Some of the pimps we cover here are high powered and subtle enough to be really dangerous. Before his introduction to the county police and the free mug shot, Earl Paulk had the veneer of supposed apostolic authority. T. Dexter promotes the idea of being loosed (as opposed to being a maturing Christian).  He’s looked at as the next Billy Graham.  And others are progressing up ecclesiastical ladder by being promoted to bishop, archbishop and grand poobah.

But some of the pimps out there are totally vacuous, offering nothing but their looks, their personality and their willingness to feed the sheeple all the swill the sheeple want to hear. While those are dangerous too, the dispensers of swill are more fun to deal with than anything else.

One of those swill-dispensers is Jamal, the Pimp Prince of Baltimore.

If you remember, about a year and a half ago I told you about my visit to the Empowerment Temple of Doom and the fact that I missed an opportunity to get a picture of one of their vans. Well, one of my operatives was out and about the town last week and stumbled across one of the Prince of Pimps’ transportation units.

If you click here, you can see what I found so incredibly outrageous the last time I was up there.

Look at the van again and answer a couple of questions for me.

Why is there no mention on the side of the van of Jesus Christ? If you’ll notice, there isn’t even a mention of the fact that the van belongs to a Christian organization. Sure, Jamal has the tag “pastor” under his name, but pastor of what? A Unitarian church? A Mormon Church? At least the Mormons drag Jesus and God the Father into their ads. Even if the Father is Adam.

There is, however, a six foot tall image of Jamal the Prince Pimp.

Am I supposed to come to the temple because of Jamal? I thought the idea was to tell people about Jesus Christ, not tell people about Jamal. I thought the idea was to present the Gospel, not present a guy who dresses like a high-end pimp.

But the truth, as unpleasant as it may be, is that Jamal is simply an manifestation of the sorry state of nominal Christianity, especially nominal Christianity within the Black community.

If you take a look at the average mega-church in a predominately Black community, you get messages that are incredibly short on solid doctrine but really long on emotions, long on performance and theatrics, and really long on the scratching of ears. You don’t like being poor? The pastor will promise you that your breakthrough is coming. You don’t like the crummy job you have? The pastor will promise you supernatural success and tell you that you’re the head and not the tail.

And what’s the result of this meat-free diet? Go back and take a look at the Empowerment Temple Four Wheeled Billboard and Advertisement for Jamal.

In those environments, Jesus Christ, the originator and finisher of our faith is secondary to the person who heads the organization. That has certainly happened with Jamal, with Fast Eddie and some of the new pimps like Zachary Timms.

Stay as far away from Jamal as you possibly can. He is a pimp. He butchers Scriptures with the best (or the worst) of them. He appeals to the flesh. He presents flash and dash in place of solid meat. And he promotes himself shamelessly.  These are not qualities you want in a sub-shepherd. 

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 33 Comments »

Who would have believed that there are tornadoes in Uganda? I, for one, thought tornadoes only occurred in the mostly northern and southern temperate zones, generally not much further south than, say, Georgia. But apparently I’m wrong. Several months ago, a tornado hit Uganda, near Kampala, the country’s capitol.

One touched down there. Really!

Okay, I can sense that you don’t believe me. (more…)

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 127 Comments »

The Right Reverend Jamal-Harrison Bryant, who, for the sake of brevity, I shall refer to as Mister Twister, broadcast one of his sermons a couple of weeks ago. The sermon was entitled “Better Late Than Never.”

Before I go on, let me point out that Mister Twister said some things that are certainly true. He said some things that no one in their right mind would ignore. However, having said that, Mister Twister also did great violence to Scripture.

Here’s a test for you. Read some of the statements Mister Twister makes about a portion of Scripture. It’s a parable. Read the statements and see if, based on those statements, you can identify the parable. We’ll do the same thing in another posting with a hatchet job he did on a character from the Old Testament. I’ll relate some of his statements and you tell me who he’s talking about.

