus Christ declared when He said,
“It is finished.”
Your prosperity is God’s
pleasure
Psalm 35:27 says, Yea, let them say
continually, Let the Lord be magnified,
which hath pleasure in the prosperity of
His servant. The context of Psalm 35
is David lamenting to God over those
who are mocking him, laughing at
him, judging him, and rejoicing in
David’s flight from his enemies. But
18 T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E
despite their gloating, David declares
that they will eventually have to admit
how good God is to David and will
finally declare from their own lips, “Let
the Lord be magnified.”
When you begin to praise God, it
means He swells up. When your enemies attack you, God will prosper you
as you praise Him. When you magnify God, you enlarge your view of
Him. Your perspective and view of
God becomes bigger than your problem—it swells God up. Despite trouble, He becomes your source.
You have to understand that God is
not glorified when you can’t put food
on your table. God is not glorified
when you can’t send missionaries out.
God is not glorified when you have a
dream and no resources to fulfill the
dream and the desire in your heart.
So the Bible says, “Let the Lord be
magnified.” Get a picture of this right
now. God swells up, because He takes
pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. When you prosper, it brings
pleasure to God.
Do you want to please God? God
says, “I take pleasure when you prosper.” That means if you have a problem with prosperity, that’s the
thing—you have the problem. It’s
not God. It’s you, and it’s a mind-set,
because poverty is a mind-set.
When my husband Randy and I
moved into our first nice home, I
remember relaxing in the comfort of
what God had provided, and I suddenly began to feel guilty. I felt like,
“I don’t deserve this.” Before I had a
chance to become overwhelmed, the
Lord rebuked me and said, “Paula, it
has nothing to do with what you
deserve or don’t deserve, because it’s
not because of your works. It is
because of the provisions included in
the blood covenant that you can sit
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
here today. This has nothing to do
with you. It has everything to do
with Me.”
—Excerpt taken from Pastor Paula White’s
new book, “Living the Abundant Life.”
Paula White, along with her husband, Randy White, is Co-Pastor
and Co-Founder of Without Walls
International Church, a thriving,
multi-racial congregation of some
18,000 members in Tampa, Florida.
For more information, visit
www.paulawhite.org.
What is God Up to?
“He’s blessing us
with pastors
who watch over
our souls…”
DR. SAMUEL CHAND says
we don’t have a biblical understanding of the gifts we have in
our pastors. God can accomplish His goals for the church if
the church understands and
appreciates her pastor.
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S P I R I T & T R U T H
Pastors see it all.
Of all professionals, pastors see
more of the underbelly of life than
any other professional.
An attorney deals with legal issues.
An auto-mechanic deals with automobiles. A doctor deals with physical
issues. A psychiatrist deals with mental and emotional issues. A banker
deals with finances. An educator
deals with education. A funeral director deals with issues of burial.
Pastors deal with it all!
A pastor is with a family from the
womb to the tomb. A Pastor is
there when babies are born and
when death occurs in the family. A
Pastor is there when people give
their lives to the Lord and when
they struggle with their faith and
return to a life of sin. A pastor is
there when people move into a new
house to celebrate as well as when
foreclosure and eviction is looming.
A pastor counsels people with mental, emotional and relational issues.
A pastor is in the hospital, the
funeral home, the courtroom, the
banker’s office—the pastor is there.
The pastor or a pastoral-care team
member is there 24/7/365.
Pastors see more of the wear and
tear of life than anyone else. I
should know—I was born in a
pastor’s home. I have served as a
pastor, and now I serve pastors all
over this globe.
Pastors are my heroes because
they serve with a pure heart. In
comparison to other professionals of
equal education, experience and
responsibility, pastors are grossly
underpaid and greatly under appreciated. Their future, unlike most
corporations, is rarely secured.
Many churches celebrate their
pastors through pastor appreciation
events—this is good; however, more
is needed.
Like all things, there are healthy
ways of caring for pastors; then
there are dysfunctional ways of caring for pastors.
