Category: Theology
A Gay Man Wants to Help Christian Bakers After They Refused to Bake a Cake for Homosexual Wedding
Posted on November 13, 2014 in Marriage, Theology by Nathan Cherry
A story not quite as well-known as the baker from Colorado is the one of the Klein’s, bakers from Oregon. These Christian bakers found themselves in the middle of a national controversy for refusing to bake a cake for a homosexual wedding. In doing so they garnered the wrath of the state which found them guilty of violating anti-discrimination laws. The penalty for adhering to their religious convictions has been the loss of their shop, legal fees, and the possibility of a massive fine that could bankrupt them.
The Klein’s closed their successful bakery in 2013 in the face of legal issues surrounding their case. They decided to operate out of their home in order to be able to do business according to their religious convictions. But this family of 7 is facing bankruptcy as a result of a possible $150,000 fine from the state.
But now, an unlikely ally is coming to their aid and seeking to raise enough money to erase any fines and ensure the family business continues.
That ally is a gay man.
Recent Survey Discovers the Most Popular Heresies Among Evangelical Christians
Posted on November 11, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
As my church prepares to begin walking through the book of Ecclesiastes on Sunday mornings, I am already reminded of Solomon’s oft-repeated phrase: “There’s nothing new under the sun.”
That phrase comes to mind as I read the results of a recent survey conducted by LifeWay Research for Ligonier Ministries concerning the theological beliefs of evangelical Christians. These views, heretical at best, show the lack of theological training and how it has caused a host of ancient heresies to resurface today.
Here is a list of some of the troubling statistics:
Can The Church Simply Change Teaching on Sexuality and Marriage?
Posted on October 20, 2014 in Marriage, Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
Some say Christians, and the church, are out of touch and “behind the times” regarding sexuality and marriage. They want us to “get with the program” and accept homosexual behavior and marriage redefinition.
While some have acquiesced to the demands of those seeking to redefine marriage by voicing their acceptance for homosexual behavior and marriage redefinition, that is no longer good enough. The demand now is that Christians and churches support, affirm, and cheerfully endorse such behavior. The idea of tolerance, once a pillar of the LGBT movement, has been demolished, replaced by verbal affirmation and celebration.
These demands are being made by people who believe it’s no big deal for the church to simply change centuries of doctrinal convictions. Furthermore, they would have us reject the plain text teaching of the Bible in favor of their culturally imposed position. Is such change even possible?
Pastor Appreciation Month! Do We Really Need It?
Posted on October 17, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
You may not have known that October is “Pastor Appreciation Month,” but that’s only because it wasn’t in the church bulletin or on the website. Even if it was announced from the pulpit last week in the service I am guessing you forgot by the time you walked out the door. Hey, no biggie.
All joking aside, this month is an opportunity to show your pastor that you truly appreciate him, his ministry, and his family. We have days to show our appreciation to teachers, public workers, and administrative professionals so I heartily endorse a month to show our spiritual shepherds that we appreciate their life of ministry.
You might be wondering why we need such a day.
Am I The Only One Confused By “Atheist Churches”?
Posted on October 9, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Theology by Nathan Cherry
But what I wonder is just how inclusive and accepting the atheist church is. They claim to be a center for inclusivity, but would they accept me, an evangelical Christian? Would they be open to changing the way they conduct their services so as not to offend me? Would they adopt a “doctrinal statement” that acknowledged God to include me?
While many atheists attack Christians for their beliefs, calling them exclusive, bigoted, hateful, discriminatory, etc., the reality is that every group, including atheists has beliefs that are offensive to someone else. The fact that atheists deny the existence of God is offensive to me, should I sue? If they don’t let me join their church should I sue? If they require members to sign their support for their humanist tenets should I sue? Should I seek to have them removed from college campuses, high school events, and other public arenas?
On the Issues of Gender, Sexuality, and Marriage – Christians Cannot Change
Posted on September 18, 2014 in Marriage, Theology by Nathan Cherry
It seems that with each new attack on marriage by those seeking to redefine it Christians resolve all the more to stand for the true, traditional definition and image of marriage that has been foundational throughout civilization for centuries.
This fact draws the ire of activists that can’t understand why Christians are being so stubborn and resistant to change. After all, at times in history Christians have changed their position on issues that were controversial in culture (think slavery). And even issues that are not contentious in society have been debated by Christians (think alcohol). So if Christians have changed their views on various issues at times, why won’t they change their view on marriage?
A recent article ponders this very question:
Pastor Tells Christians to Avoid Lawsuits by Compromising Religious Convictions
Posted on September 17, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Theology by Nathan Cherry
This idea came to Peterson in response to the couple in New York that was sued for not allowing a same-sex wedding at their bed and breakfast farm in order to be true to their religious convictions. Rather than compromise the couple opted to stop allowing weddings altogether and, as a result, lose part of their income.
Peterson says that instead of closing their farm for weddings altogether and losing money, what if the couple allowed the wedding to take place, but with one notable caveat; “told the lesbian couple upfront that they would take their money and donate it to a conservative Christian law firm to fight against same-sex marriage? In other words, what if they took the sinners’ money and used it for good?”
Uh…no.
Thankfully I’m not the only Christian with deeply held convictions that finds the suggestion of compromise to be untenable and offensive. Peterson shared the response from his radio audience:
In recent years blogger Rachel Held-Evans has amassed a following of sorts. Mostly for her neo-evangelical views that continue to move away from biblical theology and increasingly embrace a more liberal doctrine. She has publicly embraced homosexuality as compatible with Christian doctrine and appears to hold serious contempt for the Complementarian view of gender given in the Bible.
But the evidence that Evans is straying into a liberal theology rife with dangerous ideas can be seen in her “God as Mother” language used in an article that is now two years old. Like many people, I missed the article when it first came out but recent reviews of it by Owen Strachan and Karen Swallow Prior caught my eye. In the article Evans says:
“Mary was not the first, nor the last, mother to hold the broken body of her child in her arms. … And, because of today, because of the cross, it is a pain that God Herself understands.”
Did you see the two little words that have very big implications?
The Gospel Coalition Asks: “Should I Attend a Same-Sex Wedding?”
Posted on September 15, 2014 in Marriage, Theology by Nathan Cherry
The following article was written by Matthew Hosier, pastor of Gateway Church in the United Kingdom, for The Gospel Coalition. The homosexual culture has been more overt and prevalent in the UK much longer than it has here in the United States. For this reason I find Hosier’s article compelling. His use of Scripture to present a clear picture of marriage and give an introduction to a biblical sexual ethic for believers is spot on. Hosier doesn’t claim to have all the answers or say his position is the best one, but he does give a great place to start the discussion because, as he mentions, it won’t be long before every Christian will face this question.
Take a few moments to read through the article and be sure to visit the original article here.
Should I Attend a Same-Sex Wedding?
Probably sooner than later, every Christian must decide whether or not you will attend a same-sex wedding. Those of us who are pastors will also need to be ready to give advice to church members. I’ve chewed this one around, in my own thoughts, with my elder team, and with others. I offer these preliminary thoughts, in the form of Q&A, to help you make your own decision.