Ray Boltz Comes Out

[Revmitchell]

Ray Boltz, who sold about 4.5 million records before retiring from Christian music a few years ago, came out of the closet Friday to announce that he's gay.

In an interview with the gay magazine The Washington Blade, Boltz said he came out to his family and some close friends in December 2004, but only now decided to go public with the news.



More Here

 

[LeBuick]

Ray Boltz, who sold about 4.5 million records before retiring from Christian music a few years ago, came out of the closet Friday to announce that he's gay.

In an interview with the gay magazine The Washington Blade, Boltz said he came out to his family and some close friends in December 2004, but only now decided to go public with the news.



More Here

I will keep him in my prayers... raying:

 

[mcdirector]

I will keep him in my prayers... raying:

*sigh* doing the same . . .

 

[JamieinNH]

Interesting thing about this story... He was in the closet for 30+ years and now he comes out...

I was out of the closet for 20+ years and have just decided in the last year to live my life for Christ and have turned away from the gay lifestyle.

I find the human mind a funny thing.. I fought long and hard to try to get the Bible to accept me for who I was, and even believed it for years, but in the end God won, he always does. :godisgood:

As a newly recovering gay person (what is the term I use here??) I will pray that he will find the light again and will fight the good fight to turn his life back over to Christ.

 

[Rippon]

He said :"When I was going through all this darkness." How revealing.But it's not in the past tense.He is in darkness (presnt tense).How little of the Bible these "Christian artists" know and apply.

May he feel guilt,shame and fear of the judgment of the Lord.

 

[sag38]

Well, I guess it's time to box up the Boltz C.D.'s. His music had great messages but it's tainted now. It would be one for him to say "I'm struggling with this and I want help." But, for him to embrace it as being "ok" is sad.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

I am in a bit of a foul mood anyway..but this just makes me angry. Let the hypocrites, liars, decievers, get out the church.

The sodomite said,

“If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.”

God says,

1 Cor 6:8-10
No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

Oh, and I bet he made a decision for Christ and was baptized. Do you folks still think the decision is what God uses to make one born again?

RB

 

[LadyEagle]

Interesting thing about this story... He was in the closet for 30+ years and now he comes out...

I was out of the closet for 20+ years and have just decided in the last year to live my life for Christ and have turned away from the gay lifestyle.

I find the human mind a funny thing.. I fought long and hard to try to get the Bible to accept me for who I was, and even believed it for years, but in the end God won, he always does. :godisgood:

As a newly recovering gay person (what is the term I use here??) I will pray that he will find the light again and will fight the good fight to turn his life back over to Christ.

Jamie, thank you for your courage in posting this here. My prayers are with you.:flower:

LE

 

[JamieinNH]

Jamie, thank you for your courage in posting this here. My prayers are with you.:flower:

LE

Thanks LE, but the credit for the courage belongs squarely on God's shoulders... It wasn't/isn't an easy thing for me, and right now it's exspecially bad, but I know God will get me through it.

My pastor over the last year has really been a great mentor, he planted seeds in my mind that connected the dots that my heart had had for years.

I wish sometimes now that I were better at English and writing because it's my hope that through my struggles and the new blog I started it will reach out and touch many more gay people that are in the same boat I was. People just like Mr Boltz...

Thanks again for your support! We fight alot in the other forums, but I know we're bound together in Christ and care for each other on this board.

 

[Pastor Larry]

Oh, and I bet he made a decision for Christ and was baptized.

Whoever he made a decision for, it seems it wasn't Christ. So let's not confuse the folks. One can go through an outward experience or an emotional experience and even get baptized without true saving faith in Jesus.

 

[LeBuick]

I am in a bit of a foul mood anyway..but this just makes me angry. Let the hypocrites, liars, decievers, get out the church. .

I guess I see it a little backwards, I believe the Church is where these people ought to be and certainly who I invite each day we have service.

@Jamie... I pray the Lord give you the courage and will to continue to walk His chosen path for your life and the strength to resist all temptation. For we have all sinned and come short of the Glory but there is one who makes us perfect in our weakness. Therefore will I glory in the fact that I am a sinner saved by grace...

Thanks for sharing your testimony....

 

[Revmitchell]

I guess I see it a little backwards, I believe the Church is where these people ought to be and certainly who I invite each day we have service.

People who are honestly seeking God yes. Those who are looking to justify their sin no.


Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

 

[tinytim]

People who are honestly seeking God yes. Those who are looking to justify their sin no.


Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Welcoming but not affirming...

 

[JamieinNH]

I guess I see it a little backwards, I believe the Church is where these people ought to be and certainly who I invite each day we have service.

@Jamie... I pray the Lord give you the courage and will to continue to walk His chosen path for your life and the strength to resist all temptation. For we have all sinned and come short of the Glory but there is one who makes us perfect in our weakness. Therefore will I glory in the fact that I am a sinner saved by grace...

Thanks for sharing your testimony....

Thanks LeBuick,

I feel the same way you do, if my pastor had casted me out or turned away from me vers embracing me with my faults, I don't think I would ever be where I am at now.

Instead of screaming at me or shunning me, my pastor talked for hours with me, checked in from time to time.. kept me busy in the church helping set up and get things ready each Sunday (he knew that would keep me coming to church as I had church hopped alot in the last few years.....

I agree, from my view point we don't need to "accept" people and their sins, but we do need to do more to enbrace them and plant the seeds for change.. Connecting the dots between their minds and their heart... that is what happened to me.

Some background about me and my decision to walk with Christ. I had a great life. My partner and I had been together for 8 years. We own a house together, have nice jobs, nice savings, life was good...

But my heart weighted heavy and I knew I needed to change it wasn't until the dots were connected that I walked away from a "good life" and now I have no home, very few friends(they are mostly all gay) and am alone.

There are good days and bad days, but in the end I know there will be more good days ahead!

I don't mean to get off topic, just wanted to agree with you that the people that are the "sinners" are the ones we need in church. They need to hear the truth and be close to other Christians so they can connect the dots themselves...

 

[JamieinNH]

Welcoming but not affirming...

Your shorter response beat me to the punch, but in my long winded post that is exactly what needs to happen and what happen to me.

 

[mcdirector]

Well, all I can say is praise God for new life in Him when we really do turn to Him. Jamie! You are in my prayers!

This is that same old human conundrum - but only in human terms - NOT a conundrum to God at all! He is there waiting for us, BUT we do have to repent. It is not that God meets us where we are and as we are, but that God meets us where we are when we are willing to lay down all that we have and all that we are and have been for Him.

Pastor Larry is right that many have an outward or emotional experience without having a life changing experience.

It's sometimes hard for us to tell by looking on the outside . . .

The biggest problem for the church IMHO is how to be welcoming and not appear affirming.

 

[donnA]

wow, that's incredible, I'm shocked.

 

[donnA]

Interesting thing about this story... He was in the closet for 30+ years and now he comes out...

I was out of the closet for 20+ years and have just decided in the last year to live my life for Christ and have turned away from the gay lifestyle.

I find the human mind a funny thing.. I fought long and hard to try to get the Bible to accept me for who I was, and even believed it for years, but in the end God won, he always does. :godisgood:

As a newly recovering gay person (what is the term I use here??) I will pray that he will find the light again and will fight the good fight to turn his life back over to Christ.

Jamie thank you for sharing, I had no idea, but I'm glad you've turned it all over to Christ.

 

[LeBuick]

The biggest problem for the church IMHO is how to be welcoming and not appear affirming.

My view is error toward welcoming so that we don't accidentally loose one...