I used to live in Wichita Kansas and have been to this church as well. It was an Easter service many years ago, so it was quite the spectacle. I do remember feeling like a fish out of water. Having just been out of the WTS for around a year or so, I was still trying to overcome the feeling that I was doing something wrong by being in one of Christendom's churches. All the "amens" from the audience and hands waving in the air made me nervous. LOL
But today, I'm a little more secure in MY faith and MY beliefs, so I don't get all up in arms when someone expresses their spirituality differently than I. It's just different. We're in America. Our country was born out of desperation to express their own beliefs in ways other than what was "acceptable" or "normal". It's not the way I worship or express my spirituality, but who am I to judge others???
I'll probably rile a few of you up, but some of what he prayed is true IMO:
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Gasp and ridicule this pastor all you want, but we ALL have the freedom to speak our minds and hearts whenever and wherever we want. Will you have the same courage (AND GRACE) to do it if you are given the chance? Many of us wouldn't if we know we'd face people walking out in the middle of our speech or prayer or be ridiculed for it later. Even for me, it'd be a challenge.
