Various blogs have been hammering me for agreeing to speak to a group called the Gay Christian Network. I get tired of writing about this issue because it stirs up such a storm of controversy and little of the dialogue seems constructive. On the other hand, the church must keep engaging, and I know of no better way to engage than to hear the stories of Christians who are struggling personally with homosexuality. Some conservatives think the very term “Gay Christian” is an oxymoron. I wish they could attend a gathering such as the one I spoke to last week and hear the stories I heard. Rather than try to defend my decision just to speak to Gay Christians, I will quote here a letter from the head of GCN:
An Open Letter about Philip Yancey
From GCN’s Executive Director, Justin Lee
Since we announced that bestselling Christian author Philip Yancey would be addressing the GCN conference in 2011, questions have been flying, online and offline. “Is Philip Yancey pro-gay?” some have asked. “What are his views on homosexuality?” “Why would he agree to speak to this conference?” “Why would GCN invite him in the first place?”
Some have criticized me for extending the invitation, thinking an evangelical author like Philip is surely far too conservative to speak to a group like ours. Others have strongly condemned him for accepting the invitation, saying he’s condoning sin. Some have even called for other Christians to disassociate with him.
So I’d like to set the record straight on exactly what this conference is about and why we invited him.
When I was a teenager, I discovered to my horror that I was attracted to guys instead of girls. I was a deeply committed Christian growing up Southern Baptist, and I was firmly opposed to homosexuality in any form. Nevertheless, when I turned to my pastor, church, and Christian friends for prayer and support, they all turned their backs on me, condemning me for my temptations even though I hadn’t acted on them.
GCN began when I met other Christians who were in the same boat. All of us were struggling to figure out how to live holy lives with our same-sex attractions, and all of us had felt the church’s rejection. Some of us ultimately decided to commit ourselves to lifelong celibacy, while others of us decided to pursue monogamous relationships. In spite of our theological disagreements with one another, we all wanted to serve Christ, and we all longed for a Christian community that would hear our stories.
The annual GCN conference is a place for Christians to hear those stories and worship and pray together—gay and straight, women and men, some believing in gay marriage and some believing that gay people are called to celibacy. Our organization does not advocate for any viewpoint on gay marriage, gay rights, or any similar issue; our goal is simply to let people know that Jesus loves them and to provide a safe and compassionate space for the church to work through some of these difficult issues.
I invited Philip Yancey because I respect him as a Christian. I’ve always been impressed at how well he balances our need to live moral, holy lives as Christians with our need to have grace toward those who do things we disapprove of. I did not invite him because of any views he might or might not hold on gays; I invited him because this is a group of people who desperately need to hear not only that God loves them, but that other Christians do, too.
I have no idea what Philip’s views are on gay relationships, same-sex marriage, or anything of the sort. He’s never told me. Honestly, it wouldn’t affect my decision either way. That’s not the point.
Last year, we had a keynote delivered by Baptist minister and author Tony Campolo. Dr. Campolo believes that gay relationships are sinful, and he said so during his keynote address. He also received a standing ovation at the end—from an audience including some people in the very relationships he had just condemned. Why? Did they think he was supporting their decisions? Not at all. They applauded him because he was one of the very few Christians who would dare to reach out to them in love and say, “Even though I don’t agree with you, I love you. I hear your stories of pain, and I want to count you as my friends.” That message was powerful. It changed lives.
I don’t know what Philip Yancey will say in a few weeks when he addresses our audience. We’ve asked him only to say whatever God puts on his heart. I do know that his audience will be diverse: gay couples in monogamous relationships; same-sex-attracted Christians wrestling with the loneliness of celibacy; Christian parents struggling with how to respond to their gay children. One woman I know will be attending with a heavy heart, carrying the memories of her gay daughter, who committed suicide years ago after feeling her mother’s rejection.
As those people, with all their theological disagreements, come together to seek God’s heart, I can think of no one better equipped to speak to them than a man who has gained a reputation both as solidly evangelical and filled with grace toward others. And even though I’m sure he knew people would misconstrue it, I am so grateful that he had the courage to reach out to us in love. It is, I believe, exactly what Jesus would do.
