Noted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Glenn Beck, took to the stage at the Fearless Roll Call 2.0 conference yesterday morning, regaling hundreds of men with tales of George Washington’s escapades while sharing an extended personal testimony that urged his audience to “surrender to Jesus Christ.”
During his message, Beck positioned himself as a true believer who is part of the family of God, and not a single person attending shared a word of rebuke or repudiation otherwise.
We have been highly critical of the prominent Mormon’s presence at the Fearless conference, much to the chagrin of many who would rather we stay quiet about it, from Mormon Radio show hosts to conference organizer Jason Whitlock, who has previously affirmed Beck as a Christian and recently told us to “kiss” his “butt” following our initial first article.
Yet our concerns have been simple: of what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? What does light have with polytheist cultists? We appreciate much of what the Blaze founder does as much as the next person, recognizing the heavy price he’s paid for exposing the evil in our nation, but what does welcoming Beck and platforming him as a Christian brother say about the truth and exclusivity of the gospel to Christians and Mormons alike?
What message does it send to Mormons, who in recent years have been desperate and insistent on being seen as just another Christian denomination, rather than a blasphemous, heretical cult of damned and deluded false converts that are leading millions upon millions to hell?
We seek to minister to and save Mormons from their sins, snatching them from the flames. We don’t send them soul comforts and false assurances that they are part of the family of God.
If Fearless were a generic men’s conference that Beck was speaking at, that would be one thing. But this event was specifically and intentionally marketed as a conference for Christians and has every hallmark of being one. Public prayers, praise and worship, times of confessions, rousing speeches and messages, several sermons by well-known preachers, and tons of scripture quoted throughout.
We were told that while prominent preachers like Voddie Baucham and E.W Jackson would be preaching sermons, Beck would simply be giving a history lesson with nary an involvement in the spiritual discourse.
How wrong that turned out to be.
The event kicked off with a presentation from Preborn, the headline sponsor, then Jason Whitlock invited Anthony Walker to open up the event in prayer:
“Father God we thank you for today. We thank you for all of your many blessings. Father you tell us in your word ‘how good and pleasant it is for men to dwell together in unity‘.
We’re thankful for all these men who have come from all over to unite to be called together, but to be called by Your word…In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, and all the men said (in union) “AMEN”
Voddie Baucham spoke first, giving a sermon on manhood and masculinity, quoting the scriptures to demonstrate that the war against men and marriage is ultimately a war against God and his church, which marriage is an image of. Following the sermon, Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, Mark Robinson spoke, and then Beck, who, just as we called it, used his time to give an extended testimony while repeatedly framing himself as a believer.
All the while, not one person got up and rebuked him, shouted him down, or apologized later from the stage for allowing Beck to speak.
The irony of this happening at a Men’s conference on the theme of being fearless is not lost on us.
Beck shared:
“I just have to start with my testimony of Jesus Christ. I am an alcoholic. I grew up in an abusive family- Mark’s story and my story are kind of similar….
But you can break the cycle. My mother committed suicide when I was 13 years old. She was an alcoholic. My father was an alcoholic when he died. And child abuse happened in our family and in his family and in his family-for generations it happened.
And it was my decision after I sobered up: we’re gonna break this in our family once and for all. And it is hard to do, and there’s only one way to do it. Surrender to Jesus Christ. That’s it.
And that’s what our country needs to do. And unfortunately, the only way you can do that is if you’re driven to your knees. I had no other place, I was on my carpet. I was living in an apartment complex, I had lost my family and my children and my job and everything else. And I was on the carpet in this little apartment that I called the ‘United Nations building’ because I was the only one that lived there that spoke any English.
And I remember being on the ground feeling sorry for myself. And I realized I was either going to repeat my mother’s life or I was gonna get up, and get up every day after, and beg the Lord for help. Three years later, I was baptized, and my life changed overnight. Whatever is happening in your life, shed it. Shed it. You are so much more powerful.”
He continues:
Believe me, I wouldn’t be able to be here today. Mark (Robinson) knows about the media. He wouldn’t make it. I wouldn’t have made it if I had something to hide. You terrify people when you have nothing to hide. You’re like, ‘Well, we’re gonna be looking into you.’ ‘Go ahead.’ And you terrify them.
…Well, this has been a slow impact. We won’t make it through the next New Year’s if men don’t stand up, men of God and peace, people who understand the full armor of God. That’s not sending you into a war with a gun, that’s sending you into battle with God and the truth and peace and the sword of that truth, His word.
They are afraid. Why do you think they’re silencing everybody? They are terrified of the truth. Speak the truth. If you don’t know how to find the truth, get your face back into the scriptures; the only thing that will be your compass now in these confusing times, because remember ‘even the very elect will be deceived.’
You must be one with the spirit of God. You must have the ever-present spirit of the Holy Spirit with you. And when It says turn around, go back, head the other way, you better do it. And it’s a muscle. The more you obey, the stronger the Voice gets…
The morning sessions concluded with a prayer from Virgil Walker (Of G3 Ministries) saying a prayer over the meal, thanking the Lord for the “opportunity to join together as brothers and under the message of the gospel.”
“Let me pray for you. Father God, we give you thanks and praise for today for the opportunity to join together as brothers and under the message of the gospel, we’re grateful for your word, your truth that we’re standing here on that truth. Pray that you bless the food that we’re about to receive. Pray that you bless the conversations that will be had. We ask all this in Jesus’ name, amen. Enjoy your lunch.
