After a Sermon Criticizing Wives’ Weight, Pastor Receives Backlash

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Pastor Stewart-Allen Clark of First General Baptist Church in Malden, Mo. had advice for women who wanted to keep their men.

Oh, did he ever.

Clark said during a sermon in February that women need to keep the extra weight off or they could lose their hubby. Well, that could be an easy exit for some women (I know some of you would jokingly agree).

“Why is it so many times that women, after they get married, let themselves go?” he stands with an open Bible asking, “Why do they do that?”

Well, why do men? This writer asks. If you want to level the playing field, it can go both ways.

Oh no, it’s all up to you ladies to look your best, stay fit, while keeping a clean house, taming hormones, working and juggling multiple responsibilities. I’m surprised he didn’t call out messy buns and yoga pants.

The advice was not over– far from it.

Clark said, among other insulting things, that women needed “weight control” as it’s the solution for marital difficulties. But don’t worry, not everyone has to be a trophy wife.

“Now look, I’m not saying every woman can be the epic, the epic trophy wife of all time like Melania Trump,” he said. “All I can say is not everybody looks like that, amen? … But you don’t need to look like a butch either.”

Joshua Roberts / Reuters

Our former first lady has access to the tools that makes life easier like hired help and money to pamper herself. I’m sure she would cringe that a church leader called her “the epic trophy wife.”

I can’t comment on the butch line — it’s too over the top, and I’m trying to watch my mouth during Lent season (overall).

So ladies lay off the donuts and extra helpings at dinner or lose your guy. I will pass on the calamari and red wine (not really) if there is a potential risk to my marriage.

Due to the backlash, Clark resigned as moderator of a meeting of the General Baptist Council of Associations and is being investigated by his denomination.

General Baptist Ministries said in its Facebook post it had recommended its Council of Associations “take appropriate action.”

“The sermon included comments that are not consistent with the positions and values of General Baptists,” it said. “General Baptists believe that every woman was created in the image of God, and they should be valued for that reason. Furthermore, we believe that all individuals, regardless of any other factors, are so loved by God that Christ died for them.”

Exactly, this preaching does not belong in the pulpit — it’s bullying– not the Word.

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Corine Gatti-Santillo

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