The culture wars surrounding the topic of homosexuality have sucked up tremendous resources, have left devastated casualties in their wake, and continue to perpetuate polarization and enmity – most clearly seen in the divide between the Christian community and the gay community. The diversity and divisiveness surrounding gay issues is staggering. Even the above statement needs to be unpacked. The sense of polarization is not simply between the Christian community and the gay community as if both of those communities were completely monolithic and mutually exclusive. Rather, we see fractures within the Christian community and disagreements within the gay community. In the midst of this wasteland are gay Christians – a diverse group of people too – who often find very little safe harbour on either side of the divide.
The intensity of this divide is ratcheted up several notches during annual Pride weeks. We’ve all seen the photos of the attempted Christian messages at Pride events. Placards and signs and megaphones. And many of us are grieved. Many of us disconnect and say, “That doesn’t represent the Jesus I know. That doesn’t represent me.”
We want to invite you to join us in a synchro-blog on the Wednesday of Pride week, June 24, to speak up and speak out of your heart to address this terrible divide.
New Direction has been seeking to foster safe and generous space for authentic conversation about faith and sexuality. We have committed ourselves to building bridges. But we cannot do it alone. We need other Christ-followers: gay and straight and everything in between, to speak up and join the conversation, to share the heart of the gospel in the midst of this conflict. We need those beyond the walls of the church: gay and straight and everything in between, to speak up and join the conversation, to share their thoughts on how the church can reach across the divide and build bridges.
If you've seen our DVD resource called, “Bridging the Gap: Conversations on Befriending Our Gay Neighbours” and would like to offer a review that day - that would be great. If you'd simply like to offer your own thoughts on what is needed to break down the dividing walls that continue to wound, alienate and obscure the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ - that is great too. And for those who read this blog who do not identify as Christian - please consider participating! Those of us who do identify as Christian need to hear your perspectives. We need to listen to and learn from each other.
So please, spread share this invitation with others you think would have a thoughtful contribution to make!
Our prayer is that this synchro-blog would model an opportunity for multiple conversations, from multiple perspectives, with a commitment to hear one another with grace, humility and respect.
Tony Campolo says, “I hope that you do much good in building the bridges between conflicting parties on a controversial issue that is destroying the church of Jesus Christ today. What you are doing is of vital importance. My prayers are with you.”
Greg Paul says, “Trying to bring together two groups of people who really don't want to like each other isn't easy. Try to imagine building a bridge across a turbulent river, in the midst of a raging battle - with both sides shooting at you... Such radical reconciliation efforts come only at a cost, but so does the Gospel itself. New Direction, many years ago, was one of those Christian organizations that gay, lesbian and transgendered people loved to hate. In the intervening years, it has become one of the few true bridge builders between evangelical Christians and the gay community.”
For more information & to sign up to participate in our synchro-blog email:
wendy@newdirection.ca
I look forward to engaging your thoughts and contributions on June 24!
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
To study and pray ......pray and study
This past weekend I had the opportunity to teach a couple of seminars at a conference called, “The Evolving Church: Amidst the Powers”. It was a pretty intense experience with some theological heavy-weights as keynote speakers. Stanley Hauerwas’ paper on “The Power of War” is something I’m still chewing on ….. and wish I could get my hands on the transcript (Dan – c’mon – give it up).
I had the opportunity to be a panelist in response to Marva Dawn who spoke on “Hope in a Crisis Time against and with the Powers”. As you might imagine, I asked Dr. Dawn about the divided realities within the Christian community. We don’t agree on what the powers are – so how can we stand together against them or with them? What do we do with the reality of “disputable matters” within the Body of Christ? Dr. Dawn responded with a reference to one of the texts I most often use when preaching on behalf of New Direction:
II Corinthians 5: 18 – 21
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Dr. Dawn’s response to the reality of division is to be an agent of reconciliation.
Now that is a word of hope.
