(GRCAM Virtual Conference — March 25th 2023 Theme: Confronting Modern Issues Within Christianity)
Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to GRCAM Virtual Conference. I’m your host Emmanuel Barbee. I would like to encourage everyone on my Facebook friends list, everyone in my social groups and all of my listeners worldwide please do me a favorite hit that like button and share this video podcast with your friends ladies and gentlemen. Make sure that you are subscribed to my YouTube Channel it’s free. Help make this video-podcast go viral by posting this link on your Facebook Page, your Instagram Page and or on your Twitter Page. This video-podcast is available in three forms: Audio, Video and as a Written Text in order for us to reach our audience.
I don’t want to keep getting bogged down with Black American issues. Since Black Chicago has rejected and overlook my plan and vision for 31 years my Christian business will be membership base and I will turn over the business once I have my management team in place and take my talent to Africa and work with Africans that want more out of life. Truth be told Black America don’t want a solution my revised book has been on Amazon for 11 years and still barely selling. Items on my virtual store is also barely selling. It takes capital to start a business. Since 2010 I have been paying out of pocket to secure the business title. I’m not getting push back from White People I an getting push back from Black People. The White Man is not stopping Black People from buying my book, buying items from my virtual store or stopping Black People from listening to my podcast. These are choices we are making ourselves and we have to accept that responsibility.
I created a GoFundMe Page last April as a crowdfunding source so that everyone knows exactly where the funds will go towards. We will be using our GoFundMe Page as an indicator of our progress. So far out of 1,679 People on my Facebook friends list only four people have donated to our film project and this is why it’s taken me so long to get things done. I am encouraging everyone on my Facebook friends list, everyone in my social groups and all of my listeners from around the globe to please subscribe to my YouTube Page and share my page with all of your friends on all social media you’re on most of all please leave a public comment in the comment section on my YouTube Page this will help get the ball rolling.
Those who will donate to our film project through our GoFundMe Page and display their name and the amount they are contributing we will mention them in the film credits. In addition, everyone who contributes to our film project will earn cool points to our future live events at GRCAI of Chicago to show our appreciation. The best thing is that we will own the property and host unlimited events as we want. We will reach out to black owned food vendors and caterers to give them shine for their businesses. We will be community oriented. I also encourage everyone on my friends list, everyone in my social groups and all of my listeners worldwide to help get my revised book on the best seller’s list so that the world would take our cause serious. This is 100 percent grassroots we are not getting any funding from the government or major corporations because our focus is on strengthening the Black Family while improving the African American community starting in Chicago.
I am not interested in writing and publishing more books but rather produce quality Black Empowerment Films and creating successful black businesses I am not online to beg for donations I want to exchange something of value. My thing is if I am going to ask for something then I am going to have a product or service behind it like my revised book or items on my virtual store.
This podcast is an extension of the Grass Roots Community Activist Movement. Over here we promote critical thinking while discussing social issues affecting the Diaspora and People on the African continent until the Grass Roots Community Activist Institute of Chicago materialize. Without support from the Black Grassroots & the Global African Family then I am unable to do my job. I am calling upon members of my African group GRCAI of Africa to step up and tell your family members who live abroad in such places as Europe, Canada and the United States of America about my vision for Africa. Encourage them to read my story and to befriend me on Facebook also encourage them to donate to our film project this will help get the ball rolling. Once we get GRCAI of Chicago established in America then I will bring the best of the Diaspora with me to meet you all in person starting in South Africa so that we can begin building up South Africa as well as building up the African American community in Chicago. I do not operate like the next Black Man I have my own style and way of doing things.
I call upon my Christian group members in Light of The World Inspirational Group & Christian Spoken Word Network to help me get my revised book on the best sellers list & donate what you can to our film project. Finally I call up every African Immigrant within the United States of America. I need your help in building one of the most important black institution in America all I ask is that you read my story first if you agree with my plan and vision for Black America and Africa then donate what you can to our film project and send me a friend request on Facebook so that I can speak with you directly. 31 years Black America has rejected my vision and plan I refuse to be ignored. Those who will work with me will go down in history with me and Sister Rena.
Black People in America has been marching and protesting begging the White Supremacist Financial Elites for Freedom, Justice and Equality for the past 60 years I have a better option come over here and listen to what I have to say. After I finish my presentation then I will turn the show over to our panelist who will give their commentary about the topic either from a spiritual perspective or from their own perspective. Afterwards then we will open up the phone lines for general Q & A through Stream Yard. This video-podcast is side A I provide all of my links in the comment section on my YouTube Page for all to see. I come before you all with clean hands and I am determine to move GRCAM to the next level the big screen and from there the African American community starting in Chicago.
Today’s topic of discussion Confronting Modern Issues Within Christianity. I’m going to discuss how Secular people view Christians especially Evangelical Christians in America.
I want to give a disclaimer we’re not bashing the Black Church instead we are using this platform to discuss social issues affecting Black People that not many people want to talk about.
One Issue is the problem with Church Culture. Church Culture is based on certain Christian denominations. For example, In America Sunday morning is the most divided day among Christians because we have the Black Church which focus on black culture, we have the White Church which focus on white culture, we have the Latino Church which focus on latino culture etc… each church cater to different cultures and nationalities so each culture is different. Christian denominations like AME which stands for African Methodist Episcopal Church may focus on education. Some churches may focus more on praise and worship, Other churches may focus on Biblical teaching and other churches may focus on the manifestation of the Spirit. If Christians aren’t careful our cultures can cause us as Believers to further be divided. Nowadays we are becoming so focus on Self-Help, Motivational Speakers and Therapy experts until we forget we’re suppose to lead people to God.
