Bishop Thomas Weeks' Church Evicted: Did The Prophetess See It Coming?

Jesus Take The Wheel

Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III, the leader of Global Destiny International Ministries and ex to Evangelist Juanita Bynum, held services elsewhere last Friday after his Duluth church was evicted from its campus.

Stephanie Friese, attorney for Grimes-Square Executive, Inc. said, “He hasn’t made any payments at all since July of this year. The landlord did try to work out something with him.”

Friese said the bishop owes more than $400,000 in rent and fees.

According to an article written by D. Aileen Dodd, eviction proceedings were initiated against Weeks in early October. According to court documents, Weeks tried unsuccessfully to delay the eviction. A sheriff’s deputy came to the church campus last Friday to carry out the eviction. The campus includes business offices and a sanctuary.

Church officials late Friday said Weeks was still planning to hold worship services later that night elsewhere.

Weeks has long battled financial problems since the demise of his stormy marriage to national evangelist Juanita Bynum. It was reported that he faced several civil lawsuits for past-due accounts —- including possible eviction from his church.

In February Weeks said that Global Destiny Church had lost 1,600 of its 3,400 members after he attacked Bynum in an Atlanta hotel parking lot in 2007, but membership was on the rebound.
According to Gwinnett County Civil Court records, Friese filed an eviction notice Aug. 23, 2007. Court records show Weeks owed $50,555 in back rent for his church. That case was later dropped after a payment arrangement was reached. This time, the landlord and Weeks could not come to an agreement.

"He never offered a set amount of money,” Friese said. “The possession is now with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.” Source

Juanita Bynum at Essence Music Festival '08

For those of you who may have missed it, check out a Prophetess Juanita Bynum post-divorce.

Stick A Fork In This One!

Looks like the troubled marriage of Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III is FINALLY coming to an end.

Together they built Global Destiny Church in Duluth before their relationship fizzled and came to a climatic end on on Aug. 21, 2007. That's the day Weeks attacked Bynum in the parking lot of the Renaissance Concourse Hotel in Atlanta after the couple met to discuss their problems. He ultimately pled and they've been staying in the headlines ever since.

Content Black Woman has the rest on how WEEKS OFFERS BYNUM A DIVORCE SETTLEMENT

Content Black Woman Scoop: Minister Thomas Weeks New Book Tells His Version Of The Story

The estranged husband of evangelist Juanita Bynum says in a new book that she has tried to use a highly publicized physical altercation to revive her own flagging ministry.

The self-published book by minister Thomas Weeks III includes chapters with titles such as "I Would Rather Push You Now Than Punch You Later" and "She Wanted to Be Oprah at Any Cost" and says it was Weeks who suffered physical and emotional abuse in the relationship.

Go over to DIARY OF A CONTENT BLACK WOMAN for the rest of ERRIN HAINES' story.

Evangelist Juanita Bynum to Divorce Court… The Television Show!

Ok we all know of the highly reported parking lot fight and ultimate divorce of the televangelist team of Thomas W. Weeks III and his wife Juanita Bynum. Since then Juanita has received an outpouring of sympathy. She has also received some sharp criticism of being a money grubbing opportunist. Well you decided as tomorrow, Thursday and Friday she appears on Television’s Divorce Court.

In episodes scheduled to air Thursday and Friday, Bynum also says she had thoughts of suicide and weighs in on a case involving domestic violence. When asked what advice she had for women in situations similar to hers, she said, "I have to make a decision ... to take the love that I had for him with me."

In a transcript of the show obtained by The Associated Press, Bynum said she would always love Weeks, but made a decision to "love me more."

Weeks pleaded guilty in March to assaulting Bynum on Aug. 21 in a hotel parking lot outside of Atlanta; police said Bynum told investigators he choked her, pushed her down and kicked and stomped her.

Weeks was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to perform community service and undergo counseling.

Media Takeout thanks for this update

Bishop Thomas Weeks Mans Up (Finally) And Tells The World The Truth: Yeah, I Beat Her!

