The Bible tells us that in the last days there would be those who would love and follow teaching that is not sound Biblically. Central Ave UM Church in Toledo, Ohio has "come out" seeking to up the ante and increase the dialogue. In preaching and teaching such error they threaten the United Methodist Connection that is found in West Ohio United Methodism. They are attacking the Church and giving Christ and Christians a "black eye". The pastor said in the interview when asked about the Leviticus passage forbiding homosexuality that the passage was taken out of context... it is the pastor who is out of context...he should not be a pastor or allowed to return to this or any other UM pulpit. But that is in a world where Church Discipline is practiced. Unfortunately, not much Church Discipline is practiced in the UM Church. Bishops practice "correct politi-speak" instead of spiritual leadership on these matters. The uncertain trumpet of the Bishops undermines and shipwrecks the faith of young Christians and is chasing more mature believers away as well. Even in the first day after this tragic announcement and campaign I have younger believers wrestling with what their future place is in the UM Church. There are many pastors and lay people who are committed to stay in the UM Church and stay at the table as missionaries in these times where the Church is under attack and is being co-opted by the Reconciling Movement. But missionaries must speak the truth and speak to power or else they may find themselves joining in the sin and tolerating evil and that is something that Jesus frowns on...(see Jesus' letters to the churches in John's Revelation). The United Methodist Church has made tolerance an idol to be worshipped. Let the Church be the Church of truth. Proclaim God's Word boldly that God does not tolerate nor accept sin. Let me make this perfectly clear...God loves the homosexual but he does not tolerate nor accept homosexuality. There are many places in the Bible that tell us exactly what God thinks on the matter. God calls all to sexual purity...heterosexuals and homosexuals alike. The sexually immoral will not enter heaven. Those are not my words, they are the words of scripture. God meets us exactly where we are without any strings attached but He does not accept us as we are, He longs to change us one and all...heterosexual and homosexual alike. He never leaves the sinner in the condition that He finds us. He does not accept nor tolerate homosexuality. He does not tolerate nor accept homosexuals who determine to remain in their sin and say that "God made me this way...no need to change." Let me make this perfectly clear, He does not allow the heterosexual to remain in their sin and stay the same either, unrepentant and unreconciled. He won't and does not tolerate it. God is an equal opportunity God who can change and transform. God calls us all to holiness, without which no one will see God. It is not our holiness but the holiness of Christ. But He calls us to put off the "old man" and the "flesh" to put on Christ as "new creation".
This campaign by Central Ave. Unied Methodist Church and their "pastor" is an abomination to God. They are calling evil...good, and wrong...right...they are calling right...wrong. They are calling sin, homosexuality..."not sin"...but a good and valid grace gift...it is not, cannot and will never be honored or accepted by God and should not be by the Church.
Are homosexuals welcome in the Church...yes...as are all sinners in need of redemption. Come, hear and be transformed. Let the Church speak the truth in love and hold this Church accountable before God. If Church Discipline does not occur in this situation it makes the larger Chruch a willing accomplice. I will not be that. And I hope you will not be either. Blessings.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Letter of response to Retired United Methodist Bishops from West Ohio UM Annual Conference
A Response to the Statement by the Retired Bishops April 4, 2011
Recently, a group of 33 retired Bishops of the United Methodist Church produced a letter calling for the General Conference to change the Book of Discipline (subsequently, they were joined by three additional Bishops). The Bishops write an impassioned plea for the Church to recognize the gifts and graces of homosexual persons and “open the doors” for ordination. Following their letter and call for change a variety of responses have come from active Bishops, Good News, the Confessing Movement and others.
As a group of clergy and lay people from the West Ohio Annual Conference, we believe that the General Conference has gotten it right over the last 40 years in stating that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian living. It would be a severe breach of the connection that holds the United Methodist Church together for this position to be changed by General Conference. We the people of the United Methodist Church, look to our Bishops to “blow a certain trumpet “ with a consistent Biblical message and appropriate leadership when the Church has spoken on this issue over such an extended period of time. The Church has rejected the ordination of homosexuals not only in recent church history but for nearly 2000 years. We fear that changing this historic position will break the final strands of grace that hold the United Methodist Church together. The Church is in a fragile place and the “table of fellowship can be broken”. That is why it is so disappointing for us to experience the call of the retired bishops for such change. We expect more of our bishops, whether active or retired. We expect more of our own bishop. His silence on this matter is deeply disappointing. The retired bishops are wrong on both their call and their belief that this will make the Church a more just and holy place. The Bishops are wrong in their belief that a person can be a practicing homosexual (clergy or lay) and rightly be in a position of spiritual leadership with spiritual integrity. Practicing homosexuals are not able to live lives that please God without repentance and transformation. Sin blocks the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit that open the door to effective ministry. Homosexuality is sin. It is not the only sin, but it is sin. The Scripture is clearer on this than the bishops would like to admit and the Church is divided on this. The retired bishops are wrong in thinking that such a change at General Conference will bring either unity or a healthy atmosphere in the global United Methodist Church. The bishops talk about “the God we know” leading them into a new place for the Church. This is not the “God we know”. In making this call the retired bishops break their own rule of “first, do no harm”; they have harmed the Church at large with this call.
