PUNK PASTOR?

I know that this is a Caribbean based website but lets’ face it, there are many things that occur internationally that affect us! Oil spills, recessions, changes in governments, Lady Gaga singing her nonsensical songs and changing the world’s thoughts on homosexuality… and the list goes on! I however would like to open your eyes to what is going on in churches from other regions.

I was sitting in my lunch room on work and saw a men’s magazine on the table. In it were eye catching photos I must say of male models in suits, shirts, cardigans, jeans, jockey shorts [clears throat], that were showcasing some of the top designers in the world. Many pages later of suits, shirts, cardigans, jeans, jockey shorts [clears throat], I  came to one full page ad for Kenneth Cole and one of the outstanding captions was ‘we all walk in different shoes’

In it stood like what appeared to me to be a regular man with tattoos, in a lovely Burgundy shirt and glasses, nice pants and I flipped it….and my right hand quickly flipped the page back to see what the man was holding. It was a bible. As my eyes saw that, it quickly tried to comprehend the caption ‘we all walk in different shoes’ and tattoos and the bible and what it could have possibly meant!! Then I saw the name `Punk Evangelist Jay Bakker`. What now!

I thought to myself `Na he’s not serious!` then decided to do what my friend calls `GOOGLE IT`. While doing my research, actually this is old news as to who he is but it interests me, I came to understand that he`s the son of what many sites called the disgraced Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, whom had gone to prison and died of cancer after being exposed to the world of their sexual and financial scandals.

It destroyed the televangelist’s show Praise the Lord (PTL), and made them figures of public disdain and shame. Jay Bakker is now a defiantly antiestablishment pastor (wow what a title) of the New York branch of Revolution. Oh it gets good! They have church every 4pm on Sundays in a room next to Pete’s Candy Store bar in Brooklyn, then posts videos from its services online. Yea I said it…in a bar people. They have had over 1M visitors in 2007 and have a reality series called One Punk Under God. Yea, at this point I was laughing in the office.

According to Bakker, in 1994 he began the movement because there wasn’t any where for hippies, and punk rockers and skate boarders to go. As if that wasn’t enough, Jay claimed that the Lord spoke to Him about changing His mind on something. (Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t God the SAME yesterday, today and forevermore) What had God changed His mind about you may ask… He apparently changed His mind on the practice of homosexuality. EH!

"The more I follow grace, the more I'm drawn to him [God], the more I'm willing to stand up for people being persecuted," said Bakker. "It sounds so churchy, but I felt like God spoke to my heart and said '[homosexuality] is not a sin.'" By this time readers I was sprawled out in the chair and in tears from laughter!

I don't want to be a mega pastor. I don't want to put my self-worth in how many speaking engagements I have. I want to put my faith in God," he insisted. "What I'm here to do is tell people about God's love and if that gets me in trouble, so be it." Oh you in trouble alright!

I even came across an interesting video clip of him and this homosexuality message. Please pay attention to the crowd’s reaction.

Without a doubt we are in the last days. The bible spoke of these false prophets as well as the wheat and the tares growing together. I looked at him and after laughing at the ridiculous statements made by him, I pondered on how messed up someone can get due to the hardships of life, and how the enemy can just continue to contort their reasoning and keep them blind.

I think of myself and how I felt when things weren’t so good and how I wanted to change my identity. In his case I think he just wanted to be out of his parents shadows and be different, yet in it all, he got what I call the all inclusive Gospel where it’s okay to do whatever you want, as long as you come to the bar and praise Jesus you’re safe. To some he may be an extreme wacko, but there are the more deceitful ones out there. those that are well educated, dress in the suits, walk the walk talk the talk and are dead to God.

The Bible says  in 2Timothy 4  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

This we see happening around us all the time. It’s only about the big church, the cars, the suits, talking about prosperity and moving about with puffed up chests and haughtiness. What is the Spirit of the Lord saying amidst it all? Are we still in tune with Him? Do we know when to chew on what has been given or when to spit it out and leave nonsense behind? Or are we willing to throw it all away to maintain status quo and spend eternity in hell. Think about it and CHOOSE LIFE!

Written by :

Esther James

 

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