Matthew 20:34, “So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.” Mark 10:21, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”
The Bible is full of Scriptures teaching us about our dear Savior's great heart of compassion, gentleness, understanding, mercy and love for all people. I just wanted to take a few moments to explain to my blog friends, why I preach so much against the Bob Jones University and Pensacola Christian College camps. The issue goes much deeper than our doctrinal differences, it is primary rooted in their WOEFUL LACK OF GOD'S LOVE FOR HURTING PEOPLE in these religious camps. I don't claim to be a good Christian, but God knows that by His grace I am a kind, forgiving and loving person. This is the blessed fruit of God's indwelling Holy Spirit in every believer (Galatians 5:22-25; Romans 8:9; 1st John 3:24).
Sadly, it is rare nowadays (and I have no doubt that it has always been this way historically) to find a pastor and church that truly love people. When I kindly told Pastor Jeff Redlin of Campus Church at Pensacola Christian College (PCC) last year, that I had been divorced for 15 years and I hoped to find a wife at Campus Church, his reply was to scold me for coming to Campus Church to find a wife. I was cut to the heart by his cruel words. No wise pastor should talk to a 54 year old man that way! That is not God's love. He should have either just said nothing about the matter, or kindly welcomed me to their church. He did neither!
When I first met Jeff Redlin, at the church's 4th of July picnic last year, I told him that my plane from Guam had just landed 36 hours ago and I was sleeping Walmart's parking lot, homeless, because the ungodly Woodspring Suites Hotel in Pensacola cancelled my confirmed 30-day reservation without warning (because they were greedy and bumped me for the 4th of July weekend to give the room to someone else who was willing to pay more). When I explained that I was sleeping in Walmart's parking lot, I saw the startled look on Pastor Redlin's face, and then he just walked away and didn't come back. That is not God's love. I didn't even expect his help, I was just sharing my ordeal with him. But his response made a very bad impression on me, showing me that he doesn't care. 1st John 3:17, “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”
When I emailed to Pastor Redlin to introduce myself, kindly opening my heart to tell him about my 17 year battle with stenosis and radiculitis causing constant chronic pain in my neck, and radiating sharp pain in my arms and legs, he couldn't have cared less. When I told him I was a thankful graduate of Hyles-Anderson College, he never once acknowledged me. He ignored everything in my email about me. When I told him how much I wanted to be a blessing to their ministry at Campus Church, he failed to say one word of encouragement. It took me 2 hours to put together my email, but he didn't care and I sincerely doubt he took more than 5 minutes to brush me off!
When someone pours out their heart to you in a letter, especially to a church pastor, the least that any pastor should do is acknowledge that person's suffering. Let them know that you care. Tell them something encouraging. Sincerely pray for them and then let them know you just did. I felt rejected, dejected and unwanted from the very beginning by Pastor Redlin, and I kindly told him so. His carnal response was to ignore me for the next 10 days. So I very kindly approached him Sunday morning after his sermon, just to ask why he hadn't replied yet. He literally shirked his head while putting both of his open hands in the air in front of him, signifying that he didn't have a reason. I was deeply hurt. I had been kind, loving and very transparent with this cold-hearted pastor. Why was he being to obtuse and cruel?
I found out later, after being persistent for him to give me a reason, that someone had sent him my ministry websites, and he freaked out. If he had been wise, Pastor Redlin would have either left the matter alone, or complimented my hard work and left it at that. But he instead chose to be critical of my diligent labors for Christ. Criticizing a passionate man's life's work is a very foolish thing to do! He falsely accused me of "finding weaknesses in preachers" and was afraid that he would be next. But if he had loved me with God's unconditional love, instead of only thinking about himself and going on the defensive, we never would have become enemies, which is sad and unfortunate. Even though I don't like to make a fuss as a child of God, sometimes I need to make a fuss. People just want to be loved!
I don't look for weaknesses in preachers, I “contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3). I "rebuke them sharply" who subvert families with another gospel of Lordship Damnation (Titus 1:9-14). I "Preach the Word" in season (2nd Timothy 4:2). Sadly, Jeff Redlin only saw what he wanted to see when he viewed my websites. Less than 1% of my nine ministry website's and eight ministry blog's content expose bad preachers, yet that is all Pastor Redlin saw!
From the time that I first met Jeff Redlin at the 4th of July picnic at Campus Church, he did nothing but make excuses and go on the defensive. If that selfish man had simply READ my kind and loving words in my lengthy emails, and had any spiritual discernment, he would have seen that I was desperate to be loved and restart my life at Campus Church. But instead all he thought about was himself, and protecting himself and his church from being criticized. That is what is so horribly WRONG with the PCC camp today! In March they celebrated “Rape Awareness Month,” going on the defensive, but people just want to be loved.
If PCC would stop focusing on being so defensive, and just start loving people with God's unconditional love, then they wouldn't be making so many enemies. Here is a good example. This young man, Allen Armentrout, a former PCC student, showed his allegiance to General Robert E. Lee of the confederacy, for which PCC expelled him! PCC selfishly only cares about their reputation, always going on the defensive; rather than loving their students and loving new church members. Pastor Jeff Redlin made me feel like garbage. When I kindly told him how I felt, he replied with some weird excuse, saying that it was “your own reality.” In other words, in his mind how I felt was my problem, not his reality. What a jerk! Is that the best a church pastor can do? God pity Campus Church for their incompetent, uncaring, insulting, cold-hearted, shallow pastor!
I personally have let the matter go into God's hands, so I can move on. I have already forgiven Jeff Redlin, but kindly said, God needs to humble that egotistic pastor. Like so many immature Christians today, Jeff Redlin is blind to his own faults, sins and lack of genuine compassion for people. Jesus said that to whom much is forgiven, the same loveth much (Luke 7:47). It is true that oftentimes devoutly religious people, the “goody two-shoes” type, woefully lack compassion for other people. Since they have never committed what some would call “deep sin” (e.g., murder, robbery, adultery, substance abuse addiction, et cetera), they do not grasp the depth of God's mercy, grace and forgiveness. In other words, being a big sinner eventually humbles a person, when sowing one's wild oats brings crop failure!
It is tragic that single divorced people are mistreated, shunned, ostracized and condemned by the PCC camp, for desiring to remarry to satisfy their “burn” and to have companionship (1st Corinthians 7:1-2, 9). PCC is out of touch with reality! Self-righteousness is a sin. Pastor Jeff Redlin woefully lacks sympathy and empathy for hurting sinners. God knows that I do not enjoy preaching against Pastor Redlin. However, if hurting divorced victims like me don't speak up, then nothing will ever change at PCC.
Divorced people often live with a lot of guilt, feeling like trash because of their failed marriage (regardless of who filed for divorce). It doesn't help when religious hypocrites like Jeff Redlin shun them. Divorcees need love and compassion from preachers, not to be berated, shamed, belittled, shunned and condemned for it (which is what Jeff Redlin horribly did to me in 2021). When Pastor Redlin scolded me for hoping to find a wife at church, his cruel and insensitive words cut to my heart. When he told me right in front of his wife that he would never perform a wedding ceremony for me, his cruel words cut to my heart. I never asked Pastor Redlin to perform a wedding. The guy needs some kind of help!
I just hope that my calamity at Campus Church at the hands of Pastor Redlin, can pave the way for future divorced hurting people, who perhaps will be treated much better than they did me at Campus Church. Can an old dog learn new tricks? Time will tell. My prayers are with PCC and Pastor Redlin, that they will learn that PEOPLE JUST WANT TO BE LOVED!!!
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