COUNTRY CLUB CHURCHES

by David J. Stewart | December 2019

Revelation 3:15-17, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

       Everywhere we go today, churches have changed from what they were 75 years ago. We've lost our authority in the churches, which is the inspired Word of God (i.e., King James Bible). All these new Bible revisions are ruining the churches, diminishing people's respect for the Word of God as being reliable. “NEVER LET GO!” (MP3, Pastor Jack Hyles: “If there is one verse that is not true, it could be any verse!”)

Being a new-evangelical church member today is sadly very similar to being a member of a Country Club, and in some cases a secret society, or a combination thereof. Dear reader, that is not what God intended when He created the New Testament local church!

Where I live on Guam, we have the same problem with churches. I attended Harvest Baptist Church for one year in 2014. I loved being there, and made friends, feeling loved, and I even fell in love with a young woman on staff, a nurse. Unfortunately, I was not a “voted-in member,” which in their eyes made me nothing. I wasn't a privileged card-carrying member of Harvest's glorified Country Club.

When I became zealous over the purity of God's Word, as did David in the Old Testament, Psalms 119:139-140, “My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts,” Harvest's less-than-understanding immature pastors forced me out, accusing me of causing “confusion” in the congregation and divisiveness. Well, they're already a house divided, lacking enough spiritual discernment to see that Satan is corrupting the Bible today on purpose to confuse everybody. Well I'm not confused, nor am I causing confusion; THEY ARE!!! So they shunned me away and the church forgot about me after 2014. My neighbours all attend Harvest, so they all ignored me too, moving on as if I had never been part of their church, and I was ostracized by my church family in the Lord. I wept much. I still weep sometimes, sad and depressed over the whole ordeal. People can be so cruel and selfish.

You see, at Harvest money matters. Oh, of course, they wouldn't never admit to that, and I even think in their own minds are in denial about it; but at the end of the day they need YOUR MONEY to pay their salaries, bills, maintenance, et cetera. Their TALK talks much louder than their WALK Talks. As often happens, the machinery takes over the true purpose of the church, which according to Pastor Jack Hyles (my hero of the faith) is for: comfort, encouragement, tithing to God, maturing, soulwinning, fellowship, partaking of the Lord's Supper, learn the Bible and how to pray. At Harvest they didn't comfort me in my afflictions, they added to them! Now they want nothing to do with me, and I am going to keep preaching against them until the Lord takes me home. The other half of my family is in Heaven waiting for me. Ephesians 3:14-15, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,”

We all need encouragement and comfort. When I had my infected gallbladder removed in 2015 and developed blood clots in my left leg (aka, Deep Vein Thrombosis), Harvest wasn't there to comfort me, they had abandoned me. The reason is because of their shameful pastors, who berated me for telling THE TRUTH. They said the nurse that I liked was a reason not to let me return. WELL THE HELL WITH THEM ALL!!! The love of money is what its all about with them, not people. I am living proof of the fact that Harvest Baptist Church prioritizes money over people! Where dwelleth the love of God? The following title seems a bit misleading, but it is one of the BEST sermons I have ever heard by Dr. Jack Hyles (1926-2001), all about the purpose of THE CHURCH. ...

THE GIFT OF PROPHECY

(a life-changing MP3 sermon by Dr. Jack Hyles—1st Corinthians 12-14 teaches that the greatest gift of the Spirit is prophecy, which means to “speak forth,” and the greatest things to speak forth are building homes, lifting the fallen and encouraging the brethren).

One thing I have noticed all my life, is that pastors surround themselves with a bunch of cute quotes about serving people instead of money, and it sounds spiritual in the church pulpit and Sunday bulletin; but in reality, they don't care about people like me (who are different and opinionated in their views), helping only a select few that tithe big, kingpins in the Lord's work, who stink up the church with their snobbery, false pride, grudge-holding, and annoying presence.

