First, in Auburn, IN one Lutheran church has overwhelming decided they will no longer be subjected to the gay affirming aggression leaders in their denomination have embraced.

A Lutheran church in Auburn this week joined a growing number of congregations in voting to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America over its recently broadened stance allowing homosexual ministers.

Members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 211 E. Ninth St., voted 161-25 Sunday to withdraw from the ELCA, the Rev. Stephen Kummernuss, church pastor, said Friday.

A second vote must be taken in 90 days to confirm the action, he said.

“In August 2009, the ELCA changed its policy to allow same-gender persons in a committed relationship to be ordained, and we don’t agree with that,” Kummernuss said, adding the congregation is not against gays.

“No, absolutely not,” he said. “We believe that God made male and female for relationship with one another and not otherwise. We accept (homosexual) people but are not going to accept the act as part of God’s creation, and … not (among people) in ministry.”

The Journal-Gazette story also said the denomination previously allowed gays and lesbians in the clergy if they remained celibate. The policy change does not force any particular congregation to accept a non-celibate homosexual pastor.

But the move sparked an outcry in many ELCA churches, and many members of St. Mark’s felt it went too far, Kummernuss said. Some [members] began not attending church in protest, and giving dropped 50 percent, he said.

Nothing speaks louder to these apostate leaders than decreased money and members. If more churches would take action, they would no be so bold in installing homosexual leaders in authority. Part of the problem it seems is that many unsuspecting members are deceived with promises of more “dialogue” when in their inner circles they already have determined they will go against the Word of God.

Thankfully, for bible-adhering Lutherans there are options. Leaders have formed CORE, a “coalition of pastors, lay people, congregations and reforming groups. We seek to preserve within the Lutheran churches in North America the authority of the Word of God according to the Lutheran confessions.”

Meanwhile in the UK, a gay cleric was denied a key leadership position for the second time. The UK Guardian reported:

A gay but celibate clergyman has been blocked from becoming a bishop for the second time, following a row over his inclusion on the shortlist for the choice to run the Anglican diocese of Southwark.

Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Albans, was under consideration for the post and would have replaced the Right Rev Tom Butler, who retired earlier this year. In 2003 Dr John had been forced to stand down from his appointment as suffragan bishop of Reading.

When news of his second candidacy was leaked, the prospect of the first openly gay bishop in the Church of England immediately angered conservative evangelicals, who threatened to seek alternative leadership overseas and warned of a schism.

Of course per biblical standards, John shouldn’t be in any position of leadership in the first place, but the politics of religion have gotten him to where he is not biblical integrity.  Its interesting how  John is being marketed as a “gay but celibate clergyman”.  But further in the story says he is in a “civil partnership” but then again reasserts he is “celibate”. Sure, he is.  These agenda driven clerics will tell any lie they can to get into position.  So much for “honesty and integrity” they claim is the hallmark of being openly gay.

John reinvents the atonement  into a English tea party and in the end God and man decides to be friends. [source]. Where have we heard that type of lunatic religious heresy before?

The liberals in the church’s left wing are predictably outraged, because they want to seat these sexual apostates in power. We all know what they will do once in power. Look no further than the vindictive  Vickie Gene Robinson and its clear that keeping people like John out of power in the church is a fight worth engaging in.

Reverend Michelle Smith’s story is unusual. Maybe a little shocking. She says that she used to be a lesbian. And now, she’s not. “I used to be one of those who said that the Bible was ambiguous, because I wanted to justify my lifestyle,” she argued. “But God did something to me and I can’t deny it.” God or no God, Smith’s experience certainly doesn’t fit the status quo for either side of the fence. In fact she has received serious criticism from the Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Bisexual community (GLTB), and she’s been largely ignored by T&T’s versions of the mega-church. Most GLTB believe that if you’re gay, you’re born gay, and no amount of licks, shock treatment or holy water can change that.

Smith certainly never tried to change during the 26 years she spent as a lesbian. She dressed like a man, worked her way up to being a top dog in Jamaica’s drug industry and by all accounts was the life of the gay party. “I loved being a lesbian. I thought I was going to die a lesbian,” Smith said honestly. “I never had a problem getting women. I had penis envy; if anybody called me a woman, I would be so upset.” A photo of her former incarnation shows her with a butch haircut, grim expression and male clothing. A very different person to the gorgeous-haired, grey-suited, make-up wearing woman she is now. Most women learn to cultivate outward femininity during puberty; Smith is now learning to do it at age 41. But it wasn’t her desire to change her gayness that drove her to Christ, she added. It was the fact that no matter how many women she wooed and won, no matter how much money she made, it was never enough to fulfil her.

