Strength For Today: Fellowship With Pastor Robert Shipman, Philadelphia, PA (2026)

09/07/2024

To Be A Black American
To be a Black American means to be an offspring of one of the millions of African people who were forcefully taken from their homeland and made to live in countries away from their beginnings. Most often they were stolen but sometimes sold to serve the citizenry of other racial and cultures under conditions that were physically harsh, brutal, psychologically demeaning, and life-threatening without compensation or remuneration for their labors or sorrows. Their existence and their health were most often ignored and sacrificed for the prosperity and welfare of their captors and for the descendants of their captors, while their own language, culture and humanity were taken, stripped from them. Their conditions were ignored by those who benefitted from their presence and labor. But they made it! They survived to make life better for generations of children who share the powerful traces of their blood and who were to live in this land after them.

And today, no matter what the percentage of their African blood, no matter the prominence of their features or texture of their hair, what makes them unique is the power and effect of their genetic makeup upon their physique. What unites them is their overcoming the commonality of the suffering of their ancestors. What affirms their humanity and unites them is the presentation of their power and beauty in spite of the demonizing myths created concerning them, the hideous over sexual exploitation of their bodies (men and women), the formulation of laws and systems designed to keep them from participation and prospering in societies. What is amazing about them is their determination to identify themselves regardless of the myriad ways in which they continue to be mis-identified, feared, restricted and unprotected by the laws that protected other participants in the land but limited them to access and to the full benefit of American citizenship.

In spite of these challenges, the masses of these African descendants continue to adapt, survive, thrive and become successful in American society. We wear the title Black Americans proudly and confidently. How ever we choose to identify ourselves in any era, we are the descendants of peoples whose dignity, royalty, intelligence, genius, giftedness and presence continues to inform, heal and produce in a land that was strange to our fore-parents. Our portion in this land was purchased by black beings that made, strengthened, and fought for spirit and sanity. These were historic parents—who loved the thought of us and our future freedom and equality. Our African progenitors endured to secure our freedom, which when fully realized will truly make this country “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Whether the content of our blood contains, one percent or one hundred percent Alkebulan / Edenic / African blood, we are proudly, and unashamedly Black African Americans and we alone own the vision of ourselves and embrace the variation of our color.

For me, this is what it means to be an African American—A black man, a black woman, born in America and possessing the genes and the genius of Africa.

Robert V. Shipman, Sr.

02/23/2021

Let your words be with grace, seasoned with salt. Colossians 4:6

A Good Word

“Say a Word, Reverend!” we sometimes shout during a sermon. I encourage you today to “say a word.” Say something nice, kind, or good to someone. Words matter because they have power. What people say matters because they use words. Some people say that, “words don’t matter,” but they do. They matter when they are positive and they matter when they are negative. For example, one half of the voting public in America gave birth to an angry, destructive and murderous mob because of words—a lie. The lie was that “the 2020 presidential election was stolen.” As a result, we are at the precipice of a deconstructing democracy, all because someone did not use words for good. By contrast, a simple statement, “the election was won fairly and legally,” would have allowed one officer to return home to his family, instead of now lying in a grave. In addition, words could have caused two other public servants to share a hope instead of a despair that led to their su***de. Words used rightly, would have prevented wounds to numbers of officers who were merely trying to do their jobs. Words matter!

The body of Christ—the Church—does the world a good when the people in it speak with kindness, gracefulness and thoughtfulness. The verbal expressions of the individual mind can heal the damage of an uncertain soul. I have struggled for a long time with an unhealthy sense of self worth. I don’t always “not” like myself. But, there are moments when I have difficulty seeing or believing that there is any good in me, or believing that I have done any good at all. People like me are blinded to their achievements, if they have any, no matter how they and those achievements may look to others. I don’t say this to elicit sympathy, pity, nor do I seek to be complimented, flattered or showered with praise; but to call attention to the healing virtue in the heartfelt expressions of our friends, family and colleagues. Words are powerful. God spoke words and universes sprang into being (Genesis 1-2). Proverbs 18:21 says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Jesus spoke (words) and the direction of lives were changed. By his words, blind men were made to see. Women were healed of debilitating diseases, and adults and children were raised from the dead. Words are powerful.

Words matter! One writer spoke of the value of “a word fitly spoken” (Proverbs 25:11). I have been blessed more often than I deserve by the kindness of words, some of which were spoken by veritable strangers. It doesn’t matter who the word comes from, a laboring soul, a hurt soul, a wandering soul, an insecure soul and a wounded soul needs a “good word.” The most secure of us need the kindness of words no matter how successful we are. If you will to do so, and be so, you can begin to change the environment of the block, the Community, the village, the City, the State and the nation where you live, if you willingly and frequently use your words to lift other fragile lives like your own.

I am grateful to God for you. Through the simple celebration of a birthday, you show the power of God’s word in you. You have had an unknown effect. If “word” can be effective, even when we are not looking to have an effect, how transforming might a word be when we at least, become conscious of the power that we have been given through the use of them.