You might think that a woman with four Master’s degrees and a Ph.D. would talk about what the “right” position was – surely, she has earned that right. But I was delighted to hear her connect these painful realities with the ministry of reconciliation.
It struck me as I participated in this conference, sat in the speaker’s lounge with folks much smarter than I and much more educated than my Master’s level, how rich the tradition of Christian thinking is. I was inspired, again, to reach higher, read widely, think more deeply. Brilliant, incredibly educated people – embodying a humility and grace, modeling a fierce Christ-centeredness and robust discipleship.
The topic of homosexuality is a complex one. In the last seven years of ministry – and prior to that as well – I have read widely on the topic. I have laid awake many a night, thinking deeply, praying earnestly, listening intently for the Spirit’s guidance. And I am profoundly humbled by all that I do not understand, do not know. Navigating through the plethora of hermeneutical grids alone is enough to give me insomnia. (That is …. how we interpret the Bible)
I live in the assurance of II Peter 1:3: His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
You don’t need a graduate degree to know Christ and live in His divine power. Christ is available to any and all completely independent of any ability of our own.
Yet, for those of us who take on the mantle of leadership, who speak publicly into a divided community, it is critical that we take seriously our responsibility to think deeply, study carefully, and be clear and humble about the limitations in our understanding. A seminary professor of mine used to say, “Wendy, for every hour in prayer spend an hour in your study and for every hour in study, spend an hour in prayer.” This has been a helpful corrective to remember when I’ve tended to lean to one side or the other.
Dr. Walter Wink was one of the keynote speakers at this conference. Dr. Wink, in his work on ‘the powers,’ has made a profound and rich contribution to a Christian understanding of how to engage culture around us. Given Dr. Wink’s health and the limitations on his ability to travel, I felt very privileged to have the opportunity to hear him speak in person. Dr. Wink has been a proponent of full inclusion of gay brothers and sisters in the church for many years. I have read scathing, dismissive critiques of this man from those who hold a more conservative theological perspective on homosexuality. How the world sees us biting and devouring each other. How our arrogance can erect dividing walls.
I, for one, want to be known as an agent of reconciliation – humble in the face of my own limitations. I, for one, want to be open to listen, learn, engage with love and courage – not fear.
For as Marva Dawn so delightfully reminded us on Saturday, we need not fear for God has already won, He will make all things right, and in the words of Colossians 3:3 “My life is hidden with Christ in God.”
I had the opportunity to be a panelist in response to Marva Dawn who spoke on “Hope in a Crisis Time against and with the Powers”. As you might imagine, I asked Dr. Dawn about the divided realities within the Christian community. We don’t agree on what the powers are – so how can we stand together against them or with them? What do we do with the reality of “disputable matters” within the Body of Christ? Dr. Dawn responded with a reference to one of the texts I most often use when preaching on behalf of New Direction:
II Corinthians 5: 18 – 21
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Dr. Dawn’s response to the reality of division is to be an agent of reconciliation.
Now that is a word of hope.
You might think that a woman with four Master’s degrees and a Ph.D. would talk about what the “right” position was – surely, she has earned that right. But I was delighted to hear her connect these painful realities with the ministry of reconciliation.
It struck me as I participated in this conference, sat in the speaker’s lounge with folks much smarter than I and much more educated than my Master’s level, how rich the tradition of Christian thinking is. I was inspired, again, to reach higher, read widely, think more deeply. Brilliant, incredibly educated people – embodying a humility and grace, modeling a fierce Christ-centeredness and robust discipleship.
The topic of homosexuality is a complex one. In the last seven years of ministry – and prior to that as well – I have read widely on the topic. I have laid awake many a night, thinking deeply, praying earnestly, listening intently for the Spirit’s guidance. And I am profoundly humbled by all that I do not understand, do not know. Navigating through the plethora of hermeneutical grids alone is enough to give me insomnia. (That is …. how we interpret the Bible)
I live in the assurance of II Peter 1:3: His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
You don’t need a graduate degree to know Christ and live in His divine power. Christ is available to any and all completely independent of any ability of our own.
