This clip soon spread across the internet, causing widespread backlash from religious and non-religious alike. But for me, an openly gay, former evangelical, Christian pastor, Pastor Awes words are not surprising at all. In fact, I’ve heard similar sentiments regularly. The only difference between Pastor Awes and most other conservative Christian pastors across the United States today is that Pastor Awes was willing to say the silent part out loud. The passage he was preaching on, as commonly interpreted by conservative Christians, does in fact say “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things bus also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32) If you put any evangelical pastor on the spot and asked if they believed that this verse was true and was in reference to LGBTQ+ people, they would have to answer, even if reluctantly, “yes.”

In a strange way, I am glad Pastor Awes preached what he did so clearly, because he is revealing the truth that most other evangelicals don’t want to acknowledge- their theology related to the LGBTQ+ community is a theology of death. Despite attempts in recent years by evangelicals to seem more welcoming and inclusive, their core theological claim that the lives and love of LGBTQ+ people is sinful, broken, and abomination is a claim that has resulted in the suffering, oppression, and death of millions of queer people around the world, and it is high time that they own up and are honest about the beliefs they hold and their impact on LGBTQ+ people. Because again, Pastor Awes view is not a minority view, as hard as that might be to believe. He simply said what a majority of evangelical churches teach in a horrifyingly clear way. While most evangelicals would probably disagree with Pastor Awes graphic call for the execution of LGBTQ+ people, they would still affirm the truthfulness of Romans 1:32- “they are worthy of death.”

Even if evangelicals attempted  theological gymnastics to get out of this horrifying interpretation of Scripture that calls for violence towards queer people, their theology which tells LGBTQ+ people that they must suppress their sexuality or gender identity or seek to change it to be acceptable to God and welcome in the church does, in fact, cause death. A 2015 study published by the National Institutes of Health found that LGBTQ+ people who are subjected to non-affirming religious teachings have a significantly higher rate of attempted suicide. These numbers have been reaffirmed in study after study, and are certainly true in my experience as a young gay evangelical who was forced into conversion therapy by my Christian college in my early twenties. When you’re told that a fundamental aspect of your identity is evil and realize that there is nothing you can do to change it, for many, death can seem like the only viable escape from this mental and spiritual anguish.

So how are we to respond to the truth that this dangerous theology is being preached in literally every corner of our nation? How can those of us- religious or not- who are allies to the LGBTQ+ community protect our queer friends and family from violence and harm in the face of millions of people who hold to these dangerous beliefs and are feeling more empowered than ever to say them out loud and to act on them?

First, it’s important that we do our work and are informed. The truth is that while this interpretation of the Biblical texts is unfortunately common among Christians around the world, it is not an accurate understanding of the Biblical texts. The six verses in the Christian scriptures that reference any sort of same-sex behavior are all condemnations of a very particular practice that was common in the ancient world- sexual exploitation related to temple prostitution. Same-sex relationships and queer gender identities were well known throughout the ancient Near East and especially within the Roman Empire- instead of speaking about these realities, every condemnation of homosexuality in Scripture is tied to “idolatry”, which means worshipping something other than God, and in context is clearly a condemnation of temple prostitution, a practice where people who have sex with priests or priestesses in pagan temples as a way to honor various gods and goddesses. This is what is being condemned in Scripture- there is not a single condemnation of same-sex relationships or queer gender identity anywhere, and we must challenge these teachings the same way we challenged the churches teachings on slavery, the equality of women, and the panoply of other backwards beliefs that have been perpetuated in the name of Christianity.

Second, we must challenge our conservative Christian friends and family members to be honest about what they believe and the harm that it causes. The reason so many Christians shy away from saying things as clearly as Pastor Awes is because the inherently know that these beliefs are dangerous and wrong. How can one follow Jesus, whose central command was to “love your neighbor as yourself” and hold on to a belief that a group of people are abominations who are worthy of death? These are wholly inconsistent, and this inconsistency should be drawn out and turned into an invitation for our friends to change their damaging and dangerous beliefs.

Third, we must continue to uplift and celebrate LGBTQ+ people and relationships in our society. The hatred spewed by Pastor Awes is a clear reminder of why Pride is still so important- Pride Celebrations began to increase visibility of queer folks, decrease stigma around our lives and loves, and to use celebration and joy as a tool for resistance in the face of fear and bigotry. Despite the broad progress the LGBTQ+ rights movement has made in the US, our lives and rights are consistently under attack and in the post-Trump era, there has been a reinvigoration of anti-LGBTQ+ policies and rhetoric across the nation rooted in fear being perpetuated by the alt-right. Old tropes conflating queer people with pedophilia and sexual abuse have found new life, and the demonization of LGBTQ+ people as a threat to basic morality is now commonly heard on FOX and across social media. The way we combat such dangerous rhetoric is ensuring more people see and know LGBTQ+ people and for our allies to speak out whenever anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric is used or policies are proposed, signaling the broad support of queer people by the American public.

 On this Pride month, it’s time for a renewed commitment to the fight for LGBTQ+ dignity and equality in the United States. It’s time for queer people to stand up and let our lights shine brighter than ever before so that LGBTQ+ youth can see our example and know that there is space for them, in all their uniqueness, in our society. It’s time for allies to be bold in their condemnation of bigotry wherever it occurs. It’s time for our nation’s leaders to reaffirm their commitment to fight for LGBTQ+ rights in every corner of this nation and around the world. If we remain complacent, fear-based views like those of Pastor Awes will spread and will result in more abuse and violence against LGBTQ+ people. Progress is not inevitable, and the fight has not yet been won. This Pride month, may we return again to the spirit of the earliest Pride marches, standing boldly in the face of fear and bigotry and declaring that love will win in the end.

