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Tag: Independent Fundamentalist Baptist

IFB Modesty

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modesty check

For those of us raised in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) church movement or other Fundamentalist sects, we are acutely aware of the subject of modesty. While IFB preachers will tell you that modesty applies to both men and women and boys and girls, most preaching on the subject applies to females, and not men. As a son of the IFB church movement, I heard numerous sermons on modesty, and once I became a pastor, I added my voice to the cacophony of holier-than-thou, sanctimonious preachers who felt duty-bound to regulate and control how female congregants dressed and looked

Sexually aware young women are told that they are gatekeepers in charge of protecting the virginity of hapless, weak, pathetic IFB boys and men. Unable to control their wants and desires, these horn dogs will run headlong into lust and fornication if young church women don’t cover themselves up and wear pastor-defined modest clothing. Young women are viewed as Jezebels or the harlot in Proverbs 7:

For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

The woman in Proverbs 7 wore the attire (clothing) of a harlot. What, exactly, is the “attire of a harlot?” Just ask any IFB preacher and he will tell you in explicit detail what clothing is that of a whore. Note that this young man was allegedly forced by this woman to have sex with her. I seriously doubt that it took much “force” on the harlot’s part to get the young man to climb into her bed perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

When IFB preachers preach on this text, it is the harlot who always gets the blame for taking advantage of the young man. Never mind that he was a stupid boy who was out and about at the wrong time and place. One could argue that he was looking to score. Regardless, the whore is to blame because of how she dressed and behaved. Had she covered her body from her neck to the bottom of her knees and worn clothing that muted or obliterated her physical form, the young man likely would have kept on walking, IFB preachers say. Sure, preacher, sure. You evidently never heard the lesson that teaches, “A stiff prick has no conscience.” I seriously doubt that this IFB teen has much of a conscience, as he went after the woman as “an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.”

ace modesty
ACE Modesty Cartoon

Nancy Campbell, a well-known Fundamentalist clothing monitor, recently published a post by a single 23-year-old woman named Hannah Hauenschild. Titled Modesty, Hauenschild wrote:

Do you want to dress attractively but struggle with immodesty? The honest answer (if you are a woman like I am) is yes. Meaning aesthetically pleasing, attractive is how we want to appear. Though this is not wrong, the reason for it often is a desire to be noticed. Dressing to attract attention is immodest. So how can you dress modestly and why is it important?

Modesty is viewing yourself properly and, as a result, behaving decorously. A virtue of the heart, modesty recognizes, “I am not the most important person in the world,” and determines “My attitude, actions, and appearance will befit who I truly am.”

Who are you? You are a woman fearfully and wonderfully made and loved by God, which gives you worth and purpose. You do not need the attention, acceptance, or approval of anyone but God. Yet you, like all humans, are sinful. Your natural tendencies lead you astray from God’s plan for your life, which includes being modest.

Akin to humility and purity, modesty is a character quality that can be demonstrated by how you dress. It means denying your sinful nature that pridefully declares, “I can wear whatever I want,” and embracing clothing appropriate for your God-given femininity.

Traditionally, dresses and skirts beautifully distinguish women. In this age when gender confusion is lauded, I believe ladies should wear clothing that leaves no doubts about their feminineness.

….

1. Modest clothing does not reveal, emphasize, or draw attention to a woman’s private parts. Necklines then are neither deep nor wide, and they do not gap.

2. Modest clothing does not fit tightly, outlining a woman’s body.

3. Modest clothing completely covers the shoulders, knees, and everything in between – front, back, and sides.

If you are still unsure about an outfit being modest, ask yourself, “Does it draw attention away from my face?” A maxim of my mother’s is that nothing (clothing, make-up, etc.) should distract from the countenance.

Having learned what modesty and modest dressing is, we also need to know the reasons why dressing modestly is important.

….

Modest clothing honors God:

When Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they discovered they were naked and covered their most private parts (Genesis 3:7). They were not, however, clothed until God made them garments that hung from the shoulder (Genesis 3:21). Since the Fall God has communicated our nakedness should not be exposed (Exodus 20:26; Exodus 28; and Leviticus 18).

In Paul’s letter to Timothy, God specifically states: “I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly . . . as is proper for women making a claim to godliness” (I Timothy 2:9-10).

