You’ve probably heard the news by now. It’s hard to grasp how big this is in the Independent Baptist world. I assure you I’m no rabble rouser, but this demands reflection. I sense a tsunami running through our ranks, bowling things over and destroying as it goes. Many of the thoughts I’m hearing, however, miss the whole point.
First, I take no pleasure in another man’s fall. Some out there are not doing as well as they imagine in hiding both their glee and the fact that it’s all a political game to them. You know the type–I stand taller when my enemy falls down. I know we are told it is doctrinal issues, but I haven’t been convinced it is so.
I know Mr. Schaap has literally wrecked his life. I always pity that sort of thing. I know there is an innocent wife who has been shamed beyond what any lady should endure. I know there is an ashamed congregation that is feeling all kinds of pain. I also know there are many pastors and college graduates who are horrified to answer for something they are in no way responsible for. Finally, and this is the worst, there are many who looked up to Mr. Schaap to such a degree, who hung on his every word, who followed his counsel, who are now struggling with the idea of walking out the church door never to return. Of course, we can wax eloquent about how they should never have looked up to a mere man to such a degree in the first place, and of course we’d be right, but it won’t change the fact that they did and that they stand bewildered today.
I do not, nor have I ever, counted Mr. Schaap an enemy. I have no desire to pile on, but we must call a spade a spade. What he did is egregious sin. That the girl was young enough to be his granddaughter makes it abusive and more perverse. Worst of all, he took the highest calling, a call to be a pastor of God’s people, and abused it.
Having labeled it the sin that it is, I pray he is restored as a Christian man in the spirit of Galatians 6:1. I pray someone is ministering to him. I do believe we need to feel something of “there but for the grace of God go I”. I pray for Mrs. Schaap and her family for healing. I pray for First Baptist Church of Hammond because a church crashing hurts us all. I pray for those who are feeling carried out to sea on the wave of this tsunami and can’t quite get their hands around what to think. I pray that they can see that Jesus Christ stands as tall as ever.
Let’s get this straight–we can’t change it. It’s been in the news and that can’t be erased. We must be on record as being on God’s side and make no excuses or cover up for such a grotesque thing. People are hurt and there’s no magic wand to take it all away. We must love and encourage and lift up those hurting and struggling as the Lord gives us opportunity. This is no time to have a marketing campaign to convince the world how great we independent Baptists are (though we can’t help but say if there was ever a group where all are not alike, it is us!). No, let’s just humble ourselves, go on, and be as Christlike as possible.
There is, though, one more thing we need to do. We need to look at ourselves more carefully. Everyone is doing it to us and, perhaps, you feel defensive. Corrective measures are needed. We need a debriefing time here to analyze how did we get here. Every Christian group has scandal–such is the nature of sin. Still, what positive steps could be taken? Would you permit me to suggest a few? Here they are in random order:
1. We pastors must have accountability.
I know we are told that “the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers” (Acts 20:28) and that we are to take the “oversight thereof” (1 Pet. 5:2). We do have a leadership role in the local church, but what New Testament example could you honestly cite that allows us to scold, yell, or manipulate? In fact, that same 1 Peter passage tells us that our ministering and leading not be that way, “neither as lords over God’s heritage, but being an ensamples to the flock.” Please don’t imagine that it’s fine to degrade in the pulpit either. It’s the coward’s way to attack an individual under the cover of God’s sacred desk. We must be ethical and our leadership is open to honest scrutiny in the church. We should have honesty, integrity, and be fully above reproach in all we do.
2. We pastors must extend that accountability to our personal lives.
When scandals like this come to light it tells me that the fallen pastor was able to go around with no one knowing where he was. It’s clear the wife wasn’t allowed to know either. Gentlemen, that is an abuse of our husband role. My wife always knows generally where I am and who I am with. She knows every password for my email, facebook, or any internet thing I do and can check it any time she likes. She can pick up my cell phone and look at any history she likes. In fact, if she picked up my phone in front of me, it wouldn’t even cross my mind to be concerned. She has full access to all bank or credit card information. There’s no way I could wine and dine another lady unless that woman paid for the whole thing! Plus, I’d still have to account for my time! It’s not that my wife even demands all of this, but I know accountability is a good thing.
