Folks, the following is the result of the many thousands of dollars John K. Jenkins, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering spent to force me to stop using my domain name www.fbcglenarden.com
It’s a long decision though it does have some interesting parts in it. One of them is the fact the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) found it troubling that First Baptist Church of Glenarden took FOUR YEARS to protest my use of the domain name. Another is this statement by WIPO:
The site’s content is plainly not obscene. This Panel is incapable of determining whether its content is defamatory, though on its face it appears not to be. Many elements necessary to establish the intentional tort of defamation are far beyond the scope of this proceeding: factual bases for statements made, whether Complainant’s pastor is a public figure who would thus be required to prove actual malice, the extent to which Respondent’s commentary is opinion, among many others.
It also seems kind of interesting that rather than doing the right thing and counseling my wife, John K. Jenkins, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering, first insisted I apologize to HIM for publicly stating the reasons I was leaving, reasons he agreed were accurate. Then, after nearly four and a half years of supposedly ignoring me, he spends several thousands of dollars to, in effect, force me to surrender a domain name. My brother is a lawyer who has had dealings with the law firm John K. Jenkins, the pastor of…well, you know the rest, used to file the case. I’m sure it cost him more to file the case than he would have lost by telling my wife to leave. And that’s even if she had left.
It seems he is interested in spending time and money worrying about me but he doesn’t have the time, and isn’t willing to do without the income from a woman he knows he should counsel to leave. Interestingly enough, she doesn’t give anything to the church now anyway.
But that’s okay. Even if he had decided to do the right thing, and I had hit upon the idea of the website, I would likely still have included him. As I have often said before, my disagreement with John K. Jenkins, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering, is not personal. I’m just more familiar with his pimping ways and bad doctrine because I been able to see them up close and experience them first hand. Besides, his actions so clearly exhibited the characteristics of the men we often refer to as “pimps”.
Thanks to Honor Roll for spotting this and bringing it to my attention.
The decision of WIPO follows:
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center
ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION
The First Baptist Church of Glenarden v. Melvin Jones
Case No. D2009-0022
1. The Parties
Complainant is The First Baptist Church of Glenarden, Maryland, United States of America (“United States” or “U.S.”), represented by the law firm Holland & Knight, LLP, United States.
Respondent is Melvin Jones, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania or Bowie, Maryland, United States.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The disputed domain name
3. Procedural History
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on January 9, 2009. On January 12, 2009, the Center transmitted by email to GoDaddy.com, Inc. a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On January 13, 2009, GoDaddy.com, Inc. transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details. The Center verified that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on January 20, 2009. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was
February 9, 2009. Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified Respondent’s default on February 10, 2009.
The Center appointed Richard G. Lyon as the sole panelist in this matter on
February 20, 2009. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted his Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.
4. Factual Background
Complainant is a Baptist congregation that has operated in Maryland since 1917. Today Complainant occupies two campuses and has over 10,000 active members. In addition to Sunday worship services (some of which are broadcast by cable television, by radio, and on the Internet) Complainant provides to its members and its community other religious, educational, and pastoral services, and operates various outreach and missionary programs. Complainant’s principal website is
Respondent is a former member of Complainant’s congregation, leaving Complainant’s church after various disputes with the pastor. Respondent registered the disputed domain name in January 2005, about the time he departed the flock. An Internet user who enters the disputed domain name into a browser is automatically redirected to Respondent’s site at “www.pulpit-pimps.org”. At this site Respondent includes articles and comments critical of organized religion in general and various Christian dominations in particular, and concerning religion and politics in American society. This website contains archived articles and a number of links to other noncommercial and religious-related topics. One link is to a page on which Respondent’s subject is Complainant’s pastor. Many of the pages on this website include a forum for members of the public to post comments, an opportunity apparently seized frequently. Respondent’s website has no commercial content or commercial links.
5. Parties’ Contentions
A. Complainant
Complainant contends as follows:
Complainant has common law rights in “First Baptist Church of Glenarden” and “FBC Glenarden” by virtue of continuous and extensive use of these terms for the services it provides. Common law rights are sufficient to invoke the Policy. The disputed domain name is identical to the latter of these marks and confusingly similar to the former, as FBC is a frequent and well-recognized abbreviation for “First Baptist Church.”
Complainant has not authorized Respondent to use its name or mark. Respondent has never been known, individually or as a business, by “FBC Glenarden” or “First Baptist Church Glenarden.” Respondent has used the disputed domain name to divert Internet users seeking Complainant to Respondent’s website that is not legitimate or bona fide under the Policy. Nor is it legitimate noncommercial or fair use of Complainant’s mark, as its sole purpose is “resentment against and desire to exact vengeance upon Complainant’s pastor in connection with [Respondent’s personal grievances],” which is not legitimate under the Policy. Furthermore, “Respondent, despite his religious hubris, has no right to register and use confusingly similar domain names as a tactic.”
Respondent registered and is using the disputed domain name in bad faith, for the same reasons as Respondent lacks rights or a legitimate interest in the disputed domain name. “Respondent’s motive is of “crucial importance” to determining whether the domain name has been registered and used in bad faith, “ and “ it is well settled that the domain name registration and use motivated by Respondent’s resentment, desire for vengeance or “indignation” is bad faith registration and use.”
B. Respondent
Respondent did not reply to Complainant’s contentions.
6. Discussion and Findings
A. Jurisdiction
In any default case the Panel must review the record to “ensure that each Party is given a fair opportunity to present its case”. Here the Center’s records reflect that it properly discharged the requirements of Rules paragraph 2(a), so there is no question as to the Panel’s jurisdiction.
