Get those seeds planted...NOW!!!
OK.
I've often tried to defend our religious habits. I've tried to understand how the leaders in our faith think and operate; the self-proclaimed "messengers" from God they say they are. I've tried to keep them in my prayers. I've tried to make Biblical sense out of ministers who justify their prosperity (at the congregation's expense, of course) as being a way to market the goodness of God to the world.
But even I have no defense for this nonsense.
In this video, Pastor Juanita Bynum is asking her sheeple (Yeah, that's right. I said it.) for 'seeds' to finance what she calls a "threshing floor"; a prayer room where she apparently offers up prayers for you and me. Her original threshing floor was a few miles from her home. But I guess that out of concern for her safety (after her husband beat her), she wants to build one right next to her lakefront home. Pull out your checkbooks people. She needs an emergency $200,000 right away.
Sigh. I don't know why we keep coming to bat for these people pimps.
-ACL
25 "Insiders" spoke their mind. Join in...:
You know what, Dre? I was back and forth on this issue, also. When the "holy smackdown" first occured, it just seemed sooooo suspicious to me. Although there's nothing to justify what her husband did, it certainly doesn't deem her totally innocent. Merely a week after the incident, she already had plans to meet with Oprah and Barack Obama to be "the new face of domestic voilence."
Are you kidding me? The brusises haven't even healed!!
My own personal feeling is that she provoked him to the edge of insanity, and then decided to prosper when he fell over the edge....
Your post and all her interviews prove it...
P.S. If you log on the blackamericaweb.com, you can hear her interview that she did on the Tom Joyner Morning show...it seems that he might've felt the same way. Classic line from that interview:
"You're a prophetess...didn't you see it coming?"
I'm sorry, I had to come back! When I first posted my comment, I hadn't seen the video. I am TRULY SICKENED!!!
Why the HELL would someone pay for a room for you to pray in? Are you SERIOUS????
This woman is trippin'! A prayer room?! Fa real?
I agree that this story is a riot. But the saddest part is people are going to drop dollar after dollar for this woman, along with all the other pulpit boosters out there. Somewhere down the road, many people forgot that they don't need others to go to God for them. We can do it ourselves through Jesus. But these fools are out using miracle water, soap, scarves, and now prayer rooms.
*High fives KC and Cynthia*
Sorry, didn't feel like logging in.....
Wow is all I have to say....Wow
And again I say wow..........Wow
Jos, I'm not completely sure that Bynum orchestrated some nefarious scheme to garner sympathy because of her ordeal. Perhaps she was geniuniely committed to being a spokesperson for domestic viol...
See! There I got defending these jokers again. Damn that! You're right!
@ KC: I wish I was makin' this up, dawg.
@ Cyn: "Somewhere down the road, many people forgot that they don't need others to go to God for them. We can do it ourselves through Jesus."
I think many Christians missed the lecture about no man coming to the Father except by Jesus. Most of these "prophetic" clowns have been co-opted by the church as people with gifts in the spirit. They've got gifts, for sure. But I don't think that gifts of persuasion and deception count as being of the spirit.
@ Jos (again): "Slap hands! Slap hands!"
@ Shantell: Perhaps what's even more wowful (not a word, but you get the point) is that you found my blog. Welcome fam! Glad to have you here.
In my usual practice, I need to warn you about how bumpy it gets in here every now and then. But as long as you unconditionally agree with everything I say, you'll be fine! :)
Hey Dre,
I remember hearing Jerry Farwell, Pat Robertson, or one of those white "Pimps" as you say, claiming they needed those big mansions, and huge accounts to add prestige to their cause....how convenient that they also get to enjoy the fruits. God would want it that way, they'll tell you. I hope I'm dead behind them on judgement day, who knows, I may look pretty good by the time God gets done with them.
Hippie, I get where they were coming from to an extent. For some people, seeing is believing. So when a Christian goes around touting how great God is and how He wants us to live in abundance and riches, the message may not hold much credibility if we're presenting it from inside of a cardboard box. Physically witnessing prosperity lends more credibility to the message and the messenger. Though I would argue that walking with God shouldn't be about the Benjamins...
Two, the Bible DOES clearly indicate that "In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." (I Cor 9:14).
But nowhere...and I repeat...nowhere does it call for ministers to selfishly leech off of others. I'm sorry, but private jets, million dollar cribs, $300,000 rides and hundred acre churches don't fall into the "simply making a living" category. That, my friend, is what we would call "robbery."
Thanks for tossing in the Farwell, Robertson illustrations. Goes to show that this phenomenon is not just a black church thing.
I suppose the idea of praying inside of your house for free is a little overrated, no? God must only hear prayers from $200,000 buildings.
I used to love Pastor Bynum's message. But even I think this is getting too out of hand. Honestly, she is no longer a believable and respectable person to me. She is just as bad as the other wolves out there, recording messages next to their bibles.
I wonder what she has next up her sleeves.
Umm...I was advised to add on to my house. I plan on using that addition to...uh...pray for you all. Yeah...that's right! To pray for you. Please plant a financial seed (preferably the kind of seed that folds, not the kind that jingles).
We can joke and criticize all we want, but the truth of the matter is people WILL support her. Trust. It's sad to me b/c people are going to make major investments ("planting seeds") for some building they'll NEVER even get to visit. It's no wonder so many people are trying to become ministers. It's a billion dollar industry.
