Tag: Religion

Kirk Franklin recently addressed backlash over praying with R&B artists Chris Brown, Usher, and Mario. In an interview with Angela Yee, Franklin explained that as a faith messenger, he must sometimes meet people where they are rather than expecting them to come to church. He emphasized that believers often carry misconceptions about holiness, noting that sinful people exist everywhere, including inside churches. Franklin argued that true Christian evangelism requires leaving the safety of church walls to spread the gospel to those who don't already believe, stating that meeting people in unconventional spaces like concert backstages isn't compromising faith—it's practicing it.

As Black folks, we have no shortage of sayings passed down as gospel, especially those heard growing up in church. From "God don't like ugly" to "cleanliness is next to godliness," these sayings were repeated so often we never questioned their biblical origins. While these generational words of wisdom certainly put the fear of God in our hearts, much of it isn't actually Scripture. Many sayings were rooted in the general idea of Scripture, borrowed from historical teachings, but remixed for easy digestion or simplified over time.

Streamer Sneako is facing major backlash after declaring that Islam would take over New York City while invoking Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a crowded World Cup celebration.

The Clark Sisters and Fred Hammond are headed to the Las Vegas Strip as part of a new gospel music residency. Nearly every story calls it historic or a milestone, as though the Holy Spirit had won something by landing in a casino district built to separate tourists from their money. Jesus spent much of His time warning people about confusing God with money. This residency is only the latest example of how Christianity in general, and the Black Church in particular, have twisted the Gospel. If there was one thing Jesus made crystal clear, it was that faith wasn't supposed to be a hustle. Today, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between Christianity and Cash Money Records. Christians have drunk the world's Kool-Aid and started believing that if the market validates it, God must have too.

For generations, Black churches have served as pillars of faith, activism, and community. But like any institution, they have also faced moments when trusted leaders became the center of deeply troubling allegations and public scandals. Each controversy sparked difficult, necessary conversations about power, vulnerability, and trust within the sanctuary.

America has military advisers. Economic advisers. National security advisers. But perhaps no adviser deserves greater scrutiny than the person entrusted with shaping the spiritual conscience of the Commander in Chief.