B. Effect of Respondent’s Default
Unlike civil litigation in the United States, failure to respond in a Policy proceeding does not constitute an admission of any pleaded matter or result in the Policy equivalent of a default judgment. WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions (“WIPO Overview”), paragraph 4.6; Stanworth Development Limited v. E Net Marketing Ltd., WIPO Case No. D2007-1228. The Panel will proceed to evaluate Complainant’s evidence, and his own examination of Respondent’s website, against the requirements of paragraph 4(a) of the Policy.
C. Identical or Confusingly Similar
Complainant has satisfied the requirements of paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy. Common law rights will suffice to invoke the Policy, and Complainant has provided ample evidence of use of both “First Baptist Church of Glenarden” and “FBC Glenarden” as identifiers of its services. Furthermore, Respondent as a former congregant of Complainant was well aware of Complainant and its marks when he registered the disputed domain name. The Panel agrees with Complainant that “FBC” is a common abbreviation for “First Baptist Church” in the United States, so for purposes of the Policy the disputed domain name is identical to a mark in which Complainant has rights.
D. Rights or Legitimate Interests
Respondent’s website, to which the disputed domain name resolves, is a criticism site that raises issues of free speech under the United States Constitution. Particularly is that so in light of the political, social, and religious nature of the topics discussed; this kind of speech is entitled to special protection under American Constitutional law. The Panel may not sidestep these issues merely because Complainant finds the site’s content vulgar or offensive, or because Respondent may have registered and used the site to air a personal grievance or, to use a Biblical phrase, to wreak vengeance upon Complainant. The Constitution’s free speech guaranties extend beyond elegant and temperate prose, stopping only when the speech is defamatory or obscene.
The site’s content is plainly not obscene. This Panel is incapable of determining whether its content is defamatory, though on its face it appears not to be. Many elements necessary to establish the intentional tort of defamation are far beyond the scope of this proceeding: factual bases for statements made, whether Complainant’s pastor is a public figure who would thus be required to prove actual malice, the extent to which Respondent’s commentary is opinion, among many others. It is difficult to imagine how these complicated factual and legal issues could ever be adequately developed in an abbreviated Policy proceeding. These are matters for a court, not a UDRP panel.
For the same reasons the Panel has no way to judge Respondent’s “motive”, and will not presume to do so solely on unsubstantiated allegations or the Panel’s own opinions drawn from Respondent’s website.1
The issue though is not motive or the truth or falsity of Respondent’s comments, but Respondent’s entitlement to use Complainant’s mark as his website address. That subject in criticism cases continues to vex courts and UDRP panels alike. The WIPO Overview (paragraph 2.4) has no consensus or majority view on whether criticism constitutes “a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain name, without intent for commercial gain to misleadingly divert consumers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue,” Policy, paragraph 4(c)(iii):
In the event that a domain name confusingly similar to a trademark is being used for a genuine noncommercial free speech web site, there are two main views. There is also some division between proceedings involving U.S. parties and proceedings involving non-U.S. parties, with few non-U.S. panelists adopting the reasoning in View 2.
“View 1: The right to criticize does not extend to registering a domain name that is identical or confusingly similar to the owner’s registered trademark or conveys an association with the mark.
View 2: Irrespective of whether the domain name as such connotes criticism, the respondent has a legitimate interest in using the trademark as part of the domain name of a criticism site if the use is fair and non-commercial.”
This Panel has consistently adhered to View 1 when, as here, the disputed domain name is identical to Complainant’s mark. E.g., Joseph Dello Russo M.D. v. Michelle Guillaumi, WIPO Case No. D2006-1627; InMed Diagnostic Services, LLC, InMed Diagnostic Services of S.C., LLC, InMed Diagnostic Services of MA, LLC and InMed Diagnostic Services of IL, LLC v. James Harrison, WIPO Case No. D2006-1230; Texans For Lawsuit Reform, Inc. v. Kelly Fero, WIPO Case No. D2004-0778; Justice for Children v. R neetso / Robert W. O’Steen, WIPO Case No. D2004-0175. In so doing this Panel has emphasized the rationale of the “initial interest confusion” doctrine, as View 1 has occasionally been referred to in the courts. As stated in the Dello Russo case, supra, in language that applies with equal force here:
“Respondent’s selection of Complainant’s name for her criticism site allows her to make use of Complainant’s service mark in a manner that would lead an ordinary Internet user initially to believe that Respondent was Complainant or that Respondent had Complainant’s permission to distribute her message. Such use is not legitimate under paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the Policy, and the safe harbor of paragraph 4(c)(iii) is not available because Respondent undeniably intended ‘to misleadingly divert consumers’.”
The present case illustrates very well why applying the initial interest confusion doctrine will not interfere in any way with Respondent’s vigorous exercise of his free speech rights on the Internet. This decision will not require Respondent to change one word of the content of his principal site (including his statements about Complainant), and will not require Respondent to move that content to a new web address. Respondent’s current site will proceed exactly as it does now. Respondent does not post any content at the domain name that incorporates Complainant’s mark; copying Complainant’s mark is not used for free speech, indeed for any speech at all. All commentary may be found at Respondent’s principal website, “www.pulpit-pimps.org”. Rather than using the disputed domain name as a forum for criticism of Complainant or its pastor Respondent uses it only to attract, then immediately divert, individuals searching for Complainant.
Preventing such an appropriation of another’s asset intentionally to mislead is precisely why the Policy was adopted. As the Panel pointed out in Justice for Children v. R neetso / Robert W. O’Steen, supra (emphasis in original):
“Decisions under the Policy focus upon a respondent’s use of another’s mark in a domain name to attract Internet users to respondent’s site. This is true in typosquatting cases and in cases where a respondent selected his domain name in anticipation of subsequent sale to the mark owner. The content of Respondent’s sites in these two categories of cases in which respondents almost uniformly lose is irrelevant to the harm to the mark owner and to the unwary consumer. That harm results from the confusion caused by the initial attraction to the site by means of borrowing the complainant’s mark. And that is exactly the harm the Policy was adopted to address.
