Social Gospels and Liberation Theology Do More Harm Than Good to Struggling Communities

 

 

A popular (so called) Christian theology in many of our nation’s inner city or urban communities is “liberation theology” or a so called “social gospel”, which emphasizes resisting social oppression, whether racial, economic, or political.

 

I reject “social gospels” and any concept of “liberation theology” as secular progressive doctrines that have done far more harm than good to communities where these ideologies have prevailed.

 

The “great commission” as outlined in Acts 14:19-28, is clear. The PRIORITY of every bible believing church should be to win new souls to the body of Christ, establish these new believers disciples in the faith, and incorporate them into the local church.

 

In effect, if a church is doing what the Bible commands it to do, evangelism, discipleship, and church planting would be it’s priority.

 

When I look at the inner cities of our nation (I grew up in the inner city), I see a church on every other corner in communities that are plagued by infanticide (murdering our own babies), drug trafficking, gang activities, high murder rates, broken homes, etc.

 

If the churches on every other corner were truly God called and fulfilling the great commission, then they would be communicating a new way of life that replaces the unhealthy social norms and the self destructive behavioral patterns of the community in which it exists by means of evangelism and discipleship.

 

Something is deeply wrong with a church or so called Christian leader who pushes a so called social or “liberation” gospel while blaming the unchanged conditions of the community on government, racism or discrimination, as if God isn’t able to change our conditions if we first turn to Him in repentance and faith.

 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is spiritual and is surely able to change both our spiritual and social conditions, but God will not honor a message that places social change above spiritual regeneration and discipleship.

‪#‎Godbeforepolitics‬

Dave Agema, The Cult of Personality and Fanaticism

The fanaticism of the fringe in politics is rather alarming at times.

Over the period of years I have been an activist, I have witnessed- among conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats, the impact of the cult of personality.’
It always leads to fanaticism and extremity.
In the political world, you see the cult personalities and their fringe followers prostitute the church, the Word of God, and the  over- simplistic minds of those who have been seduced into worshipping a man or a woman, rather than worshipping God.

Never have I have seen that more applicable than with Dave Agema,- the Michigan Republican National Committeeman- and his fringe band of fanatical apologists.
Their mocking of God, assertions that non Agema supporters will be “in trouble on Judgment Day”, that to disagree with Agema is “to side with Satan”, and that Agema is a “symbol of righteousness”, etc,

They even say that any Black American who does no “stand with Dave Agema” is “thinking with his/her color”.

None of these extremes are new to the American people.

America saw this kind of fanaticism over the personality of Jim Jones in the 70s, which ended up in hundreds committing suicide by drinking Kool Aide laced with poison.
I doubt anyone will be committing mortal suicide in the cult of Agema. At least, I hope not.
However, I think it is fair to conclude, given the public crucifixion of anyone not placing Agema above Jesus (by his fanatical fringe group), that mental, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual decadence clearly plagues those who drink the Kool Agema (and all cult figures) passes around to those seeking a human savior.

The cult of personality never produces good results.
Only tragedy and calamity for both the worshipped personality and the cult which follows

1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17-18 NIV

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas ”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Nothing but division seems to follow Dave Agema and his not so merry band of fanatics.

All we can so is keep praying for them and try to mitigate as best we can the damage they do to our society at large.

Prominent Black Pastor & RNC African-American Council Member Calls For Resignation of Dave Agema, Michigan National Committeeman

To: Dave Agema, MIGOP National Committeeman

From:  Bishop Ira C. Combs, Greater Bible Way Temple, RNC African American Council

January 22, 2015

Dear Mr. Agema:

I am a pastor of a majority African-American church based in Jackson, Michigan. I have been a pastor here for 35 years. During this same period of time, I have been a tireless advocate of limited government, free market principles, traditional family values, individual freedom and strong defense. One of the means in which I have advocated these constitutional principles is as an active member and leader in the Michigan Republican Party and Republican National Committee.

I served under President George Bush as head of the Faith-Based Initiatives here in Michigan for the entire eight years of Bush’s tenure as President. I currently sit on the Board of the RNC African American Council and am a member of the Directors for the Detroit, Michigan GOP African Engagement Initiative.

