Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……Well here we go again with discussion about sex and sexuality and the Black Church.  It seems the Black Church or especially the Pentecostal Church has a serious issue about same gender loving people.  Ironically the guys who fight the movement of affirming churches and their leaders are secretly Pineapple Juice Drinkers (Obnoxious word for on the down low) themselves and the gay boys that have found a place to function in the traditional environment.  This subject is such a big deal and seems to get people constantly up in arms when it should be viewed as any other sin.  If you like it partake and if you do not don’t.  Live and let other live without imposing your view on others.  At least these guys are honest about who they are and their relationship with Christ.

Dear Mr. Obnoxious,

When the Gay Church Meets the Five-Fold

Pastor Keith McQueen is on the move in Indiana. According to his web site, he was “able to bring the largest African American LGBT presence in the history of Indiana.” The Indianapolis-based preacher, along with his first gentleman, was recently featured in Nuvo Magazine.

While McQueen’s accomplishments are noteworthy, it’s barely newsworthy. Gay-affirming churches are springing up nationwide. However, it was ironic that, even to the staff of Nuvo, an Indianapolis-based alternative press, that such a church has arisen in conservative Indiana. Remember how Indiana recently passed a Religious Freedom Bill that made the State the arm-pit of American. Many saw this bill as a legal right to discriminate against gays. Others, like lawmakers, claimed that it wasn’t all about that. The Bill was revamped to be less controversial nevertheless.  

The real news about these developments is “How will the landscape of Christendom change as gay churches spring up in a city near you? For instance, McQueen calls himself an anointed “Prophet, Psalmist, Teacher, Philanthropist, Community Activist and Pastor.” What happens with the five-fold meets the gay church? What if your favorite pastor, evangelist, prophet or apostle is known to frequent and minister in a gay church? 

After all, Pastor McQueen is well connected. According to his web site, he has “worked with many influential ministries such as Without Walls International Church in Tampa, FL and with Pastors Deitrick and Damita Haddon. In 2004 Pastor McQueen was licensed and Ordained at Harvesttime Apostolic Ministries under the leadership of Bishop Raymond Monroe Trout in Riverdale, GA.” And “God has blessed Pastor McQueen to preach across denominational lines throughout the United States.” In 2013 Pastor McQueen launched a community based organization in Indianapolis known as ELITE INDY. ELITE INDY is an organization designed to motivate and inspire young African American Gay males in the Greater Indianapolis area to set and achieve practical and realistic goals through education, inspiration and economic resources. 

So the questions for Theological Schools in light of recent development are many. If a supposedly straight evangelist preaches for a gay church, he is or she:

Can straight people attend gay churches unless they are accepting of that lifestyle?

And most importantly, does God save people in Pentecostal gay churches like Powerhouse with evidence of the in-filling of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues? 

If God does save people in the midst of what some would call blatant sin, it would seem that gay churches do experience a degree of prosperity. The question asked in Jeremiah 12:1 was, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? This question can be applied to church folks, whether gay or straight, and the unchurched alike. 

And how do churches prosper in the midst of systems that are ungodly?

Honestly, there’s an abundance of churches that operate and succeed under systems and spirits that are ungodly. These churches operate with cliques and often reward others with promotions for participating and indulging in ungodly behaviors. Yet these churches enjoy a degree of prosperity. Member become confused, thinking that there must not be anything wrong with wicked ways if the pastor is wicked, the deacons are wicked and the whole dang crew.

So the final question is why does God allow ungodly people, preachers and church-systems to thrive, survive and prosper without punishment? The answer might be found in Luke 11:23 “Whoever is not with me (Jesus) is against me. Or maybe it’s Matthew !2:30, He who is not with me is against me. Critics often cite these two statements as a contradiction. You decide.

 It’s not easy being a young African-American male in Indiana — where prejudices and stereotypes still maintain a stronghold in business, religious and government institutions. It’s also no walk in the park preaching the word of God in modern times to a multicultural, radically inclusive Christian congregation. Add to these attributes a person who is same-gender loving — and you’ve got a man on a mission. It’s a calling Pastor Keith McQueen courageously accepts in his ministry at Powerhouse Church of Indianapolis. 

Like a lot of people in their mid-twenties — filled with exuberance over their pending nuptials — Pastor McQueen recently posted a picture on Facebook of him and his partner, Derrick Howell, with the following brief message: 

I have been blessed beyond measure to be united with someone that I KNOW is equipped to minister to my Whole being. God saw fit to connect me to an amazing man! MY Best-friend/prayer-partner/confidant/counselor/business-advisor and now fiancé!!! September 12th can’t come quick enough!!! 

 That simple post — containing less than 45 words — created an online firestorm, generating more than 41 shares and close to 300 comments. Many comments included hateful and derogatory language, calling Pastor McQueen and Derrick “pigs,” “evil,” “wicked” and “Satan.”

“It’s double oppression,” explains Pastor McQueen. “You’ve been oppressed as a Black person, and you’re being oppressed as a LGBT person.” With complete candor, he says, “If you don’t deal with someone’s spiritual mindset around their human sexuality, or any aspect of themselves where there’s self-hate, you can’t help them.” 

He and Derrick didn’t take the negative remarks personally. “Neither one of us responded on Facebook, and the reason why is because, ‘an offended man is harder to win than a strong city.’ [Proverbs 18:19] If a person is in a spirit of anger, you’re not really open to allowing yourself to be educated or to be illuminated.” Pastor McQueen acknowledges that most of the people who made negative comments grew up similarly to the way he grew up. They were taught about a God that hates. “It’s religious indoctrination,” he says. “Every slur and every angry message are things that have been poured into them. They’re only giving back what they have been given.” 

 He emphasizes that same gender loving individuals are often given two options in Christian churches. Option A: You choose God. You choose to live for Christ. Option B: You “choose” to be same gender loving. He notes, “You aren’t presented with Option C: You can love yourself and love God.” Pausing momentarily, he says, “I think we presented some people with Option C who had not entertained the idea.”

The African-American Christian Paradox

With a strong tradition of fighting for civil rights, the African American church presents an interesting paradox on marriage equality. “I do believe that the African American church has dropped the ball when it comes to defending LGBT people,” says Pastor McQueen. “You would think that African Americans who have been greatly mistreated and denigrated—still to this day—would be more welcoming and accepting. But unfortunately, there is so much prejudice.” The reasons may date back to slavery. “You dealt with a lot of stuff, but you couldn’t talk about it,” he says. “So people developed this mentality, ‘what happens in this house stays in this house.'” Today, that includes a reluctance to openly discuss human sexuality, especially in the African-American Christian church. 

“I’ll be frank, African Americans in the state of Indiana and in Indianapolis have not been equivocally empowered,” he says, “It’s a struggle of ours to get people on board to love themselves, particularly if they grew up in an environment where they were taught to hate themselves. You have to undo what has been done in order to walk them along the journey of self-acceptance.” 

 Pastor McQueen also recognizes where marriage equality stands in history. “We know that we’re in the midst of a transition, not just in this city but in the world, and we respect that.” Ongoing dialogue, he believes, is critical. “One of the more unhealthy routes people have taken in the Christian church is—outside of clichés and derogatory language — no one has honest dialogue around sexuality. If you provoke conversation, then you’ve done something. You’ve planted a seed.” 

“People have been blessed by the preaching,” he continues. “And they have followed the ministry. At the end of the day, the biggest outrage is: ‘I heard a message through this vessel that impacted me spiritually. How can this person, as they would say, have this lifestyle choice and be used by God?'” In his words, that forces people to deal with some of their own issues.

Pastor Keith McQueen Preaching

God’s Early Calling

Growing up third-generation Pentecostal, Pastor McQueen worked through those same issues himself. He readily concedes that loving the whole person and coming to terms with same-gender love within a Christian context can take years, even more so when one has a southern Pentecostal background.

Originally from South Carolina, his ministry began young. “I felt called to the ministry when I was nine,” he says. “And I preached my first sermon when I was ten years old.” One of his great aunts and her husband recognized the call of God in his life. While visiting them in Jacksonville, Florida, they asked if he wanted to preach one night. He answered “yes” and gave his first sermon, entitled, “The Things that Hinder Your Blessings.” That experience proved powerful. “I didn’t even know how to put together a sermon,” he reveals. “But the church was packed. People came out and were supportive.” At one point the power went out because of a hurricane. “It’s Jacksonville, Florida,” he laughs. They lit candles throughout the room and continued to worship. “It was an emotional night,” he says. “And I believe a lot of people were touched.” 

