Pastors

Two predominantly black congregations in Harlem, NY., where the respective pastors are gay and lesbian, have merged to fight for homosexuality to be accepted by the Church, giving their congregation the message, "He (Jesus) got up so I can come out. He got up for you can come out!" However, their promotion that God created people gay has been firmly rejected by mainstream Churches, who maintain that the Bible clearly identifies homosexuality as a sin.

The Rivers at Rehoboth is a combination between Rivers of Living Faith, headed by Pastor Vanessa M. Brown, a lesbian, and Rehoboth Temple, which is led by Pastor Joseph Tolton, who is gay. The new church's message combines black church traditions but uniquely makes its core mission to minister to gay and lesbian people, The New York Times has reported.

"Aren't you glad Jesus got up?" Twanna Gause, Pastor Brown's partner, was quoted as asking the congregation at a sermon. more >>

Pastor Perry Noble won't be at the pulpit of his megachurch this Sunday. The NewSpring Church pastor has taken a two-month break for the first time in 12 years of ministry.

The extended leave is not due to a marriage, family or church problem, he has clarified. Instead, Noble said he realized he needed to do "what sets me up for long-term success and sets this church up for the same way."

With 90 percent of people entering into ministry and not finishing and some pastors being worked too hard by their church, he noted, he decided to take a sabbatical. more >>

A strategist for the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) issued a statement this week condemning the recent comments made by two pastors, both of North Carolina, regarding homosexuality.

Bob Stith, Southern Baptist Convention's national strategist for gender issues, clearly identified the pastors as belonging to independent Baptist churches which are unaffiliated with the SBC in his Wednesday statement, published by the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

"From the video clips it would appear that both men lead fairly large churches. I wonder how many people in those congregations were gripped with the fear that their personal struggle might be discovered," Stith wrote. more >>

WASHINGTON – A "new rainbow coalition" made up of influential Christian pastors and leaders gathered on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon to declare support for the traditional definition of marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act in response to President Obama's recent announcement that he supports same-sex marriage and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's support of repealing DOMA.

Organizer Bishop Harry R. Jackson. Jr., senior pastor of the 3,000-member Hope Christian Church in the Washington, D.C.-area, and other pastors described themselves as a "new rainbow coalition" in reference to the different races, denominations, and political parties they represent as they all come together to support traditional marriage between one man and one woman.

"We need to create a marriage culture in the church," said Jackson to The Christian Post after the press conference, noting that congregations need to strengthen and defend marriage from the many threats against it. more >>

Members of the North Carolina congregation headed by the pastor who preached about putting gays and lesbians in an electric fence and waiting for them to die, have spoken out in defense of the minister saying he simply told the truth.

Pastor Charles L. Worley, pastor of Providence Road Baptist Church of Maiden, N.C., drew backlash from Christians and non-Christians when he shared in a recent sermon his suggestion on how to "get rid" of homosexuals. Members of his congregation, however, do not believe Worley said anything wrong.

"He had every right to say what he said about putting them in a pen and giving them food," said Geneva Sims, who shared with WCNC.com that she had been listening to Worley since the 1970s. "The Bible says they are worthy of death. He is preaching God's word." more >>

Influential pastor John Piper made his joyful reaction clear via the Web shortly after getting word that his congregation had overwhelmingly agreed with church elders on their choice of Jason Meyer as his successor.

"God came down and kissed Bethlehem tonight. 784 Yes. 8 No. Jason Meyer has been approved to take hold of this baton," Piper tweeted on Sunday after the vote taken at Bethlehem Baptist Church located in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota.

Meyer will fall under Piper's pastoral mentorship and an "overlap" period between the two beginning Aug. 1. more >>