Signs Of Grace
Click here For more on Clays Mill Road Baptist Church and Jeff Fugate
Update 1: A couple of people seem very concerned with pointing out that Jeff Fugate himself allegedly had nothing to do with this sign being put up and ordered it taken down once he discovered it. In reality, it doesn’t much matter to me who was the actual person placing the letters on the sign because it shows a mindset that is pervasive and promoted through fundamentalism. I applaud whoever it was that finally had the honesty to make a public spectacle of their hatred of their fellow man instead of keeping it inside the church walls where it usually resides.
Categories: Church
First!
by Garrett on May 1, 2012 at 11:49 pm
missed it by that much
by Don on May 1, 2012 at 11:51 pm
It kind of amazes me how hard it is to find on their where these churches are located on their websites. I did find it on the Contact page, but you’d think they’d want to make their location clear and obvious from the get-go.
by Pearl on May 2, 2012 at 12:00 am
Wow
Was This a reader submitted photo?
by phil on May 2, 2012 at 12:02 am
Imprecatory Marquee’s: Specializing in promoting a judgmental, mean-spirited, petty god of vengence via weekly zingers that are a surefire way to draw the masses so the pews are full to over flowing each week.
With a marquee like that the preaching’s got to be good. *amen?*
by Don on May 2, 2012 at 12:03 am
I’m disturbed that they don’t have a Plan of Salvation on their web site. I mean, that could be the last web site some people ever see before they walk out of their apartment and into the street and get hit by a bus and die and go to hell. All because some church forgot to put in the plan of salvation…
by David Schell on May 2, 2012 at 12:04 am
If they really been concerned about the thieves’ eternal destinies then they would have put a Chick Tract in a waether-proof baggie taped to the AC unit for just such an occasion. That way they could have put on their marquee: “To Whomever stole our AC units… “Read the Tract!” Call us when you get saved.
by Don on May 2, 2012 at 12:13 am
Pastor: “Can you believe it? Some low life scoundrel has stolen my bicycle!”
Deacon: “Then tomorrow morning why don’t you preach on the Ten Commandments, and when you get to the 8th commandment let’er rip with both barrels. That way, whoever took it will get under conviction and return your bike.”
Pastor: “Say, that sounds like a great idea, I’ll do it!”
So the next day the preacher starts off on the Ten Commandments. The pastor was in fine form, and the deacon was on the edge of his seat knowing what was a’comin’. But when the Pastor got to the 8th commandment, “Thou Shalt not Steal” there was no “Shock and Awe.”
After the service the Deacon approached the pastor:
Deacon: Pastor, that was a fine sermon but I’m dissapointed that you didn’t really lay it to them when you got to the 8th Commandment? What happened?
Pastor: I know, I was a’goin’ to, I mean I had me a head of steam, and was gonna preach hell hot and wide open.
Deacon: So, why didn’t you?
Pastor: Well, when I got to the 7th commandment I remember where I left my bike…
by Don on May 2, 2012 at 12:36 am
The sign is sadly lacking in punctuation, but I am pleasantly surprised that they didn’t use “your”.
by pastor's wife on May 2, 2012 at 12:40 am
or even a weather-proof baggie… I shall now go and taunt george for his typing sins.
by Don on May 2, 2012 at 12:44 am
Hey, that’s Jeffery’s church. I didn’t get to hear him preach at SOTL last year, he only did a daytime sermon. But he’s the Bus ministry Guru who taught the “How to run a Bus route” sessions at SOTL.
Here is a link about this photo that I found interesting:
http://milespastnormal.com/2011/07/21/an-open-letter-to-pastor-jeff-fugate/?year=2011&monthnum=07&day=21&like=1&_wpnonce=8c4a8b5259&wpl_rand=bd2e943fae
by Don on May 2, 2012 at 12:58 am
Check out Jeff’s bona fides on his FB https://www.facebook.com/pastorfugate
Just look at those Honorary Doctorates and who gave them to him.
