As you can tell from the title of this post (which I've struggling whether or not to write for months now), it's aggressive. From my own vantage point, personal experiences, and hearing of others' experiences, this is the conclusion I've come up with. Of course, not every predominant black church is a failure. There are those (very) few churches that's doing what God wants them to do, feed and clothe the homeless, take care of the widows and orphans, building up people's self-esteem, giving clear instructions, helping build people's skills for the workforce and in life, addressing social issues that need to be addressed, etc. (you get my point). However, there are many black churches (as well as any perspective predominant racial church) that are doing what God hates and harbors. Collecting tithes and offerings for the sake of building more illustrious buildings, paychecks for false preachers (which tithes and offerings are there to help those who need financial support, food, etc.), holding conferences to appease the egos of self-proclaimed "prophets", weekly emotional preaching, just tooooooo-loud singing (and wasting the flock's offering to buy a new sound system every year, that's if the pastor didn't take your money first to buy that new truck), running around the church like a crazy person in a "water-house", and rolling on the floor after the preacher-man lays hands on you (looking like an idiot), etc. (you know the rest). The majority of the predominant black church is useless, irrelevant, selfish, conniving, and without integrity/honesty, similar to the NAACP (which is nothing more than a cash-cow for its employees). The last time I've seen the predominant black church in motion was watching the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s', 1960s', and 1980s' (just like the NAACP). After the rise of the "charismatic movement" in the 1980s' hit the United States (and maybe even abroad), sensationalism of "speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance", choirs (and choir battles, don't act like you don't remember), conferences, church television programming (BET, TBN, etc.), altar calls, gospel music (but dissed hip-hop due to "the devil's music theory", no wonder you've lost 3 or maybe even 4 generations of potential Christians), eloquent preaching (deep revelations, Greek, Hebrew, etc.), mega-churches, and zillions of local churches sprouted like weeds in the Spring time. This movement really reached its climax in the 1990s and in the early 2000s' but things started to unravel. Eddie Long manipulating and sleeping with teenage boys (to name a few indiscretions he's done). Clarence McClendon sleeping with women like there's no tomorrow and pimping his congregation for money. Juanita Bynum holding conferences and selling t-shirts telling "church addicts" (or institutionalized Christians), "buy my t-shirts and you'll receive a special anointing." Other big name preachers fleecing the flock with the tithes and offerings (Malachi 3 and Proverbs 3 10% theory) mis-quotes/misinterpretations as they buy more jets, build more wealth, while the people can't pay their bills or save up for their children's college fund. Gospel music becomes the clone world with just about every record sounding the same, saying nothing, and garner hits through biting from white Christian artists (but only sing the bridges instead of the verses, wow, and can't write a good song even if Stevie Wonder tried to help them). More mega-churches and pseudo ministries using the words and phrases like "Pentecostal, Apostolic, PAW, AME, COGIC, etc."to bait the fish to the hooks they're playing. Instead of spending time to reach the lost and promote justice/truth in the USA, now prayer/pastoral/department/ministerial meetings are more about making money, keeping ministries held within 4 walls, getting more anointing to bolster on Sunday, and to create ways to become better than the next church. Hell, look at the men in the African American community, we love God but hate church because there's no truth! Look at the break down of the black family, more single mothers, single women outweigh the number of men in the black church. Why is that? Unless the men are willing to turn into a religious bigot, they shun religion and stay away from church. Why is that? Why is that the youth hate church just as much if not more than the men do? Sunday and Wednesday (for some of you, everyday of the week, and why do you do this) services are nothing more than 4-6 or more hours of emotionalisms, judgment of those gossiping about, worship songs (that fuel a "supernatural high" but God isn't there at all), and false doctrines by narcissistic leaders saying whatever to keep "their people" in line. But where's the change in the black communities? Let's see here, places like Newark, B-more, Watts, Cincinnati, N.O., Killeen (which by the way has about 2 billion churches), and Chicago (the Vietnam of America). These places have high unemployment rates, murder rates, drug charges, domestic violence, high school dropouts, and gang activity (just look it up for your research, I could be wrong). My question is, where is the black church? Why aren't the majority of predominant black churches shutting down their "country club" meetings (like Tonex said) on Wednesdays and Sundays to feed the homeless, work with other ministries in their cities to mentor kids failing in schools, or advocating against sexual molestation? Why are predominant black churches be-friending those who are struggling with homosexuality, drugs, gang activity, beating on their kids/spouses, but spend more time judging them? Why are predominant black churches defaming people who are openly expressing concerns about their operations that are to many business analysts/professors, unethical and obviously morally wrong (in whatever spectrum you can think of)? Why are predominant black churches more concerned about themselves, their mission, their vision, their ministries, than the people they are suppose to reach with love then truth? I'll tell you why....as Jesus said, "their real father is the devil and the truth's not in them." Me, I'm no longer affiliated with the black church and as a former elder, co-conspirator, and enabler of this "wicked entertainment" called black church (and some of you white, etc. churches, too, I haven't forgotten you), I can say with full confidence. If God was in your churches, you would be making a difference, "showing compassion and pulling people out of various fires" they don't see. You'd be using your air time on BET and Oxygen to show what Christians were informed to do in the world instead of singing for a contract (that's worse than one will get the secular industry), and showing lavish lifestyles of pimps. But you are nothing but a weak, powerless, hypocritical, charismatic, delusional, greedy, selfish, manipulative, predatory, ungodly, "illuminati-like", new world order-like system that Christ hates to the uttermost (as well myself and the rest of the world that knows about you). Just as the NAACP, you are worthless and as Christ said, "when salt has lost its seasoning, its' good for nothing, and men walk all over it." Ya heard?! Some of you may ask, "David, why don't you do something about?" Well, my friends, I am, it's called #1. in the Scientific Method, "Identify The Problem." Without identifying the problem, there is no way to create a solution. Another solution, it's time to go back and really look at Jesus' life, stop with all the 3rd heaven revelational bull---- and get the principles, which the "secular world" is more successful in doing than the predominant church (except pimpin' of course, haha). It's time for humility. Time for truth. Most importantly, sit your "righteous-selves" down and learn the incredible gifts of reason, mindfulness, and common sense (hello, somebody). If I've ruffled your feathers, good. If I've came off angry, good. If I've pissed you off, that's great (that's what us Williams-Overtons-Royals do, baby!). Well, I think I'm done now. I hope these words hits just one person and when the truth hits one, the truth will spread and snatch people out of the "fantasy world" that exists in the predominant black church. To the black church, you're nothing but an epic failure. In the military, we used to say a "SNA-U." Look at the world around you, look at the local community you're supposed to reach but not reaching at all, and look at what's happening within your own churches (rape, financial impropriety, lies, affairs, etc.). It's the truth. It's time to admit it.
Til next time, "Disco-Disaster" Dave (with the disco ball spinning around my head like a halo)....
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