Via ExTimes,  we learn that the site has issued a challenge to the nation’s prominent mega pastors to openly repudiate the Barack Obama’s “two fathers” lie issued on Fathers Day.

Here’s what the savior of the US (SOTUS) said:
“Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a step  father, a grandfather, or caring guardian.”

In response, BCNN has placed a call to action on their website urging Christians to tell Obama he’s dead wrong on this.

“Black Christian News has called for the nation’s “Megachurch Pastors and Prophets of God to Publicly Rebuke this unwise President,” according to its website. Explicitly the statement calls for T. D. Jakes, Eddie Long, Charles Black, Charles Stanley, Pat Robertson, Tony Evans, Al Sharpton, Kirbyjon Caldwell, Jesse Jackson, David Jeremiah, Frederick Haynes III, and others to stand up against what it sees as the progress of a homosexual agenda.”

But will they do it? So far, not a peep.

Many Christians fail to realize (or want to realize) that Obama is the political equivalent of Carlton Pearson. His ideology is a political inclusion philosophy which (even as a self proclaimed Christian) drives him to devalue Christ as equal to other religious figures. The Word of God is used only as a social justice prop when convenient.

Even now in the 21st century in the church, we have some “preachers gone wild.”  They are generally driven by the lust for fame, sex, and money. Unfortunately, today in the church world integrity, morality, humility, and anointing take a back seat to showmanship, talent, pride, and those who can draw big crowds and money.  They look to be “Sunday’s best” by being the hottest preacher or singer instead of living holy every day of the week and presenting their bodies to be living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God which is their reasonable service (Romans12:1).

In the last couple of years there have been scandals of pastors caught in immorality. Why is this? The American church has been caught in the trap of pursuing the most popular, crowd-commanding preacher to put it on the map instead of  praying and seeking the face of God to see if the Holy Spirit has endorsed the preacher or not (Acts 13:1-3).  For the most part it seems like churches are not trying to build the kingdom of God through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, but through devilish sensual earthly wisdom (James 3:15).

These scandals of immorality on the pulpit range from adulterous affairs, to sexual assaults against female members, even murder. Believe me, the Catholic Church is not the only church that has its sex scandals of molestation.  Pentecostal and Charismatic( among other Christian denominations) circles have been touched heavily by sexual immorality also.

Just recently, like something written out of a soap opera, Houston pastor Tracy Bernard Burleson of the First New Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Houston, Texas was accused of killing his wife. Police state that Burleson paid his 20 year old stepson, William Darnnell Fuller, to kill his stepmother Pauletta Ross Burleson. Mrs. Burleson was found dead from a single gunshot that pierced her head and neck. Along with the arrest of Pastor Burleson and William Fuller, a third person, Tyonne Marie Palmer-Pollard, was arrested for tampering with evidence. Palmer-Pollard was having an affair with both Pastor Burleson and William Fuller at the same time. Also to note, before being murdered, Mrs. Burleson was aware of the multiple affairs her husband had with other women. Both Pastor Burleson and his stepson Fuller are being held without bail. Fuller has already confessed to the murder.

In the last couple of years, there have been other preachers who have made the dishonorable mention list of preachers gone wild.  A few are: Terry Hornbuckle, Sherman Allen, Anthony Hopkins, Sergio Alvarizares, Ted Haggard, and Paul Cain.

On August 28, 2006 Terry Hornbuckle, pastor of the mega-church Agape Christian Fellowship Church in Arlington, Texas was con­victed of raping and drugging three women.  Two of these women were members of Hornbuckle church. Not only was it found that Hornbuckle was a rapist, but that he also smoked meth. He even smoked meth with one of his victims, drugged her then raped her! He ended up receiving a fifteen year prison sentence. Hornbuckle before being exposed publicly received counseling privately from several ministers in the area. One of the ministers was Pastor Sherman Allen of Shiloh Institutional Church of God in Christ in Fort Worth, TX.   It can be said that Allens’ counseling Hornbuckle was a bad idea.  Allen has been accused of assaulting women and sexually abusing them. How can somebody that has same perverse spirit lead someone else to deliverance? This is hypocrisy and an abomination before the eye’s of the Lord!  Thirty five women accused Allen of beating them with a pad­dle.  Some even said that this paddling turned into sexual abuse.  The presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, Bishop Charles Blake, suspended Allen because of this.  However, despite being suspended by Bishop Blake, Allen has continued to pastor his church and has changed the name of the church to Shiloh Institutional Church and has dropped the “Church of God in Christ” at the end. 

