Wedding bells were ringin’!

Lakeshia Latrice Exum and Sean Marshall Pryor were recently wed at Gray’s Conference Center. (photo by Harry Kemp)

Religious Commentary

Black Christian Leadership: Religiously is there justice or is there "just us?

by Men of Dominion
With the enormous growth of places of worship (churches), is religion being watered down?
One of the topics of discussion that remain active is that African American Christian leadership doesn't follow through on its stated intent.
When one of the most prosperous businesses of the word community should and could be changed to reflect an even smaller portion of the population due to the close proximity of homes in some areas-a number of which are almost on top of each other, thus creating a highly stressed housing environment-the question becomes can African American Christian leadership flourish?
The response of some is that there is not hope and in those cases the lynching is of the spirit. In this year of 2007, we search for ways to expedite our youths' destinies of success.
We have begun the process of re-implementing old school core values with modern-day technology and wisdom, understanding that our successful past solidifies our current status of being.
The most significant existence in the lives of our youth should be that of our Lord and Savior. Having said that, in the minds of our youth religiously, is there justice or is there "just us"?
When we talk to youth about their everyday occurrences and we make reference to the existence of a supreme being, one who impacts every aspect of their lives, are they listening? Do they feel empowered by his spiritual presence? Do they understand that their purpose is to be obedient to him?
Realizing that in doing so they place themselves in position to receive his blessings, garnering his favor while disseminating his word.
Have they, in their enviable wisdom, concluded that developing a relationship with him will religiously provide justice for them in any and all situations? Or do they think that it is just us who speak of his supreme presence?
Romans 8:18 says:
"For I reckon that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
No matter what you've gone through in the past, no matter how many setbacks you've suffered or what has tried to thwart your progress, today is a new day and God wants to do a new thing in your life.
He has great things in store for you. Don't let your past determine your future. You can't have a victim mentality and expect to live in victory. You can't live in a perpetual pity party and then wonder why situations aren't improving in your life. If you change your thinking, God can change your life.
The leadership that we are looking for is in all of us. Black Christian leadership and its effectiveness probably could be viewed in several ways. But the most important perspective is yours.

Minister launches web site for Urban Christians

by Martin Ricard
Hayward, CA (Black-News.com) - This is not your typical social-networking site.
In fact, there probably isn't even a category yet in technology to place this Web site.
And that's the way the Rev. Willie Anderson likes it.
When he introduced a program last year at New Bethel Community Church that trains Christian entrepreneurs on how to combine practical business and financial training with spiritual mentoring to create a new breed of wealth-builders, Anderson knew he was onto something.
But when he launches a new venture later this month called www.ChurchpreneurTV.com, a site dedicated to providing Christians with a real-time urban social networking portal, it could have the potential to start a new trend.
"I think it's revolutionary," said Anderson, who holds a doctorate from Sacramento Theological Seminary and Bible College and graduated from the competitive Harvard Divinity School Summer Leadership Institute, which trains clergy and lay leaders from across the country in economic development strategies.
"This market, the Christian market, is the next wave for Internet users."
While social-networking giants MySpace and Facebook have become as ubiquitous as Mc-Donald's and Wal-Mart, Church-preneurTV aims to reach a new market: urban Christians, many of whom are African Americans who aren't necessarily attracted to the broad social networks offered on some of the larger Web sites, but still long to have their voices heard.
And while most social-networking sites allow users to interact online, and share videos and music, Anderson said none has been able to do what ChurchpreneurTV is trying to do: empower people.
"We're really going after the urban market," he said. "I've found that a lot of churchgoers have never seen a YouTube video. But we're actually opening a new door.
"And when we open that door, we want to open something that is pleasant to them and something that they are used to."
Religious-themed social-networking sites are popping up all over the Internet, allowing users to start prayer groups, generate videos or tune in to a favorite spiritual leader.
Users and creators say the sites provide family-friendly alternatives to networking sites that contain more objectionable content.
But now with YouTube on the map as well, numerous religious-themed video-sharing sites -- such as StreamingFaith.com and GodTube.com, the Christian answer to YouTube -- are starting to stage out their space on the Web as well, offering faith-based alternatives to broadcast their message.
ChurchpreneurTV plans to use some of the same features made popular on other sites. For example, users will be able to upload and share videos as they now do on YouTube, and create profiles and make friends as they can on MySpace. There will even be different channels available that cover a variety of topics.
But never before, Anderson said, have users been able to do all that in real time. So instead of just watching a sermon online in front of a computer at home, someone will be able to view it while it is being preached, interact with the sermon, and then turn the camera on himself and share his thoughts. The site is still in its beta phase, however, and the full site will be available soon.
Tony Wells, ChurchpreneurTV's technology director, calls it "social streaming"--the ability to interact on a social network through real-time streaming technology.
But the site also has greater ambitions, Wells said.
In addition to offering different types of accounts -- from basic to premium pay-per-view style--ChurchpreneurTV also has its own television crew, so that the show can be taken on the road and provide demonstrations in the community so others can learn the process.
Wells imagines people young and old being able to use the site -- and, in return, being able to minister to someone else.
And just as YouTube is now trying to host every music video ever created, ChurchpreneurTV wants to get every church ever created on its site.
But even if it only gets all of the churches in Hayward and Oakland, Wells said, that will be more than enough because black churches are still an untapped market.
"We know we are going to reach our goal, because a fireball is heating up," Wells said. "So we're going for the extreme, because we can get things accomplished that others can't do."
It's the start of a new trend, a new type of ministry and much more than just another social networking site, Anderson said.
And it's coming to a bandwidth near you.
"This is about getting up and getting your message out," he said, "to do the things that God wants you to do."
For more information, visit www.churchpreneurTV.com