Virginia Baptist Mission Board (BGAV) Accepts Homosexuality In The Name of Diversity

Standing Against The Fall, Part I

Virginia Baptist Mission Board (BGAV) Accepts

Homosexuality In The Name of Diversity

DOWN WITH SOLA SCRIPTURA!




In this Apprising Ministries commentary, THE EMERGENCE OF EVANGELICAL INCLUSIVE ORTHODOXY AND EMBRACE OF GLBTQ CHRISTIANS

Pastor-teacher Ken Silva highlights the growing acceptance of homosexuality with evangelicalism:

"...As you can see in the AM piece Emergence Christianity Theologian Tony Jones And His Unrepentant Homosexual Christians this is the door that’s now been opened into mainstream evangelicalism itself by apostatizing men like Tony Jones, a prominent theologian within the Emergent Church, now morphing into Emergence Christianity, when he says...

"In any case, I now believe that GLBTQ can live lives in accord with biblical Christianity (at least as much as any of us can!) and that their monogamy can and should be sanctioned and blessed by church and state. (Online source, bold theirs)"

The subtitle of Pastor Silva's article, Don’t Look Now But Evangelicalism Is Being Snatched Right Out From Under You! couldn't be more true for the SBC churches in the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) and their Virginia Baptist Mission Board (VBMB).
The VBMB came out of the closet last year by hosting pro-homosexual, pro-abortion, Red Letter Christian Tony Campolo at the BGAV's 2008 Annual Meeting.
A few weeks prior to the 2008 Annual Meeting, two members, of a local (SBC) church, Joe & Don (names changed), made an appointment with the VBMB to discuss their grave concerns regarding the BGAV's invitation to Campolo. Joe had this to say:

"...I did some research of my own and found he (Campolo) was very liberal in his thoughts on the taking of life through abortion and rights for homosexuals. This concerned me a great deal, yet to top that, the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, one of the organizations that our church supported through our tithes & offerings, would soon bring in Mr. Campolo to the convention held just this past November in Roanoke. After I read of the upcoming visit sponsored by the VBMB, I contacted a representative to inquire of my concerns and was given the opportunity to meet to express my concerns. Upon being given a date and time to meet with one of their representatives, I immediately contacted my former Sunday School teacher. I asked him to attend the meeting, as he was as informed as myself as to those who comprised the liberal and seeker-sensitive movements.

The day of our meeting, we were welcomed by a kind, older gentleman who advised us that he was the president of the VBMB at one time. At no point during our conversation did he ever criticize us or tried to dismiss our concerns. To drive our concern-point home, I played a video of Mr. Campolo stating on a news show that although he thought abortion was wrong, he would not , if he could, have it overturned, and that it was not an immediate concern as it was for others. He (Campolo) also exclaimed that homosexuals had rights and that HE would support them.
The VBMB representative assured us that he was aware Tony Campolo's controversial views. The VBMB rep could only say that he (Campolo) and others such as Rick Warren, Bill Hybels and others within our denomination, were welcome because we needed diversity (emphasis mine).

Don shares his perspective of the meeting:

The VBMB representative seemed to be of the opinion that people are born into homosexuality. He spoke of a friend with a child living the alternative lifestyle, he had a hard time positioning himself against his friend who had accepted it.... I then expressed my personal conviction that homosexuality was a sin as much as any other sin and I believed that he could be saved from this lifestyle through God's help, our prayers and his desire for returning to God's will for his life.
I think the representative was saying that the church should receive them, to which I agreed, as the church is full of sinners, but his position seemed to follow the diversity (emphasis mine) angle. My position was that sinners ought to go to church and, as the church, be there to help them be set free from the bondage of this lifestyle sin. But certainly not let them do things such as teach, preach or lead the congregation in any way.... would we let a drunkard?

I am troubled to see so many embracing the these things I and sadly, this is being spoken by people who profess to be Christian...evangelical even... and even by some of the world's biggest " religious super-stars ", and even close to home by Virginia Baptists and our own Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Where are those who will defend God's unchanging Word? I see them, and I hear them but they are being shouted down by those who should be defending the faith in the loudest voice. What ever happened to "hate the sin, love the sinner". We are so politically correct that we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings even if our silence may actually keep them from being saved

Apparently man has gotten so smart... so intellectual... that we are better equipped today to tell ourselves and others what God really meant to say. Man has always perverted what God created. For example, God gave us love and our attempt to improve it resulted in lust. We elevated ourselves to God's level! Speaking of arrogance.... sad.

THERE IS BUT ONE FAITH, ONE GOD. TO GET IT WRONG IS AN ETERNAL MISTAKE.

Compare Campolo's position on homosexuality with former homosexual Stephen Bennett:

Stephen Bennett educates churches and congregations worldwide through preaching and teaching, expounding on the biblical truths of the sin of homosexuality and sexual immorality – bringing to light God’s perfect, biblical plan for mankind. According to God’s infallible Word, everyone is created either male or female: heterosexual. Sexual relations are only to be between one man and one woman – a husband and wife -- for life – within the grounds and confines of biblical marriage only. Anything outside of this – including fornication, adultery, pornography or anything else – is sexual sin according to God’s Word. Biblical abstinence is to be adhered to until a man and woman enter the biblical covenant
of marriage together as husband and wife. Biblical, sexual purity is this ministry’s overriding and uncompromising message.

If you or someone you knew was trapped in homosexuality, who would you call...Tony Campolo or Steven Bennett?
Click here to see if your Southern Baptist Church is part of the Baptist General Association of Virginia. If your church is part of the BGAV, work to get it out of the BGAV or get out of the church and find a Biblical church.

See related articles:

Virginia Baptist Mission Board (BGAV) Accepts Homosexuality In The Name of Diversity - Part II

The Virginia Baptist Mission Board: Heretics and Liars?

Campolo: The Bible Is Not Sufficient to Deal With Homosexuality
What Kind of Evangelicals Belong To The Baptist General Association of Virginia?
No Response From Immanuel Baptist Church Or Virginia Baptist Mission Board Regarding Campolo Visit
Willful Ignorance of Immanuel Baptist Church & The Virginia Baptist Mission Board
See more on the inclusive, ecumenical, mystical spiritualism of Tony Campolo and the Virginia Baptist Mission Board (BGAV).