Why I Believe We Must Protect Marriage

The United Methodist Church’s Book of Discipline (2004) states, “We affirm the sanctity of the marriage covenant that is expressed in love, mutual support, personal commitment, and shared fidelity between a man and a woman. We believe that God’s blessing rests upon such marriage, whether or not there are children of the union. We reject social norms that assume different standards for women than for men in marriage. We support laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.” (Emphasis mine, par. 161.C.)

You may have read that our annual conference (the California-Pacific Conference) disagrees with the Book of Discipline and voted recently to oppose the so-called “Marriage Amendment” on the ballot in California in November. So I am going against the majority of clergy and lay delegates to annual conference when I say that I think it is very important that Proposition 8 (the “Marriage Amendment”) passes on November 4^th. In many respects, this is more important than who we select for president!

I believe this is important because at no time in history has marriage ever been defined as anything other than the union between the genders. When we broaden that definition to include unions of same-gendered persons we run the risk of destroying marriage itself. What’s to keep us from allowing the marriage of a brother and sister (as long as they plan to have no children, why not?)? The Scriptures and the Tradition of the church clearly disallow same-gender marriage. And yet, in little less than 20 years of public debate, we have reversed centuries of historic wisdom, both secular and religious. I’m thinking that we need to consider this some more!

I am willing to have “domestic partnerships” with legal standing in civil society. But if the State Supreme Court’s ruling (striking down the law that defined marriage as between one man and one woman) is allowed to stand, the state could very well force the churches to not only recognize same-gender marriages, but to perform same-gender weddings as well. And if a preacher were to speak out against it (even from the pulpit), he or she might be subject to arrest for “hate crimes!” This kind of think is already happening in Canada. If California does not reverse the State Supreme Court’s ruling, it will have a detrimental effect on the rest of the United States as far as resisting this band wagon of same-gender marriage.

I will be working to support the passage of Proposition 8 on the November 4^th ballot. If you would like to get involved, check out http://www.protectmarriagesd.com/ on the internet or call (619) 660-5000 to see how you can get involved.

A Year After the Fire

This month marks a year since our sanctuary at Chino UMC was set afire. I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the past year and the road we have traveled together.

No one discounts the trauma our congregation has experienced because of the fire and resulting damage to the sanctuary. Already, in fact, the event has formed a new identity for us as “the church that had its sanctuary burned.” It is quite possible that my ministry here will be remembered in large part as “the pastor who sat in his office while the church burned!” I hope not, but you never know!

My hope, of course, is that we will not let our tragedy define us. Rather, I hope we will take our tragedy and, with God’s power, transform our identity to “the church that is on fire for the Lord!”

During this past year, we have heard countless “updates” on the progress of rebuilding the sanctuary. There is no doubt that reconstruction has taken a lot of my time, your time, the Trustees time and our Insurance Company’s money. But even more important than the construction updates have been the signs and wonders of God in our midst. Have you noticed them?

Two classes have gone through the “Experiencing God” course. Out of those two classes, individuals are coming alive in their walk with God, finding new and exciting ways to recognize God’s action in our lives and joining in with God to be in ministry. We have hosted a series of services with Dr. Tom Fuller, a United Methodist Evangelist who helped us learn a lot about John and Charles Wesley and, even more importantly, what Wesleyan Christian Spirituality is all about. There have been sermon series on Spiritual Disciplines, a look at First and Second Corinthians and how Paul deals with Christian Discipleship, and a series on Spiritual Gifts culminating with a Spiritual Gift Inventory and the discovery of our unique spiritual gifts. We experienced the miracle of a Thanksgiving Day meal for the community and the Sierra Service Project, to name just a couple of mission-oriented ministries that were birthed after the fire. It has been a year of focusing on deepening our Passionate Spirituality, and I think we have, as a congregation, grown quite a bit as a result.

We have worshipped in the Social Hall this entire year, and that has had a significant impact on us. We are learning to anticipate God’s presence even in a setting in which we are not accustomed to experiencing it. We are trying new things in worship and finding that God meets us there, even as He has met us in old, familiar ways. My deepest desire is that our time of exile from the sanctuary will be a time when we meet God and let Him transform us individually and congregationally into the people He desires us to be. Is that not your desire as well?

Welcome to the Continued Journey!

Another Annual Conference

Marilyn Mohnike, Kim Hidalgo, Paul McConnell and I are back from Redlands where we attended the California-Pacific Annual Conference sessions at the University of Redlands. It was hotter than blazes out there! But it was good to visit with old friends, worship together and celebrate our common ministry.

But Conference used to be more fun. I’ve been going to Conference for 30 years, and I can remember looking forward to it each year. But over the last 20 or so years, Conference has become more and more contentious. The division between liberal (progressive) and conservative (traditional) has grown deeper over the years, as the agenda for social action has been pushed harder and harder. In recent years there has been an attempt to be less contentious in our debate, but the underlying struggle between two mutually exclusive world views has remained. What results is a lot of stress and fear.

