Saturday, May 21, 2011

Hogan Upset by Brown: A Sign of the Times?

Jeff Brumley, the religion writer of our paper, the Florida Times Union, wrote a tongue-in-cheeck article yesterday discussing what "signs" might indicate that today IS the end of time as predicted by Harold Camping.

Signs of the End Times, locally and beyond

One of the "signs" Jeff mentioned:
"On Tuesday, Jacksonville elects its first black mayor in Alvin Brown (and that was against Mike Hogan, a candidate seemingly backed by mighty First Baptist Church, of which Hogan is a member."
with the hyperlink going to the Sunday May 15th FBC Jax Watchdog post describing how Mac had Mike Hogan come to the front and kneel while Mac laid hands on him and prayed a length prayer "...God, give us godly leadership".

Thanks for the hat-tip, Jeff.

Yes, Mike Hogan lost in a mammoth political upset, as unknown conservative Democrat Alvin Brown beat Mike Hogan in the race for mayor last Tuesday.

As Jeff says, "Whether or not it's the End Times, I have no idea. But the times, they are a 'changin."

21 comments:

  1. While I have nothing bad to say against Brown at this point, he ran a good campaign, less than 40% showed up to vote, but can't see how this is a "mandate" when you only win by 1%.

    Conservative Democrat, well, looking at who he has worked for in the past in Washington DC, I will be surprised if he actually governs as a "conservative Democrat".

    ReplyDelete
  2. In local politics the labels of conservative and liberal are a bit hard to define.

    Brown is conservative in one sense in that he has said that he will not raise taxes or fees on citizens. He believes the problems are not that we aren't giving enough, but that the government needs to be more fiscally responsible.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have to disagree with Jeff Brumley on one thing. We are not the "mighty First Baptist Church" anymore. I loved Dr. Vines preaching, but I felt as a Pastor he took the church in another direction than what alot of people wanted the church to go and for that reason a lot of people left the church. In a way I and others were glad to see Mac Brunson become the Pastor because we were hoping he would bring the people back to First Baptist and for a while it worked. I saw the parking garages filling back up to what they use to be when Dr. Lindsay was alive, but unfortunately Mac Brunson has turned out to be a very big disappointment,people are leaving again, parking garage 3 & 4
    seem empty compared to what they use to be and our Pastors Conference pales in comparison to past Conferences and worst of all the preacher doesn't practice what he preaches. This preacher has very little influence in this city and with his church members. That's why he is having to constantly preach on giving instead of our usual September tithing messages.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anyone who thinks churches have power and clout getting people to elected office are simply blind or misinformed.

    For starters, what ignorance would lend anyone to believe that any church could benefit from having the mayor in their fellowship?

    Second, the best thing all churches can do is follow Scripture when it comes to those in elected office.

    As far as Brown vs. Hogan, neither candidate did much to excite the electorate as is indicated by the low, low voter turnout.

    Brown was a very enticing politician because of his perceived lack of being a "politician" and his skin color, which should be irrelevant to the public at large.

    When Glover ran for sheriff and the Times Union and other media outlets said that Jacksonville would not elect a black sheriff, not just me, but scores of other folks voted for him just because of his skin color.
    He got my vote the first time, but not the second and not when he ran for mayor. Not because of his color but because of his performance as Sheriff.

    Many voted for Brown because he was something new and fresh, many because he was a registered Democrat and many because of his color.

    I think that everyone should sit back and give Brown breathing room and let him do his job, pray for his administration and solving the problems of Jacksonville, and if he does not cut the mustard vote him out in four years. If he does do a great job, give him credit and re-elect him.

    Dawg, you and Brumley need to grow up and stop trying to make mountains out of mole hills when it comes to the influence that churches have on elections. In my four decades here it has never been and factor and never will. CHILL!

    ReplyDelete
  5. " I loved Dr. Vines preaching, but I felt as a Pastor he took the church in another direction than what alot of people wanted the church to go and for that reason a lot of people left the church. "


    Hm. Did they know that Vines signed the support letter for "Hollywood" Bob Reccord when he left NAMB under a horrible cloud and used NAMB as his personal springboard speaking gigs, his non proft and to market his books?

    Vines is NOT one of the good guys. He is a user. And circles the wagons to support the bad guys.

    Study the Word yourself so you won't be sucked in by.what you think is good preaching

    ReplyDelete
  6. As one of the FTU's journalist said the race was Hogan's to lose and he did . . .another private individual said in the "Letters from Readers" column
    that he watched Hogan hobnob with unions and party bigwigs as well as he wouldn't show up to debates so he switched his vote for Brown. N

    Hogan simply failed to heed warning signs as big-money backers fled and voted for Brown.

    11:07 ; You are right Mac Brunson absolutely has no clout here in this city and for sure we are "not the mighty First Baptist anymore"

    ReplyDelete
  7. Unbeliever says:

    "For starters, what ignorance would lend anyone to believe that any church could benefit from having the mayor in their fellowship?"

    Ask FBC Dallas. It is a HUGE deal to have the mayor in the church. The pastor is "God's appointed agent to save people from ignorance". So the mega church pastor will certainly have the mayor's ear on issues in the city. Look at Mac on Sunday. Whitmire prayed for Hogan and all candidates. You have to ask yourself: why would Mac call then call Mike Hogan to kneel and pray for him? Why not Redman and Yarborough and the many other members who have run for office since Mac is there?

