Place Their Metric Upon Yourself
Much of the social disconnect between evangelicals and the GLBT community stems from worldview. Each community projects its own worldview upon the other and expects properly correlated results. Such a framework communicates the inherent presupposition that in order for something significant to happen relationally, one person must fall within the worldview boundaries that have been placed upon them by the other. Jesus did not do this. He did the exact opposite. Whenever Jesus taught in a synagogue (Matthew 4:23, 9:35; Mark 1:39; Luke 4:15) the Bible says that He went to "their synagogues." Whether or not anyone believed Jesus' teaching in those synagogues, He legitimized the other group's ownership of worldview and place, and still went about "doing good" (Acts 10:38) establishing Kingdom nonetheless.
What Is Reconciliation?
My theological understanding is that Jesus is the hinge that brings about a God-to-human reconciliation simultaneously with a human-to-human reconciliation. Kingdom establishment is so woven into the work of reconciliation that if you're not reconciled to those most unlike yourself, it is impossible to fully experience being reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18; 1 John 4:20; Matthew 5:23-24). Therefore our work in building bridges and establishing Kingdom between evangelicals and the GLBT community has more to do with the understanding that faithfulness, from both communities, is the new evangelism -- the new medium of engagement.
Andrew blogs daily at www.loveisanorientation.com. He lives with his wife Brenda in the Boystown neighborhood of Chicago.
Twitter: @LovesMeSomeYou
Facebook: www.facebook.com/marin.andrew
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