Sojourn Church Responds To Major Investigative Story On Its Beliefs Pertaining To Fundamentalism And Homosexuality, And Responds To Possible Boycott

Worship Pastor Mike Cosper’s response in The LEO Weekly, for those of you who have been following this story and want to read it immediately. For the rest, here’s the backstory:

On April 9, The LEO Weekly, Louisville’s major alternative newspaper, posted a cover story on Sojourn entitled “Smells Like Holy Spirit,” with the subtitle: they’re young, involved, and socially aware — and think being gay is a sin. How does Sojourn Church square its progressive image with some of its more regressive ideas? (see my original blog post about it).

The article sparked many discussions throughout Louisville (such as this one – note the response from Sojourn Communications Director Kevin Janes, who books music shows in The 930 Listening Room — and this one) and the surrounding area (which we locals call “Kentuckiana”), and the last three weekly issues of LEO have contained letters to the editor, pro and con, regarding Sojourn. There were reasoned responses for and against our involvement in the city through our daily community involvement, our urban renewal initiative, SEED, our work in and for the artistic community through The 930 Art Center, and other initiatives.

A few readers were more virulent, using phrases like “… your typical, right-wing nuthouse preaching prejudice and hate,” and “a bunch of homophobes who treat women as second-class citizens …” and so on. Various Louisville bloggers and citizens also called for a boycott of music shows and gallery exhibits at The 930 and all things Sojourn, as well, and many Sojourners have answered questions pertaining to whether or not we’re “fundamentalists,” and whether we require homosexuals to make a statement saying that they desire to change in order to attend Sojourn worship gatherings.

In today’s edition of The LEO Weekly, they graciously allowed Sojourn Worship Arts Pastor Mike Cosper to respond to their cover story and some of the community responses that have arisen since then. He framed his response on these three issues:

Fundamentalism

Homosexuals and Sojourn

Boycotts

LEO Weekly Managing Editor Stephen George then responded to the response, and this is also included in the link above.

Teaching Pastor Daniel Montgomery also addressed the question of “What is Christian fundamentalism, and is Sojourn a fundamentalist church?” (hear the audio) in the first half of his sermon this past Sunday (the second half consisted of Daniel’s recitation of chapters 4-8 in Romans, laying the groundwork for the next several weeks of Romans-based sermons, as we continue on our journey through this epistle in our weekly gatherings).

Thanks again to The LEO Weekly for devoting the space in their journal to Sojourn.