Dysfunctional ways of caring for
pastors:
■ To get noticed or gain access
■ To leverage control or curry favor
■ Give to get
■ Upset in absence of a response
■ Broadcasting to everyone what is
done
Healthy ways of caring for pastors:
■ Wanting nothing in return
■ Genuine gratefulness
■ Prayer of thanksgiving
■ Encouraging others to care for
pastors
■ No strings attached
Reasons why more care is not given
to pastors:
■ We don’t have a biblical understanding of the gifts we have in
our pastors.
■ We wait for special days or occasions.
■ Lack of teaching, because pastors
often find it awkward to speak
about themselves in an elevating
manner.
■ Fear that we might be misunderstood.
■ Thinking that our gift is too small
or insignificant.
Some suggestions for caring for
your pastor:
■ Submit yourself to pastoral
authority—Romans 13:1-2;
Hebrews 13:7, 17.
■ Pray daily for the pastor and family’s well-being and wisdom.
■ If pastor is ministering within
traveling distance, show up to
support.
■ Never engage in gossip; stop
people dead in their tracks if they
are bad-mouthing the pastor.
■ Find creative ways to say “Thank
you.”
■ Sow seeds of generosity—financially—into your pastor’s life.
■ Be sensitive to the pastor’s famly—they live center-stage.
■ Encourage time away to replenish
and refresh.
When the pastor is encouraged—
the church is encouraged.
When the pastor is stress free—
the church is joyful.
When the pastor is fulfilled at
home—the church is peaceful.
Let’s bless our pastors for they
watch over our souls.
Dr. Samuel R. Chand serves as
Chancellor of Beulah Heights Bible
College in Atlanta, GA. He has become
renowned as a Dream Releaser, and
also serves as a Leadership Consultant
to large churches and corporations. For
more information, visit www.samchand.com.
What is God up to?
“He’s testing
the ‘hell’ out
of us…”
BISHOP DONALD HILLIARD
says God wants us to press
through life’s pressure points.
When He gets finished, there
won’t be any more ‘hell’ left on
the inside of us.
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
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S P I R I T & T R U T H
guest perspectives [cont.]
I remember visiting one of the ladies
in my church who was going through
an incredible series of trials with her
marriage, her children, her job, and
the loss of some of her loved ones.
After listening to her story, I said,
“Daughter, the Lord is just bringing
you through.” Then I took her hand
and began to pray with her: “God,
strengthen her. Lord, touch her.”
Then I added, “He’s just testing you.
He’s teaching and developing you.”
At that point this dear Christian
woman said, “Let me just say one thing,
Bishop: God is testing the hell out of
me, and I just wish He'd stop it!”
That caught me off guard, but after
a moment of thought I said, “Yes,
God is testing the hell out of you, sister; and He’s testing the hell out of
me too, because when He gets finished, there won’t be any more hell
left on the inside of us. God is making
us sweeter, kinder, and more prayerful. He’s making us into praisers.”
We all face pressures in a society
still divided along the lines of gender,
race, and religion. To make things
even worse, our society is growing
20 T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E
increasingly “cold.” We are becoming
a “high-tech, low-touch” society
where few people genuinely seem to
care for others. At times it seems difficult to know who we can trust.
If you are not careful, you can let
people put a ceiling on your blessing;
you can let them block your march to
destiny and the crown God has
promised you. You have to look past
the critics and hypocrites, and say yes
to God. You must refuse to be hindered by negativity and people whose
intentions are mean and resentful.
I am yet amazed as I look around
at our church sanctuary and consider
our journey. I had to press through
my share of life’s pressure points
before God granted me success.
When my critics argued and gossiped
about me, making bold and generous
declarations of my inability to complete such an enormous building
project, or that I would “run with the
money,” I learned to do what David
did when he was in trouble—I
strengthened myself in the Lord, and
encouraged my soul. I was determined to finish my assignment!
Stand in the face of
pressure
The greatest revenge against the
adversary of our souls—and those
who seem to delight in helping him
do his dirty work in our lives—is simply to stand fast in the face of pressure, without backing up or giving
up. Your challenge is to press through
life’s pressure points and take joy in
the fact that you are still here. You
have survived.