And this status from FB:
The omnipotence of a fundy preacher: able to consign Ac thieves to hell and tell you that “scores” were saved on the bus routes in April. Is it just me or is being unloved maimed and the outcasts of society a requirement for riding on an IFB bus route?
by Don on May 2, 2012 at 1:16 am
Last one and I’m done.
I look at Jeff’s FB page and all the numbers he posts and I am reminded of this: “Beware the Exhibition of Doubtful Spoils”
http://www.bloggingtheologically.com/2012/04/14/beware-the-exhibition-of-doubtful-spoils/
adapted from CH Spurgeon’s “The Soul Winner“
by Don on May 2, 2012 at 1:26 am
Attack!!!! Lame.
by FundamentalismWasHellForMe on May 2, 2012 at 1:45 am
Fugate has TWO honorary doctorates.
by Jeff on May 2, 2012 at 2:54 am
Ooh, I wonder why/when Dr Jorgensen left HAC.
by sempar on May 2, 2012 at 5:22 am
Hay-Men!!
by Scorpio on May 2, 2012 at 5:46 am
David – I am not defending them but there is a link at the bottom right of the their home page:
http://www.cmrbc.org/salvation.html
That means the heathen sinner had a chance to read about salvation before he got hit by that bus.
by Scorpio on May 2, 2012 at 5:51 am
I’m so glad this church doesn’t have any wimmen on their staff. I guess they have preacher boys answering the phones or making copies.
by Laurat99 on May 2, 2012 at 5:58 am
“These men and their wives all seek to perform their ministries in a manner which will honor and glorify our Lord.”
http://www.cmrbc.org/our-staff.html
Whenever I see statements like that, I’m reminded of why we left. We don’t have to “perform” anymore.
Now, I’ve gotta get myself a cuppa java so I can percolate my brain or there won’t be any “performing” today!
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 6:00 am
Thanks foe letting me keep the AC units. I sold it and am taking a cruise to the Bahamas. And, yes, it is hot there.
by ex-fundy youth pastor on May 2, 2012 at 6:40 am
*for. Georger is mad because I wouldn’t take him on the cruise.
by ex-fundy youth pastor on May 2, 2012 at 6:41 am
Well you have to admit this is an unusual sign for people to see as they’re driving by. More interesting than the usual hum drum of their service times or some other trite saying like “7 days without prayer makes on weak” or some such. People will notice this sign.
by Macushlalondra on May 2, 2012 at 6:44 am
George, that was meant to say ONE weak, now go bother someone else ok?
by Macushlalondra on May 2, 2012 at 6:45 am
Love the open letter. The letter writer is dead on.
by persnickety polecat on May 2, 2012 at 7:02 am
I like the open letter
by Ricardo on May 2, 2012 at 7:03 am
There is a story behind it, not that it excuses it in any way. Someone stole the AC units off of one of the church buildings. A member of the pastoral staff (I’ll let them remain anonymous but I do which one and it was not Jeff Fugate) took it upon themselves to put this message on the church sign. It was up I am told for only a few hours before phone calls and media inquiries started pouring in. Fugate was not aware of the sign until this point and had it taken down immediately after finding out about it. Too late, since pics of sign are all over the internet popping up on humor sites and such. I was wondering how long it would take for it to pop up here.
by Matt on May 2, 2012 at 7:04 am
Is “haymen” the way amen is said in a Hyles church?
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 7:09 am
People are stealing AC units because of the copper inside. Churches have been especially vulnerable due to lower security and perhaps shorter ‘open’ hours during the week. I wonder if the thieves tithed when they got the cash from the scrap metal dealer?
by Stan on May 2, 2012 at 7:12 am
We did have a conversation about this. (60,500 souls saved.)
http://www.stufffundieslike.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=1600
by Ricardo on May 2, 2012 at 7:14 am
We walk a fine line between ridiculing signs such as these simply to feel holier-than-thou and noting an aspect of fundamentalism we used to buy into but now realize was less than Christian-like.
by Ricardo on May 2, 2012 at 7:22 am
You’re RIGHT!!!
