Hillsong shifts on Homosexuality

[Pressing-On]

A Church In Exile

Then yesterday, coverage about a Hillsong press conference came out, indicating that the global evangelical enterprise is triangulating on homosexuality, particularly about whether it should publicly hold what the Bible teaches in light of culture’s rapid change on the subject.

http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/fir...hurch-in-exile

[n david]

Unofficial Transcript of Q&A between NYT and Brian Houston

Michael Paulson, The New York Times: Can I ask you to clarify something you said in regard to the relevance question? You brought up the subject of same sex marriage, and I wasn’t sure what you were saying. You’re now operating in New York and California where same sex marriage is legal. Can your pastors preside at same-sex marriages?

Brian Houston, Senior pastor of Hillsong Church: It can be challenging for churches to stay relevant. Because many mainstream churches upheld what they would believe is the long established view of what the Bible says about homosexuality. But the world has changed around and about them. On the subject, I always feel like there’s three things. There’s the world we live in, there’s the weight we live with, and there’s the word we live by. The world, the weight, and the word.

And to me, the world we live in, whether we like it or not is changing around and about us. Homosexual marriage is legal in [New York City] and will be probably in most Western world countries within a short time. So the world’s changing and we want to stay relevant as a church. So that’s a vexing thing. You think, “How do we not become a pariah?” So that’s the world we live in.

Then the weight we live with is the reality that in churches like ours and virtually any other church, there are young people who have serious questions about their sexuality. And who maybe, hypothetically speak to a youth pastor and says, “I think, you know, I’m gay.” And maybe they feel a sense of rejection there. Or maybe even their own Christian parents can’t handle it and exclude them at the time when they are most vulnerable in their life.

So you can have churches—not just our church, but churches—young people who are literally are depressed, maybe even suicidal and, sadly, often times grow up to hate the church because they feel that the church rejected them. So there’s the world we live in, the weight we live with, and then the word we live by.

The word we live by is what the Bible says. And it would be much easier if you could feel like all of those three just easily lined up. But they don’t necessarily. And that’s what Carl [Lentz] always says for us, it’s a conversation. For us, it’s easy to reduce what you think about homosexuality to just a public statement. And that would keep a lot of people happy. But we feel at this point, it is an ongoing conversation, that the real issues in people’s lives are too important for us to just reduce it down to a “yes” or “no” answer in a media outlet.

Source Link

[n david]

I can't say I'm surprised.

And for those of us who have criticized Joel Olsteen for his avoidance of standing for what the Bible says, we should be equally critical of Brian Houston's statement.

[Jermyn Davidson]

I think he will find a way to be faithful to the Word while being compassionate to those caught in the grip of this deception.

When I read his statements, that is what I get. He knows what the Word says and he knows about the realities of this sin-ravaged world.

The Church does need to find a way to reach all sinners.

A simple statement, "All gays are going to hell" may ring of truth, but it lacks the love and compassion that God has for a world for whom He sacrificed His Only Son.

Besides, Hillsong is still connected to the A/G sister organization in Australia. Neither they or the A/G are about to be unfaithful to the Word.

[Michael The Disciple]

I submit that Hillsong is a church in retreat. A church in retreat doesn’t give answers. It doesn’t storm the gates of Hell. It settles and makes peace where there is no peace (Ezekiel 13:10). A church in exile (and that’s how I’d describe the current placement of confessional evangelicalism) is one that is faithful amidst the culture, regardless of whether that culture looks more like America or more like Babylon. It knows that it may lose the culture, but that it cannot lose the Gospel. So be it.

Agreed. Hillsong made some nice music but never seems to have left the starting line when it comes to truth and holiness.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

I think he will find a way to be faithful to the Word while being compassionate to those caught in the grip of this deception.

When I read his statements, that is what I get. He knows what the Word says and he knows about the realities of this sin-ravaged world.

The Church does need to find a way to reach all sinners.

A simple statement, "All gays are going to hell" may ring of truth, but it lacks the love and compassion that God has for a world for whom He sacrificed His Only Son.

Besides, Hillsong is still connected to the A/G sister organization in Australia. Neither they or the A/G are about to be unfaithful to the Word.

Not everyone is going to want what God has to offer. That is why it is best to preach the Word - laying out the truth and not acting like a politician, in that, you might lose your position if you speak the truth.

It is proven that children need boundaries. Adults need boundaries as well. God sets boundaries. That is not ever going to change.

When people are in darkness, the light feels intrusive to them.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Not everyone is going to want what God has to offer. That is why it is best to preach the Word - laying out the truth and not acting like a politician, in that, you might lose your position if you speak the truth.

It is proven that children need boundaries. Adults need boundaries as well. God sets boundaries. That is not ever going to change.

When people are in darkness, the light feels intrusive to them.

The world will be reached through love.

The truth of God's Word must be presented in a way that is loving.

Love TRUMPS truth, at least according to the Bible, within the boundaries of the Bible.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by n david

I can't say I'm surprised.

And for those of us who have criticized Joel Olsteen for his avoidance of standing for what the Bible says, we should be equally critical of Brian Houston's statement.

Here is that darkness and light colliding.

Joel Osteen blesses Houston's new (gay) mayor Annise Parker
January 1, 2010

And I recognize the value in having a lesbian politician -- elected despite her opponent's religion-based homophobic campaign

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...-evangelical/1

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

The world will be reached through love.

The truth of God's Word must be presented in a way that is loving.

Love TRUMPS truth, at least according to the Bible, within the boundaries of the Bible.

The world is reached through love, but I recall to your memory King Agrippa - hearing truth, he rejects it. Judas walked with truth and ended up hanging from a tree.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

The world will be reached through love.

The truth of God's Word must be presented in a way that is loving.

Love TRUMPS truth, at least according to the Bible, within the boundaries of the Bible.

Awe....#LOVEWINS!

But wait, did you just claim that "Love TRUMPS truth?"

Wow, yeah you did. smh

Jesus never said, "I am the way, the love and the life." No, He said, "I am the way, the TRUTH and the life."