[LWC]

I will start with this first.

Also, one time we had some middle-aged man move to the community and start attending church...he was single and just lived by himself, he was around around 50 or 51. He was quickly pin-pointed as a pervert, because he would hug the young girls at church and say perverted things and hug them way to long, and touch them in very, very inappropriate ways. But, strangely, not one person, not even a male, said one thing to the guy. I finally went to church with my mom and sat behind the guy. When we were eating dinner downstairs, I personally watched him seek out and hug a few young girls, and be completely sick and perverted with them. You know what the parents and grandparents of the girls did? Not a **** thing besides keep their child with them and not let them hug them anymore. They were too cowardly to confront him about it. When I asked why they hadn't, most of their excuses were "Well I didn't want to cause a scene"...that's horseshit. I confronted the guy without a seen, why couldn't they? These "Christians" were such cowards that they would rather let a man continue to hug little girls like that and say those things than to say something to him, politely or non-politely, about it and possibly save a little girl when he decided to rape one of them. The most they did was deny him from being a Sunday-school teacher, which he really, really insisted on doing, by saying there weren't any more spots open instead of saying "You can't teach Sunday school because of the rude and inappropriate ways you interact with the children here", which is perfectly polite and a good Christian way of confronting someone.

When I witnessed what he was doing, and what these little girls' parents weren't doing, I lost it, and politely, without causing a scene, asked the man to step outside so I could talk to him. I even got him to walk across the road so I wouldn't be beating him down in the church parking lot and on the grounds, because that's insensitive and you're not supposed to do those things at church. I talked to him about what he was doing, and when he refused to admit it, I beat him until he did...across from the church, off of the church grounds, and without causing a scene in church. And I did it in the nicest way possible. Guess who wasn't aloud, literally "banned", from coming back to church? Me. Not the pervert that was groping and freakin' dirty talking 10 year old girls, it was me, the only person willing to stand up for them. This was after I told the preacher why I did it, and confronted them on why they hadn't said anything to the guy when I've personally watched him do those things to THEIR own children. I was the one told I wasn't welcome back at church, not him. To this day, almost a year later, I'm still not welcome, and they treat my mother differently because of it when she is a devout Christian and is in church every Wednesday and Sunday. The worst part is, the guy is still aloud to attend church, and his is STILL doing the same things he was doing before, and these people STILL won't say anything to him about it. That's what kills me. I could not care less that I'm not welcome their, they are the fake Christians, not me, and I did the right thing. Screw them.

Vundy, if I was told that, I would have investigated. If I SAW that, I would have pulled the person aside and had a talk. The reason that I may never be a pastor at a mega-church is for that very reason. I will not be entirely PR-correct and I put the safety of children ahead of "not-breaking-the-flow". Safety first.

I may not have given you a proverbial medal but I would have pulled you aside and scolded you for the fight but thanked you for loving and caring about the children of the church. I do appreciate that you took the fight off of church grounds though, at least some still have respect for Holy ground. I'm sure if I didn't scold you for fighting you would have thought less of me as a pastor.

Even though I would have been a little disappointed in the fight, you would have been welcomed back to the church I serve with open arms. The other man would be welcome too, if he so chose. However, the law would be laid down about what he did, and how it is unacceptable, immoral, and not inside the teachings of the church.

Doing something like that, I stand to lose two members or more. However, the safety of children, congregants not in fear of being beaten up, and the practices of the church have to be protected.

Again, of everything listed, the fight is the least of my worries, but the precedent would have to be set that it isn't kosher. However, in my personal opinion, not that big of a deal if the man was obviously in the wrong.

Again, I would never entirely kick someone out of the church. For the child-molester, I would strongly encourage him to attend elsewhere, pray for him, and even help him find somewhere to worship. Yet, all God's children are welcomed into his church, they are not my doors to close. I would tell the man that I would not let him serve in any capacity unless I saw evidence of a re-dedication or a spiritual rebirth.

Again, let me clarify. Vundy33, you could come back anytime with open arms. The other man, I would probably ask him not to return for his safety, and to keep a worship mindset at the church. If he insisted on staying, I would meet with the deacons/trustees/administrative-council/etc... and let them know his intentions, if they move to bar him, I would let him know their intentions, and work with him to find a church that he is comfortable in and a church that would be comfortable to have him. People like that are the ones that need to hear the Gospel the worst sometimes.

If I learned after a few Sunday's that the rest of the church is uncomfortable or leaving because of their attendance, I would ask the person to leave after the service. I never like to do that and it makes me a little uncomfortable to even type that I would ask someone to leave the church, but sometimes as a pastor we have to stay with the fold and let a sheep go, in prayer that they find their way. I would still call the person, email or whatever trying to help them find a true relationship with Jesus and to turn their life around.

I know my position will not be popular on here, but a pastor has to be known to have an iron fist, but a compassionate hand as well.