Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008 - (Page 97)

Editorial: The Meaning of Sanctuary by Devin Oten Your church is a place to enjoy fellowship with other believers; a place to experience praise and worship, teaching and preaching from the word of God, and much more than meets the eye. In most of the great world religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., we all refer to our houses of worship as a sanctuary. According to Webster’s Dictionary, “sanctuary” is defined as “a sacred or holy place or any place of refuge.” We sing songs every Sunday about the sanctuary or sacred place, but do we know what it means in the broader context of everyday life or existence? It’s our second home and in some cases for those who have a very unhappy home life it can be a first home for many. I received a revelation on what a sanctuary truly means to people of faith after enduring Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The church I was pastor of was destroyed by the massive storm that ultimately shook not only New Orleans, but America and even the world as we watched the awful event unfold with amazement. How could a powerful nation such as the United States not be prepared for such a disaster? But that’s another story for another time and issue. Most of the members of my local church were displaced around the country and were referred to as refugees. (What a horrible thing to be called in the country of your birth. But that’s yet another story for another issue). But the one thing that held us together was our faith and this place we call sanctuary. Many people were unsure of returning to New Orleans in the wake of the destruction and government ineptness. Something happened among our congregation when they heard we were going to rebuild our church. They determined to find a way home. Even though we have been successful in getting them placed or planted in houses of worship in places such as Houston, Dallas, Chattanooga, Atlanta, etc., they wanted to return to the place they consider their own personal sanctuary. To them, it represents a place where they can hear clearly from God, serve with passion and live with enthusiasm. And as I see more churches being rebuilt in New Orleans, I see more people returning home because their place of refuge is returning home. Perhaps you should tell your pastor, rabbi, minister, or teacher that you love them and this place they oversee, their peoples’ sanctuary, has a value that’s not fully realized until it’s taken away by some means. |dMBA| Devin Oten is executive vice president of advertising of DiversityMBA and the founding senior pastor of New Life Christian Center, www.newlcc.com and Mighty Strength of Jesus Ministries, www.msjm.org in New Orleans. 97 June 2008 Top 1 0 0 Unde r 5 0 D i ve rse Le ade rs http://www.newlcc.com http://www.msjm.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008

Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008 Contents Letters to the Editor In Your Own Hands Editor's View Find Your Power Voice Business Briefs Off the Shelf The Fourth Annual Top 100 Under 50 Diverse Corporate Executives Negotiation: The Art of Persuasion or Zero Sum Game? Career Planning for Tomorrow's Hispanic Workforce Who's Who In Diversity Entrepreneur Profile: Anita Santiago: Doing It Her Way Businesses that Keep On Giving Rising Sun Going Global: Will An International Assignment Benefit Your Career Work-Life Balance and the C-Suite: An Oxymoron? A Call to Save Travel: Off the Beaten Path - Chile Drawing the Line – Latin Art Exhibit The New Taste of Latin Cuisine American Sabor: Exhibit Highlights Latino Influence in Pop Music Crafting Specialized Business Degrees Latest MBA Salary Suggests MBA Is A Safe Haven Gadgets & Gizmos Gone Phishing – How Scammers Mine Private Data From Web Surfers Advertiser's Index The Meaning of Sanctuary

Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008

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