Pulpit Language

• Messages sorted by:[ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]

>>>>> "Andy" == Andy Engle <engleae@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu> writes:

    Andy> On Fri, 6 Sep 1996 AIS07@aol.com wrote:
    >> Here's a question that I hope brings more light than heat:
    >> 
    >> What does everybody think about preachers referring to people
    >> as "whores" "fags" or "twinkies" while preaching?  I find
    >> myself wondering if a homosexual desiring freedom from that
    >> lifestyle would feel enough love in such tactics as to want to
    >> serve God.  Any comments?

    Andy> I don't think they would. Here's why: If I were a person of
    Andy> that lifestyle sitting in a sermon where a preacher were
    Andy> using words like that, I would be offended! Those are not
    Andy> words that are generally used to portray kindness, rather,
    Andy> they are used when scoffing or "attacking" someone verbally.

    Andy> I think that for a preacher, or a witness for that matter,
    Andy> to be anywhere near being effective, they should realize
    Andy> that nailing someone by calling them names is no way to
    Andy> reach them. As I see it, showing a loving and caring
    Andy> attitude while witnessing is half the battle. Calling
    Andy> someone names while trying to share the gospel with them
    Andy> voids out your witness.

I can not hold my tongue on this issue any longer.  The preacher in
question is without doubt Bro. Arnold, a man I hold in the highest
respect.  "If by any means I might save *SOME* [emphasis mine]."  This
is the applicable scripture here.  I think that by some means, the
maximum number of people will be saved.  Those people might not be the
same people as the people that would have been saved had some other
means been employed, but we are striving to save the greatest number f
people.  

This may sound cruel, but if I were faced with a mixed crowd and were
trying to save the greatest number of them, I might have to step on
some toes, and the people with flat feet might not get saved, but the
other people would.  What am I to do?  Try to save the ones that are
the "most" lost.  This is not even a valid Biblical comcept, for there
is no such thing as more lost that another lost person.  Either you is
or you ain't!  Either you are lost are you are saved.  So given 10
straights and 2 homosexuals, who do I direct my message to?  If the
the straights, then the homosexuals will be offended.  If the other
way around then the straights will be offended.

Truth is, the homosexuals will never be saved remaining homosexuals.
The straights might be saved and still remain straight.  This is not
to say that the homosexual cannot be saved, for I believe he certainly
can, but a ministry to homosexuals should probably take place in a one
on one fashion, or in a setting where they are not already a minority.

Has Bro. Arnold destroyed his witness to homosexuals?  Perhaps.  Have
all ministers or saints then been rendered incapable of reaching
homosexuals? Certainly not!  God has seen fit to provide the right
witness for everyone wou would be saved.  Reaching out to homosexuals
is just not the primary focus of Bro. Arnold's ministry.  I am sure
that there are saints, and even ministers, that are very effective in
reaching homosexuals.  

That is why the LORD did not send just one person to preach the
goospel, but we are all commisioned.  We all have a ministry, and it
is not all the same ministry.  "Ye shall know them by their fruits [no
pun intended]."  If a person has the converts to their credit, then
you may assume that their ministry is blessed.  Bro. Arnold has the
fruits.  I would very much like to hear of the experiences of people
that have effectively reached homosexuals.  I hurt for these people,
even though I find it hard to reach them.

-- 
--------  "And there came a writing to him from Elijah"  [2Ch 21:12]  --------
Robert Jay Brown III  rj@eli.wariat.org  http://eli.wariat.org  1 847 705-0424
Elijah Laboratories Inc.;  37 South Greenwood Avenue;  Palatine, IL 60067-6328
-----  M o d e l i n g   t h e   M e t h o d s   o f   t h e   M i n d  ------