 Throughout school, he remained active in the ministry. He continued to do so while attending college at Clark Atlanta University in Georgia, where he studied psychology. He held after school prayer services, took kids to get baptized at the church, and prayed for people on campus. Hundreds of college youth came out for the prayer services. 

Ordained at age 17, Pastor McQueen says, “That’s what I’ve been doing ever since, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

But his path as a same-gender loving Christian has not been without personal hardships. “I went through the Pray the Gay away, Conversion Therapy (sexual-orientation therapy), and all that,” he says. None of it worked. “I did believe at one point that one magical day I would wake up and have sexual desires for women, and I would not be same-gender loving. I prayed I would get delivered.” He takes a breath and then, with conviction, proclaims, “The truth is I did get delivered. I got delivered from self-hatred. I got delivered from abusive theology. To me that’s deliverance. Learning to love yourself is deliverance.” 

Powerhouse Church Arrives in Indianapolis

Pastor McQueen moved from Atlanta to Indianapolis in 2012 and quickly began Powerhouse Church, with only six people. It’s a culturally diverse ministry that offers restoration to the whole person, including health and wellness services, GED training and preparation, and advocacy for the rights of individuals in the African-American LGBT community. “It can be tough,” he says. “Particularly when you pastor in an authentic space. When you pastor a church like Powerhouse, where people have attended church all their lives but maybe weren’t honest or upfront about certain aspects of who they are, and then you create a space for all people, that means all of their baggage and all of their hurts, the things other ministries weren’t able to deal with, it comes into one room.” But the message he imparts is clear, “Faith, Healing, and Equality as a right to every willing vessel.” At Powerhouse Church, he declares, “Everyone can know the love of Christ.”

Meeting His Life Partner

Derrick Howell came to Powerhouse Church two years ago. Gifted with a joyful singing voice, Derrick is active in the choir — a rousing Spirit filled offering each Sunday that brings the church to its feet, clapping and dancing. He also devotes management talents to the finance department. 

Pastor McQueen explains that a little over a year ago, the two became friends beyond the pastor role. “What I liked about the friendship,” Pastor McQueen says, “is that I could be my whole self around Derrick. I could be Pastor McQueen, and I could just be Keith. And for some strange reason, Derrick seemed to have an ability to deal with that.” He laughs. “After I’m done pastoring people, he has the grace to pastor me. That’s a whole ministry within itself.” Derrick smiles good-naturedly, nodding his agreement.

Gradually, their relationship evolved from platonic friendship to romantic. “I wanted to be very careful going into it,” Pastor McQueen explains. “We sought counseling, both spiritual and secular, to make sure that we were going down this path in a very healthy way.” 

On Valentine’s Day, Derrick Proposes 

A humble and highly respected person in the church, Derrick quietly relays their engagement story. “We took a trip to Atlanta, and I met his parents and grandparents. We met the bishop of our organization and attended a church service there. Mostly, we just wanted some time to relax. He’s always busy and I’m always busy; so the weekend was a great opportunity to relax and enjoy each other’s company without all the different pools we get into.” Derrick had planned to propose and present a ring, but when he got to Atlanta, he realized the box containing the ring had been misplaced. Derrick says, “Saturday night, I decided, well, I had my ring. I’m just going to go ahead and propose and give him my ring and then work out the rest of the details later on.”

“Thankfully,” Derrick continues, “he said yes!” 

Pastor McQueen picks up the thread of their story. “To me, our love is greater than something tangible. Whether he had a ring or not, I was going to say yes. He could have handed me a piece of paper with two boxes. ‘Will you marry me: Yes or No,’ and I would have said yes.” He glances at Derrick. “Our relationship is deeper than that. It’s one of the things I love about Derrick. The relationship goes beyond stuff and other entities. God has given us a certain magic. Our energy feeds off of each other. It’s so easy to converse with him.” 

Like all couples, they have occasional disagreements. Yet, Pastor McQueen finds that they don’t really argue. “Arguing is trying to defend something. I believe we don’t argue because there’s nothing to defend. When we come to a dispute where we share differing viewpoints, we are genuinely trying to reach a conclusion. It’s not about who is right. It’s about what is right.” 

Derrick and Pastor McQueen both agree on the importance of intimacy in their relationship. “We have this dynamic of intimacy that we believe in,” says Pastor McQueen. “Intimacy is, we say, into me see, allowing someone to see you authentically and telling each other how we feel. That’s one of the things I appreciate most about my relationship with Derrick.”

Derrick agrees and adds, “One thing we push each other to do is to be completely vulnerable. It’s difficult. Both of us have been in different places where it wasn’t always encouraged. So to come into a relationship and safe space where you can say whatever has to be said and come to a conclusion about it, is one of the biggest pieces.” At Powerhouse Church, Derrick stresses, the ministry is also one of healing. “We use the phrase: ‘All the time, heal each other.'”

Telling The Family 

Pastor McQueen’s family dealt with news of the couple’s engagement a little bit better. He says, “I have taken the time to create an open and honest dialogue with my family, which isn’t easy when you grow up with a southern Pentecostal family. People don’t want to talk about it. They just want to pray about it.” He notes that he didn’t have unrealistic expectations and didn’t pressure them to accept certain ideas overnight that took him years to embrace. His grandmother also helped the process. “My grandmother is just a very loving person,” he says. “Her emphasis was on the love of God and the love of Christ. She has a mentality of, ‘It’s not my place to judge people. My assignment is to love people.'” 

Derrick’s family is still grappling with the engagement. “They haven’t met him yet,” says Derrick. “That’s a bit of a sore spot, but we’re working on that piece of it.” He trusts that his family will come around eventually. “They have known about my sexuality since I was 18,” he says. “But marriage is a new level that they just weren’t ready for.” He recognizes that many people have the idea that same gender love will go away or the individual will be delivered from it. “They don’t see the natural matriculation of living life where there comes a day when you’re actually getting married.” He sees signs of hope though. “Before it would be, ‘I don’t want to talk about it’ and now it’s ‘Well, tell me what he does. Are you ready to be the spouse of a pastor?'” He says, “I can see where God is working that out.”

Same-Gender Love is Not a Sin

Reverend Jeff Miner, senior pastor at LifeJourney Church, leads a local Christian denomination of approximately 400. Married to his same gender spouse for 24 years, Reverend Miner studies and speaks on Biblical scripture as it relates to LGBT individuals who are followers of Jesus. 

He says, “It’s common when people are troubled about gay marriage that their concern begins with, ‘What does the Bible say?’ I understand and respect that. I take the Scriptures very seriously. My attitude is not that the Bible doesn’t matter. It matters very much.” 

In examining the body of scholarly research over the past 30 years, Rev. Miner does not find support for the idea that same gender loving relationships are a sin. “We as Christians have historically misinterpreted the Bible on other important subjects, such as slavery and the role of women in society,” he notes. “And we have held those misinterpretations for centuries.” According to Rev. Miner, the subject of LGBT relationships is another area where thoughtful Christians are coming back to the Scriptures and asking: “Did we get this right or has our interpretation been framed through the lens of prejudice?”

Scholars of Bible scripture are finding that the Bible draws the same lines for same-gender loving people as for straight people. “Abusive, violent, promiscuous sexuality is condemned,” proclaims Rev. Miner. “Loving, committed relationships are approved.” (See sidebar for scripture analysis).

Powerhouse Church: A Message of Love 

With beautiful stained glass windows, Powerhouse Church stands tall in the midst of a working class neighborhood on the East Side of Indianapolis. Its slogan is, “We’re transforming the world, one soul at a time” It is a safe space for all of God’s people, with a congregation now numbering over 200.

“We believe God is love,” says Pastor McQueen. He also believes that there is such a thing as sin. He says, “One of the greatest sins is not giving yourself the opportunity to become all you can be. Not walking in truth. To me, that’s a sin.” He also believes in the scripture John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” As he explains, “Nobody can determine who that whosoever is. I am whosoever. We all are whosoever.”

For Pastor McQueen, the greatest manifestation of the devil is “hatred. It’s bitterness. It’s unforgiveness. It’s ignorance.” In his view, ignorance doesn’t mean just not knowing. “The operative prefix in that word is ‘ignore.’ You don’t know and you don’t want to know.” He continues, “Some years ago, they didn’t believe in women preachers. A few years before that, they preached in the church that interracial couples were of the devil. A hundred years ago, they preached that slavery was the will of God. That it was the will of God to own another human being! It’s like a game of tag. Now same-gender loving and transgender people are it.”

He concludes, “We didn’t change the message. We just extended the invitation. People who were not invited now have an invitation. They now have a place where they can bring their whole selves into the room and worship God in authentic and real truth.”

