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8B
Cliarlotte
What
must I
do?
Luke 10:25-28
Knowing What To Do (w.
25-27)
25. And, behold, a certain
lawyer stood up, and tempted
him, saying, Master, what
shall I do to inherit eternal
life.
A certain lawyer or what we
could call an expert in reU-
gious law attempts to trap
Jesus. He wants to see if he
can ask a question so difficult
that Jesus wiU become con
fused or perhaps say some
thing that would put him in
trouble with the rehgious
authorities. Instead, the
lawyer stumbles across the
most important question:
What shall I do to inherit
eternal hfe?
Ihis lawyer is not the only
person in the pages of Scrip
ture to ask this essential
question. In Mark 10:17 a
young man comes to Jesus
and asks, “Good Master, what
shall I do that 1 may inherit
eternal hfe?” Ajailer in Phihp-
pi asks Paul and Silas the
question, “Sirs, what must I
do to be saved?’ (Acts 16:30).
Knowing and then following
the answer to this question is
the difference between eter
nal hfe and eternal damna
tion.
26. He said unto him, What
is wiitten in the law? How
readest thou?
Jesus answers the lawyer’s
question with a question of
his own. In effect the Lord
says to him, “What do you
think is the answer to 5/our
own question?’
The lawyer seems to come
to Jesus with an agenda. He’s
convinced that he does indeed
know the answer, but he
wants to find out if Jesus
agrees with him! In the next
vCTse, then lawyer will pro
ceed to give Jesus his best
understanding if how to be
saved.
27. And he answering said
Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with aU
thymind; and thy neighbor as
thyself
The lawyer first goes to the
Old Ifestament for his answer.
First he makes reference to
Deuteronomy 6:4, 5. These
verses are called the shema,
which means to hear. Para
phrased, these verses say to
love God with everything you
have—heart, soul and all
your might. With every part
of our beings we are to love
God. We cannot be divided in
Please see WHAT/7B
RELIGION
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2005
Life IB
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
The Rev. Robert McGowens comes to Greater Galilee Missionary Baptist Church with a sense of community ser
vice. He wants to make the South End house of worship a place where the community will love to visit.
From guest to pastor
Greater Galilee pastor brings sense of community
By Cheris F. Hodges
cherLsJtodges@lhecharlonepo5tx:om
Maybe it was coincidence
or a httle divine interven
tion that brought the for
mer pastor of GaUlee Bap
tist Church in Wnston-
Salem to Greater Gahlee
Missionary Baptist
Church in Charlotte.
When the Rev. Robert
McGowens spoke at the
church last year as a guest
preacher, taking over was
n’t on his mind.
‘T came in to fill a Sun
day and it all began there.
In June I was contacted
and told that I was consid
ered as a serious candi
date,” he said.
He took over the church,
which is located in South
End on West Park Avenue,
Aug. 7.
McGowens spent 10
years at Galilee Mission
ary Baptist Church in
Winston-Salem. Not only
does he bring two decades
of pastoral ®q)erience to
Charlotte; he also brings a
sense of community
At his church in Wn-
ston-Salem, McGowens
Please see GUEST7B
Bishop T.D. Jakes fires back at report
By Maynard Eaton
THE ATLANTA VOICE
ATLANTA —The nation’s premier
preach^. Bishop T.D. Jakes, reacted
swiftly and sternly to a published
report where the National Newspa
per Publishers Association censured
him for not advertising with Atlanta’s
Black Press prior to his hugely suc
cessful Mega-Fest 2005, one of the
largest reHgious (inferences ever.
‘Tb be called cheap in that article
was an insult,” said Jakes heatedly to
this reporter. ‘Tt also upset me that
rather than come to me directly for
resolution, this matter was discussed
pubhcly in the press.”
Jakes was incensed, defiant, and
defensive and dismayed with how he
had been portrayed. Following his
speech to the National Association of
Black Journalists earlier this month,
he pulled a reporter
into the Hyatt Regency
Hotel dowTitcwn’s
kitchen comer —
ordered his security to
keep his entourage
j and othera at a dis
tance — and harangued
and reprimanded the
reporter with a blistering retort to my
previous story
“Every time I don’t spend money
now I am a bad guy,” he asks incred
ulously? ‘You don’t resolve a business
conflict with ‘yellow’journalism.”
Jakes
That rebuke brou^t this retort
firom Atlanta Voice editor Stan Wash
ington who witnessed, but was not
allowed to participate by Jakes’ secu
rity in the interview: ‘It’s only ‘yellow’
journalism if it is untme or it is a
dehberate attempt to smear some
one. The story was neither. It was the
tmth. No one is out to slander Jakes
or his organization.”
In that Atlanta Voice story — which
was subsequently re-printed in
dozens of black-owned papers across
the coimtry — NNPA President John
Smith, Sr. lamented that much to his
chagrin not one sir^e dime was
spent with Atlanta’s black press by
Jakes’ MegaFest extravaganza that
Please see T.D. JAKES/7B
PHOTO/WADE NASH
University Park Baptist Church minister Mario Mathis distributes school supplies during UPBC’s Angel Fest, an
event where the church provides school supplies to children who have parents in prison.
Tent
revival stirs
film crew
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WOLFTOWN, Va. - The
director and members of the
film crew crept closer to the
deer, marveling at their luck
that it was just standing there.