I literally heard the former senior pastor of Harvest say from the pulpit on a Sunday morning to several hundred people: “Once feelings are hurt and people are offended, it's over!” I've never heard anything more shameful for a pastor to tell his congregation, as if that is the way it is supposed to be. Only a henpecked preacher, who is afraid of upsetting some bigshots in the church, talks that ungodly way! In sharp comparison to that bad pastor's foolish statement, now listen to a genuine man of God (Pastor Jack Hyles) teach what kind of attitude we should all have, in his timeless and classic sermon titled: “The Two Greatest Sins One Can Commit” (MP3), and here's an article of the same title that I wrote. We should forgive and love EVERYONE!!!

The big thing is, I pleaded for their help from Harvest in 2017, and they threw me under the bus. I offered to meet in the pastor's office for counseling, and not to argue, but they were cowards! I should counsel them! I'm not kidding! The truth is that we need each other's help. I sincerely believe that everything happens for a reason. Philippians 2:13, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” I sincerely believe that God led me to Harvest, as a blessing from God to help them, to show them some areas where they had gone astray. I mean, I am a graduate of a Bible college too, just like they are. Why couldn't we help one another?

That is what Jesus taught, to wash one another's dirty feet! No man is an island. I openly admitted that I desperately needed their love and help with my broken life. I wept in tears, and the senior pastor even prayed with me. I attended 6-weeks of Foundation Classes. I was saddened to hear the senior pastor tell everyone in the class that we “could probably find better preaching elsewhere, but Harvest's music program is second to none!” Wow, that is sad! Do you know how many singing cantatas have won a soul to Christ? The answer is none! Do you know how many souls the Harvest youth orchestra win to Christ with their performances? That's right, none! The Bob Jones crowd are so infatuated with music (which I love by the way), that they've forgotten about soulwinning! Penny-whistles don't win souls, preaching does!

I understand that I am not the pastors of the church, and it is their territory. However, when a truth-teller humbly tries to help a wayward pastor, who is wrong on salvation, and that pastor is arrogant and doesn't care; then I have a duty as a Christian to “Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;” (Titus 1:13). John MacArthur is an unsaved false prophet, as is Ray Comfort (he requires “LIVING A LIFESTYLE” to be saved). As a fundamentalist Baptist preacher, and moreover a born-again Christian, I must expose these reprobates who corrupt God's plan of salvation!!! That is a big reason why I rip on Harvest so much (among other reasons), because like the Lord, I hate arrogance. Proverb 8:13, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” Lordship Salvation is the evil way, and God hates the arrogancy of bad pastors who say it is the right way!
 

Blessed Are The Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

For any of my Harvest friends reading this, I am still willing to make peace with your church at any time, you know where I live. I don't change my mind from day-to-day, I mean all that I have said about wanting to make things right, but I need a lifeline so I can have a church family (I am far from perfect, so I am not looking for a perfect church family). I have always waved and been friendly, and will continue to do so with God's love. I literally begged three times in 2017 to be allowed to return to attend church services, due to my health and life's circumstances; but I was denied my humble request and told to “Go elsewhere.” Well,

I haven't been to church since, because I have nowhere else to go, and that blood is on their incompetent hands at Harvest. In their own words, their pastors effectively told me: “GO TO HELL.” Well, I've been preaching the hell out of their church since, and for just cause, and will continue to do so, God willing. When you mistreat and abuse people, this is what happens. I am not a budget, or a meeting, I am a human being! God knows that despite my harsh website preaching, I truly do have a humble heart of love in this matter, I am just tired and lonely lately. I am not upset at anyone, truly. My neck pain affects me, being right next to my head, 24 hours a day. That's not an excuse, it's simply a reason for my frustration and lack of patience at times.

Pastor Jenkins, “Human Beings Just Want To Be Loved... Just Love The Hell Out Of Them!”

