First Baptist Church to Orda Gay, Transgenr Misters — Charisma News

gay baptist preacher

A Texas baptist church — labeled an "anti-LGBT hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center — has ed outrage after a pastor said gay people should be "l

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TEXAS PASTOR SAYS GAY PEOPLE SHOULD BE 'SHOT THE BACK OF THE HEAD' SHOCKG SERMON

* gay baptist preacher *

A Texas baptist church — labeled an "anti-LGBT hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center — has ed outrage after a pastor said gay people should be "led up agast the wall and shot the back of the head. " Aw read several passag om the Bible and nmned homosexualy as a s. At one pot, he told the ngregatn that gay people "are dangero to society" and said that "all homosexuals are pedophil.

""I’m not sayg that every sgle homosexual that’s alive right now has mted that act wh a child already bee uld be they haven’t had the opportuny yet and they will at some pot later their life, " he said. Aw told the room that he thks the "solutn for the homosexual 2022" is the ath penalty. Every sgle homosexual our untry should be charged wh a crime.

The abomatn of homosexualy that they have, they should be nvicted a lawful trial. "Enuragg the executn of gay persons is not protected speech. The church's ma pastor, Jonathan Shelley, fend Aw sayg a lengthy statement that Ameri has weakened "punishments for homosexualy.

A GAY PASTOR EXPLAS WHAT THE BIBLE REALLY SAYS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY

Unfundamentalist Christians founr John Shore recently shared a letter om a gay Christian who is stgglg wh his sexualy and fah. Among the many enuragg ments on that post was one om a gay pastor who betifully explaed his unrstandg of the Bible, Christiany, and sexualy. * gay baptist preacher *

First Baptist of Greenville is now ordag gay, transgenr misters.

A former Southern Baptist Church has cid all are weled their pulp, gog so far as to orda gay and transgenr Baptist of Greenville, South Carola—the church home of the first Southern Baptist Conventn print—has taken a bold move "embracg the plexi of genr inty. "There were a few people who said, 'Are they gog to start llg the gay church town? As the only anizatn solely voted to buildg the Welg and Affirmg movement wh the Baptist tradns, AWAB has a unique ll to be The Natnal Voice for Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr, Queer, and Allied Baptists  the US.

ANTI-GAY PASTOR RIGNS AFTER ALLEGEDLY 'BEG WH PROSTUT'

Pastor Donnie Romero lled gays "scum of the earth" and appld the 2016 mass killg of gay people at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub. * gay baptist preacher *

Unfundamentalist Christians founr John Shore recently shared a letter om a gay Christian who is stgglg wh his sexualy and fah. Among the many enuragg ments on that post was one om a gay pastor who betifully explaed his unrstandg of the Bible, Christiany, and pastor gracly agreed to let me share his ment as blog post here. Pl was not sayg that idolatry turns people gay; rather, he was sayg that idolatry led to participatn shameful acts of lt.

TOP 5 ANTI-GAY MISTERS ACCED OF BEG HOMOSEXUAL

Bishop Eddie Long is not the first preacher who ranted agast homosexualy, who turn was acced of beg gay. There have been several others, all who have been acced of rryg out homosexual affairs the bedroom, while ragg agast gays the pulp. Here are 5 misters who preached agast homosexualy public yet were acced of dulgg homosexualy private. * gay baptist preacher *

As I said before, Romans 1 is not about gay Christian boys or girls, but about idolaters wh darkened unrstandg. Another passage often quoted agast is 1 Corthians 6:9, wrongly translated as “homosexuals. But Genis 19 no more nmns all homosexualy than Judg 19 nmns all heterosexualy.

If I ever meet a fe gay man who is Spirual and lovg and mutually attractive, and if I felt the Lord leadg me to him and him to me, I would feel ee to be his mate. Donnie Romero, a Baptist pastor who has ma natnal headl for his vilently homophobic sermons, recently rigned om his Texas church after admtg he has been “a terrible hband and father. Courty Stedfast Baptist Church / YouTubeWhile Romero — who has pared LGBTQ people to pedophil, lled gays “scum of the earth” and appld the 2016 mass killg of gay people at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub — did not provi tails about his behavr, Steven Anrson, a pastor who joed Romero last week durg his rignatn sermon, shared sight on YouTube to his iend’s “grievo ss.

PL RSHENBH, GAY BAPTIST PREACHER: “F—K ‘LOVE THE SNER, HATE THE S’”

The Southern Baptist Conventn, the largt Prottant nomatn the Uned Stat, wh over 16 ln members, has discrimated agast gay and lbian people for more than a quarter-century. * gay baptist preacher *

Shelley, like Anrson, said equentg prostut led to Romero’s rignatn, though Shelley add that he did not know the genr of the Romero, Shelley strongly nmns homosexualy. “The bible mak clear that homosexuals should be put to ath acrdg to God's law, and at the foundg of Ameri that once was the law, ” he claimed.

