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We use WWJD as a criteria for behavior, sometimes without a clear view of what Jesus was really like. He did associate with the dregs of society at his time, but "go and sin no more" was the message he sent. His purpose was to redeem which means repentance.

The gay lifestyle is clearly prohibited in scripture, and Jesus would do what his Father did in calling for a change of heart through faith in him.

I applaud Myers Park Baptist for its courageous stand. It is time to stop bigotry in all forms. For those of you who believe in God and heaven, hopefully, your God will be more forgiving of your behavior than you are willing to be of your fellow man. You certainly give organized religion a bad name by not welcoming everyone. Again, kudos to Myers Park Baptist.

I find it sad that they will exclude the homosexual community when by their own words--they need to hear the gospel to lead to thier redememption. The gays of our society should be openly embraced by the church, only then can the church teach what it believes to be true. To exclude certain classes of society is totally against what Jesus would do!!! More power to the church that stands against descrimination of ANY kind!!

I find it sad that they will exclude the homosexual community when by their own words--they need to hear the gospel to lead to thier redememption. The gays of our society should be openly embraced by the church, only then can the church teach what it believes to be true. To exclude certain classes of society is totally against what Jesus would do!!! More power to the church that stands against descrimination of ANY kind!!

It is noted in a posting above; "The gay lifestyle is clearly prohibited in scripture...." However, nowhere is homosexuality mentioned as it is perceived/known in the 21st Century.

Myers Park BC has chosen to follow their conscience. This is a core Baptist principle. Along with this is interpretation of scripture. However, the SBC, in bygone days, was a "bottom up" organization. Sadly today, it has become a heirarchy. This has led the SBC to where it finds itself now.

I can only wonder how long the SBC can sustain itself financially if large churches such as Myers Park are "disfellowshiped?" The much smaller and rural churches are not/do not contribute the monies that churches such as Myers Park do/would. So, by their very actions, the SBC is hurting itself financially.

As for the issue of homosexuality, since the theological ideologues that now control the SBC have gained power, research that group (SBC) and see in which direction the intellect has gone. That should answer "unasked" questions.

Shalom

I realize this is not politically correct, but association should be free in America. If the Church practices a religion in faith and one of its member churches wishes to practice a different religion, why should the organization be forced to retain association with them?
A lot of people talk about rights and freedoms; they are almost always demanding more rights and freedoms for themselves often at the expense of others.
Myers Park BC has a right to do as they please precisely because the SBC is a bottom-up organization. The SBC has collectively decided to maintain its doctrine and dogma as it always has done. As a religious organization they should be free to do so. Who says the rights of GLBT persons trump the rights of others? Muslims cannot practice Islam at a Catholic church and a Christian would not be permitted to preach the Gospel of Jesus in a mosque. This is because each of these fellowships of faith has clear guiding principles that must be honored. After all, membership is voluntary. No government or pressure group should be able to force itself into a religious denomination. Likewise, the SBC cannot stop Meyers Park BC from being "gay-friendly". The SBC does have a right to include or exclude churches that do not conform the the doctrines decided upon by the vast majority of its members. Why would Meyers Park wish to associate itself with an organization with whom they have such a fundamental disagreement? This seems like another manufactured controversy.
Freedom belongs to everyone, not just GLBT, even when the GLBT community does not like the people exercising their freedom.
Personally, I would never attend a church that excludes people based on sexual preference. However, I do believe that churches, temples, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship have the right to worship in their own way without having outside opinion and the force of the State used to coerce them so long as they, in turn, do not try to prevent or coerce others of faith from creating their own houses of worship.
Associate with those with whom association is appropriate for you and do not force your opinions and beliefs on others in the world of faith.

I do not believe that the homosexual community is being excluded from worshipping. I do believe that they should be excluded from membership in the fellowship or teaching. I read nowhere in the Scripture where Christ avoided teaching to any person but he did admonish them to turn from their "wicked ways".

Homosexuality is consistantly referred to in the Scripture as sin. I cannot, even in the most liberal interpretation, find where the continual practice of homosexuality is permitted.

So, if a church decides to violate Scripture by embracing a 'sinful practice', they need to be admonished and if they do not change, Matthew 18 leads us to dismissal.

This is just more bigotry and small-mindedness, especially by Baptists. I was born and raised Baptist, and I have run as far away from those nuts as possible. The people of my church in the 50's and 60's stood ready at the door to take out any black (they used another word) that would "darken the door." This is the same things as with gays. This is typical narrow-minded thinking. There is nothing to reform or teach or change about gays--they are just people. Baptists, and others, should use their energies to better themselves and work on their own problems, not look for things to correct in others--and read up-to-date literature.