Justin Lee
Executive Director
The Gay Christian Network
————————– (Note: if you have comments to make on this blog entry, please keep them brief and polite. I do not intend to make the blog a platform from which to condemn people holding different points of view. Also, please refrain from posting any URLs to personal blogs or other websites. Thank you. — Philip)
It seems that most of the members of GCN want to pick and choose what part of the bible they want to believe and live by. James wants to suggest that Paul was wrong on his writings. A fine example of picking and choosing what you want to believe. If we believe one author was wrong who is to say the others are wrong too including Jesus.
As a born again Christian I can’t choose to believe what I want to about the bible according to my lifestyle. It is written for us all and it doesn’t make exceptions for any sin. Just because Jesus hung out with sinners and he didn’t directly address homosexuality doesn’t make OK. Jesus had one purpose in his life and that was to be a sacrifice for our sins and give us the opportunity to accept his sacrifice for our sins and be saved. That was a high price for him to pay and we are expected to live a life that requires us to make certain changes in our life when it comes to sin. Paul makes it very clear that homosexuality is not acceptable and compatible with Christianity. The bible is clear about that and just because you don’t like it and you rationalize it doesn’t make it acceptable to God. There are a lot of sins that the Jesus didn’t address but the whole context of the bible teaches us it is wrong.
I was in the KKK when God saved me. He changed me heart and I immediately knew it was wrong to hate other people based on their skin color. There are those today who use the bible to justify their bigotry just because Jesus didn’t address and that don’t make it OK. I was raised in a home of bigotry, but does that give me a right to show partiality to minorities? Absolutely not! Do those feeling still exist? Yes to some degree but I know it’s wrong and I have to put my desires aside regardless of what they are and do what God has me to do.
To say that you are a homosexual and you can serve God in that capacity is like me saying I am a drunk but I will still serve God. The bible says there will be no drunks in heaven. You can like it or not but your, nor my opinion will change the truth of God’s word.
I will love you just as much as any other person like God teaches me to but to compromise on what he says is doing everyone a great injustice. I sin everyday myself but I have to repent of those sins and I don’t get to challenge God on what he says. It’s the “straight and narrow road” we all have to follow.
Wow Yancey I would agree that Christ is no respecter of persons he was in the darkest of places and around the ones who others counted as nothing.
There was a time when I would have been in agreement with Lyndon but Father took me on a journey of “Grace Revelation” – my life and perceptions of life lived by others including homosexuals changed radically…. who knows how Father works? – I am always reminded of ‘Job’s comforters’ – I choose not to be one. Remember Father looks on the heart – do you not think He is able to touch the heart of a homosexual who has a ‘heart after Him’ the same way He touched yours or my heart?
Our journey is not over until we take our last breath – why debate – express your opinion but keep in mind ‘God looks on the heart’….
There was a dietary program aired between 2004 – 2007 called: “You are what you eat.” Although there may be some truth to that, it’s not altogether true because you can eat pumpkins all your life but you will never become a pumpkin. The fact is though that you can become something other then what you were created to be. Though there may be deformities at times, God created us male and female for the purpose of replenishing the earth.
God did not create a fornicator: an idolater, an adulterer, an abuser, a homosexual, a thief, a coveter, a drunkard, a reviler or an extortioner. 2 Cor. 6:9b-10. But because of our sin nature we may be drawn to those sinful deeds. But we are not those things mentioned until we practice them. “But each one is tempted by his own lust, being drawn away and seduced by them. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin, and sin when it is fully formed brings forth death.” James 1:14,15.
My personal temptation could lead to being a drunkard. I can not find in Scripture that alcohol is forbidden, but drunkenness is forbidden. I can thoroughly enjoy a glass of wine or a rum and coke, and I have done that for a long time, but many times I’ve realized that I wanted that drink a bit sooner and a bit stronger. Sometimes I would make a vow to only do social drinking and not have any in the house, but that only worked for a while. Finally I have laid aside all alcohol drinking, not because I see it as being wrong but to protect myself from becoming a drunkard.
I fully agree with Lyndon that we cannot change Scripture to suit our drawings because it is forever established in heaven, and that is where we want to invite souls to, being delivered from our sinful drawings, because God loves us.
I choose to make this brief as was requested. My Christian life is still a growing one. At nearly 70, I am constantly learning and understanding the teachings of God’ Word. In the same manner that there is no margin but to strive for a holy life, I am finding new ways to expand my thinking that there is no limit to God’s love or His grace. Thank you for this post and helping me (and I’m sure many others) to believe all of His Word and to apply It to all my life.