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When I watched this video I was disturbed on many levels

Over the past several days a very disturbing video has been circulating on Facebook. It was made by a Baptist pastor making accusations against another preacher and another ministry. When I watched the video my heart was broken because of the gross error being perpetuated in this video. I felt it my duty to respond not only in defense of the accused, but in the defense of truth and justice.

Please do not misunderstand, I am not concerned with winning over people who delight in any negative they can find against independent fundamental pastors. I put these people into two categories.

1) The first are those who hate us and would do anything they could to destroy us.

2) The second are those who are drifting away from us and looking for some excuse for their changes via accusations. They cannot merely drift without blaming someone so this is fodder for their foolishness. 

This article is not to try to persuade these people to stop their foolhardy slander. This article is to those who are sincerely questioning how to handle the information received from this video. 

There is almost too much wrong with the video to cover it all in one article. I know of others who plan to respond and will add more to what I am writing here. When I watched the video I was disturbed on many levels. Let me share some of those that I hope will help clear up why you should reject this video and its content. 

I was disturbed because I do not need to know the alleged sins in another Christian brother. Why do I need to know about another’s allegations against a brother? What right do you have to fill my mind with such information?

I was disturbed because the world does not need to read about these types of situations. They rejoice when they see these things said and will use them to bring damage to the cause of Christ.

I was disturbed because the anger rather than the godly sorrow I detected in the messenger on the video. Godly sorrow does not threaten.

I was disturbed by the foolish accusation of “cover-ups” to which he referred. Where in the Bible (in context) does it say we are are to uncover such things?

I was disturbed at the lack of wisdom shown by the man who made this video. This is the stuff that immature Christians do. This is not what a man of God does? There’s no strength in accusation and slander.

I was disturbed because of the unscriptural reactions by many who viewed the video. The responses were almost as foolish as the content of the video itself.

I was disturbed because of the threats made to another man of God in order to get his way. Really? You threatened that if they did not do it your way you would attempt to destroy them? Oh, the arrogance of such behavior.

I was disturbed at the bitterness I detected from what he claimed happened to him in the past. I did not need to know those things either and once again, it was one man’s unsubstantiated accusations.

I am not saying it did not happen, but what are we supposed to do with those allegations? There is no need for this. It almost seemed that he was using it to justify the way he was mishandling this situation.

I was disturbed because of his blanket condemnation of fundamentalism. The only way he could surmise his opinions is to have read other things about which he did not need to know. Obviously he is “in the know” regarding situations about which he doesn’t need to be “in the know.” 

I was disturbed by new converts and weaker Christians whose faith is being shaken by the accusations made by this man. They do not need to know this. They do not need to watch this. The teenagers in youth departments across America who are on Facebook do not need to see this and have their faiths shaken. Shame on you for putting this out and shame on those of you who have shared it.

I was disturbed because none of us know all that is behind this. We have been told one side of a story and even then with no real evidence. A man holding up a telephone and saying he has all the evidence he needs is not enough for an indictment. 

Yet so many praise this man for accusations made without even a fraction of all that needs to be known before justice can be done. Someone once asked, “Dr. Hyles, don’t you want to see justice done?” Dr. Hyles responded, “Yes, but I want to see justice done justly.”

I was disturbed because one witness who wasn’t even a witness was the accuser. I refuse to receive accusation from him. I cannot biblically receive it. Those who do are disobeying God’s word. Just because he says he has evidence doesn’t mean he has evidence and it doesn’t mean that evidence is true.

I was disturbed because the situation is still as of yet unresolved. Let it take its course. Let God be God and let the rest of us stay out of His way.

I was disturbed because of the portrayal of himself as a victim. I fear we often misunderstand what victims really are. He calls himself a victim because he was propositioned. Am I a victim every time I am enticed to sin? It appears to me that he has claimed victimhood as his defense for attacking another.

I was disturbed because of his self praise. He let us know how brave he is. He let us know how faithful he is to the truth. He let us know how much better he is than the rest of us in regards to handling sin. Did I need to be told by him how wonderfully he was handling things? If it’s not about him then why did he talk so much about himself?

