News on Atlanta Bishop !!!

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

AMEN!! I will enjoy spending eternity with him and many others like him!!!!

At times you are quite the paradox my friend!

Originally Posted by Sam

I personally have no problem with a clergy collar or a bishop's gown or with a necktie. Some wear items like that because they think it is proper for the office of minister or bishop or whatever. If they wear it from a sense of pride, a badge of spirituality, or to be a lord over God's heritage, then the problem is in the heart, not the apparel.

Very well said, Sam!

[ThePastorsCoach]

It is just proper attire and I wear it out of respect to my Bishop and to the COGIC in their special services. I have never wore my robe or Bishops collar at the church I pastor or to a UPC event. If I go to a UPC or Apostolic event - I would respect their traditions and standards the same as I do the COGIC or PAW.
It has NOTHING to do with pride, spirituality, being lord over God's heritage or any other thing. It has to do with what is expected of a BISHOP in that particular tradition. I have never even used the term Bishop when in or around the UPC. I grew up around COGIC and never even heard of the UPC until much later in my life.

[tbpew]

Originally Posted by AtlantaBishop

It is just proper attire and I wear it out of respect to my Bishop and to the COGIC in their special services. I have never wore my robe or Bishops collar at the church I pastor or to a UPC event. If I go to a UPC or Apostolic event - I would respect their traditions and standards the same as I do the COGIC or PAW.
It has NOTHING to do with pride, spirituality, being lord over God's heritage or any other thing. It has to do with what is expected of a BISHOP in that particular tradition. I have never even used the term Bishop when in or around the UPC. I grew up around COGIC and never even heard of the UPC until much later in my life.

AB,
If you will, help me understand your sentence...
"It has NOTHING to do with pride, spirituality, being lord over God's heritage or any other thing. It has to do with what is expected of a BISHOP in that particular tradition."

If they asked you to wear bicycle pants, would you want to know why?
If they asked you to wear mouse-ears you would want to know why!
Some how just stating that it is "what is expected of a BISHOP in that particular tradition", begs the queston..."why was the tradition originated?"

Please help me out here because, as an outsider looking in, it seems like a very purposeful differentiator among those who sit in the preeminent seats and those who are in the pews. If THIS is the PURPOSE --that is-- to differentiate....why?

[ThePastorsCoach]

Originally Posted by tbpew

AB,
If you will, help me understand your sentence...
"It has NOTHING to do with pride, spirituality, being lord over God's heritage or any other thing. It has to do with what is expected of a BISHOP in that particular tradition."

If they asked you to wear bicycle pants, would you want to know why?
If they asked you to wear mouse-ears you would want to know why!
Some how just stating that it is "what is expected of a BISHOP in that particular tradition", begs the queston..."why was the tradition originated?"

Please help me out here because, as an outsider looking in, it seems like a very purposeful differentiator among those who sit in the preeminent seats and those who are in the pews. If THIS is the PURPOSE --that is-- to differentiate....why?

The COGIC is Hierarchal just like the UPC, COG and A/G is. Let's say if Pastor Anthony Mangun showed up at the GC in a threadbare suit and looking like some of those poor homeless looking people on the front row of GC - I doubt that the "Fat Cats" (as Jeff Arnold has called them) would say come on up here Pastor Mangun and give us a testimony of the great things happening in Alex! I could be wrong (my wife told me that I was once) but I doubt that he would have a lot of influence if he dressed in a jogging suit or a pair of sweat pants and sneakers.

We all KNOW where the clerical look came from! It is all from Rome and so are a lot of traditions we have in the Apostolic church like - Church buildings, pulpits, pulpit furniture and pastoral chairs on the platform and choir robes and lots of other things.
The fact remains - I respect other cultures and denominations other than the ones I have served in - When I am with COGIC - I will wear the "ROMAN" collar.

[ThePastorsCoach]

Originally Posted by tbpew

If they asked you to wear bicycle pants, would you want to know why?
If they asked you to wear mouse-ears you would want to know why!

The did not ASK me to wear the Bishops attire. They simply invited me to come as a Ministry Son of Bishop Patterson. I was not told or asked what to wear. I know what the protocol is so I wore what I knew should be worn.
If I ever come to your church. I will do the same. I have been told by Pastors in the Apostolic tradition - "we don't wear watches or have belt buckles here" so I did not wear a watch (makes for a LONG service) or a belt buckle.
I have been told - "We don't believe in wearing RED here" so I took off my red tie and left it in the pastors office and preached without a tie. It was funny to me the next time I went to preach there - The Pastor was WEARING MY RED TIE!! LOL
Just letting you know - they did not tell me or ask me to wear any specific attire. I am wearing it out of respect of my Bishop and Pastor and out of respect to the ministry of COGIC. We all know where the tradition came from.