It pleases God and brings Him
glory when you refuse to fold under
the pressure of ruthless criticism,
when you say no to the doubters and
naysayers who hate and fear your
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
God-given dreams. Joseph, the
dreamer of the Old Testament, was
hated by his own brothers simply
because he had a dream. Could it be
that dreamers are a threat to those
who have no dreams, or those who
look back with regret over missed
opportunities and dine on bitterness
and regret? It would do us all well to
dwell among those who wish us well,
and celebrate us rather than berate us.
Life is too short to waste time trying
to convince dream killers that dreams
really do come true.
You will survive if you hold your
head up high, square your shoulders,
lift your hands, and give God praise
in the midst of your darkest hour. Do
it, and watch Him raise you up in
front of your enemies. For no matter
how bad things look, those who live
in the grip of His mercy will always
win.
—Excerpt taken from Bishop Donald
Hilliard’s new book, “In the Grip of His
Mercy.”
Bishop Donald Hilliard is pastor of
Cathedral International—one church serving the specific needs of worship in three
urban area locations of New Jersey:
Cathedral International in Perth Amboy,
Cathedral Assembly by the Shore in Asbury
Park, and Cathedral Assembly in the Fields
in Plainfield. For more information, visit
www.donaldhilliard.org.
What is God up to?
“He’s connecting
nations for new
levels of Kingdom
reign…”
BISHOP TUDOR BISMARK says
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S P I R I T & T R U T H
we are seeing the emergence
of a number of common
denominators, globally, in
which God is moving with such
notable power.
We are now living in the season of
the manifestation of the Kingdom of
God in power and might. Globally,
we are experiencing a tremendous
rise in Anointing and in the demonstration of the power of the Holy
Spirit.
In this manifestation, we are seeing the emergence of a number of
common denominators in which
God is moving with such notable
power.
Restoration of the fivefold ministry with Apostolic headship:
There is an anointing being released
to establish visible government and
order. This is manifest in the emergence of the assembling of Apostolic
roundtables and councils, where
headship gifts that God has raised
over regions are coming together,
deliberating on spiritual governmental issues of nations and regions.
Development of powerful
churches with multifarious teams
and resources: The concept of
“church” is changing. God is releasing an incredible anointing for creativity in the way ministries conduct
themselves. We are seeing a kaleidoscope of expression in the church
that speaks of the ever-increasing
diversity of the God we serve.
Intercessory Prayer: An authoritative voice is being released with
growing intensity to overthrow
demonic altars and their systems.
With prophetic declarations and
governmental decrees, the ancient
structures of darkness are being
challenged and overthrown in the
name of Jesus!
Deliverance Ministry: A proclamation and experience of true liberty in Christ is now factual reality as
all kinds of curses are broken in the
anointing of deliverance. A manifestation of the Supernatural evidential
in the demonstration of miracles,
signs and wonders is now a part of
the experience of church.
Praise and Worship: More than a
song, a melody or a beat, God is
releasing the sound of the Kingdom
as a power base for power ministry.
It is the sound of the return of a
victorious King in RULE.
Social Involvement: The ministry of the Kingdom is the ministry
to people. In this season is released
an anointing for the care of peoples.
We are engaged in the meeting of
needs, at the point of their expression; alleviating poverty through
humanitarian acts in orphanages
and medically disadvantaged
communities by providing food,
clothing, shelter and empowerment
of every practical kind. In this, we
build the Kingdom of God.
Market Place Ministry: The
teaching of prosperity on God’s
terms with applicable Kingdom
principles is birthing a level of economic empowerment that is taking
on the secular. These entities are
formulating business enterprises for
the generation of huge money and
substance to push and confirm the
Gospel all over the world.
In-House Kingdom Training:
Every soldier of the Army is being
conscripted to personal discipline in
the concepts of the kingdom. We
are seeing the application of the
Kingdom of God to individual lives,
which is producing a corporate
strengthening of the Kingdom
community.
Unity amongst national
Leaders’ Apostolic Headship: God
is pouring the anointing for unity, in
which is established the commanded
blessing of the Lord that our congregations and communities are
experiencing the benefit of.
Strategic Headship: More
Apostolic leader and headship gifts
are being raised to prominent and
strategic positions to provide counsel to governmental leaders. The
influence of the Kingdom through
these men and women is spreading
from heads of state to members of
parliament to policy makers for the
ultimate dominion of the Kingdom
of God in the earth.
