Bill Gaither and "Christian Homosexuals"

[stmatthew]

I realize this is old, but I was doing a search and came across this. It was posted on a Southern Gospel Forum from several years back.




BILL GAITHER AND "CHRISTIAN HOMOSEXUALS" - TAKING
THE JUDGE NOT PHILOSOPHY TO NEW LEVELS.
Friday Church News Notes, January 27, 2006 (David Cloud,
www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org,
866-295-4143)

Since the early 1990s, the
Gaither's Homecoming CD and video series has
dramatically increased the popularity of Southern
Gospel music in this generation. Sadly, Bill
Gaither has used his vast influence to promote
the lie that music is neutral and thus to
encourage the deep inroads that the world has
made into Southern Gospel. He has also promoted
the unscriptural ecumenical movement with its
bogus "judge not" philosophy and its lack of
concern about doctrinal purity. In late 2002,
Bill Gaither and Mark Lowry met with and
encouraged Marsha Stevens, the lesbian author of
the popular gospel song "For These Tears I Died."
Stevens, who has a ministry called BALM (Born
Again Lesbian Music), attended the Gaither
Homecoming concert in Phoenix in December 2002,
with her lesbian partner. Mark Lowry, who has
sung with the Gaither Vocal Band for many years,
approached her and said that he was proud of what
she is doing. Surprised, she said, "You know what
I'm doing now?" He replied: "I sure do and I wish
the fundamentalists would find Jesus. They're
going to have a lot to answer for, leaving out
people that Jesus died for" (Marsha Stevens, New
Years Eve 2002 with Bill Gaither,"
www.christiangays.com). Bill and Gloria Gaither
then came over and told her that they, too,
appreciate her ministry today. A photo at
Stevens' web site shows her and her lesbian
partner with Bill Gaither and Mark Lowry. In the
last part of the concert later that night,
Gaither invited the crowd to sing along to "For
Those Tears I Died." He then said: "You know, the
young woman who wrote that song is here with us
tonight, and maybe you're like she was and you've
heard about a God who would reject you for who
you are or who might turn you away for something
you've done or where you've come from. Well I
want you to know that I don't know that God. The
only God I know is the one in this song that she
wrote. The one that says, 'I am right here for
you.' The one who sent His son. The one who says,
'You are my child, I love you, come stand by my
side.' So sing with me again!"

[Carpenter]

...unscriptural ecumenical movement...

Wow, I didn't know Bill Gaither has Boodists, Hindus, Muslims, and Harry crishnas singing in his group...

[Sherri]

Does this surprise anyone? Hello? Mark Lowry?

[MawMaw]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

Wow, I didn't know Bill Gaither has Boodists, Hindus, Muslims, and Harry crishnas singing in his group...

JIMINY CRICKET!!!

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Sherri

Does this surprise anyone? Hello? Mark Lowry?

Isn't he............well....................how shall I put this...............doesn't he have a little bit of sugar in his blood too?

[Jack Shephard]

Are you suggesting that Mark Lowry is...gasp...Gay?!?!?!?!?!?

Surely you jest.....

[dizzyde]

Originally Posted by Sherri

Does this surprise anyone? Hello? Mark Lowry?

[revrandy]

For the sake of most...I hope he isn't.....

[TRFrance]

In fairness to Bill Gaither, there may be another side to this story:

Bill Gaither Issues Statement Regarding Misrepresentation

Thursday May 4 2006 - 4:17 PM ET
by Bill Gaither
ALEXANDRIA, IN(Press Release) - Apparently, a visit by Marsha Stevens to a Gaither Homecoming concert in 2002 is being misrepresented and misused by her and others. Marsha Stevens is an outspoken lesbian singer-songwriter who operates an organization called Born Again Lesbian Music (BALM Ministries). Her story is a sad one.

In 1969, as the 16 year-old leader of what many consider to be the first contemporary Christian music group, Children of the Day, Marsha wrote “For Those Tears I Died,” which quickly became one of the most popular songs of the so-called Jesus Movement. Featured on Maranatha’s “The Everlastin’ Living Jesus Music Concert” album, her song became one of the best known Christian folk songs of the decade.

Gloria and I, along with hundreds of churches around the country have sung that song for years. Unfortunately, in more recent years Marsha publicly declared herself to be lesbian and took her music and work in a very different direction from where it started.

In December 2002, we had a Gaither Homecoming concert in Phoenix, where someone told us she was in attendance and asked if she could come backstage and say hello. Mark Lowry and I greeted Marsha and her partner and someone snapped a photograph of the four of us, a picture Marsha has exploited on her Web site ever since. False reports of what transpired at the concert have also surfaced on various Web sites so we pulled the videotape of the concert and reviewed it. Here is exactly what happened.

Gloria and I were celebrating our 40th anniversary that night and we sang a number of songs that had been special to us over the years, including, “For Those Tears I Died.” I mentioned, from the platform, that the woman who wrote that song “is here tonight.” I then said that I love that song because someone “may have seen a grownup with a Jesus that maybe is pushing you away, that wouldn’t let you in. And you were never good enough. The only Christ I know is the Christ in that song, with His arms out very wide, saying, ‘come to the water.’ That’s the only Christ I know—come as you are.”

We then continued the concert without any further mention of Marsha or this song. Any other report of this concert is simply and sadly false. I regret that this brief exchange has apparently been used to suggest some sort of endorsement of Marsha and her current life and work. Clearly I do not endorse or support either, though I believe God can, and does still use this song to minister to people. I pray for Marsha and encourage others to do the same.

Bill Gaither
http://www.singingnews.com/news/sg_w...lasso?id=35494

[ChTatum]

Christian homosexuals is an oxymoron.