This clip has been making it’s way around the internet. It’s from First Baptist in Hammond, IN. It’s a short clip… just about a minute… but shows the attitude that comes from the pulpit there. It’s the same culture and attitude exhibited by former pastor Jack Schaap.
Take a look:
I’m not sure if this message from Larry Smith was before or after Schaap left, but I think it’s a good example of the abuse that can occur in churches like this. As you can hear in the background, the amens continue throughout the showdown.
I grew up in a church like this. And it was not uncommon for someone to be called down from the pulpit… even by name.
Given… most of the people that were called down were teenagers.
And most of us deserved it.
And… most of the group I was in at that time are no where near a church on Sunday these days.
Thoughts?
 |
 |
Hey – I think that’s Todd sitting right behind Larry Smith (with a frown on his face) at :32 seconds.
Wow I hope and pray that this minister did not cause someone to leave the church how can he justify that and how can he say he loves them by embarrasing them like that.
What if it wasnt a student preacher was someone invited to church for the very first time.My Lord said Father forgive them and pastors are worried about a little whisper going on. Blind Bartemeous had to shout to be heard by the Lord over the shut ups from the deciples and the crowds. Just dont understand preachers like this
I have done he same thing and my own teen aged was involved. If folks do not respect the house of God, how can a man help them. As as a child, I have been picked up and put outside and told to go home. I now live in that building which is the church parsonage. When someone needs to be disciplined—–discipline them. GOD BLESS THE GOOD PREACHER!
Wasn’t it Jesus who the brought the woman to and he bent down in the sand writing in it and said let him without sin cast the first stone and when he stood up he said woman where are though your accusers and she said none are here and he said neither do I find fault with you go and sin no more. There is a way and a time for a preacher to show discipline in the church and it is not while preaching from the pulpit to point out an individual. If he felt he had to say something to him he should have done it after church and in the privacy of the office not publicly like this preacher did how is that showing any kind of love by humiliating someone.
I suppose this is necessary if you believe you are the only capable vessel through which God can speak. However those who recognize their own inadequacies and trust the Holy Spirit’s ability have no need for such tomfoolery.
This is a digusting display of control. He disnt have to embarrass the talker and was clearly operating in the flesh. Appalling.
Maybe the man in the congregation was actually speaking in tongues, and Larry Smith was just upset he wasn’t able to interpret…
Frankly, had I been that man, I would have gotten up and walked out – and NEVER gone back into that church again. (And the thought that I should ‘salute’ him as I left would have been very great!)
And what if the person next to the man had just asked him how do I become a Christian and he was responding to him?
I find it is easy to think up scenarios that might justify his talking. I find it impossible to justify what the so-called preacher did!
This isn’t new or uncommon. Worse they never learn from their mistakes. Hyles once called out a young girl who was wearing a ball cap. She had Leukemia. He apologized after the service when he was informed, but they never in humility learned from it. Sad. I grew up in this too, and most of the young people in my group are no where near Jesus or the church either.
Jack Hyles was also a pastor there at one point and known for his public rebukes. He was having an affair with a church employ for many of the years he pastored there according to many reports. What’s that about the guilty dog barks the loudest?
This is exactly the kind of Independent Baptist idiocy I grew up in. Thank God, He delivered me from it.
I would have only done this with my own sons, were they acting up. It worked for me as a youngster when my folks snapped their fingers from the pulpit.
When I was a teen I was cutting up in the back pews. Then I heard, “If those boys in the back think this is funny….” My body temperature sky rocketed. I was out of line and embarrassed. Not sure if it was appropriate but I never did it again. Still respect the man today.
Being called out from the pulpit is bad enough the first time but this preacher did not stop there he would continue it for what 3-4 different times going and kept saying I Love you , I still Love you How in the world is I that love if it is I dont want any part of it.
Sadly, we’ll always have these legalistic, control freaks behind the pulpit somewhere. What’s sadder is that there are people who attend churches like that and think they’re involved in Biblical Christianity. This crochety old fart looks like he needs his Depends adjusted.
scariest part to me is the last comment before the clip end; “Ive got another hour yet”
Can’t believe a church that uses that schlock is even “in business”. Who wants to go to heaven if it’s filled with those types of characters…really. Other comments are correct… most of the
people “called out” soon are gone and not likely to be back.