Yet, for those of us who take on the mantle of leadership, who speak publicly into a divided community, it is critical that we take seriously our responsibility to think deeply, study carefully, and be clear and humble about the limitations in our understanding. A seminary professor of mine used to say, “Wendy, for every hour in prayer spend an hour in your study and for every hour in study, spend an hour in prayer.” This has been a helpful corrective to remember when I’ve tended to lean to one side or the other.
Dr. Walter Wink was one of the keynote speakers at this conference. Dr. Wink, in his work on ‘the powers,’ has made a profound and rich contribution to a Christian understanding of how to engage culture around us. Given Dr. Wink’s health and the limitations on his ability to travel, I felt very privileged to have the opportunity to hear him speak in person. Dr. Wink has been a proponent of full inclusion of gay brothers and sisters in the church for many years. I have read scathing, dismissive critiques of this man from those who hold a more conservative theological perspective on homosexuality. How the world sees us biting and devouring each other. How our arrogance can erect dividing walls.
I, for one, want to be known as an agent of reconciliation – humble in the face of my own limitations. I, for one, want to be open to listen, learn, engage with love and courage – not fear.
For as Marva Dawn so delightfully reminded us on Saturday, we need not fear for God has already won, He will make all things right, and in the words of Colossians 3:3 “My life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Monday, July 28, 2008
Offering hope?
OK – buckle your seatbelts…. this is going to be as close to a rant as I get.
Something’s been bugging me. Sort of like a sliver under your fingernail that you just can’t get out. It had come to my attention that a colleague had told others that “New Direction doesn’t offer hope anymore.”
Now, I’m not looking for sympathy here …. but let’s face it, New Direction deals with a pretty controversial area of ministry. It isn’t easy at the best of times to build credibility and engage pastors and local churches in our work. So, when a ministry colleague, who well knows the challenges facing a ministry like ours, takes a pot-shot at our credibility by saying ‘we no longer offer hope’…. it’s frustrating.
I wondered why this colleague didn’t call me up and say, “Hey I’ve got some concerns about the kind of language I see you using on your website – can you clarify some things for me?” Why didn’t they check out their concerns before spreading a death-knell for credibility and trustworthiness?
So the other night I had the opportunity to have a conversation with this colleague. Turns out, yes, they were concerned that we weren’t offering hope anymore. Seems their big concern was with our distinctive that we are ‘discipleship-focused, not change driven’ – that we seemed to be saying that sexual orientation change wasn’t always possible.
Now I have a bit of a track record for being candid….ok upfront ….. ok downright blunt sometimes. I asked this person if they thought every same-gender attracted follower of Jesus would become fully heterosexual. They said no. But, they said, they saw heterosexuality as part of God’s plan of redemption for people. “Everyone is on a journey towards heterosexuality”, they said, “but some people only go a little way down that road.” So then I asked about the disconnect for same-gender attracted people who don’t experience any significant change in the direction or intensity of their attractions – those who “only go a little way down the road” ….. You see, my concern is that we not set people up for a striving, good-works based gospel. My concern is that we don’t set up a system where people constantly feel like they don’t measure up, that their faith must be deficient…. where they are perpetually vulnerable to a sense of shame and condemnation for simply continuing to be same-gender attracted. This colleague agreed, that wasn’t what they wanted either ….. Then I said, “We’re offering people Jesus Christ – at the centre of their life, identity and sexuality – and Jesus is the hope of the world – how can you say that we’re not offering hope – when we’re offering people Jesus??”
Paul says, “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.” (I Corinthians 2: 1-3)
In our wrestling for the blessing for same-gender attracted people, we are emerging in weakness and fear and with much trembling. There is a lot we don’t know about sexual orientation. We don’t really know what causes it, exactly how and what influences it, or how to consistently or permanently affect it. Even our trained counselors are humbled in the face of the complexities and seek to minister with gentleness and discernment. We’ve seen God do amazing things in people’s lives. But is the Christian life about the amazing things God does for us? Or is the Christian life about knowing God and participating with him in his mission to restore the world to right relationship with God?
