SCLC Magazine – “Dr. Joseph L. Williams: Raising The Bar On Transformation”

Dr. Joseph L. Williams: Raising The Bar On Transformation

Atlanta Pastor Reaches On The Inside And The Outside Of The Black Church With Breakthrough Results 

(Repost From SCLC Magazine By: Carrie L. Williams)

“Remember, we started together – we finish together.”

There are no words more inspiring to the twenty-odd participants, and no one more inspiring to deliver them than Dr. Joseph L. Williams their coach, their man of God, and the one person who believes with every breath in his body, in what they will accomplish.  The participants are part of a pilot effort known as “The Journey”, a unique 45-day process of mind, body, and soul transformation that was founded by Dr. Joseph in 2011.

Transformation of mind, body, and soul?  Really?  Yes, really.

The first empirical results are in. The pilot pre- and post-“Journey” data have been analyzed.   The clinical data gathered  points to “The Journey” organic process transforming one’s mind, body, and soul.  The translation: emotional healing, new eating habits, and consciousness-raising.  It also translates into losing 10 or more pounds for participants.

But, as Dr. Joseph emphasizes, “’The Journey’ is not a diet!”

“The common goal of ‘Operation Butterfly’ and ‘I Am Legend’ [the two “Journey” programs differing slightly to meet both women and men’s needs] is to take participants on a personal journey of emotional, physical, and spiritual transformation,” explains Williams.  “It is my belief and personal experience that authentic edification of the mind, body, and soul is possible only when the process is viewed as one holistic entity.”

And Dr. Joseph wasted no time in accumulating that experience.

A passionate people’s pastor, he is also an author, singer, radio talk show host, and a civil rights public policy proponent. A recipient of the Informer Newspaper’s coveted “America’s Top 40 Pastors Under 40” as well as a Presenter at the 2010 National Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Day Celebration at Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Dr. Joseph L. Williams holds honors that clearly demonstrate his reputation on the national front.   His ministry at Salem Bible Church(www.salembiblechurch.org) where he co-pastors two congregations, along with his internet radio show, has him speaking to an audience of approximately ten thousand every week.

He is also Atlanta’s lead pastor in the Occupy the Dream national initiative.  Dr. Joseph recently partnered with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) headquarters in a joint press conference for a demonstration/march that was held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Dr. Joseph (or “Pastor Joe” as many call him) has not wasted any time in becoming learned, either.  After a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Morehouse College, he completed a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology and a Doctorate of Homiletics from Mercer University in Atlanta, post haste.  He explored vast bodies of spiritual knowledge, delving into non-traditional fields, and melded that knowledge with tried-and-true Christianity in the black culture.  His aim:  to reach out to all, whether black or white, young or old, rich or poor, with what works universally.  His mission:  to make the Christian church truly relevant in the twenty-first century.  “The Journey” – which welcomes participants from all faiths — is one effort in that direction, stemming from his innovative book, “Not of This World”

(http://imnotofthisworld.com/).

After having tested “The Journey” on himself, and experiencing the transformational nature of it, Dr. Joseph began, over the course of a year to share “The Journey” with others close to him.  By the end of 2011, he had secured the interest and commitment of a pilot, pioneering group, partly made up of a men’s group he had been mentoring, and a few women who had seen the remarkable results of Stephanie Andry, then Dr. Joseph’s marketing associate, who had been on “The Journey”.

“I knew at this point that we really had something that was working in a phenomenal way for people,” remembers Dr. Joseph. “For ‘The Journey’ to be taken seriously, however, and to grow, I was advised that  it was important to start tracking statistical data,” he relayed, “particularly of cholesterol and blood sugar levels on the physical side, but also on the emotional and spiritual side.”

With the support and partnership of public and occupational health leader Dr. Andre McShan, pre- and post-“Journey” medical evaluations of the pilot participants were conducted, which included standard biometric testings such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, height and weight, and waist circumference measurement. Participants also completed a standard Personal Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and a Spiritual Assessment.

What happened next is nothing short of amazing.  Through a combination of de-toxing (both emotional and physical), whole foods and meals every 3 hours, meditating, reading words of faith(of the participant’s choosing), praying, journaling, assignments, buddy checks, daily morning “vitamin” video’s by Dr. Joseph, “how-to” video’s, group sessions, and emails that all participants helped to respond to and send (including pictures of what their daily meals looked like),– and personal coaching by Dr. Joseph, whenever a participant needed it – participants began, literally, to “transform”.

Comments like the following started showing up after Day 3:  “Never had so much energy”, “Can finally sleep through the night”, “My doctor says my hypertensive blood pressure is in the normal range now”, “Erectile dysfunction gone”, “I can hear God speaking to me”, “My confidence is higher” – and more.

And, in this initial pilot group, the empirical data backed up the participants’ verbal and written testimonies. The mind’s health, or emotional health, was measured through the standard Personal Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Participants’ initial health concerns as asked about through the PHQ, in the area of stomach, chest and back pains, nausea, depression, anxiety, irritability, poor dietary habits, etc. were diminished.  The participants’ bodily health, as measured through the biometrics testing, was particularly improved in the areas of weight loss, healthy diastolic blood pressure readings (when the heart is at rest), and at-risk glucose (blood sugar) levels.  Their soul’s health, as measured by the Spiritual Assessment was improved in every question area, with participants’ post “Journey” average score being a 4.6 out of a maximum of 5 points per question.

No expensive nutritional products to buy, no tapes or videos to purchase.  The cost for being in “The Journey”:  zip (except for one gallon of Arden’s Gardens Detox Juice and one gallon of distilled water).

“We’re not doing this for any other reason than the transformation of the world, one individual at a time,” solemnly vows Dr. Joseph, sitting at the conference room table where he holds most of his meetings, at “Salem West”(the Salem Bible Church on the West side of Atlanta). “We are looking to bring more light into the world at a time when we are in the greatest need of that light.”  And, holding true to his high level of integrity, anything he receives from God for the people, Dr. Joseph shares – freely.

Having a vision come to him in his sleep over months on end, and finally understanding it, “The Journey” was a spirit-led birth.  But before the vision, Dr. Joseph admits he was fueled by dissatisfaction.

“I saw in my ministry how, time and time again, there was no way to really sustain the “in-the-moment transformation” of what happens to a person’s spirit as they are in a worship service (as they are/we are all being led by the Holy Spirit). And there was no accountability for a person to maintain their moment of transformation.  We all need, as human beings, someone to hold us accountable, when we are out to change our lives.  How could I, as a pastor, make that happen?  I believe ‘The Journey’ is the answer to that question. ”

With Dr. Joseph’s uncontestable results and inspirational leadership, “The Journey” has already been capturing the attention of people from as far away as Australia, not to mention faith leaders in Philadelphia and New Jersey.  On “The Journey” website, nearly 200 individuals have already signed up for the next “Journey”. Some will be from Atlanta – but a lot of them will be doing “The Journey” from other parts of the country.

Even more remarkable, not far behind this “Journey” of 45 days, Dr. Joseph’s two-location, metro Atlanta congregation of two thousand at Salem Bible Church, will be going through “The Journey” together.

There is just no telling how many lives, families, and communities will be positively impacted over the next three months here in the United States, and around the world by Dr. Joseph L. Williams’ transformational work.

“The Journey” has truly just begun.

For more information, contact:  Ms. Stephanie Andry, Director, (404) 482-0373, info@formyjourney.com, or visit www.formyjourney.com and www.jlwlive.com.