UPCI Hair Sermon

The following is a sermon preached in April 1994 by a UPC minister. Though it deals with the issue of women's hair, you will also notice the subtle use of fear to keep members from going against the pastor (specifically the use of Achan's and Elisha's stories, both resulting in death). By placing fear in the congregation, members are persuaded to not say or do anything against the minister. That includes questioning them. It also shows the tactic of blaming the people for what is wrong. Though other area churches were supposedly growing, this church was not. In fact, it had been losing members, with more to leave soon after this message and others further down the road. The reason given for this lack of growth? Members, specifically the women, had allowed a wrong spirit into their lives and cut their hair.

Though it is lengthy, take the time to read and digest what is said. Then look at my response to this message. I wonder just how many members of this congregation went to their Bibles afterward, to see if the message preached was there. A biblical look at this sermon will bring to light many errors in teaching. Please note that I will not directly answer the issue of whether or not the Bible forbids a woman to cut her hair. That is covered in the page on hair.

Also, there may be small discrepancies between the actual sermon and the written transcript. Though I have done my best to make sure every word is accurate, some places in the tape were hard to hear. When a speaker talks fast, moves away from the microphone, and changes the course of his sentences, it makes it a little difficult! However, I have tried to note these places. There may be a few errors in the form of a word used (ex: them compared to 'em), even though I have tried my best to transcribe each and every word. Nothing has been taken out of context. Only three portions were omitted: a brief talk in the very beginning where other things were discussed about a conference, and two nearer the end. On one he went off on some personal things and was not teaching on the subject. The other included personal comments about a minister's wife and family, which I felt could be hurtful if included. This is not a cunningly edited version of the sermon, but rather a complete teaching on the subject. Only the name of the pastor has been omitted, but references to others have been left intact as they are not derogatory. Parenthesis are used to indicate the congregations response. My notes are in maroon.

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I'm having all the classes come in. I don't want to repeat this Bible study to the teachers by theirself. Uh, been a long standing teaching on this and I think now it's time to do it. First Corinthians the tenth- the, uh- eleventh chapter.

Now one thing I want to get straight right from off from the first word to you. I am not teaching against people today, I am teaching against spirits. The problem is some of you have not, or don't know how, to recognize spirits. But I've had 57 years, almost 60 years, of warfare and I know spirits. There's good spirits and there's bad spirits. And, uh, we're gonna deal with bad spirits. Now if one of these spirits has got ahold of you, when we get done teaching we're going to have an altar call here this morning. We're going to have a session of repentance.

Brother Andrus is having a revival- his church is growing by leaps and bounds. It's running close to 400 and filling the balcony now. Brother Trout's church is growing. Brother Enlow's church, they're building a new church. Brother ? is building a new church. But somehow or other we just can't seem to get moving here, to get started. But you see what happened in the Old Testament still goes for today. When you get a wrong spirit in your church, it can hinder the growth of that church. And we want right spirits. How many want a right spirit? I want, I want, a right spirit.

Now some of you are going to take this individually, that's up to you if you do. And I am not- I didn't choose this in the last two days. This has been on my mind for quite some time but I could not get, really, the sanction of the Spirit to go ahead and do it, but I feel like that the time is now and, uh, we're going to read it first of all and I'm going to teach you this morning.

You that have your Bibles, turn to I Corinthians, eleventh chapter. Who's the writer here? Who wrote this book? ("Paul.") Paul. How many believe that Paul is right? What does the Scripture say, when men wrote the book, how did they write it? Did they write it because they were- felt good that day? Some novels are wrote because they see things riding on a train or see some love and then they go write a book or else something's happened to their husband or wife and books are written because of what they see. But the Bible is different. I said the Bible is different.

Paul, God didn't choose him cause he was a good writer. In fact, he didn't write his own feelings. Preachers don't preach their own feelings, preachers stay with the Word of God. And that's what we intend on doin'. But, uh, the Bible said that men wrote as they were- what? ("Moved on.") Moved on- I can't hear you- moved on by how? (" The Holy Spirit.") Now who's; the Holy Spirit? (I believe they said "Jesus.") And who is Jesus? ("God.") All right, then we finally end up: God is behind all these things.

Now the thing we're going to end up with is here: Are we here to please God, please the pastor, please ourselves? That's what we're going to end up with. I don't feel that you'll never make it in the rapture pleasin' yourself. ;I believe the withered branch- the Jesus' name man or woman in John, that was baptized and had the Holy Ghost- and became withered after they spoke in tongues. Simply because, John said, "Now you are kept clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." God never intended saints to feed saints. If you're havin' some saint teach you in the church, you're all out of order- period. God never chose one saint, one sheep, to feed the sheep. God chose a shepherd, which I intend, I am the shepherd of this church. How many believe that? I am the shepherd of this church and I watch for your soul.

But, uh, they were moved on by the Holy Spirit and they wrote. And I want you to read that in this way. Know it bothers me when people go in the Bible to defend something they're doing wrong. That bothers me. When you go in there deliberately finding things that you can, uh, that you can witness to, to give you the right to do wrong. I think the Bible is done, is wrong in doing that. How many believe that? That's wrong. That's wrong. You're clear out of order. Some people said, "Well I asked my husband about this subject, and he said." Well, what right has your husband got to say, has he got the Holy Ghost? No. Blessed are they, and man that's not walked after the counsel of the ungodly. He's going to tell you to cut your hair. He's going to tell you it's all right. Is he all right? Is he living for God?

