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Pastor Rebukes Christians for Gun Worship, Encourages Less Time With ‘Hannity and O’Reilly’ (and More With the Bible)

Feb. 13, 2013 8:44am Billy Hallowell

There’s at least one pastor out there who’s not afraid to offend people on both sides of the firearms debate. Shane Idleman of Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, Calif., is pro-gun ownership, but he’s also willing to speak out against some Christians whom he accuses of essentially worshipping weapons.

In a sermon that was delivered this past Sunday, the pastor derided individuals on both sides of the gun debate. He charged that both proponents of firearms control and those who hold dearly to the Second Amendment often misrepresent the issue — a phenomenon that has led to dysfunction and improper handling of the debate as a whole.

At the heart of Idleman’s message was an attempt to get to the heart of the divisive impact the discussion has had on society. Additionally, he challenged those listening to check their relationships with the Lord.

Pastor Shane Idleman of Westside Christian Fellowship Talks About Guns and Gun Control

Pastor Shane Idleman talks to his congregation about guns (Photo Credit: Vimeo)

“What concerns me is that in the Church we’re starting to use language like ‘the next Civil War,’ and that’s scary. The nation is being divided over some of these issues,” Idleman said. “Some of the terminology out there, even from Christian leaders that I’m seeing is alarming, it’s disheartening, it’s frightening. Are we actually thinking along those lines?”

However, the non-denominational preacher’s message extended beyond division and into the personal and spiritual standing of his congregants. Idleman said that he’s hearing a great deal about Remington, Smith and Wesson and Browning, but very little about essential issues like “brokenness and humility and surrender.” Rather than trusting in these weapons, the pastor reminded his flock that there’s a greater calling for believers.

“In Remington, Smith & Wesson … is that what my trust is in?,” he asked. “It sounds like it, from what I’m hearing from a lot of Christians. The trust is not in that, the trust is in God and God alone.”

Idleman did reaffirm the necessity that exists for people to defend themselves in dire situations, noting that the fact that the nation is in a lackluster moral position in which people need to prepare for self-defense is tragic. However, he was adamant about the right to appropriately use guns for protection.

Many may wonder, though, based on the preacher’s comments, if he had an agenda in delivering this controversial sermon. But Idleman told his congregation that he had prayerfully considered the message and had asked the Lord to keep him from injecting personal opinion or perspective. He also admitted that he doesn’t have “an axe to grind” on the gun front and that he merely finds himself disheartened with the overall debate.

Idleman encouraged his church to pray about the issue and to take considerations surrounding firearms back to God. In fact, a connection with the Lord, he said, is the best way to make an impact on society.

“The role of the church, your greatest weapon is going to be in the prayer closet. I can’t get that point across enough,” he continued. ”Take this topic back to the prayer closet and see what God says to you on this issue.”

Rather than listening and watching too much of “Hannity, and O’Reilly and Fox and Hume,” Idleman said that the congregation should consider spending more time with “Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.”

Watch his sermon, below:

(H/T: Christian Post)

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Comments (329)

thewhiteright
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:20am
Brokenness and humility and surrender.” Rather than trusting in these weapons. Words from satans playbook of mislead the church. David who slayed Goliath did not embrace brokenness and humility and surrender.” He took his weapon and killed the opposing army’s greatest warrior. The US founding fathers didn’t surrender when choosing freedom, they took up arms. The Jews did however embrace brokenness and humility and surrender.” and walked into box cars of death. This preacher is pure evil. Preacher, buy a gun for each family member teach them how to fight for and preserve this country foundation of Liberty and Freedom. obama is a muslim communist set to destroy America and Christians too. YOU ARE A FOOL

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- kengie
  Posted on February 24, 2013 at 9:16am
  Is it time to Infiltrate the NRA?
  
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dnewton
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:18am
Gun ownership in the US is not (supposed to be) similar to owning a car. There is no right to own a car. Eisenhower made a comparison between a privilege and a principle, not a right and a principle. Gun ownership is a right. Brokenness, Humility and Surrender emboldens the enemies of our Liberty when it is directed to the government more than to God. The disciples having a sword makes perfect sense, especially when you consider the travel that they did and the morality of the times. Why would a Christian work for chaos and encourage the commission of evil by disarming the lawful?

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- BrutalTruth
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 12:59pm
  Spot on. Isn’t it interesting how many people think in terms of surface “love”. You discipline your children out of a deeper love. So many just read Matthew 10 and gloss over it because it doesn’t fit with their “human” view of unity.
  
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- Max jones
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:18pm
  Anti-christ comes promising “peace and prosperity”…..and like every thing Satan spews….these are lies.
  
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todd147
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:13am
I’m not surprised at the condition of the Church when I read many of these post. Satan loves to have Christians fighting among themselves to confuse those around them. There is no perfect Church or pastor. Read the Bible for yourselves and come to your own conclusions. If your searching for the truth you will find it. Why argue over tithing, guns and other doctrine. When you get to the matter of the heart you will find that it is the heart that matters.

