A Rebuke In Truth, Or A Lie In Racism???

At the time TRUMP In, Favor Granted & The Black Church's Continued Confusion was written I DID NOT know about the firestorm that Donnie Swaggart had started over COGIC Presiding Bishop J Drew Sheard's open endorsement of Kamala Harris, nor was I aware of THE RESPONSE of certain COGIC members, calling themselves "Young Leaders Of The Church Of God In Christ" {I didn't know that there was such a group in our church} nor the Board Of Bishop's response which I find was more palatable than the "Young Leaders" response. 

There are reasons for my ignorance in general...for starters, I have enough to do without following the latest church news and secondly, I am NOT on J. Drew or Christian church watch and really and sincerely wish everyone I know well. See, I have my own mind and am willing to follow the dictates of it without the influence of church leaders or church leadership, and I already knew that Kamala was a horrible choice for President based on what has transpired the last 4 years since she has been in office. 

Prior to election, I did see that Kamala's last stop was GEI COGIC in Detroit and it seems
the pulpit, representing all of COGIC, was open to her to make one last appeal to not only the Church Of God in Christ, but the Black church in general.  

Needless to say, I AM GLAD KAMALA LOST and that Donald Trump's re-assent was and is a good thing no matter what some of the most liberal and dedicated to the democrat political party thinks. The good news is that she received prayer, and she needed it. So our Bishop did get a chance to pray for her. The bad news is that the issue was conflated out of context. 

Truth Be Told...

My opinion...I LOVE Bishop J Drew, and he has a right to endorse whatever political candidate that he chooses. In fact, every American has a right to endorse whomever they wish to endorse and that should be done in the best possible spirit and personal best interest...While I never would have let her engage or embrace my pulpit, just as I would have not allowed Donald to either, because of J Drew's position as the leader of the entire COGIC, made this an even greater issue. 

We must admit, no one of us is perfect. Certainly our young leader's letter wasn't perfect and I will deal with that in a minute...But let's look at what was said in criticism of our church and church leader:

Elder Donnie said this:

“The statement I’m about to make, I’m going to be called a racist, and I will be called every name under the sun, but somebody needs to stand up and speak to the Black Church. When the largest African American Pentecostal denomination, when that leader stood up and said I endorse that woman, he was saying, I endorse murder, I endorse homosexuality, I endorse lesbianism, I endorse transgenderism, I endorse every evil that Hell could prosper or bring up to [be] right"...“That’s wrong, folks. And the Black Church votes predominantly for the party that is anti-God. What’s going on here? What’s going on?”

Let's be TRUTHFUL...I simply ask...WHAT IS A LIE IN THAT SENTIMENT???

Kamala endorsed and represented a party that otherwise endorsed all of the above without regret or remorse, at least prior to the election. Who can say that the Democrat party did not and does not endorse:

Abortion (murder)

Homosexuality/Lesbianism

Transgenderism

Yes, that is what the Democrat party endorsed at least until the election. Who knows what they will endorse now that they are in such a realignment...but NONE of those points are even arguable. 

Secondly, Elder Donnie says that the Black church predominately votes for the party that believes in and endorses those things calling them a "party that is anti-God"

I say...WHERE IS THE LIE IN EITHER OF THOSE STATEMENTS???

The Democrat Party removed "God" from their party platform years ago to become more "inclusive" of people who either didn't believe in God or that had beliefs other than those found within Christianity. The removal of God isn't the "anti-Christian" part...the endorsement of ideals and values that are antithetical to Christian belief and matters of faith is the problem. THOSE ENDORSEMENTS ARE anti-Christian.

Further, election data shows that nearly 80% of Black men continued to vote for the party, while nearly 90% of Black women did the same. Although 2024 represented the largest dissent of the Black vote away from the Democrat party, THANKFULLY SO...the fact is that by the numbers, Blacks, led by the Black church, continued to support a political party who has endorsed all of those things mentioned and more, and which has been ineffective in helping the Black community and or solving and even addressing our problems. 

So Exactly What Did Donnie Say That Was WRONG or in ERROR???

Be clear and let's get real...Donnie received his criticism because he was a WHITE MAN and because he pushed back against our Black Presiding Bishop, Bishop J Drew Sheard. 

