Bro Gary Hawkins 24: Smoking Meat

[Xan]

"Fresh" wine?  Is the entire congregation totally befuddled?  

[thoughtful]

Last night's service included two graduations - a young woman graduating from "Family Baptist Bible Institute," and a man graduating from the "Onesimus Discipleship Program."

Baker speaks about both of the graduates, going on and on about how the young woman "serves," and cracking jokes about how the man "messed up a few times so he wouldn't have to leave early."

He goes on about how The World just wants to lock up people like the men at Onesimus House, and can't see what they can do for God.

He tells a story about this man: "Girl had tempted him to leave the program, and dropped off liquor for him at the house, and he was supposed to meet her at a certain place, he's leaving the program, he's done, he's gonna run off with her and go party and live in The World, and so he left the program and he's done, and he sees her comin' up, and she sees him, and she drives by and laughs and leaves him."

"Got him to leave the program and get drunk so he'd get kicked out and then left him. So man, that's a gut punch. She wanted him kicked out, life destroyed, and then would just laugh at him. By the way, that's the World."

He goes on to tell them that, of course, it was Satan tempting this man, then describes how he, "in a sweet spirit," "humbled himself" and begged to come back. He says he loves picking on him and, "as a brother in Christ," he loves him, but (gesturing to a Valentine's Day decoration of pink and white balloons on the dais), "No pink stuff."

There is a guest speaker - Michael Barber, who is leaving his current position and trying to start a church in Nashville.

Barber shows a video all about his church planting plans, because, of course, Nashville has been ignored and needs a bible-believing church. He says God has called him to Nashville.

With lots of too-loud music, it asks if the "prominent church in Nashville" is "keeping itself unspotted from The World. The simple answer is no."

Here's the visual that goes with that:

Spoiler

The next visual, which looks like it was lifted from a tourist film, shows this, as he talks about how it is hard to find a church that has not been "defiled by The World:"

Spoiler

Does he expect them to think that citizens of Nashville are actually worshiping Athena?

A montage of bad big-city stuff follows, and, of course, the only solution is a bible-believing church. He says he surrendered to God's calling in 2016, has a burden, feels unworthy and inadequate to fulfill the calling, blah blah blah.

"By my estimation, Nashville is the epicenter of defiled religion in America, and around the world." 

Now there's a quote! I think they should put it on the travel brochures.

He blames the music industry, and churches adopting worldly music.

After the film ends, he gives his testimony. So far, it sounds like one of those drug-filled youth stories. I'm not in the mood right now. Maybe later.

 

Edited February 20 by thoughtful
riffle

[postscript]

8 hours ago, thoughtful said:

By my estimation, Nashville is the epicenter of defiled religion in America, and around the world." 

Nashville, the home of Christian country singer Lawson Bates? The horror! 

 

9 hours ago, thoughtful said:

sweet Welch's grape juice.

Because Jesus was into brand name products. 

[Jasmar]

14 hours ago, Xan said:

"Fresh" wine?  Is the entire congregation totally befuddled?  

I just read that, and then told my daughter about it and we were both befuddled. I said, “how do these people even manage to live in the daily world, being this dense?” And then paused for a sec and added, “huh, well I guess we know, and they re taking the rest of us down with them.”

[thoughtful]

I listened to some of Michael Barber's grift - er, testimony and message - from Sunday evening.

In his tale of a wanton youth, he says his parents divorced, and everything went bad after that. His Mom got a job overseas. He was staying with an aunt and uncle, and got kicked out of their house. He says  "My mom was in Djibouti, Africa."

Captions:

Spoiler

I lost track of how many times he says he was raised in The World, not in church, as was his wife. He got saved in the Navy, after learning he was a sinner headed for hell, even though it said "Christian" on his dog tags.

He reads the story of David and Goliath, and does a message on the quote "Is there not a cause?" Lots of persecution complex and fear-mongering, talking about all of the "giants" of opposition they face.

At one point, he talks about the church whose sign was in the video. "They have two women pastors. But it doesn't stop there. The one pastor I know is open about it, she's a lesbian and has a wife." 

He says he doesn't know what kind of Baptists they are: "They're not associated with the Southern Baptist Convention - they haven't gone that far yet. But what a tragedy."

He tells them that there is a need for "good" couples to adopt children, "because, right now, they're being handed over to homosexuals." He claims that "they" (you know, the mysterious powers that be) are making it very hard for bible-believers to adopt children.

