This mess just gets bigger and bigger!
Now Gary Warren Warfield, a Deacon at the church has also been charged with “touching” one of the same boys that says he was abused by Pastor Gerald Griffith.
Second Woodlawn Church Leader Charged With Abuse
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Also there is this report. Both reports contain video and offer a few more details than you might get by checking out just one.
People at the church raised $60,000 to get Griffith out on $600,000 bail and have also raised $5,000 needed to get Warfield out on $50,000 bail.
While I don’t know anything for certain, I must say that I find it interesting how one person can have multiple claims of abuse against them and masses still stand by them. There is only one claim against Warfield, but several against Griffith. There were numerous claims against Catholic priests found guilty of abuse. Did their church members believe claims of innocence too? Probably so. With people outside the ministry it seems to be the same. Michael Jackson still has people that feel he never abused a child. (Sure he was found not guilty, but we all know that none of us would ever let our child sleep at his house! That is, those of us who are sane…) Singer R. Kelly even made video tapes of his activity and many still feel he did nothing wrong. It seems when an individual has the adoration of masses, they feel that individual can never do wrong. I guess it’s easier with the Griffith/Warfield case to feel that the children they don’t adore as much are liars.
Nobody knows anything for certain. Because nobody else was there. So I just find it interesting that so much support defaults to the accused! While they are innocent till proven guilty, the accusers very well could be terribly abused children that are telling the truth. In defaulting so much faith in men, the congregation is in effect turning it’s back on what could be a number of vulnerable victims. To me it would be wiser to withhold standing firm with Griffith and Warfield until their cases have been to trial. Putting up money to let them out now might not be a wise investment. I’m sure Griffith is not hurting for cash and Warfield could probably find $5K himself. While these ministers are getting so much support, what support is being given to the potential victims?
I just pray the Lord brings all this to light!
update 3/8/2007 5:15PM: Gary Warren Warfield was acquitted in November 2006, but Gerald Fitroy Griffith, who had several accusers is still on trial. Griffith’s lawyers were able to have a mistrial declared in a Howard County, MD trial yesterday. Probably because the accuser who took the stand mentioned some abuse that occurred in Baltimore County. The accuser says he was abused in multiple places and obviously the defense lawyers played it to their advantage, when the accuser mentioned abuse that included places outside of Howard County in court.
update 5/25/2007 5:48PM: Gerald Fitroy Griffith has been found GUILTY!
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September 29th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
It is better for the church to deal with Apostle Gerald Griffith and Mr. Dea. Warfield if they are guilty of these actions. Because the church raised money to get them out does not mean they will not investigate themselves to learn the validity of the claims. The world system is not God’s system and there is no mercy or justice in it.
The ones who are allegedly victims of abuse will not go unattended. If they are telling the truth they will be helped and if they are not telling the truth they will be helped, because there is some significant underlying reason for fabricating something like this. Whatever, the situation those young people should be afforded extreme help, care, love and protection.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
By the way, don’t forget innocent until proven guilty. How many people are on death row with a preponderance of evidence against them and they are not guilty. Things are not always what them seem. Let’s learn the truth. I am not an advocate for either of these men. As a matter of fact, I am extremely disappointed and frustrated to know that these kinds of allegations have been made, and more disappointed and furious to know that they can absolutely be true. But, how it is dealt with is very important.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:12 pm
Words cannot express how much I disagree with you.
Jesus taught to respect the governing systems of justice, not attempt to overtake them. To work with them, because God has them in place for order.
Paual explained this well in saying:
Romans 13:1-7 (New King James Version)
Today some of the “mega-churches” have a twisted view, that the church should assume all positions of authority in the earth. If that were the case, Christ himself would have overtaken Caesar. But he said himself.
John 18:36 (New King James Version)
No, it is not for the church to assume the position of government’s judicial branch for anyone, including a minister of a church.
Jesus submitted to the rulings of earthly authorities for his earthly flesh, and those accused of this scandal must do the same. The Lord will ultimately judge their eternal souls and that is the only judgement that counts.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
Though the judicial system may be in place for order, that does not mean it is in order. Yes, Jesus taught respect, but not blindness to rampant injustices. And, the church is a governing system as well.
Matthew 18:15-17 (King James Version)
15Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
The church should be able to deal with what happens in the church:
1 Corinthians 6
1Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
2Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
4If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
5I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
6But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
Christians are held responsible because Christians are not judging the matters before them and righteously so.
Psalm 82
1God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
2How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
3Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
5They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
7But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
8Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations
Did not Jesus (not the judicial system) judge the woman caught in adultery. What did the government system do with the man?
September 30th, 2006 at 12:09 am
Yes, Jesus taught respect, but not blindness to rampant injustices.
So you feel that the Roman government was just and not rampant with injustices?
For you to even attempt to use the verses from Matthew and Corinthians in regards to children being abused is rather sick. I guess you were happy with the Catholic church’s investigation of priest abusing children? We are not talking about adults that have disputes (as those verses speak of peers, not adult/child relations), but children who were possibly sexually abused. The verses you cite are regarding issues that would involve possible civil lawsuits, not felony crimes. Issues that are not crimes against the state, but matters that an individual can raise to a court at their discretion. You might want to better study the events and reasons for those verses being said, because it did not apply to child abuse and felony crimes.
Your efforts to establish a “church court” are in line with the efforts of some Muslims who wish to separate themselves from the established government. Muslims really are being true to their twisted faith in doing such, but once you better understand the verses you’ve cited you’ll see there is no such support in the Christian faith regarding non-civil matters.
Lord help the ministers that abuse the word of God.
Did not Jesus (not the judicial system) judge the woman caught in adultery.
