My Kingdom for a Church!

The kids and I have been looking for a new church for some months now. The one we had been attending (for two years) was very large and the kids never wanted to participate in programs or activities. Alternating weekly between there and their mom's church didn't help. Basically, it was the size of the congregation that put off the older kids, particularly.



Of course, there's also the issue of that church believing that homosexuality is a chosen sin. That prevented Josh from worshiping with us...all of us as a family.



So I searched for churches and denominations in our community that don't believe being gay is such a big deal. There are a lot of churches in our town. There are few that do not condemn gays.



There was the non-denominational, spiritual journey church where worshippers are encouraged to seek oneness with the divine and where the associate pastor prayed to "the gods." My thirteen year old son went with me on that visit. He voiced my sentiments when we left more politely than I probably would have, simply saying, "That was interesting."



We can't go to the "gay" church because...well...it's the "gay" church. It wears its gayness on the choir robe stoles, on banners behind the pulpit, and in the content of most sermons producing, in my experience, services more about the gay congregants than about God or the gospel of Jesus. Because it is so "gay in your face," were we to take the kids, they would unquestionably freak out.



Baptist, of course, is out. As is Methodist and the local Lutheran, Presbyterian and Brethren churches. The non-denominational church that meets in the local movie theatre is extreme contemporary and about rocked my kids out of their deep, soft stadium seats. We're not Catholic, so no help there. The Episcopal church is gay friendly, but "high" church has not been part of our experience and we're hesitant about that.



I did find the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) on line and learned that many of its congregations are gay friendly. One is close to home, so we've been visiting there for a few months. Josh and I decided that the kids and I would visit first and get a feel for the place and then, if it seemed friendly, he would join us.



We have several friends who go there, it turns out. A couple who know about us, and a couple who do not. Everyone has been more than gracious and welcoming to the kids and me. People adore the picture of a single dad getting multiple children up and out for church faithfully -- and such well behaved children, too! I know though one of our friends, that the pastor believes homosexuality is a sin. I've wanted to talk to him and just ask him up front whether the church would welcome us as active members. We scheduled a lunch and had to cancel due to a snowstorm. We've not rescheduled yet.



It's an amazingly complicated thing finding a church home as a gay Christian. Especially as one who does not want to be deceptive about his sexuality. I've been told I'm not a Christian because I'm gay. The rationale was that were I truly saved, I would not be living in a pattern and persistent state of sin. The same person who explained this to me saw no inconsistency in his conviction that other persistent sins did not prevent one from receiving God's gift of salvation.

Somewhere, in the Church's zeal to uphold moral values, it's become legalistic, adding rules and conditions and conduct-based standards to the simple gospel of faith...the gospel that frees us from bondage to sin to what? Bondage to rules and restrictions; to other's expectations and demands? To "good Christian" values and norms that exclude anyone who refuses to comply? If so, then why accept Christ's offer of freedom? Why exchange one bondage for another?

Oh, that the Church would welcome all those who sincerely seek to worship our creator, savior and Lord, Jesus Christ! Oh, that it would not exclude those Christ does not exclude and that it would welcome all who seek Him to find Him in their midst, in their hearts and in their arms!

All we want to do is worship and serve with our brothers and sisters in Christ. All we seek is a church family where we can be received as believers, not as gay or straight, liberal or conservative, fundamentalist or whatever. Just as fellow believers saved by grace and doing the best we can to love and follow Jesus the best we know how.

My kingdom for such a church!