Church Members Mistreat Homeless Man in Church Unaware It Is Their Pastor in Disguise

Should post the rest of the article you left out which I think is important.

He walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment then he recited,

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

‘The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.

He then said, “Today I see a gathering of people, not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples. When will YOU decide to become disciples?”

He then dismissed service until next week.

Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ should be more than just talk. It ought to be a lifestyle that others around you can love about you and share in.

reply to post by fluff007


tells you that christians are just hypocrites like the rest. As if going to church (alone) would grant you a ticket for heaven what a load... Simple people, simple beliefs.

reply to post by HanzHenry


If you are gonna quote scripture, please do not quote only part of the passage, for when you do, you corrupt the meaning.
As for judging others, it is not forbidden. You would know this if you had continued with your quote. In fact, it comes with a rather heavy warning. In Matthew 7 we are told---

7 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

This is a warning. It is telling us that we will receive an 'eye for an eye' for judging others. This is why it is so important for us to have mercy on those who are in error. Not only so mercy will be shown us, but because mercy has already been shown us.

reply to post by fluff007

What a great lesson!

Do to others what you would have them do to you. How has this most basic Christian principal been lost on congregants of all people?

Never forget to entertain strangers. I think this is a helpful reminder to all of us, religion and authenticity aside.

Is it a hoax
or
not?

Here is a true story, in a small inner city church one Sunday evening during the middle of the sermon a couple walked in the back door, everyone turned to look, the pastor welcomed them and asked them to have a seat.
Instead they spoke out that they were homeless and trying to get to a relatives home in another state but ran out of money.

The pastor immediately took up a collection and got them food from the food pantry. Then they left.

I was there that evening.

The End

and BTW, did you know a suicide attack on a historic Christian church in northwestern Pakistan killed at least 78 people on Sunday?

YodHeVauHe

Kryties
reply to post by fluff007

 

Someone posted that on Facebook the other day and I got the distinct impression, after having read it, that it was a made-up story.

So what?

Although the story remains unsubstantiated and is likely to be just a religious parable created to illustrate an idea. The image does not show a Pastor Steepek, but rather an actual homeless man in Richmond, Surrey. Moreover, the only references to the alleged Pastor Steepek are those in the circulating message itself. The idea for the story may have been derived from the experience of Tennessee Pastor Willie Lyle, who lived as a homeless person for a week and later used the experience in a sermon to his new congregation.

edit on 22-9-2013 by YodHeVauHe because: (no reason given)

Ahh much like the parable of the man who read a post on ATS that turned out to be false and went out and stabbed a little kids balloon with a sewing needle.

It didn't happen, but hey, it shows you what could happen if someone posts false threads on ATS.

Food for thought, I'm sure, for all of us....

(read as: if it didn't happen, then there is no validity to it happening. the congregation may have welcomed a homeless man with open arms. They may have offered him as a sacrifice to satan. We don't know. but to claim this as a study in christian ethics or morals, is nonsense, unless it is true, then we can all point and laugh!)

Dustytoad
This is a good lesson for anyone who would say the bible is fake.

Uhh but you know it isn't fake. It's a real book. Billions of them. Can't be fake.

But it's full of twaddle, that much is for sure.

Now if you need to read a book on what nice things to say and do, try writing one!

reply to post by winofiend

unless it is true, then we can all point and laugh!)

If Christians do something stupid, and they do, they should be judged accordingly, but,

hey

I am still waiting for verification.

reply to post by fluff007


I say good for this Pastor! What a very telling experiment.

The lack of true caring, sharing, acceptance and love was revealed; many hypocrites, selfish and self-centered people were revealed.

If Jesus had walked among that crowd...he would have been treated the same way by the majority of people; they wouldn't even recognize him.

reply to post by caladonea


Did you read any of the post, this story may be a hoax,
just sayin

I'm surprised so many of you find these antics a good idea. I personally think it was sneaky, manipulative, most of all, deceptive. I don't believe it was done in good-fellowship. Ugh.

stormdancer777
reply to post by caladonea

 

Did you read any of the post, this story may be a hoax,
just sayin

Yes...I read what the writer of this thread presented and a few of the replies...even it is proved to be a hoax...I stand by what I have said; over the years I have attended many churches and there is a lot of hypocrisy in them; with a few good people mixed in.

reply to post by fluff007


Thanks for this thread.

Sadly, I think this story is fiction.
But it does seem to have been inspired by another story published June 28 in the Clarksville Tennesee Leaf-Chronicle

urbanlegends.about.com...

The true story of Pastor Willie Lyle On the morning of Sunday, June 23, 2013 (about a month before the Pastor Steepek story surfaced online), the newly-appointed pastor of Sango United Methodist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee, Willie Lyle, lay down at the foot of a tree on the church grounds with an overcoat for a blanket. Unkempt and bearded after spending most of the previous week on the streets, he looked for all the world like a homeless man, which was precisely the effect he hoped to achieve.

Rest of the analysis at the link

I hope the congregation learned their faults. I would suppose the pastor will be less respected by some of his congregation because he showed them that their beliefs were wrong. I suppose his actions caused a raise in offerings though, but not an increase in actual compassion of the members. Seems like some people would rather pay more than change their attitude.

What bothers me most about this thread is the lack of concern over the authenticity of this story. There was a time not too long ago, when credible sources and factual information were demanded around here, but now it seems as long as the fabrications allow atheists the opportunity to to take shots at Christians, it doesn't matter if the story is true or not.

By the way GO SAINTS!!!

reply to post by rickymouse


ricky I don't think the story is true, but it could be

reply to post by caladonea



Yes the world is full of them, we all can be at times.

except me

see

occrest
reply to post by HanzHenry

 

If you are gonna quote scripture, please do not quote only part of the passage, for when you do, you corrupt the meaning.
As for judging others, it is not forbidden. You would know this if you had continued with your quote. In fact, it comes with a rather heavy warning. In Matthew 7 we are told---

7 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

This is a warning. It is telling us that we will receive an 'eye for an eye' for judging others. This is why it is so important for us to have mercy on those who are in error. Not only so mercy will be shown us, but because mercy has already been shown us.

Don't YOU get it..

THIS IS FOR CHRISTIANS... ffs!! ONLY applies to Christians.

I think the book is Hulla Bullooo.. ANd therefore If I JUDGE, fine!, not bound by christianity