MAR / APR 2022 | CONTENTS ON THE COVER
10 DR . MARLOW D . McGUIRE , SR . ( DMIN ) / DIRECTOR / THE BLACK CHURCH STUDIES INSTITUTE / ROCKBRIDGE SEMINARY
LOOKING BACKWARD , MOVING FORWARD Although the Black Church Studies Institute at Rockbridge Seminary has been in development since 2020 , its real origin predates that period , to several seminary alumni group meetings led by Dr . Marlow D . McGuire , Sr . Among this group , a need was mutually acknowledged early on : that seminarians should be familiar with the history of the Black Church .
RaeAnn Slaybaugh Editor in Chief
SERIES 14 YOUR FINANCIAL WELLNESS Are you sabotaging your credit score ?
A very good credit score will likely get you the best rates and terms for loans and credit cards . A lower score will likely cost you money with higher rates and might even prevent you from securing financing .
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By Colin Nass , CFP ® , AEP ® , RICP ®
16 JOHN MEADOR + CROSS CITY CHURCH : Better design builds better connections
With its Generations Project , this Euless , Texas church is preparing its facilities to reach people for years to come .
By RaeAnn Slaybaugh
20 STOP CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE & STUDENT MINISTRY : High Risk and Low Barriers
While it ’ s incomprehensible why offenders sexually abuse children , it ’ s easy to understand why offenders seek access to children where the barriers of protection are lowest . Sadly , this is often the Church , which commonly lacks any real understanding of sexual abuse risk .
By Gregory S . Love & Kimberlee D . Norris
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FEATURES
23 CHURCH CONSTRUCTION FORECAST : 2022 — IT ’ S ALL ABOUT TIMING !
As they say , “ timing is everything .” When forecasting for church construction this year , there can ’ t be a more accurate statement .
By Rodney C . James
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24 INTRODUCING WORSHIP AUDIO VISUAL EXPERIENCE ( WAVE )
Q & A with President Ron Procopio By Emma Green
26 DIVINE TIMING ( AND MUCH MORE )
By thinking outside the box , West End Church created a unique opportunity to expand into a rapidly growing , otherwise cost-prohibitive area of Houston .
By RaeAnn Slaybaugh
DEPARTMENTS
6 FROM THE EDITOR 28 CHURCH TRENDS & STATISTICS
8 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | MAR / APR 2022