Pastor Ken Hutcherson Fights Prostate Cancer
Seven years? That’s some battle.
This explains a bit as to why he may be so dogged and relentless about the gay issues he preaches against. A man who is daily aware of his own mortality runs at a hotter pace and a faster speed. He knows that time is running out.
Yes, if you’re gay and you hate the man for his protests, then you’re going to feel a little schadenfreude at the man’s troubles. I ask you to keep it to that, and not slag the man for his current trials. (Hate screeds will be deleted from this post.)
It just…seems to explain a lot. My prayers are with the man and his family tonight.
REDMOND, Wash. — For more than a decade, Pastor Ken Hutcherson has been at the center of the culture wars in Washington state. Now he’s publicly sharing a very private battle, his own battle with cancer.
“I was diagnosed in 2002 with prostate cancer,” Hutcherson, looking tired and a bit rundown, said Thursday while sitting in his new Redmond office.
The pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland leads a congregation of 3,000 members. But Hutcherson came to prominence for his vocal and public battle against gay rights and gay marriage.
“I haven’t felt good for seven years, but I try not to let that effect how I treat others and how I live,” Hutcherson said. “I think that’s why most people didn’t think there was anything wrong with me.”
Many in Hutcherson’s own church don’t know he’s living with cancer, and he doesn’t talk about it much.
“I can either look at it as oh woes me, or I can say thank God that I am worthy to go through this to be molded to be more like Jesus Christ and to know that he’s kept me here for a reason.”
The reason, Hutcherson believes, is to continue preaching against gay marriage. I’ts a fight that has gained him many enemies.
“I think there’s a lot of people hoping I die,” he said. “That may be one of the reasons God’s keeping me around.”
Hutcherson said he’s praying for God’s guidance on how to fight a bill in Olympia that would expand the state’s domestic partnership law.
After a serious fall on his ranch during the snowy holidays, Hutcherson’s body reacted badly. His doctors have asked him to cut back at home and facing a new round of experimental drug treatment he knows cutting back at work may be necessary.
Still Hutcherson says, “I’ve enjoyed my cancer….because it’s molding me. That’s the thing God is using to keep my mind on him.”
as were some of you 
Yikes. This guy seems to be saying that he is projecting his health battle onto his “enemies” – the gay rights community.
I pray for Hutcherson’s family and the gay families Hutcherson is persecuting.
Prostate cancer can be very slow in progressing. When my father was diagnosed, doctors told him if he did nothing, he’d have 8-10 years. As it was, he chose a “radical” and is quite well nearly 14 years later.
It was the newspaper article that used the term “enemies”–let’s hope Pastor Hutcherson does not see any individuals that way himself.
That’s good to know that we might have Hutch with us for an extended period. I applaud you for giving him the benfit of the doubt.
Hutch is a wonderful man, totally committed to God and willing to give up everything to pursue God’s plan for his life — even if it’s not politically correct. I admire him, and I know him pretty well, after attending his church for 10 years. He is not a hater of people — any people. He just hates the fact that God’s plan for marriage and sexual relationships has been so perverted as to make homosexuality seem “almost” normal. Thank God that He called Hutch to send an important message to our culture.
I’m glad to hear it Henry. My problem is that Hutch’s pride has gotten in the way of his message and young people who are just now figuring out their sexual issues are getting the idea that the church is not an answer to the questions they might have. When they protest the violence and the abuse they suffer, it seems the church’s response is to protest their choices, and in a tacit way, approving of the violence these young men and women inherit.
I’m just saying there’s a better, more Jesus-identified way to build bridges insted of inciting hatred and abuse.
I’d love to sit down and talk with the man about this some time.
formergay You say “young people are figuring out their sexual issues” I wonder where that thought comes from. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. The Bible is a wonderful love message from God but it also is very helpful during all the stages of our lives. Proverbs has a lot to say about the hormones raging and what to do about it. Mostly it says to walk a narrow path and don’t see how close you can come to evil. Certainly active sexual pursuit is supposed to be left to the incredibly enjoyable marriage bed. In the meantime self control is emphasized. Men and woman are not dogs in heat. They can wait and frankly if they can’t what does that say about them?
I have known Hutch since High School. If there is ever a Man of God out there it is Hutch. His love and compassion for Gods people is unfathamable and I am so proud of him and all God has done thru him. His cancer may destroy his earthly body but God began a work in him that will have a profound affect on people for years to come. He is a beautiful man with a beautiful family and I am so proud of him. I support all that he does and has done where gay rights are concerned. We are all children of God and it is our responsibility to live and teach as God as directed us to. Homosexuality is wrong, against God, it is sin. It isn’t the gays that we as Christians hate it is their lifestyle, their sin. We will pray that God will bring them back to Him. To a way of life that He intended. We love Gods children, but we hate their sin.
