Preachers of LA: Staying True to the Thug Mentality and Swag

Episode 6 – Staying True to You was very intriguing and in keeping with the build up of drama on past episodes. Preachers of LA is proving its weight in gold and at the same time opening the eyes and hearts of people across the world. The focus this week was on Bishop Ron Gibson – (His Thug Mentality and Swag), Pastor Jay Haizlip – (Getting tattoos) and Bishop Clarence McClendon – (Music Ministry and calling of his son).

Lets start with Bishop Clarence McClendon; in Episode 6 we are given more insight into the relationship between himself and his older son. McClendon discloses that he too had a love for music as a child and wanted to pursue that; however, this was not permissible because of the generation in which he grew up and the bigger calling, to the pulpit, on his life.

Bishop Clarence McClendon was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois and began preaching at age fifteen. He assumed his first pastorate position at age nineteen and today, serves as the Senior Pastor of Full Harvest International Church, a growing global, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual congregation located in the South Bay area of California. He is also the founder and president of Siloam Bible College and the Clarence E. McClendon Leadership Institute, and also the founder and president of the umbrella corporation, Clarence E. McClendon Ministries (CEMM), which sponsors the weekly international television broadcast A Miracle for You, Bishop McClendon is able to fulfill the prophetic mandate to share the word of God with people around the world. Currently more than 250 million homes have access to CEMM broadcasts throughout North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

Bishop McClendon has many responsibilities and therefore it is understandable that he is grooming his son to fill his shoes. In Preachers of LA: Season 1, Episode 6 – Staying True to You, we see his son lead the music ministry for the 2 p.m. service and afterwards the Bishop rates how his son performed. This is an important portrayal to Christians and non-Christians alike as this is exactly how men in business prepare their children, to not only inherit their business, but to have the skills to run a successful one. In this case, the business is an International Church, Bible College and an umbrella corporation.

Jay Haizlip had us thinking about a long time controversial issue – tattoos and Christians. Certainly, off the bat, I agree its an old mindset. Nonetheless, I want to be biblical and correct. Wayne Chaney‘s wife, Myesha, had a very pressing view; you don’t want to offend and affect your church ministry. This issue does not affect Pastor Haizlip because majority of his congregation have tattoos and that his the social sphere of which he is from.

But as it relates to Pastor Chaney, his congregation is a bit more traditional; in the coming months how are they gonna reflect on the fact that their lead pastor wanted to get a tattoo? Will this affect his ministry? his believers? What does the bible say about tattoos and Christians getting them? Does He really not care about what is on the outside as Pastor Haizlip teaches and believes? To answer some of these questions, many of us will have to do some bible study, fasting and praying to search out the answer God will give us; for ourselves.

Bishop Ron Gibson, gave us a well seasoned and served chilled ‘food for thought’. This week’s episode saw his fellow ministers cautioning him about being too gangster, flamboyant and arrogant; these are his words, not mine. the Bishop sought the counsel of his trusted and beloved wife, Lady LaVette Gibson, who also reiterated the point and mentioned that it is true. Bishop Ron tends to mention the cost, designer brand of his clothing, cars etc. She counseled him, again, not to rub it in the face of his congregation. We see this happen on Preachers of LA, Season 1, Episode 6 – Staying True to You.

Bishop Ron is a former gang member. This is the premise of his ministry and he goes back into Compton to preach and teach drug addicts and gang members there. Bishop Gibson is also a licensed fire arm holder and this is also a topic of controversy for some. Some would argue that has a man of the cloth, he should exercise his faith and trust God to protect him; while others may argue he is simply being wise and that gang members have no respect for God, but they respect ‘the glock’.

As Preachers of LA continues, we will become more exposed to the developing issues in these ministers, pastors and bishops lives. Whether it be tattoos, swag or ministry; Preachers of LA certainly will keep us talking and many of us studying scripture like never before..myself included.

Cast of Preachers of LA: