from Mastering Life Ministries . . . . .
Dear Christian leaders,
Mastering Life Ministries is gathering signatures from ordained pastors, counselors
and leaders in Christian organizations to a biblical statement on human sexual
morality. It has already gained the signatures of approx. 700 leaders.
Here are a few supporting statements by several signers:
Dr. J. I. Packer writes . . . . . “I herewith sign your excellent declaration
on sexual healing and morality. May God give it maximum influence in this crazy
age. Blessings.”
Dr. John R.W. Stott writes . . . . . “I am glad and grateful that you have
been willing to stand up and be counted, and I am happy to stand with you. So
I am signing the Declaration. I send you my greetings and best wishes in your
campaign.”
Dr. Bill Bright writes . . . . . “Congratulations on your commitment to help
reverse the gross misrepresentation of the homosexual movement. Please use my
signature and keep me posted. Warm affection in Christ.”
Other signers include: Dr. Stephen Olford, world-renown preacher, Dr. Rick
Warren, pastor Saddleback Community Church & author of The Purpose Driven Church,
Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine of Family Life Today, Dr. David Mainse of 100 Huntley
Street, John Paulk from Focus on the Family and Exodus International, Dr. John
Wilke, President of Life Issues Institute, Dr. Richard Marks of First Baptist
Church, Jacksonville, FL, Dr. Winston Frost, Dean of Trinity International University
Law School, President-elect, Doug Trouten, Evangelical Press Association, St.
Paul, MN, Dr. Sudduth Cummings, Doctor of Ministry Director for Trinity Episcopal
School for Ministry, Dr. Francis J. Beckwith, Prof. of Philosophy, Culture &
Law at Trinity International University Grad School . . . . . . and many many
more.
The description below summarizes the reasons for this effort, but essentially,
it is both a response to the pro-abortion, pro-gay SIECUS religious declaration
of earlier this year (www.religionproject.org)
and an opportunity for Christian leaders around the globe to be salt to the
culture – to state strongly and clearly what the Bible says about sexual immorality
and the transforming love that He has for those entrapped in such lifestyles.
Please read the statement below and consider not only becoming a signatory,
but also helping us get it distributed to pastors and leaders in your sphere
of influence.
They can sign-up at our website: http://www.gospelcom.net/mlm/declaration/index.htm
Thank you so very much.
God bless. Rev. David Kyle Foster
Mastering Life Ministries
Jacksonville, Fl.
904-220-7474MLifeM@aol.com www.MasteringLife.org
About The Religious Declaration on Human Sexual Morality
Touchstone Journal reports that on January 18, 2000, the nation’s primary sex-education
organization – SIECUS (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United
States) – released the Religious Declaration on Sexual Morality, Justice and
Healing, signed by 850 religious leaders, calling for same-sex unions, ordination
of homosexuals, and abortion rights.
Their document is being used to give the appearance to legislators and denominational
leaders that these positions are held by large numbers in the religious community.
Since it will continue to be used to persuade school boards, judges, legislators
and religious leaders to compromise the traditional position on these issues,
it must be countered. Our nations leaders need to know where the vast majority
of religious leaders truly stand. Mastering Life Ministries is setting out to
obtain the signatures of at least one hundred times the number obtained by SIECUS.
Please xerox our statement on morality and ask your ordained clergy, Christian
counselor or ministry leader to sign it and send it to our office. Time is of
the essence in this matter. The Vermont legislature has already legalized same-sex
civil unions, efforts have been in the works for some time to officially deem
reparative therapy for homosexuals to be malpractice and it will only be a matter
of time before you and I go to jail for standing up for biblical morality. Now
is to the time to make your voice heard.
Please feel free to print out and distribute the full text of the declaration
or to quote from it in your news story. You may refer people to our website
address or to our office address:
Mastering Life Ministries, P.O. Box 351149, Jacksonville, Fl. 32235.
We have a statement sign-up at our website (www.MasteringLife.org), so you
can send leaders there to sign up
. Religious Declaration on Human Sexual Morality Human sexual (genital) behavior
is intended by God to be expressed solely within the confines of heterosexual,
monogamous marriage. Since God is love, sexual activity can only be considered
a true act of love when carried out within these parameters, clearly established
by God in His Holy Word (the Bible). Sexual intercourse is to be the same giving
act that it represents – which is Jesus Christ’s union with His Bride, the Church.
It is two becoming one flesh – physically, spiritually and emotionally – the
ultimate end of the separating of Eve from Adam’s side. It is a procreative
and pleasure-giving act that may bear the fruit of children. It is a cause for
the continuation of the human race and a bonding agent for the love shared between
husband and wife. When done out of love by two spiritually healthy human beings,
it will enhance the well-being and solidify the growing oneness of man and wife.
