Discussion concerning the Midwest Conference of the Fifth Episcopal District.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Would it make a difference in your spiritual life if you found out your pastor is gay?
6 comments:
Anonymous
said...
No, for me it would not matter if I discovered my pastor was gay. We all fall short of the glory of God because we are sinful by nature. I cannot go before the Lord and answer for my pastor and my pastor cannot answer for me. As we say the Decalogue from Sunday to Sunady, I don't believe that we are really getting the meaning of, "Love thy neighbor as you love thy self". He have to hold that scripture in our hearts and love the sinner but hate the sin.
I agree with Anonymous. We have to realize that we cannot absorb one another's sin. Being "gay" does not equal pediphile. Pedephilia is neither a "gay" nor "heteorsexual" problem. Whom a peson lays down with at night has nothing to do with my salvation. If that were the case, then I would be worried about all the "straight" preachers sleeping around. Being gay does not make a person bad and before anyone counter attacks this blog, yes, I know what the Word says about homosexualality being an abomination. However, in that same Bible, it teaches us to, "Love thy neighbor as you love thysel". NOT, "Love thy neighbor as you love thyself, except if they're gay!"
While it would not make adifference in MY spiritual life the Church, the Body of Christ does had a standard. The standard is to identify sin where ever we find it. To combate sin by preaching, teaching and mirroring the truth of scripture. If any behavior is deemed sinful we must preach, teach and live in opposition to that behavior. We must also minister in compassion to those whose behavior is inconsistant with the truth of scripture... what ever that behavior might be! We are called as transformers not conformers.
Rev. Richard Allen Williams Chaplain/Dir. Religious Life Wilberforce University
Living in sin, whatever the sin might be, is a disqualification of spiritual leadership. If any part of the body is infected, infection can spread throughout the other members of that body. Furthermore if a spritual leader finds that he/she is not able to conquer sin in their own life what type of witness can that person be to the power of the cross? As previously mentioned the love for that person should still be there but as far as leadership in the church...NO!
The Bible gives specific requirements for the position of Pastor/Bishop/Overseer and one that we tend to not care about these days is that they are to be above reproach (1 Tim 3). It is a disgrace to the work of the cross of Christ to allow otherwise (gay, adultery, life out of control, etc.)and pass it off as being a "personal issue". My God, where is the true church of Jesus Christ? Have we become so lukewarm that a homosexual pastor does not matter to us? This church is in trouble!
The Bible gives specific requirements for the position of Pastor/Bishop/Overseer and one that we tend to not care about these days is that they are to be above reproach (1 Tim 3). It is a disgrace to the work of the cross of Christ to allow otherwise (gay, adultery, life out of control, etc.)and pass it off as being a "personal issue". My God, where is the true church of Jesus Christ? Have we become so lukewarm that a homosexual pastor does not matter to us? This church is in trouble!
6 comments:
No, for me it would not matter if I discovered my pastor was gay. We all fall short of the glory of God because we are sinful by nature. I cannot go before the Lord and answer for my pastor and my pastor cannot answer for me. As we say the Decalogue from Sunday to Sunady, I don't believe that we are really getting the meaning of, "Love thy neighbor as you love thy self". He have to hold that scripture in our hearts and love the sinner but hate the sin.
I agree with Anonymous. We have to realize that we cannot absorb one another's sin. Being "gay" does not equal pediphile. Pedephilia is neither a "gay" nor "heteorsexual" problem. Whom a peson lays down with at night has nothing to do with my salvation. If that were the case, then I would be worried about all the "straight" preachers sleeping around. Being gay does not make a person bad and before anyone counter attacks this blog, yes, I know what the Word says about homosexualality being an abomination. However, in that same Bible, it teaches us to, "Love thy neighbor as you love thysel". NOT, "Love thy neighbor as you love thyself, except if they're gay!"
While it would not make adifference in MY spiritual life the Church, the Body of Christ does had a standard. The standard is to identify sin where ever we find it. To combate sin by preaching, teaching and mirroring the truth of scripture. If any behavior is deemed sinful we must preach, teach and live in opposition to that behavior. We must also minister in compassion to those whose behavior is inconsistant with the truth of scripture... what ever that behavior might be! We are called as transformers not conformers.
Rev. Richard Allen Williams
Chaplain/Dir. Religious Life
Wilberforce University
Living in sin, whatever the sin might be, is a disqualification of spiritual leadership. If any part of the body is infected, infection can spread throughout the other members of that body. Furthermore if a spritual leader finds that he/she is not able to conquer sin in their own life what type of witness can that person be to the power of the cross? As previously mentioned the love for that person should still be there but as far as leadership in the church...NO!
The Bible gives specific requirements for the position of Pastor/Bishop/Overseer and one that we tend to not care about these days is that they are to be above reproach (1 Tim 3).
It is a disgrace to the work of the cross of Christ to allow otherwise (gay, adultery, life out of control, etc.)and pass it off as being a "personal issue". My God, where is the true church of Jesus Christ?
Have we become so lukewarm that a homosexual pastor does not matter to us? This church is in trouble!
Rochelle Settle
Willis Chapel KCMO
The Bible gives specific requirements for the position of Pastor/Bishop/Overseer and one that we tend to not care about these days is that they are to be above reproach (1 Tim 3).
It is a disgrace to the work of the cross of Christ to allow otherwise (gay, adultery, life out of control, etc.)and pass it off as being a "personal issue". My God, where is the true church of Jesus Christ?
Have we become so lukewarm that a homosexual pastor does not matter to us? This church is in trouble!
Rochelle Settle
Willis Chapel KCMO
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