Juanita Bynum isn’t afraid to speak her mind, and her recent mid-sermon moment is proof. The preacher stopped her message to call out a woman in the congregation for taking too many photos, which sparked a debate online.
While most pastors might ignore the glow of a few cellphones during service, Bynum made it very clear she wasn’t about to let it slide. In the middle of her sermon, she paused, looked straight into the crowd, and addressed a woman snapping too many photos:
“The lady back there, don’t pick up your phone another time. This is why you have to be invited because we don’t want paparazzi in here. We don’t want picture-snapping people. Unless you can photograph God.”
The short but sharp exchange has divided fans faster than you can say “Amen!” Some saw it as necessary, even respectful.
One commenter laughed, “
I remember someone’s phone rang during our church service, and my pastor said, ‘That better be God calling you.’ 
”
Another chimed in with, “She was actually pretty kind about it, lol, and she had a point!!!”
But the reactions weren’t all supportive. Some folks were critical, questioning Bynum’s stance. “So now we can’t just go to church. We have to be invited?!” one person asked, while another shared their mother’s long-standing opinion: “My mother has NEVER liked this woman, and she always proves why.” Someone even joked about recording “Sister Sally singing take me to the king,” highlighting the tension between personal recording and respecting the service.
It’s hardly the first time Juanita Bynum has stirred strong reactions. Her career in ministry has been a rollercoaster of massive praise and equally loud controversy.
She shot to national fame for her soul-stirring sermons and books, but some critics have long accused her of using church platforms to push what they call “false submission” doctrines — and even capitalizing on personal hardships, including a highly publicized domestic violence incident involving her ex-husband.
Juanita Bynum herself has never shied away from hard conversations. In fact, she’s often slammed what she sees as shallow, performative worship. For her, true submission to God means obeying even when it’s uncomfortable, even if that means putting your iPhone away during service.
