Doctrine Matters. Really It Does. And So Does an Understanding of Our History.

June 18, 2012

The speaker in the YouTube clip below is Dr. Frederick Haynes the Third.  He’s the pastor of  Friendship-WestBaptistChurch,DallasTexas.

I want you to listen to what he says.

Notice, later in the clip, he states that we are majoring in what Jesus minored in.  He goes on to say that Jesus never spoke against homosexuality.

It’s easy enough to dismiss this with the observation that Jesus never spoke out against polygamy.  Do a search in the Bible and you will not find the word “polygamy” being used by Jesus.  You won’t find him using the word pedophilia either.  And you won’t find Him using the term “bestiality” or abortion  So does that mean these four practices are acceptable to God?

The fact that Jesus didn’t speak against homosexuality doesn’t make the practice any more right than His not speaking out against (and I emphasize “against”) man-boy love, inter-generational love (children and adults), bestiality, or abortion makes those activities and proclivities morally acceptable.

However, to claim Jesus didn’t say anything about same-sex, or homosexual “marriage” is to silence Scripture where it quite loudly speaks.  At this point you may ask “Melvin, what are you talking about?”  As some of the pimps like to say, “Watch this.”

When Jesus was talking to the Pharisees, Jesus responded to a question about divorce.  He said:

6 “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.

7 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother,

8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.

9 “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

Notice what Jesus does here.  He defines marriage as an act taking place between a man and a woman.  He is very specific.  He didn’t say “And for the reason a person shall leave his parental unit and the person shall cleave to his or her significant other.”  No, he was pretty specific.  The pairing is to be man and woman.  The man and the woman are to become one flesh.  If people who love to quote Jesus are going to be obedient, they need to quote this as well.

In speaking to the Jews (especially the Scribes and Pharisees), Jesus pointed out that He didn’t come to abolish the law, but rather to fulfill it, to be completely obedient to the entire sets of moral, legal, and sacrificial laws.  (Matthew 5:17).  And what was included in those sets of laws?  A prohibition of homosexual acts (right along with adultery, fornication, stealing, and others).  And while the sacrificial laws are no more (Jesus fulfilled all of them) and the legal codes are no more (we are not a theocracy), the moral laws remain – unless you think stealing, murder, lying and adultery are okay now.

The claim that Jesus doesn’t address homosexuality is made either because a person is ignorant (but Dr. Haynes is a PhD right?) or because they are dishonest. But the one thing they are not is accurate.

Aside from the obvious error and failure to handle God’s word accurately, there is also the idea of making people comfortable in their sins.  Here is a clip from “The Young Turks.”  Notice what they say about the Bible, “hate speech”, and sin.

Dr. Haynes should be ashamed of himself.  He is attempting to mislead his congregation.  And from the looks of the audience, he is succeeding in doing that with a large number of them.  And he is lying to the unsaved.  The Turks think he’s great.  And why shouldn’t they?  He just got rid of all judgment, righteous or otherwise.  And he made people who are faithful to the Bible look like a bunch of bigoted hate mongers.  Remember to thank Dr. Haynes when the state tells you to stop preaching against homosexuality and they refer to “men of God” like him as the reason for punishing you.

Of course, this fellow from North Carolina, does an equally effective job of tarnishing the name of Christ and his followers.

Posted in Christian Living, Churches | 15 Comments »

Life Happens – And We Grow From It

May 25, 2012

If any of you remember, a few years back, I was in the process of becoming a part of a church by the name of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Temple Hills. The pastor, Eric Redmond, was (and still is) Reformed. He was moving the church toward the use of Elders for rule rather than Deacons. He was making sure the Elders had a good hold on Scripture and that they are maturing (even if not yet matured). I had decided this was the place to settle down in for the long run.

But before the change-over to Elders could be completed, the church was severely damaged as a result of a coup on the part of the part of several very treacherous, very carnal Deacons. They convinced the church to fire Eric. A large number of the congregation decided they needed to worship somewhere else. The church is still looking for a new pastor.

