Will another woman be elected Bishop in 2004?

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I've attended several of the General Conferences over the last 16-20 years. Unfortunately, I missed the "historic" 2000 General Conference with the election of Bishop Vashti McKenzie. I understand that more and more women are running for Bishop in the years to come. I also understand that one woman came extremely close to winning and, according to attendees, would have won if there had been one more ballot. Will the AME Church elect another female Bishop in 2004 or 2008, or was this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? A poster previously predicted that 3-4 candidates will be from the candidate of Africa. Will at least one (1) be a woman? Gods blessings to you all.

-- Anonymous, January 31, 2004

Answers

If trends mean anything, the majority of our bishops will be female by the time Bishop Bryant retires in 2016.

-- Anonymous, January 31, 2004

Yes. I am looking forward for another woman to be elected a bishop in 2004.I blieve that electing more than one woman as bishops in our church will truly show thatthe leaderhip of women in is not limited to a certain level of participation in the church.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2004

You have three women running this time and all three can preach well, but only two are seen as viable candidates and it is still to close to call at the beginning of February . By late May when all the preliminary reports from the Districts meeting with their delegates in we will have a better idea of which way the church is leaning. Most of the Bishops and top leaders are very quiet on this issue at this point. All the poster of this post needs to return email if she wants to know more about getting a stipend fromt eh Connection for Seminary students. I ahve sent two emails to her and she has not responded to me.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2004

Douglas, I will certainly email you directly regarding the "leaning" of the church regarding this issue. Also, I was not aware that you sent me two emails regarding the seminary stipend. I will make sure I email you directly to gather that information. Several AME seminarians are interested in this. Thanks.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2004

How does the A.M.E. Church reconcile women Bishops with the Scripture?

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2004


Ron:

From your query, it presupposes that you don't believe we should have women bishops. Why don't you tell us why we should not have women as bishops.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2004


From the query, it sounds like we should not have women preachers. How is that supported as well?

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004

sigh...

Let me state that Paul will be in hiding when we get to Heaven (with Eve, I suppose).

Perhaps we should list this as a 26th Article of Religion:

The Argument FOR women as ministers/preachers/bishops

  1. The infamous passage: 1 Timothy 2:11-12 "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.  I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."  Notice that Paul uses the word "I".  He did not say "God".  Paul is giving Timothy his OPINION.  Consider 1 Corinthians 7:10-14: "To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
  2. Paul, in Romans 16:1 addresses and acknowledges Phoebe as a "diakonos" (from which we get the word "Deacon").  Some of your Bibles use the word "deacon" or "Deaconness" or "helper" or "servant", and in so doing, have tried to show that this scripture excludes women.  The problem is the word in Greek IS the word in Greek.  And the word in Greek is diakonos, the same as it is in 1 Timothy 3:8.
  3. The "Husband of one wife" in 1 Timothy 3:12 (ENGLISH) is the "aner" of a "gune" in Greek. Aner has two meanings. One, the husband (male) figure. Two, it means the same as our phrases "you guys" and "all y'all". In other words, aner can mean men and women.
  4. What about gune? Look in the Book of Revelation, where gune (bride) is being used to describe US (the body of Christ). gune can mean men and women as well.

Finally, here are the two easiest arguments for it. Judges 4. Deborah was a female judge. She ruled over the people of Israel. Seems to me that God permitted women to rule over men.

  1. Neither God, nor Abraham, nor Moses, nor Solomon nor David, nor Jesus said that women couldn't be preachers/bishops. It would have been so simple to put that rule in. God didn't, because ALL of us are called to seek and save the lost, not just those with a collar and a big cross.

Why did Paul put this restriction of women? The theories fill many a book, and since I wasn't there, I won't guess. We'll have to find him and ask him when we get there.


-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004


Pastor Harper:

Your addition to the Articles of Religion should be immediately ratified! What I really appreciate is that you point out that everything we read in the English translations are not necessarily congruent to the original greek.

