We can see why Carl Lentz said nothing about this growing controversial in his own church but why Brian Houston on the other side of the planet did.
Because Hillsong have deliberately mislead Christians on their position on homosexuality in their media statements, many people have suffered. And sadly, both Christians and closeted homosexuals within Hillsong will suffer.
Christ’s name has been bought in to disrepute, Christians will feel betrayed with Hillsong’s lies and cover-ups. And people like Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly will suffer backlash because of Hillsong’s forever-changing social popularity contests because members will see their latest publication as an attack against Brian Houston and Carl Lentz’s spiritual authority.
Brian Houston and Carl Lentz: don’t you DARE condemn Christian’s for your spinelessness. You are the spineless cowards who have rejected the bible, hidden behind word games and created this apostate mess. And don’t you dare insight your Hillsong members to demonise, sledge and bully this poor gay couple for sharing their experiences publicly.
What is disclosed in these below insights has only confirmed that Brian Houston over the decade has been duplicitous behind the scenes to groom Hillsong church to be a gay-affirming church (See links at end of article). We will be reviewing the serious implications of what was said in another article in light of what we know of Hillsong.) For now, in light of the statement,
“This only confirms to us that personal relationships are transformative. This isn’t difficult to accept after one looks at this through the lens of personal relationship being a foundational tenet of the Christian faith,”
please understand that we created the below graphic for a soon to-be-released article. We think it is an appropriate graphic to release so you can see the dynamics at work in Canfield’s below response:
Josh Canfield writes,
To our friends…
We’re writing this post in response to so many of you who have kindly reached out. You’ve been wondering why we have been getting so many hateful comments on all of our social media in the past week, in which some of you have been tagged or engaged.
The drama that is unfolding at the moment all revolves around the fact that we have been heavily involved in our church, Hillsong NYC. Josh has been with Hillsong for eight years in a variety of ways: choir director, vocal director, and worship team. I’ve been there since the beginning of our relationship, over three years ago, and eventually began singing in the choir and opening my apartment as the gathering place for a connect group for Hillsong members in the Broadway and theatrical communities.
We have been open and forthright about our relationship from the get-go.
Due to our openness and very public appearance together on CBC’s “Survivor”, we have been in conversation with Hillsong NYC’s lead pastors regarding the church’s non-LGBT affirming stance. Hillsong has many campuses around the world, many in places where gay marriage is now legal, so this has been an ongoing dialogue trying to figure out how and where we, as part of the LGBT community, fit in. As a church family, we have been wading through these uncharted waters of shifting culture and social change.
Several days ago some faceless, end-of-days blogger decided to attack us and our church for allowing us to serve when we are “unrepentantly embracing [our] sin” as homosexuals. Sadly, yet unsurprisingly, most super-conservative news sources picked it up and ran with it — giving this man’s voice worldwide amplification it never should have had. Not to mention it worked up Christian communities around the world, as many look to our church as a model of modern Christianity to be emulated. (We’ve never been harassed in so many foreign languages before … and we live in NYC!)
This has now forced our church to globally reaffirm their hard stance as a non-LGBT-affirming institution and disallow any gays from being in a position of leadership within the church. It’s been frustrating and a bit crushing that one crazy person could interfere so easily with the healthy and steady dialogue we’ve been having, but in a new world of social media and instant exposure, we are left unsurprised. Thankfully we are led by pastors who are grace-filled and committed to continuing to try to discern God’s will on this matter.
All this being said, many of you ask: “why are you staying somewhere that doesn’t fully accept you?” This leaves us with a tough decision. If we, as gays, pack up and leave every church we feel less than welcomed in or where we feel spiritual resistance, how will there ever be growth? The flip side of this is: why would we, as part of the gay community who have been primarily outcast for all our lives, willingly subject ourselves to more marginalization? It’s been a lot to personally work though.
Many try to discredit biblical scholars and laymen alike who have shifted their stance from non-affirming to LGBT-affirming by saying “the only reason they have changed their mind is because they know a gay person”. This only confirms to us that personal relationships are transformative. This isn’t difficult to accept after one looks at this through the lens of personal relationship being a foundational tenet of the Christian faith.
After we inadvertently and unintentionally became public representatives for gay Christianity, we feel like we have been called and have a responsibility to continue to stand authentically in our truth — especially within the church family that we call home, Hillsong NYC — we are seeking the Lord, we are Christian, we are gay, and this is our journey.
We thank you for your concern, your prayers, and your support.
Big Smiles and 110% …
Reed and Josh
Source: Josh Canfield, To our friends…, TwitLonger, http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sn7km8, Published 07/08/2015. (Accessed 09/08/2015.)
Source: 09/08/2015
RELATED ARTICLE
Now THIS is sexy entertainment!
Ben Gresham exposes Houston lying in his media statement
Brian Houston admits he can offer “no great answer” on gay stance (Part 1)
Houston’s 2014 God-given “Vision” (Part 1): “New grace” scrutinised
Hillsong grooming members to embrace Queerstianity? (Part 1)
Hillsong grooming members to embrace Queerstianity? (Part 2)
Hillsong grooming members to embrace Queerstianity? (Part 3)
Hillsong grooming members to embrace Queerstianity? (Part 4)
Hillsong grooming members to embrace Queerstianity? (Part 5)
Hillsong grooming members to embrace Queerstianity? (Part 6)
Hillsong grooming members to embrace Queerstianity? (Part 7)
Charisma Mag unhappy with Hillsong’s silent stance on queerstianity
Huffington post reports on Hillsong’s problematic stance on queerstianity.
Categories: Hillsong
1 Corinthinas 6:9-10: Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Timothy 1:8-11- Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,[b] liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound[c] doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
It seems to me, taking into consideration that all scripture is theopneustos, that they need to repent of their sin and show fruit in keeping with repentance, just like every other sinner.
“Thankfully we are led by pastors who are grace-filled and committed to continuing to try to discern God’s will on this matter.”
One the most troubling statements we have seen (and an obvious reflection of how unqualified their “pastors” are).
Proof there’s no neutral ground on this issue for those who truly follow Christ. There’s no need to sort through ever-increasingly complicated issues when we understand what it means to put first things first (ie. the MOST important commandment of all – ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength” and ‘seek FIRST the Kingdom of God AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS: (ie NOT social justice first) and only THEN, seek to carry out His will, His way, to minister social justice as defined by a righteous relationship with Him. The reason it becomes so complicated is that those who would lead, steadfastly refuse to follow the way of the cross – of putting their own lives on the line to uphold the highest standard of righteousness in the true church. Instead it’s all of about people trying to ‘feel’ their way into solutions that bring unconditional peace which is nothing but appeasement with the real enemy, who is not even flesh and blood. Ever think about the final consequences to the gay community of this appeasement with the devil? Is it truly loving TO THEM, to water down the gospel for our own sakes, so we can stay on top, get the paychecks, and not have to follow Jesus the way of the cross? Only thing worse than lying to everyone else, is lying to ourselves. “They perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11). It’s a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the Living God and have no choice but follow delusions to one’s own destruction, because the delusions are HIS answer to us when we refuse to love the truth and so be saved. Even so, as long as we’re still breathing there’s time to get on our faces and beg for deliverance from the powerful delusions sent to destroy us. Now’s the time.