3. We pastors must maintain a sense of decorum and purity in all we do.
There’s a crudeness that is being accepted that is fully unacceptable. This is the age of shock value but we surely realize that we don’t have to take up all the habits of the age we live in. There are details of sin that don’t inspire us away from that sin. In fact, those details do the opposite. They fascinate us and lead our thoughts down dusty, dirty paths. A pastor trying to outdo the shocking statement he made last sermon not only puts himself under enormous stress, but also pushes himself to the edge of places dangerous to be. No wonder that circles that start doing this more find themselves in a rash of scandals. The pureness of God’s Word is greater than the filth of the world. That is doubly true in preaching.
4. We pastors must cultivate our own marriages.
The Lord knew we men would need a lady in our lives. And yes, the sexual side is part of it. I encourage us all to look again at that beautiful lady we already have. Focus on her. Love her, romance her, enjoy her, immerse her in all areas of your life. You might find that you can have all the thrills you could ever want with the lady you already have. Look deeply into her eyes, really kiss her, praise God for her, and enjoy a wonderful part of life the way it was intended, and for the record, without sin.
5. We pastors must put the sheep first.
It’s time that every independent Baptist pastor quit imagining that his every thought is superior to those of the flock. The people I pastor (be careful here, read slowly, this may be a great shock to many of my fellow pastors) might know more than me about which house or car to buy, or who to date or marry, etc. A good pastor will show you when something is clearly a sin, but he lets you run your own life. You know what we have done? We are robbing those we pastor of something Baptists historically have died for–soul liberty. Instead of shepherding them into becoming stronger Christians, we stunt their growth by taking away that which is vital to becoming a stronger Christian–the ability to seek God’s face yourself.
6. We pastors must quit riding hobby horses.
Some like to ride some subjects to death. If you preach in great detail more than twice a year on adultery, you are a little over the top. If a preacher man preaches on women and their dress, etc., particularly with emphasis on body parts, all the time, then he is obsessed. We know where his thoughts are most of the time! People everywhere are starting to figure out that when you work things like that into every sermon it is likely because you are struggling personally in that area. Before you get angry remember that a day before a fallen pastor gets caught he likely would have ripped your head off for saying this. A word to the wise–make Jesus your hobby horse and that will never shame you. Emphasize the Gospel and you will never have any backlash. Could I put a little plug in for expository preaching here?
7.We pastors must remember Who we serve.
Pastors face peer pressure just like anyone else. We want to be loved by the group we run closest to as much as anyone else. We must, however, live by principle. We must have an allegiance to God’s Word, not what our clique says is God’s Word. We must get to where we only need His smile upon us and then we will be free. Free to be the pastor the Lord asks us to be.
The tsunami has rolled through. Destruction is all around us. Let’s rebuild with Christ’s aid something stronger than we had before.
(Because of the large response to this blog post I’ve written a followup —The Backflow of the Schaap Tsunami)
The Reagan Review 
Eloquently stated as usual, Jimmy!
Thanks my friend!
I appreciate your insight to this disturbing problem. You did an excellent job …Thank You !!!
Great Article!
Well said my brother. Very sound counsel. Thank you for sharing this!
One thing I noticed . . . you said not ONE SINGLE word of compassion for the victim he molested. What about her; her ruined life; her family: her future???? What about all the other victims who have been hurt and their lives destroyed by this man and others like him??
Fair point. I thought when I labeled it as abuse readers would understand that point. My heart goes out to her. Truly she has been abused. My audience probably includes a high number of those in ministry and I was writing with them in mind. God bless!
Both my wife and I have been on the victim side of things more than once during our nearly 30 years teaching in Christian schools run by pastors like these men. The spiritual carnage left in their wake includes not only unsaved people who were repelled from Christ, but Christians who have since given up on God and lost their faith. The carnage, I am afraid, far outweighs the good that has been done. The worth of a human soul forever lost, and those so badly hurt and discouraged that they cannot trust pastors, church, or even God any more; a price cannot be put on those things. These consequences reach far beyond Jack Schaap; he is just one name and face connected to what is happening in hundreds, maybe thousands of churches across the country which will be affected by this situation. Thank God for the good pastors with good hearts for the Lord . . . but even they will face the far reaching consequences through no fault of their own . . . as will their flocks.
