One of Steve Gaines' most ridiculous lines when it comes to tithing, is to accuse his non-tithing church members of "living in stolen homes". In Gaines' very strange worldview, failure to fork over 10% of one's income to his church is a crime.There is no evidence to suggest that any church member ever lived in a "stolen home". That would be pretty brazen to actually STEAL a home and live in it. Not sure how one would go about stealing a home.
But leave it to a PASTOR, oddly enough, to try to steal a home, and then live in it!
Yes, in my own hometown, a pastor was arrested Friday and accused of....get this....living in a stolen home!
Yes, Steve Gaines, one of your fellow pastors ACTUALLY is living in a stolen home!
As reported by WOKV radio, and by News4Jax, Pastor Marcelous Dunbar, who told News4Jax he is a pastor at Open Arms Christian Fellowship, took up residence in a $440,000 house as a "squatter" in an attempt to gain ownership under "adverse possession" provisions of an old Florida Statute. The family that bought the house this week was not able to move in until they got rid of the unwanted guest.
Pastor Dunbar said he was simply trying to eradicate the homeless problem in Jacksonville...by that he must mean his own homelessness.
And this isn't the only home that Pastor Dunbar is trying to steal! Apparently the good Pastor has figured out a scheme to claim "adverse possession" and has tried this at three other homes in the neighborhood! Only problem he would have to live there for 7 years, not just a few days. They must not have covered "adverse possession" in seminary. Oops.
How does a pastor go about living in a stolen home? According to Pastor Dunbar's arrest report:
"On September 20, 2011, the defendant went to the residence and drilled out the locks on the residence without the owner's consent. On September 21, 2011, the defendant occupied the residence again without the consent of the owner."So, Steve Gaines, while no one was ever arrested for not tithing....your fellow pastor Marcelous Dunbar was arrested for grand theft and burglary for....living in a stolen home!
And you keep saying that this isn't an anti-pastor blog? Spare us that rhetoric. Going around and just looking for dirt isn't Biblical nor is it edifying.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Tom. I saw this on the news. At first, I laughed, then I realized how sad this is. I can't help but wonder if the guy is even saved. Also, watching the news, I saw him hang up on Tarik Minor when Tarik asked him, "How do you reconcile stealing a house with being a pastor?"
ReplyDeleteThis world has gone nuts. But, rather than make fun of this guy (as I am tempted to do), I'm going to put him in our prayers.
OK, I'll admit it. This is an anti-house-stealing-pastor blog.
ReplyDeleteAbout "looking for dirt" on this guy...I don't have to look to hard, just on the local news.
Johnny - sure, pray for him. But I also would pray for the family who bought this home who had a guy living in their home and who would not move out delaying their plans to move in. I'm sure they feel violated. I would pray for the guy who first owned the house, who had it broken into in an attempt to steal what was rightfully his. But bottom line, I can't help but see the humor in it being a pastor who is the first person in my life that I've ever seen "living in a stolen home", after hearing Steve Gaines accuse his church members of the same.
Tom, it's always interesting to me how people come here and slam you for blogging about current events. And by slam, I mean judging your motives behind this blog - which would mean that anonymous 7:04 knows your heart.
ReplyDeleteGood points, Tom!
ReplyDeleteWhat is wrong with this Pastor living in this home...no one else was??
ReplyDeleteHe was simply taking advantage of the law, is that a crime?
He DID NOT STEAL IT, HE BORROWED IT!
This is libel against this Brother!
I sure hope Anon 10:05 is attempting irony......lol. If he's serious.....
ReplyDeleteBut WD, just fwiw, this nutcase has claimed to be a "pastor" but there are indications that that's just another lie from his repertoire. Not that there aren't "pastors" capable of this.
o.b.
ReplyDeleteMarcellous told the news reporter he is a "pastor" at the Open Arms Christian Fellowship...and here at this website you can see our squatting pastor is described as "Minister Marcellous T. Dunbar", and he heads up a ministry of Open Arms. The site describes Marcellous' "spiritual father" as being O.A. pastor Leofric W. Thomas.
