Posted on 11/17/2007 8:23:40 PM PST by PAR35
FORT WORTH -- A new pictorial directory was supposed to be part of Broadway Baptist Church's 125th birthday celebration.
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But since three gay couples asked to have their pictures included, Broadway Baptist has been involved in an increasingly divisive struggle over whether allowing the portraits to appear would be an endorsement of homosexuality by the congregation.
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The church will vote in December on a proposal to allow gay members to appear in individual photos, but not as couples. The directory is scheduled to be distributed next year.
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So the retired teacher said she was "blindsided" when a gay couple arrived in mid-October and asked to have their picture taken together for the directory...Price said two other gay couples also asked to appear in the directory.
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(Excerpt) Read more at star-telegram.com ...
I wonder how a church can be blindsided. Not good strategic planning obviously. They should have decided this before the press got a hold of the story.
It's not really a "situation", it's an opportunity.
If they are a true church of God, a church that uncompromisingly teaches and preaches the "two-edged sword" otherwise known as the Word of God, then all they have to do, Sunday after Sunday after Sunday, is welcome each and every person who comes to the services, preach the Word, do not accommodate those who come to church thinking that they are going to have their God-cursed, perverted lifestyle choices validated, love everyone with a Christ-like love, and the "situation" will take care of itself.
The homosexuals will either leave, unable to withstand the absolute truth and unshakable, steadfast infallibility of the Scriptures, or they will be brought to salvation by those same Scriptures.
The main thing, the most important thing, is to preach the Word, do not deviate from that, and let the chips fall where they may.
AMEN! Brother.
They WILLING accept gays into their congregation and ministry.
I was a member of just such a “church” but left after 6 months because I think that practicing gays going to church and gays serving in the ministry goes against the Bible and God’s laws.
I agree with you. As many churches as there must be in that area they chose a BAPTIST one to attend???? This stinks like rotting eggs!
What about a hetero couple living together?
The Directory should be for “Members Only”.
Gays should not be allowed to “become” members.
If members become gay, church discipline should follow, and eventually, if no repentance, they should be “put out of fellowship”, and membership revoked.
I’d like to be an astronaut. But since I can’t I’m being discriminated against. It’s so unfair.
The church has been welcoming that community for years. In fact, a nationally known entertainer has ties to the church, so it really wasn’t any secret as to what was going on. Apparently, the unwritten rule about keeping a low profile is what was not observed.
The BGCT is one of the more liberal state conventions in the SBC. I think there are Baptist churches in central Texas that are even more liberal.
If that's the case, then they are reaping what they have sown. Church in the past was never about witnessing to nonbelievers but worshiping God. Paul kicked someone out of the church because he was living with his stepmother and he certainly had hard words to say about those who would profane the Lord's table. We're too accommodating to the tares. Look what has happened to the Anglicans.
Legally the Church can choose not to include them in the Directory. Just like the Boy Scouts, PRIVATE organizations have the ability to determine their membership. Granted, a constitutionally understanding like that is increasingly being challenged, but at least in regards to groups like the Boy Scouts, the Supreme Court has upheld the ability to choose membership. The couple will have zero constitutional grounds to sue.
That’s what my wife was saying. After a more careful reading and reflection, I have to wonder why is there any “debate” at all? Given PAR35 comment, this must have been going on for a while. It sounds like they’re more concerned about perception than anything.
You are probably right about being concerned over perceptions.
On a related note, Cardinal George (Catholic Archbishop of Chicago) foresees the day when the Courts take this right away from the Church, forcing her underground. Seeing the direction of Court decisions, its quite likely unfortunately.
I agree, Christians (by that I mean Orthodox in belief and holding to statements of faith like Nicaea) will be underground. The Catholic Church is the most visible, and thus, the easiest target, but it would easily extend to Orthodox Churches, Traditional Orthodox Protestant groups (PCA, Missouri Synod, Reformed), and Conservative Evangelicals. The Catacombs may come back.
I don’t think that they should be pictured as a couple....however they should be allowed to remain, as individuals, parish members. The church is , after all, here to minister to sinners....no?
As individuals, perhaps, it is up to the Church to determine that though since, it has the right to determine membership.
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