PRISONER OR SLAVE?

Prisoners wear chains.  Slaves wear chains.  Prisoners work for nothing.  So do slaves.  Prisoners receive the worst care and treatment as do slaves. Neither prisoners nor slaves are free.

The difference between prisoners and slaves is that if a wall comes down, most prisoners will try to escape.  Most slaves will start repairing the wall. 

We think we are prisoners held back by an unjust system.  But, when a wall falls and a way to advance appears, do you rush for the opportunity; or do you stand around complaining about the mess, waiting for the overseers of the system to give you the tools to clean up by rebuilding the wall?

Are you a prisoner of the system or a slave to it? 

Opportunity doesn’t free many slaves. So simply removing the obstacles to freedom won’t help slaves because they still look to the system to provide for them, and when they experience discomfort outside the system’s support they will return and submit to the system’s supervision.

Prisoners will suffer, starve, go without, and avoid areas of comfort just to stay free from the system.

The question isn’t “Who’s holding you back?”  The question is, “Whom do you expect to help you move forward?”

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church in Fairfield, Alabama;  executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO);  and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Subscribe to my personal blog  www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com .

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com

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You can help support this ministry with a donation to Miles Chapel CME Church.

You can help support Rev. Graves’ work by visiting his personal blog and clicking the DONATE button on the right-hand sidebar.

Support by check or money order may be mailed to 

Miles Chapel CME Church

P O Box 132

Fairfield, Al 35064

AGE OLD EXCUSES

Often in our very traditional churches where leadership is held for long periods by a small core of older members, a common reason/ excuse is given for excluding younger adults from leadership. 

That excuse is, "They're not ready."

Other versions of that excuse include:

They haven't gotten far enough in their careers.
They're too caught up in their careers.
They aren't even married.
They haven't been married that long.
They don't have children.
They have young children.
He's/ she's got all them tattoos.
I heard he's been to jail.

That's what they say.

Here's what He says:  

Ecclesiastes 4: 13     Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.  14     For he comes out of prison to be king, although he was born poor in his kingdom.

When you get to the point that you know it all backwards and forwards and “They can’t tell me how to do this job.  I”ve been doing this for ___ years,”  at that point you know so much that you can no longer be admonished.

At that point, you know too much to stay in that position. 

If you prefer, look at it like this:  It’s time for a new challenge.

In the Methodist tradition, bishops admonish preachers “Not to stay in one place longer than you ought.” 

That’s fine advice for lay leadership, too. 

And, no.  The new up-and-comers don’t know all that you know.  But that’s your fault.  You should have already shared your knowledge.   If you haven't trained them so far, then let them learn as they go.   The wise youth will ask when they need help.  They will recognize your value as a human resource.  But, in truth they will need you a whole lot less than you may want to be needed. 

At this point in the church, it’s time to let the poor and wise youth lead.   At this point in the church, it is time to let the poor and wise ex-con lead.  At this point in the church it is time to stop saying that young adults are the leaders of tomorrow.

They are supposed to be the leaders of TODAY.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

If this message helps or touches you, please help support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

NO NEW WHEELS, BUT A NEW MONTGOMERY CITY JAIL LITERACY MINISTRY

It's one thing to want to save the world.  That's reasonable.  It's another thing to try to reinvent the wheel.  That's unnecessary. 

As part of the continuing in-reach ministry to the Montgomery Municipal Jail, we will be bringing adult literacy classes to the local and federal inmates incarcerated there. Rather than unnecessarily reinventing a program from the ground up, we were blessed to connect with an existing program. 

All we need now is for you and/or the people you know to sign up to help.  The only requirements are that you be at least18 years old, responsible, literate, and able to pass a criminal background check.  Training starts March 23rd. 

Here are the details for training.  When you sign up, let them know that you want to participate in the Montgomery City Jail Literacy Program.

CENTRAL ALABAMA LAUBACH LITERACY COUNCIL

2048 WEST FAIRVIEW AVENUE

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36108-4198

264-1239

The Central Alabama Laubach Literacy (C. A. L. L.) Council is a nonprofit volunteer organization. We train adults to tutor other adults in basic reading, writing and spelling. C. A. L. L. began in 1985. Since that time we have served hundreds of adults in the Montgomery area who wanted to improve their basic reading skills.

If at all possible, we ask volunteers to make a commitment of one year. Once you have completed the tutor training workshop, you will be matched with an adult learner. Tutoring usually takes place twice a week for an hour-and-a-half each session. All materials will be provided for the tutor and adult learner.

The next workshop will be held:

Saturdays, March 23 & April 6, 2013
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  BOTH DAYS

Participants must attend ALL SESSIONS to become certified.

This workshop is scheduled to be held at:

C.A.L.L.

St. Jude, 2048 W. Fairview Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36108

Note: Since the lunch period is half hour, we recommend that you bring a sack lunch.  And, the room can be cool, so bring a sweater.

So that we can adequately prepare for this workshop, complete the registration form and submit it to C. A. L. L., 2048 West Fairview Ave. Montgomery, AL 36108. For further information or to cancel your registration, please call the Adult Literacy Center at (334) 264-1239.

You may register at our website: www.laubachliteracyal.org

E-MAIL director@callmgm.org

Pre-registration is necessary.  We cannot accommodate walk-ins for this workshop.