[Faith-talk] Faith-Talk Digest, Vol 122, Issue 16

Fri Sep 29 15:07:48 UTC 2017

Appreciated the unbiased approach--clear statements of the arguments 
particular to both the LGBT-favoring community and to conservative 
Christianity. Very disappointed to hear about the stand of Campolo's wife--I 
usually love Tony Campolo--still do. The old saying about "God loves us too 
much to let us stay where we are" easily comes to mind here. While not 
enamored with where the church is now, I am also not enamored with how 
conservatives have treated LGBTQ people. We need to speak the truth about 
LGBT issues, and also about stealing, lying, committing adultery, idolatry 
and the other problematic behaviors, and that is where I have a bone to pick 
with my fellow conservatives--we spend way too much time speaking against 
certain things, as if they were the only sins. It's just sad that even 
conservatives have been brainwashed into accepting certain ideas. While 
needing to love all people, I think there are lines over which true love 
doesn't cross...

Sandra

One can never consent to creep, when one feels an impulse to soar.
(Helen Keller)
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Today's Topics:

   1. The Emerging Church and Homosexuality (Linda Mentink)
   2. Re: The Emerging Church and Homosexuality (David Moore)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2017 09:35:31 -0500
From: Linda Mentink <mentink at frontiernet.net>
To: Faith-talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Faith-talk] The Emerging Church and Homosexuality
Message-ID:
<20170928143551.2E2141C0E4 at filter03.roch.ny.frontiernet.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi All,

I just received this article today, and thought I'd pass it
along.  This is written was David Cloud.

Blessings,

Linda

THE EMERGING CHURCH AND HOMOSEXUALITY
------------------------------------------------------------

SEPTEMBER 27, 2017

The following is excerpted from _WHAT IS THE EMERGING CHURCH?_
This is an examination of the _emerging church, _a name
describing a new approach to missions and church life among some
"evangelicals" which is invading many independent fundamental
Baptist churches.  The author has made a great effort to
understand the emerging church, having read more than 100 books
and many articles by emerging church leaders, having visited
influential emerging congregations as well as attending with
media credentials a large emerging conference sponsored by
Zondervan and InterVarsity Press.  In reality, the emerging
church is simply the latest heresy within the broad tent of
evangelicalism.  The Bible does not warn in vain, "Be not
deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1
Corinthians 15:33).  Chapter titles include the following: What
Is the Emerging Church? A Great Blending and Merging.  The
Liberal Emerging Church.  The "Conservative"
Emerging Church.  The book has an index.  Available in print and
eBook editions, www.wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143

____________

Brian McLaren says:

"Frankly, many of us don't know what we should think about
homosexuality. ...  We aren't sure if or where lines are to be
drawn, nor do we know how to enforce with fairness whatever lines
are drawn. ...  Perhaps we need a five-year moratorium on making
pronouncements" ("Brian McLaren on the Homosexual Question,"
Jan.  23, 2006,
blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2006/01/brian_mclaren
_o.html).

In December 2006, McLaren spoke at the Open Door Community Church
in Sherwood, Arkansas.  The church's web site says:

"The leadership at Open Door Community Churches are excited to
see gay and non-gay Christians worshiping together as one.  We
believe that gay and non-gay Christians can and should come to
the table of the Lord together, side by side, without labels.  We
believe that as these two historically separate communities join
together at the cross of Jesus Christ a healing and a new
understanding of oneness in Christ occurs in both groups.  We are
part of a growing revival of grace-filled Christians transcending
either the terms 'conservative' or 'liberal.' Above all
things, we are a GRACE CHURCH! We are a family embracing the full
spectrum of race, age, gender, family status, sexual orientation,
economic status and denominational background."

In September 2012, McLaren's son Trevor "married" Owen Ryan in
a civil ceremony led by Brian at Woodend Sanctuary of the Audubon
Naturalist Society in Chevy Chase, Maryland
("Weddings/Celebrations," _New York Times_, Sept.  23, 2012).

Tony Jones, National Coordinator of the Emerging Village, says:

"I now believe that GLBTQ can live lives in accord with biblical
Christianity (as least as much as any of us can!) and that their
monogamy can and should be sanctioned and blessed by church and
state" (Jones, "How I Went from There to Here: Same Sex
Marriage Blogalogue," Nov.  18, 2008,
http://blog.beliefnet.com/tonyjones/2008/11/same-sex-marriage-blo
galogue-h.html).

