Panacea World :: Steve Cole

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why did you write this book?
A1. I wrote this book because Black people are living under very difficult conditions (poverty, low education, crime, etc.). This is my attempt to help change that situation.

Q2. You seem to criticize the very foundations of Black people’s existence (The Church, ministers, The Bible, etc). Why? Are you angry?
A2. First of all, let me state that this is a book written out of love. I love my people both here in America and around the world. I chose these subjects to analyze because if we are to bring about any significant change, then we must deal with the root of the problem. Our problem is that our belief system has failed us. Religion is such a major part of our belief system that it has to be dealt with.

Q4. Do you believe in God?
A4. Yes, very much so. I come from very humble beginnings, and there is no way I could have made it this far without God being with me every step of the way.

Q5. Why do you feel that our belief system has failed us?
A5. I have looked at various ethnic groups within so-called races (Japanese, Jewish, German, etc.). It is predominantly their culture or system of beliefs that make them who they are. Some are more religious, others less so, but the bottom line is that they have a set of ideals or principles that govern them. Our current set of ideals and principles, or lack there of, that govern us hurt us. A few examples would be in the areas of tradition, respect, loyalty, family, community and so on.

Q8. In your book, you state that we have a lack of good leadership in the church. How can a person tell if their pastor is a good leader?
A8. I think that for a Pastor to be a good leader and a true man of God, he or she should have 5 important qualities. The first 4 are goodness, integrity, wisdom, and faith. The sum of these 4 traits leads to the one essential trait that all pastors must have, and that is spirituality. I think every church member should critically evaluate what manner of man is leading them.

Q9. In your opinion, only about 10% of regular church goers are spiritual. Why is that number so low?
A9. The lack of spirituality in our community is what is leading to its decline. There are several reasons for this low rate of spirituality. One is that the church is trying to make a person religious but not necessarily spiritual. The teachings create a certain mindset that actually prevents spirituality from developing.

Q10. What is your religious background?
A10. I grew up in the Baptist church and went every Sunday until I went off to college.

Q11. How long did it take you to write this book?
A11. Actually I feel like I have been writing this book all of my life in my mind, because I am always thinking about how I can make things better for Black people. I physically wrote this book over about a three months period. I would write from about 10 pm to 12 pm after work each night. I also wrote a significant portion of this book while staying in a hotel room in Seoul, Korea during this time period. I truly feel that God helped me write this book, because when I sat down to write words just flowed onto the paper almost without effort.

Q12. The Black Church: The Root of the Problems of the Black Community, What is this book about?
A12. This is a self-help book that analyzes the problems and gives solutions to the problems that plague Black people. The Book tackles issues from The Black Church, Ministers, The Bible, God, Leadership, Spirituality, and much more.

Q13. How can you say that the Black church is the root of the problems of the Black community?
A13. In most Black communities there are three main institutions that influence the health and well being of its citizens. These institutions are good home training, good schools, and The Church. All these must work effectively together for a community to be healthy; if either one of these institutions is out of order, then all are a bit off. Traditionally, most Black people get their guidance on how to raise a family and live right from the church. The failure of the church has knocked everything else off.