“I personally believe that every homosexual is a pedophile … bee of this they should be removed om society.

Bishop Eddie Long is not the first preacher who ranted agast homosexualy, who turn was acced of beg gay. There have been several others, all who have been acced of rryg out homosexual affairs the bedroom, while ragg agast gays the pulp. Here are 5 misters who preached agast homosexualy public yet were acced of dulgg homosexualy private.

IS BIBLILLY ALLOWABLE FOR A PASTOR TO BE GAY?

Garrard Conley's memoir of growg up as the gay son of a nservative Baptist preacher has been ma to a movie. He speaks wh NPR's Michel Mart. * gay baptist preacher *

Gee Rekers is a baptist mister and one of the Christian Right’s most proment anti-gay activists. He was on the board for the Natnal Associatn for Rearch & Therapy of Homosexualy, which tri to fd ways to “cure” homosexualy and ttified as a state wns favor of Florida’s gay adoptn ban trial.

Rekers was ught at an airport wh a gay prostute returng om a flight to Bermuda. Haggard would mpaign agast gay marriage and bash homosexualy Church. In 2006, a gay male prostute claimed that he had regular sex wh Haggard and also ed wh methamphetam.

HISTORIC BAPTIST CHURCH'S NEW -PASTOR, A GAY MAN, SAYS LLG IS 'THE HONOR OF MY LIFE'

Answer to a qutn about a preacher who says he ed to be gay. * gay baptist preacher *

Haggard would adm to beg gay and havg a relatnship wh a male church member. Eddie Long is another mister who would attack homosexualy public only to be acced of beg gay himself.

BAPTIST PREACHER BREAKS RANKS ON GAY RIGHTS

In a Facebook postg on Tuday, gay Baptist preacher Pl Rshenbh announced he was "done" when to "acmodatg relig hatred towards queer liv," cludg om "'rpectable' relig nomatns." * gay baptist preacher *

Eddie Long would preach agast homosexualy and mistered “homosexual cur” to gays and lbians while cricizg gay people.

10 MOST WILDLY ANTI-GAY PREACHERS AMERI

Is biblilly allowable for a pastor to be gay? Do beg gay disqualify a man om servg as a pastor? * gay baptist preacher *

The SPLC would label Eddie Long as “one of the most vilently homophobic black lears the religly based anti-gay movement. Pl Crouch is the founr, Print and chairman of the anti-gay Try Broadstg Networkg.

Dpe the fact that the Catholic Church views homosexualy as an unnatural s, Geoghan was acced of moltg over 130 young boys. The Southern Baptist Conventn, the largt Prottant nomatn the Uned Stat, wh over 16 ln members, has discrimated agast gay and lbian people for more than a quarter-century. In a 1996 “Rolutn on a Christian Rponse to Homosexualy, ” the SBC clared that “even a sire to engage a homosexual relatnship is always sful, impure, gradg, shameful, unnatural, cent and perverted.

In the 2000 Baptist Fah and Msage statement, the SBC equat "homosexualy" wh adultery and pornography, clarg, “In the spir of Christ, Christians should oppose … all forms of sexual immoraly, cludg adultery, homosexualy and pornography.

THE GEIA PASTOR WHO WELED GAY MEMBERS ON GETTG KICKED OUT OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTN

The SBC lls on s members to a “love the sner but hate the s” approach and affirms the possibily of reorientatn om same-sex attractn and supports “ex-gay” mistri. As the SBC webse stat: “Christians n, and should, mister to homosexuals a kd, yet firm manner.

The church should never turn s back on homosexuals who are searchg and seekg to heal the hurts wh their liv.

Homosexualy is not a ‘valid alternative liftyle. The same remptn available to all sners is available to homosexuals.

CHRISTIAN PREACHER ASKS GOD TO GIVE GAY PEOPLE A 'SLOW, PAFUL DEATH'

It lled on "Southern Baptists not only to stand agast same-sex unns but to monstrate our love for those practicg homosexualy by sharg wh them the fivg and transformg power of the gospel of J Christ (1 Corthians 6:9-11). In June 2010, a rolutn (On Homosexualy and the Uned Stat Milary) passed that stat: “we oppose changg current law to normalize the open prence of homosexuals the armed forc, and sist on keepg the fdg of Congrs that stas current law, which stat that even ‘the prence the armed forc’ of persons monstratg ‘a propensy or tent to engage homosexual acts’ creat ‘an unacceptable risk to...