…So the poor people who don’t go to their church – i mean, err, “heathen,” DID have a chance after all!! I was looking for a text link at the top of their page and missed the one at the bottom. Somebody should tell them their web site is confusing…
by David Schell on May 2, 2012 at 7:24 am
If your account is true, then I would expect that the person who put up the sign got “taken down” a bit along with the sign. I hope. That is inexcusable.
by JoeR on May 2, 2012 at 7:45 am
It’s the way it is said in many IFB churches. The preacher ends a statement with a simple amen? (emphasis on raising his voice at the end). Which is a cue for the amen crowd to start hooting and hollering and shouting Hay-Men! Some will drag out the “hay” part. Others will say it as quick as possible. This is done not only to agree with the preacher but to stroke his delicate ego.
by Scorpio on May 2, 2012 at 7:46 am
I know we must have visited this church on deputation. I heard my dad say this name a lot. But I don’t remember anything more than that.
by MKXcomm on May 2, 2012 at 8:09 am
I make the point that if ya’ gotta ASK for an “amen”, you really don’t deserve one.
by John Fincher on May 2, 2012 at 8:22 am
Hey! Out of 4,300+ “friends”, we have ONE in common! Small world!
by John Fincher on May 2, 2012 at 8:26 am
The funniest church sign I ever saw said “HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING? DONT COUNT SHEEP, COME HEAR A SERMON!” Of course, it was a Presby church…Baptists dont really have a sense of humor…
by EscapedAlcatraz on May 2, 2012 at 8:28 am
Is anyone familiar with The Brazen Bull?
I wonder if they sign-poster would himself sentence the thief to this “punishment”?
If not, why? Isn’t that what he thinks God is going to do – only for ETERNITY?
You can read about it here (not for the squeamish – this is horrific):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazen_bull
by John Fincher on May 2, 2012 at 8:32 am
It’s even worse if you have to say, “Can I get an ‘Amen’ here?”
It’s like holding up an “Applause” sign.
by Big Gary on May 2, 2012 at 8:34 am
Thanks. The only exposure to a Hyles church I had was doing extension work at one in Milwaukee WI when I was attneding MBBC. I went there for about a semester or so and I had only been saved for about 3 years so it was a new experience for me.
I understand the Haymen now. This pastor was actually an MBBC graduate who turned Hyles.
Here is where I went and wow, would ya look at the big new church! When I went there in 93, we were meeting at a broken down school downtown and Noonan was the same pastor.
I remember he and his brother “preaching” …”you women in yer britches!!!”
http://www.faithbaptistmilw.org/AboutUs/Staff/OurPreacher.aspx
I’ll have to look over the site more but it looks like it’s still Hyles-ish. I remember when I left MBBC, they were going to “uncheck” this church b/c he went Hyles.
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 8:47 am
That makes him Doctor Doctor Jeffery Fugate.
by Big Gary on May 2, 2012 at 8:57 am
One of our fundy pastors would stop preaching, run down to the front pew, sit down and scream “Amen!” as though he were a member of the congregation. I always thought that was rather conceited of him.
The church I attend now, the pastor does often say, “And all God’s people said…” but only after a song or special. Never during his preaching.
by Macushlalondra on May 2, 2012 at 8:58 am
Hay-men! Great letter.
by WearyPilgrim on May 2, 2012 at 9:00 am
What strikes me as strangest about this sign isn’t so much the judgment of who is going where in the afterlife as the notion that the thief, or anybody, can take an air conditioner along to his/her/their eternal destination.
If I can bring one with me, what kind of current do they use there, 110, 220, or some other voltage? And are there HVAC repair people there?
by Big Gary on May 2, 2012 at 9:05 am
I guess I’m surprised the pastor doesn’t have to approve all saying that are posted. Most pastors control ever detail that involves HIS church.
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 9:19 am
That would depend on your interpretation of the word “mansions” in the NT.
Me? I want a 9 ft concert grand piano to play in heaven and I’ll even play CCM, country and any other request. I’d also like to play a song with John and June Carter.
Can I get a Haymen? (I’m new to that term, so I just had to say it!)