{Reading from Scripture} "Be ye followers of me, even as also I am of Christ." In other words, you follow me as I follow Christ. And I'll say that as pastor of this church, you follow me as I follow Christ. I personally believe we've got a good example in this church, how women should treat their hair and what they should do, by my wife. I don't know what you're gonna say about it, my wife, my wife's been faithful. You may not like everything- you don't like everything I do and I don't like everything you do. "Well, I got a perfect wife." Let me talk to her after church, please, cause I've got a marker I'm gonna put on her back. There's none perfect in this room at all. God's the only one that is perfect.

"Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you." To do what? Keep what? Keep 'em. Do 'em. Don't think about 'em, keep 'em, do 'em. Do you want to please God? "Oh, I love the Word of God." Well, we'll find out how much you love the Word of God.

"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is.." Who? Christ. "And the head of the woman is- man." Now let me, let me, change this a little bit cause some of you are- if your husband is unsaved, he's not the head of, of you. In some things you can obey him, in some things you cannot. Some of you women that's got unsaved husbands, if you had done what your husband suggested, church time and church time, how many wouldn't have found your way to the church? Raise your hands. You know it's true. I don't blame him cause he don't have the Holy Ghost and not been baptized. Of course, he could, he could be backslid, so you can't take that a general thought. Because when you're backslidden, you're blind, you don't know what to do. Till you come back to God and do what's right. So you cannot walk after the counsel of your husband. Or your wife. We've got enough counsel in the Book.

"And the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or preaching, having his head covered," does what? ("Dishonoureth his head.") I didn't hear you. ("Dishonoureth his head.") Amen. "But every woman that prayeth or preaches," prophesying is the same thing, prophesying is a different category than prophesying, it's like giving a message in tongues and yet not using tongues, using a language, English language, but also refers to preaching. It's in the same category, the cousin to preaching. And we have women preachers. Sister Trout's a woman preacher.

"But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head," what? ("Uncovered.) Uncovered. "Oh, that means a handkerchief." No, it doesn't mean a handkerchief. We'll get down to what it means. But Paul's just telling you right this one thing- she cannot be blessed of God if she, if she comes before God's presence in this condition. Right or wrong? How many times you want me to read this till you get it? Let's read it again, then. "Every woman," ain't talking to men now- men's gonna have their turn. "Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with their head uncovereth," does what? ("Dishonoureth.") Dishonoureth, say it again. ("Dishonoureth") Say it again. ("Dishonoureth.") "Dishonoureth her head." And if your husband's not saved, then what you're doing, you're dishonoring, amen, this one thing: the pastor's the head over you. Obey them that have the rule over you. Them, God is not a them, God is a he. Or God, you dishonor him.

Now I've been teaching out of this Book for- how many knew when I came here, Sister Peggy did. Uh, Sister Brown in here? Sister Brown? Did I teach that hair was wrong when you came in my church? Yes, yes. How long ago was that? Twenty-some years. And I can't understand that people around here still think that I've changed my mind. I've not changed my mind, simply because the Bible's not changed. What's happened to some of you people, you've watched television so long and done some other things in the flesh so long, you've lost the guidance of the Spirit. That's what's happened to you. Amen.

I'm not, I'm not, singling out no one that's just cut their hair, so if you've just cut your hair, that's your fault. {One woman had just recently made a major change in her hair style, having it cut and layered.} That's not mine. I'm not singling you out, I'm gonna teach all these ladies here. Cause I'm gonna have other- but you see why I want these girls in here? {All Sunday School classes sat in the adult class this day and were not sent to their individual classrooms.} Cause I want, I want, someone- the Bible says let the older women teach the younger. Now, I let you women keep on touching your, cutting your hair, everyone, everyone of these girls are gonna cut their hair. How many believe that? Sure they will. Don't tell me they won't.What's next? Earrings. ;What's next? Lipstick. What's next? Short dresses. Some of your dresses are starting to go up shorter. It must be- it is, it is a weary job to preach to people. I, I been tryin' to get out of the min- I tried to get out of the ministry a long time ago. That's why some preachers retire, they're tired. They say, "Let them go to hell. They don't want to obey the Bible. Let 'em go, let 'em go." But I'm not that way.

I'm like Brother Kilgore that pastors almost 3,000 people. He said, "I'm going down fighting on this, on this hair cutting deal. If I've gotta go down swinging, I'm gonna swing at this thing." He told that General Conference of 35,000 people. In Indianapolis, Indiana where I was ordained, Brother Hugh Rose and I was ordained in Brother Urshan's church that holds over 2,000 people. His daughter got up to testify one, one night- there was over 2,000 people. And one of the brothers was leading the service, he pushed him aside & he said, "You sit back down, young lady. You're not going to testify. You've cut your hair." Right in front of 2,000 people. "He had no right." Oh, he's got all the right in the world to do it. All the rightin in the world to do it. All the right in the world. Later on, that, that girl repented, got right with God. She's the one that died with cancer. Amen.