“Actually, that’s what God commanded us to do,” Derrick points out. “Love God and walk in truth.” 

Steadfast in their faith in God and love for one another, Pastor McQueen and Derrick carry on God’s work, making Powerhouse Church “A Place for All People.”

But What About The Bible?

Although most people assume the Bible condemns same-sex relationships, many Christians are starting to challenge that view. In his book, The Children Are Free, Rev. Jeff Miner argues that the Bible affirms loving, committed gay relationships. 

According to Rev. Miner, the passages commonly used against LGBT people are focused on violent or promiscuous sexual acts: 

• Genesis 19, where the men of Sodom tried to rape male angels.

• Leviticus 18-20, where Moses prohibits homosexual practices common in Canaan and Egypt at the time, i.e., intercourse with male temple prostitutes.

•  Romans 1:18-32, where Paul denounces people who reject God, worship idols, and (in a hedonist quest) experiment with all kinds of sex.

By contrast, Rev. Miner argues that the Bible affirms committed same-sex relationships: 

•  Matthew 8:5-13, where a Roman centurion asks Jesus to heal his pais, a term used in ancient Greek to describe a beloved same-sex partner. Jesus performs the miracle and commends the centurion’s great faith.

•  Matthew 19:1-12, where Jesus affirms that God gifted some men to be “born eunuchs,” an ancient term that referred to men who were attracted to men and seemed born that way.

•  I Samuel 18-20 and II Samuel 1, which celebrate a relationship in which David loved Jonathan more than his wives (II Samuel 1:27).

These and other passages are addressed in Rev. Miner’s book. Rev. Jeff Miner, co-author, The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships.

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Once the man known as Clay among his friends stated during a sermon at his early church that one day Yhe mainstream church would be forced to recognize him.  This appointment by President Obama proves that declaration is coming to pass.  Bishop Oliver Clyde Allen, III, Senior Pastor of The Vision Cathedral of Atlanta, has accepted an appointment to The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). PACHA is a select 23-member council appointed to provide advice, information, and recommendations to the White House and U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services, regarding programs and policies intended to promote effective prevention of HIV disease, and to advance research on HIV disease and AIDS.

The White House asks PACHA to provide, on an ongoing basis, recommendations on how to effectively implement the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, as well as monitor the Strategy’s implementation. Management and support services are provided by the White House Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Bishop Allen’s husband Rashad, has a high ranking position with the CDC based in Atlanta and could have had some influence on this decision.  Rashad has been well sought after on the subject of AIDS/HIV for years.

Bishop Allen will be sworn in on Thursday, May 21, 2015. Follow Bishop Oliver Clyde Allen, III on social media by using IG/Twitter handle @BishopOCAllen. View his official website at: ocallen.com.

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Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God meets Drug Dealers And Killers Strike Again……Pastor Richard Shahan is set to appear in court over allegations that he murdered his wife in July 2013. Prosecutors believe that his former wife, Karen Shahan, had known that Pastor Shahan was Pineapple Juice Drinker (Obnoxious word for on the Down Low) and had attempted to have affairs with two gay men outside of Alabama. Richard is set to appear for a pretrial hearing in front of Judge Laura Petro.

 Karen Shahan’s body was found at her home at about 11:15 a.m. on July 23, 2013 with multiple stab wounds and injuries from defending herself. The evidence points to death by stabbing.

On Wednesday, a document had been prepared by Aendell Sheffield and John Lentine requesting for information that would help progress their case. The two represent Mrs. Shahan.

There is already a lot of evidence that supports Karen’s accusations that her husband was romantically involved with another man. This includes witness statements, messages, as well as an admission by Pastor Shahan himself that he was in a relationship with a man.

According to an email sent in February 2012, Karen claimed that she told her husband to make a choice between his gay lifestyle and his vocation. The recipient of the email is unknown, but she had strongly criticized Pastor Shahan’s attempts to live a double life.

A text Pastor Shahan sent to one of the men he was seeing said, “There is only one way I could become legally ‘single’ and I have to wait until God grants me that gift. It will come; the woman I live with is slowly killing herself — she is diabetic and refuses to take care of herself physically. Her mother died early with the same disease and did the same thing to her body. So I pray and wait. It will happen in God’s timing”

Pastor Shahan’s job as a religious leader was the reason he claims he could not come out, as it would affect church attendance and hurt his image. He was, therefore, planning to leave for Scotland to seek permanent residence and start a new life with the unidentified man who is from Europe. He resigned from his position at Children and Families Pastor and the Facilities Director at First Baptist in December 2013.

Although Pastor Shahan had been arrested and detained for investigative reasons in August 2013, he was later released. He would later be rearrested on Jan. 1, 2014 as he attempted to take a flight to Germany.

Pastor Shahan has denied that he was making an attempt to flee the country, saying that he was going to perform missionary work abroad. At least 3000 of Pastor Shahan’s emails have been found and they indicate that there had been a plan for him to elope to Europe.

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Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……This is a great read from E. Dewey Smith on Spritual Fathers and Sons:  Within ecclesial communities, the topic of “spiritual parenthood/childhood” is a widely discussed conversation. Many unloving critics and critical lovers of the church have delved into this subject for a plethora of reasons. While some destructive forces initiate the aforementioned conversation with hopes of destroying the witness of the Body of Christ, I’ve vigorously researched and examined the best practices and models of “spiritual relationships” in ministries around the world. My focus, passion and commitment is to help us find solutions and offer hope to those interested in healthy ecclesiastical relations.

Without hesitation or equivocation, I believe that God places a premier value on “spiritual parenthood” and mentorship. As Jethro provided counsel to Moses, Moses gave an example to Joshua, Elijah provided a passion for Elisha, Lois offered strength to Eunice, and Paul developed discipline within Timothy, should senior leaders provide similar paradigms and contexts for those assigned to their stewardship. Throughout my life I’ve been blessed to glean from some incredible senior leaders. Leaders like Pastor Jack Smith, Jr., Pastor Eddie D. Smith, Sr., Bishop Richard “Mr. Clean” White, Dr. Melva Costen, Bishop J.L. Cotton, Dr. Prathia Hall-Wynn, Dr. Joel C. Gregory, Dr. Wilie L. Reid, Sr, Bishop C.E. Glover, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. & Bishop T.D. Jakes, have left an indelible impression on me. Their struggles and successes have taught me much about life and ministry. The lessons that were either taught by or caught from these individuals, have given me a strong and impenetrable foundation upon which my ministry is built. My perspective of “spiritual parenthood” is measured, comprehensive, healthy and resolute because of the tremendous value that these great leaders have added to my life.

Over the past 25 years of my pastoral ministry, I’ve been blessed to provide “spiritual parenthood” to 37 “sons” and “daughters” who have served in my congregations and are now serving as pastors. There are hundreds of other pastors who have not served with me within a local assembly but still regard me as their “spiritual father”. Since 2006, my ministry has sponsored annual Pastoral conferences, retreats and seminars, geared toward the development of healthy spiritual leadership relationships. While I’m both humbled by and proud of this feat, it has not happened by osmosis.

Over the past few weeks, God has allowed to me guide 2 of my sons in the ministry through the arduous task of church planting. These successful launches and healthy relationships have been noticed by thousands of people and produced enumerable questions and inquiries. Recently, I’ve been blessed to communicate with hundreds of pastors who’re desirous of having me to become their spiritual father. As I have been in fervent prayer concerning the possible initiation and development of these relationships, my ultimate goal is to ensure absolute clarity and proper articulation and understanding of expectations and roles.

After the successful launch of The House of Hope Macon and my effusive expressions of happiness and excitement about the church and my son in ministry, Pastor Reginald W. Sharpe, Jr., hundreds of people reached out to me on social media seeking insight regarding my relationship with Pastor Sharpe. Those requests, along with some recent “father/son” horror stories, led me to share a few musings on social media. The sheer impossibility of providing comprehensive context on certain social media mediums moved me to pen this missive. In an effort to bring clarity and context about this topic in a way that 140 characters can not, please allow me offer the following:

10 Suggestions for “Spiritual Parents”

1. Be sure that you’re healed from any past wounds that you may have experienced with a “Spiritual Parent” or “Spiritual Child”. Don’t treat your “children” negatively because of what a previous “Parent” or “Child” did to you. Don’t make them pay a “tax” based on another person’s actions.
2. Realize that all of your spiritual children are not the same. Naturally speaking, infants are not cared for in the same way that toddlers are. In like manner, don’t treat your “spiritual teenagers” like you would your “spiritual babies”.
3. Never allow money to be the gauge of who you allow to be your spiritual children. Don’t make “spiritual parenting” an ecclesiastical network marketing structure.
4. Understand that a “Spiritual Parent’s” responsibility is to help your “children” exceed you in ministry. You should want your children to eventually do more than you in ministry!
5. Be secure enough to not use your number of “spiritual children” as a badge of honor or to make you feel important.
6. Realize that your “children” aren’t in your life to simply fulfill your vision. You must also support their visions. If not, the relationship becomes one-sided and parasitical.
7. Help your “spiritual children” to discover, develop and deploy their gifts.
8. Invest in your “children” and maintain a mutually beneficial relationship.
9. Avoid the “Saul spirit”. Never become intimidated by your “children”. Never compete with them. It’s all about God’s Kingdom and not yours.
10. Love your “children” enough to nurture, correct and be truthful with them. Be very observant of “sibling rivalries”.

