The Old Black Church

Good morning online congregation have y 'all seen this schedule for today's funeral for the Queen of Soul ? If not, let me share it with you. Here is the full list of speakers and performers slated to appear, according to Detroit’s WDIV4: 

Online congregation there's an online social media debate and discussion on whether or not a "BISHOP" of the Lords church should be seen hurrying into a Beyoncé and Jay Z concert? Rumor has it there were some prominent Atlanta individuals from the church community who was seen in attendance at OTR concert. 

Online congregation compassion is more than sympathy and more than empathy. Yesterday when I saw the above picture posted of Meghan McCain crying uncontrollable over the casket of her father John McCain, it broke my heart.  But when I read this online alone with the post it broke my heart even more:

Good morning online congregation, talk show host and pastor Thaddeus Matthews is taking his brand of Christianity on the road. The Memphis base pastor who's known by many as the cussing pastor is going on tour Oct. 19, 2018.  

Online congregation there's definitely much more to the story of the pastor who committed suicide than presented. The wife said she told him he could do anything he wanted, but he insisted that teaching and preaching was his call. So sad, because they were fighting for him and fighting to prevent this outcome. Lord help.

Online congregation what a major upset last night in Florida, Andrew Gillum was declared the winner of the Democratic governor’s race. A Black HBCU alum and an alum of a school that Gov. Scott refused to fund this year in the budget.

Good morning online congregation, the black clergy meeting with 45 was for nothing... why am I not surprised. This was a shame from the beginning just like that so called meeting with all the presidents of the HBCUS. They were too happy to get a seat at the table but ended up accomplishing nothing. This is the most narcissistic and egotistical President I've ever seen.  https://praisedc.com/1908953/donald-trump-pulls-his-support-of-the-proposed-prison-reform-bill-that-pastors-met-about/

Online congregation what you all think about this TEXAS billboard? In my opinion the caption, how we take care of our families...does not make sense. Someone said that this particular clinic is black owned. Thoughts?

O nline congregation look at this gathering of charlatans. This is the antithesis of devout religious inferences. This is fascism in America. Wrapped in the "American" flag and carrying the cross God help us. 45 and his wife Melania Trump hosted a huge state-like dinner last night at the White House for roughly 100 white evangelical leaders. They wanted to honor the contributions that white evangelicals have made to American life. Many senior administration advisors were in attendance along with more than one-third of Cabinet members. Members of the White House’s faith advisory group was also there, including Racist Pastor Robert Jeffress and Franklin Graham.   ( You Can Read About It Here )

G ood morning online congregation "govern yourself/selves  accordingly." I'm glad to hear that The Queen Of Soul homegoing service at Greater Grace Temple Detroit will be live stream this coming Friday starting at 10 am. A homegoing service is an African-American Christian funeral tradition marking the going home of the deceased. The homegoing celebration for the Queen of Soul starts today Tuesday, August 28 through Friday, August 31.  

Online congregation is it me or does this course by Dr. Susie Owens seems a little costly, overprice, expensive?  The course is designed to inform and enlighten students about the active presence of women and their role in spreading the Gospel message. 

Good morning online congregation, I pray for the soul of this young man not having had suicide touch my family personally I don't know the struggle with anger and sadness his family is feeling and pray for them all. My deepest condolences to the family of Pastor Andrew Stoecklein. May ALMIGHTY GOD continue to strengthen them during their time of loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you all 💔🙏🏻.    Depression and anxiety are real!! You never know what someone else is going through. Pray. Reach out. Love one another. This is a harsh reminder that even the most faithful falter and fall into the traps laid by the devil. The devil hates seeing us so strong in God that he does everything to deceive us, lie to us and draw us away from the Lord. But we are saved by the blood of Christ and the devil cannot have those who believe in Christ.

Online congregation this is a developing story, most board members are godly and healthy. A toxic church board member is one that is figuratively poisonous to the organization.  But it's that kind of church board member that can bring great harm to churches and other Christian organizations. And it's that kind of board member who hurts the entire cause of Christ when word travels about such toxicity.

