The Old Black Church

Lights out for the retired Pope Benedict XVl. They say if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything. That’s where I’m at with the news of Pope Benedict XVI's death. Former Pope Benedict XVI has died, aged 95, almost a decade after he stood down because of ailing health. He led the Catholic Church for fewer than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415. Benedict spent his final years at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery within the walls of the Vatican where he passed away at 09:34 (08:34 GMT) on Saturday. His successor Pope Francis will lead the funeral on 5 January. The Vatican said the body of Pope Emeritus will be placed in St Peter's Basilica from 2 January for "the greeting of the faithful". Bells rang out from Munich cathedral and a single bell was heard ringing from St Peter's Square in Rome after the death was announced. Source:   This is how the private ritual for the closing of Pope Benedict X

Over the last eight years, T.O.R.I. has helped the state of Texas, which incarcerates the most people in the U.S., close eight prisons. Nationally revered, trusted, and successful prisoner reentry program—Texas Offender Reentry Initiative (T.O.R.I.)—celebrated the graduation of 98 program participants on Friday, Dec. 16. The luncheon, hosted by T.D. Jakes featured Grammy ® award-winning artists Fantasia Barrino Taylor and Kendall Taylor onstage for an in-depth conversation. Kendall Taylor, who was once a returning citizen and now a notable CEO, shared the stage with his wife to encourage and help inform graduates of their road ahead. T.O.R.I. is prepared to become a knowledge partner and help other national organizations replicate the Texas-based organization’s success.  The in-depth conversation between Fantasia, Taylor, and Jakes touched on criminal justice reform, returning citizens, and how programs like T.O.R.I. are helping them across Texas and soon across the United States. Over

Prophet Lovy Elias in a recent church service shared a prophecy for the upcoming year of 2023. He shares that it will be a dangerous year. It will be a year when the American Dollar will drop to its lowest value in history. He says a cloud is coming over America and if you cannot hear the voice of God you will suffer. Prophet Elias says the storms will blow and you must be able to hear the voice of God to know how to navigate. He also shares it will be a year of great tears, but for sons, it will not because God will give you guidance. He forecast, “it will be bad”, but sons will know how to navigate and weather the coming storms.   Check out the video and leave a comment. Source Here:

  Jesse Duplantis blasphemes God and Jesus Christ in his Christmas Day sermon by wearing a bow as an illustration that he is the gift Jesus Christ gave the Father, rather than preaching Jesus is the gift the Father gave us and seemingly equaling himself to God and Jesus Christ. Jesse applied the text of Isaiah 9:6, an Old Testament passage often quoted during the Christmas season as a prophecy about Jesus, in a way that some people took as blasphemous.   “ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders,” says Isaiah 9:6. “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ”   “ Where is the government now? ” asked Duplantis in his sermon, “The Gift That Jesus Gave To His Father,” which was published to social media days ago. “It’s on us. The government of the world is on mankind, and because we’re made in God’s image and in God’s likeness, you can call us Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Christ in u

Remember MAGA priest Frank Pavone, who once used an aborted fetus as a prop? This extremist leader of the U.S. anti-abortion movement is getting his just deserts. The Vatican just kicked him out of the priesthood—with no chance for an appeal. The Vatican has defrocked pro-life U.S. priest, Frank Pavone, for what it said were “blasphemous communications on social media” as well as “persistent disobedience” of his bishop who repeatedly told him to stop his partisan activism for Donald Trump. After he put that naked dead fetus on his altar. His profound disrespect for human remains was sacrilegious. I'm glad the Vatican finally agrees. Maybe he can get a job with trump. You can read about it here:

 

Amy Grant is trending right now because she loves her niece. Which I think is really sweet. While in the meantime, white evangelicals scream family values until it's Amy Grant caring for her own family. I'm still waiting for those jokers to realize how absurd they look complaining about Amy Grant after celebrating Trump for the last 7 years. Someone, please tell them how to read the room. You have no moral authority left. The more you talk, the worse it is. Try shutting up for a time, and see how that goes. The amount of LGBTQ people who have been shunned by their evangelical families is tragic. So, thank you Amy Grant for demonstrating Christ's love & being a real auntie🧡

