Hello Family,
I’m not even sure you can read this, and if you can, you're probably reading it on your phone! Recent storms that passed through were swift but strong and have left my house without internet and power. The interesting thing is that the very next day, the sun came out, and the winds were gone. I have good news for you – all storms pass, and all winds die down. I know the pandemic, protests, and economic news all present different winds that make it hard to navigate through life, but God will calm this storm. WE will get through this downturn and enjoy our upturn. I was praying the other day and laughing with God (or shall I say, He was laughing at me) about how we sometimes miss the full picture when we get excited over a glimpse. Little did I know when I released the prophetic Word that we would have a presence in every county in New Jersey that we would fulfill it because a pandemic would cause us to be online, reaching houses in every county!
In Mark 8:22-26, Jesus encounters a blind man in Bethsaida. To heal the man, Jesus spit on the man's eyes and laid His hands on him. The man opened his eyes and could see men, but they were blurry and looked like "trees walking around". Jesus repeated the process, and then the man could see. Sometimes God has to touch us twice to make things more evident than before. In this season, I’m glad God is making things so clear that we are continuing to press into a more global ministry mindset and gather families everywhere. Yet, at the same time, we need to stay true to our mission to create disciples of Jesus.
I hope you will commit to being made a disciple, to spiritual maturity, and life in the Spirit. I’m asking each of you and all of our leaders to focus on these things with me:
1. Grow in fellowship and the Word by attending church online on Sundays;
2. Live out your life purpose as a servant leader on the dream team;
3. Give your first fruit and tithe faithfully;
4. Connect your family and friends to Jesus and Impact – they need healing and support; and,
5. Build your identity in Christ by committing to attend our virtual Culture & Community lecture series during the month of August.
I know the upcoming lecture series is going to add real value to your life. The main goal is to help inform and empower us as a community when it comes to issues such as race, health, wealth, and religion. The first installment of the series is, "What's Next: Ramifications of COVID-19 in the African American Community". Dr. Cynthia-Salter Lewis, Dr. Randall Lewis, Dr. Phyllis Anderson, Afifya Ellington, Esq., Sherri Jones, and I will discuss how to safely move forward into a new normal from a personal, business, and even church perspective. Give this live event a boost and share it on your social media channels starting tonight. Trust me when I tell you that this panel discussion is the first step to securing a victory over this storm.
To God be the glory,
Bishop
