Today’s Scripture Reading (November
17, 2016): Joel 2
A couple of
weeks ago, I took part in a panel discussion around the topic of “Loving our
LGBTQ Neighbor.” I was ready for the discussion. Loving and welcoming our LGBTQ
neighbors into the Christian Church is something about which I feel strongly.
The discussion around me does not appear to be there – the questions and
arguments that I am hearing are around the affirmation of the LGBTQ community -
and half the time I am not even sure what that means. Nevertheless, this is
going to be a hugely important discussion for the church in the next few years,
no matter which side of the coin we might find ourselves.
Moreover, there does not appear to be a smoking gun for either side – as much
as both sides want to pretend that there is. My position is that God has called
me to love my neighbor no matter what artificial barriers might exist between
us. So loving the LGBTQ community seems
to be a no-brainer.
What I was
not ready for was where the conversation turned after
the panel discussion was over. Suddenly I was knee-deep in an argument over
the rights of women to lead inside of the church – something that I had foolishly
believed that we were already in agreement around. I am an egalitarian when it
comes to women’s issues. I believe that women have both the right and the
spiritual gifting to be in the church leadership discussion. There are a number of women for whom I have great
respect, and I make sure that I am listening to them when they speak. But the discussion around women at the highest
levels of Christian Leadership seems to be renewing itself.
I am not
sure that Joel understood a fraction of what he was writing about, but here, I
believe, he makes the argument in favor of women in leadership positions in the major ministries within the church. According
to Joel, the day would come when God would pour out his Spirit on anyone who
dared to declare that he was Lord. I believe that we are living in that day
right now. God has poured his spirit out on both men and women, and that is the
only criteria that we need to know to
decide who it is that can take leadership positions in the church.
Going
forward, I believe it is also the criteria that will help us with the question regarding affirmation
of the LGBTQ community. If God has poured out his Spirit, who are we to argue.
And if he refuses to pour out his Spirit on segments of the population, then he
has decided – not us. I want to be working in the areas where God’s Spirit has been poured, and I pray that my personal biases
will not be a barrier to the Spirit of God moving and working around me. After
all, If God’s Spirit is there, why would we want to be someplace else?
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joel 3
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