Weekly Web Roundup (7/1/17)

Photo Credit: Golden_Ribbon

Here is a collection of items from around the web that caught my attention the past couple of weeks:

Watch Your Mouth by Randy Nabors

"The consciousness of racial injustice and its attendant social, economic, psychic, emotional, and physical realities are like a punch in the gut.  We have no alternative but to spell them out, to both the ignorant and the resistant.  Yet, if we allowed hate to fill us, these truths could inflame our hearts and push us to be fiery-eyed zealots and avengers, we instead seek to speak the truth in love; as Ephesians 4:15 teaches us to do.  This is not always easy to do, to speak hard truths in love.  We cannot be flippant about what love means (claiming we love people but producing no demonstrable proof) in our communication, especially not in having read the James passage in how the “wisdom from above” is to be imparted.  In other words people who hear hard truths from us must also hear and feel the love as far as it may depend on us."

Surprise! We Need to Learn from Christians from Other Cultures by Amy Medina

"When we talk about church in America with our Tanzanian friends, it's their turn to be shocked.  Your church services are only an hour and fifteen minutes long?  And that's the only service you attend all week?  And you've never, ever done an all-night prayer vigil? Like, never?  Are there even any Christians in America? In America, your devotion to Christ is measured by the amount of personal time you spend in prayer and Bible study.  Am I right or am I right?  Well, in Tanzania, your devotion to Christ is measured by the amount of time you spend in prayer and worship with others. Of course, you might protest that measuring godliness sounds like legalism.  Which is true--but we still do it, don't we? If you are American, what would you say to a Christian who never did personal devotions, but spent many hours every week in church worship services? Would you even know where to put that person in your spiritual hierarchy?  And would you be able to back up your conclusion with Scripture? It's easy for us, as foreigners, to come to Tanzania and point out what they are doing wrong. Those deficiencies pop up to us broadly and clearly.  But I wonder, what if a Tanzanian Christian came to the States and was given a voice in the white American Church?  What deficiencies would be glaringly obvious to him?"

I preached about a gun rights advocate. He wasn't who I thought. by Amy Butler (USA Today)

"I sat there, startled briefly by the unlikely situation in which we found ourselves. We couldn’t be more different. But Todd and I share at least one fundamental belief: nobody is the stereotype we believe they are. We do ourselves and our world a fundamental disservice when we won’t summon the courage to listen to each other and try as hard as we can to find the things we share, small as they may be."

Poll shows a dramatic generational divide in white evangelical attitudes on gay marriage by Sarah Pulliam Bailey (The Washington Post)

"The question for many evangelicals has been whether LGBT issues are matters where they can agree to disagree and still work together, perhaps like the question of when children should be baptized or whether women can be ordained. When the issue came up for World Vision, one of the largest Christian nonprofits in the country, in 2012, the answer was a sharp no — it lost thousands of donors right away. And InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a major ministry, announced last fall that its employees must affirm its views that marriage is between a man and a woman. Some evangelicals believe there’s a difference between supporting gay marriage as a public policy matter and gay marriage as sanctioned by churches. A large majority of white evangelicals (including younger generations) continue to see homosexual relations as morally wrong, according to the General Social Survey. The 2016 survey found 75 percent of white evangelicals saying homosexual sexual relations are always or nearly always wrong. That number is down from 82 percent in 1996 and 90 percent in 1987. The survey does not show a large generational gap, however. In 2014-2016 surveys, 70 percent of Generation X/millennial white evangelicals said same-sex sexual relations are nearly always or always wrong, compared to 81 percent of baby boomers/older generations."

7 ways the iPhone has made life worse by Kara Alaimo (CNN)

I'm an iPhone user but I share the concerns listed in this article from Kara Alaimo. Here she lists seven ways that she feels our smartphones have made our lives worse:

1. They're bad for our brains.
2. While we're busy on our phones, we're ignoring the world around us.
3. We're also ignoring one other.
4. They're ruining our relationships.
5. They promote FOMO ("fear of missing out") syndrome.
6. We have come to need constant validation.
7. We're expected to be available for work 24-7.

Smartphones can be useful if we use them and they don't use us. But these concerns are worth considering.

My 3 Big Fears in Parenting Teenagers by Trevin Wax (The Gospel Coalition)

"As fathers and mothers, we model the love of God to our kids in different ways. I know that whenever my children think of their Heavenly Father, they will in some way associate Him with their earthly father. The responsibility of modeling the character of God to my children makes me feel so honored and so inadequate. My fear for the teenage years is that, in the midst of the drama, the mood swings, the debates and disagreements, and the inevitable growth of independence, I will respond in ways that push my kids away from God instead of toward Him. That I will consistently model something untrue about God. For this reason, I pray that God would give me a soft and repentant heart, a willingness to own up to my sins, so that our kids would see that leadership in the home is not opposed to admitting I'm wrong, or that I need forgiveness. I also pray that God will not allow my fear of making mistakes to make me passive and thus forfeit my leadership role through apathy. A good father needs to have a combination of grace and boldness, with strands of love and authority tied so tightly you can't untangle one without the other."

Weekly Web Roundup (10/15/16)

Photo Credit: bjmccray

Due to Hurricane Matthew storming through Florida last weekend, I did not write a "Weekly Web Roundup" post last Saturday. So here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during the past couple of weeks:

Seeking Clarity in This Confusing Election Season: Ten Thoughts by Kevin DeYoung (The Gospel Coalition)

Many evangelical Christians find ourselves in a quandary as to whom should receive our vote for president this election, or even if we should vote at all. Pastor Kevin DeYoung offers some helpful things to consider.

It's Never Too Soon to Talk about Race in Your Church by Jemar Tisby (Christianity Today)

"I desire for churches that are predominantly white right now, but [are] looking to become more diverse, [to] do the groundwork first. You’ve got to pull the weeds. You’ve got to break up the soil. You’ve got to cultivate the land that would make it amenable to planting the seeds that would bear fruit of diversity. . . . The minority shouldn’t be the first one at your church to broach topics of race and diversity. That should’ve already been done by the leaders, and it should’ve been done in such a way that they’re shepherding the congregation through those issues."

When Compassion is Exhausting by Melanie Dale (The Mudroom)

"But for our passions, for the things burning deep in our souls keeping us up at night moving us to tears liquefying our insides, it’s going to take more. It’s going to take partnering with really smart local people who have big plans for their own communities. It’s going to take lawyers and therapists and social workers. It’s going to take a lot. Which is why you can’t care about everything because the thing you need to care about the most needs your attention over the long haul. So find a thing and dig deep."

InterVarsity Asks Staff to Choose a Stance on Sexuality by Kate Shellnutt (Christianity Today)

One of our partner ministries, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, made the news this past week when the response to a 20-page paper on their theological beliefs on human sexuality was made known. A number of their staff members will be leaving IV as a result. Please be in prayer for both the leaders of InterVarsity and all the staff members affected.

What it Means to be Black in the American Educational System by Kevin O’Neal Cokley (The Huffington Post)

"The results of a recent survey by the Pew Research Center underscore this point. The survey found that black Americans with some college experience are more likely to say that they have experienced discrimination compared to blacks who did not report having any college experience. Additional survey results revealed several differences between blacks with college experience versus blacks without college experience. For example, in the past 12 months, 55 percent of people with some college experience reported people had acted suspicious of them, compared to 38 percent of those with no college experience. Similarly, 52 percent of people with some college experience reported people had acted as if they thought the individual wasn’t smart, compared to 37 percent of people with no college experience."

Maps Shows History of US Immigration

The topic of immigration has been of great interest during this election season. This animated map from Business Insider illustrates immigration patterns to the U.S., including which countries were allowed to send people to the U.S. and when they were allowed to do so.

Can One's Religious Beliefs Excuse Them From Their Job?

Photo Credit: King County, WA

What is going on in Kentucky concerning county clerk Kim Davis issuing marriage licenses is an important matter. It is likely, though, that few of us (including me) have a deep understanding of how the law works in these types of cases.

I would suspect that many of us have strong biases in this particular situation and are likely primarily focused on "our side" winning and not necessarily attuned to what the law requires.

A country that values religious freedom as well as the civil rights of all its citizens ensures that cases like this bring with it many questions. This is not a simple matter.

I found this article from Eugene Volokh in The Washington Post to be helpful for me in grasping some of the legal issues related to this case. Things are not "cut and dry" here but Volokh's insights helped me in gaining a greater sense of the issues at play.

Here's a highlight:

"Under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act, both public and private employers have a duty to exempt religious employees from generally applicable work rules, so long as this won’t create an “undue hardship,” meaning more than a modest cost, on the employer. If the employees can be accommodated in a way that would let the job still get done without much burden on the employer, coworkers, and customers — for instance by switching the employee’s assignments with another employee or by otherwise slightly changing the job duties — then the employer must accommodate them. (The Muslim flight attendant I mentioned above, for instance, claims that she has always been able to work out arrangements under which the other flight attendant serves the alcohol instead of her.) 

Thus, for instance, in all the cases I mentioned in the numbered list above, the religious objectors got an accommodation, whether in court or as a result of the employer’s settling a lawsuit brought by the EEOC. Likewise, the EEOC is currently litigating a case in which it claims that a trucking company must accommodate a Muslim employee’s religious objections to transporting alcohol, and the court has indeed concluded that the employer had a duty to accommodate such objections. But if the accommodation would have been quite difficult or expensive (beyond the inevitable cost that always come when rearranging tasks), then the employer wouldn’t have had to provide it. 

Now I’m not saying this to praise the law, or to claim that it’s demanded by vital principles of religious principles. One can certainly argue against this approach, especially as applied to private employers, but also as applied to the government. 

The government is barred by the Free Exercise Clause from discriminating based on religion, but the government has no constitutional duty to give religious objectors special exemptions from generally applicable rules. Maybe it (and private employers) shouldn’t have such a statutory duty, either. But my point so far has been simply to describe the American legal rule as it actually is, and as it has been for over 40 years (since the religious accommodation provisions were enacted in the 1972 amendments to Title VII)."

(HT: @spulliam for the article link)

40 Maps That Explain The World

Photo Credit: WashingtonPost.com

Max Fisher of The Washington Post has created a sampling of forty different maps that demonstrate the differences in our world. The maps examine such things as religion, racial tolerance, economic realities, views on sexuality, population and languages spoken. Take a few moments to view the maps here and see the ways that people across the world are similar and which ways we are different.

(HT: Cody Lorance for the link.)

Some Evangelicals In The 'Messy Middle' When It Comes To Gay Marriage

Photo Credit: Chris Freeland

From Jeff Kunerth of The Orlando Sentinel:

"A new Baylor University study has found a growing segment of evangelicals who, while opposing homosexuality, are no longer strongly against gay rights. 

Dubbed the "Messy Middle," these evangelicals may have a voice in the gay marriage debate, the Baylor researchers said. 

"As a moral issue, we predict that the opposition to gay civil rights will not have the same staying power as the abortion debate," said study co-author Brandon Martinez, a sociology researcher in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences. 

The recent apology to the gay community by Exodus International -- an evangelical parachurch ministry that had long championed the "gay cure" movement -- and its disbanding shortly after that are evidence of the shift within the evangelical community, says Lydia Bean, Ph.D., an assistant professor of sociology at Baylor. Exodus International's leader stated that the group's previous worldview was "neither honoring our fellow human beings, nor biblical." 

In their study -- "How the Messy Middle Finds a Voice: Evangelicals and Structured Ambivalence toward Gays and Lesbians" -- researchers found that 24 percent of evangelicals fit into the ambivalent category, supporting gay civil unions even though they are morally opposed to homosexuality. 

"We've known that moderate and ambivalent evangelicals are there, but now they are actually starting to have a voice and beginning to be more political," Martinez said. 

The "Messy Middle" -- which researchers refer to as "Ambivalent Evangelicals" -- has differing views from evangelical "Gay Right Opponents," who oppose civil unions, and also from "Cultural Progressives," who support homosexual behavior and civil unions. 

But when it comes to religion, "The Ambivalents have the same level of belief, church attendance, prayer life, Bible reading and friends in church as Gay Rights Opponents do," Bean said. "They're enmeshed, not peripheral. You have these people in the pews and serving as Sunday School teachers who are supportive of civil unions."

For more information on the Baylor University study please click here.

Tim Keller On Understanding Old Testament Law

Photo Credit: Brett Jordan

In this post, Pastor Tim Keller offers a good perspective on how we can best understand the Old Testament as it pertains to moral law, human sexuality and its relationship to the New Testament. In viewing the Bible  as a consistent story, the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament begin to become more clear in light of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross.

Understanding this helps to explain why Christians are not necessarily being inconsistent when certain laws of the Old Testament are followed and others are not.

A highlight:

"Once you grant the main premise of the Bible—about the surpassing significance of Christ and his salvation—then all the various parts of the Bible make sense. Because of Christ, the ceremonial law is repealed. Because of Christ the church is no longer a nation-state imposing civil penalties. It all falls into place. However, if you reject the idea of Christ as Son of God and Savior, then, of course, the Bible is at best a mish-mash containing some inspiration and wisdom, but most of it would have to be rejected as foolish or erroneous.

So where does this leave us? There are only two possibilities. If Christ is God, then this way of reading the Bible makes sense and is perfectly consistent with its premise. The other possibility is that you reject Christianity’s basic thesis—you don’t believe Jesus was the resurrected Son of God—and then the Bible is no sure guide for you about much of anything. But the one thing you can’t really say in fairness is that Christians are being inconsistent with their beliefs to accept the moral statements in the Old Testament while not practicing other ones.

One way to respond to the charge of inconsistency may be to ask a counter-question—“Are you asking me to deny the very heart of my Christian beliefs?” If you are asked, “Why do you say that?” you could respond, “If I believe Jesus is the the resurrected Son of God, I can’t follow all the ‘clean laws’ of diet and practice, and I can’t offer animal sacrifices. All that would be to deny the power of Christ’s death on the cross. And so those who really believe in Christ must follow some Old Testament texts and not others.”

To read the rest of Keller's post please click here.

How One Evangelical Church Is Reaching Out To The Gay Community

Photo Credit: Royal Oak
Missionary Church

While driving with my twelve-year-old son to church early one Sunday morning a few weeks, I noticed a large billboard next to a major road that had caught his eye. The billboard was touting "Gay Days", an annual event here in Orlando where Disney and a number of other businesses sponsor events tailored for the gay and lesbian community.

I asked my son if he knew what "gay" meant and why there were two men on the billboard together. He understood what it implied and this led into what I thought was a healthy conversation (which was really not all that awkward considering that we had had "the talk" some time ago) and I explained to him how we should respond as Christians to people like those on the billboard.

We discussed that even if we don't understand the choices of others or don't necessarily agree with their lifestyles that we should still respect others and not tease, make fun of or be mean to them. I told him that there may be people we know that are gay, even if won't don't realize it. As a Christian, I believe that God's Word instructs me to stand up for the ridiculed and the marginalized and to demonstrate His love to all those He brings across our path.

With the recent vote in North Carolina and President Obama's comments on gay marriage, as well as the widespread media coverage of cringe-worthy comments from some members of the clergy, the topics of homosexuality and gay rights are very much at the forefront of the national dialogue. Although there are some Christian ministers that continue to build barriers between people of faith and the gay community, I know of at least one church that is intentionally reaching out to gays and lesbians in a loving and creative manner.

