What strikes me about this sermon
is that it reveals that the church’s transition actually occurred three years
ago, not three weeks ago. But the church’s identity is so bereft of biblical
ecclesiology that they apparently don’t realize it. What do I mean?
Pastor
Mitchell says in the sermon above that when the church began their
“conversation” about sexuality three years ago, they extended “partial
membership” to practicing gays and lesbians. That “partial membership”
consisted of welcoming them to be baptized and to the Lord’s table but of
barring them from leadership and from the “sacraments” of baby dedication and
of marriage. The only thing that changed three weeks ago was that those final
three barriers were removed. So what gives?
Well, in
the evangelical tradition, baby dedication and marriage are not sacraments. The
only two sacraments (or ordinances) are baptism and the Lord ‘s Supper. Those
two ordinances are defining marks of church membership, but leadership, baby
dedication, and marriage most assuredly are not. That means that GracePointe
crossed the theological Rubicon years ago, but apparently no one noticed.
And this
underlines a problem that makes many churches vulnerable to the same kind of
error that has now emerged at GracePointe. Churches that do not have a biblical
ecclesiology will be more likely to fold than those that do. A biblical
ecclesiology is God’s provision for sound teaching, qualified leadership, and
meaningful membership—all three of which are essential to a healthy church and
which are certainly missing at GracePointe.
Galatians 1:6-10 English Standard
Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
No Other Gospel
6 I am astonished that you are so
quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to
a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who
trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an
angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached
to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If
anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him
be accursed.
10 For am I now seeking the
approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still
trying to please man, I would not be a servant[a] of Christ.
Further Reading
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