Well hello God bless you Bishop Patrick l wooden senior here and I am so excited today uh I I’m I’m I’m more excited than I normally am because something we’re going to do something today that’s going to that has been three years in the making you know I’m I’m fumbling and
Stumbling over my opening speech what does that tell you I’m as excited as I can be I have one of the greatest men of God that I know of anywhere with me today superintendent James Farrington oh what a tremendous man of God he is and I’m not simply saying this because he’s
A part of North Carolina third ecclesiastical jurisdiction over which I am privileged to be the prep credit but I’m saying this because this man of God is a leading voice I in my opinion he is the leading voice and the foremost authority on what I am going to talk to you about today
And first of all superintendent Farrington thank you for joining me man God bless you I appreciate your coming thank you now what we’re going to talk about because you’re going to hear from this man now listen we’re going to talk about uh this here’s our question whether fraternities and sororities
Should be in the church whether born-again people should pledge or if they pledged before they were born again should they renounce that pledge come out and just serve the Lord Jesus only now interesting little story we we’re going to we’re going to throw it to a superintendent therington the way the
One of the reasons this means so much to me is I was privileged to be a part of HBCU uh Fayetteville State University yes sir and uh uh I I attended there I didn’t graduate but I tell you I had a ball while I was there and among the
Things that happened to me there is I got recruited I’m sure and someone came to me and they talked to me about joining a fraternity and I told them that I was a part of an organization already and they said oh well what what is the name of your organization
And uh superintendent therington I kid you not I said the Church of God in Christ yes sir and they looked at me and I looked at them I said I’m born again and I’m a member of the Church of God in Christ I am a preacher and that’s all that I need
And respectfully no one tried to recruit me anymore after that I’ll tell you of a little incident that took took place while I was at Fayetteville State I was totally ignorant of Greek life altogether Greek life Greek colors fraternities sororities I knew nothing about that as close as I had come to
Anything like that was in our little town Rockingham North Carolina yes I lived in the Philadelphia section we did have a debutante ball but nothing was explained to me about even what that was all about right so I’m on the campus and there are some beautifully colored rocks
Stones right and I’m walking across campus one day I don’t know anything about anything right and so I sat on one of the stones and um a brother I’ll never forget walked up to me and said to me hey man uh are you a part of and he named the organization
I can’t remember what it what it said at the time and I told him uh no I don’t know what that is and he said to me he said well you can’t sit here said that would be an offense to anyone who is in the organization right and you
Know what I thanked him and I said brother I appreciate you telling me I won’t make that mistake again and it never happened again uh because my my goal was not to defy anybody if if these were the rules these are the rules so that never happened again now uh you can
Imagine after I said that uh I’m in an organization I’m in the Church of God in Christ yes that’s enough for me you can imagine how people like me and how I felt began to feel when I noticed that many of our national uh Gatherings now yes conventions have
Basically become recruiting centers yes for these very organizations yes you go to almost a fraternity in a sorority organization and a aim service breakout you know rather than going to a church service and as a pastor and as a bishop as a leader uh I didn’t want to send my
Young people right to what I believe is is the National Church right National Church affair right National Church affair National Church right Church sure the Church of God of Christ National Church right and uh you you assume that any National Church Gathering is about church correct um but in many cases it became
About uh them walking right into the lion’s den right and being recruited right and certain pictures and things placed online right where you would see Bishops right missionaries supervisors people of authority flashing their whatever right and smiling for a picture and this this picture’s not taken right in the sorority houses the fraternity
Have frat houses what do you call them that’s right these are taken at a national meeting right correct and I I just don’t think as a member of the church right a church as a leader whose dues are current I’m a supporter supporter I pay I love
This church I’m proud of the church right um I think it’s the greatest Church in the world right um and I said that because of its doctrine that these things belong in the church so um that’s how I came about sir yes sir this
Um uh I was talking to a dear friend of mine who was in it and I’m getting ready to toss it to you yes sir and he told me that uh and by the way we’re going to call no names anything like that of individuals correct but he told me that
Uh the reason he uh pushed the the fraternity in the sorority soul is the good things that they did and the good and how they helped them go to college and good things right and I don’t doubt that I I know nor do I discount that right but I asked him a question
I said do you think Judaism did good things and uh Judaism yes uh the religion that gave us Moses right The Ten Commandments right the Old Testament yes um the religion that is the foundation for biblical Christianity the religion that gave us the law and the prophets do you think that it did
Good things and and of course the answer is yes correct but when Paul met Jesus Paul had to come out of that and Paul said those things which were gained to me verse 7 of Philippians chapter 3 he says but what things were gained to me those are counted lost
For Christ yay doubtless and I count all things but laws for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I might gain Christ yes he viewed the knowledge of Christ as being a superior
Knowledge to Judaism or any other ISM that he was in and that’s one of the reasons why he was he was no longer welcome into in in the Sanhedrin am I right that’s right so now here we are in the church world and we’re seeing these
Things and you go to the meetings and you see people and the things are taking place and you see born-again people right who were doing what Psalms 24 in my opinion says we shouldn’t do yes Psalm 24 talks about uh who’s going to dwell in the Holy Hill and who’s going
To dwell in God’s Tabernacle right and among the things it says is you got to have clean hands and a pure heart and have not lifted up your soul to vanity am I right you’re right well lift your soul to vanity actually means to make a pledge vanity is to the false god
Correct this is Psalm 24 and verse 4. yes sir the god vanity Idol idol lifting up your soul is a pledge to an idol and I believe that when we when we get when we become born again the only person we enter into a covenant with
Is the Lord now sir you I have here in my hand yes sir a book that I am just so proud of and uh uh and you’ll let us know how people can get their hands or other copies yes sir my copy was given to me
And it’s autographed from you sir uh to Pastor wooden keep the faith and stay strong in him in him yes sir 11 20 1996. yes sir now who would have thought who would have thought all these years later man yes sir I would get the privilege to
Sit with the author of this book that has greatly influenced my entire life in Ministry wow and for us to get the chance to do this podcast together so brother I want the people to hear from you and and uh and and I want you
You know look I may not even know the right questions to ask yes sir yes sir so uh I’m tossing it my friends to superintendent James Farrington and he is going to help us in this conversation both Africans yes sir thank you for having me in your
Podcast today it’s just on to always be in your presence and I thank God for you being who I consider someone who not only the body of Christ needs to hear but our World At Large I thank you for the platform that you have created for us to dialogue today and more
