106 thoughts on “Standing By God’s Man”

    1. It’s not possible…or is it?

      I thought the same thing when I saw an African-American man playing the piano at a fundy church.

    2. Ok…wow. Only made it to 2:38. That’s something. As a person with two music degrees who always thought it was a bit uppity to have auditions for choirs…I think I am in favor of it now. Or better yet, what’s the purpose of the choir anyway? Also, why are the men standing in front of the women? I enjoyed the shot of the audience where one person is visible *snicker*…can’t say that I can comment on the words of the song. I was too distracted by the music.

      1. Also, why are the men standing in front of the women?

        Because it’s important to show at all times that the women are eternally subordinate to the men! 🙄

      2. I have been in good choirs and bad ones. I’ve had the pleasure of conducting good choirs and some like this one. A great challenge! Yes, sometimes I like to simply listen to the music and the arrangement. But more often than not I enjoy seeing how the conductor has changed things around to pull performances out of these diamonds in the rough, that they did not think they had in them.

        About the subject of the song, today I’m in a “take what you need, and leave the rest” mode, so I’ll stop here. 😉

      3. I couldn’t even make it till the end. It goes on for over 6 minutes? I think there are more people in the choir than the general congregation. At least theyy have a higher percentage of overall “involvement in the ministry” than the “average church”…

  4. I’ve actually heard much worse choirs…

    That being said, I’m not sure I’ve heard a worse song than that one. And the part at the end, where they held up the pastor’s hands? 🙄

  5. So I looked up the verse that was on the screen behind the choir, Exodus 17: 8-16 and don’t see where this is a “Stand By Your Man” scripture (but I looked it up in the NKJV). Anyone care to explain?

    Also, I need to let my choir director adn worship leader know how much I appreciate them and their good music. I don’t have a musical ear, but that performance was downright awful, musically.

    1. It’s the holding up of the arms of God’s chosen leader so they won’t lose the battle. Seems to make perfect sense with the video and song.

      1. another nice touch was the Christian flag being decidedly above the American one during the processional

    2. Yes, the spectacle of Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’ hands is a common metaphor in fundyland for “supporting your pastor” in whatever “battle” he might be “fighting.”

      1. Cannot tell you the number of “sermons” I’ve heard on Aaron and Hur and lifting up Moses’ hands that were really pastor-worship in disguise.

      2. Yea, still not seeing it. I didn’t hear about this at Fundyville Baptist Church while I was there. It was more about “give the money.”

      3. I heard that at PCC and thought “this is the stupidest analogy I’ve ever heard”. I had no idea it was wide spread, and don’t know why people will listen to that BS, and think “yeah he’s right”…

      4. We JUST had one of those >.< Gotta counter-attack those nasty allegations somehow, since of COURSE he can't openly face them 🙄

    3. I understand the metaphor this song emphasizes, but copmletely disagree with it in principle. That passage of scripture is a lesson in what God can do – it has nothing to do with Aaron and Hur “standing by” Moses!

      1. I agree. I was just pointing out how these folks were using it and how it fit with the video/song. I’ve heard this passage used before to support the “pastor should never be questioned” ideal. It’s scary.

      2. True, but they DID help him. They supported him when he got tired. But it was while he was doing exactly what God commanded him to do, NOT his own thing.

  6. Yes, the singing is atrocious, but the “gem” of the video is when the men hold up the hands of the pastor. Really??? Who thought that was a good idea??? The whole thing, from the words of the song to the show of holding the pastor’s hands up, is simply to put the pastor on an ego trip. Hero worship again and again. It keeps resurfacing. Sure, they might say it was to honor him, but in reality it was to make him feel better about himself and to build up his own pride.

    After watching stuff like this it makes me so thankful to have a pastor who would walk out the door of the church before anyone even got halfway through this song. He would never allow himself to be worshiped more than God or Jesus Christ and for that I’m thankful.

  7. Only made it 3:12. I can’t understand most of the words in this. The Hyles Anderson one you posted a while ago I could at least understand. I think is a combo of bad mic’ing (those don’t look like boundary/directional mics), and obviously horrid composition (what was the point of going to — I’m guessing — some kind of minor key?), and obviously not a very talented choir. Just a total breakdown of any effort to do anything well.

    Was rather amused that they appear to have more in the choir than they do in the audience.

    I wish the voter guy had done some voting this time. That always makes me laugh.

  8. After the music they probably say, “If the congregation would come on up to the choir loft we can begin.” The sad thing is I have seen it done. It is easier for the 5 or 6 people to come on the platform rather than the choir going down to the pews.

  9. There is a soprano that’s so badly off that it hurts to listen to the high solos…

  10. For a second, I thought this was going to be a parody of the Tammy Wynette song . . . “Stand by God’s maaaaaan! And tell the world you love him.”