One of the most perplexing realities of January 6th for me as a Christian minister was that many protestors proudly identified as followers of Jesus Christ. When I read about the life and teachings of Jesus in the New Testament, I learn of a radical, renegade Rabbi who resisted corruption not through violent insurrection but through grassroots organizing, through empowering individuals and communities to create a more just world through subversive acts of justice in their own daily lives. The Jesus I sought to follow was fundamentally different from whatever Jesus the insurrectionists had pledged their allegiance to. 

As I reflected on the insurrection and the entire Trump Presidency, it became clear that what was driving this violent behavior by white Christians was a deep-seated fear of losing their place of power and privilege in our country. As the national conversation around racial justice has progressed, as the disease of white supremacy continues to be exposed, and as the population of white people is surpassed by the multi-cultural array of diverse peoples that make up modern America, many white Christians are seeing the “promise” of a “Christian nation,” which really means a white, conservative, Christian nation vaporize before their eyes. 

READ: “Nothing New Under the Sun”: Opposing Racism Today

And yet, as a white Christian pastor myself, I have a strange feeling that losing privilege and power may be precisely what is required to save the souls of white Christians. After all, one of the central images of Jesus in the New Testament describes Christ as “emptying himself” of his own status and power to bring about redemption to the world. (Philippians 2:7) In Christian theology, Jesus rejects using his divine power for his own self-interest but leverages it only for the good of those around him. Following this example, the early Christians believed that only through following Jesus’ example could they experience the redemption of their souls and the world at large. 

The heart of Jesus’ message in the Gospels is to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” Yet, white Christians have far too often been known for how we marginalize our neighbors of different religions, cultures, and sexualities. Jesus leveraged his power for the good of even those perceived as his “enemies,” and yet white Christians are known for spending millions to get proximity to power and secure our own self-interests. In short, white Christianity has far too often chosen to worship the idol of our own privilege and power than the one who gave it all up for the salvation of the world and calls us to do the same. 

REGISTER: Join us on February 27th at 7pm EST for a special “Race in America” event with Michael W. Waters

What white Christians have failed to see is that losing privilege and power isn’t actually a loss- instead, it means that our society will begin to function more equitably for everyone. It means that people’s ability to get ahead will not be based on the color of their skin or the religion they belong to but on their merit. It means that the Christian worldview will not be the assumed worldview in various settings throughout our pluralistic nation, but that doesn’t mean that the Christian worldview will somehow become suppressed. As the Prophet Isaiah writes, when the “valleys are exalted, and the mountains made low,” then “the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.” (Isaiah 40:4-5) In other words, only when the playing field is leveled will the world experience the love and light of God together. 

The fact is that white Christian privilege will continue to be exposed and lost as our society continues to strain towards justice- this, I am confident, is the reality of our nation. The question is whether white Christians will give it up willingly, following the example of their Savior, or whether they will continue to resist and fight to preserve a world that gives them a leg up at the marginalization and oppression of everyone else. 

This is a moment of reckoning. White Christians have but two options set before us: to walk the narrow road with Jesus in the path of repentance of our exploitation of whiteness and Christian supremacy to ensure our diverse neighbors have a fair shot, or to continue walking on the broad road that exploits our privilege for our own benefit, where everyone not like us is viewed as an enemy to be marginalized so we can flourish. If we continue buy in to that lie, like the so-called Christian insurrectionists of January 6th, we can scarcely claim to be authentic followers of Jesus, and we’re sure to bring about much more destruction, indeed.  

You can hear more about Brandan’s book for youth in the RLC Book Club Children and Youth Edition.

My first day at the conference was filled with wonderful conversations with pastors of churches, large and small, which were eager to hear my story and I, theirs. The conversations happened either by pastors approaching me because they were familiar of the work I did, or by me asking them if they would like to find some time to chat. Nothing about my presence or the presence of my colleagues was aggressive. We even hosted a free dinner and invited folks to come spend time with us in a non-threatening environment.

So why were my friends and I forcibly removed from the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting? I can only assume one thing.

That they are afraid.

And when we act from fear, we cannot act from love. And when we’re not acting from love, we’re not in step with the spirit of God. When we act from fear, we cannot hear the heart or stories of those who differ from us. When we are afraid, we prevent any growth, empathy, or understanding from flourishing and we continue to perpetuate stereotypes and oppressive behaviors, because when we’re afraid, we cannot think logically.

It is this same fear that drives the Southern Baptist Convention to preach a message of non-inclusion to LGBT+ people and this same fear that is instilled in the hearts of Southern Baptist LGBT+ youth who are eight times more likely to attempt suicide because of the traumatic teachings they hear.

I traveled across the country to the Southern Baptist Convention with love as my goal, but when love is met by fear, fear causes people to take all manner of irrational and unjust actions. It is my sincere prayer that the love that is the very essence and nature of God would break through the fear that enslaves the hearts of the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, so that they might be open and willing to hear the stories of those who see, think, and live differently from them. By removing us from the convention, they proved that they are not ready to engage in any meaningful conversation, but instead, desire to ignore and silence the voices of LGBT+ Christians.

This was another sad day in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention. But I am encouraged by those conversations that did happen and confident that love and truth will have the final word.

Imagine. In the heart of Houston, Texas, a city that has remained in the national media for the last year because of it’s fight to include sexual and gender minorities in an equal rights ordinance. A city whose protection of sexual and gender minorities was suspended by the states Supreme Court. And yet, gathered in the heart of downtown Houston are 1, 600 LGBTQ+ Christians, singing songs of praise to God while holding the hand of their significant other of the same-gender.

Last week, The Gay Christian Network hosted its annual conference in Houston, Texas, the largest LGBTQ+ Christian gathering on the planet, bringing together 1, 600 faithful LGBTQ+ people together for a weekend of worship, education, and encouragement as they journey together seeking to follow Christ from the margins, as exiles from many Christian denominations and churches who still refuse to allow them into membership. This years conference theme was “What’s Next?”, referring to where LGBTQ+ Christians should focus our attention after a year of great triumphs and victories for our rights, both in society and in the Church. Workshops were offered on topics ranging from healthy dating practices to theological expositions on Biblical passages and four keynote addresses were given from an incredibly diverse range of speakers.

This year was my third year at GCN. My first time was two years ago in Chicago where I was a student at the Moody Bible Institute, a conservative evangelical school in the heart of the city. At the time I was beginning to ask questions about my own sexuality and what the Scriptures actually taught about same-sex relationships, so I decided to sneak in to the conference, which was being hosted just a few blocks away from my school. As I sat in the back of the packed ballroom, listening to a thousand LGBTQ+ people singing songs of praise, I was moved deeply. Here I was, experiencing an anomaly- Gay Christians couldn’t exist in my theological paradigm. You couldn’t love God and love someone of the same-sex. And yet, in that room, as I saw a multitude of LGBTQ+ people worshipping Jesus with all of their hearts, something shifted within me.

Two years later, I now feel like GCN has become a home of sorts. Every January, I look forward to coming together with a thousand other like-minded LGBTQ+ people to reconnect and refocus on what matters most. This year’s conference was no exception. I was challenged to confront my own prejudice, bias, and privilege, and encouraged to continue pressing into Christ as my hope and sustenance. I heard stories of deep pain and tremendous courage, and I became all the more aware that a revolution is bubbling just beneath the surface of the Church that would forever change how Christianity would be manifest in our world. At conferences like these, it’s the conversations and informal interactions that make it all worthwhile for me. But this year’s lineup of speakers brought some of the most powerful and timely messages that I’ve heard at any conference.

On the first evening, Father Broderick Greer, a leading activist at the intersections of human rights and racial justice and curate at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, challenged us to confront the prejudice and privilege that seeks to oppress racial, sexual, and gender minorities and to think of theology as a form of liberation. Misty Irons, a “Side-B” (meaning non-affirming of LGBTQ+ relationships), spoke about the importance of leaving space at the table for those who disagree. Rev. Allyson Robinson, a leading trans* activist and Baptist minister, challenged us to stand for justice and equality of all people, not just those who share our convictions. And closing down the conference, the director of GCN, Justin Lee, called us to become increasingly intersectional in our approach to justice.

As the conference came to end, thousands gathered together in a room to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion, a gift that has so often been denied to those of us who identify as sexual and gender minorities. As the bread was broken and the cup was blessed, healing and liberation flowed. One by one, each individual stepped forward to the table of Christ and was reminded of his unfailing and unconditional love and grace for each one of us. As I thought of each of my fellow LGBTQ+ Christians receiving this most precious and sacred gift, I was reminded of my first time at GCN. I was reminded of the fear and the self-hatred that once lay heavy upon my soul. I was reminded of how, at that first conference in Chicago, I experienced the Spirit of God washing away all of my shame and naming me a child of God, in all of my queerness. I was reminded of why this space was so important to so many of us. I was reminded that the Spirit of God had begun a new work this weekend, in the center of Houston, Texas, that would liberate, heal, and restore so many beloved children of God, and I rejoiced.

On Monday, June 30^th, Julia Preston of the New York Times reported that Congress has announced that it does not plan to vote on any legislation concerning immigration reform this year. As a Christian and an American, I find the decision of Congress to yet again bypass immigration reform legislation to be a mammoth injustice and a fundamentally un-American course of action. The US was established to be a melting pot of people from every nation, language, religion, and culture from around the world, a place where anyone could come to find life, liberty, and to pursue happiness. However, in recent years, the way that government has postured itself against immigrants who are trying to enter America to pursue a better life makes me wonder if our country has completely forsaken its foundation.

As an Evangelical Christian, I believe that I have an obligation to follow Jesus’ example of standing up for the oppressed, marginalized, and immigrants. Over the last two years, I have actively been engaging in conversations surrounding immigration reform as a part of the Evangelical Immigration Table,  a coalition founded by a number of national Evangelical leaders to help rally support for immigration reform. As I have heard the stories of hundreds of immigrants who have desperately tried to enter the United States but have been denied, causing families to be split, lives disrupted, and dreams destroyed, my heart has been broken. Not only because I am a Christian, but because these occurrences fly directly in the face of everything America is supposed to stand for.

As our nation celebrates our independence this weekend, it is my hope that we will all stop to remember and say a prayer for the thousands of men, women, and children who are desperately trying to partake in the sweet liberty that we so often take for granted, but are being prevented because our Congress has decided that liberty and justice for all are no longer American ideals.

After the longest weekend of their lives, the disciples of Jesus find themselves in a state of utter despair. Their master, teacher, and hope has been crucified. Killed senselessly. Crushed by the oppressor that we thought he would liberate them from. The silence is palpable. No one wants to speak. There is no reason to. For them, everything was lost. The tears had been cried. The anger had been unleashed. Now they feel completely washed up. Lifeless. Hopeless.

A few of them depart to anoint the body of their pitiful Messiah. To give him the proper Jewish burial rites. To say their final goodbye to their only hope of liberation and salvation. But as they approach the tomb, they notice that the stone is rolled away. Their stomachs twist and tears begin to flow from their eyes. They rush to the tomb to find that his body is missing. Gone. Stolen.

But as they turn around to rush back to the others, they are stopped by an angel. A being whose brilliance and brightness defies that of the sun. The angel speaks to them: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen.” These words resonate in the ears of the disciples. Their hearts leap with hope. But their minds remind them of Friday. He was dead. He is dead. He cannot be “risen.” This is impossible. In the midst of such despair, such injustice, there could be no such hope. This must be a cruel joke.

They run back to the place where the others were waiting. They report what they have seen and heard. The message isn’t one of joy. Far from it. It’s one of great fear. Fear of what the Romans could have done to his body. Fear of what was coming for them. Fear of the angelic being that they had encountered. Sunday morning was one filled with fear.

