Clothes-Line Preaching
By Pastor G. Reckart
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Well, I confess I am a clothes-line preacher! Seems so many duck, hide, and run from the pulpit because of shame to confess they preach the clothesline message. Maybe they should run from the pulpit because they preach little or no holiness at all! As for me, I did not duck, I did not hide, and I did not run from the pulpit when someone ask me if I was a clothes-line preacher. I stood flatfooted and said yes!
Please let me explain myself. I never was a wimp when it came to preaching the Truth. I never was one to let people brow-beat me into submission to worldliness or they would take their tithes and offerings and go join a neighboring pastor's church. I never felt comfortable denying what I believed the Bible to teach to tickle the ears of those who had trouble living for God. I just could not accept that God called me to give the people what they wanted. I gave them what they NEEDED to be saved and to stay saved. Somehow there was a high calling in my Ministry and I wanted to fulfill this with all my faith, zeal, and ability. Of course in my novice days I might have been a little to aggressive and brisk with my words concerning holiness, but not so bad the ones who believed it were offended. It was always those who didn't live it, would not practice it, and refuse to believe it who jumped up, ran out, and slammed doors. These were the ones who when leaving the parking lot left a fifty foot strip of rubber spinning out in their anger.
Well, that same spirit is still in the Church house today and is evermore demanding the Pastor and preachers remove old fashion holiness preaching from the pulpit because it offends them. They claim there needs to be a balance in preaching holiness. What they mean is, the other side of the balance should include an equal measure of acceptable worldliness. Well, I never read of this balance in the Word of God so I do not preach it. I never read where Holiness was in a balance. I read where without holiness a man/woman, none would see God. I am called to preach that and I will. I am not afraid to name clothing in this preaching either! The day I am censored from identifying sin, that is the day I will tell that member to find another church!
I have had my fill of men preaching their holiness and then who leave the Church to put on short sleeves, t-shirts, and shorts! Some of these will let a woman strip off to her armpits with shoulders exposed with tiny straps and then tell her to wrap her head in an artificial covering or she can't pray, sing, or prophesy. Her head must be covered but she can expose her body above the knees and with additional splits; she can wear a sun-dress and expose her top down to the top of the split in her breast; and she is holy if she wraps her head? Enough is enough! Let these find another church were they can be tickled and sang lullabies. If they have no mind and heart to live this holiness life let them take their money and go ahead toward hell. It matters not when they leave, they will take their rebellion with them and the quicker the better for the health and growth of the Church.
I refuse to be intimidated by the accusation of being a clothes-line preacher. So let me declare myself right here: I AM A CLOTHES LINE PREACHER AND NOT ASHAMED OF IT!
What should not be on the clothes line:
Women, Girls:
Pants that women wear, including overalls.
Any pants or top that has on them: b-itch, hot, ready, take me, or other suggestive language.
Tights (spandex or other like material)used to ride a bicycle or jog.
Women's shorts.
Women's halter tops.
Women's sleeveless blouses, tops, or shirts: including see through ones.
Any top that has a low neckline exposing the cleavage of the breast.
Pajamas that are pants type that a woman will wear.
Skirts or dresses that have splits in them.
Skirts or dresses that are knee length (with or without splits).
Skirts or dresses that are see through.
T-back bathing suits, or bathing suits used in mix bathing that exposes the body.Ok, what's wrong about preaching this clothes-line message? Would inward holiness allow any of this? Seems some are so wishy-washy they think inward holiness will allow some or all of this and preaching the clothes-line against it is UNAPOSTOLIC!
Men and boys:
Shorts.
Pants of any kind that does not reach the ankle.
Short sleeve shirts of all kinds.
See through clothes.
Pants or shirts (including t-shirts) with the words: hard, ready, hot, take me, or other suggestive language; (including advertisement for sinful things).
Tights (spandex or other like material) to ride a bicycle or jog.
Clothing that is effeminite in any way: color, design, lace, homosexual styles and trends etc.
T-back bathing suits, or bathing suits used in mix bathing that exposes the body.
Ok, what's wrong with preaching this clothes-line message? Is this UNAPOSTOLIC?What should be on the clothes line:
Women and girls:
Long dresses and skirts that have no splits that reach at least 12 inches below the knee.
Long sleeve blouses and tops that are not see through. The same having necklines that do not expose the cleavage of the breast.