By making heterosexuality part of God’s redemption plan…. I have to wonder if it isn’t just buying in to the consumer notion of Christianity. “Being a Christian is about getting what you want.”
I just heard the news about a precious little nephew born a few weeks back. Baby John has Down’s Syndrome. Is Down’s God’s best intention for humanity? Should we all now commit ourselves to praying and fasting that God will heal baby John of the reality of his condition? Will we limit John’s experience of faith in Jesus Christ because of his Down’s syndrome?
Before I find myself in a wasp’s nest of controversy, I am not suggesting a one-to-one comparison of Down’s with the experience of same-gender attraction. What I’m simply trying to do is raise some questions about how we go about shaping our theology of redemption.
When I was in seminary, I had an important conversation with my uncle – someone I respect who has been a pastor for many years. I was struggling with a number of doctrinal issues and he said, “Wendy, I’ve always felt that the church needed to focus much more on biblical theology than on systematic theology.”
Systematic theology says, “God’s best intention for human sexual intimacy is the covenant of marriage between husband and wife. Therefore, in God’s plan of restoration and redemption, he will restore heterosexuality to those who do not naturally experience it.” Never-mind that there are deeply devoted disciples of Jesus who have prayed much, experienced much counsel and ministry, and continue to walk day-by-day in the reality of experiencing same-gender attraction.
As for me and my team at New Direction, what we do know, without a shadow of a doubt, is that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. We know he loves all people and all of creation. We know that in him we are accepted by God. We know he offers us abundant life – but that he invites us to experience that through his upside-down economy of suffering, dying to self, taking up our cross and following him. We know that we experience redemption now – as we come to experience intimate relationship with God within the perfect relationship of Father, Son and Spirit.
I don’t think the experience of same-gender attraction is immutable. There seems to be sufficient evidence of the fluidity of sexuality for at least some people to prevent us from putting anyone’s sexuality in a box. But that certainly doesn’t mean everyone’s sexuality can and will change. (ok Karen K. I got sucked in ….. I did end up touching on this question on this blog :))
I’ve heard this very same colleague say that homosexuality is not a salvation issue ….it falls under the realm of sanctification (becoming more like Jesus). Yet, when we, in humbleness, take a step back from the issue of orientation change ….. we no longer offer hope??
Galatians 5:14-16: The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
“Lord, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you – the author and finisher of our faith. Help me to trust you to guard and protect New Direction as you keep leading us to risk and serve and love gay people. And keep my heart soft, open, gracious and forgiving – it’s much easier to just be pissed off. Make me like you.”
Something’s been bugging me. Sort of like a sliver under your fingernail that you just can’t get out. It had come to my attention that a colleague had told others that “New Direction doesn’t offer hope anymore.”
Now, I’m not looking for sympathy here …. but let’s face it, New Direction deals with a pretty controversial area of ministry. It isn’t easy at the best of times to build credibility and engage pastors and local churches in our work. So, when a ministry colleague, who well knows the challenges facing a ministry like ours, takes a pot-shot at our credibility by saying ‘we no longer offer hope’…. it’s frustrating.
I wondered why this colleague didn’t call me up and say, “Hey I’ve got some concerns about the kind of language I see you using on your website – can you clarify some things for me?” Why didn’t they check out their concerns before spreading a death-knell for credibility and trustworthiness?
So the other night I had the opportunity to have a conversation with this colleague. Turns out, yes, they were concerned that we weren’t offering hope anymore. Seems their big concern was with our distinctive that we are ‘discipleship-focused, not change driven’ – that we seemed to be saying that sexual orientation change wasn’t always possible.