The signs and warnings of the impending tsunami have been there for a long time. A tsunami is preceded by a gradual lowering of the water as it is drawn away from the shore. People most often stand around gawking and wondering what is happening; some even think it is kind of cool— while some who may not know what is happening have the presence of mind to realize something is terribly wrong and it is time to run. Only in the receding backwash is the true extent of the damage really known . . . this won’t be receding for a long time. It has only just begun, and the devastation is going to be mind-boggling and heart-rending. Hang on to the buckboard.
Very good article! I happen to be much closer to this situation than I would have liked to have been and one thing that continues to anger me is how people open their mouths and spout an opinion without knowing the facts!!
The sin, I agree was unthinkable and I still can’t wrap my mind around it. Mr. Schaap is indeed very guilty and will pay dearly. However, the girl you all keep defending was no innocent, she is just as guilty. Although the ages compared are gross, she was 17 and it was her choice. She had been kicked out of school for fornication on several different accounts. SHE destroyed the reputation of several high school boys! She had no reputation to ruin. This is why she was being councelled by Mr. Schaap in the first place! She is the woman Proverbs warns young men about. She will pay also.
I am not defending Mr. Schaap’s sin, he knew better and as mentioned above did not protect himself from himself. Accountability!! I am done…
I can tell you are hurting yourself. I know nothing of the girl, but to hold the position of pastor means I am the one to be especially careful and accountable. There is a different level of accountability. Still, may the Lord help you in this hard time.
It takes 2 to tango and the boys wanted as much as the girl wanted it…Mr. “polishing the shaft” should have been gone a long time ago, he knew what he was doing and as an authority figure he took advantage of his position..rape is rape and that’s what he did and he will always be a rapist…God can forgive but there are so many that wont..How would you feel if this was your daughter? Who knows how many girls he took advantage of..I hope they all come forward because this needs to stop…
Opal 721,
So you come on here trying to wreck this 17 year old!! I dont think so, you should recheck things in your spirit with the things you have said, this guy was so lustful and knew better , he took advantage. WAKE UP CHurch!
That’s right…the signs where there and this church let it go on and on. If you don’t believe me just google some of his sermons….pathetic
Maybe she was 17 and maybe she was playing the role of a “prostitute,” but she is a comparative baby in relation to a 54 year old man. The older adult, the one with superior knowledge and experience especially as her pastor is the one culpable in this . . . not the teenage victim.
So she destroyed the reputations of several high school boys? No, she did not ruin their reputations. They willfully and voluntarily engaged in immoral relations with her and are just as guilty as she is. Why is the woman always the guilty party?
Bro. Reagan, I appreciate your attempt at quantifying all of this. May God grant healing to that victim and her family, that church, and all who might stumble over it. May we look back years from now and see that God has turned it to good.
My father was not a pastor but was a farmer…He taught me if I used a woman for my own selfish desires that was rape because I was taking something was not mine. He taught me to be a man and that intimacy was inside the bonds of marriage only. Jack Schaap knows the Word of God…He is an abuser and she is a victim even if she has been acting in an ungodly way. She is the weaker vessel.
Schaap did and said plenty of things which should have either got him reprimanded or out right dismissed. His views on the King James,his careless statements about sex.etc.I attended and graduated from the school there and if there is one thing his predecessor taught us is to be loyal to principles not institutions, I agree with the above.Your article is very thoughtful and very empathetic.
This could have been ANY ONE of us. It DOES sound like you take pleasure in his disgrace. I am personally praying for him, his wife and kids, the church, and the college. I think I’ll save my grandstanding blogging for later.
I’m sorry Mr. Wiles that you think that I take pleasure in this. The opposite is true. I’m sure you love Mr. Schaap and are having a hard time. I pray for him too and especially his family. God bless.