Modest clothing helps men to not sin:

Men are more sensitive to visual stimulation than women. When a man sees a woman dressed immodestly, his thoughts head in the wrong direction. Knowing this, we need to clothe ourselves carefully so that we are not stumbling blocks to men.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus describes the seriousness of provoking others to sin: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes” (Matthew 18:6-7, NASB).

Modest clothing hallows women:

Though only God can make people holy from the inside out, modest clothing does have a consecrative effect. It commands respect because it does not invite inappropriate attention. It sets women apart as worthy of honor rather than dishonor.

“Like a ring of gold in a swine’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion” (Proverbs 11:22, NASB).

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2 NASB).

Outwardly expressed by dress and other behavior (like sitting with your knees together), modesty is a decision of the heart. Thus, it is possible to wear modest clothing, following all the principles listed above, and still be immodest. You must first clothe your heart with modesty as the Apostle Peter wrote in one of his letters:

“Your adornment must not be merely external – braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves . . .” (I Peter 3:3-5, NASB).

According to Hauenschild, girls, teens, and women should “completely cover their shoulders, knees, and everything in between – front, back, and sides.” Clothing should not be tight-fitting, nor should it emphasize their physical form. Why? So they don’t visually stimulate men and cause them to stumble. Toddlers first learning to walk stumble (and fall) quite a bit. Over time, they learn to walk without stumbling. Evidently, IFB teen boys and men are still toddlers, unable to keep from committing sexual sins once tempted by “inappropriately” dressed teen girls and women. Any exposed thighs or breasts (even cleavage) is sure to cause stirring in the loins of these “helpless boys and men. Why, if Sister Jan doesn’t cover herself up from head to toe, she will be leading boys and men to sin in thoughts and deeds.

While IFB preachers half-heartedly call on teen boys and men to be in control of their sexuality, the bulk of their preaching on modesty and premarital sex is addressed to the fairer sex. If teen girls and women keep their legs together and dress modestly, weak boys and men will be kept from masturbation, fornication, and adultery.

I am often asked if I have ever lusted after a woman, both as a single and married man. Of course I have. Lust (sexual desire) is a normal part of our existence — both men and women. We are sexual beings who desire not only to procreate but also to fulfill our desires. And as most of us know, sexual desire is a powerful force, one that can, and does, result in bad behavior if not checked and controlled. As a man, I am, without exception, responsible for my sexuality.

Have I ever felt desire for someone other than my partner? Yes, and so has Polly. You see, women are sexual beings too; beings tired of the lie that only men are visually driven. All of us are responsible for our sexuality. Polly and I have a “look but don’t touch” policy. We are deeply in love and committed to each other. That said, we know and understand each other’s nature. I recently told my sixteen-year-old grandson about why Muhammad Ali carried a matchstick with him. Ali’s wife told him it was okay to look as long as he didn’t touch. The matchstick was a reminder that he would burn in Hell if he touched another woman.

Sexual want, need, and desire are very much a part of the human experience. How we behave is on us, and not someone deemed dressed inappropriately by an IFB preacher. And that’s not to say that women (and men) don’t dress in ways that are sexually suggestive. They do, but it’s up to us to control how we respond in such circumstances. You can enjoy the view and move on, or, if tempted, avert your eyes and walk away. Or maybe you are looking for someone to date or marry. What first attracts you to someone? Their looks. I learned over time that Polly had a lot of traits that I found appealing, but it was her shapely, comely body, dark hair, and beauty that attracted me to her. While looks are never enough to build a lasting relationship, most relationships start with mutual physical (and sexual) attraction.

Did you grow up in an IFB church? Did your pastor preach on modesty? Did he single out teen girls and women? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

Black Collar Crime: IFB School Teacher Joshua Dice Accused of Soliciting Minor for Sex

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joshua dice

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

Joshua Dice, a teacher at Calvary Christian Academy in Middleburg, Florida, stands accused of soliciting and traveling to meet a minor for sex. Calvary Christian is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church, pastored by Ken Pledger. Pledger is a graduate of Midwestern Baptist College. He attended Midwestern with my partner’s father. (This is the same school Polly and I attended.) Calvary Baptist is an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) congregation. This is the second teacher at Calvary Christian to be arrested for sex crimes. In 2022, Caitlin Rose Crum was arrested on charges of producing child porn and sexual assault.