Thank you, to the people who have chosen to use these power pills (words) to bring strength to others. Thank you for the hearts of those who are unafraid to express what they feel in spite of what others might say about them. Thank you to the souls who search for something good to say to others even when it appears that no good can possibly exist. Your words matter! Your words make a difference. Your words give birth new to life. Your words summon strength. Your words help to create new realities in the minds of those who have struggled to hope for a new day, if only that struggle lasted for a moment.

Finally, thank you for celebrating the day of my birth and although you might not have known it, YOU, for this moment, have made me, and indeed can help others, to realize and believe in the things that others can see in us, that we cannot see in ourselves. You also help us to know that a word fitly spoken, how good it is. For the rest, find someone to speak to with the power of your words. Let the grace of your purchased salvation buy for another brother or another sister a note of hope sponsored by the Christ, who is our life.

If this helps you, pass this devotional along to someone else. Words Matter!

02/19/2021

Luke 15:11-32 Come Home
The story of the Prodigal Son is the story of a person surrendering his faith, his home, his community, and his willingness to live with his father. We typically and casually say that he took all that he had. Really, it was all that his father had designated for his future. For the security of personal freedom and material he surrendered—gave up all that the family and the faith offered. All that he had—what he was and his future—he gave up, in order to fulfill his desire. He felt the need to be free, unrestricted. He wanted to be free of structure. He wanted to be free of any feeling of guilt. He no longer wanted to be in a position to desire either obedience or disobedience to his father, so he decided he would live his own life, his own way, in his own space, so that he would no longer be obligated to, or concerned with offending his father. He would leave home.

It wasn’t long before he became broke and broken, because of his desire and his carelessness. He ended up in a degrading job, doing degrading work and about to eat the things that no human being should have had to consider consuming. But at his lowest point in this new and destructive life, he remembered that he had come from a place where he had been loved, where he had worth, where he was accepted, provided for, instructed and protected.

Whatever he thought about home, however he distorted and devalued its contribution to his life, his father’s home was the place where he experienced the chance to grow, to positively contribute to the Community and society and to have the Community and society contribute to him. For him at this moment, whatever he saw as the deficiencies of home, home was far better than where he had taken his life.

The story is about the surrender of faith, the surrender of all of the communities that really mattered. This ancient story however, is not primarily about failure, but about reclamation and reconciliation. Jesus Christ, the Son of God was teaching that, people make decisions that sometimes damage themselves and hurt others. Those decisions—in this case—to leave home, are not because of rejection by others. For him it was not because of addiction. There is no indication that he was emotionally or mentally imbalanced. He left because of what he wanted. Okay, so you are smart, but still empty. Your popular, but still used and unfulfilled. You are prosperous, but not happy. You are attractive, but still not secure. You are spiritual, but not right with God. The point of the story and the message for you is that you can go home, again. There is a home to which you can go.

The prodigal was a Jewish son who had walked away from the faith. The story demonstrates for us that one bad decision, doesn’t have to forever alienate you from God. It teaches us that God forgives. It teaches us that, even a deliberate decision to walk away from Him, doesn’t forever keep you from Him. When you have finally realized the impact of your decision on your life and on the lives of others, you will find Him there. God waits for us. He sees us when we reluctantly start the journey back home.

You hurt family when you left. You hurt yourself getting to your lowest point. But you remembered. Sometimes the difference between life and death is a memory. You remebered. God forgives! God forgives! The family will accept you again. The Father will welcome you. The Community will celebrate your safe return. You can come home. The Father is on the path waiting for your shadow to appear. Come home! Others will settle their jealousy and become dear to you again. Come home! You may have nothing left to give, but the Father will give you what you need to become what you need to be. Our Community is ready to take you in.

Look at the story and see the simple steps that were necessary for him to get home. The Bible says that “he came to himself.” Remember who you are and whose you are. He spoke about what should be done, “he said to himself...”. Admitting where you are and acknowledging what God and family have that can renew you is important, comforting and encouraging. Life and death are in the power of the tongue (…he said to himself…). This is pivotal. Honestly say what you have done and what you need to do. Then, go! Make the movement. Take the steps toward home.

Go back. Go back home to your family. Your family is awaiting. The heart of a mother, father sister and or brother will rejoice, with your return. Go back home to your faith. God is waiting. The body of Christ will be whole, when your return. There is an imperfect Church with imperfect people (like you) near you that will serve for the start of your journey. Get on the path to home. The Community awaits your presence, your contribution and your participation. Come home! You are wanted! You are loved!

01/10/2021

A Black Man’s Christ Story
No Church. No time for it. Ballin’ by day and flirtin’ in the eve. Drinking, drunken, cussin’, and flirtin’ in the dark and whatever else I though I should do, since I was so smart. My weekends were full. I only learned later that, I was the real fool. Only on occasion was there a familial, forceful plea for me to attend a church, any church, any time, any where.

