Posted by WP Campbell | Feb 15, 2012 | Church, General

Criticism of New Presbyterian Denomination is Misguided

By W.P. Campbell

With the January 18-20 formation of a new Presbyterian denomination, The Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO), the news is out that this group was launched in avoidance of gays and lesbians. Such news is misguided.

It is true that battles over the ordination of gays and lesbians have for three decades dominated the mainline Presbyterian (PCUSA) church from which the ECO has broken away. However, several recent articles claiming that this breakaway Presbyterian group formed in reaction to gays and lesbians have missed the point. Debates about sexuality are but symptoms of the real problem: the mainline Presbyterian church has drifted from its historic, biblical foundations. The most troubling evidence of this drift has been increased confusion among leaders in the PCUSA about the person and purpose of Christ.

Schism and divisions in any church denomination can be expected when its leaders turn aside from their rich heritage to endorse new cultural incentives that alienate their membership base. Executives, pastors and elders in the Presbyterian Church USA have been unable to steer the ship of the church away from the storms of brewing culture wars and everyone has suffered for it, including gays and lesbians. I am a minister member of the denomination and will be the first to accept my share of the blame.

On the sexuality front, we have failed to lead the church toward confession and healing connected with our own heterosexual sins. It is hypocrisy for us to criticize gays and lesbians until we first clean up our own act. We will then be poised to listen and learn from those who struggle with same-sex attractions and to invite them to join us in the journey of seeking and honoring God. If we had done so over the past thirty years, perhaps we would not be in the mess we are in today. People who have been pushed away by the church are now pushing their agenda on the church.

It is time for Christians to rise above the media mania and to show grace and to speak truthfully to everyone God brings their way. Fortunately, leaders of the recently formed Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO), are hoping to do just that. May they leave the debates behind and develop ministries of compassion and care for all people while remaining faithful to the essential teachings of Scripture.

 

Posted by WP Campbell | Nov 8, 2011 | Church, General

Fellowship of Presbyterians Should Respond to Sexuality Concerns

By WP Campbell

This article was recently sent to the leaders in a new Presbyterian renewal movement, “The Fellowship of Presbyterians.” I am posting it to encourage renewal groups from various denominations to create sexuality statements of their own.

Numerous bloggers, tweeters and editorialists have reacted to the August 25 to 26, 2011 gathering of the Fellowship of Presbyterians and used it as a springboard to promote their own agendas. On the Huffington Post site, for example, a fairly balanced August 25 article from Jaweed Kaleem titled, Presbyterians Meet to Consider Leaving Church Over Gay Clergy, Other Issues, is indirectly connected to a trail of recent posts by Mark Achtemeier, John Shelby Spong, John Shore, Janet Edwards and the like, explaining why practicing gays and lesbians should be leaders in the Presbyterian church.

Members of the Fellowship of Presbyterians can decide to make no comment in an attempt to steer clear of the controversy. Silence over this issue, however, will not make it go away. Better, we can clarify our standards and make gracious assertions to provide a clear path forward and to help us to avoid mistakes of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Here are some declarative statements we may wish to endorse:

  • We recognize that sexuality, when enjoyed within the guidelines provided by God, is a wondrous gift. Many of us in the Church and culture have set the gift on the altar of personal fulfillment, however, and have turned the gift into an idol. Our idolatry has led to broken marriages, broken homes, and broken lives.
  • We repent for our idolatry and chose to make Jesus Christ and His kingdom and His righteousness the centerpiece of our lives.
  • We believe that the turmoil and ongoing debate over issues of sexuality in the Presbyterian Church (USA) is a symptom of confusion about the interpretation and authority of Scripture for our lives.
  • We acknowledge that the plain teaching of the Bible upholds God’s plan for sexual expression to be confined to marriage between one man and one woman. In our attempt to uphold this standard, however, we have sometimes conveyed a message of rejection toward those who struggle with their sexual identity or who experience sexual brokenness.
  • We commit ourselves to a balanced approach to issues of sexuality, and recognize that sexual addiction, compromise, and sin are at an epidemic level in the heterosexual population and must not be overlooked.
  • We resist oversimplifications about the causes and cures of human sexual ills and recognize that a variety of prenatal and environmental factors may influence each of us. Transformation into the image of Christ is a process in which biblical preaching, prayer, support groups, Christian counseling, and personal repentance play a vital part through the gracious and truthful outreach of the Christian church.
  •  By God’s grace, we will strive to offer compassionate ministries of healing for those who have experienced brokenness from extramarital affairs, sexual addiction, promiscuity, unwanted same-sex attractions, divorce, and the like, as part of the overall expression of God’s love shown through the ministries of the Church.

