The Testament. Let There Be Light! I AM A MAN. Celebrating Black History Month Honoring The Past Securing Our Future

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1 The Testament February 2015 A few months ago during Bible study, we reviewed the creation process as described in Genesis 1:1-31. We had an interesting discussion which centered on the fact that on the first day of creation, while the earth was without form and covered in darkness, God commanded, Let there Lincoln Memorial Baptist Church Let There Be Light! be light. Light then came into existence and was separated from the darkness. As we studied the verses further, we learned that although God commanded the existence of light on the first day, he did not create any light emitting objects (stars, moon, sun, etc.) until the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19). What then, was this light that was created on the first day? We concluded our discussion with the realization that knowledge was the light created by God on the first day. Knowledge is indeed a light. Knowledge enhances our awareness, it provides a foundation for growth, and it moves us forward on the path of progress. It is the key to mastering the unknowns of darkness and is a vital possession on the path that leads to wisdom and understanding. In addition to being a source of light, knowledge is also a source of power. During an earlier period in our history, our ancestors cherished the light that came with the acquisition of knowledge. Most slave owners did everything in their power to prevent that light from shining in their fields and on their plantations. They blocked efforts aimed at educating slaves and used darkness as a tool to help keep our ancestors in bondage. In many states, laws were passed which made it a crime to educate a slave. - by Deacon Dean Jernigan Despite the dangers and the obstacles, many of our ancestors broke through the darkness barrier. They learned to read and write, mostly in secret, from sympathetic whites. In turn, they taught others, in secret, in their cabins after working long hours. With each new word and each new sentence, many slaves inched closer to the glow generated by the light of knowledge, and longed for the world that existed beyond the confines of their bondage. They came to understand that knowledge was the light that led to their freedom. As on the first day of creation, and during that painful period of slavery, light is at the center of our existence. In light, we find guidance and direction. In light, we find an escape from uncertainty and a path that leads to peace and clarity. In light, we find a friend and a comforter, able to fight our battles and steer us away from darkness. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12 ESV) Life s roadway is filled with patches of darkness put forth by the enemy. God s Word is the light that can help us to overcome the darkness of fear, doubt and despair as we navigate the pathways of life. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105) Let there be light in your planning and decision making as you submit to God s Will in working to grow His Kingdom. Let there be light in your Celebrating Black History Month Honoring The Past Securing Our Future Durham, NC I AM A MAN (1968) Sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee go on strike following the tragic death of two coworkers. Protesting dangerous working conditions, poor treatment and discrimination, the event caught the attention of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and would play a role in his death. ministry, in your leadership and in your stewardship over the few things that our Heavenly Father has entrusted to you. Let there be light in the thanks that we offer unto God for the strength and courage of all of those who came before us and fought for the rights and privileges that we enjoy today. As we celebrate Black History Month, and continue on the path that leads to freedom from darkness, I m reminded of the powerful words of advice uttered by Harriett Tubman as she led scores of slaves from the bowels of slavery to the bright lights of freedom - If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there's shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going. Keep going Lincoln. Keep studying His Word. Keep fighting the darkness of the enemy. And don t ever stop until you see the light.

2 Habakkuk 2:2-3 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the Vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the Vision is for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 1. A New Sanctuary Let s Build the Community in the Church 2. Burn the Present Mortgage within 4 Years 3. Let s All Get Debt Free (in every sense) 4. Be Faithful Stewards (Time, Talent, & Treasure) 5. Every Member Operating in their Spiritual Gift(s) 6. Break Ground within 5 Years 7. Total Church Commitment to Bible Study and Prayer Acts 4 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. LMBC Rev. Linzie B. Atkins, III June 27, 2012