Bishop Lamar Whitehead has been arrested by federal agents and charged with fraud, lying to the FBI and extortion. The preacher preaches a prosperity gospel the only problem with that message is he's the only one that's living a life of prosperity thanks to his members, or should I say victims. The bishop has been accused of scamming one of his parishioners out of $90,000 of her retirement savings by promising to use the cash to buy her a home. He is also being accused of conning a businessman for $5,000. If he is convicted he faces up to 65 years in prison. Whitehead is also being charged with lying to the FBI saying he had only one cell phone, but he had more.

Atlanta Pastor John Onwuchekwa is stepping down from his leadership role at Cornerstone Church, which he co-founded, to pursue bi-vocational ministry. He preached his last sermon today December 18, 2022. Pastor Onwuchekwa plans to focus on speaking, coaching, and helping lead The Crete Collective — a nonprofit group that helps local leaders plant churches in communities of color. He’ll also work with Portrait Coffee, a coffee roasting company he and some colleagues started in Atlanta’s West End. He made headlines in 2020 when he and the church broke ties with the Southern Baptist Convention over what he saw as a lack of urgency in dealing with issues of race. For years, Onwuchekwa said, he preached sermons telling people to build their identity on their relationship with God — not on what they do. Now he finds himself trying to live out that advice.  You can read about it here

Roger Taney left, Thurgood Marshall center, Dred Scott right This is why when people talk about the constitution, legal system, judges, and courts as if those institutions are unchangeable and perfect… I have to give them a serious Side-Eye…. Some of the most horrific abuses of Humanity have been deemed ‘legal’…🙄 The House passed a bill Wednesday that would remove from public display at the U.S. Capitol a statue of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney, who wrote the 1857 Dred Scott decision, which defended slavery and denied the citizenship of Black Americans. The legislation, which the House passed by voice vote, declares that Taney's authorship of the decision "renders a bust of his likeness unsuitable for the honor of display to the many visitors to the Capitol." You Can Read It Here

For those of us that follow culture’s arts and entertainment, we are very familiar with the infamously kind and personable dancer in the person Stephen “tWitch” Boss. It is with a sad heart that we learned, he committed suicide at 40 yrs young leaving behind 3 children and a beautiful supportive wife. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that police discovered Boss’ body in a Los Angeles hotel room Tuesday. Page Six reported that it appears that he passed from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.   

Rev. Michael Pfleger has been reinstated as the pastor of Chicago’s Saint Sabina Catholic Church after an Archdiocese of Chicago review board cleared Pfleger of sexual abuse allegations brought forth against him two months ago, according to a letter from Cardinal Blase Cupich.   Cupich wrote a letter to the Saint Sabina parish community Saturday, announcing he was reinstating Pfleger as pastor immediately following a thorough review by the archdiocese’s Independent Review Board and outside investigators. The Review Board, according to the cardinal, concluded “there is no reason to suspect” Pfleger is guilty of the accusations. “Having given careful consideration to their decision, which I fully accept, I now inform you that I am reinstating Father Pfleger to his position of senior pastor of the Faith Community of St. Sabina, effective immediately,” he said, in the letter, in part.   Father Pfleger! May God continue to Bless and keep you!' May all that is Evil stay out of your way

Televangelist Rod Parsley has gotten the Christian Community in an uproar with his latest claim that the KJB is WRONG Jesus never said "My God My God Why Have You Forsaken Me." If not mistaken there are things written in the KJB that were included as scribe notes, erroneously. This isn't one of them. It's a direct reference to Psalms 22 which is a prophecy from David describing Christ's crucifixion. In my opinion, Rod is treading on thin ice, here.   Source here

