Black megachurch leader Bishop T.D. Jakes expressed pain on Monday at seeing the African-American church portrayed negatively by the media.
Today's Christian News Online - The Christian Post
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (JN 8:32)
CP HOME
> Society > Church > state
T.D. Jakes: Black Church Unfairly Portrayed
By
Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter
Tue, May. 06 2008 11:27 AM EDT
[-] Text [+]
Prev1Next
Most Commented Articles
La. Governor Signs 'Science Education Act'
Obama Prying Loose Evangelicals from Republicans
Federal Marriage Amendment Re-introduced in Senate
Why I Thank God for Charles Darwin
Anglican Head Sees Risks in Conservative Proposals
Arizona Puts Marriage Amendment on Ballot - Again
Presbyterians Called to Face the Facts, Change
-
Megachurch Sets Record Straight on Recalibrating
When Car Seats Become Church Pews
Obama Prying Loose Evangelicals from Republicans
Conservative Anglicans Avoid Split, Launch Fight against Liberalism
La. Governor Signs 'Science Education Act'
Presbyterians Called to Face the Facts, Change
Will Smith-Funded School Raises Flags Over Scientology Ties
Featured Advertiser Links
Comments
While I agree with those who feel the press exploited the situation for rating boosting purposes it must be pointed out that no one in the media chose TCC as Mr. Obama's church. No one in the media chose Mr. Wright (I for one will not refer to him as the reverend) as Mr. Obam'a pastor. These are choices he made and must account for. No one in the media permitted this person to be pastor of a church for over 20 years with such venomous opinions etc. No one in the media invited Mr. Pfegler ( I think I mispelled that) to speak at that church knowing his reputation for race divisiveness. It was Mr. Obama's church that did this.
The reverend Jakes deplores the bad reputation the "Black Church" has gotten from this affair. I would suggest that immediatly and consistently not just when Mr. Obama is running for president (I refuse to call him a black man and contribute to the continunuation of the biological myth of race) that the reverend Jakes (and all other concerned pastors) had a duty to speak out from the pulpit and from the public media forums available to them to condemn Mr. Wrights comments and all those like them.
So long as the "Black Church" or any church gives prominence and position to those who would engage in divisive, hate based speech and conduct their reputation and ability to do God's work will suffer.
I would hope that all church's would see this as sign post for not allowing their pulpits to become a vehicle for those who wish to promote agendas of devisiveness whether "race" based or otherwise.
For clarification I take the view that it makes as much sense to classify people by skin color as it does to sort them by eye, or hair color. Therefore I refuse to complete on government or other surveys questions that sort on the basis of skin color or to acknowledge such differences as legitimate terms.
The only African Americans I know are immigrants from the continent of Africa (some of which have white skin color)
God does not see color, so why are we? Preachers need to preach the TRUTH about racism, lying, and Satan from the pulpit and not worry about offending anybody. I am offended because these messages are not preached. Political Correctness is killing us in the world. Please don't let it catch on in the church.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
I flagged myself. My post was meant for another article.
Forgive me brother my previous comment was directed toward "dgnymn".... I miss typed, have a blessed day...
Forgive me if I did not make myself clear "wrhalver". I understand that the "black" and the "white" church exsist, I also understand that our soul is to be presented in the last day for judgement, but it is not for me, or anyone, to judge the eternal soul of one man or another, that is Gods job. My job is to present the truth of the Gospel, be a vessel for the use of the Master, and keep myself from throwing stones as the pharasises did. This is not to say that I should not stand and be counted for rightousness sake, because I will war with you. I am saying "that the greatest commandment is love", and to love without condition by the Spirit of God is more powerful than denomination, color of skin, theological background, and any weapon the adversary can use. The Word of God is the most powerful weapon ever fashioned, and I desire to stewart it as the principle foundation for every word I speak and the life I live. In saying that, my first obligation is to look at the plank in my own eye, and see that the same God that loves me loves my brother or my sister who is struggling under deception. So I pray for their deliverance, and I pray for their soul, because I know that without repentance what the Word of God says will happen. That is my cry, my heart for the people of God, meet at the cross and see that sin is sin, no one sin God says is ok, and we are all in need of His love grace, and salvation. So I work out my salvation with fear and trembling before God. Put down the stones and love your neighbor as yourself. Pray for your brother, and love on the lost that they might see the transforming work of the Lord our God.
Galatians 3:28 (New King James Version)
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
The LORD is NO respector of persons...HE loves all His creation, whether they acknowledge Him or not; whether they choose Christ or not...God is always GOD!
