Why
the church are declining? Gays?
The last group interested in evangelism would be
the GLBT Christians, with survival their main agenda in light of the
limitations on rights, relationships, and widespread prejudice and
significant harm caused by other Christians. The motto “I am a survivor”
reflects our lives rather than having any energy left to aggressively
proclaim the Gospel. Christianity to us is in relationships and being
God’s love to one and all. The firewalls to Christianity in the GLBT
community Is hard to penetrate being hardened by the grave harm in the
name of Christianity. Perhaps God is calling for a miracle. Salvation
has hitherto meant freedom in our lives, freedom to be who God created
us as. When the fire of God touches the edge of Christendom, surely
there will be a mighty revival in the body of Christ where the rainbow
tribe will know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
John 3:17, For God did not sent his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be
saved.
Some may lament on the decline (1% in general) of
the church attendance in the US based on the National Council of
Churches 2011 Yearbook. Whilst we may be quick to jump to the conclusion
that the church in general is “chronically ill” and the main cause of
demise being its exclusivity, we should consider that the
inclusive
churches fared the worst. I attended a Uniting Church this morning in
Sydney, very inclusive, but the large church building was only attended
by less than a hundred mainly elderly folks as compared to churches like
Hillsong. It could fit a thousand. The issue may be more complex.
Why is the church in general declining? The church
may be under judgement. There is a spiritual judgement that the harm we
caused we now reap. In our holy indignation against gays, we have denied
gays basic rights and sent many to jail over the last 50 years. The harm
that we sow is coming back into the church. We have closed our doors to
the rainbow tribe, and in essence others have stopped coming in. It is
not about being inclusive but we have gone out of the church walls to
cause grave harm and many deaths, and this sin is coming back to haunt
the church.
The three main antagonists to gay rights
(Catholics, Evangelicals, Blacks) have been put on notice – 1. The
Catholics faced with frequent billion dollar child sexual abuse cases, 2.
Ted Haggard, the leader of the evangelicals was found enjoying himself
with a male sex worker, 3. Eddie Long, the black mega church pastor
showing off his body to his young male companions. The high profile news
have hurt the church in general, but the greatest lost in membership are
the very liberal/progressive churches. We are all implicated because we
are one body of Christ.
The church most resistant to change – haven’t
fallen. At the top and custodian of orthodoxy was the largest church (68
million), the Catholic Church who hasn’t changed much for a thousand
years grew 0.57%. The more
inclusive Episcopal Church (2 mil) fell 2.48%.
The numbers for the major evangelical churches such as the
Southern Baptist (16mil) remains neutral at a fall of 0.4% whilst
anecdotal evidence was a rapid growth in the Pentecostal churches. It is
the mainline generally inclusive Protestant churches that are suffering,
the Evangelicals and Catholics stagnant, and the Pentecostal churches
growing. Inclusive/emergent mainline Protestant churches have a serious
negative trend eg the Episcopal church dropped 4% in 2008.
John 3:18, He who believes in Him is not condemned,
but he who does not believe is condemned already; because he has not
believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The lack of growth in the mainline Protestant is
due to a neglect of evangelism. For the GLBT Christian community, our
fight is for survival. We need to survive first before going out to
preach the Gospel especially to an indifferent GLBT community gravely
harmed by the Christian Right. Our faith, relationships and livelihood
are often intertwined and we too struggle to survive let alone do
evangelism or any GLBT or even Christian activism. The harm done to our
faith, emotions and soul by the Christian Right is often too deep a well
to get out of. We are hurting after being denied our basic rights of
existence, and relationships.
The issue of the conservative Protestant churches
is that their message of the Gospel is undermined by their anti-gay
crusade against the weak and innocent. They have become too judgemental
and self-righteous, On the other hand, the inclusive mainline Protestant
Church don’t believe in Salvation alone by faith in Jesus and so why
need to evangelise. The overall numbers of the more inclusive mainline
Protestant church are very small, with the Episcopal Church, and United
Church of Christ only 3 million which is 20 times small than the Catholics, and 5
times small than the Southern Baptist.
It is no wonder that Sojourners have refrained from supporting
any gay rights even though the core of social justice.
The Catholics are afraid of Gay rights as the Pope
claimed has the potential to destroy humanity itself because it can
undermine the church. The Catholic church is powerful and wealthy. In
Rome, it owns 1/5 of the properties with tax free status. It gets public
funding as a percentage of pay in many European countries. The catholic church
general population is more “liberal” than conservative and by supporting
gay rights where will it end? The church has maintained its power and
wealth by being exclusive, the Pope being the mediator between God and
man. If it is more inclusive, then the church structure and institution
begins to breakdown – women priests, married clergy, universalism, and
the hidden wealth spent on the poor and outcasts.
The Catholics are not fearful of the mainline Protestant church whether inclusive or conservative, but the flaming Pentecostals are a threat. In Africa, South America and Asia, the Charismatic Evangelicals are growing rapidly. They have had to stand strongly against gays as not to be seen to lose out “morally” to these churches. Gay rights however will come within the next 10 years as it is increasingly accepted by the majority of the population over the churches’ indignation.
We have lost our heart and compassion for the
“lost”. We dare not judge, yet the bible called us to proclaim the good
news and not to judge people for their sins per say. Their only sin is
unbelief in Jesus rather than the obsession of some on the gay community
to vilify them when it is straight people who go for abortions and
divorces. The good news is the Gospel Kingdom message of faith and
salvation in Jesus Christ, but also a manifestation of the kindom of God
of love, friendship, support, and causing no harm led by the spirit of
Christ not only to those we love but to those we find difficulty loving
to those on the highways and byways of life. We are all lost, one way or
another under judgement and needing the God’s grace and mercy to be our
substitute. We are not sent to condemn, but to proclaim Christ, His
salvation, love, grace, hope.
I used to have a passion for God for outreach. That
was before coming out to myself and to others. I had to come to a place
when I am true to myself and to Jesus. The storms of life have buffeted
me and I spent my effort bailing water out. It is in this journey of
life, that character comes that we develop compassion, humility and
faith beyond a simple Christian faith. Life is not so simple but I am
reminded today that God’s heart is for the lost, that the GLBT community
may know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour when hitherto a negative and
incorrect image as a condemning God. The heart of Jesus aches tonight,
for His lost rainbow sheep. His heart is for them to have freedom and
liberty, to be able to live with authenticity and true to their self and
their sexual orientation. In this freedom, they would find their
reconciliation with God as their Lord and Saviour.
When Samuel
the prophet as a young child listened to God, some may say that he had
not learnt to discern the voice of God, but the real crux of the story
is his reply “Here am I”. It is not hearing but obedience. Today, are we
ready to say “Here am I”?
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?