World Vision Hiring Gay Christians: Christian charity World Vision has reversed its policy on hiring applicants in same sex marriages, days after announcing that they would permit gay Christians in legal same-sex marriages to be employed.

President Richard Stearns told reporters that, "The last couple of days have been painful. We feel pain and a broken heart for the confusion we caused for many friends who saw this policy change as a strong reversal of World Vision's commitment to biblical authority, which it was not intended to be."

"Rather than creating more unity [among Christians], we created more division, and that was not the intent," added Stearns. "The board acknowledged that the policy change we made was a mistake, and we believe that you've helped us to see that ... and we're asking you [supporters] to forgive us for that mistake."

"We listened to our friends, we listened to their counsel. They tried to point out in loving ways that the conduct policy change was not consistent ... with the authority of Scripture and how we apply it to our lives. We did inadequate consultation with our supporters. If I could have a do-over on one thing, I would have done much more consultation with Christian leaders."

He said, "We need to have a process to do further and wider consultation with key Christian leaders around the country, and we will be discussing how that can happen."

"What we are affirming today is there are certain beliefs that are so core to our Trinitarian faith that we must take a strong stand on those beliefs. We cannot defer to a small minority of churches and denominations that have taken a different position," said Stearns. "Yes, we will certainly defer on many issues that are not so central to our understanding of the Christian faith. But on the authority of Scripture in our organization's work [and employee conduct] ... and on marriage as an institution ordained by God between a man and a woman-those are age-old and fundamental Christian beliefs," he said.

According to Christianity Today, only few from the evangelical community support the preliminary decision. 'The day after the announcement was made, the Assemblies of God, one of America's largest and fastest-growing denominations, urged its members to consider dropping their financial support from World Vision and instead "gradually shifting" it to "Pentecostal and evangelical charities that maintain biblical standards of sexual morality."'

After announcing change in conduct policy, Stearns stated that "a number" of child sponsors cancelled their sponsorship in objection of the decision.

"That grieves us because the children will suffer because of that-but our choice is not about money or income, it's a sincere desire for us to do the right thing, to be consistent with our core values, and to respond to the legitimate feedback and counsel we have received from supporters and friends of World Vision," Stearns said.