There is much good in our shared fallen world. God created the world good, people very good and as pervasive as evil and sin have been, beauty is everywhere. Something to be very thankful for.

People, both Christians and not, can often be found with hearts of compassion trying to make planet earth a better place. A job God entrusted us with since the beginning of time. Often our well meaning efforts inflict more harm than good. This book does a tremendous job from a Christ centered perspective of helping us examine how helpful our helping actually is. The book suggests that the opposite of poverty is not wealth, but shalom or peace. I like that. The opposite of poverty (which needs to be defined in a larger way than just lacking material things) is the presence of pervasive good (peace). More to come . . .

I have a problem with the phrase “same-sex marriage.” Marriage has normally and historically been defined as the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship. Same-sex and marriage do not work because it ruins the definition of marriage. Should government be able to change the long accepted definition of a word? Should public will be able to define a word against the will of many and history?

There are legal and financial reasons the government to define what is and is not a marriage. I personally will not allow my government to determine what a legitimate marriage is and is not. (there are many legal opposite sex marriages that I do not think meets the definition of marriage). 

I will not let my government or public opinion redefine marriage for me. I will continue to advocate for governments to get out of the marriage business and restrict their jurisdiction to what an acceptable legal union is with its corresponding rights and responsibilities.

Hoping to re-frame the debate and preserve the historic understanding of marriage.

I saw two interviews of the Pastor of First Baptist Church in Seattle and his male partner after our Governor signed the bill. One of the interviews took place in their home with shots of them working in the kitchen and sitting on the couch. In the past year this gay couple got married in Washington DC as they did not want to wait for it to become legal in Washington State. The wedding did something for them and they tried to explain it. The feeling I got from these interviews was that by having their marriage recognized by the state (even if was not where they reside) validated their commitment to each other. Public affirmation and legalization made their relationship more real and special.

I was saddened by their comments. I am not a fan of Baptist pastors promoting gay marriage but I accept that reality – within principles of soul freedom and autonomy of the local church. What troubled me was that people of faith need or desire the state to validate their beliefs and convictions. I married Lillian based on vows I made to her, she to me, and us to God. I do not think the state’s affirmation of our union made an iota of a difference in our relationship. God trumps state.

The Jesus movement has never needed the government to agree with it to move forward. Thanks be to God! So what do I think about homosexual marriage? I think the government should get out of the marriage business. Civil unions are about the protections and rights of individuals and marriage is about covenantal relationships. A state has a right with its citizenship to decide what a civil union is and is not, but I will never allow my state to determine what I believe marriage to be. If a state determines homosexuals and heterosexuals have rights to civil unions I am ok with that. If they stay confused like they are now and think they can define marriage for me, they cannot and I will consider them confused and replace their term marriage with civil union in my mind.

The church of Jesus Christ will not fall apart because a government allows homosexual marriage or unions. There is no such thing as a Christian nation. Even if every citizen is a follower of Jesus Christ only the followers will pass from this life to the next, the nation will be left behind.

As a pastor I will not perform gay or lesbian marriages for the same reason I will not marry people who do not want a marriage with Christ as their center.

Too many times I have heard a terrible joke from believer in Jesus that degrades people seriously dealing with the homosexual issue. The one liner I am referring to usually comes out something like “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve” It is also bad theology if you play it out. There are many results from [living] being in a fallen world. Some can be fixed or cured, some we have to learn to live with, and some necessitate restrictions of freedoms to pursue greater good. The natural projection of the “Adam and Steve” statement would be if we cannot cure birth defects the child should be discarded because God did not design us to have birth defects.

I have no doubt homosexuality was not part of God’s design for creation. The list is huge in terms of what we have now that was not a part of God’s design.

Our goal (followers of Jesus) is to partner with Jesus in adding good to God’s good {but very tainted creation.} History has taught us that often we are more effective when we do not rely on governments to do our calling for us. I will not lose sleep over homosexual marriage in my State but will lose sleep over caring for the lost and hurting.

Allow me to end by quoting Jesus Mark 20:25 “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

At Faith Fellowship we offer the opportunity for people to turn in prayer praises and concerns on Sunday morning. Those people can request that their prayer request be only sent to the leadership team or can indicate that they are open to it being shared during a worship service. Last Sunday a request came that did not check either box and did not contain the name of the signer. It simply read, “Please have American flag up for 4th of July.”

Since I am unable to follow-up with this person personally and because I believe many other people may have similar sentiments, I thought it might be beneficial for me to briefly address this issue.

We have not had flags of any kind in our worship area as long as I can remember. The last time I remember them being displayed was when we had an active Wednesday night Awana program. That program has been gone for many years. The Fourth of July is on a Monday so I assume the person was hoping it would be up in worship the day before. I do not know if we even own a Christian Flag let alone an American flag.

I see two problems with the request so far logistically. I am not sure we have a flag, and since we don’t normally place one in worship it would be prudent to talk with the leadership board before making such a change. The board will not meet again until after the Fourth of July.