I mentioned the “agenda for social action.” I should be more specific. Over the past couple of decades, the majority of delegates at Annual Conference have shifted more to the left, socially and theologically. And the major hot-button issue has been homosexuality. But underlying the debate about homosexuality is a theological issue related to the Bible. There are those who wish to ignore portions of the Bible that condemn homosexuality, or if not ignore it, interpret it away. On the other side, there are those who want to raise homosexuality to the position of “#1 Sin.” Both are wrong. Both are extremes. But what happens at Conference is that these two positions, and variations on them, debate resolutions and statements which are then voted on, and the majority rules. Feelings are hurt, and people avoid each other because of it.

That is why Conference is no fun anymore!

In the words of Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?!” I long for the day when controversial issues no longer force a wedge between Christian brothers and sisters, and we can all move forward in the ministry of the Kingdom, hand-in-hand, with the Lord as our guide! Maybe then, Conference will be fun again.

Be Blessed!

Sermons

I've decided to quit publishing my sermons on this blog. Instead, I will post them (as .pdf files) on the church website: http://www.chinoumc.org. Look for the "Sermons" link on the left-hand column.

Same-Gender Marriage

The recent ruling by the California Supreme Court striking down a state law that was approved by the voters of California a few years ago which defined marriage as between one man and one woman will no doubt cause a great deal of controversy. I am fully aware that there are good, moral people on both sides of this issue. I am also aware that our congregation is not of one mind on this issue. And so I address the matter with some fear and trepidation.

On the one hand, it seems that the dictates of fairness and human compassion would lead one to celebrate the court’s decision. After all, aren’t all people “created equal” and all entitled to “equal rights?” Isn’t the attempt to exclude homosexual people from marrying each other just another form of discrimination? Aren’t we going through some of the same moral enlightenment that we did in the 1960's when the Civil Rights movement took the country by storm?

These are persuasive arguments.

Fairness and compassion have replaced truth and wisdom as the guiding principles of modern moral thought. The four justices of the California Supreme Court who voted to overturn Proposition 22 acted out of an extreme sense of fairness and compassion. But I honestly wonder how wise it is and what relationship it has with truth.

My concern is with the redefinition of “marriage.” In all of history, no system of philosophy and no major religion has ever defined marriage as anything other than a union of male and female. Granted, in ancient times, polygamy was permitted and encouraged. But never were persons of the same gender united in a relationship termed “marriage.” And yet, in a very short period of time (can you imagine anything like this happening 30 years ago?), four state supreme justices and millions of their supporters have succeeded in changing something that has stood for millennia. I submit that no one can know the upheaval that this will cause in our society if it is not over-turned.

The United Methodist Church, through the General Conference, recently reaffirmed its stand against same-gender marriage, affirming that marriage is to be defined as between one man and one woman. It further reaffirmed the prohibition of United Methodist ministers conducting same-gender weddings, or allowing same-gender weddings in United Methodist churches. There were efforts to change that stance, but they failed. The Judeo-Christian Scriptures consistently affirm marriage to be between male and female persons. If the decision of the court is allowed to stand (if a constitutional amendment either at the state level or the federal level defining marriage as between a male and a female is not passed), it will not be long until those who hold to traditional, biblical values and who refuse to conduct same-gender wedding ceremonies, and churches that refuse to allow such weddings to be held in their buildings will be labeled “heteosexists” and will most likely convicted of “hate speech” for voicing traditional values.

To assume that this is simply a matter of fairness and compassion is naive. I call the congregation of Chino UMC to pray, seriously pray about this. Consider what upheaval this decision may cause society and the church. Pray for those wounded by years of perceived unfairness who feel vindicated by this decision. And pray for those who are wounded by the decision itself. Let us search the heart of God for wisdom and truth.

God's Grace Even in Jail

This past weekend, I was once again involved in the Epiphany Ministries weekend at Stark Youth Correctional Facility in Chino, and once again, God showed up in a big way! It amazes me each time, but it shouldn't. God's grace is especially available to those for whom life is hard.

And life is very hard for young men who are incarcerated!

The weekend is much like a "Walk to Emmaus" or Cursillo in some traditions. It is essentially a short course in Christianity with a large dose of hospitality and love thrown in. The young men are surrounded by people who show love to them--real love, the kind that Jesus demonstrated. For many of them this is the first time anyone has ever loved them. Most of them have been abandoned in some way or another, abused or otherwise forgotten. They have turned to abusing others and have been caught. For most, love was never a part of their lives.

The difference between when they first walked in on Friday morning and when they walked out on Sunday evening is nothing less than miraculous. Young men who were hardened (or trying to be) in order to protect themselves on Friday morning, find that by being loved they can show love in return and enjoy themselves. One young man said it best: "Here, I don't have to worry about who's behind me!" I told him, "That's right! Jesus has your back!"

Thank you for all who prayed for the weekend. And thanks to all of the team members who worked very hard to make it happen. But very special thanks to the Lord for truly making it all happen, for the young men, for the staff at the facility, and for the team.

It was amazing!

We Are Never Alone

I want to share this story with you. May it teach us how very close God is to us each and every day!

Be Blessed,

[Pastor] Glen

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone.

He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience because each boy must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man. Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone.

Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.