TheeSoulFuel Podcast
Welcome to your essential pitstop, where your soul gets the fuel it needs for life’s journey. In Christ, faith is the vehicle steering us through every twist and turn. Join us as we dive into real conversations about real-life challenges, all viewed through the lens of scripture. Don’t leave empty—come and be filled with the wisdom, strength, and grace to keep going.
TheeSoulFuel Podcast
When do you apologize for the truth?
What if the church owes the world an apology? Join me, as we navigate the controversial waters stirred up by gospel singer Kim Burrell's apology at the Stellar Awards for her remarks about the LGBTQ+ community. We examine the delicate balance between delivering scriptural truth and maintaining spiritual integrity, emphasizing that while the truth might offend, it should never be used to harm. It’s essential to communicate from a place rooted in the fruits of the Spirit, and sometimes that means acknowledging when our words are driven by personal hurt rather than divine guidance.
In a candid exploration, I reflect on my own journey from harboring homophobic attitudes to embracing compassionate conversations that broadened my understanding. While supporting individuals doesn't equate to endorsing every lifestyle, it is crucial to offer love and respect without compromising on moral and spiritual principles. Authentic faith demands living out the teachings of Jesus, making amends when we falter, and letting the Holy Spirit guide us toward genuine repentance.
What's happening everybody, welcome to another episode of the Soul Fuel Podcast, the pit stop for your soul to be fueled for your journey in life. And of course, y'all know we're doing it with Christ. Listen, I'm your host, willie Robbins III, aka Pastor Will, or Will to some of you who know me as that. Listen, I just wanted to come to you with another what I feel is a necessary conversation that needs to be had. If you're looking at my background and you're looking at me, I know I probably look a little raggedy. I need to shave, I need some. You know I have a little little bit stuff that's going on here that that needs to be rectified and we're going to take care of that. I'm not in my normal space that we usually record the pod in, but it's OK. I'm out of town. Right now I'm in Clarksville, tennessee, at my dad's place. I'm sitting on the air mattress right now and I said you know what I owe the people? An episode I owe people in the episode. So, regardless, I packed up my lights and my camera and my computer and the Rodecaster and I said, hey, I got to find some time to squeeze this in, so it may not be edited the way that the other episodes are, but it's OK, because we're going to make it do what it do, All right. So that brings me to our conversation for today. So that brings me to our conversation for today, which is the question when is it necessary for the church to apologize to the world? When is it necessary for us, as believers, to apologize to the world?
Speaker 1:Everybody's up in arms about singer gospel singer, recording artist, pastor preacher Kim Burrell. She apologizes at the Stella Awards for the words that she had towards the LMNOP community, and I think it's interesting. I think it's interesting. I think it's interesting because so many people have so many different things to say and there's so many ways to look at it, but I only see one way to look at it, and the way that is.
Speaker 1:I believe it is biblical, not even just biblical, but spiritual. Well, if it's biblical, it should be spiritual, right. So the the reason why I think it's necessary to talk about it is because there should never be a time where we have to apologize to the world. It should never be a time where we have to apologize to the world. There may be times where we have to apologize to people for a wrong that we may have done with how tight you are in obeying the Word of God and obeying the Spirit, so that you can walk in the Spirit, so that you can always have the fruits of the Spirit on display.
Speaker 1:So, for Ms Kimberrell to have words to say about the Elemental Pea community, about their lifestyle or whatever you know their lifestyle or whatever, I think it's one thing to talk about the lifestyle in accordance to what scripture says, and continuing to preach the truth, no matter what right. We know what is an abomination, we understand all of these things. Now, how are you saying it? Is it necessary? We know that it's now. It's always necessary to preach the truth, but from where? From what place? Right?
Speaker 1:So this is, this is the only case where it's necessary to apologize, because when you speak from a place of hurt and pain and not in the spirit, and not in the spirit, now you have to apologize, because when you speak from pain and hurt and whatever's going on in your life, you're going to speak on something. Even though it may be true, it still comes from a lying place. Now, what do you mean by that? When it comes from a lying place? I'm just simply saying that it's coming from a place where you don't care how it comes off. You don't care how you say it.
