Saturday, August 25, 2012

Killing With The Law, Sunday Sermon, 8/26/12





2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (NKJV)

 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Here we have Paul laying it out for us. In black and white we are told that our Ministry (and EVERY Christian has a Ministry) comes straight from God and not through anything we do or any amount of initials we can put after our name, and also tells us that we are to be Ministers of the New Covenant (The New Testament), not of the law (The Old Testament). This is due to the power and influence of the Holy Spirit on our lives.

And yet so many Christians, both ministers and lay people use verses from the Old Testament to condemn people. Most commonly, these verses are used  to support peoples opinions on modern social issues. They hand pick, and the only ones used are the ones that support their agendas while the others are discarded.

 They use selected verses from many books in the Old Testament to support their condemning views on everything from  a man wearing his hair long to people being gay. And yet, after the service, they go out and enjoy a meal of steak and lobster or a pork roast, both of which are also forbidden by Leviticus.

Of course the standard response I get is from Matthew 5:17, where Jesus says that he didn’t come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. This is a very good response, but what the Lord was talking about is that He had come to fulfill the law by sacrificing himself as the last sacrifice for man. So yes, He came to fulfill the law and He did!! He fulfilled the law when he said “It Is Finished”. At the exact moment he died, the law was fulfilled and the grace flowed in.  The veil that separated us from God was torn in two and we could see god for the first time!! We could have a relationship with him that we could not have before.

I do understand that those who do this are sincere in their beliefs, and I certainly am not bashing the Old Testament (following the 10 Commandments to the letter will definitely make you a fine, upstanding citizen), but I am,  and will continue to,  speaking out against those who use a small portion of the scripture, taken out of context, to bash anyone and everyone who does not agree with them. Sadly, it is usually these nut jobs that get the most press and give all Christians a bad name…..

In this letter written to the Church at Corinth, during a time that the Corinth Church was getting bound up in legalism and some were even questioning whether or not Paul was an Apostle of Jesus,  Paul tells us that God has made us Ministers of the Spirit not the letter. The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit saves (gives life). At a time now when a lot of Churches are becoming just like the Corinth Church was at the time of Paul’s letter, we must remember that we are to be led by the Holy Spirit in what we do. We are free from the Mosaic law because of the price that Jesus paid on the cross. We no longer have to see God through a veil, we can come into a full and complete relationship with Him, because the veil was not only lifted, it was torn in half when he died…..

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The Need In Front Of Your Eyes......


My youngest son met a girl (we will call her Suzy, to protect the privacy of her & her family), some years ago in Elementary school.  They became fast friends, both sharing a love of video games, pizza & other things preteen & teen.  Suzy would come over every day after school & would stay with us for weeks on end during summer vacation. We would even take her along on trips to Disneyland, Pismo Beach, etc. I came to view her as just another of my kids.

Over the years my wife & I met & became friends with her parents (mainly the mother, because her father worked a lot).  I thought how great it was that we had found another couple who have been married 20+ years, and of all my sons’ friends, Suzy & himself were the only ones who had both parents in the home.

Over the years I noticed that Suzy ate as much as my son (who is a bottomless pit). She is something of a tomboy, so I didn’t think much about it.  Just thinking to myself that when she hit’s the teen years, she would become more conscious of it, and I prayed that she would not fall prey to the many eating disorders that can affect young girls at that age (thank God that she has not fallen prey to them).

One day  I came home and Suzy & my son were in the kitchen, both making sandwiches that even Dagwood would have been proud of. She hadn’t been to the house in a few days, and I jokingly told her “looks like you haven’t eaten in a week”,  she looked up at me and with the innocence of a child (even though she is now 12), said, “well I have only had 2 packages of Top Ramen in the last 2 days”. I was thunderstruck, but played it off.  Things now fell into place, and I suspected that the reason she always ate so much when she was at my house was because she did not have anything to eat at hers.

