Posted on 05/30/2012 3:57:41 PM PDT by radioone
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – The reverend of a St. Paul church says he needs to raise $200,000 to pay off a church loan after most of his followers left because of his support for gay marriage.
The Rev. Oliver White runs Grace Community United Church of Christ in St. Paul. The 69-year-old said he needs to raise the money by June 30.
“We lost our income when we lost a number of people from our congregation.” White said.
White said two-thirds of his followers left after he said he supported same-sex marriage, and said he was against the marriage amendment that will be up for a vote in November.
“I think people are scared — scared of change, and what has been in the closet is finally coming out, and too many people are not willing to accept it,” White said.
He argued they have to accept it, adding that it’s a civil rights issue.
“It’s time for our society to do as Rodney King did and say, ‘Can’t we all get along?’ That should be the 11th commandment as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “We should not try to legislate morality, in terms of who should get married and who can’t get married.”
White said they are praying for a miracle donation, but says even if they lose the church, those remaining members will find another place to worship.
I agree. They should have been able to toss him out on his behind with those numbers. I bet some of the remaining 1/3rd will be walking sooner or later too. Some people keep holding out hope for bad reasons.
“Saint means believer”
This begs the question, who is a “believer”? By this yardstick the Joel Osteens and Al Sharptons of our world would all claim entitlement to “sainthood”
The “rock” as any theological scholar will tell you is a metaphor for the One Church (not 35, 000 and counting variations of the Truth) that the Christ established under the Great Commission: One Church, One Truth.
Matthew 28:16-20
“The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Apply for a government bailout.
My Grandparents always said “if the Preacher doesn't teach the Bible right, get up, walk out, and find a Church that does.”
I guess that's what happened with your congregation.
>> This begs the question, who is a “believer”? By this yardstick the Joel Osteens and Al Sharptons of our world would all claim entitlement to “sainthood” <<
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That question has and always will be Christ’s to answer, not the hierarchy of a pagan, idolatrous, blind ‘church’ in Rome, the present seat of satan.
The “rock” as any theological scholar will tell you is a metaphor for the One Church <<
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Provided that said ‘scholar’ is a Nicolaitan, idolator from the RCC.
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>> “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” <<
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Good of you to point that key sentence out for us, thus demolishing all else that you have posted.
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This is a typical foolish and sophomoric as well as out of context analysis. No one denies that Christ has the final answer, but His Church can validate that the saintly lives and martyrs of His followers are in paradise. Only an idiot will deny that St. Peter and St. Paul are not saints.
No one denies that all power is with Christ. But through His power and at His command His apostles were invested with the power to forgive sins in His name.
>> “but His Church can validate that the saintly lives and martyrs of His followers are in paradise” <<
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That is nuts, and grossly anti-scriptural.
Christ told his disciples that the tares could not be identified and rooted out of the church, and that his angels only were up to that task.
Humans cannot see into another’s heart.
>> “His apostles were invested with the power to forgive sins in His name” <<
Just a misunderstanding. The forgiveness of sin was evidenced by the healings, but Revelation makes clear that there were 12, and only 12 apostles, thus none alive today.
That doesn’t mean that there are not men with spiritual gifts today; clearly there are, but the apostleship was for a special time, under special conditions.
Go back and read the Acts of the Apostles.
The Acts also make it clear that men cannot ‘appoint’ apostles.
The apostle that men appointed was quickly replaced by Paul, God’s chosen apostle to the gentile world.
There are 12 and only 12 apostles, and their names will be on the 12 foundations of the New Jerusalem.
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Very sophomoric.
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