Posted on 04/10/2008 6:43:36 AM PDT by Terriergal
SUGAR HILL, Ga. – A Georgia Baptist pastor who pledged to apologize to gays, women seeking abortions, and couples who live together outside marriage during his March 30 sermon did just that – and then he offered an evangelistic invitation that would have been at home in any traditional Baptist congregation.
Joe WestburyIndex
Pastor Richard Mark Lee apologizes to the unchuched while still making a strong evangelistic delivery during the 9:45 a.m. blended service. The congregation averages 1,400 in attendence in three distinct worship services directed at different worship styles – traditional, blended, and contemporary. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced the apology in a prominent story in its Friday editions and on its homepage; camera crews from the city's three major television stations also covered the worship service.
The sermon garnered considerable attention in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution prior to its delivery and was covered by all of the city’s television stations. Pastor Richard Mark Lee said the apology for intolerance and “getting in the way of Jesus” was long overdue and was needed in a world polarized by the Christian church.
“For too long we’ve been known for the issues we’re against, not for the God we’re for,” he said.
His apology was not limited to the aforementioned groups but was directed to those in the secular world that drive by churches each day and never consider visiting because of the judgmental posture. He used both personal apology when appropriate and a corporate apology for the Church at large in addressing unbelievers.
Lee was quick to say he was not speaking for, or against, the Southern Baptist Convention but was making his comments as an individual pastor of an autonomous congregation. He did describe it as “the most unusual day we have ever had in the life of this church.”
Lee did not yield ground on his conservative beliefs but said the Church’s established methods of judging others for their shortcomings obviously has not worked. Driving people away from Christ is not an effective way of bringing them to Him, he said through a variety of illustrations.
“Today we in Sugar Hill, and America at large, live in a post-Christian society. But if we acted more like Jesus in our words and the way we live, the world would be far different. It’s time we begin to think, act, and live like He did.”
Lee quoted from “Unchristian,” a book recently released by the Barna Research Group, which reported that in a scientific poll 18-28 year-olds perceived the Church as “judgmental, homophobic, and irrelevant.”
“Folks, they are not leaving the Church, they have already left. What are we doing to bring them back?” he asked the crowded sanctuary in each of the three morning services.
“For me, I cannot stand in front of God and tell Him that I did nothing to reverse that perception. It’s important to know that the 18-28 year-olds are not against Christ; in fact, they tell pollsters that they have fond feelings for Him and believe in God. But the bottom line is that the Church is still perceived as judgmental, homophobic, and irrelevant” rather than for our love for them.
“I am 37 years old and I believe the Bible is 100 percent truth without error. But the Bible tells us we are to judge our own lives and not the lives of those outside the faith.
“Today I want to apologize to our community for getting in the way of Jesus. He really is awesome and you’d like Him, even though you may not like those in the Church.”
Lee addressed a variety of misperceptions the Church has given to unbelievers in an increasingly non-Christian society.
“I have picketed abortion clinics, I’ve held the signs and banners and done all those things. I am pro-life but I regret being involved in those things. I am sorry for having a bumper sticker mentality.
“If you have had an abortion recently or even several years ago, I want you to know that I do not sit in judgment of you today. I am sorry if you have sensed a spirit of judgment in the way I presented myself and the gospel.”
Then he addressed the gay issue and individuals in the Church who “have a pharisaical mindset,” apologizing for the way some Christians “have demonstrated prejudice, bigotry, or a hateful attitude.
“We are sorry for acting like the head of the body of Christ rather than like a part of that body. We are sorry for driving you out of church; that is not of God. “I have apologized to God and now I am apologizing to you.
“In my day of arrogance I have laughed at my share of gay jokes but I now understand that participating in such activity does color the way you view people. You can’t avoid it. And while I firmly believe that Romans 1 is true in its discussion of homosexuality I know that it is much easier to condemn when you do not know those in that lifestyle.
“I have recently renewed an acquaintance with an individual who is homosexual and I have come to the realization that I cannot engage in jokes which demean the very person I am trying to reach.
Joe WestburyIndex
First Baptist Church of Sugar Hill received widespread media attention on March 30 for a sermon where the pastor apologized for the Christian church's role in intolerance in reaching unbelievers. His apology was directed toward gays, those who had received abortions, and couples who live together outside of marriage. Sugar Hill is located in northern Metro Atlanta.
“We have used trite phrases such as ‘love the sinner but hate the sin’ in these instances but we should really love the sinner and hate our own sin. The Bible teaches that love does not find fault, but the hard truth is that the world has seen that we do not love those who are different from us.