Did you even BOTHER reading the rest of the site? Did you read the news article where he admits that his obsession with Mt. Si is because he was insulted at an assembly and that it’s his pride at stake and not his love for gay people? Did you read the effect that his protests have had on the gay students at Mt. Si?
I’d guess probably not. Look, I love Jesus and his followers, but I have deep concerns that your Hutch’s sinful pride is getting in the way of the Gospel reaching those struggling, questioning souls. And that’s where I get angry.
Annie, as a Bible-believing mom who has walked with Jesus for over 40 years, your comment made me cry. I, too, respect and love Hutch. I have listened to him preach many times, and have been blessed by his ministry. But if “Loving the homosexual and hating their sin” is what you have learned from Hutch, I am broken-hearted.
One of our four children was sexually abused as a very young child, when he was in the care of neighbors. That was, probably, one of the reasons he struggled with unwanted same-sex attraction from his earliest memories. He was being raised in a church at which Hutch used to pastor, and heard how much God hated homosexuality more times than he could count. But as a 10-18 year old, can a child discern that the people speaking so disparagingly about his private struggle are not talking about HIM? A man’s sexuality is interwoven with his identity…it is part of being a man. Every gay friend I have is deeply hurt and offended by the Christian cliches we use about this particular sin.
And our son prayed for YEARS for God to take his unwanted same-sex attraction away. God did not. But it is hard for me to believe that anyone who truly understands the pain of living with homosexuality could make a comment like “Love the person, hate the sin.” When having the youth group over, we’d listen to Ryan’s Christian friends bash gays, without knowing that Ryan himself was struggling. He learned to hate himself, and to believe that God hated him.
My son died this summer as a result of his self-hatred. We pray that the church will learn how to extend much more grace to this struggle in future generations, and will not see this sin as “bigger” than others. Every person we’ve known who is hurting needs LOVE…they already know what the church thinks and what the Bible says about homosexuality. They don’t need to hear it again. What they need to hear is that NOTHING can separate them from God’s love. They need to hear that The Cross is big enough for ALL brokenness…and that JESUS paid it all. But before we say that, they must SEE our love in action.
Thank you, Annie, for allowing me to vent. I apologize if I came across too strongly. This issue hits so close to home for me, and we are grieving all the things that led to our son’s death.
You say your son prayed and “God did not.” this seems to be ignoring God’s sovereign love…Just in case you forgot..God loved your son abundantly more than even you and he was more heartbroken than you were. I am very sorry to hear about your loss, my son died in August and I know all too well the pain you are feeling. I dealt with sorrow and even a period where I blamed and hated God for not answering my prayers.
Another thing you said was that someone who is not struggling with being gay could not relate to feeling of “love the person, hate the sin.” We all have sin and many of us pray that God release us from our sins and when we slip-up we say God did not. I have for years been dealing with my own sexual promiscuity having slept with hundreds of women. I pray all the time for God to release me from this sin and many times I have fallen back in and hated myself for it and questioned God’s purpose for me.
Your son and other homosexuals are not alone in feeling not good enough to inherit God’s Kingdom, because we all sin and all struggle and none of us are worthy. “love the person, hate the sin” not only applies to gays but all sins. Pastor Hutch uses that doctrine in dealing with many sins, such as extra-marital affairs, spousal abuse, etc. It is easy to take his teachings out of context but if u put it in perspective that phrase “love the person, hate the sin” will not come off as saddening and be viewed as bigotry, because guess what…GOD HIMSELF LOVES US ALL BUT HATES ALL SIN.
I think that Hutch’s cancer is another sad chapter in an already sad story. He will go to his deathbed loved by thousands and hated by millions. Few have done more to drive people away from christ and I hope he wakes up before his illness gets worse. If he doesn’t rid himself of all that hate before he dies, his legacy will be that of a disgraceful bigot.
C’mon Hutch – beat this cancer and start living christ-like. Get out of the harsh old testament and learn how to teach the true love of Jesus.
I listened to Mr. Hutcherson’s interview with Dr. James Dobson today and was truly moved by his willingness to submit to God and to allow him to use his trial (blessing) of cancer to mold and use him if only we to could trust our heavenly father as much as this saint. We love you Mr. Hutcherson and may God continue to bless you and use you.
I heard the same interview with Dr. James Dodson and I was struck by Mr. Hutcherson’s remarkable faith in living with cancer. He has shifted his focus from his humanness to God’s holiness. He is a remarkable man of God and a reminder of what it means to walk in faith.
There can be no doubt that it is unhealthy to nurture hatred for another person in your heart–and then act it out by trying to oppress others and hold them back.
