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Thank you to everyone of you who have prayed for Reconciled Christian Fellowship. We had an awesome first service -- whew! I was so nervous, but bless God that is behind me now. For the past 12 weeks we have been on the topic of Faith in bible study and surely stepping out and doing what God has called us to do in faith was a challenge. However, we continue to move in the area that God has called us to -- the ministry of reconciliation. The message was: Don't Trip, God Ain't Through With Me Yet. 1 Sam 16. We focused on David's anointing as king as a boy, but he was not in that position or office until 20 years later. He from being a shepard boy to a lunch boy (but don't trip, God ain't through with him yet) to a king. Like David we have heard or felt a calling or have a sense of purpose and it has not come to pass yet. Don't trip, God ain't through with you yet. Keep on being obedient to God, and no matter what the circumstances His word will accomplish just what it said. God is not a man that He should lie. So rather than getting all uptight about where you think you should be, Don't trip, God ain't through with you yet! Reconciled Christian Fellowship is not your ordinary church -- it's a "come as you are" church. There is no dress code, smokers, drug addicts, politicians and families are allowed. Multiple piercings, tattoos and sneakers are always welcomed at RCF. Just come to expecting to hear a word from God. Come expecting to experience what God is doing at RCF. We are a new church, so bring your gifts. If you have a voice, bring it. If you can play an instrument, bring that too. If you have a great smile and personality, we need you to help welcome our guests. If you are ever in the area call us at 704-369-3868 or email pastorlanita@yahoo.com. May God continue to bless you! See you soon.
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You are invited to join us in worshipping the Lord, Sunday, August 24th at 9am.
Invite your friends, come and make new friends, but come expecting to experience God!
Service is being held at the Sun Valley Apartments Community Room, 441 E Arrowood Road. Plenty of parking is available and stay for a free meal and time of fellowship with Pastor Monroe.
For more information call 704-369-3868
See you there!
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Reconciled Christian Fellowship is a new church plant in South Charlotte, NC. We are looking to put together a Praise and Worship team. This is truly a new experience. If you are looking for a place to demonstrate your gifts, bring your voice, your musical instruments and let's praise the Lord TOGETHER!
Also looking for people interested in helping with this church plant. We are doing church out of the box. If you have a desire to reach people, to serve or a leadership gift, contact the church office.
704-368-3868
Pastor Monroe is waiting to hear from you.
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Domestic Violence LaNita Monroe, Publisher Preparing this issue was rather difficult. Domestic Violence is not an easy topic to address, yet one that must be addressed. The Church is all too painfully aware that this atrocity happens and yet we don’t here much about it until some high profile person comes out in the open with it. Yet there are many of you who either have been or are currently being abused – both women and men. Well, what is domestic violence? Domestic violence is abuse. Abuse is abnormal use. This includes both physical and/or psychological (mental) abuse.
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, pain, injury, or other physical suffering or harm. This results in outward bruises and scarring. Psychological abuse is the willful infliction of mental or emotional anguish by threat, humiliation, or other verbal or non-verbal conduct. It is often associated with situations of power imbalance, such as the situations of abusive relationships. This leaves behind bruising and scarring that is not seen by the naked eye and is just has horrific as physical abuse. Both physical and psychological are meant to intimidate, dominate and manipulate – which are the same characteristics found in witchcraft. Yes, abuse is witchcraft. We were not created to be abused, bound up by witchcraft and unable to hold our head up with pride. Anything that attempts to dominate, intimidate or manipulate is witchcraft.
Who pays the price for Domestic Violence? How do you free yourself of this? First you must want to be free. Once you have made that choice the second thing to do is to create a plan of escape. In Exodus at the onset of the last plaque, the children of Israel were told to prepare to leave. And like Joseph, although you may find yourself in bondage, you must still hang on to a hope that God will make a way of escape for you.
Jesus said "…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."(John 10:10b NKJV). When I evaluate my life, I often use this scripture to determine: Am I really having life and life more abundantly? And if not, I plan to make changes so that I am. I know it is not easy – leaving an abusive relationship. I know, I’ve been there and done that too. But once I made up my mind, there was no stopping me. I made a plan and I was out of there. I felt like Lot and his wife, except I did not look back. I just kept moving away from that situation and closer to God. Domestic violence is not a part of life more abundantly.
In Tyler Perry’s "Madea’s Family Reunion," there’s a very disturbing scene in which the character Carlos attempts to throw Lisa from the window as a means of intimidating and manipulating her to stay in that abusive relationship. That scene was so hard for me because the very same thing happened to me. I had forgotten it until I saw it on the screen. But that entire relationship played true – putting on airs that all is well at home and you’re getting the crap beat out of you. Even she had someone to give her hope and an encouraging word about getting out. I cried and thanked God that I made it and never had to go back.
Know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God and it is not his desire that you be abused any way. You can be free. If you have accepted Jesus Christ, you can trust that He has already made a way for you to get out. If you have not, accept Jesus today. Look for Him to give you plan of escape. You can start by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit their website at http://www.ndvh.org to obtain more information on this subject.
Should you care for us to pray for you or someone you know email me at pastorlanita@yahoo.com
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Father’s Day is a day we celebrate the fathers and those who father us. It can also be a day of struggle as we remember the fathers that are lost to us, either by death or by separation. And very often we carry the traits of our fathers – some good and some not. Being an absent parent, I did not meet my father until I was 16. My father was an alcoholic, who was later shot and killed over a dispute about a bottle of liguor. What I did get from my time and experience with my father is that I did not have to be like him. I did not have to live a life in bondage to alcohol and drugs and die in that same manner. Nor did I have to be absent from my children’s lives. I was determined to be a viable, responsible adult. I did not have to live a life of mediocrity and hopelessness, I could be someone not like my father, but someone my father could be proud of. I had my own struggles with drug addiction, separation from my children and moving aimlessly about life. While at my second rehab (Liberation House in Stamford, CT) I heard the Lord say that should I go back out again I would die. I’ve never tested God on that word. I recall a time when I would visit my father in Florida. He would try his best not to drink, but he could not help himself. Time and time again he would always turn back to the thing that was calling him, beckoning him to find oblivion in a bottle.
To see your father, a man you wanted to look up to and to esteem only to watch him stagger in his walk, speech slurred and the stench of sweat and alcohol surrounded him like a cloak. Feelings of embarrassment coupled with sadness, along with the realization that this is your father was utterly disheartening. Am I my father? We must be careful about what we speak over our each other. With words like: “You’re just like your father.” “You will never amount up to anything.” Proverbs 18:21a says: Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Romans 4:17b says: call those things which be not as though they were.
Am I my father? No. I had to be determined to be so not like him and live a life of fullness in Christ Jesus. Although my father was who he was, I loved him. I said to him “Daddy, if God could deliver me from all the cocaine, crack, smoking, surely He will do it for you if you let Him.” Reconciliation must take place with God if we want to experience wholeness. That was my desire for my father. Reconciliation.
I am my father’s child. However, I made a choice not to live as my father. I chose instead to reconcile with my Father. And enjoy a life fullness, grace and joy. Don’t feel like you are doomed to be like your father if he was/is abusive, neglecting, absent, or unloving. That is not your inheritance. You have a great inheritance from God our Father. Should your father be a great man of God, count your blessings and pray that God will put fathers in place to father the fatherless children of this world.
I chose not to be my father. Instead, I chose to follow my Father.
Email with any questions: publisher@reconciledmag.com
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