You Know The Prophetess Saw This Coming

The husband of televangelist Juanita Bynum pleaded guilty yesterday to assaulting her, was sentenced to three years' probation and then turned to her and apologized.

On Monday, the couple saw each other for the first time in months, when Bynum appeared at Weeks' divorce lawyer's office to be deposed in that case. She said the meeting was emotional."When I saw him, it allowed me to reflect on the first time we got married," Bynum said. "I thought about the time wasted and the time lost, and I said, `This has got to stop.'"

Thomas W. Weeks III, a minister known to his followers as Bishop Weeks, turned after his sentencing to address Bynum, who sat in the second row of the Fulton County courtroom gallery."I want to apologize to my wife for all she's had to go through," he said.Bynum nodded in response and quietly thanked him.

Weeks must undergo violence and anger counseling and complete 200 hours of community service that cannot be church-related. He had been barred previously from communicating with Bynum, but that restriction has been lifted. His record will be cleared if he completes the terms of his sentence.

"I don't believe my husband is a criminal," said Bynum, a former hairdresser and flight attendant who became a Pentecostal evangelist, author and gospel singer. Weeks is the founder of Global Destiny churches.

The couple wed in a million-dollar, televised ceremony in 2002 and together wrote "Teach Me How to Love You: The Beginnings."Bynum filed for divorce from Weeks a month after the attack, citing "cruel treatment" and saying the marriage was "irretrievably broken." Since then, the two or their lawyers have issued a series of conflicting statements about the initial incident and the couple's travails.

Details continue at BISHOP WEEKS PLEADS GUILTY TO ASSAULTING WIFE JUANITA BYNUM

HAVING MARITAL PROBLEMS? JUANITA BYNUM HAS ALL THE ANSWERS... JUST NOT FOR HERSELF!

Juanita Bynum And Estranged Husband Bishop Thomas Weeks Have Reconciled???

LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD

According to a person close to both Bishop Thomas and Prophetess Juanita, the couple are undergoing "spiritual counseling" together in an effort to reconcile their marriage. The insider told MediaTakeOut.com exclusively, "They both need spiritual healing from the Lord, but they're committed to rebuilding their marriage ... Please give them some privacy."

It was just a few months ago that Bishop Weeks was arrested for beating and stomping Prophetess Juanita in an Atlanta parking lot. Since then, Bishop Weeks has alleged that Juanita physically abused him repeatedly during the course of the marriage. But things aren't over yet. Despite the couple's apparent reconciliation, criminal charges are still pending against Bishop Weeks.

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Bishop Thomas Weeks Needs Jesus To Take The Wheel... NOW!!!

I am absolutely convinced that Bishop Thomas Weeks is determined to run his entire empire into the ground. Weeks, who allegedly beat his wife, televangelist Juanita Bynum, last summer in an Atlanta hotel parking lot, has written a book, "What Love Taught Me," about his prophetess. How stupid can this man of God Be???

Last Monday, Weeks appeared on the Tom Joyner show to announce the book; however, 48 hours later Weeks decided not to distribute it until "many years from now." Why would anyone attend worship services where Weeks was providing spiritual guidance??? Thank goodness he came to his senses, and apologized for writing the book and other things in an online video. Check out the video at http://whatlovetaughtme.com/.

Juanita Bynum Can't Just Dog Bishop Thomas Weeks In Essence Without Him Having Something To Say About It... Unfortunately!

Bishop Weeks Goes Head Up With Soon-to-be Ex, Juanita Bynum

No Cream has what got Weeks so riled. We really wish both of them would just shut their mouths like Randy and Paula White. Instead, this he-said, she said crap is making them both look like idiots.

Attention Internet Users: Juanita Bynum Has An New Announcement ... Be Nice!

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Juanita Bynum Can't Stay Out Of The News: No Wonder She's Planning On Opening Her Own Spot To Relax!

