The Old Black Church

There's a lot of chatter across and around the net about Ebony Magazine March issue cover...Actress Gabourey Sidibe is covering the latest edition of the magazine... The latest Oscar contender talks about her role and why no matter what anyone says she still celebrates being “different.”Anyways what I don't like about the cover is the outfit ....It's wrong for her body type and it don't fit her personality...At lest not the personality that she say is her: “I don’t try to live up to the standards of Hollywood or any of that – I know that I’m different and I celebrate it. In a weird way, I kind of really, really love being the alien in the room. I dig it.” There’s nothing wrong with a healthy self-esteem...But I would like to know why in the world would her people put her in tight leather pants?And the other thing why didn't her people notice that her neck was missing in the shot?Other than that I love the cover and don't see anything wrong with it.

One of my friends from Alabama sent me a gift the other day.... Guess what it was? Another Bible! I have enough Bibles! NO MORE PLEASE. Now this Bible is the popular teaching of Pastor T.D. Jakes...The description on the cover says it coupled with the timeless message of Scripture...This Bible also addresses emotional and spiritual issues from a biblical perspective and offers encouragement as only T.D. Jakes can do.... Women will find hope for hurting hearts and strength to be healed and made whole so they can live victorious lives Countless women of all ages, races, and denominations have found these unique features to be the resources they need to find healing and wholeness in their Savior.Question: Why do Christians give other Christians Bibles?Every Bible that I have receive as a gift have come from other Christians....Why?

As Christians is it ever alright to lie?Honestly No! I don't think it is ever ok to lie but yet we still do it... And most of the times it's because we don't want to hurt someone feeling....But in the clip I posted Armstrong Williams just couldn't bring himself to partake in such a lie.... Question:Is it ever alright to lie?

Former NBA turned author Paul Shirley has written a long piece on flipcollective.com explaining why he has refused to contribute money to help Haiti rebuild....This is what I call hate in the flesh....But what I am noticing... he's not the only one who don't won't give to Haiti....I was listening to CNN the other night when someone call in and said America should not help the people of Haiti...I was like what the HELL! All I can say is Mr. Shirley, you might be blessed and fortunate today but who no what tomorrow might bring...I feel sorry for someone like you so with out feeling and detached from humanity. Any way ESPN released a statement saying he would no longer be a contributor for them...Way to go ESPN! Click here for the entire column. Some excerpts: I haven’t donated to the Haitian relief effort for the same reason that I don’t give money to homeless men on the street . Based on past experiences, I don’t think the g

The teaching of Jesus in regard to prayer: "And when thou pray, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou pray, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:5-6 First, I assume the two players in the photograph are Christians and there's nothin g wrong with that...Because I am my self a Christian...But when I saw the photo.... I was thinking out loud.... I have never seen an Islamic players at any ball game or any place else for that matter take the typical Muslim prayer position of that faith in public...I am not saying it don't occur but I have never witness it occurring....Any way ,I would like to no what would be the response from a typical all American f

I am sorry if some people don't understand nor get the purpose of a sermon....Sermons may have any number of purposes, but essentially they are intended to convict us in our hearts that we are a lost people who are in need of a Savior.... As an individual who grew up in and around the black church... it hasn't always been easy for me to sit in the pew why the pastor was stepping on my toes...It hurts!..I remember in my late 20's I made a (stupid) decision to moved in with my boyfriend...I knew this was wrong! and I also knew the church did not embrace this lifestyle....So whenever the pastor would do a sermon on fornication, shacking up or living with a man before marrying him... I knew in my heart of heart that that particular sermon was for me...However,I didn't leave the church because of the pastor sermon...Now, I read an article by Lou Chibbaro Jr in which he states.... That the pastor of Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church in Brentwood repo

Today churches are not as involved in social services as they once was....They don’t do much to help the communities anymore at all....I really don't like the idea of churches selling tickets to events at the church....I also don't like the fact that the majority of money collected from these churches now days goes to salaries and property maintenance. The 2010 Praise & Worship Conference is back. The event takes place Wednesday, February 18-19 at Bethel Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL. Registration fees range from $89 (early bird) to $159 (on-site) . In addition to teaching, preaching and showcases, some of gospel's greatest voices will be in the house. My question is why should churches still be exempt from taxes?

