Why I disagree with JMU's anti-gay preacher

I have to admit that when I first saw this video posted on facebook last week, I wasn’t sure what to think about it. For anyone who doesn't care to watch it, the video shows a group of JMU students singing about the love of Jesus in response to a man whom the media dubbed a "homophobic preacher." My initial response to the title was that the singing was probably a great idea, but unfortunately I couldn’t pick up anything of consequence that the preacher was saying in this clip. I thought it could possibly be just another exaggerated use of the word homophobic.

Since then, I have seen several articles posted about the event. They helped me understand the brouhaha a little better, especially the one with a few direct quotes from the preacher that day.

"All homos are going to hell!"

"All you horny frat boys that love to do drugs and get drunk, you are going to hell!" 

But what clinched my final take on the situation was hearing the tale from the anti-gay preacher himself. Here are just a few highlights.

"Within the hour there were over 200 students in the area, and The Holy Ghost and I made sure to openly reprove and rebuke them for their sins against God, and against each other."

"...we noticed a group of students lined up holding hand made signs, which obviously were meant to judge and condemn us."

" False teachers and professing Christians (male and female) rudely interrupted me and attempted to 'preach' their little ‘sermonette’s,’seeking to undermine the preaching and the authority of God’s word which was forcefully condemning them and their selfish lifestyle. An incident including a sinful and intolerant young man playing a love song on an acoustic guitar..."

"We are thankful that God has showed us such favor, in allowing us to be used to stir up the campus and city as he did for the Kingdom of His Son."

Such an ironic choice of words from this guy...

I had the, er, privilege of reading a few of his other blog posts as well. This included the one where he reveals that Christians no longer sin. Ever. (Think I must have taken it out of context? I beg to differ.) Root problem, right there. I'm not saying we can trace all of this guy's problems back to this one belief, but I believe it says a great deal about his behavior. When someone believes that they're immune to sin, then they automatically consider any criticism as persecution from the devil. (Martyr complex, anyone?) After all, it's impossible for them to be in the wrong. Whatever pops into their mind (traveling around to multiple college campuses to rebuke students, just as a random example) becomes tantamount to the voice of God itself.

Paul himself spoke of his ongoing battle to master fleshly desires. He did what he didn't want to do and didn't do what he wanted to do. I can relate. It is my greatest desire is to daily take up my cross and follow Christ. Yet somehow, I still fall short of His best every day. Oh, but not guys like this. Somehow they've managed to achieve perfection. They're on par with God Himself. Such a foolish and dangerous belief.

Nut Job and I do agree on one point, though. God is holy. What we do not agree on is everything else. No, I take that back. He wrote a post about how that guy who predicted the end of the world in 2011 would be wrong. We agree on that point, too. 

Back to God's holiness, though. He is a holy and perfect God. I've never heard  anyone disagree that this is the Bible's claim. Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. We all need the grace and mercy provided through the death of Jesus Christ. The all-confrontation-is-bad crowd opposite Mr. Perfection errs when they fail to acknowledge that a holy God cannot abide with sin. 

I have no problem with an individual who wants to proclaim that we all need Christ. We do. But sin is not where the story ends. Preachers who focus on everything we're doing wrong give the impression that salvation is based on our works. That if homosexuals became heterosexuals and the frat boys stopped drinking and doing drugs, they would no longer be on their way to hell. That's a lie, and t
hey do injustice to the beauty of Christ's redemptive story. "Stirring up the campus" is not the equivalent of preaching the need for repentance. When God called us to be bold, I'm fairly certain He didn't mean spouting off whatever we don't like about those around us. Common sense doesn't leave as the Holy Spirit arrives.

Let's be honest. Who doesn't know that the Bible speaks out against homosexuality? I'm not saying that some don't try and explain it away, but in order to do so, you have to know it's in there.  The fact that we all fall short and need to accept the forgiveness Christ offers is probably much less well known. Still inflammatory, but exceedingly more important. Trying to purposely make people angry is not the great commission. Yelling condemnations in a public forum doesn't make you faithful- it makes you ineffective, and that's really the main point I'm trying to make here.

The most important lesson we need to take away from this news story is what sharing the Gospel should look like. It's not a pat answer, either. It's not universal, and it doesn't apply to every situation.

Paul speaks to this reality in I Corinthians:19-23. His words shed light on how exactly we are to carry out the great commission. "Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."

