Editor’s note: The following statement from Pastor Tim Davis, of Chapel by the Sea, was submitted in response to a Jan. 14 Watchman article about a statement that was signed by 12 Anchorage pastors (Pastor Davis included). The pastors’ original statement addressed the Jan. 6 violence at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Click here to read the Watchman article and original Jan. 12 statement from the pastors.
As one of the authors of the statement in question, this response represents only myself.
I voted for President Trump two times. Given the binary political choice we have in our nation, I do not regret either of those votes. However, as a leader, I can not stand by and let the illegal actions that took place in our national house go unaddressed. I can tell you with complete certainty that the focus of the pastors’ statement was primarily on those few law-breakers who stormed the Capitol building leading to the reported deaths of at least five people. The patriotic rally prior to those events and those of good-will who attended it to voice obvious concerns were in no way countenanced in the statement. If that was not clearly enough delineated in the statement, please forgive the unintended implication.
In regard to President Trump’s role in this, in his speeches leading up to January 6 and on that day, it is clear that he was frustrated and angry, maybe even justifiably. Time will tell. Having read his entire speech several times, I do not disagree with much of his content. Further, I do not agree his actions warrant impeachment. What I do take issue with is his imbalanced emphasis that undoubtedly had the impact of inciting the actions that took place after the rally.
Only one time in the course of his speech did the President encourage peace when he said, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” But on the other hand, how many times did he emphasize the notion that we the voters have been violated using the rhetoric of “stolen, rigged, theft, illegal, unconstitutional, defrauded, false, cheated, fraud, etc.”? These are evocative words that in the context of an emotionally charged situation can undoubtedly become provocative words.
It is the responsibility of all leaders, especially the President of the United States, to get out in front of those who would wrong-headedly take his calls to action too far. As leaders, we need to own the influence of our statements. When a leader says something loud enough, long enough and strong enough over the course of time, his views can foment unintended responses. I believe President Trump is too savvy to have missed the influence his words would be having on the most impassioned of his supporters in the crowd that day. While the president may not have called for, intended or supported illegal behavior, he could not have missed the potential and likelihood of the violent actions in question. Insofar as this is the case, President Trump provoked this reckless assault on our capitol. If you read the pastors’ statement that is the extent of our statements concerning the president.
Finally, if any one listened to the press conference where this statement was released, they were involved in a prayer meeting. It was a time of confession and repentance, not just for the events of January 6, but for our nation’s move away from God and the godly principles upon which this nation’s founding fathers stood.
As a nation of the people, by the people and for the people, we are all complicit with what happens in our country. Therefore, I close with a mea culpa.
Almighty, you have witnessed how we have been treating each other. You have seen the illegal and violent riots in our cities on the West coast, in the heartland and now on the East coast. You hear the hateful angry rhetoric falling off the tongues of people from every party and position that foments illegal and vicious action. And even more You listen in on the private musings of our hearts, hearing the naked sentiments that fuel our public behaviors. If our words and behavior are any indication of our hearts, we are in trouble before You. Break our hearts for the immorality, selfishness, discourtesy, and hatred of others that plagues us as a nation. Forgive us and help us to listen to Your voice, to find peaceful and dignified ways to move our nation forward to be one nation, under God. I ask this in the strong and holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sincerely,
Pastor Tim Davis
34 Comments
A treacherous wolf who is of the Synagogue of Satan.
Typical milk toast backpedaling 501c3 blabber,,,,, shut your pie hole…. the President did not instigate this or can you add and tell time you fool? The speech ended at 1:11 pm exactly….. The crowd started off on a 45 min walk to the scene at the Capitol. The ANTIFA jerks were already rushing the wall an hour prior to the arrival of the speech attendees…Now if you practiced what you preach you would not find yourself spouting bullshit only to find out you were full of it. The FBI came out today absolving the President of this charge even on CNN.
Pastor if you were half a man you would call out the evil and the sin before your very eyes you have seen as the communist and the satanic on the left on film stole this election but you have cut out your own tongue and took the twenty pieces of silver called 501cs,,,,,, you know deep in your heart the LIE,,,, GOD knows you know and we the people know,,, So dont come out seeking redemption through guilting us with Bible verses,,,,, We know our Bibles and we know the hearts of men in deception.. Prayers for your repentance.
AMEN! Thank you!
The diminishing light of civil liberty in this land is linked directly to the lack of preaching on it from today’s pulpits. I highly recommend the book, “The New England Pulpit and the American Revolution: When American Pastors Preached Politics, Resisted Tyranny and Founded a Nation on the Bible” 1928 reprint available at American Vision dot org. Dr. Baldwin illustrates how the preachers of the early American era thought and practiced just the opposite as today. Mountains of research in colonial sermons, tracts, pamphlets, and other publications, reveals how the pulpits of colonial America rang constantly on all aspects of the public square: good rulers, good laws, good forms of government, and the blessings of liberty. We especially hear of those choice values of biblical order that became the battle cries of American independence.
