A church in Louisville, Ky., plans to ordain a registered sex offender this coming Sunday though they won’t allow him to have unsupervised contact with children.
About ten years ago, Mark Hourigan was charged with sodomizing, sexually abusing and intimidating an 11-year-old boy and ended up serving time in prison.
Since then, Hourigan has been released from prison, completed his probation time, and joined the City of Refuge Worship Center, where he now leads praise and worship.
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Furthermore, Hourigan will be signing agreement not to minister to children.
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Notably, City of Refuge boasts itself as being “a GLBT affirming church” that accepts and welcomes “everyone regardless of race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and/or social-economic status” and “are here to love and support all of our brothers and sisters in the Lord.”
Ky. Church to Ordain Registered Sex Offender | Christianpost.com.
September 13th, 2009 9:09 am
That's SICK!!!
September 13th, 2009 9:09 am
That's my thoughts
September 14th, 2009 1:09 am
thats crazy!
September 13th, 2009 9:38 pm
In Acts, Paul’s testimony was that he was a murderer who then turned to God through an encounter with Jesus. It shows that people can repent for their sins and be forgiven. And go onto to work for God.
If this guy has truly repented for what he did, then their is no reason he shouldn’t be allowed to attend church. Being welcomed at church would surely help him. But to play a lead roll? No. From what I have read, Peadophilies have a high re-offend rate. I think he should have to show over many many many many years that he had turned around before he could be given any kind of leadership role, if at all. And never any role with children.
September 13th, 2009 10:07 pm
What he did was reprehensible, but I’m glad that he’s finding acceptance someplace. A solid social support network can keep him from re-offending.
September 14th, 2009 2:36 am
[...] HT [...]
September 14th, 2009 2:45 am
Did you read the ‘about us’ page at the Churches website Polycarp?
quote:
“we are a GLBT affirming church”
The idea that they are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender affirming, while also saying they are a pentecostal “church”, shows me that don’t have a clue.
September 14th, 2009 12:09 pm
unbelievable. i am a firm believer of forgiveness, but to just throw that out of the window to let the man minister? some churches won't let you be a leader if you've committed adultery. wow.
September 13th, 2009 10:42 pm
James, I do believe he does need a support system, but I must say, placing him in the ministry, at any level, is a bit difficult for me to digest, especially given the high repeat rate.
September 13th, 2009 11:33 pm
But it has been ten years. Would you permanently ban him from ministry, or, like Newtaste, would you require him to show evidence of change (which I can understand)?
September 13th, 2009 11:41 pm
What would the evidence of change be? Can you know the thoughts of a person? Considering that this is generally done in privacy, with threats, etc… how do you of anything?
There is such a high repeat rate, which would make me under constant guard.
But, I also must stand for the Grace of God. It can change a person.
September 13th, 2009 11:44 pm
I think him seeking treatment would be one factor–in some places, that’s mandatory. But I hope he’d be honest in the treatment.
September 14th, 2009 1:55 am
No, you can’t know the thoughts of person. And pedophilia repulses me. There is a case in Sydney today, where a notorious pedophile is being moved from town to town whenever the local community discover he is living in their midst. I have zero sympathy for him, and he probably should never have been released from prison as he is clearly long past any hope of rehabilitation.
In Hourigan’s case, I think my major concern is the report says he is being ‘ordained’. I think if he was singing in the choir, making coffee, welcoming people, or something similar he could be making a valuable contribution to his church community. But being a church leader of some sort leaves me cold. He should not be a role model which either intentional or unintentional he may become. I just don’t think that ten years is long enough.
September 13th, 2009 11:52 pm
To be honest, it is a bit disconcerting. I can understand a murderer seeking reconciliation, a thief, a liar – but I find my reactions to a pedophile somewhat different.
September 14th, 2009 5:06 am
Yeah, after having a look at their website, it is difficult to understand how they can call themselves a ‘Christian’ church. Their photos are all about the church float and stand at the Kentuckiana Gay Pride festival and their entrant in the ‘Miss KPF 2009′ gay beauty contest, and a ‘Starz come out tonite’ gay issues support concert. It appears to be a church predominately for gays. Nice idea to reach out and include others in the community. But this is surely not a Christian church.
September 14th, 2009 8:43 am
I was hoping that some one would get to that, PJ. Now, what are we to make of that?
September 14th, 2009 9:43 am
I see this as two separate issues:
1) Does this assembly even know Christ?
2) At what point does do we say someone has been walking the path of Christ long enough and with sufficient growth and maturity to enter into leadershp?
God sees no sin different than any other. Of course, they all have different counsequences temporaly – in this life. Sometimes that includes harming others, such as abuse. There are cases where people are totally delivered from their sin, and so long as they walk in submission to God, they have no desires to return to their former sins. But there are also plenty of cases where people continue to be tempted by their former sins of choice. And many of us fall back into those sins in difficult times. It is one thing when our sins cause no harm to others, and its another thing entirely when those sins affect others adversely. I have no desire to see someone who has done something harmful to others to be in leadership, simply because the stress of leadership can easily cause one to return to former sins, should that leader not continue to walk closely with God.
But at what point do we say someone has met the qualifiactions for ministry? How long is long enough? What are the measurements used to determine whether the person is fit for ministry, or for leadership? What sort of ministry should someone be allowed to participate in? What sort of ministry should someone be allowed to lead? Is it different for those whose sins only affect them? What about the case where a former alcoholic/drug addict ruined their family and/or abused/neglected their kids to the point where the kids were taken away – should we allow such a person to minister to children 10 years leater?
Personally, I would find it difficult to allow a known pedophile to minister around children. But I would have no difficulty having someone like that lead a group of adult men who are recovering from having done such a thing and maturing in the faith. But, just as I would from someone who has murdered before, I would want to see him get counseling and be monitored and discipled with true openness and accountability.
I think our former actions DO have effects that can last until we die, even if we’ve been forgiven by God and others. Forgiveness does not mean to not be wise or forgetful – but to not hold it against someone. You can love someone and not like what they do or have done. But this does not mean we should (or should not) allow someone into leadership who has done something harmful to someone else, for fear they will harm yet again. Each case must be visited and each group of people who are determining if someone the leadership qualifications must be led by God to make such a determination.
Of course, I’m not convinced this church is led by the Holy Spirit.
September 14th, 2009 11:20 am
Good, thoughtful comment, Wbmoore.