With a hat tip to my friend and fellow pastor Tyson Wynn, I share Creflo Dollar's recent message where he opines the person who criticizes his or her pastor on Facebook or Twitter brings a curse from God down on their own heads. I respectfully disagree with Mr. Dollar and suggest that any of the members of the church I pastor who wish to criticize me publicly or privately are free to do so. I take the position of David who said, "Let them alone. God has bidden them to speak." (II Samuel 16:11)
18 comments:
Normally I don't agree with too much Creflo says but I agree with this. If a person has a disagreement with their pastor or a pastor this should not be posted on FB or any social media. It should be discussed with the pastor and/or with the fellowship. When something like that goes to online social media then it becomes gossip and gossip has no place in the heart of any Christian and especially in this context. Gossip usually is negative and that tends to grow a ball of bad character.
JW - are you assuming too much when you accuse someone of gossiping?
If my friend, acquaintance or a complete stranger posts something on FB, is it wrong for me to respectfully disagree with them?
Of course not. I'm disagreeing with you now, and I assume you are a brother in the Lord who is motivated by love for God and his people.
You are disagreeing with Pastor Wade on social media - he isn't your pastor but he is a pastor and if he was your pastor, should you then refrain from making the above comment?
Disagreement - even public disagreement - need not be negative or malicious. It can be conducted in iron sharpening iron love. It can be conducted in a spirit of mutual inquiry after truth. And pastors also need such love and challenge to press into the truth. Pastors are not inerrant. Only the Word is always true.
There is a pronounced difference between saying "can you believe what my pastor said? What a hypocrite!" and saying "My pastor said X about how to interpret Rom 9 on Sunday. I appreciate his perspective but I've also heard Y and tend to lean to that interpretation myself because of [abcd]. What do others think?"
Creflo Dollar is a charlatan. His kind is paving the way for the gullible sheep to follow the Anti-Christ. Great job, Creflo.
FBC Jax Watchdog > Creflo's Antics
Not Your Typical Negro > Creflo's Further Antics
Oddly, the most read post I have ever written concerned the view of an SBC leader who says that critics of the pastor may be more than cursed - lost. No need to dredge up Creflo on a lesser offense.
This is what happens when people criticize the pastos/leaders/speakers:
The Wartburg Watch > Calvary Chapel Has Former Pro Ball Player Arrested for Speaking Out Against Ergun Caner
Creflo's use of these terms:
* failures of appointed leaders
* bad decisions
* some have "gotten themselves in places where they shouldn't be"
lead me to suspect his focus is more than just idle gossip by believers. He's talking about leaders who have seriously sinned and is advocating cover-up. He's laying a guilt trip on the wrong parties imo.
It's not the talk on Facebook that has ruined the "annointing," it's the sin that ruined the annointing.
Let's face it (pun intended) I find it hard to believe that a "bad decision" about a church matter would be enough to warrant a lively discussion on Facebook. But a serious sin would. And a "cover-up" would.
No Creflo isn't giving the congregation a tongue-lashing on being "properly trained" on how to honor an appointed authority because of trivial talk on a media web site. A pastor doesn't need restoration from making a bad decision unless it was a very serious one.
If a pastor has gotten into a place where he shouldn't be, that can't refer to Walmart or even a neighboring church. What else could Creflo be refering to but some place that would cast a serious doubt on his ability and maturity to "avoid the appearance of evil."
No...Creflo is referring to the matter of serious sin but skillfully refrains from calling it by it's name by covering it with well-chosen words to minimize it.
And ironically it's the very church members who have been properly trained to "shut up" and "cover it" who tend to gravitate to a safe place to discuss the matter since they are unwelcome at the appropriate place.
just my opinion....
Mary Ann
JW,
Was thinking more about about the curse aspect than the criticism. Usually a ministry built on grace toward people and truth from God is able to stand up against any amount of criticism that comes its way.
