The North Carolina Church Experience

The North Carolina Church Experience.  

One of two things, as a stranger in a new land, I did immediately diligently search for a church, in NC, in 2001.

The first church encountered was Cary Alliance Church, best church ever;  in the search and quest for Hispanic churches, I encountered and met with Primera Asemblea’s Pastor [now of Knightdale but at first in Raleigh].  That quest intersected with Caratini’s church then at the old movie theater of Raleigh, we always ate Chinese together after services.  

The encounter continued with Elevation Baptist, and the quest continued, because Elevation lead to continuous networking with Christian Singles and Crossroads, etc.  That eventually also intersected the path of Pastor Dunn and then to things like Hephzibah and so on and so forth.  I tried the neighborhood churches when I made it to Wendell.  That included Wendell Baptist, the all white elderly church then, not now.  

The next noted change was 2012; that included the need to flee from Hephzibah due to being stalked.  That flight lead to Casa and Raleigh Road Baptist Church; and, revisiting Caratini and finding Primera Asemblea in Knighdale not Raleigh.  2012, divorce, caused a return to Cary Alliance, an encounter throughout with DORCAS, and that lead to Colonial where my children love and grow currently in Ministry.  I tried to stay at Hephzibah, but I was followed everywhere after services, and kept needing to call Wendell PD.

Raleigh Road is where my ex-wife meet her first (of many) significant others.  That caused me to immediately stop my routine.  Routine, what is that you say?  I was saved in an all Black church of the Tarrying Tradition.  Healing from Heaven Temple holding a rival at an old sanctified church in Queens.  There, I intersected with Brother Acey Pettyway and Mary.  One ride home, lead to a life long change.  The meals, awesome meals, served at the Hands of Mary, transported at times by Dexter, they never asked for a Penny.

The routine after over ten years at Universal, and throughout, is an inclination and dedication to my heritage.  People do not understand.  They do not understand the glory of worshiping in my native tongue and singing praises in Spanish as in Juan 3:16 of the Bronx.  I would run the streets with my dad to the Hispanic worship services after taking custody of him.  That was the routine.  He only spoke Spanish.  He loved the praise and worship songs, although active Christian living was not his thing.  It was a Saul and David thing, singing calmed the demon possessed being.  

I am Puerto Rican by birth.  I am A US Citizen by birth.  I am of mixed heritage.  My kids have Black in them, in part from their mom, in part from me [Puerto Ricans are mutes by definition], we have a little of everything.  Blonde Hair, blue eyes to pitck black African and Tiano indian.

I prefer the Hispanic church.  The greatest love experienced was in Cary Alliance, a white church.  Hephzibah for my children was a member on the outside fringes of a club, not a church, while they feel welcomed at times at Colonial and Casa, they love Colonial. I prefer to worship and praise in Spanish, but my children do not speak Spanish.  

I love me a good Gospel service, as in black Gospel experience, that was the first 10 years of Salvation. You are one of us, they used to say to me, Rallo.  Next, a good praise and worship service in Spanish, that is near to my soul.  The nearest and dearest in the worship from those that slobber, they can hardly speak, but, in their disabled condition, they praise and worship God, and read his word daily.  

This is my varied experience.  This is my heritage.  So, when I ask you to reach out to the disabled and elderly, it is with the heart and belief in God, through His experiences He allowed me to have.  

34Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

35And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.

36A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture.

37And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

38He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.

Jerimiah 25: 34 She Said, the prophet.  

The disabled are the heart of God, and the invited shall be removed and they shall dine at His table, he said.  

In North Carolina, and many places else where, the churches have nothing to do with the Elderly and Disabled.  They are “outside” of the sanctuaries and no place is found in the churches for them.

The days of old, the old testament, included the prophets the Lord would send to Warn them.  Warn them of the Slaughter.  How can a Cripple Puerto Rican be a prophet, or, his articulation in line with the will of God?  He is not a Southern Baptist, you say.  Away with that person that attended NY Theological Seminary and Liberty University.  He is a pagan and Sinner, you say, You Said, You "Hate" me. 

They say, the modern day Sadducee and Pharisees, the modern day is the Seventh Day Adventist, the Jehovah Witnesses, the Southern Baptist, the Pentecostal, and the evangelicals. It was glorious, the brethren received us, we were across the street from the funeral home.  They circled us, they prayed with us, the Glory of God was show, I was back in the city on business, I was there to bury my dad, but embraced we were by the brethren.  They did not ask for a denominational dialogue. I clearly stated, I am of God, and they immediately embraced, in a Universal Tradition, the request for prayer in the tough time.  I wanted to stay, they, Iglesia Emanuel, were worshiping in my native tongue, Glorious.  

The routine was always there to embrace the separatist philosophies and theologies of the Modern Day church.  The Modern Day church, in the US, has an inherent belief that separate but equal is equal.  That we must maintain that separation at all cost.  Keep the disabled and elderly at home.  There is no place at the church for them.  

The prophet came in days of old to warn the Shepherds.  Warning, the ones whom will sit at the table as the same ones you will not allow and make sure they attend services in your sanctuaries.  Woe is you, I say.  

1 Peter 4:14, …13But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory. 14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spiritof glory and of God rests on you. 15Indeed, none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or wrongdoer, or even as a meddler.… .  

I was told I was hated by the Shepherd for what I said, may Christ be glorified.  If by saying the right thing I am told I am wrong, and I am threatened with physical violence, then so let it be.  God is good.  God judge between me and you. "I would discipline you", he said, what does that mean, physical violence?

The routine is not that I seek a church home.  No, it is dealing with the church realities of divided churches,  I am better and blessed moreso than you, you say, but God lifts up and makes a base, and that occurs when you do not do the will of the Almighty.  You call me a “church hopper” bu the challenge is, are you doing His will really?