An Ecclesiastical Model for HIV/AIDS ministry

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Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..............................................................................vINTRODUCTION.................................................................................ixCHAPTER ONE: THE AUTHOR AND THE CHURCH.......................................................1CHAPTER TWO: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE..........................................................17CHAPTER THREE: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS.......................................................23CHAPTER FOUR: METHODOLOGY....................................................................42CHAPTER FIVE: RESULTS OF THE PROJECT.........................................................46CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT WITH REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.....................54APPENDIX A: SERMON HEALING THROUGH COMPASSION TEXT: Mark 1:40-45.............................59APPENDIX B: SERMON THE HOUSE OF REFUGE TEXT: Matthew 11:28-30................................64APPENDIX C: SERMON THE SAY SO CHURCH TEXT: Psalm 107:2.......................................69GLOSSARY.....................................................................................75BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................77ABOUT THE AUTHOR.............................................................................83REVIEWS......................................................................................84

Chapter One

The Educational Importance and the Ecclesiastical Focus of the Author

I was born in the sixties during a very disturbing time in the history of our country because three prominent persons were assassinated. In 1963, John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States, was killed; in 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated; and in 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King was killed. I can still remember as a child the day that Dr. King was killed; I can remember how dark and gloomy that day was. It was a day of dismay, especially for those who were part of the struggle for equality and justice. Even though I was too young to understand every detail of that day, I do remember the impact Dr. King's life had on me. As a young man entering the ministry I often read about Dr. King, and would study and read his sermons. Dr. King was certainly a role model in my life as it related to ministry and the spiritual vocation that the Lord has called me for. Even though I never had the opportunity to meet Dr. King, he was a great inspiration to me because the ministry was not my first inclination.

As a young man growing up in Santa Ana, California, I was raised with my twin sister who is six minutes older than I. I attended public school in Santa Ana, California, enjoyed elementary school and was fortunate to have had some very challenging and concerned teachers who took time not only with me, but with many students. One of the persons who played a crucial role in my life was my elementary principal, Mr. Lagano, who was a very nice man and treated all of the students as though they were his own children. He was perceived by the students as a father figure, and as such, he was a disciplinarian. Because of the presence of my elementary principal and my own father, I learned about accountability, responsibility, and consistency. I always liked school; I enjoyed the interaction and the daily fellowship among other students.

During junior high school and high school I ran track, played football, and wrestled. In addition to enjoying school, I also benefited from attending church on a regular basis. My parents were very active in church and were longstanding members of Johnson Chapel A. M. E. Church in Santa Ana, California. My twin sister and I were baptized at Johnson Chapel A.M.E. when we were six months old. From that time on, I began to matriculate through the church. I was active in several youth activities in the church, such as the choir, usher board, youth Bible Study and Sunday School. Even though I was active in church at this time, I did not contemplate ministry. I did feel a strong attraction to the medical field because of my strong affinity towards animals, especially dogs.

But one afternoon, during Bible study, in the privacy of my bedroom I heard the audible voice of God calling me to ministry. Confused by the voice but not alarmed, I proceeded to walk to the church for the youth Bible study that evening and as soon as I had approached the steps of the church the youth Pastor looked at me as though he had seen a glow on me and asked me if I was interested in going into the Ministry. I responded with a yes and that yes was the beginning of my training for Christian Ministry.

My pastor at the time was the Rev. Everett P. Williams who, even though I was just 15 years of age, spent countless days walking me through the scriptures and teaching me about the tenets of Christianity and the norms of African Methodism. I owe my ministry to Rev. E. P. Williams; he was a mentor, a father figure, and an extraordinarily articulate preacher and teacher. Rev. Williams taught me how a preacher should dress in the pulpit and the importance of being punctual each and every Sunday.

As I tried to progress in the ministry I had to contend with some adversity because I was so young. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was not preparing any youth for ministry; therefore, when young people felt inclined to enter the ministry, they were either discouraged, dissuaded, or ask to consider another vocation. Such was the case with me when I first went before the annual conference to be admitted on trial as an itinerant preacher; I was held back four times because it was believed that I was too young.

By the time I turned 17 years old, I was a senior in High School, but my calling was still alive. I still felt a strong urgency to preach, and I was still prepared to go forth with my calling. After working two years, I went away to college. I decided to attend one of the colleges that is owned and operated by the African Methodist Episcopal Church-Paul Quinn College (which has relocated to Dallas) because of its rich tradition of diversity, culture, and history. After graduating from Paul Quinn College with a Bachelor of Science Degree, I matriculated to Bethany Theological Seminary in Dothan, Alabama, a small independent Baptist seminary. The pursuit of this degree was a major challenge for me, for I began the pursuit of this degree while serving my first church as a pastor in Yakima, Washington. I commuted for two years, worked independently, and completed the degree in two years. After I completed a master's degree from Bethany, I did further theological work at McCormick Theological Seminary Chicago Illinois, where I pursued a Doctor of Ministry degree. McCormick had a satellite program in St. Louis, which was convenient for me since I was serving a congregation there. The intriguing aspect of my education is that my educational aspirations have always occurred while I was serving as a pastor, or active in some aspect of ministry. I not only have a desire and need for educational accomplishments, but a duty to serve as an itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Being a Methodist pastor requires that one move from church to church at the appointment of the bishop. We believe that Jesus was an itinerant preacher and the best way for us...