Wiles is a hacker idiot …the article is tremendous. Wiles get your head out of your backside, your heart off of your sleeve and your eyes off of idols…and when you do then you will commend pastor Reagan for a well written article
A Minister and or a teacher is held to a much higher standard. This mans ministry is finished.
Again, another example of Mr. Wiles, sympathy for the perpetrator and not one shred of compassion for the victim. How like Christ (sarcasm).
Got directed here when a friend shared the post on Facebook. Lot of truth here, but I think you miss something. Until independent baptist churches begin to recognize the elevation of the office of pastor contributes to these tragedies, and that the higher the pedestal you create for the man, or allow him to place himself upon, the greater and more sure the fall, you will see churches rocked by scandal, or even more sad just close up their doors and disappear. The pastors desk is not holy, nor is his office high. Your office is not CEO or president, it is chief servant, senior among beggars. You know where this wickedness starts? Its when a man starts taking his honorary doctorate seriously and starts slapping Dr, or Rev, or Pastor, or Brother, or anything else in front of his name to separate himself as special among those who name Christ as savior. It starts when he begins to think he can spend his life in his study avoiding any meaningful contact with people. When his only real friends are other preachers. If Independent Baptist churches would get a clue and quit hiring men fresh out of seminary on the power of who their Daddy is, or what great man of God recommends them and start choosing leaders who had worked jobs and successfully raised families and did it listening to the soft voice of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures rather than regurgitating what some “great man” wrote in his books we might see them actually matter in our culture again. The Catholic church and the independent baptist movement have two things in common, they have leadership in their churches who think that God’s people need them to hear God, and they have a lot of those leaders falling. Might want to take note and consider.
Boy oh boy, are you ever mistaken Josh. God separates the man of God from everyone else & demands that he be an ‘ensample’ of the believer. Don’t blame the sin on using Dr., Rev. or Pastor before the name. The man of God ought to be respected, but he must earn the respect. Pray for Brother Jack, Pray for his family, Pray for the church & pray for the young girl as well. Sin has caused great damage here and only the blood of Christ and the Love of the saints help!
Sorry, Tom, but I think you’re wrong here. Pastors have been abusing their authority for years and I think it begins with the overemphasis on their leadership role as the “mog”. I’m with Josh on this one – IFB churches are terrible in this area. As far as the titles go, I think the Lord let us know what he thinks of them in Matthew 23. (Please note he refers to us all as brothers, not the clergy and the laity.) Pastors and preachers nowadays need to stop using the Old Testament paradigm of “kingly” rule and applying it to their office.
I agree with John that when a pastor sets himself completely apart from the people he sets himself up to fall. How can you minister to people if you don’t seek to spend time with them? How can you know their hurts and trails and problems if you don’t befriend them? I have worked with a pastor that became abusive to his church. When I first came to the ministry to work on staff as a Christian school teacher, the pastor was a good and humble servent. As time went on and he began to be asked to preach out more and more, he started to change. He got distracted by HIS vision for the ministry and forgot about seeking counsel and listening and waiting for GOD’S timing and vision. When other pastoral staff tried to question him if the time was really right to start a multi million dollar building project and start a Bible college at the same time, he ran them off. He told the church that they were disrespecting him and that no one should talk to them again. After that he never gave a full reporting of any finances or any other church details. For the next 7 years he became a truly abusive pastor. No one dared question him on anything for fear of being called disloyal and made to leave. Men who did stand up to him publically or privately were made to leave and then it was anounced to the church that they were bitter or unwilling to listen or some other spiritual flaw that they could not stay, and that we should not be in contact with them or their disloyalty would rub off on us. The often repeated phrase “Church business stays in the church…” was used at most “business meetings”. It meant… Don’t go contact that person because they are not in the church anymore and so you can not ask them any questions. We were stuck between honoring the position of pastor and not hurting the ministry of the church while sufferning in silence. Through prayer and waiting on the Lord, God moved that pastor on, but the church is still struggling and the new pastor is just now discovering the deep hurt and distrust that has been left to him. Yes, there is a beautiful new building, and a small Bible college, but the light of the church in that area and in the world has been severely dimmed.