I like this quote about the relationship between Marcellous and Pastor Leofric:
"Pastor Thomas teaches our director [Marcellous] to always pray and seek Gods face and to not focus on the things of the world, for Kingdom business is what lasts."
I think Marcellous might have been focusing on the things of the world, like $440,000 homes in a nice suburb of Jacksonville. But then again, maybe he was praying and seeking God's face and God told him to go into Clay County and squat in 4 houses and try to confiscate them from the owner. For Jesus' sake, of course.
"About "looking for dirt" on this guy...I don't have to look to hard, just on the local news."
ReplyDelete===============================
Everything I've read on this blog seems to have been posted first by the media - not Tom. This so called pastor knows how to use the system for his own self righteousness - no wonder we week by week lose more respect for those in ministry - they are thieves that church goers support. They have no fear of God!
Speaking of Pastors and Thievery....
ReplyDeleteSteve Gaines is again missing from the pulpit in Memphis, If anyone happens upon him, please post and let us know where he's moonlighting .... again.
Mac Brunson, up to it again with his tweets:
ReplyDelete"Pastors remember this when you are shot at: The devious are an abomination to the Lord. But He is intimate with the upright. Prov 3:32"
Mac assumes that any criticism is a sinister "shot"...and that critics are all devious, but pastors are "intimiate" with the Lord because they are upright.
I love when Mac reveals his heart and what he thinks about those that criticize him or disagree with him. So glad he is not my pastor.
"About "looking for dirt" on this guy...I don't have to look too hard, just on the local news."
ReplyDeleteRoflol!!!
Watchdog, I do know your heart and I think you are a breath of fresh air.
As far as anonymous 7:04, when you speak of "Going around and just looking for dirt isn't Biblical nor is it edifying," you must be talking about the way I was treated by pastors and members of my former church.
During my own stint of unemployment, I went to a secular agency that provided free search training and professional job placement.
I can tell you that secular group treated me with much more love, respect and real encouragement than the church ever did, unless you believe telling people that "if you kept tithing to the church and if you were right with God,nothing would have happened to you;" and "God would give you a job if you were right with him," then your view of edification is much different than mine.
When I stopped going, members I thought were friends continued harassing me by sending me emails with statements such as: "You need to let God (meaning them) control your heart and mind or your life will be a failure and a mess."
"If you walk away from the church, the covering of God will be removed."
And the list goes on.
One of them even ran interference at one point with an employment agency I was working with. How do I know this? Because this member told me he had talked to the owner, who also goes to the church.
After that, they suddenly had no more assignments available.
They WENT THAT FAR to hurt me. My biggest sin was not falling for their brainwashing. I never went on the offensive, but they knew I understood what they were really about, and they tried to destroy me simply for that.
When I see some of the comments from the self-righteous defenders on here, it reminds me of exactly what I went through.
This blog has also helped me because I have a sense of humor and it verifies the irony and deliberate manipulation by some of these pastors.
In my case, that church had beaten me down so much that I had to go into professional counseling -- instead of getting from them the encouragement that I wanted. That's not to say have them tell me everything I do is right or wonderful -- just a sincere caring about me and what I was going through. Some SINCERE guidance rather than manipulation and deceit, would have been wonderful.
This is a breath of fresh air indeed! Instead of coming to a blog that is full of cutesy sayings, and rehashings of Biblical principles that look more like Hindu sayings, or Buddhist proverbs, I see a guy wrestling with the truth that there is an illegitimate pastor out there. Instead of hiding the facts and the truth like some cowardly "Christians" attempt to do in the name of "love" or trying to defend him, he's exposing the bad behavior and calling it what it is. I like this blogger! He calls a spade a spade, instead of trying to hide the truth.