EMSoliDeoGloria,
Bingo
Thy Peace,
Once again, informative links.
William Thornton,
Did not see your post on the SBC leader, but am going to look for it now. Don't know much about Creflo Dollar, but when Tyson sent me the link and I watched it, I found my mouth open in disbelief.
Victorious,
Your opinion is spot on in my opinion. :)
SBC Plodder > Criticize your pastor? You might be lost.
Creflo is a Word-Faith preacher. He has specifically named E.W. Kenyon, Kenneth Hagin, and Kenneth Copeland as his influences.
I have to wonder if this is not a secret message to his daughter that had him arrested this year for abuse. He had not issue with throwing her under the bus afterwards. His court date is coming up I believe, and wants to be sure no one talks about it or they will be cursed. To me it is a cowards way out of saying HUSH!
Wade,
During my pastoral years I came across several fellows of Creflos ilk.
Invariably a message such as this was a veiled warning to those who had been critical of the speaker.
A couple months ago, when Creflo Dollar was in the news for something, I looked up an online biography of the guy.
Best description is my roomie's when he read the bio:
"This guy is the archetype of the Crooked Televangelist."
0.00 - 0.16
Pure deception. Where is there even a hint of a Biblical reference to support this claim. He doesn’t even blame God here (aka the tithe curse). It is, apparently, Facebook that curses us on this one.
0.17 - 0.42
Cover our leaders with what? What a gutless way of saying we must cover up the sins of our leaders. Does Creflo really not know of any “anointed minister” that has disgraced his position? “The accuser of the brethren”? Creflo’s words are like smoke. Its there, but it’s of no substance.
0.42 - 1.05
Keeping leaders accountable for their actions or inactions is not the same as cutting someones throat, Mr. Dollar. This is, in my opinion, a deliberate ploy to tar those who dare speak up in the worst possible light. Don’t listen to him folks.
1.06 - 1.47
Yes Sir, Mr. Dollar, and when you’re dead I wont talk about you. Twisting old testament scripture is cheap and easy. Just check out any of Creflo’s tithing sermons. You’re cursed there too.
1.48 - 1.57
Creflo deliberately avoids mentioning sin here. The impression he wants to impart is that you are wrong to say anything about anything you see in the leadership of the church, even if it is indulging in sin. The only exception is probably fawning adoration. But its ok, its not really you wanting to do it... it’s your democratic mindset. Forget about the priesthood of the believer, it’s better if congregations are dictatorial.
1.58 - 2.11
Not only do the sheep not have the right to reprove sin (so forget about Ephesians 5:11, Luke 17:3, etc) but to do so reveals your immaturity and lack of “training”.
2:12 - end
Leaders in ministry who have sinned to point that they have actually been kicked out of ministry are surely not still anointed. Read JaxWatchdog or BGBC Survivors blogs, to name just two and you will realise that it takes a lot of exposure to get these charlatans booted out of ministry. Far more than the secular corporate world.
Yes, Mr Dollar, some of those ministers could have been restored, IF THEY HAD GENUINELY REPENTED.
Oh Cref, spare me the accusation of allegiance with Satan because we, as humble pew sitting sheep, expose serious sin in leadership in the one organisation on earth where it’s expected to be absent from.
So I can 100% right in knowing that a professed MINISTER OF GOD is sexually abusing children and 100% wrong in turning him in. That is what this false teacher is saying in possibly the most cowardly way I have ever heard.
I wonder if it has been a deliberate bit of irony on God’s behalf that the sheeps clothing most favoured by the ravenous wolves in the visible church is the finest and most expensive of wool suits.
Wade,
If you do not know much about Creflo Dollar then you are missing nothing other than a huge opportunity for attacking error.
And it aint hard. He tosses up soft balls because he has no choice. Lots of itchy ears out there to be scratched as well as lots of poorly decieved; both of which makes me sad.
If I can identify his error, you'll be able to hit him out of the park.
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