Demons Running A Scam

I'm sorry, (well not really- just more annoyed) but I do not think that having a "church growth" expo is biblical. I think it is nothing more than an attempt to get struggling pastors to take their focus off of Christ and to put their monies into someone else's pockets. However, every true minister of God knows that it is God that provides the increase. Furthermore, what does it do to the glory of Christ when it is the pastor's "ideas" that brings the people in? Also, what kind of people will be attracted to the tom-foolery that the pastor has carried out? It won't be the Christian. It won't be the seeker either. It will be folk with itching ears who would rather have a form of godliness and deny the true power of God. Yes, the word says, "he that wins souls is wise...", but what is forgotten is the beginning of the verse,"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life..." In other words, the fruit that a pastor should bear should be something of significance- something that brings life. And lest we forget, unless you (or I) or any other preacher has been grafted into the true vine, all of our righteousness is as filthy rags (read: bloody tampons)! It is only the life that is Christ that bears fruit and that fruit stems from the Spirit which takes us right to Jesus saying, "No man can come to me, except the Father that has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up on the last day!"

So please see the death that is wrapped up in this ad. And any preacher associated with it is in question because he should know (especially the ones that call themselves bishops, elders, pastors and apostles) the difference between knowing who God is and what the devil would do to kill, steal and destroy.

In conclusion, true pastors of God- run, run from this way of thinking that you can manipulate people to coming to church by having an awesome program. How about this for size, why not just preach the ENTIRE GOSPEL?

The Error of Pentecostalism Pt1 (My Testimony)

While there is no doubt in my mind that there are many, many children of our Lord that have come into the “Salvation of Christ” through the Pentecostal church body, I have come to believe that the Pentecostal church itself is not purely “representative” of what Christ desires for His church. I find in it many flaws that we as Christians have allowed to go unchecked or un-responded to for sake of peace or for the mighty dollar. This will not be a railing against Pentecostalism, but rather a historical and biblical comparison against that which is right.

Now before I continue, I want to say a few things. When I first came to Christ it was in a Pentecostal church. I had already known about Christ from what my mother taught me (we were never a devout Roman Catholic family, but Catholics none the less). So I knew that Christ died for my sins (I just didn’t understand the weight of my sins). At the age of 18 I went off to college and met many new people. One individual offered me a place to stay on the weekend. The family offered me an opportunity to go to church with them and I gladly accepted. That Sunday, I went down for the altar call (something I had become familiar with at a non-denominational charismatic church) for prayer (all college boys need it). As I was there a female minister asked me if I had accepted Christ and was “Saved.” I honestly answered “No,” so she continued with “do you want to be…” In my mind I knew I wanted to be saved…one day- just not today! And that was how I responded. However, all she heard was “yes!” With that, before I had a chance to explain myself- she ran off to tell the pastor and elders. When I was asked about it I didn’t have the heart tell them she had misheard me.

I was whisked away to the backroom to be lightly catechized before baptism. I distinctly remember that while I was being “dunked” I just knew I wasn’t saved. It wasn’t necessarily because I didn’t want to be saved, but because I had just gotten an earring two weeks earlier and in my mind that was the thing that made me “unholy”- not sin. I got out of the water with everyone cheering me on all the while second-guessing my salvation. I was then taken to the backroom again and hands were laid upon me to receive the Holy Spirit. I was then told to speak in tongues as evidence of the Holy Ghost. I didn’t “feel” right trying to speak in tongues (especially when I felt like I wasn’t saved), but I did for the sake of those around me (that and the fact I was hungry and ready to go). I was told to let it come forth and that it would just flow, so I babbled some inaudible words and as they encouraged me, I said more and more. I was a bit angry because I knew it wasn't right, but in order to not make mockery of salvation, I forced a smile and went on with my business.

I went back to school and continued in the same sins, mindset and actions I was doing before. However, I did feel that since I made the promise that I would at least attempt to live right (although I asked for forgiveness daily). I continued on this way for about a year when I left that school for another. I decided I would try harder at working out my salvation and ended up at a Black Baptist school to keep from getting into trouble (Morris College, anyone, anyone…). At this time, God started to bring up the desire to actually serve Him in a better a way and greater abhorrence for my personal sin led me to truly take my salvation seriously. I joined a local Pentecostal church (C.O.G.I.C.) and after a dream I had, I felt God was calling me to preach. Several months later, I preached my first message. I stayed with that same congregation for seven years. As I did so, I picked up some bad theology (as well as some God glorifying doctrine) along the way. Although I must take the brunt of the blame for not reading my Bible enough, there were many teachings that I received from different preachers that were not biblically right.