There was plenty of noise in
the area: the clang of hammers
striking metal stakes, the chat
ter of men sweating in the
humid field, working to raise a
large red-and-white tent.
Just beyond the activity the
deer stcxxi. A duck wandered by
attracting the CEimeraman’s
attention.
After a minute or two, the
film crew realized the deer was
a lawn ornament.
City met country as five peo
ple producing a documentary
for the Discovery Times Chan
nel came to Wolftown, a tiny
burg in Madison County, to film
a tent revival. The New York-
based crew’s aim: to wade into
the unfamiliar waters of Pente-
costalism and emerge with an
accurate jxjrtrait.
Part of the ‘‘Only In America”
series beginning in September,
the episode on religion features
Pastor Anthony Wynn, who has
brought his tent revival to
Wolftown fiom Tfennessee for
the past 12 years. The airdate
has not yet been set.
Relations between the inde
pendent production company
and the country preacher
appeared fine, despite the dif
ference in backgrounds.
The easygoing Wynn, in a
mellow Tbnnessee drawl, spoke
with equal kindness of the film
crew and the members of
Wolftown Pentecostal Chapel,
which serves as host for the
revival.
“They just treat us like fami
ly” said Wynn, who prefaces
many of the men’s names with
“Brother.”
The family includes a crowd of
200 or more worshippers, some
of whom are finm Wynn’s Tbn-
nessee congregation. The
revival was held evenings last
week in a field on Route 662, a
couple of miles west of Route
230.
Pastor Jeff Shifflett, who
helms the Wolftown church,
described a typical tent meeting
as an open-air service with
singing, praying, a sermon and
an altar call. At Monday night’s
service, a ceuple dozen people
gathered at the wooden stage
covered in red material, some
kneeling and others standing
with arms raised, ready to ded
icate themselves to (jod.
Pastor Justin Payne, Wynn’s
nephew and the leader of a
church in Pennsylvania, placed
his hands on heads and prayed
over the worshippers. Giving
tile night’s sermon, he often
sounded dose to tears.
“One day I’m going to walk
through a season when I need
the rain of God’s mercry” he
said, his voi(» rising. ‘T need the
rain of God’s love.”
A chorus, ‘T need you. Lord,
more than yesterday” played in
the background, as members of
the congregation said their
prayers’.
Church News
The deadline to have church announcements
added to the calendar is 5 p.m. on Fridays.
Ongoii^
Chappell Manorial Baptist Church will open
its Clotiiing Closet to famifies in need every
first and third Saturday of the month. Fami-
hes can come to the churdi, which is located at
110 Bradford Drive, fix>m 10 a.m. to 12 p.m
For more information, call (704) 394-5615.
There is no charge for the dothes.
• Plaza Baptist Church, 3321 The Plaza, will
host an eight-week video study by Bruce
^Tlkinson designed to show how the Prayer of
Jabez can release God’s favor. The series-
begins nightly at 7 p.m. For more information,
call (704) 334-3913.
August 21
Trinity Paik Baptist Church will host its
summer revival, with the theme of “^Tsdom
Makes a Difference...”
There will be different speakers each ni^t of
the revival.
Sunday Bishop George Brooks, Pastor of Mt.
Zion Baptist Church, Greonsboro, service will
start at 5p.m.
Services for August 23-25 start each night at
7p.m.
August 23: Rev. George Cook, Pastor of Mt.
Sinai Baptist Churdi,
August 24: Dr. Fred Gibson, Pastor of
Greats* Providence Baptist Church
August 25: Dr. Paul Drummond, Pastor of
First Mayfidd Baptist Church.
• Silver Moimt Baptist Church will host a
music festival, b^inning at 6 p.m The church
is located at 501 West Arrowood Road.
August 22
Silver Mount Baptist Church, located at 501
West Arrowood Road, will host its annual Fall
Revival. Service begihs at 7p.m. nightly
August 26
Faith Bible Church presents Children Play
ing in the Overflow Prayer Conference for chil
dren ages 8-12. The Fort ^hll based church will
host the confdence at its Icx^ation at 3605 Cen
tre Cirde Drive. The conference lasts for two
days. Tb re^ster, call (803) 802-2565.
August 27
(jcthsemane Baptist Church located at 565
Jetton Street, Davidson, will host “05 Back 2
School Break-CXit” festival, fiom 10 a.m. - 2
p.m. at the church This year’s themes indude:
P.A.S.S. - Parents And Students Succeeding
and The Paths to Success are (jod. Education
and Fellowship. There will be parent semi
nars, entertainment, games for kids, fioe food
and school supphes. No admission charge. For
more details call 704-892-1635.
August 28
Chappell Memorial will celebrate Men’s Day
with guest speaker, concert at 4 p.m. “Men of
Mqjesty: Serving Outside the Garden” will be
this year’s theme for the annual Men’s Day cel
ebration.
The event will feature some of the r^on’s
most dynamic male groups. Altiiough the
event is fiee, each program partidpant is
asked to dcjnate a canned-gcxxi or non-perish
able item to the church’s Food Pantry to bene
fit and feed those in need.
Rev. Reginald Flynn, pastor of Tfemple Zion
Baptist Church, in Columbia, S.C. and founder
of the Nehemiah Project Inc. —a faith-based,
non-profit, community renewal and housing
Please see GOSPEL/eB
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