Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church
On Sunday, April 30, 2006 I was invited by one of my oldest and dearest friends and his wife to visit their church on Friends and Family Day. Their church is Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church on Lansing Drive, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. For those of you who have never been to service at Cleveland Avenue, it is a brand new experience in Christian Worship. This is a very active and lively Church. I think most of its membership is under 35 years old. They are very professional and everyone seems to have a part to play and they enjoy their roles. This Church has more of its members involved in the Service than any other Church I have visited. The Church is very modern and makes use of all new technologies. There are two high tech very large displays that can be scene from any part of the Church. Expensive cameras record their Bishop and congregation. Young African American men at the age where they could be in gangs, in jail or selling drugs, are directing Church Members to the best places to park. These parking attendants are using wireless communication techniques and believe me it is needed. I arrived on time for the 9:00 a.m. Service and was at the end of a long line of cars driving into the Church’s Parking Lot.
Before you think this about a specific church or religious organization, it is not, how people choose to worship God is totally a personal decision. This is about a very professional planned and operated Organization Model. It is about making people feel good about themselves and their affiliations. Bishop Sheldon M. McCarter, Senior Pastor has tapped into a way of bring people together in such a way that everyone feels needed and proud to be part of the group. The marketing of this enterprise lacks nothing. I do not know what the Church owns, but they have a Bookstore and what appears to be a Gym. They own the land around the Church and the way they are growing; more land and resources will be needed soon. Some may say this Church is practicing Economic Development rather than religion, I say, things done to serve the Lord’s People will always be successful. Based on the two collections at this Service, one for the Friends and Family and the other for Tithes and Offerings, the Church is financially sound.
Think about this, a majority African American Enterprise that uses the latest technologies, bring young black men and women onto an organization that provides high level training that could lead to careers in television and movie production, and has Jesus Christ as the focal point, has to be good for all involved. Allowing Professional Musicians and Singers to operate to the fullest extends of their talent and ability is also good. Being financially sound and not asking the government or anyone else for anything allows this Church to fulfill their God given mandate.
Shouldn’t this be the Organizational Model for every organization in the African American Community and having the Church at the forth front is just the natural way of things in our Community?
Before you think this about a specific church or religious organization, it is not, how people choose to worship God is totally a personal decision. This is about a very professional planned and operated Organization Model. It is about making people feel good about themselves and their affiliations. Bishop Sheldon M. McCarter, Senior Pastor has tapped into a way of bring people together in such a way that everyone feels needed and proud to be part of the group. The marketing of this enterprise lacks nothing. I do not know what the Church owns, but they have a Bookstore and what appears to be a Gym. They own the land around the Church and the way they are growing; more land and resources will be needed soon. Some may say this Church is practicing Economic Development rather than religion, I say, things done to serve the Lord’s People will always be successful. Based on the two collections at this Service, one for the Friends and Family and the other for Tithes and Offerings, the Church is financially sound.
Think about this, a majority African American Enterprise that uses the latest technologies, bring young black men and women onto an organization that provides high level training that could lead to careers in television and movie production, and has Jesus Christ as the focal point, has to be good for all involved. Allowing Professional Musicians and Singers to operate to the fullest extends of their talent and ability is also good. Being financially sound and not asking the government or anyone else for anything allows this Church to fulfill their God given mandate.
Shouldn’t this be the Organizational Model for every organization in the African American Community and having the Church at the forth front is just the natural way of things in our Community?
posted by africanamericancaucusjbb at 10:33 AM
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