Should We Invite Gay People to Church?

Today I met one of my neighbor's friends today at Starbucks. He saw that I had a flyer out on my table and asked, Is this for your church? I said yes. But when I said it was for a Dynamic Marriage class, he said, That's not for me. He said, "I'm gay." He went on to say that he had thought about going to church, and that he was very spiritual. But he said, "How do you get over the gay hurdle."

I said that we would love to have him come and visit.

After all, would not we do this with someone who struggled with anger? Materialism? Worry? Is not the Christian assembly something which can help someone come to faith in God and part--if not the whole--of the conversion process? 

Was I right or wrong in inviting him? What would you have done?

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Nichols on August 20, 2010 at 10:18pm
Hey James. I think it would have be wrong for you to have NOT invited him. Everyone is deserving of God's grace and fellowship. Good for you for being guided by your knowledge of what is right instead of being driven by fear.
Permalink Reply by Bryan Middlebrook on August 20, 2010 at 10:30pm
Matthew 9:10-13
10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

As it says above in Matthew 9:10-13, and also in Mark 2:15-17 & Luke 5:29-32, that Jesus was eating and talking with "sinners". If Jesus was doing that, shouldn't we also be open to talking with them and having them visit us? Notice that it didn't say that he approved of what they did or how they were acting or how they lived. So yes, based on the scriptures, you were correct in inviting him. In the past, I'm not entirely sure what I would have done. But today I would do it without any hesitation, because isn't the church for those who are sick and hurting with sin?
Permalink Reply by Bartlett Cleland on August 20, 2010 at 10:40pm
I have no doubt that you did the right thing. I would suggest one subtle, yet powerful, change to our thinking -- that instead of inviting gay, angry, materialist, etc people to church that we simply think of inviting people FULL STOP to church. I cannot imagine that Jesus talked to people thinking of them as sinners, much less as cataloging them as specific sinners.(at least I hope not lest the day coem when I am divided into thousands of boxes!) I understand He certainly knew of the sins, but I suspect He thought of all people as people who needed His help. If we could think of all people that way, and yes indeed I struggle with my own pigeonholing, then I believe that we, they, and our Lord would all benefit....
Permalink Reply by James Nored on August 20, 2010 at 11:15pm
Bart, I agree. We should not merely identify people by their sin or life struggles. Jesus looked at the whole person out of love, and so should we. Love will call one to a different lifestyle than all of us are living--the lifestyle of Jesus. I've got a long ways to go, but God likes "Mission Impossible!"

Bartlett Cleland said:
I have no doubt that you did the right thing. I would suggest one subtle, yet powerful, change to our thinking -- that instead of inviting gay, angry, materialist, etc people to church that we simply think of inviting people FULL STOP to church. I cannot imagine that Jesus talked to people thinking of them as sinners, much less as cataloging them as specific sinners.(at least I hope not lest the day coem when I am divided into thousands of boxes!) I understand He certainly knew of the sins, but I suspect He thought of all people as people who needed His help. If we could think of all people that way, and yes indeed I struggle with my own pigeonholing, then I believe that we, they, and our Lord would all benefit....
Permalink Reply by Larry Clark on August 20, 2010 at 11:19pm
You not only should invite him but offer to pick him up. Church is not for the righteous but for us sinners and we all have something to work on. How else will people who are separated from God ever learn about the one died for them? If the church does not allow sinners to come then they may as well close their doors because no one belongs in there. Having said that the church should not allow open sin to be present within the church but that is a different subject.
Permalink Reply by Phillip Smith on August 20, 2010 at 11:43pm
Should we invite gay people to church? The question should include whether we invite thiefs, murderers, adulters to Church. Is a homosexual sinner bigger sinners than hetrosexual sinners? We are all sinners. Please never exclude me from an invitation to worhsip God Almighty who will ultimately judge me...not man. I am not gay but, my sins are just as great in the eyes of the Lord.
Permalink Reply by James Nored on August 20, 2010 at 11:58pm
Hey Bryan. No fair pulling out Scripture and comparing to Jesus! :) As you say, you have come far in so many ways. What a great story. We'll have to have you share this very soon for the church.

Bryan Middlebrook said:
Matthew 9:10-13
10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

As it says above in Matthew 9:10-13, and also in Mark 2:15-17 & Luke 5:29-32, that Jesus was eating and talking with "sinners". If Jesus was doing that, shouldn't we also be open to talking with them and having them visit us? Notice that it didn't say that he approved of what they did or how they were acting or how they lived. So yes, based on the scriptures, you were correct in inviting him. In the past, I'm not entirely sure what I would have done. But today I would do it without any hesitation, because isn't the church for those who are sick and hurting with sin?
Permalink Reply by James Nored on August 21, 2010 at 12:03am
Philip, I would like to invite you to come worship with us on Sunday. :)

Every person could come forward every Sunday. We are all sinners indeed.

Phillip Smith said:
Should we invite gay people to church? The question should include whether we invite thiefs, murderers, adulters to Church. Is a homosexual sinner bigger sinners than hetrosexual sinners? We are all sinners. Please never exclude me from an invitation to worhsip God Almighty who will ultimately judge me...not man. I am not gay but, my sins are just as great in the eyes of the Lord.
Permalink Reply by Jayaraj.E on August 21, 2010 at 3:13am
Dear Brother ,
excellent . you did right thing . you showed God's love by inviting him to church . I appreciate you .
we already have a eunuch ( hijra ) attending our congregation. we hope many will come by him. is it write thing to allow him to church ?
jayaraj, India
Permalink Reply by Danny Bratcher on August 21, 2010 at 7:54am
James, you are always right to invite anyone to church, and it sounds like it is a natural instinct for you to do so! I have heard it said that "The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints." And since we are all sinners, we all need the opportunity to hear about God's love and grace! We can read about His love and grace in the Bible, but we can go to church and see people actually living it!

It also appears that God may be providing an open door because this man asked you how you get over the gay hurdle. I believe by showing anyone God's love, we have an open opportunity to share the message of the cross, which shows us that without accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are all living a lifestyle of condemnation! May God open this man's mind and heart, and may He bless you with the opportunity to reach another lost soul!
Permalink Reply by LEATRICE WILKINSON on August 21, 2010 at 7:54am
I didn't realize we still have to answer that question! Where would I be if someone had not invited me? I don't see the great commission as being for hand-picked peole. Invite away, James.
Permalink Reply by Joe Palmer on August 21, 2010 at 11:02am
James and all. I have some articles I have been writing about how we deal with homosexuals. I hope you will read and let me know what you think

Joe

http://joepalmer.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/how-to-talk-to-a-homosexu...

http://joepalmer.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/are-christians-homophobic/

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