Bynum pays $32K in Taxes, Plans To Open Spa ... To Calm Her Nerves Over All The Drama

Evangelist Juanita Bynum said last Friday she has paid the delinquent property tax on her $4.5 million compound in Waycross, where officials had threatened to auction the property. The 30-acre compound with a lake view in South Georgia was purchased to house the headquarters of Juanita Bynum Ministries and the Mt. Olive Country Spa for women seeking pampering, prayer and spiritual guidance.

Bynum said at a press conference that the debt was an oversight. Nevertheless, Ware County tax officials say they are depositing Bynum's check for more than $33,000 but they don't intend to take her property off the market until they are sure the payment is good. An additional $300 is still owed on the property. Check out our latest video about Bynum, Paula White and the religious community:


Bynum said she also will release a makeup line called Ethne' and a group of bath products under the Mt. Olive brand name. Bynum asked her fans to keep praying for her. She said the tax issue is not a "big deal" and that she had the money to pay for it all along.

"How many people do you know who can say they own (a) $4.5 million in investment property," Bynum said. "The mortgage is $26,000. Stuff happens." Now folks, I think it's time for that pedicure!

Juanita Bynum's $4.5 Million Dollar Home Going, Going, Gone! Did The Prophetess See It Coming?

The New Face Of Homelessness

In the latest legal drama involving nationally known Pentecostal evangelist Juanita Bynum, making headlines after alleging she was beaten by her estranged husband, Thomas Weeks, now her $4.5M South Georgia compound is scheduled to be auctioned off next month.

Ware County tax commissioner Steve Barnard filed a lien against the 23.6-acre property owned by Juanita Bynum Ministries on June 7, citing failure to pay $32,007.56 in 2006 property tax. According to the lien, a $3,200 penalty and $2,240 in interest is also owed. Bynum's publicist, Amy Malone, said Tuesday that Bynum had no comment on the tax bill or the planned auction.

Barnard said the property, on St. Bernard Trail near Waycross, will be sold at auction on Nov. 6 on the steps of the Ware County Courthouse. The auction will be canceled if Bynum Ministries, which still has ownership, pays the full amount before that date, he said. Bynum's Waycross-based ministry bought the property for $4.5 million last year, according to Barnard.

He said there is a 7,487-square-foot house, a 6,748-square-foot house and a 1,366-square-foot house on the property. Bynum lives in one of the homes, he said.

Barnard said someone from Bynum's office called him last month, "wanting to know if they could set up a payment plan, and I told them if she sent me $25,000, I'd take it out of the [Nov. 6] sale, and she'd have 60 days to pay the balance." That partial payment was supposed to be made by Sept. 28, Barnard said.

"I never received anything, and then last week, I received a check for $5,000 and someone from her organization called and wanted to know if we got the check," Barnard said. "I said, well, we got a check for $5,000 that was supposed to have been $25,000, and they wanted to know if that would take it out of the sale and I told them, no."

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BYNUM, WHITE & BROKEN MARRIAGES: THE PUBLIC PAIN OF A PASTOR'S DIVORCE

Below is one of the best articles I've seen written about the painful implications regarding the pain of divorce among pastor.---Sister Content Woman

This summer, two prominent preaching duos filed for divorce, stunning the evangelic community. Nationally acclaimed TV evangelist Paula White and her husband, Randy White, announced to their congregation last month their plans to split after nearly 18 years of marriage. The Whites are the founders of Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Fla., one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing churches. Paula White is also an author and appears regularly on "The Tyra Banks Show" as a life coach. The Whites' news came on the heels of famed African-American TV evangelist Juanita Bynum Weeks' own decision to file for divorce from her husband, Pentecostal preacher Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III, after he allegedly attacked her in an Atlanta hotel parking lot.

Weeks is the pastor of Global Destiny Ministries in Duluth, Ga. The couple married in 2002 and co-founded the church in 2006, where Bynum was the "first lady." She is a gospel singer and author. Together the couple wrote the marriage guide Teach Me How to Love You: The Beginnings.No one is immune to divorce, not even pastors, who devote their lives to God and are often the source of wisdom and comfort for couples going through marital strife. Newsweek reports that the divorce rate among pastors is about 50 percent, no better than the national average. The reason most cited for pulpit breakups is the demands of ministry.