People are different. They have different families, backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, life experiences, educations, cultures, and so on and so forth. My husband went on a missions trip to India a couple years ago, and it was astonishing how different the church looks over there. They express their faith differently, preach the Gospel differently, treat each other differently, and more. Not because Americans are better, but because we are different. Those who fail to recognize that people do not all learn in the same way will inevitably be ineffective ministers to anyone not similar to themselves. Any time a missionary prepares to go overseas, they learn what the culture is like where they're going. It is not immoral. It doesn't indicate that they are "watering down the truth." They want to minister in a way that the people understand, and so should we in our own country.

My theology professor described the changing of societal norms as a pendulum swing. Rather than bringing extremes to a balance, society will usually end up at the complete opposite extreme.Once upon a time, morality (though not the equivalent of faith) was widespread in America. It was preached dogmatically, and everyone everywhere felt free to be up in your business. People got tired of this and went to the other extreme, where anyone who challenged your thinking or behavior was considered judgmental or intolerant. Neither of these ways of thinking are correct.

I was recently involved in a facebook debate in which the initiator was emphasizing God's wrath over his love. One participant stated, "Frankly I much prefer someone who errs on the side of not being
nice to someone who regularly avoids telling the truth to avoid being offensive." Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Why err at all? Why not just try and encompass the whole of Scripture into the way that we interact with others? We can be truthful and kind at the same time. People will still accuse you of hate, but no need to prove them right.

One fault is not lesser than the other. It is not okay to be hateful or skirt the truth. Love is always kind, AND it always speaks the truth. Just because our human nature wants to fall to one side of the spectrum does not mean that the Holy Spirit can't give us the power to maintain the proper balance. Three words: First Corinthians thirteen. Love is all those things, simultaneously! Remembering that our battle is not against flesh and blood can help maintain a proper perspective. Without love, we are the equivalent of a clanging gong.

Pointless. Without love, we are pointless. Strong words.

As a parent, I find it helpful to think of how I teach my children. I'm not saying everyone else thinks like children, rather I'm referring to my own attitude and behavior. I can disagree with my kids without resorting to name calling or threatening hellfire. I can explain why because I genuinely want them to understand, not so I can win an argument. I would never try to purposely rile up my children or ridicule them. Nor would I leave out the truth or water it down. I want them to know it, because I care about them. Accepting every behavior they exhibit would be disastrous. And yet, even with each of them, our conversation looks a little different. I teach each one differently, and I communicate love to each one differently. It is for their sake, despite the fact that it would be easiest for me to teach and love in the way that comes naturally to me.

If you're ministering to a crowd who is easily offended, and I would say on a college campus you almost certainly are, then yelling statements you know will make them angry is probably not going to draw any of them to Christ. On the opposite spectrum, only teaching that God loves everyone without emphasizing a need for repentance and surrender will not draw anyone to Christ either. At least not in a meaningful way- we don't want to sow seeds that are easily scorched by the sun or plucked up by a bird.

Thinking about this story has really challenged me. I need to do better, probably most of us do, at paying attention to the needs of others. Sometimes I need to be more patient, and sometimes I need to be bolder, firmer. It is the Holy Spirit who influences people to come to repentance, but we are the body of Christ. We are the salt and the light. We are Christ's hands and feet. We represent Him to the world.

Hypocrisy has done more damage to the cause of Christ than probably anything. The world needs to know that Christianity is not just a big show. God's promises are true. They need to know that He genuinely does change us. We still mess up (sometimes big), but it is Christ who gives us the strength to get back up again. And almost anyone can tell you, Christians are supposed to be known for our love.

We're not just zealots who want to shove our morality down others' throats. (Are we?)

We're not just trying to win arguments about whether a certain behavior is right. (Are we?)

We're not just trying to convert people to our religion. (Are we?)

We're not just trying to make everyone feel good about themselves. (Are we?)

We're not trying to define love as acceptance of sin. (Are we?)

All things to all people. I don't think it looks like sharing the gospel message only in the way that makes us feel comfortable, be that harsh or soft. The emphasis is on the receiver, not the giver. If it is genuinely out of love that we proclaim truth, then let us proclaim both truth and love.

"I do all this for the sake of the gospel..."

I almost succeeded at something that one time

For most of my life, I’ve felt like I wasn’t particularly talented at anything. I can get by at most things, but I wanted to have just one special gift. This isn’t a sob story, and I’m not asking you to feel sorry for me. The point of this post is the opposite, in fact. I just believe most people feel this way at least some point in their lives. So bear with me while I use this as an example.

