The Life and Times of Rev Polar Bear

[rockytopva]

I am a big fan of Christian radio and seldom watch TV. I also support the bbnradio.org site and they have a local transmitter here in Christiansburg, VA which I listen to all the time. While listening in to Christian radio one day I got the following sermon in which the minister boldly proclaims, along with many other one liners....

"And the Bible says they will think it strange that you don't run with them, but that's all right! If I got to walk alone I will walk alone! People are coming to church and their coming for something, but it is so dead and cold in our churches until you can ice skate down to the pulpit! And whose standing behind that pulpit yawl... Rev Polar Bear! Cold as Ice! The first church of Frigid-aire! No deliverance! No life! No Holy Ghost!" - Radio minister @ 28:47

 

[rockytopva]

I miss my old pastor...

1. Very disciplined guy - Up at 6AM every morning
2. Rejoiced in what he called being a Pentecostal Holiness country preacher
3. Revivals - At least one every two months - All with unique and good evangelists
4. Would let the Holy Spirit have his way in service
5. Take time to pray for the sick at church and in the hospitals. Carried a bottle of anointing oil with him
6. Was a friendly guy and would come visit you
7. Loved God and very Christlike.
8. A great, loving, and supportive family man as well

Our new pastor has been there a little over a year. He thinks he has arrived with his Masters degree at Liberty University. We have very few communion services and no revivals. The church attendance is way down and they struggle to find people to play the piano. Just last week he was preaching on the following topic...

And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. - 2 Kings 6:28-29

And as he preaching on this, talking about how planes have crashed in the mountains where "who to eat" was the option for survival. And how you would never know that we may have that option as well. I thought to myself while he was preaching how long I would hang around with that group before I would run for my life!

It was all I could do to tuck my bible under my arm and leave that place in great haste.

 

[rockytopva]

Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. - Hebrews 13:1-2

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; - Titus 3:4-6

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. - 2 Corinthians 4:7

Going to church back in my old pastors day was also entertaining as we would have a variety and you would not know what to expect next. You were very much aware that the evangelist was preaching with something he picked up from God and not of himself, who also kept his spirit renewed by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost.

 

[rockytopva]

The Apostle Paul would also compare sermons during his time...

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. - Philippians 1:15-18

Indicating that it was not all good. But... He rejoiced in that at least the Christ was preached!

 

[rockytopva]

Preacher goes on to say... "No need telling us to blame it on the devil all the time. Because we give him so much credit until God can't get a blessing in their edgewise. The devil made me do this and the devil is in them, I discern the spirit, and you wouldn't know the gift of discernment if it walked up to you with a red hat on." - @ 6:00

"Were going through a drought period for example in the church. Yes, people are making noise. Yes, they're falling out in the floor. And yes, they are even dancing as they say. But when all that noise is over, and all that speaking in tongues and falling out is over. When they go home they still have no victory... Can you say Amen!"

"It seems like we are going through a spiritual low in the church, where it is Sunday morning, and they come and my God, they will be high up in the Spirit. Come back Sunday night and folk are sitting up looking like totem poles." - 19:00 (Do any still come at Sunday evening service?")

"And sometimes when you council folks once or twice, it takes more than one counseling to get them all unwound, because they done fooled around out there with all these off folks, and off doctrines, until when they get done... They're still mixed up!"

"People fighting over a position, and arguing over a position. Honey, I am not after no position, I am after God! They getting the coming with attitude. They coming in mad, sad looking like 6:00. And then leaving mad, sad, looking like 6:00!" - @ 24:00

 

[rockytopva]

And the Lord Jesus says, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” - Matthew 24:12-13

 

[rockytopva]

Comparing the cold ways to a concentration camp... “Before they said that (all their accusations) to Job they sat and looked at Job for seven days. Just staring at him, you know, here is the richest man in the land, and my Lord he doesn’t have a plug nickel, and what’s going on with him? And what’s going on with him? And they just stared at him! Have you ever been to church and folks are like in a concentration camp? And they sit and stare at you like your in a concentration camp! And they just concentrating on you!” - sermon @12:00

 

[Walter]

I miss my old pastor...

1. Very disciplined guy - Up at 6AM every morning
2. Rejoiced in what he called being a Pentecostal Holiness country preacher
3. Revivals - At least one every two months - All with unique and good evangelists
4. Would let the Holy Spirit have his way in service
5. Take time to pray for the sick at church and in the hospitals. Carried a bottle of anointing oil with him
6. Was a friendly guy and would come visit you
7. Loved God and very Christlike.
8. A great, loving, and supportive family man as well

Our new pastor has been there a little over a year. He thinks he has arrived with his Masters degree at Liberty University. We have very few communion services and no revivals. The church attendance is way down and they struggle to find people to play the piano. Just last week he was preaching on the following topic...

And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. - 2 Kings 6:28-29

And as he preaching on this, talking about how planes have crashed in the mountains where "who to eat" was the option for survival. And how you would never know that we may have that option as well. I thought to myself while he was preaching how long I would hang around with that group before I would run for my life!

It was all I could do to tuck my bible under my arm and leave that place in great haste.

Maybe if enough of you 'vote with your feet' the leadership of the church will find a new pastor.

 

[rockytopva]

Maybe if enough of you 'vote with your Grey's the leadership of the church will find a new pastor.

I tell you in this day and time it is easy to go out of the frying pan into the fire. My dad is elderly and I like to take him to church dinners that some have for the public. I find so many churches these days merging. The old faithful WW2 generation preacher retired after many years and the new guy just doesn't have it. So the solution is to close the church and merge with another.

 

[Walter]

I tell you in this day and time it is easy to go out of the frying pan into the fire. My dad is elderly and I like to take him to church dinners that some have for the public. I find so many churches these days merging. The old faithful WW2 generation preacher retired after many years and the new guy just doesn't have it. So the solution is to close the church and merge with another.

My aunt attends a Church of the Nazarene congregation of about twenty-five faithful. They have a monthly dinner which they invite the public. They are blessed to have a pastor who is like the man of God you described that led your church for so many years. My wife and I took my elderly aunt to attend church there and attended our own church in the evening. When we moved to Oregon it was with sadness that we could no longer attend with her and the people who were struggling to keep the church open. I contacted the pastor a while back to see if anyone could possibly help my aunt attend. He responded that they were doing their best but expected to be closing the doors soon due to 'deaths, divorce and dissertion'. I am afraid, like you mentioned, this is happening to many congregations across the country.