T.D. Jakes: Black Church Unfairly Portrayed

Christian Post Reporter

Tue, May. 06 2008 11:27 AM ET

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Black megachurch leader Bishop T.D. Jakes expressed pain on Monday at seeing the African-American church portrayed negatively by the media.

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(Photo: The Potter's House)

Bishop T.D. Jakes shares his message of hope and renewal with tens of thousands people filling the Georgia Dome during MegaFest 2005.

The media has painted the African-American church with a “broad, wide-ranging brush” as intolerant of other ethnic groups, divisive, and “filled with hostility,” complained Jakes in his commentary posted on CNN.

But that is just based on “stereotypical ideas” derived from the “extreme and not the norm” of what black churches are.

“Most, if not all, predominantly African-American church doors are open to all, not just to blacks, but to anyone who is seeking a spiritual home, guidance, support, direction, faith and a feeding of the soul in the purest sense,” said Jakes, founding pastor of the 30,000-member The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas.

Jakes’s church, although predominantly African-American, is composed of 20 different nationalities.

He added, “Many of us have worked with other organizations, different cultures and denominations believing that there is more to unite us than there is to divide us.”

Jakes’ comments are in response to the controversy surrounding Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama and his former pastor the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

In recent weeks, sound bites of Wright’s hate-infused sermons have widely circulated on the Internet and through media outlets. Wright’s venomous condemnation of U.S. foreign policies and racism in America caused many to view the black church as a hate- mongering institution rather than a house of God.

It has also cast a shadow on Obama’s campaign as voters question the authenticity of his message of unity and moving beyond what divides Americans.

But Jakes defended Obama and his message of reconciliation and change, and urged Americans to not be stuck on the misrepresentation of the black church when there are more important things to take care of.

“I implore you to not take the words of a few and depict the thoughts, hearts and motives of many,” the influential pastor pleaded.

“As an American I plead with you that we are running out of time. It is critical that we dislodge ourselves from political distractions,” Jakes emphasized. “We must return to the task of looking for the right man or woman who can answer the bloodcurdling cry of a nation that is in search of a leader with a courageous effective plan for the war in Iraq, and the medical, moral, economic and security issues that are being ignored by these distractions. If we do not, we will have done a terrible disservice to our coming generations.”

Jakes called on Americans to get back on track and start listening again to what the candidates’ strategies are to solve the problems in the world.

“My hope is that the church remains a vibrant part of our process, sounding the alarm that warns: America, please wake up out of our sleep!” Jakes wrote.

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treelucas

Tue May 13, 2008 8:32 pm
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God's will is being done - but we move ever so slowly. We must confront all sin as evil and stop dividing them into denominational or "big/little" sins. Racism, hatred, lust, adultery, and murder all lead to the same thing - death (separation from the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness). But the Gift of God is Eternal Life - both now and in eternity. Question is....when do we really, and truly want it!? Jesus already paid for sin on Calvary's Cross, but we are "still gazing up into heaven, waiting for our proverbial change to come!" God demands character from those who are "called by His Name." But we fall short of His expectations when we see color. The sad truth is far too many disciples of Jesus have been taught to live by carrying their crosses to the place where we eventually burn them. My Pastor reminds us at our church to "See Through a Given Matter" so as not to be tempted to succumb the satanic device of being distracted from the BEST that life has to offer - Jesus calls this "life to the fullest." The question at hand is: "what ever are we going to do with the Gift of God?" Let’s cease to trample it under foot. The greatest sin of the church - after all this time is the sin of disobedience - failing to love one another as Jesus loved us and gave Himself for us.
I won't sin by holding back my feelings here and I won't step over the boundary of communication by using "stirring words" but it is Jesus that we must preach! Then all the ends of the earth will fear Him (Psalm 67).

I close with this definition of preaching: "The proclamation of the Good News about God's Kingdom made manifest by the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God's Love-Gift to all mankind - with the intent of eternal spiritual change."

Beloved, because of God’s Gift, we all must endeavor to strive for the goal and prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus - SPIRITUAL CHANGE - to the Glory of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I bend my knee (holy living) to the One who sits on the throne in heaven and unto the Lamb of God, seated at His Right Hand - ever making intercession on the behalf of His Body - the church! May we never quit pressing on, Amen.

adc1967

Mon May 12, 2008 9:15 am
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When I hear and read that our popular Christian leaders continue to use language such as "Black Church" or "White Church," it reminds me that we still have a lot of growing up to do.
One of the greatest hindrances in the Body of Christ is, "ethnocentric" belief systems that do not help believers understand that the Church and its unique culture are clearly different from the world. Until our leadership changes its language we will continue think and conversate beneath our true identity.