On January 18, 2009, Jones wrote: "Adele Sakler, whom I've
known for a few years, has started yet another 'hyphenated'
group within the emergent network-of-networks.  She's calling it
'Qeermergent,' and, as you might guess, it's focused on GLBTQ
issues."

Doug Pagitt says:

"It we have a theology formed in a worldview that sees sexuality
as sin, our means, intentions, and explanations of sexuality will
be affected" (_Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches_,
p.  140).

In an interview Chris Seay said:

"In your community, are you called to the gospel of Christ, or
are you called to be the moral police? Approach homosexuals
without condemnation but with God's love and the gospel"
("Shayne Wheeler and Chris Seay on Homosexuals and the Church,"
ChurchRelevance.com, June 19, 2007).

Spencer Burke believes that "the evangelical church may be wrong
about homosexuality"
(http://www.zondervan.com/media/samples/pdf/0310253861_samptxt.pd
f).

Donald McCullough says that "condemning homosexuality feels
natural because about 95 percent of us could never imagine
engaging in such a practice" but "in a world turned upside down
by grace, we must distrust whatever feels natural" (_If Grace Is
So Amazing, Why Don't We Like It_, pp.  201, 202).

Donald Miller tells of an experience he had as a guest on a
conservative radio talk show program.  He was asked what he
thought about the homosexuals who are trying to take over the
country.  Instead of expressing concern about the radical
homosexual agenda, Miller naively claimed that he wasn't aware
of such a thing and expressed more concern about Christians who
oppose homosexuals (pp.  187-189).  He said that "morality as a
battle cry against a depraved culture is simply not a New
Testament idea" (p.  186).  He said that if Christians are
"using war rhetoric to communicate a battle mentality, we are
fighting on Satan's side" (p.  190).

Tony Campolo believes that homosexuals are usually born that way,
that it is not a "volitional" problem.  Campolo's wife, Peggy,
supports homosexual marriage.  In fact, she is affiliated with
the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, the mission
of which is "to create and support a community of churches,
organizations and individuals committed to the inclusion of gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in the full life and
mission of Baptist churches." At the New Baptist Covenant
Celebration (AWAB) in Atlanta in January 2008, which I attended
with press credentials, I interviewed an AWAB council member
named Kathy Stayton.  She said that she does not believe the
first three chapters of Genesis are literal history, that
marriage is a divinely-ordained institution, or that homosexual
acts, even outside of "committed relationships," are sinful.

At their booth at the new Baptist Covenant Celebration the AWAB
was distributing an article by Peggy Campolo entitled "Some
Answers to the Most Common Questions about God's GLBT [gay,
lesbian, bisexual, transgendered] Children" from the Summer 2000
edition of _The InSpiriter_.  She counsels homosexuals to "ask
the Holy Spirit to give you a sense of God's timing" about
"coming out" of the closet! She says, "I can celebrate the
committed monogamous partnerships of my gay brothers and lesbian
sisters."

Jim Wallis, founder of _Sojourners_, says in his book _The Great
Awakening_ (2008), that "civil rights for gay and lesbian people
and equal protection under the law for same-sex couples" is "a
justice issue" (p.  229).  It appears that he doesn't believe
that homosexuality is the moral abomination that the Bible says
it is, because it would be difficult to understand why a
professing Christian would think that it would be "just" to
legalize a moral abomination.  He also says that he supports
"civil unions" and "spiritual 'blessings' for gay couples."

Dan Kimball says:

"Because this is such a huge issue in our culture, and because
all of the tension and discussion on this issue is over what the
Bible says about it, we can no longer just regurgitate what we
have been taught about homosexuality. ...  As I talk to them and
hear their stories and get to know them, I come to understand
that their sexual orientation isn't something they can just turn
off.  Homosexual attraction is not something people simply choose
to have, as is quite often erroneously taught from many pulpits"
(_They Like Jesus but Not the Church_, pp.  137, 138).

Philip Yancy was scheduled as the keynote speaker at the Gay
Christian Network's annual Mountain Top Experience in January
2011.  The other main speaker is "Rev." Ann Phillips who "has
been married for four years to her soulmate, Heather Wayne."
Obviously he will not be condemning their unrepentant sin.

In a 2004 interview with Candace Chellew-Hodge for _Whosoever_, a
homosexual publication, Yancy said,

"When it gets to particular matters of policy, like ordaining
gay and lesbian ministers, I'm confused, like a lot of people
("Amazed by Grace," _Whosoever_ online magazine).