(But first, here are a few examples of my mediocrity.)

B-ball: I kept that bench nice and toasty

Band: where everyone makes the team

Straight up rockin' my third place Math Olympics ribbon

Spelling bees were the only competitions that I ever won. That’s right. I’m a spelling bee champ.Well, almost. I won a few rounds, but I never made it to the bigs in DC. The pressure got to me, and I blew it seven spots away from my fifteen minutes of fame. Akeelah can keep her movie, because there will never be a “Rebekah and the Bee.”

Pre-dream crushing at the Atlanta Regional Spelling Bee

But let’s be honest. Who the heck cares if I can spell the word abecedarian? No, I didn’t have to look that up, but I think I just proved my point. You don’t care that I can spell big words, because neither do I. Being a good speller will not get you very far. Try using it as party trick and see what happens. (Awkward!) It’s not even something you can list on a résumé, because it’s no more than a computer can do. Curse you, spell check, for ruining my only chance in life!!

 

It wasn’t until this past year that I began dabbling with another talent. Turns out I’m an okay writer. Not a brilliant one, but not a terrible one. I have no grand ambitions to become the next C.S. Lewis or J.K. Rowling, or even an R.L. Stine.  I just realized that I enjoy playing around with words and expressing thoughts in written form, and I’ve gotten a positive response from those around me. So unless everyone has been supplying me with empty flattery, and I’m unknowingly the equivalent of one of those first round American Idol contestants that someone has lied to somewhere, I at least have a bit of talent in the writing department. 

And so, I tried my hand at writing this blog. I had a subject on my heart that I wanted to share, and I put it out there for the world to see. I’ve gotten even more positive feedback about my writing since then, and that is thanks to you, dear readers. Some have communicated that they have been encouraged or challenged by my posts, and so I will continue to write them. Every like, comment, and share has been an encouragement to me. I sincerely appreciate your support.

But here’s the dilemma for the day. In case you hadn’t noticed from some of my other posts, I battle insecurity. Sometimes I feel like a crazy person, battling this voice that's constantly in the back of my mind, nagging away. The reason I chose writing as my example here is because it's often the subject of that nagging voice. It's only natural. When we put ourselves out there, we become more vulnerable to criticism, even if that criticism is only coming from within.

I recently got an email that went a little something like this. "We considered your piece and found that it did not meet our editorial needs at this time."They followed that up with something to the effect of, "Blah, blah, blah. You suck." Mind you, that's just a paraphrase.

I'm going to be honest, even though it's embarrassing. I was really disappointed by that email. Couple that with the fact that the email arrived on the same day that my Walking Dead post got the poorest reader response yet, and I became one disheartened writer. And that stupid voice was not helping.

Wow, looks like you’re a lousy writer after all. You thought you might just be gifted at something. Ha! How many times has your work been rejected now? Better stick to just writing that blog, where no one has to approve your submissions. Except that no one wanted to read that today either. What does this bring your grand total of published articles to? Oh, right, zero! Just give it up. Stop writing, because no one cares what you have to say.

Harsh words, and those aren't the worst of them. All because my submission wasn’t chosen, and my post wasn't popular. Lesson learned concerning the latter: not many of my blog readers care about the Walking Dead. (But don't come knocking on my door when the impending zombie apocalypse occurs.)

Back to the point: I recognize that these thoughts are lies. I know that magazine rejections do not define my worth, or even indicate that I’m a lousy writer. The same goes for how many reads one of my blog posts acquires. (I'm not writing for recognition purposes anyway, but that darn voice keeps making an issue of it!)

But the thing is, sometimes my mind doesn’t really care what the truth is. Or at least it doesn’t seem to. On a down day, whatever negative thought pops into my mind reigns supreme. If I hear a voice telling me that I can’t write, or even that my life doesn’t count for anything, then I believe it. One lie kicks down the door for the next.

You waste too much time that you could be spending with your kids. You're a terrible mommy.

You should be doing more to help other people. You're so selfish.

 

Your organic health food friends would cringe to see the meal you just fed your family. What, are you trying to produce a poster child for juvenile diabetes?

No one really likes you. What is there to like? 

What exactly are you contributing to the world shut up in your home all the time? You’re worthless.

Your husband and kids would be better off without you. Just end your life. Just do it and get it over with.

