Tuesday Toast - CCC and pastor A.R. Bernard

Today I'd like to acknowledge the pastor of my home church in NYC, A.R. Bernard.  20 years ago when my friends Chris and Erica first invited me to church with them after my experience there I remember chomping at the bit to join CCC [Christian Cultural Center] formerly CLC [Christian Life Center] in order for it to be my new church home.  Even in my twenties I was searching for more from my spiritual life.

I liken the experience of attending a weekly service at CCC to attending my favorite class in college.  A combination of the eloquence and acumen of A.R. Bernard's teaching and the dismissal of stereotypical charismatic emotional church hype is what "had me at hello."  I believe it is also due to his background in banking.  Pastor Bernard is the first preacher whom while listening to I was encouraged to take notes in order for me to review later during the week.   A recent service that I attended influenced a devotional that I wrote for a Christian Blog to which I recently contributed.

Here is a YouTube clip of pastor Bernard in motion @ CCC.  Feel free to view @ your leisure.  If this fails to work the link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxq-ZNrxDzY&feature=player_embedded


When visiting CCC as you sit waiting for the service to begin there are several jumbo screens with welcome quotes and scrolling phrases, what I call Bernardisms.  There were several that escaped me but below are two great ones that I was swift enough to write down:

 "NEVER GIVE UP MOSES WAS ONCE A BASKET CASE"

"A LOT OF KNEELING WILL KEEP YOU IN GOOD STANDING"

My respect for pastor Bernard and the approach to excellence inspired ministry that he and his lovely wife elder Karen Bernard grew from a store front church to a 30,000 member "mega" church that is still located in Brooklyn NY are the subjects of today's toast.  I don't mean to rave about this ministry naively because it is not perfect, nor is pastor Bernard [and I get that] but any faith based organization that encourages me to recite what I've learned enough to share it with the world [okay the blog sphere] is worthy of acknowledgement.

Trust me it is well deserved.  So with a raised glass... cheers!