The first one to come up with the correct answer will get an all expense paid trip to Charm City, an over night stay at one of Baltimore’s finest hotels, and a limousine ride to the Sunday service at Empowerment Temple. We’ll even give you a $20 bill to throw on the steps of the podium while Mister Twister is preaching.

Anyway, here’s what he said:

� You have to have what I call anointed arrogance. You can understand who you are when you understand whose you are.
� The church is nothing more than an orphanage , God says “When your family gave up on you I’ll take you!”
� You have to understand that you won’t be delivered until you have faith enough to go back to the place where you almost died; until you can face the same people who left your for dead.
� The son is going back to his father’s house, the place where he ran from; the place he didn’t like; the place that caused pain. He had to go back in order to be healed.
� The dad just didn’t understand that the son just wanted his approval and affection
� The father improved while the son was gone
� When the son left, the father just threw money at him
� The son woke up in a pig’s pen and said “I deserve better than this.”
� How would the prodigal son’ story have been different if the father had affirmed him before he left?

And to this last question I ask: How would the sermon have been different if Mister Twister had actually dealt with the text and its intent?

Those of you who guessed that this was a sermon loosely based on the Prodigal Son, you are correct.

Take a minute, go read the parable of the Prodigal Son. In fact, read not only the parable of the PS, but the others that were included in the series. I have the chapter shown below. It’s in Luke 15:1-24. And it says:
Luke 15:1-24 (NASB)

1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3
So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 “When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ 10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” 11
And He said, “A man had two sons. 12 “The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. 13 “And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 14 “Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 15 “So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 “And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17 “But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 ‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ‘ 20 “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Do any of you really think any of these parables has anything to do with father/son relationships? Or do you in fact see that the son is likened to Israel and the father to God? Or at a minimum, it’s talking about the willingness of God to forgive the sinner and restore him.

You have to work real hard to pour any of what Mister Twister says into the passage.

My point here is not that men should not establish a strong relationship with their children. And certainly I would agree that we should always encourage our sons and affirm them whenever possible. But to reduce this parable to nothing more than a lesson in father-son relationships strips it of most, if not all of its real mean and application, and yes - power.

Mister Twister has the son saying “I deserve better than this (living worse than the pigs he had to feed.) The parable shows the son saying “My father’s servants eat better than me. I will go to my father and ask if I can be one of his servants” This is anything but anointed arrogance. It is the humility God demands of us and that we can’t help but show if we understand who God is and what He has graciously done for us.

When the son gets back, he doesn’t claim the privileges of his sonship. Rather, he humbles himself and offers to be his father’s servant.

If indeed the father represents God in this story, how in the world does the father have room to improve? And what, in the text of the section of scripture implies that the father simply threw money at a son he didn’t care about?

Notice what the father in the parable does , he sees the son from afar and RUNS to him. He doesn’t stand there, arms crossed, tapping his foot and scowling as the son approaches. He runs to his son and hugs him.

According to Mister Twister, the father improved. In fact, it was apparently the father’s fault that the whoremongering little twit ran away to begin with. When the boy left, all the dad did was throw money after him. He didn’t seem to care that the boy was leaving. And he left without being affirmed.

Here’s my question: If Mister Twister can’t get something as simple as the parable of the prodigal son right, why should I expect him to get anything else right? Why should I expect him to be able to counsel me, or the poor souls stuck there at ET, from Scripture?

On the other hand, if he doesn’t believe any of what he said (I truly don’t think anyone could be that ignorant), then it would seem that he really has no integrity and will say whatever HE thinks people want to hear.

This man should be given a wide berth. Unfortunately, he’s allowed to broadcast inside Jessup (a prison near Baltimore , You HLOTS people should know this).

Mister Twister really must think his audience is too stupid to read their Bibles. Oh wait , apparently they are too stupid to read their Bible.

Any of you people who attend ET, explain to me how your boy got this hog swill out of the parable. I will post what you have to say without commenting on it before it’s posted. I am really interested in how you can sit under this clown and what machinations you use to stay there.

