OK, now I think I am about at my limit. Those who know me well know that I have, or had, a real problem with the WWJD bracelets. Thank goodness that seems to faded away. Also that I have a certain issue with Christians getting so socially active that they seem to lose focus on the fact that the commands and admonitions in the Word are to individuals and to believers, not to governments and unbelievers. Well today I have found a church that has managed to get to me on both accounts.
Pastor Joe Phelps of Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, KY has joined forces with the labor unions, particularly a group, funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, and appeared in a Christmas commercial attacking Wal-Mart. I will let the commercial speak for itself, and follow that with a letter from me to pastor Phelps. You can go directly to the commercial by clicking on the title of this article above, or by going to the URL below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWC2W01OnQg
What adds to the sad situation is that pastor Phelps repeats misinformation in this commerical, while a choir hums in the background. The accusations made against Wal-Mart are based upon misrepresentation of the facts and false reporting. I have to wonder what drives some pastors today to go to these extremes in their search for relevance.
I have said enough, on to the letter.
Eddie
------------------------------------------------
14, December 2006
Pastor Joe Phelps
Highland Baptist Church
1101 Cherokee Rd.
Louisville, KY 40204
Dear Pastor Phelps,
Before I go on, please trust me when I say that I do not have any affiliation to Wal-Mart, do not own any stock in their company, or have any feelings toward them one way or another. I do shop there occassionaly, however.
Pastor Joe Phelps of Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, KY has joined forces with the labor unions, particularly a group, funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, and appeared in a Christmas commercial attacking Wal-Mart. I will let the commercial speak for itself, and follow that with a letter from me to pastor Phelps. You can go directly to the commercial by clicking on the title of this article above, or by going to the URL below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWC2W01OnQg
What adds to the sad situation is that pastor Phelps repeats misinformation in this commerical, while a choir hums in the background. The accusations made against Wal-Mart are based upon misrepresentation of the facts and false reporting. I have to wonder what drives some pastors today to go to these extremes in their search for relevance.
I have said enough, on to the letter.
Eddie
------------------------------------------------
14, December 2006
Pastor Joe Phelps
Highland Baptist Church
1101 Cherokee Rd.
Louisville, KY 40204
Dear Pastor Phelps,
Before I go on, please trust me when I say that I do not have any affiliation to Wal-Mart, do not own any stock in their company, or have any feelings toward them one way or another. I do shop there occassionaly, however.
Your "Wake Up Walmart" campaign reflects what I see as a growing pattern in the body, and among ministers, to want to become socially relevant. Almost as if they feel that by associating with social struggles and issues and "feeling" more, they are reaching the lost and better fulfilling the commands of the gospel. I beg to differ. What you are doing is becoming "friends of the world." The Word says not to be unequally yoked together, believer with unbeliever, yet you pastor have yoked yourself to labor unions which, last time I checked, are not a believing bunch, nor have they anything to do with reaching the lost. Furthermore, we are not to seek to be loved or accepted by the world. In fact when we are hated and persecuted for our faith, is when we are in the best relationship to "the world." Yes, I understand that we are to be hated for righteousness sake, but sometimes that is being opposed to what seems the right thing to do from a carnal point of view. Did Jesus not say "the poor you will have with you always?" And was Mary not despised by the religious for pouring expensive perfume on His feet, that could have gone to the poor?
Beside all of this the major problem, as I see it, is that by expecting and demanding that government and businesses provide more and more safety nets for people, we are asking less and less of the individual. The Word does not say, when you see a man thirsty, have their employer give him drink. Or when you see your brother naked, get The President and Congress to find a way to clothe him. It says, "When You see..". The Gospel always was and always will be a personal message with personal commands and demands, not corporate. It is as you, me, and every individual believer lives up to his and/or her own revelation of the Word and conviction by the Holy Spirit that we will see the change. It is the collective individual actions, from a pure heart, that yield eternal, God inspired, fruit. Demanding or intimidating businesses, the government, or anyone else to do what we are called to do will only make us feel that we do not have a personal obligation. At the least that our obligation is lessened. Remember that Peter told Ananias and Sapphira that God did not require them to give all or any of their gain to the poor. It was all about the heart.
I find it interesting, and not knowing anything about your church, I would bet that your church as most Baptist congregations, gives a great deal to foreign missions. As a percentage of your giving, however, I wonder what your giving to the poor in Louisville is. The reason I ask is that I find most often that because Africa, India, or South America have no public safety net, we are quick to help. The poor in the ghettos of America, however, are for some reason supposed to be the obligation of the government and/or "Big business. This mentality subtly creeps into our psyche and after awhile, while we pity the less fortunate, they become someone elses problem.
Beside all of this the major problem, as I see it, is that by expecting and demanding that government and businesses provide more and more safety nets for people, we are asking less and less of the individual. The Word does not say, when you see a man thirsty, have their employer give him drink. Or when you see your brother naked, get The President and Congress to find a way to clothe him. It says, "When You see..". The Gospel always was and always will be a personal message with personal commands and demands, not corporate. It is as you, me, and every individual believer lives up to his and/or her own revelation of the Word and conviction by the Holy Spirit that we will see the change. It is the collective individual actions, from a pure heart, that yield eternal, God inspired, fruit. Demanding or intimidating businesses, the government, or anyone else to do what we are called to do will only make us feel that we do not have a personal obligation. At the least that our obligation is lessened. Remember that Peter told Ananias and Sapphira that God did not require them to give all or any of their gain to the poor. It was all about the heart.
I find it interesting, and not knowing anything about your church, I would bet that your church as most Baptist congregations, gives a great deal to foreign missions. As a percentage of your giving, however, I wonder what your giving to the poor in Louisville is. The reason I ask is that I find most often that because Africa, India, or South America have no public safety net, we are quick to help. The poor in the ghettos of America, however, are for some reason supposed to be the obligation of the government and/or "Big business. This mentality subtly creeps into our psyche and after awhile, while we pity the less fortunate, they become someone elses problem.
It reminds me of a revelation I received some time ago on the difference between a conservative and a liberal. A conservative sees hurt and need and asks: "what can I do to meet that need?" A liberal sees the same hurt and need and asks: "what can I do to get someone else to meet that need?" That is not Jesus. If you have people in Louisville that need health care, then what are your body and others doing to meet that need? How about organizing churches to provide a city wide health care fund? If I am not mistaken, I believe that Humana, one of the largest health insurers in America, is headquartered there in Louisville. Maybe your energy would be better spent meeting with them and asking what they could do to work with Wal-Mart, and others, to cover everyone. Wal-Mart is at least providing jobs for those you say have no health care. Without those jobs they would have neither. Maybe you could hire those people and provide them with the health care they need. I know it is a silly notion, forgive me for suggesting it; it is Wal-Mart's or someone elses problem afterall.
I am not wanting to make this personal as I believe you only represent a growing segment of the Church that has given up on asking for individual responsibility in favor of asking for collective responsibility. By going public, however, I have chosen to respond in kind. This post may be found at: Saltinc.blogspot.com
I have much more to say, but will leave it here. I pray that while you and those you have organized hold your candle light vigil at Wal-Marts that you will have a revelation and get my point.
Blessings and grace!
Eddie Huff
