“Why Dodge the Sex Question?”  Is Sexual Immorality Destroying the African American Community?
In November 1929 Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Sr. (pictured) published a series of sermons on sexual perversion. Powell claimed sexual perversion was steadily increasing in large American cities, particularly among women and ministers.  During this time many Black men and women left their spouses for members of the same sex.  Powell stated that homosexuality was one of the powers that debased a race of people.  It also caused a rejection of familial responsibility that held the black community together and therefore, made it a viable political entity.  He further went on to state that there was an increase in the number of black ministers who placed their own desires for personal gratification, prestige, and wealth over the interest of their congregation.  Having a sense of entitlement was at the root of homosexuality[source].
Rev. Powell instituted sex education classes in his church taught by medical doctors.  To his critics Powell replied, “why dodge the sex question?”  He stated that ignorance was the reason so many diseases spread. Didn’t Hosea 4:6 say, “…my people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge?”

Almost sixty years ago the late Harlem US congressman Reverend Adam Clayton Powell Jr. wrote an article entitled, “Sex in the Church.”  Appearing in the November 1951 issue of Ebony Magazine, the article first spoke about the need for sex education in the African-American Church.  Revered Powell told a story about an unidentified pastor’s grief over the death of his handsome and talented personal male assistant. Powell described the funeral of that of a scene out of Arabian nights with a lavish spread of flowers and a very expensive coffin.  But what Powell found most disturbing was the preacher’s quavering voice, tear soaked eyes and shaking body.  The pastor even attempted to leap into the casket!  He went on to write that the minister’s broken sobs were those of someone who had just lost his lover. As it turned out, the two had been involved in an unnatural relationship for a number of years and the entire congregation knew about it.  Today this “man of God” is one of the most powerful and respected Negro pastors in all America.  The preacher Powell was referring to was Detroit Prophet Jones (James Francis Jones) and his longtime companion James Walton.  Jones was said to be very flamboyant and exhibited feminine tendencies.  And he himself admitted that he lived differently from other men!

Powell Jr. was absolutely right when he said there was a need for sex education with all the homosexuality that was taking place in the Black Church.  However, Powell Jr. was no saint either.  He committed adultery on his first wife [source]!

Adam Clayton Powell Senior and Junior had timeless messages that are still relevant today.  If we fast forward to the twenty first century we see the rampant homosexuality that is taking place in the gospel music industry.  We hear more and more about sexual abuse cases, mega-superstar preachers committing adultery, down-low brothers and all other sorts of sexual perversion.  What happened to holiness and sanctification?

Our church leadership has failed in the area of promoting sexual purity and standing on the principles of God’s Word when it comes to this subject.  For the most part, they have been muted from speaking out against immorality across the pulpit.  There are pastors who will look away at the immoral lifestyle of their talented singers, preachers, and prophets.  As long as they draw a crowd and bring in money, they will choose to believe that God is endorsing their sinful people.  They love prophets that ”prophet lie” and  prophesy blessings, instead of the truth.  Isaiah 56:10-11 says, “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea they are greedy dogs which can never have enough and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.” They won’t bark out against the sexual immorality that is taking place in the four walls of the church and it brings a reproach on the Church of Jesus Christ because of the hypocrisy.

When God gave Moses the Torah, it just wasn’t just a book of arbitrary laws.  It was a book of instructions for the nation to live by and to be separated unto YHWH.  It taught the people to be “sanctified in their own sexuality” and to not take on the sexual practices of pagan Gentile nations. Leviticus 18:3 says, “After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.” The entire chapter of Leviticus 18 was dedicated in instructing Israel to abstain from unlawful sexual relations and to follow the Torah.  In short, it educated the nation of Israel on “sanctified sexuality.”  This made the nation of Israel very different from any other nation at the time because the Gentile nations had no sexual boundaries.

Here in the United States a whopping 78% of Americans identify with being a Christian.  But it seems that a lot of Americans are not practicing what they profess they are.   Are we really practicing Christianity or are we practicing Satanism?  As Christians we follow what is said in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, “What God wants is that you be holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to manage his sexual impulses in a holy and honorable manner, without giving in to lustful desires, like the pagans who don’t know God.” Are Christians that don’t abstain from sexual immorality really Satanist by de facto?  The first commandment of Satanism is  indulgence instead of abstinence and this promotes self indulgence of the flesh. 