“I came to Christ at a point in my life where I felt so much emptiness. You keep hoping for a relationship where someone will love you unconditionally, and you’re not getting it.” And while searching for something to fill that void, she pursued Christianity, with no intention of giving up her lifestyle. Once she began a relationship with Jesus, Smith said, her lesbianism became an issue: not for people in the church, but an issue between her and her God. “He was telling me, ‘All or nothing,’” Smith said of her conversion. “I didn’t have anything to lose.” It’s been six years since the Jamaican left the life of a lesbian behind. It’s ironic that becoming a Christian and leaving the gay life has brought her more isolation, a harder life materially.

Click here to read the entire article or click picture for larger view.

Order Michelle Smith’s book  “From lesbianism to grace” here.  To read more about how  grace works for the believer go here.

Tutu is one of the gay movement’s heroes because he doesn’t adhere to the bible, but to the broad social gospel which has no standards, just “love”. And of course following God’s Word would mean that you would have to say that not all sexual activity is good and acceptable. So Tutu and those like him conveniently navigate around the heart of the issue and erect ridiculous strawmen as if the Bible is nothing but a suggestive afterthought on moral issues.

Writing in the Washington Post, the Nobel prize winner unsuccessfully tries to  draw a parallel using the more than debunked argument that sexual conduct and skin color are one in the same. Its an glaring example of how compromise is a sure killer of spiritual credibility.

Hate has no place in the house of God. No one should be excluded from our love, our compassion or our concern because of race or gender, faith or ethnicity — or because of their sexual orientation. Nor should anyone be excluded from health care on any of these grounds. In my country of South Africa, we struggled for years against the evil system of apartheid that divided human beings, children of the same God, by racial classification and then denied many of them fundamental human rights. We knew this was wrong. Thankfully, the world supported us in our struggle for freedom and dignity.

It is time to stand up against another wrong.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people are part of so many families. They are part of the human family. They are part of God’s family. And of course they are part of the African family. But a wave of hate is spreading across my beloved continent. People are again being denied their fundamental rights and freedoms. Men have been falsely charged and imprisoned in Senegal, and health services for these men and their community have suffered. In Malawi, men have been jailed and humiliated for expressing their partnerships with other men. Just this month, mobs in Mtwapa Township, Kenya, attacked men they suspected of being gay. Kenyan religious leaders, I am ashamed to say, threatened an HIV clinic there for providing counseling services to all members of that community, because the clerics wanted gay men excluded.

Archbishop Tutu would have been much more accurate to say “sin has no place in the house of God”. He wouldn’t say that because he knows the gay community he is beholden to, hates that word. To them,  this isn’t about being against sin, its about a selective application of false love. Certainly, humanity is grateful for Tutu’s work  to help end South Africa’s oppressive racial system, but there’s no comparison to the oppression of sin which has permeated and enslaved much of the entire world.  For the record, I personally don’t support imprisoning or executing people for homosexual acts. At the same time, I support a country’s sovereign right to make and adjudicate their own laws whether good or bad.

While racial hatred and discrimination is an outgrowth of sin, the same is true of homosexuality. Saying that one is good and the other is evil is a disservice to practitioners of both sins. Both deserve to be told the truth so that they can experience true freedom made available by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Tutu’ argument is centered on the still unfolding drama in Uganda. He says the proposed law is a “terrible backward steps for human rights in Africa.” Indeed it is, but even if the law was never proposed, homosexual conduct would retain its sin designation. Even if Uganda passes a law giving homosexuals full legal rights, homosexuality would still be an abomination. The point Tutu intentionally refuses to acknowledge is that the destruction of sin is incalculable and cannot be legalized away. Thus, hate is a mislabeled problem with a problematic outcome.

Our lesbian and gay brothers and sisters across Africa are living in fear.

