Posted on 06/02/2014 6:09:52 AM PDT by Bratch
Southern Baptists will be heading for Baltimore in just a few days, and the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention is to be held in a city that has not hosted the convention since 1940. This time, Baptists attending the meeting will face an issue that would not have been imaginable just a few years ago, much less in 1940 — a congregation that affirms same-sex relationships.
Just days before the convention, news broke that a congregation in suburban Los Angeles has decided to affirm same-sex sexuality and relationships. In an hour-long video posted on the Internet, Pastor Danny Cortez explains his personal change of mind and position on the issue of homosexuality and same-sex relationships. He also addressed the same issues in a letter posted at Patheos.com.
In the letter, Cortez describes a sunny day at the beach in August of 2013 when “I realized I no longer believed in the traditional teachings regarding homosexuality.”
Shortly thereafter, he told his 15-year-old son that he “no longer believed what he used to believe.” His son responded with an even more direct word to his father: “Dad, I’m gay.” As Cortez writes, “My heart skipped a beat and I turned towards him and we gave one another the biggest and longest hug as we cried. And all I could tell him was that I loved him so much and that I accepted him just as he is.”
According to the pastor, events then came rather quickly. On February 7, 2014, his son, Drew, posted a “coming out video” on YouTube. Two days later, the pastor told his church about his new position on the issue (also posted on the Internet). In his message to the New Heart Community Church congregation, Cortez admitted that his “new position” represented a “radical shift” that put him into conflict with both the position of the church and the convictions of the denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention. He acknowledged that his change of heart on the issue of homosexuality put him at odds with the SBC’s confession of faith, the Baptist Faith & Message.
In his letter, the pastor said that his aim was to see the congregation “allow for grace in the midst of disagreement.” To his regret, he said, many in the church were not pleased and the church had to consider whether to terminate the pastor. After voting on March 9 to prolong the time of consideration and prayer, the church voted on May 18 not to dismiss the pastor and “to instead become a Third Way church.”
Cortez cited Vineyard pastor Ken Wilson’s book, released earlier this year,A Letter to My Congregation. Wilson, who serves a Vineyard church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, describes his book as “an evangelical pastor’s path to embracing people who are gay, lesbian, and transgender in the company of Jesus.” Wilson argues that, even as he has come to affirm same-sex behaviors and relationships, the issue need not divide congregations or Christians.
Pastor Cortez cited Wilson’s argument as foundational to the position he and his church are now taking — “agree to disagree and not cast judgment on one another.”
But, there is no third way. A church will either believe and teach that same-sex behaviors and relationships are sinful, or it will affirm them. Eventually, every congregation in America will make a public declaration of its position on this issue. It is just a matter of time (and for most churches, not much time) before every congregation in the nation faces this test.
The impossibility of a “third way” is made clear in Pastor Cortez’s own letter.
In one paragraph, he writes:
“So now, we will accept the LGBT community even though they may be in a relationship. We will choose to remain the body of Christ and not cast judgement. We will work towards graceful dialogue in the midst of theological differences. We wee that this is possible in the same way that our church holds different positions on the issue of divorce and remarriage. In this issue we are able to not cast judgement in our disagreement.”
But in the very next paragraph, he writes:
“Unfortunately, many who voted to remain traditional will now separate from us in a couple of weeks. We are in the period of reconciliation and forgiveness. Please pray for us in this. Then on June 8, we will formally peacefully separate, restate our love for one another, and bless each other as we part ways. It has been a very tiring and difficult process.”
In two successive paragraphs the pastor refutes himself. His church is notgoing to take a middle ground. He states clearly that “we will accept the LGBT community even though they may be in a relationship.” And his church did not unanimously “agree to disagree,” for a significant portion of the church is leaving on June 8, just 48 hours before the Southern Baptist Convention convenes in Baltimore. Many “who voted to remain traditional” are now forced by conviction to leave the church.
Why? Because there is no “third way.” The New Heart Community Church has voted to “accept the LGBT community even though they may be in a relationship.” Even if it is claimed that some continuing members of the church are in disagreement with the new policy and position, they will be members of a church that operates under that new policy. At the very least, their decision to remain in the congregation is a decision to stay within a church that affirms same-sex behaviors and relationships. That is not a middle position. It is not a “third way.”
For some time now, it has been increasingly clear that every congregation in this nation will be forced to declare itself openly on this issue. That moment of decision and public declaration will come to every Christian believer, individually. There will be no place to hide, and no place safe from eventual interrogation. The question will be asked, an invitation will be extended, a matter of policy must be decided, and there will be no refuge.
