Reconnections

When I began this blog, I felt it was geared to GLBT Christians who like myself had gone through a wilderness and desired to reconnect with God and reconcile their faith with their sexuality. This is still true, however as is true with God most of the time, there was a greater mission and purpose and I had began with just a limited view of this.

I never have been comfortable with the idea of a ministry exclusively to GLBT Christians. For those with that calling, I am thankful for you. Metropolitan Community Churches for instance was such a Godsend to me, and I would not be where I am now if not for this church family who took me in a nursed me through a very difficult time. I did contemplate taking a ministry route with MCC, but have always felt that God wanted me to go in a different direction. I also want to say MCC is inclusive and all are welcome, but it functions primarily as a ministry for the GLBT community.

It is one of the reasons, the Progressive Christian Alliance has also been such a God send to me. However I will admit, God brought them into my life when, it was a stretch for me to take such a leap. The wineskin on this former Evangelical, pentecostal southern pastor has been stretched a lot on this journey. God has had more confidence in my elasticity than I did, but as happens many times in our journey of faith, we find God knew what God was doing and has perfect timing.

Back to Reconnections..... I now find that this God given ministry name, describes many people. There are many who are tired of organized religion and are leaving churches and paths they have been on for some time. It isn't that they aren't spiritual people or people of faith but they have lost faith in institutions or religion. Some have been hurt by churches or ministries. Some have become frustrated with the state of the church or the hype of the "celebrity Hollywood" type of consumerism that masks itself using the name of God. There are also those who have followed what the church has taught and who have been faithful but find that their faith doesn't meet the challenges of life and falls short of a real authentic way of life. They find themselves "going through the motions" or "spinning their wheels" and yet not feeling the real connections to God. I know I was here.

When I resigned my last pastorate, it was just for those reasons. I felt like I was going through the motions, but yet I knew there had to be more. My faith failed to meet the challenges of my struggles and yet seemed to condemn my condition. It offered no real answers, but yet pointed out a lot of problems. I felt disconnected.

Today, I am thankful to report that God is much bigger than what I had been taught. I am connected to God in a very real way, and my faith is very authentic. I live without the guilt and shame that religion had once burdened me with and God's Love and Grace are very real to me. I enjoy the presence of God daily in my life and I truly believe in the Good News of the Gospel. My life still has challenges, however I have a faith that meets them.

All I needed was a reconnection with God in relationship based on Love, truth and a paradigm shift and how I see and relate to God. Which seems to be more like what Jesus lived and religion distracts from.

don't get me wrong,I am not against church or religion, I am just for relationship.

Peace to you in Christ!



- Posted by a fellow sojourner from his mobile office