Tag Archives: christianity
Why, as a Christian, I’m Not Joining the Fight Against Gay Marriage
Photo credit: flickr/sushiesque. Usage does not represent an endorsement by the photographer.
We have a hot one in the news right now. Washington State has legalized same sex marriage and there is no doubt that Christians are often fired up about this issue. We are rallying, we are petitioning; flat out, we are against this. “This should not happen. This is an abomination. God would not approve. They are sinning. It says right in the Bible that what they are doing is wrong. Have they not read Leviticus? What about Romans? It is our job to FIX them, not give them the right to marry. It is the end times and they are surely all going to hell.”
Except, I don’t believe that, and I am a Christian. In fact, I support gay marriage.
A Pastor’s Rebuttal on Church Discipline: Responding to the Mars Hill Controversy
Photo credit: flickr/Cornelius Flickerman. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
Note from Ian Ebright: We typically do not feature guest posts on this site, but due to the recent Mars Hill Church discipline scandal (my thoughts on the matter and the problem of insulated churches here) and legitimate concern, curiosity, and questions that are being raised about the idea of church discipline, I reached out in the hope of getting credible feedback. Fortunately, a prominent pastor responded. His post is below, and has been kept anonymous by request.
I’ll be teaching a group of students today out of I Corinthians 5, which is a sort of ‘classic text’ regarding church discipline. The subject has been in the news a fair bit lately, and even if it hasn’t, it’s an important subject in it’s own right. Over the past years, there’s been shock over the repeated passivity of church authority when priests have been charged with molestation, pedophilia, and other abusive activities. Protecting predators is viewed, rightly, with anger – especially when predators are in positions of authority. If a church knows that one of its own leaders is involved in activities that utterly misrepresent Christ, the church is called to act, according to both Matthew 18 and I Corinthians 5.
These two passages, though, apply to more than just leaders. They apply to everyone in the church, because everyone who has declared their commitment to a particularly local expression of church life is committing to that church’s value structure, a structure that hopefully represents, in some measure, the heart of Christ. We’re called to hold each other accountable because, if we’re going to wear the t-shirt that says we belong to Jesus, we need to help each other look like Jesus.
Mars Hill Seattle, and the Problem of Insulated Churches
Photo credit: flickr/Mars Hill Church
You may have heard the recent story of a Mars Hill member named Andrew and the experience he had with church leadership following his voluntary confession of sexual sin, which focused around the fact that he had cheated on his fiance. ”I take responsibility for my actions. I messed up,” he said. Andrew encountered name-calling from various leaders, not to mention several meetings and text messages. Despite his remorse and participation including tearful confessionals, things were just getting started. Next came a discipline contract printed on church letterhead outlining numerous steps to full reconciliation, pressure and intimidation when he announced he would not sign and would instead be leaving the church, and most remarkably- a document naming Andrew and his sin and detailing how members were to handle him socially (when to include and exclude him, and even how to answer), published on the Mars Hill community forum without Andrew’s consent. For details, here is the full expose on Matthew Paul Turner’s site: Part 1 and 2.
Mars Hill issued a recent response to this fiasco, which I will also focus on in this post.
I Want to Know Your Story, Just Not Like This
Photo credit: flickr/mojoey
As Christians we started with the fish. Something simple. Something intended to let people know that we were, indeed, Christians. No words were necessary, it was as simple as carrying a Bible around. We just wanted people to know.
Then it grew. The popularity of catchy bumper stickers became extreme.
Reconciling Tim Tebow’s Ability to Inspire With His Public Demonstrations of Faith
Photo credit: flickr/Jeffrey Beall
Tim Tebow has stepped in to replace time zones as the thing most likely to divide the nation. Say “Tebow” to someone, and you find one of two reactions- a fond smile, or a severe grimace. Only a few who know his name appear to view the NFL quarterback with any level of neutrality. And the reason for all of the divided opinions (aside from his unique and disputable style of play, and recent headline-making victories with the Denver Broncos) rests on Tebow’s decision to wear his faith in Jesus on his sleeve. Is Tim Tebow catching flack for no good reason, or are the calls for spiritual moderation warranted? I think there’s a bit of both.
