lip service.

for several weeks, our life group has been going through a series called "they like Jesus, but not the church." by dan kimble.

the discussion tonight was especially needed and welcome.

we have a wide variety of people in our group, as we have had the blessing to have in the last few years. it is what we do, and have done. living life together, sharing, learning, enjoying life.

is the church homophobic?

well, the answer we came away with is yes.

the discussion was well represented and well thought out. it all changed for me when i realized a few years ago that along with the word homosexual, came a lot of baggage, lot of fear, lot of judgement and a lot of condemnation.

people matter to God. they always have. people who are pursued, loved and made in his image. in reality, we came to understand that people are loved no less for their sexual orientation than a recovering addict (which i am), a liar (which i am), a thief (which i have been), a racist (which i was), an idolater (which we all have been), or an arrogant Pharisee. 

the problem is that we have placed ourselves above others and have not taken on a reflection of who Jesus has commanded us to be. while not condoning any known sin, we realized the sad thing is that we are even having the conversation. when Jesus invades a persons life, he does what he does, makes us new. celibacy is no difference in this situation than in a heterosexual lifestyle, and we don't look at that with disdain.

sexuality should not define who we love nor who we extend the grace of Jesus to. nor should race, creed, religion, hair color or class.

we all realized our lack of compassion at one point or another, lack of understanding at why we are the way we are, sadness at the church's treatment of people in general who are different from the "normal" definition of a christian.

forgiveness. grace. mercy. love. acceptance. these are words that define our Lord Jesus. these same words should define his children...the same children who bear his name, his likeness, his mission. how dare us demand they, these who are labeled for a specific sin, come to Christ in any way but as they are, in need of a savior. it is his responsibility to do with sin as he will in the lives of his children. it is our call to treat them as he does...the same as he treats us.

it was not our mission to solve the theological battles that rage on between scholars and teachers of scripture. nor was it our mission to sweep sin away like a pile of sand. it was not our purpose to change the entire view in which we are seen as judgmental, backward, unforgiving people who are not aware of changing times. it was not our plan to develop a statement to apologize for actions of people who hate people.

it was our desire to see where we have failed to love others and decide to change ourselves as we advance the kingdom of God as lovers of his Son, and reflections of his glory.

we all agreed on that.