Evangelist Rick Ousley withdraws from speaking circuit after affair

[gb93433]

Why are we hearing about so many in the past few years?

http://www.abpnews.com/www/1946.article

Evangelist Rick Ousley withdraws from speaking circuit after affair

Published: March 29, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) -- Baptist pastor and football chaplain Rick Ousley, founder of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., has temporarily withdrawn from his evangelistic ministry after admitting to an extramarital affair.

Ousley and the directors of his Quixotic Ministries agreed to the removal earlier this month, soon after he admitted to the affair. Ousley also agreed to resign from his post as chaplain of Samford University’s football team.

“I have sinned a great sin, and I have brought shame to my Lord and my family and the family of faith,” Ousley told The Alabama Baptist March 23. “I know my heart is right with God, with my wife and with my children. I pray it can be right with the people who know us. All I know to do right now is take the highest road I know: to confess and forsake the sin, and to cling to God and my family.”

The affair was publicized by Donna Jones, 43, of Katy, Texas, who was quoted in the March 23 issue of The Birmingham News. Jones said the relationship began in 1981, after Ousley and his first wife divorced, and then resurfaced at least twice. The News said Jones was 18 years old when she became involved with Ousley and said the contact continued after he married his current wife.

According to Jones, she most recently met with Ousley during his trips with Samford’s football team and when he preached at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston.

The 55-year-old evangelist said in a March 23 statement that he has acknowledged his sin “to God, my wife, my family and to my ministry team. We are all now attempting to deal with this as God leads. I ask for your prayers during this difficult time.”

Ousley was senior pastor of the Brook Hills church for 15 years and led the church to grow from 37 members to more than 4,000 in worship attendance. He retired from the church in 2005 after undergoing two brain surgeries.

He had continued preaching through Quixotic Ministries, which he founded in 2005. A well-known and much sought-after evangelist, Ousley has canceled his speaking engagements and ministry-related activities for 90 to 120 days. After that term, the Quixotic board of directors will re-evaluate Ousley’s tenure.

[rbell]

I had mentioned this in the Prayer request forums a few days ago (before there was much reporting of this).

Ousley was a gifted preacher and dynamic leader. I'm sure many are shellshocked by these events. Please pray that folks will trust God through all this, rather than fallible man.

David Platt, the pastor who replaced Ousley at the Church at Brook Hills (pre-scandal), will obviously have a heavy load. I'm especially praying for him during this time.

We went to seminary with David Platt, and this will be extremely difficult for him as I do believe this is his first full time church as pastor. I am so sorry for all those involved. Its a widespread issue.

[Alcott]

I have met Rick Ousley before and I have several taped sermons of his, and I agree with the assessment that he was a "gifted preacher and dynamic leader." Unfortunately or not, I can't say I am 'shocked' by this; I suppose because there have been so many of these "revelations" about Christian speakers, singers, et al, that we tend to expect it. That, plus that today in many facets of being a person in the news, some 'rivals' or the media seem to live to shoot such persons down; the opposite of the "old boy network" which sought to keep such things hidden.

Just because he is the one this is about, I will share a rather unusual story he told (in a sermon at the Singles' Conference at Glorieta) about sharing the gospel:
When he first came on staff of North Phoenix Baptist Church in 1982, for the first few weeks he was alone there (family would be coming later), and they had staff meetings at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings ["This was not in God's will," he added]. He got ready early and was waiting for another staff member to come by and pick him up, so he turned on the television. "Believe it or not, there were only 3 stations to watch at that time," he said. On the first station was a televangelist, making his promises that if you send in your money that you will experience a miracle from God. "Not this; the Holy Spirit is not for sale," he said, and switched channels. On the next one was a large, beautifully-robed choir, singing in great harmony. But they were a "high church choir," and singing in Latin-- "something like 'omulus, romulus, domulus,...," so since he couldn't understand it all, he swtiched to the last channel.

On this last channel was a cartoon show. So, expecting his ride to come by any time, he decided to sit there and watch cartoons and relax for the moment. A Popeye cartoon came on. "I always liked Popeye," he said. Then, as he was still in a state of wondering if he had made the right decision to come to Phoenix, leaving behind other circumstances, he said, "This may be hard to believe, but I have a conviction that everything is an illustration of something. So, right then I asked God, 'Show me a sign from this cartoon; tell me what I need to know, or what it is I've missed, because it seems I don't know, or I've missed, something.'" Then in the cartoon along comes Popeye; he described him and imitated his "yuk-uk-uk-uk" laugh. He said "Lord I know you don't want me to be like Popeye-- one minute he's losing, the next minute he's winning. I've done too much of that in my time, and I know you want me to be more consistent." Then along comes Bluto. He said, "Oh Lord-- not Bluto! I've spent half of my life living like him-- he's smash, bash, or trash anyone or anything to get his selfish way. You don't want me to be like Bluto." Then comes Olive Oyl. He said, "No, no Lord; not Olive Oyl. She is the epitomy of hypocrisy-- Popeye tells her 'You're so beautiful!" and Bluto tells her 'You're so beautiful!'-- that woman's ugly!" Then along comes another character. "I don't like his name," Rick said, "but I do like the character-- Wimpy. He's the guy who says, 'I gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.' It seems like everything he does or hopes for has to do with hamburgers. Then suddenly the Lord let me know-- that's it! You see-- Wimpy is a walking, talking, living advertisement of what he loves best. That's what you need to be! If Jesus is what you're living for, then show it!-- be a walking, talking promoter of what you love best."

Now, if there is downer for me about this new story, it would be in knowing that this woman was in Katy, by Houston, and the "other circumstances" he left before going to Phoenix, whatever they were, took place in that area, as he was at !st Baptist, Houston just before.