I say all that to show that I am not picking on Pentecostalism as a manner of being rude or saying that the Reformed Faith has it altogether. I do however, come against the falsehoods within the Pentecostal teachings in order to do what is right in God’s sight- rightly divide the “Word of Truth.” I also believe that there are many people still in the Pentecostal movement that I believe are truly “born-again” and will be welcomed in as faithful servants. However, a little leaven leavens the whole lump and I think there are enough problems within Pentecostalism to say that from the beginning (Azusa Street specifically) it never truly glorified God. In the next post on this topic I will deal with specific information regarding the Azusa Street occurrence and hopefully, by the grace of God some light can be shed concerning why it is wrong. Please pray for me as I write this because I truly am turning my backs on (so to speak) the very people who I started out with early in my faith. Nevertheless, I must not back down, but preach the gospel because I am not ashamed of it and I know for a fact it is the power of God unto salvation. And with that comes the responsibility to try every spirit to see if they are from God at all times contending for the faith once delivered!

In His Name,
This Lowly Servant

Racism in the Church pt2 (the Brown side)

Earlier I wrote about the nuances in what we are referring to right now as the "white church." Now that label no way really means that there is a "white church" (nor is there truly a "black church"), but for the purpose of this article- well just humor me:). In truth, there is only one church, just as there is only one Lord and one faith. We are all called into this body of Christ regardless of ethnic origin, gender, age, handicap or (gulp!) race. Not one race is superior to another because we are all part of the body that Christ is the lone head of. As Paul stated so well in speaking to the Galatians, "what do you have that has not been given to you?" Not one race has been specifically endowed with a gift more than another. Nor does God look at any ethnicity as being above any other. However, in regards to the "Church," there are those that would elevate "blackness" or "Afrocentrism" above other ethnic persuasions.


At the root of the "Afrocentrism" is the fear of submission. Yet inevitably, it becomes a fear of submission to God. Many in the black church refuse to embrace the term "submission," putting it in the same category as African slavery of the past 400 years (in the American context). Now in no way am I defending that kind of submission. But to fail to submit to the will of God through the Word of God is just as great a sin as slavery is. Further sin comes in when the "blackness" of our people is elevated to a point of saving grace. So we have black folk in the church who are more concerned with the "blackness" of the church than with its submission to the Most High God. How dare you? Yes, I know black folk have gone through things that are at times unspeakable and that at the hands of many white detractors. I know first hand, I have experienced the evils of racism (from both sides at that {I am of Black and Puerto Rican descent}). However, for Black Americans to consider the plight of your own people and neglect the sufferings of hundreds of thousands of others because they are not black is just as wrong as White America ignoring us. How many Christians have been martyred since the beginning of Christianity, is that not a greater injustice?


Again, in no way am I making light of the "black" experience. It has blessed me... and saddened me. But I cherish it because it is a part of me and my children. Yet, my "blackness" in no way overshadows my Savior's blood. As black Christians we must not get caught up in the vendetta of finally coming into our own. Forgiveness is essential in glorifying our Lord. The alternative to forgiveness is the "Christianized" version of the N.O.I.(Nation of Islam). A perverted deviant of what is truly holy. Unfortunately for us, racism is still alive and well. But greater than racism is the love of Christ upon His children.


There are so many black people preparing to burn in hell just because they refuse to believe in the True God of ALL nations. As Isaiah said, "Is God's arm so short that He cannot save?" God forbid. God can save a Black American just as selflessly as he can save a White American. Nor is God insistent upon saving one because he or she is melanin enhanced (as beautiful as that may be). Likewise, God does not choose to save someone because they are melanin deficient (as beautiful as that may be). God saves out of all race because all are His creation and He will do what He pleases.

My melanin enhanced brothers and sisters in Christ, we must break down the doors of racial divide in our churches. Sadly, the majority of churches pushing for mixed congregations are WoF (and that is for the money). Now I am not saying you have to go out of your way to find a melanin deficient individual and bring them to church, but what I am calling for is the love among Christians that facilitates friendship beyond cultural barriers. While we must take care of our communities we must also realize that there are more in our communities than just us. As Christians it is our duty to minister the Gospel to every individual.

Furthermore, there will be some who bring up the differences between cultural groups. Yes, we clap on the 2 and 4 and they clap on the 1 and 3. But that cannot be used as an excuse to avoid worship with our family in Christ. And while I am at it, the preaching style should never weigh more than the content of what is being preached. We as Christians must put things in decency and in order. We must place the highest regard for the Scripture and the preaching/teaching of it above other things in the service (to include the choir).

