Favorite Line: “I’ve never met an exegesis that could take the place of preaching.”
25 thoughts on “Only Having One Pulpit”
Not sure why he had his Bible with him, didn’t use it much. Yea, he can preach, so what. He can stir up the audience, but in the end they really leave with nothing if the Word of God is not properly taught and expounded on.
He said it again toward the end: “America is going to hell tonight, we don’t need exegesis, we need preaching!”
I also liked this quote: “Any preacher who buttons the top button of his shirt is not right with God.” And he was serious! There must be some HAC people who lurk at this sight…what say ye?
This, sir, is amazing–it has everything in it but Harry Potter.
So was he railing against soap operas because he actually thought they were evil or because they took the women of his church away from devoting time to him?
I also like how he contradicts himself by going on against exegesis, then mentions getting back to a soft exegesis, then hammers against exegesis again. Lovely
I really don’t like this guy, based on his abusive comments towards women in previous sermons.
Why do these people like him? He fosters a cult-like mentality, emotionalism, us vs. them, and judgementalism.
Mat 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
Fundymans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Hyles.”
So I found your site linked by a site a sometimes visit. I am very familiar with fundamentalism, having grown up in it and leaving it 4 years ago. The first year out of Fundamentalism I would have LOVED this blog! Now, it saddens me. My family is still KJO, IFBx. But you know what? They love the Lord (even if they are mixed up) and they do love sinners and seek to get the gospel to the lost. Do I agree with them on most things? No. But am I loving them by mocking them and tearing them down for their weaknesses? No. I am only posting this so that you can possibly evaluate whether or not this blog contributes to helping the fundie movement understand their fallacies, or does it just further isolate them from the rest of the Church?
I spend a fair amount of time defending this blog to readers who wish to see me (rather than those whom I write about) as the problem. “Yes, we know they’re nuts but for heavens sake don’t say anything about it!”
I am merely a guy on the internet typing words and cheerfully pointing out the foibles of those enmeshed in fundamentalism (or hyper-fundamentalism, fundyx, or whatever other label folks put on it to differentiate between themselves on “the crazies”). Generally the way I do this is via satire.
I reject the idea that I’m “isolating them from the rest of the Church.” I’m not isolating anybody. They’ve isolated themselves and insulated themselves from any outside criticism or critique by the larger orthodox community. This blog is merely a vehicle to give a different point of view either by humor or by shock value. It also serves as a way for those who have left fundamentalism to remember their past with laughter instead of bitterness or anger.
I have a great love for many fundamentalists. They (literally) are my brothers. My father is a fundamentalist pastor. My grandfather was a fundamentalist pastor. I graduated from a fundamentalist college where I made many wonderful fundy friends. My purpose here is not to mock them but rather illuminate the problems and shortcomings within the movement in a satirical way.
It’s amazing that in a little less than two years you went from trying to point things out in a satirical manner to considering it your mission to look like a complete ass.
I realized somewhere after this writing that mockery is in fact a very valid tool when dealing with a particular type of hard-hearted fundamentalist.
I still don’t hate them. I try my best not to hate anybody. And I still have a great love for many fundamentalists. But the deeper I dig into the fundamentalist world the more vileness and wretchedness I uncover. It’s hard to stay constantly cheery and light-hearted in the face of all that.
Fair enough. I only pray that you accomplish what you desire.
I made it about half way through and couldn’t stomach this guy anymore. Not once did he refer to the Word of God. He is just like my former fundy pastors. They get behind the bully pulpit and go off on what ever ticked them off that week. They love to hear themselves talk.
These guys are holding on to one thing, and that is their traditions of men that they preach as if it was gospel truth. The fundy foundation is built on a house of cards that easily comes crashing down if you would but search the scriptures to find out what the Word of God really does say.
It never ceases to amaze me that these guys claim that the KJV is the only approved version of the Bible. How do they “prove” that? The same way they try to prove all their traditions of men, by faulty human logic & by taking verses out of it’s true context. They pick a verse that sounds like it agrees with their belief then run with it. Only thing is, they never bother reading the whole context of the scripture passage. They claim to love the true Word of God, but they have no clue what it really says!
I shudder each time I hear someone say all other versions are perversions. Do they really want to say that about the Word of God? That is rather bold and foolish of them to say that the Word of God is a perversion. Their whole movement is illogical and causes much disention and strife. They are the devils advocate!
Excellent verse Lisa! That’s exactly what comes to my mind too.
As a young fundamentalist, Hyles (who isn’t a true fundamentalist in my book…rather he is a…dare I say perversion lol… of authentic fundamentalism) represents all that I want to avoid in being a fundamentalist
loved how many times he opened his Bible. Nothing like good expository preaching 😉
Hyles was a disgrace. Lisa, Hyles’ comments concerning women are only the beginning of his problems. Hyles repeatedly covered for his adulterous son, even recommending him for the pastorate of a Texas church. Hyles interfered with the marriage of one of his church’s deacons, resulting in a divorce. You can read the sordid details on Robert Sumner’s site.
