By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
When you address Juanita Bynum you better refer to her as "Doctor."
Or that's how she prefers to be referenced as.
A media alert announcing a last minute press conference for the Pentecostal Prophetess circulated earlier this afternoon saying that "Dr. Bynum will address the media regarding the current tax issues facing Juanita Bynum Ministries."
Held at the Atlanta gospel radio station WPZE-FM, the 48-year-old self-proclaimed "new face of domestic violence" wanted to face the music in regards to reports that implied her money was funny.
Earlier this week, Ware County Tax Commissioner Steve Barnard said this week the property owned by her ministry would be auctioned off next month if Bynum didn't pay more than $33,000 in property taxes.
Today, the Chicago native said that all those taxes have been paid, adding that she wants to turn the property into a spa for women and that her lawyers told her it could be considered a tax-exempt religious building.
"It didn't work out that way...So be it," the tell-it-like-it-is televangelist said.
What she didn't say was whether she planned to charge women to visit the spa, whether it would be an overnight facility or the size of the building where the spa would be housed.
The near 7000-square-foot house sits on more than 23 acres. Bynum's Waycross-based ministry bought the building Aug. 18, 2006, tax records indicate.
The county tax commissioner said he had received a check earlier for $33,904.15 from New Light Church World Outreach in Houston, the Associated Press reported. However, that the property technically remained set for auction on Nov. 6, he added.
"It's not paid off until the check clears the bank," he said, noting he expects to know next week whether the check clears.
In other related news, the tax drama isn't holding Bynum back from releasing her new music project.
Her publicist confirmed to The BV Newswire that 'Juanita Bynum: Unplugged' will be released in November via Flow Records. Recorded in "High Definition" at a small Atlanta church, the nearly 2 hour DVD is comprised of candid interviews, anointed, uncut performances from her latest hit opus 'A Piece of My Passion,' and her trademark dynamic ministering!
If this new project is anything like the I've witnessed recently on YouTube.com, it should be thoroughly enthralling.
The record label has pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds from each DVD sale to organizations fighting against Domestic Violence.
Shortly after being allegedly assaulted by her estranged husband Bishop Thomas Weeks, III, Bynum announced she will take a stand against mental and physical abuse by lending her support to a myriad of causes.
At presstime, an organization has not yet been named.
Comments: (172)
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By: Tandra Griffin-Foster on 1/25/2008 10:33PM
People need to stop worshipping Juanita and start worshipping God. My heart goes out to her husband because of the negative light that has been and continues to overcloud him. God has forgiven him and we need to also. Millions of women are abused everyday and no one is doing anything to help the real victims of domestice violience. If she was a victim it would have been known way before now because she would have made it known or there would have been more bruises before now. I think too much time is being spent stroking Juanita's ego and not enough time praying for te healing of a hurtful disease such as domestic violence. No one deserves to be beat man or woman. I believe Juanita has the personality of being very agressive. All I can say to her and Bishop is repent for your sins, ask for forgiveness and let this unfortunate event die so that God can step in and do his job. As for all you Juanita worshippers, stop idolizing anyone other than God.
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By: Katie on 5/20/2008 2:14AM
It amazes me the judgement that Christians use against those whom God has not allowed to walk away from their calling of him. If you don't have an understanding of this woman and her walk, than you have never been in a battered woman's shoes. You have never been in a molested child's shoes. You have never known someone who became addicted to prescription drugs at a young age due to an accident, which wreaked hell and addiction on the rest of their lives. This woman has gone pretty far in God in only 15 short years! You only go that far when you have the help of God Himself. PERIOD. Why does everyone seem to forget that God is the one who allows us where we go? If He hadn't called her to do what she is doing, she would not be. And I can guarantee you, if she didn't have a large ministry, it would be just as important to her to speak of and write about God to 30 people as it is to groups of thousands. You forget that's where everyone starts. She worked darn hard to obey God. She ought to be commended for that as a Saint, by a Saint and I will if no one else will! AND sorry, with all the fallen church leading MEN in this country in the last year, I have no clue why her claim to have been battered is nonsense. Makes perfect sense to me. Ike Turner had Tina Turner operating under his influence and demands and wishes and wants ONLY. Sort of an out there example, but the public knew NOTHING about her personal life until many years after the FACTS. Just ticked at believer's these days. What do you believe in anyway? I've never heard of this woman saying that what she said had to be believed and acted upon, in the name of God - which means that she IS NO FALSE PROPHET! Hello!
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By: uparson on 6/05/2008 8:01PM
Often when you come from a pentecostal background and allow God to shift you from church to kingdom there is a freedom that many christians will not ever experience. Instead of recognizing it they criticize it. Where all of the things and the way she looks may cause others to fall, she seems to be okay. We all have that one thing that could easily cause us to stray and hair, money, and plastic surgery doesn't seem to be hers. Can you honestly say that there's anything that can be sewn, glued, hung on a rack, or driven can remotely be connected to whether or not you are holy?
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By: Lisa on 7/27/2008 2:42AM
To all you haters. Stop hating on Dr. Bynum. If she is such a bad person why waste your time talking about her. Did you know that she will be playing on the show Lincoln Heights and on Divorce Court. So that tells me the more you talk the higher GOD keeps taking her. Remember when you are pointing your fingers 3 are pointing back at you. Stop hating and just participate. Don't dislike her just get like her SAVED!!!!!
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By: E on 8/05/2008 8:08AM
IF POSSIBLE EVEN THE VERY ELECT OF GOD WILL BE DECIEVED! CAPTIVATED BY THE GOD OF THIS WORLD!
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By: David R on 8/24/2008 9:57AM
Matthew 7:21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Why do people ignorantly continue to say that this is a "woman of God?" What does God say about this woman? If you have the Spirit of God in you, you can discern what spirit is in this woman. She talks a good talk, but that will get her nowhere before God.
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By: labo on 11/07/2008 8:36AM
I think Dr Bynum is powrfil woman of God.She has touched so many lives and i believe you all will agree with that.I dont think she is avioding task.I believe this is the job of critics.If she is not critisized then she is definitely not making any progress in are ministry.this is her time of challengesand i pray for to strengthen her.AMEN.
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By: Ipress on 10/19/2007 7:58PM
I am just having a hard time relating to her since she 'altered' her appearance. She doesn't seem real to me anymore.
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By: marietta on 10/20/2007 1:28AM
We just need to ask God to lead us to a good local, church in our community to meet the needs of our entire family . We need to stop running around the country behind all this hype and people and read our Bibles , pray and support 100 percent a local church and local Pastor.
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By: norma mcgill on 10/20/2007 5:04PM
I just want to say to the person who is having a hard time relating to DR.Juanita Bynum since she has beautified herself. Honesy open up your bible and find a women is suppose to beautify herself. She is a very beautiful women. Listen to the lesson she is giving not her look. She is well very still together. Jealousy is a very dangerous thing.DR. Bynum has not change at all.She is still a women of God giving all she has, and much more. I love you Juanita don't ever stop.
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