You are not Jesus. You are not God. In that case, a mob was attempting to convict a woman who had not faced a trial under the ruling government. They were breaking Roman law, because they were not allowed to execute the death penalty and they even said such when delivering Jesus for death.
John 18:31 (New King James Version)
So Jesus preventing a stoning was the right thing to do. On the other hand, he NEVER stood in the way of the Roman government having a trial. He NEVER attempted to usurp their authority regarding earthly legal crimes.
October 2nd, 2006 at 11:21 pm
People are people. What makes a person that is a part of the judicial system more apt to judge matters than people in a Church. You give them (those of the Judicial system) too much merit as human beings. They are not superhuman or super righteous. Christians shall judge angels and they can judge these matters. The problem may be that they are not, but the problem is not they are not able. Because, we don’t stand up and do what is correct is what causes others to come in and do what the Church should do and has been commissioned to do. When God charges you to judge as a Christian you do not have the right to separate disputes from civil matters from felonies. You are responsible to judge righteously, and I maintain no outside court has to intervene. Christians have to be like Jesus when He turned the tables over in the temple, and declared His Father’s house shall not be used as a den of thieves.
October 3rd, 2006 at 12:17 am
Brenda, I thank God an entire nation of Christians disagrees with you.
I pray you grow in the Lord and learn the true application of scripture in proper context. Respecting the authority given to governments and their position to rule on this matter.
November 21st, 2006 at 11:07 am
I understand where both of you are coming from. Both are right and wrong at the same time.
Like the Catholic Church, if the “Pentecostal-Full Gospel” tries to investigate this, more energy will probably be used in making a good impression and covering up this matter, for the sake of “The church” (False religion) There is no religious prison or court, there are no measures in place to Judge a prominent minister in such kind of matter.
Therefore, the so called secular judicial system will have to take care of this. There needs to be impartiality, and objectivity in dealing with such a matter. Within the Borders of religion a man can face both undeserved favor, or harsh ridicule. In both cases, it would be injustice. So let the world deal with it. If innocent, he will be freed of all charges for The Lord will not forsake his servants. If guilty, he will have to face the consequences of his actions, hopefully for his sake it will be with a broken and contrite heart.
One cannot speak for a whole nation. You are trully a conservative but you sound more liek a religious fanatic. Did you write the scriptures, were you there when they were uttered in the secret high places, and sent with inspiration to the secret low places. Who is man to speak on God’s behalf, or who has the Mind of God. If you can get a whole nation of so called Christians to agree with , well I am glad for your accomplishment, I hope you don’t casue them to faulter or commmit suicide. Christ came and challenged established doctrine of The religious organization fo the day, so to in your life you will live to see the contradiction of your “krisstianity”, that you so believe and uphold. Soon all will know the truth of CHRIST-ianity tha is not controlled by the vatican. For once we worship on Sunday and call ourself “Kristian”, we under King Pope. The whole point of salvation is to become like Christ, doesn’t the leg have the same blood as the rest of the Body. IT is about perfection and becoming more like him, and doing great service with Holy Spirit miracles.SO man is not able to be Christ by himself, but we are called to be one with him, in him and through him not separate. he is the example, we ahve to apply his word to daily living, and Grow.
The way in which you are talking depicts clearly the scripture that states a religious movement as having a likeness but denying the power thereof.
I hope you pray for yourself as you did for Brenda, pray for me too.
God bless.
November 21st, 2006 at 11:22 am
Lion Heart - We don’t know the mind of the Lord and you don’t know mine either, but thanks for sharing your thoughts.
We can all take comfort in knowing that the Lord is the true ultimate judge and such judgment will be made in his kingdom, not this world.
November 22nd, 2006 at 10:50 am
No one ever professed or confessed that I know your mind. Neither am I trying to know your mind. I make comments coming from what you have written. However, since no one does not know the mind of another man, then this whole website is of no use and is obsolete. Come one, you critcise men like Creflo for his prosperty message, and basically called him a type of pimp and having the same mentality of rappers, couldn’t he say the same thing to you, since you don’t know his mind?
So in essence you are telling me, don’t make comments about written opinion because I don’t know the mind of the author. Well then you will have to do the same and let this website come to nil, since that is all you seem to be doing on this website.
You are correct We don’t know the mind of The Lord, but he has given us enough information to know his principles of his thinking to dispel iniquity, and especially from the established religious mindset, such as yours. We don’t know God’s mind, neither the hearts of men, yet you want to speak against that which other men teach about, and having the backing of the WORD. Since no one knows the mind of the Lord, How can you tell about ” true application of the Word.” Your are out of place.
From your speeches one can logically induce that you would probably want to tell men what they should preach about. Who are you? Are you better than pimps and rappers, these are men you speak of, men just like you whom God loves.
But you are free just like me, and having read your comments, I “can take comfort in knowing that the Lord is the true ultimate judge and such judgment will be made in his kingdom, not this world,” and not by some independant conservative.
November 22nd, 2006 at 11:54 am
Interesting, you feel free to comment on my words, but when I comment and offer supporting Bible verses you make claims about the mind of God.
I can’t let this blog to nil. This site that you say is of no use and obsolete. Because you enjoy continually coming back here to comment on this obsolete blog.
I read the Word for myself and yes if someone is out of line I point it out. Who am I? One who was instructed by the Lord to call out such mess.
If you feel I can’t call out another, than you fail your own words by trying to speak against me.
November 22nd, 2006 at 12:41 pm
You trully have no understanding, there no point in reasoning with you. I was speaking hypothetically using your own logic against you. You are trully a conservative, in your understanding and wisdom.
November 22nd, 2006 at 1:06 pm
And still you keep coming back
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