@ KC: "I suppose the idea of praying inside of your house for free is a little overrated..."
Dag. I'm screwed then.
@ Joanne: "I wonder what she has next up her sleeves."
I've got my suspicions.
@ KC (again): Where I should I send my love offering? LOL!
@ GA: "We can joke and criticize all we want, but the truth of the matter is people WILL support her. Trust."
Sad, but true.
"It's sad to me b/c people are going to make major investments ("planting seeds") for some building they'll NEVER even get to visit."
I've found that even the places where the 'investors' can visit, they often don't get their money's worth. For instance, a certain church that I left -- which shall remain nameless -- just added on a Life Center that ran the members about 2 million. To date, they've used it for a few banquets, walking teams in the gym, the occasional basketball game, Sunday school and for the office staff. As far as I can tell, the weight room, locker room, jacuzzi, and all that other superflous crap is collecting dust. Go figure.
Thankfully, I've got my own little threshing floor - wherever I decide to bow on my knees! And unlike KC's observation, it doesn't cost me $200 K!
I don't claim to know anything about this chick. But I did a little snooping around the 'net for stuff about her. If she's so promiment, why can't she just build the stupid thing herself? Doesn't she has enough money?
Gotta love religious folks. No offense to anybody.
Before I forget, can somebody PLEASE explain to me what a threshing floor is. From the video it looked like a bunch of sheets or mattresses bunched together. That's worth $200,000?! I know that the country is facing real estate issues right now, but this is ridiculous!!!
Like you Joanne, I was a fan for a while. I enjoyed how she often spoke to empowerment and women's issues. So you'd think that -- especially in light of her domestic issues -- she'd refocus on those things. I can't say with a clear conscience that a $200000 prayer room is the move she needs to be making with her ministry right now.
I heard too that she's arranging for people who "sow seeds" to be commemmorated on gold plates that will go in the prayer room. LOL! I'm done with this woman.
There are so many things wrong with this woman (and others like her) that I don't know where to begin.
One, they need to realize that there is one and ONLY one person who stands between us and God; our Lord and Savior Jesus. It's good to pray for one another out of love, but only Jesus is the one who represents us. Besides all of that, His representative work is FREE and PAID FOR BY HIS BLOOD! You don't have to drop $39.55 + S&H.
Secondly, I remember she once spoke about accepting your blessings but not flaunting them. Did anybody see her pimped out wedding? She spent well over a million dollars for this ceremony. On top of that, she wants to build a $200,000 room? You'll forgive me if I don't accept her hypocrisy as a rule for me to live by.
Finally, does she think that the power of prayer can only be realized if it's done in a prayer room? Who does she think she's fooling? Maybe she should've thought about building another threshing floor when she and her husband were having at it in a parking lot.
Somebody needs to sit her down and TRULY show her the error of her ways.
luke 8:11 says "the seed is The WORD OF GOD," so i'll plant plenty of words to God for her and about her.
i never really cared for her. she was on daystar t.v. a couple of weeks ago from doing some conference and i turned her off. she sounded so angry, and the way she was preaching the message was such a turn-off. she might used to flow in the spirit, but she also used to flow in the flesh, and people needed to have discerned what was what.
not only does she need to be set down, but her husband too. he's up still preaching, or he was after the fight. where are their leadership? everybody should be accountable to somebody, and they should have leadership they're accountable to that will tell them the truth.
@ Sylvia: "luke 8:11 says "the seed is The WORD OF GOD," so i'll plant plenty of words to God for her and about her."
Nicely done. I have no idea how reaping and sowing became exclusively about financial prosperity; especially when the Word suggests otherwise.
"...she might used to flow in the spirit, but she also used to flow in the flesh, and people needed to have discerned what was what..."
The problem with that Sylv is that black folks (as a reminder, I'm not tryin' to stereotype. I'm just pointing out general behaviors) tend to be drawn to a glitzy and unique delivery of the Word; even if it's not ACTUALLY based on the Word. We tend to like cute and creative analogies, big, beautiful churches, great singing, and ministers who hoot and holler. But we often don't respond as well to SOUND DOCTRINE. I remember a Gospel comedian once said that if a minister does it correctly, he could get an entire church to start shoutin' just by saying his ABC's. LOL!
This leads me to the last point you made:
"where are their leadership? everybody should be accountable to somebody, and they should have leadership they're accountable to that will tell them the truth."
For ministers like Bynum, Crefalo "Dollar Bill", Bernard Johnson, etc.; their leaders and the congregation to whom they are beholden tend to give them a pass as long as they're keeping butts in the seats and cash flowing in. As GA girl said, the church is a billion dollar industry. I'm sorry, but these prize horses won't get disciplined or demoted when the screw up under the banner of their ministry. No. One, it's like getting rid of a Rolls Royce just because it might be missing a fender. And secondly (in the church's defense), we tend to be forgiving of people's wrong doing; as we should. I just hope that more of these pimps in the pulpit take our forgiveness of them and stop trying to exploit it.
Good stuff, Sylv.
On an unrelated note, I thought you might be interested to know that I borrowed my friend's copy of Bill Clinton's new book. I think I'll have it finished by next week. I'll let you know what I think of it.
thanx andre, will be waiting for the review.
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