Importantly I believe the truth that comes from God’s word that you talk about often you all I quote you then I’m going to get into our discussion today it will always be a market for the truth yes sir for God’s truth for God’s truth and when you think about that alone
Regardless of your brand the size of your church where you live the truth yes sir is always what people are really looking for and so thank you for having me uh here today as an honor to be with you who would have known 26 years ago now
When I signed that book I think you were ministering in Norfolk Virginia at the time and I had a couple of copies gave you that copy and you’ve been a person that’s been supporting out front and behind the scene so I thank you for being here amen it’s an honor and what
What a joy to be here today uh when you were talking Bishop I like you had the privilege of going to historical black college and university North Carolina a t in Greensboro had a wonderful experience had some wonderful people who I’m still friends with today wonderful wonderful professors I’ll talk about one
A little later wonderful school and I thank God for my experience I guess for me when I looked at I arrived on antiques campus in the fall of 1982. uh two things they ask when you enter historical back College then for me one what what is your major and number two
When are you going to pledge not if you’re going to pledge when are you going to play they kind of left it open which fraternity you probably made but they said when are you gonna pledge and so those two things were on my mind my freshman year
So I was going through class learning how to experience similar to yours I walked on what we call the yard at that time where the Greeks had their Stones their rocks their colors on the sidewalks and I made a similar mistake uh that that I kind of walked and kind
Of stood where the colors were the general it wasn’t hard he kind of he kind of gave me a look that looked like and I looked down I said I probably need to be here and then later as a freshman you learn the rules of the yard it’s the
Rules of the University there’s the rules of the yard and you learn very quickly in most campuses who runs the yard and during my time especially my freshman and Senior year the fraternities and sororities had the greatest influence on our campus okay by and large uh and that was understandable
Because it was so many of them in many cases in some cases not a lot but the influence uh permeated throughout the whole campus moving forward Bishop that got us to the book why should Christians pray or should Christians pledge for terms and sororities going into my uh I
Guess the fall of 1984. I decided to run for Student Government president or slash student body president okay election was coming up in March of the next year of 1985. I wasn’t very known on campus uh just wasn’t known but I decided to run at that time I’d been
Saved me about two two and a half years and had a burning desire to share the gospel with people so I ran the Lord blessed us to win and the night when they announced the results from the election you won the race I won the race won the election explain to the audience
Okay yes sir I ran against the gentleman who uh was in the band very well known uh running against somebody that was involved in student government and so I gave the speech the night before and I just basically told the campus in a very I feel a very historical way what God
Wanted to do on our campus I felt at that time I had nothing to lose and I just shared with them how I believe God wants to do someone on campus father young the parties far beyond hanging out far beyond just having a a time I want
To be remembered leaving a mark on my campus wonderful and so we won uh we won by enough votes that my two people that ran against me their votes combined would not have equaled what I’ve got in the votes wow and then the night of the election myself and with a different to
My wife and I to this day uh Deborah uh Jenkins at the time another Deborah Jenkins Blackwell one of the district missionaries in NC third she she was Miss a t so you had a Christian president Blackwell we just left the church just black yeah yeah she was with antique wow
Uh saying it then loved the Lord so you had the student body president and Miss ant both saved loved the Lord on fire for God when they when they announced the um the results in the Student Union Auntie’s campus I was there uh Deborah Jenkins was there the president of the
School at the time Dr Edward B Ford he was there uh dear friends sister Nancy Wilson’s with the Lord now husband they were there and we joined ahead and we just prayed praise God we the president of the school joined hands with us and we prayed and we simply prayed the
Prayer that most of us should pray Lord have thine own way and uh from that day forward we start seeing the impact of young people getting saved people getting born again uh professors on the college campus we were known for our bull horns because we had a sense of
Holy Ghost boldness not not because we’re involved in any organization but the body of Christ wow and so from there we start seeing a trend now that the Christians were taking their rightful place we’re called not to be in the dark or in the background we call it be light
And salt amen so I just use the platform if you will to challenge people I’m sold out for God right and how can you be sold out for God and sold out for another organization at the same time and that was just my conviction I have not really
At that time had not been any deaf study just knew that I’m in the greatest organization called the body of Christ I have the greatest color on my side the blood of Jesus Christ that will never lose this power and so I started preaching and I’ll talk about that later
On campus and got invited different places and I don’t know if they were taken off guard I don’t know if they didn’t know what to do with me at the time because one of the things I did as student body president whether it’s at the game whether it’s when we had the
Disaster with the Challenger with Ron McNair in 86 or any platform I had I would always start off by saying first giving on to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now I don’t know that was my comfort zone I don’t know if that was my help and it was but that’s what started
Amen and so I started seeing a friend that Christians were starting to be divided whether or not they were going to be sold off of God and try to pledge of being a fraternity or sorority at the same time I see okay so for me I’m an
All-in type of guy right right only right if I’m in the church I’m all in when I was a sinner guess what I sinned I’m all in if you know before I got if we’re going to the club we’re going to talk about the Sunday School lesson
That’s right we’re going to have party we’re going to have fun so when I committed my life to Jesus Christ it’s no looking back right and whatever he called me to do I’m willing to do it amen and I willing to pay the price and so 1985 going 1986 I started even doing
More talking about fraternity on the campus now remind you at that time I got some pushback I got some resistance from within and from without from within the church and the church and without going without right right because they many Christians then were saying you know
James is a good organizations they do a lot of good things I said I said and I agree I’m not debating the good things you do I’m not debating the scholarship the program that’s good the Canaanite gods did a good thing the good good thing what I’m suggesting to you now
Based on your commitment how can you pledge loyalty to two Gods I’m talking about the true and living God and how can you commit to an organization who is birthed many times in rituals and that’s what makes fraternity and sororities different from let’s say your homeowners association right you remember
Homeowners association you pay your dues where and that organization only thing you’re paying for make sure your grass is cut right make sure somebody dies you can sell them a card somebody has a baby you know that that’s different there’s no rituals involved in that that’s right
You know but when you put rituals right ceremonies right right settings where you say you’re going to go into a deeper level of commitment I see then I believe that the Bible has a problem I believe that God has a problem yes sir and I think for many Christians
That pledge maybe before they got saved didn’t really take a good look for many of them what they were getting into I see I discovered over the years Bishop now this is not something I just picked up yesterday and started talking about right your book is dated I think 1996.
