Detroit Pastor Forgives, Inspires After Near-Fatal Attack

Monday, 02 November 2009 07:22 PM EST Ministry News

Despite being repeatedly stabbed and left for dead by an attacker, a Detroit-area pastor says he's forgiven his still at-large assailant and hopes to one day pray with him.

Kevin Ramsby, executive pastor at Revival Tabernacle Church in Highland Park, Mich., returned to the pulpit for the first time this past Sunday after months of recovering from more than 30 near-fatal stabbings to his neck, back, face, arms and chest. An intruder attacked Ramsby in his home in the early hours of Aug. 4, while the pastor's wife and children were out of town. After regaining consciousness, Ramsby managed to reach his neighbor's house—while keeping his small intestines from spilling out of one of the gashes—and was rushed to the hospital. Following an emergency eight-hour surgery, doctors upgraded the pastor's condition from critical to stable.

"When you've gone through something that we have gone through, you begin to see things in a different light," Ramsby told the Revival Tabernacle congregation Sunday. "There are so many others hurting in our community, not just because of violence, with the economy and layoffs and jobs. The message I am sharing today is a message of God's faithfulness."

While police are still looking for Ramsby's attacker, believed to be 41-year-old Wesley McLemore, senior pastor Tim Dilena says the turn of events can be a beacon of hope for a city rocked by the economic recession.

"That characterizes Highland Park. To watch someone left for dead and watch him rise up and do something ... because that's what happened to our city," Dilena said. [clickondetroit.com, 11/1/09]

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+1 #6 bbrooks 2009-11-10 13:26 Christ forgave all of humanity when he was on the cross and he said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." No one was at the foot of the cross asking for forgiveness, but yet, HE forgave US- those who were present and everyone who would come afterwards. Quote

+1 #5 QueenBee 2009-11-06 13:32 Beachgirl, without repentance, there is no SALVATION, not forgiveness as you suggested. Forgiveness is a different story, and has nothing to do with the perpetrator's feelings of remorse or lack thereof. Aliciacole is right. Again, read your Bible… Quote

+3 #4 alyciacole 2009-11-03 15:18 Beachgirl, I know the Word, as I believe you do…so may I remind you that the onus of the CHRISTIAN is to forgive…please read the Scriptures I posted. If you believe that our responsibility to forgive is dependent on the other person coming to us and "repenting", you are seriously mistaken. Forgiveness is more for the hurt person than it is for the person that hurt us. We gain freedom in forgiveness…if the offending person doesn't repent, that's between them and God. Again, God put the responsibility on US to forgive those who hurt us, as He has forgiven us for our offenses towards Him. Quote

+1 #3 BeachGirl 2009-11-03 10:12 Read your Word again.
God does not call us to do what even He won't.
He stands at the ready to forgive, as should we. But without repentance, there can be no forgiveness.
Sorry if this rocks some boats, but read the Word. You will see. Quote

+3 #2 alyciacole 2009-11-03 09:15 BeachGirl, your position is the one that's unbiblical: you must have forgotten these Scriptures: Matthew 6:14-15, Mark 11:25, Luke 6:37, and counltess others…look them up-also I suggest doing a word study on "forgiveness". Jesus commands that we forgive those who wrong us, whether they ask for it or not—withholdi ng forgiveness does not make a sinner repent, nor does it bring glory to God. I am a member of Revival Tabernacle (the church in the article), and heard the whole message Pastor Kevin gave…here is the website you can go to to hear it in context: http://www.revivaltab.org/live-webcast.php
Yes, Pastor Kevin and our church is praying for justice to be done with this individual, yet we are also praying for open doors to minister to this man as well…and that can't be done by withholding forgiveness. Quote

-3 #1 BeachGirl 2009-11-03 08:15 The attacker did not ask to be forgiven. The victim is wrong to forgive. God does not forgive us until we repent, we are not called to do more than God does. Jesus said we are to forgive 70×7 WHEN the person repents.

It sounds noble and humble to say one forgives an unrepentant person, but it is unbiblical. Quote

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