Respecting Elder Preachers or Entertaining ourselves and corrupting our youth

 

I have heard many preachers say in my lifetime that "You don't retire from this army". And I believe that I know what they mean. I have also heard some ministers mock those preachers that actually "retired" from preaching at some point. They say, "you can't retire from a calling". And again, I believe that I know what they are talking about.......BUT.......Experiences have lead me to believe a little different. The human body is still the human body and the human mind is still the human mind. God made them that way. They will wear out. I think the #1 reason why most ministers that do not retire, do not retire, is because they can't afford to. That is the churches fault and it should be remedied. These mighty heroes of faith have suffered more and given up more than almost any group in our society and they are generally cared for less.
Here is my point today though. In my opinion we do our elder ministers a tremendous injustice when we continually put them up to preach after they are "able". I good friend of mine has been preaching the Gospel Truth for almost 60 years now and it appears that his mind is waining. It seems that he has become embattled with some people in his church over some issues, he is almost 80 years old and his mind seems to slip into ruts that he can't get out of. So certain members of his church have dug in and they are going to keep that preacher up there in that pulpit because of his past greatness that God has used him in and because they were saved under him or healed under him or what have you.
I have gone and heard my friend preach lately and he seems to really struggle to preach. He gets down in the weeds a lot. It is sad. This man was and sometimes still is a very anointed doctrinal teacher and preacher. But recently he has become a you tube sensation in the worst of way. People are putting video clips of his "antics" up for all to make fun of and be entertained by. This broke my heart and it also convicted me. I repent today because for the past 15 years or so I have been one to repeat the "antics" of and laugh at some of our movements great preachers in their older years. Now that it is my close personal friend it is different. Oh God please for give me.
These Holy Men of days recent past should be revered but somehow in our attempts we do the exact opposite. If and when I am old and become a little senile and crotchety, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, if you want to respect me for my ministry and what God has done in my life, let me sit on the platform or on the front pew, let me stand and wave to the congregation, allow the crowd to clap for me and my wife if you will. BUT DON'T LET ME BECOME A SIDE SHOW!!! I beg of you my children, fellow ministers and young converts coming up behind us.
What happens is we put the elders up there and we overlook their silliness because we remember who they "really are". The problem is the next generation wasn't around when they preached the great and powerful services under God's holy anointing. So all they know is that we think that an 86 year old man, saying weird things, almost swearing while we laugh at him, calling people out and doing things that if we did them, we would get in trouble for being mean and belligerent, is a GOOD AND RESPECTABLE THING?!?
Then the next generation can't wait to either go to the next meeting a make fun of him with others that haven't heard about him yet or (this is where it gets even worse) the next generation of preachers sees the things they do and hears the things they say and believe that this is acceptable and so they try to do it too and now it's not so funny. Now it is hurting people and killing people and we did that. Now we have young, young preachers pushing the envelope of how close to a bad word they can say while preaching or how rude and mean they can come across and call it anointing. Help us dear Jesus!
You want to honor that special man of God that has put in his 50, 60, 70 years behind the pulpit? Great. Buy him a house!!! Engrave him a plaque. Make him an honorary board member for life. Help pay his bills. But don't just put him in the pulpit as entertainment and call it respect. And please people, don't spread these cruel things about these men. You don't know what it could do to them. Pray for them and pray for me because I fear that some of you think that it's funny just because I though it was funny. God help the church.
Your humble servant,
Rev. D. Todd Sloggett

God Blesses Effort!

     This Sunday's outreach service was wonderful for several reasons.  First of all my wife and I haven't been able to be with our "home people" for several weeks now.  Also, The Scott Sumner family was with us. 

     But one of the main reasons was because Brother Earl Wayne, Brother Robbie Reed, Brother Art Hartman and others made a calculated decision about 6 months ago to change the target audience and the way we were handling them and we knew that we would take a big hit for it.  As right as we knew we were for changing things up, it was obvious that the numbers were going to drop significantly and they did.  But we also believed that because it was for all the right reasons that God were bless us for it....and He has.  The quality AND the numbers are coming up.  As far as I know we had 87 in service and 50 were homeless people. 

     As the service began a man slipped  back into the kitchen area and ask one of our ladies for a cup.  She gave him one and he informed her that it was for "spitting".  He was chewing tobacco.  The sisters then let 

me know what was going on.  Now I want you to know that normally I am one of the hardest on people for wearing their hats, talking, drinking pop and eating snacks in service.  But I thought and prayed about what to do for just a moment and I felt an overwhelming feeling to leave the young man alone.  So I did.  (yes I am admitting to you that I let a young homeless man chew tobacco in our service)  Brother Sumner preached a short, precise and powerful sermon.  He had me checking my own heart and wanting to pray before he was ever finished.  When he gave the altar call 11 people came to the altar and cried and prayed and many others prayed in their seats.  I watched the young man with the cup.  He squirmed and fidgeted.  He finally stoop up and turned away as if to leave.  All of a sudden he grabbed up his cup, spit out all of his tobacco, handed it to his friend and hurried to the altar.  He wept and prayed for a long time.  Several ministers prayed with him, talked to him and encouraged him.  He was the last one to get up from the altar and he went all around the room talking to staffers and ministers with a big smile on his face.  He threw his cup away and sat down to the meal that was provided for him.  I was busy dealing with others and I never did get to speak with him.  Whenever these things happen I always ask myself.  Who was he?  What was his past?  Where are his parents and his people?  Where will he spend eternity?  Did we help?  Pray for this work and please support it.  God bless.  

An Encouraging Phone Call

Just got off the phone with a retired Salvation Army Officer named Donna. She said that she had found out about our work at holinessmissionstoamerica.com and that she was very proud of us and would be praying for us. She said that we are doing many of the same things that the original "Corps" used to do. She said the fact that we took NO FEDERAL FUNDING was very important. In her opinion, when the Salvation Army started taking federal money, they became overwhelmed with red tape and even though they continue to do much social good, THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE AND FURTHERANCE OF THE KINGDOM HAS CEASED. Wow!!! Please help us continue to reach the LEAST THE LAST AND THE LOST.

(To Listen:  Click On Link Above)

Rev. T. Sloggett ~ When a Cactus Blooms.

Bro. Earl Wayne at Revival Tabernacle.