I'm not a big fan of that voice. It's not very kind, to say the least. I'm ashamed to even admit that some of those thoughts are entertained in my mind, but indeed they are. I am my own worst enemy.

So there I was last week, feeling sorry for myself as I folded the clean laundry in slow motion. Those thoughts about my writing turned into thoughts about everything else, and I was throwing myself a truly spectacular pity party. And suddenly the voice of God interrupted with an old Steven Curtis Chapman song of all things.

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. He'll carry us when we can't carry on.

 Yeah, um. Pardon me, God, but I'm trying to wallow in my misery for a little while here. You're crashing my party.

When you sing about my strength being perfect, do you believe it? When you say that it carries you through, is that just out of tradition? Do you trust me or not?

Of course I do. Just not at this moment... You know, because it's really hard and this is exactly the kind of moment when I need You the most. So naturally I'm not going to turn to... You know what? Just leave me alone for a bit. The world can revolve around my petty disappointments for a while longer.

There’s no need for that. I will bring you peace. You've experienced it before, you know. It's overwhelming and inexplicable. It’s your choice, as always. If you like where you’re at, by all means stay put. But when you’re ready to beat this, I’m here. When I said to cast your cares on me, it was so you wouldn’t have to bear the weight of them any longer. It is for freedom that I set you free.

How could I refuse such an offer? Those promises are more than just words on a page or empty lyrics we sing. They are truth, and they are tangible.

Despite the fact that I still battle my demons of insecurity, God has certainly brought me a long way in that department. I’m not allowed to sulk for very long these days before I get a swift kick in the pants. And that’s the way it needs to be. At some point I have to make a choice. I have to ask myself the same questions that God so rudely (fine, lovingly) poses to me.

I can't dwell in my castle on a cloud, as lovely an idea as it may be. It is the fantasy of a child, and I need to put away childish things. I live here. Now. This is reality, and this is where God meets me.

II Corinthians 12:9-10 are some of my favorite verses: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Strength in weakness, appropriately enough, requires weakness. God never wants to bring me to a place where my wildest dreams come true, or where I overcome all my struggles. Then I wouldn't need his strength (and quite frankly, wouldn't be learning a thing.) Life is meant to be lived with God, overcoming challenges and winning battles together. This both brings Him glory and draws me ever closer to Him.

Not gonna pretend for one minute that I've reached the "delighting" in my hardships stage. Clearly if my thoughts spiraled out of control over a magazine rejection, then I have a ways to go in that department. But I'm not throwing in the towel this time around.

I have to admit that I feel pretty silly for getting discouraged so easily. But really, I think most of our disappointments are small. The everyday grind can beat us down. And then when it does, it's only too easy to let our thoughts drift even further. Pain from the past creeps back into the present, and all the difficulties we've ever encountered converge on us. They overwhelm and suffocate, choking out all the good that used to be so evident. Suddenly it becomes incredibly difficult to stay focused on what’s important in the grand scheme of life. The world is dark- hasn't it always been?

But it doesn't have to be this way. There is hope beyond the moment. Jesus Christ became flesh and dwelt among us to defeat this pain and darkness. To give us new life. To award us real victory. To give us the strength to get back up again when we fall.

And then again. And again. And still again. No matter how many times we fail, there is hope.

He is the voice that whispers and sometimes shouts the exact opposite of what that crazy lady keeps trying to convince me of. I was fearfully and wonderfully made. I am trying my best. My life has value.

And because of this, I need to put the past, both recent and distant, behind me. I can't move forward if I'm looking over my shoulder. I can't live in the present while I'm dwelling on the past.

If your world is so chaotic right now that you can't even hear God, then let those around you help clear out the clutter. Let them share your burdens. You need not carry them all alone. Not every disappointment is as insignificant as mine. If you need help, don't go another day without seeking it out. A little bit of counseling goes a very long way.

But maybe you find yourself in a situation more like mine at the moment. Sure life is hard, and the disappointments we face are real. The pain from the past is real, too, but it doesn't have to stay that way. We can deal with it (always deal with it), and then we can move on. We can. There's no need to dwell on the negative and fall into the trap of self-pity.

We can fight these lies with truth.

No matter how many hardships we face, or how many times we fall, God is right there demonstrating his power in our weakness. I know my next fall is going to hurt like the dickens, but I also know that those falls get fewer and farther between when I just let God do what He promises. He is my refuge and strength.

So take heart!! We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.