Thoughts on "The Nashville Statement"

I am frustrated by the stark, stiff-necked posture that my brothers and sisters in Christ who penned the Nashville Statement are advising. Even as I share the writers’ interpretation of God’s original design for marriage and sexuality, I cannot, in clear conscience, go further than that. I cannot be numbered with them. As one who desperately longs for unity, this hurts my heart.

Photo by ALotOfPeople / iStock.com

The Nashville Statement, though not news by any stretch, is destructive and divisive on a grander scheme, because the ugly finger of condemnation swings wider to include faithful Christians, gay and straight, who are honestly seeking the Lord to discern his voice on a way forward that doesn’t leave wounded and bleeding victims in our wake.

The statement attempts to shame those of us who take the greatest commandment—to love God and love others—seriously and at face value—often at great relational risk as we brave the judgment of those who can’t hear the music of the Spirit above the noise of this world.

It’s time to scoot our chairs even closer to the table—keep praying, giving grace, dialoguing!

I am saddened that this rigid stance leaves no room for Jesus’ beloved LGBTQ+ people to feel welcome to come to him “just as they are.” I am frustrated that churches that were beginning to find some balance may be knocked off of that hard-won peace. I am gravely concerned that the bridge-builders who actively listen for God’s still, small voice might somehow be bullied away from fruitful dialogue right at the moment that the Lord is working out a breakthrough!

May all who seek peace and unity in Christ now turn back to the work set before us, scoot our chairs even closer to the table, and keep praying! Keep giving more grace! Keep the dialogue going! Keep sharing our stories and continue to worship and trust the “God of hopeless causes” as we move forward in a love that won’t let go.

What a shame to leave the table too soon … I have a hunch dessert is gonna be amazing!

Kimberly Dent is a bridge-builder between conflicted Christian parents and their LGBTQ kids. She has facilitated sessions for parents at the annual Gay Christian Network conferences and is an Oriented to Love dialogue alum. “For years I prayed that God would change my daughter’s sexual orientation—instead He changed me!” Moving from a place of stoic religious certainty to a place of wonder, trust and humility in Christ has given her a deeper experience of God’s grace and unconditional love for every person.

Come As You Are - Guest Blogger, Sonja Faith Lund

Since I have returned from the Gay Christian Network Conference I have been spending time both thinking/writing about my own experiences there and reading  those of my fellow attendees.  Today I want you to hear from Sonja Faith Lund, a beautiful soul and precious follower of Jesus.  I pray her message will inspire us to be mindful of the secret burdens that those sitting next to us in our church pews may be carrying...May the church, one day,  be a place where ALL are truly welcome to Come as You Are!    Read On...

On David Crowder's song; Come As You Are...Listen To 'Come As You Are'   

"Okay so let me talk about this song for a minute. It's gorgeous.

It's one of the first songs we sang in a general session at the GCN Conference, and I was tearing up (pretty sure everyone was) and for me, it wasn't just because it's a stunning song that had words which seemed to reach out to me personally and grab my attention:

"Oh wanderer, come home/you're not too far/so lay down your hurt/lay down your heart/come as you are”

No, the reason I'm still thinking about this song over a week later is related to a phrase that pops up in American Christian circles a fair bit:

 "Church (or Christianity) should comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." 

Essentially, if your life is relatively stable, things are going good, church should encourage you to go outside of yourself and help others. If you're unstable, suffering, mourning, etc., church should be where you get respite from your pain and encouragement to keep going.

My whole time in Washington, so most of my life, my family attended a church in a wealthy part of the city. Because it could be safely assumed that most of us in the congregation were privileged and doing alright for ourselves, the sermons and such skewed much more toward the "afflicting the comfortable" approach. Which is fine, I suppose, until there's folks like me who quietly slide from "comfortable" to "afflicted". Folks like me who realize one day that their own church, and hundreds of millions of fellow Christians, don't want them just as they are, and have to deal with that exhausting emotional mess. 