Yes slavery happened....And it should never be covered up to pacify some people....Slavery might be a tough tittie to suck ( subject to discuss ) but it shouldn't be ignored...If the US is the greatest country in the world, then it should show in what we do, not how we spin what we do....Why in the world would the man in the clip pick one of the darkest days in American history as an example of how “great” we are as a country? I would really love to know how he came to the conclusion that the worse day in America is better than the best day in any other country....Whatever! How can he or any one else possibly be sure of that? Better than say Denmark, Sweden, France, Italy, Brazil, Japan or Switzerland? If I am not mistaken the last poll shows the happiest people are in Denmark and America came in around 21...Now I don’t believe in hiding the truth...What a thing is; is what it is...So my question is how do you feel about the idea of removing all traces of slavery

I guess the days of James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and Richard Wright are gone...Didn't Toni Morrison and Alice Walker win a Prize for their work?....When I saw this article I wonder do people really see black women or black people in general like this?I will say growing up in the 70's and 80's I was a big fan of E. Lynn Harris and Eric Jerome Dickey...But to be honest I never thought of their books or work as ghetto literature ....." Section 8 a hood rat novel" ," Stacking Papers", " The Last B Standing ", "A Project Chick" , " Married To The Game", and "The Dopeman's wife". Question: What standard do Essence use to determine who's a bestselling author?

This photo is of a Haitian man walking through a make-shift morgue in the aftermath of last week's earthquake...It's being criticized by some as bordering sensationalism...What do you think? ( Juan Barreto / AFP/Getty Images )

Parents Rosemere Fernandes de Andrade and her partner Joao are dark-skinned Afro-Brazilians, yet three of their five children are albinos. The family live in the slum of Olinda in north-east Brazil and the children have faced taunts by fellow pupils at their school. The condition affects around one in 17,000 people. Those with albiinism do not produce enough melanin pigment, which gives color to the skin, hair and eyes and protects the body from the sun's rays. They often suffer from extreme short-sightedness and a severe sensitivity to light. Mrs Fernandes, 27,says she struggles to pay the medical bills for daughters Ruth, 10, and Esthefany, eight, as well as five-year-old son Kauan. She must also buy expensive sun-block and extra clothing to protect their skin. The mother of five has also been challenged by security guards who insisted she could not be the children's mother. Mrs Fernandes, of Olinda, said: 'I'm afraid of skin cancer because I can't afford the pro

Question: is it EVER alright for the pastor of a church to invite or take-in a young woman to live in his home?What about the wife of the pastor, do she have a say? These are some of the questions that were being discuss on a message board that I visit on a regular...Now it seems an anonymous writer submitted a letter to a social network accusing a Bishop of the COGIC with sexual misconduct...Well the bishop in question replied with his take on the matter...It seems the young lady in question attended the church where the bishop pastured.... The bishop stated that after some time he realized the young woman needed a place to stay...So he and his family eventually moved her into their home...The bishop stated for two years the young lady stayed with his family...In which he provided her a roof over her head and food to eat....She worked at his place of business in which it provided her with revenue to support herself...The bishop also claims that aft

Dear Pat Robertson, I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I’m all over that action. But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I’m no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished. Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth — glamor, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven’t you seen “Crossroads”? Or “Damn Yankees”? If I had a thing going with Haiti, there’d be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox — that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it — I’m just saying: Not how I roll. You’re doing great work, Pat, and I don’t wa

Sometimes it seems as if we only remember the poor during a tsunami, a hurricane or an earthquake...I love the work Anderson Cooper and CNN, do....But sometimes I to think they go to far.... Last night I thought it was just overload for what they were showing and talking about... We need to know the extent of what is going on, but beyond that we do not need to see bodies being scooped up or trapped under concrete or wounded laying waiting for medical treatment and things that at in no way lend anything to the story....I believe this is one reason the media always takes such hard hits... I also believe Cooper and CNN are going FAR beyond what's needs to reported... Why are their cameras center strictly on the most awful places and right in the faces of people that are already hurting? Who needs a camera in your face at that time or why do we need to see so many dead bodies over and over? Yes, I think they took it too far and will probably continue to do so - you wonder if they