Brother Ball just lost last week, a week, a week ago, six families over this same thing: cuttin' hair. Since they've gone, the church is starting to build up now. Brother Younkin's lost a bunch of saints. Some still tryin' to do what's wrong. Brother Trout's having trouble with it. We're all having trouble. So this ain't the only church that's havin'- but brother, this is one preacher that's gonna come right at you. Amen. I told you before, I had a sister in, in, I had a sister in, uh, Oxford, that wouldn't cut her hair. And she was a good piano player- good piano. ;Marvelous. "Get off, get off, you can't stop clippin' your hair." You could tell cause she had a little spit curls and you can't get them spit curls with long hair. "Get off, I'll play it." I've been playin' ever since Oxford. I'll play it till Jesus comes. "Oh, there's a good blessing." I, I wonder how much you gave to, to keep the blessings in this church? I'm talkin' to spirits. Like I said, I'm not talkin' to individuals. You're not really to blame, you just let spirits in you that's causing you to do these things that's wrong.

All right. "Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head," what? ("Uncovered.") Say it again. ("Uncovered.") Say it again. ("Uncovered.") You're gonna understand what that word is when I get done. When you trim 1/8 of an inch off of your hair, you're uncovered in God's sight. You look in the mirror, you don't see it. But if you look to the Word. Don't tell me it don't mean uncovered, it does. Now we're getting down here before long where it's a shame for a man, and which it's a shame, and I'm going to tell you what shame is, too. It's a terrible place for a man to be shamefully. Amen. Brother Bob came in, when he came in the, in the church in Oxford there, he had hair down, down over his shoulders. Is that right, Brother Bob? That's right. ;He don't have it there now. Why? Cause I've taught him.

A woman walks off those streets, she's been out in the world, she's got a boyish haircut, I don't, I don't single her out or preach to her. If she was here this morning I wouldn't, I would be more gentle with her because she doesn't know. As soon as I bap-, as soon as she repents & is sorry for her sins, and all of 'em- actually it's a sin in the church, it's not a sin in the world- that day right then, God looks at that hair, that hair is, is as actually down to her feet, heels. As long as she'll obey God.

The devil has to attack the church and this is one way he's doin' it. And, brother, I'm gonna stop it, right here & now. I've not labored here twenty years to let this thing go down the drain. When I get done teachin', some of you feel that you don't care for my teaching, then I have some papers out there, and if you want to transfer, fine. I transferred, uh, Sister Hudson down to West Virginia & if some of you others want to be transferred, fine, I'll sign it & you can walk home with it. But as long as you're gonna be in this church, under my ministry, you're gonna do what the Word of God says. Not what the preacher, you're gonna do what the Word of God teaches us to do. I can't hear you. ("Amen.") Amen means it's so.

Now let's go a little deeper here. "Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were," what? ("Shaven.") Shaven. What does that mean? I'm not gonna hurry this Bible- if I've gotta preach here till, you're gonna sit here till I get done. It's 11:30. You're gonna understand these words. You should have read the Bible a little slower. The Spirit said there wasn't nothin' wrong with it. The fashion of the day is cut the, cut it off. Them women out in the world out there aren't in church, they don't have the Holy Ghost.

You know, it'd be a shame if for somebody here to watch some woman that looks so nice, all fixed up like this, and them go ahead and backslide out of the church, and them come along and hear the Gospel and be saved. How'd you like that, how'd you like that switch? How many of you believe that'd be a tragedy for you? That'd be a tragedy. That same woman come and get saved. I don't judge the people in the world.

"It's as if she were shaven," if her head is uncovered, let's keep the subject. A man cannot have his head, what? ("Covered.") Covered. A woman cannot have her head, what? ("Uncovered.") Uncovered. And if she uncovers her head, it's as if she were, what? ("Shaven.") Shaven. How many men shaved here this morning? I did. Did you shave, Mike? Feel his face there. Is that smooth, Kim? That's right. That's shaven. He shaved. "It's not the same word." It's the same word. As if she were shaved. You're gonna listen to me, cause I'm gonna keep you here. When we get done this Bible study, you're not gonna go out here, not know what's right or wrong. Amen. You making a tape of this, brother? You better.

I don't want to teach like this when it's Sunday night. I could do it tonight if I had and I have- I would. I cleaned this church out once before- I set a table right here, some of you were here that night. I had everybody in this church stand around and march around and when they come up here, I said, "Lord, how can I settle this thing?" I knew I had dissension in the church. I knew there was an undercurrent going. You could feel it. You tried to raise your hands and you could not get your hands up, what's wrong? Israel tried to win the battle. Couldn't even- little old Ai, a little old town down there slew 'em all. David said, my God, what's wrong? One man should have done the job.

Then he went to God. You know it's different when you go to God. You can have your own opinions all you want to, brother & sister, but you better go to God and get the last word. He went to God, and God said, "There's sin in the camp. "I'm not gonna give you no victory- get that sin out of that camp." He said, "Well, Lord, I don't know who it is." ;He said, "March 'em before me, you sit down and have them come before me and I'll show you who it is." Joshua, it wasn't Jacob. It's not David, it's Joshua. And they come before. And I don't know how it happened, when, when finally the culprit came there. Remember who he was? Achan came up there and somethin' happened. That's right. Couldn't raise his hands to worship him. Brother ____, how do you know when your saints are backsliding? You think I sleep up here? If you see any of these elders sleepin' up here, I'll get 'em off the platform. This ain't no place to sleep. I put that man up here as an example. Bob's supposed to be under an example. I don't need no organ, I've run, I've run this whole church, that organ, if I have to. I don't need Brother Kraus up here, I don't need nobody up here. But I have 'em up here to help me, as an example.