Mike, it might be because you and your kind believe in beating them.

He's trying to be a passionate, shouty preacher, but he just doesn't have the chops.

I skipped the rest. Baker collects a love offering for him at the end of the service.

[Alisamer]

On 2/19/2024 at 4:24 PM, Ozlsn said:

Certainly not coherently. Although I do like the "if that is the LORD will" tacked on there, having a bob each way Gary?

How many times does the Lord have to send prosecutors after Trump before these people start to think "hey, wait a minute, maybe THAT'S God's will?"

JK, I know they never will. That's the beauty of their beliefs. If what they want happens, it's God's will. If what they don't want happens, it's either Satan attacking them because they are such great believers, or God is testing them to make sure they stick to their faith. Either way, they don't have to think or consider anything, it's just black and white to them. Interesting how God's will always lines up with what they prefer, in their minds.

On 2/20/2024 at 12:25 AM, thoughtful said:

 

With lots of too-loud music, it asks if the "prominent church in Nashville" is "keeping itself unspotted from The World. The simple answer is no."

Here's the visual that goes with that:

  Hide contents

The next visual, which looks like it was lifted from a tourist film, shows this, as he talks about how it is hard to find a church that has not been "defiled by The World:"

That looks like a church I'd be willing to consider attending. The church I play bells at isn't quite THAT far yet, but is quietly tolerant mostly. There are a few older right wingers hanging around still though.

Quote

 

  Hide contents

Does he expect them to think that citizens of Nashville are actually worshiping Athena?

I mean, there might be. Probably not many, and not in an organized fashion. But I could see there being someone of a pagan persuasion revering Athena once in a while. 

Nowhere near enough people to have funded a recreation of the Parthenon, though.

Quote

"By my estimation, Nashville is the epicenter of defiled religion in America, and around the world." 

That seems like a pretty bold statement, there. I guess he's writing off places like LA and Vegas as not having had religion at all? So it can't be defiled?

The whole thing sounds to me like "my grandma used to listen to old time country music with me but now country music is different and that's ungodly!" 

Or, perhaps, "I really want to live in Nashville but I don't want to get a real job. Guess I'll be a missionary and make a new church I can preach at!"

[Ozlsn]

4 hours ago, Alisamer said:

Or, perhaps, "I really want to live in Nashville but I don't want to get a real job. Guess I'll be a missionary and make a new church I can preach at!"

Guessing I really want to live in Nashville but aren't talented enough as a musician so I'll just rant instead.

[postscript]

4 hours ago, Alisamer said:

Or, perhaps, "I really want to live in Nashville but I don't want to get a real job. Guess I'll be a missionary and make a new church I can preach at!"

Similar to Jody Hodnett (?), self-proclaimed missionary to Scotland, whose mission appeared to consist primarily of eating every artery-clogging food available in the British Isles. 

[thoughtful]

3 minutes ago, postscript said:

Similar to Jody Hodnett (?), self-proclaimed missionary to Scotland, whose mission appeared to consist primarily of eating every artery-clogging food available in the British Isles. 

Digesting haggis unto the Lord.

[thoughtful]

At tonight's service, Gary asked for prayers - as ever, he couldn't really be heard, but Baker  said,"Lutrigs? Lutrigs? Wife has cancer and someone stole his truck. Wow. Ummmm, that's - that's bad."

Then he chuckles, and says "I'm thinkin' a lot of stuff, but I don't say it." He makes some other vague joking noises and says a few sentence fragments, then acknowledges that "She has cancer, that's probably not funny to joke about."

His lack of ability to even pretend to be sympathetic is astonishing sometimes. 

I assume  Gary is asking prayers for Gary Lutrick.

The last few services, they have been showing the card, rather than even the front of the congregation, during the greeting.

So, if you are reading here, guys, first of all, good. Second, be assured that we're no threat to those kids or anyone else there.

[thoughtful]

Nobody has commented under Becky's February 12 post about the walk for MS, nor has anyone given to her team. I guess all of her True Christian ™️friends don't give their money, or even encouragement, for anything other than getting people to join them in the afterlife.

[Jasmar]

That pretty much resembles my experience with fundie-lite Christianity. As soon as I started needing help, as I was figuring out how to deal with my husband while simultaneously my daughter and I both were starting to get sick, all but one of my “friends” became… crickets.

