Church Bans Kids To Hire Pedophile Pastor

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Crossfire

Guest
#1
#1
Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Jacksonville, is coming under fire for its controversial decision to ban children from its church services.


According to a local Jacksonville news affilate, Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church has banned children from attending Sunday services because their new pastor, Darrell Gilyard, is a registered sex offender and cannot have contact with children.


In 2009 Gilyard plead guilty to lewd conduct and lewd molestation of two underage girls. While he was the pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church Gilyard molested a 15-year-old girl and sent a lewd text message to another. Under the conditions of his plea agreement, Gilyard cannot have “unsupervised contact with children under 18 years old,” and his new church has taken extraordinary steps to help Gilyard stick to the terms of his deal.


Despite the seriousness of his offense, Gilyard’s return to the pulpit was swift. After being released from jail on December 28, he resumed preaching in January, and told reporters he hopes he can move past this incident and continue with his work.


“Somehow I will prove that life isn’t over when one has committed a crime for which he receives this heinous label,” Gilyard told a reporter, ironically through text message. “You don’t have to languish on the fringes of society.”


While I believe in forgiveness, banning children from church in order to welcome a pedofile into the fold is not only creepy, but it’s downright shameful.
What do you think? What kind of message is Gilyard’s church sending to its youth?
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jonathanbchristian

jonathanbchristian

Banned
#2
Feb 16, 2011
2,957
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jesus would never let this happen. the man disqualified himself from the ministry. pedophils should never be pastors. the man should be ashamed of himself. bishops must have a good report to be qualified. children are more important than one pastor's desire to show that jesus forgives people. jesus would forgive him but never let him be pastor.
 
1

1still_waters

Guest
#3
#3
Talk about salt losing its saltiness. If there was ever an example, this is it.
 
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wwjd_kilden

Guest
#4
#4
*is looking for words*

Doesn't the bible say something about priests are to have a spotless "reputation"?
how is he supposed to tell people to do what is right while his sentence (not being allowed contact with children), is still on him?....

sounds dangerous to me, a very strange message to send out.
 
zeroturbulence

zeroturbulence

Senior Member
#5
Aug 2, 2009
24,580
4,269
113
#5
He must be a really really good pastor. o_o
 
Moviefan2k4

Moviefan2k4

Banned
#6
Mar 18, 2009
190
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#6
Sex offenders should never be allowed in a place of authority where he or she will come into contact with children...period.
 
TheAristocat

TheAristocat

Senior Member
#7
Oct 4, 2011
2,150
26
0
#7
Crossfire said:
Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Jacksonville, is coming under fire for its controversial decision to ban children from its church services.


According to a local Jacksonville news affilate, Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church has banned children from attending Sunday services because their new pastor, Darrell Gilyard, is a registered sex offender and cannot have contact with children.


In 2009 Gilyard plead guilty to lewd conduct and lewd molestation of two underage girls. While he was the pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church Gilyard molested a 15-year-old girl and sent a lewd text message to another. Under the conditions of his plea agreement, Gilyard cannot have “unsupervised contact with children under 18 years old,” and his new church has taken extraordinary steps to help Gilyard stick to the terms of his deal.


Despite the seriousness of his offense, Gilyard’s return to the pulpit was swift. After being released from jail on December 28, he resumed preaching in January, and told reporters he hopes he can move past this incident and continue with his work.


“Somehow I will prove that life isn’t over when one has committed a crime for which he receives this heinous label,” Gilyard told a reporter, ironically through text message. “You don’t have to languish on the fringes of society.”


While I believe in forgiveness, banning children from church in order to welcome a pedofile into the fold is not only creepy, but it’s downright shameful.
What do you think? What kind of message is Gilyard’s church sending to its youth?
​
Click to expand...
Well, then I'm happy for the children.
 
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hislastwalk

Guest
#8
#8
So since I use to be gay, &slept around, and whored myself.. I should still be held to that? I been a to jail. I use to do drugs. Etc. so I should ignore Gods calling on my life to be a pastor. Btw, in the bible, pedos and gays were under the same category.
 
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Strong1

Guest
#9
#9
hislastwalk said:
So since I use to be gay, &slept around, and whored myself.. I should still be held to that? I been a to jail. I use to do drugs. Etc. so I should ignore Gods calling on my life to be a pastor. Btw, in the bible, pedos and gays were under the same category.
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I totally get where you are going.... i think the difference is that he commited these offences while already being a pastor, He has a standard to uphold, that's why the bible states, that to hold to the office of Bishop(Minister) One must be "Blameless" It does not speak to the lifestyle you lived before commiting to Christ.
 
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Crossfire

Guest
#10
#10
Moviefan2k4 said:
Sex offenders should never be allowed in a place of authority where he or she will come into contact with children...period.
Click to expand...
My sentiments exactly.
 
