Backbone-less Pastor Brings Shame on the Church

from Stand Firm by David Fischler 

This kind of thing just makes me want to scream. According to the Jackson (MS) Clarion-Ledger:

A Jackson couple had their wedding rehearsal last week, two days before their scheduled big day at the Crystal Springs church where they were planning to get married.

But the couple’s dream of exchanging vows in the church they had been attending was dashed when the church pastor relayed to them that some members had complained about the black couple getting married in the predominantly white First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs.

Charles and Te’Andrea Wilson said it was devastating having to move their wedding to another church only days before the July 21 wedding.

Insiders say five or six members went to the Rev. Stan Weatherford after seeing the couple’s wedding rehearsal the Thursday night before their Saturday wedding.

The church pastor said he was surprised by the reaction of some church members.

“I didn’t want to have a controversy within the church, and I didn’t want a controversy to affect the wedding of Charles and Te’Andrea. I wanted to make sure their wedding day was a special day,” Weatherford told WLBT-Channel 3.

Sorry, Pastor, you blew it. The right thing to do was to tell those “five or six members” where they could put their racism, and make clear that the First Baptist Church upholds the truth of Galatians 3:28 and Ephesians 2:1—22. Instead, you chickened out in the face of hostility to the gospel, and allowed yourself to be intimidated by people your church would probably be better off without anyway. Stand up for the gospel, man!

I have no doubt that this will soon be on the newswires, if it isn’t already, and the tongue-cluckers in the chattering class will take the opportunity to bash all Mississippians or all Southern Baptists or even all Christians with the race bat. All because of a handful of genuine bigots in one church (which, amazingly, has African-American members, including the bride’s father!). Lord Jesus, preserve us from the snarling wolves among us.