These basic denominators are
essential for city, regional, and
national transformation. We are witnessing their function in varying
degrees in South America, Africa,
Asia, New Zealand and various
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E 21
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S P I R I T & T R U T H
guest perspectives [cont.]
places in Central America where the
anointing has so transformed the
lives of people that a new and Godly
paradigm has been established even
for generations unborn to time.
Countries such as Guatemala,
Uganda and Kenya are currently in
the current of the anointing that
transforms. This river is raging to all
parts of the world, and to every life
and ministry that will be open to its
never ebbing flow.
We are convinced that in this
NOW season—as God is building
His Kingdom, showing Himself
strong, being made manifest to all
mankind—that we will witness the
Glory of God cover the whole earth
as the waters cover the sea.
Bishop Tudor Bismark serves as an
Apostolic overseer to more than 900
churches in 12 African nations, the
United Kingdom, New Zealand, South
America, the West Indies, and the United
States. For more information, visit
www.tudorbismark.org.
God is also sending
the following
messengers to
deliver His Word
at this year’s
conference…
PASTOR CREFLO A. DOLLAR
For Dr. Creflo A. Dollar, excellence
is a way of life. The dynamic
founder of World Changers
Ministries (WCM)—a global ministry organization anchored by the
23,500-member World Changers
22 T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E
Church International (WCCI) in
College Park, Georgia—insists on
that standard in every area of ministry. The goal of his very existence
is to bring the good news of Jesus
Christ to people of every color and
culture, literally changing the world
one person at a
time. The awardwinning
Changing Your
World television
broadcast, first
aired in 1990,
now reaches
nearly one billion
homes on a vast network of stations
in practically every country in the
world. For more on Dr. Creflo
Dollar, visit www.creflodollarministries.org.
BISHOP NEIL ELLIS
Bishop Neil Ellis organized Mount
Tabor Union Baptist Church in
February of 1987 with 13 members,
and it is now one of the fastest
growing churches in the Bahamas.
In 1995 Bishop Ellis was consecrated as Bishop of Foreign Ministries.
Through his diligence and commitment to the Fellowship he has been
named First Assistant to the
International Presiding Bishop, an
appointment to
the Executive
Council of the
Fellowship and in
November 2000,
he was appointed
to the newly created position of
Chairman of the
College of Bishops for this
International Fellowship. Bishop
Ellis completed the Florida extension of the New York School of
Theology’s Masters Degree in
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
Pastoral Ministries in June of 1989.
He is the author of over seven
books. Bishop Ellis is married to the
former Patrice Michelle Johnson
and they have two children together. They currently reside in the
West New Providence on the island
of Nassau in the Bahamas. For more
on Bishop Neil Ellis, visit
www.mounttabor.org.
BISHOP T. D. JAKES
Ministerial and business visionary,
entrepreneurial trailblazer, altruistic
philanthropist, and spiritual shepherd to millions around the globe,
Bishop Thomas D. Jakes, Sr., began
fulfilling his call to the ministry in
1979 when he founded Greater
Emmanuel Temple of Faith. It was a
small beginning, in a small West
Virginia church,
pastoring a small
congregation 10members strong.
More than 25
years later, he
pastors what
Christianity
Today calls “one
of America’s fastest growing megachurches.” The Potter’s
House of Dallas,
To
Inc., a multiracial
register for
non-denominaSPIRIT
& TRUTH,
tional church with
visit www.new50-plus active outreach ministries, has
birth.org
dominated church
growth records since its
inception in 1996. Within eight
years, The Potter’s House grew
from the 50 families that relocated
with the Jakes’ family from West
Virginia to Dallas to more than
30,000 members to-date. For more
on Bishop T.D. Jakes, visit
www.tdjakes.org.
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V | gospel power in the house
w
Salah brings G-Soul
to the stage
Thank God for a new thing…
a new sound…a new genre
of Gospel music coming
from a new artist. Writer
NANCY LADSON chats with
New Birth’s own, Salah.
24 T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E
What is G-Soul? Or better yet, what
is it not? “It’s not your typical
Gospel music,” says singer/songwriter/producer/composer Salah
Jalajel, New Birth’s praise and worship team member who just recently
made his debut as a solo recording
artist with the release of his new
album, “Jesus 101.”