News 4 reports:

An Orange Park man was arrested on Wednesday after being accused of soliciting and traveling to meet a minor for sex, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

Joshua Dice, 34, a now-former teacher at Calvary Christian Academy in Middleburg, was arrested around 12:40 p.m. after deputies found his car parked near a gym on Blanding Boulevard, according to his arrest report.

The arrest report states detectives asked Dice what had happened, but his response was redacted from the report.

News4JAX reached out to Calvary Christian Academy, and Pastor Ken Pledger responded with a statement saying in part that Dice was fired immediately after his arrest.

“We were informed that Mr. Josh Dice was arrested on June 11, 2025, on serious charges. These charges are unrelated to the activities of Calvary Baptist Church or Calvary Christian Academy. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement regarding this matter. Mr. Josh Dice’s role at Calvary Baptist Church and his position at Calvary Christian Academy were terminated immediately following his arrest. He no longer has any affiliation with these ministries. Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our members and students. Calvary Baptist Church and Calvary Christian Academy maintain a strict policy of zero tolerance for abuse.”

Pastor Ken Pledger

Dice is facing three charges, including traveling to meet a minor, using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, and soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using computer services or devices.

In 2022, a 26-year-old woman who also taught at Middleburg’s Calvary Christian Academy was arrested on charges of producing child porn and sexual assault.

Caitlin Rose Crum was accused of having a sexual relationship with a child, who was one of her students.

Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

How IFB Churches Handle Teens Listening to Rock Music

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evil rock music

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (I John 2:15)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

The Bible is clear: Christians are not to love the world (as a philosophical system), nor are they to love the things of the world. Christians are duty-bound to oppose the philosophies of the world (how the world thinks and reasons). Take the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) church movement. The IFB church movement came into existence during the battle against modernism (liberalism) in the twentieth century. I came of age during the heyday of the IFB church movement. Many of the largest churches in the United States were IFB congregations. The 1960s-1980s brought explosive attendance growth. Today, the IFB church movement is a shell of what it once was. That said, there are still thousands of IFB churches in the United States, numbering in the millions attendance-wise. Bus ministries used to bring primarily children to church were once popular, but not so today. What remains the same is the IFB’s opposition to the “world.”

While it can be argued that Jesus (and later Paul) called on his followers to be counter-cultural, IFB churches tend to be anti-culture. Instead of learning to be sojourners in a strange land, IFB pastors teach church members to withdraw from the culture. I taught and believed for many years that Christians should avoid interaction with the world. Outside of buying necessities such as groceries and gas from “worldly” businesses, I believed Christians should seek out businesses that support or are friendly to their beliefs and practices. I eventually learned that this was impossible to do. As an Evangelical pastor (I left the IFB church movement in the 80s), I took a different approach. Instead of being anti-culture, I believed Christians should engage and influence our culture. This meant getting “worldly” for Jesus. Or as the one preacher who raced dirt track cars on Sunday evenings in the summer said, “Christians need to get dirty for Jesus.” (Both positions, by the way, are supported by Scripture.)

Most IFB churches and pastors are anti-culture. Instead of engaging culture, they withdrew, building a separate world for church members. That’s why the IFB church movement pushes private Christian education and homeschooling. Children are sheltered from the world. After graduation, many IFB children attend IFB (or other Fundamentalist) colleges. This means that many IFB children are in their 20s before they enter the “world” and have to fend for themselves. Many young IFB women graduate from high school, but don’t go on to attend college. They have been told their entire lives that God wants them to marry (preferably a preacher, missionary, or youth pastor), bear (lots of) children, keep the home by doing all the domestic work, and meet the every want/need of their husband — especially sexually. But, Bruce, didn’t your wife go to college? She did, but her reason for going to college was oh-so typical IFB: she went to Midwestern Baptist College to find and marry a preacher boy. Why? Because Polly believed God had called her to be a preacher’s wife. This is not surprising since she repeatedly heard growing up that “There’s no greater calling in life than to be a preacher’s wife.” (Boys heard similar claims. “There’s no greater calling, boys, than to be a preacher. You could become president, but that would be a step down from being a God-called preacher.”)

bob gray jacksonville florida preaching against elvis
IFB Pastor Bob Gray preaching against Elvis, 1956. Gray would later be accused of sexual misconduct. Gray allegedly was a serial child molester for 50 years.