O nline congregation in 2016 Chrisette Michele annoyed, angry and pissed off her fan base after agreeing to sing for 45's  inauguration [You can read about it here].  On Wednesday night the R&B singer wrote on her personal blog that she was recording a gospel album. ( You Can Read It Here )

Online congregation I can remember growing up my pastors wife was called sister so-n-so, the pastors wife not the first lady. T he conversation yesterday in one of my Facebook group was about what's the role of  THE FIRST LADY?  And where is the Biblical backing for such a position? Is this title antiquated? 

G ood morning online congregation, the Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. asked people to pray for him as he prepares to deliver the eulogy for Aretha Franklin next week. Jasper Williams, pastor emeritus of Salem Bible Church, formerly Salem Baptist Church, was handpicked by Franklin and was informed of her request a few days before her death on Aug.16.

Online congregation on last night Pastor Ron Carpenter was officially installed at Redemption Bay area church by Bishop Jakes. Source Here:    

O nline congregation, Bishop J.C. White was elevated to the office of Archbishop and released his first book, Messages Behind the Melodies, covering his nearly six decades in music ministry. The consecration service was held at the close of the annual Church of God in Christ International Holy Convocation Services in Bridgeport, Connecticut and officiated by Archbishop Robert Rockford of Brooklyn New York. Bishop Marvin L. Winans, Sr. was the speaker for the evening.  Known around the globe as the chief architect, master songwriter and driving force behind the Glory days of the famed Institutional Radio Choir and the J.C. White Singers, Archbishop White has composed and arranged music that has become the fabric of recognized choir standards in church today. Among his hits are Stretch Out (When Trouble Comes), Talk It Over With Jesus, You Can Make It, Please Touch Somebody and Keys to the Kingdom.  His songs have been covered by the likes of Ricky Dillard and New G, Chicago Mass

Online congregation I found the following conversation in one of my Facebook groups. What's everyone thoughts on "First Gentleman" or Husbands of Wives - that serve as Senior Pastor? The role of a pastor’s husband is not really defined and there is no “cookie cutter” approach to follow. Can a husband’s role be equally the same as it would be for a pastor’s wife? Do you believe a Wife can effectively pastor her husband? 

G ood morning online congregation, is this man serious? He's  leading his congregation straight to hell, lying on the Holy Spirit.    Christianity is on the decline due to these very people and their hypocrisy of worshipping the dumpster in chief. One thing is for certain, there are things 45 has brought upon himself that will take him out. Remember Nixon and Watergate? Well, Trump's dirt is coming out in the wash, which will clean house of most ALL THE DIRTY LAUNDRY.

O nline congregation the take down of Omarosa Manigault-Newman and her husband Pastor John Newman has begun. In my opinion this is nothing more than a hit piece if I ever saw one. They have been hit with a lawsuit over the upkeep of their "moldy" Florida home and fetid swimming pool, DailyMail.com has  revealed. 

O nline congregation my heart is grieved this morning, after watching and listening to the Larry Reid live video from last night interview of 1st Lady Paula Scarlett-Brown the widow of Archbishop Roy E. Brown. In my opinion Archbishop Roy E. Brown didn’t do his wife justice. The more I listen to this interview, the more I feel that he should have personally done more to make sure she would never have to deal with mess like this.

G ood morning online congregation, this is an interesting story, why on earth would a pastor think giving his relative almost $800,000 a year contract for video production for the ministry was acceptable?

O nline congregation because of the big dummy that we have in the White House, the political theatrics of Washington continue to threaten the future of democracy and the moral fabric of American society. The Right currently enjoys a political monopoly on all three branches of government—Executive, Legislative and Judicial. September offers us a short window to influence the US Supreme Court and expand access to food. In a sermon delivered in the summer of 1967, Dr. King averred, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. 

G ood morning online congregation, I'm not judging anyone but I am shaking my head at this foolishness in the clip that's posted down below, this was a musical they called "His Music" where they take R and B top 40 songs rearrange the lyric, then rededicate the music back to God. Yes you read that right rededicate it back to God. They do it every year at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis. 