G-Soul doesn’t fit in a category
with the old Negro spiritual, nor
does it fit in with the new contemporary styles of artists like Kirk
Franklin or Mary Mary. It is a genre
Salah himself coined that is more a
mixture of R&B, a twang of Soul,
and a smidge of Hip-Hop—all
neosoulfully blended just right to
present the life-giving message of
Jesus Christ.
The fact that G-Soul is hard to
categorize is not surprising to Salah.
In fact, he set out to accomplish just
that. He wants to break barriers
with his music by reaching people
who listen to R&B and Hip-Hop,
who may not be saved.
“When you say you are a gospel
artist, you get placed in a category.
By saying my music is G-Soul, it
won’t be categorized just to a certain audience. It can be played on
any (radio) station,” he explains. “I
simply want to create music to
touch the un-touched—people who
are not in church. I want the youth
to know that it’s okay to praise
God.”
While Salah purposefully targets to
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
influence the unsaved audience, he
also knows there’s a growing segment of listeners in varied age
groups who are saved, yet are a bit
more savvy about their music and
are yearning for a different flavor
from inspirational sounds; music
that is right in line with what Salah
brings. “When you get into your
walk, often enough you need new
things to refresh you, energize you
and keep you moving with where
God is,” he says. “When God speaks
to my spirit, He is always reminding
me that ‘I am God, the creator of
all things, what makes you think
that I would ever stop creating?’
Just like Bishop Long says, God is
moving, if you stand still, you’re
going to miss what He is doing.”
Ear candy
Salah is no newcomer to this industry. He has opened for such wellknown artists as Teddy Riley, Biz
Markie, Rob Base and Donnie
McClurkin; and he has created with
production team The Newton
Twins (Miseducation of Lauryn
Hill) and producer Rich Harrison
(Beyonce’s Crazy in Love and
Amerie’s 1 Thing). While growing
up, his secular music influences
came from Stevie Wonder, the Gap
Band, and Guy. Today, you can find
him listening to the sounds of
Deitrick Haddon and his ultimate
Gospel music inspiration, Fred
Hammond.
Describing his music as “ear
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Page 26
candy,” Salah says his sound pulls
the listener in. “They think they are
listening to one thing, then they
realize they are listening to something else.” He says the most
important objective is to get the
Word of God out.
“Jesus 101” contains such sure-tobe hits as the smoothly upbeat “In
Jesus Name,” in which Salah speaks
about the trials and tribulations that
God allows you to go through in
order to mold you into the person
He wants you to be. Then there’s
the head-bobber “My Heart’s
Desire,” and “You Saved Me,” a
song that radiates the passion Salah
has for Jesus, as he thanks Christ for
sacrificing His life for him.
It’s Salah’s passion for Christ that
pulled in his manager, Billy Raum,
to this project. “When I listened to
his demo for the first time, I loved
it. I deal with people who work with
a lot of secular music for wellknown artists, and they all loved it,”
says Raum. “But I’ll tell you this:
Salah is one of the most dedicated
persons to Christ that I’ve ever met.
I respect him in reference to his love
for Christ and his trust in Christ.
It’s unbelievable. You’ll see people
in the music business who say they
(love God), yet they’re doing something different. Salah really lives
what he sings, and that’s what
comes across in his music.”
Former thing: Islam
Born in Baltimore to Palestinian
parents who were Muslim, and
raised to practice the Islamic faith,
Salah (meaning “righteousness”)
considered himself to be a dedicated
Muslim. He would pray several
times a day to Allah and fast during
Ramadan, but he did not find his
religion to be fulfilling. “Every
prayer was the same; you do not feel
God moving in you, and I always
wanted more,” he says.
It was not until Salah married his
wife, Naquilla, and moved to
Virginia with their then 3-year-old
daughter, Nahyo, that he was given
an opportunity to connect with
Christ. God used Nahyo to win
Salah’s soul; she asked her daddy to
go with her to church. “You know I
couldn’t say no to her, so I went,”
he recalls. The experience presented
“something new” that lured him
“When God speaks
to my spirit, He is
always reminding
me that ‘I am God,
the creator of
all things,
what makes you
think that I would ever
stop creating?’”
back that next Sunday, and again
many Sundays thereafter. Salah soon
dedicated his life to Christ and was
drawn to the praise and worship
team at his new church home,
Grace Church in Virginia.