Agreed. Wish I didn’t, but sadly today’s pulpits “manned” by weaklings tow the Leftist line for fear of losing their tax-exempt status.
I pray for your repentance sir. Pastor Davis is a wonderful man. Maybe meet him first and then slander him like you did so shamelessly.
Well said!
I do appreciate Pastor Tim Davis’s statement and his effort at clarification. None of us is perfect we all make mistakes. Still I heard no call for riot at all in the President’s speech to the protestors. I feel the accusations are unfair. No violence or law breaking is acceptable nor in this case, obviously, was it productive. I do believe that it was an example of group fervor with a few stepping over the line and others following. If any Antifa or leftist influence or instigating was involved I do hope that is soon revealed. Still, the capitol ‘stormers’ were a tiny minority of the entire protest and nothing compared to the left driven anarchy and mayhem unleashed across our nation over the past couple years. I find it abhorrent that this small group of people are being made scapegoats in light of the evil that has been tacitly ignored nationwide by the left. I have seen lots of video footage and did not see rampant violence or destruction by those whom foolishly went inside the capitol. Nothing like all the footage the leftist main stream media have covered up for two years. Where was Pastor Davis in the past couple years in his stand against violence?
The double-standard is glaring! Additionally, Pastor Davis’s accusing Christians (carrying Christian signs) and millions of Trump supporters of being motivated by the sins of hate, racism, white supremacy, self-interest, abuse of power, arrogance, and violent anger over perceived injustices in an election process, he is recklessly flaming the fires of rabid Leftist rhetoric, giving them justification for their continued violence.
At least one Left-wing ‘Known Agitator’ has been charged for a role in the capitol breach. Daily Wire dot com
Tim Davis, please tear up the piece of paper that says you’re a “pastor” that you obviously bought off the internet. You are a canting mealy mouth conman.
Excuse you. He attended the very same college that I am attending. Why don’t you shut your mouth and get behind me Satan before you slander people you don’t even know?
“While the president may not have called for, intended or supported illegal behavior, he could not have missed the potential and likelihood of the violent actions in question.”
And somehow this became the president’s fault because he should have know better? Well. “pastor” Tim Davis you have nerve calling yourself that title. You take this stance so you can outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Where are you leading your flock? You are making people twice as much a child of hell as yourself. You will be held to a higher standard-
By emphasizing the notion that attending Christians and Trump Supporters were driven by the sin of hate, racism, white supremacy, self-interest, abuse of power, violent anger over perceived injustices in an election process, and arrogance, Pastor Davis is using evocative words which feed the Left’s anti-Christian rhetoric and provoke additional violence in an emotionally charged situation. It is the responsibility of a pastor to get out in front of those who would wrong-headedly use his inflammatory accusations as justification for violence against Christians and/or Trump supporters.
A statement shouldn’t need clarification.
GFY Pastor, respectfullly of course.
To all Pastors, Before you jump in and condemn our Great President, check your news sources. The mainstream is now owned by the Chinese, and the Swamp. Anything they report that you hear you need to check with other sources before you jump in and foolishly condemn a good Christian leader. Check with the EpochTimes.com, or with OAN or with Tirley or Black
Conservative Patriot. There are many truthful sources that will contradict what you are hearing. The corrupt mainstream left out the words of Trump that we go down peacefully. Check with lifesitenews.com for a truthful transcript of our President ‘s speech before you condemn him. Gary Bauer called this what it was “A Big Lie” and you can find that on thenationalpulse.com another truthful site. In the meanwhile one of the terrorists who made the problem was arrested and was a part of Black Lives Matter, the Marxist counterpart to ANTIFA. This information can be confirmed on the same sight as Gary Bauer and he is in Washington DC. Watch for these thugs going to the different capitals in the country to incite and then accuse the President and us. They want an excuse to smear We the Christians and our President and our MAGA movement. Please check your sources before you dive in and accuse. You are completely being taken in by the likes of George Soros, Hillary, Obama, Bloomberg of the Bloomberg Press and the major social media who have been ordered by the Chinese government to censor us. There will be a boycott of Facebook tomorrow morning (Friday) beginning at 7 am to 7 am on Saturday. By the way for your information Twitter and Facebook lost 51 billion dollars for their censorship of our President and the Conservative movement as reported on Steve Turley and other reputable minor cites. Please do not gang up on us for going for the Truth.
Well said. Thank you.
Ok. He admits that Trump said it once… but once was not enough? How many times would have been enough ~ 5 times? 10 times? Then what… you would have been appeased?
