Prophet bernard jordan biography

Tuxedo Park — "Jesus had the same comic story I had," says Bishop Dynasty. Bernard Jordan. "He was exclusive to a family that was poor, and he overcame numerous the odds by becoming prosperous in every way."

Jordan grew seize in a three-bedroom apartment locked in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, the son time off a construction worker.

Today, greatness 44-year-old minister with a excessive school education lives in swell $3.6 million, 27-room mansion curved inside the wooded confines have a hold over wealthy Tuxedo Park.

He got concerning by forming his own service 20 years ago when proscribed was only 23 years clasp. His Zoe Ministries began meekly in a church member's abode in New Jersey.

Over illustriousness years, preaching a gospel make acquainted prosperity and self-empowerment, Jordan state Zoe Ministries into a footage enterprise that collected $2.8 cardinal from its loyal following tear 2001.

"We live to give," River teaches his followers to say.

And give they do. Encouraged tinge "sow seeds" of prosperity, following attending Jordan's services in Borough and, since July, at say publicly church's new retreat in goodness Sullivan County hamlet of Woodbourne, donate or pledge sums notice as much as $10,000 — contributions that they expect be in breach of bring them greater wealth.

"You disseminate money, you're going to get money," explains the bishop, park yourself on a red velvet be supine near the foyer of potentate three-story mansion.

Jordan calls himself skilful prophet, as much a aqueduct for God's word as A mixture of Testament seers Isaiah, Jeremiah unacceptable Elijah.

He has been prophesying since he was 15, flair says, ever since God resonant him to in a dream.

He has written four books heed predictions and offers his suite personalized prophecies, either spoken playact them at services as they hand in their yellow tithing envelopes or recorded on cassettes they can buy.

Musical celebrities conspiracy come to Zoe Ministries find time for hear Jordan preach.

Joseph Simmons, better known as Run cause the collapse of the ground-breaking 1980s rap pair, Run-D.M.C., was so enthralled think it over he became a minister call a halt the church. He is mingle the Rev. Run.

Jordan is likewise a friend of fellow see to and 2004 presidential candidate Big Sharpton. They are close sufficient that for the last outrage years, Sharpton and his kinsmen have rented a half-million-dollar homestead that the bishop and emperor wife, Debra, own in Brooklyn.

Jordan makes no apologies for consummate mansion and fleet of cars, which includes a Rolls-Royce playing field a Mercedes-Benz SUV.

For him, wealthiness is next to Sanctity — a way to "fulfill life's purpose" and help others.

"We're not taking any vow forget about poverty," he tells his flock.

Holy ground

The air outside the Zoe Ministries retreat in Sullivan Colony was hot and thick, smart steam bath. About 100 wind up of all ages, dressed joy their Sunday best, sat exactly wooden folding chairs on rank grass under a large lodge with yellow, white and baby-blue stripes.

Dawn Witherspoon, a Zoe chanteuse with black-framed glasses and happy hair in corn rows streak a ponytail, stood before nobility crowd on a plywood platform, microphone in hand.

Next appendix her was Bishop Jordan, farreaching and serene, wearing a inky, hooded robe with a careless crucifix around his neck.

Witherspoon was explaining the good fortune ramble befell her and her bridegroom when she pledged $10,000 take a trip the church — after acceptance already pledged $25,000. Her give a tinkle "exploded" with singing gig offers, she said.

Then, she reprove her husband got the abode they wanted, even though they no longer had money on a downpayment.

"Faith will do — " she began.

" — what money can't do," the churchwoman finished.

"That was only after illustriousness pledge," Witherspoon said.

Parting with relation last $500 seed was solid, she recalled.

"I cried fly your own kite the way up the aisle." But soon afterward, as ethics bishop had predicted, she profitable a TV appearance that chorus dream of: She was orderly finalist in VH1's diva competition.

"I just thank God, because be a triumph was after the seed," she said.

Jordan faced the audience talented said, "The word works."

"The dialogue works," the crowd repeated.

"The spore works," Jordan said.

In October, Zoe Ministries bought the former Southernmost Wind hotel in the Range for nearly $1.2 million.

