Evan Wickham is a worship leader, songwriter, speaker, and lead pastor of Park Hill Church in San Diego, CA, which he …
5 COMMENTS
Honest question: What other sin do we accept as a christian identity? Animal-attracted christians? Racist-christians? It just seems that so many churches want to have it both ways in which they indirectly affirm a sinful identity while paying lip service to the Bible. This doesn't work. You have to choose, you will either offend God or pagans. I would much rather offend pagans and be 100% truthful about the sin of homesexuality than to offend God. There may be christians that have to daily fight the battle with temptation while saying no to sin and yes to God. But there is no such thing as same sex attracted christian identity. Never and under no circumstances.
It does strike me that this progression is the same as that of mainline denominations like the ELCA, who allowed clergy and congregants to identify as gay as long as they were not in romantic/sexual same-sex relationships (30 years ago or so?). I would like to better understand how there is any confidence that this is not just a rerun of that step towards affirming gay sexual relationships and marriage.
I was a deacon in a church that in 2010 sought to develop a policy with respect to inclusion of those in same-sex, monogamous partnerships into the community. We eventually adopted a policy, by vote of the congregation, to admit into membership those in same-sex relationships, but not to permit them to participate in roles of teaching or leadership. We were explicit that this decision was not an affirmation of same-sex relationships, but one of welcome into a community of broken people who needed the healing and forgiveness of Christ. While I supported the policy at the time and voted in favor of it, I was concerned that the policy lacked an explicit statement that we remained committed to biblical authority.
After the vote, I wrote a letter to the other deacons expressing my concerns and proposed a way forward according to which we recognize two biblical trajectories. The first is the Creational Trajectory, that upholds the historic orthodox view of sexuality and marriage established in Eden. The second is the Eschatological Trajectory, that envisions the kingdom presence in the world that brings healing and reconciliation for those who have been marginalized and alienated by the religious mores of fundamentalist beliefs. As Christians, we need to hold these paradoxical ideas in tension, much as G.K Chesterton espouses in his book "Orthodoxy". A couple years after the vote, I was invited to share my thoughts with the entire congregation during a seminar presentation.
Unfortunately, I found that the church did not seriously pursue a biblical reflection on the issue, and eventually they began moving to greater levels of inclusion. While we had left the church by this time for a variety of reasons, last year they voted to expand their inclusion to allow members in same-sex relationships fully into all leadership roles, including pastor, and that they would allow the pastoral staff to officiate same-sex weddings.
I offer this reflection as a word of caution. I heartily support and endorse what Evan Wickham has to say, but stay firm to the Word! There is a treacherous pathway that leads from this point and you need to exercise great discipline to avoid wandering down it.
Hey Preston! I'm curious what you meant by the historic christian framework of sexuality and marriage – could you define that more specifically? Thanks!
As a Christian who struggles with SSA, I would still have concerns about any believer who still wishes to identify with the LGBTQ community – even if they are celibate. As believers, we are called away from our former sinful life and to be transformed through the renewing of our mind. Our new identity is found in Jesus, not our sexuality. I humbly disagree with the identifier label of "Gay Christian" regardless of whether the person is sexually active or not. If you consider yourself Gay, that means you still support and affirm the activity on some level and expect the same from the church. But this can not be. The church can not bring wordly ideology and mindsets into the house of God. We are a holy and peculiar people – set apart for a purpose, the Bride of Christ, without spot or blemish. When we are born-again, old things are passed away and behold all things become new – this includes our sexuality. We are not to hold onto and identify with behaviors and lifestyles that are clearly in conflict with scripture. Also, if we use the term "Gay Christian" we are actually defeating the goal of inclusion and equality that we obtain through Jesus Christ. Why ? … because we have voluntarily separated ourselves from the rest of the flock through the acceptance of a false identity, creating our own category and division from our brothers and sisters in Christ. I do not think this is what Jesus wants us to do. Now, there is nothing wrong with a Christian acknowledging that they struggle with SSA – there is NO sin in that; but to accept and identify as Gay is something that is clearly incompatible with scripture – and does not reflect the new life of a born-again believer.