Pastors are supposed to be “keepers of our joy.” not ” bosses.”. Second thing is his stand on the KJV is terrible in my opinion. One pastor said you mess with that book and you will be in trouble. Thirdly, the things he said in Psalms about the word of God so sexual in nature trying to compare each verse to a sexual meaning was unbelieveable. I saw lots of red flags, I’ve heard these types of rants and raves against women before. Lots of things were not right. Not everyone that names the name of Christ is saved. We can’t take for granted that every pastor is either. No wonder the Lord is going to come and rescue the church. The church is sick. It is sad. We need to pray one for another.
To my readers–I am just allowing the comments on as they come. There’s emotion and some points worth pondering. Unless there is vulgarity, I will not delete them.
Wow, what a mouthful…. now let’s discuss your sins… Kindly list them in tomorrow morning’s newspaper and we will comment on them here. “He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” “Where are thine
accusers; neither do I accuse you.”
The funny thing is if a unsaved man had rapped your daughter/son you would go after them fully. Just because you was a so called ” a wonderful pastor” suddleys lets just pray for him and not be angery.
I go to a Indpendent church and there are men all in these churches that are rapping children, even some on mission fields. How dare any one make it seem so light hearted.
For this reason I trust NO Pastor nor youth Pastor with my children at all. All these youth pastors an pastors taking you kids and teens off alone. That is not fixing to happen.
I do pray for his family, the child/ern he harmed, and the people who looked at him like his was the stepping stone to God.
Something else that gets under my skin is this man rapped one or more children ( yes because there is never just one) and we should not get angry or look down on him. But let a openly gay person walk in to a indepent Baptist church and and see how many noses turn up at them. Or someone like my self who has my nose pierced. Yes its a sin but we havent harmed a sole. We are commiting sin that harms onlu our selfs. But we will be juged so fast its not funny.
It is a very sad thing this happens, but just because of the evil doings of the few, please don’t condemn the rest of us. I am a youth pastor because God gave me a desire as a teenager to make a difference on our youth, not out of a sick desire. I do agree, many think they do no wrong and put themselves in compromising situations. I never take children off alone, and I never counsel a girl without my wife or another lady involved…that is common sense. But be careful judging all pastors on those that do wrong. If that were the case you shouldn’t send your children to school either, because it happens there as well.
I attended Hyles- Anderson from 89-93 Bro. Schapp was my Church Ed teacher while I respected him and was taught by him there were some signs that were different with his teaching such as fornacation was only when you look at porn and adultry was when you have an affair the Bible say if you look upon a woman to lust after her you have already commited adultry. ther is no excuse when any man has sex with a child
thats why in the old testiment they were put to death. God knew what would happen so we need to remind others that we are all sinners and sin has consiquences.
As a preacher’s daughter myself, I am sickened by this news of a pastor using his position to get what he wants. When a man starts getting the “I am God syndrone” type of thinking, he WILL surely fall. My father has been a Godly pastor of this flock for 34 years, all ABOVE reproach. There is never any counseling done one on one with any female with a closed door approach. Either my mother is there, or the door is left open. Pastors are human and make mistakes just the same as laymen. However, this is not only a mistake, it is perverse, vile, and wicked in God’s eyes. My heart is hurting for Mrs. Schaap and her family. The victim, although 17 with a reported reputation, is STILL a kid! 17 year olds do NOT always make the wisest of choices, no matter who they are. As adults…it is WE who are responsible to make the wise choices even when the other party isn’t. Hold the RIGHT person accountable. I have lived in that “glass house” where other look in at your life day and night and make unwanted judgment calls, but it hasn’t made me a bitter adult. I am THANKFUL for the consistent, godly, character that was portrayed in my home through my parents. If this is sad for us here in good independent, Baptist churches…imagine how our holy, God feels in heaven.
