Posted on 06/10/2011 3:02:32 AM PDT by Cronos
In my article last month about the historic vote by Presbyterians to endorse the ordination of gay and lesbian ministers, I issued a challenge to the Methodist Church, the last mainstream denomination holding out on full acceptance of LGBT people. It seems there were already Methodists taking up the challenge to make their denomination more welcoming.
Just days after the Presbyterians moved to approve gay and lesbian clergy, the Washington Post reported that “the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church narrowly approved a groundbreaking same-sex marriage resolution.”
The resolution, passed at the church’s annual local conference, would amend the church’s Book of Discipline to allow pastors to perform same-sex marriages and ceremonies in member churches in jurisdictions where legislatures already have approved gay marriage laws, such as the District.
The measure was not expected to pass by its sponsor, Washington’s Foundry United Methodist. The pastor there, Rev. Dean Synder, said the resolution was presented “as an occasion to have a conversation. This is very exciting, very moving.”
The resolution must pass muster at the denomination’s General Conference next April in Tampa. Back in 2008, the General Conference rejected an attempt to remove a line from the Book of Discipline that calls homosexuality “incompatible with Christian teaching.”
The move in Washington was followed closely by 70 Methodist ministers in Minnesota vowing to marry same-sex couples seeking the church’s blessing. At present, the denomination forbids its clergy to preside over same-sex weddings, even in states where it is legal, or for its buildings to be used for such ceremonies. Ministers in violation could be de-frocked.
The move by the ministers comes as Minnesota voters prepare to vote next year on a constitutional amendment that would define marriage in the state as being only between one man and one woman. The statement was brought to the UMC’s annual state denominational conference last month by Rev. Bruce Robbins, pastor of the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis. The statement gives a nod to the other denominations who are ahead of them:
We are convinced by the witness of others and are compelled by Spirit and conscience to act. We thank the many United Methodists who have already called for full equality and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the life of the Church.
Neither measure goes as far as approving LGBT people for ordination, but the question remains: could this coming UMC General Conference be the tipping point for the Methodists as it was the Presbyterians' last denominational gathering? A lot has changed since 2008, with more people becoming accepting of LGBT people and marriage equality. Remember, back in 2009, the Presbyterian proposal to allow gay and lesbian clergy was defeated in the Presbyteries—with narrower margins than the two previous votes, until this year, when the margin finally favored gay and lesbian clergy. If these latest moves do not prove to be the ultimate tipping point for the Methodists, then we may well be witnessing the beginning of a trajectory toward inclusion similar to the Presbyterian journey.
xzins — is there any way we can have some freeper support to prevent the gays from devastating the UMC? There must be some way to rally support against this “gay marriage” abomination.
Homosexuality is sin. It’s incompatible with salvation, the same as adultery, fornication, murder, lying, stealing, etc.. The temptation to commit homosexual acts is not evil or sinful in itself, but acting on those temptations certainly is.
If homosexuality is no longer evil, then God screwed up big time when he destroyed Sodom. Wanna declare homosexuality to be OK? That’s pretty much the same thing as raising your fist and sticking it in the Lord’s face.
These church leaders think they are above the law? I literally shudder when I think of what’s awaiting them. It’s bad enough to live your own life as a slave to sin. Imagine how angry the Lord is towards those that mislead and damn others!!! What chance does a homosexual have of repentance when his church tells him his sins are OK?
If someone is a member of one of these denominations, you have no choice but to leave. Remember, the Bible says we believers aren’t even supposed to sit down to eat with these heretics. Avoid them like the plague, because that is exactly what they are...spiritual plague carriers!
Seconded. Folks, is there anything we can do to help you fight this?
President Obama issued a proclamation that affirmed June 2011 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month.
In honor of Arnold Schwartzenegger, John Edwards and Anthony Weiner; Will BO outlaw FATHERS’ DAY on June 19th ???????????
Real believers (the few still left in the UMC & other mainlines) are part of the Body of Christ - nothing can change that (despite Methodist soteriology). The counterfeit “church” belongs to the anti-christ...it is apostate, and our Heavenly Father told us there’d be days like this.
Leaving it and running (bad choice of words I know), is not an option. We must stay and FIGHT for what is right in our Churches. Remember that you dust your sandals when an individual does not believe, but you do not foresook your community.
It's easy to walk away, but it's harder to stick and fight for what is right.