Many cradle IFB church members make it to the grave 60, 70, or 80 years later without being soiled from contact with the “world.” While people are free to live their lives as they wish, for many IFB congregants, they don’t know any other world but the IFB one.

For those of us raised in IFB churches, we heard countless sermons on the evils of the “world.” In particular, our pastors railed against rock music, calling it evil, immoral, and Satanic. What did teens and young adults do in such settings? Some of them, such as the Pollys and Bruces of the world, toed the line. Others tried to play by the rules, but failed. (And let me be clear, Polly and I were not pure as driven snow. We broke numerous dating rules in college that forbade any physical contact with the opposite sex.) And then, some youthful members ignored the preaching against the “world” and engaged in all the same behaviors as their counterparts in the “world.” What this led to, of course, was a lot of fear, guilt, and sneaking around.

IFB preachers know that that many church teens and young adults are NOT practicing what they preach from the pulpit. Pastors know that if they go to the church parking lot and turn on the radio in every car, that many of them would be tuned to “worldly” stations. So, IFB preachers turn to other approaches to the rock menance.

Some IFB preachers bring in alleged experts on the evils of rock music to teach churches about why it is a sin to listen to rock. The first such expert I heard was Bob Larson in 1971. Yes, THAT Bob Larson. Later, I heard David Benoit. Both men allegedly exposed the Satanic evil that was behind the music. Attendees were introduced to issues such as backmasking and syncopated beat. Congregants were called on to get rid of their rock records, either by putting them on the church altar or casting them in a fire.

Other IFB preachers encourage church parents to remove the radios from the cars of their children so they can’t listen to “worldly” music. One pastor I knew replaced the radios with cassette players. His children only listened to music he gave them. This, of course, did not keep his children from listening to the AC/DC or Beatles cassette tapes hidden underneath their seats. Teens gonna do, what teens gonna do, right?

jesus loves metal

Towards the end of my minsterial career, there was a shift in some IFB churches over rock music. Realizing their sermons were not having the desired effect and prohibition was a failure, some pastors and churches decided that what church youth needed was ALTERNATIVES to the world’s music. Young people were introduced to CCM (contemporary Christian music) music. Before long, many IFB churches were using drums and guitars in worship. (Many IFB churches objected to the CCM infiltration. Their services today are not much different from what they were sixty years ago.) What IFB preachers failed to see is that, YES, church youth would happily start listening to CCM, but they wouldn’t stop listening to the world’s music. All they did was add the CCM to their listening queue. (I managed a Christian bookstore in the late 80s. The store had a comparison chart on the wall that compared CCM bands to “worldly” bands. Like Simon and Garfunkel? You will like the Christian band, Small Town Poets.)

One unresolved issue for IFB preachers is that there is no singular definition for the word “world.” Go to an IFB preacher’s meeting and you will hear discussions about whether this or that is worldly. No two preachers or churches had the same list of worldly behaviors. While all IFB churches opposed rock music, others allow pop and country music. This debate over music reveals that churches are hopelessly divided over music. This suggests that rules/laws/standards about music are of human origin, governed by the theological interpretations and feelings of the men behind pulpits.

Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

Yes, Christian Fundamentalism Really Did Keep Us From Listening to the Devil’s Music

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rock its your decision ad

Recently, I wrote a post titled How Christian Fundamentalism Robbed Us of the Opportunity to Listen to the Devil’s Music. A Fundamentalist preacher disagreed with what I wrote:

Really? Christian fundamentalism stopped them from listening to sinful rock and roll? Granted, the attitude when rock first came out was very rigid against that type of music, and in some cases, it was very warranted because the music was not the best.

But was it Christian fundamentalism that robbed anyone of listening to the music? It was played everywhere, so just about every child and teenager at the time could hear it whenever they wanted.

So it is highly doubtful that Christian fundamentalism was the reason. It may have been the personal beliefs of the people at the time that stopped them from playing this music. It could be that those beliefs were a bit misguided, not that classic rock was great music and people were missing out, but that they did not have a solid foundation in the truth to truly evaluate the music.