The United States boasts the highest percentage of professional evangelicals in the industrialized world.  According to polls, 46 percent of Americans consider themselves to be born-again with the highest percentage in the African-American community at 59 percent[source].  However, America has the highest percentage of single parent homes, the highest abortion rate, the highest sexually transmitted diseases rate, and the highest teenage birth rate.  Isn’t it funny that one in three Americans or 90 million people  claim to be born-again[ source]?

Sex education is most needed in the Church!   We just can’t depend on the federal government or school system to teach sex education to our children.  Its taught from worldly point of view, and not from the standpoint of the Word of God. Even adults within the Church need to be taught the disciplines of sanctified sexuality in the context according to the Word of God.

Planned Parenthood is not a viable options either to teach sex education to the church. They teach kids that masturbation is safe and healthy and that using condoms is way to practice safe-sex.  What they fail to tell you is that a person can contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) through skin on skin contact and not just the exchange of fluids. The group also teaches that if a person can’t practice abstinence, than s/he can use lower risk activities such as: manual stimulation, mutual masturbation (phone-sex, cybersex, etc.), erotic massage, kissing, body rubbing, or oral sex[source].  Abortion is a tool for birth control, and to eliminate unwanted pregnancy.  Planned Parenthood definitely does not promote the biblical-based teaching that God created sex for the enjoyment and confinement of marriage between a husband and wife.

 Has sexual immorality devastated the Black Community?

Does the Black Church need sex education?

Has the Black Church been impacted by sexual immorality?

Part Two of, “Does the Black Church Need Sex Education” will examine these questions.

First, GCM Watch is seeking testimonials of former members of gay churches namely: Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), any affiliate churches of The Fellowship (Bishop Yvette Flunder), Unity Fellowship Church Movement or any independent gay church. In addition, if you were part of an “affirming” or “inclusive” church, but left because you no longer accepted its false doctrines, please contact GCM Watch as soon as possible.

Secondly, if you have visited, but never joined a gay/affirming/inclusive church your personal narrative of that experience is also welcomed. Please tell us what you saw and heard.

Third, if you know of someone who fits the criteria above, forward this information to them and ask them to contact GCM Watch.

These personal narratives are being sought to provide a balanced and truthful counter to the lies currently being promoted by gay churches about biblical sexual morality. These organizations promise an overabundance of love, value and acceptance but what are they actually delivering to hurting and confused people?

Contact GCM Watch at gcmwatch@yahoo.com
Partial list of “affirming/inclusive” religious organizations here .

First,  GCM Watch is seeking testimonials of former members of gay churches namely: Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), any affiliate churches of The Fellowship (Bishop Yvette Flunder), Unity Fellowship Church Movement  or any independent gay church. In addition, if you were part of an “affirming” or “inclusive” church, but left because you no longer accepted its false doctrines, please contact GCM Watch as soon as possible.

Secondly, if you have visited, but never joined a gay/affirming/inclusive church your personal narrative of that experience is also welcomed.

Third, if you know of someone who fits the criteria above, forward this information to them and ask them to contact GCM Watch.

These personal narratives are being sought to provide a balanced and truthful counter to the lies currently being promoted by gay churches about biblical sexual morality. These organizations promise an overabundance of love, value and acceptance but what are they actually delivering to  hurting and confused people? 

• Contact GCM Watch at gcmwatch@yahoo.com
• Partial list of “affirming/inclusive” religious organizations here and here.

This announcement will repost each month.

But, we learned on yesterday that due to his association with the homosexual church Open Door Sherwood and his upcoming appearance at a gay christian event sponsored by Evangelicals Concerned, one church has cancelled his appearance. After being contacted by the church, Talley told them it (the gay conference) was “just business”.

But another church defended the appearance. According to an email from Pastor DeWayne Howard of Bridges of Hope Fellowship Talley was personally interviewed by him.

“I spoke with Kirk on the phone to let him know and to ask some very personal and pointed questions to hold him accountable and to clear up any misconceptions that were floating around out there. After much research and speaking with Kirk and the office of the Evangelicals Concerned, I do not find that Kirk is in any way out of line. Kirk is not attending this conference as an attendee, but rather will be there for one night to sing and minister through sharing his story. I firmly believe that God uses all of our experiences to bring Him glory and to help others find the way. Kirk is not going in support of the gay, lesbian, or whatever kind of lifestyle. He is going to share God’s story for his life. We should applaud him in being willing to help others to overcome their struggles in life, not condemn him or try to destroy him for being obedient to the call of God that has been given to us all. Kirk’s struggles in life are no different than yours or mine. What makes it sin is when we act on those struggles (desires) of the flesh. Until then, we have to take every thought captive and submit it to the Lord.”

