A Reformation the Church Doesn’t Need is the title of an article written by Gregory Koukl and Alan Shlemon and posted on Stand to Reason website.
Yes, it’s coming, and perhaps it’s coming to your church sooner than you might think. It’s called The Reformation Project (TRP). Their mission is clearly stated: “We are dedicated to training LGBT Christians and their allies to reform church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity through the teaching of the Bible.”
TRP’s statement of faith is committed to “the inspiration of the Bible, the Word of God…the Triune God…[Jesus’] death for our sins …His resurrection and eventual return…and the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit.”
TRP’s conferences teach conferees hermeneutics and theology combined with tactically clever and rhetorically compelling talking points. They role-play responses in a winsome and attractive way.
Stand to Reason refers to this as “revisionist pro-gay theology.”
RTP also uses a “subjective prod” to make sure that non-gay affirming Christians have a pleasant encounter with a gay person.
RTP claims that modern-day LGBT practice is not the same-sex behavior that is condemned by the Bible. It is claimed that the Bible condemns exploitive, abusive, and oppressive same-sexual behavior—completely unlike the caring, committed, covenantal unions promoted by gay Christians today. This means that “scriptural prohibitions of homosexuality apply only to the harsh and unjust practices, not to loyal, loving, same-sex intimacy.
Are we as Pastors preparing our congregations with a biblical worldview that will enable them to go into the public square with the ability to refute all ten LGBT claims that the Church should support LCBT Christians.
- Condemning same-sex relationships is harmful to LGBT people.
- Sexual orientation is a new concept, one the Christian tradition hasn’t addressed.
- Celibacy is a gift, not a mandate.
- Sodom and Gomorrah involved an attempted gang rape, not a loving relationship.
- The prohibitions in Leviticus don’t apply to Christians.
- Paul condemns same-sex lust, not love.
- The term “homosexual” didn’t exist until 1892.
- Marriage is about commitment.
- Human beings are relational.
- Faithful Christians are already embracing LGBT brothers and sisters.
The degree to which we as Pastors are not arming our congregations with a biblical worldview will be the degree to which the LGBT crowd will gain further inroads into the thinking of the Christian community. They are gearing up with guidance from TRP. Are we matching their effort, and if not, why not?