Emerging Church leader Brian McLaren has ruffled the feathers of the established evangelical community again including mine, which is hard to do. It’s starting to become more and more common that McLaren’s views of the traditional evangelical church, (what I term the Submerging Church) swims contrary to popular evangelical beliefs.  It’s not that he is sticking his foot in his mouth, it is that he is sticking both of them in there.  His latest comments regarding how churches should handle homosexuality can be found at http://www.christianitytoday.com/leaders/newsletter/2006/cln60123.html

In the article he says, "Frankly, many of us don’t know what we should think about
homosexuality. We’ve heard all sides, but no position has yet won our
confidence so that we can say "it seems good to the Holy Spirit and
us." That alienates us from both the liberals and conservatives who
seem to know exactly what we should think. Even if we are
convinced that all homosexual behavior is always sinful, we still want
to treat gay and lesbian people with more dignity, gentleness, and
respect than our colleagues do. If we think that there may actually be
a legitimate context for some homosexual relationships, we know that
the biblical arguments are nuanced and multilayered, and the pastoral
ramifications are staggeringly complex. We aren’t sure if or where
lines are to be drawn, nor do we know how to enforce with fairness
whatever lines are drawn."  (I added the italics for emphasis)

I have agreed with McLaren’s premise that the church today isn’t doing the job of being an Acts 1:8 church, and I do agree with him that our methodology must change in this area. But these thoughts on homosexuality go over the top. What is he thinking? "Frankly, many of us don’t know what to think of homosexuality."  I might be a redneck from Tennessee that doesn’t have too much sense, but as a Christ follower I know what the Bible says about the act of homosexuality and that is the position I must take if I am to be true to the Word. If you want to find out how I believe Christans should treat gays, go to my post dated July 15, 2005 – http://jeffcalloway.blogs.com/jeff_calloway/2005/07/should_christia.html

I hope Brian will see this post because another point in question is the above excerpt of his interview, "We’ve heard all sides, but no position has yet won our
confidence so that we can say ‘it seems good to the Holy Spirit and
us.’" Us?  Who is he talking about when he says "us" and "our"? His views are pompous when he communicates that the Holy Spirit seems to still be deliberating on the issue of homosexuality.

After continued off the wall comments such as these, my respect is running low for McLaren the man or his doctrinal views after this article in Leadership magazine. I would urge any young emerging leader to seriously re-consider following McLaren’s teachings regarding the church. His thoughts that there might be legitimate homosexual relationships blows my mind.  Is this man reading the same Bible I am? I don’t consider myself a ultra, right wing Falwell-ite and would be insulted and angered if that description was given to me. McLaren is treading on slippery spiritual ground. 

Brian, be kind and show the love of our grace giving Master, to those in our community who are homosexual and might attend your church.  Do not accept the sin of homosexuality as a pastor. I can’t believe that you said that yourself and other pastors don’t know what to think of homosexuality.  You can’t put a new social or political spin on homosexuality even if you want to.  The issue has been settled.