Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church has struck again. I came across this video on our church planting network Facebook page.

Be advised: some of the content may be offensive.

http://toddrhoades.com/wierd-russell-brand-interviews-westboro-baptist-members/

Here are my observations:
(1) I'm offended they call themselves baptist

If these guys are baptists then count me out. I can't imagine being associated with this kind of misrepresentation of Jesus & the Bible. I'm a proud Southern Baptist & think that the SBC does some great things, but I can't imagine what most people may think of Baptists in general now because of them. Ouch!

(2) I'm sad they call themselves Christians

These guys know their Bible. Well, they are familiar with what the Bible says but I think they have missed what the Bible teaches. I want the world to know that Westboro Baptist Church doesn't speak for all Christians.

Romans 2:24 speaks of this type of thing when it says, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." The single greatest tragedy for a Christian is that they would be the cause of God's name being blasphemed by people that don't know him. I'm convinced more & more people want nothing to do with Christ not because of Christ but because of "Christians". So-called "Christians" like these guys.

(3) I'm broken hearted because God has been misrepresented

Another tragedy about this is that God is misrepresented from many angles here. The Westboro men cannot fathom a God of justice who is also a God of grace while Russell Brand can't fathom a God of grace who is also just. Westboro acts as if they are without sin & ready to cast the first stone & Brand disregards sin because God is love. For Brand love & tolerance are equal & the highest attributes of God. But God is not a buffet that we can pick & choose the attributes we want & leave the rest. He is God & he is who he is. It is not up to us to shape God into the image we want him to be in but to allow him to shape us into the image he wants us to be in.

Both misunderstand & misrepresent God. How are homosexuals not included in the phrase "God so loved the world" from John 3:16? Were not we all sinners & in need of a Savior when Christ died for us? "But God demonstrated his love for us in that WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

I'm not saying that homosexuality is right. I do believe the Bible is clear on it as sin. But I also don't believe that "God hates fags" as they say.

How can we ever bring people to Jesus if our first words to them are inaccurate? How can we say "God hates you" & then present the gospel?

If ever there was a time to know God's Word & know what it says & means, it is now. And not only must we know it but we must live it & share it with those that are far from God. Why? Because we were once far from Him & he came near to us to bring us to God. We must also do the same for others.