Night gowns that have no form of pant legs.Now what's wrong with preaching this clothes-line message?
Men and boys:
Long pants that reach to the ankle.
Long sleeve shirts that are not see through.
Pajamas that have pant legs.Now what's wrong with preaching this clothes-line message?
Commentary:
I can remember in the hills of West Virginia where I was raised, that you could walk down the dirt road and look at a person's clothes line and tell what kind of people lived in the house. Their worldly and sinful life was exposed for all to see on the clothes-line. Even the sinners in our small community looked at the clothes-line of the holiness people and said they were the sanctified people. So it came to be, when a person was seen wearing holiness clothes they called them the sanctified people. Our neighbors who were really heathen in all respects, would call our family sanctified. I never really heard to much about this being because of holiness. I first heard it preached as the sanctified life. The one set apart from the world unto God. It was the sanctification that was called holiness. Somehow the sanctification identity was lost over the years and the term holiness came to be the identity of a person's outer manifestation unto the Lord our God. When did this happen? In my memory I believe it occurred more and more from around 1950 to 1960 where I first heard the accusation of a sanctified preacher being a clothes-line preacher.
Our pastor was accused of being a clothes-line preacher all because he refused to allow sleeveless tops on women and short skirts at the knee or above. Oh, I remember how the accusations were so cruel and hard-hearted, intimidating, and mean spirited. I can remember people leaving our church and going to the one that was "free" so called, because the Pastor allowed sleeveless tops, short sleeves on men and women, and men wearing shorts and women short skirts. I can remember how churches were split and families divided over these things. When two families left our Church and went to the liberal one I was so sad. It hurt our little church of 15 families to lose two. Yes, the liberal church swelled out in growth but may I ask where are the saints among them? Yes, the sanctified/holiness churches remain somewhat small because the trend is compromise and ecumenicalism.
But those were the days the seeds of rebellion were planted and those who had these low standards of sanctification and holiness were the ones who also let television and movies in. Look at liberal Oneness Pentecost claiming to be real Apostolic when they are lying through their teeth. They are the ones who attended sports events. Whose sons joined the basketball or football team and their daughters became cheerleaders. The ones whose little girls went to ballet with the little short dresses. Whose sons went off to karate and nodded their head to the gods of the mat. And then they took to the golf courses with gold clubs and started playing with playing cards and games with dice. Once the door was opened a flood of all sorts of worldly conduct came into the churches. They put back on jewelry: first wedding bands, then wrist watches and bracelets, then necklaces, then earrings, and now they have body piercings in the tongues, and other places. The liberals backsliders are the ones to plague the Apostolic identity, and now cry legalism and bondage against us who held on to sanctification/holiness. It was these who started the doctrine on inward holiness without an outward sanctification showing the work of God in a born again life. Oh, how we have suffered abuse, acrimony, mockery, slander, blasphemy, and our members are open game to steal and draw away after their pernicerous ways. Preachers manufactured under the liberal mind-set, under backslid Oneness Pentecost in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90,s and now 2000s do not have the same foundation as we old-time Apostolic war horses. They are not of us and never were. That is why they cannot see as we see, preach as we preach, write as we write, and live as we live: they are not of us and they show us that when they deny us and call us a cult and hurl at us bondage and legalism. They deny us but the Lord our God does not!
Holiness not outward? I have heard that before. I guess when I see God I will see no outward holiness. He will sit on the throne in a pair of shorts in a t-shirt!
I didn't accept it when I was a 14 year old kid and I do not accept it now at the age of 60!
Obviously it all boils down to a person's commitment to God.
I still believe that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, is not just an inward condition, it is all that we are in the righteousness of God in the life of the crucified Christ.
I am in him, and I gave up all my rights when he purchased me unto himself by his blood to be his son. I want to be a son who honors his Father and who brings no shame to the family of God. I have respect for the reward and in holiness there is nothing in me greater then this respect. I respect God's holiness and in any man or woman who displays it to the world or the Church.
Let holiness arise and let it not be ashamed. I refused to allow modern liberal backsliders to silence me or intimidate me with their rants against clothes-line preaching. I have now declared myself on the opposite polarity against liberalism. I am ready for all the cheap shots and attacks. My armour is on! (grin)
Pastor Reckart