From his pulpit, Lake Wales mayor/pastor denounces LW corruption critics and citizens as "wicked," abnormal, "consistent agitators"

Don't expect Rev. Mayor Jack Hilligoss of Lake Wales to *ever* wash your feet.

The video clips above and the audio that follows capture the same pre-sermon political speech that Lake Wales Mayor and Pastor of HighPoint Church Jack Hilligoss gave during last Sunday’s service.

In these clips, Hilligoss is apparently condemning Lake Wales taxpayers for raising questions about a privately-run, publicly-funded business “incubator” backed by more than $1 million in Lake Wales taxpayer money. That incubator is now under investigation by the Polk Tax Collector’s Office, according this article from the Lake Wales News.

[Update. This is a statement from Tax Collector Joe Tedder: “It’s not an investigation. Someone told us they didn’t think some of the businesses in the incubator had a business tax receipt, which is a license. It cost about $35. We would go and talk to the businesses and make sure they get a business tax receipt. We have done that and they’re all in compliance now. This is something we do all day long every day. To say it was an investigation is an overdramatization of the situation.”

Tedder acknowledged some businesses were out of compliance; but it seems to be semantical stretch, to say the least, to call this an “investigation.” It’s dishonest.]

It’s worth noting that Hilligoss was on the so-called County Citizens Defending Freedom (CCDF) board of directors when he was elected mayor in April 2022, just as the CCDF was preparing to inflict the criminal scammer Dunn on Polk County.

And I’d encourage the public — not just in Lake Wales — to listen to Hilligoss here. It’s a useful window into a gross and thoroughly power-corrupted form of “Christianity” that people like Jennifer Canady want to impose on us all. It’s all gross; but here’s the key excerpt, where he makes the enemy clear to his flock:

They did that with the help of a group of people who are consistent agitators. And unfortunately some of the leaders of our city. And they do this often. They do it every election cycle. The Democratic Cub of Lake Wales. Prominent citizens, who made it very clear — they’ve made it clear — that don’t believe Christians have a place in politics or at the very least, you’re supposed to park your convictions at the door.

Hilligoss made no effort to explain why this incubator is a thing Christians should cheer and fight for with their convictions. It’s just much easier to hate and incite against Democrats than account for $1.2M in public money, isn’t it Rev?

Lake Wales is a mess I won’t try to fix

I would really, really, really, really like to stay clear of the space-bending gravitational pull of Lake Wales’ endless grievances against itself. Lake Wales is the most miserably divided community of its size I have ever seen. This is despite the efforts many good faith citizens I have come to know, love, and respect out there.

You know who you are.

I spent days of my life that I will never get back fruitlessly trying to solve fairly the charter vs. district school divide. I failed because nobody with any power out there wanted to solve it as much as I wanted to — or at all. They enjoyed the grievances too much.

Lake Wales was also more or less the birthplace of the CCDF, which decent, rational people have vanquished everywhere else in Polk County. HighPoint Church seems to be its last stand. Indeed, in Lake Wales, the CCDFers decided to torment and harass one of the most productive educators their community has ever seen, just for fun.

And I can’t even file a narrowly-focused 2023 ethics complaint against a School Board member without Lake Wales somehow hijacking it in 2024 to create a far wider conflict.

That’s just the stuff I have some surface understanding of. The boiling hatreds underneath that … I can’t even begin to parse. So I will not be a regular on the Lake Wales beat if I can help it at all.

But multiple people sent me versions of this clip in dismay; and I felt some obligation to help. But I plan to run away as fast a I can after this. Please forgive me. I think I’ve done my time. LOL.

Can you imagine Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz doing this from the Grace City pulpit?

But, you know what I think Lake Wales might benefit from? — some good old fashioned, Jesus-loving, foot-washing Christian compassion for one another.

Lake Wales could really really use a Bill Mutz as their mayor. Whatever my political and social differences with Bill may be — and they are real — I never doubt his heart. I never think he considers me “wicked” if I critique him. He would never denounce me or anyone he represents from the pulpit of Grace City Chuch, which he co-founded. Thanks for that, Bill. Our city is better for it. (So is your religion.)

Unfortunately for Lake Wales, they don’t have Bill Mutz, or Jesus.

Instead, they have Jack Hilligoss, a $1.2M “incubator,” and School Board Member Justin Sharpless, who attends Hilligoss’ church.

As I understand it, Justin tends to applaud his gross shepherd obediently, just like the rest of the congregation seemed to when Hilligoss was done. I sent Justin an email asking his take on his paster/mayor’s position on the “agitators.”

I got no answer. LOL.

Anyway, I’m glad this really isn’t my problem; but I feel for the “agitators” who would prefer their city not light their money on fire and must endure their mayor’s denunciation from the pulpit for that sin.