|
« The Goat Mozzarella Paradigm |
Main
| Touring Like A Local: The Magic Of Mountain Loop Highway »
Black Mega-Churches Eschew Victimology
June 29, 2006
UPDATED......At a Dallas-area conference of black ministers attended by Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and the eminent scholar Cornel West, black mega-churches came in for criticism as being too preoccupied with personal growth and wealth accumulation. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports: "The message of many churches has been co-opted by American capitalism," said the Rev. Frederick Haynes III of the Friendship-West Baptist Church in South Dallas. "A megachurch should not just be known for the traffic jam it creates on Sunday, but for doing something more in the community." The criticism came at a summit of about 100 black ministers - including the Revs. Joseph Lowery, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and scholar Cornel West - held this week at Haynes' church. On one hand we have a gospel of self-empowerment, strong families and pursuit of economic security. On the other we have the elevation of failure over success, vilification of capitalism, a reliance on affirmative action, and the scapegoating of Republicans over Iraq and badly-needed election reforms. Hmmmm. Which priorities will benefit the poor more? Which message will resonate most deeply in the marketplace of modern Christianity? I think the answer is pretty clear. That Al Sharpton is still flogging the same dead horses is especially unfortunate for those who foolishly choose to give him a platform. I'm no biblical scholar. But I seem to remember something about how teaching a man to fish beats giving him a fish to eat. To be ready to learn self-survival, he must be raised right by his parents and make the right choices in his life. The time for washing the feet of beggars has passed. TECHNORATI TAGS: DALLAS, T.D. JAKES, THE POTTER'S HOUSE, CREFLO DOLLAR, BLACK CHURCHES, MEGA-CHURCHES, AL SHARPTON, CORNEL WEST, SOCIAL JUSTICE, PROSPERITY GOSPEL Posted by Matt Rosenberg at June 29, 2006 05:05 PM Comments:
While Bishop T. D. Jakes, Rev. Creflo Dollar and their prosperity gospel cohort’s thesis emphasize economic empowerment as the fruit of one's faith in the black church, they should not be demonized for such a thesis. Faith should be fiscally productive rather than counter productive. Nonetheless, the quandary for me is there are millions in the black church who possess strong faith yet remain trapped in the quagmire of generational poverty. Is their black faith fraudulent? Or is there something more sinister at play that paralyzes their prospect of prosperity, vis-à -vis racism, and sexism, unjust laws that disproportionately impact the poor, minimum wages that are frozen by government to keep the rich richer and keep the poor poorer? Is a lack of national healthcare, a disparity in lending practices, redlining, a three tier criminal justice system for the super rich, middle class and urban poor, etc. problematic? I submit that faith finds difficulty transcending these trappings socially. In the marketplace of modern Christianity I unapologetically celebrate capitalism. Yet I also agree with Dr. Frederick Haynes III antithesis that we must broaden faith's focus and reexamine our priorities. Christ never vilified riches. Neither did he bow at it’s alter. Through parables and personal example, Christ demonstrated concern for the social structure, particularly the urban underclass. We must do no less if our Christianity is to remain unquestionably authentic. Given the prosperity gospel thesis and Dr. Frederick Haynes III antithesis, I suggest the following synthesis. Perhaps we need a wedding between prosperity and the poverty stricken masses that calls us to practice what we preach. Perhaps we need to pursue health and wealth for the commonwealth of all people. Let us lift a Lord who calls us to labor for a more excellent way that blends asset spirituality with social justice or fortune with a faith that seeks to articulate, advocate and annihilate generational deprivation in both the pubic and private sector. Whether the privileged or the underprivileged, one need not be vilified over the other. Neither does one need to be a biblical scholar to know social justice is not only a matter of home training. It is the core of good Christian conduct and worthy of our national regard. While we celebrate our prosperous faith materially, let us demonstrate a faith that labors to close the breech between the haves and the have-nots holistically. Then will we hear the Master say, Well done thou good and faithful servant. Welcome to the Democratic Party's scheme to drum up the "religious left". Take a look at who is doing the criticizing from the Left... Al Sharpton? Jesse Jackson? Cornel West? Are these the folks you want to follow through the valley of the shadow of death? Do a little history on them... I think not. The basis of Christianity is the message of salvation, first and foremost. Many of these so-called Religious Left leaders have no faith in God, much less the death and ressurection of Jesus. Furthermore, the Bible teaches personal responsibility in giving to the poor and taking care of yourself, your own, and the needy. There isn't a model there for delegating the responsibility to the government for doing it for you. How about reading Proverbs concerning work? 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise; 7 which having no chief, overseer, or ruler, 8 provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man. Was that message taught by the Religious Left? Don't they make excuses for why people don't choose to work? And why is it that we have Mexican illegals coming here every day, working hard, and making enough money to send billions of US dollars back to Mexico every year? Why can't Americans make it for themselves when illegal foreigners can do it? Is that the fault of the US Government or the Religious Right? Or is it a fault of the bankrupt values still being preached by the Religioius Left?