[tbpew]

Originally Posted by AtlantaBishop

The COGIC is Hierarchal just like the UPC, COG and A/G is. Let's say if Pastor Anthony Mangun showed up at the GC in a threadbare suit and looking like some of those poor homeless looking people on the front row of GC - I doubt that the "Fat Cats" (as Jeff Arnold has called them) would say come on up here Pastor Mangun and give us a testimony of the great things happening in Alex! I could be wrong (my wife told me that I was once) but I doubt that he would have a lot of influence if he dressed in a jogging suit or a pair of sweat pants and sneakers.

We all KNOW where the clerical look came from! It is all from Rome and so are a lot of traditions we have in the Apostolic church like - Church buildings, pulpits, pulpit furniture and pastoral chairs on the platform and choir robes and lots of other things.
The fact remains - I respect other cultures and denominations other than the ones I have served in - When I am with COGIC - I will wear the "ROMAN" collar.

thanks for taking time to reply.
Let me summarize what I got out of your reply related to my question and you can certainly correct any misconstrued thought on my part.

You wear robes or a collar because COGIC wears such.

Why do COGIC bishops adorn themselves in such?
Because they advance a hierarchal view of the servers with respect to those they serve. They get this from Rome/Catholcism (which has a strict hierarchal structure, culminating with our supreme earthly father --papal rule) including the delegated appointments that establish a series of stratified lesser 'fathers'. 'Fathers' are expected to incorporate wardrobe adornments upon their bodies to demonstrate they are fathers {that's what I get from your...'we know where the clerical came from..."}

Thanks for the input. For me, it would be scarey to imagine just attributing all that to "hey its a tradition", but it seems to work for you.

You tossing the UPC under the "hierarchal" bus is, IMO, a bit of a stretch but I guess you see it that way because they have DS and presbyters(?). I hope that kind of discussion may come up in different thread setting.

[ThePastorsCoach]

As I said - it a RESPECT issue with me. If you don't want to wear it - fine. I do it simply as a matter of respecting their tradition. If I had no respect for them and their tradition - I would not go. I did say that I do not wear a robe or vestments or a collar in my own pulpit - at least - I have not yet!
I honor the office and the ministry of my Pastor and Bishop. He was a great man and I owe him a lot - including my respect.

Did you say it was "scary"? Hmmmmmmm now thats a thought!
It was very odd to me that Pastor Jeff Arnold had never heard of Bishop G. E. Patterson who led over 6 million Pentecostals in the Church of God in Christ - the largest Pentecostal movement in the world.
I RESPECTED him enough - NOT to tell him that Bishop Patterson and The Bountiful Blessings Broadcast is on the air around the world on BET, TBN and The Word Network. Of course - why should he know that since he does not have a Television!
I wonder how do some of you know about Bishop Patterson?

[Kutless]

Originally Posted by AtlantaBishop

As I said - it a RESPECT issue with me. If you don't want to wear it - fine. I do it simply as a matter of respecting their tradition. If I had no respect for them and their tradition - I would not go. I did say that I do not wear a robe or vestments or a collar in my own pulpit - at least - I have not yet!
I honor the office and the ministry of my Pastor and Bishop. He was a great man and I owe him a lot - including my respect.

Did you say it was "scary"? Hmmmmmmm now thats a thought!
It was very odd to me that Pastor Jeff Arnold had never heard of Bishop G. E. Patterson who led over 6 million Pentecostals in the Church of God in Christ - the largest Pentecostal movement in the world.
I RESPECTED him enough - NOT to tell him that Bishop Patterson and The Bountiful Blessings Broadcast is on the air around the world on BET, TBN and The Word Network. Of course - why should he know that since he does not have a Television!
I wonder how do some of you know about Bishop Patterson?

I watched him every Sun mornning. I loved the congregational CD they put out, or what I heard of it.

AB do you know who will take his place?

[ThePastorsCoach]

Originally Posted by Kutless

I watched him every Sun mornning. I loved the congregational CD they put out, or what I heard of it.

AB do you know who will take his place?

Bishop Charles Blake from Los Angeles was the First Assistant Bishop is now the Interim Presiding Bishop and will be until the next election at the 2008 convocation. He will probably be elected as the Presiding Bishop in my opinion.

As far as Temple of Deliverance goes - I don't know any specifics but since Bishop did not have any children - there are no son's or son in laws in line for the church. I would imagine - but this is PURE speculation - that Sister Patterson (she did not like to be called "Mother" Patterson) will continue to be at the helm and will pastor the church and the assistants will continue to minister there with her. She is quite a speaker in her own right but very feminine and gracious. The COGIC does not "ordain" women but they do have many women that pastor churches and are known as "Evangelists" or "Missionaries". Deola Wells-Johnson is the first woman assistant at TOD and she is great at her job - but Sister Patterson - (most of us always called her Sister Louise) will be able to do well and pastor there - after the period of morning
Didn't you just LOVE the White Dresses and hats! I hate the BLACK CLOTHES at funerals and told my wife that when I die - I want a BLACK CHOIR and everyone in WHITE! No casket in the church and have a shoutin' service! Bury me then go to the church and have a Revival meeting!