Now I have a bit of a track record for being candid….ok upfront ….. ok downright blunt sometimes. I asked this person if they thought every same-gender attracted follower of Jesus would become fully heterosexual. They said no. But, they said, they saw heterosexuality as part of God’s plan of redemption for people. “Everyone is on a journey towards heterosexuality”, they said, “but some people only go a little way down that road.” So then I asked about the disconnect for same-gender attracted people who don’t experience any significant change in the direction or intensity of their attractions – those who “only go a little way down the road” ….. You see, my concern is that we not set people up for a striving, good-works based gospel. My concern is that we don’t set up a system where people constantly feel like they don’t measure up, that their faith must be deficient…. where they are perpetually vulnerable to a sense of shame and condemnation for simply continuing to be same-gender attracted. This colleague agreed, that wasn’t what they wanted either ….. Then I said, “We’re offering people Jesus Christ – at the centre of their life, identity and sexuality – and Jesus is the hope of the world – how can you say that we’re not offering hope – when we’re offering people Jesus??”
Paul says, “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.” (I Corinthians 2: 1-3)
In our wrestling for the blessing for same-gender attracted people, we are emerging in weakness and fear and with much trembling. There is a lot we don’t know about sexual orientation. We don’t really know what causes it, exactly how and what influences it, or how to consistently or permanently affect it. Even our trained counselors are humbled in the face of the complexities and seek to minister with gentleness and discernment. We’ve seen God do amazing things in people’s lives. But is the Christian life about the amazing things God does for us? Or is the Christian life about knowing God and participating with him in his mission to restore the world to right relationship with God?
By making heterosexuality part of God’s redemption plan…. I have to wonder if it isn’t just buying in to the consumer notion of Christianity. “Being a Christian is about getting what you want.”
I just heard the news about a precious little nephew born a few weeks back. Baby John has Down’s Syndrome. Is Down’s God’s best intention for humanity? Should we all now commit ourselves to praying and fasting that God will heal baby John of the reality of his condition? Will we limit John’s experience of faith in Jesus Christ because of his Down’s syndrome?
Before I find myself in a wasp’s nest of controversy, I am not suggesting a one-to-one comparison of Down’s with the experience of same-gender attraction. What I’m simply trying to do is raise some questions about how we go about shaping our theology of redemption.
When I was in seminary, I had an important conversation with my uncle – someone I respect who has been a pastor for many years. I was struggling with a number of doctrinal issues and he said, “Wendy, I’ve always felt that the church needed to focus much more on biblical theology than on systematic theology.”
Systematic theology says, “God’s best intention for human sexual intimacy is the covenant of marriage between husband and wife. Therefore, in God’s plan of restoration and redemption, he will restore heterosexuality to those who do not naturally experience it.” Never-mind that there are deeply devoted disciples of Jesus who have prayed much, experienced much counsel and ministry, and continue to walk day-by-day in the reality of experiencing same-gender attraction.
As for me and my team at New Direction, what we do know, without a shadow of a doubt, is that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. We know he loves all people and all of creation. We know that in him we are accepted by God. We know he offers us abundant life – but that he invites us to experience that through his upside-down economy of suffering, dying to self, taking up our cross and following him. We know that we experience redemption now – as we come to experience intimate relationship with God within the perfect relationship of Father, Son and Spirit.
I don’t think the experience of same-gender attraction is immutable. There seems to be sufficient evidence of the fluidity of sexuality for at least some people to prevent us from putting anyone’s sexuality in a box. But that certainly doesn’t mean everyone’s sexuality can and will change. (ok Karen K. I got sucked in ….. I did end up touching on this question on this blog :))
I’ve heard this very same colleague say that homosexuality is not a salvation issue ….it falls under the realm of sanctification (becoming more like Jesus). Yet, when we, in humbleness, take a step back from the issue of orientation change ….. we no longer offer hope??
Galatians 5:14-16: The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
“Lord, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you – the author and finisher of our faith. Help me to trust you to guard and protect New Direction as you keep leading us to risk and serve and love gay people. And keep my heart soft, open, gracious and forgiving – it’s much easier to just be pissed off. Make me like you.”
