One of these days, I'll title a blog post that isn't stolen from a song title. Today is (clearly) not that day.
Yesterday's sermon addressed our financial need in a much more direct way. The only way St. Mike's can continue on at all is to cut the pay of the two(!) staff members we have, only one of whom is full-time. If giving doesn't increase, we have no other choice.
Or do we?
I tend to think that only addressing our church's financial need is akin to searching Wal-Mart high and low for a band-aid, when what we really need is to take ourselves to the emergency room to get a team of experts working on us ASAP so we don't lose too much (more) blood from the gaping wound we've allowed gayness in the Episcopal Church to leave in our congregation. Last week, I was chatting online with E about Jennifer Knapp. She recently came out of the closet. (I've yet to read or watch anything about it; I just know it happened.) Over the course of my chat with E, I became so sad about our church's sorry current state that I began to bawl like a baby. I'm so hurt by a (seeming) lack of caring in our church. And then, as I prayed to God about all my hurt, I heard a voice ask me why I don't feel so hurt that our national church is accepting something that hurts God. (Some would say it mocks Him, some would say it angers Him - hurt is where He reached me.)
I've struggled with the question of gay. I don't think even a little bit that people are born gay. At the same time, I don't think even a little bit that living a gay lifestyle is a worse sin than any other. Promiscuity is sin. Lying is sin. Sin is as sin does (with the exception of blasphemy, the only sin I see God treat differently in Scripture).
I'm taking a long way around the points I want to make, and I'm not sure which of those points I have time to explore before the children tire of sitting quietly in their rooms, waiting for me to feed and clothe them before leaving the house and starting our day. So the main point for now is that I realize now the gravity that such open disobedience to God's Word has had and will continue to have in our church. And it's gone on for so long, with too many opportunities to address and fix it that it may be beyond fixing - not because anything is too hard for God but because He allows natural consequences to take their course. And the natural consequence of not standing for someone living an openly sinful lifestyle to be ordained in the national church may be that the church begins to die, one small-town congregation at a time.
(More on J. Knapp and Jars of Clay later)
3 comments:
I like this post - having a gay brother means that many of these questions (about whether churches should accept him as a member, etc.) have been swirling in my heart and head for many years - and I still don't have any answers.
Good post. Some of my closest friends are gay and so often I find myself wishing God had written something different. But he didn't and I love him. I follow him with all (half?) my heart. Uncomfortable bits and all. I really hope and pray that the wisdom and peace you have been blessed with can be extended to the rest of your church and that there is healing. big love to and all the fam.x
It is a hard issue and also due to many Christians using the label of sin to justify their prejudices, it is often a sad issue. Unfortunately people in our culture place sex and sexuality higher than their love of Christ.
It is very sad to see a church die out slowly, but I think it is as you say - when a church loses sight of God's word, it loses out on the power of God's word and Holy Spirit to save people.
Post a Comment