 

Posted by WP Campbell | Aug 23, 2011 | Church, General, Healing

How Conflict Builds Community

Using Homosexuality as a Test Case
By WP Campbell

 

Conflict can either build or destroy the community spirit in a church. The way a church leadership team responds to conflict will tip the scales one way or the other. This truth can be well illustrated by considering a topic that is arguably the biggest social concern our churches will encounter in the next few decades.

A Potential Conflict

If your congregation or denomination has not yet experienced discord related to the issue of homosexuality, you may find it waiting for you around the corner. A professional church consultant and author recently told me, “There are about 24 denominations that are currently struggling with issues surrounding homosexuality—and half of them will split over it.”

My own denomination, the Presbyterian Church USA, has been embroiled in controversy regarding the ordination of homosexuals for three decades, and we are currently debating this topic on the local (presbytery) level. Our national assembly has also mandated our presbyteries to study a proposed redefinition of marriage that allows for same-sex unions.

A Personal Example

It was nearly a decade ago. I was into the first few months of my pastorate at First Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville, when our denomination’s General Assembly, its national gathering, voted to require our presbyteries to debate whether or not our denomination would support the ordination of practicing homosexuals into church leadership. The media brought this news directly into church member’s homes with all the hype that makes for a good story. What I got was a big reaction.

First Presbyterian Church had already split three times in the prior four decades over matters of “conservative verses liberal” theology. Three-year-old wounds still festered in some member’s hearts from the most recent split. I was not surprised, therefore, when the more vocal church leaders and members immediately informed me that a significant portion of the congregation was ready to walk and never return if we didn’t “do something.” The more conservative members announced their angst openly in the classrooms and hallways of the church. The members who embraced a more liberal stance on homosexuality called me into a specially organized meeting to spell out in private why our church needed to stand behind the ordination of homosexuals. Not to offer such support, they stated, would be cause for them to leave the church. With a crisis looming, it was time to consider our options.

One Option: Silence

Instructional books and seminars about how to handle church conflict nearly universally encourage church leadership teams to create interchurch dialogue around issues that threaten to unsettle Christian community. The topic of homosexuality, however, is so controversial and potentially polarizing that many church leadership teams prefer not to open conversation around the topic.

Such concerns, however, like strangers at our doors, may find a way to invade our churches as our culture looms large through our widows.

When we attempt to ignore such concerns however, like strangers at our doors, they may find their way back into our churches through the windows of our culture. The media, the Internet, and literature tell us what to believe about homosexuality. If the church remains silent on the issue, our youth may draw their values about sexuality from the world.

A refusal to address this topic can deepen the division between generations in our churches. In the book UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity … and Why it Matters, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons tell us that younger generations in America are distancing themselves from traditional churches in part because our approach to issues of sexuality come across as judgmental.[i] Wise and grace-filled conversation about even the difficult issue of homosexuality, however, can build understanding and strengthen our churches. Thus, to ignore issues with silence is not a helpful option.

A Better Option: Open Communication

The leadership team at First Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville opted to face the mounting turmoil by clarifying their stance and encouraging reflection and conversation about this topic. We encapsulated our perspectives in a written statement for the congregation which I introduced in a sermon. We hosted meetings for congregational interaction and input. I also composed an article for our community stating our position on the challenges of sexuality faced by the modern church.