And they are living in hiding — away from care, away from the protection the state should offer to every citizen and away from health care in the AIDS era, when all of us, especially Africans, need access to essential HIV services. That this pandering to intolerance is being done by politicians looking for scapegoats for their failures is not surprising. But it is a great wrong. An even larger offense is that it is being done in the name of God. Show me where Christ said “Love thy fellow man, except for the gay ones.” Gay people, too, are made in my God’s image. I would never worship a homophobic God.

“But they are sinners,” I can hear the preachers and politicians say. “They are choosing a life of sin for which they must be punished.” My scientist and medical friends have shared with me a reality that so many gay people have confirmed, I now know it in my heart to be true. No one chooses to be gay. Sexual orientation, like skin color, is another feature of our diversity as a human family. Isn’t it amazing that we are all made in God’s image, and yet there is so much diversity among his people? Does God love his dark- or his light-skinned children less? The brave more than the timid? And does any of us know the mind of God so well that we can decide for him who is included, and who is excluded, from the circle of his love?

A homophobic God? Perhaps Tutu is revealing who he is worshipping and it is not the God of the Bible. It makes one wonder if this “homophobic God” is this the same one who said that the unrighteous would not enter into his kingdom?  In case you didnt know it, in the spiritual matrix world of the tolerance and diversity adherents, the top transgressions are homophobia and judging. Beyond that, little else angers them.

Tutu’s last question is an interesting one which immediately prompts another of the same.  Can human wisdom exceed or supercede the wisdom of the Creator? If he in his unparalled wisdom, created man and woman, oriented them to each other sexually, relationally and emotionally, then pronounced it all good, who are we to say that he intended or worse created something so different and foreign as homosexuality?

I was one of the speakers and trainers this past week as Ministerio Neuva Condicion (New Condition Ministries) brought together numerous pastors and churches from the cities of San Juan (in the north) and Ponce (in the south) for a historic conference on sexual redemption.

The 5th Sexual Redemption Congress was held in beautiful colonial Ponce March 11-13 on the expansive campus of Iglesia Christiana de la Familia, the first time any such conference had been organized and held in the south of Puerto Rico. The conference organizer Heisha Fernandez, worked untiringly to bring together so many people to hear the message of freedom and deliverance.

Although the conference didnt begin officially until the 11th, a worship service was held on Thursday where Pastor Aldo Lopez of City of Refuge Church in San Juan preached a powerful message on “learning the language of the bones”. He told the church that God was speaking a language to dead bones that only they could hear, but if we are to see them resurrected, we would have to learn to speak that language. Many came forward to the altar afterwards to ask God for renewed spiritual power to help with speaking out to those who were lost.

Hundreds of adults and youth were on hand each day to hear (some of them for the first time) powerful testimonies of how God delivers from pornography, homosexuality, lesbianism and sex industry lifestyles.

Friday night, a young lady who I remember as “Ruthie” shared how God took her out of nightclubs were she was a pole dancer for men.  She said that when she came out, God told her to dance for him and she shared such a moving worship dance that when she finished the Holy Spirit moved and prompted a spontaneous worship all over the sanctuary. The church worshipped like they were truly hungry for the presence of God. In fact, when I was presented for the main message that night, the anointing of God fell afresh in such a way that I could not even open my mouth to speak intelligent words. Both myself and the translator as well begin to praise God at the same time. The pastor, an educated man, and his wife and many of the leaders fell on their faces in worship before the Lord as he moved in the midst of us. The service was simulcast on the internet. One of the church’s technicians told me the internet broadcast had a larger than normal audience.

When the Spirit released us to continue, I preached from James 4:13 from the subject “Make this moment count”. I conveyed to the church that God had given each of us only a moment in time to make an impact for the kingdom of God and that we should take full advantage of it. When I gave the altar call the first to come were teens and young adults who were crying out to God and praying for each other. It was a sight to behold.

On both Friday and Saturday, I conducted six full seminars on a range of topics from temptation to developing healthy same gender relationships to the various challenges faced by the church from homosexual affirming theology. This was my first time working with a translator, but the Lord gave us supernatural unity of spirit (and form) with the two translators assigned to me. They both flowed with ease so the people were completely blessed, educated and equipped.

I was astonished at the passion of the saints in this country as they truly came with believing hearts and many, many excellent and thought provoking questions.  On Saturday, the seminars were held behind the church in a large tent (like a revival tent) because the youth were given the sanctuary to hear presentations and a music concert aimed at equipping them. Even though the heat cranked up, not one person left or complained. Sure, they live there, but it was no easy task as we struggled with the heat to deliver God’s word.