After watching the movie trailer and reading some of the reviews about the movie "The Book Of Eli"...I am wondering if any one would consider using this movie as a study guide for a small study group in your church?The movie, have a "R" rating for graphic violence and coarse language...But it has been pointed out that no words of profanity come from Washington's mouth. "He is clearly set apart as a holy character on a godly mission."Denzel Washington, who's a church-going son of a preacher in his own life according to an interview in Christianity Today , plays Eli who roams the wasted landscape, using "rote splatter-violence," to protect Earth's last copy of the Bible...Faith is everywhere in "The Book of Eli ", which opens Friday and is being marketed with " B- ELI -EVE" and "D- ELI -VER US " billboards.... In the movie, Washington plays a mysterious machete-wielding traveler named Eli, directed by

I will never assume that " God is punishing Haiti ". Haiti is no more or less evil than any place else on earth....And I won't dare try an say there's something special taking place there to make God mad at them than that is going on elsewhere...I'm well aware of what took place in Haiti history... Voodoo was part of the independence celebration from slavery....I believe that's the "pact" Pat referring to....I also believe what Pat Robertson said was mean and evil....If I am not mistaken Christian Missionaries have been flooding Haiti for many years...No way do I believe their work has been futile.... The Holy Spirit has harvest many seeds from those seeds which have been planted... Also poverty have turn many to Jesus, it's all they have left to turn to...This is the problem I see with "God's Wrath" theories...They are always aimed at other countries and never aimed at the U.S....In spite of what Pat might say we

What makes a person give millions to a church for nothing in return? and they view it as a good deed...But whenever someone mentions increasing taxes for the greater good of all such as public health care, most of these same people....will scream to high heaven that it's "socialist", it's bad, and that they don't want to pay for others....Now from my understanding the final tally of 2.5 million...Is what Pastor Rick collected from his followers... after he made an urgent appeal at Saddleback Church at the close of 2009....Mind you this is not the tithe that is collected but extras...I'm willing to acknowledge that Saddleback is known as a giving church....There's a central theme to the Bible...It's giving and showing compassion for others... It's sad that certain Christians will only give if their pastor ask them too.

Does your pastor shake your hand before you leave the sanctuary on Sunday morning? If not, do it bother you? Is it easier or harder to get a chance to talk face to face with your pastor? Is this practice outdated? I'm part of a small church family and on Sunday morning right after service...When the congregation is exiting the sanctuary my pastor (son-law) is able to shake everyone's hand and say hello...I've notices alot of the congregants will stand in line just to shake the pastor hand...Some will make comments like good message pastor or I needed that word... Now I really never thought to much about pastors during this...But I read A recent post which talks about the growing disconnect between the pastor and the congregation in some churches...So my question is it important for you to shake the pastor hand?

After, watching The Celebration of Gospel last night...All I can say is I was disappointed to say the lest...Now I ask my self: Do Jesus really won't us entertaining or performing for HIM? I wonder has the message in gospel music truly disappeared , gone and to be no more? ...Have we forgotten GOD is a Holy GOD? There's one thing for sure... once upon a time, this music we call gospel had a heartfelt passion for Christ. But, after watching last nights celebration of gospel that passion has died and it has turned into an arena for entertainment..

Today is my church first Holy Communion Services for the year...My church family usual observe this precious time once a month...I am thinking about the songs we use to sing during the services many years ago: (1) I know it was His blood ( 2) When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (3) At Calvary (4) The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power (5) Behold the Lamb I finding out even today that most African American churches still sing these old songs...Which are call “blood songs.” These songs, even old, still allows the congregation as a whole to focus on the magnitude of the death of Christ....And at the same time they are reminding us that our ancestors spilled their own blood in their effort for freedom....I believe this is one of the reason I hold Communion Services in such high honors...As African American its like we are lock step with a Savior who was oppressed in his quest to gain humanity’s freedom....Jesus is indeed our High Priest who shares our sorrow and knows our

