how the resurrection changes
TRANSCRIPT
Christian Education is an integral and invaluable
aspect of the mandate and mission of the Christian
church. The history of the Christian church is
grounded upon the teachings of Jesus and the
apostles as commanded in Matthew 28:19-20. "Go
ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,
I am with you always, even unto the end of the
world."
The early church made Bible teaching part of its
core ministries. “And they continued steadfastly in
the apostles’ doctrine [teaching] and fellowship, in
the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they
did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the
Christ” (Acts 5:42). According to the Ephesians
passage, “It was He who gave some to be apostles,
some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and
some to be pastors, and teachers, to prepare God’s
people for works of service, so that the body of
Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the
faith and in attaining to the whole measure of the
fullness of Christ”(Ephesians 4:11-13).
Paul carried on an active teaching ministry. “For a
whole year they assembled with the church and
taught a great many people” (Acts 11:26). “And he
continued there a year and six months, teaching the
word of God among them” (Acts 18:11).
Teaching is one of the spiritual gifts given to people
in the church (Romans 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28). One of
the qualifications of a pastor is that he must be
“able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2). Paul instructed
Timothy to take what others had taught him and
“commit these to faithful men who will be able to
teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). The New Testament
clearly portrays the important role of Christian
Education in a local church.
Christian Education may also be said to be a Christ centered, Bible-based process by which the church develops in community, and believers are led to spiritual maturity to engage in the mission and ministry of Christ in the church and in the world. Christian Education is grounded in God’s revelation to us as contained in the Bible. It is a process of bringing individuals from a place of initial belief in the Lordship of Jesus to accepting His rule and reign in every area of their lives. The process continues to take these individuals (who may be regarded as disciples) along a path of growth towards Christian maturity where they themselves begin a path of spiritual reproduction. With the mandate to teach, the Department of Christian Education will be responsible for organizing and administering the educational ministries and activities within the member congregations of the House of God, which is the CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, Pillar & Ground of the Truth, Inc. Since the Christian Education Ministry co-labors with other ministries within the church and community with the purpose of giving individuals the opportunity to learn and demonstrate the fullness of Christian love and attributes toward others, the following are areas of ministry covered by the Christian Education Department: the Sunday School, Holy Young People’s Bible Class, Youth Congress and School of Ministry. The Christian Education Department will offer workshops, seminars, conferences, and conventions to help develop effective skills in Christian Education and those striving for a closer walk with the Lord.
HOW THE RESURRECTION CHANGES EVERYTHING!
By Adrian Warnock
He’s Alive! Although we talk about the death of Jesus often, for
some reason we have tended to only mention the
resurrection at Easter time. Christians sometimes
even say Jesus died to save us without mentioning
that he also rose for our salvation. It’s time to
redress the balance a bit and talk more about
Jesus’s death and resurrection.
For Christians all over the world, every Sunday is
Resurrection Sunday. We meet each week, among
other things, in order to celebrate the glorious,
wondrous fact that Jesus rose from the dead.
Jesus’s resurrection really did change everything. It
changed the cross from a tragedy into a triumph,
and it changed the Roman Empire into a Christian
state. This was the most powerful divine event in
the history of creation, and it ushered in a new age
of the Holy Spirit’s activity and power in saving and
transforming lives.
The Heart of Christianity
When considering if Christianity is true, it all boils
down to whether Jesus rose from the dead. The
lives of Christians today demonstrate that the
resurrection is still changing people. It changes fear
into love, despair into joy. The resurrection changes
people from being spiritually dead to being alive to
God. It changes guilty condemnation into a
celebration of forgiveness and freedom. It changes
anxiety into a hope that goes beyond the grave. It
can change our sinful hearts so they want to follow
the Lord Jesus, and the power of the resurrection is
relentlessly killing sin in every true Christian.
Because we neglect to emphasize this truth, many
Christians have a meager expectation of the extent
to which we can today experience resurrection life
and victory over sin. The resurrection is far from
being something we only benefit from in the future!