[Xan]

I agree.  Many years ago one of my younger sisters, then five years old, became very ill with resulting hospitalizations.  We had a few people say they were praying for her but there was no practical help from anyone in the church.  No one carried in a meal.  No one talked about fund raisers.  No one showed up at the hospital.  The message I received was that "if you are in trouble, you're on your own."

[3splenty]

When my pastor had a prayer for me due to cancer, I was amazed at the response. 

I was having a meeting with the doctors that coming week to discuss the next steps, but by that Sunday afternoon, these ladies had already blocked off one day each to take me to appointments/run my carpool so my husband could stay at work. One of them had a sibling at my parents' church (I volunteered to provide food for funerals there, etc). Since they were 45 minutes closer than my church family, they set up a meal calendar, if it would be necessary. There were offers of help with yard work from my daughter's FFA group. So many ways people volunteered to help.

I am now cancer-free and now pay it forward.

Jill, Christ did say to pray for others, but he also told us to help others in tangible. I mean, isn't that how He lived? And to be a testimony, your words have to be backed up by your actions. Words are empty without actions.

Edited February 23 by 3splenty

[thoughtful]

6 hours ago, 3splenty said:

Jill, Christ did say to pray for others, but he also told us to help others in tangible. I mean, isn't that how He lived? And to be a testimony, your words have to be backed up by your actions. Words are empty without actions.

I'm glad your church friends showed real caring and gave real help. ❤️

I think the IFB crowd puts on blinders when flipping past James 2:14-16 (the "faith without works is dead" stuff). Or they pretend it's only about salvation, not practical help. Or they pretend it's not part of the new covenant, since only Abraham and Rahab are mentioned.

I have seen some of them give real help to their fellow church members, but it seems pretty half-hearted compared to what I've seen from other worship groups, friend groups and extended families. And forget about helping outsiders, except to pull them in for conversion.
 

[thoughtful]

Other than the three of us who have reacted to it, I don't know who else noticed that we had a post on pg. 5 of this thread from someone posting as "Gary Hawkins."

I would be more likely to think it is the sock account of a troll or just a new member who thought it would be funny, except for the following:

- they joined on 2/1.
- the change to not showing the congregation in the church videos started the day before that.
- their post, on 2/17, was just two quotes from posts of ours, with nothing added. Copying things to show to Pastor Baker and others (gotta keep that persecution complex alive, and warn that reptobates are watching), and accidentally hitting "submit" strikes me as something Gary would be clutzy enough to do. Then again, doing that just to get our attention could be a troll move from someone wanting us to think it's him.

They've reacted to a few things - some laughs and a "bless your heart." That doesn't sway me either way.

I'm not jumping to any conclusions.

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

2 hours ago, thoughtful said:

Other than the three of us who have reacted to it, I don't know who else noticed that we had a post on pg. 5 of this thread from someone posting as "Gary Hawkins."

I'm not jumping to any conclusions. 

Now that you mention it, I noticed.  I kind of laughed at the lack of reactions, and the lack of response from FJers.

I hadn't realized that account had any activity after the post. I guess I was waiting for any more posts. It's hard to imagine someone who enjoys speaking and posting so much would forego the pleasure of posting at us.

Edited February 24 by WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?
Removed blank space

[thoughtful]

9 minutes ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

I hadn't realized that account had any activity after the post. I guess I was waiting for any more posts.

The reactions were actually before the post. They haven't visited since 2/18.

Again,

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

30 minutes ago, thoughtful said:

The reactions were actually before the post. They haven't visited since 2/18.

Again,

I guess I didn't look closely enough the first time I checked the profile. 

It's definitely  ..

I am sorry no one responded to Becky's post about the MS walk. I did the MS readathon for a few years when I was a kid. I had a relative who was misdiagnosed with MS, and raising a little money by reading made me feel like I was helping. Walking isn't as much fun as reading , but maybe I should research the MS walk.

Edited February 24 by WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?
Missing word

[postscript]

I noticed the post but wasn’t sure how to respond, especially since there wasn’t any actual content. I wouldn’t want to encourage either Gary or a troll. If the poster is either, they’ll show their hand soon enough. 

[Xan]

2 hours ago, thoughtful said:

Other than the three of us who have reacted to it, I don't know who else noticed that we had a post on pg. 5 of this thread from someone posting as "Gary Hawkins."

I actually wondered if it was Pastor Baker.  It's not that he's that bright but he'd be a more efficient troll than would Gary.  Fine.  I hope someone is noting our displeasure at their back of kindness and grace.