Couldn't worship. Finally he said, "What did, what did you do?" He said, "I've," uh, - the orders was, when you go in the town, don't take no gold or silver, and especially don't take none of their clothes. Boy, do we stay with the fashions in America. Higher and lower. I can tell, we go clear- I remember once when we had that fad, Sister Brown, remember the fad that started in the church over in Saint, in, in town here, the Methodist Church. My God, the women came in one day & I nearly fell over. Remember it Kim? Some of the, when did you come in, who came in with long dresses that day? Everybody! Almost touchin' the ground. I wasn't, don't get me wrong, I'm glad. I wish they was back down there again. I told the women in there, finally, I said, I would to God that you'd get your dresses down there. I'm getting tired with holding my head up, I can't look at the audience. I'm, I don't wanna see your legs, I don't want to see your dress up there, expose yourself. Sit in the back! Get out of here! Cover up!

Never heard me preach like this for a long time, did ya? That's the way I preached years ago. I'm gonna come back, that's why I'm wearing a bow tie again. That's the way I used to preach when I'd wear a bow tie. I had to put on the right kind of apparel to come up here. Well, what gets me is these, these girls going today (makes a gesture, congregation laughs). Sis, you ain't got it there. Don't make, that's, that's only 20 inches down, you can't stretch it to your knees. You know what? I've seen worldly women even try to, that they feel guilty when you start to look at 'em. You ever see 'em, uh, Sister Brown? Why? It's wrong! You've got a conscience, you don't have to have the Holy Ghost to have a conscience. It's there! God gave you a brain, eyes, ears, and he gave you a conscience to make you feel bad.

Covered, verses uncovered. Covered represents, what? Represents what? More than honor. What's, what's the gist subject it represents. Does it represent a microphone? A pulpit? What does it represent on your body? ("Hair.") Hair. Say it again. ("Hair.") Not like that, say it again. ("Hair.") Even had a group called the hair. Hair, hair- ask Bob, he'd like to have some. Yeah, that's all right, Bob, I don't blame you at all. One of the greatest men in the Bible had no hair. Some kids mocked him. And Elijah was startin' to go up the mountain. The kids looked at him, saw his bald and said, "Go up, old baldy!" Now, uh, he did not call these bears. God did. And he commanded. God talked to these she bear and he said, "You go, you go devour them kids." They went down and ate their heads, ate their arms off, their legs, and when they got done there was no bones left, nothin'. Because they called the man of God - know, it's funny, people talk against preachers today like it's everyday talk. They sit around the table there, and kids hear what they think about Brother ____, and then they'll come up here and want me to pray for 'em when they're sick. They, these kids ain't got confidence in me. They've heard preacher all week long, how can {could not make out two words}. But God heard what they said. So there again, is a good example, of a man who lost his hair. The kids shouldn't mock the man of God, and God taught 'em, taught 'em a lesson. And the reason that's in there is to show you that if he had to, he would not spare you either. Because you kids are not no better than those kids. We're not all goody, goody people, none of us, really. We're just a bunch of rotten sinners saved by grace.

So, we got it settled. Covered means what, what kind of hair? Short hair or long hair? ("Long hair.") Long hair. Uncovered means what? ("Short hair.") Short hair. And it goes on further, like, Brother Bob, like I said, once you trim it, in God's sight- not in your sight, you look at it as though this looks good. But go to the Book. Go to the Book! I said go to the Word of God! What do you think, God? I think it is that as if she had shaved her hair, like her husband shaved his face. Let's keep on goin'.

"For if the woman be not covered, let her also be," what? ("Shorn.") Shorn. Does anybody here know what the word shorn means? Shorn- how many of you have ever looked it up in the dictionary? When you, when you get books, words in the Bible, go to the Word of God. If you think they're important. Of course, if you're trying to get out of doing something, you won't look for these words. But there's where the secret is hidden, in the words. In the word. Shorn will refer you, Webster's Dictionary, to shear. Shear will refer you to sheep or shorn. And they cut off, what do they cut off of a sheep? Wool. Money. Wool brings you money. When they get done with that sheep, a lot of sheep they even cut their skin. I've saw some sheep that they were bleedin'. "Oh, they leave four or five in-." Why would they leave four or five inches of wool on that sheep? That's money. They want every bit of that wool. They get tremendous, sheep farmers, we had some in Indiana, they get, they get a lot of money for that wool. A lot of things are made out of cotton. So that farmer wants all that wool he can get and he takes them big shears- how many's ever saw them shear wool? She has, so the people here know what I'm talking about. I mean they get right down, right down to that skin there and then, then off comes the wool. So the Lord's given you this as an example.

I think it's tremendous. It'd scare me to death if I was a woman who had hair and God said this is how I think how you are. Now you girls keep talk, talkin' about them ends, them dead ends. How many has heard about the dead ends? I've heard about the dead ends for fifty years. But it's amazing. There's the scalp. There's the hair. It's amazing. If you're gonna cut off them dead ends, why don't they just get just that little bit, and put it back- that's all it is, really. Get me a magnifying glass and I'll show you. It's just split just a little bit. But it's amazing when they go to cut it off up here. It's a three inch cut to get a dead end. Who you tryin' to kid, yourself, me or God? Well, it's quiet in here. I don't hear no shoutin'. Somebody ought to shout. Somebody ought to run around the church right now. I'm gonna take a drink of water.