One thing though - when you answer, don’t tell me about the truth of the need for fathers to relate to their sons. No one is arguing that. I want you to tell me how he got the stuff he preached on out of the parable.

I can’t wait to hear your responses.

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 220 Comments »

Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems a writer is interested in doing a piece on ET and the Right Reverend Jamal.

The writer asked me to canvass you for e-mail addresses if you are interested in communicating with this writer.

You don’t have to be a fan of Jamal. You don’t even have to be an enemy of the man. This writer is primarily interested in your experience, good or bad with him and the ET thing.

If you are interested in participating, send me your e-mail address and I will forward it to the writer.

Thanks,
Melvin

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 47 Comments »

The Right Reverend Doctor Jamal-Harrison Bryant is proving yet again that he is more interested in making a name for himself than in lifting up the name of Jesus Christ. His latest escapade involved Grainger Browning at Ebenezer AME in Prince Georges county Maryland.

(MN: Sorry folks. I forgot to include the graphic. Click here. Look under November. )
Maybe you remember Grainger Browning. He’s the pastor (and I do use the term loosely) who signed up to support Calypso Louie for the Millions More March last year. If you have forgotten about it (one of the reasons I’m here, by the way) take a look at this set of postings. They are an eye-witness account (mine) of Louie’s visit to Graingerland. Click here and here. You might even try here for some photos. Forgive the formatting. I was still struggling with WordPress.

Maybe, if they get time, some of Jamal’s pimped followers can explain to me, and the rest of us, why he is appearing and preaching, and of course shouting and sweating, at the church of a man who has joined with Calypso Louie (aka Louis Farrakhan)? What ever you say, please don’t tell me he’s going there to try to counsel Browning. You may want to believe something like that, but I have far too tight a grasp on the reality of THIS universe to even go in that direction.

Don’t bother to tell me how much of an anointed man of God he is. The only anointing he has is the snake oil T. Dexter Jakes used on him to anoint him as one of his disciples.

Face it: your pimp has no standards other than the buck and the crowd’s adulation. As I said before, I don’t think this particular pimp would know the truth if it jumped up and licked him in the face. And the longer you stay with him and those like him, the more difficult it will be for you to be able to tell the truth. In fact, if you’re trying to defend him, you may already be legally truth-blind.

I got out of First Baptist Church of Glenarden before it was too late. I’ve watched the used-to-be men who have stayed behind lose whatever hold they may have had on the truth. Deacon Lee, for instance, is still there. And though he hasn’t talked to me in a couple of years, I’m willing to wager he still hasn’t developed the gonads to walk away.

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 190 Comments »

(MN: I got read the riot act by the editor at the Baltimore Sun. He told me to take the photo down since I didn’t get permission to use it. So I’m taking it down. I also asked him for permission to use it. No need to get beat up for doing something wrong. I like this picture more anyway.

Here’s the follow-on with the photograph. It will cost me $385 to use the photo. That ain’t gonna happen. Unless of course, you want to send some money to the “Keep Jamal’s Picture in the Posting Ministry. You know the address. Cash or certified checks only. )

Okay - I called this morning and put the machinery in motion. I’m going to see if I can get in to interview the Reverend Doctor Jamal-Harrison Bryant. I just left a message with his Executive Assistant, Ms. Brown.

I’m going to be interested in seeing where this goes. If he agrees to the interveiw, I’m really going to be interested in what he says.

If he agrees, I’ll post a set of questions I have for him.

Do any of you want to ask him anything? If so, send them in as comments or e-mail me (you know the address).

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 166 Comments »

Oh…my…gosh! I flipped my phone open this morning and what did I see but a text message straight from the hand of the Right Reverend Jamal-Harrison Bryant himself!

So does this guy know Anthony Robbins? ‘Cause the message didn’t sound a whole lot different than something Mr. Motivational Speaker would have said.

Maybe I’m being overly critical. Maybe I expect too much from a man whose followers claim he got a PhD over the internet. Maybe I’m silly to expect a pastor to somehow address something more significant than:

The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.
Pastor Jamal

That’s it. Nothing else.