When her mom came to pick her up later that night, my suspicions were confirmed. I went out of the house to talk to Suzy’s mother before she came inside to get her. I told Lily (again, name changed), what Suzy had said, & ask her if it was true & what was going on. Lily broke down that day & in tears told me that she & her husband had not eaten anything in 2 days because they were saving what little food they had for the kids.

I told her to come inside, and I packed up several bags with food and loaded them into her car before Suzy or anyone else could see. Walking them out to the car, Suzy saw the bags of food and was very happy, but wanted to know where it came from. I spoke up before Lily could & said “well, looks like your mom went shopping”.

Throughout the time we had been friends, Lily knew that we have a food bank. But embarrassment & pride kept her from asking.  In talking to Lily after that day, I found out that she gets food from other food banks, but never wanted to ask us.  I have thought many times since then, what could I have done better? What are the signs I could have recognized? How many times had Suzy gone to bed hungry, when I had stores of food ready to be given away in my house & garage?

Since the day that their little secret came out, they are doing better, but still have to ask for food sometimes. Now they have no problem asking, and I am more than happy to give.

I say all this not to bring praise or accolades on myself (the praise belongs to God for allowing me to be able to minister in this way), but to make a point. There can be need all around you, even in places where you would not think to look. We as Ministers of Christ, must be able to look for and recognize that need, and stand ready to meet it. Yes there is a lot of need in the world and even in our own cities/towns,  but there is also need that is right in front of you.  A lot of Ministers want to minister to the World, and that can be a fine goal, but you need to start in your own yard………

Matthew 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

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”Online Christian Ordination- become a Wedding Officiant and so much more”

Start your own Church or Ministry. We can help you. 

We are a REAL CHURCH that hold’s regular services at a physical location as well as online.

Don’t be mislead, if you are looking for Ordination as a Non-Denominational Christian Minister, but do not want to be Ordained by a Church that only exists in cyber space,  click on the link below.


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Friday, August 24, 2012

Paint By Numbers............


A manmade theological system is to biblical Christianity what paint-by-numbers is to art. Reducing beauty to a formula.- Author Unknown*

I don’t know who wrote that simple sentence, but I do know I would love to shake their hand.
This is so true. People love to create systems. Systems that run your life, systems that run your business, systems that run your Spiritual life. it’s the last one that will get you into trouble………….
Now I have no problem with being organized, and as a Pastor, I understand better than most the need for some type of structure in a Church environment. Otherwise you end up with chaos. As anyone who has been following recent news lately can see, that is the big problem with the occupy folks. Now I am not going to offer an opinion on occupy or even talk about them other than to point them out as an example of what happens when you have a group with a common purpose/goal/ideal, but with no defined leadership or organization. So you need some type of structure and accountability in a Church setting just as you do in a business setting. The problem comes in when you let that organization or structure replace Biblical teaching and instruction. When your denominational guidelines or system get’s to the point that instead of providing the Bible based Church structure in accord with the teachings of Jesus, and also the Apostles, a structure that serves only to serve, and to complement that which is based on BIBLICAL TRUTH, you have a big problem.

Hebrews 12:2 tells us who is not only the Founder of our Faith but also the Perfecter. The one who started it and finished it.

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV)

With The God Of All Creation being the one who founded and FINISHED our Faith, why would we need some kind of man-made doctrines/traditions/whatever……. All we need is Him. All we need is The Bible, Sola Scriptura & Faith, Sola Fide. Anything else that crosses that line from structure to doctrine is just like our author says above. Or to put it a different way, replacing the Mona Lisa with something drawn from a kit you bought at Wal-Mart, it may look good to you, and it may even please some people, but it’s not going to stand the test of time…………
*unknown author quote used  as per the “Fair Use” provisions of Title 17, U.S.C

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”Online Christian Ordination- become a Wedding Officiant and so much more”

Start your own Church or Ministry. We can help you. 

We are a REAL CHURCH that hold’s regular services at a physical location as well as online.

Don’t be mislead, if you are looking for Ordination as a Non-Denominational Christian Minister, but do not want to be Ordained by a Church that only exists in cyber space,  click on the link below.