There is NO Black or White Church....the BODY OF CHRIST is ONE in UNITY, FAITH< HOPE< LOVE!!!
How can you say you love God whom you have not seen, but hate your brother!
God is calling us to UNITY and that unity expresses itself in LOVE for one another in Christ Jesus! All those who say there is a separate church, do not know Jesus Christ intimately...they only know about Him...knowing about someone is not the same as KNOWING HIM!
I love my brothers and sisters in the body of Christ...no matter who they are, where they come from...we are all GOD's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus!
If you hold to a different Gospel, then you are serving a false Jesus. Divisions and Denominations (also divisions) are not from God. If you can see many are coming out of those and into a fellowship of believers, who simply want more of GOD and no more RELIGION!!
Check out the revival breaking out in Florida, and in many other cities around the world..and you know why!!! GOD IS SHOWING UP!!! And HE is hearing the cries of the people....who are sick of "church as usual" and want JESUS CHRIST!!!! HE is the only Answer for what ails America and the World...COME LORD JESUS COME!!
dgnymn
You said:
"Hey, Marbeblackmon...Hey wrhalver...Hey, artm....Hey, Pastor Nick OCI...you all need to get your GLASSES AND HEADS ON!!!! For whatever it's worth, there IS a BLACK CHURCH AND A WHITE CHURCH, whether you like it or not!!!!"
The message of Jesus Christ is not based on race, it is based on faith.
The soul has no color, it is either pure or it is blemished.
It is not flesh and blood that will be presented at the Day of Judgement, it is your soul.
SO...my last message was flagged as inappropriate?? And why??? For speaking the truth???
The truth of the matter is this....Why is T.D. Jakes defending Obama, when Obama has spent the last 20 years of his life attending Jeremiah Wright's church and he also signed on to the Black Liberation Theology. That's the truth. Also...Obama is a supporter of the murder of children, also called abortion, and he supports the Homosexualization of this country by giving complete and unequivocal rights to homosexuals. Does this concern anyone? Does it concern T.D.Jakes? I'm appalled that Obama has not been called on the carpet by the leaders of the Black church in this nation!!!
And isn't it interesting that in the picture that goes together with this article, we see the figure of Jesse Jackson!!! Hmmm...religiously correct???
REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!!!
Doesn't everyone know that TD JAKES is not TRINITARIAN!! He is only about Jesus. You can not be for Jesus only. Heretic.
Have you stopped one moment to think – Why there is a Black Church? We were excluded from your churches. Jakes needs no repenting. How ever you may need an introduction to salvation. When your actions and comments reflect nothing of God, one only has to believe you don’t know Him. A child knows sound bites and splits from a video. We never heard one of Wright’s sermon in its entirety? The church, religion all are under attack. Texas over stepping its boundaries moving children because they don’t like the religion they practice. We love, we forgive and we include all to worship a true and living God in the true beauty of holiness. It has to hurt God that those who claim to know Him presenting Him in such a ugly manner. If those who claim to be His would present themselves in a way of introducing others as to how God looks we would be a better people.
Hey, Marbeblackmon...Hey wrhalver...Hey, artm....Hey, Pastor Nick OCI...you all need to get your GLASSES AND HEADS ON!!!! For whatever it's worth, there IS a BLACK CHURCH AND A WHITE CHURCH, whether you like it or not!!!!
I am so grieved by this. We are supposed to be the Church of Jesus Christ, and I see on here self professing believers using terms like the "black church" or the "white church", purposefully using terminology that is divisive. Regardless of what Mr. Wright, which is un-Christ-like with out question, were is the church that loves his brother and prays for his soul. Were is the church that comes together and rallies for the congregation that has been fed by this man. Were is the church that stands on the rock of their salvation and weeps for their family that is blind and lost in the doctrines of men. Church, let us rise and find the dividing lines that separate us from the power of unity in Christ and crush them by the Spirit of God, and in doing so we will win back a nation and reap the harvest of souls that is waiting and dying for the truth.
Barak Hussein Obama is a disapointment because he imbibed twenty years of racist hate to taint his thinking, his philosophy, and his spirit. Look at his actions and his words and you see rotten fruit even as his outward appearance is smooth and cultured. Think of white sepulchres - clean on the outside, but corrupt within. If this is the result of the 'black church' in America then God help us all because we will NEVER get past this racial divide this side of heaven. I think the false prophets and race baiters who praise and support Jeremiah Wright (and his influence on BHO) have other matters in mind rather than the work of preaching the Gospel. I am a white man who wanted to vote for BHO because I thought change could come about, but now I can never vote for such a fraud.
