Today is a victorious and monumental day for the LGBT community and “for all Americans” as our president declared after the Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage legal across the United States. But for the Church in the USA it is a sad day. Today is sad for the Church, not because of the decision made by SCOTUS but because as we continue to look across this country, much of the Evangelical community has mishandled this discussion, and more importantly the people it affects, entirely. It all started decades ago. Consider the foundations of this country. The United States of America was built upon being a nation with the ideas of separation between Church and State. While that initially wasn’t in our constitution, the intention has been a part of our DNA from the beginning. During the late 1800s this language became more prevalent as religious people in the USA wanted to ensure the government would keep their hands, and their rules, away from the practice and pursuit of religious freedom. This is something we, as a nation, still value today. What was once a noble idea has grown into entitlement to treat others with disrespect and hate, particularly among conservative Christians and churches. The African-American, women, and LGBT people have all endured ill-treatment under the guise of religious liberty, but it is finally coming to an end. While some churches have not perpetrated such dastardly behavior toward the gay community, a problem still remains.
The progressive Church, as a general whole, has not been as outspoken as the conservative religious sectors. Their doors remain open to all who are invited to “come as they are”. Whether one agrees with the SCOTUS decision or not is irrelevant to how we ought to treat the people in our churches who identify as LGBT. Too often, however, the Church has failed to engage in conversation with those who come through their open doors with questions surrounding sexuality. The church I attend in Orange County, California for example simply says they provide a position paper online if one wishes to know what the church believes in regards to marriage and sexuality. While I am thankful that our leadership has taken the time to provide a guideline with their perspective it pales in light of real LGBT people who seek after Christ in our community. I am confident that Christ would not stand by idly. But it seems that the Church thinks this will suffice. I am not suggesting that the Christian community abandon its convictions on the matter; what it needs to do is address it. The Church wants to be relevant, not just to culture but to what God is doing both within the four walls of the church and outside in our neighborhoods. We don’t have go very far in order to find LGBT people either, they’re in our church already–but they won’t be for much longer if we keep ignoring them.
The LGBT community doesn’t merely refer those who might like to drape a rainbow flag across the pulpit and sanction same-sex marriage within the church, but the term encapsulates more than that, particularly within a faith community. When I say we have LGBT people in this church it includes the man who is married to woman despite his attraction to other men, it includes the woman who lives celibate because she believes her same-sex attraction isn’t condoned by God, it includes the girl whose roommate is a lesbian, it includes the parent whose son is gay. These people do more than fill a seat on the weekend, they are a part of our community. They play guitar in our worship band, serve in our high school ministry, volunteer with our partners in India, and stand at the entrance greeting those who attend. It’s time to talk openly about sexuality in our church. We cannot keep disregarding the topic and expect to have any effect on the matter within our culture, much less within our own faith community. If the Church continues to ignore what is important to the culture, the culture will continue to ignore the Church.
While at university several years ago a bus load of LGBT youth visited our school on their national road trip tour. They chose our school because as a private Christian institution we had taken a stance against affirming homosexual relationships. It was at this time that my mentor began to carry around a small rock in his pocket. For him it was a reminder of when the spiritual leaders brought to Jesus a woman caught in an adulterous relationship in John 8. After they threw what they knew about God’s law at Him, Jesus told them that he who was without sin of his own could throw the first stone of condemnation. Upon finding herself alone with Christ the woman heard His merciful words, “Neither do I condemn you, now go and sin no more.” This story reveals so much to us about how quick we tend to judge others as well as how much Jesus Christ loves each of us, despite our messiest imperfections. It’s time we stop dragging people through the mud in hopes they will have clear eyes to see Christ’s love. Jesus told us that we are to love each other and the Holy Spirit would teach us how to live. As a young man who has wrestled intensely with my own sexual identity, this gives me great hope that my Creator knows me, loves me, and calls me His own. I know there are many more like me in our church body who also identify with the LGBT community and long to know Jesus more and more.
So, Church, we recognize we’re not going to throw hostile stones of hatred nor are we altering our belief in God’s design as noted in Scripture, but let’s stop pretending an online statement will reach anyone’s heart and start sharing the life and love that we have been given through Christ. We all play a part, in conversation, over a coffee, and in our home. This is the Great Commission; let us truly go into all the world and disciple others into walking with Jesus. Church, today is your opportunity to speak up. Let’s make sure that we communicate that we want the LGBT community in our own churches as much as Jesus wants them in His kingdom.
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