But what was the clincher for me is your mention that Paul did insert himself into scripture and that if God had not wanted women to preach God had ample opportunities to say it directly.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004


Parson Harper -

I for one appreciate the primer on NT Greek, however I suspect you are opening a can of worms when you draw the distinction between Paul's opinion versus THE opinion expressed by the AllMighty. Those of us who are familiar with the New Testament know that St. Paul was not bashful about inserting his "opinion" concerning many different and sundry issues (e.g. women, sex, marriage, slavery, money, etc.). Most Protestant churches accept Paul's "opinion" about church doctrinal issues like baptism, requirements for Bishop or church growth. I just don't know how helpful reliance on separating Paul's opinion from God's opinon will be when we use his "opinion" in other matters. This is a complex but important issue and it is good someone had the insight to bring it up for discussion. QED

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004



Just to add to Brother Harper's excellent post, I believe that in the book of Joel and echoed in the book of Acts God declares that "in those days I will poor out my Spirit on all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." It seems to me that God and God alone is the determiner of who will speak for God and who will lead God's people. We too often get our roles confused. We are keepers of the gate, but we don't own the gate. Our role in selecting and electing ought to be as stewards at the behest of the owner, God. That may mean that someone comes in that does not fit within our old templates of what a leader should look like or where a leader should come from. Our role is to seek the wishes of the one who owns the gate and be led by God's wishes.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004

1 Cor 1:20-21 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (1:21) For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

My dearest brothers and sisters in Christ,

My query should in no way surprise you as the Christian church has long held traditions and deeply held beliefs with respect to women and their role in the Church and their relationship to man. I believe the Scriptures leaves no doubt as to this relationship, but the world works to deceive, divide, and turn the truth of God into a lie. Though these traditions and beliefs are not popular with present day culture, they nevertheless endure and persist, because they are rooted in the Scripture - the very Word of God.

I thouroughly enjoyed the verses that were sited and the exegesis offered by Rev. Harper. However, I must confess, that I found them (the exegesis) irrelevant to the proposition that women "must be silent, submissive, and subject, and not usurp authority" as rendered by a fair reading of 1 Tim 2:9-15.

Any challenge to the Apostle Paul's veracity in this and other Scripture I simply cannot judge as credible. The Apostle is most assuredly beyond reproach. Further, I suggest that a woman's station is not defined by the Apostle, but is rather cast by the Father. The whole of His Word testifies to it and is evidenced by the history of Christ's Church.

Granted, submission, subjection, obedience, meekness, silence, etc... in the vernacular of the world, is a hideous plight for the natural man-woman. Yet for those of us born of the Spirit, these are more highly prized than fine gold.

I am convinced that this issue (among many others) demonstrates that the serpent continues to deceive the woman, and that the man continues to eat without looking.

In love, I challenge the admittance of women to the high offices of the church. Judged not by worldly standards that questions the woman's spirit, ability, or wisdom, but in obedience unto the Grace that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Adam was first formed, then Eve out of him, to denote her subordination to him and dependence upon him; and that she was made for him, to be a help-meet for him. And as she was last in the creation, which is one reason for her subjection, so she was first in the transgression, and that is another reason. Adam was not deceived, that is, not first; the serpent did not immediately set upon him, but the woman was first in the transgression (2 Cor 11:3), and it was part of the sentence, Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee, Gen 3:16.

Lastly, in response to Rev. Harper's closing statements that read...

"Neither God, nor Abraham, nor Moses, nor Solomon nor David, nor Jesus said that women couldn't be preachers/bishops. It would have been so simple to put that rule in. God didn't, because ALL of us are called to seek and save the lost, not just those with a collar and a big cross."

I reply, let's look at what God, Abraham, Moses, Solomon, David, Paul and Jesus DID SAY.

Sincerely, In Love, In Christ, Your truly -- Ron.

1 Cor 14:33-38 As in all the congregations of the saints, (14:34) women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. (14:35) If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (14:36) Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? (14:37) If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. (14:38) If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004


The question of Women Bishops arose in 2000 when Bishop McKenzie was first elected and consecrated a Bishop in the Church. At that time I made a response on AME-Today but I could not presently locate it. So I will post it again as I did before, since I saved a copy of it to use in my work with the Lay.

Saint Paul, writing as a bishop of the Church, in I Timothy 3 when referring to bishops uses the pronoun he; but this should not be understood to mean that women were never to become bishops in the Church. It simply reflects the times in which Paul wrote. In Paul’s day there were no female Elders or Bishops in the Church. So his use of the pronoun he simply reflected the customs of the times and the First Century Church to which he wrote. Neither should we fall into the age-old trap of assuming that Saint Paul was injecting his own personal opinions in it. This too only reflects the make-up and character of the First Century Church, not Paul opinion of it, nor his assessment of what the Church would later become.