Related: It’s Friday…but Sunday’s Coming!

In the midst of their hysteria, they hear a familiar voice. A voice that cuts through all of the tears and fear. And the voice speaks only one word. A familiar word. But a word that no longer seemed to exist. “Peace.” As they turned around, they saw him standing in their midst. It was Jesus. Their teacher. Their hope. The one that they saw crushed on Friday. Utterly destroyed. Here he stood. Alive? He spoke again to them. “Peace be with you.”  At once, their fear vanished. No one was sure what was happening. No one understood how this could be. But as Jesus looked deeply into there eyes and outstretched his scarred, bloodied arms to embrace them, all fear vanished. Peace was all that was left.

This holiest of days, Easter Sunday, humanity is invited in to a celebration of hope. We are invited to believe that even in the darkest of circumstances that there is a light that shines. We are invited to believe that even in our most God forsaken moments, in the cruelest of injustices, in the vilest of offenses, that there is redemption. The first disciples awoke this morning in utter despair. They woke believing that God was dead. That hope itself had been utterly destroyed on a cross three days earlier. And it was. On Good Friday, we all witnessed the death of God at the hands of injustice. We witnessed the breaking and pouring out of hope. The darkness descended. All that was left was fear.

But on this morning, we are reminded that the story does not end there. That the seemingly senseless violence of the cross was not in vain. That Jesus Christ, the creator made flesh, willingly allowed himself to be oppressed, to be marginalized, to be murdered in order that he might expose the systems of oppression and destroy them. It is on Easter that the events of Friday are seen through a different lens. We understand that the violence of the cross was not in vain. We begin to see the cross as the supreme act of love. In our rebellion to God and his way of grace, humanity responded with hatred. We oppressed the Lord of life. We crucified the Creator of all things. And he, out of love for us, did not respond with wrath. He instead pronounced forgiveness with his last breath.

This morning we share in the joy that Love truly does win. That even when the powers of hate rage against it to the point of death, Love is still stronger. Love was crucified on Friday, but this morning Love has risen. Love has won the victory. Love stands, arms outstretched to all of us- the vilest to the most pious- and says, “Peace.” As the sun rises over our planet this morning, we can be assured that even in the midst of all of our sorrow, Jesus is alive. He is working. He is bringing about a renewal of all things. He has the power to redeem even the most senseless acts of injustice. As the rays of the sun kiss our cities this morning, we are reminded that light penetrates darkness. That no matter how oppressive a system may be, the way of peace will always prevail in the end.

This morning as we arise from our slumber, may we know that the God who has created us does not look upon our failings, sins, and participation in injustice and condemn us. Instead, he takes it all upon himself. He has allowed our depravity to be poured out on him. And he has overcome it with grace. For no amount of sin can nullify the eternal Love that God has for each one of us. This morning we announce to the world the resounding Truth- “Christ is Risen!“- and it is in the reality of this announcement that we all are assured that no matter what vile acts of injustice we may experience, God is not dead. He is active. He is working to redeem and restore. He has already overcome and will continue to overcome.

It is in the power of the resurrection that each of us find renewed strength to face our lives, knowing that he who is in us has already overcome our greatest fears. And in light of that truth, we are empowered to be the hands and feet of the resurrected Christ to everyone we encounter. To stand in the divides that hatred has caused. To reach down and touch the untouchable because we know that Christ has done the same for us. To freely give our lives to others with abandon out of love for our world. To work to make Jesus’ pronouncement of peace a reality for every human being on our planet.

Also by Brandan: Infighting and the Way of Love

This morning we are reminded that God is not dead. He is alive. And he is actively working to bring about liberation and peace to our world. There is no enemy that we face, no fear that we hold, no injustice that we experience that will not be overcome by the risen Son of God. He is victorious. He will make all things right. The endless night is fading. The rays of dawn are bursting forth on the horizon. Each ray seems to proclaim, “Hallelujah!” The sorrows have lasted for the night. But the joy has come this morning. He is risen. He is risen indeed. And that is the greatest news that has ever been heralded across the face of the earth. May we celebrate that reality on this day. And every day. For Love has conquered. Liberation has come. Peace is here. May it be,

“I rise to taste the dawn, and find that love alone will shine today.”

Ken Wilber

Happy Easter.

Last week as I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed, I came across a post from Dr. Timothy Keller, one of the founding members of The Gospel Coalition who has been known for his very intellectual and reasonable perspective on a variety of issues that his other conservative colleagues have not been so balanced on. However, as of late, it seems that Keller has jumped on the boat with many other Conservative Evangelical leaders in bashing the millennial generation. Earlier this week, I responded to a post on CNN by another Reformed Evangelical, Daniel Darling, who spoke of how millennials were basically a bunch of heretics who have no values but rather submit to cultural pressures to conform on issues of morality and theology. My response to Darling and other older Evangelicals was simple: they have fundamentally misunderstood the Millennial generation. Instead of truly examining who we are, a number of caricatures are being propagated to make us sound like a generation of spineless, selfish, and scared hipsters. Dr. Tim Keller’s post served to further propagate this false image of my generation:

I immediately was taken aback when I came across this post. As a millennial who has been actively involved in the conversation surrounding what faith, life, and church will look like for my generation, it is abundantly clear that the image Keller paints has little to no grounding in reality. In fact, I would argue that one of the biggest desires of millennials is that we would be involved in deeply intimate communities that allow us to express ourselves openly, ask the questions that arise in our minds without fear of judgment, and give us a tribe of people that will walk with us through the ups and downs of life. In fact, this desire for intimate community is a direct response to the lack of community that we have grown up with, especially in the evangelical world with our sterile mega-churches like the one Keller himself pastors, that make true community nearly impossible.