In other words, I am a liar — a false allegation this disgraced preacher has hurled my way many times. This preacher wrongly thinks that there is a difference between “Christian Fundamentalism” and the “personal beliefs” of the people at the time that stopped them from playing this music.” It is theological and social beliefs that drive Christian Fundamentalism. Objection to secular music was common, and rock music in particular was the subject of frequent criticism and attack from the pulpit.

While I listened to secular music on the AM radio in my car, and heard it when attending junior high dances, outside of that, my life was inundated with Christian music, at church and home. I only owned a handful of records, but all of them were Christian. Why would I not have obeyed what my pastors were teaching? The same goes for my partner, Polly. Both of us primarily listened to Southern gospel music and mixed-group Christian music. Sure, we knew the lyrics of a few secular songs, but our minds’ catalog of music was overwhelmingly Christian. We were, in every way, true blue, Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) Christians. Maybe the preacher quoted above wasn’t a committed follower of Jesus as a Christian. If so, that’s his problem, not mine.

You see, I actually believed and trusted my pastors. I never doubted that they were telling me the truth. So, if they said rock music was evil and listening to it was sinful, I believed them. When evangelists such as Bob Larson and David Benoit decried the evils of rock and roll, I believed them. When youth camp speakers brought the wrath of God down on rock music, I believed them. Dare I not trust and obey — for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus — these men of God? Over the years, I heard scores of sermons condemning “worldly” music, and I believed every word. This approach bled into other areas of our lives. Polly and I were virgins on our wedding day. Why? We heard numerous sermons about the evil of premarital sex. Rarely did a week go by without a teacher or a pastor mentioning the importance of chastity. Many of our churchmates listened to secular music and gave in to their sexual desires. Was rock music to blame? Our pastors said it was; that rock music stirred the passions, leading to fornication.

For good or ill, Polly and I believed and practiced what we heard from the pulpit. How could it have been otherwise? Were you a devoted Christian as a teen and young adult? Did you practice what your pastors preached? Please share your experiences in the comment section.

Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

My Response to IFB Evangelist “Dr.” Arv Edgeworth — Part Five

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peanut gallery

Part One — Part Two — Part Three — Part Four — Part Five

“Dr.” Arv Edgeworth, an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) evangelist, sent me another email. Here’s what he had to say

I have a question for you.  I saw the list of IFB pastors and their sexual sins.  I didn’t read any of the information, it would be too depressing.  I know of a number of incidents like that in churches I have been associated with, sad to say.  However, in your opinion, which should be considered worse: an IFB preacher who was guilty of sexual misconduct; or an IFB preacher who did a complete turn around and denied Christ, and tried to get others to do the same thing?  Sexual misconduct, or spiritual misconduct?  In your opinion, which would do the most damage? 

I assume that Edgeworth is talking about the Black Collar Crime series. Edgeworth wants to know which is worse: an IFB preacher who raped church children or an IFB preacher (me) who deconverted and now tries to get others to do the same? What’s worse, Edgeworth asks, sexual misconduct or spiritual misconduct? I assume he thinks “spiritual” misconduct is worse because it leads to eternal consequences.

Let me be clear, sexual misconduct in all its forms is morally wrong and often leads to lifelong consequences. IFB churches are notorious for ignoring or covering up sex crimes. Worse, offenders often leave the churches where the offenses occurred and move on to other churches. More than a few IFB churches are pastored by preachers who have committed sex crimes. God has forgiven them of their sin. How dare anyone keep them from their calling! God forgives and forgets, and so should we. Or so the thinking goes, anyway.

Edgeworth’s claim that I committing spiritual misconduct is absurd. Am I taking advantage of people? Am I fulfilling the lusts of my flesh by spiritually assaulting and raping people? Of course not. I am just one man with a story to tell. I am not an evangelist for atheism. All I do is share my story and carefully examine the central claims of Evangelical Christianity. I write, people read. I have never forced myself or my beliefs on another person.

How is it spiritual abuse to encourage people to rationally think for themselves? Shouldn’t that be the goal for Christians and unbelievers alike? Edgeworth will search in vain for one post that remotely suggests that I tried to get Christians to deny the Messiah. Have some people said that my writing played an instrumental part in their deconversion? Sure, but all I did was answer their questions. Or maybe my personal testimony resonated with them. Regardless, I have never forced anyone to deny Jesus and become an atheist.