Online congregation it's official, a long time personal friend of Rev. C. L. Franklin (Aretha’s Father), Rev Jasper Williams, Jr. of Salem Bible Church Atlanta, Georgia will preach Aretha Franklin's funeral as he did her fathers Rev. C. L. Franklin. (Good Soldier) in 1984. Although the service is closed to the public, I’m praying it’ll be live stream. 

Online congregation a 38 year old Florida pastor who calls himself a “prophet” was arrested and charged with sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl on more than 36 separate occasions, including several times in a parked car outside her school. ( You Can Read About It Here ) Police say Ricardo Strachan, described in his videos as a prophet, doctor, and apostle, is actually a sexual predator who lives a double life. He is the president of Prophetic Worshipers International Church and often preaches about unity and integrity and other topics he doesn’t take very seriously in his own life. Police say he scared the child into keeping the abuse a secret by having her steal clothes and other personal items from her family for him to use in voodoo rituals. He also told the girl his wife was a cop and had a gun, according to a police report. Strachan had sex with the child in his vehicle in the parking lot at Dillard High School 10 times, other times he took her to a hotel, an arrest report

G ood morning online congregation, this is a matter that should be a wake-up call for all pastors wives. In all honesty, I feel as though we are only receiving one side of the story here. I'm not saying the church actions here is right or wrong but maybe there is more to it.

Online congregation " if these people were white and Christian, nobody would bat an eye over the idea of faith healing, or praying over a body or touching a body and quoting Scripture. But when black Muslims do it, there seems to be something nefarious, something evil " that's according to the defense attorney.

O nline congregation check out the above meme, it's like clock work, it never fails. I've noticed on social media that every time a famous person dies regardless of their lifestyle they are automotive put in heaven. Why is this? Are more people embracing Universalism and don't realize it?  Universalism is the idea that everyone will go to heaven, eventually and regardless of their conduct on earth—good or bad. For the informed Bible student,  scripture teaches that multitudes will be lost eternally. The scriptural affirmations are too profuse and definitive to assert otherwise. 

G ood morning online congregation, now the media has been reporting for years that "The Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin was a very private person. If that is true then, why in the world are they holding her body out for 2 week?  I loved her like every other fan does I did not personally know her, her family is the most important people no need to hold her out for fan fair.  She will always be the QUEEN OF SOUL even if her services are private. Anyhow, the Queen's funeral service will only be for family and friends. It's set for Friday, August 31st at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit. Aretha Franklin sang at this church during a service honoring Rosa Parks. There will be two days of public viewing at the Charles Wright Museum of African American History before her funeral.   (You Can Read It Here)

Online congregation while many preacher/pastor/teachers of today are planting and building brick and mortar churches, Dr. Juanita Bynum is building studios and becoming the preacher/pastor/teacher of the church of the air. 

O nline congregation, reading all the news stories about Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago this week is heartbreaking. Bill Hybels has been a big influence on modern Christianity. It is hard to understand how so much could go so wrong for so long. But I'm mindful that the Bible says we are to test everything we are taught against God's Word. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) It does not say that we are to test everyone. For God can surely use even broken people to accomplish His purposes. 

G ood morning online congregation, according to Scripture, the last enemy that will be abolished is death" (1 Cor. 15:25-26). Here is  some sad news, according to Gwendolyn Quinn "The Queen Of Soul" representative, Aretha Franklin has transition from time into eternity at her home in Detroit. She was 76. Her representative Gwendolyn Quinn confirmed the death to the Associated Press and said the cause was pancreatic cancer. 

O nline congregation Apostle Matthew Stevenson has come under  fire for an online rant for checking another preacher who posted on  one his Instagram posts. Apostle Stevenson was celebrating a remodeled section in the church and the person who designed it posted that Dr. Stevenson was not an Apostle, but an entertainer. It went down hill from there. 

O nline congregation here's a first of it kind women conference which has come about because of the #METOO movement. This workshop and conference is being presented by the Styberg Preaching Institute. 

Online congregation a ( You Can Read It Here ) Toronto pastor and self-proclaimed “prophet” can’t keep his identity secret in a paternity case just because the publicity could damage his reputation and hurt him financially, a judge ruled Tuesday. 

