Thabiti or T.D. what do 'we' folk prefer?
Blessings all Recently, on my Facebook page, I posted a piece by Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile which concerned the appearance of TD Jakes in ‘The Elephant Room’ conversations. (Read the piece here)
I must also admit to a certain amount of disappointment that to date, only ONE of my many black Christian FB friends have commented on it.
Why is that, fam?
It is my prayer that when I post a thing, dialog will ensue, and the Biblical prescription for successful exchange between brethren will take place, ie: God is glorified, and the brethren are edified.
It is never my intention to cause division among brethren. I want to be clear on that.
One of the biggest problems, as I see this is that for many ‘Black Christians’ TD Jakes is a model to be emulated ( Let me be clear that I HATE the idea that the body of Christ which Jesus declares is ONE, should be divided/categorized along ethnic lines, so I do not like the idea of a ‘black church’, or ‘chinese church’ or white church’), as are Fred Price, Noel Jones, Creflo Dollar & even now after all the mess, Eddie Long. Why? Because of their perceived ‘success’, that’s why.
The fact is that ‘we' (black folks)'’ tend to look at successful black folk and applaud them, no matter what they have become successful in, even if it is the most God hating enterprise. But what is success, and how do we measure it? By the Bible? By our own feelings? Is it subjective? Is it objective?
This is something that I wrestle with. On the one hand are my desires, my wants, my felt needs. On the other is the Word of God, that to which I have sworn allegiance, knowing that I am merely a property that he has purchased. Yes the price paid was great, but not because of my value. As any capitalist can tell you, the priced is based on the value of the object to the buyer. Not the object itself… This is why gasoline costs as much as milk, and diamonds (which serve no real purpose in the general population) are so outrageously expensive.
Sometimes, the urge to do that which is expedient, rubs hard against the desire to do that which is righteous, and I feel torn. The expedient thing will benefit me in the short term, possibly even improve my standard of living, and allow me to live a more 'comfortable' life. But what about the long term cost?
But I digress. As for Jakes, Jones, Price and Long (just to name a few). the problem is that all of these men are heretics, in that they espouse and promote doctrines which we know to be unorthodox and heretical, but when that is said… Look out! People pull out the touch not, judge not, misapplication of scripture instead of doing their own due diligence to refute what has been claimed.
Why is that, fam?
Could it be the paucity of orthodoxy, stemming from a general absence of systematic exegetical teaching coming from ‘our’ pulpits? Meaning that we are so busy being entertained with decontextualized verses and clever preaching that we do not even know what the basics of the faith we claim to espouse even are? Why aren’t ‘black preachers’ like Anyabwile, Baucham, and Carter, as well known as these others?
Do we prefer a charismatic speaker, who makes us feel good, (even if they are telling lies), and a song and a dance to sound line upon line teaching? What is it?
Can someone help me out here?
Somebody?
Anybody?
I must also admit to a certain amount of disappointment that to date, only ONE of my many black Christian FB friends have commented on it.
Why is that, fam?
It is my prayer that when I post a thing, dialog will ensue, and the Biblical prescription for successful exchange between brethren will take place, ie: God is glorified, and the brethren are edified.
It is never my intention to cause division among brethren. I want to be clear on that.
One of the biggest problems, as I see this is that for many ‘Black Christians’ TD Jakes is a model to be emulated ( Let me be clear that I HATE the idea that the body of Christ which Jesus declares is ONE, should be divided/categorized along ethnic lines, so I do not like the idea of a ‘black church’, or ‘chinese church’ or white church’), as are Fred Price, Noel Jones, Creflo Dollar & even now after all the mess, Eddie Long. Why? Because of their perceived ‘success’, that’s why.
The fact is that ‘we' (black folks)'’ tend to look at successful black folk and applaud them, no matter what they have become successful in, even if it is the most God hating enterprise. But what is success, and how do we measure it? By the Bible? By our own feelings? Is it subjective? Is it objective?
This is something that I wrestle with. On the one hand are my desires, my wants, my felt needs. On the other is the Word of God, that to which I have sworn allegiance, knowing that I am merely a property that he has purchased. Yes the price paid was great, but not because of my value. As any capitalist can tell you, the priced is based on the value of the object to the buyer. Not the object itself… This is why gasoline costs as much as milk, and diamonds (which serve no real purpose in the general population) are so outrageously expensive.
Sometimes, the urge to do that which is expedient, rubs hard against the desire to do that which is righteous, and I feel torn. The expedient thing will benefit me in the short term, possibly even improve my standard of living, and allow me to live a more 'comfortable' life. But what about the long term cost?
But I digress. As for Jakes, Jones, Price and Long (just to name a few). the problem is that all of these men are heretics, in that they espouse and promote doctrines which we know to be unorthodox and heretical, but when that is said… Look out! People pull out the touch not, judge not, misapplication of scripture instead of doing their own due diligence to refute what has been claimed.
Why is that, fam?
Could it be the paucity of orthodoxy, stemming from a general absence of systematic exegetical teaching coming from ‘our’ pulpits? Meaning that we are so busy being entertained with decontextualized verses and clever preaching that we do not even know what the basics of the faith we claim to espouse even are? Why aren’t ‘black preachers’ like Anyabwile, Baucham, and Carter, as well known as these others?
Do we prefer a charismatic speaker, who makes us feel good, (even if they are telling lies), and a song and a dance to sound line upon line teaching? What is it?
Can someone help me out here?
Somebody?
Anybody?
Comments
To label Bishop Jakes, Creflo and Dr. Price along with Eddie Long is problematic from at least 2 points. First, theologically they do not all subscribe to the same emphasis. Dollar and Price are certified word of faith teachers. Jakes preaches across a broader range of topics and issues than both of them. Second, those three men have not, to my knowledge, been accused or associated with the morally depraved and duplicitous behavior that Long is currently dealing with. So painting them with the same brush is unfair at least.
As to them being heretics and their teaching coming from Satan, it is far easier to cast an aspersion than to support that assertion. Having listened to hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of teaching by various and sundry preachers across the spectrum of evangelical to word of faith, baptist to Charismatic, I can say with certainty that they teach the Word of God with clarity and authority on topics that many "orthodox" Christians have accepted as "par for the course" versus what the Scriptures present as possible for them that believe.
Your point that 'to be enamored with successful people that share their ethnicity.' is 'common and consistent across all cultures...' is well taken, however that does not make it correct or justified...
Please note that I made it clear that the individuals in question: "espouse and promote doctrines which we know to be unorthodox and heretical". There is no mention of behavior or practice. I make no mention of the 'morally depraved and duplicitous behavior that Long is currently dealing with.' Re: the aspersion vs. assertion charge that you make, please review this blog. There is more than sufficient substantiation of the assertions that I make concerning these individuals and there doctrinal positions.
Blessings to you.