Allegations of abuse go all the way back to 1983 for Allen. Lawsuits have been filed against him with criminal charges pending.  Yet, he continues to pastor like nothing ever happened and is still unaccount­able to leadership.  Its business as usual with his church and some of the big name preachers still run to his conferences despite his “major character flaws and issues.”  

In Portland Oregon, October 2007, police arrested Pastor Sergio Alvarizares for allegedly sexually abusing eight women in his con­gregation. Alvarizares was held on one account of rape in the first degree, two accounts of attempted rape in the first degree, and ten accounts of sex abuse in the first degree. He was later sentence to three years of prison in June 2008, after pleading guilty to attempted rape and third degree sexual abuse of sexually assaulting five women.

The next preacher to commit heinous acts of sexual immorality and murder is Anthony Hopkins. Hopkins a traveling evangelist (some had consider him a prophet) from Alabama.  He was arrested by police during a revival at Inspirational Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in Jackson, Alabama for the murder of his wife. Anthony Hopkins killed his wife after she caught him having sex with a teenage relative in 2004. He eventually stuffed his wife’s body in a freezer.  It wasn’t until 2008 that his step-daughter led the police to her mother’s body. On May 21, 2010 Hopkins was sentence to life in prison , he was convicted for murder, sodomy, and sexual abuse.

 Male church leaders not only get caught up with women, but with sleeping with other men. In 2006 Ted Haggard, the pastor of New Life Church, a mega church in Colorado Springs, Colorado was ex­posed when he was caught having an affair with a male prostitute. Paul Cain, a noted Prophet, was exposed in 2004 engaging in long-term homosexual activity.

These problems are prevalent because of the lack of accountability, discernment, spiritual fatherhood and mentoring, and lack of correc­tion. Pride, arrogance, prayerlessness, the love of money and the lack of a repentant heart is causing preachers to go wild in sin.

No one can take glory for somebody falling into sin.  We are one body in Christ.  Therefore, when a leader blatantly sins against God it affects the whole body, brings a reproach, and profanes the name of the Lord.  As saints of God we must strive to be a positive witness so that our light might shine in a dark world.

Let us keep this in mind: if we have not fallen, it is only by the grace of God.  Through humility He gives us the grace to live a victorious lifestyle in Him (James 4:6-7).  Preachers let us take our eyes off popularity and fame, and keep them on Jesus Christ who is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24).

Remember, His grace is sufficient to keep us saved, and not go wild! 

 Related articles:

• Sherman Allen/COGIC sexual abuse trial looms
• Pastors and Adultery
• Southern Baptists screen out sexual predators

WASHINGTON, DC — Tuesday Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. and senior women’s leader Mother Willie Mae Rivers of the Church of God in Christ accepted the National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM) 2010 Marriage Protector Award.

Bishop Blake is the worldwide leader of the Church Of God In Christ (COGIC), and Mother Rivers is the senior women’s leader. COGIC is one of the largest African-American denominations in the United States, and has a worldwide membership of 5 million people in 60 countries.

The award was given to acknowledge “the steadfast witness of the Church of God in Christ in defending marriage as the union of husband and wife.”

NOM Chairman Maggie Gallagher presented the award at the 60th Annual Womens International Convention/Crusade of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) at the Los Angeles Convention Center. “We are blessed by your courage, your clarity, and your conviction,” Gallagher conveyed to COGIC.

