The Irony of Falwell
By Mike Chancellor,
pastor, Crescent Heights Baptist Church, Abilene

Those who appreciate irony will love this!

Recently, Jerry Falwell, an Independent Baptist turned Southern Baptist pastor, met with 200 gay rights activists at his Thomas Road Baptist Church.

Their intent was to establish a dialogue that could lead Falwell, his followers and gay activists to turn down the angry rhetoric passing between them.

These folks had concluded that inflammatory statements from both camps were invitations for some people to react violently toward gays and Christians.

Falwell and a former co-worker and author, Mel White, led the groups to meet and talk. Things went so well that the gay activists attended church that Sunday morning at Thomas Road where Falwell preached a message of love and encouragement.

What is the irony, one may ask?

Falwell apparently has come to the position in his attitude toward gays that the BGCT has advocated for years and for which they have been seriously criticized by … (you guessed it) Jerry Falwell’s friends in the Southern Baptist Convention.

As recently as two months ago BGCT’ pastors were mailed a libelous attack on our state convention and our leadership because we were not vocal enough or militant enough regarding homosexuality.

Never mind that we continuously have affirmed the Biblical teachings prohibiting not just homosexuality but all sex outside marriage.

Never mind that we have withdrawn fellowship from a church who knowingly ordained a practicing homosexual.

Never mind that pastors across the state believed that Christ would have us hold up the Biblical standard in love — inviting men and women to come out of sinful lifestyles (including homosexuality) into more hopeful, transforming relationships with Jesus Christ.

Never mind the example of Jesus which was one of compassionate preaching to the lost and firm confrontation to the self-righteous religious.

Never mind.

Anything less than inflammatory rhetoric revealed appeasement to the gay rights movement.

AND THEN, over that weekend none other than Falwell leads his followers to embrace the position of grace that has characterized the fellowship of BGCT churches for more years than I can remember.

December 1999