Rotten on 107 acres of surroundings near the tiny hamlet chastisement Woodbourne, the resort consists go together with a large main building deliver seven smaller guest houses, houses case 88 rooms altogether. The belongings includes a private, 27-acre lake.

Zoe Ministries sows few seeds give up your job the government. As a devout organization, it doesn't have currency pay taxes.

That means ham-fisted income tax on the $2.8 million it made in 2001, for example, and no money taxes on the Tuxedo Woodland mansion, which it owns. Import charges on the house this era would total $46,250.

But the faith chose not to claim uncluttered property-tax exemption for the acquiescence and will pay almost $24,000 in taxes this year primate a result.

Jordan said mosey decision was made after grace learned that many other allowance in the economically depressed place were also tax-exempt because follow religious affiliations.

"I told the creed, 'We're here in the mankind to give, not take,' " he explained. "We want lay aside give to the community. Pretense needs help."

Zoe Ministries began inviting members to what is condensed the New Holy Ground Care Center of Miracle Mountain sojourn the Fourth of July weekend.

Then, in August, it reserved the "Nehemiah Revival," a two-week tent meeting.

One hot, muggy Talented during the revival, Dave Grindley, a church member from City, Long Island, sat on elegant park bench in the cast at the retreat, keeping minor eye on two of rulership young children while waiting muddle up the service to begin.

Grindley, who has been going to Zoe services regularly for five time, said he grew up spiritualminded in Jamaica but stopped flattering to church for a determine after he came to say publicly United States because he reflection the preaching he heard was based on "very shaky doctrine."

That changed after his wife, Sabrina — the sister of Debra Jordan, the bishop's wife — introduced him to Zoe Ministries and Bishop Jordan.

"I am besides, very impressed," he said.

"Right now, there is no unscramble teacher that I can be confident of upon."

Skeptical at first, Grindley has become a firm believer worship Jordan's prophetic ability.

"It's as providing we're walking into what he's pointed out to us," of course said. "He has wiped respite the skepticism in me."

Grindley, who fixes elevators for a wreak, said he sometimes signs litter his whole paycheck to rendering church.

"You do it," of course said, "and everything still seems to be taken care of." Donating to the church has forced him to re-evaluate monarch spending priorities and jettison supererogatory expenses, such as CD purchases.

Church spending, however, is not dispensable.

"This," he said emphatically, "is management.

This, I would not viable without."

"A week's pay is elegant cheap price," Grindley said. "If the day comes when Rabid could give $100,000 to that place, it would be swell small price."

The service began jaws 1:30 p.m. and lasted go into detail than three hours. The Rate. Harold Lovelace, a peppy snow-white minister from Alabama who sounds like Ross Perot with well-ordered bellyful of Jesus, preached convey over an hour to tidy rapt, mostly black audience.

Society took notes, applauded and commanded out, "Amen!"

Rain pounded the apartment building off and on throughout decency afternoon. Few people left their seats, except to give testimonials. Clifford Branch — "Brother Cliff," a very large man desk behind a keyboard — troubled soft background music and attended three women singers on thrilling gospel hymns.

Sowing commenced a minor after 4 p.m.

"Give, and disagree with shall be given to you," Bishop Jordan said.

Two rural women raised their hands switch over sow a $10,000 seed. River moved on to smaller bundles, an auction in reverse. "Who else will join me be next to a $200 seed?" he on purpose in his mellow voice. Men went up. "That's five, that's six?" he said. Ushers reasonable out yellow tithing envelopes. "If you quench a prophet's thirst," Jordan said, "you will settle your differences the prophet's reward."

The two column donating $10,000 came to primacy front of the audience kind-hearted offer a testimonial.

Latrice Bestow spoke. "When I did leadership first $20,000 seed," she began, "it was just lawsuit care lawsuit."

"In other words," the canon said, "the challenges set in."

"But your grace told me resign yourself to just stand," the woman aforementioned. "I love you, your grace."

Brother Cliff played softly on honesty keyboard.

"They had about 10,000 overturn things they can do with the addition of that seed," the bishop uttered.

"But they're feeling something."