Fast forward a couple of years. Now I’m sitting at Reformation Alive Baptist Church, a REFORMED church that is also a Baptist church. The pastor? Eric Redmond. The government? Elders. We have three of them. So again I settle down, determined to let this be the place where I can contribute to the edification of the saints. Yeah, we rent space from the Lutherans. And yes, we meet in the great hall. But we were pursuing what I would rate as Biblical Christianity, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. And we teach and preach the Doctrines of Grace, without apology.

Then Washington Bible College (our pastor’s full time employer) ran into a good many financial difficulties that called for some quick and decisive actions on the part of management. Unfortunately, management rarely moves quickly or decisively, even at a Bible college. As the financial troubles increased, his pay was impacted, significantly. As his pay was impacted, his ability to support his family was impacted. In fact, it finally got to the point he has to step down as pastor/elder and take a job with another church (on staff, not as a pastor). As a result, Eric is will be gone on June 24th. Interestingly though, when we met last Saturday to ask what questions we wanted of him and the new pastor (more on that later), most of the questions were about where he was going, what the doctrine is, the environment and concern that he would compromise.

And did I mention that one of the other Elders (he doesn’t want me to mention his name – I think my site kind of embarrasses him) is likely to move on as well? That leaves one elder.

However, unlike the last place, this “break-up” isn’t the result of renegade band of deacons or spiritually numbed parishioners. It’s simply the result of life happening.

Despite the fact that everything just got a little more difficult, I have no intention of leaving. Instead, I am determined to support the new pastor (who was already serving as one of the elders and who preaches occasionally), Billy Wommack (with 2 m’s), and to do whatever else I can to contribute to the well-being and edification of the saints there at Reformation Alive Baptist Church.

And did I mention that the place is 22 miles from my house?

No one ever said life is intended to be easy (Thank you very much Adam). And certainly no one who has a clue would claim that following Christ is a cakewalk. So let’s see how things work out for RABC, the elder(s) and the congregation. This is going to be an outstanding opportunity to grow in Christ. Let’s see what we do with it.

Any of you readers want to step up to the challenge? We’re in Temple Hill. Just do a search for Reformation Alive Baptist Church and you’ll get all the information about us.

Posted in Christian Living | 6 Comments »

Why Do I Call Them Pulpit Pimps?

May 23, 2012

Some words are by nature ugly words.  Rape has no good connotations.  Neither do “murder”, “incest” or “bestiality.”  Another word of the same nature is “pimp.”  It’s an ugly word that speaks of abuse, sexual destruction, and a complete denial of human dignity.  It represents the complete distortion of sex, that great gift of God to man and turns that gift into a tawdry activity that should best be hidden in the night.

So, why do I refer to the supposed men (and women) of God who grace the pages of this website as Pulpit Pimps?  And of course the follow-on question is:  should I make my complaints against these men and women public?  Or is that some how against the teachings of scripture?  You know, the usual knee-jerk reaction of “Touch not God’s anointed” or “Don’t put your mouth on the man of God.” Am Ibeing judgmental to rail against them? Am Ibeing disobedient if I post information about them?

First things first:  Why do I call them pimps?

Consider the definition and tactics of a pimp.  A pimp is a man who lives off of the efforts of others, almost always women.  And he does this through the use of a specific tool-set.  An article on a site maintained by Prostitution Research and Education (PRE) does a good job of describing that tool-set.  Here’s a paragraph from the site:

An examination of the power dynamics between pimp and prostitute clearly illustrates how the tactics of power and control used to recruit and keep a woman trapped in prostitution closely parallels those used by batterers to ensure the compliance of their wives or intimate partners. The batterer uses tactics of power and control to dominate his partner within the context of an intimate relationship. The pimp uses similar strategies to exploit the prostitute economically. These tactics include isolation of the woman; minimization and denial of her abuse; the exertion of male privilege; threats and intimidation; and emotional, sexual, and physical abuse. 