Royal Oak Missionary Church (ROMC), led by Pastor Bill Barnwell and located just outside of Detroit, is dear to my heart in so many ways. Not only is it the church that nurtured my wife in her youth and eventually sent her out as a missionary, but it is also the place where Lori and I became husband and wife. Many dear friends of ours are members of ROMC and I couldn't be prouder of what they are doing this weekend.

The church is putting on a play entitled "Masks" that will address topics like marital infidelity and homosexuality, with proceeds from the play going to a non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention to gay and lesbian youth and those struggling with their sexual identity.

The Daily Tribune shares about the play:

"If a church proclaims itself as pro-life, the members should care about gay teenagers who are at risk of committing suicide. 

That’s what the Rev. Bill Barnwell of Warren believes. He is practicing what he preaches with his evangelical congregation at Royal Oak Missionary Church, 411 E. 11 Mile Road. 

Barnwell’s play called “Masks” opens next week at the church and 80 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales and advertising will go to The Trevor Project. Even before the curtain rises June 1, the church has raised about $6,000 for the nonprofit group that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.  

“I attribute the fundraising success so far to people in the church just really catching the vision for saving young lives and seeing the value in reaching out a hand of friendship and love to the LGBT community and letting them know that their lives matter,” said Barnwell, calling his congregation brave. The central theme of his three-act play is that secrecy breeds dysfunction in any relationship. Barnwell intertwined two major plots in the script with a closeted gay youth pastor driven to despair after years of torment and a prominent, successful married couple struggling with infidelity and their teenagers’ sexually related angst. 

While some pastors are going on record as saying that they wish we could just get rid of all gay people, I'm thankful there are others like Bill Barnwell that are willing to take faith risks and face the scorn of their own community so that gays and lesbians can find life in Christ. If we as Christians say we are pro-life, we need to be pro-life for everyone. We don't have to agree with people to esteem them as image bearers of God and I'm grateful that a church that I am so close to is doing just that.

If you live in the Detroit-area and would like to see the play this weekend, please visit here for ticket information.

Starbucks, Bill Hybels & Responding Like Jesus

Photo Credit: Robert the Noid

Bill Hybels is one of America's most well-known pastors and is the leader of one of the country's largest congregations, Willow Creek Community Church. Willow Creek, located just outside of Chicago, hosts a Global Leadership Summit each year that attracts thousands in person and many more through satellite and other forms of technology.

The Summit has attracted a bit of attention this year due to the withdrawal of invited speaker Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks. Schultz's withdrawal came as a result of an online petition that urged him to drop out of the Summit due to what some feel is Willow Creek's "anti-gay" position.

Faced with a variety of options on how he could have responded, Pastor Hybels answered Mr. Schultz in a manner that is quite befitting of one that follows Jesus Christ. Please watch this video to see how Bill Hybels chose to address the situation:



I hope that Pastor Hybels is able to begin a dialogue with some gay and lesbian leaders as a result of his Christ-like response to this situation. God's love is available for all and I'm grateful that a prominent Christian leader such as Bill Hybels is making that known.

(h/t to Ragamuffin Soul for the video link)

Is it Time for Chick-fil-A to Abandon its Christian Identity?

Photo Credit: Link576

Chick-fil-A, the fast food restaurant popular in the southern United States, is currently facing something it is not used to -- controversy. After donating some free food to an organization that is against gay marriage, a number of gay rights groups have publicly condemned the company.  The Atlanta Journal Constitution weighs in on the story:

"We're not anti-anybody," said [Dan] Cathy, son of the company's founder, Truett Cathy. "Our mission is to create raving fans."

Earlier this month, Cathy appeared on a Facebook video to argue that the Chick-fil-A sandwiches and brownies to be provided at a marriage-training event sponsored by the Pennsylvania Family Institute are not an endorsement of the group's politics.

On Saturday, Cathy issued a statement saying that "While my family and I believe in the Biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees." Cathy said Chick-fil-A would not champion any political agendas on marriage and family. That is not a change from previous practice, Cathy said -- "just a confirmation."

"We've opted not to get involved in the political debate," he told the AJC. "It's never been our agenda."

But Chick-fil-A finds itself squarely in the political debate. A New York Times story published Sunday noted the conservative religion that is built into Chick-fil-A's corporate ethos have run it against the gay rights movement. Students at some universities have tried to get the chain removed from campuses.

Recently, administrators at the Indiana University South Bend suspended weekly Wednesday sales of Chick-fil-A items at two main dining areas, according to the South Bend Tribune. The administration wanted to review complaints raised by a student group and members of the executive committee of the Academic Senate.

Cathy says Chick-fil-A operates its business on Biblical principles but "is not a Christian company." It's a nuanced distinction, and many customers may miss it."

Chick-fil-A is a unique business. In respect for the Judeo-Christian tradition of Sabbath rest, they are the rare business that closes operations on Sundays so that their employees and customers have the day for focused time with family or to spend time at the house of worship of their choice.  They often play Christian music in their stores and the toys contained within their kids meals often are educational in nature, with a strong moral message.