So that’s 26 years ago the first publication of this book came out 32 years ago wow so I’ve been researching studying preaching discussing uh with people should Christians pledge Christians that’s the so if if you’re not saved and you said well you said well brother and you yes they left field
I’m gonna turn y’all I understand yeah but for Christians Christians Born Again Born Again stay with us now I’m going somewhere so if a Christian that’s modeling is how do you justify from a Biblical standpoint right of being involved right once the light is shining let’s say you didn’t know you
Were so excited about the colors you’re so excited about crossing over you got some Greek letters you got a t-shirt you got a jacket you’re known on campus you flashed inside let’s say you just didn’t know as a Christian but today I believe enough will be said that you you’ve got
To make a decision right you almost got to do what Joshua said in this final address before he was lived to be 110 years old and it says choose you this day whom you gonna serve and I think that’s what this message about Sir Christians pledge is really about
Choosing choosing okay and making a choice that now you know right we’re going to give Christians today Bishop just for Grace periods they didn’t know right but after this session not because of me but because I believe what God would share through his word and through
The book you got to make a decision amen how comfortable can you as a born-again spirit feel Bible reading Christian be comfortable what’s in your book here’s three things I found out why people pledge all right in my conversation all right number one now I’m going back to my experience because
My culture I came from it historically black local church predominantly black community and went to historically black College University now we all have over well over I want to say 95 plus historical black colleges and universities and we understand how many of those universities got started because many of our forefathers couldn’t
Get involved in other universities so they started historical black College University we thank God for our origin amen gave us a chance amen and so three reasons I found why people talk about Christians while they say they pledge number one for identity I I’m looking for something other than my identity in
Christ wow or slash status wow because because if I’m a couple or a q or alpha or a sigma man have status see all I have to do is wear certain colors all I have to do is say flash certain signs I put something on my bumper stick of my
Car to let people know that I’m a member of a Greek letter organization I see so so many people that I’ve talked to join because of status okay other reason people have joined that I’ve talked to is simply because it was in their bloodline you know okay bloodline that did it Dad
Granddad or somebody played something maybe my mama so I need to be a part of a great organization you can choose which one you see a lot of that you see a lot of that you got to keep it in the family okay and then one of the other
Interesting reasons they say which goes against what I tell people the Bible is that I do it for networking reasons okay connections okay and we understand the importance of networking and getting to know people and that but but see we are Christian we are Christians God takes
Down one and puts up another that’s what the Bible says now I I I I’m like you I’m a Bible man I tell people I’m a soul preacher not because I’m black I’m concerned about people’s Soul amen so whatever God has for Bishop wooden whatever he has for brother Farrington
God would do it in his own timing right if I stay true to him so I don’t have to worry about knocking this person down or stepping on this brother or stabbing somebody about whatever God has for the Christian amen the Bible talks about in
Due time in due time God will give it to us amen so those are the three reasons I’ve discovered in a short version why people pledge so so I start asking my questions okay I saw saying James okay identity of status Blue Bloods bishop or family or connections but when I look at
All of those number one when I get when I receive Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior My identity now is in him right because Christ says in Matthew’s gospel chapter 16 he that will save his life shall lose it that’s right but he who will lose his life for my sake shall
Find it that’s right you lose your identity for Christ’s identity right Psalm 75 and uh verse 6 says promotion come neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South but God is the judge he puteth up down one and set it up another right God does that God does
That and so even in the church we understand how our can positions the title God knows how to promote us within the church within the body of Christ and even in our culture if we have work outside the four walls God knows how to promote us and so I tell people let’s
Take a deeper dive now okay let’s not let’s not listen to Just a narrative okay let’s look at what you say prior to me writing the book it was at least released in June of 1990. it was just really my opinion okay had had on I have was a strong conviction hey some
About this is not right for the Christian right kept studying in researching and got information received information that said to me through the mail in person brother Farrington if you own to something I want to help you stay on what you’re on and so I asked people anytime that
Someone sent you that in the mail send me in the mail right all right gave it to me okay I didn’t break in no nobody’s building it was given to me all right and so I started reading what fraternities and sororities said in their own books all right
All right this changed the discourse because it’s no longer me just saying uh I Believe come out from among them being accepted okay brother Paul was talking to the church at Corinth that doesn’t relate to us okay yeah dismiss the Bible go just go take the Bible I said okay no
Problem so know what it made me do it made me become a researcher okay so I’m not not just a studier but a researcher and so one of just what I want to point to about three things Bishop the highlights I believe takes us from the Crux of the matter from conversation to
Asking you what are you going to do with the information you have today okay okay anytime whether you know it or not as a Christian anytime you have a ritual or rituals involved something of someone is being lifted up yes someone has been exalted has to be has to be if it’s a
Ritual it’s a ritual right right like in the Christian church right I think he had upper room you have communion on first Sunday yes sir we have communion on Fourth Sunday well I our ritual is who are we talking about when we take the blood and the bread we’re talking
About Jesus Christ his body that was bruised and broken according to Isaiah and then we drink up his blood amen because we believe that the blood of Christ not only has power but can cleanse men of any degree of their sin amen and guess what Bishop to him said
The blood will never lose his power so when we go through that ritual we are exalting somebody and if someone is Jesus we don’t highlight we don’t call it he’s not a pronoun he’s not an ID right A Hymn or another God we call his
Name right Jesus as often as we do this glory to God we show remembrance of him of him yes he comes right till he comes and him we’re talking about is Jesus it’s Jesus Christ be clear that’s who we’re talking about we’re not talking about uh Buddha Maha and the other false
