End Times Prophetic, Prophecy, Visions, Dreams, Revelation, Christian Blog

Thomas Weeks, founder of Global Destiny churches, was released on bond Friday after surrendering on charges that he assaulted his wife the ‘prophetess’ Juanita Bynum. He allegedly struck Juanita Bynum in a hotel parking lot in Atlanta after the pair had dinner together to discuss a reconciliation.

Atlanta police said Thomas W. Weeks III struck Juanita Bynum at about 5 a.m. on Wednesday, beating her badly enough to require medical treatment, said Atlanta Police Officer Robert Campbell.

“They were talking about a reconciliation. They got into an argument. In the process of the argument, her husband walked out to the parking lot area, turned back around and started to choke Miss Bynum,” Campbell said. “As he choked her, he pushed her down to the ground and started to kick her and also stomp on her.” 

If true, these are the actions of an exceedingly violent man who must immediately  be removed from his leadership position and all ministry. Thomas Weeks did not just ’slap’ Juanita which would be bad enough, it was a serious attack. If he went so far in public, choking her and stomping on her, the mind boggles as to what he may do to his women behind closed doors. Anyway, regardless of whether he did this just once or is a serial wife beater, instead of hiding things he needs to come clean before the whole church and acknowledge that what he did was very very wrong.

It is not enough to kiss and make up (eg ask for forgiveness and remain in ministry). It needs to be clearly shown that the church will not tolerate this type of behaviour and that sin does have its consequences. The example that has been set is terrible - as a ‘prophet’ particularly to the black community, Thomas Weeks should be setting a godly example and be ‘beyond reproach’. Otherwise he prophesies in a counter spirit of hypocrisy, mysogony and violence.

After an appropiate period, when his character has been proven as per the New Testament guidelines for leaders, (eg being beyond reproach), Weeks may be ‘restored’ and come back into ministry. If he is unwilling to go this route, then he is not submitting to God, and the church - nor any individual Christian - should have nothing more to do with him.

If the allegations are found not be true, then whoever is lying should likewise be removed from ministry, and it goes without saying they should not be trusted.

As to Juanita - I have read numerous comments on this on other blogs and quite frequently Juanita’s devoted followers have grieved that Juanita did not see it coming. They have been confused and upset and some have lost faith. Others have outright mocked her: ‘Call yourself a prophetess?! You didn’t see that coming! Ha! Ha!’

It may be that Juanita Bynum is partly to blame for her followers’ misunderstanding about prophets and prophecy by her words and/or actions or non actions - by elevating herself - or allowing others to elevate her without sincere rebuke and correction - by putting forward - or hinting at - an image of spiritual elitism, all-knowingness, immunity from harm, a form of godliness and invulernability which is actually self-righteousness in disguise, and claiming a type of spiritual strength that no Christian can rightly have, while she delivers a twisted prosperity and word-faith message which is also just as harmful.  (I am reminded while I write this of Herod (Acts 12:23) who a crowd claimed spoke with the voice of a god. As he did not rebuke the crowd he was judged by God immediately and struck by an angel and eaten by worms. History records that Herod died of great stomach pains after suffering for five days.) God will not share his glory with another and Christians must be aware of this and not idolise their leaders and leaders have a responsibility to rebuke any followers who idolise them in any shape or form. (Note that there are subtle forms of idolatory). 

Juanita Bynum may not call herself a ‘god’ (that I am aware of), but if she allows others, unrebuked, to elevate her to a much higher place than should be claimed for any Christian, in terms of status or ability, then this is still idolatary that is hated by God. If she hints, either by her words or actions, that she is part of the spiritual elite, she is on dangerous ground. If she encourages co-dependance in her flock (as many tv evangelists and ‘prophets’ do) then she takes the place of Christ for them. Christians should be walking as servants in humility, not glorifying in elitism and pride.

I further ask why Bynum and her ilk put so much emphasis on sending money to her and her ministry, as if it will have some sort of special blessing by going through her and that it must be done immediately without question. She encourages people to drain their pockets and bank accounts and give way beyond their means and she deliberately, intentionally and brazenly robs the poor widows of their mites so she can live a lavish lifestyle. The Lord rebuke you, Juanita! (http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/2007/08/04/vision-of-church-robbing-the-widows-mite/)

By saying there will be a special blessing by going through her, it is also surely claiming a spiritual elitism. Why does the money have to go into her flowing coffers? If it were truly about the spiritual principle of giving in order to be blessed (’It’s really for you I’m asking for your money, people! It’s for you more than me!), then why not say to the people to seed faith by giving their money to the poor and hungry? Why not encourage people to give overboard by giving this way to the truely needy. If blessing really ensued from seed faith teaching then surely these preacher should encourage this always. However, I do not see the television properity teachers preaching this though! It is all about send us the money and be blessed! It is all about greed. The Lord rebuke them!

Many preachers and prophets (note I do not say all) allow their flock to make idols of them - and some actively encourage this in order to fleece their faithful for more bucks. They make their flock depend on them for ungoldly purposes and thus become just like Roman Catholic priests who get in the way between man and God and thus become ’antichrist’. ‘Anti’ means instead of or a replacement for - it is not always dead set against and overtly evil as per the satanic Damien in the Omen movies. If a preacher or prophet causes people to depend on him, and encourages them to come through him for a blessing instead of going directly to God, then he/she is biblically an antichrist. How many antichrists there are in the world today!

I have not counted the number of remarks on blogs about Bynum et al from people sending money into tv evangelists looking for their blessing or healing from these people and/or their ministry instead of from God himself. They think these ‘powerfully anointed’ ones - these super apostles - have better prayers - wow, she is a real woman of God! - so faith is put in the person who prays and not in the God who hears the prayer. A lot of it is downright superstition and many tv evangelists will intentionally prey on this fear. The Lord rebuke them!

If you depend on a man or woman more than God then I encourage you to ask God for forgiveness for you have made an idol for yourself and sinned. It does not matter that lots of other people do it and think it Ok, it does not matter that you cannot think that such an apparently godly woman or man of god could decieve you in such a way, it does not matter that you cannot think a Christian tv station could do such a thing. It is what God thinks that matters, and that is all. You (and any such ministers) are sinning against God.

As well as encouraging idolatray, a distorted message leads people astray from the true message and the true Jesus. When the true gospel is distorted in such a way, word faith adherants have real problems understanding why bad things happen to Christians - and most of all to their beloved leaders - and it can ultimately cause them to lose their faith as disillusionment sets in. 

The truth is a true prophet does not know everything, least of all about their own lives. They speak for the Lord but only know and see in part as the Holy Spirit reveals. God reveals or hides as he sees fit. Note, I do not claim Bynum is a true prophetess. I am merely pointing out even if she were it does not make her ominscient (all knowing) - only God is. 

For the record, I in no way condone Juanita Bynum or her husband’s ministry - even before this stuff came to light. Their ministries literally sicken me as do those of most of the televangelists. Juanita Bynum has said and done a lot of abhorent things in the name of Jesus. That said, I hope Juanita will reach out to the Lord at this time and understand why He has allowed bad things to happen - this and the other things that I feel are going wrong for her in her life. God allows everything for a good purpose, and he disciplines those he loves. I hope she will let go of the greed and false prosperity and seed faith teachings and come back to her first love and serve the Lord her God and serve him faithfully in spirit and not flesh. Then she may truly be blessed and become far more a blessing than she ever was.

See also http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/christian-tv-and-sending-money-to-christian-ministries/