In his defense...Bishop J Drew Sheard is one of the nicest, most godly men that you or I will ever meet in this life. He is a good and humble servant of the Lord and sincere about his work of leading the church, his family and love of God. That doesn't make him right about his endorsement of Kamala, nor his previous thoughts about the Mormon church and COGIC's relationship with her (at one time) but please don't confuse his politics or zeal with what I believe is his heart. Everyone is subject to mistakes and our Bishop is no more or less subject to mistakes than any man.  

With That Said...

I would like to say that the Black Pentecostal church has never really gotten past some of the things that occurred during the Black Codes and Jim Crow era...

The facts are that laws and sentiments during those times and that era were such that Blacks and Whites did not and could not legally fellowship even in religious settings. 

This began the advent of Camp-meeting...Camp-meeting was created to take fellowship outside of the City, into the woods under open air tents where Blacks and Whites would not come under the scrutiny of the police and the good ole White establishment and separatist leaders. Meanwhile in the City, Black folk were not allowed to fellowship with Whites and certainly there would be no "laying on" of hands...

Many of the early White leaders within Pentecostalism were either practicing or former KKK leaders. These were not byproducts of religion, but byproducts of the State, laws and customs prevalent in the day. We all know that one of the primary leaders of what was called the Azusa Street Revival, WJ Seymour, had to sit outside of the classroom of former KKK leader Charles F Parham, to hear the message of Holy Ghost Baptism prior to him receiving the outpour of the Holy Spirit while ministering in California...Parham's views  weren't a product of religion...his views and the views of many of his peers, were a product of socially and culturally acceptable norms of the day and time even continuing unfortunately after their alleged conversion experiences. 

The "young COGIC leaders" in their letter of rebuke (of an Elder by the way) claim that this relationship rooted in racial segregation was an erroneous biblical interpretation claiming that the Black church was born because of it:

"The Black church is a byproduct of a nation that refused to acknowledge the inherent value of Black lives. It was birthed in an era that actively rejected the sound doctrine of Christ, replacing it with doctrines that upheld segregation and inequality"

That is just a patently false statement! In fact it wreaks of the Marxism of the now defunct Black Lives Matter movement and as such should be wholly rejected.

There was no biblical doctrine or manufactured theology that upheld segregation at any time. Yes, there were certainly people who abused scripture, as they do today, to uphold their beliefs and even cover their sins, but they also abused natural science to do so as well, some even claiming that women were less smart because they had smaller heads and therefore smaller brains for example. Perversions of truth are accepted in nearly every generation. Biblical perversions are no less. 

Racism was a cultural belief with its roots in materialism, naturalism and cultural acceptance and practice. Darwin's belief that there were "favored races" was the root of his theory of evolution which was extant and generally accepted as a cultural norm and the epitome of science. The eugenics of abortion policy was rooted in these separatist beliefs and made Blacks the target of extermination by Margaret Sanger's "Negro Project", the outgrowth of which has been embraced by the democrat party all with very little pushback
from young or old COGIC leaders or the Black church in general. In fact the Black church has, by her silence, allowed the abortion industry, promoted by the democrat party, to whittle down our numbers and representation to oblivious levels. 

America engaged a Civil War because the growing ideal and value that Black lives mattered and those sentiments were inspired by Biblical moral values. While it has taken something to actualize that value, aka: the value of freedom and equality, the fact is that biblical doctrines and beliefs were and are what inspired positive change in this country and it is biblical scriptures that have been used to lift people to freedom and equality and not the other way around.

Contrary to the "Young COGIC Leaders" claims it was Biblical doctrines that encouraged White segregationists and supremacists to LEAVE their views of racism and segregation and embrace the unity and brotherhood of all men regardless of color...It was Christian and Biblical principles that were and still are the root of the fight against racism both among Whites and Blacks and the interpretation of scripture that continues to help folk understand and bypass cultural norms in favor of scriptural truth and equality and unity of all men. 

YES, The 1912 Pentecostal Separation

Culture and culturally commensurate ideals and values, as well as State and local laws affirming segregation would lead Bishop Flowers and the Assembly of God (mostly White Pentecostal congregations led by White ministers, most ordained and commissioned by CH Mason) to split from the Church Of God In Christ which was led by Black leaders, as stated, primarily Bishop CH Mason. Contrary to what the "young Black COGIC leaders" contend, segregation and racism IS NOT the reason that the Black church exists...GOD is the reason for our existence, not a twisted or corrupted form of biblical interpretation. 

