Lance Bass is Gay...

Look out, I'm turning into a blogger sensationalist like Perez Hilton!

But seriously, Lance Bass coming out of the closet today will doubtless have impact and ramifications related to Christianity and the church.

Why? Because, as any N'Sync fan knows, Lance Bass was always the most vocally Christian of any of the boys. Open an N'Sync album cover and read his extended writings on faith, God and Jesus Christ!

What concerns me is that Bass will take a lot of angry, ungracious fire for his lifestyle and decision to be open about it. In fact, several of his quotes have already dealt directly with his faith: he is still a Christian, and has personally reconciled his Christianity with God.

Now regardless what you think about homosexuality, I hope you share in my prayers that the Church will somehow manage to be more gracious, loving and compassionate than it usually is about such matters, and if nothing else - keep silent. We dont' need picket signs. We don't need pastors decrying his potential influence on the youth of America (not like Lance Bass or N'Sync have any pop equity leftover from early 2001) .

Lance has made a decision. And a prayerful one. I pray he finds happiness and wholeness, and in friendship, I would say the same thing to him that I would say to any friends, gay or straight, Christian or non-Christian: "Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness." We're all on a journey here, and none of us living have crossed the finish line.

But lookout. I don't expect public Christian figures to be particularly loving.


please read more about my thoughts on the evolution of Christianity at http://emergingchristianity.blogspot.com

Billy Graham & the Buddhist...

On Saturday I drove up to Portland for lunch with George Fox Seminary's Dean, Jules Glanzer. Great guy!

We talked a lot about Christianity in emerging culture, jumping from topic to topic like a theological decathlon. What a day! The kind of conversation I live for.

As we discussed the nature of living in a pluralistic world, Jules recounted a story Billy Graham once told: Graham was visiting China on a missions trip, and one day saw a Buddhist monk on the road. Graham felt in his gut a need to go share the Gospel with this monk (I usually tend to be suspicious of Christians' "gut" instincts, but I tend to respect Graham's motives) and crossed the road to meet him.

The monk was gracious and patient (as one might expect from a devout Buddhist) and listened to Graham as he recounted - not only a "quickie" rundown of the Bible, but - the entire story of Scripture: Genesis to Revelation, Adam to Jesus, Creation to New Creation.

At the end of this lengthy sermon, Graham asked (in typical Graham fashion) "So, would you like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?"

The monk looked quizzically at Graham and paused for a moment. Then, "Accept Jesus? I don't need to accept Jesus."

Graham was puzzled.

"Jesus is right here, right now," the monk continued. "The story you've told me today? I've known the truth of that story my entire life - I just never knew the name Jesus. Thank you."

Graham took a lot of heat for this story and a subsequent suggestion that Jesus Christ was working in and among other religions of the world.

But the Holy Spirit is not confined by our borders. The God of the universe cares nothing for our labels. This is what worldspeak is all about: the breath of God alive and moving through everyone...


please read more about my thoughts on the evolution of Christianity at www.emergingchristianity.blogspot.com

Rating Churches...

I've recently become the online director of a new website: ChurchRater.com! The site itself is a blog of sorts with a very heavy emphasis on discussion surrounding the "rating" of churches. Here is what I envision ChurchRater becoming: A dynamic, thinktank sort of environment, where any thinkers, atheists, agnostics, Christians, pastors or various kinds of leaders and teachers can come together and dialogue about the Church...

• how the church functions
• how it perceives itself
• how it is perceived externally
• what Christians see in it
• what non-Christians see in it
• what is good/bad/ugly/hilarious

How can I get people to take time to fill out a rating survey? Especially non-Christians. I'm most curious about their feedback (as always) so I'm open to suggestions.

please read more about my thoughts on the evolution of Christianity at http://emergingchristianity.blogspot.com

God, Mom and a Circle...

My wife is the new program director at a Montessori school. She loves it, which makes me very happy!

The other day, she witnessed the following conversation between three 4-year-old girls... *

• Girl 1: Teacher! I met a girl who doesn't believe in God!
• Girl 2: I don't believe in God.
• Girl 3: Well, if I'm grumpy I don't believe in God. But if I'm not grumpy, I kinda do; but not as much as I believe in Mom and not as much as a circle.

*note: I've updated the wording here per my wife's corrections

please read more about my thoughts on the evolution of Christianity at http://emergingchristianity.blogspot.com