Burlington Pastor speaks out about controversial sermon - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Burlington Pastor speaks out about controversial sermon

By: Christine Souders

csouders@cbs4qc.com

A QCA Pastor is getting death threats for what he said in a church sermon earlier this month. Steve Youngblood from City Church in Burlington, Iowa, is under scrutiny for saying he wanted to slap a woman in his congregation, after she reported the church to the IRS for displaying political pamphlets encouraging voters to remove an Iowa Supreme Court Justice who voted to legalize same-sex marriage.

The IRS could revoke a church's nonprofit status for promoting candidates or ballot issues.  Now the Pastor Youngblood is speaking out, and he is standing by what he said.

We asked Pastor Youngblood on the phone if he would take all that's happened back, he said he wouldn't.  A direct quote from Youngblood's sermon October 7th, that became public on his weekly podcast, refers to an unnamed member of his congregation by saying quote " I want to slap that person. Wake up."

Following with him saying, "What makes me madder is that person's husband won't correct them," and "Women need to sit down and shut up.  I don't like rebellious women."

But Pastor Youngblood said all of it was taken out of context, "All I was saying on that day is that the bible says what sin is and what righteous is, and we're going to live by those standards."

He said he wasn't prepared for his sermon to have such a negative response, "I'm ok with the people having differing opinions.  I'm not ok when you start threatening me or my life or you're going to slap me around or do this or that is out of line and it's petty."

And the pastor said he's more concerned for the woman who turned them in, "I forgive her for her actions and deeds, and the bottom line is I don't want to cause her any duress at all."

The former church member who reported the incident refused to comment.  Pastor Youngblood said he apologizes for any misunderstandings.  The church used to have the sermon on their web site but have since taken it down.

The woman called out in Pastor Youngblood's sermon actually sought guidance at another church after the incident. 
  
"if you listen to the sermon, it was very humiliating not just to her, but all women," said Reverend Jane Willan says what Youngblood did during his sermon was unprofessional and she said he was only trying to intimidate his congregation to being silent.

Reverend Willan said her church doesn't allow any political propaganda at their church, and other churches shouldn't either.

The Zion United Church of Christ supports the LGBT community.