Walking each other home

My wife has a quote on her wall that goes something like this:

“We are all just walking each other home.”

I like that. It is a great perspective.

I have spoken enough of my experiences in Reformed Churches. I still believe that the creeds of the reformation were excellent for their times. They did what any of the best human documents can do – point to Christ in the culture they were written in – and they did it excellently.

I haven’t changed my classical theology, and I am grateful for it.

But somewhere along the way, conservative churches lost track of the gospel. They forgot about walking the wounded home to Christ, and made it their goal to tell everyone what was wrong with them. They took the doctrine of inerrancy and fashioned it into a club to beat one another into submission. The object of their worship became power instead of Christ.

There are reasons for that, which I will get into another time.

I ask forgiveness for the part I played in that. It did no good at all. No one has ever been shamed into the kingdom of God.

One step further – I believe in the Holy Spirit. I was recently accused of “going rogue” since I left the RCUS because I didn’t have any “brothers” to reign me in.

My first response is that I never had that to begin with. I had evil and twisted false witnesses making up accusations and finding reasons to dis-fellowship me, but I never once had an engagement with a “brother”. Not one of my accusers ever spoke to me nor did my former denomination ever correspond with me at all, before or after my trial.

So the impression that I left behind concerned brothers is not a correct impression, and I needed to correct it.

That being said, I still have a few wonderful friends in my former denomination, who have expressed concern for my welfare and I thank God for them, and do not at all wish to downplay their Christ-like behavior. There were a handful who worked hard to try to preserve my good name, make sure I was provided for, and gave me prayerful support and help.

Since I have moved to Faribault, I have visited several churches and met many wonderful people. I will always remember them fondly and keep them in my prayers. I am thankful for the opportunity to minister to them, and for their ministry to me.

So all of that out of the way – here is my announcement:

My family and I have found a church home! The three of us all came to that conclusion separately, without any pressure from one another. The Holy Spirit led us to our new church home.

The lead pastor spoke of his belief in the conscience and the power of the Holy Spirit, so he does not feel the need to acts as a busybody over the affairs of others.

The sermons have been fantastic. The hymns are moving and wonderful (mostly old Reformation Hymns, with some more modern ones) and we love the liturgy. The scripture reading, the creeds, the sacraments, the prayers, the responses.

I met with the pastors with some questions for myself. They believe that the new theology of “eternal subordination” is weird, and have never heard it before. Their Christology is orthodox and Nicean, unlike most modern conservative churches influenced by Complementarianism.

They have never heard of Doug Wilson, don’t give a fig what MacArthur has to say and don’t promote “Biblical Counseling” or threaten excommunication for those who seek therapists.

And this was a big one for me – they are active in the community. We just put together school bags for children who are needing supplies. We actively support food banks, shelters, and all the other things that would cause me to be accused of being “woke”.

I don’t care. If “woke” means compassionate, empathetic, respectful and loving, safeguarding the dignity of all human beings and their stories, then I proudly embrace it. My daughter is embraced (not physically, because she can’t deal with physical touch) and welcomed. The church is right across the street and she walks over for Bible studies, and group meetings or just to sit and sing and pray and she is welcomed, and no one has ever told her what she should be like.

So today I carried our papers to the church office and Susan and I officially became members of First English Lutheran (a member of the ELCA).

For those of you who are now concerned about the affirming and egalitarian position of the ELCA, I appreciate your concern. Most likely you belong to a church where women can’t vote in congregational meetings or read the Bible in church, so follow your conscience and I will follow mine. I will always side with liberty of conscience and the power of the Holy Spirit and the dignity of men and women.

I have just lost the urge to continually tell others what to believe or how to think. I want the world to know Jesus.

I want the world to know that “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

And if it is a choice between the ugly, hateful cauldron that the conservative, complementarian churches have become, and proclaiming the love of God to everyone who walks through the door, I will choose love and leave correction (if needed) in the hands of the Holy Spirit who knows far more that I do.

He knows about your abuse, your background, your family dynamics, your brokenness, your sin, your gifts, your beauty, your excellent qualities and the cancers that eat away in this sin-filled world.

He is far better equipped to cure the cancer, drive out the demons, and heal our tumultuous emotions and loves and hates without destroying our humanity, our imago dei, our will, our beauty and our gifts.

So I am OK leaving it with Him.

And instead of a political position, I will eat the bread and drink the wine of the Lord’s Table, and confess to the world:

I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and was buried. He descended to the dead.

On the third day He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit. The holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting

Amen.

So instead of throwing stones at one another, and continually telling everyone what is wrong with them, let’s just walk each other home, to where Jesus is, sitting and reigning at the right hand of God.

He’s got this. Walk with me, won’t you?

For those who are now overwhelmed with the urge to tell me everything that is wrong with me, believe me, I know better than you do, so please just save your words.

Thanks for listening.