The Old Black Church

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How in the world did we get here? Why is this new generation of hip hop and pop music stars  openly blaspheming Christianity with no regard for criticism? Today Rick Ross is releasing his new project entitled "God Forgives I Don't." I got a question which is more of a statement than a question. Why are Hip Hop and pop music stars of today  moving with lighting  speed  from using subliminal, hidden references to the occult and Satan in their lyrics and videos, to outright blasphemy against God and Jesus Christ? 

First Lady Michelle  Obama spoke yesterday at the  49th General Session of the African Methodist Episcopal Church General Conference in Ryman C Hall  at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Senior Bishop John Bryant said, “The African Methodist Episcopal Church, is the oldest, historically black denomination in the western hemisphere, which is history in it self.  And they were honored to receive another history maker, Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama’s service to the people of this nation will find history recording her as one of the greatest first ladies of the United States of America.”

Ain't the Bible the standard for every Christian to follow? If so then why are some very prominent Christian leaders now signing  and endorsing  a "Code of Ethics document for Pastors". This new document was  created by a National Association of Evangelicals taskforce and released just two weeks ago. But some are wondering like me,  why the Bible – already serving as a standard – isn't enough?  Megachurch pastor Rick Warren, founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., recently signed the Code of Ethics for Pastors, joining Charles Blake, West Angeles Church of God in Christ; Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church; Tim Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian Church; Max Lucado, Oak Hills Church; John Ortberg, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church; Samuel Rodriguez, New Season Christian Worship Center; and Bryant Wright, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. What's going on here?

Question, How would you feel if you were told you couldn't sleep with your wife but that another man could and you had to continue to support and provide for her and another man's child? Well that's exactly what it seems to be happening here.    Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs, who is serving a life sentence in prison, has ordered most of his followers to stop having sex except for 15 men -- and the women he have  chosen  designated to father all future children for the sect. The fundamentalist leader, who is still considered the head of the group, issued the edict from prison in Palestine, Texas, where he is serving out his prison sentence for child sex assault, ABC News' Salt Lake City affiliate reported. The order effectively bans the church's members from having sex with the exception of the 15 chosen men and the church's female members. Article Here!

Pastor Mark Jackson/ Ex-Warrior coach have been  exposed  convicted of some wrong doing he partook in a few years ago. The Man of God, deemed  it was  necessary to apologize  to his wife of 22 years,  friends, the Warriors establishment and church family, quoting one of the most profound Bible verses that can be found in scripture  Mark 4:22.    Article Here!

 "Obama Care"is constitutional, the United States Supreme Court ruled so this  morning. Congratulation Mr. President!

Did you know that Sweet Honey In The Rock will be returning once again to Berkshire on stage next month? Did you know that they are an internationally renowned, Grammy Award-winning female  cappella group that have deep roots in: sacred music of the black church – spirituals, hymns, gospel- as well as into jazz and blues, reggae, rap, hip hop, ancient lullabies, and African chants?

The Gospel According to Fashion (TGAF) is a live music and fashion event in which the inspirational music, gospel music, and fashion industries come together for an evening of celebration. Created and produced by lifestyle expert and premiere event designer Cameron Washington, The Gospel According to Fashion came out of Washington’s desire to merge his two passions- inspirational music and fashion. Article Here!

 According to me Condoleezza Rice is one awesome woman and person. She is one of the  most talents, respected and admired black women in this country. Hell, (this is the only cuss word i'm allowed to used according to the black church)  Ms. Rice got a oil tanker named after her. What other black woman can top that?   Now, I don't like it when folks attack Ms. Rice by calling her a B***H  because of her recent comment about the president.  Now, I do believe we got a lot we can attack concerning her politics ,but calling her a B***H is not a  label that's fitting nor do it belong to this strong sista.  Some say she  was mostly quiet about the president candidacy in the 2008 election cycle, but this year she’s making no secret of the fact that she doesn't prefer Obama’s style of leadership. Article here!

D id I mention yesterday that James Fortune have released two different statements on the child abuse allegations that have been level against him?Also, did I mention that James Fortune and his group Fiya are up for a major BET award this weekend in LA? There's lots of    comments and questions surrounding this incident. Two, of the main questions that are being ask are why would a loving mother stay with a man who have caused  hurt and harm to her baby? And the other question is why in the world this man didn't go to jail for what he did to this baby? I can't answer the question about the heart of the mother but I can answer the question concerning the law.  There's also new information out this morning from the child father stating that there might be some witness tampering going on with the couple. I 'm finding out that every state laws are different when it come to certain crimes. James mention "deferred adjudication" in his statement yesterday.

