Miroslav Wolf, Exclusion to Embrace (2002)

“How should we live as Christian communities today faced with the ‘new tribalism’ that is fracturing our societies, separating peoples and cultural groups, and fomenting vicious conflicts?”

“If we don’t figure this out, we’re going to war--a social war. And we’re going to be killing a bunch of people along the way. But the church ought to be leading the charge to talk.”Pastor John Larson, Hope Church, commenting on Wolf’s question.

Jeff Chu, Does Jesus Really Love Me? (2013)

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

Reframing the DiscussionFrom its inception, Christianity has been defined by those who choose to follow Christ, clinging tightly to the foundational truths that Jesus both revealed and exemplified, especially during times of great uncertainty, stress and disagreement.

SINWe’re all in the same sinking

boat but Jesus proved he loves

us all

HOLINESSEach Christian has chosen to pursue a

God-honoring life, but it’s far from simple or

without snags

CHURCHA radically diverse Body of grateful,

reconciled, mutually submitting brothers and sisters in Christ

LOVEThe No.1 distinctive expected of every

Christ-follower; must be unexpected and is often uncomfortable

July 20th July 27th TODAY August 11th

Congregational Discernment ProcessWhy have we told ourselves that we don’t need to apply these Christian truths to fellow believers who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender?

What would life together in Christ look like if we did apply these and how would we go about figuring that out together as the Body of Christ?

SINBecause God sees them as much more

sinful than us?

HOLINESSBecause they aren’t as committed to living

God-honoring lives as we are?

CHURCHBecause being

LGBTQ disqualifies them from being part

of Christ’s body?

LOVEBecause Jesus doesn’t

expect us to love anyone who makes us

uncomfortable?

All Included in God’s

New FamilyA Grateful and Mutually Submitting

F A I T H V I L L A G E

“The Household of God”EPH219-22 That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home. (MSG)

“The Household of God”

•The Foundation: Saved by Grace

•The Core Nature: Reconciliation, Unity & Peace

•The Function: Healthy Practices & Ethics

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Faith Village

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Being a member of the Household of God is God’s gift to everyone who believes in Jesus.

EPH28 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Most golfers don’t have a prayer of ever playing “Amen Corner.”

Where there were two, now there is one.

EPH213 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

Where there was hatred, now there is peace.

GENT

ILESThe Jew had a low estimate of the Gentile's character. The most vile and unnatural

crimes were imputed to Gentiles. They considered it not safe to leave cattle in their charge, to allow their women to nurse infants, or their physicians to attend the sick,

nor to walk in their company, without taking precautions against sudden attacks.

The Gentiles should, as far as possible, be altogether avoided, except in cases of necessity or for the sake of business. They and theirs were defiled; their houses

unclean, as containing idols or things dedicated to idols. Their feasts and their joyous occasions were polluted by idolatry. You could not leave the room if a Gentile was in

it because he might, carelessly or on purpose, defile the wine or food on the table, or the oil and wheat in the cupboard.

Under such circumstances, everything must be regarded as unclean.

Household of God = United Diverse New Family Members

Very real differences remain, but they NO LONGER PREVENT US from being brothers and sisters in the NEW FAMILY that Christ created by dying on the cross for all our sins.

UNCOMMON

U N I T Y

“The Household of God”

•The Foundation: Saved by Grace

•The Core Nature: Reconciliation, Unity & Peace

•The Function: Healthy Practices & Ethics

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Faith Village

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This Is Really Possible!

EPH42 Christ-like CHARACTER (fruit of the Spirit)

EPH51-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. (MSG)

EPH521 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

1Cor134 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always

protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails.

Arises from hearts overflowing with gratitude.

What Does Mutual Submission Look Like?

Able to put the concerns of others before your own.

Unafraid to give away positional power.

“The Household of God”

Faith Village

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A Grateful & Mutually Submitting Faith Village