Fifty years ago, Richard Nixon was once again running to become President of the United States.
And his campaign had planned a rally at the Anaheim Convention Center, across the street from Disneyland, one summer evening.
My friend Steve was going to be singing in a large youth choir, and he invited me to tag along … even though I didn’t know any of the songs.
When Steve and I first entered the Convention Center, we saw a woman that looked like Nixon’s wife Pat. We followed her for maybe ten minutes before we found out it wasn’t her.
The choir was positioned directly above the stage where Nixon would be speaking. After we sang our songs … which I had to learn quickly … Nixon spoke.
I can’t recall anything he said.
Two other remembrances from that evening:
*Steve and I ran into Burt Ward, who played Robin on the TV show “Batman,” and we both got his autograph. I have never seen someone write so fast in my life.
*Nixon had a catchy campaign song. The chorus went like this:
Nixon’s the one
Nixon’s the one
Nixon’s the one
For me
Ten year later, I was standing outside Anaheim (now Angel) Stadium after a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the California Angels.
The lights were turned off behind Gate 1 where various ballplayers sometimes came out after the game. I was waiting to get the autographs of any player I could.
I remember getting the autograph of Brewer’s player Paul Molitor on his rookie card. He went on to become a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
And then former President Richard Nixon emerged from Gate One.
Nixon lived in nearby San Clemente, and he often visited the ballpark as a guest of Angels’ owner Gene Autry.
As I recall, he had two secret servicemen around him.
Three of us walked up to the ex-President and politely asked him for his signature. Nixon signed for all of us and was very compliant.
The Nixon Library, located in Yorba Linda, California, is probably fifty miles from my home. While I’ve only been there once, I’m on their mailing list, and receive invitations constantly for book signings, lectures, and special events.
President Nixon did far more good for his country than he’ll ever receive credit for, but most people will only remember him for Watergate.
But as former President Clinton once said:
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Back in 1966, actor Ronald Reagan ran for Governor of my home state of California. He was elected for a four-year term.
Four years later, Reagan ran for re-election, and made many campaign stops.
One stop was at Loara High School in Anaheim … the school I attended. (Famous Loara grads include three singers: Jeff and Tim Buckley and Gwen Stefani.) Loara had won the AAA football championship two years before and had an award-winning band, so maybe that’s why the campaign stopped there.
After school one day, Reagan’s campaign bus drove onto the athletic field where many of us played.
The governor emerged and a few of us quickly went up to him and asked him for his signature.
(Unless a public figure is doing a meet and greet somewhere, the only way to get someone’s autograph is to walk up to them assertively and ask them for it.)
Reagan whipped out his own felt pen from his suit pocket and signed several items … left-handed … including a 3×5 index card for me and another for my friend Steve.
I should have stayed for whatever event was planned that day, but I was so excited to get Reagan’s autograph that I went straight home.
Fourteen years later, Reagan was running for a second term as President, and he came to DeAnza College in Cupertino, California … near the current Apple Headquarters … and held a rally in their stadium.
I took my kids along and hoisted my son Ryan on my shoulders so he could see the President when he was speaking.
We waved at the motorcade after the event, and I never saw President Reagan again. (Note the slogan on the Reagan poster below!)
However, my brother John lived in San Bernardino for many years, and he lived across the street from a Secret Service agent who told John that Reagan and his wife Nancy were flying into March Air Force Base in Riverside. Even though Reagan was no longer President, the agent asked John if he wanted to meet Reagan.
When the former President and his wife got off the plane, John and his wife Joy were the only two people there to greet them. Reagan greeted them both by name and John had video taken of the event.
The Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, is really cool. There’s a US government helicopter on display at the Nixon Library.
The Reagan Library has Air Force One … which you can tour!
_______________
There was a leader in my last church who was a lobbyist for a major corporation. He often flew to Washington DC during the week for important meetings.
Knowing my interest in politics, my friend asked me if I wanted to attend Bush’s first public speech after 9/11 in Sacramento, California.
I said yes.
When George W. Bush was re-elected President in 2004, my friend asked me if I wanted to attend Bush’s Inauguration.
I said yes.
We stayed at a 5-star hotel … it was 16 degrees outside and snowing the day before the event … but going to the inauguration was a lot of fun.
Another time, Bush 45 was going to be speaking to a group of business people at a hotel near the San Francisco Airport, and my friend invited me to go along.
As I recall, it was a $2000 a plate luncheon.
I remember seeing … and hearing … the protesters across the frontage road … going through security … being forced to wear a suit … and being given very little edible food for lunch.
Comedian Dennis Miller warmed up the crowd and introduced 45, and when he was almost done speaking, my friend leaned over and said to me, “When he’s done speaking, go up and shake his hand.”
So I did. There was a rope around the perimeter of the podium, but Bush came up to the rope afterward. When he shook my hand, I blanked out, and said, “Thank you.” He did a double take and then kept shaking hands.
“Thank you?” That was the best I could say?
_______________
In November 2012, Mitt Romney was running for President against incumbent Barack Obama.