I was told by some of the people that it had not rained in Ponce (Puerto Rico’s second largest city) in some time. In fact, a doctor told me that the land had been dry and brown for some time. But the day after we arrived, clouds formed and the rain began to fall intermittently.  As we were leaving out, the doctor showed me how already it looked as if the green was returning.

I was especially blessed to work with Pastor Pat Lawrence of Toronto. Pat is the past president of Exodus Global Alliance. She and I had worked on a similar missionary trip in Barbados in 2006, so it was a joy to see her and work with her again.

The congress was backed and sustained by a small army of prayer intercessors. I noticed that they prayed constantly no matter what was going on. They were faithful to the call to cover the meeting in that manner. It was also evident that the prayers of the righteous availeth much.

On Saturday evening we took the roughly hour and a half drive back to San Juan where I was hosted by a gracious family. Both were doctors and well to do, but treated me with such respect. They fed me well with Puerto Rican food. All my taste buds can say is “wow!”.

On Sunday, I had been asked to speak at two local church services. The first was the morning worship at Iglesia Cristiana El Sembrador. Although I could not understand the words to the songs or what the people were saying at times, the Spirit confirmed itself. One song about the faithfulness of God moved me to tears and truly set the stage as I shared with the packed church from Psalms 66:10-13 I relayed to them that God was moving us to a “wealthy place” and that he had allowed and even orchestrated the pain and hurt we go through to bring out the best in us for his glory.  I was touched deeply as many of the older mothers of the church came forward weeping in prayer and the word was received with joy. The Lord instructed me to pray for those sick and anoint them with oil. My translator told me that CD sales of the message doubled that day. All glory to God.

We left that church and went immediately to a service at my host’s church where I didnt speak but enjoyed a brief service of praise. Although it was a Baptist church, the service reminded me of some “apostolic church” services I had been in.

Later, I was the guest minister at the City of Refuge Church where the other translator assigned to me pastored. So many people had come the pastor told me he had to turn away several families because of building restrictions. I know it had nothing to do with me, but the worship was so rich and powerful, it made ministering the word easy.  The passage the Lord gave me was from Psalms 118:15-17. After the service, a lady whom I recognized from Ponce, came to me and gave me a small silver ring. She couldnt speak English but she told the pastor she wanted me to have it so “I would not forget her”. She said that I had answered so many questions and issues she had been struggling with. My heart was so touched it could have just melted.

Was I exhausted? You bet I was! But worth every second. I am truly thankful that God allowed me to be a small part of this historic moving of the Spirit in Puerto Rico. I ask that you pray with me that the seeds sown will bring forth a bountiful harvest.

Ian McKellen has spoken out against Britain’s new anti-pedophile database, insisting the new scheme will dissuade amateur theaters from casting children. The Lord of the Rings star fears the Vetting and Barring Scheme, which requires any adult working with children to register and submit a background check, will result in limited roles for young performers.

Adults who don’t comply face a fine of up to $8,000 and a criminal record, which McKellen maintains is unnecessary in the world of amateur theater.

He says, “People are all there for the love of it – that’s what amateur means. It’s a very family atmosphere and there has never in the last 50 years been any hint of wrongdoing, and so it’s trying to put right a problem that doesn’t really exist. If children are no longer allowed, as it were, to perform with amateur groups the loss is everybody’s.”

McKellen claims small companies are struggling to cope with the costs and extensive paperwork, adding, “There are so many people who seem to have an input into this new legislation that have been consulted, and people who haven’t yet been consulted are the people whom it’s going to directly affect.”

How silly, foolish and reckless could a person be? Pedophiles look for the least path of resistance to get to vulnerable children. Don’t hold your breath waiting for any gay leaders to get upset and distance themselves from him. After all the founder of the modern gay rights movement was the gay pedophile activist Harry Hay. That’s history you shouldn’t forget.

If you remember, several months ago McKellen kicked up atheism dust by revealing that he hated the bible so much he intentionally ripped out pages containing passages about homosexuality.

Let’s recap: Oppose protecting children from pedophiles because it will discourage amateur acting and you hate the bible so much you desecrate it. What’s next McKellen, be a spokesman for acceptance of bestiality?