It is Time for the American Christian Church to Surrender the Gay Marriage Fight, Apologize, and Share Love
Photo credit: 2010 Andreanna Moya Photography/flickr. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
I need to clarify right out of the gate that this post will not focus on the “choice vs. birth vs. childhood” arguments related to the origin of homosexuality in an individual. We must start from the reality that acknowledges the American Christian church as divided on that issue, and will be for some time. Many on the Right view homosexuality as sin, a growing number on the Left view homosexuality as God-authored and inherently beautiful, and those in the middle have varying views and distinctions to offer. For Christians across the political and denominational spectrum, it is often a struggle to find one’s footing in this complicated issue. After all, the GLBT community includes family members, friends and neighbors.
Instead, this post will focus on making a case from a Christian perspective that gay marriage should be allowed legally in this country, and will attempt to explain why the church will become more like it was intended to be when it concedes this legislative battle. Here’s why.
Life with God: Punctured by Light While in the Company of Shadows
Photo Credit: flickr/Ehsan Khakbaz. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
I concluded my previous post by saying that we’ll find abundant life if we get to God, who is the life giver. While I am convinced that the statement is true, it is open to the misinterpretation that says ”get Jesus, and all of your problems will disappear.” Whether you’ve chosen to receive Christ or not, we both know that a problem-free life is not reality. So it matters how we define abundance. Is it the accumulation of good times, the absence of trouble, or something else completely opposed to conventional wisdom?
Denial or Despair? We’ve Got Heavy Lungs in Search of Holy Air
Photo credit: flickr/lauren.rushing. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
“The winds are coming,” he shouted with a sense of urgency, a prophetic warning from a pastor not known for making wild predictions about the future. Sitting in the congregation about two and a half years ago, his words made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Somehow, I knew that he was right. Something devastating (and ultimately miraculous) was about to happen in my life, but I had no idea what that thing was. It hit soon after, and when it did, everything changed.
The winds are coming. Maybe the winds have already arrived. Life, despite our best efforts, cannot be bridled. We will not be able to avoid the pitfalls of loss and deep pain, no matter how careful we are. If we’re not rooted in something greater, denial or despair will find a way to make a home in us, stalling our search for transcendent air.
When Christian Blogging is a Popularity Contest (and Other Snares to Meaningful Living)
Photo Credit: flickr/thegirlsmoma. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
I am a Christian, and a blogger, so I guess I have to reluctantly conclude that I am a Christian blogger. It’s a title I’d rather not be associated with, because all of the challenging writing, beautiful stories, important theology, and courageous confessions done by some Christian bloggers are often overshadowed by others showing off and being competitive in Jesus’ name.
The elephant in the room is that Christian blogging has become a popularity contest. It’s picked up where high school left off. An attractive or sassy writer stands a better chance of getting a bigger audience. Tweets become about who knows who and headlines get massaged to maximize readership (just like how The Huffington Post does it). And drama? It gets amplified rather than being ignored.
Can Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed Really Change the Master Plan?
Photo Credit: flickr/echoesofstars
Matthew 17:20 says “With faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains,” which is a beautifully encouraging verse and one I feel like I have relied on heavily since life has hit me with a situation that is quite possibly the single biggest test of my faith to date. I’ve been believing as hard as my little heart will let me and then trying to take peace and comfort in the fact that my strong faith will make it all okay.
However, I’m still not at peace. The reason is simple. Even though Matthew’s gospel assures us of a mountain-moving faith, I’m stuck with this worrisome question: “what if God does not want those mountains moved?”
Ian Ebright on When Christian Blogging is a Popularity Contest (and Other Snares to...
Ken Hagerman on When Christian Blogging is a Popularity Contest (and Other Snares to...
Jim Fisher on The Conclusion of the Heartbreak Series: Saying Goodbye
Yoga Rani on Why, as a Christian, I’m Not Joining the Fight Against Gay...
Beth on [TELEGRAM] When Temptation Taps You On The Shoulder
Tiffany Lucus on The Conclusion of the Heartbreak Series: Saying Goodbye