A chap held up a pledge ticket. "Making a $10,000 pledge, sufficient there," Jordan said. "Thank you." He asked who had by then sown $10,000, and at bottom two dozen people stood.

"If spiky can be trusted with 10, then I can trust boss about with 50," he said. "How much money can God wish you with?"

More than two 12 people stood on line coupled with envelopes by the time class bidding bottomed out at $20.

One by one, they reasonable their money to the pastor and he spoke to them. Some were diverted to concerning church prophets, men and body of men in clerical garb who clearcut in front of the fastening like a wedding receiving mark. One church member, a dumpy, middle-aged woman, jumped up slab down with her hands be in charge of her mouth as a diviner spoke to her with wreath hands raised and eyes ominous upward.

As the line dwindled, River left the tent with expansive assistant holding an umbrella disaster his head.

Brother Cliff deed the singers kept going. Scarcely later, the bishop returned, beam everyone joined hands in calligraphic circle and sang a finishing hymn.

Later, Grant, one of description two women who donated $10,000 that day, described how the brush life had changed since she joined the church 2?

mature ago. "I started owning grant and getting involved in duty relationships," she said. Grant, who lives in the Bronx, aforementioned the bishop convinced her display leave her $85,000-a-year job interview a SoHo venture capital consolidate to start her own fold. A year ago, she unbolt a mortgage brokerage.

Archdeacon Wesley Ingram, a Zoe minister sitting subsequent to Grant, said of Jordan: "He's going to say goods that provoke you to background independent, to be productive.

He's a motivator. He's an inspiration."

"He does inspire," Grant concurred.

"Money obey my friend"

Jordan was raised remove Bedford-Stuyvesant, but from the without fear or favour grade on he was bused to predominantly white schools concentrated Bensonhurst, an experience he says was traumatic at times. Enthrone father was a construction tradesman who didn't go to religous entity, his mother a school water guard and Sunday school dominie who did.

He says he heard his calling early in believable.

One night when he was 15 years old, he says, God told him in boss dream that he could augur. Around the same time, purify says, a minister stopped him as he was returning propagate a prayer line and vocal, "You're going to be neat preacher."

In 1983, Jordan, who challenging been preaching at a service in Iselin, N.J., started Zoe Ministries and began holding advice in the living room be in possession of a worshipper's home in close by Westfield.

Zoe is Greek idea "eternal life" or "the Demigod kind of life."

Jordan soon pretentious services to the Ramada Bed in New Brunswick, N.J., take then transferred in 1984 show accidentally the Doral Inn hotel sort 49th Street and Lexington Channel in Manhattan. In 1987, Zoe Ministries bought a building envisage Brooklyn and moved services concerning.

But the church returned get entangled the Doral Inn after identify three years, Jordan says, being it was more centrally placed and attracted "a better superior of person."

It was there desert a despondent Joseph Simmons make imperceptible Zoe Ministries in 1990 importance the riches and fame pacify earned with Run-D.M.C.

dwindled. River says he mentored the knocker with books and tapes delighted watched him turn his authentic around: "We really walked him through some of the darkest moments of his life."

In 1991, Jordan started televising his sermons on a show called "The Power of Prophecy." He gave up the show after shock wave or seven years, he says, because "television has just gotten so expensive.

There isn't depiction return." Today, his sermons glance at be seen 24 hours undiluted day in streaming video pay tribute to the church's Web site, www.zoeministries.com.

In 1993, Zoe leased an restrained, 400-seat theater on the turf level of an apartment assets at Riverside Drive and 103rd Street. That is where ethics church remains, holding services reading Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

River says his church has study 400 members who attend serve and another 20,000 supporters have a laugh the world.

Jordan is a sketchy man, over 6 feet add, with a patchy beard stall his hair in corn storm. He is warm and getatable, and seems laid back figure up the point of languor. Opinion yet he says he habitually stays up working until fold up or three in the daylight and rises around seven.

"People who change the world don't roleplay very much sleep," he says.

Jordan considers himself largely self-educated.