We call on the Council of Bishops to speak up decisively on this matter and to stop sending mixed messages. The silence of the Council of Bishops as a body on this matter while speaking up on so many other issues is inexcusable. We call on active Bishops to either wholeheartedly enforce the Book of Discipline or to retire. Lead or get out of the way. We call on the General Conference to do whatever it takes to address the “civil disobedience” being practiced (that of encouraging homosexual ordination) by churches, bishops, clergy and laity and to bring this conversation to a close. We call on General Conference to adjust the Book of Discipline to force the hand of Annual Conferences and Bishops to investigate and hold those Church trials that should be held. We call on our General Conference delegates to call for a moratorium in dealing with this issue for the next quadrenium so as to be able to focus the energies of the Church on those issues of eternal significance that will re-establish the United Methodist Church as a Holy Spirit led movement that can be used by God to transform not only this nation but the World for the Kingdom of God. Homosexuality and issues of ordaining homosexuals should not be the pre-emminent issue of this or any General Conference.
Join me in commenting and affirming this letter so that a copy of those who join together can have this letter sent to the Council of Bishops to seek to influence change. Rise up people of God.
Recently, a group of 33 retired Bishops of the United Methodist Church produced a letter calling for the General Conference to change the Book of Discipline (subsequently, they were joined by three additional Bishops). The Bishops write an impassioned plea for the Church to recognize the gifts and graces of homosexual persons and “open the doors” for ordination. Following their letter and call for change a variety of responses have come from active Bishops, Good News, the Confessing Movement and others.
As a group of clergy and lay people from the West Ohio Annual Conference, we believe that the General Conference has gotten it right over the last 40 years in stating that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian living. It would be a severe breach of the connection that holds the United Methodist Church together for this position to be changed by General Conference. We the people of the United Methodist Church, look to our Bishops to “blow a certain trumpet “ with a consistent Biblical message and appropriate leadership when the Church has spoken on this issue over such an extended period of time. The Church has rejected the ordination of homosexuals not only in recent church history but for nearly 2000 years. We fear that changing this historic position will break the final strands of grace that hold the United Methodist Church together. The Church is in a fragile place and the “table of fellowship can be broken”. That is why it is so disappointing for us to experience the call of the retired bishops for such change. We expect more of our bishops, whether active or retired. We expect more of our own bishop. His silence on this matter is deeply disappointing. The retired bishops are wrong on both their call and their belief that this will make the Church a more just and holy place. The Bishops are wrong in their belief that a person can be a practicing homosexual (clergy or lay) and rightly be in a position of spiritual leadership with spiritual integrity. Practicing homosexuals are not able to live lives that please God without repentance and transformation. Sin blocks the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit that open the door to effective ministry. Homosexuality is sin. It is not the only sin, but it is sin. The Scripture is clearer on this than the bishops would like to admit and the Church is divided on this. The retired bishops are wrong in thinking that such a change at General Conference will bring either unity or a healthy atmosphere in the global United Methodist Church. The bishops talk about “the God we know” leading them into a new place for the Church. This is not the “God we know”. In making this call the retired bishops break their own rule of “first, do no harm”; they have harmed the Church at large with this call.
We call on the Council of Bishops to speak up decisively on this matter and to stop sending mixed messages. The silence of the Council of Bishops as a body on this matter while speaking up on so many other issues is inexcusable. We call on active Bishops to either wholeheartedly enforce the Book of Discipline or to retire. Lead or get out of the way. We call on the General Conference to do whatever it takes to address the “civil disobedience” being practiced (that of encouraging homosexual ordination) by churches, bishops, clergy and laity and to bring this conversation to a close. We call on General Conference to adjust the Book of Discipline to force the hand of Annual Conferences and Bishops to investigate and hold those Church trials that should be held. We call on our General Conference delegates to call for a moratorium in dealing with this issue for the next quadrenium so as to be able to focus the energies of the Church on those issues of eternal significance that will re-establish the United Methodist Church as a Holy Spirit led movement that can be used by God to transform not only this nation but the World for the Kingdom of God. Homosexuality and issues of ordaining homosexuals should not be the pre-emminent issue of this or any General Conference.
Join me in commenting and affirming this letter so that a copy of those who join together can have this letter sent to the Council of Bishops to seek to influence change. Rise up people of God.
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