Should I not tell my story, Arv? You came to my blog and told yours. Why is it okay for Evangelicals to go from IP address to IP address, preaching the gospel, even to people who have no interest in what they are peddling? I have been told several times that I should shut up and keep my story to myself. One preacher told me he feared that if people read my story that they would deconvert. Really? Am I so powerful that my words carry such power — more powerful than God — that they can cause people to lose their salvation? Trust me, I am not that powerful. More often, my writing is just one step in the process of deconversion.

Instead of worrying about Evangelical-preachers-turned-atheists leading IFB church members astray, I would worry more about sexual predators who have infiltrated churches, using the love, kindness, and forgiveness of congregants to hide their evil actions. Sadly, church members can be naive, thinking a man of God would never, ever commit a sex crime. This is a delusion, one that leads to harm, both to church members who are abused and to vulnerable adults who are taken advantage of.

I should add that if anyone is committing spiritual abuse, it is IFB preachers. I could spend months talking about preachers who spiritually abused the churches — myself included. That’s what cults do.

Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

When Evangelicals Claim “The Bible Says,” This is What They Mean

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bible has all the answers

One of the most common statements made by Evangelicals is this: The Bible Says . . . Evangelicals believe the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God, meant to be read and interpreted literally. It means what it says and says what it means. If these claims are true, why do Evangelicals have such varied beliefs, even on the basics such as salvation, baptism, membership, and communion? How do we determine which sect is right? If the destiny of our eternal soul rests on us believing the right things, shouldn’t Christians speak with one mind on the core doctrines of Christianity?

The confusion of beliefs is a sign that Christianity is a human construct. The Bible doesn’t say anything. It is a book of words that must be read, interpreted, and explained. When I say, “The Bible Says . . .” it should be understood that I’m speaking from my past theological training, experiences, and interpretations. In other words, the Bible says what Bruce says it does. This is true for EVERY Christian. If there’s one thing I have learned about the Bible, it is this: It can be used to prove almost anything. Put a Calvinist, Arminian, Campbellite, Independent Baptist, Apostolic, Charismatic, Pentecostal, and Episcopalian in a room and ask them fifty theological questions. What will you get? Countless interpretations and explanations, each believing they are right. They all can’t be right, so how do we determine which sect/church preaches the True Christianity?

Sadly, many Evangelicals believe that their understanding of the Bible = God says. How can they possibly know this? They will authoritatively claim that the words of the Bible are God’s words, and when they speak the words of the Good Book, they are speaking God’s words. That’s why I have had countless Christians tell me when I object to something they said, “God said it, I didn’t.” Oh, the arrogance behind such a claim. I know of no way that someone can infallibly know that what they are reading or saying is the words of God. Humans wrote the Bible, and for 2,000 years now, Christians have been interpreting and reinterpreting the Bible. Every generation of believers shapes, molds, and interprets the Bible based on their personal opinions, beliefs, and worldviews. Even with intractable sects such as the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist church movement, beliefs and practices change over time. How they define “old-fashioned” is very different today from what it was sixty years ago. As an IFB teen in the 1960s and 1970s, my pastors declared that “Godly” men didn’t have facial hair or long hair. Today, it is common to see IFB men with beards and long hair. The same goes for dress standards. Women wearing pants was verboten years ago. Today, it is not uncommon to see Baptist women wearing slacks.

Change is inevitable, even among groups who think that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. A few years back, my partner’s IFB uncle, Jim Dennis, died after pastoring the Newark Baptist Temple for fifty years. Polly’s parents attended the church for decades. Polly’s mom told me that she was proud of the fact that Jim believed the same things he did when he died as he did when he was a young preacher. In her mind, Jim was a pillar of sound doctrine and practice; a man who was steadfast in his beliefs and behavior. This, of course. was patently untrue. I can point to numerous beliefs and practices that Jim changed his mind about over the years.

I would argue that changing our beliefs is essential to personal growth. If my life story is anything, it is a testimony to the power and importance of change. As a Christian, my beliefs changed a lot. When I came to a new or different understanding of the Bible, I was unafraid to share it. This, of course, led to me being called a liberal or an apostate. All I knew to do was to honestly align my life with my changed beliefs. And I don’t live differently today. How about you? Have your beliefs and practices changed over the years? Do you have Christian friends who pride themselves on not changing their beliefs? Please share your experiences in the comment section.