Related: Seven Reasons Why Young Adults Quit Church

For far too long, millennials have been criticized because of our excessive use of social media, preferring isolated interactions with others through screens and devices instead of face to face conversations and interactions. But it should be noted that though millennials are the most social-media driven generation (because we are the first generation to grow up in a world where such technologies existed!) this does not mean that we do not desire interactions with real people in real communities. While millennials may engage one another through social media often, this does not mean we engage in person-to-person relationships any less often, per se. Millennials have, in fact, figured out how to cultivate true relationships through social media, but most of the time, the social media serves simply as the platform we connect through in order that we might form real communities that exist in our real worlds.

But Keller isn’t necessarily even addressing this aspect of millennials social lives directly. Instead, he asserts that we are a generation that is afraid of commitment and being nailed down by joining a community, and therefore, we chose to live as isolated, selfish beings. But as a millennial, this idea that we’re afraid of being committed to a community is absolutely foreign to me. It is certainly true that we are a generation that defies most labels; because we have near unlimited access to a database of global information, we are a generation that doesn’t easily buy into a singular system of thought because we have the possibility of exploring and discovering new and fresh ways of thinking. We are a generation that is able to pick and choose the best ideas and aspects from many different groups and systems and embrace them in our own lives and thinking. And this has never been a possibility for any other generation in the history of humankind. This does make us a generally skeptical generation. We don’t just drink the Kool Aid. That doesn’t mean we lack commitment to a community, but it does mean millennial communities will look radically different than those of previous generations.

Our communities will not be defined by a set of boundaries that mark who’s in or who’s out. Instead, we’re united around common causes and principles, bringing different perspectives, beliefs, and ideas to our communities and sharing them. Even if others disagree we remain united around our common cause. For church communities, this will look like culturally, generationally, and theologically diverse gatherings of people united around the common cause of worshipping and following Jesus. Millennials will be radically committed to him and to each other but will not be committed to one system, perspective, or belief structure that traditionally has defined Christian communities. This type of community seems impossible to many in the old-guard of Evangelicalism. They cannot fathom a coherent community being formed without a shared commitment to theological, political, and worldview systems. How would you control that?  You can’t. But our communities aren’t modeled after Fortune 500 Companies. They’re designed to be organic, authentic, living and breathing organisms and not organizations. It is possible and it is being done by dozens of groups around the country. (Check out The Practice and The Orchard communities for examples of how this practically looks)

This doesn’t mean millennials are against structure, but rather against structures that dictate how one must think. Or as my friend Andrew Henry noted, “Real community is just about the only thing keeping Millennials in the church these days. We are more fearful of overbearing dogma prescribing how we should function in our communities.” We’re not against authority, only against structures that uplift one group of people or ideas above all others and forcing people to conform in order to belong. That’s not what first century discipleship looked like and it’s not how we want to function either. We’re not just a bunch of relativists either; we are realists and we know that no group, category, or system has ever succeeded in capturing God or Truth. And because of that, we are a generation of seekers, explorers, questioners, and drifters. Not because of fear of commitment, as Keller suggests, but because of the freedom that comes from existing within a community of authenticity and Love. Fear, I would argue, is what keeps many squarely in the box of “Gospel Coalition-Evangelicalism”. Fear that any divergence from what the magisterium of Evangelical leaders teach is akin to heresy and would lead to rejection and excommunication (which we have seen dozens of cases of over the years). Fear forces conformity, but it’s only Love that can create common-unity (community) among diverse perspectives. And that’s what most of us in the Millennial generation are yearning for.

It is truly unfortunate to see so many leaders whom we have learned from and are highly esteemed turning and beating an entire generation down because we see the world differently. I believe these irrational moves by some in the upper-echelons of Evangelicalism are last ditch efforts to try to retain power and influence over the Church by scaring millennials into submission. But fear isn’t a successful motivator for a generation that fundamentally understands that the world is bigger than the leader makes it out to be. We know there are more ways than our own to see things. We know there is a wide spectrum of difference within every religious, social, and political system, and we aren’t going to be forced into any box or category easily. Millennials are a well informed, well connected generation. We see through the smoke and mirrors and are coming to understand that our world is so much bigger than what we were once told. And that excites us. It inspires us. It provokes us to spend our lives searching, discovering, innovating. And not in isolation. No, we’re doing it together. In community. It’s an essential part of our generational make-up. And while our communities will look significantly different that they have over the past millennium, they will be more communal, organic, and diverse than ever before. And that’s something to be celebrated, not scorned.

Also by Brandan: We’ve Really Messed Up on this One: Evangelicals & the LGBTQ Community

I hope that the elder leaders of Evangelicalism will cease being cynical and critical towards my generation and instead serve as the wise and humble mentors they are called to be. Because we need them. I believe we are willing to listen and to learn from them. We are keenly aware we don’t have all the answers and would love direction and advice. But their actions make it increasingly difficult for many of us to be open, to receive what they have to say. Instead of a wise and caring voice, we hear a voice of offense and criticism. And that voice will never be well received, but will only contribute to the continued millennial flight from, instead of reformation and renewal of, the Church. That would be a tragedy for us all.

It’s my prayer that the elder generation would abandon fear and power tactics and entrust my generation to the hands of God that he might use us in a mighty way to expand his Kingdom and renew his Church in new and exciting ways. And it’s also my prayer that my generation would have healthy leaders whom we can look to and learn from as we step into positions of leadership in the community of Jesus. Because we need them.

Are you with me?

I suppose it’s a normal thing for brothers and sisters to get in arguments. When you spend so much time together, you’re bound to get on each other’s nerves. You’re bound to see things differently. You’re bound to step on each other’s toes once in a while. That’s healthy. It’s normal. It’s part of being a family. And yet every time you get in an argument, you’re forced to work through it. To compromise. To move one. To forgive. Because you’re family and you aren’t going anywhere.

