We are not going to the Academy Awards this year because #1: It has too many police and too many blockades and you can barely get within a quarter mile of the celebrities. (For the second reason, see below.)

We will be going to the Hermosa Beach Pier instead. Meet at Hope Chapel at noon to carpool.

A few years ago I preached at the Academy Awards, (well, actually, several blocks east of the awards ceremony), using a little lame humor to get people’s attention. Here’s what it looked like:

The second reason why we don’t go the the Academy Awards anymore is the “Hate Preachers.”

While we try to balance our messages with judgment and grace, Hell and Heaven, these guys are all about condemnation and pride. Here’s an excerpt from a past article from the 2009 Academy Awards.

I don’t know what it is about people carrying Jesus signs. Whenever we meet them—and they are at all the big events like we are—the majority of them seem so angry, so against people. The message they bring is one of anger, one of hate, none of love.

At the ’09 Academy Awards we were confronted by these wrath-filled “Christian” hordes on the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Highland. They positioned themselves with horribly obscene signs that protested people, proclaiming a God who hates everyone—except them. What effect did they have, positioned as they were so that the stars could see them as they drove to the Awards ceremony in their limos?

Sean Penn mentioned these “hater Christians” as he accepted his Oscar at the Academy Awards that evening saying, “For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight…”, then essentially said that Christians should be ashamed of themselves, lumping all Christians together into this hate group. (Read the rest by clicking here.)