My Response to the Current Situation in the Church of God
I have been watching and listening to the expanding conversation surrounding a website launched by an independent group with ties to the Church of God movement but in no way representing the movement. The Church of God movement is unique in that we are truly a movement so no one person speaks for the Church of God. The General Assembly of the Church of God, which is a gathering of pastors and lay leaders from across the United States and Canada, meet every other year to discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to the church and where the Holy Spirit is taking us. We believe the bible is our “rule of faith” not any creed that a person wrote. Jim Lyon, our general director, speaks on behalf of the General Assembly to represent their intentions. I remind you of who we are so you will know no one person from Anderson or anywhere else can speak for the movement on any topic or take a stance on any issue without the approval of the General Assembly. The values and beliefs expressed by this rogue group through their website do not and cannot represent the beliefs of our movement. The persons who have positions in the movement that I have spoken to about this issue are unanimous in their opposition to what it represents.
In regards to the beliefs expressed in this website I will not insult your intelligence and your beliefs by delineating verse by verse the biblical errors in their statements. The whole thrust of the Bible supports God’s design for human kind as family, man, woman, husband, wife, and children. If anyone presents the Bible as stating anything other than God’s plan is to pervert and twist the meaning of scripture.
Some people accuse Christians as not being understanding and loving when we state the Biblical truth of the family. This accusation is untrue because to be loving is to tell people the truth. God’s intention in His design for our personal lives and our family is for us to be fulfilled, to love and be loved and to glorify Him in our lives. Any deviation from His design leads to brokenness, hurt, and destruction. A person only finds true joy and fulfillment in God’s design. Loving someone is not accepting a life style that will lead them to a broken life. As Christians we love all people as God loves them and we serve “the least of these” as Jesus served them. Sinners were attracted to Jesus but he did not condone their lifestyle. We, too, should represent God’s love to people who hold different opinions and beliefs then we hold but without compromising the truth.
We live in a culture that is not only unchristian but antichristian. Never before has Christian beliefs and values faced such opposition from businesses like Target and Disney to the present administration in the White House. We will survive and thrive because the church thrives in persecution. Persecution reveals the power and truth of our faith. However, we cannot compromise or be tolerant with cultural values that attack and dilute our Christian values. As Paul told us we are at war with spiritual forces that seek to destroy our faith. Our weapons are not the weapons of the world but have divine power to overcome the enemies of God. We win when we are faithful to God and lift up Christ as the only hope for the world.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57
I am including another helpful response to the website from Indiana Ministries.
