Posted on 03/15/2015 6:03:02 PM PDT by massmike
The Elder Board of San Francisco's largest evangelical church, City Church, has announced that the megachurch will end its practice of preventing LGBT people from becoming members if they are unwilling or unable to practice lifelong celibacy.
"Our pastoral practice of demanding life-long 'celibacy,' by which we meant that for the rest of your life you would not engage your sexual orientation in any way, was causing obvious harm and has not led to human flourishing," Sr. Pastor Fred Harrell writes in a letter "on behalf of the Board and for the Gospel."
The pastor cites social science research, saying it points to "skyrocketing rates of depression, suicide and addiction" among the LGBT people. "The generally unintended consequence has been to leave many people feeling deeply damaged, distorted, unlovable, unacceptable, and perverted," he says.
"We believe the thrust and focus of the gospel is the breaking down of former boundaries of exclusion and the expanding of the welcome of Jesus to all," he goes on to say.
"If Jesus were the pastor of City Church, what would he say to the people who are asking if they can belong?" the pastor asks. "As we consider the life of Christ, his example of love, his call to embrace the outsider and cast down, and his patience with those earnestly seeking him, what is a Christ-like response?"
Ending the requirement for celibacy for gays "aligns with our existing core vision: the doors of this church are as wide as the arms of the Savior it proclaims," he adds.
"We will no longer discriminate based on sexual orientation and demand lifelong celibacy as a precondition for joining. For all members, regardless of sexual orientation, we will continue to expect chastity in singleness until marriage," Harrell concludes.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
Defensive move - remember, this is San Francisco, where the Board of Supervisors is suing the Catholic Church over its teachings about homosexuality.
Now this Church is safe - it can say, "hey, we're not anti-gay, and we're not anti-gay marriage. We just require you to be married to have sex. And now that gays are getting married, that's fine with y'all - right? Because you're all married - right?"
LOL, sweet.
The church of Corinth
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The Holy Bible condemns same-sex sexual relationships as evidenced by Romans 1:25-27.
And speaking how Jesus “welcomed” unrepentant sinners, Matthew 18:15-17 shows that Jesus taught that a congregation is ultimately supposed to give unrepentant sinners the boot. (Matthew 23 also shows Jesus “welcoming” the Pharisees.)
1 Corinthians 5 is an example of a congregation getting repremanded for not complying with Jesus’ teaching where sexual offenders are concerned.
Note that 1 Corithians 5:11 teaches Christians not to even eat with unrepentant sinners.
Given that San Fran’s largest evangelical megachurch has caved in to the pro-gay agenda, that’s a good indication that the Holy Spirit is not working through that church.
Yes, then grace can abound..... ;o)
Not really a megachurch. But it is Ex-PCA- left for the RCA in 2007 so they could have women elders. Per the RCA website, it looks like they’ve found a happy home there.
Great falling away.
there must be some gays on the down low within the leadership of the church. Bet a whole bunch will come out as homosexual now.
Jim Jones and his Peoples Church would be proud
Jesus was a libertine just breaking down boundaries was he?
If repetance is not necessary, that is not a church but a club
They are basically embracing the doctrine of the Church of Satan which states, “Do what thou will.” No wonder there are Christians not willing to go to churches when you have hypocrisy like this.
I have to laugh as his name is Creflo DOLLAR. Does he wear a trademark “$” around his neck? Let me guess his entire ministry revolves around giving and tithing...
City Church thinks Jesus was a libertine or something
Frankly, considering it’s in San Francisco, I’m amazed it took them this long.
Didn’t know the homosexual suicide rates were skyrocketing. Should be the opposite with their equality laws. Therefore their liberation has been false and it is actually keeping them in chains and the realization of this is hopelessness. They will not be happy in church either because the Holy Spirit convicts. This pastor is bringing judgment on his church as a false teacher.
And they honestly believe, most of the time, that their actions show “compassion”.
It is similar to handing a junkie more crap to destroy himself with because “ it is compassionate” to do so.
They will never understand that their “compassion” isn’t.
just went to check on the suicide rate rising and there were articles about the suicide rate rising for other groups, too, and an article debunking the higher homosexual suicide rate...
http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles/LabarberaSuicideMyth.php
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