Speaker 1:So, as a believer, let me say it like this, because I don't want you to get lost in the sauce, because I'm probably having a weird way of wording this right now, but what I'm saying is you should never tell the truth with the intentions of trying to hurt somebody, right, the truth should never come out at at the expense of you being emotional and not being able to control your emotions because you're upset. Emotional and not being able to control your emotions because you're upset. That will probably be the time, the best time, for you to keep your mouth closed before you say something that you do have to apologize for. And so, in the case of Ms Kimberrell, speaking to the element of community or to people who are of that lifestyle, again, I believe, if you speak from a place of hurt and aggravation and anything that is not of the fruit of the spirit, if you speak from any of those places and you offend in, in in any way that is, outside of the spirit which is operating in how you feel and your emotions, you're going to say things the way that you shouldn't say it Now.
Speaker 1:The truth is always going to offend, no matter what. The truth is always going to offend, no matter what. So I could say that you know, the world is going to hell in the nicest way and people will get an attitude about it. And guess what? Just because they get an attitude about it and just because I said it in the nicest way doesn't take away the fact that it's true according to the word and according to what we believe as Christians and what we believe as true followers, active believing followers of Jesus. We believe this, we believe it. So it's not. It's not that we we got to watch what we say, but sometimes it's how we say it, sometimes it's how we say it and sometimes there are other there.
Speaker 1:I believe that there are spaces that the Holy Spirit will give it to you to communicate in a certain kind of way. I know this because I communicate every morning, monday through Friday, in preaching the gospel. There are certain ways I say certain things to be able to remain right. I don't sugarcoat anything and I don't say anything. That's not true for the sake of sparing people's feelings. Now I say things under the influence of the Holy Spirit and I believe that whatever the Holy Spirit gives us to say it will come across to each and every person in truth. It will come off as truth. It wouldn't come off as you're trying to hurt me, right? And I believe that the words that Kimberl said if I want to go back and watch the videos or the clips of the things that she said, I believe it was all over social media, of the things that she said I believe it was all over social media. And the reason for the apology is another thing. Right, we come to the part of why and everything that I just explained should tell you why there is a time where people of God should apologize to the world. There is a time where where people of God should apologize to the world, and that is that again is when we speak out of term, when we say things that we should not say in the way that we say it, right?
Speaker 1:Um, I remember a while ago, uh, in the Kojic church. Uh, they had a preacher by the name of Dr Earl Carter who spoke at the convocation I can't remember what year it was, but Bishop Blake was the presiding bishop at the time and he got up and he preached a message and obviously he spoke a lot of truth, but it's the way that he said what he said. It had it. He spoke a lot of truth, but it's the way that he said what he said, and I believe that he did owe an apology to, to everyone who heard him speak, because not only was it offensive to those who would be a part of the element of community as much as they do need to hear the truth, right, but it was what he said. He was talking, talking about. He hoped that the men bleed from their behind. He said a lot of wild stuff. He said a lot of wild stuff, and and that is where the lines get blurred.
Speaker 1:That is where the lines get blurred where it is not the spirit of God, because the spirit of God would never have you wish anything bad on anybody, no matter if it is the world, no matter if they live a lifestyle. That is an that is abominable to the Lord. But guess what? All unrighteousness is really abominable to the Lord. So, um, I know we do. There is a. It seems as if scripture puts an emphasis on that, and it does, and it is one of those things to really be against, and but at the same time, it's all sin, you know all sin, because Proverbs would tell us that a false balance is an abomination to the Lord. So, but a just weight is what pleases him, so to speak. I think I'm butchering that text, but I'm pretty I'm absolutely sure of the first part, but it just a just weight is his delight, that's what it says. A just weight is his delight. So the first part of it is a false balance is an abomination to the Lord and a just weight is is is his delight, right? So I say that to say that when I bring up, you know, dr Earl Carter and the things that he said, you know that is the time where it is necessary for um, for believers, to apologize, right, um?
Speaker 1:And as now, I'll take the time and apologize to the world for being exposed to a false christianity. I want to take the time. Let me look in the camera all the way. The camera's a little shaky because it's on the bed with me, so so, but I want to take the time to apologize that that the people who have called themselves, telling you the truth in the name of Jesus, did not fully live out the life that they were preaching. I am sorry that you have came across those people who left a bad taste in your mouth. But what I will not be sorry about and what I will never apologize for is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I will not be sorry about and what I will never apologize for is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I will not be ashamed of telling you that, that I disagree, and the Lord is against same sex marriages. The Lord is against man and man being married. He's against women and women as well. Now, does that stop us from loving you and treating you like a human being? Absolutely not. It does not. It does not.