3 Black History Spotlight Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth Million Man March Poem - by Maya Angelou The night has been long, The wound has been deep, The pit has been dark, And the walls have been steep. Under a dead blue sky on a distant beach, I was dragged by my braids just beyond your reach. Your hands were tied, your mouth was bound, You couldn't even call out my name. You were helpless and so was I, But unfortunately throughout history You've worn a badge of shame. Once called "the most courageous civil rights fighter in the South" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth was a major leader of the Civil Rights Movement for more than half a century. Rev. Shuttlesworth established the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) in May 1956, and was one of the founders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He participated in sit-ins at segregated lunch counters and joined forces with the Congress On Racial Equality (CORE) to organize the Freedom Rides against segregated interstate buses in the South. Happy Birthday to our February Birthday Celebrities! Annie Wright Miracle Johnson Cameron Wooten Deloise Hicks Robert Brodie Shannon Daye Sampson Kearney Weldon Harris Kimberly Alexander Christopher Boone Kendra Daye Felicia Talley Amos Annie Wilson Bianca Brodie Mikala Smith Bryce Davenport Karl Brodie, Jr. Best Wishes For Many More!! The Testament is produced monthly by our Newsletter Committee. Please send articles, photos or other items for publication to newsletter@mylmbc.org by the 3rd Sunday of each month. Newsletter Committee Chanetta Evans Reginald Davis Willee Murphy Joan Lofton Marva Atkins William Mayfield Earleen Sharrock Dean Jernigan, Chair I say, the night has been long, The wound has been deep, The pit has been dark And the walls have been steep. But today, voices of old spirit sound Speak to us in words profound, Across the years, across the centuries, Across the oceans, and across the seas. They say, draw near to one another, Save your race. You have been paid for in a distant place, The old ones remind us that slavery's chains Have paid for our freedom again and again. The night has been long, The pit has been deep, The night has been dark, And the walls have been steep. The hells we have lived through and live through still, Have sharpened our senses and toughened our will. The night has been long. This morning I look through your anguish Right down to your soul. I know that with each other we can make ourselves whole. I look through the posture and past your disguise, And see your love for family in your big brown eyes. I say, clap hands and let's come together in this meeting ground, I say, clap hands and let's deal with each other with love, I say, clap hands and let us get from the low road of indifference, Clap hands, let us come together and reveal our hearts, Let us come together and revise our spirits, Let us come together and cleanse our souls, Clap hands, let's leave the preening And stop impostering our own history. Clap hands, call the spirits back from the ledge, Clap hands, let us invite joy into our conversation, Courtesy into our bedrooms, Gentleness into our kitchen, Care into our nursery. The ancestors remind us, despite the history of pain We are a going-on people who will rise again. And still we rise.

4 Five Stages Of Discipleship - by Sis. Janice Campbell And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. God therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20) Discipleship - explained the way Christ demonstrated in Mark 8:34-35, is to deny yourself, deny material desires, deny ego, deny pride, and take up the cross and follow me. An ultimate submission is required to follow Christ. Stage One - Spiritually Dead: Anyone in this stage has not accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. In this stage one may claim to know Jesus, they may reject God, they may be seeking God and call themselves spiritual or a Christian. Anyone in this stage will have no real fruit in their lives or the Holy Spirit living in them. The spiritually dead are living like the walking dead ; they have no life because they have no faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. What do the Spiritually Dead need? First, they need the love and relationship with other believers - believers that are honest. They need to be introduced to Jesus and to see life of the gospel lived out. Stage Two - Infant Stage: Making the decision to follow Christ may be as far as they have gotten. In this stage you find brand new believers or Christians that have not grown in faith. Infant Christians lack the knowledge about what Jesus taught. The Holy Spirit may be working with them, but they may have mixed the scriptures with worldly philosophy. Just as an infant, the Christian in this stage sees life as all about them and their needs. You may hear one say: Tithing? What s that? Or I didn t know the Bible said that. At this stage they need the truths of the Christian faith taught and modeled for them. The infant needs to develop new habits and to form new patterns for living as a follower of Christ. Stage Three - Child Stage: Anyone in this stage is still growing in their relationship with God and with their relationship with other Christians. The believer is now comfortable with talking with others and is now beginning to apply God s word into their lives. This stage is a lot like the five year old child, who sees the world through their own eyes looking for their needs to be met. (1) The spiritual child can be a new Christian or a Christian that has been in church for years. (2) They may serve the church but only because it is expected. They crave affirmation and approval and will do the right things if they are rewarded in a way that pleases them. They may say, I don t know if this church meets my needs anymore ; I wasn t fed at all by that sermon today, ; I quit, because they don t appreciate what I do. The spiritual child needs: to learn who they are in Christ; to spiritually feed themselves; to learn to trust God in obedience; and to do what the word says. They will grow and learn to have a servant s heart and not a self-centered one. Stage Four - Young Adult Stage: The young adult is moving out of a self-centered life and beginning to build around God, others, and mission. They are learning to understand what God has called them to do. They live their lives around God and his word. Their work is for God and not others. They will see that people will fail them and they will know that Jesus will not. The young adults need boundaries as well as help responding to the expectations of the people they serve. When they get hurt, and we all will, they need to process the pain so they don t become disillusioned and cynical. Stage Five - Parent Stage: The spiritual parent has a solid foundation and understanding of God s word and they live according to God s word. A spiritual parent has the desire to raise disciples; they are kingdom builders. You will find that in the parent stage the disciples are reliable. They have grown and matured to the point where they are qualified to teach. The parent is humble and understands that they never outgrow the need for a spiritual family. You will hear these statements: I wonder if God is leading me to invest in Bill and help him mature in his faith. I want to be conscious of my words and actions when I go to the game with Bill and Mary: I easily get upset at the referees. As new Christians, Bill and Mary are hungry for guidance, and I want to set an example for them. The parent needs peer accountability and ongoing training. You will never be an effective leader until you include those you lead in what you do (C. Gene Wilkes) Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Discipleship First Fortress Press paperback, 2003.

