Hello World,
Now that Season 3 of OWN’s “Greenleaf” is over until next season, I’m back to finding my religious drama and intrigue in real life! LOL.
Last week, Atlanta was abuzz with the news that Dr. Jamal Bryant, founding pastor of Empowerment Temple, an A.M.E. megachurch of about 10,000 members in Baltimore, Maryland was leaving his church to be the new pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, which also has about 10,000 members, in Lithonia, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. He will preach is first sermon at New Birth on Sunday, Dec. 9.
The announcement has people talking for many reasons. One of those reasons is that Bryant’s tenure comes after the death of the controversial church founder Bishop Eddie L. Long, who passed away in January 2017 after battling cancer. Prior to his death, he wrote about his life in his memoir “The Untold Story – The Story of Adversity, Pain, and Resilience.” In a previous blog post about this memoir, I wrote, “Is Bishop Long going to address what really happened with those young men who accused him of sexual misconduct as their claims were settled out of court and why he settled? That’s all people want to know at this point!” What is ironic about that post, which I wrote in 2016, is that the post was about Bishop Long AND Pastor Jamal Bryant. Here is a link to the post “Bishop Eddie Long Releases New Book ‘The Untold Story’ While Pastor Jamal Bryant Sidesteps Paternity Claim Today… What Are The Biblical Requirements for a Pastor?” I had no idea that two years later that these two men who be forever linked by last week’s announcement.
And that blog post brings me to another reason why people are talking about Bryant being named pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Even without all of the Bishop Long controversy, Pastor Bryant has enough controversy that he can claim on his own – from a fairly recent out-of-wedlock paternity allegation to the admission of infidelity in his previous marriage to Gizelle Bryant, one of the stars of “The Real Housewives of Potomac.” He was dating R&B singer Tweet but I guess they have broken up because I haven’t heard anything about them still being together. He referred to her as his “Last Lady” in the clip.
Below are a few comments I saw on New Birth’s Facebook page following the announcement last week:
“New Birth still has members?”
“WoW I’m shocked they gave it to Jamal with all the scandals he been through…but no man is perfect and I wish him the best.”
“Facts: No pastor wants the debt associated with NB! It will take a name to fill the seats & ‘encourage’ people to give! We are all flawed & human! However, for the church’s sake, i pray there’s real accountability worked into his contract! Literally, he just left court on stalking charges! There’s a pattern of poor judgment! I’m just gonna pray!”
“Plenty of women to choose from.”
“Wow, I can’t believe these are Christians on the church website with this garbage. Talking about men of God like we are talking about Love and Hip Hop! Messy!!! Truly I wish that Pastor Bryant would not even go down there in this mess. Because he is loved and wanted at Empowerment Temple and ALL over the country. Half of the people on here don’t support the church financially or spirituality. The way our world is today we better, get our lives together. We don’t know when the Lord’s going to call us home. Please stop being so quick to point out what we think is somebody else faults and get our own selves in order. NB congregation on your new appointed Pastor. Pastor Jamal, love you! I will be praying for you and supporting you the same as I did at ET. I believe in you and the God we serve.”
“Episode of Greenleaf Coming!!!!”
“So he switching denominations!?”
See ALL of the 538 comments and counting HERE.
All of this chatter has got me thinking about being a pastor as a single divorced man. If real life is stranger than fiction (like what went down on OWN’s “Greenleaf” following the divorce of Bishop & Lady Mae), what should be expected from the pastorate of single divorced man? And should single divorced men be allowed to be pastors at all? Years ago, Atlanta-based but known worldwide pastor Dr. Charles Stanley, who is one of my favorite pastors, caused a lot of controversy when he decided to remain pastor of his church, First Baptist Church of Atlanta, following his divorce. His stance was particularly controversial when he previously said he would step down if he ever divorced.
Do you think divorced single men should be pastors? Below are three views on this topic:
- While many in the Southern Baptist Convention called on him to step down over his divorce, Stanley refused to give up his role as senior pastor. ‘God said you keep doing what I called you to until I tell you to do something else,’ he told CNN. “I got that straight from the Lord. … I was simply obeying God.’ He added: ‘If somebody doesn’t love you and doesn’t want to live with you, you can’t — nowhere in the Scripture does it say that you’re to preach the gospel until someone does this or that.'” excerpted from “Charles Stanley Names Successor but Will Remain Sr. Pastor, Says Retirement Is Unbiblical” by Leonardo Blair
- “In the end, it remains the choice of the congregation whom they call to be a pastor. If a man was divorced prior to becoming a Christian, then 2 Corinthians 5:17 comes into play: “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” A divorced man’s pre-Christian life is certainly part of the “old things” that pass away. Life in Christ warrants for all believers a “new lease” on life. Congregations may also, legitimately, conclude that a divorce for a Christian man was so long ago in the past that it should not hinder his witness or his work in the pastorate. There are no hard and fast rules; only principles, to guide a man in the ministry or a congregation seeking a pastor. ” excerpted from “The Divorced Pastor: Is He the Husband of One Wife?” by Michael F. Ross
- “I really think we need to look at it on a case by case basis, especially if the man was divorced for one of the two biblical exceptions: the wife’s infidelity (Matthew 5:32) or an unbelieving wife divorcing him (1 Corinthians 7:15). Although I respect an autonomous church’s right to set whatever policies it deems appropriate (as long as those policies don’t violate Scripture), I, personally, don’t think it’s right to deny a man the office due to his wife’s sin that he had no control over and may have done everything in his power to prevent.” excerpted from “The Mailbag: Can a Divorced Man Be a Pastor?” by Michelle Lesley
If you are unfamiliar with Dr. Bryant altogether, here is a brief bio from the AJC. Boston-born Bryant, a third generation pastor, is a graduate of Morehouse College, Duke University and Graduate Theological Foundation. As he failed the 11th grade and received a GED, he started at Morehouse College, which is in Atlanta, on probation. He is the father of 5 daughters. Also, his sister Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis is a relationship counselor for Pastor Chad Johnson and his fiancée Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child, on their OWN reality show “Chad Loves Michelle.” (I am really enjoying this show by the way.)
