Baptists disown self-styled West City home church pastor

The 245 member Baptist Church Union has been quick to distance itself from the comments of West City Baptist Church pastor Logan Robertson who urged a gay writer to kill himself.

The union has confirmed that the West City Bible Baptist Church is not affiliated with them.

“I’m appalled by the comments made by the West City Baptist Church pastor Logan Robertson,” said  Craig Vernall, the National leader of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand.

Robertson, the self -styled “pastor” of the West City Bible Baptist Church runs an independent fundamentalist church from his home in West Auckland.

An official statement on the Baptist Church Facebook page says:

“It’s understood that Mr Robertson has had a recent history of mental illness.”

“For this reason we need to pray for his well being to see him get through the difficulties he has brought upon himself and his family.”

Not even all of Robertson’s congregation share his sentiments, with several posting their shock upon hearing of Robertson’s comments.

Robertson also called Matt McLean, a TVNZ journalist who is homosexual, a “filthy faggot” when McLean asked for an interview.

He refused the request and expressed the hope that Matt would also commit suicide.

Later he did agree to an interview in which he said, “I think every single one of them should be put to death.”

“Christians shouldn’t be doing it, I’m not going to do it, it’s the Government’s job to be doing it.”

The Baptist Church says the passing of same-sex marriage legislation in 2013 “has created an ongoing issue” for the churches.

“In response, our movement has indicated that churches and pastors should not act as host or celebrant in same-sex marriage ceremonies.”

At its 2013  Assembly the Baptist Union set up a working party on same-sex marriage and issues of local church autonomy.

It says it will involve “weighing issues of local church autonomy in tension with participating together in a cooperative movement of churches.”

 

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