For both the Whites and the Weeks, their ministries involved consistent travel and constant commitment to the congregation, which tends to leave little room to build personal relationships. Another reason is evangelic congregations seeking a pastor often prefer married to single candidates, which results in some ministers entering into the marriage commitment prematurely. For clergy, divorce is a dual tragedy affecting both their personal and professional lives. A minister undergoing divorce must contend with divided and disillusioned children, church members, communities and, for prominent pastors, the general public.

Paula White said she knows her followers are disappointed given that evangelical Christians hold marriage as a sacred institution and a cornerstone of a godly life. Randy White acknowledged the couple's announcement would let a lot of people down and predicted that the attendance of the 23,000-member church where the two served as co-pastors "will take a hit."Divorce can also jeopardize a pastor's job. Some denominations, such as the Assemblies of God Pentecostal Church, require that the minister provide just cause for the divorce "before ministerial credentials can continue."

Keith Madsen, in his book Fallen Images: Experiencing Divorce in the Ministry, gives his opinion for such widespread condemnation: "One view is that a minister cannot show any major flaw or failure. The minister has to project the image of a person who has been strong enough to resist the evil with which others struggle."This expectation of perfection is unrealistic and pastors who attempt to portray such an image cause serious damage to the church congregation and the community of faith in their times of personal crisis. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 3:10, "There is no one righteous, not even one."As the White and Weeks families each go through divorce, it is important to remember that their crisis, whether justifiable or not, is no less painful.*

Courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune By Corey J. Hodges

JUANITA BYNUM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE'S POSTER CHILD?

On the cover of the New York Times, Juanita Bynum shares her lessons with regards to her latest issues. So much for the 8 weeks of silence. See an excerpt below:

ATLANTA — The attack in a hotel parking lot last month was remarkable not only because the victim, Juanita Bynum, is the most prominent black female television evangelist in the country who pals with Oprah, is admired by Aretha, and who recently signed on to campaign for Obama, it was shocking to legions of women who had latched onto her message of chastity and self-respect. That message was one, according in Bynum, that would bring true love as opposed to a spouse who would choke, stomp and kick you to the curb. Literally! The episode between this woman of faith and her estranged husband Bishop Thomas Weeks III has led to debate about domestic violence and how churches, particularly black churches, respond to it.

Juanita Bynum on Star Jones' Court TV show

But it has also raised questions about the trajectory of Ms. Bynum’s career as a woman who called herself a prophetess, and while condemning promiscuity spoke openly about her lust and longing, in what has been called one of the most significant contemporary American sermons.Her struggle struck a chord in many Black communities, where marriage rates are notoriously low, and it seemed to culminate in the form of an earthly reward: a televised, million-dollar 2003 wedding to a fellow Pentecostal preacher, followed by what seemed to be a model marriage.

Since the attack, Bynum, 48, has tried to reinvent herself once more, announcing that she is “the new face of domestic violence.” But Tom Joyner, the syndicated radio talk show host, did not let her off the hook so easily: “If you’re a prophet,” Mr. Joyner asked, “didn’t you see this coming?”

In a telephone interview, Ms. Bynum said the public had overly romanticized the union. “What happened to me was reality,” she said. “I made a right decision that went bad. If you choose a Cadillac, if two years later someone runs into you and tears it up, it wasn’t a bad decision to buy the car.”

Is Bynum exploiting this situation for another agenda?

Paula White Is Handling Her Split From Her Husband And Pastor Well, But Juanita Bynum Needs A New Media Strategy

The Pastor Randy And Paula White Divorce: Lessons From The Pulpit

What sometimes seems like a case of the dueling divorcing female evangelists, last week it was Paula White's turn to appear on TBN since the announcement of her divorce. Like Prophetess Juanita Bynum - who also calls Bishop T.D. Jakes a mentor - TBN was the first stop for White after the very public announcement of her divorce from Randy White with whom she served as co-pastor of their Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Florida.