Speaker 1:So, um so, when we say these things, I know and some people are going to be irritated and mad and upset that I just said what I said. See what I'm saying, like you can say it in the nicest way possible it doesn't mean that people won't still won't get mad. That's not the point. The point is we can't be out here running our mouths and talking about people because we're upset and mad and and then hurt people. In the name of Jesus, let me say that again. Let me say this in a clear, concise way where I can chop this up and you can repeat it and you can share it as much as you want. We cannot be out here hurting people in the name of Jesus Right?
Speaker 1:And so her apology was necessary. I believe her apology was necessary because she, she may have said not have to go back and look at it, but if you're apologizing for what you say and you're holding yourself accountable and the spirit has convicted you, and you're not apologizing just so that you can get a check, just so that you can go to the next level again, so that you can stop being blackballed, you know, that's one reason you should never apologize for the sake of money. You should never apologize for telling the truth so that you can get back in the spotlight. No, that should never be the case. Never be the case. That should never be the case at all.
Speaker 1:But I want to say that you should definitely apologize if what you say is not in the spirit, because, just as we're supposed to walk in the spirit, we're supposed to talk in the spirit. Supposed to walk in the spirit, we're supposed to talk in the spirit. We're supposed to um, um, conduct ourselves as wise men with outsiders. And in order to do that, you must stand on business Like everybody be talking about. You must stand on business. As a Christian, you got to stand on business, right. You have to stand on the truth. You have to because if you don't, then of course you know, if you don't, we get what we get. In the world today, you get lukewarm Christians who feel like they can do whatever they want to do, and people who are in the world feel like they don't need to change. There's nothing that needs to change because you have compromised just all for the sake of a dollar, right, all for the sake of a dollar.
Speaker 1:So, with miss kimberrell apologizing, I think it was necessary. But you know, in her apology I just listened to it right before I started recording this in her apology, you know, there's a few things to take away from it and a few things to analyze and to observe. And with her apology, I feel like her apology was to save her career. I feel like her apology was to save her career because she gave the apology when she was receiving a stellar award, right, and so she took that opportunity to apologize. Fine, great, a wonderful timing, wonderful timing, but the wrong speech. I believe that she should have apologized for how she said, what she said and in the spirit that she may have said it in right, that's one way to see it. And then, two, she could have not said anything at all, just gave a speech and she could have said how much she loved all people. Right, because we love all people, we don't just love those who are straight, we love the bisexual people, we love the gay people, we love the lesbians, we love them all. We even love the transformers, right? You know, I try to. I say LMNOP community, and I say that for the sake of YouTube and for the sake of where these will go. I don't, you know, they can flag it either way, but you understand what I'm saying. Anybody trans, we love these people, right?
Speaker 1:I used to be super, duper homophobic. I used to be so homophobic until I was 18. Now I was 19. I was getting ready to graduate, no, I was 18. And, um, I had, there was a guy who was in my acting class and he was gay and, uh, I just used to be. So I wasn't like disgusted by him or anything like that. I just never wanted to be around. I never wanted to be caught with him by myself. I never did. You know, I just never.
Speaker 1:This super masculine like, uh, super masculine, um, way right, I just didn't want it and, um, it was kind of immature because I kind of hurt him. You know, I kind of hurt him in acting that way, even though you know he shared that he didn't care and, um, it took me to have a conversation with him. I had a conversation with him and I was less bothered and I could be around him. I still, you know, just still, I didn't want my good evil spoken of, but I wasn't really saved like that anyway, I just knew that I didn't want no parts of that lifestyle, I didn't want to be around it and to this day I still don't want to be around it like that.
Speaker 1:But my perspective changed when he, when we had a simple conversation and I thought it was dope. So I think that conversation helped me be a better believer, helped me be a better, uh, uh follower of Christ, because, you know, I believe that Jesus wouldn't be ashamed to be around certain people, um, as people love to say that Jesus hung out with sinners, but no, they hung out with him, they followed him Right. And so, um, again, at that time I was not professing. I was been in church my whole life but I was not professing to be a um, you know, to be saved like that. I gotten saved many times. Every Sunday I went and got saved but, um, I wasn't really professing like that, but at the time again when we had that conversation, it just made me see things a whole lot different.
