I was recently approached by an excited young woman who’s planning on being baptized. She shared her excitement that she had invited 22 friends to witness and celebrate her public declaration of her identity as a follower of Jesus. Her mood became more pensive as she shared, “I’ve invited my trans friend to come to my baptism …”
Literally, within minutes, I was asked the question, “I believe in transubstantiation; is that okay?” For a quick reminder, this question relates to views regarding communion. Catholic tradition is that the bread and cup change substance (transubstantiation) and literally become the body and blood of Christ. Martin Luther proposed consubstantiation, Christ is spiritually present (i.e., body and blood coexist with the Lord’s supper elements). Ulrich Zwingli, the Swiss Reformer, adopted the view that the elements were not literal but symbols, and that view is held in many Protestant traditions today.
At the essence of both of these inquiries is, “What is the basis of welcome and acceptance?”
I’ve been a Calvary Chapel pastor for about 35 years and was trained by Pastor Chuck. During the three-plus decades, I don’t believe that my doctrine has shifted an iota, but my communication has become more nuanced in this cultural moment.
Last Sunday, I taught Gen. 2:18-24 where we first discover God’s design for marriage. This paradigm is affirmed by Jesus and Paul in the New Testament (Matt. 19, Eph. 5). Thirty-plus years ago, I likely presumed that my audience understood that God’s design for marriage was between a man and a woman entering a sacred covenant agreement that is intended until death parts.
Presently, my communication in guiding a community of faith through this passage of Scripture has to be nuanced. Nuanced is not compromised. But compassion, empathy, and grace require me to recognize that the audience likely includes not only singles longing to be married, widowers who will grieve the loss of their spouse and bestie, those who have experienced divorce, those who are unmarried and are cohabitating, and the same-sex attracted.
A remark like, “It’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,” might elicit some laughs from a certain demographic but is more likely to elicit cringes and groans from a larger demographic of Christians today. That’s not because they are “woke” or “snowflakes” or any other derogatory label. It’s a simple recognition that in the secular culture that’s contemplating or considering the claims of Christ and His gospel, people would be put off by the offensive and unnecessary remark.
So, as a Bible teacher, I need to address my understanding that the Bible doesn’t affirm same-sex marriage covenant relationships. I need to express that God sees heterosexual sin and homosexual sin as wrong. That God doesn’t hate same-sex attracted people, that humanity thrives in relationship with God and others. That friendship is exalted in a biblical worldview (see John 15). That marriage is an ideal picture of the relationship between Christ and His church (see Eph. 5:21-33, Rev. 19-21) and that the same goal of unity or oneness in a believer’s relationship with Jesus is the same between spouses. And that the primary obstacles are shame, guilt, pain, sin and rebellion. Finally, the antidote for that condition and the means to unity are the same — the gospel! That’s plenty to articulate as nuanced communication and expositional Bible teaching related to Gen. 2:18-25 in a 40-minute window.
So, someone who’s excited about their upcoming baptism wants their trans friend to bear witness to the event, celebrate with her, and ideally hear the Bible taught and the gospel presented — and ideally discover that their primary identity is to be a follower of Jesus and child of God. And knowing that some church people can be judgmental, shunning, self-righteous, averse to people who are different, and homophobic, she wants to know that it’ll be okay.
She trusts that I’ll be welcoming, that the teaching will be without compromise and with compassion, and that the church we attend is a very loving community. Still, she also recognizes that it might only take one insensitive person to effectively become an obstacle for her friend to come to Christ. So, the pensive tone, “I’ve invited my trans friend to come to my baptism …”
And somehow I’ve linked the question to another seemingly unrelated question regarding theological perspectives related to communion (transubstantiation). And as I contemplate these seemingly unrelated questions, I’ve just returned from a gathering of Calvary Chapel leaders in Florida, and I’m very excited for our family of churches. So, let me try to quickly connect the dots.
Several members of our Executive Team have sought to undertake a writing project (booklet) articulating our Calvary Chapel essential values, or DNA. This will likely be published prior to our International Conference gathering in June. And although I don’t feel at liberty to discuss the entirety of the contents, the reception at this meeting was palpable and entirely positive. (Stay tuned.)
One of the values that’s likely familiar to all of us in the Calvary Chapel universe is cultivating grace- or gospel-centered cultures. Pastor Chuck welcomed people who represented the prevailing secular culture to come and consider Jesus and His gospel. Acceptance into God’s family was conditioned upon faith in Christ, not moral performance or perfection.
Personally, I came to faith at CC Costa Mesa, but I was raised in an observant Jewish home. When I received Christ, people asked me whether I was a completed Jew, a Messianic Jew, or a Jew born anew. I had no idea. I only knew that I believed that Jesus is truly our people’s Messiah, and I wanted to follow Him. So, how I identified myself wasn’t the basis of welcome or acceptance.
As we continue to cultivate gospel- and grace-centered cultures among our family of churches, we’re likely to be prepared to thrive for generations.
Finally, in light of all the factions in Protestant circles related to the issue of communion, the very fact that we don’t consider a view on that issue as being essential is part of the amazing grace that we’re recipients of today … and Lord willing, for generations to come.
