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My Father-in-law Dr. John Waters used to get agitated over folks leaving for vacation and not letting him know they were gone, especially if they had a job in the CHURCH. He knew they didn’t leave work without informing those they were responsible to and he never could understand how they could do this at the Church. This one simple thing served as a source of agitation for years. The thing that agitates me are these folks that are so easily offended. Years ago I worked a bus route while I lived in Chattanooga. Our bus director’s name was Wayne Holder. One week we had gold fish Sunday on the buses and we were 400 goldfish short. Some of the bus captains said to Wayne, “What are these parents going to THINK since we promised these goldfish and we are 400 short?” Wayne said, “They will react the same way you do. If you tell them we’ll make it up to them next week and we are sorry we are short, they’ll understand, but if you cuss the church and the Pastor, they’ll react and talk the way you do.” Wayne understood something most church folks don’t, that is we teach people around us how to react and to be easily offended.

I closed a meeting in April with Brother Tommy Holbrooks. Our young people like Brother Holbrooks, but when they get around those people that are easily OFFENDED, and they hear these carnal brethren bad mouth the preaching, the same young folks pick it up and do the same thing. God deliver us from these folks who PREY on the weaknesses of OTHERS and try to put those individuals down.

Dr. Dennis Carter