But the reasons I go to my local Chick-fil-A are not simply because of the Christian foundations that the company was founded on.  I like Chick-fil-A because they have great chicken sandwiches, I can take my children to their play place, their restaurants offer free Wi-Fi, they have free newspapers available and their customer service is unparalleled in the fast food service industry. (For example, when I ask for a refill on my Diet Coke, the response is always, "It would be my pleasure.")

As a Christian, I seek to support businesses that reflect my values and the values that I wish to instill in my children.  I choose not to support companies that promote other value systems that I don't agree with.  And make no mistake about it. Every business promotes some kind of values.  The question is which values does it support and will I support those values with my dollar?

Unlike some of my fellow Christian brothers and sisters, I do not have a problem with gay rights groups boycotting or discouraging others from buying their food at Chick-fil-A.  I happen to disagree with them but I support their right in an American society to do so.  As some of the leaders when it comes to boycotts and organizing campaigns against companies that send a message contrary to what we think is appropriate, Christians should not be surprised when others do the same. If they feel like a business is actively treating them unfairly, they should boycott them.

To my understanding, though, Chick-fil-A does not discriminate against gay and lesbian customers or have some sort of policy against gay employees (which I would not support).  They simply gave some food to a local organization that was holding a local event (as do many restaurants throughout the country). For sure, if Chick-fil-A was in the business of selling Jesus they would have had to shut their doors a long time ago since there is no Jesus combo meal on the menu.  But, as it is, they're in the business of selling chicken sandwiches and they do a wonderful job.

I, for one, hope that Chick-Fil-A continues to do what it does. I hope that they continue to support a variety of local charities, whether those organizations are Christian in nature or not. In addition, their continued refusal to be open on Sundays defies conventional wisdom yet they've still been able to run a profitable business by being open just six days out of the week.  Their "Closed on Sundays" policy declares that there are more important things than just making money and that is something that is worth supporting.

If none of that convinces you to support Chick-fil-A, perhaps Tim Hawkins will.  Please click here if the video player does not show up.

They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love

All too often we Christians are known more for the things we dislike rather than the love we show. Even though Jesus told his first followers that they would be known by their love (John 13:35), the self-professed followers of Christ that many times get the most attention are those that are anything but loving.

It seems to be the angry, self-righteous folks that get all the attention while the meek and humble that quietly serve others go unnoticed. But it is encouraging to know that some believers in Christ think that love is more powerful than hate and that grace will win more people than guilt.

A gay pride parade was recently held in Chicago and a small group of a few dozen Christians decided that they would attempt to demonstrate at the parade. This group, however, went with the motivation of love and weren't driven by hate. They wore t-shirts that said "I'm Sorry" and attempted to show some remorse for how the gay community has been treated by so many Christians.

Tim Schraeder shares more details about the parade on his blog and provides a link to a story told by Nathan Marin, a leader in the Marin Foundation (the organization that led the unique demonstration). Here's the story from Nathan:

"What I loved most about the day is when people “got it.” I loved watching people’s faces as they saw our shirts, read the signs, and looked back at us. Responses were incredible. Some people blew us kisses, some hugged us, some screamed thank you. A couple ladies walked up and said we were the best thing they had seen all day. I wish I had counted how many people hugged me. One guy in particular softly said, “Well, I forgive you.”

Watching people recognize our apology brought me to tears many times. It was reconciliation personified.

My favorite though was a gentleman who was dancing on a float. He was dressed solely in white underwear and had a pack of abs like no one else. As he was dancing on the float, he noticed us and jokingly yelled, “What are you sorry for? It’s pride!” I pointed to our signs and watched him read them.

Then it clicked.

Then he got it.

He stopped dancing. He looked at all of us standing there. A look of utter seriousness came across his face. And as the float passed us he jumped off of it and ran towards us. In all his sweaty beautiful abs of steal, he hugged me and whispered, “thank you.”

Before I had even let go, another guy ran up to me, kissed me on the cheek, and gave me the biggest bear hug ever. I almost had the wind knocked out of me; it was one of those hugs.

This is why I do what I do. This is why I will continue to do what I do. Reconciliation was personified.

I think a lot of people would stop at the whole “man in his underwear dancing” part. That seems to be the most controversial. It’s what makes the evening news. It’s the stereotype most people have in their minds about Pride.

Sadly, most Christians want to run from such a sight rather than engage it. Most Christian won't even learn if that person dancing in his underwear has a name. Well, he does. His name is Tristan.

However, I think Jesus would have hugged him too. It’s exactly what I read throughout scripture: Jesus hanging out with people that religious people would flee from. Correlation between then and now? I think so."

We don't have to agree with the choices that people make in order to love them. And many in the gay community possess deep wounds from Christians and the Church that has led them away from a relationship with God. Unfortunately, we all fail in our hope to love others well. I know that I'm not consistent in my desire to love others as Christ does and I'm guessing that you're probably the same way. But as we yield to God's Spirit in our lives, He gives us the ability to love others in ways that we are unable to in our own strength.

Hate has never changed the world but God's love will. We don't have to compromise our convictions in order to be loving. Jesus was more committed to truth than you or I, yet he never wavered in His love for the broken and hurting. As a follower of Him, I hope that I can live the same kind of life that is more characterized by love than anything else. I frequently fall short of that goal but I will continue to pursue loving others just as Christ has loved me.

(h/t to Keith Battle for the link to the article.)

