Several denominations are dealing with controversy over changing mores about homosexuality and what the Bible teaches about it. Some congregations are wrestling over whether to leave their denominations. What it usually comes down to is whether or not they can agree on the view of the authority of the Bible. It happens over other issues, too (sometimes not such important issues, though).
These are difficult things to deal with. Emotions run high. There are many factors to consider. Sometimes doing the right things is done in the wrong way that is devisive and devastating. God not only wants us to do the right thing, but be the right people. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13 that even if we speak correctly and eloquently, if we do it without love, we're not better than noisy, irritating noise. Zeal for the truth isn't an excuse for being jerks.
So I very much liked what I read in a friend's Facebook Note about his pastor's leadership and exhortation in thier own congregations process of deciding what they'll do about the ELCA's decision to ordain practicing homosexuals as pastors. I thought it was not only a cogent explanation of a congregatin's process over a difficult quesiton, but good counsel in how to conduct ourselves as a group and individually. All of our congregations deal with difficult decisions from time to time, not all leading to such break-ups as this one. But they can be equally divisive if not handled well. I appreciate this pastor's wise counsel.
Here is my friend's note he posted. (BTW, all of the information in this note is already public.)
Before getting underway with writing the main body of this note, I should state that my rendering of recent and pending events at my church is my specific interpretation only, and reflects e-mails, sermons, and CDs as they "caught my ear." My remarks do not necessarily speak for anyone else at my congregation.
I had been somewhat out of the loop at my home congregation, Grace Lutheran (E.L.C.A.--Evangelical Lutheran Church In America...) of Huntington Beach, for three weeks due to the Christmas weekend in San Jose with my small extended family, too many house chores on Jan. 2nd, and playing in our church handbell choir at a Lutheran church in the Seal Beach Leisure World on Jan. 9th, thus I was caught slightly off guard when I got our weekly online newsletter announcing that we would be moving upon our church council's recommendation to sever our ties with the E.L.C.A. on Jan. 23rd, after a third and final open forum for member concerns after church this past Sunday (which I attended).
Based on discussions this past summer about which I wrote a full formal note on Facebook, I had thought that Grace would continue in the E.L.C.A. even after the denomination voted to allow gay clergy at its' annual convention in August 2009 subject to the discretion of each congregation. Although as a conservative individual congregation we disagreed with the decision of the national body, I gained the impression we would continue in the E.L.C.A. provided they did not attempt to impose gay clergy upon us.
This past fall we distributed a broad membership survey, which I somehow failed to infer would include questions about the gay clergy decision and how this would influence our relationship with the national body. Evidently a majority of our membership was disappointed that the national body DID NOT (my emphasis) take a stand on this issue. Approximately 75% of the responses opposed the gay clergy decision whereas less than 25% were in favor or saw it as no big deal. Additionally, a smaller majority of 52% wanted to leave the E.L.C.A. either right away or if it failed to retract its' decision within some months, which it hasn't. Although we had a predominant majority we were not unanimous, with a minority of 16% being in favor of staying in the E.L.C.A. despite the gay clergy decision or even going further and saying they would leave our congregation if we departed the national body (a tiny handful of persons each stated they would leave if we did not depart or leave if we DID depart).
Despite all the above, the Council's decision to recommend our departure was not based solely upon this issue but rather an accumulation of liberal decisions by the national body over the course of nearly 20 years, which caused a widening distance in our relationship with them as a conservative congregation. Thus the gay clergy decision was the tipping point after adding up many factors and a long term trend.
I attended the final open forum on our proposed withdrawal and also obtained a CD copy of our pastor's sermon on Jan. 9th centering upon the council's recommendation to leave the E.L.C.A. The single observation by a church member which left the most impression with me was somebody who spoke of his being a delegate to the E.L.C.A. national conventions in recent years. He stated that our delegates often felt like conservative fish out of water in a denomination becoming increasingly liberal. He also argued that withdrawal would probably be in the best interests of both Grace and the E.L.C.A. for our respective missions according to how we discern God's will. If we move forward with a conservative theology, we shouldn't be burdened by affiliation with a denomination which is liberal; and in turn if the E.L.C.A. is striking out in a more liberal direction, it shouldn't be burdened by the presence of very many conservative, dissenting congregations.
Our pastor's sermon mentioned that Grace's position on homosexuality had been established long prior to the August 2009 E.L.C.A. convention--that the only appropriate relationship entailing sexual intimacy is between one man and one woman in a marriage; and that homosexuality is a sinful lifestyle…. Our pastor also argued against the idea of continuing in the E.L.C.A. yet just striking out independently, that we need a denomination which is supportive of our basically traditional theology. It's poor "advertising" to tell newcomers that we're part of a liberal denomination which we generally ignore because of varied disagreements….
He spoke against a couple of other ideas as well; and argued that the process of how we deal with this issue is as important as the actual decision itself. He related that a few of our members wanted to stay in the E.L.C.A. to "Battle for the Bible" against a more liberal majority, but he argued that engaging in a battle/fight for the sheer adrenaline of combat is sinful. Once the vote is taken (which has to be reaffirmed by a second vote 90 days later), he urged that the part of the congregation which prevails not boast and taunt of their decision carrying the day. On the other hand, those who cannot stomach the decision should leave the congregation in a dignified manner, as opposed to figuratively storming out the door and slamming it shut behind them. He also wasn't terribly happy that surveys were filled out overwhelmingly by members age 45 and older; and that the younger members just didn't care that much about the issue one way or the other. He stated this passage we're going through is inevitably something of an unhappy "Lose-Lose" proposition, as once again the Christian Church as a worldwide institution is dividing. This will probably last until the Second Coming; and has been going on at least since Paul and Barnabas split up over whether or not to let John Mark come with them on the Second Missionary Journey (John Mark evidently had "chickened out" on the First Missionary Journey as soon as landfall was made in Asia Minor (now Turkey)).
…I asked our pastor what the other Lutheran churches in Orange County were doing on this issue; and he stated that the great majority of the ones with large memberships have already left the E.L.C.A….A total of 686 congregations have left the E.L.C.A. (out of app. 10,500 total) over the gay clergy decision thus far, accounting for about 250,000 members….
The final major issue is where will we go as a congregation? We're looking at two possibilities which would affirm a broadly conservative theology. These are two breakaway bodies from the E.L.C.A. called the North American Lutheran Church (NALC)/Lutheran Core and Lutheran Congregations In Mission for Christ (LCMC). The latter appears to be the larger of the two. LCMC actually emerged long before the gay clergy decision, namely in the wake of the 1999 E.L.C.A. convention where a document named "Called To Common Mission" was endorsed. Some of the congregations felt this document went directly against a central pillar of Lutheran belief--the Lutheran Confessions. Thus they elected to form a breakaway body as soon as this was feasible; and two years later they were able to found the LCMC. Indeed LCMC's website states they are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year….A statement of principles I noticed on the NALC/Lutheran Core website included a statement that Biblical truths are applicable for all time, they are not invalidated by being out of fashion or going against popular trends in larger modern society.