According to Courthouse News Services , a teacher claims in court that her Christian school suspended her son for the "sin" of being gay, then subjected her to "scathing condemnation and blame" for supporting him rather than demanding that he "renounce his sin" - a situation so fraught that it led to her firing. Sharon Wright sued Covenant Christian Academy in Federal Court. The K-12 school is the only named defendant, though Wright identifies several top administrators in her 30-page complaint.

Pastor Kong Hee from City Harvest Church is alleged to have used 24m to fuel his wife Sun Ho's music career.

I'm loving Tamela Mann new single Take Me To The King  powerful!

According to a civil lawsuit, gospel music singer James Fortune burned his stepson back in 2001, leaving the boy disfigured with severe burns over nearly 50% of the child’s body. Fortune, who is from and still lives in the Houston area, is named in the lawsuit along  with his wife Cheryl Fortune. UPDATE   A statement have been issued from James Fortune below: I recently became aware of a civil suit pending against my wife, Cheryl Fortune and I, for an incident that occurred in 2001 involving my stepson. There was a criminal investigation and all matters were resolved in 2003. Since that time, my family and I, including my stepson, have continued with family traditions and always have a loving family environment. We are shocked by this lawsuit but understand people are free to use the court system to pursue claims, whether they contain merit or baseless matters. We are confident through this process, if it proceeds to a judge or jury, the ultimate decision maker will render a d

  This is some remarkable marketing on this church part  all I can say.  This ad is one that was used for the 2012 Resurrection Day Service at City Church in Seattle, Washington. The series was being promoted as a candid, hope-filled series about sex and purity, based on the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. WOW!

 How important is preaching to those born again?  Do does born again still need to be  preached to, once they have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior, having repented of sin and have received by faith the truths of the gospel, then do that person still  need  to be preached to? If so, why?  What if I move to a new city and state, should I choose a church based  on the preaching or should I look for one with great teaching? 

Saudi Arabia has reached a crucial milestone in the countries human rights growth this year, announcing that female athletes from the country will be allowed to compete at the 2012 London Olympics.  The Saudi Embassy in London announced in a public statement that it will allow female athletes to compete in London and that the country’s Olympic Committee will “oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify.” The announcement comes at a time when speculation was growing that the country could face disqualification based on gender discrimination. Saudi Arabia has almost no history of women participating in international sports and many of the country’s religious conservatives still strongly oppose women competing on a professional level. Article Here!

According to a new Gallup poll, even fewer Americans are aware of Obama's faith. What I say to that is who gives a rat behind about what the three Americans who can not correctly identify U.S. President Barack Obama as a Christian. Hell, ask them if Mitt Romney is a Christian and  see what you get. Money to bet if you poll the same group they would say Mitt Romney is a Christian.  When in realty the man is not and he have never laid claim to being one. If not mistaken this man is a follower of other gods which to me and in my humble opinion is way worse than supporting some one rights to chose what's best for them. (homosexual and abortion)

Temptation enters man  through three doors: “The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” That’s how it entered the Garden of Eden. “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food (the lust of the flesh), that it was pleasant to the eyes (the lust of the eyes), and a tree desirable to make one wise (the pride of life), she took of its fruit” (Ge 3:6 NKJV). Satan has no new tricks, he just dresses up the same old temptations in new attire.

A Houston pastor and his wife are in the Harris County jail charged with bilking their former congregation out of more than $400,000 and using that money for gambling trips to Louisiana. Charles Gilford, 58, and Adriane Gilford, 53, were indicted Wednesday by a Harris County grand jury and charged with aggregate theft and "misapplication of fiduciary property. Prosecutors allege the Gilfords used at least $430,000 in church funds to gamble at the Coushatta Casino near Lake Charles between 2004 and 2007. They were pastor and first lady of Bethel Institutional Missionary Baptist Church (BIMBC) on Selinsky Road in southeast Houston at the time. Article here!

Here's a new story that is breaking right now about Former X Factor finalist Stacy Francis claiming that she had an affair with Bishop Noel Jones, and have a child from the affair.  Article Here!  The sabbatical that I have chosen to take away from the church at this present time is well worth it. 

The Crouchs are in deep trouble and they better look out. How in the world could these folks do a thing like this to their own flesh and blood?  The love of money is the root of all evil...what an example here!  A granddaughter of Trinity Broadcasting Network founders Jan and Paul Crouch filed a lawsuit Monday alleging that she was plied with alcohol and raped by a TBN employee when she was just 13 — and that her family covered up the incident, rather than report it to authorities, to protect TBN’s reputation. Carra Crouch, now 19, was distraught after the 2006 assault by a 30-year-old man, and told her grandmother what had happened. “Jan (Crouch) became furious and began screaming at Ms. Crouch, a thirteen year old girl, and began telling her ‘it is your fault,’” according to the suit. Article Here! But, what I find  interesting and worth discussing about the whole thing is what the   video  host summarizes at the 24:17 to 25:07 mark of the video ( Thanks to thinking out loud fo

Is the usages  of the word Amen limited  only to the Christian Community? It is according to Philadelphia Pastor and Controversial book author Jomo K. Johnson.  Pastor Johnson says he is "saddened by the song, and he's encouraging every rap fan in Philadelphia who is a  believer in Jesus Christ, to boycott Meek Mill until he acknowledges this blatant disrespect,” Johnson says. “And being resident of North Philadelphia and Pastor, I revoke Meek’s ‘hood pass’ until this happens.   Controversial video and article here!  UPDATE: Pastor  video dissing the song  not the rapper.

