The Windy City Times recently report on a meeting between members of SoulForce and Bill Hybels and others from Willow Creek Church. For those of you who may not be familiar with SoulForce, they are a national civil-rights and social-justice organization seeking freedom for LGBT people from religious and political oppression. SoulForce, in an initiative called “American Family Outing”, have been visiting mega-churches in the U.S. including: Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church in Houston, The Potter's House (Bishop T.D. Jakes – Senior Pastor) in Dallas, Bishop Harry Jackson and Hope Christian Church outside Washington, D.C., Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta, Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago, and Rick Warren and Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The purpose of these visits is to share “the power of love, commitment and dedication” of lgbt families with these influential church communities.
Of their visit to Willow Creek, SoulForce Executive Director, Jeff Lutes, said, “This was about making connections—person-to-person and family-to-family—and I think we did that. I respect Willow Creek for having the courage and the willingness to really have a meaningful conversation about this. You can't really have honest, healthy conversation with somebody that you don't know or trust or you might fear just because they're unknown.”
The power of conversations. The power of personal connection. The power of relational engagement. I couldn’t agree more.
Lutes went on to say that he asked Bill Hybels if he would take up the challenge of speaking out more clearly on behalf of lgbt people. He said, “Even though there’s still distance between that position and our totally gay-affirming position, there’s still a lot he could do in terms of leadership on things that would create a lot more safety and protection for our community.”
That reminded me of an exchange Michael Bussee, a gay Christian, and I had on Throckmorton’s blog:
Michael: Here’s my point. Although we may disgree on the science and endlessly debate other aspects of the “gay issue”, at the very heart of this entire discussion is the basic theological question — “will unrepentant gays inheriit the kingdom of God”? Some say yes and some say no. This is the great divide. How can we “build bridges” over such a gap? Perhaps we can agree that God loves us all. Pehaps we can agree that only God makes the final judgement. Perhaps we can agree that gays should not be mistreated, beaten or killed. But that may be all.
Wendy: In some corners of the Christian community this would be a huge leap forward don’t you think? It may be only a ’start’…. but if we bridged that gap just maybe hearts would be softened and much more open to the ongoing whisper of the Spirit as we engage in authentic friendships. That is my prayer.
Michael: Wendy; You asked: “In some corners of the Christian community this would be a huge leap forward don’t you think?” Yup, it would be.
In the Windy Times article, both Jay Bakker and another SoulForce member refer to their hope that the gap between Willow Creek (calling same-gender attracted people to live chaste lives) and SoulForce (fully affirming of gay marriage) would eventually disappear.
It begs the question, “Is that the only option to have any Christ-like impact on the reality of same-gender attracted people?”
At New Direction we’re trying to forge a new way forward.
We do hope to be part of dismantling the sense of enmity that so often resides between lgbt people and the church.
We do hope to be part of dismantling attitudes and actions that demean and hurt and alienate lgbt people.
We hope to challenge the church to be a safer place for those who wrestle, question, or embrace diverse sexual identities.
We hope the church will become much more courageous and innovative in honouring single people, in creating space for intimate community and relationships, and in nurturing a sense of family and belonging for all people.
And we hope that Christ-followers, like Bill Hybels, will enter the conversation, to take the time to listen and relate with their gay neighbours.
That means taking risks. Risking challenging the status quo. Risking being misunderstood, judged and/or written off.
But real people are worth it – more than worth it.
Lutes expressed that he “respected Willow Creek for having the courage and the willingness to really have a meaningful conversation”
I do too.
Since SoulForce expressed some concern over some of the ministry resources that Willow Creek had on their website for those dealing with same-gender attraction, I’d like to offer New Direction’s resources to Willow Creek.
I know we’re not where SoulForce would like us to be – we don’t fully affirm gay marriage. Rather, it seems that Willow Creek and New Direction are at a similar place theologically as we continue to look to the creation account in Genesis and see in the complementarity of male and female that God created an ongoing imperative for boundaries in sexual relationships.
But I do hope that we are embodying a fresh courage, relational perspective, open willingness to engage and commitment to justice that will “create more safety and protection” for lgbt people.
In that safe place, might same-gender attracted people know that they are deeply loved by God and invited to experience fullness of life in relationship with Him.
(hat tip: www.exgaywatch.com)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
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4 comments:
I too very much appreciate dialogue between the church and GLBT community. I have tried to be involved in such dialogue, and that is why I attended the Ex-Gay Survivor Conference (where I met Peterson Toscano, Christine Bakke, as well as Lutes very briefly and had a good impression of all of them).
I do feel somewhat troubled though that Soulforce is going beyond dialogue. There is certainly a positive aspect to the dialogue that did occur. But there is also the deeper intent of the American Family Outing. As Soulforce states in a press release in January, the concern is not just better treatment of GLBT, but “ . . . many of their mega-churches still enforce policies of exclusion and teach theologies that label Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people as sick, sinful and in need of change."