The major issue is, as Lisa pointed out, is the cult of personality. I only got to 1:01 in the video before I turned it off. There was the silly criticism of dual pulpits. Is church furniture arrangement a matter of doctrine? Is that and women wearing pants the major issues facing Christianity? The number of times Hyles said “I” in the one minute I watched is astounding. Has anyone thought to ask why HAC is not AHC?
DJ Cimino’s point is valid. Exposure through satire does broach the issue, but what else can we do? What is our duty toward the fundamentalists? How do we apply James 5:19-20? It is easy to criticize, but how do we make an honest effort at helping them?
🙁 That’s so sad. How is yelling at your congregation, tearing other people down over some of the most ridiculous things supposed to bring people to Christ? I don’t think this is all of his sermon, but enough for me to be thankful that even though I go to a “fundy” church, it’s nothing like this.
It is easy to criticize, but how do we make an honest effort at helping them?
It’s a valid question. I think you first have to ask the question “what drives people into radical fundamentalism” before you can reason out how to reach them where they are.
[side note]
DJ, I think I know you. Not sure if you’ll see this post or not, but did you attend MCA in Alamo, Texas? My sister, younger brother and I were there during your senior year, if I remember correctly. Shoot me an e-mail at esky@juno.com if you want. If that’s not you, then never mind. 🙂
[/side note]
An entire message without a single scriptural reference!
This is what is wrong with fundamentalism these days. The movement started out with good intentions. But it’s been taken over by people who claim to care about truth and the Bible, but have so little respect for the Bible, that they can preach a message with no scriptural backing at all.
And to those who don’t like to see this kind of thing called out, get over it. The more ridiculous and cult like the leaders of the fundamentalist movement act, the more they will be made fun of. If you want to be taken seriously, you can’t act like a crazy lunatic or cult leader.
I attended the most fundamental church in the whole wide world. We were there for 6 years .Were still trying to sort things out. We’ve been brainwashed and I’m ashamed of that. We now listen to different styles of music (some that have a beat or two in them) I wear pants and have short hair. My boys have watched “Ghost Busters”. and it didn’t open any unwanted doors. My son is now going to a secular high school. I use to homeschool. I’m buying a big screen tv with my blueberrie picking money. I’ve stopped being condescending to my unsaved neighbors. I’m no longer worried that my daughter who has Tourette Syndrome is demon possessed. OUr home library has included many more books other than “Laura Ingalls” and “Pilgrim’s Progress” over the last few years. Why I can just see the look of horror on my pastor’s wife face as I roar with laughter over “Erma Bombeck”. We do own “The sound of Music” but it’s beside the Santa Claus movie with Tim Allen in it.. Oh No.. What has happened to us. ????
doesn’t he kinda look like Darth Vadar when he was trying to lure Luke at Cloud city? hmmmm 🙂
Does anyone know what kind of conference he was referring to when speaking about the dual pulpits at the conference? It must have been a pretty large conference if they had to maybe rent out another facility? Although I don’t know; that’s a total guess. My guess is that the conference wouldn’t endorse dual pulpits, but rather it was too big and they used rented facilities.
Not to beleauger the point, but I just was wondering if someone could clarify this who is more familiar? I guess I always assumed, and perhaps wrongly so, that a speaker in these circles would only speak at conferences where they were very much alike in practice? That’s why I was thinking that perhaps the conference was in a rented facility and he was not referring to the actual conference participants, but it was perhaps more directed to the type of church that was the leaser of the facilities??? Or am I offbase and the speaker did speak at conferences which had a more diverse crowd which perhaps agreed on the core fundamentals of the faith, but didn’t always agree on the other issues? (pants, KJV, music, etc.) I am a Christian and am not familiar very much with these circles, but I have met some of them and they have been very nice people whom I would consider friends. Therefore, my assumptions could be off.
Unfortunately…my parents sent me to “HIS” school for 14 years. One thing I will never forget: My friend’s Dad was his body guard…and when her Dad died…at the funeral he said “Mr. ________ no longer needs me…he has God now”….I will never forget it.
Jack Hyles is dead now…and I wonder where he will be spending eternity….one day we will find out.
I HATED going to this church to visit…it was weird from the moment I stepped in the door.
No…the “Pastor’s School” is what they called it.. (aka conference)….they church was always maxed out as was the city itself…so many “of their graduates”…were selected to start churches all over the US….kind of like recruiting..
They told my brother his lot in life was a pastor…he is the last person who should ever be a pastor…he has since realized and actually gotten on with his life.
I think I might have been there that night. Countless hours spent in those hate-filled bus conference preachings.