Oh. Here’s a screen shot so you won’t think I’m lying.

Couldn’t he have said something like “The best way to live is by dying to self”, or something at least kind of spirtual minded?

I told one of my sons about this and I can still hear him gnashing his teeth because he didn’t think of it.

I might, or might not bother to post the new one tomorrow. Oh, and somebody out there remind me to cancel my subscription before I get billed $4.99 for this. I could do better spending the money at Dover Downs rather than on this bogus “ministry.” I at least have a chance of winning at the track. And I’d keep the jockeys employed.

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 42 Comments »

I’m beginning to think the Right Reverend Jamal-Harrison Bryant is losing his touch with reality. Either that or he wants to make sure he is the center of his congregation’s world. Neither of those options bodes too well for the people at the Empowerment Temple of Doom.

The Right Reverend now has a new campaign - get a daily text message from him. I guess I’m really kind of confused. What kind of power do I get when I text Jamal to 50555? While I can surely applaud the use of technology to stay in touch, this appears to be more of a case of using technology to keep people tied to you. Not quite the same concept.

What’s wrong with the low-tech option of encouraging people to read and study their Bible every day so they can get a word from - here’s a novelty - God.

Instead, we can stand by each day for some inane pablum from the Right Reverend.

In a fit of foolishness, I signed up for the service. Let’s see what comes up.

===================

Oh wait! I just got a response from the Temple. The message reads:

Reply with YES to confirm your 7 day free trial of Got Power? Up to 1 message/day. U will b billed 4.99/mo after ur trial. Optout anytime w/STOP.

Is it just me, or is the Right Reverend saying that it is going to cost me 4.99 a month to get power?

Okay - I sent the YES response. And I got back the following:

Thanks 4 joining Got Power? by Jamal Bryant. Enjoy the next 7 days of power as you experience Supernatural success. Expect the unexpected. 2 optout rply STOP.

He’s charging these people to get messages from him! You have to wonder how much of a cut he is getting from each of the text messages.

Here are a couple of screen shots of my very first message from the Right Reverend.

This man, though lacking the polish and pure smoothosity of T. Dexter, is a brilliant marketer. He is to be admired. Seeing something well done is always a pleasure.Of course, I wouldn’t want to be standing near him when the earth opens up and swallows him.

I give you a photo of my power message when I get one tomorrow.

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 5 Comments »

According to the Afro-American News (thanks to a reader), Dr. Pastor Braynt, the leader of Empowerment Temple in Baltimore Maryland is going to start an Empowerment Temple in Washington, D.C. He says he’s going to start another Empowerment Temple every two years. (more…)

Jamal-Harrison Bryant, Pulpit Pimps | 58 Comments »

No heresies to rail against today. I just thought I’d do a quick comparison.

John Coleman (Pastor John, or PJ) maintains a website on the West Coast called www.johnecoleman.org. Jamal-Harrison Bryant maintains several websites on the East Coast (www.empowermenttemple.org, www.jamalbryant.org, and www.powermovement.org).

Pastor John has pictures of himself on his site. Sometimes he’s wearing his preacher collar, sometimes he’s with other people, sometimes he’s in the Lucy Coleman Memorial Studio, in front of a microphone. The facilities look as though get used. You can often see books laying around. Some of his pictures are a little fuzzy, some are old, and some were shot a couple of weeks ago.

Jamal-Harrison Bryant has pictures of himself on his site. Sometimes he’s dressed to the T, other times he’s dressed to the T. Every single picture looks as if it were taken and developed by a top-notch photographer. (more…)

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 11 Comments »

I just got a series of e-mails from a fan. The subject was “Hell is Waiting for You.”

Here’s an excerpt of the text of one of his little love letters:

You need to be afraid of the wrath of God that is on your life-taking time out to talk such evil things about the Men and Women of God.

YOU have legions of demons that need to be cast out- AFTER you find the Lord FOR REAL. Evidently you have issues within yourself, and low self-esteem problems, because you are really hating on Pastor Bryant. I am going to pray God expose your mess, and bring you to your knees, that you will repent.