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Crossfire

Guest
#11
#11
hislastwalk said:
So since I use to be gay, &slept around, and whored myself.. I should still be held to that? I been a to jail. I use to do drugs. Etc. so I should ignore Gods calling on my life to be a pastor. Btw, in the bible, pedos and gays were under the same category.
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If God has called you to preach that's fine however, if the bondage of sin still remains unbroken in your life then you have no business getting near a pulpit until those issues have been properly dealt with through the power of the Holy Spirit via sanctification. You see, leaders can not give what they themselves do not have. On the flip side of that, it is a biblical principle that you will reap what you sow thus if you are a leader dominated by secret sin then you will produce a congregation enslaved by secret sin.
 
V

violakat

Guest
#13
#13
In thinking about this minister who is also a pedophile, I have a lot of very conflicting thoughts. One part of me says, "No, he should never be a minister again. But then another part if me says, "What about the rest of us?"

If we think about it, the Bible is filled with men and women who would be considered horrible people. If we say that murders should never be used by God, then a huge potion of the epistles would never have been written. If we refuse to allow adulterers to serve God, then most of the psalms would never be written. If men who constantly lost there temper would not be used by God, then the first 5 books of the Bible would not be written. The fact is God is a god of second chances, which is a good thing for everyone. Or else we would have no chance.

However, we also need to consider if this man went right back into the ministry, after being found out, or if he waited a few years. If the former, then no, because he probably did not learn his lesson. If he took a break, then maybe, as he could have taken the time to get closer to God. He can still he uses by God, especially men who are in prison, or to minister to those who society considers the derelicts.

But I will admit, chances are, I wold not be willing to attend his church, simply because I would fill uncomfortable.
 
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kayem77

Guest
#15
#15
Just because someone wants to be a pastor doesn't mean God wants them to be a pastor...
 
R

RPM

Guest
#16
#16
Strong1 said:
I totally get where you are going.... i think the difference is that he commited these offences while already being a pastor, He has a standard to uphold, that's why the bible states, that to hold to the office of Bishop(Minister) One must be "Blameless" It does not speak to the lifestyle you lived before commiting to Christ.
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Very well said, I mean it is one thing to have done all this sinful immoral stuff before coming to faith and thus becoming a Pastor, but to do these horrific things while a Pastor, well I remember a comment that a Pastor who had an extramarital affair should quit being a Pastor for at least 2 years while trying to get right with God.

Granted one can turn away from their pedophilia but I have to admit I would not want a man who committed such crimes while in the office of Pastor, to go near my future kids, for that person violated trust while holding the office.
 
Ritter

Ritter

Banned
#17
Jul 25, 2005
2,417
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#17
If you have to legally ban children from attending service, then it is simply not worth having the man as minister.

Should the church believe the man has a place in ministry, they should encourage him to minister to sex offenders or something of that nature.
 
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Relena7

Guest
#18
#18
A bit unconventional...but if it works for them....

I have a split opinion on this. He should still be allowed to have a job. But it doesn't seem justified the parents be inconvenienced to hire a sitter every church day just because of this guy's "records".

I say let the people who go to that church take votes every year. If the majority says he passes, then they should just keep doing what they're doing. *shrug*
 
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1still_waters

Guest
#19
#19
This is one of those situations where you have conflicting ideals, where the solution is a choice between two bad/good options.

On one hand you want someone to live in and walk in the forgiveness that Jesus gives to all that ask for it. On the other hand you do have children to protect, laws to be followed, and a saltiness to be maintained.

So which do you choose?

I would have to side with the choice that protects children.

This situation isn't about ONE man.

If he feels a call to preach and minister, he should minister to sex offenders. There are many many many in local communities.

I've read about some churches making services just for sex offenders, and they inform the community.

People who committed these SERIOUS offenses are capable of receiving the forgiveness Jesus offers. They do need ministry. But all that isn't greater than the need to protect children.
 
lil_christian

lil_christian

Senior Member
#20
Mar 14, 2010
7,489
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#20
hislastwalk said:
So since I use to be gay, &slept around, and whored myself.. I should still be held to that? I been a to jail. I use to do drugs. Etc. so I should ignore Gods calling on my life to be a pastor. Btw, in the bible, pedos and gays were under the same category.
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I honestly think that this is different...he was a sexual offender. The difference is, you didn't break the law in that way. He did. He shouldn't be pastoring at a church if he can't be trusted around children or if he's not allowed around children. That's just not right. A church is supposed to be open for everyone of all ages...and for a church not to be "safe" for kids, well...it just doesn't make sense. I agree with the others, there are other ways to minister...there is jail ministry, which is something my church does. And maybe if it's God's will, he could try and actually get an organization together and minister to people like sex offenders...

Okay...I put in my two cents, whether they be of any worth or not.
 
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