What is your calling?

I have been contacting folks within the UMC who have been calling the clergy and laity to "be watchful" far longer than I have been beating the drum on this issue.

I have share several e-mails lately with John Warrener who publishes UCMPage.org - here is what is at the top of his home page:

"Welcome to The UnOfficial Confessing Movement Page . This website is "unofficial" and in no way represents the views or opinions of "official movements." Its purpose is to provide timely information regarding movements of spiritual, biblical, and traditional Wesleyan Methodist renewal and concern in the Churches called Methodist."

Here is part of his last e-mail to me:

"You guys are way behind the pro-homosexuality folks. They are organizing in each AC to push this thing though by "hook or crook." This amendment will mean that "all" restrictions concerning active homosexuals will be ruled unconstitutional and allow them automatic entry into the government of "all" local churches as they target."

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Well, here is the heart of the issue!

The Pro-Gay Agenda was to change the psychological community (which they did in 1973 when homosexuality was removed from the DSM-2 by the APA) and the media (which they have with gay characters in many movies and shows - does anybody remember when "Soap" had a gay character played by Billie Crystal as comic releif?) and their third objective is the mainline church.

So how are they doing?

The Episcopal Church has an openly gay bishop.

The UCC now accepts holy unions in their churches - many conservative churches left the UCC after this decision in 2005. I know the pain this caused as my in-laws are members of a church that left, Suffolk Christian Church.

ALL THE MAINLINE DENOMINATIONS ARE ON THIS PATH - WHAT WILL WE DO?

John had a suggestion for me - to look at this scripture:

Ezek 33:1-11Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,2 "Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them:'When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman,3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people,4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head.5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life.6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.'
7 "So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.8 When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
10 "Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: 'Thus you say, "If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?"'11 Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD,'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'NKJV

I am willing to accept my calling to be a UMWatchman... what about you?

Who are YOU called to warn about what is coming?

We all need to decide on our calling very soon as the time is short!

Pastor John Bright