Several things stand out in the paragraph:

  1. Isolation of the women (or men, for that matter) – The pulpit pimps pretty much separates the person from any other non-pimping source.  They tell the congregant that he or she is God’s mouthpiece, that you should listen to them and only them.
  2. They exert a privilege.  But instead of a male privilege, it’s the privilege of the “anointed”.  The oft abused and twisted phrase “touch not God’s anointed” is regularly applied to them and by them with the implied threat of spiritual destruction if you dare to disagree with them.  You’re seen as one who is against the very program of God if you disagree.  And you are in danger of hell fire if you dare speak out against the doctrines and practices of the “anointed” men and women (or as I prefer to call them “pimps and pimpettes”).
  3. The pulpit pimp consistently appeals to the congregant’s fear and desire for security.  Their favorite phrase?  Bless the man of God and God will bless you.
  4. Pulpit pimps play down their scriptural and spiritual abuse of the congregants.  When I approached one to warn him that he is teaching error as if it was actually contained in Scripture, he pointed out that the congregants could read the Bible on their own, knowing full well they were not going to check on what he said.  When I pressed him to turn from the teaching, he said it’s just a matter of us interpreting Scripture differently.  And of course, he had been ministering for 25 years.

I told you about a fellow who attends First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering (FBCBotK) pastored by John Kenneth Jenkins Sr.  Not only did he and his wife fall prey to the “ministry” at FBCGotK, he has also fallen prey to a second pimp who calls himself a prophet.  His wife, hoping to become a licensed minister left FBCGotK and became a part of the second church.  And she tithes there.

Despite my friend’s efforts to get his wife to leave the prophet’s church and re-join him at FBCGotK, the “prophet” has refused to counsel my friend’s wife to leave.  And I don’t blame him.  The woman represents free money.  All he has to do is stand at the pulpit and make religious sounding noises.  The people at the church then give him lots and lots of money.  They’ll probably even wash his car and clean his house if he promises to make them armor bearers.

Of course, if they refuse to give him their hard-earned money, he threatens them.  You know the threat:  If you don’t tithe, you are robbing God.  If you rob God, the devourer will come and take away all you have.  You just got a flat tire?  It’s because you are robbing God.  Got an unexpected bill?  You shouldn’t rob God.  You should give to the church so the pastor can accomplish his vision – a bigger church building with more people and more money coming in.

Unlike the street pimp, the relation between the Pulpit Pimp and the congregant doesn’t include sex or physical abuse.  But I would be lying to you if I said it never happened.  Ask some of the folks from the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) what they think of some of their pastors and bishops, a couple of phrases I apply to their leaders with some liberality.

But, you ask, isn’t calling them pimps and pimpettes needlessly disrespectful?  To answer that I have to go to Scripture.  What does God say about the men and women who fleece the flock, who devour them instead of feeding them?

 Jeremiah, in chapter 23, verses 1 and 2 rails against the  “shepherds that destroy and scatter his flock”.  When you consider what the false doctrines being presented by the people does to marriages, families, and faith, they are a set of men and women, not only to be exposed, but to be spoken against in the strongest of terms.

1 Timothy 6, verses 3 though 5 calls them depraved men.  Jesus calls them ravenous wolves (Matt 7:15).   In Acts 20:29-30 Paul refers to them as savage wolves

Should you pray for people like Creflo Dollar, Ken Copeland, and Joel Osteen?  Certainly, just like you should pray for the street pimp named BigMo and Brown Sugar, his prostitute.  Like the street pimp, the pulpit pimp is seeking money and power (1 Tim 6:5).  And just like the street pimp, the pulpit pimp is doomed to fail in finding the power or riches promised the average obedient Christian (Acts 1:8;  Romans 1:16; Ephesians 1:7).  Worse than that, the pulpit pimp, like Big Mo (if he dies in his sins) will open his eyes in hell, separated from the love of God forever.  But at least Big Mo had an idea of what was going to happen to him before he closed his eyes in death.

Posted in Creflo, Jenkins | 14 Comments »

You Know You’re Being Pimped – An Addendum

April 24, 2012

Earlier, I posted an article on how to tell if you are being pimped by your pastor.  Cop has provided an update to that list in light of the events with Mr. Gilyard. 