[…] By intentionally selecting Complainant’s mark to present his views, he has not made a legitimate use of the domain names.”
One final issue, a matter left open in Justice for Children, remains for consideration. Respondent has been operating his website since early 2005, and the blog features there have attracted many comments from the public. A four-year delay is particularly troubling given the political, religious, and social commentary on Respondent’s website. The public postings are evidence that some individuals who share Respondent’s views have come to rely upon his site as a guidon for their position and advocacy. Facilitating communication among like-minded individuals, after all, is one of the Internet’s great benefits (as well as a highly effective means of its promoting free speech and political activity).
Neither laches nor estoppel is a defense to a Policy proceeding, but continuous use may allow a respondent to establish that he has “been commonly known by the domain name, even if [he has] acquired no trademark or service mark rights” in it, Policy, paragraph 4(c)(ii). When as here the site’s content raises First Amendment issues the Panel is especially concerned about third party reliance. Had Respondent used the disputed domain name itself for his criticism site this would raise a difficult issue. But that domain name is used only to redirect, so any reliance is on “www.pulpit-pimps.org” and not the disputed domain name. As noted this decision affects not at all the content of, public interest in, or web address of what appears to be Respondent’s main website.
The Panel therefore finds that Respondent lacks rights or a legitimate interest in the disputed domain name.
E. Registered and Used in Bad Faith
For similar reasons the Panel concludes that Respondent registered and used the disputed domain name in bad faith. By analogy to the typosquatting cases, where bad faith is presumed from the intentional similarity to the Complainant’s mark, Respondent’s registration and continued use were undertaken intentionally and expressly to disrupt Complainant’s activities to expand the audience for his criticism by misleading Internet users as to the “source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement” of his website, by means of the initial confusion discussed in the preceding section.
7. Decision
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the domain name
Richard G. Lyon
Sole Panelist
Dated: February 26, 2009
1 The cases cited by Complainant in support of its contention that motive is “crucial” in Policy determinations lend scant support to that argument. The only mention of “vengeance” or “motive” in Kingspan Group Plc and Kingspan Access Floors Limited v. Mark Thomas, WIPO Case No. D2005-0320, is in the panel’s discussion of complainant’s contentions; its decision on the merits took no account of motive. The panel in O2 Centro Wellness, S.L. v. DOMAIN DROP, S.A., WIPO Case No. D2006-1469, while noting that vengeance was not by itself a legitimate use, had found the content on the website disparaging, and decided the case on grounds similar to those adopted by the Panel here (“Freedom of speech does not imply that Respondent may register Complainant’s mark as a domain name.”).
Perhaps because “bad faith” in everyday English connotes a particular state of mind panels may be tempted to judge a party’s (complainant’s or respondent’s) “motive” in evaluating the merits. Bad faith in a Policy proceeding, however, should be judged to the extent possible on a party’s conduct as shown by the objective evidence, with conduct judged against the language in the Policy as developed in Policy proceedings and not a panel’s subjective opinion of the party’s “motive.” As this Panel sees it, a pure heart will not excuse conduct that violates the language of the Policy, nor will an admitted vendetta mandate a finding of bad faith until each applicable Policy criterion has been proven.
She implied the...
Wow. This is…some interesting stuff. Your perserverance through this type of mess does amaze me.
Keep it going.
The preservation alone is a great witness of standing for what is right and true, and how one can still perservere and not hide behind legalities.
Darkness cannot tolerate light.
Through the hearing of God’s holy word, your faith in it (which is a gift from God), and your desire (of the Spirit) for other people to hear it too; you are a light in a dark world.
Melvin,
My brother in the Lord—-keep doing what you do. I really like your blog and check it every day to see what the pimps are up to. If John K. Jenkins were truly a man of God, he would have talked with you a long time ago. He would have counseled your wife, as you said, and he certainly would not have brought legal action. Obviously he skipped over that little scenario in the first eleven verses of 1 Corinthians 6. But that is ok. God’s Word gives me consolation that pimps like him will be judged. I used to sit under a pimp who was one of John K.’s buddies. For a long time, I thought John K. was ok because he appeared to preach the truth when he came to our church, but as time went on and I saw some things in his pimp friend, who was my pastor at the time, I started seeing some things in him too. When presented with the truth, these guys will pull out all the stops. If I were in his church, the fact that he took legal action against someone else who says that they are a Christian would make me take a second look. But sheeple will be sheeple…
Once again, keep up the good work, and I am keeping you in my prayers.
Your sister in the Lord,
Tee Morgan
Melvin, I hope you don’t mind me calling you Melvin. If you would prefer Mr. Jones please let me know and I will do so in any future comments.
(MN: Actually, I prefer just plain old “Apostle” or “Chief Apostle”. If you’re a really good friend, and you have contributed to this anointed ministry, “Chief” is quite alright. But be careful, ’cause I do check the records on who gives how much. I wouldn’t want to have to call you out for perpetratin’ )
Melvin, I thank God for the out come of this case. I can see God’s hand all over it. Tell me would you have ever changed your site name with out being forced to? Well I can say I would’t have to gone to: fbcglengarden.com. but Pulpit Pimps, I’m there because it tells what your site is about, easier to remember and catchy. EXCELLENT SITE!
I am unclear as to why you believe it’s a church’s responsibility to tell your wife to leave when she has not done anything to get herself kicked out?
Also, even if she leaves she is not obligated to join you in your church.
The two of you need to work that out personally.
(MN: A couple of things:
1. It’s not the church’s responsibility to tell my wife to leave. No one said anything about the church. And no one said anything about kicking her out because she has done something to kick herself out.
