COME SUNDAY

COME SUNDAY

2Timothy [Webster] 2:15 Study to show thyself approved to God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

  Those of you having already watched the recent Netflix streaming full length video recognize today’s title. The dramatized tale is about Bishop Carlton Pearson, an Oral Roberts’ poster boy, pastor-builder of a mega church with a uniquely mixed congregation. An enthusiastic active congregation named Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  

  “He was one of only two African American ministers to appear on national television, reaching hundreds of thousands to millions of people, weekly and has been credited as being one of the first black ministers to hold major conferences in arenas & stadiums within the African American fundamentalist movement. During the 1990s Pearson's church grew to an average attendance of over 6,000, and in 1997 Pearson was ordained as a bishop. In 2000, Pearson campaigned for George W. Bush, and later he was invited to the White House. Pearson had one of the most watched TV programs on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Pearson was also the host of the AZUSA Conference in Tulsa. Pearson was also a traveling evangelist, holding two-day revivals across the continent. Pearson also gave many up and coming ministers and singers credibility and a global audience, including T.D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Donnie McClurkin and many others. Pearson has also met and counseled with former Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.” (wikipedia.org)

  The video highlights what the promoters advertise as a crisis of faith. “After watching a television program about the wretched conditions of people suffering and dying from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and considering the teachings of his church that non-Christians were going to Hell, Pearson believed he had received an epiphany from God. He stated publicly that he doubted the existence of Hell as a place of eternal torment. He said that hell is created on earth by human depravity and behavior.” . . . whereas prior to viewing with change of heart Pearson very much believed in and taught the reality of literal hell and the truth of those not saved spending eternity there. Afterward stating (in video) that you don’t need to be saved, referring to it as the gospel of inclusion, a variation of the old universal salvation.

  “In March 2004, after hearing Pearson's argument for inclusion, the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops concluded that such teaching was heresy.^[1] Declared a heretic by his peers, Pearson rapidly began to lose his influence.^[8] Membership at the Higher Dimensions Family Church fell below 1,000, and the church lost its building to foreclosure in January 2006. The church members began meeting in the nearby Trinity Episcopal Church as the New Dimensions Worship Center.” (wikipedia.org)

  At the end of the video it states “Carlton Pearson still lives in Tulsa where he ministers regularly at ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH. He continues to preach his message of inclusion guest speaking at churches and seminars around the country. His following is steadily growing.”

  Review the video if you will. Please do study all that God says on the matter. Share your conclusions with me for later airing if it pleases you.

EBB4