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 9:24 am
Buses = Love
by JimE on May 2, 2012 at 9:28 am
Thank God that there will be at least one AC unit in hell, the MOG has forseen it.
by JimE on May 2, 2012 at 9:30 am
Thanks for posting that link, Don. I’m glad he wrote that letter, I feel he did it very respectfully.
by headnotbowedeyeswideopen on May 2, 2012 at 9:33 am
We saw one sign the other day that said…”If God is your co-pilot, switch seats.” Yeah. Baptist don’t have a sense of humor or when they try to have one, it just comes across as stale an/or dorky.
We tried that same church and the pastor was a BJU grad. I got into an argument with his BJU wife when I told her I didn’t agree with the stupid rules b/c treating someone attending college like a kid is stupid and wrong. Of course, she stated that she needed the rules blah blah blah. Well. Punishing everybody is wrong and that’s another discussion too. One breaks a rule and everyone gets more rules added on to the handbook.
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 9:34 am
I get the feeling most church websites are unintentionally designed for the people that actually attend, and not the people seeking the church out. It is actually work to envision what an outsider might be looking for online. I know this happened to me, having helped once do this here in Canada.
by walt on May 2, 2012 at 9:34 am
Are we forgetting that somebody committed a criminal act by stealing the AC units? The ones at our church cost around $10,000 a unit and we have three of them. I can fully understand the anger. Thieves should be dealt with as harshly as the law allows, which is not harsh enough in my opinion.
by Chad Williams on May 2, 2012 at 9:40 am
Actually? I thought it was darned funny.
by Stony on May 2, 2012 at 9:46 am
Thanks, Don. This is just too funny and totally made my night!
by formerHACgirl on May 2, 2012 at 9:47 am
I know of at least one HVAC technician who I used to deal with in a previous career who will be there to service it.
Poorly, I might add.
by walt on May 2, 2012 at 9:52 am
I’m friends with his wife on facebook.
by Sims on May 2, 2012 at 10:16 am
Oh, wait, my mistake. I was thinking of someone else. I get all those people mixed up. Where is Seen Enough and her photographic memory when I need her?
by Sims on May 2, 2012 at 10:18 am
For the record, I hope the dirty thief or thieves get caught and punished, and I hope the church gets its air conditioning equipment back.
(Actually, I guess this all happened a while ago, but I don’t know what the eventual outcome was.)
by Big Gary on May 2, 2012 at 10:20 am
I was wondering where my pal Seen is, too.
I hope she’s well.
by Big Gary on May 2, 2012 at 10:22 am
Anger/irritation, yes, I can understand. Condemning someone to hell because of their actions? No – I’m no better than they are, and I deserve the same.
After all, it’s well-documented that while on the cross, Jesus’ words to the thief next to him were “Go suffer in Hell, you filthy thief!”
by Mag on May 2, 2012 at 10:25 am
Yeah that’s what Jesus said.
by Alex Madlinger on May 2, 2012 at 10:25 am
I was looking, I mean creeping (have to use the youth term) at his pictures. Saw a post from a “pastor”, so creeped on his page, and followed a link to his church. Clicked on “About Us” and the whole page was about him! The other info was on the side! It’s all about the pastor.
by Strangely Warmed on May 2, 2012 at 10:31 am
Pastor Fugate received two honorary doctorate degrees in 1997: a Doctorate of Divinity from Oklahoma Baptist College in Oklahoma City, OK and a Doctorate of Humanities from Hyles-Anderson College in Crown Point, IN.
by average joe on May 2, 2012 at 10:31 am
Oh it just isn’t fundy pastors that do that. I work at a United Methodist Church and the pastor has to read over the weekly news emails that I send out to our children and youth families. She says it’s to make sure I have correct grammer.
by Strangely Warmed on May 2, 2012 at 10:34 am
Mom – this is why wommin folk aren’t allowed in the pulpit.