THE RESURRECTION
We hold so close to our hearts the cross where Jesus
died, but so much more than the blood-stained
cross is that Jesus came back to life.
The stone’s been rolled away; the tomb lay open
and bare – they looked for Him, and then the angel
said that He is no longer here. Oh, what joy they
must have felt to see Him just once more, to eat
with Him, to drink with Him, to receive Him back as
Lord.
So much did He accomplish through His death upon
the cross, and in His rising from the dead, He
reconciled us back to God.
Nothing else could bridge the gap that sin had
wrenched apart – Now we can freely go to God and
receive Christ in our hearts. © By M.S.Lowndes
***
“An Empty Tomb”
***
Church of the Living God Ministerial
Conference of Bishops, Elders,
Pastors & Ministers
March 20-22, 2019
Holiday Inn Raleigh North Midtown 2805 Highwood Blvd.
Raleigh, NC
Holiday Inn was the site of the Ministerial
Conference of the Church of the Living God, Pillar &
Ground of the Truth, Inc. under the leadership of
our newly-elected President General, Bishop Ivy
Ann Hopkins.
The Ministerial Conference is the gathering of
Bishops, Elders, Pastors, & Ministers designed to
help churches and individuals be more intentional
and effective in their ministry.
The Theme: “Our Vision, Our Mission, Our Purpose”
was developed throughout the Conference.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
7:00 p.m. – Bishops Meet
Thursday, March 21, 2019
8:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Prayer & Meditation
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Bishops’ & Pastors’ Session
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Vision, Mission, & Purpose
for CLG
President General, Bishop Ivy A. Hopkins, laid out
the vision, mission, and purpose for the Church of
the Living God, Inc.
Vision Statement The Church of the Living God (CLG) is committed to working together to become one heart and mind, just as God and Jesus are one, and Jesus prayed for His disciples and us to become one. This oneness will motivate CLG to have greater impact in meeting the challenges of a godless world.
Mission Statement
The Church of the Living God’s mission is to seek
and to save the lost, by engaging in the work of
evangelism, discipleship, benevolence, and
education.
Purpose Statement
Our purpose is to be believers committed to the
Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
Thursday, March 21, 2019
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Christian Education
After remarks from Bishop Bertha Jones, Liaison
Bishop of the Christian Education Department; Rev.
Dr. Geraldine Crystal, Director of Christian
Education, distributed the 89th General Assembly
workshops feedback. Dr. Crystal also distributed
the 90th General Assembly workshop options for
review, and an interest survey to determine the
workshops most desirable for presentation.
Dr. Crystal also informed the group that she would
be conducting Foreign Mission training at the
National Foreign Mission Convention in Pooler, GA.
The missions training will be Missiology (the study
of missions) and Evangelism and Discipleship (the
relationship between Evangelism and Discipleship).
Dr. Crystal, the current CLG Chaplain Commissioner,
talked briefly about the Chaplaincy Department.
Chaplaincy training is available for those who are
interested in certification or endorsement as a
Chaplain. Chaplains may be certified as in-house
chaplains even if they have not yet obtained a
Bachelor’s degree. However, they will not receive
ecclesiastical endorsement until educational
requirements are met. If you are interested in the
Chaplaincy Program, please contact Dr. Crystal at
Bishop Naomi Barber, Moderator of the Ministerial
Conference, and Rev. Dr. Geraldine Crystal
Bishop Naomi Barber, Pastor, Overflowing Love,
CLG, National Foreign Mission Liaison, & Presiding
Prelate, MA & RI Diocese
Thursday, March 21, 2019
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Ministry Time
Bishop-Elect Jesse White, Pastor, First Church of the
Living God, Hartford, Connecticut
Bishop-Elect Jesse White Jr. was born in
Phoenixville, PA in January of 1954. He migrated to
Connecticut at the age of two due to his father’s
first Pastorate.