In 2013, Rob Bell, author of _Velvet Elvis_ and former pastor of
Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, said that he supports same
sex "marriage." During a guest appearance at the apostate Grace
Cathedral in San Francisco, Bell said, "I am for love, whether
it's a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man"
('Rob Bell Supports Same-Sex Marriage," _Christian Post_, Mar.
18, 2013).

Also in 2013 Jim Wallis of Sojourners came out in support of
homosexual "marriage." In an interview with _The Huffington
Post_, Wallis said:

"I think we should include same-sex couples in that renewal of
marriage ...  I want a deeper commitment to marriage that is more
and more inclusive, and that's where I think the country is
going" ("Jim Wallis Talks Faith's Role in Politics, Gay
Marriage and Immigration," _Huffington Post_, Apr.  6, 2013).

When _The Huffington Post_ asked Wallis to clarify if that meant
he specifically supports same-sex marriage, Wallis answered,
"Yes."

In a 2008 interview with _Christianity Today_ Wallis had opposed
"same-sex marriage," saying,"I don't think the sacrament of
marriage should be changed.  Some people say that Jesus didn't
talk about homosexuality, and that's technically true.  But
marriage is all through the Bible, and it's not gender-neutral."

In a July 2017 interview with Religion News Service, Eugene
Peterson, author of the _The Message_, said that he does not
believe that homosexuality is sinful.  He said, "I know a lot of
people who are gay and lesbian and they seem to have as good a
spiritual life as I do.  I think that kind of debate about
lesbians and gays might be over.  People who disapprove of it,
they'll probably just go to another church.  So we're in a
transition and I think it's a transition for the best, for the
good." Peterson told the RNS that the church he pastored hired a
homosexual minister of music.  He said that in churches where he
served as associate pastor, "There were several women who were
lesbians."

The Bible hasn't changed, and Jesus hasn't changed, but
"evangelicalism" has continued its apostasy from God's Word.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible condemns the practice of homosexuality unequivocally.

The Bible teaches that sexual relationships and activities
outside of the holy bond of marriage are sinful.  "_Marriage is
honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and
adulterers God will judge_" (Heb.  13:4).  From the beginning,
the Bible defines lawful marriage as a holy union between one man
and one woman (Gen.  2:21-25), and Christ pointed back to the
beginning as the divine standard (Mat.  19:4-6).  The Law of
Moses defined marriage as a covenant relationship between one man
and one woman (Mal.  2:14-15).  Since sexual relationships
outside of marriage are sinful and since the Bible nowhere
legitimizes marriage between a man and a man or a woman and a
woman, it is obvious that homosexuality is forbidden.  It is
nowhere legitimized by Scripture.  To say that homosexual unions
are right is to reject the authority of the Bible.

In the Old Testament, homosexual practice is condemned severely.
The homosexuals in Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire from
Heaven (Genesis 18:1-24).  Homosexual activists claim that the
cities were destroyed for their lack of hospitality or for some
reason other than homosexuality, but the New Testament makes it
clear that they were destroyed for their "filthy conversation"
(2 Peter 2:6-8) and their "fornication" (Jude 7).

Under the Law of Moses homosexuality brought the death penalty:

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is
abomination" (Leviticus 18:22).

"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both
of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put
to death; their blood shall be upon them" (Leviticus 20:13).

This Law of Moses was given to Israel and it is not in force in
Gentile nations today, but it does teach us what God thinks of
homosexuality.  "Now we know that what things soever the law
saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God"
(Romans 3:19).

What about the biblical term "sodomite"? Some say that it
referred only to prostitution associated with pagan temple
worship and not to homosexuality in general.  It is true that the
term refers to male prostitution and homosexual moral perversion
practiced in connection with idolatry (Deut.  23:17; 1 Ki.
14:24; 15:12; 22:46; 2 Ki.  23:7).  But the term is also
identified with homosexuality and moral perversion in general.
The 1828 Webster dictionary defined sodomy as "a crime against
nature." The _Webster's Deluxe Unabridged Dictionary_ of 1983
defines sodomy as "any sexual intercourse regarded as abnormal,
as between persons of the same sex, especially males, or between
a person and an animal." The term is descriptive of the moral
perversion of the city of Sodom (Genesis 19; Jude 1:7).

The New Testament also treats homosexuality as a moral
abomination.  In Romans 1 homosexuality is described in
especially intense terms.