So the concern is that these churches teach that homosexuality is "sinful." And the American Family Outing was to help persuade these churches that homosexuality is not sin.
I think its important to discuss the theology of homosexuality. We really need to have more conversation about that. But, I don't feel Soulforce is interested in mutually engaging the question and seriously considering my (or these pastors) views on homosexuality. Their intent, as an activist organization, is to bring change to church doctrine.
So, I would prefer to see more mutual dialogue where both sides are thoughtfully considered--rather than the activist approach because, by nature, activism is fixed on a pushing for conversion in belief and so not open to truly listening to the other side in a way that true dialogue requires.
On another note, I just wanted to offer some clarification on the article that you referred to. That same article states:
"Lutes asked Hybels if he “would take up the challenge of speaking more clearly on behalf of our community when he can—certainly as someone who believes that reparative therapy doesn't work"
"Bakker also highlighted Willow Creek's acknowledgement that “a lot of the things that have been very hurtful of people in the past—as far as reparative therapy and that type of thing—that they agreed was dangerous, and thought that people can't change their sexuality.”
I was surprised to read that Hybels/Willow Creek seemed to think that therapy to change was dangerous, doesn't work and that people can't change their sexuality. So I asked Willow Creek if that was true. One of the pastoral staff that was part of the dialogue said no--that those statements were "misinformation and a misunderstanding." Hybels does not think therapy attempts to change is dangerous and he does not believe its impossible to change sexual orientation.
A Newsweek article also inaccurately reported that Rick Warren invited Soulforce and planned to meet with them. Warren denied both. He did not meet with Soulforce. He was also uncomfortable with the deeper intent of the American Family Outing. And this is from a pastor who is no fundamentalist. He has had Hilary Clinton speak at his conference and has taken a serious interest in addressing the problem of AIDS.
As a gay Christian, I support SoulForce's American Family Outing action. I've been commenting on a ex-gay person's blog who has called on churches to not meet with SoulForce, so think it's great that you commend Bill Hybels and Willow Creek for meeting with SoulForce. It was a very courageous act for Hybels and his church to do.
As a former ex-gay ministry participant, I do hope Willow Creek listens to former ex-gays' stories such those found at Beyond Ex-Gay, Ex-Gay Watch and other organization before considering endorsing or referring to any ex-gay ministry. I would hope Willow Creek considers more than just theological similarities in considering ex-gay ministries, but also prayerfully considers the effectiveness, qualifications, potential harm of any ex-gay ministry and the often misleading messages of the ex-gay movement.
Karen and Norm - thanks for leaving your comments.
This blog is attempting, perhaps naively, to as much as possible keep the focus on relational engagement. In that regard, I was very intrigued by the reports of the American Family Outing. I do think that Christian pastors need to take the lead in taking the risk to listen and engage relationally. I think Hybels modelled something important.
That doesn't mean I'm unaware of the activism behind SoulForce. Nor was I unaware of the issues raised in the Windy Times article regarding change.
New Direction functions with a high value on being relational and has a very clear distinctive to be discipleship focused - not change-driven. There are plenty of blogs on which anyone can thoroughly discuss the complexities around the question of change.
Rather than encouraging leaders to not dialogue with SoulForce, I would perhaps ask pastors and leaders to open the conversation even further. I don't disagree with the points Karen has made regarding the agenda of SoulForce. But in my mind, a way forward is to open the dialogue even further.
Perhaps another comment I would make is to share my observation that church leaders are not ignorant of the complexities of this ministry area. I have the opportunity to speak with many leaders - most in the Canadian context - but across diverse geographical regions none-the-less. Many have done their homework. They've thought long and hard about these issues from a theological perspective as well as a pastoral perspective. Hearing the stories is important - but to thoughtful leaders it is only one aspect of the discernment process.
For those who have listened to my keynote address from the last Exodus leadership conference (you can access the download at: www.newdirection.ca ), will know that I have some critique of ex-gay ministries. In my leadership of New Direction we have really tried to address some of the imbalances and unrealistic expectations that may be seen in the larger movement. In fact, we would not identify ourselves as an ex-gay ministry at all - but rather a "side B" ministry. While Norm and folks at SoulForce may strongly disagree with a "side B" position (check out: www.gaychristian.net for a fuller explanation of what "side B" is), I would continue to submit that within a "side B" perspective is room for meaningful, redemptive and life-giving ministry to those who experience same-gender attraction.
I agree with Norm that pastors need to do their homework and understand what to assess and look for in making a ministry referral - but I would add that not all ex-gay/side B ministries should be lumped together.
Just to clarify--I am not opposed to pastors dialoguing with Soulforce. I would encourage them to meet up at a coffee shop or restaurant etc and dialogue in-depth. I am all for dialogue. My concern was more the manner in which this all transpired and the locale.
But that being said, I understand and respect the purpose of your ministry and blog to keep it focused on the relational aspect and not get sidetracked by more controversial debates and issues.
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