Juanita Bynum becomes victim of domestic abuse

August 23, 2007
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Juanita Bynum

Sad news I heard during the morning drive this morning. 

Apparently, televangelist Juanita Bynum is currently in the midst of a separation from her husband, Bishop Thomas Weeks.  Bynum and Weeks had a lavish televised wedding back in 2002. 

Reports, indicate however that the marital hardship took a violent turn Tuesday night after Bynum and her estranged husband agreed to meet for dinner at a Renaissance Hotel near Atlanta’s airport.  The  meeting didn’t go well and Weeks abruptly left.  Bynum followed him to the parking lot where the two engaged in a heated conversation.  That’s when tragedy struck.  This from Fox 5 News in Atlanta:

“According to an Atlanta Police Department report, that’s when Weeks allegedly attacked her.  In a statement to police, Reverend Bynum said her husband, Thomas Weeks, “choked her, pushed her down, kicked her and stomped her in the Renaissance parking lot.”
 
Ronald Campbell of the APD said a bellhop at the hotel saw the attack, intervened and stopped it.
 
Officer Campbell said Reverend Bynum suffered multiple bruises and swelling and required hospitalization.
   
Reverend Bynum is being kept at an undisclosed location.   Police are searching for Thomas Weeks.”

What a tragic situation.  More and more I’m seeing a need for male and female preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ to labor much longer in the vineyard of christian ethics and character development.  So much is required of us and we must understand the necessity of faithful service.  I would recommend to all preachers a book by Richard Foster entitled Celebration of Discipline.  This book was required reading during the discipleship track at my church and enjoys prominent placement on my bookshelf for easy access.  All preachers – no matter how well known or trusted – should regularly “check themselves” or have people around them that can hold them accountable so that we may – as Dr. Charles Booth advised me many years ago – always be found faith.

In addition, the doublesword of being a televangelist means that once you build a large platform for yourself with conferences, television appearances, books, etc., that same big stage that you helped to build can feature your shortcomings and sins as well.  Be careful chasing fame.  For fame can quickly rot into notoriety and place personal trangressions under the public microscope. 

Finally, I must speak out against domestic violence against women.  On the radio this morning, I heard a female host talking about this issue.  She was talking about how some women don’t know how to let an argument go and let the man walk away if he so chooses.  She said that she even is guilty of chasing down her husband after arguments and jumping on his back when he doesn’t want to talk anymore.  I recognize that women can play a role in continuing the escalation of an argument, however, I do not believe that that gives justification for the man to strike the woman.  Even if the woman is attempting to hit the man with her fists; I can understand the man restraining the woman or eluding her attacks, but still no license is given to attack her.  Brothers, if we are to be real men, we must learn to be disciplined in our behavior and in control of our bodies even under duress. 

Let’s keep Juanita Bynum and Thomas Weeks in prayer and continue to pray one for another that we may continue to grow in a way that is pleasing in the eyesight of Almighty God.
 

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  • Nat Turner

    I heard the report on the radio this morning as well. Once I was able to confirm the information I was sadden by the news.

    One of the things that I believe that throws people for a loop when things like this happen is that you don’t know what is going on in the “real” life of the Pastor, Evangelist, Bishop, etc. What we see from the pew is the manicured image of our leaders and not the full spectrum of who that person or persons are. Not saying that you have personally experienced this, but Brother Heb I am sure as a P.K you know of or have witnessed others that you grew up with in the church that lived in the “public persona” versus what their real life was really like. It’s obvious that Bynum and Weeks have been having challenges and struggles behind the scenes which manifested into this incident, but their public persona was of a spiritual “power couple” that were overwhelmingly in love. We all saw the wedding on TBN. They replayed it more times than BET replays the “BET Awards”. How many Pastors do we know are powerful in the church house, but a mess outside of it?

    Also Brother Heb, let me get apostolic for a minute and say that its a peculiar season for the puplpit. We are witnessing a season of unprecedented exposure of our nationwide and local leaders. We are starting to see that the their lifestyles, opulent living and questionable ethics are be revealed not only to the church, but the non-believer as well.

