Misbehavior

One of the actions of the recent Special Session of the United Methodist General Conference was to codify and sharpen sanctions and punishments against UM clergy who perform same sex weddings and UM Bishops who ordain “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals.” These sanctions and punishments are not found in Bible, but only in the politically-inspired machinations of the Book of Discipline. 

The Rev. Robert Renfroe, who is President of Good News, which is funded and backed by

the Institute on Religion and Democracy insisted: 

“...the traditionalist side is not trying to push out those who want full inclusion of LGBTQ persons in The United Methodist Church. But he said the violations of the Book of Discipline need to be halted. “Live by our covenant,” he said. “If you can change our covenant, then you can change it — but if not, then you have to live by it, or then the church has to enforce it.”  

In other words, the actual issue is who it is that writes the rules of the United Methodist Church, and who determines what parts of the Bible we will use as weapons against whom, and which parts we will ignore in favor of our own personal self-interests. For example, I am a twice-divorced pastor. If one takes Jesus at face-value, I have committed

adultery and have caused two of my wives to commit adultery by marrying them. I also violate 1 Timothy 3:12, “Let deacons be married only once.” Yes, I am now an Elder, but I once was a Deacon. Significantly, seeking to be Biblically consistent, an amendment was proposed at the Special Session to provide the same sanction against divorced clergy, but it failed. Presumably because too many people in the room were either divorced themselves, or had family members who were divorced. But we must maintain our Biblical standards, right? At least when it serves us well.

So, I am writing this today to serve notice to my Bishop and District Superintendent so they are forewarned:
There are some in my family who are gender-queer. If they come to me and ask me to perform their wedding, will I do it?
You better believe I will.

Many of my friends and close working associates over the years are gender-queer. If they come to me and ask me to perform their wedding, will I do it?
You better believe I will.

If a member of my church, faithfully seeking to be transformed by the love of Christ, comes to me and wishes to marry someone of the same sex or gender-identity and I perceive after consulting with them that they love each other and intend to support and

care for one another, will I marry them?
You better believe I will.

Do I support and acknowledge the call of God and vital ministries of my sisters and brothers who are gender-queer?
You better believe I do.

If I were Bishop, and persons who identified themselves as gender-queer and manifested the gifts, graces, and calling to serve as pastors of people seeking to live according to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ came to me asking to be ordained, would I do it?
You better believe I would.

In Christ, the barriers, boundaries, and walls that we erect against one another are broken down. If our denominational delegates build up new walls to keep the newly-defined unclean and impure out, you will find me outside those walls, probably misbehaving. 

I might even ask God to heal on the Sabbath.

Notes:
1. (“Key GC2019 votes prompt anguish, satisfaction,” Sam Hodges UMNS, Feb. 25, 2019, found online at https://www.umnews.org/en/news/key-gc2019-votes-prompt-anguish-satisfaction).