To assume Paul meant that women would never assume the role of Elders and Bishops for all times and ages would be proof-texting and a gross misreading of the text. A prime example of where such thinking leads is how the text “Slaves obey your master, for this is right in the Lord,” was taken out of the context which Saint Paul addressed. Such a narrow interpretation Scripture as this led to more than 200 years of the Institution of Slavery in the USA and still contributes to our current problems of racial bigotry and hate. In order to see what Paul wrote in the proper context, we need to look at the Bible as a whole.

In Genesis 1:26-28 we read these words:

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let THEM have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; MALE and FEMALE created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto THEM, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and OVER EVERY LIVING THING that moveth upon the earth".

Again in Genesis 5:1-2 we read:

"This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; MALE and FEMALE created he THEM; and blessed them, and called THEIR NAME ADAM, in the day when they were created".

Notice That God called their name Adam. Adam,not God, called his wife Eve because “she was the mother of all living” —and that only after the fall(Genesis 3:20). Before the fall she was called Woman (man with a womb) because she was “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh and because she was taken out of Man" (Genesis 2:23).

My last check of English grammar would suggest to me that THEM and THEY are plural pronouns and people are definitely LIVING THINGS. Therefore we have it on the authority of God the Father and Creator that He had given both MALE and FEMALE, whom He (God) called Adam— authority (dominion) over every living thing. Men and women are, of course, living things.

Next we look at Saint Peter whom we are told by virtue of the fact that he was an Apostle, a bishop as well (Acts: 2:17). Historical records and Biblical usage of the term “Babylon” after Babylon had been destroyed, most probably confirms that Saint Peter was also the first Bishop of Rome, as the Roman Catholic Church claims him to be.

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter defended the fact that what had occurred was not drunken revelry by quoting from the Prophet Joel, Chapter 2 verses 28-29, which again is restated in Acts 2:17.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit”.

A careful reading of the texts both New Testament and Old should finally put to rest any preconceived notions of dominance of persons either by gender, social standing or chronological age. By reading these texts in context we may clearly understand that the Spirit was given to YOUNG men and OLD, your SONS and Your DAUGTERS, SERVANTS and HANDMAIDENS—all humankind. The message of the Spirit was to be spoken and shared by all. The fulfillment of the Prophesy establishes it.

God created in His own image both MALE and FEMALE alike and called them both ADAM in the day that they were made. Giving THEM (ADAM) DOMINION (authority) OVER EVERY LIVING THING.--This is the word of the Lord, Amen, Amen, Amen!



-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004


2 Tim 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Dear Brother Matthews,

I heartedly agree with you when you suggest that the Scripture must be read and understood in the context in which is was written. I fear however that you have not adhered to this good advice. Allow me to address your reading of Paul's admonition to slaves. It can be found in both Ephesians 6:5 and Colossians 3:22. In both instances the meaning is essentially the same. For the sake of 'context' I have begun at verse 15 in Colossians and ended with verse 25...

Col 3:15-25 (3:15) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (3:16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (3:17) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (3:18) Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (3:19) Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. (3:20) Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (3:21) Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. (3:22) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. (3:23) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, (3:24) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (3:25) Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

...surely, as you suggest, a right reading of this text could not be a precursor to the institution of slavery, only a wrong reading of it. And so it is true with all of Holy Script.

Your rendering of 1 Tim 3 is not consistent with this precept. The use of the pronoun 'he' is intended as written as is the use of the pronoun 'his.' Paul was not intending to exclude here, but rather to define the qualifications, duties, and character of a Bishop. Further, consider it a grave error to cast Paul's writing as being influenced by the worldly culture of the day or that Paul's writing is relevant only when understood in the context of the 1st century. In reality, it could be argued that the allowing of women in the pulpit is the direct result of OUR yeilding and capitulation to cultural influences of the day, supported by convenient and spontaneous interpretations of Scripture - which is heresy.

Finally, a careful reading of the Scriptures reveals a consistent theme as to the relationship, station, and state of man and woman. Christendom by and large agrees on this point and it is only now, in the later moments of the 20th century and the first moments of the 21st, that, under pressure from the world, some have yeilded this ground.

Sincerely, In Love, In Christ, Yours Truly --- Ron.