Don’t allow your “children” to compete against each other.

10 Suggestions For “Spiritual Children”

1. Always seek to support and add value to your “Parent’s” vision.
2. Evaluate, monitor and if necessary, purify your motives to ensure that you’re seeking an authentic relationship and not a platform, stage or opportunity. Don’t be an opportunist.
3. Always be honest with your spiritual parent. Don’t lie to the persons to whom you are accountable.
4. Live a life of integrity. Do not blemish or tarnish the reputations of the persons God has connected you with through bad character.
5. Be open for correction and instruction. You need someone in your life who can show you how to get to where God wants you to be.
6. Never compete with your “spiritual siblings” for opportunities and platforms.
7. Don’t use deceit to get on a stage. Always let your gifts make room for you.
8. Never ask for a ministry or preaching opportunity. Develop your gifts and crafts. Be ready when the opportunity comes.
9. Understand that some “spiritual parents” have been hurt in previous relationships. Sometimes you may “pay the tax” on something done by someone else years ago. You may not be trusted initially because of something that someone did.
10. Don’t paint all “spiritual parents” with the same broad brush. Never allow a bad “parent/child” experience to distort your views on all “spiritual relationships”.

While this list may not be exhaustive, I sincerely believe that it can provide a solid foundation upon which “spiritual relationships” can be built. Whether you serve as a “Spiritual Parent” or “Spiritual Child”, be determined to be the best that you can be. God wants to use you and the Body of Christ is in desperate need of your example.

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 Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……Well, it seems that Gospel Singer DeWayne Woods has allegedly crossed the wrong person.  One of DeWayne’s CDs was tiled ‘Life Lessons’ and he definitely learning one right now.  Close to five days ago I was sent a screenshot (that you can checkout below) of a status on Facebook by Anthony Lofties of Nashville that is obviously openly gay.  Anthony exposed an alleged relationship he was having with DeWayne and some personal details of DeWayne’s life that only a close friend or friend of a friend could have been prevy and learned directly from the individual or someone close to them in idle gossip.  Now anyone that knows DeWayne knows he  has been very open about his past and The Lord healing him.  DeWayne Woods shares God Healed him of HIV/AIDS during one of his many interviews on the subject.  

 Although, during a conversation with Anthony, who started out very vocal about his alleged secret relationship with DeWayne and how he was supporting him financially he began to back peddle when I asked him about his HIV status.  I had to call Anthony on his motive of attacking a man that had been open and honest with one of the most difficult subject for the Black Church to discuss.  It was clear that Anthony seemed to be extremely thirsty in his desire to be attached to a celebrity and was willing to accept being kept a secret, but he revealed he was willing to go against his better judgment for DeWayne.  Falling hard for the BS DeWayne was selling him Anthony allowed himself to be his secret lover. So why are you mad now Anthony?  Yeah cause you got played and was cashing out someone you said you never had sex with after confronted about your status.  At first Anthony was very loquacious about how big his backside (in his words he has a big ass) that attacks a lot of men and was what got DeWayne’s attention.  Looking for love in all the wrong places Anthony let his guard down and it seems that DeWayne used his once large name and status to pull not just Anthony, but allegedly guys all over the country.

 A scorned woman cannot touch how evil a scorned homosexual can become when he gets man.  According to Anthing DeWayne sought him out on social media and gave him his number and they started down this word of secrect love.  Not sure if it was love, lust, or just plain old stupidity on both of these guys part, but at least DeWayne was smart enough to get cashed out.  Anthony, a Gay Club promoter did not seem to have any issues in supporting DeWayne, who had hit an obvious slump in his Gospel Career.  Leaving no holds barred in this explosive Facebook status Anthony exposed that DeWayne Woods was homeless in Atlanta and living in an Extended Stay, had a piss poor manager name Wade that could not even negotiate hotel room and travel for DeWayne to appear on the McDonal’s Gospel Tour.  The most shocking reveal about DeWayne by Anthony is that DeWayne allegedly a deadbeat dad and owes over $50,000 in back child support.  I tried to reach out to DeWayne for a comment, but he has not responded.

Read Anthony’s Facebook status for yourself and questionable FaceTime photos of his conversations with DeWayne Woods.  Anthony claims he has a very revealing video of him and DeWayne that he may release as well.

   
   Developing……

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Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God meets Drug Delers And Killers Strike Again……The 23-year-old daughter of a New Jersey pastor who serves a congregation of mostly South Korean immigrants is now dead after she was violently stabbed multiple times on Sunday and local police are holding a 16-year-old boy in connection with her death.

Christine Huh, daughter of Bong Kee Huh, senior pastor of Praise Presbyterian Church in Somerset, was found suffering from stab wounds by emergency officials inside a ninth-floor apartment at the Skyline Tower in downtown New Brunswick early Sunday morning, according to NJ.com and now her family and church community is mourning.

“Our whole congregation is devastated,” pastor Daeho Kim told NJ.com Tuesday. “She had a wonderful sense of humor and was [a] great supporter of the church and her family.”

Investigators of Huh’s murder say she was visiting a friend at the apartment complex when she was attacked. Emergency officials took her to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and she was pronounced dead at 3:50 a.m.

Police say they later arrested a 16-year-old Bridgewater teenager in connection with the Rutgers graduate’s death, and so far he has been charged with juvenile delinquency in connection with murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. His name is being withheld due to his age but he is now in custody at the Middlesex County Youth Detention Center pending a juvenile hearing in Family Court, according to NJ.com.

On Thursday, a funeral service for Huh was held at her church and a member told The Christian Post that the event attracted “a lot of people.”

Many of her friends took to social media and an online condolence book to share their thoughts on her untimely passing.

“Christine, I won’t forget the many great times we had together in high school, and then in exploring and enjoying Rutgers. You were such a fun loving and amazing person to be around. Words can’t express how sad I am about what happened, but I will always cherish our memories and the times we had together. Rest in Peace. My prayers are with your family,” wrote Kate Itzeva.

“Christine was a sweet young woman she always had a smile, a sunny disposition and was kind and respectful. I was deeply saddened by this tragedy, but I know she is now in the loving arms of Jesus. She will be missed,” added Renee Carr of Belle Mead, New Jersey.

Follow me on Twitter @WilliamGMcCray and Instagram @SirWilliamGMcCrayIII to keep up on the latest!

 Obnoxious Report! Life Church Of God In Christ Pastor, Dr. Terrance Merritt bless a member with a car paid in full this morning.  In Atlanta former First Lady Preshana Price Cox was blessed beyond measure by her pastor.  Preshana has weathered a tremendous storm as the Ex-Wife of disgraced Superintendent Timothy A.C. Cox.  It seems that after the story of her husband being busted by the police while having sex in a park with another man proved all to much to stay in the marriage.  According to reports it was not the first time Tim had been busted.  The Late Bishop Chandler David Owens met with Tim and Preshana after Elder Jimmy Battles had come forward and exposed an eleven year relationship allegedly he had with Tim.

 Dr. Terrance Merritt, a Morehouse College graduate and former medical doctor, founded Life church after relocating to Atlanta from Washington, D.C. with an number of members from the Late Nathan Simmons church Life is on the move.  Merritt, recently inducted in to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers, offers enough of the traditional COGIC feel mixed with progressive church.  A great work with foreign missions, Merritt is the Superintendent of ten plus churches in Brazil.  It was wonderful that Merritt would be a blessing to Preshana especially after such a difficult time.

 Thanks to Mother Margret Moore’s Facebook status about this wonderful blessing Obnoxious Media learned of what wonderful act of kindness.  Checkout the photos and status update.  

  
Read the original post on when Superintendent Timothy Cox was arrested below:

COGIC Pastor Timothy A. Cox Busted For Public Indenency And Indecent Exposure With A Male Friend!

