Disappearing, Reappearing Pastor May Be Forced to Disappear from Pulpit

Pat Boone’s support for Eminem, religious license plates, and other stories from mainstream media sources around the world.

Christianity Today February 1, 2001

Amnesiac pastor’s post precarious He reportedly can’t remember his past, and now his future’s shaky too. As noted earlier in Weblog, married youth minister Wesley Barrett “Barre” Cox disappeared one day near San Antonio. He reappeared 16 years later as James Simmons, an amnesiac but still a preacher. Now he’s senior pastor at White Rock Community Church, a predominantly gay congregation in Dallas. As doubt continues to swirl around Cox’s/Simmons’s story, the pastor has called for a vote. Unless two-thirds of his new congregation affirms him, he’ll leave. Apparently the vote is in doubt: message boards on the church Web site indicate a pretty divided congregation.

More churches and pastors in trouble:

Pop culture:

Homosexuality:

  • Religious outrage over pink tourism | Religious leaders tell Cape Town mayor to stop promoting the city as the “gay capital of the world.” (The Independent, Johannesburg, South Africa)
  • ORU’s gay alumni plan event | Oral Roberts University extends “cautiously cordial” invitation to homosexual graduates (Associated Press)
  • Britain will hear Cayman’s complaints on gay laws | U.K. government will accept petition from Caymanian church leaders angered over revocation of territory’s laws against homosexuality, but it does not plan to change its decision. (Associated Press)
  • A man and a woman, period | Holy matrimony excludes same-sex unions, interfaith coalition says (The Toronto Star)

British Christian dating service:

  • Christian dating agency goes online to find perfect partners | A new dating agency for Christians is asking members to quote their favorite biblical passages and describe their religious beliefs in order to ensure that they are matched with their perfect partner. (The Daily Telegraph, London)
  • Getting to know you, after an intimately Christian fashion | Organizers of www.christianconnection.co.uk believe their matchmaking service will fill a hole in the hearts of many young people for whom the traditional church is no longer the place to meet Mr. and Mrs. Right. (The Guardian, London)

Falun Gong and religious liberty:

Uncommon evangelism:

Ireland’s communion dispute:

Church finances:

Nigeria:

More stories of interest:

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