- by Deacon Dean Jernigan

The Testament February 2015 Durham, NC Lincoln Memorial Baptist Church

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

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.

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

Let There Be Light!

Celebrating Black History Month Honoring The Past • Securing Our Future

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.

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.

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

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.

Let’s Build the Community in the Church

LMBC – Rev. Linzie B. Atkins, III June 27, 2012

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

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.

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.

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. www.nps.gov

Five Stages Of Discipleship

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.

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)

- by Sis. Janice Campbell

Celebrating Black History

August 6, 1965 - 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 1965. 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.

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 2015-2016?

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.

Around Lincoln...

The Lincoln family welcomes Bro. James

and Sis. Enza Ellis to Lincoln’s corner of

God’s vineyard.

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.

LMBC Youth Missionaries host the Durham

County Youth Missionary Monthly meeting.

-submitted by Sis. Earleen Sharrock

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.

The Holy Spirit can reach our heart no matter how much we may have sinned.

A HEART FOR JESUS

Newsletter Photos by Deacon William Mayfield and Sis. laSheka Wilks

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

6:00pm

Super Bowl

Fellowship

2

6:30pm

Pastor’s Aide

7:00pm

Music Ministry

3

12:00Noon

Noon Day Prayer

6:30pm

Sounds of Joy

7:00pm

Seventh Day

Adventist

4

6:30pm

Intercessory

Prayer

7:00pm

Bible Study

Dance Ministry

5

6:30pm

Sounds of Joy

6

7:00pm

Seventh Day

Adventist

7 Seventh Day

Adventist (All Day)

10:00am

Trustees

12:00Noon

Women of Faith

1:00pm

Missionary

Ministry

8

7:30am

Deacons

3:00pm

Youth

Missionaries

9

10 12:00Noon

Noon Day Prayer

6:30pm

Health & Wellness

6:30pm

Voices of Praise

7:00pm Seventh Day

Adventist

11

6:30pm

Intercessory

Prayer

7:00pm

Bible Study

Dance Ministry

12

6:00pm

Christian Board

6:30pm

Voices of Praise

13

7:00pm

Seventh Day

Adventist

14

Seventh Day

Adventist

(All Day)

10:00am

Deaconess

6:00pm

Couples Ministry

15

16

17

12:00Noon

Noon Day Prayer

6:30pm

Newsletter

6:30pm Male Chorus

7:00pm

Seventh Day

Adventist

18

6:30pm

Intercessory

Prayer

7:00pm

Bible Study

Dance Ministry

19

6:30pm

Male Chorus

20

7:00pm

Seventh Day

Adventist

21

Seventh Day

Adventist (All Day)

9:00am

Laymen’s

League

22

Black History

Program

1:00pm

Usher Ministry

23

24

Noon Day Prayer

6:30pm Computing &

Technology

6:30pm

Voices of Praise

7:00pm Seventh Day

Adventist

25

6:30pm

Intercessory

Prayer

7:00pm

Bible Study

Dance Ministry

26

6:30pm Voices of Praise

27

7:00pm

Seventh Day

Adventist

28

Seventh Day

Adventist (All Day)

February 2015

“Building the Church in the Community and the Community in the Church”

To add an event to the church calendar, please

contact Sis. Jocelyn Campbell by calling the

church at 919-688-1886. You may also reach

her via email at churchcalendar@mylmbc.org.

Please send articles, photos or information for

The Testament to newsletter@mylmbc.org by

the 3rd Sunday of each month.