My thoughts on Aretha Franklin’s funeral
Time: Too Long
Ariana Grande: There’s no way of knowing if she has ever had any experience with church, especially black church. We cannot assume that her home training is the same as most of our home training has been. Many denominations don’t have the dress code limitations that exist in many black churches. For instance, It is not uncommon for Catholics to wear a mini-skirt and then cover their head with a handkerchief. What could have been a teaching moment has been more of a criticizing moment. We need to learn how to love folks that are different from us more than we do. Overall, like many of the other participants, she was never there to WORSHIP in the first place.
I don’t believe it was Bishop Ellis’s intention was to appear to grope Ariana. But as always we in the ministry must be very careful of what we do, what we say, and how we act. The enemy will always look for ways to criticize whatever we do. This appears to have been an unforced error that could have been avoided. I heard today that he has apologized, that is a good thing, but your can never but the milk back in the bottle.
Rev. Al. Sharpton: We do need to teach Trump something. But he DOES NOT LISTEN.
Bill Clinton: so so
Minister Louis Farrakhan: Spoke volumes, more than many who spoke a long time, and NEVER said a word!
Most Overlooked Comment: Rev/Dr. William J Barber “In the midst of our nation’s current moral crisis, we need again that gospel that Aretha sang.”
Eric Michael Dyson: Really really enjoyed his secular commentary. He reminded me of how Dr. King strengthened and stretched our vocabulary when we heard him.
“And then this orange aberration had the nerve to say she worked for him. You lugubrious leach. You dopey doppelganger of deceit and deviance. You lethal liar. You dimwitted dictator. You foolish fascist. She didn’t work for you. She worked ABOVE you. She worked BEYOND you. Get your preposition right.”
The sermon: There was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could have been used to reach unsaved people for the kingdom and tell them why Jesus is important to anyone today and was important in the life of someone they respect. Instead it was used as an opportunity to promote a political/social political agenda and reinforce church dogma, that may well have been rightly taught by a pastor to his congregation, but not in a soul winning opportunity. It is important that we realize whatever we preach, wherever we preach, that Jesus must be our subject matter. Preaching that does reach to the edification of Jesus is just another speech.
I believe this sermon squandered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reach those who have no connection with a church with the reality that there is a God your son is Jesus and he can help you wherever you are.
The opinions expressed are my own!