“I am here to present an award, but the honor is really ours–to acknowledge with gratitude the contributions of COGIC in standing for the truth that to make a marriage you need a husband and wife. At a time when so many powerful voices argue that this idea is rooted only in hatred and bigotry, we are blessed by your witness to the truth, which is really God’s truth, about marriage,” Maggie Gallagher told the assembled 20,000 African-American women and COGIC bishops, and other church leaders.

Although the term “gay marriage” was not mentioned in the presentation, its clear that Gallagher was referring to in her remarks. Under the late GE Patterson the church issued a strongly worded  official proclamation upholding male-female marriage and calling same sex unions a “violation of religious and social norms and are aberrant and deviant behavior.” [These] “unions are sinful and in direct violation of the law of God in that they are a deviation from the natural use and purpose of the body.”

It certainly doesn’t help that more and more “leaders” sell out continue to capitulate to antichrist elements within the church. The result will be total collapse of biblical morality and the ingress of full apostasy in Christian identified denominations. You heard it here first: acceptance and justification of homosexual clergy or members is the benchmark for incurable spiritual disease in the church.

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25. Read the entire chapter for what was happening “in those days”.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune notes that homosexual church activists are ratcheting up their push to overtake the Methodist Church.

The ELCA spent a decade arguing over the matter before it voted last summer to recognize gay and lesbian ministers who are involved in monogamous relationships. The United Methodists aren’t anywhere close to taking a similar vote; the best description of their situation is that they are thinking about thinking about it.

At its meeting next month, the Minnesota Annual Conference has agreed to accept eight petitions dealing with the church’s stance on homosexuality. But conference officials aren’t promising that the petitions will reach the floor. They will be debated “if there is time.”

The petitions address specific clauses in church law. They include lifting the ban on gay preachers, deleting the word “heterosexual” from the definition of marriage and removing the statement, “The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

Regardless of how the petitions fare, nothing will happen soon. Church law cannot be changed on a state level, and the national conference, which meets every four years, doesn’t reconvene until 2012. In fact, if the petitions fail to make it to the floor, supporters can reintroduce them at next year’s state conference.

Its unclear if those who opposed homosexual ordination in fallen denominations pushed back aggressively enough. Perhaps they underestimated the resolve of those obsessed with turning the church gay. That’ seems to be what the article suggests in part (i.e. “nothing will happen soon”). Unfortunately, all it takes for these groups to succeed is time and the passive complicity of church leaders.

photo credit:  Paul Jeffrey

The Dallas Morning News reported that the city’s  mega gay church Cathedral of Hope (lessness) is set to host the profane —not to mention blasphemous— Corpus Christi. Wikipedia describes the play as depicting “Jesus and the Apostles as gay men living in modern-day Texas. It utilizes modern devices like television with anachronisms like Roman occupation. In this version, Judas betrays Jesus because of sexual jealousy.”

The ‘gay Jesus’ play may be hitting the stage in North Texas after all.

Cathedral of Hope, the large Dallas church whose ministry is primarily directed toward gay and lesbian Christians, has announced that it will host a Los Angeles production of Corpus Christi, a ply by Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally. The play is about a 20th-century Christ-like figure (called Joshua) who is gay. In one scene, Joshua kisses Judas at the senior prom at “Pontius Pilate High School.” In another, he performs a wedding ceremony for two of his disciples, who are also gay.

Earlier this month, the play made headlines when a theater student at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, chose to direct a version as a class project. The student’s play was to be staged on the Tarleton State campus. But that show was canceled at the last minute, after vociferous criticism from Stephenville clergy members and others.

Then the director of a Fort Worth theater announced that he would host the production, only to see that decision reversed hours later by the theater’s board of directors.

And this is from people who claim to be serving and loving the Lord. And this is what we are supposed to “love, accept and tolerate”?

