Posted on 07/30/2005 12:27:38 PM PDT by BRUMama
A United Methodist pastor in Virginia has been placed on "involuntary leave of absence" for refusing to allow a homosexual to become a member of his congregation.
The Rev. Edward Johnson was placed on a yearlong involuntary leave of absence, effective July 1, by action of the clergy of the denomination's Virginia Annual (regional) Conference on June 13. He will receive medical benefits but no salary.
The clergyman, pastor of South Hill (Va.) United Methodist Church for six years, could be reinstated as a United Methodist pastor in good standing if he fulfills recommendations from the conference's board of ordained ministry.
The Rev. William Anthony "Tony" Layman, who was district superintendent when Johnson was placed on leave, said the pastor's unwillingness to allow a homosexual to become a member of the church led to the filing of a complaint against Johnson.
...What was being denied to this individual was membership in the church, not participation in its programs and ministries, said the Rev. Tom Lambrecht, senior pastor of Faith Community United Methodist Church in Greenville, Wis., and chairman of the Good News board of directors.
(Excerpt) Read more at umc.org ...
This pastor did not disallow the person to participate in church activities, but because he was unrepentant and living in his 'lifestyle' he was not allowed to become a full member.
Another article about this is here: http://www.vancnews.com/articles/2005/06/21/south_hill/news/news01.txt
Homosexuality is highly prized by the organized clergy in the UMC.
I'm looking forward again to the Earth Day celebration tips by the UMC for next spring.
Good news?
I would let him attend, but membership is based on adherence to beliefs. Jesus said, "Go and sin no more."
He also said, "He who is guiltless should throw the first stone." We are all sinners. I believe it is consistant with Christianity to hold beliefs about what is right and wrong, but still love the sinner. That's why I'd welcome the sinner, but hold off membership until he had made a committment to try and life a sinless life.
Isn't that our total condition? Members sin, but they strive to live a good life. They make a committment. I think it's reasoned to ask this of the homosexual if he wishes to be a member. If he doesn't wish to make a committment, he is probably trying to join the right group for the wrong reasons.
Actually homosexuals are welcomed into Catholic Churches. They are required to become abstinant and chaste (no longer sexually active) in order to receive communion.
"Our Social Creed says that we as a church would not ordain homosexuals, but they have the right to be received in membership," Layman said. "The church supports homosexuals as part of the congregation and as persons of definite worth."
What is a social creed, and what does it have to do with church doctrine?
Actually, if this is the creed of the church, the guy is in the wrong church. He needs to come out from among them.
Highly prized, and practiced?
When it comes to homosexuality, the UMC is like a man trying to ride two bicycles at once. So the pastor's wrong for following the example of St. Paul and not allowing an unrepenting sinner to stand in the congregation? How is he supposed to allow this and still be able to teach with any moral authority? The UMC draws the line at approving openly sodomite clergy and sodomite "marriage," but wants to make up for it with the PC crowd by pretending sodomy is not a sin. Well, at least not a real sin that you have to repent, like cheating at cards... Rotsa ruck, UMC!
The pastor has to decide if it is possible to be a Christian and a Methodist at the same time.
And then choose. Although it really sounds like the Methodist hierarchy have already made their choice.
Sooner or later Christians in many denominations will face this challenge; either take back control of the leadership or leave. Committed Christians will not allow themselves to be led by an apostate leadership. The only question is whether or not there are enough of them left in a given denomination to do anything about it.
But for non-Christians to have arrived in positions of power within a denomination means that this is a problem that has festered for a long time. The process by which new leaders are developed and groomed went sour long ago. And there weren't enough Christians left to notice or change it.
I agree with you. I think this is a poor situation.
It's just more proof that we live in end times.
This guy is out front about his sin. He acknowledges and refuses to turn from it.
Now what?
When I was a kid we had a church bowling league where we smoked, drank and some people swore when they missed a railroad or a single head pin.
Nobody said anything.
Some of these people were deacons, ushers, members of the Men's Bible Class...
Homosexuality is a sin like all others.
Should believing homosexuals have their own church? How about a church for smokers, adulterers, people with anger problems and people who refuse to get help for their problems.
We're told that when someone is leading a lifestyle that is in opposition to church teachings you should bring them before the church if nothing else convinces them of their sin.
If they refuse to change, they are to be treated as tax collectors.
My head says this is a tax collector situation. In many churches, cohabitation is grounds for dismissal. Homosexuality and cohabitation are lifestyles.
I go with the pastor on this one.
***Actually homosexuals are welcomed into Catholic Churches.***
Based on your post you seem to be uncritically accepting the line that a homosexual is a "thing" like an apple or a coffee cup - or a third sex.
An adulterer who repents and ceases to practice their sin is no longer rightly called an adulterer. Similarly, a homosexual who repents and ceases to practice their sin is no longer rightly called a homosexual.
Listen to how Paul puts it...
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
Specifically...
"...And such WERE some of you."
The were homosexuals, but they repented.
The pastor should take this as a time to come out from them and be separate, so as to not be unequally yoked with darkness.
The PCUSA(Presbyterian Church USA) is already there.
But not the OP(Orthodox Presbyterian) or Free Presbyterian or PCA(Presbyterian Church in America). We are still the Bible Thumpers, and do not admit active homosexuals into membership.
Why is it that the laity can see the obvious and the clerics can't. . .or won't?
Homosexual Agenda Ping.
1. Homosexuality is not a carved-in-stone identity. There are tens of thousands of former homosexuals, just as there are former adulterers. If a homosexual (or adulterer) wants to be accepted "as they are", there is no reason for them to be accepted as a church member. It means that person is unrepentent and doesn't know or want to know what it means to serve and get closer to God.
2. To compare same sex acts with smoking or swearing is stupid. It's like comparing slapping someone in the face with murder, or stealing a candy from the corner store with grand larceny. No example is perfect. But the fact is that some sinful behavior is much more grievous than others, and if a person refuses to give up said sinful behavior or even admit that it is sinful, that person is not a canditate for a member of any religion in good standing.
3. That said, there is no reason in the world why such an unrepentent person should not attend any house of worship, and no one who has even a slight understanding of serving God would prevent their attendence. Perhaps attending worship services, such an unrepentent sinner's heart may change.
Freepmail me if you want on/off this pinglist, and for more info about the causes of homosexuality and anything else, click the link:
http://www.freerepublic.com/~scripter/
Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links
I think he needs to flee an apostate denomination. There must be Bible-confessing Methodist groups to whom he could go who have departed from the main organization, i.e., The First Existential Church of the World-Pleasing Warm Fuzzy.
What you mean is that if you kept all sinners out of the church, there wouldn't be enough members to pay for the electricty.
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