There is no third way on this issue. Several years ago, I made that argument and was assailed by many on the left as being “reductionistically binary.” But, the issue is binary. A church will recognize same-sex relationships, or it will not. A congregation will teach a biblical position on the sinfulness of same-sex acts, or it will affirm same-sex behaviors as morally acceptable. Ministers will perform same-sex ceremonies, or they will not.
Interestingly, a recent point of agreement on this essential point has come from an unexpected source. Tony Jones, long known as a leader in the “emerging church” has written that there is no “third way” on same-sex marriage. As Jones notes, denominations may study the issue for some time, but eventually it will take a vote. At that point, it will either allow for same-sex marriage, or not.
In his words:
“And the same goes for an individual congregation. At some point, every congregation in America will decide either, YES, same-sex marriages will take place in our sanctuary, performed by our clergy; or NO, same-sex marriages will not take place in our sanctuary, performed by our clergy. There is no third way on that. A church either allows same-sex marriages, or it doesn’t.”
Tony Jones and I stand on opposite sides of this issue, but on the impossibility of a “third way” we are in absolute agreement. Conservative evangelicals have understood this for some time. It is interesting that those on the left now understand the issue in the same “binary” terms. There is no middle position.
Once again, Tony Jones gets right to the essential point:
“What I’m saying is that a church or an organization can study the issue in theory, and they can even do so for years. But this isn’t really a ‘third way’ or a ‘middle ground.’ Instead, it is a process. And at some point, that process has to end and practices have to be implemented. At that point, there’s no third way. You either affirm marriage equality in your practices, or you do not.”
Actually, as we have seen, Pastor Cortez makes the same point. The practice of his congregation is now to accept openly-gay members and members in openly-gay relationships. That does not allow for any middle ground, and that is why his church faces an exodus of members next Sunday.
Now, the Southern Baptist Convention also faces a moment of unavoidable decision. A church related to the Convention has officially adopted a gay-affirming position. The Baptist Faith & Message, the denomination’s confession of faith, states that homosexuality is immoral and that marriage is “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.”
Furthermore, the Convention’s constitution states explicitly that any congregation that endorses homosexual behavior is “not in cooperation with the Convention,” and thus excluded from its membership.
There is nothing but heartbreak in this situation. Here we face a church that has rejected the clear teachings of Scripture, the affirmations of its confession of faith, and two millennia of Christian moral wisdom and teaching. But the Convention also faces a test of its own resolve and convictional courage.
I am confident that the Southern Baptist Convention will act in accordance with its own convictions, confession of faith, and constitution when messengers to the Convention gather next week in Baltimore. But every single evangelical congregation, denomination, mission agency, school, and institution had better be ready to face the same challenge, for it will come quickly, and often from an unexpected source. Once it comes, there is no middle ground, and no “third way.”
Sooner or later — and probably sooner — the answer of every church and Christian will be either yes or no.
Ok lets try this conversation with other biblical sins and maybe Cortez can see where he is failing...
“Dad, I’m a murderer.” As Cortez writes, “My heart skipped a beat and I turned towards him and we gave one another the biggest and longest hug as we cried. And all I could tell him was that I loved him so much and that I accepted him just as he is.”
“Dad, I’m a thief.” As Cortez writes, “My heart skipped a beat and I turned towards him and we gave one another the biggest and longest hug as we cried. And all I could tell him was that I loved him so much and that I accepted him just as he is.”
Scriptural reference, please. And version if you don't mind. I'm an NASB guy and just want to compare.
Well said and something I will have in my wallet when I am approached with this and other questions. The Bible is God’s Word breathed for man to live, really live!
The pastor definitely cannot be removed by the SBC. Each church is wholly autonomous. Whether the church can be expelled, though, I am less certain. I used to attend an SBC church and the pastor retired and was replaced by a woman (not permitted in the SBC). We left the church, and shortly thereafter, the church was no longer a part of the SBC. I’m not sure whether it was kicked out or withdrew, though.
Christians either believe in the sinfulness of human nature and support a “repent and believe in the Gospel” message, or they do not. To accept sinful behavior as a ‘normal thing’ and not as a sin, is not a Christian concept, and it does not lead to salvation.
Jesus called everyone to conversion, not to accommodation of sin. I have no doubt that if Jesus were on earth today, he would embrace the homosexuals, but he would never condone their homosexual acts.