The protocol goes like this:
You ask for an amen?…..The audience responds with a Hay-Men!!!
by Scorpio on May 2, 2012 at 10:48 am
I think this is the norm for a lot of churches. We’ve moved around quite a bit, so I’ve spent my fair share of time researching churches online. Most make it rather difficult for you to find out when and where they meet.
by Wifeofbill on May 2, 2012 at 11:06 am
I’ve got connections there. Not as good as I had a few years ago but still I occasionally get the inside scoop on things there.. This is not a recent event and happened a year or two ago. What I said can be backed up by a number of people “in the loop” there. Fugate had nothing to do with the sign except for having it removed. A member of the pastoral staff acted on his own in putting the sign up.
Fugate and his ministry have become quite controversial in Lexington and Kentucky. This didn’t help matters. He’s very involved in political issues in the state. Just do a search for the “I Love America” patriotic rally in 2002.
by Matt on May 2, 2012 at 11:06 am
If they couldn’t let it go…aka “turn the other cheek” like they tell us to do…then they could have at least used “Bible language”. Let them that stole, steal no more, but rather let them WORK!
by throughaglassdarkly on May 2, 2012 at 11:11 am
I have two!
by redbeardiam on May 2, 2012 at 11:20 am
Actually, zero times zero still equals zero…lol.
by Michael on May 2, 2012 at 11:28 am
LOL ah…the handbook. I went to bju, and we were supposed to return all dorm handbooks at the end of each year, but I kept mine! LOL I needed it to show non-Fundy friends, because they thought I was exaggerating! Now some of them ASK to borrow my handbook for their own personal entertainment.
by EscapedAlcatraz on May 2, 2012 at 11:41 am
LOL!
by EscapedAlcatraz on May 2, 2012 at 11:45 am
@Mominator: I know that church quite well and the brother of the pastor Noonan split that church in two. It was very sad as well as predictable. He was a brawler and beat up another man in the church over not attending Saturday soulwinning. It was a mess. He was certainly a Hyles follower.
by WannaGetOut on May 2, 2012 at 11:55 am
So according to FB this guy graduated from H.S. and TTU in the same your (1982)?? His Bio on his church’s website doesn’t list any sort of earned degree.
Speaking of church signs…the little Methodist church in our community actually wrote something like…”if you’re looking for a church, we need members”. Maybe Methodists are more honest than Baptists…
by doc37172 on May 2, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Our church has letters/signage like that; the set didn’t include any apostrophes.
by Tammy on May 2, 2012 at 1:35 pm
One small church here in the Greenville area got hit three or four times last summer. After that, they put in a camera and focused it on the AC unit so they could catch the guy.
The SC state law governing selling of scrap metal have changed over the past year or so; now you have a permit to do it. I think it’s brought down the number of copper thefts significantly.
by Tikatu on May 2, 2012 at 1:59 pm
I like my current church very much, but the pastor (normally a very humble person) apparently picked up a bad habit somewhere in his past of asking for “Amens” during his message; usually 3-4 times a message.
I agree with the pastor above — that if you have to ask for an Amen, you probably didn’t say something worthy of an Amen.
by Guilt Ridden on May 2, 2012 at 2:03 pm
“correct grammer”?
by John Fincher on May 2, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Matt, thanks for posting the “real” story. We do tend to be quick to rush to judgment.
by Guilt Ridden on May 2, 2012 at 2:55 pm
@JoeR: Certainly the pastor should have a talk with him… it was a lapse of good judgment. I know many people who would think only that it is funny, and not consider the larger picture.
There’s no need to come down unnecessarily hard on the staff member unless he shows repeated and consistent violations.
by Guilt Ridden on May 2, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Crud. I have 27 friends in common. I need to scrub my friends list.
by Apathetic or whatever on May 2, 2012 at 2:59 pm
LOL. I attended Maranatha Baptist in WI and they had a handbook AND a Freshman class that was a semester long about the handbook/rules.
I didn’t have to take the class b/c I transferred in.
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 3:03 pm
By “taken down” I mean in the sense of “taken down a peg”. I don’t mean that he should have been fired or caned. The offending pastor should definitely have apologized for the action.
by JoeR on May 2, 2012 at 3:05 pm
He has no earned degree. He attended Tennessee Temple for s short time before leaving to help his father who was a pastor in Hazard, KY, and had cancer (he died not too many years later). Had basically same story at Hyles Anderson from what I gather. I don’t recall him saying that much about either place.
by Matt on May 2, 2012 at 3:28 pm
@Wannagetout
I remember his brother very well and he was the one who was very irritating and belligerent in the pulpit. It doesn’t surprise me he split the church b/c I got the vibe he was jealous of the brother.