Related:  Texas Town Cross Over Play’s ‘Gay’ Christ (FOX News)

On Sunday, May 16th a Prayer Vigil is scheduled to honor the lives of Steven Ocean and Tite Sufra, two courageous young black men shot to death while sharing the Gospel on the streets of Boynton Beach, Florida on January 30th.

The event is sponsored by Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, and Dr. Gary Cass of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, and leaders in South Florida. The vigil will take place from 3-5 PM in the parking lot in front of the Boynton Beach City Library, 208 South Seacrest Boulevard, near where Ocean and Sufra were murdered.

“Just as we honor those who die while serving our country and communities, we must also honor Steven Ocean and Tite Sufra, two fine young men who were killed in the line of Christian duty,” said Dr. Gary Cass. “We will pray for their families, the community and for justice. This tragic event was largely ignored and under reported. This vigil is our effort to pay these two men the respect they deserve. All Christians, especially those who minister on the streets, are urged to come and take back the streets of Boynton Beach for Christ.”

“Our hearts are broken for the families of Steven Ocean and Tite Sufra. It would be unconscionable not to honor these brave young men,” said Rev. Patrick Mahoney. “The best way to honor their memory is to return to the very place where they died, pray for the community they loved and then share God’s love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. We will not concede even one street in America, but will assert our right and duty to proclaim Jesus is Lord.”

These Christian star-comes-out-of-the-closet stories seem to follow a familiar trajectory. We’ve seen it with Ray Boltz and Tonex. In fact I wrote in November 2008, “people get ready, Boltz’s move will only embolden others. Its just a matter of time.”

And here we are again with another singer named Jennifer Knapp. [Yahoo story] [Christianity Today]

To be perfectly honest, Id never heard of nor listened to any of this woman’s music, so I dont get the “star” accolades. She was nomintated for four grammys, but so have many other music artists.

A rising star on the Christian music scene is returning to the public eye with a new identity after a mysterious seven-year absence spent mostly on the other side of the world.

Jennifer Knapp is not only coming out with a new album, she is also “coming out,” a term the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter considers “very bizarre” as she nervously relaunches her career.

The 36-year-old Kansas native, who dated men during her college days, is braced for a backlash from religious fans who faithfully shot down whispered rumors about her sexuality over the years. On the other hand, she said in a recent interview with Reuters, “I’m definitely getting a lot more friendly winks from the girls (at her concerts) than I have in the past!”

Knapp’s story is familiar almost to a fault. Its one of confusion that most, if not all who have struggled with sexual expression and identity have experienced. The media quickly attempts to paint it as a conflict between the church and acceptance of homosexuals. But the source of the conflict is God’s law. Even if every church in America had full “acceptance” of homosexuals, it wouldn’t change God’s law.

In the Christianity Today interview, Knapp seemed reticent as to whether she would link up and be another spokesperson for the gay movement. Perhaps not. But mark my words, it wont be long before the gay christian movement sinks its fangs into her neck.

While Knapp pretended not to be all that concerned with the biblical aspects of her sin, she nonetheless quickly threw out the worn out shellfish arguement.  That one is in the same category and the Adam and Steve cliche.

“The Bible has literally saved my life. I find myself between a rock and a hard place—between the conservative evangelical who uses what most people refer to as the “clobber verses” to refer to this loving relationship as an abomination, while they’re eating shellfish and wearing clothes of five different fabrics, and various other Scriptures we could argue about. I’m not capable of getting into the theological argument as to whether or not we should or shouldn’t allow homosexuals within our church. There’s a spirit that overrides that for me, and what I’ve been gravitating to in Christ and why I became a Christian in the first place.”

Although the spotlight is focused on Knapp’s sexuality, it exposes another serious flaw in the way the contemporary American church has positioned itself.  This is why the church should begin reevaluating its support for the cult of celebrity in the music industry. The Stellars, Doves and all other award shows should be dismantled. Let’s see whose heart is to serve the Lord and who’s in it for the lights of fame. More and more, we are seeing that far too many of these people are being led by feelings, flesh and fan adulation.