Let me conclude this post with a short video by Dr. Dan McClellan on the subject, “No, the Bible Doesn’t Say So.”

Video Link

Dan has a new book coming out, The Bible Says So: What We Get Right (and Wrong) about Scripture’s Most Controversial Subjects. Dan does an awesome job tackling many of the claims Evangelicals make about the Bible.

Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

Is God the Author of Confusion?

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For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (1 Corinthians 14:33)

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:3-4)

These verses clearly teach that God expects his body (the church) to dwell together in peace and unity. If there is confusion (disorder, instability), God is not its author. In other words, if you see disorder in a church, its members are to blame, not God.

According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit lives inside every believer. He is their teacher and guide. Further, the Bible says that followers of Jesus have the mind of Christ. If these verses are true, what are we to make of all the confusion, disorder, conflict, and instability we see in churches? Sure, I know more than a few Christians who are good examples of what it means to be a follower of Christ. But, I also know more than a few Christians who are nasty, mean, hateful sons of bitches. I’ve watched church business meetings turn into shouting matches, and countless people leave churches in a huff, all because they couldn’t get their way or their preacher believed something they felt was wrong.

As an Evangelical pastor, did I experience peace and contentment? Did the churches I pastored have long periods when peace, harmony, and joy were experienced by most congregants? Sure. On balance, I thoroughly enjoyed being a pastor. Church services were enriching and fulfilling. That said, there were times when the ministry was burdensome due to church turmoil and conflict. Most of the disharmony was needless, the result of selfish people wanting their way. On occasion, meaningful disagreements cropped up, but typically the church conflict I experienced was, to put it bluntly, stupid; little more than childish disagreements over minor points of doctrine or decisions I made.

The last church I pastored was a small Southern Baptist congregation in Clare, Michigan. When I candidated, I warned the church that I had no stomach for church conflict. I had reached a point in my ministry where I just wanted to preach and teach the Bible and help people in need. Six months in, conflict arose. Ugly stuff, to say the least, yet the church was shocked when I resigned. Did I not warn them that I had no interest in dealing with the petty bullshit that plagues most churches.

I don’t expect churches to be perfect. However, I do expect them to practice what they preach. According to one source, there are over 40,000 Christian denominations — each with their own beliefs. How does this square with the Bible claim that there is “One Lord, One Faith, and One Baptism?” Simple, Bruce, my church/denomination is right. We represent True Christianity! All those other churches/denominations are false. This, of course, is just another version of No True Scotsman. Besides, if you pay attention to True Christian churches, you will see lots of internecine conflict.

If confusion, disunity, and disagreement are common among followers of Jesus, what should unbelievers think about Christianity? Is Christianity some sort of grand ideal, or is it transformational? It seems, at least to me, that the former is true. And if faith in Christ doesn’t transform lives, what good is it? Is the goal passing a test on doctrinal beliefs and praying the right prayer, or is the objective to love God and love your fellow man? James himself said, Faith without works is dead. Jesus said in Matthew 25 that true belief will be judged by how they treat the least of these in our society.

I am convinced that the central claims of Christianity are false. Since it is unlikely that anything will be forthcoming that will change my mind, I doubt I will ever become a Christian again. That ship has sailed. Currently, I have a low opinion of Christianity — especially Evangelicals. If Christians truly practiced what they preached, I might, at the very least, admire the religion. But as long as tens of millions of American Evangelicals continue to support Donald Trump and his draconian policies that harm undocumented workers, working-class people, and the poor, I see nothing to admire. As long as I hear Christians demean and degrade the “least of these” and support genocide, racism, xenophobia, and bigotry, I want nothing to do with their religion.

All of us should practice what we preach. I admit that all of us fall short and should do better. What bothers me about many Evangelicals is that they see their hatred, genocide, racism, xenophobia, and bigotry as a badge of honor. Consider that people such as Dr. David Tee, Revival Fires, John, and a cast of hundreds think they are good Christians, even though they behave in ways contrary to the teachings of the Bible.

Are you an unbeliever? Does Christian behavior affect how you view Christianity? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.