👀 Whoa. This is who a lot of us voiced concerns about a week ago when from the pulpit he angrily denounced Tennessee reporters by name for reporting on his presence in DC on January 6 (which he himself had talked about on Facebook live video that evening).
Breaking: @GovBillLee ‘s pastor Steve Berger announces he’s transitioning away from senior pastor. Says it’s been years in the making and is not because of his scrutiny in the media for his incorrect claims that #antifa partially was to blame for riot in D.C. @WSMVpic.twitter.com/77TUnsVp1Z
No one should ever recommend Dave Ramsey or the Financial Peace University course ever again. And I mean that sincerely. Bob Smietana is a long-time superb reporter and this statement by Dave Ramsey is outrageous and vicious.
We asked @DaveRamsey and his company for a comment on a story. " We want to confirm for you that you are right, we are horrible evil people," they told us in a sarcastic official response, which they sent to their whole company and local pastors. https://t.co/xCogLCw70q
Dave Ramsey says he is tired of being labeled as a "jerk" for trying to get people to "stay in line." But disagree with him on COVID or have premarital sex and you are gonehttps://t.co/MUinDB9gS4
Dave Ramsey demonstrates that he is not wise with his disregard to the health of his employees and those they contact. He also has a history of rage: https://t.co/l9igO3bZAn confirmed: https://t.co/sZaG8b6rxt Avoid promoting the Financial Peace University program at your church. https://t.co/JPO7RcftzC
Yes, I'm assuming Dave Ramsey himself wrote this email. A Public Relations person would never do this. The only person who would do this is someone lashing out in anger without listening to anyone because *any* advisor would counsel against this reckless, vicious response.
Rewording my original tweet: I would not recommend Dave Ramsey or support his Financial Peace University course because this email to long-time respected reporter Bob Smietana is outrageous and vicious. And it fits with much else we know about Ramsey's behavior. See above tweets.
Christians in America should have been outraged about the greed and foolishness and evil in our country for four days, four years, for forty years, and for four hundred years. If your church does not speak the truth as its normal practice, find a new church.
Please try to refrain from telling pastors what they should or shouldn't say this morning. Pastors of politically mixed congregations face exceedingly difficult decisions. On any given Sunday, half the people are always mad at them. Pray instead for wisdom & courage. But do pray.
A couple tweets here on scheduling topics to preach vs. preaching on the topic of the day:
And because of that, I have changed how I approach the whole topic, asking if the Black church might have something to teach other church traditions about holding on to the truth in a world determined on a weekly basis to lie to and discourage you. https://t.co/GWqwk5BMwW
Ed Stetzer is trying to say something similar to David Taylor and I. (We all train pastors). It is the long term witness of the church and pastor that is crucial—not just one week taking a stand.
Some of these are good. It is also fair to chuckle about the diplomatic. And to shine light on the "seeking to justify oneself" language. Again, the goal is to be pastors who preach truth every week—cumulatively it makes a difference and people change.
But there still should be from white evangelical pastors fiery sermons from the biblical text about the destruction and cruelty caused by lying, deceit, and greed by the powerful, and how Christians are to stand up for the truth and for the vulnerable.
I learned about Fleming Rutledge from New Testament scholar Richard Hays saying that she was his favorite preacher. And Hays does not give out praise lightly.
