by Rachel Held Evans (a summary by Pat Evert)
Many young adults are leaving the church. They want more honesty and authenticity than right and wrong. If the gays are faltering believers and are not accepted how can anyone be certain that they are.
Baptism, Our beginning, but in many churches we won’t even let the lesser valued ones even begin in our church – i.e. The Ethiopian eunuch, the gay Christian. The offense of the gospel is not who it keeps out, but who it lets in.
Confession, Does God care less about saving the lost from hell than I do? Maybe the church isn’t the happiest place, but if anything it should be the place of most honesty. But, Alcoholics Anonymous seems to be a step ahead of it in honesty. There is more intimate fellowship over brokenness than beliefs.
Holy orders, many times success looks like failure. But God brings something of great value out of loss.
Communion, what fills God’s church is mismatched, messed up people. Right and wrong has nothing to do with it. For this fellowship Jesus gave a meal, a concrete reminder of His sacrifice. Partake and remember. Everything in life is a gift.
Confirmation, being filled with the Holy Spirit and affirming the essentials of the faith.
Anointing the sick, we have such a huge capacity to wound and to heal. What wisdom to place LGBT people in our lives to teach us to live as the church.
Marriage, our end is love and unity forever.
Hidden in Plain Sight 