You gotta write when the Spirit says, "Write"

This week, The ELCA voted to approve implementing resolutions around same-sex unions and the inclusion of people in non-celibate same-sex relationships in rostered leadership. I followed the proceedings fairly closely, reporting in my Facebook status on what was happening and asking - no begging - for prayers as our National Assembly delegates wrestled with this question. After the vote, I published links to several articles that reported on the vote.

A friend of mine sent me an inbox message, posing an interesting question. She was wondering how the national Church, and other churches who have voted similarly, reconcile homosexuality with the New Testament verses that speak against it. Now, it wasn't the question itself that was so interesting to me, although it certainly is a relevant, interesting, and very respectful question. What intrigued me so much about the way she posed the question was this: she did not reference any specific New Testament verses, leaving me to wonder which ones she actually meant.

At first, I wondered how to answer the question, feeling like I didn't have "all the information" needed to "solve the equation." (my math-geek roots are showing, I know.) Of course I could have answered her, asking for specifics. But as I pondered further, I realized that her way of asking the question was actually liberating! I was free to address the heart of the question - as I heard it - rather than being confined to talking about specific Scripture verses.

This morning in church, several things collided in my head (not literally - we don't throw stuff around in the sanctuary - well, at least not very often), the Gospel reading really sank in, the Spirit blew through my soul, and I started scribbling away. I'm sure I was a distraction to my pewmates, but they know me, so they understood what was going on.

So for what it's worth, here's my take on my friend's question. It is absolutely informed by my understanding of Lutheran theology, the traditions I come from, and my understanding of grace. That being said, it's also MY interpretation of these things and of Scripture - NOT an official position of the ELCA or any other church body. For that interpretation, please see elca.org for the recently-approved Social Statement on Human Sexuality and the task-force recommendations for Rostered Ministry changes.

So what do I think?

I think that Jesus always included those who were considered "outsiders" in his time and place in history. In fact, we KNOW he did - he called a tax collector as a disciple, he shared meals with those who were disgraced or considered "shameful," and he included women in his ministry from the very beginning. He dared to touch the unclean. Jesus saw through to the heart of people, not focusing on what was on the surface or on societal norms. This is not to say that "anything goes" with Jesus, only that he was more concerned with how we love God and treat each other than who is "in" and who is "out". This is Truth with a capital T - universal Truth that is relevant outside of any time or place.

On the other hand, the apostle Paul's letters, part of our accepted canon which address homosexuality among other topics, were written in and for a particular moment in history and to address specific situations within specific churches. Heaven knows we Lutherans love us some Paul, and his letters also contain much of this Truth, but in my opinion, neglecting to keep in mind the specificality of his letters does him a disservice. Interpreting Scripture in this way, to my mind, does not diminish the amazing message contained in Paul's letters. It does not lessen the impact of being "saved by grace" and his proclaiming Christ crucified.

What it does do, I think, is to remind us of who "has the words of eternal life." Today's Gospel lesson, from John 6, reminds us of that. JESUS has the words of eternal life, which come through him from the Father. Certainly Paul also gives us plenty of inspiration and explanation (boy! does he explain!), but Paul is not God. And Paul would be the first to say so.

So how does this relate? Paul's letters, in part, addressed relationships among people that we do not view the same way in this time and place in history - such as master and slave, the role of men versus women in the Church, and homosexual relationships. I have read research that poses the possibility that when addressing homosexuality, Paul was addressing unequal relationships between people (possibly men and young boys) which are not in the same realm as the loving and committed relationships of two adults who are acting on equal footing. This resonates with me. Additionally, in a society which (this is my speculation, but something that seems reasonable to me) was still concerned with survival to the next generation (although less so than in Old Testament times, I imagine), any relationship which did not bear heirs was probably a bit suspect, to say the least. There is much Truth in Paul's concept in these passages - but I don't think that interpreting the letter to have the same literal meaning today as it did in the early years of the Christian church gets to that Truth.

What I write here is incomplete, as my understanding of faith is incomplete, but it gets to the point of how I feel. But how does this relate to my worldview, specifically my view on homosexual relationships?

Well, let me go back a bit. When I was younger, I knew ABOUT gay people. That is, I knew what homosexuality was, I knew in theory what a homosexual relationship was, etc. But as I grew and moved through my own history, I began to meet and KNOW gay people. There's a big difference, a journey of experience, when you begin to know the heart of people and not just their labels. I learned this about many things in my life, and my understanding of gay people as "us" is something that I will admit I have rather drastically changed my position on over the years.

We all have labels. It's true. Some are fair, some are unfair. We can all be put into categories on a census sheet (many of us into many categories). I am Caucasian. That is a label. I am heterosexual. That is a label. I am Lutheran - another label! But to only evaluate a person by their label is short-sighted. To begin to make assumptions about a person based on their label doesn't go far enough. Some assumptions will undoubtedly be true, and right, and just, and even loving. For example, if a man is in the category of "homosexual," one can justly assume that this man will be in a relationship, if he is in one at all, with another man.

