Gay Couple at Center of Hillsong Controversy Say They've Been 'Open and Forthright' About Relatnship 'From the Get-Go' | Church & Mistri News

Contents:

• MEGACHURCH PASTOR SIGNALS SHIFT TONE ON GAY MARRIAGE
• HILLSONG'S BRIAN HOTON ON GAY MARRIAGE: 'I BELIEVE THE WRGS OF PL ARE CLEAR ON THIS SUBJECT'
• GAY COUPLE AT CENTER OF HILLSONG CONTROVERSY SAY THEY'VE BEEN 'OPEN AND FORTHRIGHT' ABOUT RELATNSHIP 'FROM THE GET-GO'
• GAY, EX-HILLSONG LEAR SPEAKS ABOUT EXPERIENCE WH UNCLEAR POLICY
• HILLSONG PASTOR RE-AFFIRMS STANCE ON GAY MARRIAGE

MEGACHURCH PASTOR SIGNALS SHIFT TONE ON GAY MARRIAGE

The ments by Brian Hoton, the senr pastor of Hillsong, immediately attracted ncern om the right and applse om the left, g as many Christian nomatns and ngregatns are stgglg wh how to rpond to rapid expansn of gay rights and legalizatn of same-sex marriage.

Lears of Hillsong have been avoidg nmnatn of homosexualy for some time, and the pastor of Hillsong’s New York Cy mp, Carl Lentz, has cled to take a public posn on same-sex marriage.

HILLSONG'S BRIAN HOTON ON GAY MARRIAGE: 'I BELIEVE THE WRGS OF PL ARE CLEAR ON THIS SUBJECT'

Hoton’s ments, ma at a news nference Thursday New York, were strikg for their assertn that Christian church have ed pa for some gay Christians, and for their suggtn that the issue of same-sex marriage is not settled. Hoton, as he has done sermons, efully noted the experience of gay children growg up Christian church, sayg that some feel rejected by their youth pastors or even their parents, and that as a rult, some young people “lerally are prsed, maybe even suicidal, and, sadly, oftentim grow up to hate the church bee they feel that the church rejected them.

“It’s very easy to rce what you thk about homosexualy to jt a public statement, and that would keep a lot of people happy, ” he said, “but we feel at this pot, that is an ongog nversatn, that the real issu people’s liv are too important for jt to rce down to a y or no answer a media outlet. ”Some of Hillsong’s church appear to be open to gays and lbians.

Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly, a gay uple featured on the current season of “Survivor;” worship and sg the choir at Hillsong New York; Mr. Hoton’s ments were weled by Matthew V, a young gay evangelil who is tryg to persua the evangelil world that fah the Bible is not at odds wh openns to gays and lbians. ”A versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 17 of the New York edn wh the headle: Megachurch Pastor Signals Shift Tone on Gay Marriage.

GAY COUPLE AT CENTER OF HILLSONG CONTROVERSY SAY THEY'VE BEEN 'OPEN AND FORTHRIGHT' ABOUT RELATNSHIP 'FROM THE GET-GO'

| (Photo: Hillsong Church)Hillsong Church pastor Brian Hoton has issued a statement specifyg his posn on marriage and homosexualy after a news outlet reported that he "won't take (a) public posn on LGBT issu. "The news report me after Hoton brought up the topics of homosexualy and same-sex marriage at a prs nference held on Thursday wh New York Cy media, on the ocsn of Hillsong Conference beg held at Madison Square Garn.

GAY, EX-HILLSONG LEAR SPEAKS ABOUT EXPERIENCE WH UNCLEAR POLICY

"Nowhere my answer did I dimish biblil tth or suggt that I or Hillsong Church supported gay marriage, " he adds. My personal view on the subject of homosexualy would le up wh most tradnally held Christian views.

| (Photo: The Christian Post/Stt Liu)The qutn that rulted Hoton's remarks on homosexualy centered on how his church tri to rema relevant. In his rponse, the Hillsong pastor offered homosexual marriage as an issue that is a challenge for some church. Now wh homosexual marriage legalized, and church for generatns, they hold a set of beliefs around what they believe the Word of God, the Bible says.

HILLSONG PASTOR RE-AFFIRMS STANCE ON GAY MARRIAGE

Hoton, prompted by The New York Tim' qutn for clarifitn, went on to emphasize that, for him, qutns about his posn on homosexualy were "too important for to rce" down to a "y or no answer a media outlet.