My Blog post from nogimmickchurch.blogspot.com on Gary Lamb and Revolution Church

Preachers we have to stop promoting this image that we are perfect. We forget that though we are helping others to walk out their faith we also have to walk out ours. We are on this journey together. There is a pastor named Gary lamb who started revolution church in canton. Gary had an affair and was asked by the board of his church to resign. On his blog www.garylamb.org he discusses a few questions asked of him. This particular question and answer stood out to me:

Will I be returning as the pastor of Revolution?

"No. That chapter of my life is over. Let me say again that I agree 100% with the decision by our board to ask for my resignation. I was in blatant sin that at this time disqualifies me from pastoring. I know this is hard to accept by so many people who attend Revolution because Revolution is a place of grace, forgiveness, and for less than perfect people. It still is all of those things but as I said in my resignation letter there are consequences for sin."

Cheating on your wife is bad I repeat bad!!! However, I think Gary should have took a leave of absence to get his family right but not resign. The reason why I think this is because this goes away from the purpose in which he started this church revolution. Wouldn't this be a great testimony of how one recovers after falling. After all this is the stage where Christ died for us (Yet while we were sinners). Gary says there are consequences for sin. I agree but the main consequence was death and Christ saved us from that. The scriptures are full of imperfect leaders who at one time or another sinned against God. But it was God's grace that was sufficient. What then are you saying because you are a leader and messed up there is no coming back from that. Perhaps that is the problem. We think of ourselves more highly than we ought. I thought the whole idea of revolution was grace to all even after you fall or was that just a gimmick?

Happy Birthday El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X)

Malcolm X is to many times left out of history books. Malcolm like Martin wanted to see the progression of black people. He did not just fight for whites to accept blacks but rather blacks to start accepting themselves. The scriptures tells us "as a man thinketh so is he". If a man thinks he is a slave he will act like one but when that same man realizes and begins to think that he is a king he will command the respect due to him. Malcolm understood that, he knew had to preach the whole man, Mind, Body, and soul. What good is a soul with a messed up mind? Brother Minister Malcolm thank you for contribution for like Christ you came to your own and you own recieved you not. Let the memory of Malcolm burn in our minds and lets his teaching stir in our spirits to teach others.



Each one Teach One

Stevie wonder B-day week. his b-day 5-13

Prophet for Profits

So one of my brothers preached somewhere for a brother starting a new church who was running a conference to raise money for his church. I am not a bad guy. I can listen to anybody and receive some type of something from it. This service was filled with a lot of crazy things which included two offerings. Any way my brother preached and he was a little long winded but over all he did a good job. The highlight of my evening was after the service the pastor of the church plant/prophet approached me and said "I hear you are a critic". I was taken a back. He proceeded to say brother do you know your word backwards and forward? I laughed at him and say brother I do know good preaching and sound preaching and when I offer criticism it was asked of me and I think it is constructive. After all of this back and forth I dismissed him and left the church. Me and my home boys gathered at a restaurant where we talked about the service. My brother who preached informed me he wasn't paid and said the prophet said he will get it to him Friday(may 8th) He preached Wednesday (may6th). I offered to call the prophet and get the money back for him. He said no. Lets see if he is a man of his word. Of course as I expected he was not. I want to call him but I don't want to add any drama. This prophet is exactly the messiness that is wrong with ministry. People who try to cheat and steal their way to the top. So just wanted to vent. I will be blogging more often.

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Churchnomics

The 80's brought about unprecedented change; change that would have an impact of the US economic system for years to come. This system is referred to as Reganomics. President Ronald Regan believed that wealth trickled down. Therefore if you do all you can to help the wealthy (tax cuts, incentives,etc) eventually the wealth will flow down to the poor. The problem was and still is that the wealth never reaches the poor. Its a cycle which was put in place to make the wealthier more wealthy and the poor more dependent on a broken government.

It seems in the age of the prosperity gospel or simply how church finance is taught, Reganomics has found its way in the church. I call it Churchnomics. Often churches teach if you give or sow to the church you will be blessed. An influx of pastors find themselves on television begging people to give to them and they will be blessed. Its a theory that says as the pastor prospers the people will prosper. However, like Reganomincs the wealth very seldom reaches the one who really is responsible for the wealth of the pastor or the church.

While examining the idea of mega church and seemingly great benefit package that comes with it you see a Bentley, a Rolls Royce, a extravagant mansion but if you look out in the parking lot you will notice only one Bentley. The pastor like the wealthy are only wealthy because of the working class. The working class continue to work hard because they are told if you work hard "you too can be wealthy" which most likely is false. Therefore, people are caught up in this endless continuous cycle never to get a head but constantly promised they will. The church in recent should be found guilty of selling false hope.

In conclusion, I'm not saying not to give offerings or tithes. I'm saying when giving these things understand why your giving, so ministries can be done, so things can operate, but more so, you give as part of worship to God. Churches however, should be about community. The church of Acts which is shared with us as the model for New Testament Church gave all they had so none would have lack. Because the agenda of community was bigger the agenda of the individual. In fact, one would be cursed when the placed their individual agenda above the overall concern of the community. Maybe that's why the church has lost its power, its influence, and its status. For so long the church has just been concerned about their own survival and missed the big picture.

A message From a Pioneer

When I was young I did a lot of things i am not proud of. I'm sure if you're any thing life me you did some things you regret as well. However, even though I'm not proud does not mean those experiences weren't beneficial to my life as a whole. I've grown a lot and still growing. Sometimes in order to prevent doing something its good to listen to someone who already walked in that a path. I feel this message from rapper Bushwick Bill (from the group Ghetto Boys). Listen and lets continue to try to motivate generations to be concerned about their well being.



Peace and Love

Sharing Knowledge...Uplifting Community

This song is indeed on my favorites. The whole album was crazy. I feel Lauryn was able to relay important truths over nice beats to help uplift and educate a community. Because of this I have decided to add a new section to the blog that will highlight things and people I feel do just as our motto states "Sharing knowledge...Uplifting community". With that our first honoree is Lauryn Hill.

Peace and Love

We still must fight

The issues in Jena, LA are far from over we must continue to fight for justice and equality. These young men are who Jesus might have considered "the least of these". Jesus allows us to see how this effects him by telling his disciples " as you have done to the least of these so have you done to me" lets make sure justice prevails for Jesus sake.

Peace and Love

Thank You

This summarizes everything.

We must say thank you to the lord for all he has done for us. We can say thank you in a number of ways but the best way is to live a life that is grateful.