Stan Mitchell's Church Gay Inclusive?

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Dante

Churches need to be more accepting of gay people. I'm appalled at the hatred expressed in this threat towards homosexuals. They are souls in need of a savior, too.

Dante, you read too much into the comments. I do not know these posters personally, yet can say with assurance that no one hates the homosexual!

Every living person who has ever walked the face of this planet has sinned in some area of life and has been in need of forgiveness and a Savior.

BUT the Scripture is clear...the act of homosexuality is sin. Period.

Therefore, any so-called pastor who opens their door for anyone in sin, be it a drunkard, liar, thief, homosexual, womanizer...you name it...if they are allowed to work in any form of ministry while in sin, it is flat-out wrong.

The work of God is a precious thing. From the usher to the pulpit, there MUST be an accounting.

Stan Mitchell is wrong. In my opinion he is an apostate, and I make NO apology for saying so.

But to say that the posters on this thread are haters of SM or homosexuals is unfair.

[Jito463]

Originally Posted by Dante

Churches need to be more accepting of gay people. I'm appalled at the hatred expressed in this threat towards homosexuals. They are souls in need of a savior, too.

Yes, they are. They're still living in sin, however, and need to have this pointed out. If we just sit back and say "okay, you're gay, we accept that", we do them no justice. No sin should be accepted, especially not from the pulpit. If a "pastor" was living in adultery, that should also be condemned.

If the pastor was a pedophile, would you not want us to condemn it, or should we restrain ourselves because he's a "soul in need of a savior"? Ultimately, it's no different because God hates all sin.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Jito463

Yes, they are. They're still living in sin, however, and need to have this pointed out. If we just sit back and say "okay, you're gay, we accept that", we do them no justice. No sin should be accepted, especially not from the pulpit. If a "pastor" was living in adultery, that should also be condemned.

If the pastor was a pedophile, would you not want us to condemn it, or should we restrain ourselves because he's a "soul in need of a savior"? Ultimately, it's no different because God hates all sin.

[StillStanding]

It saddens me to see anyone that in an attempt to show grace and be inclusive of non-conformists, have lost their scriptural compass! The pendulum for Stan Mitchell has swung too far in the opposite direction, IMO.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Dante

Churches need to be more accepting of gay people. I'm appalled at the hatred expressed in this threat towards homosexuals. They are souls in need of a savior, too.

I didn't see that. I saw an unwillingness to not recognize it as a sin but nobody would deny they need a savior too. Thats the whole point here. This Pastor is not preaching they need to repent of homosexuality

[Praxeas]

Wishy Washy response. He says he disagreed with him but tries to "explain" how Stan got there and how much he respects Stan for taking the stand???

Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
As many of you have now learned from the local or national news, Pastor Stan Mitchell, the pastor of Nashville’s GracePointe Church, has decided to openly endorse homosexual practice and marriage. Because he is a pastor of a different congregation and embraces a different theology than I do, I have seen little reason to make any public comment about this. Nonetheless, I have decided to write a pastoral letter to address it the best I can

Read the rest here
http://www.christchurchnashville.org...rch-nashville/

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Dante

Churches need to be more accepting of gay people. I'm appalled at the hatred expressed in this threat towards homosexuals. They are souls in need of a savior, too.

Threats? Hatred? Not by me, but I'll tell you what....

You go start a church, and you go invite everyone of them to fill your pews.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

You know...I wonder if we stress tongues too much. Im convinced not everyone has really spoken in tongues but faked it.

I say that because of what I see happening in alters where I am convinced "seekers" are being pressed to just "trip over the Ls" in Halleluyah

We had an evangelist at my church once and he asked me about a brother there, if he had the Spirit. I told him that I did not know for sure. He used to go to a Charismatic church that I know of where the Pastor would invite people once a month to come to the front and speak in tongues. He would instruct them how to speak in tongues...literally

So this same man I would watch with seekers walk up and go "Halllalalalala..Say it! Halalalalala. Say it" and I told that to the evangelist and his words shocked me..He said "Well it does not matter how they get it as long as they get it"

Many of these "gay pentecostals" say they have the gifts...maybe because they "speak in tongues" they believe everything is ok between them and God?

Yes exactly. I fear there is an awful lot of people pretending to be pentecostal in our ranks and this would explain QUITE A LOT.

[CC1]

In his sermon last Sunday my pastor talked about recently meeting and talking to a man that goes to our church. He said the guy is about 50 years old and a big strapping handsome man (my words because I don't remember exactly how he said it). He was surprised that in conversation the man told him that he was homosexual. Pastor asked him how he deals with it. The man told him that he has never been attracted to women but that he believes in and has dedicated himself to the bible and he understands homosexuality is wrong so he has remained celibate his entire life and plans on doing so until he dies. I think you have to admire somebody who has that commitment to following Christ and denying their fleshly desires. I am sure this man would be thrilled if God delivered him of his fleshly desires but the reality is that many times God chooses to leave people with their "thorn in the flesh" but will empower them to be victorious over it if they will allow Him.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by CC1

In his sermon last Sunday my pastor talked about recently meeting and talking to a man that goes to our church. He said the guy is about 50 years old and a big strapping handsome man (my words because I don't remember exactly how he said it). He was surprised that in conversation the man told him that he was homosexual. Pastor asked him how he deals with it. The man told him that he has never been attracted to women but that he believes in and has dedicated himself to the bible and he understands homosexuality is wrong so he has remained celibate his entire life and plans on doing so until he dies. I think you have to admire somebody who has that commitment to following Christ and denying their fleshly desires. I am sure this man would be thrilled if God delivered him of his fleshly desires but the reality is that many times God chooses to leave people with their "thorn in the flesh" but will empower them to be victorious over it if they will allow Him.

I agree..the same goes for both homosexual and heterosexual, if you really want to live for God

Having said that...if same sex attraction is a learned behavior, there has to be a way to sort of undo it or retrain the brain