Barnabas File

My friend Terrell Carter is something of a “renaissance man.”   A former police officer and now artist, entrepreneur, pastor, and academic, Dr. Carter has a new book coming from Wipf and Stock in the fall entitled "The Lord Gave Me This: Understanding the Historic Leadership Development Practices of the Black Church in Order to Prepare Its Leaders of Tomorrow.” Carter explains that preaching, community, and calling are the key requirements to become an effective pastor in the African-American church and, therefore, are important to the pastor’s preparation for ministry. The centrality of story-telling and an oral tradition in the African culture makes proclamation a true sign of one’s divine call. The call is affirmed by the community and the gift of proclamation is nurtured in community. This approach sharply contrasts to the western model where ministerial identity is shaped through reading, writing, and reflection in a community apart from the church...