2. It is, however, the pastor’s responsibility, as a shepherd of the flock he has been given responsibility for, to advise one of those who are a part of the congregation to trust God and follow her husband.
3. As a woman who claims faith in Christ, I would suggest she is quite obliged to follow me. You know, that part where it says the husband is the head of the wife.
Have I tried to force her to leave and follow me? Certainly not. Have I made it clear that she should? Certainly. Likewise, her pastor, her shepherd, should also have counseled her similarly.
One of the hard parts of Christianity is submission (yes, I know it’s a four letter word) to those in authority (both godly and ungodly) over you. If I had left First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering, pastored by John Kenneth Jenkins, and become a part of Kingdom hall (Jehovah’s Witnesses) down the street, there might be cause to not follow me. But given that I left doctrinal error (Jesus’ death on the cross wasn’t sufficient to pay for our sins so He had to suffer in hell), there is little excuse, other than personal preference for not following.
John should have insisted she be obedient to Scripture, not indulge in his own pride. )
Man, you are OBSESSED with Pastor Jenkins. Melvin I seriously believe you need some help. You want this man to help you with your wife. How does that sound to you. Please take a step back and listen to what you are saying. Its obvious she listens to her Pastor more than she listens to the one she sleeps with. Sorry bro but I hate to tell you, Pastor Jenkins does not have the problem-just turn around and look at the MAN IN THE MIRROR.
(MN: I’m not sure what counts as obsession. Of the last thirty postings only one was specifically about John K. Jenkins, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the kettering. And that posting is a follow-up on what John has been doing in response to this site. So how am I obsessing?
And no, I don’t want him to help me with my wife. I’m pretty well convinced, after sitting in counseling with him, that he really doesn’t have much to offer in that respect. If the truth be told, I seriously doubt my wife would have left at his behest. My primary issue is that he put his pride before her well being by refusing to counsel her until I apologized to him for publicly stating why I was leaving (and he agreed that the contents of the statements are true). So why would he insist I apologize for telling the truth?
And yes, you’re quite right - it’s obvious she listens to John more than she listens to me. That is a pretty sorry indicator of three things:
1. I have not been as effective a leader as I should have been (read some previous postings for a discussion of this)
2. She has been a disobedient Christian
3. John has been a very poor shepherd, willing to sacrifice the sheep for his pride. (Again, read some of the previous postings)
Sorry bro. With respect to John having a problem, I believe he does. He is not the “Humble man of God” people paint him to be. He is, as are most of the pimps, a controlling, selfish person, who, from what I can see, chases after personal accomplishments and glory at the expense of the sheeple.
A fifty-five million dollar memorial to his ego? That’s a problem. )
Melvin,
Please know we are all praying for you. John Jenkins is a great man of God. For you to spend the time you do this site is really heart breaking, especially when you the could be sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with non believers.
Forgiveness is Key, how can you look at the speck in someone else’s eye when you yourself are carrying a log?
(MN: I love it! One of the things you can say about the poor sheeple at FBCGotK and places like it is: they are consistent, consistently clueless. They do not seem to be able [or maybe even willing] to deal with the issues. They’re apparently more focused on John than they are his words. And they confuse an insistence on doctrinal fidelity with being angry with a person.
So Phil, just out of curiosity, what is the log in my eye?
BTW - Your pastor, John K. Jenkins Sr has what I suppose is a fairly tight relationship with Tony “Potty Mouth” Compolo. He has Compolo scheduled to speak in a couple of weeks for Missions Day. I reading through one of his books and should have more in a week or so. )
Melvin, keep pressing the battle to the gate~
Melvin, I think that the court made the right decision. Your web address was used to lure folks to your site in hopes of finding the church’s site. You know that as well as I do so it is time to fess up and stop acting like that is not true.
(MN: Sweetheart, I never said it wasn’t. Of course I wanted FBCGotK sheeple to end up on my site by accident. They certainly weren’t going to come here on purpose. But having arrived, they got to get the scoop on their pastor. In fact, when the domain name was first set up, my Vastly Over-priced Webmaster also had the site set up such that if a person came into the site from http://www.FBCGLENARDE.com, they would bet an automatically filtered set of postings. The filter? Everything about John K. Jenkins, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden.
What I didn’t do was set it up to try to make money off of FBCGotK. I didn’t set it up to defame JKJ. I didn’t set it up to steal clientele.
And over the last four years, the arrangement has done exactly what it was designed to do. Several people came across the site, read the contents on JKK and made the decision to leave FBCGotK. )
You talk about how these so-called pimps lie to get your money, but Melvin that is exactly what you have done with this web site.
(MN: When have I lied and what money am I getting? The site costs me $85 a month to maintain. I put in 8 to 10 hours a week to create material. I get paid nothing to run the sie or write the material. I gave away a ton of books (I bought the books, and the envelopes. I paid the postage) to inform people of the characteristics of a healthy church. Please explain to me how I am doing the same thing the pimps are doing. How am I taking advantage of the sheeple? How am I misleading the sheeple? How am I doing what the pimps do? By the way people, before I forget, if you want to receive a hundred fold blessing, send in some money to the “Keep the Pimp Site Going” Ministry. God told me to tell you that if you don’t obey, Pulpit-Pimps.Org may have to go off line. You wouldn’t want to let this anointed work of God go off-line would you. You know the address. Send cash, certified checks, or money orders. )
I am not saying that some of the things you say here aren’t true, but you yourself are lying about the reason why you used that address.
(MN: When did I lie about the reason for using the address? )
I have respect for you , but Melvin, you have some issues that you need to work out. Melvin, how do you know that your wife isn’t giving any money to the church?
(MN: Two reasons.
