Texas Pastor Josh Howerton is facing pushback for telling women that on their wedding night, brides should comply with their husbands’ sexual wishes without question. A clip of Howerton’s comments has gone viral with over 1 million views at the time of this writing.
“Stand where he tells you to stand, wear what he tells you to wear, and do what he tells you to do, and you’re gonna make him the happiest man in the world,” Howerton said before he preached a sermon that was posted to YouTube Feb. 26. His comments drew applause and cheers from the congregation of Lakepointe Church, where Howerton serves as senior pastor.
Josh Howerton Offers ‘Gold Nugget of Advice’
During the two minutes before he started his sermon, Pastor Josh Howerton referred to “marriage night,” a recent church event that he said about 5,000 to 6,000 people attended. He mentioned his church’s commitment to building strong families and said he wanted to “drop a little gift” for people who missed marriage night by sharing “a gold nugget of advice I was given by a mentor.”
“When it comes to her wedding day, she has been planning this day her entire life,” Howerton said, addressing the men in the room and explaining his view that women have grown up looking at wedding magazines and pretending to be brides when playing dress up as girls.
“When it comes to that day, just stand where she tells you to stand, wear what she tells you to wear, and do what she tells you to do,” he said. “You’ll make her the happiest woman in the world.” Some people in the congregation clapped in response, and someone said, “Amen.”
“I got an ‘amen’,” said Howerton. “Let’s see if you ‘amen’ this.”
“Now ladies,” he continued, “when it comes to his wedding night, he has been planning this day his whole life.” The congregation laughed.
“So just stand where he tells you to stand, wear what he tells you to wear, and do what he tells you to do, and you’re gonna make him the happiest man in the world,” Howerton said as people cheered and clapped.
“That was free! That was free,” he concluded before changing topics and beginning his sermon.
Sheila Gregoire and Jay Stringer discussed Howerton’s comments, which have since made The Dallas Morning News, on Gregoire’s “Bare Marriage” podcast March 28 in an episode titled, “Why Evangelical Honeymoons Go So Badly.”
Gregoire is the author of several books, including “The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended.” Her podcast features frank conversations on sexuality with a focus on the messages the evangelical church has sent and is still sending on the topic.