About four in the morning that an Atlanta Church Of God In Christ pastor was in Deklab County Jail for a shocking offense. District Superintendent and Pastor Timothy A. Cox was busted for public indecency and indecent exposure and the man that was with him was also arrest for he same two charges. The two men were busted after allegedly having some type of fun time in the car.
Now in all fairness to Tim and Marcus L. Williams, who was arrested along with Pastor Cox may not have been actually involved in a homosexual act, but could have just been naked and having prayer in the wee hours of the morning in the park. However, if you are not “Alicein Wonderland,” that is one story that you are not going to buy for a dollar at least not in 2012. According to the Obnoxious Street Committee rumor has it that Timothy left the home that he shares with his lawfully wedded wife to hang out with Maurice, who has recently began to frequent City of Refuge Family Worship Center, where Timothy Cox is the pastor.
According to Elder Cox who spoke to Mr. Obnoxious at his church on last Thursday in a exclusive meeting. Tim admitted that he and his friend were just hanging out and he was about to drop him off at his house, when Maurice suggested Tim pull in to this little secluded area. The citation that Tim showed Mr. Obnoxious said he was cited for being in the park after hours.
“Man it was nothing like that the cop was extremely homophobic and jumped to conclusions,” Tim shared through tears. “If I was going to sin I know how and it would not be in a car in the park.”
Obviously that was not they case due to both of these men having been taken into custody. The poor decision for Tim to tell his good friend that he could not smoke in his car might have been a huge mistake the Elder made. It seems that when Maurice got out of the car to enjoy a cigarette that brought heat to the two men and the police busted them (no pun intended). All of the facts will eventually come out in court. Tim vows he was not doing anything wrong or having sex and it was all a huge misunderstanding.
The pastor had an emergency meeting with his members on Thursday night to share the previous mentioned and preached this past Sunday as if he had not spent over 26 hours in jail. The details are not yet known and will possibly not be found out until his court date and of course Mr. Obnoxious will be there to report the truth of what actually happen and to get the police officers account of what he saw and just why he arrested the two men.
Now the saints of Central Georgia where not surprised by Tim’s behavior one bit due to the late Former Presiding Bishop Chandler David Owens outing him to the entire jurisdiction during a state convocation. Three years ago 404, 770, and 678 numbers were ringing and Tim was the subject of conversation due to his lover who was also an Elder and Assistant Pastor of his church outing Tim to his wife and her mother and father. Elder Jimmy Battles in the most malicious manner called and confronted his lover’s wife. Elder Battles Informed her that he had been in a relationship with her husband for over 11 years and just could no longer keep lying about it and even went to the bishop with the terrible news about their relationship. After a meeting with Bishop Owens Tim’s wife decided to give her husband a second chance and because she was willing to give him a second chance so was Bishop Owens and allowed him to preach during the state meeting in spite of his scandal.
CVS Pharmacy does not sell a drug strong enough needed for the Saints inCentral Georgiaon the night that Bishop Owens took the might and exposed Tim Cox openly. Most of them could have been knocked over with a feather when the great orator said.
“I have received a number of calls about my son being a homosexual and that I should not let him preach tonight, but I met with him and his what and I am going to stand with her on giving him a second chance,” in the famous Owens voice. Bishop Owens went to say that he did not know if a man could or could not be born gay, but he did know was that a man can be born again. Standing by Tim who repented for his 11 year affair and he promised he was not going to go that way again Bishop Owens allowed him to preach and he was not in any other from disciplined.
Now if that was not enough Cox took the might and the first thing out of his mouth was that he had done everything but children and crack. At that point Mr. Obnoxious did not know what bodily function was going to go first due to all of the drama in one night. Now we have to sit back and wait to see what the judge says about this manner. You can rest assure that Mr. Obnoxious will keep you informed of just what the court has to say about these two men and they midnight prowling.

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The 65th Annual International Women’s Convention of the Church Of God In Chirst will kick off Monday Night with a Memorial Day Gospel Concert.  Obnoxious Media was rather shocked to see one of the artist booked, but we are going to keep this post nice and positive.  

 The first COGIC Women’s Covention was 65 years ago in Los Angeles when a group of about 100 women came together for week of services.  Highlighting the women that work in ministry within the denomination.  Always highlighting a young woman and a seasoned mother along with Mother Rivers, the General Supervisor speaking and closed out by Bishop Charles Blake.  Although, it seems Mother Rivers has over ran her time and would be wise to retire to pass the torch to Dr. Barbara McCoo Lewis.  The church has to come up to continue to compete with organizations like the Links, 100 Black Women of America, and basic sororities to offer the ladies something to keep them interested and in attendance.

 This marks the first Women’s Convention since the passing of Mother Gertrude Young was born February 17, 1910 and passed September 8, 2014

Mother Gertrude Young, Supervisor Washington State Jurisdiction, National Executive Board Department of Women Chairperson and National Examining Board Department of Women Chairperson.

Mother Young was the Supervisor of Women for Washington State Jurisdiction for 50 years. She served 3 State Prelates, The late Bishop Van Goodlow, the late Bishop R.E. Altheimer, and the late Bishop T.L. Westbrook.
Mother Young served the COGIC International Women’s Department for nearly 40 years and was the Second Assistant General Supervisor of Women . The Sainted Mother Gertrude Young served as the Chairperson of the Executive Board and was the leading lady to institute and Chair, the Women’s International Convention Prayer Breakfast.
“Mother Young was our queen, our jewel, a virtuous woman personified. Our state is overwhelmed with sadness, yet we are celebrating her countless years of earthly labor and now heavenly reward…,” said a member of the jurisdiction.

Read a breif history of the COGIC Women’s Department and Convention Highlights below:

Obnoxious Media wanted to take a moment to celebrate the beloved Clark Sisters, who are legendary.  The Clarks Sisters are forever embedded in the fabric of Gospel Music and proud members of the Church Of God In Christ.  As this coming week the church will highlight and celebrate women, it is in that same spirit we are mentioning this group of amazing women that are more then talented singers with gorgeous faces and sharp clothes.  They truly work and serve in ministry as noted in the photo below with them in the habits serving during Communion Service at their local church.  These Grammy Award winners truly live what they sing and preach about, which makes them a great inspiration to women and men.

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No one seems to be angrier with Josh Duggar than talk show host Montel Williams.

Montel launched a Twitter tirade against Josh, calling him many names, including “bigot” and “slimebag,” since publicly confessing to being investigated for sexually molesting underage girls. He has since resigned his post at the Family Research Council, a conservative Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit.

It all started Thursday evening when he tweeted about Josh’s confession and called out the reality TV star for speaking against LGBT people. “BREAKING: Josh Duggar, a world class bigot, admits sexually abusing young girls – has consistently stated that LGBT folks r danger to kids,” he wrote.

Montel continued his attack against the 19 Kids and Counting star, criticizing him for his “alleged Christian” values. He wrote, commenting on his first tweet, “Gosh, yet another anti-gay alleged ‘Christian’ defender turns out to be a garden variety scumbag.”

But the host didn’t stop there. He proceeded to call out the Family Research Council, the entire Duggar family and even quoted scripture to further his point. “Sorry, Josh Duggar is a bigot, slimebag. Whole family is, and FRC is a scam. Yup, Gay people are the danger to kids? NOPE, JOSH DUGGAR IS,” he wrote.

When Twitter users began to attack Montel for his rant, he told his followers that he wasn’t reacting “to the allegation itself, it was reacting to the hypocrisy of claiming #lgbt dangerous to kids with his history.”

He responded to people who urged him to “forgive” Duggar, 27, writing, “@Mulder24 when @joshduggar makes amends to the #lgbt community for his faux-Christian hypocrisy I’ll be pleased to do so. #Hypocrite.”

The unearthed police report, first obtained by In Touch magazine, stated that 19 Kids and Counting patriarch Jim Bob Duggar and wife Michelle brought their eldest son, Josh, in to the Children’s Safety Center in Springdale, Ark., in 2006 to be interviewed in response to an accusation that he had sexually abused underage girls in 2002 and 2003.

The report has since been expunged to protect the identity of one of the alleged victims, who was a minor. Josh, who is expecting his fourth child with wife AnnaDuggar, released a statement to People following the report’s publication.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” he said.

“I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.”

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Social conservative organizations are now raising red flags after it was recently revealed that the Girl Scouts of America are allowing boys who identify as girls to join its troops.  This is absolutely ridiculous!  Children are far to young to make life altering decisions at such an early age. 

