*shaking my head in dismay*

It has been said that every village has its share of idiots… the “village idiots”, if you will.

The church has them too, and pastors and churches that put up signs like that let their true nature shine through. The problem for the rest of us is that the media more often than not shines the spotlight on the village idiots, rather than the ones who are actually reaching out with Christ’s compassion and accomplishing His mission.

We need to pray for pastors like that as much or more than the ones who have been hurt by the storm. We need to either pray that God changes their hearts or gets them out of the way for the rest of the church.

*still shaking my head in dismay*

Beneath His Mercy,
Brian
http://brianburkett.blogspot.com

I drove by this church sign the other day:

“If you love Jesus Tithe! - anyone can honk.”

I still am smiling. 

As with the other sign you referenced, our job isn’t to condemn but to “make disciples of all nations.” We often forget that “those disciples” are going to start out as good old fashioned sinners, just like we did!  I am grateful that those around me when I was in sin, didn’t call me names but introduced me to the NAME of names!

I just have to wonder what the purpose of the marquis is...do they hope to reach the lost with that sign?  Or are they hanging out in their office laughing about how cute there little saying was.  I actually saw a sign a while back that said, “If you think it’s hot out here, it is going to be much hotter in hell.”
Unfortunately every non believer that drives by these signs will have one more confirmation of their stereotype of Christians as “turn or burn”, Bible Beating clueless nutcases.  Sometimes I can’t help but agree with them.

This website and this article was brought to my attention due to the fact that a person told me about this because I personally know Wiley Bennett.  There is no finer man that loves God than Wiley does.

I agree that God is trying to get America’s attention.  We have “prettied up” sin and everything goes as long as we love each other.  True, after 911 America, as a nation, did increase in church attendance.  It lasted awhile and again begin to dimish.

As far as calling Wiley a village idiot, that is a low blow.  Wiley, had a successful career.  During that time before his retirement, he prepared himself for the ministry by going to seminary.  He took early retirement and came back to Tyler to begin as pastor of Woodland Hills.  At the time my husband and I joined his church, there were more rabbits in the parking lot than people.  There were 24 people there.  In a short time, there was a full house.  WHY?  Because he had such a heart of compassion, that he reached out to the people.  Check out the number of people that he has led to the Lord and baptized.

So before you completely trash this man, make an appointment and go by and visit with him.  You WILL be blessed.  And before you totally disregard church signs, remember there are tons of people that are inspired by them. 

After the church sign was installed, many people would stop by and call telling Bro. Wiley just how touched they were by reading his signs.

Why the recent tragedy, I don’t know.  I have given up trying to figure out God a long time ago.  HIS WAYS are not my ways, nor HIS THOUGHTS my thoughts.  My job is to TRUST.

Wiley made a statement.  He is entitled to do that.  He DID NOT say that was why God caused or allowed the hurricane.  But even if he had, it does not take away from the fact that New Orleans is known for its sinful way of life. 

There are very good people in New Orleans, people that love God.  Yet, there are also people that openly shake their fist in the face of God by their lifestyle. 

As far as the ministry of Woodland Hills church, they are very devoted to mission efforts. 

All these comments remind me of the news media today.  Everyone jumps on the bandwagon to “stone” them before all the truth is known.

In closing, let me say that whether Wiley used what you would term “politically correct” wording in the “religous world”, I do not know.  BUT where would you be or where would I be had we not had John, the Baptist, crying in the wilderness, REPENT!!
John was not popular, but he preached the truth.  Wiley preaches the truth. Yet he is a very humble man.

We no longer live in Tyler, we left there in 1982, but we keep up with the ministry of Woodland Hills Baptist Church.  We have known Wiley Bennett since the 60s.  We attended church with him and his wife when they became Christians.  Then we became members of his small church when he came back to Tyler in the early 80s. 

Again, until you KNOW this man, don’t condemn him.  He is very true to the Word, to his congregation and to HIS LORD.

“Let any among us who didn’t ponder this ‘Sodom and Gommora’ reference somewhere in the back of ours brain for at least a split second in the past week cast the first stone.”

In TOTAL agreement with Peter.  This was no incidental comment.  He all but stated, “God chose to flood New Orleans because of the sin taking place down there”.  Well, what about San Francisco?  What about Amsterdam?  In fact, what about all the Bible Belt self loving, pride filled areas of America?  There are certainly other sins that are disgusting to God than sexual immorality.  Also, because attendance has grown in the past or because people come by to congradulate the pastor on his sign is not an indication that God has blessed his efforts.  I’m from the South and, believe me, as a kid growing up in Mississippi, there are plenty of people who would gladly have come by and encouraged the local pastor for standing against “all the blacks and the trouble they’re starting”.  Lavelle, ignorance is still ingorance.  I don’t doubt that Pastor Bennett is a good man with a sincere heart, but all of his seminary knowledge and pastoring “success” (not sure what that means anyway) does not change the fact that he needs to apologize for his ignorace and arrogance in this matter.  First of all, to his church for embarrassing them, secondly to the Lord for speaking on His behalf, and lastly to the Godly people in New Orleans and the poor and impoverished who did nothing but fail to get out before a storm hit.  He needs to remember that it could have easily been a tornado in Tyler and who knows who might have gotten “spanked” for their sin.  We ALL certainly deserve it!  Thankfully God has chosen to give us ALL grace rather than punishment! 

