INSPIRATION TODAY: Good after- noon Bishop Brooks. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule and agreeing to this interview. I know that you are extremely busy this time of year, particularly with the 104th Holy Convocation upon us. And, of course, the excitement is mounting in anticipation of this year’s Holy Convocation. The theme this year is “God’s Church, God’s People, God’s Agenda.” Would you comment on our theme for this year?


SERVANT


Bishop Phillip A. Brooks, II FIRST ASSISTANT to the PRESIDING BISHOP


By Joyce A. Graham and Marion McNair 10 INSPIRATIONTODAY


HUMBLE, LOYAL


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Bishop Brooks: I feel that our theme this year is very appropriate because it causes us to refocus our hearts and minds on the church itself, which is God’s church. This directs us to minister to the masses because the world and its population are God’s people; whether they are saint or sin- ner. Then it is God’s agenda to reach people where they are; no matter what condition or situation they are in and raise them to the level that God desires for them.


INSPIRATION TODAY: Bishop Blake has also declared a Clarion Call for the saints to an 11 petition/40 days of prayer. Is there any one petition more pressing than the others?


Bishop Brooks: In my conver- sations with the Presiding Bishop, I sense that his desire is that the church looks inwardly and [utilizes this time] for reflection, repentance, and renewal. The church as a collective body must, from time to time, engage in the same practice that we, as indi- vidual Christians engage, and that is in consecration. The degree to which we keep ourselves acceptably conse- crated is proportionate to the degree of our effectiveness in ministry. The purpose and benefits of prayer and the fasting is more internal than external. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:18 concerning the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, “Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit.” In the original language,


the phrase “be filled” actually means “being filled.” That means that we are not to rely on an experience that we had years ago, but we are to be renewed continuously.


INSPIRATION TODAY: Memphis will always be our home headquar- ters; however, there was and still is an overwhelming excitement for the Convocation’s move to St. Louis. How long will the Convocation remain in St. Louis and are there negotiations underway to return to Memphis?


Bishop Brooks: It is my under-


standing that we will eventually return to Memphis at some point in time. We are continuing to communicate with the officials in Memphis and we are open for proposals. After having been there for a whole century holding a convention of that magnitude, we left Memphis because of what we felt was a lack of consideration. We also felt that, perhaps, we may have been taken for granted. It is commendable that our


Presiding Bishop had the courage to negotiate from a position of strength rather than from a position of weakness and to relocate us to an area that we feel is ideal. It is most cost-effective for myself and many others who live in the West and the Midwest. The reduced cost in airfare for the majority of us, the fact that we can all be under “one roof”, and the convenience of no longer having to travel miles from the hotels because of the fact that the convention center is centrally located, makes St. Louis an ideal location. We thank God for St. Louis!


INSPIRATION TODAY: On Sunday night during the Convocation, it has been our custom to have a minister from another denomination speak to our congregation of delegates. Why is it important to integrate other interfaith ministers into our Holy Convocation?


Bishop Brooks: We are de- lighted that Pastor Marvin Winans


INSPIRATION TODAY 11


INSPIRATION TODAY interviewed Bishop P. A. Brooks, First Assis- tant to Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake. Bishop Brooks has served as a local pastor for over 53 years, as Jurisdictional Bishop of the Historic First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Michigan (Northeast Michigan Jurisdiction) for 36 years, and as an elected member of the General Board for 26 years.


In 2008, Bishop Brooks was appointed by Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake to serve as First Assis- tant Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ International. This appointment has accelerated his apostolic mission, allowing him to fulfill his God given destiny and purpose.


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