The " WHY" Factor

Yesterday I told you that I would try and explain a bit more as to what happened, well here it is.

Recently I was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church located in Grove Hill, AL.

My family and I had been there since last February. On Sunday November 2, 2008 I was told by the men of the church that they wanted me to make a change. They wanted me to STOP witnessing to the blacks in our community. They informed me that they wanted to have a "White's Only Church".

I told them that I was NOT able to do what they demanded, The Gospel is NOT a White's Only Gospel, That Jesus did NOT die for the White's Only, Heaven is NOT a White's Only destination. The Bloord of Jesus is for EVERYONE!

My answer to them was that I refused to STOP telling everyone I could about Jesus, regardless of their Color, Background or Financial standing.

I sent out the following e-mail on Monday November 3, 2008:

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Fired Again!

This e-mail is to formally announce that I have been forced to resign the pastor position at Calvary Baptist Church in Grove Hill, AL.

I was asked to step down because I dared to share the gospel with the black community. we had several folks saved and baptized, then they wanted to come and join in membership with us and for the first time in the entire 20 year history of this church, there were 3 black members.

The white members of the church rose up this week and said that they wanted a "White's Only" church, I informed them that I would not, I could not go against what I believe the Bible teaches about how Jesus died for ALL (*Black, White, Red, Brown, Tan, Yellow....)
and that His gift of Salvation was to ALL PEOPLE!

They told me that if I couldn't do what they wanted then I would be forced to step down.

There you have it!

What now??!!

I'm glad you asked! We are today announcing that we, my family and I, are "Re-Entering" full time Evangelism. We are booking meetings as we speak!

Please pray for us, we are packing up our stuff, we are planning a HUGE yard sale to sell everything that will not fit into our bus.

We want to thank you for praying!

Evangelist David J. Dunn & Family

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I followed this one up with another e-mail on November 6, 2008:

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As most of you know, last Sunday ( November 2, 2008) I was forced to resign, well, last night(Wed. November 5, 2008) after attending services at a church in our area where a total stranger gave money to the Pastor of that church and said for him to give it to us. Praise the Lord, we went to Wal-Mart to get a few things we desperately needed. When we came out of the store, 2 men from Calvary Baptist were sitting in their cars waiting on us, and they got out of their cars and walked over to me.
They handed me a letter and said that it was a "Response to my Resignation".

I waited until we got home, I did not want to open it in front of my kids, and when we opened it we found the following.

1. We had asked for them to allow us to stay in the parsonage until we were able to get the funds to move and until I had a place to move to.

Their answer: DENIED... (We have until 11/17/2008 to get out)

2. We had not had a salary check since the beginning of August, so we asked for them to pay us "Back Salary" which was owed.

Their answer: DENIED... (They called CLA and were told that since I had stood in the pulpit and had said that I was "Willing" to go without a salary check for a while, due to the churches struggling financial situation, that they DID NOT OWE ME A DIME!

Folks, We need your prayers! We have less than 2 weeks until they come knocking on the door and try to drag our stuff to the road. (**By the way, the "Drag our stuff to the road" comment has been mentioned by them already, so they are planning on it!)

Please pray that God will open up the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings on us so that we can get out of here asap!

Still Standing for the Lord,

Evangelist David J. Dunn

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I am happy to say that Today, November 19, 2008, I am sending this to you from my parents house in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My family and I loaded up what we could in our vehicle and a very small 5x8 foot trailer. We left behind over 18 years worth of memories, furniture, clothes, pictures, dishes, books, computer equipment and a lot of other personal effects.


I am amazed that the same type of thinking that was around in the 40's & 50's is still running free in America. I could not believe that they actually wanted me to do this. I know that I stood for Jesus and what was right in that time of crisis.

Folks, we all need to be standing on the Bible and the truth's contained in it, no matter what the cost is.

Please don't be one of those who caves in instead of standing.

Evangelist David Dunn

At The Ready...

Well, My family and I finally moved out of Alabama and we are now in Chattanooga, Tennessee visiting with my whole family for Thanksgiving.

We are right now in a bit of a "Holding Pattern". We are waiting for the Lord to finalize the receiving of the bus that we are going to live and travel in.

We are relieved to be away from the situation there in Grove Hill, AL. My heart breaks for the people of Calvary Baptist Church. I have had some people tell me that I should not name the name of the Church on the chance that some of them might see it and be offended by it. I am not intentionaly trying to hurt anyone, but the TRUTH is the TRUTH! My heart IS broken for them. I believe that God used us to give those folks one last chance to get right with Him and serve Him like they should. Sadly, they told Him (God) to "Take a Hike" instead.

Know this, I do NOT rejoice in any way about the current situation this Church finds themselves in and I do pray that God, in His Judgment, will be merciful. I think about the "Good" people who are mixed up in this "Bad" situation and I am brought to tears for them. There are children in this Church who have just seen Mom and Dad tell the preacher to "Get Out", what kind of message is that to a 16, 14, 12 year old or even younger?

