A Response to the Southern Poverty Law Center

For a number of years, the Southern Poverty Law Center - in the recent past, discredited by both conservative and liberal sources alike, https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2018/09/10/southern-poverty-law-center-essentially-a-fraud/ - has had Pilgrims Covenant Church (PCC) on its hate group list, labeling us as "anti-LGBTQ." It should be noted that by being on the SPLC hate group list, we join a number of very well known, respected pro-family groups also listed as being "anti-LGBTQ" because they do not toe the SPLC line with regard to what they think, say, and teach on the subject of homosexuality and such issues as marriage.

The plain and, for the many who visit our web site, well documented fact is that Pilgrims Covenant Church simply holds to a scriptural position on homosexuality which is consistent with historical, Evangelical Protestantism. What we believe and teach with regard to homosexuality is exactly what is believed by and taught in a multitude of other evangelical churches in this nation, including a good number in Wisconsin. And no, we do not hate homosexuals - in truth, we desire to see them come to Christ and be saved - nor do we condone violence against anyone or the vile language and signs used by the likes of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.

And no, we do not hate homosexuals - in truth, we desire to see them come to Christ and be saved - nor do we condone violence against anyone or the vile language and signs used by the likes of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.

In spite of any claims to the contrary, it is also a well documented fact that our pastor does not spend an inordinate time speaking on the subject of homosexuality. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth as a scan of his posted sermon titles will quickly prove! As a church, we humbly seek to rightly understand and be faithful to what the Scriptures teach on all matters of faith and life.

Is it the SPLC that is the hate group, so hateful of Christians who simply believe the word of God as to put a little church such as PCC - a church of men, women, and yes, children - on its list of "hate groups" along with such vile organizations as the KKK and Nazi groups . . . lumping a Christian church such as ours in with Nazis and white supremacists given that we abhor the ungodly, vile racist and anti-Semitic ideology and actions of such groups?

Furthermore, as our church web site makes abundantly clear, for instance by our ministry newsletters, our ministry outside the walls of the church is an ongoing gospel witness out in the world around us, that is sharing the gospel of grace with the unsaved. We have also been involved in supplying Bibles to prisoners in this country and certain works of mercy to those in need. In addition, we are deeply involved, through our financial giving, in two foreign missions, one in Nepal and one in Uganda. The Nepal mission includes an orphanage, a church, evangelism work, church planting, a radio ministry, pastoral training of indigenous ministers, Sunday School work, and aid to the needy. The work in Uganda includes a large orphanage, a school for disadvantaged children which are also fed and receive other help, door-to-door evangelism, and emergency aid for the needy.

All things considered, this begs the question, Is it the SPLC that is the hate group, so hateful of Christians who simply believe the word of God as to put a little church such as PCC - a church of men, women, and yes, children - on its list of "hate groups" along with such vile organizations as the KKK and Nazi groups, this in a day when violent and unstable people have been known to enter churches on the Lord's Day in order to commit violence against defenseless men, women, and children, in some instances motivated by such libelous slander? We would also note the hypocrisy of lumping a Christian church such as ours in with Nazis and white supremacists given that we abhor the ungodly, vile racist and anti-Semitic ideology and actions of such groups; and further, during World War II, our pastor's father suffered at the hands of the Nazis for fifteen months in three different POW prison camps and on two long, brutal forced marches after enduring eleven harrowing, high-casualty combat missions over occupied Europe as a tail gunner on a B-17 until his plane was shot down on January 29, 1944.

But, if the SPLC chooses to keep PCC on its hate group list because we refuse to abandon faithfulness to the word of God, we have this encouragement from the word of God: "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12).