New Directions bridging the gap, syncro-blogging June 24

Awhile ago I posted about a conservative evangelical para-church ministry in Canada which decided to break ties with Focus on the Family’s Exodus International - the ex-gay money making machine for politicalized religious fundamentalists in the US and increasingly around the world.

For it’s decision, the group’s director was passively aggressively trashed in a US charismatic magazine article by the current Exodus International president. Rather than ignore the broadside and fire a verbal smack down back,  New Direction director Wendy Gritter responded with integrity.

iI New Direction was no longer under the umbrella of the US and global group, would or should it survive? And what direction would New Direction take?

One way is reaching out by syncro-blogging June 24th. 

I’m not participating, I’d like to listen.
I need to listen.

50 people have taken the step to say they’ll participate so far, 50 have chosen to reject hostility and begin to learn and relearn to approach themselves and others with respect, humility and grace. 
From the original blogpost:

The culture wars surrounding the topic of homosexuality have sucked up tremendous resources, have left devastated casualties in their wake, and continue to perpetuate polarization and enmity – most clearly seen in the divide between the Christian community and the gay community. The diversity and divisiveness surrounding gay issues is staggering. Even the above statement needs to be unpacked. The sense of polarization is not simply between the Christian community and the gay community as if both of those communities were completely monolithic and mutually exclusive. Rather, we see fractures within the Christian community and disagreements within the gay community. In the midst of this wasteland are gay Christians – a diverse group of people too – who often find very little safe harbour on either side of the divide.

I spend a great deal of time blogging about what is wrong with institutionalized Christianity, not much time blogging about what is good and honourable and true about Christians. 

Interestingly, a lead up starts off with a clip from a  conservative preacher attempting to be conversational regarding his scriptural shoulds.  He chose to participate in something in 2008 and I haven’t bothered with him since.  I’ve become desensitized to and weary of what one of my nieces calls the yak yak. 

I am guilty of silent hostility. 
One by one on June 24th, links will go up at Bridging the Gap.

Bridging the Gap evangelical church resources