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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Do You Judge A Book By Its Cover???


His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright.
He became a Christian while attending college. Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students, but are not sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can’t find a seat. By now people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church before!)
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves, You can’t blame him for what he’s going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man’s cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can’t even hear anyone breathing. The people are thinking. The minister can’t even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won’t be alone.
Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control he says, “What I’m about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget……..
Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read.” –author unknown


While looking for something to write on today, some “eloquent flowing words, that would touch your soul and challenge your mind“, I came across this simple story. and it struck a nerve with me. Why? Because I have been every person in this story. I have been “Bill”, young, full of zeal, and ready to save the world. My hair long, my clothes not “suitable Church attire”, my actions totally out of what you would normally expect in a Church.
I have been the congregation, looking at someone that is different than me, that may follow The Lord in a different way, wondering when the bouncer was going to come and remove him so that we could get on with the service and the way things are always done.
I have been the Deacon, where my actions were unexpected, and I embraced a person, even if those around me did not approve……
But the most powerful line from this story, one that I want everyone reading or listening to this devotional today to take away and apply to your lives is the last one. This line is a challenge to every Christian. Look at your life and how you live it, then search the scripture and look at how Jesus lived. If you find any discrepancies, change the things in YOU so that they match up to the things in HIM. We are His representatives on earth, we must live as He did, we must tell all the Good News without exception. We must break out of our comfortable rut and reach out to a lonely and dying world. We do not know who we may touch, who is looking at us, who may have been sent to us to hear about Jesus and salvation because their time may be short on this earth. Do you want to stand before God on your day of judgment and have no answer when He asks you why you didn’t let that teenager with the black clothes and long hair sit in your church? I certainly don’t, and if you do, then friend, you need to hit your knees and stay there until there is a change in your heart………
Just in case you are wondering where I am in the story now….. I am the natural progression, I am now Pastor Bill, who’s hair (what isn’t falling out) still falls well below his shoulders, who has been known to show up to preach wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and who tries his best everyday to look past a persons appearance and meet them at the point of their need. I sometimes fail, but by the Grace Of God, I get back up and try again…….

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

A Reluctant Leader..........

 “It is a curious thing……. those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.”- J.K Rowling from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.............

*****Note*****- I am fully aware that using a quote from a book that is deemed controversial in a lot of Churches will not sit well with some people. However, this quote is very truthful and has been proved throughout history.

During a conversation with a fellow blogger, this quote resonated with me and I think is very applicable to some things that are going on in the Church today.

What am I talking about? I am talking about  people in the Church  who  actively seek power,  whether it be a position as Senior Pastor or the head Janitor,  regardless of whether or not they are called by The Lord to that position. These people, when they attain that position that they have so coveted will do anything and everything to stay in power, and will remove any person who they view as a threat to their position.

This is not a new problem.... People are always seeking power and the money that comes along with it, but I think the modern day Church is unique in that many of them see their Churches as a business rather than a calling from God, and they seek to bring in as much money as they can while ruling their Church with an iron hand.

The Pharisees were like this. They enjoyed the power, authority and income that their position gave them. Jesus was a threat to this and they sought to kill him for it (not knowing of course that they were fulfilling prophecy by doing so). 1300 or so years after the Pharisees (at least as we know them) were gone, the institutional Church of the day kept up the persecution by executing those brave souls who dared to take the Bible out of the hands of those in power and translate it into the language of the common man. This blog is not about Bible history, although I encourage everyone to read about the actual cost of that Bible you now have. A great link can be found here: English Bible History, but I do point out that these men were reluctant leaders. They did not have an ambition to start a revolution, they did not seek power, rather they saw a need or a wrong and they did everything they could, most times paying with their very lives, to fill that need and answer that call.

Back to our topic........

