As I write this post, I am on vacation in the Bahamas.  I’ve been looking forward to getting some down time and relaxation from my daily caregiving rituals with my god-sister who has dementia.  This morning I was awakened by an extremely loud “wake-up call” that I did not request.  I looked at the clock, it was 7:30 AM.  Once I’m startled awake it’s almost impossible for me to go back to sleep.

Since I was awake, I turned on the television.  It was on CNN who along with other reporters and cameras were camped out on the New Birth Campus waiting for Bishop Long to speak to his congregation.  According to reporters, people began arriving at New Birth Church about 5:30 AM to hear what Bishop Long had to say about the allegations of sexual misconduct.

The purpose of this post is neither to defend nor condemn Bishop Long.  I don’t know the facts and I have no idea what “evidence” will be presented when this case goes to trail.  At this point only Bishop Long, the accusers and God knows what happened.  What I do know is how it feels to be part of a congregation that has to endure public scrutiny of its pastors, leaders and the ministry.

Unless you’ve experienced it, there are considerations we don’t think about during these trying times.  The public and the media want the story.  If it means running stories without the facts – so be it.  If it means basing the story on speculation – so be it.

Essentially, Bishop Long is the story – not his wife, not his associate ministers and not his congregation.  However, Bishop Long and New Birth Ministries have an international reputation and are receiving international coverage.  Because of this, whether Bishop Long is innocent or guilty, there will be a great deal of collateral damage.

What Collateral Damage?

The effects of this scandal reach further than just Bishop Long.  When a ministry experiences any type of scandal it  affects many people.

• Wife, children and family
• Close friends
• Church staff
• Church members
• People who benefit from New Birth’s community work

These people will be inundated with comments, questions, whispers and stares.  Some will experience personal ridicule and teasing and criticism from people they know and strangers.  They will endure the ugly gossip and conversations that goes on in barber shops and beauty shops.

The internet has changed the way we receive information.  What we get now is in real time.  It may or may not be accurate but it is dispersed immediately.  This scandal was the number one trending topic on Twitter for several days.  I scanned the comments the first day but some of them were so ugly that I just stopped reading them.  It was disturbing.

What Can We Do?

Pray for everyone involved:  Bishop, family, friends, staff and congregation.  I guarantee you that this is very stressful and confusing.  Pray for the organizations that are supported by New Birth Ministries because sooner or later New Birth will suffer financially and the organizations involved will suffer financially as well.

I don’t know how this will play out.  I am concerned for all involved but I am most concerned for the Church.  No matter how you look at it – if Bishop Long is guilty or if the men made it up – it makes the church look bad.

With that in mind, we should also pray for the status of Christianity and the church.  What are your thoughts?

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Here are a few definitions that I found for exposure:

• disclosure
• revealing or unmasking
• presentation to view
• subjecting to influence

What, you ask, does this have to do with the church?  It’s one of the ways to learn what’s going on in ministry outside of your own realm of influence.

About once a year our staff schedules a visit to a local church that is different from ours.  Last week we visited The Church at Chapel Hill in Douglasville, Georgia.  Last year we visited North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia.  In previous years we visited World Changers Church International in College Park, Georgia and New Birth Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia.  By visiting with these ministries some of what we learned was:

• different ways to think about television production
• ideas for our academy
• the value of a good creative team
• excellence in hospitality

Exposure is good for any ministry because there is always something to be learned.  Even though our ministry is open to learn from other ministries, we also have ministries or pastors who schedule visits with us because they want to gain some insight from us.  There’s always someone who does something better than you.

Church visits are just one way to gain exposure.  Other ways include, but are not limited to:

• attending conferences
• mission trips
• volunteering with other churches during disasters
• inviting people to share with your ministry leaders

During the Atlanta floods in September 2009, my daughter and I volunteered with HopeAtl, an effort initiated by Pastor Shaun King of Courageous Church.  We were impressed with the people we met who came from around the country to help Atlanta’s flood victims.  Neither my daughter or I had been involved with an effort like HopeAtl.  We were blessed by the experience and gained new friends.

The whole point of this post is to encourage ministry leaders to learn from and share with other ministries.  Your denomination, race or income level should not matter.  What matters is what we as Christians can do for each other and for the community.

Take the challenge and expose yourself.  I promise you won’t feel naked.

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This training is sponsored by Keepers of the Temple Ministries.  The host is Pastor Delton Ellis and the training will be held in Nassau, Bahamas.  I am aware that in this economy it may be a stretch to travel to the Bahamas for an Armorbearer Retreat, however, if you can fit it into your budget, I guarantee you that it will be worth the sacrifice.

Pastor Delton Ellis is one of my friends in ministry.  I am very familiar with his church (Mount Tabor) and his pastor (Bishop Neil Ellis). I have visited his church many times and have been influenced by his ministry and very impressed with the armor bearers in his church.  If you are serious about your armor bearer ministry, this training is worth the expense.

For more information, check his web site, space is limited.

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Genesis 1: 26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image . . . and let them rule over . . . all the earth . . .

When God have us control over all of the earth, what did he have in mind?  I can’t speak for God but like everyone else, I have an opinion .  Of course God is all knowing, so he knew what would eventually happen to the earth; but that doesn’t mean it’s what He wanted to happen.

On Earth Day 1988, my youngest daughter’s school had Earth Day programs for the students.  That was when our awareness of recycling and saving energy began because our daughter, Anita, hounded us mercilessly to recycle paper, cans and plastic.  At that time it was about reducing the waste in landfills.

Will You Commit to Change 3 Things?

All of us can do something to help save our environment.  Take a look at the list below and choose three things that you don’t do that you will commit to change in honor of Earth Day.  Not a one day change, but a permanent change.

Recycle

• paper
• plastic
• cans
• cardboard
• glass
• yard waste into compost

Proper Disposal

• batteries
• oil
• styrofoam
• computers
• televisions
• appliances

Buy Recycled Products

• paper
• pencils
• trash bags
• facial tissues
• toilet paper
• paper towels
• napkins
• greeting cards

Reuse

• books (used book stores, swap shops, yard sales)
• reusable shopping bags

Other Ways to Change

• buy recycled products
• use eco-friendly light bulbs
• pay bills online
• online banking
• paperless bills/statements
• use environmentally friendly cleaning products
• plan your trips to cut down on gas use
• consider using public transportation
• take short showers
• use rechargeable batteries

These are just a few ways to help save our environment.  Research or make your own list, but make a commitment to do something – not just for Earth Day but everyday.

Related Articles:  It’s Time For the Church to Go Green

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In the past I’ve conducted armor bearer workshops.  If you live in Metro Atlanta I can still work that out.  Unfortunately, if you live outside of the greater Atlanta area, I can no longer travel to do armor bearer training.  If you have read my other blog, A Caregivers Journal, you know that I take care of my 83 year old god-sister who has dementia.  Taking care of her precludes travel outside of greater Atlanta.

For additional information, please see the following posts on this blog:

So You Want to Be An Armor Bearer Part 1

So You Want to Be An Armor Bearer Part 2

Friends Serving Friends In Ministry

Another source of information is the book, God’s Armor Bearer Volumes 1 & 2: Serving God’s Leaders ; There is also a link to this book in the sidebar.  If you purchase the book through my link, I make a few pennies commission .

For all of you who feel called to this ministry, please remember that this ministry calls for dedication and commitment.  It can be very time consuming and is not for the feint of heart.  I hope that each of you will pray about your decision to become an armor bearer.

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