God purposed in creation that human sexual interaction be a reflection of that
ultimate marriage to which He has called us – that between God and man / between
Christ and the Church. Just as God remains faithful, undivided and undeflected
from His commitment to man, so this central act in marriage must remain equally
faithful, undivided and undeflected – exemplifying the love, the trust and the
commitment of a spouse to his/her marital partner. Fidelity to God’s blueprint
for human sexual behavior is integral to healthy human spirituality. The proscriptions
on human sexual behavior established by God in His Holy Word (the Bible) are
positive and life-giving. They are designed to bring both maximum glory to God
and to be protective measures for those who might otherwise try to find life
and fulfillment in alternative sexual behavior, which can only bring death and
destruction. As such, they are an expression of God’s perfect love and desire
to protect those He has created. Any deflection from these intended purposes
of the Creator God is rebellion against the wisdom and goodness of God and sets
one at enmity with Him until that person has repented of their actions and come
into agreement once again with God’s design. The idea that man has the right
to chose his own methods of sexual expression flies in the face of everything
taught in sacred Scripture. For those who find themselves caught in an aberrant
sexual lifestyle, God offers the atoning death of His Son, Jesus Christ, which
brings forgiveness, cleansing, healing and transforming power. Jesus did not
come to condemn mankind, but to save any and all who would come to Him for cleansing.
We are Speaking Out .
We are speaking out against the attempts by those in secular and religious
communities who seek to overturn and redefine the clear teachings of the Bible,
to make it appear as though sexual behavior outside of the bounds described
above is somehow normal and blessed by God. There has been a clear and unbroken
Judeo-Christian, scriptural witness on these matters for over thirty-five hundred
years. .
We are speaking out against the impression being given by a minority of religious
and media figures that their version of sexual morality is consistent with the
biblical witness and/or accepted by the Church. .
We are speaking out against the unchecked confusion and division sown in the
Church by such apostles of immorality. .
We are speaking out against the death and destruction that such teachings have
brought to our culture and the confusion that it has sown in our children. .
We are speaking out against any sex education program that would teach such
ideas to our young people. .
We are speaking out against the impression given by some that those who support
biblical definitions of morality hate those who refuse to accept or live by
them.
We Stand in Opposition .
We oppose any and all efforts to normalize or sanctify homosexual behavior,
to advocate or bless homosexual marriages or to ordain those who engage in homosexual
behavior. .
We oppose any attempt to stigmatize or reject persons who are turning to Christ
for forgiveness, healing and transformation who have been struggling with their
sexual orientation. .
We oppose any suggestion that they are lesser or more sinful human beings than
anyone else. They are welcome in the Church. .
We oppose any and all attempts to normalize or sanctify heterosexual immorality,
including the use of pornography or prostitutes, adulterous or other non-marital
sexual relationships or any other behavior outside of healthy, heterosexual,
marital monogamy. .
We oppose the taking of a human life in its mother’s womb or any other form
of abortion.
We Call Out .
We call for people to return to the God of the Bible, through His Son Jesus
Christ. .
We call for people to return to God’s design for human behavior (sexual and
otherwise) as found in the Holy Bible. .
We call for people to seek and receive from God Almighty the forgiveness, the
cleansing, the deliverance and the healing that they need as a result of their
unnatural sexual behavior. .
We call for people to seek and receive from God the desire and the power to
walk in His ways. .
We call for those in government to honor the institution of marriage as it
has been held for thousands of years by keeping it restricted to heterosexual,
monogamous unions. .
We call for government to resist the legitimization of alternative sexual lifestyles
in creating civil unions for couples who do not qualify for marriage. .
We call for our educational system to remove sex education materials that promote
promiscuity, homosexual behavior or any other sexual behavior outside of traditional
marriage. .
We call for the producers and distributors of every form of media communication
to resist the temptation to fatten their coffers by continuing to spread the
toxic message of sexual immorality. .
We call for religious leaders to stand firm against the tide of moral relativism
and to remain faithful to God’s Holy Word. .
We call for religious leaders to refuse to ordain those who engage in homosexual
or non-marital heterosexual activity. .
We call for those leaders and laity in the Church who have not yet done so,
to extend the same hand of love and grace to the repentant sinner that Christ
has extended, and to repent from any condescending or hateful attitudes that
they have held toward those who struggle with unholy sexual temptations. .
We call for religious leaders to refuse to bless what God calls sin, including
homosexual unions, but to instead invite those who struggle with unholy sexual
desire to the same fount of forgiveness and healing as everyone else – even
Jesus Christ, the Lord.
This statement may be copied or reproduced in its entirety for news stories,
bulletins, newsletters, flyers, etc., or copied and distributed at public or
private meetings for the purpose of obtaining supporting signatures, without
our further permission.
Please credit Mastering Life Ministries of Jacksonville, Fl. as the source
and our web site as a contact point (www.MasteringLife.org). (c) Copyright 2000,
Mastering Life Ministries Endorsement Page – If you are an ordained member of
the clergy, a Christian counselor, or a leader in a Christian organization,
please endorse our statement on morality here.
Endorsement
_____ Yes, I endorse this Religious Declaration on Human Sexual Morality.
Title ____________________
Church or Organization ___________________
Denomination __________________________
Name ___________________
Degree(s) __________
School(s) _____________
Address ____________________ ______________ _______________ ___________________________
______________ ________________
City/State/Zip ____________________________
Phone _______________ Fax _______________
Email ___________________________________
Date _________________
By endorsing this statement, I am agreeing to having my name used with this
statement in publicly released documents, including but not limited to brochures,
advertisements, press conferences and other media venues and publications.
(c) Copyright 2000, Mastering Life Ministries
Copy and email to MLifeM@aol.com or mail to:
Mastering Life Ministries
P.O. Box 351149
Jacksonville, FL 32235