  11. I watched it all!! It sounded like a dirge. I think I still may prefer it to my least favorite hymn of all time. “The Old Rugged Cross.”

  14. I’ve heard my share of horrible choirs in my day, so I’ve learned how to suffer through them.

    What I have never understood is the pageantry that many Fundy Churches love. Why was it necessary to parade the American & Christian flag, a girl holding the Bible and the choir marching in????

    1. There is a variety of flags at the far right of the platform (visible at 0:36). Maybe this is a missions conference or it could be a patriotic Sunday and those are state flags or the flags of the armed services.

      1. At the very end there was a statement that this was a Missions Conference.

        So why were they holding up the pastor’s hands and not the missionaries?

    2. It’s called a Baptist liturgy. But don’t tell them; their heads will explode.

  16. Yeah, but everyone’s missing the point. The choir processed in, just like them Catholics. 😆

    1. Ah, I should have read Priscilla’s comment more carefully. It’s a “parade” and not a “processional” (or, perhaps, a slow march?)

  18. Ok. Blame my suspicious mind but the tiny congregation and the processional and theatrics about standing by God’s man makes me think something happened here.

    The church split over the color of the carpet again? 😆

    1. I don’t see how anyone would want to split over that light blue that screams 1992, but maybe I’m a 90s guy. 😉

    1. Interesting website…After our recent search for a new non-fundy church, I’m always interested to read the statement of faith on a church’s website. It was amazing to me what some of the churches would put in their statement of faith. (We made a point to rule out any churches that put KJVO in their statement of faith…lol) This church has not one mention of Jesus (unless you technically count the taking of the Lord’s supper)…but, bless God, we know they believe in the autonomy of the local church. Unbelievable. Well…not so unbelievable.

      1. “Our church is alive and well” it says on their web site. They are stretching the truth, at best. 😆

    2. “The time is now. When the clock strikes zero, it will be too late.”

      Uh, you may want to re-word that. Clocks don’t strike zero. They go right from twelve to one.

      1. 12 hour clocks do. But clocks that run on a 24 hr system (ie. the ones that show 13:00 in place of 1:00, or 18:00 for 6:00) would show midnight, 12:00am as 0:00.

        1. I’ve always thought that “clock strikes 0” is more of timer/countdown thing than a reference to midnight, but could be that military “oh-hundred hours” thing too.

    3. The web site mentions that the choir has a music CD, but I don’t see a way to order it.

  20. Oh this wasn’t a scene from ” A Distant Thunder”? …i thought toward the end was the execution…

  23. my ears are bleeding. I couldn’t make it through. I understand serving God but where God calls God equips, and God did not equip. I think i would rather hear Jack Hyles preach ok maybe it;s not that bad lol.

  24. Ok, we’re laughing, and for good reason, but when you seriously consider what it takes for a church to perform this kind of pageantry – this is rank idolatry. It doesn’t seem scary watching it on Ytube, but think of all the people (even kids) who are being brainwashed into thinking this is good and even Christian. Actually, watching the video again its not that many…

  25. Where to begin.

    My wife says I must believe in torture, making her listen to this. Not only is it rough on her ears, it brought back bad fundie memories. 😮 She said she would have sicced the dogs on me, but they were too busy covering their ears. 😯 😉

    I could only last through 4:08. The high notes (attempt) hurt my cardboard ear. 😆

    It was nice seeing black people there. Our first fundie church had several, including inter-racial couples. 😯 🙂

    As for the song, I’m familiar with the sentiment, but I think that the worship should be center on God, not man. After reading the comment about holding the pastor’s hand, I’m glad I missed the end. 🙄 I had just finished breakfast.

    1. centered, not center. George, leave me alone. Glad I’m under grace, not the rules. 😀

  26. Oh my. That was truly awful. I don’t know what was more painful, the horrendous singing or the subject matter. Together, it was just a perfect storm of awful. How can anyone sit through this week after week??

  27. Wow… that church didn’t have too many people.. I could only listen to 1:54. I’m sorry, but those people are in bad need of a professional voice coach. The singing was atrocious.

  28. This is HORRIBLE! I had to turn it off in case someone heard me listening to it!!!!! I am sure the pastors hands are being held up so that they can be “filled”… (rolling eyes into the back of head)

  29. Is the grand entrance a every Sunday norm or is this a special event?

    A skinny girl would sure stick out in the back row of the choir.

  31. Many years ago, my father-in-law was the pastor of a small church. The last Saturday of every month, the congregation would meet for a “sing”. If you were seated in the congregation, you would be offered a chance to air your talent, and after cycling through everyone once, they’d cycle back through for second and third auditions. What I always though was amusing was when some people were invited, their first response was always, “I don’t have anything prepared”, but with a little encouragement, they’d rummage through their purse or Bible to find the appropriate sheet music or they’d retrieve their guitars from the trunks of their cars.