Great article. Well stated and thank you for putting truth out for others to read. It is shameful what Schaap has done to his name, his family, his church, and most important God’s name. In this day and time, to be a pastor of a local congregation is – in my opinion – one of the hardest, yet most rewarding jobs on earth. Stay away from the “I am God syndrone” and focus love, service, and loyalty to our Savior, Jesus Christ.
I enjoyed the article..Well said sir….
Pastor Reagan,
Thank you for being bold enough to address the issue. As a preacher’s kid, I appreciate the humility and unbiased approach you delivered here. Please don’t be discouraged by the periodic negative comments! I pray that God will greatly use your ministry!
Tim Reed
Fantastic article. Thanks for sharing. I passed it on to others on my fb and twitter. Don’t worry about the naysayers. Scorners scorn. God help us to be what we as preachers need to be!
Just a couple of thoughts. I think your heart is in the right place here. The only place that I think you might have lost a few people was with this statement.
“I know Mr. Schaap has literally wrecked his life. I always pity that sort of thing”
I think that more people might have been able to pay attention to the wisdom you were trying to impart if you had phrased that a different way. It sounds a little judgemental.
That being said, I think you make some REALLY great points for pastors here. I noticed in a comment you wrote that you had other pastors in mind when writing this, because you feel like that is a majority of your readers. I think it might have helped if you had mentioned that in the article because it seems from the comments that you have a far more diverse audience here. Maybe some people felt like you were just pointing out everywhere that you felt THIS particular preacher went wrong, when you were actually just trying to suggest ways to help other pastors from falling into sin in the future. Although, some of the comments made me wonder if certain people are just going around defending this guy, with no regard to what the writer is communicating. They see “JACK SCHAAP SINNED”, and feel the need to defend him as if it is a personal attack. You probably won’t get the chance to show God’s Grace to these people, because they’re not interested. In this case, it wouldn’t matter what you said, or how you said it. Oh well, can’t win ’em all, can we?
The only other thing I wanted to comment about was the last part.
“We pastors must remember Who we serve.” I completely agree that teaching The Truth should always trump being popular. But I think you could have gone a little further and mentioned HOW we serve as well. Serving others IS serving God. And I’m not talking about skipping over or watering down the parts of the Bible that might make someone uncomfortable. I mean loving others and making ourselves available to serve their needs, regardless of whether we think they deserve it or not. This is how we serve Christ. When we, as a church, really make this THE priority, we will see a change.
I’m glad that you wrote as a pastor TO other pastors, because you have experience here and it’s important to share what you are learning. I think that if you stick with that concept, people will listen to what you are saying, and as a result they will grow closer to God. And that’s the point, isn’t it?
There but for the Grace of God go I.
I regret to say how many times I have heard this sort of thing happening. I am more concerned with the people in the church. I know some who follow the MAN more than the Word of God or Jesus. On your comment ,
” there are many who looked up to Mr. Schaap to such a degree, who hung on his every word, who followed his counsel, who are now struggling with the idea of walking out the church door never to return.”
If and we need to be mature Christians to do this, IF we make sure we follow Christ and not the man, we will not be totally obliterated spiritually. I don’t really even like denominations, because some follow those. We must have a strong relationship with the Word and HIM. I pray for this mans wife and family. Men will fall, whether Baptist or Pentecostal or non-denominational, etc……………. But thank God His Word will never fail. Don’t put too much trust in a man, you will always be dissapointed.
Exactly right on. I have been in this journey of Baptists since 1976. A graduate of a large college at that time and saw many things come across the table. When ordained by God correct the Book they have a greater tendency to come up with strange doctrines. When this brother did his interp. of the Lords supper it spoke volumes to me of an inward sensual spirit that would eventually be reveled. The old man is capable of all those fleshly sins listed in Gal 5. And those in authority should not be novices to recognize this. We all fall short and need God. This man knew the cost and no telling others may come forward and years of this in these large organizations are coming to fruition. When men become gods, God gets the men. Repent,Plead the Blood, Confess, get peace and direction and for Gods sake seek, mature, Godly, proven counsel. Romans 15:13
Let’s see Jr. took “pictures” of himself with gals, Jack now took “pictures” of himself with a gal, Jeff Foxworthy would say, “HERE’S YER SIGN!”