[thoughtful]

16 hours ago, Xan said:

I actually wondered if it was Pastor Baker. 

I thought of this, as well. But I don't know -  he might be too canny to get that involved. He strikes me more as the type to cover his own ass and leave Gary hanging.

Edited February 24 by thoughtful
removing repetitive redundancy that repeated itself

[thoughtful]

Comments under this morning's video:

Sorry, ladies - I guess Gary and/or Baker are afraid of the eyes of reptobates.

After some congregational singing and a special with some of his family, Pastor Baker announces an upcoming church activity - March Madness!

Anybody want to guess what he means by that before looking under the spoiler?

Spoiler

They're going to keep track of how many tracts they pass out during the first week in March. For the second week, they're going to count how many souls were led to Christ.

I think the next two things each get a week, but it's hard to tell, because he zooms through saying, "And next week visitors, and people getting baptized, and then March 31st, which is Easter, I believe, and attendance, to see, uhh, how many people we can fit in this building, and to do our best on that, OK?"

So, no basketball.

Someone reminds him that the first week starts today, not actually on March 1. I guess they're going from one Sunday to the next, so they can talk about it in Sunday services. So . . . . are there five things on the list? Because that's actually five weeks.

He encourages the kids to give tracts out at school and on the bus.

"Our competition this year is against the devil. How many tracts does the devil want you to pass out? How many people does the devil want you to win to Christ?"

He goes on in that vein.

He starts talking about the upcoming spring, and how some people call those flowers that come up early daffodils, and some call them buttercups. He goes on to say that he looked it up, and found out that buttercups are a totally different kind of flower.

No shit, Sherlock - I don't know who else besides Dave thought they were the same thing - nobody I've ever heard of. The size difference alone is dramatic. But I guess he just noticed yellow stuff blooming.

Not everyone's interested in plants, so the fact that he didn't know is no big deal, but his acting like this is new information to anyone else but him is so in character. He really has that "I do it, so everyone else must" mindset.

He says his mother is sick today, and he wishes she was there because he needs to "preach to her, get back at her for all those horrible days" he had to do spring cleaning as a child.

He reads from Matthew chapter 15, and tries to joke about how it's OK to eat with dirty hands because we're made out of dirt, and how the moms are looking daggers at him.

He goes on to preach on the basic idea of the passage - what we think and say can be more defiling than eating with dirty hands. He also reads the parallel passage in Mark, since it lists more specific defiling things, and the cleaning metaphors in Matthew 23.

And he gives us a new pronunciation for a word that Gary can't say either. His version of sepulchre is "seplicker." He slows way down to enunciate it clearly. I guess it's a bit better than Gary's "septickers."

Personally, I have never licked or ticked a sep. 😁

In his routine about looking good on the outside not being as important as what's on the inside, he talks about the various new items in the outfit he's wearing - suit, shirt from Jos. A. Bank Executive, tie - then jokes about how he won't go through the rest of it, while looking down at his crotch.

Ooooh, pastor made a joke about his undies - he's so clever.

After lots more about inner cleanliness and not looking at bad things or keeping them in your mind (you know, naughty stuff), he uses gardening as a metaphor (if you don't pull the weeds frequently enough, they take over, just like your bad thoughts), and talks about a garden they had and tended every year. So he does have some gardening experience.

Then he does a bit about washing and waxing a car but never changing the oil. Then back to spring cleaning with his Mom, and cleaning his locker in the Army.

We get it, Dave.

After the altar call, he goes on and on about pulling weeds in the garden for a while, while everyone stands.

So, keep your thoughts clean, folks - don't picture the Pastor's undies.

 

 

Edited February 26 by thoughtful
riffle

[FiveAcres]

17 hours ago, thoughtful said:

Comments under this morning's video:

Sorry, ladies - I guess Gary and/or Baker are afraid of the eyes of reptobates.

After some congregational singing and a special with some of his family, Pastor Baker announces an upcoming church activity - March Madness!

Anybody want to guess what he means by that before looking under the spoiler?

  Reveal hidden contents

They're going to keep track of how many tracts they pass out during the first week in March. For the second week, they're going to count how many souls were led to Christ.

I think the next two things each get a week, but it's hard to tell, because he zooms through saying, "And next week visitors, and people getting baptized, and then March 31st, which is Easter, I believe, and attendance, to see, uhh, how many people we can fit in this building, and to do our best on that, OK?"