In 2014, Harvest's pastors hypocritically accused me of causing “confusion,” in a independent Baptist church that already sanctions TWO DOZEN different Bible reversions circulating in its pews each Sunday (one of their associate pastors gave me that exact number). How can a shameful so-called “church” with at least two dozens different Bible revisions, accuse me of causing “confusion,” for telling THE TRUTH that those revisions are all corrupted by Satan, and the King James Bible is the inspired Word of God? Heavy, heavy, hang God's judgment over the heads of those irresponsible idol shepherds! No wonder those three former pastors all quit and moved on to greener pastures. I know exactly why they left—because I am right and they dropped the ball for God, hurting the people that God entrusted to them. That is my humble opinion.

Kindly, the ministry is serious business friends, God is not okay with 39 different Bible revisions. I am sick of this new Bible Of The Month Club garbage! Here's an ungodly retarded article which helps you “Pick The Right Bible For You!” No, you don't “pick” which Bible is best for you. The best Bible for you is the one God authored, which is the word-for-word (verbally) inspired King James Bible!!! God said what He meant, and He meant what He said. The word “sodomite” belongs in the Old Testament. The word “begotten” belongs in John 3:16. The “Son of God” belongs in Acts 8:37!!! These new Devil-Bibles remove these important words! God doesn't care about man's rebel feminist and sicko LGBTQ agenda! GET A HOLY BIBLE!!! GET RIGHT WITH GOD!!!

The altars were always empty at invitation time in 2014 when I attended Harvest. That is because they have the wrong preaching. I did enjoy some fellowship at Watchcare Meetings, very much, and I miss the friends I made.

Here's a quote that I found from a pastor in Ohio named Thom Rainer, who says concerning Country Club type churches...

“For them, membership is about receiving instead of giving, being served instead of serving, rights instead of responsibilities, and entitlements instead of sacrifices. This wrongful view of membership sees the tithes and offerings as membership dues that entitle members to a never-ending list of privileges and expectations, instead of an unconditional cheerful gift to God.”

SOURCE: https://counselingoneanother.com/2013/07/02/do-you-think-of-your-church-as-a-country-club

Pastor Rainer is correct. That is NOT what a New Testament church should be. Our perks and privileges come from being IN CHRIST as believers, and not from joining some church. To do otherwise is to be a respecter of persons. I can't imagine the apostles and deacons in the early church, giving preferential treatment to the biggest tithers. By doing so, it means that if you don't give generously, then you are treated like a second-class citizen, the way I was when I attended Harvest in 2014. No one ever asked me to join either, because they clearly didn't want me.

I never told them about my website ministry, but they already knew about it, which I didn't find out until 2015. It is obvious to me that they have a problem with THE TRUTH. Yet, they hypocritically profess to respect, seek and regard the truth, which they don't want. Martin Luther is burning in the fires of Hell this moment, and those Harvest pastors are in big trouble with God for promoting Mr. Luther as being “born-again,” because I warned them, but they “rejected knowledge” (Hosea 4:6b). Truth matters!

I literally heard the senior pastor of Harvest say in 2014, that if you were a “voted-in” member, you were guaranteed a visit from someone at the hospital if you were ill; but he said if you aren't a member, you may or may not receive a visit. What he was saying is that Harvest Baptist Church is a religious Country Club. Paying members get special perks and privileges as exclusive members, that ordinary folks like me (second-class nobodies) can't have.

Screw them at Harvest Baptist Church (Cult) and their glorified private club for members only! Hell will freeze over before I ever stop preaching against that mess, as long as I am able, Lord willing. We keep doing things their way, the hard way. My way is to make peace with Harvest and be a nobody that simply attends their church, so I can have a church family hopefully; but their way is to keep shunning me away, and I preach the Hell out of them for the next 30 years! Either way, God is on my side, for one reason and one reason only—because I am telling THE TRUTH (Romans 3:4).

For over 40 years, Harvest Baptist Church on Guam has provided a place of sycophantic worship, ecumenical growth, and selective Christian fellowship with a chosen few. I'm not one of the CHOSEN FEW, sad to say. I am just the grumpy guy down the street in their minds. That is what they thought about Pastor Jack Hyles too! No Bible-believing church ought to have a Country Club feel to it; but rather, a welcome mat rolled out for everyone! Christ died for all humanity, did He not? Yes, He most certainly did (2nd Corinthians 5:14-15). It is not good when preferential treatment is given to elite members in the businesses community.

