Where The COGIC Needs to Come Up!

[Mark H. Stevens, Th.D]

1. More emphasis must be placed on soulwinning and outreach
initiatives, evangelism has to be outside the 4 walls of the church,
our understanding of an "evangelist" in many of our churches is
someone that get the saints excited and raise a big offering for the
church and himself. An Evangelist is a SOULWINNER plain and simple.
The Pastor has to disciple the new converts after they are won to
Jesus! The primary purpose of the Holy Ghost is to HELP us in
ministry (Acts 1:8). Ministry isn't just at a PULPIT! It is in
hospitals, Prisons, Nursing homes, and the street. The problem is
when you minister away from the pulpit no one can see you, too
many "preachers" like the spotlight rather than being a light!


2. The Office of Deacon MUST be restored to it's rightful place, we
could take a lesson from the Baptist church on this issue. We would
have more men and stronger men if they were groomed and trained to be
DEACONS! Deacons are not just old men holding the collection plate! I
was a Deacon at the age of 22, I tought Bible Study, Sunday School,
and led the street witnessing team! I did more ministry as a Deacon
than some Elders!


3. EDUCATION is NOT the enemy! We MUST make the requirements for
ordination TOUGHER! We have far too many preachers that are not well
versed in the scriptures, we know who sits on the general board, we
know who the state mother is, and the Clark Sisters latest CD...but
tell some of these ministers to stand toe to toe with a Jehovah's Witness and defend
The Bibles stance on the Trinity
and the deity of Jesus Christ.
Apologetically TOO MANY of our preachers are lacking! And don't tell
me "all I need is the anointing!" A sound Bible education ENHANCES
the anointing, if you can't read well, how can you understand the
Word and preach to others? With all thy getting get an
understanding...isn't that what the BIBLE say's?


4. Women need to be ordained with a stipulation, no woman can rise to
the office of Bishop. Women CAN and are called to PREACH! Nuff said!
Many of our COGIC churches were STARTED by women but woman are not
GOOD enough to sit in OUR pulpits? God forbid!


5. Youth Ministries MUST expand and think outside the box, if we lose
our youth the church will dry up and die! When I was 14 years old my
Baptist church had a "Youth Deacon Board" (I was one), The Older
Deacons mentored us, we delivered food to the sick and shut in,
washed seniors cars and cut thier grass....we need to better train
our boys to be men. True religion is to visit the widow AND the
FATHERLESS!



6. Foriegn Missions has to be MORE of a priority in the COGIC and in
Black churches in general, who better than black people to evangelize
3rd world countries? Our problem is we preach prosperity more than
the Gospel, prosperity doesn't work on the Mission Field. We MUST
fulfill the Great Commission, it was a command NOT an option!



7. Feeding the hungry is also a part of outreach, remember when the Apostles apointed Deacons? The purpose was centered around feeding poor widows, as the feeding ministry flourished the numbers of the church GREW! Acts of kindness draw people to Jesus, because JESUS primary mission was to the POOR and REJECTED!



Chaplain Mark H. Stevens, M.Min (Yes I am COGIC!)

[Michael T Blackmon]

To sum it up AMEN!!!!!!!!

I feel the same way! We have strayed too far, and God is now pleased with this foolishness. Wake up somebody, trim your wicks so the light won't be dimmed. Our standards are being let down each and everyday! We don't have alter services anymore, no witnessing teams, no prayer or laying out before the lord; tell you the truth of the matter we don't wait on the lord anymore. Our problem is we are not Church of God in Christ anymore, we have became COGIC anything go's. They are saying that it don't take all of that anymore, no surrendering, no fasting, no bible study, etc. I have been in this church for thirty years now, they don't teach the same, don't sing the zion songs the same or anymore!!! I love this church, I am not going to leave this church, we are going to get our VICTORY back, this church will not go down in defeat.....the devil has lied to somebody!!!!!!!!

To sum it up AMEN!!!!!!!!

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

I agree with everything spoken here with the exception of female Ministers not being able to attain the office of Bishop. Both the Bible and Church history can show that females have held the office of the Overseer.

[Rod Harris]

I guess I am not understanding totally. The emphasis of the church "IS" soul winning. It always has been and always shall be. When did that change???

Your list of where the church must come up is a basic list of our calling. Soul winning, evangelism, outreach are what we do. But when we see aspects of our ministry lacking both locally and regionally, please don't be deceived into thinking that this "lack" exists throughout the church. I can show you 10,000 that have not let the blood stained banner down, that have not compromised their principle or practice and bowed to Bhaal. They are yet doing God's will with their every breath. None of us are perfect, but we are the son's of God. We are in fact being perfected in our walk with him daily. It does not appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear we shall be just like him. Take another look at Revelations. It is full of mistakes and errors that the church in the last days were/will be making. These were warnings for us to not fall into traps of complacency, pride and religious routine. The word "church" and "religion" have been blacklisted like they are bad words. But I remember Jesus saying that he is coming back for the church. I remember Jesus showing a clear example of what a religious man is. A church without a spot, and a man with true religion is what God is looking for. We cannot accomplish this on our own. It becomes no more I, but Christ that dwells in me. We are still God's people, by adoption. This is true religion, to comfort the feeble, feed the hungry, pray without ceasing for those in need. The church, which is the body of christ, must always practice true religion. We are yet doing the will of God and I pray will continue until Jesus comes back.

(I didn't dump a lot of scripture in but I can back up every premise with the word if need be. I figure most are obvious references, but just ask if you need scriptural base for anything I have said.)

[Mark H. Stevens, Th.D]

I didn't say the COGIC doesn't win souls....I said MORE emphasis should be placed on SOULWINNING, too many of our churches emphasize GIVING, HONORING THE PASTOR, and HAVING CHURCH...than training members to be SOUL-WINNERS!

[Pastor C.Jermane Neal]

I so agree with you on that man...none the less the body as a whole have to learn to minister to the total man and not just parts or phases....

Co-Pastor
C.Jermane Neal