And really, I may to be to blame for some of you sisters and I'll, I'll take that blame today if you've cut your hair. I have {can't get one word}, I, I was thinking the Holy Ghost would do it. But I find out sometimes, that folks, some folks don't listen, especially if you get cold in the Lord, you don't listen to the Holy Ghost. So I'll take that blame. And those that have cut your hair, if you have between the time, the time, I'm not gonna judge you at all. And I'm not gonna do a thing about it. But from this Bible study on, I want this whole church to know what I believe, what this church. We have by-laws of this church. Do you know that we believe in holiness in this church? How many knew it? Oh, yes, you signed 'em- holiness. We believe in dresses that's im-, modest, not immodest, modest. We believe that.

All right, now. "For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn." Now I'm gonna stop right there. Shorn. In other words, you have to go back, here's Corinthians, but you have to go back- what were they doin' in this time? Did they have automobiles? How many believe they had automobiles? How many believe they didn't? Airplanes? No airplanes. They didn't have airplanes, either. So, a lot of things back there just ab-, absolutely came normal. If you saw a shaven woman in Jesus' time, what was this a sign unto the people? She was what? ("A prostitute.") I like the word whore. A little more stronger. I like to nail it right down. Whore. That's what God calls the Catholic church, she's nothin' but a whore. Illegitimate children. If you're head was shaven, you were considered a whore. Audio clip

Now, can you imagine, if you've cut your hair, in God's sight, he considers you what? Now if I'm off, if I'm off the Word, raise your hand and say, "Brother ____, you're off the Word," and I'll, and I'll get back on it. But so far I'm stayin' on it. I believe I am. I'm usin' the word shaven, that's what it meant. In the sign of the time. Look back in Bible history, some of you need to lay your Bible aside and go get you some Bible history. That's exactly what it meant.

All right. "But if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven." Now, just a minute. {I can't get a sentence here.} I had to go to the dictionary. Uh, shame. I could have shame, I'd get all kinds of opinions here and there's nothin' wrong with it. But I'd rather go to the, to Webster. See what shame is. Shame, let me read it again, what does it say now- okay, "For if, if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn, or shaved: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered." Shame. A painful sense of guilt, or degrade-, or degraded, degration, caused by consciousness of guilt or of anything degrading, unworthy, or im-, immodest. Susceptibility to such feelings, one who or that which brings reproach or disgrace. A state of regret, dishonor, disgrace, to put to shame, to dis- dis-, to disgrace, to make ashamed, to surpass or eclipse, to make a shame, cause to feel shame, to bring shame upon, disgrace, to impel by shame-, sense of shame. That is what shame is.

The Bible speaks about the women bein' shamefaced. How many's read that? I just happened to see it here, I wasn't even gonna say it, but I think I will, I didn't, I didn't see it here myself. Easily abashed, showing shame or bashfulness in one's face, modest or bashful. Boy, where is, where is them people that are bashful? Anybody find anybody that's bashful? I know one that may kind-, now this, this woman here comes close to bashful as anybody I know. How many would agree? That woman there, but, uh, that's about it. So I didn't know that shamefaced was even there.

All right, let's go on. Number seven. "For a man indeed ought not to," what? Cover his head. Foras," why? Why, why, shouldn't I, why shouldn't a man cover his head? "For as much," Paul said, "as he is the image and," what else? ("And glory of God.") And glory of God. What do you men think about that? Chris? Think he put us men on quite a level, didn't he? Huh? We're the glory of God. We're the image of God.

All right. "But the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman is of the man." In creation. That's where God took the woman out of the man's side. "Neither was the man created for the woman." Man was not created for the woman. Get this straight in your mind now. Man was not created for the woman. "But the woman was created for the man. For this cause," everybody say that, ("For this cause."). Now I've told you time and again when I've taught you as Bible scholars here, students, that anytime you see the word, the three letter word 'for', it means what? ("Now is the reason going to be given why the foregoing was said.") Let's all say it together. Now is the reason going to be given why the foregoing was said. Well, let's see what the reason is. "For this cause ought the woman to have," what? ("Power,") Power. We sing about power, sing till the power of God comes down. There's some other power here. "For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head," why? ("Because of the angels.") Because of the angels. Because of what? ("The angels.") Because of the angels. And I'm going to right, send you out a pamphlet in just a few minutes here.

"Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is the man. As the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things to God. Judge in yourselves, it is commonly that a woman pray unto God uncovered?" And then what's the next there? Question mark, right? "Is it commonly that a woman pray unto God uncovered?" See. Now, in Paul's time and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Mag-, and the other ladies in the church, and, and uh, that were there, they, the majority it was the custom of that day for a woman to have long hair. I think Sister Pyott could remember, I could remember, back there before, that it was actually a custom, whether you was church or right. Sister Pyott? It was actually a custom for a woman. A woman didn't go in a tavern. I remember I never saw 'em. When I was about eight years old, a woman never got in taverns at all. It's all changed. See, we've got to where we call evil, good and good, evil. That's the problem we've got today.

"Is it commonly that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is," what? ("A shame.") It's a shame unto him. It's a shame. Now, God's puttin' it on the men now, he's not on, he's not {can't get one or two words here}on women, he's tellin' about the men here. It's a shame for a man to have long hair. "But," let's read it all together here, the fifteenth verse, all the women, ever-. "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering." It is a glory.

