What are we so afraid of by allowing others opinions to be shared, acting as a source of topics for us all to wrestle with or further solidify our faith positions. 15 If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. A song, actually. Maybe he chased them with a whip in love, perhaps? Anyone who writes a damning or imperious or condescending comment on their blog is only showing they have no such concern for the person. I understand that you think it is. Its kind and helpful. Mark 10:6-9 NKJV Maybe if someone doesnt want to be attacked for their seemingly unorthodox views, especially when one is a public figure, they should keep their views privately. Enlarging Life That doesnt mean that it isnt a sin when you take the entire Bible into consideration. I am ok if any of you disagree with me. A Loving response: Youre right this issue is important to me, but attacking somebody is never okay, and is not Christ-like. Our campus is more than just a building where we gather on Sundays. Jesus calls us to speak the Truth in LOVE (not in bloodthirsty fury). Maybe then they could have seen how badly they were treating someone that was faithfully guiding a congregation that loved him dearly. We cant say its ok because peoples feelings might be hurt. God comes first. Whether it be drunkiness,adultery or homosexuality. The protectors of orthodoxy appear to have drawn a bead on her as they did on Rachel Held Evans, Rob Bell and Brian McLaren before her. The old you have to be tolerant of my intolerance argument. Sunday, May 28, 2022. 5/15/22 ANC 5-15-2022 Sunday Live Service ANC 5-15-2022 Sunday Live Service 5/8/22 . JENNIFER and Brandon Hatmaker are known for their work with Austin New Church. Did ANC follow typical ecclesiastical procedures regarding their change in position regarding an important, divisive, and controversial doctrine? Principles of Community | Reflections from Acts, LOCATION | The 04 Center2701 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704, SERVICE | Sundays 10:30**Kids/Students Programming and Livestream available. Im not suggesting religious communities shouldnt have core beliefs and clear tenets of faith. This should surprise no one, least of all the writer. Yours just ignoring the facts otherwise. Get off of youre throne bro, youre clueless. Thanks, Mike. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But the start of this topic was about error in teaching. Do you keep the Sabbath holy? How do you justify that? Wait. I was super bummed out by most of the comments. Lets be more careful that our theology is producing good fruit. JM updates facebook Left Job at Free Methodist Church USA I listen, but I no longer debate their criticisms and small mindedness. Marriage is defined by the song of creation in Genesis, bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, man and woman. I thank God I am not a reformed sinner. These couples rejoiced, and told everyone how the church didnt need a senior pastor, and how they were going to now lead the church for the future. Ive had to distance myself from several in the Christian community where I live following character assassination and some harassment. And it was allowed. Be assured that you were persecuted for all the right reasons and God had control of the outcome! Yet, I find myself sobbing in my back yard as I listen, hoping no one hears . But an encounter with a homeless man who wanted his Texan boots changed all that. Sin must be known as it is. I teach others as well publically that drinking alcohol in moderation is not sin. PromotingSuppressing.Isolatin Maybe pull your head out of your ass and realize that God would rather see people happy than have a tenth of the population relegated to loneliness and eventual rebellion against God. Judging by the comments I see here some of you really, really need it. Speaking of salvation, how does baptism fit into that? I did not come to bring peace but a sword. Hatmaker's father was a pastor and ran a family church. Healthy religion does not indoctrinate, but teaches people to think for themselves; Healthy religion invites us to be humble about what we believe and know; Healthy religion does not invest in negativity; it does not major on what it is against but rather on what it is for; Healthy beliefs stay in tune with reality, never filling in the gaps for what we do not know. He encouraged the person to stop sinningmaybe because of His love for people, knowing that sin hurts the personnot because Jesus was focused on condemning sin. This is not the Jesus I know, the Jesus who ate with notorious sinners and scandalized the religious as a result. Hatmaker was the lead pastor of the church before resigning on Friday afternoon after admitting that he had an affair with another man while married to his wife (who is also openly gay). Im both cheered by this article while remaining concerned that we Christians (I dont call myself Evangelical anymore since Trump) arent very deep about our understanding of sexuality and many related topics. It was dying out in the early church, but still happened. Its sometimes called the Doctrine of Election. BE GENEROUS. It was also Jesus who affirmed what exactly a marriage covenant is when he said, from Genesis, that a man leaves his father and mother to cling to his wife and become one flesh. But to God? Seems so simple but we fail so often. Come be part of what God is doing." To say that this was some kind of clue to the fact that people are born certain ways regarding homosexuality is twisting this verse. There are many of us in the Body that once were insiders that are no longer. Way too much dialogue is done publicly and its not healthy. Cracking a loud whip has always been the most effective means of controlling the movement of large groups of animals. I begged these people to stop and shared with them how it was affecting me and my staff. It is a pattern of sin emanating from our wicked hearts. But I know that God is on His throne and showing us the true Kingdom at hand, and it doesnt look like what we thought it would. Im late to this article but I totally agree with you Sheri-its time we as TRUE Bible believing Christians start telling it like it is-and if these heretics-and that is what they are-go public-and any preacher is public really, whether online or preaching in their church-why then shouldnt we go public? Or at least that is true for many. The Hatmakers' congregation, Austin New Church, ultimately transferred from the Free Methodist Church, an evangelical denomination, to the United Methodist Church. This isnt great, Mike, and soooo important. It seems to be the only one you can quote here. Im so sick of the whole Christian hippie thing. Unity in Him Eternally wrong. Jesus is in charge of me. Mr. We must as Evangelicals now learn, in the 21st Century, to be at least as good and wise as Nicodemus, who was willing to go to Jesus in private. The same thing happened to Vicky Beeching, here in the U.K (although a lot of her ministry was in the states so she was battered from I dont know what it is that some of you have eaten but before commenting about a biblical issue perhaps it would serve you well to actually read the bible, brush up a little. It is never correct to say any sin is okay. Does shaming those who speak up for the vulnerable bring people to the Loving and Forgiving God? He poignantly ends the chapter with this true statement, p 263: the only truly biblical stance on homosexuality is limited to rejecting male homosexual sex with the same vehemence as, for example, clothing made from wool and linen mixtures, and to remaining open minded about everything else. Trust me, being a friend to Jesus is worth any sacrifice. Love, Garry. But this only provided them with more ammunition and fueled their rightness. The loaded the big guns, and intensified their attack. Sean Steckbeck: Your rhetoric is the stuff that drives my LGBT friends to suicide. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. This IS great, Mike!! If you believe that, you need to reread that passage and see for what the whip was used. Did FMCUSA release ANC because of their stance on gay marriage? The couple split in August 2020 after several years of marriage. Pics by Pauly Littrell) The Scriptures are clear that believers of the Christian faith often speak in tongues. The bible says that if your brother (or sister) has wronged you, you should talk to them first. It was never worth the dramaplus, there would likely always be another mom pushing a little Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle around. Who are you to decide that gay people need to live lonely lives.who cant even have a friend of the same sex because, heaven forbid, they might fall in love with them? What comes to mind for me in countering your view is Matthew 18:6-9. Is this the only story out of the Bible that you know? And it is wrong of this couple to teach this. This is not about Trump. His Identity Timeline: This is blasphemy pure and simple, to say they felt told this. Healthy religion gives confidence to embrace the stranger and insights that are available from those with a different experience of life. I think that response is spot on Mike. Theres no way to prove everything that was actually said. Your response: It IS a Gospel issue! But with grace and love and patience and forbearance and all the fruit of the spirit all is the arsenal of the believer. It was not like that from the beginning. We tell local Austin news & weather stories, and we do what we do to make Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Dripping Springs, Bastrop and the rest of Central Texas a better place to live. Did Jesus condemn homosexualituy? BHs Facebook profile describes himself as Author. Im also a millenial who thinks the evangelical church has become a joke. Established in 2008. I wonder if anyone on here is going to change anyones mind. Sad. So, I was without a job, no income; my dream was shattered, the church shut down, and the sheep were scattered. Thank you for sharing your story and heartache. Keep them to yourself and you will have no problems from me Try to use them as an excuse to destroy other people in love and the Spirit, and Ill burn you to the ground. To learn more about the artists and discover more of their work:https://a ANC 12-23-22 Christmas Eve Eve Live Service, Ascension Day. JM: Jason Morriss, primary teaching pastor and elder at ANC, employed by the Free Methodist Church to serve at ANC since 2013, previously of Joel Osteens Lakewood Church in Houston Approach them directly; raise your concerns respectfully; where appropriate and reasonable, invite a third party into the discussion. Both sides!). They are for you to follow. Never about homosexuality. I agree. Let no man divide what God has put together., 7 The proud religious law-keepers said to Jesus, Then why did the Law of Moses allow a man to divorce his wife if he put it down in writing and gave it to her? 8 Jesus said to them, Because of your hard hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. But that also shouldnt stop us from loving one another. I know it is hard to wrap your mind around it, but they took a procedural item and made it into a essential doctrine. Was the FMCUSA informed of the Hatmakers doctrinal change before it was publically announced on the internet? That seems nonsensical. If they say something a number of us disagree with, and do so publically, maybe we can disagree from beneath that is, with a profound sense of our own brokenness and need of Christs Grace-full touch? Yes the 2nd chapter of Genesis is poetry. When you read Romans 1 and 2 together intelligently as one argument, you see that his whole point is that the people who are judging others are the ones in sin. Brandon is a former pastor of Austin New Church (located in Austin, Texas, USA). Wilshire Baptist Church, a Dallas-area congregation, voted in 2016 to extend full membership to homosexually active people, including leadership ordination and marriage officiation. Love. The author thought he had the dream job: pastoring a megachurch. How can you tell who is a false teacher and who is not (2 Peter 2:1-3)? Look, its not easy Im sure for those trying to deal with this. New Releases. But those who are outside God judges. This timeline is compelling and will sadly, i fear, be ignored. If you want to stay in the fold, youd best be subordinately silent. Sharing of various opinions leads to personal growth, if we allow it. And I think the fact that evangelicals seem to focus on one prominent dissenter at a time, making an example of that person by public mockery and critique is cruel and unbecoming. Not as burnt toast. If you dont, how do you justify that? All of scripture is God breathed. I just ran across your blog recently. It uses the term error for all other deviations. I dont know what you mean about the not having friends part-no one says that. But, unless you are without sin, who are any of us to be casting stones at a fellow sojourner in Christ? Re JH and accountability, its useful to look at the timeline of events that have led up to this. Constricting.Simulating.Seekin So there is no middle ground here. Am I looking at the letters wrong? By the way, Mathew 19:12 isnt referring to sexual orientation other than w/regards to the one reference about one having been deformed (for lack of a better word) at birth and therefore not able to complete his duties (so to say) in marriage but of course there were those in that time who were castrated and then the other reference meaning those who can lead a chaste life not because you sin if you decide to marry but those who are born with an inclination to be able to lead a chaste life and can be more centered in devoting ones life to Christ without the responsibilities of marriage. Frankly, I cant believe we even are having a conversation about this. There are lots of examples in Scripture of people being baptized. Its a difficult place to beI feel like Im losing my home. Since when did social media become the first step to hold someone accountable. Stop making excuses. 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