5B
RELIGIONAT^e Charlotte $odt
Thursday, July 20, 2006
New York minister emerges as a progressive force
Continued from page 4B
wrote?
“Do we read these accoxints
as literal descriptions of
Jesus being baptized, coming
out of the water, having the
dove of the spirit light on his
shoulder and then being dri
ven into the wilderness?’ he
asks.
At 70, he is thin and spry,
with a slightly graying mus
tache. His robes are multicol
ored, hke the long cloth that
hangs down fix)m the raised
pulpit.
Gradually, he becomes
more animated—shaking,
rubbing his hands audibly
into the microphone, mocking
die hteral reading of the text.
"And long come' the devil.
And the devil, obviously with
the red undoTvear and the
pitchfork and the long tail
says to him...”
As a youth, Jim Forbes did
n’t want to be a minister. He
wanted to be a doctor.
‘1 didn’t want to be poor and
I didn’t want people running
my life hke they did my
father’s,” he says.
But three years into his
premed studies at Howard
University he felt a puU to
the ministiy He baigained
withGod-
“I said to him, “Listen I real
ly want to be a doctor and if
you let me be a doctor,
instead of calling me to the
ministry, I’ll be a religious
doctdr.’” he remembers.
As proof he would go to a
hospital and pray for patients
he didn’t know. "’’See, Lord,
m be hke Albert Schweitzer,”
he would say
The summer after his
jtmior year he went to a
revival given by the Rev.
AquiUa Lawson, a friend of
his father. Lawson told of the
prophet Isaiah’s vision of
God, sitting on a throne. In
the Lord’s presence, Isaiah
felt unworthy "Woe is me for
I am xmdone,” he says.
Forbes, too, felt imdone.
He went home and put on a
record of Ibhaikovsky’s “Sym
phony No. 4 in F IVBnor.” In
the rhythms and notes, he
thoc^ht he heard a message:
“Jim Forbes, don’t you know I
have called you?”
As the music grew more
violent, more borobastic, he
heard this: “I really mean this
brother.”
And so, after leaving
Howard University, he
applied to the seminary
At Duke University, he was
told they did not accept
blacks. He went to Union
Theological Seminary in New
York City, one of the most
influential—and liberal —
rehgious institutions of the
day
It was a radical departure
for a young man from an
evangelical background to
encounter biblical criticism
and to study theories about
contradictions of the text.
African archbishop defends marriage
Continued from page 4B
tion of returning to Italy
Asked his recollection of
Pope John Paul 11, who had
personally intervened to per
suade Mdingo to return,
MUingo said the late pope
‘Svas really a saintly person.”
He said Benedict XVI was
“on the list of those who I feel
obhged to pray for because he
is the first person who repre
sents Jesus in this world.”
Revival hosted by Overflow Ministries
Continued from page 4B
July 23
The Charlotte Black Gay
Pride wUl host a citywide wor
ship service at the Best West
ern Hotel, located at 201 S.
McDowell St.
Officiated by Pastor Tbnyia
M. Rawls of Unity Fellowship
Church Charlotte. Introduc
ing: Voices of Pride Mass
Choir. For more information
about this event and others,
visit www.charlottencblack-
gaypride.org.
• Ebenezer Baptist Church,
2020 W. Sugar Creek Road,
wiLL host a firee concert featur
ing Sonny TluTier and Spiri
tual Quest at 6 p.m.
July 27
Gospel Truth Ministries
International-East Gate
Church, 11100 Monroe Road,
Suite F Matthews, will host
‘United Front Day of Prayer”
at the Charlotte Convention
Center, room 212-A.
The event begins at 9 a.m.
July 30
Musical departments have
been drafted to go to war in
the Army of the Lord at 4p.m.
at 4700 WiHard St.
The invitation is commis
sioned by the KJ STAT young
adult division of Bethany
Baptist Church. ' Cafi.
Jonathan King (704) 449-
5125, Karin Tbrrence
(704)548-3919 or Zanita
Robinson (704) 995-0876.
August 4
Overflow Ministries will
host a two-night revival at
the Church Rock of the King
dom, 6640 Suite-A, Hickory
Grove Business Park, W.T
Harris Blvd.
Services begin at 7 p.m. For
more informatiorL, call (704)
605-7022.
Ar^ust 5
The Metrolina Baptist
Word Of Faith West
Relocates at
Ramada Inn
212 Woodlawn Rd • Charlotte, NC
A church that cares for your soul
Suidav School:I0:30ain
Morning Worship:} 1:30am
5th Sutulay is Youth Sunday
Rev. & Mrs. Guthrie
A Church that cares for your soul 2 Oiron. 7:14
Pastor, Rev. Samuel Guthrie, Jr.
Charlotte. NC • 704-301-2716
“Come Let Us Worship Together”
The Friendliest Church in the City of Charlotte”
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
517 Baldwin Ave. • Charlotte, NC 28204
(704)376-1201 Office ‘(704) 376-1210 Fax
Rev. JA. Cuthbertson - Pastor
Sunday School 9:30a.m.