God we’re talking about him Jesus the Christ Hallelujah the Risen Savior soon to come yes but he’s risen and so one of the ritual books this comes from their book not not my book not that I made up stuff that lets you know the rituals involved and it comes down talking about
Particular sorority now I mentioned that later it talks about this Sorrows from the national president’s message so it comes down to next to last paragraph and it says recognizing that the sorority is a ritualistic organization all right it is my hope according to the president that all our local Regional and National
Ceremonies will be well planned beautiful and expiring okay but the first part is the key recognizing that the surrounding is a ritualistic organization yes this is according to them according to them not me so when you have a ritual whether you know it or not as a Christian you’re putting God to
The side telling Jesus he’s no longer worthy you’re right to be Lord and Savior not your savior but Lord I’m going to slide somebody else alongside Jesus right not going to happen no it can’t happen and not have Jesus because he’s Jesus won’t participate he’s not going to
Participate in when you tell me uh I’m saved I’m a Christian I believe whatever terminology you’re accustomed to but but I can have this at the same time but I believe the scripture speaks clear in Matthew 16 24. when Jesus said If any man comes after me then the first deny
Himself yep take up his car take up his cross and follow me not follow and and before it stops with a period right me period amen not a comment very good very good so I’ve got to surrender to Christ at a level as a Christian then he knows
That he’s not only my savior but he’s my Lord hallelujah and when he’s Lord he’s Lord of every area of my life so as I move to the rituals of what they say Bishop we have to ask ourselves two important questions as Christians number one if you’re in a sorority or
Fraternity today as you listen to this podcast we know that the Brotherhood and the Christian Jesus died for our sin right who doubt in your organization who who died because you can’t have a parallel relationship in the organization and a parallel relationship with Jesus Christ somebody is going to
Outweigh the other yes and okay so you can’t serve two masks you can’t serve two masks right Matthew and then the greater question to the Brotherhood of Sisterhood which relationship is deeper my relationship to Bishop wooden as my jurisdictional Bishop right as my brother in Christ by the blood of Jesus
Christ or is my relationship if I was in a fraternity it’s Marilyn said deeper to my fraternity brother or my sororities which relationship is deeper which relationship is greater they can’t be equal they can’t they can’t be no you may say well I I don’t think I have to
Choose well we’re going to come to that in a moment but think about that for a moment in a fraternity or sorority which relationship is graded your relationship to your sorority sister or your fraternity brother because most times when you begin to look at the ritual book you
Begin to see what they say LED against the Bible and said something else has to happen but here’s a little secret Bishop I’m putting out there today that we that attended historical back cause the universe specifically now the universe is well nobody talks about the how people are degraded in terms of hazing
The Hazen’s gonna lead me to the ritual okay and most of us know on historically black college campuses hazing still happens today oh yeah on some format in my day and I end with that story it was you getting paddled you again beat you were getting all kinds of degraded
People die from it people die from it and those and those are the reports that get reported right they don’t even mention the word on the yard when you see people you you know that certain things happen to them and Hazen just came with the territory right so my
Thing was before you can Haze me then you want to take me through these rituals and hazing in any form is in the book it’s hazing whether it’s mental physical or emotional for example if I was trying to join an a fraternity and you want me to be your brother eight
Nine weeks down the road but you’re hazing me for nine weeks how does how does that then strengthen our relation as a Brotherhood I’ve gotta in many cases which I know I’ve got to wash your car I gotta pick your clothes up for the cleaner I’ve got to do all these mineral
Jobs to break watch it to break me down right so you can build me up as this fraternity man in other words you’re gonna cause me to empty out this being done to a born-again brother right remember now I’m talking to the Saints right the born-again brother needs to be
Broken down broken down so it could be so he can be built up to be a brother or to serve another guy right right that’s why I would address say Brother Big Brother chair okay but you know is it get give me the history of Alpha Phi Alpha and I’m supposed to know
That what’s the history got started first fraternity blah blah blah I need to know this stuff you know the history the founders blah blah blah you know uh Big Brother songs or nobody didn’t get me five plates of food you know and all this in many cases no but in many cases
Is done in the public view so I’m being degraded right I’m being put down but yet at the same time if I go through that I’m still honorable enough as a Christian to stay in that organization knowing what they’ve done publicly and only God knows what you did behind the
Scenes right that’s a whole nother story The the most Christians don’t even tell the day because that Spirit of secrecy yeah yeah keeps people Bishop from even after they get saved I’m coming 100 clean right because it was just ingrained in you though I’m gonna break you down but
You wouldn’t but you’re gonna come up X-Man when you come up you’re going to be talking not Jesus Jesus Jesus you’re going to be speaking I’m an alpha I’m a q I’m a Kappa I’m a sigma I’m Groove I grew you’re going to be in many senses
Born Again Lord God and when Jesus simply says the one who died on the cross for us right come unto me come unto me give me your heart give me your heart give me your life and I’ll I’ll save you I’ll change you I’ll move on
The inside of it right and see that’s what Christians have become what I call not ready for this day read the article it’s been about four or five years ago I was in a Christian magazine and it said this is not cool Bishop it says 70 of Christians in America
Have not read the Bible from cover to cover one time in their Christian walk Lord God well they’ve been saying one year 10 years 50 years 7 out of 10 Christians have not read the Bible from cover to cover at least once just one time one
Time in the Christian walk which says to me 7 out of ten Christians may be biblically illiterate right they come to church they come to Bible study they come to pastoral teaching but really knowing what the scriptures say right what Paul said Timothy second study to
Show yourself no I’m going to wait for my pastor to preach on Thursday night study study I mean wait the pastor preach on Sunday morning right uh no no I’m gonna wait for the Women’s Conference to come that’s what I’m gonna open my bible but the Bible says study