Honest question:
What other sin do we accept as a christian identity?
Animal-attracted christians?
Racist-christians?
It just seems that so many churches want to have it both ways in which they indirectly affirm a sinful identity while paying lip service to the Bible. This doesn't work.
You have to choose, you will either offend God or pagans.
I would much rather offend pagans and be 100% truthful about the sin of homesexuality than to offend God.
There may be christians that have to daily fight the battle with temptation while saying no to sin and yes to God.
But there is no such thing as same sex attracted christian identity.
Never and under no circumstances.
It does strike me that this progression is the same as that of mainline denominations like the ELCA, who allowed clergy and congregants to identify as gay as long as they were not in romantic/sexual same-sex relationships (30 years ago or so?). I would like to better understand how there is any confidence that this is not just a rerun of that step towards affirming gay sexual relationships and marriage.
I was a deacon in a church that in 2010 sought to develop a policy with respect to inclusion of those in same-sex, monogamous partnerships into the community. We eventually adopted a policy, by vote of the congregation, to admit into membership those in same-sex relationships, but not to permit them to participate in roles of teaching or leadership. We were explicit that this decision was not an affirmation of same-sex relationships, but one of welcome into a community of broken people who needed the healing and forgiveness of Christ. While I supported the policy at the time and voted in favor of it, I was concerned that the policy lacked an explicit statement that we remained committed to biblical authority.
After the vote, I wrote a letter to the other deacons expressing my concerns and proposed a way forward according to which we recognize two biblical trajectories. The first is the Creational Trajectory, that upholds the historic orthodox view of sexuality and marriage established in Eden. The second is the Eschatological Trajectory, that envisions the kingdom presence in the world that brings healing and reconciliation for those who have been marginalized and alienated by the religious mores of fundamentalist beliefs. As Christians, we need to hold these paradoxical ideas in tension, much as G.K Chesterton espouses in his book "Orthodoxy". A couple years after the vote, I was invited to share my thoughts with the entire congregation during a seminar presentation.
Unfortunately, I found that the church did not seriously pursue a biblical reflection on the issue, and eventually they began moving to greater levels of inclusion. While we had left the church by this time for a variety of reasons, last year they voted to expand their inclusion to allow members in same-sex relationships fully into all leadership roles, including pastor, and that they would allow the pastoral staff to officiate same-sex weddings.
I offer this reflection as a word of caution. I heartily support and endorse what Evan Wickham has to say, but stay firm to the Word! There is a treacherous pathway that leads from this point and you need to exercise great discipline to avoid wandering down it.
Hey Preston! I'm curious what you meant by the historic christian framework of sexuality and marriage – could you define that more specifically? Thanks!
As a Christian who struggles with SSA, I would still have concerns about any believer who still wishes to identify with the LGBTQ community – even if they are celibate. As believers, we are called away from our former sinful life and to be transformed through the renewing of our mind. Our new identity is found in Jesus, not our sexuality. I humbly disagree with the identifier label of "Gay Christian" regardless of whether the person is sexually active or not. If you consider yourself Gay, that means you still support and affirm the activity on some level and expect the same from the church. But this can not be. The church can not bring wordly ideology and mindsets into the house of God. We are a holy and peculiar people – set apart for a purpose, the Bride of Christ, without spot or blemish. When we are born-again, old things are passed away and behold all things become new – this includes our sexuality. We are not to hold onto and identify with behaviors and lifestyles that are clearly in conflict with scripture. Also, if we use the term "Gay Christian" we are actually defeating the goal of inclusion and equality that we obtain through Jesus Christ. Why ? … because we have voluntarily separated ourselves from the rest of the flock through the acceptance of a false identity, creating our own category and division from our brothers and sisters in Christ. I do not think this is what Jesus wants us to do. Now, there is nothing wrong with a Christian acknowledging that they struggle with SSA – there is NO sin in that; but to accept and identify as Gay is something that is clearly incompatible with scripture – and does not reflect the new life of a born-again believer.