Monday, July 21, 2008
Conversations - not an easy ride
A day at the office ….. and two conversations are sticking with me – and it’s only 11 am.
I received an email from a friend who had been involved in a lesbian relationship over the last three years. She’d gotten to know me through New Direction and I’d met several times with her and her partner. She emailed to say that her partner had gotten together with another woman ….. and she didn’t know where else to turn, but asked me to pray for her. My heart is broken for this young woman. Her story is one of a string of rejections and abandonment throughout her childhood. I can only imagine that her heart must be fractured in a million pieces. “When one weeps, the other tastes salt”. Today, I’m tasting salt.
Another conversation came via phone when I picked up to hear a man telling me about having lived a celibate life for the last 11 years. He’d returned to church after many years away. He shared some hurtful experiences about being kicked out of churches for being gay. I shared with him some of the distinctives of New Direction – and in particular that we are discipleship-focused, not change driven. That is, we are focused on an individual’s faith journey and walk with Jesus, rather than putting the emphasis on attempting to change one’s orientation. I explained that the theology of the ministry hasn’t changed over the years – we do believe God’s best intention for sexual intimacy is within heterosexual marriage. I shared about how some people had put all their energy into trying to change their orientation and when this didn’t happen became discouraged, disillusioned …. some lost their faith altogether. I talked about helping people live consistently with their beliefs and values and being clear about realistic expectations.
Then he said, “Well, I want to change my orientation.” And then he hung up.
And now I feel like crap.
“Lord, was I listening to you?”
“Is this guy going to tell his church that New Direction no longer offers hope – like others have been saying of us?”
“Lord, will you protect this man as he pursues change – keep him close to you – whether his attractions change or not.”
“Lord, help me – to simply walk in step with you and offer up this rush of fear I feel to you.”
I believe God can do anything. But I also know, that in His mysterious ways, He does not always do everything we want or ask of him – at least not in the way we expect.
Our hope, must rest on the person of Jesus Christ. He, alone, is our sufficiency regardless of the healing we do or don’t experience.
I received an email from a friend who had been involved in a lesbian relationship over the last three years. She’d gotten to know me through New Direction and I’d met several times with her and her partner. She emailed to say that her partner had gotten together with another woman ….. and she didn’t know where else to turn, but asked me to pray for her. My heart is broken for this young woman. Her story is one of a string of rejections and abandonment throughout her childhood. I can only imagine that her heart must be fractured in a million pieces. “When one weeps, the other tastes salt”. Today, I’m tasting salt.
Another conversation came via phone when I picked up to hear a man telling me about having lived a celibate life for the last 11 years. He’d returned to church after many years away. He shared some hurtful experiences about being kicked out of churches for being gay. I shared with him some of the distinctives of New Direction – and in particular that we are discipleship-focused, not change driven. That is, we are focused on an individual’s faith journey and walk with Jesus, rather than putting the emphasis on attempting to change one’s orientation. I explained that the theology of the ministry hasn’t changed over the years – we do believe God’s best intention for sexual intimacy is within heterosexual marriage. I shared about how some people had put all their energy into trying to change their orientation and when this didn’t happen became discouraged, disillusioned …. some lost their faith altogether. I talked about helping people live consistently with their beliefs and values and being clear about realistic expectations.
Then he said, “Well, I want to change my orientation.” And then he hung up.
And now I feel like crap.
“Lord, was I listening to you?”
“Is this guy going to tell his church that New Direction no longer offers hope – like others have been saying of us?”
“Lord, will you protect this man as he pursues change – keep him close to you – whether his attractions change or not.”
“Lord, help me – to simply walk in step with you and offer up this rush of fear I feel to you.”
I believe God can do anything. But I also know, that in His mysterious ways, He does not always do everything we want or ask of him – at least not in the way we expect.