Stay with me on this, its a maze but here it is in a nutshell.

Warren, ever the jack in the box, visited Uganda  March 27, 2008 and strongly urged pastors not to tolerate homosexuality in their country. As some point, a bill came to light which is said to criminalize homosexuality with a death penalty attached. Consequently the pastors, led primarily by well known Ugandan evangelist Martin Ssempra (left), put their weight behind the murky, misinterpreted bill. After Warren’s letter and visit tied him to the controversy, he denied he was involved. Homosexual activists and media types turned up the fire on him for lying…again. As expected from Warren, he now condemns the bill, the pastors actions, and anything else he can to save face with homosexual activists who don’t like him anyway.

The east central African nation, its legislators and an ad hoc pastor’s taskforce has been at the center of a major firestorm of criticism and condemnation from all directions.  You can google to get all the details.

Now, Ssempra has shot back across the Atlantic with an angry letter publicly blasting Warren for flip-flopping on the issue.

December 19th, Ssempra sent two “open emails”, one to Christianity Today and the other —perhaps more detailed— to Warren Throckmorton demanding that Rick Warren repent within the next seven days for “wronging” the Ugandan pastors.

While Im not interested in the debating the morass of controversy fueled in part by gay activists who quickly gave Uganda’s legislation a sound bite title, it does once again show how false prophets like Warren can inflict considerable damage even on whole nations.

Warren has done the same thing on homosexual issues before.  Remember his Obama inauguration prayer controversy and then the Prop 8 debacle? Its a major double mindedness at best.  The pastors should have told Warren to butt out and fix his own problems but I digress.

Here’s some excerpts of Ssempra’s email via Throckmorton’s blog which should serve notice to Warren defenders to take off your anti-snake glasses and see that this man is bad business.

Ssempra, representing the pastor’s taskforce, writes:

“We acknowledge receipt of a letter from you in which you called on us (Ugandan Pastors) to “speak out” against the proposed “Anti-homosexuality Bill 2009” which is currently before our parliament. This bill has been greatly misrepresented by some homosexual activists causing hysteria and we take this opportunity to give you the background, facts and response to the concerns you raised. A special meeting of 20 denominational heads met on Thursday 17th Dec in the offices of the minister of Ethics and Integrity, examined your letter and formed a joint task force to respond to you as well as help support the parliament in the passage of this bill.  We are further distressed by your unwarranted abuse of our duly elected officials who are in the process of making laws in the fulfillment of their mission and make demand that you biblically issue an apology for having wronged us as demonstrated by the facts of this letter.”

Ssempra makes a vivid point about the state of western Christian church and its plunge into apostasy:

“The take-over by homosexuals of western institutions that should have remained as defenders and protectors of moral integrity in society, particularly the church, to the extent that even evangelical church leaders in America no longer protest when a practicing homosexual is appointed into pastoral leadership in the church (e.g. the election to the office of Bishop of  Mary Glasspool in your state of California last week and Gene Robinson in New Hampshire before her). This institutional takeover by homosexuals has been systematic and planned, to the extent that other bodies like the UN, national governments, financial institutions, private companies, NGOs, etc. have become spokespersons of the gay movement and daily use official resources to promote the gay agenda and to arm-twist anyone who opposes this agenda. In a globalized world, this western takeover of institutions by homosexuals has turned into international promotion of homosexuality and of other vices like abortion and pornography in other countries.”

Ssempra noted that 200 of Uganda’s top religious leaders have backed the law and cited a growing chasm in the global church over homosexuality.

“We note with sadness the increasing levells [sic] of accepting of the evil of homosexuality. The ordination of Mary Glasspool a Lesbian as a bishop in Los Angeles without any condemnation from you, has increased the widening gap between the global south church in Africa and the global north church in Europe and America. In these increasingly dark days, we encourage you not to give into the temptation to water down what the bible says so as not to offend people.  Jesus’s gospel is a stumbling block, and a rock of offense.  Rick you are our friend, we have bought many of your books and have been blessed by them. Do not let the pressure of bloggers and popular media intimidate you into becoming a negotiator for homosexual paedophillia rights in Africa. As you yourself say about evil, – “the Bible says evil has to be opposed. Evil has to be stopped. The Bible does not say negotiate with evil. It says stop it. Stop evil.”(RW-12/2007) Since the bible says that the giant of  homosexuality is an “abomination” or a great evil, you cannot achieve the peace plan without  a purpose driven confrontation with evil.”