I was disturbed because he tempted me to make a judgment about someone in a situation in which I have no jurisdiction. Someone questioned Dr. Hyles during the trial of O.J. Simpson. While most of us were deeming him guilty before the trial was even over a person asked Dr. Hyles his opinion as to whether or not he thought O.J. Simpson was guilty. He responded by saying, “I hope not. I hope he is innocent. I don’t want anyone to be guilty of something like that.” 

It always grieved his heart when someone was guilty because he wanted people to be innocent. His question was not how can I expose? It was how can I help and salvage a life? That does not seem to be the question that we ask in our day, but it needs to be.

I was disturbed because it obviously caused division among the brethren. The vitriolic responses have been disturbing, brought on by this video.

I was disturbed because of the false allegations that we (fundamentalists) are not concerned with so-called victims. I spend more time trying to help those who have been wounded by other’s sins than any other single thing in my ministry. That said, I am responsible to also reach out to someone whose sins have offended another. 

It is a blatant lie and mischaracterization of fundamentalism to say we do not care about those who have been hurt. How can this man say, “…it is about time we cared about the victims,” unless he knows what ever fundamentalist pastor in America is doing is similar situations. He does not know. He only knows the ones where other accusers such as himself made private matters public. 

I was disturbed because of his willingness to pay money to perpetuate these accusations. Why not use that money to win souls instead of to slander another church and Christian leader. How dare he spend money to boost viewership and try to hurt another ministry because he does not like the way they handled matters.

I was disturbed because of his mishandling of justice. It is not our responsibility to judge another. When Dr. Hyles was once asked, “Are you not concerned with carrying out justice?” He responded, “I am concerned if I try to carry out justice where it is not my jurisdiction. Let justice be carried out by those placed in the proper position to deal with the situation. Let us not become vigilantes seeking to be a judge and jury of others.” Facebook is full of such vigilantes.

I was disturbed because I saw no concern for the restoration of the accused one. We need a return to biblical restoration. I hear so much about biblical discipline, but the fact is there seems to be much less interest in restoration than there is on discipline. In fact, discipline is restoration. That is its main purpose. Why did he not get on an airplane and fly out there to see what he could do to help his brother.

Mostly I was disturbed because this video was totally unscriptural in every way. There is NO scriptural basis for what he did. It is absolutely impossible to justify what he has done from the Bible unless you take it out of context, which many are doing.My friends, sin abounds more today both in the world and in churches. We must not react to sin. We must respond in two way

When authorities need to be contacted we should do so and then leave it into the hands of the authorities to carry out justice. I have faced these situations and always did what the law required. I have called the authorities and with a broken heart reported a man for alleged crimes. It is NEVER right to hide a crime from the proper authorities, but that does not mean we have a right to then go try the man in the courtroom of Facebook. How unjust that is.

Even a murderer gets his day in court and allowed to present his side of the story. Since when is Facebook the judge, jury, and executioner of a person.

“Ye which are spiritual restore such an one.”While it is not easy to juggle dealing with someone who makes an accusation and the one who has been accused we as Christians have a responsibility to do what is right for both sides. If it is true that a man has violated a child then we must do our best to help the child go from being a victim to a victor in Christ.

We also must restore the one who is fallen the best we can. The question was asked, “Restore to what?” Why is that always the question I hear? It ought to be, Restore to WHO. Restore to Christ. Restore them to fellowship with the Lord. Restore them to some opportunity to serve God even if it be behind bars. Restore them to Jesus Christ their Saviour.

Oh that God’s people would grow up in this matter and quit acting and reacting like the world. We need to use common sense but even more, scriptural sense in handling these matters.

As I close this article I am forced to do something that I seldom do. I am calling on those of you who care about justice and about what is right to openly rebuke this pastor who has openly accused others. 

I call upon you to let him know that he is not the hero others are trying to make him to be. He is now the hero of many of our haters. They can have him. I turn him over to them. Unless he repents of what he has done He will be of more hurt than help to the cause of Christ and cannot be dealt with as a brother.

If every accusation he made is proven to be true his error is still grievous and wrong. A rebuke is called for concerning this pastor for being an instrument of Satan and I know that judgment for such misbehavior will come from God. Don’t buy into this unscriptural method used by this pastor.