Last question for the night: Fellow believers, heard on the news that a repented?

Question

sex offender confessed before the congregation his sin. He is seeking God and wanted to attend the Church. Some members were concerned about the children but the Pastor decided they he could attend with some restrictions.

What do you think your church you currently attend would do if this happened to them

The pastor did what Jesus would do

Answer 1

My church would give this fellow sinner a chance to be a saint. If God does not reject him, then why should we. You have to remember that Paul was first a persecutor of Christians. He persecuted the Church, sent Chritians to jail, and even to death. Yet God saved Paul and he became a minister of the gospel.

If this fellow really has repentence in his heart it is a time for rejoicing.

Answer 2

Granted, I believe that anyone can turn their life around. However, my views come from a different perspective. I was in a situation like this. Except that I was the kid that they were trying to protect. The man in question was told he could no longer be around any children in the church and would be under close watch. After being restricted so much, he actually ended up leaving the church for good. I was young and I didn't quite know what was going on. I, however, was well protected and so was everyone else.

I do think it's wrong to tell someone to leave a church because everyone should be able to go to a church no matter what. However, I do think this guy needs some serious help. I think the pastor needs to sit down with him and seriously ask him if he's getting some counseling about this. I think things would be better in this situation than one where the whole place DOESNT know what is going on.

Answer 3

I do not attend church for the base reason that churches would not allow him. Churches are supposed to take in all people, but sinners especially. It is not right to keep your church closed to those who need it most. Every church I have ever been to has been full of hypocrites, only serving god when it serves them. The pastor that allowed this man in with restrictions is doing the best thing possible. Opening the path to this guy's salvation, while doing his best to protect the children.

Answer 4

We have a man in our church who is a convicted sex offender--was a member for years before he was caught for internet child porn, etc. The church helped care for his family while he was in jail, and when he was released, he came back to the church. He was welcomed back but cannot hold a position in the church; and while he is treated with respect, his testimony has suffered severely. God forgives, but then God alone knows the heart. Man forgives, but doesn't know the heart of another, so is very cautious following something like this.

Answer 5

The term "sex offender" is a bit broad, here in Idaho it could run from an 18 year old having consensual sex or workplace sexual harassment to the extremes of a pedophile or rapist.

I am hardly defending sex offenders, those that use aggression or force in a sexual manner are committing a despicable act that scars countless women, and men, for much of their lives. Our God(s) can forgive, but as a mortal man I have limits to my ability to forgive. Just because I forgive your actions does not mean that I want to share my deepest spiritual moments with you.

Any pedophile or rapist would not be welcome in our church. I will not prohibit anyone from worshiping whatever God(s) they choose, but I can control, to some extent, who I worship with.

For me worship is a profoundly personal experience that can be enhanced and strengthened by practicing with others. But anything less than perfect love and perfect trust can hinder and weaken our connection with Deity.

This is part of the reason that I prefer to do much of my worship alone. I worship regularly with a local group but we number a dozen so trust is essential - but the payoff is mutual understanding and a group of like-hearted folks who become a family.

Perhaps your ability to forgive is greater than mine, and I can see how a greater level of forgiveness is required to keep the cohesion of a larger group. But I truly believe that one can show compassion and true forgiveness without compromising your safety and trust in others by allowing a violent sex offender to share such an intimate experience with your loved ones.

Answer 6

That person would be welcomed, we would praise God and seek God for a restoration of the person. There would be restrictions though.
No need to unduly tempt a person.
1st and 2nd Corinthians address some of the steps we should take to help a brother or sister when they have erred.
Of utmost importance would be the need to prayerfully speak God's love into the situation, to bring healing.

Answer 7

I don't know, but i'd appreciate the confession. That's one less sex offender that the community *doesn't* know about.

"But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into."

Answer 8

Well I'm not a believer, however I believe that many pastors and churches would accept him with restrictions. The tradgedy would be in how they treated him and talked about him behind his back.

Answer 9

Hopefully the same as that church did. There already are sex offenders coming to our church to hear about Jesus. Some of them turn their lives over to Him, so He can help heal them. I agree, however with the restrictions. I wouldn't recommend dangling a piece of meat in front of a carnivore whose trying to go vegetarian.

Answer 10

Why that is nice that he has told everyone, I am not sure how it should be handled. I certainly would not allow him to be anywhere near children even if in a friendly atmosphere.