A couple of years ago, I was cleaning out the library at my church and encountered a fascinating book: Hitchhiking on Hope Street by Mike Warnke. I was unfamiliar with the book and the author and was curious about the life and work of this Christian comedian from the 70s.
So I Googled him.
Wow. Warnke had, in his youth, become a Satanist and drug addict before Christ delivered him from this spiritual bondage. Empowered with the ability to make people laugh, Warnke then became a comedian/evangelist, travelling across the country, telling his story and leading others to accept Jesus Christ as their personal lord and savior.
There was just one little glitch.
He made the whole thing up.
Warnke lied, or so concluded this journalistic investigation. He had never been a Satanist, or into heavy drugs. But he had concocted an elaborate story as a marketing gimmick that appealed to evangelicals. Warnke became wealthy through his fraud.
His comedy empire collapsed as his reputation blackened overnight. Warnke still does some comedy work, even in churches. He still maintains that he was a Satanist, but did exaggerate some of the details.
I don't know who is telling the truth. I suspect that Warnke fabricated his story, but only God knows for sure. But what is so fascinating about his spiritual adventure is that inspite of his fraud, God used Warnke to lead people to salvation. The ability and willingess of God to work for the good in bad situations is breathtaking.
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. " Genesis 50:20
Now let us pray that God finds some use for all of us broken, unclean vessels, as He has for Mike Warnke. We are all sinners in His sight, saved only by grace.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
"God used Warnke to lead people to salvation. The ability and willingess of God to work for the good in bad situations is breathtaking."
I can't say I'm on the same bandwagon whose 'breath is taken' by someone who made a career out of deceiving and bilking well-meaning Christians. I'm sure back in the day there were a number of people who did good with the items the money changers sold them in the temple. Yet Jesus, displaying a rare fit of anger, kicked them out, calling them vipers.
Mike's testimony has not withstood close examination/verification. The man he is on stage is not the man he is (or at least *was* - offstage). After his show in Cincinnati many years ago (which I attended), I heard from my sis-in-law (then a member at the Springdale Nazarene church) that after the show Mike and his entourage went to a local bar and spent the evening drinking. That was the end of my fan-dom. Springdale's too, apparently as he was not invited back.
For someone with so many alledged college degrees in biblical studies and service, you would think he would have *learned* proper behavior, when to recognize when he was in the will of God and such. His well-documented problems of adultery and questionable business practices, as well as the general manner in which he presented himself, depict a double life under the lights vs away from the crowds.
You use Genesis 50:20 as a rationale. I counter with Romans 3:8 -
Why not say—as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say—"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved.
Mike built a ministry founded on lies, deception, and greed. Once confronted by Cornerstone's information, his evasiveness and stonewalling was nothing more than a roundabout way of saying 'guilty as charged'. He doesn't possess the integrity to confess, typical of a pathological liar. That's not said to excuse his behavior, but even now, I wonder what good pysch treatment would do. Per his high school / college friends, he practiced the art of lying on them, honing his craft until he could make it profitable. Any measure of support offered to this type of individual, especially from anyone representing the church of Christ, compromises and weakens the church.
Christ doesn't approve of even half-truths. Recall Acts 5 - Ananias and Sapphira keeping back part of the funds of the sale of land, but claiming they donated it all. It cost them their lives, it is no surprise that Warnke Ministries was similarly rendered lifeless.
It's okay to call a spade a spade. Mike is still trying peddle those old tapes and books on his web site. He'd be better off coming clean, though any attempt to profit from such a stance would be most distasteful. Even Pete Rose ultimately admit he bet on baseball, and while he is still separated from the game, I'd think his conscience is a bit better. For Mike to keep up the front after all these years bespeaks a man with a very calloused heart to the truth, indifferent to what is right, perhaps hoping time passed equals absolution and restoration, skipping the repentance and accountability along the way.
In 1984, Mike & Rose Warnke hired me to promote and organize a Louisville Ky concert. I worked diligently for months and at the end they refused to pay me for it. I was a single mom of two boys.
But they did invite me back to the huge After Concert party at the fancy hotel they were staying at where from I hear, was anything but christian...I declined to drive back to Northern Ky. because my two young sons were waiting for me.
To think I believed not just Mike who is a pathological liar...but ROSE too who had to know the truth.
Liars and theives, both of them...repentance requires me to forgive and I did a long time ago...but sanity keeps me away from him and people like him!
I also wanted to share that in 1991 or so, I was on a flight and lo and behold, Mike Warnke walked on.
Memories of what he and his then wife, Rose, did to me back in 1984.
As I watched him, determined to stay in forgiveness toward him, I was shocked to see him in such a state of upset. He was crying, his face looked tortured.
I decided to go up to him and introduce myself which I did. I told him I promoted a concert for him in 84-he smiled real big and asked me where. He did not remember me at all or the fact he ripped me off..but he did recall the financial success of the concert and that it was 'a real good one'. hooray.
When I asked him how he was which was obvious, he went into such sobbing and lack of control it scared me. He grabbed my hand very firmly and told me, 'THEY' were after him, 'THEY' had found out, how that 'THEY' were going to destroy him...
Everyone around including the flight attendant were becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
I ended up asking him if I could pray with him to which he tearfully said yes to...
In my heart I felt humbled and sad for this tormented soul who had indeed been "found out".
Pathetic all the way around...
Post a Comment