This need to clarify and attempt to deflect the fact that these pastors incorrectly and unfairly attributed the illegal and violent US Capitol occupation by anarchists and common criminals to words of the President of the United States is further confirmation they do not understand they have been used by liberals and the mainstream media to further spread lies that divide America. This attempt to explain has done nothing to correct their misguided sermon, rather it validates the numerous negative comments written by readers of both this explanation and the original letter. I remain convinced these pastors intended to do good in the name of our Lord. My encouragement would be to concentrate on teaching us the greatness of Christianity and tread carefully when judging political actions presented by a media and politicians determined to destroy our Democratic Republic.
America is a Constitutional Republic.
I don’t know if it’s true, but a lot of people tell me that Gab and MeWe are fronts for antifa. They were created to collect information about us Real Americans for the coming Communist revolution. A lot of people believe this, so there has to be some truth to it, right?
AMEN…Thank you Pastor Tim Davis for speaking out!
ATTN Pastors from a fellow Christian Follower
Let me remind you of Proverbs 17:28,
Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. https://biblehub.com/proverbs/17-28.htm
Practice what your preach.
Oh my I never expected to hear such hate spewing out of the masses. While this violence has been taking place for quite some time. It is sad to say that pastors just decided when everyone abandoned the President including those Republicans who feared for their reputations and persecution from the socialist democrats , their statements are a little too late. We must all search our hearts don’t give into slandering each other. Their is enough blame to go around. One thing i do believe is that the 501c will be stopped so anyone relying on that tax shelter better brace themselves for changes.
So where was this indignation & moral high ground as the riots raged, business burned, people were killed & anarchy reigned in cities across the nation all summer & fall?
Where is your consistency? It makes me wonder if the 10 pastors are looking for a relevance with man & not Jehovah. Shame on you all.
You are not alone.
The U.S. Constitution was written and confirmed as the basis for which this country stands. It ensures that we are free to live our lives without tyranny and have the right to defend ourselves if this right is infringed. Trump understands this and his actions have proven it to be so. You either get it or you don’t. When in doubt, read the instructions.
To all of you who are criticizing Pastor Tim Davis, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord STOP!!! Is this generation so blinded by our own personal ideas and preferences that we have lost sight of who we are supposed to be as Christians!? First of all, how are your comments showing that you have the love of Christ in you? Let me tell you right now, I DO NOT SEE LOVE. The goal of being a Christian is to speak the truth IN LOVE. I see none of that in these comments. I am angry that you think it’s okay to talk like that about someone that you don’t even know, or even someone you do know. I personally know Pastor Tim as a friend, a mentor, a safe person for me to talk to, a welcoming pastor and preacher, and most of all as a brother in Christ. I thank the Alaska Watchman for posting his clarification on the statement. Please try and get to know this man before you judge him so harshly.
Yeah I think Pastor Tim’s intentions are good, but he clearly overshoots a single, very important point: Trump did not incite people to storm the capital. Those people need to be held accountable for their own actions and choices. This is exactly the problem these days: it’s always someone else’s fault. Furthermore, this incident illustrates the bald hypocrisy against which I think we ALL need to rebel: it was “mostly peaceful” when BLM and Antifa ravaged cities across America. But the left seizes this one opportunity to slander all Trump supporters as domestic terrorists and seditionists when a few (including actual Antifa and BLM criminals) breach the capital in MAGA hats? Ummm… should have put a stop to the “idea” of Antifa a long time ago… not stood around and defended it. Now we all have a real problem!
Here’s a solution I’d like to propose: that each and every one of us hold strong to our conservative values and make a deliberate decision to act with kindness and peace. For example: yesterday at Fred Meyer, I walked through the door with no mask. The security guard asked, “Ma’am, do you need a mask?” My reply was a kind smile as I said, “Thanks, but I actually have one in my purse. Have a good day!” And off I went to finish my shopping, mask free and unassailed. She was happy, I was happy. No need to antagonize. Just kindly decline and move on. This quiet act allowed me to do what I want (which is to refuse the masks) and demonstrate kindness and peace while I did it. No problem at all.
Pastor Tim, The voice of you 12 Apostles was a welcome sight, but a little too late in the timeline of current events! Your comments to all, in the TWELVETH hour of unrest & desires for truth & justice by the many, has fallen on deaf ears as is what often happens in politics. You all should have realized this before your original commentary/sermon. The sound of righteousness was heard on a national stage for months, possibly years. That action, untaken, summed up what happened in the capital, which bore by apathy among us all, is the true statement to this travesty! Speak your Fire & Brimstone next week because your job depends on it NOW! Peace be with all.
And this is why America is now lost thanks to leaders like Tim.
Frank, the real reason among the masses of Americans, by virtue of birth or otherwise, is the LIBERTY LIGHT PARASTIE SYNDROME ! Until the “fear factor” of anything government calls upon us & that we react to that false narrative they demand of America, and indebt us to free handouts, we may never recover to a Constitutional Republic ! God Save the Republic!
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