 United Methodist churches are struggling across the nation, particularly Black United Methodist churches. Many are closing and not many are opening. So we have the purpose for the North Texas Conference Black Church Initiative is to help the churches, pastors and laity, working together to know what it means to go out and make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and to have as their focus the Great Commission. The Black Church Initiative of the North Texas Conference has already shaped my ministry just working with the great leadership that is over it and helping me as a young pastor to strengthen my leadership skills, to strengthen my stewardship skills and impacting the village where I currently serve as lead pastor and helping us to really see a model for getting out into the community where lives are needing to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Well you know what's so exciting is it actually has given us an opportunity to bring to the fore new leaders, individuals that we've been looking at studying and so the leadership team within the Black Church Initiative at St. Paul, individuals who have not held leadership positions, but people, diverse group of folk, you know millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers representing represented in that that leadership team and so that's what really is exciting. Locally BCI has the potential to turn the North Texas Conference upside down with positive productive churches. The plan as I understand it is to strengthen Hamilton Park, St. Paul and St. Luke first and then we are to turn around and strengthen others. It makes a lot of sense to me and I know we can do it. Well BCI I would just pray they will continue not only help St. Luke but help the Black Church to be a vital place where people can experience help hope and healing. I believe BCI will be critical in helping the Black Church move forward to its preferred future. I'm excited about BCI.