Honestly Asking Gay-Friendly Churches

The questions I ask here are aimed solely at churches that are 1) Bible-believing, orthodox (especially evangelical), and 2) gay-friendly (welcoming and affirming).

People want to know. How do you “square” being gay-friendly (welcoming and affirming) with being Bible-believing, orthodox, evangelical?

People want to know. What do you do with the clear New Testament condemnations of sex intercourse between people of the same sex? For example, sodomy. I don’t need to tell you what those are or where to look for them because I know you have dealt with them in the process of becoming gay-affirming while remaining (in your own eyes) theologically conservative (Bible-believing, doctrinally orthodox, broadly evangelical in ethos).

Over the years I have taught many students and had some colleagues who believed God blesses loving gay unions as true marriages. I have attended churches that blessed loving gay unions, performing gay marriages, even ordaining (practicing) gay persons to the gospel ministry. Some of these individuals and churches claim to be biblically faithful, orthodox, and broadly evangelical.

Many non-affirming churches want to know how they/you handle the New Testament condemnations of same-sex sex. One obvious example of such is Romans 1:24-27. Another one is 1 Corinthians 6:9, Another is 1 Timothy 1:10.

If you want to know what non-affirming churches believe about these verses, look at “What Does ‘Arsenokoitai’ Mean?” on the web.

Here I am not condemning you OR loving gay couples or gay individuals who remain celibate before and outside of loving and permanent unions. But I think it would benefit all of us evangelicals (and other Bible-believing and orthodox Christians) if we knew, in a nutshell, how you reconcile sincere belief in the authority of the New Testament with you welcoming and affirming stance.

Why do I ask now. Because some traditionally evangelical denominations are now being divided by this issue. The Evangelical Covenant Church of America recently expelled a major Covenant congregation for being welcoming and affirming. The Christian Reformed Church has recently expelled welcoming and affirming churches that believe they remain true to the CRC standards.

Perhaps by clearly explaining how you reconcile belief in the New Testament as the inspired Word of God (“infallible” according to the National Association of Evangelicals) with welcoming and affirming people admittedly engaging in sexual intercourse with people of the same sex in light of the passages I mentioned above. And in light of the overwhelming assumption of heterosexual marriage as the norm in the Bible.

My question and implied invitation here is NOT aimed at liberal Christians or even progressive Christians who do not consider themselves evangelical in ethos. I am asking it of Christians and churches who believe their adoption of a welcoming and affirming posture does not change anything else about them—in terms of their basic stance with regard to scripture, orthodox doctrine, salvation, etc.

*Note: If you choose to respond, make sure your response is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative) and devoid of pictures or links.*