Book Review-

Turning Controversy into Church Ministry by W.P. Campbell

To be honest, when I signed up to get the book my immediate thought was "How different will this book be compared to the dozen or so books I have already read on the issue of Homosexuality?"
Would there be any different approaches? Would Campbell enlighten me to thinking other thoughts on homosexuality and our call as Christian's to love our neighbor, regardless of who they are?

I was pleasantly surprised with the book, I couldn't put it down and ear marked a couple dozen pages. I will read the book again.

The introduction gives us a framework as to how to position ourselves as we read the book.

"This book is an expedition into the world of vital facts and human factors set against the landscape of God's revelation. I unapologetically fasten scripture as a frame around this portrait. The contrasting colors of the law and the gospel, grace and instruction, truth and love must be blended if we are to understand God's mind and God's heart." C.W. Campell page 17 TCCM

Part 1 Analysis: Your Church, Christ's Body

I particularly like the analogies that Campbell uses to draw us into the water of this particular issue. He describes the body of Christ in various aspects of thought and experience and uses the Feet, heart and head as ways to understand where we may be at in the journey of ministry to those who struggle with same gender issues. We are asked to look at our Church, as the body of Christ and evaluate to some degree where we are at? It is not merely an "us" verses "them" idea, but rather we are asked to first look at ourselves to see where we are at. To recognize our own broken places before we look at others.

"The leaders we need are not those who give in to their weaknesses, but those who humbly trust God for the strength to be obedient. Jesus told us we would need to deny ourselves and take up our crosses if we are to be his disciples (Matthew 16:24). In the realm of sexuality, leaders in the church must model faithfulness to God's creative norm, despite struggles they may face as singles who never find mates or as persons locked into marriages that for physiological or psychological reasons preclude sexual expression. Jesus Christ, who was never sexually active, enables us to find deep intimacy and fulfillment in relationships, even when sexual expression must be curtailed. The Bible showcases singleness, along with marriage, as a holy calling from God (Matthew 19:10-12, 27-30; 1 Corinthians7).
Quote TCCM page 49

Part 2 Approach: Overcoming Controversy

Here we look at Creation and Science, Standards and Psychology, Compassion and the Church.

This section of the book, I would consider the meat of the book. It is well worth it to read this section over and over again. Campbell packs quite a bit of information in this section and delves into science, APA, Theology, Interpretation, holiness, grace, truth. Each chapter we begin with a controversy...and throughout the chapter we are asked to visit that controversy...where are we on the continuum of thought regarding homosexuality? Campbell gives us understanding to various thoughts on the issue of homosexuality and then in a sense gives us a challenge in the benediction (closing paragraphs of each chapter), calling us to look at ourselves first.

"Every time I meet a person who suffers from addiction, I realize this could have been me. The person who carries the wounds of past abuse could have been me. By the grace of God I am still "on the wagon," and it is only grace that will keep me there. I want to extend the same grace to everyone I meet, remembering that where sin is abundant, God's grace is more abundant (Romans 5:20).
quote TCCM page 133.

Part 3 Action Building Ministry
Foundation: What every church needs
Structure: Your Unique Ministry

This section is talking about the blueprint of ministry, and talks about various church sizes and structures. Campbell shows us specifically a sphere showing us a good structure to follow regarding ministry, and then delves into bringing us to understand the vital role that each of the 6 areas are to ministry.

I liked how Campbell used the story of Nehemiah and the walls around a city, to focus me as I read this section of the book. It allowed me to think about the strategies that God has given us as examples to use for any ministry.

I think this section allows us to look at what structures we may have in place, and what we may be lacking in our ministries and church communities, and the reminder to place prayer as the foundation and motivation to do any type of ministry. As I read this section, I kept thinking..."this is so good, my pastor needs to read this."