Those with the ambition to lead often find that that ambition turns into their main focus. They pursue that goal of leadership regardless of what The Lord wants. The drive to attain that position of power becomes their idol, and they worship that idol with everything that is in them. This my friends is why the ambition to lead is dangerous. Ignoring the lead of The Holy Spirit, these people press on to their goals. They will knock down, attempt to discredit, lie, cheat or slander anyone who get in their way. Their god becomes one of gold not one of Spirit. They go off on their crusade chasing not only a 6 figure salary, but more importantly, the power that comes with the position that they hope to attain. Is it any wonder that so many big name Pastors have fallen away? That so many scandals have rocked the Church?

AW Tozer said it better than I can:

"A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead, but is forced into a position by the inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and the press of [circumstances]…There was hardly a great leader from Paul to the present day but was drafted by the Holy Spirit for the task, and commissioned by the Lord to fill a position he had little heart for…The man who is ambitious to lead is disqualified as a leader."

Contrary to the model of leadership that has bled over from the corporate world into the Church world, the model that flashes credentials and long resumes, the model of leadership that we were taught by Jesus tells us to come to Him and ask Who Am I? So that He can answer us and say you are not, but I AM.........

God Bless you all

Pastor Brian

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”Online Christian Ordination- become a Wedding Officiant and so much more”

Start your own Church or Ministry. We can help you. 

We are a REAL CHURCH that hold’s regular services at a physical location as well as online.

Don’t be mislead, if you are looking for Ordination as a Non-Denominational Christian Minister, but do not want to be Ordained by a Church that only exists in cyber space,  click on the link below.

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Statement Regarding LGBT People & The Church......


 I have been trying to stay above the whole Chick-Fil-A flap and the ensuing debate over LGBT Christians, even though I have been bombarded with requests for a statement. I made one statement in regards to a Church blaming LGBT teen suicide victims and their parents stating that it was somehow their fault. That statement can be found here:http://devotions4reallife.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/the-victims-fault/ .  It was my hope that this would suffice….. However due to some recent events I must now make the statement that follows in the hopes that this will once and for all put this matter to rest……

Pastor Brian


There has been a lot of bickering among Christians lately in regards to Marriage Equality and the question of whether or not a person who is a member of the LGBT community can be a Christian. There is pressure to choose a side, and this issue has the potential to divide the Church even further than it already is….

My friends division within the Church is a tool of the devil plain and simple. If he can divide the body of Christ and make them fight over trivial matters than he has won. Jesus himself told us that “if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand“. the devil knows this and seeks to divide and conquer wherever he can, and is, sadly, doing pretty well at dividing The Lords house.

The most popular Scripture’s that are used to do this come from the book of Leviticus, specifically Leviticus 18:22 & Leviticus 20:13. These people take Scriptures from this book that was given by God as instructions on how Priests were to live prior to the coming of Jesus, outlining the way animal sacrifices were to be done for the atonement of sins, dietary laws, and a host of other things  out of context and use them to justify their hatred.  Again, these instructions were given prior to the death of Jesus.  Leviticus also contains all sorts of rituals that are no longer followed, prohibitions against eating shellfish, cooking a steak on the some stove or grill that has ever cooked a pig, eating bacon, etc, etc…..  James in his letter to the 12 tribes had this to say: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).  So that person who spends time bashing people for being members of the LGBT community and then goes out and enjoys their ham dinner or their steak and lobster is just as guilty as they think the LGBT person is. Also you wont see anyone going into the Holy Of Holies once a year to atone for the sins of the people. Why? Because Jesus did this for us once and for all time when He died on the cross. When Jesus said “It Is Finished”, that meant that the law was no longer needed. This is further evidenced by the fact that the veil covering the Holy Of Holies was torn in half.

The fact is that people trying to justify themselves and condemn others by using the law is not a new thing. Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatian Church:   I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:21). 

We could go on and argue this until The Lord returns, but there would be no point, and I refuse to do it. My response then to all of those who are condemning people with the law and/or judging people is this:  Until there is not one hungry person left in the world, until there is not one person that is in need we should not be spending our precious time arguing about this or any other trivial issue. Instead we should be about The Fathers business of providing hope and help to a lost and dying world. Get out from behind your stained glass windows and get out into the street and do something.

