Remembering Homer Lindsay, Jr. - Fifteen Years After His Death

Readers - 15 years ago today, Homer Lindsay, Jr. died after a brief battle with cancer. In remembrance of the date of his passing, I am re-posting the article below, posted by yours truly, back in the summer of 2010. Enjoy. Notice since this article posted, Anthony George has left Aloma Baptist Church and now is at FBC Atlanta. A few paragraphs were slightly edited from the original posted article.

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Anthony George, Pastor of Aloma Baptist Church (Winter Park, Florida) was saved at FBC Jacksonville when he was in high school in Jacksonville in the late 70's or early 80's when FBCJ was pastored by Homer Lindsay, Jr. (picture at left).

Well, Anthony George was the speaker at a revival meeting at North Central Baptist Church in Gainesville, Florida June 20-23, 2010. Many of you know that Calvin Carr has been the pastor of North Central since 2007.

In one of his sermons at the North Central revival a few weeks ago, Anthony George gave a very moving testimony of the kind of preacher Homer Lindsay was. He spoke of how Homer Lindsay was in stark contrast to what George called the "hip hop" preachers today in the SBC who seem to be going through a mid-life crisis. Lindsay was the opposite of this - a man who was out of style, but still connected to people by teaching them to love Jesus and love people, and through his life showed them that Jesus was real and alive.

Listen to the five-minute clip below for a true and humorous rememberance of a pastor who was taught to love Jesus by Homer Lindsay and went on to became a fine pastor.

Anthony George Remembers Homer Lindsay, Jr. from FBCJax Watchdog on Vimeo.

I think Brother Anthony has it right about Lindsay. He was a mega church pastor who didn't seek to be a mega church pastor. Lindsay didn't guilt people into obedience or browbeat people into submission or teach people to be "churchmen". He didn't appeal to people's emotions by trying to be hip or cool, and he didn't have a certain schtick to his preaching that gave him a niche market on the preaching circuit. He wasn't a great story teller or historian, and he didn't have a fantastic, remarkable testimony that made people want to come hear his yarns and tales.

He was just a guy who loved Jesus, and loved lost people, and his life's mission was to tell them about Jesus, and to preach the bible in a very plain fashion.

In other words: Homer Lindsay was the absolute antithesis of the modern day megachurch pastor.

He pastored his flock. He didn't travel to speaking gigs week after week. He didn't go on the SBC preaching circuit. He never sought any glamor or recognition. He never wanted to turn his fame as a mega church pastor into book deals of his latest sermon series - in fact what books he did write were really just copied "booklets" given away for free in the foyer of the church to anyone who wanted them. He viewed Jacksonville as his primary mission field. He did broadcast the entire services live on TV as a means to reach people and serve shut-ins, but he didn't seek to produce 30-minute TV shows of his sermons for broadcast on phony-baloney hair channels like INSP or TBN.

When considering the state of the SBC: maybe Lindsay SHOULD have gone on the preaching circuit just a bit, and maybe he should have gone to the seminaries to speak to the next generation of pastors more frequently.

Then maybe the SBC wouldn't be in the mess it is these days if more pastors were emulating his example, instead of acting like rock-star, jet-setting celebrities out to make a buck and build their own family brand name.

And maybe we would have less of the mega church wannabe pastors who empower these celebrities by defending their sins and excesses and licking their boots every chance they get.

Thank God there STILL are some SBC preachers more like Lindsay, some even at larger churches. It's just that we don't hear much about them - they aren't in power at the SBC and they're not on the preaching circuit - they are busy pastoring their flocks.

Ergun Caner Resigns from Presidency of Brewton Parker College

Today Brewton Parker trustees announced the resignation of Ergun Caner as President.

Caner's resignation letter can be read here.

Merry Christmas to All!!!!

Merry Christmas to all my Internet friends!!! Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2015!

12 Tithing Days Left in 2014 - WD Reader Pens a Remake of "Up on the Rooftop, Reindeer Pause"...

Readers: There are only 12 days left to pay your 2014 tithe and come "into complete obedience" to God as declared by SBC President Ronnie Floyd. This is serious business. Baptists, don't forget that it was Ronnie who said God will curse you if you don't tithe, and that you probably aren't a real Christian if you don't.

As Ronnie told his church members earlier this year:

"You gonna go 'clucking' around here talkin' about how you got saved and changed and goin' to heaven when you die and you won't even trust God financially? Lord help ya. That's not the same God I know."

