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PAGE B6 Winston-Salem Chronicle Religion JANUARY 7.1^ FOCUS Hairston has attention on youth By ANGIE MARTIN Chronicle Staff Writer Little did Darryl Hairston's grandmother realize that he'd someday be called to preach. Before she died, Hairston remembers his grandmother prayed that her family would come to know God. And now, 14 years later, Hairston is about to preach his first sermon on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Phillips Chapel Baptist Church where his grandmother was laid to rest. "When she died our eyes opened," said Hairston. Hairston recalled the hot August day when, at 10 years of age, he, his mother, his father and five brothers answered "You find so many old folk involved in the same things young folks are. If we can get more people dedicated to helping young peo ple and living a life that can be pleasing and selfless, a lot of young people wouldn't go astray." - Darryl Hairston the call and Invitation to Christ. "We all had afro's then," said Ifairston, soon to graduate from Winston-Salem State University. "All of us came to God at the same time. We all went up together." But, Hairston is the only one of his brethren who will be pursuing a career in the ministry. "I knew I was called, but I had to make sure...had to get it confirmed by God and God confirmed it," he said. Hairston said when he was a high school senior he thought that perhaps God was leading him to the ministry; however, one day when he was riding along Interstate Highway 40, God's influ ence "dawned on him," he said. "It's a strange thing when God calls you. But once God calls, you receive your divine calling and preparation starts." Hairston, who is 23, said he is particularly concerned about the religious commitment of other young people. "There are so many young folks that go astray. Once they go astray, they'll feel that there's a need for something else. Something is missing and something is lacking and that's God," Hairston said. To Hairston role models are important for youth and the most outstanding role model is the Lord. "The only way to find true happiness is through Jesus," he said. "And that's why you'll find a lot of young people just after they've turned to drugs and they find out that drugs can’t really give them a sense of happiness. They soon turn to God." But in Hairston's opinion, parents need to take a more active role in the spiritual stewardship of their chil dren. "You find so many old folk involved in the same things young folks are. If we can gel more people dedi cated to helping young people and living a life that can be pleasing and selfless, a lot of young people wouldn't go astray," Hairston said. He said the Bible exhorts parents to "train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it," Hairston recited. "But now how can you expect a kid to do what he's supposed to do if the adults aren't doing what they are supposed to do?" Hairston's church has recently developed Rap Sessions for youth members. Although there has only been one session since the program's inception, Hairston would like to see the program expand. The Rap Sessions are designed to help the teenagers openly discuss practical Bible applications. Getting young people involved in the church is only a frac tion of what the Christian community can do to help young peo ple who are seeking answers, according to Hairston. "Churches should be more than willing to help people kick different habits and to be there for people because the Bible tells us 'to love thy neighbor as they self and that's the essential part of God's mes sage," Hairston said. Darryl Hairston: "I'm no greater than someone else, but I've never been interested in partying ive seen what drugs do to people and you see the aftermath" (photo by Mike Cunningham). "It's good to turn to the church, but also in turning to the church you need somebody within the manifesta tion of the church to help them. Often times young folks come to church and they don't get any guidance. They somewhat get looked over," Hairston said. Hairston believes that if the Afro-American church focussed more on youth in the community, the communi ty at large would benefit. Although he said he has never experienced some of the problems other young people have, he feels confident in directing ±em. "I'm no greater than someone else, but I've never been interested in partying. I've never been interested in smoking and drugs. I never got involved I can't really say how it is. But I've seen what drugs dot! people and you see the aftermath." Seeing the outcome of a life lost to drugs inspires Hairston to preach God's word all the more, he said. "That just gives you a desire deep down within to want to spread ±e Gospel." ? Yet, leadership and counseling and preaching come in the proper order, Hairston believes. "In wder to lead, you first need to know how to be a follower and a good follower,” he said. He said that his pastor, the Rev. Ray L. Watlington, is a good leader and that he feels be will go far under Watlington's direction. Text suggests that world without God involved is equivalent to a room with no light Text: Genesis 6:1-3 Have you ever been in a dark room without light? You will experience a sense of blind ness because you can't see any thing around you. But as soon as a little light entered in you began to see a little better. Without the light, you were without and had to suffer. Have you ever lived in a world full of troubles and unhappiness and murder and much suffering? Sometimes it seems like sin has the best of us. From the things that are happening, in our life we come to a point in life where we feel like giving up or even taking our own life. But a little light comes in where someone tells us that there is a better way and the way is salva tion through Jesus Christ who is the hope of all men. This is what we don't sec too much of - - hope through men or men pointing others to Jesus Christ. It seems like men don't want God involved. When it comes to running the world, God is not involved. When it comes to some of our lifestyles, God is not involved. When it comes to running the church, God is not always involved. This is the type of world we are living in, a world without God involved. Our text says, in verse five, "and God saw that the wicked ness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagina tion of the thoughts ol his heart was only evil continually." Now this was in the days of Noah. And God looked down on the face of the earth and saw the imagination and the wicked ness in the hearts of men. In the days of Noah, men lived in the world, without God involved and so it is today. Chronicle Sermonette Corner By The Rev. Leonard N. -- Lewis Jr. words. We have God's creations. God's Response