ReplyDeleteWhat does this tell someone who's not a Christian, but possibly came here thinking that all Christians are hypocrites and backward in their thinking? What does this tell someone who's not a Christian and thinks that all Christians are weak-minded and incapable of actual logical, reasonable thinking? This tells them, and me, that maybe some Christians aren't like that at all! Maybe there are some Christians who have the mental capacity indomitable fortitude to recognize and expose those masquerading as Christians who are acting like anything but Christians.
I think some Christians are cowards because they think that if the world (presumably that means "non-Christians") sees someone who is a Christian acting badly that they're so stupid they won't be able to recognize the fact that maybe that guy isn't even really a Christian. So instead of being honest, they break their own command to not lie. They then stand in pious, self-righteousness over others, judging them for being less than truthful, while they THEMSELVES try to cover up and hide a full blow scandal! This is also insulting because it implies that non-Christians are stupid when they try to cover up controversy and scandals rather than just exposing it and calling a false "Christian" out!
Thank you for this bold post Watchdog! I'm always happy when I see someone smart enough to know that it only gets worse when you wait for outsiders to air out your dirty laundry. Whether a Christian likes it or not, you have to own this story, and then condemn it publicly, otherwise the whole world is going to think that all Christians are like this.
Shame on those who in their cowardice and self-righteousness would have rather had this obvious wrong covered up so as to avoid embarrassment. You think the "world" doesn't notice? Of course it does, and it only makes it all that more embarrassing for you when not only is the original scandal discovered, but it is discovered in the hands of whitewashed, so-called Christians who are trying to cover it up.
Thanks for that link, WD....I won't pick nits with you over this one....some folks toss around "pastor" and "minister" rather loosely. It looks like this crook is the leader of some choir endorsed by that church. I love this line: "God birthed Minister Marcellous Dunbar with FOM, with Pastor Leofric W. Thomas of Open Arms Christian Fellowship as his spiritual father, Marcellous nor this choir for Christ will ever be lead wrong."
ReplyDeleteIt looks like they've misidentified his spiritual father....and his real father indeed has "lead (sic) him wrong"
oldBaptist said...
ReplyDelete..some folks toss around "pastor" and "minister" rather loosely.
Pastor Mac Brunson
Pastor Steve Gaines
Pastor Ronnie Floyd
Pastor Ed Young
Pastor Etc
Let's not be racist and just question this Black Pastor's Credentials when the Church House is full of them.
He gets high marks for creativity.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if he will be able to get a housing allowance on all four of these homes? :)
ReplyDeleteI just read recently that a township in Ca. fined a couple $300 for holding a bible study in their own home. They have to obtain a permit from the city...would you believe this in America? And some still have no idea that we are in the Last Days. Keep up the good work WD. Let the light shine on and in.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:50...are you calling me racist? I don't have much use for anonymous posters anyway and when I have something critical to say I am not afraid to use my real name....the "oldBaptist" is just convenient but I wonder if you have the guts to claim your accusation? It's ludicrous and stupid but that might be right in character for you.
ReplyDeleteScam artist with a title, just like Darrell G.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous 12:32 am,
ReplyDeleteI'm familiar with San Juan Capistrano, where the people were having a Bible study and have to get a special permit.
It is due to the size and frequency of the studies, having both a weekday evening and a Sunday time. The town is also very mountainous, with some canyons. So what might be easy to do in the flat Midwest, might be very hard in the neighbors there.
Ed Franklin said...
ReplyDelete"Anon 8:50...are you calling me racist?"
Touchy this morning , aren't we?
The statement was
"Let's not be racist"
By demeaning a Black mans particular "calling" to the ministry?
Thus defending the degreed White Pastors "calling" in the Church House?
Just as you are glad that Mac is not your pastor, I'm sure he's equally as glad that you are not a member of his church. All of this backstabbing is childish.
ReplyDeleteSo.....it was an "old" Florida statute.......
ReplyDeleteHuh????
Is there a squatter law or not??
An "old" statute is still a statute!
This is old school "Jim Crow" "Poll Tax" racism!
He did not break the law, he is taking advantage of the law!
