Category Archives: pentecostal
Bishop Blake gives progay extremist a platform at Holy Convocation
Employment Non-Discrimination: Sharpton supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.Gender Identity Employment: Sharpton supports a federal bill that would outlaw workplace discrimination based on gender identity and expression [that's men who pretend to be women and vice versa].Hate Crimes: Sharpton supports the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the Federal Hate Crimes Law. Current law includes race, religion and national orientation.Same-Sex Marriage: Sharpton supports recognition for same-sex marriage.Family Medical Leave: Sharpton supports extending the Family Medical Leave Act to same-sex couples. Sharpton supports the Permanent Partners Immigration Act (H.R. 832) which would allow American citizens to sponsor their same-sex partners for immigration into the country.Gay and Lesbian Adoption: Sharpton believes in giving gays and lesbians the same rights to adopt children as heterosexuals.Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Sharpton supports a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, which would allow gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly in the military.Sharpton Comments:On Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: “The military code of conduct should allow military people to live openly in the ‘truth’ rather than live silently or covertly a ‘lie’. On Same-Sex Marriage: “I believe in equal human rights, before the law, for all human beings, and race, gender, disability, class or sexual orientation should not be a factor under the law. Even though we live under the law in a secular democratic society, religious groups must still be able to maintain their spiritual and moral option to either give or withhold a religious or sacred blessing to such unions. However, the government should not have that option. It must affirm the human and legal rights of everyone.” On Gender Identity and Employment: “No American should be discriminated against on the job because of their gender identity or expression.”
You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours?
This is strangely reminiscent of Bishop Blake’s 2003 homosexual debacle where he invited Rev. Peter Gomes, a Harvard homosexual activist to West Angeles to “preach”. A former leader at West Angeles sent us the letter after Bishop Blake attempted to silence all those who opposed Gomes appearance. Read it here. Blake invited Gomes to West Angeles as payback for Gomes’ hand in getting him a prestigious award. When members of the church found out, an uproar ensued and Blake issued a letter saying he had no idea of Gomes identity even though he spent considerable time with him at his home. Strangely, he defended Gomes by saying that “75″ people got “saved” after he “preached”.
April 15th 2009, arch-hypocrite Al Sharpton decided to give Bishop Blake another humanitarian award. It was the National Action Network’s Keepers Of The Dream Award. One COGIC leader issued a challenge to Sharpton to address victims rights on COGIC clergy sexual abuse cases, but to no avail. Sharpton was in praise mode and needed to get onto the stage at the Holy Convocation. As expected, in return for the effusive praise and awards he showered on Bishop Blake, it appears Rev. Sharpton got just what he wanted. As adamant as he is about not supporting homosexuality, he continues not only to support it, but to expose the people of COGIC to homosexual activists who make no secret of their agenda.
Its sad that we have to go into this again. After GCM Watch’s expose of Bishop Blake’s shameful involvement in the UDIHR, the Presiding Bishop used his bully pulpit at the denomination’s 2009 spring Call Meeting in Memphis to defend his actions to the COGIC faithful. In it, he compares the UDIUHR to the Bible. Watch the video of his remarks.
“I am a bible believing holiness preacher. I have always been and will always be a loyal supporter of the doctrines of the COGIC. Of course, I oppose gay marriage. Of course, I oppose the adoption of children by gay couples. Of course, I oppose abortion. Of course, I oppose embryonic stem cell research and treatment. Of course, I do not approve of the practice of homosexuality. The bible teaches holiness and righteousness and I believe it with all my heart. But I also believe the bible teaches justice and peace. I believe the bible teaches compassion for the weak, the poor and the defenseless.”
Would that include the weak and defenseless victims of COGIC clergy sexual abuse? To deflect from his own leadership failures, he attacks GCM Watch and Pastor Foster (although he wouldnt call the names):
“Some individuals are so insecure, they feel that they cannot reach their goals by the power of their skills, their effectiveness and their relationship with God. Some individuals feel that they must assassinate the character and blemish the relationship of others if they themselves are ever to succeed. Some individuals, rather than projecting what they have accomplished and what they have to offer, focus on defaming and criticising even the good that others strive to do.”
Its interesting that he doesn’t accuse GCM Watch of lying. Bishop Blake seems to be upset by our telling the truth about his actions which dishonor the work and life of the Founder and dishonor the Word of the Lord. To be clear about “defaming, assassinating and criticizing” let’s just review:
I wont list them all, but look here, here and here to see what Bishop Blake was so upset about. Bishop Blake says “of course I oppose gay marriage.” But then, he endorsed Karen Bass whose #1 political goal is gay marriage. Evidence right here.
Along with Bishop Blake’s endorsement, the nation’s largest homosexual political group said Bass was with homosexual rights 100%.