Romney’s last rally was in Manchester, New Hampshire … ten minutes down the hill from the apartment my wife and I were renting at the time. (I was serving a church in New Hampshire as interim pastor.)
My wife was in California, and I had nothing else to do, so I drove downtown and walked to the Verizon Arena where Romney would eventually be speaking.
It was cold outside … 30 degrees … but the place was packed.
I met a guy in line, and we hung out together, taking photos of each other while standing about thirty feet from Romney.
Kid Rock sang a few songs … I didn’t know any of them, but they were LOUD … and some other politicians showed up and spoke.
Romney and his wife finally emerged around 11:30 pm. As rallies went, it was well-planned and exciting.
Romney lost New Hampshire anyway.
_______________
I’ve had brief encounters with three presidents … one before he took office, one while in office, and one after he left office.
I’ll always remember those brief encounters … and someday, tell my grandchildren about them.
However, the Gospels are full of brief encounters that various men and women, boys and girls had with Someone far greater.
And people not only remembered those encounters … those encounters changed their lives.
Thankfully, a few of those meetings were recorded for us in the pages of the New Testament.
I’d rather have an encounter with Jesus than anyone else.
As Billy Graham’s vocalist George Beverly Shea wrote and sang:
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I’d rather be His than have riches untold
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today
And that includes ANY President you can name.
Hatred in Christ’s Church
Posted in Conflict with Church Antagonists, Conflict with the Pastor, Fighting Evil, Pastoral Termination, Please Comment!, Uncategorized, tagged hatred among Christians, hatred toward pastors, pastoral termination on July 6, 2018| Leave a Comment »
During my second pastorate, there was an older couple in our congregation who came to abhor me.
We got along very well … at first.
This couple … I’ll call them Ron and Dolores … moved from the Midwest to Silicon Valley in the early 1980s. They came to our church because of its Swedish roots … and because they liked its denominational affiliation.
Ron became a board member. Dolores immersed herself in women’s ministry. They became established leaders.
And then I became their pastor.
Ron wanted me to love the denomination as much as he and his wife did. So he made it possible for me to attend a week of meetings at the denominational seminary in Minnesota … during the last week in January.
Ron arranged for me to stay with his son and his family. I borrowed Ron’s heavy winter coat … and I needed it for the -19 degree weather with the -35 wind chill in St. Paul.
But a short time later, Ron and his wife became enraged with some of the decisions that I made as pastor.
They wanted a nice, safe church where they could enjoy friendships … practice their Swedish customs … and remake our church into the wonderful Midwestern church they’d left behind.
But that wasn’t my vision for the church at all.
I wanted the church to reach people for Christ and grow … which wasn’t on Ron’s agenda.
We began to clash on all kinds of things … especially the music on Sunday mornings.
When I first came to the church, Ron and Dolores sang “Out of the Ivory Towers” as a duet on a Sunday morning … in Swedish.
After I was there a while, I didn’t ask them to sing anymore. (They were awful.)
And to top things off, I encouraged and championed a worship band made up of younger guys. (This was the mid-1980s.)
While the band had the full blessing of the church board (Ron had termed out by then), Ron and his wife hated the band.
And even more, they couldn’t stand the direction I was taking the church … away from their beloved Swedish roots.
Dolores eventually quit coming to church. I tried talking to Ron … who still seemed friendly … but he couldn’t control his wife’s rage.
Eventually, they both quit coming to church … but their anger was spilling over to others.
I knew I had to confront them.
I set up a time to meet with them, and told them casually that I’d be bringing along a board member.
They told me I could come alone, but that I could not bring that particular board member.
I consulted with my district minster, who told me that I should not meet with Ron and Dolores alone. Instead, I needed to bring along one or two witnesses.
Finally, on a Thursday night in March, two board members went with me to Ron and Dolores’ house. We did not have an appointment.
They let us in, and then unloaded on us.
After a little while, Dolores got up unannounced and started doing the dishes while leaving the three of us to dialogue with Ron.
The evening did not go well.
During this time, I consulted with Dr. Ed Murphy, one of the world’s foremost experts on spiritual warfare, about the conflict I was having with this couple.
Dr. Murphy told me, “Whatever you do, get them out of the church and off the rolls as quick as you can.”
For the next year, Ron and Dolores looked for another church, while keeping their friendships in our church.
I thought, “Good, they’re gone. Now we can get some things done.”
But one Sunday, I got up to speak, and Ron was sitting twenty feet away from me … with his arms crossed … and his gaze cemented on my face.
And that’s when I knew the hatred had started.
Ron began spreading discontent … gathering malcontents … and holding secret meetings … all in an attempt to push me out as pastor.
He became the worst antagonist I’ve ever had.
And in the end, he and his wife became full of blind hatred.
Hatred is a cancer in our culture and our churches.
And sadly, some churchgoers have a special hatred for their pastor.
The problem in Christian circles is that most people – including pastors – refuse to believe that other Christians are even capable of such hatred.
So we naively allow such people to wreak havoc in our churches … and only realize our mistake until it’s too late.
So let me share with you five characteristics of the Christian hater in hopes that we can recognize the signs and take action to save our pastors … and our churches:
First, the Christian hater doesn’t like the pastor personally.
