Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network Gives Church Leaders Counsel on World Vision Flip-Flop

PHILADELPHIA—World Vision’s controversial decision last week to hire gay Christians in legal marriages, followed by the national backlash, then a reversal of the policy just 48 hours later certainly created a buzz in church circles. How should churches respond and how should pastors counsel their congregations?

The Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network (PPN, www.papastors.net) sent a special communication to pastors on the topic, with special regard to how to address the headlines from the pulpit.

“There are teaching times that come our way in our own personal lives, in our homes, and now within our nation and within the Church itself,” wrote PPN President Sam Rohrer, also President of the American Pastors’ Network (APN, www.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net). “This is one of those times, and it must not be lost or overlooked.

“We face a sobering question: If World Vision and its leadership could so carefully deliberate and then justify a position so clearly anti-biblical and then call their actions ‘Christian’ and in pursuit of Christian ‘unity,’ then what other ‘Christian’ organization, churches, camps, colleges and universities, or organizations of any type that depend on the contributions of Christians around this nation are considering such a glaring compromise of Truth?

“We’ve witnessed an increased attack on Truth generally and God’s model specifically,” Rohrer continued. “Now is not the time for silence. Now is not the time for ambivalence. Now is not the time for neutrality. Now is not the time for being Christian in name only where selective disobedience to God’s clear teaching is deemed acceptable. Now is not the time when talking about the Good News of the Gospel and its ability to transform lives and give eternal life to all who believe can be communicated to people with glaring disregard to sin. Doing so is nothing short of heresy.”

Rohrer went on to tell pastors that a quest for Truth is inextricably linked to the Good News and true love, with very clear Scriptures on the issue of homosexuality. It is a matter of great seriousness when organizations or churches claim to embrace the Gospel then knowingly and willingly encourage, endorse or support the continuation of acts that God says to be sin, he said.

“When any organization or church that professes Christ endorses acts that God says manifest gross selfishness and may commit a person to an eternity separated from the God they say they serve, this is a matter too serious to ignore,” Rohrer added.

“The time is now for pastors in the pulpit to ask themselves where they stand on the definition of marriage and the acceptance of homosexuality. The time is now for public clarification by Christian organizations of all types on marriage and embracing homosexuality within their organizations. Now is the time to understand the fact that God has but one acceptable definition of marriage and that any variation is sin condemned by a holy God—be it sex before marriage, infidelity within heterosexual marriage or homosexuality. If clarity by a ‘Christian’ organization on this issue is not made, I would assert that there is little in God’s Word these organizations would defend with clear conviction.”

PPN also encouraged pastors and their congregations to contact the Christian organizations they support and ask for a clear explanation of positions on marriage and homosexuality, invoking what PPN calls “the World Vision rule,” where Christians can no longer assume where an organization might stand.

“We need to tell the Christian organizations we support that unless they clearly state their position in support of God’s definition of marriage and His view of homosexuality, we will withhold our support,” Rohrer said. “The time is not later; the time is not tomorrow. The time is now.”

For more information on Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network, visit www.papastors.net or call 610.584.1225.

The Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network is a group of biblically faithful clergy and church liaisons whose objective is to build a permanent infrastructure of like-minded clergy who affirm the authority of Scripture, take seriously Jesus’ command to be the “salt and light” to the culture, encourage informed Christian thinking about contemporary social issues; examine public policy issues without politicizing their pulpits and engage their congregations in taking part in our political process on a non-partisan basis.

Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network is a state chapter affiliate of the American Pastors’ Network. The American Pastors Network is a Ministry Program Affiliate of Capstone Legacy Foundation (a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian Public Community Foundation registered nationwide).

2 replies
  1. W. Doyle Bell
    W. Doyle Bell says:

    The following comment is at the center of the issue of our day. Will we stand on the truth of the Word of God, or will we simply float along with any direction the current winds of social thinking and policy may blow?
    “When any organization or church that professes Christ endorses acts that God says manifest gross selfishness and may commit a person to an eternity separated from the God they say they serve, this is a matter too serious to ignore.” (Sam Rohrer)
    We must not bow to outside pressure that would lead us to compromise the very Word of God that we profess to be our inerrant, infallible, guide in matters of faith and practice.
    Thanks, Sam, for the good words. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  2. Pastor Wayne Godsmark
    Pastor Wayne Godsmark says:

    In addition to the direct commands and statement of God, I often think about this passage. As a minister of the Gospel I believe that I am a watchman on the tower and I do not want the blood of God’s people on my hands.

    Ezekiel 33:1-8
    v.6 -7But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

    Reply

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