If any of these things happen, pay attention:

When the only person they can find to teach the word is a convicted child molester, you’re probably being pimped. 

If your pastor’s picture appears on the church bulletin & America’s Most Wanted in the same week, you’re probably being pimped.

If your youth pastor has to teach Sunday school by way of skype – oh wait!  I’m sure he isn’t allowed to contact children on the internet either.  Never mind. 

If the guest speaker at your church has to leave early so he can get to his mandatory sex counseling session as a condition of his parole, you might be getting pimped.

Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments »

Correction on Gilyard

April 23, 2012

I made a mistake.  I had said the pastor of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church had gotten busted for child molestation and when he go out of prison his congregation bent over backwards (keeping the children out of the main building and some other stuff) to bring him in to teach.

I was wrong.  The getting busted part happened at Shiloh Metropolitan Church in Florida.

It wasn’t that the congregation was stupid enough to bring their old pastor back after he did time as a child molester.  Rather, the congregation was stupid enough to bring a person in who has been convicted of child molestation (and accused of rape, abuse, and a bevy of other lewd acts) in to teach.

I guess there’s no accounting for taste.

Posted in Christian Living, Churches | Leave a Comment »

Goosebumps

April 20, 2012

I apologize ahead of time.  This posting is not about Pulpit Pimps.  It’s not about Christian living.  And it’s not even about First Baptist Church of Glenarden.  It’s about a comic strip.

I was on the way home this evening and read a comic strip in the Washington Post Express (page 35, bottom of the page).  It caught me totally by surprise.  I laughed out loud for a couple of minutes.  I don’t even blame the guy who was sitting next to me for getting up and moving to another seat.

Here’s the cartoon, one pane at a time:

Sorry folks.  It won’t happen again.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Tonne Survives to Post Another Day

April 19, 2012

The poll came out over a week ago. The results have been 2 to one in favor of letting him stay. 68 percent of you say he should not be barred. 32 percent say restrain him for a bit.

As a result, Tonne stays…for now.

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Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Get Your Book – Get Your Breakthrough: Pulpit Pimping for Dummies

April 14, 2012

 (Thanks to realchristianity.wordpress.com for making this available again.  My original is still locked up on my old server. )

Take your ministry to the next level. Walk in divine prosperity. Get the break through you keep promising the sheeple. Drive the best cars, live in the biggest house, fly the best planes and patronize the best restaurants.

The Dummies guide tells you how to convince people to give you more money than they can afford to give you. But not only that, it teaches you how to make those people to think you are doing them a favor by taking the money. We give you the secrets for convincing people to pay you their tithes BEFORE they pay their rent or electric bill. Do you want to make people financially dependent on you? We’ll tell you how.

You want to be worshiped as if you are the Christ? The Dummies guide teaches you how to walk, talk, and threaten so that even the most stubborn (though stupid) sheeple will be willing to quote you rather than the Bible.

Are there people in your congregation who regularly disagree with you and base that disagreement on an accurate understanding of Scripture? The Dummies guide gives you foolproof instructions on how get them out of your congregation and how to make the sheeple believe they are being obedient to God when they turn their backs on the rebel.

Once you begin to read the book and practice the techniques it promotes, you should see an almost immediate increase in your income. Tip toeing around you should increase by at least twenty percent – from the first week of practicing what the book preaches.

How do you intimidate without appearing to be doing so? It’s in there.

How do you get the congregation to buy you a house bigger than the apartment buildings most of your congregants live in? It’s in there.

Maybe you want to be the top earner in your state? Just like the rest of the stuff you want to do – it’s in there.

“Pulpit Pimping for Dummies” provides you all the information, and all the guidance you need to apply the information to get to where you want to be, to get what you want out of life, to rake in as much money, cars and other stuff as you want.

There’s even a special Scumbag section that has tons of information on how the best of the scumbags get away with sexual harassment and abuse, spanking, raping, incest and just plain fooling around with some of the Gospel groupies. We tell you how to intimidate folks to keep silent, what Scriptures to use to keep the sheeple thinking they should feel bad about doubting whatever you tell them, and how to make sure you are repeating “touch not God’s anointed” often enough to be effective but not often enough to lessen the impact.