How a Gospel of Love Has Become Bad News

In countless conversations with others about the Christian faith, a couple of the most frequent answers that I've encountered about why people don't consider Christianity is because of the perceived hypocrisy and judgmentalness of self-professing Christians. Time after time, it is the incongruity of what we Christians say we believe and what our lives actually look like are the primary reasons people are turned off to Christianity.

Granted, there are those that do not like the truth claims that were made by Jesus Christ and there are some that understand that following God means you're going to have to make some changes to how you live. But, in the vast majority of cases, non-Christians have a problem with Christ-followers...not with Jesus. How unfortunate it is that we've become more known for what we are against than our love for God and people.

Dan Merchant insightfully explores this subject in his documentary, Lord, Save Us From Your Followers. An evangelical Christian himself, Merchant examines the so-called "culture wars" and how Christians are perceived by the rest of the world. He seeks to answer the question of how Christianity somehow became synonymous with political ideology in America and the impact that this has had on interactions between Christians and non.

The film is provocative in its critique of the current evangelical movement but also sheds light on the positive contributions that Christians make in the world. Perhaps what is most moving in the film is when Merchant attends a gay pride festival and apologizes to individuals for the sins of Christians towards the gay community. It is moving... and convicting.

You can watch the trailer here.

Is Piper Right About the Tornado?

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recently had their general assembly in Minneapolis and the gathering was certainly not without controversy. What has received the most attention was an official statement on sexuality that was passed and the eventual successful vote to allow gay clergy.

Another interesting occurrence took place during the convention when a powerful tornado ripped through downtown Minneapolis, right near where the Lutherans were meeting. Although Rev. Steven Loy, a leader in the ELCA, quipped, "We trust that the weather is not a commentary on our work," well-known Minneapolis pastor, John Piper, doesn't think what happened at the convention is a laughing matter.

Piper, who is a popular Christian author and leading proponent of Reformed theology, wrote about the tornado and its possible meaning on his blog, Desiring God. The complete article can be read here, but Piper concluded his comments this way:

"The tornado in Minneapolis was a gentle but firm warning to the ELCA and all of us: Turn from the approval of sin. Turn from the promotion of behaviors that lead to destruction. Reaffirm the great Lutheran heritage of allegiance to the truth and authority of Scripture. Turn back from distorting the grace of God into sensuality. Rejoice in the pardon of the cross of Christ and its power to transform left and right wing sinners."

Let me first say that I respect John Piper deeply and appreciate his heart for Jesus and passion for world missions. However, on this matter, I have to disagree with him. Although I solidly believe that God can (and does) bring judgment to sinful people through means such as natural disaster, I don't think we can be certain about the reasons why hurricanes and tornadoes and earthquakes happen to some people and not to others.

In this case Dr. Piper seems to be claiming to know the mind of God (i.e. God disapproves of homosexuality and, therefore, sent a tornado to get the Lutherans' attention). The real reason I have a problem with Piper's assertion is not because I don't think he could be right (God very well could have done what Piper claimed) but rather because the circumstances in which he chose to make this proclamation seem quite arbitrary to me.

Let me explain... He quotes from a passage in I Corinthians 6 in which homosexuals are deemed unrighteous, but so are heterosexuals that engage in sex outside of marriage, those who steal, the greedy, drunkards and thieves. In a nation that is full of individuals that commit all of these sins (most of them a lot more than homosexuality), why is it that the only time many Christian pastors believe God sends judgment is because of homosexuality? When formulating my thoughts on this post, when of my favorite bloggers also wrote about it. The Internet Monk puts it this way:

"Evangelical Christians are amazing for wanting it both ways. They want to be able to say when a tornado is warning liberal Lutherans, but they don’t want to say the light fixture that fell and killed a baby in some church is a sign of anything. They will probably sue the electrician. They want to say that God sends signs of repentance in the tornado that just skirted their town, and then want to say God is teaching us to depend on him when the tornado destroys the building the church meets in."

Anywhere a disaster happens we can find the sins mentioned in I Corinthians 6 practiced but it seems to be the gay issue that most frequently brings out statements from Christian leaders. For example, the late Jerry Falwell famously blamed the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. on "abortionists... feminists... gays... lesbians... the ACLU..." Why didn't his blame extend to the immense greed in America or adultery in the Church? Why didn't he blame the multi-million dollar corporate executives that stole the retirement packages of their employees and got off without even a slap on the wrist?

My point here is not to defend the decisions that the ELCA made this week. I believe they caved into cultural pressures and deviated from the clear teaching of Scripture. But I was disappointed with Dr. Piper's comments since they have the potential to lead to a greater insensitivity from Christians to those struggling with same-sex attraction.

To be fair, Piper published a follow-up article on this issue in order to clarify his initial statements by identifying his own personal tornado, cancer, and how God used that to bring Him to personal repentance. I appreciate his call for all people to turn from their sin and turn to Jesus. I just wish he would have chosen another way to do it in this particular instance.

Standing Up For Marriage

In many circles a major story has been lost in all of the news coverage of the election Barack Obama. In several states (including the one in which I reside, Florida) measures were passed that would legally define marriage as the union between a man and a woman. Surprising to many, this type of measure passed in the state of California. Generally regarded as a left-leaning and progressive state, a number in the gay community did not respond positively to this development.