Would this be a story if he wasn't black???
Didn't think so.....
Everyone please ignore the race-baiting troll.
ReplyDeleteANNONY PROCLAIMED: "Just as you are glad that Mac is not your pastor, I'm sure he's equally as glad that you are not a member of his church. All of this backstabbing is childish."
ReplyDeleteMac-Disciple, just remember your tactics in the whole WD matter and that you or your designates foisted this sneaky little ambush of WD.
Your feelings were hurt and maybe you could not, in good conscience, address the matters WD brought up. So, you reverted to basic school yard bully tactics.
That showed realy character Mac-Disciple, real maturity in the faith and your station in life. Just who was the backstabber here anyhow?
How is critquing questionable conduct in an open forum considered backstabbing? If he can't take the heat, then get off the high pedestal you have placed him.
Some people.
Some people.
ReplyDeleteSeptember 26, 2011 12:58 PM
================================
Agree with some people above - couldn't have said it better. It's not "some people" but "alot".
Mac Brunson & his cronies are the real back stabbers.
They love the peoples money. . .not the people!
Everything I've read on this blog seems to have been posted first by the media - not Tom. This so called pastor knows how to use the system for his own self righteousness - no wonder we week by week lose more respect for those in ministry - they are thieves that church goers support. They have no fear of God!
ReplyDeleteSeptember 24, 2011 11:53 AM
Dear Anon,
I have lost all respect for you and attenders because you rarely attend church, don't support the work of the church but you are building your own "personal" Kingdom, you say you love Jesus but you completely live your life on your own terms. Need I go on.....?
Whatever you want to say, this blog has been and continues to serve as a anti-pastor blog. What this particular pastor did was wrong but connecting the dots with Gaines is a stretch. I am sure that I could stretch and find some "dirt" on you.
"Whatever you want to say, this blog has been and continues to serve as a anti-pastor blog. What this particular pastor did was wrong but connecting the dots with Gaines is a stretch. I am sure that I could stretch and find some "dirt" on you.
ReplyDeleteSeptember 26, 2011 5:03 PM
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Since I am the one who wrote the post you directed your comments to I will respond with saying my friend as for myself & family you'd have a lot of digging to find any "dirt" on us. We're long time serious believers who are respected in our community. If you don't care for my opinion, makes no difference as we stand beside Mr. Rich & his blog.
"I am sure that I could stretch and find some "dirt" on you."
ReplyDeleteWouldn't that be difficult considering the post was anonymous?
LOL!
" What this particular pastor did was wrong but connecting the dots with Gaines is a stretch. I am sure that I could stretch and find some "dirt" on you."
ReplyDelete--------
Not connecting any dots whatsoever with Gaines. Simply finding humor in the irony that the first Christian I've ever seen "living in a stolen house" was a pastor, not a non-tithing church member. THAT is ironic, and it is incredibly funny given Gaines' fascination with declaring church members as "living in stolen houses".
Off Topic: Wade Burleson > No Man Is An Island: The Great Lesson of Friendship from John Donne
ReplyDeleteWhy is he NOT listed as on the church staff? His name shows up nowhere as staff on the church link you provided. Do you have the incorrect link? Notice how the link shows this incredible church facade and when you look further it is not the pic at the front of the website. Strange.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:16 - see my comment further up, with hyperlink. He is a "minister" at the church, heads up some music ministry of the church.
ReplyDeleteSo in reality he's not a pastor but instead of much-maligned and much-scorned Minister of Music. There is a difference you know.
ReplyDelete"Wouldn't that be difficult considering the post was anonymous?"
ReplyDeleteLOL!
September 26, 2011 6:18 PM
Good one, that's right - the reason I remain anonoymous is that I'm a member of FBCJ who boots people out if they express a difference of opinion - however, the day will come when we do share our real names!
While I am sure that Dr. Brunson cares for you and prays for you, Lord knows, I'm with you... I'm sure glad he's not YOUR Pastor. Grow up ! Get a real job !
ReplyDelete