So if you cut three inches off your hair, what have you done? You've cut three inches of your glory off. Right or wrong? These, these kids, I can teach these kids, these girls understand {can't get some words here} These girls understand what I'm talkin' about. I think, I'd gra-, if I was you ladies, I'd grab ahold of that. I think-, didn't you kinda soak that in when it said that the man is the glory and image of God? Chris, don't you feel kind of good about it? How about you, Bob? Feel good about that? {can't get two sentences here} We grab ahold of it, that's good. I'm glad of that. God said that about me. I'm that because he said I am. Now he comes along and says that if a woman have what kind of hair? ("Long hair.") Long, boy I don't, some people don't know how to spell it. Long. Not short. Brother Chris, come up here. Bob, you come up here. {can't get some of this explanation to the men called up} It was thirteen inches, I've got to spell everything out, inches, {can't get a few words} and it's long, let's get that word long in there. Thirteen inches long. That's long. Now, we come down here. Now it's nine inches long, but, but- I'm the shepherd and you're what? ("Sheep.") Do sheeps butt? Who butts? Goats. How many's ever had a goat? I had a goat, don't buy one, they stink. They ruined our Sunday dinner one day. Come home there, and was standing in the middle of the dinner table. That's, that's when that goat left. Dad got rid of that goat then. Don't ever turn your back on a, on a goat. It'll knock you flat on your face. But, "Oh, Pastor ____, I'd do that but- my husband." "But- this hair's so hard to handle. Now God, I know you gave it to me for glory, but why, in God's name, did you give me it's so hard to handle? Hear me, God? I want my husband saved, but I don't like what you've done to me. It's not a glory to me. I'm gonna cut my glory off." Actions speak louder than words.

How many's gettin' this Bible study? You're gonna get it, right down {can't get about 3 words}. All right, Brother Mannery, come up here with somebody real fast. {starts to say a word} All right, sit down, let's let these kids, you two girls on the end there, Ursula, and yea. I want, I want every man and every woman to have this. I want you to take it home. I want you to study it. We're gonna have revival in this church tonight. I said, we're gonna have revival. Yes we are. The devil, the devil has challenged me on this and I'm challenging him right back again. We're gonna have revival. Long hair is a glory to the woman. Well, glory.

{Skipped some talk that had nothing to do with this or any other teaching. Now, reading from the tract given out, with some interjection.} All right, but if a woman have long hair, it's a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. Not a handkerchief, not like the Catholics do, it's not a handkerchief. Read the entire text.Pentecostal women and girls, mothers and daughters, you have a unique opportunity to witness for Christ and Christianity in the world, and that's the truth today. The wearing of long hair is of importance, not only to you, but to the Christian church as well. Because of its attachment to order and sub-, what? Subjection, I didn't even get into that, there is no substitute for obedience now or ever. Consider carefully a woman who has long hair has a mark of distinction that is God-given. That's it. Which the Bible said is a glory or honor to her. There are three reasons why women should not cut their hair. They should have long hair because it is commanded in the Bible. Uh, the three facts that cannot be denied: women have long hair, number two, women have given long hair, number three, women's long hair is for a purpose: it's a covering. We are livin' in a day and age, when people reckon and reason without regard to God or his Word- and that is the truth, this is the problem. It is a time when reckless men, so called realist-, realialist, do not hesitate to express thoughts and opinions that are contrary to the Bible. But the mere bold expression of these ideas, does not make them right. Although times and customs of the world may change, God and his Word- what?- You better believe it and you're gonna face God and his Word one of these days. You'd better get this all straightened out in your life. Christians of all ages must always respect and obey the Bible. It is therefore right that a woman should have long hair today. Just as it has always been right in God's sight, for it signifies two things. Number one, long hair is a sign of subjection. Number two, long hair is a sign of womanness. This is true, Scripturally in the church, and herein is a glorious way for Christian women to witness to all the Bible order and subjection. Indeed, because of the attention now focused on hair-styling, obedience to God's Word affords this beautiful way for women believers to let their light shine. And women can make beautiful hairdos. And uh, I love, I love it. I think it's beautiful. I'll tell you one thing, when, when they go to advertise any, any hairs, anything you put on your hair, they don't get a short haired woman. No, they don't. Some of them girls fluff their hair and it goes clear down almost to their ankles. Beautiful.

All right, this is, uh, true Scripture in the church, herein is a glorious way for a Christian woman to witness, uh, to the, all the Bible order and subjection. Indeed, because of the attention now focused {tape stops here, continues on other side, in the middle of another sentence}. ...clear on this subject. Women should have long hair. Don't have to, but you better. I believe this one thing, if God takes one woman, one Jesus name apostolic woman, that's cut her hair in the rapture, he's broken all of his Word clear apart. You believe me? Why should he respect this woman back here? Why should my wife have to have long hair when you can cut your hair back there? How come you've got so much authority? You don't have that authority. You know, it's a strange thing, they don't, nobody comes to me before they cut their hair and say, "Should I?" cause they know what I believe. It's-, I'll tell you one thing, it's like Brother Younkin said the other day, when we was talkin' out in the hall at conference there. First thing the woman does on, on the way to backslidin', is cut her hair." I've witnessed it 60 years. That's right.

Please consider an interesting statement made in I Corinthians 11:10. I didn't say this before, here's who is. The angels. Because of the angels. The word power signifies that the woman is, what? ("Subject.") Subject, there, say it again. The woman is what? ("Subject.") Subject to the man. That is, she is to be obedient. Boy, this has not really been used today in a woman's trend today. This is made known by the fact that her hair is covered with long hair. Paul said that we see it and know it, but he affirms that we are not the only ones who discern these things. The connecting line of thought implies that the angels also see and know these same things.