The issue is not whether Kirk Talley is engaging in homosexuality, but whether his appearance and tacit approval by such an appearance of those who do and claim to be Christians is against God’s Word. That’s the issue at hand. Pastor Howard says that we should “pick up the phone and call Talley before judging him.” While Pastor Howard conveniently evokes the J-word, he altogether ignores the scriptural restrictions of 1 Corinthians 5.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? 3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the sinful nature so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with any who claim to be fellow believers but are sexually immoral or greedy, idolaters or slanderers, drunkards or swindlers. With such persons do not even eat. (TNIV) our italics

We couldn’t help but wonder if this ECWR engagement is “just business” to Talley then how does that allow for him to “minister” as Howard noted? Perhaps Pastor Howard isn’t aware that Talley told the other church a different story? At this point it seems like every phone call yields a different story. Furthermore, its highly unlikely that ECWR will allow Talley to tell them that homosexuality is a sin and that God isn’t pleased with their lifestyle.

h/t to mlj

UPDATE: Read more about what Kirk Talley said about his visits to homosexual churches.

First,  GCM Watch is seeking testimonials of former members of gay churches namely: Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), any affiliate churches of The Fellowship (Bishop Yvette Flunder), Unity Fellowship Church Movement  or any independent gay church. In addition, if you were part of an “affirming” or “inclusive” church, but left because you no longer accepted its false doctrines, please contact GCM Watch as soon as possible.

Secondly, if you have visited, but never joined a gay/affirming/inclusive church your personal narrative of that experience is also welcomed.

Third, if you know of someone who fits the criteria above, forward this information to them and ask them to contact GCM Watch.

These personal narratives are being sought to provide a balanced and truthful counter to the lies currently being promoted by gay churches about biblical sexual morality. These organizations promise an overabundance of love, value and acceptance but what are they actually delivering to  hurting and confused people? 

• Contact GCM Watch at gcmwatch@yahoo.com
• Partial list of “affirming/inclusive” religious organizations here and here.

This announcement will repost each month.

Then, news broke that a man in Knoxville, TN attempted to blackmail Talley. Reports state the two met while searching for male sex online. The story’s publicity and Talley’s subsequent admission that he was homosexual set off a chain reaction which caused him to forfeit many of the lucrative singing engagements he had once enjoyed.

Placed under the care of a ”restoration team”, Talley suspended his career and set about to recover from his homosexuality. Less than a year later, on October 6, 2004 the “restoration team” announced that Talley was ready for a comeback. No one knows what the conditions of his “restoration” were, nor did the unnamed restoration team make public exactly what Talley had accomplished in order to be restored. That may have been a blunder simular to the one with Ted Haggard.

But GCM Watch has learned that things have indeed changed, although Kirk Talley is not being honest about those changes.  Talley seems to be weaving his way into the gay christian movement while still performing at unsuspecting churches which are not aware of his new friends and their false doctrine.  Talley is scheduled to perform in July at the Evangelical Concerned conference which describes the event as “a four-day retreat experience with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians.”

In September 2006, Talley was a guest speaker at an “exgay” conference in Macon, GA where he talked about how he changed after the blackmail episode.

In November, he appeared on James Robinson’s Life Today   (interview transcript)show where he told Robinson,

I tell my story and my story only. I don’t get off into all the arguable points of the issue. I tell my story and my story only in hopes that somebody will not end up out on the sidewalk like I was, trying to…”

Robinson finished the line with ”…Have no choice but to go into this other lifestyle”[of homosexuality].

But just a year after the LifeToday appearance, Talley is becoming quite the fixture on the gay christian scene. Talley’s website makes no indication of why he has changed his mind about telling people they can overcome homosexuality. Is he being intentionally dishonest just to make money at the expense of people’s souls? His website —oddly enough— makes no mention of his upcoming appearance at the gay conference.