I noticed on the Pastor’s description this statement:
“Pastor Noonan has been recognized and honored across the nation for his work at Faith Baptist Church in Milwaukee. In 1995, Honorary Doctorates were granted to him by Dr Jack Hyles of First Baptist Church, Hammond IN and Dr. Bob Gray (the convicted Rapist?)of Longview Baptist Temple, Longview TX. He is asked to preach in churches and at conferences across the country.”
I noticed they didn’t mention he went to Maranatha, but doggone, they sure did mention that honorary doctorate.
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 3:33 pm
LOL!
by Mominator on May 2, 2012 at 3:41 pm
@Mominator,
The Bob Gray in TX is a different man. You are thinking of the Bob Gray from FL. The one in TX has his special set of issues but I am not aware of any allegations of child molesting.
by Apathetic or whatever on May 2, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Somebody’s really trying (and failing miserably) for something humorous to say.
by Jacob on May 2, 2012 at 6:56 pm
George is immune to Taunt like Onyxia the dragon queen in World of Warcraft. Both will give you their undivided attention whether you want it or not.
I wonder if George also has whelplings?
by Green Eggs and Ham on May 2, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Getting better use than they would’ve had at the pictured church anyway I’m sure.
by RobM on May 2, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Exactly, I think even Shoes would agree on that one.
by headnotbowedeyeswideopen on May 2, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Yes, but that doesn’t make his doctorates real…
by headnotbowedeyeswideopen on May 2, 2012 at 9:06 pm
“Doctor, Doctor, you’re not preaching good news,
I gotta bad case of loathing you,
We know you’re a Jack Hyles shill,
I gotta bad case of loathing you…”
by Don on May 2, 2012 at 9:26 pm
You have my coworkers looking at me as I laugh.
by Bob M on May 2, 2012 at 9:31 pm
I think the great Dennis Corle has 4 or 5 Doctorates.
by Bob M on May 2, 2012 at 9:32 pm
The youth pastor at the Faith Baptist in Milwaukee has a degree from HAC in “Assistant Pastoral Theology.” How is that even a major? Were his parents disappointed by his choice? “My son is going to HAC! Oh, crap, he only wants to be an assistant pastor, not THE MOG.”
I also love how the teen soulwinning ministry “is responsible for seeing many souls saved each year.” You know, because the Lord never has anything to do with that type of stuff…
by Lawfeli on May 2, 2012 at 9:34 pm
To paraphrase Billy Preston, “Nothin’ plus nothin’ leaves nothin’.”
by Pearl on May 2, 2012 at 9:44 pm
Doctor, Doctor
doctor death
Doctor, Doctor
out of breath
Doctor
I ain’t gonna die
Just write me an alibi…
(apologies to Slash and Lemmy Kilmeister)
by Dr. Fundystan, Proctologist on May 3, 2012 at 1:51 am
Jeff likes to toot his horn more than anyone! If you look at the church history it all began with a, Dr. Louis Arnold. Dr. Arnold is very well known in fundamentalism and that’s why Jeff continues to ‘hang’ onto him. Although I think Dr. Arnold is one of the greatest men alive he had his problems too. He’s a divorced man who married his secretary, of which I don’t care! It’s been long enough that people forget. He’s done amazing work and continues to do so. Check out his bio. http://www.louisarnoldministries.org/Biography.html
But he leaves out every other pastor. Bro. Gene Holmes was the next pastor. He is one of the true leaders for Christian schools in Ky. There was a period when Lexington Baptist Tabernacle joined with Clays Mill Road to save the church from bankruptcy. The pastors were Rex McPherson & Tom Lester. The attendance the first Sunday from CMRBC was 13. Had Bro. McPherson and Bro. Lester & the congregation of 60 not voted to join up with CMRBC, there would be NO CMRBC! Lex. Baptist Tabernacle congregation kept them from bankruptcy! The church continued to thrive & build to about 350. Then Rex left to go to the mission field when they called another Pastor.
