Consider what Pastor John Coleman has to say on the matter.
Well I think that says all that needs to be said.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Independent Conservative - Copyright 2007 - Copyright Notice
[powered by WordPress.]
32 queries. 0.781 seconds
May 9th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
“Does Your Pastor Have a Body Guard and an Armor Bearer?” I think the question goes without mentioning. This is something I saw with the last two “gatherings” (refuse to call them churches) I was once a part of.
Even in the last one I was in featured the female pastor having her own “armor bearers” (carries the bible and purse, and plays the role of stylist and puppy).
May 9th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Whenever I watch TD Jakes it’s only for two reasons: How he is going to take the passage he’s working to death and make it mean getting temporal blessings: breakthroughs, deliverances, new house, new car, better job, ideal spouse, healing, kids off drugs, financial windfalls, etc. However, that game is too easy to play. Too predictable.
The other home participation game to play is called “Spot the Bodyguards.”
Spoiler Alert for those of you who don’t want me to tell you how to do it, stop reading beyond this point.
For those of you interested in spotting them right away, here is how. Scan along the first row of the Potter’s house sanctuary. Next, pay close attention to the aisle seats of the front row. The camera man is not very helpful. He may be alert to the home players of the game. Anyway, you’re looking for both women and men who are not looking at Jakes, but are looking to the side and toward the back with usually grim faces. They are the bodyguards. One woman who wears a pantsuit, looks like she’s been eating unripe lemons. The men are large and are doing the same thing - not looking at Jakes, but are scanning the opposite direction from the women.
I notice that whenever they do look at Jakes, it’s from under their eyebrows as if they cannot believe the tripe they’re listening to. You have to hand it to them for that, at least. They’ve got that guy pegged as a scam artist. But, hey. They’re paid well to keep all the angry hordes of deluded followers from attacking Jakes at any moment.
That hasn’t happened yet. But, just in case they all wake up at the same time from Jakes’ lies, the bodyguards must be thinking that they’ll rush the stage and kick Jakes out and ransack the place to get their tithes back. Maybe that’s why the lady looks so sour.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
If he did, I’d be packing my Bible and notebook and finding me another one.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
“Kentucky Colonel Basket”
Hahahahahha…. OK. I didn’t even know many of these folks had body guards… and folks to carry their Bibles… Really?
IndependentConservative reply on May 10th, 2008 at 9:56 pm :
Oh really!
Of course I was not doing much reading of 1 Corinthians 4 when I was in such a situation and feeling that such for the “Mand of Gawd” was a good thing.
LaVrai.COM reply on May 11th, 2008 at 12:03 pm :
Actually, I just remembered. A the church I attend now, which I’ve only been attending for about 6 or 7 months, there are body guard types. I remember one particular Sunday when the head pastor decided they were going to pray for and anoint pretty much all of the hundreds in attendance, things wrapped up kind of late. And I noticed, on my way out, that one of these body guard types was assisting the head pastor and his wife to their car.
Now, I don’t know if he helped them carry anything and opened doors and all that, but I did find it kind of strange. Their car was only parked a block or two away from the main sanctuary… but, I live in NYC, so, I guess you never know…
Which is why I do think (body) guards or the like in the church may be necessary sometimes. I’ve witnessed a few odd characters walking all over the place during worship who look like they’re doing nothing but talking a stroll back and forth, back and forth…
But this guard business shouldn’t border on the edge of servitude, unless it really is for the Body as a whole because then one is working for Christ Jesus and not necessarily man.
And, in case anyone is wondering, the pastor of this church only preaches the Gospel and nothing else.
speakingtruth reply on May 11th, 2008 at 3:13 pm :
LaVrai, the undercover guards at my old plantation were there to “protect the congregation”, but they were given instructions to protect the pastor, 1st lady (whatever that means) and their armorbearers if anything ever “went down” - and I heard that firsthand.
Plus, there are only 10 of them (or so) and over 10K members (when I left), so what are they going to do anyway?
Praise the Lord!
I’m still looking for that here in Atlanta..
IndependentConservative reply on May 11th, 2008 at 4:38 pm :
LaVrai - Those guards are not there for you, they are there to protect the one who is supposed to be showing the role of the greatest of servants in your assembly.
It’s one thing to preach the gospel and another to actually live it.
I think you’ve witnessed a problem. It’s not the kind of thing we should try and gloss over or make excuses for.
You walk to your car alone, while the one who is supposed to be biggest example of a “servant” is getting paid guarded protection.
