Franky D has a new strategy on raising money. Attract the bigots. Last Sunday, August 15, he exhorted his congregation to be proud of their bigotry. In the middle of his sermon he goes on a lengthy rant refusing to respect all religions. And then he says, and I quote:
"The problem with that, if you talk to many people the way that I am preaching they will say 'You're a bigoted narrow-minded Christian.' And all you need to do to respond to that is say, 'Thank you very much, that's exactly what I am.'"
The only conclusion I can come to is that Frank got ahold of some informing showing that bigots tithe on a much higher percentage than non-bigots. And thus, he's beginning a 10 month series on attracting bigots to your church. Brilliant! How does he do it? Such a smart pastor. If the members of MFI were thinking properly, all the pastors would stop preaching immediately and just simulcast Frank's sermons directly into their own churches.
I can just see Mike Servello addressing his congregation, "I was going to speak on having a fire and passion for God. But I just got word that Frank is starting a year long series entitled "Got Bigotry?" And by golly, that's gold. So pay close attention folks. Because after the sermon, we're going to burn some crosses, beat up some homos and then fly down to Hollywood and personally deport the entire cast of The George Lopez Show. Now repeat after me: God is good…."
Way to stay classy, Frank.
(You can view his remarks at www.citybiblechurch.org The lower right hand corner of the front page shows Franks latest sermon. Fast forward to about the 25 minute mark, and you can witness his smooth and professional preaching style in all it's glory)
Wait. What? You mean Jesus never preached intolerance?
I’ll never forget the Sunday that a former MFI pastor of mine preached against homosexuals pretty much screaming at us. As mocking and hate poured out of his mouth making similar statements as Frank, the congregation applauded. I sat there totally stunned. No love, no compassion, just bigotry and hatred. Guess what? As I recall there was a huge offering that day. After the service he ordered the CDs and MP3 of the sermon destroyed and refused to put it on the Internet. I wonder why?
Jesus loves the little bigots
all the bigots of the world
white and straight and white and straight
eveyone else he really hates
Jesus loves the little bigots of the world
I don’t understand… Jesus rebuked the sins of the world. Yes, He told them to sin no more and did it in love. But, are we to be tolerant of the things He despises? Notice, not the people, but the sins themselves…
If we’re to let everything slide by in the name of free expression, wherein lies the line at which we say, “no more!”? Especially in the church, we should be living to a standard that would bring glory to God… not to say, “hey, we’re better than all of you”, but to be able to stand before the Lord – and HE says, “well done, good and faithful servant”.
I understand where PF rants and where that is dangerous ground, politically AND spiritually. But, if we can’t talk openly and disgustedly about the things the Bible (God) is very clear in rebuking, then how are we to encourage, sharpen, and grow? Is it all just “talk” and no passion or conviction? Aren’t we supposed to live a righteous, upright life – not to be proud in our own eyes, but because it’s something we do for He who first loved us? Are you all just slippery fish that skirt the issue and have no backbone? Where do your moral convictions stand? Where do you stand ground? We have many examples from the NT, where the apostles refused to give in or let someone do/say something, just because it was convenient and comfortable. Why, then, are we being called by this blog to be slippery, spineless, cowardly, politically correct individuals – who say, “it’s okay to do/say those things” to those who live immoral, anti-Christ, physically dangerous lives, but then turn around and rebuke the leaders and pastors who are calling those things out – whatever their other faults may be?
NoStatusQuo, you have some great questions. There are no easy answers.
I think part of the problem with PF is *how* he says things. It’s one thing to discuss in a small group of people who “understand” the background of crhistianity, and Jesus, and what He says, and what the role of holy spirit is in conviction, and salvation and what is “born again”, etc…
But it’s another to stand in front of thousands, including “unsaved” who might be visiting or watching later on TV and publicly proclaim yourself a proud bigot and that you hate fags, or whatever. (I’m not saying that’s what PF said, but other bigshot pastors have certainly said such things…)
One other major consideration is that the “standard” we as christians must hold ourselves is entirely different then the standard to which a non-christian is entitled. (They have none, since they are not bound to anything.)
We , as christians, are instructed to love the “sinners”. Pure and simple. It’s a command. And is part of being a follower of Christ.
How can we do that if we’r publicly saying we won’t “stand” for homosexuality or whatever? How can we build a relationship with *anyone* if we tell them to their face we are bigots and hate them? (They will see no difference between “them” and what they “do”, until the spirit reveals it to them.)
