Posted on 04/13/2008 2:31:37 PM PDT by Terriergal
The American Family Outing, a gay-friendly outreach to mega-churches, responds to Family Research Council fund-raising letter.
Austin, TX (PRWEB) April 10, 2008 -- On Thursday, April 3, 2008, The Gay City News reported on a Family Research Council (FRC) fundraising letter devoted to the American Family Outing, a project that aims to create dialogue between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) families and members at six American mega-churches. The letter, dated March 2008 and signed by FRC President Tony Perkins, asks for $50,000 to create "Church Crisis Response Teams" to react to same-sex couples and their children who have expressed a desire to attend church and share a meal with families at the mega-churches between Mother's Day and Father's Day 2008.
"The frantic tone of the letter is a testament to the vital need for the American Family Outing. For too long, fear and dehumanization have kept people of faith divided over issues of sexual-orientation and gender-identity," says Jeff Lutes, Soulforce Executive Director. The American Family Outing is a collaboration between Soulforce, COLAGE, the National Black Justice Coalition, and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.
In late 2007, the four partner organizations wrote letters to:
• Rev. Joel Osteen and the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas
• Bishop T.D. Jakes and The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas
• Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. and Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland
• Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia
• Rev. Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois
• Dr. Rick Warren and Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California.
The letters set a date when the LGBT families will attend a worship service. The letters also invite each Pastor "to match our families with an equal number of families from your congregation" for a meal and conversation.
In contrast to the alarm bells sounded by Perkins, reaction from the churches and America's diverse evangelical community has been more positive.
"We want those Christian brothers and sisters who have read terrible untruths about us to meet us and to know who we really are. We are those children of God who happen not to be straight and their straight allies who, like myself, grieve the fact that those who judge us do not really know us," says Peggy Campolo, Baptist author and editor.
Campolo is one of several Christian leaders who are helping The American Family Outing reach out to the six mega-churches. Other clergy supporters include Rev. Jay Bakker, son of Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Bakker-Messner, Rev. Gil Caldwell, Rev. Phil Lawson, and Rev. Troy Sanders.
Although The American Family Outing is a collaborative effort, the Family Research Council fundraising letter named only COLAGE, a social justice organization for children, youth, and adults with LGBTQ parents.
"Tony Perkins probably knows, as well as we do, that when children, youth and families speak truth to power, we expose the injustice of the Family Research Council's discriminatory agenda," shared Beth Teper, COLAGE Executive Director. "His letter and fundraising ploy demonstrate the great significance of a simple invitation -- for six mega-church communities to meet our members and hear our message of acceptance and unity."
Soulforce is a national civil rights and social justice organization. Our vision is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance.
The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC) is an international fellowship of Christian churches with a special ministry to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The National Black Justice Coalition(NBJC) is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black same-gender-loving, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people. The Coalition works with our communities and our allies for social justice, equality, and an end to racism and homophobia.
COLAGE is a national movement of children, youth and adults with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer parents. We build community and work toward social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education, and advocacy.
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Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Lakewood is North America's largest and fastest growing church averaging more than 42,000 attendees at weekly services, and a television program reaching over 100 million households in over 100 nations. He was featured as one of Barbara Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People of 2006" and was named "Most Influential Christian in America" in 2006 by the readers of The Church Report Magazine. His television ministry is the most watched inspirational program in the United States.
Read more on the upcoming visit to Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church.
Bishop T.D. Jakes, founder and senior pastor of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, a multiracial, nondenominational church with over 30,000 members, nearly 400 staff members, and more than 50 outreach ministries to millions around the globe. A best-selling author, Jakes has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine and was named "America's Best Preacher" by the magazine.
Read more on the upcoming visit to Bishop T.D. Jakes and The Potter's House.
Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr., the African-American pastor of Hope Christian Church with 3,500 members in Beltsville, MD, just outside Washington, D.C. Jackson was named one of the top 50 most influential Christians in 2005 by the Christian Post. His radio commentary can be heard daily on 400+ stations nationally. Jackson is a fervent opponent of gay rights and founded the High Impact Leadership Coalition to promote his "Black Contract With America on Moral Values," a six-point platform which includes the prohibition of same-sex marriage.
Read more on the upcoming visit to Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. and Hope Christian Church.
Bishop Eddie L. Long, the African-American pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church with over 25,000 members and 40 ministries, frequently teaches that "homosexuality is a manifestation of the fallen man" and that God can "deliver" homosexuals. Bishop Long was honored by the Center for Disease Control and the National HIV/AIDS Partnership (NHAP) for his outstanding work in fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. He was chosen by the family of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 2006 to host and officiate the funeral of Mrs. Coretta Scott King, which was attended by four Presidents.
Read more on the upcoming visit to Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois with 30,000 members. The church has been listed as the most influential church in America the last several years in a national poll of pastors. Hybels started the Global Leadership Summit in 1995 as an annual training event broadcast live from the Willow Creek campus in suburban Chicago to 100+ video sites across America, plus later via delay for another 70 international sites. 80,000 attendees were part of the 2006 Leadership Summit.
Read more on the upcoming visit to Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Community Church.
Friday, June 13 - Sunday, June 15, 2008 (Father's Day Weekend) Dr. Rick Warren and Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California
Dr. Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life and founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, one of America's largest and best-known churches with a membership of over 16,000. Warren was named one of "America's Top 25 Leaders" by U.S. News and World Report in 2005. He was elected by TIME Magazine as one of "15 World Leaders Who Mattered Most" in 2004 and one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" in 2005.
Read more on the upcoming visit to Rick Warren and Saddleback Church.
Don’t know that their message would be any worse than what is currently taught at most of the churches listed.
Coming soon (I fear) to a church near you.
The Churches they enter to protest should greet them with prayer. Prayer for their return to reality and for their repentance, not to mention, pray for the little ones who are being led by these people and through no fault of their own. Prayers for them to abandon their evil ways.
And that should be the end of it. Love them, and love them with truth.
I know... they are protesting God through his witness the church. Notice they are going for the weakest, most popular links.
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