to a World Without God Involved The Actions of the People Without God Involved lives by rejecting the minister ing of the Holy Spirit because they wanted to live their life without God involved. Look at their hearts. It brought forth bad actions. Every imagination was wicked and brought forth bad results. It showed in their morals. It showed in their hearts. Every man was doing what he thought right in his own sight. Look at our Actions Sinners, hardening their hearts to the Holy Spirit of God because they are enjoying what they are doing. Christians quenching the Holy Spirit of God, not letting God have His way. Christians marrying unequally yoked. "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at his ' heart." In the days of Noah by men living in the world without God involved they hurt God's feel ings. They broke God's heart. They put God to anger. "God's response is found in verse seven. "And the Lord said, I will destroy''man whom I have created from the face of the earth - both men and beast and the creeping things and the fowls of the air. For it repenteth me that I have made them." involved? He has been long suffering. He has been merci ful. He has given you time to repent. Now to the Christians, are we concerned how God will respond to us one day? God told us to be a light in this world and a witness in this world. He told us to have the mind of Christ. In the days of Noah, the world wanted a world without God involved and God gave them the desires of their hearts. The actions of the people in the day of Noah were wicked. They acted on unbelief. They didn't believe the preaching that was before them. They didn't believe that they needed to be saved from the power of sin. They forced God out of their In Luke 17:26 Christ said "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man." As it was in the days of Noah, so is it with us today. We are living in a world without God involved. But How Much Spiritual Light Did They Have? They had the preaching of Noah. They had the witness of the Holy Spirit. And so is it with us today. We have spiritual light. We have the ministering of the Holy Spirit of God. We have the preaching of God's God’s response to the world was that he was going to destroy man, beast and all creeping things. I would like to raise a question here to each one of us. Are we concerned about how God will respond to us? To the sinner, are you concerned how God will respond to you one day for not having Him There were no more works of the Holy Spirit of God. There were no more of the love of God. There was no more mercy. There was no more of Noah's preaching and on this same occasion, God's response was to the world. "My spirit shall not always strive with men." God's Judgement upon Men Without Mercy Involved Now in the days of Noah, God had been merciful. CHURCH CALENDAR FRIDAY JAN. 8 • The African Children's Choir will perform at the Redeemer Presby terian Church at 7 p.m. The church is located at 1046 Miller St. For ^more information call the church office at 724-2217. SATURDAY JAN. 9 • A "Winter Extravaganza" will take place at the Ambas.sador Cathe dral at 7:30 p.m. featuring several local church choirs. Bishop F. D. Patterson is die host pastor. SUNDAY JAN. 10 • The Christian Methodist Men’s Chorus of Hanes Memorial CME Church will observe its fifth anniversary at 4 p.m. For more informa tion call 724-7151. TUESDAY JAN. 12 • The Women’s Aglow Fellowship International will host a Winston- Salem Day Chapter interdenominational meeting at 9:30 a.m. ai the Central YMCA. Robert Wilson, president of the Full Gospel Business Man’s Fellowship, will be the guest speaker. For more information call 72^-0869. CHURCH NOTES Ministors Wiv©s cGlGbrot© sgqsod with dronriQ GVGnt The Interdenominational Min isters' Wives Association celebrat ed the holidays with a a gala affair at the Holiday Inn North. Members' friends and family were guests at the occasion. The program included the pre sentation of "Heaven's Grocery Store," a drama performed by the several of the members. The cast, consisting of "shop pers,” included Mrs. M. Walker, Mrs. F. Bonham. Mrs. G. Wailing- ton, Mrs. C. Pratt, Mrs. L. Smith, Mrs. H. Fulwood and Mrs. A. Jones. The "angels" were Mrs. M. Leak, Mrs. L. Robinson and Mrs. C. Bailey. Music was provided by Eloise Smith. Mrs. V. Robinson presenied words of encouragement to the CEginization and its guest. A.T. Jones, the group's presi dent, presided at the occasion. Lst© bl3ck Muslim l63dGr Muh^mmsd's millions to go to roligious Qroup By The Associated Press CHICAGO - A state appellate court ruled Thursday that $5.7 million held in a special fund belongs to the religious organiza tion founded by the late Black Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad instead of his heirs. "Where funds arc solicited to benefit a religious organization, we believe that basic principles of equity and fair dealing should pre clude the use of those funds to ben efit the personal estate of the reli gious leader,” wrote Appellate Court Justice Mel Jiganti in the court's opinion. The dispute over funds _ which were originally $3.3 million but grew to $5.7 million in an interest- bearing account at the Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank Ltd. in Chicago _ has pitted two of Muhammad’s sons against each other since their father died in 1975. Emmanuel Muhammad, adminis trator of his father's estate, has argued that the money belonged to Elijah Muhammad’s 22 heirs. Wariih Deen Muhammad, the new leader of the religious group, which is now called the American Muslim Mission, has maintained that the organization is the rightful owner of the money. Upon Muhammad's death, the bank turned over the $3.3 million account to the Black Muslim movement called the Nation of Islam then headed by Elijah Muhammad's eldcM son, Warith Deen Muhammad, f In 1982, Cook County Judge Henry Budzinski ruled the $3.3 million was given to Elijah Muhammad for his personal use and should be turned over to his children with the interest accrued. A second trial court also ruled in favor of the heirs. Both of the decisions were appealed. Elijah Muhammad, the son of a Georgia sharecropper, called him self a prophet and lived like a king in a fortress-like building on Chicago's South Side. When he died at the age of 77, the group had 100,000 raembets and Muhammad had amassed fortune of as much as $20 milho' much of it collected in small su ; from followers. In addition to the bank accoa the estate includes property ta least four states and in Mexico Belize, and a Lear jet The appellate court's New Y Eve decision overturns u ski's ruling. Hatty Whamniad, a^^« ,. for the Mission, said, : Allah," when he leanied of ; Whammad said the gro«P "
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