UPDATE 04.16.10 12:49

CNN writer Lisa France has posted a well written story on Knapp and briefly looks at the wider issue of homosexuality in the church quoting both Lexi and myself as well the author of the Christianity Today peice who originally broke the story. Read the full article.

Americans For Truth about homosexuality has the full story here.

Why is this appointment significant? Well because The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.

Most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (20 employees in age discrimination cases). Most labor unions and employment agencies are also covered.

The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.

Basically, what Feldblum’s presence on the Commission  means is that churches (most likely the 501c-3 ones first) will begin to face stiffer rules about their employment  practices and even religious views on the ever increasing demands of homosexual inclusion. Any church who thinks that the homosexual activists will play fair and honor so-called constitutional religious freedom are fooling themselves. God gives us a chilling foreview of this in Genesis 19.

The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission said in a press release that Feldblum is particularly dangerous to the church because she’s publicly stated that she has little regard for the “rights” of churches to refuse “equality” to homosexuals.

When interviewed in her confirmation hearing, Feldblum stated that in any conflict that might arise between religious liberty and homosexual rights she would have a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.

“Feldblum also helped write ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. If passed, it would force Christian ministries to hire homosexuals who live in direct opposition to biblical values and opens the door for cross-dressing teachers in the classroom. According to Feldblum, it is simply a matter of, “Gays win; Christians lose.” The Feldblum appointment shows just how committed Obama remains to advancing an anti-Christian agenda.”

Exactly, this is Obama’s way of teaching churches who are against his homosexual payback schemes. Such a rabidly prohomosexual on the commission will certainly help pave the way for legal prosecution of churches who refuse to marry or employ homosexuals. Remember when Obama was campaigning? He  forewarned what he planned to do to “educate” churches:

“There’s a problem of homophobia in the African-American community. I will go into churches, I will go into meetings with ministers and say, “I disagree with you on these issues. This is not how I interpret my faith.” But the fact that we’re having a conversation, I think, allows the possibly that I will change their minds, make them more tolerant of these issues.”

He clearly told us he had no regard for the biblical beliefs of the church. But silly, race-enamored church people voted for him anyway. Just be warned again: your 501c3 will not protect you. In fact, it will mark you.

Related stories:

• Obama using religion to shape public policy
• Obama must be reading this blog
• Obama’s new [one] faith based appointments

Addendum

A little history per wikipedia on Chai Feldblum who is Jewish:

She attended the Yeshiva University High School for Girls in New York before majoring in Ancient Studies and Religion at Barnard College.^[4] Feldblum received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1985.^[7][8] She has said she decided to become an attorney when she learned that she could not become a rabbi in her family’s branch of Judaism.^[6]

An out lesbian, at one time Feldblum lived in what she described as a “nonsexual domestic partnership” or NSDP:

“I am in a NSDP with three other women. One of the women is raising a child as a single parent and the rest of us help with childcare as necessary. We take each other to the doctor; we take each other to the airport; we leave work early when someone needs help. There is no sexual relationship among the four of us, but there is an explicit and acknowledged commitment to care among the four of us.^[9]“

Feldblum argues that such households deserve the same government support and recognition as married mixed-sex couples.^[9]

Case in point,  on March 9th, The Commercial Appeal reported that  Dickerson LS Wells, a Memphis based pastor and “senior executive administrator” to Presiding Bishop Blake had “resigned” but COGIC officials refused to say why he left.

But Thaddeus Matthews, a Memphis based radio talk show host reported on his blog that Wells had stolen $20,000 of COGIC’s money. That prompted an immediate visit from Blake who flew in to personally ensure Wells was no longer in position.

“Sources within COGIC state that Dickerson L.S. Wells pastor of Bethel COGIC here in Memphis who also serves as a trustee of the national organization was asked to resign his position of superintendent By Presiding Bishop Charles Blake after it was found that Wells had diverted church funds for his personal use.