This is very serious what you are doing, you have a spirit of the anti-christ. I come against every demonic force in your life, and I snatch every set-up from the enemy out of the atmosphere. I pray that what you sowed into this Man of God’s life you shall reap 100 fold. You have been assigned by Lucifer himself to tear down great ministries-you are sitting up on your computer listening to the voice of satan-you have no relationship with MY HEAVENLY FATHER. Because he exemplifies love, and not division.

If you think you got it goin on, why dont you start Pastoring, and then we can talk about if you can do it better than everybody else.

(more…)

Jamal-Harrison Bryant, Pulpit Pimps | 24 Comments »

I went to Empowerment Temple last Sunday (January 29, 2006). I thought I would be really exhausted since I had stayed up late the night before. But my Armor Bearer got to the house right at 6:30 a.m. and quietly knocked on the front door. The car was already nice and toasty and he had a thermos of coffee ready for me. He even had my favorite music CD playing on the stereo: Mannheim Steamroller, Freshaire 4. Since I didn’t have to drive I took a little nap on the way to Baltimore. (more…)

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 170 Comments »

That’s right. I went to Empowerment Temple yesterday morning (early yesterday morning). I’ll tell you about it later today or tomorrow. It was very…interesting.

Melvin

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 22 Comments »

I watched the Jamal-Harrison Bryant Show the other night on the Word Network. I noticed too, that his church called “Empowerment Temple AME.” From this I can probably safely guess that he is standing under the African Methodist Episcopalian banner, more or less identifying with the AME standards and teachings.

Of course, I have to wonder how many of the people who attend the church ever even wonder what AME stands for, much less what the words mean.

I bring up the AME thing because it adds to my assertion that the man is a pimp, more interested in building up his stable than in building the indidual Christians within the stable; more interested in making a name for himself and building an empire than he is in glorifying the name of Christ and building the individual saints.

He has, apparently, taken up the “AME” moniker to gain access to that organization, and its resoucrces, and its credibility. A sort of name identification process. But having used AME to make himself legitimate, he is going far afield, hooking up with those who have proven their ability to draw crowds and create mega-churches. Unfortunately, this includes people like T. Dexter Jakes, Noel “The Weasel” Jones, Cashflow Dollar, and others.

Truth has nothing to do with it. Personal profit and magnification are the bottom line.

It’s nice that people turn their lives around there at Empowerment Temple. But turning your life around is not the same as becoming a New Creation. And it’s nice that people come there and get a focus in their lives. But getting focused is not the same as getting a new heart and a new nature.

If the good reverend ran a McDonald’s franchise, would he be able to keep the Golden Arches outside the store if he didn’t serve Big Mac or keep the place according to franchise standards? I suspect Mr. Bryant is AME in name only.

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | 46 Comments »

Unless I get jumped by a Lazy Demon Sunday, I will be giving Pastor Bryant a visit. I’ll be attending the 7:30 (God help me) service. That means I will have to leave home somewhere around 6 AM in order to get to the church on time.

I’m the kind of fellow who has NO directional skills. I live by the map. As a result, I usually have to build in at least one half hour of “get lost” time, time for me to make a couple of wrong turns, and still be able to get where I’m going on time.

I’m going to the 7:30 service so I can get back home and go to church. I may be cutting it close, but it should be easier to get back to Bowie, than to get to Penrose Place in Baltimore.

I may also return on Bible Study night. That should be a little more informal and perhaps more informative. After all, he sends the sunday service out for public consumption. Bible study is a little more private.

Be in prayer for me. Specifically, that I:

1. Be as objective as possible
2. Listen as carefully and accurately as possible.
3. Be honest and fair minded in my reporting
4. Not be niggling and nit picking
5. Survive getting up at five o’clock on Sunday morning

Who knows? When I visited Calvert Baptist Church in Calvert county, I was very pleasantly surprised. Hey, lightning can strike twice.

Jamal-Harrison Bryant | No Comments »