Journal Your Journey: church

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Building on Solid Foundation

God's word lasts beyond anything else in this world. While cultures and kingdoms change, God's word remains. Isn't it nice that we can build our life around principles that never change?

So who's ground are you building your life on? The shaky ground of culture? Or even of church? Or the solid ground that is eternal?

May God bless you today fam!

J.W.

#Bible #Bibleapp #DailyDevotional #BibleGateway

Monday, April 14, 2014

#PassionWeek - #Monday - Rebel

This week, in honor of Jesus' last days on earth 2014 years ago, I've decided to study Jesus' walk and share my thoughts on what He said, did, and felt during what we call #PassionWeek. Below is the first installment.

Despite what conservative Christians might insinuate, Jesus was a rebel. Jesus didn't advocate maintaining the status quo, but rather He was about challenging the system and pointing out its hypocrisy, much like a Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, or a "community organizer" in modern-day times.

2014 years ago today, Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem and drove folks out, referring to them as "thieves" (Matthew 21:12-13). My question: if Jesus came back today, how many people would He drive out of today's church for the same reason. Would you be one of them? #Monday #EasterIsComing

God bless,
J.W.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Finding God (Part II)

Despite popular belief, people aren't typically saved by going to church.

As controversial as that might sound, if you search the scriptures, you'll find that most people don't have their first real encounter with God in a place of worship.

See Moses (Exodus 3), Jacob (Genesis 32), and Paul (Acts 9). They all are devout Jews who probably went to synagogue routinely. However, they all have their first real encounters with God outside of the church during their daily routines.

That tells us three things:

1. You can be in church all your life and never develop a personal relationship with God.

2. God is not restricted to the four walls of the church.

3. God meets people where they are.

That's why God instructs to "set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" in 1 Timothy 4:12. He wants us to let our lights shine in all that we do, so that people might have a personal encounter with God wherever we go.

See, He knows that people aren't saved by going church. Rather, people get saved by watching real Christians live their lives for God.

So, don't restrict God to the four walls of the church. He can do ANYTHING with ANYBODY ANYWHERE.

God bless,
J.W.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

It's The Lights, You're Blinded by the Action, Hollywood

The situation between Prophetess Juanita Bynum and her husband Bishop Thomas Weeks is disturbing to me.

Over the past several months since allegations of domestic violence between the two first surfaced in the news media, both Bynum and Weeks have spoken out to address the controversy. Bynum, the victim, has held several press conferences, conducted an interview with Essence Magazine, and recently appeared on a special two-part edition of Divorce Court with Judge Lynn Toler to talk about her experience as a survivor of the abuse. Likewise, Bishop Weeks has conducted several press conferences and interviews, one in particular with New York radio station Hot 97’s Miss Jones, to give his side of the story. So, why is the situation so disturbing to me?

Three reasons.

The first is the public discourse that has taken place between the two parties. If this is truly such a personal, intimate, private issue, why are they both choosing to make it public? Bishop Weeks has even gone so far as to reveal details about the couple’s sex life. Is that really behavior becoming of a preacher? Why are these two people so intent on making this a public issue? In my opinion, the shameful back-and-forth, public display between these two completely undermines both parties’ claims that this is not about promoting their careers.

My second problem with the whole situation is their seemingly reckless disregard for the sanctity of marriage. In this day and age, when divorce runs rampant through our society, it’s a shame when two individuals, who are not only Christians, but preachers, throw in the towel on their marriage. In the midst of defending themselves through the media, neither Bynum nor Weeks have actually said that divorce is wrong and frowned upon by God. On Divorce Court, Bynum even says, “I can’t speak for him, but I no longer want the marriage.” At no time has she said that God told her to get a divorce. Or that she believes it's God's will for her to leave her husband. Instead, she describes it as a decision for her own health and her own well-being. Which is fine, except that the Bible tells us that God does not like divorce (1 Corinthians 7:10-12). So do you reconcile the disconnect? How, as a Christian, do you justify going your own way when you know that God disapproves of your action?

Well, for one, understand that divorce is different than separation. I do not believe that God calls us to live in an environment of tension and fear. In fact, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that God wants us to do that exact opposite. But, when it comes to divorce, God is just as clear, which brings me to my third point.

My third problem with this situation is the hypocrisy that I’ve seen from both parties throughout this situation. In Bynum’s case, she made the statement on Divorce Court that she loves her husband, but she loves herself more. Well, as a minister of the word, is that really the mentality that God instructs us to have in our relationships with others? I would argue that Bynum’s perspective is not of God, but her own rationalization for getting a divorce. The fact is that God doesn’t tell us to love ourselves more than other people. Rather, He tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). Furthermore, he instructs us to put the interests of others before our own (Phillippians 2:3-4; Romans 15:1-3). So, as an instructor and prophet of God’s word, what is Bynum really teaching? Is this the word of God or her own thoughts and opinions?

Similarly, what is Bishop Weeks teaching his congregants when he says he “would rather push you now than punch you later.” Or better yet, when he says, “avoiding her swing to my head, I pushed her away with great force causing her to hit the ground pretty hard.” Whether Weeks was trying to avoid further confrontation or not, he still put his hands on a woman. So what are we to think when we now hear him preach a gospel that instructs us to turn the other cheek to those who would do us harm (Matthew 38:40)? Or that "he who is slow to anger is better than the mighty" (Proverbs 16:32).

In his new book called “What Love Taught Me,” Weeks makes the claim that Bynum instigated the now-infamous parking lot incident and used it to become the poster child for domestic violence and to boost her ministry. “Juanita was tired of preaching. She was tired of the conference circuit. She was bored… she needed a way out of the marriage so that she could keep her following, develop a cause that would support her without preaching and promote her secular career.” Whether his claims are true or not, I am not certain. But it does seem to me that both of them are now trying to turn what should have been regarded as a tragedy to a triumph for their careers. Weeks coming out with a new book. Bynum on Divorce Court. The divorce is still not yet finalized. And everybody trying to get glory for themselves and none to God. It all just doesn’t seem right to me.

God bless,
J.W.

April 2003 - Bynum-Weeks Wedding
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KQEkDJuHyPk