Beyoncé has definitely been the topic of discussion since the release of her seventh studio album titled “Renaissance.” Despite its astronomical success, including landing all 16 dance tracks on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, not everyone is embracing its energy. 

The Grammy Award-winning singer was the focus of another conversation when church Bishop Patrick Wotten took a moment in the sermon to condemn one of the album’s many standout tracks, “Church Girl.”  

Dorinda Clark-Cole (L) and Beyoncé (R). Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

The track is a mixture of R&B, gospel, Chicago hip-hop and Southern hip-hop, and features lyrics such as “drop it like a thotty,” but most notably has a sample of “Center Of Thy Will” by legendary sibling gospel group The Clark Sisters. 

“Beyoncé just released sacrilege,” declared Bishop Wooten in a new clip on social media. “The only thing that I can account for some of this stuff, somebody done sold their soul to the devil. Now, all I can say to you is this: When you sell your soul to the devil, you get the short end of the stick.” Elsewhere, he called the song “trash” and that it would be a “desecration” to repeat its lyrics out loud. 

Before the album’s release, the group’s lead singer, Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark, took to her online platform, thanking the Houston native for using the ’80s hit. “Thanks Beyonce for listening to my music, and I hope it blesses your soul,” Clark told the ‘Break My Soul’ singer in a video message.

However, following the Bishop’s jarring remark, Dorinda Clark-Cole echoed those sentiments, telling critics with laughter in her voice to “leave Beyoncé alone.”

While singing ‘Ha Ya,’ another one of their classic hits sampled on Jay-Z’s “Family Feud” song, the gospel figure shared, “All right, now. Y’all leave Beyoncé alone. Leave her alone” before singing the lyric “center of His will.” She added, “Leave her alone. As long as she got something in there, that’s all right. Amen.”

Fans on social media cracked up at the reaction, including a Twitter user who wrote, “That’s why I will always be a Dorinda Grace Clark-Cole stan if the Clark’s don’t do nothing else they gone praise God and love Beyoncé.”