What are the five characteristics of a worship leader that will make sure your offering always grow? They’re in there.

How do you pick the right men as deacons or elders to make sure you can take the church in whatever direction you want? Yep. It’s in there.

Want to know how to talk your way around the clear teaching against co-pastors, female pastors and bishops, or female elders? You guessed it. It’s in there.

If you order “Pulpit Pimping for Dummies” today, you will be on your way to becoming the top dog in your community. And before too long, you be reaching Bid Dogdom in your county and state. With a consistent application of the material, you could even end up on TBN and other venues for increasing your fame and ability to rake in money.

Here are some unsolicited testimonies from folks who have followed the advice in my book:

“I was having trouble getting the congregation to just buy me a new suit. But once I started following the advice of “P-P for Dummies” they not only buy me suits now, they even buy me cars. I had to build a new garage to handle all the overflow.” – Bishop Gary Hawkins

“I thought Pastor Melvin was crazy the first time I read his book. But after growing the church from eight people who wanted to follow Christ to 5,600 people willing to follow me any where, and give me anything, I recommend the book. Sure Melvin’s crazy – crazy like a fox.” – Bishop Eddie Long

“I went from a traditional Baptist church with two hundred families housed in a dinky little building in the center of Glenarden Maryland, to more than 7,000 members housed in mega church structure costing more than $55 million dollars. And I convinced everyone to build it in the middle of nowhere. Thanks “P-P for Dummies!” John K. Jenkins

“It’s hard to believe that people can be manipulated so easily. The stuff Melvin shared in the book works on television and over the internet just as well as it does in a church building. I would never have been able to get that second jet, the Citation, without his advice.” Ken Copeland

“Melvin helped me to understand that it doesn’t matter what you preach, whether you deny the diety of Jesus or the effectiveness of His death on the cross. He showed me how to get a really great business jet, residences in several cities, including New York City, and a load of cash like you wouldn’t believe. If you want to be the best Pulpit Pimp you can be, buy Melvin’s book. It will pay for itself by the next time you take up an offering using his advice.” Creflo Dollar

These are just some of the testimonies people have written in, proving that “Pulpit Pimping for Dummies” is a valuable tool for you to add to your preaching toolbox. With the added income practically guaranteed, you’ll be able to buy all those other book (commentaries, bible dictionaries and crap) so you can impress the one or two kind of smart sheeple you occasionally allow into your house.

Order it now. Get your break through. Be the best pimp you can be with no more effort than it takes to go out to dinner – at the best restaurants of course.

Posted in Christian Living, Churches, Copeland, Jakes | 7 Comments »

Interesting to Watch – But Is It Productive?

April 11, 2012

As you know, we have been engaged in a somewhat confusing discussion with Tonne.  It’s been going on for about a week now.  While he hasn’t really repeated himself, in all the time he has been commenting, he has really addressed much specifically.

Should I continue to post his comments?  You’re the readers.  You decide.

Posted in Christian Living | 8 Comments »

The Usual Suspects – A Line-up

April 7, 2012

So let me make sure I understand. First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering (FBCGotK) is showing an “award-winning film” in two weeks. The “award-winning film” will feature what FBCGotK describes as “some of the most influential pastors, bishops and ministers in the United States.” Remember, nothing appears on that web site without the approval of John Kenneth Jenkins, the senior pastor of FBCGotK. Stated another way, if something appears on the site, there is the direct implication that he approves of it.

Take a look at who is appearing in “The Scroll”. More exactly, get a load of who your pastor, John K. Jenkins, is appearing with.

  1. T. Dexter Jakes (a Oneness and Word of faith shill who makes a living selling products to hurt and damaged women.)
  2. Jeremiah (G. D. America) Wright (a Liberation Theology proponent who thinks Jesus was a community organizer and Che Guevara was his disciple)
  3. Shirley Caesar – Pastor. Tell me again what the Bible says about women pastors?

The list of folks in the announcement is bad enough. Look at some of the folks included there.  This is from the FBCGotK site.