Out of love for our nation and concern for the Republican Party’s ability to win African American voters, I have concluded that your being in the position of MIGOP National Committeeman should not continue. In light of the fact I yet believe you share my love for this country and dedication to our Party platform, I am recommending your resignation as our Michigan National Committeeman.

I am personally proud of your numerous personal accomplishments during your time in the military and service to our country.  Moreover, I am eager to acknowledge, that as a State Representative, you were among the most conservative and dependable of election officials in our State. Under your leadership, the Michigan Republican Party has learned much about the legitimate threat of Jihadism to our way of life, as well as so many other critical truths you have addressed.  For the season that you served as an elected official, the MIGOP was strengthened by your contributions.

However, your tenure as RNC National Committeeman has been marked by recurrent and worsening alienation of African American and Arab alike. You have disparaged people who have been diligently committed to our party and have made it very difficult for us to carry out the task of winning people to this party who, for the past 70 years or more, have perceived the Republican Party as hostile to civil rights and social equality, even though we know the GOP was instrumental in the passing the landmark Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, respectively.

Yet, perception is reality. The perception you have created of the Republican Party by repeatedly posting racist and divisive commentaries, with no true reason or academic rationale, is beyond comprehension. That you have painted yourself as a victim, refusing to demonstrate any level of humility and empathy even towards your allies in the party who are mystified, demonstrates that you have become a political myopathy to the party and our nation, willing to sacrifice even your own significant contributions to the same.

Your acts have become impulsive and counter-productive to the party’s mission and the position you hold as National Committeeman. You have, beyond a shadow of a doubt, proven that, if nothing else, you are sickened with prejudice and cultural incompetence, void of common sense and civility toward people who do not share your ethnicity.

There is no place in our party for this kind of extremism. Truthfully, I pray for a day when this kind of extremism is eradicated from all political parties, that we might have a more civil national dialogue.

Finally, please cease trying to hide behind Allen West, for posting what Mr. West correctly identified as the most racist article he had ever seen. Allen West is a public figure who has no current official role in the Republican Party, but is more aptly considered a part of media. He can afford to take those risks. He has no official role; you, on the other hand, as National Committeeman do. That you decided to sacrifice our Party to seek attention is inexcusable.

Let us close this chapter of controversy with a final parcel of nobility which is your voluntary resignation.

Copies of this letter are being provided the RNC Chair, the MIGOP Chair, the Vice Chairs of the MIGOP, the Executive Committee of the MIGOP and to the press. I beg of you to resign in such a way that there shall be no permanent destruction upon your own career and no further damage to the Party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

With Regards,

Bishop Ira Combs, Jr.

Greater Bible Way Temple

Has Prominent Black Detroit Pastor, Bishop Charles Ellis III, Sold Out to Secular and Homosexual Agenda?

“For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.” — Romans 2:24

DETROIT, Nov. 12, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ — The Apostle Paul strongly criticized some church leaders of his time whose lives caused unbelievers to look upon the church as having no credibility and, ultimately, rejected God because some church leaders who supposedly represented God were no more morally sound than the average unbeliever.

Paul was clearly suggesting that lifestyle evangelism is key to winning souls and those church leaders whose lifestyle did not reflect godliness were a detriment to the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A strong case can be made that Bishop Charles Ellis III, of Greater Grace Temple in Detroit and Presiding Bishop of the Pentacostal Assemblies of the World (PAW) has indeed caused the name of God to be blasphemed or cursed among unbelievers and, thus, should give sincere consideration to stepping down to pursue his secular goals which have become pre-eminent to preaching the gospel to Bishop Ellis.

For the past several years, Bishop Ellis has come under scrutiny for a questionable friendship with a practicing homosexual. In 2012, “Gay Christian Movement Watch” (GCM) did an editorial about Ellis which inquired as to whether he was in a gay church relationship.

They noted how Ellis’ picture and personal Facebook page was listed as a supporter of a homosexual church. Ellis refused to directly respond to GCM when confronted about this association.

Sadly, Ellis continues to open himself up for scrutiny, in light of the fact he currently travels with an alleged homosexual by the name of Rodney Howell, who does his hair and designs Ellis’ clothing.

It, therefore, comes as no surprise that, when hundreds of Black Detroit Pastors stood up for Biblical marriage this year and denounced the homosexual agenda to redefine marriage, Ellis- one of Detroit’s most prominent pastors- was curiously silent and declined to stand with those who were defending the gospel.