Our hope, must rest on the person of Jesus Christ. He, alone, is our sufficiency regardless of the healing we do or don’t experience.
Monday, June 9, 2008
I'm the biggest limper
I often talk about my sense that part of what I've been called to do is to 'normalize' the experience of same-gender attraction within the Christian community. When you get to hang out with as many same-gender attracted and gay people as I get to, one has the opportunity to experience shared humanity, shared journeys, shared hopes and dreams - disappointments and griefs. When you do life together, you get to really see each other - the good, the bad and the ugly. And in this place of authenticity, love grows and brings freedom.
This side of heaven, we all walk with a limp. And I suppose, given our experiences, some of us have a more pronounced limp. But we're all limpers - limpers together.
Limping is a normal part of life. A normal part of the journey of faith. A normal part of following Jesus.
In limping we discover our need for Somone who is bigger, stronger, more able than we are. As we limp, we discover that we need others to walk with us. Not to patronize, nor to judge. Not to try to 'fix' MY limp (while ignoring their own). But simply to hang out and do life - perhaps along the way, more often than not, forgetting we're limping at all.
If we perpetuate the notion that experiencing confusion or questioning in your sexual identity is some BIG limp .... then we're setting people up to try their darn best to hide the limp .... because who would want to be the biggest limper?
But if we limp out in the open, and get in relationship with other limpers, then we're in a better place to accept, and at the appropriate times, test and explore the contours of dealing with a limp.
If I intend to befriend someone with a limp..... while steadfastly insisting that I don't have a limp, or deluding myself into thinking I've hidden my limp really well (when perceptive others can spot it anyway), I'm kidding myself.
What's your limp? How do you both accept it and submit it to the Lordship of Jesus?
How do you love yourself while limping?
How do you have hope in the limping?
How have you experienced grace in the limping?
How have you experienced redemption in your limping?
From one limper to another, I might suggest these are the questions you need to answer for yourself if you hope to be 'Jesus with skin on' in the life of another.
And if you think the experience of same-gender attraction is so 'other' .... so different than what you can identify with .... think again.
Heads up for the next post: Some of my gay friends would disagree with this whole concept of 'limping'..... they're so tired of being labelled as 'broken'...... I'll try to address these concerns and critique in the next post ......
-WG
This side of heaven, we all walk with a limp. And I suppose, given our experiences, some of us have a more pronounced limp. But we're all limpers - limpers together.
Limping is a normal part of life. A normal part of the journey of faith. A normal part of following Jesus.
In limping we discover our need for Somone who is bigger, stronger, more able than we are. As we limp, we discover that we need others to walk with us. Not to patronize, nor to judge. Not to try to 'fix' MY limp (while ignoring their own). But simply to hang out and do life - perhaps along the way, more often than not, forgetting we're limping at all.
If we perpetuate the notion that experiencing confusion or questioning in your sexual identity is some BIG limp .... then we're setting people up to try their darn best to hide the limp .... because who would want to be the biggest limper?
But if we limp out in the open, and get in relationship with other limpers, then we're in a better place to accept, and at the appropriate times, test and explore the contours of dealing with a limp.
If I intend to befriend someone with a limp..... while steadfastly insisting that I don't have a limp, or deluding myself into thinking I've hidden my limp really well (when perceptive others can spot it anyway), I'm kidding myself.
What's your limp? How do you both accept it and submit it to the Lordship of Jesus?
How do you love yourself while limping?
How do you have hope in the limping?
How have you experienced grace in the limping?
How have you experienced redemption in your limping?
From one limper to another, I might suggest these are the questions you need to answer for yourself if you hope to be 'Jesus with skin on' in the life of another.
And if you think the experience of same-gender attraction is so 'other' .... so different than what you can identify with .... think again.
Heads up for the next post: Some of my gay friends would disagree with this whole concept of 'limping'..... they're so tired of being labelled as 'broken'...... I'll try to address these concerns and critique in the next post ......
-WG
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