Very Sensitive

To have presented such a "lofty" case that makes the assertion that the "world" and happenings in it are so beneath the mission of us within COGIC, we obviously were earthly offended cannot stand criticism. Primarily, in this case, it is because the critics as we see them, are White. 

That leads to another observation that these young leaders are accusing Elder Donnie of IDOLOTRY while doing the same...This is really sickening...It seems that in order to be considered a respected "Black political leader" in most instances, one has to embrace the worst, most evil and vile social positioning, at least so it seems. Like Obama, who was welcomed into COGIC circles, Kamala endorsed all of the things Elder Donnie mentioned, but the young leaders and old leaders by far and large, said nothing about those things, and as stated, and appear to assert that we are one some ethereal plane above everything that matters in this world. That is ridiculous. Elections matter. Kamala was there because these things matter. They matter to every individual, the community and the church. 

Conclusion 

Clearly, the Biden/Harris administration jacked up our country for all of us, spiritual or not, in just a short period of time and given more time would have jacked us all up even worse, not to mention endless wars and over 300,000 MISSING children of illegal immigration...but not a word on any of those things from these "young COGIC leaders"....

This is ridiculous. Where are our moral values and desire to allow the Bible to speak to our values, and POLITICS, instead of the culture speaking to our values with the "go along get along" mentality??? 

I would agree...IDOLOTRY is an issue...It is the IDOLOTRY of defending or attacking a person based on race and not based on truth. Bishop J Drew is eloquent and doesn't need me or anyone else speaking to defend him...he is capable...but in our zeal, I wonder do these young leaders think that it is a good thing to defend what isn't biblically defensible??? 

Well, I guess one could say, that Donnie attacked "us" first...that he rebuked our leading Elder...OK...that is an argument that can be undertaken...But one cannot deny the substance of what he was saying...The Black Church, has embraced some of the most liberal and idolatrous positions on subjects, and politics has not been a good for us. We have endorsed and embraced some of the worst political ideology in the name of embracing and loving people and that has not worked out well for our yet suffering communities and yet suffering people and yet overburdened churches. 

One more thing, I saw Donnie McClurkin addressing this issue and claiming that he had already "forgiven" Donnie Swaggart...Well, you don't need to forgive him Elder McClurkin...THE GIFT AND CALLING OF GOD IS WITHOUT REPENTANCE!!! (Rom.11:29) As far as I know, Elder Swaggart isn't making an apology to you or asking you to forgive him for speaking the truth...Sorry...That is not how it works!!!

Young COGIC Leaders, I appreciate your zeal. I don't know what General Assembly rule adopted your formulation, but I wish that EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU had the same zeal for NATIONAL VICTIM'S ADVOCACY in this church as you have for standing for....What were you standing for????

ANYWAY...

Blessed!

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Are You Travailing In The Spirit?

I received this email in response to my Radio Invitation Post from what I consider to be a very astute responder.(by the way I will place the interview on the blog as soon as I am able) This was the comment:

"Pastor Burnett, is it just my imagination, or has something really serious happened to the church during this election? I have never seen so many mean spirited Saints as now. They use very awful names to refer to other Saints who are not voting for Obama. I actually heard one of our deacons say "in church" that he "can't stand that Palin" - even though she names the name of God just like he does. It is as if the Saints have been "gassed" or something. They refuse to hear ANYTHING negative about Mr Obama, but speak so awful about the others. I've even heard Pastors laughing about how Palin "claims to be some kind of Christian - Did y'all see that picture of her hanging in front of that house? ha ha ha! " Can you please give some perspective on this? I am so burdened by what I'm seeing. I can't help but believe that our leaders are going to pay a big price for some of the things they've done, condoned and said this year. Please address this if you can. Otherwise, I'll try to listen to your radio interview." ~ Corrie Richards Nov. 1st 5:26 PM

To Corrie and others that are feeling, witnessing and experiencing the same or similar things,

Your observations are exactly on point. The Spirit of the spiritual man/woman travails due to what is happening in the land. We are in the middle of a TOTAL paradigm shift of values and cultural change. This is similar to the D-Day invasion of WWII only in this case Christianity and it's principles are being overrun. Make no doubt that the CHURCH will prevail as Jesus promised but there is a sifting among leadership, followers and believers in the land.