Can you read 1 Corinthians 4 and claim the paid bodyguard services really reflect what is written there?
I’m not talking about if something violent went down during a church meeting and you members of the assembly took it upon yourselves to protect and defend the life of a pastor. That would be totally understandable. We are talking about your pastor having hired hands playing the role of body guard AT THE CHURCH MEETING. Having guards does not “border” on servitude it IS servitude. They are being PAID to put their lives on the line for your pastor. What is the police department motto? To SERVE and protect. This is NOT something he’s paying for out of his pocket during his PERSONAL time, he’s paying for it with church funds during church meetings.
If a pastor is attacked in his personal home, we can say he was victim of a random robbery or something, but if a pastor is attacked while working in a church meeting, we have to acknowledge it’s an attack on someone ministering. Now take a look at 1 Peter 4.
Scripturally speaking, if a pastor happens to need defense when with the church assembly, it would have to come voluntarily from the hands of those in the church assembly, that would attempt to protect him from harm. But hiring “body guards”. Somebody is going to have to cite me scripture on that, because I can’t find any related to the church. In scripture, Apostles, evangelists, elders, teachers and prophets all endured the persecution for the faith and they faced WAY WORSE than anything NYC is dishing out. The only cases where they avoided it was when there was outside intervention NOT from hired guards, such as an assembly of saints standing in defense, Acts 18.
May 10th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Jesus never had a bodyguard,We as Children of God Should walk without Fear,There are countless Verses in Scripture that tell us to “Fear Not” ..These Guys are Not Living Living the example Jesus Leaves us in His Words–They are Cowards ,The Just shall Live By Faith,My Bible tells me to Walk through this Evil Godless World with Boldness and Strength,and Faith Knowing that whatever comes upon Me ,My Lord Jesus is With Me..
stan reply on May 10th, 2008 at 10:39 pm :
Yet, it is these false ministers who tell their people to live by faith and that they should praise and tithe their way to deliverance and freedom. As for them, though, they will hire bodyguards from local firms with that tithe money, thank you very much.
The “bodyguards” I can think of were the horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha on the mountains and Jesus’ more than 12 legions of angels. Much better than TD Jakes’ hired ones, don’t you think?
ncatina reply on May 11th, 2008 at 11:53 am :
“… they will hire bodyguards from local firms with that tithe money…” That’s if they are paid at all.
stan reply on May 11th, 2008 at 2:06 pm :
From what I remember reading this past year, Jakes hires his bodyguards from a local firm. I cannot remember the source for that information, though. I have the impression that it was a newspaper article on the internet.
May 10th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Leave it it John Coleman to just break it down. Unfortunately, he could shout this from the rooftops and the sheep would still think that the pimp needed protection because of the “weight of the anointing on his life”.
I’ve seen it all up close:
- grown men talking into their sleeves and runnning outside when they see the Bentley pull up
- one grabs the Louis Vuitton briefcase, the other grabs the overcoat, yet another pops the trunk and get the alligator shoes, several stand around scanning the parking lot.
- the pimp is rushed into his office while the “guards” wait outside
- after the stage is set during service (the 2nd song has been sung and the sheep are swaying back and forth with their eyes closed), the pimp is swept up in a cloud of suits and earpieces on the way to the sanctuary.
- the suits surround the pimp after service (tired from looking all over the sanctuary for 2 hours while missing the sermon) and sweep him into his office as one of them cooks his breakfast while he awaits the 2nd service to begin. Then the cycle starts over again.
I’ve seen pimps who have less than 100 members wearing the headphone mics and having the bodyguards stationed across the front row
!
I think that the bodyguards are there to protect the pimp from the sheep - once they wake up and see that they’re throwing their hard-earned money into a black hole while the pimp get’s fatter and fatter, they’re going to want a piece of him!
speakingtruth reply on May 10th, 2008 at 10:54 pm :
IC - I forgot to add this:
Do you remember that all of the Ministers-In-Training at Club New Birth start out as bodyguards?
What great qualifications for ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ; if you can carry a bag and look mean, then you’re in!
Oh, and do you remember Fast Eddie’s “armorbearer” from back in the day…you know, the…um…uh…impeccably well dressed fellow
?
IndependentConservative reply on May 11th, 2008 at 4:51 pm :
I remember Fast Eddie had that dude as his “armor bearer” (personal assistant) who would sing that song “For God and God alone…” and he had a title of “minister”, but I can’t say I ever saw him actually doing anything scripture notes a church elder doing. (And we all know that dude had a rather soft voice, but I’m not trying to read anything into that.)