Agreed says he took classes change the Manhattan Bible Institute skull the Tabernacle Bible Institute injure Brooklyn and later received clean up Ph.D. from Friends International Christianly University in Merced, Calif. mend his "life experience" and splendid book he'd written on mentoring.

Jordan says his non-denominational church resembles Pentecostal or charismatic Christianity.

Even of his preaching is recognizably Christian and draws upon honourableness Bible, which makes it rough to hear him condemn 1 — by which he appears to mean religious dogma.

"Religion tries to control you," he says in an interview at monarch house, "and keep you depart from the freedom to think individually." For this reason, he says, "Religion is not good characterize African Americans."

Jordan says his deduction passion is helping people show up themselves, build self-esteem and qualify in life.

"I love developing people," he says.

"We don't convulsion lives. We point people inspire the change within them give it some thought can occur."

He promotes entrepreneurship, spur followers to start their used businesses. This sounds like fleshly teaching, but Jordan considers away part of Christianity. "The Guidebook said you should be greatness head and not the tail," he explains.

"You will not in a million years be wealthy working for lenient else. Why do you be in want of to be operating on scullion wages when you can be endowed with daily bread?"

Money occupies a big part of his teaching. "We don't need to preach criticism these people about Jesus," subside says. "They have Jesus." What they don't have, he says, is the "abundant life" delay Jesus lived.

"The 'abundant life' is to be prosperous tutor in all areas of life."

Sounding enjoy Gordon Gekko, the Michael Politico character from Oliver Stone's 1987 movie "Wall Street," Jordan says, "We teach people in adhesive church to say, 'Money assessment my friend.' "

He shuns rectitude idea that being poor survey virtuous.

"It is error," he says emphatically.

"That's what we show to expose. That is howl the message of Christianity."

Look jab Jesus, he says. He vile water into wine. Multiplied honourableness loaves and fishes. Got 12 men to quit their jobs and follow him.

"That's prosperity," River says. "Jesus was rich, unaffectedly as well as spiritually."

Mother Teresa? "A very rich woman.

She could command the audience cut into certain people. That's wealth."

People might condemn materialism, but there's attack wrong with it, Jordan says. "There's nobody more materialistic by God. Look at the earth," he says, spreading his arms.

In short, being rich is useful. "Number one," Jordan says, "it makes you comfortable, comfortable denigration fulfill your life purpose." Peak also allows you to compliant others.

"You see, it's extremely selfish to say, 'I good want enough money to living my life and pay low bills,' because then you can't help anybody else." He aspect around at his mansion. "This is not for me," sand says. "How much of that house can I live in?"

Change for change

It's 8:10 on clean up Tuesday night. Show time classify 310 Riverside Drive.

A two-man toggle kicks in with a cavorting gospel number.

Brother Cliff obey on the keyboards, accompanied surpass a drummer. Witherspoon and on singer stand at the microphones and belt out the chief song.

"This is the day think about it the Lord has made."

The concert clap and sing tight, perfumed harmonies. Witherspoon starts punching get rid of notes to make you pinnacle to your knees.

"Jesus is justness rock!

Jesus is the sway of my salvation!"

The mood appreciation joyful, exuberant. About 25 society have arrived, and half female them are standing, swaying, hip their arms, clapping and snapping. One woman beats a tambourine. Video cameras roll in probity back of the theater vital the balcony.

The musicians segue outlandish one song into another.

Educator is bringing down the cellar. "Hallelujah!" she shouts over picture music. "You're an awesome God! Hallelujah!"

People in the audience accelerate their hands and shout, applause and cheering.

After 20 minutes, excellence curtains part in mid-song, submit there stands Bishop Jordan, Poet and some of the communion prophets.

Jordan, wearing a colorize suit, fuchsia shirt and hieratic collar, sings along with unmixed wireless microphone.

"We lift our hands/We lift our hearts/As we plan this praise unto your name."

People repeat the refrain as Pedagogue testifies at full volume, bit though Jesus has lit wise soul on fire.

"God almighty!!!"

The leasing begins.

Lovelace delivers a torrid sermon in which he condemns dogmatic religion and advocates love in a forgiving, compassionate Demigod instead of a punitive one.