I do not know whether the bill is good bad or in between.  I do know that Ssempra is right on this issue. Homosexuality is satan’s weapon of choice to usher in the antichrist era on the world. And while I don’t believe legislation alone will stop it, believers should recognize that we are beyond the point of no return. This isnt about so-called civility, equality and loving acceptance of people. That’s what they (the blind guides) tell you, but a spirit is at work and those who misjudge its intent will be conduits of devils into the contemporary church.

The only way you can find out his real identity, purpose, and historical existence is in God’s Word. The only way to know if your relationship with him is authentic is by God’s word.  Anything short of that is a false road. In preparation for the appearance of the man of sin, deception and out right lies about the Lord Jesus Christ are steadily increasing. And it will suck in the marginal and those who refuse to acknowledge the Lord Jesus for who he is.

GCM Watch documented many times how the gay christian movement has led the way in “re-imagining” Jesus. In their darkened minds Christ is  the object of a sex act, a promiscuous homosexual, a virgin homosexual martyr and  more. In the dark recesses of the religious, but Christ deficient mind, satan recreates a christ to mirror the wickedness of the individual’s own sin. Thus, a person can believe  the image they worship is “Christ” but in reality its only a reflection of their unregenerate mind.

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man… Romans 1:21-23a

Out of Scotland comes this newest perversion of the Savior.

A protest involving nearly 300 people touched down Tuesday on Glasgow’s Glasgay! arts festival over a controversial play that presents Jesus as a transgender woman.

The Christian protesters gathered outside the theatre ahead of the opening night of the production on Tuesday.

Jesus, Queen of Heaven, which runs until Saturday, is written and performed by transsexual playwright Jo Clifford.

The demonstrators sang hymns and waved placards. One read: “Jesus, King of Kings, Not Queen of Heaven.”

Festival organisers described the banners as “fairly provocative” and said they could be viewed as inciting homophobia. Glasgay! producer Steven Thomson said: “Jesus Queen of Heaven is a literary work of fiction exploring the artist’s own personal journey of faith as a transgendered person.  Read full story

Does Christ identify with us in our sins? Yes, he does, but here’s where some go astray. The Savior’s identification with us is only for the purpose of making effective intercession for us which comes into play when we seek forgiveness for our sins. While he took our sins upon himself and was “made” sin for us, he is yet without sin.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 1 Cor 5:21

Thus,  his status as God-man and sole mediator between God and man cannot be recreated to make us comfortable with him. He has been highly exalted for this reason.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need Hebrews 4:15 (our bold).

If you don’t know Jesus Christ right now, the one revealed in scripture as God incarnate, don’t waste another minute.  You don’t have to believe me, or the liberals, conservatives, the gay christians or your family. Seek Him for yourself and he will reveal himself to you. The moment that you know him in the forgiveness of your sins, determine in your heart that you will stay with him for the rest of your life. Deception is waiting at the door, should you change your mind.

PJ Miller has an excellent run down on his post Destiny Church, A cult in the making.

Religion News blog also covers how Tamaki’s service where 700 men in the church swore allegiance to him and are now wearing covenant rings as a symbol of their “irrevocable, undissolvable oath of commitment” to him.

RNB reported last December the cult-like church announced plans to create a ‘holy city’ for its followers. At the time, Tamaki reportedly urged church members to sell their homes around the country and move to his promised land. The church has denied this, but Tamaki’s 3 million dollar home is up for sell. The church refused to say why.

What do you think is really behind the “spiritual son, spiritual daughter” thing going on in the church?

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Tim 1:1,2

But is this the same concept and precept people like Eddie Long, et al are espousing?

On behalf on a growing group of concerned parents, leaders and former clergy sexual abuse survivors of the Church of God in Christ, I am pleased to announce the launch of ReportCOGICAbuse.com.

The site has been in months of planning, researching and developing.  And we felt it appropriate to launch it on Bishop CH Mason’s birthday to honor his call to holiness, purity and righteousness and to alert people to a growing problem affecting a cross section of the church’s constituency.

Mason, called one of the most influential spiritual leaders of the 20th century, was born September 8, 1866 just outside Memphis, Tennessee and later founded what has become the nation’s largest black pentecostal denomination.

