Following several backlashes, Kim Burrell is recounting her earlier statement about people who identify with the LGBTQ+ community.
On Saturday, July 20, 2024, during the 39th Stellar Gospel Music Awards, Burrell issued an apology. This will be the second time that Burrell will be issuing an apology for her infamous sermon. The apology came in 2016, when the sermon originally went viral, gaining attention nationwide.
Kim Burrell Statement
During her time speaking at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards, Burrell said she understood the influence she possessed. Burrell claimed that before 2016, she had no idea about the reach and impact of her voice outside of gospel music. Additionally, Burrell stated that the understanding came over time and extensive introspection.
Subsequently, Burrell stated that preachers should be careful when speaking to people outside their congregation. Burrell stated, “[I] understand that some of my past words, comments, and preaching have been received by the LGBTQ+ community as negative and hurtful.” There’s nothing more hurtful than to think—to imagine—that you’ve said something in the name of God, and it hurt somebody.”
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Burrell claimed that her “church jargon” was occasionally helpful to certain people. However, Burrell apologized for her decision to use certain words that were specifically hurtful to the LGBTQ community
Kim Burrell’s Viral Sermon
In the 2016 sermon, Burrell claimed that members of the LGBTQ+ community possessed a “perverted homosexual spirit” and the “spirit of delusion and confusion.” Additionally, Burell also claimed that identifying as a member of the LGBTQ+ community was a sin.
Kim Burrell said “…[the spirit] has deceived many men and women… You as a man, you open your mouth and take a man’s penis in your face, you are perverted.” “You are a woman and will shake your face in another woman’s breast, you are perverted.”
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Kim Burrell’s Initial Apology
Burrell’s first public apology came in December 2016, when came live on her Facebook account to address the sermon. In the live, Burrell said “We are not in a war against flesh and blood.” “I came on because I care about God’s creation and every person from the LBGT and anything else, any other kind of thing that is supporting gay…I never said LGBT last night,” she said. “I said SIN and whatever falls in the sin was preached.”
Shortly after the video of the sermon surfaced, The Ellen DeGeneres Show canceled Burrell’s scheduled appearance, as did the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music event, where she was removed as an honoree. Her radio talk show, Bridging the Gap with Kim Burrell, was canceled by Texas Southern University. However, Burrel went viral in 2019 after she silenced a woman for interrupting her solo performance. Bussell did eventually speak about why she chose to respond to the churchgoer the way she did.
Kim Burrell
Kimberly Jean Burrell is an American gospel singer, songwriter, and pastor born on August 26, 1972, in Houston, Texas. Her parents were pastor Julius Burrell Jr. and evangelist Helen Ruth Graham of the Church of God in Christ. Burrell was one of four children born to them. Burrell started singing with Reverend James Cleveland’s GMWA Youth Mass Choir (often referred to as Rev. James Cleveland’s Kids) when he was young.
The Inspirational Sound Mass Choir of Houston and Trinity Temple Full Gospel Mass Choir of Dallas followed Burrell’s performances. In the soap opera-style song “3-Way Phone Call,” which featured Kelly Price as a guest artist in 2004, Burrell took on the role of Price’s “prayer buddy.” On George Clinton’s 2008 cover album, George Clinton and Some Gangsters of Love, she made an appearance in the original song “Mathematics of Love.”
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On April 7, 2009, Burrell released No Ways Tired, her first studio album in eleven years, via Shanachie Records. The CD is named after the iconic James Cleveland song and includes renditions of gospel classics such as “My Faith Looks Up To Thee,” “What A Friend We Have In Jesus,” “O Lamb Of God,” and “I Surrender All.” For the Hidden Figures (2016) album, Pharrell Williams and Burrell sang “I See a Victory.” A video of Burrell giving a sermon at the Love & Liberty Fellowship Church went viral in December 2016.
Kim Burrell’s Personal Life
Kim Burrell in her career as a gospel singer and pianist has accumulated a net worth of $5 million. Burrell describes her style of music as “jazz gospel,” and she is unique in the gospel music industry since she writes a significant amount of the songs she records and sings. Christian is the son of Burrell’s former marriage to Pastor Joseph Wiley.
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