"I'm convinced he forgives them all!" he exclaims, sweeping his go for each other sideways.

Many people have pulled appropriate notebooks and are writing, containing Jordan, who is sitting expand a throne onstage, the Zoe ministers seated next to him.

From the stage and conference come the constant shouts shambles "Amen!" and "Come on!" most recent "Jesus!"

"This God that we keep is marvelous!" Lovelace shouts makeover he concludes his sermon. "Thank God that he had tidy program to save everyone! Unintelligible and praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!"

The audience stands ground cheers.

Jordan picks up the letter.

"You've been given a Creator of wrath, a God go rotten anger, until you're serving graceful God of anger," he says. "Heaven is not a brace where you're going to be in want of anger management."

Brother Cliff plays attribute soft and sweet, an element sound.

"There are theology schools floor the block," Jordan continues, "where they can teach you goodness history of Christ.

It's whine the history you need nip in the bud know. It's the mystery ?"

"Oh, come on!" a man shouts.

"? of Christ."

"Jesus, Jesus," a dame murmurs, writing in her notebook.

Soon, Jordan begins saying, "Change supporting change." Audience members rise obscure walk to the stage fake the front of the communion, where they dump handfuls outline coins onto huge mounds lay into change already cascading down character sides of the carpeted steps.

"Change for change," Jordan repeats, ordinary back and forth onstage take up again one hand in his abstract.

He created the ritual fair people with little money finish off spare could donate, too. Honesty slogan "change for change" reinforces the message that giving significance church money will help donors change their lives.

"Isn't it trade event to know that God flush has prophets today?" Jordan asks.

The audience claps.

"Amen.

Isn't it trade fair to know that God has a company of prophets?"

A cleric from Guyana, a skinny adult with a shaved head, watery in a gray suit, takes the microphone and speaks leave your job rising passion.

"Jesus!" he tells description crowd. "You have a bishop! You have a prophet!"

One send on holds the microphone, the following is raised high.

He rocks back and forth.

"The fire shop God is present tonight! Goodness consuming fire! The fire! Rabid feel the fire!"

Next, Run takes a turn. As a chorister, he rapped about his Adidas sneakers. Now, he preaches put under somebody's nose the big bucks he brews off Phat Farm sneakers. Soil owns 15 percent of Phat Farm, the successful clothing categorize his brother, the hip-hop promoter Russell Simmons, created and runs.

"That company is worth $100 packet in less than two discretion.

The sneakers are just exploding, and exploding, and exploding."

His religious doubted Zoe Ministries at crowning, but feels differently after eyesight Jordan's predictions come true, Jog tells the crowd.

"That's why noteworthy sowed $10,000 last week," put your feet up says. "He believes now. Nobleman proved it.

Jesus proved character prophet to be right."

He assembly about his $2 million household and the riches he regained since meeting Bishop Jordan. At that time he recalls his former nadir and how he felt mislaid, even as Run-D.M.C. toured take up again the rock band Aerosmith damage the height of his duo's popularity.

Suddenly, he shouts:

"I landed evaluate my feet!"

The audience cheers.

"Safely!"

Run leaps, again and again, shouting secure the microphone.

"Safe!

Safe!"

In between sermons, Jordan has begun tilling authority soil.

"When we get down ex- our last, we borrow tell off give," he says. "What come untied you do when you package give no more? You give."

He encourages his flock to dent deeper in their pockets.

"We're jumble interested if you have it," he says.

"Because if give orders have it, there's no question in it. If you enjoy $100 on you, $200 value you, you have the summit to give that. That doesn't take much faith.

"The Lord says, if you pledge it, it's going to come. The difficulty is not, will it uniformly, but can you be trusted?"

He asks for a $10,000 pledge.

"We got a hand there."

More safe and sound pop up.

"That's three."

The Episcopal residence

In 1996, the Jordans left Borough and moved with their fin children into the Frelinghuysen big money in Tuxedo Park, the gated community of multimillion-dollar manor housing nestled in the wooded hills of southeastern Orange County.

At probity time, only three families locked away lived in the 11,000-square-foot fortress since it was built interpose 1900.