1. Because her Multiple Sclerosis is kicking her behind, she found it best to stop working at her old job. We now live off of the income I bring into the house. I have, however, provided her with a wad of cash each month to do with as she pleases, with a couple of restrictions. One of the things I asked her to do was refrain from giving money to FBCGotK. I pointed out, again, that they (the church organization) don’t care anything about her. She agreed to follow my instructions. I have no reason to believe my wife is lying. Do you?
2. She has been attending FBCGotK less and less over the last five to 8 months, partially because the new campus is so big it presents a definite physical challenge to her, especially when you add the heat and cold factors to the equation. She has, instead, been attending church with me, on and off, both at Hillcrest and Reformation Alive Baptist Church. And she see me giving quite generously, without the pressure of emotional and religious blackmail used by the pimps.
Hope this clarifies things for you. )
Melvin, I do not agree with some of the things you write. However, I admire you for taking good care of your wife. I think deep down you are a good husband and father. Like some of the other bloggers - there are more important issues than pursuing these so called pulpit pimps. If people want to waste their money - then let them. Life goes by too quickly to worry nonsense.
(MN: Thank you. Much appreciated. )
I guess we can expect them to change the name of the church.
(MN: I’m counting on something like “The Glenarden Christian Family Center” my self. However, I have provided them with a Church Naming Computer if they choose to use it. Click here to see it. )
Melvin,
Keep Strong!
It is good to see this four year battle come to a close. Then again, will there be something else FBC finds to poke at you? Well, keep srtiving for Jesus Christ my brother! I pray your wife does submit and follow your leading. What is her reasoning in staying there? God’s grace be with you.
Karsten Miller
M,
It impresses me when people accuse you of being a Pulpit-Pimp in disguise, and give you correction, when none of us know much about your personal life at all!
Amazing…
Mel,
Keep fighting. The Lord has used your site to free many from the lies of these materialistic goons.
Their teachings motivate people to come to Christ for riches and blessings. THIS IS NOT THE GOSPEL. They would like Jesus to be their “holy atm”.
Melvin,
Keep up the good work. Don’t let a few naysayers question what you know to be the truth. You are absolutely right in the fact that JKJ should have counseled your wife as you said. You are the head, and sometimes that four-letter word (submission) is hard to say. I know because I am a wife in a similar struggle right now, but I will submit to whatever my husband finally decides as long as he does not try to take me to the Kingdom Hall or somewhere like that. I pray that the Lord will speak to her heart and you two can come to an agreement on this. Also, keep up the good work on this blog. I am so glad to see someone on the web telling the truth about the pimps. Anyone who doesn’t like what you do is just not interested the truth!
it havent dawned on yall yet….melvin is crazy. I first found this site by trying to visit fbcg website. Im not going to carry on but let me state some facts.
1.melvin gives his wife an allowance every month with restrictions or conditions attached and one of those conditions is not to give fbcg no money. Prayfully she’s tithing somewhere. If she feel as though the soil at fbcg is not worth sowing a seed into, then why is she there. We must pray for her yall bcuz melvin is so blinded by the relationship btwn himself and pastor j that he’s stoopped to level of telling his wife to not tithe. Instead of letting her tithe and then going to God in prayer and asking him to open her blinded eyes if thats the case. Trust and believe she knows melvin better than we do and there’s a reason why she chooses not to follow him.
2.Be honest melvin from bowie md. When you setup fbcglenarden.com it was with the intent to lure those that was trying reach fbcglenarden.org. Thats decietful and misleading.(now what is it that you’re accusing these pulpit-pimps of doing)?
(MN: I really love listening to those super spiritual people who think they’ve discerned my secret intents. When it turns out they spoke before they knew the facts. Here’s a quote from an earlier comment on August 20, 2008. The comment and posting are here:
Be honest, admit that you speak of things about which you know nothing. How is it deceitful? The site is not deceitful. It is immediately apparent the site is not FBCGotK. I don’t take any actions to secretly convince people to come to the site. And once there here, I certainly don’t pretend the site belongs to FBCGotK.
It’s always so funny to listen to you sanctimonious boobs try to wax religious when you actually haven’t a clue. If you like giving money to men who do you absolutely no good [for instance, you actually think you're praying when you type something in a comment (what next, a bit of tongues - OOH SHALLA BANG BANG TONTOCOMES INAHONDA)?
In case you missed it, I am accusing the pimps of lying to you. I am accusing them of telling you the things you want to hear rather than the things you need to hear. The pitiful "prayer" you give below is a perfect example of how sad you and those of your spiritual ilk are. I generally can't decide if I should be angry with you or feel pity for you. Most of the time, I settle on the pity side because it's so incredibly obvious that you and most of those who are into FBCGotK really don't have a clue, and may not even be saved. )
3. I challenge anybody to google pastor john k jenkins sr of the first baptist church of glenarden and tell me what you find or visit the website and listen to any of his sermons and tell me if the pastor is carrying on like melvin says. When I googled, the only negative response I got was from melvins' site. Now that's just strange to me that you can find just about everybody else who have come in contact with jkj has nothing negative to say(not even mrs. jones whose a current member)but melvin has all the dirt. go figure
(MN: Actually, you don't want to google that. If you do, my site will be the second or third hit in most cases. )
4. melvin points out that jkj and fbcg kicked out thousands of dollar to those lawyer. uhh....so what. (MN: So it would have been much cheaper to just do what he even said he should do. ) They spend thousands on helping ppl with their rent, feeding and clothing and providing shelter for the hungry, spreading the gospel through out the world. And thats just to name a few. oh...not to mention that they do it without money from the joneses.