John 16: 20-22 ~ 20-Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21-A woman when she is in travail (Tikto-metaph. to bear, bring forth) hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22-And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

The leaders "so called" who have allowed and ushered in the deception of the ages and have also perpetrated lies in secret upon the people will cause our nation to pay the price for their sin, false leadership and indiscretion.

Isa. 9:16-17 ~ "16-For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. 17-Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still."

This has little to do with Barack Obama or John McCain for that matter. It has everything to do with leadership that has allowed the enemy to seduced the minds of the people with their assistance both actively by saying things such as you've witnessed and passively by creating an aura of silence. This has happened to many in the pulpit and to many in the the secular world by the masses. Additionally, so far as the church is concerned exclusively, this has everything to do with the apostasy and heretical teaching that has taken place within the realms and confines of what has traditionally been called "Holy". Our decisions are now being made based on personality, history, relationship, and association. Promises of grandeur, and being or becoming a part of history is often cited as the reasons to promote and stand by ideologies that we know, from minimal biblical reading, are absolutely contrary to the nature and will of God and totally destructive to the community at large and more specifically the black community in particular. The biblical basis for relationship is non-existent in most quarters and has been replaced by what one wishes or chooses to see and be engaged with, rather than by what is TRUTH without compromise.

In my upcoming book, Ministering Effectively, I actually deal with this very subject. As found and explained within scripture and referenced in the book of Revelation, it's called adherence to the "Doctrine Of Baalim" (Rev. 2:4). I wrote this:

"What has arisen is a doctrine of Baalim that is being taught by secular mega-stars and mega-church guru’s. This doctrine places saint and sinner on the same platform and receives from each fountain as it pertains to what "self" needs. This doctrine uses the bible as a means to an end with no consideration for adhering to the standards of it’s message. The doctrine of Baalim, blesses what God has cursed, reaps where it has not sown, and seizes control of spirits and minds by means of smooth talking, personalities that are larger than life promising great associations and fame. One thing is for sure, to follow the doctrine of Baalim ends in hopelessness, despair and utter destruction." ~ Pastor H. Burnett, "Ministering Effectively" 2008 Dunamis Publishing Pg. 22 [manuscript copy]

Similar to the tribe of Dan, (1 Kings 12: 25-33) today's church has erected it's own brand of Golden Calfs to replace the God of the Bible, and has offered sacrifice upon the alter of flesh, pride, arrogance and self-centeredness. The WORD of Truth within the church has become secondary to self-perceptions and social affirmations of the populace. Motivational speaking has replaced the gospel proclamation of truth and righteousness and declarations of "friendship" has become the gauge whereby ministry is judged among men.

So Corrie, you're not seeing things and you're not having some type of mental delusion. You are seeing plainly what many are refusing to see, because they are yet connected to this world, and similar to the "Matrix" would rather live apart from true spiritual reality.

What is interesting here is just like we travail over what is happening, the righteous are coming out with a new determination, a new dedication, and a new fruitfulness that will shape the future of their lives and the life of the community in which we exist. This is true decision time as the truth is being revealed. (read Psalms 91)

The questions are: will we continue to support and be a part of ministries that have allowed themselves to be overtaken and overrun by the enemy? Is it good enough for us to remain a part of apostate ideals and value systems as they have revealed themselves in many of our top leaders? These ideals and commentaries have arisen to reveal and illuminate the righteous as to who is actually a follower of Christ. Because there is a birth at the same time there is pain, those of us who see what is happening and understand what we are witnessing will run on to be the next generation of vessels fit for the master's use.

2 Tim. 2:19-21 ~ "19-Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20-But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21-If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work."

Yes this is a revealing time and Tuesday Nov. 4th will reveal even more than we see now. More so, the next few years will be further reaching and revealing as we experience an agenda that will be crafted by apostates and sealed with secularism.

Luke 22:31-32 ~ "31-And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32-But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

Blessed!

Sorry for an earlier version--I forgot to use spell-check-(LOL)

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