Salah began to recognize the
anointing on his life for music that
others had always noticed while he
was still practicing the Islamic faith.
“I would sing at funerals (at
Christian churches) when I was
younger and (still) a Muslim, and
people would tell me I had an
anointing,” he remembers. “I would
be like, ‘I’m a Muslim!’ They
wouldn’t believe me.” After singing
with the praise and worship team at
Grace Church for four years, he had
no doubt that it was true all along.
Not long after realizing his
anointing, Salah began feeling a tug
to leave Virginia and move to
Atlanta. Once settled in Atlanta, the
Spirit guided Salah to New Birth.
He says he had doubts about joining a mega church. “I always was
turned off by big churches, but
coming into (New Birth) was an
intimate feeling,” he says. He knew
he was home. “(Under Bishop
Long) I grew so much in the first
six months, maturing in such a
short time; Bishop is incredible! He
will tell you all of your business and
confirm everything God is telling
you.”
Salah says he was ready when he
received Divine instruction to begin
working on this new album. “God
told me that people are assigned to
my life. I am accountable. That’s
why when making this album, I didn’t quit, didn’t stop.”
Naquilla, his wife of 11 years,
shares those sentiments. “When it
was clear that God’s plan for Salah
was to make this album, it was
going to be done. It was like, ‘What
sacrifice do we have to make?’” says
Naquilla. “If God called him to get
there, he was going to get there!”
And get there, he did. G-Soul,
welcome to the stage…in Jesus’
name.
“Jesus 101” was released nationwide
in July, and can be purchased in
Called to Conquer Bookstores, or
online at Amazon.com. Salah and his
wife Naquilla have two daughters
Nahyo, 8, and Zahra, 4.
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E 25
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V | newsworthy
Equipping Parents of the Physically and
Mentally Challenged...A Little Girl Doing Big
Things...Save the Date
t
Equipping Parents of
the Physically and
Mentally Challenged
BY NORMA STANLEY
EQUIPPING FOR LIFE!
A RESOURCE
Workshop & Family Funfest
There is a poem written by an
anonymous author that describes
the child who cannot talk, walk and
who is mentally and physically
impaired. The poem is entitled “I
Am The Child,” and it speaks volumes to the families, friends and
acquaintances of these children.
When: Saturday, Aug. 20
Where: Brook Run Park,
Chamblee Dunwoody, Georgia
Tickets: $25 for families of four
Registration & Information:
770.860.9990, or
770.873.3245
“You often pity me, I see it in
your eyes…You wonder how much
I am aware of…I see that as
well…I am aware of much…(I
am aware of whether you are)
patient or impatient, full of love
and desire or if you are just doing
your duty by me…I am the disabled child. If you allow me, I
will teach you about what is really
important in life. I will give you
and teach you unconditional love.
I gift you with my innocent trust,
my dependency on you. I teach
you respect for others and their
uniqueness. I teach you about the
sanctity of life. I teach you how
precious this very life is and about
not taking things for granted. I
teach you about forgetting your
own needs, desires and dreaming
new dreams. I teach you giving.
Most of all, I teach you hope and
faith.”
As it is for the child, in a multitude
of cases, so it is for the parent, and
although there are many organizations that exist to assist parents of
these children, many voids of information and resources on how to
cope are still left to be filled. It is for
this reason that the “Equipping For
Life! A Resource Workshop and
Family Funfest” for families with
developmentally challenged children,
who may even be transitioning into
adulthood, will take place Saturday,
Aug. 20, at Brook Run Park in
Chamblee Dunwoody, Georgia.
Presented by All Children Are
Special, Inc., a non-profit advocacy
organization that exists to enhance
the quality of life for families with
special needs children, the morning
workshop (9 a.m. to noon) will feature speakers from various organizations discussing issues relevant to
26 T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
the survival and success of these
families. Among the topics to be
discussed will be how faith communities are seeking to address the
needs of these families (in areas
seemingly as simple as being able to
come to their church to worship,
but in reality is very difficult); the
significant need for qualified childcare; preparing for the future and
building trusts and wills; foster parenting; support for single mothers
of these children; and, how to maintain thriving relationships between
married moms and dads.
