Dr. Juanita Bynum believes that the lines differentiating men from women have become blurred, especially in church. She left few remarks unsaid when she called out congregants who, by her ledger, may have taken the church adage “come as you are” too far.
During a revival sermon at The Power House Chicago, the pastor said, “Brothers we wearing our pants too tight…them little bitty suits is worrying me. Them ones that’s high waters that cut all up in here so we can count how many you got down there. Something is wrong.”
Bynum further picked apart male attire that she deemed inappropriate when she noted, “Lil jackets that’s to lil look like you just put on Lil Ray Ray’s clothes or something and came to church.”
The “Matters of the Heart” author lamented that ill-fitting wardrobe were just the tip of the iceberg in her disapproval of churchgoers’ behavior in the sanctuary. Bynum then took aim at how congregants’ worship also fails to adhere to her understanding of biblical norms.
“To the point even your lil dance scare me. The way you shout scare me. Your knees too close to be a man…Just tipping when you shout. Open up your legs and shout like a man!” she exclaimed.“Y’all up here shouting like girls and the women shouting like dudes…close your legs up, you a woman!”
@Juanita_Bynum_ LET’S Get into the word together.
— Mikey the Alien Superstar (@JAMikey32) January 25, 2024
The Bible says: “I permit not a woman yo teach, or to have authority over a man: She MUST be Silent”. 1 Timothy 2 verse 12!
So why are you operating in a pulpit teaching? And then speaking on MEN?
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The inflammatory remarks from the pulpit were by and large viewed as offensive on social media. “Imagine going to church where you’re supposed to be able to “come as you are”, just to be insulted. Smh. Do better,” wrote one person on Instagram.
“So much for come as you are or judge not lest ye be judged,” commented another. While another highlighted that even Bynum was not following the Bible’s ordinance that prohibits women from being leaders.
“I permit not a woman yo teach, or to have authority over a man: She must be silent,” reads 1 Timothy 2 verse 12. “So why are you operating in a pulpit teaching? And then speaking on MEN?” posted an X user who shared the scripture.
Elsewhere in the online discourse about the video, others compared the “Shake Us Again” vocalist to Kim Burrell for their shared pulpit controversies. Both women have a history of being slammed for making followers feel ostracized.
Burrell most recently caught flak when she silenced a woman for joining her in singing praises unto the Lord during a sermon. The polarizing religious figure attempted to change the narrative surrounding the situation by stating that God was using her as a vessel when the interruptions took place.