Garrard Conley's memoir of growg up as the gay son of a nservative Baptist preacher has been ma to a movie. And he told her that I had nfsed that I was gay. And when dad took me to his bedroom and closed the door, he said, do you swear to God that you're not gay?

If you grow up an environment where people say that beg gay is evil or they make you feel that you n't live your life that way, you're gog to say Can you scribe what is about this experience that phed you to the brk? Can a person who says he ed to be gay be a preacher?

PREACHER ASKS GOD TO KILL GAY PEOPLE IN “SLOW, PAFUL DEATH”

The Bible do not fe a person as �a homosexual� (gay) the way we do today. If a person has stopped performg homosexual acts, he is no longer mtg that s. In a Facebook postg on Tuday, gay Baptist preacher Pl Rshenbh announced he was “done” when to “acmodatg relig hatred towards queer liv, ” cludg om “‘rpectable’ relig nomatns.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY BAPTIST PREACHER

Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><a href="><i>About US</i></a><i> is a fom to explore issu of race and inty the Uned Stat. </i><a href="><i>Sign up for the newsletter</i></a><i>.</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">HARTWELL, Ga. — At night, the worn sign looks like a bean the darkns out ont of the most, red-brick Mt. Hebron Baptist Church.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The tired, reads. The poor. And huddled mass. Wele home.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In this small town the ral northeast rner of Geia, ’s the kd of msage that assur Teri Massey she is loved for beg who she is — a msage 180 gre om the one she heard the Baptist church where she spent her teens to her 40s, where her grandfather, father and brother all held learship posns.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image-group"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">When Massey me out 2004, shortly after meetg the woman she later would marry, the ngregatn that other small Geia town rpond by mpaigng to send her to nversn therapy and holdg prayer vigils outsi her home.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">She found Mt. Hebron a few years ago through a iend. Pastor Grant Myerholtz, whose ual preachg attire is T-shirt and jeans, met her and her wife at the door. They listened refully as he stood the pulp and proclaimed: All are wele.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It was like this load was off of me,” Massey, 63, relled last week.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">At a time when many ho of worship are stgglg to sta themselv — wh church <a href=" target=_blank>membership</a> and <a href=" target=_blank>attendance</a> both at all-time lows this untry — Myerholtz seems to be pullg off a miracle of sorts: Ty Mt. Hebron is flourishg. Barely a dozen people showed up for his first sermons fall 2020; the days, sometim 100 fac are lookg up at him.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Church members say his empathy and engagement are what draw them. His terpretatn of scripture is not what is tradnally heard a nservative muny.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In April, for stance, Myerholtz gave the openg prayer at the Hartwell Pri ftival — which already had weathered<a href=" target=_blank> a backlash</a> om area church over a proposed sprg drag show. “There’s a muny of people that guard their relign and say, ‘It’s not for you. You’re a sner. You n’t love God like that,’” said the anizatn’s print, Coll Graham, who is trans. “So I thk was important to have [Grant] out there to show people that you n be a Christian and you n be gay or trans.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And on two Saturdays this month, Myerholtz will host a laki baptism for anyone who has been nied that re for any reason. “If were up to me, a reprentative of every mistry this town would be there wh arms wi open,” he says. “We have the easit job on the pla as Christians if we want to accept . That is simply to love everybody.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Hartwell is the seat of Hart County, where chicken farmg is the major dtry and massive broiler sheds hoe lns of birds. Downtown bs clu a store for ax throwg as well as an art gallery. Amerin flags abound.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image-group"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Church is, and has always been, the muny’s backbeat. Every week, the lol newspaper vot a page to the worship service tim of the area’s 100 ho of worship, nearly half of them Baptist. Hart, not surprisgly, do not allow the sale of liquor.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div id="gift-share-le" data-ttid="gift-share-le" class="PJLV PJLV-ilotWTr-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-goNocI-placement-Inle foc-highlight"><div data-ttid="gift-share-terstial-trigger" class="wpds-c-kPqOkS wpds-c-kPqOkS-jtSXsT-hasSubsText-false"><span class="wpds-c-hBJqc"><span class="wpds-c-dzSncg">Share this article</span></span><span class="wpds-c-eCvK"><span class="wpds-c-enedHQ wpds-c-enedHQ-cCdK-isShown-false">Share</span><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fDHGth"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></span></div></button></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The 47-year-old Myerholtz is a native son, wh a fay history several generatns ep. His path to the pulp started a different lol Baptist church, where he briefly served as associate pastor before headg to Fland Baptist Bible College North Carola for studi Christian mistri. Then me stops at small church South Carola and Geia, but he said he beme weary of nomatnal doctr, which he felt got the way of J’s teachgs. He stepped away.