Representatives from organizations such as Georgia Parent-toParent, Creative Community
Services, Atlanta Alliance for
Developmental Disabilities and
Governor’s Council on Disabilities
will be speaking on some of these
issues. In addition, Olympic Gold
Medal Winner, Curtis Lovejoy, who
was paralyzed from an accident
when he was younger, but still went
on to become an international
Olympic champion, will also be
speaking. Lovejoy still competes in
various areas.
The family funfest is geared to families of disabled children, but everyone is welcome. The afternoon celebration (noon to 6 p.m.) is a multicultural family gathering and cookout
that will feature live entertainment of
local and nationally known contemporary gospel, holy hip hop and
inspirational jazz artists.
s
s
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A Little Girl Doing
Big Things
BY SACHEL S. SEABROOK
Sydney Caldwell is determined to let
the community know who Bishop
Eddie L. Long is.
She researched her pastor and created a comprehensive school project
titled, “Bishop Eddie L. Long: Why
is he called Preacher, Visionary and
Missionary?”
“When everyone first saw my
project, they thought my mom did
it,” says 11-year-old Sydney
Caldwell of DeKalb Elementary
School of the Arts at Hooper
Alexander in Decatur, Georgia. “My
friends and teachers were shocked
to find out that I did most of the
work by myself.”
Complete with a purple and gold
backboard including detailed graphs
and a well-researched written
report, it was no doubt that she
would receive some kind of recognition. Guidelines for the project
required all titles to be presented in
the form of a question, and all
research and materials were required
to factually answer the title ques-
tion. “I was very confident that she
would do well. I was very pleased
with the end result,” says Kathleen
Caldwell, Sydney’s mother.
In DeKalb County, all 5th graders
are required to participate in a social
studies/science fair. While usually
most students decide to do their
project on a historical figure or
event, Sydney decided to think outside of the box and do her project
on her pastor, Bishop Eddie L.
Long. When asked what encouraged
her to select her pastor, the softspoken rising 6th grader explained,
“I thought about how T.D Jakes is
well known. I wanted to let people
in my school know about (Bishop
Long) in hopes to draw people into the church to receive
God’s word. I felt like he was
the perfect person to do my
project on, so I put a lot of
hard work into it to make sure
I represented him well.”
And all her hard work paid
off. After graciously passing
around surveys to members
after church, interviewing Eric
Long, Bishop’s son, and dedicating many hours to her project, Sydney managed to win
4th place. “When I found out
I won 4th place, I was a little
upset that I didn’t get into the
top three, but at least I was
recognized,” says this vivacious child of God.
Although her family has been
devoted members of New Birth
since 1989, Sydney didn’t really
accept Christ into her heart until 4
years ago. Now an actively involved
member of the Next Generation
Children’s Ministry, Sydney strives
to be the salt and shining light
among her peers. “I tell my friends
not to do anything to get into trouble. It’s very important to be obedient to your parents.”
Being one of the few reports actu-
ally read at the social studies fair,
Sydney’s project has given her
school, as well as her community, a
glimpse into who Bishop Long really is, and whose he is! She says many
people came to her and her family
expressing their thoughts about the
project. “I didn’t know that about
your pastor,” she remembers hearing
from one enthusiastic teacher.
Sydney says it was exciting to
enlighten people about Bishop
Long. “I wanted my project to draw
people in to the church that they
may be spiritually fed.”
And it’s already begun. Through
her project, Sydney has encouraged
one of her friends to visit and join
New Birth.
Based on what she has received
from listening to Bishop Long herself, Sydney is determined to do
what God has ordained for her life.
“I want to come alive in 2005,” she
says. Sydney truly is a little girl
doing big things.
Save the Date
SEPTEMBER 5-9
Corporate Morning Prayer
SEPTEMBER 11-14
Spirit & Truth 2005
OCTOBER 3-7
Corporate Morning Prayer
DECEMBER 9-10
Marriage Conference
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2005
DECEMBER 31
Watchnight 2006
T H E N E W B I R T H V O I C E 27