Sadly, I believe too many black churches have failed. They have failed in cultivating true believers and they have failed to distinguish what is true godliness from a mere form of it. And there is none to blame but ourselves (starting with me). Yet I am hopeful. I know that Christ has not left His church to overcome this sinful world by herself. I see everyday of black believers truly preaching and teaching the Word of God to their families and members of their local congregation. Look at the list of sites on the left. There are many, many righteous black men of God teaching and preaching what He has ordained. These are leaders within the church who are about true worship. Likewise, there are several white brothers who are doing the same.

In the end, only what we do for Christ will last. We will not be patted on the back for Dashiki Sunday's or wearing African garb because we went on a mission trip Uganda. We will not be praised for solely ministering to those who look like us. We were called to go out into the world and preach the Gospel. Do we minister to our own? YES! Do we do it because we don't want to speak with the rest of the world? God forbid. We must open ourselves up to those who we think might not accept the invitation, but we do it with the love of Christ. And to make this point absolutely clear, we will be rejected, laughed at, talked about, but it will be worth it. Why? John said in Revelation5:9, "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation..." Let us continue to be a people that leads all people to Christ for this great and powerful day.

As I end this, a black writer once wrote, "beautiful are my people, beautiful are the eyes of my people, beautiful are the souls of my people!" And it is so true. We are a beautiful people in the sight of God, insomuch as we are His people in Christ. We can bring the gifts God has given us to the greater body of Christ and do much good. But in order to do any good, we must let go of the sins (both of ourselves and of others) that so easily beset us. we must walk with those who glorify the risen King the way He dictates. And above all, we must pick up our cross daily and follow Christ. Be strong my people in Christ's Name, for His sake!

Racism in the Church pt1

It has often been said that "Sunday morning is the most segregated time in America" and sadly, I find this statement to be true too often. Fortunately, the day has come in America where we ARE free to worship one with another. With that, it is time for the congregations to make the move. Whether that congregation is entirely "black" or "not-so black," there must be an initiative on the part of the church members to seek to incorporate all Christians.

For example, I was an assistant pastor at an eastern Indian church body. The pastor and 98% of the congregation spoke Hindi and Telegu. I did not. They sang songs of worship in both English and Hindi/Telegu. When the Hindi/Telegu songs where performed I did my best to try to learn the pronunciations of the words I was seeing on the projector screen. Needless to say, I butchered the words quite often. I would also say that they made a habit of explaining the words and meanings of the songs for the benefit of those who did not know the language (ie my family). Nevertheless, we were all Christians and we all made an attempt to esteem one another over self. I first came to the church as a minister doing several rap songs during a Christmas Service. I was invited back when there was nothing special going on. You see, it was never about "ethnicity". It was a Christian church that God used to minister to Christian people. Sure there where obvious differences, but the obvious similarity was of Christ in us- which was the greater of the two!

While I totally believe it was the responsibility of the pastor to lead his congregation in the right path, it was still up to the congregation to be fully accepting of someone who was not from their background. This is a problem in the church. I have spoken to brothers on the lighter side of the house and have heard them speak of their pastors fully supporting segregation and separation of "races" (not that there really is more than one race- that being the human race). That in its cheapest form is nothing more than self glorification. Sin. It is totally against that which Christ had spoken through the Apostle Paul in that we ought to mortify the sins of the flesh (daily).

All racism has found its roots in the glorification of self. It is the belief (in this example) that the "white man" is superior to the "black man" in intelligence, in genetics, and heretically in Christ. It is also steeped in fear and tradition. In fear of what the unknown will bring about and tradition of what was passed on by certain fathers. Neither case makes racism in the church tolerable. However, it was tolerated because there were very few mixed churches. This made it very easy to sweep the racial problems under the rug and forget about it. Compound that with the feel-good notions of helping out the little black church in the ghetto or serving food at the mission during Thanksgiving and Christmas and everything was seemingly OK. Many white Christian church folk did just enough to appease their conscience in doing the "godly" thing.

What we must understand is that if Christ is who He says He is in His Word, then we cannot idly standby and allow racism, prejudism, or any other negative -ism hinder the body of Christ. It is high time to sit people down who promote these ideals in the church. I know it would be a difficult task, but such is the Christian life. We cannot continue to sit back and let sin run a muck in the church and do nothing. We would not support a pastor or minister who was openly gay (I am talking about the true church of God), or an adulterer, or even a drug dealer. These individuals would be put out. So why would we allow exclusivism because of something that cannot be controlled (ie skin color)? My White brothers and sisters in Christ, take a stand. Invite Christians to fellowship with you who are not like you. Knock down the doors of injustice in the church and strengthen your brothers and sisters in Christ- in every ethnicity!

Stay tuned for the next portion as we tackle, wait for it... wait for it... "The Black Church," no stones will be left unturned.