e.b. smith (Wordsmith)

The past few years have witnessed the fallen grace of
“Persons of the Cloth”; Catholic Priests, Evangelical Mainline denominational Pastors, including mega- church Pastors. It’s brought great sadness to those  who have seen their faces on books, CD’s, and
DVD’s and felt spiritually awakened with their on air sermons via radio or cable. The words are inspiring. But what should we think or say when they commit the very sin that they preached against?.... Oops?

Their “oops!” moments have included having relationships with prostitutes, personal secretaries under age adults, and other peoples’ spouses while they were supposedly happily married. All this while others assumed they were celibate or straight. 

Ted Haggard headed a large association of Evangelicals and was an openly vocal critic of the gay lifestyle. Ironically, He was ousted by a meth drug user. The meth-head revealed He and Haggard smoked drugs and had sex. The reverend started a new venture, in a
press conference he states,…”we will welcome everyone including gay, straight, bi, tall and short”.

Hey Rev…seems you have already done this?

It would be interesting to spend time giving a take on their hypocrisy; it too would be equally hypocritical for us to do the same, sense we know all of us have had our own embarrassing or sin-filled moments.  Instead, “Get Provoked   asks, when a Pastor takes this great stumble, whose paying for it?

Let’s be clear, no one is suggesting that Pastors are perfect. “Get Provoked” is only pointing out that their claim to fame came from their ability to sway people that they deserve large salaries to preach the same Gospel others are preaching for a fraction of the amount. Then, some use their influence and riches to perform dastardly or bastardly deeds.

Most Pastors can’t afford to make cash settlement; estimates  have put some small churches salaries for their Pastor at, $40,000-$50,000 not including all the perks like allowances for cars, housing, health care and school. Pastors with this nominal salary who is sued will be left to go to trial will rely on God to get them out of trouble. However, Reports are that mega- church salaries can provide mega income as well. Christianpost.com  reports that mega-church Pastors can bring in $140,000-$500,000 dollars annually. This doesn’t include their speaking fees   gifts they receive during special occasions. The compensation can easily make the Pastors,
million-are within a few years. Unfortunately, this fallen Pastor settles out of court and pays millions to their victims while suppressing the truth at the same time.

Bishop Eddie Long, Pastor of New Missionary Baptist Church reportedly used church resources to go on
trips with young men he was supposed to be mentoring. We will never find out all the facts because Pastor Long settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.

The latest news is Pastor Long is suing Jamal Parris, Spencer LeGrande and Centino Kemp for spilling the beans even though they signed a confidentiality agreement.

What we want to know is Who is recouping the cost from the church resources he used to entertain the young men?

anyway, We don’t have an answer do you?

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