Please watch the video below of Pastor Jim Standridge of Immanuel Baptist Church of Skiatook and his sermon on May 19, 2013. Then read below for my comments on this video.
Okay, so I had mixed emotions on this video. I thought "WOW! How could a pastor do this?? This isn't right to do to his congregation!". Then again I also thought, "Paul did the very same thing. He came in to a church and set people straight." Paul was also not interested in creating the prostitute of the church.
I still could not judge this pastor by this clip, so I went to the church website and watched the full sermon at http://www.ibcskiatook.com/media/sermons/video/585-may-19th-2013-morning-service which I recommend you to do so as well. What I found was very double-minded.
The Pastor was preaching against the Pharisees and how they loved to control the law and loved to condemn people when they should have been submissive unto God, but then he began doing the same thing in my eyes. He was condemning specific people in his congregation for their behavior. I know the Bible says in John 8, which was near where he was preaching, that "You will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free," but the Bible also says to "Speak the truth in love". I feel that this pastor thought he was doing that because he kept telling his people that he loved them, however to me he wasn't.
True biblical love does not condemn. Romans 8:1 tells us that "There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus," so what gave him the right to PUBLICLY announce the faults of others. Instead of doing this in public, he should have went to them privately just as Matthew 18 teaches us, and shared with them alone their fault.
So I ask my readers the question, "Do you believe that Pastor Jim Standridge was right in what he did to his congregation on May 19, 2013? Do you think that Pastor Jim Standridge was 'speaking the truth in love'?" Please comment below.
I've seen this clip and sermon before. I agree with you - this man is not above love. I don't think he'd know love if it smacked him upside the head. This is a man who believes he has power over people because of his position, and uses that power to control, condemn, and demoralize others.
ReplyDeleteYou are completely right (in my opinion) that true love does not condemn. And that if you find someone has done something wrong against you... that they are at fault for something... you should go to them in private. Great post!
Thanks for your comment. You're absolutely right! If you go and listen to the full sermon he speaks about how the Pharisees loved to have control over the people, and yet he's doing it himself!! It angered me! How can you preach on something, and yet do the very same thing. IT'S DOUBLE-MINDEDNESS!!! IT'S FOOLISH!
ReplyDeleteI thought the same Blake...However Paul would have called them out as being Lukewarm...but I also point out the incident when Jesus spoke to the Woman in Adultery....and everyone accused her of being an adulterer...He said "ye who is without sin, cast the first stone"...they couldn't, they all dropped em where they stood. But the Bible is Clear..."love the brethren"...this guy clearly isint showing Love towards his congregants, even though he says he loves. "Have I convinced you I love you?" my reply would be no sir.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely!
ReplyDeleteI don't think my reply to "Have I convinced you I love you" would have been quite as polite as yours :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha! I don't think mine would have just been no either. Lol!
ReplyDeleteHmmm. This is definitely not the order of church discipline given in Matthew 18:15-17 to say the very least about it. I personally don't get much from his preaching. If the congregants are being fed by it and see no objection to his actions, then so be it. One important thing to remember is that this preacher, just like any other preacher, is still a human and prone to make mistakes. Grace and mercy should abound and if someone has an issue with how he handled the snoozing guy, then they should address him personally.
ReplyDeleteNo it's not how church discipline is supposed to go. This pastor is skipping to step 3 lol!
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