Senator Barack Obama is receiving praise from a well-known mega church pastor. The pastor is praising Obama for clinching the Democratic presidential nomination.
In a commentary published on CNN.com, Pastor T.D. Jakes, of the Dallas mega church Potter’s House, said he got goose bumps as he watched Senator Obama’s (D-Illinois) victory speech Tuesday night with his son.
Jakes went on to congratulate Obama on what he calls an historic accomplishment and a victory for democracy. However, Pastor Jakes did not mention Obama’s support for abortion, or his support for record-breaking tax hikes.
Instead, Jakes lauded Obama’s victory as not only a victory for African Americans, but also a victory for democracy – one that proves the country provides possibilities for all people. Pastor Jakes also congratulated Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) for “proving that femininity is not a liability.”
Jakes said in his commentary that it was his hope and prayer that the country does not sink back into political pettiness as the presidential campaign continues.
I have been talking to as many Black Americans as I can about looking beyond the smoke screen of a man’s skin. However, I believe the words of Pastor, Ken Hutcherson of the Antioch Bible Church in suburban Seattle more eloquently expresses this issues. Below are exerpts taken from an article on OneNewsNow.com
“Hutcherson believes too much emphasis has been placed on Obama’s race, to the exclusion of questions about the Illinois senator’s record, beliefs, and plans.
“You can get excited about the first black man that’s going to be the nominee for the Democrats for president. I mean, that’s a first. You can get all excited about firsts. But, then, you’ve got to come back down to reality,” Hutcherson continued. “You would always think that the first should be someone that everyone is going to believe is capable of doing a great job. You don’t want the first anybody or anything to end up being a bad choice and a bad influence and bad for America.”
Hutcherson says he remembers watching the firsts achieved by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and former University of California Regent Ward Connerly.
“When I look at what the first for the Democrats, [the] African-American that they have chosen, I’m excited about the first,” Hutcherson concluded. “But I have no excitement about believing that that choice is going to be best for America.”"
We have to look at the bigger picture here. Should we determine that a man is qaulified to run an entire nation based on the color of his skinI think not! Let’s look at the content of his character, his experience, his beliefs, his abilities, and political practices in times past and see if he represents our kingdom beliefs. Then, choose ye this day whom you will have serve you?
Respected Christians,
It is shame to hear what a man of God in such caliber and influence said about Obama to endorse him. He should look beyond his blackness and racial affiliation to the issues such as abortion same sex marriage homosexuality which Bible calls clearly as sin ,sickness and servitude. As a man of God if you have no holy indignation against these issues that hound America to its peril and demise; He is looking for popularity and acceptanc
TD Jakes is an evangelist, not that that term is bad in amy way. TD teaches how to follow Jesus Christ, and the need to do just that. Within that teaching, the teachings of Jesus, it teaches us to not condemn any one. We are also taught to not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths. So Just because Reverend Jakes aplauded Obama, and clinton on thier achievements, it does not in amy form take away from his Relationship with the Father, or his ability to lead.
We are taught as Christians to Love people. Hate SIN, but love people. Love GOD first, then Love our neighbors.
I do not endorse obama, clinton or Mccain at this point.
please reply if you feel the need.
thank you
God says my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. What has any president done to stop abortion, gay marriages, etc. Those sins are still very prevalent in our nation today. No president has stopped abortion or gay marriages. They maybe for it or against it. But the law now is that each state Supreme court has the right to decide what goes on in it.
So we as christians need to rally for the state we live in to stop abortion, to prevent gay marriages, etc.
Pray for Obama if elected. He will need it. Our country needs it. Christians need it. Because we are becoming isolated. We must let our voices be heard. Arise children of the living God and pray. For prayer is our power. We can change a nation if we just pray.
May God have mercy upon His church and America.
I am surprised at the prophets today. Many of them endorsd Bursh and you see what happen. And now they endorsed MCClain. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY, that God lead you to make the right choice as a God Fearing Believer.
Yea, because record smashing economic progress was so bad, right? No terrorist attacks since 9/11. I see how you can hate Bush.
Obama will take us one step closer to the liberal dream of Amerika.
Now that Pres. Obama is in office, we as Christians need to pray more than ever. I am African-American, and no one was more excited than I was during election night and innauguration day, beholding w/ my own eyes at age 36 something that I thought I might not witness until I was much older–an African-American President!
While I don’t agree w/ all of President Obama’s moral views, I certainly didn’t agree w/ all of President Bush’s either. For example, so many of us voted for him (Bush) because of his proclaimed Christian values. Then Katrina happened. The same president that claimed to take such a moral high ground against the slaughter of the preborn, sat by and watched little black babies, old people, pregnant mothers and others (mostly of color) suffer for days and die for lack of food and water on bridges, in the dome, and on the streets of New Orleans. And this in plain view of the whole world! Days went by b/f national guard troops were dispatched. It was disgusting and heartbreaking, and an in-my-face revelation that I, a woman of color, apparently didn’t matter as much as I thought I did in America. It also reminded me what ugly sins and stinches in God’s nostrils racism and classism are! Besides prayer and helping the victims, the best thing I could do was express my indignation in the voting booth.
Fellow Christians, we’re living in the end times, no matter who is in office. We’re never going to agree on everything politically, but our God is still in charge. God’s Word says that He is the One who promotes kings (and assumably presidents) to office, so I know there is a reason for Pres. Obama’s election. It was no coincidence that exactly 40 yrs and 7 months after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Barack Obama was elected to our nation’s highest office. The Word is going to be fulfilled regardless, and God uses whomever He chooses to accomplish that. I just hope instead of joining up with the cessationists and other radical groups, God’s people join together in prayer groups to pray for our president and our ailing nation.
Just as God PERMITTED Saul to be king in 1 Sam 8 (because He doesn’t force us to choose Him) He has PERMITTED Obama to be President. At times, God PERMITTED Kings to reign in order to oppress Israel when the went astray and committed things that were considered to be an abomination in the eyes of God.
Once I because a born again believer and the “veil was removed from my eyes” by God my identity was in Christ and infinitely far away from my race, my last name etc etc.
If God is using Obama for anything it appears to be as a vessel to punish this nation for it’s wickedness of promoting abortion and homosexuality and many other things that are an abomination to God. I hope that He hasn’t allowed Obama to be President because He is handing us over the the wickedness that this nation lusts after instead of seeking after and loving Him.
My issues with Bishop Jakes are moreso related to his support of Abortion in general rather than a congratualtory statement about our new President.
President Obama, like Presidents Bush, Clinton, Bush and Reagan are all politicians. They are not the moral voice of the Christian community in any way shape or form. As Christians, we are instructed to follow the example of the Bible, New and Old Testament. So to be angry at T.D. Jakes for applauding the efforts of Clinton and Obama is unreasonable. These men are, again, politicians and have positive and negative beliefs, depending on the side you believe.
If you are going to angry, be angry about is insistant support for abortion. His invitations to secular artisit to what are supposed to be Bible based conferences.
In 200 years, the United States has survived multiple Presidents who have done wrong and lead our country into dark places. President Obama has been in office for 6 months and isn’t solely responsible for everthing that happens in this country. So Christians!!!! Please stop with the gloom and doom! If we are to Pray about all things and worry about nothing, then wasting out time complaining about a person who is a secular figure in our society is a terrible waste of prayer time.
We must pray that T.D. Jakes wakes up and hears the word of the Lord. He is in jeapordy and we need to pray for his immortal soul.