“Time and again, Jesus’ words challenged the religious establishment. He taught us to leave the 99 and go after the lost one. But we have not followed that teaching very well and have actually pushed people further away from church.
“In John 4:18 we read that ‘perfect love drives out fear.’ I apologize for driving you out of the church and making the church a place that you fear. While the Bible teaches that we should all have a reverential fear of God, we should not fear those who sit in the pews. I make this apology and genuinely ask you to forgive me.”
Addressing politics and the pulpit, he then stated, “Jesus did not mix politics with spirituality. Yet, we’ve made Jesus a member of the Republican Party.”
Lee then said that he was “not mad at anybody” with his confessions and that he wanted his hearers to “know the God we are for and not the personal issues we are against.”
The sermon, titled “We’re sorry, really” is the first in a series on confession that will be delivered through the first of May. Other confessions will include the subjects of insecurity, loneliness, dealing with criticism, and personal temptations.
Lee said he received the idea for the series after reading “Confessions of a Pastor: Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God” by Craig Groeschel. After reading the book he decided to begin by making a confession to the community “when I realized that the Church is really not known for being about Jesus but about all the hot topic issues we pursue.
“I never dreamed the media would have picked this up like they did,” he added. “All I wanted to do was engage people in a conversation about Jesus and His love for people and avoid the many traditions of church culture which drive people away.”
In an on-line poll at the AJC’s website and attached to the story, readers were asked if they felt the minister should apologize. As of Monday, March 31, with four responses offered, 52 percent said, “It’s about time!” while 31 percent replied “No way,” 3 percent replied “To some of the groups, not all,” and 15 percent said, “It won’t make a difference anyway.”
Lee has been pastor of the church for seven years. The church averages 1,400 in three services – one traditional, a blended, and a contemporary – that reach different segments of the community. Nearly 1,700 attended the launch of the “confession” series on March 30.
Individuals can download the sermon and other pod casts at mysugarhillchurch.com.
AUUUUGH!
Just want to take every opportunity to highlight the Evangelical Covenant denomination's involvement and influence here -- Craig Groeschel is one of their leading pastors because he has a big 'successful' church.
The Evangelical Covenant denomination (www.covchurch.org) is promoting Social gospel, emergent/emerging, church growth (both warren and hybels), contemplative spirituality, mysticism, and whatever other erroneous fad comes down the pike, all in the name of 'freedom in Christ.'
A couple of interesting discussions on the article here too
Lee did not yield ground on his conservative beliefs but said the Church’s established methods of judging others for their shortcomings obviously has not worked.
Yes he did yield, and lets let them all go to hell by encouraging sinful behaviour.
Why apologize over which sins to apologize for “prejudging”?
Why not include adultery, theft, taking the Lord’s name in vain, murder, believing in false gods, idol worship, etc?
“No, those are the BAD ones.”
We must realize that these are enlightened times and God has not kept up. /s
"In John 4:18 we read that ‘perfect love drives out fear.’ ..."Actually, John 4:18 says "for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly." It is in I John 4:18 that we read "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
The error, however, is instructive. John 4:18 is the in the passage of Jesus's interation with the adulterous woman at the well. His straightforward approach of sharing the truth directly with her, while offering her mercy and grace, should be our model.
It's this kind of apostasy that is making me seriously considering removing my membership.
I can only imagine how sad God is!
*snicker*
It was all going along pretty well until the idiotic line
“we’ve made Jesus a member of the Republican party”
At that precise moment it degenerated for me into the very thing this Minister is supposedly challenging: and it brings his church squarely into the realm of Political Pandering. “Up to our steeples in Politics” , to quote the title of a book of the 1960s by a Southern churchman.
This church , though, as I’m looking at it now, might be
presented as “the softer side” of Rev. Wright’s Chicago church-—like it’s a surrogate Obama church, trying to convey his “uniter” message, and hoping to be taken that way. Almost a subliminal Public Service Announcement, underwritten by the MSM to help Obama.
gag ... cough ... barf
One thing I can agree with - Christians ought not ridicule people. Having made jokes about homosexuals, however, does not warrant apologizing for preaching Truth about sin.
Come quickly Lord. The Great Apostasy is among us.
Do not fret this is just one church out of many. Every denomination ( some more than others ) has the renegades who are “enlightened”. Just keep your eyes on your eternal prize, speak the truth, and keep praying.
Is he actually saying that the church should not be involved in the pro-life movement? Does he regret any life his involvement may have saved?