Why would your pastor want to appear in the same film (supposedly promoting great faith) with Jeremiah Wright. Wright promotes a Social Gospel that doesn’t even come close to that which the Bible teaches. Rather than seeking to bring folks to Christ, he seeks to drag us into socialism and life that mirrors the miserable lives of those trapped in Cuba. He would make us all be equally miserable with state controlled medicine and a state controlled economy. What does this mean? Try to imagine the State Motor Vehicles Department running every aspect of your life.  And it’s not as though John K. Jenkins doesn’t know the fellow is in the film.  It’s right there on the web page.

T. Dexter, who by the way is your pastor’s mentor, is a Oneness fellow who doesn’t have the guts to stand on his beliefs and instead stands on his popularity, and his ability to draw a crowd stupid enough to throw money in his direction, over and over again.

The others on the list – certainly not consistent with Baptist doctrine (You know First BAPTIST Church of Glenarden). However, compared to some of the folks not mentioned in the Church announcement they are the epitome of orthodoxy. Even T. Dexter.

What the announcement at FBCGotK doesn’t tell you is that the following people will also be included in the “award-winning film.”

  1. Eddie (I’m rather fond of younger men) Long
  2. Frederick(Jesus Committed Suicide) Price
  3. Tudor (Yes, my wife is a prophet) Bismark
  4. Donald (I Got John Started) Hilliard
  5. Vashti (Yes, I’m a woman, but I’m going to be a bishop anyway) McKenzie
  6. Al (Forget About Tawana Brawley, Please) Sharpton
  7. Noel (The Weasel) Jones
  8. Kenneth (New Thing but Nothing in the Bible) Ulmer

As if this is something to be proud of, John K. Jenkins, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering, has allowed himself to included in the Bizzaro version of the Hall of Faith – the Hall of Fakes.

Let’s go with the low hanging fruit here.

What has Al Sharpton to do with faith, Jesus Christ, and Holiness? Nothing. It’s generally apparent he worships the CNBC hosts, not the Lord of Hosts. He is what one might call a poverty pimp who occasionally presents himself as a pulpit pimp. But clearly he makes more money keeping the general Black population dependent on Government charity.

Then we have Eddie Long. Eddie Long!?!? Do we even need to say anything here? The man was accused of pressuring several young men into a sexual relationship with him. At least Fast Eddie had the good sense to make sure the young men were at least 18 years of age. How can you say this guy is an inspiration? An inspiration for what?

The rest of the list is, in fact, a list of the usual suspects. It’s the usual list of men and women who seek to deceive the body of Christ, taking advantage of those who don’t know their Bibles well enough to know they should avoid these characters.

You would think that John would know that bad company creates poor morals (1 Cor 15:33). In other words, if you lay down with dogs you’re going to get up with fleas. Of course if you already have fleas it really doesn’t make any difference if you lay down with the dogs.

And John appears to be more than willing to associate himself with these people. T. Dexter is his mentor. Noel Jones spoke at the grand opening of the Monument, Museum and Mausoleum they call a church building over near Kettering MD. And other theologically questionable people have been involved in activities at the church.

Here’s a challenge for you. Ask John why he is allowing himself to be associated with the likes of Jeremiah Wright, Al Sharpton, and T. Dexter Jakes. And see if he actually gives you an answer or if he tries to blow smoke by trying to cast doubt on my character. If he tries to call my motives into question, you’ll know he has no sufficient response to your question. If you have the ‘nads, press for an answer to the question.

But wait a minute. You probably can’t get to him (except maybe at the end of one of his milktoast sermons). So tell you what, ask one of the Elders or Deacons (try Stan Featherstone or Deacon Grant for starters) to answer the question. What do THEY think about the fact that the pastor is associating with the like of the men and women in the film? Why is he allowing his name to be associated with them? And why does he bring some of them in to speak to the congregation?

Posted in Christian Living, FBC Glenarden, First Baptist Church of Glenarden, Jakes, Jenkins, Kenneth Ulmer, Noel Jones, Price | 20 Comments »

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