In a blogpost published last Thursday on the Girl Scouts of America webpage, the organization’s “Chief Girl Expert,” Andrea Bastiani Archibald, wrote of how the Girl Scouts exists to serve “all girls,” no matter what they look like or their biological gender.

“The foundation of diversity that Juliette Gordon Low established runs throughout Girl Scouting to this day,” Archibald wrote. “Our mission to build ‘girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place’ extends to to all members, and through our program, girls develop the necessary leadership skills to advance diversity and promote tolerance.”

Archibald’s post further explains that GSUSA even goes as far as to allow transgender girls to become troop members on a “case-by-case” basis, which is a fact also highlighted in the GSUSA FAQ page.

“Girl Scouts is proud to be the premier leadership organization for girls in the country. Placement of transgender youth is handled on a case-by-case basis, with the welfare and best interests of the child and the members of the troop/group in question a top priority,” the FAQ page reads. “That said, if the child is recognized by the family and school/community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, then Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe.”

A number of conservative groups have spoken out against the GSUSA policy. The American Family Association has started an online petition to help encourage the GSUSA to change its policy.

The petition states that GSUSA has lost its “moral compass” and added, “this policy undermines the trust that parents place in the GSA’s leadership to make wise decisions and the obligation the GSA has to protect their daughters.”

The AFA petition has already garnered over 35,000 signatures.

“This means girls in the organization will be forced to recognize and accept transgenderism as a normal lifestyle,” the petition states. “Boys in skirts, boys in makeup and boys in tents will become a part of the program. This change will put young innocent girls at risk.”

“Adults are willing to experiment on our kids—both the boys who are confused and the girls who will wonder why a boy in a dress is in the bathroom with them,” the petition adds.

The Girl Scouts’ FAQ page states that in circumstances where a troop with a transgender girl troop is on a camping trip, special accommodations could be made if that is what is best for all parties involved.

“These situations are rare and are considered individually with the best interests of all families in mind. Should any girl requiring special accommodations wish to camp, GSUSA recommends that the local council makes similar accommodation that schools across the country follow in regard to changing, sleeping arrangements, and other travel-related activities,” the website states.

In an interview with Fox News last week, Penny Nance, the president of Concerned Women For America, said GSUSA’s policy only creates more confusion for parents.

“They are no longer Girl Scouts, they are just scouts. That’s fine if they want to rebrand. But it raises all kinds of complications and questions for parents, volunteer parents who are involved,” Nance asserted. “How are they supposed to manage this? How are they supposed to protect their own children’s privacy? It’s very complicated and very difficult.”

Nance also stated that the policy does not even take into account the transgender children’s well-being.

“If it were really for kids, anyone that’s sane would not think that throwing a little boy who’s confused, who’s dealing with some hard issues into a tent with middle school girls—which by the way, there’s whole books written about how brutal they can be–is a good idea,” Nance added.

Nance also spoke on the AFA radio program entitled “Today’s Issues” last Wednesday and claimed that GSUSA’s policy serves a “slap in the face to Christian parents.”

“And now this latest thing is just one more slap in the face to Christian parents,” Nance asserted. “Now you don’t have to be a girl to a member of Girl Scouts. You can just be questioning your gender or a boy who would like to be a girl.”

“I think this is a place, frankly, for the church to be the church and for the people that are marginalized in society, for us to love them,” Nance continued. “But, we also can’t lose our minds.”

Breitbart points out that is not the first time that GSUSA has had to address the transgender issue. In 2012, 7-year-old Bobby Montoya, who identified as a girl, was allowed to join a Colorado Girl Scout troop.

Since 2003, GSUSA’s membership has decreased by about 27 percent, equaling about one million girls.

Follow me on Twitter @WilliamGMcCray and Instagram @SirWilliamGMcCrayIII to keep up on the latest!  Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……Checkout what the Black Pope is up to now.  Church may be the most segregated place on Sunday, but Bishop T.D. Jakes is focused on eliminating that issue with The Reconciled Church, a place of worship designed to bring all races together within the faith community.

Jakes discussed the initiative during an appearance on “NewsOne Now” on Tuesday (May 19), while promoting this year’s MegaFest event. According to Jakes, “our separation is killing us and we really need to come together and it doesn’t just need to be a Black problem or a Brown problem — it needs to be an American problem.”

“Until we see criminal justice, education … economic empowerment as an American issue and not just a minority issue, we won’t get the results on a national level that we really need to get,” he told “NewsOne Now” host Roland Martin.

As for his motivation, Jakes revealed that The Reconciled Church was an “amazing opportunity to bring White pastors together with Black and Brown.”

He went on to cite such as things as not listening to the same news, interacting with the same people and reading the same publications as issues White pastors don’t encounter in their community.

“Where you receive your information from has a lot to do with the truth that you live by,” Jakes said.

Regarding MegaFest, Jakes described the semi-annual event as being about families, friends, connections and worship.

“.., but beyond worship and entertainment and fun, we have something for all ages,” he stated while noting the addition of seminars that address entrepreneurship. MegaFest attendees will be able to capitalize on the seminars as various Fortune 500 companies will be on hand to train them and share job opportunities that “we don’t hear about.”

The 2015 MegaFest is slated to take place in August in Dallas, TX. In addition to the entrepreneurship seminars, the event will include health fairs and book-bag giveaways that will help children get ready for the new school year.

Follow me on Twitter @WilliamGMcCray and Instagram @SirWilliamGMcCrayIII to keep up on the latest!

 Many of you are just as shocked as I was to learn of the decisions of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America this past week.  The Boy Scouts of America has decided to life the ban on openly gay troop leaders and scouts.  As an Egale Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow I recall my Troop 407 ha in to overcome a number of issues of racism.  It seemed that some of the Bay Area leaders in scouting hard a hard time accepting that at at the height of our tenure over 68 African American boys was excelling in a tradition that had not known or been obtained by black male youth.  Honestly speaking homosexuality has always been a reality of scouting,mBut it was more of a don’t ask don’t tell situation.  As a liberal in thought this is a bit much and not a healthy environment for youth.  The actual risk of increased liability seems to be to great.

To become a Egle Scout you have to earned a required number of merit badges, which are easily achieved during summer camp that can be as long as two weeks.  Parents might not be comfortable sending their son away with a openly gay man for two weeks.  Now just because a man is gay it does not mean that he is a peophile, but the increased ability to be introduced to a lifestyle they may have not ordinarily choose for themselves.  The jury is still out on if a man is born gay or introduced to the lifestyle by someone.  In no way am I saying that any organization should discriminate against any person,     However,  this is not the proper environment for this type of behavior and one lawsuit has the potential to dismantle scouting as we know it.
Additionally, to the Boy Scouts allowing openly homosexual troop leaders the Girl Scouts has taken it even a step further to allow boys that identify as girls to now join the organization.  The question then becomes is at what age is a boy able to determine his gender identity and is he able to make a life altering decision in their youth.  It can be argued with this new thought these two long time organizations should merge and become the Boy/Girl Scouts if you can have boys that think or feel they are girls and leadership that are openly gay.  As a Eagle Scout this is a sad day for me.

 Follow me on Twitter @WilliamGMcCray and Instagram @SirWilliamGMcCrayIII to keep up with the latest!

Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……Let me be clear that I have heard this from more then one member of my Obnoxious Street Committee and like the Bible says, “Out of the mouth of two or three whitnesses let every word be established!”  On Sunday before last ai got a call from one of my good church snitches of what had gone down at Ture Fellowship.  Due to the story being so fresh and hot all the details had not been established until now.

 Allegedly Bishop Keith Henderson, Pastor of True Fellowship in Oakland, California, has been molesting his step daughter since she was 15 years-old.  It is our understanding at Obnoxious Media this all came out two Sunday’s ago when the daughter of Bishop Henderson’s wife came forward with her allegation.  According to Kolina, the daughter and victim, confessed out of fear for her life.  Allegedly Bishop Henderson threatened her life if she ever told of his taking advantage of her.  This story has an interesting twist, it just might be a recording of Henderson saying he will kill Kolina if she told, which just might be the nail in his coffin if it is real.

Insiders say Keith Henderson left his first wife for Kolina’s mother, who he is currently married to for now.  Allegedly, Keith Henderson has been having sex with his step daughter the entire time he has been married to her mother.  Not so sure if it was worth all of this to be a First Lady of a wanna-be bishop that just might be a sleaze-bag using the church to get over on the unsuspecting Saints of God.  