How many believe there's angels in this room now, according to the Word of God? I do. I don't see 'em, but if God said they're here, they're here. They're listenin' to this Bible study, too. All right. The connecting line of thought implies that the angel all see and know these things. The following Scripture references are revealing and enlightening in regards to this truth. For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men- and that's the truth. We are made spectacles unto the world, and to angels, and to men. Allow not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Lets' repeat this all together. Allow not my mouth to cause my flesh to sin. Say it again. Allow not my mouth to cause my flesh to sin. Neither say ye thou before the angel, that's in this room, that it was a, what? ("Error.") Error. They'll not listen to you.

They can't, it's a strange thing about an, an angel can't commit error. We, we do. All right. The angel of the Lord encampeth around about them that fear him and delivereth them, Psalms 34:7. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect enemy-, the elect angels. I Timothy 5:21. Are they angels not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be, what? Heirs of salvation. I really believe that God wants his bride to look good, do you? God wants his bride to look good. Therefore consider this: it is clear from the foregoing verses that angels are invisibly present about always, about us always. Paul's writing, because of the angels, verse 10, proves without doubt that the subjects of women long hair and angels, are connected with the subjects of obedience, example and testimony. No Christian can lightly disregard his, his statement, because of the angels. There seems to be only one cause for angels to fall from their high estate and that is, how? ("By rebellion.") By rebellion. Thus angels, who are always present about us, would see the short hair of women as a sign of - ("Rebellion.") Listen closely. Rather than subjection on their part, in essence because of regard and respect for the angels, women should have- they don't have to, it's not a law, we're under Grace- but if you love God, you're gonna keep his commandments. Right?

The fact that women should have hair, long hair, is also taught by nature. Doth not even nature teach itself, teach you, verse 14, does not nature teach that it is a shame for a man to have long hair and for a woman to have short hair? The answer to both questions is, yes. It's a shame for both of 'em. Women in the past have acknowledged their disobedience in cutting their hair and in repentance have told of their shame. Even women of the world have been known to shed tears and acknowledge their shame after their haircut. Thus, nature itself shames this lack of modesty and this disobedience. The laws of nature are not the laws of God, and should be obeyed. One's will ought to be in accord with nature. Nature certainly teaches us that it's proper for women to have long hair. It is certainly not so with men. The hair of the male rarely grows like that of the female. It is truly womanish for a woman to have long hair. It is truly manish for, for her to- it is not- it is truly manish for her to have short hair. That's where we're comin' to. That's exactly where we're comin'.

Nature in the Bible says the same things. Throughout the Bible it is stressed that men and women are different. A man is like, is not like a woman, and a woman is not like a man. It is a sin for women to try to appear like a man. That's why we do not wear slacks in this church. Try to keep yourself from lookin' like a man as much as possible. I know the world offers you this, saints, but God's not gonna look the other way when you come up here and say that there's not nothing offered to you. You can shop around and get good clothes, how many agree with me that? Oh, yes you can. Oh, yes.

It is a sin for a man to appear like a woman. That's not what the world says. The world says homosexuals and lesbians are fine. That's right. Even the president's backin' 'em up. Fine. Let 'em come, let everybody do their thing. God has made the man to have one place, and the woman to have a different place. I Corinthians 8-, 11:8 and 9. It would serve us well to read again the command given in Deuteronomy 22 and 5. Look that up. That's where it said that the woman should not wear anything that appears like unto a man. But they try to do it today.

All right, the woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment. Now how do you, how do you feel that God feels about these homosexuals, and makin' love and goin' down the street, with, with women's braziers on and long dresses? It's not, it's not, it's not a laugh to him. He's gonna burn it up, just like he did Sodom and Gomorrah, mark what I tell you. Mark what I tell you.

All right, the woman should not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment for all that do so are, what? ("Abomination.") That's why I'm tryin' to keep you ladies and men alike from bein' an abomination in God's sight. All right, all these things tell us that it is wrong for a woman appear masculine. And that it is equally wrong for a man to appear effeminate. In the New Testament the sins of being effeminate is named as one of the sins that will prevent men from inheriting the Kingdom of God. The Bible, the angels, and nature itself agree that women should have long hair. All true Christians love Christ for what he has done for them. They will honor his name and his Word by the way they live daily. Bible Christians not only say they are Christians, they live like they are Christians. Let us all be careful that our loyalty to Christ and not to opinions, ideas, and customs established by worldly men- and worldly men really set the fashions for the women, right or wrong? Oh, yes. Paris sets the fashion. One of the worst ungodly nations in the world. We can't hardly get a church started in Paris because it's so filthy.

Pentecostal men-, women and men and girls, remember that you have received a God-given mark of distinction. I want everybody to say that with me there. Everybody, men and women. I have been given a mark of distinction, a God-given mark of distinction. Long hair is an honor bestowed upon women and is to be appreciated by them. Be true to this trust and enhance the beauty of womanhood. God bless the women who respect and obey the Word of God concerning this and all matters pertaining to Godliness.

