I had made the mistake of chatting with the women at the welcome booth and, in the process, disclosed navely that I was in town to write an article about Jimmy Swaggart Ministries ten years after his celebrated-and very public-downfall. You've got to keep the people's attention." Throughout a raucous and controversial career now in its fourth decade, Jimmy Swaggart has rarely had trouble keeping people's attention.ĭespite the dearth of congregants, my presence at Family Life Center was not entirely welcome. You've got to keep the people's attention. "You have to be loud one moment and quiet the next. "Preaching is like an orchestra," Swaggart told me. Instead, he bobs and weaves and shouts and cries and spins his own magic. To suggest that Swaggart is behind the pulpit, however, is somewhat misleading he has never submitted easily to the constraints of pulpits-or, for that matter, to any other conventional boundaries. Such a contrast might occasion yet another commentary on spiritual apathy, misplaced priorities, and the false gods of consumerism, until one remembers that the preacher behind the pulpit at the Family Life Center on this Sunday-as well as most Sundays-is a man named Jimmy Swaggart. The parking lot for the shopping mall is burgeoning on a Sunday, while the acres of parking for the Family Life Center are nearly vacant. ANNOINTED!! To call Jimmy Swagart annointed is to admit having no concept of the word.Īs long as men like this lead a portion of the flock I will have something to say about it.The Family Life Center lies on the edge of Baton Rouge just down the road from the newly opened Mall of Louisiana. Not only are they willing to follow him but by telling others when and on what channels to watch, they are PROMOTING him. They are actualy HAPPY that they are again able to be ministered to by this man. I only bothered to comment because I saw someone in danger. Would you have us turn a blind eye or death ear to these wolve in sheeps clothing? Or shall we not call out in alarm that part of the flock is IN DANGER!!! Do you think that if we are silent about it the problem will just go away? If there are so many negative threads about these people then there must be some truth to them. But please do not complain about those of us do.ĭoes it not bother you at all that these people, highly visible people, are giving Christianity a bad name? Do you think that the tailored suits and rolexes are symbols of righteous living? If you are content to watch people being lead by men like this then so be it. However I am not one to praise men like this. This is not to say that noone is ever brought to Christ through these ministries, just that it seems to me that more are lost than saved by such worldy and greedy men.īut no, more people want to rave at another man or woman Say all the good things you want about ANY televangelist but I will never trust them as far as I could throw them. I have little respect for the man or anyone who would follow him. The only reason I even feel the need to comment on this topic is that Jimmy Swagart Ministries is right here in Baton Rouge. Every time Jimmy Swagart comes up in conversation my fathers blood pressure seems to jump. His words even then (before I was saved) seemed worldy and cold. He had his entourege of well dressed body guards with him. He gave the eulogy at my cousins funeral. She would have left then had it not been for her niece. She said she was so ashamed for him and the congregation both. She likened the time for offerings to an auction. She said everything was great up until they got to the "love offering". Everything was beautiful and uplifting, even the service. She mentioned to us that she was reluctant to go but did so for her nieces sake. One of the ladies in my Sunday bible study who recently attended one of his services.
0 kommentar(er)