5 Celebrating Black History August 6, President Lyndon Johnson greets Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Ralph Abernathy and several supporters of the Civil Rights Movement after signing into law the landmark Voting Rights Act of The Act prohibited racial discrimination in voting, outlawed literacy tests and enforced the 14th and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution, which granted the right to vote to all US citizens. The Struggle for Equality Following are only a few of the many images from the pages of our history that reflect the struggle for equality and the right to vote.

6 Around Lincoln... Members of the Lincoln family were proud participants at the Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event was held on Dr. King s holiday at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel. The Lincoln family welcomes Bro. James and Sis. Enza Ellis to Lincoln s corner of God s vineyard. LMBC Youth Missionaries host the Durham County Youth Missionary Monthly meeting. Musician s Note -submitted by Bro. Eric Melvin An Interview With A Teen Worshiper (Kenya Harrell, Dance Ministry Leader) Question: What inspires you to dance? Kenya: Just knowing that another young lady may be influenced by my interpretation of music through dance. Question: Being the leader of the LMBC Dance Team, how long do you work on a dance before presenting to the other members of the ensemble? Kenya: My goal is to work on each piece 3 hours alone before I work on it with anyone else from the ensemble. Question: With all the many styles of gospel music out there, how does the Dance Team select their music? Kenya: It s very simple - we dance to the songs that we like. Songs that minister to us as a group and/or separately. Question: Can you tell us a few things you envision the Dance Ministry doing in ? Kenya: I would love to see us step outside of the box by performing at Senior Living Centers, local schools, and more churches in the Raleigh/ Durham area. Also I would love for us to attend more workshops and seminars. Question: You are also an active member of the Sounds of Joy. Does one ministry cause you Greater Joy that the other? Kenya: NO! I enjoy them equally. Some days I prefer dancing and others I prefer singing, but I enjoy them both the same. Question: Who are you favorite artists? Kenya: I have always enjoyed listening to and singing along with The Clark Sisters, Jekalyn Carr, and Troy Sneed. Question: Being a senior, what advice would you like to offer to the other youth of LMBC? Kenya: Never give up on your dreams. Question: What are some of the things you would like to see the Sounds of Joy accomplish this year? Kenya: I love the path they are currently on. I believe God has some amazing things in store for them. My prayer is that the church will be ready for them.

7 A HEART FOR JESUS -submitted by Sis. Earleen Sharrock The Holy Spirit can reach our heart no matter how much we may have sinned. Everyone loves Tootsie Roll Pops! There is delicious candy on the outside, and even more delicious chewy Tootsie Roll in the center. You know this candy reminds me about how a person can have a relationship with Jesus. First, the center of this candy is soft, like a person s heart. The Bible talks about having a hard heart. How does a heart become hard? Well, it is sin. The Bible says, All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The hard candy reminds me of sin that covers the heart. Each time someone sins, another layer of hard stuff surrounds the heart. Then, to make it worse, people refuse to admit they are sinners. Instead, they cover their sin with pride, denial, even doing things that make them look good. That is like the wrapper covering this candy. When a person removes the wrapper of denial and pride, the Holy Spirit can complete His work. He can lick past all the hard stuff covering your heart and give you the gift of life that comes from knowing Jesus as Savior. Your heart then belongs to Jesus, and that is a wonderful ending.

8 1 8 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 6:00pm Super Bowl Fellowship 7:30am Deacons 3:00pm Youth Missionaries 2 Pastor s Aide Music Ministry 3 12:00Noon Noon Day Prayer Sounds of Joy :00Noon Noon Day Prayer Black History Program 1:00pm Usher Ministry February 2015 Building the Church in the Community and the Community in the Church Health & Wellness Voices of Praise 12:00Noon Noon Day Prayer Newsletter Male Chorus Noon Day Prayer Computing & Technology Voices of Praise 4 Intercessory Prayer Bible Study Dance Ministry 11 Intercessory Prayer Bible Study Dance Ministry 18 Intercessory Prayer Bible Study Dance Ministry 25 Intercessory Prayer Bible Study Dance Ministry 5 12 Sounds of Joy 6:00pm Christian Board Voices of Praise Male Chorus Voices of Praise (All Day) 10:00am Trustees 12:00Noon Women of Faith 1:00pm Missionary Ministry 14 (All Day) 10:00am Deaconess 6:00pm Couples Ministry 21 (All Day) 9:00am Laymen s League 28 (All Day) To add an event to the church calendar, please contact Sis. Jocelyn Campbell by calling the church at You may also reach her via at churchcalendar@mylmbc.org. Please send articles, photos or information for The Testament to newsletter@mylmbc.org by the 3rd Sunday of each month. Newsletter Photos by Deacon William Mayfield and Sis. lasheka Wilks