Our approach to the subject was really quite simple. We explained that Jesus handled issue of sexual brokenness in a manner that always brought love and truth together without compromising either. He spoke the truth even when the world denied it, and demonstrated love even though the world denied him. Applying this paradigm to issues of sexuality, we affirmed that we would welcome into our worship services people who experience same-sex attractions or any other form of sexual brokenness. When it was natural and appropriate, we would speak the truth in love clearly and redemptively regarding concerns of sexuality, including adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, and other kinds of harmful behavior that mark our promiscuous society. In this manner, we would seek to be a positive witness in our community and to our denomination.

Over the coming months, we lost a few of the most liberal members. But the church did not split. In fact, over the next few years we experienced significant growth. Had we not shaped a clear and consistent vision for our whole church, our unity in Christ might have come apart at the seams. Thus we learned that thoughtful and clear communication around even the most difficult of topics can help to sustain Christian community.

Deepening Christian Community

In the process of writing the book, Turning Controversy into Church Ministry: A Christlike Response to Homosexuality, I decided to take risks and to push church members to understand sexual brokenness more deeply. I first trained the church’s leaders. Then, with their blessing, I launched into a four week series on homosexuality, fully aware that some of the older members of our church don’t believe the words “gay,” “lesbian,” or “homosexual,” should ever be mentioned from the pulpit.

The response to the first sermon was very positive overall. After the second sermon, the younger people in the church stated that such a sermon series was long overdue. Some of the older members, however, expressed their uneasiness. By the end of the third sermon, people began suggesting that I was pushing the congregation to its limit. I turned a corner in the fourth sermon and congratulated the church family. I told them, “If we can improve our ministries for people who experience sexual brokenness, we can improve our ministries overall. If we can offer help to people in this most difficult arena, we can offer help in most every area.

Only one couple drifted from the fold as a result of the series—and they soon returned. Sadly, the husband, then became very ill and spent nearly two weeks in the ICU before he died. When I was making a pastoral visit, his wife apologized for their having drifted from the church following the sermon series about homosexuality and explained that her husband was one of those people who simply would not discuss the topic. What he did talk about over the two weeks before he died, however, was his wonderful nurse practitioner. She cared for him with strength, compassion, and a gentle touch. After her husband stepped into glory, I let his wife know the shocking truth. The nurse her husband had so come to love and appreciate was a lesbian. More than that, she was the pastor of a gay church. My parishioner’s wife laughed and declared that God had a sense of humor.

It brings me joy to see how this man’s wife has not only come to understand our church’s vision, but has passed it on to others. Hers is one story among many. Because my church members have wrestled on a deep level with this issue, my congregation has moved beyond the conflict—at least for now. Rather than being apprehensive about this concern, they are excited about it, and are talking with individuals outside the church. As a result, I am being approached by people from other congregations and even from other states, wanting to learn more. The initial controversy over issues about sexuality has become a force to unify our church members. This leads to another learning point: If we help our church members to understand the implications of the church’s vision for their lives, we can deepen fellowship between members and strengthen our ministries.

Protecting Christian Community

About a year ago, the leaders in my church agreed to host a conference to help other churches develop a Christlike response to homosexuality. Attendees came from several states and the event was quite successful. One of the local participants was an outspoken gay man who approached me privately and stated his appreciation for my approach to the topic. He wasn’t as happy about one of the other speakers, however, and expressed his dissatisfaction with that speaker and with my church by writing a series of letters to the editor in our local newspaper.

I decided to respond with my own letter to the editor, inviting people in our county to an open forum through which I could articulate my approach to the topic. A few of my session elders, however, advised me to hold back so that the chatter in town about the whole issue might die down. Not wanting to cause division among our church leaders, I followed their advice. I was saddened, however, to have missed an opportunity for ministry in my community. But it was the right thing to do. A pastor must develop ministry in tandem with his or her leadership team and protect the unity of the team if a strong sense of community is to be maintained in the congregation.

By continuing to build trust, I gained increased support from these leaders over time and the ministry continued to expand. I soon found myself speaking on the topic far beyond my own community, addressing both Christian and secular audiences through radio stations and other venues, with my church leadership team supporting me all the way.