When the Bible tells us to love our brother, among other reasons, it is because it is better for our spirit and flesh not to fixate on hating and attacking other people.
Hopefully the good pastor can take this as a learning moment, and try to life people up rather than tear them down.
To have so much hate for something clearly founded in love is enough to make any person sick from within. A man sworn to preach goodness and love who finds himself well known for preaching hatred and judgement. I hope for his sake he lives only to be able to right his wrong.
I am struck by the choice of words that gays and former gays use to describe Hutch’s opposition to homosexuality. “Hate” and “hatred” become the arrows they shoot at a man who loves all God’s people, even gays. If my son were killed by a drunk driver and I joined MADD to protest drunk driving and to educate against the dangers of it, would I by default be labeled a “hater” of all alcoholics? Just because I believed it was not in the best interests of society and the people who would be impacted by it, am I an anti-drunk bigot? If I preach that God’s Word teaches that drunkenness is a sin and if I work to show the Church and the public the problems with drunkenness, am I a hater?
Neither is Hutch “full of hatred” because he is willing to proclaim what the Bible teaches about homosexuality. He has been willing to stand against the cultural tidal wave of homosexual promotion and say, “No, that’s not God’s plan.”
Sure, it’s easier to dismiss the truth someone delivers if we call them a hater. But please show me ANY evidence that Hutch hates people. I’ve known him since 1985, and I’ve NEVER seen evidence of hatred in this man. Passion, yes; boldness, of course; even a little bravado and machismo, sure. But find other reasons to dislike the man than the coward’s way out: labeling him a hater. God, bless Hutch in his battle against cancer. Please heal his body so he can continue to love people and teach the truth.
I’m sure how else to describe Hutcherson:
“During his sermon, Hutcherson stated, ‘God hates soft men’ and ‘God hates effeminate men.’ Hutcherson went on to say, ‘If I was in a drugstore and some guy opened the door for me, I’d rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end.’ – RightWingWatch.org
“About 100 people joined the Rev. Ken Hutcherson outside Mt. Si High School this morning to protest the Day of Silence being observed inside the school. The group prayed and sang as a noisy group of counter protesters tried to drown them out by beating on drums and chanting, ‘Go Home.’…” –The Seattle Times
On June 18, 2007, Hutcherson and 29 other African-American pastors in the High Impact Leadership Coalition publicly opposed the Senate hate crimes bill… –Wiki
“…Hutcherson persuaded Microsoft to withdraw support for the Washington anti-discrimination bill [6] that would have made it illegal to fire an employee due to their sexual orientation.” – Wiki
“Hutcherson also unsuccessfully demanded that the company fire two employees who had testified in favor of the bill.”; “…He has also said that he does not tolerate known gays in his church….” –TheStranger.com
Sure, Hutcherson may believes he loves gays and lesbians, but actions speak far louder than sentiment. Advocating that it should be legal to fire gays and lesbians; trying to get any who oppose him fired; advocating violence; and advocating government discrimination against gay and lesbians families is hatred regardless of the rationalization.
It’s not surprising that violence seems to follow his activism.
I am not sure what this man has said, I just opened this page, but I do know God does hate all sin and to get RID of the sin in our lives is to our own benefit and freedom, the deception of sin .. is that it makes the sinner feel all is well, when in the long run ,, it is surely not.. money makes is feel good for example.. but stealing money , hoarding money and not sharing when we can to help others is wrong.. we can not TRUST our feelings, to make us live.. and acceptable to GOD and Christ, he is the one telling us NOT to be deceived and how to bring peace and love in our lives.. we have weaknesses we are human, God knows that, this is why he brought Christ to help lead the way.. it is not for conviction and condemnation. i am sorry if this pastor has made it sound this way as if GAY people are not accepted and not part of God’s creation? They are God’s children he is trying to speak SALVATION for them.. for me? As a Christian, I apologize for him? If he has offended any of you? It is all the about the WAY we say things.. and yes some subjects hit nerves within us? But if he were to say Nothings at all? then HE would be in the wrong according to Christ. I know that this man is not trying to HURT one sole. And to tell you the truth.. God can help us with ANYTHING in our personal lives, our habits , our addictions , our ways that are not pleasing to him. Jesus said.. I came to give you life and life more abundantly.. to live a better life. It is not about power and control and condemnation. There are very difficult subjects to handle in life, And Jesus says to forgive others, forgive your enemies and as human being we all make mistakes and we HAVE to live in forgiveness to others .. even to those who offend you.. he says to pray for them. THis pastor is a MAN.. he has the heart of Christ in him? Forgive him if he has offended you? and understand that his underlying message is only to SAVE you and bring peace to your sole. . if there is hatred you detect in him, pray that that is dealt with inside of him.