  • http://FaithinAction Minister B

    I really feel bad for both of them. Marriage is sometimes very trying. Matters of the heart often bring out the worst in us all. When I heard about this, I felt so disappointed for another marriage that is hurting. I thought if it were not for the grace of God that could be me and my husband. No one is immune from life’s drama. I pray that the two of them will be able to pick up from here either together or separately and continue to serve the Lord.

  • Heber Brown, III

    Hey Nat Turner – I agree and you’re right. I’ve often seen religious leaders behind the curtain and I’ve not always been proud of what I’ve witnessed. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s better to admire people from afar. I concur with your assessment of this “peculiar” season. All the more reason to do what God requires of us as recorded by the Prophet Micah – “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God” (6:8)

    Minister B – I agree none of us are immune to life’s trials. We must continue to pray for one another and when necessary hold each other accountable.

  • Rev. C. Solomon

    Let us remember, that the Chief Apostle once, reportedly, sliced a man’s ear off. Let us remember that the Apostle’s of God, once desired to call down fire from heaven to destroy other humans, just as Pat Robertson and other ministers are backing today’s war and pillage in Iraq.

    Christians today are as violent as anyone else. Why?

  • http://sealofabraham.blogspot.com Rev. C. Solomon

    And let us not forget that others biblical characters were violent as well as prejudiced: Paul consented to the death of Stephen, and assisted in kidnapping and arresting of those who were of ‘The Way’. And Peter carried his biases until the end: David killed many, and had Uriah the Hittite slain in order to cover up his indescretions, then for that matter, Moses was also a killer.

    Does this justify their and others behaviors? The answer is no, however, in addition to our need to do some deep introspection in Christianity today, we also know that God is a forgiving God.

    Besides, too many in Christendom today are focused on getting rich in the church and growing mega-ministries, as opposed to dealing with the heart of the man and the woman. Building healthy Christians and healthy christian relationships has been put on the backburner!

    Let us pray for this couple, for like many Christians they have also become a statistic. The Christian divorce rate may reflect what Jesus referrered to in Matthew 10 about families; Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword.

  • Brother Bill Clark

    It is ashame that this happen to a Woman of God. When the truth comes out it cuts both ways. When I read the article on this topic I was feeling bad. The men and women of God have alot on thier minds when they preach. Frist and for most they have to speak what God gives them. They are not to make friends. They are not to cut anything out or sugar coat anything. They are there to tell the truth. They have to speak the truth the way the bible records it. The Bible says “Touch not my anointed and Do my prophet no harm” All I can say is this God don’t like ugly. This is a ugly situtation that came up. Let us remember to keep Televangelist Juanita Bynum in Prayer and let us remember each other.
    God Bless you All
    Brother. Bill.

  • Ray

    Come on, Pastor C. Solomon, to compare this to those who support the war in Iraq is silly and I believe very innappropriate for a pastor to even intimate. Give me a break. God also caused his people to slay their enemies and many hold a position against Israel for their “treatment” of Palestinians. However, to make this equal to beating one’s wife is hilarious. Be careful. I am not going to entertain a debate on the war, for personal reasons. But you are seemingly lumping anyone who supports the war into a category with a man who obviously had no self control…

  • Rev Benjamin

    We often place our televangelists above reproach and see them as fail proofed people. We must realize that they are people too. All people have strong points and weak ones as well. And while they may have been spiritually powerful couple doing good, it is apparent that there was a weakness within their home life. The problem is that oftentimes we will help the poor, the down-trodden, the weak etcetera, but will fail to realize the weaknesses in some of our leading PEOPLE.

    We have Juanita in the news today, but if we were look behind the closed doors of many of our Christian leaders we would find others struggling silently with marital issues that even they will often teach. Truth be known, there have been other fights amongst other clergy and their spouses that were “manicured” over before these clergy dawned their Sunday pulpits or before the television camera was turned on to the smiling, joyful looking faces, as was the case of one of our grand-fathers’s of televangelism. Their behavior may have never made the public news, but the problem was there and witnessed by the television production people and others in their ministries.

    I pray for these people and have been. I’ve prayed since seeing part of the lavish wedding of this couple though I ceased to watch with wonderment and concern about the meaning of some of the symbolic statements that were made. Marriage is a Godly instructed, authorized and ordained institution. When we determine to do it our way then there may be catastrophe. Indicators have been present even before now, there was a need for intervention with these two, just as there was a need for marital intervention with some other fallen televangelists.

