Yep, here we go again. This report from The Christian Post tells us that Paul Barnes, the pastor of Grace Chapel in Englewood, Colorado for 28 years, has confessed to having homosexual encounters.
Sadly, it's the same old story. Preacher rails against homosexuality. Someone finds out he has been having homosexual affairs. Preacher is confronted by church leadership and tearfully confesses his horrible "sins." Church leadership hates the "sin" but loves the sinner. Rinse and repeat.
Of course, these people hide behind the perceived sin of being gay because if churches started holding leaders and members accountable for adultery there would be a lot of empty pews and lighter collection plates.
In a video-taped message to the church body, Barnes said "I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy," Barnes, 54, said in videotaped message. "... I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away."
Obviously, God made Barnes that way, but his inability to accept that has hurt his family, his church, and his ability to serve God. I am again reminded that no one can reach the full potential of the gifts God gave them unless they can accept who God made them to be.
This man has inflicted and endured a lot of suffering because he could not come to grips with who he was created to be. That, folks, is not God's will but Satan's. Just as the Devil quoted scripture when he tried to tempt Jesus, he can use people preaching in God's name to work against his creation and undermine His will for our lives.
It also appears that Colorado is not the best state to live if you are a secretly gay pastor of a large church.
Paul Barnes, his family, and his church are just the latest casualties. There will be others.
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I've written on this as well, Jim. However, in Barnes' case, I've not found any evidence where he was verbally violent toward homosexuals like Haggard and others. It seems to me that Barnes was reluctant to get on the gaybashing bandwagon.
ReplyDeleteSo, I have a lot of compassion for him. I pray that he'll reconcile and then walk in the peace that God has for all of us, gay or straight.