I didn’t know all the MIT at CNB started in some role like bodyguard or “armor bearer”. That title “armor bearer” cracks me up
!
speakingtruth reply on May 11th, 2008 at 6:34 pm :
He was an “Elder”, but I won’t mention his name here because he was rather soft spoken
And he wasn’t a speaking elder - nor did he ever pray corporately…he was just a “personal assistant”.
Regarding armorbearers, bodyguards, et al - it all speaks to the mini-kingdoms these pimps are building for themselves…kingdoms where they’re the boss and everyone else serves them.
You hit the nail on the head - the Apostles spoke the Gospel clearly, and they stood their ground when the Gospel brought persecution, unless the saints of that region came to their defense.
These guys exegete Scripture so poorly that they need protection from “crazies” like us who will call them on the carpet about it!
Plus, these pimps have engendered so much loyalty from the sheep that the bodyguards would have to stand in line to protect them - I mean, we’ve all come across folks who would literally take us out for speaking against their “mand of gawd”…and they’d do it for free!
IndependentConservative reply on May 11th, 2008 at 7:42 pm :
Yea I was not going to actually say his name, because he’s possibly a greater victim of all that bad stuff than we were ourselves. I just wanted to say enough so that we who know of him know who we’re talking about.
And they’d even pay their pimp 10% once they’ve finished the job!
May 10th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
If these preachers were Jesus, the woman with the issue of blood would have died in her sickness, because she couldn’t get near them to touch the hem of their garment…”or they wouldn’t have “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:16 These preachers live for themselves. Therefore, they are afraid to die for Christ’s sake. And when you live for yourself, you are afraid to die. If not they wouldn’t have so many armed bodyguards around them. thats the fact of the matter
May 12th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
They are there to “protect the annointing” that is on the pastor, so say one of Creflo Dollar followers.
IndependentConservative reply on May 12th, 2008 at 5:55 pm :
Do they even know how odd they sound?
Must be that (ungodly) “transferable anointing” they are claiming. I guess another man can take it from them if they don’t have body guards
.
May 12th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
What does “Mand of Gawd” mean? The first time I heard it, it was said by the lady bishop of my former church. I thought it was a mistake, then I heard Juanita Bynum with it. Where did they get it from? It seem that only black bishops are awarded such a title, therefore, if you are white and a pastor or just a black pastor you will only be a “Man of God”.
IndependentConservative reply on May 12th, 2008 at 6:00 pm :
The “Mand of Gawd” phrase is one I and others attribute to people who are NOT men of God, but would like you to believe they are, the pimps. Bynum and the pimps use the statement trying to say “Man of God”, but their study of spoken English is as good as their study of the Bible, broken.
May 12th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Oh, IC - I forgot to mention that the armorbearers who guard TD Jakes host a conference every year to help other “churches” develop a “security ministry” (i.e. bodyguard protection for the pastor and his wife).
You’ve know if there is a dollar to be made, then Jakes is on board with it.
truthintheselastdays reply on May 12th, 2008 at 7:29 pm :
Please tell me this isn’t for real??? For a 17 year old, I have to say that these folks are acting like opportunistic teenagers waiting to make a fast profit. DISGUSTING!!!
May 12th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I didn’t know “security” was a calling…must be right up there with
“Life Coach”
IndependentConservative reply on May 12th, 2008 at 9:56 pm :
LOL!!!
I’m very surprised by the “conference” and “security ministry” myself.
With people like this, the Lord would have had to rebuke more people than Peter on His way to the cross for our sins!
In Acts 21, Paul would have never been allowed to meet his prophesied fate.
With the security folks you don’t need to take up a CROSS, Matthew 10:38-39 (Jesus was talking about following him all the way to death as His apostles did themselves), you can just run your mouth and claim Gawd is protecting you as you minister
.
(Note “Gawd” is used because I’m distinguishing the fact it’s not really work of the One True God.)
godlysoldier reply on May 13th, 2008 at 3:01 pm :
INDEED IC!
Phil 1:21 goes right out of the window as well. For them, continuing to “live” is to GAIN!
May 13th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Some scripture to consider.
Revelation 12:11 (New American Standard Bible)
When giving the word of our testimony, it’s not our place to love our physical life when faced with death, but stand firm on our testimony, knowing the blood of the Lamb is with us.