Tony said:

“Let any among us who didn’t ponder this ‘Sodom and Gommora’ reference somewhere in the back of ours brain for at least a split second in the past week cast the first stone.”

HUGE difference between having a thought (that you dismiss) and placing that thought on the church sign in a declaration of God’s judgement.

Arms & Legs, hands & feet...where’d they go?  The body of Christ is active and visible in the churches all over Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and many other states; acting as Red Cross Shelters, serving meals to evacuees, going back into the damaged regions and providing manpower to do the work of cleanup & rebuilding.  Yet our mouths do have a way of getting us into trouble, even as we try so hard to help those in need.  I am reminded of the writings of James’ regarding the need to tame the tongue.  I am also not going to sit back and allow the perverse views of the liberal media and politicians be the only voices resonating in our ears.  So, I decided to blog.  I also write frequent letters to my local newspaper editor, which even get published occasionally.  I encourage all who visit and view this site to be salt & light wherever you can, and of course make sure you’re also available to be the muscle needed to do the work.

Why attack?  We all have our soapbox issues that we feel strongly about.  Should we go out of our way to offend others? No, but we should not hide our true feelings.  He could of used a different way of expressing his feelings, but why hurl insults and names in his face?  Pray for the man and his church, and while you are at it, ask God to use this to teach us all something.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

nIKI writes “It’s is not people judging, it is God sending His judgement upon unrighteous people, worshipping other god’s and idles!
New Orleans is a major center for the practice and worship of VOODOO! Is that being judgemental??”

Well, why has God spared the major centers of Greed on this planet. Check out Paul’s letters. Greed seems to be, in his estimation, the worst form of idolatry, a sin that seems to almost be set apart, above and beyond other sins. So why have all the lawyers been spared? (apologies to my brothers and sisters who are attorneys) Why haven’t the RICH of this world been singled out by some sort of natural disaster or something. For that matter, why has God spared ME? I’m as bad a sinner as anyone!

So sorry, nIKI, but I think your point falls apart. I’m sure a good number of the “Voodoo” folks got out of town. I bet a lot of poor good Christian folk, who are the salt and light of New Orleans, are the people who got stuck there.

And, hey, let’s take the Sodom and Gommorrah analogy all the way to it’s logical conclusion. God was willing to spare the city if even a very small number of righteous people were still there, and then when he DID destroy it, he got those people out HIMSELF. THAT’s the kind of loving God that the Old Testament, yes even the OLD Testament, talks about.

imajslvr,

Huh?

It’s a website.  Not sure if it’s a ‘christian’ website; anymore than ‘christian’ toast or my ‘christian’ van.

I guess I’m not sure what you’re driving at.

Todd

“And, hey, let’s take the Sodom and Gommorrah analogy all the way to it’s logical conclusion. God was willing to spare the city if even a very small number of righteous people were still there, and then when he DID destroy it, he got those people out HIMSELF. THAT’s the kind of loving God that the Old Testament, yes even the OLD Testament, talks about.”

Peter,

Thanks for this very reasonable response to this otherwise illogical view of God’s wrath and judgment.  How dare anybody put words into God’s mouth that this was a direct form of judgment against either new orleans or the gambling boats of Mississippi.

Please remember that many more were affected the the “big sinners” (however you want to define that cause i fall into that catagory as well even being in the ministry) of new orleans.

I would like to take a second and remind everybody that there is a very fine seminary in New Orleans that exists in the worst hit place.  I am talking about total devastation of this seminary due to the flood waters and you want to cast judgement on New Orleans?

Over 90% of the faculty live on campus in the back part of the campus, the place on campus that was hit the hardest cause it was lower then the rest of campus.  Judgment???

I just graduated from there (Praise God), and know that there was a very large population of international students that live on campus that have absolutely no place to go because of this storm.  These folks have had their family and church give up everything so they could afford a ticket here to get an education in order to go back home and spread the gospel with the finest seminary education you can afford.  This hurricane has displaced all of them since their house too was destroyed (they lived on campus as well).  This is affecting the church in their own country that paid to send them here.

Judgement?!?  That is completely irrational.  Dont you think that God would have been able to aim a little better if he wanted to bust up bourbon street?  Do you think it would destroy one of the few lights that tries to shine bright in NO?  Sure the seminary isnt perfect but at least many on campus have heart and calling from God to New Orleans...perhaps God forgot to tell them that he was gonna destroy the whole town out of judgment.

I guess blaming this on God’s judgment excuses you from responsibility of helping the victoms.

Currently living in the affected area and hearing this nonesense really burns me I hope that i have not offended anybody with my somewhat angry response.  My only hope is that you not only think before you speak but that you actually hear from God before you claim to speak on His behalf.

I really do love you guys, all of you, but it really hurts.

Christian