As with our annual banquet, the recent trip to College Station allows the world to see the church outside of the building. We know that the people constitute the Church of the Living God. For you who made the trip, thank you for being the face of Friendship. When our behavior reflects the Christ who lives in us, we are then, the instrumentality of God. We are, as the Apostle Paul tells his young son in the ministry, Timothy, “be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1Tim. 4:12). So dear ones, while you were enjoying an outing that was both informational and educational, you were also involved in the work of the church. A big “God bless you” and our appreciation goes out to Sisters Deanne Hodge, Melinda Morgan, Paula Upchurch, Rosa Morrow, the members of the Black History Academy, and to all of the volunteers that contributed to a great event. And then there was an excellent “soul food” dinner on last Sunday. We recognize the following brothers for a job well done: Clifford Fields. Rev. Eric Boyd, Deacon Thomas Barnett, Deacon Alvin Smith, and Don Quinn. And a special thanks to Sister Marita Smith for your extreme service. Thank you, for a job well done. To the members of Friendship Baptist Church, thank you for living out principles contained in Psalm 133.

Be blessed as we walk in him.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

As we celebrate on this day, the last Sunday of Black History Month, allow me to leave you with these pastoral thoughts. God is faithful to his children, and although we may suffer great hardships here in the earth realm, He promises that someday we will live eternally with Him. Jesus has always been with our people, even when we/they have endured so much that it appears that there is no faith left. Through that period of man’s great inhumanity to man, the great sin of America, slavery, Jesus remained faithful to His promise to be with us always. “even unto the end of the world” (Matt: 28:20).
Now that the Lord has done great things for us, please, please, do not forget the Lord! As Moses warned the people not to forget God when they entered the Promised Land and became prosperous. Prosperity, more than poverty, can dull our spiritual vision, because it tends to make us self-sufficient and eager to acquire still more of everything, except GOD. (See Deu. 6:10-13).
Dear ones, the same thing can happen in our church. Once we become successful in terms of numbers, programs, etc., we can easily become self-sufficient and less sensitive to our need for God. Know this, the church is as relevant today as it was when Jesus said, “upon this rock I shall build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Three things I will leave you with as they relate to the operation of the Church of the Living God:
1) As we consider matters that are essential, there should be UNITY.
2) With matters that are non-essential, there should be LIBERTY.
3) In all matters, there should be LOVE.

Walk in peace,
Pastor J. Amos Jones

Each time I recite the words of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, I am reminded of how this nation has failed people of color.  That notwithstanding, the Lord God of the universe has been faithful.  There is no failure in God.  The purpose of this writing is not to vilify this country (the powers that be do not need my help, they are quite proficient at doing so), but rather my purpose is to glorify the God of whom we serve.  To do that, let me quote the Old Testament character, Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, the mother of Samuel.  Here are portions of the “Song of Hannah”:

• My heart rejoices in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
• There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none besides thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
• The bows of the mighty man are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
• The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bring it up.  The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.

As we celebrate the accomplishments of people of color, remember, “My heart (and I hope, yours) rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn (strength) is exalted in the Lord.”

Be blessed during Black History Month

Pastor J. Amos Jones

(Reprint from February 11, 2018)

During February as we reflect on Black History, there are parallels in Jewish History as presented in the book of Esther that are captivating to this Pastor. In the intricacy of its plot and the beautiful drama of the book, Esther shows how Divine Providence overrules all things; even in a distant, far country, God’s people are yet in His hands. The book reminds us that the fate of the Jews was not in the hands of their enemies, but of Almighty God. They placed their trust in God who would raise up an “Esther” who would “come to the Kingdom for such a time as this.”

In the far country of slavery, the ugliest testimony of man’s inhumanity to man, the anti-biblical concept of man having dominion over another man, even there was His providence in the midst of His people. It is amazing how through the studying of the scriptures that Africans found themselves an important part of the human race and from those early days of slavery until the early 1900s black children would hear their parents say to them “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory.” (1 Samuel 2:8a)

For the Jews, there was Esther and for African-Americans, there was Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman. There have been great persons of all races, classes and gender who were martyred for the cause of freedom. Freedom is not free! In the book of Esther, there is the inexorable working of divine judgment. Haman was eventually hanged on his own gallows. Dear Ones, let me share three requisites from the Word of God:

• And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
  (John 8:32)
• If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
  (John 8:36)
• And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall
  reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9)

Be blessed and let us continue.
Pastor J. Amos Jones

(Repost from February 4, 2018)

     BLACK religion in America, conceived against a background of slavery and segregation, gave the black man an opportunity to be free while in chains.  If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  (John 8:31b-32)  The Word of God presented a gospel of future hope and a theology of the suffering servant.  Black religion has been unique to people of color and it ties them to each other in times of stress by a racial bond which cuts across all other variables.  A chronology of black religion links it with the coming of Christianity to Egypt, 354-543 A.D., thus to the West Coast of Africa and on to America via the slave ships.  Early Colonial law decreed only non-Christians as slaves.  When slaves were found to be Christians, the law was changed.

At first, benevolent slaveowners permitted slaves to practice religion, baptizing those who had not been baptized.  Slaves generally worshipped in a segregated section of the white church attended by the owner.  This pattern of segregation prompted many blacks to organize their own congregations.

    During the American Revolution, and prior to the great slave rebellions which later put a ban on the formation of black churches, several large Baptist congregations were established.  The first was founded in Silver Bluff, S.C., in 1773.  Between 1776-1786, Baptist churches were organized in Va. at Petersburg, Richmond and Williamsburg.  Under the pastorship of Andrew Bryan, a slave, the first Baptist church was built for black worshippers in 1796.  Negro churches grew out of the expulsion of black worshippers from the white churches.  Without schools or social centers, the black churches became focal points for community activities, and from the churches emerged distinguished leaders.  Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, James Varick, John Chavis, Lemuel Haynes, Martin Luther King, Jr., Jesse Jackson, Andrew Young, and Benjamin L. Hooks, to name a few.

     Many prominent black ministers were educators.  Benjamin Mays was President of Morehouse College from 1940-1967.  Bishop Isaac Lane founded Lane College (TN.), and Daniel Payne was the first Negro President of Wilberforce.  But now Dear Ones, “This is the generation of them that seek Him.”  (Psalm 24:6a)

     We are the ones who are allowed to stand before the Lord and worship the God of Jacob.  To God be the glory for all He has done!

Pastor J. Amos Jones