We got extra-credit in bible class for going.
Comments are closed.
A silly blog dedicated to Independent Fundamental Baptists, their standards, their beliefs, and their craziness.
Not sure why he had his Bible with him, didn’t use it much. Yea, he can preach, so what. He can stir up the audience, but in the end they really leave with nothing if the Word of God is not properly taught and expounded on.
He said it again toward the end: “America is going to hell tonight, we don’t need exegesis, we need preaching!”
I also liked this quote: “Any preacher who buttons the top button of his shirt is not right with God.” And he was serious! There must be some HAC people who lurk at this sight…what say ye?
This, sir, is amazing–it has everything in it but Harry Potter.
So was he railing against soap operas because he actually thought they were evil or because they took the women of his church away from devoting time to him?
I also like how he contradicts himself by going on against exegesis, then mentions getting back to a soft exegesis, then hammers against exegesis again. Lovely
I really don’t like this guy, based on his abusive comments towards women in previous sermons.
Why do these people like him? He fosters a cult-like mentality, emotionalism, us vs. them, and judgementalism.
Mat 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
Fundymans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Hyles.”
So I found your site linked by a site a sometimes visit. I am very familiar with fundamentalism, having grown up in it and leaving it 4 years ago. The first year out of Fundamentalism I would have LOVED this blog! Now, it saddens me. My family is still KJO, IFBx. But you know what? They love the Lord (even if they are mixed up) and they do love sinners and seek to get the gospel to the lost. Do I agree with them on most things? No. But am I loving them by mocking them and tearing them down for their weaknesses? No. I am only posting this so that you can possibly evaluate whether or not this blog contributes to helping the fundie movement understand their fallacies, or does it just further isolate them from the rest of the Church?
I spend a fair amount of time defending this blog to readers who wish to see me (rather than those whom I write about) as the problem. “Yes, we know they’re nuts but for heavens sake don’t say anything about it!”
I am merely a guy on the internet typing words and cheerfully pointing out the foibles of those enmeshed in fundamentalism (or hyper-fundamentalism, fundyx, or whatever other label folks put on it to differentiate between themselves on “the crazies”). Generally the way I do this is via satire.
I reject the idea that I’m “isolating them from the rest of the Church.” I’m not isolating anybody. They’ve isolated themselves and insulated themselves from any outside criticism or critique by the larger orthodox community. This blog is merely a vehicle to give a different point of view either by humor or by shock value. It also serves as a way for those who have left fundamentalism to remember their past with laughter instead of bitterness or anger.
I have a great love for many fundamentalists. They (literally) are my brothers. My father is a fundamentalist pastor. My grandfather was a fundamentalist pastor. I graduated from a fundamentalist college where I made many wonderful fundy friends. My purpose here is not to mock them but rather illuminate the problems and shortcomings within the movement in a satirical way.
It’s amazing that in a little less than two years you went from trying to point things out in a satirical manner to considering it your mission to look like a complete ass.
I realized somewhere after this writing that mockery is in fact a very valid tool when dealing with a particular type of hard-hearted fundamentalist.
I still don’t hate them. I try my best not to hate anybody. And I still have a great love for many fundamentalists. But the deeper I dig into the fundamentalist world the more vileness and wretchedness I uncover. It’s hard to stay constantly cheery and light-hearted in the face of all that.
Fair enough. I only pray that you accomplish what you desire.
I made it about half way through and couldn’t stomach this guy anymore. Not once did he refer to the Word of God. He is just like my former fundy pastors. They get behind the bully pulpit and go off on what ever ticked them off that week. They love to hear themselves talk.
These guys are holding on to one thing, and that is their traditions of men that they preach as if it was gospel truth. The fundy foundation is built on a house of cards that easily comes crashing down if you would but search the scriptures to find out what the Word of God really does say.
It never ceases to amaze me that these guys claim that the KJV is the only approved version of the Bible. How do they “prove” that? The same way they try to prove all their traditions of men, by faulty human logic & by taking verses out of it’s true context. They pick a verse that sounds like it agrees with their belief then run with it. Only thing is, they never bother reading the whole context of the scripture passage. They claim to love the true Word of God, but they have no clue what it really says!
I shudder each time I hear someone say all other versions are perversions. Do they really want to say that about the Word of God? That is rather bold and foolish of them to say that the Word of God is a perversion. Their whole movement is illogical and causes much disention and strife. They are the devils advocate!
Excellent verse Lisa! That’s exactly what comes to my mind too.
As a young fundamentalist, Hyles (who isn’t a true fundamentalist in my book…rather he is a…dare I say perversion lol… of authentic fundamentalism) represents all that I want to avoid in being a fundamentalist
loved how many times he opened his Bible. Nothing like good expository preaching 😉
Hyles was a disgrace. Lisa, Hyles’ comments concerning women are only the beginning of his problems. Hyles repeatedly covered for his adulterous son, even recommending him for the pastorate of a Texas church. Hyles interfered with the marriage of one of his church’s deacons, resulting in a divorce. You can read the sordid details on Robert Sumner’s site.
