I was raised in the Presbyterian Church until the age of 16. I grew up going to 2 different Presbyterian Churches. Both were Presbyterian Church USA. One was very liberal and even had women pastors and the other was more traditionalist. The Presbyterian Church has gone through so many splits especially during the 20th and 21st Century. Here is an article from the Gospel Coalition which explains the differences between the different Presbyterian Churches
Mission Trip Interview with Pastor Jared Blue
I recently made a video with one of the pastors at my church. Pastor Jared Blue is the newest pastor on staff and wanted to share his mission trip to Honduras in 2001. Check out the video and listen to how this mission trip impacted his life
Chaos In Haiti: The Aftermath of the Killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moise
Last Week the President of Haiti was killed by a large group of Colombian Mercenaries. Haitian President Jovenel Moise who had been President since 2017 was facing 2 years of intense protests against him. The killing is not a surprise to me, but the details of how it happened are.
President Jovenel Moise was a controversial leader and also a failed leader (like most Haitian Presidents) Some of the controversial things he did was bringing back the military in 2017. The Military of Haiti was disbanded in 1995 by then President Aristide, because the military had done nothing but kill and repress the Haitian People and carried out many coups in the Haitian Government. Moise had also messed around with the Supreme Court of the country and continued ruling after his term ended in 2020. He had been ruling by decree ever since. Moise also oversaw a severe fuel shortage in the country and no vaccines have come to Haiti at all. Moise was highly unpopular and many were protesting for his resignation.
Last week he was killed in his home by a group of at least 26 Colombian Mercenaries and 2 Haitian Americans.
The killers were dressed as DEA Agents. Now the alleged organizer of this killing appears to be a Haitian American Doctor named Christian Emmanuel Sanon.
Doctor Sanon is a Haitian Doctor who had been living in Florida for many years. He had published many videos online expressing his desire to become the next leader of Haiti and criticizing President Moise. He arrived in Haiti a week before the killing of the President. I also learned he is a Pastor. https://time.com/6079924/christian-emmanuel-sanon-arrested-haiti-president-assassination/ He graduated from a Seminary in Kansas City. He did many humanitarian church projects in Haiti since the early 2000s. Since 2011, he expressed a desire to become leader of Haiti.
What is happening in Haiti is a repeat of constant turmoil and chaos. Haiti is always a very unstable country. A lot of this chaos is the result of the demonic presence in Haiti. Voodoo is the main religion and culture of the country and is highly demonic. It’s no wonder why Haiti is always so violent and unstable. Haiti currently has a power vacuum. Haiti has requested that the US send troops into the country for peace keeping. Thankfully the US has refused to send troops. The US has intervened in Haiti many times, to no avail. In another post I wrote about this. The last time US troops were sent into Haiti was in 2010.
Migrants from Haiti will increase following this chaos. Everytime there is a coup in Haiti, violence increases and people flee. Haiti is a failed state.
Let’s take the time to remember all the foreign Christian Missionaries who live in Haiti and pray for their protection. Pray that they will still be able to share the Good News of Salvation to the Haitian People in this chaos. Also let’s pray that crazy men like Sanon do not become Pastors because they give Christians a terrible reputation.
Both Right Wing and Left Wing Christians are a Problem for Christianity
Christianity especially in the United States has been infiltrated by all types of political extremes. This has left the body divided and fighting among itself. In my last post I discussed right wing republican Christians and their obsession with Donald Trump. Someone pointed out how bad progressive liberal Christians are too. I am going to talk about that in this post.
Since last year I have had some negative interactions with social justice warrior progessives that used to go to my church. One of them is a very smart man from India. He used to go to my church and once helped with with writing my job resumes. Sadly this person has become a very radicalized leftist. After the killing of George Floyd, this man who professes to be a Christian was condoning the looting and protests that followed. He was posting these views on his facebook in addition to leftist comedian Trevor Noah. When I asked this man why he was posting these views on his Facebook he reacted in a hostile way. I asked how can a Christian condone looting and rioting. Rather than using the Bible, this man tried pointing me to some “Christian Book” about justice or something. This person also quotes Angela Davis quotes on his facebook in the name of “social justice” This man argued several times with me on facebook messenger. I told I did not want to argue and it would be more helpful to talk over the phone about these things. He never did.