But one night, one woman said one thing to me. Her famly’s rule was that I “couldn’t see her” unless I attended Church. One summer, one night, one time, was all. One service, one sermon, one touch was all that God used to speak to me and create in this spiritually empty, bible unaware, shell of the Divine image, a new desire to know Him. I still remember that touch. I accepted Him that night and my life since has been a journey toward knowing Him and experiencing Him more each day.

In the New Living Translation of the Bible, John 1:5 reads, “The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”
I can’t!

What’s your story?

Your comments are welcomed.

09/04/2019

READ JUDGES 11
Unnecessary Sacrifices

There is both sadness and confusion when a person possessing devotion to religion fuses it with the customs of society he/she is part of. By Divine purpose the man or woman of God is always called to speak and represent the decisions of a holy God, and not to use religion, nor his/her voice which is ordained by God, for personal gain or prominence. But God gives every person gifts; and the gifts and callings of God are without repentance (i.e. irrevocable - Romans 11:29). And so, things do not always proceed or end with the best outcomes.

Jepthah the main character of thIs passage has his own issues with self-esteem. The author describes him as the son of a prostitue (Judges 11:1). A quick glance reveals that Jepthah:
He was angry (Judges 11:7),
he is tacitly religious (11:9),
he obviously has issues with acceptance or lack thereof (11:2,7);
he had leadership capabilities (11:1)
and desired to be a leader (11:9).
But, Jepthah tried to be a leader by takingng advantage of his gifts. His opportunism was made by combining a mix of social principles (11:8-11) and religious ritual. Because of his own fusion of beliefs he presumed what God wanted in stead of being aware of God’s will.
In chapter 11:30-31 we see him making a commitment to diety that he himself could not understand; a commitment that was ill-concieved.
We see him making a futile, but more importantly an unaccepted promise to God, according to Leviticus 18:21.
His mix of religion and culture ended in the unnecessary death if his own daughter.
But, how often we make mistakes due to our presumptions about God and his requirements for leadership and success. Much of our sorrow is at best caused by our assumptions about our faith and our mixture of that faith with acceptable behaviors established by the larger society. It is here that religion losses its purpose and functions only as a support for the perceived good, values and notions of our societies.

Like Jepthah we may, in our own sense of righteousness, willingly sacrifice something in or to the name of God in order to bargain or curry favor with Him; without understanding that the all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ is enough for our salvation and our satisfaction in living. My dear friend, Jesus is all we need. His life is the exchange that was needed for the Father both to save us and bless our steps en route to Heaven. Let us live in the promises of what God has done for us when He imputed (gave) righteousness to us (Romans 4:24). Instead of trying to do things that we think will impress God or make us FEEL righteous, let’s just be what He made us. Truth is, we already have what we need in Christ. Everything else is an unnecessary sacrifice.

08/16/2019

Whenever I feel like I am not progressing personally or in ministry, it has always been a blessing to visit the places of my beginnings. Spiritually, one of those places is located in the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark between verses 16 and 20. It's here that we are reminded that the value of our journey "in Christ" is not predicated on our financial net worth, the number of friends we have, the condition of our health, or our disposable income. Neither is it built upon the reaching of all of our personal goals or the fulfillment of all of our plans.

If we are to be content with our following Christ, the thing that seems to be critical is our understanding of who we are and what we are called to do in life. In the verses cited above we get a good hint at both of these things. There, Jesus issued a call to these early disciples to first "follow Him." Secondly, the promise and purpose of their call is revealed, namely that, He would make them "fishers for people."

I am sure that there are ways that we can apply this call, promise and purpose, which will help us to daily experience the fellowship and confidence that each of us needs in Christ. If we labor to understand that Christ has called us from one thing, to be in the process of becoming another reality, then we can appreciate both the contentment and the challenges that we encounter in our forward progress to newness in Christ.

Remember to "set your affections on things above not on the things here below."

08/10/2019

Arise, shine, For thy light has come; and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

There was a call made to the people of Israel in the Book of Isaiah (61:1), a call to awareness of God’s presence and a call to revival of religion and faithfulness, and a call to experience the glory of God in the middle of trying times. I believe that God is speaking to believers in Christ everywhere, giving the same knowledge and encouragement.

The strength of our faith and the evidence of our relationship with God is not necessarily seen when we have overcome, but during the realities and challenges on the road to victory. Our witness is strongest when our mettle (vigor and strength)is tested by pressure and our minds are clouded with the uncertainties of the future. (2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith and not by sight.)

Get up today! Don’t allow the circumstances of life to dictate you mood. Liberate your emotions by being active with God, even when your mind, full of gloom, gives you every reason to sit in sadness. Confidently rise and do what you can to help someone else know the awesome presence of God. You can do something as simple as taking someone by the hand and praying for their blessedness. In the process, on the journey, your depression will be overcome by the brightness of His glory.

08/28/2011

Blessings FB friends! FYI the new website location for Prince of Peace Baptist Church in Philly is: popbap.org

Strength For Today: Fellowship With Pastor Robert Shipman

09/07/2024

02/23/2021

02/19/2021

01/10/2021

09/04/2019

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