My Heart Hurts for Marriages (Part 2)

On Monday morning, the Holy Spirit woke me up around 6am to pray for marriages. I prayed for the church, I prayed for friends who are married...calling people out by name, and praying in the spirit. A few days later, I wake up to news of Prophetess Bynum (read in post below). That hurt. Then this morning I wake up to news that Pastor Paula White and her husband are splitting (read in post below).

There is so much that I wanted to say about these two situations, but I digress...because much has already been said. It's all over the internet. Thousands are blogging about it and even more are talking about it. I recently read something by Bishop Donald Hilliard on his myspace bulletin which encouraged me to pray rather than gossip:

Galatians 6:1 tells us, “My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted.” These are indeed interesting days in the public church world. Many men and women of God in high places are experiencing trials and tribulations. This needs to be a time of sensitivity, care and prayer.

Please watch your mouth and keep your mouth off the people of God because regardless of whatever occurs these are the Lord’s anointed. 2 Corinthians 4:7 reminds us, “But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” Before we are Preachers, Pastors, Bishops, Apostles we are men and women and we are clay. The anointing of God resides within the jar of clay. Nevertheless, we who hold these public positions are called to a higher standard. We are called to live cleaner lives. Regardless of what you hear and see; HOLINESS IS STILL RIGHT!

I’ve often shared “if you see me somewhere out of sorts, staggering or falling deep in sin,” before you tear me down, try to help me, pray for me, try to pick me up. Now, do not try to pick me up to the point where you fall. However, pick me up and get me to some help. Get me to some authority that can help put me in my place, sit me down and get me Godly counsel.

Men and women of God we have this treasure in an earthen vessel and vessels are prone to crack. Yes, marriages are prone to crack even among pastors and leaders. People snap and people fall into depression. However, wrong behavior is never to be excused. Let’s pray for one another! Our prayers go out to our loved ones in the body of Christ who have spoken into us, we pray for God’s mercy, grace and healing to navigate us through times of shame and allow us to walk in the newness of life of which we are called to be a witness.

Despite all of the misogynistic behavior that we see on film, television and in music videos it is never appropriate to lay hands on women. Men must always treat women with respect. However, when there is a case of domestic violence seek help immediately. There are resources like the 24-hour National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).

May we walk in peace and love, forgiving one another, loving each other and helping each other so that the body of Christ will not be ashamed.

+Donald Hilliard II

The Kingdom of God is under attack. The attack is on marriages and families. Why? Because Satan knows that if He can destroy a family, he can hurt the Kingdom. In Genesis chapter 3, Satan's first order of business, was to cause dissent between Adam, Even and God. The more Satan breaks up marriages, the less the physical manifestation of Christ's Kingdom there is on earth. I can only imagine how a simple breaking of covenant between the two marriages mentioned above, have potentially damaged:

• hundreds or even thousands of other marriages
• The Church
• The perception of Christ and/or Christianity

Marriage (between a man and a women...I have to clarify these days) and the family are at the very heart and rubric of the Kingdom of God and Christian foundation. Christ even equates His return to that of a husband coming for his wife.

So on today my heart is heavy. Heavy for the broken marriages in the Kingdom....Heavy for the churches and the people of God... particularly those who may be affected by recent current events.

But one thing I think we call can agree on, is that continual prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is essential in these last days. Pray for you families, your friends, pray for the church, pray for your pastors, pray for the nation, pray for the Kingdom, pray for discernment, just pray...

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." - Matthew 11:12

My Heart Hurts for Marriages (Part 1)

Well-Known TV Minister Told Police Husband Savagely Beat Her

ATLANTA (FOX 5) -- Atlanta police said Wednesday that well-known television minister, Juanita Bynum, became the victim of domestic abuse after her husband savagely beat her in a hotel parking lot Tuesday night.

A relative of Reverend Bynum told FOX 5 News that the Reverend Bynum and her husband, Bishop Thomas Weeks, are in the middle of a separation.

The relative said the two agreed to meet Tuesday night in the dining room of the Renaissance Hotel near Hartsfield-Jackson airport.

