Posted on 06/20/2016 10:38:20 AM PDT by Gamecock
A former pastor at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church has been asked to resign as lead pastor of a church he’s served for three years after he refused to agree to its biblical position on homosexuality, fearing it would alienate people in the LGBT community.
Gerald Sharon, the lead pastor at Southwest Church in Indian Wells, California, who spent 11 years at Saddleback Church serving in various leadership roles, was asked to step down from the pastoral role he has served for over three-and-a-half years since he left Saddleback because he now refuses to affirm the church’s position on homosexuality.
On June 8, Sharon submitted his letter of resignation to the church’s board of elders.
Sharon explained in the resignation letter that months earlier, he had asked church leadership to re-examine the the church’s policy on homosexuality, fearing that the church’s condemnation of homosexual actions would make it impossible for members of the LGBT community to feel welcome at the church.
Sharon had called for the church to rescind its document defining the church’s stance on sexuality titled “Homosexuality and Human Sexuality.”
“However, the elders recently sent me a certified letter informing me that they had unanimously affirmed the current position of Southwest Church,” Sharon wrote in his resignation letter. “My heart sank realizing that no homosexual person who would read these documents would truly feel welcome at Southwest Church. And, if the positions held in these papers are followed, they will effectively exclude homosexual individuals from the life of Southwest.”
Sharon explained that the position change that he was hoping the church would embrace was one that is “neither affirming nor condemning homosexuality.” Sharon also wrote that on June 6, the Elders had asked for his resignation because he would not affirm the church’s stance on sexuality.
“I would not join the elders in affirming the aforementioned papers since I believe they will limit the church’s ability to love people where they are,” Sharon explained. “At their request, I am resigning as the lead pastor of Southwest Church.”
“.... the church’s condemnation of homosexual actions....”
just in case anyone else was confused
Now he should be excommunicated, treated as an unbeliever.
"I know your doings--you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot! Accordingly, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, before long I will vomit you out of My mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." Rev3:15-17.
Consider yourself vomited you wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked pastor.
I've said this before repeatedly, and have observed it many times: Whenever a conservative and/or Christian shows even the SLIGHTEST equivocation on homosexuality, that tiny compromise belies a whole-hearted embrace of it. There exists NO middle ground on this issue.
Expect this pastor to gravitate to "gay" affirming churches now.
I don’t have a problem being nice about a separation, not that the wicked activist homosexuals will be placated by it.
“”How in the world does he square that request with scripture?””
He spent too long at Rick Warren’s “church” where anything goes for the bucks!!! Mustn’t offend the congregation as we don’t want empty pews or collection plates!
The west coast division of the UMC has homosexual pastors, and support gay marriage. When they held their convention in Oregon last month, over a 100 came 'out'. Practice is more importance than an 'official' stance.
You have to discard the teaching of Scripture.
One way is to say it is a book written about God by man. Not a book written by God for men.
That.
Might want to hold off on that Lee...word is that she has a new book coming out (more recent than Openess Unhindered). Maybe the price will come down on the book just mentioned.
Not surprised, this church has a history of issues, Senator John Thune’s brother was pastor there at one point, there was a sex scandal involving another pastor and this church has always been rather lukewarm. Grew up near there BTW and know many who attended that church.
Gerald Sharon...
Is this individual confused with his sexual identity...?
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