94th Live Stream with Carlton Pearson - What if there were no right or wrong?

About this sermon

What if there were no "right or wrong," just actions, choices and decisions with con-sequences or sequels to them? A sequence or sequel is a thing that follows. It is cause and effect or as Hinduism and Buddhism would say, Karma, which is destiny or fate following as effect from cause. After spending the first 50 years of my life as an evangelist, pastor and bishop in the church, trying and hoping to get people and/or the world "saved" and then seeing where things are in 2014, compared to what I expected 40 years ago, when I officially launched my evangelistic ministry, I reflect with amazement at how ineffective it seems my efforts were. I don't deny my years as an effective, respected servant/leader within the fundamentalist/Pentecostal/Charismatic community, but when I look at where the world is compared to what I was trying to impact differently, I can see how what you fight, you ignite, incite and invite. My former personal and philosophical resistance to women's right to choose, LGBTQ civil and social rights, pari-mutuel betting in Oklahoma and liquor by the drink (OK was a dry state when I came here 43 years ago), legalized marijuana (medically or recreationally), etc., have now proven to be ineffective and I was part of a strong and well-funded faith community that resisted today's America as it was and continues to become. I had this discussion with Billy Graham when Gina and I spent a day with him and Ruth when he and I both participated in a Memorial Service for the Oklahoma bombing. He, too, voiced his personal disparities after evangelizing, at that time for over 50 years. We here in Tulsa prided ourselves as being the "buckle of the Bible Belt," with strong evangelical roots in conservative Christian values and all which that entails and infers. In a sense, had I not expanded myself and soul to another way of perceiving the world, I'd be hanging my head in shame, disillusionment, embarrassment, discouragement and disenchantment because of how things seem to have deteriorated "morally," spiritually and politically in this state with all our work efforts. Carlton Pearson After college at the Oral Roberts University in Tulsa Oklahoma he served for 15 years on its Board of Regents, and two years as Associate Evangelist of The Oral Roberts Association, (ORA). In 1977, Pearson founded Higher Dimensions Ministries (now New Dimensions ), in Tulsa, which grew to over 5,000. Bishop Pearson was consecrated to the office of Bishop in 1996 thru a College of Bishops headed by Bishop Charles E Blake, presently the Presiding Bishop of the Churches of God In Christ, the denomination he was raised in and through whom he was ordained in 1971. In 1993, Carlton married the former Gina Marie Gauthier who is a professional Life Coach and Yoga teacher. More recently, he has felt a passion to proclaim the "Gospel Of Inclusion" and has written a widely acclaimed book by that name, published by Simon and Schuster. It confronts the Christian church's exclusivism as being inconsistent, in spirit with the teachings of Jesus. Pearson's frank and often controversial take on a number of different subjects has earned him appearances on television programs such as NBC and MSNBC's Dateline, ABC's Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley, The Edge with Paula Zahn and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, The Monique Show on BET, and a number of other television, radio and print media outlets. Bishop Pearson was recognized as one of America's 10 Most Influential Black Ministers by Gospel Today and Belief.net. He has received several honorary doctoral degrees. Bishop Pearson recently served as the Interim Senior Minister at Christ Universal Temple in Chicago. He and Gina now host New Dimensions of Chicago, building a local multi-cultural and radically Inclusive spiritual community that emphasizes expanded consciousness and Self Actualization. His newest book, God Is Not A Christian, Nor A Jew, Muslim, Hindu...God Dwells With Us, In Us, Around Us, As Us was published by Simon and Schuster and released in the spring of 2010. Visit our Youtube Channel for more video! Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/bishoppearson Website: http://www.bishoppearson.com Join Email List: http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=cqgwpvn6&p=oi&m=1011112155650