(MN: Right. Instead, they bleed it from the poor chumps who attend the church, all 7 to 8 thousand of them. Every week you get told that you have to give tithes and offerings [everything above the tithe] and like a bunch of lemming, you give him your money - let’s see, he built a 55 million dollar sanctuary/memorial. He gets himself two mansions here in Bowie (not really doctrinal I know, but I get really tired of you dim witted hos’ (here after referred to as DWHs) defending your pimps) at least one in Florida, free butlers [called armorbearers in church parlance] and basically lives high on the hog, flying a Mooney to his various out of state speaking engagement while you DWH tell the world how humble he is, and how much of a mand of gawd he is, all the while you either have to take the Greyhound to go visit Jo Jo in Virginia Beach or get a cavity search by airport security on your way to see granmama in Atlanta. Sorry Lamar, John is a pulpit pimp working hard to become one of the big dogs of pimpdom.
Bringing in men who deny the essentials of the faith is not a sign of a man of character. It is a sign of a man who will do whatever it takes to draw the crowds, and thus draw the money. Bringing in women pastors to speak when earlier he said women should not be pastors, is not the behavior of a man of character. It is the behavior of an opportunist.
Please take your weak kneed sniveling pseudo spirituality some place else. It is, quite frankly, too depressing to watch. Fortunately, my wife doesn’t attend there more than once or so a month. She actually spends more time with me and Reformation Alive Baptist Church that she does with the lemmings at FBCGotK. And for that, I thank God every night, because maybe, just maybe, she can begin to grow and mature as a Christian and we can get on with our walk with Christ. )
Mr jones I do not totally disagree with ur site because, you are on to something. It’s just that you got this one wrong about jkj. And to those who follow mr jones-gather your own facts before judging or at least take into consideration the characters of the parties involved.
Now those of you who have a prayer life and believe in the power of prayer join me as I pray for all parties involved.
Father God I come to you in the name of jesus,father I come in worship,I come lifting you up in honor and I praise your holy name for you worthy of all praise. Father im asking for strength for pastor john jenkins, cover him God, encourage him God, Guide his every step God, protect him God. More than anything God, let your will be done rite here on earth as it is in heaven. Father God I pray for mrs. jones. Work on her heart, work on her mind, draw her closer to you God so that she would know the truth and be made free, surround her with your people that will give her godly advice, I pray for her health and her income,heal her body God, fill her pocket book, for you are the healer,for you are the provider, let your grace shine upon her daily and I bring her husband to you God that you would show him mercy father, let his methods and motives be godly methods and motives, we know not to touch your annointed and if any have offended you God we ask for mercy on their soul, father we’ll be careful to you give you all the glory and all the honor and all the praise its in jesus name we pray and say thanks amen.
Lamar………you’re Exhibit A why folks should avoid FBCG. Good grief.
I’m actually embarrassed FOR you, because you don’t know enough to be embarrassed for yourself.
I’m going to call my 8 year old into the room right now, let him point out all the logical fallacies and unScriptural inanities in your posts, then warn him that this is what happens when you refuse to be educated (or educate yourself) with Scripture.
Lamar,
I am going to pray for you but I am not going to type my prayer onto this blog. I hope that doesn’t make me less spiritual than you. I feel sorry (a little) for you and people like you, because there is so much truth out there, and so many men who desperately want to see the body of Christ exposed to truth, and then there are people like you and the people who follow pimps like jenkins, who just want to hear what you want to hear, regardless of truth.
I am quite familiar with jenkins. I thought something was wrong years ago when I was exposed to him, and I know something is wrong with him now! You can say what you want, scripture teaches that there is judgment waiting for jenkins and other pimps just like him. God sees what he is doing, and He will allow no false teaching to go unpunished. I just hope that you wake up before that judgment morning…
Lamar,
Melvin is making a clarion call to the masses. He is a voice crying out in the wilderness. You would be wise to study the Word of God and compare scripture with what is preached at your church. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Lamar, the people that attended Church of the Great Commission in Camp Springs, thought as you do…they are down to 100 members now…Warriors for Christ Ministries in Suitland…fared even worse…wake up, oh thou that sleepest, many have not the knowledge of Christ…and I speak this to your shame. Melvin, endure hardness as a good airman (I’m ex-AF, too)- SOLDIER IN CHRIST! Our Lord is soon to come…Jesus, the King of Kings!
Amen Lamar! Please all who go to FBCG and to all new Christians, do not come to this site!!! You continually spew cruelty,(especially to Lamar) and I know Jesus would be ashamed of you.
(MN: What “cruelties” am I spewing? What cruelties am I even bringing out a little at a time? What have I said that is not true? Why do people like you have so much trouble dealing with the issues and so little trouble accepting the heresies and dishonesties? )
This is the very definition of discord.
(MN: Actually, according to Paul and others, the teaching of error is the definition of discord. Take a look at Romans 16 around verse 17. It says that we are to keep our eye on those that cause hindrances [and I believe the Greek is the root of our word scandal]. Your boys who teach that we are gods, that our words determine reality, and that Jesus had to suffer in hell because His death on the cross couldn’t pay for our sins do create dissensions and hindrances. I don’t. )
The fact that even your wife doesn’t believe you amazes me. I will pray for her healing. God bless you and I will never visit this site again. I pray God have mercy on your soul. AND I AM NOT A HO! This site is humorous, but i hope $80 dollars a month is worth the laughs.
(MN: Getting the truth out there is definitely worth the 80 bucks. The laughs are just icing on the cake. )
And you are obsessed because you named the website after his!
(MN: The site’s name is “Pulpit Pimps” not FBCGlenarden.org. You are not making a whole lot of sense. But you’ll never know that since you aren’t ever coming back to this site.
By the way, if you work hard for your money and then give it to some preacher preaching a lie then you are a ho, or at least you are not much different than the ladies of the evening who work hard for their money and then hand it over to their…uh…manager every morning. )
Hahaha -
Pimps - 100,000,000
God - 0
But this is still a good site to find plenty of humor on!!!