Praise & Worship 10:45am
Worship Service..... 11:00am
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00pm
Wednesday Prayer Service.. 8:00pm
Prince of peace Lutheran church
‘'TelliiiQ and Livin2 the Good News of Jesus Christ”
- Outreach & Nurture Mini,stries For All Ages -
Spirit-led Sunday Worship: I lam
Sunday School: 9:30am
Wed. Prayer, Praise & Bible Study; 7pm
Radio Ministry: Sun. 2:45pin. REJOICE 1370 AM
- Rev. Quentin G. Poulson, Pastor -
3001 Beatties Fd. Rd., Charlotte. NC 28216-3731
•A Phone: 704-392-6098 ■ E-mail: POPAX@bcllsouth.net A
Website: www.LutheranOutreach.oig/Prince of Peace, htm ^
Association will host a
Women Reaching Women
Conference, sponsored by
LifeWay at Carmel Baptist
Church, 1145 Pine^^e-
Matthews Road. For more
information, call (704) 847-
8575,
August 12
Cornelius Parks and Recre
ation Department will host
its third annual gospelfest at
SmithvOle Park.
Tbnya Rivens of Praise
100.9 wiH host the event. For
more information, call
(704)892-6031 extension 160.
The event runs fixjm 1-7:30
p.m.
August 15
The Voices of Morning Star
will celebrate their 20th
anniversary at Th.e New
Hampton Life Caiter, located
at 211-1 Hampton Church
Road, Charlotte. Doors open
at 3 p.m. and the show begins
at 4 p.m.
Tickets are $10 in advance,
$12 at the door and can be
purchased by calling Robert
Garlin at (704) 596-2063.
‘'Excellence in Ministry”
Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church
• God is Glorified • Jesus is Magnified
‘ People are Edified • Faith is Fortified
• Ministry is Multiplied
- Join Us For Service -
Sunday School 9 a.m. • Worship 10am
Bible Study for “ALL” Ages...Wed. Noon & 7 pm
401 N. McDowell St., Charlotte, NC 28204
www.Httlerockamezion.org
Dr. Dwayne A. Walker, Pastor
Cfiarlottc $iost
CHURCH DIRECTORY
AME • AME ZIO^
Greenville Memoral
AME Zion Church
6116Montielti Dr.
Dr. Sheldon R. Shipman
{704)596-4742
BAPTIST
Rrst Saptist Church - West
1801 CMI^avui Avenue
Dr. FScky A 'Atcds
(704)372-1075
Ftiendshp B^Sst Church
221 W Bradley Awme
Pastor Jdiin A McCuloeh
Greater Balhel AME Church Gre*rGe(hsaTi8r©AME23iauch
201 Grancin Road 531 Carpus Street
[> Walter V Hov\«d, Jr. Rev CaMn L Mller
(704)376-1345 (704)37543900
Weeping WJow AME Zioi Chutch
2220 MIton Road
Pastor Warded Henderson
(704) 532-9125
Gailee Baptist Church
233 Shady Lana
Rev. F. A Giiflin
(704)3330810
Carmel Baptist Church
sRd.
Kimbrough
7237 Ti
Rev Dr.
(704)394-3525
Fax (704)926-0647
Mayfield (vtemorial Baptist Church
700 Sugar Creek RoaJ
(704)596-7935
Pleasant HU Baptist Chundi
517 BaMviin Avenue
Rev J A Cuthbertson
(704)376-1201
1600 hkirtis Avenue
Rev. Ciflwd Matthews, Jr.
(704)375-9650
Greater Prowderpe Baptist Church
2000 MItcn Road
Dr FtedQbspi
Rrst Ml Zon Baptisi CSnich
1515 Remeunt Road
Dr. C. V Owens
(704)332-8335
Reeder Usmpial Baptist Church
3725 Beatties Fcrd Road
Dr. Den Stager
(704)398-2914
SIver Majnt Baptst Church
501 W Airowood Fload
Dr. Lirccin C. Lee
(704)522-1528
Uriversrty Psvk Baplst Church
6029 Beatties Ford Road
Rev. Dr aaude R. Alexaider
(704)332-1681
Trinity Park Baptist Churtch
9115TrtrityRd
Rev. Eric R. Miller
(704)39343130
CME
ParloAood InsttuSonal CME Church
802 Tcm Hunter Road
Rev. Roderick D. Lewis, Sr.
(704)921-4915
EPISCOPAL
SEVENTH DAY
NertheastSDA Church
827 Ton Hunter Road
Paster, Frank L Harrel, Sr.