The meeting reportedly did not go well and ended with Bishop Weeks leaving abruptly. The relative said Reverend Bynum followed him to the parking lot where the two exchanged words.

According to an Atlanta Police Department report, that's when Weeks allegedly attacked her. In a statement to police, Reverend Bynum said her husband, Thomas Weeks, "choked her, pushed her down, kicked her and stomped her in the Renaissance parking lot."

Ronald Campbell of the APD said a bellhop at the hotel saw the attack, intervened and stopped it.

Officer Campbell said Reverend Bynum suffered multiple bruises and swelling and required hospitalization.

Reverend Bynum is being kept at an undisclosed location.

Police are searching for Thomas Weeks.


Bishop Thomas Weeks turns himself in to police

(Eurweb.com) He is being charged with felony aggravated assault and making terrorist threats against his wife, televangelist Juanita Bynum, after he allegedly stomped and choked her in a hotel parking lot and threatened to kill her.

Weeks was accompanied by his lawyer when he surrendered this morning at the Fulton County Jail.

Bond was set at $30,000 on a charge of aggravated assault and $10,000 on a charge of terroristic threats, and a magistrate ordered Weeks to have no contact with Bynum or her sister, Tina Culpepper, reports D. Aileen Dodd and Saeed Ahmed of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Weeks, who made no statrement, was released on bail after he was photographed and fingerprinted.

Bynum, 48 and Weeks, 54, are co-founders of Global Destiny Church in Duluth Georgia.

They were married in 2002 in a lavish televised wedding that featured a 7.76-carat diamond ring. They separated three months ago, said Bynum's sister, Tina Culpepper.

Culpepper told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the couple met for dinner Tuesday night at Concorde Grill in the Renaissance Concourse Hotel near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to work out their differences.

Apparently things didn't go well and Weeks walked out to the parking lot at about 10:30 p.m. He then turned back around and attacked her, said Officer Ron Campbell of the Atlanta Police Dept.

Because Weeks threatened Bynum's life during the attack, police said, charges were upgraded.

"Anytime you tell a person, 'I'm going to kill you,' that moves it up to a felony," Campbell said. And her bruises were serious enough to merit felony aggravated assault charges against Weeks.

In a comment posted on her MySpace page, the evangelist said, "I am currently recovering from all of my injuries and resting well ... this, too, shall pass."
Her publicist, Amy Malone, said Bynum wants to keep the matter private.

"People are interpreting it to mean the two of them were fighting," Malone said. "They were not fighting. She was assaulted."

Pastor Randy and Paula White call it quits

(Eurweb.com) Randy White and his wife Paula White, Co-Pastors of Without Walls
Church in Tampa, FL told congregants in Thursday night's church service that
they are getting a divorce.

The well known preacher/conference speaker, Paula appeared to be choked up as she approached the podium, the Tampa Tribune reports.

They'd avoided speculation about their deteriorating relationship for months, but last night they acknowledged the unfortunate reality of their relationship before an audience of thousands.

This revelation comes after years of counseling and a day after the highly publicized
separation and beating of Prophetess Juanita Bynum by her husband, Bishop Thomas Weeks, III.

Paula and Randy White announcing their divorce at Without Walls Church on August 23, 2007

Randy White responded to rumors about a possible divorce in an expose' reported by the Tampa Tribune in May. Asked whether they were contemplating divorce, he replied, "No one can predict the future."

Through personal challenges (Randy's 29-year-old daughter reportedly was diagnosed with a mature brain tumor) and their callings taking them in obtuse directions (Paula, an evangelist, conference host, T.V. host and author is away frequently), the glue in their marriage dissolved.

Lauding Pastor Paula for being an exceptional woman, preacher and mother, Randy White said he takes 100% of the responsibility for the split.

Both say there were no third parties involved and they are parting amicably, although Pastor Randy admits that "innocently" being in public with other women was wrong.

I havent posted in a while

My God brother / Best friend, Tye Husbands, went to be with the Lord in Glory. No more pain... nor more sorrow... Only perfect peace. I KNOW he's singing perfect melodies and praises to the King! He was a true David.

So I kinda found it hard to write after March... but I think it's about time to get back into it.