He attended schools in Waterbury and Hartford, CT.
He attended Hartford State Technical college where
he studied Civil Engineering Technology. He also
attended United Holy Church of America Bible
School and has taken courses at the Gordon
Conwell Center for Urban Ministerial Education in
Boston.
A resident of Windsor, CT., Bishop-Elect White has
been the Pastor of the First Church of the Living God
of Hartford for the past 11 years. His passion is
winning and developing souls for Christ. He is the
husband of one wife, Elder Lorraine White, for
twenty seven years and the father of two sons.
Bishop-Elect Jesse White’s subject at the Ministerial
Conference was “Preaching in Concert.” Every
house divided against itself cannot stand. There is
power in unity. When the people of God come
together and be unified, there is influence.
In Session
In Session
Friday, March 22, 2019
8:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Prayer & Meditation
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Write the Vision, Mission,
& Purpose Statements – Elder Dr. Shelia Y. Smalley
Elder Dr. Shelia Smalley, Pastor of Macedonia
Church of the Living God, Leesburg, Florida, has
been in ministry 41 years. Dr. Smalley shares her
various talents and skills with the local, state, and
national churches in various capacities.
Dr. Smalley has trained over 700 managers and
6,800 non-instructional personnel in Orlando,
Florida.
Dr. Smalley conducted the 2-session workshop to
assist pastors and leaders in writing their vision,
mission, and purpose statements that would line up
with the vision outlined by President General
Bishop Ivy A. Hopkins.
Dr. Smalley presented Macedonia Church of the
Living God, Inc.’s vision, mission, purpose, and
value statements as an example. The Vision and
Mission in Action (VMA) for 2018-19 was also made
available to the pastors and leaders.
The workshops were very stimulating and
interactive.
Friday, March 22, 2019
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Write the Vision, Mission, &
Purpose (Continuation)
Friday, March 22, 2019
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Encouraging Pastors
Apostle Dr. Bishop Carlton Williams
Bishop Carlton Williams presented a workshop to
encourage CLG pastors. He emphasized to “keep
Jesus the center of focus in the church.”
Bishop Williams said to protect your Sabbath—your
Sabbath can better protect you. You will wear out
quickly without a day or week to rejuvenate. God
designed us this way. Take advantage of His
provision. Take time to rest.
Bishop Williams also talked about balance in
ministry. In order to have balance in ministry, there
should be balance in the distribution of authority
and tasks. One person should not be expected to
do everything.
Bishop Kathy Hughes, Presiding Prelate, Central
New York Diocese
Bishop Kathy Hughes came forth with explosive
words of encouragement. She talked about the
importance of meeting the needs of the people in
the church and ministry.
Friday, March 22, 2019
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Ministry Time
Bishop Ralph D. Graves
Bishop Ralph D. Graves, Deliverance Temple
Restoration Ministries, Raleigh, North Carolina was
the preacher for the evening session.
Giving glory to God for having formally preached
for the past 40 years, Bishop Graves seeks to extend
the message of God’s love through Christ, reflecting
the divine care and provision of God.
Bishop Graves’ musical giftedness has allowed him
to reach beyond the region of his birth state, North
Carolina.
Bishop Graves’ greatest desire is to inspire all
people to develop a relationship with God rather
than religion from human bias; to cause the
wounded and the disillusioned to rediscover who
God really is, how God really loves and how true
believers in Christ can sincerely care.
Bishop Graves “put the icing on the cake”. He
brought forth a powerful word demonstrating the
importance of having a vision. His words were a
reinforcement of what had been emphasized
throughout the Ministerial Conference.
In Session
In Session
During the Ministerial Conference, plaques were
presented in honor of being elected to the Executive
Board of Bishops:
Bishop Ivy A. Hopkins, first female President
General of the Churches of the Living God, Inc.
