The CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, has ruffled some feathers because he backed out of a speaking engagement, in the last minute, at an event sponsored by a leading megachurch.

Schultz was scheduled to speak last Friday at the two-day Global Leadership Summit, an annual event that is organized by Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Ill.

The evangelical, nondenominational megachurch is the third largest church in the U.S., with a membership of 24,000 worshippers. It is considered by many pastors nationwide to be one of the most influential churches in the country.

Schultz backed off from the speaking engagement one week after Change.org said in a post that his presence at the event would be unacceptable. The organization also posted an online petition, which garnered 799 signatures, for him to snub the event.

The organization also slammed Willow Creek, saying that it is homophobic and referring to links that it formerly had with Exodus International, a Christian organization that councils lesbians and gays, and teaches them strategies by which they can change their ways. The megachurch has not had any working relationship with Exodus since 2009.

Whether or not Schultz made the right decision has yet to be seen. Up to 150,000 viewers normally tune in to watch The Global Leadership Summit annually via satellite, far exceeding the 799 signatories of the online petition.

This year, 1,100 people paid to attend the Chicago summit. Past speakers have included former President Bill Clinton, rock singer Bono and GE’s Jack Welch.

Touchy about Homophobia

Starbucks has been touchy about homophobia since 2008, when a lawsuit was filed against the coffee shop brand by two of its former employees, who claimed that they were fired from their jobs because they were gay.

Last June, Starbucks was again assailed after a blogger from Long Island wrote a post about a homophobic incident she witnessed in her local Starbucks by some of its employees.

In her Lil Family Blog the writer, Alison, described the incident as “one of the most brazen and unapologetic displays of homophobia I have ever witnessed in my entire life.”

The post was picked up by newspapers, including the Seattle Post Intelligencer and the New York Daily News. Many others in the blogosphere also joined in the discussion about the blog post.

In a statement, Starbucks flatly denied that it is homophobic and said that it’s company policy does not tolerate any type of discrimination by its employees.

Christian goodwill

Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek, denied accusations by Change.org that the church is homophobic. He told the AP, “To suggest that we check sexual orientation or any other kind of issue at our doors is simply not true. Just ask the hundreds of people with same-sex attraction who attend our church every week.”

At the summit, Hybels suggested to participants that they show love for Starbucks, saying affably, “Buy a cup of coffee in the next couple of days and show some Christian goodwill.”

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A megachurch in Chicago announced recently its parting of ways with an “ex-gay” organization that it had worked with for several decades.

Willow Creek Community Church, with a membership of 30,000, announced recently that it is parting ways with Exodus International. However, the decision to sever ties was actually made in 2009.

Susan DeLay, spokeswoman for Willow Creek, told Christianity Today that people who have same-sex attractions are welcome to the church. “Willow Creek has a whole host of ministries for people dealing with these issues, and we would never intend for them to feel sidelined.”

Exodus International was disappointed with the decision of the megachurch.  Alan Chambers, president of Exodus told CT, “There are Christians who believe like one another who aren’t willing to stand with one another, simply because they’re afraid of the backlash people will direct their way if they are seen with somebody who might not be politically correct.”

Exodus, the largest ministry globally that adheres to the belief that homosexuality can be healed through a relationship with Jesus Christ, has been experiencing some trouble lately.

In New Zealand the ministry lost its tax exempt status, and there is a petition in Canada that is being forwarded by the New Democratic Party that seeks to do the same for all ex-gay organizations.

Chambers told CT, “I really do think decisions like this, ultimately, highlight a reticence in the church to stand up for biblical truth, and they’re coming at a time when we’re going to have to stand up for what we believe. I think there’s a way to stand up. We have to find that way.”

Last year, Exodus chose to cancel sponsorship of “Day of Truth,” which urges students to speak openly about their feelings of censure towards homosexuality. Chambers, taking note of the issues of bullying and gay youth suicide, said the approach was not appropriate. Instead, he told CT “a much more conversational, relational, service sort of way” is more suitable.

Recently, the president of TOMS Shoes apologized for its participation in an event in collaboration with Focus on the Family, which also disagrees with homosexual behavior.

Willow Creek says its decision to part ways with Exodus International is the result of a review of its relationship with various organizations.

Scott Vaudrey, director of pastoral care in a statement told The Christian Post, “It is true that Willow Creek discontinued its formal relationship with Exodus. In making this move, we were not making a social or political statement. We were simply in a season of reviewing and clarifying some of our affiliations with outside organizations.”

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Christian leaders expressed support recently for President Barack Obama’s call for immigration reform.

Recently, Hispanic and African-American pastors coalesced including the National Baptist Convention, USA; Esperanza for America; the Progressive National Baptist Convention; and the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Christian Post said.

Christian Leaders support Obama’s call for immigration reform

Derrick Harkins, 19th Street Baptist Church senior pastor in Washington D.C. said, “Immigrants are not taking our jobs or public resources. The reality is that we are unified across ethnic and racial lines. We will not waver as we pursue justice on this human rights issue of our day,” the Christian Post said.

 Conservative white evangelical leaders, among the strongest Republican Party supporters, stood behind Obama as he addressed the issue at the American University, the Christian Post said.

Obama was introduced by Rev. Bill Hybels, senior pastor of the 12,000-member Willow Creek Community Church outside of Chicago. In the audience were Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and Rev. Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Christian Post said.

Anderson and Land support an earned pathway for immigrants already in the country but without documents. In a statement last May they said, “Let us be clear – an earned pathway to citizenship is not amnesty,” the Christian Post said.

An earned pathway includes allowing legal residency if one has a job and pays back taxes. A CNN poll showed this is supported by 80 percent of Americans, the Christian Post said.

In his speech Obama urged Congress to pass comprehensive legislation that will create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. He described the current system as “fundamentally broken,” Fox News said.

Obama also said the Arizona law passed by Governor Jan Brewer is “divisive” and “ill-conceived.” The law requires Arizona police to ask anyone on the streets who they find suspicious to produce their immigration papers, even if they stopped them for other reasons, Fox News said.

Recently Brewer released a campaign ad telling Obama, “Do your job. Secure our borders,” while standing beside new Arizona border signs that read, “Danger-Public Warning. Travel Not Recommended,” the New York Daily News said.

Brewer claimed the signs are Obama’s response to a meeting they had. However, the Bureau of Land Management said local rangers put up the signs, the New York Daily News said

Brewer asked Obama for 6,000 National Guard troops on the Arizona border, New York Daily News said. Obama approved 524 troops, a record high, Fox News said. Brewer is up for reelection this fall, the New York Daily News said.

In his speech Obama said, “Reform that brings accountability to our immigration system cannot pass without Republican votes,” the Christian Post said. Obama said that mass deportation is “logistically impossible and wildly expensive,” Fox News said. It is estimated that there are some 11 to 12 million immigrants without documents in the United States, the Christian Post said.

Obama said, “I’m ready to move forward, the majority of Democrats are ready to move forward and I believe the majority of Americans are ready to move forward. But the fact is that without bipartisan support, as we had just a few years ago, we cannot solve this problem,” the Christian Post said.

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