Speaker 1:And after high school I ended up you know he's a photographer and I ended up taking my photos for my acting career and we remain, you know, acquaintances. I was like somewhat like friends, but I didn't talk to him like that, but it had nothing to do with anything else, but other than you know, we were just I, just I called him for some headshots and I paid him. He was good at what he did and you know he would joke and he had his moments where he was super flamboyant and moments when he wasn't. He understood what I believe. He understood what I stood on. I was always believing in, I was always rooting for him to be with a woman and he was like. He was just like if I had to be with somebody, it would be this such and such person. I'm like, okay, okay, I was like, yeah, she's cute.
Speaker 1:We accept people as human beings, but we don't have to accept a lifestyle in the same way that we don't accept the lifestyle of a crackhead. We don't accept the lifestyle of a drug addict, a drunk or a A gambler you know somebody with a real bad gambling issue. We don't support that. So it's the same way. We look at that. We we look at that the same way.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to support a lifestyle, but I will always support people, the person as a person. So in my support, I'm always going to be pushing people to the truth, right, and I and I think it's more important in this situation that we learned from this situation with kim borrell that we have to live the truth. We have to live the truth and be unapologetic about it, but only when we're doing it in the likeness of our lord and savior, jesus christ. We have to still show love, like showing love does not mean don't tell the truth, right, because today is today's generation and and the society that we live in today says that love means that we have to accept and support every lifestyle that there is. And so, um, I strongly disagree with that and I all, I will always preach the truth. I will always preach against every lifestyle that is not of God. I will always, because it's for us to remind each other as believers that this is not of God, that we can't accept that type of life, Just like we can't accept the lives of some Christians who say they love the Lord and are in the closet about everything, not just homosexuality or anything like that, but not just that, but everything like pedos, right, people who like underage. No, we, we have to be against all of that Right and we have to be, we have to be against all of that Right and we have to be, we have to be willing to call it out, we have to be honest with ourselves, we have to walk in the spirit and by the spirit.
Speaker 1:So, with Kimberl apologizing to the uh element of P community, um, again, I think it was a missed opportunity for her to stand on the truth, right, and she doesn't quote all of the scripture that she uses about um, following peace with all men. You know, you know there was. I just feel like that was a missed opportunity. And yeah, again, to end this episode, I just want to say we do need to apologize when we're wrong, right, we do need to repent when we're wrong and I believe that when we repent when we're wrong. That shows more about the love of God. Now you still have to again.
Speaker 1:You have to be clear on what you're apologizing for, because it'll sound like you're apologizing for the gospel and I don't know about you, but I will not be ashamed of the gospel. I will not be ashamed of the gospel, all right, and um, I think this is a real lesson learned. A real lesson learned that we cannot go around just running our mouths saying things that, uh, that to on purpose to hurt people, for, in the name of Jesus, you cannot hurt people in the name of Jesus. You, you, you heal people in the name of Jesus. You cannot hurt people in the name of Jesus. You heal people in the name of Jesus and you help people live in the name of Jesus by telling the truth in love, right and again, true love. You know it comes with people telling you the truth and when people realize it and they feel that coming from you, they may not believe or accept what you're saying, but they will respect it. I feel like a lot of people would respect it.
Speaker 1:There are a lot of things that I don't agree with and people that I know that I don't agree with don't agree with Um, but they respect it because I'm doing my best to live it out right. We all have to do our best to live it out. So, again, I hope this makes sense. I hope what I said you know it. It it hits home for some of you to make sure that you know, when we're engaging with people in the world, that we are always showing them Jesus. And when we if we, because we don't have to, we don't have to, I'm sticking true, sticking true to my guns when it comes to that. When we, if we I don't want to say when we if we find ourselves in a situation where we have done something that was not pleasing in the sight of the Lord and we have offended people because of our feelings, our emotions, we have offended people because of the flesh, then we definitely need to be apologizing, we definitely need to be repenting, and I know that for sure that the Holy Spirit is going to lead us to make it right.
Speaker 1:Whenever we're wrong, it doesn't matter who you've wronged. You don't have to be a believer in Christ. It could be somebody who's a, it could be a complete atheist. If you owe them an apology, you owe them an apology on the strength of the Holy Spirit, because you say you're a child of God and every single person is your neighbor, saved or not. Right? So take that. But I probably shouldn't say that because that's a ditty word, right? I would just want to say take it to the bank. Let me say it like that Take it to the bank. All right, I love y'all so much. Stay up and walk in the spirit. Walk in the spirit. So this has been another episode of the Soul Fuel Podcast. Again, this is your pit stop for your soul to be fueled for your journey in life, as we do this thing with Christ. Again, no-transcript.