It’s a difficult situation… but personally, I don’t see the problem to err on the side of caution. Does the bible command us to be politically active? Where does the gospel have a record of Jesus standing in front of masses and telling people he’s a bigot?
Or does it show Christ as spending time one-on-one with the people/sinners around him, showing them the way through his actions and words of acceptance, yet conviction of sin?
So.. in summary.. I’m not going to say you can’t “take a stand” against whatever sin you decide is important to stand against so strongly… but I would suggest that a more “christ like” approach is the complete opposite. Invite those fags and sinners into your house for dinner. Give that homeless drunk a place to stay for a few days. Help the local orphans with their homework. Spread Jesus’ message of God’s Grace through your personal witness.
To me, that seems the better way.
Sounds exactly like what I want to do! I like how you say it… basically, I’m frustrated with “Christians” being accepting of these behaviors. There’s a difference between that and lovingly and patiently showing those who live it a different way to live… a way to live that will come with a softening of their hearts toward the Lord. If anyone forces a habit on me, or tells me in any way similar to PF’s sermons to the church, that I’m doing something wrong, I’m going to become defensive. So, what is he accomplishing, other than drawing others toward him, who are otherwise unsure how to be light and salt in the earth? Kind of like being the Christian for them… but in a totally unbiblical approach. When I went to CBC/PBC, I found myself drifting away from the Lord, because PF was my weekly dose of Christianese. I still am struggling, but slowly learning that I really need to stand on my own two feet. All these years, I’ve never truly understand what a relationship with the Lord is supposed to be like…
Jesus is either way too unforgiving of my sins or super soft on them, so why repent, change, and dust myself off, getting back on the feet? Either I’m not good enough or I didn’t do anything wrong. WRONG! I am saved by grace, covered in His sacrificial blood, and I did do something wrong. Only through His forgiveness can I start fresh, clean, and strengthened… ready to try again.
To me, it’s like learning how to write with the right hand after learning to write with the left hand – or like learning how to walk backward when you always walked straight ahead. It’s so hard to change those habits, thought patterns, and understandings of what I should be doing vs. what I should be allowing the Lord to do in my life.
This week has been a HUGE eye-opener. More than a half-dozen times, people have randomly reminded me in articles, face-to-face, and in messages, that we can make a difference somewhere, other than church. It’s okay to be in the workforce. God will use us there. It’s okay to be normal and talk to people… I’m shy by nature… most other people are too – but I know how good it makes me feel when someone notices I’m there and says “hi”… is it less Christian to say hi in those instances than in church to your group of friends? I digress, but do you see what I’m saying?
I want to take a stand, but in a gentle way, like you said… like Jesus did/does. I get annoyed when “Christians” are so slippery in their convictions that they let themselves support things clearly unbiblical (especially in their own private lives). How can I call myself a Christ-follower if I live in a way I’d be ashamed to admit to Jesus if He were standing in front of me?
Did you know that Christians in the U.S. are some of the weakest, unmotivated, unfocused, unloving, unforgiving, lacking in faith Christians in the world? Those in persecuted countries PRAY for us to experience persecution, so as to strengthen our faith in the Lord. That’s scary, convicting, and downright embarrassing. Now, can’t we all just start living like Jesus did? Pastors and bloggers alike?
Yup. You got it. Jesus was regularly invited into sinner’s homes, and ate with the unwashed masses. It was literally *shocking* in His time. Maybe the equivalent shocking action in today’s time would be going to a homeless shelter and having a meal with the prostitutes, druggy’s, etc.
At no time did Jesus every invite them to the mass meeting he was organizing (church), or tell them they had to do something before he would fellowship with them, etc.
He simply showed them by action that there was a better way to live. There was a Father who loved them, and there was grace for their sin.
Pure and simple.
We tend to overcomplicate our “christianity” I think. We don’t need to be preachy or judgemental. We simply need to love and show love.
What Henri Said.
This is also what I would call being open minded. You can take a stand against evil and sin in this world, and still be loving and compassionate.
NSQ, I challenge you to be a strong open-minded conservative Christian. You’re going to impress people with your stance a lot more, if you actually know why you believe what you believe, rather than just saying “thank-you” the next time someone calls you narrowminded.
