Aug. 27, 2007

Battered Bynum

Last Wednesday, WAGA Fox 5 in Atlanta broke news of the domestic incident between Prophetess Juanita Bynum, 48, and her husband, Bishop Thomas Weeks III, 40. The couple, who are reportedly separated, had apparently met at Renaissance Hotel near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to talk about reconciliation when the meeting took a turn for the worse.

According to police reports, Bynum was "savagely beaten" by Weeks, who "choked her, pushed her down, kicked her and stomped her in the Renaissance parking lot." A hotel bellman pulled Weeks off Bynum, according to Officer Ronald Campbell, who confirmed that Weeks will be charged with aggravated assault and terroristic threats.

News of the domestic crime shocked most in the Christian community and has become a highly trafficked story for online portals as well. Unfortunately, many in the know had heard rumblings of similar incidents between the couple over the last year or so. This columnist received information from an employee of a Ritz Carlton Hotel (city name withheld) where the couple once stayed prior to this incident. The tipster shared that the couple had gotten into a physical altercation and police were called, however they asked the authorities to leave and said they were fine.

Attendees of Bynum's early August four-day Women on the Front Line conference in Orlando, Fla. said that Weeks attended the empowerment session but unlike Bynum's previous functions, he only appeared for one day and participated minimally in services. However, Bynum apparently gave a grand introduction for Week's father, Bishop Thomas Wesley Weeks, while only politely acknowledged her husband.

Though Bynum has been mum about her marital problems, she'd previously been transparent about many of her life challenges through the years. It's essentially how she has built her platform as a preacher. A former flight attendant and welfare recipient, Bynum's sermons have dealt with everything from her once suffering from mental illness to her struggles with sexual promiscuity. Her message, 'No More Sheets,' a candid sermon about her personal struggles with sexual relations, received an endorsement by renowned Bishop T.D. Jakes and thrust Bynum to the A-list among preachers.

The two power preachers had a major falling out, which caused her career to stall. Many mega-church pastors stopped booking Bynum as a result of the riff with Jakes. (The cause of the fallout was rumored to be that Bynum wanted more money in residuals for 'No More Sheets.') They later reconciled when she appeared at a reunion for his Woman Thou Art Loosed conference and presented him with shoes. She explained that in the Bible, when you signify covenant you cut it with salt, you cut a pigeon in half or present your shoes.

Also around this time, Bynum abandoned her hard, more masculine attire and short, cropped hairstyle for a flamboyantly extravagant, glamourzon look.

Bynum and Weeks wed in 2002 in a highly publicized televised wedding that is rumored to have cost upwards of $1 million. The couple, who spoke about their relationship candidly in the winter 2006 cover story in Precious Times magazine, decided Weeks would marry both of Bynum's hands, instead of just her left one, and she wore wedding rings (one almost eight karats) on both hands.

They also launched a national conference called Teach Me How to Love You to instruct other married Christians on having healthy relationships. Later, talk of their then rumored separation intensified when the two promoted their three-day conference in late June as "the last" one. Bynum's sister Tina Culpepper confirmed to the Atlanta Journal Constitution that the two were actually separated for three months, which would mean they were not actually together when they were promoting marital bliss during their conference. (There are reports that Weeks was also evicted from his Atlanta area residence three months before the domestic dispute, which resulted in his stay at an airport hotel.)

While the Chicago-bred prophetess was already one of the Christian community's most noted speakers with bestselling books, a regular show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) and sold out national conferences when she wed Weeks; he was pastoring a small 100-seat church called Global Destiny (one of the church's many names) in a very rough area of Northeast Washington, D.C. (The church was so small that a recording artist who sang there told me that they set their table up outdoors to sell CDs because there was little room inside the building.) There are other reports that Weeks has been evicted from other D.C. area facilities where he had churches because of building code violations and allegedly operating an illegal charter school.

It is believed that Weeks hoped his status on the preaching circuit would rise because of his marriage to Bynum. It didn't. Apparently, he once preached on the TBN Network and went well over his time. What should have propelled him to the next level of his preaching profession caused him to be blacklisted by the prominent network despite his wife being a highly rated personality for TBN.

The couple even attempted to purchase the old facility in Capitol Heights, Md., where my church, The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square (formerly Glendale Baptist Church) was once based. Like many things surrounding the couple, there was some controversy regarding the deal and it never materialized. That's when they opened their Duluth, Ga. location, in which they jointly pastored, and for a short time, flew the Washington, D.C.-based musicians and staff down each week. Despite terminating the D.C. employees after a short time, Global Destiny's location in the nation's capitol remained open and parishioners watch a television broadcast of the Sunday services in Atlanta.