A Vision for Your Church

It is my hope that Evangelical pastors and church leaders around the country will embrace the vision I have articulated in my book. Simply stated, by bringing grace and truth together to offer help for people experiencing sexual brokenness, our churches can deepen their sense of community and can create ministry to meet all kinds of needs. But we must cast a vision for our congregations around this topic, clarify the vision until our church members own it for themselves, and sustain the vision by guarding the unity of our church leaders. In this way, conflict need not destroy but can build community.

…………………..

[i] Kinnaman and Lyons reveal the results of an extensive poll by the Barna Group, showing that a large segment of our population, those between ages sixteen and twenty-nine, view the Christian church as hypocritical (85 percent), judgmental (87 percent), and anti-gay (91 percent). Interestingly, 80 percent of Christians agreed with the anti-gay label. David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity—And Why it Matters, (Baker Books, 2007).

Posted by WP Campbell | May 24, 2011 | General, Prayer

A Call for Prayer

The ministry in which I’m engaged is becoming rather intense in the spiritual realm, and I’m looking for people who are called by God to help me through the ministry of intercession.

If you would like to consider being part of a prayer team that can help this ministry move forward, please click Join the Prayer Team link here to learn more. If you join the team, you’ll immediately begin receiving information for prayer.

Thank you for your vital ministry!

Posted by WP Campbell | Mar 16, 2011 | General, Healing

Ministry Highlight: OneByOne

As the battle intensifies in my own denomination, I would like to ask prayer for the Presbyterian Church USA, for its leader, its members, and its ministries. One such ministry, of which I am a part, is OneByOne. The mission of OneByOne is:

“…to educate and equip the church to minister the transforming grace and power of Jesus Christ to those in conflict with their sexuality. OneByOne’s goal is therefore two-fold: (1) to serve as a resource for educational material; and (2) to help create and/or support local ministries to those struggling with sexual brokenness, including but not limited to homosexuality. OneByOne representatives are available to provide seminars and workshops for church leaders and/or members who want to learn how to minister Christ’s compassion without compromising Christ’s standards.”

To learn more about OneByOne and the resources they offer, please see their website.

Below is the testimony of a fellow Presbyterian, Scott Kingry, whose life was touched by the grace of God, as described in the recent OneByOne e-newsletter:

I can remember when Easter was for me just a religious holiday. Then at the tender age of seventeen I became a Christian. What a glorious reason to rejoice—freedom, grace, and salvation through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, the true celebration of Easter never seemed to penetrate my heart. Grace and salvation in my mind were dependent upon my strict obedience to God’s unattainable standard. Freedom became a thin veil of denial while I buried my past wounds and current struggles with persistent prayers that no one would ever discover my black, shameful mess.

But the outside looked good. This had always been an important rule to live by, and my family was very good at upholding suburban perfection: a set of parents, two kids, a god, a fish and a well-manicured lawn. I understand now, years later, my parents did the best they could with what they had, but things were missing on a deeper level. It didn’t have with what we did to each other, but what we didn’t do. How we never talked. How we never knew each other.

I began struggling with some confusion about my gender as early as age five. I was attracted to things that were traditionally and culturally feminine, and I was already being set apart from my peers with the labels “sissy” and “fag.” My younger brother had a list as long as his arm of the sports in which he excelled. My parents were always busy and involved with his games while I struggled to find my place in band or Cub Scouts. I continued to feel “different” and “out of place” and slowly began detaching from everyone, withdrawing and becoming a loner.

Being a spectator of life rather than a participant offered several opportunities to observe the world around me, and I didn’t like much of what I saw. I began viewing men with fear and contempt. The role models from television and movies influenced my beliefs that men were emotionless, insensitive, easily manipulated, arrogant, thinking with their genitals rather than their minds. I made a silent vow never to become that, and yet, at the same time, I longed just to “fit in” somewhere.