Pastor Brian Linebarger, 08/15/2012

Matthew 25:40
 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

_________________________________________________________________________________

”Online Christian Ordination- become a Wedding Officiant and so much more”

Start your own Church or Ministry. We can help you. 

We are a REAL CHURCH that hold’s regular services at a physical location as well as online.

Don’t be mislead, if you are looking for Ordination as a Non-Denominational Christian Minister, but do not want to be Ordained by a Church that only exists in cyber space,  click on the link below.

_________________________________________________________________________________


Monday, August 13, 2012

Christians & Secular Media.........




This can be a hot button topic for some people in the church. Can you be a Christian and still enjoy secular music, books, etc?  I am not talking about pornography, I am talking about mainstream music and books.

First a little background. I was raised in a Pentecostal church. My entire family have been Pentecostal ministers. When my Grandfather would preach a sermon that had something to do with his life, he would start with the phrase “I am going to tell on myself”. So I guess that’s what I am doing here, I am telling on myself. I am sharing some things that I enjoy in my life that some people  would consider a sin.

1) Movies.  When I was young, movies were taboo with a lot of the Church. In fact, when I told one of the elders in the church that my best friend and I had went to see Star Wars, his response was “if Jesus came back while you were watching that movie, do you think he would come into the theater and look for you? My answer was yes. If god is omnipresent  as we know He is, He was already there…. (he didn’t like that answer a great deal). Are there movies that a Christian should not watch (especially a Christian who is a babe in Christ)? Of course. But again, The Lord created all forms of entertainment, and films are no different.

2) Music. All music began as praise to God. Yes there is some music that contains lyrics that are  ungodly, and some are even satanic, but by far and large, the beat, harmony & melody of any form of music can be seen as praise to God. Music can move you to happiness or tears

3) Books. The written word is powerful. It can change you view of the world. Books are something that should never be overlooked.

4) Television. Much like movies,  television is a form of entertainment. It can calm the mind, challenge beliefs, and encourage you.

Taking these four forms of media, I will go into each of them in turn.

Movies- Yes, there are some movies that are not appropriate for all ages. This is a given,. However, as mature, adult Christians, It is my firm belief that we can decide for ourselves if a movie is something that we want to watch or if it suits our personal taste. I myself am a HUGE Disney fan, and I love all Disney movies. I also enjoy action & horror movies. that is my personal taste. Its not for everyone, but I am not everyone, nor do I try to push my personal taste on everyone.  The thing I find interesting is that 30 years ago (and still to this day) some Christians preach against going to movies, and yet, you have some of the largest Christian organizations in the world making and releasing movies into theaters.

Music- This is probably the most controversial media related subject in the church today. There are so many forms and genres of music that it is hard to know where to begin.  Again, telling on myself, I have been a fan of Ozzy Osbourne since I was 10 years old.  I love his voice, I love the beat I just love his music in general. Does this mean you will only see Ozzy on my play list? NO.  Ozzy sits on my play list comfortably next to The Second Chapter Of Acts, Sweet Comfort Band,  And even Bill Gaither. Are there Genres of music I do not like? Of course. Screamo  and rap come to mind, but, I do not condemn those who enjoy that type of music, its just not my thing. I was told by my 15 year old daughter that I was too old to understand it.  The point I making here is that you should not condemn a particular artists due to the fact they are not a Christian artist. Rather, judge the content of the music, what are they saying, and are you strong enough in the Lord to listen to this music without being influenced by it.

Books- Again, this can be a controversial topic. Of course the first set of books that come to mind is the Harry Potter series. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed each of these books. The characters “grew up” before my eyes. Yes they deal with witchcraft, and Jo Rowling (the author) has been condemned, slandered & persecuted by some Churches. There have even been Harry Potter book burnings….  But if you look at CS Lewis & the Narnia series (Mr. Lewis was an open Christian), you will see that they deal with the same thing. There are even churches who burn Bibles that are not King James Version….  My point is that as a Christian, you should be strong enough in your faith & know by the Spirit Of Discernment what you can & can not read. This is something that is between you & God.   I personally have read well over 1000 books that run the  spectrum from Theology to Harry Potter,  & can say that I have not been influenced by any of them (except the Bible).