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">By 2011, he was the Natnal Guard. A fall durg a trag exercise left him wh bra and spe juri, and while reverg, he picked up a book lled “The Ragamuff Gospel” by a former Francisn prit named Brennan Manng. Myerholtz cid to build the rt of his life around s simple premise for the Gospel: unndnal grace.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">He was back Hartwell wh his wife when a chance enunter wh one of the ans at Mt. Hebron led to an vatn to lead the church. Myerholtz arrived wh new energy and double sleev of tattoos. He says he was embraced immediately.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">His clive approach is the reason Jake Duvall said he was the ont row last Sunday — as he is almost every Sunday. A bat veteran who twice ployed to Iraq and still grappl wh PTSD, he wore jeans, a black T-shirt and heavy black boots. He rried a diaper-filled bag for his year-old son, Rowan.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">He remembers what Myerholtz said when vg him to Mt. Hebron: Come as you are, not as you should be. “I don’t do well wh crowds,” explaed Duvall, who is 38. “But I really feel that my symptoms are tolerable when I go to that church.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Well to s send century, Mt. Hebron remas lked to the Baptists, acrdg to s name and the newspaper directory. But Myerholtz shi away om nomatnal tegori and nsirs his an pennt ngregatn.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">He has not won over other Baptist lears the area. On the day that Myerholtz prayed at the pri ftival, the Rev. Andy Buchanan of Liberty Baptist Church opened s doors and ved the muny to pray for “those who are engaged this evil.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">A week ago, Buchanan started his Sunday morng sermon at Liberty Baptist wh a plea for God’s terventn agast forc that threaten the untry. “We fd sexual perversn beg promoted on a sle that we uld not have imaged,” he said, targetg issu cludg <a href=" target="_blank" class="ntextual_lk">abortn</a> and “the mutilatn of children that is takg place the name of progrsive thkg.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“God help ,” Buchanan said.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image-group"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">By ntrast, Myerholtz showed a movie clip om Disney’s “The Ln Kg” and then quoted 1 Peter 5:8. The verse warns that the vil prowls about like a “roarg ln” lookg for someone to vour. The exhortatn that follows is to stand firm fah, knowg that others the world are alg wh siar sufferg.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Myerholtz often pop culture referenc and tails om his own life — such as doctors’ recent asssment that he is at creasg risk of paralysis om the juri staed durg his Natnal Guard trag — to make the Bible more relatable.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Anybody ever have a week that jt sucks?” he began, stg a foldg chair by the ont pews. Hands flew to the air. He leaned . “Ever been h so hard that you’re qutng God?” he asked, before offerg reassurance. “That don’t make you a bad person.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As the sun illumated the church’s simple staed glass wdows, Myerholtz closed by askg everyone to reach across a pew or aisle and hold hands.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“In God’s kgdom, don’t matter what lor we are. It don’t matter what party we are,” he said. “What do matter God’s enomy is how we treat one another. How we roar for one another.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="wpds-c-dhzjXW wpds-c-dhzjXW-iPJLV-css mt-md grid-center grid-body"><div id="gift-share-end" data-ttid="gift-share-end" class="PJLV PJLV-idiqKOk-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-iIVoLq-placement-Shortcut foc-highlight"><div class="wpds-c-UazGY" id="gift-share-shortcut" data-ttid="gift-share-shortcut"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fVfumU "><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg><div class="PJLV wpds-c-kwcHlj">Share</div></div></button></div><div class="wpds-c-hcekgi"><div class="mb-lg-mod" data-qa="ments-btn-div"><button aria-label="Scroll to the ments sectn" data-qa="ments-btn" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-eHdizY-nsy-flt wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-igqYgPb-css ments hi-for-prt"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg><span></span> Comments</button></div></div></div><div class="grid-center grid-body"><div></div></div></article><div class="centered-layout grid-layout"><div class="grid-center grid-mobile-full-bleed"><div class="hi-for-prt ml-to mr-to mt-md pt-lg recirc" data-qa="recirc"><div class="flex-l jtify-center hi-for-prt"><div class="pr-sm ml-sm ml-0-ns b-l br-l bc-gray-darkt more-om-post"><div></div><div class="dn db-l pb-md pt-md"><div data-qa="newsletter" class="hi-for-prt relative"><div class="dib w-100"><div><div class="flex jtify-center align self-center center transn-all duratn-400 ease--out" data-qa="sc-newsletter-signup" aria-label=""><svg aria-labelledby="react-aria-1-aria" role="img" viewBox="0 0 100 80"><tle id="react-aria-1-aria">Loadg... .

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