Hey Melvin! Long time no post! Hope you are well. Praying for you and your wife. Be encouraged! Nothing wrong with calling out the pimps and laughing a bit while we do it. I’m sure you’ve been encouraged by all the people who have said that they have been enlightened and encouraged. Keep it up! I think that all married couples have some kind of struggle over spiritual matters. This is the nature of the curse (see Genesis 3:16) I’ve been married 16 years and have experienced the two church issue as well. We cannot and should not have to make someone do what they don’t feel compelled to do. As husbands we are sometimes to lead by example and hold fast to what we know. It doesn’t seem to be stopping you from your ministry here (and other things you do that we aren’t aware) so keep writing and exposing and people will keep reading and commenting!
Happy Fathers Weeks! (yeah we should get the whole week..lol)
Melvin, I’ve commented on your site before and I’ve actually studied and taken time to meditate on what you say and like Pilate declared about Jesus, “I find no fault.” But for anyone who has anything negative to say about your ministry I think that it is because it is not the ministry the Lord has given them. My thought is this: if you are confident that the Lord has called you to do this then at the end of the day you and only you have to answer to God. You are a good husband, a good father, and a stout defender of the faith. As a fellow laborer in the gospel vineyard I do not share your approach to ministry, but I do respect you. Keep up the good work!
(MN: Works for me. And I certainly don’t insist that everyone do what I do. )
Your reply is well taken. I think that it is difficult for persons to try to do what you do and keep their hearts free from hate, envy, strife, discord, etc. I really believe that you have to be gifted to do what you do or it won’t be effective. I believe all of us have the God-given responsibility to “test the spirit”, however, all of us don’t possess the integrity, wit, or psychological and emotional fortitude to be apologetic without allowing our emotions not to descend into personal grievances. Again, God bless ya and please don’t stop until God says so!
It is already 9/6/09 and I happened upon this site. I have visited FBCG but I have not joined. I have no history with Pastor Jenkins but I am disturbed by this blog. Primarily, Melvin, I am concerned about your strategy for voicing your objection to John K. Jenkins’ position.
Brother Melvin, I am sorry about what has happened to you. I am truly sorry that you have had negative experiences with Pastor Jenkins. You mentioned that the Pastor switched positions about women in the pulpit etc. But Melvin, if this is the case…can you agree that God may have laid it on Pastor Jenkins’ heart to change his position? (MN: Not really. If the standards of the Bible didn’t address the issue he certainly has the freedom to take what ever position he wants to take. But if the Bible clearly establishes a standard, God is not going to “lay it on Jenkins’ heart to change his position any more than He would lay it on an obedient Christian to change his position to that of the WoF folks. )We are all works in progress brother.
I am a growing Christian and the way that you address people defending Pastor Jenkins takes me aback (sanctimonious boobs, weak kneed sniveling pseudo spirituality). The comment you made that the prayer someone posted was weak…you are spewing venom brother. Do you know that brand new Christians stumble upon this site? Do you know that you may the first representation of Jesus that people see? (MN: I would think the people discipling that new Christian would warn him or her away from people like me. Oh wait - they’re not being discipled? Then they probably need to hear exactly what I’m saying so they won’t become wishy washy and nebulous as you are proving to be. )
Melvin, we are all called to be fishermen of men. We are supposed to pray for people who are out of God’s will, not berate them.
(MN: We are also called to call attention to the pimps and wolves out there. That is what I am doing. The site is not here to catch fish. It’s here to warn the sheeple. )
You mentioned your current church several times throughout this blog and I truly believe that if you used this site to preach the good news rather than as a venue for exposing someone you feel is wrong, you would be more effective in your mission. (MN: It’s not here to “preach the good news.” If you want the good news preached do it yourself. )
Melvin, I know you must be in a lot of pain with all the trials you are going through. I will pray for your heart to be lightened and for your storm to cease. But if you start by forgiving, it will free you and your wife. You know that stress exacerbates MS so the last thing your wife needs is discord in her home.
(MN: Nice try. I would suggest you talk to the leadership of FGBG, pastored by John K. Jenkins, and have them counsel my wife rather than letter her twist in the wind as they have done. Unfortunately the deacons are too weak-kneed and clueless and the Elders are without ‘nads. What you appear to be suggesting is that for the sake of “peace” I stop warning the sheeple. Of course, you are calling it “forgiving.” Try again. )
Shanunda:
If the same could be said of: Jesus, John, John the baptist, Stephen, Peter, Jeremiah, Elijiah, and a host of others…then possibly you might be…uh…WRONG about this?
I check into this site from time to time. I am a member of First Baptist. You really do put a lot of yourself into this site, negatively. When I was a child the pastor of our church said that ‘every person can find the right minister if he looks long and hard enough because there is a ‘church’ that will preach your doctrine and if there’s not, you can start one.’ You are truly the pastor to many who have some issues.
I enjoy my church, my pastor, my teachings. I have been a Christian long enough and had a relationship with my Father long enough to discern right from wrong. (MN: Apparently not, if you don’t have a problem with your pastor inviting men who deny the essentials of the faith to speak. ) When I feel there is a doctrinal issue, I know who to discuss it with (MN: And who would that be? Oh wait. I’ll bet you haven’t come across any doctrinal issues. Have you? ), not create a website just to vent my anger (yes, you are angry about a lot of things). Every church has faults, I have not found anyone preaching/teaching the “correct” doctrine as I see it. I forgive and go on. My walk is between me and the Father. Not between me and man.
(MN: No one has said it is between you and man. But that’s a nice bit of misdirection. What has forgiving got to do with preaching the “correct” doctrine, or the “wrong” doctrine for that matter? Certainly every church has its faults. That’s mainly because the church is composed of humans. But there is a difference between faults and pimping/teaching bad doctrine/promoting yourself at the expense of others.