“As a member of the California Assembly, Bass had an impeccable record on equality issues, including her votes for [gay]marriage equality and for a resolution opposing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; Bass also worked to defeat Proposition 8. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has a staunch ally in Karen Bass.”
Bishop Blake tells COGIC that he is against gay marriage, gay adoptions, homosexuality but then invites a man who is for gay marriage, for gay adoptions and for homosexuality into a place of honor among the saints. It defies logic as well as biblical leadership ethics.
Contrary to what Bishop Blake’s pulpit speeches suggest, GCM Watch has not defamed him nor “assassinated his character”. We have only documented his public actions and words. Such things continue to mislead the saints despite the preponderance of clear evidence we’ve presented.
And now, here we are again. It would be good if the bishop was like the king. The spiritual well being of the sheep are at stake. The question remains, does he really care?
Flunder, Pearson run hyena train on black bishops
This video is about two hours long, but it is a pearl of a find. You will be absolutely fascinated at the conversation —and the posturing dynamics– in this forum on “Reimagining Pentecostalism” which was hosted by Harvard Divinity School. The forum is supposed to be some sort of intellectually driven discussion on the various hybrid faces of pentecostalism, but two of the participants quicklycommandeer the show and flatline the others with their bogus doctrines. Its a classic real time case of how false teachers intimidate other “leaders” who don’t know how to handle them.
In March 2005, The Rev. Dr. Frank Reid (Bethel AME, Baltimore), Bishop Carlton Pearson (Higher Dimensions Family Church, Tulsa), Bishop Yvette Flunder (City of Refuge United Church of Christ, San Francisco), Bishop Andy Lewter (Oakley Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio) and the Rev. Eugene Rivers (Azusa Christian Community, Boston) participated in the third panel of a day-long conference on Black Pentecostalism held March 18, 2005 in the Sperry Room, moderated by the Rev. Cheryl Sanders (Howard University).
Flunder and Pearson work the panel like two hungry hyenas on the African serengeti after stray wildebeests. At one point the voice of one of their inclusionist sympathizers Marlon Millner arrogantly chastise the three preachers. That angers Reid, but to no avail.
In trying to agree with the false teachers, Rivers, Lewter and Reid are at their mercy, but Pearson and Flunder only press in for th
e kill. That is until Rivers finally calls out the white elephant in the room. To which Flunder promptly challenges him to “put it on the table”. To his credit, Rivers is the only one of the three pastors on the panel who attempts to challenge Flunder and Pearson, until he is pounced on by the sympathetic moderator and silenced. Lewter seems almost in a defeated fetal position the entire time.
Its a sad and difficult trainwreck to watch, but if you want real time experience in how false teachers operate, watch this video and take notes.
*Pearson is no longer “reimagining pentecostalism” opting instead to take a money making gig at Chicago’s premier metaphysical church.
Cliffhanger: Lou Bordisso’s “next step” manifesto for gay christians
VALLEJO, Ca – What’s the next step for gay christians? According to one Vallejo (CA) gay cleric, its something akin to a David Koresh-like cliffhanger. The doctrines, speeches and manifestos slithering out of the mouths of gcm leaders just gets stranger as the day goes by.
Its rather astonishing that the The Vallejo Times-Herald actually published Father Lou Bordisso’s narcissistic screed guest opinion, but it did. That’s free speech in action. Vallejo is located northeast of San Francisco on the San Pablo Bay.
In case you’re not familiar with our reporting on Burdisso, here’s a brief recap.
By force of complaint, Bordisso is a central figure in the local community. In 2009, he ran for the school board and was defeated. He is a “bishop” in a small denomination called the American Catholic Church and is a contentious man who despises the attempts of local Christian pastors to foster unity and free speech rights. Under the guise of gay equality, Bordisso has been at the forefront of a number of divisive efforts which fomented ill will against the city’s black pentecostal Mayor Osby Davis falsely accusing the mayor of running a “nascent theocracy government.”
When local community leader and Pastor Danny Jefferson spoke briefly before a city council meeting on why Vallejo shouldnt endorse “gay pride month” organized by Bordisso immaturely complained Pastor Jefferson was “raining on our parade”.
Before the council, Jefferson simply stated the obvious:
“Until now, each side has been free to exercise their Constitutional rights to hold and even express their belief. This is not to say that there has not been controversy. Tolerance for the belief of others has been a goal, not always an achievement.
…it is troubling that so many now want the government to take sides in this issue by endorsing a gay pride month. To be clear, this is not a request to allow individuals to express their beliefs, it is a demand that the government use its power to applaud those beliefs.
