Goodwill Baptist Church

My post from earlier this week.

Let me get this off my chest.

What Hokit did epitomizes the state of white right-wing evangelicals in this country.
Hear me out.
At that White House UFC fight, before Josh Hokit, called Michelle Obama a man, he said two things prior into the microphone, he praised Trump,and then said this, “If you think the incredible Hulk is incredible, let me tell you about my lord and savior Jesus Christ.”
Within the same breath of acknowledging Jesus Christ, he then proceeds to make the most racist, demeaning, slanderous statement about Michelle Obama, …calling her a man, within the same breath, to the cheers of the attending audience, no less. My first thoughts were, “What did she ever do to him? Does he even know her?” Don’t bother to answer, these are rhetorical questions.
This man felt comfortable, empowered, secure and accepted to make that statement, and to what he expected would be followed by a resounding sound of approval and applause. In one full swoop, he acknowledged Jesus Christ and then followed it with a heinous, racist, derogatory remark, with the upmost of ease.
And what followed said it all, not only did this White House not say anything, but what came from the white evangelical priest, pastors, churches and leadership was ….NOTHING, NADA, CRICKETS. Their silence bespoke of their complicity. There were no statement to denounce his statement nor a hint of a disclaimer, no remarks of disapproval, no correction from their pulpits, no word from the host of mega church pastors who sits around this want-to-be-king’s throne, no gasping of awe or shame, no sign of embarrassment, no efforts to correct a statement that (further) racially divided this country, just posts praising Hokit’s acknowledgment of Jesus. As if God was equally pleased, with Jesus beside Him in heaven nodding his head in approval, thanking Hokit for the shout out.
And I used to wonder about 2 Thess. 2, when it talked about in latter days that there will be a great falling away from the faith, and how that will happen. Never in my life would I have imagined that the supposedly church would have a hand in its on demise.
As I have warned my white friends ten years ago, the white church’s support of Trump will ruin the testimony of the church. The 34 times convicted fallen, sexual assaulter, embraced by the white evangelical church doesn’t get a pass of ‘let’s just look the other way’ from the rest of the world. Just like the free pass that they are giving to Hokit. His statement and their lack of response is ruining the testimony of the church.
P.S. To those white Christians and churches who have black people who are friends or are a part of their congregation, …check on them. I guarantee you, they are NOT well, and Hokit’s statement did not sit well with them. Your church’s silence, and lack of rebuke on Hokit’s statement has NOT gone unnoticed. They might not have said anything, but if your church can easily accept a racist statement about Michelle, then your black congregants know it will easily accept a racist remark about them, even though you are thinking, “Oh! We would never, we like them…they are the good negroes.”

Ohh! And then there is this, 1 John 4:20 “ If someone says “I love God “and hates his brother. He is a liar for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen.”
Hokit’s pastor might should tell him this. But who are we fooling, he probably won’t.
Enjoy your day.

Pastor D. M. Cotton