Women, abuse, and violence

Posted by Samuel Robles Jr. Labels: , ,

Recently, a group of women from Arise Christian Church attended a Women's Conference sponsored by the Latino/Latina Studies Program at Asbury Theological Seminary - Orlando. Maria, a member of our church and Children's Ministry Leader, wrote a note on facebook that "every woman should read."



Every woman should read by Maria
I was fortunate enough to be invited (by my pastor) to attend a women's conference on Saturday with my friends, Hilda, Yvette and Erika and it really touched my heart in so many ways, more than I even expected. This is why I am posting this and hope that it will touch you too.

Our 2nd guest speaker, a Psychologist talked about Violence/Abuse as the "Thief of your Identity" (wow!)

These are signs of an abusive husband/boyfriend:
-He is posessive and jealous
-He demands a lot of time and attention
-He is explosive and impulsive
-He wants you to depend on him (for money, transportation, etc.)
-He is suspicious, and very critical
-He is not flexible, and hard to please
-He blames others and does not assume responsibility for his actions
-He is sometime sweet and good 
-He is friendly and respectful outside the home
-He minimizes what he has done/said

If you can identify with this, get help (see some agencies that can help at the end of the note)!

Domestic Violence is not just physical but also emotional, sexual, social, spiritual, financial and through the use of technology. 
We are valuable women and need to realize that our worth is not in man's eyes but in our savior, Jesus who thinks we are a WORK OF ARTcreated by God to do good works !!! Works of art are to be valued, preserved, and not hurt....YOU, my friend are a beauiful work of ART!!! God bless you!!!

National Domestic Violence Hotline 1800-799-7233 www.ndvh.org
Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence www.fcadv.org
Legal resources: www.womenslaw.org

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | 0 Comments

Get set!

Posted by Samuel Robles Jr. Labels: ,

At Arise Christian Church, we launched a 3 week campaign to coincide with our launch strategy. "Ready...Set...Launch!" was our 3 week theme for our 3rd Preview Service, 4th Preview Service, and our upcoming Launch Service.

Here is the powerpoint for "Set." While in the past I have done numerous powerpoints for Sunday morning, they have been designed for more of my teaching style, that allows audience input and participation. However, this powerpoint is actually my sermon, whereas I preached with this powerpoint presentation simultaneously.


Get Set

Monday, August 24, 2009 | 0 Comments

100 Ways to Be a Better Leader

Posted by Samuel Robles Jr. Labels:

I came across this article entitled "100 ways to be a better leader."

Yes, I did go through the whole list, and I hope you would too, especially if you are in a leadership position. While this list is not shared from a faith perspective (at least this is what I gather), I find it certainly applicable for faith based leaders.


I am one that feels that pastors should not only receive theological education, but also leadership education. There may be similarities between the two, but there are differences as well. There are many folks that are great preachers, but are not great leaders, and/or administrators. I find it sad when I hear of a wonderful pastor, who preaches great sermons, but made a mistake due to poor leadership and decision making and it ruins their reputation. Many times it is forgotten that even pastors and other leaders in ministry can unfortunately and unintentionally cause pain and harm, even if they have memorized the Bible from beginning to end.

This list raises great points and can certainly stir some great conversation and dialogue.

Do you practice any of these?

Which ones challenge you?

Sunday, August 23, 2009 | 0 Comments

Pastor Sammy preaching clip

Posted by Samuel Robles Jr.

When someone tells you about a church or their church, many times the question is asked, "Who's the pastor there?" For a new church, this is certainly the case.


It's amazing because there are folks who have asked us to put the Sunday messages on line, and we haven't even launched yet! So, we are currently working on ways we can best accomplish this.

In the meantime, here is a brief clip of me preaching at our 2nd preview worship service, "The Pursuit:"



You can also CLICK HERE to view it.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 | 0 Comments

Successful leadership

Posted by Samuel Robles Jr. Labels: ,

As a young adult leader, I commonly get the suspicious eye from folks who wonder how I have succeeded in life. I don't say this boastfully, but I share this humbly, because truly, I give God all the praise. I want to be clear that when I use the word "success," I don't measure that by fame, wealth, and power. I think of success as accomplishing one's goals, personally growing and learning as a leader, and being able to "bear fruit" as a result. 


For some reason, God called me at a young age, and at a young age, I began working in church leadership, and even secular leadership. While I served at church, I also worked for Walt Disney World, one of the greatest entertainment & hospitality companies in the world. Throughout my career the words of 1 Timothy 4:12 have always resonated with me: 

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

Real talk: age doesn't matter. God is the one that calls!

Here are 3 characteristics that are part of my leadership style that have brought me success both in the hospitality & management industry, as well as in ministry, that I would like to share:

1) FOLLOW UP
Following up is very commonly overlooked. Has anyone ever told you, "I'll give you that tomorrow," or "I'll take care of it." Yet, it never gets done. As a leader, it's important to follow up with people. Don't leave tasks open. Likewise, follow up with yourself. If you say you're going to do something, do it. This leads to characteristic #2.

2) KEEP YOUR WORD
No one likes a liar! As a leader, if you tell someone you're going to do something, they most likely expect it to happen. Be a person of your word. And more so, don't promise something you know you won't be able to do. Be realistic with yourself. People can sense genuineness, or lack thereof. 

3) STAY FOCUSED
If God has called you, and God has spoken to your heart, trust in God. Stay focused on the task at hand. Expect obstacles to come your way, and deal with them appropriately. BUT, don't let them steer you away. 

Of course there are many other traits that are important in leadership, but I hope that these three very important, yet commonly overlooked areas help you succeed. Usually it's the little things that help make people stand out. Following up, keeping your word, and staying focused can surely help make that happen. 

God bless!

Saturday, August 15, 2009 | 0 Comments

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