Rev. Dr. Mark E. Whitlock Jr.

Tributes to Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray – A Father to Many!

Rev. Dr. Mark E. Whitlock, Jr. and Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith, Contributing WritersApril 10, 2024

Spiritual children of the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. Murray offer reflections on the personal impact of his ministry on their lives.

Religion

Words of the Week – The Promise of Power to Overcome

Rev. Dr. Mark E. Whitlock, Jr., Contributing WriterMay 25, 2023

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Tasha Cobb wrote song “Break Every Chain.” The song says, “He promised the power to break every chain.” We live in a day and an age where there is no holy reverence or respect for the power of God to break the chains that cripple and overcome anything that bind us. With no holy reverence or respect for the power of God, that there

News Religion

Guidance for 2022 – From Mess to a Miracle

Pastor Mark E. Whitlock, Jr. Contributing WriterDecember 30, 2021

God takes you through mess to reveal a miracle. 2021 has been a mess of epic proportions. The insurrection, oil spill, economic set back, supply chain debacle, vaccine fears, the Omicron variant, and fear of another national shut down. If we ever needed God to turn a mess into a miracle, it’s right now.

Religion

Words of the Week – Survive to Thrive!

Rev. Dr. Mark Whitlock, Contributing WriterAugust 11, 2021

King Hezekiah was the 13th king of Judah and reigned twenty-nine years (726 B.C. – 697 B.C.). Born the son of Ahaz, Hezekiah became known as Judah’s reformer king. Change is not easy. There is always rebellion against reform, but those who survive will thrive. Hezekiah could conform, like his father Ahaz, to sin, ungodliness, idolatry, and hypocrisy; but upon his accession to the throne, Hezekiah decisively and courageously initiated religious reforms. Hezekiah’s reformation included the cleansing of the land. High places, high offices, images, and pagan altars were reformed or destroyed. The bronze serpent that Moses had made in

Crenshaw & Around Religion

Community Pays Tribute to Rev. Dr. Cecil Murray on his 90th Birthday

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorOctober 2, 2019

Hundreds of people from throughout the country descended on L.A. to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray. A joyous birthday worship service, hosted by Pastor Rethis Murry and the members of Holy Trinity AME Church in Long Beach, was held on Sept. 20, followed by a reception in Dr. Murray’s honor at USC on Sept. 26. Both occasions attracted overflowing crowds expressing their love and respect for Murray’s legacy. The legendary theologian, who served 27 years as pastor of the historic First AME Church of Los Angeles, led thousands to Christ and guided Angelenos

Crenshaw & Around Religion

Manns Appointed Pastor of Ruach Christian Community Fellowship

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorSeptember 25, 2019

The Rev. Deborah Manns was appointed to lead Ruach Christian Community Fellowship on June 1. While she is a first-time pastor, she is not new to the ministry. Licensed and ordained in 2008, Manns comes equipped with a deep faith in God, ministerial degrees, and a strong background in church administration that she learned from working with several notable pastors over the years. Trusting that those factors have prepared her, Manns said with excitement, “I accepted this opportunity and God has blown my mind with miracles, signs and wonders ever since. I have a small church, but with amazing, loving