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made
like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and
creeping things.  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness
through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own
bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a
lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the
Creator, who is blessed for ever.  Amen.  For this cause God gave
them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the
natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also
the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their
lust one toward another; men with men working that which is
unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their
error which was meet.  And even as they did not like to retain
God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind,
to do
those things which are not convenient" (Romans 1:22-28).

Paul identified homosexuality as the product of men's rejection
of God and God giving them up to their own sinful ways.  This
passage calls homosexuality "vile affections" (v.  26),
"against nature" (v.  26), "leaving the natural" (v.  27),
"unseemly" (v.  27), "reprobate mind" (v.  28), and "not
convenient" (v.  28).

The passage warns that homosexuality is the corruption of the
imagination.  It is the product of a reprobate mind.  When the
imagination is allowed to pursue wicked things it is dragged
farther and farther into darkness and moral perversion, and this
can begin at a very young age.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9, we learn that some of the members of the
church at Corinth had been involved in homosexuality before they
were saved.

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom
of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind."

The term "effeminate" is from the Greek word "malakos." It is
used three times in the New Testament and twice it is translated
"soft" (Mat.  11:8; Lk.  7:25).  Webster defines it as "having
the qualities of the female sex; soft or delicate to an unmanly
degree; womanish." The woman is supposed to be effeminate, but 1
Corinthians 6:9 refers to moral perversion.  It refers to the
passive, feminine side of homosexuality.

The term "abusers of themselves with mankind" refers to the
masculine side of homosexuality.  It refers to that which is
"against nature" (Rom.  1:26-27).  The Greek word
"arsenokoites" means "to lie with, or to cohabit with, a
male." Matthew Henry (1662-1714), exemplifying the common
interpretation of this term in earlier centuries, identified
"abusers of themselves with mankind" with sodomy.  _The Bible
Exposition Commentary_ says: "'Effeminate' and 'abusers'
describe the passive and active partners in a homosexual
relationship."

Some try to make the case that Jesus didn't mention
homosexuality, pretending that this (if it were true) would prove
that Christians should also be silent on the subject.  The fact
is that He did mention homosexuality.  He mentioned the
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah twice in His teachings (Mark
6:10; Luke 17:29).  Christ also upheld the Law of Moses (Mat.
5:18-19).  Further, after His resurrection and ascension Christ
sent the Holy Spirit to lead the disciples into all truth and to
inspire the completion of the Scriptures (John 16:7-15).  All of
the words of the New Testament are given by divine inspiration
and are inerrantly authoritative and come to us as revelation
from Jesus Christ.

The New Testament commands us to abhor and reprove the evil works
of darkness.

To say that it is wrong for Christians to reprove sin in society
is to reject the Bible's own instruction.

"But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his
brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had
done" (Luke 3:19).

"Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good"
(Romans 12:9)

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them" (Ephesians 5:11).

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Tim.
4:2).

The homosexual can be saved by repentance and faith in Jesus
Christ.

Paul speaks of the homosexuality in the church at Corinth in the
past tense -- "_and such WERE some of you_" (1 Cor.  6:11).
The members of the church at Corinth had repented of their sin
and had become new creatures in Christ.  No sinner is so evil
that God cannot save him, but he must repent of his sin rather
than justify it, and when God saves He changes (2 Corinthians
5:17).  This doesn't mean the believer is sinless; it means he
is converted and he delights in righteousness even when he
doesn't always live up to God's righteous standards.

The modern movement to allow homosexuals into churches without
repenting of homosexuality is unscriptural.  Bible believers are
not "homophobic" any more than they are "adulteryphobic" or
"thiefphobic" or "lierphobic." They do not hate homosexuals.
They simply believe that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is
a sin before God and that men must repent of sin in order to be
saved.

They also know that homosexuality is a special kind of sin in the
sense that it is a sin against nature itself and a sin that is a
particular attack upon biblical marriage and therefore has the
power to corrupt society in a unique way.

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2017 18:37:43 -0400
From: David Moore <jesusloves1966 at gmail.com>
To: "Faith-talk, for the discussion of Blindness in faith and
religion" <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] The Emerging Church and Homosexuality
Message-ID: <59cd79b7.0239810a.81539.2eb8 at mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Hi Linda!
Thank you so much for posting this. I saved that web site:
www.wayoflife.org
The bottom line, is that Christians are choosing to pick what they like from 
the Word of God, and throwing out what they do not like.
God, himself says that the Bible is the litteral 100 percent true words of 
God.
Christians are choosing not to believe that!
They do not believe what God says, because they do not take his Words 
litterly, and use the correct science in interpreting the scriptures, like 
Revelation verses the doctrinal texts. Read 1 Cor 6. You either believe that 
or not! Plain and simple. Romans 1, you either believe it or not.
Christians are throwing away the perfect words of God, and it is so sad. We 
really must be on our guard 24/7, looking for those who distort the truth. 
Paul says this again and again that this will happen in the last days.
Thanks a lot Linda. I will share this article all over the place!
David Moore
Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Linda Mentink via Faith-Talk
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2017 10:37 AM
To: Faith-talk
Cc: Linda Mentink
Subject: [Faith-talk] The Emerging Church and Homosexuality

