Robert Jeffress
First Baptist Church of Dallas Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress refuted comments that he’s anti-gay Sunday while addressing his congregation about Tim Tebow canceling his April visit.
Tebow canceled last week after a media firestorm surrounding his visit because of the controversial evangelical pastor who has made anti-gay and anti-Semitic remarks in his sermons. He tweeted that “new information” led him to cancel the appearance. But the church released a statement that Tebow wanted to avoid controversy and said he would plan a visit to the church at a later time.
Jeffress said it’s been “a wild week” during his sermon Sunday, adding that the cancellation wasn’t because of him but rather the scripture he preaches about.
“It’s not about me. It’s not even about our church. It’s about the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Jeffress said.
“It’s amazing to me that we’re called anti-gay simply because we say sex ought to be between a man and a women in marriage. Somehow that’s construed to be anti-gay,” he said, later joking that several of the articles made him seem like a terrible person. “Really I never realized what an awful person I was until I started reading these articles about myself.'”
However, Jeffress said the controversy wouldn’t diminish “the excitement we have in going into our new campus that God has planned for us.” The church’s downtown campus has undergone a $130 million expansion and will have a monthlong celebration during April.
Jeffress said he recommitted himself to God during the week and would continue to lead the church according to the Bible. Translation: He’s still going to be anti-gay.
“As long as I am the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, we are not going to kneel before the alter of political correctness in convenience,” he said. “We are going stand up and boldly proclaim the grace of God and the truth of God without compromise so help me God. That is my commitment.”
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