People on the internet are screaming that Paul Whelan was expecting to be included in the trade with Britney but he was not. He said his bags are packed and he was waiting for someone to come and get him out of Russia. Help me understand... Republicans are mad right now because they would have rather left Brittney in prison if we couldn't make a deal to exchange 2 for 1 with Russia? Or are they mad that we got a black girl out before we did the white guy? Just trying to keep score. Paul is a Canadian, born in Canada, and has citizenship in America, Canada, Ireland & England. Don't get me wrong we should stand with him, but those countries should too. He joined the US Marine Corps but he was kicked out for bad conduct and stealing. Russia will largely NOT negotiate because his charge is ESPIONAGE. He got caught with a flash drive of Russian names and had special Russian SM accounts. Night & day distinct from some cannabis oil.  Paul was at the airport in Russia with $80,

  Thank GOD, Brittney Griner is back in U.S. custody following a prisoner exchange with Russia for arms dealer Viktor Bout. Kudos to the Biden administration and all of the American diplomats who made this happen. This administration is awesome. 

My first thought when I heard she passed, was that she sought treatment too late, due to Scientology practices,  this is extremely sad. I have to wonder if it is not time to start asking some questions. One of the promises that Scientology explicitly makes to members is that if you reach the upper levels of Scientology you won't get cancer. They teach against actual medical treatment for illnesses. Both Kirstie Alley and Kelly Preston, two dedicated Scientologists, have died of cancer in the past two years. Condolences to Kirstie Alley's friends and loved ones. Kirstie Alley was a die-hard trump supporter and Scientologist who attacked some who had left Scientology, equated growing rights for LGBTQ folks to acceptance of pedophilia, and who mocked Steven Hawking when he died. She was a talented actress, and apparently a loving mother and grandmother, but not all celebrities who die are worthy of our admiration.  Source Here

According to online sources, Conservative and evangelical leaders are speaking out after Pastor Matt Chandler of The Village Church was restored to his pulpit. This is what he was sat down over .  A couple of months ago Pastor Matt Chandler took a leave of absence following some questionable behavior online. The Village Church (TVC) leader agreed to step down for a period of time after voluntarily disclosing that he had inappropriate communication with a woman on Instagram who was not his wife. Matt was welcome back into the pulpit today with a standing ovation.  Matt Chandler was restored to the ministry with the obligatory standing ovation! @wartwatch @DefendTheSheep @watchkeep pic.twitter.com/kjrY7yEaKB — Todd Wilhelm (@ThouArtTheMan) December 4, 2022

This is another interesting testimony of a 25-year-old who was bound to homosexuality and opened to perversion from the time he was 5. Effeminate. Years bound in crystal meth addiction. Steroids. He thought his life would be over. Then on August 20th, 2021, he went to a revival meeting in Greenville SC to hear  Apostle Kathryn Krick ...one touch from the Holy Spirit changed his life forever. According to Drew, no matter what you are in today, Jesus can set you free!!! Only in him can you find liberty and freedom. Turn your life and desires to him. Your life will never be the same and I PROMISE you it will be the best decision you ever made! You were made in the IMAGE of Christ! Don't let the world dictate to you what your identity should be. It will never compare to the abundant life that God can bring. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11   Source H

I always like testimonies like this one. It’s not easy being transparent about your life and your struggles. I love her strength and I appreciate her honesty. She is helping so many people with her humbleness in her sharing. When a person shares their testimony, it encourages the listener to keep hope alive. It encourages them to keep holding on. It also encourages them that if God has done it for someone else, it’s only a matter of time before He comes through for them. Unfortunately, too many of us are sitting on our testimonies. If God has healed your body, somebody needs to hear that. If God miraculously restored your credit, somebody needs to hear that. If God restored your marriage that was threatening divorce, somebody needs to hear that. If God delivered you from drugs and alcohol, somebody needs to know that God is still in the delivering business.