Crybaby Pastors Part 3: Steven Furtick Lashes Out at "Haters"

I didn't plan on a part 3, but just came across the video below posted by Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church in North Carolina. In his video he waxes eloquently about his disdain for "haters". Pastors like Furtick and Perry Noble and Ed Young use the term "hater" to describe their critics. Nothing more loving, I suppose, than to call your critics "haters".

I do thank Steven, though, for not trying to do a rap with sunglasses and tight britches like Ed Young. Steven made his message very clear and I'm sure he is very sincere.

But at the risk of being a "hater", let me make a few comments, ok Steve?

Do you not find the tone and emotion and the accusations in his video to be incredibly ironic? It is though really he is speaking of himself and his emergent protege's. Who is the real hater? Listen to this guy's words and accusations that he hurls with animated emotion. He hates his critics.

Furtick starts off saying they are "done" with people who criticize them for their methods. Well, I don't know about Furtick, but Perry Noble from the pulpit hurls insults at traditional churches and pastors and deacons, and even pastor's wives for their hair-dos. These guys like Furtick and Young and Noble can dish out the criticism from their pulpits and at their conferences, but they just can't take it. They have built mega-mega churches but apparently they can't take criticism.

Steven can't see that he is speaking of himself. Right after he criticizes "haters" for seeing things in only black and white, he then says "The only kind of words you speak bring death to the hearer". Wow. His words apparently bring life...but the words of the "haters", his critics, bring death. Nothing more black and white than this.

I can't imagine being a member of a church with a guy like this as pastor. Anybody in his church going to say a word against Steven, or criticize this or that? No way, he is training his church members to hate critics and to shun them. Can you picture Jerry Vines or Adrian Rogers making some sort of hateful video like this toward their critics? This video shows makes Furtick out to be a small, small man.

My favorite line toward his critics: "You look like a toddler". He must be looking in the mirror.

And what it all boils down to is this when Furtick says this at the end:

"We're not looking for approval from you, who give no respect and never neglect the chance to complain."

There you go, that says it all. They want respect, and they don't want you to complain. Just give them your tithe (that is one custom from the traditional church that they haven't let go), attend their conferences, and buy their books.

But don't complain or criticize. Just kiss Steven's diamond rings and bring your alms.