‘Love is patient.’ Fayetteville evangelist shares a journey of art, recovery, Christ
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 reads: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Love is one of the most powerful emotions and actions. Love guides decisions. However, love can hurt. Love can sometimes grow through pain.
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Queens, New York native Evangelist Christal McPhee leads a life dedicated to the love of God. The mother of three relocated to North Carolina in 2004, initially settling in the Nash County area before moving to Fayetteville.
Art has always been a passion of McPhee. She is a graduate of New York’s Parsons School of Design, one of the top design schools in the world. Notable graduates of Parsons include designers Alexander Wang, Issac Mizrahi and Tom Ford.
McPhee specializes in graphic design and has been featured in national publications like Essence Magazine. She graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.
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Her mother, her faith
Her mother, an educator, stressed the importance of education. In addition, her mother ensured Christal and her sisters were in church every Sunday, including Sunday School. Consequently, her faith was strong at an early age.
At 18 years old, Christal was saved during Bill Bright’s Campus Crusade for Christ. However, a Lutheran pastor, Pastor Capers, explained salvation in a simple form, which brought her closer to Christ. She even campaigned during Bright’s “I Found It!" initiative. She credits it with helping her learn to lead others.
However, life did not go as planned.
An atypical meet cute
As a Parsons grad, she had high expectations, but she did not meet her goals. The feeling of failure launched her into a state of depression. The depression led her to stay in a mental health institution to cope with her mental state.
It was at this time she met her husband, Charles. The pair have been married for 34 years. It was Charles’ bravery during a meeting with the staff that attracted her, and the rest is history.
Before meeting Charles, she became affiliated with The Black Panther Party and coupled with the power of God, learned the power of the Holy Spirit. Understanding his power, she wants to spread love and the word of God to all those willing to receive.
All aboard The Love Revival
McPhee will be hosting The Love Revival on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at The Stadium Event Center, located at 421 Maiden Lane. McPhee promises the day will be powerful.
While she hopes to bring people closer to Christ, another goal of The Love Revival is to deliver a word that offers understanding through wisdom. Along with McPhee’s word, there will be praise and worship, light refreshments, and fellowship. For more information, contact Christal McPhee at (910) 374-4438 or zskillsnow16@gmail.com.
Salute to Christal and every activist getting active. Peace.
Rakeem “Keem” Jones is a community advocate and father of three from the Shaw Road/Bonnie Doone area of Fayetteville. He can be reached at keemj45@gmail.com.