An example was Mary Magdalene, who was a sinner, likely a prostitute, but was saved through her acceptance of Jesus’s gospel of life and conversion. For that she paid the price by remaining faithful even at the foot of the cross. She never wavered, and never fell away in her faith and gratitude to God’s Son. That is what we are all called to do as well.
All true.
This is simple surrender to irrationality. It is one thing to welcome someone who is struggling with same sex feelings or someone who has committed adultery etc but to accept and approval of adultery or homosexuality or any number of other sins is not Christian. It is anti-Christian. It is a watered down pseudo Christianity and of course it is not just this issue that churches are abandoning as they seek approval from the world. A pastor that has a gay son and embraces homosexuality should not be running a congregation just as one who has committed adultery should not be in a position of leadership. Southern Baptists will stand strong on this issue but churches need to talk about this issue and ferret those in leadership that don’t hold Christian perspectives on this issue and others.
Good points! You can insert every sin. This applies to everyone. We are all sinners saved by Grace. Sin needs to be called for what it is. . .the transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18).
He knew but was in denial. What parents like these have are guilty consciences. I’m sure if this Pastor would be honest that there is a moment or several where he failed his son by putting him in positions where he was corrupted either in body through molestation or in mind through association with those from the alphabet of deviancy.
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You and me both, I don’t get why these so called leaders can’t even read a bible.
The bible is very clear on this topic. I just see another attack on Christianity.
There is any reason whatsoever that the Dad can’t still love his son. He doesn’t have to condone the relationship at all either.
1 Timothy 1:9-11
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
...realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted
Well, we will see what happens with churches as we embrace homosexual marriage in our civil laws. It seems simple to me that, any church which allows homosexual marriage is endorsing homosexuality. It will be an endorsement and affirmation of that behavior.
Not to over simplify the issues of dealing with friends and relatives who may be “gay”. But the issues become issues of the official position of churches on the issue of homosexuality itself.
When it comes to doctrine, choices have to be made. Do we endorse this behavior just because it’s being forced into our civil laws. And is there a great desire for the churches to prove how liberal they are, and be “with it” and all that, by affirming homosexuality.
Somewhat off topic, but I remember years ago, Jimmy Carter left the Southern Baptist Convention. He said that they had become increasingly rigid in their ideology. As I recall, he cited some issues related to women as a key factor in his leaving, and becoming a member of a different Baptist group.
So, I’m just thinking, that a split will happen, and we will have to see how many Baptist churches split off over the issue of homosexuality.
Its not “remove” them... because the association is just a group of churches who collaborate. What happens is the others vote to “disassociate” themselves with the problem church. Years ago Oklahoma Southern Baptists were very close to voting to disassociate with a local church that had decided to accept sprinkling rather than immersion as an accepted baptism.
If the son were in involved in any other sinful situation, the Dad would still love his son, hug his son, be supportive, but would not condone the sin.
For example, if he had a married son who confessed to adultery, the father would love his son, comfort his son, but also insist that he stop seeing the other woman, and return to his wife to work out issues in his marriage.
Name any other sin, and I think we all know that the dad would encourage his son to stop the sinful behavior.
I have believed for a long time that Revelation 17 is describing the Church which has turned into the whore.
Some people really get upset about this as if it comes from some one who hate the Church but that is far from the truth.
This thread is not something new, we are reading this kind of stuff every day, can you imagine the uproar there would be if some one read even just 40 years that the church was accepting homosexuality as an acceptable life style?
In the past the Church was not satisfied with just preaching the gospel, they had to get every one and their dogs to become members, now look what it is leading to.
The early teachings taught that people who would become members of the Church was to give their all to The Church.
But remember Ananias, and his wife, Sapphira ? they were not believers they just wanted to be in on something, most likely anything, and consider what happened to them.
It is far worse today and has been for many years, the Church leaders, not knowing the scriptures wants to make every one members, as a result many people like Ananias became members and are now leaders.
Almost always, I agree with Dr. Mohler. In this there is a choice between God’s way or the wrong way. Homosexuality is clearly considered sinful in the bible. There are no “exceptions” granted in scripture as there are with divorce. God left homosexuality black and white, a stark choice, sin or obedience.
In my opinion there is no such thing as a personal Christianity that does not acknowledge one’s acts of sin as anything other than sinful. There is no learning to live at ease with adultery, with murder, with theft, with homosexuality, etc. It is sinful and there is zero way to accommodate it to a holy Christian life. It cannot be incorporated, it is always sinful, and refusing to confess sin because one calls sinfulness holiness is being “lost in one’s sin” in the classic sense of that word.
Such a person was never a Christian. They are wolves.
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