To add insult to injury, Bishop Ellis is now slated to star in a new Oxygen TV program “Preachers of Detroit”, which is a spin-off of the “Preachers of L.A.” television show,  that came under harsh criticism from Black Pastors across the nation.

In a BET.COM interview Rev. James C. Perkins, pastor of Greater Baptist Church in Detroit and V.P. of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, said that the “Preachers of L.A. would cause people to believe that clergy are “primarily interested in celebrity.” Perkins concluded “I don’t think the show represents the best of the Black Church tradition.”

Bishop T.D. Jakes went on record as identifying the “Preachers of L.A” as “junk” to his congregation.

Suffice to say Rev. Perkins and Bishop Jakes would equally criticize the notion of a “Preachers of Detroit” reality show, which will have the same damaging impact on the ability of legitimate pastors to win souls to Jesus Christ.

The moral of the story is that, in light of Ellis’ refusal to denounce any association with a homosexual church, an alleged homosexual hairdresser and clothing designer, his history of being identified as an empathizer with the homosexual agenda, along with his current commitment to turn the house of God into a sideshow for entertainment purposes, it is time for Bishop Charles Ellis to step down as a pastor and stop causing unbelievers to curse the name of Jesus Christ.

(Editor’s Note: A Gospel Activist and Commentator, Stacy Swimp’s commentaries have appeared in the Washington Times, Miami Times, Orlando Sun, Philadelphia Tribune, Michigan Chronicle, Atlanta Daily World, Pittsburgh Currier, and Buffalo Criterion. Stacy has appeared as a guest on the Fox News Channel, SiriusXM satellite radio, 50,000-watt radio stations such as WHO-Des Moines and KDKA-Pittsburgh, black media such as WVON-Chicago and Lee Bailey’s EURweb, the Westwood One radio network, conservative news outlets such as the Daily Caller and CNS News and internationally on AriseTV.)

SEE FULL CHRISTIAN NEWS WIRE PRESS RELEASE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1643475110.html

Thomas More Law Center Files Brief Defending Traditional Marriage in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a nonprofit public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, late Friday afternoon (Nov. 7), filed an amicus brief (friend of the court brief) in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals urging the Court to affirm a lower federal district court decision which upheld Louisiana’s traditional marriage law.

Louisiana’s marriage law affirms the definition of marriage as the union only between one man and one woman and was passed by 78% of the state’s voters. The Louisiana lawsuit filed by homosexual activists sought to use judicial power to overturn the will of the people.  However, Louisiana Federal District Court Judge Martin C. Feldman ruled that Louisiana was under no constitutional obligation to recognize so-called “same-sex marriage,” and that its state law was “anchored to the democratic process.”

The plaintiffs appealed his ruling to the Fifth Circuit.  In support of Judge Feldman’s decision, TMLC’s brief stated:

If “marriage” means whatever a political activist, a cherry-picked plaintiff, or an appointed judge wants it to mean, it means nothing. If it has no fixed meaning, it is merely a vessel for a judge’s will. It is used as a subterfuge for judicial legislation. And as Montesquieu observed: “There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.”

As a part of its national strategy to defend traditional marriage, TMLC formed a team of lawyers to file friend of the court briefs (amicus briefs) on behalf of the National Coalition of Black Pastors and Christian leaders.  The team consists of TMLC’s senior trial counsel, Erin Mersino, and Co-counsels William R. Wagner and John S. Kane of Lansing, Michigan. The team is tasked with filing briefs in significant cases dealing with the issue of traditional marriage.

The Law Center’s briefs reflect the view of a majority of African-Americans: that discrimination because of one’s sexual preference is not the same thing as racial discrimination and that tradition and morality should not be discarded as a basis of the law; as the pro-homosexual judges have done in their opinions.

TMLC’s brief is the fourth brief filed on behalf of the National Coalition of Black Pastors and Christian Leaders. It presents the unique perspective of African American religious leaders that discrimination because of one’s sexual preference is not the same thing as racial discrimination.

SEE THE FULL PRESS RELEASE ON THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.thomasmore.org/news/thomas-law-center-files-brief-defending-traditional-marriage-fifth-circuit-court-appeals/