(704)394-5615
No Vr^ls Mnislw
3700 Freedom Dr
Btshep Steve L Cartton
(704)392-5100
LUTHERAN
Ptifpe ot Pea» Lutheran Church
3001 Beatties Frrt Road
Rev Quentin G. Poulsor
Abundant Life Tabernacle
725 vaileydale Road
Bishop TL Glenn
(704)394-8274
NON-DENOMINATIONAL
God's Ivteeting Place Wend ot F^ - V*gt
4100 Gallant Ln.Steel Creek Elem. 2300 Sirdars Awrue
Rev. Chafes W. Reid Rev. Samuel Guthrie, Jr
(704)8254017 (704)356-1709
Greater Sdam Chuch New Brth Christian FeOcviship
5318 Salarr Church Road CcchraneMdcne&hp:l
Dr.AnthcnyL Jinwiight 6400 Star Haven Drive
(704)3995448 Pastor Christcpher Harris
(704)531-1291
Greater Salem at the Lake
ComeiusElementaiy School Shepherds Fold Chutch
2ll26CatawbaAvenue 5101 NatiotsFad Road
Pasta Harretanwright Rev. David SlatSdiouss
(704)399-5448
UNITED METHODIST
Simpscn-Gilesple Urited Methods! Church
3645 Beatties Ford Road
Rev. Vltalter Pegues
(704)388-2717
After gi’aduatang, he •
returned to North Carolina to
a chxirch near his birthplace.
Could he reconcile his liberal
education with his Pente
costal background?
The thorniest problem was
that Jim Forbes couldn’t
speak in tongues. As a child,
the congregations of his fami
ly’s Pentecostal churches
would fall into trance-like
states and utter incompre
hensible sounds theybeheved
were divinely inspii'ed lan
guages.
But as an adult preacher,
he didn’t know how to do it
himself
‘Tm the young theologian
and I haven’t even spoken in
tongues, so they say “I don’t
think so,”’ Forbes remem
bers. “How could he give us
the blessing, if he doesn’t
have the blessing?”
Forbes is struggling for
words. His voice is cracking.
He says he is hesitating
because what he is about to
say TTiigbt. sound blasphe
mous.
‘Dut here goes,” he says.
“The story is not about Satan
the devil out there. It’s about
JESUS, Mary’s baby BORN
IN BETHLEHEM, going
throi^h an actual, honest to
goodness stru^e.”
Jesus’ struts was not out
there, he tells than.
“Noooh sirrrr,” a man
answers finm a pew.
He continires, quivering.
“The struggle was—DARE
I SAY IT?—the struggle was
in himself as to how he was
going to live his life. Please
don’t use this to say uh oh,
the boy’s done lost it now
cause he’s sayir^ that the
devil was in Jesus. I am say
ing whatever the devQ is,-
whoi ejqjerienced in tempta
tion, it’§ not external to the
person going through the
experience.”
In the early ‘60s, Forbes
was swept up in the civil
rights movement and began
attending sit-ins. Martin
Lutho’ King Jr. influenced
him. deeply, both as an
activist and a speaker.
“He had a unique ability to
take a powerful image from
the Bible and weave it into
contemporary relevance,”
Forbes says. “He was the’
master. I don’t even try to run
in his league.”
On April 4, 1967, King
came out against the Viet
nam War at Riverside
Church. His sermon, “Beyond
\^etnam—A Time to Break
Silence,” tied the war to social
injustices in America.
“The war in Vietnam is but •
a symptom of a far deeper
malady within the Amoican
spirit,” King said. “A nation
that continues year after year
to spend more money on mil
itary defense than on pro
grams of social uphft is'
approaciiing spiritual death.”'
Forbes says he was hsten-
ir^ to the radio one day when
he learned of King’s death,
exactly one year to the day
after the Riverside samon.
“I said, “Maitin, you shall
not have died in vain. I intend'
with my life to extend what
you have brought us,” he
remembers.
The New Jesus Christ Holiness Church
334 S. Torrance Ave. 28204
704-568-8941
Bible Study ■ Wed. 7:30 - 10PM
Evening Service - Friday - 7:30 - 10PM
Sunday Service - 4 - 8PM
The AIDS Fighter with the 4 step
plan sent from God. Bishop C.R. Mayes
Be healed and be bles.sed „ ^ ^
Pastor D.C. Mayes
Prociuemg Kingdom Citizens through Evangelism
Disc0leshp, Worsbp, Fslbwship, and Service
Pastor Claude R. Alexander, Jr.
Poiversity Park BaptUt Church
6029 Beatties Ford Rd. ♦ Charlotte, NC 28216 • 704-392-1681
The Park South
13733 Lancaster Hwy (Hwy 521) • Pineville, NC 28134 • 704-941-0019
Sunday Worship, 8:30am & Sunday School, 10:00am
Worship Times At
University Park Baptist Church
Sunday Wemship 7:00, 9:30&!I:30am & Youth Church, 11:30am
Women's Bible Study, Monday 6:30pm
Men's Bibk Study, Monday 7:00pm
Bible Study, Tlmrsday 6:30pm
www.theparkministries.org