Jim Garlow: What Has Happened to My Church?
Alert laypersons and orthodox pastors across the country are observing a phenomenon, and it is not good. For several years, evangelicalism has seen a small but constant trickle of prominent persons, colleges and organizations capitulate on the homosexual issue. Twenty years ago, every person who was labeled an “evangelical” knew the act or practice of homosexuality was unacceptable before God. Today, not so much.
But it is not merely in the broader evangelical communities. It has impacted the subgroups, such as Pentecostal and Holiness.
Some colleges, which used to be called “Christian,” have LGBTQ clubs on campus. Calling homosexual acts a “perversion” is no longer acceptable. Some defend adding a new adjective to the word “Christian,” and thus “gay Christian” has gained acceptance particularly among young people. Some biblically solid parents have sent their spiritually grounded 18-year-olds off to a “Christian” college only to have them return accusing the parents of not being “loving” because of the belief that marriage should be between one man and one woman.
But there is more. At the horrific and excruciating death of George Floyd, the nation was transfixed, as one, and ready to address racism in the culture. So much could have been done. But the moment to examine racism was squandered and is now tragically lost.
Floyd’s horrific death was punctuated with protests. Those quickly devolved into riots, burning and looting. With the rise of Black Lives Matter (BLM), some evangelicals have gotten on the bandwagon of championing the dangers of “white privilege,” demanding that other whites repent for simply being white. The Scriptures say that “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,” (Rom. 8:1) but with primarily young white “BLMers,” there is much condemnation to be dished out—mainly from whites to other whites.
Some pastors in evangelicalism, including Holiness denominations have raced to see who could “out-BLM” each other, with their Facebook virtue-signaling BLM hashtags.
Admittedly, the words “Black lives matter” form a beautiful phrase because it really is true that Black lives do matter, to God and to us all. However, there is the problem. BLM, as we all discovered, was really not about Black lives mattering.
One would have thought that these well-intentioned white evangelicals would have caught on once the founders of BLM acknowledged that they were “ideological” and “Marxist trained” (their words). One would have thought that upon discovering that some of the 13 BLM guiding principles include “gay affirming,” “trans affirming,” opposition to the nuclear family—father, mother and children—(again, their words), that BLM founders are anti-Semitic and that they practice African occult religious activity, that perhaps evangelicals might no longer proudly display their BLM Black square on Facebook. But such was not the case. Instead, they proclaim CRT—”critical race theory”—even louder, claiming that every white, in effect, needs to admit that they are an “oppressor.”
Oh, but there is more. As if the defense of homosexuality, BLM and CRT were not enough, there was the sudden “softening” for support for babies in the womb. How can you tell? When an evangelical says—as some are doing on Facebook, “I am pro-life, but…” that is usually followed by casuistry for voting for a pro-abortion presidential candidate.
To address this phenomenon, a ministry called Well Versed is offering a free simulcast from Washington, D.C., this Sunday, Sept. 27, all day, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, featuring 15 speakers in 29 short talks.
The event has rich content. It is hard-hitting and direct. It is designed to help you to 1) know, 2) articulate and 3) persuade. Included in the day will be a comparison between the Democratic and Republican platforms, with Scripture as the guide.
You are invited to join the event for free from your computer, which covers the following topics:
—Bishop Harry Jackson: Steps of Racial Healing.
—Congresswoman Michele Bachman: The Moral Differences in Party Platforms.
—Congressman Bob McEwen: Economics and Socialism Made Easy.
—Hayden Ludwig: The Left’s “Rent an Evangelical” Plan.
—Judd Saul: “Enemies Within the Church.”
—Bevelyn Beatty: Why BLM Harms Blacks.
—Rosemary Schindler Garlow: Understand the Times by Watching Israel.
—Kem Zember: No Such Thing as a “Gay” Christian.
—Pastor David Berman: “When BLM Pickets Your Church.”
—Many others.
To see the full lineup of speakers, go to wellversedworld.org/upcoming-events/. {eoa}
Dr. Jim Garlow, author of 21 books, has pastored for over four and half decades and has done over 1,500 print, radio and TV interviews. He is CEO of Well Versed, a ministry that brings biblical principles of governance to government leaders through weekly Bible studies in the U.S. Congress, the United Nations in New York City and through private meetings with government leaders. He is heard daily on 800 radio outlets. (See WellVersedWorld.org ) He and his wife, Rosemary Schindler Garlow, have eight children and 10 grandchildren.
