LIFEWAY
SELLS WHAT IT DOES NOT BELIEVE?
By
Paul Proctor
September 21, 2008
NewsWithViews.com
In
yet another vivid demonstration of why the church is in decline, LifeWay
Christian Stores, owned by the Southern Baptist Convention, yanked the
latest edition of a popular Christian magazine called, Gospel
Today, off their shelves, but reportedly continued to offer
it for sale from under the counter upon request, because of its controversial
cover story highlighting female pastors.
In
an article titled Christian
magazine sold under the counter like porn, WorldNetDaily.com
reported the following:
Lifeway
Christian Bookstores has pulled the magazine from its shelves because
the chain's owner, the Southern Baptist Convention, reserves the role
of pastor for men.
Chris
Turner, a spokesman for Lifeway Resources, which runs the stores for
the Southern Baptist Convention, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
the September/October issue of Gospel Today was pulled because "it
is contrary to what we believe."
While
individual churches within the denomination are independent and may
hire female pastors if they choose, Southern Baptist national polity
discourages women from serving as senior pastors, based on the application
of various New Testament Scriptures.
OK then, as a Southern
Baptist, my question for LifeWay is:
If �it is contrary
to what we believe,� why do you offer it for sale at all?
What
does this say to those both inside and outside the Southern Baptist
Convention that its stores would sheepishly sell something that clearly
contradicts its own statement
of faith and message, not to mention New Testament teaching?
Furthermore,
what kind of example does LifeWay set for young and impressionable Christians
by implying it�s OK to compromise your convictions and do what you believe
is wrong, and even profit from it, as long as you hide it from public
view?
And
what about all the other stuff for sale at LifeWay that �is contrary
to what we believe� � or does the SBC think it�s scriptural for author
William P. Young to, among other things, portray God the Father as an
African American woman named �Papa� in his book, The
Shack, because it�s just an allegory and LifeWay included with
it a �Read
With Discernment� warning?
Why
isn�t this book under the counter?
For
that matter, why not offer Budweiser for sale under the counter and
include a �Drink With Discernment� warning?
Same
logic.
�Therefore
to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.�
� James 4:17
Related
Articles:
1.
Christian
magazine sold under the counter like porn
2. Gospel
Today magazine pulled from Christian bookstores' shelves
3. Magazine
Featuring Female Pastors Pulled From Shelves
4. The
Shack
5. Read
With Discernment
6. The
Baptist Faith & Message