You can't get more up-to-date literature than the Holy Bible. It is pitiful how "educated" people get to the point that they think they have invented something new. All "new" things are merely a new (or not used in a long time) way of looking at or using the same old things and new is frequently not better. (i.e. The drug resistant MRSA. Does that make antibiotics passe?) It is usual, these days, for the most unforgiving to yell forgive; the most racist to yell race; the most selfish to yell rights. As a praticing Southern Baptist I pray daily for us all and the courage to do His will.

So when a devout, registered, acclaimed, Baptist,
masturbates, is it not sin? When this same person of the Baptist faith, takes a person's life through a criminal act, is it not sin? When this same, acclaimed Baptist, commits adultery, and has lust of another person in their heart, is it not sin? I can go on , and on, and on.

I'm glad to know that these Baptist are of strong faith, and leaders of the community. I am also
glad to know that they are the answer to the Living Christ! (So, they claim.)

So, if there are all believers in the eyes of the
Lord, Jesus Christ. Why are they threatened
by any thing, or any group?

If you can't walk on the waters,...learn to swim, like the rest of us!

It is unfortunate that certain groups go only to church to push their agenda. The word homophobic is very popularly used against anyone not agreeing with the gay or lesbian lifestyle. I believe churches should be open to anyone--we are all sinners. The difference with gays is that they know they have a platform, and can cry "foul" at the drop of a hat. Gay celebrities have gotten control of the media and make anyone who claims Christianity and who disapproves of their flaunted debauchery as mindless idiots. I was brought up under the shelter of a Southern Baptist Church, and I know that none of us is perfect. I do believe that we should love the sinner but hate the sin, just as our heavenly Father does. I have noticed that when gays are presented with the fact that their lifestyle is sin they dodge the question and cry out about other sins. I decided long ago that if a person does not know what body parts are to be used for, there is a problem. The lower part of the colon is for elimination of body waste, not created by God for sex. Ellen and Rosie are not my role models, but they have, sadly become that for modern free-thinkers who do not have the good sense to look beyond their own nose. Myers Park church is stepping out to embrace a lost segment of society. That is wonderful, but if those folks continue in their unnatural practices, what then? Will pastors, teachers, deacons, just look the other way? Will there be a rush there to the altar to have same-sex weddings performed? Somebody better be praying.....

Those of us called "fundamentalist" are no less sinful than the atheist. For we have all sinned and fall short of the mark. However, God's law is written on our heart and we must own and profess our sin for God's grace to be given. The church body cannot tolerate any among them who boast about his sin. The bible is clear that participating in a homosexual lifestyle is sin. Just as being an adulterer, a drunk, or a theif to name a few. Please read this passage from Paul to understand why we must expel those who boast. 1 Cornithians 5 (NIV Text)

1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife. 2And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature[a] may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

6Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."[

This is the biblical mandate that we must expel those who boast in their sin. No matter what the sin is. Every church should hold their members accountable for their actions. I thank God for those churches and their leaders who do!

First off, isn't it up to Almighty God to judge and not men. Let me make this loud and clear, I am not Gay, and although I don't agree with it, it is no threat to me, I am secure with who I am. And laws don't keep people from doing something or being a certain way. "For All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, not even one is good enough" The problem I see, here is that so many narrow minded people want to shut off Jesus or their religion to those that they think along the same lines as they do. Don't be selfish with Jesus, it's not good people that go to heaven, but forgiven people who go to heaven. If you are going to excempt the gays, then you need to exempt the ones committing adultry and I could go on and on. Another example of double standard in this country, not that we praise those that commit adultry but it's like well, he or she made a mistake, it's ok that they cheated or wronged their partner but if you are gay and being true to one person then that's the most horrible thing. Now like I said, not gay, don't care for it don't think they should marry, but read the fine print, trying to make a point here. The mind is like a parachute, it only works when it's open.

I had a Baptist minister come to my house last night, passing out flyers trying to convince me that the only path to salvation was through his church.

For a few short moments I thought about getting into a religious debate with this zealot, but ultimately decided that dinner sounded like a better option. I listened to the remainder of his spiel and then closed the door.

I think next time I might simply be better served to tell him that I am a homosexual so he'll turn heel and run for the hills.

Joe Stephens,

Why do you think we don't want to share our Jesus?

The problem is, you want us to change our Jesus.

It is impossible for sin to enter into heaven. However, your saying we should except homosexuals as they are. How can they become members of our church body, if they do not ask forgiveness of their sins?

Yes, the church is full of drunks, liers, cheaters, adulterers, and any other thing you can throw at us. The difference is we lay our sins at the foot of the cross and ask Christ to forgive us. We rely on his strength to overcome our sinful ways. We continue to fall and he continues to forgive us when we confess.

We can not affirm any sin as acceptable!! But that's what everyone wants us to do.

Many churches ministers and leadership do hold thir members accountable for their actions and lifestyles. Yes, in some situations, people are asked to leave the church. That, of course, is a last resort.

Please reread my post above if you would like the biblical reference.