Last month we published two posts by Aidyn Sevilla as well as one by his wife, Joy. Sevilla identifies himself as a "gay Christian" in a straight marriage. His articles were honest, raw, and uncomfortably unresolved. He affirmed his commitment to Christ, his commitment to his marriage, and the complicated task of being faithful to both—as a man who is same-sex attracted in a church culture ill-equipped to help him.
Reactions to Sevilla's posts were strong, both in the comments as well as in emails our editorial team received. Many readers applauded the courage and transparency evident in the articles, while others were bothered by the ambiguity of Sevilla's theology and how he identified himself. Some, however, assumed that Sevilla's articles carried a hidden message about where PARSE's editors stand on the controversies surrounding homosexuality in the church and same-sex marriage in our culture. That was not the case.
I am ordained in a denomination that holds to a traditional theology of marriage and sexuality. But that was little help when a couple like Aidyn and Joy walked into my church office years ago.
Over the last few years, I have been increasingly engaged in conversations about LGBT rights and religious liberty. I recognize the enormity of these matters for the church and its mission in North America, as well as the divisions they can cause in both congregations and households. I'm also cognizant of the challenges organizations are having as the historically homogeneous sexual ethic of evangelicals begins to fracture. (The whiplash caused by World Vision's recent decisions are a vivid example.)
Our decision to publish Aidyn and Joy Sevilla's articles, however, had nothing to do with these social, political, or theological controversies. We launched PARSE to host conversations about the intersection of ministry and culture. Unlike articles in Leadership Journal, we don't expect every piece on PARSE to be a self-contained and complete thought. Posts are intended to start discussions, not end them. We are looking for ideas and authors that will stir discussion, and then guide discussions that will stir learning. Sevilla's posts met these criteria because they raised important questions even without providing many answers. While this made some readers very uncomfortable, that is exactly what good blog posts do.
More important for me than the articles' form was their resonance with pastoral reality. Many of us would like to keep the issue of homosexuality on a theological or theoretical level. I am ordained in a denomination that holds to a traditional theology of marriage and sexuality. I affirm this position and can provide a theological argument to defend it, but that was little help when a couple like Aidyn and Joy walked into my church office years ago. Those are the moments when we need the wisdom to connect the ideals of our theology to the realities of our ministry.
When reality walks in
I enjoy watching Pawn Stars on the History Channel. It features three generations of the Harrison family operating a Las Vegas pawn shop. At the opening of every episode Rick Harrison says, "One thing I've learned after twenty-one years—you never know what is going to come through that door." Anyone in local church ministry can resonate with that. Our editorial intent for PARSE is to publish articles that help church leaders wrestle with the messy cultural realities that walk through their ministry's doors. When I first read Aidyn Sevilla's article, it immediately resonated with what I've experienced in pastoral ministry, and it fit with conversations I've had with pastors around the country.
Last year I spoke with a pastor friend about "tough cases" he's facing in his church. He also serves in a denomination holding a traditional theology of sexuality and marriage, but his church is in an urban neighborhood with a sizable LGBT community. "A lesbian couple has been coming to my church for the last year, and they're honestly seeking to learn about Christ," he reported. "They want to dedicate their new baby to the Lord in our service. I don't know what to do."
Another ministry friend described being approached by his gay neighbors for counseling. "They're married, they don't know God, and they're going though some serious conflicts," he said. "I don't know what my goal should be. Do I want their relationship to get better? Do I want them to split up? I want them to know God, but how does that apply to their presenting difficulties in their relationship?" Then he asked the most pastoral question, "How do I bring the presence of Christ into this situation?"
Realities of ministry today go far beyond theological truth. The people coming into our lives are not blank canvases waiting for us to apply our paint-by-number theology.
These are the tough realities of ministry today that go far beyond theoretical truth. The people coming into our lives are not blank canvases waiting for us to apply our paint-by-number theology. They come pre-painted and very often with abstract compositions that we can't begin to understand without the Holy Spirit's wisdom.
It is important for pastors, church, denominations, and organizations to gain theological and pastoral clarity about sexuality and marriage. I'm grateful for the resources that exists to help with these questions–including what we publish in Christianity Today and Leadership Journal, but PARSE is not such a resource. It exists to help ministry practitioners wrestle with the realities and ambiguities of their calling. If we are serious about shepherding people, and not just about arguing positions, then we need to have our theology pushed to ground level. We need to hear from the Aidyn and Joy Sevillas in our communities. And we need to be asking, "How do I bring the presence of Christ to whomever comes through my door?"
Skye Jethani is executive editor of Leadership Journal and PARSE.