Then puberty hit! An awkward and baffling time for anybody, but for me came the emergence of homosexual feelings, and to add to the pain, my awareness that homosexuality was not cool in the world in which I lived. My conflict drove me deeper into confusion, silence and isolation. I had no one to talk to about feeling attracted to men. At age fourteen, with limited understanding, I started making choices. I entered a sexual relationship with a male friend who was my age. Little did I know that this decision would cost me his friendship. Whatever kind of real intimacy we shared was lost; it was all about sex.

I registered for high school a very depleted person, pushing everyone safely away. Then a lifeline was thrown out. I became a Christian, and my heart was opened up to the person of Jesus Christ. I believe that I really loved Him then, but it soon was overshadowed by worse messages about homosexuality that included an eternity in hell. In fear, shame and condemnation I hid my feelings and, as usual, wore the successful smile of a victorious abundant life. Over the years, this mask grew very heavy.

Upon receiving the new found freedom of a high school diploma, I once again detached from everyone, including God, and went off in search of my “new life.”

Now for the first time, I thought my life could finally start, and I pursued it passionately. When I entered a gay bar on my 21st birthday, I actually felt like kissing the ground. I was home! Twenty-one long years of silence and isolation were over. My whole body sighed in relief; I was around people like myself. I could talk about my feelings and act upon them. I had high hopes, but the nuisance of reality kept rearing its ugly head. Years of dreams slowly ebbed away … the home, the dog, the fish, the well-manicured lawn, and the longing for someone to come home to every evening … the detachment that I experienced all my life now was at its height, as I turned from one abusive relationship to another.

Heterosexuals were the enemy. The only people I associated with were a small circle of gay friends and those who owned gay businesses. I began feeling bitter and angry. I wondered why everyone around me seemed to be taking care of their lives. How had mine become so unmanageable? I knew I needed help badly and thought of counseling.

Through a series of events, I struck up a friendship with a Christian man. This was the first time I considered telling my secret to someone who was a Christian. How would he react? Would I be rejected? I pondered this risk with a lot of fear. In my life, friendships were rare and I didn’t want to lose his. When the subject of my homosexuality came up, he very honestly admitted that he didn’t agree with my lifestyle, but wanted to continue being my friend. This reaction surprised me. Could I now be in relationship with someone who didn’t accept my sexuality? Thankfully, the focus of our conversations was not about my sexuality but about the person of Jesus Christ.

I had to make a choice. Do I detach from this guy and the uncomfortable feelings, or do I face Jesus again? I threw up a sincere prayer: “I did this once before, Lord, and bombed out really bad. I don’t want to do that again. I don’t understand why my sexuality is such an issue. I have felt like this for a long time, but if you will show me, I think I’m ready to listen.”

The Lord honored that prayer. About a month later I came in contact with “Where Grace Abounds,” a ministry to men and women who are in conflict with their homosexuality.

That was seventeen years ago, and what has happened since could fill the pages of a novel. My black, shameful mess has been brought out into the Light. I am in a very different environment-one that holds God’s truth and God’s grace in tension. I came to Where Grace Abounds, a Denver ex-gay ministry, with a lot of garbage: a ton of broken relationships, a poisoned belief system that included God, men, women, myself, a lot of fears, and on and on. What I did find was His grace. I was accepted at that point, no questions asked. Together, in His timing, we continue to address these painful issues, and I am loved regardless.

I would like to say that there is no longer the need for a “happy mask” these days, as I understand and experience that freedom is to be found in the admission of our true poverty. With that confession of our need for Him, we are swept up by God and stand on the brink of inheriting heaven.

Scott is an active member of the Corona Presbyterian Church in Denver, CO and a staff member of Where Grace Abounds. You can learn more about Where Grace Abounds, and find this testimony along with additional stories here.


Posted by WP Campbell | Mar 16, 2011 | Church, General

Calming the Storm

In my own denomination, the Presbyterian Church USA, voting is occurring in presbytery meetings (regional gatherings of pastors and elders) around the country about whether or not to allow practicing homosexuals to be ordained ministers in the denomination. For more than twenty-five years this topic has been voted on, apparently settled, and then pushed to a vote once again by relentless pro-gay advocates who have become entrenched in the denomination. This time they may get their way—and the denomination may experience significant schism, maybe even a split.