G ood morning online congregation according to a scathing grand jury report released Tuesday (You Can Read It Here) there were hundreds of “predator priests” sexually abusing more than 1,000 children in Pennsylvania for decades — all while being shielded by Roman Catholic Church leaders.  “The main thing was not to help children, but to avoid scandal,” the report states, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing: They hid it all.” The 900-page, partly redacted report looked at abuse allegations in six of the state’s eight dioceses that minister to more than half of its 3.2 million Catholics: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Scranton, Erie and Greensburg. The report was the culmination of an 18-month probe led by Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

O nline congregation Pastor Jamal Bryant post the following above picture and comment to Instagram: We must take a STAND.....all conscious Christians meet me in DC to let @realdonaldtrump know we will not be silent in the face of injustice. Organize to get there NOW! ...spread the word and repost!

"Evangelicalism’s newfound obsession with the notion of “social justice” is a significant shift—and I’m convinced it’s a shift that is moving many people (including some key evangelical leaders) off message, and onto a trajectory that many other movements and denominations have taken before, always with spiritually disastrous results." - Dr. John MacArthur G ood morning online congregation, my problem with John MacArthur, one of my favorite preacher here ( You Can Read It Here ) is that he's part of the problem. He has forever condemned Christians getting political and falsely attributed the motive of doing it INSTEAD of the gospel. But as this social justice movement proves, people don't get saved then get smart on politics. 

O nline congregation ( You Can Read It Here ) it takes a special kind of individual to put a counterfeit bill in the offering plate. If I had unknowingly passed a counterfeit bill on to my church, I would want to know. What if I had more? Or what if I remember where I got it, which might help the police investigation? And if I am printing them, I would want to know that church isn't a safe place to pass them, anymore.   What you think?

O nline congregation at first glance you would think this was a great idea, till you see Tami Roman from the reality show Basketball Wives is part of the lineup. That's a no for me!! Despite being on Basketball Wives and gaining a lot of exposure from that program, Tami Roman hasn’t been shown in the best light on the hit VH1 show. She’s been involved in some very ugly altercations and stuff that should disqualify her for anything positive like this. It’s Our Time is a movement of powerful black women who are coming together to uplift with music, comedy, motivation and empowerment. I don't know which one of those categories Tami Roman fall into. I ask you…What happens when strong, positive and successful women come together for a common cause? Life changing moments! Sisters United: It’s Our Time is a one of a kind evening of entertainment starring some of the biggest entertainers in the industry.

G ood morning online congregation, the fallout and backlash continue for those black pastors who meet with 45 a week or so ago. Pastor Sharon Nesbitt, senior pastor at Dominion Church in Marion, Arkansas, is one of many black church pastors who are facing backlash after her trip to the White House.  

O nline congregation records on church finances are not routinely given to members. I wonder why not? At this present time church fraud adds up to billions a year. Since many churches can't be trusted to regulate themselves, some Christians are welcoming the transparency required by IRS Form 990. Our responsibility as the members of the body of Christ doesn't stop when we give money to the church. Our responsibility as members of Christ's body includes bringing biblical standards of accountability and transparency into our churches. 

Online congregation watch how the First Lady of “The Sanctuary” at Mt. Calvary Church, Jacksonville Florida says she was "used by Donald Trump" and regrets that she was "complicit with this White House."  She claims that you don't know that you're in that kind of situation until it just keeps bubbling and bubbling. But didn’t she say that we would all bow down to Trump at one time? https://www.facebook.com/MeetThePress/videos/10157021752362871/

O nline congregation, I heard the rumor the other day on Larry Reid Live that Le'Andria Johnson was allegedly being blackballed by Gospel Music Great Kim Burrell and some Gospel Music promoters, now I'm not 100% sure that I believe that or not. Larry seems to think that the gospel community is still cancelling Le'Andria left and right since her rant last month.  Check out the flyer and clip below.

O nline congregation such an enlightening article ( You Can Read It Here ) . The Times-Picayune is marking the tricentennial of New Orleans with its ongoing 300 for 300 project, running through 2018 and highlighting 300 people who have made New Orleans New Orleans, featuring original artwork commissioned by NOLA.com. The Times-Picayune with Where Y'Art gallery.