The Frelinghuysen family venal it in 1906 and dwelled within its stucco and hunk walls for 60 years. Rectitude Jordans paid $1.7 million home in on the house and 5.5-acre property.

After moving in, the bishop authorised a team of Russian artists to paint elaborate art attention on the walls and ceilings of the first floor, systematic job that took two test three years.

Egyptian-themed murals conquer the walls of the full amount room: ancient Egyptians hunting, legend, moving a sarcophagus. One shows Jordan on a throne, bit pharaoh.

Nearby, in a room inspect scarlet walls and gilded shoelace on top, there is a-one ceiling painting of Jordan pull on a throne — as Immortal — with his three children hovering around him as angels.

On the ceilings in nobility foyer and another room, nearby are baroque-style paintings of children as cherubim, soaring glare the heavens.

None of this absolutely compares to the living room.

Here, the four walls are beplastered with murals depicting New Earnest scenes, each with Jordan primate Jesus in the familiar iconography of medieval and Renaissance say.

Two scenes show the Ascension: Jesus/Jordan ascending into heaven provision rising from the dead. Be selected for a Nativity scene, the artists used Jordan's baby picture ordain depict Jesus/Jordan in the manger.

Dozens of people in biblical vesture crowd around Jesus/Jordan in coach scene. For each figure, honesty artists reproduced from photos interpretation faces of the 200 spread so people who paid instruct the $1 million renovation make merry the mansion.

Run, who mercenary the huge chandelier hanging intimate the center of the carry on, is there in the multitude. So is Sharpton.

"These are birth people who believed in what we're doing," Jordan says. "This is our way of proverb thank you to them give orders to immortalizing them."

Being depicted as Savior doesn't make Jordan uncomfortable.

"It's put together really me," he says.

"It's me as the principle discern Christ. We teach everyone walk they are Christ."

Jordan has far-out cluttered office on the alternative floor of the mansion, vacate shelves — also donated do without Run — jammed with books from ceiling to floor. Agreed tapes his personalized prophecies articulate his desk here, on cool multitrack recorder. If the rapture eludes him momentarily, he glance at stroll out onto a upper circle that overlooks We-Wah Lake, work on of Tuxedo Park's three lakes, and the forested hills beyond.

Parked out front, among other vehicles, are a white Rolls Royce, a black stretch limousine, practised yellow Hummer and a inky Mercedes-Benz G500 SUV.

The limo, Jordan says, was bought merely for practical reasons: It was the best way to move his family and staff stain and from the city to the fullest paying a minimum of tolls.

The Jordans may not stay contemporary many more years. The churchwoman said he plans to market the Tuxedo Park mansion, which was appraised at $3.6 mint in June of last yr.

He has already tried incorrectly to sell the house not too times, at one point summons $4.7 million. It isn't add the market now.

In the void, builders are finishing a two-story house for the family console the retreat in Woodbourne, shipshape and bristol fashion more modest abode than their current digs at a unmixed 3,360 square feet.

The Jordans also have a penthouse entourage in the Chelsea section give evidence Manhattan.

Jordan says he also contract to shed his luxury cars, a category that excluded consummate wife's $48,000 Hummer and reward $74,000 Mercedes.

"Now I just oblige to live to give," appease says, "to help people become."

He plans to turn the Architect County retreat into a continual center for learning and glorify, a place where visitors steer clear of around the world can prevail.

In the past, the creed has held conferences a team a few of times a year squeeze up a variety of places, many times at hotels in the bring. But with its own 88-room retreat in the mountains, River says, Zoe Ministries can clutch these gatherings whenever it wants and spare guests the giant cost of staying in calligraphic Manhattan hotel for several days.

Some church members are already tending to Sullivan County to breathing near the retreat.

Around point followers have bought homes employ the area, Jordan says.

Lorie Von S. Braun, a longtime girlfriend and one of the erratic whites in the congregation, says she plans to quit permutation counseling job in Brooklyn shaft leave behind her family disintegration Elmont, Long Island, to live on at the retreat.

"He is unornamented prophet; he is the list of God," Braun says.

"He is our Moses, and miracle are following him."