Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs
While Memphis leaders celebrate the return of the Church of God in Christ’s (COGIC) annual convention to Memphis, a video has surfaced that purports to show a church leader using homophobic slurs during the most recent convention.
COGIC leaders voted during the latest convocation this week in St. Louis to move the annual convention back to Memphis in 2021. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said since 2016 his team and Memphis Tourism “has worked hard and made it a priority” to bring the convention back here.
Since taking office in 2016, my team, working alongside Memphis Tourism, has worked hard and made it a priority to bring the COGIC convocation back to the @CityOfMemphis. Let me be the first to say welcome home!
— Mayor Jim Strickland (@MayorMemphis) November 13, 2018
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On Tuesday morning, NewsOne, an outlet delivering news “from a Black perspective,” reported the video has “gone viral.” The video, posted to Twitter and Facebook, purportedly shows preacher Frances Kelly preaching directly to one man during the convocation.
This is trash. COGIC is trash. pic.twitter.com/PSi5moNgos
— Is this your coat? Did you come with anyone? (@DamoneWilliams_) November 12, 2018
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During her talk, Kelly tells the man he needs to “come out from around those sissified men who have been hanging around you” and “we call them faggots.”
“God can’t use no men trying to be women,” Kelly said in the video. “We call them faggots. I ain’t calling you that. You understand it. You understand it?”
After getting what seems to be a reproachful comment from a woman standing nearby, Kelly waves a hand at her and says, “hey, I don’t play with God.”
Congratulations!!! @mayorofmemphis and @cityofmemphis Great work!!! Regaining this convention Spiritually and Economically embodies our regions place in the world. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
— Mark Yates (@marker_yates) November 13, 2018
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Back to the man, she says, “hey, stay away from around them sissies, okay? Let God save them. God has chosen you. And they know it. That’s why the devil in hell is going to destroy you. In the name of Jesus, I curse this spirit.”
COGIC public relations executive director Robert Coleman would not confirm any of the details of the video, whether it shows Kelly, or if the sermon was delivered at the most-recent COGIC convocation. When asked if he’d like a link to the video, Coleman said there was “no need” and said he had no comment on it.
Welcome home COGIC. Thanks mayor for your Leadership and commitment to bring them back home!!
— Kenneth Moody (@kennethsmoody) November 13, 2018
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The video does, at least, feature Kelly, who was once listed as the church’s National Director of Intercessory Prayer Ministry. Kelly was also a pioneer in Memphis television as the first woman to host a talk show here in the 1970s on WREG.
Many don’t realize the problems and woes that lead @COGICisLIVE to leave Memphis. Let’s hope those issues are being dealt with by the City, County and COGIC. I applaud @CityofMemphis for this and the economic advancement that is paving the way for this Convention to come back.
— Manna For Your Day (@survivalmanna) November 13, 2018
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Discussing the situation on YouTube, Dashawn Stallings said he knows “Mother Kelly” and said she is ”a sweetheart lady.”
“Mother Kelly is like that in the church and out the church and will cuss you out,” Stallings said.
He said people have said on social media they want to fight Kelly. Also, he said he understands that Kelly is “old and we got grandmas who say the same thing.”
“But when we come into the house of god…” Stallings began. “This ain’t no house. It’s a slaughterhouse. Honey, we don’t care what we say to people. We don’t care how we act in the church.”
I added a video to a @YouTube playlist https://t.co/dgiGXIjF7m COGIC CONVOCATION 2018 #GayBashing Earl Carter Frances Kelly Patrick
— Dashawn Stallings (@dashawnbreezy24) November 13, 2018
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