Mega church Pastor Rick Warren told his staff yesterday not to use the official church Twitter feeds to follow people who are not Christians. Article Here! What is the purpose of a church Twitter account? Is it not a tool that is to be used for witnessing? So, if the purpose of the  church Twitter account is to witness, and you only allow your folks, to follow folks who believe the same things as you do, then to whom are you really witnessing to?  Some of you (and some of our church accounts -like our 12 cities accounts) are following people on Twitter that you should NOT be following. I frequently notice that often atheists, critics of saddle back, and mean-spirited or vulgar accounts often have dozens of staff or Saddle back accounts following them! This is true even when these people only have a very few follower. Because of automatic adds, we often make up the majority of followers of these mean-spirited Christian or anti-Christian folks!

T he Southern Baptist Convention elected its first black symbol or token, (which ever one you care to use) as president yesterday in a uncontested election.  Mr. Fred Luter, who was once a former street preacher who had turned a dying New Orleans church into a powerhouse is the new face of The Southern Baptist Convention, for the next two years.  In my heart of heart,  I won't to congratulate Mr. Luter for making history but, in my heart of heart,  I can not. Especially,when I consider and  think about the fact he was not elected based on his accomplishment but because this organization needed to sell a new image and a lie to a changing world.  Sad!

This particular church sign is getting a lot attention for the message it's sharing with drivers. The pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church says the phrase "Ultimate Racism: Abortionists Target Black Babies" to education people about abortion. "I cannot be silent and just say that's somebody else's problem or I'm not dark enough to care about that issue. I can't do that," Pastor Patrick Dye said. "This is the crime of America." No pastor "The Crime of America" is how folks like you can fight to the death for the child in the womb,then in the next breath can and  will fight to the death to stand your ground against the same child outside the womb. For me that's "The Crime of America". Article Here!

Today is Juneenth , and Adidas had to pull it shackle sneaker? Most folks in the African-American community are offended by Adidas new shoe, saying the shackles were a disturbing reminder of slavery.  I look at the Adidas new sneakers this way:  A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. Those new Adidas shackle sneakers are nothing more than a product of what rappers have been glamorizing for years. The criminal and ugly behavior of prison life. Adidas just took it to a whole new level! "The attempt to commercialize and make popular more than 200 years of human degradation, where blacks were considered three-fifths human by our Constitution is offensive, appalling and insensitive,” said Rev. Jesse Jackson said in a statement Monday.

  Ezekiel Stoddard is 11. Last month, he was ordained as a minister in his family's independent Pentecostal church, an act sanctioned by the state of Maryland. There is always something about parents putting children in the pulpit that don't sit well with me. Don't get me wrong Ezekial certainly comes off as a gifted and levelheaded kid. I am not trying to say anything about his parents' intentions nor am I questioning their intentions.   But,I doubt Ezekiel really can grasp the Gospel at this age.  I'm  wondering if anyone else shares my thoughts that Ezekiel just isn't ready for this kind of work at this age? article here!   Video here!

I'm shock! Who in the world would purchase Barbie in a casket? Death is not a laughing matter More beautiful in death then she was in life. Poor Barbie, but so peaceful. Surrounded in pink velvet that lines the coffin, a pink satin dress with pink and crystal colored beads and pink bud roses all around. The same pink rose buds atop the coffin. The coffin is in gold and lined around the edges in a pastel rainbow colored ribbon. She has on huge crystal ear rings. She has Blond flowing Hair. Ive redone her makeup and she has her Eyes closed with a lavender eye shadow, and lavender Lips. Source Here!

  W hat a tragedy for both families. I'm sorry I don't believe I would  have allowed my 19 yr old to go to a foreign country on his own.  According to ABC News affiliate WPTY-TV Richard Hinds is  a well known Christian musician in the Memphis area and, have admitted to strangling DCU student Nicola Furlong in a five star Tokyo hotel last month– but he said he didn't mean to kill her.   It'll be interesting to see how this case develops, Japan's criminal justice system don't play, this country  has a nearly 100 percent conviction rate.  The Police have 20 days to decide whether to charge Hinds with murder. He’s expected to remain behind bars until then, because bail is rarely granted to foreigners arrested in Japan.

