In some disheartening news, Pastor Alistair Begg has doubled down on his insistence that Christians can attend LGBTQ weddings and even buy the couple a gift, according to the leadership of American Family Radio, resulting in Begg’ show being terminated from the lineup.
Begg, who pastors Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and whose program Truth for Life has aired on AFR for the last 12 years, sent representatives to speak on his behalf to AFR Vice President Ed Vitagliano and AFA Vice President Walker Wildmon. The results, they shared, were discouraging:
Taking over the timeslot previously occupied by Truth for Life to speak directly to Begg’s audience, AFR leadership said they contacted the pastor to give him “an opportunity to say ‘I messed up right there'” and to provide him with the opportunity to say ‘I said the wrong thing, and I’d like to recant,'” but that no apology or clarification was forthcoming:
The two individuals that we talked with, Walker and I with two individuals from Alistair Begg’s ministry, they made it clear that Alistair Begg believes that homosexuality is wrong, he hasn’t changed that his views on that. He does not believe that homosexual marriage is valid and that the practice of homosexual activity is, as the Bible says, an abomination.
So all four of us were in agreement with that. But what we could not get them to change, and they said that Alistair Begg is not going to change his mind, was on the issue of whether Christians should attend.
…And the goal of the call, and the goal of all Christians when approaching these issues, should be reconciliation, but reconciliation in truth. And so that was our goal with the call with Alistair Begg’s team and unfortunately we didn’t get there. But we did press the issue multiple times and we even asked point-blank ‘So are you guys stating that pastor Alistair Begg is standing by his original comment? He has no regrets? He didn’t misspeak? He doesn’t want to further clarify nothing?
And they said ‘yes, he’s standing by his original comment.'”
The hosts lamented Begg’s response.
So very disappointing. And you know I even told… the gentleman and lady that we were on the call with with Truth for Life, that pastor Alistair Begg has such a long, decades long track record of biblical fidelity and truthfully teaching the Word of God, that this is extremely disappointing. This isn’t something that we saw coming. This isn’t like- some of the others Evangelical leaders that have drifted, this is not one that was on the list that we could have seen this coming.
Update! Alistair Begg Doubles Down On Attending LGBTQ Wedding, Says He’s Not Budging.
While Begg sent staffers to speak in his stead, he has yet to personally address the matters publicly or justify holding such a dangerous and theologically decrepit view. Begg’s show still airs on 1800 radio stations, and he’s slated to be a speaker at the upcoming Shepherds Conference.
23 thoughts on “Alistair Begg Doubles Down On Attending LGBTQ Wedding, Says He’s Not Budging”
So much for not letting the world ‘rub off’ on us. Approving of sinful behavior can never be reconciled to biblical Christianity, no matter how you phrase it.
Just another pandering grifter…we all know there are only two genders…the rest are mental illness. This is apostate if the man considers himself to be Christian.
I also posted this same comment on your earlier article about being dropped by AFA:
Does anyone else find it odd that the AFA president and vice-president only spoke to Begg’s staff for clarification and not Begg himself? Begg sent staff to speak for him? Was Begg too busy? Too important? Too unapologetic? Too Afraid? He passes it off for staff to handle? I would think that would be an important call to take. Not to mention mere courtesy after 12 years on the air with them.
As the staff of AFR said, I could never have seen this one coming. I don’t think I’ve ever heard ONE statement from Begg’s mouth that didn’t square with the Bible’s teachings, so this was a shocking curve ball. And now it has been confirmed from his own people that that is, indeed, his position. Wow.
I would pay good money to ask Allister if Christians should attend a cannibal feast so as not to offend them for their dietary choices. Or join in a ceremony where kittens are tor tured for participant’s pleasure so as not to appear judgmental. This pastor will never be able to defend his stance with logic, reason, morality, or the Bible. He has dug himself into a very deep hole. Tragic!
