I’ve heard some dumb stuff preached from the pulpit in my time, but this just about takes the cake.
If you happen to be a person with a physical disability, then look away now. Because, according to hardcore fundamentalist preacher “Pastor” Greg Locke, people who have some kind of handicap only have themselves to blame. And that’s because God would have healed them already if they only had enough faith. Yes, “Pastor” Greg reckons is their own fault.
The more observant among you will have noticed that whenever I refer to “Pastor” Greg Locke, I put the term “Pastor” in inverted commas. The reason for that is fairly simple. He might call himself a “Pastor,” but there’s nothing pastoral about the attitudes and teachings he espouses.
Pastors are meant to be shepherds, guiding and supporting their flock, not finger-pointing blamers. “Pastor” Greg’s approach, on the other hand, could not be further from the compassionate essence of true pastoral work.
What makes me mad is that he purports to represent Jesus. He assumes that all his misguided zeal is the Lord’s work. He considers any criticism that he cops for his insensitive remarks as a kind of badge of honor because, in his mind, he is being persecuted for speaking the “hard truth” of the Gospel.
It couldn’t be that he is being a jerk.
“Do you know one of the largest expenses we have in buildings? The amount of handicapped parking and handicapped accessibility that we have in our churches,” “Pastor” Greg bemoans, as if less-abled people are a giant inconvenience.
Check out the video for yourself:
Surprised?
You shouldn’t be. It turns out that “Pastor” Greg Locke has a penchant for the problematic, the dramatic, and the dogmatic. He thrives on controversy and seems to revel in pushing boundaries, even if it means alienating or hurting those he should be embracing with open arms.
Greg Locke’s track record is something to behold. His laundry list of controversial stances leaves many scratching their heads in bewilderment. It’s hard to fathom how a person who claims to be a spiritual leader can harbor such divisive and uncompassionate beliefs.
Who is Greg Locke?
Greg Locke is the pastor of a church in Tenessee known as the Global Vision Bible Church. Not only is he the pastor of a local congregation, according to the Washington Post, Greg Locke also has a social media following of around 4 million people across multiple platforms.
He is openly and unashamedly anti-gay, anti-trans, anti-vax, anti-abortion, anti-evolution, anti-critical race theory, anti-democrats, anti-woke, and anti-climate change. He attended the Capitol riots on January 6 and banned mask-wearing in his church during the height of the COVID pandemic.
Greg Locke is most infamous for once claiming that children with autism are demonized and that people with mental health issues are just making themselves feel better by giving themselves a label.
Here’s a video of some of “Pastor” Greg’s “best work,” where he screams at his congregation, telling them “You can’t be a Christian and vote Democrat.”
What a lovely man.
When you look at him carrying on like that, aren’t you drawn to Jesus?
Me neither.
The truth is there is nothing about this man that speaks to me of Christ. In fact, his aggressive and exclusionary rhetoric flies in the face of everything Christ stood for.
How Churches should consider the disabled
First and foremost, let’s reject the notion that anyone’s ability or disability is a consequence of one’s faith. This belief is both stupid and superstitious and ultimately fails the test of evidence. Some of the most wonderfully faithful believers are those less-abled. In fact, I find that those who manage to reconcile their limitations with their faith are actually the greatest example of faithfulness. Their faith isn’t contingent on dramatic healings or miraculous interventions but rather grounded in a profound understanding of God’s love and purpose for their lives in spite of the challenges they face.
The able-bodied — including “Pastor” Greg — could learn a thing or two from the faithfully less-abled. These individuals teach us about resilience, perseverance, and an unshakeable trust in God’s plan, even in the face of adversity.
I think about Nick Vujicic, for example, the preacher born with no arms and no legs. If there is a man who should be angry at God, here he is. Yet, Vujicic still speaks of God’s love and the inherent worth in all individuals regardless of their physical condition.
Of course, if it were up to “Pastor” Greg, it seems he’d conveniently forget to make space in the parking lot for someone like Vujicic.
“Pastor” Greg at odds with the Bible
“Pastor” Greg is not only on a collision course with the 95% of society who represent common decency, but he is also running afoul of the Bible that he so loudly and proudly proclaims to believe.
He seems to have forgotten that the Apostle Paul — you know that ‘minor’ character who wrote most of the New Testament — had some kind of physical affliction that, despite being a powerhouse of the Christian Faith, God never healed.
You would think if anyone had enough faith, it was the Apostle Paul. Yet, even though he begged and pleaded with God to remove his physical disability, God did not answer his prayers. In fact, God says instead, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).
This revelation is the cornerstone of genuine faith. It’s an acknowledgment that faith isn’t about escaping our trials but finding God’s power and grace within them. It’s the understanding that God’s strength is at its greatest in our moments of vulnerability. It is not the strong who find God at their side, but the weak.
Therefore, God is not with “Pastor” Greg in the pulpit as he berates the weak with this brainless bluster. He is outside with the guy in the wheelchair who “Pastor” Greg refuses to accommodate.
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This post was previously published on Backyard Church.
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