Certainly anybody who asked for a gay disapproval month would be criticized. Tolerance should not be a one way street. If the rule is that the government should not take sides, then let’s be consistent. The City of Vallejo should allow individuals to express their views on this controversial subject. But it should not step in to advocate, even subtly, for one side or the other.”
Bordisso has even been helped along by a stealth New York Times reporter Scott James, who claimed he was “vilified” by GCM Watch for reporting on the issues in Vallejo. Hardly.
So it stands to reason that Bordisso would apparently out of some unrequited ambitions, come up with his newest weapon of misinformation. A gay christian/queer theology manifesto. Among the more salient cliff notes published by the paper:
1. Refuse to talk to people who believe homosexuality is a sin while you loudly complain about tolerance and understanding. Mel White redux?
“Lesbian and gay Christians too often waste time trying to have a reasonable dialogue with oppressive churches and clergy. The time has come to reject theologies, spiritualities and church teachings grounded in homophobic biblical interpretations, heterosexism, and outdated ancient philosophies.”
2. Embrace a false construct which will ensure you will never know the truth, thus setting you on path to hell. More on homosexual hermeneutics and its deadly consequences.
“Lesbian and gay Christians need to pursue a Queer Theology and embrace a hermeneutics of suspicion. Lesbian and gay Christians must interpret scripture and live within church structures in light being a part of the underside of society.”
3. Ignore real demons and create new ones that you can cast out with your newly created queer spiritual authority.
“Queer Spirituality can only be authentic when seeking to cast out the demons of poverty, injustice, racism, violence, prejudice, exploitation, or homophobia in any form whether it is within us, our government, or our churches!”
The citizens of Vallejo would do well to exile Father Lou Burdisso to San Francisco so the city can get back to the business of building a good stable environment for all its residents. As for his queer theology, the bible has already warned us about the doctrines of devils that would surface in the last days. Here’s one in real time.
COGIC partnering with NOM against gay marriage? [updated]
The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) website lists high profile gospel singer and COGIC member Karen Clark Sheard as one of its big name draws on the final leg of its summer tour to raise awareness in support of male-female covenant marriage in the US.
Clark Sheard of Detroit is scheduled to perform August 15th during the 2-3pm time slot on the steps of the US Capitol building.
Previously, there was no participation by any COGIC members of prominence in the marriage debates. Perhaps the ice water of the Prop 8 ruling has signaled to COGIC leadership s need to encourage participation where possible. If that is the case, certainly GCM Watch applauds that move.
Its unclear when or how the two organizations first crossed paths, but in June NOM presented the top two COGIC male and female leaders with an award. Bishop George McKinney of San Diego, a COGIC General Board Member issued a statement —through NOM— blasting the Prop 8 judge using “specious and outrageous comparisons between same-sex unions and interracial marriage”.
Is this the beginning of a new partnership between NOM and COGIC? We hope so and welcome the good news.
UPDATE 08.11.10
Since this post appeared, NOM removed Karen Clark Sheard’s name and replaced it with Detrick and Damita Haddon. NOM also removed contact information from its website. Coincidence or is something going weird going on?
Gay choir wins How Sweet the Sound gospel competition
Do you think a head
line like that would stop other churches from selling themselves out competing in this contest? Probably not. That’s why the homosexual choirs are back again sangin’ gospel music. Its more proof that singing gospel music requires zero holiness. In fact, you don’t even have to believe the bible is true.
So they’re back. And sweeter than ever.
Gay choirs are back in the running for Verizon’s capitalistic cash cow How Sweet the Sound. How you ask?
Because HSTS is owned by a secular, pluralistic company whose bottom line is money, there can be no restrictions on who can participate. It can be the Black Temple Church of Satan Mass Choir or Black Temple Church of God in Christ Mass Choir. To Verizon Wireless, they’re all the same. Qualifications per Verizon:
The Choir must have a meaningful and consistent relationship with a church, temple, mosque or other similar religious organization (the “Religious Organization”). The Religious Organization must be a tax-exempt organization as described under sections 501(c)(3) and 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and must have a tax-exempt ID number; (our italics).
Please also understand that a great majority of gospel music isn’t what it labels itself to be. Its like a jar labeled as jelly but inside its glue. However they need the name to deceive the shallow-minded. Its money driven.
Last year we reported to you that HSTS judge Dorinda Clark Cole advanced a St Louis based homosexual choir from the Metropolitan Community Church denomination to the competition’s semifinals.
This year, the same choir is back again. With all the blasphemous vomit spewed out by this denomination time and time again, you would think that somebody with a slither of integrity would protest their inclusion. But not so. The lust for money and fame has attracted greedy, ignorant churches lined up once again to “praise the Lord”. And if its any consolation, we can’t single out any denomination. Churches from a smorgasboard of denominations have got on the grind to win the cash prizes and fame for their pastor.
