The Sapulpa Messenger –The Sermon Bandit

[ Editor’s Note: At the request of some, we had agreed not to begin publishing these examples for 1 year. That agreement has expired. In this post we have displayed a sermon written in 2010 beside something written in 2015 by a paid staffer at Sapulpa. Sadly, the results speak for themselves. We are told, but have not confirmed that the sermon bandit himself was confronted with these allegations along with others and it was quietly swept under the rug. We can’t positively say if the pastoral needs ministry team was informed or just some staff. Consequently we are not accusing deacons or staff of hiding this because there is probably at least one innocent party. It’s best if you ask them yourselves. At any rate, it’s time for the common folk in the church to see what level of integrity a 6 figure salary will buy.

These were written 5 years apart. Both sources have been documented. One is the church at Sapulpa, the other is not. Compare them side by side and determine for yourself if the similarities are mere coincidence or if one was intentionally and strategically modified to hide the fact that it was stolen. We have a lot of school teachers out there so we’d like to hear your opinions on this as well.

bandit1 - CopyToday, 6-18-2016, we are also a lot closer to fulfilling our warning that church discipline is used as a tool to silence whistle blowers. The discipline committee is meeting today comprised of men who will be testifying against some of your fellow church members for their unwillingness to come follow the orders of the plagiarizer in chief. Some of these are local businessmen with a lot of influence (money) and interested in being elders at the expense of others.

They have started with a small number of victims but we expect the list to expand to anyone who refuses to bow and follow orders. For some reason theft of copyrighted material and repeated lying from the pulpit doesn’t seem to be sins that have consequences. We contend that these sins be confronted first before an attempt to cast the speck out of others’ eyes is made. We believe that Jesus had something to say about hypocritical judgment in Matthew 7:1-3. ]

About The Layout

  • This side by side layout is optimized for desktop computers and doesn’t show up as columns on smart phones. On smart phones it shows each 2015 paragraph followed by the corresponding 2010 paragraph. The original 2010 is in blue. The 2015 plagiarized copy is in red.
  • On the left column in red you will find what was presented by a paid pastor at the church at Sapulpa entitled “The Pain of Unconfessed Sin.” It is from 2015. It has been delineated in its entirety in this synopsis without editing.
    If you want to check the source, it is currently viewable online here: [UPDATE 11/11/16: THIS STOLEN MATERIAL HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN BY THE CHURCH DUE TO IT BEING COPYRIGHTED BY PURE LIFE MINISTRIES! The original link posted with this blog was: http://fbcsapulpa.com/blog/the-pain-of-unconfessed-sin/ but is no longer valid. An archived copy can still be seen here: https://web.archive.org/web/20160730215737/http://fbcsapulpa.com/blog/?page=16]
  • The legal notice on Brad Furges’ 2010 article states: “2010 www.purelifeministries.org. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use, copy, distribute, or retransmit information or materials on this page, so long as proper acknowledgment is given to Pure Life Ministries as the source of the materials, and no modifications are made to such material.” [emphasis added]

 

Side by Side, You Decide

The Pain of Unconfessed Sin”

(2015)

The Weight of Unconfessed Sin”

(2010)

