Andy Stanley and Homosexuality
In a sermon on April 15, Andy Stanley gave an extended illustration that has created controversy. In the illustration he talks about a gay couple who were serving in hospitality ministry at their church. The couple was asked to stop serving. Not because they are gay. But because one of them was not legally divorced from his wife.
(Predictably) Al Mohler who is head of the Baptist theological police gave a thoughtful response. "Biblical faithfulness simply does not allow for the normalization of homosexuality."
I watched the sermon. I thought it was brilliant. Here's why:
* I like that Andy included a gay couple in an illustration without making their "gayness" the point either for affirmation or condemnation. The Baptist Press article about the controversy points out that gay people are leaving "gay" churches because they are tired of churches where "all they do is affirm my gayness." No one should go to a church where "all they do is affirm my gayness." One way to ensure that gay people stay in churches where "all they do is affirm my gayness" is for other (regular?) churches to make them say, "all they do is condemn my gayness."
* Andy Stanley is one of the most gifted and strategic preachers of this generation. I am sure he chose this illustration carefully. He chose adultery not homosexuality to focus on. I imagine this is a much more broadly important message for his congregation to hear as many more of them are engaged in or tempted to commit adultery. It is an "understandable" sin in many communities; whereas, homosexuality in southern US church culture is much easier to pick on. Stanley's choice actually takes courage. The strategy reminds me of the way Paul uses homosexuality to bait self-righteous Christians in Romans 1 before laying down the hammer in chapter 2.
* It is interesting to me that the critics don't seem concerned about the "normalization" (to use Al Mohler's word) of divorce or greed or general self-centeredness so prevalent in American culture.
Last night in a home group Bible study, the leader asked us to design a short course on ministry for people who felt God's call. The interesting thing was EVERYONE said the most important skill was "listening". Not Bible study. Or Bible knowledge. Not communication skills. How to pray. Or how to mentor. Or how to disciple someone. Not administration. Or church growth. Or church health. It was "how to listen".
I suspect that one of the problems Christians have as we try to share the goodnews of and about Jesus with the world is that we don't listen well. We think sharing always means proclaiming. We think sharing means we talk, you listen. We have opinions. We have solutions. We have the gospel. But I think sharing often means listening. And part of the goodnews is that God listens.
Part of listening requires us to create space for others to talk. I think Andy did that in this sermon.
Brilliant.
On a side note: He actually didn't make a theological claim about homosexuality. He didn't address it at all. I suspect that Andy believes that homosexuality is a sin. Whether he is right or wrong, I also suspect that he places a high value on all human relationships.
What Al Mohler needs to understand is that homosexuality has already been "normalized" in most modern cultures. Additionally not everything that modern cultures have normalized are seen as moral even within the modern cultures themselves. This is a fact. Failure to realize that is the least loving thing that can be done.