Weeks turned himself in to authorities this past Friday. He spent about six hours inside the Fulton County Jail and refused to comment upon his release. His bond was set at $30,000 on a charge of aggravated assault and $10,000 on a charge of terroristic threats. The magistrate ordered that Weeks refrain from having contact with Bynum or her sister, Culpepper. A rep for the prophetess said: "We're not at liberty to discuss it at this time."

Week's attorney, John Garland, told WAGA Fox 5 that his client is "a peaceful man" and the issue is "a personal matter." In addition, Garland said that Weeks will meet with "a variety of pastors over which he presides, and with his father, who is a minister, and he's going to make a prayerful decision as to how he proceeds. He's dedicated his whole life to the ministry, and we're very hopeful that he will be able to continue to lead the ministry."

Though Bynum is a resilient woman who will likely use this ordeal as the basis for her next preaching series and/or conference -- stay tuned because No More Bruises: The Conference for Battered Women will clearly be in the works -- the same can't be said for Weeks. The fledgling bishop may as well hang up his preaching robe (unless he is planning a full-fledged prison ministry) and prepare for life in khakis and a red polo shirt (that's the Target uniform for those who don't know). Though many preachers have rebounded from scandals, Weeks' national career was in the shadow of his wife's.

Buzzworthy

Is singer Sade preparing her next comeback record? That's the question being asked since the 48-year-old London-based singer was spotted in New York City recently having lunch with friends. The 'Smooth Operator' vocalist was spotted dining at St. Vartan Café on 34th and Second Street. Her last album was 2000's 'Lovers Rock.' A rep for Epic Records didn't respond to a request for an update on the singer.

Singer Deniece Williams is doing ok after taking a Beyonce-like fall during a show in Hollywood recently. The 'Silly' singer was performing before Morris Day & The Time at the Hollywood Sunset Junction, and fell from the stage to the ground after reaching to embrace a fan in the crowd. Her son took the microphone and admonished the crowd to pray before breaking into a gospel song. A microphone was passed to Williams, who was still on the ground, and she finished her song from there. She got back up, performed her last song onstage and headed to the hospital to get checked out. "As far as I know there are no serious injuries," said her rep, Monifa Brown of Shanachie Entertainment.

Actress Malinda Williams and her boyfriend, deejay/photographer D-Nice are not engaged. Apparently an Internet rumor claims that they are. "I don't know where or how the rumor started but it is not true," the Williams' publicist, Lisa Sorensen.

Crystal Hickman of General Motors invited me to Las Vegas for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention, where GM's Buick Enclave hosted The Unity Party with NABJ's Chicago chapter. The chocolate-themed bash was hosted by my radio boss Tom Joyner, of the nationally syndicated 'Tom Joyner Morning Show,' and featured a performance by Oleta Adams. Deejay Steve "Silk" Hurley spun records while journalists from all walks of the business partied with a purpose. Though I met way too many journalists to name, it was definitely great seeing favorites like Shaun Robinson ('Access Hollywood'), Tanika Ray ('Extra'), Kevin Frazier ('Entertainment Tonight'), April Woodard ('Inside Edition') and Jacque Reid. (See Oleta Adams perform "Get Here" at the party here:

Matthew Knowles' Spirit Rising label has signed singer Nikki Ross to its roster. One of the industry's newest and most incredible vocalist, Ross became a standout member of Ricky Dillard's New Generational Choral and toured with Kirk Franklin. Her long overdue debut offering is slated for 2008.

Hip-hop collective C-Wealth Clik is readying its debut release, 'Chili and Cheese Vol. 1.' The trio, consisting of members Flare, Purty PIMP and Jenn K, represent music influences from Cincinnati, Chicago and Costa Mesa, Calif. respectively. The group's first single 'Swagg' is set to impact mainstream radio this week.

Actress Ellia English ('The Jamie Foxx Show') has joined Larry David's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' as a series regular. English will play Auntie Rae on the HBO improvisational show. It was already announced that Vivica A. Fox would play a Hurricane Katrina survivor on the series.

Can't Say Names …

What inspirational R&B star recently took her children to Disney World, but wouldn't allow them to meet Mickey Mouse because of her unctuous fear of the Disney characters in costume. Said singer spent nearly a week at the Orlando-based theme park and apparently made up countless excuses for not taking her children to areas of the park where Mickey and his cohorts dwell so that she wouldn't have an encounter with the characters.