Hi All,

I just received this article today, and thought I'd pass it
along.  This is written was David Cloud.

Blessings,

Linda

THE EMERGING CHURCH AND HOMOSEXUALITY
------------------------------------------------------------

SEPTEMBER 27, 2017

The following is excerpted from _WHAT IS THE EMERGING CHURCH?_
This is an examination of the _emerging church, _a name
describing a new approach to missions and church life among some
"evangelicals" which is invading many independent fundamental
Baptist churches.  The author has made a great effort to
understand the emerging church, having read more than 100 books
and many articles by emerging church leaders, having visited
influential emerging congregations as well as attending with
media credentials a large emerging conference sponsored by
Zondervan and InterVarsity Press.  In reality, the emerging
church is simply the latest heresy within the broad tent of
evangelicalism.  The Bible does not warn in vain, "Be not
deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1
Corinthians 15:33).  Chapter titles include the following: What
Is the Emerging Church? A Great Blending and Merging.  The
Liberal Emerging Church.  The "Conservative"
Emerging Church.  The book has an index.  Available in print and
eBook editions, www.wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143

____________

Brian McLaren says:

"Frankly, many of us don't know what we should think about
homosexuality. ...  We aren't sure if or where lines are to be
drawn, nor do we know how to enforce with fairness whatever lines
are drawn. ...  Perhaps we need a five-year moratorium on making
pronouncements" ("Brian McLaren on the Homosexual Question,"
Jan.  23, 2006,
blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2006/01/brian_mclaren
_o.html).

In December 2006, McLaren spoke at the Open Door Community Church
in Sherwood, Arkansas.  The church's web site says:

"The leadership at Open Door Community Churches are excited to
see gay and non-gay Christians worshiping together as one.  We
believe that gay and non-gay Christians can and should come to
the table of the Lord together, side by side, without labels.  We
believe that as these two historically separate communities join
together at the cross of Jesus Christ a healing and a new
understanding of oneness in Christ occurs in both groups.  We are
part of a growing revival of grace-filled Christians transcending
either the terms 'conservative' or 'liberal.' Above all
things, we are a GRACE CHURCH! We are a family embracing the full
spectrum of race, age, gender, family status, sexual orientation,
economic status and denominational background."

In September 2012, McLaren's son Trevor "married" Owen Ryan in
a civil ceremony led by Brian at Woodend Sanctuary of the Audubon
Naturalist Society in Chevy Chase, Maryland
("Weddings/Celebrations," _New York Times_, Sept.  23, 2012).

Tony Jones, National Coordinator of the Emerging Village, says:

"I now believe that GLBTQ can live lives in accord with biblical
Christianity (as least as much as any of us can!) and that their
monogamy can and should be sanctioned and blessed by church and
state" (Jones, "How I Went from There to Here: Same Sex
Marriage Blogalogue," Nov.  18, 2008,
http://blog.beliefnet.com/tonyjones/2008/11/same-sex-marriage-blo
galogue-h.html).

On January 18, 2009, Jones wrote: "Adele Sakler, whom I've
known for a few years, has started yet another 'hyphenated'
group within the emergent network-of-networks.  She's calling it
'Qeermergent,' and, as you might guess, it's focused on GLBTQ
issues."

Doug Pagitt says:

"It we have a theology formed in a worldview that sees sexuality
as sin, our means, intentions, and explanations of sexuality will
be affected" (_Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches_,
p.  140).

In an interview Chris Seay said:

"In your community, are you called to the gospel of Christ, or
are you called to be the moral police? Approach homosexuals
without condemnation but with God's love and the gospel"
("Shayne Wheeler and Chris Seay on Homosexuals and the Church,"
ChurchRelevance.com, June 19, 2007).

Spencer Burke believes that "the evangelical church may be wrong
about homosexuality"
(http://www.zondervan.com/media/samples/pdf/0310253861_samptxt.pd
f).