Do any of you remember Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath? Here's what happened... 8 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Is that preached by the Religious Left? Or would they have villified Eli'jah for demanding food from the widow? Do they have the faith to believe that God can help someone out? Or does it have to be Uncle Sam? Don't be fooled. This is a political scheme being prepared for the upcoming Presidential Elections. The political strategists publicly said they were going to do this about a year or so ago. This is just a warning shot over the bow. More of this will come. In the end, you either believe the Bible and do what it says, or you don't. Who do these people believe in? What do they preach? It's all about money, not faith in God. It's all about "the immorality of the war, attacks on voting rights and the erosion of affirmative action"... in other words, it is about preaching the 2006 Democratic Platform, not about God. The message isn't about coming to God, it is about defeating Republicans and increasing social welfare programs. I wonder if these folks would have invited Jesus to their meeting to speak? If so, I wonder if he might have quoted the Book of Joshua... 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 24:16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; 24:17 For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: 24:18 And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God. 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 24:20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. 24:21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. 24:22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. 24:23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. 24:24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. 24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 24:26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 24:27 And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. 24:28 So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance. Matt, Thanks for pointing this out. Two of my friends went to a TD Jakes conference a few months ago and had a great time. It was 100 per cent positive and they - a tiny racial minority there - were welcomed. Posted by: Ron at July 10, 2006 12:11 PMThis conference took place in Dallas recently it was pretty sad that you get lot of power players in room to tell the residents of the communities something we already know. Many Christian leaders have the Word of God messed up. Bishop Jakes and Creflo Dollar are not preaching the wrong messages, they are teaching the gospel. Rev. Sharpton and Dr. Haynes have things kind of wrong. It is amazing that Dr. Haynes would say what he said given that the church he pastor's has about 15 different offerings and resides in a $15 million building in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Dallas. Sound familiar, just like Creflo Dollar. He drives a Jaguar, Navigator, and other cars just like Bishop Jakes and Creflo Dollar. So what? I believe that if congregations can afford to pay pastor's this much, than do it. Bishop Jakes has been criticized because he said "Jesus wasn't poor." So has Creflo Dollar. But when it comes to the Word of God, Jesus was a champion for the poor. He was an advocate of the poor. Many people have the viewpoint that Jesus was poor. They give the example of Jesus riding on a donkey and only having one set of clothes, but here what the Word of God says about being poor and rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 That means Jesus was rich but he took on poverty for our sakes so that we could become rich. Now most people say that scripture is implying being rich in spirit as opposed to wealth and finances. But how is this? How can the Son of God, Jesus Christ be poor in spirit. How can God manifested in flesh be poor in spirit. He can't. So he is referring riches as it relates to money. If we are going to be champions of the poor like Jesus, how can we be poor ourselves? We must come up before we help others in the way they need to be helped. It is like a person who makes $20,000 a year with 2 kids trying to help me pay my rent. It can't happen. But a person who makes $150,000 a year and has 2 kids can aide in my rent and bills. I am not implying to pay bills for other people, but I think you get the point of aiding one person. You can't aide someone how they need it when you need aide yourself. Jesus gave an interesting parable about how hard it is for a rich man to get into heaven. In Mark 10:23-27 Jesus is telling the disciple about how wealthy folks are going to have a hard time making it in to heaven. He says this as a precaution, not as a judgement. It reads Jesus had to explain twice to the disciples and those who were listening to him. The first time the discpile were astonished by his words. Jesus figured that maybe they didn't get it quite well, so he said it again. "Children, how hard is it for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." The Bible says they were even more astonished. They were more amazed. Why is this? Why the astonishment from the disciples? They were astonished because they were rich. Jesus had just finished feeding the five thousand. They had been all over preaching the gospel. The disciples looked at everything they had been doing with Jesus and said he must be a hypocrite. So the disciples asked a question. "Who then can be saved?" The disciples want to know who can be saved if being rich will make you miss heaven. As disciples followed Jesus, they become more wealthy. They had already had great wealth. But now Jesus is telling them that because of your wealth, heaven is long-shot for you. No. Jesus is stating this precaution to the disciples because trust in wealth and thinking that it will get you into heaven is a no-no. This is a precaution to what was coming to them (the disciples). Verse 29-30 of same chapter sheds more light to this precaution as opposed to final judgement. 29 Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. After he tells the disciples none of them having really left their families and belongings for his sake and the gospel's sake, he make them a promise. He is going to give them more than what they already had. That is the reward in following Jesus. Jesus is talking about after salvation. Okay, you are saved; but you are still here on earth. How do you live? Victory. Defeat. One last thing, the Bible says the Jesus came to bring good news to the poor. If you are poor, what is good news to you? It a great that I will be saved from inquity and sin. It is great because of our faith in God and acceptance of Jesus we can have eternal life. But when it talks about good news to the poor, it is talking about bringing the poor out of the poorhouse. 2 Corinth 8:9, remember this. It was through the poverty of Jesus that he took on that we can become rich. Basically God wanted to show us that he will use what the world views the least of to make the most of. The mega-church doesn't over emphasize wealth. We need wealth. We need wealth so that we can enact the programs and services in our communites that we need. Look at Warren Buffett and that $37 billion gift to charities, mostly the Gates Foundation. That money is going to do a lot of work. Imagine if you my brother or sister in Christ could commit this much money to the Cause of Christ? Wow. Posted by: Ayveel at July 12, 2006 10:39 PM Post a comment
|
|
| Site design by Mystic Sludge Design© | |