No Light
There is absolutely no way light and darkness can co-exist physically or naturally. They are polar opposites of each other with nothing in common. The same can be said spiritually.
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. John 12:46
And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5
So what does Marvin Sapp, Hezekiah Walker, Dorinda Clark Cole, CeCe Winans and other celebrity gospel music industry workers not understand about that undeniable truth? To be blunt, satan’s kingdom is characterized by darkness and God’s kingdom is characterized by light. So Marv, Hez, DCC and CeCe are you saying its okay for the two to mix to sing gospel music? How can the blind sing of a glorious light they have never seen? How is it possible to praise a God whose sexual standards you reject? How can you approve and participate in such things knowing the judgment of God against them?
Don’t hold your breath waiting for an answer.
Joining the MCC choir is the “85% gay” Tabernacle Baptist Church and the metaphysical, “new thought”, gay affirming church Hillside Chapel of Truth both in Atlanta.
You can see a list of all the churches involved here. Oh, how ironically sweet it is.
Blog News and Views, Volume I: deception, therapy and the UPPC
Some of the more noteworthy entries from GCM Watch blog partners this Friday deserve a read.
The Dunamis Word blog takes a look at the doctrine of the homosexual denomination United Progressive Pentecostal Church based in Atlanta. In his post “When progress takes you to hell“, Pastor Burnett writes
Obviously even gay folk can pimp congregations. In this organization, the chief apostate has the ability to change what he wants to change within this church at any time. Here is the statement that affirms such directly from their web site listed below:
“While the leaders and founding members of UPPC are adamant about connecting the Body of Christ in progressively minded fellowship, without the rigors and mandates of a reformation, there remain some uniting principles that guard our fellowship from heresy and hypocrisy. These tenants from our Basis of Union, and are non-negotiable throughout our Covenant Connections. Should our Basis of Union come into question for amendment, it can only be changed as a result of an Apostolic Conclave or by the sovereign will of the Founder and Chief Apostle, Oliver Clyde Allen III.”
Did you read the words heresy and hypocrisy??? You mean to tell me that they don’t believe that encouraging same gender unity is a heresy? They don’t believe that tucking a bible under their arm after being in an illegal and illicit and biblically condemned relationship is hypocrisy?
The UPPC apes pentecostalism, biblical titles and tithes, but somehow finds it “heretical” go against its swiss cheese “Basis of Union” which includes having sex with people of the same gender. Read the whole story
One of my favorite blogs Journal of a Battling Christian reviews one of the debilitating philosphies of our age and how it affects organizations like Exodus International who promote reparative therapy. His post “The Century of The Self, Freud and Reparative Therapy” shows how self-centered ideology can come to no good when dealing with homosexuality.
I’ve sort of gone back and forth in my mind in regards to Exodus International. On the one hand I am in support of their desire to minister to Christians who have unwanted same sex attractions and to help people come out of the “Gay lifestyle” (for the lack of a better term).
On the other hand I am in total disagreement with their support and avocation of Reparative Therapy, Freudian psychology and so forth. For an alternative viewpoint on the issue and for a more Biblical approach to counseling I highly recommend reading Richard Ganz’ book Psychobabble and Jay Adams’ book Competent to Counsel.
I consider myself therefore to be a “sympathetic critic” of groups such as Exodus International and Focus on the Family. I do not critique them in order to discourage them in their efforts, rather as a theologian and Christian I want to seek to encourage them to rethink some of their ideas, methods and practices so that they might become more thoroughly Biblical in their approach.
I too am an opponent of reparative (or conversion) therapy. For Exodus to continue partnering with this unbiblical approach is damaging to their cause and is creating a chorus of voices who see overcoming homosexuality as something they can pay to get done on a therapist’s couch. When it fails (which it will) they are angry, bitter and vocal. Read the whole story
Speaking of deception, Sola Dei Gloria writes a good peice on what causes deception. No doubt about it, deception is running rampant not just in the world (ponzi schemes, etc) but in the church as well. Its everywhere and some people want to keep our attention on unimportant things while the spiritual crooks keep up their attacks on the vunerable and ignorant. But are those deceived really innocent?
“What causes deception? We like to believe that people lying to those they deceive cause deception. However, if we think critically about that (yes, I know that post-modernists have lost that ability, but humor me) deception is not the direct result of the lie, but is only takes effect when the one being deceived desires something from the deceiver such as a relationship or something else that is offered. The deceived believe the lie in order to receive something else that they want.”
Sure there are deceivers, deceiving spirits, wolves, false teachers, and the likes prowling the church in search of victims, but you dont have to be one. Here’s some excellent teaching on how to protect yourself from deception.
