Empowered by Promise

By Stephanie and Eric Stradford

AMWS, May 29, 2012, Virtual -- Many Americans memorialize common values on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The American federal holiday begins the summer vacation season which continues through Labor Day in September.

Many of our neighbors visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. About 80% of Americans identify themselves within a global family of 2.18 billion Christians. For many contemporary Christians, Memorial Day Monday follows another annual commemoration. This year, fifty days after Easter and ninety days after the beginning of the Lenten Season, Pentecost Sunday celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles – the day of empowerment for believers in Jesus The Christ.

“Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting,” states the New Living Translation of Acts 2. To our misfortune, the big morning after question on the TV news failed to mention even one of the 159 million Americans whose Pentecost Sunday/Memorial Day Monday observation might have added value to the faith and trust of the American people.

In case you are wondering, we’re talking about the economy--still. “Across the country, citizens' faith in their city halls, newspapers, and churches is fading,” according to The Atlantic. A believer might argue the observer’s view as a metaphorically half empty pickle jar. But, even if the jar is full, fresh pickles offer greater value.

A Facebook Friend or two got to describing the current state of empowerment as being in somewhat of a pickle. John C. posted, “…in my own parish (80% Latino neighborhood) we've tried to reach that community, even committing to help plant a Latino AME congregation in our building, but we couldn't find any committed Latino clergy to work with.” The reality (in L.A.) is that the evangelical Latino churches are doing fine, growing astronomically and there's nothing we can offer them that trumps what they can do on their own.”   

As one insider, Sidney W., observed, “Many preachers are in the habit of recycling sermons and essentially preaching the same message every Sunday, but a Prophet speaks specific revelation or a rhema word for a specific time, place and purpose.” In Christianity, “rhema” is used in Bible study to signify Jesus Christ's utterance. Rhema literally means an "utterance" or "thing said" in Greek. It is a word that signifies the action of utterance.

“No man or woman can predict the future,” continued Sidney W, “but some with the gift of prophecy can discern how God is moving in some areas without observing any physical evidence.”

Empowered believers dropped in on friends to celebrate Pentecost Sunday. Only a handful of the faithful showed up for this special commemoration in the Christian Holy Season. Most were burnt out from fasting over the 40 day Lenten season, praying over the Easter weekend and believing for the next 50 days that empowerment would come to their place of worship.

The Reverend Dr. Cheryl Graves chairs the Cobb County Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and pastors the Emmanuel Christian Tabernacle Church, Marietta, GA. Dr. Graves tapped John 14 to ministered healing in her own loss of a husband, and her congregation’s loss of their pastor.

Most of her friends value their memory of The Reverend Dwight C. Graves as a smooth talkin’, slow-walkin’, sharp dressin’ advocate for underserved Americans where he lived, learned, worked or worshipped. Like so many other foot soldiers of the American Civil Rights Movement, “Bear Graves” was an ordinary Christian Leader on an extraordinary American journey.

That journey brought friends to a local car dealership to consider an investment in the local economy. On the sales floor, representatives of General Motors Corporation stood under an oversized American Flag with holiday deals on the American dream. “You are one of the most qualified persons I know due to your service to the country and the great many sacrifices you have made for not just me but the whole country!” said a GM spokesperson. “Let's make a deal! “

Of course, the spokesperson could only “make a deal” with a one who is “a well qualified customer.” A less qualified consumer is viewed as a higher risk by the dealer. Despite the reality of bank and auto-maker bailouts by American taxpayers, Memorial Day for many Americans marked a continuation of the status quo.

A credit reporting agency scores a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces as it would any other citizen. A consumer’s FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation) score provides a financial snapshot of risk that banks and other institutions use to help make lending decisions. Normally, the lower the FICO, the higher the interest rate on a loan. A consumer whose FICO is so low they need a flashlight to find it is usually denied credit. The denial of credit further threatens the consumer’s value in making a deal, finding employment, a place to live and even serving a community.

Armed Forces Veterans such as the late Dwight Graves share a common concern for America’s Future. Their partnership with YouthUSA advocates win-win economic security for America’s future. YouthUSA promotes a values approach to recovery from America’s $15 Trillion debt. It establishes a veteran as a Community Asset Manager where he or she lives, learns, works or worships. A regional economic security model integrates shared community values with measurable service to quantify the “faith and trust of the American people.”

A demonstration project identifies needs in partnership with local congregations and directs investments to qualifying youth at the center of an empowered community.

At the risk of being labeled “presumptuous prophets,” a year from now 49% of the community will still be watching things happen. Just as many will be wondering what is making a difference. But, for a true believer in the promise, empowerment is knowing that you are well qualified as an asset and not a liability.