Right that that that word is the action where you take initiative to know the word of God Jesus said search the scriptures search them yeah for and then we find what Bishop eternal life and so when I started looking at that I said okay now James if
You’re going to get in the public forum your opinion is good if you’re going to really get to the Crux of the matter as you get this material now you’ve got to lay what they say against the word let’s see what it is let’s see what it says all right for
Example I I I give you the the this kind of takes me where I where I want to go with one one particular um uh sorority right it deals with Bishop where we look at right here and then this is what I want to deal with about one organization and it’s dealing with
The uh uh this particular organization is the one that really deals with um how can I put it using the word of God to be religious enough to poor religious people in many times that’ll save but may not have the depth of where they need to be I see you see
What I’m saying and so here chapter 7 in the book from the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity prayer okay and here’s my question this is their prayer oh Lord May the true Spirit of fraternity not Jesus Christ not the Bible the Holy Spirit not the Holy Spirit May the true Spirit of fraternity
Rule our hearts guide our thoughts watch this bishop control Our Lives so that we may become through the servants of all going down because I play it and I have seen the light does refer who the light is or who the light was my chapters meetings my activities are attend
Regularly I keep my vows I am loyal I am Alpha so talk about my chapter meanings my activities been initiated so the question didn’t become we use this just as important but now Jesus said that he’s affle he’s awful and don’t make that’s right beginning and then the
Pledge says IMF that’s what it says I’ll read the last part again X versus it is taken from that book it’s not it’s taken from their book yes sir and it says I’ll read again great Point Bishop because I was pledged initiated I have seen the
Light so if I pause right there and ask the Alpha Man or any fraternity what’s the light well what light did you say what like did you see if you’re born again when you pledge right haven’t you already seen the life seen the light okay my chapter meetings my activities
Are attended regularly I keep my vows I am loyal and it ends by saying I am Alpha like oh I I you know I am Alpha I am this because I’ve seen the lights so when I say a prayer of true Spirit of Eternity what is that as a Christian or
Say true Spirit of sorority right what is the true Spirit what is the true Spirit right because this is true Jesus said in John 8 32 and you shall know the truth and the truth truth shall make you free John 17-17 sanctify them through thy truth that’s right Thy word is true
Truth yes the Bible the Bible so is is this truth or is the Bible that’s all I’m saying which one is true my uh like I said both of them can’t be that’s why I started a conversation by saying what Joshua said in his final address choose you this day whom you
Gonna serve yes sir because it brings us to a critical point in the body of Christ and the old people used to tell us you can’t have your cake you need it too all right let’s continue on okay let me give you another just for uh
Adjustment let me go to a sorority this time okay okay we know that it’s okay yeah so so I’ll be fair don’t don’t talk about the men let me just talk about Ladies as well just just real simple and it says this in the Delta Sigma Theta that meditation that they call the
Greatest of these okay they call it the greatest deal okay and as you know they said it should be a paraphrase what paraphrase means to restate information to bring clearness or Clarity Clarity so you restate it it makes your people understand the Deltas meditation is not
A paraphrase like the right of claims it actually adds to and takes away from the original meaning by inserting suggesting that Delta Sigma Theta and its importance now we know we turn to the Bible they’re saying it’s not a paraphrase right okay so Bishop here we
Go so if I turn it in my Bible and and I I’m I’m with the I’m with the King James version okay so so we can be just clear First Corinthians 13. okay all right all right hey get your Bible First Corinthians 13. so so y’all all won’t
Think that ladies out there Deltas get the Bible then I’m not uh just making stuff up okay and now now that line you just read saying it is not a paraphrase is that what he said right it’s not in other words I’m saying to them you’re not paraphrasing First Corinthians 13.
You’re not you’re not putting it like in the Amplified version or different versions to clarify maybe this may be your scripture you’re inserting the word Delta right in the word okay okay let’s look at First Corinthians chapter 13 and let’s go to one that really talks about
Uh with the insert really is uh let’s look at um verse one let’s start there here’s the Bible uh let me read from the word and though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity which known to be loved I become as a sounding
Brass or a tinkling symbol okay well this is what they say in that verse one if there’s such thing as a verse one for them and though I speak with the tongues of learn and profound and have no love I’m a noisy gong and a clinging symbol
That’s not that that’s not that’s not bad but let’s go down to verse two uh and though let me read it from the Bible and though I have the gift of Prophecy and understand all Mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I can remove mountains and have not
Charity law I have nothing nothing so they say and though I prophesy and know all the Delta laws rituals traditions secrets that that’s not a paraphrase no a paraphrase would be like a different version but it may bring it out in more language that’s altering description that’s alternate scripture and so we as
We as Christians are not called to offer that so I go down and this is one of the meditation I think in verse four and I’m gonna say what they say just for the sake of time uh and it says though I spent all my time working on worthy
Projects and they’ll give all I possess and pay all my assessment strive with all my might for Delta and have no love I make it to be nothing here we go a true sorrow it’s very patient not a true Christian but a true sorrow is very patient very
Kind her love not her love because she’s the Christian but her love because she’s the Delta for Sorrows knows no jealousy she knows no parade puts on no heirs never rude never defensive never selfish never irritated never resentful a true Delta not a true Christian but a
True Delta but we say rejoice if not in iniquity but George is not in truth buried believe it all things a true Delta not a true Christian is never glad when others go wrong she true Delta gladdened by goodness always show uh never carry of Gossip always
Eager to believe the best always so forth and so on but it highlights Delta over the scriptures yeah uh it puts Delta in the place of God right now watch this Mission Sir with deltas and I’m this is taken from that the Delta prep at a memorial service when a
Delta dies and we know what Christians do when we die right make us to know the riches of thy love help us to live is ideal Deltas should not as Christians live but ideal Delta should then this is the kicker then when I task on Earth is
