Mountaintop Manna with Dr. Byron L. Benton

Tune in to our new podcast starting on January 17, 2020.
Mountaintop Manna is a family friendly podcast that focuses on Faith, Family, Finance, and Fitness with tons of fun mixed into every episode.
Host: Rev. Dr. Byron L. Benton
The Rev. Dr. Byron L. Benton is the Senior Pastor of Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church located in North Charleston, South Carolina. He is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina and a proud graduate of NC A&T State University. Pastor Benton completed his Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary (Princeton, New Jersey) and has a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Eastern University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).

Pastor Benton is passionate about empowering individuals, families, and communities to live spiritually, mentally and physically healthy lives. He works closely with public and private institutions, serves on and advises various boards, and speaks across the country on critical issues that impact families. He formerly served as pastor of Berean Baptist Church of Raleigh, North Carolina and associate pastor of Berean Baptist Church of Brooklyn, New York. Pastor Benton is married to the former Yasmeen Hadaway and they have three beautiful daughters- Arianna and Mayara and Zaya.

In this powerful and transformative episode of Mountaintop Manna entitled "Money Talks: Telling The Truth About Finances," we delve deep into the labyrinth of personal finances, guiding the listeners on a journey to confront their financial realities and take charge of their financial future. Our guest is renowned financial expert, Dorothea Bernique, this episode aims to equip individuals with the tools and mindset needed to face the truth about their financial situations, while infusing a strong message of hope and empowerment.
Dorothea Bernique Biography

Dorothea is the founder and Executive Director of Increasing H.O.P.E. In this role, Dorothea wears many hats. Not only does she lead her administrative team with vision and tireless effort, Dorothea provides financial counseling and money management instruction to clients; researches and writes grants; speaks on financial literacy at businesses, schools, and non-profits in the greater Charleston community.

In addition, Dorothea has developed and implemented bold strategies for expanding the scope of the agency’s financial training programs. Under her leadership, Increasing H.O.P.E. has grown to include a small business incubator and a minority entrepreneur support center. In 2020, the organization partnered with a cadre of sister nonprofits to create The Opportunity Center, a newly remodeled building in North Charleston dedicated to fostering economic prosperity in households with low and modest incomes.

Dorothea is passionate about helping people establish a better quality of life through gaining financial know-how. An Accredited Financial Counselor, Dorothea has been affectionately called a “financial guru”; since 2003, she and the agency have trained thousands of individuals in the Lowcountry to effectively manage their money. Prior to founding Increasing H.O.P.E., Dorothea worked in the world of finance in a variety of ways, including as a budget counselor/coach and as an independent representative in Financial Services. She has professional training in the insurance, mortgage, and investment fields. In addition to being an AFC, Dorothea is a licensed Housing and Credit Counselor.

Dorothea is the author of Kingdom Conscious Money Management, a faith-based plan for personal finances, and a recipient of the Community Service and Leadership Award. Dorothea was a recipient or the 2021 SC Woman in Business Award in the nonprofit category. Dorothea is grateful to be 1 of 50 selected out of more than 800 applicants nationwide and the only SC awardee of the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Impact Grant recipient. The initiative, One Million Black Women, is named for and guided by the goal of impacting the lives of at least one million Black women by 2030. In addition, she is a veteran of the U.S. Airforce. Dorothea and her husband, Christopher, have been married for 41 years and live in Summerville, S.C.; they have two grown children, as well as four grandchildren.
https://increasinghope.org/

Domestic violence is a pervasive issue that affects people from all walks of life. It doesn't discriminate based on gender, age, race, or socioeconomic status. This episode sheds light on this often-hidden epidemic, hoping to break the silence and provide support for those who may be enduring it.
Guests' Biographical Sketches:
Tosha Connors
Tosha has been leading MSH for almost seven years. She previously spent over 10 years leading major fundraising efforts and strategic initiatives, managing staff and volunteers, and working with boards of directors. She is a South Carolina native and lives here with her husband and three kids.
Sonja Pinckney Rhodes
Min. Sonja Pinckney Rhodes is a native Charlestonian raised in the West Ashley area by her loving parents, the late Dea. Johnny Pinckney and Mary Pinckney. ]Sonja attended the public schools of Charleston County and in preparation for her career, earned her bachelor's degree in business management with a minor in human resources and a Master of Business Administration with a focus on human resource management. She is currently pursuing her Master of Theology degree from Palmer Theological Seminary/Eastern University.

Sonja is the proud mother of two sons, Jon Michael Pinckney, Sr., and Andre’ Christopher Rhodes. She also delights in her lovely daughter-in-law, Markita Flemons Pinckney, and her three beautiful grandchildren, whom she adores, Jon Michael, Jr., Ari Samiya, and Nia Malika Pinckney.

In June 2020, Sonja retired from the Medical University of South Carolina with nearly three decades of service, a life change where God has allowed her to focus on her purpose even more. She is an accomplished author with an international and three-time national number one best-selling books, From Pain to Purpose, Greater Works and The Purpose for the Pain. In addition, Sonja is the founder and CEO of JMPinckney Publishing Company, LLC, Vision Magazine and JMPinckney Scholarship Fund.

Christan Antwan Rainey
Christan Antwan Rainey is a Charleston native who serves as the Assistant Chief of Professional Development in the North Charleston Fire Department, where he has worked for eleven years. Through his career, he has won several awards such as Distinguished Service, Life Saving, Medical Citation, Chief Coin’s. He has received the Chief Fire Officer Designation by the Center of Public Safety Excellence held by only 1864 fire officers in the world. Christan is also the Public Information Officer for the North Charleston Fire Department.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Christan remains immensely engaged in the community as the Founder and CEO of M.A.D. USA, Inc. (Men Against Domestic Violence). M.A.D. USA, Inc. As a result of tragically losing his mother and four siblings to domestic violence, he has become deeply committed to helping others recognize the indicators of domestic violence and increasing access resources for victims. He collaborates with school districts, businesses and other nonprofits to raise awareness about teen dating violence (6-12 grades), anti-bullying (k-5 grade), identifying healthy relationships, and establishing healthy gender roles. Through trainings and speaking engagements, Christan desires to use his nonprofit’s influence to eliminate domestic violence as an issue for future generations.