I could hide behind these two technicalities and leave it at that but . . . I think too many Christians are confused about God and country as it is. God did not establish His church on the blood of Jesus Christ and call it the United States of America. The church of Jesus Christ should never become identified with a country or flag – it is too good for that! There is no such thing as a Christian nation. The bible does not support a nation mentality, if that plan worked Jesus was not needed and we could all access God through the nation of Israel. If Christians are going to be transforming agents in culture then their commitment to Christ must be more important than their commitment to family and country. We can hold all sorts of debates of how to best enact the transforming power of Christ in our culture but the bible will not support any answer that blurs the lines between state and church.

I have never advocated a flag in worship for those reasons and several more. I know for some people, no flag is a deal breaker. To be honest I do not understand that. We can honor, pray for, and respect the sacrifice many have offered so that we can enjoy the freedom we have without displaying a flag. For me Jesus is just too important to confuse Him with any country, even one as great and wonderful as ours. I pledge allegiance to God, then family and after that comes country. The order is very important if you consider yourself a follower of Jesus Christ.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Clay

PS: A good read on this topic is The Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory Boyd

Some local favoritism was recently discovered by social workers helping tenants displaced from a fire in a South Everett apartment complex. The workers helping to provide temporary housing while also working on permanent relocation discovered a very definable trend, the non-Caucasians and especially the limited English speaking population were paying significantly more for rent for identical apartments. Racism and favoritism are alive and well in our own back yard. How should we respond when we become aware of such evil practices?

The next thought I started to chase but forgot to come back to is how favoritism impact interpretation of scripture. At one point in history not so long ago scripture was used to support the slave industry in the United States. There are gender biases that find their way into the translation of scripture. There are favorite passages that get promoted while others are neglected based on presupposition. Interpretations around the homosexual issue often have people on either side trying to use scripture to support their position instead of allowing scripture to inform and teach them.

Finally, I was going to start the sermon on James by showing an old clip from the dating game show. The idea behind the show was beautiful but its execution awful. I found it very hard to find a tasteful clip. The premise is someone is allowed to question three people they cannot see to decide which one they want to go on a date with. Not basing your decision on looks and first appearances, there is something very good about that. The show wanted too much to be a comedy to handle the situation with integrity. It does cause me to question how much of my decisions, what I buy, who I hang out with, what I do are based upon unchallenged cultural accepted ideals. I am sure more than I want to know. But will God help me uncover one today and begin to deal with it?

Amen.

I cannot celebrate the taking of a life. No follower of Jesus should! I do believe that good could come of it and I appreciate how it was done and agree that Osama deserved to die (but don’t we all from a theological perspective). The timing might be right in terms of the Osama execution having limited impact on recruiting future and rallying current extremist of his type. Giving the currently global political climate that kind of extremism seems to have lost much of its power.

A real fear in killing someone like Osama is if he is a part of a starfish organization instead of a spider organization. A few years ago I read a book by Ori Brafman entitled The Starfish and the Spider in which he traces the difference between centralized organization and decentralized organization and compares them to the biological makeup of the spider and the starfish. Decentralized organizations (starfish) do not need a head to tell them what to do and if part of the organization is cut off it does not die but reproduces itself. The battle against terrorist networks seems to resemble a starfish more than it does a spider.

With that in mind I hold lightly to some hope that Osama’s death will produce some desired good. Maybe the organization has quite a bit of spider in its DNA. It is still a sad state of affairs that killing someone is the greater good we can reach for. If I celebrate his death, I celebrate the ramification of a very sin filled and fallen world.

I can congratulate the military for a job done well, pray that violence in this case will not fuel more violence as well as pray for increased peace but I will not celebrate the taking of a life, even when I think it was the right thing to do. A verse of scripture comes to mind “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:20)

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Clay

PS – A verse my friend Bille Jo reminded of also seems very fitting. Proverbs 24:17 “Do not gloat when your enemies fall; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,”

This billboard has shown up recently in several cities around the US in predominately African American neighborhoods. This billboard campaign has ignited quite a stir. The people behind it are targeting African American areas because their abortion rate is significantly higher than the national average. The target makes strategic sense.

How would you hear the message of this billboard if you were a young pregnant African American considering abortion? I guess that depends highly on what your abortion views were before you became pregnant as well as the reasons you are currently considering an abortion.

It also depends on how you were raised and maybe even your birth order. One might feel guilty for even considering abortion where another might wonder what good the developing life inside her might accomplish if allowed to live. They could wonder this without any feelings of guilt. Both ladies might understand abortion as wrong but how you were raised and your birth order often are the determiners of whether or not you “feel” guilt.

Feeling guilt and being guilty are two very different things. You need to own your guilt to get better but feeling guilty often turns the tables and allows the guilt to own you. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus and we are responsible for what we do next.

I ran across some data recently that demonstrates Duane’s warm personality and consistent desire to help others grow, which explains why so many people said yes to Duane’s requests.

The data that follows is according to a recent survey of people who volunteer…
68% say it makes them feel physically healthier,
73% say it lowers their stress level,
92% say it enriches their sense of purpose in life!(from Success Magazine, 9/10)

I can only think of one time I wish I would have said no to him. The time he asked me to put on a roman soldier costume, which looked more like a mini-skirt, to be part of a downtown Good Friday dramatic march. I have included the photo for your enjoyment.