But when brothers and sisters never stop fighting, when they start pushing each other out of the family and refuse to talk to, but only about, one another. When they start publicly defaming each other. When we leverage the lives of others in our family to force our sibling to do what we want. Then we have some major problems. That family needs some counseling, ASAP. Because you simply cannot function as a family unit when such division and detestation exists. It’s utterly poisonous. If it’s left to grow, the family is going to digress into nothing more than an episode of the Jerry Springer Show.

We all know this is true. And yet the family of western Christians today has moved into a similar position as the severely dysfunctional family. In fact, it seems like every week the Church airs to the world a new example of our Jerry Springer Show like dysfunction. Over the last month or so, the Church has slugged it out over issues of gay marriage, starving children, Hollywood films, generational divides, abusive pastors, and about 500 other issues. Some of the issues were petty, others profoundly important. Some, matters of life and death.

Our infighting as the people of Jesus is not only inconsistent with the character of the Rabbi we claim to follow, but it is the very thing that is causing thousands of people to walk away from the faith feeling deeply wounded and angered by the hopelessness that the people of Jesus have consistently displayed to the world.

Related: Tony Campolo’s Response to the Troubles of World Vision

Whenever an individual, denomination, or organization takes a view or action whether theologically, politically, or socially that we may not agree with, we seem to have the tendency to jump on our warships and launch a full scale attack. We feel some innate need to dismantle and destroy the other person or organization as if it were the most destructive of enemies. We justify ourselves by saying that we are defending truth or upholding justice, when in reality, we’re just acting out of some deep hurt and fear. Fear that the other person may be right. Fear that maybe we have been wrong. Fear that God is looking down from heaven and waiting for our own foot to slip and fall into false teaching or action that will bring our swift damnation. Fear that maybe we’re not in control and everything isn’t as clear as it once seemed.

Fear. It’s a powerful, destructive, and poisonous thing.

I am firmly convinced that all of our infighting is rooted in fear. The evangelical response to the World Vision controversy was rooted in fear. The responses surrounding Mark Driscoll’s plethora of controversies were rooted in fear. It is that fear that furthers the mindset that the one with whom we disagree is our mortal enemy. It is fear that pushes each of us further into our corner of the boxing ring and roots us deeper in our own narrow position. Fear closes our minds and our hearts. It creates in us hostility. And fear, if left to germinate, will eventually split the Church once again as it did in the 1500’s. It will cause our fights to become bloodier and more and more costly. And for many, it may bring an end to their journey of faith.

I cannot speak for all Christians, but I am convinced that many of us are afraid. And it is precisely that fear that continues to drive these controversies, that continues to fuel our anger and spirit of division. When we just have to “call out” the group that we disagree with, were acting in fear. No matter how legitimately wrong they may be, slander, public criticism, and defamation are never the healthy way to go. It never accomplishes the desired results. It only creates more hurt, more anger, more fear, and deepens our wounds. It creates bigger monsters. It demolishes any bridges that were being built and any hope for reconciliation.

The power of the Gospel of Jesus is that it utterly destroys fear. If death itself is defeated and the powers of evil in our world are overcome by God’s mercy, what is there left to fear? If the God who was revealed in Jesus is truly the Lord of all, then nothing should cause us to be afraid. Love is reigning. And love casts out all fear. Love stands in the face of injustice and sin and with patience and grace subverts and overcomes it. Love does not launch torpedoes at evil and destroy it. Love responds to injustice and evil with self-sacrifice and demonstration of a better way.

Instead of criticizing the other, Love simply demonstrates the better way with much patience and grace, and it is the power of that demonstration that will win over even our staunchest opposition. Love recognizes that people are not the problem. But fear. Darkness. Injustice. These are the forces with which we are in conflict. And the victory can only be won through bravery, grace, and incarnated truth. The way to change the “other” is through following the pattern of Jesus: breaking oneself, pouring oneself out for the redemption of the world. This is the only way to create lasting change. To heal the deepest wounds. To expel the most profound fear. It sounds too good to be true. I know. It sounds too ideal. It sounds contrary to everything that the world tells us. That’s why it’s called the straight and narrow way. That’s why there are few that find it. The broad way, the way of fear, criticism, and violence. That’s the way that the crowd goes on. And Jesus assures us that it leads to destruction. We will destroy ourselves if we continue down that road.

Also by Brandan: How Conservative Evangelicals Misunderstand Millennials

I am not sure there is a practical application I can offer. I write as much to myself as I do to anyone else. The only hope I think we have as the Church is to take time to stop and gaze deeply at the cross of Jesus once again. To see the way Jesus, Love incarnate, responds to injustice, abuse, pain, and fear. If we take time daily to contemplate that Divine mystery that defies all human wisdom and instinct and we allow it to transform our minds and hearts, especially in the way we regard those whom we most harshly disagree with, I think we may begin to discover once again the road that leads to life. To lasting change. To redemption.

It seems to me the only cure to our fighting and fear is Love. Our only hope of redemption is Love. The only way to change anyone or anything is through Love. Not tough love. Not angry love. Gracious, bold, and sacrificial Love. This is the way of Life. This is the way of Jesus our Lord.

“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance…Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.” – John Lennon 

Yesterday morning, an op-ed piece went live on CNN by a young evangelical author named Daniel Darling, entitled “Millennials and the false “Gospel of Nice“. Darling piece is clearly written in response to many recent articles by progressive millennials such as Rachel Held Evans’ recent CNN Op-Ed, “How Evangelicals Won a Culture War and Lost a Generation” which argues that many of the leaders of Evangelical Christianity have abandoned the core convictions and teachings of Jesus Christ and instead have leveraged their faith as a weapon to be used against anyone who disagrees with their political and moral principles that they claim are rooted in Scripture.

