When Liz and I were at the Festival of Homiletics in Nashville last May, I was challenged several times spiritually.  As we sat at lunch with several pastors from across the nation, one mainline Christian denomination pastor shared how we should not preach against the Islam faith.  I asked her how she came to this conclusion.  She responded that her Muslim neighbors were wonderful, and that they represented the true Islam faith.

 

I asked her if they had invited her to their prayer services at their mosque.  No.  Has she taken classes at their mosque to study their faith?  No.  Has she studied their holy book, The Koran?  No.  Have they discussed their faiths together?  No.  She repeated again that her Muslim neighbor friends were nice, and we should not preach against them and other world religions.

With Liz patting my knee to keep me from overreacting, I shared that I had been in prayer services in a mosque, I have taken classes at a mosque, I have Muslim friends with whom I have discussed our beliefs, and I have read The Koran.  And even with my wonderful Muslim friends, I am still considered an infidel.  And what is the Gospel of Jesus Christ to her?  Why should we bother to pray and witness to the whole world as Jesus commanded us to do so?

Then she replied, “Oh, you must be one of the conservative, evangelical, fundamentalist, right-wing Christians.”  Liz pulled me away.

During that same week, I had discussions about immigration laws, homosexuality, the authority of the Bible, progressive theology, etc.,  where Liz patted my knee, or I patted her knee from overreacting.  I am glad we went to Florida for a rest afterwards.

I do not like the label “conservative, evangelical, fundamentalist, right-wing Christian.”  I am a believer in Jesus Christ who saved me from myself.  I do not believe that the Christian faith is black and white.  There are too many gray areas.  John Wesley reminds us to have a balance between Scripture, Reason, Experience, and Tradition.  I believe we should be able to dialogue with each other but be informed!

This leads me with the Holy Spirit’s guidance to preach on a series of controversial topics this fall.  I have finished the Rev. Adam Hamilton’s book, Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White.  The Rev. Adam Hamilton is the founding and senior pastor of the 14,000 member United Methodist Church of the Resurrection outside Kansas City.  I will be using material from this book and other books to preach about gray area topics.

I ask for your prayers, for your attendance, and for your dialogue.  As Christians, we are called to be a light to the world – Jesus’ light.  You should be informed.  And not just from the sermons – you are called this fall to get into Bible discussion groups.  We need to be informed.  Are you serious about your faith in Jesus?

Help me, Lord, to keep in Your Truth -

Pastor Ralph