UPDATED April 24, 2014 with link to God and the Gay Christian? A Response to Matthew Vines e-Book edited by Dr. Albert Mohler
We are in a day in the western church where many have grown lazy concerning biblical doctrine. This week, the release of a widely critical book is now on book shelves, God and the Gay Christian. The target of this book appears to be toward rational thinking biblical conservatives. Where I’ve not read the book I have read two reviews that I think were helpful. (A Response to Matthew Vines and Reform or Revolution?)
I’ll leave the review of the book to those who have read it. But the movement in our day among the evangelical community can not be described as “on the rise”. It is here, period.
I think you and I must acknowledge that the lazy handling of doctrine from the pulpit and the home alter has made this day possible. I don’t know Matthew Vines (author of God and the Gay Christian) but he has made his intention very visible with books, speaking engagements, and a formalized mission and strategy to change the way evangelicals view sexual deviant practices.
Does your church even know why homosexuality is an offence to God? Do you? There are many things that need to be addressed in our day.
I have two things to review and place before you, the reader, to consider.
First: Pastors and parents must know the mission and strategy of this present day. This mission and strategy has a calm voice, a young face, and what sounds like a biblically strong argument. The resources I site below should not be considered as endorsement by me or the church I pastor. The resources are to show you that this movement is well organized, has targeted your children and designed to play on your emotions. Be informed or be made to look and sound like a fool when this argument comes your way.
Second: Know this, the arguments of Matthew Vines is not a new argument. His defense of monogamous homosexual marriage has been made many times before. But never with such a strong base, culturally.
Long before today, the church has responded to this matter. A difference between the past and today is complex because there is no era of church history where the church has handled everything perfectly. But one can see that with this matter, homosexuality, the church has largely let the secular culture handle the matter. Fifteen to twenty years ago, you would rarely see a program that featured a homosexual person, and if it did, the character was mostly to generate a laugh. Today, find a program on television that treats homosexuality as anything but a normal relationship.
Church, when you speak of this matter, speak with compassion and concern. Don’t use cultural catch phrases that are slanderous and hateful. Speak with a biblically literate background. Study to show yourself approved. If you don’t, Matthew Vines will win your children’s affection and they will begin make this same argument.
Prepare yourself, pastor. Prepare your children, parents. Guard your hearts.
The mission and strategy of The Reformation Project.