C.M. Carruthers was the next pastor & no doubt he had his trouble. He is best known as a hireling among most churches he has pastured. He destroyed CMRBC embezzling money & not keeping his hands to himself. Yet none of the deacons had the GUTS to prosecute! He eventually left. Not sure how or why it was only after he ran everyone else off leaving the congregation to less than 20. He is out of the ministry now for fathering children with younger ladies while he was married.
Then along comes Jeff. BUT along with Jeff comes Russell Anderson the money man. Read his bio, “His giving to missions has directly led to the salvation of over twelve million souls, all of whose names and salvation date are recorded by Dr. Anderson’s staff.” I guess he has special hard drives to save all those names! He’s from the same area as Jeff. Russell toots his horn and Jeff’s horn. He bought Jeff the college. He pumps money into the church and buys him new buildings. Guess money does buy churches! Check out Anderson’s bio here. http://www.commonwealthbaptist.org/
by Duke on May 3, 2012 at 6:18 am
Good thing I had just swallowed my coffee before reading the last line!
by Ran-Away! on May 3, 2012 at 7:13 am
There are so many Baptist doctors today, it cheapens the word “doctor”. They need to create another title, maybe “pope”
by Mark on May 3, 2012 at 3:18 pm
I would actually love for all of the women at one of these fundy churches to just decide that they’re tired of being looked down upon and treated as second-class citizens/Christians, and to refuse to work as the church secretaries (and other church staff positions women usually do). I know it would probably never happen though…
by Mandy on May 3, 2012 at 8:42 pm
A friend’s church also got their AC units stolen, and the pastor said it was probably for the copper (it had happened at least once before, but neither time did he or anyone in the church feel the need to post a hateful message on the church sign). The ridiculous thing is, the thieves get maybe $20 worth of copper out of each unit, and the rest is useless. Such a tiny amount to risk going to jail for, but nobody said these guys were smart.
by Mandy on May 3, 2012 at 8:56 pm
In our area, it is a common thing for houses that are empty or being built to be broken into and all the copper pipes and wires stolen. Same thing, maybe a couple hundred dollars worth of copper for the potential of years in prison for breaking and entering and receiving stolen property.
by Bob M on May 3, 2012 at 8:59 pm
Dear Dr. Jeffery J. Fugate and members of the Clays Mill Road Baptist Church, … I read with interest your little sign, and wanted to share something with you. You see, I’m Catholic.. (surprise!, surprise!, surprise!)… and since you belong to the wrong church, and fail to exhibit the love and forgiveness of my Son, I wanted you to know that you won’t need those air conditioners either. Good luck. ~ God
by God on May 3, 2012 at 9:49 pm
That is hard for me to read. I was a member of a forum where one of the members had the username “God” and he acted like it, except he was not a Christian by any stretch of the imagination. He as rude, arrogant, crude, and disgusting. So anytime I see someone taking the name of God, even in jest, it makes me shudder.
by Bob M on May 3, 2012 at 10:06 pm
This may be apocryphal, but…supposedly there was (somewhere) a sign on a building that said, “Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Signed, the Sisters of Mercy.”
by Catholic Gate-Crasher on May 4, 2012 at 7:59 am
C.M. Carruthers is back in the ministry as a pastor in Florida. If the things you say about him are true I doubt his new church is aware of his past.
by More Info on May 4, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Correction on that CM Carruthers comment – he is pastoring again in Ormond Beach FL with the woman he fathered a child with out of wedlock while still married to his first wife. Don’t think that church knows he was married before nor about him running off people in previous churches…..Check it out under his name on google!
by CLN on May 4, 2012 at 2:18 pm
@Duke. I have very interesting information regarding your post. Can you PLEASE email me at: shannonwhite033@gmail.com I really need to share it with you and I can explain everything in private email.
by Must Read on May 4, 2012 at 2:20 pm
I actually find this kind of funny. I don’t think it’s a good testimony or right to do, but the irony and wittiness is there.