On occasion, people have quoted from my book to support a Christlike stance on this topic, which brings truth and grace together. Such a position, if adopted by the whole denomination, could heal the factions bring people together. Below are the words of one pastor in the Chicago Presbytery who drew his talking points from the book (as reported in the Presbyterian Coalition’s March 3, 2011 e-blast; to read more about Raymond’s perspective, see videos here.

“My name is Raymond Hylton. I am the pastor of FPC of Evanston [Illinois].

“The issue before us tonight is to decide whether or not to change the current language in the Book of Order regarding ordination standards. Some of the reasons given by proponents of the amendment are that our current language restricts LGBT persons who feel called to ordained ministry from serving in the church. Another reason given is that the current language fails to show the love and justice of Jesus.

“We are not here to wrangle over mere words. What we decide will have implications for members of our church, our youth, and congregational leaders who are experiencing sexual brokenness. How do we help and encourage these folks for whom Christ died? I am concerned about the proposed amendment because the language in the amendment offers no guidance for those broken by sexual sins. It is rather vague and this troubles me.

“I am also concerned that in our efforts to be an open and inclusive church we have intentionally or unintentionally pitted truth against grace. There are those in the Church who believe that the witness of Scripture gives definitive guidance for all who follow Jesus and take up his cross; while others believe that the Scriptures are not clear and therefore it’s time for the church to show new levels of openness and love.

“Instead of positioning truth and grace as competing elements, the answer is to embrace them. Salt is essential for the body, but when separated into its two elements, sodium and chlorine, it can be deadly. [1]

“Jesus, who is the embodiment of grace and truth, encourages us to speak the truth in love. This is our challenge. How do we hold up these two essential virtues without minimizing one or the other? How do we affirm grace and truth and uphold the worth of all people?

“W. P. Campbell makes clear in his wonderful resource, “Grace without truth pampers, confuses, and even deceives. Truth without grace cuts, wounds, and destroys.” [2] And if we approach this subject simply on the basis of truth claims we run the risk of alienating people. While if we affirm the ethic of love and avoid truth, then we are unable to truly love people and help them with their sexual brokenness.

“Jesus did not hide the truth from those who were broken. He spoke grace and truth to the woman caught in adultery; he spoke grace and truth to his religious enemies; he spoke grace and truth to greedy Zacchaeus. He spoke grace and truth to the rich young ruler. He spoke grace and truth to the woman at well with her many husbands.

“We are called to do the same. The current language in the BOO does just that. G.6.0106b combines the elements of grace and truth. It speaks to the sexual brokenness of heterosexual and homosexual persons. It addresses a standard of holiness that is befitting of all leaders, and it also goes beyond behavior to attitude and invites us all to a life of repentance before God.

“The good news of the gospel is that grace and truth are embodied in Jesus. Titus 2:11-13 captures the essence of grace and truth:

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“The proposed amendment takes us away from such a call to follow Christ. And I urge us to vote no. Saying no to this amendment does not equate saying yes to bigotry, hatred, or intolerance. Saying no this proposed amendment, is to say yes to the message of Christ.”

[1] Turning Controversy into Church Ministry: A Christlike Response to Homosexuality, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010)

[2] ibid

Posted by WP Campbell | Feb 11, 2011 | General, Healing

JONAH and the Second Chance

Many people are aware of one or more of the over 200 ministries parked under the Exodus International umbrella, each of which offers specialized ministry for individuals and family members seeking advice, guidance and support related to homosexuality. Not as many of us are aware, however, of JONAH, which has this mission statement:

JONAH, Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing, is a non-profit international organization dedicated to educating the world-wide Jewish community about the social, cultural and emotional factors which lead to same-sex attractions. JONAH works directly with those struggling with unwanted same-sex sexual attractions (SSA) and with families whose loved ones are involved in homosexuality… (read more »)

I have enjoyed conversations with Arthur Goldberg, one of JONAH’s two directors, and would like to highlight an insight from his book, Light in the Closet: Torah, Homosexuality and the Power to Change (page 191).