All of this is very fresh in our minds as news broke on Thursday that Christian relief organization World Vision lost over 10, 000 child sponsorships and received thousands of threatening calls and emails from conservative evangelicals who disagreed with the organization’s decision to begin hiring gay and lesbian Christians who were in committed Christian marriages with one another. To many millennial evangelicals and non-evangelical Christians who have watched this controversy unfold, this is an utter travesty. It seems simply unfathomable that anyone who claims to follow Christ could justify removing support from the impoverished children that they know by name because they disagreed with the organization’s hiring policy.

In his op-ed piece, Darling argues that the cry of many progressive and millennial evangelicals is:

“If only orthodox evangelical leaders would give up their antiquated beliefs, get more in step with the real Jesus, the church and the world would be better off.”

He then continues by saying that:

“embedded in this narrative are two presuppositions: Young evangelicals are fleeing the church at a rapid pace [and] the real message of Jesus looks nothing like orthodox Christianity.”

When I read these comments in Darlings piece, I was utterly fascinated. Fascinated because as a millennial evangelical, and one who is participating in these conversations on a national and international level, I have never heard a single person call for “evangelical leaders to give up their antiquated beliefs”. I have never heard anyone saying that “the real message of Jesus looks nothing like orthodox Christianity.” And I happen to know for a fact that “young evangelicals are fleeing the church at a rapid pace.” It was utterly shocking to me to read this short op-ed piece simply because for once, in a very public way, the Conservative Evangelical straw-man seemed to be put on display. When I read Darling’s piece, it became crystal clear to me what the key problem is that is causing so much friction between the “old guard” in Evangelicalism and us millennials.

The old guard has confused Orthodoxy with their political and moral interpretations of Scripture.

I honestly don’t mean that to come across as arrogant or disrespectful. I am not just a millennial punk with a blog trying to stick it to the man. I am trying my best to be a committed follower of Jesus and I have been burned by many in Evangelicalism and have been handed a picture of God that I have begun discovering is radically inconsistent with the Scriptural, historical, orthodox image of God revealed in Jesus Christ. The same could be said, I am confident, of most millennial evangelicals who are, in fact moving away from the version of faith that they inherited in their youth. And the motivation for our exodus is clearly seen by the tone and fallacies contained in Darling’s article.

Related: Gay Marriage, World Vision, and a Unified Church

So what in the heck is “Orthodoxy”? The way Darling has portrayed it in his article, Orthodoxy seems to be one and the same with many Evangelical leaders views on topics like sexuality and abortion. It’s also likely that when Darling uses the word “Orthodoxy”, he is using it in the way that many of the leaders in his own denomination use it: to refer to a heavily reformed, Protestant systematic theology. The problem is, however, that neither of these things are even part of what defines Orthodoxy. For nearly 1, 800 years, the Christian Church has been in near universal agreement on what it means to be an orthodox Christian. In A.D. 381, 150 Christian leaders from around the world gathered together in Constantinople to formulate a simple creed that clearly defined what one must believe in order to be considered an “orthodox Christian.” After much debate and deliberation, the council released to the Church what is known today as the Nicene Creed. Ever since it’s release in A.D. 381, the Nicene Creed has been accepted as the standard for determining a person or movements orthodoxy. The creed reads:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

 

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

This has been the generally accepted standard for Christian Orthodoxy for thousands of years. This creed is what determines if someone is to be considered orthodox or “heretical”. And yet, in recent decades, it seems that many in conservative Evangelicalism have forgotten what’s contained in the creed; what the early Fathers of the Church determined was necessary to be considered a “Christian.” And instead, have loaded on to “Orthodoxy” a ton of political and theological beliefs and positions that a majority of Christians throughout the world could not affirm or uphold. It seems that the Fathers of the current Evangelical movement have abandoned the Church Fathers and have created their own unique version of “Evangelical Orthodoxy”, which, if this is true, should be considered heretical because of its additions to the faith passed down to us by the historic creeds of our faith.

I don’t know a single millennial evangelical who doesn’t whole-heartedly affirm every line of the Nicene Creed. I don’t know a single millennial evangelical who is calling for Evangelical leaders to “give up their antiquated beliefs [to] get more in step with the real Jesus.” It’s simply not happening. We’re simply not interested in abandoning orthodoxy. If anything, there has been a staunch increase in millennial participation in more traditional and robustly orthodox versions of our faith. Darling has constructed a straw man of millennial evangelicals that doesn’t even come close to representing who we truly are or what we believe.

The major clash between the generation seems to arise out of the way many millennials are rethinking what it looks like to engage our culture on the most urgent social issues. Many millennials are changing the way we view issues of LGBTQ rights and marriage equality. We are rethinking how we should engage with the poor and oppressed. We are placing social justice back at the core of the Gospel message. But none of these changes are coming from cultural pressure. They’re coming from our sincere engagement with the Jesus of the New Testament. It is our interaction with him that is causing our change in orientation towards so many of the issues that American Evangelicals have battled hard for. And when we see Evangelical responses to events like what happened with World Vision last week, we are grieved. Challenged. Convicted. Because for so many of us, it seems clear where Jesus is standing in the midst of that storm. And its not with evangelical leaders and their rigid political perspectives.

Also by Brandan: World Vision & the Sad State of American Evangelicalism

What millennials are calling for is for the old guard of Evangelicalism to return to orthodoxy and to stop putting their political and social positions on top of their definition orthodoxy and then using them as a measuring rod to determine who is in and who is out. We are calling leaders of Evangelicalism to repent of making Jesus in their own image by imposing on the Christ of the Scriptures social and political ideas that were completely foreign to him. And most of all, we’re calling the leaders of Evangelicalism to stop demonizing the next generation who is doing our best to worship, obey, and follow Jesus Christ in a cultural context that they know little about. There are unique challenges that face the way millennials live out our faith in this ever-expanding new world that require us to rethink and reform what it looks like to be Christian. All of us truly desire to see our world transformed by the Gospel of Jesus and the way that is going to look for us will be radically different then the way it looked for them.

At the end of the day, I think the unfortunate reality is that many in the old-guard of Evangelicalism are going to continue to refuse to hear out the millennial Evangelicals and continue to perpetuate the myth that we’re just trying to rid ourselves of orthodox theology and embrace hipster, social justicey, teddy bear forms of Jesus. But this opposition should not stop us from pursuing Jesus with our whole lives. I no longer fear being called a “heretic” by more conservative Evangelicals, because I am confident that as long as I am pursuing Jesus as he has been revealed in the Gospels, then I am going to be okay. And it is precisely my love and desire to follow Jesus that is fueling my passion to do justice in the world. To work to un-politicize the Gospel. To work for a better world for all people. Jesus is my motivation. He’s my goal. And I firmly believe that for most millennial Evangelicals, this passion for Jesus will continue to empower and spur us on to a much more robust faith, hope, and love.

May it be.

It was just yesterday that the president of the Christian social justice organization World Vision announced that it would begin hiring LGBTQ Christians, both married and unmarried, to work at its organization. The reasoning behind the decision was explained to be one that was “symbolic not of compromise but of [Christian] unity.” In a letter to his employees, President Richard Stearns was very clear on his reasoning behind this monumental decision: “I want to be clear that we have not endorsed same-sex marriage, but we have chosen to defer to the authority of local churches on this issue. We have chosen not to exclude someone from employment at World Vision U.S. on this issue alone.” But within hours of this news being released to the general public, many of the most prominent leaders within Evangelical Christianity released public statements condemning this decision of World Vision and calling for other Evangelicals to boycott the organization, which is committed to providing food, clothing, education, and the Gospel to thousands of children across over 100 countries worldwide. Among the harshest of the criticisms launched at World Vision came from Dr. Russell Moore, the President of the Southern Baptist Ethics Coalition, who said:

“At stake is the gospel of Jesus Christ. If sexual activity outside of a biblical definition of marriage is morally neutral, then, yes, we should avoid making an issue of it. If, though, what the Bible clearly teaches and what the church has held for 2000 years is true, then refusing to call for repentance is unspeakably cruel and, in fact, devilish…”

Trevin Wax continued the criticism of World Vision over at the Gospel Coalition Blog saying:

“Children will suffer as evangelicals lose trust in and withdraw support from World Vision in the future. It will take time for evangelicals to start new organizations that maintain historic Christian concepts of sin, faith, and repentance. In the meantime, children will suffer. Needlessly.”

It is easy to see that over the coming weeks thousands of Evangelicals will withdraw their support from World Vision. And Dr. Moore is absolutely right. As this begins to take place, thousands of children will suffer because of the lack of funding from their former sponsors who decided that this theological and political issue was more important than their life. It is a tremendously sad day when followers of Jesus Christ will chose to make a theological/political point by withholding funds from children who are in life and death situations. Can you imagine trying to explain to one of the children who lose their sponsor why exactly they no longer have support? Because the President of their organization chose to allow a demographic of people to work at the organization that their sponsor didn’t agree with?

Related: I’m Gay at a Conservative Christian College

It is indeed an incredibly sad day for Evangelicalism. It is sad because we have willingly put on blinders to hide our eyes from the truth of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have chosen to ignore the entire example of his life and the bulk of his teachings and instead pick up our weapons and engage in culture wars instead of working to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves, which, by the way, sums up all of the Biblical laws. We have chosen to ignore Jesus’ harsh words to the Pharisees who valued doctrinal rightness over the sacrifice of justice that God has always called us to:

“Then the King will say to those on his left, ‘Go away from me. You will be punished. Go into the fire that burns forever that was prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you did not invite me into your house. I was without clothes, and you gave me nothing to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ “Then those people will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or alone and away from home or without clothes or sick or in prison? When did we see these things and not help you?’ Then the King will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, anything you refused to do for even the least of my people here, you refused to do for me.’ (Matthew 21:41-45 NCV)

The harshest warning that Jesus ever gave was not to those who believed or stood for the wrong things. No, rather, Jesus harshest warning was given to those who stood for all of the right beliefs but neglected the one sacrifice that God requires of humankind: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

We are living in a day where we as Evangelicals value our political positions and doctrinal systems over real, living people. Children whose lives are stake. Children who rely on our simple donation of $35 dollars a month to sustain them and give them a hope and future. And yet we, in our waywardness, are willing to withhold this simple act of charity from these children in order to make a political point. And we justify it by saying this is an issue of “the Gospel”. But in the words of Brian McLaren, “If the Gospel we preach is not first and foremost good news to the poor, then it isn’t the Gospel of Jesus.” We in American Evangelicalism seemed to have misplaced the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A Gospel that calls us to radically love and extend grace, justice, and mercy to every human being regardless of their political, theological, or sexual orientation. We have instead chosen to sacrifice children’s lives on the altar of Evangelical politics. And that is shameful. More than that, it is the height of depravity. Because not only are we sacrificing these beloved children in third world countries on the altar, but we are once again sacrificing Christ himself. For when we withhold mercy to the poor, we withhold justice from God. When we chose to remove our support from a faithful Christian social justice organization that has given life and hope to millions of children globally because we disagree with who they employ, we are removing our support from the hands and feet of Jesus. What an absolute shame. We are entering in to some very dark days in Evangelical Christianity. Our only hope is to return to the way of our Lord Jesus Christ. The same Lord who is incarnate in the children that many will abandon their support of over World Visions decision on who they will employ.

Also by Brandan: We’ve Really Messed Up on this One…Evangelicals and the LGBTQ Community

This isn’t an issue of political position. This isn’t an issue of theological perspective. This is an issue of plain obedience to the words of Jesus. Dr. Moore was right. This is in fact a Gospel issue. But not because of World Visions decision, rather, because of the many followers of Christ who are willing to forsake his way to make a point. We are truly deceived. We are truly misguided. And we truly need to return to Jesus. He alone is our hope.

Photo Credit: World Vision US