As a Christian, I don’t take for granted churches that preach the Gospel of Jesus because there are too many these days that don’t. I’m not just talking about bad theology, either; there are way too many churches these days that preach a woke message dripping with politics.
Woke Preacher Clips on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) is an essential follow if you want to see what left-wing pastors are talking about, and I have to give a tip of the hat to my friend and boss Paula Bolyard for bringing these clips to my attention this week.
Meet Rev. Dr. William Marcus Small, the senior pastor of New Calvary Baptist Church in Norfolk, Va. His bio on the church website boasts that he “has long been an advocate for Social Justice and empowerment initiatives,” which gives you a good idea of what his political leanings are.
This past Sunday, Small preached a sermon called “It’s Here Somewhere,” which was based on the parable of the lost coin, which Jesus tells in Luke 15:8-10. Here’s the short parable for the context of the sermon:
Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
What Jesus is getting at in this parable is that even one soul who comes to faith in Him is worth celebrating, and it doesn’t take a seminary degree to reach that conclusion. But Dr. Small brought in a novel interpretation of this parable: that the government “sanctions” the killing of black people like the racist shooting in Jacksonville, Fla., last month.
Even nuttier in context. Rev. Dr. William Marcus Small of New Calvary Baptist Church in Norfolk, VA zooms in on the word “sweep” in the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8) and posits a conspiracy theory that the Jacksonville Dollar General shooter was “sanctioned” by the govt pic.twitter.com/P9TlTEVKWF
— Woke Preacher Clips (@WokePreacherTV) September 5, 2023
“All of this behavior is supported and backed by fascist, racist rhetoric that comes from the top, and it allows weak-minded people to do the enforcing of the stuff that they really want to happen,” Small preaches. “And stop blaming this stuff — listen to me — stop blaming this stuff on mental health for real, for real, unless you are willing to say, ‘Yeah, it’s mental health ’cause racism is a mental health issue.'” And the congregation applauds wildly.
Did you get that from Jesus’ words? No? So it’s not just me?
Flashback: Wokeism Is a Religion Without Grace
What’s even more strange is that Dr. Small is obsessed with Fani Willis, the Fulton County, Ga., district attorney who herself is obsessed with becoming famous by nailing Donald Trump. At one point in the service, Small lauded Willis and Judge Tanya Chutkan with a fire and passion that he should have reserved for the Gospel rather than politics.
“It’s some sistas getting ready to clean up — that Fani Willis and Judge Tanya Chutkan — they’re some sure-enough sheroes,” he shouts with glee as the congregation claps along. (And yes, he actually called them “sheroes.”) “Them my sistas right there! You hear me? Because neither of them are gonna get caught up in the privileged orange perspective of a tyrant criminal.”
Shouting even louder, Small continued, “And you can stop, you can stay, you can delay all you want. Them sistas said, ‘This stuff gonna get cleaned up today!’ And if anybody can clean it up, you know it’s gonna be some sistas. There’s some stuff that needs to get cleaned up!”
We are now directly venerating Fani Willis and Tanya Chutkan from the pulpit.
"Them my sistas right there!" pic.twitter.com/UidOlOGt4C
— Woke Preacher Clips (@WokePreacherTV) September 5, 2023
Later on, Small added Willis to the church’s prayer list. He prayed, “God, we thank you for sojourners like Fani Willis who are not afraid. Thank you for voices who stand up and speak out and let justice roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” Seriously, he said that out loud.
Willis also got a shoutout during corporate prayer earlier in the service:
“God, we thank you for sojourners, like Fani Willis, who are not afraid. Thank you for voices who stand up and speak out and let justice roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” pic.twitter.com/AUUNiCBWDh
— Woke Preacher Clips (@WokePreacherTV) September 5, 2023
What all of this has to do with Jesus and the Bible and the Gospel is beyond me. But when it comes to progressive Christianity, you don’t have to tie anything to the timeless truth of God’s Word. All that matters is wokeness and politics. You’re killing me, Dr. Small — and you’re leading your congregation astray.
Watch the whole service — if you dare.
When woke culture seems to ruin everything, it’s important to support those who swim against that current and stand for truth. You can help us in our mission to tell the truth without fear (and with a healthy measure of fun) by becoming a VIP member.
What does a VIP membership mean for you? It’s like being part of the cool kids’ club, with access to the comments section, exclusive articles, podcasts, and an ad-free experience at your fingertips.
VIP Gold gives you even more goodies: VIP access to all of the sites in the Townhall family, along with live chats! Our VIPs really are a community of people committed to the mission of telling the truth, and we appreciate every one of them.
VIP membership is a great value all its own, but you can use the code SAVEAMERICA to get a 50% discount. There’s never been a better time — and a better opportunity — to stand up for the truth.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member