On Tuesday, at 10:30 am  Portland-area pastors are planning to sign new protocol for gang-related funerals. The church leaders have been moving to ban gang-related attire at funerals since the city recorded 8 gang-related homicides in 2011, the highest in a decade.  "As community leaders, pastors have come together to take a stand against violence,'' according to a a release from the Portland Police Bureau. "Sadly, many times this stand comes at a time of crisis and in the face of senseless tragic violence where there is a loss of life of a young person.'' Article Here!

Rodney King -- the man who was at the center of the infamous Los Angeles riots -- was found dead this morning in Rialito, CA. He was 47. Source Here!

Happy Fathers Day to my wonderful husband John, son-in-law Randy,nephews Chris, Tim  and the great man that raised me as his own daughter, Jimmy Griggs, love you guys.  Now, on to the post of the day. I was not aware Hallmark even sold cards like the one below  for father's day. From my research Hallmark released this  new line of cards last year under their African American "Mahogany" line. Now I know to some it's a good idea especially,when you consider that 2/3 of black children grow up with single mothers. So, my question is Why did  Hallmark find it necessary to commemorate mothers  contributions to their families with a line of Father’s Day greeting cards, that were specifically created for single mothers? Did hallmark make a wise business decision here or do these cards emphasize a negative for our community? Personally I don't like the idea at all, and find it down right insulting.  Mothers  are not Fathers.   Article Here!

Joyce Meyers is known as being one of the top women speakers, out there. And one who tells it like it is with a frank but challenging way of putting things.  Joyce Meyers has topped the list of popular Christian figures, with 170 reactions to her tweets per every 50,000 followers, according to The New York Times.  So, last week when “word of faith” and prosperity teacher Joyce Meyer’s got a public shout out from an elated celebrity Rihanna , who's known for her explicitly dress and raunchy music it really wasn't a big surprise. While Rihanna has taken Twitter by storm with over 20,000 followers, it seems Christian leaders may be more popular than entertainers in terms of how many messages are shared with others. According to The Christian Post , Rihanna's spiritual beliefs may have raised questions for some in the past, but the 24-year-old singer is not afraid to admit that she is a fan of Christian minister and author Joyce Meyer.  After reading the article and some

The Bible warn us and make clear that ignorance about the spirit world can and will leave us dangerously vulnerable to them. I know people do laugh and make jokes when ever references are made about demons. But the truth of the matter is they are very real, and active in our world today. As a born again believer I don't  believe in nor do I subscribe to the idea of studying  or reading a lot of  books that deal with the evil spirit world. Because,  I don't  believe that to be beneficial  for the Christian growth. But,  I can and do recognize the evil spirits that are influencing and working in the world around us today,from the study of scriptures.

 Have y'all read the article in TIME Magazine that is raising a lot of eyebrows since being published on the front page of the magazine  Monday entitled “How to Die.?” In the article, reporter Joe Klein outlines the journey he went through when his parents became sick and were hospitalized. While controversy exists as to whether Klein is promoting eugenics or euthanasia in his article, he claims that before his mother became seriously ill, she had left instructions that “she didn’t want to be prolonged. Article Here!  and here! What's your thoughts here? At what point do you allow a person to die and take no action to preserve life? What should be done with elderly Americans when they become very seriously ill? Should we try to save their lives or should we just let them die?

H ave y'all read the open letter Deborrah Cooper has written to 1st lady Taffi Dollar, the wife of Creflo Dollar? This letter comes on the heel of the news of the pastor’s arrest for assaulting his 15-year-old daughter.......In the letter Ms. Cooper talks about child abuse and domestic violence in the black community and how black women would  always defend the pastor or any man,  and throw the girl (or boy in Eddie long’s case) under the bus......Ms. Cooper claims that abuse must be common place in the Dollar Household and the aggressive and sexual dominate posture taken by Creflo Dollar during the alleged attack. I honestly believe Ms. Cooper is being unfair here by assuming that this type of behavior is commonplace in the Dollar household......Exactly what evidence do Ms. Cooper  have to draw from in making  and coming to a conclusion like that? I do not for the life of me understand the reasoning  for Ms. Copper to mention sexual dominate posture in her rebuking of the

George Zimmerman is worried about his wife’s safety now that she has been arrested and her mug shot publicized, his lawyer told ABC News. Shellie Zimmerman, 25, was arrested this week on perjury charges for allegedly lying to the judge at an April 20 bond hearing about being destitute while her husband’s online defense fund had $135,000 in it. After her arrest, police released her mug shot, marking the first anyone has seen Mrs. Zimmerman who has been in hiding because of death threats against her and her family. Even when she testified at the bond hearing it was done by speaker phone because she wanted to protect her identity. Zimmerman and his wife have both been in hiding since the neighborhood watch captain shot unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla. Article Here!