 Bishop Anthony Lynn Willis officially removed Bishop Keith Henderson as pastor of Ture Fellowship and is said to have placed the Assistant Pastor, Elder Jabari Corgile as interim pastor of the church.  Rumor has it that Keith Henderson is running for his life and is refusing to cooperate with the authorities on this matter.  Sources say that Bishop Willis during his remarks implied the young lady might be mentally disturbed.  However, if a young lady has been repeatedly raped by her step-father, a preacher, for years that is enough to drive you crazy as HELL!  The source went on to share that Bishop Willis explained it was not all it seemed to be, but did share with the congregation in attendance at Ture Fellowship that Keith Henderson just fondled his step daughter.  Now hopefully he was not implying that made it better or okay.  

 Obnoxious Media was able to reach Bishop Anthony Lynn Willis who confirmed he did take over the church, but that he did not make Elder Corgile the pastor. In fact he said that he was the interim pastor.  Although, he mentioned the church loves the assistant pastor he was not installed to oversee the church.  He did mention nth at Keith Henderson was cooperating with the authorities and no arrest had been made as of yet.  Bishop Willis confirmed the step daughter is presently expecting, but had no idea if her step-father, Bishop Keith Willis was the cater or not.  Bishop Willis encouraged me to look into the background of the young lady and said it would be intresting what I would learn.  Bishop Willis reached out to Keith Henderson to step up an interview with him and Obnoxious Media that was declined by Keith at the advice of his legal counsel.  Obnoxious Media is still trying to reach the victim and her mother, but has yet to be successful.

 Please read the e-mail sent to Mr. Obnoxious below:

Dear, mr. McCray 

Did you hear about bishop Keith Henderson of true fellowship church Oakland, CA molesting his step daughter since she was 15. This came about last weekend when the young lady told her mother out of fear because bishop Henderson said that he was going to kill her if she mention to anyone about their relations. The young lady Kolina has bishOp Henderson recorded saying things like I’m going to kill you. Bishop Henderson left his first wife for the step daughters mother and was sleeping with the daughter the whole time. Bishop Anthoney Willis went to true fellowship and and put elder Jabari Corgile over the church because bishop Henderson is running for his life. Bishop Lynn Willis said that everything that the young girl was crazy but that would drive a young girl crazy when her pastor has been molesting her since age 15. Bishop Lynn Willis said that it wasn’t all that it seemed to be pertaining to what the young lady said that her bishop did to her. wills said that Henderson just Flundled around with the girl but even if he did that it’s still wrong.

Follow me on Twitter @WilliamGMcCray and Instagram @SirWilliamGMcCrayIII to keep up on the latest!

Obnoxious Extreeme Ratchet Behavior Exposed!  Talking about doing whatever it takes to get followers on Social Media.  This unnamed woman is doing just that and then some.  You know how on Facebook pictures of people you may know pop up!  Well, this lady did and I must admit I had to take a peak at her profile.  Not so sure if I do not want her to give me guitar lessons or not, but she sure got my attention so her method worked.

Get naked and get followers!  Let’s face it Ratchet is in!  You must be classy with it,my it everyone likes a little nasty.  Be honest!  You feel more comfortable when you find out someone you know has same freaky thoughts you do from time to time!  LOL!  Face it we all like sex even if we are not supposed to be having it.  The good guys even have thought form time to time, but it is acting in them that gets you in trouble.  So what length will you go to get attention on social media?  Would talking all off be worth a few thousand people you do not know to follow you?  That same naked pic can be just the thing to hold you back on your job or even get you an unwanted advance from some weirdo you never met but that jacked off to your photo and now feels he has some type of connection to you.  

So what do you think of people you see dressed like this or excuse me not dressed at all for the entire world to see.  Makes you wonder what type of reaction you would get in person or if you would even care.  Talking a out less is more!  This chick took it to the next level.  Many of us get made and complain about people with bodies because ours is all over the place. Mit was not until loosing weight I developed a new level of respect for the gym rats with the bodies.  Damn!  Why I cannot work that hard or have as great self control and discipline as the dude with a six pack.  Yep!  I lied for years talking about I was happy being fat!  Hell no! I’m was not happy I was happy giving in to the fact I had not will power to change the house I lived in.  Now I am at my goal weight everything is better and especially the sex life or potential to have one.  Yes!  I am a church boy, but it is easy to live a Holy and Santified life when no one wants you.  However, when you have five numbers of people that want to get in the bed with you it is a little difficult holding the Blood Stained Banner!

So what is your verdict on sexy pics on social media and when you comment take a long look in the mirror and respond based upon what is looking back at you!

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An Oklahoma Pastor was fatally shot during a confrontation with two state troopers who were trying to rescue him and his brother from rising floodwaters on Friday, but the man’s wife is questioning the troopers’ account.

The two Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers responded to a stranded motorist call near Tulsa at about 9.30pm on Friday and found Nehemiah, 35, and Brandon Fischer, 40, with two vehicles trying to move one from a roadway amid fast-moving waters, police say.
Police hold that a physical altercation ensued and a trooper fatally shot Nehemiah in defense of himself. But Nehemiah’s wife, Laura, says she can’t picture that happening, FOX reports.
Nehemiah was pronounced dead at the scene and Brandon was arrested for assault and public intoxication, according to FOX.

Laura is adamant that her husband, an assistant pastor at Faith Bible Church in Tulsa, and Brandon would never go after the troopers on their own volition.

‘He was the nicest person I’ve ever met. He was very giving. He made me want to be a better person,’ Laura said of Nehemiah.

The two would have celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary next month.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Capt. Paul Timmons said he confrontation occurred as the men were exiting the water after the troopers told them to leave the vehicle and come to safety on higher ground near Hectorville and Bixby Roads, CNN reports.
  
Details of what led to the altercation are unclear, but Timmons said the two brothers were ‘really upset’ about having to leave the vehicle in the water.

Neither trooper was injured.
‘[The troopers] were trying to get them to come out of the water,’ he said. ‘They were worried about them getting swept away.’
Timmons said Nehemiah had a weapon, according to CNN. Officials have not said if the weapon was used or shown.
However, a friend of Nehemiah, Mike Haesloop, told The Guardian that the 35-year-old is ‘not the kind of guy that’s going to pull a gun on anybody.’
‘He’s more one that’s going to pray for you,’ he said. ‘…I don’t get it. None of this is making any sense.’
Laura described Nehemiah, who owned a construction company, as a church man and not a fighter.
The woman spoke through tears as she told a FOX reporter of how she was so thankful for her life with Nehemiah.
She said she wants to see any dash cam footage that may shed light on the situation.

The investigation is ongoing and Timmons told FOX that the earliest any new information will be released is Monday.

Timmons told the Guardian that the names of the troopers involved would be released this week.
OHP practice is to place any patrolman involved in a fatal shooting on administrative leave. Timmons said ‘it’s probably a matter of time’ before that happens.

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Everything Is Going Down, But the Word Of God……Oxygen’s “Preachers Of L.A.” And Kelsey Grammer On “Extra”

We know Pastor Deitrick Haddon, Pastor Jay Haizlip, and Pastor Wayne Chaney from The Preachers Of L.A., and today they weighed in on the Duggar Scandal.  This trio still would not confirm or deny that their show has been cancelled, but it does not look like they are going to return this season.

Haddon, Haizlip and Cheney understand religious scandal. The cast members were blasted by the faith community and called charlatans with bibles for participating on their popular television show. Pastor Haddon has faced his fair share of scandal with his personal struggles. Pastor Haizlip dealt with his substance addictions publicly. They understand what the scalding bright lights of religious scandalcan mean.
Now the Duggars are being cooked by the religious and secular community alike for Josh Duggar’s actions.
Deitrick Haddon implores TLC:
“You have a responsibility to stand with the family that you have exploited.You’ve given them that platform, so you can’t be that quick to walk away from them.”
Pastor Wayne Chaney reminds TLC of their a responsibility to truth:

“If it is reality, you want to cover all the flaws and the mistakes”
Pastor Jay holds out for healing and hope:

“People are hurt, but there’s always hope”
Don Lemon called Josh Duggar on the carpet via his post Your God or Religious Beliefs Do Not Trump The Law.

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Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……Well this a mess to say the least!  According to reports and to Marvin Sapp’s Facebook page he was not allowed to dine at Ruth Chris Stake House in Chicago.  Now it seems that due to his and members of his entourage Astaire they were refused service.  However, according to a Marvin other patrons at the restaurant were dressed casually like he and members of his party were.  Now Obnoxious Media is going to give Marvin the benefit of the doubt, but we must admit he has been the subject of some questionable behavior as of late.  The greatest example of this was the death of his aleaged stalker.