Christian ministers have been know to publicly declare that homosexuality is described in the Bible as an “abomination,” based on Leviticus 18:22. When we hear the English word “abomination,” we naturally think of that which is abhorrent or repugnant. However, Goldberg would have us remember never to use this passage to condemn and reject people, but rather as a basis for hope in the grace and mercy of God. He points to commentary by Bar Kappara, one of the great Sages of the Talmud. Bar Kappara suggested the Hebrew word, “To’eviah,” (translated “abomination”) exudes a redemptive flavor. Based on Kappara’s insights, Goldberg suggests it could be translated, “you are straying through it.” He sees homosexuality as a “deviation, a departure from the proper path—a view that suggests that the proper path can be regained.”

Is that how we, bearers of the good news of God’s grace through the New Covenant, discuss this difficult text? It should be. The Leviticus 18 text in which the word “abomination” is found also prohibits other sexual behaviors that deviate from God’s prescribed norms including incest, adultery, and promiscuity, fitting with the general biblical pattern of not highlighting one sin above others, but of listing various sins in a group, with the intention of helping all people understand the need of redemption and the hope we each have of salvation and spiritual growth.

Posted by WP Campbell | Feb 5, 2011 | General

How is the Book Being Received?

I am continually being asked, “How are people receiving your book, Turning Controversy into Church Ministry?”  Many offer this question with an anxious tone and a look of concern.  The answer I give (“the overall response to the book has been very favorable”) is often met with a look of surprise, which has been my reaction every time a review is written or a radio interview concludes.

Recently, a minister looked me in the eyes and warned me, “expect a firestorm to develop all around you, and to come against your church and family. Nobody can speak openly about this topic and not experience that kind of reaction.” That may be true, and my walk in the park may end sometime soon. But I do not fear the worst.

There have been rare occasions when angry people who have not bothered to read the book or to listen to my message have cast dispersions my way. And there have been nit-picky criticisms here and there, for which I am grateful as I hope to learn from them and improve the book for its next printing. But the affirmations and support I have found in both Christian and non-religious circles has been solid and consistent. You can read reviews and blog discussions at numerous sites including:

Why has the overall reception to my writing and interviews around this anger-inciting topic been favorable? Perhaps part of the answer is that I have not, up to this point, become ensnared by some of the most hostile audiences. Another part of the answer, however, relates to my approach:

  1. So many approach this issue from one extreme or the other, alienating a significant portion of their hearers. I am attempting to bring grace and truth together into one message, and most people find this to be a welcome relief.
  2. On a deep level, I feel the pain of those who struggle with homosexuality and the response they have found from the world and even portions of the church. When hurting people occasionally react with anger at the mention of the topic, therefore, I try not to take it personally.
  3. My primary goal has not been to win a point or to get into an argument, but to proclaim the love and truth of God in a manner that brings hope and healing. I was previously stuck in the “fight” and “win your point” mode for many years and have seen the fruitlessness of that approach. It is only when people come to believe that we really care for them that they will care to listen to us. My goal is to help people, not to win brownie points.
  4. I seek to bring hope to both the church and to the world. There are answers to this greatly divisive social issue, and it begins with honest conversation, careful listening, and wise and informed forward steps for each of us. I hope to approach each conversation as a learner, and the day I forget to do so, people will have little they can learn from me.
  5. Putting all of this together, I try to avoid an “us” against “them” mentality. I want to side with Jesus in every situation, and to let the chips fall where they might. Those who do not want the salvation that comes through our Lord may hate me for my message, but the reaction against me then is not simply about homosexuality—it is about God Himself and when we are persecuted for the Lord we are the most blessed of all people (Matthew 5:10-12).

If this has not been your approach to the subject, then I encourage you to make it so. Let us show compassion without compromising truth and God will take care of the rest.

