"American Family Outing" Wants to Dialogue With Mega-Churches

I'm always in favor of people trying to communicate, especially when they try to find common ground and work through their differences. That appears to be the goal of this upcoming effort, as reported on PageOneQ.

This winter, as the Rev. Joel Osteen graces the pages of People Magazine, the familiar image of the old-school, anti-gay televangelist is rapidly being replaced by a new iconography: a younger generation of mega-church leaders with upbeat and inviting messages.

Unfortunately, while this generation's tone may seem less harsh, many of their mega-churches still enforce policies of exclusion and teach theologies that label Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people as sick, sinful, and in need of change.

An "American Family Outing" is taking shape in the spring of 2008 so LGBT families can talk with mega-church leaders and congregation members to share the message that justice for LGBT people is compatible with Christian teaching. Pot lucks, picnics and soulful talk are the order of the day as Soulforce, the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), and COLAGE invite churches to talk-the-talk so everyone is free to walk-the-walk.

On behalf of the four partner organizations, Soulforce Executive Director Jeff Lutes has written letters to:

o Rev. Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church in Houston, TX
o Bishop T.D. Jakes and The Potter's House in Dallas, TX
o Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. and Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, MD
o Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, GA
0 Rev. Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL
0 Dr. Rick Warren and Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA

"These pastors are part of a new generation of evangelical leaders in America," says Lutes. "We are calling on them and their congregations to demonstrate a new kind of leadership, one that models compassion and justice for all families, including families with two moms and two dads."

I am very optimistic about this approach. I think they picked out an excellent group of churches. I have personally been moved by the writings of Dr. Warren and Rev. Hybels and would be thrilled to see them openly promote equality. Especially for Warren, that woudln't seem like a huge leap with his activism to promote AIDS care, but he is a Southern Baptist after all.

When people communicate, there is hope. I pray these pastors step up to the plate and engage is this critically important dialogue.