Checkout the post from a fellow blogger about the situation below:

Chicago has some serious problems when an establishment that has a City of Chicago and a State of Illinois license to do business but they cannot treat Blacks who spend their HARD OWNED “GREEN” DOLLARS with RESPECT.

EarHustle411 came across this story on Facebook and we would be remiss if we didn’t share it. We can only imagine how many people that live here who has had this type of racism done to them.
Anyone who follows music knows that the Gospel Fest brings some of the genre’s greatest talent to the city. The City of Chicago gains so much from the event taking place here. Legendary & Award Winning Gospel Artist Marvin Sapp and 6 members of his team were not allowed to partake in a meal at the Ruth Chris Steak House located at 431 N. Dearborn in downtown Chicago because they didn’t have on the “proper” attire. According to The Official Marvin Sapp Facebook page, as he and his team witnessed there were many others patrons were dressed in jeans and t-shirts but Marvin and his team were still turned away.
 Take a look at Marvin’s post on Facebook:

  
Ruth Chris Steak House’s corporate offices are located in Florida, so this location is merely a franchise, I wonder do they know how they are treating the Black residents and those black visitors here.

  
This is DEFINITELY NOT the way to do business. We have Black business owners being treated unfairly and here we have this place not serving one of the BIGGEST singers of the Gospel genre. They must not have know who they were messing with!!

If the policy is to not serve anyone in jeans THAT MEANS – NO ONE…regardless of color.
Black people when is enough going to be enough? When will we stop spending our hard earned “green” BLACK DOLLARS where WE are not wanted? EarHustle411 is not saying this is an isolated incident, it just may be the one time someone spoke out about the treatment and if it were not Marvin Sapp it may have been someone else. Celebrity status has nothing to do with being treated with respect and fairly, however he along with SEVERAL of his music industry peers are here spreading the LOVE OF JESUS and bringing the message of HOPE to the City and to be treated like this is not only disturbing but should be embarrassing to the Ruth Chris Steak House Brand and the City of Chicago.

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Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……The child support saga between Anita Harrison and Forrest Walker, the husband of Grammy Award Winning Gospel Artist and Pastor LeAndria Johnson, continues in a major court battle.  It seems that Forrest Walker petitioned the court for a DNA test to prove Anita’s daughter is his.  Now that the ball is back in Anita’s court she has yet to respond to Robert Hattcher, manager of LeAndria, who has been diligently working to get this matter resolved.  According to Hattcher, Anita has not taked her daughter to have the blood test.  However, she seems to still request child support.  

Anita Harrison must come forward and prove the child she is suing Forrest Walker in back child support is actually his.  LeAndria and Forrest are willing to accept the child and would like to have visitation rights if her husband is actually the father.  For the first time Robert Hattcher spoke with Obnoxious Media staff to bring clarity to this situation.  He stated that Anita has all of a sudden stopped responding to his calls and text messages, which she stated in her e-mail to Obnoxious Media.  Hopefully all parties can work together to resolve this matter and do what is best for the child and Anita needs to prove Forrest is actually the father of her daughter.

Read Anita Harrison’s latest e-mails to Obnoxious Media below:

Just an update, about to days after you reached out to me I received notice from the courts. He put in for a paternity test and deduction. We will be going to court on tomorrow. He still has not done anything. I also received a call and text from Robert asking for my address on last week. I did not respond.   

Just an update even though he’s the one who wanted to have the appearance at court once again he didn’t even show up for court He did call on the phone claiming he has no income he lives with his brother even though he has no brothers all he has is sisters I just don’t understand how being a pastor he could just lie the way that he do, I been Going back-and-forth for 3 years, and now he’s in the rear of $27,968. He just keep on lying.

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Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……A HUGE occasion is coming for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International! For those that still remember that end of your seat moment in 2013 when Bishop Paul S. Morton made the announcement of who would be the next Presiding Bishop over the Fellowship…Well, the time is upon us! In less than 2 months Bishop Joseph Walker III will take the International Presiding Bishop seat! It will be a moment in time for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship family as well as historic for the Body of Christ!  However, it remains to be seen if Full Gospel will still be around for Walker to have anything to preside over.  Questionable at best was his sandal that seem to go away with not real explanation.  Walker settled out of court, which implies he came up with some money to make the problem disappear.  As a member Omega Psi Phi did he live up to the name and have his way with those women as claimed in the lawsuit?  Ellis should have gotten the organization by right, but Morton overlooked him it is said due to his being from the Bahamas.  What happen to Clarance?  Why was he not considered?  Full Gospel, the Wanna-Be COGIC organization was only formed when Bishop Ford refused to let Paul come back to the Church Of God In Christ.  Paul Morton’s father was a COGIC bishop and his oldest brother now has the jurisdiction.  With less than 2000 churches nationally Full Gospel is fading fast.  Laced with a number of bishop with alternative lifestyles and piss poor organizational structure Full Gospel will be gone in five years or less!

 Bishop Joseph Warren Walker III is the pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, to Deacon Joseph and Rosa Walker.  He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern University, a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He holds honorary doctorate degrees from Meharry Medical College and Southern University. Bishop Walker is also a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and the Kappa Kappa Psi band fraternity.  He is married to the former Dr. Stephaine Hale, who is an assistant professor of pediatrics and neonatology at Vanderbilt University. Both agree that their most joyous accomplishment to date has been the birth of their daughter, Jovanni Willow Walker, who was born in May 2012.

 Everything Is Going Down, But The Word Of God……Pastor Mark Driscoll, who resigned from Mars Hill church last October amid controversy regarding his leadership style, received a standing ovation from the congregation of Gold Creek Community Church in Mill Creek after he delivered a poignant sermon about trusting in the Lord.
The Seattle PI reports that on Sunday, Driscoll was introduced to the Gold Creek congregation by Pastor Dan Kellog, who explained that the the former Mars Hill leader is in the midst of “re-purposing” his life. “[Driscoll was] unfairly treated by former staff and the media,” Kellog said, “He’s baptized 10,000 people who found Christ.”
Driscoll then began his message by saying, “I would like to talk about Jesus instead of me: It would be much more pleasant and helpful.”
After acknowledging the “wonderful, amazing, delightful people” he worked with at Mars Hill, Driscoll noted that he is still attempting to recover from the events of the past year, including his dismissal from the Acts 29 church-planting network, which he co-founded, and the removal of his books from LifeWay’s 180 Christian bookstores across the states.
“I’m still in the middle of it. Lord, what do you have for me?” he said.
But despite the controversies swirling around him, Driscoll emphasized the importance of trusting in the Lord. “There is a judgment coming on the Earth,” Driscoll said. The path to deliverance is to “walk with God,” which will in turn “spare” one from “judgment.”

The pastor then invited congregants to “walk with Jesus” and asked: “Are you praying to Jesus?” The Seattle PI notes that over 100 people lined up to hug Driscoll following his sermon and thanked him for his “powerful” message.
Sunday’s appearance marked the first time Driscoll has preached in the Seattle area since his resignation and the subsequent implosion of Mars Hill church. In April, he made a brief appearance at the Thrive Conference at Bayside Church in California where he opened up about the toll taken on his family over the past several months and how he is relying on the Holy Spirit to help him forgive those who have wronged him.
“I don’t want to take this opportunity to talk about me–I want spend this time to serve you,” he told attendees, emphasizing that he wanted to speak specifically to “struck shepherds.” “When sin happens, someone has to pay. Forgiveness is where the offended pays,” he said. “As shepherds, we can sometimes preach a message of forgiveness without practicing it.” However, he clarified that he was not claiming to be “entirely a victim,” for “sometimes when the shepherd is struck it’s because they’ve punched themselves in the head.”
In his resignation letter penned last October, Driscoll also admitted that “aspects of my personality and leadership style, had proven to be divisive within the Mars Hill context” and that he was resigning because he did not want “to be the source of anything that might detract from our church’s mission to lead people to a personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.”

Meanwhile, Patheos blogger Warren Throckmorton has revealed that Driscoll may be returning to the ministry, this time in Phoenix, Arizona. Throckmorton notes that from his observation, the reaction has been mixed, with some expressing anger over a possible church plant and others welcoming Driscoll’s return to active ministry.
However, in a recent blog post, Pastor James Miller urged Christians to extend forgiveness to the pastor as a reflection of the grace continually offered by Christ despite his past mistakes.
“Those Christians who still want to disagree might want to think about who the Apostle Paul really was. And honestly, we might want to think about whether or not we really do believe in forgiveness,” Pastor Miller writes. “Because no one is beyond it’s reach, and Jesus did give us a heads up that we will be judged in the same way we judge. To hate Driscoll is to reject grace.”