In fact, protesters have even picketed Mormon temples and Christian churches for their perceived role in the passage of Proposition 8. Conservatives view legally accepted marriages between homosexuals as an assault on a sacred institution, whereas liberals view it as a natural progression in the granting of equal rights to a group of people that have been historically oppressed.

In a pluralistic democratic society, how should we respond when there are proposed changes in the law when it comes to those institutions that we consider sacred, such as marriage? One of the major challenges in the discussion of a sensitive topic such as this is to realize that there are actually at least two different senses in which we view marriage. First, it is a union in the eyes of God "til death do us part." Second, it is a legal contract in the government's eyes that can be broken when seen fit by one or both parties. This is wherein the rub lies. In one sense it is holy, sacred and eternal; in the other it is secular, temporal and limited to this age. Maybe the perspective that C.S. Lewis shared on marriage in his classic Mere Christianity needs to be considered:

"Before leaving the question of divorce, I should like to distinguish two things which are very often confused. The Christian conception of marriage is one: the other is the quite different question — how far Christians, if they are voters or Members of Parliament, ought to try to force their views of marriage on the rest of the community by embodying them in the divorce laws. A great many people seem to think that if you are a Christian yourself you should try to make divorce difficult for every one.

I do not think that. At least I know I should be very angry if the [Muslims] tried to prevent the rest of us from drinking wine. My own view is that the Churches should frankly recognise that the majority of the British people are not Christians and, therefore, cannot be expected to live Christian lives. There ought to be two distinct kinds of marriage: one governed by the State with rules enforced on all citizens, the other governed by the Church with rules enforced by her on her own members. The distinction ought to be quite sharp, so that a man knows which couples are married in a Christian sense and which are not."

Perhaps those that are advocates for gay marriage are so infuriated at those that are against it is because many that claim marriage is sacred and holy treat it as if it is secular and temporal. According to a number of studies, those that identify themselves as born-again Christians divorce at essentially the same rate as the general population. How can we say that marriage is a holy institution that would be threatened by the legalization of gay marriage when an arguably greater threat is the frequency that Christians cheat on their spouses and the alarming rate at which Christians divorce?

In mentioning these realities, I am not attempting to bring greater pain to those that have already suffered the devastating heartbreak of a broken marriage. What I am seeking to do is to cause those of us that call ourselves followers of Jesus to first take a good look at ourselves. There are some in the public eye that are the most vocal critics of gay marriage that have had three or four marriages themselves. And they call it sacred?! When it comes to the marriage debate, the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount resound:

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

For those of us that have not gone through a divorce or physically committed adultery, we don't escape Jesus' warnings either:

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Jesus' teachings went beyond what we find comfortable. He spoke against divorce. He spoke against adultery. And, yes, he even spoke against lust. I do think that marriage should not be entered into lightly and I do believe that it should be reserved for a man and woman for life. But I also think it would do us well to consider that our words ring hollow to the mainstream when we claim to be advocates for that which is God-ordained yet continue to not demonstrate that in our own lives.

None of us are perfect and we will all fail from time-to-time so let us remember that our love will always go farther than our anger and that grace has more power to pierce the human heart than judgment.

Ray Boltz Comes Out of the Closet

I was stunned to learn the other day that award-winning Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) singer Ray Boltz has publicly "come out of the closet" and acknowledged that he has divorced his wife, moved to south Florida and is now living in a gay lifestyle. Boltz, perhaps most well-known for the song "Thank You", was a popular figure in CCM circles in the 80's and 90's and performed in churches and concert halls throughout the country.

Boltz's admission stirs up all sorts of feelings for those that have been fans and his supported his music. Though not an ardent fan, I am well aware of his career and the revered place that some of his songs hold within the Christian community. So how are Christians to respond when something like this happens?

J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine, offers some great suggestions on how to deal with these types of revelations. Grady, from whom I learned about this story, also shares the following insight:

"Ray Boltz’s disappointing decision represents a national trend. Many people today are embracing homosexuality as an appealing alternative. They are listening to teachers, psychiatrists, talk-show hosts, Hollywood celebrities, sympathetic family members and even some mainline Christian ministers who say sexual orientation is totally genetic—and unchangeable.
These people have bought the lie that says a person who feels same-sex attraction must always be controlled by those desires. Not true! Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we can have freedom from every kind of sinful behavior.
We don’t have the right to compromise God’s Word, no matter how many people decide to come out of the closet. But let’s remember that the message we are called to proclaim to the world is not “Homosexuality is wrong.” That’s a true statement, but it has no power to change anybody.
The gospel we must shout from the housetops is that Jesus loves all of us, no matter our condition, and that His forgiveness can heal our brokenness. I pray Ray Boltz will soon discover that truth in a fresh way—and I hope he’ll write many more songs about it."

I can't help but feel compassion for Ray Boltz and the inner turmoil and struggles he must have felt for all these years. Knowing the response that many conservative Christians offer to those struggling with same-sex attractions, Boltz must have never felt there was a safe place for him to share his struggles and get some help. But the answer is not to divorce his wife and begin living a gay lifestyle. Boltz chose the Washington Blade, a gay magazine, to reveal the new direction in his life. His comments are telling:

“This is what it really comes down to,” he says. “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.”