That's the title of a Time online article ...From one Christian to another I don't believe the church mission is to bridge gaps...The true mission of the church is to save souls for Christ...And I believe that mission can be carried out in a segregated church on Sunday morning....As long as the segregation is based on culture and not race I don't have a problem with it... Different cultures have different worship styles.... They are all good.... They reflect the diverse nature of God.... I believe all Christian worship the same God but we celebrate him through different means (different languages, expressions, music, cultural contextualization) As human beings we are so different...There's no single church that can possibly reach everyone.... Have you ever thought about why the gospels were written with specific groups in mind? It had nothing to do with race but more about culture....And think about this why would God used four books to communicate the one life

Fox News analyst Brit Hume has taken some major hits over his advice to Tiger Woods that he embrace Christianity if he wants redemption...."The extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith," Hume said."As a Christian I don't see anything wrong with what Brit Hume said...Mr. Hume said that he don't think Buddhist offers the same kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith....I total agree with that statement...I also believe as Christians we should be concern with winning souls for Christ...I believe some people refuse to see that there are major differences between a Christian and a non-christian ... So when someone like Mr.Hume points out the real difference...Non Christians claim to be insulted and crushed...Mr. Hume said he came to Christ through the death of his son....I believe one of the greatest evangelistic tools there is is a funeral. You can hear the Gospel preached and discussed in a lot of

I recently came across a statistic claiming that only about 10% of professing Christians have read the entire Bible....That's right 10%!! Now I’m not saying that claim is correct, but it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that only a minority of believers have read the Bible in its entirety...If the statistic are correct..... No wonder so many people can be “led astray” in terms of what the Bible says concerning different things.... I really think that anyone could incorporate an ongoing read-through-the-Bible project if they take the time to plan how they are going to accomplish it... For me, I found a Bible plan many years ago that work wonderful for me.. The Chronological Plan allow you to read the events of the Bible in the order they occurred. online resource . . God’s Word is our link to eternity and our life-preserver in this life... It’s worth pressing through and reading it all–the benefits are priceless! Question: Have you read the entire Bible? If not, what stopped you, an

There is plenty of chatter on the net concerning successful black women and marriage...Even doth I am married I would like to look at it from another angle...What if there are some whom God have chosen not for marriage? So,does God have a particular person chosen for those who are to marry? Now this idea has been used for years to comfort despondent Christians who worry that they’ll never find Mr. or Mrs. Right, and given that we believe God to be all-knowing and all-powerful, there’s a certain sense in thinking that He’s got somebody picked out for us all...Now that just might not be true. So when you think about that idea for a while, some questions and problems present themselves...For one, if God has somebody “picked out” for you, should you actively search for that person, or trust that God will bring them into your life? How do you know if somebody is “the one”? And what about the gift of singleness ? Paul the writer of 1 Corinthians, stops short of guaranteeing that God w

Some things I'll never understand if I live to be a 100 and this is one of those things...Why do a cartoon that has absolutely nothing to do with religion or Christianity need a Jesus voice? And out of all the people in the world guess who the voice of Jesus will be? You got it! Lil Wayne, he will be providing the voice of Jesus in the new cartoon “Freaknik.” The show will be airing on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and is said to feature many guest rapper’s, including Lil Wayne as the voice of Jesus Christ , who will be performing a music video for “Ghetto Commandments.” The creative director of Adult Swim, tired to explain the shows concept and the rappers involvement.“Basically it was a Black Spring Break that went down in Atlanta and got shut down back in ‘98 or ‘99. So the show is going to resurrect that, and it’s going to be starring T-Pain and Lil’ Wayne and all these other artists like David Banner and some other dudes. it’s all drawn, and T-Pain plays the ghost of S

Kanye West has made a statement that's impossible to be true....He claims he has sold his soul to the devil.... CAN'T DO THAT !...You can only sell what you have purchase and paid for....In this case it's a soul...No man own his soul! Every soul was bought and paid for by Jesus on the Cross...The Bible has no instance of a person “selling his soul” to Satan, and it never implies that making a bargain with the devil is possible...But without Christ, we are all under condemnation of death ( Romans 3:23 ). Before we are saved, we are all in bondage to the devil, as 1 John 5:19 says, “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”But here is some of what scripture does revea l about Satan/Devil: (1) his power is limited by God’s will ( Job 1:10-12 ; 1 Corinthians 10:13 ). (2) as “the god of this world,” Satan has dominion over those who live without Christ in the world ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 ). Don't get me wrong there are those who suffer under direct satanic cont