From left: Bishop Nelson Lewis, Executive
Administrator; Bishop Bertha Jones, Executive
Administrator; and Bishop James Sherman, Vice
President General of the Churches of the Living God
***
Also, during the Ministerial Conference, Elder Kelly
Jones and First Lady Melissa Jones united with the
Church of the Living God.
The family of Bishop Ivy Hopkins in attendance at
the Ministerial Conference:
Ivy Hopkins-Clay, Deacon Curtis Hopkins, Bishop Ivy
Hopkins, and Elder Curtis Hopkins, Jr.
***
March 26th Inspiration From WARD Wisdom
Acquired Releases Deliverance
Deacon George Ward, former National Director of
CLG’s Department of Christian Education, said
“I’m still on a spiritual high from the CLG Bishops,
Pastors, and Elders Retreat in Raleigh”
“I will climb to my watchtower and stand at my
guard post….”
Habakkuk, an ancient prophet, is a strong example
for you to follow as you carry out your vision or
plans for your church, auxiliary, organization, or
denomination.
Be sure your vision, plan, mission, and purpose is
from God. Before moving forward, ask God to lead
you, then wait on Him. Don’t stop praying until He
gives you clear direction.
Communicate your vision clearly and
enthusiastically.
Persevere until your vision is accomplished,
believing fully that God will bring it to pass in His
time.
***
UPCOMING EVENTS
59th NATIONAL FOREIGN MISSION CONVENTION
MAY 13 – 17, 2019
COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT Savannah Airport
419 Pooler Parkway
Pooler, Georgia
Reservations: 912-450-3300
During the National Foreign Mission Convention, two sessions of the Missions Training will be presented: Missiology and Evangelism & Discipleship.
The mission training program is designed to prepare Christian missionaries to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Practical guidance is given to aid in church planting, discipleship, and evangelism. This mission training is an attempt to further the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) of taking the Gospel around the world.
The entire training program consists of the following courses: Call to Missions, Missiology, Evangelism and Discipleship, Theology, Preaching and Teaching, Pastoral Ministry, Church Leadership
and Administration, Messianic Prophecy, and Apologetics.
***
The members of the Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of the Truth, along with the Pennsylvania United Diocese, proudly invites you to join us as we celebrate the installation of our newly-elected President General, Her Excellency Bishop Ivy Anne Hopkins.
This blessed occasion through worship and with God’s Word will be held on Saturday, June 22, 2019. Your presence will make this event a memorable experience for Bishop Hopkins, the National Church, as well as the Pennsylvania United Diocese.
The time and location of the Installation Service will be sent by formal invitation at a later date. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately following the service. The ticket cost, time, and location will also be forthcoming.
Additionally, we are also preparing a souvenir program booklet: full page, $100; half page, $50; quarter page, $25, and patrons/business card, $10. Your ads/congratulatory messages can be sent to Elder Shirley Williams at P.O. Box 12578, Chicago, IL 60612-9998 or e-mail: [email protected].
All inquiries can be directed to Bishop Naomi Barber, via phone: (860) 212-8339 or e-mail: [email protected].
***
NATIONAL YOUTH & MUSIC CONFERENCE
JULY 22 - 27, 2019
THE SHORES RESORT & SPA 2637 S. Atlantic Ave.
Daytona Beach, Florida
Reservations: 386-767-7350
90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OCTOBER 28, 2019 – NOVEMBER 2, 2019
Double Tree by Hilton at Sea World 10100 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32821
Reservations: 407-352-1100
THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, MOURNS THE LOSS OF EVANGELIST RUTH M. JOHNSON-HARVEY, WIFE OF BISHOP CLEVELAND HARVEY
We are in a place in this world for a limited time, and with the breath of the infant begins the race to the grave. A race everyone must run!
NOTE: To submit items for the quarterly Newsletter, please e-mail Rev. Dr. Geraldine Crystal @ [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Also, please take time to go to the National Christian Education Department website at www.clgchristian.com.