If he does not come to his senses soon, it may, and hopefully WILL be, the end of his ministry in the US. Somewhere, we have to draw a line in the sand. At some point, we have to stand up and say “Enough!”.
How disheartening to see such foolishness and wicked advice from a leading conservative Christian pastor. I’ve been a listener and admirer of Begg for some time. He probably has a “gay” relative somewhere. Allister embrace Christ once again and his teachings instead of playing these cowardly games.
I think people like Begg are misunderstanding what Biblical “support” is. They are faulty in that they are trying to say the attending the wedding is the same as providing support to them as an individual. Let’s say you have a family member that is gay and breaks their arm. Of course, you would drive them to the hospital in support of their health , Or let’s say you have a family member that is gay and they invite you over to a 4th of July party. Of course, you would go because you are supporting a good holiday and you are attempting to build a relationship with someone that needs love and truth. But going to a gay wedding to support them is not the Biblical “support”.
Greg here commenting under the “Staff Writer” account:
I started getting faint alarm bells when he refused to associate himself with the “The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel”
This knocked the air out of me! He was literally, bar none, the last one any where I thought would stray from the truth. I’m devastated. This will hurt for a while.
After decades of my wife and I supporting his ministry we must now stop. Truly heartbreaking. I will pray for him.
So much for not letting the world ‘rub off’ on us. Approving of sinful behavior can never be reconciled to biblical Christianity, no matter how you phrase it.
Just another pandering grifter…we all know there are only two genders…the rest are mental illness. This is apostate if the man considers himself to be Christian.
I also posted this same comment on your earlier article about being dropped by AFA:
Does anyone else find it odd that the AFA president and vice-president only spoke to Begg’s staff for clarification and not Begg himself? Begg sent staff to speak for him? Was Begg too busy? Too important? Too unapologetic? Too Afraid? He passes it off for staff to handle? I would think that would be an important call to take. Not to mention mere courtesy after 12 years on the air with them.
As the staff of AFR said, I could never have seen this one coming. I don’t think I’ve ever heard ONE statement from Begg’s mouth that didn’t square with the Bible’s teachings, so this was a shocking curve ball. And now it has been confirmed from his own people that that is, indeed, his position. Wow.
I would pay good money to ask Allister if Christians should attend a cannibal feast so as not to offend them for their dietary choices. Or join in a ceremony where kittens are tor tured for participant’s pleasure so as not to appear judgmental. This pastor will never be able to defend his stance with logic, reason, morality, or the Bible. He has dug himself into a very deep hole. Tragic!
If he does not come to his senses soon, it may, and hopefully WILL be, the end of his ministry in the US. Somewhere, we have to draw a line in the sand. At some point, we have to stand up and say “Enough!”.
How disheartening to see such foolishness and wicked advice from a leading conservative Christian pastor. I’ve been a listener and admirer of Begg for some time. He probably has a “gay” relative somewhere. Allister embrace Christ once again and his teachings instead of playing these cowardly games.
Disappointing answer for sure.
Would he consider the corrections he will get at the Shepherd’s Conference?
I think people like Begg are misunderstanding what Biblical “support” is. They are faulty in that they are trying to say the attending the wedding is the same as providing support to them as an individual. Let’s say you have a family member that is gay and breaks their arm. Of course, you would drive them to the hospital in support of their health , Or let’s say you have a family member that is gay and they invite you over to a 4th of July party. Of course, you would go because you are supporting a good holiday and you are attempting to build a relationship with someone that needs love and truth. But going to a gay wedding to support them is not the Biblical “support”.
Greg here commenting under the “Staff Writer” account:
I started getting faint alarm bells when he refused to associate himself with the “The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel”
This knocked the air out of me! He was literally, bar none, the last one any where I thought would stray from the truth. I’m devastated. This will hurt for a while.
After decades of my wife and I supporting his ministry we must now stop. Truly heartbreaking. I will pray for him.
yo, please correct this article. Parkside is in Chagrin Falls, which is NOT Cleveland.