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- curmudgeon60
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:32am
  @TODD147—I had almost given up reading the comments,Then hit on yours. THANK YOU for saying, in my opinion, the most relevant commentary. I usually say “I love the Blaze” but this time I just want to say I love my Jesus!
  
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- theotherberean
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:27pm
  1I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: 2preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching. 3For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts; 4and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to fables. 5But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry. 2 Tim 4
  
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signal_lost
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:02am
I don’t have a problem with the message that you should avoid making for yourselves idols but I don’t think that’s whats going on here. For some time now, within church teaching, there has been a slow separation of what you do and your spiritual life. This idea is so pervasive within the evangelical world that the first instinct of a pastor is to ridicule Christians for being ‘too gun oriented’ rather than fighting the real evil. Really, gun worship is a serious evil in his congregation?

He spilled the real issue, when people start to use words like ‘Civil War’. In other words his real issue is the fear that people will use the guns for something other than protecting themselves. Here’s where the left has infected the church to the extent that the church no longer believes in actually fighting the evil (you know, spiritual warfare). When the evil comes to his door he’s just going to sing louder so he doesn’t hear it coming and maybe it’ll just pass by.

I think these his comments show him to be just another religious leader who, either knowingly or not, is not really saying what they think but just pursuing their agenda secretly not realizing how the left has influenced his thinking.

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Beachmastermax
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:01am
I will bet his deacons have concealed weapons permits and that he encourages any members that are police officers to carry in church. Would this be worship?

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diehardsapper1969
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:01am
Sorry Pastor. Trusting in God didn’t help the victims at Newtown but a S&W would have. Why is it those of us who are exercising our Constitutional rights who must compromise. If you want to have a discussion about the moral decay of our society instead of guns then maybe you should have said “Morgan and Matthews, Maddow and Sharpton” (oh yeah, no one is watching them anyway).

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- kengie
  Posted on February 24, 2013 at 9:13am
  Infiltrate the NRA…
  
  Report this comment
Master_and_Commander
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:54am
What is this nonsense? Does owning a gun and believing in the second amendment mean that I don;t have faith in God? I’m sorry, but this pastor is just wrong.

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symphonic
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:54am
He’s RIGHT. Too many gun owners are talking about civil war, and with a feeling of hatred for the obamanation, etc. Well that attitude doesn’t jibe with CHRIST-LIKE. Christ was nothing like that, so, search your hearts. The pastor understands, I think, that wars will still be fought, and we might be involved in a civil war if Obama and friends keep this up, but still we should be more humbly PRAYING in our closets rather than brandishing our guns in front of our friends and bragging about what they can do.

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- thewhiteright
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:45am
  You stay in your closet to pray and stay out of the way.
  
  Should we not hate evil, should we not also hate the conspicuous attempt by government official’s to restrict our right to arms. The fact of having arms with military characteristics validates the separation between the individual citizen and the government. Be warned a doorway of is purposely and relentlessly being created by obama’s regimen. He was placed in power for in his own words to “Fundamentally Change America” . This man obama seeks to undermine the God inspired principles set before this nation. The only question is, will you stay in your closet to pray that you won’t be sent to a FEMA camp, or pick up arms to fight for your Freedom. Make no mistake the war is coming.
  
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- BrutalTruth
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 1:08pm
  Symphonic, how does what Jesus did fit with your meek and mild perception? He outright told the pharisees they were liars. How does your view fit with his rampage through the temple dealing with the money changers. I’ll invite you to contemplate the difference between hate for revenge and hate for lies. Jesus even said he “hates”.
  
  Many have been lied to in order to suck people into a shallow human level love belief. You have many congregations that are simply lost. They preach unity of people instead of unity of people in Christ. It’s not about being “good”, but about being “right” (as in righteous). They are lost because the Truth is not in them. Satan isn’t against morals. He’s against Jesus Christ.
  
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- Max jones
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:22pm
  SYMPHONIC…..You just don’t know what time it is. Time for bed…go on now.
  
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- Max jones
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:26pm
  BRUTATRUTH…..Yolessed , my brother……stay the course….YOU know what time it is and what is coming….you are blessed with latter rain and are sealed. I stand with you, armed or not.
  
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- kengie
  Posted on February 24, 2013 at 9:15am
  Time to Infiltrate the NRA…
  
  Report this comment
COFemale
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:50am
With all do respect to the pastor, God will not stop a rapist in my home or a robber in my home. Thus it is up to me to protect myself. Yes God will be with me, when I shoot the perp, but that is it. We don’t worship guns, we believe it is our God given right via the Constitution to protect ourselves from criminals and our out of control government.

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Top Hat
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:44am
Me thinks that if this pastor lived 250 years ago, he would have a totally different view of firearms and would not have preached this message….

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jungle J
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:29am
this preacher is another enemy within the church…he is just waiting to get at your children.

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BlasberryStrat
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:25am
There is a time to pray and a time to fight……and a time to wonder why you’re attending a service at a downtown converted Five & Dime. “Free thinking churches” are fine if you enjoy Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, and yes…****. But a person might best read the Bible and interpret with the mind that was given to them, instead of trusting in someone elses interpretation.

