Has your family been divided over the legalization of same-sex marriage? Many have paid an enormous price for standing on God’s Word as truth.
Some are wondering if they are putting a stumbling block of confusion if they bake a cake for a gay wedding, or photograph a celebration of a wedding or new baby for a gay couple. (Download this free PDF booklet, Protecting Your Ministry from Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Lawsuits: A Legal Guide for Churches, Christian Schools, and Christian Ministries, from Alliance Defending Freedom.)
Others are wondering how to help their children navigate this new reality. And for pastors and ministry leaders, many are wondering how to approach their congregations and what advice to give. On that note, would you go to the Bible for your wisdom? Or, would you hire a PR Firm to help you “Come Out?”
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Photographers, florists, etc. Just tell 'em you're booked or otherwise not available. Going on holiday, closing the shop…etc…
If your church's pastor isn't going to do a one-off, or a mini-series on how to lovingly witness and minister to those of the gay-union camp, or agreeable to it, I suggest you have a one-on-one discussion with him as to why not.
You are blessed with a wise wife Manny 1962. Praise the LORD for His wisdom in such matters for only God, the Holy Spirit, can convict the hearts and minds of men in showing us His truth. Arguments never won anyone to the saving grace of Jesus.
I've spoken to my 12 year old, he understands fully. Yes, pastors should be approached as to their position and action regarding SCOTUS. I have Catholics in my family, they know where I stand, I don't get invited to "religious" family functions as they know I won't attend, not in a mean spirited way, but they respect my position. I was having a conversation with my sister in law about SCOTUS the other day, when she out of the blue says, "well I think they're born that way," well I proceeded to tell her the Human Genome Project never found a "gay" gene, her comeback was just head nodding….. My gracious wife stepped in and wisely said….."this will not end well, so let's change subject." This is what you're getting everywhere, "let's change the subject," well….a pastor who has been charged with feeding and protecting the sheep doesn't have the luxury of "changing the subject," we have have to stand up and be counted. Where do you stand? God or man?
If your church's pastor isn't going to do a one-off, or a mini-series on how to lovingly witness and minister to those of the gay-union camp, or agreeable to it, I suggest you have a one-on-one discussion with him as to why not.
There are many a sheep in the pew that need mature, biblically grounded wisdom from their local church. Additionally, you will find out where your pastor stands clearly on this. If your pastor gives you some hoopla about not wanting to draw attention to himself, then becoming a believer in Christ and becoming a pastor was not a way to go about drawing attention to yourself.
Bill O' Reilly's recent talking points memo acknowledged part of the implications. Right now the far left is going to take a small vacation before it rounds the corner and tries to silence all biblical speech in public. They have already largely silenced parental leadership in the schools and driven the Bible put of that pillar of society, they now hold the healthcare system, and the institution of marriage gas been redefined by judicial fiat. The Rainbow White House is not going to stop. Stalking and other harassment of 'haters' will begin soon.
And tis never needed to happen, but we wanted to believe the Contitution was a Christian document instead of relying solidly on the gospel of repentance and faith toward God. We became confused. For religious freedom did not make the Church, but when enshrined as the law of the land it will eventually unmake the visible church. It must since humanity is fallen. Think it through.
So now we live in a pagan nation, but one which has added a liberalized christianity to its pantheon, and are we still doubting that America is a daughter of Rome. The Roman Catholic church is now poised under Francis for a civil war of it's own.
What I am praying for is to see some pastors boldly ditch 501c3 and start speaking their biblically enlightens conscience. Yes the big buildings will go. Only the state sponsored churches will be able to afford them. But then, we are the Body of Christ, being know together into a building which the Lord inhabits.
Btw, many of my posts seem to get deleted. I'm not sure if it's your filter or some type of censure but I really can't see any reason for it.
A couple of ideas that came to mind while listening to this:
1. What is marriage to God? Is it a ceremony and/or the union that is acknowledged by the State? Maybe we as Christians have accepted the State to take the place of God in defining marriage a long time ago.
Think about the woman that Jesus confronted who was said to have 5 husbands. John 4:16-4:19. “Go call your husband,” He told her, “and come back here.”I don’t have a husband,” she answered. You have correctly said, ‘I don’t have a husband,’ Jesus said. For you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
So the current man she is with was not who Jesus said was her husband. Do you believe that she went through a ceremony for each husband or do you believe she just ‘knew’ them? What does Jesus mean?
2. Many people provided services in the Bible for those in unrepentant sin. It would be impossible not to interact with those that don’t sin and just because we interact with sinners does not mean are a participating in their sin. Joseph and Daniel did not live in a culture where God’s laws were readily followed, yet they still provided their skills.
I believe many Christians are looking at our situation from a cultural worldview. In America we have had the relative freedom to choose our circumstance, which has been slowly eroded. Now that our State says we don’t have that freedom, we are realizing that we put the State in the place of God’s authority. Now we are running around trying to figure out how to put God first in our lives, but we are not sure how to. I suggest we go back to the basics and put our focus on Jesus and what he has done.
3. We are to proclaim the truth, but the whole truth. It is easy to concentrate on one sin or a host of them, but if the person doesn’t know Christ how would changing one sin going to help in the eternal scheme of things?