Sugar Hill pastor apologizes for Church's judgmental attitude

SUGAR HILL, Ga. – A Georgia Baptist pastor who pledged to apologize to gays, women seeking abortions, and couples who live together outside marriage during his March 30 sermon did just that – and then he offered an evangelistic invitation that would have been at home in any traditional Baptist congregation.

Joe Westbury/Index

Pastor Richard Mark Lee apologizes to the unchuched while still making a strong evangelistic delivery during the 9:45 a.m. blended service. The congregation averages 1,400 in attendence in three distinct worship services directed at different worship styles – traditional, blended, and contemporary. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced the apology in a prominent story in its Friday editions and on its homepage; camera crews from the city's three major television stations also covered the worship service.

The sermon garnered considerable attention in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution prior to its delivery and was covered by all of the city’s television stations. Pastor Richard Mark Lee said the apology for intolerance and “getting in the way of Jesus” was long overdue and was needed in a world polarized by the Christian church.

“For too long we’ve been known for the issues we’re against, not for the God we’re for,” he said.

His apology was not limited to the aforementioned groups but was directed to those in the secular world that drive by churches each day and never consider visiting because of the judgmental posture. He used both personal apology when appropriate and a corporate apology for the Church at large in addressing unbelievers.

Lee was quick to say he was not speaking for, or against, the Southern Baptist Convention but was making his comments as an individual pastor of an autonomous congregation. He did describe it as “the most unusual day we have ever had in the life of this church.”

Lee did not yield ground on his conservative beliefs but said the Church’s established methods of judging others for their shortcomings obviously has not worked. Driving people away from Christ is not an effective way of bringing them to Him, he said through a variety of illustrations.

“Today we in Sugar Hill, and America at large, live in a post-Christian society. But if we acted more like Jesus in our words and the way we live, the world would be far different. It’s time we begin to think, act, and live like He did.”

Lee quoted from “Unchristian,” a book recently released by the Barna Research Group, which reported that in a scientific poll 18-28 year-olds perceived the Church as “judgmental, homophobic, and irrelevant.”

“Folks, they are not leaving the Church, they have already left. What are we doing to bring them back?” he asked the crowded sanctuary in each of the three morning services.

“For me, I cannot stand in front of God and tell Him that I did nothing to reverse that perception. It’s important to know that the 18-28 year-olds are not against Christ; in fact, they tell pollsters that they have fond feelings for Him and believe in God. But the bottom line is that the Church is still perceived as judgmental, homophobic, and irrelevant” rather than for our love for them.

“I am 37 years old and I believe the Bible is 100 percent truth without error. But the Bible tells us we are to judge our own lives and not the lives of those outside the faith.

“Today I want to apologize to our community for getting in the way of Jesus. He really is awesome and you’d like Him, even though you may not like those in the Church.”

Lee addressed a variety of misperceptions the Church has given to unbelievers in an increasingly non-Christian society.

“I have picketed abortion clinics, I’ve held the signs and banners and done all those things. I am pro-life but I regret being involved in those things. I am sorry for having a bumper sticker mentality.

“If you have had an abortion recently or even several years ago, I want you to know that I do not sit in judgment of you today. I am sorry if you have sensed a spirit of judgment in the way I presented myself and the gospel.”

Then he addressed the gay issue and individuals in the Church who “have a pharisaical mindset,” apologizing for the way some Christians “have demonstrated prejudice, bigotry, or a hateful attitude.

“We are sorry for acting like the head of the body of Christ rather than like a part of that body. We are sorry for driving you out of church; that is not of God. “I have apologized to God and now I am apologizing to you.

“In my day of arrogance I have laughed at my share of gay jokes but I now understand that participating in such activity does color the way you view people. You can’t avoid it. And while I firmly believe that Romans 1 is true in its discussion of homosexuality I know that it is much easier to condemn when you do not know those in that lifestyle.

“I have recently renewed an acquaintance with an individual who is homosexual and I have come to the realization that I cannot engage in jokes which demean the very person I am trying to reach.

Joe Westbury/Index

First Baptist Church of Sugar Hill received widespread media attention on March 30 for a sermon where the pastor apologized for the Christian church's role in intolerance in reaching unbelievers. His apology was directed toward gays, those who had received abortions, and couples who live together outside of marriage. Sugar Hill is located in northern Metro Atlanta.

“We have used trite phrases such as ‘love the sinner but hate the sin’ in these instances but we should really love the sinner and hate our own sin. The Bible teaches that love does not find fault, but the hard truth is that the world has seen that we do not love those who are different from us.

“Time and again, Jesus’ words challenged the religious establishment. He taught us to leave the 99 and go after the lost one. But we have not followed that teaching very well and have actually pushed people further away from church.

“In John 4:18 we read that ‘perfect love drives out fear.’ I apologize for driving you out of the church and making the church a place that you fear. While the Bible teaches that we should all have a reverential fear of God, we should not fear those who sit in the pews. I make this apology and genuinely ask you to forgive me.”

Addressing politics and the pulpit, he then stated, “Jesus did not mix politics with spirituality. Yet, we’ve made Jesus a member of the Republican Party.”

Lee then said that he was “not mad at anybody” with his confessions and that he wanted his hearers to “know the God we are for and not the personal issues we are against.”

The sermon, titled “We’re sorry, really” is the first in a series on confession that will be delivered through the first of May. Other confessions will include the subjects of insecurity, loneliness, dealing with criticism, and personal temptations.

Lee said he received the idea for the series after reading “Confessions of a Pastor: Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God” by Craig Groeschel. After reading the book he decided to begin by making a confession to the community “when I realized that the Church is really not known for being about Jesus but about all the hot topic issues we pursue.

“I never dreamed the media would have picked this up like they did,” he added. “All I wanted to do was engage people in a conversation about Jesus and His love for people and avoid the many traditions of church culture which drive people away.”

In an on-line poll at the AJC’s website and attached to the story, readers were asked if they felt the minister should apologize. As of Monday, March 31, with four responses offered, 52 percent said, “It’s about time!” while 31 percent replied “No way,” 3 percent replied “To some of the groups, not all,” and 15 percent said, “It won’t make a difference anyway.”

Lee has been pastor of the church for seven years. The church averages 1,400 in three services – one traditional, a blended, and a contemporary – that reach different segments of the community. Nearly 1,700 attended the launch of the “confession” series on March 30.

Individuals can download the sermon and other pod casts at mysugarhillchurch.com.