Farewell United Methodist Church

Denominations and churches have been splitting forever. Man consistently fails the test of Christianity. We have access to Jesus but we ignore His message and the convicting, revelatory power of the Holy Ghost regardless of the issue(s) at hand. Personal choice seems to win out over God's command to love one another with division as an obvious cop out in the case of theological disagreement.

There was something to the old-school Pentecostal/Apostolic practice of "Tarrying for the Holy Ghost". When you tarry, you petition God for His Spirit until He comes. Until then you keep tarrying. When He comes He "The Holy Ghost" will bring you/us into all truth. (John 16:13).

Farewell United Methodist Church as we knew it.

                                                                                                                       Sincerely, 

                                                                                                                       Phillip Carter

Attention Black Gospel Music Industry

Attention Black Gospel Music Industry:

What we fail to realize, in our discourse about awards, charts etc, is that mainstream Gospel doesn't belong to it's creators. We constantly fall into the trap of arguing over what we do not control. The things we do control seem to diminish due to in-fighting, bad business and elitism. We (Mainstream and Indie Artists) need to

1.Rebuild the foundation that Gospel Music was laid on and stand on that solid ground. Rebuilding requires education which goes to point #2. .
2.We need to support those conventions and music organizations(GMWA, NCGCC, Edwin Hawkins Music and Arts seminar, IGAA, Heritage and others) that are owned and operated by US and work within for better results instead of staying home and complaining.
3. We need to support the next generation and appreciate their musical expression for what it is while encouraging them to pass on the rich heritage of our music.
4. Choose ownership over popularity. This choice allows us the maximum benefit for he work created, recorded, sold, streamed etc..It also assures a financial and educational legacy to those who come behind us.
5. Support black owned media, financially and with your time, especially the ones who support all styles of Gospel music. The ones who don't need to be challenged to do so.
6. Live the music and the message through holy living. We are hypocrites and that needs to change. We sing about a Savior who died, rose and lives in us yet our behavior is contrary to that message. We need to change.

Many struggled and died advancing this music and it's message. When we take back our music, message and mission then we will see what we much desire within our industry, churches and communities.

Sincerely,
Phillip Carter
IGAA Conference