Is love liberal?

it is becoming increasingly appearant to me that I am becoming more and more liberal in my view of Jesus and the church. Allow me to explain before all of the good Christian Republicans throw stones…or…at least wait until I plead my case…then throw away!

I grew up Catholic. Which for me meant that Jesus was not real in anyway but only a set of rules and rituals that were to be obeyed. When I was in high school I started attending a Methodist Church and eventually found Jesus to be alive and well and I asked Him in to my heart. My Christian walk began there. Through a series of events I now find myself over 10 years later the Lead Worship Pastor at a great non-denominational church in Edmond. 

For a couple years now I have found myself in an inner conflict. Why are some of the things I’ve been taught in the past being checked in my spirit now? This idea of absolute right and wrong, justice or injustice, sinner or saint is hard to reconcile. 

For example, I’ve been taught all of my Christian life that homosexuals are unredeemable sinners if they chose to continue their lifestyle. More and more predjuduces have been ingrained in me over the years as well. I feel like Jesus wants to purge these lies from my soul. Why is someone who is enslaved in homosexual sin worse than the multitude of Christian men trapped by pornography. Why is it different the the people who are in adulterous sin. Why are churches deeming these people worthy of investing in and tossing these others aside? How can it be that we are all about the poor, hungry, marginalized and destitute BUT if they actually make it to our churches we are uncomfortable and shield our children from ‘the wrong’ kind of people?

See, I think the church today as a whole is way to concerned about the SIN and not the SINNER. If we’re honest, we’re all sinners. But because of our society’s moral base, which is falling more and more, we qualify which sins are worse than others, hence, which sinners are worse than others. We have modern day lepers all over our citys. The problem is, in most cases the church has put them there.

Since when does the idea of LOVE become such a radical idea? I’m not talking the kind of love that pushes you to chuck a buck toward a program in the offering plate. I’m talking about the kind that moves you to action. That causes your heart to rage for mercy. The moves you to help build homes for habitat for humanity, to feed the homeless and different shelters and more. Rob Bell an awesome pastor is Michigan has people in his church that buy houses in the poorest communities of their cities and live there. For no other reason but to love that community. What an idea! Love! Most staunch religious churches would call that extreme. People find love when they join a church. A church if they were honest secretly wishes these people wouldn’t actually show up to. Love Wins is Rob’s montra. Because of that. Because of his willingness to stretch our spirits and our minds and our conversation with Jesus he and others like him are called heretics. I think it’s because it’s a very liberal idea. It’s too free for religious people to understand. ‘What do you mean it’s all about love!? What about tithing? What about membership? What about memory verses? What about small groups? ect…” Doesn’t everything we do at church start with love? I believe it should and too often it doesn’t.

From what I can see with all of these MEGA Churches around and all of this crazy technology that supposedly brings you closer to Jesus, Rob’s community in Michigan are some of the few that actually smoke what they’re selling. They are living it. 

when will the church rise up and BE THE CHURCH, BE JESUS to our world? Imagine what could happen. Imagine what could happen. 

Jesus loves you,
Jesus loves the marginalized,
Jesus loves sinners,
Jesus loves homosexuals,
Jesus loves people with little sins,
Jesus loves people with big sins,
Jesus loves.

Love wins. Love is eternal. Love is true. God is Love.

thoughts?