2 Thess 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, (2:10) and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (2:11) For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie (2:12) and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004


Ron,

One thing is certain here. By this and other posts and comments you have recently made on this board, we know you and we know who you really are. The Holy Spirit will not allow you to hide behind the word. We are not deceived by your use of it, nor by whatever name you might assume. You err in not realizing this is a Christian website. When you address the posters on this board you are dealing with members of the Church, the ecclesia, whom God has called out and endowed with the Sprit's gifts and fruit, with which He had equipped His entire Church. Some of us are able to rightly discern. We have seen your posts on this board before and recognized the nature of them. So don't even attempt to go there with us. You can neither hide from the Spirit nor the Church.

Same posts different name.

“A Rose by any other name……….” and I don’t mean the way Shakespeare worded it.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2004



Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died- more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Rom 8:33-35)

Dearest Brother Matthews,

I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. (12:37) For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matt 12:36-37)

I count it a blessing to have found fellowship on a board such as this, where Christians, the body of Christ, A.M.Es are able to exchange ideas and discuss all manner of things pertaining to our Church, our hope and our faith. In reading your last post however, I fear that I have offended or injured you in some way, and possibly other members of this board. For this I am most sorrowful and offer my humblest apologies.

But for the weilding of the sword in the defense of the faith I WILL NOT YEILD. The assertion that I am not who I say I am - that I am in disguise and advancing a clandestine agenda - is false and a most hurtful allegation coming from one I call Brother. I am but a simple man, a slave of the Gospel of Peace, born of the Spirit, a child of the Living God. All I know is Christ Jesus - and Him crucified. So dear brother, and any that I may have offended, PEACE.

Sincerely, In Love, In Christ, Yours Truly --- Ron.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:12-17)

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2004


I'm certain that a woman will be elected in 2004. It will be less likely in 2008, however. This year, I know that Sarah Davis has a viable candidacy, and the consensus is that the powers that be owe it to Carolyn Tyler Guidry.

As for the Biblical authority of women as Bishops/Pastors/Ministers, etc., the systematic theological argument in favor has been laid out well here. Moreover, a church that was founded in the belly of discrimination really shouldn't discriminate, should it?

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2004


Rev. Cager,

We will have many more women Bishops elected and before all is said and done, the council of Bishops will be predominately women. So be it. This is most appropriate and true to form for our modern, liberal body that readily succumbs to worldly counsel and embraces worldly values to the detriment of its own soul.

In Love,

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2004


Remember?

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"

"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Gen 3:1-7) NIV

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2004


Remember? The women stayed with Jesus at the foot of the cross when the men ran away.

Remember? It was the women who went to fetch his body on Resurrection Day and discovered He had risen.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2004


Yes Sister Mary, I remember.

God bless you and all who read this on this the ocassion of our Savior's resurrection.

In Love,

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2004


Someone said that St. Paul was above reproach. Not true. Paul can and is challenged in many things and he was wrong in his writings about women. Paul was a male chauvnist pig as most adult males were in those days. Yet if you examine all his writings, you will find that he grew as all in Christ does. Here is what he writes in Colossians 3:10, 11. " and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all." Paul seems to be saying that "In Christ all are equal." That the "new man" is renewed according to the image of Him who created him (that's Jesus), and in that image there is no racism, sexism, or any other "ism".

My friends, we are not people of the law. The Bible is NOT a rule book on how to live and what TO or NOT to do. So we ought not try to find God forbidding any behavior but to judge our behavior by the law of love given us by Christ Jesus; Love God and Your neighbor as yourself. He also said that the whole Bible (the law and the Prophets) is summarized in those two. For example, the Bible says: "Do not kill (murder)." if I see a child, (woman, helpless one) being abused by a hoodlum, which of us would hesitate to blow the hoodlum away to save innocent victims? The Preaacher said there is a time for all things; and there is atime to kill. Too. Back to Paul. Paul learned a great deal while he ministered and changed some of his positions as time went by. After all, he was a Pharisee and it would be expected that he did not lose all the attitudes of a Pharisee all at once, as you not I did not also. Paul himself, told us in one of his letters that he was still growing in Christ. I consider Paul an authority only as far as his writings will stand the true test of love defined by Jesus. Now before someone asks if I believe the Bible, "The Bible is the Word of God to man. It does not lie, but there are lies in the Bible. The Bible is God breathed, but it was written and translated by men/women and we must realize that the experiences of those men/women is in their writings also. Paul did NOT write the Bible; he worte letters to churches and individuals. We put his letters in the Bible." Be Blessed.