It is sad that he hated himself for all those years, but living outside of God's will not ultimately bring a more fulfilling life for him. When anyone (gay or straight) gives up the struggle for holiness and decides to just do what feels good or right, the hope for growing spiritual maturity is left by the wayside. Jesus still possesses the power of our death and sin and I trust that one day Ray Boltz will come to that realization.

A Better Way?

A firestorm of controversy erupted a couple of weeks ago when former NBA star Tim Hardaway had this to say in reference to former NBA player John Amaechi, who came out as a gay man:

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people,” he said. “I’m homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

How as a Christian should I respond to these comments? Should I agree with Hardaway or is there another way? Yea, a better way for a follower of Christ to respond? Rather than agreeing with Hardaway's comments, I did find myself saying, "Amen" to these thoughts from Michael Spencer of InternetMonk.com:

"In this atmosphere, when someone like Hardaway lets it fly with unapologetic hate-rhetoric, many Christians will feel a greater attraction to the opportunity to denounce homosexuality than to the opportunity to distance themselves from an especially ugly expression of bigotry. Ironically, is there anyone left in the galaxy who doesn’t know, or who actually cares, what conservative evangelicals think about the issue of homosexuality? Still, we have to be heard saying things about how we don’t hate anyone, but we sure know what he means. We want Jesus to be on the record as hating homosexuality, and of course, mildly offended at the hating people thing."

Though Hardaway eventually apologized and recanted his initial statements, I think it's fair to say that his initial comments were probably how he really felt. Unfortunately, I think many of those who call Christ Lord actually agree with him. The issue of homosexuality has become one of the hot button issues for our current society and, in many ways, evangelical Christians have led the way in the preoccupation with this matter. Though each and every one of us struggles with various sins and shortcomings, this one particular area seems to have been lifted up as the most wicked of sins. Sexual sin and immorality should not be taken lightly (see I Corin. 6:18), but this is not limited to same-sex behavior. It also includes heterosexual sin.

When it comes to marriage, I really don't think gay people are the biggest threat to this sacred institution. We as heterosexual Christians have made a big enough mess of it ourselves. When we talk about the sacredness of marriage, yet divorce at the same rate as non-believers, the world shakes their head and laughs. What I'm calling for is some consistency in our judgments. In fact, Jesus told us to take the log out of our own eye before we could see the speck in someone else's. Once we deal with our own sin, then we can be in a position to help others. Our stone throwing and angry rhetoric needs to stop if we want to be true representatives of Christ. Yes, Jesus did have righteous anger at times, but it wasn't with those that were considered the sinners of his day. He saved His strongest words for those that claimed to be the religious leaders of His day that thought they were without sin. It was for them that His holy fury was unleashed.

Why is it that in many ways are we as evangelical Christians are known more for what we hate (e.g. homosexuality, abortion, etc.) than for the person we love (i.e. Jesus)? I think because at times our front foot can be in the form of "taking a stand" instead of being known as lovers of Christ. This doesn't mean we compromise our principles or biblical truth. It does mean that we seek to not be defined by issues that Jesus didn't call us to be defined by. So please stop using phrases like "hate the sin, love the sinner" and "it was Adam & Eve; not Adam & Steve." These saying are tired, trite and cliched and wins over no one. It shuts people down and interrupts dialogue.

When encountering a homosexual, maybe a better approach would be to get to know them and listen to their story. Maybe we could love and serve them and show them that we are not angry at them. Chad Allen is a gay actor who starred in the recent Christian film, "End of the Spear." The makers of the film took a lot of heat for having an openly gay man portray a Christian missionary. I wonder if he was "just" a heterosexual fornicator if their opposition would have been as great (but I digress). This is what Allen had to say about that experience:

"In making End of the Spear, [I] expected to meet only bigoted or mean-spirited Christians, but instead found "smart, God-loving, God-following individuals, who were doing what they thought was the most loving thing to do."

At least he encountered Christians who were loving and not mean. I have not always held up this standard myself. I think back to my sophomore year of college -- the year I told Jesus that He could have my life. One of my other three roommates was quiet, shy, kind, awkward and friendly. He wasn't athletic, didn't date girls and was a bit effeminate. We thought it was fun to tease him from time-to-time and tell "gay jokes" in front of him just so he would know how the rest of us felt about that lifestyle (just in case he was...well, you know). The next year I ran into one of my roommates from that year and found out that this other guy had just come out of the closet. Instantly my mind shot back to the jokes, the remarks and the mean way we had treated him. I was ashamed of my behavior and realized that I had fallen short in being an example of Christ to him.

Since then I have sought to be a better listener instead of seeking to tell everyone else how to live their lives all the time. I've failed at times, but I've also learned a lot as I've sought to meet people where they're at. In our ministry I've met many young men and women that live a gay lifestyle or those that struggle with this and desire to change. I've found that for many of them, the church was the last place they could go for help. For a number of them, but they've received has been condemnation, judgment and scorn. I don't think that's how Jesus would want us to be. Let's trust Him to change our own hearts so that we can represent Him well to a hurting world just as He would -- in grace and truth (John 1:14).

For more information on dealing with this sensitive topic please visit here.

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