Baptists, don't go "clucking" around your church and your neighborhood about your salvation this Christmas season if you don't tithe. Your president says your stinginess means you don't know the same God he knows. You're an impostor until you show your faithfulness by submitting 10% of your income to your local 501(c)3 church.

So in honor of only 12 tithing days left in 2014, here is a remake of "Up on the Rooftop", penned by a Watchdog reader:

Up in the pulpit, a solemn pause…

“TITHE!” shouts Good Old Pastor Laws,

In the assembly the people sigh,

A Capital Project is surely nigh.

Ho, ho, ho! Who has the dough? Ho, ho, ho! Who has the dough?

Up in the pulpit, slick, slick, slick!

Fleecing the flock with a shameless trick.

First comes the offering of Mrs. Nash, 

Oh dear, she is low on cash,

Give her a lecture that makes her cry,

She’ll open her handbag by and by.

Ho, ho, ho! Who has the dough? Ho, ho, ho! Who has the dough?

Up in the pulpit, slick, slick, slick!

Fleecing the flock with a shameless trick.

Next comes the offering of Mr. Will,

Oh, that’s quite an obedient fill,

His family is poor and the bills are late,

But Pastor says: First comes the offering plate!

Ho, ho, ho! Who has the dough? Ho, ho, ho! Who has the dough?

Up in the pulpit, slick, slick, slick!

Fleecing the flock with a shameless trick.

Watchdog's Remake of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" - in Honor of Ronnie Floyd and David Platt

Below is a remake of my 2009 "Twas the Sunday Before Christmas". You'll like the additions I'm sure!

I did this remake after I got so darned confused this past week by conflicting statements about my money uttered by two heavies in the SBC: President Ronnie Floyd, and International Mission Board President David Platt.

Ronnie Floyd told us church members we have only until December 31st to come into obedience and pay the full 10% tithe on ALL the 2014 income we have earned. I know the IRS gives us 3 1/2 months grace, but Ronnie says his SBC churches, need all the cash NOW.

But then I read David Platt told Christians they should write God a "blank check" so that people all over the world can hear the gospel. He didn't say where I should send this blank check to God, or if I need to make it out to "God" or someone else. My hunch is that sending it to the IMB is where David believes God wants me to send it.

In my confused state, I decided to stiff both Ronnie and David, and as my gift to the SBC and David and Ronnie, offer up this version of:

"Twas the Sunday Before Christmas"

'Twas the Sunday before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The accounting was done, all revenue included with care,

In hopes that by tithing, God's blessings soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;

But their needs must come second, or God's collection tactics we dread;

And mama in her Jaguar, and I in my Lexus,

Had just bought our beach house which is much better than Texas,

When up on the platform there arose such a clatter,

I sat up in my pew to see what was the matter.

Up on the stage, a man ranted and stomped, like a flash;

So I tore open my wallet and forked over my cash.

The man on the platform turned white as the new-fallen snow,

His face twisted and somber as giving was low,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a jolly fat admin pastor to whisper a prayer,

With an arrogant tone, he prayed so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment Pastor's boots he would lick.

More rapid than eagles his pleadings they came,

And he stomped, and he shouted, and called us by name:

"Now, Yes Man! now, Gullible! now Cursed and Robber!

On, Thief! On, Lost Man! On, Kool-Aid Drinker!

To the top of the heavens! To Nehemiah's wall!

Give cash away! Cash away! Cash away all!"

As bullies that before the weak listeners cry,

When they meet with a budget obstacle, amounts to the sky;

So up to the pulpit the followers of men flew

With the wallets full of cash, assets, dividends too—

And then, in a twinkling, I heard alas,

The stomping and mugging of one pompous ass.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the aisle Mega Pastor came with a bound.

He was dressed all in the fanciest of suits, I didn't dare blink;

And his clothes were all accessorized with golden cuff links;

A bundle of rage he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a horse's ass and just like a quack.

His beady rat eyes—how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And what hair remained on his bald head was as white as the snow;

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he stomped, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had everything to dread;

He said he spoke God's word, misusing verses to support his work,

And filled his own pockets; wow, what a jerk,

And sticking his finger high in the air,

He showed that church what he thought of  non-tithers there;

He sprang to the exit, to his enablers he gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he stomped so erect,

“Catch up on your tithing, or be sure God will collect!"