Donald McCullough says that "condemning homosexuality feels
natural because about 95 percent of us could never imagine
engaging in such a practice" but "in a world turned upside down
by grace, we must distrust whatever feels natural" (_If Grace Is
So Amazing, Why Don't We Like It_, pp.  201, 202).

Donald Miller tells of an experience he had as a guest on a
conservative radio talk show program.  He was asked what he
thought about the homosexuals who are trying to take over the
country.  Instead of expressing concern about the radical
homosexual agenda, Miller naively claimed that he wasn't aware
of such a thing and expressed more concern about Christians who
oppose homosexuals (pp.  187-189).  He said that "morality as a
battle cry against a depraved culture is simply not a New
Testament idea" (p.  186).  He said that if Christians are
"using war rhetoric to communicate a battle mentality, we are
fighting on Satan's side" (p.  190).

Tony Campolo believes that homosexuals are usually born that way,
that it is not a "volitional" problem.  Campolo's wife, Peggy,
supports homosexual marriage.  In fact, she is affiliated with
the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, the mission
of which is "to create and support a community of churches,
organizations and individuals committed to the inclusion of gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in the full life and
mission of Baptist churches." At the New Baptist Covenant
Celebration (AWAB) in Atlanta in January 2008, which I attended
with press credentials, I interviewed an AWAB council member
named Kathy Stayton.  She said that she does not believe the
first three chapters of Genesis are literal history, that
marriage is a divinely-ordained institution, or that homosexual
acts, even outside of "committed relationships," are sinful.

At their booth at the new Baptist Covenant Celebration the AWAB
was distributing an article by Peggy Campolo entitled "Some
Answers to the Most Common Questions about God's GLBT [gay,
lesbian, bisexual, transgendered] Children" from the Summer 2000
edition of _The InSpiriter_.  She counsels homosexuals to "ask
the Holy Spirit to give you a sense of God's timing" about
"coming out" of the closet! She says, "I can celebrate the
committed monogamous partnerships of my gay brothers and lesbian
sisters."

Jim Wallis, founder of _Sojourners_, says in his book _The Great
Awakening_ (2008), that "civil rights for gay and lesbian people
and equal protection under the law for same-sex couples" is "a
justice issue" (p.  229).  It appears that he doesn't believe
that homosexuality is the moral abomination that the Bible says
it is, because it would be difficult to understand why a
professing Christian would think that it would be "just" to
legalize a moral abomination.  He also says that he supports
"civil unions" and "spiritual 'blessings' for gay couples."

Dan Kimball says:

"Because this is such a huge issue in our culture, and because
all of the tension and discussion on this issue is over what the
Bible says about it, we can no longer just regurgitate what we
have been taught about homosexuality. ...  As I talk to them and
hear their stories and get to know them, I come to understand
that their sexual orientation isn't something they can just turn
off.  Homosexual attraction is not something people simply choose
to have, as is quite often erroneously taught from many pulpits"
(_They Like Jesus but Not the Church_, pp.  137, 138).

Philip Yancy was scheduled as the keynote speaker at the Gay
Christian Network's annual Mountain Top Experience in January
2011.  The other main speaker is "Rev." Ann Phillips who "has
been married for four years to her soulmate, Heather Wayne."
Obviously he will not be condemning their unrepentant sin.

In a 2004 interview with Candace Chellew-Hodge for _Whosoever_, a
homosexual publication, Yancy said,

"When it gets to particular matters of policy, like ordaining
gay and lesbian ministers, I'm confused, like a lot of people
("Amazed by Grace," _Whosoever_ online magazine).

In 2013, Rob Bell, author of _Velvet Elvis_ and former pastor of
Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, said that he supports same
sex "marriage." During a guest appearance at the apostate Grace
Cathedral in San Francisco, Bell said, "I am for love, whether
it's a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man"
('Rob Bell Supports Same-Sex Marriage," _Christian Post_, Mar.
18, 2013).

Also in 2013 Jim Wallis of Sojourners came out in support of
homosexual "marriage." In an interview with _The Huffington
Post_, Wallis said:

"I think we should include same-sex couples in that renewal of
marriage ...  I want a deeper commitment to marriage that is more
and more inclusive, and that's where I think the country is
going" ("Jim Wallis Talks Faith's Role in Politics, Gay
Marriage and Immigration," _Huffington Post_, Apr.  6, 2013).

When _The Huffington Post_ asked Wallis to clarify if that meant
he specifically supports same-sex marriage, Wallis answered,
"Yes."