The site’s main goal is to empower the people of COGIC with solid information, resources and a grass roots friendly instrument to fight the culture of silence and inaction which emboldens sexual predators to continue their devastation upon innocent men, women and children. We believe  Bishop Mason would not have stood by silently in the face of such grave abuses of someone’s sexual sanctity.  The site also raises up the profile and plight of victims and the families who are often quickly pushed to the side and forgotten.

We also take this occasion to once again call on Bishop Charles Blake and the leadership of COGIC to demonstrate true leadership by supporting reform and stricter accountability measures in the church.

Future plans include press conferences, awareness seminars, cross-denominational partnering and an expanded database of convicted clergy sexual offenders.

Visit www.reportCOGICabuse.com

YMAM Brazil (Youth with A Mission) director Bráulia Ribeiro: “It is not our role to legislate morality”.

Julio Severo: “It is not our role to legislate morality”. This is, Christians should just stay passive while the wicked legislate every kind of immorality. You can hardly hear Satan saying to evangelical ministers and politicians, “Listen, you Christians! I am legislating immorality throughout the society and I do not want you disturbing my activities. For the time being, you are free to legislate your morality only within your churches”. You can find the echo of these words among feminists, who tell, “The State is secular. You Christians cannot promote the value of life in society. Only we, who are not Christians, have the right to legislate abortion and whatever else we want. Keep away. This domain — the society — belongs to us”. The words of homosexual activists are not different, “The State is secular. Only we can do whatever we want. You Christians may legislate your morality only within your churches”. Sometimes, a Christian voice appears to give them support. Such are the voices of Bráulias.

The argument that “It is not our role to legislate morality” will be also used against Christians fighting pedophilia. In the Netherlands, which was the first nation to legitimize homosexual “marriage”, there is an official pedophile party composed by homosexual members and because of the pressures of homosexual activism the age for sexual consent has been lowered. According to Bráulia, if homosexual activists want the same “conquests” in Brazil, we cannot “legislate morality” to thwart them.

Severo says that we should oppose all wickedness promoted (or passively allowed) by the governments without respect to political affiliations. That would be a true representation of the kingdom of God, not just citizens of a earthly domain.

Because of the video “Hakani” of YWAM on Indian infanticide and because of my friend Dr. Damares Alves, I got involved in the fight against murders of Indian children. I had the privilege to know personally Hakani, Bráulia Ribeiro and Dr. Wilson Bonfim, who fight Indian infanticide. The first time she saw me, the girl Hakani said to her mother Márcia, “See Jesus Christ there, mommy!” The only reason I do not fight in a more intensive way is because, thank God, there are many groups and Christians engaged in this fight.

In the homosexual issue, when I began my awareness campaign years ago through my book O Movimento Homossexual (The Homosexual Movement), published by the Brazilian branch of Bethany House Publishers, the absolute majority of Christians were frightened to confront the gay agenda. Today, not much, but disinformation, timidity and even fear still persist. The reason is simple: To fight the gay agenda is so risky as to fight Indian infanticide, because the liberal and leftist media gives no value to those battling in these two fronts. My mission is to keep my awareness campaign.

The Indian infanticide issue does not affect the whole Brazil, but only the Indian tribes. Yet, the homosexual issue affects Brazil from North to South. It affects poor and rich. It affects atheists and Christians. Rich and poor homosexuals, born into Christian or atheist homes, confess experiences of abuse. Men raping boys is not a reality restricted to tribes. It is a reality present throughout the Brazilian society. So my fight is to help Brazil to avoid the destiny of Sodom and Gomorrah.

However, our fight against the gay agenda, the abortion agenda and the socialist and secularist agenda protecting and covering Indian infanticide requires union, because a “household divided against itself will not last”. And this household has been very divided, with Christian leaders who do not denounce the gay agenda and the pro-homosexuality campaigns by the federal government because they themselves have alliances with the Lula administration. And now why is YWAM in Brazil joining the anti-“homophobia” chorus? Does YWAM in Brazil want to alleviate the burden of its uncomfortable “cultural” situation before the Lula administration?

Its a shame people who are supposed to be teaching Christian youth to be on a mission for God are instead embracing such passive, go along to get along mentalities.

You should also read The passive church redux