I “feel” sorry for everybody involved and the fall out in human lives is going to be UNREAL! I’ve witnessed this fall out several times now in Churches & with people, wives & families I ‘ve know & it’s pitiful.
Let the women cousel the women! GREAT IDEA! AND they teach it in every Baptist Bible College anywhere USA!
IF Lucifer who was Perfect in Beauty & Wisdom fell, being high, exalted and lifted up, what chance do feeble men stand when they are thus enthroned?
I am a Street Preacher/ Missionary and have an ministry on the streets of Detroit, I deal with ALL kinds of folks in DEEP SIN! Addicts, Homeless, Drunkards, Bikers, Hookers, Dealers, Pimps, Bangers,Ballers Playa’s etc. And we live in a world now where sin is getting WORSE by the day!
We Preachers have to be MORE SOBER, MORE VIGILANT because our ADVERSARY the Devil…. SEEKING YOU PREACHERS (especially) TO DEVOUR!
ALL FLESH IS AS GRASS! LORD HAVE MERCY ON US ALL! JUST DON’T Get YOUR “GRASS” KICKED!
This should sober ALL of us as believers up! NO ONE IS EXEMPT from the attacks of PRIDE, the Devil & the flesh!
No one mentioned I Corinthians 5, Paul is specific about dealing with this stuff, yet so few do. IF they repent restore (as in II Corinthians) But it’s gonna be a “mess” either way.
Old Dr. Herb Noe here in the Detroit area used to tell his “Preacher Boys”.. “Get rid of your Guru’s boys get rid of your GURU’S!” In other words, we are not supposed to be following the Pauls & Appolos’s of our day but the Lord Jesus Christ alone! … I HATE when I see any believer(s) destroyed when our Baptistic Papal Heroe worship blows up in the faces of our human idol worshippers, but here we go again!
My Ma Ma has told me for years, “WHAT’S DOWN IN THE WELL COMES UP IN THE BUCKET!” Yep, we gotta keep our WELL & our BUCKET CLEAN! Or we’re done!
The answer is just TOO SIMPLE… Rev 3:19 As many as I LOVE I REBUKE and CHASTEN, Be ZEALOUS therefore and REPENT! that’s written the church!
I tell EVERYONE of the Kids & Teens when they get off our vans after service or street preaching, #1. We love you! #2. KEEP YER’ CLOTHES ON!”
For the Streets,
Kyle “Brother Joe” Hicks
Acts 16:31
brotherjoesyouthandstreetministry.com
Thanks for a needful article, and for the format to discuss it. Nearly every single post has some very good point to take to heart.
All of us had better be very sure of our own relationship with God.
The most helpful treatment of the question of pastoral authority that I know of comes from David Cloud at http://www.wayoflife.org.
Concerning sexual purity, I’m astonished at the subtlety and sophistication of the temptations we face today. God help us to remember the enemy is not Schaap, his mistress, or anyone else, but Satan himself. May we bring to bear the weapons of prayer and fasting.
Mr. Reagan, thank you for your comments. The one that helps me most just might be, “You might find that you can have all the thrills you could ever want with the lady you already have….without sin.” God understands very well the fierceness of this battlefield in every man’s life. Thank God for a good wife.
God bless you and yours.
Biblical viewpoint on a tragic situation and excellent counsel. Thank you.
Kyle Joe, thanks for the reminder of 1 Corinthians chapter 5, which deals with “such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles.” That applies here. As you said, Paul knew it had to be dealt with. He also knew that God blesses when sin is judged. Judgment led to genuine repentance, which was met with forgiveness and restoration (2 Corinthians 2:7, 8). The fornicator would not have gotten right otherwise, nor would the church at Corinth have survived spiritually.
An important verse for us for us to remember here is 2 Cor 2:11, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
Satan’s devices today are more numerous than we can know. Psalms 32:7 and 119:114 say that the Lord is our hiding place, and are worth reading. “Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.” ” Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.”
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) “…be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Matt 10:16)
God help us all. And he will.