Unfortunately the “emerging” church in the SBC is becoming the norm, not the exception.
I'll just have press on, on my own.
An apology is a hollow thing if not followed by deeds. There are SBC churches that have ministries helping to heal gays, women who have had abortions and broken families that speak volumes without apology.
I agree with some of his criticisms. If all we as Christians do is go around screaming and condemning others, we are not doing our jobs. We are to love others. We also can’t expect sinners to act like Christians. Of course they’re going to act out in ways we don’t approve of ... they’re lost.
While homosexuality is wrong and should not be condoned, some Christians do border on hateful with some of their speech and actions regarding this group. Some of these same Christians have had extra-martial affairs or have had sex outside of marriage, sins God equally condemns. We should not hesitate to reach out to any community in love. At the same time, I will oppose any homosexual teaching within the school system or laws that promote it.
For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
-John 3:17
Sometimes being a Christian is a difficult balance. We cannot condone sin or embolden others to practice it. Jesus hung out with sinners, but yet He didn’t become like them. Instead, those around Him aspired to be better.
We must never apologize for the Word of God. We should not cause others to stumble by sugarcoating the truth, but we should speak the truth in gentleness and love.
Maybe you need to move or church shop. The Baptist Churches over here are for the most part very conservative and espouse the Bible ( there are exceptions ). I’d rather go to a church that has a small steady membership that loves God and attempts to fulfill the great commission than one that preaches feel good sermons to draw in people to fill the pews and coffers. I feel your pain at the behest of my wife I attended a Methodist Church for several years. While this church is very conservative I could not stand by and watch it be divided by the actions of the national conferences so I steered my family back to the Baptist Church.
The only churches that make the news are these since it is the mission of the MSM to undermine the work of the Lord at every turn. This is one reason the silly infighting between the mainline Protestants and Catholic Church is such a waste of time and needs to stop. If not careful this childish fighting will continue while the Trojan Horse of apathy and political correctness will come to roost.
I know you're being sarcastic, but I largely agree with you. Why not preach Christ, and let the Holy Spirit convict of sin?
Why not find common ground with sinners (since we all used to be one) instead of creating hurdles to keep them from coming toward Christ (and ultimately being transformed into his image)
Must someone believe homosexuality is wrong to become a believer? I don't think so. Must I agree with the pro-life stance to be redeemed? Of course not. Did any of us recognize ALL our sins when we repented and received the lordship of Christ?
If Paul can stand at an altar to an unknown pagan god and preach the gospel by saying he worshiped that god; I don't see any issue with apologizing to unbelievers who may have been offended at (I would dare argue, imperfect) comments and stances that have been associated with Christianity.
Homosexuality, abortion, [insert pet evil sin here] required no more blood, no more suffering, no more redemptive power of Christ that did the sins of which I was (and regrettably sometimes still am) guilty.
And even if this preacher's motives were completely wrong, as long as he preaches Christ crucified and resurrected should we not with Paul say-
Even if they are preaching the gospel for the wrong reasons- just to get me in trouble or to create division I'm glad the gospel is being preached.
I would apologize to a million homosexuals individually if in so doing they might become believers.
My job isn't to convict of sin. My job is to love people and tell them the GOOD NEWS.
Will Wallace
The sign says it all.
Unchristian is a book that is widely loved by the Emergent Church folks
that alone tells you the book is no good
2.
Go to this church’s website, listen to the message, compare to other teachers.
“Christ follower, not Christian”...check
“Caffienated Service”....check
Goal is to create a Contagious Bill Hybels and Purpose driven Rick Warren church member....check
Focus on flash and high tech gimmicks....check
“Post-Christian”....check
use of drama, multimedia and contemporary music as focus of ministry instead of the Bible....check
Uses emergent preformed sermons instead of doing his own work..ala the “iGod” “iServe” and “iLife” series
...check
“hip” references to pop culture.
including really relevant Vanilla ice graphics...check
Denigration of parents being “uncool” and outdated in children’s ministry....check
Taking single scriptures out of context to support your message....check
obligitory series on sex (yep...they even call it “A SucSEXful marriage”)....check
Self flagellation for the “sins” of the church....check
Market driven,poll based justification for changing the way you proclaim the Gospel....check
“Love Jesus, Hate the hypocritical church” schtick....check
Declaring all who oppose sin in a direct method as “judgemental hypocrits” or “Pharasees”....check
Come to your own conclusions about his validity.
all those signs point to this church being part of the Rob Bell and Doug Pagitt Emergent church cult
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-utK2jWxq9c
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