Tomorrows LGBT Petition and Hopeful Strategy

Mike Leake 2 Comments

Tomorrow there will be a “coalition of local and national LGBT activists will hand-deliver a petition to leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention at their annual meeting calling on the SBC to apologize for the harm its teachings have caused the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Prior to delivering the petition, an historic ‘Teach-In’ will take place outside of the SBC’s convention.”

You can read about it here. 

I believe that the SBC will probably respond by holding its stance on homosexual behavior as being sinful.  That stance is one that I agree with.  However, I hope that we (SBC believers) do more than simply state that homosexuality is wrong.

I have a picture in my mind of what I would love to see happen.  On one side of the street various LGBT protesters are condemning the Southern Baptist Convention for its harmful, hateful, and bigoted stance against homosexuality.  On the other side of the street are gospel-drenched Jesus-followers with equally large billboards; but rather than saying things like “God made Adam and Eve NOT Adam and Steve” these billboards are invitations to lunch. 

Not invitations to go debate homosexuality over a burger and fries, but a legitimately sincere invitation to just have lunch together.  We do not have to budge on our position that homosexual behavior is harmful, destructive, and ultimately idolatrous and God-belittling.  But we do come to realize that the Law is powerless to convert and it is powerless to sanctify. 

Let the LGBT community continue to call our theology wrong and harmful.  Let them continue to say that we, “promote religion-based bigotry and start recognizing the enormous pain and suffering caused by its mistreatment of LGBT people, particularly vulnerable youth”.  But may they do it trampling over us with out-stretched arms. 

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”

Thoughts?

New Comment System at Borrowed Light and a very important mustache question

Mike Leake

With much thanks to my friend Chris, Borrowed Light will now be using Disqus for commenting.  I hope that you enjoy it.  If everything works smoothly this commenting system should integrate Facebook and Twitter comments with blog comments. 

Give it a try.  (You may have to clink on the post title for comments on the first entry).

Who would win in a mustache growing contest Chef Boyardee or Cap’n Crunch?

To get the full effects of this new comment system stick around to argue your answer.  And if this goes really well who knows maybe we’ll make the “who would win…” a weekly feature. 

Not Being Eliphaz

Mike Leake

I hope I am getting better at pastoral counseling.  When I first began doing ministry I figured that the key to effective counseling was knowing answers and giving those answers to hurting people.  I’m not so sure of that anymore. 

I take my cues from the book of Job.  Consider this little snippet from Eliphaz’s counsel to his hurting friend Job:

“8 As for me I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause…17 Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.  18 For he wounds, but he binds up;  he shatters, but his hands heal.  19 He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you.” 

That is good solid counsel is it not?  Calamity has come upon Job.  Depressing, “my life will never be the same”, type of calamity.  Is it not good advice to tell a hurting man to entrust Himself to the Lord’s care?  Eliphaz is reminding Job that this is a period of discipline but trust in the Lord and eventually he will heal you.  Eliphaz essentially tells Job to “turn that frown upside down” God will bless you again eventually. 

Every one of those verses can find other Old Testament Scripture to back it up.  Whether it be from the Torah, the Psalms, or the Prophets what Eliphaz is saying is biblical. 

Then why this:

“After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”  (Job 42:7, emphasis mine)

So what is the problem; is Eliphaz’s problem a theology problem? 

As I read Job I am becoming increasingly convinced that the problem with Eliphaz and his two friends is not that they have horrible theology.  These men aren’t the Dr. Phil and Oprah of the camel riding days.  They have pretty solid theology (especially given their historical place in God’s unfolding revelation).  Theology is not really their problem.  Their problem is that they are wrongly applying pretty solid theology.  And because of this they are not speaking accurately of the LORD. 

Notice in 5:17 that Eliphaz encourages Job not to despise the discipline of the LORD.  That is true.  But it does not apply to Job because this is not happening to Job because of the Lord’s discipline.  So everything that Eliphaz says—no matter how true theologically—is off the mark.  It is crappy counsel. 

Those of us that are pastors need to be extra sensitive in seeing ourselves in Eliphaz.  We spend a good amount of our time studying Scripture, rubbing shoulders with people, and learning the ways of the LORD.  We typically know the right answers.  But we are prone to being like Eliphaz where we try to make our theological answers fit every situation.  Sometimes we need to just listen and humbly say, “maybe I don’t have the answers to this one”.

The Cause of Passion

Mike Leake

Reformation Heritage recently sent me a couple of books to review.  One of them is a little booklet written by Albert N. Martin. entitled Preaching in the Holy Spirit.  At one particular point he provides the reader with a few things that will bring a true earnestness in the pulpit.  I share them for your benefit:

Well, brethren, what are we doing in the pulpit?  Are we merely earning a living, trafficking in noble and religious notions?  Do we really desire to see sinners saved?  Do we genuinely long to see the people of God brought to greater maturity in Christ?  Do we believe that the things we convey in our preaching will, with the blessing of God, produce those very things for which we yearn?  If the answer to these questions is yes, then how can we help but be passionate and earnest?  (Martin, Preaching in the Holy Spirit, 32-33)

May our goal be a more fixed eye upon Jesus and not passion for passion’s sake.