Candy Bowl
The candy dish:
There’s a lady at work who keeps a candy bowl out at her desk for the public: during the course of the day I will repeatedly walk by it, until I finally succumb to its delights. (The cherry lifesavers are my favorite)
Men, beware of the American candy bowl! There’s “eye candy” on every street corner.
The problem is we take for granted the Filet Mignon we have at home and repeatedly pass by the candy bowl. (Pr 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.) Just remember one thing: candy leads too tooth decay, which leads to “false” teeth.
See Pr. 5
Pr 5:18&19, Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
MCM
Glynn Breaux
Candy vs. Filet Mignon–I love it! Great and accurate analogy! Thanks Glynn.
My husband calls it the “Ruth’s Chris vs. Golden Corral Mindset”. 🙂 Love the analogy!
Great article with the right spirit! What we are seeing may be the fruit of unscriptural evangelism (A, B, C, repeat after me), and man-centered ministries. I believe if our churches would be Christ-centered, and Gospel-focused, we will yield good fruit. Pride always leads to a fall.
Personally, I think this is a very good article. It is addressed to the constituency of pastors – I’m thankful for pastors that stand up for right and not turn a blind eye to the pitfalls and dangers of the pastorate. I wrote a blog about the whole event, too. As a “survivor” of a ministry of the same “colors”, I simply wrote my thoughts. http://wp.me/p1RlRY-4M Thanks for this post!
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I think its time for Baptists to fast and pray( endless nights and days.h
Bro. Reagan,
I know you are’nt Bill O’Reilly but this is about as fair and balanced as it gets. I am not an IFB anymore. I was for many years. There was much abuse of power and lack of acountability where I came from and I as I got older and more mature in my faith I began to see outside the hype of “if say I say it it’s got to be so”. I am 41 years old now and pastor my own flock (Southern Baptist). I was taught for many years that Southern Baptist are crooked and they don’t care about souls until I became one and began to see the many outreach programs. Yes, like anything else, even with IFBs, it can be abused but I stand firm on God’s holy word the KJV (NOT NKJV). I am from a different breed of the old school Southern Baptist who did’nt mind preaching but still loved their people. It is very easy to become legalistic and think our way is the only way. WHEN IT SHOULD BE GOD’S WAY! Jesus was a radical person. Everywhere he went he was stirring things up and people talked. It’s a shame that the only time we see the world talk about Baptist churches anymore is on the evening news. May God help us to get back in his word, on our knees, and under His Grace. In His Honor, Rev. Eric Plyler
I wrote this after hearing some fellow church members speaking about what happened, and although I have no ties to the ministries of FBC in Hammond, I was more grieved by what they were saying that what had been done by their pastor.
My duty as a Christian is to forgive, forget and love. Not just my brothers and sisters, but my friends and my enemies. A brother who falls is a bruise on my body, or a black eye. My own failures are injuries to my brethren. Christians who gossip and drag a brother’s faults through the streets are only hurting themselves and their Savior. In warfare the best strategy is to knock off the soldiers who inflict the most harm on your side, you don’t aim for the clerk in the office, you aim for the valiant leaders of the battle. Our side suffers the greatest defeat when the soldiers are dispirited.
In the end right prevails, but sometimes that’s difficult to believe.
The battle is not against flesh and blood, Satan is not a respecter of persons, in fact if he can whip a prominent leader he inflicts the greatest damage.
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I could not agree more. Every camp and sect in the Independent Baptist movement needs to read or hear your comments. I am an Independent Baptist pastor and have long felt that we need a good dose of humility and accountability..
Pastor Jimmy,
In every way possible from talking to you, talking with Alicia and watching you, you exemplify all of the accountability points!
Tara, That’s so kind of you to say. Alicia and I so enjoyed meeting you.
Thank you for your gracious words. I am so thankful to have grown up in the home of a Godly pastor and father. He treated my mother and my sisters and I with respect and was appropriate toward every woman in his congregation. Thank God for pastors who remain upright.
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I enjoy looking through a post that can make men and women think.
Also, thank you for permitting me to comment!
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