You know, I can understand a little shock value in a sermon every now and then to make sure your congregation is awake. In preaching classes and seminars it is often taught that at times we have to catch the congregants off guard with refreshing messages. With that said, Maryland pastor Jamal Bryant went too far in his latest sermon.

In one of his latest sermons, Bryant quoted R&B singer Chris Brown when he said “These Hoes Ain’t Loyal.” The quote was not a slip of the tongue, as before spewing it Bryant said, “Old Saints you have to forgive me.” On the various social media outlets those in defense of Bryant said that everyone needed to watch the whole video before judging Bryant so harshly. So I did just that.

First, let’s ignore the fact that the message is paused at least twice for announcements and the asking for offering. Let’s also ignore that he suggests to be fully blessed you have to be married (14:50). Let’s also duck the homo-phobic undertones. At the 6:36 mark, Bryant mentions that men want a place of discipline, order and focus. He follows this by saying that men do not want to go to church for an emotional out pour, without directions or instructions. What is interesting about this is at the 19 minute mark he strategically chooses to get an emotional response from the audience by stating, “These Hoe’s Ain’t Loyal.” This quote was in reference to a man running off with a “side-chick” and not listening to the woman and/or his spouse that he has been in a relationship with. I particularly wonder if “hoes” was in reference to the male, “the side-chick” or both.

Bryant points the finger at the men in his congregation by saying “then you run” off with a side chick (15:48). I believe his message had the potential to be powerful if he would have inserted his personal story here. In an interview with Roland Martin, Bryant spoke about his own infidelity. Somewhere in this message he should have explained to his congregants that he was speaking from first hand experience. This would have added major value to his message as he could have explained how he knew the destruction cheating caused from first hand experience.

Instead of referencing his personal story, Bryant chooses to co-sign the lyrics of Chris Brown. Quoting Brown lyrics added no spiritual or theological value to the sermon at all. There is no arguing that. It was done for show. Bryant also cosigns the misogynistic society that we live in by making it seem ok to refer to a female as a hoe. It is very disturbing that he received so many cheers after quoting such a lyric. Some African American churches really need an awakening. Finally I would suggest that Bryant revisit the interview with Martin. In the interview Bryant mentions the warning from his father about preaching for applause. It’s apparent that Bryant’s strategic use of the quote was for applause only and nothing else.

Below is an excerpt from the Chris Browns song entitled Loyal:
When a rich n***a want ya
And your n***a can’t do nothing for ya
These hoes ain’t loyal
These hoes ain’t loyal
Yeah, yeah, let me see
Just got rich
Took a broke n***a b***h
I can make a broke b***h rich
But I don’t f**k with broke b****s
Got a white girl with some fake t****s
I took her to the Bay with me
Eyes closed, smoking marijuana
Rolling up that Bob Marley
I’m a rasta
She wanna do drugs,
Smoke weed, get drunk
She wanna see a n***a trapped
She wanna f**k all the rappers

What would you have done if you were in the sanctuary if this happened? What if you were with your wife, daughter, mother or grandmother?

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