Expert: Rev. Stuart Woodward - 1/7/2005

Question
 how is it that one man confesses his sins at church and forsakes them but his church turns him into the police and banishes him,but another church will serve a gay minister who still lives in sin?

Answer
Hello Troy,
Thank you for your question. I will deal with the two issues separately and then make a general comment at the end.
Some sins are also crimes. Whilst God always forgives the person who comes in genuine repentance and faith, it is right that a person should face the consequences of their crimes against the state. Were someone to confess to me a sin that was also a crime I would seek to persuade that person to own up to their crime to the authorities and go with them to help them deal with the consequences. If that person refused to do this it would be right to question the genuineness of their repentance. Whatever the crime, or sin, I can see no justification for a church banishing someone who is genuinely repentant and prepared to seek help. However, there are some areas of sinful behaviour that would require a church to put certain safeguards in place. For example you do not appoint a know fraudster as Church treasurer and a church would have to ensure a paedophile was not allowed to be alone with children, for the protection of the children and also the person himself.
In my opinion a minister who is a practising homosexual ought not under any circumstances to continue in ministry. I would say the same of a practising adulterer who refused to repent and change his ways.
I appreciate that some churches take a different view and that saddens me very much. I personally would not be able to continue in such a church.
I hope my comments are of some help to you and I wish you well as you think these matters through.
Stuart Woodward