How many professing believers will be in church today, singing in worship, or sitting in the pews hearing the word, all the while dragging around a host of unconfessed sins?
How many professing believers today standing in the pulpit, singing on the worship team, or sitting out in the pews lug around a host of unconfessed sins?
Week after week we come together to exalt God, but we are weighed down, our spiritual backpacks crammed with all sorts of idols and other hidden sins.
Week after week they assemble together to exalt God, but they are weighed down, their spiritual backpacks crammed with all sorts of idols and other hidden sins.
Laziness, lying, bitterness, anger, adultery, pornography, drunkenness, gossip, lust, unforgiveness, unbelief, PRIDE.
Pride. Rebellion. Unbelief. Bitterness. Anger. Unforgiveness. Laziness. Lying. Greed. Envy. Gluttony. Gossip. Lust. Adultery. Fornication. Homosexuality. Pornography. Masturbation. Drunkenness. Substance abuse.
All works of the flesh deprive our soul from inheriting God’s Kingdom (Gal. 5:19-21). Then why is it so hard for us who call ourselves Christians to confess our sins and repent of them?
Any of these works of the flesh can rob a soul of his inheritance in God’s Kingdom (Gal. 5:19-21). So why aren’t many who profess the name of Christ quick to confess their sins and turn away from them?
How many of us as Christians have become comfortable with just carrying around our pet sins?
Some of these “Christians” have actually become accustomed to carrying around their pet sins.
It is so sad that many so-called Christians are nothing but religious actors playing the part, so arrogant and content with their walk, or lack thereof, with the Lord.
Their complacency shelters them from the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit. Who is warning them to repent.
Sadly, these religious actors have become so smug and content with their walk with the Lord and their lives in this world that their extreme complacency shields them from the gentle, convicting voice of the Holy Spirit warning them to get their sin out.
The saddest element is the fact that they are obviously simply satisfied with their current spiritual progress, seeing no need to repent.
Obviously quite satisfied with their current spiritual progress, they don’t see their need to repent,
They have grown accustom the extra weight of their sins. To which has decayed their walk with Jesus Christ. We have whole congregations filled with lukewarm professors.
nor do they even detect the weight of sin which has stagnated their walk with the Lord. They comprise a congregation of backslidden and lukewarm professors.
Additional others basically justifies themselves and underestimates their sins, insisting that they are not as bad as others.
Another group simply justifies themselves and minimizes their sins, insisting that they are not as bad as their neighbor.
When they come under conviction, they are quick to say to themselves, “I’m a good person, I am not as bad as others I know. I love God, and He understands that no one is perfect I have His grace.”
When they come under conviction, they are quick to say to themselves, “I don’t get drunk. I don’t do drugs. I’m not out sleeping around. I’m a good person. I love God, and He understands that no one is perfect.”
This sounds just like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, outwardly they are as close to being spotless as one could be (Matt 5:20 For I tell you unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven).
Just like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, outwardly they are close to being squeaky clean.
But the truth of the matter is that they are still very much consumed with sin in their hearts. Since they have such a heavy load upon their hearts, their spiritual growth is stalled, and their hunger and passion for God is running on fumes.
But the truth of the matter is that they are still very much given over to sinful attitudes in their hearts— the secret place where only God sees. Because of this heavy load, their spiritual growth is retarded, and their hunger and passion for God is practically on Empty.
They will never bear any fruit for God’s Kingdom or experience peace and abundant life in Jesus.
Nor will they ever produce any substantial fruit for God’s Kingdom or experience the peace and abundant life in Jesus that God has for them.
Other groups are overloaded by sin but they are hidden under the mask of hypocrisy.
A third group of desperate souls weighed down by sin are those who hide behind a mask of hypocrisy.
Like David, after his adulterous affair and murderous plot, they are under extreme conviction but are unwilling to repent. These are the most tortured! While God’s hand presses down upon them, somehow they succeed in establishing dense walls to keep others from knowing who they really are (Eph 4:17-18).
Like King David after his adulterous affair and murderous plot (Ps. 32:3-4), they are under heavy conviction but are unwilling to bring their sin into the light. Needless to say, they are most miserable! While God’s hand presses down upon them, somehow they manage to erect thick self-protective walls to keep others from knowing who they really are.
To further evade exposure, they strive to keep up a good “Christian image” outwardly—all the while carrying their hidden sin around with them.
To further avoid exposure, they strive to keep up a good “Christian image” outwardly—while carrying their hidden sin around with them.
So encumbered by their guilt & shame, they are unable to run the race to which they were called (Heb 12:1-2).
They are so loaded down that they aren’t able to run the race to which they were called.
Despite their differences, each of these groups described above are stuck spiritually under the pain of their unconfessed sin. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Prov. 28:13)
Despite their differences, each of the three groups described above are stuck spiritually under the weight of their unconfessed sin. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Prov. 28:13)
We have only one way of escaping the pain of unconfessed sin: Repentance. Sinners can bring their heavy burdens to the One who bore their sin on the cross. Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior, took upon Himself the sin of the whole world.
In each case there is only one way of escape: Repentance. Sinners can bring their heavy burdens to the One who bore their sins on the old rugged cross. Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior, took upon Himself the sin of the whole world.
Imagine the tremendous weight He joyfully bore for wretched sinners like you and me so that sin would no longer have dominion over us (Rom. 6:14).
Imagine the tremendous weight He joyfully bore for wretched sinners like us so that sin would no longer have dominion over us (Rom. 6:14)!
True repentance encompasses more than just acknowledging one’s guilt. It involves Brokenness leading to a willful turning away from sin to obey the Lord (2 Cor. 7:10).
True repentance involves more than admitting one’s guilt. It involves brokenness and godly sorrow leading to a willful turning away from sin to obey and please the Lord (2 Cor. 7:10).
Because of the finished work of Christ on Calvary, every weight can be lifted from a repentant sinner once such a genuine confession before God has been made.
Because of the finished work of Christ at Calvary, every weight can be lifted off of a repentant sinner once such a genuine confession before God has been made.
Never should a true child of God bear the pain of unconfessed sin. As His children, we are to bring our sins to the light of the CROSS. Colossians 2:14 says by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Let us walk in obedience to the CROSS, and enjoy the liberty that Christ purchased for us.
No Christian need go one day longer bearing the guilt and shame of unconfessed sin. They need only bring their sin out into the light, nail it on the Cross, and get back on the Straight and Narrow. They will soon discover the joyous liberty that Christ purchased on Calvary.
SOURCE:

–Delivered 2015 at Sapulpa. Available online at the church website HERE. [Note: this evidence has been removed by the church but an archived copy is available HERE. ]

SOURCE:

–Delivered 2010 at Pure Life Ministries by pastor Brad Furges. Available online in multiple sources including HERE.


What’s Your Conclusion?

justice - CopyThe Discipline Committee would do well to ponder this:

“You shall not steal” –Exodus 20:15

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” –Exodus 20:16

“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” –Matthew 7:2-3

More unconfessed theft to come in future posts on the private blog.