As Superintendent here in Memphis Wells was the highest ranking official of the national church having control of church funds and properties. Its said that Wells diverted a $20,000 check belonging to COGIC for his own personal use.

Sources state that Bishop Blake flew into Memphis several weeks ago and ask the stealing preacher to step down.”

So why hasn’t Bishop Blake flown into Birmingham, AL and told Bishop Peter Wren, Sr. to resign? That’s very easy to answer. If an official in COGIC steals money, they’re worse than an infidel but if they are a sexual predator its not a big deal. Well, it is on paper but who cares what a “zero tolerance” policy says?  After all, its just a diversion tactic to stop people from asking questions and demanding truthful answers.

Business as usual?

So is this about protecting the “name, image and assets” of the organization while ignoring the hurt, pain and devaluation of the people of the organization?

In November 2009, COGIC officials stumbled and fumbled over whether to remove a local church minister who was arrested for rape of a 16 year old girl. The church’s pastor refused to remove the man claiming he could only required “pray and forgive”. After considerable outcry from outside organizations, church officials finally settled on an unusual resolution. They brought in the jurisdictional bishop to be the church’s CEO. Later, the minister was removed.  We daresay had the minister stolen money, the removal would have been swift.

If you think that’s stretching the truth, look no further than the case of  COGIC’s highest ranking homosexual sex predator, the late General Board Member John Husband.

According to reports by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Husbands stole $500,000 dollars of church money. But before any of that came to light, it was an open secret known by both peers and subordinates that the bishop was engaged in numerous homosexual sins. Yet, nothing was done. But when Husbands stole the money (reportedly to pay for medical bills) COGIC quickly moved in the discipline him. In fact, the discipline was the severest on record. Husbands was defrocked and [sort of] excommunicated from COGIC.

As COGIC Bishop Neaul Haynes of Dallas reportedly said in reference to sex weirdo Sherman Allen, “old habits die hard.”

Dear Bishop Blake:  please go back and listen closely to the November 2008 message of the man you fired for stealing money. You might just learn something about yourself and your leadership.

A pro-family leader and former military officer is very concerned about the future of the U.S. military Chaplain Corps if President Obama is successful in ending the ban on homosexuals serving in the military.

As reported earlier by OneNewsNow, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council (FRC) had been invited to speak at the National Prayer Luncheon at Andrews Air Force Base on February 25. But because he had spoken out forcefully against President Obama’s desire to repeal the 1993 law which bans homosexuals from military service, his invitation to speak at the event was cancelled.

Perkins, who is an ordained minister as well as a Marine Corps veteran, had planned to give a devotional message — not a political one. He says what happened to him should serve as a warning to those who would dare oppose Obama’s agenda, particularly military chaplains who espouse a biblical worldview.

“[The Chaplain Corps is] very concerned about this policy in that if it does go through and the military is forced to embrace homosexuality, that there will be a mass exodus of chaplains,” contends Perkins. “And quite likely because chaplains have to be sponsored by an association or denomination, that those who have an orthodox view on Christianity and scripture would be disqualified from sponsoring chaplains.”

So Perkins says in essence the military would become void of Bible-believing, Bible-preaching, Bible-counseling chaplains.

In other military news, although chaplains who embrace biblical truth are unwelcome, other religions are being feted and honored with their own “places of worship”. The Huffington Post reported that in January the Air Force has erected a idol temple for pagans:

The Air Force Academy has set aside an outdoor worship area for Pagans, Wiccans, Druids and other Earth-centered believers, school officials said Monday.A double circle of stones atop a hill on the campus near Colorado Springs has been designated for the group, which previously met indoors.

“Being with nature and connecting with it is kind of the whole point,” said Tech. Sgt. Brandon Longcrier, who sponsors the group and describes himself as a Pagan. “It will dramatically improve that atmosphere, the mindset and the actual connection.”

My point: Get this on and get out and do this because this is in full effect.