It's easier said than done, I agree and in many denominations the number of the good people who WILL stand up may be vastly outnumbered by the pinkos, but that can change if tomorrow, say for these folks aiming to destroy the UMC, there is a picket line of not just Methodists, but also Presbtyerians, Catholics, Pentecostals, Baptists, etc. etc. -- yes, we all have theological differences, but we should put up a united front on these matters.
• African Methodist Episcopal Church
• The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
• Alliance of Baptists
• American Baptist Churches in the USA
• Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
• Church of the Brethren
• The Coptic Orthodox Church in North America
• The Episcopal Church
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Friends United Meeting
• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Hungarian Reformed Church in America
• International Council of Community Churches
• Korean Presbyterian Church in America
• Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
• Mar Thoma Church
• Moravian Church in America Northern Province and Southern Province
• National Baptist Convention of America
• National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
• National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
• Orthodox Church in America
• Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA
• Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
• Polish National Catholic Church of America
• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
• Reformed Church in America
• Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada
• The Swedenborgian Church
• Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America
• United Church of Christ
• The United Methodist Church •
The United Methodist Church sure isn’t like what I grew up with. Women who wore makeup and jewelry were doing the Devils work. Dancing was a sin. I can imagine the reaction if a same sex couple wanted to get married in the church.
I disagree that it’s harder to stick around and fight for what’s right. When the ECUSA ordained their gay bishop, I know folks who walked away from a church that they’d spent DECADES building.
There’s a point where the rot is so pervasive, there’s no fixing it. Christ didn’t spend a lot of time trying to convince the pharisees they were wrong. It’s virtually possible to convert heretics who are so lost in their delusions that they think THEY are the true servants of God.
The Bible says we aren’t even supposed to sit down to eat with heretics. You wanna try to follow guidance on pulling mistaken ones aside for gentle correction? LOL. The LEADERS of these denominations are voting to ordain practicing, unrepentant homosexuals!!! Wake up, my FRiend!
I agree. Believing churches as well as individuals can separate themselves, but separate themselves they must. It’s wrong headed to think one can fix these denominations. Believers shouldn’t be affiliated with them in any way. It’s not easy to walk away from people and churches one has known for decades, but it’s the scriptually right thing to do. Unless one is absolutely sure the Lord wants them to stay and stand up for the Truth, I wouldn’t do it.
Think of it this way, by ordaining unrepentant sinners, the Methodists are servants of Satan. That’s what I think when I meet someone who attends these churches. They might as well tell me they attend the First Methodist Church of Satan down the block. That’s hardly a good witness for Christ.
Yet God did not tell us to abandon the community. A house divided serves no purpose — the constant fracturing does no-one any good. If you are not to eat with heretics, throw them out of the community. Don’t abandon the community because of the heretics.
At the time we left, we asked the LCMS pastor if the LCMS belonged to the NCC and he reassured us it does not. We also asked about the LCMS official position on abortion and he assured us the LCMS also had an official position against abortion. That was before the issue of homosexuality because the predominant issue. The LCMS also says homosexuality is sin.
ping
LLS
Take it from one who departed a mainline many years ago for their use of hard-earned tithes on blasphemy....God cannot bless the apostate churches.
I understand your argument, but just don’t buy it. I feel the same way about people who leave their children in failed experiments called government schools because their kids “need to learn to stand up for their faith in this world.” As if a 7 year old (typically not yet saved) can or should be asked to do that.
No, I have one word for these situations - flee. Find where God is working and join Him there instead.
a few years ago, I would have made the same blanket statement and I was wrong.
But the difference between this and the situation that you state (gov school) is that the Church is not just a school where you abide your time. The Church is THE Community of God, Our Family. We don’t abandon them, even if they make mistakes. If it is being destroyed by a weird cousin , then the apostate gets pushed out, not the orthodox.
ELCA, Episcopalian, Presbyterian and now Methodist are become apostate and discarding God and His Gospel for social acceptance from the left.
Cronos: “Don’t abandon the community because of the heretics.”
The Church of Christ (the REAL Church) is pure and undivided. These denominations are man’s creations, so one isn’t abandoning Christ’s community by walking away from them. I agree it’s better to throw the heretics out, but how are you going to accomplish that when they are your leadership AND a majority of your denomination has affirmed outright heresy??? It’s well beyond fixing an errant brother by that point.
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