BUT - I believe we must go further to know people as individuals - to get deep within to the heart of people, as Jesus did and still does. Specifically to this topic, I believe some gay people are called to and fit for ordained ministry, some are not. More specifically, some gay people in non-celibate committed relationships are fit for this kind of leadership, some are not. Just as some heterosexual men and women are fit for ordained ministry, and some are not.

To exclude an entire group of men and women who have heard God's call based on their label is, I think, less than visionary. I believe we must allow for the Spirit to work, not stifle the prophetic voices that are among us. I believe that the changes in ministry policies, to allow for the possibility of ordaining men and women in committed same-sex relationships, is following in the footsteps of the Jesus we worship and proclaim as Lord.

Will this be messy? Yes. Will it take awhile before we, as a church, figure out how to do this? Yes. Are there logistical hurdles (such as how exactly to recognize and define a "committed non-celibate relationship" in a society that does not universally recognize gay marriage or even civil unions) to be overcome? Of course. Will this change cause hurt and discord? Sadly, yes. But growing is messy. Growing hurts. God knows this and will walk with us as we do our human best to figure this out.

Will some people leave the ELCA with broken hearts? Yes. And that in itself is heartbreaking, and I believe all of us are praying for peace and comfort as we move through this. But there are often legs on our faith journey that we cannot see to the end of. Those of us who are proud of and excited to be a part of this change are seeking to do God's will in this place. Faithful people who feel compelled to leave the ELCA due to the changes are, I believe, doing the same thing. They are seeking to find a place to do God's will as they discern it. I don't think one is good and one is bad - far from it! In fact, I pray for all of us as we seek to do God's will and reflect God's heart.

The ELCA National Assembly reflected this prayer in approving the first implementing recommendation - to journey forward faithfully, walking together, respecting the differences of opinion on this issue and the bound conscience of all of us. This may seem overly procedural and silly - we need to VOTE to respect each other?! But it's not - it publicly announces and intentionally shows our desire to follow Jesus - to love one another, to see each other deeply, and to go beyond the labels.

The Lutheran Church is reforming - again - just as it has done throughout all its history. I am profoundly grateful to be a part of this new reformation, and I hope and pray that we continue to bear witness to the love of God as we move forward.

Tending the soil - an open letter to the youth of St. John's

I don’t know about you, but for me, the end of the summer is kind of a drag. Everything feels like it’s kind of on hold, and it’s too hot and muggy to breathe. (yes, I know I grew up in Texas, yes, I’ve become a big baby about the heat.) Vacations are (mostly) over, but school hasn’t started…yawnnnn.

Plus, the ministry work I’m doing is pretty blah right now too. It’s just cleaning my office, cleaning out files, updating email lists, getting letters ready, figuring out who’s going to be where, working on prayer partners…just a bunch of background stuff, really, mostly tedious computer stuff.

I was telling a friend at lunch today that during this couple of weeks, it’s a little hard to get motivated. I haven’t seen a lot of you all summer, and I may not see you until Rally Day (which is September 13th by the way). I get so much of my energy for ministry from all of you that it’s no wonder I’m running a little low right now. It’s not a bad low, really, it’s just…slow…and boring.

So driving in today, I didn’t really want to think about work. I let my mind wander a bit. You know how random thoughts just drift through your head sometimes? Well, for some reason I started thinking about that Facebook game Farmtown. And how I’ll have crops to harvest later this evening, and then I’ll have to plow – tend the soil to get it ready for new crops.
The next thing you know, I got a little visit from the Spirit, who had probably been hovering around, waiting for an opening in my brain to whisper encouragement. “You know what you’re doing at work? You’re TENDING THE SOIL!” the Spirit told me. Huh! Farmtown and tedious computer work collided in my mind and soul, and what do you know? The Spirit’s right!

Before the seeds can be planted and grown, the farmer has to get the soil ready. I’m no farmer (well, except online), but I imagine it’s not the most fun part of the job. It’s probably pretty hot, sweaty, boring work, turning over the soil, maybe getting rid of rocks and weeds, maybe adding some kind of fertilizer…can’t possibly be the most exciting. But boy, is it necessary!

All this background work I’m doing over the next couple of weeks is the same way. By cleaning my office, I’m getting ready to welcome you back any time you want to visit me this year. By cleaning out my files, I’m getting ready for new information and ministry opportunities that are coming down the line. By updating my emails lists, I’m ensuring that I am keeping the lines of communication to all of you open and efficient – so we can be in relationship in as many ways as possible. The letters (that will be coming late this month) will contain dates and some info about all the great stuff that’s happening in our church, synod, and in the national church. And the prayer partners? Well – we’ve got a fun new group of 7th graders starting confirmation, and we’re gonna make sure there are adults praying for them!

All of these little chores I need to accomplish at the end of every summer are really soil-tenders – getting things ready to go for the fall, so that all of you, the seeds and plants that are nourished here at St. John’s with God’s Love, can grow and flourish as we are in ministry together. (ok, I’m done with the farm analogies now. Haha)

I confess, I’m still not super-excited about all these little things, BUT I am excited about the new school year starting – because it means I get to be with you again! And that is truly the gift of this ministry. So thank you, Spirit, for giving me a little perspective and reminding me again why the boring stuff isn’t really all that boring after all. Thank you for the reminder that these tasks bring me that much closer to being with the youth of St. John’s, who always bring joy to the lives of the congregation (even when you’re driving us nuts – remember how joy can sometimes be wayyyy deep down?) Thank you for the reminder that the last few weeks of summer don’t have to be about the doldrums, they can be about…anticipation.