Talley, who won  2007 “Songwriter of the Year” at the Southern Gospel Music Awards,  doesnt seem to mind people knowing that he is now very comfortable at homosexual churches. After all, the pictures are posted all over Flickr. What does this mean? Well, homosexual churches, unlike some so called “loving” Christian churches will not allow anyone opposed to their lifestyle to preach or sing in their churches.  They possess zero tolerance while hypocrtically demanding to be “inclusion” in other churches.

GCM Watch encourages Kirk Talley to (1) repent (2) stop deceiving pastors and churches and (3) obey the scripture:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath Light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols? For ye are the Temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16 KJV)

Should Kirk Talley refuse our call to repentance, we ask that he have the decency to call every church on his performance list and tell them he no longer shares their biblical views concerning homosexuality. Give them the choice as to whether they want someone spreading false doctrine through song in their churches.

We will be watching.

• Related stories: Southern Gospel Music has homosexual issues too, Is having Jesus “in your heart” enough?

Many Christians coming in contact with gay theology are unsuspecting of its deceitful web because personal biblical study isn’t being stressed in Christian churches. Gay theology, with its broad declarations of “radical inclusion” and “loving acceptance” of all people is seductive to the many hurt and wounded walking in the religious realm.  It sounds good to the ear and appeals to the carnal man. Its the same tactic used against Eve in the garden.

Satan’s intent is not to frighten man, but rather seduce him with things and words and which appear on the surface beautiful, welcoming and harmless. This is why the gay christian movement hates the tough language the bible uses to battle sin. They avoid it at all costs, while instead focusing on broad issues of love minus moral restrictions.

For the individual who in conflicted with their homosexual inclinations in light of what the scriptures teach, satan offers a compromises.  Thus, the struggle with homosexuality is resolved by “reconciling sexuality with faith”.  No such reconciliation exists in the scripture nor is it a biblical principle. The only reconciliation the bible speaks of is man’s reconciliation with God through Christ. True reconcilation comes, not by adding a sinful identifier, but by renouncing one’s sinful ways.  Yet,  satan manipulates the person’s uneducated failures and offers the compromise: you can be Christian and homosexual. We need to point out that not all of those who are gay christians are victims of simple spiritual misinformation. Some have willfully rejected truth because they refused to give up their lust for members of the same gender. Neither did they want to give up the Christian facade they had grown accustomed to. The spread of gay theology can be directly attributed to its use of cultic methods which distort, deform, and disfigure scripture. Let’s review several of the most used methods of spreading gay theology within the Christian church.

INACCURATE QUOTATION: A biblical text is referred to but is either not quoted in the way the text appears in any standard translation or is wrongly attributed. See this story.

BIBLICAL HOOK: A text of Scripture is quoted primarily as a device to grasp the attention of readers or listeners and then followed by a teaching which is so nonbiblical that it would appear far more dubious to most people had it not been preceded by a reference to Scripture. See this story.

THE FIGURATIVE FALLACY: Either (1) mistaking literal language for figurative language or (2)mistaking figurative language for literal language. See this story.

SELECTIVE CITING: Better known as “cherry picking”. To substantiate a given argument, only a limited number of text is quoted: the total teaching of Scripture on that subject would lead to a conclusion different from that of the writer. See this story.

REJECTING BIBLICAL AUTHORITY: Either the Bible as a whole or texts from the Bible are examined and rejected because they do not square with other authorities – such as reason or revelation = do not appear to agree with them. See this story.

WORLD-VIEW CONFUSION: Scriptural statements, stories, commands or symbols which have a particular meaning or set of meanings when taken within the intellectual and broadly cultural framework of the Bible itself are lifted out of that context, placed within the frame of reference of another system and thus given a meaning that markedly differs from their intended meaning. See this story.

Adapted from Scripture twising methods of the cults by James Sire.

The original pdf flyer is listed here. Evans was scheduled to perform a gospel concert during the conference.

On June 8th, GCM Watch sent an unacknowledged letter to ECWR stating an intent to contact Pastor Evans and request that she reconsider her appearance. GCM Watch spoke at length to Pastor Frank Sossaman who is Pastor Evans’ overseer in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC). Pastor Sossaman confirmed that neither he nor the IPHC supported homosexual christian activities. Read the IPHC’s Covenant of Committment dealing with gay and lesbian relationships.

GCM Watch heartily commends the IPHC, Pastor Frank Sossaman and Pastor Mary Emma Evans for upholding biblical fidelity in the face of growing partnerships with individuals and groups who seek to devalue the truth of God’s Word.