Category: Youth Ministry
Words to Ponder
Randy, a friend and peer in ministry, offered up a couple of quotes that are what I call, “words to ponder”. You’ve heard words that make you pause or make you go, “hmmm.” Well, here are two sets of words that do that for me which Randy shared during a meeting earlier this month with a group of our friends and peers.
“Those who do not have power over the story that dominates their lives, the power to retell it, rethink it, deconstruct it, joke about it and change it as times change, truly are powerless because they cannot think new thoughts.” Salman Rushdie
Lyrics from, “Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise”
The Avette Brothers, 2009
There’s a darkness upon me that’s flooded in light
In the fine print they tell me what’s wrong and what’s right
And it comes in black and it comes in white
And I’m frightened by those that don’t see itWhen nothing is owed or deserved or expected
And your life doesn’t change by the man that’s elected
If you’re loved by someone, you’re never rejected
Decide what to be and go be it
LGBT and the Church
It is troubling to note that Sojourner’s Magazine and website recently declined to run an ad on their site from a LGBT advocacy group, BelieveOutLoud. This post contains snippets from Jim Wallis and from Tim King, the communications director for Sojourners. As much as I appreciate the careful reasoning for not doing “ad driven” dialogue or theology, we are in an “ad driven” culture right now and the Religious Right owns the airwaves, much of the Internet traffic, and has at least two media outlets (TBN & FoxNews) that are engaged in the very thing that Sojourners wishes to rise above. I agree that the level of dialogue needs to be raised, but I also think this was a dollar decision for them. Institutionally, it is difficult for them to accept ads from pro-LGBT communities and not accept ads from the likes of pro-life and Family values advocates that would return family life (and definitions) to mid 15th century forms. At some point, Sojourners will need to make a choice of what side of the “ad campaign” represents their understanding of justice and take an unapologetic approach to supporting justice not only on the editorial page, but through their business practices of whose advertising to accept and to decline.
Some controversy has arisen about an ad campaign that a new coalition wanted to run in Sojourners on the issue of the LGBTQ community and the church. We chose not to run the ad as this is an issue we want to openly discuss on and through our editorial pages and not through our ad space. Like the larger church, Sojourners’ constituency, board, and staff are not of one mind on all of these issues. However, we at Sojourners seek to foster honest, fair, and loving dialogue among Christians. LGBTQ issues may not be our primary calling as our work against poverty and hunger, and for peace, but based on some reactions to our decision, I want to use this as an opportunity to clarify the positions and practices of Sojourners on this important discussion on the life of the Church in the early 21st-century:
Love Comes First
by Tim King 05-09-2011God worked in my heart. I realized that my primary job as a follower of Christ wasn’t to try and answer the question, “Is it OK to be gay?” and then enforce my answer on others. My job was to love my neighbor as myself. I knew I didn’t want to be a part of those actively hurting or “accidentally” ostracizing anyone who identified as LGBTQ. My time was much better spent hearing the stories, listening to the struggles, and learning from those in that community. My responsibility was to speak out on issues of civil rights for the LGBT community and actively work to make the church a more welcoming place. I learned that “How do I love?” must come before, “Who is OK?”