For me, if Juanita Bynum "hit it out of the park" with her appearance on TBN, Paula White "hit the game-winning home run" with hers. She was amazing!

Interviewed by contemporary Christian music artist, Carman, White sat poised and humbled as she communicated the power of her spiritual life which she credited with keeping her strong during this very challenging time for rarely is the loss of a marriage ever easy.

Upon first coming on to the program, Carman referred to her as a life coach as well as a minister of the gospel. I found the usage of this secular characterization interesting, yet powerful. I enjoy seeing people evolve in their gifts. White's powerful preaching and teaching cannot be denied.

What I also found interesting was...

This sistah has so much more to say>>>

Bishop Weeks Pulls The Reigns On Juanita Bynum's Divorce Plans

Attorneys for a preacher accused of attacking his televangelist wife in a hotel parking lot said today that that they will contest her petition for divorce.

Randy Kessler, one of the attorneys representing Thomas W. Weeks III, said they are considering whether their counterclaim will accuse Juanita Bynum of cruel treatment - the same charge her divorce petition levels at him.

A lawyer for the 48-year-old Bynum filed the divorce petition against the 40-year-old Weeks yesterday in Ware County, where Bynum has a home. According to the two-page document, Bynum and Weeks were married on July 22nd, 2002, and have been separated since June.
They have no children together.

Bynum cited "cruel treatment" as grounds for divorce, and said the marriage is "irretrievably broken." The filing came less than three weeks after Bynum accused Weeks of choking, pushing and stomping her in a hotel parking lot August 22nd.

Weeks, known to his followers as Bishop Weeks, was charged with aggravated assault and making terroristic threats and is not allowed to have contact with Bynum. Whether Weeks' attorneys decide to pursue a cruel treatment claim against Bynum is up to him.

Associated Press

Web Traffic About Juanita Bynum Increases As Bishop Thomas Weeks Tries To Stall Divorce Proceedings

Juanita Bynum Stories Only Second To Weather

When It Comes To Web Searches

While the mainstream media continues to pay scant attention to the explosive domestic violence allegations involving popular televangelist Juanita Bynum and her husband Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III, black bloggers and savvy Internet users can't seem to get enough of the salacious details and juicy tidbits floating around cyberspace about the high-profile ecumenical couple.

In viewing the seach patterns of one million users during the week of August 25th, the percentage of folks looking for stories about Bynum and Weeks placed second, and it was the number one story on Google Trends. Last week, the story continued to remain in the top ten.

In the latest details to emerge over the controversy, Bishop Weeks still holds out hope that he and his wife can reconcile. In a statement released today by his attorney, Weeks said,“If that is not possible, I am committed to working things out amicably and will only litigate as a very last resort,”

Weeks hired family law firm Kessler, Schwarz and Solomiany on Aug. 22, hours after police responded to a call at an Atlanta hospital, where Bynum accused him of choking her, pushing her down, then kicking and stomping her in a hotel parking lot. Although Weeks is not planning to file for divorce, he was worried that his wife might, divorce attorney Louis Tesser said.“It is his strong preference to remain married,” Tesser said.

Reports of Bynum’s intention to file for divorce have been in the media for days, but no court documents to support the claim have surfaced in Gwinnett County, where the couple lived, or in Ware County, where Bynum has a home.Tesser and divorce attorney Randall Kessler said they have not been contacted by a divorce attorney on Bynum’s behalf.

“If she has hired an attorney for a potential divorce, we invite her and her attorney to meet with us privately whenever they like,” Weeks’ statement ends.Bynum said earlier this week that she wanted to go from being a victim of domestic violence to an advocate.“I believe domestic violence will be my new mantle,” Bynum said during a news conference.

Weeks is charged with aggravated assault and making terroristic threats.As a condition of his bond, he is not allowed to have contact with Bynum, and so has not been able to attempt to reconcile with his wife.“He would if he could,” Kessler said. [AP]