[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNHvQw5gnkw[/youtube]
For Today has received a lot of flack for Mike Reynolds’ tweets declaring that “homosexuality is a sin.” So it’s not too surprising that just a few days after posting the tweets, the guitarist has quit the Christian metalcore group.
The band issued the following statement revealing why Reynolds has quit and who they’ve gotten to replace him:
“Mike Reynolds is no longer a part of For Today. He has decided that now is the time for he and his wife to put their plans in motion to enroll in bible college, and to begin working toward full-time missions work in the Middle East. Mike will be replaced by long-time friend of the band, and former In The Midst of Lions guitar player, Sam Penner, who will be appearing with the band as they headline their upcoming FIght The Silence tour.”
Granted, Reynolds isn’t the first member to leave For Today for missionary work. Still, the timing of his departure seems pretty coincidental. Further proving that For Today is in “damage control” mode, a video statement from Mattie Montgomery was also released. Unlike the band’s first statement, Montgomery directly acknowledges Reynolds’ tweets in the video above and apologizes to “anyone who felt alienated” and “anyone who felt condemned, rejected or written off” by the comments made. “The last thing any Christian in the world should do is to make you feel that way, and I’m so sorry if that happened to you,” Montgomery said. In addition, the singer offered his cell phone number as a way for fans to further voice their opinion.
We give Montgomery major props for issuing the video statement. He could have just left the matter alone after For Today’s first comment, but instead he gave what seemed to be a genuine response without defending or retracting his (and his former guitarist’s) beliefs. Watch Montgomery’s public apology above.