I listened to Dr. Jamal Bryant being interviewed on a local radio station V-103 last week, and he is very personable and upfront about the fact that he has not been a perfect shepherd. And I especially loved how he closed out the interview with this prayer “Lord, Your Will. Nothing More, Nothing Less & Nothing Else.” The first time I heard that prayer was from Bishop Greenleaf, my favorite fictional pastor! LOL. I don’t mean to be cavalier here because we’re talking about real lives and the saving of souls, but art is inspired by real life…
Anywho, any thoughts Saints?
Whoa!! I am loving your posts beyond Greenleaf!!! I love church dramas, because I believe these are drama’s among God’s people. The Bible is full of stories of believers vs. unbelievers and what should and should not be. That said, just offering my own personal witness. My pastor was married when he came to our church, got divorced and 20 years later (just nearly six months ago) he married again. I watched him during his marriage and during his single years. Was he a Romeo during his single years? In truth, I wouldn’t doubt it – but the church never knew. We never saw him with anyone. Then, in the last few years, his health challenges began to get the better of him and I literally watched God’s word on Adam, it was not good for man to be alone. Then we began to see him with the woman who is now our new First Lady. Since his marriage, his health has improved and he is almost back to his old self in terms of preaching, which I am loving. I believe two are better than one when it comes to God’s ministry. It’s a decision to remain single and a decision to overcome lust and lasciviousness. I pray if Jamal Bryant stays a single pastor, he can do that. Lust and lasciviousness can be his downfall.
Thank you so much for the feedback Traci! Now that Greenleaf is over, surely there are other things that we can discuss 🙂 And thanks for your story about your pastor! It is helpful to hear stories about different pastors and different scenarios. When you’ve gone to the same church pretty much all of your life, you don’t get to know many other pastors other than the ones in your church or nearby churches. And I agree, it is not good for a man to be alone…at least for too long! I hope Pastor Bryant makes a positive impact at New Birth! Everyone will be watching him so we will hear otherwise! LOL
The Bible also says
A little leaven, leaventh the whole lump, Galatians 5:9
Where do you find yourself..
This is extremely interesting! Dr. Bryant has a son too. These Atlanta churcbses have more drama than Greenleaf. Have you heard about Bishop William Murphy and Dr. E Dewey Smith?
Yes, the drama is just as exciting as “Greenleaf,” and I have heard about Bishop Murphy and Dr. Dewey Smith, but I don’t know much about them…
Recently they both have been topics of discussions on several blogs due to outside children, ALLEDGELY 😂
Greenleaf was filmed at Dr. Smith’s Atlanta church.
To the Bryant Gumble of NBC. CBS anchor Otis Livingston that i met told me scary story when he had secret privete contact with Gumble’s spouse Otis Livingston also wants to destroy Gumble’s spouse if she will open her mouth. Bryant Gumble and his famely must becareful of maniac named Otis Livingston!!!!!!!!!!!!
A divorced pastor should only be allowed to serve, if he has a Biblical divorce and the divorce was not as a result of his immoral behavior. Consequently, Jamal Bryant’s divorce and numerous babies with women he was not married to, disqualifies him to serve as a pastor.
Unaccountable, unrepentant and unbiblically restored pastors are time bombs waiting to explode. He will most likely do it again! Jamal Bryant’s behavior – regardless of the incessant national shame – has not changed. Like most – he likes the money, women and power.
Jamal Bryant should not be all0wed to serve as a pastor of any church. Presently – too many unaccountable pastors are serving throughout the country. Most who discount such pastors’ behavior are clearly unbiblical. Given Jamal Bryant was not held accountable and does not seem to have any desire to change – he does not meet the criteria to be a pastor. He should find a job at Walmart, McDonalds or some job that does not require him to live a morally clean life.
Anyone who sits under the leadership of Jamal Bryant should really ask themselves, “What does this say about me?”
Thanks for your views Concerned Sister…I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens…
So pathetic and typical of church folks- not the body of Christ, church folk. Karma is something because it has a way of giving back to you the same things you send out on and to others. My prayers for you as you reap what you have sowed.
You are so right. Pastors are not in the ministry to save souls any more. They use the Lord’s name to make money. They are held accountable on earth. But they will be held accountable with God. He holds pastors to a higher standard. Human they may be, but they took the job as a pastor and are suppose to live and conduct themselves a certain way. Those who follow are not doing as the bible says. Just because they sound good and say what you want to hear does not make them a good or fit pastor. The devil knows the word too.