Done we know it’s always going to come to the end oh Lord is ended grant us a home above now I don’t care you can’t get into heaven because you’re a good Delta you can’t get in because you’re a good AKA you can’t get in because you’re
A good member of church you can’t get in because you’re a good member of the Church of God right you’ve got to meet the requirements you got to be born again ye must be born again and then then it begins to talk about here’s the thing too the chaplain who presides over
I dear departed Sorrows of entered into the Haven of Rest Lord God no what are you referring to what is that all I’m saying uh let me pause it for me let me pause that what is the Eternal rest now we’ve talked about Alpha Phi Alpha the fraternity we talked about Delta Sigma
Theta so male and female getting a little balance here’s the here’s the crust of the matter all more these ritual books have similar things just different names right so what I’ve talked about Alpha and just Delta you know you still got eight considered the original uh fraternity and sorority the black four
Male four female okay Greek letter organization when you begin to read all of their rituals much of their history you’ll find out that it’s about rituals and being good and not being Godly and the way it and the way it disturbs some people because they go back to the comment that
I let them have by themselves we do a lot of good work well okay I’m not talking about the good work I’m talking about you are a Christian you say you’re born again how can Bishop wooden myself and others that are watch us now open up the Bible from Genesis to Revelation not
Be ashamed of what happened in this book but I’m your brother right you’re my sister in Christ if you’re in it but then you you don’t have the courage to share your ritual book with me but I I give you my Bible and what is so secret but I’m your
Brother I’m your brother I’m giving you my body I’m giving you my body you will not let me see that you won’t let me see your ritual book some are probably offended that you read from it today they probably offended and wanted to know and I go back to what I said
Earlier and I said slower it was given to me Hallelujah people that came out people came out wanted to help other people come out and so they said brother Theron at the time you can have this right and so that’s when I took what they said and even if they
Have revised it to a degree in the 2022 version one thing Still Remains the Same whether it was edited 5 10 15 years or just all fresh off the press today something or someone is being worshiped and Jesus is not being exalted wow and that’s the
Reason why my passion has been for 32 plus years to tell this story I I I it speaks in my mind it’ll speak for itself you may read the book and say man forget it but one thing you can’t deny in most people whether you’re in sorority of
Return today most thing that most fraternities won’t say here’s my book let’s sit down take out our Bibles and see where I air right right they won’t do that they won’t do that and even in the discussions that I’ve had with uh people and no one has ever
Elevated the scripture to justify what they’re doing right and they have never uh went to their book and showed that to me yes I said show me page 13 for example in your book where you say yeah we are a Christian organization okay that’s what you say you say you’re a
Christian to me Christian means Christ’s life he’s our example not your organization you can’t do it you know why because it’s not rooted and it’s not there you can you can’t put it there so I tell people that are inference returns into Roy’s today look at what your book
Really says and at the end of your ritual book whether you knew it then I know it now and you still okay with being in a fraternity flashing your colors doing all the things that you do then I feel comfortable enough to say the blood is off my hand yeah I so and
That’s why I bring people too and when you bring them to that point Bishop I believe it’s either one two things they’re either gonna respond or Rebel right and so what I’m doing now Bishop and I’m almost done and the new this you you have what I call one of The
Originals okay this this is the the copy that Bishop has just a different color this book here is what I call the one that start the conversation on many college campuses uh got us ran out of one historical black college campus to the degree they had to take us out a side door
Lord God I won’t call the young lady’s name but she was Miss so and so of that campus at the time she came out sorority she told us this is why she was coming out and Bishop it was a room filled with college students about five of us
Preaching about come out from among them and be separate touched out the unclean thing why why are you as a Christian uh being branded why are you getting brands on your body when the Bible tells the Bible our bodies are a temple of the Holy Ghost of the Holy Spirit I tell
People the difference between branding and lotion your brand signify you connected to when I put lotion on I’m just moisturizing I’m preserving my skin I’m not doing things to alter my skin so there are people who try to equate lathering up with lotion to branding your skin yeah you know why because they
Said well I put lotion on okay I agree because they’re trying to justify why I have these marks on my arm have these marks on the chest and what most people don’t know and I’m being kind when I make this statement the brother’s not the only one to get branded um
And see see the reason why I can say this is because I have no I have no ax to grind I’m not mad because I didn’t get in one I’m not upset because I I got in there I couldn’t I couldn’t finish right to me I’m in the greatest
Organization and so I tell people when you go through all of that and then let’s say you is bigger in your mind you’re going to do it how in the world is a Christian you get to the end you’re going to cross over the Burning Sands
You’re going to cross over in the last week of your initiation is going to be called hell week now how can a Christian go through all of that volunteer right hell week and say I’m going I mean that alone for a Christian now yes for a Christian so again we’re talking to
Believing save Sanctified Spirit-filled consecrated Bishops right supervisors Elders you know us those of us who are supposed to represent the hierarchy of the church that’s right spiritual leaders of the church that’s right you know yeah um I’m just looking here at uh Leviticus chapter number 19 and verse 28 you shall
Make you shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead nor print any marks on you then God gives a reason he says for I am the Lord I’m the Lord other words I made you I made you I own you and you’re not to do this because I
Say so right right and I don’t I haven’t read where he took that back he take it back no he was just like uh people that have farms and animals you know they put their mark on them to show ownership right you know the Bible talks about as Christians uh
In the book of second Timothy we have a mark on our life Hallelujah and let me just read that real quick I think it’s second Timothy 2 19 because it’s a mark on my life here we go second Timothy 2 19. and what I love about this scripture
Bishop in First Timothy second Timothy entitles Paul really talks to his sons in the ministry Timothy and Titus and he talks about how Doctrine is always right yes when you go when you want to get to the Crux of a matter go to the doctor uh Second Timothy chapter 2 verse 19.