So, no basketball.

Someone reminds him that the first week starts today, not actually on March 1. I guess they're going from one Sunday to the next, so they can talk about it in Sunday services. So . . . . are there five things on the list? Because that's actually five weeks.

He encourages the kids to give tracts out at school and on the bus.

"Our competition this year is against the devil. How many tracts does the devil want you to pass out? How many people does the devil want you to win to Christ?"

He goes on in that vein.

He starts talking about the upcoming spring, and how some people call those flowers that come up early daffodils, and some call them buttercups. He goes on to say that he looked it up, and found out that buttercups are a totally different kind of flower.

No shit, Sherlock - I don't know who else besides Dave thought they were the same thing - nobody I've ever heard of. The size difference alone is dramatic. But I guess he just noticed yellow stuff blooming.

Not everyone's interested in plants, so the fact that he didn't know is no big deal, but his acting like this is new information to anyone else but him is so in character. He really has that "I do it, so everyone else must" mindset.

He says his mother is sick today, and he wishes she was there because he needs to "preach to her, get back at her for all those horrible days" he had to do spring cleaning as a child.

He reads from Matthew chapter 15, and tries to joke about how it's OK to eat with dirty hands because we're made out of dirt, and how the moms are looking daggers at him.

He goes on to preach on the basic idea of the passage - what we think and say can be more defiling than eating with dirty hands. He also reads the parallel passage in Mark, since it lists more specific defiling things, and the cleaning metaphors in Matthew 23.

And he gives us a new pronunciation for a word that Gary can't say either. His version of sepulchre is "seplicker." He slows way down to enunciate it clearly. I guess it's a bit better than Gary's "septickers."

Personally, I have never licked or ticked a sep. 😁

In his routine about looking good on the outside not being as important as what's on the inside, he talks about the various new items in the outfit he's wearing - suit, shirt from Jos. A. Bank Executive, tie - then jokes about how he won't go through the rest of it, while looking down at his crotch.

Ooooh, pastor made a joke about his undies - he's so clever.

After lots more about inner cleanliness and not looking at bad things or keeping them in your mind (you know, naughty stuff), he uses gardening as a metaphor (if you don't pull the weeds frequently enough, they take over, just like your bad thoughts), and talks about a garden they had and tended every year. So he does have some gardening experience.

Then he does a bit about washing and waxing a car but never changing the oil. Then back to spring cleaning with his Mom, and cleaning his locker in the Army.

We get it, Dave.

After the altar call, he goes on and on about pulling weeds in the garden for a while, while everyone stands.

So, keep your thoughts clean, folks - don't picture the Pastor's undies.

 

 

The rank misogyny of this guy is impressive (and not in a good way.)

[thoughtful]

There was a technical glitch during last night's service, and whoever was supposed to turn the camera back on after the greeting didn't do so.

More questions about not being able to see everyone (sorry, ladies - I guess you'll have to ask Pastor in private):

Spoiler

The likes are from whoever runs the church Facebook page, who also put a like under the apology for the technical difficulties.

Baker says his usual Sunday evening request to hear "blessings, neat special good encouraging." I know that he sends two people around with microphones. He never asks who wants to do it, or calls on anyone, so I think this volunteer job is arranged before the service.

This is something that has never been shown on camera, so I had no idea who was doing it, but now I think the volunteers must be kids,  because Baker says, "Did you tell them not to run in church? You did? OK, because, uhhh" he chuckles and get more jolly. "They're being very calm uhhhhh and poised and things, but uh, um, and whatever you as parents want 'em to do, but I love it when they take off and get there and run but ________ (? a fast mumble that sounds like whateveryouguyswan)" and more chuckling.

I can't even tell if he approves or disapproves of the running, or if these kids didn't run and he's disappointed, or if he's trying to cleverly chide them for running without seeming like a meany. Maybe it was just another attempt at being funny.

Blessings actually include some real-life things for once. The business a man works for was going to change hands and didn't, and he's happy about that. A child gets to announce that she's going to be a big sister (she speaks as clearly as can be, but Baker doesn't understand her).

Someone tells them about upcoming birthdays, and Baker makes jokes about how old a woman is hahahah. A man got a few days' vacation that he really needed.

And then come the "I led someone to the Lord" contributions. Baker does a whole hinting routine about going out with on of his sons to fix up a misunderstanding and wishing he could tell them the story but maybe someone else knows it and will tell them, no no no just kidding . . .

More later.