    We must deal with the spiritual side as well as the human side (which Rev C. Solomon, Minister B., and Heber Brown III. tends to indicate here).

    I agree with what Brother Nat said: “Also Brother Heb, let me get apostolic for a minute and say that its a peculiar season for the puplpit. We are witnessing a season of unprecedented exposure of our nationwide and local leaders.” Christianity must not become judges set out to destroy each other (as was the case with PTL and other ministries), but it is time for Christianity to take the blinders off and take accountability for our actions, before the world judge us. We are the living epistles.

    We struggle not against flesh and blook, but powers and principalities of powers, spiritual wickedness in high places… Spiritual wickedness does not always exist outside our ranks.

  • evangelist e

    My prayers go out to them both because “an enemy has done this”. Unity is a threat for the devil.What the devil meant for evil God will surely turn for good. Just forgive one another use the time apart to draw closer to God in His presence and be made whole. God knows the plans he has for you and he knows exactly what we are ALL going through. Let him(them) who are without sin cast the first stone!! That’s what I thought …not even a small piece of gravel to pick up!!

  • Khori Smith

    While I can understand why Nate would say that the exposure of our leaders as of late has been unprecedented, I truly have to disagree. This is far from unprecedented. It may seem so now because in our day and age word travels so fast and your private life can become public in the blink of an eye. But the truth is this has been happenning for a long time. We can look all througout the Bible and see exposure, thats what the bible is, one exposure book. God’s people involved in all kinds of stuff. You name it, His people have done it. Lets face it if a play by play movie were made about the bible it would be rated “R”. Over and over you see God’s people running from Him, messing up, making mistakes. And the Lord chases them over and over and over again. Its called Redemption. God fixes what has been destroyed and His desire is to fix this too. We are all broken, hurting and fall short. Let me put the word out now for anyone who may be mistaken. Your leader is a fallen creature with sin in his or her life…………. period. But may they be giving themselves over the God for redemption! Now matter how many times you mess up! He is waiting. Because thats what He does. Redeems over and over……….. The Godly one is the one who keeps looking to Him. Regardless.

  • http://www.faithinactiononline.com Geniusmovement

    When is there going to be some measure of accountability in the pulpit? Many of these leaders carry it like they are above the law (lawless). If a regular person beat and stomped their wife, what would your reaction be? Would it be so forgiving? Would it be so understanding? I’m not interested in condemning Bishop Weeks, but there must be accountability (and forgiveness and reconciliation). When leaders fall, can they sit for a little bit (for accountability’s sake)? We still love you, and we forgive you (but it shows a much better example). I hear Brother Khori about the Bible being an exposure book, but were the religious leaders exposed at that time before the people themselves? Many people were exposed to us by God (but in a carnal sense many of their actions were not revealed to the unsuspecting masses). This is definitely a season of exposure of the excesses of the pulpit. Will there ever be accountability for adultery and the excessive love of money? These are supposed to be requirements for religious leadership. Is not the love of money the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:9)? Did not Yeshua (Jesus) say you cannot serve God and Mammon? There are leaders in our midst that need to sit for a season (for their sins), and let us pray for them during this time so that can rise up that much stronger. Food for thought: The United States (especially as reflected in cities such as Baltimore) has become like Sodom and Gomorrah. How many righteous people were there in Sodom and Gomorrah? LESS THAN TEN! You cannot have the spread of evil without the absence of people standing up for righteousness. Where are the righteous people in America? Few and far between. Contrary to the religious right, the chief sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was not homosexuality, it was greed (Ezekiel 16:49). This greed is reflected in all of the Bishops that have recently fallen including Juanita Bynum herself. You cannot serve God and Mammon!

  • Ray

    I agree fully that we are all human. However, that does NOT automatically keep us from the consequences of our sin. I am praying for them but I am not making excuses. I cannot even do that for myself. We are human, yes, but we have the Holy Spirit living in us. I have been through some really tough marital issues and even relationships in general. How many times have I wanted to “let go” on ANYONE who treated me like dirt, even church leaders… I never punched them and stomped them, let alone my wife… There is accountability that has to come into play. I am NOT in anyway trying to disqualify him (or her) for any future ministry because God is about grace, but he must understand and live up to his actions like a man… I am so sick of all the defense for our black preachers when they “screw up” but we want to jump on the white ones for everything… PTL was no different than the mess we are seeing in Baltimore today… I will not go any further with that.