The major issue is, as Lisa pointed out, is the cult of personality. I only got to 1:01 in the video before I turned it off. There was the silly criticism of dual pulpits. Is church furniture arrangement a matter of doctrine? Is that and women wearing pants the major issues facing Christianity? The number of times Hyles said “I” in the one minute I watched is astounding. Has anyone thought to ask why HAC is not AHC?
DJ Cimino’s point is valid. Exposure through satire does broach the issue, but what else can we do? What is our duty toward the fundamentalists? How do we apply James 5:19-20? It is easy to criticize, but how do we make an honest effort at helping them?
🙁 That’s so sad. How is yelling at your congregation, tearing other people down over some of the most ridiculous things supposed to bring people to Christ? I don’t think this is all of his sermon, but enough for me to be thankful that even though I go to a “fundy” church, it’s nothing like this.
It’s a valid question. I think you first have to ask the question “what drives people into radical fundamentalism” before you can reason out how to reach them where they are.
[side note]
DJ, I think I know you. Not sure if you’ll see this post or not, but did you attend MCA in Alamo, Texas? My sister, younger brother and I were there during your senior year, if I remember correctly. Shoot me an e-mail at esky@juno.com if you want. If that’s not you, then never mind. 🙂
[/side note]
An entire message without a single scriptural reference!
This is what is wrong with fundamentalism these days. The movement started out with good intentions. But it’s been taken over by people who claim to care about truth and the Bible, but have so little respect for the Bible, that they can preach a message with no scriptural backing at all.
And to those who don’t like to see this kind of thing called out, get over it. The more ridiculous and cult like the leaders of the fundamentalist movement act, the more they will be made fun of. If you want to be taken seriously, you can’t act like a crazy lunatic or cult leader.
I attended the most fundamental church in the whole wide world. We were there for 6 years .Were still trying to sort things out. We’ve been brainwashed and I’m ashamed of that. We now listen to different styles of music (some that have a beat or two in them) I wear pants and have short hair. My boys have watched “Ghost Busters”. and it didn’t open any unwanted doors. My son is now going to a secular high school. I use to homeschool. I’m buying a big screen tv with my blueberrie picking money. I’ve stopped being condescending to my unsaved neighbors. I’m no longer worried that my daughter who has Tourette Syndrome is demon possessed. OUr home library has included many more books other than “Laura Ingalls” and “Pilgrim’s Progress” over the last few years. Why I can just see the look of horror on my pastor’s wife face as I roar with laughter over “Erma Bombeck”. We do own “The sound of Music” but it’s beside the Santa Claus movie with Tim Allen in it.. Oh No.. What has happened to us. ????
doesn’t he kinda look like Darth Vadar when he was trying to lure Luke at Cloud city? hmmmm 🙂
Does anyone know what kind of conference he was referring to when speaking about the dual pulpits at the conference? It must have been a pretty large conference if they had to maybe rent out another facility? Although I don’t know; that’s a total guess. My guess is that the conference wouldn’t endorse dual pulpits, but rather it was too big and they used rented facilities.
Not to beleauger the point, but I just was wondering if someone could clarify this who is more familiar? I guess I always assumed, and perhaps wrongly so, that a speaker in these circles would only speak at conferences where they were very much alike in practice? That’s why I was thinking that perhaps the conference was in a rented facility and he was not referring to the actual conference participants, but it was perhaps more directed to the type of church that was the leaser of the facilities??? Or am I offbase and the speaker did speak at conferences which had a more diverse crowd which perhaps agreed on the core fundamentals of the faith, but didn’t always agree on the other issues? (pants, KJV, music, etc.) I am a Christian and am not familiar very much with these circles, but I have met some of them and they have been very nice people whom I would consider friends. Therefore, my assumptions could be off.
Unfortunately…my parents sent me to “HIS” school for 14 years. One thing I will never forget: My friend’s Dad was his body guard…and when her Dad died…at the funeral he said “Mr. ________ no longer needs me…he has God now”….I will never forget it.
Jack Hyles is dead now…and I wonder where he will be spending eternity….one day we will find out.
I HATED going to this church to visit…it was weird from the moment I stepped in the door.
No…the “Pastor’s School” is what they called it.. (aka conference)….they church was always maxed out as was the city itself…so many “of their graduates”…were selected to start churches all over the US….kind of like recruiting..
They told my brother his lot in life was a pastor…he is the last person who should ever be a pastor…he has since realized and actually gotten on with his life.
I think I might have been there that night. Countless hours spent in those hate-filled bus conference preachings.
We got extra-credit in bible class for going.