Serving Christ with You,

WP Campbell

Posted by WP Campbell | Nov 29, 2010 | General

Ministry Highlight: FOTOS

Bill Henson, whose testimony is included in the book, Turning Controversy into Church Ministry, has established FOTOS ministries, which equips churches, campus and other ministries for practical, tangible and Biblically sound ministry to LGBTQ people and their families. This New England-based ministry offers help to individuals, families, and to whole congregations through counseling, workshops, training events, a weekly radio program, conferences, and community events. Check out Bill’s online journal “Lead Them Home” which includes helpful articles including the following post about gay bullying…

Religion News Service Poll

Religion News Service (RNS) has released a poll indicating that most Americans believe religious messages about homosexuality drive gay youth suicide. The findings have huge ramifications for our Christian witness to gay people.

The RNS poll, released October 21, 2010, found that 72% of Americans believe religious messages about homosexuality increase negative opinions about gay people. Notably, 65% of Americans believe that these negative opinions are directly connected to the higher rates of gay suicide we are now seeing.

Interestingly, 40% of Americans rated “places of worship” with a D or F in how homosexuality is handled; yet only 17% rated their own place of worship a D or F. On average, 45% of Americans rate their own church an A or B. By comparison, 75% of white evangelicals rated their own church an A or B. Catholics were–how shall we say–more humble with nearly 33% of them rating their own church a D or F. Women and younger people were more likely to have gay friends, and accordingly, they expressed a stronger belief that religious messages about homosexuality drive gay youth suicide. Read More »

Posted by WP Campbell | Nov 29, 2010 | General

What We Don’t Talk About

This month my book, Turning Controversy into Church Ministry: A Christlike Response to Homosexuality, is being released.  This article addresses an issue I left out of the book.  Specifically, it has been my experience that in many Christian circles when the topic of homosexuality is discussed or even debated, the labels the gay community uses for itself, like GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered) are avoided.  Instead, we use terms like “homosexual.”

I struggled with terms when writing my book, and decided to use the term “homosexual” freely because my target audience is the Christian church. In this article, however, I would like to suggest that we Christians tend to sterilize our discussions about the gay community. We not only avoid labels like GLBT, but we hesitate to talk about what they represent.

In my own denomination, the Presbyterian Church USA, I have listened to more than twenty years of debate about homosexuality and there was hardly a whisper about bisexuals and transgendered people. To engage in this conversation could suddenly make things very messy. The Christian world attempts to keep things clean, orderly, and uncluttered. Even the more progressive voices in mainline denominations today that cry out for the ordination of practicing homosexuals into the highest echelons of church leadership sidestep any serious discussion about ordaining bisexuals and transgendered persons.

Why do we Christians avoid the deeper discussion about what gay culture is really like, and about where the Church is heading if we embrace the values of that culture? Do we think for a minute that we can ordain homosexuals and not hear cries of “injustice” around the corner from bisexuals who want equal time?

It is becoming commonplace now for the gay community to add the letter “Q” to their initialism. The “Q” in GLBTQ generally refers to either “queer,” or “questioning.”  A high school student who is questioning his or her sexuality, for example, is encouraged to join the movement. This is a movement away from traditional perspectives on sexuality and marriage. Arguments within the gay community have included whether or not to add other initials like “I” for intersex or “P” for polyamorous. It is fortunate for Christians that the acronym recommended by the now defunct international magazine, Anything that Moves, didn’t stick. Their suggestion was FABGLITTER (Fettish, Allies, Gay, Lesbian, Intersexed, Transgendered, Transexual, Engendering Revolution), which could blow the roof off of any polite church debate about whether or not it is time to put practicing homosexuals over us in leadership positions.

But there is another side to our dilemma. We have yet to recognize the immense pain felt by many in the gay world because of their rejection by the Christian church. We really don’t have a right to grapple with gay terminology in our conversations until we learn to have conversation with those who came up with the terms. The Lord would have us step out of our isolation and engage in real conversation with people in the gay community. We are called to reach out, to listen, to learn, to humble ourselves, and to be changed. Only then will we be in a position to help others limp along the rocky road of life toward the pathway of redemption and holiness.

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