Daniel Paul

Sat May 10, 2008 3:35 pm
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The problem is the press is putting all of black American churches in the same basket like it tried to do with the evangelical church and the nut jobs who bombed abortion clinics. It's an old trick of the press and needs to be acknowleged as such.

Wright is wrong. Christians know this. The press has an anti-Christ attitude in many areas. They love to hear people like Wright out there saying stupid stuff and connecting Jesus with it. Wright is not preaching the gospel in any of this stuff and it doesn't line up with the Bible. You shall know them by their fruits.

Racism isn't limited to one race. It is found in the old self in all of us and needs to be seen for the sin that it is.

paul1149

Sat May 10, 2008 11:12 am
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The problem here is that when Jeremiah Wright pulled the race card before the national press club, the many black church leaders in attendance cheered him on. If the black church leaders will not exercise accountability among themselves, how can one reasonably conclude but that there is a lockstep racist mentality?

All the smooth words will not gloss it over. We need black leaders who will speak out against Rev. Wright rather than cry victimhood at the hands of the media. Quite frankly, it's time for the black church to grow up.

I attended a black church for a season, and played in the band. Wonderful experience, people, and preaching, but there was indeed an element of racism coming down from the pulpit. I eventually left because of pastoral abuse.

I would vote for a black man in a heartbeat, if he were the right one. Obama has proven that he isn't, by his disingenuous attempts to cover over his twenty year intimate relationship with Wright and his church. Suddenly he would have left the church had Wright not repented or retired. Suddenly Wright's "crankiness" becomes an affront to all Americans.

Grandiloquence, indeed. Mere eloquent evasion. I'm sorry that Bishop Jakes' response here was not a lot more sound.

paul1149

Sat May 10, 2008 11:11 am
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Daniel Paul

Fri May 09, 2008 6:30 pm
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The goal of denominationalism is to lessen the power of the church. Whatever the lines of division the purpose is the same. If every Christian in every area went to the same church and that church spoke with one voice to love their neighbor as themselves we would not have many of the great problems in our society.

It is not just the Black Church in America that is being attacked. It's just 'their turn' if you will. The media is non-discriminatory when it comes to attacking the church...it wants to attack it at every opportunity. I worked in the media for over a decade (weekend warrior!) and I can tell you a thing or two.

For example, the media shows two interviews from Iraq. One person is glad we are there and the other wants us to leave. What people don't notice is the background. The reporter went out to get the interviews in the morning. The person who was glad we were there was an early day shot but it was the late afternoon when they finally found a person who wasn't glad we were there! You can tell by the sun, shadows and other things (my full time job was in graphics/printing as a prepress specialist. You learn that kind of stuff). My point is the media made it seem like it's a 50/50 situation when it is far from that. I know missionaries who are in Iraq and the VAST majority want us there and less than about 5% want us out right now. They want freedom. Learn the tricks of the press as they attack the church.

Give me a subject, how you want the story to turn out and enough time and I can probably even make it reasonable to say the Earth is really flat!

Chip

Fri May 09, 2008 5:11 pm
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It is not that the churches that happen to be predominantly African American are being judged, but we must understand the dynamics. How can we walk together except we agree? Is there a message being preached bearing "another Jesus"? I am a black pastor who has enjoyed many of Bishop Jakes' sermons. However, I question the energy expended to preserve or protect any church based upon its dominant race, whether black or white! Just as slavery was accepted by many white churches, it would be just as wrong to defend the ideology preached by Rev. Wright today. Should we fight to preserve our cultures and effectively or sufficiently take upon ourselves the mind of Christ? I disagree with Bishop Jakes on the point that he often acts more as an influential Democrat than an even-handed representative of the Kingdom of Heaven.

pvlman

Thu May 08, 2008 8:06 pm
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I'm not so so sure one who would deny homesexuala in the USA could be trusted to give us the truth. Who rights would they deny next those of the disabled, Mormons, Muslims, Catholics? That's right their right have been and are being den

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