And just where would we all be if the Knights Templar didn’t have their swords blessed by God? Yes, a chuckle here. But throughout history kingdoms and Countries have fought to the death in the name of their faith. Being raised by “Dr. Spock” or not, we – even as a modern civilization shouldn’t be so stupid to think that “history repeating itself” will simply skip our present times. There are too many indications of a looming civil or race war. Why I don’t think it will affect the entire Nation, I do believe we are in for some huge – multi city riots that will be very bloody. Very sad how one Admin. is able to bait us all like puppets.

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Not_Fooled
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:23am
If you are a Christian and are wondering what biblical basis you have for owning guns, please read Luke 22:36, King James Version. That verse alone clearly states the Jesus Christ not only approves but recommends having a weapon for self-defense.

Luke 22:36 KJV: “Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.”

No further comment necessary.

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CWPrequired
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:19am
Read “When a Nation Forgets God”. This pastor would fit right in with the Christian pastors from Germany that decided not to speak up against Hitler.

When I jumped from an airplane at 14,000 feet I had a parachute. I put my trust in God that it would open.

My XDM 9mm is my parachute I wear everyday, it’s that simple. I trust in God that I won’t have to use it.

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5tango6
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:47am
What Pastor Shane is missing or doesn’t understand is that in the United States our rights are God given and not man or government conferred. Therefore, we have not only the right, but I would say the duty, to resist any attempt for a man to restrict that or any other right.

If he is uncomfortable with what he is hearing in his church, maybe he should take the time to investigate the issues. It sounds like he wishes to remain naive. I can only wonder what his thoughts would be if they decided to limit his or the members of Westside Christian Fellowhip’s ability to meet and freely worship?

This country was founded by divine inspiration but the rifle, musket and canon were used as tools to bring that inspiration to realization.

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MrObamablows
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:41am
Pastor with all due respect teach the word of God not preaching the Obama agenda. If or when a civil war starts it would be cursed by the Dems due to them stepping on the 2nd amendment. We The People will never surrender our firearms period nor are we going to give in to stupid restriction..As Ted told Piers Morgan leave us the hell alone! Plain and simple

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john vincent
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:41am
Sir Idleman will be levelled in this forum, and for good reason. He is making an illogical leap of leap by assuming ‘cristians are gun worshippers,’ and that Smith and Wesson has more of a persons heart than does God, or something like that.

Sir, what you are seeing, is the natural reaction by God fearing, country loving kin who know the govt has overstepped its bounds. You Mr Pastor, must have forget where that stellar intellectual and spiritual man, once Saul of Tarsus, now Paul the apostle, used the laws of the land to plead his case:
‘I must appeal to Caesar!’ (Acts 25)

Thus he did, and thus he was heard. America has the usual laws of the land, where I make my appeal, as do these souls who Idleman falsely accuses as ‘gun worshippers.’ Sir, there are no doubt more folks sitting in pews who are ‘church worshippers,’ and have no more faith than a housefly; and this in my mind is more egregious than the picture you are trying to paint.

Millions of us recognize the United States is fast becoming NOT the ‘land of the free,’ which freedom by the way, gives you your pulpit. Your comment of opposition has been allowed by the blood of
American martyrs; how soon we forget. So no sir, there are no gun worshippers as you would imagine, just average good people standing up and saying no to ‘dictatorial process.’

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- john vincent
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:04am
  oops sorry typo
  
  making an illogical leap of faith….
  
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RobertHere
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:36am
More time with my bible is always great advice, less time watching television is certainly good. Listening to a would be ‘pastor’ accuse me of worshiping the gun for defending my God given right to defend home and hearth, family, friend, neighbor and country is a waste of time. Let me take a great leap of faith and guess that his god is more Immanuel Kant, Nietzsche, Sarte and the TV show Law and Order than the Holy Spirit. Now why anyone would watch O’Really? (or be his guest) is beyond me.

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DeavonReye
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:34am
“Pastor Rebukes Christians for Gun Worship, …..”

At least I have all kinds of evidence for the existence of guns.

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- theotherberean
  Posted on February 13, 2013 at 10:31pm
  So your eyes stop there?
  
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- DeavonReye
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 9:47am
  Yeah. hehehe It was more of a “tongue in cheek” comment anyway.
  
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FiscalBill
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:31am
God is the almighty. Ruger is his sword.

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Saff SGT
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:28am
God had David kill the Giant, so that is what we will do to 2nd Amendment violators. Its okay to p[protect yourself and family’s dont get pushed around by Left Wing Communist they will all be killed when they start their terror tactics we are stronger by 300 million if we stay together

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Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:24am
“Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.”
The Sword was the assault weapon of the day.
“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.”
He did not go in to the temple,sit on the floor and smoke pot while singing “Kumbaya.”

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Saff SGT
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:24am
have the pastor look in the Bible where Jesus asked to his disciples do you have a sword? the answered back no, Jesus said buy one for personal protection. Moral here is so much for anti Gun talk

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DougHuffman
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:22am
Lancaster, Californistan – faith IQ center of the multiverse.

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pilgrim249
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 9:21am
What would Joshua do?

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