  • Rev Benjamin

    The failure of this whole things was not the argument or the beating. The argument and the fight were just symptoms of the illness. We can throw stones at the incident, but the incident was only the result of the problem.

    Our culture (not just these two people) is having real problems in the area of interpersonal and inter-marital relationships. This problem is not just in the laity, but in the clergy as well. But it is difficult for a clergyman to counsel another when his marriage is in the basement. Weeks and Bynum may have needed a non partisan mediator (not the sister) to go to, so that they could lay the cards on the table, face their truths, and resolve their issues with truth and the word of God which they both command others to do.

    Based upon what was reported and seen there may have been errors on the part of both Juanita and Weeks. So both sides may need to put pride aside, lay themselves openly before God and a trusty counsellor/mediator, confront their personal issues and resolve the problem not the symptoms.

    Holding our leadership accountable with integrity is important. No preacher, evangelist or other leader should be an island, accountable to no one but themselves. We’ve seen the failing that come from lack of accountability before, we see it now (even in our capital) and we will reap the whirlwind if we continue to allow this unchecked condition to continue.

  • marilyn martin

    we as christians have to be accountable for our selves, if not how could we go out and preach the gospel of God that is the truth. If we can not be truthful to our selves how could we be disciples of God. Amen. We must first seek the ki ngdom and God and all his righteousness and God will prevail. We must remember that we are only human and not God. We who are in Christ are many, we all have different calling but God is still our master. as christians we tend to forget. God said,to trust me not man. man has nothing to do with God’s Creation. My prayers goes out to Rev. Juanita and God have mercy on her husband.

  • Seeking

    Jezebel’s Finest Hour

    WARNING: EX Ministries and G. Craige Lewis is against all forms of abuse by men and women. Verbal, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse are of the devil and we stand against it all. The following blog is not an endorsement of any form of abuse towards women, but in fact, an expose of how one form of abuse leads to others. Please read with caution so that you will not feel that we are siding with anyone that abuses women but we are against all forms of it whether it be spiritual, verbal, or physical.

    Ok, where do I start.

    As if the body of Christ needs more silly drama played out before the world, now things are just getting out of hand. We are seeing the end of all things and the false prophets exposed for who they are and yet the silly women (and men) that follow them are charged up and ready to defend the foolishness of their celebrity heroes! Why are they ready to follow this foolishness wherever it may take them? Because the bible said they would! 2 Timothy 4:3 says, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; In other words, they will heap upon themselves teachers that will give them drama and entertainment so they can forget about their own state and live out their fantasies and dreams through these false prophets and story telling preachers.

    What am I talking about? I’m talking about false prophetess Bynum and her circus of a ministry that has so many silly women fooled it is ridiculous. This women has spread her witchcraft all over the body of Christ and has used her Jezebel anointing to conjure up a demonic influence that has put her on every major platform that our so called church has. She has bewildered the effeminate Bishops and manipulated the minds of silly women to put herself up and basically do whatever she wants without being challenged by any of the so called “leaders” of the body of Christ. But I got news for you. Those that lead her don’t lead me! Those that are bewildered and under her Jezebel spell don’t speak for me. I believe in the bible and I believe in Jesus. I don’t submit to Jezebel and I will never allow her witchcraft to put me under. But so many have it makes me sad. Let’s look at how this all started and where it is now and you will get a good understanding of why it is now.

    First, this women confesses her sins before everyone and goes in depth to describe her sexual appetite and her carnal craving in her message No More Sheets. She then states that God does not allow her to wear makeup, pants, or any kind of outfits that will show her figure because the way she was would rise up in her again. So, she basically began preaching in a choir robe with a small Florida Evan’s type afro, free of weave, perms, curls, and gel. But then, as the money poured in, the look began to change. I guess God changed his mind because her appearance began to reflect a different personality. But did any of the silly following of hers question her? NO. You don’t question the prophetess, as she stated on TBN. “Don’t you know you are all just a bunch of dumb sheep?” Those are her exact words, not mine. I would never call the people of God dumb sheep.

