Posted on 05/09/2016 3:59:08 PM PDT by Former Fetus
Dozens of United Methodist clergy members came out as lesbian, gay or bisexual on Monday, defying their church's ban on "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" serving in ministry and essentially daring their supervisors to discipline them.
In a public letter posted online, 111 pastors, deacons, elders and candidates for ministry said church rules require "that we not bring our full selves to ministry, that we hide from view our sexual orientations and gender identities."
"While some of us have been lucky to serve in places where we could serve honestly and openly, there are others in places far more hostile, who continue to serve faithfully even at tremendous cost to themselves, their families, and yes, even the communities they serve, who do not receive the fullness of their pastor's gifts because a core part must remain hidden," the letter continues.
The self-outing came one day before the United Methodist Church, one of the nation's largest Protestant denominations, convenes its quadrennial General Conference in Portland, Oregon.
>>>SNIP<<<
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
It is a very devious plot. In 4 years the African Methodist Churches will be a majority and they don’t go at all for the homo agenda. So this is the perverts” chance to push the pedal to the metal. They want to pass a ruling that every Methodist regional conference can make their own rules. That way the African Methodists can continue being true to the Bible and the UMC in the United States can go straight to hell. It also gives the individual pastors a wiggle room to say, “our Conference does not condone that, it is them.” However, part of the apportionments still go the UMC Politburo.
Won't happen---their goal isn't to have church of their own, it's to force everyone who disagrees with them out of their current church. Take control, smother opposition into silence. That's how these people operate.
The work of the devil at its finest.
Amen. Southern Baptists keep the faith and teach the Bible. No Gay and Lesbian outreach, thank God.
Now we will see what happens!
I left 10 years ago. The local churches (in the South) are still biblical. However, they’re just money-traps that keep the higher-echelon lefties in power.
Defying church ban, dozens of Methodist clergy come out as gay and lesbian
I think the “Church “ is the least of their worries.
Defying and mocking God is likely to insure a very unhappy future.
My earlier post either disappeared or will come and post several times!
Please add General Conference to your prayer list tomorrow through the 20th....everyone!!! Hope that they boldly write a law that is without change each 4 years and as someone else said...dump the ones who are not following The Bible and Book of Discipline....GOODbye!!
Better they come out and show themselves for who they are. Otherwise they are like termites, secretly eating away at the church.
It is not just the Methodist church, it is other churches as well and it seems to go back to the World Council of Churches which certainly seems to have the globalist agenda. I think this has been a slow undermining of the Christian churches that has been going on for generations.
35,000 congregations in the denomination, and 111 are supposed to represent Christian truth?
Nope. The Bible rules.
The UMC needs to reform.
I left my relatively conservative Lutheran church long ago - before the usurpation and perversion of the Rainbow Promise began.
The root of the problem in the so-called mainstream churches is the lack of sanctification - and that usually starts with sexuality, since it is universal, powerful, and instinctual, and because its abuse is uniquely corrosive spiritually. Those who portray it as just another sin do not understand why it is especially problematic.
Lutherans are almost paranoically afraid of “works righteousness” - so they are passive about enforcing church discipline on things like fornication, drug use, et cetera. They tend to turn a blind eye; as long as one’s personal belief structure passes muster, then all is supposed to be well.
This lack of sanctification in the denominations has allowed the homoerotic contingent to infiltrate freely and covertly, starting especially in the 1980’s: Discernment and vigilance are not fostered anymore.
I was in lay ministry in that “conservative” Lutheran church, and was continually thwarted by those in authority from exhorting the youth to a more sanctified life. The carnality was modeled by the adult population, despite their ostensibly “pure and true” doctrine:
I left that church after one man in an important position of authority in the congregation - a posting I found disturbing - was shot dead in broad daylight in a restaurant during lunch hour, and was later found to have been in an adulterous relationship with the organist of another congregation (hence the enraged and deranged husband who murdered the adulterer). I had long seen that this man did not exhibit spiritual qualities - unlike the lowly waiters of Acts 7 were expected to display - but no one else cared because he was functionally competent in his post.
Later, the head pastor was heard to say, “We may have dropped the ball on that one.” Does not such a casual shrug of a comment show how little even “conservative” Lutherans take the issue of sanctification?
A sad day in my estimation.
I’ve had my fill of it. This is my final turn around the track.
One of my former pastors is on that list. He lied straight into my ear about it.
Kinda seems like an oxy moron. Bible is clear about homosexuality , yet homosexuals become ordained to track to teach you about Christianity. Makes no sense to me.
I think it is called infiltration.
How many pastors do they have?
Why don’t faggots form their own “church”? They can worship Satan.
Will do. I grew up in the UMC and have family who are members. I know there are still faithful Christian clergy and laity and congregations in the church who do not deserve to have this calamity forced on them.
I have read comments on other articles about gays and the Bible topics. In the comments, there always is this: “Ok, show me where Jesus specifically says homosexuality is wrong or sinful, show me his exact words”. Folks post about the different apostles talking about sexual morality, sinfulness, etc in defence vs. Jesus actually saying it. They bring up old testament citings, etc. It’s always refuted by the gays who keep coming back and saying, but where did Jesus say it.
One poster cited Jesus saying I have not come to replace the law, therefore, the old laws from Old testament still apply. Then they say, well then why are you not stoning people to death like it says in the Bible.
I suspect if Jesus said “Homosexuality is wrong” in the Bible specifically those words, the gays would still twist it and to their liking.
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