"This book has offered rationale, testimonies, models, and guidelines for ministry. Now it's up to you. If you doubt the great purpose God has for your church, please reread the first half of Ephesians, pause at the end of chapter 3, take a deep breath, and look at the end of chapter 4 once again. The love of God is wide enough to reach all kinds of people, long enough to keep your church on track through time, high enough to change any life, and deep enough to heal every wounded heart."
quote TCCM page 218

The provides the reader with questions for each chapter making this book a great resource for those who may be leading a small group and want to delve deeper into the understanding of same gender attraction/homosexuality and the call to offer hope, grace, truth and much love to those who are our neighbor.

I highly recommend this book. It is concise, and offers a lot of initial insight for everyone in the body of Christ. It isn't an indepth theological, psychological, or scientific book, but offers a person whoever it is to gain a better perspective on the Christlike response to homosexuality. In our culture today, none of us is called to remain naive regarding the issue of homosexuality, we are called to be well informed and equipped to love like Jesus.

As someone who has struggled with same gender attraction, who was once gay identified, I found this book to be sensitive, loving, but unapologetic in terms of theological truth.

Bill...thank you for the work it took to compile this book and the years you have given to research and understand homosexuality. Thank you for your heart to love others well and recognize that we have all fallen short...and need Jesus.
This is a great resource that I highly recommend.

Kenny Warkentin
Resource Outreach/Programs Coordinator
Living Waters Canada-Central Region
Exodus Canadian Rep.

A little yeast

You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth? Such persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. Galatians 5:7-9

This past year, I have really been thinking a lot about these verses. It has come to mind on more than one occasion and so I have been mediating on what a little yeast can do. In context the yeast is sin and the dough is the body of Christ. Having worked as a baker for a few years, I know this analogy. It is true how yeast works it's way through the whole batch of dough. It doesn't just stay in one part of the dough, but expands, multiplies and goes throughout the whole batch. It begins to bubble and air pockets form and the whole loaf rises. It also begins to smell yeasty, a smell that doesn't go away until you bake the bread.

As I look at my own life, I can see how discipleship/community played a key role in my journey with Christ. As I walked in community with others, specifically as I welcomed discipleship, it allowed others to know me, and to ask me hard questions and it allowed others to speak life to me. It also allowed for the calling of sin in ones life. We need each other. When we decide to do life on our own and refuse discipleship we can begin to stumble and fall and we may begin to bend scripture and believe things to be untrue.

I remember when I began to slip. It was kind of easy. I began reading publications that believed that homosexuality was okay. That the Biblical understanding was translated wrong, that context was wrong, that the word of God was not relevant to today's living. Basically, I began looking for other ideas, other than the word of God to validate my same gender attraction. I slowly began moving away from the faith community and began hanging out with those with a more liberal faith, who said to me “God made you this way”. It validated my feelings and so who was I to believe. It felt good. It was no longer a challenge or a hardship to believe that God made me this way. I allowed the yeast to work it's way into my life. It began to fester and bubble, and it began to smell. I had a different aroma now. An aroma of independence, an aroma of anger, being gay was it and no one was going to tell me different. You could say I was being discipled but instead of Godly discipleship, I was allowing the world and liberal theologians to sway me from the truth of who I really was and who God created me to be.

When I look back, I wish that people would have had the courage and love to talk with me about my decisions. Maybe I was already too hardened to listen but maybe something could have been said to me that would have triggered a repentant heart.
Knowing what I know now, and having walked this journey out. I have come to a place of knowing who God really created me to be, a man created to worship the one true God, created in His image, not created as a mistake, rather one with gifts and qualities that are continually being redeemed and restored by submitting my whole life to God and in the community of others. I recognize that I need others and I need accountability and discipleship.

If I have a friend who I see is beginning to believe lies or is living in a way that may harm himself or others, I love him/her enough to talk with them. A little yeast in my friends life not only affects them but also affects me and those around us. When I allowed the yeast of identifying myself as gay to fester, it affected a lot of people around me. It spread to my family, my friends and my church community. So I love my friends enough to say something. Not in a condemning or self righteous attitude, but rather one with humility and love. I've been there, done that and know the importance of walking with one another in community. It doesn't always feel good, but in the end it is of value and worth to you and those around you.