Four Questions

Last week it became official that the language describing marriage in my denomination's (The Presbyterian Church U.S.A.) constitution will change. The new definition that takes effect this summer says marriage is "a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman..."

In my denomination pastors have always had the exclusive right to decide whether or not to marry a couple. Similarly, our church governing boards (Sessions) have always had the right to permit or deny the use of the church building for a wedding. The change to our constitution expands the freedom of conscience for pastors and sessions to include same-gender couples.

However, this change is not so innocuous. That's because the new language about marriage in Part Two of our constitution (the Book of Order) stands in contradiction to the language about marriage in Part One of our constitution (The Book of Confessions). We Presbyterians claim that our Book of Confessions has more authority than our Book of Order. We say that our Book of Order (how we order our corporate lives as the church) is based on the teachings of the Book of Confessions. But in this case we have reversed the two. With this most recent vote, we seem to have said that our practice, when it comes to marriage (Book of Order), is more important than our belief about marriage (Book of Confessions).

What's done is done. The majority of our Presbyteries voted for the change. Marriage in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. now may include same-gender couples. I have no desire to try to reverse this change. And, I genuinely appreciate that the new constitutional language includes a statement explicitly preserving the freedom of conscience for pastors and session not to conduct same-gender weddings.

However, I am curious to see how, or if, our denomination will close the gap that exists now between our Confessions and our Book of Order. Is there a solution that does not simply ignore the Confession's teachings about marriage but one that re-frames what we believe to match the new practice?

During floor debate at our Presbytery meeting (recognizing that our vote would not change the fate of the amendment) I posed these questions:

1. How will the LGBT community help address what ails the institution of marriage which continues to hover at a 50% failure rate? 
2. What does Christ's healing and redemptive power look like in the arena of sexual brokenness? 
3. What does sexual fidelity and covenant faithfulness look like in this new era?
4. Having voted on what marriage is NOT limited to, what then shall we say marriage IS? (The definition in the revised book of order is inadequate. It's a beautiful description of meaningful relationships, but the definition isn't really unique to a marriage.)

Much of the rhetoric in our denomination's same-gender marriage debate seems borrowed from the civil rights movement. The issue is dubbed one of equality and inclusion. Somewhere along the way, in a debate about gay marriage, we stopped talking about... marriage. Instead of exegeting Scripture's teaching on marriage, we talked about how Jesus accepts and loves everyone. I want to know what redemptive or prophetic word the PCUSA has for the world about marriage? Surely we have something more to say about marriage than that everyone is welcome.

NEWS FLASH!!

CLPC has hired a new Director of Student Ministry. Kim Angle will begin her ministry with us in early March. Ms. Angle is a 2012 graduate of North Park University with a degree in Youth Ministry. She previously served CLPC as a summer intern in 2011 and was the 15-month intern with us from May 2012 to August 2013. Since leaving CLPC, Kim has been serving as Associate Director of Youth Ministry at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (outside of San Francisco). Kim is famous for her quick smile, contagious sense of humor and deep faith in Christ. If you know Kim, you love her. If you don't know her, you will love her! We are very blessed to have Kim permanently joining our staff team. You'll hear more about Kim as her March start date draws nearer.

But you may be wondering, what about Daniel Wheeler? Please read on!

Three months ago the Session asked Daniel Wheeler along with Jimmy McGregor to give full-time leadership for the "R&D" (short for "research and development") initiative. When Kim begins her ministry at CLPC in March, Daniel can start transitioning to his new "R&D" role. Jimmy will also transition to "R&D" from his current role as Coordinator of Men's Ministry. Session has planned for Daniel's salary during the two-year "R&D" initiative. Jimmy will work with "R&D" as unpaid staff, as he did with his role in Men's Ministry.

These changes are part of Session's bigger vision to embark on a two-year experiment we're calling "R&D." The session is aware that our world is changing in a way that will require CLPC to make adjustments in the future. This two-year experiment, using a portion of our staff and membership resources, will help us to explore new paradigms of being a disciple-multiplying congregation in the Clear Lake Community.

Our current plan is that "R&D" begin with the formation of a small core team alongside Jimmy and Daniel. After some weeks of prayer, study and research, that core team will extend an open invitation to a larger number (fifty people or so) in the congregation. This larger group will form 3-5 missional communities under the leadership of the core team. The missional communities will form a collective identity as a missional village for the purposes of accountability and resources. What we're experimenting with is the idea of being church without heavy reliance on facility or programs while focusing on reproducible discipling relationships with neighbors of all kinds.

Please keep Kim, Daniel and Jimmy in your prayers during this season of transition. The "R&D" initiative is an exciting vision from Session with dynamic implications requiring our fervent prayer and ongoing conversation. I am excited about how these next two years will impact our collective call to follow Jesus Christ.

Prayer Gifts at 2:11 p.m.

The Magi's gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh reminds us to be thankful that Jesus is our King (gold represents royalty), our Lord (frankincense represents worship) and our Savior (myrrh is used for burial). Mathew 2:11 says "Opening their treasures, [the Magi] offered him gifts." 

Set  your alarm for 2:11 p.m. every day until Christmas. Pause at 2:11 to say a quiet prayer of gratitude for all that Jesus means to you. 

(If you missed the sermon, you can listen to it here.)

Next Sunday, we will have ONE WORSHIP SERVICE at 10:00 a.m. Join us as we learn about Simeon and Anna who waited a lifetime for Jesus. Read Luke 2:22-40 in preparation.

Orion launch reflections

I just returned from a most amazing experience watching the first exploration flight test of NASA’s Orion Spacecraft. The launch experience was incredible. It was great fun crowding onto the causeway with friends from Clear Lake along with some 27,000 others. I would describe the lift-off as more sleek and powerful than brawny and explosive. (However, this was the first launch of any kind I've ever seen so I don't have anything to compare except others' descriptions.)

As amazing as the launch itself was, even more amazing was the understanding I gained about the true significance of this event.

For the past 30 years we've been shuttling astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) which is a mere 220 miles away from earth. The moon is another 1,000 times farther from earth and we haven't flown that far in nearly 50 years. Mars is 34 million miles away. Orion is designed to go to Mars!! In my unscientific estimation that's like the difference between going from your couch to the fridge vs. climbing Mount Everest... several times. It's difficult for me to even conceive of such a feat, let alone comprehend the sort of vision, brainpower and dedication required to make it happen.

Friday's launch was the first step in this incredible journey toward Mars. I'm humbled and grateful to have witnessed it in person. You amaze me, every last one of you involved with our space program and those involved with the Orion project in particular. I'm so very proud to be among you.

3pm launch briefing. Very interesting information and a VERY animated final speaker!

Me next to the Orion capsule. (The real one is bigger...)

Outside the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex

Pointing at the launch pad.

27,000 of my closet friends waiting for the launch Thursday morning that was eventually scrubbed.

iPhone closeup of the launch pad.

After Friday's successful launch. All we could see afterwards from the ground was this huge plume of smoke.

Sermons this week and next

Last weekend's message:

The “Spirit of adoption” means that we have an entirely new relationship with God. When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, we’re adopted into a New Family and God becomes our Abba Father. Abba means “daddy.” Jesus prayed “Abba Daddy” when he prayed to the Heavenly Father and he invites his followers to do the same. Better yet, the Holy Spirit prays to the Heavenly Father on our behalf. Because the Spirit “intercedes for us” (Romans 8:26-27) we can pray boldly and confidently without ever having to worry about having the right words.

This weekend:

What difference does hope make in a world filled with suffering? Is Christian hope just a religious version of wishful thinking? How does suffering and hope relate to God’s plan for the cosmos? These are some of the questions we will grapple with during this weekend’s message 

"Saved for Life" Preaching series on Romans

What are you most proud of? What passion or interest do you share with anyone who will listen? Maybe it’s a grand-child? A sports team? Your favorite restaurant? What is that thing of which you are unequivocally not ashamed?   

For the apostle Paul, that one thing is the Gospel. Paul begins his letter to the church at Rome with these words, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17).

This fall, we begin a study of the book of Romans entitled “Saved for Life.” For those raised in reformed protestant church traditions, like Presbyterians, being ‘saved for life’ means we can never lose our salvation. But for Paul, being saved for life means so much more. It means being saved for a kind of life that begins this side of the grave and continues for all of eternity. Being saved for life means we are saved for a life of redemptive purpose within the cosmos God is making new. That is nothing to be ashamed of!

I’m encouraging every individual and small group to take up the study of this rich and profound book. While there are many re-sources available, I especially commend N.T. Wright’s study guide on Romans (N. T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study). It is available on Amazon® in paperback and e-reader formats. Our study this fall will take us through the first eight chapters in the book of Romans.

I look forward to this practical and theological journey as we learn from the great Apostle what it means to be Saved for Life.

open letter to my fellow conservatives

Dear fellow conservatives in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.);

I’m writing to those who, with me, affirm Scripture’s teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman, who affirm the historic teachings of our Book of Confessions that marriage is between a man and a woman, who affirm the historic principle of church order that “truth is in order of goodness” and “who are persuaded that there is an inseparable connection between faith and practice, truth and duty” (F-3.0104), and who are deeply troubled by Thursday’s actions of the 221^st General Assembly.

While I wholly support those commissioners who are filing protests against the Assembly’s actions regarding the Authoritative Interpretation and the proposed amendment to our Book of Order, I will not be filing. I will not be protesting.

We have a decisive, and perhaps brief, window of opportunity to choose how we will be in this new denominational landscape – a landscape where we clearly find ourselves in the minority.  What will we stand for? How will we use our voice? What will our voice sound like when we use it? What will our opponents see when they look at us?

Yesterday’s vote was offensive. It felt like a slap in the face. But the same Jesus who clearly defines marriage in Matthew 19 also tells me in Matthew 5 to turn the other cheek. He tells me to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me. He warns me about the poison of retaliation and the rottenness of contempt. He calls me to a new kind of righteousness that is beyond the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. What will our righteousness look like in this new denominational landscape? Let us consider this carefully.

Yours brother in Christ,

Steve Oglesbee