I love and miss you all – see you soon!
Have a blessed week, my friends,
Lisa

Cost of Discipleship - with apologies to Dietrich Bonhoeffer

As any of you who have been anywhere near my FB status for the past couple of weeks know, I have a wicked case of poison ivy. And I got that poison ivy in New Orleans. Strangely enough, the poison ivy saga has made me think a lot about the idea of "the cost of discipleship." I don't really spend a lot of time thinking about that, I guess. The idea that living the life Jesus wants us to live sometimes involves a cost, or a sacrifice. Grace is free, salvation is free, eternal life is a gift....but living this life to the fullest as a follower of Christ? Not always easy. You're probably wondering where I'm going with this and when will I get there. Well, here's the connection. See, I wasn't just bumming around New Orleans when I got the poison. A group of us were down for the National Youth Gathering - hearing Jesus' call to learn more about life in Him with 37,000 other teenagers. It was awesome - you've probably seen my pictures. If you haven't, check out my photo albums. Anyway, part of the week involved a ServantLife event - a service project. We were hearing God's call (through the Gathering) to serve His people and His creation. You guessed it....being disciples. Our service involved tearing out invasive species of plants that were choking the native plants and building a walking trail in a park. That is, restoring God's creation to what He meant it to be (Katrina had disrupted the natural ecosystem) and creating ways for humans to enjoy God's creation. Honestly, it was a pretty cool project. Being disciples and stewards of the Earth - awesome! WELL. Here's the kicker. I know that I'm sensitive to poison ivy. I knew full well that if I worked on this project, I would probably end up with poison ivy. I had a choice - I could either work alongside the teenagers, or I could sit it out and just "supervise" from the sidelines, maybe refill water bottles or get tools as people needed them, anything to keep me out of the brush. I mean, people would understand, right? That I wanted to keep my skin healthy and not get a horrible rash? Maybe, but if I did that, was I REALLY being a disciple in that time and place? Or was I more concerned with my own comfort and health and safety? I chose to take the risk. I chose to work side by side with people I knew and people I didn't know - but all brothers and sisters in Christ working for a common goal - caring for God's creation. And you know what? Yeah, I'm hurting now...but it was totally, totally worth it. The things I saw that day were beyond amazing. And I'm blessed now to be able to share those stories - how three church groups from different parts of the country became one community working for a common goal, how strangers became friends became family in Christ by sharing stories and working together, how we saved native plants and created a beautiful trail through the trees. Also, I saw and experienced people taking care of each other - from making sure we all took enough breaks (it was HOT that day) to caring for emotions to helping with tough spots and big heavy things that had to be carried. I saw disciples following Jesus that day. And you wanna know something else? This rash has become probably the strangest ministry tool I've ever been given. So many people have asked me where I got the rash and what I could possibly have been doing, and that's given me the chance to talk about the Gathering and the amazing things teenagers do when they hear God's call. Not just our group, but the 37,000 of us who spent three days in service to God's people in New Orleans. Weird, I know, but I've been able to "bear witness" about the Gathering to people I probably never would have had the chance to. God does, indeed, work in mysterious ways. I just wish it were a little less itchy. :) Now, I'm truly not telling you this story to get sympathy, or get pats on the back for how "brave" or "noble" or "religious" I am or whatever. Nor have I been thanking God every day for the opportunity to use this rash to talk about Him. I've been whining and complaining all week, honestly. BUT - this story isn't about me. I'm just the example. This story is about how God works in the world. Even the really weird ways that you can't see at the time. See, following God isn't always easy. In fact, it very often is hard! Sometimes it's just a little hard, sometimes it's amazingly hard and demands great sacrifice. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, from whom I stole the words "cost of discipleship," ended up dying for his discipleship - he sacrificed everything to follow God's call.) Sometimes, it involves choices that we just flat out don't want to make - that's when we often say, "Enough, God! How much am I supposed to sacrifice? What else do I have to give up?" But the truth of the matter is, ANY sacrifice, if we're truly following God, is worth it. The bone-deep peace and joy we experience knowing that we are doing God's will - thanking God for his gift of grace through our actions - is indescribable. Sometimes, we see the results of our discipleship, like when I looked at the trail we had created. Sometimes, unfortunately, we don't - it's too long-term. And sometimes, the joy and peace is so deep that it's covered by the short-term pain of the sacrifice. And that's when we have to trust in God's love and cry out to him for help and comfort. And God will be there to hold you in his arms through the experience. Most of us aren't asked to sacrifice the way Bonhoeffer did. But for all of us, following Jesus involves a cost. And I hope, that as you go through life, you find the strength and love to remember that no cost is too high - it's worth it. It's worth everything. Have a blessed week, my friends!