[blackbird]

Originally Posted by Alcott
When he first came on staff of North Phoenix Baptist Church in 1982, for the first few weeks he was alone there (family would be coming later), and they had staff meetings at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings ["This was [I

not[/I] in God's will," he added]. He got ready early and was waiting for another staff member to come by and pick him up, so he turned on the television. "Believe it or not, there were only 3 stations to watch at that time," he said. On the first station was a televangelist, making his promises that if you send in your money that you will experience a miracle from God. "Not this; the Holy Spirit is not for sale," he said, and switched channels. On the next one was a large, beautifully-robed choir, singing in great harmony. But they were a "high church choir," and singing in Latin-- "something like 'omulus, romulus, domulus,...," so since he couldn't understand it all, he swtiched to the last channel.

On this last channel was a cartoon show. So, expecting his ride to come by any time, he decided to sit there and watch cartoons and relax for the moment. A Popeye cartoon came on. "I always liked Popeye," he said. Then, as he was still in a state of wondering if he had made the right decision to come to Phoenix, leaving behind other circumstances, he said, "This may be hard to believe, but I have a conviction that everything is an illustration of something. So, right then I asked God, 'Show me a sign from this cartoon; tell me what I need to know, or what it is I've missed, because it seems I don't know, or I've missed, something.'" Then in the cartoon along comes Popeye; he described him and imitated his "yuk-uk-uk-uk" laugh. He said "Lord I know you don't want me to be like Popeye-- one minute he's losing, the next minute he's winning. I've done too much of that in my time, and I know you want me to be more consistent." Then along comes Bluto. He said, "Oh Lord-- not Bluto! I've spent half of my life living like him-- he's smash, bash, or trash anyone or anything to get his selfish way. You don't want me to be like Bluto." Then comes Olive Oyl. He said, "No, no Lord; not Olive Oyl. She is the epitomy of hypocrisy-- Popeye tells her 'You're so beautiful!" and Bluto tells her 'You're so beautiful!'-- that woman's ugly!" Then along comes another character. "I don't like his name," Rick said, "but I do like the character-- Wimpy. He's the guy who says, 'I gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.' It seems like everything he does or hopes for has to do with hamburgers. Then suddenly the Lord let me know-- that's it! You see-- Wimpy is a walking, talking, living advertisement of what he loves best. That's what you need to be! If Jesus is what you're living for, then show it!-- be a walking, talking promoter of what you love best."

Soooooooooooo!!!!

He gets his directions from God by watching Popeye????!!!!!!!!

Don't you see????? Wimpy was a "bum"-----with no intention to pay for that hamburger!!! Come "payback" time on Tuesday ----- the story would be the same as the day he made the promise-----I want a hamburger today and I will gladly pay you Tuesday---a broken record promise that was never delivered!!! He got his hamburger but Popeye never got his money!!!!

Folks----don't get your "sign" from a cartoon----God help us!!!! Whats wrong with us!!!?????

Don't get your sign from a wimpy televangelist beggin' for your money like Wimpy begged for that hamburger!!!

Don't be led by cartoons---or by any other "sign"----Jesus said that a "wicked and perverted generation seeketh after a sign"

Get your marching orders from the Holy Spirit

God help us!!! There's a price now that Osley will have to pay---its called the Law of the Harvest----you reap what you sow----you reap more than you sow---you reap later than you sow---and unfortunately---others must get in on the reaping process---his family and friends---will for generations ahead reap the embarrassment and shame along with him!!!

Men---Preachers---Keep yourself pure!!! Keep yourself honest!!! Keep yourself above reproach!!!

I heard the late, great Dr. Adrian Rogers say this----"Do you want to have an affair proof marriage???? If you do---this is how to have one!!!


Stay fervantely in love with Jesus!!!"

Blackbird

[menageriekeeper]

Agreeing with Blackbird here!

[gb93433]

Originally Posted by blackbird

I heard the late, great Dr. Adrian Rogers say this----"Do you want to have an affair proof marriage???? If you do---this is how to have one!!!

Stay ferventely in love with Jesus!!!"

That is true but too many people spend more time listening to preachers than reading and studying their Bible.

Scripture says the same thing in Heb. 12:1, 2, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Some of my friends who are seminary professors tell me that the biblical literacy is going down while the numbers of available resources is growing. That is much like drowning in a lake next to a boat.

Some of the best professors in the SBC in the past 20 years have been told that there classes were too hard and they needed to dumb them down so more students would take classes from them. It is called cutting costs at the expense of an education and preparation.

[teachermom]

Originally Posted by gb93433

Some of the best professors in the SBC in the past 20 years have been told that there classes were too hard and they needed to dumb them down so more students would take classes from them. It is called cutting costs at the expense of an education and preparation.

That's not happening just in the Christian sector but in most colleges/universities I know about. I don't think a Bachelor's degree means nearly what it used to in terms of educational value.

Originally Posted by gb93433

Some of the best professors in the SBC in the past 20 years have been told that there classes were too hard and they needed to dumb them down so more students would take classes from them. It is called cutting costs at the expense of an education and preparation.

Even if this was the case (and it wasnt in my experience) that does not make one more succeptible to giving in to temptation.

[Amy.G]

Originally Posted by gb93433

That is true but too many people spend more time listening to preachers than reading and studying their Bible.

That is one of the truest statements ever said. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that can replace the written word of God. That is when He speaks directly to me. When I am reading God's word, I feel His presence and it's a wonderful time spent with the Lord.
I love to hear my preacher teach and look forward to it each week, but it's not the same as spending time with the Lord, one on one, just Him and me.
Gives me goosebumps thinking about it.