Allies, Do Not Fear - God sees your faith expressed in Love

In 2019, my local Church formed an "Allies" group to provide support of LGBTQ members/community - that was 3 years ago. 

In 2012, I was a witness to an associate pastor of the church deliver an explicit statement to our social justice small group that no meetings related to sexuality and/or LBGTQ would ever be allowed on our local church premise.   The lead pastor was aware and authorized this message.  This was 10 years ago.

Today we heard that my local church's "Admin Board" could potentially vote on whether to start a discerning process of 6 month on whether our local church should disaffiliate from the existing religious organization - the "UMC" (United Methodist Church). 

I wonder how Paul must have felt when he wrote his letter to the Galatians speaking of the life of freedom because of the gift of Jesus.   

Galatians 5:2-3 (MSG):

I am emphatic about this. The moment any one of you submits to ... any other rule-keeping system, at that same moment Christ’s hard-won gift of freedom is squandered. I repeat my warning: The person who accepts the ways of [traditional rules] trades all the advantages of the free life in Christ for the obligations of the slave life of the law.

In Paul's time, the issue was the traditional view on circumcision.  Paul's letter to Galatians asks: should a religious organization include members who do not follow established traditions.    And further, can a religious organization have leaders whose conscious break with traditions.   But organizational debate was not about a single tradition.   It was whether a religious order can work past its traditional views to embrace the Spirit of the Word with diverse theological views and teachings within our local church

Christianity did not originate from the Jews choosing to disaffiliate from its religious order.   It originated from the Spirit working within ordinary people, both Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles)/ traditional and non-traditional people;  coming together to uphold the life of freedom gifted by our Lord.   There have always been many views;  and with time and faith all can be worked out.

Today, the scapegoat issue for disaffiliation is about holding firm on traditional views of sexuality.   Paul's words ring loud for those who submit to disaffiliation from the UMC. 

Ohhh, how I cry and feel the sadness for the Allies and all the good people of our local church who oppose disaffiliation.  

Who are these few who insist on pushing for disaffiliation?   Gal. 5:12 (MSG) - " Why don’t these agitators, obsessive as they are about holding firm on [traditional views], go all the way and castrate themselves!".  Why don't the leaders disaffiliate (castrate) themselves from the UMC and leave our local church alone?   Gal. 5:14 (MSG) "For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.".  In today's world, love shines when the local church :

• embraces diverse theological views within the leaders of our local church,
• work for the inclusion of diverse cultures and 
• affirms diverse sexuality policies that trusts in the Spirit and the conscious of its pastors. 

These agitators, ie.  key leaders (not just the lead pastor) of my local church have been blocking, plotting and conniving ways to quiet the conscious of  Allies (across ALL local churches) and others; and now, a "vote" is the newest ploy.   The Lord sees all and I am here as a witness to the agitators.    I must say for the record that I love, welcome and respect their views.   What hurts  is the ploys that have been taken within our local church to quiet the consciouses of family members who hold God given earnest views.  Any more I say only festers the sadness our Lord must be feeling while watching the break up of our family.  

I prefer to finish with Pauls words (Gal. 5:6 MSG)  - "For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love."  To my dear Allies, DO NOT FEAR!   For God sees your faith expressed in love.