  32. Oh my gosh. That was absolutely awful. I have been in these “productions” before but hopefully none quite this terrible. Fortunately for them it looked like the entire congregation was in the choir so very few people to hear it. (until now that is)

  34. *Hope all 6 people in the audience enjoyed it.
    *So typical of biblical simpletons who believe what
    they are told and are never allowed or see no need to ask ‘why.’
    *That tiny church has 2 pastors? I see it was their “Missions Conference.” Maybe one was that night’s speaker.
    *So embarrassing I think I blushed.

  35. Didn’t read any comments, I assume other people mentioned how awful they were…. I know that my elementary school choir sounded better than that.

  36. Everyone is being a little rough on the choir in the video. I think this is what they call “making a joyful noise unto the Lord”. :mrgreen:

    As bad as it sounded, the worst part was the whole standing aroung the pastor at the end. I guess that stuff about humbling yourself before the Lord doesn’t apply to pastors.

  37. My my there’s some big lads and lasses in that choir. Odd that they should produce such a weedy noise unto the Lord.

  38. I was actually encouraged by the multi racial and handicapped friendly atmosphere of the church.

  41. I went to a fundy church that at least had a fantastic music program even though 90% of the songs were written by Garlock, Hamilton, or Lynch. This video reminded me of the 3 years I went to a Bible Baptist church for school. They sang these kinds of poorly written songs on a regular basis. UGH!

  42. Stand by Your Man (of gid)

    Its hard to be an IFB woman
    Giving all your love to just one man
    …having never dated anyone but him
    You’ll have bad times
    And he’ll have good times
    Doing things that you don’t understand
    … BAM QUALIFIED!”
    But if you love him you’ll forgive him
    Even though he’s hard to understand
    …”But don’t you see, she’s my spiritual soulmate!
    And if you love him
    Oh be proud of him
    … and you could win next years Beverly Hyles Award (for being faithful in the shadows)
    ‘Cause after all he’s just gid’s man
    Stand by your man

    Give him two arms to cling to
    And something warm to come to
    … Boom-Chicka-Wow-wow!
    When nights are cold and lonely
    … and you won’t find him picking up women at bars in WVA.
    Stand by your man

    And tell the world you love him
    … “subscribe to Christian Woman(in da)hood “
    Keep giving all the love you can
    … and you’ll be right with gid
    Stand by your man
    Stand by your man

    And show the world you love him
    … and be obnoxious about it…
    Keep giving all the love you can
    Stand-by-your- man

    Mrs. John Rice says that when a couple has trouble, it’s 90% the wife’s fault.
    One time I asked her, “Why?”

    She said, “The husband’s job is outside the home, but the wife’s job is the home. The husband’s main duty in life is to work somewhere outside the home, but the wife’s job is the home.”

    SOURCE: Pastor Jack Hyles, The Candle of the Lord — by Pastor Jack Hyles

    Rice quote found on: http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Family/Marriage/divorce_is_a_sin.htm

    1. Honolulu!
      Impressive job Don, may I suggest moonlighting as a song writer when not working as Director of anti-fundy special ops?

      1. Great song, Don.

        That Rice quote makes me SO mad! Family problems are 90% the wife’s fault? What ridiculous guilt to put on women. I thought men were the HEAD of the home anyway.

        1. Obviously, Mrs. Rice has a very low estimation of men, since she gives them credit for having only 10% of the power in a relationship.

  43. Honolulu!! I know there was Liberty to preach after that! Haymen!

    **Belvadere, come back here boy… I’ve finished listening to it I promise. Here boy, now don’t act like that, it was just a video. No really see… there’s no use to howl and carry on like that.**

  44. I was wondering if it was a rehearsal in which a few people came to watch.

    But pastor worship – UGH. I thought that we were to worship God. 🙄

  45. The first sign of a spiritually abusive system is “Power Posturing”:

    ”Power posturing simply means that leaders spend a lot of time focused on their own authority and reminding others of it as well.” – Jeff VanVonderen, “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse”, p. 63

    How very very sad.

  46. I couldn’t last very far into it. The music was just too depressing. The procession in the beginning looked like they were going to bury that Bible.

  49. Ah, good ol’ John Marshall Family. I sang this song in a ladies’ trio, Anniversary Sunday 2005. I even gave a short We Love Our Pastor speech during the song intro. Brilliant memories.

    (aaand… cue panic attack)

  50. This video went private. Does anyone know when the video was done? I’d like to try to find it on Youtube. This bunch has a lot of videos up and I’d like to see if maybe there’s another version of this particular video that they didn’t make private.

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