    Then, after her fallout with her so called “covering” TD Jakes, she began calling him out and traveling around preaching against him. But once she saw that he was able to shut her engagements down with his power over weak minded, selfish pastors and ministries, she came to him and repented by handing him her shoes and all that foolish mess. And after he laid hands on her and said “Daughter, thy sins are forgiven thee” she was back on the money trail, ready to take the spirit of Jezebel to new heights. (I didn’t know we had the power to forgive sin like Christ, but I guess if we get enough money, folks will believe we have it!). So, after this, she began hosting TBN and got her clearance from the Christian Mafia to travel around and rob people of their hard earned money. But there was another level that Jezebel needed to rise to and that was to destroy God’s plan for success in marriage. Even though she had a failed marriage and Thomas Weeks was currently IN a marriage, the 2 had to come together to make this happen. So, they got married and had a Million Dollar Wedding that they sold and marketed. Now understand, demonic Hollywood couples that have multi million dollar weddings don’t sell their DVD’s, but the silly women, laden with sins, will buy anything and she knew this.

    By now, her mixed audience (white and black folks) had finally turned all black, as they always do. Single black women, and women that are married to weak men began to flock after this Jezebel spirit that was operating through her. And she worked her magic to build a multi million dollar empire. But that’s still not enough for Jezebel. Jezebel has to destroy the prophets of God remember? She has to make the men look bad and raise herself above the authority of men so she can lead. So, the marriage conferences started after the first year of that farce of a marriage. I remember the first conference they had and I even called to try to talk to them about it because I couldn’t understand how they had Bishop Noel Jones as the keynote speaker (who is divorced) and Tonex as the psalmist (who is divorced)! That was a bunch of junk and mess and I just couldn’t understand why so many silly folks was following after this. But they began to bankroll these conferences and fill the auditoriums as they discussed private, lewd behaviors that they shared together.

    I remember Thomas Weeks saying that he loves it when Juanita uses dirty, cuss words during sex! And Juanita stated on several occasions that she would get mad and throw bricks at his car, objects at him and really needed anger management when dealing with him! All of this was playing before the world like a dirty soap opera and so many bought into it. So many silly women and effeminate men flocked after this fiasco and really believed it was God. But I assure you, it is the spirit of Jezebel!

    ADMINSTRATOR’S NOTE: THIS MESSAGE WAS TRUNCATED.
    TO REVIEW IT IN IT’S ENTIRETY CLICK HERE.

    THANK YOU

  • http://www.etcministries2005.com Ken Parks

    It’s hard to say what really happened. Why did Jaunita Bynum follow him out to the parking lot? Did she instrigate the fight? And, why would a supposedly “man of God” get involved in such a fight. It’s easier to walk away from a hostile woman.

    It’s obvious that Satan had a hand in all of this, including the greed, the strife, the deceptions, the manipulations, and now the fight/divorce. This is hardly God’s will.

  • http://Yahoo.com Rechelle

    God knows all things and i pray that all is well, and also pray that some day I will get a chance to meet with the Women of God in ministry. Now I will say a Prayer for Mrs. Juanita, Father God you know all things and I ask that you intervein in Jaunita Buynum life and in every situation Father Because she is your Child, she is your Golden vessel and I ask that you protect her and send you angels where ever shes at, and that you keep her here for generation to come i know god you said that what ever we ask in your name it shall be, what every we decree, it shall be. And im just asking to keep this Women of God safe and sucure for All Generations to come regardless of the situation we sould pray. Amen

  • legacy
  • http://laveetaivoryministries.com La Veeta Ivory

    RE: A Book Recommendation

    I’m a relationship expert and the author of a controversial Christian book entitled “Bitch Mentality.” It’s a powerful tool of ministry written to equip and empower women who are struggling to overcome sexual promiscuity and self-defeating behavior patterns on their way to becoming anointed women of God. If your women’s ministry, single’s group, or book club read books that empower in a radical unorthodox way check this one out at http://laveetaivoryministries.com

    La Veeta Ivory
    Author & Revelatory Teacher

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