I hear much about the " Black Church " and the " White Church ". There is but one Church, That is the " Christ-ian Church ".
That Church, as someone said, Is a " Red " Church, Made so by the Blood of Jesus Christ..
May that Church stand up and declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the only hope for this world, and the only hope for this sleeping Generation.
I pray to God our pastors get back on track.
The black church HAS been the primary source of power for one political party by channeling the votes into it. Yes, even those who hate God openly get the black vote without question! Its time for a change!!!!
>"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."
Americans are still listening. What we are hearing is a racial divide in society that is currently having a great impact on the church due to this election season. The Body of Christ is supposed to be peculiar to the secular world, not to itself.
>“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."
Hope? This is a must. The church must remain a vibrant part of our process. This is why Christ died for this world.
I'm not sure but it sounds like TD Jakes has been thrown off-track a little.
Jakes is a "Jesus Only" guy and there is little good that can come from a heretical foundation.
Sorry, I meant the 20th centurn.
The black church was the one first by the Holy Spirit on Azuza. This was the greatest revival in the 29th century. It was the white church who formed their own denomination out of that.I being white, and loving my black brethern, have seen the black church as loving, kind and tolerant people who have become very wary of the white church, and now I believe it is God's time for all of that to cease and that AL:L of His children might love and flow together in His love.
Then why did the black church leaders at the national press club applaud Wright when he said that an attack on him was an attack on the black church? If the black church wants to escape stereotyping it must abandon the circled wagons and discipline its own.
Then why did the black church leaders at the national press club applaud Wright when he said that an attack on him was an attack on the black church? If the black church wants to escape stereotyping it must abandon the circled wagons and discipline its own.
I think we miss the point, this is not about the black church, Black Theology or liberation theology (who thought we would be turning that soil again) but it is about judgment, poor judgment that the man who wants the job as the most powerful man on earth can display such poor judgment and sit and listen to and be a friend of Pastor Wright for 20 years, I cannot trust my life and future and care of the free world to a man with such bad judgment.
As a white man I thought I could like this man because he is not a raving black wild man like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton et al but his judgment let him down, standing somewhere in the shadows there was Rev. Wright.
TD JAKES is a complete joke!!! He is about the Gospel of Greed. Why can't people like Jakes, Creflo Dollar, and the many other mega church pastors take a lesson from Billy Graham?
Billy Graham would have been a billionaire, but he had a modest upper middle income and did not drive his car to impress.
All of these FALSE PROFITS are about the Bling. I'd love to see any of these men take a vow of poverty and see if they still wanted to spread the Gospel? Take up your cross if you want to follow Jesus, but they have no cross they have a Bentley and a Mansion.
These False Profits are a total sell out to historical christianity. You can only serve one master.
I dont know anybody that thinks all black churches "preach" and think like Wright does.
How could Obama be a friend of Wright and not know how he thought.
Birds of a feather?
Perhaps someone can cite some references where the media is trying to associate Mr. Wright's philosophy with other churches'? The controversy surrounding Mr. Wright has not affected my perception of other black congregations, nor have I noticed any appreciable effort on behalf of any mainstream media that would match Mr. Jakes opinions.
From my own observations, Mr. Jakes seems to share many of Mr. Wright's own core ideas, albeit without all the wild, incendiary invective and conspiracy theories. We have a saying here: "The bit dog hollers the loudest."
Now we all have flaws and the black church has them also and we must look at some things that we may not want to look at . no family is perfect yet there are things about the black church that i am not proud of but that dose not make it not true let's face it it's called acountability( can you dig it)
You cannot not be a Christian and separate God and politics. Solmon pray that God would give him wisdom to rule over God's people. Christians are God's people we need a Christian ruler as our leader.
Whether it is black or whites sin is sin. We should not throw stones says you have more sin than me. God hates ALL sin. He is not a respector or persons.
But let us not forget the old testament when God ordered Joshua to kill everything in Jericho. All children are not God's. If you think otherwise reread your old testament.
T.D. JAKES EXPOSED IN THE BOOK SNAKES IN THE PULPIT
WWW.SNAKESINTHEPULPIT.COM
WWW.REUBENARMSTRONGSHOW.COM
I agree.
If Jakes is defending Obama he is not helping the image of black Christians.
Obama supports baby killing.
That is a plain black and white (mostly black since they are killing their babies in greater proportion than whites) fact.