Nevertheless the foundation of God’s standing sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his and that everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity I have a Mark it’s called Christianity I’m a Christian by choice glory to God I chose to be a Christian Hallelujah and
So since I chose to be a Christian and the Bible Bible is always right God knows what’s best for me he gave us an example of Jesus Christ and so I don’t have to the last three things I say I don’t have to become a alpha or a Kappa
Or Q or a sigma or Groove I grew to win them right Amen brother I’ll have to become one to win them because you’re not going to win them I’m not going to win them like that not not by joining and submitting myself unto them no you know Jesus did say they
Did a sick need a physician but Jesus never lowered his standard no to reach those that need to be reached and he never allowed himself to get sick to heal anybody did right right so so that argument is like okay but I don’t have to become you to win you how I’m going
To win you what Jesus said in Matthew 5. so let your light shine before me they will see your good work and glorify your father in Heaven so all all we as Christians have to do is do what we did in on campus that time is that I like
Shy amen preach the gospel Amen Let the chips fall where they make and what happens at the end day we love people we feed people with clothing they still don’t want our gospel well Paul gave us the answer Paul said God forbid just because God God is still true and let
Every man be alive and be alive and Jesus said and this is the condemnation right that light has come into the world right and man choose Darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil so if you even after hearing this and we could have had we desired gone through
Multiple books that’s right picked out multiple uh passages because all you have to do is just close your eyes just thumb through it right um and and show you why as a born-again Believer as a Believer you shouldn’t be in this and even if you have a Greek
Sunday at your church or whatever you want to do your church you know have at it but if you if you when the truth comes if you reject it Jesus says that’s the condemnation it’s the condemnation and we we will have gone as far as we
Can go right but I think that um uh um it’s clear when you read the pledges that are made that you are pledging to a entity right and that entity is not the god of the Bible right in no translation is his name Delta right right and no
Translation of scripture is his name AKA or um you know you can name him right now Alpha now Jesus did say I am Alpha and Omega right and he never called us Alpha and Omega so if a man takes a pledge and he claims to be Alpha and Omega then is he not
Dethroning God and enthroning man absolutely he’s putting himself in the place of Christ right and sir you are not Alpha right you can read that all day long but you will never be Alpha Jesus is our Alpha and our Omega and that’s what people have to realize that we talk about black
Lives matter white life matter but guess what words matter words matter when we say things isn’t it interesting at the end when you perform many wedding Bishops you have the person now present to you yes Mr and Mrs John Jones you’re pronouncing Amen to the congregation and that legitimate
Legitimizes it that’s right the Bible and we’re going off how much time do we have Brother Gary the Bible tells us that uh God among all the things that he chose to reveal himself through and answers John 1 and 1 says in the beginning was the of all things right of all things
Word we’re right right word now he chose of all things to reveal himself in as right his words right which shows the consistency between the New Testament and the Old Testament that’s right because what did he give Moses he gave him words words to write down on tablets
Of stone that’s right what did he what did he do with Adam he spoke to him through words words all of the Trees of God and you may freely eat but this tree don’t eat of it now our God is a god of covenants right covenants matter to God
That’s right and we’re told in the Bible be not rash right with your mouth that’s right Covenant matter am I right you’re right Bishop Solomon tells us that that’s right so we’re we’re talking to believers who have lifted up their souls to other entities that’s right that’s right
Absolutely and we’re here to say to you you need to seek the Lord again and as I heard a good preacher friend of mine say the other day he said I’m not going to ask you have you prayed about it right he said I’m going to ask you what did
God tell you well God tell you see and and and and and and and I would hold that you shouldn’t trust any voice any answer on this if it’s not accompanied by scripture right that’s right Jesus is clear when he says that we’re to take up our calls and follow him
The Christian religion is littered down through the years with the blood of Martyrs that’s right people who gave up everything to serve the Lord I was at a meeting the other day in Leesburg Virginia and I was listening to a preacher as he shared the
Story of a man of God in a Buddhist Nation a Hindu nation and they had his family and they told him to denounce Christ because in that Nation promoting Christ is against the law right you uh capital punishment right it’s what is exalted right and while standing there right he began
To saying I have decided to follow Jesus and they killed his daughter in front of him right they brought his wife out and said denounce Christ right and he began to sing again I have decided to follow Jesus yeah right right and they killed her right
Then they stuck the gun to his head and said denounce Christ he began to sing even louder I have decided right to follow Jesus no turning back no turning back and they executed him and he his wife and his daughter went on in the arms of Jesus that’s right
My brothers and sisters who are watching this is nothing to give up by comparison to come out of an organization who’s according to your own book The God of that organization is not the Lord he is not the god of the Bible and if he is educate us and we’ll do another
Gathering right we’ll come together we’ll we’ll we’ll do this we’ll set it up and we will gladly say that we were wrong that’s what you got to show us according to your books here right you see that’s right you see we’re not wrong because you say we’re wrong right we’re
Wrong because God says we’re wrong that’s right bishop and if you can’t get a thus saith the Lord that says we’re wrong then my question to you is why are you still in there right and I think Bishop as I close I tell people this
When you get to the crust of the matter look at three things yes sir what is so secretive as a Christian in these organizations right that you can’t share with a Christian brother or sister what are you hiding and because Christianity is a religion of life we’re an open book
And one thing I love from Genesis whether good or bad the Bible talks about David being a man out of his own heart but he also kept David as a man that committed adultery so and he told the story he told the story we know he committed adultery right because the
Same Bible same Bible it says he’s a man for God’s own house right uh showed us that’s right open book it’s an open book so it wasn’t just all the good stuff in the Bible all right show the stuff so we live by open book the second thing I say
Is I close to to people that graduate or play at The Graduate chapter although you didn’t go undergrad like a lot of people did you still abound by the same rules the same regulations maybe you skipped all the hard stuff on canvas but you’re still a part of the organization
Thoroughly just because notable people of notoriety and people that are well known members of fraternities and sororities they may be notable but we either take a notice that Christ Alone is our example Hallelujah he he is the example not a man not a woman doesn’t matter no matter who they are amen and
What they do they may be notable yes they may be uh nice but our example as Christians yes sir it’s Christ Alone Hallelujah and him alone and then finally I want to leave you with a story uh this happened this is record you can check uh Wednesday April 23 1986
Greensboro news and record and I’m just going to speed through it real quick something happened on the campus with my my senior year dealing with a fraternity a brother realized that he was in the wrong uh criminal charges were brought and after Wars this young man gave his
Testimony that closed out the book in chapter number eight that simply says Where Do We Go From Here he says after War Avery writes a personal testimony on how God saved him and later delivered him from bondage of a5a through his word referring to God’s
Word my name is is in the book so you can read it my name is Avery Williams I pledge in the fall of 1984 a5a I was online my name was Mr Peabody he talks about what he had to go through he says I was Lie number three online I was
Attracted to the fraternity by the sense of Brotherhood I saw among them because this allowed me to be subject to all kinds of abuse subject as being hit with thick wooden paddles drinking hot sauce eating onions which caused me to vomit and other things and other things is why
