Ragamuffin Soul

What would you do if you had your own storefront?
Los

I thought the title catchy…
And the weeks almost over…
So bear with me.
The conversation is too important to stop now.
Meet my friend Andrew.
Andrew Marin is the President and Founder of The Marin Foundation (www.themarinfoundation.org), a non-profit organization that seeks to build bridges between the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and religious communities.
He wrote an award winning book called Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community.
His life changed forever when his three best friends came out to him in three consecutive months and he was compelled to understand how he could reconcile his friends to his faith.
So his wife and him moved to Boystown, a predominantly GLBT community in Chicago to jump into the conversation feet first.
I asked Andrew to jump into the conversation and he recorded this video for your discussion.
Andrew will be bouncing around the comment section interacting with you guys so feel free to ask him anything you are interested in!!!

Talk…
Los

IMPORTANT!!!
I NEVER moderate the comments here at RS, But since this is SO touchy…
I’m a gonna be watching you guys like white on rice.
I don’t even agree 100% with EVERYTHING Andrew is saying, but I do agree with what he is doing.
And hopefully you don’t agree with EVERYTHING I say on this blog.
Meekness wins…
Disagree all day and night.
But disagree like Christ would…
In love…
Or poof…
Out ya go!
Thanks.
Los

Yesterday I posted an email I received from a good friend who was laid off because he admitted that he struggled with homosexuality.
Go see the post and read the comments if you can stomach it.
Honestly…
If we spoke to each other in real life the way some of the commenters spoke to each other…
It could almost be enough to take a Bic to my ears.
Reminded me of this a bit…
Anyways…
I responded to him BEFORE I ever wrote that post.
While reading the comments I honestly almost decided not to post my reply…
Because I’m not NEAR as smart as most of you.
I mean I read my Bible…A Lot…
But I’m just a beautiful mess of a idiot.
So decided to post it anyways.
Because that is what I said I’d do.
Cause if the only people who can live a “true” Christian life are the smart ones who can read Greek, then we are all screwed.
Look at me. Full of integrity and stuff.
At least once a month or so.
So here is what I wrote my buddy *****.
I know many will want more, less, or whatever…Thank God I wasn’t writing it to the many…just to my buddy.

******,
Dude. That sucks. Sucks. I know your heart. I know your story. I know your struggle.
Well actually, I don’t know your struggle…but you know what I mean.
Listen. I’m not a theologian. I don’t have a doctorate. It took me like 10 years to get my BA.
So what I know is only from walking my journey with Jesus and not a greek dictionary. Here’s the deal.
You admit that it is a struggle. I admit that when a hot chick walks by I don’t always bounce my eyes. I try. But I fail.
That failure, whenever it happens in many other areas of my life as well cause a division between Jesus, Heather, and I.
Whether that be porn, lying, overeating, laziness, whatever. It drives a big fat steak between Jesus, Heather, and I.
Me? I am a lusting man that is on a journey towards redemption by the power and blood of Jesus Christ.
You? You are a gay man that is on a journey towards redemption by the power and blood of Jesus Christ.
Your gluttonous boss? He is a gluttonous man that is on a journey towards redemption by the power and blood of Jesus Christ.
The key to your question for me is “struggles”. This would assume that there is a conviction and wrestling match with sin in both of your lives. If you are struggling with this…and you went to your gluttonous pastor asking for help, and he drop kicked you without trying to come alongside you… Jesus would not have done that. Just an FYI.
But you know what? He’s also not Jesus. He might be trying like hell to be, or heaven, but he’s not Jesus.
So. Now what? As a gay man called to lead people to Jesus…
Love the crap out of your pastor. Love him till it hurts.
You are obviously not meant to work alongside him.
But if you are still the same ****** that I’ve always known…then you are called to ministry. You are.
And your ministry has just shifted… From loving 150 people from on stage… To loving 151 people off stage… And that one extra…love him like you would have wanted him to love you last week.
Jesus first…
second…
and third…
Carlos

In the coming days we will be diving in a bit closer to the heart of this as I interview a good friend of mine who is ready to come out of the blog closet with his struggle with being gay and working in a church…
So keep putting your bullhorn down and pick up a cup of coffee and whisper with me these next few days…
Drip Jesus…
Los

If you could make a documentary, it would be about…
Los

I got this question from a great friend who was let go from a church staff because he struggled with homosexuality and asked him if I could share it with you.
It read…

If a fat man can lead a church, serve on a church staff, and not be held responsible for his lack of self discipline when it comes to gluttony…
Then why can’t a gay man lead a church, serve on a church staff and not be held responsible for his lack of self discipline when it comes to homosexuality?

I’ll share my response tomorrow…
But for tonight…
I’d love to hear your answers.
Answers…
Los