    And I know that it is a source of pride for the congregation to think that "one of them" is now the mayor. So yes, the congregation would like to have their guy in office. Alvin Brown is a believer, and a strong family man, and perhaps he is the "Godly leadership" Mac prayed for while the laying on off hands last Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dawg, you and Brumley need to grow up and stop trying to make mountains out of mole hills when it comes to the influence that churches have on elections. In my four decades here it has never been and factor and never will. CHILL!

    Grow a brain.

    ReplyDelete
  9. FBC is on the comeback!

    You be at Church this morning and you will here the greatest Pastor in the USA expound the Word and we will rejoice in spite of the Devil's victory this week.

    Our Pastor is a mighty man of God and no weapon formed against him will prosper.

    I am standing on the Book, the Blood, and the Blessed Hope and I know our Leader is going to churn the butter and give us something to feed our souls.

    It is going to be good in spite of the Devil's victory at the ballot box....Obama will not have the last word, Jesus will!

    ReplyDelete
  10. "Ask FBC Dallas. It is a HUGE deal to have the mayor in the church."

    First, this is Cowford and not Dallas. Not a good comparison i would think.

    Second, who cares if the mayor is a member of their church? What would a church have to gain except as you mentioned: "So yes, the congregation would like to have their guy in office."

    I too think that Alvin Brown is probably a believer. Whether he is or not the Word is clear on how we should treat him.

    Again, I say for the Word and pray for Alvin Brown and his next four years. He will need all the divine help he can get and so will the citizens of Duval County to climb out of the coming financial Armageddon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Unbeliever: you must have graduated from seminary. Your critical thinking skills are lacking. You state that one has to be crazy to think that a mayor in the congregation could never help a church, I give you a mega church in a large metropolitan area that is a counter example to your claim, and you dismiss it because Jax is "Cowford". Nice job.

    ReplyDelete
  13. "Unbeliever: you must have graduated from seminary."

    Nope, just a gator.

    Jacksonville is Cowford. That is what it was originally founded as.

    What possible benefit other than "bragging right" could be conjured up with some local, state or federal politician being a member of some church fellowship?

    If the Elections supervisor was a member of your church would that mean who you wanted elected would be? If the Property Appraiser was a member of your church does that mean your church would pay less property taxes?

    Using your logic, Brown wants to really rev up downtown. Does that mean property values will go up and land become unaffordable? Brown is going to find out what us common folk know already. No jobs, no money, no growth. Jobs are only created when an entrepreneur has an idea that he brings to market successfully and then begins to hire more people.

    GOVERNMENT HAS NEVER CREATED ANY JOB EXCEPT GOVERNMENT JOBS. And they don't pay for them, we the people do. And if we the people don't have any money left THEY SIMPLY PRINT MORE.

    ReplyDelete
  14. "Anyone who thinks churches have power and clout getting people to elected office are simply blind or misinformed."

    You're wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Brother Brown will clean up this City!

    Some of you are upset because of the pigment of his skin.

    Sorry....it is a new day!

    Look at the White House and City Hall and you see the sign of things to come.

    Your Churches are all white but your Country is a rainbow!

    I know it drives you Hogan fans crazy but the reason Brown won is because Brown got the vote of God's people who are not concerned about the color of the skin but the content of the character.

    God is shaking things UP!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. "Anyone who thinks churches have power and clout getting people to elected office are simply blind or misinformed."

    You're wrong.

    Brunson destroyed Mike Hogan ability to win. Most people think FBC is just like the mob. It is a wonder why He ran in the first place and who had influences in his decision. It is clear Brunson wish he had the power to elect Hogan.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What possible benefit other than "bragging right" could be conjured up with some local, state or federal politician being a member of some church fellowship?

    Just study the Catholic institution, these mega churches are heading in that direction if not all ready there. We don’t really know what goes on behind the sheets. You are a fool is you think that mega churches are as pure as the white snow.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is kind of embarassing since FBCJax had that whole "anointing" thing on stage for the guy.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Republicans are SO hypocritical!

    Pro life but hate the Poor and give tax cuts to the rich.

    Pro family but have a 50% divorce rate.

    Pro Christian but do not live by Biblical values.

    We evangelical Christians are tired of being hijacked by these mean, biased, and partisan White Men.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous said:
    "Republicans are SO hypocritical!

    And this liar-in-chief is some how exempt? You must be trippin' Bon Qui Qui. Their list is too long to even outline in a day.

    "Pro life but hate the Poor and give tax cuts to the rich."

    Ever work for a poor man? How about a middle income guy? Is creating wealth and not have it stolen by the government slackers such a terrible thing? Why should hard work or ingenuity be punished? I can just smell the class envy in your text.

    "Pro family but have a 50% divorce rate."
    Sad but true, I wonder how this breaks down according to skin color, since you hit the race card in your last remark. Ever wonder why there are more blacks than whites in the prison system? I wonder what kind of hypocrisy happened there to propel all those people of color into the system, and in such numbers.

    "Pro Christian but do not live by Biblical values."

    As political liberal (and probably just a troll) how would you account for the Leftists in the Dummycrat party that support the homo agenda and abortion on demand? Neither of which line up with scripture. I'm expecting more of your smuggery on that answer, but fire away.

    "We evangelical Christians are tired of being hijacked by these mean, biased, and partisan White Men."

    Your race card portrayal of white people as being singularly responsible for society's problems, but you forgot about the black liberals who use their pulpit to pimp the leftist agenda and play on all the emotions of slavery in past history. It keeps them in some kind of prominece with their 'community' and they love the glow of admiration for being a cheeleader for lefty things.

    From: A Honkey in Dallas
    LOL.

    ReplyDelete

Anonymous comments are allowed, but troll-type comments, responses to trolls, and grossly off-topic comments will be subject to denial by the Watchdog.