Now, what I have just done, I have washed your blood off of my hands. God said to warn the righteous and the wicked. The righteous are saved people, so I have warned you, now you, in other words, then if they do wrong, then their blood will be upon their own hands. So, you go ahead and do what you want to do. Even Brother, uh, how many remem- remember Brother, Brother Cole? Brother Cole. How many enjoyed Brother Cole? He's havin' the same problem in his church. Had to take a stand against it. See, it's a spirit. It's a spirit, but we're not gonna let it come in the church. Praise the Lord. So, I am free with every man and every woman's blood in this place today. I know one thing we'll do, every person that jo-, comes in this church from now on, signs the by-laws, reads the by-laws, and reads this. If they disagree with it, I'll not make them a member of this church. They can come visit here, but they'll not be a member. It's gonna be an honor to be a member of this church. And if you rebel too much, and I cause you causin' trouble or talkin' to other people about what we believe in this church, I'm gonna disfellowship you. And I'll bring your name before the church and you'll be disfellowshipped. From this church and every other Jesus name church around here. Oh, there'll be some preachers take you in, cause some preachers don't care if you cut your hair, or what you do. I do. Cause, see, I want to be saved as well as you. I do wanna be saved. Amen.

Now what we're gonna do now, it's almost time, uh, come right down to the, right down to the wire. Take these home with you, don't throw them in the trash can, amen. If God, if God's speakin' to you, I'm glad of that. Like I said, I'm not singling nobody out. I know I've already been told that some have and all this and I don't go around- I'm not gonna walk around lookin' at you ladies hair. You're not gonna put that on me. You're not gonna do it. I'm not gonna do it. Amen. You do what you please. You wanna go home this afternoon and cut it off, that's fine, sister, but now you know better. Now when you come before God, everything that's in this pamphlet, and everything I've read will be, will be against you. Amen.

How many love the Lord? So we start from this day on. Doesn't make no difference. So, like I said, when we have new ladies- now we prayed for a lady in the, in the day care here, uh, Sister Peggy knows, come in here, had a boy's hair cut. She's scared she's got cancer, she wants, she wants, she wants to be helped, right, Peggy? We prayed for her. I put my hand on her. I didn't say, "Oh, this terrible hair," because that's all the woman knows. She doesn't know nothing else. It's amazing, though, when you deal with these people out in the world, they say, "Well, what can I do?" It's amazing how they start makin' them little buns back there, just as soon as it gets long enough to start makin' a little bun. I remember Sister Peggy start makin' little bitty buns but I can't hardly stretch it together. It's amaz-, it's what God sees, though. God is interested in attitudes- what is your attitude.  What is your attitude? Amen. I believe the Lord is comin' soon, don't you?

Praise the Lord. I'd just like for all of us to come up and stand up around the altar today, all of us come up here while we sing some song. I believe this is the biggest Bible class I've ever had. Everybody come right on up here, come right on up. Move up to the front if you're, just come right up front, that altar won't hurt you. That altar's good for you. Without that altar, you'll have a terrible, terrible time to make it in. {A section here has been omitted as it may be hurtful to the family involved. The pastor talked about a woman being upset, as someone had accused her of cutting her hair. He warned them to stop or he'd stop them.}

Praise the Lord. (starts signing "I Know the Lord Will Make a Way For Me") Hallelujah. I feel what we'll do right now, if some of you have, if you are feel, conscience feels bothered by this message and lesson today, I want you to raise your hands and ask God to forgive you. If you've done wrong or said wrong, ask God from this moment on to forgive you. If you don't, the spirit that's got ahold of you will increase. And it will not be long till you will no longer be in the church of God. Them spirits will take you out. (starts singing "Thank You Lord For Saving My Soul")

Now the Word of God, the Bible said, that the Word is sharper than two, any two-edged sword, dividing asunder even to the bones and the marrow. And I'm sure that the Word has entered into someone's heart today and you have been wounded, because the Word is sharp. The Word can cut you off, the Word can damn you. Jesus said you will be judged by the words I have spoken unto you. So, we want to heal wounds this morning. I wanna see a good service tonight. And the best way to do it, now, is just have a good love feast. It don't take you twenty minutes to repent of wrong. All you gotta do is say, "God, I'm sorry for what I've done." And put it under the blood. Bury it, bury it. Recognize what's causing this in your life. Recognize it, because if you don't, other spirits are gonna move in. Mark my word. One spirit opens the door and finally- see, God the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, will not live with these spirits.

Now, it was prophesied in this church that someone in this church was Ichabod. Anytime a message given, it means God has gone, and you don't have the Holy Ghost. It means God's gone. Ichabod means the Holy Ghost has departed. That's what I don't want to happen here. It's happened once, already once, and I don't want it to happen. So I'd just advise you right now, one more time, raise your hands. When you get done praying a little bit here, I want you, the sisters to embrace the sisters. We have weak sisters here. Probably there's some weakness here that's caused this. And some weakness on the brethren's part. Now the brethren, we help one another, we're one body, many members. Let's worship the Lord one more time. Praise you Jesus. Without you, we'll never make it. We are not gonna make it, Lord. I would repent totally if I were you, I would. I would repent. God is angry. Six things do I hate, yea, seven is abomination in my sight: he or she that causes discord amongst brethren.

Praise the Lord. Let's heal one anothers wounds now. Shall we just embrace one another. (starts singing "I'm So Glad I'm a Part of the Family of God") You're all dismissed in Jesus name and Sister Kraus will be takin' the offering as you go out the door. (continues singing)

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Page added September 21, 1997

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