There are some who are not familiar with the "Why" this Church asked me to leave.

I want to invite you to come back tomorrow and read the whole thing. I am going to bring it all out into the open.

Please pray for us,

Evangelist David Dunn

Information Update

I want to take this opportunity to update you on our situation.

Sunday, November 2, 2008 I was asked to resign my position as pastor of the Calvary Baptist church of Grove Hill, AL.

My family and I will be "Re-Entering" Full Time Evangelism. We are working now to pack and prepare ourselves for getting out on the road.

Please pray for us as we move forward in this direction.

Evangelist David J. Dunn

Real Character Matters

“Real Character Matters”

It was once said to me that the way to know what your real level of “Character” is, is based by what you do in the dark, when no one is looking.
Someone else once said that “Character” is what you would do if you realized that Jesus was watching your every move.

Both of these I can see some truth in. However, I believe that “Real Character” involves a little more than that.

Character is by definition: “The peculiar qualities, impressed by nature or habit on a person, which distinguish him from others; these constitute real character, and the qualities which he is supposed to possess, constitute his estimated character, or reputation.”

We see that there are “peculiar qualities… which distinguish” each person from everybody else. These make each one of us unique. You know what I mean by this don't you?? If we were all were all exactly alike then this would be a very boring place to be. I know that the world would have been a real let down had it not been blessed with my personal presence!

You say "Brother Dunn, that was a very conceited thing to say!!" Well, don't get your hair all in a "Tizzy", the same thing can be said of you too! In fact it can be said of ALL OF US!

Next we see the “supposed” qualities which make up our reputation, or estimated character. (What I could Be.) The possibilities of what "Might Be". I am so glad that our Father In Heaven doesn't deal in "Possibilities".

Matthew 5:1-2
(1) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
(2) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

** Jesus sat and demonstrated for us all exactly how Character becomes a reality in our lives.

Character is not something that "Just Happens" it is something that MUST be taught. The disciples were men who were chosen or hand picked by Jesus Himself, but he had to teach them what they were to do and How to live. He taught them character.

Recently, a lady in our church came to me after a service and asked me this question: "Preacher, How did the disciples know what they were supposed to do after Jesus ascended to heaven?"

The answer was not lengthy or even "Deep Theology", it was simply the fact that Jesus had taught them BEFORE He left them here to carry on.

Jesus taught them from day one just who they were to become, that way when He did leave them on this earth they would know exactly what to do. Even with His last words to them, as He was going up into heaven, He was still teaching and instructing them.

This is something that is missing in our day and age. Our kids are NOT learning character at home or even at church, they are being taught by the Television, Video's and Electronic Games what the phrase "Life Lessons" means.

See, to me, I believe that if I leave it up to some "Pin-Head" in Hollywood, or New York City to be the one to teach my children what the word "Character" means, my kids and myself as well, will be sadly disappointed with the final outcome.

The Bible teaches us what some of the "Real Characteristics", or building blocks of a Christian life are:

Matthew 5:3-12
(3) Blessed are the poor in spirit (Humble): for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(4) Blessed are they that mourn (Mourn for their Own sin’s, or for the sin’s of Man.): for they shall be comforted.
(5) Blessed are the meek (Meekness is patience in the receiving of injuries.): for they shall inherit the earth.
(6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness (Strong or complete desire to be and do right because it is right; trusting not in their own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ.): for they shall be filled.
(7) Blessed are the merciful (Someone who is affected by the sufferings of others, and wants to be able to alleviate them.): for they shall obtain mercy.
(8) Blessed are the pure in heart (That is, whose minds, motives, and principles are pure. Who seek not only to have the external actions correct, but who desire to be holy in heart, and who are so.): for they shall see God.
(9) Blessed are the peacemakers (Those who strive to prevent contention, and strife, and war.): for they shall be called the children of God.
(10) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake (Because they have, or are closely following after, the righteousness here described.): for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(11) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you (or abuse you to your face.), and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely (False accusation, or lies), for my sake.
(12) Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

These are the “Real Characteristics” that we find in Jesus Christ, in His followers, and in story after story, person after person from Genesis to Revelation.

The question then remains, are these "Characteristics" found in you?

Are you able to see these traits in your children?

If you are NOT teaching these things in your family, if these traits are not found in you, what about your church??

Folks, we all should be very concerned about the total lack of intrest in "Character" in our country and society.

This country was founded by men and women who had "Real Character".

Just where did they learn it??

From the BIBLE being taught to them at home, and the truth being preached in the pulpits of the churches where they attended. We need to wake up NOW, or else we will lose our children.

Christian America... it's coming!

Pastor David J. Dunn