Howerton uses ladders in sermon, faces criticism
The sermon was based on 2 Timothy 3 and aimed at new believers: who governs your life.
Pastor Josh Howerton used two ladders in the September 20 sermon at Lakepointe Church in Rockwall, Texas, and social media filled with criticism, reported NoticiaCristiana.com.
The message was based on 2 Timothy 3, where Paul describes difficult times and a growing evil. Howerton directed it to new believers and to a concrete decision: which authority will govern their lives.
To show it, he climbed onto the two ladders. At the start the rungs seem close; with each step, the paths separate. That's how he explained the temptation to advance in the faith while, at the same time, keeping the approval of those who reject Christian convictions.
«A clip is not a sermon either, and mockery is not discernment.»
Two paths that start stuck together
Howerton warned that being faithful to Christ can distance you from people and environments, especially when your moral stances clash with what society celebrates. He recalled Joshua's exhortation: "choose this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15, ESV). According to the pastor, a moment comes when one foot on each path is no longer possible.
That's where the uncomfortable part is, and it's not in the furniture. At 16 or at 30, being liked weighs heavy: at school, at work, in the church group, in the comments. The sermon aimed at that tension, and a video fragment can't fully show it.
A video with 143,000 views and an open debate
The reaction came fast. Jon Elder, a Christian businessman, publicly questioned the use of the ladders and called the demonstration an unnecessary stage gimmick, according to NoticiaCristiana.com. One of his posts, dated October 1, passed 143,000 views and sparked the debate.
Howerton did not back down. He maintained that truly failing is succeeding on a path that contradicts God, and that standing firm in the faith can cost social acceptance.
A ladder worries me less than the habit of judging an entire sermon by a fragment. We grew up measuring everything with numbers: views, followers, reactions. That same metric crept into the way we listen to the Word and the way we judge the one who preaches it.
The underlying concern is legitimate: the pulpit is not a stage, and spectacle does not replace the exposition of Scripture. But a clip is not a sermon either, and mockery is not discernment. Neither the preacher nor his critics fit in a social media post.
There is something good in the debate: the local church wins when it is held to faithfulness to the Bible, and loses when the conversation becomes a contest of wit. Listening to someone who doesn't think like you is also loving your neighbor.
Who are you seeking to please?
The approval that matters was already given to you in Christ. It isn't bought with likes and it doesn't fall when someone stops following you. Paul wrote it bluntly: seeking people's applause and serving Christ don't fit in the same sentence (see Galatians 1:10).
Before giving your opinion on the next sermon that pops up on your phone, listen to it completely, or better yet, sit down and hear it in your local church. Pray for the pastors who teach, also for the ones you don't like. And answer Joshua's question honestly: who are you seeking to please this week?