Oh, and I did discuss doctrinal issues with John. Usually his response was “We’re just interpreting it differently…and I have twenty years of ministry.” That was his response when he said the beat, the rhythm, and the melody are characteristics you use to identify godly music. That was his response when he insisted Jesus had to suffer in hell because his death on the cross didn’t pay a spiritual price for sin. Indeed my walk is between me and my Father. And my Father says I am to draw attention to those who cause division by teaching things contrary to right doctrine (Romans 16:17). What does your Father say? )
And, brother, you are incorrect on that wife thing. Your wife probably feels like a deer in headlights. (MN: Why would she feel like a deer in headlights? There are no surprises here. ) When you say that her MS is kicking her behind, you were being disrespectful to her, whom you are to love as Christ loves the church. You, as that ‘head’ you claim you are, should be praying for her and indeed giving her a wad of cash for being with you. (MN: And I’ve said what to indicate that I don’t? At the present, she is on a diet that doesn’t allow for dairy products, beans (legumes of any type), wheat, and many other food stuffs. Guess who joined her in the diet to encourage her? Yeah - me. Between the diabetes I have and this diet, I get to eat cardboard. And I take time to pray for her [and with me when she is willing to. Please take your self-righteous assumptions some place else. They make you look incredibly foolish. ) What makes you think that she must be submissive to your every whim is beyond me. (MN: How do you come to the conclusion I want her to submit to every whim? I don’t believe I’ve ever said that or implied it. ) So, now, she’s weak and broke and has to depend on you and go where you take her - what a man! (MN: What a presumptuous clod you appear to be! Who in the world said she is broke and who said she is dependent on me to take her where she wants to go. I certainly didn’t take her to First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering, pastored by John K. Jenkins last week. Broke? The woman has money of her own - though I think that is a mistake. So far you haven’t impressed me at all with your assumptions, accusations, and insults. But I wouldn’t expect much more that what I’ve seen from a woman who attends FBCGotK regularly.) I know you have some misguided interpretation of the scripture to back yourself up, but it won’t fly with me. (MN: Now, why don’t you lay out a couple of those “misguided interpretations” you say I have. I’m all ears. But I must say I’m not expecting too much. If you think John is a wonderful teacher, then it’s really likely you have the spiritual depth of a piece of cellophane. But that’s just my opinion. )
It is not the Pastor’s position to ‘counsel’ women to go with their husbands wherever they go. (MN: Hmm. Then why did your caring pastor tell me he would so counsel her to follow me if I apologized TO HIM for telling the class I had just finished teaching why I was leaving FBCGotK? Apparently your pastor disagrees with you and thinks he should counsel wives to follow their husbands. Not only that, but it’s exactly what he taught from the pulpit, an observation made by several of the deacons there at FBCGotK. ) You wife has a mind of her own and free will. You want an Esther to replace your Vashti? (MN: Huh? That doesn’t even make sense. Who is talking about replacing anyone? ) You should research some history concerning the church and cults when Paul wrote his teachings on women and the church.
But that’s enough for me. I pray for you that you will experience an epiphany to find your place in the kingdom without bashing everyone else to satisfy your need to control something in life, especially when it’s to the detriment of others, and that your self-esteem will increase once you find your true place in the Lord.
(MN: Let’s see. John has you people trained to turn to your neighbors and say whatever he tells you to say. When the “worship leader” tells you to jump to your feet, you do it. When the church leaders tell you to give money, you do it. Who’s controlling who? And when did I force my wife to leave FBCGotK? )
There is enough Christian bashing going on beginning with our President, so I guess now you feel you are in great company.
(MN: Since you brought it up, what makes you think one of the most pro abortion men in public office is a Christian? He spent twenty years sitting under a man who spewed hate in the form of Liberation Theology. Then he lied and said he never heart Wright say anything similar to what we heard him say. No one is bashing him for his supposed Christianity. They are bashing him for his politics and social agenda. You do know your pastor is a registered Republican, right? And he invited George W. Bush to speak at the church on MLK’s birthday. Y-you know that, right? )
Will keep you in my prayers.
Hey Ann,
What’s wrong with an “Esther” replacing a “Vashti”? Sounds good to me! And it’s biblical! The problem you have is that you don’t value doctrine. And doctrine matters, whether you like it or not.
Pastor Jenkins is a excellent man of God. You seriously need some help! It’s not his responsibility to tell you wife to follow you. God must be the only one to place that on your wife’s heart…….I’m praying for you my brother!!!!
(MN: And I’m praying for you - whatever your name is - that you would actually study your Bible, glean some wisdom from it, and escape the blinding influence of John K. Jenkins, the senior pastor of FBCGotK and Big Dog wannabee. )
You know, I pray you don’t spend your entire life badmouthing people. I can’t figure out why you feel you are enlightening people with this particular platform.
(MN: The primary reason I believe I am enlightening people with this particular platform is that people send me e-mails telling me that they have been enlightened and are looking for a church away from the pimps who had them captive. And that makes it worth the $75+ I spend every month. )
But this is America. Is there anyone in the Christian arena you approve of, and if so, why? I’m curious.
(MN: John McArthur, Eric Redmond, John Piper, John Coleman (Reformed Presbyterian), John Coleman (California Baptist), Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon, Francis Schaefer, L. S. Chafer, A. W. Pink, Waalvord, Ryrie, Dave Coffin (RP), Saiko Woods, dozens of men you never heard of but who do a faithful job of feeding the sheep and training the Christians.
Why? Because they have shown themselves to be faithful to the Word, to be more interested in feeding the sheep than lining their pockets. Because they are careful to never state as fact more than scriptures allows. They are unassuming yet confident in what the Lord has said.
Remember, the site is here to warn people away from the wolves. If asked, however, I have recommended men and churches. )