Television- It was called “hellavision” when I was young, and the cable service HBO (Home Box Office) was called “hells box office”. Here again we have a form of media that was largely taboo 30 years ago. My cousins (who attended a “oneness” Pentecostal Church, were not allowed to own TV sets (they did anyway, and it was amusing to watch them hide the TV’s when the Pastor would visit), and yet we have this form of media reaching across the globe spreading the Word through any Pastors/Preachers/Evangelists (I am not going to get into the “televangelist” thing, as that is an entirely different subject.


We will not get into the internet in this sermon, as that is an entire topic unto itself.

In conclusion, I will say that forms of the media imitate life. There is good & bad all around you. Also, the Church has always condemned that which it did not understand or that which is a new concept. It is hard to imagine in our minds that a few hundred years ago, those who thought the world was round were seen as “of the devil”.

You must know within yourself (by the leading of the Spirit) what is for you & what is not.  Of course, there are forms of media that I would not recommend to anyone (pornography for example), but like it or not it is a part of the world we live in, and at some point you will be exposed to this…..  Be lead by the Spirit & know what is for you & what is not.  If something is not for you, leave it alone. If you are young in the faith and you think a TV Show or a Book will turn you away from God, leave it alone and pray for strength. The Lord will show you what is right for you. It may not be the same thing that is right for me, but that does not give me the right to condemn anyone. In fact, judging or condemning people is in direct violation of Gods Word. Remember Paul’s words to the church Philippi:

Philippians 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

God Bless!!

Pastor Brian

_________________________________________________________________________________

”Online Christian Ordination- become a Wedding Officiant and so much more”

Start your own Church or Ministry. We can help you. 

We are a REAL CHURCH that hold’s regular services at a physical location as well as online.

Don’t be mislead, if you are looking for Ordination as a Non-Denominational Christian Minister, but do not want to be Ordained by a Church that only exists in cyber space,  click on the link below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The Victims Fault????

Normally I tend to stay away from things that are perceived to be political etc, but I have been bombarded with requests for a statement on the Chic-Fil-A flap. Again I had NO INTENTION of making such a statement, but after reading a post on FaceBook, in regards to LGBT Youth Suicide and how it was the fault of LGBT parents, I feel compelled to respond.....

The statement, made on the FaceBook page of a Christian "Church" is as follows (verbatim):

Homosexual parents or to the parents who permit their children to become and/or practice the homosexual lifestyle, remember we live in a predominantly Christian country. You need to think what you are putting your child through. Parenthood is not about selfishness or sexual desires that go against the teachings of the Holy Bible, it is about what is in the best interest of that child. I want you to remember what I say to you here today and remember it well when you get paid a visit or receive a phone call informing you your child has committed suicide.

I was flabbergasted when I read this. How could ANYONE blame the tragedy that is suicide, especially when the person writing this is supposed to be a Pastor/Bishop/whatever label you want to call them, on the victim. It is beyond my considerable power of comprehension.

As a Pastor I have counseled many people of all ages who were considering suicide. This tragedy knows no boundaries. You find this tragedy in all classes, creeds, sexual orientations etc.

The sad fact is that LGBT people (especially youth) are driven to this point by people saying things like this. This is cyber bullying plain and simple. This person may not have singled out a particular person (as is the case with most bullies), but they have in one post bullied the entire LGBT community, and blamed the suicide of LGBT youth on the parents. You do not permit your child to become homosexual, they are born that way or they are not. I can only conclude from this post that this person believes that if your child turns out to be gay that you have some how failed? Or maybe they are advocating the North Carolina Pastors way of "beating the Gay" out of your child.....  I dont know what they were thinking when they posted this, but if they keep it up they might as well just join up with the westboro people, because this philosophy would fit right in..........

Pastor Brian