There is nothing wrong with Christians getting involved in social issues. What does matter is what are the causes they are getting involved in and what are the methods. In the case of Black Lives Matter, it is not ok. They are a destructive group who engages in rioting, looting, and want to get revenge on the police. Christians should have nothing to do with them. Nor should Christians be associcated with radicals such as Angela Davis. Christianity and Marxism are not compatible. That should be common knowledge for all Christians. Yet Progressive Christians have largely strayed from the Bible and are drawn to secular forms of social justice, since they believe the church won’t do anything. That is like leaving the faith. I myself am an activist, but I keep it in line with Christianity. I seek advice from my pastors. I do not engage in violence. Part of my activism involves immigration from Central America and the root causes of it
There are other former members of my church who I ended up blocking on facebook when I saw them posting videos of themselves at the destroying of statues and praising vandalism. That is a poor witness for Christ!
Many have lost sight of what our duty as Christians is to be. To be Ambassadors for Jesus Christ on this earth, to be salt and light, and to go into all the world and preach His good news of salvation. As I mentioned in my previous article, right wing christians have lost sight of this too. They are pre-occupied with preserving their American Freedoms and getting in these cultural wars. In addition viewing Donald Trump as a “messiah” They too are consumed with so much hate. It is fueled by Fox News and One America News.
The church is dangerously divided. I don’t believe many will reconcile, but go deeper in their echo chambers of anger. Satan enjoys this. When Christianity is bitterly divided and fighting itself, less people will hear the Gospel and churches collapse.
Christians in persecuted countries have more unity than many Christians do in the United States. Thankfully many Christians here on WordPress are still sane and rational and focused on what is most important.
Christians Must Not Put Their Hope On Donald Trump
I am very discouraged by how many professing Christians in this country, including in my own church are still obssessed with Donald Trump. They are still angry at the 2020 election, ranting about it, and keep talking about Donald Trump needing to be President again.
More and more Christians, including at my church and some in my family are more focused on converting People to become a Republican/Conservative than sharing the good news of Salvation of Jesus Christ. This is a massive problem. Matthew 28: 19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. That is the command of Jesus!
Jesus did not command us go and convert everyone into a Republican and vote for this party in every election and hate the Democrat Party. Yet that is how many Christians are thinking. Not to stereotype but Christians in the 50+ age range (at least in my church and in my family). The conflation of Christianity and Right-Wing Politics is to blame for this. Especially with the Moral Majority Movement in the 1970s and 1980s. And with the 2016 Presidential Election it only got uglier.
I really don’t know how to talk any longer to Christians who keep dwelling in anger that Donald Trump is no longer president. Especially with “Christians” who have become drawn into QANON and watching One America News. If we are Christians we need to have discernment, but many are just blindly believing some of the most ridiculous and baseless conspiracy theories. They are consumed with hatred for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Liberals, and Republicans who don’t like Trump. How are we to be salt and light? This has sown so much division including in the church. When I encounter people at my church who want to fight with me for not sharing their extreme views and love of Donald Trump, I am very discouraged. The Pastoral Staff have discouraged this behavoir, but it continues. I have lost many friends at my own church. And there are many family members of mine that I just cannot talk with anymore. I don’t like being yelled at on the phone by family members or members of my church.
I do not believe large numbers of such people will repent. Their hearts will only continue to be hardened. Only a faithful remnant of Christians will remain in the United States. I am glad that many of the people I interact with here on WordPress are still that faithful remnant and rational. We as Christians need to stay away from politically charged cable news. Cable News does not bring anyone closer to Christ.