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2004


Rev. Paris,

How does one reason the Scriptures with a mind that dismisses the Apostle Paul; holds that the Bible is God breathed, yet asserts that there are lies in the Bible? Wouldn't such a mind deem all Scripture that it does not believe or understand - a lie? Isn't the mind that uses Scripture in one instance to validate an idea while in the next breath disparages Scripture that validates an opposite view, well, schizophrenic? It is tragic how a generation of professing Christians can be so blind to the clear teaching of Scripture, and would rather hearken to the liberal agenda of the modern feminist movement than adhere to God's clear commandments.

The Bible is clear in its denunciation of such people as these: "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. (Titus 1:15-16)NIV

Take your shoes off Rev. Paris, you tread on hollowed ground.

In Love, In Christ

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2004


Ron,

You did not read or did not understand what I said. The Bible does not lie; but characters in the Bible does lie. Example: Joseph accused his brothers of taking his cup; was that not deception? The Bible tells us what happened to teach by us example and illustrations.

Tell me, Was Paul writing the Bible or was he writing letters to the churches and/or individuals?

What the Bible teaches is Holy; but that does not make what you, I, or anyone else "thinks" it teaches holy.

Another example: Many churches now have the congregation stand for the reading of the gospels; On what basis? Jesus, who was himself circumcised, said that it was not necessary, that it was important that our hearts are circumcised; Why? My brother, respectfully I ask you to consider and to think seriously about what you are teaching or being taught. God gave us a big brain so that we could read and understand and allow His Spirit to rule in our hearts. I respect our theological brothers and sisters including Paul who write many great treatises with thier vast knowledge and training, but remember that all of these are mere men. God chose to use these to transmitt His written word but when He chose to reveal himself, he sent his son, Jesus the Christ. You will note that he did not leave a written record for us.

In my studies, I consider the motivating factors for the human author; and try to understand the truth that God was trying to get me to see through that human author, such as Paul. Start with Jesus: The perfect man second Adam, made in the perfect IMAGE of God, He had no human agenda, human agendas are products of our fallen nature. So I can trust him completely. He said that all of the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament) spoke of him, yet they did not reveal Him. This is not something I read in a book; it is not literally in the Bible, the Spirit of God reveals this to me. Some agree, some disagree, but eventually who desire will come into the full knowledge of Him.

There's more but 4enough for now.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2004


Rev. Paris,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I did indeed misunderstand what you meant by 'lies in the Bible.' As to Paul's writing, he was writing letters to the churches and/or individuals - epistles, and there is truth in what you say about the purpose of the writen WORD in that what it teaches is Holy. However, if I understand your rationale in the use, application, and understanding of the Word, you suggest that it is open to interpretation and that those chosen by God (Prophets, Prophetesses, Apostles, and Saints) to 'transmit His written Word' are but mere men and are trustworthy only insofar as a mere man can be trusted. Further you suggest that Jesus the Christ did not leave a written record. In this I would contend that the whole of Scripture, Old Testament and New, is the written record HE left for us.

Now it is as you say, many Christian denominations adopt rituals and practices that have no apparent support in the Scriptures. This is their error, not the Scripture's. Misinterpretation of Scripture also contributes to folly and error. It is in the misinterpretation of the Word that the adversary works his most elaborate schemes and deceives many. And again we agree, that it is only by the Spirit that one can rightly divide the Word of Truth for it is foolishness to those who remain in darkness. Remember what the Scripture says... "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Cor 1:20-21)NIV

It is by this reasoning that I sound the call to arms. The adversary is within the gates! He convinces many in our pews to exchange the Truth for a lie and worship and serve created things rather than the Creator, His Word and His Will. Although we know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Rom 1:32)NIV Women in the pulpit - To Arms! Homosexuals in the pulpit - To Arms! Adoption of cultural norms by the church - To Arms! False teachers and corrupted doctrine - To Arms! Its true that everyone has an opinion and they're entitled to it, but Salvation is from the Lord and no opinion can win it or choose it.

A final word. "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Tim 4:16)NIV

In Love, In Christ,

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matt 22:37-40)NIV

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2004


Ron Harris is a confused and disturbed man. I'am glad the AME's have him instead of us.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2004

Sistah Gaines,

Do you know the LORD?

-- Anonymous, April 28, 2004


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