Once we’re able to get GRCAI of Chicago established in the African American community our objective will be to do a better job at meeting the need of the community and meeting people where there at. It’s great to have all these information however if your soul is not ready to meet Jesus then you are in trouble. Life is to short to be dealing with un-necessary drama we want to teach our members how to balance life. If we’re not careful then Evangelism will become a numbers game. Too many time we equate church growth to how many people fill the pews. Just because a lot of people are filling up the pews does not mean the church is gaining souls it’s about how many people have given their life to Christ is what matters. With all these mega churches to me the church has become a numbers game the more members you have the more money you collect. They got to keep the lights on and they got to keep payroll. The main problem with Church Culture is church goers pretend to be something on the outside that they’re not on the inside. The church is supposed to be like a hospital for those who are wounded and that’s going through.
In GRCAI of Chicago we will keep it 100 our children are living in unhealthy communities. We are doing our best to get this Christian business established for the sake of our children. The Bible says mark them that cause division and avoid them Romans 16:17–18 King James Version. We have a right to avoid those who are causing problems.
Second Issue In-Person Services
The sentiment is that churches require their members to meeting every Sunday indoors, in person are selfish, uncaring and unloving. Even though many churches are gathering with masks and social distancing, it doesn’t help that there are just as many, if not more, gathering without masks or distancing and posting the gatherings boldly on social media as if a badge of spiritual pride. Secular People view the church as being reckless irresponsible and disdain for the health of others. The church has a First Amendment right to freely assemble. But Secular People points out that over 500,000 plus lives have been lost in the U.S. alone during COVID. In a strange cultural twist, it is now Secular People claiming they value the quality of life over the sanctity of life.
Third Issue Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracy theories like QAnon by many Evangelical Christians. Many of us have heard about QAnon. What is alarming is the degree by which conspiracy theories like those it spreads have taken hold in Church Culture. For example, some of these Conspiracy Theories claim that 5G radio waves are used for mind control; Bill Gates is related to the devil; the germ theory isn’t real; and there is a ring of pedophiles made up of state leaders.
I’m not going to get into conspiracy theory debates with anyone. I’m telling you what the conversation is about on the streets. It makes Christianity as a whole seem not just extreme, but on the fringe.
Forth Issue Christian Fundamentalist
The violence that has seemed to come with Christian Fundamentalist has them frightened and appalled. They are usually associated with killing people who work at abortion clinics. It’s not different then Islamic Extremist. They claim it’s all about Christianity being identified with hate and violence and forcing a Christian cultural and, in their minds, political agenda onto the world through terror. To their thinking, it’s all the same terrorism in the name of religion.
The Fifth Issue Political Affiliation
White Evangelical Christians supported Trump. Secular People didn’t care about the importance of Conservatives in the Supreme Court, laws about freedom of religion, or the question of Abortion. From their perspective, all they cared about was power more than purity. But they would overlook lying, sexual immorality, multiple divorces, ego, and immaturity in leadership. In their estimation, Christian support of Trump was hypocrisy. It gutted our moral authority because we threw what mattered morally out the window in return for political gain.
The Six Issue Silence on Social Justice
Many Christians worldwide saw the video of George Floyd and other tragic events related to Racism and social injustice. Instead of a clear stand, all they felt they heard from us were arguments about critical race theory, the denial of institutional racism, and the condemnation of violence and looting in the streets.
The Seventh Issue Sex Abuse In The Church
This is an uncomfortable topic but it’s a growing problem that has been going on for far to long. The church is supposed to be a safe place where everybody is suppose to feel welcome. Church is the perfect cover up for sexual predators. I believe if you’re going to live an alternative lifestyle and live a reckless that’s between you and God. But Don’t try to impose your lifestyle onto children that’s not cool. I believe parents need to have these type of conversations with their children. We got to create a safe place for people to feel comfortable.
When I was a teenager I thought everybody who attended church was good people. It wasn’t until I got a little older that I realized there were bad people among us. There’s a lot of people who were victimized by church leaders and church members. Based on some documentaries that I’ve seen and stories that I heard it all starts with gaining the trust of someone. The perpetrator win the trust of their intended victim and then the abuser take away their innocents this cause feelings of guilt and shame. It transmit a spirit of perversion. We need to be more sensitive about this issue. The Bible tell us to watch and pray. It also tells us to be sober and be diligent. Matthew 26:41 and 1 Peter 5:8 King James Version. I would encourage those who have been sexually abused to get law enforcement involved and seek counseling. In GRCAI of Chicago we will do criminal back ground checks on everyone in order to play it safe. We will also hold mandatory orientation and encourage our members to sign a community pledge along with submitting their thumb print to weed out people that mean us no good. GRCAI of Chicago is based on my experience. I do not want my Christian business associated with Con Artist, Degenerates, Pedophiles, Harden Criminals and Urban Terrorist. We will offer a second chance program for ex-offenders of non-violent crimes, former gang members and homeless individuals within the community to show them God’s love.
Here’s what really matters, the world we are trying to reach believes that we don’t care about them. They believe we are irrational not because of our doctrine, but because of what we believe from online. Those are assessments about our character. Those are assessments about how we match up to the Jesus we proclaim. Those are assessments about our morality. You can laugh at me or hold me in contempt all day long for believing in the virgin birth, the atonement of my sins through Christ’s death on the cross I’ll wear it as a badge of pride. If you claim that the Lord has freed and delivered you then why not share that information to help someone get delivered? Accountability is what people are un-comfortable.
Show and Prove
How the Southern Baptist Convention covered up its widespread sexual abuse scandal
My Credibility
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