by Dots on May 4, 2012 at 7:02 pm
His FB page also says he has an honorary doctorate from Oklahoma Baptist University. He writes that he received it in 1995 from Dr. Jim Vineyard. Maybe someone should tell Dr. Fugate that Jim Vineyard is from Oklahoma Baptist College in Oklahoma City, not Oklahoma Baptist Univ in Shawnee, OK.
by still a fundie, but just barely on May 6, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Actually on Jeff’s bio from the website it says, “Not long after his father’s passing, Bible Baptist Church called Pastor Fugate to be their new pastor.” If you notice, it carefully used the words ‘not long after’. That’s because Sam Fugate had already hand picked a pastor from the area by the name of Mike Ison to pastor the church.
Mike did pastor the church for a period but the congregation would have nothing to do with anyone other than a Fugate. It was most definitely a Fugate empire. They were furious to the Ison family! Mike Ison is now an insurance salesman in Lexington, Ky. And a very fine man as I recall.
by Duke on May 9, 2012 at 6:14 am
Darrell, you forgot to thank reddit.
by redditor on May 10, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Only problem is the units won’t work because they need to be plugged into THE power source!
by FundieFred on May 12, 2012 at 7:48 am
I’m a member of the church in Ormond and carruthers has run off any one who would stand up to him. Is there any proof of these allegations of misconduct financially
by veronica on May 27, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Duke, where in the world did you get your information??? CMRBC had less than 50 regulars when I took it, we gave money from our own pockets to bring it in the black and NEVER took a dime that was not designated to us nor was there an accusation of such or ANY wrong doing.
During those 3 years we were there many were saved and baptized and the attendance was well above what it had been for years before. The congregation did come down the last several months, they all begged me to stay. There was NO wrong doing involved whatsoever.
CM Carruthers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lexington Baptist Tabernacle joined with Clays Mill Road to save the church from bankruptcy. The pastors were Rex McPherson & Tom Lester. The attendance the first Sunday from CMRBC was 13. Had Bro. McPherson and Bro. Lester & the congregation of 60 not voted to join up with CMRBC, there would be NO CMRBC! Lex. Baptist Tabernacle congregation kept them from bankruptcy! The church continued to thrive & build to about 350. Then Rex left to go to the mission field when they called another Pastor.
C.M. Carruthers was the next pastor & no doubt he had his trouble. He is best known as a hireling among most churches he has pastured. He destroyed CMRBC embezzling money & not keeping his hands to himself. Yet none of the deacons had the GUTS to prosecute! He eventually left
by CM Carruthers on Jul 12, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Pardon me Darrell, but maybe you should attend said church before assuming that they preach hatred of others. On the contrary, it is preached to hate the SIN, love the sinner.
by Fedupwithassumptions on Jan 19, 2013 at 1:28 am
He didn’t condone the message. He was actually quite furious about the sign and it was taken down after a few hours. This man has a heart for people. He talks about a ores being saved, because he cares about souls. Jeff Fugate will cry from the pulpit while recounting the story of a drunk or a druggie getting saved. And when he says the unloved, he’s referring to the children who come on the buses believing that no one cares about them. You would be surprised at the heart break of the little ones. Who will care about them if no one tries to help? He loves people. Everyone tries to find a fault in a preacher.
One other side comment, just because the congregation doesn’t say amen, doesn’t mean that the statement wasn’t deserving of one. Ever have a preacher say something that convicts you, and you sit in silence and awkwardly squirm on the inside knowing he is right? Gods Word is what is right. And if you can’t take it for what it says,, why say you believe it at all?
by Fedupwithassumptions on Jan 19, 2013 at 1:38 am
Not one of the ladies feel looked down upon. They feel like they are serving God by following His word and helping the man of God in the work of reaching the lost.
I love how you comment on the feelings of women who you have never met. 
by Fedupwithassumptions on Jan 19, 2013 at 1:42 am
Call the office. You’ll get your phone call answered by a WOMAN.
by Fedupwithassumptions on Jan 19, 2013 at 1:43 am