Now that you have had a little laugh, back to the point. Often people are just waiting to be asked to serve and serving will help them as much as it helps those who they are serving. Thanks Duane for being a master at asking people to grow toward their potential.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Clay

Below is the obituary of my mentor and dear friend, Rev Duane Gibson. I was blessed to know him for well over 30 years, served on church staff under him for 3 years, he officiated at our wedding nearly 21 years ago, talk regularly with him over the years and spoke at his memorial service.

I have known no greater pastor or man. A year or two ago I shared a message on lessons I learned from him like the Apostle Paul taught Timothy. Being a Pastor for over 20 years I have had the privilege of being around several people during the sacred time that life on this earth is drawling to an end. Duane often planned for his own death in a very healthy way. Not that he was expecting it but it was a way for him to evaluate life and care for those who might be left behind. In recent times when he did know his death was on the near horizon he did one last final loving act for his wonderful wife and family, he thoroughly planned out his arrangements including the “Celebration of Life” service I participated in on March 2, 2011.

I was holding his hand as he died and I have never seen anyone die more peacefully and ready to meet their creator. I still cannot believe he is gone but I am very thankful for how he went. It has caused me to think about how to better seize the day and how to care for my family by talking and planning for my transition from this life to the next. I want to love well in my living and eventually in my dying.

Why is talk about death so hard? Who do I, do you need to share our thought with?

Thanks Duane.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Clay

Rev. Duane J. Gibson

Des Moines

The Rev. Duane J. Gibson, 71, longtime pastor at First Baptist Church, died of cancer Saturday at Kavanaugh House hospice. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 2 at 11 a.m., at First Baptist Church in Johnston. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 1 from 4 to 7 p.m., at First Baptist Church in Johnston.

Duane was born January 14, 1940 ,in Chicago and reared in the Julia Lathrop Homes, part of the “projects” north of the city’s downtown, by his mother Irene. Through the influence of several coaches and teachers, Duane accepted Christ in high school. That background was the foundation for his lifelong desire to serve Jesus Christ and help those in need.

He was a gifted athlete in his youth. He played football in the military, at Wake Forest, and he went to Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was captain of the football team, a role he played as life went on?being a leader, inspiring the team, directing the action.

Reverend Gibson received his master’s of divinity degree from Bethel College and Seminary in 1968, and his master’s in social work from the Jane Addams School of Social Work in 1969. He served as senior pastor with American Baptist churches for 30 years, including First Baptist in Des Moines and then in Johnston from 1983 to 2003. He was involved with American Baptist Churches USA, Des Moines Area Religious Council and Rainbow Acres, a home for mentally-challenged adults in Arizona. He also chaired the advisory board of the Salvation Army in Des Moines; his last major public appearance before being diagnosed with cancer was at the Salvation Army’s annual meeting and dinner in mid-November.

While he was pastor at First Baptist Church, when it was located at Eighth and High Streets in downtown Des Moines, he was extremely active in forging social programs. It was under his leadership that the Elsie Mason Manor and Liguitti Towers were built to provide housing for the low-income and elderly. Both were a result of his devotion to inter-faith action. He spent more time out of his office than in it, and gained the reputation as being the “skywalk chaplain” because he spent so much time there ministering to homeless as well as some of the city’s power brokers. One acquaintance says, “You could coffee with Duane for an hour and need not add anything to the conversation but an occasional nod of the head. Duane would regale you with stories and experiences and his overwhelming love of God.” Reverend Gibson had an incredible sense of humor and a positive outlook.

He was also one of the major fund- raisers for the Central Iowa Honor Flights, which flew World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the World War II Memorial. His dedication to those veterans grew out of his military service in the Army, 1958-1960, of which he was very proud.

Surviving are his loving wife of 44 years, Carolyn; three children, Eric (Jenny) Rainey-Gibson of Clive, Bryan (Jennifer) Gibson of West Des Moines, and Michelle (Mike) Kessler of Ames; nine grandchildren; brothers Dennis Gibson and Ron Melzer and sister Cheryl Janda, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother and a sister, Pat Biedowicz.

So why ask all these questions? Recently I wondered out loud why so few people write comments on my blogs. I am sure part of the problem is my writing style could use more development if I intend to garnish more comments. Maybe the number of comments I receive is a statistical norm and I should not expect much more. Some writings produced more written reactions but I do not want to become a shock jock in my postings, always pushing the envelope with the ultimate goal to get people to react. When I wondered out loud a great friend of mine said “I do not post because it is a little intimidating to write back to a preacher.” I hope overtime I can minimize that reaction and if you desire to respond you do, even if a preacher wrote the initial post.

I post for a couple of reasons. Sometimes I post because I think my reflections will be helpful in challenging an issue or current public debate in a positive direction. Even in those posts I am sure there is more I can learn from you. In other posts I just want to get the conversation started in whuch I, and others, will benefit from more thought on a particular topic.

Is there a topic or a thought you have that you want me to start the conversation on via a new post? If so please comment on this post. We become better when we attempt to positively impact each others live – may the impact continue!

Grace & Peace

Clay