 I'm finding myself surrounded--not just by the church where I grew up, but a lot of places--by the message that I should be Going Out There and Doing the Lord's Work when all I want is a community which will stand by me and assure me that everything is going to be okay. I don't need a push out the door, I need welcoming arms beckoning me inside.

So then here's this conference, and here's this song. This song which says nothing about preparing you to go be a missionary or join the Peace Corps or whatever, but instead just gently assures you that there is a home for you and you can go there and find rest. I needed this so much. So very, very much.”    

                                                          -Sonja Faith Lund

   

A Path of Love

This morning I woke up wondering what this morning would bring.  I wasn't uneasy or fearful...just expectant.  I am on the 3rd day of the amazing Gay Christian Network Conference  We have heard inspiring and courageous voices such as Danny Cortez and Jeff Chu and over 1400 people have worshipped God, shared meals and shared our stories.  It has been an amazing time of humility and growth and compassion.  God is moving and God has been honored here in beautiful ways.

So when I heard that some christian brothers and sisters from Westboro Baptist Church were planning on picketing our gathering this morning, I felt sad. Sad for them, that they have not experienced the community that comes from God's diverse and beloved children coming together to worship Him. Sad that they feel a need to be here. Sad that they have "missed it" in so many ways.

When they picket this morning, they will in essence be picketing the unconditional love and grace of God.  Oh if only they had God's eyes to truly see.  

But that is not the end of the story...  When local churches heard about the picket, they organized to come this morning to the convention center and form what they called a "Wall of Love" separating the attendees from the picketers and lovingly welcoming the attendees in. Providing them safe passage into God's "grace place."

Funny how this wall of love turned out to be also a Path of Peace as hundreds of local church members, moms and allies lined the sidewalks and provided a way in from the rain and the cold and hate.

local churches and GCN parents and allies form a path of love to shield attendees from westboro 

But wait, it gets even better!  After about 45 minutes of standing together in the rain as the ugly chants and songs from the westboro gang assaulted and wounded my LGBT brothers and sisters there arose a new song...coming from the community of peace that stood in defiant love for All Gods children...."We are one in the spirit. We are one in the Lord...and they'll know we are Christians by our love."   As our song rose to the heavens it began to drown out the obnoxious warbling of the westboro brethren... and then God showed up.

All at once, the sun peeked through the steel grey skies and slowly, like a sunrise, He gave his children...all of us, A beautiful rainbow and our eyes and hearts were lifted to heaven in a holy moment of awe and peace and wonder.

Here's a question to ponder....Is the love you are showing in your churches, communities and workplaces a wall or a path?

Spread Some Unity!

Gearing up to head to Portland for the Gay Christian Network Conference!  I am excited, expectant and a little anxious as I will be sharing at a breakout session on Friday with some parents who are at various stages of having a child come out to them.  Here is a sneak peak at the breakout...

Parents Like UsPresented by Betsy & Tom Henning

This workshop is for parents who love God and their LGBT children. Our journeys are similar as we strive to reconcile our Christian faith with our children’s sexual orientations, but our individual situations differ. Come and hear from parents who have learned to love unconditionally and have found peace in Christ while supporting, encouraging, and parenting their LGBT children. Connect in small groups with parents whose paths may be similar to your own.

Tom and Betsy Henning live in Pennsylvania and have 4 grown sons. “Sixteen years ago our 24-year-old son came out to us; it rocked our conservative Christian world. It did not shake our faith, but it shook the traditions we held dear. Through this journey alongside our gay son, our faith has grown bigger, deeper, and stronger. We found solid spiritual footing with God’s help and the help and support of parents like us.”

 I  would sure appreciate your prayers for me and all the folks attending. For the love, peace and unity of Christ to be tangibly felt among all of us, even in our diversity.  #unity  #dandelionwinds  #TogetherAtTheTable

I will be trying to post when I can but if you want to catch some of the keynote speakers, and you should!  Go to  the Gay Christian link above and get info on live streaming! There will be so many amazing speakers and messages.  Don't miss it!

How will you spread some unity today?