*They don’t like the way he looks.
*They don’t want to hear the pastor preach.
*They don’t want to shake his hand after the service.
*They don’t like the pastor’s wife or children.
*They don’t like those who do like the pastor.
In fact, they wish the pastor would just go away … forever.
It’s okay not to like another Christian … even a pastor. But if you don’t like your pastor, wouldn’t it be better to find a church where you do like the pastor?
Because as long as you can’t stand your pastor, your attitude will rub off on others … making them choose between their pastor and their friendship with you.
Ron and Dolores liked me at first … then they hated me.
When the hatred started, they should have left, severed all ties, and never returned.
But their hatred was enabled by their friends, which included some key leaders.
Second, the Christian hater keeps a list of complaints against the pastor.
And every time they see or hear the pastor, they add to that list.
This is how my father left church ministry more than fifty years ago.
One Sunday, a woman began writing down some complaints she had about my pastor-dad during a worship service. A friend saw the list and added a few complaints of her own.
Before long, that list grew much longer … even though the issues were all petty.
The list makers turned on my father and eventually ran him out of the church.
Making such a list is a sign of hatred … as is adding to the list yourself … as is asking others to add to the list.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:5 that love “keeps no record of wrongs.”
Love does not keep a list of a person’s foibles, faults, or failures.
But hatred sure does.
Ron and Dolores eventually began holding secret meetings with others in the church.
They wrote down as many of my faults as they could think of on the front and back of a green sheet of lined paper.
That list was a silent confession of hatred.
And when you list someone’s faults, you’re trying to do one thing: devalue them so you can destroy them.
Third, the Christian hater can’t hide their negative feelings.
When a hater comes to church, they don’t laugh with abandon. They don’t smile freely. They don’t look joyful.
And you can see it on their face.
The hater is also ready to gush out all their bitter feelings against their pastor.
If the hater goes out after the service for lunch, he or she won’t be able to stay silent for very long.
At some point during lunch, the hater will let begin attacking the pastor verbally. No matter how hard they try to restrain themselves, their hatred will spill out.
Genuine hatred is very difficult to control … and to camoflauge.
The hater usually gives himself or herself away.
A board member kept me informed on what Ron and Dolores were telling others about their pastor. The board member even crashed one of their secret meetings.
Ron and Dolores knew that the board member supported me completely, but they emptied their verbal guns when he was around anyway … giving away enough of their playbook so we could later counteract their actions.
Haters can’t help themselves.
Fourth, the Christian hater tries to convert others.
When you hate someone, you’re usually in the minority … or all alone.
And there’s nothing worse than hating someone on your own.
So most haters either look for other haters or try and convince their friends to hate someone as they do.
It’s no secret that I don’t like NBA player LeBron James. While he’s incredibly talented, I find him to be arrogant and childish. I have always rooted against him and his teams.
During the recent NBA playoffs, I didn’t have anyone to emote with about LBJ, so I found a group on Facebook called LeBron James Haters United … and sent a link they did to another person who dislikes LBJ.
I don’t represent any danger to LBJ or his worshipers.
But when someone inside a church hates their pastor, there’s a very real possibility that they will spread their hatred to others.
That’s what Ron and Dolores did. Before the dust settled, 25% of our people left the church with them.
They formed a new church … composed of people who hated me.
That was their foundation.
Finally, the Christian hater wants to destroy the object of their hatred.
Thirty years ago, my former denomination held their annual meetings in the Silicon Valley city where my family lived.
My wife headed up a children’s program that met upstairs … and I helped her as much as I could.
But downstairs, Ron was doing his best to destroy me.
Ron had prepared literature about his new church that he passed out to people as they entered the convention center. It was a violation of protocol … nobody ever promotes their church to the exclusion of others at such meetings … but he didn’t care about that.
And while he was promoting his church, he was vocally criticizing the church he left … and its pastor.
I was horrified.
Due to his hatred, Ron couldn’t stop trying to hurt me.
Leaving the church with his wife wasn’t enough … they had to take others with them.
Forming their own church wasn’t enough … he had to try and hurt my church in the process.
Various pastors came to me and told me what Ron was doing. When I protested to the leaders of our district, they asked, “What can we do?”
Eventually, a pastor friend took all of Ron’s literature … when he wasn’t around … and threw it in a trash can.
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A few months after the convention meetings, Ron’s influence had disappeared. The church he founded died after a year, and the people scattered to other churches … although nobody returned to our church.
Ron’s wife died a horrible death on an interstate highway a few years later. Ron later moved back to the Midwest, remarried, and then died himself.
I tried not to hate Ron and his wife in return. In fact, a few years after their church disbanded, Ron and I met in a hospital, and had a productive conversation.
We can’t stop people like Ron and Dolores from hating their pastor.
But pastors and church leaders can take action so that the haters find themselves isolated and either choose to repent or leave a congregation.
Haters are aggressive individuals. They go on the offensive. Once they get started, they’re tough to stop.
But for the sake of our churches, our pastors, and the gospel … we have to try … and must succeed.
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