Lord have mercy! I could start a whole section here at FGGAM on the ‘Crimes of the Church in America’!!! One too many of these reports of hell on earth is taking place weekly. So many are chasing people away from the Church because of this type of behavior. I call it, showing an unbelieving world just what it wants to see from Christians!
When Sharon and I go out into the streets and byways of America we here too many times people to not go to Church because of this type of behavior, the second most reason we get is POLITICS! Politics is the playground of Satan! Look at all the fools in D.C. a Prime example of ungodly behavior! It has invaded both parties!
“The intimate love relationship with God is both extremely personal and practical. This is probably the most important factor in knowing and doing the will of God. If your relationship with God is not as it should be, nothing else will be in order.” Henry Blackaby.
“At the heart of what it means to be a Christian is to receive a new identity. In Jesus, we do not lose our true selves, but we become our true selves, only in him.” —John Piper
Churchleaders
On Sunday, Feb. 11, elders at The Austin Stone Church in Austin, Texas, revealed that they had fired Aaron Ivey, a pastor and elder, due to “inappropriate and explicit ongoing text messages with an adult male.” Ivey, 45, had been pastor of worship and creativity at the church, which has six locations in central Texas. The Austin Stone Church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).
According to a statement from church elders, they learned of the “disqualifying situation” on Feb. 4 and, after reviewing the text messages, terminated “Aaron’s eldership and employment” the next day. More Here
This is a prime example of repressed sexuality coming out sideways. I haven’t talked specifically with Aaron about this, tho I do know him…and I know his church.
Austin Stone, formerly an Acts29 and currently an SBC church is reformed and make no bones about their position against LGBTQ+ individuals/relationships.
As an affirming pastor myself, I’ve talked with and counseled dozens of gay men and women. Some of the staunchest opponents of the LGBTQ community are closeted gay men and women in mixed orientation marriages. They themselves are knowingly gay, but they cannot bring themselves to own who they love for fear of the church and its wrath. So they fake being straight. They marry someone who unbeknownst to them is their cover.
Not being your true self…lying to yourself, seeing others happy in their lives makes them angry. And like cancer begins to eat away at the fabric (mentally and physically) and facade of what you’ve pretended to be. It’s sad all the way around. And especially for the victims themselves.
But I believe the church is culpable for mishandling scripture. In Aaron’s case,his misdeeds and abhorrent behavior is closer to the prohibitions in Romans 1 (pederasty) than normal same sex relationships and life long commitments and marriage ever could be.