Detroit, MI — After a huge brawl recently broke out inside Great Faith Ministries International, a historically Black church in Detroit, the pastor, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, is now telling his side of the story. In response to New Era Detroit, an activist group that is accusing him of living a lavish lifestyle, driving luxury cars, and not doing enough to help his impoverished community, he says that this doesn’t mean he doesn’t give back.During a recent interview with Fox 2, Jackson did not deny his lavish lifestyle. Instead, he responded, “I have been pastoring and serving this community for 30 years… I have went down and bought washers and dryers for elder people… We have had dinners at my home for school children… I have pepole living in my home right now that were homeless and they are not paying me a dime.”
He also says that he conducts regular food give aways to the poor, Thanksgiving dinners for the needy, has created jobs for local ex-cons, and has even given away homes.
Refering to Zeek, the leader of New Era Detroit (www.NewEraDetroit.com), who stormed his church and started protesting during one of his recent services, Jackson comments, “How dare you come into a place where there are children where there’s elderly and widows and grandmothers and do such a thing? It’s wrong and you can’t justify it.” He adds, “Who made him, who voted for him, did the governor put him in office,” Jackson said. “Who made him the deputy for black folks or black churches.”
Zeek says he became infuriated during one of the services when the pastor started soliciting offers for $1,000 to church members during a service on the pastor’s birthday. He comments, “They started the offering at $1,000, and then they said if you don’t have $1,000, then do $300. Then they said, ‘If you don’t have cash, we have ATM machines.’ I don’t understand that logic, I don’t understand that way of thinking, and I don’t understand that to be what religion is.”
Bishop Wayne T. Jackson has also recently been under fire for welcoming Republican candidate Donald Trump to his church, and appearing to endorse him.
Watch footage of the brawl that broke out below: