This is a sermon I preached in 2007 for the Baptism of Our Lord which is next Sunday. I happen to be preaching next Sunday. No, I won't be using this sermon. “No Do Overs” Isaiah 43:1-7, Luke 3:15-22 January 7, 2007 (Baptism of Our Lord) Community of Grace Christian Church* Minneapolis, MN Did you... Continue Reading →
On Getting With the Program
Since I work for the Presbyterians, I spent some time this summer watching the live feed from the 220th General Assembly in Pittsburgh. On the penultimate day of the Assembly there was discussion on allowing ministers to be able to marry same-sex couples. It was not a surprise to see conservatives quoting scripture. In fact,... Continue Reading →
About That Interview…
Some of you might have noticed that there is an article in the most recent Christian Century with a Disciples pastor in Minneapolis by the name of Dennis Sanders. I haven't said much about it, but I wanted to provide some background to the article. Steve Thorngate, the editor sent me an email over the... Continue Reading →
A Pastoral Letter on the Marriage Amendment
I wrote the following for the church newsletter regarding the proposed Minnesota Marriage Amendment which would limit marriage to one man and one woman. The thrust of this letter was to share why I stood where I stood, but do it (hopefully) in a spirit of respect towards those I disagree with. I love chatting... Continue Reading →
Theology and Same-Sex Marriage
In a few weeks, my partner Daniel and I will celebrate five years of marriage. Since we live in Minnesota where same-sex marriage is not legal, it was not something recognized by the state. But our marriage, our joining together, was blessed by the church. We had our ceremony at an Episcopal church in the... Continue Reading →
I Miss the Old Mel White
I recently read an interview with Rev. Mel White. Most of you know him as someone who grew up as an evangelical, was a ghostwriter for many big evangelical stars and then came out as gay. I remember hearing about him in the mid-to-late 90s and back then he was kind of the SpongeBob Squarepants... Continue Reading →
It’s Not About Sex, It’s About Discipleship
So says Methodist Pastor Sky McCracken: Changing the stance on homosexuality in the United Methodist Church will not stop the loss of membership in the denomination. It's at best a red herring and at worst a lie to espouse otherwise. The Southern Baptist Church continues to lose membership; they are in their fifth year of decline,... Continue Reading →
For the Spirit Tells Me So
When I was coming to terms with being gay, one of the obstacles that I had to deal with is the role of Scripture in my life and how it squared or didn't square with my sexuality. I remember reading the book Is the Homosexual My Neighbor? and being shown the story in Acts 10... Continue Reading →
Same-Sex Marriage: A Response
I originally posted this on my political blog, Big Tent Revue in 2011. On September 15, 2007, I got married. It was a pretty normal, run-of-the-mill event as weddings go. I was held in a small picturesque Episcopal Church just outside of Minneapolis. The sanctuary was decorated with flowers. The families of both parties were... Continue Reading →
We Can’t Be Friends
It was about 20 years ago, that I attended a large Baptist church in Washington, DC. The church was an odd mix, or at least it would be odd today. Evangelicals and liberals were somehow able to worship together, along side a healthy dose of members from Latin America and Asia.The church decided at some... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 