James 2:1, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” I am on disability, I don't have much money to offer. My body is broken, so I can't do much there either. I can't whistle. I can't throw a football pass or make a basket with a basketball. My teacher literally had me drop a hymnal on the floor, as the cue for us to go up and sing the song: “Onward Christian Solider” at my highschool graduation. No kidding! My friends use to call me “No hands Stewart” when we played sports. I failed 1st Grade. Seriously, I did! They put me back into kindergarten, and that's where I learned all that I need to know in life.

Unlike other Baptist churches that think boring soulwinning is more important, Harvest offers better and more exciting activities that will interest your teen (paintball, games for the youth, jet-skies, camping and more). I am being facetious, of course. Every church should teach their people to witness to others. For all of 2014 I never heard a single sermon at Harvest about Hell or Christ's Second Coming. I mean, not a mention! And I let their pastors know about it when they jumped on my case about sharing books and sermons to help others. That's pretty bad when a Baptist church forbids giving out books by fundamentalist Baptist preachers like Pastor Al Lacy, Pastor Max Younce and Pastor Jack Hyles!

“It doesn't even matter who's right, it's what's right that's important!”
—Pastor Danny Castle, from the sermon “100% WILLING”

One of the books I passed out (which I purchased with my own money) that offended the pastors at Harvest, was called: “Somebody's Got To Milk The Cows!” by Dr. Jack Hyles. It was all about the need for soulwinning. You see, the only thing they milk at Harvest is the congregation's pocketbook! Perhaps I should have given out a book called: “Somebody's Got To Milk The Pews!” Gee whiz, I don't know! I'm just a nobody with a website. Does anybody care? I never thought I'd be counted as a church's “enemy” (Galatians 4:16b), simply for sharing THE TRUTH to help others.

I mean, it was Evangelist Tom Ferrell, who said at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam (of all places), that: “A friend helps a friend to see!” Well, when I tried to help Harvest's crooked pastors see straight, I was thrown under the bus and left for dead! And then in 2017, they put the bus in reverse and ran over me, by denying my humble request to return to church services. Somebody get this heavy bus off me...lol!

Like Moses, I know what it is like to be a misfit. And as Jesus, I know what it means to be despised and rejected by others. All of my life I have been left out on holidays, passed over for recognition, and dissed...

“When you get dissed by men—the whole reason God allowed you to be dissed—is because He didn't want you to fit in! He don't want you to fit in with the world. He don't want you to fit in with the rest of the group! He don't want you to be just like them! 'Cause there is something special about you! There's an assignment for you. There's a call for you. There's an anointing for your life. God does not want you to fit in!” —Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr.; a quote from the sermon titled: Being Dissed | MP3

Now they have a 5k walk coming up in February of 2020. Boy, I can't wait! Literally I CAN'T WAIT, because they won't let me attend their church, so I literally CAN'T wait. If you like being among the select few, the chosen among their own club, then perhaps this is your cup of tea at Harvest. Be ready to get thrown under the bus at Harvest, if you are King James Bible only!

Be ready to get thrown under the bus at Harvest, if you think Martin Luther was an unsaved reprobate (for teaching the heresy of Baptismal Regeneration his whole life)! Be ready to get thrown under the bus at Harvest, if you have a problem with the plan of damnation taught by John MacArthur, Ray Comfort or Paul Washer. Boy this bus is getting heavy! Ah yes, country club churches, where getting thrown under the bus is done in Jesus' name. I say these things with a broken, humble and tired soul. God is good. I love everybody. One day at a time. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

“Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do!”
—Pastor Jack Hyles, a quote from the MP3 sermon titled: “God's Reversal Of Psalm 51”

1st Corinthians 16:24, “My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.”