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Haha! You’ll never find me saying, “Thank you” if someone calls me a bigot or close-minded. I’m solid in my faith, solid in knowing Jesus is the only way. But that doesn’t mean I have to be prideful or rude about it. I’d just tell them I have learned through personal experience and faith that He is the only way, and I’m okay with whatever they want to believe. It’s their choice. It’s an opportunity to talk, but I honestly think if someone did that to me, I’d get a twisted look of confusion on my face and walk away. They would have immediately lost all opportunity to witness in an effective way to me… but that’s their problem. Fortunately, I’m not in that place… I know the Lord. I pray He will use me and help me be effective, and help me NOT turn people away by my flat-out responses of “Thank you”. I see where it could be compared with turning the other cheek, but I think it’s then taken out of context. I’d want to know why they call me a closed-minded bigot. If it’s because I said something that truly hurt them, I would want to fix it and apologize, while still standing strong in my personal convictions. If it was because I’m not listening to what they have to say – I mean, why should they listen if I won’t listen? I know I’m not going to “convert”, but at least show the other person you care about them. Jesus didn’t cut people off – He listened to their problems. He still does.
Anyway, that was a lot of jabber, but you get the picture. I don’t know if it’s pride or stubbornness that causes Christians to think it’s okay to let a great conversation opener stop dead in it’s track, simply because they aren’t willing to hear the other side of the story or another person’s beliefs. You don’t have to believe what they say or take it to heart, but you don’t have a word to speak unless you first listen.
In other words, that “Christian’s” opinion isn’t worth it’s weight in salt – if they’re going to be the only person they listen to… I can’t stand people who will only listen to their own voices. Rather stuck-up to me.
Do you see the balance I’m trying to establish in my own mind and heart? It’s basically… on one side, you stand strong and KNOW what the Lord has commanded you to do, hold upright, and live. On the other side, we are ineffective if we come across as arrogant, so we MUST listen and we must engage and we must love while asking questions. Don’t shut off a conversation the second it starts, with a response so final and abrupt.
NSQ, you have paraphrased Micah 6:8: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Good job!
OK, I went and listened to the message. I haven’t done that in quite awhile!
What struck me was that he was talking about our current political leadership, and “America” in general, he wasn’t really talking about Christians. He almost infers that if you are an American, then you should be held to Christian standards.
As a family of belivers in Christ, we should expect ‘Christian’ behavior from our brothers and sisters in the Lord. That is far different than wanting to enforce that standard on the world.
A dominionist viewpoint is at work here, and it stinks.
How about preaching about something God says He hates? Let’s say Malachi 2:16, “For I hate divorce, says the Lord, the God of Israel” I think PF knows if he did that, people would get offended and leave or quit tithing. He really can’t afford to speak for God like that, it’s a lot easier to paint those outside the faith as the ones needing correction, and of course he’ll need lots of money to accomplish the task!
(Applause) (Applause)…Thank you Franky D Boy for giving me great fuel to tell everyone I know why City Bible Church is a toxic place. I was beginning to lose some of my arguments with the mindless masses on why the bubble doors were never to be entered. I’ve been told a number of times as of late that what happened back in the dark 80s and 90s has been washed away now. Frank is a humble man. Yes there are some money concerns, but nothing to hate the church for. And now…well I’ve got some new bullets in my gun. Job well done! Maybe next time you can join Dr. Laura and drop the N word to help me out a little bit??
Johnpaul…this is probably your best work! I would get a copyright going.
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Thank you for the encouragement.
It’s a journey, but I appreciate your responses and insight. Blessings!
So glad I left in the summer of 99 and never went back. This video is a load of b.s. I listened for a few minutes. This sermon is manipulative and targeted for a brainwashed audience. No respect for multiple faiths in this nation? I like how his examples of multiple faiths in this nation are the KKK, child prostitution, and slavery. Cheap and like I said targeted for a brainwashed audience.
I like to turn to clips like this after watching bullshit like the one you linked:
Sorry, wrong link, this would be the one I turn to after listening to the above linked bs sermon:
I’d like Frank to listen to this before preaching his next intolerance sermon on how to give hate a more friendly face:
I’d also like Gervais to give Frank this test:
“You’ve got a hate rating of 9.8…one more than Hitler”
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Johnny Depp or OJ simpson! Bawhahahahahaahahahahaha. Nice to have you back Karli.
Guess I’m in the minority here, being that I don’t care about anyone’s behaviors, unless they affect me personally.
Here is a link to a brief history of America’s Christian standards:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2011978,00.html