I Need You To Survive

He did this to make all parts of the body work together smoothly, with each part caring about the others. If one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honored, the whole body will be happy. Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body.

1 Corinthians 12:25‭-‬27 CEVDCI

https://bible.com/bible/303/1co.12.25-27.CEVDCI

Spiritual Free Agency

For the first time in at least a decade, I am a spiritual free agent.

Before I continue, allow me to define the aforementioned phrase and simultaneous title: A spiritual free agent is an individual who has left the physical four walls of a church as a result of a myriad of events and still maintains the core tenets of what affects his or her walk albeit in a solitary state. Some examples are the following: the church he once formerly attended lost the plot, and as a leader, he found the rot too deep to recover from without blowing up the foundation to reestablish the direction and mission; a situation so egregious that removal is the best option; simply existing in the rote and routine portions of openly pious doctrine without examining the relationship with the higher being of choice and truly following it; a congregation wed to country club groupthink; and so forth. The pain of leaving cuts deeply yet necessary and as I try to follow God without a known community of likeminded souls to find a physical house of worship we can grow, lead effectively, and be relevant in a changing yet still sin sick world, I had to lay out both a timeline and parameters that would benefit my family. 

If you want to know what happened, this is neither the time nor the place to share those circumstances as I have reiterated that my season at the Mount came to an end October 2021. In other words, I'm not talking.

Folks would be wise to know this

Treating spiritual free agency in a similar vein as pro athletes looking to make the best decisions for championships, financial security, the familiarity of home, and advancing in the walk - remember, this one is unlike academia where one can aspire to becoming a professor, department chair, provost, dean, or institution president. The difference is that having a physical location to call home in worship is prayerfully one that allows for spiritual growth for all of us without being a number or overwhelmed by a group more than amenable toward sitting on the sidelines instead of getting out in the field, to paraphrase Matthew 9:37. 

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Matthew 9:37 KJVhttps://t.co/MnK2i8JN8V

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) June 3, 2022

What am I looking for?

As much as I prefer local, I require a Black congregation to worship and serve together with progressive growth in both Christian education and practice. Having a 8 am Sunday morning service is certainly a bonus - staying awake for 11 am after working all night is a nonstarter for my health. Every church has its own issues and as my uncle reminded me recently, there is no such thing as a perfect church: What can you live with and what are the red flags? In spite of the whooping and hollering and heavy breathing through the microphone and choir singing until the sopranos faint or the director hits the high note, there has to be sound doctrine taught. Otherwise, we're just meeting for a good time not a meaningful time and perpetuating a spiritual babyhood.

Ain't nobody got time for that 👆🏿

Where have we been? I'm not posting a scorecard but I'll share where we have been. If anyone can tell me where the Black Baptist church in Bryant is (not Sharon BC of Alexander), I would greatly appreciate it.

In Person

New Jerusalem MBC, Little Rock

St. Paul MBC of Benton

St. Paul MBC of Little Rock

Greater Galilee MBC, Little Rock

Mt. Zion MBC of Benton

Saint Mark BC, Little Rock 

Virtual

Eastern Star BC, Gurdon

Greater Friendship MBC, Conway (my childhood church home)

Mount Olive MBC, Arkadelphia

Labannah MBC, Little Rock

Miller St. BC, Pittsburgh, PA

Bethany MBC, McNeil 

Spring of Hope COGIC, Springfield, MA

Plan to visit

Eudora MBC, Pine Bluff

Union Baptist Church, Pocola, OK

Thanks to all of the houses of worship which have welcomed us either in person or virtually during our reset as we prayerfully attempt to cut through the fluff and unite with like-minded Christian brothers and sisters in our next phase of our spiritual lives. 

You'll find out our decision soon. 

Take a Look Around Yourselves

My dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. God has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him. You mistreat the poor. But isn't it the rich who boss you around and drag you off to court? Aren't they the ones who make fun of your Lord? You will do all right, if you obey the most important law in the Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves.

James 2:5‭-‬8 CEVDCI