More or Less Clear

It's important that we adhere to the truth of the Scriptures and sit under solid, credible teaching. Hebrews 13 address these concepts:
7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

There are quite a few "various and strange doctrines" that are out there these days, and I believe the author here is calling believers to hold to the teachings of Christ, who, according to verse 8, does not change.  We have to be discerning with regard to the teaching and preaching we receive, and make sure that what is taught is lining up with God's Word.  In an age of relativism and confusion, it's important that we adhere to the clarity of the Scriptures.

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In 2nd Timothy 3, we can read a list of behaviors that the writer states will appear in the "last days." In the first 5 verses of the chapter, he states:
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

The Bible is clear about what constitutes sinful behavior and what does not - and we can even see in this list that there are root attitudes that contribute to behavior that violates the heart of God.  In an age of tolerance, we recognize that the truth of the Scriptures show us what lines up with His principles, and the good news is that if we are not following His direction, we can repent and go in the right way.  But, we cannot just do things our own way, put a God-stamp on them and believe we are walking in obedience.

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In the Church, we have the opportunity to walk in light instead of darkness, and to see people experience life where death has reigned.  Hearts can be changed, sin can be exposed, and freedom can be enjoyed. 1st Corinthians 6 states:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

I believe that we should be very clear with respect to what we believe.  I think of declarations that the Church has used for centuries through which Christians express to the world their convictions, such as the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Westminster Confession.

So, put me down in the category of believing in church clarity.  However, I don't believe in this organization called Church Clarity, which "rates" churches based on their stance on LGBTQ issues. The purveyors of this progressive sort of clarity actually expect churches to put on their website their beliefs on one single issue, granting a sort of special status to those who practice this sinful behavior.

It's Christian identity politics at its worst.  Progressive writer Jonathan Merritt, whose writings carry a distinct bent toward favoring LGBT issues has given space to the Church Clarity organization, going as far as to say in a recent article on the ReligionNews.com website:

Last October, evangelicalism was rocked by the launch of ChurchClarity.org, an organization that reports churches’ LGBTQ+ policiesand rates congregations based on their level of clarity. The website angered Christians on both sides of the issue. Some conservatives attacked the CC’s liberal leadership, while some progressives claimed that labeling churches undermined progress.

I don't know how "rocked" evangelicalism was by this new initiative, but the Church Clarity people are certainly trying.  They have attempted to denigrate "megachurches," according to the latest Merritt piece.

Make no mistake, the agenda seems to be to try to force churches to adopt a more "gay-friendly" stance, or at least to call attention to the issue.  The article says: "Using Outreach Magazine’s popular annual list, CC’s staff uncovered three explosive insights about America’s mega-churches." The first one: "None of America’s 100 largest churches are LGBTQ-affirming."

None. Zero. Nada.  Merritt writes: "None of them have policies affirming same-sex people and relationships."  Notice the author's linkage:  people and relationships.  I would submit that same-sex people, albeit all people should be affirmed and welcomed by churches.  But, sin should not be excused; as Jesus said, "Go and sin no more."  He gave us the simple model of ministering to people but exhorting them to change.

Now, Church Clarity decided it would pile on and report that 93% of America's megachurches are led by a white pastor and only 1 of these top 100 churches is led by a female pastor. 

Mark Tooley of the Institute on Religion and Democracy wrote an excellent response to the Merritt piece, especially those stats on race and gender.  He said:

This latest slam against megachurches implies they’re racially exclusive because over 90 percent of pastors are white. Megachurches have mostly originated in mostly white suburbs and exurbs, but their congregations are more diverse than commonly imagined. A 2015 survey showed that 10 percent of megachurches reporting no racial majority, while 37 percent of megachurches reported between 20 percent and 49 percent minority presence in their majority white congregations. Megachurches also report that about 20 percent of their worshipers are between ages 18-34.

He also points out that the so-called "inclusive" Mainline denominations are 88 to 96 percent white, according to a Pew survey, except for the "American Baptist denomination, the least liberal among the seven, which is 73 percent white."

Tooley, a United Methodist who is not a megachurch guy, said that: "All the liberal Mainline denominations ordain women. But the vast bulk of global Christianity doesn’t, including of course Catholicism, Orthodoxy and most of global Protestantism." He writes, "...I’m loathe to condemn as intrinsically bigoted the vast majority with different teachings. If megachurches are chauvinistic and bigoted why do they more successfully attract women and non-whites than the ostensibly more enlightened liberal churches?"

There is much discussion today about women in church leadership, and various denominations and churches have their own policies.  But, for this discussion on Church Clarity, the organization, we recognize that these are just side issues that were seemingly thrown in to further denigrate a visible segment of Christianity.  And, we realize that God is working throughout the Church at large, whether a local church is large or small.

Oh, by the way, a megachurch is defined by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research as having "a sustained average weekly attendance of 2000 persons or more in its worship services, counting all adults and children at all its worship locations."

The largest "participating" church in the 2017 Outreach magazine study is Alabama's Church of the Highlands, with over 40,000 in attendance.  The 100th-ranked church has just over 5,000.

Our takeaways, you might say, are "clear" today.  First, we should always seek to be clear in our approach to the Scriptures and base our discussion on matters of faith on the Bible.  So, clarity is a good thing - Jesus was abundantly clear in His teaching on a variety of issues, and the Bible is a source of clear, absolute truth by which we can live.

And, we are called to proclaim that truth to a culture that needs to see that truth, expressed in a clear manner.

Churches should be clear on their teachings on homosexuality, as well as a variety of sins - but, why would you give preference to one particular sin?  The Church should be a place of welcome and healing - inviting people to come into our midst so that they can hear and apply the truth.  And, keep in mind, that's not what Church Clarity is all about.  As Tooley writes, "The originating advocacy group wants to shame these churches."

We have to be discerning based on truth.  There is a so-called "progressive" movement in modern Christianity that wants to re-write the Book and to turn the practice of Christianity upside down. There are those homosexuals who claim to be "wounded" by the church.  And, we should always be dedicated to speaking God's truth in love.  But keep in mind: the purpose of the gospel is not to wound sinners, but to heal.  A repentant sinner can accept the conviction of the Holy Spirit, based on God's truth, and experience incredible freedom in Christ.