Today, we need many more Machens, fearless and clear in their convictions, and many less Fosdicks, bending with the culture and afraid of its condemnation. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ–not the church of the Most Holy Culture–needs leaders who will remember that, whatever happens to them on this earth, there are higher stakes than being liked and approved of by a sin-cursed world. Such leaders are not sad about defending orthodoxy.

Elizabeth Dias, a Wheaton College graduate and TIME magazine reporter, just gave notice of another formerly-large church that has embraced “gay Christianity” as a legitimate spiritual state. The church is GracePointe Church of Franklin, Tennessee. The location of this one gets your attention: this is a Bible belt church.

The pastor, Stan Mitchell, just preached for over forty minutes on Luke 24:13-16. Here is the biblical text:

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him (Luke 24:13-16).

The connection Mitchell draws between the passage and the legitimacy of same-sex orientation is that of “epiphany”: once God appeared to his disciples, surprising them, and he now manifests himself afresh. The epiphany Mitchell presents is that the church should, because of “a divine wind,” as he calls it, embrace same-sex orientation.

Mitchell’s rhetoric reaches fresh heights of self-congratulation: “One day I will write a memoir, and a large portion of that memoir will be about this life-giving experience. The book is not to be written yet, because the final chapters are yet unwritten.” He speaks to the difficulty of the issue at hand: “I have been broken almost to the point where I despaired of life, but I have been encouraged.” Finally, he compares the struggle before him to the civil rights cause: “Could you be a church in Selma and not march, just handle your own community? I don’t think I can do that. We are on the front edge of a movement that means so much.”

I bear no animus against Mitchell. I don’t know him and have never heard of him. I’m deeply sorry to see him reject biblical truth, and I pray he turns back from his sin. I pray he repents in sackcloth and ashes, in fact. It appears that he has followed the advice of country singer Carrie Underwood, who according to Dias goes to the church and spoke at it in favor of “marriage equality.”

Having said those things, let’s get to the core of the matter (echoing this earlier post, which regrettably bears repeating). The move that Mitchell is making is not a heroic one. It is a cowardly one. It doesn’t cause true believers any trepidation. It deserves no applause. It merits no commendation. This is a moment of shame for this pastor, not a moment of acclaim.

I hear the verdant tones of self-aggrandizement. I see the storied hand of history raising up a humble servant to the misty heights of heroism. But pause that for just a sec. Cancel the memoir. Forgo the book tour. Postpone the Oprah appearance.

If you fear man, God will become small to you. The approval of fellow sinners will matter more to you than obeying God by the witness of his Word.

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