[mbarker12474]

Issues other than homosexuality itself are:

- membership vs participation - discretion power over membership - who decides membership - power of Bishop, District Superintendent, Clergy - power of laity - secrecy of Va Conference of the UMC - test of profession of faith

Mike B.

[One Proud Dad]

"The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. Now everybody sins, but we like to think that everybody who is a member of the United Methodist Church is attempting to repent of their sins."

I agree, he must immediately repent and live a "straight" lifestyle" and if not faced the membership and removed from the membership. Once the door is open the flood begins.

[bmwcyle]

ping

[boomop1]

Why would he go back, he would be a hypocrite. The Methodist Church is becoming secular and irrelevant

[Neoliberalnot]

Is there a way that we can help this Pastor regain his position?

[The_Repugnant_Conservative]

What else shall we ban people for.
Working on the Sabbath?
Adultery?
Owning a Graven Image?
Eating Unclean Meat?
Not having Battlements on your roof?

[BibChr]

Ping

[hosepipe]

Apostasy marches on... its so biblical.. i.e. supposed to happen..

[little jeremiah]

Homosexual Agenda Ping.

Another article about the Methodist minister placed on involutary leave ("fired") for not allowing a homosexual to become a church member. Keep in mind the man (I assume it was a man) was perfectly welcome to attend church functions; just not become an official member.

Might as well just give up on denominations like these and have home churches like in China.

Freepmail me if you want on/off this pinglist.

Note: A house of worship which institutionalizes sin as being something to assist, glorify, celebrate and practically speaking, mandate, is akin to decorating a dead body with lipstick, earrings, and nail polish. It's still dead.

[desherwood7]

I say God bless the Reverend Johnson for taking such a courageous stand.

[Apple Blossom]

It seems to me that both the Superintendent & the Bishop are bound by the same vows all pastors take when they are ordained, as well as the same book of discipline. It seems that this pastor chose to honor and uphold his vow in spite of being told different by his "superiors". If it was the associate pastor who "turned him in", how is his behavior not an act of insubordination as they are claiming Rev. Johnson's is for not extending membership to the homosexual man?

Satan's mission is to divide & conquer. This church was not providing a very united front. Looks like Satan is winning with that congregation. A situation that won't improve while they don't have a senior pastor.

Scripture does say to "turn away from sin". We are all sinners who should have a repentant heart. If we don't turn away, we are slaves to sin. While we can invite a sinner to church to hear the Word, they must also be trying through prayer, etc. to turn away from it. If they don't we need to explain why we (Christians) must dissociate ourselves from them.

[Free Baptist]

This is a college/seminary trained Methodist pastor, right? He has been ordained, we only assume, by a board or presbytery of Methodist ministers. He has done nothing to be "de-frocked" relative to his ordination. I would recommend that Pastor Johnson take that background and organize an independent Methodist church (that is, an independent local congregation) in which that congregation itself may set the standards for church discipline according to the dictates of its own Bible-guided and Spirit-led conscience.

[Free Baptist]

Oh, I forget to add, if Pastor Johnson wants to remain within a Methodist denominational structure, aren't there at least two more? Isn't there the Free Methodist option? Isn't there the Wesleyan Methodist option? It seems that Pastor Johnson is taking a more "conservative" course, and I believe that the Free and Wesleyan are both much more conservative, while retaining basic Methodist tenets. And I am assuming that the Free and Wesleyan allow a greater degree of autonomy to the local congregations.