Other things there’s other things there’s other things trying to keep this right on a certain level and you that are real and you that have pledged know what other things look like I thought it was worth it even after I went over or without delusion I later
Saw that the sense of Brotherhood was a front some guys hated each other sometimes nothing for a brother to sleep with another’s girlfriend it was about this time two years later that I gave my heart to Christ but I still thought I could do both because I compromised and
Got in trouble for hazing pledges and this is what what he did the criminal charges lists all this that that for the record that’s Greensboro news and record Wednesday April 23rd 1986. then he says this as he begins to close see I saw later since A brotherhood was a front so forth
And so on but I thought I could do both because I compromised I got in trouble for hazing pledges it was not until I heard brother James thurington expiring on fraternities and sororities the Lord began dealing with my heart about eventually renouncing Alpha Phi Alpha I
Began to see God in the Holy Ghost confirm the word through brother Farrington brought forth I openly later formally renounced a5a and in doing this I allowed God to take me higher Heights in him and so like I said before this is the 32nd year of this publication
This book is the original one I’m in the process now Bishop of doing what I call the revised version revised version is going to be a little longer but what it does at the end of each chapter it begins to address for example the chapter we deal with hazy ask a couple
Of questions about hazing for example and say uh were you Haze as a Christian right and be honest right you know do you feel this organization has Idols be honest so the end of each chapter it brings you to a personal relationship to ask your question and then it’s going to
Be written a little different than the average person and knows nothing about fraterns and sororities nothing about it can pick up the book before they go to school somebody puts it in there in their bag on their way to college they decide to read the book because they got
Three or four days of free time so when they are approached to come to an interest meeting involved they can say well in this book what do you all say about this and so at that time they’re going to know before they go to another interest meeting where they can do if
Anyone is interested in again this copy of this book they can simply write a successful life Church of God in Christ attention book division post office box 1481 High Point nc-27261 once again successful life comma COGIC attention book division P.O box 1481 High Point NC 27261 and these copies are going now for
15 a copy just add three dollars for shipping and handling and we will get you a book at our earliest convenience God bless you moms dads get this book don’t let your child go to college don’t let her or him or nor her step on a college campus without this book in
Their hands and make sure that they read it and then they can decide for themselves but don’t let them be fooled and perhaps you did pledge perhaps you have fond memories but I’ll ask you have we said anything that’s in error have we taken any Scripture out of
Context have we misrepresented any of the facts as a matter of fact our goal was to be polite yes respectful absolutely not to um be over the top right or ugly or anything like that right right we’re Christian we’re Christians we love Jesus Christ we don’t cuss we don’t cuss we
Don’t swear you know we don’t we don’t resort to those things that’s right because the true Communicator let’s be honest doesn’t even have to that’s right and when your spirit feels the Holy Spirit cleanses your heart of stuff like that is right so I want to thank you sir for your
Scholarly work I want to thank you for this presentation I consider you a tremendous man of God and a tremendous blessing to the body of Christ order this book you got to have it it will be a blessing to you and it will be a blessing to yours it may indeed save
Your child’s life I’ve seen many parents crying because their kids were hazed yes perhaps if they had your book right they never would have pledged yeah for the pledge thank you sir thank you Bishop God bless bless you take care all right superintendent thyroidism the
Question was was I asked yes sir what if I renounce okay where do we go from here great question if you are a person that’s listening to this podcast and the Lord’s dealt with your heart because I want to renounce now what we suggest you
Do at the end of the book number one write the chapter tell them you’re all born again Christian I would suggest you give your testimony as a witness to them and also tell them the reason why you’re coming out you want your name to be removed off
The roll you know there’s no such thing once a member always a member I’m no longer a member of ex-organization uh I love the Lord and I am letting you know I’m no longer a members organization take me off your mailing address take me off of my email from this point forward
There’ll be no communication from my end to you I’m praying that you all would see the light as well you can get the information about your national headquarters or your chapter and come out other thing I’ll suggest you do is don’t be afraid we’ll have the courage
To tell publicly why you came out right and I also let people know that this organization that I joined who I thought was one way is not really like that and I’m glad to say that I’m delivered I’m set free I have no animosity no bad feelings anything of that nature I’m a
Christian I’ve heard what the Lord had to say through the scriptures I’m coming out I’m renouncing this as of such and such day here is the material here’s whatever I feel like I need to give away throw away or whatever I need to do because I’m no longer a member of
Authorization so when they say when you say here’s the material they show the book they show the book yeah because my concern is right if you come out but you still work to protect the the organization right then in a sense you’re still in there you’re still in
Right now is there what if there’s a young person watching and they said well where can I get a hold of this information how can I find it I I hear you guys yes sir um I may trust you I may not yes sir why would they look well um the truth be
Told um if they’re looking for their information that we share today from their ritual books they probably won’t find it because very few organizations are going to hand you their ritual book because and the reason they want do it is because then it becomes an open book
I see it becomes you have to be a part of my fraternity or my sorority to get this information and it goes back to the original question that we started off with what’s the secrets that a Christian can’t see what’s in your book and you’re my brother or you’re my sister well the
Case Christian who’s not in it a Christian is not any right you’re a Christian and you’re in it right I’m your Christian brother but I’m not in it right but you won’t show me your book well show me your book I’m your brother but I’m your brother I got to get in it
I got to get in it naturally said let’s vote for it then then we can read it and see what’s in it I gotta get in it first gotta get in it even though I’m your Christian brother right I’m not your brother then right yeah that that’s what ends up being the
Bottom line um tip for Turners answer Rogers who are you going to serve and who is really first so much for having all things in common as the Bible says about the first church the first church and that would have to affect the atmosphere of the church in
Terms of getting people healed praying and casting out Devils calling out Cancers and different things like that you need people with one Accord many times you know the people say the Bible says touch and agree well it doesn’t but the Bible says that we’ll agree right to
Agree as touches right that is perfect agreement we agree so much that it is as though we’re touching that’s right how are we going to have that level of agreement right if I’m touching a brother who is a part of a fraternity and I’m not right you know maybe the
Other guy on the other side of him is right maybe then maybe the other hand I’m holding on the other side means not right so how can we have the perfect agreement right that we need to have as we’re praying over our brothers and sisters that God will heal them from
Cancer save their lost loved ones do whatever it is right we’re seeking God to do so that divides the church doesn’t it yeah devise the church but you know and I tell people all the time I’m not ashamed of the Gospel I’m not saying that the gospel Glory you know and many
People take that same kind of I’m not ashamed of my fraternity and my sorority I said okay I said but but keep in mind that we have to live with eternity in mind Hallelujah not just on this Earth we’re living this life with eternity in
Mind what what is he going to say about my Allegiance or my commitment to someone else other than him well all I can say that is as we wrap this up is yes sir for those who won’t receive this and won’t hear it I’ll say like I say to
The The Atheist if you declare that there is no God and you do not believe that there’s God and you’re convinced that there’s no God all I can say is you better be right you better be right that’s right thank you brother thank you again God bless you bless you thank you
So much
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